Life Sciences in Space Research最新文献

{"title":"Advancements in health monitoring technologies for astronauts in deep space missions: A Review","authors":"Rabhya Gupta ,&nbsp;Partho S. Ghosh","doi":"10.1016/j.lssr.2025.06.011","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.lssr.2025.06.011","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Health monitoring for astronauts is critical to ensure the safety and well-being of crew members during long-duration space missions. This paper presents an overview of the technologies developed to monitor various physiological parameters in space, focusing on the challenges posed by the space environment, including microgravity, radiation, and isolation. The paper reviews the evolution of wearable health monitoring systems and analyzes key advancements in sensor technology, AI-driven diagnostics, and data transmission. It evaluates past and present systems, highlighting trends such as improved sensor accuracy, miniaturization for enhanced wearability, and the shift from Earth-dependent monitoring to autonomous, AI-supported health assessments. Despite these advancements, challenges remain, including sensor complexity, data processing limitations, and system longevity. Based on this evaluation, the paper proposes a framework for a next-generation health monitoring system to optimize astronaut health monitoring in deep space. This system integrates minimal yet strategic physiological sensors, machine learning-driven predictive diagnostics, efficient data compression, and adaptive sensing. This review aims to provide insights into the strengths and gaps of existing technologies while suggesting potential advancements for future space missions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18029,"journal":{"name":"Life Sciences in Space Research","volume":"47 ","pages":"Pages 190-196"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-07-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144679019","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"From the desk of the editor in chief","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.lssr.2025.07.004","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.lssr.2025.07.004","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":18029,"journal":{"name":"Life Sciences in Space Research","volume":"46 ","pages":"Page 201"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-07-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144633358","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Heart rate variability (HRV) changes during the fatigue progression of manual material handling in acute hypobaric hypoxia environments","authors":"Chao Sun ,&nbsp;Xiaoxue Yan ,&nbsp;Li Ding ,&nbsp;Jing Zhang ,&nbsp;Jiachen Nie ,&nbsp;Qing Zhang ,&nbsp;Junhui Huang ,&nbsp;Yiyang Zhao ,&nbsp;Zhongqi Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.lssr.2025.07.002","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.lssr.2025.07.002","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>To support National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) lunar habitat plans utilizing hypobaric hypoxia (HH) environments, this study investigated the combined effects of acute hypoxia severity and physical fatigue on astronauts’ autonomic nervous system and cardiac responses during manual tasks. Ten subjects conducted repeated 25-kg box manual material handling (MMH) tasks to fatigue across normobaric normoxia (NN, 0 m), moderate (MH, 3500 m), and severe hypobaric hypoxia (SH, 4500 m), while electrocardiogram-derived heart rate variability (HRV) indices were analyzed. Increasing severity of hypoxia evoked a significant decline in parasympathetic markers (root mean square of successive interbeat intervals differences (lnRMSSD, <em>p</em> = 0.032), Poincaré plot standard deviation perpendicular the line of identity (SD1, <em>p</em> = 0.032), natural logarithm of high frequency power (lnHF, <em>p</em> = 0.018)), coupled with a significant increase in heart rate and sympathovagal balance indices (SD2 (Poincaré plot standard deviation along the line of identity)/SD1, <em>p</em> = 0.008; lnLF (natural logarithm of low frequency power)/lnHF, <em>p</em> = 0.001). The number of MMH repetitions at the onset of moderate fatigue under SH was significantly lower than that under NN (<em>p</em> = 0.039). In the SH condition, both the time for each MMH set before (<em>p</em> = 0.036) and following (<em>p</em> = 0.018) the onset of moderate fatigue were significantly longer than those observed under the NN condition. At the moderate fatigue phase, the SD2/SD1 was significantly higher in SH than that in NN(<em>p</em> = 0.01) and SH(<em>p</em> = 0.01). The remaining HRV indices only demonstrated a main effect of time. The findings offer valuable insights into the design of hypoxic environments in extraterrestrial habitats and into the monitoring and safeguarding of astronaut fatigue and cardiovascular safety.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18029,"journal":{"name":"Life Sciences in Space Research","volume":"47 ","pages":"Pages 153-163"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-07-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144631168","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Celestial hazards: immunological and pulmonary effects of lunar and Martian regolith simulants","authors":"Christopher C. Ferraro ,&nbsp;Deyaneira Tirado ,&nbsp;Mariola J. Ferraro","doi":"10.1016/j.lssr.2025.07.003","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.lssr.2025.07.003","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Lunar and Martian dusts present emerging health hazards to astronauts, particularly during long-duration missions such as those planned under NASA's Artemis program. These extraterrestrial regoliths possess unique physicochemical properties—such as angular morphology, high surface area, and reactive mineral phases—that distinguish them from terrestrial dust and may influence their biological activity. This review synthesizes current findings from in vitro and in vivo toxicological studies involving lunar and Martian dust and their simulants. Lunar dust, which contains elevated levels of silica and nanophase metallic iron, has been associated with pulmonary inflammation, neutrophilic infiltration, and indications of fibrotic remodeling in animal models. Cell-based assays have also reported apoptosis, necrosis, and pro-inflammatory cytokine production in macrophages, epithelial cells, and fibroblasts following exposure. Martian dust simulants have shown cytotoxic effects and preliminary signs of neurotoxicity in vitro, although these findings are limited and based on analogs that may not fully represent actual Martian material. These findings show certain challenges of extrapolating human risk from simulants that may not fully replicate the properties of actual regolith. Future research must prioritize physiologically relevant inhalation models, and chronic low-dose exposure scenarios. These studies should also account for the combined impact of spaceflight-associated stressors—such as radiation, microgravity, and altered breathing mechanics—on toxicity outcomes. Mechanistic studies incorporating transcriptomic and proteomic tools, alongside standardized methodologies, will be essential for establishing evidence-based safety thresholds for human space exploration.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18029,"journal":{"name":"Life Sciences in Space Research","volume":"47 ","pages":"Pages 181-189"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-07-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144654217","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The brain-eye-liver axis during spaceflight: implications of hepatic dysfunction in spaceflight associated neuro-ocular syndrome","authors":"Sinem Helvacıoğlu Akyüz ,&nbsp;Ben Cools ,&nbsp;Joshua Ong ,&nbsp;Ethan Waisberg ,&nbsp;Ryung Lee ,&nbsp;Andrew G. Lee ,&nbsp;Mathieu Vinken","doi":"10.1016/j.lssr.2025.07.001","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.lssr.2025.07.001","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Spaceflight presents unique physiological challenges, with prolonged exposure to microgravity, cosmic radiation, and psychological stress impacting astronaut health. Hepatic dysfunction may contribute to the pathogenesis of astronaut diseases, including spaceflight-associated neuro-ocular syndrome (SANS), one of the largest physiologic barriers to future spaceflight. This paper explores the interconnected effects of spaceflight on the liver, particularly focusing on alterations in carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, liver injury, inflammation, and compromised biotransformation processes. The liver responds to the extreme conditions of spaceflight, including microgravity and chronic ionizing radiation. These responses include specific changes in gene expression and cytochrome activity, suggesting a complex interplay between the liver, brain, and eyes. This brain-eye-liver axis may be a crucial study area in understanding and mitigating SANS, for long-duration spaceflight (LDSF) missions, emphasizing the need for further research to unravel these complex interdisciplinary connections in the context of LDSF missions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18029,"journal":{"name":"Life Sciences in Space Research","volume":"47 ","pages":"Pages 164-180"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-07-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144631167","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Decreased myocardial glucose uptake precedes cardiac dysfunction in hindlimb unloading mice revealed by dynamic 18F-FDG PET imaging","authors":"Min Yang ,&nbsp;Yifan Qiu ,&nbsp;Lei Bi ,&nbsp;Jianzhong Xian ,&nbsp;Zhijun Li ,&nbsp;Jijin Yao ,&nbsp;Hongjun Jin","doi":"10.1016/j.lssr.2025.06.010","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.lssr.2025.06.010","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study aimed to quantify the changes in myocardial glucose uptake in simulated microgravity hindlimb unloading (HU) mice via dynamic ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT imaging and explore whether Shenqi Fuzheng injection (SFI) could improve myocardial abnormalities. FDG PET quantification suggested that the LV myocardial glucose uptake of HU mice decreased rapidly during the first week of HU, which rebounded temporarily in the second week but declined again during the third and fourth weeks. LV structure (LVAWd, LVAWs, LVPWd, and LV mass) and function (CO, FS and EF) decreased at the fourth week but not at the first week. The SFI improved myocardial glucose uptake during the first week of HU. A positive correlation between global_Ki and LV EF was found. The serum TG and NEFA levels of HU mice were reduced, whereas glucose, insulin and H&amp;E staining revealed no obvious changes. SFI partially ameliorated glycogen accumulation and myocardial fibrosis. RNA sequencing suggested that the SFI might partially improve cardiac function through the TGF-β and apelin signaling pathways. Our results indicated that decreased myocardial glucose uptake might precede and trigger the onset of heart dysfunction induced by HU and that the SFI ameliorated myocardial glucose uptake at the early stage of HU.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18029,"journal":{"name":"Life Sciences in Space Research","volume":"47 ","pages":"Pages 140-152"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144596513","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Plasma exchange as a neuroprotective strategy for post-spaceflight neuroinflammation in astronauts","authors":"Yamac Akgun","doi":"10.1016/j.lssr.2025.06.004","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.lssr.2025.06.004","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Extended space missions, such as upcoming crewed explorations to Mars, pose significant physiological challenges, including neuroinflammation due to microgravity, cosmic radiation, and prolonged confinement. This article explores therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) as a potential countermeasure to mitigate post-spaceflight neuroinflammation by reducing circulating neurotoxic factors, stabilizing the blood-brain barrier, and replenishing protective plasma proteins. By examining parallels between spaceflight-induced neurological effects and terrestrial neurodegenerative conditions, we propose that TPE could serve as a viable intervention for astronaut health. The implementation of space-compatible apheresis technologies could play a crucial role in sustaining cognitive function and long-term brain health for deep-space travelers.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18029,"journal":{"name":"Life Sciences in Space Research","volume":"47 ","pages":"Pages 95-97"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144365031","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Transcriptional changes at different developmental stages of rice (Oryza sativa L.) following lunar orbit flight","authors":"Xiaohui Du,&nbsp;Yan Zhang,&nbsp;Qing Yang,&nbsp;Meng Zhang,&nbsp;Yeqing Sun","doi":"10.1016/j.lssr.2025.06.007","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.lssr.2025.06.007","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Plants are regarded as a core component of the life support system for crewed space missions, particularly in deep-space endeavors such as lunar and Martian missions. Therefore, understanding the responses of plants to deep-space flight is considered essential. Japonica rice dry seeds (<em>Oryza sativa</em> L.) were carried aboard the Chang'e 5 spacecraft on a flight to the lunar orbit for 23 days. Following their return to Earth, these seeds were planted and cultivated until the tillering and heading stages. Through comparative transcriptomic analysis with the ground control, it was found that rice plants exhibited a significantly higher number of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) during the tillering stage after lunar orbital flight compared to the heading stage, with distinct transcriptional regulatory patterns observed between the two developmental stages. During the tillering stage, dysregulated biological pathways included starch and sucrose metabolism, glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, amino sugar and nucleotide sugar metabolism, plant hormone signal transduction, and cellular wall organization and biogenesis. These pathways also interacted with each other in a complex pattern. During the heading stage, pathways were enriched in glutathione metabolism and photosynthesis. Additionally, certain biological pathways related to defense, development, and secondary metabolism were represented in both developmental stages. In summary, our research reveals stage-specific differences in transcriptional response patterns in rice following lunar orbital flight.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18029,"journal":{"name":"Life Sciences in Space Research","volume":"47 ","pages":"Pages 124-133"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144490586","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploring microgravity-induced changes to the coagulation system using thrombelastograph - a topical review","authors":"Ivy Mayor ,&nbsp;Karsten Lindgaard ,&nbsp;Bijan Harandi ,&nbsp;Jakob Stensballe ,&nbsp;Jesper Mølgaard","doi":"10.1016/j.lssr.2025.06.008","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.lssr.2025.06.008","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>An internal jugular venous thrombus in an astronaut was first identified in 2020 following a two-month microgravity exposure. This raised concerns about thromboembolic events (TE) during spaceflights. Studies have suggested that microgravity can induce changes in blood composition, venous flow and endothelial dysfunction, which might all contribute to a hypercoagulable state. However, whether these proposed mechanisms translate into a clinically significant increase in TE risk remains unclear since, even though humans have spent &gt;200 person-years in space, no studies of blood coagulation in microgravity have been carried out. Additionally, the specific risks and implications of microgravity-induced coagulation changes in diverse populations, including future spacefarers with varying health conditions and ages, remain unclear. The precise risks and effects of microgravity-induced coagulation, especially as they relate to diverse groups such as future space travellers with different health conditions and age ranges, remain ambiguous and require further exploration. Thrombelastography (TEG), often used in trauma, surgery and anesthesiology, offers a comprehensive assessment of whole blood coagulation dynamics, providing a more holistic view compared to traditional coagulation assays. In particular, TEG has the ability to predict the hypercoagulable state associated with TE. A previous study of coagulation disorders in a 60-day bedrest setting has provided valuable insights into blood coagulation dynamics, although TEG did not differ in this specific study. However, the transferability of these findings to true microgravity environments remains to be elucidated. Understanding the effects of microgravity on the coagulation process is crucial for ensuring the health and safety of astronauts during space missions. By leveraging thrombelastography to study the end-result of the coagulation cascade, we can obtain valuable insights into the impact of microgravity on the coagulation system and comprehensively evaluate the risk of TE. Furthermore, this knowledge could inform preventive strategies and enhance the safety of future long-duration missions and diverse populations participating in future low-cost spaceflight ventures.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18029,"journal":{"name":"Life Sciences in Space Research","volume":"47 ","pages":"Pages 134-139"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144490585","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Towards supervisory Model Predictive Control for circular life support systems in long-term space missions","authors":"Gionata Cimini ,&nbsp;Marco Gatti ,&nbsp;Daniele Bernardini ,&nbsp;Alberto Bemporad ,&nbsp;Chloé Audas ,&nbsp;Claude-Gilles Dussap","doi":"10.1016/j.lssr.2025.06.001","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.lssr.2025.06.001","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Regenerative Life Support Systems (LSS) fulfill the essential functions for human survival in space, such as atmosphere revitalization, water recovery, food production, and waste management, and are crucial for long-term space missions where the resupply of resources from Earth is not feasible or reliable. Operating a regenerative LSS poses several challenges, mainly related to its complexity, efficiency, and reliability. A set of heterogeneous subsystems involving mechanical, chemical, biological, and energetic processes has to be optimally coordinated in order to meet the requirements on mass, power, crew time, safety, reliability, sustainability and efficiency. In this paper, we address these challenges by proposing a supervisory control layer based on a nonlinear and time-varying Model Predictive Control (MPC) approach. The mathematical framework for deriving the prediction model addresses generic regenerative LSS. The MELiSSA (Micro-Ecological Life Support System Alternative) project developed by the European Space Agency is used here as the test case. For the first time, a complete dynamical model including all the MELiSSA compartments connected on all the phases (solid, liquid, gas) is derived, simulated, and controlled by a supervisory MPC. The design of such a controller follows a large set of requirements pre-defined by the MELiSSA project. Results on a mission lasting 14 weeks, which also includes a system failure scenario, are reported and evaluated for a specific MELiSSA network architecture.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18029,"journal":{"name":"Life Sciences in Space Research","volume":"47 ","pages":"Pages 105-123"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144470034","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}