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Results for “Hypothermia, Induced”

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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21 records · Page 2

How a raindrop gets shattered on biological surfaces

Many biological surfaces of animals and plants (e.g., bird feathers, insect wings, plant leaves, etc.) are superhydrophobic with rough surfaces at different length scales. Previous studies have focused on a simple drop-bouncing behavior on biological surfaces with low-speed impacts. However, we observed that an impacting drop at high speeds exhibits more complicated dynamics with unexpected shock-like patterns: Hundreds of shock-like waves are formed on the spreading drop, and the drop is then abruptly fragmented along with multiple nucleating holes. Such drop dynamics result in the rapid retraction of the spreading drop and thereby a more than twofold decrease in contact time. Our results may shed light on potential biological advantages of hypothermia risk reduction for endothermic animals and spore spreading enhancement for fungi via wave-induced drop fragmentation.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Hypergravity-Induced Changes in Hematological and Lymphocyte Function Parameters in a Mouse Model

The purpose of this study was to quantify hypergravity-induced changes in hematological and lymphocyte characteristics. Mice were subjected to 1, 2, and 3G and euthanized on days 1 , 4, 7, 10, and 21. The data show that increased gravitational force resulted in persistent hypothermia. Red blood cell (RBC) counts, hematocrit, and hemoglobin were reduced by day 21, whereas hemoglobin and RBC volume were low at most times of measurement. A transient increase was noted in platelet numbers in the 3G group. Fluctuations in spontaneous blastogenesis of lymphocytes were dependent upon centrifugation time and not gravity. Changes in splenocyte responses to T and B cell mitogens due to gravity were also noted. Cytokine production was primarily affected during the first week; IL-2, IL-4 and TNF-alpha were increased, whereas IFN-gamma was decreased. These findings indicate that altered gravity can influence both hematological and functional variables that may translate into serious health consequences.

Gridley, Daila S.↗

Torpor Inducing Transfer Habitat for Human Stasis to Mars

SpaceWorks Enterprises, Inc. has performed an initial evaluation of an advanced habitat system designed to transport crews between the Earth and Mars. This new and innovative habitat design is capable of placing the crew in an inactive, torpor state for the duration of the in-space mission segments. This substantially reduces the mass and size of the habitat, which ultimately leads to significant reductions in the overall architecture size.Our approach for achieving this is based on extending the current and evolving medical practice of Therapeutic Hypothermia (TH) – a proven and effective treatment for various traumatic injuries. TH is a medical treatment that lowers a patient's body temperature by just 5 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit causing their metabolism to reduce significantly and the body to enter an unconscious state. This method avoids the intractable challenges often associated with cell metabolic cessation through cryogenic freezing and other highly speculative approaches.TH is a proven treatment for traumatic injuries; however it has not been applied for non-critical care purposes due to current lack of purpose (i.e. no practical need). The opportunity exists to use TH in this capacity to enable and enhance our human spaceflight capability. With this concept, we have the potential to simultaneously solve multiple exploration challenges.

Bradford, J.↗