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At least 73 records · Page 4

The cardiac molecular setting of metabolic syndrome in pigs reveals disease susceptibility and suggests mechanisms that exacerbate COVID-19 outcomes in patients

Abstract Although metabolic syndrome (MetS) is linked to an elevated risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), the cardiac-specific risk mechanism is unknown. Obesity, hypertension, and diabetes (all MetS components) are the most common form of CVD and represent risk factors for worse COVID-19 outcomes compared to their non MetS peers. Here, we use obese Yorkshire pigs as a highly relevant animal model of human MetS, where pigs develop the hallmarks of human MetS and reproducibly mimics the myocardial pathophysiology in patients. Myocardium-specific mass spectroscopy-derived metabolomics, proteomics, and transcriptomics enabled the identity and quality of proteins and metabolites to be investigated in the myocardium to greater depth. Myocardium-specific deregulation of pro-inflammatory markers, propensity for arterial thrombosis, and platelet aggregation was revealed by computational analysis of differentially enriched pathways between MetS and control animals. While key components of the complement pathway and the immune response to viruses are under expressed, key N6-methyladenosin RNA methylation enzymes are largely overexpressed in MetS. Blood tests do not capture the entirety of metabolic changes that the myocardium undergoes, making this analysis of greater value than blood component analysis alone. Our findings create data associations to further characterize the MetS myocardium and disease vulnerability, emphasize the need for a multimodal therapeutic approach, and suggests a mechanism for observed worse outcomes in MetS patients with COVID-19 comorbidity.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

Automated Redox Titrations via Interdigitated Electrode Arrays: Application to the Mediated Electron Transfer Interrogation of Charge and Rate on Electrodeposited Polymers

Mediated electron transfer (MET) plays a crucial role in energy storage and conversion technologies such as redox targeting flow batteries (RTFBs), yet its experimental investigation often requires labor-intensive and low-throughput setups. To address this, we developed a microfabricated interdigitated electrode array (IDA) platform that enables automated, high-throughput electrochemical redox titration measurement to be performed to study the MET process. Our redox titration method enables simultaneous measurement of the charge capacity and rate of MET processes on a material or surface. Automated redox titration (ART) facilitates systematic investigation of the MET process across a broad parameter space, exemplified through the study of polypyrrole (PPy) and a pyrene-4,5,9,10-tetrone azo group-based polymer (PTAP), both redox-active polymers relevant to various energy storage applications. Using PPy as a model material, 500 redox titration measurements were conducted within 50 h, varying the electrode gap widths, polymer charging potentials, voltammetric scan rates, and electrolyte concentrations. Finite-element simulations confirmed the electrochemical responses and elucidated the kinetics of the MET reactions. Our automated methodology was further tested with PTAP, revealing a surprising charging potential dependence on the rate of MET. The automation, flexibility, and scalability of our redox titration platform pave the way not only for advanced studies of MET processes relevant to RTFBs, but also with implications in the understanding of next-generation energy storage materials, molecular electrocatalysis, and biosensing.

electrochemical analysis↗

HEU Pancake (Jemima) Plate Preliminary Characterization Report

The HEU pancake (Jemima) plates have been used in multiple International Criticality Safety Benchmark Evaluation Project (ICSBEP) evaluations, including: HEU-MET-FAST-072, HEU-MET-FAST-073, HEU MET-FAST-102, HEU-MET-INTER-006, HEU-MET-INTER-011, HEU-MET-MIXED-021, and IEU MET-FAST-025. This report only focuses on the physical dimension characterization, since concerns have been identified about reliable diameter and height measurements. Historically, height measurements with calipers and mass measurements have been performed for every plate. However, the combination of previous measurements (mass and caliper height measurements) with the drawing dimensions for the diameters led to unrealistic densities (>19 g/cm 3 ) or large ranges of densities for parts that were manufactured at the same time (17 g/cm 3 to >19 g/cm 3 ). Due to the oxidation of the plates, questions about the flatness of each plate and what gaps are introduced into the system have been discussed, since gaps tend to be one of the largest sources of uncertainty in stacked benchmark experiments. The purpose of this report is to characterize a subset of this commonly used fuel. A uniform method for how to define the HEU pancake plates for ICSBEP evaluations will also be proposed with a discussion on what measurements should be performed on the remaining HEU pancake plates in the NCERC inventory.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

Core cysteine residues in the Plasminogen-Apple-Nematode (PAN) domain are critical for HGF/c-MET signaling

The Plasminogen-Apple-Nematode (PAN) domain, with a core of four to six cysteine residues, is found in > 28,000 proteins across 959 genera. Still, its role in protein function is not fully understood. The PAN domain was initially characterized in numerous proteins, including HGF. Dysregulation of HGF-mediated signaling results in multiple deadly cancers. The binding of HGF to its cell surface receptor, c-MET, triggers all biological impacts. Here, we show that mutating four core cysteine residues in the HGF PAN domain reduces c-MET interaction, subsequent c-MET autophosphorylation, and phosphorylation of its downstream targets, perinuclear localization, cellular internalization of HGF, and its receptor, c-MET, and c-MET ubiquitination. Furthermore, transcriptional activation of HGF/c-MET signaling-related genes involved in cancer progression, invasion, metastasis, and cell survival were impaired. Thus, targeting the PAN domain of HGF may represent a mechanism for selectively regulating the binding and activation of the c-MET pathway.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Nuclear Data and Cross Section Testing Using ENDF/B-VIII.0

With the release of the Evaluated Nuclear Data File (ENDF)/B-VIII.0 library, nuclear criticality safety practitioners and engineers have access to the latest cross section sets available for their analyses. However, these cross sections must be rigorously tested and validated to ensure that the nuclear data are responsive to the needs of the individuals responsible for developing, implementing, and maintaining computational tools for criticality safety applications. Thus, the ENDF/B-VIII.0 library is tested and validated with a large collection of experiments that were vetted by the International Criticality Safety Benchmark Evaluation Project and made available in the International Handbook of Evaluated Criticality Safety Benchmark Experiments. A selection of benchmark experiments for use within the criticality safety community were prepared and reviewed within the Verified, Archived Library of Inputs and Data (VALID), which is maintained by the Nuclear Energy and Fuel Cycle Division at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The performance of the ENDF/B-VIII.0 library is assessed by using VALID models of benchmark experiments with the beta 12 version of SCALE 6.3 KENO V.a and KENO-VI Monte Carlo codes. The performance is compared with the results obtained from with the ENDF/B-VII.1 library. This report considers multigroup (MG) and continuous energy (CE) formats of the ENDF/B-VIII.0 and -VII.1 libraries. The benchmark experiments within VALID that validate the ENDF/B-VIII.0 library cover 15 broad system categories by using a range of fissile materials, uranium enrichments, plutonium isotopic vectors, and mixed uranium/plutonium systems. These forms are represented as metals, solutions, or various arrays of rods or plates that cover a variety of neutron energy spectra: thermal, fast, mixed, and intermediate. Over 600 cases were considered for use with the KENO V.a and KENO-VI codes with the ENDF/B-VIII.0 library. The results of the Monte Carlo comparison of ENDF/B-VIII.0 to ENDF/B-VII.1 with both KENO V.a and KENO-VI indicate that there is a less than 0.53% Δk difference between the bias of calculated k eff from the expected values. The CE ENDF/B-VIII.0 library results in smaller magnitude biases than the ENDF/B-VII.1 data for HEU-MET-FAST, HEU-SOL-THERM, IEU-MET-FAST, LEU-SOL-THERM, PU-SOL-THERM, and U233-MET-FAST systems, while the MG results yielded smaller magnitude biases for HEU-MET-FAST, HEU-SOL-THERM, IEU-MET-FAST, LEU-COMP-THERM, LEU-SOL THERM, MIX-COMP-FAST, and U233-MET-FAST systems. Most notable are the adjustments to the plutonium and 233 U cross section data, which has resulted in noticeably lower biases in the ENDF/B VIII.0 results for the mixed, plutonium, and 233 U systems. Results of the sensitivity data file comparison generated from TSUNAMI-3D for selected VALID cases for the ENDF/B-VIII.0 library indicate a very high level of agreement with correlation coefficients of the effect of nuclear data uncertainty on k eff (the c k integral parameter) all above 0.99. This indicates that cases with the ENDF/B-VIII.0 library would see very similar responses to any nuclear data errors or change as those with the ENDF/B-VII.1 library.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

Comprehensive Physical Activity Assessment During U.S. Army Basic Combat Training

Abstract Alemany, JA, Pierce, JR, Bornstein, DB, Grier, TL, Jones, BH, and Glover, SH. Comprehensive physical activity assessment during U.S. Army Basic Combat Training. J Strength Cond Res 36(12): 3505–3512, 2022—Physical activity (PA) volume, intensity, and qualitative contextual information regarding activity type and loads carried are limited during U.S. Army Basic Combat Training (BCT). The purpose of this study was to characterize daily (05:00–20:00 hours) PA during BCT using a comprehensive approach. During 2 10-week BCT cycles ( n = 40 trainees per cycle), pedometers, accelerometers, and direct observation were used to estimate daily step count, PA volume, and intensity. Physical activity intensity was categorized by metabolic equivalents (METs) such as “sedentary” (1–2 METs), “light” (2–3 METs), “moderate” (3–6 METs), or “vigorous” (≥6 METs). Daily PA data were analyzed longitudinally using linear mixed models, with significance set at p ≤ 0.05. The mean daily step count was 13,459 ± 4,376 steps, and the mean daily accelerometer-assessed PA volume and intensity were as follows: sedentary: 505 ± 98 minutes, light: 190 ± 78 minutes, moderate: 168 ± 51 minutes, and vigorous: 14 ± 14 minutes, with no differences between cycles for all measures ( p > 0.50). Cumulative time on feet (∼50%) and sitting (20–25%) accounted for most daily activity types during both cycles. Trainees, on average, carried between 3 and 9 kg, and ≥9 kg, for 60% and 10% of the monitored day, respectively. Basic Combat Training's physical demands are high, where trainees achieved 1.7 to 2.7 times greater daily ambulation and 6 times the recommended weekly moderate-to-vigorous PA compared with civilian counterparts and performed weight-bearing load carriage for nearly half of the day. Basic Combat Training-associated PA may increase injury risk among trainees unaccustomed to arduous PA and exercise. Implementing national PA policies to improve physical fitness and facilitate acclimatization to BCT's high physical demands could reduce public health burdens and military nonreadiness.

Sport Sciences↗

Why Lady Godiva Should be Replaced as the Default Validation Experiment for U-235 Nuclear Data

For the past seven decades the Lady Godiva benchmark (HEU-MET-FAST-001) has been the primary experiment used for 235 U nuclear data validation. The papers associated with large nuclear data library releases such as ENDF/B-VII.1 and ENDF/B-VIII.0 refer to it frequently. The reasons why HEU-MET-FAST-001 has been used as the primary validation experiment for 235 U nuclear data validation will be discussed in the following section. However, as discussed among the benchmark community, the standards associated with International Criticality Safety Benchmark Evaluation Project (ICSBEP) evaluations have changed throughout time; this is subject of the OECD/NEA WPEC (Working Party on Nuclear Criticality Safety) Subgroup 8. HEU-MET-FAST-001 is an older benchmark (issued during the inaugural year of ICSBEP in 1996 with only minor revisions occurring since then) and (along with many of the other benchmarks from this era) does not meet the standards for a modern benchmark. This work explores why HEU-MET-FAST-001 is useful for 235 U nuclear data validation and discusses other alternative validation experiments.

07 ISOTOPE AND RADIATION SOURCES↗

Magnetoelastic transition and magnetocaloric effect in induction melted Fe 100-x Rh x bulk alloys with x = 50, 51

Magnetoelastic transitions (METs) in bulk in nearly equiatomic Fe-Rh alloys produced by arc melting may show poor reproducibility related to insufficient chemical homogeneity and presence of impurity phases in variable concentrations. To better understand the synthesis conditions that reliably yield bulk FeRh materials with reproducible MET characteristics, Fe 100-x Rh x alloys with x = 50, 50.5 and 51 at. % were prepared by induction melting and thermal annealing under identical conditions. The fabricated samples were cut into several slices, followed by characterization of METs in each of the slices using isothermal and isofield magnetization measurements, differential scanning calorimetry, and direct measurements of the magnetocaloric effect. All of the slices exhibit METs between the AFM and FM states, but the transitions are abrupt with nearly the same change of magnetization, ΔM, when x = 50.5 and 51, whereas for the x = 50 alloy the transition spreads over a wide temperature interval and ΔM may fluctuate by as much as 10 % from one specimen to another. A comparison of the magnetocaloric responses of x = 50 and 51 materials is presented. The clearly different effect of the magnetic field on the transition in both directions leads to significant differences in the reversibility and maximum values of the magnetic field-induced entropy and adiabatic temperature changes, as well as average hysteresis losses. In terms of reproducibility, our results suggest that induction melting is a more appropriate technique to prepare these binary alloys.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Large eddy simulation of atmospheric boundary layer flow over complex terrain in comparison with RANS simulation and on-site measurements under neutral stability condition

Large eddy simulation (LES) of the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) flow over complex terrain is presented with a validation using meteorological tower (met-tower) data through an improved neutral stability sampling approach. The proposed stability sampling procedure includes a condition based on the most-likely occurrence time-periods of the neutral ABL and reduces the variabilities of the conditional wind statistics calculated at the met-towers in comparison to our previous work. The ABL flow simulations are carried out over a potential wind site with a prominent hill based using the OpenFOAM-based simulator for on/off-shore wind farm applications by applying the Lagrangian-averaged scale-invariant dynamic sub-grid scale turbulence model. A low-dissipative scale-selective discretization scheme for the non-linear convection term in the LES governing equation is adopted implicitly to ensure both the second-order accuracy and bounded solution. The LES inflow is generated through a precursor method with a “tiling” approach based on the flow driving parameters obtained from a corresponding Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) simulation. Overall, the averaged wind velocity profiles predicted by the LES approach at all met-tower locations show a similar tendency as the RANS results, which are also in reasonable agreement with the met-tower data. An obvious difference in wind speed standard deviation profiles is seen between LES and RANS, especially at regions downstream of the hill edge, where the LES shows under-predicted results at the highest measurement levels in comparison to the tower data. The computational costs of the LES are found to be about 20 times higher than the RANS simulations.

Energy & Fuels↗

Updated Godiva-IV Benchmark Preview

A note of errata prepended to the Godiva-IV delayed-critical benchmark (HEU-MET-FAST- 086) identifies two corrections to be made to the model: The glory hole in the spindle should be made larger, and the height of the safety block should be made smaller (and therefore its density made larger). In addition, the safety block at its full-in position is closer to the inner subassembly plate than was modeled in the benchmark. These changes have been made to HEU-MET-FAST-086 Case 4 in order to estimate the effect on $\kappa$ eff and on the neutron flux spectrum. Using smaller separation, a smaller safety block, and a larger glory hole caused keff to increase by 453 ± 1 pcm from the benchmark. The latest nuclear data, ENDF/B-VIII.0, have also been used, causing $\kappa$ eff to increase another 37 ± 1 pcm. Flux spectra were compared in a modeled fission foil (near the center of Godiva-IV in the glory hole) and at three external (point) detectors. Within the fission foil, using ENDF/B-VIII.0 induced changes in the flux spectrum similar in size to the changes due to using smaller separation, a smaller safety block, and a larger glory hole. At the detectors, using ENDF/B- VIII.0 induced changes in the flux spectrum much larger than those due to changing the model. In other words, the corrections to the benchmark model cause a large increase in $\kappa$ eff , but the changes to the neutron flux spectrum are small compared to those caused by using the latest nuclear data. This study presents a preview of results expected during the reevaluation of the Godiva IV benchmark, but it is not a substitute for the full reevaluation.A note of errata prepended to the Godiva-IV delayed-critical benchmark (HEU-MET-FAST- 086) identifies two corrections to be made to the model: The glory hole in the spindle should be made larger, and the height of the safety block should be made smaller (and therefore its density made larger). In addition, the safety block at its full-in position is closer to the inner subassembly plate than was modeled in the benchmark. These changes have been made to HEU-MET-FAST-086 Case 4 in order to estimate the effect on $\kappa$ eff and on the neutron flux spectrum. Using smaller separation, a smaller safety block, and a larger glory hole caused $\kappa$ eff to increase by 453 ± 1 pcm from the benchmark. The latest nuclear data, ENDF/B-VIII.0, have also been used, causing $\kappa$ eff to increase another 37 ± 1 pcm. Flux spectra were compared in a modeled fission foil (near the center of Godiva-IV in the glory hole) and at three external (point) detectors. Within the fission foil, using ENDF/B-VIII.0 induced changes in the flux spectrum similar in size to the changes due to using smaller separation, a smaller safety block, and a larger glory hole. At the detectors, using ENDF/B- VIII.0 induced changes in the flux spectrum much larger than those due to changing the model. In other words, the corrections to the benchmark model cause a large increase in $\kappa$ eff , but the changes to the neutron flux spectrum are small compared to those caused by using the latest nuclear data. This study presents a preview of results expected during the reevaluation of the Godiva IV benchmark, but it is not a substitute for the full reevaluation.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Nonsteady Load Responses to Mountain-Generated Turbulence Eddies on the DOE 1.5 MW Wind Turbine at the National Wind Technology Center

Field data collected from the NREL/GE 1.5MW wind turbine and met tower at the NREL Wind Technology Center near Boulder, Colorado from June-October 2018 were analyzed to quantify the impacts of turbulence eddies on the load responses measured from sensors on the main shaft, blade and tower. The passage of individual mountain-generated eddies from the met tower to the wind turbine were critically determined by correlating the optimal time shifts in signal between met tower and nacelle anemometers with mean advection time. Loading responses from mountain eddy passage were compared with atmospheric eddies from the north/south, unimpeded by the mountains, and found to be similar. Whereas time variations in torque were highly correlated with time changes in horizontal eddy velocity, the out-of-plane bending moments on the main shaft (directly forcing the main bearing) were uncorrelated with horizontal eddy velocity. This result is consistent with a previous LES study indicating that the main bearing is forced by asymmetrical interactions between the rotor and turbulence eddies, while power fluctuations respond primarily to advective eddy velocity. Surprisingly, the nacelle anemometer produced statistics very similar to the met tower.

ENGINEERING,WIND ENERGY↗

2025 Intern Poster

The Hot Fuel Examination Facility (HFEF) at the Materials and Fuels Complex (MFC) houses the largest U.S. inert atmosphere hot cell for nuclear material research. Key features include the precision gamma scanning (PGS), Fuel Accident Condition Simulator (FACS), Neutron Radiography Reactor (NRAD), and the focus of this project, the Metallograph Loading Cell (MET Cell). The MET Cell performs tests on spent nuclear fuel, such as microhardness testing, microscopy, and neutron radiography. However, the MET Cell’s existing pressure and lighting control systems are outdated and inefficient, with inadequate documentation for system changes over time. This project aims to design a new automated control system for the MET Cell, ensuring longevity (minimum ten years), ease of troubleshooting/repair, and integration into the building monitoring system. The design process addressed challenges such as space restrictions, varied voltages within enclosures, sourcing new components, and security limitations. Compliance with NFPA 70, UL508A, MFC Physical Security, and INL Engineering standards was essential. The project involves repurposing an existing PLC to manage lighting and pressure control using digital and analog signals, simplifying wiring, and ensuring thorough documentation for future reference.

42 - ENGINEERING↗

The evolution of model Rh/Fe 3 O 4 (001) catalysts in hydrogen environments

Single metal atoms dispersed on oxides are a new emerging class of catalysts owing to their unique electronic and chemical properties. Here, in this study, we have prepared a series of model single-atom catalysts possessing well-characterized Rh sites that include Rh adatoms (Rh ad ), mixed surface layers with octahedrally-coordinated Rh (Rh oct ), as well as metallic Rh clusters and nanoparticles (Rh met ) on Fe 3 O 4 (001). Using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), we investigated the activity of such model systems towards H2 and their stability in reducing environments. Our results show that the atomically dispersed Rhad and Rhoct species do not activate H 2 , which would result in the formation of surface hydroxyls on Fe 3 O 4 (001). In contrast, the presence of Rh met in H 2 results in the formation of hydroxyls and subsequent etching of the Fe 3 O 4 (001) at higher temperatures (≥ 500 K) due to water formation via the Mars-van Krevelen mechanism. Additionally, such surface etching leads to the release of the Rh oct from the surface lattice and their sintering to Rh met . To bridge the material gap between the surface science models and high surface area catalysts, we perform parallel studies on powder Rh/Fe 3 O 4 catalysts. The XPS characterization shows remarkable similarities between these systems. Further, our surface science studies provide an atomistic picture of the behavior of high surface area catalysts in the H 2 atmosphere.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

The [4Fe-4S] Cluster of HydF Is Essential for [FeFe]-Hydrogenase Maturation

The organometallic H-cluster of the [FeFe]-hydrogenase is assembled in vivo through a complex process requiring the action of three dedicated maturation enzymes, HydG, HydE, and HydF, as well as the aminomethyl-lipoyl-H-protein (H met ) of the glycine cleavage system (GCS). Here we probe the role of HydF and its [4Fe-4S] cluster in [FeFe]-hydrogenase maturation by using a defined semisynthetic approach in which [Fe I 2 (μ-SH) 2 (CO) 4 (CN) 2 ] 2– ([2Fe] E ) is used to bypass HydE and HydG, and GCS components are used in place of cell lysate. We show that inclusion of the iron–sulfur carrier protein NfuA and the high-CO-affinity myoglobin variant Mb H64L provides dramatically improved hydrogenase activities up to 828 μmol/min/mg, equivalent to the best reported activities for Chlamydomonas reinhardtii [FeFe]-hydrogenase isolated from the native organism. Apo-HydF lacking a [4Fe-4S] cluster provides very little hydrogenase activity; however, full maturation is restored with the addition of NfuA, which we demonstrate reconstitutes the [4Fe-4S] cluster of HydF. In addition, a HydF variant lacking a [4Fe-4S] cluster by changing two cysteine ligands to alanine is completely unable to support either semisynthetic maturation using [2Fe] E , or full maturation using HydG and HydE, even in the presence of NfuA, demonstrating that the HydF [4Fe-4S] cluster is absolutely essential for [FeFe]-hydrogenase maturation. The possibility that the HydF [4Fe-4S] cluster plays a role in direct binding of [2Fe] E is negated by our results with the HydF D311C variant, which demonstrate that the labile Asp311 cluster ligand is not essential for [2Fe] E binding and HydA maturation. We therefore conclude that [2Fe]E binds HydF adjacent to, but not directly coordinated to, the [4Fe-4S] cluster. The HydF [4Fe-4S] cluster is proposed to be essential due to its impact on the [2Fe] E binding orientation and the ability of the HydF/[2Fe] E complex to form productive interactions with H met or the H met /T-protein complex during DTMA ligand biosynthesis.

cluster chemistry↗

Dataset: "Widespread Drought-driven Declines in Streamflows and Water quality in the Upper Colorado River Basin (1998-2022)"

This data package contains the associated data and scripts for Nagamoto, E., Ombadi, M., Ciulla, F. et al. Widespread drought-driven declines in streamflows and water quality in the Upper Colorado River Basin during 1998-2022. Commun Earth Environ 7, 734 (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-026-03890-5. This purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of the 21st century drought on water quantity and quality at catchments throughout the Upper Colorado River Basin (UCRB). We used stream flow, water temperature, specific conductance, air temperature, precipitation, and catchment attribute data for over 200 sites in the UCRB, collected from the National Water Information System using Basin3D (Varadharajan, 2023), GAGESII (Falcone, 2010), and the Google Earth Engine. We identified years of severe drought between 1998 and 2022 using the Standardized Precipitation Evaporation Index (SPEI), then calculated the relative change percentage of the stream flow, water temperature, and specific conductance from drought versus non-drought years. We used the attribute information from GAGESII to investigate what physical traits of catchments are associated streamflow vulnerability (greater relative change) or resilience to drought. We used land cover data from the National Land Cover Database (USGS, 2024) to assess any changes to physical attributes that may not be represented in the static attributes information in GAGESII. To increase data availability, we modeled stream temperature using methods from Willard, 2023. While the study period is water years 1998 to 2022, the raw water quantity and quality data extends to 1950 and the meteorological data extends to 1980. The data and code can be downloaded via the UCRB_drought.zip. Within the zip, the files are organized as follows: - INPUTS: Contains all input data used in UCRB_Drought_Workflow.ipynb - OUTPUTS: Contains all intermediate data created from UCRB_Drought_Workflow.ipynb as well as final products including the calculated Standardized Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) - climatic_variables: The code used to collect meteorologic data from Google Earth Engine - feature_importance: The code used for the catchment attributes analysis - preprocessing: Code used in UCRB_Drought_Workflow_Preprocessing.ipynb - pyeto: Code used in UCRB_Drought_Workflow_Preprocessing.ipynb - calculations: Code used in UCRB_Drought_Workflow_Impacts.ipynb - plotting: Code used in UCRB_Drought_Workflow_Impacts.ipynb - README.md - UCRB_Drought_Workflow_Preprocessing.ipynb: The code used to prep raw data for the analysis - UCRB_Drought_Workflow_Impact.ipynb: The code which uses the prepped raw data for analysis, and plots all figures - requirements_ucrb-drought_v2.yml: The requirements file to create a virtual environment and Jupyter Lab kernel to run the code The INPUTS folder is organized into the following major directories and sub-directories. The "RDC_WT_SC_RAW" folder contains raw data for streamflow, water temperature, and specific conductance in a ".h5" file. The "NLCD_RAW" folder contains ".csv" files with annual land cover percentages for counties within the UCRB. The "MET_RAW" folder contains a ".csv" file with monthly meteorological data (air temperature and precipitation) for the sites in the UCRB which was obtained from code in the climatic_variables folder. The "GAGESII" folder contains ".csv" files with physical catchment attribute variables for catchments across the country. The "WT_LSTM_data" folder contains ".csv" files with calculated WT (Willard, 2023) and the associated RMSEs. The "Upper_Colorado_River_Basin_Boundary" folder contains geographic data including a shapefile for plotting in the UCRB_Drought_Workflow.ipynb. The "RESERVOIRS_RAW" folder contains ".csv" files for each reservoir in the UCRB with daily reservoir storage. There are also two files in the INPUTS folder that have combined reservoir storage data and reservoir metadata. The OUTPUTS folder is organized into the following major directories and sub-directories. The "RDC_WT_SC_data" folder contains a folder "Water_year" with the associated cleaned data, metadata, and data availability information in ".csv" files, a folder "Median_Relchange" with the relative change comparing drought to non-drought years in ".csv" files, and a folder "Peak95_Min5_Relchange" that has ".csv" files for the relative change in peak (95th %) and minimum (5th %) variables. The "NLCD_data" folder contains the difference in land cover from the beginning to end of the study period and the percentage of the county that is within UCRB bounds can be found in Nagamoto et al (2025)). The "MET_data" folder contains separated monthly air temperature and precipitation data and the calculated PET in ".csv" files. The "SPEI_data" folder contains ".csv" files with calculated SPEI values (one restricted to the study period and the other with information from the entire MET data period). The "Paper_Tables" folder contains two ".csv" files containing site information and data availability and information about the GAGESII trait aggregated categories. The base directory includes the file “flmd.csv” for a list and description of all files and the file “dd.csv” for data dictionaries. Scripts for preprocessing, analysis, and figure generation are located in the associated GitHub repository found at [https://github.com/iNAIADS/drought-impacts/tree/develop/UCRB-drought]. UPDATE 1: Title and code file updated to match submitted manuscript 10-15-2025. UPDATE 2: Code and data files updated to match revised manuscript 3-4-2026. UPDATE 3: Code and data files updated to match revised manuscript 6-7-2026. ** NOTE: DD and FLMD have not been updated yet. UPDATE 4: Added associated Manuscript information and DD and FLMD have been updated. To cite this code, please use the following BibTeX: @misc{nagamoto2025drought, author = {Emily Nagamoto and Fabio Ciulla and Mohammad Ombadi and Jared Willard and Rosemary Carroll and Charuleka Varadharajan}, title = {Dataset: "Widespread Drought-driven Declines in Streamflows and Water quality in the Upper Colorado River Basin (1998-2022)"}, year = {2025}, doi = {10.15485/2551894}, publisher = {ESS-DIVE Repository}, url = {https://data.ess-dive.lbl.gov/datasets/doi:10.15485/2551894} }

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Dual Phase Soft Magnetic Laminates for Low-cost, Non/Reduced-Rare-Earth Containing Electrical Machines

To accelerate the mass market adoption of electric drive vehicles, the key technology barriers in electric motors are (1) magnet cost and rare-earth element price volatility; (2) non-rare-earth electric motor performance; and (3) materials property optimization. The goal of this project was to address these barriers by advancing a unique and innovative dual phase soft magnetic material technology and demonstrating the material in a 30-kW synchronous reluctance motor without using any permanent magnet for electric vehicles. Dual phase magnetic materials offer the electric motor designer the ability to locally control the magnetic saturation level in a motor laminate, while at the same time enhancing the mechanical strength of the laminate material, resulting in an enhancement in motor performance and efficiency. Scalable dual phase soft magnetic laminates manufacturing technologies were developed in collaboration with multiple US manufacturers. 1000 lbs of alloy sheet with a thickness of 0.25mm and width of 280 mm was manufactured within the specifications. Batch sizes of up to 240 laminates per run were produced from the alloy sheet. Two prototype motors with dual phase soft magnetic laminates were designed, built, and tested. The major goal of building the subscale prototype as a pathway to develop scalable manufacturing technologies for the dual phase soft magnetic laminates was met. The additional goal of building and testing the subscale prototype in order to validate the calculated performance with the tested motor performance was also met. For the full-scale 30kW continuous power synchronous reluctance motor prototype, the tested performance met the targets in terms of continuous power at the operating speeds up to 8000 rpm. Post-test studies were conducted and the root causes for the discrepancy between the predicted and tested peak power, continuous power at high speed range, and efficiency were identified. Further modeling study showed that the dual phase rotor machine has a 27% higher torque to active weight ratio than an equivalent performance silicon steel rotor machine. Application space and multiple discussions with traction motor and electric vehicle manufacturers for commercialization of the dual phase soft magnetic material technology were identified and conducted. An initial cost model was established based on the developed manufacturing technologies with the US manufacturers. Future paths for further cost reduction were identified, including increasing the market volume by broadening the applications of the dual phase soft magnetic laminate technology for electric machines in other energy sections such as oil & gas, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC), and power generation.

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗

Measured Performance of Over the Range Microwave Range Hoods

The California residential building code requires kitchen exhaust ventilation to protect indoor air quality. The requirement can be met with a kitchen exhaust fan or a range hood that conforms to airflow and sound specifications based on certified, standard test results. Appliances that integrate an exhaust fan with an over the range microwave (OTRs) are popular for their space saving utility; but for years there were none with the certified performance data required for building code compliance. This project, initiated during that period, aimed to evaluate OTR models found in new California homes and compare their performance to range hoods that minimally met code requirements. The study aimed to expand on limited information available about OTR performance with a particular focus on measuring the fraction of cooktop-generated air pollutants that are captured and removed by the exhaust devices, a parameter called “capture efficiency”. Airflow and capture efficiency (CE) were measured in a simulated kitchen in Berkeley Lab’s FLEXLAB facility. Airflows were measured using several variations of a balanced-pressure flow method (Walker et al. 2001) including a protocol that had been used in the California Healthy Efficient New Gas Homes (HENGH) field study. Measurements were made for six OTRs observed in the field study, including three with certified test results (published after the start of this project) for airflow and sound. Measurements were also made on two standard range hoods with comparable airflows and costs to the OTRs, when accounting for the microwave functionality. CE was measured using the CO 2 emitted from burners while heating pots of water (POW) as a tracer and calculating the ratio of added CO 2 in the exhaust flow over the total CO 2 generated from burning fuel. Results show that OTRs generally met the California code requirements for airflow, which are the same as those of the residential ventilation standard of ASHRAE. It was determined that the field protocol used in HENGH study homes was biased low by ~14% on average. The CE performance of OTRs tested in this study were consistent with those tested under controlled conditions in prior studies, showing CE increasing with airflow and being higher for emissions occurring at the back cooktop burner(s) compared with front burner emissions. The measured CE covered a range of 40% to 85% for the front burners and 60% to 100% for the back burners. The relationship of CE to airflow for OTRs was within the range of those found for standard range hoods in this study and prior studies, with the key caveat that OTRs appear to have more consistent CE performance for emissions on the front burner.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

LANL Meteorological Program Self-Assessment 2021 Update

This self-assessment, documented in Table 1, has shown that there has been continued significant progress achieved in meeting the intent of the 21 recommendations from the 2015 DMCC Assist Visit. Every year after the Assist Visit, the LANL Met Program has improved, mainly by addressing the recommendations in the Assist Visit report. The Met Program management should continue to strive to apply its limited resources and seek to acquire additional human capital and physical resources to meet the dynamic needs of its growing sitewide customer base. This includes additional upgrading of the hardware and software elements of the Met Program and implementation of its operational procedures and QAPP to ensure it will consistently meet important present program requirements, as well as anticipated future requirements. These improvements have been summarized in the “present improvements and future initiatives” column in Table 1.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗