Abstract Since ancient times, warm or cold skin on the human body has been used as a parameter in evaluating health. Changes in body temperature are attributed to diseases or disorders. The assessment of body temperature is often performed to measure fever by detecting an elevated core temperature. With techniques such as infrared thermography, it is possible to perform a non-contact temperature measurement on a large surface area. The overall aim of this thesis was to contribute to a better understanding of the hand skin temperature variability in healthy persons and in persons experiencing whitening fingers (WF). The enclosed four papers discuss issues such as thermal variability response to cold stress test (CST) in repeated investigations; the specific rewarming pattern after CST; the difference between the hand’s palmar and dorsal temperatures; and evaluating skin temperatures and response to CST in participants with WF and healthy participants. All four papers used an experimental approach involving healthy males (I-III) and females (III) as well as individuals with (IV) and without WF (I-IV). Data were generated using dynamic infrared imaging before and after a CST. The radiometric images were analyzed using image analysis and statistics. The study showed that: (I) there is variability in hand skin temperature; (II) there are cold and warm hand skin temperature response patterns; (III) the skin temperatures on the palmar and dorsal sides of the hand are closely related; and (IV) a baseline hand skin temperature measurement can distinguish between whitening fingers and controls. The conclusion of this thesis is that it is necessary to engage in thorough planning before an investigation in order to choose the most adequate method for evaluating peripheral skin temperature response depending on the question asked.

Electrophoretic variation at twenty gene loci, patterns of behavioral thermoregulation, and genotype-specific malate dehydrogenase kinetics were investigated among populations of the red shiner, Notropis lutrensis, and the blacktail shiner, N. venustus, collected from thermally altered and thermally unaltered portions of their ranges. Genic variation was found to be high among red shiners and low among blacktail shiners. The behavioral response of the blacktail shiner to temperature was fixed among the populations sampled, whereas the response of the red shiner was mutable. Finally, blacktail shiners have incorporated into their genome an Mdh-B allele which functions well at low temperatures; red shiners, displaying high levels of Mdh-B polymorphism, maintain a more complex set of allozymes which function well over a wide range of environmental temperatures. These data are consistent with reported ecotypic distributions of the species in Texas waters; i.e., blacktail shiners occur in cool, thermally static habitats, and red shiners are tolerant of wide temperature ranges.

In dieser Arbeit untersuche ich das Verhalten von Arbeiterbienen beim Brutwärmen, die Wärmeübertragung von den Bienen auf die gedeckelte Brut, die thermophysikalischen Eigenschaften des Brutnests und spezielle Aspekte des Brutnestaufbaus, die für dieses Thema relevant sind und bisher nicht untersucht wurden. Meine Arbeit umfasst Verhaltensbeobachtungen und thermografische Messungen an individuellen Bienen, die Simulation des Heizverhaltens von Arbeiterinnen und das Messen der Temperaturänderungen in der Wabe, die Messung der thermophysikalischen Eigenschaften der Brutwabe und der Zellwände (Wärmeleitfähigkeit und Durchlässigkeit für Wärmestrahlung), die Auswertung von Brutzelltemperaturen als Ergebnis des Verhaltens von Arbeiterbienen, die Analyse der Anzahl und der räumlichen Verteilung von Brutlücken (Auswertung in 2-D und 3-D bezüglich beider Wabenseiten) und die Entwicklung spezifischer Computersoftware, die zur Erarbeitung dieser Ergebnisse unverzichtbar ist. Ein wichtiges Ergebnis dieser Arbeit ist die Entdeckung und Beschreibung eines bemerkenswerten, bislang unbekannten Verhaltens der Honigbiene: Die Aufrechterhaltung hoher Thoraxtemperaturen (TTh) bei Langzeitbesuchen in offenen Zellen („Lücken“) die verstreut in der gedeckelten Brutfläche vorkommen. Hier zeige ich, dass die Aufrechterhaltung der hohen TTh nicht auf den Zellinhalt (z. B. offene Brut) bezogen ist - in den meisten Fällen waren die besuchten Zellen ohnehin leer - sondern auf die direkt benachbarte gedeckelte Brut, mit der diese Zellen über gemeinsame Zellwände in Kontakt stehen. Dieses Verhalten liefert eine Erklärung für Langzeitzellbesuche von sehr langer Dauer ohne erkennbare Aktivität, die in früheren Arbeiten beschrieben aber nicht völlig verstanden wurden, und es rehabilitiert die scheinbar „faulen“ Bienen im Zellinnern. Diesem Verhalten kommt eine große Bedeutung für das Brutwärmen zu, da sich der aufgeheizte Thorax tief in der Wabe (fast an der Mittelwand) befindet wo der Wärmeverlust an die Luft minimiert ist und von wo bis zu 6 umliegende Puppenzellen gleichzeitig gewärmt werden können. Im Vergleich zum Brutwärmeverhalten an der Wabenoberfläche (Andrücken des Thorax an die Brutdeckel), wo nur 1 oder Teile von 3 Brutdeckeln mit dem Thorax in Berührung stehen, ist das Wärmen im Zellinnern mit derselben TTh bis zu 2,6-fach effizienter. Die Messung der thermophysikalischen Eigenschaften der Brutwabe und die Simulation des Brutwärmeverhaltens unter kontrollierten Bedingungen zeigen, dass sich die Wabe langsam aufwärmt und eher ein lokal begrenztes Wärmen als eine rasche Wärmeausbreitung über eine große Fläche begünstigt. Der Einflussbereich eines einzelnen Zellbesuchers hängt von seiner TTh und der Dauer des Zellbesuchs ab. Anstiege der Bruttemperatur in bis zu 3 Zellen Abstand zum Zellbesucher sind nachweisbar. Das hier beschriebene Brutwärmeverhalten im Innern von Lücken (offenen Zellen) bietet nicht nur neue Einsichten in das Bienenverhalten. Es ermöglicht auch eine Neubewertung der Lücken und ihrer Nützlichkeit für die Bienen. Eine von mir entwickelte Computersoftware („CombUse 2.0“) ermöglicht es, das Vorkommen und die räumliche Verteilung von Lücken mit hoher Genauigkeit auf der Ebene einzelner Zellen zu erfassen und auszuwerten. Die räumliche Verteilung der Lücken in der gedeckelten Brutfläche zeigt, dass schon bei geringen Lückenhäufigkeiten von ca. 4 bis 10 %, die in gesunden Kolonien normal sind, eine überraschend große Zahl gedeckelter Brutzellen (88 % bis 99 %, wenn die dreidimensionale Verteilung berücksichtigt wird) im Einflussbereich von Brut wärmenden Zellbesuchern sind. Obwohl das Brutwärmeverhalten im Zellinnern schwer zu entdecken und zu beobachten ist, führen die in dieser Arbeit präsentierten Daten zu dem Schluss, dass es sich dabei um einen wichtigen Bestandteil der Nestklimatisierung bei Honigbienen handelt. / In this thesis I investigate the behaviour of worker bees while incubating brood, heat transfer from bees to the sealed brood, the thermophysical properties of the brood nest and special aspects of brood nest architecture that are relevant for this topic but have not been investigated so far. My work comprises behavioural observations and thermographic measurements of individual bees, simulation of worker bees’ heating behaviour and measurement of temperature changes within the brood comb, the measurement of thermophysical properties of the brood comb and cell walls (thermal conductivity and transmission of thermal radiation), the analysis of brood cell temperatures as a result of the behaviour of worker bees, the analysis of the number and spatial distribution of brood gaps (analysis in 2-D and 3-D with regard to both sides of a comb) and the engineering of specific computer software which was indispensable to achieve these results. One major result of this work is the discovery and description of a very remarkable, hitherto unknown behaviour of the honeybee: the maintenance of high thorax temperatures (TTh) during long-time visits to open cells (“gaps”) which are scattered at low rates among the sealed brood. Here I show that the maintenance of high TTh is not related to the contents of the visited cells (anyway, they were empty in most cases) but to the presence of sealed brood which is directly adjacent to and sharing common cell walls with the visited cell. The discovery of this behaviour casts a positive light on apparently “lazy” bees and provides an explanation for long-time cell-visits with durations of several ten minutes which were described but not fully understood in earlier works by other authors. Moreover, this behaviour is of high relevance for brood incubation itself because the heated thorax is deep in the comb (almost down to the middle wall) where heat loss to the air is minimized and where up to 6 surrounding pupa cells can be warmed simultaneously. In comparison to specific brood incubation behaviour on the comb surface (pressing the thorax onto the brood caps), where only one or parts of three brood caps may be in touch with a heated thorax, heating inside cells with the same TTh is up to 2,6 times more efficient. The measurement of thermophysical properties of the brood comb and the simulation of worker heating under controlled conditions show that the comb warms up slowly and supports local heating rather than a rapid spread of heat all over the area. The radius-of-influence of a single cell visitor depends on its TTh and on the duration of the cell visit. Increases of brood temperature as far as three cells away from the cell visitor may be detected. The brood incubation behaviour via gaps (i.e. open cells) which I describe in this work does not only give new insights into bee behaviour. It also allows a reconsideration of the gaps them¬selves and their usefulness to the bees. A specific computer software (“CombUse 2.0”) which I developed for this work allowed me to register and analyze the spatial distribution of gaps with high precision on the level of cells, in contrast to rough estimations of brood areas and gap numbers which are commonly used in bee-breeding and population assessments. The analysis of the spatial distribution of gaps in the sealed brood area shows that even at small proportions of gaps (ca. 4 to 10 %, common to healthy colonies), a surprisingly large number (88 % to 99 %, if the three-dimensional distribution of gaps is considered) of sealed brood cells is within the reach of brood incubating worker bees visiting these gaps. Although brood incubation behaviour inside cells is very difficult to detect and observe, the data presented in this work strongly suggest that heating inside cells is an important part of nest climate control and other aspects of social life in honeybee colonies.

O grande sucesso ecológico dos insetos sociais se deve, em grande parte, ao controle das condições climáticas do ninho, entre as quais é possível destacar a temperatura como uma das variáveis mais importantes. Nas abelhas sem ferrão, um grupo de abelhas eussociais com cerca de 400 espécies distribuidas pela região Neotropical, apesar dos poucos estudos existentes é possível identificar uma grande variedade de estratégias para lidar com a heterogeneidade térmica do ambiente. Em comparação com Apis mellifera (o inseto social mais bem estudado no mundo), é possível verificar, de maneira geral, uma menor capacidade termorregulatória nas abelhas sem ferrão. Portanto, isto coloca as abelhas sem ferrão como importantes modelos que podem permitir a melhor compreensão da evolução da diversidade de estratégias de sucesso nos insetos sociais para lidar com a heterogeneidade térmica. Adicionalmente, as abelhas sem ferrão realizam a polinização, um serviço ambiental chave para a manutenção dos ecossistemas Neotropicais. Dessa forma é necessário conhecer as adaptações térmicas nestes organismos, principalmente as voltadas para as altas temperaturas, para que possam ajudar a prever os impactos das mudanças climáticas nestes organismos. Assim, o objetivo deste estudo foi investigar a capacidade e os mecanismos termorregulatórios em abelhas sem ferrão, bem como alguns aspectos da sensibilidade térmica sob condições de altas temperaturas, usando para isso a espécie Scaptotrigona depilis como organismo modelo. Verificamos que essas abelhas são capazes de resfriar o ninho e para isto, utilizam pelo menos dois mecanismos: a ventilação e a coleta de água para resfriamento evaporativo. Este último comportamento foi observado pela primeira vez em um contexto colonial e natural. Adicionalmente foi verificado que a umidade relativa do ar dentro dos ninhos varia consideravelmente menos que a umidade relativa do ar ambiente, muito provalvemente por conta das fontes de umidade (néctar e água) e do isolamento da cavidade de nidificação. Verificamos que a taxa de construção de células de cria sofre uma diminuição sutil com o aumento da temperatura ambiente e quase nenhuma influência da temperatura do ninho. Finalmente, verificamos que o tempo de desenvolvimento do estágio pupal até o adulto diminui conforme a temperatura de incubação aumenta. Da mesma forma acontece com a mortalidade, porém esta aumenta drasticamente após atingir uma temperatura limite. Demonstramos que existem adaptações claras para o resfriamento do ninho em S. depilis, contradizendo as hipóteses atuais de que a nidificação em cavidades termicamente isoladas seria a principal forma de manter a temperatura em níveis relativamente constantes, supostamente necessários para o crescimento e manutenção da colônia. Adicionalmente, sugerimos que a temperatura dos ninhos varia consideravelmente (mesmo com o isolamento das cavidades e com os mecanismos ativos de termorregulação), porém o desempenho das atividades das abelhas no ninho é regular dentro de uma ampla faixa de temperaturas, i.e., as abelhas sem ferrão devem suportar uma ampla variação de temperaturas. / The great ecological success of the social insects is due, in large part, to their capacity of nest climate control, which it is possible to highlight the temperature as one of the most important variable. The stingless bees, a megadiverse group of eusocial bees with about 400 species on the Neotropical zone, show a great variety of strategies to deal with the thermal heterogeneity of the environment. Compared to Apis mellifera, (the social insect better studied in the world), it is possible to verify in general, that stingless bees have a low thermoregulatory capacity. Because of that different capacity and other biological features, stingless bees are excellent models to test hypothesis that focus on the evolution of diversity of strategies to deal with thermal heterogeneity in social insects and the consequent success in this group. Additionally, stingless bees are responsible for the pollination of an extensive number of vegetal species, which is a key environmental service to the maintenance of the tropical ecosystems. So, knowing their thermal adaptations, mainly the related to high temperatures, is indispensable in this moment, yet this knowledge will help to prevent the impact of global climate changes on this organisms. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the mechanisms and the thermoregulatory capacity in stingless bees, as well as some aspects of thermal sensibility under high temperature conditions, using the specie Scapotrigona depilis as model organism. We verified that the specie is capable of cool their nests and, for that, use at least two mechanisms: ventilation and water collection for evaporative cooling. This last behavior was observed for the first time in a colonial and natural context. Our results have shown that the air relative humidity inside the nests varies considerably less than the environmental air relative humidity, probably because of the humidity sources (nectar and water) and the nest cavity insulation. We also verified that the rate of brood production decrease with the increase of the environmental temperature and is slightly influenced by nest temperature. The developmental time of pupal stage to adult shows an inverse relationship with the rearing temperature. The same occurs with mortality, however it rises dramatically after reaching a temperature threshold. We demonstrated that there are adaptations for cooling the nest in S. depilis, contradicting the current hypothesis that the nesting behavior in thermal insulated cavity would be the main component on the maintenance of temperature in constant and stable levels, supposedly needed to the colony growth and maintenance. Additionally, we suggested that the nest temperature varies considerably (even with the cavity insulation and the actives mechanisms of thermoregulation), however the performance of their activities is regular within a wide range of temperatures, i.e., the stingless bees should support a extent variation of temperatures

As serpentes são animais ectotérmicos capazes de modificar seu comportamento termorregulatório e consequentemente sua temperatura corpórea para otimizar o desempenho de determinadas atividades, dentre elas, a reprodução. Segundo vários estudos, a reprodução é um dos fatores fisiológicos mais influenciados pela seleção de temperatura corpórea em Squamata. Fêmeas reprodutivas de muitas espécies têm apresentado termofilia gestacional. Esse comportamento tem corroborado a hipótese de manipulação materna da temperatura ótima para o desenvolvimento embrionário, com isso, a fêmea garante o fenótipo da prole e seu sucesso reprodutivo. Aqui investigamos a influência do status reprodutivo na biologia termal de fêmeas de Crotalus durissus em cativeiro semiextensivo. Para isso, foram utilizados sensores de temperatura interna (datalogger) inseridos cirurgicamente na cavidade celomática de fêmeas prenhes e não prenhes. As análises dos dados demonstraram que fêmeas prenhes mantiveram a média de temperatura corpórea significativamente mais elevadas do que fêmeas não prenhes no verão. No entanto, a variação da Tc de fêmeas prenhes não difere de fêmeas não prenhes. O benefício mais frequentemente citado sobre a evolução da viviparidade, é que fêmeas prenhes podem acelerar o desenvolvimento embrionário por meio da termorregulação. A elevação e estabilidade da temperatura corpórea durante a gestação têm sido consideradas o mecanismo primordial para assegurar o desenvolvimento embrionário. Desta forma, aumenta o fitness da prole e garante a viabilidade da ninhada. Os dados apresentados aqui demonstram que a condição reprodutiva de fêmeas prenhes de Crotalus durissus tem grande influência sobre a seleção de temperaturas mais elevadas, corroborando com a hipótese de que fêmeas alteram o comportamento termorregulatório quando estão prenhes. / Snakes are ectothermic animals capable of modifying their thermoregulatory behavior and consequently their body temperature to optimize the performance of certain activities, among them, reproduction. According to several studies, reproduction is one of the physiological factors most influenced by the selection of body temperature in Squamata. Reproductive females of many species have shown gestational thermophily. This behavior has corroborated the hypothesis of maternal manipulation of the optimum temperature for embryonic development, therefore, the female assures the phenotype of offspring and their reproductive success. Here we investigate the influence of reproductive status on the thermal biology of Crotalusdurissus females in semiextensive captivity. For this, internal temperature sensors (dataloggers) were inserted surgically in the coelomic cavity of pregnant and non-pregnant females. Data analyzes demonstrated that pregnant females maintained significantly higher mean body temperature than non-pregnant females in the summer. However, the body temperature variation of pregnant females does not differ from non-pregnant females. The most frequently cited benefit on the evolution of viviparity is that pregnant females can accelerate embryonic development through thermoregulation. The elevation and stability of body temperature during pregnancy have been considered the primordial mechanism to ensure the embryonic development. Thus, it increases the fitness of offspring and ensures the viability of the clutch. The data presented here, demonstrate that the reproductive condition of pregnant females of Crotalus durissus has great influence on the selection of higher temperatures, corroborating with the hypothesis that females alter the thermoregulatory behavior when they are pregnant.

O presente trabalho teve como objetivo comparar dois métodos alternativos de resfriamento pós-exercício em eqüinos, consistentes no uso de água a temperatura ambiente e de gelo nas extremidades, com o método de hiperresfriamento, usado habitualmente nos cavalos de esporte. A necessidade de métodos de resfriamento mais efetivos se baseia no grande quantidade de cavalos eliminados em provas de resistência no país, relacionada à temperaturas ambiente e umidade relativa elevadas. Para comparações foram usados nove cavalos de lida, três machos castrados e seis fêmeas, mestiços, de 8±2,5 anos e peso médio de 462±33 kg, em dois experimentos, um no mês de maio e outro em julho, de 4 dias de duração cada um, com delineamento em cross-over. Os cavalos foram exercitados com protocolo pré-estabelecido em picadeiro durante 30 minutos, e os tratamentos foram aplicados em Câmara Bioclimática. As variáveis estudadas foram: freqüência cardíaca (FC), freqüência respiratória, temperatura retal (TR), taxa de sudação (SUD), temperatura superficial do pescoço (TSP), temperatura superficial do tórax (TST), temperatura superficial da garupa (TSG), temperatura auricular (TAu) e temperatura da base da cauda (TBC). Foram mensurados valores basais pré-exercício, imediatamente pós-exercício sem tratamento, 5, 10, 15 e 20 minutos após o exercício com tratamento, e 5 e 10 minutos pós-tratamento. Os dados foram analisados por regressão linear, e as médias comparadas tempo a tempo pelo teste T de Student. Houve diferença significativa (p<0,05) entre tratamentos nas variáveis TSP, TST, TSG nos dois experimentos, e na TAu no experimento de maio, mas esta diferença foi somente durante o resfriamento, no final do teste ao minuto 30, 10 minutos após serem interrompidos os tratamentos, não houve diferença em nenhuma variável em nenhum dos dois experimentos. Os dois métodos de resfriamento alternativos aqui propostos não apresentaram diferença alguma com o hiper-resfriamento no minuto 30 do teste. / This study was aimed to compare two alternative cooling methods in horses with hyper cooling method, used usually spot horses. Alternatives method consists in tepid water bath of the entire body, and the use of ice in the limbs. The need of alternatives methods of cooling post exercising horses is based in the huge amount of competitors eliminated from endurance rides in Brazil, related to high humidity and hot environments. Nine Standarbred horses were used, three gelding and six mares, aging 8±2,5 years and weighing 462±33 kg, in two experimental sets, performed in May and in July, during four days each, in a cross over experimental design. Horses were exercised in a planned schedule for 30 minutes, after this were placed in a climatic chamber, were treatments were applied. Heart rate, respiratory rate, rectal temperature, sweating, neck skin temperature, thorax skin temperature, croup skin temperature, auricular temperature and tail skin temperature were measured for comparison. Time used in measurements were pre-exercise, immediately post exercise without cooling, 5, 10, 15 and 20 minutes post exercise with cooling, and 5-10 minutes post cooling. Data was processed using linear regression test, and means at each time were compared using T test. Significant difference (p<0,05) was detected in neck skin temperature, thorax skin temperature and croup skin temperature in both experimental sets, and in auricular temperature in May set, although this difference appeared only during cooling treatments. At the end of the test, in minute 30, no difference among treatments were detected in any measurement at any experimental set. Both alternative cooling methods here proposed made no difference in post exercise body cooling terms, when compared with hyper-cooling method, at minute 30 of the test.

Este trabalho foi realizado no verão de 2002 e teve como objetivo avaliar a influência de alguns recursos de climatização na produção de leite, na termorregulação dos animais e nos investimentos nas instalações. Foram utilizadas 10 primíparas e 17 vacas em lactação, distribuídas em instalação controle (ICO), instalação com nebulizador associado a ventiladores (ICL) e instalação com tela de sombreamento. A produção de leite e o consumo individual foram medidos diariamente para cada animal. A temperatura retal foi medida três vezes ao dia, em três animais de cada instalação; a temperatura de superfície da pele, três vezes ao dia em todos os animais; e a freqüência respiratória, duas vezes ao dia em todos os animais. Os dados climáticos de cada instalação foram registrados e posteriormente calculados os índices de temperatura e umidade (ITU), de globo negro e umidade (ITGU) e a entalpia. Foram selecionados e analisados 26 dias com entalpia elevada. O índice de globo negro e umidade foi menor no tratamento climatizado, porém a entalpia menor foi observada no tratamento com tela. O índice de temperatura e umidade não diferenciou o ambiente climático das instalações. Índice de temperatura e umidade entre 75 e 76, apesar de considerado estressante por diversas fontes da literatura, não foi associado à condição de estresse pelos animais. As vacas da instalação climatizada apresentaram freqüência respiratória e temperatura de pele significativamente menor em relação às vacas das demais instalações. As primíparas apresentaram freqüências respiratórias e temperaturas retais mais altas do que as vacas, em todos os horários. A maior produção de leite das vacas do tratamento tela foi associada à menor entalpia neste tratamento, em comparação aos demais. Os resultados econômicos demonstraram que foi viável a utilização de tela de sombreamento como recurso para minimizar o calor. / This work was carried out during the summer of 2002. The objective was to evaluate the influence of some cooling systems on the milk yield, animal thermoregulation and housing investments. Ten heifers and seventeen milking cows were distributed in the control housing (ICO), mist &amp; fan housing (ICL) and screen shade (IT). The milk yield and the individual intake were daily measured for each animal. The rectal temperature was measured three times a day with three animals from each treatment. The skin surface temperature was collected three times a day for all the animals and the respiratory frequency two times a day for all the animals. The climatic data of each housing were registered to calculate the temperature humidity index (ITU), the black globe humidity index (ITGU) and enthalpy. Twenty six days of high enthalpy were selected and analyzed. The black globe humidity index was lower for the mist &amp; fan treatment while the lowest enthalpy was observed for the screen shade treatment. The temperature humidity index was not able to differentiate the climatic environment of the houses. The study showed that temperature humidity index between 75 and 76 was not associated with stress conditions for the animals, although many researches propose this situation as stressing. The milking cows in the mist &amp; fan treatment showed respiratory frequency and skin surface temperature significantly lower than the cows in the other treatments. The heifers presented respiratory frequency and rectal temperature higher than the cows in all the registration times. The higher milk yield of the cows in the screen shade treatment was associated with the lower enthalpy on this treatment in comparison with the others. Economic results demonstrated that screen shade was a feasible option to decrease the heat stress of the animals.

La prévalence de l'obésité et le sédentarisme chez les adolescents augmentate de manière significative dans le monde entier. La chaleur de l'environnement est une préoccupation supplémentaire au moment de recommander la pratique du sport chez les adolescents obèses et sédentaires. Les risques liés á l’augmentation de la température centrale du corps sont á considérer. L’augmentation de température est un facteur aggravant qui augmente de la perception de l'effort (IPE), l’irritabilité, et modifie les sensations liées au confort thermique. Il existe peu d'études ayant evalué les réponses de thermorégulation et la perception des filles pratiquant l'exercice dans la chaleur, en particulier chez les filles obèses. Par conséquent, il est utile d’apporter plus de précisions sur l'impact de l'obésité associée ou non à un mode de vie sédentaire pendant les activités sportives dans la chaleur. Le but de cette étude était de déterminer et comparer la thermorégulation et les réponses perceptives des filles pubères obèses et de poids normal avec un profil de forme cardiorespiratoire élevé (fit) et faible (unfit) avant, pendant et après deux séances d'entraînement dans la chaleur. Ceci a été réalisé au cours d’ une étude transversale dans laquelle 34 filles: 21 obèses (12 fit et 9 unfit) et 13 de poids normal (5 fit et 8 unfit) ont pédalé pendant 50 minutes sur un ergomètre à 36oC et 40% HR à l'intérieur une chambre environnementale. Deux séances d'exercice avec des intensités d’efforts différentes ont été réalisées. Dans la première session l'objectif a été fixé á 45% du VO2pic (Sèance % VO2pic) et dans la seconde á 4,5 W.kg-1 (Sèance PCM). Pendant les séances d'exercice, la température rectale (Tre), la température de la peau (IPEau), la fréquence cardiaque (FC), IPE, l’ irritabilité, et les sensations thermique et de confort thermique ont été recueillies. Aucune différence n'a été identifiée entre les groupes tout au long de la séance d'exercice et de récupération pour les variables de thermorégulation, perception et transpiration dans les deux conditions d’effort testées. Les résultats de ce travail montrent que indépendamment de la capacité cardiorespiratoire, dans les conditions d'exercice et le stress thermique de 36oC et 40% d'humidité relative, les filles pubères obèses ou non ont des réponses de thermorégulation et perception similaires lors de l'exercice effectué au cours d’ un ergocycle réalisé á températures élevées. / A prevalência da obesidade e do sedentarismo entre os adolescentes vem aumentando mundialmente de forma significativa. Acredita-se que o calor ambiental é uma preocupação adicional ao recomendar a prática esportiva em adolescentes obesos e sedentários, pois além dos riscos de aumento da temperatura corporal central, representa um agravante no aumento da percepção ao esforço (IPE), da irritabilidade, da sensação térmica e do conforto térmico. Ainda são poucos os estudos que avaliaram respostas termorregulatórias e perceptivas de meninas que realizaram exercícios no calor, especialmente de meninas obesas. Portanto, são necessários mais esclarecimentos das repercussões da obesidade combinada ou não com o sedentarismo durante a prática de atividades esportivas no calor. O objetivo deste estudo foi determinar e comparar as respostas termorregulatórias e perceptivas de meninas púberes obesas e eutróficas com alta (fit) e baixa (unfit) aptidão cardiorrespiratória antes, durante e após duas sessões de exercício no calor. Trata-se de um estudo de caráter transversal em que 34 meninas: 21 obesas (12 fit e 9 unfit) e 13 eutróficas (5 fit e 8 unfit) pedalaram durante 50 minutos em cicloergômetro no calor (36oC e 40% de umidade relativa do ar) dentro de uma câmara ambiental. Foram realizadas duas sessões de exercício com metas de intensidade diferentes. Na primeira sessão, fixou-se a meta de intensidade em 45% do pico de Volume de O2 (Sessão %VO2pico) e na segunda, em 4,5 W.kg-1 (Sessão PCM). Durante as sessões de exercício, foram coletadas temperatura retal (Tre), temperatura de pele (Tpele), frequência cardíaca (FC), IPE, irritabilidade, sensação térmica e conforto térmico. Não foram identificadas diferenças entre os grupos ao longo da sessão de exercício e recuperação para as variáveis termorregulatórias, perceptivas e de sudorese quando meninas obesas e eutróficas fit e unfit pedalaram em cicloergômetro a 45% do VO2pico ou a 4,5 W.kg-1 durante 50 minutos em câmara ambiental. Assim, conclui-se que independente do estado nutricional ou aptidão cardiorrespiratória, sob as condições de exercício e estresse térmico de 36oC e 40% UR, meninas púberes apresentam respostas termorregulatórias e perceptivas semelhantes quando submetidas a uma sessão de exercício em cicloergômetro no calor. / Obesity prevalence and sedentary behavior among teenagers is increasing significantly worldwide. It is believed that the heat stress is an additional concern when recommending the practice of sports to obese and sedentary adolescents. In addition, the risks of increasing core body temperature is an aggravating factor to the increase in the perceived exertion (RPE) irritability, thermal sensation and thermal comfort. Few studies have evaluated thermoregulatory and perceptual responses in girls who underwent exercise in the heat, especially in obese girls. Therefore, further understanding of the impact of obesity combined or not with sedentary behavior during sport activities under heat stress is still required. The aim of this study was to determine and to compare the thermoregulatory and perceptual responses of obese and eutrophic pubescent girls with high (fit) and low (unfit) cardiorespiratory capacity, before,during and after two workouts under heat stress. This is a transversal study including 34 girls, in which 21 obese (12 fit and 9 unfit) and 13 eutrophic (5 fit and 8 unfit) cycled for 50 min on a cycle ergometer under heat stress (36oC and 40% RH), inside an environmental chamber. Two exercise sessions with different intensity targets were performed. In the first session, the intensity target was set at 45% of the VO2peak (% VO2peak Session), and the second was set at 4.5 W.kg-1 (MHP Session). During the exercise sessions, rectal temperature (Tre), skin temperature (Tskin), heart rate (HR) RPE, irritability, thermal sensation, and thermal comfort were collected. No differences were detected between groups throughout the exercise and during the recovery session for thermoregulatory, perceptive and sweat variables when obese and eutrophic fit and unfit girls exercised on a cycle ergometer at 45% of VO2peak or 4.5 W.kg-1 for 50 min in an environmental chamber. Therefore, it is concluded that, regardless the nutritional status or cardiorespiratory capacity, under the conditions of exercise and heat stress of 36oC and 40% RH, pubescent girls have similar thermoregulatory and perceptual responses when exercising on a cycle ergometer in the heat.

O objetivo do estudo foi a avaliação dos mecanismos termorreguladores, baseada numa abordagem temporal em função de diferentes armazenamentos de calor, proporcionados por diferentes tipos de ambientes térmicos (com e sem radiação solar). Foram utilizadas 12 búfalas da raça Mediterrânea que foram submetidas a quatro experimentos durante o verão de 2010 a 2012 delineados para o comprimento dos objetivos específicos. Nos vários experimentos os parâmetros meteorológicos registrados foram: temperatura de bulbo seco, temperatura de bulbo úmido, umidade relativa do ar, velocidade do vento e temperatura de globo negro. Os parâmetros fisiológicos avaliados foram: temperatura retal, temperatura da base da cauda, temperatura da epiderme, temperatura de superfície do pelame, frequência respiratória e taxa de sudação. As análises estatísticas foram realizadas com auxílio do programa Statistical Analysis System, versão 9.1.3 (SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA), utilizando-se os procedimentos PROC MIXED. No experimento 1 que visou verificar as reações termorreguladoras ao ambiente aquecido em unidade biometeorológica, o aumento da temperatura do ar em ambiente controlado influenciou todas as variáveis fisiológicas ao longo do dia (P&lt;0,01). O incremento na taxa de sudação durante o período de estresse térmico determinou a depleção na concentração plasmática de potássio (P=0,0051). No experimento 2que avaliou as reações termorreguladoras na presença de radiação solar direta averiguamos que houve influência da exposição ao sol sobre todas as variáveis fisiológicas ao longo do dia (P&lt;0,01). O gradiente térmico favorável no período noturno atenuou os efeitos do estresse térmico não constatando o efeito da exposição a radiação solar direta sobre os constituintes sanguíneos. No experimento 3que objetivou quantificar a velocidade de aquisição de calor ao sol comparando-a posteriormente com a velocidade de dissipação do calor à sombra, constatamos que a exposição por uma hora ao sol incrementou a frequência respiratória em 189,24 % e a temperatura retal em 1,46 %, após o retorno a sombra, por uma hora, verificamos uma redução de 191,75 % e 0,57 %, respectivamente. No experimento 4avaliamos a dinâmica da termólise evaporativa e o balanço térmico de radiação e convecção em condições de radiação solar direta. À medida que reduz a temperatura radiante média, os animais passam a perder o calor armazenado por radiação, reduzem as perdas por polipnéia térmica ao passo que as perdas por sudação permanecem altas. / The aim of the study was to evaluate the thermoregulatory mechanisms, based on a temporal approach, in relation to different heat storages provided by different types of thermal environments (with and without solar radiation). Twelve Mediterranean buffalo heifers were submitted to four experiments during the summer of 2010 to 2012 outlined to achieve specific objectives. Environmental parameters dry bulb temperature; wet bulb temperature; relative humidity; winds speed and black globe temperature were measured. Physiological parameters rectal temperature; base of tail temperature; skin temperature; hair coat surface temperature; respiratory rate and sweating rate were measured. The statistical analysis were done with the assistance of the Statistical Analysis System, version9.1.3(SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA), using procedures UNIVARIATE,CORR, GLM and MIXED. The first experiment aimed to verify the thermoregulatory reactions of the warm environment in the climatic chamber. Increasing the air temperature in a controlled environment influenced all physiological variables throughout the day (P&lt;0,01). The increase in the sweating rate during heat stress led to the depletion of plasma potassium (P=0,0051). In experiment 2, which assessed the thermoregulatory reactions in the presence of direct solar radiation, it was observed the influence of sun exposure on all physiological variables throughout the day (P&lt;0.01). The favorable thermal gradient at night attenuated the effects of heat stress without identifying the effect of direct sun exposure on blood constituents. In experiment 3, that aimed to measure the heat acquisition rate under the sun subsequently comparing it with the speed of heat dissipation under the shade, it was observed that one hour exposure to the sun increased respiratory rate at 189,24 % and rectal temperature at 1,46 %. After returning the shade for one hour, it was found reductions of 191,75 % and 0,57 %, respectively. The Experiment 4 evaluated the dynamics of evaporative thermolysis and thermal balance of radiation and convection under conditions of direct solar radiation. Reducing the mean radiant temperature, the animals started to lose the stored heat by radiation, reduced losses by thermal polipneia while the losses by sweating remain high.

Increased near infrared (NIR) reflection, closely resembling the red edge found in leaves, has been known in frogs for many years. Whereas previously thought of as an isolated rarity, we have shown that it is likely far more prevalent than previously believed, occurring in multiple distinct family groups and world regions. To date, there are now 26 anuran species known to demonstrate increased NIR reflectance, from 12 different genera, 4 families, and 3 ecozones. The visible/NIR reflection spectra of each individual measured was found to be characteristic of its species; whether it was wild or captive bred; and its sex. A machine learning based classification system was demonstrated as a viable method of identifying these properties from a frog's reflection spectra alone. How this reflection spectra developed from a pre-metamorphosis froglet through to adult frog was tracked, with the gradual changes to the reflection spectra of both NIR reflective and other frogs identified as being most likely dominated by the reduction in epidermal melanophores, and the increasing number of dermal iridophores. A modified consumer camera was shown to be a viable method for rapid identification of increased NIR reflection in anurans, and was used to identify that salamanders also show variation in NIR reflection between ground dwelling and leaf sitting species. The overnight colour change in Hylomantis lemur was observed, and found to occur pre-emptively of the frog's future location; with the frogs regularly transitioning from pale green ‘daytime' colouration, to the dark brown ‘night time' colouration, while still on the green leaf surface before becoming active, and undertaking the reverse transition while still active, but shortly before returning to the leaf. It seems likely that this change is for protection from silhouetting whilst active. Optical coherence tomography images were taken of several species of frog, and found to be a viable method for non-invasive investigation of anuran skin structure, with structural differences observed between the two colourations of H. lemur. It was found that the most likely cause of the increased NIR reflection in frogs is a reduction in melanin, either by absence or substitution with pterorhodin. Although the true benefit to the frog is difficult to determine, it seems likely that cryptic thermoregulation plays a key role: the maintenance of body temperature for the purpose of camouflage from animals capable of far-infrared vision. This thesis demonstrates the legitimacy of several techniques and approaches for non-invasive study of anurans, but the ultimate scope of the project is fundamentally limited by the range of frogs available. Further insight is likely to arise from increasing this scope, applying these techniques to more frogs, from more species, in more regions, and the author wishes all future researchers the greatest success in this endeavour.