Anatoly I. Grigoriev

Main medical results of extended flights on space station Mir in 1986–1990☆

During 1986-1990 seven prime spacecrews (16 cosmonauts) have flown on-board the Mir orbital complex. The longest space mission duration was 366 days The principal objectives of the medical tasks were the maintenance of good health and performance of the spacecrews and conducting medical research programs which included study of the cardiovascular, motor, endocrine, blood, immune, and metabolic systems. Results obtained point to the ability of humans to readily adapt to a year-long stay in space and maintain good health and performance. Readaptation had a similar course as after other previous long-term space flights of up to 8 months in duration. Primary body system changes were not qualitatively different from findings after flights aboard the Salyut 6 and 7 space stations. In this case, during and after an 11-12 month flight, body system alterations were even less severe which was a result of adequate countermeasure use, their systematic and creative employment and maintenance of required environments to support life and work in space.

The response of endocrine system to stress loads during space flight in human subject

The responses of endocrine system to the exposure to stress-work load and hormonal changes during oral glucose tolerance tests were studied in the Slovak astronaut before (three weeks before flight), during (on the 4th and the 6th days of space flight), and after space flight (1-3 days and 15-17 days after space flight) on board of space station MIR. Blood samples during the tests were collected via cannula inserted into cubital vein, centrifuged in the special appliance Plasma-03, frozen in Kryogem-03, and at the end of the 8-day space flight transferred to Earth in special container for hormonal analysis. Preflight workload produced an increase of plasma norepinephrine and a moderate elevation of epinephrine levels. Plasma levels of insulin, growth hormone, prolactin and cortisol were not markedly changed immediately or 10 min after the end of work load. The higher increases of plasma growth hormone, prolactin and catecholamine levels were noted after workload during space flight as compared to preflight response. The higher plasma glucose and insulin levels were noted during the oral glucose tolerance test in space flight and also in the post flight period. Plasma epinephrine levels were slightly decreasing during glucose tolerance test; however, plasma norepinephrine levels were not changed. The similar patterns of catecholamine levels during glucose tolerance test were found when compared the preflight, in-flight and post flight values. These data demonstrate the changes of the dynamic responses of endocrine system to stress-work and metabolic loads during space flight in human subject.

Non-thermal argon plasma is bactericidal for the intracellular bacterial pathogen Chlamydia trachomatis

Non-thermal plasma (NTP) is a flow of partially ionized argon gas at an ambient macroscopic temperature and is microbicidal for bacteria, viruses and fungi. Viability of the Gram-negative obligate intracellular bacterial parasite Chlamydia trachomatis and its host cells was investigated after NTP treatment. NTP treatment of C. trachomatis extracellular elementary bodies (EBs) diminished the concentration of infectious bacteria by a factor of 9×10(4), as established by the parallel infection of murine fibroblast McCoy cells with treated and control EBs. NTP treatment of infected McCoy cells caused disruption of membrane-restricted vacuoles (inclusions), where C. trachomatis intracellular reticulate bodies (RBs) multiply, and a 2×10(6)-fold reduction in the concentration of infectious bacteria. When the samples were covered with magnesium fluoride glass to obstruct plasma particles and UV rays alone were applied, the bactericidal effect was reduced 1.4×10(1)-fold and 5×10(4)-fold for EBs and RBs, respectively. NTP treatment caused the viability of host McCoy cells to diminish by 19%. Therefore, the results obtained demonstrated that (i) both extracellular and intracellular forms of C. trachomatis are sensitive to NTP treatment; (ii) the reduction in concentration of infectious bacteria after NTP treatment of infected cells is superior to the reduction in viability of host cells; and (iii) the effect of NTP on intracellular bacteria does not depend on UV rays.

Gene‐centric view on the human proteome project: The example of the Russian roadmap for chromosome 18

During the 2010 Human Proteome Organization Congress in Sydney, a gene‐centric approach emerged as a feasible and tractable scaffold for assemblage of the Human Proteome Project. Bringing the gene‐centric principle into practice, a roadmap for the 18th chromosome was drafted, postulating the limited sensitivity of analytical methods, as a serious bottleneck in proteomics. In the context of the sensitivity problem, we refer to the “copy number of protein molecules” as a measurable assessment of protein abundance. The roadmap is focused on the development of technology to attain the low‐ and ultralow ‐“copied” portion of the proteome. Roadmap merges the genomic, transcriptomic and proteomic levels to identify the majority of 285 proteins from 18th chromosome – master proteins. Master protein is the primary translation of the coding sequence and resembling at least one of the known isoforms, coded by the gene. The executive phase of the roadmap includes the expansion of the study of the master proteins with alternate splicing, single amino acid polymorphisms (SAPs) and post‐translational modifications. In implementing the roadmap, Russian scientists are expecting to establish proteomic technologies for integrating MS and atomic force microscopy (AFM). These technologies are anticipated to unlock the value of new biomarkers at a detection limit of 10−18 M, i.e. 1 protein copy per 1μL of plasma. The roadmap plan is posted at www.proteome.ru/en/roadmap/ and a forum for discussion of the document is supported.

Preliminary medical results of the Mir year-long mission.

The basic goal of medical investigations during and after the 366-day mission was to accumulate data about physiological responses to such a long exposure to microgravity. In flight, cardiovascular and other systems were examined in detail and the efficacy of countermeasures used was assessed. After flight, physiological systems were also followed very carefully. According to the preliminary data, the medical results obtained during and after flight give evidence that man can well adapt to a year-long space flight, maintaining good health and adequate work capacity. The readaptation process was very similar to that observed after shorter flights (6-11 months). As compared to former flights, no new or qualitatively different changes in the vital systems of the body were seen. The observations indicate that the duration of manned space missions can be further increased.

INFRARED SPECTROMETER PFS FOR THE MARS 94 ORBITER

PFS (the Planetary Fourier Spectrometer) covers the range 1.25 – 45 μm with spectral resolution about 2 cm−1 and angular resolution 0.035 – 0.070 rad (10 – 20 km on the Martian surface working at the periapsis). The instrument has two spectral channels: shortwavelength (SW) and longwavelength (LW) with a boundary near 5 μm. The photoconductive detector (PbSe) is used in the SW channel and the pyroelectric in LW channel. The main optical units of both channels are rotating interferometers with cubic mirror corner reflectors. The infrared radiation from Mars is directed to the interferometers by the pointing system that allows to observe selected points on the Martian surface. A “dichroic” plate splits the beam between LW and SW channels. Several hundred spectra will be obtained during one periapsis passage. These spectra will be used for investigation of Martian atmosphere (temperature and pressure vertical profiles, variations of small constituents such as H2O and CO, pressure near the surface, aerosol distribution, composition and optical depth) and some of surface properties (thermal, compositional, textural). Scientific facilities of six countries (Italy, Russia, Germany, Poland, France and Spain) cooperate in the work on this experiment.

New Functions of Small Nucleolar RNAs

Small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) are one of the most abundant and well-studied groups of non-coding RNAs. snoRNAs are mostly engaged in processing of rRNA. However, recent data indicate that snoRNAs are also involved in other processes including regulation of alternative splicing, translation and oxidative stress. snoRNAs are also involved in pathogenesis of some hereditary diseases and cancer. Therefore, the range of snoRNAs’ functions is significantly wider than it has been assumed earlier.

Evolution of Telemedicine in Russia: The Influence of the Space Program on Modern Telemedicine Programs

Telemedicine education and application throughout Russia has its roots in Russias space program. The concepts of telemedicine have evolved during the course of 40 years of space exploration. This paper reviews the evolution of telemedicine and the achievements of the Soviet/Russian Space Program.

The impact of oxygen in physiological regulation of human multipotent mesenchymal cell functions

Significant progress in studying cellular mechanisms of tissue homeostasis and physiological remodeling has been made in recent decades. Undifferentiated cells, such as multipotent mesenchymal stromal (stem) cells (MMSCs), play an important role in these processes. MMSCs were found in practically all organs occupying specific tissue niches associated with the perivascular spaces. The main characteristic of MMSCs is their ability, on the one hand, to provide structural integrity of tissues and, on the other hand, to respond to paracrine stimuli and migrate to damaged target tissues, which promotes tissue reparation. A low partial oxygen tension is the main feature of the physiological and regeneration microenvironment, which may significantly modify stromal cell properties. This review analyzes the recent data on MMSC tissue niches in terms of the integration of these cells into a comprehensive system of physiological and reparative tissue remodeling and the role of partial oxygen pressure in the fulfillment of the MMSC potential.

Application of 2-DE for studying the variation of blood proteome

2D electrophoresis (2-DE) is still a widely used proteomic method despite the availability of high-throughput approaches for protein identification. However, a literature survey only revealed a relatively small number of 2-DE-based studies of human blood proteome. We critically reviewed comparative 2-DE-based proteomic studies, in which groups of patients under examination involved more than ten individuals. Limitation on the number of samples is explained by the requirement to take into account the individual variation of blood proteome. The scanty amount of statistical data on quantitative variations of normal blood proteome may be one of the reasons for the poor applicability of proteomic biomarkers in clinical diagnostics.