Phase Analysis of Ultradian Rhythms of Body Temperature in Laboratory Mice Maintained under Constant Illumination at Different Longitudinal Locations

The study examined the rhythmic oscillations of body temperature with the period ranging 100-400 min in three groups of laboratory mice maintained under persistent artificial illumination in Moscow and Ulyanovsk. The difference in the moments of sunrise or sunset in these towns is about 1 h. The greatest rhythmic oscillations of body temperature in examined mice had the periods of 100-400 min. The phase analysis of 100-200-min rhythms revealed their synchronicity with local but not universal time despite the mice had no photic signs indicating alternation of day and night. Of them, the most pronounced were the rhythms with the periods of 121, 143, 151, and 186 min. The present data suggest existence of an external environmental synchronizer of body temperature ultradian rhythms related to local solar time.

[Annual blood pressure dynamics and weather sensitivity in women]

AIM

To study the annual cycle of blood pressure (BP) and weather sensitivity in normotensive women aged 20-59 years.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

The same group of 25 non-smoking women who had been living in the European North of Russia (62° N, 51° E) almost since their birth and were engaged in moderate-intensity mental labor was daily examined. During a year, there were 11823 blood pressure measurements using the Korotkoff technique; heart rate was calculated by palpation. These meteorological parameters were taken at the websites: http://meteo.infospace.ru and ftp://ftp.ngdc.noaa.gov/stp/geomagnetic_data/indices/kp_ap. The statistical significance of differences in the indicators was determined using the Fisher's test and the Newman-Keuls test. The study used a correlation analysis with the calculation of the Spearman's rank correlation coefficient.

RESULTS

The maximum systolic and diastolic BP values were revealed in February and January, respectively. The minimum values of systolic BP were detected in July; those of diastolic BP were in August. An individual-based analysis of sensitivity to environmental variations showed that about 88% of the women responded to atmospheric temperature; nearly 44% did to geomagnetic activity; almost 24% were sensitive to relative air humidity, and about 16% of the women were to atmospheric pressure.

CONCLUSION

The dynamics of systolic and diastolic BP in the annual cycle of women depends on meteorological factors and suggests that there is a change in the priorities of its control in different periods of a year.

[The dynamics of pulse rate and biochemical parameters in blood of healthy individuals in relation to Pc5-6 geomagnetic pulsations]

Four experiments on long-term monitoring of pulse rate and blood biochemical parameters in four healthy volunteers (women) were conducted. The duration of each experiment was 90 minutes, electrocardiography was performed continuously, taking blood sampling every two minutes. In venous blood the current concentrations of triiodothyronine, cortisol, glucose, stable metabolites of nitrogen oxides (NO(x)) were determined. Synchronicity in oscillations of cortisol and free triiodothyronine levels in the blood of all four volunteers was detected, as well as the presence of the periods of 7-8 min and 15-17 min in the spectra of these biochemical parameters was observed. The periods in the spectra of NO(x) are equal to 7 min, 13 min and 25-30 min. It is shown that the, dynamics of variations in the heart rate is determined mostly by the rhythms of fluctuations in the level of NO(x) in the blood, and the periods in wavelet spectra of these physiological parameters in all four volunteers are close to the periods of their spectra synchronous variations of a. geomagnetic field vector in the frequency range of 0.5-3 mHz. The results obtained in this study indicate that. the presence of nitric oxide and its metabolites in the blood is a biochemical factor, with high probability of its participation in the developmental process of the fine "tuning" of the body to the variations of the geomagnetic field providing synchronization of variations in heart rate and geomagnetic fluctuations in the geomagnetic quiet conditions.

Magnetic storms and variations in hormone levels among residents of North Polar area--Svalbard

In the present work four examinations (January, March, June, October 1991-1992) of the blood concentration of adrenal hormones (cortisol) and thyroid hormones (triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine T4) and their dependence on space and terrestrial weather parameters have been done for large groups of healthy inhabitants of high latitudes (Svalbard, the most northerly in the world year-round inhabited settlements). The aim of this study was to find the possible sensitivity of these biochemical parameters to variations of external natural factors at high latitudes in three independent groups of people living in this region (miners and people working underground (364 samples), the men working on the ground (274 samples) and women working on the ground (280 samples)). The obtained data indicate that the most expressed dependence of concentration of the three studied hormones is on the level of geomagnetic activity (GMA) - Kp, Ap, Kpmax - 3h. For two of the four seasons (June and October) with increasing levels of GMA a significant (p<0.05) increase in cortisol concentration in all three independent groups of people was observed. Range of increases in cortisol concentration in different groups were about 30% of the observed variation in the average intragroup concentration in June and from 16% to 38% in October. For T3 dependence was found only in June: drop in hormone secretion with increasing levels of GMA from 18 to 30% of the average range of intragroup variations. Thus it was shown for the first time that at high geographical latitudes with increased level of GMA a significant change in the level of secretion of several hormones leads to the type of adaptive stress reaction.

[Synchronization in human heart rate dynamics and Pc5 geomagnetic pulsations at different latitudes]

Eight experiments were conducted in synchronized monitoring of cardiac indices in six healthy women at rest simultaneously in three geographic locations--Sofia, Moscow and Arkhangelsk. Comparing spectra of the dynamic time series of the pulse and variations in the horizontal component of the geomagnetic field vector in the frequency range of Pc5 geomagnetic pulsations showed that the main oscillation periods represented in physiological and geophysical time series at each time moment largely coincide. This effect was observed roughly to an equal extent for volunteers who underwent the measurements in all three geographic locations.

[Vulnerability to atmospheric and geomagnetic factors of the body functions in healthy male dwellers of the Russian North]

In April 2009 through to November 2011, a Mars-500 satellite study of Russian Northerners (Syktyvkar citizens) was performed using the standard ECOSAN-2007 procedure evaluating the atmospheric and geomagnetic susceptibility of the main body functional parameters. Seventeen essentially healthy men at the age of 25 to 46 years were investigated. Statistical data treatment included correlation and single-factor analysis of variance. Comparison of the number of statistical correlations of the sum of all functional parameters for participants showed that most often they were sensitive to atmospheric pressure, temperature, relative humidity and oxygen partial pressure (29-35 %), and geomagnetic activity (28 %). Dependence of the functional parameters on the rate of temperature and pressure change was weak and comparable with random coincidence (11 %). Among the hemodynamic parameters, systolic pressure was particularly sensitive to space and terrestrial weather variations (29 %); sensitivity of heart rate and diastolic pressure were determined in 25 % and 21 % of participants, respectively. Among the heart rate variability parameters (HRV) the largest number of statistically reliable correlations was determined for the centralization index (32 %) and high-frequency HRV spectrum (31 %); index of the regulatory systems activity was least dependable (19 %). Life index, maximal breath-holding and Ckibinskaya's cardiorespiratory index are also susceptible. Individual responses of the functional parameters to terrestrial and space weather changes varied with partidpants which points to the necessity of individual approach to evaluation of person's reactions to environmental changes.

27-day cycles in human mortality: Traute and Bernhard Düll

This tribute to her parents by one co-author (NDP) is the fruit of a more than a decade-long search by the senior author (FH) for the details of the lives of Bernhard and Gertraud ("Traute") Düll. These pioneers studied how space/terrestrial weather may differentially influence human mortality from various causes, the 27-day mortality pattern being different whether death was from cardiac or respiratory disease, or from suicide. FH is the translator of personal information about her parents provided by NDP in German. Figuratively, he also attempts to "translate" the Dülls' contribution in the context of the literature that had appeared before their work and after their deaths. Although the Dülls published in a then leading journal, among others (and FH had re-analyzed some of their work in a medical journal), they were unknown to academies or libraries (where FH had inquired about them). The Dülls thoroughly assembled death certificates to offer the most powerful evidence for an effect of solar activity reflected in human mortality, as did others before them. They went several steps further than their predecessors, however. They were the first to show possibly differential effects of space and/or Earth weather with respect to suicide and other deaths associated with the nervous and sensory systems vs. death from cardiac or respiratory disease as well as overall death by differences in the phase of a common 27-day cycle characterizing these mortality patterns. Furthermore, Bernhard Düll developed tests of human visual and auditory reaction time to study effects of weather and solar activity, publishing a book (his professorial dissertation) on the topic. His unpublished finding of an increased incidence of airplane crashes in association with higher solar activity was validated after his death, among others, by Tatiana Zenchenko and A. M. Merzlyi.

Comparative analysis of the response of microcirculation parameters and blood pressure to geomagnetic activity in healthy people

We analyze the results of daily laser Doppler flowmetry monitoring of blood microcirculation parameters in 9 healthy volunteers performed in 2006-2009. Dependence of microcirculation and BP parameters on geomagnetic activity was analyzed separately in each volunteer (the influence of ambient temperature was previously excluded). Significantly increased parameters of microcirculation in response to higher geomagnetic activity were found in 4 volunteers (44%) and elevated BP in 1 volunteer; in other cases, no reaction was detected. It was shown that individual sensitivity to geomagnetic activity is proportional to its mean level during the period of measurement. Since blood perfusion volume in tissues directly depends on peripheral vascular resistance, we can conclude that under conditions of high geomagnetic activity microvascular tone varies to a greater extent than the tone of major vessels.

[The relation of heart rate variability and a dispersive electrocardiogram mapping indicators in human during fixed rate breathing test]

Association of heart rate variability and dispersive electrocardiogram mapping indicators in women during fixed rate breathing test by the period of 10 s are observed. Disturbance of depolarization processes in auricles that show an increase in dispersive group G1 is associated with expressed vagal reserves deficiency. Intensity of control centralization level by heart rhythm and humoral-metabolic influences both in a background and at active breathing can cause intensifying of high-speed microamplitude characteristics of initial front of ventricles depolarization that reflect an increase of dispersive group G9.

[Individual responses of arterial pressure to geomagnetic activity in practically healthy subjects]

Dynamic analysis of arterial blood pressure in relation to the Earth's magnetic field perturbations was performed in 77 practically healthy volunteers (staff of Bulgarian Academy of Sciences). Almost half of them proved magneto-sensitive, i.e. experienced AP elevation with increased geomagnetic activity. The probability of development of magnetic sensitivity was independent of age and gender but increased in volunteers having even mild cardiovascular pathology. These subjects complained of worsened health condition upon a rise in geomagnetic activity. However, some volunteers reported deteriorated well-being without AD elevation. It means that AD measurement may be insufficient for reliable monitoring magnetic sensitivity.

[On the issue of the effects of geomagnetic and meteorological activity on patients with arterial hypertension]

The influence of "space weather" (effects of geomagnetic and meteorological activity) on the effectiveness of antihypertensive therapy in patients with arterial hypertension was studied. Blood pressure monitoring using self-control technology was conducted during 12 weeks in 33 patients with I to II degree arterial hypertension receiving different antihypertensive agents in Myasnikov Cardiology Research Institute. Two groups of patients were distinguished according to the effectiveness of the therapy; groups of patients who had two- to four-week periods of spontaneous rhythmical variations of arterial pressure and/or an eluding hypotensive effect, were found as well. Matching these data to the data on geomagnetic activity as well as atmospheric pressure and temperature revealed magnetosensitive patients in the group with multipronged structural and functional changes in target organs requiring combined therapy. The effects of spontaneous rhythmical variations in blood pressure and the effects of antihypertensive therapy elusion, including those in the group of easier-to-treat patients, also correlated with geomagnetic and meteorological activity. These pilot studies demonstrated the necessity to take space weather effects into account when examining and treating cardiological patients, as well as the fact that further research in this direction is needed to clarify what algorithms will be necessary for this purpose.

[Dependence of 'macroscopic fluctuations" on geographic coordinates (from materials of Arctic (2000) and Antarctic (2001) expeditions]

The detailed structure of histograms constructed from the results of synchronous measurements of the alpha-activity of 239Pu microsamples, conducted in Pushchino (Moscow Region, Russia) and on board the ship "Academician Fedorov" during the Arctic and Antarctic expeditions (2000 and 2001) was analyzed. It was shown that, if the histograms were constructed over a total period of 15 min and more, the "local zone effect" and the circadian periodicity in the similarity of histogram structure, observed during measurements in Pushchino, are not found in measurements on board the ship near the North Pole (latitude 82 degrees). If the histograms were constructed over a total time of 1 min, a strict periodicity ("stellar day" 23 h 56 min) in the appearance of similar histograms in Pushchino and the Arctic and a strict synchronicity of the appearance of similar histograms of measurements in Pushchino and on board the ship at the same local geographical time were observed. During the Antarctic expedition, the effect of synchronicity of the appearance of similar histograms in Pushchino and on board the ship decreased as the ship moved towards the South Pole and the difference in latitude between the points of measurements increased.

[Macroscopic fluctuations: periodicity of the manifestation of "near-zone" effect]

The "near-zone effect" one of the main manifestations of the phenomenon of macroscopic fluctuations, was further investigated. It was shown that the statistical significance of the near-zone effect varies with time with a period of about 3.5 days. A phenomenological model was proposed to describe the results obtained.

[Quantum transitions between states and cosmophysical fluctuations]

An explanation of the appearance of the reproducible fine structure of the histograms corresponding to different processes from simple chemical reactions to radioactive decays is developed. Earlier this explanation was reduced to extremely strong influence of small changes between energy levels of a quantum system under study and its environment on the transition probability of the system (chemical reaction, radioactive decay, e.t.c.) from the system last quantum state to final result of the studied process. In the present paper it is supposed that the main factors determining this probability is the periodical or quasi-periodical low frequency changes of local gravitational field leading to corresponding changes of the system mass (the quantum transition probability depends exponentially on the latter). This approach seems to able to propose non-contradictory explanation of many manifestations of macroscopic fluctuation.

[Correlation of fine structures of distributions of amplitudes of a photomultiplier dark current fluctuations with the Earth rotations about its axis]

The fine structures of distributions of photomultiplier dark current fluctuations measured in two laboratories 2000 km distant from other: in the international Institute of Biophysics (Neuss, Germany) and in the Moscow State University (Moscow, Russia) were compared. It is shown that similar forms of appropriate histograms are apparently more often realized at both locations at the same local time. This confirms the previous conclusion that the fine structure of distributions correlates with rotation of the Earth about its axis.

[Forms of histograms constructed from measurements of alpha-decay of 228Ra in Lindau (Germany) and neutron fluxes in Moscow change synchronously according to the local time]

In joint experiments performed at Max Plank Institute of Aeronomy (Germany) and the Institute of Theoretical and Experimental Biophysics in Pushchino, the main manifestations of the phenomenon of macroscopic fluctuations were confirmed. An increased probability of the similarity in synchronous histograms in independent measurements performed by two installations in one laboratory and in two laboratories separated by a distance of 2000 km was shown. In the latter case, the similarity of histograms is most probable at the same local time.

[Regular changes in histogram forms in physical measurements and mathematical modeling]

A study of macroscopic fluctuations for objects separated by large distances confirmed the conclusion drawn earlier that, if the objects being measured are in different time zones, the increase in the probability of occurrence of histograms of similar form corresponds to the difference in the local time at the points of measurement. It was also found that, upon realization of pseudo-random sequences of numbers in mathematical generators, sequences of histograms very similar to those in real physical series can be realized. This suggests the presence of previously unknown regularities, both physical and mathematical, in sequences traditionally considered as absolutely random.

[Elastic properties of triclinic crystals of lysozyme in anhydric acetonitrile]

Measurements of lysozyme crystal elastic properties in anhydrous acetonitrile were performed in order to investigate the role of water in protein elasticity. It was shown that triclinic crystals of lysozyme are suitable for such kind of investigation because of being placed in acetonitrile they save crystal lattice parameters. The observed changes of lysozyme crystals elastic properties are close to those found earlier for partially dehydrated protein. These results point to water influence on intramolecular conformational mobility of protein. The water-protein electrostatic interaction and Laplase's pressure as possible mechanisms of this influence are discussed.

A magnetic micromethod to measure Young's modulus of protein crystals and other polymer materials

A new micromethod has been developed to measure the elastic modulus of polymer materials. It is based on measurements of bending of a polymer sample in a periodic uneven magnetic field acting on a small permanent magnet attached to the sample free end. As compared to the other methods known, it combines simplicity of resonant methods with a possibility to perform measurements at different frequencies in liquids under normal and high pressures. The method is specifically designed to measure the temperature dependence of cross-linked protein crystals under different conditions.

Mechanical deformation enhances catalytic activity of crystalline carboxypeptidase A

A new approach for investigating mechano-chemical interactions in enzymes is described. The catalytic activity of crystalline crosslinked enzymes subjected to uniaxial deformation has been measured. Extension of monoclinic P2(1) crystals of carboxypeptidase A along the [010] direction leads to a many-fold increase in catalytic esterase activity with no changes in the effective Michaelis constant. This increase is interpreted as due to liberation of conformational mobility associated with catalytic activity of the enzyme in the deformed crystal.

[The effect of deformation on the catalytic activity of carboxypeptidase A in the crystalline state]

A new approach to study of enzyme mechano-chemistry is proposed which is based on measuring of catalytic activity of crystalline cross-linked samples subject to uniaxial tension. Deformation of monoclinic P2(1) carboxypeptidase A crystals along [010] directions results in considerable increase of their esterase activity with no changes in the Michaelis constant. This can be explained as a consequence of considerable conformational changes accompanying the enzyme cycle.

A new micromethod for mechano-chemical research

A new micromethod to study activity of enzymes in crystalline and amorphous solid samples subjected to tension is described. Both static (up to 200%) and dynamic (with an amplitude up to 50% and frequency of 10(-3)-50 Hz) deformation may be applied to the sample during the activity measurement. Strain-induced changes in activity of thin (3-10 microns) needle-like strips (0.2-0.5 microns long), cut out of the microtome sections of cross-linked crystals of pancreatic carboxypeptidase A is measured in a droplet of substrate solution (with volume of 10(-6)-10(-9) l) with a pH-microelectrode technique.