Gravitational and space biology / David Moore & Augusto Cogoli --; Physiology of cardiovascular, respiratory, interstitial, endocrine, immune, and muscular systems / Helmut G. Hinghofer-Szalkay --; Kidney function and fluid homeostasis / P. Bie, M.H. Bestle & L.B. Johansen --; Neurosensory and sensory-motor functions / Gilles Clément & M.F. Reschke --; Bone and space flight : an overview / Jack J.W.A. van Loon, J. Paul Veldhuijzen & Elizabeth H. Burger --; Radiation biology / Jürgen Kiefer, M. Kost & K. Schenk-Meuser --; Exobiology / Gerda Horneck --; National and international space life sciences research programmes, 1980 to 1993, and beyond / Brian Fitton & David Moore --; Appendix : Some comments on biological aspects of life support systems / Helmut G. Hinghofer-Szalkay & David Moore.
This book is aimed at the wide community of scientists whose research might benefit from consideration of gravitational and space biology as another dimension of environmental interference on their work. It is important to stress the numerous molecular, cellular and physiological mechanisms, in all forms of life, which are influenced by, or eventually dependent on, gravity or radiation. The book brings together results from space flight and ground-based experiments in the various life science disciplines which are scattered in the literature and often published in sources not easily available to the general scientific community. Some of the results obtained are apparently contradictory of predictions of classical hypotheses and thus deserve widespread attention. The presentation emphasizes, a comprehensive and critical review of available data, aiming not only to improve access to the information, but to comment also on its credibility and place it in proper context. This timely review will also benefit those engaged in design, assessment and execution of life science experiments in space.