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A New Golden Era for Data Management
Item type: Other Conference Item
Alonso, Gustavo (2026)
Data Management in general and database engines in particular are among the most successful commercial software systems. They are the foundation of every application and service and have greatly expanded their functionality, performance, flexibility, and scalability over the decades. Often questioned in both academia and industry (e.g., the NoSQL movement), their basic architecture and principles have nevertheless stood the test of time. Maybe because of this success, we often forget that it took decades to get the relational model and databases engines to where they are today. And maybe also because of exhaustion from such a long-term effort, the community often feels the need to invest their efforts on other, often unrelated topics. In this talk, I will argue that we are in a new Golden Era for Data Management that requires a similar long-term effort as the efficient implementation of the relational model did. Due to trends in hardware, business models, workloads, societal concerns, and application demands, it is fair to say that most of the data management platforms used today are architecturally obsolete. This obsolescence will only increase without a concerted effort to redesign and rethink established principles and approaches to data management. In the talk, I will discuss trends, technological and societal, that are changing the way computing is done and outline a research program for data management exploring the many opportunities opened up by these trends.
Enantioselective Total Syntheses of (–)-Novofumigatonin and (+)-Euphorikanin A
Item type: Doctoral Thesis
Ruf, Vincent (2026)
This thesis includes two parts, which are described in the following. 1. The Enantioselective Total Synthesis of (−)-Novofumigatonin. (−)-Novofumigatonin (I) was isolated in 2008 from Aspergillus novofumigatus, a fungus found on the Galapagos Islands. This DMOAderived meroterpenoid features a highly oxygenated 7/6/5/6/5/5 hexacyclic skeleton. Its defining structural element is a complex heterocyclic cage containing an embedded ortholactone fused to a lactone acetal. In addition, the molecule bears ten stereocenters, an aldehyde, and a unsaturated ε-lactone. The unique structure of (−)-novofumigatonin, with its signature ortholactone and densely functionalized framework, makes it a compelling target for total synthesis. The overall synthetic strategy relied on a convergent anionic fragment coupling between neopentyl organolithium II and highly hindered ketone III to form tertiary alcohol IV. The presence of the LaCl3·2LiCl complex proved crucial for this transformation and enabled efficient assembly of the stereochemically dense carbon skeleton of the natural product. The synthesis was designed such that the olefins in IV acted as masked carbonyl groups, which were revealed by triple ozonolysis. Subsequent oxidation steps established the oxidation state required for construction of the oxygenated cage and enabled installation of a thioacetal as a chemoselectively activatable leaving group (V). Treatment of V with a thiophilic activator afforded VIII, in which the complete ortholactone lactone acetal cage of (−)-novofumigatonin was assembled. We propose that after activation, cation VI is formed followed by intramolecular attack of the central γ-lactone carbonyl to generate cation VII, which is subsequently trapped by the secondary alcohol. Ortholactone VIII was converted to (−)-novofumigatonin in four subsequent steps, completing the synthesis. In summary, the synthesis was accomplished through a convergent fragment coupling, the use of olefins as convenient surrogates, and the controlled generation of carbocations during ortholactone formation. This work provides an entry point for future synthetic approaches to complex DMOA-derived meroterpenoids and other ortholactone natural products. 2. The Enantioselective Total Synthesis of (+)-Euphorikanin A. (+)-Euphorikanin A was isolated in 2016 from the roots of Euphorbia kansui, a plant used in traditional Chinese medicine. This Euphorbia diterpenoid features an unprecedented 5/6/7/3-fused tetracyclic carbon skeleton combined with a [3.2.1]-bridging γ-lactone and eight contiguous stereocenters. Its complex architecture renders (+)-euphorikanin A a demanding target for total synthesis. Inspired by the proposed biosynthesis of IX, we designed a strategy in which the five- and six-membered rings, together with the bridging γ-lactone, are assembled in a single transformation. Ring-closing olefin metathesis (RCM) was successfully applied to diolefin X to form a medium sized tenmembered ring. Subsequent Ru-mediated oxidation furnished bicyclo[7.4.1]-tetradecanetrione XI. A key observation was that the configuration of the side-chain stereocenters controlled the atropisomer formed in the synthesis of the bicyclo[7.4.1]tetradecane system. An atropospecific cascade consisting of transannular aldol addition, hemiketal formation, and semipinacol/benzilic acid rearrangement constructed the full carbon skeleton of (+)-euphorikanin A and the γ- lactone in a single step, converting XI to XII. In this transformation, three stereocenters were constructed diastereoselectively, fully dictated by the atropisomeric configuration of the bicyclic intermediate. The synthesis was completed by vacuum pyrolysis of bis(methyl xanthate) XIII using a Bunsen burner, delivering (+)-euphorikanin A. Taken together, these results show that medium-sized bicyclic intermediates can serve as powerful precursors for the rapid construction of highly complex fused polycyclic architectures. In addition, this study serves as an example of atropisomerism in nonaromatic systems and demonstrates how this conformational element can be harnessed for stereocontrol.
Choose Wisely: Data-driven Predictive Control for Nonlinear Systems Using Online Data Selection
Item type: Dataset
Näf, Joshua; Moffat, Keith; Eising, Jaap; et al. (2026)
Modifying Stand-level Growth under a Changing Climate using a Model Fusion Approach
Item type: Journal Article
Johnson, Kirk M.; Coops, Nicholas C.; Achim, Alexis; et al. (2026)
The conventional growth models used in forest management often rely on historic biometric relationships and do not consider climate's impact on growth. Climate sensitive predictions of forest growth are essential to assess sustainable forest management and forest carbon, particularly under increasing climate change. In this study, we explored volume and stem biomass predictions from the climate sensitive, hybrid/process-based growth model 3-PG (Physiological Principles in Predicting Growth) for four tree species in British Columbia, Canada. Then, we used 3-PG to climate-adjust volume predictions from a conventional growth model without climate sensitivity. Yields from 3-PG and this model fusion were evaluated using repeated measurement plots. Stem biomass and volume predictions from 3-PG tracked the observed data, producing Relative Model Biases (RMBs) between 1 and -8% for lodgepole pine, subalpine fir, and interior spruce. Stem biomass and volume RMBs from 3-PG were approximately -15% for Douglas-fir. Climate-adjusted yields for the same projection period validated similarly to the conventional growth model. Long-term predictions of the model fusion were explored through year 2100 under three climate scenarios (low, medium, high). For plots on a moisture and temperature gradient, climate-adjusted yields increased volume predictions by 1-2% for lodgepole pine, 5-13% for Douglas-fir, 12-31% for subalpine fir, and 4-26% for interior spruce. For all species, climate-adjusted yields were moderated under drier conditions, and historically wet and cold plots experienced the greatest gains. This model fusion shows promise for supporting landscape-level timber supply and carbon accounting models that incorporate climate sensitive growth and decision-making based on site-level vulnerability.
Impact of the Food and Drug Administration's Proposed Front-of-Package Label and Alternative Designs on Consumer Understanding: A Randomized Experiment
Item type: Journal Article
Huang, Yuru; O'Sullivan, Kevin; Block, Jason P.; et al. (2026)
Introduction: In January 2025, the Food and Drug Administration proposed mandating Nutrition Info front-of-package labels, which would indicate whether packaged foods are low, medium, or high in saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars. This study examined whether a label similar to the Food and Drug Administration's proposal improves consumer understanding compared with positive endorsement and other proposed or adopted front-of-package labels and whether effects vary by income, education, race/ethnicity, and nutrition literacy.
Study design: This was an online RCT conducted in October–November 2024.
Setting/participants: National sample of 5,636 U.S. adults who were primary grocery shoppers.
Intervention: Participants were randomized to 1 of 6 front-of-package labeling systems: (1) positive (reference group), (2) Nutrition Info (the Food and Drug Administration proposal), (3) high-in nutrient (warnings for high levels of nutrients of concern), (4) positive + Nutrition Info, (5) positive + high-in, and (6) spectrum (rates products from least to most healthy).
Main outcome measures: Participants viewed 6 pairs of products with their assigned labels and indicated which product they thought was healthier in each pair. Consumer understanding was measured by correct identification of the healthier product across product pairs. Analyses were conducted in 2025.
Results: Across product pairs, participants correctly identified the healthier option 56%–90% of the time. Compared with positive labels, Nutrition Info labels led to the greatest improvements in consumer understanding (difference: 18.4 percentage points), followed by positive + Nutrition Info (17.9 percentage points), positive + high-in (11.8 percentage points), spectrum (10.8 percentage points), and high-in (5.3 percentage points) (ps<0.001). Effects did not differ by income, education, or race/ethnicity but differed by nutrition literacy (p-interaction<0.01). Labels improved understanding more for higher-literacy than for lower-literacy participants, with the largest differences for Nutrition Info and positive + Nutrition Info labels.
Conclusions: Findings support the Food and Drug Administration's initiative to implement mandatory front-of-package labels. Nutrition Info labels improved consumer understanding the most but may not serve all nutrition literacy groups equally.
Trial registration: NCT06516627.