Atmospheric pressure fluctuations in the far infrasound range and emergency transport events coded as circulatory system diseases

This study examines whether a relation exists between rapid atmospheric pressure fluctuations, attributed to the far infrasound frequency range (APF), and a number of emergency transport events coded as circulatory system diseases (EEC). Over an entire year, the average integral amplitudes of APF in the range of periods from 3 s to 120 s over each hour (HA) were measured. Daily dynamics of HA averaged over the year revealed a wave shape with smooth increase from night to day followed by decrease from day to night. The total daily number of EEC within the city of Kiev, Ukraine, was related to the daily mean of HA (DHA) and to the ratio of HA averaged over the day time to HA averaged over the night time (Rdn), and was checked for confounding effects of classical meteorological variables through non-parametric regression algorithms. The number of EEC were significantly higher on days with high DHA (3.72-11.07 Pa, n = 87) compared to the low DHA (0.7-3.62 Pa, n = 260, p = 0.01), as well at days with low Rdn (0.21-1.64, n = 229) compared to the high Rdn (1.65-7.2, n = 118, p = 0.03). A difference between DHA and Rdn effects on the emergency events related to different categories of circulatory diseases points to a higher sensitivity of rheumatic and cerebro-vascular diseases to DHA, and ischaemic and hypertensive diseases to Rdn. Results suggest that APF could be considered as a meteorotropic factor capable of influencing circulatory system diseases.     

The effects of extra-low-frequency atmospheric pressure oscillations on human mental activity

 Slight atmospheric pressure oscillations (APO) in the extra-low-frequency range below 0.1 Hz, which frequently occur naturally, can influence human mental activity. This phenomenon has been observed in experiments with a group of 12 healthy volunteers exposed to experimentally created APO with amplitudes 30–50 Pa in the frequency band 0.011–0.17 Hz. Exposure of the subjects to APO for 15–30 min caused significant changes in attention and short-term memory functions, performance rate, and mental processing flexibility. The character of the response depended on the APO frequency and coherence. Periodic APO promoted purposeful mental activity, accompanied by an increase in breath-holding duration and a slower heart rate. On the other hand, quasi-chaotic APO, similar to the natural perturbations of atmospheric pressure, disrupted mental activity. These observations suggest that APO could be partly responsible for meteorosensitivity in humans. Received: 22 August 1997/Revised: 3 December 1998/Accepted: 25 February 1999     

年龄对健康人体感诱发电位高频振荡成份的影响

目的:观察健康人体感诱发电位高频振荡成份的特征.方法:分析年龄对健康人通过350 Hz～750Hz滤波提取的正中神经体感谤发电位高频振荡成份(HFOs)数量、时程、幅度的影响.结果:随年龄增大HFOs数量、时程呈增大趋势.结论:体感诱发电位高频振荡成份可以反映年龄特征.     

The effect of blue light on stomatal oscillations and leaf turgor pressure in banana leaves

Stomatal oscillations are cyclic opening and closing of stomata, presumed to initiate from hydraulic mismatch between leaf water supply and transpiration rate. To test this assumption, mismatches between water supply and transpiration were induced using manipulations of vapour pressure deficit (VPD) and light spectrum in banana (Musa acuminata). Simultaneous measurements of gas exchange with changes in leaf turgor pressure were used to describe the hydraulic mismatches. An increase of VPD above a certain threshold caused stomatal oscillations with variable amplitudes. Oscillations in leaf turgor pressure were synchronized with stomatal oscillations and balanced only when transpiration equaled water supply. Surprisingly, changing the light spectrum from red and blue to red alone at constant VPD also induced stomatal oscillations – while the addition of blue (10%) to red light only ended oscillations. Blue light is known to induce stomatal opening and thus should increase the hydraulic mismatch, reduce the VPD threshold for oscillations and increase the oscillation amplitude. Unexpectedly, blue light reduced oscillation amplitude, increased VPD threshold and reduced turgor pressure loss. These results suggest that additionally, to the known effect of blue light on the hydroactive opening response of stomata, it can also effect stomatal movement by increased xylem–epidermis water supply.     

The effect of water acidification on prolactin cells and pars intermedia PAS-positive cells in the teleost fish Oreochromis (formerly Sarotherodon) mossambicus and Carassius auratus

Summary Although exposure to acid water (pH 3.5) induces severe and prolonged reduction in plasma osmolarity and total plasma calcium concentration in tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) and goldfish (Carassius auratus), the responses of the hypophyseal cells are clearly different. In tilapia, the size of the rostral pars distalis of the pituitary gland is enlarged as a result of the increase in size and number of prolactin cells. The pars intermedia PAS-positive (PIPAS) cells are not noticeably changed. Conversely, in goldfish, prolactin cells are unaffected, whereas the number of enlarged PIPAS cells increases markedly. Stimulation of prolactin secretion may be responsible for the partial restoration of plasma osmolarity and calcium levels observed in tilapia after two weeks exposure to acid water. Prolactin cells apparently play a role in the adaptation to acid stress by counteracting osmoregulatory disturbances. Goldfish show no restoration of plasma osmolarity during the course of the experiment. Plasma calcium levels tend to increase. Although prolactin may have an osmoregulatory function in goldfish under steady state conditions, goldfish prolactin cells do not seem to participate in the physiological adaptation to environmental changes that disturb water and ion homeostasis. The function of PIPAS cells in tilapia remains unclear and is apparently unconnected with ion regulation. The observations on these cells in goldfish are consistent with the hypercalcemic activity suggested for them.     

The effects of organic carbon, ammoniacal-nitrogen, and oxygen partial pressure on the stratification of membrane-aerated biofilms

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of different nutrient (carbon, nitrogen, oxygen) concentrations on the microbial activity and community structure in membrane-aerated biofilms (MABs). MABs were grown under well-defined conditions of fluid flow, substrate concentration, and membrane oxygen partial pressure. Biofilms were then removed and thin-sliced using a cryostat/microtome parallel to the membrane. Individual slices were analyzed for changes with depth in biomass density, respiratory activity, and the population densities of ammonia-oxidizing and denitrifying bacteria populations. Oxygen-sensing microelectrodes were used to determine the depth of oxygen penetration into each biofilm. Our results demonstrated that ammonia-oxidizing bacteria grow near the membrane, while denitrifying bacteria grow a substantial distance from the membrane. However, nitrifying and denitrifying bacteria did not grow simultaneously when organic concentrations became too high or ammonia concentrations became too low. In conclusion, membrane-aerated biofilms exhibit substantial stratification with respect to community structure and activity. A fundamental understanding of the factors that control this stratification will help optimize the performance of full-scale membrane-aerated biofilm reactors for wastewater treatment.     

The impact of Quaternary climate oscillations on divergence times and historical population sizes in Thylamys opossums from the Andes

Climate oscillations during the Quaternary altered the distributions of terrestrial animals at a global scale. In mountainous regions, temperature fluctuations may have led to shifts in range size and population size as species tracked their shifting habitats upslope or downslope. This creates the potential for both allopatric speciation and population size fluctuations, as species are either constrained to smaller patches of habitat at higher elevations or able to expand into broader areas at higher latitudes. We considered the impact of climate oscillations on three pairs of marsupial species from the Andes (Thylamys opossums) by inferring divergence times and demographic changes. We compare four different divergence dating approaches, using anywhere from one to 26 loci. Each pair comprises a northern (tropical) lineage and a southern (subtropical to temperate) lineage. We predicted that divergences would have occurred during the last interglacial (LIG) period approximately 125 000 years ago and that population sizes for northern and southern lineages would either contract or expand, respectively. Our results suggest that all three north–south pairs diverged in the late Pleistocene during or slightly after the LIG. The three northern lineages showed no signs of population expansion, whereas two southern lineages exhibited dramatic, recent expansions. We attribute the difference in responses between tropical and subtropical lineages to the availability of ‘montane‐like’ habitats at lower elevations in regions at higher latitudes. We conclude that climate oscillations of the late Quaternary had a powerful impact on the evolutionary history of some of these species, both promoting speciation and leading to significant population size shifts.     

Effects of pressure and pentanol on the phase transition in the membrane of Acholeplasma laidlawii B

The phase transition of a complex, biological membrane was studied in relation to two variables: high pressure and the alcohols, pentanol and benzyl alcohol, in order to determine whether earlier studies of defined phospholipid bilayers may be applied to natural membranes. The isolated membrane of A choleplasma laidlawii was used and three independent methods were chosen to detect the transition; optical transmission (giving T_t, an index of the end-of-melting temperature); fluorescence polarisation (giving T_p, the temperature midway through the change in polarisation which characterises the transition) and differential thermal analysis giving a record of the temperature range occupied by the endothermic process. Pressure increased T_t by 0.017 K·atm⁻¹ and T_p by 0.016 K·atm⁻¹, consistent with dT/dP = T·ΔV/ΔH. Pentanol (and benzyl alcohol) lowered T_t, T_p and the temperature of the endotherm seen with differential thermal analysis. Thus the membrane transition responds to pressure and alcohols in agreement with thermodynamic theory.     

The comparison of the effects of local cooling and heating on apoptosis and pyroptosis of early-stage pressure ulcers in rats

The exploration of an effective method for preventing and treating pressure ulcers (PUs) is a hot topic in medical research. Recently, disputes about the choice of heat and cold therapies have emerged for the prevention and treatment of clinical PUs. The present study was designed to compare the effect of cool and heat therapies on pyroptosis and apoptosis of early-stage PUs in rats. Sixty SD rats of SPF grade were randomly divided into the sham group, model group, heating group, and cooling group. We established a rat model of early-stage PUs by using an ischemia-reperfusion method. At the end of the experiment, the tissue underneath the compressed region was collected for hematoxylin and eosin staining, transmission electron microscopy, immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence staining, a TdT-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling assay, a Western blot analysis, and a mitochondrial swelling experiment. Our results suggested that the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway and pyroptosis were involved in the formation of early-stage PUs, and local heating increased the PU injury in rats, while local cooling reduced the PU injury in rats. This study showed that heat therapy might not be suitable for the clinical treatment and care of early-stage PUs, while cold therapy may be more appropriate.     

The combined effects of high pressure and nisin on germination and inactivation of Bacillus spores in milk

Aims:  The aim of this work was to investigate the germination and inactivation of spores of Bacillus species in buffer and milk subjected to high pressure (HP) and nisin.
Methods and Results:  Spores of Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus cereus suspended in milk or buffer were treated at 100 or 500 MPa at 40°C with or without 500 IU ml⁻¹ of nisin. Treatment at 500 MPa resulted in high levels of germination (4 log units) of B. subtilis spores in both milk and buffer; this increased to >6 logs by applying a second cycle of pressure. Viability of B. subtilis spores in milk and buffer was reduced by 2·5 logs by cycled HP, while the addition of nisin (500 IU ml⁻¹) prior to HP treatment resulted in log reductions of 5·7 and 5·9 in phosphate buffered saline and milk, respectively. Physical damage of spores of B. subtilis following HP was apparent using scanning electron microscopy. Treating four strains of B. cereus at 500 MPa for 5 min twice at 40°C in the presence of 500 IU ml⁻¹ nisin proved less effective at inactivating the spores of these isolates compared with B. subtilis and some strain-to-strain variability was observed.
Conclusions:  Although high levels of germination of Bacillus spores could be achieved by combining HP and nisin, complete inactivation was not achieved using the aforementioned treatments.
Significance and Impact of the Study:  Combinations of HP treatment and nisin may be an appealing alternative to heat pasteurization of milk.     

急性低氧对家兔血压心率微血管反应性及自由基的影响

目的 :探讨不同急性低氧下的血压、心率、微血管反应性和自由基的影响。方法 :实验采用家兔人工吸入含氧量为 12 .5 %和 8.5 %氮氧混合气体 (模拟 4 0 0 0m和 6 5 0 0m高原急性低氧 )。急性低氧时间分别为 5、10、15、2 0min ,观察血压、心率、微血管反应性和自由基影响。结果 :①急性低氧 5min时收缩压略有升高 ,以后变为降低 ;舒张压在急性低氧 2 0min后明显降低 (P <0 .0 5 ) ;②心率随急性低氧时间的延长变慢 ,尤其含氧量 8.5 %急性低氧组明显 (P <0 .0 5 )。③眼结膜微血管管径随急性低氧时间延长呈现扩张 (P <0 .0 5 ) ,血细胞流速减慢 (P <0 .0 5 ,P <0 .0 1)。④急性低氧 2 0min后SOD活力明显降低 (P <0 .0 5 ) ,MDA含量升高 (P <0 .0 5 )。结论 :急性低氧可使血压降低 ,心率减慢 ,微血管管径变大和血细胞流速减慢 ,同时体内自由基产生增加。     

下肢间歇负压疗法对男子赛艇运动员股四头肌皮肤微循环血流灌注量的影响*

目的: 观察下肢间歇负压疗法对男子赛艇运动员股四头肌皮肤微循环血流灌注量的影响,为该方法的实际应用提供理论依据。方法: 选取国家赛艇集训队的14名男子运动员,随机分为试验组和对照组,两组队员每日的训练计划相同,采用德国生产的VACUSPORT间歇负压体能恢复舱对试验组队员实行恢复干预,每次干预20 min,每周干预5次,共持续4周。在4周干预前后利用PeriFlux System 5000激光多普勒血流监测仪采集两组运动员股四头肌皮肤微循环血流灌注量(MBP)、血细胞运动速度(AVBC)及血细胞浓度(CMBC)等数据,测试值包括基础值与加热后值(44℃),并以加热前后的差值作为该指标的储备能力。结果: 干预前两组的微循环相关指标无统计学差异(P＞0.05),4周干预后的测试结果如下①MBP:试验组MBP的加热后值和前后差值均显著高于对照组(P＜0.05);组内比较无统计学差异。②AVBC:试验组AVBC的加热后值和前后差值均显著低于对照组(P＜0.05);组内比较发现,干预后试验组AVBC的加热后值相比干预前显著降低(P＜0.01),其加热前后差值相比干预前显著降低(P＜0.05)。③CMBC:试验组CMBC的加热后值和前后差值均非常显著高于对照组(P＜0.01);组内比较无统计学差异。结论: 下肢间歇负压疗法可改善男子赛艇运动员股四头肌皮肤微循环血流状态,对促进体能的快速恢复有着积极作用。     

Investigating and modeling the combined effects of pH and osmotic pressure on seed germination for use in phytoactivity and allelopathic research

Phytoactivity and allelopathic studies are heavily dependent on germination bioassays of water solutions of allelochemical(s), which necessarily imply that pH and osmotic pressure vary among treatments and between treatments and controls and are therefore a confounding factor in the assessment of seed germination responses to allelochemical(s). When the contribution of pH and osmotic pressure to seed germination responses is considered in experimental designs their effects are almost without exceptions examined separately being assumed, without any evidences, that pH and osmotic pressure act independently on seed germination responses. The objectives of this work were to examine experimentally such assumption using wheat, lettuce, and subterranean clover cultivars to evaluate and model the combined effects on germination of pH and osmotic pressure in the range between 3.0–6.0 and 0–100 mOsmol kg^?1, respectively. Empirical equations are fitted, discussed, and the need to consider the simultaneous effects of pH and osmotic pressure firmly established. Finally, the use of the equations fitted and its impact on conclusions is exemplified in a dose-response bioassay of water extracts of Cistus ladanifer on seed germination using subterranean clover as target species where hormesis was found before allelochemical effects were corrected for pH and osmotic pressure values of control and extracts.     

呼气末正压通气在全麻下经皮肾镜碎石术中对患者呼吸功能的影响

目的探讨全麻下经皮肾镜碎石术（PcNL）灌注碎石期间应用呼气末正压通气（PEEP）对患者呼吸功能的影响。方法选择全身麻醉经皮肾镜碎石术的患者60例（ASAⅠ～Ⅱ级）,随机分成两组,每组30例,潮气量设定8ml／kg。对照组（A组）PEEP0cmH20,研究组（B组）PEEP5cmHzO。麻醉诱导后监测无创血压（BP）、平均动脉压（MAP）、心率（HR）、血氧饱和度（Sp02）、中心静脉压（CVP）、气道压力（Pmean）;患者俯卧位后,选灌注碎石术前（T1）、灌注碎石30min（T2）、灌注碎石60rain（T3）和灌注完毕即时（T4）为时间点,检测动脉血气（pH、PaCOz、Pa02、BE）。结果两组比较,B组的PaOz、CVP、Pmean值明显增加,差异有统计学意义（P〈0．05）;而HR、MAP值比较无统计学意义（P〉0．05）。两组组内与T1时点比较,T2～T4时点的pH、BE、Pa02值明显下降,PaCOz、CVP、Pmean值有所增高,差异有统计学意义（P〈0．05）。结论在全麻下经皮肾镜碎石术（PCNL）中应用PEEP辅助通气,动脉血氧分压升高,可有效改善动脉氧合,气道压力和CVP水平有相应升高,术中应加强CVP及动脉血气的监测。     

The effect of sample attrition on the frequency distribution of blood pressure and genetic marker phenotypes representing a natural unselected community: Tecumseh, Michigan.

High significant differences in mean age, blood pressure and phenotype frequency distributions between the non-migrants and "emigrants" of a total unselected community sample were discovered. Use of the mean of BP scores collected from epidemiologic surveys over a period of time as an individual score allows sample attrition to produce both a genetically and demographically biased sample of a population intended to represent an unselected community of people. Multiple regression analyses estimated the contribution of an individual's age, genotype and mobility out of the sample to predicting blood pressure variation. Variation in blood pressure means among certain marker phenotype classes was greater in those who leave than in those who stay, but only the upper portion of the pressure distribution contributed to this relationship. A genetic-environment interaction is suggested.     

The impact of friend-or-foe cues and survival pressure on trust in the investment game

Prior research has shown that people place more trust in a counterpart referred to as a “partner” than as an “opponent” in a bargaining game. This is thought to be because the appellations “partner” or “opponent” serve as subtle cues activating a postulated friend-or-foe (FOF) mental module. However, no research has investigated the association between FOF cues and trust in an investment game from an evolutionary perspective. The present research demonstrates the effect of FOF cues on trust among Chinese samples in an actual investment game (Study 1) and in a hypothetical investment game (Study 2), and further demonstrates the moderating role of survival pressure on the association between FOF cues and trust—FOF cues influence trust in a scenario involving survival pressure but not in a scenario lacking survival pressure (Study 3). These findings are consistent with the existence of an adaptive FOF mental mechanism used by human beings to solve survival challenges.     

The effects of hydrostatic pressure on the low-K m GTPase in brain membranes from two congeneric marine fishes

To investigate, the effects of hydrostatic pressure on transmembrane signaling in cold-adapted marine fishes, we examined the high-affinity GTPase activity in two congeneric marine fishes, Sebastolobus alascanus and S. altivelis. In brain membranes there are two GTPase activities, one with a low K _m and one with a high K _m for GTP. The high-affinity GTPase activity, characteristic of the subunits of the guanine nucleotide binding protein pool, was stimulated by the A₁ adenosine receptor agonists N ⁶(R-phenylisopropyl)adenosine and N ⁶-cyclopentyladenosine, and the muscarinic cholinergic agonist carbamyl choline. Pertussis toxin-catalyzed ADP-ribosylation of the membranes for 2 h at 5°C prior to the GTPase assay decreased the basal GTPase activity 30–40% and abolished N ⁶ (R-phenylisopropyl)adenosine stimulation of GTP hydrolysis. Basal high-affinity hydrolysis of GTP, measured at 0.3 mol·1^-1GTP, was stimulated 22% in both species by 340 atm pressure. At 340 atm pressure, the apparent K _m of GTP is decreased approximately 10% in each of the species, and the V _max values are increased 11 and 15.9% in S. alascanus and S. altivelis, respectively. The apparent volume changes associated with the decreased K _m of GTP and the increased V _max ranged from-7.0 to-9.9 ml·mol^-1. Increased pressure markedly decreased the efficacy of N ⁶ (R-phenylisopropyl) adenosine, N ⁶-cylcopentyladenosine and carbamyl choline in stimulating GTPase activity. The effects of increased hydrostatic pressure on transmembrane signal transduction by the A₁ adenosine receptor-inhibitory guanine nucleotide binding protein-adenylyl cyclase system may stem, at least in part, from pressure-increased GTP hydrolysis and the concomitant termination of inhibitory signal transduction.Abbreviations [³H] DPCPX ³H cyclopentyl-1, 3-dipropylxanthine - AppNHp 5-adenylylimidodiphosphate - cpm counts per minute - CPA N ⁶-cyclopentyladenosine - EDTA ethylenediaminetetra acetic acid - EGTA ethyleneglycol-bis (-aminoethylether) N, N, N, N-totra-acctic acid - G protein guanine nucleotide binding protein - G_i inhibitory G protein - G_o other G protein, common in brain membranes - G_s stimulatory G protein - GTPase guanosine triphosphatase - K _i inhibition constant - K _m Michaelis constant - pK _a log of the dissociation constant - R-PIA N ⁶ (R-phenylisopropyl) adenosine - TRIS tris[hydroxymethyl]aminomethane - V_max maximal velocity - [-³²P]GTP [-³²P] guanosine 5-triphosphate (tetra (triethylammonium) salt)