Catalytic wet-oxidation of human wastes produced in space: the effects of temperature elevation.

The filtrate of non-catalytical wet-oxidation sewage sludge was wet-oxidized again at 290 degrees C and 300 degrees C with a Ru-Rh catalyst. At each temperature, repeated batch tests were carried out. Both oxidation and denitrification efficiency of organic matter in the raw material were studied. In the 16 times batch tests at 300 degrees C, high and stable oxidation occurred. 98.0% of organic carbon in the raw material was oxidized and 98.3% of organic nitrogen was denitrified. At 290 degrees C, though high and stable denitrification occurred, oxidation did not occur highly and stably. A catalytic wet-oxidation system studied at 300 degrees C will be useful as a waste management system for a human life support system, where almost all food is resupplied from the earth. This system can prevent organic waste accumulation in the life support system.     

Radiation protection against early and late effects of ionizing irradiation by the prostaglandin inhibitor indomethacin.

Protective effects of indomethacin, a prototype prostaglandin-inhibiting agent, against early and late sequelae of radiation injury (after X-rays or gamma rays) in mice were investigated. The following tissues or organs were examined: hematopoietic tissue, esophagus, jejunum, colon, lung, hair follicles, and tissues involved in the development of radiation-induced leg contractures. In addition, the effect of indomethacin was tested against radiation-induced carcinogenesis. In all experiments, the radiation was delivered as a single dose. Indomethacin led to significant protection of hematopoietic tissue, by a factor of 1.3. There was also some protection against radiation-induced pneumonitis and against radiation-induced carcinogenesis (protection factor of 1.2). The other tissues tested showed no change in their radioresponse after being treated with indomethacin. Thus, indomethacin can act as a radioprotective agent against both early and late sequelae of radiation, but its effect is dependent on the tissue tested. This protection is smaller than that observed with WR-2721. However, indomethacin combined with WR-2721 produced a radioprotective effect greater than the radioprotection achieved by individual treatments.     

Virtual presence: one step beyond reality

The capabilities and applications of the Dextrous Anthropomorphic Robotic Testbed (DART) in geologic exploration on the Moon and Mars are described. The article also describes a simulation of planetary exploration using a DART robot and Full Immersion Telepresence Testbed (FITT) gear worn by a human. The FITT apparatus allows a human "master" to control movement in the DART "slave". The simulation focused on the robot's ability to use fine motor coordination to manipulate geologic field tools.     

Consideration of space activities by the UN general assembly

The thirty-ninth session of the United Nations General Assembly affirmed ‘that complete and general disarmament warrants that outer space should be used exclusively for peaceful purposes and that it shall not become an arena for an arms race’.This text appears in the first of two important resolutions concerning outer space adopted by the General Assembly during its last session. Also in the first resolution, entitled ‘Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space’ (A/39/59 of 12 December 1984), the Assembly called upon all states, particularly those with major space capabilities, to contribute actively to the objective of the peaceful uses of outer space and to take immediate measures to prevent an arms race in outer space in the interest of maintaining international peace and security and promoting international cooperation and understanding.     

Effect of a venotonic agent on the main arteries and veins during a 5 day HDT.

Objective: To evaluate the cardiac, arterial and venous effect of a venotonic drug (Cirkan "Ck") administrated orally daily to 6 subjects in HDT position during 5 days. These subjects underwent a second 5d HDT without Ck treatment one month later. Pre and post HDT the subjects were submitted to a stand test. Method: The cardiovascular parameters were measured by echography and Doppler. Results and discussion: The Cirkan treatment contributed to reduce the increase in cerebral resistance, and to maintain the lower limb resistance at a higher level than on controls. It reduces the vein section at the extremities (Jugular, femoral) and in the central vein system connected to the right heart (sub hepatics). On the other hand it increases the portal vein section which means that the blood stagnation at the splanchnic level is increased. Despite these arterial and venous significant modifications the clinical and ECG and Blood pressure response to the Stand test was similar in both groups.     

Performance of Digital FM Systems in a Fading Environment

This paper investigates the effects of fading and predetection diversity on the error-rate performance of digital FM discriminator systems. Results are presented in graphs showing the relative improvement of the error rate for several types of diversity, and are compared with the well-known FSK systems. It is also shown that an optimum modulation index giving the minimum attainable probability of error for narrowband digital FM is not affected by the effect of fading, carrier-to-noise ratio, or the types and order of diversity.     

Bayesian approach to retrieval of vertical ozone profile from radiometry data

A technique for retrieving vertical distributions (profiles) of atmospheric gas constituents from data of passive remote sensing of the atmosphere is proposed. The goal of the technique based on the statistical (Bayesian) approach to solution of inverse problems is construction of probability distribution for a sought quantity throughout the interval of the studied heights. It is assumed that initial data contain measurement noise, and a priori information about properties of the profile is used. It is proposed to approximate the sought profile by a function in the form of an artificial neural network. This approximation allows optimal inclusion of a priori information into retrieval procedure, thus ensuring the most effective regularization of the problem. Efficiency of the proposed technique is demonstrated on an example of retrieval of vertical ozone profile from data of ground-based sounding of the atmosphere in the millimeter wavelength range. Results of profile retrieval from model data and from spectra of radiation temperature of the atmosphere measured in the Apatity (67° N, 33° E) in the winter of 2002–2003 are presented.     

The Balloon Array for RBSP Relativistic Electron Losses (BARREL)

BARREL is a multiple-balloon investigation designed to study electron losses from Earth’s Radiation Belts. Selected as a NASA Living with a Star Mission of Opportunity, BARREL augments the Radiation Belt Storm Probes mission by providing measurements of relativistic electron precipitation with a pair of Antarctic balloon campaigns that will be conducted during the Austral summers (January-February) of 2013 and 2014. During each campaign, a total of 20 small (～20 kg) stratospheric balloons will be successively launched to maintain an array of ～5 payloads spread across ～6 hours of magnetic local time in the region that magnetically maps to the radiation belts. Each balloon carries an X-ray spectrometer to measure the bremsstrahlung X-rays produced by precipitating relativistic electrons as they collide with neutrals in the atmosphere, and a DC magnetometer to measure ULF-timescale variations of the magnetic field. BARREL will provide the first balloon measurements of relativistic electron precipitation while comprehensive in situ measurements of both plasma waves and energetic particles are available, and will characterize the spatial scale of precipitation at relativistic energies. All data and analysis software will be made freely available to the scientific community.     

Some peculiarities of the wave beams in wireless power transmission

Some wave beam peculiarities which usually are wasted are useful in wireless power transmission systems. These peculiarities-the focusing of the beam, the taper distribution of the radiating field, and the discontinuous antenna-are discussed