Spacelab Life Sciences flight experiments: an integrated approach to the study of cardiovascular deconditioning and orthostatic hypotension

Energy expenditure while performing gymnastic-like motion in spacelab during spaceflight: case study

To estimate energy cost of a gymnastic-like exercise performed by an astronaut during spaceflight (cosmic exercise), energy expenditure was determined by measuring mechanical work done around the center of mass (COM) of the body. The cosmic exercise, which consisted of whole-body flexion and extension, was performed during a spaceflight and recorded with a video camera. By analyzing the videotape, the internal mechanical work (W(int)) against inertia load of the body segments was calculated. To compare how human muscles work on Earth, a motion similar to the cosmic exercise was performed by a control subject who had a physique similar to that of the astronaut. The total mechanical power of the astronaut was determined to be about 119 W; although the control subject showed a similar total power value, half of the power was external work (W(ext)) against gravitational load. By assuming a mechanical efficiency of 0.25, the energy expenditure was estimated to be 476 W or 7.7 W/kg, which is equivalent to that expended during fast walking and half of that used during moderate-speed running. Our results suggest that this form of cosmic exercise is appropriate for astronauts in space and can be performed safely, as there are no COM shifts while floating in a spacecraft and no vibratory disturbance.

Changes in gravitational force induce alterations in gene expression that can be monitored in the live, developing zebrafish heart

Little is known about the effect of microgravity on gene expression, particularly in vivo during embryonic development. Using transgenic zebrafish that express the gfp gene under the influence of a beta-actin promoter, we examined the affect of simulated-microgravity on GFP expression in the heart. Zebrafish embryos, at the 18-20 somite-stage, were exposed to simulated-microgravity for 24 hours. The intensity of GFP fluorescence associated with the heart was then determined using fluorescence microscopy. Our measurements indicated that simulated-microgravity induced a 23.9% increase in GFP-associated fluorescence in the heart. In contrast, the caudal notochord showed a 17.5% increase and the embryo as a whole showed only an 8.5% increase in GFP-associated fluorescence. This suggests that there are specific effects on the heart causing the more dramatic increase. These studies indicate that microgravity can influence gene expression and demonstrate the usefulness of this in vivo model of 'reporter-gene' expression for studying the effects of microgravity.

Metamorphic constraints on the thermal evolution of the central Himalayan Orogen

Recent studies that integrate conventional thermobarometry of pelitic mineral assemblages with thermodynamic modeling of garnet zoning reveal complex Tertiary P -T paths for the Greater Himalayan metamorphic sequence in the central Himalaya. Viewed in light of our current understanding of the structural evolution of the Himalaya, these data provide insights into the relations between tectonic and thermal processes during orogenesis. In this paper, we present an interpretive model for tectonothermal evolution of the Greater Himalaya in the central part of the range. This model involves: (1) middle Eocene—early Oligocene burial to depths of more than 30 km during the early stages of collision between India and Asia; (2) early—late Oligocene uplift and cooling; (3) late Oligocene heating and renewed burial synchronous with the early stages of anatectic melting and leucogranite plutonism; (4) latest Oligocene-middle Miocene rapid uplift and continued leucogranite production associated with ramping on the structurally lower Main Central Thrust and tectonic denudation on structurally higher low-angle detachment systems; and (5) middle Miocene—Recent rapid cooling during the final stages of uplift to the surface.

Exercise countermeasure protocol management expert system

Exercise will be used primarily to countermeasure against deconditioning on extended space flight. In this paper we describe the development and evaluation of an expert system for exercise countermeasure protocol management. Currently, the system includes two major subsystems: baseline prescription and prescription adjustment. The baseline prescription subsystem is designed to provide initial exercise prescriptions while prescription adjustment subsystem is designed to modify the initial prescription based on the exercised progress. The system runs under three different environments: PC, SUN workstation, and Symbolic machine. The inference engine, baseline prescription module, prescription adjustment module and explanation module are developed under the Symbolic environment by using the ART (Automated Reasoning Tool) software. The Sun environment handles database management features and interfaces with PC environment to obtain physical and physiological data from exercise units on-board during the flight. Eight subjects' data have been used to evaluate the system performance by comparing the prescription of nine experienced exercise physiologists and the one prescribed by the expert system. The results of the validation test indicated that the performance of the expert system was acceptable.