Life in space may help life on Earth

Teams of chronobiologists from the U.S., Russia, and Japan are working toward a remote computerized health care system which, once tested in space, may change how doctors diagnose and treat cardiovascular diseases, including hypertension and conditions predisposing stroke. The system is based on ongoing research indicating that swings in blood pressure charted over a span of 24 hr or longer, rather than a single systolic and diastolic reading, can reveal a new major risk factor for heart disease.     

Mir: a health report

The current equipment and safety status of the Russian space station Mir is discussed. Mir has operated past its expected life expectancy and has been having an increasing number of equipment failures and problems. The Russian system of addressing equipment repairs and maintenance is examined along with implications for the future International Space Station.