Group Dynamics in Extreme Earth Environments: Analogs for Space Missions (Past and Present Expeditions Analysis)

Introduction: Crew performance in space has become an increasing focus of many space faring nations due to the recent shift in focus of colonizing the Moon and then preparing to travel to Mars and beyond. This recent shift in focus to more long- duration missions has moved researchers in the direction of analyzing crew performance aspects associated win, crew dynamic development on such long missions. More recently researchers have been analyzing past expeditions carried out on Earth, as these expeditions kept records of crew performance, which have been compared and analyzed to those reported on space missions. Purpose: This study investigates a comparison of the recorded errors across time from a well-known past expedition (the Lewis and Clark Expedition) to those recorded by space mission simulation studies, as they provide insight into critical human elements that may be associated with exploration into isolated and confined (or semi-confined) extreme (ICE) environments here on Earth and their extrapolation for future space crews. The study further investigates various aspects of crew psychosocial group functioning through an analysis of group environment, stress, and coping data. Such investigation includes a detailed analysis of pre-mission communication and awareness strategies for positive group functioning and development (Study 1); management of competition and besting among crew members (Study 2); overall crew performance (Study 3); and a comparison of mission mistakes made to habitat problems that arose intra-mission (Study 4). Methods: A six person heterogeneous American crew conducted a Mars simulation mission at the Mars Society’s Mars Desert Research Station in Utah, USA in 2006. Participants were administered pre-mission assessments of personality, stress and coping, and personal motivation and orientation. Personal mission mistakes and Habitat problems were reported daily by each crewmember to the crew psychologist. Mid- and end-mission assessments were administered to measure cognitive functioning; group fiinctioning/identity; perceived stress and coping; and personal motivation and orientation. Results and Conclusions: Data collected and obtained by both assessment and journaling methods were both consistent and indicative of positive personalities desirable of expedition crews. Journals kept by the crew psychologist indicated that crewmembers all felt that the pre-mission awareness of group dynamic development tendencies of past expedition crews was integral in maintaining crew cohesiveness throughout the mission. Crewmembers felt that raising the level of awareness, both pre- and intra-mission, served as a positive factor in the overall positive group dynamic development of the crew. Crewmembers all displayed low levels of competition while still reporting high motivation and satisfaction for group dynamic development and the mission objectives that were completed. The overall analysis indicated effective performance and positive coping with regards to the heavy workload and environmental stressors the crew experienced. A relationship also existed between the psychology assessment data obtained, overall crew performance, and habitat problems that arose

Long-term exposure to environmental concentrations of the pharmaceutical ethynylestradiol causes reproductive failure in fish

International audienceHeightened concern over endocrine-disrupting chemicals is driven by the hypothesis that they could reduce reproductive success and affect wildlife populations, but there is little evidence for this expectation. The pharmaceutical ethynylestradiol (EE(2)) is a potent endocrine modulator and is present in the aquatic environment at biologically active concentrations. To investigate impacts on reproductive success and mechanisms of disruption, we exposed breeding populations (n = 12) of zebrafish (Danio rerio) over multiple generations to environmentally relevant concentrations of EE(2). Life-long exposure to 5 ng/L EE(2) in the F, generation caused a 56% reduction in fecundity and complete population failure with no fertilization. Conversely, the same level of exposure for up to 40 days in mature adults in the parental F(0) generation had no impact on reproductive success. Infertility in the F, generation after life-long exposure to 5 ng/L EE(2) was due to disturbed sexual differentiation, with males having no functional testes and either undifferentiated or intersex gonads. These F, males also showed a reduced vitellogenic response when compared with F(0) males, indicating an acclimation to EE(2) exposure. Deputation studies found only a partial recovery in reproductive capacity after 5 months. Significantly, even though the F(0) males lacked functional testes, they showed male-pattern reproductive behavior, inducing the spawning act and competing with healthy males to disrupt fertilization. Endocrine disruption is therefore likely to affect breeding dynamics and reproductive success in group-spawning fish. Our findings raise major concerns about the population-level impacts for wildlife of long-term exposure to low concentrations of estrogenic endocrine disruptors

EAONO/JOS classification for acquired cholesteatoma: evaluating the impact of the number of affected sites on treatment and outcomes

Purpose The European and Japanese system for cholesteatoma classification proposed an anatomical differentiation in five sites. In stage I disease, one site would be affected and in stage II, two to five. We tested the significance of this differentiation by analyzing the influence of the number of affected sites on residual disease, hearing ability and surgical complexity. Methods Cases of acquired cholesteatoma treated at a single tertiary referral center between 2010-01-01 and 2019-07-31 were retrospectively analyzed. Residual disease was determined according to the system. The air–bone gap mean of 0.5, 1, 2, 3 kHz (ABG) and its change with surgery served as hearing outcome. The surgical complexity was estimated regarding the Wullstein’s tympanoplasty classification and the procedure approach (transcanal, canal up/down). Results 513 ears (431 patients) were followed-up during 21.6 ± 21.5 months. 107 (20.9%) ears had one site affected, 130 (25.3%) two, 157 (30.6%) three, 72 (14.0%) four and 47 (9.2%) five. An increasing number of affected sites resulted in higher residual rates (9.4–21.3%, p = 0.008) and surgical complexity, as well poorer ABG (preoperative 14.1 to 25.3 dB, postoperative 11.3–16.8 dB, p < 0.001). These differences existed between the means of cases of stage I and II, but also when only considering ears with stage II classification. Conclusion The data showed statistically significant differences when comparing the averages of ears with two to five affected sites, questioning the pertinence of the differentiation between stages I and II.Open Access funding enabled and organized by Projekt DEAL.Universitätsklinikum Erlangen (8546

Untersuchungen über die Substratspezifität einer 3α, 20β-Hydroxysteroid:NAD+ -oxidoreductase

Peer Reviewe

Erfahrungen mit dem Technicon SMA 12

Peer Reviewe