This review analyses whether skin temperature represents ambient temperature and serves as a feedforward signal for the thermoregulation system, or whether it is one of the body's temperatures and provides feedback. The body is covered mostly by hairy (non-glabrous) skin, which is typically insulated from the environment (with clothes in humans and with fur in non-human mammals). Thermal signal...

Microbial flora of the skin of three human population groups representing different natural environments was examined quantitatively and qualitatively to determine whether environmental differences in temperature and humidity can influence the microbial flora of normal skin. Five anatomical skin sites - hands, back, axillae, groin, and feet - were sampled from 10 subjects working in a high-humi...

Interrelation of skin temperature and blood flow oscillations of fingers under normal conditions in healthy subjects has been investigated. Oscillations of a blood flow were measured by means of photoplethysmography; oscillations of a temperature were registered by means of thermal imaging camera. The method of blood flow reconstruction by temperature oscillations with the use of the Pennes bio...

Brief high-power laser pulses applied onto the hairy skin of the distal end of a limb generate a double sensation related to the activation of Aδ- and C-fibres, referred to as first and second pain. However, neurophysiological and behavioural responses related to the activation of C-fibres can be studied reliably only if the concomitant activation of Aδ-fibres is avoided. Here, using a novel CO...

Self-paced endurance performance is compromised by moderate-to-high ambient temperatures that are evident in many competitive settings. It has become common place to implement precooling prior to competition in an attempt to alleviate perceived thermal load and performance decline. The present study aimed to investigate precooling incorporating different cooling avenues via either evaporative c...

BACKGROUND Up to date, no information exists about the intra-articular temperature changes of the knee related to activity and ambient temperature. METHODS In 6 healthy males, a probe for intra-articular measurement was inserted into the notch of the right knee. Each subject was jogging on a treadmill in a closed room at 19 degrees C room temperature and skiing in a ski resort at -3 degrees C...

This study was conducted to determine whether hypohydration (Hy) alters blood flow, skin temperature, or cold-induced vasodilation (CIVD) during peripheral cooling. Fourteen subjects sat in a thermoneutral environment (27 degrees C) during 15-min warm-water (42 degrees C) and 30-min cold-water (4 degrees C) finger immersion (FI) while euhydrated (Eu) and, again, during Hy. Hy (-4% body weight) ...

The effect of varying local skin temperature on surface pressure-induced changes in skin perfusion and deformation was determined in hairless fuzzy rats (13.5+/-3 mo, 474+/-25 g). Skin surface pressure was applied by a computer-controlled plunger with corresponding skin deformation measured by a linear variable differential transformer while a laser Doppler flowmeter measured skin perfusion. In...

In the medical field, new technologies are incorporated for the sole purpose of enhancing the quality of life for the patients and even for the normal healthy people. Infrared technology is one of the technologies that have some applications in both the medical and biological fields. In this work, the thermal infrared (IR) measurement is used to investigate the potential of skin cancer detectio...

In previous studies we found indications of stress reduction in saline-injected rats when exposed to an oxytocin (OT)-injected cage mate. Olfactory impairment and OT antagonist treatment abolished the effects. This suggested an olfactorily mediated oxytocinergic stress-inhibitory mechanism. To test this hypothesis bodyweight, tail skin temperatures, food-intake and plasma ACTH and corticosteron...