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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 145 records · Page 8
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2026

Effects of White Sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) Passage Through a Novel Hydropower Turbine and Implications for Long-Term Survival

Researchers from UC Davis and Natel Energy compared a novel "Restoration Hydropower Turbine" against a conventional turbine design to evaluate their physical and physiological effects on juvenile White Sturgeon. The study found that the new design achieved over 99% survival across all test speeds, whereas the conventional turbine caused significant mortality and injury due to blade strikes. Furthermore, long-term monitoring showed that fish passing through the new turbine experienced no meaningful or persistant negative impacts on their growth, behavior, or stress levels.

13 HYDRO ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2026

Innovative Biomonitoring and Remediation of Heavy Metals Using Phytotechnologies at the Savannah River Site (SRS) Coal Combustion Product (CCP) Impoundment Sites

The Savannah River Site (SRS) contains legacy coal combustion product (CCP) impoundments that are impacted by elevated concentrations of heavy metals and radionuclides, posing long-term risks to soil health, ecosystem functioning, and environmental sustainability. Traditional environmental monitoring approaches rely primarily on chemical analyses to quantify contaminant concentrations but often provide limited information regarding biological responses or ecosystem recovery. This project addressed these limitations by integrating environmental chemistry, microbial ecology, artificial intelligence (AI), and bioremediation into a comprehensive framework for environmental diagnostics and restoration of contaminated soils. The overarching goal of this collaborative project between Florida A&M University (FAMU) and the University of Georgia's Savannah River Ecology Laboratory (SREL) was to develop innovative biomonitoring and remediation strategies for heavy metal-contaminated CCP impoundment sites at the Savannah River Site. Specifically, the project sought to (i) characterize heavy metal contamination, (ii) determine microbial responses to contamination, (iii) isolate indigenous heavy metal-resistant microorganisms for remediation applications, (iv) develop a microbial ecological health index using machine learning, and (v) optimize fungal-mediated bioremediation using artificial intelligence.

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT↗
DOE OSTI2026

Detailed Method for the Purification of Rhamnogalacturonan-I (RG-I) in Arabidopsis thaliana

The plant cell wall is a dynamic and complex extracellular matrix that not only provides structural integrity and determines cell shape but also mediates intercellular communication. Among its major components, pectins play essential roles in cell adhesion, wall porosity, hydration, and flexibility. Rhamnogalacturonan-I (RG-I), a structurally diverse pectic polysaccharide, remains one of the least understood components of the plant cell wall. Its backbone is substituted with arabinan, galactan, and arabinogalactan side chains that vary in length, branching, and composition across tissues, species, and developmental stages. In addition, RG-I can undergo modifications such as backbone acetylation, further contributing to its structural complexity and functional diversity. To advance understanding of RG-I, we present a detailed method for isolating RG-I from the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana . Leveraging Arabidopsis as a model system provides major advantages owing to its well-characterized genome and powerful molecular toolkit, enabling deeper investigation into the roles of RG-I in plant development and responses to environmental stress. Our method consists of two major steps: an initial chemical extraction using oxalate, followed by endo-polygalacturonase (EPG) digestion to fragment the pectic domains. An advantage of this approach is that it produces a dry material that can be stored at room temperature without special handling and does not introduce chemicals that may interfere with downstream analyses. The purified RG-I can be used for detailed compositional and structural analyses, as well as for functional studies of enzymes involved in pectin biosynthesis, modification, and degradation. Although this protocol was developed for isolating RG-I from Arabidopsis rosette leaves, it is also applicable to other Arabidopsis organs and other plant species.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2026

Human RNome Project draft human RNome sequence of GM12878, B-cell line, obtained by mass-spectrometry sequencing, long-read sequencing and short-read sequencing.

Here we report the first draft of the human RNome sequence, a reference map of RNA chemical modifications in a human B-cell line. RNA carries a diverse repertoire of chemical modifications that regulate gene expression, cellular function, and responses to physiological and pathological cues. Yet, unlike the genome, no reference map of RNA modifications is available for any human cell. To generate this resource, the Human RNome Project Consortium analyzed a shared RNA preparation from the well-characterized GM12878 B-cell line using short-read sequencing, long-read direct RNA sequencing, and mass spectrometry, generating more than 7.1 billion sequencing reads spanning approximately 1.2 trillion nucleotides. The resulting maps of the human RNome reveal that RNA modifications are organized according to function, transcript architecture, and cellular identity. Modifications concentrate at functional centers of ribosomal and transfer RNAs, follow the canonical topology of N6-methyladenosine in coding transcripts, and form coordinated hotspots in immune regulatory genes. This first reference human RNome provides a foundation for understanding how RNA chemistry shapes cellular identity, human disease, and the development of RNA-based therapeutics.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2026

Genomic-based biosurveillance for avian influenza: whole genome sequencing from wild mallards sampled during autumn migration in 2022–2023 reveals a high co-infection rate on migration stopover site in Georgia

The Caucasus region, including Georgia, is an important intersection for migratory waterbirds, offering potential for avian influenza virus (AIV) transmission between populations from different geographic areas. In 2022 and 2023, wild ducks were sampled during autumn migration events in Georgia to study the genetic relationships and molecular characteristics of influenza strains. Sequencing and phylogenetic analysis were used to compare the sampled strains to reference sequences from Africa, Asia, and Europe, allowing assessment of genetic relationships and virus transmission between migratory birds. Protein language modeling identified potential co-infections. Of 225 duck samples, 128 tested positive for the influenza M gene. 55 influenza-positive samples underwent whole-genome sequencing, revealing significant diversity. Analysis of the hemagglutinin (HA) segment showed notable differences among subtypes. Most samples were H6N1 and H6N6, but co-infections with combinations like H6H3, N8N1, N6H9, N2N6, and H9H6/N1N2 were also identified. These findings demonstrate the high variability of influenza viruses in migratory waterbirds in Georgia, including a notable rate of co-infections. Some samples exhibited uncommon genetic characteristics compared to other strains from the same year, suggesting Georgia’s role as a mixing vessel for influenza viruses. This facilitates reassortment during co-infections and contributes to the genetic diversity observed across flyways.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2026

From chromatin to crop: epigenetic innovations in bioenergy systems

Energy crops encompass a diverse array of plant species cultivated primarily as a source of biomass for energy generation and biofuel production. As such, they play a pivotal role in the transition to sustainable energy systems. However, their productivity is often limited by environmental stresses, nutrient availability, and the need for optimized yield. While traditional breeding and genetic engineering have driven improvements, challenges such as narrow genetic diversity, long development cycles, trait instability, and unexpected gene interactions remain. Epigenetics offers a largely untapped opportunity to overcome these constraints by regulating gene expression through mechanisms that are dynamic, finely tuned, and responsive to environmental and developmental cues. Epigenetic modifications including DNA methylation, histone post-translational changes, and small non-coding RNAs influence nearly all aspects of plant development and physiology, including traits central to bioenergy crops. While these mechanisms are well characterized in model species such as Arabidopsis thaliana, they remain underexplored in many purpose-grown energy crops. This review summarizes the current state of knowledge of epigenetic regulation in bioenergy species, explores how these mechanisms can be leveraged to enhance crop resilience and productivity, and identifies gaps in our understanding. By characterizing epigenetic mechanisms and harnessing epigenetic variation, we can expand the toolkit for developing resilient, high-yielding bioenergy crops to meet future environmental and energy demands.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Bio-Inspired Energy-Efficient Nanofabricated Electrical Contacts

Nanoscale electrical contacts, especially those between materials of dissimilar electronic properties, often represent one of the main causes of drops in energy transfer efficiency. They are also among the sources of above-threshold noise, and their performance often decreases over the lifetime of the nanodevices. Scale-down limitations from mesoscopic to nanoscale devices, and likewise, of nanoscale to quantum-scale devices are also impeded by contacts’ quality. Making more reliable, energy-efficient electrical contacts is among the goals of the nanoelectronics research within the framework of energy-efficient electronic systems. This report focuses on the design, nanofabrication, and testing of novel shapes of electrical contacts. Lithography and nanofabrication were utilized to mimic the approximate shape of insect setae for mesoscale contacts design. The contacts are tested for elementary charge transport via I–V curves and for the broadband, 1/f noise. Tests show that contacts design leads to a measurable decrease in the energy necessary to operate a contact as a switch by at least 12–20%, depending on temperature, while broadband noise shows measurably lower power spectra, for bio-inspired contacts. The proposed method is open to modifications and improvements as required by various on-chip applications.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Elevated Temperature Effects on Protein Turnover Dynamics in Arabidopsis thaliana Seedlings Revealed by 15 N-Stable Isotope Labeling and ProteinTurnover Algorithm

Global warming poses a threat to plant survival, impacting growth and agricultural yield. Protein turnover, a critical regulatory mechanism balancing protein synthesis and degradation, is crucial for the cellular response to environmental changes. We investigated the effects of elevated temperature on proteome dynamics in Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings using 15 N-stable isotope labeling and ultra-performance liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry, coupled with the ProteinTurnover algorithm. Analyzing different cellular fractions from plants grown under 22 °C and 30 °C growth conditions, we found significant changes in the turnover rates of 571 proteins, with a median 1.4-fold increase, indicating accelerated protein dynamics under thermal stress. Notably, soluble root fraction proteins exhibited smaller turnover changes, suggesting tissue-specific adaptations. Significant turnover alterations occurred with redox signaling, stress response, protein folding, secondary metabolism, and photorespiration, indicating complex responses enhancing plant thermal resilience. Conversely, proteins involved in carbohydrate metabolism and mitochondrial ATP synthesis showed minimal changes, highlighting their stability. This analysis highlights the intricate balance between proteome stability and adaptability, advancing our understanding of plant responses to heat stress and supporting the development of improved thermotolerant crops.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2025

MOSAiC studies of long-lasting mixed-phase cloud events and analysis of the liquid-phase properties of Arctic clouds

Vertically resolved observations of the temporal evolution of mixed-phase clouds (MPCs) were performed over the central Arctic during the MOSAiC (Multidisciplinary drifting Observatory for the Study of Arctic Climate) expedition, which lasted from October 2019 to September 2020. The research icebreaker Polarstern , drifting with the pack ice for more than 7 months, mostly at latitudes > 85° N, served as a platform for state-of-the-art remote sensing of aerosols and clouds. The use of the recently introduced dual field-of-view (FOV) polarization lidar technique in combination with the well-established lidar-radar retrieval technique provided, for the first time, a robust instrumental basis to monitor the evolution of the liquid and the ice phase of MPCs and the interplay between the two phases. Two long-lasting Arctic MPC events observed close to the North Pole in mid-winter (December 2019) and late summer (September 2020) are discussed to provide new insight into Arctic MPC evolution processes. In the second part of the article, cloud statistics, covering all seasons of a year, are presented. The focus is on the optical and microphysical properties of the liquid phase. These results are solely derived from the dual-FOV lidar observations. The key findings of the study can be summarized as follows: persistent activation of aerosol particles to form water droplets is of great importance for the longevity of MPCs. The observations confirm that ice formation occurs predominantly via immersion freezing. The field studies suggest that the free tropospheric reservoirs of cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) and of ice-nucleating particles (INPs) were always well filled, i.e., the clouds did not exhaust their supply of activatable and activated particles. The observation of long-lasting MPC events, low ice production rates, and a sufficiently large INP reservoir leads to the recommendation to use a time-dependent immersion freezing parameterization in MPC modeling efforts.

Jimenez, Cristofer [Leibniz Inst. for Tropospheric↗
DOE OSTI2025

Transforming Energy Through Computational Excellence: A View From NREL

At the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)—a U.S. Department of Energy laboratory—computational science, high-performance computing, applied mathematics, advanced computer science, visualization, and data play a pivotal role in advancing energy abundance, affordability, security, and reliability. From fundamental scientifc discovery to systems engineering and analysis, NREL researchers tackle market-relevant challenges to develop solutions for an independent energy system that is reliable, resilient and secure. Collaborative partnerships with industry, government, and academia ensure that our research remains cutting edge, impactful, applicable, and aligned with real-world energy needs. This special issue of Computing in Science & Engineering highlights exemplary NREL projects where computational tools and methodologies drive discovery and accelerate innovation in scalable and integrated energy systems. The featured articles explore the role of computational modeling, high-performance computing, generative AI, and adaptive computing in advancing independent energy solutions, optimizing sustainability research, and enhancing decision-making for energy solutions using a broad mix of energy technologies. Here, these contributions demonstrate how NREL’s computational research bridges the gap between theoretical advancements and practical implementation, emphasizing interdisciplinary collaboration and a commitment to innovation, with a focus on translating computational excellence into real-world impact, thus accelerate progress toward national energy goals. By showcasing cutting-edge research at the intersection of computational science and energy systems, this issue aims to inspire and inform researchers, practitioners, and policymakers dedicated to shaping a more reliable energy future.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
DOE OSTI2025

Larval connectivity for European green crab management in the Salish Sea and surrounding waters

The presence of invasive species is a growing concern in coastal marine ecosystems because of their adverse effects on biodiversity. The European green crab Carcinus maenas (EGC) is a small crab inhabiting inshore areas. Although it is native to the Northeast Atlantic Ocean and Baltic Sea, its distribution has expanded to North America, where it is an invasive species. Its main food sources are small invertebrate species that support valuable fisheries in the USA. The first presence of EGC in northern Washington was observed around 20 yr ago, along the Pacific Coast of the USA. Recently, EGC has been detected throughout the Salish Sea (Washington, USA, and British Columbia, Canada) wherein spread dynamics are unknown. The overall distribution of EGC is mainly driven by larval dispersal and, in the Salish Sea and surrounding waters, the assessment of EGC population dynamics is essential to understand its migration patterns and prevent its future expansion. To investigate the dispersal patterns of EGC larvae, a larval dispersal model was developed which couples a regional model of hydrodynamic circulation with an individual-based model of ichthyoplankton dynamics. Simulations were performed over 9 yr (2013-2022) to analyze average larval transport trends in the Salish Sea and surrounding waters, interannual variability of EGC larval connectivity, and the influence of larval behavior on connectivity patterns. Lastly, areas were identified to inform invasive species management moving forward. The prediction of likely sources and settlement locations of EGC larvae from the model will help improve the management of the population in the Salish Sea and surrounding waters.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

HIResist: a database of HIV-1 resistance to broadly neutralizing antibodies

Changing the course of the human immunodeficiency virus type I (HIV-1) pandemic is a high public health priority with approximately 39 million people currently living with HIV-1 (PLWH) and about 1.5 million new infections annually worldwide. Broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs) typically target highly conserved sites on the HIV-1 envelope glycoproteins (Envs), which mediate viral entry, and block the infection of diverse HIV-1 strains. But different mechanisms of HIV-1 resistance to bnAbs prevent robust application of bnAbs for therapeutic and preventive interventions. Here we report the development of a new database that provides data and computational tools to aid the discovery of resistant features and may assist in analysis of HIV-1 resistance to bnAbs. Bioinformatic tools allow identification of specific patterns in Env sequences of resistant strains and development of strategies to elucidate the mechanisms of HIV-1 escape; comparison of resistant and sensitive HIV-1 strains for each bnAb; identification of resistance and sensitivity signatures associated with specific bnAbs or groups of bnAbs; and visualization of antibody pairs on cross-sensitivity plots. The database has been designed with a particular focus on user-friendly and interactive interface. Our database is a valuable resource for the scientific community and provides opportunities to investigate patterns of HIV-1 resistance and to develop new approaches aimed to overcome HIV-1 resistance to bnAbs.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2026

Brochure for the DOE Office of Science Workshop on Envisioning Frontiers in AI and Computing for Biological Research

In February of 2025 a joint ASCR/BER workshop was held to identify key transformational research directions for understanding biology using artificial intelligence (AI), digital twins and high-performance (HPC) computational methods to facilitate scientific discovery and innovation in support of the Department of Energy mission. AI technologies offer exciting new groundbreaking methods to analyze large volumes of complex biological data, thereby greatly accelerating the ability to understand, predict, and design biological processes for beneficial purposes. In the laboratory, the bridging of AI-enabled automated experimental technologies, HPC and digital twins will provide potent tools for researchers to explore the fundamental nature of biology and harness its inherent metabolic potential for a variety of beneficial purposes. The focus of this workshop was on how high-performance computational methods can impact this objective by exploring digital twins, foundational models, and data-driven approaches with applications to advance automated laboratory experiments, modeling of complex living systems and engineering new functions into plants and microbial systems relevant to DOE mission. Workshop attendees with expertise in plant science, microbiology, mathematics, computer science, and AI assessed the current state of the science, trends, and AI challenges at the interface of plant and microbial systems biology and computational science to identify opportunities for high-impact research. This collaborative effort capitalized on ASCR's advancements in applied mathematics, computer science, and Exascale systems, and BER's expertise in basic genomics-enabled research on DOE relevant plant and microbial systems. The workshop culminated in four key priority research directions to guide future research and development within DOE Office of Science programs.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

An outbreak of renal failure in asian dogs due to s-triazine adulteration of pet food raw material: Analysis of unique, green kidney stones formed as a result

Renoliths were removed at necropsy from dogs that had died from acute kidney injury in Asia in 2004 and submitted to our laboratories for analysis including elemental composition, mass spectrometry, and microprobe analysis. The presence of a mixed s-triazine matrix comprising melamine, cyanuric acid, and ammelide, but no detectable ammeline, was found in the stone samples we analyzed. The unusual and unique green coloration of these stones was determined to be due to the presence of biliverdin. The occurrence of these green stones distinguished the 2004 incident from another incident in 2007 in the USA and other reported cases. The presence of crystals was reported in renal tubules and collecting ducts in both outbreaks, but no stones were reported in the 2007 incident. Here, this difference suggested a variation in the disease process caused by mixed s- triazine ingestion. Careful monitoring of food additives is warranted to prevent future problems in animals and humans.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2026

Applied genomics for industrially relevant microalgal strain development & optimization: characterizing genotype-phenotype relationships towards scalable environment-enhancing energy systems

Multiple planetary boundaries considered a safe operating space for humanity have been exceeded in recent years, with twice as many boundaries transgressed in 2023 as in 2009. Bioenergy systems are unique in that they can interact with and improve many of the transgressed boundaries directly, including multiple geochemical cycles, water and land use, and climate change. Among bioenergy systems, microalgae-based environment enhancing energy (E 2 -energy) are promising bioenergy systems for drop-in biofuels, valuable materials, chemicals and therapeutics, while making deep emission cuts and remediating wastewater, all without competing for agricultural resources.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗