Uneven terrain affects metabolic cost and gait in simulated complex lunar surfaces.

Objective. Upcoming missions of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to the Moon will include extensive human exploration of the lunar surface. Walking will be essential for many exploration tasks, and metabolic cost during ambulation on simulated complex lunar surfaces requires further characterization. In this study, ten healthy subjects (6 male and 4 female) participated in three simulated lunar terrain walking conditions at the NASA Johnson Space Center's planetary 'Rock Yard': (1) flat terrain, (2) flat terrain with obstacles, and (3) mixed terrain.Approach.Energy expenditure and gait were quantified with a wearable metabolic energy expenditure monitoring system and body-worn inertial measurement units (IMUs), respectively.Main results.It was found that participants walking on the mixed terrain, representing the highest workload condition, required significantly higher metabolic costs than in other terrain conditions (p< 0.001). Additionally, our novel IMU-based gait variables discriminated different terrains and identified changes in gait in simulated lunar terrain environments.Significance.Our results showed that the various surface irregularities and inconsistencies could cause additional physical effort while walking on the complex terrain. These findings provide insight into the effects of terrain on metabolic energy expenditure during simulated lunar extravehicular activities.

Comparative pulmonary toxicities of lunar dusts and terrestrial dusts (TiO2 & SiO2) in rats and an assessment of the impact of particle-generated oxidants on the dusts' toxicities.

Humans will set foot on the Moon again soon. The lunar dust (LD) is potentially reactive and could pose an inhalation hazard to lunar explorers. We elucidated LD toxicity and investigated the toxicological impact of particle surface reactivity (SR) using three LDs, quartz, and TiO2. We first isolated the respirable-size-fraction of an Apollo-14 regolith and ground two coarser samples to produce fine LDs with increased SR. SR measurements of these five respirable-sized dusts, determined by their in-vitro ability to generate hydroxyl radicals (•OH), showed that ground LDs > unground LD ≥ TiO2 ≥ quartz. Rats were each intratracheally instilled with 0, 1, 2.5, or 7.5 mg of a test dust. Toxicity biomarkers and histopathology were assessed up to 13 weeks after the bolus instillation. All dusts caused dose-dependent-increases in pulmonary lesions and toxicity biomarkers. The three LDs, which possessed mineral compositions/properties similar to Arizona volcanic ash, were moderately toxic. Despite a 14-fold •OH difference among these three LDs, their toxicities were indistinguishable. Quartz produced the lowest •OH amount but showed the greatest toxicity. Our results showed no correlation between the toxicity of mineral dusts and their ability to generate free radicals. We also showed that the amounts of oxidants per neutrophil increased with doses, time and the cytotoxicity of the dusts in the lung, which supports our postulation that dust-elicited neutrophilia is the major persistent source of oxidative stress. These results and the discussion of the crucial roles of the short-lived, continuously replenished neutrophils in dust-induced pathogenesis are presented.

NON-TARGETED EFFECTS LEAD TO A PARIDIGM SHIFT IN RISK ASSESSMENT FOR A MISSION TO THE EARTH'S MOON OR MARTIAN MOON PHOBOS.

Cancer risk is an important limitation for galactic cosmic ray (GCR) exposures, which consist of a wide-energy range of protons, heavy ions and secondary radiation produced in shielding and tissues. Many studies suggest non-targeted effects (NTEs) occur for low doses of high-linear energy transfer (LET) radiation, leading to deviation from the linear dose response model used in radiation protection. We investigate corrections to quality factors (QF) for NTEs, which are used in predictions of fatal cancer risks for exploration missions. Prediction of fatal cancer risks for missions to the Martian moon, Phobos of 500-d and the Earth's moon of 365-d for average solar minimum condition show increases of 2- to 4-fold higher in the NTE model compared with the conventional model. Limitations in estimating uncertainties in NTE model parameters due to sparse radiobiology data at low doses are discussed.

Spatio-temporal patterns of attacks on human and economic losses from wildlife in Chitwan National Park, Nepal.

Wildlife attacks on humans and economic losses often result in reduced support of local communities for wildlife conservation. Information on spatial and temporal patterns of such losses in the highly affected areas contribute in designing and implementing effective mitigation measures. We analyzed the loss of humans, livestock and property caused by wildlife during 1998 to 2016, using victim family's reports to Chitwan National Park authorities and Buffer Zone User Committees. A total of 4,014 incidents were recorded including attacks on humans, livestock depredation, property damage and crop raiding caused by 12 wildlife species. In total >400,000 US dollar was paid to the victim families as a relief over the whole period. Most of the attacks on humans were caused by rhino, sloth bear, tiger, elephant, wild boar and leopard. A significantly higher number of conflict incidents caused by rhino and elephant were observed during full moon periods. An increase in the wildlife population did not coincide with an equal rise in conflict incidents reported. Underprivileged ethnic communities were attacked by wildlife more frequently than expected. Number of attacks on humans by carnivores and herbivores did not differ significantly. An insignificant decreasing trend of wildlife attacks on humans and livestock was observed with significant variation over the years. Tiger and leopard caused >90% of livestock depredation. Tigers killed both large (cattle and buffalo) and medium sized (goat, sheep, pig) livestock but leopard mostly killed medium sized livestock. Most (87%) of the livestock killing during 2012-2016 occurred within the stall but close (<500m) to the forest edge. Both the percentage of households with livestock and average holding has decreased over the years in buffer zone. Decreased forest dependency as well as conflict mitigation measures (electric and mesh wire fences) have contributed to keep the conflict incidents in control. Strengthening mitigation measures like construction of electric or mesh wire fences and predator-proof livestock corrals along with educating local communities about wildlife behavior and timely management of problem animals (man-eater tiger, rage elephant etc.) will contribute to reduce the conflict.

Influência do ciclo lunar na frequência de admissões hospitalares na maternidade: estudo retrospectivo / Influencia del ciclo lunar en la frecuencia de admisiones hospitalarias en la maternidad: estudio retrospectivo / Influence of the lunar cycle on the frequency of maternity hospital admissions: a retrospective study

Objetivo analisar se a frequência de admissões hospitalares na maternidade sofre influência do ciclo lunar. Método estudo analítico, documental, retrospectivo, com abordagem quantitativa, desenvolvido em uma maternidade no Sul do Brasil, no período de julho de 2013 a julho de 2014. A amostra foi composta por 845 prontuários de parturientes. A análise dos dados foi do tipo descritiva e utilizou-se teste exato de Fischer e Qui-Quadrado. Resultados aproximadamente 84% (n=709) das mulheres não foram admitidas na maternidade cenário do estudo durante os dias de mudança de Lua e não houve diferença significativa entre o número de admissões em cada fase lunar, determinando (p=0,1116). Conclusão evidenciou-se que as mudanças de fase da Lua não foram fatores determinantes para o aumento da demanda de cuidados obstétricos e admissão hospitalar na instituição cenário deste estudo.

Objetivo analizar si la frecuencia de admisiones hospitalarias en la maternidad recibe influencia del ciclo lunar. Método estudio analítico, documental, retrospectivo, con abordaje cuantitativo, desarrollado en una maternidad del Sur de Brasil, entre julio de 2013 y julio de 2014. Muestra integrada por 845 historias clínicas de parturientas. Datos estudiados por análisis descriptivo; se utilizó test exacto de Fischer y Chi-cuadrado. Resultados aproximadamente el 84% (n=709) de las mujeres no fueron admitidas en la maternidad sede del estudio durante los días de cambio de luna, y no hubo diferencia significativa entre el número de admisiones en cada fase lunar, determinando (p=0,1116). Conclusión se evidenció que los cambios de fase lunar no constituyeron factores determinantes para incremento de la demanda de cuidados obstétricos y admisión hospitalaria en la institución sede del estudio.

Objective to analyze whether the frequency of maternity hospitals admissions is influenced by the lunar cycle. Method an analytical, documentary, and retrospective study with a quantitative approach was carried out in a maternity hospital in the South of Brazil from July 2013 to July 2014. The sample was made up of 845 medical records of pregnant women. A descriptive data analysis was carried out with the use of the Fisher's exact test and chi-square test. Results approximately 84% (n=709) of the pregnant women were not admitted to the maternity hospital setting of the present study during the days of lunar change and no significant difference in the number of admissions in each lunar phase was found, determining p=0.1116. Conclusion it was evidenced that lunar phase changes were not determining factors for the increase in the demand of obstetric care and hospital admission in the institution setting of the present study.

Modeling the reflectance of the lunar regolith by a new method combining Monte Carlo Ray tracing and Hapke's model with application to Chang'E-1 IIM data.

In this paper, we model the reflectance of the lunar regolith by a new method combining Monte Carlo ray tracing and Hapke's model. The existing modeling methods exploit either a radiative transfer model or a geometric optical model. However, the measured data from an Interference Imaging spectrometer (IIM) on an orbiter were affected not only by the composition of minerals but also by the environmental factors. These factors cannot be well addressed by a single model alone. Our method implemented Monte Carlo ray tracing for simulating the large-scale effects such as the reflection of topography of the lunar soil and Hapke's model for calculating the reflection intensity of the internal scattering effects of particles of the lunar soil. Therefore, both the large-scale and microscale effects are considered in our method, providing a more accurate modeling of the reflectance of the lunar regolith. Simulation results using the Lunar Soil Characterization Consortium (LSCC) data and Chang'E-1 elevation map show that our method is effective and useful. We have also applied our method to Chang'E-1 IIM data for removing the influence of lunar topography to the reflectance of the lunar soil and to generate more realistic visualizations of the lunar surface.

Decelerated invasion and waning-moon patterns in public goods games with delayed distribution.

We study the evolution of cooperation in the spatial public goods game, focusing on the effects that are brought about by the delayed distribution of goods that accumulate in groups due to the continuous investments of cooperators. We find that intermediate delays enhance network reciprocity because of a decelerated invasion of defectors, who are unable to reap the same high short-term benefits as they do in the absence of delayed distribution. Long delays, however, introduce a risk because the large accumulated wealth might fall into the wrong hands. Indeed, as soon as the curvature of a cooperative cluster turns negative, the engulfed defectors can collect the heritage of many generations of cooperators and by doing so start a waning-moon pattern that nullifies the benefits of decelerated invasion. Accidental meeting points of growing cooperative clusters may also act as triggers for the waning-moon effect, thus linking the success of cooperators with their propensity to fail in a rather bizarre way. Our results highlight that "investing in the future" is a good idea only if that future is sufficiently near and not likely to be burdened by inflation.