Advances in Physiological Sciences, Volume 32: Contributions to Thermal Physiology is a collection of papers that details the advances in the understanding of the thermal aspects of physiology. The first part of the title presents articles about central nervous control of body temperature, while the second part covers papers about fever. Next, the selection deals with brain cooling, along with thermoregulation and sleep. The fifth part covers phylogenic aspects of temperature regulation, while the sixth part tackles acclimation. Next, the selection talks about age-related difference in temperature regulation and the peripheral effector mechanisms. The text also covers the brown adipose tissue and the relevance of exercise in regulating body temperature. The book will be of great interest to students, researchers, and practitioners of medicine and biology.
This is a user-friendly monograph designed for medical students as well as graduate students and postdoctoral trainees in medicine and other health-related sciences who need a comprehensive overview of thermoregulation. It presents the bases of the modern concepts in thermal physiology and pathophysiology, bringing together the disciplines encompassed by this highly integrative field ? physiology, anatomy, biophysics, molecular and cellular biology, pharmacology, neuroscience, pathology, medicine, and others ? into a clear and concise form that can be read comfortably in a relatively short time. This text was conceived by the Commission on Thermal Physiology of the International Union of Physiological Sciences in response to its concern over the inadequate and outdated coverage of this topic in traditional textbooks. The membership of this Commission comprises international experts in each of the subfields of thermal physiology, with extensive research and teaching experience in their respective specialties. They are the authors of the chapters of this indispendable textbook.
This book reviews the research pertaining to nutrient requirements for working in cold or in high-altitude environments and states recommendations regarding the application of this information to military operational rations. It addresses whether, aside from increased energy demands, cold or high-altitude environments elicit an increased demand or requirement for specific nutrients, and whether performance in cold or high-altitude environments can be enhanced by the provision of increased amounts of specific nutrients.
How do mammals manage to maintain their body temperature within the same narrow range in environments as different as polar regions and hot deserts? This advanced text describes the morphological features and physiological mechanisms by which humans and other mammals maintain their body temperature within a narrow range despite large variations in climatic conditions and internal heat production. Its 19 chapters deal with the physics of heat exchange with the environment, and the autonomic and behavioural mechanisms available to control the loss and production of heat. The neuronal basis of temperature regulation and current concepts of the central nervous interface between temperature signals generated in the body and control mechanisms are examined in detail. This book is of invaluable help for undergraduates, postgraduates, teachers, physicians and scientists.
Temperature impacts the behaviour, physiology and ecology of all organisms more than any other abiotic variable. In this book, the author draws on theory from the more general discipline of evolutionary ecology to foster a fresh approach toward a theory of thermal adaptation.
Since the first TRP ion channel was discovered in Drosophila melanogaster in 1989, the progress made in this area of signaling research has yielded findings that offer the potential to dramatically impact human health and wellness. Involved in gateway activity for all five of our senses, TRP channels have been shown to respond to a wide range of st
The book is designed to provide a flowing description of the physiology of heat stress, the illnesses associated with heat exposure, recommendations on optimising health and performance, and an examination of Olympic sports played in potentially hot environmental conditions. In the first section the book examines how heat stress effects performance by outlining the basics of thermoregulation and how these responses impact on cardiovascular, central nervous system, and skeletal muscle function. It also outlines the pathophysiology and treatment of exertional heat illness, as well as the role of hydration status during exercise in the heat. Thereafter, countermeasures (e.g. cooling and heat acclimation) are covered and an explanation as to how they may aid in decreasing the incidence of heat illness and minimise the impairment in performance is provided. A novel and particular feature of the book is its inclusion of sport-specific chapters in which the influence of heat stress on performance and health is described, as well as strategies and policies adopted by the governing bodies in trying to offset the deleterious role of thermal strain. Given the breadth and scope of the sections, the book will be a reference guide for clinicians, practitioners, coaches, athletes, researchers, and students.
MANY aspects of physiology are best understood in terms of bodily reactions to environmental stress, and temperature is one of the most often encountered stress factors in the environment. The responses to temperature can involve practically all of the organ systems of the body and it is for this reason that the study of the regulation of body temperatures represents one of the finest examples of complex reaction integrated by the nervous and endocrine systems, and hence of the principles of biological control. Thus, while thermoregulation offers an abundance of opportunities for the individual who likes to specialize in depth, it is an ideal type of physiology for those who prefer to think of the functioning of the body as whole. This book is written primarily for the undergraduate, but I hope also that some students may find time to read it, before embarking on a university course, as an introduction to some of the ideas that will be encountered in the more detailed study of the biological sciences, including medicine. I have tried to discuss the evidence for important ideas, since this is fundamental to the scientific method, and have been particularly concerned to avoid the use of the sort of technical jargon that gives a spurious impression of authority while in reality creating confusion out of what is in essence simple.
This book provides an in-depth overview on the functional ecology of daily torpor and hibernation in endothermic mammals and birds. The reader is well introduced to the physiology and thermal energetics of endothermy and underlying different types of torpor. Furthermore, evolution of endothermy as well as reproduction and survival strategies of heterothermic animals in a changing environment are discussed. Endothermic mammals and birds can use internal heat production fueled by ingested food to maintain a high body temperature. As food in the wild is not always available, many birds and mammals periodically abandon energetically costly homeothermic thermoregulation and enter an energy-conserving state of torpor, which is the topic of this book. Daily torpor and hibernation (multiday torpor) in these heterothermic endotherms are the most effective means for energy conservation available to endotherms and are characterized by pronounced temporal and controlled reductions in body temperature, energy expenditure, water loss, and other physiological functions. Hibernators express multiday torpor predominately throughout winter, which substantially enhances winter survival. In contrast, daily heterotherms use daily torpor lasting for several hours usually during the rest phase, some throughout the year. Although torpor is still widely considered to be a specific adaptation of a few cold-climate species, it is used by many animals from all climate zones, including the tropics, and is highly diverse with about 25-50% of all mammals, but fewer birds, estimated to use it. While energy conservation during adverse conditions is an important function of torpor, it is also employed to permit or facilitate energy-demanding processes such as reproduction and growth, especially when food supply is limited. Even migrating birds enter torpor to conserve energy for the next stage of migration, whereas bats may use it to deal with heat. Even though many heterothermic species will be challenged by anthropogenic influences such as habitat destruction, introduced species, novel pathogens and specifically global warming, not all are likely to be affected in the same way. In fact it appears that opportunistic heterotherms because of their highly flexible energy requirements, ability to limit foraging and reduce the risk of predation, and often pronounced longevity, may be better equipped to deal with anthropogenic challenges than homeotherms. In contrast strongly seasonal hibernators, especially those restricted to mountain tops, and those that have to deal with new diseases that are difficult to combat at low body temperatures, are likely to be adversely affected. This book addresses researchers and advanced students in Zoology, Ecology and Veterinary Sciences.
