Searching for biosignatures using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) analysis of manganese oxides

Manganese oxide (Mn oxide) minerals from bacterial sources produce electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectral signatures that are mostly distinct from those of synthetic simulants and abiogenic mineral Mn oxides. Biogenic Mn oxides exhibit only narrow EPR spectral linewidths (～500 G), whereas abiogenic Mn oxides produce spectral linewidths that are 2-6 times broader and range from 1200 to 3000 G. This distinction is consistent with X-ray structural observations that biogenic Mn oxides have abundant layer site vacancies and edge terminations and are mostly of single ionic species [i.e., Mn(IV)], all of which favor narrow EPR linewidths. In contrast, abiogenic Mn oxides have fewer lattice vacancies, larger particle sizes, and mixed ionic species [Mn(III) and Mn(IV)], which lead to the broader linewidths. These properties could be utilized in the search for extraterrestrial physicochemical biosignatures, for example, on Mars missions that include a miniature version of an EPR spectrometer.     

Comparison of the roles of nucleotide synthesis, polymerization, and recombination in the origin of autocatalytic sets of RNAs

Ribozymes that act as polymerases and nucleotide synthases are known experimentally, even though no fully self-replicating system has yet been found. If the RNA World hypothesis is true, ribozymes must have arisen initially from within a random abiotic polymerization system. To investigate the origin of the RNA world, we studied a mathematical model of a chemical reaction system describing RNA polymerization. It is supposed that, in absence of ribozymes, polymerization occurs at a small spontaneous rate, and that in the presence of polymerase ribozymes, polymerization occurs at a faster rate that is proportional to the ribozyme concentration. Chains must be longer than a minimum threshold length in order to have the possibility of acting as ribozymes. The reaction system has two stable states that we term dead and living. The dead state is controlled by the small spontaneous rate and has negligible concentration of ribozymes. The living state has high concentration of ribozymes, and the reaction rates are determined by the ribozymes; thus, the system is autocatalytic. Concentration fluctuations in a finite volume can cause a transition to occur from the dead to the living state, that is, an origin of life occurs within this model. We also consider ribozymes that catalyze nucleotide synthesis. We show that living and dead states arise in the presence of synthase ribozymes in the same way as for polymerases. It has been proposed that recombination reactions are a way of generating long RNA chains in the early stages of life. We show that if the possibility of random reversible recombination reactions is added to our model, this does not lead to an increase in long polymer concentration. Thus, if recombination is fully reversible, there is no autocatalytic state controlled by recombination. Nevertheless, recombination can play an important role in ribozyme synthesis if there is an additional process that keeps the recombination reactions out of equilibrium. We modeled a case studied experimentally in which building block strands of moderate length associate due to RNA secondary structure formation. A recombination reaction then occurs between these strands to form a longer sequence that catalyzes its own formation via the recombination reaction. This system has an autocatalytic state, and it is possible for it to arise within our random polymerization system. If complexes formed by associations of shorter strands can act as catalysts without the requirement that the strands be covalently linked, this would alleviate the need for synthesis of very long strands; hence, it makes the emergence of an autocatalytic system from an abiotic random polymerization system much more likely.     

军事星中的铷和石英频率标准的性能数据——在模拟太空环境中地检和实际轨道中所得数据的比较

航天计划中将增加原子频标的使用,以获得精确的时间和稳定的频率。GPS系统所具有的卓越的导航功能主要是由系统中采用的原子频标带来的。新一代的军事通信卫星(Milstar)载有多路复合铷原子频标以满足各种通讯和操作上的需要。第一颗军用通讯卫星,DFS-1使用了复合多路石英晶体振荡器,第二颗军用通讯卫星,1995年发射的DFS-2,是第一颗使用铷原子频标的军用通讯卫星。这以后发射的卫星都使用了铷原子频标。     

跨声速流自发凝结水滴的测量

应用基于多波长消光法原理发展的光学探针，测量了跨声速风洞中不同马赫数湿空气流自发凝结形成的水滴尺雨及浓度，并给出了实验结果。     

Composite impact vector control based on Apollo descent guidance

A new three-dimensional missile guidance law to control the impact vector against a stationary target is proposed. The composite guidance law has two well-known components: Apollo descent guidance and trajectory shaping guidance. These respectively linear and planar guidance laws are combined to achieve a specified impact direction. The main idea is to define an impact plane and to steer the missile onto this plane using Apollo descent guidance while concurrently performing trajectory shaping wi...     

COSMOS自动测量仪

爱丁堡皇家天文台的COSMOS自动测量仪是为现代化的大型施密特望远镜的天文数据测量而设计的测量系统。COSMOS的功能之一是自动地从拍摄到的大量星体图象中分离出星系图象。设在澳大利亚的英国施密特望远镜能拍到南天的23等星。COSMOS对施密特望远镜干板测量后,自动识别出星系图象,这样就能对大量可观测的宇宙天体中的星系分布情况进行研究。     

Assessment of the efficacy of medical countermeasures in space flight

Changes in body fluids, electrolytes, and muscle mass are manifestations of adaptation to space flight and readaptation to the 1-g environment. The purposes of this paper are to review the current knowledge of biomedical responses to short- and long-duration space missions and to assess the efficacy of countermeasures to 1-g conditioning. Exercise protocols, fluid hydration, dietary and potential pharmacologic measures are evaluated, and directions for future research activities are recommended.     

Unilateral centrifugation of the otoliths as a new method to determine bilateral asymmetries of the otolith apparatus in man

Ten healthy subjects were eccentrically rotated with constant speed on a Barany chair. Setting of a luminous line (LL) to the subjective vertical and ocular counter-roll (OCR) were evaluated. During eccentric position rotation subjects consistently reported illusory rotation and set the LL to an angle correlating to centrifugal force. At the same time an OCR of opposite direction was measured. In one patient, labyrinthectomized on the right side, only counterclockwise rotation of the luminous line was observed. Differences between "inner" and "outer" eye were evident for luminous line settings and OCR in some subjects. The results indicate that eccentric rotation is a valuable method to test for bilateral otolith asymmetries. The method can be applied to preflight tests of astronaut candidates for susceptibility to spacesickness. It is also offered for clinical evaluation of unilateral otolith impairments.     

美国固体火箭发动机的可靠性

M.E.李伯曼为美国航空喷气——通用公司的质量保证与可靠性专家,曾经担任过固体发动机分公司的经理和公司主管产品质量保证和试验的副总裁,从事北极星等导弹固体发动机的可靠性与质量管理工作达二十五年之久。1982年5月我宇航学会邀请他到北京讲学,内容主要为发动机的质量保证和可靠性,本文是根据讲课内容整理后摘要选登的。