Acclimatization Time Research Articles

The Effect of Carbon Monoxide on the Exergy Behavior of the Lungs.

The present work evaluates the impact of carbon monoxide (CO) inhalation on the human lung’s exergy behavior by considering different levels of intoxication and amounts of hemoglobin. Its impact is significant because CO is one of the most common air pollutants in cities and an increase in destroyed exergy may be correlated with lifespan reduction or the malfunctioning of certain human organs. An evaluation of the severity of intoxication as a function of city altitude may intensify the hazard associated with carbon monoxide. A computational model of human lungs obtained from the literature was used to calculate the concentrations of oxygen (O2), carbon monoxide (CO), and carbon dioxide (CO2) in the respiratory system. With the purpose of better evaluating the different levels of CO intoxication and hemoglobin concentration (which is a function of acclimatization time and some pathologies, such as anemia), a model calculating exergy efficiency for the lungs was proposed. From this model, it was possible to conclude that a higher level of intoxication is associated with lower exergy efficiency values. When associated with carbon monoxide intoxication, higher hemoglobin levels also result in lower efficiency. Eventually, a comparison between previous studies and the current study was carried out, regarding the method employed to calculate the exergy destroyed in the lungs, considering not only gas transport, but also hemoglobin concentration and its reaction with the gases from a second law perspective.

Study of the ibuprofen impact on wastewater treatment mini-plants with bioaugmented sludge

The determination of the peak volumetric removal rate of ibuprofen in batch culture was used to select a microbial community utilizable for augmentation. For a continuous removal process, this rate, particularly the peak value of the volumetric removal rate is an essential factor reflecting the catabolic behavior (metabolic quotient qS) and the physiological state of a microbial community which depends on environmental conditions. Thus, if stable environmental conditions are maintained in a homogeneous continuous regime, a high metabolic quotient and volumetric removal rate could be maintained for the selected microbial community.Using equations derived from the material balance of ibuprofen in a wastewater treatment mini-plant (WTMP) operating in a homogeneous condition, the beginning and end of an acclimatization period after an IBP toxic shock were estimated by comparison of the experimental values of IBP accumulated to its theoretical accumulation. Using the experimental values of IBP accumulated within the WTMP, the actual transient change in the volumetric removal rate along the acclimatization period was calculated from another derived equation. This procedure allows to measure the change in the volumetric removal rate, showing the kinetic response of the system and the acclimatization time of a microbial consortium after a toxic shock.

English

Humic acid and brassinosteroid applications may be an alternative to decrease the pineapple plantlet acclimatization in in vitro cultivation, since promising results have been observed when these substances were independently applied in other propagation methods. In this sense, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of humic acids and brassinosteroid application on 'BRS Vitoria' pineapple plantlets grown from in vitro cultivation during acclimatization. A randomized block design was used in a 5x2x4 factorial scheme, at five brassinosteroid doses (0, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, 1.0 mg L-1) in the presence and absence of humic acids during four sampling periods (60, 90, 120 and 150 days after transplanting), with five replicates for each treatment. BIOBRAS-16 was used as the brassinosteroid source, and the organic soil conditioner Agrolmin HF® was used as the humic acid source. Plantlets were collected for evaluation every 30 days from 60 days after transplanting. The number of plantlet leaves, length and root mass were higher in the humic acid treatment without brassinosteroid application. Leaf, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium and magnesium contents were of 13.04, 1.77, 40.2, 8.79 and 3.17 mg kg-1, respectively. Nitrogen and potassium contents in the plantlets decreased, while phosphorus contents increased as a function of acclimatization time, regardless of treatment. Key words: Ananas comosus var. comosus, propagation, in vitro.

Sheep models for evaluation of novel patch and prosthesis material in vascular surgery: tips and tricks to avoid possible pitfalls

BackgroundIn vascular surgery, novel synthetic prosthesis materials for patch-angioplasties, interpositions, bypasses and shunts are continuously under development and optimization. The characteristics of an ideal vascular prosthesis would display long-term patency, biocompatibility, durability, low porosity, lack of stich hole bleeding, ease of handling, kink resistance, infection resistance and reasonable costs. The aim of this study was to establish and report a reliable sheep model including potential pitfalls where those parameters could be analyzed. Before surgery, sheep were acclimatized for 4–8 weeks, during which parasite infections were treated and blood and serum parameters monitored. Twenty-four sheep underwent surgery, and carotid patch-angioplasties (n = 12), graft interpositions (n = 6) or arteriovenous prosthetic shunts (n = 6) were implanted. Half of the animals in each group were sacrificed after 2 weeks and the other half after 8 weeks. The implants were analyzed for patency, endothelialization, thrombogenicity and biocompatibility by clinical observation, blood flow measurement and pathological and histopathological (H&E, EvG) as well as immunohistochemical (Ki67, CD31) evaluations.ResultsHealth monitoring of the sheep revealed a parasitic burden with endoparasites in all animals. Some animals showed thereby infestations in the bile duct causing fibrotic cholangitis with calcifications in the liver. In addition, sarcosporidia were detected in histopathological specimen of the heart in all animals. Parasitic burden correlated with blood counts and serum bilirubin levels. Both were significantly reduced by albendazole treatment within the acclimatization time. Patches, interposition grafts, and straight shunts were successfully implanted bilaterally in all animals. The total average operation time was 136 ± 21 min. Most animals (23/24) showed good patency rates and general condition after implantation. Pathological and histopathological/immunohistochemical analyses were suitable to determine thrombogenicity, endothelialization, cellular/fibroblastic proliferation, biocompatibility, inflammatory cell infiltration, and thickness of neointima in the prosthesis material.ConclusionsWe have developed a suitable experimental protocol with standardized and successful anesthesia- and surgical-procedures for patch-angioplasty, graft interposition, and arteriovenous prosthetic shunts. This sheep model allows testing of new prosthetic materials for biocompatibility, thrombogenicity, and endothelialization.

Effect of Mercury concentration on P. putida growth in Mercury removal

Mercury is a toxic pollutant emitted from industrial sectors to the environment and distributed globally. The potential for biological treatment of industrial wastewater contaminated with mercury was evaluated using Pseudomonas putida (P. putida) under various conditions in a bioreactor. The effect of mercury concentration on the P. putida growth of bacteria and also mercury removal was determined. Modiβications in optimum operating conditions in shake βlask and bioreactor need to be determined so it could bring us to a better result. In this research, optimum conditions for growth of P. putida in shake βlask are identiβied: acclimatization time 24 hours, orbital shaker speed 180rpm, temperature 37°C, pH 7, and nutrient concentration 8g/L. The removal efβiciency obtained is 99% for 1ppb, 99.8% for 6ppb, and 98.6% for 19ppb while for 1000ppb mercury, the removal efβiciency is 92% for 1 hour and 98% for 28 hours. In 2L bioreactor, same condition as shake βlask is applied with agitator speed of 180 rpm and aeration time of 0.50vvm. For 1300ppb and 3000ppb, the removal efβiciency is 89% and 94%, respectively. The βindings of this study can be used as a reference for future application in industrial wastewater treatment plant.

Short-term arrival strategies for endurance exercise performance at moderate altitude.

For sea level-based endurance athletes who compete at moderate and high altitudes, many are not logistically able to arrive at altitude weeks before the event to fully acclimatize. For those who can only arrive at altitude the night before competition, we asked if there is a physiological and performance advantage in reducing altitude exposure time to 2 h before competition. On three separate visits, 10 cyclists completed overnight laboratory exposures of: 1) a 14-h exposure to normobaric hypoxia (16.2% O2, simulating 2,500 m; 14H), 2) a 12-h exposure to normoxia, then a 2-h hypoxic exposure (2H), and 3) a 14-h exposure to normoxia (CON). Immediately following each exposure, subjects completed a 20-km cycle ergometry time trial in normoxia (CON) or 16.2% O2 (14H and 2H). Measures of plasma volume changes, sleep quality, ventilatory acclimatization, perceived exertion, oxygen uptake, and 20-km time were collected. No significant differences were observed in performance measures or perceived exertion between hypoxic trials. Plasma volume loss was significantly greater during 14H than 2H and CON. No differences in ventilatory acclimatization or sleep quality were observed between trials. Although some divergent 20-km performance responses were observed between 14H and 2H, they were not explained by the physiological measures completed. The data suggest that endurance athletes who are logistically restricted from arriving at altitude more than the evening before competition would not gain an advantage by delaying their arrival until a few hours before the competition, although unique individual responses may ultimately influence optimal arrival strategy.NEW & NOTEWORTHY For athletes who cannot arrive at altitude multiple days before an endurance competition to properly acclimatize, this study asked if shortening hypoxic exposure time to 2 h before a competition was more advantageous than arrival at altitude the evening before competition. Our data suggest that athletes who cannot arrive at altitude with adequate time for complete acclimatization can choose the short-term arrival strategy that best fits with the logistics of their travel.

Screening of Effective Markers for Mesophilic Bacterium Growth Using Factorial Experimental Design

Attempts to gain an insight and present bacterial growth pattern from OVAT perspectives are quite defective and strenuous. The present study aimed at evaluating this concept from the different perspective by evaluating factors with more impacts on the growth of a mesophilic bacterium, Bacillus cereus (ATCC 14579) in a batch type medium of orbital shake flasks. Screening of linear and interactions effects of parametric markers was evaluated by two level (24) factorial design of experiment (DOE). Growth was found to respond significantly to nutrient concentration coupled with other independent variables. The factorial models established from experimental design to investigate the individual and interactions effects toward the response within the selected variables of nutrient concentration (4-16g l-1), temperature (30 oC –42 oC), agitation (140 rpm-200 rpm) and acclimatization time (24 hours-72 hours). These were statistically validated using analysis of variance (ANOVA). The results revealed that the model terms were all significant with F-value of 251.07 at (p=0.004). The model term having the most significant effect on the response was nutrient concentration. And the magnitude of the influence is in the ascending order A > B> AB > C > AC. Based on the R2 and adjusted R2 the estimated model terms spell high degree of relationship between observed and predicted values, thus the prediction ability of the mo dels is maintained. It could, therefore, be concluded that nutrient concentration, temperature and acclimatization time were variables that greatly limit growth at a specific range.

BIOLOGICAL SULFIDE OXIDATION AND ITS IMPACT ON CELL BIOMASS SYNTHESIS BY MESOPHILIC BACTERIUM BACILLUS CERUES (ATCC 14579)

Inhibitory effects of hydrogen sulfide could either be due to toxicity to living tissue or precipitation of sulfide salts which inhibit its utilization for cell growth. Growth, is undoubtedly affected by certain conditions, among which are nutrient types and availability, as well as the operational parameters of the fermenting medium. In this study, Bacillus cereus (ATCC 14579) was tested for potential sulfide biodegradation in a suspended growth medium of orbital shake flasks using a single milieu composition under defined operational parameters. Growth and sulfide oxidation efficiency were measured spectrophotometrically under optimum physical conditions of pH, temperature, acclimatization time and agitation. Sulfide reduction was overwhelmingly recorded at three different sulfide loading rates of 200 ppm S2- L-1 d- 1, 300 ppm S2- L-1 d-1 and 500 ppm S2- L-1 d-1 with corresponding appreciable cell growth measured at OD600 nm. Results indicated that it was possible to realise sulfide removal efficiency of 95% to 99% using this strain in an orbital shake flask within 24 hrs, as well as 65% to 78% within the first 6 hrs of inoculation. Overall, sulfide wasreduced by 95% in 200 ppm and 300 ppm, while 99% in 500 ppm, respectively. While, the corresponding exponential cell growth recorded was 3.91, 3.80 and 3.61 in 200 ppm, 300 ppm and 500 ppm, respectively. This also translate to cell biomass synthesis (cell dry weight) of 0.61 g/L, 0.58 g/L and 0.50 g/L in 200 ppm, 500 ppm and 300 ppm. Based on this finding, it was clear that this inoculum can utilize different sulfide concentration for growth and biosynthesis; thus can be employed to treat sulfide contaminated wastewater in a suspended growth form under simple nutrient composition and operational conditions.

Effect of Acclimatization Time to Microbial Cell Growth and Biosynthesis of Mesophilic Gammaproteobacterium, in Orbital Shake Flasks

Growth pattern of Pseudomonas putida (ATCC 49128), was found to predominantly rely on the age of the inoculums, prior to its contact with physical and chemical agents and nutrient availability. Under suitable inoculums, bacteria tend to grow faster in a batch type of growth pattern which is usually sustained until after nutrient depletion. In this research, the bacterial growth pattern was studied in an incubator shake flask using 8 g nutrient media and physical operational parameters temperature of 37oC and agitation of 180 rpm over a period of 24, 48 and 72 hours. Prior to this, P. putida was added into 20.0 ml nutrient broth and incubated in an incubator for 24 hours at 37oC, before adding it to 180 ml nutrient broth 30% (v/v 1- ). Growth, via acclimatization was initially observed after 1hr of inoculation with an overwhelming exponential growth of 2.69-2.57 within first 24 hr, exceeding the 48 and 72 hrs ranges. This additionally relates to particular cell biomass growth rate (μ) of 0.58 hr 1- , 3.87 number of generation (n), generation time ( g) 1.09 and growth rate constant (k) of 0.01 hr1-, achievable within 24 hrs. It was therefore concluded that the sensitivity of this strain to time is significant, as optimal growth was achieved within 24 hrs of acclimatization, thereby showing a drastic reduction in the time of growth.

The effect of human-mattress interface's temperature on perceived thermal comfort

In recent years, methods that allow for an objective evaluation of perceived comfort, in terms of postural, physiological, cognitive and environmental comfort, have received a great deal of attention from researchers. This paper focuses on one of the factors that influences physiological comfort perception: the temperature difference between users and the objects with which they interact. The first aim is to create a measuring system that does not affect the perceived comfort during the temperatures' acquisition. The main aim is to evaluate how the temperature at the human-mattress interface can affect the level of perceived comfort. A foam mattress has been used for testing in order to take into account the entire back part of the human body. The temperature at the interface was registered by fourteen 100 Ohm Platinum RTDs (Resistance Temperature Detectors) placed on the mattress under the trunk, the shoulders, the buttocks, the legs, the thighs, the arms and the forearms of the test subject. 29 subjects participated in a comfort test in a humidity controlled environment. The test protocol involved: dress-code, anthropometric-based positioning on mattress, environment temperature measuring and an acclimatization time before the test. At the end of each test, each of the test subject's thermal sensations and the level of comfort perception were evaluated using the ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers) scale. The data analyses concerned, in the first instance, correlations between the temperature at the interface and comfort levels of the different parts of the body. Then the same analyses were performed independently of the body parts being considered. The results demonstrated that there was no strong correlation among the studied variables and that the total increase of temperature at interface is associated with a reduction in comfort.

Iron Requirement in Hypoxic Conditions

While highlanders in the Andes and Himalayas are well adapted to live at high altitude, adequate acclimatization time to slowly adjust to hypoxic conditions is among the most important aspects for ascending mountaineers. Accordingly, most reports emphasize on mechanisms that cope with reduced oxygenation. Notably, during a journey to high altitude coverage of the elevated iron demand is equally critical. Thus, it's crucial to focus on the crosstalk between oxygen and iron homeostasis. I will discuss the role of iron in the oxygen sensing process and erythropoietin (Epo) synthesis as well as in gene expression control mediated by the hypoxia-inducible factor-2 (HIF-2). The blood hormone Epo that is abundantly expressed by the kidney under hypoxic conditions stimulates erythropoiesis in the bone marrow, a process that requires high quantities of iron. To ensure that sufficient iron is provided, hypoxia-induced soluble factors - such as the novel Epo-controlled erythroferrone that is expressed in erythroid precursor cells - reach the liver where they reduce expression of the iron hormone hepcidin. In turn, suppression of hepcidin allows both, elevated iron release from storage organs and enhanced absorption of dietary iron by enterocytes. As recently observed in sojourners at high altitude, however, iron uptake may be hampered by reduced appetite and gastrointestinal bleeding. Overall, adequate systemic iron availability is an important prerequisite to adjust not only to high-altitude induced hypoxia but to treat disease-related hypoxic conditions. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Alleviation of toxic hexavalent chromium using indigenous aerobic bacteria isolated from contaminated tannery industry sites

ABSTRACTIn the last decade, much attention has been paid to bioremediation of Cr(VI) using various bacterial species. Cr(VI) remediation by indegeneous bacteria isolated from contaminated sites of a tannery industry located in Tamil Nadu, India, was investigated in this study. Three Cr(VI) resistant bacterial strains (TES-1, TEf-1, and TES-2) were isolated and selected based on their Cr(VI) reduction ability in minimal salt medium. Among these three bacterial strains, TES-1 was found to be most efficient in bioreduction, while TES-2 was only found to be Cr(VI) resistant and showed negligible bioreduction, whereas TEf-1 was observed to be most Cr(VI) tolerant. Potential for bioremediation of TES-1 and TEf-1 was further investigated at different concentrations of Cr(VI) in the range of 50 to 350 mg L−1. TEf-1 showed prominent synchronous growth throughout the experiment, whereas TES-1 took a longer acclimatization time. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of Cr(VI) for TES-1 and TEf-1 were approximated as 600 mg L−1 and 750 mg L−1, respectively. The kinetic behavior of Cr(VI) reduction by TES-1 and TEf-1 exhibited zero- and first-order removal kinetics for Cr(VI), respectively. The most efficient strain TES-1 was identified as Streptomyces sp. by gene sequencing of 16S rRNA.

Adaptation of iron requirement to hypoxic conditions at high altitude.

Adequate acclimatization time to enable adjustment to hypoxic conditions is one of the most important aspects for mountaineers ascending to high altitude. Accordingly, most reviews emphasize mechanisms that cope with reduced oxygen supply. However, during sojourns to high altitude adjustment to elevated iron demand is equally critical. Thus in this review we focus on the interaction between oxygen and iron homeostasis. We review the role of iron 1) in the oxygen sensing process and erythropoietin (Epo) synthesis, 2) in gene expression control mediated by the hypoxia-inducible factor-2 (HIF-2), and 3) as an oxygen carrier in hemoglobin, myoglobin, and cytochromes. The blood hormone Epo that is abundantly expressed by the kidney under hypoxic conditions stimulates erythropoiesis in the bone marrow, a process requiring high iron levels. To ensure that sufficient iron is provided, Epo-controlled erythroferrone that is expressed in erythroid precursor cells acts in the liver to reduce expression of the iron hormone hepcidin. Consequently, suppression of hepcidin allows for elevated iron release from storage organs and enhanced absorption of dietary iron by enterocytes. As recently observed in sojourners at high altitude, however, iron uptake may be hampered by reduced appetite and gastrointestinal bleeding. Reduced iron availability, as observed in a hypoxic mountaineer, enhances hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension and may contribute to other hypoxia-related diseases. Overall, adequate systemic iron availability is an important prerequisite to adjust to high-altitude hypoxia and may have additional implications for disease-related hypoxic conditions.

Taking vascular health to new heights: the short- and long-term impacts of altitude on cardiovascular function.

Taking vascular health to new heights: the short- and long-term impacts of altitude on cardiovascular function.

Time required to stabilize thermographic images at rest

Thermography for scientific research and practical purposes requires a series of procedures to obtain images that should be standardized; one of the most important is the time required for acclimatization in the controlled environment. Thus, the objective of this study was to identify the appropriate acclimatization time in rest to reach a thermal balance on young people skin. Forty-four subjects participated in the study, 18 men (22.3±3.1years) and 26 women (21.7±2.5years). Thermographic images were collected using a thermal imager (Fluke®), totaling 44 images over a period of 20min. The skin temperature (TSK) was measured at the point of examination which included the 0min, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18 and 20. The body regions of interest (ROI) analyzed included the hands, forearms, arms, thighs, legs, chest and abdomen. We used the Friedman test with post hoc Dunn’s in order to establish the time at rest required to obtain a TSK balance and the Mann–Whitney test was used to compare age, BMI, body fat percentage and temperature variations between men and women, considering always a significance level of p<0.05. Results showed that women had significantly higher temperature variations than men (p<0.01) along the time. In men, only the body region of the abdomen obtained a significant variance (p<0.05) on the analyzed period, both in the anterior and posterior part. In women, the anterior abdomen and thighs, and the posterior part of the hands, forearms and abdomen showed significant differences (p<0.05). Based on our results, it can be concluded that the time in rest condition required reaching a TSK balance in young men and women is variable, but for whole body analysis it is recommended at least 10min for both sexes.

Remediation of LNAPL Contaminated Groundwater Using Plant-Assisted Biostimulation and Bioaugmentation Methods

Different cases of bioremediation technique were experimentally investigated here for decontaminating light non-aqueous phase liquid (LNAPL)-polluted groundwater collected from Panipat oil refinery situated in Haryana, India. Natural biodegradation of toluene, the selected LNAPL, was studied first under different varying substrate concentrations at room temperature (21.6 ± 0.3 °C). Biostimulation was then studied by mixing the polluted groundwater with a primary treated domestic wastewater for providing nutrients and other supplementary components to the native microbial population. For studying the remaining cases, small-scale wetland having plants of Canna generalis was developed in the laboratory with and without the presence of toluene in the rhizosphere. The wetland system in the presence of toluene was used here for developing the pre-grown microbial cultures to enhance the degradation rate of the LNAPL (bioaugmentation). The plant-assisted biostimulation was studied in the third case by adding the polluted groundwater with the root zone water of the wetland system developed without the presence of toluene. In the fourth case, the biostimulation was coupled with the bioaugmentation strategy by mixing the groundwater with the root zone water of the wetland system developed in the presence of toluene. A comparative account of these four different bioremediation techniques was prepared for their respective rates of biodegradation, duration of lag phases, and the total time of degradation. It was observed that the plant-assisted bioremediation techniques had better performance over the natural biodegradation and biostimulation methods of the considered LNAPL. The plant-assisted biostimulation coupled with the bioaugmentation technique needed almost no acclimatization time and accelerated the rate of degradation almost twofold compared to the natural bioremediation and, hence, is proved to be the best one among the other bioremediation techniques for decontaminating the LNAPL-polluted groundwater. The results of the conducted experiments can be used to obtain vital information on framing the engineered bioremediation planning for LNAPL-contaminated sites.

Medical Hypnosis as a Tool to Acclimatize Children to Noninvasive Positive Pressure Ventilation

Background Patient cooperation is crucial for the success of noninvasive positive pressure ventilation (NPPV). This study evaluated the efficacy of medical hypnosis to reduce anticipatory anxiety and acclimatization time in children who are candidates for long-term NPPV. Methods Medical hypnosis was performed by a trained nurse. The acclimatization time and long-term compliance with NPPV were evaluated. Results Hypnosis was performed in nine children aged 2 to 15 years. Seven children had a high level of anticipatory anxiety because of a tracheotomy since birth (n = 2), a history of maxillofacial surgery (n = 2), severe dyspnea because of lung disease (n = 2), and morbid obesity and depression (n = 1), and two children with obstructive sleep apnea failed standard NPPV initiation. The hypnosis techniques were based on distraction in the youngest patient and indirect or direct hypnotic suggestions in the older children to obtain a progressive psychocorporal relaxation. All patients accepted the interface and the NPPV after the first hypnosis session. A median of three sessions was needed for overnight (> 6 h) NPPV acceptance. The 6-month compliance with NPPV was excellent, with a median use of 7.5 h per night. Conclusion Medical hypnosis is an effective, safe, noninvasive, and inexpensive tool for reducing the anticipatory distress and acclimatization time for NPPV. This therapy is particularly useful in children with traumatic experiences, such as a tracheotomy or facial surgical procedures. Patient cooperation is crucial for the success of noninvasive positive pressure ventilation (NPPV). This study evaluated the efficacy of medical hypnosis to reduce anticipatory anxiety and acclimatization time in children who are candidates for long-term NPPV. Medical hypnosis was performed by a trained nurse. The acclimatization time and long-term compliance with NPPV were evaluated. Hypnosis was performed in nine children aged 2 to 15 years. Seven children had a high level of anticipatory anxiety because of a tracheotomy since birth (n = 2), a history of maxillofacial surgery (n = 2), severe dyspnea because of lung disease (n = 2), and morbid obesity and depression (n = 1), and two children with obstructive sleep apnea failed standard NPPV initiation. The hypnosis techniques were based on distraction in the youngest patient and indirect or direct hypnotic suggestions in the older children to obtain a progressive psychocorporal relaxation. All patients accepted the interface and the NPPV after the first hypnosis session. A median of three sessions was needed for overnight (> 6 h) NPPV acceptance. The 6-month compliance with NPPV was excellent, with a median use of 7.5 h per night. Medical hypnosis is an effective, safe, noninvasive, and inexpensive tool for reducing the anticipatory distress and acclimatization time for NPPV. This therapy is particularly useful in children with traumatic experiences, such as a tracheotomy or facial surgical procedures.

Gaining Ground—Cleaning with Mesenterial Filaments by the Cold-Water Coral &lt;I&gt;Desmophyllum Dianthus?&lt;/I&gt;

The solitary cosmopolitan cold-water coral Desmophyllum dianthus (Esper, 1794) (A, scale bar approximately 1 cm) occurs as a deep-water emergent species in Patagonian fjords, Chile, and can form extensive banks (Forsterra et al. 2005). This coral functions as a bioengineer by providing a 3D habitat for a diverse benthic community (Forsterra et al. 2005). With skeletal growth, the living tissue is retracted by the organism to the upper part of the calyx, leaving the lower skeleton uncovered. Endolithic algae are then able to enter the tissue covered skeleton from below and start to encrust the tissue covered part of the skeleton (Forsterra et al. 2005, 2008). They are visible as a greenish coat on the skeleton (A). The algae are able to bore into the skeleton (Forsterra et al. 2005) and thus could interfere with the coral’s calcifying process. This process could result in a parasitic behavior (Forsterra et al. 2012) rather than the previously hypothesized (Forsterra and Haussermann 2008) symbiotic or even mutualistic relationship. This infection by algae may be the primary reason for the peculiar behavior we observed on several specimens both in situ (A) and in our aquaria system (B–D, scale bar approximately 1 cm). After an acclimatization time in our aquaria system, wild collected corals were well adapted and well fed, and secondarily expanded their tissue toward their lower skeleton (about 1 cm in 4 mo, CJ and GMS pers obs), recovering an area that had been without any tissue. Concomitantly, the corals everted their mesenterial filaments between this re-entered outer-skeleton and the covering tissue layer (A, B; C, D: both enlargements of B). During the eversion of the mesenterial filaments the new tissue generally appeared unusually pleated (C, D) in contrast to a less common smooth tissue surface (A). This was not a short-term or rare mechanism: corals maintained this behavior in the aquaria over multiple months. Several tropical coral species are known to eject their mesenterial filaments to digest prey too large to be swallowed (Yonge 1930). The tropical, branching coral Acropora pulchra (Brook, 1891) has even been observed to clean the substrate before it expands its tissue and skeleton (Roff et al. 2008). Our preliminary observations suggest a combination of both mechanisms in this cold-water coral. Mesenterial filaments could be digesting the growing algae below their tissue, but also may be cleaning the substrate (their own skeleton) prior to further tissue expansion.

The Research of Biological Method Degradation on Cooking Fume

Experiments according to the current domestic situation of bio-treatment cooking fume, domesticated the activated sludge which taken from the oxidation ditch of the sewage treatment plant by using the simulated cooking fumes, discussed the concentration and morphology variation of activated sludge, researched the degradation ability of microorganism on cooking fume, the change of bacteria amount were studied in the whole process. Research showed that the sludge concentration decreased to 2878mg/L when the acclimatization time reached 50days; outlet and inlet oil concentration were consistent when the acclimatization time reached 30days while liquid fume concentration decreased to 8.436mg/L, the degradation rate of activated sludge on liquid fume was about 75% after 30 days; Microbial biomass increased first and then down become stable finally.

Factors Influencing Use of Hearing Protection by Trumpet Players

Although a great many brass players, and trumpet players in particular, successfully use high-fidelity earplugs, others report problems with their use. This article discusses factors that may discourage a brass player from using hearing protection: These include (a) a lack of acclimatization time; (b) a loss of "fortissimo blare" from the aural distortion generated by the 110- to 120-dB SPL produced at the open ear with fortissimo playing; (c) a shallow earmold seal, leading to a large occlusion effect; (d) a poor seal combined with incorrect acoustic mass in the sound channel; and (e) hearing loss where many harmonic overtones of even moderately loud playing may become inaudible with earplugs to a lifelong trumpet player with high-frequency hearing loss. The limitations imposed by each of these can usually be overcome with modifications of the hearing protection device (HPD) or with acclimatization time, allowing a lifetime of playing without the all-too-common "musicians' hearing loss" and/or tinnitus. A review of these factors helps to delineate some of the perceptual issues that musicians may have with any change in the spectrum of their instrument-whether it is related to attenuation or amplification.