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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 325 records · Page 18
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1991

Space medicine - Answering the challenge

The development of Space Station Freedom (SSF) Health Maintenance Facility (HMF) is discussed. Attention is given to HMF subsystems; the diagnostic radiological imaging system; the physician instruments; the pharmacy and central supply; the Fluid Therapy Subsystem; the restraints to be used for medical procedures; and the Safe Haven mode, which is a mode of station operation in which it is assumed that the HMF has been lost and the medical needs must be provided by the emergency medical equipment and supplies located in the Portable Emergency Provisions. Special attention is given to the pharmaceutical issues involved, including such as the product selection, oral medications, injectable medications, the effect of exposing medications to high vacuum, and the product shelf life.

Lloyd, Charles W.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Heavy ion beams in extended materials - Computational methods and experiment

The transport of heavy ion beams in extended materials is a problem of interest in accelerator and space shielding, radiation therapy, and astrophysical and radiobiological studies. The beam particles change their energy and direction of motion through atomic/molecular collisions and undergo occasional radical transformation in nuclear collision. In health physics applications, a heavy ion beam of initially well defined radiation quality is transformed into a complex mixture of diverse quality components after passing through a modest amount of material. This transformation of radiation quality must be understood to adequately explain the biological response of tissue to heavy ion radiation. A theoretical/experimental program to define an ion beam and its products in extended matter is described.

Wilson, J. W.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Autogenic-feedback training - A treatment for motion and space sickness

A training method for preventing the occurrence of motion sickness in humans, called autogenic-feedback training (AFT), is described. AFT is based on a combination of biofeedback and autogenic therapy which involves training physiological self-regulation as an alternative to pharmacological management. AFT was used to reliably increase tolerance to motion-sickness-inducing tests in both men and women ranging in age from 18 to 54 years. The effectiveness of AFT is found to be significantly higher than that of protective adaptation training. Data obtained show that there is no apparent effect from AFT on measures of vestibular perception and no side effects.

Cowings, Patricia S.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Arterial gas emboli in altitude-induced decompression sickness

Exposure to high altitudes can result in the evolved-gas condition referred to as decompression sickness (DCS). Ultrasonic monitoring techniques have clearly demonstrated the presence of venous gas emboli (VGE) during decompression. Although important to DCS research and our understanding of the physiological mechanisms of this condition, Venus gas emboli have not been considered clinically hazardous, unless in extreme numbers. Arterial gas emboli (AGE), on the other hand, are generally viewed with great concern. Arterial gas emboli can enter the cerebral arterial circulation and arrest blood flow resulting in potentially serious injury. Left ventricular gas emboli were observed with echo imaging in five volunteer subjects during exposure to simulated altitude. These serendipitous findings occurred during altitude exposure under 3 separate research protocols involving 79 subject exposures. The voluntary, fully informed consent of the subjects used in this research was obtained as required by AFR 169-3. A Hewlett-Packard SONOS 1000 Echo Imaging System was used to monitor for precordial gas emboli. The improved resolution of the SONOS 1000 appears to account for these new findings. Four subjects had high incidence DCS and VGE during previous research flights. One subject only had one flight. The altitudes and AGE onset times for the five cases were: (1) 25,500 ft/2:23, (2) 29,000 ft/0:27, (3) 19,500 ft/3:49, (4) 29,500 ft/3:15, and (5) 29,500 ft/1:31. In all five cases, at the time of AGE onset, the VGE scores were high from all monitored locations. Four of the cases were symptomatic at the time of AGE onset (pain and skin mottling). No cerebral manifestations were observed. All subjects were immediately recompressed to ground level and successfully treated with 2 hours of post-breathing or with hyperbaric oxygen therapy. In conclusion, previously undetected AGE were demonstrated--with and without DCS symptoms--during exposure to altitude. It appears that this gas transferred from the venous side to the arterial side via either intracardiac defects or the pulmonary circulation. The clinical and operational implications of this finding are yet to be determined.

Pilmanis, Andrew A.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Promethazine and its use as a treatment for space motion sickness

Until Mar. 1989, no effective treatment--either prophylactic or symptomatic--for space motion sickness (SMS) had been discovered. Since Mar. 1989, intramuscular (IM) promethazine (PMZ) has been used in the treatment of SMS with extremely favorably results reported by the crew. A retrospective study was undertaken to quantify the efficacy of IM PMZ since its institution and the incidence of its major anticipated side-effect drowsiness and sedation. The results from a standardized crew medical debriefing conducted immediately after landing and follow-up interviews with the crews were used in establishing the efficacy and incidence of side effects from treatment. Only crews from the first 44 Shuttle flights on their first mission were considered. For a total of 132 crewmembers, 96 exhibited symptoms of SMS; and, of these, 20 were treated with IM PMZ. Ninety percent of those receiving IM PMZ 25-50mg received nearly immediate (less than 2 hours) relief of symptoms and 75 percent required no further treatment through the first 2 days of spaceflight. Those not receiving this treatment did not have any near-term resolution of their symptoms, and 50 percent were still ill through the second day of flight. This represents a significant difference at the p = 0.46 level. In stark contrast to the 60 percent to 73 percent incidence of sedation or drowsiness reported in individuals treated with PMZ in terrestrial environment at the doses used here, less than 5 percent reported these symptoms during spaceflight. IM PMZ is an effective therapy for SMS and is associated with minimal incidence of sedation or drowsiness. This combination of efficacy that is absent of significant side effects represents a substantial improvement in the operational situation of crewmembers afflicted with SMS. Studies to understand the mechanisms underlying these observations will be undertaken in the future.

Bagian, James P.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Helium-ion-induced human cataractogenesis

Retrospective and ongoing analyses of clinical records from 347 primary intraocular melanoman patients treated with helium ions at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory (LBL) will allow examination of the exposure-response data for human cataract; which is a complication of the therapy from incidental exposure of the lens. Direct particle beam traversal of at least a portion of the lens usually is unavoidable in treatment of posterior intraocular tumors. The precise treatment planned for each patient permits quantitative assessment of the lenticular dose and its radiation quality. We are reporting our preliminary results on the development of helium-ion-induced lens opacifications and cataracts in 54 of these patients who had 10% or less of their lens in the treatment field. We believe these studies will be relevant to estimating the human risk for cataract in space flight.

Blakely, E. A.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Computer Model Of Fragmentation Of Atomic Nuclei

High Charge and Energy Semiempirical Nuclear Fragmentation Model (HZEFRG1) computer program developed to be computationally efficient, user-friendly, physics-based program for generating data bases on fragmentation of atomic nuclei. Data bases generated used in calculations pertaining to such radiation-transport applications as shielding against radiation in outer space, radiation dosimetry in outer space, cancer therapy in laboratories with beams of heavy ions, and simulation studies for designing detectors for experiments in nuclear physics. Provides cross sections for production of individual elements and isotopes in breakups of high-energy heavy ions by combined nuclear and Coulomb fields of interacting nuclei. Written in ANSI FORTRAN 77.

Wilson, John W.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Growing Three-Dimensional Cartilage-Cell Cultures

Process for growing three-dimensional cultures of mammalian cartilage from normal mammalian cells devised. Effected using horizontal rotating bioreactor described in companion article, "Simplified Bioreactor for Growing Mammalian Cells" (MSC-22060). Bioreactor provides quiescent environment with generous supplies of nutrient and oxygen. Initiated with noncartilage cells. Artificially grown tissue resembles that in mammalian cartilage. Potential use in developing therapies for damage to cartilage by joint and back injuries and by such inflammatory diseases as arthritis and temporal-mandibular joint disease. Also used to test nonsteroid anti-inflammation medicines.

Spaulding, Glenn F.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Safety analysis

We are engaged in a research program in safety-critical computing that is based on two case studies. We use these case studies to provide application-specific details of the various research issues, and as targets for evaluation of research ideas. The first case study is the Magnetic Stereotaxis System (MSS), an investigational device for performing human neurosurgery being developed in a joint effort between the Department of Physics at the University of Virginia and the Department of Neurosurgery at the University of Iowa. The system operates by manipulating a small permanent magnet (known as a 'seed') within the brain using an externally applied magnetic field. By varying the magnitude and gradient of the external magnetic field, the seed can be moved along a non-linear path and positioned at a site requiring therapy, e.g., a tumor. The magnetic field required for movement through brain tissue is extremely high, and is generated by a set of six superconducting magnets located in a housing surrounding the patient's head. The system uses two X-ray cameras positioned at right angles to detect in real time the locations of the seed and of X-ray opaque markers affixed to the patient's skull. the X-ray images are used to locate the objects of interest in a canonical frame of reference. the second case study is the University of Virginia Research Nuclear Reactor (UVAR). It is a 2 MW thermal, concrete-walled pool reactor. The system operates using 20 to 25 plate-type fuel assemblies placed on a rectangular grid plate. There are three scramable safety rods, and one non-scramable regulating rod that can be put in automatic mode. It was originally constructed in 1959 as a 1 MW system, and it was upgraded to 2 MW in 1973. Though only a research reactor rather than a power reactor, the issues raised are significant and can be related to the problems faced by full-scale reactor systems.

Knight, John C.↗
NASA NTRS1995

A Compact Fiber Optic Eye Diagnostic System

A new fiber optic probe developed for determining transport properties of sub-micron particles in fluid experiments in a microgravity environment has been applied to study different parts of an eye. The probe positioned in front of an eye, delivers a low power (approximately few microW) light from a laser diode into the eye and guides the light which is back scattered by different components (aqueous humor, lens, and vitreous humor) of the eye through a receiving optical fiber to a photo detector. The probe provides rapid determination of macromolecular diffusivities and their respective size distributions in the eye lens and the gel-like materials in the vitreous humor. In a clinical setting, the probe can be mounted on a standard slit-lamp apparatus simply using a Hruby lens holder. The capability of detecting cataracts, both nuclear and cortical, in their early stages of formation, in a non invasive and quantitative fashion, has the potential in patient monitoring and in developing and testing new drugs or diet therapies to 'dissolve' or slow down the cataract formation before the surgery becomes necessary. The ability to detect biochemical and macromolecular changes in the vitreous structure can be very useful in identifying certain diseases of the posterior chamber and their complications, e.g., posterior vitreous detachment and diabetic retinopathy.

Ansari, Rafat R.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Ophthalmic Diagnostics Using a New Dynamic Light Scattering Fiber Optic Probe

A new fiber optic probe is developed to study different parts of the eye. The probe positioned in front of an eye, delivers a low power light from a laser diode into the eye and guides the light which is back scattered by different components (aqueous humor, lens, and vitreous humor) of the eye through a receiving optical fiber to a photo detector. The probe provides rapid determination of macromolecular diffusivities and their respective size distributions in the eye lens and the gel-like material in the vitreous humor. We report alpha-crystalline size distributions, as a function of penetration depth, inside the lens and hyaluronic acid molecular size distribution in the vitreous body. In a clinical setting, the probe can be mounted on a slit-lamp apparatus simply by using a H-ruby lens holder. The capability of detecting cataracts, both nuclear and peripheral, in their early stages of formation, in a non invasive and quantitative fashion, has the potential in patient monitoring and in developing and testing new drugs or diet therapies to 'dissolve' or slow down the cataract formation before surgery is necessary. The ability to detect biochemical and macromolecular changes in the vitreous structure can be very useful in identifying certain diseases of the posterior chamber, e.g., posterior vitreous detachment.

Ansari, Rafat R.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Body position does not affect the hemodynamic response to venous air embolism in dogs

Current therapy for massive venous air embolism (VAE) includes the use of the left lateral recumbent (LLR) position. This recommendation is based on animal studies, conducted 50 years ago, which looked primarily at survival. Little is known, however, about the concomitant hemodynamic response after VAE in various body positions. The purpose of this study was to investigate the hemodynamic and cardiovascular changes in various body positions after VAE. Twenty-two mechanically ventilated supine mongrel dogs received a venous air infusion of 2.5 mL/kg at a rate of 5 mL/s. One minute after the infusion, 100% oxygen ventilation was commenced and the body position of the dogs was changed to either the LLR (n = 6), the LLR with the head 10 deg down (LLR-10 deg; n = 6) or the right lateral recumbent (RLR; n = 5) position. Five dogs were maintained in the supine position (SUP; n = 5). One dog died in every group except in the SUP group, where all the dogs recovered. There were no significant differences among the various body positions in terms of heart rate, mean arterial pressure, pulmonary artery pressure, central venous pressure, left ventricular end-diastolic pressure, or cardiac output. The acute hemodynamic changes occurring during the first 5-15 min after VAE recovered to 80% of control within 60 min. Our data suggest that body repositioning does not influence the cardiovascular response to VAE. Specifically, our data do not support the recommendation of repositioning into the LLR position for the treatment of VAE.

Mehlhorn, Uwe↗
NASA NTRS1994

Effects of light on brain and behavior

It is obvious that light entering the eye permits the sensory capacity of vision. The human species is highly dependent on visual perception of the environment and consequently, the scientific study of vision and visual mechanisms is a centuries old endeavor. Relatively new discoveries are now leading to an expanded understanding of the role of light entering the eye in addition to supporting vision, light has various nonvisual biological effects. Over the past thirty years, animal studies have shown that environmental light is the primary stimulus for regulating circadian rhythms, seasonal cycles, and neuroendocrine responses. As with all photobiological phenomena, the wavelength, intensity, timing and duration of a light stimulus is important in determining its regulatory influence on the circadian and neuroendocrine systems. Initially, the effects of light on rhythms and hormones were observed only in sub-human species. Research over the past decade, however, has confirmed that light entering the eyes of humans is a potent stimulus for controlling physiological rhythms. The aim of this paper is to examine three specific nonvisual responses in humans which are mediated by light entering the eye: light-induced melatonin suppression, light therapy for winter depression, and enhancement of nighttime performance. This will serve as a brief introduction to the growing database which demonstrates how light stimuli can influence physiology, mood and behavior in humans. Such information greatly expands our understanding of the human eye and will ultimately change our use of light in the human environment.

Brainard, George C.↗
NASA NTRS1995

A Compact Fiber Optic Eye Diagnostics System

A new fiber optic probe development for determining transport properties of sub-micron particles in fluids experiments in a microgravity environment has been applied to study different parts of the eye. The probe positioned in front of an eye, delivers a low power (approximately a few mu W) light from a laser diode into the eye and guides the light which is back scattered by different components (aqueous humor, lens, and vitreous humor) of the eye through a receiving optical fiber to a photo detector. The probe provides rapid determination of macromolecular diffusivities and their respective size distributions in the eye lens and the gel-like material in the vitreous humor. For a clinical use, the probe is mounted on a standard slit-lamp apparatus simply using Hruby lens holder. The capability of detecting cataracts, both nuclear and cortical, in their early stages of formation, in a non invasive and quantitative fashion, has the potential in patient monitoring and in developing and testing new drugs or diet therapies to 'dissolve' or slow down the cataract formation before the surgery becomes necessary. The ability to detect biochemical and macromolecular changes in the vitreous structure can be very useful in identifying certain diseases of the posterior chamber and their complications, e.g., posterior vitreous detachment and diabetic retinopathy.

Ansari, Rafat R.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Development and Flight of the NASA-Ames Research Center Payload on Spacelab-J

Spacelab-J was an international Spacelab mission with numerous innovative Japanese and American materials and life science experiments. Two of the Spacelab-J experiments were designed over a period of more than a decade by a team from NASA-Ames Research Center. The Frog Embryology Experiment investigated and is helping to resolve a century-long quandary on the effects of gravity on amphibian development. The Autogenic Feedback Training Experiment, flown on Spacelab-J as part of a multi-mission investigation, studied the effects of Autogenic Feedback Therapy on limiting the effects of Space Motion Sickness on astronauts. Both experiments employed the use of a wide variety of specially designed hardware to achieve the experiment objectives. This paper reviews the development of both experiments, from the initial announcement of opportunity in 1978, through selection on Spacelab-J and subsequent hardware and science procedures development, culminating in the highly successful Spacelab-J flight in September 1992.

Schmidt, Gregory K.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Microcapsules and Methods for Making

This invention relates to methods for forming multi-lamellar microcapsules of both hydrophilic and hydrophobic immiscible liquid phases using several polymer/solvent systems. Liquid-Liquid diffusion and spontaneous emulsification are controlled by properly timed sequence exposures of immiscible phases in aqueous vehicles dispersed in hydrocarbon solvents containing small quantities of oil, co-surfactants, and glycerides. Water-in-oil and oil-in-water microcapsules are formed containing selected combinations of several types of drugs, co-encapsulated within fluid compartments inside the microcapsule. Commercial applications of the process and the resultant product relate to drug therapy for treating medical conditions such as cancer, circulatory conditions, and other conditions in which pharmaceuticals are advantageously targeted to specific organs, or delivered in combination with other pharmaceuticals. Small microcapsules may be delivered intravenously to diseased organs or clotted vessels. The use of multiple drugs within the same microcapsule structure provides advantages for applications such as chemoembolization treatments and may be used to deliver both chemotherapeutic drugs, against tumor cells, and an immuno-adjuvant or immunological stimulant to enhance the patient's immune response. Active forms of urokinase and other enzymes may be delivered without dilution to the local site of an embolism for dissolving the embolism. Thus, the invention has several potentially valuable commercial applications related to pharmaceutical and medical applications.

Morrison, Dennis R.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Conveying the 3D Shape of Transparent Surfaces Via Texture

Transparency can be a useful device for depicting multiple overlapping surfaces in a single image. The challenge is to render the transparent surfaces in such a way that their three-dimensional shape can be readily understood and their depth distance from underlying structures clearly perceived. This paper describes our investigations into the use of sparsely-distributed discrete, opaque texture as an 'artistic device' for more explicitly indicating the relative depth of a transparent surface and for communicating the essential features of its 3D shape in an intuitively meaningful and minimally occluding way. The driving application for this work is the visualization of layered surfaces in radiation therapy treatment planning data, and the technique is illustrated on transparent isointensity surfaces of radiation dose. We describe the perceptual motivation and artistic inspiration for defining a stroke texture that is locally oriented in the direction of greatest normal curvature (and in which individual strokes are of a length proportional to the magnitude of the curvature in the direction they indicate), and discuss several alternative methods for applying this texture to isointensity surfaces defined in a volume. We propose an experimental paradigm for objectively measuring observers' ability to judge the shape and depth of a layered transparent surface, in the course of a task relevant to the needs of radiotherapy treatment planning, and use this paradigm to evaluate the practical effectiveness of our approach through a controlled observer experiment based on images generated from actual clinical data.

Interrante, Victoria↗
NASA NTRS1996

In Vitro Interleukin-1 and 2 Production and Interleukin 2 Receptor Expression in the Rhesus Monkey

Anti-human monoclonal antibodies were used to detect and quantify interleukins-1 and 2 and interleukin-2 receptor expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from a rhesus monkey. Interleukin-1 production could be induced by phorbol esters (PMA) and was potentiated by phytohemagglutinin (PHA). Interleukin-2 secretion could also be induced by the combination of PHA and PMA, but only weakly with PHA alone. Interleukin-2 receptor expression was present in a subpopulation of unstimulated lymphocytes and could be enhanced by PHA or PMA. These data show once again that the rhesus monkey immune system is cross-reactive with the human one and that rhesus macaque could be a good model to study interleukin therapy.

Schmitt, Didier A.↗