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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

Spatiotemporal DNA methylome dynamics of the developing mouse fetus

Cytosine DNA methylation is essential for mammalian development but understanding of its spatiotemporal distribution in the developing embryo remains limited1,2. Here, as part of the mouse Encyclopedia of DNA Elements (ENCODE) project, we profiled 168 methylomes from 12 mouse tissues or organs at 9 developmental stages from embryogenesis to adulthood. We identified 1,808,810 genomic regions that showed variations in CG methylation by comparing the methylomes of different tissues or organs from different developmental stages. These DNA elements predominantly lose CG methylation during fetal development, whereas the trend is reversed after birth. During late stages of fetal development, non-CG methylation accumulated within the bodies of key developmental transcription factor genes, coinciding with their transcriptional repression. Integration of genome-wide DNA methylation, histone modification and chromatin accessibility data enabled us to predict 461,141 putative developmental tissue-specific enhancers, the human orthologues of which were enriched for disease-associated genetic variants. These spatiotemporal epigenome maps provide a resource for studies of gene regulation during tissue or organ progression, and a starting point for investigating regulatory elements that are involved in human developmental disorders.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Perspectives on ENCODE

The Encyclopedia of DNA Elements (ENCODE) Project launched in 2003 with the long-term goal of developing a comprehensive map of functional elements in the human genome. These included genes, biochemical regions associated with gene regulation (for example, transcription factor binding sites, open chromatin, and histone marks) and transcript isoforms. The marks serve as sites for candidate cis-regulatory elements (cCREs) that may serve functional roles in regulating gene expression. The project has been extended to model organisms, particularly the mouse. Finally, in the third phase of ENCODE, nearly a million and more than 300,000 cCRE annotations have been generated for human and mouse, respectively, and these have provided a valuable resource for the scientific community.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Author Correction: Perspectives on ENCODE

In the original article, the authors Rizi Ai (Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA) and Shantao Li (Program in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA) were mistakenly omitted from the ENCODE Project Consortium author list. The original Article has been corrected online.

99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗

Author Correction: Expanded encyclopaedias of DNA elements in the human and mouse genomes

In the version of this article initially published, two members of the ENCODE Project Consortium were missing from the author list. Rizi Ai (Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA) and Shantao Li (Program in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA) are now included in the author list. These errors have been corrected in the online version of the article.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Polarized blazar X-rays imply particle acceleration in shocks

Most of the light from blazars, active galactic nuclei with jets of magnetized plasma that point nearly along the line of sight, is produced by high-energy particles, up to around 1 TeV. Although the jets are known to be ultimately powered by a supermassive black hole, how the particles are accelerated to such high energies has been an unanswered question. The process must be related to the magnetic field, which can be probed by observations of the polarization of light from the jets. Measurements of the radio to optical polarization—the only range available until now—probe extended regions of the jet containing particles that left the acceleration site days to years earlier and hence do not directly explore the acceleration mechanism, as could X-ray measurements. Here we report the detection of X-ray polarization from the blazar Markarian 501 (Mrk 501). We measure an X-ray linear polarization degree Π X of around 10%, which is a factor of around 2 higher than the value at optical wavelengths, with a polarization angle parallel to the radio jet. This points to a shock front as the source of particle acceleration and also implies that the plasma becomes increasingly turbulent with distance from the shock.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Microbial carbon use efficiency promotes global soil carbon storage

Soils store more carbon than other terrestrial ecosystems. How soil organic carbon (SOC) forms and persists remains uncertain, which makes it challenging to understand how it will respond to climatic change. It has been suggested that soil microorganisms play an important role in SOC formation, preservation and loss. Although microorganisms affect the accumulation and loss of soil organic matter through many pathways, microbial carbon use efficiency (CUE) is an integrative metric that can capture the balance of these processes. Although CUE has the potential to act as a predictor of variation in SOC storage, the role of CUE in SOC persistence remains unresolved. Here we examine the relationship between CUE and the preservation of SOC, and interactions with climate, vegetation and edaphic properties, using a combination of global-scale datasets, a microbial-process explicit model, data assimilation, deep learning and meta-analysis. We find that CUE is at least four times as important as other evaluated factors, such as carbon input, decomposition or vertical transport, in determining SOC storage and its spatial variation across the globe. In addition, CUE shows a positive correlation with SOC content. Our findings point to microbial CUE as a major determinant of global SOC storage. Understanding the microbial processes underlying CUE and their environmental dependence may help the prediction of SOC feedback to a changing climate.

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTAN↗

Structural insights into β-1,3-glucan cleavage by a glycoside hydrolase family

The fundamental and assorted roles of β-1,3-glucans in nature are underpinned on diverse chemistry and molecular structures, demanding sophisticated and intricate enzymatic systems for their processing. Herein, the selectivity and modes of action of a glycoside hydrolase family active on β-1,3-glucans were systematically investigated combining sequence similarity network, phylogeny, X-ray crystallography, enzyme kinetics, mutagenesis and molecular dynamics. This family exhibits a minimalist and versatile (α/β)-barrel scaffold, which can harbor distinguishing exo or endo modes of action, including an ancillary-binding site for the anchoring of triple-helical β-1,3-glucans. The substrate binding occurs via a hydrophobic knuckle complementary to the canonical curved conformation of β-1,3-glucans or through a substrate conformational change imposed by the active-site topology of some fungal enzymes. Together, these findings expand our understanding of the enzymatic arsenal of bacteria and fungi for the breakdown and modification of β-1,3-glucans, which can be exploited for biotechnological applications.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Tau PET positivity in individuals with and without cognitive impairment varies with age, amyloid-β status, APOE genotype and sex

Abstract Tau positron emission tomography (PET) imaging allows in vivo detection of tau proteinopathy in Alzheimer’s disease, which is associated with neurodegeneration and cognitive decline. Understanding how demographic, clinical and genetic factors relate to tau PET positivity will facilitate its use for clinical practice and research. Here we conducted an analysis of 42 cohorts worldwide (N = 12,048), including 7,394 cognitively unimpaired (CU) participants, 2,177 participants with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and 2,477 participants with dementia. We found that from age 60 years to 80 years, tau PET positivity in a temporal composite region increased from 1.1% to 4.4% among CU amyloid-β (Aβ)-negative participants and from 17.4% to 22.2% among CU Aβ-positive participants. Across the same age span, tau PET positivity decreased from 68.0% to 52.9% in participants with MCI and from 91.5% to 74.6% in participants with dementia. Age, Aβ status,APOEε4 carriership and female sex were all associated with a higher prevalence of tau PET positivity across groups.APOEε4 carriership in CU individuals lowered the age at onset of both Aβ positivity and tau positivity by decades. Finally, we replicated these associations in an independent autopsy dataset (N = 5,072 from 3 cohorts).

Neurosciences & Neurology↗

Real-time laser ultrasonic monitoring of laser-induced thermal processes

Abstract Intra- and inter-layer integrity of components fabricated with advanced manufacturing techniques, such as laser powder bed fusion, is dependent upon rapid heating, melting, and solidification processes. There is a need for new techniques to provide in situ feedback of these processes. Here a laser-based ultrasonic technique to probe thermal effects induced by a high-power continuous wave laser in titanium samples is described. Numerical simulations were performed to show that, for a spatially uniform heating beam, laser-induced surface acoustic waves are strongly influenced by surface heating conditions, are dispersive in the case of rapid heating, and that an abrupt velocity reduction happens upon the onset of surface melting. Furthermore, laser-based ultrasound experimental results which monitor the transient change of surface wave travel time associated with high power laser surface heating are provided. A pulsed laser is used to generate high frequency surface acoustic waves that propagate through the laser-heated region and are detected using a photorefractive crystal-based interferometer. Qualitative agreement is observed between theory and experiment with both showing a rapid reduction in the surface wave velocity at the onset of illumination and further decrease in surface wave velocity associated with melting. It is demonstrated that changes in the surface wave velocity can be used to track local heating and detect the onset of surface melting in real time.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Magnetic and electronic properties unveil polaron formation in Eu$$_5$$In$$_2$$Sb$$_6$$

Abstract The intermetallic compound Eu $$_5$$ 5 In $$_2$$ 2 Sb $$_6$$ 6 , an antiferromagnetic material with nonsymmorphic crystalline structure, is investigated by magnetic, electronic transport and specific heat measurements. Being a Zintl phase, insulating behavior is expected. Our thermodynamic and magnetotransport measurements along different crystallographic directions strongly indicate polaron formation well above the magnetic ordering temperatures. Pronounced anisotropies of the magnetic and transport properties even above the magnetic ordering temperature are observed despite the Eu $$^{2+}$$ 2 + configuration which testify to complex and competing magnetic interactions between these ions and give rise to intricate phase diagrams discussed in detail. Our results provide a comprehensive framework for further detailed study of this multifaceted compound with possible nontrivial topology.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Correlation versus hybridization gap in CaMn$$_{2}$$Bi$$_{2}$$

Abstract We study the interplay between electronic correlations and hybridization in the low-energy electronic structure of CaMn $$_2$$ 2 Bi $$_2$$ 2 , a candidate hybridization-gap semiconductor. By employing a DFT+ U approach we find both the antiferromagnetic Néel order and band gap in good agreement with the corresponding experimental values. Under hydrostatic pressure, we find a crossover from hybridization gap to charge-transfer insulting physics due to the delicate balance of hybridization and correlations. Increasing the pressure above $$P_c=4$$ P c = 4 GPa we find a simultaneous pressure-induced volume collapse, plane-to-chain, insulator to metal transition. Finally, we have also analyzed the topology in the antiferromagnetic CaMn $$_2$$ 2 Bi $$_2$$ 2 for all pressures studied.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Personalized whole-brain neural mass models reveal combined Aβ and tau hyperexcitable influences in Alzheimer's disease.

Neuronal dysfunction and cognitive deterioration in Alzheimer's disease (AD) are likely caused by multiple pathophysiological factors. However, mechanistic evidence in humans remains scarce, requiring improved non-invasive techniques and integrative models. We introduce personalized AD computational models built on whole-brain Wilson-Cowan oscillators and incorporating resting-state functional MRI, amyloid-β (Aβ) and tau-PET from 132 individuals in the AD spectrum to evaluate the direct impact of toxic protein deposition on neuronal activity. This subject-specific approach uncovers key patho-mechanistic interactions, including synergistic Aβ and tau effects on cognitive impairment and neuronal excitability increases with disease progression. The data-derived neuronal excitability values strongly predict clinically relevant AD plasma biomarker concentrations (p-tau217, p-tau231, p-tau181, GFAP) and grey matter atrophy obtained through voxel-based morphometry. Furthermore, reconstructed EEG proxy quantities show the hallmark AD electrophysiological alterations (theta band activity enhancement and alpha reductions) which occur with Aβ-positivity and after limbic tau involvement. Microglial activation influences on neuronal activity are less definitive, potentially due to neuroimaging limitations in mapping neuroprotective vs detrimental activation phenotypes. Mechanistic brain activity models can further clarify intricate neurodegenerative processes and accelerate preventive/treatment interventions.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

Unraveling the mechanism of tip-enhanced molecular energy transfer

Electronic Energy Transfer (EET) between chromophores is fundamental in many natural light-harvesting complexes, serving as a critical step for solar energy funneling in photosynthetic plants and bacteria. The complicated role of the environment in mediating this process in natural architectures has been addressed by recent scanning tunneling microscope experiments involving EET between two molecules supported on a solid substrate. These measurements demonstrated that EET in such conditions has peculiar features, such as a steep dependence on the donor-acceptor distance, reminiscent of a short-range mechanism more than of a Förster-like process. By using state of the art hybrid ab initio/electromagnetic modeling, here we provide a comprehensive theoretical analysis of tip-enhanced EET. In particular, we show that this process can be understood as a complex interplay of electromagnetic-based molecular plasmonic processes, whose result may effectively mimic short range effects. Therefore, the established identification of an exponential decay with Dexter-like effects does not hold for tip-enhanced EET, and accurate electromagnetic modeling is needed to identify the EET mechanism.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Spin-texture-driven electrical transport in multi-Q antiferromagnets

Abstract Unusual magnetic textures can be stabilized in f -electron materials due to the interplay between competing magnetic interactions, complex Fermi surfaces, and crystalline anisotropy. Here we investigate CeAuSb 2 , an f -electron incommensurate antiferromagnet hosting both single- Q and double- Q spin textures as a function of magnetic fields ( H ) applied along the c axis. Experimentally, we map out the field-temperature phase diagram via electrical resistivity and thermal expansion measurements. Supported by calculations of a Kondo lattice model, we attribute the puzzling magnetoresistance enhancement in the double- Q phase to the localization of the electronic wave functions caused by the incommensurate magnetic texture.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Ubiquitous spin freezing in the superconducting state of UTe 2

In most superconductors electrons form Cooper pairs in a spin-singlet state mediated by either phonons or by long-range interactions such as spin fluctuations. The superconductor UTe 2 is a rare material wherein electrons are believed to form pairs in a unique spin-triplet state with potential topological properties. While spin-triplet pairing may be mediated by ferromagnetic or antiferromagnetic fluctuations, experimentally, the magnetic properties of UTe 2 are unclear. By way of muon spin rotation/relaxation (μSR) measurements on independently grown UTe 2 single crystals we demonstrate the existence of magnetic clusters that gradually freeze into a disordered spin frozen state at low temperatures. Our findings suggest that inhomogeneous freezing of magnetic clusters is linked to the ubiquitous residual linear term in the temperature dependence of the specific heat (C) and the low-temperature upturn in C/T versus T. The omnipresent magnetic inhomogeneity has potential implications for experiments aimed at establishing the intrinsic low-temperature properties of UTe 2 .

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗