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Kumar, Ashok

Publications and source records attributed to Kumar, Ashok.

66 records · Page 4
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2014

The TWEAK–Fn14 dyad is involved in age-associated pathological changes in skeletal muscle

Highlights: • The levels of TWEAK receptor Fn14 are increased in skeletal muscle during aging. • Deletion of Fn14 attenuates age-associated skeletal muscle fiber atrophy. • Deletion of Fn14 inhibits proteolysis in skeletal muscle during aging. • TWEAK–Fn14 signaling activates transcription factor NF-κB in aging skeletal muscle. • TWEAK–Fn14 dyad is involved in age-associated fibrosis in skeletal muscle. - Abstract: Progressive loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength (sarcopenia) is a major clinical problem in the elderly. Recently, proinflammatory cytokine TWEAK and its receptor Fn14 were identified as key mediators of muscle wasting in various catabolic states. However, the role of the TWEAK–Fn14 pathway in pathological changes in skeletal muscle during aging remains unknown. In this study, we demonstrate that the levels of Fn14 are increased in skeletal muscle of 18-month old (aged) mice compared with adult mice. Genetic ablation of Fn14 significantly increased the levels of specific muscle proteins and blunted the age-associated fiber atrophy in mice. While gene expression of two prominent muscle-specific E3 ubiquitin ligases MAFBx and MuRF1 remained comparable, levels of ubiquitinated proteins and the expression of autophagy-related molecule Atg12 were significantly reduced in Fn14-knockout (KO) mice compared with wild-type mice during aging. Ablation of Fn14 significantly diminished the DNA-binding activity of transcription factor nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB), gene expression of various inflammatory molecules, and interstitial fibrosis in skeletal muscle of aged mice. Collectively, our study suggests that the TWEAK–Fn14 signaling axis contributes to age-associated muscle atrophy and fibrosis potentially through its local activation of proteolytic systems and inflammatory pathways.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2013

Room-temperature magnetoelectric coupling in single-phase BaTiO{sub 3}-BiFeO{sub 3} system

In this paper, single-phase multiferroic ceramics of (1 - x) BaTiO{sub 3}-x BiFeO{sub 3} (BT - x BFO) were synthesized by solid-solution method in the wide range of material composition (x = 0.025 - 1.0). The changes in crystal structure were confirmed via X-ray diffractions (XRD) and atomic pair distribution functions (PDFs). The room-temperature ME coupling was found to exhibit significant magnitude in the narrow composition window (x = 0.71 - 0.8) where the average crystal structure was found to be rhombohedral. Especially, the BT - 0.725 BFO ceramics containing local monoclinic distortions within rhombohedral phase were found to exhibit high room-temperature ME coefficient ({alpha}{sub ME}) of 0.87 mV/cm{center_dot}Oe with high piezoelectric properties (g{sub 33} = 18.5 Multiplication-Sign 10 mV m N{sup -1} and d{sub 33} = 124 pC N{sup -1}). We believe that the high room-temperature ME coupling in single-phase lead-free BT-BFO ceramics provides a possibility of developing electrically or magnetically tunable thin-film devices.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2012

Enhanced High Temperature Performance of NOx Reduction Catalyst Materials

Two primary NOx after-treatment technologies have been recognized as the most promising approaches for meeting stringent NOx emission standards for diesel vehicles within the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) 2007/2010 mandated limits, NOx Storage Reduction (NSR) and NH3 selective catalytic reduction (SCR); both are, in fact being commercialized for this application. However, in looking forward to 2015 and beyond with expected more stringent regulations, the continued viability of the NSR technology for controlling NOx emissions from lean-burn engines such as diesels will require at least two specific, significant and inter-related improvements. First, it is important to reduce system costs by, for example, minimizing the precious metal content while maintaining, even improving, performance and long-term stability. A second critical need for future NSR systems, as well as for NH3 SCR, will be significantly improved higher and lower temperature performance and stability. Furthermore, these critically needed improvements will contribute significantly to minimizing the impacts to fuel economy of incorporating these after-treatment technologies on lean-burn vehicles. To meet these objectives will require, at a minimum an improved scientific understanding of the following things: i) the various roles for the precious and coinage metals used in these catalysts; ii) the mechanisms for these various roles; iii) the effects of high temperatures on the active metal performance in their various roles; iv) mechanisms for higher temperature NOx storage performance for modified and/or alternative storage materials; v) the interactions between the precious metals and the storage materials in both optimum NOx storage performance and long term stability; vi) the sulfur adsorption and regeneration mechanisms for NOx reduction materials; vii) materials degradation mechanisms in CHA-based NH3 SCR catalysts. The objective of this CRADA project between PNNL and Cummins, Inc. is to develop a fundamental understanding of the above-listed issues. Model catalysts that are based on literature formulations are the focus of the work being carried out at PNNL. In addition, the performance and stability of more realistic high temperature NSR catalysts, supplied by JM, are being studied in order to provide baseline data for the model catalysts that are, again, based on formulations described in the open literature. For this short summary, we will primarily highlight representative results from our recent studies of the stability of candidate high temperature NSR materials.

Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory↗
DOE OSTI2012

Effect of nonlinear absorption on self focusing of short laser pulse in a plasma

Paraxial theory of self focusing of short pulse laser in a plasma under transient and saturating effects of nonlinearity and nonlinear absorption is developed. The absorption is averaged over the cross-section of the beam and is different for different time segments of the pulse. The electron temperature includes cumulative effect of previous history of temporal profile of pulse intensity, however, the ambipolar diffusion is taken to be faster than the heating time. The relaxation effect causes self-distortion of the pulse temporal profile where as the nonlinear absorption weakens self focusing. For the pulses of duration comparable to the electron ion collision time, the front part of the pulse gets defocused where as the latter part undergoes periodic self focusing.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2012

Thermal conductivity of self-assembled nano-structured ZnO bulk ceramics

In this study, we describe the changes in thermal conductivity behavior of ZnO-Al micro- and nano-two-phase self-assembled composites with varying grain sizes. The reduction in thermal conductivity values of micro-composites was limited to {approx}15% for ZnO-4% Al. However, nano-composites exhibited large reduction, by a factor of about three, due to uniform distribution of nano-precipitates (ZnAl2O4) and large grain boundary area. Interestingly, the micro-composites revealed continuous decrease in thermal conductivity with increase in Al substitution while the nano-composites exhibited the lowest magnitudes for 2% Al concentration. Raman spectra indicated that phonon confinement in ZnO-Al nano-composites causes drastic decrease in the value of thermal conductivity.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2011

A quaternary lead based perovskite structured materials with diffuse phase transition behavior

Graphical abstract: (a) Curie-Weiss plot for the inverse of the relative dielectric permittivity and (b) log (1/{epsilon} - 1/{epsilon}{sub m}) as function of log (T - T{sub m}) for ceramics at 1 kHz. Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Retaining phase pure structure with quaternary complex stoichiometric compositions. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer P-E loops with good saturation polarization (P{sub s} {approx} 30.7 {mu}C/cm{sup 2}). Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Diffused relaxor phase transition behavior with {gamma} estimated is {approx}1.65. -- Abstract: A lead based quaternary compound composed of 0.25(PbZr{sub 0.52}Ti{sub 0.48}O{sub 3}) + 0.25(PbFe{sub 0.5}Ta{sub 0.5}O{sub 3}) + 0.25 (PbF{sub 0.67}W{sub 0.33}O{sub 3}) + 0.25(PbFe{sub 0.5}Nb{sub 0.5}O{sub 3}) - (PZT-PFT-PFW-PFN) was synthesized by conventional solid-state reaction techniques. It showed moderate high dielectric constant, low dielectric loss, and two diffuse phase transitions, one below the room temperature {approx}261 K and other above {approx}410 K. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns revealed a tetragonal crystal structure at room temperature where as scanning electron micrograph (SEM) indicates inhomogeneous surface with an average grain size of 500 nm-3 {mu}m. Well saturated ferroelectric hysteresis loops with good saturation polarization (spontaneous polarization, P{sub s} {approx} 30.68 {mu}C/cm{sup 2}) were observed. Temperature-dependent ac conductivity displayed low conductivity with kink in spectra near the phase transition. In continuing search for developing new ferroelectric materials, in the present study we report stoichiometric compositions of complex perovskite ceramic materials: (PZT-PFT-PFW-PFN) with diffuse phase transition behavior. The crystal structure, dielectric properties, and ferroelectric properties were characterized by XRD, SEM, dielectric spectroscopy, and polarization. 1/{epsilon} versus (T) plots revealed diffuse relaxor phase transition (DPT) behavior. The compositional variation on the phase transition temperature, dielectric constant, and ferroelectric to paraelectric phase transitions are discussed.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2011

Symmetries and multiferroic properties of novel room-temperature magnetoelectrics: Lead iron tantalate – lead zirconate titanate (PFT/PZT)

Mixing 60-70% lead zirconate titanate with 40-30% lead iron tantalate produces a single-phase, low-loss, room-temperature multiferroic with magnetoelectric coupling: (PbZr₀.₅₃Ti₀.₄₇O₃) (1-x) - (PbFe₀.₅Ta₀.₅O₃) x . The present study combines x-ray scattering, magnetic and polarization hysteresis in both phases, plus a second-order dielectric divergence (to epsilon = 6000 at 475 K for 0.4 PFT; to 4000 at 520 K for 0.3 PFT) for an unambiguous assignment as a C 2v -C 4v (Pmm2-P4mm) transition. The material exhibits square saturated magnetic hysteresis loops with 0.1 emu/g at 295 K and saturation polarization Pr = 25 μC/cm², which actually increases (to 40 μC/cm²) in the high-T tetragonal phase, representing an exciting new room temperature oxide multiferroic to compete with BiFeO₃. Additional transitions at high temperatures (cubic at T>1300 K) and low temperatures (rhombohedral or monoclinic at T<250 K) are found. These are the lowest-loss room-temperature multiferroics known, which is a great advantage for magnetoelectric devices.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS2003

Metal chelate affinity precipitation of RNA and purification of plasmid DNA

The affinity of metal chelates for amino acids, such as histidine, is widely used in purifying proteins, most notably through six-histidine 'tails'. We have found that metal affinity interactions can also be applied to separation of single-stranded nucleic acids through interactions involving exposed purines. Here we describe a metal affinity precipitation method to resolve RNA from linear and plasmid DNA. A copper-charged copolymer of N-isopropyl acrylamide (NIPAM) and vinyl imidazole (VI) is used to purify plasmid from an alkaline lysate of E. coli. The NIPAM units confer reversible solubility on the copolymer while the imidazole chelates metal ions in a manner accessible to interaction with soluble ligands. RNA was separated from the plasmid by precipitation along with the polymer in the presence of 800 mM NaCl. Bound RNA could be recovered by elution with imidazole and separated from copolymer by a second precipitation step. RNA binding showed a strong dependence on temperature and on the type of buffer used.

Non-NASA Center↗
NASA NTRS1994

Prediction of contact path and load sharing in spiral bevel gears

A procedure is presented to perform a contact analysis of spiral bevel gears in order to predict the contact path and the load sharing as the gears roll through mesh. The approach utilizes recent advances in automated contact methods for nonlinear finite element analysis. A sector of the pinion and gear is modeled consisting of three pinion teeth and four gear teeth in mesh. Calculation of the contact force and stresses through the gear meshing cycle are demonstrated. Summary of the results are presented using three dimensional plots and tables. Issues relating to solution convergence and requirements for running large finite element analysis on a supercomputer are discussed.

Bibel, George D.↗