The aim of the present work was to investigate the alterations in nitric oxide synthase (NOS) expression and nitrate and nitrite (NOx) content of different arteries from simulated microgravity rats. Male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to either a control group or simulated microgravity group. For simulating microgravity, animals were subjected to hindlimb unweighting (HU) for 20 days. Diffe...

Sleep studies conducted during the STS-90 Neurolab mission are explored. The relationship between sleep, melatonin, and circadian phase is reviewed. The study contained both sleep and awake components. The objectives of the sleep component were to test five hypotheses: that circadian rhythms of core body temperature and urinary melatonin are synchronized to required sleep-wake schedules, that s...

The ability of aquatic vertebrates to maintain their position requires integration of visual and vestibular sensory information. To understand better how aquatic animals integrate such information, we measured the optomotor behaviour of Xenopus laevis tadpoles raised in growth chambers in microgravity (< 10(-3)g), normal gravity (1 g), hypergravity (3 g) and on a slowly rotating clinostat (simu...

Biomineralized tissues are widespread in animals. They are essential elements in skeletons and in statocysts. The function of both can only be understood with respect to gravitational force, which has always been present. Therefore, it is not astonishing to identify microgravity as a factor influencing biomineralization, normally resulting in the reduction of biomineralized materials. All known...

Closely associated European teams are engaged in microgravity research on aqueous and metal foams in the framework of two MAP projects from ESA. They deploy a wide range of techniques in terrestrial experiments and are experienced in the design and execution of microgravity experiments. We outline their recent achievements and present plans

Microgravity eases several constraints limiting experiments with ultracold and condensed atoms on ground. It enables extended times of flight without suspension eliminates the gravitational sag for trapped atoms. These advantages motivated numerous initiatives to adapt operate experimental setups microgravity platforms. We describe design payload, motivations choices, capabilities Bose-Einstein...

Background For tendon tissue engineering, tenocyte-seeded scaffolds are a promising approach. Under conventional 2D culture however, tenocytes show rapid senescene and phenotype loss. We hypothesized that phenotype loss could be counteracted by simulated microgravity conditions. Methods Human tenocytes were exposed to microgravity for 9 days on a Random Positioning Machine (RPM). Formation of...

61 Systemic blood distribution is an important factor involved in regulating cerebral blood 62 flow (CBF). However, the effect of an acute change in central blood volume (CBV) on 63 CBF regulation remains unclear. To address our question, we sought to examine the 64 CBF and systemic hemodynamic responses to microgravity during parabolic flight. 65 Twelve healthy subjects were seated upright and...

Bacterial biofilms cause chronic diseases that are difficult to control. Since biofilm formation in space is well documented and planktonic cells become more resistant and virulent under modeled microgravity, it is important to determine the effect of this gravity condition on biofilms. Inclusion of glass microcarrier beads of appropriate dimensions and density with medium and inoculum, in vess...

Life on Earth evolved in the presence of gravity, and thus it is of interest from the perspective of space exploration to determine if diminished gravity affects biological processes. Cultivation of Escherichia coli under low-shear simulated microgravity (SMG) conditions resulted in enhanced stress resistance in both exponential- and stationary-phase cells, making the latter superresistant. Giv...