Year of Award

2023

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Type

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Degree Name

Integrative Physiology and Rehabilitation Sciences

Department or School/College

School of Integrative Physiology and Athletic Training

Committee Chair

John C. Quindry

Commitee Members

Brent C. Ruby, Charles G. Palmer, Erin O. Semmens, Tony J. Ward

Keywords

chronotype, cold pressor, heart rate variability, particulate matter, pulse wave velocity, woodsmoke

Abstract

The aim of this dissertation was to evaluate the acute physical reaction to WS exposure and identify potential fingerprints of physiological responses that may better illustrate the process leading to pathology from chronic exposure to particulate matter (PM). Study 1 developed a cost-effective, reproducible methodology for obtaining larger volume and pH-stable exhaled breath condensate (EBC) samples. Notably, the novel EBC device, compared to a commercially-available device, collected a larger sample volume, permitting an expansion in the number of biomarkers that could be examined in future WS exposures. The EBC device was then incorporated in Study 2, along with measuring key dependent variables such as Pulse Wave Velocity (PWV), Heart Rate Variability (HRV), and Pulmonary Function Tests (PFT). Study 2 was a repeated measures cross-over study designed to evaluate the effects of sleep deprivation on the acute physiological response to WS and exercise. However, acute sleep deprivation did not magnify HRV, PWV, PFT, or secondary measures in this investigation. Lastly, Study 3 used the cold pressor test (CPT) to identify hyperreactive individuals, regarding systolic blood pressure elevations, that may have elevated potential for a magnified response to an acute bout of WS exposure. CPT-sensitive individuals (CPT⁺; n=10) were further stratified for morning-evening questionnaire responses and were compared with CPT¯ morning (n=10) persons. Notably, study 3 indicated that differences in HRV and PWV occur immediately after and 24 hours post-exposure in CPT⁺ individuals following a two-hour bout of moderate exercise (50% VO₂max) with WS exposure (250 μg∙m³). In contrast, no differences in EBC inflammation or oxidative stress markers were observed. Collectively, work from this dissertation provides: 1) a new cost-effective method for obtaining more voluminous, pH stable EBC, 2) no evidence that one night of sleep deprivation was an amplifying factor to the examined metrics of physiologic and biochemical (blood and EBC) stress to exercise and WS exposure in young, apparently health, adults, and 3) modest evidence, based on AIx and HRV outcomes, that CPT⁺ afternoon/evening individuals have exaggerated responses to exercise during WS, but that secondary biochemical measures in blood and EBC were unaltered in apparently healthy adults.

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