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The thermoregulatory function of the human hand: How do palm and digit proportions affect heat loss?
Stephanie Payne1, Alison Macintosh1, Jay Stock1,2
1PAVE Research Group, Department of Archaeology, University of Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB2 3EX, United Kingdom.
Objectives:
The current study assessed whether ecogeographical patterns seen in hand proportions correlate with heat loss directly. Using a brief severe cold immersion experiment on the hand, the influence of hand and digit dimensions on heat loss was evaluated.
Materials And Methods:
A sample of 113 living individuals were tested. Two-dimensional and three-dimensional scanning techniques were used to assess hand and digit dimensions. Thermal imaging analysis was used to quantify heat loss during a 3-min ice-water immersion of the hands.
Results:
When body size was accounted for, hand width and digit length relative to total hand length were significant predictors of heat loss from the hand.
Discussion:
The current study provides empirical evidence to support the link between thermodynamic principles relating to surface area-to-volume ratio, and ecogeographical patterns associated with temperature.
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