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Hyperspectral image (HSI) analysis plays a central role in remote sensing tasks requiring fine-grained material discrimination, vegetation health assessment, and post-disturbance monitoring. Yet, the high dimensionality and strong spectral redundancy in HSIs often reduce the efficiency and reliability of machine learning models. These challenges are especially important in wildfire science and prescribed-fire monitoring, where spectral responses vary due to burn severity, char deposition, canopy structure, and early vegetation recovery. Benchmark datasets such as Indian Pines and Pavia University and others provide controlled environments for algorithms’ evaluation, but real-world post-fire forest conditions pose additional complexity. This study presents a unified and comprehensive evaluation of five dimensionality reduction strategies: Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Spatial–Spectral Edge Preservation (SSEP), Spectral-Redundancy Penalized Attention (SRPA), and a Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL)-based selector together with a clustering based baseline, K-Means Clustering-Based Band Selection (KMCBS). These strategies are combined with classical machine learning and deep learning classifiers: Random Forest (RF), Support Vector Machines (SVMs), K-Nearest Neighbors (KNNs), and 3D Convolutional Neural Networks (3D-CNN). The full pipeline includes exploratory data analysis, preprocessing, patch-based spatial–spectral modeling, consistent train–validation protocols, and multi-dataset evaluation across Indian Pines, Pavia University, and a new custom VNIR hyperspectral dataset collected after prescribed burns at the Lubrecht Experimental Forest in Montana, USA. By systematically comparing statistical, edge-aware, attention-guided, and reinforcement learning-based band-selection strategies, this work identifies compact yet informative spectral subsets that enhance classification performance while reducing computational cost. Importantly, the inclusion of the Montana prescribed-burn dataset provides a unique real-world testbed for understanding band selection behavior in fire-affected forest environments. Overall, this study contributes a generalizable and extensible framework for HSI dimensionality reduction and classification, laying the groundwork for future applications in wildfire assessment, vegetation recovery monitoring, and remote sensing.

Diet is increasingly recognized as a potential upstream modulator of the gut-brain axis (GBA) through its effects on the microbiome, microbial metabolites, and host immune and endocrine responses. The GBA is a complex, bidirectional network connecting the gastrointestinal tract and central nervous system, with diet influencing microbial community structure and metabolic output. Plant-based diets, such as Mediterranean and MIND, have been associated with increased production of anti-inflammatory microbial metabolites and improved barrier function, while high calorie/low nutrient diets are often linked to increased immune activation and barrier dysfunction. However, while microbial metabolites, especially short-chain fatty acids, indoles, bile acids, and isothiocyanates, have been proposed as mediators of neuroprotective effects, their role in neurodegenerative diseases remains an area of active investigation, with evidence largely derived from preclinical and associative human studies. Cruciferous vegetables, especially broccoli sprouts, are an emerging focus of research for their bioactive compound sulforaphane, which activates Nrf2-centered cytoprotective pathways. Animal and early human studies suggest sulforaphane can improve cognitive and behavioral outcomes, though larger clinical trials are needed. Personalized, microbiota-targeted dietary interventions may offer scalable strategies for managing neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative conditions, and we emphasize the need for integrated research across diet, microbiome, and brain health.

The ring-assisted Mach–Zehnder interferometer (RA-MZI) has high sensitivity and fast optical response time, and it has been used as a label-free nanophotonic biosensor. Most RA-MZI-based biosensors, however, require chemical modification of the ring surface to immobilize biomolecules that can interact with target molecules for sensing. Here, we report a novel microfluidic-integrated RA-MZI (μFRA-MZI) where a microfluidic channel was fabricated right above the photonic ring resonator. μFRA-MZI allows for direct sample delivery to the RA-MZI without chemical modification of the ring surface and measures shifts in the resonance wavelength induced by the presence of target molecules, enabling label-free detection. In order to optimize the sensitivity of μFRA-MZI, seven devices were fabricated with varied design parameters, including the gap distance between the ring and the bus waveguide (Gring), the length of the multi-mode interferometer (LMMI), and the length of the directional coupler (LDC). Photonic characterization showed that the device with Gring = 1.2 μm, LMMI = 15.5 μm, and LDC = 13.5 μm exhibited the highest extinction ratio (ER) compared to the other six devices, consistent with the simulation-optimized design. Testing with NaCl solutions of varying concentrations yielded a bulk sensitivity of 11.48 nm/refractive index unit (RIU) and an ER of 0.41. With the potential to further improve the device’s sensitivity and the ability to detect samples directly in flow without chemical modifications of the ring resonator, μFRA-MZI will provide a robust and effective approach for label-free biosensing.

The aim of this thesis is to examine the poetics of George Oppen as an embodiment of thinking and phenomenology, and how the poetry of Robert Creeley and Nam Le responds to Oppen with a similar interest in the failure of language and the intersubjectivity of being in the world. A close reading of these poets reveals intersections with the philosophy of Maritain, Heidegger, Merleau-Ponty, and Wittgenstein. This thesis seeks to examine how Oppen’s political poetics is made possible by his interest in phenomenology and philosophy of language. The poems surveyed are as follows: Discrete Series, “Psalm,” “Street,” and Of Being Numerous by George Oppen, “For Love” by Robert Creeley, and 36 Ways of Writing a Vietnamese Poem by Nam Le. In order to achieve a poetics that highlights the contradictions and limits of language and perception, these poets utilize craft elements including fragmentation, juxtaposition, enjambment, multiple voices, subtle soundplay, and disjunctive linearity.

The blending of White identity with systems of racism at all levels of society has created a nation that inherently provides power and privilege to White people while actively disadvantaging those who are not phenotypically White. In combination with widespread racial segregation, these systemic biases have resulted in the formation of White Spaces throughout the U.S. – spaces that consist majoritively of White Americans and perpetuate, intentionally or otherwise, social norms and beliefs rooted in Whiteness and biased against non-white individuals with a particular negative bias towards Black Americans. For Black Americans, failure to navigate White spaces without activating racial stereotypes in the minds of their peers can negatively impact their mental health, increase the likelihood of future instances of discrimination, and have lasting physical health consequences. Indeed, the experience and threat of racism serve as a chronic stressor in the lives of Black Americans and is widely considered to be a primary driver of racial differences in physical health – in particular, poorer sympathetic nervous system health among Black Americans, as compared to White Americans. Despite the well-documented negative effect of racism on the sympathetic nervous system and, consequently, the mental and physical health of Black Americans, examination of the impact that racism may have on the other branch of the autonomic nervous system – the parasympathetic nervous system – has revealed largely contradictory findings. When compared to White Americans, Black Americans simultaneously possess worse sympathetic nervous system functioning and better parasympathetic nervous system functioning. This finding – dubbed the African American Vagal Advantage – stands counter to the current understanding of autonomic nervous system health and the impact of chronic stress of racism on autonomic regulation – implying a more nuanced relationship between the autonomic nervous system and racial discrimination. The present research proposes and tests a social regulatory explanation for the African American Vagal Advantage. We theorize that the constant monitoring and regulation required of Black Americans to manage and avoid instances of racism in White spaces serves to exercise the socially adaptive function of the parasympathetic nervous system and improve autonomic health – giving rise to the otherwise paradoxical African American Vagal Advantage. We tested this theory across two studies.In Study 1, we compared the use of emotion regulation strategies and the endorsement of emotional display rules between Black and White Americans and tested the potential moderating role of White population size. The results of Study 1 suggest that Black, compared to White, Americans make use of putatively adaptive strategies and skills, and more frequently endorse the use of emotional display rules emphasizing emotional clarity. Notably, these relationships were greater in majoritively White populations and the presence of unfamiliar, compared to familiar, others. In Study 2, we examined the potential relationship between the parasympathetic health (indexed via vagally mediated heart rate variability) of Black Americans and the extent to which individuals anticipate prejudice and believe White people hold racist stereotypes. Moreover, we tested the potential moderating effect of White population size. The results of Study 2 suggest that the anticipation/expectation of racial prejudice in spaces where racism is less likely to occur (i.e., spaces that are not majoritively White) harms the parasympathetic health of Black Americans. However, in spaces where the threat of racism is greater (i.e., majoritively White spaces), anticipating/expecting racial prejudice is linked to better parasympathetic health. Taken together, our findings lend support to the claim that anticipating/expecting prejudice in contexts where racism is more likely prepares Black Americans adaptively regulate their emotions and behavior – potentially avoiding instances of racial prejudice while simultaneously exercising and improving parasympathetic health. Future work aims to draw causal links between the anticipation of prejudice, the use of adaptive regulation when in White spaces, and improvements in parasympathetic health.

Tympanostomy tubes (TTs) are designed to be implanted within the ear drum, facilitating pressure relief. TTs are commonly placed to treat recurrent acute and chronic otitis media with effusion in an estimated 2 million children yearly. The limitations of existing TTs include tube occlusion, premature extrusion, permanent hearing loss, and surgical removal. In addition, predictable and reliable ventilation is insufficient among existing tube designs due to variations in composition and geometry. As a result, the goal of this study was to develop a biocompatible tympanostomy tube (TT) capable of maintaining reliable ventilation as well as dissolving on demand. The criteria for developing an alternative TT is sufficient mechanical strength, occlusion resistance, dissolution on demand, and biocompatibility. To this end, TTs were created using calcium alginate hydrogels. The mechanical strength of the gels was enhanced by altering the gel tube composition and manufacturing constraints. Furthermore, occlusion resistance was improved via application of albumin coatings. One of the unique features of these alginate gel tubes is their ability to dissolve after implantation with the use of sodium, magnesium, or potassium solutions, minimizing the need for surgical removal. Furthermore, biocompatibility was maintained using clinically proven non-toxic ingredients and was corroborated using an in-vivo Zebrafish model. Results show that biocompatible TTs can be made using an Alginate:PEG solution crosslinked with CaCl. Alginate and PEG (polyethylene glycol) have been used extensively in medicine with few side effects. Additionally, it was discovered that the ensuing tubes were significantly stronger than commercial silicone tubes (tension and compression) extending implantation durations. Furthermore, alginate tubes (coated in albumin) are less prone to occlusion than un-coated commercial stainless steel tubes while having the unique ability to dissolve on demand within one week after exposure to NaHCO3 solution. Moreover, Zebrafish hair cell ototoxicity experiments indicate minimal toxicity levels after a 30 minute exposure to dissolved and filtered gel tubes. Therefore, dissolvable alginate gel tubes have the potential to limit complications associated with tube implantation. In conclusion, TTs can be developed using calcium alginate gels. The mechanical properties of these gels can be manufactured to exceed those of commercial silicone tubes while providing a minimally invasive removal technique. In addition, biocompatible dissolution solutions (NaHCO3) can be applied to dissolve the gel tubes on demand, reducing patient trauma. As a result, novel biocompatible alginate TTs can be developed that are capable of providing and maintaining reliable ventilation while dissolving on demand.

Stressful experiences affect biological stress systems, such as the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis. Life stress can potentially alter regulation of the HPA axis and has been associated with poorer physical and mental health. Little, however, is known about the relative influence of stressors that are encountered at different developmental periods on acute stress reactions in adulthood. In this study, we explored three models of the influence of stress exposure on cortisol reactivity to a modified version of the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) by leveraging 37 years of longitudinal data in a high-risk birth cohort (N = 112). The cumulative stress model suggests that accumulated stress across the lifespan leads to dysregulated reactivity, whereas the biological embedding model implicates early childhood as a critical period. The sensitization model assumes that dysregulation should only occur when stress is high in both early childhood and concurrently. All of the models predicted altered reactivity, but do not anticipate its exact form. We found support for both cumulative and biological embedding effects. However, when pitted against each other, early life stress predicted more blunted cortisol responses at age 37 over and above cumulative life stress. Additional analyses revealed that stress exposure in middle childhood also predicted more blunted cortisol reactivity.

After spending five days saving people from the hurricane-ravaged hell of New Orleans, Vancouver Urban Search and Rescue leader Tim Armstrong had a dire warning for B.C. yesterday. \"If we had a major earthquake here in B.C., we'd be in a world of hurt,\" Armstrong said after returning home Tuesday. \"We just don't have the resources.\" When Armstrong entered the office of the parish president -- the local equivalent of a municipal mayor -- the elected official went to Armstrong and hugged him. Help had finally arrived.

BackgroundThe structured days hypothesis posits that ‘structured days’ (i.e., days with pre-planned, segmented, and adult-supervised environments) reduce youth obesogenic behaviors. Structured days may be especially important for adolescents’, as adolescence (12–19 years) is a period of developmental milestones and increased autonomy. Therefore, the objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to evaluate the relationship between structured days and adolescents’ obesogenic behaviors (i.e., physical activity, diet, screen time, and/or sleep).MethodsFrom February to April of 2020, four databases (i.e., Embase, PubMed, Web of Science, and PsychINfo) were searched for cross-sectional, longitudinal, and intervention (i.e., baseline data only) studies reporting obesogenic behaviors on more structured versus less structured days (i.e., weekday versus weekend or school year versus summer/holiday).ResultsA total of 42,878 unique titles and abstracts were screened with 2767 full-text articles retrieved. After review of full-text articles, 296 studies were identified (sleep k = 147, physical activity k = 88, screen time k = 81, diet k = 8). Most studies were conducted in North America, Europe & Central Asia, or East Asia & the Pacific used self-report measures and compared school days to weekend days. Meta-analyses indicated that adolescents’ physical activity (standardized mean difference [SMD] = −0.25 [95%CI − 0.48, −0.03]) and screen time (SMD = −0.48 [95%CI − 0.66, −0.29]) were less healthy on less structured days. Differences did not reach statistical significance for sleep (SMD = −0.23 [95%CI − 0.48, 0.02]) and diet (SMD = −0.13 [95%CI − 0.77, 0.51]), however, sleep timing (SMD = −1.05 [95%CI − 1.31, −0.79]) and diet quantity (SMD = −0.29 [95%CI − 0.35, −0.23]) were less healthy on less structured days. The review identified studies with large heterogeneity.ConclusionsFindings indicate that adolescents’ physical activity, screen time, sleep timing, and diet quantity are less healthy on less structured days. Interventions for adolescents to prevent and treat obesity may be more successful if they are designed to target times that are less structured.