[Medical monitoring and maintaining safety of cosmonauts on long-duration missions].

The paper considers key methodical, logistics and tactical aspects of enhancing cosmonaut's medical monitoring to ensure crew safety in long-duration space mission. Activities toward extension of the diagnostic capabilities included hardware development, choice of examination procedures and defining the content of physiological information that would be necessary and sufficient for evaluation, including in real-time, of the cardiovascular system function and capacity, planning functional tests procedures as close as possible to the generally accepted clinical protocols used in selection of candidates for cosmonauts, and pre- and post-flight examination; refining the objective criteria of test tolerance and termination, and end-of-mission LBNP training tolerance and effectiveness; constructing a fundamentally new structure for medical telemetry data acquisition and processing at the Moscow Mission Control Center (MCC-M).

[Some of the aspects of comparative analysis of the hemodynamic reactions to LBNP in cosmonauts of different age groups].

This was the first study of age-related differences of the cardiovascular system functioning and reactions to the LBNP test in career cosmonauts. Results of 174 LBNP tests performed within the standard medical monitoring program using Gamma-01 (orbital station Mir) and Gamma-lM (ISS) were subjected to comparative analysis. Thirty eight cosmonauts--members of 25 long-duration Mir and ISS missions were divided into two age groups, i.e. 30-39 y.o. (mean 36 & 0.7, 39% of all subjects) and 40-55 y.o. (mean 46 & 0.8, 61% of all subjects). The testing was performed before launch and in flight (typically on FD-120). Age-specifc changes in the hemodynamic status were recorded in resting cosmonauts pre-flight and in spaceflight microgravity; relative dynamics of the CV parameters in response to standing posture imitation was on one and the same patterns and yet demonstrated unequal intensity before and in flight. Test results implicate that analysis and interpretation of cosmonauts' medical monitoring data should take into account individual age, which is of particular practical importance when dealing with the LBNP test data obtained in different periods of space flight.

[Medical provisions for non-career cosmonauts on short-duration flights to the International Space Station].

The paper presents the factual data about 6 participants in short-duration space flights of three age groups (according to the WHO classification). The scope of medical care for three young SFPs whose health status was qualified as good replicated the program adopted in Russia for crewmembers trained for short-duration orbital flights. To safeguard three SFPs of middle and elderly age among whom two had deviations in body functions, the standard medical care program was reinforced by prescription of corrective pharmaceuticals to be taken during space flight, supply of personal kits with preventive medicine, inclusion of additional examinations into the standard medical monitoring and modification of the in-flight countermeasure program, if necessary. As a result, all the SFPs missions were accomplished safely and successfully.

[Medical care for Russian cosmonauts' health on the ISS].

Established with the personal participation of O.G. Gazenko, the Russian system of medical care for cosmonauts' health has been largely preserved till this day. The system was fully functional on board the orbital complex MIR and, with appropriate modifications, has been adopted as a core of the medical care for Russian members of the ISS crews. In the period of 2000-2008, 22 cosmonauts were members of 17 ISS increments from 140 to 216 days in duration. The main functions of the medical care system were to control health, physical and mental performance, and to support implementation of space researches. The flow of readaptation to the normal gravity was, in most cases similar to what has been typical on return from the Russian orbital stations; some deviations are accounted for by application of the in-flight countermeasures. The paper familiarizes reader with some aspects of the theoretical work of academician O.G. Gazenko in the field of medical care in space flight. It outlines the principles of ISS medical management. The integrated medical support system combines medical equipment and items available on the Russian and US segments; the integrated medical group consists of flight surgeons, medical experts and biomedical engineers of the international partners and coordinates planning and implementation of medical operations. Also, challenges of health care on the phase of ISS utilization are defined.

[Cell wall teichoic acids from Streptomyces daghestanicus VKM Ac-1722T and Streptomyces murinus INA-00524T].

The structure of cell wall teichoic acids was studied by chemical methods and NMR spectroscopy in the type strains of two actinomycete species of the "Streptomyces griseoviridis" phenetic cluster: Streptomyces daghestanicus and Streptomyces murinus. S. daghestanicus VKM Ac-1722T contained two polymers having a 1,5-poly(ribitol phosphate) structure. In one of them, the ribitol units had alpha-rhamnopyranose and 3-O-methyl-alpha-rhamnopyranose substituents; in the other, each ribitol unit was carrying 2,4-ketal-bound pyruvic acid. Such polymers were earlier found in the cell walls of Streptomyces roseolus and Nocardiopsis albus, respectively; however, their simultaneous presence in the cell wall has never been reported. The cell wall teichoic acid of Streptomyces murinus INA-00524T was is a 1,5-poly(glucosylpolyol phosphate), whose repeating unit was [-6)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1 --> 2)-glycerol phosphate-(3-P-]. Such a teichoic acid was earlier found in Spirilliplanes yamanashiensis. The 13C NMR spectrum of this polymer is presented for the first time. The results of the present investigation, together with earlier published data, show that the type strains of four species of the "Streptomyces griseoviridis" phenetic cluster differ in the composition and structure of their teichoic acids; thus, teichoic acids may serve as chemotaxonomic markers of the species.

Some changes of the heart bioelectric activity at the cosmonauts under the influence of LBNP in the long duration flights.

There was selected the group of the cosmonauts, who carry out long duration flights on the orbital complex "Mir", in which the tolerance of LBNP test was evaluated as poor (by hemodynamic indices--heart rate, arterial pressure, rheoencephalographic indices). The in-depth analysis of the electrocardiogram (in DS leads) indices was carry oiled on possible disturbances of conductivity and dynamics of temporary or amplitude characteristics. Furthermore is carry oiled the comparative estimation of these indices with the results of ECG analysis at the cosmonauts, who tolerance test good. Studies showed that the most informative ECG indices are the R, T-amplitudes and QT-interval. Under the influence of LBNP, especially during rarefactions on 45 and 50 mm Hg was noted reduction in the R, T-amplitude and the relative extension of QT-interval. The directivity of changes in these indices are identical for the cosmonauts with good and poor tolerance of the test; however in flight manifestation of the changes is more significant for the cosmonauts with poor tolerance of LBNP test. Thus, in the formation of orthostatic stability together with the hemodynamic influences take part the bioelectric processes, which are formed in the myocardium.

[Dynamics of some electrocardiographic parameters in cosmonauts during long-term Mir mission]. / Dinamika nekotorykh élektrokardiograficheskikh pokazatelei u kosmonavtov v dlitel'nykh kosmicheskikh poletakh na orbital'nom komplekse "Mir".

The paper deals with the results of electrocardiographic investigations of relatively resting 59 cosmonauts at the age of 30 to 52 during long-term space missions. Heart rate (HR), T-wave amplitude and an electric systole interval were analyzed. During their missions, the cosmonauts consistently combined HR rises with aggravated repolarization manifested by a relative elongation of the phase and T-depression. All alterations were statistically significant (p < 0.05); however, no pathology was detected in the myocardial bioelectrical activity. With this dynamics, values of the parameters under study did not, as a rule, leave the boundaries of the physiological norm.

[The application of succession analysis in combination with extremely high-frequency irradiation to the selective isolation of actinomycetes from soil]. / Primenenie suktsessionnogo analiza v kombinatsii s KVCH-islucheniem dlia selektivnogo vydeleniia aktinomitsetov iz pochvy.

A new method employing succession analysis and extremely high-frequency (EHF) irradiation is proposed for the selective isolation of actinomycetes from soil. Total actinomycetes were efficiently isolated from soil suspensions irradiated in the wavelength band 4.6-5.8 mm on the 14th and 45th days of succession initiated by soil wetting and from soil suspensions irradiated in the wavelength band 8-11.5 mm on the 7th day of succession. The rare actinomycete genera Actinomadura, Micromonospora, Nonomuraea, Microbispora, Amycolatopsis, Pseudonocardia, Saccharothrix, Streptosporangium, Actinosynnema, Nocardioides, and Saccharopolyspora were isolated by either of the two approaches (succession analysis and EHF irradiation); however, the range of isolated rare actinomycetes was considerably wider when the combination of the two approaches was used. For instance, actinomycetes of the rare genera Actinocorallia, Promicromonospora, Actinoplanes, and Kibdelosporangium were isolated only when EHF irradiation was employed at the early stages of succession.

[Functional state of the cardiovascular system of cosmonauts at rest in long-term space flight]. / Funktsional'noe sostoianie serdechno-sosudistoi sistemy kosmonavtov v pokoe v dlitel'nykh kosmicheskikh poletakh]

Analyzed were data of investigation of a group of cosmonauts who participated in long-term Mir missions (125 to 438 days). The scope of investigations made in resting cosmonauts (279 before and 234 in flight) allowed classification of the cardiovascular system functioning in three types depending on the cardiac index. Correlation between circulation type and genetic factors, age and conditions of investigations (at rest or prior to a functional test) has been established. In flight, most often the cosmonauts pointed to intensification of the chronotropic function of the heart, increase in minute volume, rises in the end-systolic blood pressure (BPes) and systolic pressure in the pulmonary artery, hyperkinetic circulation, particularly before functional testing. However, values of the parameters under study did not leave the borderlines of the physiological and, as a rule, age norms. An in-depth analysis revealed three types of reaction to microgravity. Increase in minute volume due to the stroke volume and heart rate was concurrent with the BPes rise. Diminution of the volumes of hemocirculation and development of eukinetic circulation were not found to significantly alter BPes. There were several cosmonauts who did not display any proved shifts in the parameters.

[Work capacity evaluation and orthostatic tolerance in experiments with long-term isolation]. / Fizicheskaia rabotosposobnost' i ortostaticheskaia ustoichivost' v éksperimentakh s dlitel'noi izoliatsiei.

Orthostatic tolerance (OT) and physical performance were tested against the ground simulation of several spaceflight factors. Before and after prolonged isolation and confinement three human subjects were tested by tilting, LBNP, and graded incremental aerobic exercise in the sitting position. Results suggested good OT in all the subjects. However, the pattern of orthostatic reaction was modified depending on the initial functional state of each subject. This was especially distinct in subjects 002 and 003 whose OT was slightly reduced by the experimental conditions. Orthostatic reactions in subject 004 showed greater stability in the baseline data collection period and was not much affected by isolation and confinement. HR variations at rest carried an individual character. On the whole, HR tended downward, particularly in 002. Indices of AP and, to a higher degree, its systolic constituent wandered outside the region of baseline values and even the norm limits in 002 and 004. Maximum variations were documented at the end of the second (003 and 004) and the third (002) months in experiment. ECG parameters in all the operators displayed different patterns of the norm. Diffusive repolarization, especially in the left chest leads, was noted to decline in the experiment. Tolerance of LBNP was qualified as good. Meanwhile, subject 003 developed symptoms of strained functioning of compensatory/adaptive mechanisms responsible for the OT maintenance. Repeated testing by LBNP was found to raise HR. Hence, prolonged simulation of space flight causes some reduction of orthostatic and LBNP tolerance, and degradation of physical performance.

[Phosphorus-containing polysaccharides from the cell wall of Actinoplanes sp. INA 3697 cell wall]. / Fosforsoderzhashchii polisakharid kletochnoi stenki Actinoplanes sp. INA 3697.

A phosphorus-containing polysaccharide has been isolated from defatted cells of Actinoplanes sp. INA 3697. The structure of the polymer has been established by a non-destructive method including one- and two-dimensional NMR 1H-spectroscopy as well as by NMR 13C-spectroscopy and confirmed by chemical analysis of the monosaccharide composition and the repeating link. Association of the repeating units-2-acetamido-2-deoxy-beta-D-mannopyranosyl-(1-->3)-2-acetamido -2-deoxy-D-glucopyranoses, is provided by phosphodiester bonds between C1 of N-acetylglucosamine and C6 of N-acetylmannosamine. The polymer molecule is made up of about 12 disaccharides and is localized in the cell wall of the actinomycete. No structurally identical phosphorylated polysaccharides have as yet been found in prokaryotes.

[The cardiovascular system function of the cosmonauts of the 6th prime expedition on the Mir station]. / Funktsional'noe sostoianie serdechno-sosudistoi sistemy kosmonavtov shestoi osnovnoi ékspeditsii na stantsii "Mir".

Medical results of inflight cardiovascular measurements made in the 6th prime crew at rest and during provocative graded bicycle exercises and LBNP tests are presented. The methods of electrocardiography, tetrapolar rheography, kinetocardiography, arteriovenous pulsography and tacho-oscillography have been used to examine the cosmonauts. Together with regular cardiovascular changes typical of microgravity effect the individual peculiarities of developing the control mechanisms are noted. Thus in one of the cosmonauts a number of symptoms responsible for a decreased venous return. As a whole the functional state of the cardiovascular system on all flight stages was characterized by a sufficiently high physiological level.

[Comparative evaluation of various bacterial growth inhibitors as selective agents for isolation of soil Actinomyces]. / Sravnitel'naia otsenka nekotorykh ingibitorov rosta bakterii v kachestve selektivnykh agentov dlia vydeleniia pochvennykh aktinomitsetov.

Tobramycin and dioxidine sensitivity of 57 strains belonging to 14 actinomycetes genera was studied. The cultures of Streptomyces were much more sensitive to tobramycin than the cultures of rare genera. The majority of the Streptomyces cultures showed a high resistance to dioxidine (MIC greater than or equal to 50 micrograms/ml). At the same time the majority of the cultures of rare genera were inhibited by low concentrations of dioxidine (no more than 50 micrograms/ml). For isolation of actinomycetes from soil samples, tobramycin, dioxidine, ceftriaxone and novobiocin were used. Tobramycin added in a concentration of 10 micrograms/ml to the Gauze agar organic medium No. 2 promoted a 2-fold increase in detection of actinomycetes of the rare genera as compared to the control. It was especially favourable for detection of cultures belonging to Micromonospora, Amycolatopsis, Streptosporangium and Nocardiopsis. Dioxidine in concentrations of 10 and 50 micrograms/ml inhibited the growth of the cultures belonging to rare genera. Ceftriaxone in the same concentrations inhibited the growth of the cultures of both Streptomyces and the rare genera. Novobiocin favoured detection of the cultures belonging to Amicolatopsis and Micromonospora. Therefore, among the tested compounds tobramycin and novobiocin appeared to be the most useful selective agents for isolation of actinomycetes of rare genera.

[Selective medium with nalidixic acid for isolating antibiotic-producing Actinomyces]. / Selektivnaia sreda s nalidiksovoi kislotoi dlia vedeleniia aktinomitsetov--produtsentov antibiotikov.

The majority of actinomycetes belonging to various genera proved to be resistant to nalidixic acid concentrations having an inhibitory effect on bacteria with trailing growth i.e. B. subtilis and B. mycoides. The bacteria prevented isolation of actinomycetes as pure cultures. The use of a selective medium with nalidixic acid for isolation of soil actinomycetes resulted in 20 per cent increase in the number of the actinomycetes isolated as pure cultures. Preliminary treatment of the soil samples with calcium carbonate under moist conditions followed by the inoculation to the medium with nalidixic acid made it possible to increase isolation of actinomycetes at most 100-fold. With this complex method 495 actinomycete cultures were isolated, their antibiotic properties were studied and their taxonomic position at the genus level was determined. The complex method including the preliminary treatment of soil samples with calcium carbonate followed by inoculation to the selective medium with nalidixic acid is efficient and may be recommended for screening organisms producing new antibiotics.

[Use of the method of enriching of soil samples with calcium carbonate for isolation of Actinomyces]. / Primenenie metoda obogashcheniia pochvy karbonatom kal'tsiia s tsel'iu vydeleniia aktinomitsetov.

Possible application of a modified procedure for treatment of soil samples with calcium carbonate under humid conditions to isolation of actinomycetes was studied. The procedure proved to be rather efficient in regard to increasing the number of the isolates including representatives of rare genera as compared with the routine methods. The number of microorganisms isolated from the soil samples treated with calcium carbonate under humid conditions was 2 orders higher than that from untreated soil samples. 1033 actinomycete cultures were isolated from the soil samples treated in accordance with the above procedure and only 597 cultures were isolated from the untreated soil samples. The antibiotic activity of the isolates was studied and their taxonomic position at the genus level was determined. The preliminary treatment of soil samples equally stimulated development of actinomycetes belonging to different genera. It is advisable that the described procedure for isolation of actinomycetes from soil samples in screening of cultures producing new antibiotics be used in combination with other selective methods of isolation.

[Status of cardiodynamics in long-term weightlessness]. / Sostoianie kardiodinamiki v usloviiakh dlitel'noi nevesomosti.

This paper presents data on the phasic structure of the cardiac cycle of the left ventricle of cosmonauts who flew for 96 to 237 days on Salyut-6-Soyuz and Salyut-7-Soyuz. Cardiodynamic changes at rest that developed largely during the first month of flight involved a mild preload syndrome. During flight months 2 to 8 the cardiac function became relatively stabilized. Provocative tests, i. e. LBNP and exercise tests, presented inflight modified the relationship between cardiac cycle phases when compared to the Earth observations. The modifications are suggestive of predominant adrenergic effects on the heart. Analysis of the phasic structure of the cardiac cycle has revealed no cardiovascular deconditioning. All the variations can be regarded as adaptive reactions to microgravity.

[Results of medical research carried out in 1985 on prolonged space flights]. / Rezul'taty meditsinskikh issledovanii, vypolnennykh v 1986 g. v dlitel'nykh kosmicheskikh poletakh.

This paper presents medical results obtained during the fourth expedition of five cosmonauts onboard orbital complexes Salyut-7--Soyuz-T-13 and Salyut-7--Soyuz-T-14. The cardiovascular system was examined using 36 resting and provocative tests. They were performed by means of electrocardiography, tetrapolar rheography, arteriovenous pulsography and tachooscillography. In addition, body mass and leg volume were measured. The above parameters showed typical variations as well as individual changes related to the preflight circulation level and environmental effects. The use of modified regimens of provocative tests demonstrated their applicability to the assessment of the cardiovascular function in space flight.