Recent investigations of hypoxia physiology in the naked mole rat have opened up an interesting line of research into the basic physiological and genomic alterations that accompany hypoxia survival. The extent to which such findings connect the effect of hypoxia to metabolic rate (O2 consumption), core body temperature (Tb), and transcripts encoding the immediate early gene product (such as c-fos) under a constant ambient temperature (Ta) is not well known. We investigated this issue in the current study. Our first sets of experiments measured Tb and metabolic rates during exposure of naked mole rats to hypoxia over a constant Ta. Hypoxia significantly decreased metabolic rates in the naked mole rat. Although core Tb also decreased during hypoxia, the effect of hypoxia in suppressing core Tb was not significant. The second series of experiments revealed that c-fos protein and mRNA expression in the hippocampus neurons (CA1) increased in naked mole rats that were repeatedly exposed to 3% O2 for 60min per day for 5 days when compared to normoxia. Our findings provide evidence for the up-regulation of c-fos and suppression of metabolic rate in hypoxia tolerating naked mole rats under constant ambient temperature. Metabolic suppression and c-fos upregulation constitute part of the physiological complex associated with adaptation to hypoxia.

Orientador: Vania Maria de Vasconcelos Machado / Resumo: A termografia infravermelha (TIV) representa um exame de imagem complementar, trata-se de uma ferramenta não ionizante e não invasiva que capta e registra a emissão térmica da superfície da pele. Apesar da grande literatura existente sobre as respostas ao estresse em cães, o potencial uso da termografia na avaliação das reações de estresse dos cães-guia em treinamento ainda não foi investigado até o momento. O propósito desse estudo foi utilizar a TIV na investigação do estresse proveniente do treinamento de cães-guia. Sendo utilizados 13 animais, adultos e em fase final de treinamento. Foram avaliados com TIV o sistema músculo-esquelético, contemplando as principais articulações e grupos musculares e correlacionando com níveis séricos de cortisol com objetivo de detectar dor e estresse nos animais avaliados. Para realização desse estudo, foi utilizada câmera termográfica Flir E60 com resolução de imagem 240 x 320 indicando, com acurácia de <0,05oC, faixa espectral 7,5 a 13 µm e emissividade de 0,98. Os resultados encontrados demonstram TIV como uma ferramenta de triagem importante na detecção precoce de alterações de temperatura superficial do corpo, apresentando correlação positiva com valores de cortisol, temperatura retal e auricular. Os resultados gerais sugerem que a TIV pode representar uma ferramenta útil para investigar dor e /ou estresse em cães, considerando-se a correlação positiva das temperaturas ocular, auricular, retal e sua comparação aos níveis de cortisol. / Abstract: Infrared thermography (TIV) represents a complementary imaging test. It is a non-ionizing, non-invasive tool that captures and records the thermal emission of the skin surface. Despite the great literature on stress responses in dogs, the potential use of thermography in the evaluation of stress responses in training dogs has not been yet investigated. The purpose of this study is the use of TIV to investigate the training-induced stress in guide dogs. In this study, thirteen adult dogs were used in the final phase of training. In this study, the skeletal muscle system was evaluated with TIV. In order to detect pain and stress in the animals evaluated, we investigated the correlation between TIV results of the main joints and muscle groups and the serum levels of cortisol. The Flir E60 thermographic camera with 240 x 320 image resolution was used, with an accuracy of <0.05 ° C, a spectral range of 7.5 to 13 μm and an emissivity of 0.98. The results showed TIV as an important screening tool for the early detection of changes in body surface temperature, showing a positive correlation with cortisol, rectal and ear (tympanic) temperature. Altogether these results suggest that TIV may represent a useful tool for investigating pain and / or stress in dogs. These assumptions are based on the positive correlation of ocular, atrial, rectal temperatures and their comparison to cortisol levels. / Doutor

The effect of total metabolic cost expenditures on the precision of behavioral thermoregulation was investigated for the purportedly eurythermic Northern Alligator lizard (Gerrhonotus coeruleus). An operant apparatus was designed to test metabolic output at different heat reinforcement magnitudes. The mean TB reflected in each trial was positively correlated to the length of reinforcement. The shuttle rate during each trial was inversely correlated to the length of reinforcement. The standard deviation and total metabolic costs did not vary significantly between trials undertaken at the same ambient temperature. Eurythermality in G. coeruleus is caused by fluctuations in preferred body temperature and not by fluctuations around this temperature. The metabolic cost of behavioral thermoregulation did not change with corresponding changes in reinforcement magnitude. This indicates that eurythermality is the recorded effect of lizards behaviorally regulating to different TB in a stenothermic manner, rather than of random TB fluctuations in a wide range of normal activity (the classical view of eurythermality).

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Thermoregulation system in mammal keeps their body temperature in a vital and yet narrow range of temperature by adjusting two main activities, heat generation, and heat loss. Also, these activities get triggered by other causes such as exercise or certain drugs. As a result, thermoregulation system will respond and try to bring back the body temperature to the normal range. Although these responses are very well experimentally explored, they often can be unpredictable and clinically deadly. Therefore, this thesis aims to analytically characterize the neural circuitry components of the system that control the heat generation and heat loss. This modeling approach can help us to analyze the relationship between different components of the thermoregulation system without directly measuring them and explain its complex responses in mathematical form. The first chapter of the thesis is dedicated to introducing a mathematical modeling approach of the circuitry components of the thermoregulation system in response to Methamphetamine which was first published in [1]. Later, in other chapters, we will expand this mathematical framework to study the other components of this system under different conditions such as different circadian phases, various pharmacological interventions, and exercise. This thesis is composed by materials from the following papers. ‎CHAPTER 1 uses the main idea, model, and figures from References [1]. Meanwhile, ‎CHAPTER 2 is based on [2] coauthored with me and is reformatted according to Purdue University Thesis guidelines. Also, ‎CHAPTER 3 interpolates materials from reference [3] coauthored and is reformatted to comply with Purdue University Thesis guidelines. ‎CHAPTER 4 is inserted from the reference [4] and is reformatted according to Purdue University Thesis guidelines. Finally, ‎CHAPTER 5 is based on Reference [5] and is reformatted according to Purdue University Thesis guidelines. Some materials from each of these references have been used in the introduction Chapter.

Yoshinori Hiraoka, Tatsuhiko Matsuoka, Mikiko Ohno, Kazuhiro Nakamura, Sayaka Saijo, Shigenobu Matsumura, Kiyoto Nishi, Jiro Sakamoto, Po-Min Chen, Kazuo Inoue, Tohru Fushiki, Toru Kita, Takeshi Kimura & Eiichiro Nishi "Critical roles of nardilysin in the maintenance of body temperature homoeostasis" Nature Communications 5, Article number: 3224 doi:10.1038/ncomms4224 / 京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(医学) / 甲第18454号 / 医博第3909号 / 新制||医||1004(附属図書館) / 31332 / 京都大学大学院医学研究科医学専攻 / (主査)教授 渡邉 大, 教授 福田 和彦, 教授 瀬原 淳子 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Medical Science / Kyoto University / DFAM

Within the few years following the publications of the first studies on reptilian thermoregulation (Mosauer, 1936; Attsatt, 1939; Cowles and Bogert, 1944; and Strelnidov, 1944) there has been an increasing number of investigations concerned with the mechanisms that underlie this phenomenon. Many studies have demonstrated that heliothermic lizards maintain a relatively constant body temperature during per- iods of diurnal and seasonal activity. Much of this regulation is dependent upon behavior. An extensive review of thermoregulation in both lizards and snakes has been compiled by St. Girons and St. Girona (1956).

The purpose of this investigation was to separate the effects, and determine the optimal and most feasible methods, of promoting skin temperature increase in a clinical prison population. There were no significant differences among the instructional sets with respect to skin temperature increase. Skin Temperature feedback significantly delayed the time of maximum temperature increase. However, the average delay of 3.5 minutes was not considered to be clinically significant. No other significant effects were evidenced from feedback training. It was suggested that the lack of differential effects among the instructional sets and feedback training may be a characteristic of the early stages of training and that significant differences might emerge if training were continued over a greater number of sessions.The question was raised as to whether skin-temperature training had taken place during the two training sessions. The subjects may have been displaying a nonspecific "relaxation response" or habituation to the experimental situation. It may take more than two sessions before significant conditioning of the skin-temperature response occurs. Recommendations for future research were specified, including an increase in the number of training sessions and the addition of new control procedures.

A review of energetics studies of raptorial species introduces four separate studies of temperature regulation by raptors. Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) nest site selection, as influenced by direction of exposure, is discussed. The data show strong directional preferences to the NNW by southern populations and SSE by northern populations. The tarsometatarsus is shown to have a thermoregulatory function in large falcons, and adaptations of this mechanism to varied habitats are examined. Color phase in Screech Owls (Otus asio) is shown to be related to metabolic differences that may explain the distributions of the color morphs. Development of thermoregulation in Flammulated Owls (Otus flammeolus) is examined.

The aims of the current investigation are to (1) examine the directive mechanism of selective attention on energy as measured by body temperature and to (2) assess the clinical impact of a meditation practice that uses this directive mechanism of selective attention. Despite the recent surge of interest in Eastern contemplative and medicinal practices, there exists a large gap between teachings of such Eastern traditions and empirical research findings of psychology in the West. Specifically, Eastern thought has for millennia emphasized the role of attention or intent in directing energy within the body, and importantly, the role that this phenomenon has on mental and physical health. Conversely, Western psychology has largely conceptualized attention as an unidirectional information-processing mechanism, not as an agent through which energy is directed. The present study contains two experiments that respectively incorporate a basic science approach to identify an alternative function of selective attention and an applied science approach to explore the clinical efficacy of a focused attention dantian (area in the lower abdomen) meditation practice compared to that of a standard Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (MBSR) practice. Experiment 1 (N = 12) tested through an experimental design whether selective attention can function as a directive mechanism for energy by measuring bilateral hand temperatures. Experiment 2 (N = 16) measured various health and psychological indices before and after a six-week meditation practice in either a dantian-focused method or an MBSR practice. Findings suggest that selective attention does in fact function as a directive mechanism for energy within the body and that the use of this method within the context of a dantian meditation practice improves aspects of mental health more efficaciously than an MBSR practice. This study ultimately seeks to interpret a traditional Eastern understanding of attention and its implications for health through the lens of empirical Western psychology.

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