Microgravity causes multiple changes in physical and mental levels in humans, which can induce performance deficiency among astronauts. Studying the variations in brain activity that occur during microgravity would help astronauts to deal with these changes. In the current study, resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) was used to observe the variations in brain activity d...

The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that exposure to short-term microgravity or long-term hindlimb unloading induces cardiac atrophy in male Sprague-Dawley rats. For the microgravity study, rats were subdivided into four groups: preflight (PF, n = 12); flight (Fl, n = 7); flight cage simulation (Sim, n = 6), and vivarium control (Viv, n = 7). Animals in the Fl group were expose...

In order to study the effect of microgravity on the proliferation of mammalian osteosarcoma cells and osteoblasts, the changes in cell proliferation, spindle structure, expression of MAD2 or BUB1, and effect of MAD2 or BUB1 on the inhibition of cell proliferation is investigated by keeping mammalian osteosarcoma cells and osteoblasts under simulated microgravity in a rotating wall vessel (2D-RW...

Microgravity is a prominent health hazard for astronauts, yet we understand little about its effect at the molecular systems level. In this study, we have integrated a set of systems-biology tools and databases and have analysed more than 8000 molecular pathways on published global gene expression datasets of human cells in microgravity. Hundreds of new pathways have been identified with statis...

During orbital or interplanetary space flights, astronauts are exposed to cosmic radiations and microgravity. However, most earth-based studies on the potential health risks of space conditions have investigated the effects of these two conditions separately. This study aimed at assessing the combined effect of radiation exposure and microgravity on neuronal morphology and survival in vitro. In...

Prolonged microgravity experienced by astronauts is associated with a decrease in bone mineral density. To investigate the effect of microgravity on differentiation of osteoclasts and osteoblasts, we used a NASA-recommended, ground-based, microgravity-simulating system, the Rotary Cell Culture System (RCCS). Using the RCCS, we demonstrated that modeled microgravity (MMG) inhibited osteoblastoge...

Experimental study was made by keeping human peripheral blood lymphocytes under simulated microgravity in a Rotary Cell Culture System bioreactor to investigate the changes that occur in the number of chromosomes, the expression rate of chromosome fragile site, and the expressions of DNA replication- and repair-related genes. Experimental results indicate simulated microgravity has no effect on...

The body shape of plants varied in proportion to the logarithm of the magnitude of gravity in the range from microgravity to hypergravity to resist the gravitational force. Here we discuss the roles of cortical microtubule and 65 kDa microtubule-associated protein-1 (MAP65-1) in gravity-induced modification of growth anisotropy. Microgravity stimulated elongation growth and suppressed lateral e...

The growth and morphogenesis of plants are entirely dependent on the gravitational acceleration of earth. Under microgravity conditions in space, these processes are greatly modified. Recent space experiments, in combination with ground-based studies, have shown that elongation growth is stimulated and lateral expansion suppressed in various shoot organs and roots under microgravity conditions....

Research in microgravity (low-gravity) combustion promises innovations and improvements in fire prevention and response for human-crew spacecraft. Findings indicate that material flammability and fire spread in microgravity are significantly affected by atmospheric flow rate, oxygen concentration, and diluent composition. This information can lead to modifications and correlations to standard m...