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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 649 records · Page 36

The contribution of BvgR, RisA, and RisS to global gene regulation, intracellular cyclic-di-GMP levels, motility, and biofilm formation in Bordetella bronchiseptica

Bordetella bronchiseptica is a highly contagious respiratory bacterial veterinary pathogen. In this study the contribution of the transcriptional regulators BvgR, RisA, RisS, and the phosphorylation of RisA to global gene regulation, intracellular cyclic-di-GMP levels, motility, and biofilm formation were evaluated. Next Generation Sequencing (RNASeq) was used to differentiate the global gene regulation of both virulence-activated and virulence-repressed genes by each of these factors. The BvgAS system, along with BvgR, RisA, and the phosphorylation of RisA served in cyclic-di-GMP degradation. BvgR and unphosphorylated RisA were found to temporally regulate motility. Additionally, BvgR, RisA, and RisS were found to be required for biofilm formation.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Higher-order symmetry plane correlations in Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 5.02 TeV

The correlations between event-by-event fluctuations of symmetry planes are measured in Pb-Pb collisions at a center-of-mass energy per nucleon pair $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 5.02 TeV recorded by the ALICE detector at the Large Hadron Collider. This analysis is conducted using the Gaussian estimator technique, which is insensitive to biases from correlations between different flow amplitudes. The study presents, for the first time, the centrality dependence of correlations involving up to five different symmetry planes. The correlation strength varies depending on the harmonic order of the symmetry plane and the collision centrality. Comparisons with measurements from lower energies indicate no significant differences within uncertainties. Additionally, the results are compared with hydrodynamic model calculations. Although the model predictions provide a qualitative explanation of the experimental results, they overestimate the data for some observables. This is particularly true for correlators that are sensitive to the nonlinear response of the medium to initial-state anisotropies in the collision system. As these new correlators provide unique information—independent of flow amplitudes—their usage in future model developments can further constrain the properties of the strongly interacting matter created in ultrarelativistic heavy-ion collisions.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Fermi Large Area Telescope Fourth Source Catalog

We present the fourth Fermi Large Area Telescope catalog (4FGL) of γ-ray sources. Based on the first eight years of science data from the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope mission in the energy range from 50 MeV to 1 TeV, it is the deepest yet in this energy range. Relative to the 3FGL catalog, the 4FGL catalog has twice as much exposure as well as a number of analysis improvements, including an updated model for the Galactic diffuse γ-ray emission, and two sets of light curves (one-year and two-month intervals). The 4FGL catalog includes 5064 sources above 4σ significance, for which we provide localization and spectral properties. Seventy-five sources are modeled explicitly as spatially extended, and overall, 358 sources are considered as identified based on angular extent, periodicity, or correlated variability observed at other wavelengths. For 1336 sources, we have not found plausible counterparts at other wavelengths. More than 3130 of the identified or associated sources are active galaxies of the blazar class, and 239 are pulsars.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Neutrino interaction vertex reconstruction in DUNE with Pandora deep learning

The Pandora Software Development Kit and algorithm libraries perform reconstruction of neutrino interactions in liquid argon time projection chamber detectors. Pandora is the primary event reconstruction software used at the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment, which will operate four large-scale liquid argon time projection chambers at the far detector site in South Dakota, producing high-resolution images of charged particles emerging from neutrino interactions. While these high-resolution images provide excellent opportunities for physics, the complex topologies require sophisticated pattern recognition capabilities to interpret signals from the detectors as physically meaningful objects that form the inputs to physics analyses. A critical component is the identification of the neutrino interaction vertex. Subsequent reconstruction algorithms use this location to identify the individual primary particles and ensure they each result in a separate reconstructed particle. A new vertex-finding procedure described in this article integrates a U-ResNet neural network performing hit-level classification into the multi-algorithm approach used by Pandora to identify the neutrino interaction vertex. The machine learning solution is seamlessly integrated into a chain of pattern-recognition algorithms. The technique substantially outperforms the previous BDT-based solution, with a more than 20% increase in the efficiency of sub-1 cm vertex reconstruction across all neutrino flavours.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

X-ray diffraction at the National Ignition Facility

We report details of an experimental platform implemented at the National Ignition Facility to obtain in situ powder diffraction data from solids dynamically compressed to extreme pressures. Thin samples are sandwiched between tamper layers and ramp compressed using a gradual increase in the drive-laser irradiance. Pressure history in the sample is determined using high-precision velocimetry measurements. Up to two independently timed pulses of x rays are produced at or near the time of peak pressure by laser illumination of thin metal foils. The quasi-monochromatic x-ray pulses have a mean wavelength selectable between 0.6 Å and 1.9 Å depending on the foil material. The diffracted signal is recorded on image plates with a typical 2 θ x-ray scattering angle uncertainty of about 0.2° and resolution of about 1°. Analytic expressions are reported for systematic corrections to 2 θ due to finite pinhole size and sample offset. A new variant of a nonlinear background subtraction algorithm is described, which has been used to observe diffraction lines at signal-to-background ratios as low as a few percent. Variations in system response over the detector area are compensated in order to obtain accurate line intensities; this system response calculation includes a new analytic approximation for image-plate sensitivity as a function of photon energy and incident angle. This experimental platform has been used up to 2 TPa (20 Mbar) to determine the crystal structure, measure the density, and evaluate the strain-induced texturing of a variety of compressed samples spanning periods 2–7 on the periodic table.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

Single-Photon-Induced Electron Spin Polarization of Two Exchange-Coupled Stable Radicals

Transient electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy has been used to probe photoinduced electron spin polarization of a stable exchange-coupled organic biradical in a Pt(II) complex comprising 4,4'-di-tert-butyl-2,2'-bipyridine (bpy) and 3,6-bis(ethynyl-para-phenyl-nitronyl nitroxide)-o-catecholate (CAT(o-C$\equiv$C-Ph-NN) 2 ). Photoexcitation results in four unpaired spins in excited states of this complex, with spins being localized on each of the two radicals, CAT •+ and bpy •– . The four spins are all exchange-coupled in these excited states, and an off-diagonal matrix element in the CAT •+ -NN exchange allows for exchange-enhanced intersystem crossing to the 3 T 1a state, which possesses (bpy •– )Pt(CAT •+ ) chromophoric triplet character. Further, fast mixing between this 3 T 1a state and other thermally accessible excited LL'CT state(s) followed by fast relaxation provides spin polarization of the exchange-coupled NN radicals in the 3 S 0 ground state of the complex. Our results demonstrate that well-defined quantum states of a ground-state biradical can be initialized with single-photon excitation and have the potential for further spin manipulation directed toward quantum information science applications.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

The DOE E3SM Model Version 2: Overview of the Physical Model and Initial Model Evaluation

Abstract This work documents version two of the Department of Energy's Energy Exascale Earth System Model (E3SM). E3SMv2 is a significant evolution from its predecessor E3SMv1, resulting in a model that is nearly twice as fast and with a simulated climate that is improved in many metrics. We describe the physical climate model in its lower horizontal resolution configuration consisting of 110 km atmosphere, 165 km land, 0.5° river routing model, and an ocean and sea ice with mesh spacing varying between 60 km in the mid‐latitudes and 30 km at the equator and poles. The model performance is evaluated with Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 Diagnosis, Evaluation, and Characterization of Klima simulations augmented with historical simulations as well as simulations to evaluate impacts of different forcing agents. The simulated climate has many realistic features of the climate system, with notable improvements in clouds and precipitation compared to E3SMv1. E3SMv1 suffered from an excessively high equilibrium climate sensitivity (ECS) of 5.3 K. In E3SMv2, ECS is reduced to 4.0 K which is now within the plausible range based on a recent World Climate Research Program assessment. However, a number of important biases remain including a weak Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, deficiencies in the characteristics and spectral distribution of tropical atmospheric variability, and a significant underestimation of the observed warming in the second half of the historical period. An analysis of single‐forcing simulations indicates that correcting the historical temperature bias would require a substantial reduction in the magnitude of the aerosol‐related forcing.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

The ePIC dual-radiator RICH detector

The dual radiator Ring Imaging Cherenkov (dRICH) detector is required to provide continuous hadron identification from ≈3 GeV/c up to ≈50 GeV/c, and to supplement electron and positron identification from a few hundred MeV/c up to about 15 GeV/c, in the forward (ion-side) end-cap of the ePIC experiment. Such an extended momentum range imposes the use of two radiators, gas and aerogel. The common imaging system, that ensures compactness and cost-effectiveness, is based on SiPM sensors to work in a high non-uniform magnetic field. During the R&D phase, the dual radiator principle and the single component performance have been validated. A status overview of the project is presented. The design and technological choices are discussed together with the results obtained from laboratory characterization of the component demonstrators and beam tests of the evolving prototypes.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

First measurement of symmetric cumulants of hexagonal flow harmonics in Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 5.02 TeV

Correlations between event-by-event fluctuations of anisotropic flow harmonics are measured in Pb-Pb collisions at a center-of-mass energy per nucleon pair of 5.02 TeV, as recorded by the ALICE detector at the LHC. This study presents correlations up to the hexagonal flow harmonic 𝑣 6 , which was measured for the first time. The magnitudes of these higher-order correlations are found to vary as a function of collision centrality and harmonic order. These measurements are compared to viscous hydrodynamic model calculations with EKRT initial conditions and to the iEBE-VISHNU model with T R ⁢ENTo initial conditions. The observed discrepancies between the data and the model calculations vary depending on the harmonic combinations. Due to the sensitivity of model parameters estimated with Bayesian analyses to these higher-order observables, the results presented in this work provide new and independent constraints on the initial conditions and transport properties in theoretical models used to describe the system created in heavy-ion collisions.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

The Martini 3 Lipidome: Expanded and Refined Parameters Improve Lipid Phase Behavior

Lipid membranes are central to cellular life. Complementing experiments, computational modeling has been essential in unraveling complex lipid-biomolecule interactions, crucial in both academia and industry. The Martini model, a coarse-grained force field for efficient molecular dynamics simulations, is widely used to study membrane phenomena but has faced limitations, particularly in capturing realistic lipid phase behavior. Here, we present refined Martini 3 lipid models with a mapping scheme that distinguishes lipid tails that differ by just two carbon atoms, enhancing the structural resolution and thermodynamic accuracy of model membrane systems including ternary mixtures. The expanded Martini lipid library includes thousands of models, enabling simulations of complex and biologically relevant systems. These advancements establish Martini as a robust platform for lipid-based simulations across diverse fields.

Lipids↗

Photoproduction of two charged pions off protons in the resonance region

Photoproduction of charged pions pairs off protons is studied within the invariant masses of the final state hadrons from 1.6 to 2.4 GeV at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility with the CLAS detector. The total and differential cross sections and spin-density matrix elements are presented for the isobars pρ 0 (770), Δ(1232) ++ π − , and Δ(1232) 0 π + . The data are included in the Bonn-Gatchina coupled-channel analysis and provide the information necessary to determine the branching fractions of Nρ(770) decays for most known N* and Δ* resonances. For the first time, the Nρ branching ratios are obtained here from an event-based likelihood to γp → π + π − p.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

GRB 221009A: The B.O.A.T. Burst that Shines in Gamma Rays

We present a complete analysis of Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) data of GRB 221009A, the brightest gamma-ray burst (GRB) ever detected. The burst emission above 30 MeV detected by the LAT preceded, by 1 s, the low-energy (<10 MeV) pulse that triggered the Fermi Gamma-Ray Burst Monitor (GBM), as has been observed in other GRBs. The prompt phase of GRB 221009A lasted a few hundred seconds. It was so bright that we identify a bad time interval of 64 s caused by the extremely high flux of hard X-rays and soft gamma rays, during which the event reconstruction efficiency was poor and the dead time fraction quite high. The late-time emission decayed as a power law, but the extrapolation of the late-time emission during the first 450 s suggests that the afterglow started during the prompt emission. We also found that high-energy events observed by the LAT are incompatible with synchrotron origin, and, during the prompt emission, are more likely related to an extra component identified as synchrotron self-Compton (SSC). A remarkable 400 GeV photon, detected by the LAT 33 ks after the GBM trigger and directionally consistent with the location of GRB 221009A, is hard to explain as a product of SSC or TeV electromagnetic cascades, and the process responsible for its origin is uncertain. Because of its proximity and energetic nature, GRB 221009A is an extremely rare event.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Search for K + decays to a muon and invisible particles

The NA62 experiment at CERN reports searches for K + → μ + N and K + → μ + ν X decays, where N and X are massive invisible particles, using the 2016–2018 data set. The N particle is assumed to be a heavy neutral lepton, and the results are expressed as upper limits of O ( 10 - 8 ) of the neutrino mixing parameter | U μ 4 | 2 for N masses in the range 200–384 MeV/ c 2 and lifetime exceeding 50 ns. The X particle is considered a scalar or vector hidden sector mediator decaying to an invisible final state, and upper limits of the decay branching fraction for X masses in the range 10–370 MeV/ c 2 are reported for the first time, ranging from O ( 10 - 5 ) to O ( 10 - 7 ) . An improved upper limit of 1.0 × 10 - 6 is established at 90% CL on the K + → μ + ν ν ν ¯ branching fraction.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Facile synthesis of epoxide-co-propylene sulphide polymers with compositional and architectural control

Here, we present a facile method to produce propylene sulphide (PS) homopolymers up to 100 kg mol -1 and PS-epoxide statistical, block, and ABA copolymers using inexpensive and versatile thio-aluminium (SAl) based initiators. Homopolymerizations of PS with SAl initiators are living and controlled, with number averaged molecular weights ($\bar M$ n ) up to 100 kg mol -1 while maintaining narrow polydispersity (Ð < 1.4). Statistical and block copolymers of PS and epichlorohydrin (ECH) or propylene oxide (PO) are synthesized and characterized by size-exclusion chromatography (SEC), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), 1 H and 13 C NMR spectroscopy, diffusion ordered spectroscopy (DOSY), and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). This work represents the first statistical copolymerization of PS and epoxides with similar reactivity ratios, allowing fine control over composition. Block-copolymers of PS and epoxides are synthesized by sequential addition, without intermediate preparative steps. Polymer architecture is controlled through modification of the initiator; we synthesized a di-functional (d-H) SAl initiator to produce ABA tri-block-copolymers. Finally, poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) was used as a macroinitiator to create PEG-b-PPS block copolymers and characterized by 1 H, 13 C NMR spectroscopy, DOSY, DSC, and SEC.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

A Metal‐Organic Framework with Nonpolar Pore Surfaces for the One‐Step Acquisition of C 2 H 4 from a C 2 H 4 and C 2 H 6 Mixture

Abstract Because C 2 H 4 plays an essential role in the chemical industry, economical and energy‐efficient separation of ethylene (C 2 H 4 ) from ethane (C 2 H 6 ) is extremely important. With the exception of energy‐intensive cryogenic distillation, there are few one‐step methods to obtain polymer‐grade (≥99.95 % pure) C 2 H 4 from C 2 H 4 /C 2 H 6 mixtures. Here we report a highly stable metal‐organic‐framework (MOF) FJI‐H11‐Me(des) (FJI‐H=Hong's group in Fujian Institute of Research on the Structure of Matter) which features one‐dimensional hexagonal nonpolar pore surfaces constructed by aromatic rings and alkyl groups. This FJI‐H11‐Me(des) adsorbs C 2 H 6 rather than C 2 H 4 between 273 and 303 K. Practical breakthrough experiments with C 2 H 4 containing 1 % C 2 H 6 have shown that FJI‐H11‐Me(des) can realize the acquisition in one‐step of polymer‐grade, 99.95 % pure C 2 H 4 under various conditions including different gas flow rates, temperatures and relative humidity.

Di, Zhengyi↗

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↗