The machine upstairs

Immersive simulation design, broadly speaking, is a game design philosophy centered around player expression, emergent gameplay, and dynamic narrative. Contrary to what the phrase may imply simply by reading it, immersion in and of itself is not necessarily enough for a game to be classified as an “immersive sim” (or IMSIM for short). Many different types of games can utilize immersion to great effect, but immersive simulations require a level of flexibility and rule/system-based approaches beyond the scope of games that occupy similar genres. The Machine Upstairs represents an exploration of the immersive simulation philosophy and an investigation into its unique strengths and challenges for both player and designer

Paper Session I-C - Atomic Force Microscopy of DNA and Design Parameters for a Zero-G Operable Unit

The International Space Station will finally provide the opportunity of a permanent zerog laboratory facility where researchers could conceivably analyze the results of experiments in situ. There are numerous advantages to the rapid turn around of answers provided by this environment. A team of researchers and students in cooperation with the Florida Space Institute have imaged DNA and other biological specimens in an attempt to define the basic design parameters of a succesful AFM and STM unit for use in a zero-g environment such as ISS (Express Rack), Shuttle (Middeck Locker) and KC-135 (reduced gravity program). Broward Community College and Stephen F. Austin State University have utilized the experiences with student flights aboard the KC-135 as a starting point for future instrumentation and experiment design in the area of microscopy. We present images of DNA in contact mode as evidence of the feasibility of this work without vacuum systems. Vibrational isolation issues, including accoustical shielding have been addressed in preliminary designs. Student designs for the automation of microscopy operations demonstrate the success of Research Based Science Education. The design study team believes that AFM and STM microscopy will be a vital part of many space missions as we move toward the goal of further exploring Mars

Paper Session I-A - Development of a Microscopy Platform for the International Space Station

Microscopy in Zero-Gravity presents numerous challenges from slide and sample preparations to data handling and recording. A team of several Florida schools has established a distributed engineering and science team in conjunction with FSI and FSRI at Kennedy Space Center to address critical issues for an ISS microscopy payload. Flights aboard the KC-135 reduced gravity aircraft have provided engineers, faculty and students with valuable experience applied to the design of sample preparation procedures. Current plans include the development of flight hardware for flight aboard ISS in 2006. The payload includes both a high resolution scanning probe microscopy (SPM) unit and a low resolution light microscopy unit. The development of a Zero-Gravity Microscopy Analysis Platform (ZG-MAP) combines industry effort, in conjunction with academia, to deliver ISS access to both seasoned researchers and students

Paper Session I-A - Development and Testing of Scanning Probe Microscopy for the Zero-G Environment and ISS

The Association of Small Payload Researchers (ASPR) has established a partnership and collaborative effort to develop a Scanning Probe Microscope for ISS. The initiative seeks to deliver a Facility Instrument available to the entire ISS community. ASPR brings university and independent researchers together to a payload engineering forum that unites the investigator\u27s academic disciplines. The association has begun testing an atomic force microscope (AFM) aboard the KC-135 reduced gravity aircraft. The initial work included a collaboration with educational organizations that has expanded to include partnerships with space businesses and international small payload developers. The initial trials of a prototype AFM unit in zero gravity proved successful

Paper Session I-B - Passive Radiation Dosimetry on STS-91 Using DNA: Initial Results from ASPR-GRaDEx-1

Quantifying the radiation dosage and damage to biological systems, especially to humans during repetitive high altitude flight and during long duration space flight is important for several reasons. Radiation can cause altered biosynthesis and long term genotoxicity resulting in cancer and birth defects etc. Radiation damage to biological systems depends in a complex way on incident radiation species and their energy spectra. TY.pically non-biological, i.e. film or electronic monitoring systems with narrow energy band sensitivity are used for dosimetry and then results are extrapolated to biological models. For this reason it may be desirable to perform radiation dosimetry by using biological molecules e.g. DNA or RNA strands as passive sensors. The Association of Small Payload Researchers in conjunction with Texas A&M University and Broward Community College have constructed a genotoxicology experiment to determine the degree to which in-vitro naked DNA extracted from tissues of a variety of vertebrate organisms including man, chicken, and fish, is damaged by exposure to cosmic radiation in a space environment. The DNA is assayed by means of agarose gel electrophoresis to determine the average length of DNA strands in each sample. It is hoped that a low mass low cost passive biological system to determine dose-response relationship (increase in strand breaks with increase in exposure) can be developed to perform radiation dosimetry in support of long duration space flight, and to predict negative effects on biological systems (e.g. astronauts and greenhouses) in space. Initial results of a genotoxicology and radiation dosimetry experiment (ASPR-GRaDEx-1) are presented. The payload orbited on the space shuttle Discovery (STS-91) in June of 1998. The study has been supported by the Florida Space Institute, NASA, ASPR, the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences at Texas A&M University, Boeing-KSC, the National Space Biomedical Research Institute, the Florida Space Grant Consortium, Broward and Brevard Community Colleges, the University of Miami, and Belen Jesuit High School

Mechanistic Investigations of the Asymmetric Hydrogenation of Enamides with Neutral Bis(phosphine) Cobalt Precatalysts

The mechanism of the asymmetric hydrogenation of prochiral enamides by well-defined, neutral bis(phosphine) cobalt(0) and cobalt(II) precatalysts has been explored using(R,R)-iPrDuPhos ((R,R)-iPrDuPhos = (+)-1,2-bis[(2R,5R)-2,5-diisopropylphospholano]benzene) as a representative chiral bis(phosphine) ligand. A series of (R,R)-(iPrDuPhos)Co(enamide) (enamide = methyl-2-acetamidoacrylate (MAA), methyl(Z)-α-acetamidocinnamate (MAC), and methyl(Z)-acetamido(4-fluorophenyl)acrylate (4FMAC)) complexes (1-MAA, 1-MAC, and 1-4FMAC), as well as a dinuclear cobalt tetrahydride, [(R,R)-(iPrDuPhos)Co]2(μ2-H)3(H) (2), were independently synthesized, characterized, and evaluated in both stoichiometric and catalytic hydrogenation reactions. Characterization of (R,R)-(iPrDuPhos)Co(enamide) complexes by X-ray diffraction established the formation of the pro-(R) diastereomers in contrast to the (S)-alkane products obtained from the catalytic reaction. In situ monitoring of the cobalt-catalyzed hydrogenation reactions by UV–visible and freeze-quench electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopies revealed (R,R)-(iPrDuPhos)Co(enamide) complexes as the catalyst resting state for all the three enamides studied. Variable time normalization analysis kinetic studies of the cobalt-catalyzed hydrogenation reactions in methanol established a rate law that is first order in (R,R)-(iPrDuPhos)Co(enamide) and H2 but independent of the enamide concentration. Deuterium-labeling studies, including measurement of an H2/D2 kinetic isotope effect and catalytic hydrogenations with HD, established an irreversible H2 addition step to the bound enamide. Density functional theory calculations support that this step is both rate and selectivity determining. Calculations, as well as HD-labeling studies, provide evidence for two-electron redox cycling involving cobalt(0) and cobalt(II) intermediates during the catalytic cycle. Taken together, these experiments support an unsaturated pathway for the [(R,R)-(iPrDuPhos)Co]-catalyzed hydrogenation of prochiral enamides

Paper Session I-D - An Interdisciplinary Student Payload to Perform Space Based Remote Sensing and to Measure Microgravity and Radiation Effects

Broward Community College and Brevard Community College with support from the Boeing Company-KSC, the Florida Space Institute, Texas A&M University and the Association of Small Payload Researchers (ASPR) will fly 3 remote sensing, 3 microgravity 2 radiation measurement experiments and 1 genotoxicology experiment in a Get Away Special (GAS) container through NASA’s GAS payload program. Students from fields as diverse as Chemistry, Biochemistry, Physics, Electrical, Computer and Mechanical Engineering, Astronomy, Marine Science, and Environmental Science will benefit from involvement in every level of design, fabrication, testing, calibration, and data analysis. Three earth viewing remote sensing experiments will include a hyperspectral imaging holographic Fourier transform spectrometer, a high radiometric accuracy narrow band 4 channel discrete radiometer, and a 3 channel high spatial resolution imager. Three microgravity experiments involve crystal growth: Calcium Tartrate crystals will be grown using a gel and diffusion method. Carbon dioxide will be combined with dimethylamine to form crystals. CuInSe thin films will be electro-deposited from aqueous solution. Three radiation experiments include: A genotoxicology experiment to determine the degree to which DNA from man, chicken, fish, and plants, is damaged by exposure to cosmic radiation. Cosmic ray background intensity will be monitored using a standard Geiger tube. A separate module will record the path and intensity of cosmic rays as they pass through shielded photographic emulsions. The importance of interdisciplinary training is fundamental to this payload and to the teaching of the natural sciences. This innovative student oriented project will payoff not only in new science data, but also in accomplishing training for the next generation of environmental and space scientists

Mechanistic Studies of Ethylene Hydrophenylation Catalyzed by Bipyridyl Pt(II) Complexes

This article discusses mechanistic studies of ethylene hydrophenylation catalyzed by bipyridyl Pt(II) complexes