Oral Temperature Research Articles

Habitual Hyperthermia: An Interpretive Paradigm of the 20th Century? Not Really

Prolonged and unexplained fevers in young adults are uncommon, especially when access to diagnostic tests is simplified. Therefore, the definition of unexplained fever depends on the volume of tests performed. However, low-grade fever has not been a priority in research. Management of low-grade fever [eg, an oral temperature of ≥37.8°C (100°F) and <38.3°C (101°F) at any time of the day] is not codified. The presented case of a 37-year-old nurse with an intermittent fever for three months, with no clear diagnostic evidence and no elevated markers of inflammation, illustrates “habitual hyperthermia” (HH)—retained after ordering tests sequentially in town and at the hospital. HH was made known by Prof. H.A. Reimann (1897–1986) an American virologist, although the diagnostic criteria are fallible. The article reviews the criteria and then discusses how to select diagnostic tests in family practice for prolonged fever in young adults without clinical signs of orientation. Given the polymorphism of febrile illnesses, the principle of parsimony must be transgressed, and in the event of an early suspicion of HH, surveillance is a rule to be further amended.

Perioperative Temperature Monitoring: Reply

Commenting on our review, Nelson writes that “extensive cohort studies indicate that [body temperature] is closer to 36.5°C” than 37°C.1 The review indeed specified that “normal human core body averages about 37°C,” and that “there is a superimposed circadian rhythm with roughly a 1°C range.”2 “Normal core body temperature thus varies from ≈36.5°C (usually about 3:00 am) to ≈37.5°C (usually about 3:00 pm). In premenopausal women, there are also superimposed changes in temperature with the menstrual cycle, with core temperature being about 0.5°C greater during the luteal phase.”Nelson cites two studies to support an average core temperature of 36.5°C. In one of them, Gurven et al.3 present a cohort study in which average core temperature somewhat implausibly decreased ~0.5°C over just 16 yr. However, about a third of the way through, temperature measurement changed from mercury-in-glass oral thermometers, which are reasonably accurate, to infrared aural canal thermometers, which are not. The other study cited, Protsiv et al.,4 is more convincing and describes a large cohort, 2007 through 2017, in which core temperatures were estimated with digital oral thermometers. The average was 36.7°C in men and 36.8°C in women. Importantly, though, electronic oral temperatures average 0.25°C below true core temperature.5 Protsiv’s report is thus perfectly consistent with average core temperature being very close to 37°C.There have also been several studies in which core temperature was measured over time with ingested capsules which accurately report core temperature. Core temperatures reported in these studies were 37.1 ± 0.1°C,6 36.8 ± 0.3°C,7 and 37.1 ± 0.1°C.8There is not a single “normal body temperature.” Instead, core temperature varies over the circadian cycle, between men and women, with age, and over the menstrual cycle. However, available evidence indicates that 37°C is a reasonable estimate of normal core temperature in humans.The authors declare no competing interests.

Exercise Thermal Sensation: Physiological Response to Dynamic-Static Steps at Moderate Exercise.

The study of exercise thermal sensation is more difficult than that of static thermal sensation in the human body. This work’s main purpose was to examine specific changes in human physiological parameters and subjective perceptions during the exercise process, especially around dynamic–static steps, and to assess exercise thermal sensation. Experiments were conducted in a climate chamber. A total of 16 subjects participated in two activities of different intensities on a treadmill, namely at 4.5 km/h and 6 km/h. The experimental procedure was set to static–dynamic–static. Skin temperature (Tsk), oral temperature (Tor), heart rate (HR), heart rate variability (HRV) parameters, and electrodermal activity (EDA) were measured at fixed time points, and thermal sensation values, thermal comfort values, and sweat feeling index were collected. The results showed complex changes in physiological indicators around the dynamic–static steps. Some important physio-logical indicators can be used as valid parameters for exercise thermal sensation models, such as Tsk, Tor, and EDA. This study highlighted that prediction models using average change and rate of change of measurements were better than using the original measurements. Our findings suggest that the exercise thermal sensation prediction models should be constructed according to the dynamic–static state and that psychological factors cannot be ignored.

The Immediate Physiological Effects of E-Cigarette Use and Exposure to Secondhand E-Cigarette Vapor.

Vaping continues to grow as an alternative to smoking and as a recreational activity for people of all ages, including minors. The billion-dollar industry offers users a plethora of flavors, nicotine concentrations, e-juice combinations, and devices. While some studies suggest vaping is beneficial for certain ailments and as a smoking cessation tool, many studies report concerning health outcomes associated with vape use. Recent FDA regulations have banned certain vaping products following an increase of vaping-related lung injuries reported in 2019. Health care providers need to better understand the physiological effects of vaping-specific products and the impact of secondhand vapor. The specific aims of the present study were to understand the immediate effects on heart rate, breathing frequency, blood pressure, blood sugar, [Formula: see text], pulmonary function, and oral temperature following e-cigarette use and secondhand vapor exposure. A total of 149 volunteers participated in this study; 76 subjects vaped mint-flavored e-cigarettes with 5% nicotine for 20 min while seated next to 73 nonvaping subjects who agreed to be exposed to the vapor. Health variables including heart rate, blood pressure, breathing frequency, blood glucose, FVC, [Formula: see text], and oral temperature were obtained prior to vaping or exposure to vapor and again after 20 min. Subjects who vaped had significantly higher heart rate, breathing frequency, and oral temperature, and significantly lower blood oxygenation levels (ie, [Formula: see text]) after vaping for 20 min. Nonvaping subjects exposed to vapor had significantly higher oral temperature after 20 min of exposure. Blood sugar and FVC were not significantly affected by vaping or exposure to vapor. Vaping with mint-flavored e-cigarettes with 5% nicotine for 20 min resulted in significant immediate physiological changes. Exposure to e-cigarette vapor significantly increased oral temperature within the same amount of time.

Cranial hyperthermia resulting from decreased parotid gland salivation induced by ischemic degeneration of glossopharyngeal network in subarachnoid hemorrhage

Objective: We speculated that subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) induces ischemic lesions in the cranial parasympathetic nerves, which may decrease saliva secretion and lead to hyperthermia. We tested this hypothesis by examining histologic features of parotid glands and glossopharyngeal nerves (GPNs) in a rabbit model of SAH.&#x0D; Material and Methods: Rabbits (n = 25) were divided into control (n = 5), sham (n = 5), and SAH (n = 15) groups. Animals in the sham and SAH groups were examined over a 3-week period before sacrifice. Salivation score (SC) was determined by measuring the mean wetted area of an orally inserted cotton ball. Sections of parotid glands and intracranial and intraparotideal branches of the GPNs were stained with hematoxylin and eosin and SAH-induced damage was analyzed by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling of apoptotic cells. Specimens were stereologically examined to determine saliva-filled total vesicle volume (TVV) per cubic meter; vasospasm index (VSI) based on wall/lumen ratio of parotid glands arteries, and degenerated neuron density (DND) of glossopharyngeal ganglia.&#x0D; Results: The mean oral temperature was 36.9°C. In the control group, mean values were as follows: SC, 46±8 mm2; DND, 19±4/mm3; VSI, 1.065±0.049; and TVV, (780±1187) × 106/µm3. In the sham group, mean values were as follows: SC, 31±6 mm2; DND, 98±23/mm3; VSI, 1.67±0.32; and TVV, (617±110) × 106/µm3. In the low hyperthermia SAH group, mean values were as follows: SC, 16±5 mm2; DND, 1520±261/mm3; VSI, 2.12±0.21, and TVV, (314±98) × 106/µm3. In the high hypothermia SAH group, mean values were as follows: SC, 9±2 mm2; DND, 3210±912/mm3; VSI, 3.18±0.30; and TVV, (432±99) × 106/µm3.&#x0D; Conclusions: Decreased salivary secretion due to secretory gland atrophy originated from ischemia-induced GPN network degeneration at the brainstem, which may be responsible for cranial hyperthermia following SAH.

The use of forced air warmer for the prevention of inadvertent perioperative hypothermia under general anaesthesia - A prospective observational study

Temperature is an important parameter which determines patient outcomes perioperatively. Iatrogenic hypothermia during surgery under general anaesthesia leads to significant side effects which can be corrected with the use of active body surface warming devices like the forced air warmer. A prospective observational study was conducted with a sample size of 362 which included patients of either sex aged 18-65years posted for any elective surgery under general anaesthesia lasting &amp;#62;60 and ≤180minutes. Baseline oral temperature was recorded preoperatively. Patients were warmed with forced air warmer intraoperatively at 44°C with half hourly monitoring of nasopharyngeal temperature until extubation. Intravenous fluids were given at room temperature. Further, oral temperature was monitored at 15 and 60 minutes in post anaesthesia care unit and patients were warmed if hypothermic or shivering. The final mean intraoperative temperature (nasopharyngeal) was 36.01⁰C (n=362) with a range from 34.7⁰C to 37.1⁰C. 139 of 362(n) (38.4%) patients were hypothermic (&amp;#60;36⁰C) at the end of surgery. 61.6% of patients were normothermic. In 9 patients (2.5%, n=362) the forced air warmer was turned off due to over heating (temperature &amp;#62;37⁰C). 33 patients (n=362, 9.1%) had shivering postoperatively. Comparing the nasopharyngeal temperature (mean) at half hourly intervals post induction revealed statistically significant results (p&amp;#60;0.001). The establishment of near constant temperature (36±0.03°C) following the initial fall in core body temperature can be attributed to the forced air warmer. However, it is imperative to continuously monitor core body temperature to detect temperature changes(hypo/hyperthermia) in order to use the device safely as chances of overheating is always present.

Does circadian rhythm have an impact on anaerobic performance, recovery and muscle damage?

ABSTRACT This study aimed to examine the effect of circadian rhythms (CR) on anaerobic performance and subsequent recovery, muscle damage, and respiratory muscle strength. Twenty diurnally active male football players (age, 22.20 ± 3.14 y) were asked to perform the Wingate anaerobic power test three times for 30 s each at 09:00, 14:00 and 19:00 h, with a minimum recovery period of 1 week between each testing day. Pretest oral temperature, respiratory muscle strength, oxygen saturation, and rating of perceived exertion were recorded at three different time of the day. To examine post-exercise recovery, heart rate (HR) and lactic acid (LA) levels were recorded before and after the tests. Blood samples were collected 20 min after each test to assess muscle damage. The body temperature taken at 19:00 h was the highest of the three (p < .01). After the tests, the LA value at 19:00 h was higher than that at 09:00 h (p < .05). According to CR, the HR values measured after anaerobic exercise were higher at 14:00 h (p < .05). The peak power value was higher at 14:00 h than at 19:00 h (p < .058). CR does not affect muscle damage and respiratory muscle strength. Further, at 14:00 h, anaerobic power was higher and recovery occurred faster compared to the other test times of 09:00 and 19:00 h. Therefore, it is recommended that anaerobic training should be performed early in the afternoon.

Physical properties of a model set of solid, texture‐modified foods

Those suffering from swallowing disorders, or dysphagia, require texture-modified foods for safe swallowing. The texture is modified according to the severity of the disorder, as maintained by the guidelines outlining classes of texture-modified foods, ranging from viscous soups to soft, solid foods. As a basis for studies of bolus rheology and oral response of solid texture-modified foods, a set of well-defined, solid foods has been identified and characterized regarding texture and physical properties. Gelled food is compared to both the firmer timbale class and to the corresponding regular food. Foods eaten at room temperature were chosen to avoid temperature effects: bread, cheese, tomato, and the combination into a sandwich. All foods were tested as gel, timbale, and regular food. The texture was determined by compression and penetration tests, thereby showing a decrease in strength (compression stress), stiffness (modulus), and penetration force for increased degree of modification. The moisture content increased with increased degree of modification. The structural change from room to oral temperature was monitored by the complex shear modulus that showed a decrease with increasing temperature. Cheese and the gelatine-based tomato gel showed a distinct melting when the temperature was increased to 37°C. The texture-modified foods were softer and moister in all aspects as compared to the regular foods, which follows the intended modification. The classes for the texture-modified foods were qualitatively comparable to other national classification systems with regard to solid foods, but there is a lack of objective, physics-based classification of texture, especially for solid, texture-modified foods.

Abstract P324: Your Brain May Be "HOTTER" Than You Think, Results From Phase I Check Brain Temperature Study

Background: Hypothermia is a known neuronal protecting agent and used in post cardiac arrest. However, its use for stroke and brain trauma has not made any progress due to the lack of accurate way of measuring brain temperature. Hence, hypothermic degree and duration for it to be therapeutic is unknown. The phase I Check Brain Temperature Study was to define regional brain temperatures in normal individuals via MRI thermometry. The established brain temperature map can be used as the baseline to provide therapeutic hypothermia. Method: Temperatures of 5 regions of interest (ROI) of brain (frontal lobe, thalamus, hypothalamus, occipital lobe and cerebellum) were measured in 10 healthy individuals by using proton resonance frequency MRI spectroscopy single voxel method. The scanning protocol include a whole brain anatomical images, (3DFSPGR : TR/TE=150/3.9ms, FOV=24cm,matrix=256x256, slice thickness =1 mm.) and spectroscopy PRESS (TR/TE=1500/144 ms, 8 nex, 2 x 2 x 2 cm^3) on a GE 3T scanner. Ten right handed men (18&lt;age&lt;80) were recruited and their oral and tympanic temperatures were monitored. Average whole head temperature=average of oral temp+tympanic temp and average brain temp=average of temp of 5 regions of interest. Two tails, paired t-test used to compare temps between subjects and ROIs. Results: Average temperature differences between brain (38.2 °C) and head (36.5 °C) is 1.8 °C (p&lt; 0.0000002). Thalamus has the highest temperature among all ROIs in brain. Brain temperature &gt; oral temperature &gt; tympanic temperature. Conclusion: Brain temperatures may not correlate to body temperatures and there is a regional difference. Our finding will be used as the baseline brain temperature map when hypothermia is applied in patients with hemisphere stroke in the phase II study.

Body Temperature Is Associated With Cognitive Performance in Older Adults With and Without Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Cross-sectional Analysis.

Wearable devices for remote and continuous health monitoring in older populations frequently include sensors for body temperature measurements (i.e., skin and core body temperatures). Healthy aging is associated with core body temperatures that are in the lower range of age-related normal values (36.3 ± 0.6°C, oral temperature), while patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) exhibit core body temperatures above normal values (up to 0.2°C). However, the relation of body temperature measures with neurocognitive health in older adults remains unknown. This study aimed to explore the association of body temperature with cognitive performance in older adults with and without mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Eighty community-dwelling older adults (≥65 years) participated, of which 54 participants were cognitively healthy and 26 participants met the criteria for MCI. Skin temperatures at the rib cage and the scapula were measured in the laboratory (single-point measurement) and neuropsychological tests were conducted to assess general cognitive performance, episodic memory, verbal fluency, executive function, and processing speed. In a subgroup (n = 15, nine healthy, six MCI), skin and core body temperatures were measured continuously during 12 h of habitual daily activities (long-term measurement). Spearman’s partial correlation analyses, controlled for age, revealed that lower median body temperature and higher peak-to-peak body temperature amplitude was associated with better general cognitive performance and with better performance in specific domains of cognition; [e.g., rib median skin temperature (single-point) vs. processing speed: rs = 0.33, p = 0.002; rib median skin temperature (long-term) vs. executive function: rs = 0.56, p = 0.023; and peak-to-peak core body temperature amplitude (long-term) vs. episodic memory: rs = 0.51, p = 0.032]. Additionally, cognitively healthy older adults showed lower median body temperature and higher peak-to-peak body temperature amplitude compared to older adults with MCI (e.g., rib median skin temperature, single-point: p = 0.035, r = 0.20). We conclude that both skin and core body temperature measures are potential early biomarkers of cognitive decline and preclinical symptoms of MCI/AD. It may therefore be promising to integrate body temperature measures into multi-parameter systems for the remote and continuous monitoring of neurocognitive health in older adults.

One size does not fit all: Assuming the same normal body temperature for everyone is not justified.

Despite the increasing personalization of medicine, surprisingly ~37.0°C (98.6°F) continues as the estimate of normal temperature. We investigated between-subject and within-subject thermal variability, whether a significant percentage of individuals have a low mean oral temperature, and whether these differ by sex, age, time of day, ethnicity, body mass index (BMI), or menstrual phase. Oral temperature was measured by Life Brand® Fast-Read Digital Oral Thermometers and sampled 14 times over two weeks, seven morning and seven evening readings. The volunteer sample consisted of 96 adults (42 men, 54 women; 27 couples, 42 singletons), ages 18–67 years. We found sizeable individual differences in body temperature and that the normal temperature of many individuals is considerably lower than 37.0°C (98.6°F). Mean temperatures ranged from 35.2°C (95.4°F) to 37.4°C (99.3°F). The mean temperature across all participants was 36.1°C (97.0°F)—lower than most studies have reported, consistent with recent evidence of temperature declining over decades. 77% had mean temperatures at least 0.55°C (1°F) lower than 37.0°C (98.6°F). Mean temperature did not differ by age, but women had higher temperatures than men, even within a couple with room temperature and warmth of clothing equated. Although oral temperature varied widely across individuals, it showed marked stability within individuals over days. Variability of temperature over days did not differ by sex, but was larger among younger adults. Using 37.0°C (98.6°F) as the assumed normal temperature for everyone can result in healthcare professionals failing to detect a serious fever in individuals with a low normal temperature or obtaining false negatives for those individuals when using temperature to screen for COVID-19, mistaking their elevated temperature as normal. Some have called for lowering the estimate of normal temperature slightly (e.g., 0.2°C [0.36°F]). That still seems an overly high estimate. More important, using any standardized “normal” temperature will lead to errors for many people. Individual differences are simply too great. Personalizing body temperature is needed. Temperature could be measured at yearly doctor visits, as blood pressure is now. That would be simple to implement. Since our results show marked thermal stability within an individual, sampling temperature only once yearly could provide an accurate indication of a person’s normal temperature at that time of day. Such records over time would also provide a more accurate understanding of how temperature changes over the lifespan.

830 Risk of chorioamnionitis following intrauterine pressure catheter placement in laboring patients

Intrauterine Pressure Catheters (IUPC) are thought to create a pathway for contamination and ascending infections. We sought to estimate the risk of chorioamnionitis associated with IUPC use in term labor. This is a retrospective cohort study of term (≥37 weeks), singleton pregnancies who labored at our tertiary care center from 2005 to 2018. The primary outcome of chorioamnionitis was defined as maternal intrapartum fever (single oral temperature of >39°C or 38–38.9°C for 30 minutes) and one or more of the following: maternal leukocytosis, purulent cervical drainage, or fetal tachycardia. The primary exposure was the presence of an IUPC documented in the medical record. Cox proportional hazard regression was used to model the effect of cervical examinations on the risk of chorioamnionitis while adjusting for adjusted for number of cervical exams, epidural use, meconium, smoking, GBS, parity, BMI, duration of rupture, labor induction and cesarean section. 20,579 women met inclusion criteria and1,039 (5%) women were diagnosed with chorioamnionitis. Of the subjects diagnosed with chorioamnionitis, 185 (17.8%) had IUPCs compared to 22.5% in women not diagnosed with infection (p<0.001). IUPCs were not associated with increased rate of chorioamnionitis after adjusting for potential confounders (hazard ratio [HR] 0.6, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.5-0.7; p=<0.001). Presence of IUPCs was higher in women undergoing unplanned cesarean delivery (30.6% versus 21.1% in women undergoing vaginal delivery, p=<0.001). Meconium rates were not higher in women with IUPCs (IUPC 20.0% versus no IUPC18.8 p=0.06) In contrast to prior work, routine use of internal monitoring in laboring patient did not increase the risk of chorioamnionitis. Internal monitors should not be avoided during term labor management.

177 Incremental risk of chorioamnionitis associated with cervical examination

Intra-amniotic infection is associated with significant neonatal morbidity and mortality. We sought to assess the association between number of cervical examinations and the risk of chorioamnionitis in term labor. This is a retrospective cohort study of term (≥37 weeks), singleton pregnancies who labored at our tertiary care center from 2005 to 2018. The primary outcome of chorioamnionitis was defined as maternal intrapartum fever (single oral temperature of >39°C or 38–38.9°C for 30 minutes) and one or more of the following: maternal leukocytosis, purulent cervical drainage, or fetal tachycardia. The primary exposure was the number of digital cervical exams documented in the medical record. Cox proportional hazard regression was used to model the effect of cervical examinations on the risk of chorioamnionitis while adjusting for internal monitoring, epidural use, meconium, maternal smoking, GBS, parity, BMI, duration of membrane rupture, labor induction and cesarean section. 20,579 women met inclusion criteria and1,039 (5%) women were diagnosed with chorioamnionitis. The number of cervical exams was associated with an increased rate of chorioamnionitis after adjusting for potential confounders (hazard ratio [HR] 1.1, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.04-1.1; p=<0.001). Each additional cervical exam confers an incremental risk of infection (OR=1.06 per exam, p<0.001). Women with greater than 7 cervical exams were 2.3 times more likely to develop chorioamnionitis (relative risk [RR] 2.3, 95% CI 1.3-4.0; p=<0.001). Duration of membrane rupture, labor induction, epidural placement, presence of meconium and cesarean delivery were all associated with chorioamnionitis after adjusting for confounders. In contrast to prior work, our study found that the number of cervical exams in term labor is an independent risk factor for developing chorioamnionitis after adjusting for confounders. Unnecessary cervical exams should be avoided during term labor management.View Large Image Figure ViewerDownload Hi-res image Download (PPT)

255 Chorioamnionitis rates in private versus resident-managed labor in term pregnancies

Intra-amniotic infection is associated with maternal and neonatal morbidity. We sought to determine if chorioamnionitis rates among private verses resident- managed services were different. This is a retrospective cohort study of women who labored at ≥37 weeks gestation from 2005 to 2018 at a single academic center. Women were identified as part of a “resident service” if their labor was primarily managed by OB/Gyn residents; “private service” patients were managed without resident involvement. The primary outcome of suspected chorioamnionitis was defined as maternal intrapartum fever (single oral temperature of >39°C or 38–38.9°C for 30 minutes) and one or more of the following: maternal leukocytosis, purulent cervical drainage, or fetal tachycardia. Rates of chorioamnionitis were analyzed using multivariate regression models while adjusting for potential confounders. 20,579 women were included: 3897 (18.9%) were managed by a resident service and 16681 (81%) were managed by a private service. Chorioamnionitis rates were higher among resident-managed patients after adjusting for confounders (relative risk [RR] 1.4, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.2-1.6; p<0.001). Rates of chorioamnionitis remained higher after adjusting for public insurance and black race (RR 1.3, 95% CI 1.1-1.5; p<0.001). Duration of membrane rupture was significantly shorter among resident services (private service: 6hrs vs. resident service: 5hrs, p<0.001). There was no difference in the rates of unscheduled cesarean deliveries, length of labor, meconium or the number of cervical exams between the two services. This is the largest cohort comparing the rates of chorioamnionitis among women managed by a resident care model versus a private physician model. Women managed by a resident service were 30% more likely to develop chorioamnionitis despite shorter ruptured time and similar cervical exams. The etiology of infectious morbidity among resident services necessitates further investigation.View Large Image Figure ViewerDownload Hi-res image Download (PPT)

Physical and thermo-mechanical properties of shape memory polyurethane containing reversible chemical cross-links

Orthodontic chains are one of the main parts of orthodontic braces. In this study, in order to obtain a suitable polymer for this application as well as troubleshoot the main drawbacks such as stress relaxation and water absorption, thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) elastomers with various compositions were synthesized and characterized by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses. Mechanical properties of samples were evaluated by tensile, elasticity, and stress relaxation tests. According to the required properties for orthodontic chain application, PU2000-311 which contains reversible crosslinks, was selected as the most favorable sample among other pure samples. Moreover, to reduce the water absorption content of PU2000-311, its nanocomposite containing 1 wt% of silica nanoparticles was prepared via solution casting method. As water content angle and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) images illustrate, incorporation of 1 wt% of modified silica nanoparticles has increased PU2000-311-1S hydrophobicity. In vitro oral environment study showed crystability of samples has recovered great portion of relaxed force. Stress relaxation study indicated samples are applicable in oral temperature range and temperature changes have assisted recovery of relaxed force and reduced treatment period. Finally, shape memory study showed that optimum samples could recover 100% of their original shape.

Intraday variation in short-term maximal performance: effects of different warm-up modalities

This study aimed at examining the effects of two stretching protocols performed at different times of the day on short-term maximal performance. Eleven physical education students performed a 5-min cycling warm-up followed by static stretching, dynamic stretching, or no stretching. Then, they carried out the counter-movement jump and 30-s Wingate tests. Oral temperature was measured at rest and after each warm-up. Moreover, ratings of perceived exertion were obtained immediately after each warm-up. Oral temperature was higher in the afternoon compared to the morning before and after the three warm-ups. It increased following the three warm-ups at the two times of measurement. The highest relative increase was observed after dynamic stretching. Furthermore, counter-movement jump heights as well as peak and mean power assessed by the Wingate test were higher in the afternoon compared to the morning. Moreover, short-term performances were higher after no stretching compared to static stretching and dynamic stretching at the two times of measurement. Likewise, ratings of perceived exertion were higher after dynamic stretching compared to static stretching and no stretching. Static or dynamic stretching has a negative effect on Wingate test and counter-movement jump performances either in the morning or in the afternoon.

Potential Role of Amino Acids in the Adaptation of Chicks and Market-Age Broilers to Heat Stress.

Increased average air temperatures and more frequent and prolonged periods of high ambient temperature (HT) associated with global warming will increasingly affect worldwide poultry production. It is thus important to understand how HT impacts poultry physiology and to identify novel approaches to facilitate improved adaptation and thereby maximize poultry growth, health and welfare. Amino acids play a role in many physiological functions, including stress responses, and their relative demand and metabolism are altered tissue-specifically during exposure to HT. For instance, HT decreases plasma citrulline (Cit) in chicks and leucine (Leu) in the embryonic brain and liver. The physiological significance of these changes in amino acids may involve protection of the body from heat stress. Thus, numerous studies have focused on evaluating the effects of dietary administration of amino acids. It was found that oral l-Cit lowered body temperature and increased thermotolerance in layer chicks. When l-Leu was injected into fertile broiler eggs to examine the cause of reduction of Leu in embryos exposed to HT, in ovo feeding of l-Leu improved thermotolerance in broiler chicks. In ovo injection of l-Leu was also found to inhibit weight loss in market-age broilers exposed to chronic HT, giving rise to the possibility of developing a novel biotechnology aimed at minimizing the economic losses to poultry producers during summer heat stress. These findings and the significance of amino acid metabolism in chicks and market-age broilers under HT are summarized and discussed in this review.

A Novel Wearable Device for Continuous Temperature Monitoring & Fever Detection.

Objective: Continuous temperature monitoring in high-risk patients can enable healthcare providers to remotely track patients’ temperatures, promptly detect fevers and timely intervene to improve clinical outcomes. We evaluated if a novel wearable, continuous temperature monitor (Verily Patch) can reliably estimate body temperature and early detect fevers in an outpatient setting in patients at a high risk of febrile neutropenia (FN) who recently underwent chemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT). Methods: 86 patients at a high risk for FN were prospectively enrolled at Mayo Clinic, MN. Patients wore the device in their axilla region for 7 days post ASCT and recorded self-measured oral temperatures every 3 hours. Patients were also followed using clinical standard-of-care procedures with daily oral temperature assessment. The clinic- and patient-assessed oral temperatures were used to develop and evaluate Verily Patch’s body temperature and early fever detection algorithms using a K-fold cross-validation approach. Results: The Verily Patch reliably measured body temperatures with an error of 0.35 ± 0.88°F in comparison to clinic- and patient-assessed oral temperatures. The sensitivity and specificity of the patch in detecting clinic-assessed fever episodes was 90.2% and 87.8%. The patch detected 14.3 times the number of clinic-assessed fever episodes with a median lead time of 4.3 hours. Conclusion: Patient self-monitoring of temperature and fever incidents suffers from low accuracy and is impractical for extended periods of time. Continuous temperature monitoring by a wearable device (such as Verily Patch) has the potential to overcome these challenges resulting in better patient clinical outcomes and more cost-effective care.

Effect of yoga breathing maneuvers (shitali and sitkari pranayama) On heat stress management

Background: Heat stress is a common problem, particularly in a tropical country like India. Ancient Hatha Yogic texts suggest that practice of Shitali and Sitkari pranayama (SSP) to give relief from thirst sensation and the feeling of coolness in the body. This motivates us to ask the following research question: Can a common person get benefit through these pranayamas in a hot and humid climate? Objectives: To study the role of yoga breathing maneuvers i.e. Shitali and Sitkari pranayama practice (SSP) in the heat stress management. Methods: During one hour heat exposure (HEx) at 40±2°C, humidity 78±2%, and WBGT 37.5±0.3°C, 20 healthy, young, yoga practitioners did SSP and again without SSP after 3 Weeks. Their bodyweight (Bw), skin temperature (Tsk), heart rate (HR), oral temperature (Tor) and thirst sensation were periodically monitored. Results: The sweat loss, without SSP (320±105.63 gm) was found to be significantly higher (p

Effectiveness of thermal screening for COVID-19: Some considerations

Introduction: Fever is a common symptom in most infections, and its rapid identification forms a major component of screening efforts. Such screening has been carried out by several countries during the SARS outbreak in 2003 and during the influenza A (H1N1) 2009 pandemic. Materials and Methods: Infrared scanner-based non-contact (IRSBNC) thermometer was used to measure the forehead skin temperature. A conventional mercury thermometer was used to measure the core body temperature. Verbal informed consent was obtained from all the study subjects. Data collection was unlinked and anonymous, thereby maintaining privacy and confidentiality. A large sample size of 414 study subjects was taken. Data so collected were subject to appropriate statistical tests. The same data were utilized to run a simulation-based Susceptible Exposed Infected and Recovered (SEIR) model regarding the percentage of infectors likely to escape thermal screening and its epidemiological impact using MATLAB software. Results: The mean forehead skin temperature of the study subjects as measured by an IRSBNC thermometer was 96.79°F. The mean oral temperature of the study subjects as measured by a conventional mercury thermometer was 97.33°F. The difference between the two means was statistically significant with a t-value of 8.16 (P < 0.01). The forehead skin temperature as measured by an IRSBNC thermometer and oral temperature as measured by a conventional mercury thermometer showed a poor correlation coefficient of 0.11. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value (NPV) of IRSBNC thermometer work out to 0.5384, 0.7087, 0.1102, and 0.9581, respectively. The false positive rate is 0.2912; and the false negative rate is 0.0309. The values of sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, NPV, false positive rate, and false negative rate of IRSBNC thermometer estimated using standard statistical tests are not much different from the results obtained by the simulation-based model. Conclusion: Based on the previous literature available and on the findings of the present study, which have been further validated by running a simulation-based model, the workers recommend that not too much reliance be placed on thermal screening by the IRSBNC thermometer. IRSBNC thermometers are of limited utility in thermal screening for Covid-19.