Thoracic loads (i.e., a heavy backpack) commonly used in occupational and recreational settings significantly challenge human physiological systems and increase the work of breathing, which may promote respiratory muscle fatigue and negatively impacts whole body performance during physical tasks. Accordingly this thesis: (Chapter number: II) designed a laboratory based protocol that closely reflects occupational demands and (III) assessed the effect that load carriage (LC) has upon physiological and respiratory muscle function. Consequently the thesis addressed (IV) acute, (V) chronic and (VI) functional inspiratory muscle loading strategies to assess the limitations and trainability of the respiratory muscles to load carriage performance. The novel laboratory protocol, performed wearing a 25 kg backpack load, combined submaximal load carriage (LC; 60 min treadmill march at 6.5 km·h-1) and self-paced time trial exercise (LCTT; 2.4 km) to better reflect the physiological demands of occupational performance (between trials mean difference -0.34 ± 0.89 min, coefficient of variation 10.5%). Following LC, maximal inspiratory muscle pressure (PImax) and maximal expiratory muscle pressure (P¬Emax) were reduced by 11% and 13% respectively (P<0.05), and further by 5% and 6%, respectively (P< 0.05), after LCTT. Acute inspiratory loading (2 × 30 forced inspiratory efforts 40% PImax) following an active warm-up (10 min lactate turnpoint) failed to improve LCTT despite a transient increase in PImax of ~7% (P<0.05). Chronic inspiratory loading (6 wk, 50% PImax, 30 breaths twice daily) increased PImax (31%, p<0.05) reduced HR and perceptual responses post-LC, and improved LCTT (8%, P< 0.05) with no change in a placebo control. Combining IMT with functional core muscle exercises improved PImax and LCTT by 7% and 4% respectively (P< 0.05), which was greater than traditional IMT alone. Acute, chronic and functional inspiratory muscle loading strategies did not protect against respiratory muscle or locomotor muscle fatigue during LC and LCTT.

A presente investigação científica visou estudar o desenvolvimento do Aparelho Respiratório de bovinos, durante o período embrionário, através de técnicas empregadas em microscopias de luz transmitida e eletrônica de transmissão. Em nossos resultados pudemos observar a formação do tubo laringotraqueal em embriões apresentando idade gestacional estimada de 20 / 21 dias (CR 9,0 mm), sendo sua parede formada por epitélio constituído de várias camadas de células apoiado em mesênquima. No interior do pulmão, as áreas subjacentes ao epitélio apresentam mesênquima condensado e áreas mais afastadas mesênquima frouxo, sendo que neste último já estão presentes os vasos sanguíneos, contendo células próprias em seu interior. As células mesenquimais apresentaram formas irregulares, com aspecto estrelado ou fusiforme estando unidas por desmossomos, locais onde o citoesqueleto se prende a membrana celular, formando um elo de ligação. A bifurcação da porção caudal da traquéia nos brônquios principais é simultânea ao surgimento do brônquio traqueal, ocorrendo em embriões com idade gestacional de 28 dias (CR 12,0 mm). / The present study aims at investigating the development of the respiratory system in bovines during embryonic phase, using techniques of transmitted light microscopy and electronic transmissions. The results show the development of the laryngotracheal tube in embryos at approximately 20 / 21 days of gestation (CR 9.0 mm), being the walls of the tube made of epithelium with several layers of cells supported by mesenchyme. Inside the lung, the areas next to the epithelium show a condensed mesenchyme and further, there is a loose mesenchyme where blood vessels containing cells of their own kind can be observed. The mesenchymal cell displays irregular shapes, stellate or fusiform, being united by desmosomes, where the cytoskeleton is attached to the cell membrane creating a link. The bifurcation of the tail end of the trachea in the main bronchi is concomitant to the arising of the tracheal bronchus, occurring in embryos at 28 days of gestation (CR 12.0 mm).

Occupational asthma affects a variety of industry sectors, including agricultural and manufacturing. Currently, asthma pharmaceuticals are delivered via an inhaler and deposited in the respiratory system. The effectiveness of the medication depends partially on where the particle deposits in the lung. The specific aims of this research were to (1) develop a system to measure hygroscopic particle growth under different environmental conditions; (2) determine the accuracy of a hygroscopic growth model during the growth phase of salt particles; and (3) determine whether the large-diameter particles of an aerosol, those that will most likely deposit in the upper airways, can be separated from the smaller particles. Aim 1: A system was developed that satisfied the design criteria to measure particle growth within fractions of a second. The particles growth was measured every 0.03 seconds and had a relative humidity that only varied by a maximum of 1.3% over a 30 second trial. Aim 2: The next step in the research was to determine how well the model compares to reality in the initial growth phase. The model that included the initial growth rate as a saturated solution had a lower root mean square of error (RMSE) than the model that did not include a maximum saturation value. The maximum reduction in RMSE was 0.254. Aim 3: The analysis of a virtual impactor was conducted to see if aerosolized particles can be size separated at a cut point of 2.5 μm. The virtual impactor was designed to have small particles exit the device in one airflow and the large particles exit in a different airflow. Multiple trials were conducted however, there were only two trials that had any size separation between the two exiting flows. From these results, it was determined that large-diameter particles cannot be separated from smaller particles while remaining aerosolized. The cut-point was 2.3 μm, the small particles were split at 50% through both flows, and the flow that was supposed to contain 100% of all of the large particles only contained a maximum of 70%.

Thesis (M.S.)--West Virginia University, 2002. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains xi, 157 p. : ill. (some col.). Vita. Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 135-148).

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Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Univ., 2005. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--West Virginia University, 2000. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains ix, 135 p. : ill. (some col.). Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 127-135).

No description available.

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