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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 181 records · Page 10

Use of AI for Interpreting Technical Specifications for Power Uprates in Nuclear Power Plants

Powerpoint presentation. Background information provided on power plant uprates. Discussion of the current and proposed approaches to power plant uprates. Explanation of what data is used to draft a LAR. Methods such as retrieval augmented generation (RAG) and fine-tuning are discussed. Use case analysis is performed. Different failure types are examined. Conclusions are drawn from the analysis. Future work is proposed.

97 - MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Demystifying Cyberattacks: Potential for Securing Energy Systems With Explainable AI : Preprint

Modernization of energy systems has led to in- creased interactions among multiple critical infrastructures and diverse stakeholders making the challenge of operational decision making more complex and at times beyond cognitive capabilities of human operators. The state-of-the-art machine learning and deep learning approaches show promise of supporting users with complex decision-making challenges, such as those occurring in our rapidly transforming cyber-physical energy systems. However, successful adoption of data-driven decision support technology for critical infrastructure will be dependent on the ability of these technologies to be trustworthy and contextually interpretable. In this paper, we investigate the feasibility of implementing XAI for interpretable detection of cyberattacks in the energy system. Leveraging a proof-of-concept simulation use case of detection of a data falsification attack on a photovoltaic system using XGBoost algorithm, we demonstrate how Local Interpretable Model-Agnostic Explanations (LIME), a flavor XAI approach, can help provide contextual and actionable interpretation of cyberattack detection.

artificial intelligence↗

A human-in-the-loop explanation framework for morphologically transparent AI predictions from whole-slide images

Deep learning models enable the prediction of clinical endpoints from whole-slide images (WSIs), but many such models function as “black boxes”, lacking transparency about whether and which histomorphological patterns drive their predictions, hindering interpretability and clinical adoption. Here we propose a human-in-the-loop explanation framework, MorphoXAI, which provides both local and global interpretability for deep learning models by incorporating human-expert interpretations. At the global level, it reveals the histomorphological patterns on which the model consistently relies to distinguish between classes of WSIs, as well as the patterns associated with confusion between classes. At the local level, it indicates which of these patterns are used in the prediction of an individual WSI and which regions within the slide correspond to such patterns. We validated our method across multiple deep learning–based WSI analysis tasks spanning different tissue types. The results show that our framework generates explanations that accurately reflect the histomorphology underlying the model’s predictions at both global and local levels. For interpretability and clinical utility in diagnostic contexts, human evaluation results showed that our explanations were easy to interpret, rich in diagnostic features, and directly helpful for diagnostic decision-making, thereby enhancing pathologist-AI collaboration. Our work highlights that unifying global and local explanations and grounding them in expert-interpreted morphology enhances the interpretability and verifiability of deep learning models, thereby facilitating the transparent deployment of such models in clinical practice.

Lou, Peiliang↗

Explaining drivers of housing prices with nonlinear hedonic regressions

Housing markets play a critical role in shaping the spatial and demographic evolution of urban areas. Simulating housing price dynamics can enhance projections of future urban development outcomes. However, traditional hedonic regressions for housing prices, which neglect nonlinear interactions among explanatory variables, often exhibit limited predictive performance. While machine learning (ML) methods can provide a more flexible representation of the relationships between predictors, they are often regarded as “black boxes” due to their complexity and lack of transparency. Interpretable ML techniques provide a promising route by combining the flexibility of ML methods with approaches to analyze the relationships between inputs and outputs. In this study, we employ interpretable ML to analyze the patterns driving the housing market in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. We train an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) to predict Baltimore housing prices based on structural characteristics (e.g., home size, number of stories) and locational attributes (e.g., distance to the city center). We then conduct sensitivity and Partial Dependence Plot (PDP) analyses to interpret the fitted ANN model. We find that the ML model achieves higher predictive accuracy and explains 16 % more of housing price variance than a traditional linear regression model. The interpretable ML model also reveals more nuanced and realistic nonlinear relationships between housing sales price and predictors as well as interactive effects underlying Baltimore home price dynamics. For instance, while the linear model indicates a steady housing price increase over time, our interpretable ML model detects a post-2008 decline, with smaller properties experiencing the sharpest drop.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Sampling in Long-Screened Wells: Issues, Misconceptions, and Solutions

The issues associated with long-screened wells (LSWs) (and open boreholes) at contaminated sites are well documented in the groundwater literature but are still not fully appreciated in practice. As established in seminal and review papers going back over three decades, the interpretation of sampling results from LSWs is challenging in the presence of vertical hydraulic gradients and borehole flow; furthermore, LSWs allow for vertical redistribution of contamination between aquifer layers. Acknowledgment of these issues has led to the development of new technologies and well designs to enable discrete-zone monitoring (DZM), yet LSWs remain common for many reasons, for example, as multipurpose wells, for geophysical logging, and (or) as legacy installations. Despite the literature on LSWs and despite the adoption of DZM at many sites, the use of LSWs persists and the challenges of interpreting sampling results from LSWs remain. In this issue paper, we provide a conceptual overview of the problems posed by LSWs and review existing literature and past work to improve the interpretation of sampling in LSWs. We draw on experience from previous studies at the Hanford Site in eastern WA, USA, and use synthetic examples to illustrate key concepts and challenges for interpretation. A recently published analytical modeling framework is used to develop illustrative synthetic examples and demonstrate a workflow for building scientific intuition to understand issues around interpreting samples from LSWs, which is critical to effective characterization and groundwater remediation at sites with LSWs.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Integrating multi-modal remote sensing, deep learning, and attention mechanisms for yield prediction in plant breeding experiments

In both plant breeding and crop management, interpretability plays a crucial role in instilling trust in AI-driven approaches and enabling the provision of actionable insights. The primary objective of this research is to explore and evaluate the potential contributions of deep learning network architectures that employ stacked LSTM for end-of-season maize grain yield prediction. A secondary aim is to expand the capabilities of these networks by adapting them to better accommodate and leverage the multi-modality properties of remote sensing data. In this study, a multi-modal deep learning architecture that assimilates inputs from heterogeneous data streams, including high-resolution hyperspectral imagery, LiDAR point clouds, and environmental data, is proposed to forecast maize crop yields. The architecture includes attention mechanisms that assign varying levels of importance to different modalities and temporal features that, reflect the dynamics of plant growth and environmental interactions. The interpretability of the attention weights is investigated in multi-modal networks that seek to both improve predictions and attribute crop yield outcomes to genetic and environmental variables. This approach also contributes to increased interpretability of the model's predictions. The temporal attention weight distributions highlighted relevant factors and critical growth stages that contribute to the predictions. The results of this study affirm that the attention weights are consistent with recognized biological growth stages, thereby substantiating the network's capability to learn biologically interpretable features. Accuracies of the model's predictions of yield ranged from 0.82-0.93 R 2 ref in this genetics-focused study, further highlighting the potential of attention-based models. Further, this research facilitates understanding of how multi-modality remote sensing aligns with the physiological stages of maize. The proposed architecture shows promise in improving predictions and offering interpretable insights into the factors affecting maize crop yields, while demonstrating the impact of data collection by different modalities through the growing season. By identifying relevant factors and critical growth stages, the model's attention weights provide valuable information that can be used in both plant breeding and crop management. The consistency of attention weights with biological growth stages reinforces the potential of deep learning networks in agricultural applications, particularly in leveraging remote sensing data for yield prediction. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that investigates the use of hyperspectral and LiDAR UAV time series data for explaining/interpreting plant growth stages within deep learning networks and forecasting plot-level maize grain yield using late fusion modalities with attention mechanisms.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Advancing electrochemical impedance analysis through innovations in the distribution of relaxation times method

Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) is a key tool across various scientific disciplines, including energy sciences, chemistry, and biology, enabling the analysis of electrochemical systems. However, conventional methods for interpreting EIS data are often complex and model dependent. The distribution of relaxation times (DRT) offers a non-parametric approach that simplifies the interpretation process by providing a timescale interpretation of EIS data. This article provides a comprehensive review of current methods for DRT inversion. Additionally, a survey of practitioners highlights key challenges in the field. Here, the findings underscore the need for standardized DRT analysis and benchmarks, as well as the development of automated analysis tools. These advancements would improve the usability and interpretability of EIS data. Ultimately, implementing these improvements could not only propel the field forward but also expand the application of DRT in scientific research by making it accessible to a broader range of researchers, including those without specialized expertise in programming or statistics.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

On the instrument-dependent appearance of ion dissociation events in atom probe tomography mass spectra

The successful application of atom probe tomography (APT) relies on the accurate interpretation of the mass spectrum (i.e. m/z histogram) from a sample. Some materials yield mass spectra that are amenable to a straightforward peak assignment/ranging, however, there are many materials that produce mass spectra with features that defy simple interpretation. One such example is Ga 2 O 3 which yields mass spectra containing several broad and difficult to interpret features. Herein, we study the GaO 2+ → O 1+ + Ga 1+ dissociation and we explain how this dissociation process gives rise to broad and previously unassigned features in the mass spectrum. Trajectory simulations are performed for the dissociation reaction utilizing realistic electrostatic models and compared to experiments using commercially available straight flight and reflectron based local electrode (LE) APT instruments. It is shown that the appearance of these features is strongly dependent on the specific design of the time-of-flight (ToF) mass analyzer. Additionally, we explore how various experimental parameters can affect the appearance of the dissociation process in the one-dimensional (1D) mass spectrum and in the two-dimensional (2D) correlation histogram. While the focus of this work is on a particular dissociation process related to Ga 2 O 3 , the understanding gained in the course of these simulations and experiments should be applicable to the interpretation of dissociation processes in other materials.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

Machine Learning Correlation of Electron Micrographs and ToF-SIMS for the Analysis of Organic Biomarkers in Mudstone

The spatial distribution of organics in geological samples can be used to determine when and how these organics were incorporated into the host rock. Mass spectrometry (MS) imaging can rapidly collect a large amount of data, but ions produced are mixed without discrimination, resulting in complex mass spectra that can be difficult to interpret. Here, we apply unsupervised and supervised machine learning (ML) to help interpret spectra from time-of-flight-secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) of an organic-carbon-rich mudstone of the Middle Jurassic of England (UK). It was previously shown that the presence of sterane molecular biomarkers in this sample can be detected via ToF-SIMS (Pasterski, M. J. et al., Astrobiology 2023, 23, 936). We use unsupervised ML on scanning electron microscopy–electron dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) measurements to define compositional categories based on differences in elemental abundances. We then test the ability of four ML algorithms─k-nearest neighbors (KNN), recursive partitioning and regressive trees (RPART), eXtreme gradient boost (XGBoost), and random forest (RF)─to classify the ToF-SIM spectra using (1) the categories assigned via SEM-EDS, (2) organic and inorganic labels assigned via SEM-EDS, and (3) the presence or absence of detectable steranes in ToF-SIMS spectra. In terms of predictive accuracy and balanced accuracy, KNN was the best performing model and RPART the worst. The feature importance, or the specific features of the ToF-SIM spectra used by the models to make classifications, cannot be determined for KNN, preventing posthoc model interpretation. Nevertheless, the feature importance extracted from the other models was useful for interpreting spectra. In conclusion, we determined that some of the organic ions used to classify biomarker containing spectra may be fragment ions derived from kerogen which is abundant in this mudstone sample.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease using plasma biomarkers adjusted to clinical probability

Abstract Recently approved anti-amyloid immunotherapies for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) require evidence of amyloid-β pathology from positron emission tomography (PET) or cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) before initiating treatment. Blood-based biomarkers promise to reduce the need for PET or CSF testing; however, their interpretation at the individual level and the circumstances requiring confirmatory testing are poorly understood. Individual-level interpretation of diagnostic test results requires knowledge of disease prevalence in relation to clinical presentation (clinical pretest probability). Here, in a study of 6,896 individuals evaluated from 11 cohort studies from six countries, we determined the positive and negative predictive value of five plasma biomarkers for amyloid-β pathology in cognitively impaired individuals in relation to clinical pretest probability. We observed that p-tau217 could rule in amyloid-β pathology in individuals with probable AD dementia (positive predictive value above 95%). In mild cognitive impairment, p-tau217 interpretation depended on patient age. Negative p-tau217 results could rule out amyloid-β pathology in individuals with non-AD dementia syndromes (negative predictive value between 90% and 99%). Our findings provide a framework for the individual-level interpretation of plasma biomarkers, suggesting that p-tau217 combined with clinical phenotyping can identify patients where amyloid-β pathology can be ruled in or out without the need for PET or CSF confirmatory testing.

Cell Biology↗

ACES-GNN: can graph neural network learn to explain activity cliffs?

Graph Neural Networks (GNNs) have revolutionized molecular property prediction by leveraging graph-based representations, yet their opaque decision-making processes hinder broader adoption in drug discovery. This study introduces the Activity-Cliff-Explanation-Supervised GNN (ACES-GNN) framework, designed to simultaneously improve predictive accuracy and interpretability by integrating explanation supervision for activity cliffs (ACs) into GNN training. ACs, defined by structurally similar molecules with significant potency differences, pose challenges for traditional models due to their reliance on shared structural features. By aligning model attributions with chemist-friendly interpretations, the ACES-GNN framework bridges the gap between prediction and explanation. Validated across 30 pharmacological targets, ACES-GNN consistently enhances both predictive accuracy and attribution quality for ACs compared to unsupervised GNNs. Our results demonstrate a positive correlation between improved predictions and accurate explanations, offering a robust and adaptable framework to better understand and interpret ACs. This work underscores the potential of explanation-guided learning to advance interpretable artificial intelligence in molecular modeling and drug discovery.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Quantum stresses in the hydrogen atom

Gravitational form factors are often interpreted as providing access to stresses inside hadrons, in particular through Fourier transforms of the form factors 𝐷 and $\bar{𝑐}$. Some researchers, however, have expressed skepticism of this interpretation. I revisit the question, and argue that it is indeed appropriate to interpret these quantities as stress distributions. I consider the hydrogen atom’s ground state as a familiar example, and use the pilot wave interpretation of quantum mechanics to give the distributions a clear meaning. A striking result is that $\bar{𝑐}$—rather than 𝐷—quantifies the force law binding the system, which can be understood through Cauchy’s first law of motion.

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS↗

Quantifying dispersity in size and shape of nanoparticles from small-angle scattering data using machine learning based CREASE

Here, we use machine learning (ML) enhanced computational reverse engineering analysis of scattering experiments (CREASE) to interpret small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) data obtained from a system of nanoparticles without a priori knowledge of their exact shapes (e.g. spheres or ellipsoids), sizes (0.5–50 nm) and distributions. The SAXS measurements yielded three categories of scattering profiles exhibiting 'strong', 'weak' and 'no' features. Diminishing features (e.g. broadening or disappearing peaks) in scattering profiles have always been attributed to the presence of significant dispersity in the system. Such featureless SAXS data are not suitable for traditional analysis using analytical models. If one were to fit a relevant analytical model (e.g. the lmfit analytical model for polydisperse spheres) to these 'weak' and 'no' SAXS profiles from our nanoparticle systems, one would obtain non-unique interpretations of the data. Relying on electron microscopy to identify the distributions of nanoparticle shapes and sizes is also unfeasible, especially in high-throughput synthesis and characterization loops. In such situations, to identify the distributions of particle sizes and shapes that could be present in the sample, one must rely on methods like ML-CREASE to interpret the data quickly and output all relevant interpretations about the structure present in the system. The ML-CREASE optimization loop takes the experimental scattering profile as input and outputs multiple candidate solutions whose computed scattering profiles match the SAXS profile input. The ML-CREASE method outputs distributions of relevant structural features, such as the volume fraction of the nanoparticles in the system and the mean and standard deviation of the particle size and aspect ratio, assuming a type of distribution (e.g. normal, log-normal) for size and aspect ratio. We find that, for the SAXS profiles analyzed here, accounting for the shape dispersity along with size dispersity of the nanoparticles using ML-CREASE improved the match between the computed scattering profiles and input experimental profiles.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Evidence for a Single Holocene Paleoseismic Event on the Pajarito Fault, Northern New Mexico

Low-slip rate fault systems tend to be less studied than their high-slip rate counterparts, and paleoseismic techniques used to study them may pose challenges in interpretation that differ from high-slip rate systems. A good example of this is the Pajarito fault system (PFS), a normal fault complex within the Rio Grande rift. Despite numerous previous paleoseismic trenching studies conducted on the PFS between 1990 and 2003, considerable uncertainty remains regarding its Holocene paleoseismic history, particularly for the primary Pajarito fault (PF). To further clarify the PF paleoseismic history, we present data from paleoseismic investigations of 6 trenches at 3 distinct locations along the PF. Though the totality of the age and structural data obtained in this study is complex and not entirely consistent with any one interpretation, a single Holocene paleoearthquake occurring younger than ∼1,600 to 2,300 kcal yr BP is the simplest interpretation. It is possible that the PF records two Holocene events, with a penultimate event 6.9–2.4 kcal yr BP event and the aforementioned most recent event (MRE) between 2.3 and 1.6 kcal yr BP. However, only a single wall of one trench, out of a total of 12 walls in our 6 trenches, provides evidence supporting that interpretation. This study finds evidence of a single late Holocene paleoseismic event on the PF and sparse evidence for 2 Holocene paleoseismic events on the PF and highlights the benefits of logging multiple trench walls to better understand the complexity that results from this low-slip rate, low-deposition-rate fault system.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

FORESTR: Finding, Organizing, Representing, Explaining, Summarizing, and Thinning Random forests

Random forests have become popular models used for data driven predictions. As a result, random forests are currently used or being considered for high-consequence mission applications in national security, such as the prediction of yield from optical signals and malware detection. While random forests may provide accurate predictions, the complexity of the algorithm causes a lack of interpretability. Random forests are an ensemble of regression or decision trees. Individual regression and decision trees are interpretable, but ensembles are inherently difficult to interpret due to the compilation of many models. We aim to increase the interpretability of random forests by finding patterns in the ensemble of trees that can be used to “thin” (or remove) trees. As a starting point, in this report, we develop a new distance metric for quantifying the similarity between trees based on their topologies (i.e., shapes). We base the metric on a novel distance metric for graphs that is a proper mathematical distance, is invariant to transformations, has registration between graphs, and computes topological evolutions between graphs. We use the tree distance metric to compute tree statistics such as a “mean tree” and to identify clusters of trees. We apply the developed methodology to a toy dataset and a mission relevant product inspection dataset to demonstrate how the metric can provide insight into random forests. Furthermore, we discuss the limitations of the approach and ideas for future research into how the metric could be used as a thinning tool to develop less complex models.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

AI-powered topic modeling: comparing LDA and BERTopic in analyzing opioid-related cardiovascular risks in women

Topic modeling is a crucial technique in natural language processing (NLP), enabling the extraction of latent themes from large text corpora. Traditional topic modeling, such as Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA), faces limitations in capturing the semantic relationships in the text document although it has been widely applied in text mining. BERTopic, created in 2022, leveraged advances in deep learning and can capture the contextual relationships between words. In this work, we integrated Artificial Intelligence (AI) modules to LDA and BERTopic and provided a comprehensive comparison on the analysis of prescription opioid-related cardiovascular risks in women. Opioid use can increase the risk of cardiovascular problems in women such as arrhythmia, hypotension etc. 1,837 abstracts were retrieved and downloaded from PubMed as of April 2024 using three Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) words: “opioid,” “cardiovascular,” and “women.” Machine Learning of Language Toolkit (MALLET) was employed for the implementation of LDA. BioBERT was used for document embedding in BERTopic. Eighteen was selected as the optimal topic number for MALLET and 23 for BERTopic. ChatGPT-4-Turbo was integrated to interpret and compare the results. The short descriptions created by ChatGPT for each topic from LDA and BERTopic were highly correlated, and the performance accuracies of LDA and BERTopic were similar as determined by expert manual reviews of the abstracts grouped by their predominant topics. The results of the t-SNE (t-distributed Stochastic Neighbor Embedding) plots showed that the clusters created from BERTopic were more compact and well-separated, representing improved coherence and distinctiveness between the topics. Our findings indicated that AI algorithms could augment both traditional and contemporary topic modeling techniques. In addition, BERTopic has the connection port for ChatGPT-4-Turbo or other large language models in its algorithm for automatic interpretation, while with LDA interpretation must be manually, and needs special procedures for data pre-processing and stop words exclusion. Therefore, while LDA remains valuable for large-scale text analysis with resource constraints, AI-assisted BERTopic offers significant advantages in providing the enhanced interpretability and the improved semantic coherence for extracting valuable insights from textual data.

Research & Experimental Medicine↗