基于电磁流体动力搅拌器的微流道混合研究

对于许多微流体装置来说,流体的混合是至关重要的。为了实现微流体混合控制,对基于电磁流体动力学原理的微流道主动混合控制方法进行了研究。该方法中使用了一个混合室,在动态洛伦兹力的作用下,混合室内流体往复周期的运动。流体速度的周期性变化使流体分界面折叠,从而使流体接触面增加。用CCD记录设备记录了流体的快速混合过程,并对流体的混合程度进行定量分析。     

电磁流体动力驱动流体搅拌混合器特性研究

对小型电磁流体动力搅拌混合器的特性进行了理论分析和实验研究.该小型电磁动力混合器由聚碳酸脂和黄铜采用常规机械加工方法加工而成.研究采用的流体为氯化钠水溶液.为了观察流体的搅拌混合运动,在流体中加入微量微细玻璃珠作为示踪粒子.采用显微观测及图像采集技术记录流体的搅拌混合过程,用数字图像处理技术对流体速度场进行分析.建立了搅拌混合器的理论模型,并对其动力特性进行了数值分析,理论结果与实验结果相吻合.该小型电磁动力混合器已应用于微管道流动的混合控制并可应用于其它微流体控制系统中.     

The Interior Structure, Composition, and Evolution of Giant Planets

We discuss our current understanding of the interior structure and thermal evolution of giant planets. This includes the gas giants, such as Jupiter and Saturn, that are primarily composed of hydrogen and helium, as well as the “ice giants,” such as Uranus and Neptune, which are primarily composed of elements heavier than H/He. The effect of different hydrogen equations of state (including new first-principles computations) on Jupiter’s core mass and heavy element distribution is detailed. This variety of the hydrogen equations of state translate into an uncertainty in Jupiter’s core mass of 18M _⊕ . For Uranus and Neptune we find deep envelope metallicities up to 0.95, perhaps indicating the existence of an eroded core, as also supported by their low luminosity. We discuss the results of simple cooling models of our solar system’s planets, and show that more complex thermal evolution models may be necessary to understand their cooling history. We review how measurements of the masses and radii of the nearly 50 transiting extrasolar giant planets are changing our understanding of giant planets. In particular a fraction of these planets appear to be larger than can be accommodated by standard models of planetary contraction. We review the proposed explanations for the radii of these planets. We also discuss very young giant planets, which are being directly imaged with ground- and space-based telescopes.     

Stable iron isotopes and microbial mediation in red pigmentation of the Rosso Ammonitico (mid-late Jurassic, Verona area, Italy)

The iron (Fe) isotopic composition of 17 Jurassic limestones from the Rosso Ammonitico of Verona (Italy) have been analyzed by Multiple-Collector Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (MC-ICP-MS). Such analysis allowed for the recognition of a clear iron isotopic fractionation (mean -0.8 per thousand, ranging between -1.52 to -0.06 per thousand) on a millimeter-centimeter scale between the red and grey facies of the studied formation. After gentle acid leaching, measurements of the Fe isotopic compositions gave delta(56)Fe values that were systematically lower in the red facies residues (median: -0.84 per thousand, range: -1.46 to +0.26 per thousand) compared to the grey facies residues (median: -0.08 per thousand, range: -0.34 to +0.23 per thousand). In addition, the red facies residues were characterized by a lighter delta(56)Fe signal relative to their corresponding leachates. These Fe isotopic fractionations could be a sensitive fingerprint of a biotic process; systematic isotopic differences between the red and grey facies residues, which consist of hematite and X-ray amorphous iron hydroxides, respectively, are hypothesized to have resulted from the oxidizing activity of iron bacteria and fungi in the red facies. The grey Fe isotopic data match the Fe isotopic signature of the terrestrial baseline established for igneous rocks and low-C(org) clastic sedimentary rocks. The Fe isotopic compositions of the grey laminations are consistent with the influx of detrital iron minerals and lack of microbial redox processes at the water-interface during deposition. Total Fe concentration measurements were performed by Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-AES) (confirmed by concentration estimations obtained by MC-ICP-MS analyses of microdrilled samples) on five samples, and resultant values range between 0.30% (mean) in the grey facies and 1.31% (mean) in the red facies. No correlation was observed between bulk Fe content and pigmentation or between bulk Fe content and Fe isotopic compositions. The rapid transformation of the original iron oxyhydroxides to hematite could have preserved the original isotopic composition if it had occurred at about the same temperature. This paper supports the use of Fe isotopes as sensitive tracers of biological activities recorded in old sedimentary sequences that contain microfossils of iron bacteria and fungi. However, a careful interpretation of the iron isotopic fractionation in terms of biotic versus abiotic processes requires supporting data or direct observations to characterize the biological, (geo)chemical, or physical context in relation to the geologic setting. This will become even more pertinent when Fe isotopic studies are expanded to the interplanetary realm.     

Severe disruption of the cytoskeleton and immunologically relevant surface molecules in a human macrophageal cell line in microgravity—Results of an in vitro experiment on board of the Shenzhou-8 space mission

During spaceflight the immune system is one of the most affected systems of the human body. During the SIMBOX (Science in Microgravity Box) mission on Shenzhou-8, we investigated microgravity-associated long-term alterations in macrophageal cells, the most important effector cells of the immune system. We analyzed the effect of long-term microgravity on the cytoskeleton and immunologically relevant surface molecules. Human U937 cells were differentiated into a macrophageal phenotype and exposed to microgravity or 1g on a reference centrifuge on-orbit for 5 days. After on-orbit fixation, the samples were analyzed with immunocytochemical staining and confocal microscopy after landing. The unmanned Shenzhou-8 spacecraft was launched on board a Long March 2F (CZ-2F) rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center (JSLC) and landed after a 17-day-mission. We found a severely disturbed actin cytoskeleton, disorganized tubulin and distinctly reduced expression of CD18, CD36 and MHC-II after the 5 days in microgravity. The disturbed cytoskeleton, the loss of surface receptors for bacteria recognition, the activation of T lymphocytes, the loss of an important scavenger receptor and of antigen-presenting molecules could represent a dysfunctional macrophage phenotype. This phenotype in microgravity would be not capable of migrating or recognizing and attacking pathogens, and it would no longer activate the specific immune system, which could be investigated in functional assays. Obviously, the results have to be interpreted with caution as the model system has some limitations and due to numerous technical and biological restrictions (e.g. 23 °C and no CO₂ supply during in-flight incubation). All parameter were carefully pre-tested on ground. Therefore, the experiment could be adapted to the experimental conditions available on Shenzhou-8.     

Towards a high spatial resolution limit for pixel-based interpretations of optical remote sensing data

The divergence of horizontal radiation in vegetation canopies is generally considered to be of negligible consequence in algorithms designed for the physically-based interpretation of space borne observations. However, non-zero horizontal radiation balances are likely to occur if the internal variability of a vegetation target and the typical distances that photons may travel horizontally within such three-dimensional (3-D) media extend to spatial scales that are similar to or larger than those of the nominal footprint of the measuring sensor. Detailed radiative transfer simulations in 3-D coniferous forest environments are presented to document the typical distances that photons may travel in such media, and to quantify the impact that the resulting net horizontal fluxes may have with respect to the local and domain-averaged canopy reflectance. Based on these simulations it is possible to identify a fine spatial resolution limit beyond which pixel-based interpretations of remote sensing data over tall forested areas should be avoided because the horizontal radiation transport at the surface may contribute to 10% or more of the measured reflectance signature of the target pixel.     

基于电磁流体动力搅拌器的微流道混合研究

对于许多微流体装置来说,流体的混合是至关重要的.为了实现微流体混合控制,对基于电磁流体动力学原理的微流道主动混合控制方法进行了研究.该方法中使用了一个混合室,在动态洛伦兹力的作用下,混合室内流体往复周期的运动.流体速度的周期性变化使流体分界面折叠,从而使流体接触面增加.用CCD记录设备记录了流体的快速混合过程,并对流体的混合程度进行定量分析.