Primer for Mainstreaming Mind-Body Techniques for Extreme Climates-Insights and Future Directions

The Effects of Elevated Tropospheric Ozone on Carbon Fixation and Stable Isotopic Signatures of Durum Wheat Cultivars with Different Biomass and Yield Stability

Tropospheric ozone (O₃) enrichment caused by human activities can reduce important crop yields with huge economic loss and affect the global carbon cycle and climate change in the coming decades. In this study, two Italian cultivars of durum wheat (Claudio and Mongibello) were exposed to O₃ (80 ppb, 5 h day^-1 for 70 consecutive days), with the aim to investigate the changes in yield and biomass, ecophysiological traits, and stable carbon and nitrogen isotope values in plants, and to compare the stable isotope responses under environmental stressors. Both cultivars showed a relative O₃ tolerance in terms of photosynthetic performance, but in cultivar Mongibello, O₃ was detrimental to the grain yield and plant biomass. The δ¹³C values in the leaves of plants identified that the impact of O₃ on CO₂ fixation by RuBisCO was dominant. The δ¹⁵N value showed significant differences between treatments in both cultivars at seven days from the beginning of the exposure, which could be considered an early indicator of ozone pollution. Under increasingly frequent extreme climates globally, the relationships among stable isotope data, ecophysiological traits, and agronomic parameters could help breed future cultivars.

Physical and mental health at high altitude of individuals doing yogic practices

Objectives

There is an increase trend in the past few years, in the number of people traveling to high altitude for recreational activities such as pilgrims, mountaineering, and climbing and for occupational purposes such as defense and mining which have resulted in increasing in hypoxia conditions and anxiety-related medical problems at high altitude. As it is known that mental stress affects brain and heart functions, a recent research performed on Sudarshan Kriya Yoga (SKY) further validated the effectiveness of SKY on participants (practicing SKY) as compared to control after quantifying mental stress. To study the physiological effect of SKY advance breathing technique when immediately ascends to high altitude, we wanted to study the level of stress and mental well-being of lowlanders at high altitude.

Materials and Methods

It is an interventional study performed at high altitudes, with low landers as participants where their biochemical and psychological parameters are being assessed.

Results

The result for biochemical parameter cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoproteins (LDLs), high-density lipoproteins (HDLs), very low-density lipoproteins, LDL-HDL ratio, and cholesterol-HDL ratio showed a significant decrease in the pre- and post-analyses values with P ≤ 0.001. Acute mountain sickness (AMS), Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale, and State and Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) also show a decreasing trend with significant result in AMS, mental well-being, and non-significant in STAI p value is P = 0.016, P = 0.055, and P = 0.125, respectively.

Conclusion

We observed positive outcome both in for biochemical and stress-related parameters with SKY advance program practitioners who have rapidly ascend to high altitude.

Positive Psychological Changes at High Altitude Shown by the Low Landers after the Yoga Intervention—Sudarshan Kriya Yoga (SKY)

Background

Immediate assent to high altitude affects the cognitive performance and mood of an individual, which is followed by depression and anxiety. It also affects the sleep quality, general health, and happiness quotient of an individual. Sudarshan Kriya Yoga (SKY) is a cyclical breathing technique, which has been proven successful in managing stress, depression, anxiety, and helps in the improvement of sleep quality.

Purpose

The current study was to understand the role of SKY meditation on psychological parameters, happiness quotient of low landers at high altitude (Leh).

Methods

It is a two-armed pre–post study with experimental and control group both are lowlanders, and their psychological parameters are being assessed when they immediately assent to high altitude (Leh). There are two groups experimental group (SKY) was from AOL SKY–AMP and has prior SKY meditation experience. The control group does not have any yoga or meditation experience. SKY–AMP is a 4 days protocol done at high altitude by the SKY group. Both groups reach Leh through air mode transportation.

Results

Oxford Happiness Questionnaire (OHQ) showed a significant result in the SKY group with P ≤ .001, whereas it is nonsignificant in the control group. We also observed anthropometric and physiological changes in the participants showing significant effects on weight, BMI, waist circumference, hip circumference, and blood pressure; with no significant effect in the control group. It is one of the first studies done with both two groups, where yoga and meditation are done at high altitude and then seen the changes in the groups at physical and psychological level.

Conclusion

Yogic practices can be helpful in having positive psychological change in the lowlanders at high altitude.