Concentration of circulating autoantibodies against HSP 60 is lowered through diving when compared to non-diving rats

Objective: Skin and ear infections, primarily caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa), are recurrent problems for saturation divers, whereas infections caused by P. aeruginosa are seldom observed in healthy people outside saturation chambers. Cystic fibrosis (CF) patients suffer from pulmonary infections by P. aeruginosa, and it has been demonstrated that CF patients have high levels of autoantibodies against Heat shock protein 60 (HSP60) compared to controls, probably due to cross-reacting antibodies induced by P. aeruginosa. The present study investigated whether rats immunised with P. aeruginosa produced autoantibodies against their own HSP60 and whether diving influenced the level of circulating anti-HSP60 antibodies. Methods: A total of 24 rats were randomly assigned to one of three groups (‘immunised’, ‘dived’ and ‘immunised and dived’).The rats in group 1 and 3 were immunised with the bacteria P. aeruginosa, every other week. Groups 2 and 3 were exposed to simulated air dives to 400 kPa (4 ata) with 45 min bottom time, every week for 7 weeks. Immediately after surfacing, the rats were anaesthetised and blood was collected from the saphenous vein. The amount of anti-HSP60 rat antibodies in the serum was analysed by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. Results: The immunised rats (group 1) showed a significant increase in the level of autoantibodies against HSP60, whereas no autoantibodies were detected in the dived rats (group 2). The rats both immunised and dived (group 3) show no significant increase in circulating autoantibodies against HSP60. A possible explanation may be that HSP60 is expressed during diving and that cross-reacting antibodies are bound

Observation of mesospheric dust and ionospheric conditions during the G-chaser rocket campaign

Paper at 24th ESA Symposium on European Rocket and Balloon Programmes and Related Research, Essen, Germany, 16-20 June 2019. Conference home page.SPID, Smoke Particle Impact Detector, is a Faraday cup detector designed to measure nanometer-sized meteoric smoke particles during rocket flights. We report measurements made with SPID during the G-Chaser student rocket campaign 13 January 2019 and describe the design of the SPID instruments. Model calculations of dust trajectories within the detector result in an effective crosssection of 0.97 for particles larger than 0.5 nm at 60 km. Data analysis indicates that in order to generate the measured current, the number densities must be ∼ 1010m−3 or higher at 60 km. During the campaign the ground systems MAARSY and EISCAT were operating. These ground measurements showed smooth ionospheric conditions with weak precipitation down to 90 km. As a secondary goal of the campaign we wanted to investigate the possible connection between PMWE and MSPs. On the day of the launch there was no sign of PMWE and no conclusions can be drawn at this point

Observation of mesospheric dust and ionospheric conditions during the G-chaser rocket campaign

SPID, Smoke Particle Impact Detector, is a Faraday cup detector designed to measure nanometer-sized meteoric smoke particles during rocket flights. We report measurements made with SPID during the G-Chaser student rocket campaign 13 January 2019 and describe the design of the SPID instruments. Model calculations of dust trajectories within the detector result in an effective crosssection of 0.97 for particles larger than 0.5 nm at 60 km. Data analysis indicates that in order to generate the measured current, the number densities must be ∼ 1010m−3 or higher at 60 km. During the campaign the ground systems MAARSY and EISCAT were operating. These ground measurements showed smooth ionospheric conditions with weak precipitation down to 90 km. As a secondary goal of the campaign we wanted to investigate the possible connection between PMWE and MSPs. On the day of the launch there was no sign of PMWE and no conclusions can be drawn at this point