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At least 1,711 records · Page 95

Atomic-Scale Structure and Non-Stoichiometry of Meteoritic Hibonite: A Transmission Electron Microscope Study

Hibonite (CaAl_12O_19) is a common refractory mineral in Ca-Al-rich inclusions (CAIs) in primitive meteorites. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) studies have identified enigmatic planar defects in different occurrences of hibonite in the Allende meteorite that give rise to strong streaking along c* in electron diffraction patterns. Atomic resolution high-angle annular dark-field (HAADF) imaging and energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) analyses were used to determine the nature and origin of these planar features. HAADF images of hibonite grains reveal lamellar intergrowths of common 1.6 nm spacing, and less commonly 2.0 and 2.5 nm spacings, interspersed in stoichiometric hibonite showing 1.1 nm (002) spacing. Stoichiometric hibonite consists of alternating Ca-containing (“R”) and spinel-structured (“S”) blocks stacked in a sequence RS. In contrast, the 1.6 nm layers result from a doubled S block such that the stacking sequence is RSS, while in the widest defect observed, the stacking sequence is RSSSS. These intergrowths are epitaxial and have coherent, low-strain boundaries with the host hibonite Meteoritic hibonite shows common Ti and Mg substitution for Al in its structure. Atomic-resolution EDX maps of hibonite grains in the Allende CAI confirm the preferred site occupancy of Mg on tetragonal M3 sites in S blocks and of Ti on trigonal bipyramidal M2 and octahedral M4 sites in R blocks. Mg is highly concentrated, but Ti is absent in the planar defects where wider S blocks show Al-rich compositions compared to stoichiometric MgAl_2O_4 spinel. Therefore, Mg likely played the major role in the formation and metastability of planar defects in hibonite. Electron energy loss spectroscopy data from the Ti L_2,3 edge show the presence of mixed Ti oxidation states with ~ 15–20% of Ti as Ti^(3+) in hibonite, suggesting a direct substitution of Ti^(3+) ↔ Al^(3+) in hibonite. The remaining ~ 80–85% of Ti is present as Ti^(4+) and corresponding EDX analyses are consistent with the well-known coupled substitution 2Al^(3+) ↔ Ti^(4+) + Mg^(2+) being the major mechanism for Ti and Mg substitution in hibonite. The formation of planar defects in hibonite occurred during high-temperature nebular condensation or melting/crystallization processes. The occurrence of non-stoichiometric hibonite in the Allende CAI deviates from the mineral formation sequence predicted from equilibrium condensation models. Overall, our atomic resolution TEM observations signify non-equilibrium, kinetic-controlled crystal growth during the high-temperature formation of refractory solids in the early solar nebula.

hibonite↗

PSpecteR: A User-Friendly and Interactive Application for Visualizing Top-Down and Bottom-Up Proteomics Data in R

Visual examination of mass spectrometry data is necessary to assess data quality and to facilitate data exploration. Graphics provide the means to evaluate spectral properties, test alternative peptide/protein sequence matches, prepare annotated spectra for publication, and fine-tune parameters during wet lab procedures. Visual inspection of MS data is hindered by proprietary proteomics visualization software designed for particular workflows and academic software that lack visualization tools. We built PSpecteR, an open-source and interactive R Shiny web application to address these issues, with support for several steps of proteomics data processing, including: reading various mass spectrometry files, running open-source database search tools, labelling spectra with fragmentation patterns, testing post-translational modifications, plotting where identified fragments map to reference sequences, and visualizing algorithmic output and metadata. All figures, tables, and spectra are exportable within one easy-to-use graphical user interface. Our current software provides a flexible and modern R framework to support fast implementation of additional features. The open source code is readily available (https://github.com/EMSL-Computing/PSpecteR), and a PSpecteR Docker container (https://hub.docker.com/r/emslcomputing) is available for easy local installation.

96 KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AND PRESERVATION↗

Automated tape-target centering based on template matching for construction measurement tasks using robotic total station

Robotic total stations have transformed surveying and construction mapping through precise, efficient, and automated measurements. These instruments integrate a theodolite, which measures horizontal and vertical angles, with an electronic distance measurement (EDM) unit to determine distances, allowing accurate 3D measurement of observable points. Traditionally, users manually aimed the total station at a target. Recent advancements in robotic motor control and integration of cameras now enable automatic rotation and aiming, typically requiring only a single operator to position the target. Automated aiming is commonly performed using retroreflector prisms, which reflect light back to the source with minimal scattering, enabling high-precision measurements over long distances. However, retroreflectors, especially those designed for 360 degree, can be expensive and impractical for certain applications. This paper presents an algorithm for automating the center detection of low-cost disposable tape targets using the total station's onboard camera and a template matching algorithm. The algorithm identifies the target's center pixel in the image, and the instrument is commanded to aim at that location. We evaluated the performance of this template-matching-based centering method under various distances, angles, lighting conditions, and field environments, comparing its results to both manual aiming and conventional automated aiming of tape targets. Manual aiming was used as the baseline operational reference in the absence of an independent ground-truth measurement. The proposed approach achieves target centering results comparable to the manual baseline. This method provides a cost-effective alternative for high-precision applications where retroreflector targets are constrained by budget or logistics.

Harrington, Joshua [ORNL]↗

Thermal Stability of Distillate Hydrocarbon Fuels

Thermal stability of fuels is expected to become a severe problem in the future due to the anticipated use of broadened specification and alternative fuels. Future fuels will have higher contents of heteroatomic species which are reactive constituents and are known to influence fuel degradation. To study the degradation chemistry of selected model fuels, n-dodecane and n-dodecane plus heteroatoms were aerated by bubbling air through the fuels amd stressed on a modified Jet Fuel Thermal Oxidation Tester facility operating at heater tube temperatures between 200 to 400 C. The resulting samples were fractionated to concentrate the soluble products and then analyzed using gas chromatographic and mass spectrometric techniques to quantify and identify the stable reaction intermediate and product specifically. Heteroatom addition showed that the major soluble products were always the same, with and without heteroatoms, but their distributions varied considerably.

Reddy, Kishenkumar Tadisina↗

The 3F condensation polyimides: Review and update

Nine new condensation polyimides containing the phenyltrifluoroethylidene (3F) linkage were synthesized by the amic-acid route. Several other polyimides, including some with hexafluoroisopropylidene (6F) linkage, were also prepared as controls. Amic-acid solutions were characterized by determining their inherent viscosities prior to thermal conversion into polyimide films. Glass transition temperatures (T sub g), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and isothermal weight loss data (at 316, 371, and 371 C under 0.5 MPa air pressure) were obtained for the films. The films were pulverized into molding powders which, in turn, were thermally processed under pressure into neat resin disks. The disks were also characterized by T sub g's and 316 and 371 C isothermal weight losses. The film study identified two new polyimides with T sub g's greater than 371 C and two new polyimides with low rates of weight loss. The resin disks exhibited the same overall trends in T sub g and weight loss as the respective films, however the weight loss per unit surface area was always greater, presumably due to molecular degradation induced during preparation of the molding powders. The overall results indicate that polyimides containing the 3F linkage have T sub g's and thermo-oxidative stability comparable to polyimides containing the 6F group. Alternate technology was also shown by the synthesis of two new polyalkyl substituted 3F diamines and five more new 3F polymers. Their potential as photoresists was demonstrated by T sub g advancement after ultraviolet exposure. Last, four U.S. patents on 3F monomers and polymers were issued and up to eight more are pending.

Alston, William B.↗

An expert system to perform on-line controller restructuring for abrupt model changes

Work in progress on an expert system used to reconfigure and tune airframe/engine control systems on-line in real time in response to battle damage or structural failures is presented. The closed loop system is monitored constantly for changes in structure and performance, the detection of which prompts the expert system to choose and apply a particular control restructuring algorithm based on the type and severity of the damage. Each algorithm is designed to handle specific types of failures and each is applicable only in certain situations. The expert system uses information about the system model to identify the failure and to select the technique best suited to compensate for it. A depth-first search is used to find a solution. Once a new controller is designed and implemented it must be tuned to recover the original closed-loop handling qualities and responsiveness from the degraded system. Ideally, the pilot should not be able to tell the difference between the original and redesigned systems. The key is that the system must have inherent redundancy so that degraded or missing capabilities can be restored by creative use of alternate functionalities. With enough redundancy in the control system, minor battle damage affecting individual control surfaces or actuators, compressor efficiency, etc., can be compensated for such that the closed-loop performance in not noticeably altered. The work is applied to a Black Hawk/T700 system.

Litt, Jonathan S.↗

Metal Foam Analysis: Improving Sandwich Structure Technology for Engine Fan and Propeller Blades

The Life Prediction Branch of the NASA Glenn Research Center is searching for ways to construct aircraft and rotorcraft engine fan and propeller blades that are lighter and less costly. One possible design is to create a sandwich structure composed of two metal faces sheets and a metal foam core. The face sheets would carry the bending loads and the foam core would have to resist the transverse shear loads. Metal foam is ideal because of its low density and energy absorption capabilities, making the structure lighter, yet still stiff. The material chosen for the face sheets and core was 17-4PH stainless steel, which is easy to make and has appealing mechanical properties. This material can be made inexpensively compared to titanium and polymer matrix composites, the two current fan blade alternatives. Initial tests were performed on design models, including vibration and stress analysis. These tests revealed that the design is competitive with existing designs; however, some problems were apparent that must be addressed before it can be implemented in new technology. The foam did not hold up as well as expected under stress. This could be due to a number of issues, but was most likely a result of a large number of pores within the steel that weakened the structure. The brazing between the face sheets and the foam was also identified as a concern. The braze did not hold up well under shear stress causing the foam to break away from the face sheets. My role in this project was to analyze different options for improving the design. I primarily spent my time examining various foam samples, created with different sintering conditions, to see which exhibited the most favorable characteristics for our purpose. Methods of analysis that I employed included examining strut integrity under a microscope, counting the number of cells per inch, measuring the density, testing the microhardness, and testing the strength under compression. Shear testing will also be done to examine the strengths of different types of brazes.

Fedor, Jessica L.↗

Deep Space Network Scheduling Using Multi-Objective Optimization with Uncertainty

We have developed a novel technique to incorporate uncertainty modeling within an evolutionary algorithm approach to multi-objective scheduling, with the goal of identifying a Pareto frontier (tradeoff curve) that recognizes the likelihood of events that can impact the schedule outcome. Our approach is particularly applicable to the generation of multiobjective optimized robust schedules, where objectives are assigned a service level, for example that we require an objective value to be greater than or equal to X with Y% confidence. We have demonstrated that such an approach can, for example, minimize scheduling on less reliable resources, based solely on a resource reliability model and not on any ad hoc heuristics. We have also investigated an alternative method of optimizing for robustness, in which we add to the set of objectives a failure risk objective to minimize. We compare the advantages and disadvantages of these two approaches. Future plans for further developing this technology include its application to space-based observatory scheduling problems.

Johnston, Mark D.↗

Comparative assessment of neutron flux sensor technologies for advanced reactors

This report documents the comparative assessment of the rhodium-based self-powered neutron detectors (Rh-SPND), micro-pocket fission detectors (MPFD), and dosimetry wires in heated irradiations at the Neutron Radiography reactor facility at Idaho National Laboratory. The sensors performances are evaluated high-temperature environments (upwards of 850°C) during maximum reactor power to simulate use in advanced reactor applications. The performance of the Rh-SPNDs indicates the experiment cartridge heater power supply interferes with the SPND signals. This interference become increasingly significant at temperatures above 500°C with minimal interference observed for temperatures below 500°C. This work also demonstrated the fabrication process for the updated design of the MPFD, but issues related to the seal welds were identified and usable data was limited. Finally, the dosimetry measurements were within the expected range correlated with reactor power; thus, the dosimetry results were used to provide preliminary SPND calibration factors. The results from this experiment serves as a reference for developing and testing of flux sensors that are designed for high-temperature irradiations and advanced reactor deployments. This includes upcoming FY22 irradiations at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Reactor and the Neutron Radiography (NRAD) reactor utilizing additional fission chambers from Photonis Technologies and fission chambers and SPNDs from The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Mirror fusion propulsion system - A performance comparison with alternate propulsion systems for the manned Mars mission

The performance characteristics of several propulsion technologies applied to piloted Mars missions are compared. The characteristics that are compared are Initial Mass in Low Earth Orbit (IMLEO), mission flexibility, and flight times. The propulsion systems being compared are both demonstrated and envisioned: Chemical (or Cryogenic), Nuclear Thermal Rocket (NTR) solid core, NTR gas core, Nuclear Electric Propulsion (NEP), and a mirror fusion space propulsion system. The proposed magnetic mirror fusion reactor, known as the Mirror Fusion Propulsion System (MFPS), is described. The description is an overview of a design study that was conducted to convert a mirror reactor experiment at Lawrence Livermore National Lab (LLNL) into a viable space propulsion system. Design principles geared towards minimizing mass and maximizing power available for thrust are identified and applied to the LLNL reactor design, resulting in the MFPS. The MFPS' design evolution, reactor and fuel choices, and system configuration are described. Results of the performance comparison shows that the MFPS minimizes flight time to 60 to 90 days for flights to Mars while allowing continuous return-home capability while at Mars. Total MFPS IMLEO including propellant and payloads is kept to about 1,000 metric tons.

Deveny, M.↗

Mirror fusion propulsion system: A performance comparison with alternate propulsion systems for the manned Mars Mission

The performance characteristics of several propulsion technologies applied to piloted Mars missions are compared. The characteristics that are compared are Initial Mass in Low Earth Orbit (IMLEO), mission flexibility, and flight times. The propulsion systems being compared are both demonstrated and envisioned: Chemical (or Cryogenic), Nuclear Thermal Rocket (NTR) solid core, NTR gas core, Nuclear Electric Propulsion (NEP), and a mirror fusion space propulsion system. The proposed magnetic mirror fusion reactor, known as the Mirror Fusion Propulsion System (MFPS), is described. The description is an overview of a design study that was conducted to convert a mirror reactor experiment at Lawrence Livermore National Lab (LLNL) into a viable space propulsion system. Design principles geared towards minimizing mass and maximizing power available for thrust are identified and applied to the LLNL reactor design, resulting in the MFPS. The MFPS' design evolution, reactor and fuel choices, and system configuration are described. Results of the performance comparison shows that the MFPS minimizes flight time to 60 to 90 days for flights to Mars while allowing continuous return-home capability while at Mars. Total MFPS IMLEO including propellant and payloads is kept to about 1,000 metric tons.

Schulze, Norman R.↗

Identification of the optimal carbon fiber shape for cost-specific compressive performance

We report carbon fiber composites offer superior mechanical performance compared to nearly all other useful materials for the design of structures. However, for cost-driven industries, such as with the wind energy and vehicle industries, the cost of commercial carbon fiber materials is often prohibitive for their usage compared to alternatives. This paper develops an approach to optimize fiber geometries for use in carbon fiber reinforced polymers to increase the compressive strength per unit cost. Compressive strength is a composite property that depends on the fiber, matrix, and interface, and an exact analytic expression does not exist that can accurately represent these complicated relationships. The approach taken instead is to use a weighted summation between the fiber cross-sectional area moment of inertia and perimeter as a proxy for compressive strength, with different weightings explored within the paper. Analyses are performed to identify optimal fiber geometries that increase the cost-specific compressive strength based on various assumptions and desired fiber volume fraction. Robust optimal shapes are identified which outperform circular fibers due to increases in area moment of inertia and perimeter, as well as decreases in carbon fiber processing costs.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Using soil library hyperspectral reflectance and machine learning to predict soil organic carbon: Assessing potential of airborne and spaceborne optical soil sensing

Soil organic carbon (SOC) is a key variable to determine soil functioning, ecosystem services, and global carbon cycles. Spectroscopy, particularly optical hyperspectral reflectance coupled with machine learning, can provide rapid, efficient, and cost-effective quantification of SOC. However, how to exploit soil hyperspectral reflectance to predict SOC concentration, and the potential performance of airborne and satellite data for predicting surface SOC at large scales remain relatively underknown. Here, this study utilized a continental-scale soil laboratory spectral library (37,540 full-pedon 350–2500 nm reflectance spectra with SOC concentration of 0–780 g·kg –1 across the US) to thoroughly evaluate seven machine learning algorithms including Partial-Least Squares Regression (PLSR), Random Forest (RF), K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN), Ridge, Artificial Neural Networks (ANN), Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN), and Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) along with four preprocessed spectra, i.e. original, vector normalization, continuum removal, and first-order derivative, to quantify SOC concentration. Furthermore, by using the coupled soil-vegetation-atmosphere radiative transfer model, we simulated twelve airborne and spaceborne hyper/multi-spectral remote sensing data from surface bare soil laboratory spectra to evaluate their potential for estimating SOC concentration of surface bare soils. Results show that LSTM achieved best predictive performance of quantifying SOC concentration for the whole data sets (R 2 = 0.96, RMSE = 30.81 g·kg –1 ), mineral soils (SOC ≤ 120 g·kg –1 , R 2 = 0.71, RMSE = 10.60 g·kg –1 ), and organic soils (SOC > 120 g·kg –1 , R 2 = 0.78, RMSE = 62.31 g·kg –1 ). Spectral data preprocessing, particularly the first-order derivative, improved the performance of PLSR, RF, Ridge, KNN, and ANN, but not LSTM or CNN. We found that the SOC models of mineral and organic soils should be distinguished given their distinct spectral signatures. Finally, we identified that the shortwave infrared is vital for airborne and spaceborne hyperspectral sensors to monitor surface SOC. This study highlights the high accuracy of LSTM with hyperspectral/multispectral data to mitigate a certain level of noise (soil moisture <0.4 m 3 ·m –3 , green leaf area < 0.3 m 2 ·m –2 , plant residue <0.4 m 2 ·m –2 ) for quantifying surface SOC concentration. Forthcoming satellite hyperspectral missions like Surface Biology and Geology (SBG) have a high potential for future global soil carbon monitoring, while high-resolution satellite multispectral fusion data can be an alternative.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Degrees of Rate Control in Interconnected Reaction Networks

Overall reactions in interconnected networks exhibit net, forward, and reverse rates that are governed by both constitutive elementary steps in the pathway of interest and branching elementary steps that lead to alternative products. Accordingly, steps in branching pathways exhibit negative net, forward, and reverse degrees of rate control, as they reduce reaction flux to the desired product. We here contextualize the forward and reverse degrees of rate control in terms of kinetic resistances (inverse of rates) and leverage the additive nature of kinetic resistance to decouple kinetic driving forces contributed by constitutive elementary steps and branching points (nodal species) in interconnected networks. Regardless of the network connectivity, forward and reverse degrees of rate control are shown to converge at equilibrium. Away from equilibrium, we identify two critical features of interconnected networks: stoichiometric regularity─condition where all stoichiometric numbers are unity─and pathway symmetry around nodal species─condition where branching pathways share the same rate constants, stoichiometry, and species concentrations/activities─that result in (i) equal forward, reverse, and consequently net degrees of rate control and (ii) forward and reverse degrees of rate control that exhibit constant offsets, respectively, across all extents of reaction. Furthermore, our discourse further provides a mathematical description for the influence of stoichiometric irregularity and pathway asymmetry on forward and reverse degrees of rate control. Altogether, the presented work details the effects of network (inter)connectivity and stoichiometry on reaction kinetics and, in doing so, establishes general protocols for capturing these effects as additive terms in the formulation of forward and reverse degrees of rate control.

10 SYNTHETIC FUELS↗

Quantum anomalous Hall effect in two-dimensional magnetic insulator heterojunctions

Abstract Recent years have witnessed tremendous success in the discovery of topological states of matter. Particularly, sophisticated theoretical methods in time-reversal-invariant topological phases have been developed, leading to the comprehensive search of crystal database and the prediction of thousands of topological materials. In contrast, the discovery of magnetic topological phases that break time reversal is still limited to several exemplary materials because the coexistence of magnetism and topological electronic band structure is rare in a single compound. To overcome this challenge, we propose an alternative approach to realize the quantum anomalous Hall (QAH) effect, a typical example of magnetic topological phase, via engineering two-dimensional (2D) magnetic van der Waals heterojunctions. Instead of a single magnetic topological material, we search for the combinations of two 2D (typically trivial) magnetic insulator compounds with specific band alignment so that they can together form a type-III broken-gap heterojunction with topologically non-trivial band structure. By combining the data-driven materials search, first-principles calculations, and the symmetry-based analytical models, we identify eight type-III broken-gap heterojunctions consisting of 2D ferromagnetic insulators in the MXY compound family as a set of candidates for the QAH effect. In particular, we directly calculate the topological invariant (Chern number) and chiral edge states in the MnNF/MnNCl heterojunction with ferromagnetic stacking. This work illustrates how data-driven material science can be combined with symmetry-based physical principles to guide the search for heterojunction-based quantum materials hosting the QAH effect and other exotic quantum states in general.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Probing unintentional Fe impurity incorporation in MOCVD homoepitaxy GaN: Toward GaN vertical power devices

Unintentional impurity incorporation in GaN drift layers represents a challenging issue that can limit their potential performance in vertical power devices. In this paper, we focus on studying the origins of Fe impurity incorporation in metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) grown GaN materials. Acting as a compensator in n-type GaN drift layers, Fe impurities can reduce the electron mobility in GaN and limit the lowest controllable doping level. Two sources, the sample cleaning process and growth susceptor, were identified as the main mechanisms of Fe incorporation in the MOCVD GaN growth process. It was found that solvent cleaning of the wafer can introduce significant Fe contamination at the growth interface, which would slowly be incorporated into the GaN epilayer, thus causing background Fe impurity as high as 10 17 cm -3 level. Moreover, the Fe impurity in the coating material on the susceptor can introduce additional Fe impurity during the growth process. Our studies revealed that the Fe impurity level could be significantly suppressed by more than two orders when an alternative cleaning process was used and the susceptor surface was fully covered by substrates. Characterization of the Fe impurity concentrations was performed via secondary ion mass spectrometry. The trap level (E C - 0.57) eV from deep-level transient spectroscopy that had previously been attributed to Fe confirmed the carrier compensation effect from Fe. Room temperature Hall mobility as high as 1007 cm 2 /V s was achieved on the MOCVD grown low-Fe GaN. Results from this work will provide guidance for achieving high purity GaN toward high performance GaN vertical power devices.

42 ENGINEERING↗

The Preservation of PPARγ Genome Duplicates in Some Teleost Lineages: Insights into Lipid Metabolism and Xenobiotic Exploitation

Three peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor paralogues (PPARα, -β and -γ) are currently recognized in vertebrate genomes. PPARγ is known to modulate nutrition, adipogenesis and immunity in vertebrates. Natural ligands of PPARγ have been proposed; however, the receptor also binds synthetic ligands such as endocrine disruptors. Two paralogues of PPARα and PPARβ have been documented in teleost species, a consequence of the 3R WGD. Recently, two PPARγ paralogue genes were also identified in Astyanax mexicanus. We aimed to determine whether the presence of two PPARγ paralogues is prevalent in other teleost genomes, through genomic and phylogenetic analysis. Our results showed that besides Characiformes, two PPARγ paralogous genes were also identified in other teleost taxa, coinciding with the teleost-specific, whole-genome duplication and with the retention of both genes prior to the separation of the Clupeocephala. To functionally characterize these genes, we used the European sardine (Sardina pilchardus) as a model. PPARγA and PPARγB display a different tissue distribution, despite the similarity of their functional profiles: they are unresponsive to tested fatty acids and other human PPARγ ligands yet yield a transcriptional response in the presence of tributyltin (TBT). This observation puts forward the relevance of comparative analysis to decipher alternative binding architectures and broadens the disruptive potential of man-made chemicals for aquatic species.

Páscoa, Inês↗

Mutations in the Second Alternative Oxidase Gene: A New Approach to Group Aspergillus niger Strains

Alternative oxidase is a terminal oxidase in the branched mitochondrial electron transport chain of most fungi including Aspergillus niger (subgenus Circumdati, section Nigri). A second, paralogous aox gene (aoxB) is extant in some A. niger isolates but also present in two divergent species of the subgenus Nidulantes—A. calidoustus and A. implicatus—as well as in Penicillium swiecickii. Black aspergilli are cosmopolitan opportunistic fungi that can cause diverse mycoses and acute aspergillosis in immunocompromised individuals. Amongst the approximately 75 genome-sequenced A. niger strains, aoxB features considerable sequence variation. Five mutations were identified that rationally affect transcription or function or terminally modify the gene product. One mutant allele that occurs in CBS 513.88 and A. niger neotype strain CBS 554.65 involves a chromosomal deletion that removes exon 1 and intron 1 from aoxB. Another aoxB allele results from retrotransposon integration. Three other alleles result from point mutations: a missense mutation of the start codon, a frameshift, and a nonsense mutation. A. niger strain ATCC 1015 has a full-length aoxB gene. The A. niger sensu stricto complex can thus be subdivided into six taxa according to extant aoxB allele, which may facilitate rapid and accurate identification of individual species

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗