Heat and fire

What is heat? Have any one of you ever wondered about what is heat! Well heat is
basically transfer of energy from one medium to another medium or degree of
warmth or hotness which could be surroundings, environment etc.Heat is basically
most significant part of fire which is also the major part of this universe as well as
our earth is concerned. The heat is gained when fire is burning in the furnace or in
the room or when the sun light falls on the surface then energy dissipation takes
place in the core of that material etc.You might have experienced electrical heaters
used in most of the houses around the world to get warmth in the winter season.
This heat is also due to the fire but different form of fire like due to light energy of
electrons present in the filaments of heaters. Heat is essential as fire and it is the
secondary part of fire it would not be wrong to say that fire is to heat but heat is
present and could be obtained from a vast variety of sources present in the
universe as well as in earth. Heat plays vital role in any way. It is indispensible part
of human beings lives as well without which we humans can’t do any thing in our
daily life,say we want to have a toast in the morning for the breakfast and egg as
well like omelet, so for this purpose we will be requiring heat to cook which we can
get from any source but for heat fire is necessary without the fire burn we can’t
even think of getting heat to cook and to perform certain other daily life works.
Without heat you could imagine the consequences at your own because if it was’nt
present then we wont be able to do any thing make ourselves warm in the winter
season and we won’t be able to cook without it as well we could think us of being
miserable!.Above all one thing is for sure that fire is to heat so if you ever want to
get heat you ‘ll have to first ignite or burn fire otherwise you won’t get any of these.
Most of the heat is basically obtained by our sun which is the major source of all
types of heats present in our atmosphere, this is the actual core of and central
command of all heats because it has burning fire which is much enormous and of
great intensity which could never cools without any external force.Heat has positive
and negative points as well (pros and cons).it has mixed behavior which sometimes
is very essential and useful and sometimes is very lethal as well.You might have
heard about the artificial growth of plants which is being carried in most part of the
world and has gained popularity,is due to the heat obtained from the sunlight which
in turn provides essential energy to the plants to grow in the natural like habitat.
Another useful application of this heat is to cook food and to get warmth in winter
season and in summer in some parts of the world on the beaches etc.If imagine
there would not be any heat thing on the earth then how could you think of getting
warmth and enjoying on the beach in summer and in winter in some parts and you
would not be able to cook any meal during your party or trip on the beach and in
homes as well without it we won’t be able to have barbecue ready during our
sunbathing at homes or in hilly areas etc we could not even imagine to have our
Pizza delivered hot with cheese popping due to this heat which makes it much more
testier and gives it the smoky taste which most of the people like the most. Heat is
necessary from medical point of view to some extent,it is stated by medical
scientisits that heat is necessary for our body why? because heat is essential for the
growth of certain tissues of our body because our body requires vitamin D for
growth,for this purpose we can get this from the heat of sun while sitting in front of
it in winter season,it is necessary for our usual growth.but as said that it is not very
essential because heat works on principle of duality.But heat in contrast with its
benefits is much more aggressive and death killing.Heat stress is the major disease
caused due to heat.

http://www.wikipedia.com

Heat from Sun

The sun is the ultimate renewable energy source. Every day for billions of years, the
sun has been pouring out unimaginable amounts of energy. The Earth, orbiting at a
distance of 150 million kilometres from the sun, intercepts a tiny fraction of this
solar output. At the Earth's surface, incoming energy from the sun is absorbed by
the land, water and atmosphere, and converted into measurable heat. This heat
acts like a giant engine, creating winds and currents in our atmosphere, oceans,
and rivers. The sun's energy also keeps the Earth hospitably warm, a balmy plus
15o C on average.

Most of the sun's energy is emitted as visible light. The trick to using it as an energy
source is being able to convert it from visible light into heat, electricity, or some
other useful form. Most systems that capture solar energy convert it to heat or
electricity, the two forms of energy we use the most.

As an energy source, the sun has a few limitations. Obviously, sunlight is available
only during the daytime. And when it is available, sunlight may be hindered by
clouds, dust, or pollution in the atmosphere, or by trees, buildings, or other physical
obstructions. Nonetheless, sunlight is a highly practical and clean source of energy
in many places around the world.

http://www.re-energy.ca/t-i_solarheat.shtml

The Nutritional Effects of Heat on Food Proteins, with Particular Reference

to Commercial Processing and Home Cooking
H. H. Mitchell, T. S. Hamilton and Jessie R. Beadles

Division of Animal Nutrition, University of Illinois, Urbana

The effect of heat as applied to food products during commercial processing and
home cooking on the nutritive value of the food proteins for the growing rat has
been studied on a number of foods by the nitrogen balance method developed in
this laboratory. The samples compared were unheated, or very mildly heated as in a
solvent-extraction method, and heated to high temperatures by autoclaving in the
laboratory (sunflower seed meal), subjection to oil extraction by the expeller
process (peanut and linseed meals) or the hydraulic process (cottonseed flour), or
subjection to a process of flaking and toasting (corn). As an example of home
cooking, the effect of a standard method of roasting on the proteins of beef was
ascertained. In all cases, the unheated or mildly heated sample and the highly
heated sample were obtained from the same raw material.

During these heating processes the digestibility of the proteins of sunflower seed
meal, cottonseed flour and corn was definitely decreased by amounts ranging from
2.5 to 14.2 percentage units. The biological value of the proteins of peanut meal,
sunflower seed meal, and cottonseed flour was also definitely decreased in these
processes.

The percentage of total heat damage was highest for corn (20) and peanut meal
(18), intermediate for sunflower seed flour (10) and cottonseed flour (11); no heat
damage was demonstrated in the roasting of beef. For flaxseed (linseed), heat
exerted a favorable effect on protein utilization (7%), especially evident in improved
protein digestibility.

The heat processes studied always decreased the thiamine content of those foods
subjected to assay, but the pantothenic acid content was not impaired in the peanut
meals judged by an assay method that does not measure the amount of the vitamin
contained in coenzyme.

http://jn.nutrition.org/cgi/content/abstract/39/3/413

Effects of heat on climate

Climate change and health has been given increasing attention during recent
years, largely initiated and triggered by the insightful report by McMichael
and colleagues published a decade ago. Until then research on, and analysis
of, the impacts of climate change had focussed on environmental change
and impacts on ecosystems. Further review of the health aspects and
assessment of the contribution of climate change to the global burden of
disease has led to a greater understanding of the importance of this issue
and the latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
(IPCC) includes a 40-page chapter on ‘Human health’. However, very sparse
attention is paid to the non-fatal effects of direct heat exposure.

It seems logical that an analysis of the impacts of climate change on human

health should start with a thorough review of what we know about the direct
impacts of climate on health. The most obvious climate variables that people
would be aware of are: air temperature, air humidity, rainfall, wind speed
and wind direction. In addition, a meteorologist could add cloud cover, solar
radiation intensity, air pressure and other more specialised variables. Several
of these variables link to human health via the basic physiological
mechanisms that balance core body temperature at approximately 37°C in
all human beings . A very small range of temperatures around this value is
concomitant to maintaining good health. Serious heat stroke and even death
occurs after a relatively short time if core body temperature goes above
42°C .

Additional mortality due to increased exposure to heat because of climate

change has been studied and reviewed in a number of reports, and is also
given substantial attention in the IPCC report. However, the non-fatal
impacts on health and well-being may be even more important. If core body
temperature exceeds 38°C over several hours, heat exhaustion and reduced
psychometric and motor capacity will occur. Above 39°C, more serious heat
stroke and unconsciousness may occur. Because individual variation is
considerable, heat exposures and possible effects need to be monitored
when work is carried out in hot environments in order to protect more
sensitive people As examples of the most serious effects that can occur
among working people, some information about the situation in a South
African gold mine in the 1950s.

The heat transfer between the human body and the environment depends on
climate and clothing. If air temperatures exceed 35°C, the human body can
only maintain normal core body temperature by the heat-reducing
mechanism of sweat evaporation This mechanism is strongly influenced by
air humidity, wind speed and clothing. In certain climatic conditions, even if
very light clothing is worn, sweat evaporation is not sufficient to maintain
core body temperature and a health-threatening increase in core body
temperature will occur. Internal heat production in the body also greatly
influences the need for sweat evaporation cooling. At rest, this heat
production is low, but for people working or engaging in heavy physical
activities in hot environments, the internal heat production becomes a major
challenge for the maintenance of body heat balance.

Thus, one can easily imagine the situation for workers carrying out heavy
labour in tropical countries where both air temperature and humidity are
high, particularly during the hottest seasons. Heavy labour is common in
agriculture, construction and manufacturing industries without air-
conditioning, and is also a feature of the daily chores of poor people, e.g.
during subsistence agricultural work, crowded cottage industry work and
collection of drinking water or fire-wood. This aspect of climate change and
health has not been fully analysed, even though the physiological
mechanisms have been known for decades and the relevance of climate
change for workers’ health was highlighted 10 years ago in a conference
paper by Kjellstrom. Examples of how heat exposure during work currently
affects people in low and middle-income countries show how serious the
health impacts may be and how worker productivity is reduced among those
who manage to avoid serious heat stroke. Climate change will require
additional interventions to avoid heat stroke and to compensate for reduced
productivity.

Effects of heat from Medical Point of view

Hyperthermia is a situation in which the actual body temperature is higher

than your body’s “basal metabolism”, which is when the body is at idle. It
can occur as a response to heat exposure if you cannot get rid of the heat
that you are absorbing from the environment as well as the heat you are
producing yourself. Your body attempts to return its temperature to the
“basal metabolism” set point.
There are several health problems that can develop if your body is not able
to deal effectively with Hyperthermia.

 An extended elevated body temperature will eventually result in tissue

damage, much like the situation when a mother has a child with a 105°
fever.
 People that experience heat stress also develop aggressive behavior.
In a factory situation, this can lead to other serious problems in the
workplace, especially with other workers who are also starting to feel
the effects of the heat.

Recklessness is another symptom that develops. The affected worker no

longer has the same level of patience that he or she usually exhibits, and
cannot deal as effectively with small problems. This leads to unnecessary
accidents, which in turn, can create some far-reaching problems.

 Performance also slows down. The body begins to compensate for its
immediate problem of too much heat when the brain receives the
heated blood. As body temperature rises, the brain sends out
instructions to decrease the muscle tone. Individuals may feel tired
and listless, and not able to work as well. Not only does production
suffer as a result, but also the individual feels more of the burden of
work. It becomes increasingly harder to perform their regular tasks.

The health problems that result from heat stress can be serious. They
include:

Heat Stroke, which is, by far, the most serious. 1700 people in the U.S. died
of heat-related causes during one year. The mortality rate where individuals
do not know how to handle this medical emergency can be upwards of 50%.
It’s that serious.

 Heat Syncope, which is fainting from exposure to heat.

 Another is Heat Edema, which usually happens a day or two after the
individual enters into a hot environment. Heat Edema is the result of
 the body not able to dump the salt and water it is ingesting, and
usually shows up as ankle swelling.
 Heat Cramps is another problem, which is a result of not enough salt.
 Another major health problem is Heat Exhaustion. In this case there is
no sensation of thirst – usually because they have been drinking water
already, but not enough. The person exhibits headaches, nausea,
vomiting, weakness, and anxiety.

We have a constant input of heat into our bodies and if we’re going to stay
healthy, we have to have a constant output. If we don’t have this output, we
develop heat injuries.

When you are working in the heat, there will be increased blood. Exercising
muscles require more blood, and, when you exercise, your muscles heat the
blood. The heated blood reaches the brain and tells the hypothalamus to
cause skin vessel dilation and sweating. Heat loss then happens through the
mechanisms of direct convection heat transfer from the body to the
environment and from the evaporation of moisture from the skin.

As a rule, there is not enough blood volume to supply all the little skin
vessels and capillaries in order to attempt to dissipate the heat loss. The
solution is to take in fluids to increase the volume. Often, however, this is
not enough.

The average individual may lose one to two liters of fluid without much
decrease in performance. When you become more dehydrated, however,
your blood volume decreases and you cannot get rid of the heat load fast
enough. You just don’t have enough blood volume to supply the skin vessels
for sweat production. As a result, the body temperature begins to rise
disproportionately as you become more dehydrated.

http://www.coolbandanas.com/heatstress.htm

Since sunlight is a large part of our lives, many people tend to forget about the
sun’s harmful effects on skin. While sun is a great source of warmth and happiness,
it can also have negative impact on our lives -- especially when it comes to beauty
and aging.

Sunlight can be responsible for premature aging, skin cancer, and many other skin
defects. Almost 90% of symptoms associated with premature skin aging are
attributed to the ultraviolet lights (UVA or UVB) that come from the sun. These
lights speed up the aging process by breaking down elastin and collagen in the skin.

Most other changes in the skin (that were once attributed to aging) have now been
linked to extended exposure of UV radiation. Overexposure to ultraviolet radiation
has a profoundly negative effect on a person’s beauty, due to the adverse effects
on the skin.

UVA rays penetrate well into the skin while damaging collagen – a protein
responsible for holding the skin together in a firm and smooth manner. The broken
down collagen structure manifests as wrinkles – the most common symptom of
aging. To make matters worse, the broken structure of collagen is incapable or re-
building itself, which is why loss of collagen is a huge threat to beauty and skin
care.

Overexposure to the sun can also result in freckles and sunspots, which are often
found on various body parts such as face, legs, hands, etc. Freckles and sunspots
generally develop upon the skin of those that sunbathe regularly.

http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/solar_system/103264

Interestingly, suntans (which are often considered a sign beauty and health) are
also the result of skin damage caused by exposure to sun. Suntans are caused by
the production of melanin (the dark pigment responsible for a tanned appearance)
that can only increase with exposure to the sun. In short, tanned skin is burned skin.

Sunburns are, yet another, result of the negative impact of sun on your skin.
Sunburns happen when UV rays penetrate deep inside the layers of the skin killing
the living cells. The body responds to this damage by increasing the blood flow in
the affected area, so that the white blood cells can remove the dead cells -- this
abnormal blood flow results in the skin becoming warm and red causing sunburn.
Scientists have also gathered substantial evidence that links sunburns to DNA
damage. Additionally, recurring sunburns significantly increase chances of skin
cancer development.

Although nobody can escape from the negative impact of the sun, it is important to
protect your skin. Using quality health and beauty products that are made from
natural ingredients is a good way to keep your skin safe. These basic skin protection
rules will keep your skin safe from the sun…and you will also be able to avoid pre-
mature aging.

Apply sunscreen with an SPF of 15 (or more) to all parts of your body (especially
your face) before you head out into the sunshine. Applying moisturizer after
enjoying the sun can also be beneficial. Lastly, it’s important to keep a close eye on
your skin. If you spot anything out of the ordinary, make sure to visit with your
dermatologist.

http://www.articlesbase.com/skin-care-articles/the-suns-impact-on-your-
skin-812501.html

How does the light and heat of the Sun help the Earth?

Of course without the Sun the Earth would be dark, but beyond the darkness the
Sun is intricately involved with everything that happens here. Perhaps the most
important event which we take for granted namely; photosynthesis would be
impossible without the Sun. By that process the Sun's light, water, and air cause
plants to make the food they need to grow. Without sunlight there would be no
green plants. However, not only would plants disappear but the animals like cows,
sheep, insects or fish that depend on green plants for food would also disappear. All
animals either eat plants or animals that eat plants. Without sunlight all forms of life
would cease to be. Since our food chain rises from plants to animals to human
beings, without the process of photosynthesis there could be no life on this planet.

Even if there were another food source our lives would be more difficult without
what we term natural resources. Imagine a life without automobiles, airplanes, or
the possibility of heating or cooling our homes. We get energy from the Sun. From
before the age of dinosaurs there was vegetation that died and then was buried
underground or under the oceans. As time went on this vegetation was turned into
what are termed fossil fuels like gas, oil, or coal. What we term Earth's natural
resources would not exist without the sun. Those natural resources needed the
sunlight to form. Even now we are still trying to harness the power of the Sun to
heat our homes, power automobiles by developing solar collectors and solar cells.

Light from the Sun provides us with illumination. Without the Sun we could not see.
Light from the Sun travels at 186,282, miles per second (299,792 kms per second).
Even at this fast speed it takes about eight minutes for light to reach the Earth.
Light is any source of illumination. It can be found in nature like the Sun or man
made light like the light bulb.(17)

All light travels as waves. The distance between the crest (top) of the waves is the
wave length. As the wave lengths get wider the frequency becomes lower, and
conversely the shorter the wave lengths the higher the frequency. For us the most
important part of the light spectrum is natural sunlight which is called white light or
visible light. This is the light we can see. However, if light is put through a prism the
white light breaks up into 7 colors of visible light: red, orange, yellow, green, blue,
indigo, and violet, as well as infra-red and ultra-violet that we cannot see.

Every element gives off a different set of spectral lines. This is how scientists study
the sun and other objects out in space despite them being so far away. The stars
are classified by the color they appear to us on earth. As the temperature of the
star increases the bluer the star appears to be.

Heat illness is a major cause of preventable morbidity worldwide, especially in

regions characterized by high ambient temperatures. The major heat-related
illnesses, heat exhaustion and heatstroke, involve varying degrees of
thermoregulatory failure that occur when individuals are exposed to elevated
temperatures.

Heat exhaustion, the most common heat-related illness, involves mild-to-moderate

dysfunction of temperature control associated with elevated ambient temperatures
and/or strenuous exercise resulting in dehydration and salt depletion. It may rapidly
progress to heatstroke when the body's thermoregulatory mechanisms become
overwhelmed and fail. Heatstroke is extreme hyperthermia, typically above 104ºF
(40ºC), associated with a systemic inflammatory response, which leads to end-
organ damage with universal involvement of the CNS.

Heatstroke traditionally is divided into exertional and classic varieties, which are
defined by the underlying etiology but are clinically indistinguishable. Exertional
heatstroke typically occurs over hours in younger athletic patients who exercise at
elevated temperatures for a sufficient period of time to cause the rate of heat
production to exceed the capacity of the body to dissipate heat. Classic heatstroke
more commonly develops during heat waves when air temperatures exceed 102.5ºF
(39.2ºC) for 3 or more consecutive days in older or debilitated patients who are
unable to avoid extreme environmental conditions. In both cases, thermoregulatory
mechanisms fail if the stress becomes too great, which results in accelerated
hyperthermia with an increased expression of heat shock proteins, an exaggerated
acute-phase response, and end-organ dysfunction.

Core temperature is determined by heat gained from the environment and heat
produced by the body itself. This heat gain must be carefully regulated to maintain
a core temperature of approximately 98.6°F (37°C). In the absence of adequate
thermoregulatory mechanisms, the basal metabolic rate at rest may lead to an
increase in body temperature of approximately 1.1°C/h. Heat production from
muscles during heavy exercise can be 15 times the resting rate. Core temperatures
measured after long distance races have been found to be as high as 105.8°F
(40.6°C) in conscious athletes and 109.4°F (43°C) in those who have collapsed. The
rate of heat rise may be further escalated in the setting of high environmental
temperatures and humidity.

Heat transfer from the body occurs via the following 4 mechanisms:
 • Conduction is the transfer of heat via direct physical contact with a cooler
object; it accounts for 2% of the body's heat loss.
• Convection is the dissipation of heat from the body to the air and water vapor
surrounding the body; it accounts for 10% of the body's heat loss. When air
temperature exceeds body temperature, the body gains heat energy.
• Radiation is the transfer of heat to the environment via electromagnetic
waves; it accounts for most heat dissipation. As long as there is a
temperature gradient between the body and the air, 65% of the body's heat
is lost by radiation.
• Evaporation is the transfer of heat by transformation of perspiration and
saliva into a vapor; it accounts for 30% of the body's heat loss.

The body's dominant forms of heat loss in a hot environment are radiation and
evaporation. However, when air temperature exceeds 95°F (35°C), radiation of heat
from the body ceases and evaporation becomes the only means of heat loss.
Evaporation is maximally efficient in a dry environment. If humidity reaches 100%,
evaporation of sweat is no longer possible and the body loses its ability to dissipate
heat.

Acclimatization to heat takes days to weeks and allows a person to safely be active
at temperatures that would have previously been dangerous. This adaptive
mechanism includes earlier onset of sweating, increased sweat volume, more dilute
sweat, enhanced cardiovascular performance, activation of the renin-angiotensin-
aldosterone axis, salt conservation with expansion of plasma volume, increased
glomerular filtration rate, and the ability to resist rhabdomyolysis.

Initially, the body attempts to control the core temperature. A rise in body
temperature activates heat receptors in both the hypothalamus and the periphery,
which results in increased shunting of blood to the periphery. Increased minute
ventilation and sweating maximize evaporative heat loss. These responses may be
blunted in chronically ill patients or patients with cardiovascular disease. Patients on
medications that cause salt and water depletion or impair physiologic
cardiovascular responses are at an increased susceptibility to heat injury. Loss of
the ability to excrete sweat is thought to be a result of rising venous pressure or
direct thermal damage and may play a role in the inability to dissipate heat. If these
compensatory mechanisms fail, central vasoconstriction and peripheral
vasodilatation decrease resulting in less heat carried away from the core, and
hyperthermia develops.

Heat damage

Thermal maximum is a measure of the magnitude and duration of heat that cells
can encounter before they begin to denature proteins. Individuals may begin to
sustain cellular damage anywhere from 45 minutes to 8 hours after exposure to
core temperatures of 107.6°F (42°C). Nearly all cells respond to heat stressors by
producing heat-shock proteins to prolong cell survival at otherwise lethal
temperatures. They are believed to act as molecular chaperones to prevent
denaturation. The increased quantity of heat-shock proteins is protective against
not only heat but ischemia, hypoxia, endotoxin, and inflammatory cytoxins as well.
Conditions associated with low levels of these protective proteins such as advanced
age, lack of acclimatization, and genetic polymorphisms may place these patients
at increased risk for thermal injury.

Inflammatory response

An acute-phase response occurs to heat stress, which produces various mediators

of the inflammatory response to protect against injury and promote repair. These
cytokines and interleukins mediate fever, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, and
activate other elements of the stress response. It is thought that heat injury causes
an exaggerated response similar to sepsis. Splanchnic hypoperfusion, from shunting
of blood volume to the periphery, may increase production of reactive oxygen and
nitrogen species. These byproducts with inflammatory mediators may act to
increase intestinal permeability resulting in endotoxemia. These factors combine to
further impair thermoregulation and the body's ability to prevent damage
culminating in hypotension, hyperthermia, and heatstroke.

Frequency
United States
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) from 1979-2002,
a total of 4,780 heat-related deaths in the United States were attributable to
weather conditions and that, during 1993-2002, the incidence of such deaths was 3-
7 times greater in Arizona than in the United States overall. The exact number of
persons seeking treatment for heat-related disorders is not recorded but reaches
the thousands.

International
Incidence of heat-related disorders is increased in areas with higher ambient
temperatures. The incidence further rises when customs or beliefs cause large
groups of people to be exposed to the elements for extended periods of time such
as Hajj, the annual Muslim pilgrimage to the Sacred Mosque in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

Mortality/Morbidity

• Risk of death is related directly to peak temperature, duration of exposure,

and acclimatization period.
• Estimates of fatalities caused by heat-related illness in the United States
range from hundreds to several thousand per year. The mortality rate in
patients with heatstroke has been reported to be 10-70%, with the highest
number of deaths occurring when treatment is delayed for more than 2
hours.
• Heat waves increase the mortality rate. The European summer heat wave of
2003 was exceptionally harsh in both duration and intensity. In France alone,
the number of heat-related deaths reached 14,800 by August 20.
Sex
The male-to-female ratio is 1:1.

Age

• Elderly persons are at increased risk for heat-related illness because of

underlying illness, medication use, declining adaptive thermoregulatory
mechanisms, poor access to air-conditioning, cognitive obstacles to self-care,
and limited social support networks.
• Neonates have an increased risk of heat-related illness because of poorly
developed thermoregulatory mechanisms and inability to make behavioral
adjustments.
• In the review of Naughton et al, of the 80 heat-related deaths during the
Chicago 1999 heat wave, 47% of deaths occurred among those older than 65
years.1

Clinical

History
Hyperthermia, and resulting heat illness, occurs following exposure to heat stress
when thermoregulatory mechanisms are overwhelmed by excessive environmental
heat or impaired heat dissipation.

• Heat exhaustion
o Symptoms often are nonspecific and may be insidious in onset; these
symptoms often resemble a viral illness.
o Fatigue, weakness, and fainting
o Nausea and vomiting
o Headache and myalgias
o Dizziness
o Muscle cramps and myalgias
o Irritability
• Heatstroke
o The progression to this condition may include any or all of the
symptoms of heat exhaustion.
o The critical features of heatstroke are hyperthermia above 40°C and
CNS dysfunction, which has a sudden onset in 80% of cases.
o Symptoms may be subtle and include impaired judgment, bizarre
behavior, hallucinations, altered mental status, confusion,
disorientation, and coma.
o Patients may be sweating. Although anhydrosis is considered a classic
feature of heatstroke, more than half of presenting patients are
sweating, especially in cases of exertional heatstroke. Anhydrosis
usually is a late finding.

Physical
 • Heat exhaustion
o Weakness
o Vomiting
o Orthostatic pulse and blood pressure changes
o Sweating (absent or present)
o Piloerection
o Tachycardia
o Temperature usually is less than 106°F (41°C) and may be normal.

http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/770413-overview

Heat Island Impacts

surface temperatures can be 50–90°F (27–50°C) hotter than the air, while shaded or
moist surfaces—often in more rural surroundings—remain close to air
temperatures.1 These surface urban heat islands, particularly during the summer,
have multiple impacts and contribute to atmospheric urban heat islands. Air
temperatures in cities, particularly after sunset, can be as much as 22°F (12°C)
warmer than the air in neighboring, less developed regions.2

Elevated temperatures from urban heat islands, particularly during the summer, can
affect a community’s environment and quality of life. While some impacts may be
beneficial, such as lengthening the plant-growing season, the majority of them are
negative. These impacts include:

http://www.epa.gov/heatisld/impacts/index.htm
References
http://jn.nutrition.org/cgi/content/abstract/39/3/413

http://www.coolbandanas.com/heatstress.htm

http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/770413-overview

http://www.epa.gov/heatisld/impacts/index.htm

http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/solar_system/103264

http://www.articlesbase.com/skin-care-articles/the-suns-impact-on-your-
skin-812501.html

http://www.economist.com/opinion/displaystory.cfm?story_id=7884738

http://www.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/2005/4/05.04.06.x.html#e
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