Grants

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

CanCode supports educational programs that teach coding and digital skills to Canadian youth from kindergarten to post-secondary.

Central Area Neighborhoods District Council

Central Area Neighborhoods District Council hosting candidate forum for all candidates running for the City Council seat in District 3. June 6th, 6PM - 9:30PM, Grace United Methodist Church. Food and drinks provided for attendees. If we can find licensed/bonded childcare we will provide that free of charge for parents

NIAID - National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

Candida spp. are the leading causes of invasive fungal infections in hospitals globally. Invasive candidiasis (IC) includes bloodstream infections (BSIs) and intra-abdominal candidiasis (IAC), which are associated with mortality rates of 20%-40% despite treatment with echinocandins (ECHs), the frontline antifungal class. IAC pathogenesis is under-studied and poorly understood compared to that of Candida BSIs. Candida glabrata is the 2nd leading cause of IC overall and the leading cause of IAC in patients undergoing abdominal surgery. C. glabrata is notable for its haploid, rather than diploid genome, and its propensity to antifungal resistance. However, most ECH treatment failures of C. glabrata IC are not linked to an ECH-resistant strain. Antifungal heteroresistance (HR, a low-frequency subpopulation of resistant cells co-existing with susceptible cells) and tolerance (some cells grow better than controls in presence of drug without minimum inhibitory concentration changes) are reported among Candida spp., but their clinical relevance is not broadly validated. The long- standing paradigm is that almost all sterile site infections, including IAC, stem from a single, clonal organism that passes through a bottleneck to establish disease. Our preliminary data challenge the “single organism” paradigm by demonstrating that blood cultures from individual patients with C. glabrata BSIs are comprised of mixed populations of genetically and phenotypically diverse strains, including strains exhibiting virulence differences and antifungal-HR or tolerance that was not recognized by the clinical lab. We do not know if this diversity was generated in the blood or during gastrointestinal (GI) tract commensalism. In this study, we will investigate C. glabrata diversity during GI tract colonization and from sites of IAC. We hypothesize that C. glabrata strains at sites of IAC originate from GI tract flora, genetic and phenotypic diversity of C. glabrata strains is present at IAC sites but less than that encountered during GI colonization, certain within-host C. glabrata genetic variants enriched in IAC cultures impact pathogenesis of IAC, and other within-host genetic variants enriched during ECH exposure impact ECH-HR or tolerance. In aim 1, we will identify phenotypic and genetic diversity of C. glabrata colonizing the GI tract and from sites of IAC in individual patients. We will recover C. glabrata strains from stool and IAC cultures in each of 6 patients, including those receiving ECH prophylaxis, and assess virulence- associated phenotypes and ECH resistance, HR and tolerance in vitro. We will perform whole genome sequencing on strains from patients in whom phenotypic differences are identified and prioritize certain genetic variants for validation studies. In aim 2, we will validate that C. glabrata genetic variants contribute to pathogenesis of IAC and/or to ECH HR or tolerance. We will create isogenic mutant C. glabrata strains for prioritized genetic variants. Strains will be tested for impact of genetic variants on phenotypes in vitro and on pathogenesis and ECH responsiveness during C. glabrata IAC of mice. This project will afford original scientific insights and carry potentially important implications for clinical and microbiology lab practices.

National Park Service

The objective of this modification is to add the FY 2015 Statement of Work (SOW) and budget for the purpose of carrying out the Act and implementing the Management Plan with respect to the following areas: Administration and Operations; Marketing and Visitor Services; Planning; Resource Inventory, Development and Interpretation, and Grants and Sub-grants.

LOCAL ASST (A)

Canisius College - Center for Professional Development and Women's Business

NIAAA - National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

Project Abstract This project aims to assess the capacity of cannabidiol (CBD) to manage alcohol withdrawal and cravings during detoxification of patients with Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD). AUD is associated with physical and psychiatric consequences as well as exorbitant healthcare costs. Attempts to treat AUD are limited by alcohol withdrawal, which can itself lead to seizures and death if it is not adequately treated. Benzodiazepines have long been the gold standard in the treatment of alcohol withdrawal, but this class of medications has drawbacks including abuse liability that limits its utility in an outpatient setting, adverse effects such as delirium and respiratory depression at high doses, and a susceptibility to shortages. Thus, there is a need to identify novel adjunct treatments for the management of alcohol withdrawal that could reduce benzodiazepine use and further attenuate withdrawal. CBD, one of the main cannabinoids in the Cannabis sativa plant, possesses several attributes that could make it a suitable treatment for alcohol withdrawal: it has a relatively benign side effect profile, lacks abuse liability, and has evidence to manage symptoms seen in alcohol withdrawal, including anxiety, insomnia, and seizures. CBD’s potential to help manage alcohol withdrawal symptoms and craving behaviors has been shown in preclinical studies but there is no data on CBD’s role as a treatment for alcohol withdrawal in human participants. This study will fill this knowledge gap by recruiting individuals with moderate-to-severe AUD to participate in a four-day inpatient study where they will be randomized to receive either placebo solution or CBD solution at a daily dose of 10 mg/kg or 20 mg/kg while undergoing supervised medical detoxification. Withdrawal will be assessed by nursing via the Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment, revised (CIWA- Ar) and by participant self-report via Alcohol Withdrawal Symptom Checklist (AWSC). CIWA scores will guide administration of benzodiazepines for the treatment of withdrawal symptoms. We will measure sleep quality through both self-report via the Consensus Sleep Diary (CSD) and objective data collected through wrist actigraphy. Alcohol cravings will also be measured via participant self-report with the Alcohol Urge Questionnaire (AUQ). Additionally, we will measure changes in liver function to verify the hepatic safety of CBD at these doses. Analysis will involve comparison between groups of the scores on the assessments of withdrawal, craving and sleep, wrist actigraphy data, total number of lorazepam doses administered over the course of study, and changes in liver function and vital signs. We hypothesize that CBD will be well-tolerated and attenuate alcohol withdrawal symptoms and cravings in a dose-dependent manner compared to placebo. Results from this study could position CBD as a novel agent for the management of withdrawal, sleep and cravings in early abstinence.

NIDA - National Institute on Drug Abuse

Project Summary An illicit drug enterprise is currently duping United States citizens by marketing synthetic cannabinoids to them as a safe alternative to cannabis. Professionals and students are also drawn to these compounds to cheat conventional drug tests. Rather than a safe alternative, most synthetic cannabinoids are more dangerous than cannabis itself. Indeed, the primary psychoactive component of cannabis, a chemical called delta-9- tetrahydrocannabinol, only partially activates the primary cannabinoid receptor in the brain. In contrast, the most commonly abused class of synthetic cannabinoids fully activate this receptor. While we already know that this increased cannabinoid receptor activation can produce more substantial drug effects, the neurobehavioral consequences of repeated exposures remain unclear. This statement is particularly true across different stages of lifespan development and between sexes. Synthetic cannabinoids are one of the most commonly abused drugs amongst adolescents and cannabinoid abuse rates are at all-time highs across all age ranges, including senior citizens. Elucidating the neurobehavioral consequences of chronic synthetic cannabinoid exposure is necessary to validate and raise public awareness of the dangers posed by this harmful new class of drugs. Our preliminary data demonstrate that chronic exposure to synthetic cannabinoids renders them less effective at evoking dopamine release in adult rats. This finding is concerning because we have shown that dopamine- release events are necessary for adaptive behavior and resiliency. Because little is known regarding the effects of chronic cannabinoid abuse across the developmental lifespan, we will first test whether this form of neurochemical tolerance develops in both female and male early adolescent, adult, and aged rats. It is also essential to consider whether chronic cannabinoid exposure interferes with fundamental behaviors that allow us to thrive in society. Thus, we will use an innovative behavioral economics framework to assess whether the value female and male adult rats place on the pursuit of reward and the avoidance of harm changes following chronic synthetic cannabinoid exposure. We recently used this behavioral economics approach to show that dopamine value signals represent price and causally modify the price rats will pay for both reward and avoidance. Finally, we will investigate the interaction between chronic cannabinoid abuse and exercise. We will test whether a history of exercise protects against the development of neurochemical tolerance in female and male adult rats. Existing data reveal exercise creates a state of heightened dopamine release and that this neurobiological adaptation may protect against adverse events. The collection of these data will advance our understanding of the neurobiology of cannabinoid abuse in a manner that can be applied to improve individual and public health.

Department of Fish and Wildlife

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) Cannabis Restoration Grant Program (CRGP) is seeking Research and Innovation proposals from eligible applicants to evaluate environmental conditions and impacts relative to cannabis cultivation; produce resources for ecological and environmentally sound cultivation practices; facilitate environmental sustainability of legal cannabis cultivation; and overall, address environmental impacts related to cannabis cultivation in California. The Research and Innovation Funding Opportunity (RIFO) focuses on research and innovation across multiple disciplines. Projects may involve environmental research and/or technological innovation and may be qualitative and/or quantitative in scope. Project proposals may focus on species and habitats, particularly Species of Greatest Conservation Need and Sensitive Natural Communities, and approaches for mitigating potentially adverse impacts of cannabis cultivation and related activities. All qualified eligible applicants are encouraged to submit environmental research and/or technological innovation proposals. RIFO proposals may include one or more of the following Project Types as they relate to cannabis cultivation: water use, land management, native species, social dimensions and community engagement, and technological innovations. Proposals should focus on the following objectives: 1) Improve the collective understanding of how cannabis cultivation influences the environment. 2) Provide actionable solutions for mitigating adverse impacts of cannabis cultivation and related activities on the environment. 3) Address factors that support ecological or environmentally sound cultivation practices. 4) Contribute to the conservation of California’s fish, wildlife, and the habitats upon which they depend.

NINDS - National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

Inflammatory pain due to symptomatic osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the leading indications for opioid prescriptions prior to definitive treatment with surgery. The endocannabinoid (eCB) system modulates pain by regulating synaptic transmission and immune reaction/ inflammation peripherally and centrally, as well as interacting with ion channels and receptors. The rapid rise in cannabis legalization has allowed patients to self-medicate resulting in altered states of eCB synthesis and degradation, and receptor activation prior to seeking medical care. The clinical consequences of an altered eCB system due to exogenous cannabinoids are unknown. We propose a comprehensive, systematic and highly integrated multidisciplinary basic and clinical science approach to characterize the a) human eCB system response to chronic pain associated with osteoarthritis, b) acute pain directly post-surgery, as well as c) pain resolution or pain chronification in TKA patients 6-months post-surgery and d) to mechanistically study changes in eCB signaling in preclinical animal models. Our goal is to determine the role of the eCB system in the maintenance and resolution of inflammatory pain using a prospective observational clinical study in a cohort of cannabis users and non-users undergoing TKA to validate existing animal models. We will test the overarching hypothesis that a functional eCB system is necessary for inflammatory pain resolution. Aim 1 will determine the effect of cannabis use and chronic inflammatory pain on the eCB system by comparing cytokine and eCB/lipid signatures associated with pain in patients with chronic OA to healthy subjects without pain to validate animal pain models. Exogenous cannabinoid use will be assessed with self-report and verified by quantitative LC-MS/MS assays. A reverse translational approach will examine identified changes in the patients to mechanistically study effects on eCBs on pain modulation and synaptic plasticity in preclinical models of inflammation and surgical incision. In Aim 2 we will determine effects of acute surgical pain (TKA) on the eCB system in cannabis-users compared to non-users and assess mechanisms in preclinical pain models. Effects of cannabis use on eCB signaling and synaptic plasticity in will be examined in two major pain-processing regions such as dorsal horn (DH) of the spinal cord and periaqueductal gray (PAG). Aim 3 will follow patients for post-surgical pain outcomes and opioid/cannabis use with a validated, innovative dried blood spot-based home monitoring strategy as an objective outcome measure. Pre-clinical studies will assess changes in eCBs/lipids in a TKA/post-incision rodent pain model in the absence and presence of cannabis. The results of these studies will inform whether adaptations in the eCB system induced by cannabis use contribute to hyperalgesia and regression to chronic pain in patients undergoing TKA procedures. We will be able to validate and mechanistically qualify preclinical animal models of persistent inflammation and post-incision pain. Physicians will be better informed on effects of cannabis use on patient outcomes.

City of Cambridge

Cannery Park

City of Cambridge

Cannery Park

NYC Department of Cultural Affairs

Canopy Canopy Canopy, Inc.

City of Oakland

Support to perform a special series of four concerts in Oakland in 2014-2015, which features our 110-member symphonic Chorale, 24-voice Chamber Ensemble and Children’s Honor Choir.

State of Connecticut

Canterbury

State of Connecticut

Canterbury

NYC Department of Cultural Affairs

Canticorum Virtuosi, Inc.

FIC - John E. Fogarty International Center for Advanced Study in the Health Sciences

Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) is an autoantibody-mediated disease of the central nervous system, predominantly affecting women and disproportionately people of African descent. The diagnosis of NMO is contingent upon the accurate detection of the aquaporin-4 (AQP4) antibody, the disease's sensitive and specific biomarker. The availability, accessibility, and affordability of the AQP4 antibody test is low in low- and middle-income countries. Most patients with NMO do not have access to the test globally. Moreover, neuroimmunological disorders have traditionally, but erroneously, been considered to be rare in Black patients, with costly diagnostic tests and even more costly treatments, leading to limited expertise being built in lowest income African settings. Recently, new advances in autoantibody detection using low-cost techniques have emerged, allowing our team to detect the AQP4 antibody from small blood samples that are collected by the patient onto a filter paper-based test and mailed to the processing laboratory. This method allows patients far from reference laboratories to collect a dried blood sample and learn their diagnosis. These samples can be tested from warm temperatures, stored at room temperature, and last months and still be processed successfully. When processed at the Mayo Clinic Laboratories, dried blood spots have a high sensitivity and moderately high specificity for AQP4 detection. The most immediate value for a point of care AQP4 test is in lowest income settings where laboratory capacity is limited and antibody testing is not the current standard of care. In this study, a collaborative team from Massachusetts General Hospital, Mayo Clinic Rochester, and the Ignace Hospital in Guinea with three rural Guinean sites - Dubreka, Fouricariah, and Kindia - will focus on capacity building for neuroimmunological diagnosis and management in the West African Republic of Guinea. The team will test the point of care dried blood spot test in phenotypically-enriched cohorts at highest likelihood of having AQP4 antibody positive NMO in Guinea and estimate point prevalence of NMO in these cohorts. The well-defined subcohort of AQP4+ NMO patients will serve as a base for future clinical trials for the Guinean investigators. The study team will leverage their deep and established expertise to elevate the status of neuroimmunological disease expertise in West Africa. The team will also establish a workflow for testing at the point of care for complex and devastating neuroimmunological diseases, a process that can be eventually scaled for other point of care tests in remote, rural, and/or resource-limited settings.

FIC - John E. Fogarty International Center for Advanced Study in the Health Sciences

Abstract This application proposes to address priority areas for improvement in the care of multiple sclerosis (MS) in Colombia (a low-middle income country), which is a country with a population that is ancestrally and genetically diverse and whose region is in economic and research development. MS is an immune-mediated disease where geography, population differences play a role in disease risk and progression. The feasibility of our proposed project is supported by the success of the multi-center Alliance for Research in Hispanic MS (ARHMS; arhms.org) efforts that we spearheaded and have led to a better understanding of how genetic ancestry in MS in Hispanic people in the United States mainland and Puerto Rico plays a role in clinical presentation. Our initial collaborations with Colombia suggest, however, healthcare barriers. A particular concern is the increased number of MS cases being reported and the substantial diagnostic delays. Whether it is an issue of barriers experienced by healthcare providers or patients or other non-medical drivers of health are unknown. Nevertheless, these factors are likely important to consider when examining future MS outcomes. This exploratory proposal will provide support to 1)build local capacity to prevent diagnostic delays in MS, 2) fortify stakeholder and community relationships by better understanding the perceptions and attitudes of MS in the community and 3) integrate genetic and non-medical drivers of health assessments into research studies. Specific Aim 1 will identify the barriers that healthcare providers experience, Aim 2 will examine illness perceptions and attitudes in patients to help develop health promotion programs with local patient advocacy groups, and Aim 3 will develop research capacity for the collection of non-medical drivers of health and genetic diversity. This will provide the characterization of 200 patients with MS and their genetic variability, fortify community relationships, and identify context-specific barriers that will guide the development of future interventions.

Zuniga Foods

Capacity Expansion

LOCAL ASST (S)

Cape Vincent Chamber of Commerce Fishing Tournaments

Friends of Capehart

The Capehart Trails Project located at 3801 Discovery Park Blvd will finalize construction documents and construct two public trails through the Capehart section of Discovery Park to enhance human-nature interactions and improve hiking. Project is set to be completed in March 2019.

NIGMS - National Institute of General Medical Sciences

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT Mass spectrometry (MS) stands as a cornerstone of analytical techniques used across various fields of biological and chemical sciences. Its ability to provide detailed molecular information makes it indispensable for both basic and applied research. Miniaturized mass spectrometers offer significant benefits in areas relevant to NIGMS priorities by enabling rapid, on-site biochemical analysis and diagnostics in resource-limited or decentralized environments, which can advance precision medicine, public health, and fundamental biomedical research. Their portability allows for real-time monitoring of disease biomarkers, therapeutic drug levels, and metabolic states directly at the point of care, facilitating timely interventions. While miniaturized MS systems excel in portability and real-time analysis, they typically lack the versatility and thorough sample separation of conventional systems, limiting their applicability to a narrower range of sample types. Integrated sample preparation strategies that improve the matrix tolerance, accuracy, precision, and versatility of miniaturized MS instruments are crucial to address the growing need for decentralized diagnostic tools in both clinical and field environments. Microfluidics offer precise control, reduced sample volumes, and improved reproducibility, and are a promising platform for automated sample preparation. However, current microfluidic approaches have complexity and cost issues. 3D- printed capillaric microfluidics present a promising solution. They allow rapid prototyping and eliminate the need for complex instrumentation, making them accessible to non-experts and diverse scientific fields. The overarching goal of this ESI MIRA grant is to develop capillaric microfluidics for integrated sample preparation in mini-MS systems. The research will focus on three broad research areas that align with NIGMS's mission of advancing basic biological processes and translational applications, namely: (1) integrating capillaric microfluidics with mini-MS cartridges and ionization systems, (2) automating dried reagent rehydration and addition of internal standards and derivatization agents, and (3) implementing solid phase extraction and assay validation with clinical samples. The detection of antiretroviral drugs and a comparison with traditional MS will be used as a proof-of-concept to demonstrate accuracy and precision of the developed technologies. This project aims to revolutionize sample preparation in mini-MS, making it more accurate, precise, and versatile, and ultimately benefiting scientific research and diagnostics. The PI has a strong background in bioengineering and has made key contributions to the design, 3D-printing, and applications of capillaric microfluidics. This project has the potential to uncover new long-term directions and innovations both in the development of microfluidic technologies and their application to a wide a variety of fields.

Chicago Public Library

ILD STATE CAPITAL CONSTRUCTION

Capital Area Food Bank Foundation

Capital Area Food Bank Foundation is an active grantmaking foundation based in Washington, DC. Focus: community development. Contact the foundation directly for current funding opportunities.