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At least 1,171 records · Page 65

Antimicrobial mechanisms of g‐C 3 N 4 @ ZnO against oomycetes Phytophthora capsici: from its metabolism, membrane structures and growth

Abstract BACKGROUND Phytophthora capsici , a refractory and model oomycete plant pathogen, especially threatens multiple vegetable crops. A limited number of chemical pesticides play a vital role in controlling oomycete plant diseases. However, this approach often leads to excessive use of chemical agent, exacerbates environmental issues and more and more drug‐resistant strains of oomycete. Therefore, it is imperative to devise innovative solutions that can effectively address the infection of oomycete while maintaining high levels of environmental sustainability and low toxicity. RESULTS In this study, g‐C 3 N 4 @ZnO heterostructure was synthesized and characterized. The g‐C 3 N 4 @ZnO showed higher toxicity on Phytophthora capsici than graphitic carbon nitride (g‐C 3 N 4 ) nanosheets and zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles in vitro and in vivo . Except the hyphal growth of Phytophthora capsici , their germination rate of spores, sporangium formation and number of spores were all suppressed by g‐C 3 N 4 @ZnO heterostructure. Furthermore, we found that this g‐C 3 N 4 @ZnO heterostructure has higher photocatalytic activity under visible light, which potentially enhanced the reactive oxygen species (ROS) mediated stress on Phytophthora capsici . Ultrastructural morphology, global changes of gene expression and weighted gene co‐expression network analysis all supported that the anti‐oomycete activity of g‐C 3 N 4 @ZnO was manifested in the destruction of membrane system and inhibition of multiple metabolisms of Phytophthora capsici under visible irradiation, which also could be attributed to the ROS and zinc ion (Zn 2+ ) mediated stress. CONCLUSION This works offers a novel oomycete disease management strategy by using g‐C 3 N 4 @ZnO, which were attributed to the ROS stress, destruction of membrane system and inhibition of multiple metabolisms. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Cai, Lin↗

Observations of greenhouse gases as climate indicators

Humans have significantly altered the energy balance of the Earth’s climate system mainly not only by extracting and burning fossil fuels but also by altering the biosphere and using halocarbons. The 3rd US National Climate Assessment pointed to a need for a system of indicators of climate and global change based on long-term data that could be used to support assessments and this led to the development of the National Climate Indicators System (NCIS). Here we identify a representative set of key atmospheric indicators of changes in atmospheric radiative forcing due to greenhouse gases (GHGs), and we evaluate atmospheric composition measurements, including non-CO<:sub>2 GHGs for use as climate change indicators in support of the US National Climate Assessment. GHG abundances and their changes over time can provide valuable information on the success of climate mitigation policies, as well as insights into possible carbon-climate feedback processes that may ultimately affect the success of those policies. To ensure that reliable information for assessing GHG emission changes can be provided on policy-relevant scales, expanded observational efforts are needed. Furthermore, the ability to detect trends resulting from changing emissions requires a commitment to supporting long-term observations. Long-term measurements of greenhouse gases, aerosols, and clouds and related climate indicators used with a dimming/brightening index could provide a foundation for quantifying forcing and its attribution and reducing error in existing indicators that do not account for complicated cloud processes.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Development, characterization, and modeling of a high-performance Ru/B2CA catalyst for ammonia synthesis

This paper documents the development and performance of a nano-phase Ru catalyst on a (BaO) x (CaO) y (Al 2 O 3 ) support. Extensive screening of the support’s ternary composition shows the best stoichiometry is (BaO) 2 (CaO)(Al 2 O 3 ), denoted B2CA. The paper first describes catalyst preparation and characterization. The paper reports a detailed 12-step reaction mechanism that represents ammonia synthesis over wide ranges of temperature, pressure, space velocity, and feed composition. Additionally, the mechanism is developed and validated using results of packed-bed experiments. The elementary reaction pathways consider surface adsorbates, including catalyst-poisoning behaviors. The rate expressions include important coverage-dependent activation barriers. Machine learning models assist interpretation of the catalyst-support interactions. The detailed chemistry is much more predictive than is possible with global representations (N 2 + 3H 2 ⇌ 2NH 3 ). The validated models can be applied to assist optimizing reactor design and operating conditions.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Accelerating Ocean-Based Renewable Energy Educational Opportunities to Achieve a Clean Energy Future

The United Nations has named 2021–2030 the Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development with goals to 'strengthen the international cooperation needed to develop the scientific research and innovative technologies that can connect ocean science with the needs of society' (IOC 2019 The science we need for the ocean we want: the United Nations decade of ocean science for sustainable development (2021–2030) (Paris) p 24). Important actions that have been identified in support of sustainable development goals include capacity-building, training, and education. This includes educational opportunities for ocean-based renewable energy development in support of a healthy planet and ocean. Offshore wind is experiencing rapid development globally and, while the U.S. offshore wind market is still nascent, it is on the brink of exponential growth based on large cost reductions driven largely by European development and technology advances. Growth is also expected in wave and tidal energy with significant opportunities identified for various distributed markets through the Powering the Blue Economy™ initiative, with longer-term implications for expansion at the utility scale (LiVecchi et al 2019 Powering the blue economy; exploring opportunities for marine renewable energy in maritime markets p 207). In order to expedite progress and maximize benefits to the national, state, and local economies, these development actions will require a broad, diverse, and appropriately trained workforce. The ocean-based renewable energy workforce needs engineers and scientists to develop cost-effective technologies, as well as trade and maritime workers to eventually deploy the technologies at scale. In the United States, educational institutions, state governments, and private developers are taking action to understand job skills and capability requirements and to develop educational and training programs to meet offshore workforce needs; most are focused on offshore wind power, with gaining interest in marine energy. This article explores the workforce requirements of the growing ocean-based renewable energy industry and the current state of education and training programs to meet those requirements in order to identify gaps and make recommendations for further workforce development activities and initiatives. An international view needs to be adopted that incorporates the education and skill needs of early-stage marine energy technologies and evolving offshore wind technologies together with more market-ready offshore renewable energy markets. By accelerating educational development opportunities in ocean-based renewable energy, these growing blue economy markets can deliver significant economic and social benefits.

50 EE - Wind and Water Power Program - Water (EE-4↗

A single amino acid change led to structural and functional differentiation of PvHd1 to control flowering in switchgrass

Abstract Switchgrass, a forage and bioenergy crop, occurs as two main ecotypes with different but overlapping ranges of adaptation. The two ecotypes differ in a range of characteristics, including flowering time. Flowering time determines the duration of vegetative development and therefore biomass accumulation, a key trait in bioenergy crops. No causal variants for flowering time differences between switchgrass ecotypes have, as yet, been identified. In this study, we mapped a robust flowering time quantitative trait locus (QTL) on chromosome 4K in a biparental F2 population and characterized the flowering-associated transcription factor gene PvHd1, an ortholog of CONSTANS in Arabidopsis and Heading date 1 in rice, as the underlying causal gene. Protein modeling predicted that a serine to glycine substitution at position 35 (p.S35G) in B-Box domain 1 greatly altered the global structure of the PvHd1 protein. The predicted variation in protein compactness was supported in vitro by a 4 °C shift in denaturation temperature. Overexpressing the PvHd1-p.35S allele in a late-flowering CONSTANS-null Arabidopsis mutant rescued earlier flowering, whereas PvHd1-p.35G had a reduced ability to promote flowering, demonstrating that the structural variation led to functional divergence. Our findings provide us with a tool to manipulate the timing of floral transition in switchgrass cultivars and, potentially, expand their cultivation range.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Trailhead for quantum simulation of SU(3) Yang-Mills lattice gauge theory in the local multiplet basis

Maintaining local interactions in the quantum simulation of gauge field theories relegates most states in the Hilbert space to be unphysical—theoretically benign, but experimentally difficult to avoid. Reformulations of the gauge fields can modify the ratio of physical to gauge-variant states often through classically preprocessing the Hilbert space and modifying the representation of the field on qubit degrees of freedom. This paper considers the implications of representing SU(3) Yang-Mills gauge theory on a lattice of irreducible representations in both a global basis of projected global quantum numbers and a local basis in which controlled-plaquette operators support efficient time evolution. Classically integrating over the internal gauge space at each vertex (e.g., color isospin and color hypercharge) significantly reduces both the qubit requirements and the dimensionality of the unphysical Hilbert space. Initiating tuning procedures that may inform future calculations at scale, the time evolution of one and two plaquettes are implemented on one of IBM’s superconducting quantum devices, and early benchmark quantities are identified. The potential advantages of qudit environments, with either constrained two-dimensional hexagonal or one dimensional nearest-neighbor internal state connectivity, are discussed for future large-scale calculations.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

The ongoing need for high-resolution regional climate models: Process understanding and stakeholder information

Regional climate modeling addresses our need to understand and simulate climatic processes and phenomena unresolved in global models. High resolution models are generally more skillful in simulating extremes, such as heavy precipitation, strong winds, and severe storms. In addition, research has shown that fine-scale features such as mountains, coastlines, lakes, irrigation, land use, and urban heat islands can substantially influence a region’s climate and its response to changing forcings. Regional climate simulations explicitly simulating convection are now being performed, providing an opportunity to illuminate new physical behavior that previously was represented by parameterizations with large uncertainties. Regional and global models are both advancing toward higher resolution, as computational capacity increases. However, the resolution and ensemble size necessary to produce a sufficient statistical sample of these processes in global models has proven too costly for contemporary supercomputing systems. Regional climate models are thus indispensable tools that complement global models for understanding regional climate variability and change, and are critical for supporting societal responses to changing climate.

Gutowski, William↗

Carbon storage cost modeling for the offshore Gulf of Mexico

Groundbreaking for geologic carbon storage (GCS) projects in the offshore Gulf of Mexico is imminent, and there is great interest in utilizing this region for GCS projects. Offshore saline reservoirs provide a significant and accessible resource for GCS. However, conducting GCS in the offshore environment will pose distinct challenges pertaining to site selection, operations, infrastructure use, and monitoring compared to operating onshore that ultimately affect technoeconomic assessment of offshore GCS projects. Carbon storage and transport costs are critical to project developers looking to deploy carbon storage in the offshore environment. We present CO2_S_COM_Offshore, a model developed by the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) as a screening-level offshore saline GCS cost modeling tool. Based on NETL’s widely used CO2_S_COM cost model for onshore saline CS, CO2_S_COM_Offshore enables technoeconomic analysis of GCS in offshore areas. This model comprehensively incorporates multiple facets of offshore GCS projects, from regional evaluation and site selection to permitting, transport, operations, monitoring, site closure, and decommissioning. In general, the model can explore the cost implications for potential offshore GCS project(s) by enabling the user to change several project operational and financial attribute configurations. Key inputs include offshore storage formation options, CO2 injection rate and duration, infrastructure types, monitoring intensity, project financing, and post-injection site care duration. Supporting cost algorithms within CO2_S_COM_Offshore were compiled utilizing S&P Global’ s QUE$TORTM cost estimation software alongside a variety of open-source scientific literature. In addition to reviewing key model components, we discuss several sensitivity analyses, input variabilities, and results on analysis of break-even CO2 price required by a project based on different regulation/policy and operational scenarios for the offshore Gulf of Mexico. These results indicate the value of modeling offshore GCS specifically, and the potential of offshore GCS within a decarbonization value chain. Presented at the 41st USAEE/IAEE North American Conference, 3-6 November 2024, Baton Rouge, LA, United States.

Mark-Moser, Mackenzie K.↗

University of Louisiana at Lafayette

A partnership with the University of Louisiana and U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to collect solar data to support future solar power generation in the United States. The measurement station monitors global, direct, and diffuse irradiance to define the amount of solar energy that hits this particular location. The solar measurement instrumentation is also accompanied by meteorological monitoring equipment to provide scientists with a complete picture of the solar power possibilities.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

University of Florida

A partnership with the University of Florida and U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to collect solar data to support future solar power generation in the United States. The measurement station monitors global, direct, and diffuse irradiance to define the amount of solar energy that hits this particular location. The solar measurement instrumentation is also accompanied by meteorological monitoring equipment to provide scientists with a complete picture of the solar power possibilities.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

Satellite communications for disaster relief operations

The use of existing and planned communication satellite systems to provide assistance in the implementation of disaster relief operations on a global basis was discussed along with satellite communications system implications and their potential impact on field operations in disaster situations. Consideration are given to the utilization of both INTELSAT and MARISAT systems operating at frequencies ranging from 1.5 to 4 GHz and to the size and type of ground terminals necessary for satellite access. Estimates of communication requirements for a global system are given. Some discussion of cost estimates for satellite services to support operations are included. Studies of communication satellites for both pre and post disaster applications conducted for NOAA are included as well as recent experiments conducted in conjunction with the Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance of the Agency for International Development.

Sivo, J. N.↗

Outdoor performance testing of thin-film devices

The Advanced Systems Research Group supports the photovoltaic advanced R&D (PV AR&D) project by providing outdoor (global) testing of PV cells, submodules, modules, and arrays. The group also provides in house engineering and analysis to identify and determine how technical issues such as cell/module/system adaptations, long term stability, reliability, economics, materials availability, safety, and environmental impacts affect the development and ultimate use of advanced PV thin film, innovative cell, and material technologies. A major thrust of the research effort is to develop and utilize instrumentation and procedures for monitoring and analyzing PV cells and submodules including outdoor performance and stability testing and life cycle accelerated stress testing. To accomplish the above, the solar energy research institute (SERI) outdoor PV test facility was established in 1982. The group has designed testing systems and analysis procedures for, and has tested, numerous amorphous silicon thin film submodules provided by SERI subcontractors and has performed long term outdoor stability tests on CdS/CuIr Se sub 2 and hydrogen passivated silicon solar cells. A significant contribution from this facility over the past year was the testing of large area amorphous silicon submodules.

Source record↗

Effect of field-aligned potential drop in a global magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling model

Effects of field-aligned potential drops on the magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling in a steady state are studied on a global ionospheric scale. It is shown that a constant-current generator can support a larger field-aligned potential drop than a constant voltage generator under similar conditions. The magnetospheric convection pattern is distorted more in the constant current generator case than in the constant voltage generator case. The main difference between a constant current generator and a constant voltage generator is found to lie in their ability to adjust the vorticity of the magnetospheric convection. The results show that a constant current generator allows the vorticity of the magnetospheric convection to adjust so that the field-aligned current can be kept constant under the loading influence of the field-aligned potential. On the other hand, a constant voltage generator by definition cannot adjust the vorticity of the magnetospheric convection to maintain the field-aligned current under the loading influence of the field-aligned potential.

Kan, J. R.↗

CO2 lidar backscatter experiment

The Aerosol/Lidar Science Group of the Remote Sensing Branch engages in experimental and theoretical studies of atmospheric aerosol scattering and atmospheric dynamics, emphasizing Doppler lidar as a primary tool. Activities include field and laboratory measurement and analysis efforts by in-house personnel, coordinated with similar efforts by university and government institutional researchers. The primary focus of activities related to understanding aerosol scattering is the GLObal Backscatter Experiment (GLOBE) program. GLOBE was initiated by NASA in 1986 to support the engineering design, performance simulation, and science planning for the prospective NASA Laser Atmospheric Wind Sounder (LAWS). The most important GLOBE scientific result has been identified of a background aerosol mode with a surprisingly uniform backscatter mixing ratio (backscatter normalized by air density) throughout a deep tropospheric layer. The backscatter magnitude of the background mode evident from the MSFC CW lidar measurements is remarkably similar to that evident from ground-based backscatter profile climatologies obtained by JPL in Pasadena CA, NOAA/WPL in Boulder CO, and by the Royal Signals and Radar Establishment in the United Kingdom. Similar values for the background mode have been inferred from the conversion of in situ aerosol microphysical measurements to backscatter using Mie theory. Little seasonal or hemispheric variation is evident in the survey mission data, as opposed to large variation for clouds, aerosol plums, and the marine boundary layer. Additional features include: localized aerosol residues from dissipated clouds, occasional regions having mass concentrations of nanograms per cubic meter and very low backscatter, and aerosol plumes extending thousands of kilometers and several kilometers deep. Preliminary comparison with meteorological observations thus far indicate correlation between backscatter and water vapor under high humidity conditions. Limited intercomparisons with the Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment (SAGE) limb extinction sounder shows differences in the troposphere, however, it should be noted that in general SAGE measurements have not yet been validated in the troposphere.

Jarzembski, Maurice A.↗

Office of Spaceflight Standard Spaceborne Global Positioning System (GPS) user equipment project

The Global Positioning System (GPS) provides the following: (1) position and velocity determination to support vehicle GN&C, precise orbit determination, and payload pointing; (2) time reference to support onboard timing systems and data time tagging; (3) relative position and velocity determination to support cooperative vehicle tracking; and (4) attitude determination to support vehicle attitude control and payload pointing.

Saunders, Penny E.↗

Loran-C time management

As of 1 Oct. 1993, the US Coast Guard (USCG) supports and operates fifteen Loran-C chains. With the introduction of the Global Positioning Systems (GPS) and the termination of the Department of Defense (DOD) overseas need for Loran-C, the USCG will cease operating the three remaining overseas chains by 31 Dec. 1994. Following this date, the USCG Loran-C system will consist of twelve chains. Since 1971, management of time synchronization of the Loran-C system has been conducted under a Memorandum of Agreement between the US Naval Observatory (USNO) and the USCG. The requirement to maintain synchronization with Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) was initially specified as +/- 25 microseconds. This tolerance was rapidly lowered to +/- 2.5 microseconds in 1974. To manage this synchronization requirement, the USCG incorporated administrative practices which kept the USNO appraised of all aspects of the master timing path. This included procedures for responding to timing path failures, timing adjustments, and time steps. Conducting these aspects of time synchronization depended on message traffic between the various master stations and the USNO. To determine clock adjustment the USCG relied upon the USNO's Series 4 and 100 updates so that the characteristics of the master clock could be plotted and controls appropriately applied. In 1987, Public Law 100-223, under the Airport and Airway Improvement Act Amendment, reduced the synchronization tolerance to approximately 100 nanoseconds for chains serving the National Airspace System (NAS). This action caused changes in the previous administrative procedures and techniques. The actions taken by the USCG to meet the requirements of this law are presented.

Justice, Charles↗

Advanced computer architecture specification for automated weld systems

This report describes the requirements for an advanced automated weld system and the associated computer architecture, and defines the overall system specification from a broad perspective. According to the requirements of welding procedures as they relate to an integrated multiaxis motion control and sensor architecture, the computer system requirements are developed based on a proven multiple-processor architecture with an expandable, distributed-memory, single global bus architecture, containing individual processors which are assigned to specific tasks that support sensor or control processes. The specified architecture is sufficiently flexible to integrate previously developed equipment, be upgradable and allow on-site modifications.

Katsinis, Constantine↗

Climate Sensitivity Studies of the Greenland Ice Sheet Using Satellite AVHRR, SMMR, SSM/I and in Situ Data

The feasibility of using satellite data for climate research over the Greenland ice sheet is discussed. In particular, we demonstrate the usefulness of Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) Local Area Coverage (LAC) and Global Area Coverage (GAC) data for narrow-band albedo retrieval. Our study supports the use of lower resolution AVHRR (GAC) data for process studies over most of the Greenland ice sheet. Based on LAC data time series analysis, we can resolve relative albedo changes on the order of 2-5%. In addition, we examine Scanning Multichannel Microwave Radiometer (SMMR) and Special Sensor Microwave Imager (SSM/I) passive microwave data for snow typing and other signals of climatological significance. Based on relationships between in situ measurements and horizontally polarized 19 and 37 GHz observations, wet snow regions are identified. The wet snow regions increase in aerial percentage from 9% of the total ice surface in June to a maximum of 26% in August 1990. Furthermore, the relationship between brightness temperatures and accumulation rates in the northeastern part of Greenland is described. We found a consistent increase in accumulation rate for the northeastern part of the ice sheet from 1981 to 1986.

Steffen, K.↗