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Ocobock C. Human cold adaptation: An unfinished agenda v2.0. Am J Hum Biol 2024; 36:e23937. [PMID: 37345289 DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.23937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2023] [Revised: 05/29/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Research on human extreme cold climate adaptations has benefitted from a recent resurgence since Ted Steegmann laid out his Human Cold Adaptation Agenda in 2007. Human biologists have drastically expanded our knowledge in this area during the last 15 years, but we still have a great deal more work to do to fulfill the cold climate adaptation agenda. METHODS Here, I follow Steegmann's example by providing a review of cold climate adaptations and setting forth a new, expanded agenda. RESULTS I review the foundational work on cold climate adaptations including classic Bergmann, Allen, and Thomson rules as well as early work assessing metabolic differences among Indigenous cold climate populations. From there, I discuss some of the groundbreaking work currently taking place on cold climate adaptations such as brown adipose tissue (a heat generating organ), physical activity levels, metabolic rates, and behavioral/cultural mechanisms. Finally, I present a path forward for future research with a focus on some of the basic extreme cold adaptations as well as how human biologists should approach the effects of climate change on human health and well-being, particularly within a cold climate context. CONCLUSION The Arctic has felt the dramatic effects of climate change sooner and more acutely than other parts of the world, making it an ideal location for studying both cold climate adaptations and climate change resilience. Human biologists have a great deal to contribute to the conversation on not only adaptations to extreme cold, but also the ways in which climate change is being embodied by cold climate populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cara Ocobock
- Department of Anthropology, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, USA
- Department of Gender Studies, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, USA
- Eck Institute for Global Health, Institute for Educational Initiatives, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, USA
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Niclou A, Vesi L, Arorae M, Naseri NC, Savusa KF, Naseri T, DeLany JP, McGarvey ST, Rivara AC, Ocobock C. When the cold gets under your skin: Evidence for brown adipose tissue activity in Samoan adults. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2024; 183:e24848. [PMID: 37740598 PMCID: PMC10843446 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2023] [Revised: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/24/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Brown adipose tissue (BAT) is a heat-producing organ aiding nonshivering thermogenesis (NST) during cold stress. Due to its potential cold-adaptive role BAT has been predominantly studied in cold and temperate climate populations, but not among warm-climate adults. This work explores if BAT activity can be inferred in Samoans. MATERIALS AND METHODS We inferred BAT activity by comparing metabolic rate and surface heat dissipation using indirect calorimetry and thermal imaging between room temperature and cold exposure among Samoans (N = 61, females: n = 38) from 'Upolu Island, Samoa. BAT activity was inferred using ANOVA linear regression models with the variables measured at cold exposure as outcomes. T-tests were used to compare changes in surface temperature between room temperature and cold exposure. RESULTS Metabolic rate significantly increased after cooling. In both the supraclavicular area, a known BAT location, and the sternum, a non-BAT location, temperatures decreased significantly upon cold exposure. Differences in supraclavicular temperatures between room temperature and cold were significantly smaller than differences in sternum temperatures between exposures. These results suggest that BAT thermogenesis occurred in known BAT-locations and thus contributed to NST during cooling. CONCLUSIONS This study adds to our understanding of BAT activity across different populations and climates. Further study may illuminate whether the cold-adaptive properties of BAT may have played a role in the successful expansion of populations across the globe, including warm-climate groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Niclou
- Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, LA
- Department of Anthropology, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN
| | - Lupesina Vesi
- Obesity, Lifestyle and Genetic Adaptations (OLaGA) Study Group, Apia, Samoa
| | - Maria Arorae
- Obesity, Lifestyle and Genetic Adaptations (OLaGA) Study Group, Apia, Samoa
| | | | | | | | - James P. DeLany
- AdventHealth Orlando, Translational Research Institute, Orlando, FL
| | - Stephen T. McGarvey
- International Health Institute & Departments of Epidemiology and Anthropology, Brown University, Providence, RI
| | - Anna C. Rivara
- Department of Chronic Disease Epidemiology, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT
| | - Cara Ocobock
- Department of Anthropology, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN
- Eck Institute for Global Health, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN
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Montenegro A, Niclou A, Anderson A, Fitzpatrick SM, Ocobock C. Estimated energetic demands of thermoregulation during ancient canoe passages from Tahiti to Hawaii and New Zealand, a simulation analysis. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0287290. [PMID: 37437072 PMCID: PMC10337932 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0287290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 06/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Prehistoric colonization of East Polynesia represents the last and most extensive of human migrations into regions previously uninhabited. Although much of East Polynesia is tropical, the southern third, dominated by New Zealand-by far the largest Polynesian landmass-ranges from a warm- to cool-temperate climate with some islands extending into the Subantarctic. The substantial latitudinal variation implies questions about biocultural adaptations of tropical people to conditions in which most of their familiar resources were absent and their agriculture marginal. Perhaps the most basic question, but one which has never been explored, is the extent to which sailing out of the tropics on long-distance colonizing voyages imposed physiological stress on canoe crews and passengers. In this paper we use trajectories of simulated voyages from Tahiti to New Zealand and Tahiti to Hawaii to obtain along-trip environmental parameters which are then used to model the energy expenditure of these long overseas journeys. Results show that travelers to New Zealand are exposed to much harsher environmental conditions, leading to significantly greater in-trip thermoregulatory demands. For both destinations, travelers with larger body sizes exhibit lower modeled heat loss and hence obtain an energetic advantage, with greater gains for females. Such physiological features, notably of Samoans who probably formed the founding population in East Polynesia, may help explain successful voyaging to temperate latitudes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alvaro Montenegro
- Department of Geography, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States of America
| | - Alexandra Niclou
- Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, LA, United States of America
- Department of Anthropology, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, United States of America
| | - Atholl Anderson
- Department of Archaeology and Natural History, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
- Ngai Tahu Research Centre, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Scott M. Fitzpatrick
- Department of Anthropology, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, United States of America
- Museum of Natural and Cultural History, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, United States of America
| | - Cara Ocobock
- Department of Anthropology, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, United States of America
- Eck Institute for Global Health, Institute for Educational Initiatives, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, United States of America
- Department of Gender Studies, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, United States of America
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Leow MKS. Brown fat detection by infrared thermography-An invaluable research methodology with noteworthy uncertainties confirmed by a mathematical proof. Endocrinol Diabetes Metab 2022; 6:e378. [PMID: 36379014 PMCID: PMC9836251 DOI: 10.1002/edm2.378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 09/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Brown adipose tissue (BAT) represents a pivotal scientific renaissance worthy as a strategy for obesity and diabetes since its re-discovery in adults over a decade ago. Equally compelling is the adoption of infrared thermography (IRT) in recent times as a precise and viable alternative methodology over the 'gold standard' PET-CT scan, given constraints of the latter's high ionizing radiation doses and costs. Unravelling BAT metabolic physiology in live humans has been challenging until recent rigorous validation of IRT against PET. Nevertheless, IRT remains a nascent technique with pitfalls unbeknownst to many researchers. Factors impacting its accuracy merit an in-depth scientific scrutiny. This article discusses the strengths and pitfalls of IRT as an emergent BAT detection technique and provides a mathematical proof of its limitations that BAT researchers should be cognizant of. Understanding these limitations of IRT can prompt extra efforts to control these uncertainties with greater rigour. In conclusion, this warrants further investigations of improving IRT quality via advanced auto-segmentation, powerful image processing of thermograms and protocol standardization along the lines of BARCIST 1.0 to minimize errors and enhance the confidence of the global BAT research community in IRT as a robust and reliable BAT research tool.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melvin K. S. Leow
- Department of Human DevelopmentSingapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, A*STARSingapore CitySingapore,Lee Kong Chian School of MedicineSingapore CitySingapore,Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disorders ProgramDuke‐NUS Medical SchoolSingapore CitySingapore,Department of EndocrinologyTan Tock Seng HospitalSingapore CitySingapore
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Frankl JA, An Y, Sherwood A, Hao G, Huang FY, Thapa P, Clegg DJ, Sun X, Scherer PE, Öz OK. Comparison of BMIPP-SPECT/CT to 18FDG-PET/CT for Imaging Brown or Browning Fat in a Preclinical Model. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:4880. [PMID: 35563272 PMCID: PMC9101718 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23094880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2022] [Revised: 04/14/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Obesity is a leading cause of preventable death and morbidity. To elucidate the mechanisms connecting metabolically active brown adipose tissue (BAT) and metabolic health may provide insights into methods of treatment for obesity-related conditions. 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (18FDG-PET/CT) is traditionally used to image human BAT activity. However, the primary energy source of BAT is derived from intracellular fatty acids and not glucose. Beta-methyl-p-iodophenylpentadecanoic acid (BMIPP) is a fatty acid analogue amenable to in vivo imaging by single photon emission computed tomography/CT (SPECT/CT) when radiolabeled with iodine isotopes. In this study, we compare the use of 18FDG-PET/CT and 125I-BMIPP-SPECT/CT for fat imaging to ascertain whether BMIPP is a more robust candidate for the non-invasive evaluation of metabolically active adipose depots. Interscapular BAT, inguinal white adipose tissue (iWAT), and gonadal white adipose tissue (gWAT) uptake of 18FDG and 125I-BMIPP was quantified in mice following treatment with the BAT-stimulating drug CL-316,243 or saline vehicle control. After CL-316,243 treatment, uptake of both radiotracers increased in BAT and iWAT. The standard uptake value (SUVmean) for 18FDG and 125I-BMIPP significantly correlated in these depots, although uptake of 125I-BMIPP in BAT and iWAT more closely mimicked the fold-change in metabolic rate as measured by an extracellular flux analyzer. Herein, we find that imaging BAT with the radioiodinated fatty acid analogue BMIPP yields more physiologically relevant data than 18FDG-PET/CT, and its conventional use may be a pivotal tool for evaluating BAT in both mice and humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph A. Frankl
- Department of Radiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; (J.A.F.); (A.S.); (G.H.); (P.T.); (X.S.)
| | - Yu An
- Department of Anesthesiology, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA;
| | - Amber Sherwood
- Department of Radiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; (J.A.F.); (A.S.); (G.H.); (P.T.); (X.S.)
| | - Guiyang Hao
- Department of Radiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; (J.A.F.); (A.S.); (G.H.); (P.T.); (X.S.)
| | - Feng-Yun Huang
- Department of Medical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, Central Taiwan University of Science and Technology, No. 666, Buzih Road, Beitun District, Taichung City 406053, Taiwan;
| | - Pawan Thapa
- Department of Radiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; (J.A.F.); (A.S.); (G.H.); (P.T.); (X.S.)
| | - Deborah J. Clegg
- Department of Internal Medicine, Texas Tech Health Sciences Center, 5001 El Paso Dr, El Paso, TX 79905, USA;
| | - Xiankai Sun
- Department of Radiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; (J.A.F.); (A.S.); (G.H.); (P.T.); (X.S.)
| | - Philipp E. Scherer
- Touchstone Diabetes Center, Department of Internal Medicine, Southwestern Medical Center, University of Texas, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd, Dallas, TX 75390, USA;
| | - Orhan K. Öz
- Department of Radiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; (J.A.F.); (A.S.); (G.H.); (P.T.); (X.S.)
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