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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 163 records · Page 9
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2022

The air mycobiome is decoupled from the soil mycobiome in the California San Joaquin Valley

Abstract Dispersal is a key force in the assembly of fungal communities and the air is the dominant route of dispersal for most fungi. Understanding the dynamics of airborne fungi is important for determining their source and for helping to prevent fungal disease. This understanding is important in the San Joaquin Valley of California, which is home to 4.2 million people and where the airborne fungus Coccidioides is responsible for the most important fungal disease of otherwise healthy humans, coccidioidomycosis. The San Joaquin Valley is the most productive agricultural region in the United States, with the principal crops grown therein susceptible to fungal pathogens. Here, we characterize the fungal community in soil and air on undeveloped and agricultural land in the San Joaquin Valley using metabarcoding of the internal transcribed spacer 2 variable region of fungal rDNA. Using 1,002 individual samples, we report one of the most extensive studies of fungi sampled simultaneously from air and soil using modern sequencing techniques. We find that the air mycobiome in the San Joaquin Valley is distinct from the soil mycobiome, and that the assemblages of airborne fungi from sites as far apart as 160 km are far more similar to one another than to the fungal communities in nearby soils. Additionally, we present evidence that airborne fungi in the San Joaquin Valley are subject to dispersal limitation and cyclical intra‐annual patterns of community composition. Our findings are broadly applicable to understanding the dispersal of airborne fungi and the taxonomic structure of airborne fungal assemblages.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2021

Structure-based decoupling of the pro- and anti-inflammatory functions of interleukin-10

Interleukin-10 (IL-10) is an immunoregulatory cytokine with both anti-inflammatory and immunostimulatory properties and is frequently dysregulated in disease. We used a structure-based approach to deconvolute IL-10 pleiotropy by determining the structure of the IL-10 receptor (IL-10R) complex by cryo–electron microscopy at a resolution of 3.5 angstroms. The hexameric structure shows how IL-10 and IL-10Rα form a composite surface to engage the shared signaling receptor IL-10Rβ, enabling the design of partial agonists. IL-10 variants with a range of IL-10Rβ binding strengths uncovered substantial differences in response thresholds across immune cell populations, providing a means of manipulating IL-10 cell type selectivity. Some variants displayed myeloid-biased activity by suppressing macrophage activation without stimulating inflammatory CD8 + T cells, thereby uncoupling the major opposing functions of IL-10. These results provide a mechanistic blueprint for tuning the pleiotropic actions of IL-10.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2025

Decoupling Failure Pathways in Li-O 2 Cells Operated Under Lean Electrolyte Conditions

The operation of lithium-oxygen (Li-O 2 ) batteries under lean electrolyte conditions offers higher energy density but leads to rapid degradation and short cycle life. Although cathode passivation and electrolyte decomposition occur in all regimes, we show that under lean electrolyte conditions, failure is primarily driven by progressive electrolyte consumption at the lithium/solid electrolyte interphase (SEI), rather than by irreversible cathode passivation. Poor wetting of the lithium surface results in heterogeneous SEI growth and high local current densities, which accelerate electrolyte loss and cell failure. Strategies aimed at improving interfacial stability, including optimized wetting and SEI forming additives, significantly extend cycle life without compromising energy density. Our results establish anode-electrolyte interactions as the dominant degradation mechanism under lean electrolyte conditions, and emphasize the need to engineer a stable Li/SEI interface for long-lasting Li-O 2 batteries.

Córdoba, Daniel [Argonne National Laboratory (ANL)↗
DOE OSTI2022

Engineered yeast strains enabling anaerobic xylose fermentation decoupled from microbial growth

The present invention relates to materials and methods for the production of ethanol. More particularly, the present invention provides genetically modified strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae exhibiting decreased level of BCY1 protein activity and capable of anaerobic fermentation of xylose into ethanol without the need for cell growth. Also provided are methods of using such genetically engineered yeast strains for improved anaerobic xylose fermentation in the yeast for industrial-scale production of various fuels, chemical feedstocks, and synthetic polymers.

Myers, Kevin S.↗
DOE OSTI2022

Inertial confinement fusion system which decouples life-limited component from plant availability

An architecture for an inertial confinement fusion system is disclosed. The system includes a fusion chamber for producing neutrons from a fusion reaction, and a laser system in which lasers are arranged about a vacuum chamber to provide energy to the fusion chamber to initiate the fusion reaction. The beam paths between the lasers and the fusion chamber are configured to prevent neutrons from the fusion chamber from reaching the laser system at a level that would preclude human access to the laser system.

Moses, Edward I.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Decoupling of Nitrogen and Oxygen Impurities in Nitrogen Doped SRF Cavities

The performance of superconducting radiofrequency (SRF) cavities is critical for enabling the next generation of efficient high-energy particle accelerators. Recent developments have focused on altering the surface impurity profile through \textit{in-situ} baking, furnace baking, and doping to introduce and diffuse beneficial impurities such as nitrogen, oxygen, and carbon. However, the precise role and properties of each impurity are not well understood. In this work, we attempt to disentangle the role of nitrogen and oxygen impurities through time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry using niobium cavity cutouts baked at temperatures varying from 120-800$^\circ$C with and without nitrogen injection. Understanding the underlying mechanisms behind these impurities will drive further optimization in the tailoring of nitrogen and oxygen profiles for high-performance SRF cavities.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗