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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 55 records · Page 3

Structural/control system optimization with variable actuator masses

A method is presented to integrate the design space for structural/control system optimization problems in the case of linear state feedback control. Nonstructural lumped masses and control system design variables as well as structural sizing variables are all treated equally as independent design variables in the optimization process. Structural and control design variable linking schemes are used in order to avoid a prohibitively large increase in the total number of independent design variables. When actuator masses are treated as nonstructural lumped mass design variables, special consideration is given to the relation between the transient peak responses and the required actuator masses which is formulated as a behavior constraint form. The original nonlinear mathematical programming problem based on a finite element formulation and linear state feedback is replaced by a sequence of explicit approximate problems exploiting various approximation concepts such as design variable linkings, temporary constraint deletion and first order Taylor series expansion of nonlinear behavior constraints in terms of intermediate design variables. Examples which involve a variety of dynamic behavior constraints (including constraints on closed-loop eigenvalues, peak transient displacements, peak actuator forces, and relations between the peak responses and the actuator masses) are effectively solved by using the method presented.

Jin, Ik M.↗

Managing the On-Board Data Storage, Acknowledgment and Retransmission System for Spitzer

The Spitzer Space Telescope has a two-phase downlink system. Data are transmitted during one telecom session. Then commands are sent during the next session to delete those data that were received and to retransmit those data that were missed. We must build sequences that are as efficient as possible to make the best use of our finite supply of liquid helium, One way to improve efficiency is to use only the minimum time needed during telecom sessions to transmit the predicted volume of data. But, we must also not fill the onboard storage and must allow enough time margin to retransmit missed data. We describe tools and procedures that allow us to build observatory sequences that are single-fault tolerant in this regard and that allow us to recover quickly and safely from anomalies that affect the receipt or acknowledgment of data.

Spitzer↗

The 5S ribosomal RNAs of Paracoccus denitrificans and Prochloron

The nucleotide sequences of the 5S rRNAs of Paracoccus denitrificans and Prochloron sp. are presented, along with the demonstrated phylogenetic relationships of P. denitrificans with purple nonsulfur bacteria, and of Prochloron with cyanobacteria. Structural findings include the following: (1) helix II in both models is much shorter than in other eubacteria, (2) a base-pair has been deleted from helix IV of P. denitrificans 5S, and (3) Prochloron 5S has the potential to form four base-pairs between residues. Also covered are the differences between pairs of sequences in P. denitrificans, Prochloron, wheat mitochondion, spinach chloroplast, and nine diverse eubacteria. Findings include the observation that Prochloron 5S rRNA is much more similar to the 5S of the cyanobacterium Anacystis nidulans (25 percent difference) than either are to any of the other nine eubacterial 5S rRNAs.

Mackay, R. M.↗

MSLICE Sequencing

MSLICE Sequencing is a graphical tool for writing sequences and integrating them into RML files, as well as for producing SCMF files for uplink. When operated in a testbed environment, it also supports uplinking these SCMF files to the testbed via Chill. This software features a free-form textural sequence editor featuring syntax coloring, automatic content assistance (including command and argument completion proposals), complete with types, value ranges, unites, and descriptions from the command dictionary that appear as they are typed. The sequence editor also has a "field mode" that allows tabbing between arguments and displays type/range/units/description for each argument as it is edited. Color-coded error and warning annotations on problematic tokens are included, as well as indications of problems that are not visible in the current scroll range. "Quick Fix" suggestions are made for resolving problems, and all the features afforded by modern source editors are also included such as copy/cut/paste, undo/redo, and a sophisticated find-and-replace system optionally using regular expressions. The software offers a full XML editor for RML files, which features syntax coloring, content assistance and problem annotations as above. There is a form-based, "detail view" that allows structured editing of command arguments and sequence parameters when preferred. The "project view" shows the user s "workspace" as a tree of "resources" (projects, folders, and files) that can subsequently be opened in editors by double-clicking. Files can be added, deleted, dragged-dropped/copied-pasted between folders or projects, and these operations are undoable and redoable. A "problems view" contains a tabular list of all problems in the current workspace. Double-clicking on any row in the table opens an editor for the appropriate sequence, scrolling to the specific line with the problem, and highlighting the problematic characters. From there, one can invoke "quick fix" as described above to resolve the issue. Once resolved, saving the file causes the problem to be removed from the problem view.

Crockett, Thomas M.↗

Cloning the promoter for transforming growth factor-beta type III receptor. Basal and conditional expression in fetal rat osteoblasts

Transforming growth factor-beta binds to three high affinity cell surface molecules that directly or indirectly regulate its biological effects. The type III receptor (TRIII) is a proteoglycan that lacks significant intracellular signaling or enzymatic motifs but may facilitate transforming growth factor-beta binding to other receptors, stabilize multimeric receptor complexes, or segregate growth factor from activating receptors. Because various agents or events that regulate osteoblast function rapidly modulate TRIII expression, we cloned the 5' region of the rat TRIII gene to assess possible control elements. DNA fragments from this region directed high reporter gene expression in osteoblasts. Sequencing showed no consensus TATA or CCAAT boxes, whereas several nuclear factors binding sequences within the 3' region of the promoter co-mapped with multiple transcription initiation sites, DNase I footprints, gel mobility shift analysis, or loss of activity by deletion or mutation. An upstream enhancer was evident 5' proximal to nucleotide -979, and a silencer region occurred between nucleotides -2014 and -2194. Glucocorticoid sensitivity mapped between nucleotides -687 and -253, whereas bone morphogenetic protein 2 sensitivity co-mapped within the silencer region. Thus, the TRIII promoter contains cooperative basal elements and dispersed growth factor- and hormone-sensitive regulatory regions that can control TRIII expression by osteoblasts.

Non-NASA Center↗

Irreducible Tests for Space Mission Sequencing Software

As missions extend further into space, the modeling and simulation of their every action and instruction becomes critical. The greater the distance between Earth and the spacecraft, the smaller the window for communication becomes. Therefore, through modeling and simulating the planned operations, the most efficient sequence of commands can be sent to the spacecraft. The Space Mission Sequencing Software is being developed as the next generation of sequencing software to ensure the most efficient communication to interplanetary and deep space mission spacecraft. Aside from efficiency, the software also checks to make sure that communication during a specified time is even possible, meaning that there is not a planet or moon preventing reception of a signal from Earth or that two opposing commands are being given simultaneously. In this way, the software not only models the proposed instructions to the spacecraft, but also validates the commands as well.To ensure that all spacecraft communications are sequenced properly, a timeline is used to structure the data. The created timelines are immutable and once data is as-signed to a timeline, it shall never be deleted nor renamed. This is to prevent the need for storing and filing the timelines for use by other programs. Several types of timelines can be created to accommodate different types of communications (activities, measurements, commands, states, events). Each of these timeline types requires specific parameters and all have options for additional parameters if needed. With so many combinations of parameters available, the robustness and stability of the software is a necessity. Therefore a baseline must be established to ensure the full functionality of the software and it is here where the irreducible tests come into use.

sequencing test↗

A Module Experimental Process System Development Unit (MEPSDU)

Restructuring research objectives from a technical readiness demonstration program to an investigation of high risk, high payoff activities associated with producing photovoltaic modules using non-CZ sheet material is reported. Deletion of the module frame in favor of a frameless design, and modification in cell series parallel electrical interconnect configuration are reviewed. A baseline process sequence was identified for the fabrication of modules using the selected dendritic web sheet material, and economic evaluations of the sequence were completed.

Source record↗

Intramolecular activation of a Ca(2+)-dependent protein kinase is disrupted by insertions in the tether that connects the calmodulin-like domain to the kinase

Ca(2+)-dependent protein kinases (CDPK) have a calmodulin-like domain (CaM-LD) tethered to the C-terminal end of the kinase. Activation is proposed to involve intramolecular binding of the CaM-LD to a junction sequence that connects the CaM-LD to the kinase domain. Consistent with this model, a truncated CDPK (DeltaNC) in which the CaM-LD has been deleted can be activated in a bimolecular interaction with an isolated CaM-LD or calmodulin, similar to the activation of a calmodulin-dependent protein kinase (CaMK) by calmodulin. Here we provide genetic evidence that this bimolecular activation requires a nine-residue binding segment from F436 to I444 (numbers correspond to CPK-1 accession number L14771). Two mutations at either end of this core segment (F436/A and VI444/AA) severely disrupted bimolecular activation, whereas flanking mutations had only minor effects. Intramolecular activation of a full-length kinase was also disrupted by a VI444/AA mutation, but surprisingly not by a F436/A mutation (at the N-terminal end of the binding site). Interestingly, intramolecular but not bimolecular activation was disrupted by insertion mutations placed immediately downstream of I444. To show that mutant enzymes were not misfolded, latent kinase activity was stimulated through binding of an antijunction antibody. Results here support a model of intramolecular activation in which the tether (A445 to G455) that connects the CaM-LD to the kinase provides an important structural constraint and is not just a simple flexible connection.

NASA Discipline Plant Biology↗

Evolution and folding of repeat proteins

Repeat proteins are made with tandem copies of similar amino acid stretches that fold into elongated architectures. These proteins constitute excellent model systems to investigate how evolution relates to structure, folding, and function. Here, we propose a scheme to map evolutionary information at the sequence level to a coarse-grained model for repeat-protein folding and use it to investigate the folding of thousands of repeat proteins. We model the energetics by a combination of an inverse Potts-model scheme with an explicit mechanistic model of duplications and deletions of repeats to calculate the evolutionary parameters of the system at the single-residue level. These parameters are used to inform an Ising-like model that allows for the generation of folding curves, apparent domain emergence, and occupation of intermediate states that are highly compatible with experimental data in specific case studies. We analyzed the folding of thousands of natural Ankyrin repeat proteins and found that a multiplicity of folding mechanisms are possible. Fully cooperative all-or-none transitions are obtained for arrays with enough sequence-similar elements and strong interactions between them, while noncooperative element-by-element intermittent folding arose if the elements are dissimilar and the interactions between them are energetically weak. Additionally, we characterized nucleation-propagation and multidomain folding mechanisms. We show that the global stability and cooperativity of the repeating arrays can be predicted from simple sequence scores.

Ezequiel A. Galpern↗

A powerful enhancement to the DMAP alter capability

A powerful enhancement to the DMAP alter capability was developed and is available on all RPK-supported versions of COSMIC/NASTRAN. This enhancement involves the addition of two alter control cards, called INSERT and DELETE, to the Executive Control Deck. These cards allow for DMAP alters to be made by referencing DMAP statements by their module names rather than by their statement numbers in the rigid format DMAP sequence. This allows for increased user convenience and flexibility and makes alters more meaningful to the user. In addition, DMAP alter packages employing the alter control cards will be much less susceptible to future changes in rigid format DMAPs than alter packages employing the standard ALTER control cards. The usage of the cards is illustrated by examples.

Pamidi, P. R.↗

Changing genetic information through RNA editing

RNA editing, the post-transcriptional alteration of a gene-encoded sequence, is a widespread phenomenon in eukaryotes. As a consequence of RNA editing, functionally distinct proteins can be produced from a single gene. The molecular mechanisms involved include single or multiple base insertions or deletions as well as base substitutions. In mammals, one type of substitutional RNA editing, characterized by site-specific base-modification, was shown to modulate important physiological processes. The underlying reaction mechanism of substitutional RNA editing involves hydrolytic deamination of cytosine or adenosine bases to uracil or inosine, respectively. Protein factors have been characterized that are able to induce RNA editing in vitro. A supergene family of RNA-dependent deaminases has emerged with the recent addition of adenosine deaminases specific for tRNA. Here we review the developments that have substantially increased our understanding of base-modification RNA editing over the past few years, with an emphasis on mechanistic differences, evolutionary aspects and the first insights into the regulation of editing activity.

Review↗

Loss of chromosomal integrity in human mammary epithelial cells subsequent to escape from senescence

The genomic changes that foster cancer can be either genetic or epigenetic in nature. Early studies focused on genetic changes and how mutational events contribute to changes in gene expression. These point mutations, deletions and amplifications are known to activate oncogenes and inactivate tumor suppressor genes. More recently, multiple epigenetic changes that can have a profound effect on carcinogenesis have been identified. These epigenetic events, such as the methylation of promoter sequences in genes, are under active investigation. In this review we will describe a methylation event that occurs during the propagation of human mammary epithelial cells (HMEC) in culture and detail the accompanying genetic alterations that have been observed.

Review↗

Implied alignment: a synapomorphy-based multiple-sequence alignment method and its use in cladogram search

A method to align sequence data based on parsimonious synapomorphy schemes generated by direct optimization (DO; earlier termed optimization alignment) is proposed. DO directly diagnoses sequence data on cladograms without an intervening multiple-alignment step, thereby creating topology-specific, dynamic homology statements. Hence, no multiple-alignment is required to generate cladograms. Unlike general and globally optimal multiple-alignment procedures, the method described here, implied alignment (IA), takes these dynamic homologies and traces them back through a single cladogram, linking the unaligned sequence positions in the terminal taxa via DO transformation series. These "lines of correspondence" link ancestor-descendent states and, when displayed as linearly arrayed columns without hypothetical ancestors, are largely indistinguishable from standard multiple alignment. Since this method is based on synapomorphy, the treatment of certain classes of insertion-deletion (indel) events may be different from that of other alignment procedures. As with all alignment methods, results are dependent on parameter assumptions such as indel cost and transversion:transition ratios. Such an IA could be used as a basis for phylogenetic search, but this would be questionable since the homologies derived from the implied alignment depend on its natal cladogram and any variance, between DO and IA + Search, due to heuristic approach. The utility of this procedure in heuristic cladogram searches using DO and the improvement of heuristic cladogram cost calculations are discussed. c2003 The Willi Hennig Society. Published by Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.

Non-NASA Center↗

Low cost solar array project production process and equipment task: A Module Experimental Process System Development Unit (MEPSDU)

Several major modifications were made to the design presented at the PDR. The frame was deleted in favor of a "frameless" design which will provide a substantially improved cell packing factor. Potential shaded cell damage resulting from operation into a short circuit can be eliminated by a change in the cell series/parallel electrical interconnect configuration. The baseline process sequence defined for the MEPSON was refined and equipment design and specification work was completed. SAMICS cost analysis work accelerated, format A's were prepared and computer simulations completed. Design work on the automated cell interconnect station was focused on bond technique selection experiments.

Source record↗

NOSS altimeter algorithm specifications

A description of all algorithms required for altimeter processing is given. Each description includes title, description, inputs/outputs, general algebraic sequences and data volume. All required input/output data files are described and the computer resources required for the entire altimeter processing system were estimated. The majority of the data processing requirements for any radar altimeter of the Seasat-1 type are scoped. Additions and deletions could be made for the specific altimeter products required by other projects.

Hancock, D. W.↗

Generation of animation sequences of three dimensional models

The invention is directed toward a method and apparatus for generating an animated sequence through the movement of three-dimensional graphical models. A plurality of pre-defined graphical models are stored and manipulated in response to interactive commands or by means of a pre-defined command file. The models may be combined as part of a hierarchical structure to represent physical systems without need to create a separate model which represents the combined system. System motion is simulated through the introduction of translation, rotation and scaling parameters upon a model within the system. The motion is then transmitted down through the system hierarchy of models in accordance with hierarchical definitions and joint movement limitations. The present invention also calls for a method of editing hierarchical structure in response to interactive commands or a command file such that a model may be included, deleted, copied or moved within multiple system model hierarchies. The present invention also calls for the definition of multiple viewpoints or cameras which may exist as part of a system hierarchy or as an independent camera. The simulated movement of the models and systems is graphically displayed on a monitor and a frame is recorded by means of a video controller. Multiple movement and hierarchy manipulations are then recorded as a sequence of frames which may be played back as an animation sequence on a video cassette recorder.

Poi, Sharon↗

Molecular and biochemical evidence for the involvement of calcium/calmodulin in auxin action

The use of (35)S-labeled calmodulin (CaM) to screen a corn root cDNA expression library has led to the isolation of a CaM-binding protein, encoded by a cDNA with sequence similarity to small auxin up RNAs (SAURs), a class of early auxin-responsive genes. The cDNA designated as ZmSAUR1 (Zea mays SAURs) was expressed in Escherichia coli, and the recombinant protein was purified by CaM affinity chromatography. The CaM binding assay revealed that the recombinant protein binds to CaM in a calcium-dependent manner. Deletion analysis revealed that the CaM binding site was located at the NH(2)-terminal domain. A synthetic peptide of amino acids 20-45, corresponding to the potential CaM binding region, was used for calcium-dependent mobility shift assays. The synthetic peptide formed a stable complex with CaM only in the presence of calcium. The CaM affinity assay indicated that ZmSAUR1 binds to CaM with high affinity (K(d) approximately 15 nM) in a calcium-dependent manner. Comparison of the NH(2)-terminal portions of all of the characterized SAURs revealed that they all contain a stretch of the basic alpha-amphiphilic helix similar to the CaM binding region of ZmSAUR1. CaM binds to the two synthetic peptides from the NH(2)-terminal regions of Arabidopsis SAUR-AC1 and soybean 10A5, suggesting that this is a general phenomenon for all SAURs. Northern analysis was carried out using the total RNA isolated from auxin-treated corn coleoptile segments. ZmSAUR1 gene expression began within 10 min, increased rapidly between 10 and 60 min, and peaked around 60 min after 10 microM alpha-naphthaleneacetic acid treatment. These results indicate that ZmSAUR1 is an early auxin-responsive gene. The CaM antagonist N-(6-aminohexyl)5-chloro-1-naphthalenesulfonamide hydrochloride inhibited the auxin-induced cell elongation but not the auxin-induced expression of ZmSAUR1. This suggests that calcium/CaM do not regulate ZmSAUR1 at the transcriptional level. CaM binding to ZmSAUR1 in a calcium-dependent manner suggests that calcium/CaM regulate ZmSAUR1 at the post-translational level. Our data provide the first direct evidence for the involvement of calcium/CaM-mediated signaling in auxin-mediated signal transduction.

NASA Program Fundamental Space Biology↗

DNA CTG triplet repeats involved in dynamic mutations of neurologically related gene sequences form stable duplexes

DNA triplet repeats, 5'-d(CTG)n and 5'-d(CAG)n, are present in genes which have been implicated in several neurodegenerative disorders. To investigate possible stable structures formed by these repeating sequences, we have examined d(CTG)n, d(CAG)n and d(CTG).d(CAG)n (n = 2 and 3) using NMR and UV optical spectroscopy. These studies reveal that single stranded (CTG)n (n > 2) forms stable, antiparallel helical duplexes, while the single stranded (CAG)n requires at least three repeating units to form a duplex. NMR and UV melting experiments show that the Tm increases in the order of [(CAG)3]2 < [(CTG)3]2 << (CAG)3.(CTG)3. The (CTG)3 duplex is stable and exhibits similar NMR spectra in solutions containing 0.1-4 M NaCl and at a pH range from 4.6 to 8.8. The (CTG)3 duplex, which contains multiple-T.T mismatches, displays many NMR spectral characteristics similar to those of B-form DNA. However, unique NOE and 1H-31P coupling patterns associated with the repetitive T.T mismatches in the CTG repeats are discerned. These results, in conjunction with recent in vitro studies suggest that longer CTG repeats may form hairpin structures, which can potentially cause interruption in replication, leading to dynamic expansion or deletion of triplet repeats.

NASA Discipline Exobiology↗