Biological and Medical Research in Space: An Overview of Life Sciences Research in Microgravity. Questo articolo non è disponibile.Biological and Medical Research in Space: An Overview of Life Sciences Research in Microgravity

This book provides a critical review of the whole Space Life Sciences research field, offering a very timely overview of the field as the first exploratory research phase comes to an end to be replaced by the in-depth experimental programmes which will become more accessible towards the end of the century in the era of International Space Station Alpha. Chapters 1 to 7 are scientific reviews which have been prepared by recognized experts in Cell Biology, Human Physiology, Radiation Biology and Exobiology. Chapter 8 provides a statistical summary of life sciences research in space.

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.