Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “STANDARDIZATION”

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.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 1,567 records · Page 87

Community standards and future opportunities for synthetic communities in plant–microbiota research

Harnessing beneficial microorganisms is seen as a promising approach to enhance sustainable agriculture production. Synthetic communities (SynComs) are increasingly being used to study relevant microbial activities and interactions with the plant host. Yet, the lack of community standards limits the efficiency and progress in this important area of research. Here, to address this gap, we recommend three actions: (1) defining reference SynComs; (2) establishing community standards, protocols and benchmark data for constructing and using SynComs; and (3) creating an infrastructure for sharing strains and data. We also outline opportunities to develop SynCom research through technical advances, linking to field studies, and filling taxonomic blind spots to move towards fully representative SynComs.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

STREAMS guidelines: standards for technical reporting in environmental and host-associated microbiome studies

The interdisciplinary nature of microbiome research, coupled with the generation of complex multi-omics data, makes knowledge sharing challenging. The Strengthening the Organization and Reporting of Microbiome Studies (STORMS) guidelines provide a checklist for the reporting of study information, experimental design and analytical methods within a scientific manuscript on human microbiome research. Here, in this Consensus Statement, we present the standards for technical reporting in environmental and host-associated microbiome studies (STREAMS) guidelines. The guidelines expand on STORMS and include 67 items to support the reporting and review of environmental (for example, terrestrial, aquatic, atmospheric and engineered), synthetic and non-human host-associated microbiome studies in a standardized and machine-actionable manner. Based on input from 248 researchers spanning 28 countries, we provide detailed guidance, including comparisons with STORMS, and case studies that demonstrate the usage of the STREAMS guidelines. In conclusion, STREAMS, like STORMS, will be a living community resource updated by the Consortium with consensus-building input of the broader community.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

MEMOTE for standardized genome-scale metabolic model testing

Reconstructing metabolic reaction networks enables the development of testable hypotheses of an organism’s metabolism under different conditions. State-of-the-art genome-scale metabolic models (GEMs) can include thousands of metabolites and reactions that are assigned to subcellular locations. Gene–protein–reaction (GPR) rules and annotations using database information can add meta-information to GEMs. GEMs with metadata can be built using standard reconstruction protocols, and guidelines have been put in place for tracking provenance and enabling interoperability, but a standardized means of quality control for GEMs is lacking. Here we report a community effort to develop a test suite named MEMOTE (for metabolic model tests) to assess GEM quality.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

MusMorph, a database of standardized mouse morphology data for morphometric meta-analyses

Complex morphological traits are the product of many genes with transient or lasting developmental effects that interact in anatomical context. Mouse models are a key resource for disentangling such effects, because they offer myriad tools for manipulating the genome in a controlled environment. Unfortunately, phenotypic data are often obtained using laboratory-specific protocols, resulting in self-contained datasets that are difficult to relate to one another for larger scale analyses. To enable meta-analyses of morphological variation, particularly in the craniofacial complex and brain, we created MusMorph, a database of standardized mouse morphology data spanning numerous genotypes and developmental stages, including E10.5, E11.5, E14.5, E15.5, E18.5, and adulthood. To standardize data collection, we implemented an atlas-based phenotyping pipeline that combines techniques from image registration, deep learning, and morphometrics. Alongside stage-specific atlases, we provide aligned micro-computed tomography images, dense anatomical landmarks, and segmentations (if available) for each specimen (N = 10,056). Our workflow is open-source to encourage transparency and reproducible data collection.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Experimental confirmation of the standard magnetorotational instability mechanism with a spring-mass analogue

Abstract The magnetorotational instability (MRI) has long been considered a plausibly ubiquitous mechanism to destabilize otherwise stable Keplerian flows to support radially outward transport of angular momentum. Such an efficient transport process would allow fast accretion in astrophysical objects such as stars and black holes to release copious kinetic energy that powers many of the most luminous sources in the universe. But the standard MRI under a purely vertical magnetic field has heretofore never been directly measured despite numerous efforts over more than a decade. Here we report an unambiguous laboratory demonstration of the spring-mass analogue to the standard MRI by comparing motion of a spring-tethered ball within different rotating flows. The experiment corroborates the theory: efficient outward angular momentum transport manifests only for cases with a weak spring in quasi-Keperian flow. Our experimental method accomplishes this in a new way, thereby connecting solid and fluid mechanics to plasma astrophysics.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Antimicrobial properties of nanostructured surfaces – demonstrating the need for a standard testing methodology

Bioinspired nanostructured materials that exhibit antimicrobial properties are being synthesized and tested at increasing rates for use in healthcare, manufacturing processes, and diagnostics. Although progress has been made in improving and understanding their bactericidal activity, arguably, the biggest problem currently in the field is the lack of a standard testing methodology that allows for optimal characterization and better comparison of emerging nanostructures. In this work, we examine two forms of nanostructured silicon that vary in their ability to kill certain bacterial species due to different physical mechanisms and derive guidelines for the comparative testing. We perform a comprehensive evaluation of methodologies used extensively in the field (e.g., colony counting and live dead analysis) and the novel application of high-throughput flow cytometry. The data reveal how the techniques are complementary but not always directly equivalent or correlative. Therefore, comparison of results obtained using different methodologies on different materials can be grossly misleading. We report significant variations in bactericidal efficiencies depending on experimental environments (medium type, etc.) and methodologies employed. In addition, we demonstrate how cytometry is yet another powerful complementary tool that can aid the mechanistic understanding of antimicrobial activities of rough surfaces. Besides standardization for comparison, ultimately, evaluation methods need to consider anticipated applications. Then and only then can the true potential (or limitation) of a novel material be determined for its suitability for advancement in a particular field of use.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗

Standard Model Higgs Boson Combination at the Tevatron

We present the recent results from combinations of searches for a standard model (SM) Higgs boson ($H$) by the CDF and D0 experiments at the Tevatron $p\bar p$ collider at $\sqrt{s}=1.96$ TeV. The data correspond to an integrated total luminosity of 8.2 (CDF) and 8.6 (D0) fb$^{-1}$. Compared to the previous Tevatron Higgs boson search combination more data have been added, additional channels have been added, and some previously used channels have been reanalyzed to gain sensitivity. No excess is observed above background expectation, and set 95% C.L. upper limits (median expected) on Higgs boson production at factors of 1.17 (1.16), 1.71 (1.16), and 0.48(0.57) times the SM predictions for Higgs bosons of mass $m_H$=115, 140, and 165 GeV/c$^2$, respectively. We exclude a standard-model Higgs boson in the mass range 156--177 GeV/c$^2$ at the 95% C.L, with an expected exclusion region 148--180 GeV/c$^2$. The absence of a Higgs boson signal also constrains some new physics such as $4^{th}$ generation models and other exotic models.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Search for a Standard Model Higgs boson decaying to b quarks and produced in association with $Z/W$ bosons with the CMS detector

A search for the standard model Higgs boson is performed in a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 1.1 fb$^{-1}$, recorded by the CMS detector in proton-proton collisions at the LHC with a 7 TeV center-of-mass energy. The following modes are studied: W($\mu \nu$)H, W(e$\nu$)H, Z($\mu \mu$)H, Z(ee)H and Z($\nu \nu$)H, with the Higgs decaying to bb pairs. 95% C.L. upper limits on the VH production cross section are derived for a Higgs mass between 110 and 135 GeV. The expected (observed) upper limit at 115 GeV is found to be 5.7 (8.3) times the standard model expectation.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Calibration of ac and dc magnetometers with a Dy{sub 2}O{sub 3} standard

The ac susceptibility and magnetization curves of a glued Dy{sub 2}O{sub 3} powder sample are measured by an ac susceptometer and a dc superconducting quantum interference device magnetometer, both of which have been calibrated previously. It is shown that the magnetic moment of the paramagnetic sample as a function of field and temperature may be accurately expressed by a combination of the Curie-Weiss law and the Langevin function at T > 45 K with three adjusting parameters, so that the dc magnetization curves and the magnitude and phase of ac susceptibility at different values of dc bias field measured by any magnetometer can be calibrated by using Dy{sub 2}O{sub 3} as a standard. The expressions are empirical and cannot be justified in the entire field and temperature range by existing theories of paramagnetism. Below 10 K, indication of approaching a possible phase transition is found. It is shown that pure Dy{sub 2}O{sub 3} powder may be used as a primary standard, with susceptibility [13.28(T+ 17)]{sup -1} emu/Oe/g at T > 50 K and H < 10 kOe, in consistency with the Curie-Weiss law and the quantum mechanical theory of paramagnetism.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Standardizing Activation Analysis: New Software for Photon Activation Analysis

Photon Activation Analysis (PAA) of environmental, archaeological and industrial samples requires extensive data analysis that is susceptible to error. For the purpose of saving time, manpower and minimizing error, a computer program was designed, built and implemented using SQL, Access 2007 and asp.net technology to automate this process. Based on the peak information of the spectrum and assisted by its PAA library, the program automatically identifies elements in the samples and calculates their concentrations and respective uncertainties. The software also could be operated in browser/server mode, which gives the possibility to use it anywhere the internet is accessible. By switching the nuclide library and the related formula behind, the new software can be easily expanded to neutron activation analysis (NAA), charged particle activation analysis (CPAA) or proton-induced X-ray emission (PIXE). Implementation of this would standardize the analysis of nuclear activation data. Results from this software were compared to standard PAA analysis with excellent agreement. With minimum input from the user, the software has proven to be fast, user-friendly and reliable.

07 ISOTOPE AND RADIATION SOURCES↗

Laser-pumped paraffin-coated cell rubidium frequency standard

We have realized and studied a rubidium atomic frequency standard based on a paraffin-coated cell, exhibiting a short-term frequency stability <3 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -12} {tau}{sup -1/2} between {tau} = 1 and 100 s. Characterization of the wall-coating is performed by measuring the T{sub 1} and T{sub 2} relaxation times. Perturbations of the medium- to long-term clock stability, due to variations in the laser-intensity, laser frequency, the microwave power shift, and the shifts due to temperature variations are measured and analyzed. A method for reducing the intensity light-shift by detuning the laser frequency and the resulting improvement in clock stability is demonstrated. This work is of relevance for further improvements on Rb cell standards using anti-relaxation wall-coating technology.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Quantum resistance standard accuracy close to the zero-dissipation state

We report on a comparison of four GaAs/AlGaAs-based quantum resistance standards using an original technique adapted from the well-known Wheatstone bridge. This work shows that the quantized Hall resistance at Landau level filling factor ν=2 can be reproducible with a relative uncertainty of 32×10{sup −12} in the dissipationless limit of the quantum Hall effect regime. In the presence of a very small dissipation characterized by a mean macroscopic longitudinal resistivity R{sub xx}(B) of a few μΩ, the discrepancy ΔR{sub H}(B) between quantum Hall resistors measured on the Hall plateau at magnetic induction B turns out to follow the so-called resistivity rule R{sub xx}(B)=αB×d(ΔR{sub H}(B))/dB. While the dissipation increases with the measurement current value, the coefficient α stays constant in the range investigated (40−120 μA). This result enlightens the impact of the dissipation emergence in the two-dimensional electron gas on the Hall resistance quantization, which is of major interest for the resistance metrology. The quantum Hall effect is used to realize a universal resistance standard only linked to the electron charge e and the Planck constant h and it is known to play a central role in the upcoming revised Système International of units. There are therefore fundamental and practical benefits in testing the reproducibility property of the quantum Hall effect with better and better accuracy.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Note: A novel design of a microwave feed for a microwave frequency standard with a linear ion trap

Linear ion traps are important tools in many applications, particularly in mass spectrum analyzers and frequency standards. Here a novel design of a microwave feed integrated into one electrode of a linear quadrupole ion trap is demonstrated for the application of a microwave frequency standard based on cadmium ions. The mechanical structure of the microwave feed is compact and easy to build. The ion trap integrated with this microwave feed is successfully applied to measure the hyperfine splitting of the ground state of {sup 113}Cd{sup +}, thus demonstrating the practicality and reliability of the microwave feed.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Towards a graphene-based quantum impedance standard

Precision measurements of the quantum Hall resistance with alternating current (ac) in the kHz range were performed on epitaxial graphene in order to assess its suitability as a quantum standard of impedance. The quantum Hall plateaus measured with alternating current were found to be flat within one part in 10{sup 7}. This is much better than for plain GaAs quantum Hall devices and shows that the magnetic-flux-dependent capacitive ac losses of the graphene device are less critical. The observed frequency dependence of about −8 × 10{sup −8}/kHz is comparable in absolute value to the positive frequency dependence of plain GaAs devices, but the negative sign is attributed to stray capacitances which we believe can be minimized by a careful design of the graphene device. Further improvements thus may lead to a simpler and more user-friendly quantum standard for both resistance and impedance.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Experimental study of surface insulated-standard hybrid tungsten planar wire array Z-pinches at “QiangGuang-I” facility

The experimental results of the insulated-standard hybrid wire array Z pinches carried out on “QiangGuang-I” facility at Northwest Institute of Nuclear Technology were presented and discussed. The surface insulating can impose a significant influence on the dynamics and radiation characteristics of the hybrid wire array Z pinches, especially on the early stage (t/t{sub imp} < 0.6). The expansion of insulated wires at the ablation stage is suppressed, while the streams stripped from the insulated wires move faster than that from the standard wires. The foot radiation of X-ray is enhanced by increment of the number of insulated wires, 19.6 GW, 33.6 GW, and 68.6 GW for shots 14037S, 14028H, and 14039I, respectively. The surface insulation also introduces nonhomogeneity along the single wire—the streams move much faster near the electrodes. The colliding boundary of the hybrid wire array Z pinches is bias to the insulated side approximately 0.6 mm.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Evolving data standards for cryo-EM structures

Electron cryo-microscopy (cryo-EM) is increasingly being used to determine 3D structures of a broad spectrum of biological specimens from molecules to cells. Anticipating this progress in the early 2000s, an international collaboration of scientists with expertise in both cryo-EM and structure data archiving was established (EMDataResource, previously known as EMDataBank). The major goals of the collaboration have been twofold: to develop the necessary infrastructure for archiving cryo-EM-derived density maps and models, and to promote development of cryo-EM structure validation standards. We describe how cryo-EM data archiving and validation have been developed and jointly coordinated for the Electron Microscopy Data Bank and Protein Data Bank archives over the past two decades, as well as the impact of evolving technology on data standards. Just as for X-ray crystallography and nuclear magnetic resonance, engaging the scientific community via workshops and challenging activities has played a central role in developing recommendations and requirements for the cryo-EM structure data archives.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Microwave frequency standard on {sup 25}Mg{sup +} ions: expected characteristics and prospects

A scheme of the new frequency standard is reported based on a microwave transition between hyperfine components of the ground state in {sup 25}Mg{sup +} ions. It is proposed to capture ions into a linear quadrupole Paul trap and to perform the laser cooling, as well as to prepare the particle ensemble and to implement detection by using a single laser system based on a semiconductor laser. Characteristics of the suggested frequency standard are estimated. (paper)

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗