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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 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2022

Study on Closely Related Citrus CMMs based on Chemometrics and Prediction of Components-Targets-Diseases Network by Ingenuity Pathway Analysis

As the representatives of closely related Chinese medicinal materials (CMMs) originated from Rutaceae family, Aurantii fructus immaturus (AFI), Aurantii fructus (AF), Citri reticulatae pericarpium viride (CRPV), and Citri reticulatae pericarpium (CRP) have better functions in regulating qi and promoting gastrointestinal motility. However, differences in the quality of closely related Citrus CMMs have not yet been revealed until now. Herein, this study focused on the systematic differentiation and in-depth understanding of closely related Citrus CMMs by a strategy integrating chemometrics and network pharmacology. Determined by ultra performance liquid chromatography, the content of nine flavonoids showed obvious fluctuations in the decoction pieces from different species (Citrus aurantium Linnaeus and Citrus reticulate Blanco) with decreasing levels in the samples of ripe fruits. Decoction pieces from the different species and ripening stages were well distinguished by orthogonal projection to latent structure-discriminate analysis (OPLS-DA) and cluster analysis. As a result, four active components including narirutin, naringenin, hesperidin, and 3,5,6,7,8,3′,4′-heptemthoxyflavone were filtered out by variable importance for the projection (VIP) value (VIP > 1.0), which were regarded as chemotaxonomic markers. Furthermore, a components-targets-diseases network was constructed via ingenuity pathway analysis (IPA), and the correlations were predicted between four chemotaxonomic markers, 223 targets, and three diseases including colitis, breast cancer, and colorectal cancer. The obtained results will be of great significance for identifying closely related Citrus CMMs and conduce to improving the resource utilization of CMMs.

Mu, Qixuan↗
DOE OSTI2023

Measurements of sound propagation in Mars' lower atmosphere

Acoustics has become extraterrestrial and Mars provides a new natural laboratory for testing sound propagation models compared to those ones on Earth. Owing to the unique combination of a microphone and two sound sources, the Ingenuity helicopter and the SuperCam laser-induced sparks, the Mars 2020 Perseverance rover payload enables the in situ characterization of unique sound propagation properties of the low-pressure CO 2 -dominated Mars atmosphere. In this study, we show that atmospheric turbulence is responsible for a large variability in the sound amplitudes from laser-induced sparks. This variability follows the diurnal pattern of turbulence. In addition, acoustic measurements acquired over one Martian year reveal a variation of the sound intensity by a factor of 1.8 from a constant source due to the seasonal cycle of pressure and temperature that significantly modifies the acoustic impedance and shock-wave formation. Finally, we show that the evolution of the Ingenuity tones and laser spark amplitudes with distance is consistent with one of the existing sound absorption models, which is a key parameter for numerical simulations applied to geophysical experiments on CO 2 -rich atmospheres. Overall, these results demonstrate the potential of sound propagation to interrogate the Mars environment and will therefore help in the design of future acoustic-based experiments for Mars or other planetary atmospheres such as Venus and Titan.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Community Solar Resources for Multifamily Affordable Housing Providers [Slides]

As part of an initiative to support Multifamily Affordable Housing (MFAH) providers in their efforts to accelerate deployment of community solar, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)'s National Community Solar Partnership (NCSP) convened a group of MFAH providers from across the United States to understand and address barriers. DOE and project partners the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Urban Ingenuity, and Stewards of Affordable Housing for the Future facilitated peer exchange, provided technical assistance, and developed resources to support the sector more broadly. During this one-hour webinar NREL, Urban Ingenuity, and SAHF introduced these resources. The webinar was attended by MFAH providers, state and local agencies, and others working to advance equitable access to solar for residents of affordable housing.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2021

MEX3A promotes development and progression of breast cancer through regulation of PIK3CA

Breast cancer has been identified as the most common malignant tumors among women and the morbidity of breast cancer is still increasing rapidly. MEX3A possesses important functions in the regulation of mRNAs and may be involved in a variety of human diseases including cancer, whose relationship with breast cancer is still not clear. In this study, MEX3A was identified as a potential promotor in breast cancer, whose expression was strongly higher in breast cancer tissues than normal tissues. The in vitro experiments showed that MEX3A is capable of promoting the development of breast cancer through stimulating cell proliferation, inhibiting cell apoptosis, arresting cell cycle and promoting cell migration. The functions of MEX3A were also verified in vivo. Furthermore, a combination of genechip analysis and Ingenuity pathway analysis (IPA) identified PIK3CA as a potential downstream target of MEX3A, knockdown of which executes similar inhibitory effects on breast cancer and could alleviate MEX3A-induced progression of breast cancer. In conclusion, our study unveiled, as the first time, MEX3A as a tumor promotor for breast cancer, whose function was carried out probably through the regulation of PIK3CA.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2020

Polymers for Extreme Conditions Designed Using Syntax-Directed Variational Autoencoders

We report the design/discovery of new materials is highly nontrivial owing to the near-infinite possibilities of material candidates and multiple required property/performance objectives. Thus, machine learning tools are now commonly employed to virtually screen material candidates with desired properties by learning a theoretical mapping from material-to-property space, referred to as the forward problem. However, this approach is inefficient and severely constrained by the candidates that the human imagination can conceive. Thus, in this work on polymers, we tackle the materials discovery challenge by solving the inverse problem: directly generating candidates that satisfy desired property/performance objectives. We utilize syntax-directed variational autoencoders (VAE) in tandem with Gaussian process regression (GPR) models to discover polymers expected to be robust under three extreme conditions: (1) high temperatures, (2) high electric field, and (3) high temperature and high electric field, useful for critical structural, electrical, and energy storage applications. This approach to learn from and augment) human ingenuity is general and can be extended to discover polymers with other targeted properties and performance measures.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2022

In situ recording of Mars soundscape

Abstract Before the Perseverance rover landing, the acoustic environment of Mars was unknown. Models predicted that: (1) atmospheric turbulence changes at centimetre scales or smaller at the point where molecular viscosity converts kinetic energy into heat 1 , (2) the speed of sound varies at the surface with frequency 2,3 and (3) high-frequency waves are strongly attenuated with distance in CO 2 (refs. 2–4 ). However, theoretical models were uncertain because of a lack of experimental data at low pressure and the difficulty to characterize turbulence or attenuation in a closed environment. Here, using Perseverance microphone recordings, we present the first characterization of the acoustic environment on Mars and pressure fluctuations in the audible range and beyond, from 20 Hz to 50 kHz. We find that atmospheric sounds extend measurements of pressure variations down to 1,000 times smaller scales than ever observed before, showing a dissipative regime extending over five orders of magnitude in energy. Using point sources of sound (Ingenuity rotorcraft, laser-induced sparks), we highlight two distinct values for the speed of sound that are about 10 m s −1 apart below and above 240 Hz, a unique characteristic of low-pressure CO 2 -dominated atmosphere. We also provide the acoustic attenuation with distance above 2 kHz, allowing us to explain the large contribution of the CO 2 vibrational relaxation in the audible range. These results establish a ground truth for the modelling of acoustic processes, which is critical for studies in atmospheres such as those of Mars and Venus.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Addressing quantum’s “fine print” with efficient state preparation and information extraction for quantum algorithms and geologic fracture networks

Abstract Quantum algorithms provide an exponential speedup for solving certain classes of linear systems, including those that model geologic fracture flow. However, this revolutionary gain in efficiency does not come without difficulty. Quantum algorithms require that problems satisfy not only algorithm-specific constraints, but also application-specific ones. Otherwise, the quantum advantage carefully attained through algorithmic ingenuity can be entirely negated. Previous work addressing quantum algorithms for geologic fracture flow has illustrated core algorithmic approaches while incrementally removing assumptions. This work addresses two further requirements for solving geologic fracture flow systems with quantum algorithms: efficient system state preparation and efficient information extraction. Our approach to addressing each is consistent with an overall exponential speed-up.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2025

Multi-Objective Optimization of Uranium Target Assembly–3: A Comparison of Genetic and Traditional Methods

Commonly produced as a byproduct of uranium fission, 99 Mo is a key medical isotope that is in high demand in the United States. An international goal is to switch from medical isotope production technologies that require highly enriched uranium to medical isotope production technologies that require only low-enriched uranium. Niowave Inc. is contributing to this goal by developing an accelerator-driven subcritical assembly called the Uranium Target Assembly (UTA). This work compares the performance of Dakota’s Multi-Objective Genetic Algorithm (MOGA) against traditional sensitivity analysis in the neutronic optimization of the UTA-3 system. The design objectives are k-eigenvalue (k eff ) and natural uranium fission power, which are directly correlated with the amount of 99 Mo produced. Dakota:MOGA did not perform as well as human engineering ingenuity in optimization studies with high numbers of input parameters, such as fuel rod type selection and fuel rod placement. However, Dakota:MOGA did outperform traditional sensitivity analysis in optimization studies with fewer than 20 parameters and revealed the degree to which each parameter influences the optimal design space for k eff and natural uranium fission power (to a lesser extent). As the design model became more complex in the final stage of design, the computational resources required to calculate the design objective values in the Monte Carlo N-Particle transport code from selected input parameter combinations limited Dakota:MOGA’s performance, and, unfortunately, human intervention was required to discern the optimal design space. In conclusion, future work will attempt to reduce computational resource constraints by incorporating areduced-order neutronics model into the optimization cycle.

Accelerator-driven systems↗
DOE OSTI2022

Reinforcement Learning for Volt- Var Control: A Novel Two-stage Progressive Training Strategy

This paper develops a reinforcement learning (RL) approach to solve a cooperative, multi-agent Volt-Var Control (VVC) problem for high solar penetration distribution systems. The ingenuity of our RL method lies in a novel two-stage progressive training strategy that can effectively improve training speed and convergence of the machine learning algorithm. In Stage 1 (individual training), while holding all the other agents inactive, we separately train each agent to obtain its own optimal VVC actions in the action space: fconsume, generate, do-nothingg. In Stage 2 (cooperative training), all agents are trained again coordinatively to share VVC responsibility. Rewards and costs in our RL scheme include (i) a system-level reward (for taking an action), (ii) an agent-level reward (for doing-nothing), and (iii) an agent-level action cost function. This new framework allows rewards to be dynamically allocated to each agent based on their contribution while accounting for the trade-off between control effectiveness and action cost. The proposed methodology is tested and validated in a modified IEEE 123-bus system using realistic PV and load profiles. Simulation results confirm that the proposed approach is robust and computationally efficient; and it achieves desirable volt-var control performance under a wide range of operation conditions.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2024

Lipid droplet-associated proteins in alcohol-associated fatty liver disease: A proteomic approach

The earliest manifestation of alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) is steatosis characterized by deposition of fat in specialized organelles called lipid droplets (LDs). While alcohol administration causes a rise in LD numbers in the hepatocytes, little is known regarding their characteristics that allow their accumulation and size to increase. The aim of the present study is to gain insights into underlying pathophysiological mechanisms by investigating the ethanol-induced changes in hepatic LD proteome as a function of LD size. Adult male Wistar rats (180–200 g BW) were fed with ethanol liquid diet for 6 weeks. At sacrifice, large-, medium-, and small-sized hepatic LD subpopulations (LD1, LD2, and LD3, respectively) were isolated and subjected to morphological and proteomic analyses. Morphological analysis of LD1-LD3 fractions of ethanol-fed rats clearly demonstrated that LD1 contained larger LDs compared with LD2 and LD3 fractions. Our preliminary results from principal component analysis showed that the proteome of different-sized hepatic LD fractions was distinctly different. Proteomic data analysis identified over 2000 proteins in each LD fraction with significant alterations in protein abundance among the three LD fractions. Among the altered proteins, several were related to fat metabolism, including synthesis, incorporation of fatty acid, and lipolysis. Ingenuity pathway analysis revealed increased fatty acid synthesis, fatty acid incorporation, LD fusion, and reduced lipolysis in LD1 compared to LD3. Overall, the proteomic findings indicate that the increased level of protein that facilitates fusion of LDs combined with an increased association of negative regulators of lipolysis dictates the generation of large-sized LDs during the development of alcohol-associated hepatic steatosis. Several significantly altered proteins were identified in different-sized LDs isolated from livers of ethanol-fed rats. Ethanol-induced increases in specific proteins that hinder LD lipid metabolism led to the accumulation and persistence of large-sized LDs in the liver.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

How do deer respiratory epithelial cells weather the initial storm of SARS-CoV-2 WA1/2020 strain?

The potential infectivity of severe acute respiratory syndrome associated coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) in animals raises a public health and economic concern, particularly the high susceptibility of white-tailed deer (WTD) to SARS-CoV-2. The disparity in the disease outcome between humans and WTD is very intriguing, as the latter are often asymptomatic, subclinical carriers of SARS-CoV-2. To date, no studies have evaluated the innate immune factors responsible for the contrasting SARS-CoV-2-associated disease outcomes in these mammalian species. A comparative transcriptomic analysis in primary respiratory epithelial cells of human (HRECs) and WTD (Deer-RECs) infected with the SARS-CoV-2 WA1/2020 strain was assessed throughout 48 h post inoculation (hpi). Both HRECs and Deer-RECs were susceptible to virus infection, with significantly ( P < 0.001) lower virus replication in Deer-RECs. The number of differentially expressed genes (DEG) gradually increased in Deer-RECs but decreased in HRECs throughout the infection. The ingenuity pathway analysis of DEGs further identified that genes commonly altered during SARS-CoV-2 infection mainly belong to cytokine and chemokine response pathways mediated via interleukin-17 (IL-17) and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) signaling pathways. Inhibition of the NF-κB signaling in the Deer-RECs pathway was predicted as early as 6 hpi. The findings from this study could explain the lack of clinical signs reported in WTD in response to SARS-CoV-2 infection as opposed to the severe clinical outcomes reported in humans. IMPORTANCE. This study demonstrated that human and white-tailed deer primary respiratory epithelial cells are susceptible to the SARS-CoV-2 WA1/2020 strain infection. However, the comparative transcriptomic analysis revealed that deer cells could limit viral replication without causing hypercytokinemia by downregulating IL-17 and NF-κB signaling pathways. Identifying differentially expressed genes in human and deer cells that modulate key innate immunity pathways during the early infection will lead to developing targeted therapies toward preventing or mitigating the “cytokine storm” often associated with severe cases of coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19). Moreover, results from this study will aid in identifying novel prognostic biomarkers in predicting SARS-CoV-2 adaption and transmission in deer and associated cervids.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2025

TCLK Must Stay! CAMAC Must Go! How Does Fermilab Move Forward

The current Timing System at Fermilab has been around for 40 years and currently relies on 7 CAMAC crates and over 100 CAMAC cards to produce the Tevatron Clock (TCLK). Thanks to the ingenuity of those before us, this has allowed Fermilab the flexibility to change the timing and Events for its accelerator as beamlines and projects have changed over the years. With the advent of the Proton Improvement Plan-II (PIP-II), the Timing System at Fermilab is being reimagined into a single chassis with even greater flexibility and functionality for decades to come while tackling the ever-challenging task of maintaining backwards compatibility.

Austin, M. R. [Fermilab]↗
DOE OSTI2021

Today on Mars [Slides]

This presentation includes pictures and information on the NASA Perseverance Rover, its onboard instruments and the Ingenuity Helicopter.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2022

The 70th Anniversary of the MANIAC at Los Alamos

March 2022 is the 70th anniversary of the MANIAC, the first fully electronic computer at Los Alamos. The MANIAC was constructed when electronic computing and its associated industry were still in their infancy. Early computer centers like Los Alamos had to build their own systems and invent the methods for using them. This pioneering effort gave Los Alamos and the few places like it an outsized influence on the emerging electronic computing field, shaping the computing technologies and methods we experience today. This report highlights the history of the MANIAC and "recalls the hard work and ingenuity of the people at Los Alamos who helped to invent the modern field of scientific computing, using vacuum tubes and paper tape to build the Lab’s continuing computing legacy."

96 KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AND PRESERVATION↗
DOE OSTI2026

LDRD FY25 Program Overview

As Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory’s (LLNL’s) Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) program enters its fifth decade of leading-edge research and development, its impact and importance have never been stronger. The program continues to advance strategic investments in pioneering science, technology, and engineering, ensuring LLNL will be ready to deliver on our mission as it evolves over the coming decades. Investing in LDRD research, and the people who perform this critical work, gives LLNL the ability to sustain our role as a leader in the Department of Energy and National Nuclear Security Administration enterprise. The LDRD program enables high-risk, high-payoff research that anticipates emerging threats and future mission needs. By nurturing the ingenuity of the Lab’s greatest asset, its people, LDRD funding advances not only our research but also grows and nurtures our workforce: engaging future innovators with student mentoring, challenging postdoctoral researchers to apply their skills to support national security, and strengthening the leadership skills of early career staff. This annual report documents how LDRD investments advance LLNL’s science, technology, and engineering across our mission space. To assess LDRD’s impact we track both short and long-term metrics such as peer-reviewed publications, number of students, or professional fellows. In addition to reviewing these metrics, I encourage you to delve deeper into the breadth of science and technology that illustrate the strategic value of this research portfolio. For instance, a recent exploratory research project used advanced manufacturing to construct miniaturized three-dimensional ion traps for a quantum computer with reduced quantum error rates to enable applications that address national security missions and support basic science. Another project has delved into studying detonation by examining deflagration to enhance the safety and security of the nuclear weapons stockpile. LDRD researchers are also deploying AI agents on two of the world’s most powerful supercomputers to automate and accelerate inertial confinement fusion experiments. Other teams are delivering more accurate optical constants to enable improved validation for aluminum to advance atomic and molecular physics models. LDRD-driven discoveries of how metals deform under extreme conditions strengthen our ability to model and design materials for demanding national security environments. National security challenges are increasingly complex and continuously evolving. LDRD focuses our most innovative science and technology on these challenges, ensuring the Laboratory is developing creative, forward-leaning solutions for our nation and the world. The following pages feature highlights of published scientific advances, patents, and honors that stem from LDRD investments. As you read this report, I hope you will understand how these investments position the Laboratory, and our partners, to meet the demands of the decades ahead.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2021

A Comprehensive Urine Proteome Database Generated From Patients With Various Renal Conditions and Prostate Cancer

Urine proteins can serve as viable biomarkers for diagnosing and monitoring various diseases. A comprehensive urine proteome database, generated from a variety of urine samples with different disease conditions, can serve as a reference resource for facilitating discovery of potential urine protein biomarkers. Herein, we present a urine proteome database generated from multiple datasets using 2D LC-MS/MS proteome profiling of urine samples from healthy individuals (HI), renal transplant patients with acute rejection (AR) and stable graft (STA), patients with non-specific proteinuria (NS), and patients with prostate cancer (PC). A total of ~28,000 unique peptides spanning ~2,200 unique proteins were identified with a false discovery rate of <0.5% at the protein level. Over one third of the annotated proteins were plasma membrane proteins and another one third were extracellular proteins according to gene ontology analysis. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis of these proteins revealed 349 potential biomarkers in the literature-curated database. Forty-three percentage of all known cluster of differentiation (CD) proteins were identified in the various human urine samples. Interestingly, following comparisons with five recently published urine proteome profiling studies, which applied similar approaches, there are still ~400 proteins which are unique to this current study. These may represent potential disease-associated proteins. Among them, several proteins such as serpin B3, renin receptor, and periostin have been reported as pathological markers for renal failure and prostate cancer, respectively. Taken together, our data should provide valuable information for future discovery and validation studies of urine protein biomarkers for various diseases.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

Integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic investigation of the genes and metabolites involved in swine follicular cyst formation

Follicular cysts are a common reproductive disorder in mammals that is usually caused by stress. However, the pathogenesis of follicular cysts in sows remains unclear. To provide new insights into the mechanisms of follicular cyst formation in pigs, we conducted a combined transcriptomic and metabolomic analysis on theca interna and mural granulosa cells of follicular cysts and mature follicles. We identified 2,533 up-regulated and 1,355 down-regulated genes in follicular cysts, compared with mature follicles. These differentially expressed genes were mainly found in signaling pathways related to tumor formation and cortisol synthesis and secretion as shown by Ingenuity Pathway Analysis, which predicted 4,362 upstream regulatory factors. The combined gene expression and pathway analysis identified the following genes as potential biomarkers for porcine follicular cysts: cytochrome P450 family 2 subfamily C polypeptide 18, L-lactate dehydrogenase, carbamoyl-phosphate synthase, fibroblast growth factor 7, integrin binding sialoprotein, interleukin 23 receptor, prolactin receptor, epiregulin, interleukin 1 receptor type II, arginine vasopressin receptor 1A, fibroblast growth factor 10, claudin 7, G Protein Subunit Gamma 3, cholecystokinin B receptor and cytosolic phospholipase A2 . Metabolomics analysis found significant differences in 87 metabolites, which were enriched in unsaturated fatty acid biosynthesis, and sphingolipid signaling pathways. These results provide valuable information on the molecular mechanisms of follicular cyst formation, which may facilitate the development of new therapeutics to prevent and treat follicular cysts.

Dai, Jiage↗