Average Body Temperature Research Articles

MIGRATING BLACKCAPS CHILL TO FATTEN UP

Marathon runners are famed for pasta packing in the days before a big run but when tiny passerine birds set out on their epic migrations, the distances are too great to cover on the reserves with which they embark. MichałWojciechowski and Berry Pinshow explain that most birds stop off en route to their destination to refuel. One of the Eurasian blackcaps' preferred refuelling stops is Midreshet Ben-Gurion, Israel, where the birds fill up on fruit and insects before setting off again. Knowing that birds expend twice as much energy during stopovers than they use in transit, the duo wondered whether the tiny aviators may drop their body temperature at night during stopovers to save energy and build up their reserves faster(p. 3068).Collecting migrating blackcaps at their stopover site on the Sede Boqer Campus of Ben-Gurion University, Wojciechowski and Pinshow weighed the birds and monitored their body temperatures and metabolic rates as the birds stocked up on fruit supplemented with mealworms. During the day the birds' body temperatures hovered around 42.5°C, but as dusk fell, their temperatures began to drop. The average normal body temperature at night was about 38.8°C, while one particularly skinny individual's temperature plummeted to 33°C. And when the team plotted the birds' body masses against their nocturnal body temperatures, the smaller birds' (<16.3 g) temperatures correlated with their body masses but the larger birds' (>16.3 g) body temperatures did not.Finally, the team looked at the relationship between the birds'temperatures and their metabolic rates and found that the heavier birds dropped their metabolic rates least, while the lightest birds dropped their metabolic rates most. Some conserved a remarkable 30% of their energy by becoming hypothermic.Knowing that small birds also conserve energy by huddling together for warmth, Wojciechowski and Pinshow suggest that migrating birds may combine both strategies to shorten refuelling stopovers to fatten up fast before hastening on their way.

Efficacy of progressive muscle relaxation training in reducing anxiety in patients with acute schizophrenia

The objective of this study was to examine the efficacy of progressive muscle relaxation training on anxiety in patients with acute schizophrenia. Many empirical studies have found progressive muscle relaxation training beneficial in reducing the psychological effects of anxiety. Progressive muscle relaxation training is also effective in reducing the distress symptoms associated with the symptomatology of schizophrenia. An experimental randomised controlled trial using repeated measures. The study was designed to examine the effects of progressive muscle relaxation training on patients diagnosed with schizophrenia. Study participants were acute psychiatric inpatients in Taiwan. Eighteen patients were block randomised and then assigned to an experimental or control group. The experimental group received progressive muscle relaxation training and the control group received a placebo intervention. Results from the Beck anxiety inventory were compared between groups as a pretest before intervention, on day 11 of intervention and one week post-test after the intervention was completed. Changes in finger temperature were measured throughout the experiment. The degree of anxiety improvement was significantly higher in the progressive muscle relaxation training group than in the control group after progressive muscle relaxation training intervention (p < 0.0001) and at follow-up (p = 0.0446; the mean BAI score fell from 16.4 pretest to -5.8 post-test. After adjusting for the change in patient finger temperature, the mean change in temperature was significantly different between the two patient groups. The average body temperature increased significantly after applying the progressive muscle relaxation training to patients with schizophrenia. This study demonstrated that progressive muscle relaxation training can effectively alleviate anxiety in patients with schizophrenia. Progressive muscle relaxation training is potentially an effective nursing intervention in the reduction of anxiety in patients diagnosed with schizophrenia, depending on the quality of their mental status at the time of intervention. Progressive muscle relaxation training is a useful intervention as it is proven to reduce anxiety levels across a spectrum of psychiatric disorders.

Tolerance of Japanese quail embryos and young chicks to hypothermia

The purpose of this study was to explore the tolerance of Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) embryos and young quail chicks to a very low ambient temperature. Fifty (n = 50) quail embryos at age embryonic age d 6 were placed in a cold room at 13 degrees C for 24 h. The heart rate (HR) was determined with an infrared HR sensor in an instrument called "Buddy." After 12 and 24 h, the average body temperature of the embryos was 13 degrees C with an average HR of 8.7 +/- 0.9 beats per minute (bpm). The average body temperature of 50 control embryos was 38 degrees C and they had an average HR of 301 +/- 15 bpm. The hypothermic quail embryos had a 24-h delay in hatching at 58% hatchability. The controls hatched on time at 81% hatchability. Twelve (n = 12) 6-d-old quail chicks were placed in a low-temperature environment (13 degrees C) for a period of 6 h. Quail from which the test group was selected were retained in a brooder to serve as the control comparison. The electrocardiogram HR for both hypothermic and control quail was recorded with a digital oscilloscope. The 12 quail in the low-temperature environment exhibited an immobile state of hypothermia. These hypothermic quail had an average HR of 7 +/- 0.6 bpm. The control quail had an average HR of 525 +/- 24 bpm. After emerging from the reduced-temperature environment, the immobile hypothermic quail were placed under an infrared light that produced a brooder-like temperature of 33 degrees C. After 40 min, all quail could walk around and some ate and drank.

Behavioural thermoregulation by subyearling fall (autumn) Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha in a reservoir

This study investigated behavioural thermoregulation by subyearling fall (autumn) Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha in a reservoir on the Snake River, Washington, U.S.A. During the summer, temperatures in the reservoir varied from 23 degrees C on the surface to 11 degrees C at 14 m depth. Subyearlings implanted with temperature-sensing radio transmitters were released at the surface at temperatures >20 degrees C during three blocks of time in summer 2004. Vertical profiles were taken to measure temperature and depth use as the fish moved downstream over an average of 5.6-7.2 h and 6.0-13.8 km. The majority of the subyearlings maintained average body temperatures that differed from average vertical profile temperatures during most of the time they were tracked. The mean proportion of the time subyearlings tracked within the 16-20 degrees C temperature range was larger than the proportion of time this range was available, which confirmed temperature selection opposed to random use. The subyearlings selected a depth and temperature combination that allowed them to increase their exposure to temperatures of 16-20 degrees C when temperatures <16 and >20 degrees C were available at lower and higher positions in the water column. A portion of the subyearlings that selected a temperature c. 17.0 degrees C during the day, moved into warmer water at night coincident with an increase in downstream movement rate. Though subyearlings used temperatures outside of the 16-20 degrees C range part of the time, behavioural thermoregulation probably reduced the effects of intermittent exposure to suboptimal temperatures. By doing so, it might enhance growth opportunity and life-history diversity in the population of subyearlings studied.

Swimming depth and thermal history of individual Atlantic salmon ( Salmo salar L.) in production cages under different ambient temperature conditions

Salmon production cages at sites with a pronounced thermal stratification give individual fish an opportunity to choose their thermal environment. The behavioural responses of individual salmon to such stratification, however, are poorly documented. Information about spatial distributions and temperature experience of individual Atlantic salmon (initial weight 1.5 kg) was gathered over a period of 4 months (mid-August to early-December) using data storage tags. Fish were stocked at normal or high densities in triplicate 2000 m 3 production cages at 5.6–14.5 (ND) or 15.7–32.1 (HD) kg m − 3 , and valid data were collected for 12 ND and 11 HD salmon. There were large inter- and intra-individual variations in swimming depth, with indications that the salmon performed behavioural thermoregulation in an attempt to maintain body temperature within the range of 8–20 °C. Stocking density influenced the average swimming depth and body temperature, indicating competition for preferred thermal space in periods of unfavourably high temperature (towards 20 °C) in large parts of the cage volume. Analysis of temporal behavioural patterns demonstrated a higher variability during day than night and that 60 to 70% of the individuals displayed cyclic diel patterns in either swimming depth or body temperature in at least one out of three sub-periods. The results are discussed in relation to bio-energetic and thermal stress theory and possible consequences for growth variation in salmon cages. Generally, this study suggests that individual swimming depth and body temperature is in part a response to available temperature interacting with stocking density and time of day, while some individual variation cannot be ascribed to the measured variables.

Risperidone alters food intake, core body temperature, and locomotor activity in mice

Risperidone induces significant weight gain in female mice; however, the underlying mechanisms related to this effect are unknown. We investigated the effects of risperidone on locomotor activity, core body temperature, and uncoupling protein (UCP) and hypothalamic orexin mRNA expression. Female C57BL/6J mice were acclimated to individual housing and randomly assigned to either risperidone (4 mg/kg BW day) or placebo (PLA). Activity and body temperature were measured over 48-hour periods twice a week for 3 weeks. Food intake and body weights were measured weekly. UCP1 (BAT), UCP3 (gastrocnemius), and orexin (hypothalamus) mRNA expressions were measured using RT-PCR. Risperidone-treated mice consumed more food ( p = 0.050) and gained more weight ( p = 0.0001) than PLA-treated mice after 3 weeks. During the initial 2 days of treatment, there was an acute effect of treatment on activity ( p = 0.046), but not body temperature ( p = 0.290). During 3 weeks of treatment, average core body temperatures were higher in risperidone-treated mice compared to controls during the light phase ( p = 0.0001), and tended to be higher during the dark phase ( p = 0.057). Risperidone-treated mice exhibited lower activity levels than controls during the dark phase ( p = 0.006); there were no differences in activity during the light phase ( p = 0.47). UCP1 ( p < 0.01) and UCP3 ( p < 0.05) mRNA expressions were greater in risperidone-treated mice compared to controls, whereas, orexin mRNA expression was lower in risperidone-treated mice ( p < 0.01). These results suggest that risperidone-induced weight gain in mice is a consequence of increased energy intake and reduced activity, while the elevation in body temperature may be a result of thermogenic effect of food intake and elevated UCP1, UCP3, and a reduced hypothalamic orexin expression.

Temperatura corporal de frangos de corte em diferentes sistemas de climatização

Verificou-se o efeito dos sistemas de climatização de aviários sobre a temperatura média corporal de frangos de corte (TMC). Utilizaram-se 610 fêmeas da linhagem Cobb distribuídas em delineamento de blocos ao acaso repetidos no tempo, considerando o dia como critério de bloqueamento, em esquema fatorial 2 × 5, composto de duas orientações solares (Norte-Sul, NS, e Leste-Oeste, LO) e cinco sistemas de climatização (ventilador e nebulização, VN; ventilador com nebulização e sombreamento, VNS; apenas ventilador, V; apenas sombreamento, S; e apenas nebulização, N), de modo que cada tratamento teve sete repetições (dias de coleta). Foram coletados dados meteorológicos para o cálculo de carga térmica de radiação (CTR) e monitoradas as temperaturas de superfície corporal e retal para cálculo da TMC. A associação de ventilação e nebulização melhora significativamente as condições ambientais dos aviários e as condições fisiológicas das aves. Com a utilização adequada de métodos de climatização, é possível a criação de frangos de corte em aviários com orientações solares diversas.

Lactoferrin Supplementation to Holstein Calves During the Preweaning and Postweaning Phases

Sixty Holstein calves (30 bulls, 30 heifers) were used to examine the effects of supplemental lactoferrin on feed intake, growth, and health during the preweaning and postweaning periods. One of 3 levels of lactoferrin was supplemented from 3 to 56 d in either whole milk or water to produce 3 dietary treatments: 1) 0 g/d, 2) 0.5 g/d, and 3) 1 g/d. Whole milk (3.8 L/d) containing lactoferrin supplements was fed from bottles until weaning at 35 d. From d 36 to 56, lactoferrin supplements were added to water (15 to 25mL) and fed from bottles. Lactoferrin supplementation had no effect on feed intake, body weight, average daily gain, heart girth, body temperature, fecal scores, respiratory scores, or haptoglobin concentrations. Calves were housed in individual pens in either an open-sided barn or hutches. Calves raised in the barn consumed more calf starter and therefore grew better than calves raised in hutches. Under the conditions of this study, lactoferrin supplementation was not beneficial. Further research is needed to fully elucidate the role of lactoferrin, and possible benefits during different feeding conditions or milk sources.

SAR and temperature: simulations and comparison to regulatory limits for MRI.

To present and discuss numerical calculations of the specific absorption rate (SAR) and temperature in comparison to regulatory limits. While it is possible to monitor whole-body or whole-head average SAR and/or core body temperature during MRI in practice, this is not generally true for local SAR values or local temperatures throughout the body. While methods of calculation for SAR and temperature are constantly being refined, methods for interpreting results of these calculations in light of regulatory limits also warrant discussion. Numerical calculations of SAR and temperature for the human head in a volume coil for MRI at several different frequencies are presented. Just as the field pattern changes with the frequency, so do the temperature distribution and the ratio of maximum local SAR (in 1-g or 10-g regions) to whole-head average SAR. In all of the cases studied here this ratio is far greater than that in the regulatory limits, indicating that existing limits on local SAR will be exceeded before limits on whole-body or whole-head average SAR are reached. Calculations indicate that both SAR and temperature distributions vary greatly with B(1) field frequency, that temperature distributions do not always correlate well with SAR distributions, and that regulatory limits on local temperature may not be exceeded as readily as those on local SAR.

ENERGY USE AND ANIMAL ABUNDANCE IN LITTER AND SOIL COMMUNITIES

Tools from metabolic scaling and food web theory were used to construct a general model of carbon flux by litter and soil invertebrates. The flux model was used to explore the energetic basis of invertebrate abundance and predicted that abundance should (1) scale linearly with net primary production; (2) be related to the body mass of animals as a power function, with an exponent between -0.65 and -0.85; (3) be related to the average body temperature of animals according to the Boltzmann factor, with an activation energy between 0.27 and 0.79 eV; and (4) decrease by a factor of 0.05 to 0.15 across trophic levels due to gross production efficiency of prey. Model predictions were generally supported by a global data set on invertebrate abundance that was amassed during the International Biological Programme, indicating that fundamental energetic principles explain a large degree of variation in invertebrate abundance across the globe.

Variation in the sensitivity of organismal body temperature to climate change over local and geographic scales

Global climate change is expected to have broad ecological consequences for species and communities. Attempts to forecast these consequences usually assume that changes in air or water temperature will translate into equivalent changes in a species' organismal body temperature. This simple change is unlikely because an organism's body temperature is determined by a complex series of interactions between the organism and its environment. Using a biophysical model, validated with 5 years of field observations, we examined the relationship between environmental temperature change and body temperature of the intertidal mussel Mytilus californianus over 1,600 km of its geographic distribution. We found that at all locations examined simulated changes in air or water temperature always produced less than equivalent changes in the daily maximum mussel body temperature. Moreover, the magnitude of body temperature change was highly variable, both within and among locations. A simulated 1 degrees C increase in air or water temperature raised the maximum monthly average of daily body temperature maxima by 0.07-0.92 degrees C, depending on the geographic location, vertical position, and temperature variable. We combined these sensitivities with predicted climate change for 2100 and calculated increases in monthly average maximum body temperature of 0.97-4.12 degrees C, depending on location and climate change scenario. Thus geographic variation in body temperature sensitivity can modulate species' experiences of climate change and must be considered when predicting the biological consequences of climate change.

Comparative Performance of Current-generation Geolocating Archival Tags

The performances of the current-generation Lotek Wireless LTD2310 and the Wildlife Computers Mk9 geolocating archival tags were compared. The depth, temperature, and light level sensors of 15 LTD 2310 and 15 Mk9 archival tags were evaluated through hydrocasts of these, along with a calibrated Sea-Bird SBE39 temperature and depth probe, to nearly 500 m. Three experiments were conducted; each included five archival tags of each type simultaneously deployed in hydrocasts, along with the SBE39 probe. In all three experiments, the average differences between depth sensors on the Mk9 archival tags and the SBE39 were significantly greater than those between the LTD2310 archival tags and the probe depths for the hydrocast stops at about 500 m, 300 m, and 200 m. The standard errors about the average depth values for those hydrocast stops in Experiments 1 and 2, were greater for the LTD2310 tags, but for Experiment 3 the standard errors were greater for the Mk9 tags. The average differences between the LTD2310 and Mk9 archival tag temperatures measured by their stalk sensors and the SBE39 probe temperatures were similar in all three experiments over a temperature range of from about 9° to 27° C. The standard errors about the average temperature values were similar in all three experiments. The temperatures recorded by the Mk9 archival tag body temperature sensors lagged significantly, while those of the LTD2310 sensors were close to the temperatures recorded by the SBE39 probe during descents and ascents. The standard errors about the average tag body temperature values in all three experiments are greater for the Mk9 tags. Following the stabilization of light sensors at maximum depths (about 500 m) and darkness, during the three hydrocast ascents the 15 LTD2310 and 15 Mk9 archival tag light sensors indicated an average sensitivity to light at 440 m and 380 m, respectively. Two separate experiments conducted with archival tags implanted in the peritoneal cavity of tunas provided estimates of the accuracy and precision of geolocation based on ambient light level data. The computed distances between the average estimated geolocations, from three LTD2310 and three Mk9 archival tags recovered from captive yellowfin tuna Thunnus albacares, to the tank location (7°25'N-80°10'W) were 43.7 nm and 32.1 nm, respectively. The computed distances between the average estimated geolocations, from 13 LTD2310 and 15 Mk9 archival tags from bigeye tuna Thunnus obesus, released and recovered in association with a moored buoy, to the actual buoy location (1°59'S-95°11'W) were 118.5 nm (1.975 dd) and 162.8 nm (2.713 dd), respectively.

Is sequential feeding a suitable technique to compensate for the negative effects of a tropical climate in finishing broilers?

Feed withdrawal during the warmest part of the day (09:00 to 16:00 h) was compared with the distribution of ground corn and commercial feed consumed ad libitum by control broilers from 28 to 42 d exposed to tropical climatic conditions (averaged Ta = 25 °C; Relative Humidity (RH) = 72%). From 16:00 to 09:00 h, a continuous illumination was in the poultry shed and the chickens received a commercial diet. Each diet was supplied to 7 pens of 14 unsexed broilers. Both feed withdrawal and corn distribution during the day period reduced growth (P < 0.01) and deteriorated feed conversion (P < 0.01) compared to the ad libitum control. At the age of 41 d, the average body temperature (Tb) at 14:00 h in the control group was 42.56 °C. It was higher (P < 0.002) than that recorded in the corn fed group (42.27 °C) and the feed withdrawal chickens (42.11 °C). These effects measured in 4-6 week-old broilers exposed to a moderate tropical climate, illustrate the limitation of feed restriction and sequential feeding under practical conditions. Further research is needed to study the diurnal distribution of corn or feed withdrawal coupled with a balanced diet richer in essential amino acids than the commercial diet during the nocturnal period.

Protective effects of ulinastatin against multiple organic damage after severe burn injury:experimental and clinic studies

To study the protective effects of ulinastatin (UTI), a human trypsin inhibitor, on the damage to the functions of multiple organs at the early stage of severe burn. (1) Twelve male mini-pigs, inflicted with III degrees burn with 35% total body surface area (TBSA), were randomly divided into two equal groups: Group A (control group, treated with fluid resuscitation immediately after injury and normal saline by intravenous drip tid) and Group B (UTI-treated group, in addition to fluid resuscitation UTI 5000 U/kg was given one hour after injury, 3 times/day). Blood samples were taken for the determination of serum TNF-alpha, IL-6, malonyldiadehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), creatine kinase (CK), MB isoenzyme of CK (CK-MB), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine (Cr), diamine oxidase (DAO), and D-lactate before and 6, 24, 48, and 72 hours after injury. (2) Forty hospitalized patients with 50%-70% TBSA partial and full thickness burn, 28 males and 12 females, aged 18-60, were randomly divided into routine treatment group (n = 16, receiving routine fluid resuscitation and wound management and normal saline IV drop bid for 7 days) and UTI treatment group (n = 24, in addition to the routine treatment UTI 400,000 U was given IV drop bid for 7 days). Sixteen healthy volunteers served as controls to undergo blood examination. The average body temperature (T), respiratory rate (R), systole blood pressure (BP) were detected 48 hours after burn. Blood samples were taken to determine the plasma lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and serum TNF-alpha, norepinephrine (NE), myeloperoxidase (MPO), ALT, AST, CK, CK-MB, lactic dehydrogenase (LDH), BUN, and Cr 1, 3, and 7 days after burn. (1) The serum TNF-alpha, IL-6, and MDA levels significantly increased, and the serum SOD level significantly decreased 6 hours after burn in the mini-pings in both groups (all P < 0.05), and the changes in Group A were more significant than in Group B (all P < 0.05). The serum AST, CK, CK-MB, BUN, Cr, DAO, and D-lactate levels increased in the mini-pigs of both groups after severe burn in comparison with those before burn (all P < 0.05), especially in Group A in comparison with Group B (all P < 0.05). However, the serum levels of ALT and LDH of Group B did not increase significantly in comparison with those before burn. (2) The serum LPS, TNF-alpha, NE, ALT, AST, CK, CKMB, LDH, BUN, Cr, and MPO significantly increased after burn and began to decrease since the 7th day after burn, and the decrease levels in the UTI group were more significant than in the routine treatment group (all P < 0.05). In the routine treatment group 2 cases of sepsis were found and one case died of multiple organ failure; no complication was found in the UTI treatment group. UTI can significantly lessen the production of inflammatory mediators and oxygen free radical and protect the functions of multiple organs after severe burn.

Method for Determining a Dynamical State–Space Model for Control of Thermal MEMS Devices

A method is presented for determining lumped dynamical models of thermal microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices for purposes of feedback control. As a case study, an electrothermal actuator is used. The physical properties and a set of assumptions are used to determine the basic structure of the dynamical model, which requires the development of the electrical, thermal, and mechanical dynamics. The importance of temperature-dependent parameters is emphasized for dynamical modeling for purposes of feedback control. To confront temperature dependence in a practical yet effective manner, an average temperature is introduced to preserve the energy balance inside the structure. This allows the development of a practical method that combines structure of the model, through the average body temperature, with finite element analysis (FEA) in novel way to perform system identification and identify the unknown parameters. The result is a lumped dynamical model of a MEMS device that can be used for the design of feedback control systems. We compare computer simulated results using the dynamical model with experimental behavior of the actual device to show that our procedure indeed generates an accurate model. This dynamical model is intended for further synthesis of driving signal and control system but also gives a qualitative insight into the relationship between device's geometry and its behavior. The method enables fast development of the model by conducting relatively few static FEA and is verifiable with dynamic experimental results even when temperature measurements are not available. <tex xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">$hfillhbox[1406]$</tex>

Relationships between body temperature and performance traits in heat-stressed rats

Male Sprague Dawley rats ( n = 38 ) were allocated to thermoneutral, diurnal heat stress or constant heat stress treatments during pre-pubertal and post-pubertal ages. Analyses of internal body temperature and performance traits suggest animals respond differently in diurnal versus constant heat stress conditions. Greater fluctuations in average daily internal body temperature during diurnal heat stress may mediate partial recovery from heat stress, and hence, better performance than during constant heat stress. Correlation coefficients indicate early measures of internal body temperature can be used to gauge subsequent performance in similar environmental conditions.

INJURY-ASSOCIATED HYPOTHERMIA: AN ANALYSIS OF THE 2004 NATIONAL TRAUMA DATA BANK

Severe injury and shock are frequently associated with abnormalities in patient body temperature. Substantial increases in mortality have been associated with profound hypothermia, especially below 35 degrees C. The purpose of this study was to further characterize the impact of hypothermia in a large dataset of trauma patients. This study was a retrospective analysis of the 2004 version of the National Trauma Data Bank (NTDB), which contains approximately 1.1 million patients from over 400 trauma centers. Admission temperature was analyzed with respect to mortality, injury severity score (ISS), base deficit (BD), Glasgow Coma Score (GCS), and hospital outcomes. The NTDB contained 701,491 patients with temperatures recorded upon trauma center admission. Of these, 11,026 patients had admission temperatures <35 degrees C, and 802 had temperatures <32 degrees C. Comparison of core temperature versus mortality revealed that as temperature decreased, the mortality rate increased, reaching approximately 39% at 32 degrees C, and remained constant at lower temperatures. Surprisingly, 477 patients (59.5%) survived with temperatures <32 degrees C. Similarly, BD increased as hypothermia worsened until body temperature reached 31 degrees C, below which there was little further increase. Patients with admission temperatures less than 35 degrees C had significantly greater mortality (25.5% vs. 3.0%, P < 0.001) and BD (7.8 vs. 3.7, P < 0.001) when compared with patients with temperatures >or=35 degrees C. In survivors, average ventilator days and intensive care unit (ICU) days were 14.4 and 12.8, respectively, for patients with temperatures <35 degrees C as opposed to more normothermic patients who demonstrated an average of 9.5 ventilator days and 9.1 ICU days (P < 0.001). When grouped by individual ISS, BD level, and GCS motor score, mortality was significantly greater when admission temperature was below 35 degrees C (ISS mean difference = 11.4%, BD mean difference = 22.8%, and GCS motor mean difference = 9.85%). Logistic regression revealed that hypothermia remains an independent determinant of mortality after correction for confounding variables (odds ratio = 1.54, 95% confidence interval 1.40-1.71). Admission hypothermia is associated with greater mortality, increased injury severity, more profound acidosis, and prolonged ICU/ventilator courses. However, although mortality at <32 degrees C is high, patients with temperatures this low do survive. As temperatures drop below 32 degrees C, mortality rates remain constant, which may indicate a threshold below which physiologic mechanisms are unable to correct body temperature regardless of injury severity. Although shock severity is highly indicative of outcome, hypothermia independently contributes to the substantial mortality associated with severe injury.

Long-term climatic trend and body size variation in teal Anas crecca

A general warming of climate in the future may profoundly affect wildlife populations in terms of numbers, distribution and characteristics of the individuals, therefore leading to new challenges in terms of management and conservation. The effects of global warming can already be detected through the analysis of long-term databases, but insights into these processes can also be acquired by studying changes in wildlife populations during periods with clear trends in climatic changes. We analysed ringing data from more than 38,000 teal Anas crecca caught at the Station Biologique de la Tour du Valat in the Camargue, Southern France, between September 1954 and April 1971. Temperature in the Camargue clearly decreased over the ringing period. There was no correlation between average annual body mass and temperature in any age or sex class, nor a significant effect of temperature on the age ratio of the population. In adults, there were more males when average daily maximum winter temperature increased, while the opposite trend was found for juveniles. The clearest pattern we observed was a positive relationship between temperature and wing length of the individuals: in all sex and age classes, birds tended to get smaller as temperature decreased. It is unlikely that this pattern was related to harsh climate affecting teal feather growth. Rather, we hypothesise that climate affected the distribution of the individuals in Europe: as temperature got colder, small birds found it still more difficult to remain in northern areas and increasingly used the Camargue as a refuge. Reversing the observed pattern suggests that a global warming of climate in the future may have profound consequences for the distribution of wintering teal in Europe, as more and more birds will become able to remain in northern areas closer to their breeding grounds.

Cryo balloon ablation in the left atria and esophageal injury

Esophagus to LA fistula formation is a devastating complication of LA RF circumferential ablation. It is proposed that cryo balloon ablation is a safer and more effective technology for the ablation of AF. In four dogs (35 2 Kg) we have examined the impact of cryo balloon ablation of both PVs and posterior LA tissues on the integrity of the esophagus. Total of 42 lesions were placed, at the average body temperature of 99 0.8 F, and average maximal catheter temperatures of -77 2 C that were applied for 2 min. The lowest average intra-esophageal temperatures of 94 1 F at the time of ablation were recorded by esophageal thermometer that was placed at the location of lowest temperature and closest proximity to the cryo balloon assessed by steep LAO and RAO fluoroscopy. Cryo ablations were applied above the mitral ring where the LA and the esophagus are in closest proximity. The lowest temperature was recorded during left inferior pulmonary veins and posterior LA wall ablation. Pathological evaluation of the external esophagus examined acutely and 1 week after ablation revealed circular hemorrhagic lesions in close proximity to each other with maximum diameter of 18.7 mm, with an elevated erythematous rim surrounding each lesion. Morphologically most lesions were in the serosa and the external muscular coat of the esophagus. All lesions were sectioned. Histologic evaluation documented loss of nuclei, loss of architecture and pyknosis of myocytes. In the 3-7 days old lesions, there was mild lymphocytic infiltration with damage involving the serosa, the external muscle layer and with mild focal damage to the inner muscle layer. Sub-mucosal glands and the mucosa were normal. Conclusion: Cryo balloon ablation of the inferior PVs and the posterior wall of the LA in this model does penetrate to the outer layers of the esophagus, however no transmural lesions were noted and esophagus structural integrity remained intact.

Efeito da temperatura ambiente sobre hormônios tireoideanos, temperatura corporal e empenamento de frangos de corte, fêmeas, de diferentes genótipos

Three hundred and sixty female broilers, Cobb – 500 and ISA – Label JA 57 were raised under cold, neutral and hot temperatures in a complete randomized design with 3 x 2 factorial scheme (3 temperatures and 2 strains), with 8 repetitions to evaluate plasmatic levels of Thyroxyne (T4) and Triiodothyronine (T3), body temperature and feathering birds. On hot temperature there was a decrease in T3 levels at 21, 35 and 42 days old and an increase in T4 levels at 21 days old. There was a decrease in the total feathering, in chest, wings and abdomen and an increase in superficial and body temperature. Female broilers ISA Label had better feathering, however lowest superficial temperature, average superficial temperature and body temperature. Environmental temperature affects the feathering of fast growing female broilers, that have low hot tolerance shown through the biggest body temperature. Hormonal levels of T3 and T4 were affected by environmental temperature