一种新的利用落管实验分析微重力效应方法的探讨

通过对金属液滴在落管中下落过程中热量散失及重力水平的计算,讨论了落管在微重力材料研究上的局限性.为了克服落管材料凝固实验中微重力效应和过冷效应难以区分的问题,选取熔点低、发射率低以及比热较高的Al,Cu合金体系以尽量消除熔滴下落过程中的温度差别,采用硅油快淬的凝固方式对比研究了熔滴在落管中下落前后的微观组织.结果表明,这种实验方式可有效突出微重力效应对合金凝固过程的影响,一定程度上拓展了落管在材料研究上的范围.     

Simulated Microgravity Increases the Permeability of HUVEC Monolayer through Up-Regulation of Rap1GAP and Decreased Rap2 Activation

Space microgravity condition has great physiological influence on astronauts’ health. The interaction of endothelial cells, which control vascular permeability and immune responses, is sensitive to mechanical stress. However, whether microgravity has significant effects on the physiological function of the endothelium has not been investigated. In order to address such a question, a clinostat-based culture model with a HUVEC monolayer being inside the culture vessel under the simulated microgravity (SMG) was established. The transmittance of FITC-tagged dextran was used to estimate the change of integrity of the adherens junction of the HUVEC monolayer. Firstly, we found that the permeability of the HUVEC monolayer was largely increased after SMG treatment. To elucidate the mechanism of the increased permeability of the HUVEC monolayer under SMG, the levels of total expression and activated protein levels of Rap1 and Rap2 in HUVEC cells, which regulate the adherens junction of endothelial cells, were detected by WB and GST pull-down after SMG. As the activation of both Rap1 and Rap2 was significantly decreased under SMG, the expression of Rap1GEF1 (C3G) and Rap1GAP in HUVECs, which regulate the activation of them, was further determined. The results indicate that both C3G and Rap1GAP showed a time-dependent increase with the expression of Rap1GAP being dominant at 48 h after SMG. The down-regulation of the expression of junctional proteins, VE-cadherin and β-catenin, in HUVEC cells was also confirmed by WB and immunofluorescence after SMG. To clarify whether up-regulation of Rap1GAP is necessary for the increased permeability of the HUVEC monolayer after SMG, the expression of Rap1GAP was knocked down by Rap1GAP-shRNA, and the change of permeability of the HUVEC monolayer was detected. The results indicate that knock-down of Rap1GAP reduced SMG-induced leaking of the HUVEC monolayer in a time-dependent manner. In total, our results indicate that the Rap1GAP-Rap signal axis was necessary for the increased permeability of the HUVEC monolayer along with the down-regulation of junctional molecules including VE-cadherin and β-catenin.     

Microgravity Modifies the Phenotype of Fibroblast and Promotes Remodeling of the Fibroblast–Keratinocyte Interaction in a 3D Co-Culture Model

Microgravity impairs tissue organization and critical pathways involved in the cell–microenvironment interplay, where fibroblasts have a critical role. We exposed dermal fibroblasts to simulated microgravity by means of a Random Positioning Machine (RPM), a device that reproduces conditions of weightlessness. Molecular and structural changes were analyzed and compared to control samples growing in a normal gravity field. Simulated microgravity impairs fibroblast conversion into myofibroblast and inhibits their migratory properties. Consequently, the normal interplay between fibroblasts and keratinocytes were remarkably altered in 3D co-culture experiments, giving rise to several ultra-structural abnormalities. Such phenotypic changes are associated with down-regulation of α-SMA that translocate in the nucleoplasm, altogether with the concomitant modification of the actin-vinculin apparatus. Noticeably, the stress associated with weightlessness induced oxidative damage, which seemed to concur with such modifications. These findings disclose new opportunities to establish antioxidant strategies that counteract the microgravity-induced disruptive effects on fibroblasts and tissue organization.     

The Fight against Cancer by Microgravity: The Multicellular Spheroid as a Metastasis Model

Cancer is a disease exhibiting uncontrollable cell growth and spreading to other parts of the organism. It is a heavy, worldwide burden for mankind with high morbidity and mortality. Therefore, groundbreaking research and innovations are necessary. Research in space under microgravity (µg) conditions is a novel approach with the potential to fight cancer and develop future cancer therapies. Space travel is accompanied by adverse effects on our health, and there is a need to counteract these health problems. On the cellular level, studies have shown that real (r-) and simulated (s-) µg impact survival, apoptosis, proliferation, migration, and adhesion as well as the cytoskeleton, the extracellular matrix, focal adhesion, and growth factors in cancer cells. Moreover, the µg-environment induces in vitro 3D tumor models (multicellular spheroids and organoids) with a high potential for preclinical drug targeting, cancer drug development, and studying the processes of cancer progression and metastasis on a molecular level. This review focuses on the effects of r- and s-µg on different types of cells deriving from thyroid, breast, lung, skin, and prostate cancer, as well as tumors of the gastrointestinal tract. In addition, we summarize the current knowledge of the impact of µg on cancerous stem cells. The information demonstrates that µg has become an important new technology for increasing current knowledge of cancer biology.     

Numerical Simulation of Microgravity Flame Spread Over Solid Combustibles

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空间低温氧化物熔体晶体生长的数字模拟研究

地面上 ,由于受浮力对流、分层和沉淀等因素的影响 ,难以阐明晶体生产和凝固现象的本质 ,从而无法获得组份均匀、结构完整和性能优良的材料 ,因此自七十年代以来 ,已进行了大量的空间晶体生长实验 ,但由于对空间环境在晶体生长过程中的流体效应参数缺乏了解 ,实验结果往往与设想的不一致。数字模拟方法可以模拟实际晶体生产过程 ,了解晶体生长参数的变化对晶体生长的影响 ,本文利用数字模拟的方法 ,对本实验室建立的空间三维实时观察装置中 ,低温生产NaNO3熔体晶体中的流体效应及温场进行了数字模拟研究 ,结果表明 ,在地面生长 ,熔体内部存在复杂的双涡流动模式 ,重力对熔体中的温场和速度场的分布产生强烈的作用 ,而在空间 ,当微重力水平达到一定程度时 ,可以使熔体中的流动模式简单化 ,从而降低流动效应对传热、传质造成的不稳定性和不均匀性 ,有利于提高晶体生长的质量。同时通过对流场中的温度分布分析表明 ,降低重力可以明显改变晶体生长固液界面附近的温度梯度 ,并使温场 ,速度场分布朝着稳态生长的方向发展     

Time Dependent Effects in Surface Tension Measurements of an Industrial Fe‐alloy

The surface tension of an industrial FeC‐alloy containing Si, Mn and S in the few atomic per cent range was measured by the oscillating drop method in ground based electromagnetic levitation and under reduced gravity conditions on board a parabolic flight. The results from the parabolic flight exhibited a large variation between different heating cycles and a discrepancy with the ground based experiments with regard to the value of the surface tension at the liquidus temperature and the temperature coefficient. The variation of the surface tension temperature coefficient is interpreted as resulting from the loss of volatile surface active components such as S and Si in subsequent heating cycles. The results demonstrate the importance of the time scale of the measurement and ambient atmosphere for surface tension measurements of industrial alloys containing volatile surface active components. For comparison with the experimental values the surface tension and segregation were modelled using different models. As a result of the analysis, the surface tension as a function of temperature best representing the starting industrial alloy is obtained as σ(T) = 1.52–1.53 10^‐4 (T–1752K) Nm^‐1.     

The effect of microgravity and space flight on the chemical senses

ABSTRACT: The effect of space flight and microgravity on the chemical senses is reviewed. Skylab-4 and Soyuz 30–31 studies revealed changes in taste thresholds while no effect was found in a Canadian investigation (41-G) and conflicting results were obtained on another Soyuz mission. Two simulated microgravity studies found no effect on taste or smell sensitivity; while 5 other studies found an effect. Microgravity induces physiological changes including an upward shift of body fluids toward the head, which may lead to an attenuation of the olfactory component in the flavor of foods. Chemosensory changes may also relate to space sickness, Shuttle atmosphere, stress, radiation, and psychological factors.     

空间环境下纤维织物绝热材料隔热性能评价与仿真验证

本文以天宫二号空间材料炉多层隔热系统中纤维织物绝热材料为研究对象, 采用空间环境等效试验条件表征研究了织物有效导热系数随在轨温度和压强的变化, 结合微观传热机理对结果进行了分析, 根据表征结果对不同工况下炉内温度场进行了模拟。结果表明: 纤维织物有效导热系数随温度升高非线性增大, 压强越低, 增长越平缓; 随压强降低以指数函数趋势衰减且存在临界压强; 辐射与气相导热是影响空间环境下纤维织物传热性能的主要因素; 炉内温场计算值与匹配实验实测温度整体趋势吻合良好, 炉中心温度最大计算误差为实测温度的 1.3%。该方法更合理地评价了多层纤维材料在使用工况下的绝热性能, 从而有助于建立准确度更高的热仿真模型。     

航天电源技术研究进展

航天电源具备高能量密度、高可靠性、长时间供电等特点, 近年来多种航天电源发展迅速。本文介绍了再生型燃料电池、锂离子蓄电池等新型化学能源,新型的太阳能电池技术,太阳能热动力发电系统和核能热发电系统的现状;着重阐述了在航天飞行器上应用的化学蓄电池、太阳能电池阵-蓄电池组、燃料电池、核能发电系统等电源系统的特点及存在的问题。对于航天电源运控相关的流动与传热问题做了深入探讨,并展望了航天电源的研究方向：太阳能电池有向薄膜化方向发展的趋势,化学蓄电池主要配合太阳能电池;燃料电池适用于长时间远距离活动;核能适用大功率、长航时航天器。