One Year in the Extreme Isolation of Antarctica-Is This Enough to Modulate an "Allergic" Sensitization?

(1) Background: After spending a year wintering in Antarctica, individual expedition members have reported increased or even new allergic reactions to environmental allergens after their return. (2) Methods: Blood samples from five overwintering crews were analyzed using the chip based multiplex ALEX Allergy Explorer (MacroArray Diagnostics GmbH, Austria). (3) Results: About one third of the 39 participants displayed specific IgEs against pollen.

Changes of brain DTI in healthy human subjects after 520 days isolation and confinement on a simulated mission to Mars.

Introduction: Long-term confinement is known to be a stressful experience with multiple psycho-physiological effects. In the MARS500 project, a real-time simulation of a space-flight to Mars conducted in a hermetically isolated habitat, effects of long-term confinement could be investigated in a unique manner. The aim of this study was to evaluate effects of long-term-confinement on brain cytoarchitecture.

Cells´ Flow and Immune Cell Priming under alternating g-forces in Parabolic Flight.

Gravitational stress in general and microgravity (µg) in particular are regarded as major stress factors responsible for immune system dysfunction in space. To assess the effects of alternating µg and hypergravity (hyper-g) on immune cells, the attachment of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) to adhesion molecules under flow conditions and the antigen-induced immune activation in whole blood were investigated in parabolic flight (PF). In contrast to hyper-g (1.

Sex differences in stress and immune responses during confinement in Antarctica.

Background: Antarctica challenges human explorers by its extreme environment. The effects of these unique conditions on the human physiology need to be understood to best mitigate health problems in Antarctic expedition crews. Moreover, Antarctica is an adequate Earth-bound analogue for long-term space missions.

Modulations of Neuroendocrine Stress Responses During Confinement in Antarctica and the Role of Hypobaric Hypoxia.

The Antarctic continent is an environment of extreme conditions. Only few research stations exist that are occupied throughout the year. The German station Neumayer III and the French-Italian Concordia station are such research platforms and human outposts.

Immune sensitization during 1 year in the Antarctic high-altitude Concordia Environment.

Background: Antarctica is a challenging environment for humans. It serves as a spaceflight ground analog, reflecting some conditions of long-duration exploration class space missions. The French-Italian Concordia station in interior Antarctica is a high-fidelity analog, located 1000 km from the coast, at an altitude of 3232 m.

PlanHab Study: Consequences of combined normobaric hypoxia and bed rest on adenosine kinetics.

Adenosine plays a role in the energy supply of cells and provokes differential, hormone-like functions in circulating cells and various tissues. Its release is importantly regulated by oxygen tension. This renders adenosine and its kinetics interesting to investigate in humans subjected to low oxygen conditions.

Early immune anergy towards recall antigens and mitogens in patients at onset of septic shock.

The pathology of sepsis is typically characterized by an infection and excessive initial inflammation including a cytokine storm, followed by a state of immune suppression or paralysis. This classical view of a two peak kinetic immune response is currently controversially discussed. This study was a sub-study of the randomized clinical Trial SISPCT registered with www.

PlanHab study: assessment of psycho-neuroendocrine function in male subjects during 21 d of normobaric hypoxia and bed rest.

Immobilization and hypoxemia are conditions often seen in patients suffering from severe heart insufficiency or primary pulmonary diseases (e.g. fibrosis, emphysema).

PlanHab: Hypoxia counteracts the erythropoietin suppression, but seems to exaggerate the plasma volume reduction induced by 3 weeks of bed rest.

The study examined the distinct and synergistic effects of hypoxia and bed rest on the erythropoietin (EPO) concentration and relative changes in plasma volume (PV). Eleven healthy male lowlanders underwent three 21-day confinement periods, in a counterbalanced order: (1) normoxic bed rest (NBR; PIO2: 133.1 ± 0.

[Completely subcutaneous implantable cardioverter defibrillator: Care of S-ICD wearers during childbirth].

Inappropriate shock delivery is a problem that has been described for subcutaneous implantable cardioverter defibrillators (S-ICDs). Situations which predispose inappropriate shock delivery, such as childbirth, must be identified and the best treatment strategies selected. Inactivation of the S-ICD is the safest approach to avoiding inappropriate shock delivery.

Hyperbaric hyperoxia alters innate immune functional properties during NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operation (NEEMO).

Background: Spaceflight is associated with immune dysregulation which is considered as risk factor for the performance of exploration-class missions. Among the consequences of confinement and other environmental factors of living in hostile environments, the role of different oxygen concentrations is of importance as either low (e.g.

Functional changes in neutrophils and psychoneuroendocrine responses during 105 days of confinement.

The innate immune system as one key element of immunity and a prerequisite for an adequate host defense is of emerging interest in space research to ensure crew health and thus mission success. In ground-based studies, spaceflight-associated specifics such as confinement caused altered immune functions paralleled by changes in stress hormone levels. In this study, six men were confined for 105 days to a space module of ~500 m(3) mimicking conditions of a long-term space mission.

520-d Isolation and confinement simulating a flight to Mars reveals heightened immune responses and alterations of leukocyte phenotype.

During interplanetary exploration, chronic stress caused by long term isolation and confinement in the spacecraft is one of the major concerns of physical and psychological health of space travelers. And for human on Earth, more and more people live in an isolated condition, which has become a common social problem in modern western society. Collective evidences have indicated prolonged chronic stress could bring big influence to human immune function, which may lead to a variety of health problems.

The role of glucocorticoids, catecholamines and endocannabinoids in the development of traumatic memories and posttraumatic stress symptoms in survivors of critical illness.

Critically ill patients are at an increased risk for traumatic memories and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Memories of one or more traumatic events play an important part in the symptom pattern of PTSD. Studies in long-term survivors of intensive care unit (ICU) treatment demonstrated a clear and vivid recall of traumatic experiences and the incidence and intensity of PTSD symptoms increased with the number of traumatic memories present.

Five days of head-down-tilt bed rest induces noninflammatory shedding of L-selectin.

Head-down-tilt bed rest (HDTBR) is a popular model, simulating alterations of gravitation during space missions. The aim of this study was to obtain a better insight into the complexly orchestrated regulations of HDTBR-induced immunological responses, hypothesizing that artificial gravity can mitigate these HDTBR-related physiological effects. This crossover-designed 5 days of HDTBR study included three protocols with no, or daily 30 min of centrifugation or 6 × 5 min of centrifugation.

Psychoneuroendocrine alterations during 5 days of head-down tilt bed rest and artificial gravity interventions.

This study aimed to investigate psychological stress and endocrine responses during 5 days of head-down tilt bed rest (HDTBR) with or without the impact of artificial gravity (AG). Participants were assigned to one of three bed-rest-protocols either with (i) no centrifugation, (ii) continuous 30 min (AG1) or (iii) discontinuous 6 × 5 min (AG2) centrifugation periods at 1G in the center of mass periods. Centrifugations were performed daily in one session.

Effects of parabolic flight and spaceflight on the endocannabinoid system in humans.

The endocannabinoid system (ECS) plays an important role in the regulation of physiological functions,from stress and memory regulation to vegetative control and immunity. The ECS is considered a central and peripheral stress response system to emotional or physical challenges and acts through endocannabinoids (ECs), which bind to .their receptors inducing subsequent effecting mechanisms.

Glucocorticoid-endocannabinoid interaction in cardiac surgical patients: relationship to early cognitive dysfunction and late depression.

Background: Endocannabinoids (ECs) are rapidly acting immune-modulatory lipid-signaling molecules that are important for adaptation to stressful and aversive situations.They are known to interact with glucocorticoids and other stress-responsive systems. Maladaptation to acute or chronic stress represents a major risk factor for the development of psychiatric disorders.