Astronaut trainees complete abnormal descent module landing

Four Indian astronauts who were undergoing training in Russia since February 2020 have successfully completed the training on crew actions in case of abnormal descent module landing on different terrains, said Glavkosmos.

The company is a subsidiary of Russian space corporation Roscosmos and the Indian astronauts are being trained at Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center (GCTC).

According to Glavkosmos, the prospective Indian astronauts have been trained in abnormal descent module landing - in wooded and marshy areas in winter; on water surface and in the steppe in summer.

"In June 2020, all Indian astronauts-elect passed training in short-term weightlessness mode aboard the IL-76MDK special laboratory aircraft, and in July, they were trained to lift aboard a helicopter while evacuating from the descent module landing point," Glavkosmos said.

According to Glavkosmos, the upcoming programme for the prospective Indian astronauts who will be part of India's human space mission Gaganyaan includes training in a centrifuge and in a hyperbaric chamber to prepare their organisms for sustaining spaceflight factors, such as G-force, hypoxia and pressure drops.

The regular courses comprise medical and physical training, learning Russian (as one of the main international languages of communication in space), and studying the configuration, structure and systems of the Soyuz crewed spacecraft.

The health of prospective Indian astronauts is monitored on a daily basis, and once every three months, GCTC doctors conduct their thorough medical examination.

According to Glavkosmos, all the Indian trainees are in good health.

The Indians undergo the general space training programme and of the systems of the Soyuz MS crewed spacecraft.The completion of their training at GCTC is scheduled for the first quarter of 2021.

The contract for the training of Indian astronauts between Glavkosmos and the Human Spaceflight Centre of the Indian Space Research Organisation was signed on June 27, 2019 and four pilots from the Indian Air Force (IAF) were sent to GCTC for training in space travel and other aspects as part of India's maiden human space mission Gaganyaan.(IANS) Source: https://southasiamonitor.org

Read More........→August 08, 2020

Scientists identify five blood molecules linked to severe COVID-19 outcome in patients

AUG 07, 2020 WASHINGTON: Scientists have found five medical indicators in the blood of COVID-19 patients which are associated with higher odds of death due to the disease, findings that can help physicians better predict clinical outcomes of those infected with the novel coronavirus. The study, published in the journal Future Medicine, evaluated 299 patients diagnosed with COVID-19 admitted to the George Washington University (GW) Hospital between March 12 and May 9, 2020. It revealed that 200 of the patients had all five biomarker molecules being evaluated -- IL-6, D-dimer, CRP, LDH and ferritin. According to the researchers, including those from GW, elevated levels of these biomarkers were associated with inflammation and bleeding disorder, showing an independent increased risk for admission in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), invasive ventilatory support, and death. They said the highest odds of death occurred when levels of the molecule LDH was greater than 1200 units per litre, and the D-dimer level was greater than three microgrammes per millilitre. "Laboratory markers of inflammation and coagulopathy can help clinicians identify patients who are at high risk for clinical deterioration in COVID-19," the scientists concluded in the study. "We hope these biomarkers help physicians determine how aggressively they need to treat patients, whether a patient should be discharged, and how to monitor patients who are going home, among other clinical decisions," said Shant Ayanian, first author of the study from the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences. Currently, the scientists said doctors determine risk for COVID-19 deterioration and death based on age and certain underlying medical conditions, like having a compromised immune system, obesity, and heart disease. They said performing a simple blood test for patients admitted to the ICU, and also making decisions based on the biomarkers present, may further aid point-of-care clinical decision making. Copyright © Jammu Links News, Source: Jammu Links News

Read More........→August 08, 2020