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Comprehensive analysis of differentially expressed mRNA and circRNA in Ankylosing spondylitis patients’ platelets

Highlights: • 4996 mRNAs and 2942 circRNAs were identified differentially expressed in platelets of AS patients. • Several platelet-derived immune mediators were upregulated to regulate the interaction between platelets and immune cells. • Two downregulated circRNA were identified, and the corresponding circRNA-miRNA-mRNA regulatory network was constructed. • mRNAs and circRNAs found herein could be used as diagnostic biomarkers or new therapeutic targets. Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic inflammatory disease significantly decreasing the quality of life. Platelets play an important and active role in the development of AS. Accumulating evidence demonstrated platelets contain diverse RNA repository inherited from megakaryocytes or microvesicles. Platelet RNAs are dynamically affected by pathological conditions and could be used as diagnostic or prognostic biomarkers. However, the role of the platelet RNAs in AS is elusive. In this study, we compared mRNA and circRNA profiles in platelets between AS patients and healthy controls using RNA sequencing and bioinformatic analysis, and found 4996 mRNAs and 2942 circRNAs were differently expressed. The significantly over-expressed mRNAs in AS patients are involved in platelet activity, gap junction, focal adhesion, rap1 and toll and Imd signaling pathway. The previous identified platelet-derived immune mediators such as P2Y1, P2Y12, PF4, GPIbα, CD40L, ICAM2, CCL5 (RANTES), TGF-β (TGF-β1 and TGF-β2) and PDGF (PDGFB and PDGFA) are also included in these over expressed mRNAs, implying these factors may trigger inflammatory cascades and promote the development of AS. Additionally, we found two down-regulated circRNA (circPTPN22 and circFCHSD2) from the intersection analyses of platelets and spinal ligament tissues of AS patients. The circRNA-miRNA-mRNA regulatory network of these two circRNAs was constructed, and the target mRNAs were enriched in Th17 cell differentiation, inflammatory bowel disease, cell adhesion molecules, cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, Jak-STAT and Wnt signaling pathway, all these pathways participate in the bone remodeling and pro/anti-inflammatory immune regulation in AS. Then, qRT-PCR was performed to validate the expression of selected key mRNAs and circRNAs and the results demonstrated that the expression levels of P2Y12, GPIbα, circPTPN22 and circFCHSD2 were consistent with the sequencing analysis. In addition, the high expression of five predicted miRNAs interacting with circPTPN22 and circFCHSD2 were also detected in AS by qRT-PCR. Taken together, our study presents a comprehensive overview of mRNAs and circRNAs in platelets in AS patients and offers new insight into the mechanisms of platelet involving in the pathogenesis of AS. The mRNAs and circRNAs identified in this study may serve as candidates for diagnosis and targeted treatment of AS.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

Molecular evolution of human coronavirus-NL63, -229E, -HKU1 and -OC43 in hospitalized children in China

Human coronaviruses (HCoVs) HCoV-NL63, HCoV-229E, HCoV-HKU1 and HCoV-OC43 have been circulated in the human population worldwide, and they are associated with a broad range of respiratory diseases with varying severity. However, there are neither effective therapeutic drugs nor licensed vaccines available for the treatment and prevention of infections by the four HCoVs. In this study, we collected nasopharyngeal aspirates of children hospitalized for respiratory tract infection in China during 2014–2018 and conducted next-generation sequencing. Sequences of four HCoVs were then selected for an in-depth analysis. Genome sequences of 2 HCoV-NL63, 8 HCoV-229E, 2 HCoV-HKU1, and 6 HCoV-OC43 were obtained. Based on the full-length S gene, a strong temporal signal was found in HCoV-229E and the molecular evolutionary rate was 6 × 10 −4 substitutions/site/year. Based on the maximum-likelihood (ML) phylogenetic tree of complete S gene, we designated H78 as a new sub-genotype C2 of HCoV-HKU1, and the obtained P43 sequence was grouped into the reported novel genotype K of HCoV-OC43 circulating in Guangzhou, China. Based on the complete genome, potential recombination events were found to occur as two phenomena, namely intraspecies and interspecies. Moreover, we observed two amino acid substitutions in the S1 subunit of obtained HCoV-NL63 (G534V) and HCoV-HKU1 (H512R), while residues 534 and 512 are important for the binding of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 and neutralizing antibodies, respectively. Our findings might provide a clue for the molecular evolution of the four HCoVs and help in the early diagnosis, treatment and prevention of broad-spectrum HCoV infection.

Shao, Nan↗

Data for High Yield Production of 3-Hydroxypropionic Acid Using Issatchenkia orientalis

Biomanufacturing provides a more sustainable alternative to fossil-based chemical manufacturing. 3-Hydroxypropionic acid (3HP) is a top Department of Energy value-added chemical and precursor to bioplastics, yet cost-effective microbial production remains elusive. Here, we establish the acid-tolerant yeast Issatchenkia orientalis as a robust host for low-pH 3HP biosynthesis. Genome-scale modeling identifies the β-alanine pathway as optimal, offering the highest theoretical yield and lowest oxygen requirement. Thermodynamic analysis confirms its favorability under acidic conditions. Using sequence similarity network analysis, we discover highly active aspartate 1-decarboxylase (PAND), β-alanine-pyruvate aminotransferase (BAPAT), and 3HP dehydrogenase (YDFG), which significantly improve the pathway efficiency. Next, to further elevate the production, pathway optimization through multi-copy PAND integration, byproduct elimination (knockouts of pyruvate decarboxylase and glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase), and reinforcement of aspartate flux by overexpression of pyruvate carboxylase and aspartate amino transferase improves the titer to 29 g/L in shake flasks. Fed-batch fermentation at pH 4 with low-cost corn steep liquor medium further increases the production to 92 g/L with 0.7 g/g yield and 0.55 g/L/h productivity. Techno-economic analysis indicates that such performance could potentially enable a financially viable process for sustainable acrylic acid production. This work establishes I. orientalis as a next-generation platform for cost-effective 3HP production and paves the way toward industrial commercialization.

Bioproducts↗

Sequence, structure prediction, and epitope analysis of the polymorphic membrane protein family in Chlamydia trachomatis

The polymorphic membrane proteins (Pmps) are a family of autotransporters that play an important role in infection, adhesion and immunity in Chlamydia trachomatis. Here we show that the characteristic GGA(I,L,V) and FxxN tetrapeptide repeats fit into a larger repeat sequence, which correspond to the coils of a large beta-helical domain in high quality structure predictions. Analysis of the protein using structure prediction algorithms provided novel insight to the chlamydial Pmp family of proteins. While the tetrapeptide motifs themselves are predicted to play a structural role in folding and close stacking of the beta-helical backbone of the passenger domain, we found many of the interesting features of Pmps are localized to the side loops jutting out from the beta helix including protease cleavage, host cell adhesion, and B-cell epitopes; while T-cell epitopes are predominantly found in the beta-helix itself. This analysis more accurately defines the Pmp family of Chlamydia and may better inform rational vaccine design and functional studies.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Physical, resource supply, and biological controls on nutrient processing along the river continuum

Nutrient impairment has led to damages to US surface and groundwater systems in excess of 100 billion dollars per year. Therefore, there is a strong need to develop methods to predict the transport, uptake, and export of nutrients along fluvial networks. We present results that are based on a data-driven mechanistic understanding of three factors that largely control nutrient uptake and export: 1) interactions between transport-related processes (mass transfer to metabolically active zones), 2) resource supply dynamics (nutrient concentration, stoichiometric constraints, etc.), and 3) biological controls (microbial community structure and function). Our results were generated from column experiments conducted along the Jemez River-Rio Grande continuum, which spans four orders of magnitude in mean annual discharge, more than 2000 m in altitude, and more than 500 km of stream longitude. Two resource supply injections were performed on each of the columns, i.e., a nitrate only addition, followed by a stoichiometrically ‘balanced’ 106Carbon:16Nitrogen:1Phosphorus addition. We quantified NO3-N uptake kinetics while constraining three variables: stream order, sediment type and type of injection (N vs stoichiometrically ‘balanced’ C:N:P). Following the laboratory nutrient uptake experiments, the columns were destructively sampled and the contents were homogenized to collect subsamples for DNA sequencing. Amplicon analysis was carried out as described by the Earth Microbiome Protocol for 16s and ITS sequencing.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Sequence Design of Random Heteropolymers as Protein Mimics

Random heteropolymers (RHPs) have been computationally designed and experimentally shown to recapitulate protein-like phase behavior and function. However, unlike proteins, RHP sequences are only statistically defined and cannot be sequenced. Recent developments in reversible-deactivation radical polymerization allowed simulated polymer sequences based on the well-established Mayo–Lewis equation to more accurately reflect ground-truth sequences that are experimentally synthesized. This led to opportunities to perform bioinformatics-inspired analysis on simulated sequences to guide the design, synthesis, and interpretation of RHPs. We compared batches on the order of 10000 simulated RHP sequences that vary by synthetically controllable and measurable RHP characteristics such as chemical heterogeneity and average degree of polymerization. Our analysis spans across 3 levels: segments along a single chain, sequences within a batch, and batch-averaged statistics. We discuss simulator fidelity and highlight the importance of robust segment definition. Examples are presented that demonstrate the use of simulated sequence analysis for in-silico iterative design to mimic protein hydrophobic/hydrophilic segment distributions in RHPs and compare RHP and protein sequence segments to explain experimental results of RHPs that mimic protein function. To facilitate the community use of this workflow, the simulator and analysis modules have been made available through an open source toolkit, the RHPapp.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

A high-resolution single-molecule sequencing-based Arabidopsis transcriptome using novel methods of Iso-seq analysis

Accurate and comprehensive annotation of transcript sequences is essential for transcript quantification and differential gene and transcript expression analysis. Single-molecule long-read sequencing technologies provide improved integrity of transcript structures including alternative splicing, and transcription start and polyadenylation sites. However, accuracy is significantly affected by sequencing errors, mRNA degradation, or incomplete cDNA synthesis. We present a new and comprehensive Arabidopsis thaliana Reference Transcript Dataset 3 (AtRTD3). AtRTD3 contains over 169,000 transcripts—twice that of the best current Arabidopsis transcriptome and including over 1500 novel genes. Seventy-eight percent of transcripts are from Iso-seq with accurately defined splice junctions and transcription start and end sites. We develop novel methods to determine splice junctions and transcription start and end sites accurately. Mismatch profiles around splice junctions provide a powerful feature to distinguish correct splice junctions and remove false splice junctions. Stratified approaches identify high-confidence transcription start and end sites and remove fragmentary transcripts due to degradation. AtRTD3 is a major improvement over existing transcriptomes as demonstrated by analysis of an Arabidopsis cold response RNA-seq time-series. AtRTD3 provides higher resolution of transcript expression profiling and identifies cold-induced differential transcription start and polyadenylation site usage. AtRTD3 is the most comprehensive Arabidopsis transcriptome currently. It improves the precision of differential gene and transcript expression, differential alternative splicing, and transcription start/end site usage analysis from RNA-seq data. The novel methods for identifying accurate splice junctions and transcription start/end sites are widely applicable and will improve single-molecule sequencing analysis from any species.

transcription start and end sites↗

Genome sequence of the model rice variety KitaakeX

Abstract Background The availability of thousands of complete rice genome sequences from diverse varieties and accessions has laid the foundation for in-depth exploration of the rice genome. One drawback to these collections is that most of these rice varieties have long life cycles, and/or low transformation efficiencies, which limits their usefulness as model organisms for functional genomics studies. In contrast, the rice variety Kitaake has a rapid life cycle (9 weeks seed to seed) and is easy to transform and propagate. For these reasons, Kitaake has emerged as a model for studies of diverse monocotyledonous species. Results Here, we report the de novo genome sequencing and analysis of Oryza sativa ssp. japonica variety KitaakeX, a Kitaake plant carrying the rice XA21 immune receptor. Our KitaakeX sequence assembly contains 377.6 Mb, consisting of 33 scaffolds (476 contigs) with a contig N50 of 1.4 Mb. Complementing the assembly are detailed gene annotations of 35,594 protein coding genes. We identified 331,335 genomic variations between KitaakeX and Nipponbare (ssp. japonica ), and 2,785,991 variations between KitaakeX and Zhenshan97 (ssp. indica ). We also compared Kitaake resequencing reads to the KitaakeX assembly and identified 219 small variations. The high-quality genome of the model rice plant KitaakeX will accelerate rice functional genomics. Conclusions The high quality, de novo assembly of the KitaakeX genome will serve as a useful reference genome for rice and will accelerate functional genomics studies of rice and other species.

Nipponbare↗

Listeria monocytogenes in Stone Fruits Linked to a Multistate Outbreak: Enumeration of Cells and Whole-Genome Sequencing

In 2014, the identification of stone fruits contaminated with led to the subsequent identification of a multistate outbreak. Simultaneous detection and enumeration of L. monocytogenes were performed on 105 fruits, each weighing 127 to 145 g, collected from 7 contaminated lots. The results showed that 53.3% of the fruits yielded L. monocytogenes (lower limit of detection, 5 CFU/fruit), and the levels ranged from 5 to 2,850 CFU/fruit, with a geometric mean of 11.3 CFU/fruit (0.1 CFU/g of fruit). Two serotypes, IVb-v1 and 1/2b, were identified by a combination of PCR- and antiserum-based serotyping among isolates from fruits and their packing environment; certain fruits contained a mixture of both serotypes. Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-based whole-genome sequencing (WGS) analysis clustered isolates from two case-patients with the serotype IVb-v1 isolates and distinguished outbreak-associated isolates from pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE)-matched, but epidemiologically unrelated, clinical isolates. The outbreak-associated isolates differed by up to 42 SNPs. All but one serotype 1/2b isolate formed another WGS cluster and differed by up to 17 SNPs. Fully closed genomes of isolates from the stone fruits were used as references to maximize the resolution and to increase our confidence in prophage analysis. Putative prophages were conserved among isolates of each WGS cluster. All serotype IVb-v1 isolates belonged to singleton sequence type 382 (ST382); all but one serotype 1/2b isolate belonged to clonal complex 5.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Impact of Sequencing Radiation Therapy and Chemotherapy on Long-Term Local Toxicity for Early Breast Cancer: Results of a Randomized Study at 15-Year Follow-Up

Purpose: To compare long-term late local toxicity after either concomitant or sequential chemoradiation therapy after breast-conserving surgery. Methods and Materials: From 1997 to 2002, women aged 18 to 75 years who underwent breast-conserving surgery and axillary dissection for early breast cancer and in whom CMF (cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, and 5-fluorouracil) chemotherapy was planned were randomized between concomitant and sequential radiation therapy. Radiation therapy was delivered to the whole breast through tangential fields to 50 Gy in 20 fractions over a period of 4 weeks, followed by an electron boost. Surviving patients were tentatively contacted and examined between March and September 2014. Patients in whom progressive disease had developed or who had undergone further breast surgery were excluded. Local toxicity (fibrosis, telangiectasia, and breast atrophy or retraction) was scored blindly to the treatment received. A logistic regression was run to investigate the effect of treatment sequence after correction for several patient-, treatment-, and tumor-related covariates on selected endpoints. The median time to cross-sectional analysis was 15.7 years (range, 12.0-17.8 years). Results: Of 206 patients randomized, 154 (74.8%) were potentially eligible. Of these, 43 (27.9%) refused participation and 4 (2.6%) had been lost to follow-up, and for 5 (3.2%), we could not restore planning data; thus, the final number of analyzed patients was 102. No grade 4 toxicity had been observed, whereas the number of grade 3 toxicity events was low (<8%) for each item, allowing pooling of grade 2 and 3 events for further analysis. Treatment sequence (concomitant vs sequential) was an independent predictor of grade 2 or 3 fibrosis according to both the National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (odds ratio [OR], 4.05; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.34-12.2; P=.013) and the SOMA (Subjective, Objective, Management and Analytic) scale (OR, 3.75; 95% CI, 1.19-11.79; P=.018), as well as grade 2 or 3 breast atrophy or retraction (OR, 3.87; 95% CI, 1.42-10.56; P=.008). No effect on telangiectasia was detected. Conclusions: At long-term follow-up, concomitant chemoradiation therapy has a detrimental effect on both fibrosis and retraction with an approximately 4-fold increase in the odds of grade 2 or 3 toxicity.

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE↗

A General Materials Data Science Framework for Quantitative 2D Analysis of Particle Growth from Image Sequences

Abstract Phase transformations are a challenging problem in materials science, which lead to changes in properties and may impact performance of material systems in various applications. We introduce a general framework for the analysis of particle growth kinetics by utilizing concepts from machine learning and graph theory. As a model system, we use image sequences of atomic force microscopy showing the crystallization of an amorphous fluoroelastomer film. To identify crystalline particles in an amorphous matrix and track the temporal evolution of the particle dispersion, we have developed quantitative methods of 2D analysis. 700 image sequences were analyzed using a neural network architecture, achieving 0.97 pixel-wise classification accuracy as a measure of the correctly classified pixels. The growth kinetics of isolated and impinged particles were tracked throughout time using these image sequences. The relationship between image sequences and spatiotemporal graph representations was explored to identify the proximity of crystallites from each other. The framework enables the analysis of all image sequences without the requirement of sampling for specific particles or timesteps for various materials systems.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Cyote-attack Chain Estimator

Attack Chain Estimator (ACE) Application Overview The Attack Chain Estimator (ACE) Application is a sophisticated tool designed for the ingestion, classification, sequencing, and enrichment of cybersecurity threat reports. This application leverages advanced machine learning models and extensive historical data to provide comprehensive insights into cyber threats, specifically targeting Industrial Control Systems (ICS). Purpose The primary functions of the ACE Application include: Ingestion of Cybersecurity Threat Reporting: Capable of ingesting text-based threat reports in markdown or text file format. Supports ingestion of structured data from other sources in STIX/JSON format. Classification of Report’s Text-Based Events: Utilizes a DeBERTa classifier, specifically trained on cybersecurity data, to map the events to MITRE ATT&CK for ICS Tactics and Techniques. Classification is performed using multiple Jupyter notebooks and machine learning workflows hosted as FastAPI microservices: regex_data deberta_base_35_train_hft_classifier_mlflow.ipynb hft_regex_classifier_mlflow.ipynb param_train_hft_classifier_mlflow.ipynb regex_tactic_tech.ipynb Ordering of Tactics, Techniques, and Observable Events: Sequences the identified tactics, techniques, and events to form a coherent attack chain. Enrichment with Historical Attack Chain Details: Enhances the attack chain with details from historical attacks using a Markov model developed from CyOTE Precursor Analysis Report data. The Markov model is available as a FastAPI endpoint for seamless integration. Enrichment with Adversary Emulation Capabilities Data: Integrates adversary emulation capabilities data using MITRE Caldera for OT adversary abilities UUIDs. Export of Output Files: Provides options to export the enriched attack chain in JSON or CSV formats. Routing of Output to Other Applications: Facilitates routing of output to various platforms and applications, including: Threat Intelligence Platforms COREII Scout for Threat Intelligence Analysis COREII Modeling and Simulation for Adversary Emulation Technical Description The ACE Application is an advanced cybersecurity tool designed to provide detailed threat analysis and sequence generation. It is built on a robust architecture that integrates natural language processing, machine learning, and historical data modeling. Key Components: Data Ingestion Module: Handles the input of threat reports and data from various formats, ensuring flexibility in data sources. Classification Engine: Employs DeBERTa-based classifiers hosted as FastAPI microservices to analyze and classify threat report events in accordance with the MITRE ATT&CK framework for ICS. Sequence Generator: Orders the classified events into a logical attack chain, providing clear insight into the sequence of tactics and techniques used in the threat. Enrichment Engine: Integrates historical data and adversary emulation capabilities to enhance the attack chain with valuable context and additional details. The historical data enrichment is powered by a Markov model, which is available as a FastAPI endpoint. Export and Routing Module: Facilitates the export of the enriched attack chain in multiple formats and routes the output to designated applications for further analysis or emulation.

Paul, Tony [Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho↗

Behavior of Single-Line-Ground Faults in Inverter-Based Resource Dominated Grids Explained

It has been observed by protection engineers that it is difficult for a protective relay to identify the faulted phase during a single-line-ground (SLG) fault in a power system with a high ingression of inverter-based resources (IBR) using currents (phase or sequence). Further studies using electromagnetic transient (EMT) simulation show that the initial operating conditions of the IBRs influence the response of phase currents during an SLG fault. In this letter, we conduct a quantitative analysis using sequence components. We find that the pre-fault condition determines the relative position of the current contributed by the grid versus that from the IBR, and further dictates which phase has the largest magnitude during an SLG condition. Finally, this finding is further verified by the EMT simulation results.

electromagnetic transient simulation↗

Genomes OnLine database (GOLD) v.7: updates and new features

The Genomes Online Database (GOLD) (https://gold.jgi.doe.gov) is an open online resource, which maintains an up-to-date catalog of genome and metagenome projects in the context of a comprehensive list of associated metadata. Information in GOLD is organized into four levels: Study, Biosample/Organism, Sequencing Project and Analysis Project. Currently GOLD hosts information on 33 415 Studies, 49 826 Biosamples, 313 324 Organisms, 215 881 Sequencing Projects and 174 454 Analysis Projects with a total of 541 metadata fields, of which 80 are based on controlled vocabulary (CV) terms. GOLD provides a user-friendly web interface to browse sequencing projects and launch advanced search tools across four classification levels. Users submit metadata on a wide range of Sequencing and Analysis Projects in GOLD before depositing sequence data to the Integrated Microbial Genomes (IMG) system for analysis. GOLD conforms with and supports the rules set by the Genomic Standards Consortium (GSC) Minimum Information standards. The current version of GOLD (v.7) has seen the number of projects and associated metadata increase exponentially over the years. This paper provides an update on the current status of GOLD and highlights the new features added over the last two years.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Data Analysis for DNA Stable Isotope Probing Experiments Using Multiple Window High-Resolution SIP

DNA stable isotope probing (DNA-SIP) allows for the identification of microbes that assimilate isotopically labeled substrates into DNA. Here we describe the analysis of sequencing data using the multiple window high-resolution DNA-SIP method (MW-HR-SIP). MW-HR-SIP has improved accuracy over other methods and is easily implemented on the statistical platform R. Here, we also discuss key experimental parameters to consider when designing DNA-SIP experiments and how these parameters affect accuracy of analysis.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Data Analyst - A Device for Continuous Repeating Real-Time Assay of HPGe, CZT, or Scintillation Gamma Spectra - 18574

There are many situations where a continuous repeating series of quantitative gamma spectral assays is desirable. These include measurements of fluid going through a pipe, of items on a conveyor passing under a detector, a detector aimed at the ground on a moving platform, or a detector in free air as a plume of radioactivity drifts by. While Canberra and many others have built and deployed many of these devices, they have all been custom built for that particular application, and rather expensive. The Data Analyst [DA] is a general purpose device that is designed to fulfill many of these applications without modification, but can be fairly-easily modified if needed. The DA is a small [12 x 18 x 5 cm], low-power [3 W] box that accepts the input from external MCAs, controls the acquisition cycle, analyzes the results, and transmits them to the outside world when needed. The detector-MCAs supported are HPGe with Lynx MCA, NaI or CeBr or LaBr with Osprey MCA, and CZT or CsI with internal MCAs. The DA internal software used for analysis is the full standard Genie analysis software, which is very widely used and well accepted in the industry. This allows exported spectral files to be reviewed and confirmed by Experts, and reanalyzed if needed. The DA hardware is totally autonomous. As soon as power is applied, it starts the pre-programmed sequences of acquisition and analysis. Multiple analysis sequences [called Workflows] can be in operation simultaneously, e.g. with different count times and different nuclide libraries. Only the detector with MCA, and the DA are required in the field. A PC can be connected to the DA locally or remotely via WiFi, USB, or Ethernet. The PC is needed to setup the DA, and to readout the results. The DA also supports [with application-specific programming] external Inputs/Outputs either for recording with the analysis results or for use in the computation of the result, e.g. temperature, flow rate, pressure, ... ]. The DA also has an internal GPS receiver with external antenna. Applications of the DA that are discussed include stack gas effluent activity where a portion of the effluent stream was extracted to flow through a shield with a HPGe detector and Lynx MCA, and measurement of reactor coolant activity where a shielded CZT detector and MCA were aimed at various sections of reactor primary coolant during a maintenance outage. Potential other applications are also described. (author)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

MetaHCR: a web-enabled metagenome data management system for hydrocarbon resources

The ever-increasing metagenomic data necessitate appropriate cataloguing in a way that facilitates the comparison and better contextualization of the underlying investigations. To this extent, information associated with the sequencing data as well as the original sample and the environment where it was obtained from is crucial. To date, there are not any publicly available repositories able to capture environmental metadata pertaining to hydrocarbon-rich environments. As such, contextualization and comparative analysis among sequencing datasets derived from these environments is to a certain degree hindered or cannot be fully evaluated. The metagenomics data management system for hydrocarbon resources (MetaHCRs) enables the capturing of marker gene and whole metagenome sequencing data as well as over 300 contextual attributes associated with samples, organisms, environments and geological properties, among others. Moreover, MetaHCR implements the Minimum Information about any Sequence–hydrocarbon resource specification from the Genomic Standards Consortium; it integrates a user-friendly web interface and relational database model, and it enables the generation of complex custom search. MetaHCR has been tested with 36 publicly available metagenomic studies, and its modular architecture can be easily customized for other types of environmental and metagenomics studies.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

A Biosequence-based Approach to Software Characterization

For many applications, it is desirable to have some process for recognizing when software binaries are closely related without relying on them to be identical or have identical segments. Some examples include monitoring utilization of high performance computing centers or service clouds, detecting freeware in licensed code, and enforcing application whitelists. But doing so in a dynamic environment is a nontrivial task because most approaches to software similarity require extensive and time-consuming analysis of a binary, or they fail to recognize executables that are similar but nonidentical. Presented herein is a novel biosequence-based method for quantifying similarity of executable binaries. Using this method, it is shown in an example application on large-scale multi-author codes that 1) the biosequence-based method has a statistical performance in recognizing and distinguishing between a collection of real-world high performance computing applications better than 90% of ideal; and 2) an example of using family tree analysis to tune identification for a code subfamily can achieve better than 99% of ideal performance.

cyber security↗