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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 919 records · Page 51

Detection of Metastatic Breast and Thyroid Cancer in Lymph Nodes by Desorption Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry Imaging

Ambient ionization mass spectrometry has been widely applied to image lipids and metabolites in primary cancer tissues with the purpose of detecting and understanding metabolic changes associated with cancer development and progression. Here, we report the use of desorption electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (DESI-MS) to image metastatic breast and thyroid cancer in human lymph node tissues. Our results show clear alterations in lipid and metabolite distributions detected in the mass spectra profiles from 42 samples of metastatic thyroid tumors, metastatic breast tumors, and normal lymph node tissues. 2D DESI-MS ion images of selected molecular species allowed discrimination and visualization of specific histologic features within tissue sections, including regions of metastatic cancer, adjacent normal lymph node, and fibrosis or adipose tissues, which strongly correlated with pathologic findings. In thyroid cancer metastasis, increased relative abundances of ceramides and glycerophosphoinisitols were observed. In breast cancer metastasis, increased relative abundances of various fatty acids and specific glycerophospholipids were seen. Trends in the alterations in fatty acyl chain composition of lipid species were also observed through detailed mass spectra evaluation and chemical identification of molecular species. The results obtained demonstrate DESI-MSI as a potential clinical tool for the detection of breast and thyroid cancer metastasis in lymph nodes, although further validation is needed. .

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Comparison of NASTRAN analysis with ground vibration results of UH-60A NASA/AEFA test configuration

Preceding program flight tests, a ground vibration test and modal test analysis of a UH-60A Black Hawk helicopter was conducted by Sikorsky Aircraft to complement the UH-60A test plan and NASA/ARMY Modern Technology Rotor Airloads Program. The 'NASA/AEFA' shake test configuration was tested for modal frequencies and shapes and compared with its NASTRAN finite element model counterpart to give correlative results. Based upon previous findings, significant differences in modal data existed and were attributed to assumptions regarding the influence of secondary structure contributions in the preliminary NASTRAN modeling. An analysis of an updated finite element model including several secondary structural additions has confirmed that the inclusion of specific secondary components produces a significant effect on modal frequency and free-response shapes and improves correlations at lower frequencies with shake test data.

Idosor, Florentino↗

Correlation between Sensor Performance, Autonomy Performance and Fuel-Efficiency in Semi-Truck Platoons

Semi-trucks, specifically class-8 trucks, have recently become a platform of interest for autonomy systems. Platooning involves multiple trucks following each n close proximity, with only the lead truck being manually driven and the rest being controlled autonomously. This approach to semi-truck autonomy is easily integrated on existing platforms, reduces delivery times, and reduces green- house gas emissions via fuel economy benefits. Level 1 SAE fuel studies were performed on class-8 trucks operating with the Auburn Cooperative Adaptive Cruise Control (CACC) system, and fuel savings up to 10-12% were seen. Enabling platooning autonomy required the use of radar, global positioning systems (GPS), and wireless vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication. Poor measurements and state estimates can lead to incorrect or missing positioning data, which can lead to unnecessary dynamics and finally wasted fuel. This is especially an issue if deceleration is applied in response to a bad measurement. In this study, a faulty radar was shown to cause a greater than 5% increase in fuel consumption. The mechanism of this fuel consumption increase is investigated and applied to other types of sensor failures to indicate their potential effects on fuel economy. This analysis indicates that poor GPS signals over short time can be largely filtered out, with no real gain or loss of fuel economy. V2V communications were intentionally limited by causing interference, which resulted in dropped communication packets over a small physical area, but not an appreciable impact on fuel economy.

vehicle platooning, sensor performance, semi-auton↗

Development and Implementation of Digital Image Correlation for Out-of-Cell Burst Testing

This report details the progress made towards utilizing in-situ methods to observe and quantify unirradiated Zircaloy-4 (Zr4) fuel cladding deformation during out-of-cell design basis accident conditions, specifically during loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA) burst testing in the Severe Accident Test Station at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Digital image correlation (DIC) was implemented to calculate cladding strain during burst and infrared (IR) thermography was used to attempt a correlation of strain with temperature and to investigate thermal gradients. For both techniques, early experimentation revealed experimental modifications were necessary for implementation. For DIC, this manifested as shortened cladding lengths which could be centered in front of the viewing chamber bored through the IR furnace side, and for IR thermography this meant conducting burst tests in air without a reaction tube and the incorporation of a SiC shell to eliminate direct IR reflections from the tungsten lamps. In the following, the technical issues and subsequent origin of these modifications are discussed, laying the framework for a proof-of-concept DIC/IR characterization of a burst test in the final section.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

Fission Fragment Yield Data in Support of Advanced Reactor Technology

Within the 3 year POP we propose to continue to test and further develop the fission spectrometers, to do development tests and full data acquisition run at the national laboratory neutron beam facilities, to measure correlated fission fragment yields at low neutron energies with 235 U fission targets, and make these data available to the nuclear community. The spectrometer development will be both on the university based r\prototype and on the National Laboratory Spectrometer, and measurements will be performed with both. Over the longer time frame of the collaboration, we will take data over a range of low energies, and use other fission targets available to the laboratory. We will gather energy specific fragment distributions and reaction cross sections. We will further develop the data acquisition capabilities to take correlated fission fragment'gamma ray/neurton data, all on an event-by-event basis. This really is an enabling technology.

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗

Particle clustering effects on damage mechanisms in elastomeric syntactic foams

To elucidate the damage mechanisms in syntactic foams with hollow glass microballoon (GMB) reinforcement and elastomer matrices, in situ X-ray computed tomography mechanical testing was performed on syntactic foams with increasing GMB volume fraction. Image processing and digital volume correlation techniques identified very different damage mechanisms compared to syntactic foams with brittle matrices. Specifically, the prevailing mechanism transitioned from dispersed GMB collapse at low volume fraction to clustered GMB collapse at high volume fraction. Moreover, damage initiated and propagated earlier in closely-packed GMBs for all specimens. Both of these trends were attributed to increased interaction between closely-packed GMBs. This was validated by statistical analysis of GMB damage, which identified a consistent, inverse relationship among the probability of survival and the local coordination number (N neighbor ) across all specimens.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Comparison of Hard Surface and Soft Soil Impact Performance of a Crashworthy Composite Fuselage Concept

A comparison of the soft soil and hard surface impact performance of a crashworthy composite fuselage concept has been performed. Specifically, comparisons of the peak acceleration values, pulse duration, and onset rate at specific locations on the fuselage were evaluated. In a prior research program, the composite fuselage section was impacted at 25 feet per second onto concrete at the Impact Dynamics Research Facility (IDRF) at NASA Langley Research Center. A soft soil test was conducted at the same impact velocity as a part of the NRTC/RITA Crashworthy and Energy Absorbing Structures project. In addition to comparisons of soft soil and hard surface test results, an MSC. Dytran dynamic finite element model was developed to evaluate the test analysis correlation. In addition, modeling parameters and techniques affecting test analysis correlation are discussed. Once correlated, the analytical methodology will be used in follow-on work to evaluate the specific energy absorption of various subfloor concepts for improved crash protection during hard surface and soft soil impacts.

Sareen, Ashish K.↗

INBOUND APPOINTEE PUBLICATION Importance of Substrate-Particle Repulsion for Protein-Templated Assembly of Metal Nanoparticles

We study the protein-directed assembly of colloidal gold nanoparticles on de novo designed protein nanofiber templates. Using sequential assembly on glass substrates, we attach of positively-charged gold nanoparticles to protein nanofibers engineered to have a high density of negatively-charged surface residues. Using a combination of electron and optical microscopy, we measure the density of particle attachment and characterize binding specificity. By varying nanoparticle size and pH of the solution, we explore the importance of charge-dependent particle-fiber and particle-substrate interactions. We find an inverse correlation between particle size and attachment density to the protein nanofibers, attributed to the balance between size-dependent electrostatic particle-fiber attraction and particle-substrate repulsion. We show pH-dependent particle attachment density and binding specificity in relation to the protonation fraction of each assembly layer. Finally, we employ hyperspectral scattering microscopy to draw conclusions about particle density and interparticle spacings of optically-observable particle assemblies.

Guye, Kathryn N.↗

Development and Preliminary Tests of an Open-Path Airborne Diode Laser Absorption Instrument for Carbon Dioxide

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is well known for its importance as an atmospheric greenhouse gas, with many sources and sinks around the globe. Understanding the fluxes of carbon into and out of the atmosphere is a complex and daunting challenge. One tool applied by scientists to measure the vertical flux of CO2 near the surface uses the eddy covariance technique, most often from towers but also from aircraft flying specific patterns over the study area. In this technique, variations of constituents of interest are correlated with fluctuations in the local vertical wind velocity. Measurement requirements are stringent, particularly with regard to precision, sensitivity to small changes, and temporal sampling rate. In addition, many aircraft have limited payload capability, so instrument size, weight, and power consumption are also important considerations. We report on the development and preliminary application of an airborne sensor for the measurement of atmospheric CO2. The instrument, modeled on the successful DLH (Diode Laser Hygrometer) series of instruments, has been tested in the laboratory and on the NASA DC-8 aircraft. Performance parameters such as accuracy, precision, sensitivity, specificity, and temporal response are discussed in the context of typical atmospheric variability and suitability for flux measurement applications. On-aircraft, in-flight data have been obtained and are discussed as well. Performance of the instrument has been promising, and continued flight testing is planned during 2016.

Diskin, Glenn S.↗

UniverseMachine: The correlation between galaxy growth and dark matter halo assembly from z = 0−10

ABSTRACT We present a method to flexibly and self-consistently determine individual galaxies’ star formation rates (SFRs) from their host haloes’ potential well depths, assembly histories, and redshifts. The method is constrained by galaxies’ observed stellar mass functions, SFRs (specific and cosmic), quenched fractions, ultraviolet (UV) luminosity functions, UV–stellar mass relations, IRX–UV relations, auto- and cross-correlation functions (including quenched and star-forming subsamples), and quenching dependence on environment; each observable is reproduced over the full redshift range available, up to 0 < z < 10. Key findings include the following: galaxy assembly correlates strongly with halo assembly; quenching correlates strongly with halo mass; quenched fractions at fixed halo mass decrease with increasing redshift; massive quenched galaxies reside in higher-mass haloes than star-forming galaxies at fixed galaxy mass; star-forming and quenched galaxies’ star formation histories at fixed mass differ most at z < 0.5; satellites have large scatter in quenching time-scales after infall, and have modestly higher quenched fractions than central galaxies; Planck cosmologies result in up to 0.3 dex lower stellar – halo mass ratios at early times; and, none the less, stellar mass–halo mass ratios rise at z > 5. Also presented are revised stellar mass – halo mass relations for all, quenched, star-forming, central, and satellite galaxies; the dependence of star formation histories on halo mass, stellar mass, and galaxy SSFR; quenched fractions and quenching time-scale distributions for satellites; and predictions for higher-redshift galaxy correlation functions and weak lensing surface densities. The public data release (DR1) includes the massively parallel (>105 cores) implementation (the UniverseMachine), the newly compiled and remeasured observational data, derived galaxy formation constraints, and mock catalogues including lightcones.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Developing Reaction Chemistry Models from Reactive Molecular Dynamics: TATB

Reactive Molecular Dynamic (RMD) are used to simulate the cook-off chemistry of TATB at a variety of fixed density and fixed temperature conditions. The chemical transformations are monitored using a Coordination Geometry Analysis (CGA) approach which tracks which atom types are bonded to each specific atom. This particularly identifies oxidation state changes that occur during the transformations. Correlations between these different chemical changes are identified using a Non-negative Matrix Factorization (NMF) approach. These identify reduced order chemistry models for the TATB system which contains six components whose concentration profiles are a function of both the temperature and density/pressure. The time histories of these transformations appear to show exponential growth/decay properties that could be fit with Arrhenius rates. These components should form the basis of deflagration rate models for these materials which could then be used in mesoscale simulations to analyze accidental initiation, shock-to-detonation and detonation propagation.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Holography from lattice $\mathcal{N}$ = 4 super Yang-Mills

In this paper we use lattice simulation to study four dimensional $\mathcal{N}$ = 4 super Yang-Mills (SYM) theory. We have focused on the three color theory on lattices of size 12 4 and for ’t Hooft couplings up to λ = 40.0. Our lattice action is based on a discretization of the Marcus or GL twist of $\mathcal{N}$ = 4 SYM and retains one exact supersymmetry for non-zero lattice spacing. We show that lattice theory exists in a single non-Abelian Coulomb phase for all ’t Hooft couplings. Furthermore the static potential we obtain from correlators of Polyakov lines is in good agreement with that obtained from holography — specifically the potential has a Coulombic form with a coefficent that varies as the square root of the ’t Hooft coupling.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Urinary polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon metabolites among 3-year-old children from Krakow, Poland

Highlights: • ETS, combustion of gas, coal or wood indoors were associated with OH-PAH levels. • The predominant metabolites in urine were OH-napthalenes and OH-fluorenes. • In biomonitoring of PAHs exposure, measuring only 1-OH-pyrene is insufficient. • Urinary OH-PAHs only modestly reflect high molecular weight PAHs exposures. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are widespread in the environment and can adversely affect human health. The aim of the present study is to describe the level of PAHs exposure in children living in Kraków, one of the most polluted cities in Poland, and to determine the relationship of urinary biomarkers with environmental PAHsexposure. Urinary monohydroxy metabolites (OH-PAHs) of 20 PAHs were assessed in 218 three-year old children, of which only 10 were present in nearly all the samples: monohydroxy metabolites of naphthalene, fluorene, phenantrene and pyrene. Of the metabolites analyzed, hydroxynaphthalenes were predominant and constituted almost 73% of total excreted OH-PAHs, while 1-OH-PYRene was the least abundant (2.3% of total OH-PAHs). All measured urinary OH-PAHs were statistically significantly correlated with each other (R = 0.165–0.880) but the highest correlation coefficients with other individual OH-PAHs and with total OH-PAHs were observed for 2-OH-FLUOR. Children exposed at home to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) had higher concentrations of fluorene and pyrene urinary metabolites compared to those without ETS exposure; and those exposed to gas-based appliances used for cooking or heating water had higher levels of fluorene and phenanthrene metabolites than children not exposed. The use of coal, wood or oil for heating was associated with elevated levels of 1-OH-PYRene. Urinary PAHs metabolites only modestly reflect high molecular weight carcinogenic PAHs exposures such as those monitored in air in the present study. None of the measured PAHs metabolites was correlated with airborne PM{sub 2.5} and only two were slightly correlated with measured higher molecular mass airborne PAHs. The average concentrations of these specific metabolites in Polish children were much higher than observed in other pediatric populations living in developed countries. Our findings suggest that to capture various sources of PAHs, in addition to 1-OH-PYRene, biomonitoring of PAHs exposure should include 2-OH-NAP and 2-OH-FLUOR.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

A three-dimensional pore-scale model for redox flow battery electrode design analysis

A three-dimensional (3-D) pore-scale model has been developed to construct multiscale fibrous electrodes for redox flow batteries (RFB). New designs, such as biporous electrodes modify electrode structures by creating secondary pores on single carbon fiber to reduce internal battery resistance. Existing pore-scale models only resolve electrodes to the single carbon fiber scale and cannot incorporate recent multiscale electrode designs into numerical models. Our new model aims to bridge this gap and provide a tool to rapidly screen new electrode configurations. Two multiscale electrodes, laser-perforated and biporous electrodes, were investigated at varying operation conditions with the proposed 3-D pore-scale models. The laser-perforated electrode exhibits a reduced pressure drop, but follows the same permeability correlation compared to the corresponding pristine electrode. For the biporous electrode, the added specific surface area and faster reaction kinetics from the secondary pores are the most influential factors leading to improved battery efficiency. However, operating the biporous electrode in limiting current density conditions should be avoided due to the decreased mass transfer efficiency and a more significant voltage loss. Finally, we believe that our 3-D pore-scale model can accelerate the flow battery electrode design process and provide new insights into electrode geometry optimizations.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

Knockdown of NLE1 inhibits development of malignant melanoma in vitro and in vivo NLE1 promotes development of malignant melanoma

Melanoma, which originates from neural crest derived melanocytes, causes severe pain and even death to numerous patients. Previous studies reported that Notchless Homolog 1 (NLE1) plays an important role in cell proliferation, transcription and signal transduction. However, the clinical significance and biological behavior of NLE1 in melanoma remain a mystery. Thus, the role of NLE1 in melanoma was investigated in vitro and in vivo. The expression of NLE1 in melanoma was elevated and the expression level was positively correlated with lymphatic metastasis and tumor stage. In addition, NLE1 knockdown by shRNA specifically inhibited proliferation, enhanced the apoptotic sensitivity and hindered migration of melanoma cells in vitro. Mice xenograft model further showed that NLE1 knockdown could inhibit the tumor formation of melanoma in vivo. Additionally, the induction of apoptosis of melanoma cells by NLE1 knockdown required the participation of a series of apoptosis-related proteins. Besides, NLE1 can activate the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. In summary, NLE1 was involved in the development and progression of melanoma, which may be a novel potential target for molecular therapy of melanoma.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

Design Principles for the Synthesis of Self-Pillared ZSM-5 Zeolite Nanosheets

The design of next-generation materials for emerging energy and environmental applications heavily relies on empirical approaches to direct nonclassical nucleation and crystal growth pathways, polymorphism, intercrystalline transformations, and seed-assisted growth processes. A long-standing obstacle to nanoporous materials design is the complexity of their crystallization, which hinders the development of predictive models and/or physical descriptors that can guide their synthesis. In this study, we use a combination of state-of-the-art synthesis, characterization, and computational design to prepare hierarchical MFI-type zeolites, which we couple with benchmark catalytic testing to assess structure-property-performance relationships. These hierarchical materials are intergrowths of two commercially relevant zeolite frameworks, MFI and MEL, prepared as self-pillared pentasil (SPP) zeolites through seed-assisted, organic-free syntheses for which little theoretical guidance existed. Here, by comparing a large library of zeolite seeds with different pore sizes, dimensions, and structural composite building units, we determined the relative impact of seed and silica source selection, among other synthesis variables. Combined experimental and computational studies are used to test several hypotheses in literature to rationalize the choice of seed structure and establish a more robust selection criteria for seed-assisted synthesis of zeolites. Specifically, we show that a data-driven approach to develop structural descriptors correlates to new, facile routes to rationally design SPP zeolites, addressing knowledge gaps in the fundamental understanding of (non)classical crystal growth mechanisms that are characteristic of nanoporous aluminosilicates.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Do CMIP5 Models Reproduce Observed Low‐Frequency North Atlantic Jet Variability?

Abstract The magnitude of observed multidecadal variations in the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) in winter is at the upper end of the range simulated by climate models and a clear explanation for this remains elusive. Recent research shows that observed multidecadal winter NAO variability is more strongly associated with North Atlantic (NA) jet strength than latitude, thus motivating a comprehensive comparison of NA jet and NAO variability across the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) models. Our results show that the observed peak in multidecadal jet strength variability is even more unusual than NAO variability when compared to the model‐simulated range across 133 historical CMIP5 simulations. Some CMIP5 models appear capable of reproducing the observed low‐frequency peak in jet strength, but there are too few simulations of each model to clearly identify which. It is also found that an observed strong multidecadal correlation between jet strength and NAO since the mid‐nineteenth century may be specific to this period.

Bracegirdle, Thomas J.↗

Constraints and Drivers of Dissolved Fluxes of Pyrogenic Carbon in Soil and Freshwater Systems: A Global Review and Meta‐Analysis

Abstract Pyrogenic carbon (PyC) is a significant component of the global soil carbon pool due to its longer environmental persistence than other soil organic matter components. Despite PyC's persistence in soil, recent work has indicated that it is susceptible to loss processes such as mineralization and leaching, with the significance and magnitude of these largely unknown at the hillslope and watershed scales. We present a review of the work concerning dissolved PyC transport in soil and freshwater. Our analysis found that the primary environmental controls on dissolved PyC (dPyC) transport are the formation conditions and quality of the PyC itself, with longer and higher temperature charring conditions leading to less transport of dPyC. While correlations between dPyC and dissolved organic carbon in rivers and other pools are frequently reported, the slope of these correlations was pool‐dependent (i.e., soil‐water, precipitation, lakes, streams, rivers), suggesting site‐specific environmental controls. However, the lack of consistency in analytical techniques and sample preparation remains a major challenge to quantifying environmental controls on dPyC fluxes. We propose that future research should focus on the following: (a) consistency in methodological approaches, (b) more quantitative measures of dPyC in pools and fluxes from soils to streams, (c) turnover times of dPyC in soils and aquatic systems, and (d) improved understanding of how mechanisms controlling the fate of dPyC in dynamic post‐fire landscapes interact. With more refined quantitative information about the controls on dPyC transport at the hillslope and landscape scale, we can increase the accuracy and utility of global carbon models.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗