Grant Program Research Articles

Lead Hazard Reduction Capacity Building Grant Program (HUD)

Lead Hazard Reduction Capacity Building Grant Program (HUD)

Disentangling the Ligand and Electronic Structure in KVPO4F1-XOx Positive Electrode Materials by Valence-to-Core X-Ray Emission Spectroscopy

Among all positive electrode materials for K-ion batteries (KIBs), KVPO4F offers a high theoretical capacity of 131 mAh·g-1 and an average working potential reaching above 4.3 V vs K+/K, resulting in a theoretical energy density of up to 520 Wh·kg-1. [1] The anionic substitution of fluorine by oxygen in KVPO4F1-xOx (x = 0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1) induces an increasing working potential by activating the V3+/4+ and V4+/5+ redox couples and replacing the VO4F2 “ionic” entity by {V=O}O5 unit with a highly “covalent” vanadyl-type bond. [2] The accurate prediction of the electrode potential as well as the understanding of the mechanisms involved upon cycling requires the determination of how the coordination environment of the transition metal ion influences the ionicity/covalency of the metal-ligand bonds and thus the electronic structure. Nevertheless, discriminating these ligands remains a challenge due to the limited sensitivity to light elements of common characterization techniques such as X-ray diffraction and extended X-ray absorption fine structure. Despite the valuable information from these techniques, fundamental concerns still need to be addressed which include: i) the implication of the covalent V=O vanadyl bond in the electronic structure; ii) the difference of Vcis and Vtrans, the two different sites for V, in the electronic configuration of the material; and finally, (iii) the impact of F/O ligands on the electrochemical mechanism upon battery cycling.To address this issue, we employed valence-to-core Kβ X-ray emission spectroscopy (VtC XES) combined with ab initio modelling and conducted a systematic investigation of KVPO4F1-xOx: two distinct regions were identified in the spectra, Kβ" and Kβ2,5, which are critical to probe the electronic structure close to the Fermi level and to discriminate different ligands coordinated with the vanadium atoms. [3] Our approach allows distinguishing in KVPO4F1-xOx the contributions of V-F, V-O, and V=O bonds, with intensities at the Kβ" region highly correlated to the F- and O2- anionic composition. Additionally, the evolution of the features at the Kβ2,5 region is highly associated to the presence of short V=O bonds, strongly influencing the electrode potential of the material.Overall, we present a detailed and reliable approach for understanding the occupied electronic states of the electrode material, proving valuable for a thorough comprehension of the structural and redox mechanisms involved in batteries.AcknowledgementThis work was supported by the DESTINY Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions COFUND PhD Programme (Grant Agreement #945357) co-funded by the European Union's Horizon2020 research and innovation program and the Synchrotron SOLEIL. ANR is also acknowledged for funding the RS2E network through the STORE-EX Labex Project ANR-10-LABX-76-01, and the ANR TROPIC project ANR-CE05-0026. Alistore-ERI network is also acknowledged.

Towards the Direct Observation of the Local and Electronic Structure Evolution of Positive Electrode Materials by X-Ray Raman Scattering and X-Ray Emission Spectroscopy

The emergence of high brilliance synchrotron sources and the availability of more sophisticated infrastructure have opened doors to advanced material characterization, enabling a profound understanding of new processes and mechanisms in battery research. [1] More specifically, non-resonant Valence-to-Core X-ray emission spectroscopy (VtC-XES) and X-ray Raman scattering (XRS) stand out as complementary photon-in/photon-out X-ray spectroscopy techniques. The unique capability of these techniques lies in their access to soft X-ray edges using a hard X-ray beam, providing comprehensive information on both the electronic and local structure, due to their high sensitivity to local structure and coordination. [2,3] In this work, two different families of materials with different compositions and crystal structures are studied using XES and XRS.The first part focuses on the detailed study of oxygen substituted KVPO4F1-xOx (x = 0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1) using VtC-XES combined to ab initio theoretical calculations. The average working potential increases with increasing oxygen content by activating the V3+/4+ and V4+/5+ redox couples and replacing the VO4F2 “ionic” entity by {V=O}O5 unit with a highly “covalent” vanadyl-type bond. [4] VtC-XES allowed us to distinguish the contributions of V-F, V-O, and V=O bonds in the local environment, with spectral intensities highly correlated to the F- and O2- anionic composition. In addition, specific spectral evolutions are also associated to the presence of highly covalent V=O bonds, strongly influencing the electrode potential of the material.The second part examines a series of electrochemically obtained LiyNiO2 layered oxide materials (y = 0.02, 0.25, 0.33, 0.5, 0.67, 1.0). VtC-XES performed at the Ni Kβ emission line allows to study the local structure evolution around Ni, whereas XRS spectroscopy at both the O K-edge and Ni L2,3 L-edges gives an access to the interplay between Ni and O through the hybridized states of Ni 3d and O 2p. [5] This work provides a survey on both the cationic and anionic redox processes, and unveils the underlying phenomena related to the charge compensation processes occurring in this material.Overall, we present a comprehensive study of different polyanionic and layered oxide positive electrode materials using complementary X-ray spectroscopic techniques to probe both the local and electronic structures. We demonstrate that they allow to follow and understand evolution and changes in the local structure in materials of intricate crystal structures.AcknowledgementThis work was supported by the DESTINY Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions COFUND PhD Programme (Grant Agreement #945357) co-funded by the European Union's Horizon2020 research and innovation program and the Synchrotron SOLEIL. ANR is also acknowledged for funding the RS2E network through the STORE-EX Labex Project ANR-10-LABX-76-01. Alistore-ERI network is also acknowledged.

RS-DFID Africa capacity-building initiative programme grant: harnessing unsteady phase-change heat exchange in high-performance concentrated solar power systems.

The Royal Society and UK Department for International Development supported a consortium of three universities across sub-Saharan Africa and Imperial College London with the aim of developing new knowledge on direct-steam-generation concentrated solar power (CSP) plants and supporting relevant capacity building across the Universities of Lagos, Mauritius and Pretoria. Key research findings from the programme include an improved flow-classification scheme for two-phase, liquid-liquid flows; testing of advanced surfaces with much-improved steady-state heat transfer performance-the commercial nanoFLUX surface showed up to 200% higher heat-transfer coefficients (HTCs) in pool boiling compared with other surfaces with R-134a/R-245fa; first-of-a-kind measurements of transient flow boiling HTCs, which were up to 30% lower in step perturbations than quasi-steady-state expectations in horizontal pipes with R-245fa; error estimation and corrections for laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) measurements, leading to the development of an adapted planar LIF technique with uncertainty <10% for local, instantaneous film thickness measurements in annular flows, and the application of such diagnostic methods to pool, falling-film and flow boiling in pipes; and predictions of an ~80% increase in the net present value of a case-study CSP plant when integrated with solid storage media.

The role of cultural organisations in matters of equity, diversity, and inclusion

ABSTRACT Equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) issues are relevant to all areas of society, including the cultural sector, which is characterised by systemic discrimination. Our research question is: how do artists and cultural workers perceive the role of cultural organisations in addressing EDI issues in the Canadian cultural sector? We conducted 65 semi-structured interviews with Canadian artists and cultural organisation workers to investigate this question. Our results show the difference in perception between artists and cultural organisation workers, particularly regarding grant programmes that promote equity, the role of education, and of cultural organisations. All agree on the importance of promoting EDI in the cultural sector. However, artists and cultural organisation workers sometimes have different ideas about how EDI can be promoted. Results point to better EDI training for workers in cultural organisations, more long-term funding for EDI projects, better communication of EDI initiatives, and better sharing of best practices among organisations.

Introduction to Impacting Education Themed Issue

Educational leadership doctoral granting programs have been on the rise for the last 25 years. These programs recruit students who work full-time as educational leaders while completing full-time doctoral coursework. Previous research on educational doctoral programs has found that they provide unique access to doctorates in education (EdD) for first generation students and students of color. In addition to access, educational doctoral programs create spaces for these students to improve their leadership skills. This issue leverages and shares the voices of alumni of an educational leadership doctoral program and faculty. This special issue highlights what they have learned from their scholar-practitioner journeys. We organized the contributions into three themes that make visible the leadership and scholar-practitioner journeys of our alums and faculty. Most importantly, our contributors emphasize how their doctorate degrees have impacted their capacity for research to inform their everyday practice, and how their leadership abilities were enhanced by the transformative experiences they had in their program.

Bilirubin metabolism in early life and respiratory health during preschool age: A combined analysis of two independent birth cohorts.

Bilirubin has antioxidant properties, and elevated levels within the normal range have been associated with improved lung function and decreased risk of asthma in adults, but studies of young children are scarce. Here, we investigate associations between bilirubin in early life and respiratory health endpoints during preschool age in two independent birth cohorts. Bilirubin metabolites were assessed at ages 0.5, 1.5, and 6 years in COPSAC2010 (Copenhagen Prospective Studies on Asthma in Childhood 2010) and ages 1, 3, and 6 years in the VDAART (The Vitamin D Antenatal Asthma Reduction Trial) cohort. Meta-analyses were done to summarize the relationship between levels of bilirubin metabolites and asthma, infections, lung function, and allergic sensitization until age 6 across the cohorts. Interaction with the glucuronosyltransferase family 1 member A1 (UGT1A) genotype encoding for an enzyme in the bilirubin metabolism was explored, and metabolomics data were integrated to study underlying mechanisms. Increasing bilirubin (Z,Z) at ages 1.5-3 years was associated with an increased risk of allergic sensitization (adjusted relative risk [aRR]= 1.85 [1.20-2.85], p= 0.005), and age 6 bilirubin (Z,Z) also showed a trend of association with allergic sensitization at age 6 (aRR= 1.31 [0.97-1.77], p= 0.08), which showed significant interaction for the age 6 bilirubin (Z,Z)xUGT1A genotype. Further, increasing bilirubin (E,E), bilirubin (Z,Z), and biliverdin at ages 1.5-3 years was associated with a lower forced expiratory volume at age 6 (aRRrange= 0.81-0.91, p<0.049) but without a significant interaction with the UGT1A genotype (pinteractions>0.05). Network analysis showed a significant correlation between bilirubin metabolism and acyl carnitines. There were no associations between bilirubin metabolites and the risk of asthma and infections. Bilirubin metabolism in early life may play a role in childhood respiratory health, particularly in children with specific UGT1A genotypes. The Lundbeck Foundation (Grant no R16-A1694), The Ministry of Health (Grant no 903516), Danish Council for Strategic Research (Grant no 0603-00280B), and The Capital Region Research Foundation have provided core support to the COPSAC research center. This project has received funding from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (grant agreement No. 946228). The Vitamin D Antenatal Asthma Reduction Trial (VDDART, ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00920621) was supported by grant U01HL091528 from NHLBI, U54TR001012 from the National Centers for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS). Metabolomics work by VDAART was supported by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) grant R01HL123915 and R01HL141826. S.T.W. was supported by R01HL091528 from the NHLBI, UG3OD023268 from Office of The Director, National Institute of Health, and P01HL132825 from the NHLBI.

Effective Interventions and Outcomes Realized through OMH Grant Programs

Effective Interventions and Outcomes Realized through OMH Grant Programs

The soft channels of policy diffusion: Insights from local climate change adaptation policy

AbstractDiffusion has become both an important concept for studying policy spread and a popular governance approach, particularly where direct coercion is unavailable or undesirable. However, the prevailing mechanism‐centered concept is difficult to measure and poorly captures the governance potential of policy diffusion. To address these issues, this article presents a new channel‐centered framework that distinguishes between six soft policy diffusion channels: autonomous, collaborative, exemplary, persuasive, organized, and funded diffusion. The framework is probed by studying local climate change adaptation policy using original survey data collected from the administrations of 190 municipalities located in the central German state of Hessen. The regression results indicate that the local institutionalization of adaptation in Hessen is associated with several interventions by higher levels of government, including the provision of a policy model, a municipal climate network, and grant programs. However, the density of concrete adaptation measures is associated with noninstitutionalized exchanges between municipalities. External grants are also found to be more effective in institutionalizing adaptation in larger municipalities. These results demonstrate the usefulness of the framework for distinguishing and comparing different diffusion channels and suggest that different types of interventions may be required to effectively support adaptation policy development at the local level.

Penny Wise and Pound Foolish: Does Striving to Meet Earnings Expectations by Manipulating Real Activities Trigger Product Recalls?

We examine whether managers’ activities in striving to reach earnings targets through real earnings manipulation affect their firms’ product recalls. Our evidence implies that firms suspected of manipulating real activities in trying to meet earnings benchmarks exhibit a higher likelihood and frequency of product recalls. In cross-sectional results consistent with expectations, we find that the impact of exploiting real activities to attain earnings benchmarks on product recalls intensifies for firms whose managers have stronger incentives to manage earnings and subsides for firms subject to greater customer power and firms with more growth opportunities. Additional analysis shows that lowering product quality to meet or beat earnings expectations undermines firms’ future performance. This paper was accepted by Ranjani Krishnan, accounting. Funding: Y. Chen acknowledges the General Research Fund of the Research Grants Council of Hong Kong [Project 15504219] for financial support. L. Ma acknowledges financial support from the Ministry of Education Project of Humanities and Social Sciences [Project 22YJC630099] and the Young Scholars Grant Program of the University of International Business and Economics [Project 20YQ06]. Supplemental Material: The online appendix and data files are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2021.04035 .

State Recreational Boating Safety Grant Program (DHS)

State Recreational Boating Safety Grant Program (DHS)

Who gets the grant? A persona-based investigation into research funding panelist preferences

Abstract The allocation of scientific funding through grant programs is crucial for research advancement. While independent peer panels typically handle evaluations, their decisions can lean on personal preferences that go beyond the stated criteria, leading to inconsistencies and potential biases. Given these concerns, our study employs a novel method, using simulated, data-driven, and narrative personas of fictional candidates, to identify the attributes that significantly influence panelist choices and profile what an optimal candidate would look like. Our findings reveal a preference for mid-career, multidisciplinary researchers with significant publications, citations, and prior project experience. Such optimal candidates also lean toward applied science, collaborative research, interactions with both industry and the public, and a progressive stance on science. Contrary to existing literature, this study found indications of a bias toward female candidates, which we interpret as a result of deliberate correction caused by awareness of existing biases in academia. Age emerged as another influential factor, suggesting either a preference for younger researchers or a perception of waning productivity among seasoned academics. Consistency in a candidate’s profile, rather than standout attributes, was also favored by panelists.

Elevating Black fathers' experiences in the National Fatherhood Initiative: Strengths and areas for improvement of 24/7 Dad® curriculum and case management services.

The Healthy Marriage and Responsible Fatherhood grant program is one of the most robust mechanisms supporting fatherhood programming in the United States, with the gold standard of care including fatherhood curriculum (e.g., 24/7 Dad®) and case management services. Despite the fact that fatherhood in the United States is not a monolith and Black fathers make up over 40% of those served through Responsible Fatherhood (RF) program, little research explicitly centers the lived experiences of low-income Black fathers. The current study used focus groups with fathers (n = 23) and staff (n = 8) enrolled in a RF grantee program. Thematic analysis was used to determine programmatic mechanisms supporting these fathers' success and areas for improvement. Our findings highlight that the creation of a "safe space" by facilitators and the power of the group dynamic were essential elements for fathers' success overall. We also identified numerous programmatic mechanisms supporting Black fathers' success specific to fathering, healthy relationships, and economic stability. Finally, we highlighted important limitations that may impede the success of low-income, Black fathers related to the 24/7 Dad® curriculum, engagement efforts, and economic stability, and discuss related practice, policy, and research recommendations.

Stronger Connections Technical Assistance and Capacity Building Grant Program (ED)

Stronger Connections Technical Assistance and Capacity Building Grant Program (ED)

Building Partnerships Out of Barriers: Lessons Learned From Partnerships Between Centers for Independent Living and Health Departments During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

People with disabilities were left behind in the beginning of the COVID-19 vaccination rollout. More work needs to be done to connect people with disabilities to public health initiatives. Centers for Independent Living (CILs) are an important and under-utilized community partner for health departments and should be engaged as a trusted source when working to reach people with disabilities and improve access to public health programs and services. The National Foundation for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC Foundation), through funding from the CDC, launched the Leveraging CILs to Increase Vaccine Access for People with Disabilities project. The primary goal was to increase accessibility of the COVID-19 vaccination among people with disabilities through (1) outreach and education, (2) service linkage and barrier removal through increasing accessible, (3) widespread education about the vaccine, and (4) improved partnerships between disability-led organizations and local health care providers. A grant program resulted in 39 awards distributed to CILs across the United States totaling $2 955 294.00 between November 2021 and March 2023. The project successfully resulted in reported improvements in partnerships between funded CILs and local health providers and a reported reduction in barriers to accessing vaccinations faced by people with disabilities. A suite of resources was also created to address targeted needs identified throughout partner implementation. Successful outreach to the targeted population resulted in 27 044 consumers being directly reached by CILs and 3 675 655 people reached through communication and outreach activities. Catalytic funding to disability-led organizations during public health emergency response and including people with disabilities as subject matter experts in program design can successfully strengthen access to care via trust building, message dissemination, and partnership. Building the capacity of community-based and consumer-led partners to implement evidence-based public health programming can provide a foundation for improved care for people with disabilities, particularly during an emergency response.

Lead Hazard Reduction Grant Program (HUD)

Lead Hazard Reduction Grant Program (HUD)

Randomized controlled trial reveals no benefit to a 3-month delay in COVID-19 mRNA booster vaccine.

BACKGROUNDThere is uncertainty about the timing of booster vaccination against COVID-19 in highly vaccinated populations during the present endemic phase of COVID-19. Studies focused on primary vaccination have previously suggested improved immunity with a longer interval between the first and second vaccine doses.METHODSWe conducted a randomized, controlled trial (November 2022-August 2023) and assigned 52 fully vaccinated adults to an immediate or a 3-month delayed bivalent Spikevax mRNA booster vaccine. Follow-up visits were completed for 48 participants (n = 24 per arm), with collection of saliva and plasma samples following each visit.RESULTSThe rise in neutralizing antibody responses to ancestral and Omicron strains were almost identical between the immediate and delayed vaccination arms. Analyses of plasma and salivary antibody responses (IgG, IgA), plasma antibody-dependent phagocytic activity, and the decay kinetics of antibody responses were similar between the 2 arms. Symptomatic and asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infections occurred in 49% (21 of 49) participants over the median 11.5 months of follow-up and were also similar between the 2 arms.CONCLUSIONSOur data suggest that there was no benefit in delaying COVID-19 mRNA booster vaccination in preimmune populations during the present endemic phase of COVID-19.TRIAL REGISTRATIONAustralian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry number 12622000411741 (https://anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?ACTRN=12622000411741).FUNDINGNational Health and Medical Research Council, Australia (program grant App1149990) and Medical Research Future Fund (App2005544).

Who captures the state? Evidence from irregular awards in a public innovation grant program

AbstractResearch summaryThis study utilizes the administrative data of an innovation grant program in a major emerging economy to study which firms are best positioned to capture the state and access resources beyond what their rule‐complying merits command. We trace the grant allocation process and directly observe occurrences of rule‐violating funding. We show that firms vary in capability to secure irregular awards, depending on factors such as geographic proximity and the social and bureaucratic setting within which entrepreneurs and officials interact. Furthermore, by comparing the actual allocation of irregular awards with the counterfactual scenario in which recipients were evaluated solely based on grant rules, we conclude that crony capitalism, rather than bureaucratic heroism, is the primary driver of irregular awards.Managerial summaryGovernments often use innovation grant programs to promote firm innovation, but these programs sometimes fail to achieve their objectives due to grant officials violating policy rules to provide resources to undeserving firms. We study a public funding program in a major emerging economy to analyze the bureaucratic structure and the social dynamics within which entrepreneurs and bureaucrats interact to identify the sources of state‐resource misallocation. We find that geographic distance, intragovernmental checks and balances, and the lack of direct social intermediary connecting entrepreneurs with bureaucrats help reduce the likelihood of collusion for state‐resource misallocation. Our results generate insights to help guide the (re)design of public funding programs, particularly in countries with low levels of transparency and public accountability.

The Influence of Academic Affairs on PIF

Referencing literature and professional experiences of multiple academic affairs deans in Doctor of Pharmacy degree granting programs, this commentary examines the ways offices of academic affairs (OAAs) play an integral part in the professional identity formation (PIF) of students, faculty, preceptors, and staff. The overlapping roles of academic affairs and other program and university offices are examined with a focus on approaches that impact student PIF. Although size, organizational structure, and roles or responsibilities can vary among OAAs within pharmacy education, 5 focus areas are identified as opportunities where most, if not all, OAAs can positively impact PIF for students. These 5 areas include curriculum design, delivery, and operations; leadership; professional development; student support and progression; and accreditation. OAAs can help to shape PIF within pharmacy education in a variety of ways. Identifying and reflecting upon the 5 focus areas described in this paper may help individuals within OAA units to recognize where PIF efforts may be developed, refined, or assessed within their program. By intentionally layering PIF strategies across these 5 focus areas, OAA personnel and those from other units within and outside of the university system may thoughtfully work together to develop graduates who have increased self-awareness, confidence, and the ability to lead within the profession of pharmacy.

The Swiss National MD-PhD Grants Programme: an analysis of the career trajectories of grant recipients between 1992 and 2021.

The aim of this study is to provide an analysis of the career trajectory of the recipients of a Swiss National MD-PhD grant thirty years after the creation of the Swiss interuniversity MD-PhD programme. The study surveyed 277 recipients of a Swiss National MD-PhD grant using an online questionnaire in April 2022. There were twenty questions about participants' demographics, the duration of their MD-PhD training, their career trajectory, current position, research and clinical activity, the impact of the support on the recipients' careers, and their satisfaction with various aspects of the grant. The study showed that 141 out of the 277 grant recipients contacted returned the survey (51% response rate). The gender distribution of the participants was 33% women, 63% men, 4% unknown, which is almost the same as that of all grantees (35% women, 65% men). One hundred and fourteen (81%) respondents had completed their MD-PhD thesis and were graduates, while 27 (19%) were still MD-PhD students. The mean duration of the MD-PhD training was 4.27 years, with a slight upward trend over time. A large proportion of graduates, 81%, remained scientifically active after the grant, most of them in academic settings. Of the grantees who had completed their MD-PhD at least eight years before the survey, 55% had a paid research position with 40% combining research and clinical roles, and 15% doing research only. Seventy-six per cent remained clinically active, 54% occupied leadership positions, and 25% were professors. Most grantees believed that the grant had had a positive impact on their career trajectory. The main challenges included a delay in clinical training, a limited number of clinical positions with dedicated research time after the MD-PhD period, and sub-optimal recognition by hospital hierarchies. The data collected for this study confirm that the competitive Swiss National MD-PhD Grants Programme excels in supporting promising physician scientists who remain active in both research and clinical contexts in the long term. The individual grants are perceived as a distinction that acts as the basis for a successful career in academic medicine. Continued support and alternative funding sources, however, will be essential to ensure the programme's sustainability.