Paper Topic:

Human physiological responses to `foreign` environments: SCUBA and deep sea diving, space travel etc.

The Physiological Thermoregulatory Responses of the Human Body in Extreme Environmental Conditions in Hot and Cold Temperatures and in SCUBA Diving

One of the basic characteristics of any life form is the ability to adapt or respond to a particular environmental condition . However , there extreme conditions in the environment wherein there is seemingly impossible mechanisms in which an organism could be able to adapt . In this , such physiological mechanisms of adaptation and response of the human body would be discussed specifically on the thermoregulation in environmental conditions such as extreme hot

and cold climactic temperatures (as experienced in high altitudes ) and in SCUBA diving The structure and function of proteins and enzymes , which are components of cells and tissues and play significant roles as catalyst in many biological processes , are affected by many factors including temperature . These two components are only functional at optimum temperatures otherwise their structure and consequently the function would be altered . The protein or enzyme in such case is said to be denatured , and is generally caused by exposure to high temperatures (Wenger , 2006 . Similarly , cold temperatures can cause injuries to cells and tissues in a mechanism different from the previously discussed . In extremely low temperatures , freezing might occur that can form ice in a cell or tissue . This crystallization can cause mechanical damage to the cell membrane causing leakage of the cellular or tissue components Another mechanism for damage can occur when there is an increase in the solute concentration in the cytoplasm in the formation of ice , protein denaturation may also take place by dehydration , by increasing the ionic strength of the cytoplasm and by other physiological changes in the cytoplasmic environment (Wenger , 2006 . With these in mind , we can therefore induce that temperature plays a crucial role in the physiological process occurring in humans and in any organism . Hence regulation or maintenance of optimum temperature levels in any biological system is essential in the continuity of vital physiological processes

All mechanisms and processes in the human body has molecular and cellular basis and unexceptionally , such are applicable in the physiological thermoregulatory response in extremely cold environment such as in Antarctica . In 2003 , two Japanese researchers dealt with the changes in the cytokines at extreme surroundings in the said location The Antarctic region is of very high altitude averaging 2450 meters and extreme cold temperature , low pressure and low oxygen level are expected in such kind of geographical condition . Considering this condition Otani and Kusagaya assessed the health of 7 men who joined a research group participating in the 40th Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition The evaluation was made in viewpoint of cytokines , protein and peptide chemical signals that have important roles in adaptive immune responses After the subjects have underwent serial hematological examinations in 100 days at high altitudes , the researchers have found out that there was an increase in the interleukin-6 (IL-6 ) levels in the blood serum of a subject who suffered from severe mountain sickness (like pulmonary and brain edema . IL-6...

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