1. The effects of cosmic particle radiation on pocket mice aboard Apollo XVII: IX Results of examination of the nasal mucosa.
- Author
-
Kraft LM, Vogel FS, Lloyd B, Benton EV, Cruty MR, Haymaker W, Leon A, Billingham J, Turnbill CE, Teas V, Look BC, Suri K, Miquel J, Ashley WW, Behnke AR Jr, Samorajski T, Bailey OT, and Zeman W
- Subjects
- Aerosols, Animals, Dust, Environmental Pollutants, Infections, Mice, Nasal Mucosa anatomy & histology, Nasal Mucosa pathology, Potassium, Radiation Monitoring, Seeds, United States, Cosmic Radiation, Nasal Mucosa radiation effects, Radiation Effects, Space Flight
- Abstract
The olfactory epithelium, but not the nasal respiratory epithelium, of the four pocket mice (Perognathus longimembris) that survived their flight on Apollo XVII showed both diffuse alterations and numerous disseminated focal lesions. The olfactory mucosa of the mouse that died during flight was also affected, but to a minor degree insofar as could be determined. All this was in contrast to the normal appearance of the olfactory mucosa of the numerous control animals. A number of possible causes were considered: systemic or regional infection; inhaled particulate material (seed dust); by-products from the KO2 bed in aerosol or particulate form; gas contaminants originating in the flight package; volatile substances from the dead mouse; weightlessness; and cosmic ray particle radiation. Where feasible, studies were conducted in an effort to rule in or rule out some of these potentially causative factors. No definitive conclusions were reached as to the cause of the lesions in the flight mice.
- Published
- 1975