ALBERT

Description: ALTEA-MICE will supplement the ALTEA project on astronauts and provide information on the functional visual impairment possibly induced by heavy ions during prolonged operations in microgravity. Goals of ALTEA-MICE are: (1) to investigate the effects of heavy ions on the visual system of normal and mutant mice with retinal defects; (2) to define reliable experimental conditions for space research; and (3) to develop animal models to study the physiological consequences of space travels on humans. Remotely controlled mouse setup, applied electrophysiological recording methods, remote particle monitoring, and experimental procedures were developed and tested. The project has proved feasible under laboratory-controlled conditions comparable in important aspects to those of astronauts' exposure to particle in space. Experiments are performed at the Brookhaven National Laboratories [BNL] (Upton, NY, USA) and the Gesellschaft fur Schwerionenforschung mbH [GSI]/Biophysik (Darmstadt, FRG) to identify possible electrophysiological changes and/or activation of protective mechanisms in response to pulsed radiation. Offline data analyses are in progress and observations are still anecdotal. Electrophysiological changes after pulsed radiation are within the limits of spontaneous variability under anesthesia, with only indirect evidence of possible retinal/cortical responses. Immunostaining showed changes (e.g. increased expression of FGF2 protein in the outer nuclear layer) suggesting a retinal stress reaction to high-energy particles of potential relevance in space. c2004 COSPAR. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Description: The ALTEA project investigates the risks of functional brain damage induced by particle radiation in space. A modular facility (the ALTEA facility) is being implemented and will be operated in the International Space Station (ISS) to record electrophysiological and behavioral descriptors of brain function and to monitor their time dynamics and correlation with particles and space environment. The focus of the program will be on abnormal visual perceptions (often reported as "light flashes" by astronauts) and the impact on retinal and brain visual structures of particle in microgravity conditions. The facility will be made available to the international scientific community for human neurophysiological, electrophysiological and psychophysics experiments, studies on particle fluxes, and dosimetry. A precursor of ALTEA (the 'Alteino' project) helps set the experimental baseline for the ALTEA experiments, while providing novel information on the radiation environment onboard the ISS and on the brain electrophysiology of the astronauts during orbital flights. Alteino was flown to the ISS on the Soyuz TM34 as part of mission Marco Polo. Controlled ground experiments using mice and accelerator beams complete the experimental strategy of ALTEA. We present here the status of progress of the ALTEA project and preliminary results of the Alteino study on brain dynamics, particle fluxes and abnormal visual perceptions. c2004 COSPAR. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Description: A method of encasing cardiovascular stents with an expandable polyurethane coating has been developed to provide a smooth homogeneous inner wall allowing for a confluent growth of endothelial cells. In this design, the metal wire stent structure is completely covered by the polyurethane film minimizing biocorrosion of the metal (stainless steel or nitinol), and providing a homogeneous surface for surface treatment and incorporation of various eluting drugs to prevent platelet aggregation while supporting endothelialization. The polyurethane surface was treated with a helium plasma for sterilization and promotes growth of cells. The paper details the performance of the coated film to expand with the metal stent up to 225 % during deployment. We present stress/strain behavior of polyurethane films, and subsequent plasma treatment of the surface and the adhesion of the coating to the stent structure upon expansion. A film of less than 25 tm was found to be sufficient for corrosion resistance and flexibility without producing any excess stress on the stent structure. Straining the film to 225 % and plasma modification did not affect the mechanical and surface properties while allowing for improved biocompatibility as determined by the critical surface tension, surface chemistry, and roughness.

Description: Two new classes of two-photon absorbing Y-shaped molecules have been developed to possess an imidazole-thiazole core and a stilbene-type conjugation pathway with either nitro or sulfonyl as terminal electron-accepting group.