Autonomic regulation of circulation and cardiac contractility during a 14-month space flight

The space flight of physician cosmonaut V.V. Polyakov, the longest to date (438 days), has yielded new data about human adaptation to long-term weightlessness. Autonomic regulation of circulation and cardiac contractility were evaluated in three experiments entitled Pulstrans, Night, and Holter. In the Pulstrans experiment electrocardiographic (ECG), ballistocardiographic (BCG), seismocardiographic (SCG), and some other parameters were recorded. In the Night experiment, only the ballistocardiogram was recorded, but a special feature of this experiment is that the BCG records were obtained with a contactless method. This method has several advantages, the most important of which are the possibility of studying slow-wave variations in physiologic parameters (ultradian rhythms) on the basis of recordings made under standard conditions over a prolonged period. The Holter experiment (24-hour electrocardiographic monitoring) used a portable cardiorecorder (Spacelab, USA). The obtained electrocardiographic data were used to analyze heart rate variability. In the first 6 months of the 14-month flight, the dynamics of cardiovascular parameters in V.V. Polyakov was virtually the same as in the other cosmonauts. The data obtained after the first 6 months of Polyakov's sojourn in space are unique and mention should be made of at least three important aspects: (1) activation of a new, additional adaptive mechanism in the 8th-9th months of flight, as is evidenced by alterations in the periodicity and power of superslow wave oscillations (ultradian rhythms) reflecting the activity of the subcortical cardiovascular centers and of the higher levels of autonomic regulation; (2) growth of cardiac contractility accompanied by a decrease in heart rate during the last few months of flight; (3) a considerable increase in the daily average values of absolute power of heart rate's variability MF component, which reflects the activity of the vasomotor center. Specific mechanisms of adaptation to weightless conditions appear to be associated with activation of higher autonomic centers. The hypothesis that central levels of circulation regulation are activated in a long-term space flight was investigated by analyzing of ultradian rhythms in nighttime. The data, received during the flight of V. V. Polyakov, show, that the process of human adaptation to long influence of weightlessness consists of a number of consecutive stages, during which the activation of more and more high levels of control system of physiological functions occurs.     

Astronaut-induced disturbances in microgravity

This Note describes the dynamic load sensors (DLS) spaceflight experiment that measured middeck astronaut-induced disturbances during the 14-day STS-62 Space Shuttle mission in March 1994. The DLS experiment was flown in conjunction with the reflight of the Middeck 0-Gravity Dynamics Experiment (MODE). The objective of MODE was to investigate effects of the microgravity environment on large space structures. Where Skylab experiments focused on measuring the forces exerted during vigorous soaring activities, the DLS experiment quantified the reaction forces and moments exerted by the crew going about their normal on-orbit activities. The objective of this Note is to present DLS force data and frequency analysis that characterize astronaut-induced loads during spaceflight.     

Titan and exobiological aspects of the Cassini-Huygens mission

Titan, the largest satellite of Saturn, has a dense N2-CH4 atmosphere rich in organic compounds, both in gas and in aerosol phases. Its surface is probably covered by oceans of liquid methane-ethane mixtures, with many dissolved organics. This quasi planet appears as a natural laboratory to study chemical evolution toward complex organic systems in a planetary environment over a long time scale. With the Cassini-Huygens mission NASA and ESA will jointly send an orbiter (Cassini) around Saturn and a probe (Huygens) in the atmosphere of Titan. This mission, currently planned to be launched in 1996-1997 for a Saturn - Titan arrival in 2004, offers a unique opportunity to study in detail extra-terrestrial organic processes. Consequently, it has important implications in the field of exobiology and the origins of life.     

通信卫星平台—来自东方的竞争

最近正在出现一些东方国家对通信卫星市场构成的威胁。尽管这些来自东方的竞争者无法与美国的休斯、洛·马、洛拉尔公司及欧洲的法国宇航公司和马特拉·马可尼公司相提并论，但它们的存在仍不容忽视。此前在其他领域低估日本、韩国和中国台湾实力的教训比比皆是。当前，亚太地区是通信卫星市场蓬勃发展的主要动力，西方主要卫星制造商在这一市场上的占有率不断提高，其主要原因是这些亚太国家不能自给自足。不过这一情况现已发生变化，预计在下个世纪初，这些刚刚在亚太市场立足的西方卫星制造商会发现他们的订单将逐渐被来自远东的竞争者夺…     

Ray Structure of the Coronal Streamer Belt and Its Manifestation as Sharp Large Peaks of Solar Wind Plasma Density at the Earth''''s Orbit

The white-light corona calibrated data with processing level L1 from the LASCO-C2/SOHO instrument, and data from the Wind spacecraft with one-hour and one-minute time resolution on quasi-stationary slow (v between 300-450 km/s at the Earth's orbit) the Solar Wind (SW) parameters in the absence of sporadic SW streams are examined. Within distances from the Sun's center less than R in the range of 20-30 Rs, (Rs, the solar radius), slow wind is known as the streamer belt, and at larger distances it is called the He-liospheric Plasma Sheet (HPS). It is shown that the streamer belt comprises a sequence of pairs of rays. In general, ray brightnesses in each pair can differ, and the magnetic field is oppositely directed in them. The neutral line of the radial magnetic field of the Sun runs along the belt between the rays of each of the pairs. The area in which the streamer belt intersects the ecliptic plane and which lies at the central meridian, will be recorded at the earth's orbit with a time delay of 5-6 days, in the form of one or several peaks with Nmax> 10cm-3. Furthermore, the simplest density profile of the portion of the HCS has the form of two peaks of a different or identical amplitude . The such a profile is observed in cases where the angle of intersection of the streamer belt with the ecliptic plane near the Sun is sufficiently large, i.e. close to 90°. The two-ray structure of the cross-section of the streamer-belt moves from the Sun to the Earth, it retains not only the angular size of the peaks but also the relative density variations, and the position of the neutral line (sector boundary) in between. At the Earth's orbit the ray structure of the streamer belt provides the source for sharp (i.e. with steep fronts of a duration of a few minutes or shorter) solar wind plasma density peaks (of a duration of several hours) with maximum values Nmax> 10cm-3.     

CSM玻璃钢层间剪切断裂

 本文对CSM-GRP层间剪切断裂用实验与分析方法进行了研究。用英国标准BS4994规定的双槽试件拉剪法测量了层间剪切强度（ILSS）。用有限元法计算了应力分布、损伤扩展和复合型应力强度因子。并讨论了BS4994规定的这一试验方法的可靠性。     

应用于自动航行器的低成本自主式导航系统

本文描述了一种自主式导航样机的研究和原理，应用此样机可以通过车载上的几个传感器得到了测量数据计算出汽车的位置和轨迹。所研制系统的实在于它的自主性和低成本。导航样机包括一个里程计，一个磁罗盘和一个惯性罗盘。     

双轴载荷下孔边疲劳裂纹的扩展

 在AISI316奥氏体不锈钢制成的十字形带中心孔（圆孔和椭圆孔）试件上进行的双轴载荷疲劳裂纹扩展试验表明:应力双轴性对疲劳裂纹扩展的影响,仅发生在靠近开孔的局部区域内。等双轴应力较单轴应力状态下的裂纹扩展速率减慢,而纯剪切状态下的裂纹扩展速率加快。在孔的影响区之外,所有的结果服从Paris规律,与应力双轴性无关。     

Blood volume regulating hormones, fluid and electrolyte modifications during 21 and 198-day space flights (Altair-MIR 1993)

During the Altair MIR' 93 mission we studied several parameters involved in blood volume regulation. The experiment was done on two cosmonauts before (B-60, B-30), during (D6, D12, D18 for French and D7, D12, D17 for Russian) and after the flight (R+1, R+3 and R+7). Space flight durations were different for two cosmonauts: for the Russian the flight duration was 198 days and for the French 21 days. On board the MIR station only urinary (volume and electrolytes, atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) and catecholamines) and salivary (cGMP and cortisol) samples were collected, centrifuged and stored in freezer. Lithium was used as a tracer to know exactly the 24 h urine output (CNES urine collection Kit). Before and after flight, blood was drawn with an epicite needle and vacutainer system for hormonal assays (renin, antidiuretic hormone, cGMP, ANP and aldosterone) in two positions: after 30 min rest in upright seated position and after 90 min of supine position. Salivary samples were collected simultaneously. During flight a decrease of diuresis and ANP and an increase of osmolality were found. No modifications of hematocrit, but an increase of salivary cGMP and cortisol were also observed. The decrease of urinary ANP is in favor of hypovolemia as described in previous flights. The postflight examinations revealed changes in fluid-electrolyte metabolism which indicate a hypohydration status and a stimulation of hormonal system responsible for water and electrolyte retention in order to readapt to the normal gravity.