The effect of hypokinesia on lipid metabolism in adipose tissue

The increase of nonesterified fatty acid (NEFA) concentration in plasma was observed in rats subjected to hypokinesia for 1-60 days. In the period of recovery (7 and 21 days after 60 days immobilization) the content of NEFA returned to control values. The increase of fatty acid release from adipose tissue was observed in hypokinetic rats, however the stimulation of lipolysis by norepinephrine was lower in rats exposed to hypokinesis. The decrease of the binding capacity and a diminished number of beta-adrenergic receptors were found in animals after hypokinesia. The augmentation of the incorporation of glucose into lipids and the marked increase in the stimulation of lipogenesis by insulin were found in adipose tissue of rats subjected to long-term hypokinesia. These results showed an important effect of hypokinesia on lipid mobilization, on lipogenesis and on the processes of hormone regulation in adipose tissue.     

用激光致冷的精确的~9Be+原子钟

在原子频标中采用激光致冷储存离子,因其大大地抑制了多普勒效应,将有可能达到非常高的准确度。利用~(201)Hg~+基态超精细跃迁的原子钟,其准确度与稳定度都可能超过1×10~(-15)量级。但用激光致冷的~9Be~+离子更易于用实验方法获得。所以,研究~9Be~+频标是为了研究离子储存频标中激光致冷的一般性问题。实验中约有300个~9Be~+离子储存在一彭宁陷阱(PenningTrap)中,用激光对其致冷。在～0.82T磁场时,观测到频率为303MHz的基态(MI,MJ)=(-3/2,1/2)→(-1/2,1/2)核自旋翻转超精细跃迁,其跃迁频率与一阶磁场无关。用时域Ramsey询问法测得线宽为25MHz。被锁定到该跃迁频率上的振荡器的稳定度达:采样时间间隔为400s<τ<3200s时(τ)≌2×10~(-11)。用测量离子速度分布的方法测定二阶多普勒频移约在5×10~(-14)量级。在本实验中,磁场不稳定性影响约在3×10~(-14)量级。所有其它系统误差估计皆小于3×10~(-14)。     

斜拉桥钢索的抗蚀保护

预应力砼结构技术的发展,推动了斜拉桥的广泛应用,且具有结构形式经济的虎性。拉索和锚具的高强度和抗疲劳特性以及抗蚀保护成为设计工程师设计的关键。该文着重介绍了近几年 来美国斜拉钢索的防抗蚀方面的新方法、新材料。     

Aspects of Global Magnetospheric Processes

Magnetospheric global modeling is a method to link observations from distant regions via physical laws and has long played a unique and crucial role in space physics. It, different from computer simulations, represents the highest level of abstraction of the physical understanding of the processes that cause observed phenomena. It results in various specific models. While it appears in the form of cartoons, it is based on and has to be qualitatively consistent with physical laws. With the advancement of computer simulations, clues to the connection between physical laws and observation can be perceived much more easily than as ever before. However, computer simulation results are highly dependent on the used boundary conditions and numerical methods which may or may not represent the reality, even if the initial conditions are properly set. Therefore, simulations can easily mislead the investigations. Furthermore, a simulation result needs to be examined using diagnostic tools, such as field line tracing and streamline tracing programs. There are uncertainties in these diagnostic methods. The errors can be very large in certain areas under certain conditions. For example, a small error may link two different field lines or stream lines. The interpretations of the simulation results can be misled by these errors. The knowledge of global modeling can be useful in identifying the inconsistencies in the simulations and the flaws in the theoretical interpretation from the simulations. This review-tutorial article outlines the principles of the global modeling and discusses the successes and flaws of several global models.     

Deuterium-free water (1H2O) in complex life-support systems of long-term space missions

Heavy water containing deuterium displays toxic property. It is stated that any quantity of a heavy isotope of hydrogen--deuterium--is undesirable to animals and plants. It was earlier shown by us that physical-chemical life support systems on board the "MIR" station fractionate (change) isotopes of hydrogen, oxygen and carbon. Therefore, the problem of regenerative systems in habitable space objects should include removal, from water, of a heavy stable isotope of hydrogen--deuterium. In this article we consider one method of obtaining deuterium-free water--decomposition of distillate water in an electrolyser to hydrogen and oxygen with subsequent synthesis in a catalytic or high-temperature reactor. The influence of deuterium-free water on the growth and development of Arabidopsis thaliana and Japanese quail is investigated. It is shown that with the help of the electrolysis method it is possible to fabricate water containing 80% less deuterium in comparison with SMOW. Experimentally, it is proved on a culture of Arabidopsis thaliana and Japanese quail that water with reduced contents of deuterium (80%) displays positive biological activity.     

Human characteristics of pair assembly work in a microgravity environment

This research focuses on analyzing the human characteristics of pair assembly work in a microgravity environment. To obtain the necessary data, two groups of test subjects participated in an experiment in a pseudomicrogravity environment, and how such factors as work allotment, sizes of assembled objects, and conditions of parts influence the work efficiency were studied. The results show when the assembled object is smaller that it is easier to change the object's position and that workers can move it to an appropriate site and work easily. If the assembly object is attached to an object with very large mass, the work allotment does not result in a difference in work time. As for positioning the objects, step-saving processes can shorten the work time. For instance, if a part can be put so that both ends automatically touch the proper spots, time can be shortened.     

“自由”号运载火箭

提出一种一次性使用的低成本商业化运载火箭,即“自由”Ⅱ号运载火箭,它使用在压馈式第一级和泵馈式第二级,低地球轨道有效载荷能力为11.3t,同步轨道能力为 3.2—3.6t.低地球轨道的运载成本,小批量发射时为每次飞行2500万美元,大批量发射时(>10次/年),发射成本为880—1320美元/kg.     

W.W.W. MOON? The why, what and when of a permanent manned lunar colony

Several reasons for going back to the Moon are listed: scientific study of our natural satellite, Earth and in general the Solar System; exploitation of the resources of Outer Space; geopolitical considerations that made Apollo possible and are still valid in the long term; advancement of manned spaceflight, as robot-based exploration is time-wise inefficient and politically negligible. Technological, organisational and legal challenges are then outlined. After a discussion of human physiology, building materials and transportation of people and goods, an underground polar location is proposed as settlement site, either within kilometre-size lava tubes or man-made caves. An analysis of spaceflight history is conducted to determine a target date for returning to the Moon to stay. In the absence of political or commercial competition, experience indicates the last decades of the XXI century. To shorten this timescale, it is recommended to focus on accomplishing the task of establishing a reliable lunar travel and settlement system, rather than developing new technologies: simplifying the goals of each single step forward (as was the case of the Clementine mission) and concentrating on production-ready (or almost-ready) equipment (compare the ill-fated X-33 to the dependable Soyuz capsules).     

In vitro edible muscle protein production system (MPPS): stage 1, fish

The working efficiency and state-of-mind of a Space vehicle crew on long-term missions is dependent on the suitability of living conditions including food. Our purpose was to establish the feasibility of an in vitro muscle protein production system (MPPS) for the fabrication of surrogate muscle protein constructs as food products for Space travelers. In the experimental treatments, we cultivated the adult dorsal abdominal skeletal muscle mass of Carassius (Gold fish). An ATCC fish fibroblast cell line was used for tissue engineering investigations. No antibiotics were used during any phase of the research. Our four treatments produced these results: a low contamination rate, self-healing, cell proliferation, a tissue engineered construct of non-homologous co-cultured cells with explants, an increase in tissue size in homologous co-cultures of explants with crude cell mixtures, maintenance of explants in media containing fetal bovine serum substitutes, and harvested explants which resembled fresh fish filets.

We feel that not only have we pointed the way to an innovative, viable means of supplying safe, healthy, nutritious food to Space voyagers on long journeys, but our research also points the way to means of alleviating food supply and safety problems in both the public and private sectors worldwide.