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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 217 records · Page 12

Evaluation of an Ultra-Low Power Reed Solomon Encoder for NASA's Space Technology 5 Mission

Radiation test results and analyses are presented for ultra-low power Reed Solomon encoder circuits that are being considered for use on the Space Technology 5 (ST5) mission. The total ionizing dose tolerance is in excess of 100 krad(Si) and is due to the low supply voltage and the use of back-bias, which suppresses radiation-induced leakage currents in the n-channel devices. The circuits do not latch-up for ion LET values of at least 90 MeV-sq cm/mg. A hardened-by-design approach to SEU has achieved an upset threshold of about 20 MeV-sq cm/mg. The SEU rate expected for these circuits in the geosynchronous transfer orbit of ST5 is low.

Lei, K. E.↗

Shortcomings with Tree-Structured Edge Encodings for Neural Networks

In evolutionary algorithms a common method for encoding neural networks is to use a tree structured assembly procedure for constructing them. Since node operators have difficulties in specifying edge weights and these operators are execution-order dependent, an alternative is to use edge operators. Here we identify three problems with edge operators: in the initialization phase most randomly created genotypes produce an incorrect number of inputs and outputs; variation operators can easily change the number of input/output (I/O) units; and units have a connectivity bias based on their order of creation. Instead of creating I/O nodes as part of the construction process we propose using parameterized operators to connect to preexisting I/O units. Results from experiments show that these parameterized operators greatly improve the probability of creating and maintaining networks with the correct number of I/O units, remove the connectivity bias with I/O units and produce better controllers for a goal-scoring task.

Hornby, Gregory S.↗

Premotor neurons encode torsional eye velocity during smooth-pursuit eye movements

Responses to horizontal and vertical ocular pursuit and head and body rotation in multiple planes were recorded in eye movement-sensitive neurons in the rostral vestibular nuclei (VN) of two rhesus monkeys. When tested during pursuit through primary eye position, the majority of the cells preferred either horizontal or vertical target motion. During pursuit of targets that moved horizontally at different vertical eccentricities or vertically at different horizontal eccentricities, eye angular velocity has been shown to include a torsional component the amplitude of which is proportional to half the gaze angle ("half-angle rule" of Listing's law). Approximately half of the neurons, the majority of which were characterized as "vertical" during pursuit through primary position, exhibited significant changes in their response gain and/or phase as a function of gaze eccentricity during pursuit, as if they were also sensitive to torsional eye velocity. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed a significant contribution of torsional eye movement sensitivity to the responsiveness of the cells. These findings suggest that many VN neurons encode three-dimensional angular velocity, rather than the two-dimensional derivative of eye position, during smooth-pursuit eye movements. Although no clear clustering of pursuit preferred-direction vectors along the semicircular canal axes was observed, the sensitivity of VN neurons to torsional eye movements might reflect a preservation of similar premotor coding of visual and vestibular-driven slow eye movements for both lateral-eyed and foveate species.

Non-NASA Center↗

AmphiFoxE4, an amphioxus winged helix/forkhead gene encoding a protein closely related to vertebrate thyroid transcription factor-2: expression during pharyngeal development

The full-length sequence and developmental expression of amphioxus AmphiFoxE4 are described. Transcripts of the gene are first detected in the pharyngeal endoderm, where the club-shaped gland is forming and subsequently in the definitive gland itself. AmphiFoxE4 is closely related to vertebrate genes encoding the thyroid-specific transcription factor-2 (TTF2), which plays an early developmental role in the morphogenesis of the thyroid gland and a later role in hormone-mediated control of thyroid function. In amphioxus, AmphiFoxE4 expression is not thyroid specific because the club-shaped gland, the only structure expressing the gene, is not homologous to the vertebrate thyroid; instead, the thyroid homologue of amphioxus is a specialized region of the pharyngeal endoderm called the endostyle. We propose that (a) the pharynx of an amphioxus-like ancestor of the vertebrates included a club-shaped gland that expressed FoxE4 as well as an endostyle that did not, and (b) the club-shaped gland soon disappeared in the vertebrate line of descent but (c) not before there was a homeogenetic transfer of FoxE4 expression from the club-shaped gland to the nearby endostyle. Such a transfer could have provided part of the genetic program enabling the endostyle to separate from the pharyngeal endoderm and migrate away as the rudiment of the thyroid gland.

Non-NASA Center↗

Antigen S1, encoded by the MIC1 gene, is characterized as an epitope of human CD59, enabling measurement of mutagen-induced intragenic deletions in the AL cell system

S1 cell membrane antigen is encoded by the MIC1 gene on human chromosome 11. This antigen has been widely used as a marker for studies in gene mapping or in analysis of mutagen-induced gene deletions/mutations, which utilized the human-hamster hybrid cell-line, AL-J1, carrying human chromosome 11. Evidence is presented here which identifies S1 as an epitope of CD59, a cell membrane complement inhibiting protein. E7.1 monoclonal antibody, specific for the S1 determinant, was found to react strongly with membrane CD59 in Western blotting, and to bind to purified, urinary form of CD59 in ELISAs. Cell membrane expression of S1 on various cell lines always correlated with that of CD59 when examined by immunofluorescent staining. In addition, E7.1 antibody inhibited the complement regulatory function of CD59. Identification of S1 protein as CD59 has increased the scope of the AL cell system by enabling analysis of intragenic mutations, and multiplex PCR analysis of mutated cells is described, showing variable loss of CD59 exons.

Non-NASA Center↗

The arabidopsis thaliana AGRAVITROPIC 1 gene encodes a component of the polar-auxin-transport efflux carrier

Auxins are plant hormones that mediate many aspects of plant growth and development. In higher plants, auxins are polarly transported from sites of synthesis in the shoot apex to their sites of action in the basal regions of shoots and in roots. Polar auxin transport is an important aspect of auxin functions and is mediated by cellular influx and efflux carriers. Little is known about the molecular identity of its regulatory component, the efflux carrier [Estelle, M. (1996) Current Biol. 6, 1589-1591]. Here we show that mutations in the Arabidopsis thaliana AGRAVITROPIC 1 (AGR1) gene involved in root gravitropism confer increased root-growth sensitivity to auxin and decreased sensitivity to ethylene and an auxin transport inhibitor, and cause retention of exogenously added auxin in root tip cells. We used positional cloning to show that AGR1 encodes a putative transmembrane protein whose amino acid sequence shares homologies with bacterial transporters. When expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, AGR1 promotes an increased efflux of radiolabeled IAA from the cells and confers increased resistance to fluoro-IAA, a toxic IAA-derived compound. AGR1 transcripts were localized to the root distal elongation zone, a region undergoing a curvature response upon gravistimulation. We have identified several AGR1-related genes in Arabidopsis, suggesting a global role of this gene family in the control of auxin-regulated growth and developmental processes.

Non-NASA Center↗

Arabidopsis TCH4, regulated by hormones and the environment, encodes a xyloglucan endotransglycosylase

Adaptation of plants to environmental conditions requires that sensing of external stimuli be linked to mechanisms of morphogenesis. The Arabidopsis TCH (for touch) genes are rapidly upregulated in expression in response to environmental stimuli, but a connection between this molecular response and developmental alterations has not been established. We identified TCH4 as a xyloglucan endotransglycosylase by sequence similarity and enzyme activity. Xyloglucan endotransglycosylases most likely modify cell walls, a fundamental determinant of plant form. We determined that TCH4 expression is regulated by auxin and brassinosteroids, by environmental stimuli, and during development, by a 1-kb region. Expression was restricted to expanding tissues and organs that undergo cell wall modification. Regulation of genes encoding cell wall-modifying enzymes, such as TCH4, may underlie plant morphogenetic responses to the environment.

NASA Discipline Plant Biology↗

Transcription factor IID in the Archaea: sequences in the Thermococcus celer genome would encode a product closely related to the TATA-binding protein of eukaryotes

The first step in transcription initiation in eukaryotes is mediated by the TATA-binding protein, a subunit of the transcription factor IID complex. We have cloned and sequenced the gene for a presumptive homolog of this eukaryotic protein from Thermococcus celer, a member of the Archaea (formerly archaebacteria). The protein encoded by the archaeal gene is a tandem repeat of a conserved domain, corresponding to the repeated domain in its eukaryotic counterparts. Molecular phylogenetic analyses of the two halves of the repeat are consistent with the duplication occurring before the divergence of the archael and eukaryotic domains. In conjunction with previous observations of similarity in RNA polymerase subunit composition and sequences and the finding of a transcription factor IIB-like sequence in Pyrococcus woesei (a relative of T. celer) it appears that major features of the eukaryotic transcription apparatus were well-established before the origin of eukaryotic cellular organization. The divergence between the two halves of the archael protein is less than that between the halves of the individual eukaryotic sequences, indicating that the average rate of sequence change in the archael protein has been less than in its eukaryotic counterparts. To the extent that this lower rate applies to the genome as a whole, a clearer picture of the early genes (and gene families) that gave rise to present-day genomes is more apt to emerge from the study of sequences from the Archaea than from the corresponding sequences from eukaryotes.

NASA Discipline Exobiology↗

Rotary encoding device with polygonal reflector and centroid detection

A device for positioning encoding of a rotating shaft in which a polygonal mirror having a number of facets is mounted to the shaft and a light beam is directed towards the facets. The facets of the polygonal mirror reflect the light beam such that a light spot is created on a linear array detector. An analog-to-digital converter is connected to the linear array detector for reading the position of the spot on the spots on the linear array detector. A microprocessor with memory is connected to the analog-to-digital converter to hold and manipulate the data provided by the analog-to-digital converter on the position of the spot and to compute the position of the shaft based upon the data from the analog-to-digital converter.

Leviton, Douglas B.↗

Encoders for block-circulant LDPC codes

Methods and apparatus to encode message input symbols in accordance with an accumulate-repeat-accumulate code with repetition three or four are disclosed. Block circulant matrices are used. A first method and apparatus make use of the block-circulant structure of the parity check matrix. A second method and apparatus use block-circulant generator matrices.

Divsalar, Dariush↗

Usage of Data-Encoded Web Maps with Client Side Color Rendering for Combined Data Access, Visualization and Modeling Purposes

Current approaches to satellite observation data storage and distribution implement separate visualization and data access methodologies which often leads to the need in time consuming data ordering and coding for applications requiring both visual representation as well as data handling and modeling capabilities. We describe an approach we implemented for a data-encoded web map service based on storing numerical data within server map tiles and subsequent client side data manipulation and map color rendering. The approach relies on storing data using the lossless compression Portable Network Graphics (PNG) image data format which is natively supported by web-browsers allowing on-the-fly browser rendering and modification of the map tiles. The method is easy to implement using existing software libraries and has the advantage of easy client side map color modifications, as well as spatial subsetting with physical parameter range filtering. This method is demonstrated for the ASTER-GDEM elevation model and selected MODIS data products and represents an alternative to the currently used storage and data access methods. One additional benefit includes providing multiple levels of averaging due to the need in generating map tiles at varying resolutions for various map magnification levels. We suggest that such merged data and mapping approach may be a viable alternative to existing static storage and data access methods for a wide array of combined simulation, data access and visualization purposes.

Pliutau, Denis↗

High Angular Sensitivity, Absolute Rotary Encoding Device with Polygonal Mirror and Stand-Alone Diffraction Gratings

A device for position encoding of a rotating shaft in which a polygonal mirror having a number of facets is mounted to the shaft and a monochromatic light beam is directed towards the facets. The facets of the polygonal mirror direct the light beam to a stand-alone low line density diffraction grating to diffract the monochromatic light beam into a number of diffracted light beams such that a number of light spots are created on a linear array detector. An analog-to-digital converter is connected to the linear array detector for reading the position of the spots on the linear array detector means. A microprocessor with memory is connected to the analog-to-digital converter to hold and manipulate the data provided by the analog-to-digital converter on the position of the spots and to compute the position of the shaft based upon the data from the analog-lo-digital converter.

Leviton, Douglas B.↗

Unsupervised Anomaly Detection in High-Dimensional Flight Data Using Convolutional Variational Auto-Encoder

The modern National Airspace System (NAS) is an extremely safe system and the aviation industry has experienced a steady decrease in fatalities over the years. This can be attributed to both improved flight critical systems with redundant hardware and software protections, as well as an increased focus on active monitoring and response to real time and historically identified vulnerabilities by implementing more resilient procedures and protocols. The main approach for identifying vulnerabilities in operations leverages domain expertise using knowledge about how the system should behave within the expected tolerances to known safety margins. This approach works well when the system has a well-defined operating condition. However, the operations in the NAS can be highly complex with various nuances that render it difficult to clearly pre-define all known safety vulnerabilities. With the advancement of data science and machine learning techniques, the potential to automatically identify emerging vulnerabilities in the observed operations has become more practical in recent years. The state-of-the-art anomaly detection approaches in aerospace data usually rely on supervised or semi-supervised learning. However, in many real-world problems such as flight safety, creating labels for the data requires huge amount of effort and is largely impractical. To address this challenge, we developed a Convolutional Variational Auto-Encoder (CVAE), which is an unsupervised learning approach for anomaly detection in high-dimensional heterogeneous time-series data. We validate performance of CVAE compared to the state-of-the-art supervised learning approach as well as unsupervised clustering-based approach using KMeans++ and kernel-based approach using One-Class Support Vector Machine (OC-SVM) on Yahoo!'s benchmark time series anomaly detection data. Finally, we showcase performance of CVAE on a case study of identifying anomalies in the first 60 seconds of commercial flights' take-offs using Flight Operational Quality Assurance (FOQA) data.

Memarzadeh, Milad↗

Unsupervised Anomaly Detection in High-Dimensional Flight Data Using Convolutional Variational Auto-Encoder

The modern National Airspace System (NAS) is an extremely safe system. The industry has experienced a steady decrease in fatalities over the years. This can be contributed to both improved flight critical systems with redundant hardware and software protections as well as an increased focus on active monitoring and response to real time and historically identified vulnerabilities by implementing more resilient procedures and protocols. The main practice for identifying vulnerabilities in operations leverages domain expertise using knowledge about how the system should behave with the expected tolerances to known safety margins. This approach works well when the system has a well-defined operating condition. However, the operations in the NAS can be highly complex with various nuances that render it difficult to clearly pre-define all known safety vulnerabilities. With the advancement of data science and machine learning techniques, the potential to automatically identify emerging vulnerabilities in the observed operations has become more practical in recent years. The state-of-the-art anomaly detection approaches in aerospace data usually rely on supervised or semi-supervised learning. However, in many real-world problems such as flight safety creating labels for the data requires huge amount of efforts and is largely expensive. As a result, in this article, we develop a Convolutional Variational Auto-Encoder (CVAE), an unsupervised learning approach for anomaly detection in high-dimensional heterogeneous time-series data. We validate performance of CVAE compared to the state-of-the-art supervised learning approach (as an upper bound) as well as an supervised clustering based on K-Means (as a lower bound) on Yahoo!'s benchmark time series anomaly detection data. Finally, we showcase performance of CVAE on a case study of identifying anomalies in the first 60 seconds of commercial flights' take-offs using Flight Operational Quality Assurance (FOQA) data.

Milad Memarzadeh↗

Simulating a Low-Weight Encoding of the Fermi-Hubbard Model Feedback and Support with QAOA

Recent work [1] has proposed a compact fermion-to-qubit mapping for the Fermi-Hubbard model (FHM), potentially lowering the overhead needed to simulate such a system on quantum hardware. In prior work [2], we numerically investigated how well a quantum annealer could prepare ground states of the FHM encoded using the resource-efficient mapping. In order to compare these results to gate-model systems, we turn to a QAOA-style approach and replace the annealing schedule with both Trotterizations thereof and also more general Hamiltonian-variational ansatze based on the terms of the mapped FH Hamiltonian. We investigate the achievable ground state fidelities of these gate sequences, consider various optimizations of the ansatze structure, and offer resource estimations of the optimized QAOA protocols for near-term hardware.

quantum computing↗

Maize Rough Endosperm6 (rgh6) Encodes A Predicted Dead-Box RNA Helicase and Affects Mirna Processing in Endosperm Development

Maize rough endosperm (rgh) mutants have defective kernels with a rough, etched, or pitted endosperm surface. Molecular genetic analysis of this mutant class has identified multiple RNA processing proteins critical to endosperm development. Here, we report on the developmental and molecular function of the rgh6 locus. The rgh6 mutant was isolated from the UniformMu transposon tagging population. Mutant kernels have reduced endosperm size and defective embryos that develop in a more apical position than typical for defective embryos. TB translocation crosses revealed that rgh6 mutant endosperm inhibits normal embryo development. Positional cloning of the rgh6 locus found that it encodes a predicted DEAD-box RNA helicase. Consistent with a predicted function for RNA processing, transient expression of a RGH6-GFP fusion protein is localized to nucleolus and nuclear speckles in Nicotiana benthamiana leaves. Rgh6 transcripts are highly expressed in endosperm epidermal cell types such as the aleurone, basal endosperm cell layer, embryo surrounding region, and endosperm adjacent to scutellum. Markers of these cell types show increased levels in rgh6 mutant kernels. Mutant endosperm tissues have increased precursor microRNA (pre-miRNA) and decreased mature miRNA relative to normal sibling endosperm, indicating that rgh6 is required for miRNA processing. The transcript levels for most miRNA target genes accumulate to a higher level in rgh6 mutant tissue. These results suggest that miRNA processing and regulation of miRNA target genes are required for normal endosperm development.

Plant Sciences↗