title: Validation and adjustment of the mathematical prediction model for human rectal temperature responses to outdoor environmental conditions.
abstract: Models to predict rectal temperature (Tre) have been based on indoor laboratory studies. The present study was conducted to validate and adjust a previously suggested model for outdoor environmental conditions. Four groups of young male volunteers were exposed to three different climatic conditions (30 degrees C, 65% rh; 31 degrees C, 41% rh; 40 degrees C, 20% rh). They were tested both in shaded and open field areas (radiation: 80 and 900 W.m-2, respectively) at different work loads (100, 300 and 450 watt). Exercise consisted of two bouts of 10 minutes rest and 50 minutes walking on a treadmill, at a constant speed (1.4 m.s-1) and different grades. The subjects were tested wearing cotton fatigues and protective garments. Their Tre and heart rate were monitored every 5 min and skin temperature every 15 min, oxygen uptake was measured towards the end of each bout of exercise; concomitantly, ambient temperature, relative humidity and solar load were monitored. We concluded that: (a) the corrected model to predict rectal temperature overestimates the actual measurements when applied outdoors; (b) radiative and convective heat exchanges should be considered separately when using the model outdoors; (c) radiative heat exchange should also be considered separately for short-wave radiation (solar radiation) and long-wave emission from the body to the atmosphere. Finally, an adjusted model to be used outdoors was suggested.
authors.affiliation: Heller Institute of Medical Research, Sheba Medical Centre, Tel-Hashomer, Israel.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Moran
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shapiro
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Epstein
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Burstein
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Stroschein
authors.forename: K B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Pandolf
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001831:Body Temperature; D004777:Environment; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012007:Rectum / Q000502:physiology; D015203:Reproducibility of Results