Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “transduction”

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 37 records · Page 2
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1989

Calcium requirement of phytochrome-mediated fern-spore germination: no direct phytochrome-calcium interaction in the phytochrome-initiated transduction chain

Phytochrome-mediated germination of fern spores of Dryopteris paleacea Sw. was initiated by a saturating red-light (R) irradiation after 20 h of imbibition. For its realization external Ca2+ was required, with a threshold at a submicromolar concentration, and an optimum was reached around 10(-4) M. At concentrations > or = 10(-1) M only a reduced response was obtained, based probably on an unspecific osmotic or ionic effect. The germination response was inhibited by La3+, an antagonist of Ca2+. From these results it is concluded that Ca2+ influx from the medium into the spores may be an important event in phytochrome-mediated germination. In the absence of Ca2+ the R-stimulated system remained capable of responding to Ca2+, added as late as 40 h after R. Moreover, Ca2+ was effective even if added after the active form of phytochrome, Pfr, had been abolished by far-red (FR) 24 h after R. Thus, the primary effect of Pfr, that initiates the transduction chain, does not require calcium. "Coupling" of Pfr to subsequent dark reactions has been investigated by R-FR irradiations with various dark intervals. The resulting "escape kinetics" were characterized by a lag phase (6 h) and half-maximal escape from FR reversibility (19 h). These kinetics were not significantly changed by the presence or absence of calcium. Thus, direct interaction of Pfr and calcium is not a step in the transduction chain initiated by the active form of phytochrome.

Non-NASA Center↗
NASA NTRS1999

Transduction-like gene transfer in the methanogen Methanococcus voltae

Strain PS of Methanococcus voltae (a methanogenic, anaerobic archaebacterium) was shown to generate spontaneously 4.4-kbp chromosomal DNA fragments that are fully protected from DNase and that, upon contact with a cell, transform it genetically. This activity, here called VTA (voltae transfer agent), affects all markers tested: three different auxotrophies (histidine, purine, and cobalamin) and resistance to BES (2-bromoethanesulfonate, an inhibitor of methanogenesis). VTA was most effectively prepared by culture filtration. This process disrupted a fraction of the M. voltae cells (which have only an S-layer covering their cytoplasmic membrane). VTA was rapidly inactivated upon storage. VTA particles were present in cultures at concentrations of approximately two per cell. Gene transfer activity varied from a minimum of 2 x 10(-5) (BES resistance) to a maximum of 10(-3) (histidine independence) per donor cell. Very little VTA was found free in culture supernatants. The phenomenon is functionally similar to generalized transduction, but there is no evidence, for the time being, of intrinsically viral (i.e., containing a complete viral genome) particles. Consideration of VTA DNA size makes the existence of such viral particles unlikely. If they exist, they must be relatively few in number;perhaps they differ from VTA particles in size and other properties and thus escaped detection. Digestion of VTA DNA with the AluI restriction enzyme suggests that it is a random sample of the bacterial DNA, except for a 0.9-kbp sequence which is amplified relative to the rest of the bacterial chromosome. A VTA-sized DNA fraction was demonstrated in a few other isolates of M. voltae.

Methanococcus/genetics/growth & development/metabo↗
DOE OSTI2026

Integrated millimeter-wave cavity electro-optic transduction

Emerging communications and computing technologies will rely ever-more on expanding the useful radio frequency spectrum into the millimeter-wave and terahertz frequency range. Both classical and quantum applications would benefit from advancing integration and incorporation of millimeter-wave and electro-optic technologies into common devices, such as modulators. Here we demonstrate an integrated triply-resonant, superconducting electro-optic transducer. Our design incorporates an on-chip 107 GHz niobium titanium nitride superconducting resonator, modulating a thin-film lithium niobate optical racetrack resonator operating at telecom wavelengths. We observe a maximum photon transduction efficiency of η OE ≈ 0.82 × 10 −6 and an average single-photon electro-optic interaction rate of g 0 /2π ≈ 0.7 kHz. We also present a study and analysis of the challenges associated with the design of integrated millimeter-wave resonators and propose possible solutions to these challenges. Our work paves the way for further advancements in resonant electro-optic technologies operating at millimeter-wave frequencies.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2025

Proposal for superconducting quantum networks using multioctave transduction to lower frequencies

We propose networking superconducting quantum circuits by transducing their excitations (typically 4–8 GHz) to 200–500 MHz photons for transmission via superconducting cryogenic coaxial cables. This frequency down-conversion reduces transmission losses and, counterintuitively, reduces noise. We introduce a multioctave asymmetrically threaded superconducting quantum interference device circuit capable of the required efficient, high-rate transduction. For a 100-meter cable with 𝑄 𝑖 = 10 5 at 10 mK, we theoretically show that our approach achieves single-photon fidelities of 0.962 at 200 MHz versus 0.772 at 8 GHz, and triples the lower bound on quantum channel capacity. In conclusion, this method enables highly efficient networking of superconducting qubits while maintaining high fidelities, combining improved performance with the practical advantages of flexible, compact coaxial cables.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2026

Fidelity Comparison of Time-Bin and Fock State Encoding in Hybrid Quantum Systems Under Channel and Transduction Effects

Future quantum networks are expected to integrate a heterogeneous combination of quantum systems, owing to the diverse advantages offered by different physical platforms in terms of scalability, coherence times, and interfacing capabilities. Within the context of this emerging quantum communication paradigm, this paper presents an analytical comparison of two photonic encoding schemes—time-bin and Fock state (single rail)—in hybrid quantum systems where flying qubits are entangled with stationary matter qubits. We evaluate their resilience against fiber channel and quantum transduction effects by calculating the fidelity of the final states relative to their ideal forms. Employing the characteristic function approach, we derive analytical fidelity expressions and investigate their dependence on parameters such as transmissivity, noise levels, fiber length, and source generation success probability. Additionally, we simulate the scenario with a dedicated QuTiP software implementation to verify the validity of the theoretical models. Our findings reveal that due to its inherent single-mode structure, the Fock state encoding consistently outperforms time-bin encoding in fidelity, as this structure significantly minimizes susceptibility to losses compared to the two-mode nature of the time-bin scheme. This analysis offers valuable insights for future hybrid quantum communication and information processing applications.

Fiorini, Francesco [Pisa U.]↗
DOE OSTI2026

Ampk alpha2 T172 activation dictates exercise performance and energy transduction in skeletal muscle

Adenosine 5′-monophosphate–activated protein kinase (AMPK) is an energetic sensor for metabolic regulation and integration. Here, we used CRISPR-Cas9 to generate nonactivatable Ampkα knock-in (KI) mice with mutation of threonine-172 phosphorylation site to alanine (T172A), circumventing the limitations of previous genetic interventions that disrupt the protein stoichiometry. KI mice of Ampkα2, but not Ampkα1, demonstrated phenotypic changes with increased fat-to-lean mass, impaired endurance exercise capacity, and diminished mitochondrial maximal respiration and conductance in skeletal muscle. Integrated temporal multiomics analysis (proteomics/phosphoproteomics/metabolomics) in skeletal muscle at rest and during exercise establishes a pleiotropic yet imperative role of Ampkα2 T172 activation for glycolytic and oxidative metabolism, mitochondrial respiration, and contractile function. There is a substantial overlap of skeletal muscle proteomic changes in Ampkα2 T172A KI mice with that of patients with type 2 diabetes. Our findings suggest that Ampkα2 T172 activation is critical for exercise performance and energy transduction in skeletal muscle and may serve as a therapeutic target for type 2 diabetes.

Bioenergetics↗
DOE OSTI2025

Control of Energy Transport and Transduction in Photosynthetic Down-Conversion (Final Technical Report)

The research conducted under this contract focused on three areas related to control of energy transport and transduction in natural and synthetic light harvesting systems: (1) experimental and theoretical studies exploring the use of ultrafast laser pulse shaping to manipulate the initially excited states of multi-chromophore biological light harvesting networks and influence the early time energy transfer and electronic and vibrational relaxation pathways, (2) fundamental theoretical developments aimed at computing and analyzing the dynamics of excitations of complex heterogeneous environments and nano structures, and (3) joint experimental and theoretical design studies of artificial light harvesting materials exploring the influence of incorporating different types of organic layers in low dimensional lead halide perovskite materials on their hot carrier relaxation dynamics, and theoretical studies of the design of nano structured light harvesting antenna systems. These research projects supported the training of three theoretical and computational graduate students, one experimental graduate student, and one experimental post-doctoral researcher. The research has been published in seven peer reviewed papers and presented at several international meetings and workshops.

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

Tunable Topological Phonon for Next-generation Quantum Transduction

This project aims to understand the critical factors that determine transduction performance of topological phonons across an oxide perovskite/tungsten diselenide heterojunction. We will investigate mechanisms of their propagation and interfacial coupling using modeling and machine learning approaches. Methods include density functional theory, molecular dynamics, numerical transport simulations, and active learning for building up a training dataset for force field development.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
NASA NTRS1972

Tapping of Love waves in an isotropic surface waveguide by surface-to-bulk wave transduction.

A theoretical study of tapping a Love wave in an isotropic microacoustic surface waveguide is given. The surface Love wave is tapped by partial transduction into a bulk wave at a discontinuity. It is shown that, by careful design of the discontinuity, the converted bulk wave power and the radiation pattern may be controlled. General formulas are derived for the calculation of these important characteristics from a relatively general surface contour deformation.

Tuan, H.-S.↗
NASA NTRS1989

The sensory transduction pathways in bacterial chemotaxis

Bacterial chemotaxis is a useful model for investigating in molecular detail the behavioral response of cells to changes in their environment. Peritrichously flagellated bacteria such as coli and typhimurium swim by rotating helical flagella in a counterclockwise direction. If flagellar rotation is briefly reversed, the bacteria tumble and change the direction of swimming. The bacteria continuously sample the environment and use a temporal sensing mechanism to compare the present and immediate past environments. Bacteria respond to a broad range of stimuli including changes in temperature, oxygen concentration, pH and osmotic strength. Bacteria are attracted to potential sources of nutrition such as sugars and amino acids and are repelled by other chemicals. In the methylation-dependent pathways for sensory transduction and adaptation in E. coli and S. typhimurium, chemoeffectors bind to transducing proteins that span the plasma membrane. The transducing proteins are postulated to control the rate of autophosphorylation of the CheA protein, which in turn phosphorylates the CheY protein. The phospho-CheY protein binds to the switch on the flagellar motor and is the signal for clockwise rotation of the motor. Adaptation to an attractant is achieved by increasing methylation of the transducing protein until the attractant stimulus is cancelled. Responses to oxygen and certain sugars involve methylation-independent pathways in which adaption occurs without methylation of a transducing protein. Taxis toward oxygen is mediated by the electron transport system and changes in the proton motive force. Recent studies have shown that the methylation-independent pathway converges with the methylation-dependent pathway at or before the CheA protein.

Taylor, Barry L.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Hypergravity signal transduction in HeLa cells with concomitant phosphorylation of proteins immunoprecipitated with anti-microtubule-associated protein antibodies

It is shown that hypergravity (35g) stimulates the production of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3) and decreases adenosine 3-prime,5-prime-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) levels in HeLa cells. It is proposed that IP3 and cAMP may act as second messengers in hypergravity signal transduction. Phosphorylation of microtubule-associated proteins in both the detergent-soluble and -insoluble fractions suggests that cytoskeletal structures may be influenced by gravity.

Kumei, Yasuhiro↗
NASA NTRS1994

Comparative transduction mechanisms of hair cells in the bullfrog utriculus. 1: Responses to intracellular current

Hair cells in the bullfrog sacculus are specifically adapted to sense small-amplitude, high-frequency linear accelerations. These hair cells display many properties that are undesirable or inappropriate for hair cells that must provide static gravity sensitivity. This study resulted in part due to an interest in seeing how the transduction mechanisms of hair cells in a gravity-sensing otolith endorgan would differ from those in the bullfrog sacculus. The bullfrog utriculus is an appropriate model for these studies, because its structure is representative of higher vertebrates in general and its function as a sensor of static gravity and dynamic linear acceleration is well known. Hair cells in the bullfrog utriculus, classifiable as Type 2 by cell body and synapse morphology, differ markedly in hair bundle morphology from those in the bullfrog sacculus. Moreover, the hair bundle morphologies of utricular hair cells, unlike those in the sacculus, differ in different membrane regions.

Baird, Richard A.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Comparative transduction mechanisms of hair cells in the bullfrog uticulus. 2: Sensitivity and response dynamics to hair bundle displacement

The present study was motivated by an interest in seeing whether hair cell types in the bullfrog utriculus might differ in their voltage responses to hair bundle displacement. Particular interest was in assessing the contributions of two factors to the responses of utricular hair cells. First, interest in examining the effect of hair bundle morphology on the sensitivity of hair cells to natural stimulation was motivated by the observation that vestibular hair cells, unlike many auditory hair cells, are not free-standing but rather linked to an accessory cupular or otolithic membrane via the tip of their kinocilium. Interest also laid in examining the contribution, if any, of adaptation to the response properties of utricular hair cells. Hair cells in auditory and vibratory inner ear endorgans adapt to maintained displacements of their hair bundles, sharply limiting their low frequency sensitivity. This adaptation is mediated by a shift in the displacement-response curve (DRC) of the hair cell along the displacement axis. Observations suggest that the adaptation process occurs within the hair bundle and precedes mechanoelectric transduction. Recent observations of time-dependent changes in hair bundle stiffness are consistent with this conclusion. Adaptation would be expected to be most useful in inner ear endorgans in which hair cells are subject to large static displacements that could potentially saturate their instantaneous response and compromise their sensitivity to high frequency stimulation. The adaptation process also permits hair cells to maintain their sensory hair bundle in the most sensitive portion of their DRC. In vestibular otolith organs in which static sensitivity is desirable, any adaptation process in the hair cells may be undesirable. The rate and extent of the decline of the voltage responses was measured of utricular hair cells to step and sinusoidal hair bundle displacements. Then for similar resting potentials and response amplitudes, the voltage responses of individual hair cells were compared to both hair bundle displacement and intracellular current.

Baird, Richard A.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Gravitational Effects on Signal Transduction

An understanding of the mechanisms by which individual cells perceive gravity and how these cells transduce and respond to gravitational stimuli is critical for the development of long-term manned space flight experiments. We now propose to use a well-characterized model erythroid cell system and to investigate gravitational perturbations of its erythropoietin (Epo) signaling pathway and gene regulation. Cells will be grown at 1-G and in simulated microgravity in the NASA Rotating Wall Vessel bioreactor (RWV). Cell growth and differentiation, the Epo-receptor, the protein kinase C pathway to the c-myc gene, and the protein phosphatase pathway to the c-myb gene will be studied and evaluated as reporters of gravitational stimuli. The results of these experiments will have impact on the problems of 1) gravitational sensing by individual cells, and 2) the anemia of space flight. This ground-based study also will serve as a Space Station Development Study in gravitational effects on intracellular signal transduction.

Sytkowski, Arthur J.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Cellerator: extending a computer algebra system to include biochemical arrows for signal transduction simulations

Cellerator describes single and multi-cellular signal transduction networks (STN) with a compact, optionally palette-driven, arrow-based notation to represent biochemical reactions and transcriptional activation. Multi-compartment systems are represented as graphs with STNs embedded in each node. Interactions include mass-action, enzymatic, allosteric and connectionist models. Reactions are translated into differential equations and can be solved numerically to generate predictive time courses or output as systems of equations that can be read by other programs. Cellerator simulations are fully extensible and portable to any operating system that supports Mathematica, and can be indefinitely nested within larger data structures to produce highly scaleable models.

Non-NASA Center↗
NASA NTRS2002

Mutations in the gravity persistence signal loci in Arabidopsis disrupt the perception and/or signal transduction of gravitropic stimuli

Gravity plays a fundamental role in plant growth and development, yet little is understood about the early events of gravitropism. To identify genes affected in the signal perception and/or transduction phase of the gravity response, a mutant screen was devised using cold treatment to delay the gravity response of inflorescence stems of Arabidopsis. Inflorescence stems of Arabidopsis show no response to gravistimulation at 4 degrees C for up to 3 h. However, when gravistimulated at 4 degrees C and then returned to vertical at room temperature (RT), stems bend in response to the previous, horizontal gravistimulation (H. Fukaki, H. Fujisawa, M. Tasaka [1996] Plant Physiology 110: 933-943). This indicates that gravity perception, but not the gravitropic response, occurs at 4 degrees C. Recessive mutations were identified at three loci using this cold effect on gravitropism to screen for gravity persistence signal (gps) mutants. All three mutants had an altered response after gravistimulation at 4 degrees C, yet had phenotypically normal responses to stimulations at RT. gps1-1 did not bend in response to the 4 degrees C gravity stimulus upon return to RT. gps2-1 responded to the 4 degrees C stimulus but bent in the opposite direction. gps3-1 over-responded after return to RT, continuing to bend to an angle greater than wild-type plants. At 4 degrees C, starch-containing statoliths sedimented normally in both wild-type and the gps mutants, but auxin transport was abolished at 4 degrees C. These results are consistent with GPS loci affecting an aspect of the gravity signal perception/transduction pathway that occurs after statolith sedimentation, but before auxin transport.

NASA Discipline Plant Biology↗