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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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At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1970

The Value of Continued Followup in a Preventive Medicine Program

Continued monitoring of hypertension and cholesterol levels in NASA employees by regularly scheduled medical examinations prevents an increase in employee disability and cardiovascular mortality rates. Adequate therapeutic control for younger hypertensive employees is demonstrated by records on mortality and heart diseases over a period of 28 months. It confirmed the importance of systolic blood pressure as diagnostic tool for the inherent risk factor. The prevalence of additional coronary risk factors among employees with hypercholesterolemia is considerably less than in employees with hypertension.

Villafana, C.↗
NASA NTRS2007

Pharmaceutical Care and the Role of a Pharmacist in Space Medicine

Space medicine is primarily preventative medicine Outcomes of space medicine pharmaceutical care are: a) Elimination or reduction of a patient's symptomatology; b) Arresting or slowing of long term effects from microgravity; and c) Preventing long term effects or symptomatology as a result of microgravity. Space medicine pharmaceutical care is about both the patient and the mission. Pharmaceutical care in the area of space medicine is evolving. A pharmacist serves a critical role in this care. Commercial space travel will require pharmacist involvement.

Bayuse, Tina↗
NASA NTRS2010

Musculoskeletal Changes, Injuries and Rehabilitation Associated with Spaceflight

The in-flight musculoskeletal database provides the foundation for directing operationally-relevant research in space medicine. This effort will enable medical operations to develop medical kits, training programs, and preventive medicine strategies for future CxP missions: a) Quantify medications and medical supplies for next-generation spacecraft. b) Objective data for engineers to determine weight requirements. Flight surgeons can make specific recommendations to astronauts based on injury data, such as emphasizing hand protection while in-flight. EVA and spacecraft engineers can examine evidence-based data on injuries and design countermeasures to help prevent them.

Scheuring, Richard A.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Space Medicine: A Surgeon's Perspective

For the first four decades of human space flight NASA's priorities in life sciences and medical programs have been preventative medicine (astronaut selection and training); assessment of the physiologic effects of microgravity and other unique aspects of space flight, implementation of countermeasures to protect against adverse effects, and amelioration of these adverse effects. Because most of the U.S. space flight experience has been on short duration missions, the need for medical and diagnostic treatment capabilities have been limited.The first long-term crews will arrive on the International Space Station (ISS) in early 2000. This will usher in a new era, an era of sustained human presence in Low Earth Orbit. One of the principal purposes of the ISS program is to increase the knowledge of the effects of long duration space flight on humans, a pre-requisite to future exploration class missions beyond Low Earth Orbit (e.g., a return to the Moon or an exploration of Mars). Areas of particular interest include protection from radiation, muscle atrophy, bone loss, cardiovascular alterations, immune dysfunction, adverse psychological response to hazards and confinement, and neurovestibular alterations. In addition, long duration space flight requires the development of autonomous medical care capabilities, as the distances involved eliminate the possibility of real-time telemedicine or robotic intervention, and prevent a mission abort and a rapid return to Earth. The objectives of this presentation include: 1. A description of the International Space Station project, including its research facilities and on-orbit medical capabilities; 2. An overview of the physiological and medical problems associated with microgravity in space flight; 3. A review of NASA's biomedical research priorities and ongoing work to develop clinical care capabilities for space flight crews (including surgical interventions) and; 4. An overview of current and proposed research priorities for NASA Research Announcements, NASA Space Biomedical Research Institute, Small Business Innovation Research Grant, and other funding sources.

Dawson, David L.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Health care delivery system for long duration manned space operations

Specific requirements for medical support of a long-duration manned facility in a low earth orbit derive from inflight medical experience, projected medical scenarios, mission related spacecraft and environmental hazards, health maintenance, and preventive medicine. A sequential buildup of medical capabilities tailored to increasing mission complexity is proposed. The space station health maintenance facility must provide preventive, diagnostic, and therapeutic medical support as immediate rescue capability may not exist.

Logan, J. S.↗
NASA NTRS1969

Apollo 7 to 11 - Medical Concerns and Results

The goal of the Apollo Program is to land men on the moon and safely return them to earth. The medical task thus outlined required confirmation of the Gemini findings and definition and solution of any problems encountered in the four Apollo flights prior to the Apollo 11 lunar landing. The medical concerns included the following: 1. The effect of decreased red blood cell mass and decreased exercise capacity and of cardiovascular de conditioning on the ability of the crew to do lunar-surface activity; 2. The capability to work effectively in one-sixth the force of gravity and the energy cost of such work; 3. The ability to get adequate rest and sleep in flight and on the lunar surface; 4. The prevention of preflight, inflight, and post-flight illness by proper preventive medicine; 5. The possible development of motion sickness of vestibular origin; 6. The conduct of a post-flight quarantine of crew and lunar samples. The results of the Apollo 7 to 11 missions, demonstrating the ability of man to handle this difficult task and the environment successfully, are discussed in detail and are related to the future of manned flight.

Berry, C. A.↗
NASA NTRS1971

Epidemiology and hygiene of air travel

Preventive medicine for air travelers in flight and at route stops, considering disease dissemination and control, international quarantinable diseases, sanitation, etc

Randel, H. W.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Bioastronautic aspects of Apollo biomedical operations.

Bioastronautic results of the 3105 man-hours of Apollo space flight. The absence of solar flare eliminated the radiation problem for Apollo, but for prolonged flight the problem has not been solved. Crews have adapted generally to weightlessness and used it to advantage. Body weight loss is noted, and it is only partly due to fluid loss. Sleep appears to be impaired. The preventive medicine program has been difficult to conduct but in the later flights it effectively reduced the incidence of upper respiratory and gastrointestinal infection. Motion sickness has been noted, but all astronauts adapted well. Cardiovascular deconditioning has been similar in degree and duration to that noted after the Gemini flights. The loss of red blood cell mass of Gemini was found only in Apollo 9, which was the only Apollo flight where the astronauts were exposed to pure oxygen at 5 psia for prolonged periods.

Humphreys, J. W., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Skylab crew health and changes related to space flight

All three manned Skylab missions were supported by a cadre of medical personnel who were responsible not only for the management and conduct of the medical experiments but also for the operational planning and crew health. The day-to-day medical care of the crewmen and their families was left to a team of flight surgeons who were responsible for the health care during all phases of the mission, as well as the development and use of the inflight medical support system. The preventive medicine aspects of the preflight and postflight health stabilization program are discussed. The clinical problems encountered are identified and the significance of these medical entities are reviewed. The inflight physiological changes of a clinical nature are discussed in light of the significance of these changes as result of the space environment.

Hawkins, W. R.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Space age health care delivery

Space age health care delivery is being delivered to both NASA astronauts and employees with primary emphasis on preventive medicine. The program relies heavily on comprehensive health physical exams, health education, screening programs and physical fitness programs. Medical data from the program is stored in a computer bank so epidemiological significance can be established and better procedures can be obtained. Besides health care delivery to the NASA population, NASA is working with HEW on a telemedicine project STARPAHC, applying space technology to provide health care delivery to remotely located populations.

Jones, W. L.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Some physiological effects of alternation between zero gravity and one gravity

The anatomy and physiology of the healthy vestibular system and the history of its study, maintenance of muskuloskeletal fitness under low-gravity conditions, tests of motion sickness, and data and techniques on testing subjects in a slow rotation room, are covered. Components of the inner ear labyrinth and their behavior in relation to equilibrium, gravity and inertial forces, motion sickness, and dizziness are discussed. Preventive medicine, the biologically effective force environment, weightlessness per se, activity in a weightless spacecraft, exercizing required to maintain musculoskeletal function, and ataxia problems are dealt with.

Graybiel, A.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Fitness variables and the lipid profile in United States astronauts

The study examines the relationship between several measures of fitness and the lipid profile in United States astronauts. Data were collected on 89 astronauts, previously selected (PSA) and newly selected (NSA), during their annual physical examinations. Several similarities were seen in the two groups. The PSA (mean age of 46.1) had a lower maximum oxygen capacity (41.7 ml kg/min vs. 47.5 ml kg/min); when adjusted for age, it was no different from the NSA (mean age 33.5). The PSA had similar body composition with 15.7% - lower than expected for age. The lipid profiles of the two groups were basically the same with the differences being a function of age. Compared to a normative population, the astronauts had similar cholesterols, lower triglycerides, and higher HDLs. The astronaut profiles were generally more favorable than the age-matched controls, which is felt to be a result of the self-supervised conditioning program and annual preventive medicine consultation and education.

Berry, M. A.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Health Hazard Assessment and Toxicity Clearances in the Army Acquisition Process

The United States Army Materiel Command, Army Acquisition Pollution Prevention Support Office (AAPPSO) is responsible for creating and managing the U.S. Army Wide Acquisition Pollution Prevention Program. They have established Integrated Process Teams (IPTs) within each of the Major Subordinate Commands of the Army Materiel Command. AAPPSO provides centralized integration, coordination, and oversight of the Army Acquisition Pollution Prevention Program (AAPPP) , and the IPTs provide the decentralized execution of the AAPPSO program. AAPPSO issues policy and guidance, provides resources and prioritizes P2 efforts. It is the policy of the (AAPPP) to require United States Army Surgeon General approval of all materials or substances that will be used as an alternative to existing hazardous materials, toxic materials and substances, and ozone-depleting substances. The Army has a formal process established to address this effort. Army Regulation 40-10 requires a Health Hazard Assessment (HHA) during the Acquisition milestones of a new Army system. Army Regulation 40-5 addresses the Toxicity Clearance (TC) process to evaluate new chemicals and materials prior to acceptance as an alternative. U.S. Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine is the Army's matrixed medical health organization that performs the HHA and TC mission.

Macko, Joseph A., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Aerosol Absorption Effects in the TOMS UV Algorithm

The availability of global long-term estimates of surface UV radiation is very important, not only for preventive medicine considerations, but also as an important tool to monitor the effects of the stratospheric ozone recovery expected to occur in the next few decades as a result of the decline of the stratospheric chlorine levels. In addition to the modulating effects of ozone and clouds, aerosols also affect the levels of UV-A and W-B radiation reaching the surface. Oscillations in surface W associated with the effects of aerosol absorption may be comparable in magnitude to variations associated with the stratospheric ozone recovery. Thus, the accurate calculation of surface W radiation requires that both the scattering and absorption effects of tropospheric aerosols be taken into account. Although absorption effects of dust and elevated carbonaceous aerosols are already accounted for using Aerosol Index technique, this approach does not work for urban/industrial aerosols in the planetary boundary layer. The use of the new TOMS long-term global data record on UV aerosol absorption optical depth, can improve the accuracy of TOMS spectral UV products, by properly including the spectral attenuation effects of carbonaceous, urban/industrial and mineral aerosols. The TOMS data set on aerosol properties will be discussed, and results of its use in the TOMS surface W algorithm will be presented.

Torres, O.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Human and behavioral factors contributing to spine-based neurological cockpit injuries in pilots of high-performance aircraft: recommendations for management and prevention

In high-performance aircraft, the need for total environmental awareness coupled with high-g loading (often with abrupt onset) creates a predilection for cervical spine injury while the pilot is performing routine movements within the cockpit. In this study, the prevalence and severity of cervical spine injury are assessed via a modified cross-sectional survey of pilots of multiple aircraft types (T-38 and F-14, F-16, and F/A-18 fighters). Ninety-five surveys were administered, with 58 full responses. Fifty percent of all pilots reported in-flight or immediate post-flight spine-based pain, and 90% of fighter pilots reported at least one event, most commonly (> 90%) occurring during high-g (> 5 g) turns of the aircraft with the head deviated from the anatomical neutral position. Pre-flight stretching was not associated with a statistically significant reduction in neck pain episodes in this evaluation, whereas a regular weight training program in the F/A-18 group approached a significant reduction (mean = 2.492; p < 0.064). Different cockpit ergonomics may vary the predisposition to cervical injury from airframe to airframe. Several strategies for prevention are possible from both an aircraft design and a preventive medicine standpoint. Countermeasure strategies against spine injury in pilots of high-performance aircraft require additional research, so that future aircraft will not be limited by the human in control.

Case Reports↗
NASA NTRS2009

Human Research Program (HRP) Exploration Medical Capability (ExMC) Standing Review Panel (SRP)

The SRP believes strongly that regularly performed in-flight crew assessments are needed in order to identify a change in health status before a medical condition becomes clinically apparent. It is this early recognition in change that constitutes the foundation of the "occupational health model" expounded in the HRP Requirements Document as a key component of the HRP risk mitigation strategy that will enable its objective of "prevention and mitigation of human health and performance risks". A regular crew status examination of physiological and clinical performance is needed. This can be accomplished through instrumented monitoring of routine embedded tasks. The SRP recommends addition of a new gap to address this action under Category 3.0 Mitigate the Risk. This new gap is closely associated with Task 4.19 which addresses the lack of adequate biomedical monitoring capabilities for performing periodic clinical status evaluations and contingency medical monitoring. A corollary to these gaps is the critical emphasis on preventive medicine, not only during pre- and post-flight phases of a mission as is the current practice, but continued into the in-flight phases of exploration class missions.

Cintron, Nitza↗