Cold Temperature ; adverse effects ; Humans ; Occupational Diseases ; diagnosis ; Occupational Exposure ; adverse effects ; Skin Temperature ; Thermosensing ; physiology

*Acupuncture Therapy ; Autonomic Nervous System/*physiology ; *Electric Stimulation Therapy ; *Galvanic Skin Response ; Moxibustion ; *Skin Temperature

To investigate the influence of temperature and humidity on skin friction property and to unveil the mechanism therein involved, a test of friction coefficient for four volunteers was carried out on a multi-specimen friction tester. The temperature and humidity of skin were measured with infrared temperature instrument and dermohygrometer. The results showed that the fluidity and ductility of skin were affected by the change of skin temperature. The skin temperature decreasing friction coefficient and the normal displacement decreased first, and then remained unchanged, deformation friction and adhesive friction being the major underlying mechanism. Humidity significantly affected the skin friction properties. The friction coefficient increased with the increasing of humidity. When skin humidity reached to 42% or so, the friction coefficient increased to 1.0 and higher. Meniscus effect was noted to be the major cause of moist skin surface with high friction coefficient.
Adult ; Body Water ; physiology ; Female ; Friction ; Humans ; Humidity ; Male ; Skin ; metabolism ; Skin Physiological Phenomena ; Skin Temperature ; Surface Properties ; Young Adult

The present study was performed to investigate the effect on the skin and the intra-articular structures of 5-minutes of cold air application. During and after 5 minutes of cold air application on 20 healthy subjects, the skin and intra-articular temperatures were measured by means of an infrared thermogram and a digital k-wire probe, respectively. The results showed that 1) Skin temperature dropped very rapidly by a total of 22.1 degrees C after 5 minutes of cold air application. 2) Intra-articular temperature dropped by 3.9 degrees C after 5 minutes of cold air application. 3) Two hours after the start of treatment with cold air, intra-articular temperatures had still not returned to their baseline values (p < 0.01). 4) The baseline skin temperature and the baseline intra-articular temperature were significantly correlated r=0.51 (p < 0.05). However, there was no significant correlation between the skin temperature change and the intra-articular temperature change after 5 minutes and after two hours of cold air application. Finally, 5) a significant correlation r=-0.72 (p < 0.01) between the body mass index and the baseline skin temperatures was found. There was no significant correlation between the body mass index and the temperature changes, at the skin or in the knee joint, either during or after cryotherapy (p > 0.05).
Adult ; Aged ; Body Mass Index ; *Body Temperature ; *Cryotherapy ; Female ; Human ; Knee Joint/*physiology ; Male ; Middle Age ; *Skin Temperature

Unilateral thoracic sympathectomy in patients with palmar hyperhidrosis causes a skin temperature drop in the contralateral hand. A cross-inhibitory effect by the post-ganglionic neurons innervating hands is postulated as a mechanism of contralateral vasoconstriction. The purpose of our study was to evaluate whether this cross-inhibitory effect also occurs in the feet. Twenty patients scheduled for thoracoscopic sympathicotomy due to palmar hyperhidosis were studied. Right T3 sympathicotomy was performed first, followed by left T3 sympathicotomy. The thenar skin temperatures of both hands and feet were continuously monitored using a thermometer and recorded before induction of anesthesia, during the operation, 4 hr after and 1 week later. Following right T3 sympathicotomy, the skin temperature of the ipsilateral hand gradually increased, however the skin temperature of the contralateral hand gradually decreased. Immediately after bilateral sympathicotomy, the skin temperature differences between hands and feet increased, but these differences decreased 1 week later. Our results show that cross-inhibitory control may exist in feet as well as in the contralateral hand. Thus, the release of cross-inhibitory control following T3 sympathicotomy results in vasoconstriction and decrease of skin temperature on the contralateral hand and feet. One week later, however, the temperature balance on hands and feet recovers.
Thoracoscopy ; Sympathectomy/*methods ; *Skin Temperature ; Male ; Hyperhidrosis/physiopathology/*surgery ; Humans ; Hand/physiology/*surgery ; Foot/physiology ; Female ; Body Temperature Regulation ; Adult ; Adolescent

PURPOSE: The purposes of this study were to explain the phenomena of hot flashes in climacteric women by using Mexameter, Skin Thermometer, Corneometer, and Laser Doppler Perfusion Imager (LDPI) objectively and to identify the interrelation between the subjective and objective measurements of hot flashes by comparing the two as reported in retrospective questionnaires. METHODS: The participants were one hundred women (45-60 yr) who were not currently on hormone therapy, and had reached hot flash scores of 10 or higher. Hot flashes were measured in a temperature and humidity controlled room for 7 hr from 10 am to 5 pm. Hot flashes were measured subjectively and recorded via the Hot Flash Diary Report. When participants felt the hot flashes, they were measured objectively by Mexameter, Skin Thermometer, Corneometer, and LDPI. RESULTS: The frequency of hot flashes in participants ranged from 1 to 7 times. When hot flashes occurred in participants, the erythema, skin temperature, skin hydration, and blood perfusion showed statistically significant changes in all measurements. But, the subjective and objective measurements of hot flashes showed only weak correlations. CONCLUSION: Results indicate a need for future research with subjective and objective measuring instruments chosen depending variations identified for the study.
Climacteric ; Erythema/etiology ; Face/blood supply/physiology ; Female ; Hot Flashes/*complications/epidemiology ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Postmenopause ; Skin Temperature/physiology

OBJECTIVETo explore the technique of temperature control on the abdomen in penetrating moxibustion through observing moxibustion time on the abdomen, abdominal skin temperature and effect after moxibustion so as to provide the safe, effective and easily applicable method for penetrating moxibustion.

METHODSThirty-two patients were selected in an observation group, 32 healthy persons in a control group. In the observation group, the penetrating moxibustion was applied to the corresponding acupoint locations according to different symptoms. In the control group, moxibustion was used on the abdomen around the umbilicus. The skin temperature was recorded once every minute. The skin temperature of known heat sensation, the time of known heat sensation, the known reduced temperature, the time of temperature reducing, the skin temperature difference, the duration of penetrating moxibustion and the reaction of moxibustion from participants were recorded.

RESULTSThe differences in the skin temperature of known heat sensation, the time of known heat sensation and the duration of penetrating moxibustion were significant statistically in comparison between the observation group and the control group (all P<0.01). The differences in the known reduced temperature, the time of temperature reducing and the skin tem- perature difference were not significant (all P>0.05). The differences were significant statistically in skin rashes and moxibustion reaction (gastrointestinal peristalsis, chills, ant climbing feeling and hunger, etc.) between the two groups (P<0.01). The differences were not significant statistically in flushing, sweating and blisters (all P>0.05).

CONCLUSION(1) The level of temperature sensitivity in the observation group is lower than that in the control group. During penetrating moxibustion, the sensations such as gastrointestinal peristalsis, chills, ant climbing feeling and hunger appear easily, suggesting the positive self-adjustment in the body. (2) During penetrating moxibustion, the warm feeling is penetrated not just from the epidermis to the abdominal cavity and lumbar region, but also up to thehead and down to the knee. (3) The flushing, sweating and skin rashes are the important indices for the effectiveness of penetrating moxibustion. (4) The temperature control is the core technique of penetrating moxibustion. The penetrating moxibustion in 28 min to 32 min and the temperature controlled in 43 degrees C to 45 degrees C can solve the moxibustion smoky impact to the environment, but also relieve pains of the patients.

Abdomen ; physiology ; Acupuncture Points ; Adult ; Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Moxibustion ; Skin Temperature ; Thermosensing ; Young Adult

Female ; Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome ; diagnosis ; Humans ; Hypothermia ; diagnosis ; Male ; Reference Standards ; Skin Temperature ; physiology ; Young Adult

Poor spermatogenesis in patients with inflammation of the genital tract is associated with scrotal hyperthermia. These patients can benefit from acupuncture treatment. We conducted a study to verify whether the influence of acupuncture treatment on sperm output in patients with low sperm density is associated with a decrease in scrotal temperature. The experimental group included 39 men who were referred for acupuncture owing to low sperm output. The control group, which comprised 18 normal fertile men, was used to define a threshold (30.5 degrees C) above which scrotal skin temperature was considered to be high. Accordingly, 34 of the 39 participants in the experimental group initially had high scrotal skin temperature; the other five had normal values. Scrotal skin temperature and sperm concentration were measured before and after acupuncture treatment. The five patients with initially normal scrotal temperatures were not affected by the acupuncture treatment. Following treatment, 17 of the 34 patients with hyperthermia, all of whom had genital tract inflammation, had normal scrotal skin temperature; in 15 of these 17 patients, sperm count was increased. In the remaining 17 men with scrotal hyperthermia, neither scrotal skin temperature nor sperm concentration was affected by the treatment. About 90% of the latter patients suffered from high gonadotropins or mixed etiological factors. Low sperm count in patients with inflammation of the genital tract seems to be associated with scrotal hyperthermia, and, consequently, acupuncture treatment is recommended for these men.
Acupuncture ; Adult ; Body Temperature Regulation ; physiology ; Humans ; Infertility, Male ; etiology ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Male ; Oligospermia ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Reference Values ; Scrotum ; physiopathology ; Skin Temperature ; physiology ; Sperm Count ; Spermatogenesis ; physiology ; Treatment Outcome

The aim of this study was to determine whether skin temperature measurement by digital thermography on hands and feet is useful for diagnosis of Raynaud's phenomenon (RP). Fifty-seven patients with RP (primary RP, n = 33; secondary RP, n = 24) and 146 healthy volunteers were recruited. After acclimation to room temperature for 30 min, thermal imaging of palmar aspect of hands and dorsal aspect of feet were taken. Temperature differences between palm (center) and the coolest finger and temperature differences between foot dorsum (center) and first toe significantly differed between patients and controls. The area under curve analysis showed that temperature difference of the coolest finger (cutoff value: 2.2degrees C) differentiated RP patients from controls (sensitivity/specificity: 67/60%, respectively). Temperature differences of first toe (cutoff value: 3.11degrees C) also discriminated RP patients (sensitivity/specificity: about 73/66%, respectively). A combination of thermographic assessment of the coolest finger and first toe was highly effective in men (sensitivity/specificity : about 88/60%, respectively) while thermographic assessment of first toe was solely sufficient for women (sensitivity/specificity: about 74/68%, respectively). Thermographic assessment of the coolest finger and first toe is useful for diagnosing RP. In women, thermography of first toe is highly recommended.
Adult ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Fingers/*physiology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; ROC Curve ; Raynaud Disease/*diagnosis ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Skin Temperature ; *Thermography ; Toes/*physiology