NASA Spaceline Current Awareness List #1,113 23 August 2024 (Space Life Science Research Results)

The abstract in PubMed or at the publisher’s site is linked when available and will open in a new window.

Papers deriving from NASA support:

1. Nickerson CA, McLean RJC, Barrila J, Yang J, Thornhill SG, Banken LL, Porterfield DM, Poste G, Pellis NR, Ott CM.Microbiology of human spaceflight: Microbial responses to mechanical forces that impact health and habitat sustainability.Microbiol Mol Biol Rev. 2024 Aug 19;e00144-23. Review.PIs: C.A. Nickerson, R.J.C. McLean, J. YangNote: From the abstract: “Here, we review biological and physical mechanisms that regulate microbial responses to spaceflight and spaceflight analog environments from both the microbe and host-microbe perspective that are relevant to human health and habitat sustainability.”
   
   Journal Impact Factor: 8.0
   
   Funding: NASA grants: 80NSSC20K0016, 80NSSC18K1478, 80NSSC21K1024, 80NSSC22K1361, NNX17AC79G, and 80NSSC19K1597.
2. Anderson A, Parmar P, Levin D, Hilmers D.Quantifying the risk of medical evacuation in spaceflight.Acta Astronaut. 2024 Aug 20. Online ahead of print.Note: From the abstract: “Traditionally, NASA mission planners have used a heuristic and qualitative approach to design medical systems based on prior experience; however, this approach may result in implicit bias in design. The risk of needing to return to definitive care (RTDC) or medevac, has been particularly difficult to quantify due to the complexity of exploration spaceflight. The Informing Mission Planning through Analysis of Complex Tradespaces (IMPACT) tool is a probabilistic risk assessment approach designed by NASA to model medical risk in long duration spaceflight. This paper discusses how this tool can inform RTDC risk and improve the health and safety of astronaut crews.”
   
   Journal Impact Factor: 3.1
   
   Funding: D. Hilmers is affiliated with the Translational Research Institute for Space Health (TRISH). From the Baylor College of Medicine website: “The Translational Research Institute for Space Health (TRISH) is a lean, virtual institute empowered by the NASA Human Research Program to solve the challenges of human deep space exploration.” For more information go to https://www.bcm.edu/academic-centers/space-medicine/translational-research-institute.
3. Clément G, Macaulay TR, Bollinger A, Weiss H, Wood SJ.Functional activities essential for space exploration performed in partial gravity during parabolic flight.npj Microgravity. 2024 Aug 17;10:86.PI: G. ClémentNote: This article may be obtained online without charge.
   
   Journal Impact Factor: 5.1
   
   Funding: “The authors thank NASA’s Research Operations and Integration personnel, Novespace personnel, and Neil Melville for implementing the experiment in the Airbus A-310 Zero-G and recruiting the participants. The authors also thank Kerry George for editing the manuscript. This study was funded by the Human Health and Countermeasures Element of NASA’s Human Research Program (grant # 14176).”
4. Hauserman MR, Sullivan LE, James KL, Ferraro MJ, Rice KC.Response of Staphylococcus aureus physiology and Agr quorum sensing to low-shear modeled microgravity.Journal of Bacteriology. 2024 Aug 9;e00272-24.PI: K.C. RiceNote: From the abstract: “Staphylococcus aureus is commonly isolated from astronauts returning from spaceflight. Previous analysis of omics data from S. aureus low Earth orbit cultures indicated significantly increased expression of the Agr quorum sensing system and its downstream targets in spaceflight samples compared to ground controls. In this current study, the rotary cell culture system (RCCS) was used to investigate the effect of low-shear modeled microgravity (LSMMG) on S. aureus physiology and Agr activity.”
   
   Journal Impact Factor: 2.7
   
   Funding: Quorum Sensing and S. aureus Virulence Potential during Simulated Microgravity Growth, NASA grant# 80NSSC19K0139.
5. Kodaira S, Benton E, Iwata Y, Makino T, Miller J, Ohshima T, Uchihori Y, Zeitlin C.Space radiation research with heavy ions at HIMAC [Heavy Ion Medical Accelerator in Chiba].Life Sci Space Res. 2024 Aug 12. Online ahead of print.PI: J. MillerJournal Impact Factor: 2.9
   
   Funding: PI reports that this article is linked to NASA Task Book projects: “Measurements of Fragmentation Cross Sections and Particle Spectra for Galactic Cosmic Ray-like Nuclei” and “Radiation Transport Properties of Potential In Situ-Developed Regolith-Epoxy Materials for Martian Habitats.”
6. Kuhlman BM, Diaz JH, Simon T, Reeves KD, Walker SJ, Atala A, Almeida-Porada G, Porada CD.Simulated microgravity impairs human NK cell cytotoxic activity against space radiation-relevant leukemic cells.npj Microgravity. 2024 Aug 14;10:85.PI: C.D. PoradaNote: This article may be obtained online without charge.
   
   Journal Impact Factor: 5.1
   
   Funding: “This work was supported by Grant NNX17AE49G from NASA Space Biology and by the NASA Translational Research Institute for Space Health (TRISH) through Cooperative Agreement NNX16AO69A. B.M.K. and J.H.D. are supported by T32 pre-doctoral fellow positions through NIH NIBIB 2T32EB014836.”
7. Hedge ET, Brazile TL, Hughson RL, Levine BD.Plasticity of the heart in response to changes in physical activity.J Physiol. 2024 Aug 20. Review. Online ahead of print.PI: B.D. LevineNote: This article may be obtained online without charge.
   
   Journal Impact Factor: 4.7
   
   Funding: “E.T.H. was supported by a Canadian Institutes of HealthResearch Banting and Best Canada Graduate Scholarship(201911FBD-434513-72081). R.L.H. was supported by grants from Canadian Institutes of Health Research (UH1-161690) and Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (RGPIN-2023-03719). B.D.L. was supported by grants from National Aeronautics and Space Administration (80NSSC20K0987, NNJ04HH01A and 96-OLMSA-01B), National Institutes of Health (5R01AG017479) and National Space Biomedical Research Institute (CA00701).”
8. Olson JA, Rinderknecht D, Pitts R, Cheng P, Shah M, Benson M, Carro R, Meier A.Quantitative measurements of hazardous gas effluents from the combustion of crew waste simulant in microgravity.Gravit Space Res. 2024 Aug 15;12(1):94-114.Note: From the abstract: “Current planning for crewed space exploration is being developed within the ‘Moon-to-Mars’ framework. Although the most immediate and visible activity within this framework is exemplified by the Artemis missions, planning for crewed missions to Mars is underway. Proposed Mars mission durations range from 700 to 1,200 days; thus, intensive consideration of mission logistics is required for such a mission to be feasible. NASA’s Logistics Reduction program is currently evaluating numerous facets of mission logistics, including supply organization via RFID technology, crew clothing and laundry, handling of metabolic waste, re-purposing waste items, and disposal of crew trash.”
   
   Journal Impact Factor: 2.5
   
   Funding: “The authors gratefully acknowledge NASA’s Flight Opportunities, STMD Early Career Initiative, and ESDMD Logistics Reduction programs for their funding, and especially Mr. Mike Ewert and Ms. Melissa McKinley for their guidance. The authors acknowledge Dr. Dan Gazda of NASA’s Environmental Sciences Branch for his helpful information. Also, the authors acknowledge past and present members of the OSCAR team who contributed to the flight operations. The authors acknowledge Dr. Nicole Hale for her help with the formatting and templating of this manuscript. Finally, the authors acknowledge the remarkable support provided from Blue Origin’s payload team, in particular Mr. Ben Lewis and Ms. Alice Watts for assisting with payload integration.”

Other papers of interest:

1. Ishii H, Endo R, Hamanaka S, Hidaka N, Miyauchi M, Hagiwara N, Miyao T, Yamamori T, Aiba T, Akiyama N, Akiyama T.Establishing a method for the cryopreservation of viable peripheral blood mononuclear cells in the International Space Station.npj Microgravity. 2024 Aug 9;10:84.Note: ISS results. This article may be obtained online without charge.
2. Kakouridis A, Diamond S, Eng T, Mills HJ, Gámez Holzhaus O, Summers ML, Garcia-Pichel F, Mukhopadhyay A.Desiccated cyanobacteria serve as efficient plasmid DNA carriers in spaceflight.ACS Synth Biol. 2024 Aug 16. Online ahead of print.Note: ISS results. This article may be obtained online without charge.
3. Avcı AU.Hearing loss in space flights: A review of noise regulations and previous outcomes.J Int Adv Otol. 2024;20(2):171-4. Review.Note: This article may be obtained online without charge.
4. Hussain I, Ullah R, Simran B, Kaur P, Kumar M, Raj R, Faraz M, Mehmoodi A, Malik J.Cardiovascular effects of long-duration spaceflight.Health Sci Rep. 2024 Aug 12;7(8):e2305. Review.Note: This article may be obtained online without charge.
5. Kamine TH, Siu M, Stegemann S, Formanek A, Levin D.Long round-trip time delay effects on performance of a simulated appendectomy task.Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2024 Sep 1;95(9):703-8.Note: This article is a short communication. From the introduction: “No current astronauts have surgical training, and medical capabilities for future missions do not account for it. We sought to determine the effect of communication delays and text-based communication on emergency medicine physician (EMP) performance of a simulated surgical procedure and the ideal training paradigm for remote surgery.”
6. Mermel L.Human evolution, microgravity, and challenges colonizing Mars.Aerosp Med Hum Perform 2024 Sep 1;95(9):720-1.Note: This article is a commentary. From the introduction: “Human colonization of Mars has captured the imagination of many. However, the challenges posed are immense. In microgravity, changes in human physiology, immune dysregulation, alterations of our microbiome, and enhanced virulence of various microbes are some of the barriers that stand in the way of a successful endeavor. Countermeasures can be brought to bear, but it remains unclear if success of such a mission in the foreseeable future is realistic or fanciful.”
7. Miller-Smith MJ, Tucker N, Anderton R, Caplin N, Harridge SDR, Hodkinson P, Narici MV, Pollock RD, Possnig C, Rittweger J, Smith TG, Di Giulio I.Lessons for flying astronauts with disabilities drawn from experience in aviation.Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2024 Sep 1;95(9):716-9.Note: This article is a commentary. From the abstract: “Accessible spaceflight may seem a distant concept. As part of a diverse European Space Agency funded Topical Team, we are working on the physiological feasibility of space missions being undertaken by people with physical disabilities. Here, the first activity of this team is presented in the form of key lessons learned from aviation to inform new work on space missions.”
8. Xerfan EMS, Tempaku PF, Tufik S, Andersen ML.The effects of the space environment on circadian rhythm and sleep in astronauts: An emphasis on the telomere length dynamics associated with sleep.J Sleep Res. 2024 Aug 13;e14312. Online ahead of print.Note: This article is a letter to the editor.
9. Paul-Chima UO, Ugo AE, Ben OM.Space medicine and human adaptation to space colonization.Research Output Journal of Biological and Applied Science. 2024 Aug;3(1):84-9.
10. Chen KZM, Vu LM, Vollmer AC.Cultivation in long-term simulated microgravity is detrimental to pyocyanin production and subsequent biofilm formation ability of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.Microbiol Spectr. 2024 Aug 20;e0021124. Online ahead of print.Note: A high-aspect ratio rotating-wall vessel was used in this study. This article may be obtained online without charge.
11. Ibrahim Z, Khan NA, Siddiqui R, Qaisar R, Marzook H, Soares NC, Elmoselhi AB.Gut matters in microgravity: Potential link of gut microbiota and its metabolites to cardiovascular and musculoskeletal well-being.Nutr Metab (Lond). 2024 Aug 9;21(1):66. Review.Note: This article may be obtained online without charge.
12. Pachiyappan JK, Patel M, Roychowdhury P, Nizam I, Seenivasan R, Sudhakar S, Jeyaprakash MR, Karri V, Venkatesan J, Mehta P, Kothandan S, Thirugnanasambandham I, Kuppusamy G.A review of the physiological effects of microgravity and innovative formulation for space travelers.J Pharmacokinet Pharmacodyn. 2024 Aug 20. Review.
13. Su Z, Liu B, Dai J, Han M, Lai JC, Wang S, Chen Y, Zhao Y, Zhang R, Ma H, Deng Y, Li Z.A simulated microgravity-oriented AIE probe-ECM hydrogel-integrated chip for cell culture and superoxide anion radical detection.Biosens Bioelectron. 2024 Nov;264:116656.
14. Šeško R, Lamboley K, Cutard T, Grill L, Reiss P, Cowley A.Oxygen production by solar vapor-phase pyrolysis of lunar regolith simulant.Acta Astronaut. 2024 Nov; 224:215-25.Note: From the abstract: “The oxide-rich lunar surface regolith can be used to extract the oxygen needed for the future of lunar exploration efforts as a consumable for life-support systems and spacecraft propulsion. Various techniques for the extraction of oxygen have been developed already, with solar vapor-phase pyrolysis shown to be a promising yet understudied approach. In contrast to other techniques, it requires only locally available resources, such as unbeneficiated regolith, sunlight, and vacuum in order to liberate oxygen and oxygen-bearing molecules. This study presents experimental work conducted in a purpose-built solar-vacuum furnace showing the evaporation of sodium and iron from a regolith simulant sample and their deposition on the crucible surface.”
15. Sun Y, Su X, Zhao L, Sun T, Liu W.Carbon metabolism of a novel isolate from Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus Probio-M9 derived through space mutant.J Appl Microbiol. 2024 Aug 16;lxae205. Online ahead of print.Note: From the abstract: “Carbon source is a necessary nutrient for bacterial strain growth. In industrial production, the cost of using different carbon sources varies greatly. Moreover, the complex environment in space may cause metabolic a series of changes in the strain, and this method has been successfully applied in some basic research. To date, space mutagenesis is still limited number of studies, particularly in carbon metabolism of probiotics
16. David E, Wolfson M, Muradian KK, Fraifeld VE.The potential longevity-promoting hypoxic-hypercapnic environment as a measure for radioprotection.Biogerontology. 2024 Aug 20. Review.Note: This article is a perspective. From the abstract: “Many biological mechanisms of aging well converge with radiation’s biological effects. We used scientific insights from the field of aging to establish a novel hypoxic-hypercapnic environment (HHE) concept for radioprotection. According to this concept, HHE which possesses an anti-aging and longevity-promoting potential, should also act as a radiomitigator and radioprotector. As such, it might contribute greatly to the safety and wellbeing of individuals exposed to high levels of radiation, whether in planned events (e.g. astronauts) or in unplanned events (e.g. first responders in nuclear accidents).” This article may be obtained online without charge.
17. Kokhan VS, Chaprov K, Abaimov DA, Nesterov MS, Pikalov VA.Combined irradiation by gamma-rays and carbon-12 nuclei caused hyperlocomotion and change in striatal metabolism of rats.Life Sci Space Res. 2024 Aug 21. Online ahead of print.
18. Mizoguchi Y, Kamimura M, Kitabatake K, Uchiumi F, Aoki S, Tsukimoto M.Changing the gravity vector direction by inverted culture enhances radiation-induced cell damage.Biochem Biophys Rep. 2024 Sep;39:101792.
19. Sergeeva XV, Sharlo KA, Tyganov SA, Kalashnikov VE, Shenkman BS.Molecular signaling effects behind the spontaneous soleus muscle activity induced by 7-day rat hindlimb suspension.Int J Mol Sci. 2024 Jul 30;25(15):8316.Note: Hindlimb unloading study. This article is part of Special Issue “Cellular and Molecular Signaling Meet the Space Environment (3rd Edition)” (https://www.mdpi.com/journal/ijms/special_issues/S0P509B1W1). The Special Issue also includes an article from previous Current Awareness Lists #1,107 https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25126484. Additional articles will be forthcoming and may be found in the link to the Special Issue. This article may be obtained online without charge.
20. Swain P, Caplan N, Hughes L.Blood flow restriction: The acute effects of body tilting and reduced gravity analogues on limb occlusion pressureExp Physiol. 2024 Aug 17. Online ahead of print.Note: From the abstract: “Blood flow restriction (BFR) has been identified as a potential countermeasure to mitigate physiological deconditioning during spaceflight. Guidelines recommend that tourniquet pressure be prescribed relative to limb occlusion pressure (LOP); however, it is unclear whether body tilting or reduced gravity analogues influence LOP. We examined LOP at the leg and arm during supine bedrest and bodyweight suspension (BWS) at 6° head-down tilt (HDT), horizontal (0°), and 9.5°; head-up tilt (HUT) positions.” This article may be obtained online without charge.
21. Meemken EM, Becker-Reshef I, Klerkx L, Kloppenburg S, Wegner JD, Finger R.Digital innovations for monitoring sustainability in food systems.Nat Food. 2024 Aug 15.Note: Becker-Reshef is affiliated with NASA Harvest NASA’s Global Food Security and Agriculture Consortium. To learn more about NASA Harvest go to https://nasaharvest.org.
22. Jaskari M-M, Jauffret M-N, Kauppinen-Räisänen H.Suborbital space tourism: Doozy experiences beyond Earth.In: Ojala A, Baber WW, eds. Space Business: Emerging Theory and Practice. Singapore: Springer Nature Singapore, 2024. p. 263-90.Note: From the abstract: “This chapter delves into the experiences of actual space travelers, focusing on their experiences along the journey. The underlying premise is that the experiences occurring in various phases of the journey—pre, during, and after—each play a crucial role in shaping the holistic travel experience. In order to gain in-depth insights regarding these experiences, a qualitative study was designed using mixed methods comprising three one-to-one interviews, analysis of published interviews with six space travel astronauts, and archival data. The study contributes with insights into the unique circumstances of space travel and lived experiences of such journeys. It also introduces the concept of ‘doozy tourism’ to illustrate the specific nature of space tourism, which is characterized here as a niche of luxury tourism.”

Astrobiology, microgravity, space biology,