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At least 757 records · Page 42

'The surface management system' (SuMS) database: a surface-based database to aid cortical surface reconstruction, visualization and analysis

Surface reconstructions of the cerebral cortex are increasingly widely used in the analysis and visualization of cortical structure, function and connectivity. From a neuroinformatics perspective, dealing with surface-related data poses a number of challenges. These include the multiplicity of configurations in which surfaces are routinely viewed (e.g. inflated maps, spheres and flat maps), plus the diversity of experimental data that can be represented on any given surface. To address these challenges, we have developed a surface management system (SuMS) that allows automated storage and retrieval of complex surface-related datasets. SuMS provides a systematic framework for the classification, storage and retrieval of many types of surface-related data and associated volume data. Within this classification framework, it serves as a version-control system capable of handling large numbers of surface and volume datasets. With built-in database management system support, SuMS provides rapid search and retrieval capabilities across all the datasets, while also incorporating multiple security levels to regulate access. SuMS is implemented in Java and can be accessed via a Web interface (WebSuMS) or using downloaded client software. Thus, SuMS is well positioned to act as a multiplatform, multi-user 'surface request broker' for the neuroscience community.

NASA Discipline Neuroscience↗

Assessing the use of UAS-related terms in ASRS using Seed Topic Modeling

Context: The NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) is a voluntary confidential aviation safety reporting system. The ASRS receives reports from pilots, air traffic controllers, flight attendants and other involved in aviation operations. The reports are de-identified and coded by ASRS expert safety analysts. The de-identified reports are then disseminated to the aviation community in a number of ways including entry into an online database. Augmenting the discovery of topics of user interest in this online database would therefore be beneficial to the community it serves. Aim: We propose and execute an experiment to assess the use of seed term topic modeling using the database narratives to identify UAS reports. The use of seed term topic modeling would enable users to identify groups of related narratives associated to a topic of their interest. Method: We use a newly curated field in ASRS reports which identify UAS from non-UAS reports in combination of different set of UAS related terms to assess if seed topic modeling can be used in ASRS.

LDA↗

Fast Demand Forecast of Electric Vehicle Charging Stations for Cell Phone Application

This paper describes the core cellphone application algorithm which has been implemented for the prediction of energy consumption at Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Stations at UCLA. For this interactive user application, the total time of accessing database, processing the data and making the prediction, needs to be within a few seconds. We analyze four relatively fast Machine Learning based time series prediction algorithms for our prediction engine: Historical Average, kNearest Neighbor, Weighted k-Nearest Neighbor, and Lazy Learning. The Nearest Neighbor algorithm (k Nearest Neighbor with k=1) shows better performance and is selected to be the prediction algorithm implemented for the cellphone application. Two applications have been designed on top of the prediction algorithm: one predicts the expected available energy at the station and the other one predicts the expected charging finishing time. The total time, including accessing the database, data processing, and prediction is about one second for both applications.

Majidpour, Mostafa↗

Speeding genomic island discovery through systematic design of reference database composition

Background Genomic islands (GIs) are mobile genetic elements that integrate site-specifically into bacterial chromosomes, bearing genes that affect phenotypes such as pathogenicity and metabolism. GIs typically occur sporadically among related bacterial strains, enabling comparative genomic approaches to GI identification. For a candidate GI in a query genome, the number of reference genomes with a precise deletion of the GI serves as a support value for the GI. Our comparative software for GI identification was slowed by our original use of large reference genome databases (DBs). Here we explore smaller species-focused DBs. Results With increasing DB size, recovery of our reliable prophage GI calls reached a plateau, while recovery of less reliable GI calls (FPs) increased rapidly as DB sizes exceeded ~500 genomes; i.e., overlarge DBs can increase FP rates. Paradoxically, relative to prophages, FPs were both more frequently supported only by genomes outside the species and more frequently supported only by genomes inside the species; this may be due to their generally lower support values. Setting a DB size limit for our SMA ll R anked T ailored (SMART) DB design speeded runtime ~65-fold. Strictly intra-species DBs would tend to lower yields of prophages for small species (with few genomes available); simulations with large species showed that this could be partially overcome by reaching outside the species to closely related taxa, without an FP burden. Employing such taxonomic outreach in DB design generated redundancy in the DB set; as few as 2984 DBs were needed to cover all 47894 prokaryotic species. Conclusions Runtime decreased dramatically with SMART DB design, with only minor losses of prophages. We also describe potential utility in other comparative genomics projects.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

ZIKV – CDB: A Collaborative Database to Guide Research Linking SncRNAs and ZIKA Virus Disease Symptoms

Background In early 2015, a ZIKA Virus (ZIKV) infection outbreak was recognized in northeast Brazil, where concerns over its possible links with infant microcephaly have been discussed. Providing a causal link between ZIKV infection and birth defects is still a challenge. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNAs (sncRNAs) that regulate post-transcriptional gene expression by translational repression, and play important roles in viral pathogenesis and brain development. The potential for flavivirus-mediated miRNA signalling dysfunction in brain-tissue development provides a compelling hypothesis to test the perceived link between ZIKV and microcephaly. Methodology/Principal Findings Here, we applied in silico analyses to provide novel insights to understand how Congenital ZIKA Syndrome symptoms may be related to an imbalance in miRNAs function. Moreover, following World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations, we have assembled a database to help target investigations of the possible relationship between ZIKV symptoms and miRNA-mediated human gene expression. Conclusions/Significance We have computationally predicted both miRNAs encoded by ZIKV able to target genes in the human genome and cellular (human) miRNAs capable of interacting with ZIKV genomes. Our results represent a step forward in the ZIKV studies, providing new insights to support research in this field and identify potential targets for therapy.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Mirror symmetry and elliptic Calabi-Yau manifolds

We find that for many Calabi-Yau threefolds with elliptic or genus one fibrations mirror symmetry factorizes between the fiber and the base of the fibration. In the simplest examples, the generic CY elliptic fibration over any toric base surface B that supports an elliptic Calabi-Yau threefold has a mirror that is an elliptic fibration over a dual toric base surface $\tilde{B}$ that is related through toric geometry to the line bundle -6 K B . The Kreuzer-Skarke database includes all these examples and gives a wide range of other more complicated constructions where mirror symmetry also factorizes. Since recent evidence suggests that most Calabi-Yau threefolds are elliptic or genus one fibered, this points to a new way of understanding mirror symmetry that may apply to a large fraction of smooth Calabi-Yau threefolds. The factorization structure identified here can also apply for CalabiYau manifolds of higher dimension.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Endovascular Therapy Research in Lower Limb Peripheral Arterial Disease Published Over a 5-Year Period: Who is Publishing and Where?

IntroductionPeripheral arterial disease (PAD) is being increasingly managed by endovascular therapies. In this study, we identified the clinical services publishing research as well as the journals of publication over a 5-year period.MethodsTwenty keywords and phrases related to endovascular intervention were identified, and a literature search was performed through the PubMed database from January 2009 to January 2014. Inclusion criteria were English language, study population more than five patients, and matching the keyword search. Eligible studies were collated into a database and classified by journal of publication, PubMed number, article title, publishing clinical service, type of publication, country of origin, and authors.Results825 studies from 114 different journals were identified. 297 papers were excluded. Of the 528 included papers, 204 (39%) were published by Vascular Surgery (VS), 157 (30%) by Interventional Radiology (IR), 101 (19%) by Cardiology, 43 (8%) by Angiology, 6 (1%) by Vascular Medicine, and 17 (3%) from miscellaneous services. 283 (54%) studies originated from Europe, 157 (30%) from North America, 76 (14%) from Asia, 6 from Australia, 3 each from South America and Africa. IR published the most papers on PAD endovascular intervention in Europe with VS second while this trend was reversed in the USA. The 528 papers were published in 98 different journals with retrospective case series (72%), the majority.ConclusionIR continues to play a significant research role in endovascular intervention in PAD, particularly in Europe, and specifically in below the knee intervention, pedal intervention, and drug-eluting technologies.

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE↗

Choice of 16S ribosomal RNA primers affects the microbiome analysis in chicken ceca

We evaluated the effect of applying different sets of 16S rRNA primers on bacterial composition, diversity, and predicted function in chicken ceca. Cecal contents from Ross 708 birds at 1, 3, and 5 weeks of age were collected for DNA isolation. Eight different primer pairs targeting different variable regions of the 16S rRNA gene were employed. DNA sequences were analyzed using open-source platform QIIME2 and the Greengenes database. PICRUSt2 was used to determine the predicted function of bacterial communities. Changes in bacterial relative abundance due to 16S primers were determined by GLMs. The average PCR amplicon size ranged from 315 bp (V3) to 769 bp (V4–V6). Alpha- and beta-diversity, taxonomic composition, and predicted functions were significantly affected by the primer choice. Beta diversity analysis based on Unweighted UniFrac distance matrix showed separation of microbiota with four different clusters of bacterial communities. Based on the alpha- and beta-diversity and taxonomic composition, variable regions V1–V3(1) and (2), and V3–V4 and V3–V5 were in most consensus. Our data strongly suggest that selection of particular sets of the 16S rRNA primers can impact microbiota analysis and interpretation of results in chicken as was shown previously for humans and other animal species.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Charting the complete elastic properties of inorganic crystalline compounds

The elastic constant tensor of an inorganic compound provides a complete description of the response of the material to external stresses in the elastic limit. It thus provides fundamental insight into the nature of the bonding in the material, and it is known to correlate with many mechanical properties. Despite the importance of the elastic constant tensor, it has been measured for a very small fraction of all known inorganic compounds, a situation that limits the ability of materials scientists to develop new materials with targeted mechanical responses. To address this deficiency, we present here the largest database of calculated elastic properties for inorganic compounds to date. The database currently contains full elastic information for 1,181 inorganic compounds, and this number is growing steadily. The methods used to develop the database are described, as are results of tests that establish the accuracy of the data. In addition, we document the database format and describe the different ways it can be accessed and analyzed in efforts related to materials discovery and design.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

On the geometric dependence of the molecular dipole polarizability in water: A benchmark study of higher-order electron correlation, basis set incompleteness error, core electron effects, and zero-point vibrational contributions

In this work, we investigate how geometric changes influence the static dipole polarizability ($α$) of a water molecule by explicitly computing the corresponding dipole polarizability surface (DPS) across 3125 total (1625 symmetry-unique) geometries using linear response coupled cluster theory including single, double, and triple excitations (LR-CCSDT) and the doubly augmented triple-$ζ$ basis set (d-aug-cc-pVTZ). Analytical formulae based on power series expansions of this $ab initio$ surface are generated using linear least-squares analysis and provide highly accurate estimates of this quantity as a function of molecular geometry (i.e., bond and angle variations) in a computationally tractable manner. An additional database, which consists of 25 representative molecular geometries and incorporates a more thorough treatment of both basis sets and core electron effects, is provided as a current benchmark for this quantity and the corresponding leading-order $C_6$ dispersion coefficient. This database has been utilized to assess the importance of these effects as well as the relative accuracy that can be obtained using several quantum chemical methods and a library of density functional approximations. In addition to high-level electron correlation methods (like CCSD) and our analytical least-squares formulae, we find that the SCAN0, PBE0, MN15, and B97-2 hybrid functionals yield the most accurate descriptions of the molecular polarizability tensor in H 2 O. Using first-order perturbation theory, we compute the zero-point vibrational correction to $α$ at the CCSDT/d-aug-cc-pVTZ level and find that this correction contributes approximately 3% to the isotropic ($α$ iso ) and nearly 50% to the anisotropic ($α$ aniso ) polarizability values. In doing so, we find that $α$ iso = 9.8307 bohr 3 , which is in excellent agreement with the experimental value of 9.83 ± 0.02 bohr 3 provided by Russell and Spackman. The DPS reported herein provides a benchmark-quality quantum mechanical estimate of this fundamental quantity of interest and should find extensive use in the development (and assessment) of next-generation force fields and machine-learning based approaches for modeling water in complex condensed-phase environments.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

The baryonic Tully-Fisher relationship for S{sup 4}G galaxies and the 'condensed' baryon fraction of galaxies

We combine data from the Spitzer Survey for Stellar Structure in Galaxies, a recently calibrated empirical stellar mass estimator from Eskew et al., and an extensive database of H I spectral line profiles to examine the baryonic Tully-Fisher (BTF) relation. We find (1) that the BTF has lower scatter than the classic Tully-Fisher (TF) relation and is better described as a linear relationship, confirming similar previous results, (2) that the inclusion of a radial scale in the BTF decreases the scatter but only modestly, as seen previously for the TF relation, and (3) that the slope of the BTF, which we find to be 3.5 ± 0.2 (Δlog M {sub baryon}/Δlog v{sub c} ), implies that on average a nearly constant fraction (∼0.4) of all baryons expected to be in a halo are 'condensed' onto the central region of rotationally supported galaxies. The condensed baryon fraction, M {sub baryon}/M {sub total}, is, to our measurement precision, nearly independent of galaxy circular velocity (our sample spans circular velocities, v {sub c} , between 60 and 250 km s{sup –1}, but is extended to v{sub c} ∼ 10 km s{sup –1} using data from the literature). The observed galaxy-to-galaxy scatter in this fraction is generally ≤ a factor of 2 despite fairly liberal selection criteria. These results imply that cooling and heating processes, such as cold versus hot accretion, mass loss due to stellar winds, and active galactic nucleus driven feedback, to the degree that they affect the global galactic properties involved in the BTF, are independent of halo mass for galaxies with 10 < v{sub c} < 250 km s{sup –1} and typically introduce no more than a factor of two range in the resulting M {sub baryon}/M {sub total}. Recent simulations by Aumer et al. of a small sample of disk galaxies are in excellent agreement with our data, suggesting that current simulations are capable of reproducing the global properties of individual disk galaxies. More detailed comparison to models using the BTF holds great promise, but awaits improved determinations of the stellar masses.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Multi-omic Analyses of Extensively Decayed Pinus contorta Reveal Expression of a Diverse Array of Lignocellulose-Degrading Enzymes

Fungi play a key role cycling nutrients in forest ecosystems, but the mechanisms remain uncertain. To clarify the enzymatic processes involved in wood decomposition, the metatranscriptomics and metaproteomics of extensively decayed lodgepole pine were examined by RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), respectively. Following de novo metatranscriptome assembly, 52,011 contigs were searched for functional domains and homology to database entries. Contigs similar to basidiomycete transcripts dominated, and many of these were most closely related to ligninolytic white rot fungi or cellulolytic brown rot fungi. A diverse array of carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes) representing a total of 132 families or subfamilies were identified. Among these were 672 glycoside hydrolases, including highly expressed cellulases or hemicellulases. The CAZymes also included 162 predicted redox enzymes classified within auxiliary activity (AA) families. Eighteen of these were manganese peroxidases, which are key components of ligninolytic white rot fungi. The expression of other redox enzymes supported the working of hydroquinone reduction cycles capable of generating reactive hydroxyl radicals. These have been implicated as diffusible oxidants responsible for cellulose depolymerization by brown rot fungi. Finally, enzyme diversity and the coexistence of brown and white rot fungi suggest complex interactions of fungal species and degradative strategies during the decay of lodgepole pine.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

PoroTomo: BRAD and BRDY GPS Station RINEX Files - March 26, 2015

This dataset provides links to daily RINEX files for two GPS stations at Brady's Hot Springs as of March 26, 2014. The data is formatted as compressed GNSS RINEX observation files, accessible through formatted CSV files, as well as in links to the complete daily time series data. The CSV files serve as a directory for navigating to the correct FTP locations to access the desired data. Users are advised to cross-reference the filenames and station identifiers (BRAD or BRDY) when downloading files. The files were generated by the UNAVCO GSAC Repository, and all data-related timestamps and units are specified within the CSV structure. Additional Resources, including the original database for direct downloads and links to the previous and following set of RINEX data (as of 12-2-14 and 9-17-2015, respectively), are also provided.

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY↗

Linking resource availability to pantropical forest canopy resistance and resilience to cyclone disturbance

Statement of purpose: Tropical cyclones are intensifying and occurring at higher latitudes in recent decades, but the mechanisms underpinning the resistance (ability to withstand disturbance-induced change) and resilience (pace of return to pre-disturbance reference values) of tropical forests to cyclones remains largely unexplored at the pantropical scale. We conducted a meta-analysis to investigate the role of soil resource availability (i.e., total soil phosphorus concentration) in mediating site-level forest canopy resistance and resilience to cyclones pan-tropically. We evaluated cyclone-induced and post-cyclone litterfall mass (g/m2/day), phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) fluxes (mg/m2/day), as well as concentrations (mg/g) across 73 case studies in Australia, Guadeloupe, Hawaii, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Taiwan. The dataset zip file includes three data and two metadata files: - The compiled Litterfall Mass Flux data from tropical forests across the globe prior to and after varying tropical cyclone disturbances are provided in Litterfall_Mass.csv. This data file also includes site location, geographical characteristics, elevation, soil phosphorus concentration, geology, and several variables related to each tropical cyclone disturbance. - The compiled Litterfall Nitrogen and Phosphorus Flux data from tropical forests across the globe prior to and after varying tropical cyclone disturbances are provided in Litterfall_Nutrients.csv. This data file also includes site location, geographical characteristics, elevation, soil phosphorus concentration, geology, and several variables related to each tropical cyclone disturbance. - Tropical cyclone track data compiled from HURDAT2 and IBTrACS databases and used as input in the HURRECON model (https://github.com/hurrecon-model/HurreconR) to generate wind data is provided in hurdat2-1851-2019-052520.txt. - The metadata file (Metadata_Meta-analysis_Litterfall-Mass.pdf) has the complete information on each variable included in the Litterfall_Mass.csv dataset, the data sources, and data processing information. - The metadata file (Metadata_Meta-analysis_Litterfall-Nutrients.pdf) has the complete information on each variable included in the Litterfall_Nutrients.csv dataset, the data sources, and data processing information.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Development of a MODIS-Derived Surface Albedo Data Set: An Improved Model Input for Processing the NSRDB

A significant source of bias in the transposition of global horizontal irradiance to plane-of-array (POA) irradiance arises from inaccurate estimations of surface albedo. The current physics-based model used to produce the National Solar Radiation Database (NSRDB) relies on model estimations of surface albedo from a reanalysis climatalogy produced at relatively coarse spatial resolution compared to that of the NSRDB. As an input to spectral decomposition and transposition models, more accurate surface albedo data from remotely sensed imagery at finer spatial resolutions would improve accuracy in the final product. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) developed an improved white-sky (bi-hemispherical reflectance) broadband (0.3-5.0 ..mu..m) surface albedo data set for processing the NSRDB from two existing data sets: a gap-filled albedo product and a daily snow cover product. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sensors onboard the Terra and Aqua satellites have provided high-quality measurements of surface albedo at 30 arc-second spatial resolution and 8-day temporal resolution since 2001. The high spatial and temporal resolutions and the temporal coverage of the MODIS sensor will allow for improved modeling of POA irradiance in the NSRDB. However, cloud and snow cover interfere with MODIS observations of ground surface albedo, and thus they require post-processing. The MODIS production team applied a gap-filling methodology to interpolate observations obscured by clouds or ephemeral snow. This approach filled pixels with ephemeral snow cover because the 8-day temporal resolution is too coarse to accurately capture the variability of snow cover and its impact on albedo estimates. However, for this project, accurate representation of daily snow cover change is important in producing the NSRDB. Therefore, NREL also used the Integrated Multisensor Snow and Ice Mapping System data set, which provides daily snow cover observations of the Northern Hemisphere for the temporal extent of the NSRDB (1998-2015). We provide a review of validation studies conducted on these two products and describe the methodology developed by NREL to remap the data products to the NSRDB grid and integrate them into a seamless daily data set.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

Application of Next-Generation Sequencing to Engineering mRNA Turnover in Cyanobacteria

This early career project began on July 15th, 2013, and concluded on July 14th, 2018. The project was staffed by three post-doctoral fellows and two graduate students. Three rotation students, one undergraduate, one high school student, and two summer REU have also worked on the project. The chief objective of the project was to develop a deeper understanding of how messenger RNA molecules are recycled in two bacterial species 1.) Escherichia coli and 2.) cyanobacteria Synechococcus sp. PCC7002 by applying next generation nucleic acid sequencing technologies. We succeeded in developing tools and approaches for performing these experiments and developed a better understanding of RNA turnover in each organism. We now have a better understanding of RNA molecules cut by RNase III, a common class of endonuclease, in both organisms and a global map of RNA turnover in cyanobacteria – the first of its kind for this class of microbe. To disseminate our findings, we published six primary research manuscripts as of the deposition of this report and expect to publish two others in 2019. We have deposited two sets of RNA sequencing data into a public database in support of our manuscripts. We have also published three reviews and commentaries of related topics. Dr. Gina Gordon, a funded graduate student defended her thesis in 2018 based on work performed in the course of the project. Dr. Travis Korosh defended his thesis in 2018 based in part on work performed in the course of the project. Dr. Jeffrey Cameron, now an Assistant Professor at CU-Boulder, Dr. Andrew Markley, and Dr. Michael Engstrom also worked on the project as post-doctoral researchers. In summary, the project has discovered new molecular biology information, trained five full-time researchers, deposited novel datasets in a public repository, and published research articles and presentations to disseminate our findings.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

A Data Processing Pipeline for Socio-Technical Network Analysis [Slides]

With the rapid adoption of emerging technologies, there is a need to catalog and model sociotechnical interdependencies that have been historically used to influence the operation of Critical Infrastructure networks including the impacts of mergers and acquisitions, hostile takeovers, and foreign investment. Our research intends to address this need with two primary contributions. First, we have developed a data curation and processing pipeline to generate sociotechnical networks extracted from a variety of data sources including SEC filings and infrastructure asset databases. The pipeline, implemented in Apache Airflow, extracts and normalizes the representation of entities and relations, specified within ontologies. Second, networks produced by our pipeline enable the development of graph-theoretic metrics that consider the properties of network components in addition to its topology. Measures of network complexity, such as degree distribution, reachability analyses, temporal analysis, and community detection may be adapted to indicate adversarial organizational influence. Our intent is to provide an extensible, machine-actionable approach to quickly communicate such models, reproduce previous results, and adapt them to new, unanticipated situations.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Modeling uncertainties in greenhouse gas (GHG) emission factors related to switchgrass-based biofuel production

This study investigates uncertainties in greenhouse gas (GHG) emission factors related to switchgrass-based biofuel production in Michigan. Using three life cycle assessment (LCA) databases— US lifecycle inventory database (USLCI), GREET, and Ecoinvent—each with multiple versions, we recalculated the global warming intensity (GWI) and GHG mitigation potential in a static calculation. Employing Monte Carlo simulations along with local and global sensitivity analyses, we assess uncertainties and pinpoint key parameters influencing GWI.

greenhouse ga emmission↗