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At least 1,081 records · Page 60

Improving Prediction of Peroxide Value of Edible Oils Using Regularized Regression Models

We present four unique prediction techniques, combined with multiple data pre-processing methods, utilizing a wide range of both oil types and oil peroxide values (PV) as well as incorporating natural aging for peroxide creation. Samples were PV assayed using a standard starch titration method, AOCS Method Cd 8-53, and used as a verified reference method for PV determination. Near-infrared (NIR) spectra were collected from each sample in two unique optical pathlengths (OPLs), 2 and 24 mm, then fused into a third distinct set. All three sets were used in partial least squares (PLS) regression, ridge regression, LASSO regression, and elastic net regression model calculation. While no individual regression model was established as the best, global models for each regression type and pre-processing method show good agreement between all regression types when performed in their optimal scenarios. Furthermore, small spectral window size boxcar averaging shows prediction accuracy improvements for edible oil PVs. Best-performing models for each regression type are: PLS regression, 25 point boxcar window fused OPL spectral information RMSEP = 2.50; ridge regression, 5 point boxcar window, 24 mm OPL, RMSEP = 2.20; LASSO raw spectral information, 24 mm OPL, RMSEP = 1.80; and elastic net, 10 point boxcar window, 24 mm OPL, RMSEP = 1.91. The results show promising advancements in the development of a full global model for PV determination of edible oils.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

PacBio high‐throughput multi‐locus sequencing reveals high genetic diversity in mushroom‐forming fungi

Abstract Multi‐locus sequence data are widely used in fungal systematic and taxonomic studies to delimit species and infer evolutionary relationships. We developed and assessed the efficacy of a multi‐locus pooled sequencing method using PacBio long‐read high‐throughput sequencing. Samples included fresh and dried voucher specimens, cultures and archival DNA extracts of Agaricomycetes with an emphasis on the order Cantharellales. Of the 283 specimens sequenced, 93.6% successfully amplified at one or more loci with a mean of 3.3 loci amplified. Our method recovered multiple sequence variants representing alleles of rDNA loci and single copy protein‐coding genesrpb1,rpb2 andtef1. Within‐sample genetic variation differed by locus and taxonomic group, with the greatest genetic divergence observed among sequence variants ofrpb2 andtef1 from corticioid Cantharellales. Our method is a cost‐effective approach for generating accurate multi‐locus sequence data coupled with recovery of alleles from polymorphic samples and multi‐organism specimens. These results have important implications for understanding intra‐individual genomic variation among genetic loci commonly used in species delimitation of fungi.

Biochemistry & Molecular Biology↗

Functionalized Polymer Thin Films for Plutonium Capture and Isotopic Screening from Aqueous Sources

The rapid screening of plutonium from aqueous sources remains a critical challenge for nuclear nonproliferation efforts. The determination of trace-level Pu isotopes in water requires offsite sample preparation and analysis; therefore, new methods that combine plutonium purification, concentration, and isotopic screening in a fieldable detection system will provide an invaluable tool for nuclear safeguards. This contribution describes the development and characterization of thin polymer-ligand films for the isolation and concentration of waterborne Pu for direct spectroscopic analyses. Submicron thin films were prepared through spin coating onto Si wafers and consisted of combinations of polystyrene (PS) with dibenzoylmethane, thenoyltrifluoroacetone, and di(2-ethylhexyl)phosphoric acid (HDEHP). Pu uptake studies from solutions at pH from 2.3 to 6.3 indicated that only films containing HDEHP exhibited significant recovery of Pu. High alpha spectroscopy peak energy resolutions were achieved for PS-HDEHP films over a range of film thicknesses from 30 to 250 nm. Furthermore, a separate study was performed to evaluate uptake from a primarily Pu(V) solution where it was observed that doubling the HDEHP loading in the film increased uptake of Pu by an order of magnitude. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis revealed that HDEHP was highly concentrated within the first few nanometers of the film at the higher loading. XPS analysis also revealed that, in the presence of water, HDEHP was stripped from the surface layer of the film at circumneutral pH. While significant losses of ligand were seen in all samples, higher loadings of HDEHP resulted in measurable amounts of ligand retained after a 12-h soak in water. Findings of this study are being used to guide the development of thin-film composite membrane-based detection methods for the rapid, fieldable analysis of Pu in water.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Agilent AgileBioFoundry CRADA (Final Report)

The mission of this CRADA with Agilent was to couple powerful MS platforms (QQQ, IM-QTOF-MS) with Agilent’s novel Ultra-High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (UHPLC) fast metabolomic workflows and perform ABF Machine Learning (ML) to generated datasets. Agilent transferred UHPLC methods to PNNL and LBNL and methods were implemented and demonstrated in both labs, achieving total acquisition times of < 10 min. Metabolites analyzed using Agilent’s shared methods included metabolites from central carbon metabolism, common across hosts, and metabolites unique to engineered strains. Standards were acquired in an UHPLC-Drift Tube Ion Mobility Mass Spectrometer (DTIMS) system for the first time within the context of ABF and methods were optimized based on Agilent’s protocols. Samples from ABF hosts Pseudomonas putida, Aspergillus pseudoterreus, Aspergillus niger and Rhodosporidium toruloides were analyzed using the UHPLC-DTIMS platform for a total of 276 runs. A data analysis workflow compatible with the Experimental Data Depot (EDD) and completely shareable was developed for the acquired UHPLC-DTIMS data. Samples were analyzed using a Data Independent Acquisition Approach (DIA), which for most of the standards provided more transitions therefore increasing detection confidence. Using the data acquired by PNNL, LBNL, and Agilent’s specifications from previous ML projects, SNL applied an ensemble ML strategy to pick the best performing model for automated LC-method selection. Finally, with the contribution of the participant labs and Agilent, SNL developed an Automated Method Selection (AMS) software tool to predict the best liquid chromatography method for analysis of any new molecules of interest. Samples with novel pathways and new metabolite targets of interest are generated at a high pace in the ABF. Therefore, our accomplishment in this CRADA improved the efficiency and accuracy of strain testing by developing and implementing fast analytical methods, robust processing tools, and software for predicting the best methods for UHPLC analysis.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Quadrupole and multi-collector ICP-MS analysis of 226 Ra in brain from a radium dial painter

We report two ICP-MS methods were developed to measure the radiotoxic isotope 226 Ra in brain tissues from a radium dial painter worker. The first method was a direct analysis of acid digested samples using quadrupole ICP-MS. The instrumental LOD of 226 Ra was 0.1 ng kg -1 . Polyatomic interferences at m/z 226 were investigated and Pb was identified from a polyatomic interferent in an in-house sample prepared from bovine brain, with a 226/208 formation ratio of 4 × 10 -8 . The quadrupole ICP-MS method was also used to measure levels of beryllium, strontium, and uranium. A second method was developed that included cation-exchange chromatography to separate 226 Ra followed by analysis with sector field MC-ICP-MS. The instrumental LOD for the cation exchange method with MC-ICP-MS detection was 0.5 pg kg -1 (19 mBq kg -1 ). The measured concentrations of 226 Ra in different brain regions ranged from 0.09–0.72 ng kg -1 (3.3–27 Bq kg -1 ) and radium was non-uniformly distributed in the brain.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Visualizing Solution Structure at Solid-Liquid Interfaces using Three-Dimensional Fast Force Mapping

Amongst the challenges for a variety of research fields are the visualization of solid-liquid interfaces and understanding how they are affected by the solution conditions such as ion concentrations, pH, ligands, and trace additives, as well as the underlying crystallography and chemistry. Here, in this context, three-dimensional fast force mapping (3D FFM) has emerged as a promising tool for investigating solution structure at interfaces. This capability is based on atomic force microscopy (AFM) and allows the direct visualization of interfacial regions in three spatial dimensions with sub-nanometer resolution. Here we provide a detailed description of the experimental protocol for acquiring 3D FFM data. The main considerations for optimizing the operating parameters depending on the sample and application are discussed. Moreover, the basic methods for data processing and analysis are discussed, including the transformation of the measured instrument observables into tip-sample force maps that can be linked to the local solution structure. Finally, we shed light on some of the outstanding questions related to 3D FFM data interpretation and how this technique can become a central tool in the repertoire of surface science.

Nakouzi, Elias↗

Data Science and Machine Learning for Genome Security

This report describes research conducted to use data science and machine learning methods to distinguish targeted genome editing versus natural mutation and sequencer machine noise. Genome editing capabilities have been around for more than 20 years, and the efficiencies of these techniques has improved dramatically in the last 5+ years, notably with the rise of CRISPR-Cas technology. Whether or not a specific genome has been the target of an edit is concern for U.S. national security. The research detailed in this report provides first steps to address this concern. A large amount of data is necessary in our research, thus we invested considerable time collecting and processing it. We use an ensemble of decision tree and deep neural network machine learning methods as well as anomaly detection to detect genome edits given either whole exome or genome DNA reads. The edit detection results we obtained with our algorithms tested against samples held out during training of our methods are significantly better than random guessing, achieving high F1 and recall scores as well as with precision overall.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

A new cw-NMR Q-meter for dynamically polarized targets for particle physics

Polarized solid targets produced via Dynamic Nuclear Polarization rely on Continuous-Wave Nuclear Magnetism Resonance measurements to accurately determine the degree of polarization of bulk samples polarized to nearly 100%. Since the late 1970's phase sensitive detection methods have been utilized to observe the magnetization of a sample as a small change in inductance under RF excitation near the Larmor frequency of the nuclear species of interest, using a device known as a Q-meter. Liverpool Q-meters, produced in the UK in the 80's and 90's, have been the workhorse devices for these targets for decades, however their age and scarcity has meant new systems are needed. In conclusion, we describe a Q-meter system designed and built at Jefferson Lab in the Liverpool style to have comparable electronic performance with several improvements to update and adapt the devices for modern use.

Dynamic nuclear polarization↗

Power Grid Reliability Estimation via Adaptive Importance Sampling

Electricity production currently generates approximately 25% of greenhouse gas emissions in the USA. Thus, increasing the amount of renewable energy is a key step to carbon neutrality. However, integrating a large amount of fluctuating renewable generation is a significant challenge for power grid operating and planning. Grid reliability, i.e., an ability to meet operational constraints under power fluctuations, is probably the most important of them. In this letter, we propose computationally efficient and accurate methods to estimate the probability of line overflow, i.e., reliability constraints violation, under a known distribution of renewable energy generation. To this end, we investigate an importance sampling approach, a flexible extension of Monte-Carlo methods, which adaptively changes the sampling distribution to generate more samples near the reliability boundary. The approach allows to estimate overload probability in real-time based only on a few dozens of random samples, compared to thousands required by the plain Monte-Carlo. Our study focuses on high voltage direct current power transmission grids with linear reliability constraints on power injections and line currents. Herein, we propose a novel theoretically justified physics-informed adaptive importance sampling algorithm and compare its performance to state-of-the-art methods on multiple IEEE power grid test cases.

power system faults↗

Designing Yield Grids for Airborne Nuclear Explosions to Maintain Decrements in Rayleigh Waveform Amplitudes

This document details a method for selecting grid points that sample the yields of airborne, low yield nuclear explosions that constrains the relative size of seismic waveforms sourced by explosions that are parameterized by this grid. In detail, we impose this constraint so that the vertical component of ground displacement that is sourced by explosions with a fixed height of burst (HoB) at grid point k change by a fixed factor of a when compared to the waveform amplitudes sourced by explosions at grid point k + 1, as observed at a fixed standoff distance. This gridding thereby preserves amplitude ratios along the grid so that they are agnostic to k. We assert that this method is useful in tests that apply algorithms against synthetic or augmented datasets for which the performance of the algorithm must be measured against source size, and waveform amplitudes must change uniformly (e.g., Berg et al, 2025).

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

Operator-level quantum acceleration of non-logconcave sampling

Sampling from probability distributions of the form 𝝈 ∝ e −𝜷V , where V is a continuous potential, is a fundamental task across physics, chemistry, biology, computer science, and statistics. However, when V is nonconvex, the resulting distribution becomes non-logconcave, and classical methods such as Langevin dynamics often exhibit poor performance. We introduce a quantum algorithm that provably accelerates a broad class of continuous-time sampling dynamics. For Langevin dynamics, our method encodes the target Gibbs measure into the amplitudes of aquantum state, identified as the kernel of a block matrix derived from a factorization of the Witten Laplacian operator. This connection enables Gibbs sampling via singular value thresholding and yields up to a quartic quantum speedup over best-knownclassical Langevin-based methods in the non-logconcave setting. Building on this framework, we further develop the first quantum algorithm that accelerates replica exchange Langevin diffusion, a widely used method for sampling from complex, rugged energy landscapes.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Leveraging visible and near-infrared spectroelectrochemistry to calibrate a robust model for Vanadium(IV/V) in varying nitric acid and temperature levels

Spectroelectrochemistry and optimal design of experiments can be used to rapidly build accurate models for species quantification and enable a greater level of process awareness. Optical spectroscopy can provide vital elemental and molecular information, but several hurdles must be overcome before it can become a widely adopted analytical method for remote analysis in the nuclear field. Analytes with varying oxidation state, acid concentration, and fluctuating temperature must be efficiently accounted for to minimize time and resources in restrictive hot cell environments. The classic one-factor-at-a-time approach is not suitable for frequent calibration/maintenance operations in this setting. Therefore, a novel alternative was developed to characterize a system containing vanadium(IV/V) (0.01–0.1 M), nitric acid (0.1–4 M), and varying temperatures (20–45 °C). Here, spectroelectrochemistry methods were used to acquire a sample set selected by optimal design of experiments. This new approach allows for the accurate analysis of vanadium and HNO 3 concentration by leveraging UV–Vis–NIR absorption spectroscopy with robust and accurate chemometric models. The top model's root mean squared error of prediction percent values were 3.47%, 4.06%, 3.40%, and 10.9% for V(IV), V(V), HNO 3 , and temperature, respectively. These models, efficiently developed using the designed approach, exhibited strong predictive accuracy for vanadium and acid with varying oxidation states and temperature using only spectrophotometry, which advances current technology for real-world hot cell applications. Additionally, Nernstian analysis of the V(IV/V) standard potential was performed using traditional absorbance methods and multivariate curve resolution (MCR). The successful tests demonstrated that MCR Nernst tests may be valuable in highly convoluted spectral systems to better understand the redox processes' behavior.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Velocity reconstruction in the era of DESI and Rubin/LSST. I. Exploring spectroscopic, photometric, and hybrid samples

Peculiar velocities of galaxies and halos can be reconstructed from their spatial distribution alone. This technique is analogous to the baryon acoustic oscillations reconstruction, using the continuity equation to connect density and velocity fields. The resulting reconstructed velocities can be used to measure imprints of galaxy velocities on the cosmic microwave background like the kinematic Sunyaev-Zel’dovich effect or the moving lens effect. As the precision of these measurements increases, characterizing the performance of the velocity reconstruction becomes crucial to allow unbiased and statistically optimal inference. In this paper, we quantify the relevant performance metrics: the variance of the reconstructed velocities and their correlation coefficient with the true velocities. We show that the relevant velocities to reconstruct for kSZ and moving lens are actually the halo—rather than galaxy—velocities. We quantify the impact of redshift-space distortions, photometric redshift errors, satellite galaxy fraction, incorrect cosmological parameter assumptions and smoothing scale on the reconstruction performance. Here, we also investigate hybrid reconstruction methods, where velocities inferred from spectroscopic samples are evaluated at the positions of denser photometric samples. We find that using exclusively the photometric sample is better than performing a hybrid analysis. The 2 Gpc/ℎ length simulations from abacussummit with realistic galaxy samples for DESI and Rubin LSST allow us to perform this analysis in a controlled setting. In the companion paper [B. Hadzhiyska, S. Ferraro, B. Ried Guachalla, and E. Schaan, companion paper, Phys. Rev. D 109, 103534 (2024).], we further include the effects of evolution along the light cone and give realistic performance estimates for DESI luminous red galaxies, emission line galaxies, and Rubin LSST-like samples.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Dark Energy Survey Year 3 results: marginalization over redshift distribution uncertainties using ranking of discrete realizations

ABSTRACT Cosmological information from weak lensing surveys is maximized by sorting source galaxies into tomographic redshift subsamples. Any uncertainties on these redshift distributions must be correctly propagated into the cosmological results. We present hyperrank, a new method for marginalizing over redshift distribution uncertainties, using discrete samples from the space of all possible redshift distributions, improving over simple parametrized models. In hyperrank, the set of proposed redshift distributions is ranked according to a small (between one and four) number of summary values, which are then sampled, along with other nuisance parameters and cosmological parameters in the Monte Carlo chain used for inference. This approach can be regarded as a general method for marginalizing over discrete realizations of data vector variation with nuisance parameters, which can consequently be sampled separately from the main parameters of interest, allowing for increased computational efficiency. We focus on the case of weak lensing cosmic shear analyses and demonstrate our method using simulations made for the Dark Energy Survey (DES). We show that the method can correctly and efficiently marginalize over a wide range of models for the redshift distribution uncertainty. Finally, we compare hyperrank to the common mean-shifting method of marginalizing over redshift uncertainty, validating that this simpler model is sufficient for use in the DES Year 3 cosmology results presented in companion papers.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Development and implementation of high-throughput proteomic and metabolomics assays by using advanced chromatographic and mass spectrometric systems (CRADA Final Report)

The mission of this CRADA with Agilent was to couple powerful MS platforms (QQQ, IM-QTOFMS) with Agilent’s novel Ultra-High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (UHPLC) fast metabolomic workflows and perform ABF Machine Learning (ML) to generated datasets. Agilent transferred UHPLC methods to PNNL and LBNL and methods were implemented and demonstrated in both labs, achieving total acquisition times of < 10 min. Metabolites analyzed using Agilent’s shared methods included metabolites from central carbon metabolism, common across hosts, and metabolites unique to engineered strains. Standards were acquired in an UHPLC-Drift Tube Ion Mobility Mass Spectrometer (DTIMS) system for the first time within the context of ABF and methods were optimized based on Agilent’s protocols. Samples from ABF hosts Pseudomonas putida, Aspergillus pseudoterreus, Aspergillus niger and Rhodosporidium toruloides were analyzed using the UHPLC-DTIMS platform for a total of 276 runs. A data analysis workflow compatible with the Experimental Data Depot (EDD) and completely shareable was developed for the acquired UHPLC-DTIMS data. Samples were analyzed using a Data Independent Acquisition Approach (DIA), which for most of the standards provided more transitions therefore increasing detection confidence. Using the data acquired by PNNL, LBNL, and Agilent’s specifications from previous ML projects, SNL applied an ensemble ML strategy to pick the best performing model for automated LC-method selection. Finally, with the contribution of the participant labs and Agilent, SNL developed an Automated Method Selection (AMS) software tool to predict the best liquid chromatography method for analysis of any new molecules of interest. Samples with novel pathways and new metabolite targets of interest are generated at a high pace in the ABF. Overall, the project advanced rapid metabolomics by combining liquid chromatography, ion mobility spectrometry, and data-independent mass spectrometry with machine learning. This multidimensional approach uses retention time, collision cross-section, precursor mass, and fragment-ion information to distinguish chemically similar metabolites that can be difficult to resolve using conventional liquid- or gas-chromatography methods. The resulting workflow also provided automated metabolite-identification error estimates, addressing a recognized need for statistical confidence measures in metabolomics.

Petzold, Christopher [Lawrence Berkeley National L↗

Separation and determination of ultratrace rhenium quantities in molybdenum matrix

The production of very pure molybdenum, free of Re even at ultratrace levels, is extremely important in meeting target purity specifications during the production of 99 Mo for medical applications. Here we propose two methods for separating ultratrace levels of Re from a bulk Mo matrix using either solvent extraction or extraction chromatography, combined with inductively coupled plasma quadrupole mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) detection. Re is extracted (D > 70) from solutions in sulfuric acid as a complex with tri-n-butyl phosphate. Scrubbing and washing steps result in total decontamination factors for Mo up to 1,700 for solvent extraction and 3,500 for extraction chromatography. Re is stripped into a 3 M NH 4 OH matrix and analyzed by ICP-MS. Detection (L D ) and quantification (L Q ) limits were optimized by matrix-matching to allow detection of Re in strip solutions at levels of L D = 0.1 ng Re/g-Mo and L Q = 0.3 ng Re/g-Mo in Mo powder samples. By employing these two extraction methods, excellent recoveries of Re from bulk Mo are achieved, and the L Q is improved by a factor of 5 x 10 4 .

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Sequential Monte Carlo for Cut-Bayesian Posterior Computation

We propose a sequential Monte Carlo (SMC) method to efficiently and accurately compute cut-Bayesian posterior quantities of interest, variations of standard Bayesian approaches constructed primarily to account for model misspecification. We prove finite sample concentration bounds for estimators derived from the proposed method along with a linear tempering extension and apply these results to a realistic setting where a computer model is misspecified. We then illustrate the SMC method for inference in a modular chemical reactor example that includes submodels for reaction kinetics, turbulence, mass transfer, and diffusion. The samples obtained are commensurate with a direct-sampling approach that consists of running multiple Markov chains, with computational efficiency gains using the SMC method. Overall, the SMC method presented yields a novel, rigorous approach to computing with cut-Bayesian posterior distributions.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Benchmarking Concentration and Extraction Methods for Wastewater-Based Surveillance of Eight Human Respiratory Viruses: Implications for Rapid Application to Novel Pathogens

To provide early warning and support a rapid response to a novel virus through wastewater surveillance, it would be ideal to understand in advance which concentration and extraction methods are likely to be effective for dPCR-based methods, depending on virus characteristics. In this study, we spiked raw wastewater samples with eight human respiratory viruses and processed them with four methods that concentrate and/or extract nucleic acids from both liquid and solid fractions (Promega, Nanotrap, and InnovaPrep) or only the solid fraction of wastewater (Solids). Our findings provide encouraging evidence that all four methods combined with dPCR could detect an emerging virus in wastewater, although they differed in sensitivity. The pattern of recovery efficiency for adenoviruses, coronaviruses, and influenza A viruses was consistent across methods, with Promega producing higher median recovery efficiencies, while distinct patterns were observed for coxsackieviruses. We also normalized the concentration data with two endogenous fecal indicators, PMMoV and Carjivirus (formerly crAssphage). We found that normalization could reduce method-associated differences if the indicator exhibited a recovery pattern similar to that of the target virus. These findings can guide the selection of concentration and extraction methods for wastewater monitoring based on the properties of target viruses, thus enhancing pandemic preparedness.

Biological and medical sciences↗