; REACTIONS OF ASTROCYTES AND MICROGLIA OF THE SENSORIMOTOR CORTEX AT LIGATION OF THE CAROTID ARTERY, SENSITIZATION OF THE BRAIN ANTIGEN AND THEIR COMBINATION.

The aim of the work is to identify changes in the state of astrocytes and microglia with unilateral ligation of the carotid artery, sensitization with the cerebral antigen and their combination in the sensorimotor cortex in rats.; Studies were performed on 185 male Wistar white rats weighing 260-290 g. The brain was examined 1, 3, 10, 30 and 90 days after surgery and, respectively, 12 (1), 15 (3), 22 (10 ), 42 (30), 102 (90) days after sensitization (surgical intervention).

[Biological processes of the human environment regeneration within the Martian crew life support systems].

Five ground-based experiments at RF SRC-IBMP had the purpose to make a thorough investigation of a model of the human-unicellular algae-mineralization life support system. The system measured 15 m3 and contained 45 liters of alga suspension; the dry alga density was 10 to 12 g/l and water volume (including the alga suspension) amounted to 59 l. More sophisticated LSS models where algae were substituted by higher plants (crop area in the greenhouse equaled 15 m2) were investigated in three experiments from 1.

Main characteristics of biological components of developing life support system observed during the experiments aboard orbital complex MIR.

Since 1990, the orbital complex MIR has witnessed several incubator experiments for determination of spaceflight effects on embryogenesis of Japanese quail. First viable chicks who had completed the whole embryological cycle in MIR microgravity hatched out in 1990; it became clear that newborns would not be able to adapt to microgravity unaided. There were 8 successful incubations of chicks in the period from 1990 to 1999.

[Biological life support systems: investigations on board of orbital complex "Mir"].

From 1989 till 1998 twelve experiments were performed by Bulgarian, Russian, Slovak, and US researchers and engineers on the effects of space flight on the model of ecosystem "algae-fishes-bacteria", and ontogenesis of birds (Japanese quail) and higher plants. For the first time several viable chicks were hatched and passed the whole cycle of their embryonic development in the MIR microgravity. The length of the plant ontogenetic cycle as a whole and its specific stages appeared to be same as on Earth.

[Hybrid biophysical-chemical life support systems for human].

Based on comparison of biological and physical/chemical regenerative life support systems (LSS) the authors maintain that hybrid LSS will apparently be the most congruous for future space vehicles. In their opinion, a hybrid LSS will evolve from a basic LSS with maximum regenerative functions. One of the precursory experimentally tested LSS could serve as the basic model.

[Forensic medical expertise in cases of death resulting from the use of defective self-contained oxygen-breathing gas masks].

In many cases of death from oxygen deficit in an enclosure the development of a pathologic state is adequate to development of high-altitude hypoxia. This fact prompts extrapolation of high-altitude physiology data to such cases and helps calculate the onset of loss of consciousness and death. Methods of such calculations to be used in practical forensic medical expert evaluations are presented.

[The embryonic development of birds in weightlessness].

During the period from March 4 through 24, 1990 an egg-to-egg cycle of quail incubation on the orbital station Mir was completed. Out of 35 eggs, that developed in space, 8 normal hatchlings emerged, 6 of which were able to get out of the egg-shell without any help. Subsequent observations showed that the hatchlings could not get adapted to the weightless environment or know to remain fixed to the wired floor, due to which they were unable to peck.

[Habitability and biological life support systems for man].

This paper discusses general concepts and specific details of the habitability of space stations and planetary bases completely isolated from the Earth for long periods of time. It emphasizes inadequacy of the present-day knowledge about natural conditions that provide a biologically acceptable environment on the Earth as well as lack of information about life support systems as a source of consumables (oxygen, water, food) and a tool for waste management. The habitability of advanced space vehicles is closely related to closed bioregenerative systems used as life support systems.

[Biological life support systems for man].

This paper discusses theoretical foundations of biological life support systems (BLSS), major stages of their development and performance parameters of BLSS models developed by the Institute of Biomedical Problems during the past 25 years. Comparison of the size and structure of these models with the structure of natural ecosystems allows the conclusion that BLSS can be operational in an environment that does not differ drastically from natural biocenoses in terms of living matter and basic ingredients, i.e.

[Conversion of plant waste on a solid substrate for a biological life support system of humans].

The level of waste processing and utilization of the resultant products in a biological life support system largely determines the degree of system closure. Straw degradation in the humus and an inert substrate was studied when straw was introduced once a month during 3 years. Following 5-6 cycles of straw degradation in the humus, there developed a stable soil biocomplex that functioned as a self-regulation system.

[Physiological and ecological characteristics of Azolla pinnata and its possible use in biological life support systems].

The principal physiological and ecological characteristics of Azolla pinnata were investigated in order to determine its potential use in biological life support systems. Plant requirements for biogenic elements were specified in order to develop balanced nutrient mixtures for continuous cultivation. Data on the growth and development, photosynthetic and nitrogen fixation rate, and biochemical composition of the plant were obtained for optimal cultivation conditions.

[Analysis of the trace contaminants in the atmosphere formed by the life-support environment of the closed system of man-higher plants-lower plants-microorganisms].

Trace contaminants in the air of a biological life support system which was continuously complicated were examined. Air samples were taken by cooled traps and analyzed by gas chromatography. Changes in the air of the biological life support system as a function of its structure were compared using Hamming distance and composition similarity measures.

[Effect of weightlessness on the water fern Azolla].

An exposure to 6-day weightlessness of the fern Azolla pinnata R. Br. symbiotically related to the nitrogen fixing alga Anabena azollae did not affect the main biological characteristics (growth, development and morphological structure) of both fern plants and algae.

Biological studies of Chlorella pyrenoidosa (strain LARG-1) cultures grown under space flight conditions.

This paper reports data from an electron microscopic analysis of Chlorella pyrenoidosa (LARG-1) cultures after five days of growth in the dark on a semiliquid mineral/glucose medium in the IFS-2 device on board the Soyuz 27-Salyut 6-Soyuz 28 orbital research complex (Soviet-Czechoslovak experiment "Chlorella-1"). For space flight of five days duration the ultrastructural cellular organization of the flight and control cultures were similar. This testifies to normal cell function.

[Long space flights and the human habitat].

The paper discusses the generation of an environment which may adequately meet human requirements that have developed as a result of evolution in the Earth biosphere as applied to long-duration manned space flights. This environment must exert functional effects on physiological systems of the human body which appear to be underloaded in space flight.