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At least 163 records · Page 9

Observed compression of in situ tree stems during freezing

Freezing temperatures can influence the material properties of trees. Understanding how forest biometeorological interactions respond to freezing temperatures is important for forest science and management, as its effects can cascade through coupled hydrological and ecological processes including limitations on tree growth, changes to canopy interception, and influences on atmospheric turbulence. This short communication details the effect of sub-freezing temperatures on the mechanical displacement of three in situ Pinus contorta Douglas (lodgepole pine) stems during a winter season (2013–2014) at Niwot Ridge Mountain Research Station (CO, USA). Although previous research on harvested trees suggests longitudinal stem expansion should occur as temperatures decrease below freezing, we observed longitudinal compression in live stems below -3 °C that linearl y correlated with sub-zero air temperatures ranging down to -22 °C. Freeze-related compression of stems frequently achieved displacement magnitudes comparable to applying 55 kN of compressive force (800 μm). Hypotheses are proposed to explain the significant mechanical displacement observed due to freezing: (1) internal gas release as freezing fronts propagate through stems; (2) short-term relocation of water via sap exudation or preferential ice crystal growth. As the observed stem compression response to freezing is substantial, future work on underlying processes and consequences is merited. The measurement technique used here may prove useful to others interested in the dynamics of stem freezing.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Chemical and Sr isotopic characterization of North America uranium ores: Nuclear forensic applications

This study reports major, minor, and trace element data and Sr isotope ratios for 11 uranium ore (uraninite, UO 2+x ) samples and one processed uranium ore concentrate (UOC) from various U.S. deposits. The uraninite investigated represent ores formed via different modes of mineralization (e.g., high- and low-temperature) and within various geological contexts, which include magmatic pegmatites, metamorphic rocks, sandstone-hosted, and roll front deposits. In situ trace element data obtained by laser ablation-ICP-MS and bulk sample Sr isotopic ratios for uraninite samples investigated here indicate distinct signatures that are highly dependent on the mode of mineralization and host rock geology. Relative to their high-temperature counterparts, low-temperature uranium ores record high U/Th ratios (>1000), low total rare earth element (REE) abundances (<1 wt%), high contents (>300 ppm) of first row transition metals (Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni), and radiogenic 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios (>0.7200). Comparison of chondrite normalized REE patterns between uraninite and corresponding processed UOC from the same locality indicates identical patterns at different absolute concentrations. Lastly, this result ultimately confirms the importance of establishing geochemical signatures of raw, uranium ore materials for attribution purposes in the forensic analysis of intercepted nuclear materials.

07 ISOTOPE AND RADIATION SOURCES↗

Evaluation of the surface roughness effect on suspended particle deposition near unpaved roads

The downwind transport and deposition of suspended dust raised by a vehicle driving on unpaved roads was studied for four differently vegetated surfaces in the USA states of Kansas and Washington, and one barren surface in Nevada. A 10 m high tower adjacent to the source (z10 m downwind) and an array of multi-channel optical particle counters at three positions downwind of the source measured the flux of particles and the particle size distribution in the advecting dust plumes in the horizontal and vertical directions. Aerodynamic parameters such as friction velocity (u*) and surface roughness length (z0) were calculated from wind speed measurements made on the tower. Particle number concentration, PM10 mass exhibited an exponential decay along the direction of transport. Coarse particles accounted for z95% of the PM10 mass, at least to a downwind distance of 200 m from the source. PM10 removed by deposition was found to increase with increasing particle size and increasing surface roughness under similar moderate wind speed conditions. The surface of dense, long grass (1.2 m high and complete surface cover) had the greatest reduction of PM10 among the five surfaces tested due to deposition induced by turbulence effects created by the rougher surface and by enhanced particle impaction/ interception effects to the grass blades.

Zhu, Dongzi↗

Multifunctional landscapes: Site characterization and field-scale design to incorporate biomass production into an agricultural system

Current and future demand for food, feed, fiber, and energy require novel approaches to land management, which demands that multifunctional landscapes are created to integrate various ecosystem functions into a sustainable land use. We developed an approach to design such landscapes at a field scale to minimize concerns of land use change, water quality, and greenhouse gas emissions associated with production of food and bioenergy. This study leverages concepts of nutrient recovery and phytoremediation to place bioenergy crops on the landscape to recover nutrients released to watersheds by commodity crops. Crop placement is determined by evaluating spatial variability of: 1) soils, 2) surface flow pathways, 3) shallow groundwater flow gradients, 4) subsurface nitrate concentrations, and 5) primary crop yield. A 0.8 ha bioenergy buffer was designed within a 6.5 ha field to intercept concentrated surface flow, capture and use nitrate leachate, and minimize use of productive areas. Denitrification-Decomposition (DNDC) simulations show that on average, a switchgrass (Panicum Virgatum L.) or willow (Salix spp.) buffer within this catchment according to this design could reduce annual leached NO3 by 61 or 59% and N2O emission by 5.5 or 10.8%, respectively, produce 8.7 or 9.7 Mg ha-1 of biomass respectively, and displace 6.7 Mg ha-1 of corn (Zea mays L.) grain. Therefore, placement of bioenergy crops has the potential to increase environmental sustainability when the pairing of location and crop type result in minimal disruption of current food production systems and provides additional environmental benefits.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗

Woody bioenergy crop selection can have large effects on water yield: A southeastern United States case study

Short-rotation woody crops in the southeastern United States will make a significant contribution to the growing renewable energy supply over the 21st century; however, there are few studies that investigate how species selection may affect water yield. Here we assessed the impact of species selection on annual and seasonal water budgets in unvegetated plots and late-rotation 14–15-year-old intensively managed loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) and sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua L.) stands in South Carolina USA. We found that while annual aboveground net primary productivity and bioenergy produced was similar between species, sweetgum transpiration was 53% higher than loblolly pine annually and 92% greater during the growing season. Canopy interception was 10.5% of annual precipitation and was not significantly different between the two species. Soil evaporation was less than 1.3% of annual precipitation and did not differ between species, but was 26% of precipitation in unvegetated plots. Annual water yield was 69% lower for sweetgum than loblolly pine, with water yield to precipitation ratios of 0.13 and 0.39 for sweetgum and loblolly pine, respectively. If planted at a large scale, the high transpiration and low water yield in sweetgum could result in declines in downstream water availability relative to loblolly pine by the end of the growing season when storage in groundwater, streams, and water supply reservoirs are typically at their lowest. Our results suggest that species selection is of critical importance when establishing forest plantations for woody bioenergy production due to potential impacts on downstream water yield.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗

Performance of low-cost indoor air quality monitors for PM 2.5 and PM 10 from residential sources

Advances in particle sensor design and manufacturing have enabled the development of low-cost air quality monitors (LCMs). Here, the sensors use light scattering to estimate mass concentration and thus require evaluation for aerosols of varied composition and size distribution. We tested the performance of six LCMs designed for home use and having a retail price under US$300 in October 2018. We assessed their performance by comparing their output to reference PM 2.5 and PM 10 measurements from 21 common residential sources and from infiltrated outdoor PM 2.5 . Reference data were obtained by using gravimetric measurements to adjust time-resolved output from an aerosol spectrometer with both electrical mobility and optical particle sensors. Compared by linear regression to reference measurements, LCMs had negative intercepts and slopes of 1–2 for infiltrated outdoor PM 2.5 . Semi-quantitative responses (~50–200% of actual PM 2.5 ) were obtained for varied aerosols including minerals (ultrasonic humidifier, vacuuming, test dust); combustion products (incense, mosquito coil, extinguished candles); microwave popcorn; and cooking involving frying or grilling. LCMs had low or no response to sources for which all mass was in particles smaller than 0.25 μm, including steady candle flames and cooking without frying or grilling. PM 10 data from LCMs was more variable than PM 2.5 .

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

Radiation damage of a two-dimensional carbon fiber composite (CFC)

Carbon fiber composites (CFC) are, among other applications, already in use as low-impedance collimating elements for intercepting TeV-level protons machines, like the CERN Large Hadron Collider. Towards a comprehensive understanding of these materials’ properties and behavior, a series of radiation damage campaigns have been undertaken in order to quantitively investigate the response of AC-150 K CFC to high proton fluences. The CFCs dimensional changes, stability, micro-structural evolution, and structural integrity below and above 5 × 10 20 p/cm 2 fluence threshold were studied. The irradiating particles were protons of kinetic energies in the range of 130–200 MeV. The effects of the irradiation temperature (~90–180°C and 280–500°C) combined with the proton fluence on the dimensional stability and the microstructural evolution of this anisotropic two-dimensional composite structure were studied using precision dilatometry and X-ray diffraction. Our results shed light on the fluence-based limitations for these composite materials. Furthermore, we compare these results with reference unirradiated graphite, and we discuss the similarities and differences in the dimensional changes and post-irradiation annealing properties.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Discovery and engineering of enzymes for new-to-nature photobiocatalysis

Photobiocatalysis integrates enzymatic catalysis with photochemistry, enabling challenging radical transformations with high selectivity under mild conditions. Early developments in this field were largely driven by the discovery that enzyme-bound cofactors can form photoactive charge–transfer complexes with substrates, thereby initiating radical chemistry upon light irradiation. Recent advances, however, have substantially expanded the mechanistic landscape of photobiocatalysis through diverse mechanisms. This review summarizes major developments in photobiocatalysis reported since 2024. Rather than cataloging individual reactions, we focus on the fundamental mechanisms of radical generation and interception within enzyme active sites, and discuss how these mechanistic principles guide the discovery, engineering, and design of enzymes for new-to-nature photobiocatalysis.

Bai, Zibo [University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign↗

Using bursty announcements for detecting BGP routing anomalies

Despite the robust structure of the Internet, it is still susceptible to disruptive routing updates that prevent network traffic from reaching its destination. Our research shows that BGP announcements that are associated with disruptive updates tend to occur in groups of relatively high frequency, followed by periods of infrequent activity. We hypothesize that we may use these bursty characteristics to detect anomalous routing incidents. In this work, we use manually verified ground truth metadata and volume of announcements as a baseline measure, and propose a burstiness measure that detects prior anomalous incidents with high recall and better precision than the volume baseline. We quantify the burstiness of inter-arrival times around the date and times of four large-scale incidents: the Indosat hijacking event in April 2014, the Telecom Malaysia leak in June 2015, the Bharti Airtel Ltd. hijack in November 2015, and the MainOne leak in November 2018; and three smaller scale incidents that led to traffic interception: the Belarusian traffic direction in February 2013, the Icelandic traffic direction in July 2013, and the Russian telecom that hijacked financial services in April 2017. Our method leverages the burstiness of disruptive update messages to detect these incidents. We describe limitations, open challenges, and how this method can be used for routing anomaly detection.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Prenatal exposure to mixtures of persistent endocrine disrupting chemicals and postnatal body size in British girls

Endocrine disrupting chemical (EDC) exposure is ubiquitous. EDC exposure during critical windows of development may interfere with the body's endocrine system, affecting growth. Previous human studies have examined one EDC at a time in relation to infant growth. By studying mixtures, the human experience can be better approximated. We investigated the association of prenatal exposure to persistent EDCs (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs)) as mixtures with postnatal body size among female offspring. We used a sub-sample of the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (N = 425), based in the United Kingdom. We quantified 52 EDCs in maternal serum collected during pregnancy. We used Bayesian kernel machine regression with a random intercept to examine the association of prenatal concentrations of EDC mixtures with longitudinal postnatal body size measures for each EDC class separately (PFAS, PCBs, and OCPs) and for all three classes combined. Weight and height measures at 0, 2, 9, and 19 months were obtained by health professionals as part of routine child health surveillance. The mixture representing all three classes combined (31 chemicals) (n = 301) was inversely associated with postnatal body size. Holding all EDCs in the 31-chemical mixture at the 75th percentile compared to the 50th percentile was associated with 0.15 lower weight-for-age z-score (95% credible interval –0.26, –0.03). Weak inverse associations were also seen for height-for-age and body mass index-for-age scores. Furthermore, these results suggest that prenatal exposure to mixtures of persistent EDCs may affect postnatal body size.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Efficient modeling of optically-complex, non-coplanar exterior shading: Validation of matrix algebraic methods

It has long been established that shading windows with overhangs, fins, and other types of non-coplanar systems (NCS) is one of the most effective ways of controlling solar heat gains in buildings because they intercept solar radiation prior to entry into the building. Designers however often specify non-opaque materials (e.g., louvers, fritted glass, expanded metal mesh) for these systems in order to admit daylight, reduce lighting energy use, and improve indoor environmental quality. Most simulation tools rely on geometric calculations and radiosity methods to model the solar heat gain impacts of NCS and cannot model optically-complex materials or geometries. For daylighting analysis, optically-complex NCS can be modeled using matrix algebraic methods, although time-efficient parametric analysis has not yet been implemented. Determining the best design and/or material for static or operable NCS that minimize cooling, heating, and lighting energy use and peak demand requires an iterative process. This study describes and validates a matrix algebraic method that enables parametric energy analysis of NCS. Such capabilities would be useful not only for design but also for development of prescriptive energy-efficiency standards, rating and labeling systems for commercial products, development of design guidelines, and development of more optimal NCS technologies. A facade or “F” matrix, which maps the transfer of flux from the NCS to the surface of the window, is introduced and its use is explained. A field study was conducted in a full-scale outdoor testbed to measure the daylight performance of an operable drop-arm awning. Simulated data were compared to measured data in order to validate the models. Results demonstrated model accuracy: simulated workplane illuminance was within 11–13%, surface luminance was within 16–18%, and the daylight glare probability was within 6–9% of measured results. Methods used to achieve accurate results are discussed. Results of the validation of daylighting performance are applicable to solar heat gain performance. Since exterior shading can also significantly reduce peak demand, these models enable stakeholders to more accurately assess HVAC and lighting impacts in support of grid management and resiliency goals.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

Oral relative bioavailability of Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) in contaminated soil and its prediction using in vitro strategies for exposure refinement

In this study, the bioavailability of DDTr (sum of DDT, DDD and DDE isomers) in pesticide-contaminated soil was assessed using an in vivo mouse model. DDTr relative bioavailability (RBA) ranged from 18.7±0.9 (As35) to 60.8±7.8% (As36) indicating that a significant portion of soil-bound DDTr was not available for absorption following ingestion. When DDTr bioaccessibility was assessed using the organic Physiologically Based Extraction Test (org-PBET), the inclusion of a sorption sink (silicone cord) enhanced DDTr desorption by up to 20-fold (1.6–3.8% versus 18.9–56.3%) compared to DDTr partitioning into gastrointestinal fluid alone. Enhanced desorption occurred as a result of the silicone cord acting as a reservoir for solubilized DDTr to partition into, thereby creating a flux for further desorption until equilibrium was achieved. When the relationship between in vivo and in vitro data was assessed, a strong correlation was observed between the mouse bioassay and the org-PBET+silicone cord (slope=0.94, y-intercept=3.5, r{sup 2}=0.72) suggesting that the in vitro approach may provide a robust surrogate measure for the prediction of DDTr RBA in contaminated soil. - Highlights: • An optimised mouse assay was used to quantify DDTr relative bioavailability in soil. • DDTr bioaccessibility was also determined using an in vitro sorption sink approach. • A strong correlation was observed between in vivo and in vitro data. • The sorption sink approach may be used to predict DDTr relative bioavailability.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Urinary concentrations of cyclohexane-1,2-dicarboxylic acid monohydroxy isononyl ester, a metabolite of the non-phthalate plasticizer di(isononyl)cyclohexane-1,2-dicarboxylate (DINCH), and markers of ovarian response among women attending a fertility center

Di(isononyl)cyclohexane-1,2-dicarboxylate (DINCH), a non-phthalate plasticizer, was introduced commercially in 2002 as an alternative to ortho-phthalate esters because of its favorable toxicological profile. However, the potential health effects from DINCH exposure remain largely unknown. We explored the associations between urinary concentrations of metabolites of DINCH on markers of ovarian response among women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatments. Between 2011 and 2015, 113 women enrolled a prospective cohort study at the Massachusetts General Hospital Fertility Center and provided up to two urine samples prior to oocyte retrieval. The urinary concentrations of two DINCH metabolites, cyclohexane-1,2-dicarboxylic acid monohydroxy isononyl ester (MHiNCH) and cyclohexane-1,2-dicarboxylic acid monocarboxyisooctyl ester (MCOCH), were quantified by isotope dilution tandem mass spectrometry. We used generalized linear mixed models to evaluate the association between urinary metabolite concentrations and markers of ovarian response, accounting for multiple IVF cycles per woman via random intercepts. On average, women with detectable urinary MHiNCH concentrations, as compared to those below LOD, had a lower estradiol levels (−325 pmol/l, p=0.09) and number of retrieved oocytes (−1.8, p=0.08), with a stronger association among older women. However, urinary MHiNCH concentrations were unrelated to mature oocyte yield and endometrial wall thickness. In conclusion, we found suggestive negative associations between urinary MHiNCH concentrations and peak estradiol levels and number of total oocyte yields. This is the first study evaluating the effect of DINCH exposure on human reproductive health and raises the need for further experimental and epidemiological studies to better understand the potential effects of this chemical on health. - Highlights: • Women with detectable urinary MHiNCH concentrations had a lower estradiol levels and number of retrieved oocytes. • The negative association between urinary MHiNCH concentrations and total oocyte yield was stronger in older women. • Urinary MHiNCH concentrations were unrelated to mature oocyte yield and endometrial wall thickness.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Short-and medium-term associations of particle number concentration with cardiovascular markers in a Puerto Rican cohort

Highlights: • Differential susceptibility to air pollution effects has been reported, but evidence is limited. • The Puerto Rican population may be susceptible based on high prevalence of chronic conditions. • Particle number is associated with C-reactive protein, but only among women. • The results show impacts of similar magnitude to other studies. Air pollution has been linked to adverse cardiovascular outcomes; however, susceptibility may vary by population. Puerto Rican adults living in the US may be a susceptible group due to a high rate of adverse cardiovascular events. We evaluated the effect of changes in ambient particle number concentration (PNC, a measure of ultrafine particles) and effects on biomarkers of cardiovascular risk in the Boston Puerto Rican Health Study (BPRHS), a longitudinal cohort (n = 1499). Ambient PNC was measured at a fixed site between 2004 and 2013 and daily mean concentrations were used to construct PNC metrics, including lags of 0, 1 and 2 days and moving averages (MAs) of 3, 7 and 28 days. We examined the association of each metric with C-reactive protein (CRP) and blood pressure. Each model included subject-specific random intercepts to account for multiple measurements. An interquartile range (IQR) increase in PNC was associated with CRP for all metrics, notably a 3-day increase in PNC was associated with a 7.1% (95% CI: 2.0%, 12.2%) increase in CRP. Significant associations with CRP were seen in women, but not men; with current and former (but not non-) smokers; participants younger (but not older) than 65 y; those without diabetes (but not with), and those with (but not without), hypertension. Our study extends knowledge about the health effects of air pollution to a vulnerable population that has been understudied.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

PFHydro: A New Watershed-Scale Model for Post-Fire Runoff Simulation

Runoff increases after wildfires that burn vegetation and create a condition of soil-water repellence (SWR). A new post-fire watershed hydrological model, PFHydro, was created to explicitly simulate vegetation interception and SWR effects for four burn severity categories: high, medium, low severity and unburned. The model was applied to simulate post-fire runoff from the Upper Cache Creek Watershed in California, USA. Nash–Sutcliffe modeling efficiency (NSE) was used to assess model performance. The NSE was 0.80 and 0.88 for pre-fire water years (WY) 2000 and 2015, respectively. NSE was 0.88 and 0.93 for WYs 2016 (first year post-fire) and 2017 respectively. The simulated percentage of surface runoff in total runoff of WY 2016 was about six times that of pre-fire WY 2000 and three times that of WY 2015. The modeling results suggest that SWR is an important factor for post-fire runoff generation. In conclusion, the model was successful at simulating SWR behavior.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Modeling forest site productivity using mapped geospatial attributes within a South Carolina Landscape, USA

Spatially explicit mapping of forest productivity is important to assess many forest management alternatives. We assessed the relationship between mapped variables and site index of forests ranging from southern pine plantations to natural hardwoods on a 74,000-ha landscape in South Carolina, USA. Mapped features used in the analysis were soil association, land use condition in 1951, depth to groundwater, slope and aspect. Basal area, species composition, age and height were the tree variables measured. Linear modelling identified that plot basal area, depth to groundwater, soils association and the interactions between depth to groundwater and forest group, and between land use in 1951 and forest group were related to site index (SI) (R 2 =0.37), but this model had regression attenuation. We then used structural equation modeling to incorporate error-in-measurement corrections for basal area and groundwater to remove bias in the model. We validated this model using 89 independent observations and found the 95% confidence intervals for the slope and intercept of an observed vs. predicted site index error-corrected regression included zero and one, respectively, indicating a good fit. With error in measurement incorporated, only basal area, soil association, and the interaction between forest groups and land use were important predictors (R2 =0.57). Thus, we were able to develop an unbiased model of SI that could be applied to create a spatially explicit map based primarily on soils as modified by past (land use and forest type) and recent forest management (basal area).

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Prototyping phase of the high heat flux scraper element of Wendelstein 7-X

The water-cooled high heat flux scraper element aims to reduce excessive heat loads on the target element ends of the actively cooled divertor of Wendelstein 7-X. Its purpose is to intercept some of the plasma fluxes both upstream and downstream before they reach the divertor surface. The scraper element has 24 identical plasma facing components (PFCs) divided into 6 modules. One module has 4 PFCs hydraulically connected in series by 2 water boxes. A PFC, 247 mm long and 28 mm wide, has 13 monoblocks made of CFC NB31 bonded by hot isostatic pressing onto a CuCrZr cooling tube equipped with a copper twisted tape. 4 full-scale prototypes of PFCs have been successfully tested in the GLADIS facility up to 20 MW/m 2 . The difference observed between measured and calculated surface temperatures is probably due to the inhomogeneity of CFC properties. The design of the water box prototypes has been detailed to allow the junction between the cooling pipe of the PFCs and the water boxes by internal orbital welding. In conclusion, the prototypes are presently under fabrication.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Wireless infrastructure protection using low-cost radio frequency fingerprinting receivers

We report that low-data-rate wireless networks incorporated in critical infrastructure applications can be protected through 128-bit encryption keys and address-based access control lists. However, these bit-level credentials are vulnerable to interception, extraction and spoofing using software tools available free of charge on the Internet. Recent research has demonstrated that wireless physical layer device fingerprinting can be used to defend against replay and spoofing attacks. However, radio frequency (RF) fingerprinting typically uses expensive signal collection systems; this is because fingerprinting wireless devices with low-cost receivers has been reported to have inconsistent accuracy. In conclusion, this paper demonstrates a robust radio frequency fingerprinting process that is consistently accurate with both high-end and low-cost receivers. Indeed, the results demonstrate that low-cost software-defined radios can be used to perform accurate radio frequency fingerprinting and to identify spoofing attacks in critical IEEE 802.154-based infrastructure networks such as ZigBee.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗