In-flight characterization of the lunar orbiter laser altimeter instrument pointing and far-field pattern.

The Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter (LOLA) aboard the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) has collected nearly seven billion measurements of surface height on the Moon with an absolute accuracy of ∼1 m and a precision of ∼10 cm. Converting time-of-flight laser altimeter measurements to topographic elevations requires accurate knowledge of the laser pointing with respect to the spacecraft body-fixed coordinate system. To that end, we have utilized altimetric crossovers from LOLA, as well as bidirectional observations of the LOLA laser and receiver boresight via an Earth-based laser tracking ground station. Based on a sample of ∼780,000 globally distributed crossovers from the circular-orbit phase of LRO's mission (∼27 months), we derive corrections to the LOLA laser boresight. These corrections improve the cross-track and along-track agreement of the crossovers by 24% and 33%, respectively, yielding RMS residuals of ∼10 m. Since early in the LRO mission, the bidirectional laser tracking experiments have confirmed a pointing anomaly when the LOLA instrument is facing toward deep space or the night side of the Moon and have allowed the reconstruction of the laser far-field pattern and receiver telescope pointing. By conducting such experiments shortly after launch and nearly eight years later, we have directly measured changes in the laser characteristics and obtained critical data to understand the laser behavior and refine the instrument pointing model. The methods and results presented here are also relevant to the design, fabrication, and operation of future planetary laser altimeters and their long-term behavior in the space environment.

Ground and In-Flight Calibration of the OSIRIS-REx Camera Suite.

The OSIRIS-REx Camera Suite (OCAMS) onboard the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft is used to study the shape and surface of the mission's target, asteroid (101955) Bennu, in support of the selection of a sampling site. We present calibration methods and results for the three OCAMS cameras-MapCam, PolyCam, and SamCam-using data from pre-flight and in-flight calibration campaigns. Pre-flight calibrations established a baseline for a variety of camera properties, including bias and dark behavior, flat fields, stray light, and radiometric calibration. In-flight activities updated these calibrations where possible, allowing us to confidently measure Bennu's surface. Accurate calibration is critical not only for establishing a global understanding of Bennu, but also for enabling analyses of potential sampling locations and for providing scientific context for the returned sample.

Articular cartilage deformation under physiological cyclic loading--apparatus and measurement technique.

In locomotive activities, areas of cartilage in both the hip, and especially the knee, experience periods of complete unloading between loading cycles as contact is lost between opposing articulating surfaces. During these periods these cartilage sites experience load-free recovery. Therefore, it was decided to model as closely as possible the physiological situation described, in order to study the deformation response of articular cartilage to physiological cyclic loading. For this it was necessary to design an apparatus in order to overcome some of the difficulties experienced with servo-hydraulic materials testing apparatus when specifying a lower load limit of zero. Cyclic loading in the frequency range 0-2.5 Hz was controlled by a cam and follower assembly driven by a stepper motor. The ratio of loading to recovery duration per cycle could be adjusted using a two-plate cam design enabling cartilage loading to occur for a duration as short as 20 ms within a 1 Hz cycle. Interchangeable impervious, porous, hemispherical or plane-ended indenters could be used. Load amplitude was controlled by compression of a spring giving a wide range of contact stresses (0.04-7.0 MPa). Load rise times were controlled by the spring in conjunction with a dashpot, enabling critically damped loads to reach their maximum value within an interval as short as 15 ms. The measurement technique and subsequent analysis relied on simultaneous recording of indenter load and vertical displacement at a sampling frequency of 5 kHz.

The relationship of the compressive modulus of articular cartilage with its deformation response to cyclic loading: does cartilage optimize its modulus so as to minimize the strains arising in it due to the prevalent loading regime?

AIM: To investigate the relationship of the instantaneous compressive modulus with its deformation response to cyclic loading typical of that encountered at the knee joint during level walking. METHOD: The study was performed on 24 osteochondral plugs taken from three unembalmed cadaveric knees. As the compressive modulus of cartilage has been shown to vary topographically across the knee in an established manner, the specimens were taken from specific sites on the femur and tibia of each knee. All the cartilage specimens were immersed in Hanks' salt solution at 37 degrees C and were subjected to the same cyclic loading regimen that was representative of a typical walking cycle in a specialized indentation apparatus, for over 1 h. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The viscous and elastic components of matrix strain, the creep rate and the cartilage compressive modulus were measured. The latter was found to be significantly related to the strain response of cartilage to cyclic loading. Elastic strain varied exponentially with the compressive modulus; specimens with a modulus less than 4 MPa experienced elastic strains in the range 0.18-0.36, whereas stiffer specimens experienced strains between 0.05 and 0.13. Viscous strain varied linearly with cartilage stiffness and was as low as 0.02 at the lower values of the compressive modulus but increased to 0.22 for a compressive modulus of 18 MN/m(2). The rate of creep under cyclic load was inversely linearly related to cartilage stiffness. The strain response of soft specimens approached steady state by 200 cycles but that of stiff specimens did not approach it until 1300 cycles. It was hypothesized that the viscous strain response of cartilage can be explained in terms of differences in permeability between specimens of different compressive modulus, stiffer cartilage having a lower permeability than soft cartilage.

Oxygen tension regulates osteoblast function.

Abrupt changes in oxygen availability within the periodontium have been suggested to have a regulatory role in alveolar bone remodeling during tooth movement; arguably, similar to that seen in bone growth or fracture healing. The purpose of this investigation was therefore to study the effects of ambient hypoxia and hyperoxia on osteoblast function in vitro. Osteoblast-enriched cultures from fetal rat calvariae were exposed to atmospheres of hyperoxia (90% O2) and hypoxia (10% O2) and assayed for media pH, pO2, pCO2, cellular proliferation, alkaline phosphatase (AP) activity, and collagen synthesis. Results of this study show that in low ambient oxygen tension cellular proliferation increases, whereas the AP activity, collagen synthesis, media pO2, PCO2 decreases. In contrast, in hyperoxic conditions cellular proliferation is suppressed with concomitant increases in: AP activity, collagen synthesis, and partial pressures for oxygen and carbon dioxide. Media pH remained unaffected. In crossover experiments, where cells were initially grown in hypoxic conditions and were switched to hyperoxic conditions, their metabolic activities were abruptly reversed. These findings in conjunction with earlier reports, suggest a triggering role for oxygen tension (an environmental factor) in bone remodeling.

Cytotoxicity of orthodontic elastics.

The neon-colored orthodontic rubber bands have recently become remarkably popular to wear among the young patients. In this study we examined if the dyes used in the manufacture of these elastics might exhibit any toxic effects. Gingival fibroblasts were exposed to extracts of colored and plain elastics in vitro. Cytotoxicity was examined by cellular proliferation rate and viability. Results showed that both the plain and the colored elastics display identical toxic effects. This ex vivo cytotoxicity, however, could not be observed in orthodontic patients: gingival fibroblast viability is no different in patients with and without rubber band wear. We conclude that in in vitro conditions, all orthodontic rubber bands are cytotoxic. Clinically, however, this effect is not demonstrable.