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Aerospace Medicine and Biology: A Continuing Bibliography With Indexes

This issue of Aerospace Medicine and Biology, A Continuing Bibliography with Indexes NASA SP-7O11 lists reports, articles, and other documents recently announced in the NASA STI Database. In its subject coverage, Aerospace Medicine and Biology concentrates on the biological, physiological, psychological, and environmental effects to which humans are subjected during and following simulated or actual flight in the Earth's atmosphere or in interplanetary space. References describing similar effects on biological organisms of lower order are also included. Such related topics as sanitary problems, pharmacology, toxicology, safety and survival, life support systems, exobiology, and personnel factors receive appropriate attention. Applied research receives the most emphasis, but references to fundamental studies and theoretical principles related to experimental development also qualify for inclusion.

BIBLIOGRAPHIES↗

Research Activities at NASA: “The Hera Astronaut Analog Mission, Astrobee, and the Advanced Composite Solar Sail System”

During this seminar, I will talk about three of the projects I’ve been involved with at NASA in the last few years: - The Human Exploration Research Analog (HERA) is a ground-based astronaut analog mission run at NASA’s JSC in Houston to study and evaluate impacts on the crew due to isolation, remoteness, and confined habitation. NASA scientists use the collected data to develop and verify countermeasures to reduce or mitigate psychological and physiological effects for future Deep Space missions. This simulation was a 45-day trip to Mars’s moon Phobos and back with the goal of performing geological operations with complete communications delays in effect. - Astrobee is a new class of free-flying robots that operates in the interior of the International Space Station (ISS). In addition to being a research platform for microgravity free-flying robotics, Astrobee improves the efficiency of ISS operations by providing flight and payload controllers with a mobile camera and a sensor platform. - NASA is developing new deployable structures and material technologies for solar sail propulsion systems destined for future low-cost deep space missions. NASA’s Advanced Composite Solar Sail System (ACS3) uses composite materials in its novel, lightweight booms that deploy from a Cubesat. Data obtained from ACS3 will guide the design of future larger-scale composite solar sail systems that could be used for several deep space exploration missions

International Space Station↗

Task switching and response correspondence in the psychological refractory period paradigm

Three experiments examined the effects of task switching and response correspondence in a psychological refractory period paradigm. A letter task (vowel-consonant) and a digit task (odd-even) were combined to form 4 possible dual-task pairs in each trial: letter-letter, letter-digit, digit-digit, and digit-letter. Foreknowledge of task transition (repeat or switch) and task identity (letter or digit) was varied across experiments: no foreknowledge in Experiment 1, partial foreknowledge (task transition only) in Experiment 2, and full foreknowledge in Experiment 3. For all experiments, the switch cost for Task 2 was additive with stimulus onset asynchrony, and the response-correspondence effect for Task 2 was numerically smaller in the switch condition than in the repeat condition. These outcomes suggest that reconfiguration for Task 2 takes place after the central processing of Task 1 and that the crosstalk correspondence effect is due to response activation by way of stimulus-response associations.

Cognition↗

The effects of proton exposure on neurochemistry and behavior

Future space missions will involve long-term travel beyond the magnetic field of the Earth, where astronauts will be exposed to radiation hazards such as those that arise from galactic cosmic rays. Galactic cosmic rays are composed of protons, alpha particles, and particles of high energy and charge (HZE particles). Research by our group has shown that exposure to HZE particles, primarily 600 MeV/n and 1 GeV/n 56Fe, can produce significant alterations in brain neurochemistry and behavior. However, given that protons can make up a significant portion of the radiation spectrum, it is important to study their effects on neural functioning and on related performance. Therefore, these studies examined the effects of exposure to proton irradiation on neurochemical and behavioral endpoints, including dopaminergic functioning, amphetamine-induced conditioned taste aversion learning, and spatial learning and memory as measured by the Morris water maze. Male Sprague-Dawley rats received a dose of 0, 1.5, 3.0 or 4.0 Gy of 250 MeV protons at Loma Linda University and were tested in the different behavioral tests at various times following exposure. Results showed that there was no effect of proton irradiation at any dose on any of the endpoints measured. Therefore, there is a contrast between the insignificant effects of high dose proton exposure and the dramatic effectiveness of low dose (<0.1 Gy) exposures to 56Fe particles on both neurochemical and behavioral endpoints. Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of COSPAR.

Non-NASA Center↗

Dual-task performance with ideomotor-compatible tasks: is the central processing bottleneck intact, bypassed, or shifted in locus?

The present study examined whether the central bottleneck, assumed to be primarily responsible for the psychological refractory period (PRP) effect, is intact, bypassed, or shifted in locus with ideomotor (IM)-compatible tasks. In 4 experiments, factorial combinations of IM- and non-IM-compatible tasks were used for Task 1 and Task 2. All experiments showed substantial PRP effects, with a strong dependency between Task 1 and Task 2 response times. These findings, along with model-based simulations, indicate that the processing bottleneck was not bypassed, even with two IM-compatible tasks. Nevertheless, systematic changes in the PRP and correspondence effects across experiments suggest that IM compatibility shifted the locus of the bottleneck. The findings favor an engage-bottleneck-later hypothesis, whereby parallelism between tasks occurs deeper into the processing stream for IM- than for non-IM-compatible tasks, without the bottleneck being actually eliminated.

Psychomotor Performance↗

Antarctic Space Analog Program

The primary aim of this project was to examine group dynamics and individual performance in extreme, isolated environments and identify human factors requirements for long-duration space missions using data collected in an analog environment. Specifically, we wished to determine: 1) the characteristics of social relations in small groups of individuals living and working together in extreme, isolated environments, and 2) the environmental, social and psychological determinants of performance effectiveness in such groups. These two issues were examined in six interrelated studies using data collected in small, isolated research stations in Antarctica from 1963 to the present. Results from these six studies indicated that behavior and performance on long-duration space flights is likely to be seasonal or cyclical, situational, social, and salutogenic in nature. The project responded to two NASA program emphases for FY 1997 as described in the NRA: 1) the primary emphasis of the Behavior and Performance Program on determining long-term individual and group performance responses to space, identifying critical factors affecting those responses and understanding underlying mechanisms involved in behavior and performance, and developing and using ground-based models and analogs for studying space-related behavior and performance; and 2) the emphasis of the Data Analysis Program on extended data analysis. Results from the study were used to develop recommendations for the design and development of pre-flight crew training and in-flight psychological countermeasures for long-duration manned space missions.

Palinkas, Lawrence A↗

Nutritional models for space travel from chemically defined diets

Human nutritional requirements are summarized, including recommended daily intake and maximum safe chronic intake of nutrients. The biomedical literature on various types of chemically defined diets (CDD's), which are liquid, formulated diets for enteral and total parenteral nutrition, is reviewed. The chemical forms of the nutrients in CDD's are detailed, and the compositions and sources of representative commercial CDD's are tabulated. Reported effects of CDD's in medical patients, healthy volunteers, and laboratory animals are discussed. The effects include gastrointestinal side effects, metabolic imbalances, nutrient deficiencies and excesses, and psychological problems. Dietary factors contributing to the side effects are examined. Certain human nutrient requirements have been specified more precisely as a result of long-term use of CDD's, and related studies are included. CDD's are the most restricted yet nutritionally complete diets available.

Dufour, P. A.↗

Digital-Threat Bias and Psychological Distance: Barriers to Foundational Digital-Security Improvement

Modern life is held together by a web of digital dependencies that enable and provide delivery of critical services and functions—think the provision of utilities such as electricity and water, as well as our dependency on digital services for social and economic services (internet, communication, etc.). As this dependency grows, the complexity related to the delivery of these critical services increases as well. As complexity increases, the understanding of the risk and impact associated with potential disruption, degradation, or destruction—due to either malicious or non-malicious events of those digitally enabled functions—decreases. One potential explanation for the difficulty to 1) understand the risks faced and 2) address them appropriately and effectively is the abstractness and psychological distance assigned to “digital threat.” The complexity of these digitally enabled services creates a perceived complicatedness; as a result, digital threats are treated differently than similarly devasting (but more easily understood) kinetic or physical threats. How we categorize these threats also matters. Acts of cyber-enabled sabotage to critical infrastructure need to be defined as irregular warfare. By inadequately defining the threat, we compound the problem. Acknowledging this digital-threat bias is foundational to improving the ability to protect critical infrastructure. Using construal-level theory and psychological-distance concepts provides an intriguing starting point to address these issues, to reframe the challenges faced, and pursue more effective critical infrastructure security and defense policy.

29 - ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY AND ECONOMY↗

Operational Psychology Perspective

This slide presentation reviews the history of long duration spaceflight, and the changes in the International Space Station crew and the effect that this has had on the psychology of astronaut selection and training.

Holland, Al↗

Objective measure of pilot workload

Timesharing behavior in a data-entry task, similar to a pilot entering navigation data into an on-board computer is investigated. Auditory reaction time as a function of stimulus information and dimensionality is examined. This study has direct implications for stimulus selection for secondary tasks used in the GAT flight simulator at Ames Research Center. Attenuation effects of heat and cold stress in a psychological refractory period task were studied. The focus of interest is the general effects of stress on attention rather than upon specific temperature related phenomena.

Kantowitz, B. H.↗

Weight control and restraint of laboratory rats

The use of restrained and confined rats in some procedures used in combustion toxicology introduces the problems of obtaining rats of the appropriate size for the apparatus, and of identifying any artifacts resulting from the use of restraint alone. Feeding studies indicate that controlled feeding of fast-growing strains such as the Sprague-Dawley can hold rat size essentially constant for significant periods of time. The undesirable aspects are the need to cage the animals individually, with resultant psychological as well as metabolic effects. Restraint studies of slow-growing strains such as the Fischer 344 indicate that denying access to food and water for periods of several hours at a time interrupts normal gain only temporarily.

Hilado, C. J.↗

Crew activities, science, and hazards of manned missions to Mars

The crew scientific and nonscientific activities that will occur at each stage of a mission to Mars are examined. Crew activities during the interplanetary flight phase will include simulations, maintenance and monitoring, communications, upgrading procedures and operations, solar activity monitoring, cross-training and sharpening of skills, physical conditioning, and free-time activities. Scientific activities will address human physiology, human psychology, sociology, astronomy, space environment effects, manufacturing, and space agriculture. Crew activities on the Martian surface will include exploration, construction, manufacturing, food production, maintenance and training, and free time. Studies of Martian geology and atmosphere, of the life forms that may exist there, and of the Martian moons will occur on the planet's surface. Crew activities and scientific studies that will occur in Mars orbit, and the hazards relevant to each stage of the mission, are also addressed.

Clark, Benton C.↗

A dynamic model of stress and sustained attention

Arguments are presented that an integrated view of stress and performance must consider the task demanding a sustained attention as a primary source of cognitive stress. A dynamic model is developed on the basis of the concept of adaptability in both physiological and psychological terms, that addresses the effects of stress on vigilance and, potentially, a wide variety of attention-demanding performance tasks. The model provides an insight into the failure of an operator under the driving influences of stress and opens a number of potential avenues through which solutions to the complex challenge of stress and performance might be posed.

Hancock, P. A.↗

Exercise and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV-1) Infection

The human immune system is highly efficient and remarkably protective when functioning properly. Similar to other physiological systems, it functions best when the body is maintained with a balanced diet, sufficient rest and a moderately stress-free lifestyle. It can be disrupted by inappropriate drug use and extreme emotion or exertion. The functioning of normal or compromised immune systems can be enhanced by properly prescribed moderate exercise conditioning regimens in healthy people, and in some human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1)-infected patients but not in others who unable to complete an interval training program. Regular exercise conditioning in healthy people reduces cardiovascular risk factors, increases stamina, facilitates bodyweight control, and reduces stress by engendering positive feelings of well-being. Certain types of cancer may also be suppressed by appropriate exercise conditioning. Various exercise regimens are being evaluated as adjunct treatments for medicated patients with the HIV-1 syndrome. Limited anecdotal evidence from patients suggests that moderate exercise conditioning is per se responsible for their survival well beyond expectancy. HIV-1-infected patients respond positively, both physiologically and psychologically, to moderate exercise conditioning. However, the effectiveness of any exercise treatment programme depends on its mode, frequency, intensity and duration when prescribed o complement the pathological condition of the patient. The effectiveness of exercise conditioning regimens in patients with HIV-1 infection is reviewed in this article. In addition, we discuss mechanisms and pathways, involving the interplay of psychological and physiological factors, through which the suppressed immune system can be enhanced. The immune modulators discussed are endogenous opioids, cytokines, neurotransmitters and other hormones. Exercise conditioning treatment appears to be more effective when combined with other stress management procedures.

Lawless, DeSales↗

Effects of exposure to 56Fe particles on the acquisition of a conditioned place preference in rats

Exposure to low doses of 56Fe particles produces changes in neural function and behavior. The present experiments were designed to examine the effects of irradiation on the acquisition of a dopamine-mediated conditioned place preference (CPP). In the CPP procedure, rats are given an injection of the dopamine agonist amphetamine in one distinctive compartment and a saline injection in a different compartment of a three-compartment apparatus. Control rats develop a preference for the amphetamine-paired compartment. In contrast, rats exposed to 1 Gy of 56Fe particles fail to develop a similar preference. The results of the experiment indicate that exposure to low doses of heavy particles can disrupt the neural mechanisms that mediate the reinforcement of behavior.

Non-NASA Center↗

Electronic collaboration: Some effects of telecommunication media and machine intelligence on team performance

Both NASA and DoD have had a long standing interest in teamwork, distributed decision making, and automation. While research on these topics has been pursued independently, it is becoming increasingly clear that the integration of social, cognitive, and human factors engineering principles will be necessary to meet the challenges of highly sophisticated scientific and military programs of the future. Images of human/intelligent-machine electronic collaboration were drawn from NASA and Air Force reports as well as from other sources. Here, areas of common concern are highlighted. A description of the author's research program testing a 'psychological distancing' model of electronic media effects and human/expert system collaboration is given.

Wellens, A. Rodney↗

Human performance and physiological function during a 24-hr exposure to 1% bromotrifluoromethane (Halon 1301)

Performance and physiological measurements were obtained from four pairs of men exposed for 24 hr to 1% (10,000 ppm) Halon 1301 (bromotrifluoromethane, CBrF3) and to air with order counterbalanced using a double-blind protocol. Cognitive and motor performance was assessed before, during, and after the exposures using seven scales of the Automated Portable Testing System, which produced 13 measures of performance. Halon inhalation induced decrements in 2 of the 13 measures, but actual and estimated magnitudes of the decrements were no greater than 5% of baseline values. Physiological data were obtained before, during, and after the exposures from clinical chemistry analyses of blood and urine samples, pulmonary function tests, and monitoring of vital signs. Significant change during Halon inhalation was observed for 6 of the 52 variables assessed; however, all physiological values remained within clinically acceptable limits. No cardiovascular effects were noted. This study demonstrated that exposure to 1% Halon 1301 for 24 hr can produce minor disturbance of central nervous system function as assessed by cognitive tasks.

Randomized Controlled Trial↗