Human thermohomeostasis onboard "Mir" and in simulated microgravity studies.

Significant changes of thermogomeostatic parameters was obtained by thermotopometric method using the techniques simulate of microgravity effects: bed rest, pressurized isolation, suit immersion (SI). However, each of ground models made rectal temperature (T) trend downward. The autothermometric study (24 and 12 sessions, 2-13th and 6-174th flight days) was carried out onboard "Mir" by two flight engineers who had preliminary tested at SI (1-2 days). Studies of German investigators onboard "Mir" confirmed: rectal T must be higher in space flight as compared to the normal environment (n=4). Comparative studies suggest that microgravity is a key factor for the human body surface T raise and abolishment of the external/internal T-gradient. T-homeostasis was not really changing during missions and could be regarded as acute effect of microgravity. After delineation of changes in body surface T--by Carnot's thermodynamic law--rectal T raise should have been anticipated. Facts pointing to the excess entropy of human body must not be passed over.     

The prevention of adverse physiological change in Space Station crewmembers

Various physiological countermeasures, consisting primarily of isotonic and isometric exercises but also including prescribed nutrient intake, have been used in all manned spaceflights exceeding about one month in duration. So consistent has been this practice that the effects of weightlessness on the human, unconfounded by the use of countermeasures, are difficult to discern. Equally elusive, in the absence of control studies conducted in weightlessness, is an accurate assessment of the efficacy of the countermeasures themselves. Changes in body composition occurring during and following flights from Gemini through Shuttle, when compared with changes during and following bedrest, demonstrate certain mitigating effects that may be attributable to countermeasures and which provide some rationale for the choice of countermeasures in the Space Station.     

Central and regional hemodynamics in prolonged space flights.

This paper presents the results of measuring central and regional (head, forearm, calf) hemodynamics at rest and during provocative tests by the method of tetrapolar rheography in the course of Salyut-6-Soyuz and Salyut-7-Soyuz missions. The measurements were carried out during short-term (19 man-flights of 7 days in duration) and long-term (21 man-flights of 65-237 days in duration) manned missions. At rest, stroke volume (SV) and cardiac output (CO) as well as heart rate (HR) decreased insignificantly (in short-term flights) or remained essentially unchanged (in long-term flights). In prolonged flights CO increased significantly in response to exercise tests due to an increase in HR and the lack of changes in SV. After exercise tests SV and CO decreased as compared to the preflight level. During lower body negative pressure (LBNP) tests HR and CO were slightly higher than preflight. Changes in regional hemodynamics included a distinct decrease of pulse blood filling (PBF) of the calf, a reduction of the tone of large vessels of the calf and small vessels of the forearm. Head examination (in the region of the internal carotid artery) showed a decrease of PBF of the left hemisphere (during flight months 2-8) and a distinct decline of the tone of small vessels, mainly, in the right hemisphere. During LBNP tests the tone of pre- and postcapillary vessels of the brain returned to normal while PBF of the right and left hemisphere vessels declined. It has been shown that regional circulation variations depend on the area examined and are induced by a rearrangement of total hemodynamics of the human body in microgravity. This paper reviews the data concerning changes in central and regional circulation of men in space flights of different duration.     

舱内失压下航天员热舒适度和散热量仿真

针对载人登月舱内失压应急返回过程中,不同条件下航天员穿着舱外航天服维持生存时的热舒适度问题,基于Matlab建立了人-航天服热模型。其中人体热模型基于Fiala模型建立,航天服热模型使用集总参数法建立。经过不同工况的对比,仿真结果与文献数据基本吻合,验证了模型的正确性。在此基础上,基于DTS热舒适度计算方法对不同失压紧急情况下的人体热舒适度进行了分析,得到了舱内不同环境下人体热舒适度、航天服所需散热量和通风气体湿度的变化规律,并提出了系统优化方案,为我国应急舱内压力防护系统的设计和生保方案制定提供了参考。     

Finger heat flux/temperature as an indicator of thermal imbalance with application for extravehicular activity

The designation of a simple, non-invasive, and highly precise method to monitor the thermal status of astronauts is important to enhance safety during extravehicular activities (EVA) and onboard emergencies. Finger temperature (Tfing), finger heat flux, and indices of core temperature (Tc) [rectal (Tre), ear canal (Tec)] were assessed in 3 studies involving different patterns of heat removal/insertion from/to the body by a multi-compartment liquid cooling/warming garment (LCWG). Under both uniform and nonuniform temperature conditions on the body surface, Tfing and finger heat flux were highly correlated with garment heat flux, and also highly correlated with each other. Tc responses did not adequately reflect changes in thermal balance during the ongoing process of heat insertion/removal from the body. Overall, Tfing/finger heat flux adequately reflected the initial destabilization of thermal balance, and therefore appears to have significant potential as a useful index for monitoring and maintaining thermal balance and comfort in extreme conditions in space as well as on Earth.     

ELITE-S2: the multifactorial movement analysis facility for the International Space Station

Experimental observations of adaptation processes of the motor control system to altered gravity conditions can provide useful elements to the investigations on the mechanisms underlying motor control of human subject. The microgravity environment obtained on orbital flights represents a unique experimental condition for the monitoring of motor adaptation. The research in motor control exploits the changes caused by microgravity on the overall sensorimotor process, due to the impairment of the sensory systems whose function depends upon the presence of the gravity vector. Motor control in microgravity has been investigated during parabolic flights and short-term space missions, in particular for analysis of movement-posture co-ordination when equilibrium is no longer a constraint. Analysis of long-term adaptation would also be very interesting, calling for long-term body motion observations during the process of complete motor adaptation to the weightlessness environment. ELITE-S2 is an innovative facility for quantitative human movement analysis in weightless conditions onboard the International Space Station (ISS). ELITE-S2 is being developed by the Italian Space Agency, ASI is to be delivering the flight models to NASA to be included in an expressed rack in US Lab Module in February 2004. First mission is currently planned for summer 2004 (increment 10 ULF 2 ISS).     

Effects of unilateral selective hypergravity stimulation on gait

The purpose of this work is to analyse the neural mechanisms of human motor perturbations induced by dynamic changes in gravity. A unilateral selective hypergravity stimulation (USHS) was produced by stretching an elastic band between the right shoulder and foot. The consequences of the extensor muscle tone change due to the positioning (increased muscular loading) and to its removal (decreased muscular loading) by the elastic band were observed on motor gait skill. Gait spatio-temporal parameters (horizontal displacement of both feet) and lower limb functional length variations (efficiency of flexion and extension movements of the lower limbs) were measured. The latter measure was performed using a device specially designed for that purpose. The main results were: (1) during and after USHS, gait perturbations appeared on the left--the body side not directly stimulated, (2) just after the end of USHS, perturbations were present on the right (homolateral) side evidencing a post treatment effect which caused a decrease in functional shortening of the lower limb during extension and an increase of functional shortening of the lower limb during stance (opposite in sense to the modification observed during swing). Such results afford evidence that, in addition to vestibular receptors, the mechanoreceptors of extensor muscles are involved in determining the changes in motor skills observed at the beginning and at the end of space flights.     

Cenozoic bolide impacts and biotic change in North American mammals

North American mammals experienced a major mass extinction at the Cretaceous/Tertiary (K/T) boundary that is tied unambiguously to the Chicxulub impact event. Immediately afterwards, there was an immense adaptive radiation that greatly expanded taxonomic diversity and the range of body sizes and ecological strategies. However, ties between later, Cenozoic impact events and specific episodes in mammalian evolution cannot be demonstrated. A time series of maximum known crater sizes within 1.0-million-year-long temporal bins is shown not to cross-correlate with five separate measures of taxonomic turnover rate, one measure of change in relative taxonomic composition, and four measures of change in body mass distributions. The lack of correlation persists even after excluding the volatile Paleocene mammalian data, adding dummy data to represent intervals without known craters, or lagging the time series against each other for up to 5 million years. Furthermore, the data fail to support broad-brush correspondences between ages of major (>20 km in diameter) craters and the timing of five key, post-K/T biotic transitions, including medium-sized extinction episodes during the late Paleocene and latest Miocene. The results challenge the idea that extraterrestrial impacts drive all, most, or even many extinction and radiation episodes in terrestrial organisms, and add to other evidence that natural, long-term biotic changes are often independent of changes in the physical environment.     

The human cardiovascular system during space flight

Purpose of the work is to analyze and to summarize the data of investigations into human hemodynamics performed over 20 years aboard orbital stations Salyut-7 and Mir with participation of 26 cosmonauts on space flights (SF) from 8 to 438 days in duration. The ultrasonic techniques and occlusive plethysmography demonstrated dynamics of changes in the cardiovascular system during SF of various durations. The parameters of general hemodynamics, the pumping function of the heart and arterial circulation in the brain remained stable in all the space flights; however, there were alterations in peripheral circulation associated with blood redistribution and hypovolemie in microgravity. The anti-gravity distribution of the vascular tone decayed gradually as unneeded. The most considerable changes were observed in leg vessels, equally in arteries (decrease in resistance) and veins (increase in maximum capacity). The lower body negative pressure test (LBNP) revealed deterioration of the gravity-dependent reactions that changed for the worse as SF duration extended. The cardiovascular deconditioning showed itself as loss of descent acceleration tolerance and orthostatic instability in the postflight period.     

The effects of prolonged weightlessness and reduced gravity environments on human survival

The manned exploration of the solar system and the surfaces of some of the smaller planets and larger satellites requires that we are able to keep the adverse human physiological response to long term exposure to near zero and greatly reduced gravity environments within acceptable limits consistent with metabolic function. This paper examines the physiological changes associated with microgravity conditions with particular reference to the weightless demineralizatoin of bone (WDB). It is suggested that many of these changes are the result of physical/mechanical processes and are not primarily a medical problem. There are thus two immediately obvious and workable, if relatively costly, solutions to the problem of weightlessness. The provision of a near 1 g field during prolonged space flights, and/or the development of rapid transit spacecraft capable of significant acceleration and short flight times. Although these developments could remove or greatly ameliorate the effects of weightlessness during long-distance space flights there remains a problem relating to the long term colonization of the surfaces of Mars, the Moon, and other small solar system bodies. It is not yet known whether or not there is a critical threshold value of 'g' below which viable human physiological function cannot be sustained. If such a threshold exists permanent colonization may only be possible if the threshold value of 'g' is less than that at the surface of the planet on which we wish to settle.     

抗核电磁脉冲设计中的屏蔽理论——带有孔缝屏蔽体屏效的计算

本文对形状规则的屏蔽体提出了一种新的计算方法,采用并矢格林函数法求解矢量波动方程,得到屏蔽体内的场分布,再利用小孔耦合理论得到屏蔽等效源,从而利用镜象原理求得泄漏场,最后求得屏效,并举例说明。     

Fluid and salt supplementation effect on body hydration and electrolyte homeostasis during bed rest and ambulation

Bed rest (BR) induces significant urinary and blood electrolyte changes, but little is known about the effect of fluid and salt supplements (FSS) on catabolism, hydration and electrolytes. The aim was to measure the effect of FSS on catabolism, body hydration and electrolytes during BR.

Studies were done during 7 days of a pre-bed rest period and during 30 days of a rigorous bed rest period. Thirty male athletes aged, 24.6±7.6 years were chosen as subjects. They were divided into three groups: unsupplemented ambulatory control subjects (UACS), unsupplemented bed rested subjects (UBRS) and supplemented bed rested subjects (SBRS). The UBRS and SBRS groups were kept under a rigorous bed rest regime for 30 days. The SBRS daily took 30 ml water per kg body weight and 0.1 sodium chloride per kg body weight.

Plasma sodium (Na), potassium (K), calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) levels, urinary Na, K, Ca and Mg excretion, plasma osmolality, plasma protein level, whole blood hemoglobin (Hb) and hematocrit (Hct) level increased significantly (p≤0.05), while plasma volume (PV), body weight, body fat, peak oxygen uptake, food and fluid intake decreased significantly (p≤0.05) in the UBRS group when compared with the SBRS and UACS groups. In contrast, plasma and urinary electrolytes, osmolality, protein level, whole blood Hct and Hb level decreased significantly (p≤0.05), while PV, fluid intake, body weight and peak oxygen uptake increased significantly (p≤0.05) in the SBRS group when compared with the UBRS group. The measured parameters did not change significantly in the UACS group when compared with their baseline control values.

The data indicate that FSS stabilizes electrolytes and body hydration during BR, while BR alone induces significant changes in electrolytes and body hydration. We conclude that FSS may be used to prevent catabolism and normalize body hydration status and electrolyte values during BR.     

Nausogenic properties of various dynamic and static force environments.

Motion sickness can occur when an accelerating force acting on the human body repeatedly changes amplitude and direction or both. It also can occur without any motion after transfer into a constant force field significantly different from Earth-gravity. Dynamic and static causes of motion sickness can be distinguished accordingly. Space sickness, too, has dynamic as well as static aspects. Dynamic space sickness might depend on increased bilateral differential sensitivity of the peripheral and central vestibular apparatus, whereas static space sickness may be caused by erroneous compensation of bilaterial asymmetries of the otolith-system in the microgravity environment. Experiments in airplanes, cars and on a vestibular sled have shown that the susceptibility to motion sickness is highest for changes of acceleration in the negative X-axis (as compared to the other axes) of the body. During reciprocating linear accelerations on the vestibular sled, standstill periods of movement and the direction of movement cannot correctly be indicated, because the peripheral vestibular apparatus lacks true motion detectors.     

一种小天体探测器绕飞轨道主动抗扰控制方法

针对小天体绕飞探测过程中,探测器受到的非球形引力摄动及太阳光压等多源扰动问题,结合绕飞探测的周期性特点,提出一种小天体探测器绕飞轨道主动抗扰控制方法。首先,通过迭代学习控制对小天体探测器受多源扰动影响产生的误差进行抑制,然后设计扰动观测器估计系统总扰动,构造自适应律实时估计扰动上界,进而设计控制律对总扰动进行主动补偿。最后以243Ida作为目标天体进行绕飞探测仿真分析,结果表明该控制方法能更加有效地提高小天体探测器的轨道跟踪控制精度。     

Orbital mechanics about small bodies

Small solar system bodies such as asteroids and comets are of significant interest for both scientific and human exploration missions. However, their orbital environments are among the most highly perturbed and extreme environments found in the solar system. Uncontrolled trajectories are highly unstable in general and may either impact or escape in timespans of hours to days. Even with active control, the chaotic nature of motion about these bodies can effectively randomize a trajectory within a few orbits, creating fundamental difficulties for the navigation of spacecraft in these environments. In response to these challenges our research has identified robust and stable orbit solutions and mission designs across the whole range of small body sizes and spin states that are of interest for scientific and human exploration. This talk will describe the challenges of exploring small bodies and present the practical solutions that have been discovered which enable their exploration across the range of small body types and sizes.     

Current views and future programs in cardiovascular physiology in space.

The volume shift of 2000 cm3 from the lower to the upper part of the human body during weightlessness gave rise to theoretical and practical questions which are addressed in this communication. The analysis revealed that the mobilized fluid reduced the interstitial fluid of the lower extremities by 40%. Applying the current ideas in the field of interstitial tissue physiology to these problems, one must conclude that the fluid displacement can only be brought about by a change of the interstitial tissue compliance. Based on the observations made by the astronauts and on our working hypothesis, a method was proposed to follow the fluid migration and to measure the tissue compliance in man. Results are reported from experiments under terrestrial conditions. They show that the tissue compliance indeed can be modulated. Applying the method in space can eventually help to clarify several concepts in terrestrial physiology.     

A narratological approach to interpreting and designing interstellar messages

Contemporary narratology (narrative theory) offers a useful framework for interpreting interstellar messages that have already been sent to potential extraterrestrial recipients, as well as for designing messages that may be transmitted in the future. In this paper, narratological concepts are used to analyze in depth a single interstellar message sequence, elucidating methods by which various parts of speech (nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs) can be paired with pictures to describe the human body in motion. The concept of focalization is applied to the message sequence's use of isolation and magnification, which highlight the structure and function of the human body and its constituent parts. The challenges of interpreting gaps within narratives, as well as the setting in which events occur, are considered. The importance of closure in providing a fitting end to narratives is examined, and the plausibility of creating images that could be interpreted correctly by extraterrestrial intelligence is assessed. Narratological concepts examined here, as well as additional aspects of narrative, provide important resources for future work in interpreting and designing interstellar messages.     

Non-cultural methods of human microflora evaluation for the benefit of crew medical control in confined habitat

Current control of human microflora is a great problem not only for the space medicine but also for practical health care. Due to many reasons its realization by classical bacteriological method is difficult in practical application or cannot be done.To evaluate non-cultural methods of microbial control of crews in a confined habitat we evaluated two different methods.The first method is based on digital treatment of microbial visual images, appearing after gram staining of microbial material from natural sample. This way the rate between gram-positive and gram-negative microbe could be gained as well as differentiation of rods and cocci could be attained, which is necessary for primary evaluation of human microbial cenosis in remote confined habitats.The other non-culture method of human microflora evaluation is gas chromatomass spectrometry (gcms) analysis of swabs gathered from different body sites. Gc-ms testing of swabs allows one to validate quantitative and special microflora based on specific lipid markers analysis.     

Cardiovascular reflexes during rest and exercise modified by gravitational stresses.

The hypotheses tested were whether variations in central venous pressure via the low pressure baroreceptors would take over or modify the arterial baroreceptor function, and further to which extent local and "whole body" hydrostatic stresses influence blood flow distribution. We investigated total forearm and skin blood flow (venous occlusion plethysmography and 133-Xe clearance) and cardiac output (rebreathing method) among other parameters. Hypo- and hyper-gravitational stresses were simulated by LBNP, LBPP, water immersion and lowering of the arm. The changes in flow distribution in the arm were ascribed to arterial baroreceptor function and not to low pressure baroreceptor activity. The enhancement of venous return during water immersion increased exercise tolerance during heat stress presumably due both to increased stroke volume and decreased venous pooling. The response to sustained handgrip exercise during LBNP and LBPP was not different from control measurements and the effects explained by arterial baroreceptor function. Application of exercise and local hydrostatic stresses in combination with gravitational stresses represent an interesting model for further study of the mechanisms behind the distribution of cardiac output to the peripheral organs.