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844 records · Page 47

PlantCV v4: Image analysis software for high‐throughput plant phenotyping

PlantCV is an open-source Python project aimed at developing tools to address a range of image-based, plant phenotyping questions. PlantCV has been used for more than 10 years to automate trait collection from image data, and the newest release, PlantCV version 4, continues to lower the barrier to entry for users without substantial coding experience through extensive example use-case tutorials and simplified installation. In addition to usability, we document added functionality since the release of PlantCV v2, including support for more image types such as fluorescence, thermal, and hyperspectral data. Finally, we describe the development of a new subpackage focused on morphological trait measurements like leaf angle, and demonstrate its utility as compared to more manual methods of data collection.

Schuhl, Haley [Donald Danforth Plant Science Cente↗

Meta Biome: a multiscale model integrating agent-based and metabolic networks to reveal spatial regulation in gut mucosal microbial communities

ABSTRACT Mucosal microbial communities (MMCs) are complex ecosystems near the mucosal layers of the gut essential for maintaining health and modulating disease states. Despite advances in high-throughput omics technologies, current methodologies struggle to capture the dynamic metabolic interactions and spatiotemporal variations within MMCs. In this work, we presentMetaBiome, a multiscale model integrating agent-based modeling (ABM), finite volume methods, and constraint-based models to explore the metabolic interactions within these communities. Integrating ABM allows for the detailed representation of individual microbial agents each governed by rules that dictate cell growth, division, and interactions with their surroundings. Through a layered approach—encompassing microenvironmental conditions, agent information, and metabolic pathways—we simulated different communities to showcase the potential of the model. Using ourin-silicoplatform, we explored the dynamics and spatiotemporal patterns of MMCs in the proximal small intestine and the cecum, simulating the physiological conditions of the two gut regions. Our findings revealed how specific microbes adapt their metabolic processes based on substrate availability and local environmental conditions, shedding light on spatial metabolite regulation and informing targeted therapies for localized gut diseases.MetaBiome provides a detailed representation of microbial agents and their interactions, surpassing the limitations of traditional grid-based systems. This work marks a significant advancement in microbial ecology, as it offers new insights into predicting and analyzing microbial communities. IMPORTANCE Our study presents a novel multiscale model that combines agent-based modeling, finite volume methods, and genome-scale metabolic models to simulate the complex dynamics of mucosal microbial communities in the gut. This integrated approach allows us to capture spatial and temporal variations in microbial interactions and metabolism that are difficult to study experimentally. Key findings from our model include the following: (i) prediction of metabolic cross-feeding and spatial organization in multi-species communities, (ii) insights into how oxygen gradients and nutrient availability shape community composition in different gut regions, and (iii) identification of spatiallyregulated metabolic pathways and enzymes inE. coli. We believe this work represents a significant advance in computational modeling of microbial communities and provides new insights into the spatial regulation of gut microbiome metabolism. The multiscale modeling approach we have developed could be broadly applicable for studying other complex microbial ecosystems.

Microbiology↗

Identifying Green Solvent Mixtures for Bioproduct Separation Using Bayesian Experimental Design

Liquid–liquid extraction (LLE) is a widely used technique for the separation and purification of liquid-phase products with applications in various industries, including pharmaceuticals, petrochemicals, and renewable chemistry. A critical step in the design of an LLE process is the selection of appropriate solvents. This study presents a new methodology for identifying solvent mixtures for bioproduct separation using Bayesian experimental design (BED). Motivated by the need for environmentally friendly and effective separation methods, we address the challenge of selecting solvent systems that balance separation efficiency, selectivity, and environmental impact while also tackling the difficulty of separating multiple bioproducts using complex solvent systems. Our approach specifically seeks to predict product partition coefficients (log10 Kp values) as thermodynamic parameters underlying solvent selection. The iterative approach integrates Bayesian optimization with experimental measurements to guide solvent selection and leverages COSMO-RS simulations to enhance high-throughput experimentation. Using the design of solvent systems for the separation of lignin-derived aromatic products via centrifugal partition chromatography (CPC) as a case study, we show that within seven iterations/cycles of the methodology, we can identify new mixtures of green solvents that align with CPC design principles. Furthermore, these results demonstrate the efficacy of the BED framework in optimizing green solvent systems for complex separations, highlighting the potential of this method to advance the field of green chemistry and contribute to the development of sustainable industrial processes.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

AutoLabs: cognitive multi-agent systems with self-correction for autonomous chemical experimentation

The automation of chemical research through self-driving laboratories (SDLs) promises to accelerate scientific discovery, yet the reliability and granular performance of the underlying AI agents remain critical, under-examined challenges. In this work, we introduce AutoLabs, a self-correcting, multi-agent architecture designed to autonomously translate natural-language instructions into executable protocols for a high-throughput liquid handler. The system engages users in dialogue, decomposes experimental goals into discrete tasks for specialized agents, performs tool-assisted stoichiometric calculations, and iteratively self-corrects its output before generating a hardware-ready file. We present a comprehensive evaluation framework featuring five benchmark experiments of increasing complexity, from simple sample preparation to multi-plate timed syntheses. Through a systematic ablation study of 20 agent configurations, we assess the impact of reasoning capacity, architectural design (single- vs. multi-agent), tool use, and self-correction mechanisms. Our results demonstrate that agent reasoning capacity is the most critical factor for success, reducing quantitative errors in chemical amounts (nRMSE) by over 85% in complex tasks. When combined with a multi-agent architecture and iterative self-correction, AutoLabs approaches expert-authored reference procedures on the benchmark (F1-score > 0.89) on challenging multi-plate syntheses. These findings establish a clear blueprint for developing robust and trustworthy AI partners for autonomous laboratories, highlighting the synergistic effects of modular design, advanced reasoning, and self-correction to ensure both performance and reliability in high-stakes scientific applications. Code: https://github.com/pnnl/autolabs

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

New Orthophoto Generation Strategies from UAV and Ground Remote Sensing Platforms for High-Throughput Phenotyping

Remote sensing platforms have become an effective data acquisition tool for digital agriculture. Imaging sensors onboard unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and tractors are providing unprecedented high-geometric-resolution data for several crop phenotyping activities (e.g., canopy cover estimation, plant localization, and flowering date identification). Among potential products, orthophotos play an important role in agricultural management. Traditional orthophoto generation strategies suffer from several artifacts (e.g., double mapping, excessive pixilation, and seamline distortions). The above problems are more pronounced when dealing with mid- to late-season imagery, which is often used for establishing flowering date (e.g., tassel and panicle detection for maize and sorghum crops, respectively). In response to these challenges, this paper introduces new strategies for generating orthophotos that are conducive to the straightforward detection of tassels and panicles. The orthophoto generation strategies are valid for both frame and push-broom imaging systems. The target function of these strategies is striking a balance between the improved visual appearance of tassels/panicles and their geolocation accuracy. The new strategies are based on generating a smooth digital surface model (DSM) that maintains the geolocation quality along the plant rows while reducing double mapping and pixilation artifacts. Moreover, seamline control strategies are applied to avoid having seamline distortions at locations where the tassels and panicles are expected. The quality of generated orthophotos is evaluated through visual inspection as well as quantitative assessment of the degree of similarity between the generated orthophotos and original images. Several experimental results from both UAV and ground platforms show that the proposed strategies do improve the visual quality of derived orthophotos while maintaining the geolocation accuracy at tassel/panicle locations.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Catlas: an automated framework for catalyst discovery demonstrated for direct syngas conversion

Catalyst discovery is paramount to support access to energy and key chemical feedstocks in a post fossil fuel era. Exhaustive computational searches of large material design spaces using ab initio methods like density functional theory (DFT) are infeasible. We seek to explore large design spaces at relatively low computational cost by leveraging large, generalized, graph-based machine learning (ML) models, which are pretrained and therefore require no upfront data collection or training. We present Catlas, a framework that distributes and automates the generation of adsorbate-surface configurations and ML inference of DFT energies to achieve this goal. Catlas is open source, making ML assisted catalyst screenings easy and available to all. To demonstrate its efficacy, we use Catlas to explore catalyst candidates for the direct conversion of syngas to multi-carbon oxygenates. For this case study, we explore 947 stable/metastable binary, transition metal intermetallics as possible catalyst candidates. On this subset of materials, we are able to predict the adsorption energy of key descriptors, *CO and *OH, with good accuracy (0.16, 0.14 eV MAE, respectively). Using the projected selectivity towards C 2+ oxygenates from an existing microkinetic model, we identified 144 candidate materials. For 10 promising candidates, DFT calculations reveal a good correlation with our assessment using ML. Finally, among the top elemental combinations were Pt–Ti, Pd–V, Ni–Nb, and Ti–Zn, all of which appear unexplored experimentally.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

A high-throughput skim-sequencing approach for genotyping, dosage estimation and identifying translocations

The development of next-generation sequencing (NGS) enabled a shift from array-based genotyping to directly sequencing genomic libraries for high-throughput genotyping. Even though whole-genome sequencing was initially too costly for routine analysis in large populations such as breeding or genetic studies, continued advancements in genome sequencing and bioinformatics have provided the opportunity to capitalize on whole-genome information. As new sequencing platforms can routinely provide high-quality sequencing data for sufficient genome coverage to genotype various breeding populations, a limitation comes in the time and cost of library construction when multiplexing a large number of samples. Here we describe a high-throughput whole-genome skim-sequencing (skim-seq) approach that can be utilized for a broad range of genotyping and genomic characterization. Using optimized low-volume Illumina Nextera chemistry, we developed a skim-seq method and combined up to 960 samples in one multiplex library using dual index barcoding. With the dual-index barcoding, the number of samples for multiplexing can be adjusted depending on the amount of data required, and could be extended to 3,072 samples or more. Panels of doubled haploid wheat lines ( Triticum aestivum , CDC Stanley x CDC Landmark), wheat-barley ( T . aestivum x Hordeum vulgare ) and wheat-wheatgrass ( Triticum durum x Thinopyrum intermedium ) introgression lines as well as known monosomic wheat stocks were genotyped using the skim-seq approach. Bioinformatics pipelines were developed for various applications where sequencing coverage ranged from 1 × down to 0.01 × per sample. Using reference genomes, we detected chromosome dosage, identified aneuploidy, and karyotyped introgression lines from the skim-seq data. Leveraging the recent advancements in genome sequencing, skim-seq provides an effective and low-cost tool for routine genotyping and genetic analysis, which can track and identify introgressions and genomic regions of interest in genetics research and applied breeding programs.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

Trajectory Specification Applied to Terminal Airspace

Despite major efforts to automate air traffic control (ATC), it is still performed by humans today. The complexity and safety-criticality of ATC makes it very difficult to safely automate, but it must be automated to increase airspace capacity (the density of traffic that can be safely managed) and airport throughput (the number of arrivals and departures that an airport can safely handle in a given period of time) beyond what is possible with human controllers. This paper presents the Trajectory Specification (TS) concept, which can help to safely automate ATC. TS is a method of specifying aircraft trajectories such that the position at any given time in flight is restricted to a precisely defined bounding space, removing all ambiguity as to where the flight is allowed to be. The bounding space or volume is determined by tolerances relative to a reference trajectory (position as a function of time). The tolerances are dynamic and are based on the aircraft navigation capabilities and the traffic situation. The tolerances can be a piecewise linear function of time or distance along the route, allowing the tolerances to vary as needed, typically increasing with time for departures and decreasing for arrivals. A Trajectory Specification Language (TSL) is proposed for communicating trajectories from aircraft to ATC as requests and from ATC to aircraft as assignments. The TS concept requires a new generation of airborne Flight Management Systems (FMS) that understand the TSL and can fly the assigned trajectories, but this paper focuses on the ATC functions and the prototype ATC algorithms and software that were developed to test the TS concept. Assuming conformance, TS can guarantee safe separation for an arbitrary length of time even in the event of an ATC system or communication outage. It can help to achieve the high level of safety and reliability needed for ATC automation, and it can also reduce the reliance on ATC backup systems for tactical conflict detection and resolution during normal operation. TS can be applied to any controlled airspace, including enroute, terminal, and urban airspace, but this paper presents algorithms and software for arrival spacing and conflict detection and resolution in the terminal airspace serving a major airport. In a fast-time simulation of a full day of traffic in a major terminal airspace, all conflicts were resolved in near real time, demonstrating the computational feasibility and the preliminary operational feasibility of the TS concept. This paper is a compilation of previous papers, and it adds significant information that was omitted from those papers due to length limitations. It also updates some of the results of those earlier papers due to algorithm refinements and corrections of minor software errors.

air traffic control, trajectory↗

A theoretical investigation of the effect of Ga alloying on thermodynamic stability, electronic-structure, and oxidation resistance of Ti 2 AlC MAX phase

We present a systematic investigation of thermodynamic stability, phase-reaction, and chemical activity of Al containing disordered Ti 2 (Al-Ga)C MAX phases using machine-learning driven high-throughput framework to understand the oxidation resistance behavior with increasing temperature and exposure to static oxygen. The A-site (at Al) disordering of Ti 2 AlC with Ga shows significant change in the chemical activity of Al with increasing temperature and exposure to static oxygen, which is expected to enable surface segregation of Al, thereby, the formation of Al 2 O 3 and improved oxidation resistance. We performed in-depth convex hull analysis of ternary Ti-Al-C, Ti-Ga-C, and Ti-Al-Ga-C based MAX phase, and provide detailed contribution arising from electronic, chemical and vibrational entropies. The thermodynamic analysis shows change in the Gibbs formation enthalpy (ΔG form ) at higher temperatures, which implies an interplay of temperature-dependent enthalpy and entropic contributions in oxidation resistance Ga doped Ti 2 AlC MAX phases. A detailed electronic structure and chemical bonding analysis using crystal orbital Hamilton population method reveal the origin of change in phases stability and in oxidation resistance in disorder Ti2(Al 1-x Ga x )C MAX phases. Our electronic structure analysis correlate well with the change in oxidation resistance of Ga doped MAX phases. We believe our study provides a useful guideline to understand to role of alloying on electronic, thermodynamic, and oxidation related mechanisms of bulk MAX phases, which can work as a precursor to understand oxidation behavior of twodimensional MAX phases, i.e., MXenes (transition metal carbides, carbonitrides and nitrides).

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Intelligent Experiments through Real-Time AI: Fast Data Processing and Autonomous Detector Control for High-Energy Nuclear Experiments

The aim of this project is to develop software and hardware for fast real-time data processing and autonomous detector control and calibration for the sPHENIX and the future EIC experiments. Below summarizes Georgia Tech team efforts in the past year: 1. We developed a real-time clustering algorithm and FPGA-based pipeline architecture for processing fired pixel data from ALPIDE sensors in sPHENIX experiments. Our Columnar Clustering Co-Design introduces a hardware-aware, stream-friendly approach that segments pixel data by column pairs using a Column Pair Clustering (CPC) strategy, followed by Cluster Stitching to merge adjacent subclusters. Implemented in Vitis HLS, the pipeline comprises five stages—read-in, subclustering, stitching, analysis, and write-out—connected by tagged HLS streams with custom end-of-event signaling for robust synchronization. We designed a pipelined dataflow model optimized for throughput, low latency, and minimal buffering, enabling scalable clustering across events of arbitrary size. Our system maintains spatial precision via center-of-mass and shape key extraction and efficiently handles edge cases such as fragmented or nested clusters. Compared against DBSCAN in both software and hardware, our approach demonstrates competitive performance under FPGA constraints. 2. We also conducted a comprehensive algorithm-to-hardware co-design of connected component analysis tailored for sPHENIX experiments, focusing on real-time, low-latency processing using FPGAs and High-Level Synthesis (HLS). Starting from a Python-based particle tracking pipeline, the team translated the core logic—graph traversal via DFS and Union-Find—into an HLS-compatible C++ model, replacing dynamic memory and recursion with static arrays and pipelined control flow. The final design includes a fully streamed and dataflow-compatible Union-Find kernel optimized across five iterations, incorporating loop pipelining, array partitioning, AXI/FIFO interface tuning, and function flattening. Experimental results show up to 14.8× speedup over the CPU baseline, reducing per-graph latency to 1.58 μs and demonstrating strong resource efficiency with only ~7k LUTs and zero BRAM usage. The design maintains functional correctness against the Python reference using a Python-based C-simulation framework and Mean Squared Error metrics. This work validates the potential of HLS-driven FPGA designs for edge-level HEP data acquisition, laying a scalable foundation for future integration with real-time detector pipelines and multi-graph processing systems.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

De novo design of small beta barrel proteins

Small beta barrel proteins are attractive targets for computational design because of their considerable functional diversity despite their very small size (<70 amino acids). However, there are considerable challenges to designing such structures, and there has been little success thus far. Because of the small size, the hydrophobic core stabilizing the fold is necessarily very small, and the conformational strain of barrel closure can oppose folding; also intermolecular aggregation through free beta strand edges can compete with proper monomer folding. Here, we explore the de novo design of small beta barrel topologies using both Rosetta energy–based methods and deep learning approaches to design four small beta barrel folds: Src homology 3 (SH3) and oligonucleotide/oligosaccharide-binding (OB) topologies found in nature and five and six up-and-down-stranded barrels rarely if ever seen in nature. Both approaches yielded successful designs with high thermal stability and experimentally determined structures with less than 2.4 Å rmsd from the designed models. Using deep learning for backbone generation and Rosetta for sequence design yielded higher design success rates and increased structural diversity than Rosetta alone. The ability to design a large and structurally diverse set of small beta barrel proteins greatly increases the protein shape space available for designing binders to protein targets of interest.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Design of protein-binding proteins from the target structure alone

The design of proteins that bind to a specific site on the surface of a target protein using no information other than the three-dimensional structure of the target remains a challenge. Here we describe a general solution to this problem that starts with a broad exploration of the vast space of possible binding modes to a selected region of a protein surface, and then intensifies the search in the vicinity of the most promising binding modes. We demonstrate the broad applicability of this approach through the de novo design of binding proteins to 12 diverse protein targets with different shapes and surface properties. Biophysical characterization shows that the binders, which are all smaller than 65 amino acids, are hyperstable and, following experimental optimization, bind their targets with nanomolar to picomolar affinities. We succeeded in solving crystal structures of five of the binder–target complexes, and all five closely match the corresponding computational design models. Experimental data on nearly half a million computational designs and hundreds of thousands of point mutants provide detailed feedback on the strengths and limitations of the method and of our current understanding of protein–protein interactions, and should guide improvements of both. Our approach enables the targeted design of binders to sites of interest on a wide variety of proteins for therapeutic and diagnostic applications.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

FPGA-accelerated SpeckleNN with SNL for real-time X-ray single-particle imaging

We present the implementation of a specialized version of our previously published unified embedding model, SpeckleNN, for real-time speckle pattern classification in X-ray Single-Particle Imaging (SPI), using the SLAC Neural Network Library (SNL) on an FPGA platform. This hardware realization transitions SpeckleNN from a prototypic model into a practical edge solution, optimized for running inference near the detector in high-throughput X-ray free-electron laser (XFEL) facilities, such as those found at the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS). To address the resource constraints inherent in FPGAs, we developed a more specialized version of SpeckleNN. The original model, which was designed for broader classification across multiple biological samples, comprised ~5.6 million parameters. The new implementation, while reducing the parameter count to 64.6K (a 98.8% reduction), focuses on maintaining the model's essential functionality for real-time operation, achieving an accuracy of 90%. Furthermore, we compressed the latent space from 128 to 50 dimensions. This implementation was demonstrated on the KCU1500 FPGA board, utilizing 71% of available DSPs, 75% of LUTs, and 48% of FFs, with an average power consumption of 9.4W according to the Vivado post-implementation report. The FPGA performed inference on a single image with a latency of 45.015 microseconds at a 200 MHz clock rate. In comparison, running the same inference on an NVIDIA A100 GPU resulted in an average power consumption of ~73W and an image processing latency of around 400 microseconds. Our FPGA-accelerated version of SpeckleNN demonstrated significant improvements, achieving an 8.9 × speedup and a 7.8 × reduction in power consumption compared to the GPU implementation. Key advancements include model specialization and dynamic weight loading through SNL, which eliminates the need for time-consuming FPGA design re-synthesis, allowing fast and continuous deployment of models (re)trained online. These innovations enable real-time adaptive classification and efficient vetoing of speckle patterns, making SpeckleNN more suited for deployment in XFEL facilities. This implementation has the potential to significantly accelerate SPI experiments and enhance adaptability to evolving experimental conditions.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

Design, Processing, and Properties of WTaCrV-Hf Multi-principal Element Alloys

Refractory multi-principal element alloys are candidates for high-temperature structural components due, in part, to their high strength and high melting points. Single-phase materials are initially preferred for isotropic material properties as a function of time and temperature in service conditions. This work outlines a computational rank-ordering and experimental validation methodology for single-phase body-centered-cubic phase stability in WTaCrV-Hf alloys using order–disorder transition temperature. Eight compositions were fabricated by arc-melting and heat-treated at 1400 °C for 24 hrs. X-ray diffraction, energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, and Vickers hardness testing showed alloys with order–disorder transition temperatures below 600 °C formed a single-phase body-centered-cubic structure during solidification and remained single-phase after heat-treatment. The sample possessing the lowest order–disorder transition temperature exhibited slip traces suggestive of room-temperature plastic deformation under Vickers indentation, with both heat-treated single-phase samples exhibiting hardnesses over 800 HV with little cracking compared to tungsten. These results establish order–disorder transition temperature as a viable predictive parameter for multi-principal element alloy phase stability. The methodology outlined in this work provides a framework for future design, fabrication, and characterization of high-temperature structural multi-principal element alloys.

CALPHAD↗

Scalability Testing Approach for Internet of Things for Manufacturing SQL and NoSQL Database Latency and Throughput

The proliferation of low-cost sensors and industrial data solutions has continued to push the frontier of manufacturing technology. Machine learning and other advanced statistical techniques stand to provide tremendous advantages in production capabilities, optimization, monitoring, and efficiency. The tremendous volume of data gathered continues to grow, and the methods for storing the data are critical underpinnings for advancing manufacturing technology. This work aims to investigate the ramifications and design tradeoffs within a decoupled architecture of two prominent database management systems (DBMS): sql and NoSQL. A representative comparison is carried out with Amazon Web Services (AWS) DynamoDB and AWS Aurora MySQL. The technologies and accompanying design constraints are investigated, and a side-by-side comparison is carried out through high-fidelity industrial data simulated load tests using metrics from a major US manufacturer. The results support the use of simulated client load testing for comparing the latency of database management systems as a system scales up from the prototype stage into production. As a result of complex query support, MySQL is favored for higher-order insights, while NoSQL can reduce system latency for known access patterns at the expense of integrated query flexibility. Here, by reviewing this work, a manufacturer can observe that the use of high-fidelity load testing can reveal tradeoffs in IoTfM write/ingestion performance in terms of latency that are not observable through prototype-scale testing of commercially available cloud DB solutions.

AWS↗

What to Support When You’re Compressing

Over the last nearly 20 years, lossy compression has become an essential aspect of HPC applications’ data pipelines, allowing them to overcome limitations in storage capacity and bandwidth and, in some cases, increase computational throughput and capacity. However, with the adoption of lossy compression comes the requirement to assess and control the impact lossy compression has on scientific outcomes. In this work, we take a major step forward in describing the state of practice and by characterizing workloads. We examine applications’ needs and compressors’ capabilities across 9 different supercomputing application domains. We present 24 takeaways that provide best practices for applications, operational impacts for facilities achieving compressed data, and gaps in application needs not addressed by production compressors that point towards opportunities for future compression research.

Error-Bounded Lossy Compression↗