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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 325 records · Page 18

Integrated multi-omic characterizations of the synapse reveal RNA processing factors and ubiquitin ligases associated with neurodevelopmental disorders

The molecular composition of the excitatory synapse is incompletely defined due to its dynamic nature across developmental stages and neuronal populations. To address this gap, we apply proteomic mass spectrometry to characterize the synapse in multiple biological models including the fetal human brain and hiPSC-derived neurons. To prioritize the identified proteins, we develop an orthogonal multi-omic screen of genomic, transcriptomic, interactomic, and structural data. This data-driven framework identifies proteins with key molecular features intrinsic to the synapse, including characteristic patterns of biophysical interactions and cross-tissue expression. The multi-omic analysis captures synaptic proteins across developmental stages and experimental systems, including 493 synaptic candidates supported by proteomics. We further investigate three such proteins that are associated with neurodevelopmental disorders – the CUL3 E3 ubiquitin ligase, the DDX3X and YBX1 nucleic-acid binding proteins – by mapping their networks of physically interacting synapse proteins or transcripts. Our study demonstrates the potential of an integrated multi-omic approach to systematically and more comprehensively resolve the synaptic architecture.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Nonlinear elasticity with the Shifted Boundary Method

Here, we propose a new unfitted/immersed computational framework for nonlinear solid mechanics, which bypasses the complexities associated with the generation of CAD representations and subsequent body-fitted meshing. This approach allows to speed up the cycle of design and analysis in complex geometry and requires relatively simple computer graphics representations of the surface geometries to be simulated, such as the Standard Tessellation Language (STL format). Complex data structures and integration on cut elements are avoided by means of an approximate boundary representation and a modification (shifting) of the boundary conditions to maintain optimal accuracy. An extensive set of computational experiments in two and three dimensions is included.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

SPACE: 3D parallel solvers for Vlasov-Maxwell and Vlasov-Poisson equations for relativistic plasmas with atomic transformations

A parallel, relativistic, three-dimensional particle-in-cell code SPACE has been developed for the simulation of electromagnetic fields, relativistic particle beams, and plasmas. In addition to the standard second-order Particle-in-Cell (PIC) algorithm, SPACE includes efficient novel algorithms to resolve atomic physics processes such as multi-level ionization of plasma atoms, recombination, and electron attachment to dopants in dense neutral gases. SPACE also contains a highly adaptive particle-based method, called Adaptive Particle-in-Cloud (AP-Cloud), for solving the Vlasov-Poisson problems. It eliminates the traditional Cartesian mesh of PIC and replaces it with an adaptive octree data structure. The code's algorithms, structure, capabilities, parallelization strategy, and performance have been discussed. Additionally, typical examples of SPACE applications to accelerator science and engineering problems are described.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

SoK: What does it Mean to Benchmark Database Forensics?

Relational Database Management Systems are the backbone of modern enterprises and public-sector services, and are thus frequent targets of security incidents, insider threats, and thorough regulatory audits. Consequently, databases have become key sources of digital evidence, requiring investigators to reconstruct past activity from audit logs, transaction logs, and backups. Although benchmarking frameworks such as those developed by the Transaction Processing Performance Council (TPC) are widely used to evaluate database performance, they do not capture forensic requirements such as evidentiary completeness, tamper-evidence, chain of custody, or regulatory compliance under GDPR and CCPA. This survey examines the emerging domain of forensic database benchmarking. We gathered prior research on database forensics, secure logging, and tamper-evident data structures; we analyze modern forensic-ready features in commercial and open-source systems (SQL Server Ledger, Oracle Blockchain Tables, PostgreSQL pgAudit, Db2 Audit, Aurora Database Activity Streams, Oracle Real Application Security and IBM Guardium) and assess why existing benchmarks are insufficient. We propose forensic workloads, metrics, and methodologies that incorporate adversarial stressors, deleted-record recovery, and backup analysis. We also identify open research problems and call for a community-driven forensic benchmark suite. The result is an idea for evaluating not only database performance but also forensic soundness, bridging the gap between system engineering, compliance, and digital investigations.

Lenard, Ben↗

Automated phase segmentation and quantification of high-resolution TEM image for alloy design

In the alloy design and development process, a wealth of atomically resolved structural high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) images are produced. Identifying the different nano-precipitate phases and tracking their evolution under various compositions and during manufacturing or post-processing requires hundreds of HRTEM images and thousands of precipitates. The nanoscopic phase information labeling and analysis purely relies on humans are prohibitively costly and time-consuming, sometimes not reliable because of the lack of authoritative knowledge. Here, in this work, we develop a novel unsupervised machine learning approach coupled with adaptive computer vision techniques with features in the Fourier space to automatically determine the number of phases and segment/quantify the phases with nanoscale resolution, allowing for quantitative correlation between nanostructure formation, processing and functional properties. To automate the phase extraction/quantification and ascertain its applicability, we have applied the developed framework to the HRTEM images from several alloy systems, processing conditions, image magnifications, and phase types and morphologies (precipitates, nano-twins, stacking faults, crystalline matrix, and amorphous structures) for verification. This study paves the road for compression, visualization, and translation of raw image structural data into physically relevant information in real-time with minimal human supervision. It shows the promise of enabling high-throughput materials characterization for the acceleration of alloy manufacturing and design.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Nuclear Structure and Decay Data for A=31 Isobars

Here, experimental nuclear spectroscopic data are evaluated for 11 known nuclides of mass 31 (F, Ne, Na, Mg, Al, Si, P, S, Cl, Ar, K). Detailed evaluated information is presented for each reaction and decay experiment. Combining all the available data, recommended values are provided for energies, spins and parities, and half-lives of levels, with energies, branching ratios and multipolarities of γ radiations, and characteristics of β and α radiations in radioactive decays. 31 P is the most extensively studied one among all nuclides via various reactions and decays, followed by 31 S, 31 Si, 31 Mg and 31 Al. Information for excited states in 31 Ne, 31 Na, 31 Cl, 31 Ar and 31 K are limited; no excited states have yet been identified in 31 F, even its ground-state half-life is unknown. Significant new data have become available for the structure of 31 S, with its relevance to astrophysical applications. This work supersedes the earlier evaluation of A=31 by 2013Ou01, with literature cutoff date of Feb 15, 2013.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Multiphysics for nuclear energy applications using a cohesive computational framework

With the recent development of advanced numerical algorithms, software design, and low-cost high-performance computer hardware, reliance on coupled multiphysics to predict the behavior of complex physical systems is beginning to become standard practice. This is especially true in nuclear energy applications where strong nonlinear interdependencies exist between reactor physics, radiation transport, multi-scale nuclear fuels performance, thermal fluids, etc. Resolving these nonlinear dependencies requires choices in multiphysics software approaches. Two main multiphysics modeling and simulation approaches have emerged. The first is based upon "code coupling" where disparate physics codes of different software design, code languages, and spatial and temporal integration schemes are coupled together with relatively complex data passing interfaces. The second multiphysics software approach is to employ a "cohesive" framework where all physics applications are developed with a common software design, i.e., data structures, syntax, input format, integrated spatial and temporal discretization schemes, etc. In this paper we present the Multiphysics Object-Oriented Simulation Environment (MOOSE) development and runtime framework and describe the framework's cohesive modeling and simulation multiphysics approach. Then, a "cohesive-like" extension of the MOOSE framework is presented where MOOSE-based physics software applications are efficiently coupled to non-MOOSE (external) physics codes to form multiphysics applications using MOOSE's unique interface capabilities. Finally, several examples of MOOSE's cohesive and cohesive-like multiphysics applications will be demonstrated. These multiphysics demonstrations will incorporate both MOOSE-based applications and external codes, including Nek5000, RELAP-7, TRACE, BISON, and Pronghorn.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

Systematic trends of 0 2 + , 1 1 - , 3 1 - and 2 1 + excited states in even-even nuclei

Here, the spin and parity ( J π ) assignments in even-even nuclei were reviewed across the nuclear chart using the Evaluated Nuclear Structure Data File (ENSDF). The prevalence of 2$+\atop{1}$ first or lowest excited states is confirmed. The properties of 0$+\atop{2}$, 1$-\atop{1}$, and 3$-\atop{1}$ lowest excited states were reexamined using the ENSDF data evaluation procedures. The J π systematic trends and correlations between level quantum numbers and nuclear physics phenomena are discussed.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Measurement and analysis of GPU-accelerated applications with HPCToolkit

To address the challenge of performance analysis on the US DOE’s forthcoming exascale supercomputers, Rice University has been extending its HPCToolkit performance tools to support measurement and analysis of GPU-accelerated applications. To help developers understand the performance of accelerated applications as a whole, HPCToolkit’s measurement and analysis tools attribute metrics to calling contexts that span both CPUs and GPUs. To measure GPU-accelerated applications efficiently, HPCToolkit employs a novel wait-free data structure to coordinate monitoring and attribution of GPU performance. To help developers understand the performance of complex GPU code generated from high-level programming models, HPCToolkit constructs sophisticated approximations of call path profiles for GPU computations. To support fine-grained analysis and tuning, HPCToolkit uses PC sampling and instrumentation to measure and attribute GPU performance metrics to source lines, loops, and inlined code. To supplement fine-grained measurements, HPCToolkit can measure GPU kernel executions using hardware performance counters. To provide a view of how an execution evolves over time, HPCToolkit can collect, analyze, and visualize call path traces within and across nodes. Finally, on NVIDIA GPUs, HPCToolkit can derive and attribute a collection of useful performance metrics based on measurements using GPU PC samples. Here, we illustrate HPCToolkit’s new capabilities for analyzing GPU-accelerated applications with several codes developed as part of the Exascale Computing Project.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

A High-Performance Discrete-Element Framework for Simulating Flow and Jamming of Moisture Bearing Biomass Feedstocks

We developed and verified a high-performance open-source discrete element method (DEM) solver with simultaneously-supported feedstock-specific interaction models, including bonded-sphere, liquid bridge, cohesion, and non-linear contact models. Our solver uses parallel data structures on hybrid central and graphics processing unit (CPU/GPU) architectures, with favorable strong scaling performance observed for large problem sizes comprised of (100 M particles), and 4X single-node GPU speedup. The particles for corn stover feedstock were conceptualized and calibrated based on experimental measurements and results. Sensitivity analyses demonstrate that the mass flow rate from a wedge hopper is governed primarily by moisture content, friction coefficient, and cohesion energy density. The model is used to reproduce experimentally observed hopper jamming results, highlighting that the experimental no-flow trends can only be achieved by using non-spherical particles, liquid bridge and cohesion models, highlighting the importance of using concurrent feedstock specialized models for the effective representation of biomass material handling problems.

bioenergy↗

A Spectroscopic and Computational Evaluation of Uranyl Oxo Engagement with Transition Metal Cations

Here, we report the synthesis and characterization of five novel Cd 2+ /UO 2 2+ heterometallic complexes that feature Cd-oxo distances ranging from 78 to 171% of the sum of the van der Waals radii for these atoms. This work marks an extension of our previously reported Pb 2+ /UO 2 2+ and Ag + /UO 2 2+ complexes, yet with much more pronounced structural and spectroscopic effects resulting from Cd-oxo interactions. We observe a major shift in the U═O symmetric stretch and significant uranyl bond length asymmetry. The ρbcp values calculated using Quantum Theory of Atoms in Molecules (QTAIM) support the asymmetry displayed in the structural data and indicate a decrease in covalent character in U═O bonds with close Cd-oxo contacts, more so than in related compounds containing Pb 2+ and Ag + . Second-order perturbation theory (SOPT) analysis reveals that O sp x → Cd s is the most significant orbital overlap and U═O bonding and antibonding orbitals also contribute to the interaction (U═O σ/π → Cd d and Cd s → U═O σ/π*). The overall stabilization energies for these interactions were lower than those in previously reported Pb 2+ cations, yet larger than related Ag + compounds. Analysis of the equatorial coordination sphere of the Cd 2+ /UO 2 2+ compounds (along with Pb 2+ /UO 2 2+ complexes) reveals that 7-coordinate uranium favors closer, stronger M n+ -oxo contacts. These results indicate that U═O bond strength tuning is possible with judicious choice of metal cations for oxo interactions and equatorial ligand coordination.

cations↗

Functional and Structural Studies on the Esperamicin Thioesterase and Progress toward Understanding Enediyne Core Biosynthesis

Enediynes are among the most potent antitumor and antibacterial natural products. Studies on their biosynthetic pathways have identified a shared, linear polyene precursor generated from an iterative type I polyketide synthase (PKSE) as the source of the enediyne warhead. A key step is the release of this polyene from the PKSE by a discrete thioesterase (TE). Here, in this study, we used X-ray crystallography, site-directed mutagenesis, and heterologous coexpression of PKSEs and TEs to elucidate how enediyne TEs mediate the production of the polyene. We solved the structure of wild-type EspE7 from esperamicin producer Actinomodura verrucosospora. The substrate binding pocket was also defined upon serendipitous cocrystallization of an EspE7 mutant with a fatty acyl-CoA ligand. Structural data and in vitro activity assays with EspE7 mutants provide strong evidence that Glu68 in EspE7 and the analogous Glu residue in other enediyne TEs functions as a key catalytic residue, thus supporting a hydrolysis mechanism for enediyne TEs that aligns with that of Pseudomonas sp. 4-HB-CoA TE. Furthermore, combinations of 9- and 10-membered enediyne PKSEs and TEs produced 1,3,5,7,9,11,13-pentadecaheptaene (1) as the major product. Thus, the data further support previous conclusions that 1 serves as the sole precursor for the biosynthesis of all enediyne cores.

Enediynes↗

Kinetics and Mechanism of the Singlet Oxygen Atom Reaction with Dimethyl Ether

Here, we combine in situ laser spectroscopy, quantum chemistry, and kinetic calculations to study the reaction of a singlet oxygen atom with dimethyl ether. Infrared laser absorption spectroscopy and Faraday rotation spectroscopy are used for the detection and quantification of the reaction products OH, H 2 O, HO 2 , and CH 2 O on submillisecond time scales. Fitting temporal profiles of products with simulations using an in-house reaction mechanism allows product branching to be quantified at 30, 60, and 150 Torr. The experimentally determined product branching agrees well with master equation calculations based on electronic structure data and transition state theory. The calculations demonstrate that the dimethyl peroxide (CH 3 OOCH 3 ) generated via O-insertion into the C–O bond undergoes subsequent dissociation to CH 3 O + CH 3 O through energetically favored reactions without an intrinsic barrier. This O-insertion mechanism can be important for understanding the fate of biofuels leaking into the atmosphere and for plasma-based biofuel processing technologies.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Potential Foldamers Based on an ortho- Terphenyl Amino Acid

We describe the synthesis and characterization of a new class of oligomers built from a terphenyl-based amino acid. Here, these oligomeric amides are of interest because the adoption of specific conformations could potentially be driven by the coordinated formation of inter-residue hydrogen bonds and aromatic interactions. Although high-resolution structural data have proven inaccessible, circular dichroism and nuclear magnetic resonance studies suggest that the new oligomers fold concomitantly with discrete self-association in chloroform. Molecular simulations find no sign of folding as a monomer, and in fact suggest that hydrogen bond patterning is anti-cooperative, inhibiting longer helices.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Stability Frontiers in the AM 6 X 6 Kagome Metals: The Ln Nb 6 Sn 6 ( Ln :Ce–Lu,Y) Family and Density-Wave Transition in LuNb 6 Sn 6

The kagome motif is a versatile platform for condensed matter physics, hosting rich interactions between magnetic, electronic, and structural degrees of freedom. In recent years, the discovery of a charge density wave (CDW) in the AV 3 Sb 5 superconductors and structurally-derived bond density waves (BDW) in FeGe and ScV 6 Sn 6 have stoked the search for new kagome platforms broadly exhibiting density wave (DW) transitions. Here, in this work, we evaluate the known AM 6 X 6 chemistries and construct a stability diagram that summarizes the structural relationships among the >125 member family. Subsequently, we introduce our discovery of the broader LnNb 6 Sn 6 (Ln:Ce–Nd,Sm,Gd–Tm,Lu,Y) family of kagome metals and an analogous DW transition in LuNb 6 Sn 6 . Our X-ray scattering measurements clearly indicate a (1/3, 1/3, 1/3) ordering wave vector (√$\bar{3}$ x √$\bar{3}$ x $3$ superlattice) and diffuse scattering on half-integer L-planes. Our analysis of the structural data supports the “rattling mode” DW model proposed for ScV 6 Sn 6 and paints a detailed picture of the steric interactions between the rare-earth filler element and the host Nb–Sn kagome scaffolding. We also provide a broad survey of the magnetic properties within the HfFe 6 Ge 6 -type LnNb 6 Sn 6 members, revealing a number of complex antiferromagnetic and metamagnetic transitions throughout the family. This work integrates our new LnNb 6 Sn 6 series of compounds into the broader AM 6 X 6 family, providing new material platforms and forging a new route forward at the frontier of kagome metal research.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Observed Relationships Between Cloud Droplet Effective Radius and Biogenic Gas Concentrations in Summertime Marine Stratocumulus Over the Eastern North Atlantic

Abstract Biogenic gases are a prominent component of the summertime marine boundary layer (MBL) over the Eastern North Atlantic. One of these gases, dimethyl sulfide (DMS), can produce sulfate cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) that, in theory, can brighten clouds through photolysis, and produces a reaction product, methane sulfonic acid (MSA). It is also possible that DMS can interact with sea‐salt or other marine aerosols changing their CCN activation spectrum, which could also modify cloud microphysical structure. Data collected aboard the G1 aircraft during the Aerosol Cloud Experiment Eastern North Atlantic (ACE‐ENA) in well‐mixed and decoupled marine boundary layers (MBLs) were used to examine relationships between the cloud droplet effective radii, , and the concentrations of DMS and MSA in constant cloud liquid water content (LWC) bins. A weak but statistically significant negative correlation was observed between CCN concentration and in most LWC bins, regardless of the source of the CCN, while a weak but statistically significant positive correlation between and DMS was observed. No correlation between the cloud droplet number concentration and DMS was found. The presence of MSA indicated that DMS‐to‐sulfate photolysis was likely occurring, but data sparsity prevented a statistically significant conclusion regarding the relationship between MSA and . Data sparsity in decoupled conditions also prevented statistically significant conclusions. To properly address biogenic gas impacts on cloud microphysics, it is recommended that aircraft data be supplemented by long‐term biogenic gas measurements at the surface in marine locations with appropriate remote and in‐situ cloud sensing capabilities, and the analysis limited to well‐mixed MBL's.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Spatiotemporal Graph Convolutional Networks for Earthquake Source Characterization

Abstract Accurate earthquake location and magnitude estimation play critical roles in seismology. Recent deep learning frameworks have produced encouraging results on various seismological tasks (e.g., earthquake detection, phase picking, seismic classification, and earthquake early warning). Many existing machine learning earthquake location methods utilize waveform information from a single station. However, multiple stations contain more complete information for earthquake source characterization. Inspired by recent successes in applying graph neural networks (GNNs) in graph‐structured data, we develop a Spatiotemporal Graph Neural Network (STGNN) for estimating earthquake locations and magnitudes. Our graph neural network leverages geographical and waveform information from multiple stations to construct graphs automatically and dynamically by adaptive message passing based on graphs' edges. Using a recent graph neural network and a fully convolutional neural network as baselines, we apply STGNN to earthquakes recorded by the Southern California Seismic Network from 2000 to 2019 and earthquakes collected in Oklahoma from 2014 to 2015. STGNN yields more accurate earthquake locations than those obtained by the baseline models and performs comparably in terms of depth and magnitude prediction, though the ability to predict depth and magnitude remains weak for all tested models. Our work demonstrates the potential of using GNNs and multiple stations for better automatic estimation of earthquake epicenters.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

Bivalent antibody pliers inhibit β-tryptase by an allosteric mechanism dependent on the IgG hinge

Human β-tryptase, a tetrameric trypsin-like serine protease, is an important mediator of allergic inflammatory responses in asthma. Antibodies generally inhibit proteases by blocking substrate access by binding to active sites or exosites or by allosteric modulation. The bivalency of IgG antibodies can increase potency via avidity, but has never been described as essential for activity. Here we report an inhibitory anti-tryptase IgG antibody with a bivalency-driven mechanism of action. Using biochemical and structural data, we determine that four Fabs simultaneously occupy four exosites on the β-tryptase tetramer, inducing allosteric changes at the small interface. In the presence of heparin, the monovalent Fab shows essentially no inhibition, whereas the bivalent IgG fully inhibits β-tryptase activity in a hinge-dependent manner. Our results suggest a model where the bivalent IgG acts akin to molecular pliers, pulling the tetramer apart into inactive β-tryptase monomers, and may provide an alternative strategy for antibody engineering.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗