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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 253 records · Page 14
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1966

Histopathology of the Chimpanzee Ear

Four female and two male chimpanzees were secured in various positions on a Daisy Decelerator and subjected to forces ranging from 54 to 180 G. It was found that forces in excess of 54 G may rupture the tympanic membranes and cause subepithelial hemorrhages in the middle ear. The majority of cases showed proteinaceous material, with or without cells in the petrous air spaces. When exposed to forces above 119 G, there was engorgement and often rupture of the pericarotid venous plexus. When supine, distortion of both superior and posterior semicircular canals was found. With forces in excess of 54 G, the cupulae of the cristae ampullaris were either elevated or destroyed. The hair processes were also often broken off. The otolithic membranes, especially of the maculae utriculi were also elevated or otherwise distorted and the saccule was often partially collapsed. In several instances, there was an overabundance of a proteinaceous substance in the lumina of the vestibular apparatus and in the cochlear ducts with their associated scalae. In half the cases, the cochlear duct was narrowed by the depression of the vestibular membrane. Although there seems to be considerable individual variation in ability to withstand these forces, neither age, sex nor weight appear to directly influence the results. The possible sources for the materials found both in the air cells and labyrinth are discussed.

ACCELERATION TOLERANCE↗
NASA NTRS1972

Ocular counterrolling measured during eight hours of sustained body tilt

Adaptation of otolith organ activity was investigated by monitoring the ocular counterrolling response of four normal individuals and three persons with severe bilateral loss of labyrinthine function. Several eye photographs were recorded every 30 minutes during a period of 8 hours in which the subject was held in a lateral tilt (60 deg) position. The recorded eye roll position varied to an expected small extent within each test session; this variation about a given mean roll position was similar among the test sessions for all subjects. The mean roll position, on the other hand, changed from session to session in substantial amounts, but these changes appeared to be random with respect to time and among subjects. Furthermore, the intersessional variation in the mean torsional eye position of the normal subjects was equivalent to that of the labyrinthine-defective subjects who displayed little or no counterrolling. These results suggest that the human counterrolling response is maintained either by essentially nonadapting macular receptors or by extremely fine movements of the head in the gravitational field, such as may have been allowed by the biteboard/headrest restraint system used in this study, which served as an everchanging accelerative stimulus.

Miller, E. F., II↗
NASA NTRS1971

Effect of gravitoinertial force on ocular counterrolling.

The effect of G loading on the magnitude of ocular counterrolling at various angles of tilt up to 63 deg. was measured on normal subjects and compared with the effect on persons with severe or complete loss of vestibular function. The group of six normal subjects manifested a compensatory eye roll which increased as a direct and essentially linear function of the component of the gravitoinertial force acting laterally on the subject. This increase in response was not observed in the five deaf subjects with severe or complete bilateral loss of their vestibular organs. These findings confirmed similar results found by other authors using other measuring techniques which show that the reflex eye movement is dependent on and limited to the magnitude of the gravitoinertial stimulus (within the range used) when the otolithocular system is functioning normally. However when this function is severely impaired or lost, the magnitude of the compensatory eye roll is limited to that manifested at 1 G and possibly to nonotolithic contributions. These findings offer means for differentiation between otolithic-defective and ?normal' persons who exhibit little counterrolling.

Miller, E. F., II↗
NASA NTRS1973

Simulated weightlessness in fish and neurophysiological studies on memory storage

Simulated weightlessness was used to study the different types of gravity responses in blind fish. It was found that a shift in the direction of low magnitude acceleration in weightlessness causes a rapid 180 deg turn in the blind fish, while a shift in the direction of the applied acceleration in the earth's gravitational field is not significant because of a higher acceleration magnitude threshold than during the zero g condition. This increased responsiveness seems to be explained by a combination of directional sensitivity with a Weber-Fechner relationship of increased receptor sensitivity at diminished levels of background stimulation. Neurophysical studies of the statocyst nerve of the gastropod Mollusc Pleurobranchaea Californica were undertaken in order to understand how complex otolith systems operate. Information storage was investigated on relatively simple neuronal networks in the mollusc Aplysia. Intracellular electrical stimulation of isolated neurons show that a manipulation of autoditonous rhymicity is possible. It was also found that glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation are involved in inherent rhymicity of Aplysis neurons.

Vonbaumgarten, R. J.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Research on biophysical evaluation of the human vestibular system

The human vestibular function was studied by the combined approach of advanced measurement and mathematical modelling. Fundamental measurements of some physical properties of endolymph and perilymph, combined with nystagmus measurements and fluid mechanical analysis of semicircular canal function furthered the theory of canal mechanical response to angular acceleration, caloric stimulation and relating linear acceleration. The effects of adaptation seen at low frequency angular stimulation were studied and modelled to remove some shortcomings of the torsion pendulum models. Otolith function was also studied experimentally and analytically, leading to a new set of models for subjective orientation. Applications to special problems of space, including the case of rotating spacecraft were investigated and the interaction of visual and vestibular cues and their relation to proprioceptive information was explored relative to postural control.

Young, L. R.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Illusory sensations in aircraft flight and weightlessness

Clearly misleading illusions only appear when the vestibular input is of a nonconflicting nature. A number of experiments with blind goldfish were conducted since the vestibular system of the goldfish is homologous in many respects to that of man. Inertial stimuli were given by linear acceleration of the entire aquarium with the fish in it. A high-speed movie camera and three-axis accelerometers were used to record the fish responses. It was found that fish, if subjected to horizontal linear acceleration, behave as if the moving force acting on the otoliths were a gravitational force component and not an inertial reacting force.

Von Baumgarten, R. J.↗
NASA NTRS1973

The gravity reference response, the rotation sensation, and other illusory sensations experienced in aircraft and space flight

An analysis of the gravitational and inertial forces which act during aircraft flight upon the vestibular systems of the aircraft occupants reveals that in the absence of a visual horizon, certain illusory sensations are predictable for various acceleration environments. The 'inversion illusion' (Graybiel and Kellog, 1966) felt by some human subjects at 0 g seems to be different from the rotation sensation and could be caused by the diminished pressure forces of the otoliths on the maculae. The 'inversion illusion' of man correlates well with the blind fish diving behavior observed during aircraft parabolic flight (von Baumgarten et al., 1969, 1972). It is suggested that the fish low g diving response and the human inversion illusion are due to the substitution of a predominantly shearing force of low magnitude as a vestibular reference in place of a normal, predominantly pressure force. This hypothesis indicates that vestibular senses alone cannot provide meaningful postural orientation to simulated or actual gravity of a magnitude below that of earth's gravity.

Shillinger, G. L., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Effects of geophysical extra-terrestrial and terrestrial physical stimuli on living organisms - Effects of gravity fields on living organisms

The biologic effects of greatly reduced gravity resulting from space flight are examined. Aspects of U.S. space biology during the period from 1960 to 1972 are discussed, giving attention to the Discoverer satellites, the Gemini series, the OV1-4 satellite, the biosatellite project, the orbiting frog otolith experiment, and the Apollo program. Other studies considered are related to the effects of galactic particles on nonproliferating cells, a recoverable tissue culture experiment, cell cycle maintenance in human lung cells, and effects of space flight on circadian rhythms. Viking will land on the planet Mars in 1975 in search for life forms.

Saunders, R. J. F.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Model of human dynamic orientation

The dynamics associated with the perception of orientation were modelled for near-threshold and suprathreshold vestibular stimuli. A model of the information available at the peripheral sensors which was consistent with available neurophysiologic data was developed and served as the basis for the models of the perceptual responses. The central processor was assumed to utilize the information from the peripheral sensors in an optimal (minimum mean square error) manner to produce the perceptual estimates of dynamic orientation. This assumption, coupled with the models of sensory information, determined the form of the model for the central processor. The problem of integrating information from the semi-circular canals and the otoliths to predict the perceptual response to motions which stimulated both organs was studied. A model was developed which was shown to be useful in predicting the perceptual response to multi-sensory stimuli.

Ormsby, C. C.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Utilization of immobilized urease for waste water treatment

The feasibility of using immobilized urease for urea removal from waste water for space system applications is considered, specifically the elimination of the urea toxicity problem in a 30-day Orbiting Frog Otolith (OFO) flight experiment. Because urease catalyzes the hydrolysis of urea to ammonia and carbon dioxide, control of their concentrations within nontoxic limits was also determined. The results of this study led to the use of free urease in lieu of the immobilized urease for controlling urea concentrations. An ion exchange resin was used which reduced the NH3 level by 94% while reducing the sodium ion concentration only 10%.

Husted, R. R.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Susceptibility to motion sickness among Skylab astronauts

The mechanisms causing susceptibility to motion sickness in zero gravity are not well understood. Preflight and postflight motion sickness susceptibility tests conducted on the three Skylab crews are described. Under operational conditions, the first Skylab crew experienced no motion sickness, while the other two crews did. Susceptibility was greater in the Skylab workshop than in the command module. Weightlessness in itself is a unique motion environment. Changes occur in nonrigid body parts and in the response of macular receptors in the otolith organs. Tests in parabolic flight, where zero gravity is the only significant factor in motion sickness susceptibility, indicate that some people need to adapt to weightlessness and others do not. A comparison of all US and Soviet manned missions indicates that a headward shift of fluid on transition to zero gravity is not a predisposing factor in motion sickness. Under certain conditions after adaptation susceptibility was lower in the Skylab workshop than on the ground. The anti-motion sickness drugs used in Skylab are judged effective for prevention and treatment.

Graybiel, A.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Influence of head orientation on visually induced pitch and roll sensation

Observers viewing rotating scenes in their periphery frequently experience self-motion in the opposite direction. A full field flight simulator projection system was used to investigate the sensations resulting from pitch, roll, and yaw stimuli at various head orientations. Steady yaw rate (circularvection) and development of a constant roll tilt angle, for the head erect and constant velocity yaw and roll stimuli, confirmed previous reports. Pitch stimuli also were found to produce a sensation of tilting to a steady pitch angle, which was much stronger for pitch forward than backward. Pitch and roll effects were strongly dependent on head position, increasing for the head rolled 90 deg to the side or inverted, and decreasing for the head pitched 25 deg forward. These results support a hypothesis that visually induced tilt is limited by conflict with otolith information.

Young, L. R.↗