We describe a centrifuge designed and constructed according to current demands for a versatile instrument in cellular gravitational research, in particular protists (ciliates, flagellates). The instrument (called CECILIA, centrifuge for ciliates) is suited for videomonitoring, videorecording, and quantitative evaluation of data from large numbers of swimming cells in a ground-based laboratory or in a drop tower/drop shaft under microgravity conditions. The horizontal rotating platform holds up to six 8mm-camcorders and six chambers holding the experimental cells. Under hypergravity conditions (up to 15 g) chambers can be rotated about 2 axes to adjust the swimming space at right angles or parallel to the resulting gravity vector. Evaluations of cellular responses to central acceleration-- in the presence of gravitational 1 g--are used for extrapolation of cellular behaviour under hypogravity conditions. CECILIA is operated and monitored by computer using a custom-made software. Times and slopes of rising and decreasing acceleration, values and and quality of steady acceleration are supervised online. CECILIA can serve as an on-ground research instrument for precursor investigations of the behaviour of ciliates and flagellates under microgravity conditions such as long-term experiments in the International Space Station.

中文翻译：

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CECILIA，一种用于细胞对重力反应的多功能研究工具。

我们描述了一种离心机，该离心机是根据当前对细胞重力研究中的多功能仪器（特别是原生生物（纤毛虫，鞭毛虫））的需求而设计和构造的。该仪器（称为CECILIA，用于纤毛的离心机）适用于视频监控，视频记录和定量评估，这些实验是在地面实验室或微重力条件下的滴水塔/滴水井中从大量游泳细胞获得的。水平旋转平台最多可容纳六个8mm便携式摄录机和六个容纳实验单元的腔室。在超重力条件下（最大15 g），可将腔室绕2个轴旋转，以将游泳空间调整为直角或平行于所产生的重力矢量。在重力1 g的存在下对细胞对中央加速度的反应的评估用于外推条件下细胞行为的外推。CECILIA使用定制软件通过计算机进行操作和监控。在线监控加速度的上升和下降的时间和斜率，稳定加速度的值和质量。CECILIA可以作为地面研究工具，用于微重力条件下纤毛和鞭毛行为的前体研究，例如国际空间站的长期实验。