Early development of fern gametophytes in microgravity.

Dormant spores of the fern Ceratopteris richardii were flown on Shuttle mission STS-93 to evaluate the effects of micro-g on their development and on their pattern of gene expression. Prior to flight the spores were sterilized and sown into one of two environments: (1) Microscope slides in a video-microscopy module; and (2) Petri dishes. All spores were then stored in darkness until use. Spore germination was initiated on orbit after exposure to light. For the spores on microscope slides, cell level changes were recorded through the clear spore coat of the spores by video microscopy. After their exposure to light, spores in petri dishes were frozen in orbit at four different time points during which on earth gravity fixes the polarity of their development. Spores were then stored frozen in Biological Research in Canister units until recovery on earth. The RNAs from these cells and from 1-g control cells were extracted and analyzed on earth after flight to assay changes in gene expression. Video microscopy results revealed that the germinated spores developed normally in microgravity, although the polarity of their development, which is guided by gravity on earth, was random in space. Differential Display-PCR analyses of RNA extracted from space-flown cells showed that there was about a 5% change in the pattern of gene expression between cells developing in micro-g compared to those developing on earth.     

The influence of radiation quality on the formation of DNA breaks.

We have aimed to present a comprehensive review of our understanding to date of the formation of DNA strand breaks induced by high LET radiation. We have discussed data obtained from DNA in solution as well as from the formation and "repair" of strand breaks in cell DNA. There is good agreement, qualitatively, between these two systems. Results were evaluated for two parameters: (1) effectivity per particle, the cross section (sigma) in micrometers 2/particle; and (2) the strand break induction frequency as number of breaks per Gy per unit DNA (bp or dalton). A series of biological effects curves (one for each Z-number) is obtained in effectivity versus LET plots. The relationships between induction frequencies of single-strand breaks, or double-strand breaks, or the residual "irrepairable" breaks and LET-values have been evaluated and discussed for a wide spectrum of heavy ions, both for DNA in solution and for DNA in the cell. For radiation induced total breaks in cell DNA, the RBE is less than one, while the RBE for the induction of DSBs can be greater than one in the 100-200 keV/micrometers range. The level of irrepairable strand breaks is highest in this same LET range and may reach 25 percent of the initial break yield. The data presented cover results obtained for helium to uranium particles, covering a particle incident energy range of about 2 to 900 MeV/u with a corresponding LET range of near 16 to 16000 keV/micrometers.     

Theoretical consideration of the chemical pathways for radiation-induced strand breaks.

A theoretical approach to the understanding of the biochemical mechanisms of indirect action of ionizing radiation on SV40 DNA in aqueous solution is presented. The extent of OH attack on the sugar moiety and bases has been calculated. A realistic model for the DNA (in B form) based on available X-ray diffraction data is used and specific reaction sites for the OH radicals are obtained. A Monte Carlo scheme is used to follow the diffusion and reaction of the OH radicals. Effects of track structure have been considered and the single strand break D37 values for 14 MeV electrons (low-LET) and 670 MeV/u and 40 MeV/u neon particles are presented. Calculated results are in agreement with available experimental data. It has been found that regardless of the qualities of radiation, 80% of the OH attack on DNA is on the bases and 20% is on the deoxyribose. From probability considerations only, it appears that the number of double strand breaks varies linearly with dose.     

铍青铜（QBe2）的分级时效工艺

为提高铍青铜(QBe2)带材的抗拉强度,采用正交试验法对铍青铜带材进行分级时效处理,结果表明二级时效温度对抗拉强度影响最大,其最佳工艺参数为一级时效温度200℃,一级时效时间为1 h,二级时效温度为330℃,二级时效时间为2 h.此时抗拉强度最大值为1.336 GPa.     

基于核密度估计算法的飞机载荷谱统计技术

受到实际条件限制,现阶段的飞机载荷谱实测均采取小子样实测方法,小子样实测数据是取自真实母体的一个简单样本,很难保证数据的充分性、完整性.传统的均值统计法无法对数据缺陷进行弥补.为了克服小子样数据不足问题,将核密度估计技术用于载荷谱统计,取得了良好效果.介绍了核密度估计的相关理论基础,并以某型机下沉速度谱的统计为例,详细介绍了将核密度估计方法用于载荷谱统计的数学过程.结果显示:核密度估计方法对还原载荷谱原貌、补充小子样数据的不足问题具有良好作用.      

DNA fragmentation induced by Fe ions in human cells: shielding influence on spatially correlated damage.

Outside the magnetic field of the Earth, high energy heavy ions constitute a relevant part of the biologically significant dose to astronauts during the very long travels through space. The typical pattern of energy deposition in the matter by heavy ions on the microscopic scale is believed to produce spatially correlated damage in the DNA which is critical for radiobiological effects. We have investigated the influence of a lucite shielding on the initial production of very small DNA fragments in human fibroblasts irradiated with 1 GeV/u iron (Fe) ions. We also used gamma rays as reference radiation. Our results show: (1) a lower effect per incident ion when the shielding is used; (2) an higher DNA Double Strand Breaks (DSB) induction by Fe ions than by gamma rays in the size range 1-23 kbp; (3) a non-random DNA DSB induction by Fe ions.     

Existence and uniqueness of motion parameters in active ranging

Motion estimation of distributed objects is discussed. Measurements include position plus Doppler. We show that 2D position plus Doppler is sufficient to uniquely determine the motion parameters of an object on a circular trajectory except for special cases. The uniqueness enhances occlusion tolerance and implies an approach to associating features. We show that the sensitivity of calculated motion parameters to measurement error is bounded. We also show that the error in the motion parameters tends to zero as the measurement error approaches zero     

Biochemical mechanisms and clusters of damage for high-LET radiation.

Using mechanisms of indirect and direct radiation, a generalized theory has been developed to account for strand break yields by high-LET particles. The major assumptions of this theory are: (i) damage at deoxyribose sites results primarily in strand break formation and (2) damage to bases leads to a variety of base alterations. Results of the present theory compare well with cellular data without enzymatic repair. As an extension of this theory, we show that damage clusters are formed near each double strand break for high-LET radiation only. For 10 MeV/n (LET = 450 keV/micrometer) neon ions, the results show that on average there are approximately 3 additional breaks and approximately 3 damaged bases formed near each double strand break. For 100 MeV/n helium ions (LET = 3 keV/micrometer), less than 1% of the strand breaks have additional damage within 10 base pairs.     

起落架摆振飞行试验实测数据分析

为了检验起落架系统的稳定性,国内首次在真实飞机上进行起落架摆振试验,通过在跑道上加装激励板,有效激起起落架摆振相关模态;采用模态单峰隔离结合最小二乘算法,通过模态参数识别进行试验数据分析;通过仿真数据验证该方法的正确性,并将其应用到某实测摆振试验数据分析。结果表明:飞行试验中起落架未发生摆振,本次试验中起落架是稳定的。     

MULTIGRID TECHNIQUE APPLIED TO LINEAR TIME-DEPENDENT HYPERBOLIC SYSTEMS

A system of linear time-dependent hyperbolic partial differential equations in the form of the time-domain Maxwell＇s equations is numerically solved using a geometric multigrid method. The multilevel method is an adap- tation of Ni＇s cell-vertex based multigrid technique, originally proposed for accelerating steady state convergence of nonlinear time-dependent Euler equations of gas dynamics. We discuss issues pertaining to the application of the geometric multigrid method to a system of equations where the major issue is of accurately propagating linear waves over large distances leading to major constraints on the required grid resolution in terms of points-per-wave- length.