| Keywords |
Scrotal temperature ; ONDOL ; Floor heating ; Man fertility |
| Abstract |
Testicular temperature should be 2o~4oC lower than body core temperature for sperm production. Koreans live sitting on the ONDOL floor heating system in their residential buildings, consequently male testis is affected by floor surface temperature. The purpose of this study is to investigate the changes of scrotal temperature in a sedentary posture over the heated floor. Screening test had been performed to select the healthy subjects, and finally six college students volunteered in this experiment. They stayed in the preliminary chamber controlled 24oC for 20 minutes in order to get the testis of thermo-neutral state. Subjects moved to main experimental chamber in which floor surface temperature controlled by temperature of water (tw) flowing into the floor coil from 15o to 50oC at 5oC interval. Skin temperatures including 2 points of scrotum, left and right sides, were measured while subjects’ buttocks contact with floor surface for 50 minutes. The study revealed that the average floor surface temperature (tf) recorded as 17.0o (S.D 0.10) for tw 15oC, 20.8o (0.07) for tw 20oC, 24.1o (0.10) for tw 25oC, 27.8o (0.10) for tw 30oC, 31.7o (0.10) for tw 35oC, 35.9o (0.10) for tw 40oC, 38.6o (0.10) for tw 45oC, and 42.2o (0.10) for tw 50oC. The final temperature of scrotal surface was 32.27o, 32.62o, 33.51o, 33.34o, 34.14o, 34.28o, 34.34o and 35.04oC at the tf 17.0o, 20.8o, 24.1o, 27.8o, 31.7o, 35.9o, 38.6o and 42.2oC, respectively. At tf 17.0o and 20.8oC, the changes of scrotal temperature were shown declined pattern and low temperature for sperm reproduction. At tf 24.1o, 27.8o and 31.7oC, these environments were suitable for men fertility, and thermal regulatory system of scrotal muscle activated appropriately. At tw 35.9o, 38.6o and 42.2oC, results were shown ascended pattern. Of six subjects, two were shown that their scrotal temperature rose above 35oC at tf 38.6oC, and four were above 35oC at tf 42.2oC. The results suggested that optimum surface temperature of heated floor is 24o~32oC for men fertility. |