NASA Spaceline Current Awareness List #1,194 3 April 2026 (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. Katsev BD, Lee R, Ong J, Gibson CR, Mader TH, Waisberg E, Lipsky W, Sampige R, Berdahl J.Spaceflight-associated epiphora mechanisms and countermeasures.Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2026 Apr 1;97(4):272-8. Review.Note: From the abstract: “Epiphora, or excessive tearing, is a commonly reported symptom among those with dry eyes in the terrestrial environment. It is therefore not surprising that a higher frequency of epiphora was demonstrated among astronauts onboard both Space Transportation Shuttle and International Space Station missions. In this review paper, we discuss the pathophysiology and mechanisms of epiphora and consider the additional risk factors due to the extreme environments of spaceflight, including microgravity and, to a lesser extent, radiation.”
   
   Journal Impact Factor: 0.900
   
   Funding: C.R. Gibson is affliated with NASA Johnson Space Center.
2. Pentinat-Llurba H, Whittle RS, Robin A, Reinarz C, Laygo DB, Rao R, Herrmann M, Harrison N, Harrison C, Vera-Trallero I, Puente B, García-Alonso S, Lanéelle D, Harrison ML, Allen J, Seidler RD, Flores O, Diaz-Artiles A.Case study: Dose-dependent internal jugular vein response to lower body negative pressure in microgravity quantified by the flow directionality index.J Appl Physiol (1985). 2026 Mar 26. Online ahead of print.PI: A. Diaz-ArtilesNote: This article may be obtained online without charge.
   
   Journal Impact Factor: 3.3
   
   Funding: “This study was supported by the NASA Human Research Program (Grant Number: 80NSSC25K7363). The authors sincerely thank NASA, Novespace, and the European Space Agency (ESA) for their essential support in enabling this experiment. …”
3. Weaver A, Ong J, Sandhur BS, Sampige R, Black A, Lee AG, Berdahl J, Gibson CR, Mader TH.Anterior segment biomechanics and intraocular pressure in microgravity: Implications for future spaceflight studies.npj Microgravity. 2026 Mar 30. Review. Early access article.Note: This article may be obtained online without charge.
   
   Journal Impact Factor: 5.1
   
   Funding: C.R. Gibson is affiliated with NASA Johnson Space Center.
4. Kim H, Park E-S, Kim MS, Baek I, Costine B, Spencer LE, O’Rourke A, Lee H, Kim G, Mo C, Cho B-K.Deep learning-driven hyperspectral imaging for drought stress detection in dragoon lettuce for space production.Comput Electron Agric. 2026 Feb 15;242:111321.Journal Impact Factor: 8.9
   
   Funding: B. Costine, L.E. Spencer, and A. O’Rourke are affiliated with NASA Kennedy Space Center.
5. Murphy NA, Ruben MA, Stosic M, Renier LA, Schlegel K, Hall JA, Mast MS, Marroquín B.How long? How many? How much? Evidence of convergent validity among thin-slice behavioral coding metrics.J Nonverbal Behav. 2025 Sep;49(3):307-23.Note: This article may be obtained online without charge.
   
   Journal Impact Factor: 1.7
   
   Funding: M. Stosic is affiliated with NASA Johnson Space Center.

Other papers of interest:

1. Asrar FM, Wilmore B.Spaceflight medical risk management: NASA’s Crew-11 mission.Lancet. 2026 Mar 28;407(10535):1229.Note: This article may be obtained online without charge.
2. Perez-Poch A.Computational model estimates of cardiovascular deconditioning due to long-term microgravity exposure in space missions.AIAA SCITECH 2026 Forum. 2026 Jan 8. Online ahead of print.Note: This is from Session: Biological Sciences in Reduced Gravity and has not been formally peer-reviewed.
3. Seenivasan R, Pachiyappan JK, Marimuthu A, Halagali P, Kuppusamy G, Nayak PG, Tippavajhala VK.Gut microbiota shifts in spaceflight: A case study evidence and countermeasures for microbial homeostasis.3 Biotech. 2026 Mar 31;16(4):152.Note: This article may be obtained online without charge.
4. Stephenson S, Pratte JE, Sawyer J, Parmar P, Nelson A, Anderson A.Principles for transitioning to palliative comfort care in exploration spaceflight.Life Sci Space Res. 2026 Mar 31. Review. Online ahead of print.
5. Barros-Delben P, Skorupa A, Barros-Delben P, Barros-Delben N, Olivlet L, Weeresinghe R, Mendes T, Marques-Quinteiro P, Gonzalez LE, Silvestre D.Analog habitat health and safety protocol: Replicable standard system for analyzing data related to human factors in simulations.Life Sci Space Res. 2026 Jan 29. Online ahead of print.Note: From the abstract: “As space exploration emerges as the next frontier for humanity, challenges related to health and safety in isolated, confined, and extreme (ICE) environments become increasingly relevant. This study examines the development of integrated monitoring protocols to establish a replicable standard for collecting and analyzing human factors indicators in both analogous and real space missions, adapting existing approaches from polar environments.”
6. Bathe-Peters M, Sohail I, Sirbu A, Schneider K, Patriarchi T, Anilkumar A, Lichterfeld Y, Liemersdorf C, de Lanerolle P, Annibale P.Effects of altered gravity on adrenergic-mediated cAMP signalling in intact cells.npj Microgravity. 2026 Mar 30. Early access article.Note: From the article: “We set out to measure the effect of altered gravity on the β -AR signaling cascade, by monitoring downstream cAMP production in HEK293 cells transiently expressing the FRET biosensor EPAC – S H187 18, and monitoring FRET changes using a sensitized emission approach. Altered gravity conditions were achieved by either placing cells in a clinostat machine, which simulates microgravity (µg), or in a centrifuge that generates hypergravity conditions corresponding to 2g.” This article may be obtained online without charge.
7. Baldassarre G, Porcelli S, Zuccarelli L, Brocca L, Arboit N, Gobbo L, Lacerenza M, Marciano A, Motto C, Sanguin G, Gasparini M, Šimunič B, Pišot R, Narici M, Grassi B.Bedrest decreases resting skeletal muscle O₂ uptake and resting energy expenditure in young and elderly subjects.Exp Physiol. 2026 Apr 2. Online ahead of print.Note: This article may be obtained online without charge.
8. Idris M, Qaisar R.Conserved metabolic suppression and species specific divergence in muscle disuse transcriptomes.Life Sci Space Res. 2026 Apr 2. Online ahead of print.Note: From the abstract: “We analyzed publicly available RNA-seq and microarray datasets from human models including head-down tilt bedrest (HDBR), dry immersion (DI), and unilateral lower limb suspension (ULLS), and hindlimb unloading (HU), denervation (DEN), and cast immobilization (CI).”
9. Evetts S.The astronaut workout.New Scientist. 2026 Mar 28;269(3588):34-7.
10. Goncharova AG, Pastushkova LH, Luchitskaya ES, Kashirina DN, Nosovsky AM, Goncharov IN, Kireev KS, Larina IM.Protein marker ST2 and myocardial mapping of cosmonauts after spaceflight.Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2026 Apr 1;97(4):243-8.Note: From the abstract: “Venous blood for ST2 level assessment from nine Russian cosmonauts was collected 30 d before launch and on the first and seventh days after landing. The cardiac MRI sessions with T1- and T2-mapping of the heart were conducted before launch and on the fourth day after landing.”
11. Jian H, Xiao Y, Xiao X, Yan J, Tu Z.AstroHSP: A hybrid supervision framework for robust monocular astronaut pose estimation.Neural Networks. 2026 Aug;200:108875.Note: From the abstract: “Accurate 3D human pose estimation is critical for astronaut safety and ergonomic analysis, yet it remains a fundamental challenge under severe deformation, heavy self-occlusion, and extreme domain shift, particularly in the absence of 3D ground-truth annotations. To address this problem, we propose AstroHSP, a robust two-stage framework that integrates domain-adaptive 2D pose estimation with uncertainty-aware 3D pose lifting.”
12. Kubota K, Tsuda S, Kubota A.From aeromedical evacuation to planetary habitation: A PubMed-based historical mapping review of aerospace nursing (1946-2025).Nurs Inq. 2026 Mar 30;33(2):e70098. Review.Note: This article may be obtained online without charge.
13. Liu L, Cui Y, Wu R, Yang J, Li Y.Mechanisms of rat gastrocnemius muscular atrophy induced by hindlimb unloading.Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2026 Apr 1;97(4):226-34.Note: This article may be obtained online without charge.
14. Lyons HE, Nikitaras V, Arman BM, McIlfatrick SM, Nottle MB, Gonzalez MB, McPherson NO.Simulated microgravity alters sperm navigation, fertilization and embryo development in mammals.Commun Biol. 2026 Mar 26;9:401.Note: This article may be obtained online without charge.
15. Premasiri S, Antico M, Naotunna Andarage I, Li Z, Fontanarosa D.Ultrasound-based assessment of jugular vein alterations in response to simulated microgravity and countermeasures: A systematic review.Ultrasound Med Biol. 2026 Mar 27. Review.Note: This article may be obtained online without charge.
16. Prokopidis K, Daubrah-Scott T, Varanoske A, Morwani-Mangnani J, Church DD, Deane CS, Phillips BE, Arentson-Lantz EJ.The effects of bedrest on cardiometabolic health: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Exp Physiol. 2026 Mar 19. Online ahead of print.Note: This article may be obtained online without charge.
17. Robin A, Navasiolava N, Bergouignan A, Laurens C, Frassin L, Larrouy D, de Glisezinski I, Harant-Farrugia I, Simon C, Traon AP, Kermorgant M, Vico L, Fernandez P, Linossier MT, Chopard A, Py G, Tipton M, Tessier A, Moal V, Green DA, Choukér A, Moser D, Denise P, Normand H, Rosnet E, Bareille MP, Billette de Villemeur R, Gauquelin-Koch G, Antunes I, Van Ombergen A, Custaud MA.Sex-specific cardiometabolic responses during microgravity simulation in European Space Agency VIVALDI dry immersion.Commun Med (Lond). 2026 Mar 30. Early access article.Note: This article may be obtained online without charge.
18. Sararat C, Jiravejchakul N, Nawattanapaiboon K, Modchang C.Modeling the risk of airborne transmission of respiratory viruses in microgravity.npj Microgravity. 2026 Apr 1. Early access article.Note: This article may be obtained online without charge.
19. Saveko A, Bekreneva M, Ponomarev I, Shigueva T, Rukavishnikov I, Tomilovskaya E.Reorganization of human gait and foot pressure patterns after 1-week dry immersion.Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2026 Apr 1;97(4):235-42.
20. Sharma G, Ahmed MMA, Ali T, Boudreau PD, Curtis PD.Microgravity effects on secondary metabolism of plant-affecting bacteria.Microbiol Spectr. 2026 Mar 30;e0223925. Online ahead of print.Note: This article may be obtained online without charge.
21. Villena-Giménez A, Legarda EG, González R, Castiglioni VG, Elena SF.Cosmic silence and viral noise: Transcriptomic crosstalk in Caenorhabditis elegans under simulated space conditions.Front Microbiol. 2026 Mar 17;17:1781245.Note: A random positioning machine was used in this study to simulate microgravity. This article may be obtained online without charge.
22. Winther Nielsen C, Villekjaelig;r Østerballe A, Leisgaard Tougaard R, Struble J, Godsk Larsen R, Lohmann B, Jaekel P, Weber T, de Zee M, De Martino E.Kinematic analysis of the European enhanced exploration exercise device in unpowered mode.npj Microgravity. 2026 Mar 30. Early access article.Note: From the abstract: “Unlike earlier short-duration lunar missions, current exploration-class missions include extended periods of microgravity exposure prior to lunar surface operations. Current exercise systems on the International Space Station are bulky and power-intensive, limiting their applicability for deep space missions. The European Enhanced Exploration Exercise Device (E4D) addresses these constraints by combining aerobic and resistive exercises in a compact, multifunctional device. This study compared kinematics and perceived exertion between exercises performed on E4D’s unpowered mode and conventional gym equipment.” This article may be obtained online without charge.
23. Zhang B, Shen G, Tuo C, Zhang H, Sun Y, Dong Y, Zhang S, Liu L, Zhang X.Solar UV irradiance for biological exposure experiments on the China Space Station.Astrobiology. 2026 Feb;26(2):108-13.
24. Zhang Q, Li S, Wang N, Li F, Jiang N, Fu S, Wang S, Liu Y, Chen H, Zhao Y, Liu X.Ginsenoside Rg₁ restores neural stem cell homeostasis in simulated microgravity via MAPK/AKT-vimentin axis.Chin Herb Med. 2026 Mar 23. Online ahead of print.Note: This article may be obtained online without charge.
25. Zhou H, Wang W, Wang A, Shi S, Zhang Y, Wang X.Effects of simulated microgravity on osseointegration of titanium implants and the interventional role of icariin combined with exercise.Microgravity Sci Technol. 2026 Mar 14;38(2):22.Note: From the article: “A total of 24 male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats (200 ± 20 g) were randomly assigned into four groups (n = 6 per group): a normal gravity control group (Group A, CON), a simulated microgravity group using hindlimb unloading (Group B, SMG), a simulated microgravity group with icariin intervention (Group C, SMG + ICA), and a simulated microgravity group with combined icariin and treadmill exercise intervention (Group D, SMG + ICA+EXER).” This article may be obtained online without charge.
26. Reiss C, Feng JC.Redshifted civilizations, galactic empires, and the Fermi paradox.Acta Astronaut. 2026 Apr 2. Online ahead of print.Note: From the article: “In this article, we show that both special and general relativity offer some possibilities for travelers (which we assume to have finite lifespans) in a future human civilization to explore a significant portion of the galaxy without invoking new or exotic physics and without sacrificing for the possibility of reunion with individuals that remain at home.”

Astrobiology, space biology, space medicine, microgravity, ISS, genomics, space life science,