Countermeasures to microgravity

Biological systems ranging from the most simple to the most complex generally survive exposure to microgravity. Changes in many characteristics of biological systems are well documented as a consequence of space flight. Attempts to devise countermeasures to microgravity may have direct pragmatic consequences for crew protection and may provide additional insights into the nature of microgravity influences on biological systems. Some of the most well documented changes occur in humans who have experienced space flight. Changes appear to be transient. Space adaption syndrome occurs relatively briefly whereas bone deterioration may require months of postflight time for restoration. It seems critical to recognize that these changes and others may derive from rather passive, active or even reactive changes in the biological systems that are hosts to them. For example, hydrostatic fluid redistributions may be quite passive occurrences that are realized through extensive fluid channels. Changes occur in cell metabolism because of fluid, nutrient and gas redistributions. Equally important are the misconstrued messages likely to be carried by fluid redistributions. These reactive events can trigger, for example, loss of fluids and electrolytes through altered kidney function. Each of these considerations must be evaluated in regard to the biological site affected. Countermeasures to the vast range of biological changes and sites are difficult to envision. The most obvious countermeasure is the restoration of gravity-like influences. Some options are discussed. Recent work has focussed on the use of magnetic fields. Pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMF) are shown to alleviate bone deterioration produced in rodents exposed to tail suspension. Methods of PEMF exposure are consistent with human use in space. Related methods may provide muscular and neural benefits

L1 libration point manned space habitat

Second generation stations or Manned Space Habitats (MSHs) are discussed for an Earth-Moon libration point and in lunar orbit. The conceptual design of such a station is outlined. Systems and subsystems described reflect anticipation of moderate technology growth. The evolution of the L1 environments is discussed, several selected subsystems are outlined, and how the L1 MSH will complete some of its activities is described

The role of adjuvant chemotherapy for patients with resected pancreatic cancer: Systematic review of randomized controlled trials and meta-analysis

Background: In patients undergoing surgery for resectable pancreatic cancer prognosis still remains poor. The role of adjuvant treatment strategies (including chemotherapy and chemoradiotherapy) following resection of pancreatic cancer remains controversial. Methods: A Medline-based literature search was undertaken to identify randomized controlled trials that evaluated adjuvant chemotherapy after complete macroscopic resection for cancer of the exocrine pancreas. Five trials of adjuvant chemotherapy were eligible and critically reviewed for this article. A meta-analysis (based on published data) was performed with survival (median survival time and 5-year survival rate) being the primary endpoint. Results: For the meta-analysis, 482 patients were allocated to the chemotherapy group and 469 patients to the control group. The meta-analysis estimate for prolongation of median survival time for patients in the chemotherapy group was 3 months (95% CI 0.3-5.7 months, p = 0.03). The difference in 5-year survival rate was estimated with 3.1% between the chemotherapy and the control group (95% CI -4.6 to 10.8%, p > 10.05). Conclusion: Currently available data from randomized trials indicate that adjuvant chemotherapy after resection of pancreatic cancer may substantially prolong disease-free survival and cause a moderate increase in overall survival. In the current meta-analysis, a significant survival benefit was only seen with regard to median survival, but not for the 5-year survival rate. The optimal chemotherapy regimen in the adjuvant setting as well as individualized treatment strategies (also including modern chemoradiotherapy regimens) still remain to be defined. Copyright (C) 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel

Integrated Real Time Contamination Monitor IRTCM

Engineering and design work was performed on a monitoring device for particulate and gas contamination to be used in the space shuttle cargo area during launch at altitudes up to 50 km and during return phases of the flight. The gas sampling device consists of ampules filled with specific absorber materials which are opened and/or sealed at preprogrammed intervals. The design eliminates the use of valves which, according to experiments, are never sealing properly at hard vacuum. Methods of analysis including in-flight measuring possibilities are discussed

Flight of the dragonflies and damselflies

This work is a synthesis of our current understanding of the mechanics, aerodynamics and visually mediated control of dragonfly and damselfly flight, with the addition of new experimental and computational data in several key areas. These are: the diversity of dragonfly wing morphologies, the aerodynamics of gliding flight, force generation in flapping flight, aerodynamic efficiency, comparative flight performance and pursuit strategies during predatory and territorial flights. New data are set in context by brief reviews covering anatomy at several scales, insect aerodynamics, neuromechanics and behaviour. We achieve a new perspective by means of a diverse range of techniques, including laser-line mapping of wing topographies, computational fluid dynamics simulations of finely detailed wing geometries, quantitative imaging using particle image velocimetry of on-wing and wake flow patterns, classical aerodynamic theory, photography in the field, infrared motion capture and multi-camera optical tracking of free flight trajectories in laboratory environments. Our comprehensive approach enables a novel synthesis of datasets and subfields that integrates many aspects of flight from the neurobiology of the compound eye, through the aeromechanical interface with the surrounding fluid, to flight performance under cruising and higher-energy behavioural modes

Mechanisms of value appropriation : the case of data-driven mobile apps

LAUREA MAGISTRALELe capacità tecniche degli smartphone presentano nuove opportunità alle imprese per acquisire dati dai clienti grazie all’implementazione di applicazioni “mobile” che forniscano servizi ai clienti e allo stesso tempo ricavino dati dagli stessi, dando origine alle “data-driven mobile apps”. Le informazioni acquisite tramite questi servizi hanno un alto valore, e le imprese sono costantemente alla ricerca di nuovi meccanismi per appropriarsene. L’obiettivo di questo studio è fornire un quadro generale dell’appstore per quanto riguarda le “data-driven mobile apps”, analizzando le loro performance in termini di utilizzo, soddisfazione dei clienti e indicatori ibridi; inoltre si vuole comprendere se la scelta del meccanismo di appropriazione del valore tramite i dati generati dagli utenti è connesso con queste performance o meno. È stato svolto uno studio di tipo cross-sectional, analizzando 720 apps dai top rankings dell’Itunes Store, che sono state descritte tramite un modello che permette l’identificazione di diversi meccanismi di appropriazione del valore utilizzati da queste applicazioni. I dati ricavati sono stati analizzati per evincere se le applicazioni “data-driven” abbiano performance differenti nell’appstore rispetto a quelle “non-data-driven” e se il loro meccanismo di appropriazione del valore vada ad influire sulle loro performance nello store. Sono state selezionate quattro performance: utilizzo, soddisfazione degli utenti, e due indicatori ibridi per misurare la convergenza di ratings alti con numero di downloads e di recensioni rispettivamente. I risultati ottenuti mostrano che le applicazioni data-driven hanno un profilo di prestazioni chiaramente distinto da quelle non data-driven, in quanto sono caratterizzate da prestazioni migliori dal punto di vista dell'utilizzo, e in entrambi gli indicatori ibridi utilizzati nell'analisi. Per quanto riguarda i meccanismi di appropriazione del valore è stato riscontrato che la scelta dei suddetti non è direttamente correlata né con la soddisfazione né con l'engagement. Tuttavia è stato rilevato che le aziende che si appropriano del valore solo attraverso advertisers e condividendo una quantità limitata di dati, hanno performance migliori nell'utilizzo e nell'indicatore ibrido "utilizzo e soddisfazione" di quelle che lo fanno rivolgendosi solo agli utenti. Questa ricerca ha le pretese di rappresentare un primo passo nella comprensione delle applicazioni data-driven nel contesto di un app store, ma anche di supportare fornitori di app data-driven nuovi e consolidati nel loro processo decisionale quando devono affrontare scelte che riguardano meccanismi di appropriazione di valore da dati generati dagli utenti.Smartphones’ sensing capabilities and constant Internet connectivity present companies with new opportunities to gather data from users, by creating mobile applications that provide them with services while using them as a data source, giving origin to data-driven mobile apps. The information gathered by these services has a high potential to create value, and companies constantly look for novel mechanisms to appropriate it. The purpose of this study is to provide an overview of the app store in terms of data-driven mobile applications and their performance in that context, and to understand if their choice of value appropriation mechanism from user-sourced data is related to these performances. A cross-sectional study was conducted considering the 720 top ranked apps in the Itunes app store, which were described in terms of how they gather and incorporate user-sourced data and how they generate revenues using that same data, using a simplified model allowing the recognition of various value appropriation mechanisms used by these applications. The data was then analyzed to find out if data-driven apps perform differently in the app store with respect to their non-data-driven counterparts, and whether the mechanism of value appropriation from user-sourced data employed by them is related to their performance in the app store or not. Four performance measures were selected: usage, represented by the number of downloads; user satisfaction, represented by ratings, and two mixed indicators: one measuring the confluence of high ratings and high number of downloads, and the other measuring the confluence of high ratings and high number of reviews. The results obtained show that data-driven apps have a distinct performance profile from their non-data-driven counterparts, having a higher usage performance, a lower satisfaction performance, and a higher performance in both mixed indicators used, revealing their importance as an object of study and providing evidence about how valuable they are for customers. Regarding value appropriation mechanisms, it was found that the choice of mechanism does not reflect directly in satisfaction nor in positive engagement, but in the case of usage and the mixed “satisfaction and usage” indicator, companies that appropriate value only through advertisers, with a limited sharing of data have higher performance than those that do so by addressing only users. This research pretends to serve as an initial step towards understanding data-driven mobile applications in the context of the app store, and help both established companies and entrepreneurs make better decisions when faced with choices that regard value appropriation mechanisms from user-sourced data

The Global Temperament Project: Parent-reported temperament in infants, toddlers and children from 59 nations.

Data from 83,423 parent reports of temperament (surgency, negative affectivity, and regulatory capacity) in infants, toddlers, and children from 341 samples gathered in 59 countries were used to investigate the relations among culture, gender, and temperament. Between-nation differences in temperament were larger than those obtained in similar studies of adult personality, and most pronounced for negative affectivity. Nation-level patterns of negative affectivity were consistent across infancy, toddlerhood, and childhood, and patterns of regulatory capacity were consistent between infancy and toddlerhood. Nations that previously reported high extraversion, high conscientiousness, and low neuroticism in adults were found to demonstrate high surgency in infants and children, and countries reporting low adult openness and high adult neuroticism reported high temperamental negative affectivity. Negative affectivity was high in Southern Asia, Western Asia, and South America and low in Northern and Western Europe. Countries in which children were rated as high in negative affectivity had cultural orientations reflecting collectivism, high power distance, and short-term orientation. Surgency was high in Southeastern and Southern Asia and Southern Europe and low in Eastern Asian countries characterized by philosophies of long-term orientation. Low personal income was associated with high negative affectivity. Gender differences in temperament were largely consistent in direction with prior studies, revealing higher regulatory capacity in females than males and higher surgency in males than females, with these differences becoming more pronounced at later ages. <br/

Application of neural networks to unsteady aerodynamic control

The problem under consideration in this viewgraph presentation is to understand, predict, and control the fluid mechanics of dynamic maneuvers, unsteady boundary layers, and vortex dominated flows. One solution is the application of neural networks demonstrating closed-loop control. Neural networks offer unique opportunities: simplify modeling of three dimensional, vortex dominated, unsteady separated flow fields; are effective means for controlling unsteady aerodynamics; and address integration of sensors, controllers, and time lags into adaptive control systems

Commercial investigation results for the generic bioprocessing apparatus flown on United States Microgravity Laboratory-1

The Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus (BPA) payload was developed by BioServe to support the commercial flight development needs of our specialized consortia comprised of business, academic, and government entities. The consortia have commitments to explore commercial opportunities in bioprocessing, biomedical models, and closed agricultural systems. In addition, some members of BioServe have interests in the development and/or qualification of enabling flight hardware used in life sciences space flight testing. Some business and academic entities have interests in more than one of these consortia. To aid in payload development, flight, and analysis, each consortium member contributes resources ranging from proprietary expertise and materials, to hardware and cash. Professionals from business, academia, and government often interact with each other via graduate research assistants who do much of the 'hands-on' payload preparation and subsequent data analyses. The GBA supported research, testing, and development activities for each different BioServe consortium. It produced an environment in which professionals from diverse backgrounds came together with a single focus. And, it provided a truly novel learning environment for a youthful new cadre of space professionals committed to the exploration of commercial opportunities presented by space. Since the GBA supported a large number of different experiments, this paper briefly describes the payload characteristics and the essential operations of the payload. A summary of the experiments is presented. Finally, a few of the experiments are described in detail highlighting some novel effects of space flight on life science systems. Portions of the reported work have or will appear in appropriate archival journals as cited in the bibliography. In several instances, data collected from USML-1 have been supplemented with related data collected on more recent STS missions

New strategies and designs in pancreatic cancer research: consensus guidelines report from a European expert panel

Although the treatment of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains a huge challenge, it is entering a new era with the development of new strategies and trial designs. Because there is an increasing number of novel therapeutic agents and potential combinations available to test in patients with PDAC, the identification of robust prognostic and predictive markers and of new targets and relevant pathways is a top priority as well as the design of adequate trials incorporating molecular-driven hypothesis. We presently report a consensus strategy for research in pancreatic cancer that was developed by a multidisciplinary panel of experts from different European institutions and collaborative groups involved in pancreatic cancer. The expert panel embraces the concept of exploratory early proof of concept studies, based on the prediction of response to novel agents and combinations, and randomised phase II studies permitting the selection of the best therapeutic approach to go forward into phase III, where the recommended primary end point remains overall survival. Trials should contain as many translational components as possible, relying on standardised tissue and blood processing and robust biobanking, and including dynamic imaging. Attention should not only be paid to the pancreatic cancer cells but also to microenvironmental factors and stem/stellate cell