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Biomedical subjects

J A Stolwijk

Publications and source records attributed to J A Stolwijk.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Skin blood flow and sweating changes following exercise training and heat acclimation.

Eight subjects underwent an exercise training program (10 days at 75% VO2max for 1 h/day at 25 degrees C db/13 degrees C wb) and a heat-acclimation program (10 days at 50% VO2max for 1 h/day at 35 degrees C db/32 degrees C wb). The relations of chest sweat rate and of forearm blood flow to internal temperature were determined for each subject at a 25 degrees C ambient temperature before training, between training and acclimation, and following acclimation. Training shifted the vasodilation and sweating thresholds toward lower internal temperatures, and acclimation further lowered these thresholds. All threshold shifts were statistically significant (P less than 0.05). Training and acclimation both appeared to increase the slope of the sweating relation, but these effects were not statistically significant. Changes in the slope of the blood flow relation were small and inconsistent. Since arm blood flow is higher at any given internal temperature after acclimation, the lower blood flow which is reported to accompany heat acclimation must result from the lower body temperatures.

Acclimatization↗

Responses to the thermal environment.

Human responses to the thermal environment and to internal heat production serve to maintain a narrow range of internal body temperatures of 36-38 C. There are two categories of responses: voluntary or behavioral responses, and involuntary or physiological autonomic responses. Voluntary or behavioral responses consist generally of avoidance or reduction of thermal stress by modification of the body's immediate environment by modification of clothing insulation or by comfort conditioning of his microenvironment. Physiological responses consist of peripheral vasoconstriction to reduce the body's thermal conductance and increased heat production by involuntary shivering in the cold, and peripheral vasodilation to increase thermal conductance and secretion of sweat for evaporative cooling in hot environments. Autonomic responses are proportional to changes in internal and mean skin temperatures. Repeated exposures to heat, humidity, and exercise will modify the physiological response mechanisms by acclimation to produce more effective responses. Physiological responses also depend on the point in a diurnal cycle, on physical fitness, and on the sex of the individual. Behavioral responses rely on thermal sensations and thermal discomfort. Thermal discomfort appears to be closely related to the level of autonomic responses so that warm discomfort is closely correlated with skin wettedness, and cold discomfort similarly relates to cold extremities and shivering activity.

Acclimatization↗

Nocturnal lowering of thresholds for sweating and vasodilation.

Six subjects exercised on a bicycle ergometer at 60-70% of maximal aerobic power in a 25 degrees C ambient. Experiments on each subject were conducted at night (4:00-5:30 A.M.) and in daytime (noon-4:30 P.M.). Chest sweating rate (msw) was measured with resistance hygrometry. Forearm blood flow (BF), with an arm skin temperature of 35.5 +/- 1.2 degrees C (SD), was measured with electrocapacitance plethysmography. Esophageal temperature (Tes) was measured with a thermocouple at the level of the left atrium, and mean skin temperature (Tsk) was calculated from a weighted average of temperatures at three sites. Tes was corrected to a skin temperature of 33 degrees C as follows: T'es = Tes + (Tsk - 33 degrees C)/8. This correction reflects the relative contributions of Tes and Tsk to control of msw:T'es and BF:T'es relations were not consistently changed. In any given subject, thresholds for sweating and vasodilation were shifted about equally. These shifts averaged 0.57 degrees C (range: 0.23-0.93 degrees C)for msw and 0.63 degrees C (range: 0.17-0.98 degrees C) for BF.

Adult↗

Effect of local cooling on sweating rate and cold sensation.

Subjects resting in a 39 degrees C environment were stimulated in different skin regions with a water cooled thermode. This local cooling produced decreases in sweating rate measured at the thigh and increases in magnitude estimates of the cold sensation. The are of cold stimulation varied from 111 cm2 to 384 cm2. Sensitivity coefficients of the changes in sweating rate and magnitude estimate were corrected for differences in size of the area of stimulation and change in skin temperature and were normalized to the responses of the chest. The normalized coefficients showed the following relative sensitivities for changes in sweat rate and magnitude estimate respectively: forehead 3.3, 2.2; back 1.2, 1.4; lower leg 1.1, 0.9; chest 1.0, 1.0; thigh 0.9, 1.0; abdomen 0.8, 0.8. Varying the area stimulated from 122 cm2 to 384 cm2 produced greater changes in the sweating response than in the magnitude estimate. Rate of skin cooling during the period of stimulation had more effect on the sweating response than on the magnitude estimate. We conclude that cooling different body regions produces generally equivalent changes in the sweat rate and sensation, with the forehead showing a much greater sensitivity per unit area and temperature decrease than other areas.

Abdomen↗

Forearm blood flow during body temperature transients produced by leg exercise.

Subjects exercised for 30 min on a bicycle ergometer at 30, 50, and 70% of maximal aerobic power in ambient temperatures of 15, 25, and 35 degrees C and vapor pressures of less than 18 Torr. Exercise was used to vary internal temperature during an experiment, and different ambient temperatures were used to vary skin temperatures independently of internal temperature. Forearm skin temperature was fixed at about 36.5 degrees C. Esophageal temperature (Tes) was measured with a thermocouple at the level of the left atrium, and mean skin temperature (Tsk) was calculated from a weighted mean of thermocouple temperatures at eight skin sites. Forearm blood flow (BF) was measured by electrocapacitance plethysmography. Our data are well accounted for by an equation of the form BF = a1Tes + q2Tsk + b, independent of exercise intensity, although some subjects showed an equivocal vasodilator effect of exercise. The ratios a1/a2 (7.5, 9.6, 11.7) are quite similar to the ratios (8.6, 10.4) of the corresponding coefficients in two recent models of thermoregulatory sweating.

Adult↗

Thermoregulatory control of finger blood flow.

Three men exercised on a bicycle ergometer at 30, 50, asd 70 per cent of maximal aerobic power in ambient temperatures of 15, 25, and 35 degrees C with water vapor pressure less than 18 Torr. Exercies was used to vary internal temperature during as experiment, and different ambient temperatures were used to vary skin temperatures independently of internal temperature. Finger temperature was fixed at about 35.7 degrees C. Espohageal temperature (Tes) was measured with a thermocouple at the level of the left atrium, and mean skin temperature (Tsk) was calcualted from a weighted mean of thermocouple temperatures at eight skin sites. Finger blood flow (BF) was measured by electrocapacitance plethysmography. Although some subjects showed small and equivocal vasomotor effects of exercise, our data are well accounted for by an equation of the form BF equal to alTes + a2Tsk + b, independent of exercise intensity. For these subjects, the ratios a1/a2 (5.9, 8.6, 9.4) were similar to the ratios of the corresponding coefficients recently reported for thermaoregulatory sweating (8.6, 10.4) and for forearm blood flow (9.6).

Adult↗

Portable device for vaginal thermal conductance studies.

Design and development of a portable and self-contained vaginal probe, consisting of an acetone-filled silver cylinder attached to a pressure gauge, is described. Qualitative changes in vaginal thermal conductance were inferred from rates of thermal expansion of precooled acetone measured as a pressure rise. Administration of 10 mg estradiol-17 beta i.v. to ovariectomized heifers resulted in significant increases in rate of thermal expansion.

Acetone↗

Heat exchangers between body and environment.

The human body exchanges heat with its environment via radiation, convection, conduction and evaporation. Each of the heat exchange terms in the heat balance equation S = M-E-(+/- W)-C-R has been described in further detail as related to environmental conditions and to the effect of clothing. Such factors as air velocity, mean radiant temperature, water vapor pressure in the air and thermal insulation and vapor permeability of clothing are factors which are considered. For dynamic conditions, or for conditions requiring consideration of specific areas of the body, the use of a dynamic mathematical model is recommended.

Body Temperature Regulation↗

A mathematical simulation model of the skin for evaluation of surface temperature gradients resulting from local variations in metabolism and blood flow.

A very simplified 2-dimensional simulation model of the skin and subcutaneous tissues is presented. The model is given in an annotated FORTRAN computer program with suggested numerical values for all the required constants. The model can be used to evaluate surface temperature gradients and subcutaneous thermal gradients which result from deviations of subcutaneous blood flow or heat production.

Body Temperature Regulation↗