Glabrous skin regions as thermal portals for human temperature regulation
Abstract/Contents
- Abstract
- Humans are able to maintain a steady state core temperature in a range of ambient temperatures and metabolic workloads. Core temperature is regulated by a complex interaction between central control mechanisms, physiological effector mechanisms, and sensation of the environment. However, sub-optimal thermal environments can have a profound effect on individuals' ability to thermoregulate, leading to heat or cold-related illness. For many years, it was generally assumed that heat transfer is uniform across the entire body surface, however recent studies have shown this to be false. Glabrous (hairless) skin regions with specialized anatomy for heat exchange play a critical role in thermoregulation, however their function has been poorly characterized in humans. Chapter One reviews the physiological mechanisms of temperature regulation in mammals, with emphasis on human thermoregulation. Chapter Two investigates the mechanics of heat exchange at glabrous and non-glabrous skin regions. Chapter Three demonstrates the effect of glabrous skin cooling on the onset of or recovery from hyperthermia in various ambient temperatures and exercise workloads while individuals wear vapor-impermeable, highly insulative personal protective equipment (PPE). Chapter Four explores the application of physiological concepts to manipulate thermal comfort. This dissertation demonstrates the role of specialized vascular anatomy for human thermoregulation. By improving our understanding of heat transfer from the human body, we may be able to develop more effective treatment strategies for heat-related illnesses where speed of treatment effect is critical to the outcome of the patient.
Description
| Type of resource | text |
|---|---|
| Form | electronic; electronic resource; remote |
| Extent | 1 online resource. |
| Publication date | 2017 |
| Issuance | monographic |
| Language | English |
Creators/Contributors
| Associated with | Makam, Megha |
|---|---|
| Associated with | Stanford University, Department of Biology. |
| Primary advisor | Heller, H |
| Thesis advisor | Heller, H |
| Thesis advisor | Fernald, Russell D |
| Thesis advisor | Sapolsky, Robert M |
| Advisor | Fernald, Russell D |
| Advisor | Sapolsky, Robert M |
Subjects
| Genre | Theses |
|---|
Bibliographic information
| Statement of responsibility | Megha Makam. |
|---|---|
| Note | Submitted to the Department of Biology. |
| Thesis | Thesis (Ph.D.)--Stanford University, 2017. |
| Location | electronic resource |
Access conditions
- Copyright
- © 2017 by Megha Makam
- License
- This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial 3.0 Unported license (CC BY-NC).
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