Brown Adipose Tissue, Biological Variation and Senescence in Humans

人类生物学的基础研究包括努力了解人类生活史的性质和克里思，包括各种生理系统中衰老的时间和特征。该项目的重点是潮热作为人类生殖衰老过程中变异的一个方面，并测试了棕色脂肪组织-一种产生热量的脂肪-可能是与潮热经验相关的一个因素的假设。这项研究将扩展我们对棕色脂肪组织和潮热经验的人类变化的认识，特别关注潮热（主观报告和生物统计测量），棕色脂肪组织，身体成分和气候之间的关系。 这项研究将解决人类产生和消散热量的能力的差异，研究结果将有助于了解现代人类的生物适应性。这项研究的结果也可能为临床理解和治疗影响美国许多女性的疾病提供信息，包括潮热和肥胖。这项研究的结果将通过公开讲座、小册子和项目网站与参与者和社区分享。 本科女性将协助研究，从而获得STEM领域的宝贵经验。当棕色脂肪组织被凉爽或寒冷的条件激活时，它会产生热量以保持身体温暖。 这项研究的中心假设是棕色脂肪组织的激活可能产生足够的热量导致潮热。 目的是探索棕色脂肪组织活化在马萨诸塞州西部寒冷月份（10月底至4月初）45-55岁围绝经期和绝经后早期妇女潮热经历中的作用。 研究人员假设：（1）棕色脂肪组织活动更多的女性更有可能客观地证明和主观地报告潮热，（2）棕色脂肪组织活动更有可能与较重女性的潮热有关，（3）对热的适应和（4）暴露于较低的环境温度放大了棕色脂肪组织活动和潮热之间的关联。 这项研究包括面对面的采访，内容涉及潮热以及与潮热、身体活动和压力相关的因素;身体测量（身高、体重、皮褶、腰围和臀围）;通过生物电阻抗测定的身体组成;在将手浸入冷水（64 oF）中5分钟之前和之后，用红外照相机估计棕色脂肪组织的活动;佩戴24小时的动态潮热监测仪，以记录客观和主观潮热;以及Actigraph GT 9 X手表，以测量相同24小时的活动和睡眠模式。 该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Fundamental research in human biology includes efforts to understand the nature and tempo of human life history, including the timing and characteristics of aging in various physiological systems. This project focuses on hot flashes as an aspect of human variation during reproductive aging, and tests the hypothesis that brown adipose tissue - a type of fat that generates heat - may be a factor associated with hot flash experience. The study will extend our knowledge about human variation in both brown adipose tissue and hot flash experience, with particular attention to the relation between hot flashes (subjectively reported and biometrically measured), brown adipose tissue, body composition, and climate. The study will address human variation in the ability to generate and dissipate heat, and findings will contribute to knowledge about modern human biological adaptations. The outcomes of this research may also inform clinical understanding and treatments of conditions that affect many women in the U.S., including hot flashes and obesity. Results from this study will be shared with participants and communities through public talks, brochures and a project website. Undergraduate women will assist with the research, thereby gaining valuable experience in STEM fields. When brown adipose tissue is activated by cool or cold conditions, it creates heat in an effort to keep the body warm. The central hypothesis of this study is that brown adipose tissue activation may produce enough heat to cause hot flashes. The aim is to explore the role of brown adipose tissue activation in the experience of hot flashes among peri-menopausal and early postmenopausal women, aged 45-55, during the cold months -- from late October to early April -- in western Massachusetts. The investigators hypothesize that (1) women with more brown adipose tissue activity will be more likely to objectively demonstrate and subjectively report hot flashes, (2) brown adipose tissue activity is more likely to be associated with hot flashes in heavier women, and (3) acclimatization to heat and (4) exposure to lower ambient temperatures amplify the association between brown adipose tissue activity and hot flashes. The study involves face-to-face interviews about hot flashes and factors associated with hot flashes, physical activity, and stress; body measurements (height, weight, skinfolds, waist and hip circumferences); body composition by bioelectrical impedance; an estimation of brown adipose tissue activity with an infrared camera before and after dipping a hand into cool (64oF) water for five minutes; an ambulatory hot flash monitor worn for 24 hours to record both objective and subjective hot flashes; and an Actigraph GT9X watch to measure activity and sleep patterns for the same 24 hours. On the hot flash monitor pouch, there will also be a small ambulatory gauge to measure air temperature and humidity.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.