微重力下胶原蛋白纤维化及羟基磷灰石结晶的初步研究

在长期空间飞行过程中, 骨质丢失是一个严重问题. 羟基磷灰石(HAP)晶体是骨骼的主要成分, 骨骼中的胶原蛋白纤维在HAP生长结晶过程中起到关键作用. 研究了胶原蛋白纤维化过程在模拟微重力和常重力条件下的变化, 对以胶原 蛋白纤维作为模板生长出的HAP晶体形貌进行了观察. 结果表明, 不同浓度胶原蛋白溶液中形成的胶原蛋白纤维, 其内部孔隙数量和尺寸在模拟微重力条件下要明显大于常重力条件下, 胶原蛋白纤维内部孔隙的分布也不同于常重力条 件下的结果. 以模拟微重力条件下形成的胶原蛋白纤维为模板生长出的HAP 晶体主要为立方体状, 而以常重力条件下形成的胶原蛋白纤维为模板生长出的 HAP晶体形貌主要为板状. 该结果有助于未来进一步阐明空间骨质丢失的机理.     

表面介质阻挡放电对扩散火焰燃烧特性的影响

针对表面介质阻挡放电（SDBD）在激发等离子体时具有显著的气动效应和化学活化效应，为分析表面介质阻挡放电对空气/甲烷同轴剪切扩散燃烧的助燃效果，实验使用高频交流电源，基于等离子体诱导射流逆向激励对火焰施加控制。根据获取的射流流场纹影图像、火焰图像和CH*自发辐射，研究了等离子体对不同燃烧条件下火焰燃烧特性的影响。结果表明:受等离子体气动激励作用，火焰上游细长剪切层的空气/甲烷掺混得到增强，从而扩大了剪切层燃烧宽度，同时燃烧释热速率会明显提高，这主要与等离子体活化效应有关，并且该效应显著增强了位于喷嘴出口火焰基的燃烧强度。在空气流量较低时，等离子体气动激励可有效增大火焰下游湍流度和射流角，使火焰高度降低、宽度增大，且作用效果随放电电压提高逐渐增强。      

A1CuMgZn单晶合金的空间凝固

重力对合金凝固过程与缺陷形成具有重要影响.在常规地面条件下难以清晰揭示凝固过程中的重力效应及其作用规律,而在微重力环境中重力对熔体的作用以及对凝固过程的影响大大降低.利用天宫二号空间实验并结合地面对比实验,研究AlCuMgZn单晶合金在微重力和重力环境下枝晶生长形貌和特征参数差异以及成分偏析和缺陷形成的异同,揭示重力对枝晶生长过程和成分偏析等现象的影响及其在凝固缺陷形成中的作用.     

重力对单气泡生长特性的影响

采用VOF (Volume of Fluid)多相流模型, 通过用户自定义函数UDF (User Defined Function)实现相变过程中质量和能量的输运, 对微重力条件下尺寸为10mm × 10mm × 25mm的矩形通道的池沸腾现象进行数值模拟, 得到了微重力及常重力作用下单个气泡生长特性的差异. 模拟结果表明, 微重力条件下气泡周围的流线与温度场的分布有显著差异; 由于表面张力作用, 微重力下的气泡脱离特性与常重力下不同; 在微重力条件下, 气泡直径的变化比较复杂, 并与重力加速度的大小有关; Marangoni流对微重力下的流动影响很大, 使换热系数波动, 而且波动的幅度随重力加速度的减小而增大.     

空间飞行与回转器回旋条件下青菜开花与花粉发育的研究

比较研究了SJ-8返回式卫星留轨舱微重力条件与地面三维回转模拟微重力条件下青菜生长与发育情况.研究发现空间微重力条件下青菜开花过程需要大约18 h,明显长于地面对照5 h左右.回转器模拟实验结果表明,改变重力影响了花瓣的伸展与发育及花粉的产量,回转条件下花粉细胞中的微管排列明显不同于静止对照.细胞骨架受到干扰可能是改变重力条件下花粉产量降低的原因之一.本研究首次报道了在空间飞行试验中成功地采用了显微实时图像技术观察植物的开花过程,并获得了从花蕾到开花结束各阶段清晰的图像.      

微重力池沸腾传热研究

对利用中国返回式卫星搭载开展的两次微重力池沸腾空间实验及地基常重力和落塔短时微重力实验的结果进行了评述. 研究发现微重力时丝状加热器沸腾传热会略有强化, 而平板加热器则在高热流条件下明显恶化. 微重力时, 气泡脱落前存在沿加热面的横向运动, 加剧了相邻气泡间的合并, 合并气泡会在其表面振荡作用下从加热面脱落. Marangoni 效应对于微重力气泡行为有重要影响.     

孤立气泡生长过程的短时微重力落塔实验研究

利用中国科学院国家微重力实验室北京落塔提供的3.6s微重力时间开展了短时微重力条件下的池沸腾实验研究, 分析了微重力条件下孤立的单个气泡生长过程特征. 实验中采用掺杂磷的N型光滑硅片作为加热面(加热片尺寸10mm×10mm×0.5mm), 以含气率0.0046 (气液摩尔分数比)的FC-72作为工质, 利用恒流源对加热片通电加热. 通过对实验观测到的单个气泡生长图像及相应传热数据分析可知, 经典传热机制控制的气泡生长模型可以描述其早期特征. 相关模型中经验参数的拟合结果在文献报道的数值范围内, 表明重力对气泡生长早期影响较小, 但较大的气泡尺寸可以提供更准确的数值结果.     

微重力环境下的表面张力及无接触测量

表面张力是材料重要的物理化学参数之一, 尤其在微重力条件下, 由表面张力引起的科学现象一直备受关注. 静滴法是地面重力条件下进行熔体表面张力测量的主要方法, 该方法的测量结果精确, 但在微重力环境下该法应用尚存在一些问题. 本文基于对表面张力理论的思考, 阐述了对其测量方法的认识和见解, 并讨论了地面上采用静滴法对熔体的表面张力进行测量研究以及静滴法在微重力条件下应用的困难. 进而介绍了利用悬浮技术进行熔体表面张力测量的无接触测量方法, 特别介绍了电磁悬浮法, 该法避免了由于容器接触带入杂质所引起的误差, 尤其在微重力条件下消除了重力的影响, 测量精度得到显著提高.     

DMFC内部气液两相流动与电性能的短时落塔实验研究

利用国家微重力实验室落塔提供的短时微重力实验环境,对常重力和微重力条件下直接甲醇燃料电池(DMFC)内部的气液两相流动形态和相应电性能等的影响进行了实验研究,发现在微重力条件下,DMFC阳极流道内CO₂气泡速度很小,气泡尺寸随着时间的推移而不断长大,甚至堵塞流道;流道堵塞现象随电流增大而急剧强化.电性能曲线显示,在浓差极化区存在显著的重力效应,电性能的恶化随浓差极化程度的加强而增大.      

低温射流抑制空间液氢储罐温度分层的数值研究

液氢是一种常用的沸点低、易蒸发的空间低温推进剂.空间微重力环境中浮力对流被极大减弱甚至完全抑制,当推进剂储罐壁面存在局部漏热时,储罐内部气液两相流会出现环绕漏热源的温度分层现象,引起局部过热沸腾,导致储罐内部压力急剧增大,危害系统结构安全.利用低温射流抑制温度分层现象是一种有效手段.低温流体通过设置在储罐内部的射流喷嘴与储罐内部的流体混合,消减局部高温,实现温度的均匀化.本文采用全充满的二维缩比储罐模型,对微重力条件下液氢储罐内局部漏热引起的温度分层现象进行数值模拟,分析低温射流条件对于消除微重力条件下液氢储罐内部温度分层效果的影响.     

Interaction of growth-determining systems with gravity

The experiments have been carried out with lettuce shoots on board the Salyut-7 orbital station, the Kosmos-1667 biological satellite and under ground conditions at 180° plant inversion. By means of the centrifuge Biogravistat-1M the threshold value of gravitational sensitivity of lettuce shoots has been determined on board the Salyut-7 station. It was found to be equal to 2.9 × 10⁻³g for hypocotyls and 1.5 × 10⁻⁴g for roots. The following results have been received in the experiment performed on board the Kosmos-1667 satellite: a) under microgravity the proliferation of the meristem cells and the growth of roots did not differ from the control; b) the growth of hypocotyls in length was significantly enhanced in microgravity; c) under microgravity transverse growth of hypocotyls (increase in cross sectional area) was significantly increased due to enhancement of cortical parenchyma cell growth. At 180° inversion in Earth's gravity root extension growth and rate of cell division in the root apical meristem were decreased. The determination of DNA-fuchsin value in the nuclei of the cell root apexes showed that inversion affected processess of the cell cycle preceeding cytokinesis.     

Growth of Prunus tree stems under simulated microgravity conditions.

Stem growth of Prunus trees under simulated microgravity conditions was examined using a three-dimensional clinostat. The stems elongated with bending under such conditions. Stem elongation and leaf expansion were both promoted, whereas the formation of xylem in the secondary thickening growth was inhibited under the simulated microgravity condition. In secondary xylem, sedimentable amyloplasts were observed in the 1g control. The present results suggest that stem elongation and leaf expansion may be inhibited at 1g, while growth direction and secondary xylem formation depend on a gravity stimulus. A space experiment is expected to advance research on thickening growth in trees.     

Gravitational force regulates elongation growth of Arabidopsis hypocotyls by modifying xyloglucan metabolism.

Growth of dark-grown Arabidopsis hypocotyls was suppressed under hypergravity conditions (300 g), or was stimulated under microgravity conditions in space (Space Shuttle STS-95). The mechanical extensibility of cell walls decreased and increased under hypergravity and microgravity conditions, respectively. The amounts of cell wall polysaccharides (pectin, hemicellulose-I, hemicellulose-II and cellulose) per unit length of hypocotyls increased under hypergravity conditions, and decreased under microgravity conditions. The amount and the molecular mass of xyloglucans also increased under the hypergravity conditions, while those decreased under microgravity conditions. The activity of xyloglucan-degrading enzymes extracted from hypocotyl cell walls decreased and increased under hypergravity and microgravity conditions, respectively. These results indicate that the amount and the molecular mass of xyloglucans are affected by the magnitude of gravity and that such changes are caused by changes in xyloglucan-degrading activity. Modifications of xyloglucan metabolism as well as the thickness of cell walls by gravity stimulus may be the primary event determining the cell wall extensibility, thereby regulating the growth rate of Arabidopsis hypocotyls.     

The effect of gravity on plant germination.

An axis clinostat was constructed to create micro and negative gravity also a rotated flat disk was constructed with different rotation rates to give increased gravity, by centrifugal force up to 48 g. Rice seeds were grown on agar in tubes at the constant air temperature of 20 degrees C under an average light condition of 110 micromol/m2/sec(PPF). Humidity was not controlled but was maintained above 90%. Since the tube containers were not large enough for long cultivation, shoot and root growth were observed every 12 hours until the sixth day from seeding. The lengths of shoots and roots for each individual plant were measured on the last day. The stem lengths were increased by microgravity but the root lengths were not. Under the negative gravity, negative orthogeotropism and under microgravity, diageotropism was observed. No significant effect of increased gravity was observed on shoot and root growth.     

Growth of Prunus tree stems under simulated microgravity conditions

Stem growth of Prunus trees under simulated microgravity conditions was examined using a three-dimensional clinostat. The stems elongated with bending under such conditions. Stem elongation and leaf expansion were both promoted, whereas the formation of xylem in the secondary thickening growth was inhibited under the simulated microgravity condition. In secondary xylem, sedimentable amyloplasts were observed in the 1g control. The present results suggest that stem elongation and leaf expansion may be inhibited at 1g, while growth direction and secondary xylem formation depend on a gravity stimulus. A space experiment is expected to advance research on thickening growth in trees.     

微重力下相变储能单元融化过程数值模拟

为探究微重力环境中,通过肋片强化了传热的相变储能单元中相变材料融化过程,通过数值模拟方法探究了微重力作用时相变材料融化过程中传热特性。通过地面实验与重力作用下数值模拟结果对比验证数值模拟方法的准确性,对比重力和微重力作用2种情况下数值模拟结果以揭示微重力环境中相变材料融化过程的特性。结果表明,当相变储能单元受微重力作用时,相变材料融化速率明显下降,热量主要通过热传导传递,融化的相变材料从顶端膨胀溢出向空间扩散,局部低温区域在相变储能单元中上部。      

Evaluation of using two-phase frictional pressure drop correlations for normal gravity to microgravity and reduced gravity

The calculation of two-phase frictional pressure drop (TPFPD) is required by two-phase systems operating under microgravity and reduced gravity. There are a large number of correlations for the TPFPD in tubes under normal gravity. However, it is hard to find out a TPFPD correlation obtained from microgravity and/or reduced gravity conditions, and thus people have to use TPFPD correlations for normal gravity to calculate TPFPD under microgravity and reduced gravity. It is necessary to evaluate the feasibility of such practice. This paper offers a comprehensive review of the TPFPD correlations for normal gravity and an up-to-data survey of the TPFPD experimental study under microgravity and reduced gravity. There are 23 TPFPD correlations for normal gravity reviewed and 135 experimental data under microgravity obtained from the literature. These experimental data are used to evaluate the reviewed TPFPD correlations. It is found that the smallest mean absolute relative deviation (MARD) of the correlations is greater than 34%. Using TPFPD correlations for normal gravity to reduced gravity and microgravity may be acceptable for the first approximation, but correlations intended for microgravity and reduced gravity are needed and more experiments are desired to obtain more data with high accuracy.     

Function of the cytoskeleton in gravisensing during spaceflight.

Since astronauts and cosmonauts have significant bone loss in microgravity we hypothesized that there would be physiological changes in cellular bone growth and cytoskeleton in the absence of gravity. Investigators from around the world have studied a multitude of bone cells in microgravity including Ros 17/2.8, Mc3T3-E1, MG-63, hFOB and primary chicken calvaria. Changes in cytoskeleton and extracellular matrix (ECM) have been noted in many of these studies. Investigators have noted changes in shape of cells exposed to as little as 20 seconds of microgravity in parabolic flight. Our laboratory reported that quiescent osteoblasts activated by sera under microgravity conditions had a significant 60% reduction in growth (p<0.001) but a paradoxical 2-fold increase in release of the osteoblast autocrine factor PGE2 when compared to ground controls. In addition, a collapse of the osteoblast actin cytoskeleton and loss of focal adhesions has been noted after 4 days in microgravity. Later studies in Biorack on STS-76, 81 and 84 confirmed the increased release of PGE2 and collapse of the actin cytoskeleton in cells grown in microgravity conditions, however flown cells under 1 g conditions maintained normal actin cytoskeleton and fibronectin matrix. The changes seen in the cytoskeleton are probably not due to alterations in fibronectin message or protein synthesis since no differences have been noted in microgravity. Multiple investigators have observed actin and microtubule cytoskeletal modifications in microgravity, suggesting a common root cause for the change in cell architecture. The inability of the O g grown osteoblast to respond to sera activation suggests that there is a major alteration in anabolic signal transduction under microgravity conditions, most probably through the growth factor receptors and/or the associated kinase pathways that are connected to the cytoskeleton. Cell cycle is dependent on the cytoskeleton. Alterations in cytoskeletal structure can block cell growth either in G1 (F-actin microfilament collapse), or in G2/M (inhibition of microtubule polymerization during G2/M-phase). We therefore hypothesize that microgravity would inhibit growth in either G1, or G2/M.