Bone Mineral Density and Molecular Genetic Markers of Bone Remodeling in Blood of Cosmonauts after Long-term Missions on Board the International Space Station

The results of the investigation of the bone system of 24 Russian cosmonauts after long-term (124–199 days) missions on board the International space station (ISS) are presented. Functional adaptation of the bone system involves some complex changes in the metabolic activity of osteoblasts and osteoclasts, such as alterations of the serum concentrations of osteocalcin, tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP), osteoprotegerin, and the activator ligand of the receptor of nuclear factor kappa-B (RANKL); in addition, in peripheral blood leucocytes, there are changes in the expression of genes regulating the development of skeletal system and bone mineral metabolism. Significant variability in the mineral density of femoral neck and molecular genetic markers studied after long-term space flights indicates individual variability of the balance of the processes of bone remodeling, bone formation and resorption. Significant bone mass losses in the femoral bone of cosmonauts are associated with more pronounced changes in the markers of metabolic activity of osteoclasts.     

Variation of the State of Lower Limb Veins in Cosmonauts during Long-term Missions

This paper reports changes in the main parameters of lower limb veins in 35 cosmonauts in the course of six-month space missions. Major reduction in the leg volume was shown in all cosmonauts, as well as a significant increase in venous capacitance and compliance. The rate of lower leg vein filling exhibited different trends; it was decreased in the majority of cosmonauts (n = 26, 74%) and increased in the rest (n = 9, 26%). Increases in venous capacitance, compliance, and filling rates may impact orthostatic stability (OS). These changes are among the pathophysiological mechanisms of the OS loss in spaceflight.     

Development and Improvement of Countermeasures against Negative Effects of Weightlessness in Long-Term Space Flights on Board International Space Station

Human Physiology - The paper describes the history of development and improvement of the means of the Russian system of countermeasures against the negative effects of space flights over the past...     

Dopaminergic Receptors and Tyrosine Hydroxylase Expression in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells: A Distinct Pattern in Central Obesity

Background

Dopamine (DA) may be involved in central obesity (CO), an inflammatory condition, through its role in the central nervous system and in periphery, where it may affect immune cell function through five different DA receptors (DR). Whether dopaminergic pathways in peripheral immune cells are implicated in the inflammatory condition linked to CO is however unknown.

Methods

In a cohort of blood donors with and without CO, categorized by waist circumference (WC) (CO: WC ≥0.80 m in women and ≥0.94 m in men), we studied the expression of DR and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), the rate-limiting enzyme in the synthesis of DA, in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and their relation with anthropometric and metabolic/endocrine and inflammatory parameters. DR D_1-5 and TH expression was assessed by semi quantitative real-time PCR. As inflammatory markers we investigated the immunophenotype of monocyte subsets by flow cytometry, staining for CD14, CD16, CD11b and CD36.

Results

CO individuals showed higher plasma levels of leptin and higher inflammatory pattern of monocytes compared with non-CO. PBMC expression of DR D₂, DR D₄ and DR D₅ as well as of TH were lower in CO in comparison with non-CO. DR D₂, and DR D₅ expression correlated with lower WC and weight, and with lower inflammatory pattern of monocytes, and TH expression correlated with lower WC. DR D₄ expression correlated with lower plasma levels of glycosylated hemoglobin, and DR D₂ expression correlated with lower CO.

Conclusions

Results show that CO is associated with peripheral inflammation and downregulation of dopaminergic pathways in PBMCs, possibly suggesting DR expressed on immune cells as pharmacological targets in obesity for better metabolic outcome.     

淡水石斑外周血细胞显微结构观察

淡水石斑(Cichlasoma managuense)外周血细胞可区分出红血细胞、嗜中性粒细胞、嗜酸性粒细胞、单核细胞、淋巴细胞和血栓细胞,未发现嗜碱性粒细胞。外周血液中还存在少量未成熟的和正在分裂的红血细胞。白细胞中,血栓细胞体积最小,嗜中性粒细胞体积最大;数量上,血栓细胞最多,而嗜酸性粒细胞则最少。     

北部湾棱皮树蛙外周血细胞显微结构观察

本文以人们极少关注的两栖动物北部湾棱皮树蛙(Thelodermacorticale)为研究对象,采用瑞氏-姬姆萨混合染色法与血细胞计数法观察并统计了北部湾棱皮树蛙外周血细胞的形态特征和数量比例。结果显示,北部湾棱皮树蛙的外周血由红细胞、嗜中性粒细胞、嗜碱性粒细胞、嗜酸性粒细胞、淋巴细胞(包括大、小淋巴细胞)和单核细胞、血栓细胞7种细胞组成。其中,红细胞的数量最多,平均含量为2.43×10⁵个/mm³,多呈椭圆形或卵圆形,少数呈泪滴形、梨形、逗号形、梭形,具椭圆或圆形核,核染色质密集,偶尔可观察到正在进行直接分裂或有丝分裂的红细胞。白细胞的数量比红细胞少,平均含量为1.74×10⁴个/mm³,其中,小淋巴细胞占40.02%±1.77%、大淋巴细胞占10.83%±2.53%、单核细胞占23.17%±3.16%、嗜中性粒细胞占10.08%±4.62%、嗜碱性粒细胞占9.25%±2.69%、嗜酸性粒细胞占6.72%±1.50%。血栓细胞呈纺锤形和梭形,常单独存在,或者呈圆形和不规则圆形,数个集合在一起。     

Foot forces during exercise on the International Space Station

Long-duration exposure to microgravity has been shown to have detrimental effects on the human musculoskeletal system. To date, exercise countermeasures have been the primary approach to maintain bone and muscle mass and they have not been successful. Up until 2008, the three exercise countermeasure devices available on the International Space Station (ISS) were the treadmill with vibration isolation and stabilization (TVIS), the cycle ergometer with vibration isolation and stabilization (CEVIS), and the interim resistance exercise device (iRED). This article examines the available envelope of mechanical loads to the lower extremity that these exercise devices can generate based on direct in-shoe force measurements performed on the ISS. Four male crewmembers who flew on long-duration ISS missions participated in this study. In-shoe forces were recorded during activities designed to elicit maximum loads from the various exercise devices. Data from typical exercise sessions on Earth and on-orbit were also available for comparison. Maximum on-orbit single-leg loads from TVIS were 1.77 body weight (BW) while running at 8 mph. The largest single-leg forces during resistance exercise were 0.72 BW during single-leg heel raises and 0.68 BW during double-leg squats. Forces during CEVIS exercise were small, approaching only 0.19 BW at 210 W and 95 RPM. We conclude that the three exercise devices studied were not able to elicit loads comparable to exercise on Earth, with the exception of CEVIS at its maximal setting. The decrements were, on average, 77% for walking, 75% for running, and 65% for squats when each device was at its maximum setting. Future developments must include an improved harness to apply higher gravity replacement loads during locomotor exercise and the provision of greater resistance exercise capability. The present data set provides a benchmark that will enable future researchers to judge whether or not the new generation of exercise countermeasures recently added to the ISS will address the need for greater loading.     

养殖齐口裂腹鱼外周血细胞显微观察

养殖齐口裂腹鱼Schizothorax prenanti外周血经瑞氏染色液染色,可鉴定出红细胞、嗜中性粒细胞、血栓细胞、淋巴细胞、单核细胞,一些未成熟的红细胞和少量进行无丝分裂的红细胞,未观察到嗜碱性粒细胞和嗜酸性粒细胞.在外周血中还可观察到3个阶段的嗜中性粒细胞:中性晚幼粒细胞胞体为圆形或近圆形,胞浆呈淡粉红色,量丰富,其中含有较多红色的细小颗粒,胞核呈肾形;中性杆状核粒细胞胞核较中性晚幼粒细胞的凹陷更强,呈S、C等形状;中性分叶核粒细胞占多数,胞体近圆形,核至少分成两叶,多达五或六叶.血栓细胞呈圆形、近圆形、梨形、纺锤形、杆状等多种形态,一个或多个聚集在一起.外周血细胞中,血栓细胞体积最小、数量最多,单核细胞体积最大、数量最少.     

The microgravity environment for experiments on the International Space Station

Experiments are sent to space laboratories in order to take advantage of the low-gravity environment. However, it is crucial to appreciate the distinction between the real microgravity environment and "weightlessness" or "simulated microgravity". The microgravity in space laboratories may be of much smaller magnitude than the gravitational acceleration on earth. However, it is not zero, nor even one microg (defined as 1e-6 earth gravity). Moreover, the orientation is not uniaxial, as on earth. The net acceleration that acts on a space experiment arises from, e.g., orbital mechanics, atmospheric drag, and thruster firings, and it can act on the experiments in gravity-like ways. In essence, a well-defined, stable 1 g acceleration on the earth's surface is substituted for a complex array of dynamically changing accelerations with ever-changing frequency content, magnitude and direction. This paper will show measured accelerations on the Shuttle from launch to orbit, as well as the latest measurements on the International Space Station (ISS). The ISS data presented here represent over 34,790 hours of data obtained from June 2002 to April 2003 during Increments 5 and 6 of the ISS construction cycle. The quasisteady acceleration level on the ISS has been measured to be on the order of a few microg during time allotted to microgravity mode. The vibratory acceleration environment spans a rich spectrum from 0.01-300 Hz.     

似刺鳊鮈外周血细胞显微结构和血清生化指标的初步研究

似刺鳊(鮈)(Paracanthobrama guichenoti)外周血细胞可分为红血细胞、嗜中性粒细胞、单核细胞及大、小淋巴细胞和血栓细胞,未发现嗜酸性和嗜碱性粒细胞.外周血液中可观察到少量未成熟的及正在分裂的红血细胞.白细胞中,血栓细胞体积最小,嗜中性粒细胞体积最大;数量上,血栓细胞最多,而大淋巴细胞则最少.似刺鳊(鮈)血清生化指标测定结果显示,谷丙转氨酶(ALT)、胆固醇(CHOL)和总蛋白(TP)变化范围较大,且谷草转氨酶(AST)的水平较高,似刺鳊(鮈)雄鱼的血液生化指标相应值均显著低于雌鱼(P<0.05).     

外周血细胞重编程为诱导性多潜能干细胞的研究进展

诱导性多潜能干细胞(iPSCs)是指分化细胞中导入特定转录因子后逆转恢复到类似胚胎干细胞的具有自我更新、多向分化等潜能的一类细胞。诱导疾病特异性iPSCs是疾病机理、再生医学等领域的研究热点。目前,人iPSCs供体细胞主要来源于皮肤成纤维细胞,需要组织活检、体外增殖等繁琐过程。利用外周血细胞(peripheral blood cells)成功诱导iPSCs,具有取材方便、诱导快速等优点,将极大地促进iPSCs研究。该文在介绍iPSCs诱导方法的基础上,重点阐述了从小鼠B细胞、T细胞,人脐带血细胞,到人外周血细胞重编程为iPSCs的研究进展,分析了该技术的特点和可能存在的问题,并进行了前景展望。     

Observations on Abnormal Cells in the Peripheral Blood and Spleen in Hodgkin's Disease

The occurrence of abnormal cells in the peripheral blood of patients with Hodgkin''s disease has been described in the literature. In the present investigation several varieties of cells were found, two of which are believed to be typical of the disease. The significance of these cells in the peripheral blood is not yet clear, but there seems to be a correlation between the presence of these characteristic cells in the blood and involvement of the spleen by the disease as determined by microscopical examination. In 11 patients both abnormalities proved to be absent; 13 out of 14 other patients showed both the abnormal cells in the blood and Hodgkin lesions in the spleen.If circulating abnormal cells are indeed an indication of the presence of Hodgkin''s disease in the spleen, involvement of this organ is likely to be due to or to give rise to haematogenous dissemination. The other possibility remains that both the occurrence of abnormal cells in the peripheral blood and splenic involvement are due to a multicentric origin of the disease. It seems most unlikely that the splenic lesions are consistent with localized disease still restricted to the lymphoid system. These findings challenge the validity of the present widely used so-called Rye classification of clinical stages in Hodgkin''s disease.     

Interindividual Variation in the Proteome of Human Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells

Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) are main actors in inflammatory processes and linked to many diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, atherosclerosis, asthma, HIV and cancer. Moreover, they seem an interesting ‘surrogate tissue’ that can be used in biomarker discovery. In order to get a good experimental design for quantitative expression studies, the knowledge of the interindividual variation is an essential part. Therefore, PBMCs were isolated from 24 healthy volunteers (15 males, 9 females, ages 63–86) with no clinical signs of inflammation. The extracted proteins were separated using the two dimensional difference in gel electrophoresis technology (2D-DIGE), and the gel images were processed with the DeCyder 2D software. Protein spots present in at least 22 out of 24 healthy volunteers were selected for further statistical analysis. Determination of the coefficient of variation (CV) of the normalized spot volume values of these proteins, reveals that the total variation of the PBMC proteome varies between 12,99% to 148,45%, with a mean value of 28%. A supplemental look at the causes of technical variation showed that the isolation of PBMCs from whole blood is the factor which influences the experimental variance the most. This isolation should be handled with extra care and an additional washing step would be beneficial. Knowing the extent of variation, we show that at least 10 independent samples per group are needed to obtain statistical powerful data. This study demonstrates the importance of considering variance of a human population for a good experimental design for future protein profiling or biomarker studies.     

The development of the International Space Station centrifuge.

Gravitational biology research facility "Centrifuge" is currently under development for the International Space Station. Research in the Complex Organism Biology, indispensable to the progress in Health Science, is only possible in the Centrifuge aboard the station. So, on-orbit 1 G controls for various specimens including small mammals, fish, and higher plants will be rigorously done in the Centrifuge. This facility is also capable of providing "reduced gravity" likely on the Moon or on Mars. Thus, it will play a key role in creating knowledge of space fundamental biology. As part of the offset of NASA's Shuttle launch services for the Japanese Experiment Module, JAXA is developing the Centrifuge Rotor (CR), the Life Sciences Glovebox (LSG) and the Centrifuge Accommodation Module (CAM). Critical Design Review (CDR) of LSG was conducted on July 2004, while the system CDRs of the CAM and CR are scheduled for December 2004 and August 2005, respectively. Their launch schedules are under review.     

Heavy-ion anisotropy measured by ALTEA in the International Space Station

The uneven shielding of the International Space Station from the vessel hull, racks and experiments produces a modulation of the internal radiation environment. A detailed knowledge of this environment, and therefore of the Station's shielding effectiveness, is mandatory for an accurate assessment of radiation risk. We present here the first 3D measurements of the Station's radiation environment, discriminating particle trajectories and LET, made possible using the detection capability of the ALTEA-space detector. We provide evidence for a strong (factor ≈ 3) anisotropy in the inner integral LET for high-LET particles (LET > 50?keV/μm) showing a minimum along the longitudinal station axis (most shielded) and a maximum normal to it. Integrating over all measured LETs, the anisotropy is strongly reduced, showing that unstopped light ions plus the fragments produced by heavier ions approximately maintain flux/LET isotropy. This suggests that, while changing the quality of radiation, the extra shielding along the station main axis is not producing a benefit in terms of total LET. These features should be taken into account (1) when measuring radiation with detectors that cannot distinguish the direction of the impinging radiation or that are unidirectional, (2) when planning radiation biology experiments on the ISS, and (3) when simulating the space radiation environment for experiments on the ground. A novel analysis technique that fully exploits the ability to retrieve the angular distribution of the radiation is also presented as well as the angular particle flux and LET characteristic of three geomagnetic zones measured during 2009 by the ALTEA-space detector. This technique is applied to the ALTEA-space detector, but a wider applicability to other detectors is suggested.