Bed-rest studies for the International Space Station.

The microgravity experienced during space flight induces physiological changes that affect astronauts' health and performance. Simulations such as prolonged bed rest can mimic some of these changes and provide study conditions that are more accessible than during space flight itself. Previous studies, including several long and short-term bed-rest campaigns supported by ESA, have yielded significant medical data on the physiological changes induced by space flight.

Urinary albumin in space missions.

Proteinuria was hypothesized for space mission but research data are missing. Urinary albumin, as index of proteinuria, was analyzed in frozen urine samples collected by astronauts during space missions onboard MIR station and on ground (control). Urinary albumin was measured by a double antibody radioimmunoassay.

[Osteoporosis and genes in space environment].

Based on observations of extreme and accelerated loss of bone density in astronauts flying on longer space missions, scientists coordinated by the European Space Agency, ESA, have since the mid 1990'ies been focusing on potential causes for this alarming finding. The experimental conditions on board space craft are however very restrictive, for which reason research into human physiology in the space environment has gone its own ways regarding how to create solid and statistically significant data. Space observations can profit markedly from ground-based simulations studies, and some interesting data on countermeasures against loss of bone matter, that have been tested in the recently completed 90-days bed rest study, are reported here.

Staying in bed to benefit ESA's astronauts and Europe's citizens.

Since Yuri Gagarin's historic first flight into space in April 1961, it has quickly become evident that the space environment influences the human body in many different ways and causes it to adapt in ways that can lead to problems when returning to Earth's gravity. Much research has been performed in the meantime and our understanding of what happens to our bodies in space improved considerably during the Mir space station and Space Shuttle/Spacelab era. However, many questions, particularly regarding how to counteract those changes that we now know take place, still need to be addressed through studies on the International Space Station (ISS) and through simulations on the ground.

Low urinary albumin excretion in astronauts during space missions.

Background: Physiological changes occur in man during space missions also at the renal level. Proteinuria was hypothesized for space missions but research data are missing.

Methods: Urinary albumin, as an index of proteinuria, and other variables were analyzed in 4 astronauts during space missions onboard the MIR station and on the ground (control).