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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2023

Contraceptive Sabotage and Contraceptive Use at the Time of Pregnancy: An Analysis of People with a Recent Live Birth in the United States

Contraceptive sabotage and other forms of intimate partner violence (IPV) can interfere with contraceptive use. We used 2012 to 2015 Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System data from 8,981 people residing in five states who reported that when they became pregnant, they were not trying to get pregnant. We assessed the relationships between ever experiencing contraceptive sabotage and physical IPV 12 months before pregnancy (both by the current partner) and contraceptive use at the time of pregnancy using multivariable logistic regression. We also assessed the joint associations between physical IPV 12 months before pregnancy and ever experienced contraceptive sabotage with contraceptive use at the time of pregnancy. Few people ever experienced contraceptive sabotage (1.8%; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.4, 2.3) or physical IPV 12 months before pregnancy (2.8%; 95% CI: 2.3, 3.3). In models adjusted for age, race/ethnicity, marital status, education, and state of residence, ever experiencing contraceptive sabotage was associated with contraceptive use at the time of pregnancy (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 1.73; 95% CI: 1.06, 2.82), but not with physical IPV 12 months before pregnancy (aOR: 0.69; 95% CI: 0.46, 1.02). When examining the joint association, compared to not ever experiencing contraceptive sabotage or physical IPV 12 months before pregnancy, ever experiencing contraceptive sabotage was significantly related to contraceptive use at the time of pregnancy (aOR: 1.72; 95% CI: 1.00, 2.95). However, it was not associated with experiencing physical IPV 12 months before pregnancy (aOR: 0.68; 95% CI: 0.45, 1.04) or with experiencing both contraceptive sabotage and physical IPV 12 months before pregnancy (aOR: 1.21; 95% CI: 0.42, 3.50), compared to not ever experiencing contraceptive sabotage or physical IPV 12 months before pregnancy. Our study highlights that current partner contraceptive sabotage may motivate those not trying to get pregnant to use contraception; however, all people in our sample still experienced a pregnancy.

Huber-Krum, Sarah↗
DOE OSTI2023

Environmental exposure to industrial air pollution is associated with decreased male fertility

Objective: To understand how chronic exposure to industrial air pollution is associated with male fertility through semen parameters. Design: Retrospective cohort study. Subjects: Men in the Subfertility, Health and Assisted Reproduction cohort who underwent a semen analysis 2005-2017 with ≥1 measured semen parameter (N=21,563). Intervention(s): Residential histories for each man were constructed using locations from administrative records linked through the Utah Population Database. Industrial facilities with air emissions of nine endocrine disrupting compound chemical classes were identified from the Environmental Protection Agency Risk-Screening Environmental Indicators microdata. Chemical levels were linked with residential histories for the 5 years prior to each semen analysis. Main Outcome Measures: Semen analyses were classified as azoospermic or oligozoospermic (< 15 M/mL) using World Health Organization cutoffs for concentration. Bulk semen parameters such as concentration, total count, ejaculate volume, total motility, total motile count, and total progressive motile count were also measured. Multivariable regression models with robust standard errors were used to associate exposure quartiles for each of the nine chemical classes with each semen parameter, adjusting for age, race, and ethnicity, as well as neighborhood socioeconomic disadvantage. Results: After adjustment for demographic covariates, several chemical classes were associated with azoospermia and decreased total motility and volume. For exposure in the 4th relative to 1st quartile, significant associations were observed for acrylonitrile (β total motility = -0.87 pp), aromatic hydrocarbons (odds ratio [OR]azoospermia = 1.53; β volume = -0.14 mL), dioxins (OR azoospermia = 1.31; β volume = -0.09 mL; β total motility = -2.65 pp), heavy metals (β total motility = -2.78pp), organic solvents (OR azoospermia = 1.75; β volume = -0.10 mL), organochlorines (OR azoospermia = 2.09; β volume = -0.12 mL), phthalates (OR azoospermia = 1.44; β volume = -0.09 mL; β total motility = -1.21 pp), and silver particles (OR azoospermia = 1.64; β volume = -0.11 mL). All semen parameters significantly decreased with increasing socioeconomic disadvantage. Men who lived in the most disadvantaged areas had concentration, volume, and total motility of 6.70 M/mL, 0.13 mL, and 1.79 pp lower, respectively. Count, motile count, and total progressive motile count all decreased by 30–34 M.

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTAN↗
DOE OSTI2025

Metabolic Redox Coupling Controls Methane Production in Permafrost‐Affected Peatlands Through Organic Matter Quality‐Dependent Energy Allocation

ABSTRACT Permafrost thaw represents one of Earth's largest climate feedback risks, potentially releasing vast carbon (C) stores as greenhouse gases (GHG). However, our ability to predict emissions remains limited by poor understanding of how changing organic matter (OM) composition affects microbial carbon processing. We test a metabolism‐centered redox framework, which views microbial processes as coupled oxidative‐reductive reactions, to mechanistically explain how organic matter metabolite quality controls greenhouse gas production in permafrost‐affected peatland ecosystems. Rather than relying solely on geochemical redox measurements, our approach examines how microbes balance electron flow through metabolic pathways. Using active layer peat (9–19 cm) from contrasting environments (bog and fen), we employed multi‐omics approaches, including metabolomics, metagenomics, and metatranscriptomics, to link OM chemistry to microbial function. Our results reveal distinct dissolved organic matter metabolite composition, with fen systems enriched in compounds with higher substrate quality (low molecular weight (MW) sugars with high H:C ratios and low aromaticity) and bog systems dominated by compounds with lower substrate quality (high MW phenols with lower H:C ratios and higher aromaticity). In fen samples, these sugar‐like compounds correlated with higher oxidative metabolism and methanogenesis, supported by increased glycolysis gene expression. Initially, electrons from increased oxidative metabolism were balanced through nitrate and sulfate reduction, but as these electron acceptors were depleted, methanogenesis increased to maintain redox balance. Fen samples showed rapid degradation of both high‐ and low‐substrate‐quality compounds, suggesting sufficient energy for efficient C cycling. Conversely, bog samples exhibited more polyphenolic compounds, lower glycolysis activity, and higher stress‐related gene expression, suggesting energy was diverted towards cell maintenance under acidic conditions rather than C processing. This approach suggests that predicting greenhouse gas emissions requires an understanding of how organic matter quality shapes microbial energy allocation strategies, providing a mechanistic framework for improving emission predictions from permafrost‐affected peatlands and similar ecosystems.

Biodiversity & Conservation↗
DOE OSTI2020

Dispersion of cryogenic hydrogen through high-aspect ratio nozzles

Liquid hydrogen is increasingly being used as a delivery and storage medium for stations that provide compressed gaseous hydrogen for fuel cell electric vehicles. In efforts to provide scientific justification for separation distances for liquid hydrogen infrastructure in fire codes, the dispersion characteristics of cryogenic hydrogen jets (50–64 K) from high aspect ratio nozzles have been measured at 3 and 5 bar abs stagnation pressures. These nozzles are more characteristic of unintended leaks, which would be expected to be cracks, rather than conventional round nozzles. Spontaneous Raman scattering was used to measure the concentration and temperature field along the major and minor axes. Within the field of interrogation, the axis-switching phenomena was not observed, but rather a self-similar Gaussian-profile flow regime similar to room temperature or cryogenic hydrogen releases through round nozzles. The concentration decay rate and half-widths for the planar cryogenic jets were found to be nominally equivalent to that of round nozzle cryogenic hydrogen jets indicating a similar flammable envelope. The results from these experiments will be used to validate models for cryogenic hydrogen dispersion that will be used for simulations of alternative scenarios and quantitative risk assessment.

08 HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2022

Stochastic agent-based model for predicting turbine-scale raptor movements during updraft-subsidized directional flights

Rapid expansion of wind energy development across the world has highlighted the need to better understand turbine-caused avian mortality. The risk to golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) is of particular concern due to their small population size and conservation status. Golden eagles subsidize their flight in part by soaring in orographic updrafts, which can place them in conflict with wind turbines utilizing the same low-altitude wind resource. Understanding the behavior of soaring raptors in varying atmospheric conditions can therefore be relevant to predicting and mitigating their risk of collision. We present a predictive movement model that simulates individual paths of golden eagles during directional flight (such as migration) that is subsidized by orographic updraft. We modeled eagles in a 50 km by 50 km study area in Wyoming containing three wind power plants with documented golden eagle collisions with turbines. The movement model is applicable to any region where ground elevation is known at turbine scale (50 m) and wind conditions are known at facility scale (3 km). For a given set of atmospheric conditions, the model simulates movements of thousands of orographic soaring eagles to produce a density map quantifying the relative probability of eagle presence. We validated the simulated tracks with GPS telemetry data showing four directional tracks made by golden eagles transiting through the area in 2019 and 2020. For each eagle track, validation was performed using the ratio of the model-simulated eagle presence likelihood with uniform eagle presence and the presence computed using directed random-walk movements. We found that the predictive performance of the model was significantly better (likelihood ratio 1) for low-altitude movements than high-altitude movements that can involve thermal-soaring. We employed the model to produce seasonal presence maps for migrating golden eagles. We found significant turbine-level variations in eagle presence between northerly and southerly migration routes through the study area. Overall, the proposed model offers a generalizable, probabilistic, and predictive tool to assist wind energy developers, ecologists, wildlife managers, and industry consultants in estimating the potential for conflict between soaring birds and wind turbines, thereby reducing the need for site-specific data on golden eagle movements.

17 WIND ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2022

Literature Review on Next Generation Solvent Isopar ® L Vapor Pressure Curve and the Partitioning of its Modifier and Extractant

The Next Generation Solvent (NGS) is set to replace the Original Caustic Side Solvent Extractant (CSSX) at the Salt Waste Processing Facility (SWPF). The Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) was requested by Savannah River Mission Completion (SRMC), formerly Savannah River Remediation (SRR), to perform a literature review on the following topics to address flammability concerns with the current solvent: Isopar ® L vapor pressure curve for NGS, partitioning ratio for the extractant MaxCalix and the modifier Cs-7SB, and high cesium concentration impacts on NGS radiolysis and potential solvent degradation rates in high cesium concentrations. The following conclusions and recommendations are made based on previous experimental work and literature: (1) Current SWPF flammable gas generation calculations use an Isopar ® L vapor pressure curve based on experimental testing with the Original CSSX solvent. No such testing to date has been performed with NGS. It is suggested that the decrease in Cs-7SB concentration for NGS compared to the Original CSSX solvent would lead to a slightly higher vapor pressure at all temperatures in SWPF vessels. A bounding NGS vapor pressure curve has been provided; it is recommended to see if these values would challenge current flammability controls and to perform testing if needed.(2) The partitioning ratio for Cs-7SB is known in the Original CSSX solvent with dilute nitric acid and caustic solutions. No tests could be found for the partitioning of Cs-7SB to dilute boric acid solutions; however, a similar partitioning ratio is expected. Due to the lipophilic alkyl chains on MaxCalix, it is expected to be even less soluble than BOBCalixC6 in the aqueous phase and should not be considered a significant contributor to the f organic term. Additionally, the reaction rate of N,N’,N’’-Tris(3,7-dimethyloctyl)guanidine (TiDG) or its degradation products with a hydrogen radical should be estimated/determined if they are found to be significant contributors to the f organic term. (3) NGS is expected to see much higher Cs concentrations at SWPF in comparison to its use at the Modular CSSX Unit (MCU). These higher Cs concentrations could influence radiolytic degradation rates of the solvent. NGS appears to be fairly stable to radiolytic degradation based on previous testing and its use at MCU. However, there has not been radiolytic flammable gas generation testing with NGS to date. There is a risk that the continued use of G-values obtained for flammable gases produced from the irradiation of the Original CSSX solvent is not bounding for NGS, but this is considered a very low risk due to the similarities in the composition of the solvents, as well as the conservatisms in the experimental design of the Original CSSX testing.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2022

Evaluation of a rapid, generic human gestational dose model

Chemical risk assessment considers potentially susceptible populations including pregnant women and developing fetuses. Humans encounter thousands of chemicals in their environments, few of which have been fully characterized. Toxicokinetic (TK) information is needed to relate chemical exposure to potentially bioactive tissue concentrations. Observational data describing human gestational exposures are unavailable for most chemicals, but physiologically based TK (PBTK) models estimate such exposures. Development of chemical-specific PBTK models requires considerable time and resources. As an alternative, generic PBTK approaches describe a standardized physiology and characterize chemicals with a set of standard physical and TK descriptors – primarily plasma protein binding and hepatic clearance. Here we report and evaluate a generic PBTK model of a human mother and developing fetus. We used a published set of formulas describing the major anatomical and physiological changes that occur during pregnancy to augment the High-Throughput Toxicokinetics (httk) software package. We simulated the ratio of concentrations in maternal and fetal plasma and compared to literature in vivo measurements. We evaluated the model with literature in vivo time-course measurements of maternal plasma concentrations in pregnant and non-pregnant women. Finally, we prioritized chemicals measured in maternal serum based on predicted fetal brain concentrations. This new model can be used for TK simulations of 859 chemicals with existing human-specific in vitro TK data as well as any new chemicals for which such data become available. Furthermore, this gestational model may allow for in vitro to in vivo extrapolation of point of departure doses relevant to reproductive and developmental toxicity.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2020

Air Pollutant Emissions and Regulatory Implications of Co-Processing Raw Bio-Oil in U.S. Petroleum Refineries

Pyrolysis oil, often referred as bio-oil or biocrude, has attracted considerable attention because it has higher energy density and carbon content compared to the raw biomass. Using pyrolysis oil derived from low cost and underutilized biomass to produce renewable hydrocarbon fuels provides a viable link between the agriculture/forestry and (petro-) chemical industry. Co-processing bio-oil with vacuum gas oil (VGO) in petroleum refinery is appealing due to the relatively low capital requirement to retrofit refinery and the compatibility of fuel products with existing infrastructure. In order to implement co-processing, a petroleum refinery would need to consider several process modifications and therefore could be subject to varying levels of air permitting requirements based on bio-oil co-processing ratio, co-processing capacity in existing units, the amount of regulated pollutants expected to be emitted, among other factors. This analysis considers co-processing 5% (by weight) of raw bio-oil with VGO in the fluidized catalytic cracking (FCC) unit(s) in a petroleum refinery. We estimate the potential increase in emissions of regulated air pollutants resulting from the modifications required to implement bio-oil co-processing and evaluate the regulatory and permitting implications for three FCC size categories in the U.S. refineries, which could co-processes raw bio-oil to produce partially renewable transportation fuels. We also assess technically feasible emission control options petroleum refineries could adopt to avoid being subject to major source permitting requirements if the estimated increase in regulated air pollutant emission exceeds the applicable threshold for major modifications. Insights from our analysis can help overcome challenges and risks associated with timely obtaining air permits required to implement bio-oil co-processing in existing refineries. Our analysis also provides needed information for decision makers (e.g., local air quality agencies) to understand the potential air quality implications for retrofitting refineries to co-process bio-oil, particularly in areas with high concentration of petroleum refineries.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2024

The effect of TiO2 nanoparticles on antral follicles is dependent on the nanoparticle internalization rate

Abstract Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs) are among the most widely produced metallic NPs due to commercial and industrial applications in products including food, cosmetics, paints, and plastics. TiO2 NPs are released into the environment posing health risks for humans and wildlife. Widespread uses have raised concerns about the potential toxicity of TiO2 NPs in reproduction. The ovary is an important endocrine organ responsible for sex steroid hormone production and folliculogenesis. NPs can reach the ovary, but limited information is available regarding NP toxicity and its effects on ovarian antral follicles. Thus, we tested the hypothesis that exposure to TiO2 NP affects sex hormone synthesis, oxidative stress, and antioxidant response in ovarian antral follicles in vitro. In addition, we characterized the NP internalization in the antral follicles over time to determine any association between NP internalization and effects on the antral follicle. Antral follicles were exposed to vehicle control or TiO2 NPs (5, 25, and 50 µg/ml) for 96 h. The lowest NP concentration (5 µg/ml) showed no internalization and no effects in antral follicles. The 25-µg/ml concentration had the highest internalization rate, leading to increased mRNA ratio of Bax to Bcl2. Interestingly, the highest concentration (50 µg/ml) showed lower internalization compared with the 25 µg/ml, with altered levels of steroidogenic involved genes and increased levels of progesterone and testosterone compared with control. In conclusion, these data suggest that TiO2 NP is internalized in antral follicles as the first step process in impairing follicle functions.

Santacruz-Márquez, Ramsés (ORCID:0000000225239064)↗
DOE OSTI2023

Simulation-based characterization of the variability of earthquake risk to buildings in the near-field

Recent advancements in high performance computing platforms and computational workflow for regional-scale simulations are enabling unprecedented modeling of fault-to-structure earthquake processes. Regional simulations resolving ground motions at frequencies relevant to engineered systems are becoming computationally viable and provide a new capability to improve understanding of the geographical distribution and intensity of risk to buildings and critical infrastructure. As computational capabilities advance, it is essential to move beyond illustrative single rupture realizations for scenario earthquake events towards the development of a full suite of rupture realizations that appropriately characterize the range of risk to building systems. The work described in this article investigates the application of a suite of fault rupture realizations with the objective of assessing near-fault, site-specific seismic demand variability for building structures. A representative high-performance regional-scale computational model is utilized to execute ground motion and building response simulations based on 18 kinematic rupture realizations of an M7 strike-slip scenario earthquake. The fault rupture models for the scenario earthquake are created by systematically perturbing the hypocenter location and stochastically generating rupture parameters (slip, rise time, rake angle) to represent a breadth of ground motion intensities resulting from the spatial and temporal variabilities of an earthquake rupture process. The resulting seismic demand variability for three-story (short period) and forty-story (long period) steel moment-resisting frame buildings is characterized in terms of the median and distribution of peak inter-story drift ratio for a range of near-fault sites. The full suite of 18 fault rupture realizations and approximately 280,000 nonlinear dynamic building simulations indicate that the three-story building undergoes higher median seismic demand and significantly greater variability of demand at a given site than the forty-story building, which has important implications for the level of certainty in predicting building performance during an earthquake. The simulations performed provide deeper insight into the relationship between fault rupture parameterization and building response, which is essential information for developing a representative suite of rupture realizations for specific earthquake scenarios.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

Applying a polysaccharide lyase from Stenotrophomonas maltophilia to disrupt alginate exopolysaccharide produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa clinical isolates

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is considered one of the most challenging, drug-resistant, opportunistic pathogens partly due to its ability to synthesize robust biofilms. Biofilm is a mixture of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) that encapsulates microbial cells, leading to immune evasion, antibiotic resistance, and thus higher risk of infection. In the cystic fibrosis lung environment, P. aeruginosa undergoes a mucoid transition, defined by overproduction of the exopolysaccharide alginate. Alginate encapsulation results in bacterial resistance to antibiotics and the host immune system. Given its role in airway inflammation and chronic infection, alginate is an obvious target to improve treatment for P. aeruginosa infection. Previously, we demonstrated polysaccharide lyase Smlt1473 from Stenotrophomonas maltophilia strain k279a can catalyze the degradation of multiple polyuronides in vitro, including D-mannuronic acid (poly-ManA). Poly-ManA is a major constituent of P. aeruginosa alginate, suggesting that Smlt1473 could have potential application against multidrug-resistant P. aeruginosa and perhaps other microbes with related biofilm composition. In this study, we demonstrate that Smlt1473 can inhibit and degrade alginate from P. aeruginosa. Additionally, we show that tested P. aeruginosa strains are dominant in acetylated alginate and that all but one have similar M-to-G ratios. These results indicate that variation in enzyme efficacy among the isolates is not primarily due to differences in total EPS or alginate chemical composition. Overall, these results demonstrate Smlt1473 can inhibit and degrade P. aeruginosa alginate and suggest that other factors including rate of EPS production, alginate sequence/chain length, or non-EPS components may explain differences in enzyme efficacy.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2021

Integrating Electromagnetic Acoustic Transducers in a Modular Robotic Gripper for Inspecting Tubular Components

Tubular structures are critical components in infrastructure such as power plants. Throughout their life, they are subjected to extreme conditions or suffer from defects such as corrosion and cracks. Although regular inspection of these components is necessary, such inspection is limited by safety-related risks and limited access for human inspection. Robots can provide a solution for automatic inspection. The main challenge, however, lies in integrating sensors for nondestructive evaluation with robotic platforms. As part of developing a versatile lizard-inspired tube inspector robot, in this study the authors propose to integrate electromagnetic acoustic transducers into a modular robotic gripper for use in automated ultrasonic inspection. In particular, spiral coils with cylindrical magnets are integrated into a novel friction-based gripper to excite Lamb waves in thin cylindrical structures. To evaluate the performance of the integrated sensors, the gripper was attached to a robotic arm manipulator and tested on pipes of different outer diameters. Two sets of tests were carried out on both defect-free pipes and pipes with simulated defects, including surface partial cracking and corrosion. The inspection results indicated that transmitted and received signals could be acquired with an acceptable signal-to-noise ratio in the time domain. Moreover, the simulated defects could be successfully detected using the integrated robotic sensing system.

Materials Science↗
DOE OSTI2026

Exploring the fusion power plant design space: comparative analysis of positive and negative triangularity tokamaks through optimization

The optimal configuration choice between positive triangularity (PT) and negative triangularity (NT) tokamaks for fusion power plants hinges on navigating different operational constraints rather than achieving specific plasma performance metrics. This study presents a systematic comparison using constrained multi-objective optimization with the integrated FUsion Synthesis Engine (FUSE) framework. Over 200 000 integrated design evaluations were performed exploring the trade-offs between capital cost minimization and operational reliability (maximizing q 95 ) while satisfying engineering constraints including 250 ± 50 MW net electric power, tritium breeding ratio > 1.1, power exhaust limits and an hour flattop time. Both configurations achieve similar cost-performance Pareto fronts through contrasting design philosophies. PT, while demonstrating resilience to pedestal degradation (compensating for up to 40% reduction), are constrained to larger machines (R 0 > 6.5 m) by the narrow operational window between L–H threshold requirements and the research-established power exhaust limit (P sol /R < 15 MW m –1 ). This forces optimization through comparatively reduced magnetic field (∼8 T). NT configurations exploit their freedom from these constraints to access compact, high-field designs (R 0 ~ 5.5 m, B 0 >12 T), creating natural synergy with advancing HTS technology. Sensitivity analyses reveal that PT’s economic viability depends critically on uncertainties in L–H threshold scaling and power handling limits. Notably, a 50% variation in either could eliminate viable designs or enable access to the compact design space. These results suggest configuration selection should be risk-informed: PT offers the lowest-cost path when operational constraints can be confidently predicted, while NT is robust to large variations in constraints and physics uncertainties.

FUSE framework↗
DOE OSTI2021

Uranium Immobility in Tims Branch Wetland

The objective of this study was to address an item identified by the Low-Level Waste Disposal Facility Federal Review Group (LFRG) panel during their review of the Savannah River Site’s Composite Analysis. Their concern was that the Tims Branch wetland, which has elevated levels of uranium (U) originating from site operations between 1952 to 1985, may be a secondary source term, posing a human health risk. This report briefly describes three studies dealing with: 1) quantifying the mass of U remaining in the wetland, 2) quantifying the tendency of U to release from Tims Branch sediment, and 3) describing the distribution of U in aqueous and suspended solids in Tims Branch water during episodic storm events. The Tims Branch wetland has been extremely effective for the last 50 years at immobilizing U released to the system. A detailed map including 270,000 gamma spectra of the U distribution in the wetland indicated that 84% of the initial 43,500 kg U introduced in the system remain there after 50 years (Kaplan et al., 2020). The effectiveness of immobilizing U is supported by stream water measurements collected over the last several decades indicating that U concentrations have been consistently below drinking water regulatory limits (i.e., the EPA Maximum Contaminant Level, 30 pg/L (SRNS, 2019)). Furthermore, using contaminated Tims Branch sediments, in situ desorption Kd values (ratio of U sediment/U Water) were extremely high, ranging from 104to 106 L/kg, suggesting the U is strongly bound to these wetland sediments. Finally, a detailed study of Tims Branch stream water properties during episodic rain events indicated that essentially all the U transported in this stream was associated with suspended solids (Batson et al., 1996). Together these findings indicate that the Tims Branch wetland is extremely effective in its present state at immobilizing U and that the small masses of U released downstream will be predominantly in association with suspended solids.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2023

Data-driven assessment of magnetic charged particle confinement parameter scaling in magnetized liner inertial fusion experiments on Z

In magneto-inertial fusion, the ratio of the characteristic fuel length perpendicular to the applied magnetic field R to the α-particle Larmor radius $ϱ_α$ is a critical parameter setting the scale of electron thermal-conduction loss and charged burn-product confinement. Here, using a previously developed deep-learning-based Bayesian inference tool, we obtain the magnetic-field fuel-radius product BR ∝ R / $ϱ_α$ from an ensemble of 16 magnetized liner inertial fusion (MagLIF) experiments. Observations of the trends in BR are consistent with relative trade-offs between compression and flux loss as well as the impact of mix from 1D resistive radiation magneto-hydrodynamics simulations in all but two experiments, for which 3D effects are hypothesized to play a significant role. Finally, we explain the relationship between BR and the generalized Lawson parameter χ. Our results indicate the ability to improve performance in MagLIF through careful tuning of experimental inputs, while also highlighting key risks from mix and 3D effects that must be mitigated in scaling MagLIF to higher currents with a next-generation driver.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2023

Knowledge of lactation amenorrhea method among postpartum women in Ethiopia: a facility-based cross-sectional study

While the importance of knowledge about contraceptives in improving their utilization and thereby reducing the risk of unintended pregnancies is well documented, there are limited studies documented about the Lactational Amenorrhea Method (LAM). Thus, understanding the knowledge of postpartum mothers about LAM is essential for designing tailored interventions. This study assessed the level of knowledge about LAM and its associated factors among postpartum mothers in Ethiopia. A facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 3148 randomly selected postpartum participants. The study utilized multistage sampling approach in hospitals located across five regions and one city administration in Ethiopia. Data were collected using face-to-face interviews at discharge. A participant was categorized as having knowledge of LAM if she correctly answered the three LAM criteria: amenorrhea, the first 6 months, and exclusive breast feeding. A binary logistic regression model was used to identify factors associated with knowledge of LAM. Variables with p < 0.25 in the binary logistic regression were included in the multiple logistic regression. Then, associations were described using the adjusted odds ratio (AOR) along with the 95% confidence interval (CI), and statistical significance was declared at p < 0.05. Only four in 10 participants (40.6%; 95% CI 38.9–42.3) had knowledge of LAM. Participants who attended college or above educational level (AOR = 2.1, 95% CI 1.5–2.8), those with parity of two (AOR = 2.3; 95% CI 1.6–3.6) or more than two (AOR = 2.4; 95% CI 1.5–4.0), those who expressed a desire for further fertility (AOR = 1.3; 95% CI 1.1–1.5), individuals who received counselling on LAM (AOR = 3.0; 95% CI 2.6–3.7), and those who gave birth in hospital (AOR = 2.6; 95% CI 1.4–2.6) had higher odds of knowledge about LAM, compared to their counter parts. In contrary, participants resided far away from health facilities had 30% lower odd of knowledge about LAM compared to those resided near the health facilities (AOR = 0.70; 95% CI 0.6–0.8). The proportion of participants who had knowledge of LAM was low. Strengthening counseling about LAM during antenatal care and delivery with due attention to women with limited access to health facilities should be considered for increasing their level of knowledge on LAM.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2021

Compensatory reserve detects subclinical shock with more expeditious prediction for need of life‐saving interventions compared to systolic blood pressure and blood lactate

Abstract Introduction We conducted a prospective observational study on 205 trauma patients at a level I trauma facility to test the hypothesis that a compensatory reserve measurement (CRM) would identify higher risk for progression to shock and/or need a life‐saving interventions (LSIs) earlier than systolic blood pressure (SBP) and blood lactate (LAC). Methods A composite outcome metric included blood transfusion, procedural LSI, and mortality. Discrete measures assessed as abnormal (ab) were SBP <90 mmHg, CRM <60%, and LAC >2.0. A graded categorization of shock was defined as: no shock (normal [n] SBP [n‐SBP], n‐CRM, n‐LAC); sub‐clinical shock (ab‐CRM, n‐SBP, n‐LAC); occult shock (n‐SBP, ab‐CRM, ab‐LAC); or overt shock (ab‐SBP, ab‐CRM, ab‐LAC). Results Three patients displayed overt shock, 53 displayed sub‐clinical shock, and 149 displayed no shock. After incorporating lactate into the analysis, 86 patients demonstrated no shock, 25 were classified as sub‐clinical shock, 91 were classified as occult shock, and 3 were characterized as overt shock. Each shock subcategory revealed a graded increase requiring LSI and transfusion. Initial CRM was associated with progression to shock (odds ratio = 0.97; p < .001) at an earlier time than SBP or LAC. Conclusions Initial CRM uncovers a clinically relevant subset of patients who are not detected by SBP and LAC. Our results suggest CRM could be used to more expeditiously identify injured patients likely to deteriorate to shock, with requirements for blood transfusion or procedural LSI.

Convertino, Victor A.↗
DOE OSTI2023

Incidence and predictors of tuberculosis among children receiving antiretroviral therapy in the Wolaita Zone: A retrospective cohort study

Tuberculosis is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality among children living with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), mainly in sub-Saharan Africa, including Ethiopia. Tuberculosis remains a significant health concern for HIV-positive children in Ethiopia. There is a paucity of data on the incidence and predictors of tuberculosis among children living with HIV on antiretroviral therapy in the Wolaita zone. Hence, this study aimed to assess the incidence and predictors of tuberculosis among children living with HIV on antiretroviral therapy in the Wolaita zone between January 2010 to December 2020. A retrospective cohort study was conducted among 389 children receiving antiretroviral therapy in Wolaita zone health facilities between January 2010 to December 2020. The checklist was adapted from the standardized antiretroviral treatment (ART) follow-up form currently used by the institutions’ ART clinics. The Kaplan-Meier survival function and Log-rank were used to estimate the survival for each categorical variable to compare the survival between different exposure groups. Both bivariable and multivariable parametric survival Gompertz models were fitted to identify predictors of tuberculosis among HIV-positive children. The association was summarized using an adjusted hazard ratio (AHR), and statistical significance was declared at 95% CI and p-value < 0.05. The goodness of the model fit was assessed using a Cox-Snell residual plot. The incidence rate of tuberculosis among children living with HIV was 3.5 (95% CI 2.7–4.5) per 100 child years. World Health Organization clinical stage III or IV (AHR = 2.31, 95% CI [1.26, 4.22]), hemoglobin level <10 g/dL (AHR = 2.87, 95% CI [1.51, 5.45]), fair or poor ART adherence (AHR = 4.4, 95% CI[2.18, 9.05]), underweight (AHR = 2.55, 95% CI [1.45, 4.51]), age >10 years (AHR = 3.62; 95% CI [1.29, 10.0]), and cotrimoxazole preventive therapy (AHR = 0.23; 95% CI [0.08, 0.60]) were among the independent predictors of TB occurrence. The incidence of tuberculosis among children on ART was high. HIV-positive children presenting with advanced disease staging (III and IV), anemia, “fair” and “poor” ART adherence, underweight, age above ten years, and not receiving cotrimoxazole preventive therapy were at higher risk of TB. Therefore, counseling on ART adherence, early diagnosis, and prompt treatment of anemia and malnutrition are recommended to avert tuberculosis.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗