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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2002

Bioastronautics: optimizing human performance through research and medical innovations

A strategic use of resources is essential to achieving long-duration space travel and understanding the human physiological changes in space, including the roles of food and nutrition in space. To effectively address the challenges of space flight, the Bioastronautics Initiative, undertaken in 2001, expands extramural collaboration and leverages unique capabilities of the scientific community and the federal government, all the while applying this integrated knowledge to Earth-based problems. Integral to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's missions in space is the reduction of risk of medical complications, particularly during missions of long duration. Cumulative medical experience and research provide the ability to develop evidence-based medicine for prevention, countermeasures, and treatment modalities for space flight. The early approach applied terrestrial clinical judgment to predict medical problems in space. Space medicine has evolved to an evidence-based approach with the use of biomedical data gathered and lessons learned from previous space flight missions to systematically aid in decision making. This approach led, for example, to the determination of preliminary nutritional requirements for space flight, and it aids in the development of nutrition itself as a countermeasure to support nutritional mitigation of adaptation to space.

Nutritional Requirements↗
DOE OSTI2021

Cric searchable image database as a public platform for conventional pap smear cytology data

Amidst the current health crisis and social distancing, telemedicine has become an important part of mainstream of healthcare, and building and deploying computational tools to support screening more efficiently is an increasing medical priority. The early identification of cervical cancer precursor lesions by Pap smear test can identify candidates for subsequent treatment. However, one of the main challenges is the accuracy of the conventional method, often subject to high rates of false negative. While machine learning has been highlighted to reduce the limitations of the test, the absence of high-quality curated datasets has prevented strategies development to improve cervical cancer screening. The Center for Recognition and Inspection of Cells (CRIC) platform enables the creation of CRIC Cervix collection, currently with 400 images (1,376 × 1,020 pixels) curated from conventional Pap smears, with manual classification of 11,534 cells. This collection has the potential to advance current efforts in training and testing machine learning algorithms for the automation of tasks as part of the cytopathological analysis in the routine work of laboratories.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2022

Nonlinear model of infection wavy oscillation of COVID-19 in Japan based on diffusion kinetics

The infectious propagation of SARS-CoV-2 is continuing worldwide, and specifically, Japan is facing severe circumstances. Medical resource maintenance and action limitations remain the central measures. An analysis of long-term follow-up reports in Japan shows that the infection number follows a unique wavy oscillation, increasing and decreasing over time. However, only a few studies explain the infection wavy oscillation. This study introduces a novel nonlinear mathematical model of the new infection wavy oscillation by applying the macromolecule diffusion theory. In this model, the diffusion coefficient that depends on population density gives nonlinearity in infection propagation. As a result, our model accurately simulated infection wavy oscillations, and the infection wavy oscillation frequency and amplitude were closely linked with the recovery rate of infected individuals. In conclusion, our model provides a novel nonlinear contact infection analysis framework.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2022

Expanding Medicaid to Reduce Human Immunodeficiency Virus Transmission in Houston, Texas

Context: Medicaid expansion has been nationally shown to improve engagement in the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) treatment and prevention continua, which are vital steps to stopping the HIV epidemic. New HIV infections in the United States are disproportionately concentrated among young Black men who have sex with men (YBMSM). Houston, TX, is the most populous city in the Southern United States with a racially/ethnically diverse population that is located in 1 of 11 US states that have not yet expanded Medicaid coverage as of 2021. Methods: An agent-based model that incorporated the sexual networks of YBMSM was used to simulate improved antiretroviral treatment and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) engagement through Medicaid expansion in Houston, TX. Analyses considered the HIV incidence (number of new infections and as a rate metric) among YBMSM over the next 10 years under Medicaid expansion as the primary outcome. Additional scenarios, involving viral suppression and PrEP uptake above the projected levels achieved under Medicaid expansion, were also simulated. Results: The baseline model projected an HIV incidence rate of 4.96 per 100 person years (py) and about 368 new annual HIV infections in the 10th year. Improved HIV treatment and prevention continua engagement under Medicaid expansion resulted in a 14.9% decline in the number of annual new HIV infections in the 10th year. Increasing viral suppression by an additional 15% and PrEP uptake by 30% resulted in a 44.0% decline in new HIV infections in the 10th year, and a 27.1% decline in cumulative infections across the 10 years of the simulated intervention. Findings: Simulation results indicate that Medicaid expansion has the potential to reduce HIV incidence among YBMSM in Houston. Achieving HIV elimination objectives, however, might require additional effective measures to increase antiretroviral treatment and PrEP uptake beyond the projected improvements under expanded Medicaid.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

Acarbose impairs gut Bacteroides growth by targeting intracellular glucosidases

ABSTRACT Acarbose is a type 2 diabetes medicine that prevents dietary starch breakdown into glucose by inhibiting host amylase and glucosidase enzymes. Numerous gut species in theBacteroidesgenus enzymatically break down starch and change in relative abundance within the gut microbiome in acarbose-treated individuals. To mechanistically explain this observation, we used two model starch-degradingBacteroides,Bacteroides ovatus(Bo), andBacteroides thetaiotaomicron(Bt). Bt growth on starch polysaccharides is severely impaired by acarbose, whereas Bo growth is much less affected by the drug. TheBacteroidesuse a starch utilization system (Sus) to grow on starch. We hypothesized that Bo and Bt Sus enzymes are differentially inhibited by acarbose. Instead, we discovered that although acarbose primarily targets the Sus periplasmic GH97 enzymes in both organisms, the drug affects starch processing at multiple other points. Acarbose competes for transport through the TonB-dependent SusC proteins and binds to the Sus transcriptional regulators. Furthermore, Bo expresses a non-Sus GH97 (BoGH97D) when grown in starch with acarbose. The Bt homolog, BtGH97H, is not expressed in the same conditions, nor can overexpression of BoGH97D complement the Bt growth inhibition in the presence of acarbose. This work informs us about unexpected complexities of Sus function and regulation inBacteroides, including variation between related species. Furthermore, this indicates that the gut microbiome may be a source of variable response to acarbose treatment for diabetes. IMPORTANCE Acarbose is a type 2 diabetes medication that works primarily by stopping starch breakdown into glucose in the small intestine. This is accomplished by the inhibition of host enzymes, leading to better blood sugar control via reduced ability to derive glucose from dietary starches. The drug and undigested starch travel to the large intestine where acarbose interferes with the ability of some bacteria to grow on starch. However, little is known about how gut bacteria interact with acarbose, including microbes that can use starch as a carbon source. Here, we show that two gut species,Bacteroides ovatus(Bo) andBacteroides thetaiotaomicron(Bt), respond differently to acarbose: Bt growth is inhibited by acarbose, while Bo growth is less affected. We reveal a complex set of mechanisms involving differences in starch import and sensing behind the different Bo and Bt responses. This indicates the gut microbiome may be a source of variable response to acarbose treatment for diabetes via complex mechanisms in common gut microbes.

Microbiology↗
DOE OSTI2021

Projecting the number of new HIV infections to formulate the "Getting to Zero" strategy in Illinois, USA

Objectives: Getting to Zero (GTZ) initiatives focus on expanding use of antiretroviral treatment (ART) and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to eliminate new HIV infections. Computational models help inform policies for implementation of ART and PrEP continuums. Such models, however, vary in their design, and may yield inconsistent predictions. Using multiple approaches can help assess the consistency in results obtained from varied modeling frameworks, and can inform optimal implementation strategies. Methods: A study using three different modeling approaches is conducted. Two approaches use statistical time series analysis techniques that incorporate temporal HIV incidence data. A third approach uses stochastic stimulation, conducted using an agent-based network model (ABNM). All three approaches are used to project HIV incidence among a key population, young Black MSM (YBMSM), over the course of the GTZ implementation period (2016-2030). Results: All three approaches suggest that simultaneously increasing PrEP and ART uptake is likely to be more effective than increasing only one, but increasing ART and PrEP by 20% points may not eliminate new HIV infections among YBMSM. The results further suggest that a 20% increase in ART is likely to be more effective than a 20% increase in PrEP. All three methods consistently project that increasing ART and PrEP by 30% simultaneously can help reach GTZ goals. Conclusions: Increasing PrEP and ART uptake by about 30% might be necessary to accomplish GTZ goals. Such scale-up may require addressing psychosocial and structural barriers to engagement in HIV and PrEP care continuums. ABNMs and other flexible modeling approaches can be extended to examine specific interventions that address these barriers and may provide important data to guide the successful intervention implementation.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS1969

Experience factors in performing periodic physical evaluations

The lack of scientific basis in the so-called periodic health examinations on military personnel inclusive of the Executive Health Program is outlined. This latter program can well represent a management tool of the company involved in addition to being a status symbol. A multiphasic screening technique is proposed in conjunction with an automated medical history questionnaire for preventive occupational medicine methodology. The need to collate early sickness consultation or clinic visit histories with screening techniques is emphasized.

Hoffman, A. A.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Monitoring on the Move

The MyoMonitor EMG system was developed by Delsys, Inc. under SBIR funding from Johnson Space Center. It is a wearable four-channel device that can monitor muscle performance. Presently, its application include rehabilitative therapy, injury prevention, sports medicine, exercise training, and various other muscle monitoring activities. The MyoMonitor uses a two-bar single differential electrode. Due to the electrode-skin interface in traditional EMG equipment, during rigorous muscular activity, the movement of the skin causes the electrode detection surfaces to become compromised. The MyoMonitor eliminates this problem, enabling a wide array of applications and experiments during intense muscular activity. The ability to make such recordings, for example, enables novel experiments aboard the International Space Station for investigating the effect of microgravity on muscle performance. Product still commercially available as of March 2002.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1969

The relationship of NASA occupational medicine and environmental health with the Advisory Center on Toxicology

Preventive measures of occupational medicine and industrial hygiene are coordinated to identify toxicities of industrial products and safety standards in manned space flight applications. Emphasized is the off-gassing of construction materials in spacecraft with the resulting contamination of the cabin atmosphere and the establishment of criteria for the quality of drinking water for astronauts during Gemini and Apollo programs.

Wands, R. C.↗
DOE OSTI2020

Flexible Electronics: Flexible Electrochemical Bioelectronics: The Rise of In Situ Bioanalysis (Adv. Mater. 15/2020)

Flexible electrochemical bioelectronics enables in situ quantification of a variety of chemical constituents present in the human body. It holds great promise for personalized health monitoring owing to its inherent wearability, high performance, and low cost. In article number 1902083, Wei Gao, Ali Javey, and co-authors summarize recent key innovations in flexible electrochemical bioelectronics from electrochemical sensing modalities, materials, systems, fabrication, to applications and discuss the challenges and opportunities in this field moving forward toward future preventive and personalized medicine devices.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS1975

Flight crew health stabilization program

The flight crew health stabilization program was developed to minimize or eliminate the possibility of adverse alterations in the health of flight crews during immediate preflight, flight, and postflight periods. The elements of the program, which include clinical medicine, immunology, exposure prevention, and epidemiological surveillance, are discussed briefly. No crewmember illness was reported for the missions for which the program was in effect.

Bennie C. Wooley↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Sweating the Small Stuff: A Sensor for Real-Time Neuro-Immune Axis Monitoring

Although manageable with certain precautions, circadian rhythm misalignment and sleep disturbances pose a potential threat to astronaut health. It is well-known that sleep is essential for proper immunological and neurological functioning, while impairments in these functions result in risks for spaceflight success. Neuropeptides and hormones are involved in regulating the circadian clock and are used as biomarkers for circadian alignment. However, in-flight monitoring of these biomarkers is limited due to the lack of real-time sensor systems and sample collection/processing confines. Therefore, real-time measurements of biomarkers in-flight are necessary for mission success and crew health. For this, a robust biomarker involved in the neuro-immune axis of circadian rhythm cycling, physiological stress responses, and inflammation would be well-received as a viable biomarker for assessing physiological health for crew during long-duration missions, as these are currently NASA Human Research Program defined risks. Therefore, this paper describes the development of a wearables we at biosensor to measure the biological clock neuropeptide, orexin/hypocretin. Additionally, potential for implementation of a user-friendly sensor of orexin/hypocretin to be telemetrically reported in real-time, is proposed. In brief, the proposed system has the possibility to be used as a biomarker monitor to support preventive and personalized medicine.

Amber M Paul↗
NASA NTRS2011

Astronaut Medical Selection and Flight Medicine Care During the Shuttle ERA 1981 to 2011

The NASA Shuttle Program began with congressional budget approval in January 5, 1972 and the launch of STS-1 on April 12, 1981 and recently concluded with the landing of STS-135 on July 21, 2011. The evolution of the medical standards and care of the Shuttle Era Astronauts began in 1959 with the first Astronaut selection. The first set of NASA minimal medical standards were documented in 1977 and based on Air Force, Navy, Department of Defense, and the Federal Aviation Administration standards. Many milestones were achieved over the 30 years from 1977 to 2007 and the subsequent 13 Astronaut selections and 4 major expert panel reviews performed by the NASA Flight Medicine Clinic, Aerospace Medicine Board, and Medical Policy Board. These milestones of aerospace medicine standards, evaluations, and clinical care encompassed the disciplines of preventive, occupational, and primary care medicine and will be presented. The screening and retention standards, testing, and specialist evaluations evolved through periodic expert reviews, evidence based medicine, and Astronaut medical care experience. The last decade of the Shuttle Program saw the development of the International Space Station (ISS) with further Space medicine collaboration and knowledge gained from our International Partners (IP) from Russia, Canada, Japan, and the European Space Agencies. The Shuttle Program contribution to the development and implementation of NASA and IP standards and waiver guide documents, longitudinal data collection, and occupational surveillance models will be presented along with lessons learned and recommendations for future vehicles and missions.

Johnston, S.↗
DOE OSTI2025

miss-SNF: a multimodal patient similarity network integration approach to handle completely missing data sources

Abstract Motivation Precision medicine leverages patient-specific multimodal data to improve prevention, diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of diseases. Advancing precision medicine requires the non-trivial integration of complex, heterogeneous, and potentially high-dimensional data sources, such as multi-omics and clinical data. In the literature, several approaches have been proposed to manage missing data, but are usually limited to the recovery of subsets of features for a subset of patients. A largely overlooked problem is the integration of multiple sources of data when one or more of them are completely missing for a subset of patients, a relatively common condition in clinical practice. Results We propose miss-Similarity Network Fusion (miss-SNF), a novel general-purpose data integration approach designed to manage completely missing data in the context of patient similarity networks. miss-SNF integrates incomplete unimodal patient similarity networks by leveraging a non-linear message-passing strategy borrowed from the SNF algorithm. miss-SNF is able to recover missing patient similarities and is “task agnostic”, in the sense that can integrate partial data for both unsupervised and supervised prediction tasks. Experimental analyses on nine cancer datasets from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) demonstrate that miss-SNF achieves state-of-the-art results in recovering similarities and in identifying patients subgroups enriched in clinically relevant variables and having differential survival. Moreover, amputation experiments show that miss-SNF supervised prediction of cancer clinical outcomes and Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis with completely missing data achieves results comparable to those obtained when all the data are available. Availability and implementation miss-SNF code, implemented in R, is available at https://github.com/AnacletoLAB/missSNF.

Biochemistry & Molecular Biology↗
NASA NTRS2000

Clinical Space Medicine Panel

The practice of space medicine is diverse. It includes routine preventive medical care of astronauts and pilots, the development of inflight medical capability and training of flight crews as well as the preflight, inflight, and postflight medical assessment and monitoring. The Johnson Space Center Medical Operations Branch is a leader in the practice of space medicine. The papers presented in this panel will demonstrate some of the unique aspects of space medicine.

Baisden, Denise L.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Toward Smart, Automated Junctional Tourniquets—AI Models to Interpret Vessel Occlusion at Physiological Pressure Points

Hemorrhage is the leading cause of preventable death in both civilian and military medicine. Junctional hemorrhages are especially difficult to manage since traditional tourniquet placement is often not possible. Ultrasound can be used to visualize and guide the caretaker to apply pressure at physiological pressure points to stop hemorrhage. However, this process is technically challenging, requiring the vessel to be properly positioned over rigid boney surfaces and applying sufficient pressure to maintain proper occlusion. As a first step toward automating this life-saving intervention, we demonstrate an artificial intelligence algorithm that classifies a vessel as patent or occluded, which can guide a user to apply the appropriate pressure required to stop flow. Neural network models were trained using images captured from a custom tissue-mimicking phantom and an ex vivo swine model of the inguinal region, as pressure was applied using an ultrasound probe with and without color Doppler overlays. Using these images, we developed an image classification algorithm suitable for the determination of patency or occlusion in an ultrasound image containing color Doppler overlay. Separate AI models for both test platforms were able to accurately detect occlusion status in test-image sets to more than 93% accuracy. In conclusion, this methodology can be utilized for guiding and monitoring proper vessel occlusion, which, when combined with automated actuation and other AI models, can allow for automated junctional tourniquet application.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗