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At least 145 records · Page 8
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2004

Bone and Calcium Metabolism During Space Flight

Understanding bone loss during space flight is one of the most critical challenges for maintaining astronaut health on space exploration missions. Flight and ground-based studies have been conducted to better understand the nature and mechanisms of weightlessness-induced bone loss, and to identify a means to counteract the loss. Maintenance of bone health requires a balance between bone formation and bone resorption. Early space research identified bone loss as a critical health issue, but could not provide a distinction between the bone formation and breakdown processes. The recent identification of collagen crosslinks as markers of bone resorption has made possible a clear understanding that a decrease in bone resorption is an important effect of space flight, with bone formation being unchanged or only slightly decreased. Calcium regulatory factors have also been studied, in an attempt to understand their role in bone loss. The lack of ultraviolet light exposure and insufficient dietary sources of vitamin D often lead to reduced vitamin D stores on long-duration flights. Serum parathyroid hormone (PTH) concentrations are decreased during flight compared to before flight, although small subject numbers often make this hard to document statistically. As expected, reduced PTH concentrations are accompanied by reduced 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D concentrations. Calcium kinetic studies during space flight confirm and extend the information gained from biochemical markers of bone metabolism. Calcium kinetic studies demonstrate that bone resorption is increased, bone formation is unchanged or decreased, and dietary calcium absorption is reduced during space flight. Evaluations have also been conducted of countermeasures, including dietary, exercise, and pharmacological treatments. In recent studies, many potential countermeasures show promise at mitigating bone loss in ground-based analogs of weightlessness (e.g., bed rest), but require further ground and flight testing to ensure that the beneficial effects are seen in space flight. As we begin to plan for missions to go back to the Moon, and even off to Mars, many questions are yet to be answered. Maintaining bone is one of the greatest challenges, but with a better understanding of the mechanical processes of bone loss, countermeasures can be designed more efficiently, and the solution (or solutions) may be just over the horizon.

Smith, Scott M.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Production of functional proteins: balance of shear stress and gravity

The present invention provides a method for production of functional proteins including hormones by renal cells in a three dimensional co-culture process responsive to shear stress using a rotating wall vessel. Natural mixture of renal cells expresses the enzyme 1-a-hydroxylase which can be used to generate the active form of vitamin D: 1,25-diOH vitamin D3. The fibroblast cultures and co-culture of renal cortical cells express the gene for erythropoietin and secrete erythropoietin into the culture supernatant. Other shear stress response genes are also modulated by shear stress, such as toxin receptors megalin and cubulin (gp280). Also provided is a method of treating in-need individual with the functional proteins produced in a three dimensional co-culture process responsive to shear stress using a rotating wall vessel.

Goodwin, Thomas John↗
NASA NTRS2007

Production of functional proteins: balance of shear stress and gravity

The present invention provides a method for production of functional proteins including hormones by renal cells in a three dimensional co-culture process responsive to shear stress using a rotating wall vessel. Natural mixture of renal cells expresses the enzyme 1-a-hydroxylase which can be used to generate the active form of vitamin D: 1,25-diOH vitamin D3. The fibroblast cultures and co-culture of renal cortical cells express the gene for erythropoietin and secrete erythropoietin into the culture supernatant. Other shear stress response genes are also modulated by shear stress, such as toxin receptors megalin and cubulin (gp280). Also provided is a method of treating in-need individual with the functional proteins produced in a three dimensional co-culture process responsive to shear stress using a rotating wall vessel.

Goodwin, Thomas John↗
NASA NTRS2006

Novel Concept for LSS Based on Advanced Microalgal Biotechnologies

One of the key issues for successful human space exploration is biomedical life support in hostile space and planetary environments that otherwise cannot sustain life. Bioregenerative life support systems (LSS) are one of the options for atmospheric regeneration. To date, no bioregenerative LSS has shown capability for 100% air regeneration. Nor have these LSS been robust enough to simultaneously provide a regenerable complete food source. In contrast to microalgae, traditional plant approaches, e.g. wheat and lettuce, are lacking essential amino acids, vitamins, and micronutrients. Moreover, the rate of photosynthesis by microalgae significantly exceeds that of high plants. Nevertheless, the employment of microalgae in LSS technology was restricted, until recently, due to high water demands. Also the per person requirement of a 40L volume of microalgae in a photobioreactor, to provide daily O2 production, made an algae-based approach less attractive. By employing a vertically stacked membrane bioreactor, coupled with a solar tracker and photon-delivery system, a lightweight air revitalization system for space based applications, with minimal water requirements, can be developed. Our preliminary estimations suggest that a membrane bioreactor, 8m3 in volume, comprised of 80m2 (twenty 2m x 2m membranes, each spaced 10 cm apart), and a total of 70L of water could produce 2.7 kg of dried microalgal biomass that would supply the energy and essential amino acid requirements, as well as producing sufficient O2 for the daily needs of a 15 member crew. Research on the biochemical content of edible blue-green alga Spirulina (Arthrospira) platensis shows a wide spectrum of stable Spirulina mutants with an enhanced content of amino acids, -carotene, and phycobilliprotein c-phycocyanin. Feeding animals suffering from radiation-induced lesions, c-phycocyanin, extracted from strain 27G, led to a correction in the decrement of dehydrogenase activity and energy-rich phosphate levels, as well as improved antioxidant defense and pyruvate levels, compared to untreated animals. Experimental anemia in rats was corrected by feeding Spirulina platensis strains 198B and 27G, (with an enhanced content of methionine, phycobiliproteins and carotenoids). Spirulina was recently shown by Ananyev et al, 2005, to be an oxygenic organism with the highest level of photosystem II activity (O2 production). We propose therefore to develop a design for membrane-based photoreactors for Lunar and Mars exploration habitat LSS, for the cultivation of genetically modified strains of Spirulina to scrub CO2 and supply astronauts with O2, protein, vitamins, and immunostimulators.

Brown, I.↗
NASA NTRS2009

Nutritional Status Assessment (SMO 016E)

Until 2006, it was not been possible to assess nutritional status of crewmembers on the ISS during flight because blood and urine could not be collected during ISS missions. Postflight observations of alterations in status of several nutrients are troubling, and we require the ability to monitor the status of these nutrients during flight to determine if there is a specific impetus or timeframe for these changes. In addition to the monitoring of crew nutritional status during flight, in-flight sample collection would allow better assessment of countermeasure effectiveness. Collecting samples during flight is one of the objectives of SMO 016E, and it is also designed to expand the current medical requirement for nutritional assessment (MR016L) to include additional normative markers for assessing crew health and countermeasure effectiveness. Additional markers of bone metabolism will be measured to better monitor bone health and the effectiveness of countermeasures to prevent bone resorption. New markers of oxidative damage will be measured to better assess the type of oxidative insults that occur during space flight. The array of nutritional assessment variables will be expanded to include ones that will allow us to better understand changes in folate, vitamin K, and vitamin B6 status, as well as risk factors for cardiovascular and oxidative damage during and after flight. Stress hormones and hormones that affect bone and muscle metabolism will also be measured. Measuring these additional variables will allow us to better monitor the health of crewmembers and make more accurate recommendations for their rehabilitation. Several nutritional assessment variables are altered at landing, but it is not known how long these changes persist. We extended the original protocol to include an additional postflight blood and urine sample collection 30 days after landing. Data are being collected before, during, and after flight. These data will provide a complete survey of how nutritional status and related systems are affected by space flight. Analyzing the data will help us to define nutritional requirements for long-duration missions. This expanded set of measurements will also aid in the identification of nutritional countermeasures to counteract, for example, the deleterious effects of microgravity on bone and muscle and the effects of space radiation.

Smith, S. M.↗
NASA NTRS2010

Nutritional Biochemistry

This slide presentation reviews some of the effects that space flight has on humans nutritional biochemistry. Particular attention is devoted to the study of protein breakdown, inflammation, hypercatabolism, omega 3 fatty acids, vitamin D, calcium, urine, folate and nutrient stability of certain vitamins, the fluid shift and renal stone risk, acidosis, iron/hematology, and the effects on bone of dietary protein, potassium. inflammation, and omega-3 fatty acids

Smith, Scott M.↗
NASA NTRS2011

Operations Research Flight Ground Service Education/Outreach

This viewgraph presentation describes a nutritional biochemistry assessment of astronauts in preflight, in-flight, and post-flight operations. In-flight collections of blood and urine samples from astronauts to test the effects of Vitamin K, Pro K, Vitamin D, Omega-3 Fatty Acids, Iron, and Sodium in spaceflight is shown. A demonstration of a 1-carbon metabolism pathway that determines the existence of enzymes and polymorphisms is also presented.

Smith, Scott M.↗
NASA NTRS2010

Use of an Improved Radiation Amplification Factor to Estimate the Effect of Total Ozone Changes on Action Spectrum Weighted Irradiances and an Instrument Response Function

Multiple scattering radiative transfer results are used to calculate action spectrum weighted irradiances and fractional irradiance changes in terms of a power law in ozone OMEGA, U(OMEGA/200)(sup -RAF), where the new radiation amplification factor (RAF) is just a function of solar zenith angle. Including Rayleigh scattering caused small differences in the estimated 30 year changes in action spectrum-weighted irradiances compared to estimates that neglect multiple scattering. The radiative transfer results are applied to several action spectra and to an instrument response function corresponding to the Solar Light 501 meter. The effect of changing ozone on two plant damage action spectra are shown for plants with high sensitivity to UVB (280-315 run) and those with lower sensitivity, showing that the probability for plant damage for the latter has increased since 1979, especially at middle to high latitudes in the Southern Hemisphere. Similarly, there has been an increase in rates of erythemal skin damage and pre-vitamin D3 production corresponding to measured ozone decreases. An example conversion function is derived to obtain erythemal irradiances and the UV index from measurements with the Solar Light 501 instrument response function. An analytic expressions is given to convert changes in erythemal irradiances to changes in CIE vitamin-D action spectrum weighted irradiances.

Herman, Jay R.↗
NASA NTRS2011

Production of functional proteins: balance of shear stress and gravity

A method for the production of functional proteins including hormones by renal cells in a three dimensional culturing process responsive to shear stress uses a rotating wall vessel. Natural mixture of renal cells expresses the enzyme 1-.alpha.-hydroxylase which can be used to generate the active form of vitamin D: 1,25-diOH vitamin D.sub.3. The fibroblast cultures and co-culture of renal cortical cells express the gene for erythropoietin and secrete erythropoietin into the culture supernatant. Other shear stress response genes are also modulated by shear stress, such as toxin receptors megalin and cubulin (gp280). Also provided is a method of treating an in-need individual with the functional proteins produced in a three dimensional co-culture process responsive to shear stress using a rotating wall vessel.

Goodwin, Thomas John↗
NASA NTRS2013

Forest Cover Associated with Improved Child Health and Nutrition: Evidence from the Malawi Demographic and Health Survey and Satellite Data

Healthy forests provide human communities with a host of important ecosystem services, including the provision of food, clean water, fuel, and natural medicines. Yet globally, about 13 million hectares of forests are lost every year, with the biggest losses in Africa and South America. As biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation due to deforestation continue at unprecedented rates, with concomitant loss of ecosystem services, impacts on human health remain poorly understood. Here, we use data from the 2010 Malawi Demographic and Health Survey, linked with satellite remote sensing data on forest cover, to explore and better understand this relationship. Our analysis finds that forest cover is associated with improved health and nutrition outcomes among children in Malawi. Children living in areas with net forest cover loss between 2000 and 2010 were 19% less likely to have a diverse diet and 29% less likely to consume vitamin A-rich foods than children living in areas with no net change in forest cover. Conversely, children living in communities with higher percentages of forest cover were more likely to consume vitamin A-rich foods and less likely to experience diarrhea. Net gain in forest cover over the 10-year period was associated with a 34% decrease in the odds of children experiencing diarrhea (P5.002). Given that our analysis relied on observational data and that there were potential unknown factors for which we could not account, these preliminary findings demonstrate only associations, not causal relationships, between forest cover and child health and nutrition outcomes. However, the findings raise concerns about the potential short- and long-term impacts of ongoing deforestation and ecosystem degradation on community health in Malawi, and they suggest that preventing forest loss and maintaining the ecosystems services of forests are important factors in improving human health and nutrition outcomes.

malawi↗
NASA NTRS2015

Fibroblast Growth Factor 23 in Long-Duration Spaceflight

Many nutritional factors influence bone, from the basics of calcium and vitamin D, to factors which influence bone through acid/base balance, including protein, sodium, and more. Fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) is a recently identified factor, secreted from osteocytes, which is involved in classic (albeit complex) feedback loops controlling phosphorus homeostasis through both vitamin D and parathyroid hormone (PTH) (1, 2). As osteocytes are gravity sensing cells, it is important to determine if there are changes in FGF23 during spaceflight. In extreme cases, such as chronic kidney disease, FGF23 levels are highly elevated. FGF23 imbalances, secondary to dietary influences, may contribute to skeletal demineralization and kidney stone risk during spaceflight.

Bokhari, R.↗
NASA NTRS2022

Microgreens Root Zone/Shoot Zone Partitioned Planting Box

To enable sustainable food production in future human exploration missions, plant growth is being studied by the Space Crop Production Team at KSC. Microgreens are good candidates for food supplements and contain specific nutrients that are lacking in the prepackaged diet, including vitamin C and vitamin K. Because they are densely sown, typical growth methods do not allow the ability to distinguish between the levels of evaporation from the rooting substrate and transpiration from the leaves. With larger plants, the root and shoot zone can be separated to distinguish these fluxes and accurate transpiration measurements of plant canopies are feasible. Furthermore, separation of the root and shoot zone may also be beneficial when harvesting microgreens in microgravity as it may reduce microbial contamination of the edible biomass by the roots, which have high microbial loads. Using a root and shoot separator box when harvesting may help with microbial contamination, but these tiny plants are challenging to handle in microgravity, so harvest management remains an open question. The innovation proposed here is a microgreen root/shoot partitioned planting box, which offers a solution to these challenges with accurate gas exchange measurements and a safe microgreen harvest in low gravity environments. Being able to measure transpiration of a microgreen canopy will be important for modeling plant growth in reduced gravity environments, so the first objective was to develop a planting unit with a seal between the root zone and the shoot zone. With an unsuitable harvesting technique, freshly harvested microgreens may add debris to the cabin, so the second objective was to test different harvesting techniques and management approaches associated with this innovation. These two objectives were pursued in parallel since many goals were the same: develop a planting unit that 1) separates the shoots from the roots, 2) allows acceptable germination rate, and 3) allows for seedlings to emerge and develop. What differed was the need to have a seal, which was only applicable for our gas exchange goal, and the need to have an embedded harvesting mechanism and bagging method which only applied to our harvesting goal. Testing of the various harvesting mechanisms and bagging methods was performed during a series of parabolic flights. All parabolic flight procedures took place inside a rented secondary containment chamber (e.g., glovebox) that was developed by the University of Louisville specifically for experiments involving fluids and other materials that may become airborne during reduced gravity flight. Three different harvesting methods and two different bagging collection methods were tested for microgreens. A third bagging method was initially tested but found to be unsuitable. Human factors were also taken into consideration, to identify which harvest and bagging collection methods would be easiest to use with favorable results in microgravity. Three parabolic flight tests were performed in total, one in November 2021 and two in December 2021.

Gioia Massa↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Novel Microgreen Crop Testing for Space

Long-duration missions beyond low-Earth orbit will encounter challenges in maintaining adequate nutrition and crew acceptability in the food system. In situ production of fresh produce can supplement nutrient deficiencies in the prepackaged diet. Currently, there are a relatively small number of crops that can be reliably grown in space for space crop production efforts. An intriguing area of new investigation involves novel types of microgreens that have the potential to be sources of calories, fat, carbohydrates, and protein. These sources of nutrition are not obtainable in significant quantities with current pick and eat crops. Many microgreen cultivars are also sources of nutrients of interest, such as Vitamins B1, C, and K, and elements such as potassium. Microgreens should be selected to address specific nutritional deficits, as identified by NASA’s Human Research Program, with an emphasis on having a diversity of crops to meet nutritional requirements and crew acceptability. To achieve this, the concept of Crop Readiness Level (CRL) has been developed to gauge readiness of crops for spaceflight applications. CRL includes assessing environmental compatibility, food safety considerations, relevant nutritional analysis, and sensory analysis. Recent testing at Kennedy Space Center has focused on advancing the CRL of a variety of novel microgreens. These varieties were grown under 150 µmol m -2 s -1 PPFD from LED lights, 3000 ppm CO 2 , and 23°C to simulate an ISS environment. Crops were harvested and yield was assessed. Then, baseline microbiological and nutritional analysis (Vitamins B1, C, K; mineral analysis; proximate analysis) and sensory evaluation were performed. These baseline data are essential to selecting candidate crops for future missions and assessing crop production hardware and changes in environmental conditions on future crop performance and nutritional quality.

nutrition↗
DOE OSTI2022

Media for culturing epithelial cells

A method of growing primary human epithelial cells, in particular human epithelial cells using a basal formula containing individual (a) amino acids, (b) vitamins, (c) trace elements, and (d) other organics such as linoleic acid. The basal medium may be a mixture of amino acids, vitamins, and salts that constitute the basic media that is used to culture epithelial cells over a number of population doublings, e.g., over at least one week, while maintaining a normal phenotype and exerting low stress on the cultured cells, and maintaining lineage heterogeneity.

LaBarge, Mark A.↗
NASA NTRS2005

Dahl salt-sensitive rats develop hypovitaminosis D and hyperparathyroidism when fed a standard diet

The Dahl salt-sensitive rat (S), a model for salt-sensitive hypertension, excretes protein-bound 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD) into urine when fed a low salt diet. Urinary 25-OHD increases during high salt intake. We tested the hypothesis that continuous loss of 25-OHD into urine would result in low plasma 25-OHD concentration in mature S rats raised on a standard diet. Dahl S and salt-resistant (R) male rats were raised to maturity (12-month-old) on a commercial rat diet (1% salt) and switched to 0.3% (low) or 2% (high) salt diets 3 weeks before euthanasia. Urine (24 h) was collected at the end of the dietary treatments. Urinary 25-OHD and urinary 25-OHD binding activity of S rats were three times that of R rats, resulting in lower plasma 25-OHD and 24,25-dihydroxyvitamin D concentrations in S rats than in R rats (P < 0.001). Plasma parathyroid hormone concentrations of S rats were twice that of R rats. S rats fed 2% salt had higher plasma 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D concentrations than those fed 0.3% salt (P = 0.002). S rats excreted more calcium into urine than R rats (P < 0.001) and did not exhibit the expected calciuric response to salt. Proteinuria of the S rats was three times that of the R rats, suggesting kidney damage in the S rats. Low plasma 25-OHD and 24,25-dihydroxyvitamin D and high plasma 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D and PTH concentrations seen in the mature S rats have also been reported for elderly patients with low-renin (salt-induced) hypertension. An implication of this study is that low vitamin D status may occur with age in salt-sensitive individuals, even when salt intake is normal.

NASA Discipline Regulatory Physiology↗
DOE OSTI2021

Nutraceuticals and their role in tumor angiogenesis

Angiogenesis plays a pivotal role in cancer initiation, maintenance, and progression. Diet may inhibit, retard or reverse these processes affecting angiogenesis (angioprevention). Nutraceuticals, such as omega-3 fatty acids, amino acids, proteins, vitamins, minerals, fibers, and phenolic compounds, improve health benefits as they are a source of bioactive compounds that, among other effects, can regulate angiogenesis. The literature concerning the pro-angiogenic and/or anti-angiogenic nutraceuticals and the possible activated pathways in cancer and other non-neoplastic diseases by in vivo and in vitro experiments are reviewed.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2021

Complete and efficient conversion of plant cell wall hemicellulose into high-value bioproducts by engineered yeast

Abstract Plant cell wall hydrolysates contain not only sugars but also substantial amounts of acetate, a fermentation inhibitor that hinders bioconversion of lignocellulose. Despite the toxic and non-consumable nature of acetate during glucose metabolism, we demonstrate that acetate can be rapidly co-consumed with xylose by engineered Saccharomyces cerevisiae . The co-consumption leads to a metabolic re-configuration that boosts the synthesis of acetyl-CoA derived bioproducts, including triacetic acid lactone (TAL) and vitamin A, in engineered strains. Notably, by co-feeding xylose and acetate, an enginered strain produces 23.91 g/L TAL with a productivity of 0.29 g/L/h in bioreactor fermentation. This strain also completely converts a hemicellulose hydrolysate of switchgrass into 3.55 g/L TAL. These findings establish a versatile strategy that not only transforms an inhibitor into a valuable substrate but also expands the capacity of acetyl-CoA supply in S. cerevisiae for efficient bioconversion of cellulosic biomass.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

Phylogenetic distribution and experimental characterization of corrinoid production and dependence in soil bacterial isolates

Abstract Soil microbial communities impact carbon sequestration and release, biogeochemical cycling, and agricultural yields. These global effects rely on metabolic interactions that modulate community composition and function. However, the physicochemical and taxonomic complexity of soil and the scarcity of available isolates for phenotypic testing are significant barriers to studying soil microbial interactions. Corrinoids—the vitamin B12 family of cofactors—are critical for microbial metabolism, yet they are synthesized by only a subset of microbiome members. Here, we evaluated corrinoid production and dependence in soil bacteria as a model to investigate the ecological roles of microorganisms involved in metabolic interactions. We isolated and characterized a taxonomically diverse collection of 161 soil bacteria from a single study site. Most corrinoid-dependent bacteria in the collection prefer B12 over other corrinoids, while all tested producers synthesize B12, indicating metabolic compatibility between producers and dependents in the collection. Furthermore, a subset of producers release B12 at levels sufficient to support dependent isolates in laboratory culture at estimated ratios of up to 1000 dependents per producer. Within our isolate collection, we did not find strong phylogenetic patterns in corrinoid production or dependence. Upon investigating trends in the phylogenetic dispersion of corrinoid metabolism categories across sequenced bacteria from various environments, we found that these traits are conserved in 47 out of 85 genera. Together, these phenotypic and genomic results provide evidence for corrinoid-based metabolic interactions among bacteria and provide a framework for the study of nutrient-sharing ecological interactions in microbial communities.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗