Journals
Editor's picks
Josephine Adams, Editor-in-Chief of Physiological Reports
Browse the article highlights of recently published thermal physiology papers in Physiological Reports.
Professor Josephine C. Adams
Could mindfulness-based preventive strategies help prevent heatstroke in athletes and the military?
Exertional heatstroke, one of the most severe forms of heat-related illness, can occur during sport competition or military training. Charles Verdonk (French Armed Forces Biomedical Research Institute, France) et al., discuss the cognitive factors at play where an individual’s overvaluation of performance-related benefits due to excessive motivation could be coupled with an undervaluation of exertion costs and propose a cognitive model of exertional heatstroke.
Read the full article, ‘Feeling the heat: Investigating interoception and motivation as risk factors for exertional heatstroke’ by Charles Verdonk et al.
Comparing methods of water immersion for active individuals
Risa Iwata (Japan Institute of Sports Sciences, Japan) et al., compare the thermoregulatory responses in baseball players between two different forms of hydrotherapy; carbon dioxide-water immersion vs tap water immersions.
Read the full article, ‘Effects of daily post-training, high-concentration CO2-water immersion on thermoregulatory function in young male baseball players’ by Risa Iwata et al.
Examining the physiology of post-heating recovery
Does hypotension occur following passive heating? To gain insight into the body’s responses during the post-heating recovery period, Emily Larson et al., compared the systemic cardiovascular and carotid baroreflex support of arterial pressure during two hours of normothermic recovery from whole-body, passive heat stress in healthy, young and older adults.
Read the full article, ‘Systemic cardiovascular and carotid baroreflex support of arterial pressure during recovery from passive heat stress in young and older adults’ by Emily A. Larson et al.
A POWER study for female polar trekkers
Pierre Bourdier (University of Strasbourg, France) et al., conducted a POWER study to examine the energy balance in women during polar trekking. The research helps improve our understanding of energy balance regulation in extreme conditions to ensuring trekkers safety and success in polar expeditions.
Read the full article, ‘Energy balance in women during polar trekking—The POWER study’ by Pierre Bourdier et al.
What happens to the heart when a person immerses themselves in ice-cold water?
Since cold water immersion has gained popularity with an increasing number of individuals from various age groups, Anna Lundström (Umeå University, Sweden) et ., wanted to explore the potential risks associated with the activity. They examined the cardiac autonomic response and the occurrence of arrhythmias in healthy adolescents during face immersion and body immersion in ice-cold water.
Read the full article, ‘Assessment of arrhythmias and heart rate response in healthy adolescents performing face immersion and body submersion in ice-cold water’ by Anna Lundström et al.
Time trials and pacing strategy in the heat
Steve Faulkner (Nottingham Trent University, UK) et al., investigated the impact of elevated ambient temperatures on endurance performance. They report that self-paced cycling time trial performance is impaired in the heat in temperatures above 20°C. This is higher than previously reported in laboratory conditions.
Read the full article, ‘The impact of temperature and skeletal muscle oxygen saturation on 40 km cycling time trial performance of male cyclists’ by Steve. H. Faulkner et al.
