Physiology and pharmacology of temperature regulation: From basic to applied and across environments

A Call for papers on the theme of Physiology and Pharmacology of Temperature Regulation (PPTR) was announced by Andrej Romanovsky, the Editor-in-Chief of Temperature during the virtual PPTR (vPPTR) 2020 conference that was held from Oct 26–29, 2020. During vPPTR 2020 Editor Romanovsky invited each of us as Guest Editors for this initiative and we are pleased to report that the Call received an excellent response, resulting in 13 contributions including 3 Comprehensive Reviews, 3 Priority Reviews, 2 Research Papers, 1 Priority Report, 1 Front Matter comment and 1 Front Matter reply, a Front Matter Discovery piece and the current plus an additional editorial [1] that appear in two special issues of Temperature. The Call sought PPTR papers ranging from basic mechanisms of temperature regulation across a variety of species, including humans, to applied temperature regulation in industrial, military, and clinical settings. It has been particularly delightful that there is representation in these special issues of Temperature across a diversity of topic areas. The aim of this editorial is to provide a brief overview of these two special issues and to orient readers to the content of these published papers. To add flavor and to maximize the reader experience, the authors of each paper provided a drink suggestion – beverages with which they suggest to best enjoy reading their work (Table 1). For instance, Andrej Romanovsky’s beverage suggestion, following on his fever research theme, reminds us of the original purpose of a gin-tonic – as a prophylactic for malaria and the high fever. For background information on these beverage suggestions, the reader is guided to Simon’s [2] tasteful commentary on how temperature influences wine degustation. As discussed below, the papers, together with the corresponding drink suggestions, fall broadly into two categories: Basic and Applied Thermophysiology. The Basic Thermophysiology section includes a Priority Review by Machado and Saper on genetics and central mechanisms of thermoregulation. This is coupled with Front Matter discussions between Saper and Machado versus Morrison and colleagues on the current state-of-the-art understanding of this topic. It may be there is an analogy between their discussions and beverage suggestions (Table 1). Machado and Saper suggest enjoying the complexities as well as flavory notes of Cachaça that parallels their study of the central thermoregulatory mechanisms in mice. In contrast, Morrison and colleagues recommend an Oregon Pinot Noir that has a different interaction with the palette, supporting thermoregulatory mechanisms in rodents may differ substantively from those in humans and other species. Regardless of your choice of beverage, reading this review and compelling discussions will bring one up to date on the current understanding and remaining enigmas of central mechanisms for thermoregulation. In addition to this focus on the basics of central thermoregulation, three papers provide detailed information on how humans can all be exposed to the same cold environment with some responding physiologically and perceptually as if they are more cold-exposed than others. Starting with a New England pale ale, Yurkevicius and colleagues in a Comprehensive Review summarize the current understanding of human cold habituation, including the induced general changes in physiology, its timeline, as well as its other modifiers, with attention is given to sources of human inter-individual variability responses to cold. Continuing the theme of integrative thermoregulatory response to cold exposure, Greenfield and colleagues take over the party and give a toast with a Sauvignon Blanc. These authors present a Priority Review of the influences of biological sex and ovarian hormones on physiological responses to body cooling. Continuing this cold exposure theme, Haman and colleagues give a Comprehensive Review on human vulnerability, inter-individual variability in the cold and establishing TEMPERATURE 2022, VOL. 9, NO. 2, 115–118 https://doi.org/10.1080/23328940.2022. 2088033