Risks of the Vision System Lesion during a Long Space Flight

The article describes the factors of a long-term space flight associated with the risk of ocular pathology, including the established risk of space neuroocular syndrome (SANS). The mechanisms of intraocular hydrodynamic disturbance and their potential role in the development of SANS are considered. The results of the studies concerning the hydrodynamics of the eye in the conditions of simulated microgravity are presented.

Radiation-induced curcumin release from curcumin–chitosan polymer films

The probability of human exposure to damaging radiation is increased in activities associated with long-term space flight, medical radiation therapies, and responses to nuclear accidents.

Decrease of Effects of Mutagenic Factors on a Human Body Under Conditions of a Long-Term Space Flight

The paper presents the results of experiments conducted in order to develop a simplified technology for producing fermented milk probiotic foods aboard a manned space complex (MSC). Since a variety of mutagenic factors attacks the human body during a long-term space flight, one can assume that at some moment the compensatory abilities of the human immune system will be completely exhausted. The developed technology was shown to be a single-stage operation (“Just add water” technology) and requires neither additional equipment nor special knowledge in microbiology for its implementation. The technology was successfully tested aboard the ISS. The samples of fermented milk foods obtained by the crews of the ISS-50 and 52 have a high probiotic potential, so the said technology can be recommended for producing the treatment-prophylactic product during long-term space missions.

Decreased metabolism and increased tolerability to extreme environment in Staphylococcus warneri with long-term space flight

Background:Many studies have shown that space environment can affect bacteria to cause a range of mutations. However, so far, there are less studies on the effects of long-term space flight (>1 month) on bacteria. In this study, a Staphylococcus warneri strain, which was isolated from the Shenzhou-10 spacecraft that had experienced a space flight (15-day), was carried into space again. After 64-day flight, the combined phenotypic, genomic, transcriptomic and proteomic analyses were performed to compare the influence of the two space flights on this bacteria. Results: Compared with short-term space flight, long-term space flight increased the biofilm formation ability of S. warneri and the cell wall resistance to external environment stress, but reduced the sensitivity to chemical stimulation. Further analysis showed that these changes might be related to the significantly up-regulated gene expression of phosphotransferase system, which regulated glucose metabolism pathway, including glucose, mannose, fructose and cellobiose. The mutation of S. warneri caused by 15-day space flight was limited at phenotype and gene level after ground culture. Conclusion: After a 79-day space flight, the changes of S. warneri are meaningful. Phosphotransferase system of S. warneri was up-regulated by long-term space stimulation, which resulted in a series of changes in cell wall, biofilm and chemical sensitivity, thus enhancing the resistance and adaptability of bacteria to the external environment.