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Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is the primary therapy administered for those afflicted with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). We examined the effects of CPAP therapy on physiological variables during a ramped exercise. The five male, OSA patients had mean values and standard deviations for RDI=60.7 +/- 19.1, BMI=29.9 +/- 2.9, and age=56 +/- 16.1 yr. Subjects were examined before and after 4 wk of CPAP therapy. After 4 wk of CPAP therapy, patient responses to exercise showed a 17.6%, (p<0.05) improvement in rating of perceived exertion (RPE) at identical power outputs (60% of the individual's apparent functional capacity). Statistical significance was not attained (p>0.05) upon analysis of the following parameters at 60% of the individuals maximum workload although there was a trend showing a decrease in these variables: heart rate (6% improvement), VO2 (11.7% improvement) systolic blood pressure (4% improvement), and rate pressure product (8.6% improvement). This data shows that the decrease in RPE during 60% of the individual's maximum predicted HR reserve corresponded with an increase in sleep quality (mean increase of 40%, 3.2 units) as measured by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index before and after 4 wk of CPAP therapy. It was concluded that the improvement in exercise tolerance could be attributed to the subjective feelings of improved sleep quality after 4 wk of CPAP therapy. Key Words: Obstructive sleep apnea---CPAP--- exercise---physiological responses. / Master of Science

Yes / The difference between Apolipoprotein E ε4 carriers and non-carriers in response to single exercise sessions was tested. Stroop and Posner tasks were administered to young untrained women immediately after walking sessions or moderately heavy exercise. Exercise had a significantly more profound impact on the Stroop effect than on the Posner effect, suggesting selective involvement of prefrontal function. A significant genotype-by-exercise interaction indicated differences in response to exercise between ε4 carriers and non-carriers. Carriers showed facilitation triggered by exercise. The transient executive down-regulation was construed as due to exercise-dependent hypofrontality. The facilitation observed in carriers was interpreted as better management of prefrontal metabolic resources, and explained within the antagonistic pleiotropy hypothesis framework. The findings have implications for the interpretation of differences between ε4 carriers and non-carriers in the benefits triggered by long-term exercise that might depend, at least partially, on mechanisms of metabolic response to physical activity. / Partially supported by a University of Hull Faculty of Science scholarship to MDM and by funding from MIUR and FP7 VPH-DARE to AV.

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Submitted by Cássia Santos (cassia.bcufg@gmail.com) on 2016-02-01T10:31:20Z No. of bitstreams: 2 Tese - Rafael Alves da Costa Ferro - 2015.pdf: 1256523 bytes, checksum: ec4d2c65cb4bd6adabfc7a88a25cdf99 (MD5) license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Luciana Ferreira (lucgeral@gmail.com) on 2016-02-01T11:21:54Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 Tese - Rafael Alves da Costa Ferro - 2015.pdf: 1256523 bytes, checksum: ec4d2c65cb4bd6adabfc7a88a25cdf99 (MD5) license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-02-01T11:21:54Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 Tese - Rafael Alves da Costa Ferro - 2015.pdf: 1256523 bytes, checksum: ec4d2c65cb4bd6adabfc7a88a25cdf99 (MD5) license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-12-08 / A large number of heifers and cows are used in Brazil for the production of meat, mainly due to the disposal of these animals on farms at the time of the herd replacement. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of a synthetic-progesterone ear implant in weight, meat quality, physiological responses, and behavior of Nellore heifers raised in an intensive system. Twenty-eight Nellore heifers with an average initial weight of 240.89 kg were used in the experiment. All animals received the same feeding management, in an intensive raising system, with mineral salt and water available ad libitum. Heifers were distributed in a randomized complete design with two treatments (with and without a progesterone ear implant) and seven replicates, in 14 stalls. The parameters relative to carcass and meat quantitative and qualitative characteristics, represented by carcass weight and carcass dressing, conformation, marbling, color, meat texture, carcass measurements, longissimus dorsi area, and fat thickness were not affected by the progesterone hormone, provided by the ear implant. In the evaluation of the feeding, rumination, rest, sleeping, social, and body-care behaviors, no significant differences were observed. For the abnormal behavior, however, in which sodomy predominated, a significant difference was observed between the groups with and without the implant (p<0,05), whose frequencies were 1.3 and 2.3, respectively. For the physiological indicators rectal temperature, surface temperature, and respiratory frequency, only the frequency showed a significant difference between the treatments, with mean values of 35 and 32 movements per minute, respectively, for the heifers with and without the implant. Based on the responses obtained in this experiment, the progesterone ear implant does not influence the performance, meat quality, physiological responses, or the normal behavior of animals. / Um grande número de novilhas e vacas são utilizadas no Brasil para a produção de carne, principalmente em decorrência do descarte desses animais nas propriedades rurais, no momento da substituição do rebanho. Objetivou-se avaliar a influência do implante auricular de progesterona sintética, no peso, qualidade de carne, respostas fisiológicas e comportamento de novilhas Nelore criados em sistema intensivo. Foram utilizadas 28 novilhas Nelore com peso inicial médio de 240,89 kg. Todos os animais receberam o mesmo manejo alimentar, em sistema intensivo de criação, com sal mineral e água ad libitum. Foram distribuídas em delineamento inteiramente casualizado, com dois tratamentos (com e sem implante auricular de progesterona) e sete repetições, em 14 baias. Os parâmetros referentes às características quantitativas e qualitativas da carcaça e da carne, representados pelo peso e rendimento da carcaça, conformação, marmoreio, coloração, textura da carne, medidas métricas da carcaça, área do músculo Longissimus dorsi e espessura de gordura subcutânea, não foram afetados pelo hormônio progesterona, disponibilizado por meio do implante auricular. Na avaliação dos comportamentos de alimentação, ruminação, descanso e sono, social e cuidados corporais, não foram observados diferenças significativas. Já para o comportamento anormal, com maior predominância de sodomia, houve diferença significativa (p<0,05) para os grupos com e sem implante, com frequências de 1,3 e 2,3, respectivamente. Para os indicadores fisiológicos, temperatura retal, temperatura de superfície e frequência respiratória, apenas a frequência apresentou diferença significativa entre os tratamentos, com valores médios de 35 e 32 movimentos por minuto, respectivamente, para novilhas com e sem implante. Considerando as respostas obtidas com o experimento, o implante auricular de progesterona não influencia o desempenho, a qualidade da carne, as respostas fisiológicas e o comportamento normal dos animais.

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Aim: The aim of this thesis was to investigate the psychophysiological response to the dynamic working environment within a cohort of higher education employees via ambulatory assessment of psychosocial and physiological measures. Methods: Data was collected from two observational studies. Study one employed a cross-sectional design to investigate relationships between work-related psychosocial hazard, work-time heart rate variability, blood pressure, and the cortisol awakening response. Consideration was given to occupation type and acute work-related demand. Study two, a single-subject case study, employed an experience sampling methodology to peform a 24 hour assessment over 21 days. Workload, affect and demand were sampled during working hours, while heart rate variability and physical activity were continually sampled (24 hours), with salivary cortisol, being sampled at 3 time points during the awakening period. This study also investigated some of the methodological issues associated with ambulatory assessment of both heart rate variability and the cortisol awakening response. Findings: Chronic work-related demand was found to be positively associated with sympathetic dominance of the autonomic nervous system. Acute work-related demand was associated with ambulatory heart rate variability during work time and evening time whilst the rise in salivary free cortisol over the immediate post awakening period varies according to acute anticipatory demand and prior day's workload. Substantial intra--individual variation in both the cortisol awakening response and ambulatory heart variability was found to occur across work-days. Work time activity levels accounted for little of the variation in ambulatory heart rate variability and blood pressure. The cortisol awakening response was associated with both heart rate variability and nocturnal movement in the latter stage of sleep. Conclusion: Attending to the psychophysiological response to work at the individual level by means of ambulatory assessment appears to provide a useful means of assessing the balance between employee and environment. This could have significant implications for work design, employee selection and targeting of workplace interventions.