Effects of gravity on the electrodeposition and characterization of nickel foils

The effects of gravity on nickel electrodeposition,the morphology and mechanical properties of deposits were studied in a super gravity field.Predictions in a microgravity field were also presented based on the obtained experimental tendency.Linear sweep voltammetry reveals that the nickel electrodeposition process is enhanced by increasing the gravity coefficient(G).The limiting current density changes from 10.2 to 293.0 mA·cm-2 with the increase of the G value from 10-4 to 354.The morphology of deposits w...     

Simulated microgravity triggers characteristic morphology and stress response in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Reduction of gravity results in changes in gene expression and morphology in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We studied the genes responsible for the morphological changes induced by simulated microgravity (SMG) using the yeast morphology data. We comprehensively captured the features of the morphological changes in yeast cells cultured in SMG with CalMorph, a high-throughput image-processing system. Statistical analysis revealed that 95 of 501 morphological traits were significantly affected, which included changes in bud direction, the ratio of daughter to mother cell size, the random daughter cell shape, the large mother cell size, bright nuclei in the M phase, and the decrease in angle between two nuclei. We identified downregulated genes that impacted the morphological changes in conditions of SMG by focusing on each of the morphological features individually. Gene Ontology (GO)-enrichment analysis indicated that morphological changes under conditions of SMG were caused by cooperative downregulation of 103 genes annotated to six GO terms, which included cytoplasmic ribonucleoprotein granule, RNA elongation, mitotic cell cycle phase transition, nucleocytoplasmic transport, protein–DNA complex subunit organization, and RNA localization. P-body formation was also promoted under conditions of SMG. These results suggest that cooperative downregulation of multiple genes occurs in conditions of SMG.     

Magnetic emulation of microgravity for earth‐bound multiphase catalytic reactor studies—Potentialities and limitations

A method is proposed to generate Earth‐bound artificial microgravity in a controlled facility capable of emulating lunar/Martian gravity or microgravity for experiments on passive/reactive catalytic multiphase flows. Its applicability was illustrated for trickle beds where flowing gas and liquid experience artificial microgravity inside the bore of a superconducting magnet generating large gradient magnetic fields to compensate for gravity. Artificial gravity is realized by commuting into apparent gravity acceleration the magnetization force at work on common “chemical engineering” non‐magnetic fluids. The scaling property to be matched and maintained invariant in multiphase systems to achieve magnetic mimicry is phasic mass magnetic susceptibility. Hydrodynamic (liquid holdup, wetting efficiency, pressure drop) as well as catalytic reaction (conversion and selectivity) measurements were obtained. The main finding is a proof that magnetic fields affect reactor outcomes exclusively via hydrodynamic phenomena making them appealing proxies for emulating non‐terrene reactor applications. © 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2009     

Effect of magnetically simulated zero-gravity and enhanced gravity on the walk of the common fruitfly

Understanding the effects of gravity on biological organisms is vital to the success of future space missions. Previous studies in Earth orbit have shown that the common fruitfly (Drosophila melanogaster) walks more quickly and more frequently in microgravity, compared with its motion on Earth. However, flight preparation procedures and forces endured on launch made it difficult to implement on the Earth''s surface a control that exposed flies to the same sequence of major physical and environmental changes. To address the uncertainties concerning these behavioural anomalies, we have studied the walking paths of D. melanogaster in a pseudo-weightless environment (0g*) in our Earth-based laboratory. We used a strong magnetic field, produced by a superconducting solenoid, to induce a diamagnetic force on the flies that balanced the force of gravity. Simultaneously, two other groups of flies were exposed to a pseudo-hypergravity environment (2g*) and a normal gravity environment (1g*) within the spatially varying field. The flies had a larger mean speed in 0g* than in 1g*, and smaller in 2g*. The mean square distance travelled by the flies grew more rapidly with time in 0g* than in 1g*, and slower in 2g*. We observed no other clear effects of the magnetic field, up to 16.5 T, on the walks of the flies. We compare the effect of diamagnetically simulated weightlessness with that of weightlessness in an orbiting spacecraft, and identify the cause of the anomalous behaviour as the altered effective gravity.     

52 m长落管Ag-Ge合金的微重力凝固行为

利用52m长落管装置进行了Ag-15%Ge(质量分数)亚共晶和Ag-21%Ge(质量分数)过共晶合金微重力试验,分析了凝固后合金球体的显微组织,并和常规凝固条件下的同成分合金组织进行了比较.结果表明,落管实验能使合金获得较大的过冷度,使Ag-15%Ge(质量分数)亚共晶合金Ag初生回溶体相明显细化,枝晶特征消失并转变为细小不规则块状或近似球形;使Ag-21%Ge(质量分数)过共晶合金中Ge初生相组织细化、数量增多,但并不改变小平面晶体Ge相的侧面生长机制.     

Numerical investigation of thermocapillary migration of the drop for large Marangoni numbers

An axisymmetric model is adopted to simulate the problem of unsteady drop thermocapillary motion for large Marangoni numbers. Front tracking methods are used in the investigation. It is found that the non-dimensional drop migration velocity will decrease with increasing Marangoni number. This agrees well with the experimental results obtained from the 4th Shen-Zhou space ship. In the meanwhile, this is also the first time for numerical simulations to verify the experimental phenomenon under large Marangoni numbers. Recommended by Prof. WANG ZhanGuo, Member of Editorial Committee of Science in China, Series E: Technological Sciences Supported by Chinese Academy of Sciencer Innovation Program and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. G10502054, G10432060)     

基于分形特征的模拟失重条件下细胞骨架的图像分析

细胞骨架的结构特点决定了不易找到量化细胞骨架图像的特征参数。为了描述模拟失重条件下细胞骨架的形态变化，以评价药物对失重的细胞学效应的防护效果，本文利用双毯法和数盒子数法分别计算细胞骨架微管和微丝图像的分形维数，利用图像的复杂度描述细胞骨架在不同环境中的形态变化。计算结果表明在模拟失重条件下细胞骨架图像的复杂度减弱，加入药物槲皮素后图像的复杂度略有恢复。利用分形维分析细胞骨架在模拟失重条件下图像的纹理变化，其结果表明分形维可以作为特征参数对失重环境中的细胞骨架图像进行定量分析。     

Bubble behavior in a horizontal narrow divergent passage (one-dimensional approximate analysis)

This paper investigates the behavior of a bubble which bridges the gap in a cross section of a horizontal narrow divergent passage under Earth's gravity conditions (1 G) analytically. In a narrow passage, inertia forces are known to be small compared with viscous forces. Also, gravity force is not dominant for bubble behavior in a horizontal narrow passage. In this sense, the bubble behavior in the passage is similar to that under microgravity conditions. It is important to understand the bubble behavior in relation to separating gas from a gas–liquid two-phase flow and controlling a gas–liquid interface under microgravity conditions. A one-dimensional momentum equation for the bubble behavior is derived. The equation is arranged as an ordinary differential equation with respect to the upstream interfacial location and is solved. Analytical results are compared with experimental ones. As a result, the effects of gap size, bubble projected area, and divergent angle on bubble behavior are explained qualitatively. © 1999 Scripta Technica, Heat Trans Asian Res, 28(2): 102–114, 1999     

MICROSTRUCTURAL FEATURE OF Al-In MONOTECTIC ALLOY PROCESSED UNDER MICROGRAVITY

The microstructural feature of Al-In monotectic alloy processed under microgravity has beeninvestigated It was found that in the sample cooled in space,there are a lot of In particles inA! dendrite,but no particle has been observed in the sample cooled on the ground.Moreover,the In particles distribute with regularity and the A1 dendrite has an obvious boundary layermarked by a string of particles.Thus,the distinction between them may reflect the character-istics of the solid/liquid interface during solidification under different gravity conditions.     

微重力条件对小球藻固碳能力与油脂积累的影响

为了提高微藻的固碳效率和产脂速率,在模拟的微重力条件下,利用CO2培养蛋白核小球藻。实验结果表明:微重力条件和CO2对蛋白核小球藻的生长具有协同促进作用;与普通条件下通入空气培养蛋白核小球藻相比,在微重力条件下通入浓度为10%的CO2培养蛋白核小球藻120 h后,蛋白核小球藻的生物量浓度提高了178%;在普通条件下,蛋白核小球藻的固碳效率为2.64±0.41 mg/(L·h),在微重力条件下,蛋白核小球藻的固碳效率为17.28±0.42 mg/(L·h);在普通条件下通入CO2后,蛋白核小球藻细胞中的不饱和脂肪酸含量升高,而在微重力条件下通入CO2后,蛋白核小球藻细胞中的不饱和脂肪酸含量会下降。