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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 73 records · Page 4

Higher than expected N 2 O emissions from soybean crops in the Pampas Region of Argentina: Estimates from DayCent simulations and field measurements

In developing countries, agriculture generally represents a large fraction of GHG emissions reported in National Inventories, and emissions are typically estimated using Tier 1 IPCC guidelines. However, field data and locally adapted simulation models can improve the accuracy of IPCC estimations. In this report we aimed to quantify anthropogenic N2O emissions from croplands of Argentina through field measurements, model simulations and IPCC guidelines. Here we measured N 2 O emissions and their controlling factors in 62 plots of the Pampas Region with corn, soybean and wheat/soybean crops and in unmanaged grasslands. We accounted for gross emissions from crops and background emissions from unmanaged grasslands to calculate net anthropogenic emissions from crops as the difference between them. We calibrated and evaluated the DayCent model and then simulated different weather and management scenarios. Finally, we applied IPCC guidelines to estimate anthropogenic N 2 O emissions at the same plots. The DayCent model accurately simulated annual N 2 O emission for all crops as compared to measured data (RMSE = 1.4 g N ha -1 day -1 ). Measured and simulated emissions in soybean crops were higher than in corn and wheat/soybean crops. Gross N 2 O emissions ranged from 1.4 to 5.1 kg N ha -1 yr -1 for current environmental (soil and weather) and management (crops and fertilizer doses) conditions. Background emissions ranged between 1.1 and 1.3 kg N ha -1 yr -1 , and therefore net anthropogenic emissions ranged from 0.3 to 4.0 kg N ha-1 yr -1 . IPCC Tier 1 emission factors underestimated N2O releases from soybean, that were on average 4.87 times greater when estimated with DayCent and observations (0.53 vs 2.47 and 2.69 kg N ha -1 yr -1 , respectively). On the contrary, IPCC estimates for corn and wheat/soybean crops were similar to modeled and measured values. Our results suggest that N 2 O emissions from the vast 15 million ha of soybean croplands in the Pampas Region may be substantially underestimated.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Regulation of muscle hypertrophy: Involvement of the Akt-independent pathway and satellite cells in muscle hypertrophy

Highlights: • Involvement of Akt-independent mTOR activation in early mechanical overload. • Re-recognized critical roles of MuSCs in mechanical load-dependent muscle hypertrophy. • mTOR and MuSCs are involved in sarcopenia. Skeletal muscles are composed of multinuclear cells called myofibers and have unique abilities, one of which is plasticity. In response to the mechanical load induced by physical activity, skeletal muscle exerts several local adaptations, including an increase in myofiber size and myonuclear number, known as muscle hypertrophy. Protein synthesis and muscle satellite cells (MuSCs) are mainly responsible for these adaptations. However, the upstream signaling pathways that promote protein synthesis remain controversial. Further, the necessity of MuSCs in muscle hypertrophy is also a highly debated issue. In this review, we summarized the insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1)/Akt-independent activation of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling in muscle hypertrophy and the involvement of mTOR signaling in age-related loss of skeletal muscle function and mass and in sarcopenia. The roles and behaviors of MuSCs, characteristics of new myonuclei in muscle hypertrophy, and their relevance to sarcopenia have also been updated in this review.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

The genetic basis of the root economics spectrum in a perennial grass

Significance Plants have evolved diverse root form and function across the Earth’s environment, yet only certain types of trait combinations have proved evolutionarily viable. Using a genetic mapping population of the native perennial switchgrass, our study demonstrates multiple genetic linkages among root morphology, growth, and turnover. Switching alleles derived from southern-origin ecotypes to alleles from northern-origin ecotypes increases root turnover but reduces tissue investment in root length construction. The genetic trade-off between construction and turnover likely facilitates the local adaptation of root strategy along the warm to cold climatic gradients of the species range. In practice, our study provides the genetic evidence that increasing switchgrass yield for bioenergy does not directly conflict with enhancing its root-derived carbon sequestration.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Extreme elevational migration spurred cryptic speciation in giant hummingbirds

The ecoevolutionary drivers of species niche expansion or contraction are critical for biodiversity but challenging to infer. Niche expansion may be promoted by local adaptation or constrained by physiological performance trade-offs. For birds, evolutionary shifts in migratory behavior permit the broadening of the climatic niche by expansion into varied, seasonal environments. Broader niches can be short-lived if diversifying selection and geography promote speciation and niche subdivision across climatic gradients. To illuminate niche breadth dynamics, we can ask how “outlier” species defy constraints. Of the 363 hummingbird species, the giant hummingbird (Patagona gigas) has the broadest climatic niche by a large margin. To test the roles of migratory behavior, performance trade-offs, and genetic structure in maintaining its exceptional niche breadth, we studied its movements, respiratory traits, and population genomics. Satellite and light-level geolocator tracks revealed an >8,300-km loop migration over the Central Andean Plateau. This migration included a 3-wk, ~4,100-m ascent punctuated by upward bursts and pauses, resembling the acclimatization routines of human mountain climbers, and accompanied by surging blood-hemoglobin concentrations. Extreme migration was accompanied by deep genomic divergence from high-elevation resident populations, with decisive postzygotic barriers to gene flow. The two forms occur side-by-side but differ almost imperceptibly in size, plumage, and respiratory traits. The high-elevation resident taxon is the world’s largest hummingbird, a previously undiscovered species that we describe and name here. The giant hummingbirds demonstrate evolutionary limits on niche breadth: when the ancestral niche expanded due to evolution (or loss) of an extreme migratory behavior, speciation followed.

Science & Technology - Other Topics↗

Genomic prediction of switchgrass winter survivorship across diverse lowland populations

Abstract In the North-Central United States, lowland ecotype switchgrass can increase yield by up to 50% compared with locally adapted but early flowering cultivars. However, lowland ecotypes are not winter tolerant. The mechanism for winter damage is unknown but previously has been associated with late flowering time. This study investigated heading date (measured for two years) and winter survivorship (measured for three years) in a multi-generation population generated from two winter-hardy lowland individuals and diverse southern lowland populations. Sequencing data (311,776 markers) from 1,306 individuals were used to evaluate genome-wide trait prediction through cross-validation and progeny prediction (n = 52). Genetic variance for heading date and winter survivorship was additive with high narrow-sense heritability (0.64 and 0.71, respectively) and reliability (0.68 and 0.76, respectively). The initial negative correlation between winter survivorship and heading date degraded across generations (F1 r = −0.43, pseudo-F2 r = −0.28, pseudo-F2 progeny r = −0.15). Within-family predictive ability was moderately high for heading date and winter survivorship (0.53 and 0.52, respectively). A multi-trait model did not improve predictive ability for either trait. Progeny predictive ability was 0.71 for winter survivorship and 0.53 for heading date. These results suggest that lowland ecotype populations can obtain sufficient survival rates in the northern United States with two or three cycles of effective selection. Despite accurate genomic prediction, naturally occurring winter mortality successfully isolated winter tolerant genotypes and appears to be an efficient method to develop high-yielding, cold-tolerant switchgrass cultivars.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

Anomaly inflow, dualities, and quantum simulation of Abelian lattice gauge theories induced by measurements

Previous work [] has demonstrated that quantum simulation of Abelian lattice gauge theories (Wegner models including the toric code in a limit) in general dimensions can be achieved by local adaptive measurements on symmetry-protected topological (SPT) states with higher-form generalized global symmetries. The entanglement structure of the resource SPT state reflects the geometric structure of the gauge theory. In this work we explicitly demonstrate the anomaly inflow mechanism between the deconfining phase of the simulated gauge theory on the boundary and the SPT state in the bulk by showing that the anomalous gauge variation of the boundary state obtained by bulk measurement matches that of the bulk theory. Moreover, we construct the resource state and the measurement pattern for the measurement-based quantum simulation of a lattice gauge theory with a matter field (Fradkin-Shenker model), where a simple scheme to protect gauge invariance of the simulated state against errors is proposed. We further consider taking an overlap between the wave function of the resource state for lattice gauge theories and that of a parameterized product state, and we derive precise dualities between partition functions with insertion of defects corresponding to gauging higher-form global symmetries, as well as measurement-induced phases where states induced by a partial overlap possess different (symmetry-protected) topological orders. Measurement-assisted operators to dualize quantum Hamiltonians of lattice gauge theories and their noninvertibility are also presented. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Okuda, Takuya↗

Implementation of early psychosis services in Latin America: A scoping review

Abstract Aim The evidence of the effectiveness and cost‐effectiveness of early intervention for psychosis (EIP) services has motivated their implementation worldwide. However, complex interventions of such EIP services require local adaptations to successfully match population needs and cultural differences. Latin America is a heterogenous region where EIP services are progressively being adopted. Our aim is to map such initiatives in the region with a focus on implementation outcomes. Methods A scoping review following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic review and Meta‐Analysis extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines was conducted. International and regional databases were searched for publications describing EIP programmes in the region. Besides mapping the services, we described implementation outcomes based on the Standards for Reporting Implementation Studies Checklist. Results Ten articles describing seven EIP initiatives from the region were found. Four countries were represented: Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Mexico. The implementation outcomes reporting was heterogenous, although it was possible to ascertain EIP services are feasible and adequate for the region's context. Also, there is some evidence of effectiveness in terms of reducing hospitalizations and improving symptoms. Information about fidelity measures was scarce and there was no information about costs or cost‐effectiveness. Conclusions Only a small proportion of Latin American countries have adopted EIP services. Although these programmes seem to be feasible and effective, data on other implementation outcomes, such as fidelity, cultural appropriateness, cost‐effectiveness and affordability are not available. This might in part explain why this effective approach has not been yet scaled‐up at nationwide levels.

Aceituno, David↗

A general theory of avian migratory connectivity

Birds exhibit a remarkable array of seasonal migrations. Despite much research describing migratory behaviour, the underlying forces driving how a species’ breeding and wintering populations redistribute each year, that is, migratory connectivity, remain largely unknown. Here, we test the hypothesis that birds migrate in a way that minimises energy expenditure while considering intraspecific competition for energy acquisition, by developing a modelling framework that simulates an optimal redistribution of individuals between breeding and wintering areas. Using 25 species across the Americas, we find that the model accurately predicts empirical migration patterns, and thus offers a general explanation for migratory connectivity based on first ecological and energetic principles. Our model provides a strong basis for exploring additional processes underlying the ecology and evolution of migration, but also a framework for predicting how migration impacts local adaptation across seasons and how environmental change may affect population dynamics in migratory species.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

Numerical Study of Liquid Piston Compression Using Large-Eddy Simulation and Volume-of-Fluid Approach

Efforts to increase the efficiency of residential and commercial air conditioners and heat pumps have demonstrated that the compressor accounts for most of the system’s electrical energy usage. Therefore, the efficiency of this component should be improved to reduce its energy usage. The US Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory developed a near-isothermal liquid piston compressor (LPC) that uses propylene glycol (PG) to compress CO2. This report presents numerical studies of the LPC in which the compression chamber fills with injected PG from the bottom inlet. Numerical simulations were performed using the large-eddy simulation (LES) with the wall-adapting local eddy-viscosity (WALE) subgrid-scale model coupled with the multiphase volume-of-fluid (VOF) model to simulate the transient interface between gas and liquid and to capture the heat and mass transfer within the compression chamber. In this effort, effects of boundary conditions applied to the LES-VOF calculations (e.g., no wall, an adiabatic wall, and a wall with a heat flux subscribed) to the overall pressure and temperature of CO2 gas as well as the transient evolution of flow and heat transfer evolution within the compression chamber are investigated and discussed. It was found that the LES calculation with no wall have shown no dynamical flow patterns and the volume-averaged temperature of CO2 increased from 305 to 392.7 K, while LES calculations with a constant wall temperature or a wall heat flux had similar increases of CO2 temperatures. Results of LES simulation using a wall heat flux showed different stages in the compression process and revealed dynamical formation and interaction of CO2 gas layers and circulation flow patterns within the chamber that contribute to the overall heat transfer between the solid wall, gas, and liquid surface in the compressor.

Nguyen, Thien D.↗

A genome assembly and the somatic genetic and epigenetic mutation rate in a wild long-lived perennial Populus trichocarpa

Abstract Background Plants can transmit somatic mutations and epimutations to offspring, which in turn can affect fitness. Knowledge of the rate at which these variations arise is necessary to understand how plant development contributes to local adaption in an ecoevolutionary context, particularly in long-lived perennials. Results Here, we generate a new high-quality reference genome from the oldest branch of a wild Populus trichocarpa tree with two dominant stems which have been evolving independently for 330 years. By sampling multiple, age-estimated branches of this tree, we use a multi-omics approach to quantify age-related somatic changes at the genetic, epigenetic, and transcriptional level. We show that the per-year somatic mutation and epimutation rates are lower than in annuals and that transcriptional variation is mainly independent of age divergence and cytosine methylation. Furthermore, a detailed analysis of the somatic epimutation spectrum indicates that transgenerationally heritable epimutations originate mainly from DNA methylation maintenance errors during mitotic rather than during meiotic cell divisions. Conclusion Taken together, our study provides unprecedented insights into the origin of nucleotide and functional variation in a long-lived perennial plant.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Liquid Piston with Spray Cooling Near-Isothermal Compressor

The goal of this project was to prototype and characterize the performance of a liquid-piston spray-cooled gas compressor. The working principle of the compressor enables optimized high-efficiency operation over a very wide range of operating conditions, unlike conventional compressors that are optimized for a narrow range of operating conditions. The compressor technology is suitable for many applications, such as gas pipeline transport, gas storage, and commercial and residential heat pumps. Both physical testing and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling of the processes using the Oak Ridge National Laboratory high-performance computing center were completed. The experimental and CFD studies focused on a near-isothermal liquid-piston compressor (LPC) that uses propylene glycol to compress CO 2 . The first prototype demonstrated isothermal operation during several sequentially executed cycles of CO 2 compression and raised the temperature of the compressed CO 2 by only 2 K, compared with approximately 6 K when the gas was compressed non-isothermally. Isothermal operation was demonstrated at CO 2 flow rates of up to 2 L/min. The second prototype was designed with two compression chambers to allow continuous flow of high-pressure CO 2 . However, the design of the valve train to direct flow between the compression chambers was not sufficient to allow demonstration of CO 2 compression. Numerical simulations of the LPC in which the compression chamber was filled with propylene glycol injected from the bottom inlet were performed using large eddy simulation (LES) with the wall-adapting local eddy-viscosity subgrid-scale model coupled with the multiphase volume of fluid (VOF) model to simulate the transient interface between gas and liquid and to capture the heat and mass transfers within the compression chamber. In this effort, the effects of boundary conditions applied to the LES-VOF calculations (i.e., no wall, an adiabatic wall, and a wall with a heat flux subscribed) on the overall pressure and temperature of the CO 2 gas as well as the transient evolution of flow and heat transfer within the compression chamber were investigated and are discussed in this report. The LES calculation with no wall showed no dynamical flow patterns, and the volume-averaged temperature of CO 2 increased from 305 to 392.7 K, whereas LES calculations with a constant wall temperature or a wall heat flux had similar increases of CO 2 temperatures. The results of the LES simulation using a wall heat flux showed different stages in the compression process and revealed dynamical formation and interaction of CO 2 gas layers and circulation flow patterns within the chamber that contributed to the overall heat transfer between the solid wall, gas, and liquid surface in the compressor. Though an industrial partnership for commercializing the compressor was not secured, the technology was attractive for an industrial partner to use in two research proposals in response to US Department of Energy funding opportunity announcements.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

Structural uncertainty assessment for low-Mach wall-resolved large-eddy simulations: Plane Channel and Periodic Hill Use Cases

A structural uncertainty assessment is provided for a set of wall-resolved large-eddy simulations (WRLES) using a turbulent channel flow (𝑅𝑒 𝜏 395) and a periodic hill in the turbulent regime (𝑅𝑒 𝑏 2800) validation suite. The standard one-equation subgrid scale turbulent kinetic energy model (𝑘 𝑠𝑔𝑠 ) using both a static and dynamic coefficient approach along with Wall Adapting Local Eddy Viscosity (WALE) are exercised. The 𝑘 𝑠𝑔𝑠 model activated in this study also allows for a correction that supports theoretical turbulent viscosity and total kinetic energy scaling (cubit and quadratic, respectively) in the near-wall regime. Channel and hill results showcase very good agreement between prediction and simulation for the WALE and the dynamic coefficient 𝑘 𝑠𝑔𝑠 model. The study also demonstrates that near-wall damping improves predictivity for the static coefficient 𝑘 𝑠𝑔𝑠 model, while proving an unnecessary additional contribution for the dynamic coefficient 𝑘 𝑠𝑔𝑠 model as near-wall scaling is naturally captured. Overall conclusions are that this suite of WRLES models are well suited for production usage in the Sierra-based low-Mach codes.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Functional Diversification of Populus FLOWERING LOCUS D-LIKE3 Transcription Factor and Two Paralogs in Shoot Ontogeny, Flowering, and Vegetative Phenology

Both the evolution of tree taxa and whole-genome duplication (WGD) have occurred many times during angiosperm evolution. Transcription factors are preferentially retained following WGD suggesting that functional divergence of duplicates could contribute to traits distinctive to the tree growth habit. We used gain- and loss-of-function transgenics, photoperiod treatments, and circannual expression studies in adult trees to study the diversification of three Populus FLOWERING LOCUS D-LIKE (FDL) genes encoding bZIP transcription factors. Expression patterns and transgenic studies indicate that FDL2.2 promotes flowering and that FDL1 and FDL3 function in different vegetative phenophases. Study of dominant repressor FDL versions indicates that the FDL proteins are partially equivalent in their ability to alter shoot growth. Like its paralogs, FDL3 overexpression delays short day-induced growth cessation, but also induces distinct heterochronic shifts in shoot development—more rapid phytomer initiation and coordinated delay in both leaf expansion and the transition to secondary growth in long days, but not in short days. Our results indicate that both regulatory and protein coding sequence variation contributed to diversification of FDL paralogs that has led to a degree of specialization in multiple developmental processes important for trees and their local adaptation.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Strongly Heated Turbulent Flow in a Channel with Pin Fins

Large-eddy simulations (LES) were performed to study the turbulent flow in a channel of height H with a staggered array of pin fins with diameter D = H/2 as a function of heating loads that are relevant to the cooling of turbine blades and vanes. The following three heating loads were investigated—wall-to-coolant temperatures of Tw/Tc = 1.01, 2.0, and 4.0 - where the Reynolds number at the channel inlet was 10,000 and the back pressure at the channel outlet was 1 bar. For the LES, two different subgrid-scale models—the dynamic kinetic energy model (DKEM) and the wall-adapting local eddy-viscosity model (WALE)—were examined and compared. This study was validated by comparing with data from direct numerical simulation and experimental measurements. The results obtained show high heating loads to create wall jets next to all heated surfaces that significantly alter the structure of the turbulent flow. Results generated on effects of heat loads on the mean and fluctuating components of velocity and temperature, turbulent kinetic energy, the anisotropy of the Reynolds stresses, and velocity-temperature correlations can be used to improve existing RANS models.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Virulence and Genetic Diversity of Puccinia spp., Causal Agents of Rust on Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) in the USA

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) is an important cellulosic biofuel grass native to North America. Rust, caused by Puccinia spp. is the most predominant disease of switchgrass and has the potential to impact biomass conversion. In this study, virulence patterns were determined on a set of 38 switchgrass genotypes for 14 single-spore rust isolates from 14 field samples collected in seven states. Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) variation was also assessed in 720 sequenced cloned amplicons representing 654 base pairs of the elongation factor 1-α gene from the field samples. Five major haplotypes were identified differing by 11 out of the 39 SNP positions identified. STRUCTURE, Principal Coordinate Analysis, and phylogenetic analyses divided the rust population into two genetic clusters. Virginia and Georgia had the highest and lowest rust genetic diversity, respectively. Only nine accessions showed a differential disease response between the 14 isolates, allowing the identification of eight races, differing by 1–3 virulence factors. Overall, the results suggested clonal reproduction of the pathogen and a North–South differentiation via local adaptation. However, similar haplotypes and races were also recovered from several states, suggesting migration events, and highlighting the need to further investigate the switchgrass rust population structure and evolution in the USA.

Bahri, Bochra A. (ORCID:0000000159055880)↗

Persistence of Late Substantial Patient-Reported Symptoms (LAPERS) After Radiochemotherapy Including Image Guided Adaptive Brachytherapy for Locally Advanced Cervical Cancer: A Report From the EMBRACE Study

This report describes the persistence of late substantial treatment-related patient-reported symptoms (LAPERS) in the multi-institutional EMBRACE study on magnetic resonance image guided adaptive brachytherapy in locally advanced cervical cancer (LACC).

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE↗

Interconnection of Distributed Energy Resources in the Indian Context: IEEE 1547-2018 Adaptation for Locally-Appropriate Grid Code Development

The rapid growth of distributed energy resources (DERs) in India and ambitious renewable energy goals set forth by the Indian government have created the need for appropriate distribution interconnection standards to ensure continued system stability, reliability, and resilience. Existing DER interconnection codes in India, at the time of publishing this report, lack many of the critical grid support functionalities for DERs which may protect bulk system stability, such as event ride-through provisions, frequency droop control, or appropriate trip thresholds given the increasing importance of distributed generation. The formal adoption of IEEE 1547-2018 by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) marks a significant step towards achieving appropriate interconnection of DERs, though the implementation of such a standard must be accompanied with careful consideration of the current codes, regulations, and operation of the Indian power system. Studies on the performance of the functionalities within 1547-2018, which properly incorporate local operating conditions, can inform decisions related to the adoption and adaptation of the clauses present in the standard. This report outlines several of these key considerations for stakeholders and provides analyses illustrating the performance of grid support functionalities on typical Indian distribution feeders.

1547↗