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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

Implementing Connected Component Labeling as a User Defined Operator for SciDB

We have implemented a flexible User Defined Operator (UDO) for labeling connected components of a binary mask expressed as an array in SciDB, a parallel distributed database management system based on the array data model. This UDO is able to process very large multidimensional arrays by exploiting SciDB's memory management mechanism that efficiently manipulates arrays whose memory requirements far exceed available physical memory. The UDO takes as primary inputs a binary mask array and a binary stencil array that specifies the connectivity of a given cell to its neighbors. The UDO returns an array of the same shape as the input mask array with each foreground cell containing the label of the component it belongs to. By default, dimensions are treated as non-periodic, but the UDO also accepts optional input parameters to specify periodicity in any of the array dimensions. The UDO requires four stages to completely label connected components. In the first stage, labels are computed for each subarray or chunk of the mask array in parallel across SciDB instances using the weighted quick union (WQU) with half-path compression algorithm. In the second stage, labels around chunk boundaries from the first stage are stored in a temporary SciDB array that is then replicated across all SciDB instances. Equivalences are resolved by again applying the WQU algorithm to these boundary labels. In the third stage, relabeling is done for each chunk using the resolved equivalences. In the fourth stage, the resolved labels, which so far are "flattened" coordinates of the original binary mask array, are renamed with sequential integers for legibility. The UDO is demonstrated on a 3-D mask of O(1011) elements, with O(108) foreground cells and O(106) connected components. The operator completes in 19 minutes using 84 SciDB instances.

UDO↗

Universal dwell time optimization for deterministic optics fabrication

Computer-Controlled Optical Surfacing (CCOS) has been greatly developed and widely used for precision optical fabrication in the past three decades. It relies on robust dwell time solutions to determine how long the polishing tools must dwell at certain points over the surfaces to achieve the expected forms. However, as dwell time calculations are modeled as ill-posed deconvolution, it is always non-trivial to reach a reliable solution that 1) is non-negative, since CCOS systems are not capable of adding materials, 2) minimizes the residual in the clear aperture 3) minimizes the total dwell time to guarantee the stability and efficiency of CCOS processes, 4) can be flexibly adapted to different tool paths, 5) the parameter tuning of the algorithm is simple, and 6) the computational cost is reasonable. In this study, we propose a novel Universal Dwell time Optimization (UDO) model that universally satisfies these criteria. First, the matrix-based discretization of the convolutional polishing model is employed so that dwell time can be flexibly calculated for arbitrary dwell points. Second, UDO simplifies the inverse deconvolution as a forward scalar optimization for the first time, which drastically increases the solution stability and the computational efficiency. Finally, the dwell time solution is improved by a robust iterative refinement and a total dwell time reduction scheme. The superiority and general applicability of the proposed algorithm are verified on the simulations of different CCOS processes. A real application of UDO in improving a synchrotron X-ray mirror using Ion Beam Figuring (IBF) is then demonstrated. The simulation indicates that the estimated residual in the 92.3 mm × 15.7 mm CA can be reduced from 6.32 nm Root Mean Square (RMS) to 0.20 nm RMS in 3.37 min. After one IBF process, the measured residual in the CA converges to 0.19 nm RMS, which coincides with the simulation.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Separate measurement of the 5f 5/2 and 5f 7/2 unoccupied density of states of UO 2

Coupling High Energy Resolution Fluorescence Detection (HERFD) with electric dipole selection rules, the uranium 5f 5/2 and 5f 7/2 Unoccupied Densities of States (UDOS) have been determined in UF 4 , UO 2 and UCd 11 . Striking changes were observed between UF 4 (5f 2 ) to UCd 11 (5f 3 ), consistent with the Intermediate Coupling Model. Results for UO 2 were confirmed by Bremstrahlung Isochromat Spectroscopy (BIS). Conclusively, this new approach can be a powerful tool for shedding light on the hidden mysteries of Actinides 5f-electrons properties.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

The importance of electron scattering in the analysis of actinide X-ray spectroscopy

Abstract Manifestations of electron scattering in X-ray spectroscopy have been evident for decades. Here, it will be shown that the proper interpretation of variants of X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy (XAS) of actinide materials must include an accurate treatment of features caused by electron scattering, i.e., EXAFS or Extended X-ray Absorption Fine Structure. These EXAFS features can be of such low energy that they are within ten to twenty electron volts of the Unoccupied Density of States (UDOS), immediately above the Fermi Energy or Band Gap. The adaption of simple models using the FEFF simulation program will be presented, including the demonstration of the robust nature of the results from different models. Graphical abstract

Tobin, J. G. (ORCID:0000000322943301)↗

Brain‐age prediction: Systematic evaluation of site effects, and sample age range and size

Abstract Structural neuroimaging data have been used to compute an estimate of the biological age of the brain (brain‐age) which has been associated with other biologically and behaviorally meaningful measures of brain development and aging. The ongoing research interest in brain‐age has highlighted the need for robust and publicly available brain‐age models pre‐trained on data from large samples of healthy individuals. To address this need we have previously released a developmental brain‐age model. Here we expand this work to develop, empirically validate, and disseminate a pre‐trained brain‐age model to cover most of the human lifespan. To achieve this, we selected the best‐performing model after systematically examining the impact of seven site harmonization strategies, age range, and sample size on brain‐age prediction in a discovery sample of brain morphometric measures from 35,683 healthy individuals (age range: 5–90 years; 53.59% female). The pre‐trained models were tested for cross‐dataset generalizability in an independent sample comprising 2101 healthy individuals (age range: 8–80 years; 55.35% female) and for longitudinal consistency in a further sample comprising 377 healthy individuals (age range: 9–25 years; 49.87% female). This empirical examination yielded the following findings: (1) the accuracy of age prediction from morphometry data was higher when no site harmonization was applied; (2) dividing the discovery sample into two age‐bins (5–40 and 40–90 years) provided a better balance between model accuracy and explained age variance than other alternatives; (3) model accuracy for brain‐age prediction plateaued at a sample size exceeding 1600 participants. These findings have been incorporated into CentileBrain ( https://centilebrain.org/#/brainAGE2 ), an open‐science, web‐based platform for individualized neuroimaging metrics.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

Tuning Interface Electronic Properties via Chiral Two‐Dimensional Metal‐Organic Frameworks

Control over structural symmetries in nanomaterials offers a powerful approach to engineer electronic properties. For instance, breaking of mirror symmetries in two-dimensional (2D) materials with a hexagonal lattice can lead to nontrivial electronic topologies and correlated-electron phenomena. Yet, the impact of structural chirality on the electronic properties of 2D materials and interfaces remains underexplored. Here, how chiral phases of a 2D metal-organic framework (MOF) with a hexagonal lattice—consisting of hexaazatriphenylene molecules coordinated to Cu atoms—scatter, confine, and perturb the Shockley surface state (SS) electrons of an underlying Ag(111) substrate is investigated. Via low-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy, noncontact atomic force microscopy, and numerical calculations based on an electronic plane-wave expansion method, modifications of the Ag(111) SS band structure are shown and quantified, including gap openings and lifts of band degeneracies, driven exclusively by the structural chirality of the 2D MOF phases. These findings highlight how structural symmetries, in particular chirality, affect electronic states at material interfaces, expanding on the toolkit for designing 2D materials with tailored electronic properties.

band structure engineering↗

High-throughput screening of environmental polysaccharide-degrading bacteria using biomass containment and complex insoluble substrates

Abstract Carbohydrate degradation by microbes plays an important role in global nutrient cycling, human nutrition, and biotechnological applications. Studies that focus on the degradation of complex recalcitrant polysaccharides are challenging because of the insolubility of these substrates as found in their natural contexts. Specifically, current methods to examine carbohydrate-based biomass degradation using bacterial strains or purified enzymes are not compatible with high-throughput screening using complex insoluble materials. In this report, we developed a small 3D printed filter device that fits inside a microplate well that allows for the free movement of bacterial cells, media, and enzymes while containing insoluble biomass. These devices do not interfere with standard microplate readers and can be used for both short- (24–48 h) and long-duration (> 100 h) experiments using complex insoluble substrates. These devices were used to quantitatively screen in a high-throughput manner environmental isolates for their ability to grow using lignocellulose or rice grains as a sole nutrient source. Additionally, we determined that the microplate-based containment devices are compatible with existing enzymatic assays to measure activity against insoluble biomass. Overall, these microplate containment devices provide a platform to study the degradation of complex insoluble materials in a high-throughput manner and have the potential to help uncover ecologically important aspects of bacterial metabolism as well as to accelerate biotechnological innovation.

3D printing↗

Computational Investigation of Melt Pool Process Dynamics and Pore Formation in Laser Powder Bed Fusion

In the laser powder bed fusion additive manufacturing process, the presence of porosity may result in cracks and significantly affects the part performance. A comprehensive understanding of the melt pool process dynamics and porosity evolution can help to improve build quality. In this study, a novel multi-physics computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model has been applied to investigate the fluid dynamics in melt pools and resultant pore defects. To accurately capture the melting and solidification process, major process physics, such as the surface tension, evaporation as well as laser multi-reflection, have been considered in the model. A discrete element method is utilized to model the generation of powder spreading upon build plate by additional numerical simulations. Multiple single track experiments have been performed to obtain the melt pool shape and cross-sectional dimension information. The predicted melt pool dimensions were found to have a reasonable agreement with experimental measurements, e.g., the errors are in the range of 1.3 to 10.6% for melt pool width, while they are between 1.4 and 15.9% for melt depth. Pores are captured by both CFD simulation and x-ray computed tomography measurement for the case with a laser power of 350 W and laser speed of 100 mm/s. The formation of keyholes maybe related to the melt pool front wall angle, and it is found that the front wall angle increases with the increase in laser line energy density. In addition, a larger laser power or smaller scanning speed can help to generate keyhole-induced pores; they also contribute to produce larger sized pores.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Expression of phosphatase and tensin homolog and programmed cell death ligand 1 in adenosquamous carcinoma of the lung

Highlights: • PTEN loss is greater in lung SCC than in lung ADC and each component of ASC. • PD-L1 expression is similar in ASC components and corresponding pure tumor types. • PTEN loss is evident in both components of ASC. • PD-L1 expression is higher in the squamous ASC region than in the glandular one. • PTEN expression correlates with that of PD-L1 in lung SCC and glandular ASC. Lung adenosquamous carcinoma (ASC) is a rare variant of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with poor prognosis. Certain biological differences may exist between these tumors and other common histological types of NSCLC, including adenocarcinoma (ADC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). The phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) pathway, which links oncogenes and multiple receptor classes to essential cellular functions, is activated by phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) loss. The PTEN loss has been suggested to induce programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression in various cancer types.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

Beyond the Global Brain Differences: Intraindividual Variability Differences in 1q21.1 Distal and 15q11.2 BP1-BP2 Deletion Carriers

Carriers of the 1q21.1 distal and 15q11.2 BP1-BP2 copy number variants exhibit regional and global brain differences compared with noncarriers. However, interpreting regional differences is challenging if a global difference drives the regional brain differences. Intraindividual variability measures can be used to test for regional differences beyond global differences in brain structure. Magnetic resonance imaging data were used to obtain regional brain values for 1q21.1 distal deletion (n = 30) and duplication (n = 27) and 15q11.2 BP1-BP2 deletion (n = 170) and duplication (n = 243) carriers and matched noncarriers (n = 2350). Regional intra-deviation scores, i.e., the standardized difference between an individual’s regional difference and global difference, were used to test for regional differences that diverge from the global difference. For the 1q21.1 distal deletion carriers, cortical surface area for regions in the medial visual cortex, posterior cingulate, and temporal pole differed less and regions in the prefrontal and superior temporal cortex differed more than the global difference in cortical surface area. For the 15q11.2 BP1-BP2 deletion carriers, cortical thickness in regions in the medial visual cortex, auditory cortex, and temporal pole differed less and the prefrontal and somatosensory cortex differed more than the global difference in cortical thickness. We find evidence for regional effects beyond differences in global brain measures in 1q21.1 distal and 15q11.2 BP1-BP2 copy number variants. The results provide new insight into brain profiling of the 1q21.1 distal and 15q11.2 BP1-BP2 copy number variants, with the potential to increase understanding of the mechanisms involved in altered neurodevelopment.

15q11.2 BP1-BP2↗