Dynamics of the duration of tracheal forced expiratory noises during long-term isolation in the Mars-500 experiment

The dynamics of the duration of tracheal forced expiratory noises in a group of volunteers were studied before, during, and after a 520-day confinement. The duration did not change in most volunteers. Two volunteers exhibited significant changes in the duration of tracheal sounds and some spirometric parameters. The increase in the duration of tracheal forced expiratory noises and the decrease in spirometric parameters reveal ventilation impairment of the obstructive type. Analysis of the duration of tracheal forced expiratory noise dynamics during prolonged confinement has proven to be a sensitive technique to test ventilation function changes.     

Nutritional Status in the Experiment with 105-Day Isolation as the First Phase of the Mars-500 Project

In a 105-day experiment simulating crew life in a interplanetary spaceship, shifts in the nutritional status were assessed in six volunteersthat differed in the body weight index, basal metabolic rate, attitude to the proposed diet, physical exercise, and workload. The results of the investigation showed that hard physical work under the conditions of the experiment led to the formation of the nutritional status against the background of more intensive basal metabolism, elevated metabolism of carbohydrates and lipids, and their increased mobilization from fat depot. Food ration, though it was sufficient to sustain health and fairly high calorie, did not fully meet individual taste preferences of some crewmembers and energy needs for physical activities. Under these conditions, heavy workloads required mobilization of lipids from fat depot and reducedthe hepatic detoxification and metabolic capacities. Self-limitation of eating protein-rich desserts led to a relative deficiency of protein intake. These changes in the diet were the reason why four out of six test subjects reduced their basal metabolism and lost body mass. The recovery of metabolism and slowdown of the body weight loss were achieved under these conditions by supplementing meals with digestible proteincontaining products.     

Interpersonal Interaction under the Conditions of High Autonomy in Interplanetary Mission Simulation (Mars-500 Experiment)

This paper discusses the influence of the social status and psychological stability of individuals on their communicative behavior in space flight on the basis of retrospective analysis of the findings of the Mars-500 experiment, in which six participants were isolated for a period of simulating a long-term exploration mission. Data were obtained using both classic social-psychological methods and observation of video recorded behavior. Communicative behavior of the crew members was dependent on the level of individual anxiety and social status in the isolated small group.     

Effect of dehydratation and blood substitute infusion on the hemostasis system in a 21-hour bed rest experiment

The time course of the hemostasis parameters (activated partial thromboplastin time, prothrombin time, thrombin time, fibrinogen, plasminogen, D-dimer, soluble fibrin-monomer complexes (SFMC), as well as antithrombin III (AT III) and protein C (antiplasmin) activities) were estimated in eight male volunteers aged from 20 to 40 years during 21-h bed rest after dehydratation induced by diuretics, which was followed by intravenous infusion of colloid and crystalloid solutions. It was shown that noncompensated dehydratation during bed rest did not cause significant alterations in the procoagulant component of hemostasis. The intravenous infusion of the blood substitute sterofundin (crystalloid) and venofundin (colloid) to the bed-resting subjects resulted in an increase in coagulation within the physiological norm. A decrease in the AT III activity and plasminogen level resulting in an increase in SFMC were observed. The fibrinogen concentration remained stable, which indicated the absence of acute reaction of the body to the experimental effects.     

The effect of a 105-day experiment in isolated environment on the functional state of the cardiovascular system of the participants

We studied the effect of a 105-day experiment in an isolated environment on the functional state of the cardiovascular system of six male participants aged 25 to 40 years; as well as the diagnostic significance of novel research methods, in particular, the ECG variance mapping and the assessment of endotheliumdependent flow mediated dilation in the right brachial artery. Our results indicate that the conditions of isolation resulted in changes in the internal cardiac hemodynamics and, consequently, to progressive development of cardiac arrhythmias. This is probably related to the changes in neurohumoral regulation of the heart and disturbance of the sympathetic and parasympathetic innervations. The changes in the vascular wall and vasomotor endothelial function in two subjects suggest endothelial dysfunction and an increased risk of atherosclerosis.     

Reference values of the hemostasis system indices in cosmonauts

The values of 11 diagnostically significant hemostasis system indices were determined during the preflight (30–45 days before start) clinical and physiological examination of 39 cosmonauts aged 35 to 54 years, who were the members of the main and backup crews of missions to the International Space Station (ISS) during the period from 2007 to 2014. Since most of the cosmonauts performed several flights over this period and were repeatedly included in backup crews, each of them underwent examinations one to five times. The reference values were calculated for each of the studied indices. It was found that the reference ranges for the parameters indicative of the integral pro- and anticoagulant and fibrinolytic blood plasma potential were somewhat narrowed and close to the boundaries of general population ranges, which indicates that the cosmonauts had a relatively decreased procoagulant potential and increased regulative potential of the hemostasis system. This was probably due to the criteria of selection, physical training status, and emotional status of crew members during the preflight professional activity, when adaptive changes against stressinducing effects occur in the body. The cosmonauts who underwent strict medical examination may also have some genetic features in which they differ from the general population and which provide higher body resistance and more rapid adaptation processes.     

Laboratory diagnosis of the status of the hemostasis system

Activators of fibrinogen, prothrombin and protein C isolated from venoms of Agkistrodon halys halys and Echis multisquamatus may be used as a tool both for thrombosis investigations in the model systems and for diagnostic in the clinical practice. The complex of diagnostic tests developed on the base of these activators allows to characterize the haemostatic system at different pathologies and as well as to determine the unbalance between separate components of haemostasis. The tests are approved on plasma of patients with heart diseases, ulcers, nephrites, hestoses etc. The tests are sensitive, informative, easy to use and do not require an additional equipment. They have no analogues in Ukraine.     

Platelet link of the hemostasis system in modeling chronic stress situations

Changes in the morphofunctional state of platelets were studied in a model of emotional-painful stress that was reproduced in rabbits weighing from 2.5 to 3 kg by the irregular action of a low-intensity electric current. Platelets were isolated from venous blood by successive centrifugation. The obtained material was investigated supravitally using the luminescent dye acridine orange, tests with siliconized glass, and by electron microscopy. Uncompensated negative charges of glycosaminoglycans, Ca²⁺, activities of ATPase, alkaline phosphatase, adenylate cyclase, cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase, and monoamine oxidase were detected cytochemically. As a result, morphofunctional equivalents of the destabilizing effect of a chronic stress situation on blood plates were established, and membranotropic and receptor-mediated mechanisms of its implementation were analyzed.     

Arterio-venous differences in the vascular and thrombocytic indices of the hemostasis system

Arterio-venous difference in the functional activity of platelets and vascular wall was studied in Wistar rats. It was found that platelets, unlike leukocytes, were functionally more active in arterial than in venous blood. Athrombogenic activity of arteries was higher than that of veins.     

Unconscious components of the psychophysiological reactions of the participants of the experiment with 520-day isolation

Six participants of Mars-500 were examined to obtain information about intrapersonal conflicts and life spheres with high emotional tension associated with them by participation in an experiment with prolonged group isolation. The investigation was performed using operational analogy-based neurosemantic psychodiagnostics, with the subconscious regarded as a semantic filter with unstructured semantic information at the input and information structured by the inner world content at the output. The results shed light on the semantic structure of the subjective experience and functioning of protective mechanisms, as well as organizational levels and modality of emotional experience. Before and after a 520-day isolation, all the participants were shown to have intrapersonal conflicts and high emotional tension in the socio-professional sphere, caused by the family/sexual and interpersonal relations and self-assessment, and concerns about life and health. On completion of the isolation, the psychoemotional tension was reduced in interpersonal relations and increased in family/sexual ones.     

Subconscious components of psychophysiological responses in the participants of a 105-day experiment in an isolated environment

Six participants of a 105-day experiment in an isolated environment were studied in order to identify subconscious mechanisms of their psychophysiological changes during the experiment. We used the method of neurocognitive diagnostics based on the analysis of the evoked electrocardiographic (EEG) potentials caused by stimuli that were below the conscious threshold. The technique included separation of evoked responses to each stimulus, cross-correlation and wavelet analyses, estimations using neural network algorithms, and an overall evaluation for all stimuli for each derivation and each period of stimulation. Comparison of the reactions to meaningful and meaningless groups of words elicited the extent of involvement of different brain areas in semantic information processing. Our results give grounds to indicate a number of changes in the psychological state of the subjects due to their participation in the experiment. These are list below:

1. An increase in subconscious tension between some of the crew members, such as representatives of different cultures.
2. An increase in psychological defense stress, primarily caused by basic fears of death and worries about health, as well as private family relations.
3. The appearance of addictive trends manifested in the changes in the subconscious attitude to alcohol and an increase in the role that alcohol plays in the emotional state.

These findings on the changes in the major mechanisms of unconscious responses are useful in defining the strategy for working out the methods of autonomous psychological support for crews and computer-assisted psychological correction.     

Bone mineral density and microarchitecture in participants of a 105-day experiment in isolated environment

A study on the bone system state in healthy volunteers has been performed before and after 105-day experiment in hermetically isolated environment (the Mars-105 experiment) using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT). The values of bone mineral density (BMD), volumetric bone mineral density (VBMD), and bone structural characteristics of distal segments in radius and tibia have been evaluated. No significant DXA changes have been revealed in segments of skeleton critically important in terms of biomechanics. Microarchitectural deterioration (a decrease in the trabecula number and increase in the bone tissue heterogeneity) has been found using the pQCT technique in the radius of the majority of subjects. A VBMD decrease has been revealed for both cortical and trabecular bones in tibia, along with an unexpected trabecular bone improvement in the form of an increase in the trabecula quantity and decrease in bone tissue heterogeneity. Comprehensive studies, including estimation of projective and volumetric bone mineral densities (the bone mineral content) and bone structural characteristics (bone quality) are required to have a clear view on the changes in the bone system under the conditions of a simulation experiment.     

基于PSR模型的国家公园综合灾害风险评估指标体系构建

灾害会对社会-生态系统产生严重影响,造成重大的社会、经济、环境等方面的损失,科学地对灾害风险进行评估是进行防灾减灾的基础工作。自然保护地是区域灾害风险管理热点地区,在国家公园体制试点建设与自然保护地体系改革中,国家公园作为保护重要生态系统并保障全民公益性的重要的自然保护地类型之一,管理目标的多样性,决定了其具有多风险源-多受体的灾害风险特征,因此,进行全面有效的灾害风险评估是支持国家公园生态系统管理、游客管理、社区管理等具体管理目标的必要环节。在明确国家公园灾害风险的特征与内涵的基础上,以国际减灾署灾害风险定量评估框架为依据,细分灾害风险源和风险受体,然后针对国家公园不同类型的灾害风险受体,以灾害风险源的危险性与灾害风险受体的脆弱性(包含敏感性、暴露性和适应性)衡量灾害风险度,结合压力-状态-响应(Pressure-State-Response, PSR)模型,构建了适用于国家公园综合灾害风险管理的评估指标体系,旨在为国家公园的灾害风险管理提供理论基础和科学依据,服务于国家公园多元化管理目标。     

The role of cholinergic receptors in the reactions of the hemostasis system to vasopressin

Participation of central and peripheral++ cholinoreceptors in responses of blood coagulation system to intravenous vasopressin injection has been studied in experiments on white rats. Vasopressin was injected in combination with atropine and metacine Intensification of the procoagulant activity, that was observed 15 min after vasopressin injection (4 micrograms/kg), was practically retained during cholinergic blockade. The intensification of fibrinolytic activities as a result of an increase in the level of plasminogen activators in blood, is to a great extent blocked by atropine rather than by metacine. Consequently, to intensify the procoagulant activity without changes in fibrinolysis (for example hemophilia) it is necessary to use the vasopressin injection in combination with atropine.     

Changes in the hemostasis and fibrinolysis system in rats with experimental renal hypertension

The arterial renal hypertension (170-180 mm Hg compared to the norm 100-120 mm Hg) developed in 2 months after one side nephrectomy and partial occlusion of the other renal artery. The level of high molecular weight plasma proteins was raised which led to the increase in the peripheral vessel resistance and hypertension degree. Fibrinolysis was depressed in the blood and in the cortical zone of the kidney. In early stages of hypertension fibrinolysis was sharply elevated, and high molecular weight compounds content was decreased. The antithrombin III and nonenzymatic fibrinolysis level were increased during the whole period (10-150 days).