Heat adaptation in humans: extrapolating from basic to applied science

A century of exercise physiology: key concepts in muscle cell volume regulation

Skeletal muscle cells can both gain and lose volume during periods of exercise and rest. Muscle cells do not behave as perfect osmometers because the cell volume changes are less than predicted from the change in extracellular osmolality. Therefore, there are mechanisms involved in regulating cell volume, and they are different for regulatory volume decreases and regulatory volume increases. Also, after an initial rapid change in cell volume, there is a gradual and partial recovery of cell volume that is effected by ion and water transport mechanisms. The mechanisms have been studied in non-contracting muscle cells, but remain to be fully elucidated in contracting muscle. Changes in muscle cell volume are known to affect the strength of contractile activity as well as anabolic/catabolic signaling, perhaps indicating that cell volume should be a regulated variable in skeletal muscle cells. Muscles contracting at moderate to high intensity gain intracellular volume because of increased intracellular osmolality. Concurrent increases in interstitial (extracellular) muscle volume occur from an increase in osmotically active molecules and increased vascular filtration pressure. At the same time, non-contracting muscles lose cell volume because of increased extracellular (blood) osmolality. This review provides the physiological foundations and highlights key concepts that underpin our current understanding of volume regulatory processes in skeletal muscle, beginning with consideration of osmosis more than 200 years ago and continuing through to the process of regulatory volume decrease and regulatory volume increase.

Health Risks to the Russian Population from Temperature Extremes at the Beginning of the XXI Century

Climate change and climate-sensitive disasters caused by climatic hazards have a significant and increasing direct and indirect impact on human health. Due to its vast area, complex geographical environment and various climatic conditions, Russia is one of the countries that suffers significantly from frequent climate hazards. This paper provides information about temperature extremes in Russia in the beginning of the 21st century, and their impact on human health. A literature search was conducted using the electronic databases Web of Science, Science Direct, Scopus, and e-Library, focusing on peer-reviewed journal articles published in English and in Russian from 2000 to 2021. The results are summarized in 16 studies, which are divided into location-based groups, including Moscow, Saint Petersburg and other large cities located in various climatic zones: in the Arctic, in Siberia and in the southern regions, in ultra-continental and monsoon climate. Heat waves in cities with a temperate continental climate lead to a significant increase in all-cause mortality than cold waves, compared with cities in other climatic zones. At the same time, in northern cities, in contrast to the southern regions and central Siberia, the influence of cold waves is more pronounced on mortality than heat waves. To adequately protect the population from the effects of temperature waves and to carry out preventive measures, it is necessary to know specific threshold values of air temperature in each city.