Thermoregulatory and subjective responses of clothed men in the cold during continuous and intermittent exercise

Summary Thermoregulatory and thermal subjective responses were studied in ten male, clothed subjects during continuous (C) and intermittent (I) exercise at the same average level of oxygen consumption. The subjects performed both I and C twice, dressed in two different three-layer cold-protective clothing ensembles of two thermal insulation levels [total clothing insulation = 2.59 clo (L) and 3.20 clo (H)]. Experiments were carried out at an ambient temperature of –10°C. Rectal temperatures increased similarly in both types of exercise. Mean skin temperature (T _sk) was lower in 1 compared to C with both levels of clothing insulation. Over the last 0.5 h of the experimentT _sk was approximately 1.3°C lower in 1 than in C for clothing L. The skin evaporation rate was higher in clothing H than L but did not differ between I and C. Subjective ratings for thermal sensations of the whole body (BTS) and hands were close to neutral in I and around slightly warm in C. The BTS was lower in I than in C and was lower in L compared to H. It was concluded that, at equal average energy expenditure, thermal responses to intermittent and continuous exercise in the Gold differ in clothed subjects, principally as a result of different patterns of heat exchange.     

Circadian period and the timing of melatonin onset in men and women: predictors of sleep during the weekend and in the laboratory

Sleep complaints and irregular sleep patterns, such as curtailed sleep during workdays and longer and later sleep during weekends, are common. It is often implied that differences in circadian period and in entrained phase contribute to these patterns, but few data are available. We assessed parameters of the circadian rhythm of melatonin at baseline and in a forced desynchrony protocol in 35 participants (18 women) with no sleep disorders. Circadian period varied between 23 h 50 min and 24 h 31 min, and correlated positively (n = 31, r_s = 0.43, P = 0.017) with the timing of the melatonin rhythm relative to habitual bedtime. The phase of the melatonin rhythm correlated with the Insomnia Severity Index (n = 35, r_s = 0.47, P = 0.004). Self‐reported time in bed during free days also correlated with the timing of the melatonin rhythm (n = 35, r_s = 0.43, P = 0.01) as well as with the circadian period (n = 31, r_s = 0.47, P = 0.007), such that individuals with a more delayed melatonin rhythm or a longer circadian period reported longer sleep during the weekend. The increase in time in bed during the free days correlated positively with circadian period (n = 31, r_s = 0.54, P = 0.002). Polysomnographically assessed latency to persistent sleep (n = 34, r_s = 0.48, P = 0.004) correlated with the timing of the melatonin rhythm when participants were sleeping at their habitual bedtimes in the laboratory. This correlation was significantly stronger in women than in men (Z = 2.38, P = 0.017). The findings show that individual differences in circadian period and phase of the melatonin rhythm associate with differences in sleep, and suggest that individuals with a long circadian period may be at risk of developing sleep problems.     

Validity of perceived skin wettedness mapping to evaluate heat strain

The purpose of this study was to investigate the validity of a newly developed method for quantifying perceived skin wettedness (W _p) as an index to evaluate heat strain. Eight male subjects underwent 12 experimental conditions: activities (rest and exercise) × clothing (Control, Tyvek and Vinyl condition) × air temperatures (25 and 32°C). To quantify the W _p, a full body map with 21 demarcated regions was presented to the subject. The results showed that (1) at rest in 25°C, W _p finally reached 4.4, 8.3 and 51.6% of the whole body surface area for Control, Tyvek, and Vinyl conditions, respectively, while W _p at rest in 32°C rose to 35.8, 61.4 and 89.8%; (2) W _p has a distinguishable power to detect the most wetted and the first wetted regions. The most wetted body regions were the upper back, followed by the chest, front neck, and forehead. The first perceived regions in the skin wetted map were the chest, forehead, and upper back; (3) W _p at rest showed a significant relationship with the calculated skin wettedness (w) (r = 0.645, p < 0.01) and (4) W _p had a significant relationship with core temperature, skin temperature, heart rate, total sweat rate, thermal comfort, and humidity sensation (p < 0.05), but these relationships were dependent on the level of activities and clothing insulation. W _p in hot environments was more valid as a heat strain index of workers wearing normal clothing in light works, rather than wearing impermeable protective clothing in strenuous works.     

Correction of clothing insulation for movement and wind effects, a meta-analysis

A meta-analysis of the effect of body and air movement on the insulation provided by workwear and cold-weather clothing [1.22 clo (0.189 m ² °C W ^–1) <I _T<4.14 clo (0.642 m ² °C W ^–1)] using data from different sources was performed. For the effect of walking, datasets could be merged and a single prediction equation produced (r ²=0.91). For the effect of wind, and interaction of movement and wind, separate equations were required for regular workwear (r ²=0.93) and cold-weather clothing (r ²=0.97). Differences were mainly due to the different amounts of nude surface area. An interaction between wind and walking effects was present (the size of the combined effects is less than the sum of the separate effects), and for cold-weather clothing an effect of clothing air permeability (p) was present (high pbigger effect). The resulting prediction equations will be proposed for inclusion in European and ISO standards on protective clothing to assist the user in determining the real-life clothing insulation value.An erratum to this article can be found at     

Impact of a protective vest and spacer garment on exercise-heat strain

Protective vests worn by global security personnel, and weighted vests worn by athletes, may increase physiological strain due to added load, increased clothing insulation and vapor resistance. The impact of protective vest clothing properties on physiological strain, and the potential of a spacer garment to reduce physiological strain, was examined. Eleven men performed 3 trials of intermittent treadmill walking over 4 h in a hot, dry environment (35°C, 30% rh). Volunteers wore the US Army battledress uniform (trial B), B + protective vest (trial P), and B + P + spacer garment (trial S). Biophysical clothing properties were determined and found similar to many law enforcement, industry, and sports ensembles. Physiological measurements included core (T _c), mean skin (T _sk) and chest (T _chest) temperatures, heart rate (HR), and sweating rate (SR). The independent impact of clothing was determined by equating metabolic rate in all trials. In trial P, HR was +7 b/min higher after 1 h of exercise and +19 b/min by the fourth hour compared to B (P < 0.05). T _c (+0.30°C), T _sk (+1.0°C) and Physiological Strain Index were all higher in P than B (P < 0.05). S did not abate these effects except to reduce T _sk (P > S) via a lower T _chest (−0.40°C) (P < 0.05). SR was higher (P < 0.05) in P and S versus B, but the magnitude of differences was small. A protective vest increases physiological strain independent of added load, while a spacer garment does not alter this outcome.     

Does summer in a humid continental climate elicit an acclimatization of human thermoregulatory responses?

Many thermal physiologists follow the conventional wisdom that physiological heat adaptations occur in the summer for people living in a humid continental climate (e.g. Central Canada, North-eastern and Mid-western United States and Eastern Europe); therefore experimentation across seasons is often avoided. However, since modern behavioral adaptations, such as air conditioning, are accessible and commonplace, it is not clear whether such physiological adjustments actually do occur. It was hypothesized that despite warm weather, residing in a humid continental climate throughout a summer will not elicit any significant physiological heat adaptations since the environmental stimulus for such adjustments will be mitigated by behavioral adaptations. Eight young healthy male volunteers cycled at 60% VO_2max for 90-min in a temperate environment before (mid-May) and at the end of (start of September) summer. Core temperature [measured in the esophagus (T _es), rectum (T _re) and aural canal (T _au)], mean skin temperature (T _sk), forearm skin blood flow (SkBf), upper back sweat rate (LSR) and heart rate (HR) were measured throughout exercise. Weekly activity logs and a lifestyle questionnaire were also administered throughout the summer months. No significant differences between pre- and end-summer were observed throughout exercise for T _es (p = 0.565), T _re (p = 0.350), T _au (p = 0.261), T _sk (p = 0.955), SkBf (p = 0.112), LSR (p = 0.394) or HR (p = 0.343). Likewise, the thermosensitivity and T _es at the onset threshold for LSR (p = 0.177, p = 0.512) and SkBf (p = 0.805, p = 0.556) were also not significantly different. The apparent lack of heat acclimatization could be due to frequent air-conditioning use and an avoidance of outdoor activity during the hottest times of day but may also be due to a lack of environmental stimulus.     

Sleep characteristics,chronotype and winter depression in 10–20‐year‐olds in northern European Russia

The purpose of this work was to examine the relationships between geographical coordinates and the prevalence of winter depression (SAD_W), and to compare the sleep characteristics and chronotype of youths with and without SAD_W. We conducted a cross‐sectional study of self‐reported sleep characteristics, chronotype and winter depression in northern European Russia. Two questionnaires, the Munich Chronotype Questionnaire (MCTQ) and the Seasonal Pattern Assessment Questionnaire (SPAQ), were administered to a total of 3435 adolescents aged 10–20 years (1517 males and 1918 females). The prevalence of SAD_W in the study population was 8.4% and sub‐SAD_W 11.8%. Four variables predicted the likelihood of SAD_W in youths: sex [higher in females: odds ratio (OR): 1.87, P < 0.0001], age (increases with age: OR: 1.09, P < 0.001), latitude (higher in the North: OR: 1.49, P < 0.029) and position in the time zone (higher in the West: OR: 1.61, P < 0.001). Later sleeping and waking, longer sleep latencies, more severe sleep inertia, shorter total sleep times and lower sleep efficiencies were observed in both males and females with SAD_W. The influence of SAD_W on sleep characteristics was more pronounced on school days. Significant phase delays of the sleep–wake rhythm and severe social jetlag (the difference between the mid‐point of sleep phase at weekends and on workdays) were observed in females with SAD_W, but not in males. There are significant differences in sleep characteristics and chronotype between people with SAD_W and no‐SAD. We demonstrate that both latitude of residence and location within the time zone are significant predictors of SAD_W in young inhabitants of the North.     

Effects of a moderate nocturnal cold stress on daytime sleep in humans

The effects of a nocturnal exposure to a cool environment on daytime recovery sleep was studied in eight young (20–25 years old) healthy volunteers. A set of standardized clothing (KSU ensemble type) was provided to each individual (estimated total thermal resistance: 0.6 clo). The subject kept awake was passively exposed from 22.30 to 07.30 hours to environments perceived as neutral (N) and comfortable or slightly cold (C) and uncomfortable. They were then allowed to sleep ad libitum (light out at 08.00 hours) under thermoneutral conditions (air temperature: 21°C to 22°C; clothing: cotton tee-shirt and pajama-pants; covering: one cotton sheet and one wool blanket). Sleep was recorded and scored according to the Rechtchaffen and Kales standard procedures. Esophageal temperature (T _es) was recorded from 21.30 hours until the end of sleep. The nocturnal drops in T _es were significantly different between N and C (p<0.01), this difference disappearing during sleep. No statistical difference was found between conditions for most of the sleep variables. Compared to N however, C resulted in a significant increase in rapid eye movement (REM) sleep duration (+35%, p<0.01) during the subsequent daytime sleep. It is hypothesized that the REM-sleep increase induced by the exposure to moderate cold is due to the thermal discomfort stress consciously perceived by the subject. Electronic Publication     

Ambulatory detection of sleep apnea using a non‐contact biomotion sensor

The high prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea has led to increasing interest in ambulatory diagnosis. The SleepMinder? (SM) is a novel non‐contact device that employs radiofrequency wave technology to assess the breathing pattern, and thereby estimate obstructive sleep apnea severity. We assessed the performance of SleepMinder? in the home diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea. One‐hundred and twenty‐two subjects were prospectively recruited in two protocols, one from an unselected sleep clinic cohort (n = 67, mean age 51 years) and a second from a hypertension clinic cohort (n = 55, mean age 58 years). All underwent 7 consecutive nights of home monitoring (SM_HOME) with the SleepMinder? as well as inpatient‐attended polysomnography in the sleep clinic cohort or cardiorespiratory polygraphy in the hypertension clinic cohort with simultaneous SleepMinder? recordings (SM_LAB). In the sleep clinic cohort, median SM_HOME apnea–hypopnea index correlated significantly with polysomnography apnea–hypopnea index (r = .68; p < .001), and in the hypertension clinic cohort with polygraphy apnea–hypopnea index (r = .7; p < .001). The median SM_HOME performance against polysomnography in the sleep clinic cohort showed a sensitivity and specificity of 72% and 94% for apnea–hypopnea index ≥ 15. Device performance was inferior in females. In the hypertension clinic cohort, SM_HOME showed a 50% sensitivity and 72% specificity for apnea–hypopnea index ≥ 15. SleepMinder? classified 92% of cases correctly or within one severity class of the polygraphy classification. Night‐to‐night variability in home testing was relatively high, especially at lower apnea–hypopnea index levels. We conclude that the SleepMinder? device provides a useful ambulatory screening tool, especially in a population suspected of obstructive sleep apnea, and is most accurate in moderate–severe obstructive sleep apnea.     

Prediction of the average skin temperature in warm and hot environments

The prediction of the mean skin temperature used for the Required Sweat Rate index was criticised for not being valid in conditions with high radiation and high humidity. Based on a large database provided by 9 institutes, 1999 data points obtained using steady-state conditions, from 1399 experiments and involving 377 male subjects, were used for the development of a new prediction model. The observed mean skin temperatures ranged from 30.7 °C to 38.6 °C. Experimental conditions included air temperatures (T _a) between 20 and 55 °C, mean radiant temperatures (T _r) up to 145 °C, partial vapour pressures (P _a) from 0.2 to 5.3 kPa, air velocities (v _a) between 0.1 and 2 m/s, and metabolic rates (M) from 102 to 620 W. Rectal temperature (T _re) was included in the models to increase the accuracy of prediction. Separate models were derived for nude (clothing insulation, I_cl, ≤0.2 clo, where 1 clo=0.155 m² · °C · W⁻¹, which is equivalent to the thermal insulation of clothing necessary to maintain a resting subject in comfort in a normally ventilated room, air movement=10 cm/s, at a temperature of 21 °C and a humidity of less than 50%) and clothed (0.6 ≤ I_cl ≤ 1.0 clo) subjects using a multiple linear regression technique with re-sampling (non-parametric bootstrap). The following expressions were obtained for nude and clothed subjects, respectively: T _sk=7.19 + 0.064T _a + 0.061T _r + 0.198P _a− 0.348v _a + 0.616T _re and T _sk=12.17 + 0.020T _a + 0.044T _r + 0.194P _a − 0.253v _a + 0.0029M + 0.513T _re. For the nude and clothed subjects, 83.3% and 81.8%, respectively, of the predicted skin temperatures were within the range of ±1 °C of the observed skin temperatures. It is concluded that the proposed models for the prediction of the mean skin temperature are valid for a wide range of warm and hot ambient conditions in steady-state conditions, including those of high radiation and high humidity. Accepted: 7 February 2000     

Measurements of clothing insulation with a thermal manikin operating under the thermal comfort regulation mode: comparative analysis of the calculation methods

The present work is dedicated to a comparative analysis of calculation methods about clothing insulation with a thermal manikin operating under the thermal comfort regulation mode. The serial, global, and parallel calculation methods are considered and the thermal insulation results for garments (30) and ensembles (9) are discussed. The serial and parallel methods presents the higher and lower values, respectively, and the differences were sometimes significant. Considering the results for the effective thermal insulation, the mean values of the relative differences between the serial and global methods were 25.7% for the daily wear garments, 45.2% for the cold protective garments and 38.5% for the ensembles. The corresponding mean values for the global and parallel methods were 8.7, 15.8, and 10.5%, respectively. Since any uneven clothing insulation is to be expected as a source of error, particular care must be required when the calculation methods deal with cold protective clothing. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Assessment of a hearing protection device on infant sleep in the neonatal intensive care unit

Premature infants often require prolonged hospitalisation in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) where they are exposed to adverse noise that may disrupt sleep and further compromise recovery and developmental outcomes. This single-session trial assessed the effects of a novel circumaural hearing protection device (DREAMIES®; NEATCAP Medical LLC) on sleep in 10 premature infants (mean 34.1 weeks GA) in a Level III NICU. Using polysomnography (PSG), the infant's sleep was compared between three interfeed periods throughout which DREAMIES® was ON or OFF. Each infant received the same condition order, OFF1-ON-OFF2. The PSG 30 s epochs were scored by a rater masked to the condition as Quiet Sleep, Active Sleep, Indeterminate Sleep, and Wake. There was a 14.1% increase in sleep from OFF1 to ON (p = 0.05) and an 18.4% decrease in sleep from ON to OFF2 (p = 0.02); an analogous inverse effect was observed for wake (χ² = 5.03, p = 0.08). There was a main effect of DREAMIES on active sleep (χ² = 7.4, p = 0.025) due to more active sleep for ON1 (46%) compared with OFF2 (32%; p = 0.074). No significant effect was observed for quiet sleep or indeterminate sleep. On average, the sound level was 51 dBA (range 36–113 dBA) and did not differ significantly among the three periods. The strongest relationship between the minute-by-minute maximum sound level and movement actigraphy was observed for the OFF1 condition (ρ0.301, p < 0.001). These findings suggest that DREAMIES® may augment sleep in premature infants by reducing acute episodes of adverse noise in the NICU.     

Thermal face protection delays finger cooling and improves thermal comfort during cold air exposure

When people dress for cold weather, the face often remains exposed. Facial cooling can decrease finger blood flow, reducing finger temperature (T _f). This study examined whether thermal face protection limits finger cooling and thereby improves thermal comfort and manual dexterity during prolonged cold exposure. T _f was measured in ten volunteers dressed in cold-weather clothing as they stood for 60 min facing the wind (−15°C, 3 m s⁻¹), once while wearing a balaclava and goggles (BAL), and once with the balaclava pulled down and without goggles (CON). Subjects removed mitts, wearing only thin gloves to perform Purdue Pegboard (PP) tests at 15 and 50 min, and Minnesota Rate of Manipulation (MRM) tests at 30 and 55 min. Subjects rated their thermal sensation and comfort just before the dexterity tests. T _f decreased (p < 0.05 for time × trial interaction) by 15 min of cold exposure during CON (33.6 ± 1.4–28.7 ± 2.0°C), but not during BAL (33.2 ± 1.4–30.6 ± 3.2°C); and after 30 min T _f remained warmer during BAL (23.3 ± 5.9°C) than CON (19.2 ± 3.5); however, by 50 min, T _f was no different between trials (14.1 ± 2.7°C). Performance on PP fell (p < 0.05) by 25% after 50 min in both trials; MRM performance was not altered by cold on either trial. Subjects felt colder (p < 0.05) and more uncomfortable (p < 0.05) during CON, compared to BAL. Thermal face protection was effective for maintaining warmer T _f and thermal comfort during cold exposure; however, local cooling of the hands during manual dexterity tests reduced this physiological advantage, and performance was not improved.     

Foot cooling does not improve vigilance but may transiently reduce sleepiness

Temperature of the skin (T_Sk) and core (T_C) play key roles in sleep–wake regulation. The diurnal combination of low T_Sk and high T_C facilitates alertness, whereas the transition to high T_Sk and low T_C correlates with sleepiness. Sleepiness and deteriorating vigilance are induced with peripheral warming, whereas peripheral cooling appears to transiently improve vigilance in narcolepsy. This study aimed to test the hypothesis that foot cooling would maintain vigilance during extended wakefulness in healthy adults. Nine healthy young adult participants with habitually normal sleep completed three constant‐routine trials in randomized crossover order. Trials began at 22:30 hours, and involved continuous mild foot cooling (30°C), moderate foot cooling (25°C) or no foot cooling, while undertaking six × 10‐min Psychomotor Vigilance Tasks and seven × 7‐min Karolinska Drowsiness Tasks, interspersed with questionnaires of sleepiness and thermal perceptions. Foot temperatures in control, mild and moderate cooling averaged 34.5 ± 0.5°C, 30.8 ± 0.2°C and 26.4 ± 0.1°C (all p < .01), while upper‐limb temperatures remained stable (34–35°C) and T_C declined (approximately ?0.12°C per hr) regardless of trial (p = .84). Foot cooling did not improve vigilance (repeated‐measures‐ANOVA interaction for response speed: p = .45), but transiently reduced subjective sleepiness (?0.8 ± 0.8; p = .004). Participants felt cooler throughout cooling trials, but thermal comfort was unaffected (p = .43), as were almost all Karolinska Drowsiness Tasks’ encephalographic parameters. In conclusion, mild or moderate cooling of the feet did not attenuate declines in vigilance or core temperature of healthy young adults during the period of normal sleep onset and early sleep, and any effect on sleepiness was small and transient.     

DEET insect repellent: effects on thermoregulatory sweating and physiological strain

Insect repellents (e.g. N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide or DEET) applied to the skin can potentially interfere with sweat production and evaporation, thus increasing physiological strain during exercise-heat stress. The purpose was to determine the impact of 33% DEET lotion on sweating responses, whole body thermoregulation and thermal sensation during walking exercise in the heat. Nine volunteers (2 females, 7 males; 22.1 ± 4.9 years; 176.4 ± 10.0 cm; 79.9 ± 12.9 kg) completed 5 days of heat acclimation (45°C, 20% rh; 545 watts; 100 min/day) and performed three trials: control (CON); DEET applied to forearm (DEET_LOC, 12 cm²); and DEET applied to ~13% body surface area (DEET_WB,). Trials consisted of 30 min walking (645 watts) in 40°C, 20% rh environment. Local sweat rate (SR), onset and skin wettedness were measured in DEET_LOC, and heart rate (HR), rectal temperature (T _re), skin temperature (T _sk), RPE, and thermal sensations (TS) were measured during DEET_WB. No differences (p > 0.05) were observed between DEET_LOC versus CON, respectively, for steady state SR (1.89 ± 0.44 vs. 2.09 ± 0.84 mg/cm²/min), SR area under the curve (46.9 ± 11.7 vs. 55.0 ± 20.8 mg/cm²), sweating onset, or skin wettedness. There were no differences (p > 0.05) in HR, T _re, T _sk, Physiological Strain Index, RPE or TS between DEET_WB versus CON. DEET did not impact measures of local forearm sweating and when applied according to military doctrine, did not adversely impact physiological responses during exercise-heat stress. DEET can be safely worn during military, occupational and recreational activities in hot, insect infested environments.     

Local sweating responses during recovery sleep after sleep deprivation in humans

Changes in the central control of sweating were investigated in five sleep-deprived subjects (kept awake for 40 h) during their recovery sleep under warm ambient conditions [operative temperature (T _o) was either 35 or 38° C]. Oesophageal (T _oes) and mean skin (T _sk) temperatures, chest sweat rate (m _sw,ch), and concomitant electro-encephalographic data were recorded. Throughout the night at 35 or 38° C T _o, m _sw,ch changes were measured at a constant local chest skin temperature (T _ch) of 35.5° C. The results showed that body temperatures (T _oes and T _sk) of sleep-deprived subjects were influenced by thermal and hypnogogic conditions. The m _sw,ch levels correlated positively with T _oes in the subjects studied during sleep stage 1–2 (light sleep: LS), sleep stage 3–4 (slow wave sleep: SWS) and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. Contrary to what has been reported in normal sleep, firstly, the T _oes threshold for sweating onset differed between REM sleep and both LS and SWS, and, secondly, the slopes of the m _sw,ch versus T _oes relationships were unchanged between REM and non-REM (i.e. LS or SWS) sleep. The changes observed after sleep deprivation were hypothesized to be due to alterations in the functioning of the central nervous system controller.     

Warm ears,a red flag for sleepiness?

Core body and skin temperatures are intimately linked to sleep and alertness. The distal-to-proximal skin temperature gradient has been described as a good physiological predictor for sleep onset. Increased ear skin temperature is often caused by increased blood flow reflected in redness, which is commonly noticed in people who are sleepy, especially anecdotally in children. Nonetheless, no prior study investigated the possible relation between sleepiness and ear skin temperature as a separate measurement. We assessed the relation between ear skin temperature and sleepiness in patients undergoing regular electroencephalographic examinations, because of suspicion of epilepsy, both without and after sleep deprivation. Subjective sleepiness was measured using the Stanford Sleepiness Scale, and objective sleepiness by determining sleep onset with electroencephalography. Distal, proximal and ear skin temperature were measured repeatedly using wireless measurement devices (iButtons). Forty-four adult patients were included. Ear skin temperature correlates weakly with distal skin temperature (r = 0.174, p < 0.001) and distal-to-proximal gradient (r = 0.160, p < 0.001), but not with proximal skin temperature (r = −0.001, p = 0.975). Ear skin temperature increased significantly in a subgroup of 13 patients, between 5 and 1 min before sleep onset (p = 0.002; η² = 0.059), even though this increase was also associated with supine posture. iButtons is a valid method to measure ear skin temperature, which appears to function partly like a distal and partly like a proximal skin temperature measurement. Change in ear skin temperature is associated with sleep onset and supine posture.     

Allergic rhinitis to grass pollen: Measurement of inflammatory mediators of mast cell and eosinophils in native nasal fluid lavage and in serum out of and during pollen season

Background: In allergic rhinitis, mast cells, activated by cross-linking of allergen to mast cell–bound specific IgE, release both vasoactive mediators related to the early nasal symptoms and chemotactic mediators that attract inflammatory cells, such as eosinophils, related to the late-phase response. Objective: We have analyzed, during and out of pollen season, in blood and nasal fluid from patients allergic to grass pollen, histamine and tryptase to monitor the early phase markers and eosinophil and eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) to monitor the late phase. Methods: Twenty patients were enrolled in the study. As a control, we studied 10 nonatopic subjects. Mediators and eosinophils were assessed in blood and nasal fluid. Histamine was tested only in nasal fluid. Results: During pollen season, tryptase but not histamine increased in nasal fluids from patients (2.96 vs 0.22 U/ml, p = 0.001) and correlated with symptom scores (r_s = 0.63, p = 0.003). Tryptase was not detected in serum. Eosinophils increased in nasal cytology (17.0% vs 2.0%, p = 0.001) and in the blood (26.5 vs 12.7 × 10⁶ L, p = 0.001) from patients, but they did not correlate with symptom scores. ECP increased only in the nasal lavage (16.33 vs 1.30 ng/ml, p = 0.001) and correlated with symptom scores (r_s = 0.53, p = 0.016). Conclusions: Both ECP and tryptase increase in nasal secretion in natural disease. Therefore the measurement of tryptase and ECP levels in nasal fluid might be a useful clinical test for monitoring disease activity and the effects of therapeutic agents. (J Allergy Clin Immunol 1997;100:832-7.)     

Effects of training and acclimation on heat tolerance in exercising men wearing protective clothing

This study examined the effectiveness of endurance training and heat acclimation in reducing the physiological strain imposed by exercising in the heat while wearing protective clothing. Seven young men underwent 8 weeks of physical training [60–80% maximal aerobic power (VO_2max) for 30–45 min · day^–1, 3–4 days · week^–1 at < 25° C] followed by 6 days of heat acclimation (45–55% VO_2max for 60 min · day^–1 at 40° C, 30% relative humidity). Nine other young men underwent corresponding periods of control observation and heat acclimation. Before and after each treatment, subjects completed a treadmill walk (4.8 km · h^–1, 2% grade) in a climatic chamber (40° C, 30% relative humidity), wearing in turn normal combat clothing or clothing protecting against nuclear, biological, and chemical (NBC) agents. Criteria for halting this test were: (1) a rectal temperature (T _re) of 39.3° C; (2) a heart rate (f _c) 95% of the subject's observed maximum, maintained for 3 min; (3) unwillingness of the subject to continue; (4) the elapse of 120 min. The training regimen increased mean VO_2max by 16% and mean plasma volume by 8%. When tested in normal combat clothing, the rates of increase in T _re and f _c were slower after training. However, when wearing NBC protective clothing, the only significant change induced by training was a higher mean skin temperature (T _sk) in the early part of the test. Heat acclimation increased the mean plasma volume of untrained subjects by 8%, but their VO_2max remained unchanged. When tested in normal combat clothing, acclimation decreased their mean values of T _re, T _sk, f _c, and metabolic rate. When wearing NBC protective clothing, the only significant decrease after acclimation was in overall T _re. In trained subjects, heat acclimation induced no further improvement in any physiological variable when wearing normal combat clothing, but reduced overall T _re and T _sk when wearing NBC protective clothing. Training- or acclimation-induced increases of sweat secretion (an average increment of 0.14–0.23 kg · h^–1) were not accompanied by any statistically significant increase in sweat evaporation when wearing NBC protective clothing. Moreover, tolerance times were unchanged in either normal combat (116–120 min) or NBC protective clothing (47–52 min). We conclude that neither endurance training nor heat acclimation do much to improve exercise tolerance when wearing NBC protective clothing in hot environments, because any added sweat secretion decreases blood volume and increases discomfort without augmenting body cooling.     

Cold thermoregulatory changes induced by sleep deprivation in men

The aim of this study was to evaluate the thermoregulatory changes induced by 27-h of sleep deprivation (SD) in men at rest both in a comfortable ambient temperature and in cold air. A group of 12 male subjects were placed in a comfortable ambient temperature (dry bulb temperature,T _db = 25° C, relative humidity, rh = 40%–50% , clothing insulation = 1 clo) for 1 h and then they were submitted to a standard cold air test in a climatic chamber for 2h (T _db=1° C, rh = 40%–50%, wind speed = 0.8 m·s^–1, nude), before and after 27 h of sleep deprivation. Thermoregulatory changes (rectal temperature,T _re; mean skin temperature, _sk; metabolic heat production ) were monitored continuously. At comfortable ambient temperature, no significant change was observed after SD forT _re, _sk and . During the cold test,T _re did not change but _sk and were higher after SD (P<0.05). Increased (+ 6%,P < 0.05) was related to earlier and higher shivering, with a possible increase in the sensitivity of the thermoregulatory system as shown by the shorter time to onset of continous shivering (d): 8.66 (SEM 1.33) min versus 28.20 (SEM 1.33) min (P < 0.001) and by a higher _sk observed at d: 27.60 (SEM 1.40)° C versus 21.40 (SEM 0.60)° C (P < 0.001). These results were associated with higher cold sensations and shivering following SD. They also suggested that SD modified thermoregulatory responses at a central level especially in a cold environment.