Temperature and its measurement Flashcards
(139 cards)
What is thermoneutral zone
thermoneutral zone is the range of ambient temperature in which an person can maintain body temperature without increasing body heat production (metabolic rate) above resting level or at minmum oxygen consumption - at thermal equilibrium with environment
Minimum heat production is equal to minimum oxygen consumption as metabolism is primarily aerobic
WHat is is the thermoneutral zone for neonates
32-34 degrees
Thermoneutral zone for adults
25-30 degrees
Preterm babies have higher or lower thermoneutral zones and why?
Higher
Increased evaborative heat losses
Why are neonates particularly prone to heat stress (4) I.e why can’t they regulate when hot or cold
prone to getting too chold or too hot because of
- Large surface area to volume ratio
- thin subcutaneous tissue
- limited sweating capacity
- Limited ability to exert direct control on personal environment
This leads to higher proportionate evaporation from skin
Addit reealtive hgiher basal metabolic rate and therefore more heat to lose to maintain thermal equilibrium
Why is the thermoneutral zone less than body temperature
The body has a basal metabolic rate therefore producing more heat than its environment and requires a gradient to lose it too maintain equilibrium
What mechanisms arte used by a neonate to control its body temperature - in response to cold
Position and skin blood flow when within thermoneutral zone
In response to cold
- Behavioural - crying
- Skin vasoconstriction
- Non shivering thermogenesis (brown fat)
- Increased muscular acitivty and shivering - may also lead to removal of insulating materials
(shivering not well developed)
What is brown fat - how is it different to regular fat, where is it
Metabolically active fat tissue important for heat production in babies - increased metabolic activity producing heat (a type of non shivering thermogenesis)
Cytoplasm of ordinary fat cells have large fat globules and minimal mitochondria as they mainly store energy; however in brown fat many fat globules may be present but also large mitochondria
Some uncoupling of oxidative phosphorylation so more heat for a given amount of metabolism, and glycogen is contained which provides glucose
It is located in abdominal locations (perinephric), around large BV, interscapular, base of neck
2-6% of body weight
Total body heat production can be doubled by increased brown fat activity
What mechanisms arte used by a neonate to control its body temperature - in response to heat
Response to warmth
- Behaviorual - crying
- SKin vasodilation
- Sweating (limited compared to adults) but stil can double evaporative heat losses
How much brown fat does a neonate have as a proportion of weight?
How much metabolic acitivty can it account for
2-6% of body weight
Total body heat production can be doubled by increased brown fat activity
Why does brown fat produce so much heat
Some uncoupling of oxidative phosphorylation so more heat for a given amount of metabolism, and glycogen is contained which provides glucose
What key factors in brown fat being used for heat need to be kept in mind for neonates
Oxygen required for heat production - therefore if cold and hypoxic will struggle
What triggers brown fat metabolism?
RIch sympathetic innervation which acts via beta recepotrs to cause increased lipolysis and fatty acid oxidation
Define heat and give its SI units
Heat - a measure of the average kinetic energy of a substance per degree of freedom of its constituent molecules
* Quantity of thermal energy contained in a substance
* Specific heat of water 4.2 kJ/kg/degree
* The body is about 85% of th that at 3.6kJ/kg/degree Celsius
* SI unit for energy si the Joule
What is specific heat capacity?
Specific heat capacity - the heat required to raise unit mass of the substance by 1 degree of temperature
Define temperature
Temperature -physical state of a substance which determines whether or not the substance is in thermal equilibrium with its surroundings - heat energy is transfered from areas of high temperature of lower temperature
* Temperature is a mean energy fo the molecules
* SI unit is kelvin
Define core body temperature
Core temperature - deep body temperature o internal organs measured as the rectal temperature which is 0.5 degrees higher than axillary temperature
Optimal function of enzymes is between what degrees
35-41
Above 45 degrees denature
What does Q10 refer to
The rate of reaction is related to temperature
Ratio of velocity of reaction when temperature increased by 10 degrees
Enzyme reactionstend to increase 2.5x for each 10 degree rise
Draw a diagram representing magnitude of compensatory response against temperature
What are the basic physics principles by which heat transfers
Basic mechanisms of heat transference
* Conduction - flow of heat energy via direct collisions between atoms and molecules of warmer and cooler regions and the resultant transfer of kinetic energy
◦ the better a conductor of heat the faster the rate of transfer e.g. metal feels cold because heat is transferred quickly into it
* Convection the transfer of heat from a body by the liquid or gas which surrounds it
◦ Passive - hot object cooling in still air
◦ Active - blowing air
* Radiation
◦ Hot bodies emit thermal energy in the form of electromagnetic radiation
◦ A black body is a body that absorbs all radiation that falls upon it - the best absorber. They are also the best emitters, the amount of radiation depends on the termperatre (stefan Boltzmann law) the radiation energy per unit of time from a black body is proportional to the 4th power of the temperature
Define conduction
flow of heat energy via direct collisions between atoms and molecules of warmer and cooler regions and the resultant transfer of kinetic energy
Define convection
- Convection the transfer of heat from a body by the liquid or gas which surrounds it
Define radiation
◦ Hot bodies emit thermal energy in the form of electromagnetic radiation