On mission days 216-219 two crewmembers collected urine and recorded their food and water consumption during three days on end. The cosmonaut-physician withdrew blood samples from the vein and finger. In addition, he made venipuncture to himself and drew blood. Urine and blood samples were frozen and returned to the ground for analysis. In spite of individual variations of each cosmonaut, they all showed a trend for water and sodium retention which was provided by adequate hormonal rearrangement, i. e. increased production of ADH and aldosterone. No disorders in calcium and phosphorus metabolism were seen. Immediately postflight the cosmonauts displayed typical changes in fluid-electrolyte balance and renal function that suggested body dehydration and adjustment to Earth's gravity.
The effect of three exposures to Coriolis acceleration on the frequency and amplitude of fasting stomach contractions was investigated in 6 resistant and 16 susceptible to motion sickness test subjects. After tests all of them underwent gastroduodenoscopy and 4 subjects from each group were subjected to echography to measure gall bladder contractility in response to glucose-milk loads. After tests the motor activity of the stomach increased slightly in resistant subjects due to an increase of the amplitude and a slight decrease of biopotential frequency. During gastroscopy antral and pyloric sphincters were closed. In the stomach there was an insignificant amount of contents without gall. In the susceptible group, the motor activity was, on the contrary, inhibited due to a significant decline of the wave amplitude and frequency (by 40% and 11%, respectively). In the stomach, one or both sphincters were widely open; it also contained a large amount of gastric juice and gall. In 36% of susceptible and 17% resistant subjects, diaphragmatic hernia (at the esophageal opening) was found. Ultrasonic examination of the gall bladder showed that susceptible subjects developed its faster and stronger contraction when compared to resistant subject in response to glucose-milk loading. This pointed to a more prolonged duration of the gall excretion phase. Reactive changes of the gastroduodenal zone in response to motion tests facilitated duodenal-gastric reflux and major gastrointestinal symptoms of motion sickness.
During repeated exposures of rats to hypergravity two stages of catabolic and adaptive developments in red blood were distinguished. The first stage that lasted about a week was characterized by decrease of resistance and hemolysis of red blood cells, hemosiderosis in the spleen, circulation hypoxia in the liver. The second stage was characterized by the predominance of adaptive processes, viz. increased activity of red blood cells, enhanced erythropoiesis in the spleen pulp, and appearance of highly active hepatocytes.
In the course of 126 man/exposures of 3 hours to 3 days in duration, in which 39 test subjects took part, circulation responses to the upright and supine body position during suited immersion as well as orthostatic and exercise tolerance after immersion were investigated. During 24 man/exposures for 2 days the subjects were administered per os placebo or one of the four neurotrophic drugs: sydnocarb, sydnogluton, sydstrigluton, estrigluton. Clinical observations, instrumented data and methodical features of the immersion model used give evidence that the suited immersion has advantages over currently used procedures simulating the effects of hypogravity. The drugs allowed cardiovascular correction that increased aerobic capacity of the body and enhanced cardiovascular orthostatic and exercise tolerance.
RNA, DNA, total protein, transketolase (TK), alanine aminotransferase (AlAT), aspartate aminotransferase (AsAT), methionyl-tRNA (met-tRNA)- and cysteinyl-tRNA (cys-tRNA)-synthetases in the thymus and spleen of 46 intact rats exposed to hypokinesia and vitamin B1 deficiency were measured. It was found that 15-day hypokinesia induced a significant decrease of the thymus and spleen weight and an increase of AlAT in the thymus. Vitamin B1 deficiency (hydroxy thiamine in drinking water at a dose of 2 mg/kg body weight for 15 days) led to a substantial decrease of TK in blood, AlAT and AsAT in the spleen; it diminished AsAT and increased AlAT in the thymus. Combined exposure to hypokinesia and vitamin B1 deficiency caused a more marked decrease of the weight of lymph organs, a significant loss of body weight, an increase of DNA in the thymus and spleen, and an increase of TK, met-tRNA-synthetase and AlAT in the thymus. These results suggest that vitamin B1 deficiency aggravates disorders in protein and nucleic acid metabolism in the lymph organs of hypokinetic animals.
Skin and eye injuries induced by solar UV-radiation are discussed. Penetration of this radiation into the skin, mechanisms of skin erythema and pigmentation as well as skin burns are described. The spectral sensitivity of the skin to UV-rays of different wavelengths as well as threshold doses are presented. Emergence of UV-radiation induced eye injuries, their clinical picture and threshold doses of deleterious effects which produce injuries of the eye conjunctiva, cornea, and core are described.
The effect of increased doses of UV-B-radiation produced by LER-40 lamps (with an intensity of 5.5 W/m2 at a daily dose of 20 kJ/m2 and a total dose for 15 days of 300 kJ/m2) on the cardiovascular function, biochemical, biophysical and structural parameters of blood plasma and cells of sheep was investigated. It was found that increased UV-B-radiation produced functional changes in different physiological systems of animals: arrhythmias, diastole shortening, increase of the systole-diastole index; decrease of platelet count, shortening of blood coagulation time; increase of calcium, iron and copper and decrease of zinc in plasma; conformational changes in cytoplasmic membranes of platelets and lymphocytes. The changes that occurred in the sheep at an early stage of exposure can be viewed as adaptive. However, functional changes that were seen at remote stages suggested that the sensitivity of various systems of the body to UV-B-radiation was different.
Prediction of mental performance is one of the major goals of space psychophysiology. This paper discusses experimental data about mental performance of the cosmonauts A. Alexandrov, A. Momanda, V. Savinykh and V. Polyakov as predicted by means of a Soviet-Bulgarian psychodiagnostic unit Pleven-87. The investigations were performed within the framework of the Prognosis experiment on Mir. The experimental results demonstrated that the psychodiagnostic unit Pleven-87 provided reliable predictions, using adequate and sensitive methods. This unit can find application in mental performance evaluation and prediction.
Changes of the beta-2-microglobulin concentration in blood and urine were measured in response to static and bicycle ergometry tests. In both cases, the concentration of beta-2-microglobulin in urine increased. A higher level of its renal excretion was seen in stable subjects before and after the tests. This relationship was also seen in patients with neurocirculatory dystonia of the hypertensive type. Possible mechanisms of these reactions are discussed.
A typical structure of an automatic complex for dynamic medical monitoring of the health status of crewmembers in space is described. Algorithms of medical data processing and data imaging are discussed. Approaches to automatic diagnosis of functional states are presented. Advanced automatic systems related to medical support of future flights to Mars are described.
Water produced by the method of carbon dioxide hydration according to the Sabatier reaction was evaluated in hygienic terms. It was found that with respect to organoleptic and bacteriological parameters this water met the reguirements for potable water, as described in the USSR Standards 2874-82. However, this water contained more nickel; therefore before drinking, it needed further purification, conditioning and testing.
The purpose of the present investigation was to study mental activities of the flying personnel exposed to information noise. The test subjects were presented a black-and-red table and noise signals close to useful signals. They had to find the necessary figures and to discriminate between useful and noise signals. In terms of noise resistance three groups of test subjects were identified: Group 1 (54 %) showed no changes, Group 2 (10 %) showed a slight improvement, and Group 3 (36 %) showed a degradation of mental activities. Several test subjects from Group 3 (9 %) displayed complete disorder of their mental activities which led to their failure and refusal to work. These observations can be used in psychological expertise of the flying personnel.
In order to select the method of water regeneration from air moisture condensate in a manned enclosed environment, the procedure of water decontamination from ethylene glycol was investigated. The process developed at t 20-22-degrees-C and the following concentrations of C2H6O2 = 0.0125-0.5 mole/1, H2O2 = 1-5 mole/1, and catalyst = 1.7-50 % wt. In the presence of 6.67 g/1 of homogeneous catalyst FeSO4.7H2O, destructive oxidation of ethylene glycol to yield CO2 in the system 0.1 M C2H6O2 + 1M H2O2 proceeded effectively. However, the iron concentration in the decontaminated water exceeded significantly the maximally allowable concentration of iron in potable water as well as in industrial and nonindustrial sewage. Heterogeneous MnO- and PbO-based catalysts provided no more than 20 % ethylene glycol oxidation. Siderite, a natural mineral containing 33 % wt. Fe2+, proved a more effective catalyst of ethylene glycol oxidation. When ethylene glycol and hydrogen peroxide were used at ratios of 1:30 and 1:80 with 5 % wt. siderite, the degree of C2H6O2 to CO2 conversion was 99.2 % and 99.8, respectively.
The effect of active orthostasis and +G(z) acceleration on regional vessels was investigated with the participation of 6 test subjects. Using photoplethysmography, the arterial pulse and venous blood filling of vessels of the finger at the level of the right atrium and at 41 cm above and below it were measured. This corresponded to variations of the intravascular hydrostatic pressure within the range +/- 30 mm Hg. This test was performed before and after exposure to acceleration of 5, 7, 8 and 9 G for 30 s at an onset rate of 1.0 G/s in the horizontal and vertical position. Arterial and venous responses were determined by comparing the results obtained at extreme levels of hydrostatic pressure. In all cases, increase in hydrostatic pressure led to enhancement of arterial tone and venous blood filling. After exposure to acceleration arterial tone and venous blood filling grew to a greater extent, particularly in the horizontal position. It is believed that the above method of measuring responses of regional vessels may prove useful to assess the vascular function after orthostatic, gravitational and other effects.
It is known that the hyperbaric environment facilitates selection of gram-negative microorganisms which acquire ecological predominance. From this point of view deep sea habitats can be regarded as a specific anthropotechnological niche for pathogenic microorganisms, particularly Pseudomonas aeruginosa. A. aeruginosa colonization of the mucosa and skill of deep sea divers may result in infection manifestations which took place in chamber experiments when test subjects showed otitis externa and when virulent strains were isolated. It was demonstrated that the basic reservoir of P. aeruginosa was the water supply system. Hence, development of a reliable method for its disinfection should be of highest priority. One of the potential methods is SHF treatment. Another important approach is personal hygiene procedures preventing skin and mucosa contamination with potentially pathogenic microorganisms and procedures for increasing colonization resistance of divers with the aid of eubiotic therapy.
