"Chronoastrobiology: are we at the threshold of a new science? Is there a critical mass for scientific research?" A simple photograph of the planet earth from outer space was one of the greatest contributions of space exploration. It drove home in a glance that human survival depends upon the wobbly dynamics in a thin and fragile skin of water and gas that covers a small globe in a mostly cold and vast universe. This image raised the stakes in understanding our place in that universe, in finding out where we came from and in choosing a path for survival.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWe propose to initiate the automatic self-assessment of wear and tear as "stress and strain" by the time structures of blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR), in order to arrive eventually at an individualized timely and timed routine of life and to early preventive intervention as soon as needed. The routine may involve physiological scheduling of physical and mental activities and meals, and if need be of non-drug or drug treatment for stress amplification, e.g.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis review provides evidence that the bioengineering community needs to develop cost-effective, fully unobtrusive, truly ambulatory instrumentation for the surveillance of blood pressure and heart rate. With available instrumentation, we document a disease risk syndrome, circadian blood pressure overswinging (CHAT, short for circadian hyper-amplitude-tension). Circadian hyper-amplitude-tension is defined as a week-long overall increase in the circadian amplitude or otherwise-measured circadian variability of blood pressure above a mapped threshold, corresponding to the upper 95% prediction limit of clinically healthy peers of the corresponding gender and age.
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