Flight Physiology - Assignment Example

Flight Physiology 7 Identify the possible side effects of taking antihistamines and decongestants. Both antihistamines and decongestants can affect one because they often make individuals tired or dizzy. 7.2 List some of the undesirable effects of caffeine consumption. Caffeine can cause one to be more alert, but it can also cause one to move too quickly and to not think things through. It can result in the brain skipping through the thought process, and without complete thoughts, actions can be affected. 7.3 Define hypoglycemia. Answers.com defines hypoglycemia as: “The condition called hypoglycemia is literally translated as low blood sugar. Hypoglycemia occurs when blood sugar (or blood glucose) concentrations fall below a level necessary to properly support the bodys need for energy and stability throughout its cells.” 7.4 Describe the best way to prevent hypoglycemia. The best way to prevent hypoglycemia is to identify its cause, and then proceed from there with a diagnosis. Often times lowering a dose of insulin can help solve the problem. 7.5 Name the two types of drugs that typically are the greatest concern to the pilot in flight. Two drugs that are of great concerns to pilots in flight are both caffeine and antihistamines. 7.6 Explain how smoking affects your night vision. According to Kaspari, “Cigarette smoking reduces levels of plasma antioxidant, a substance in the blood stream, which protects retinal cells. Smoking causes the protective layer between the retina and blood vessels to erode, resulting in poor circulation, irritation and scarring.” (2006). 7.7 List two effects alcohol has on a pilots performance. Alcohol can affect a pilot’s thought process and vision. Things can become blurry for one that flies, and also because alchol is known to destroy synapses in the brain, it can also affect the overall thought process. Identify the best cure for a hangover. Generally, the best cure for a hangover is plenty of rest as well as plenty of water. Module 8 - Environmental Stresses, Sleep, Jet Lag and Fatigue 8.1 Describe and list the four methods of heat transfer that can affect body temperature. According to Austin-Travis Count: “Radiation -- direct transmission of heat to the surroundings, accounts for roughly 65% of heat transfer when the surroundings are cooler than current body temperature. Radiation is ineffective, however, if the outside temperature is greater than the body temperature, because the body will actually pull in heat from the environment rather than transfer heat to it. Convection -- occurs when body heat from metabolism heats water molecules in the air that surround the body. This method of heat transfer is used by the body for only about 10-15% of heat regulation. Again, as with radiation, if the ambient temperature is higher than the body temperature, convection can be a source of heat transfer to the body instead of from the body. Conduction -- the exchange of heat from direct contact of the human body and another surface. This can be a very reliable source of heat loss if the contacted object is cooler than the body. However, conduction can be a very strong source of heat transfer to the body if the object’s temperature is greater than the body’s. A good example of this would be a burn. If you touch the edge of a pan while cooking, that heat is transferred directly to the site of contact because the pan is much hotter than your finger. Evaporation -- the process of changing a liquid to a gas. This process uses a great deal of energy and that energy use results in heat loss. Evaporation can only effect heat loss and cannot contribute to an increase in body temperature. Sweating is a function of evaporation and is used frequently by the human body to regulate heat production.” (n.d.) 8.2 Describe the effect high humidity has on the body. According to “Effects on the Human Body,” “Humidity can make the warmth of the surrounding air feel as if it is warmer than the actual temperature would suggest, because the cooling effect of evaporation from the skin is reduced.” (n.d.) 8.3 Define and explain homeostasis. Homeostasis means that an organism can shift various internal functions in order to keep its equilibrium functioning. 8.4 Describe the bodys temperature control system. The body controls its temperature through its outer later, which allows the body to exchange thermal energy with itself. One can control temperature of the human body by using a mechanism that can exchange thermal energy with the body onto the actual surface of the body. This influences the energy exchanging mechanism to give into the necessities of the human body. Temperature can be changed as energy is inputted into the mechanism. 8.5 List the "Core" critical organs. Liver, kidneys, heart, stomach, lungs. 8.6 State the goal of the bodys temperature control system. The goals of the body’s temperature control system are to maintain a constant, healthy body temperature unless otherwise afflicted by an infection (then the body temperature will rise, resulting in a fever, to kill it off). 8.7 State what system is responsible for distributing body heat. The circulatory system is responsible for this. 8.8 Identify the body’s thermoregulatory center. The body’s thermoregulatory center works by circulating blood and temperature throughout the body, creating a balanced temperature in the body. 8.9 Describe how the body copes with heat extremes. The body copes with heat extremes by regulating circulation. If this is not enough, and it is too hot, the body will react by sweating in order to cool itself down. When it is too cold, the body will regulate the heat toward the most important internal organs, meaning that many people often suffer from frostbite on their outer limbs because of this. 8.10 Identify the bodys largest organ. Skin is the body’s largest organ 8.11 Identify what type of heat stress is a medical emergency. Heat stroke is a medical emergency 8.12 List the three specific heat stresses in order of severity. Heat Stroke, heat exhaustion, and heat syncope 8.13 Describe how to prevent heat stress. One can prevent heat stress by drinking large amounts of water, and staying in shaded or cooler areas when the temperature is too hot. 8.14 Define and explain hypothermia and hyperthermia. Hypothermia is when the body’s temperature falls alarmingly high, an hypothermia is when the body’s temperature is far too low. 8.15 List ways to prevent cold stress. Ways to prevent cold stress include heavy jackets and clothing, heaters, and staying in heated areas when the environment is too cold. 8.16 Identify what the body can generate and distribute as a way to control temperature. Thy body can generate and distribute blood as a way to control body temperature. 8.17 Describe the effects of dehydration on the body. If one’s body is dehydrated, all normal physical functions that doctors typically scan for (blood pressure, pulse, etc) will be affected. It will be difficult for the body to circulate blood or circulate heat. 8.18 Identify and describe the four stages of sleep. The following table offers a summary of the stages of sleep: Sleep Stage Brain Waves Common Characteristics Frequency Type 1 (SWS or NREM) 4 to 8 alpha, theta transition state between sleep and wakefulness eyes begin to roll slightly consists mostly of theta waves (high amplitude, low frequency (slow)) brief periods of alpha waves, similar to those present while awake lasts only for a few minutes before moving on to next stage 2 (SWS or NREM) 8 to 15 theta, spindles, k-complexes peaks of brain waves become higher and higher (sleep spindles) k-complexes (peaks suddenly drastically descend and then pick back up) follow spindles again, only lasts for a few minutes 3 (SWS or NREM) 2 to 4 delta, theta also called delta sleep or deep sleep very slow brain waves, called delta waves (lower frequency than theta waves) 20 to 50% of brain waves are delta waves; the rest are theta waves 4 (SWS or NREM) 0.5 to 2 delta, theta again, also called delta sleep or deep sleep more than 50% of brain waves are delta waves; the rest are theta waves last (and deepest) of the sleep stages before REM sleep; stages reverse and then REM sleep begins 5 (REM) > 12 beta beta waves have a high frequency and occur when the brain is quite active, both in REM sleep and while awake frequent bursts of rapid eye movement, along with occasional muscular twitches heart may beat faster and breathing may become shallow and rapid most vivid dreaming occurs during this stage (The Stages of Sleep, n.d.) 8.19 Define and state when REM sleep occurs. REM sleep occurs in stage 5; the definition can be found in the table above. 8.20 List three factors affecting sleep quality. Three factors affecting sleep quality are stress, drugs, and physical or medical issues. 8.21 Define circadian rhythms. Circadian rhythms are basically one’s daily schedule or daily clock. For instance, most people wake up at a certain time to go to work, and go to bed at a certain time, and their bodies often tell them when to wake up or go to sleep. 8.22 Identify the main symptom of jet lag. The main symptom of jet lag is the body’s inability to adjust to the new time zone and new circadian rhythm. 8.23 Describe the stress-related differences between eastward and westward travel. When one travels west to east, there is usually increased stress involved because the body clock is forced to be on an increasingly earlier time, which can be difficult for many to handle and increase stress. When one travels east to west, however, the time is actually later. One is usually more affected by stress in the nighttime than during the daytime. 8.24 Differentiate between chronic and acute fatigue. Acute fatigue is temporary, perhaps occurring when one has had a long day, or done too much physical activity. Chronic fatigue is often caused by a medical condition, and often, no matter how often one rests, one may still be affected by it. 8.25 State the duration of a short and long nap. Naps should be at least 90 minutes in order for one to get the best out of it. If one takes a short nap, usually 30 minutes or so, one may actually make himself or herself more tired. Long naps are usually better, and last 90 minutes or more. They allow for the body’s clock to reset. 8.26 State the number of hours in the cycle around which the bodys rhythm tends to settle. The number hours in a cycle is tuned in closely to the number of hours in a day; 23-24. 8.27 Identify the conditions under which the body’s performance is at a low. Conditions when the body’s performance may be low include physical stress, medical conditions, and adjusting to flight times as well as daylight savings times. Module 9 - Acceleration Physiology and Crew Resource Management 9.1 Describe the difference between linear, radial and angular acceleration. According to the Free Dictionary: “Angular acceleration is a vector quantity representing the rate of change of angular velocity of a body experiencing rotational motion. If, for example, at an instant t1, a rigid body is rotating about an axis with an angular velocity ω1, and at a later time t2, it has an angular velocity ω2, the average angular acceleration α is given by Eq. (2), in radians per second per second. The instantaneous angular acceleration is given by α = dω/dt. When a body moves in a circular path with constant linear speed at each point in its path, it is also being constantly accelerated toward the center of the circle under the action of the force required to constrain it to move in its circular path. This acceleration toward the center of path is called radial acceleration. The component of linear acceleration tangent to the path of a particle subject to an angular acceleration about the axis of rotation is called tangential acceleration” (n.d.) 9.2-9.9 G force Wikipedia states: “Aircraft, in particular, exert vertical axis g-force along the axis aligned with the spine. This causes significant variation in blood pressure along the length of the subjects body, which limits the maximum g-forces that can be tolerated. In aircraft, g-forces are often towards the feet, which forces blood away from the head; this causes problems with the eyes and brain in particular. As g-forces increase a Brownout can occur, where the vision loses hue. If g-force is increased further tunnel vision will appear, and then at still higher g, loss of vision, while consciousness is maintained. This is termed "blacking out". Beyond this point loss of consciousness will occur, sometimes known as G LOC ("loc" stands for "loss of consciousness")Beyond G-LOC, if g-forces are not quickly reduced, death can occur. While tolerance varies, with g-forces towards the feet, a typical person can handle about 5 g (49m/s²) before g-loc, Resistance to "negative" or upward gs, which drive blood to the head, is much lower. This limit is typically in the −2 to −3 g (−20 m/s² to −30 m/s²) range. The subjects vision turns red, referred to as a red out. This is probably because capillaries in the eyes swell or burst under the increased stress.” (n.d.) 9.9 Define and explain who is responsible for Crew Resource Management (CRM). CRM Management was actually implemented by NASA. 9.10 List four skills learned in CRM. , 9.11 List three deterrents to good CRM. According to Wikipedia: “CRM training encompasses a wide range of knowledge, skills and attitudes including communications, situational awareness, problem solving, decision making, and teamwork; together with all the attendant sub-disciplines which each of these areas entails. CRM can be defined as a management system which makes optimum use of all available resources - equipment, procedures and people - to promote safety and enhance the efficiency of flight operations.” 9.12 Describe stress management. Stress management means one’s ability to monitor and handle stress. This can be both mental and physical. Module 10 - Human Factors of Automation and In-Flight Medical Emergencies 10.1 Define cockpit automation. Cockpit automation is what one generally refers to as the automatic pilot. This means that under certain circumstances, the plane can generally fly itself. 10.2 Describe information processing. Information processing means a person’s ability to process the items he or she must process in order to perform a certain task. 10.3 Identify the type of loop associated with information processing. The type of loop associated with information processing is the human thought process. 10.4 Describe humans’ ability to monitor automation. Humans have not always been able to monitor automation well. Many argue that automation creates a feeling of false confidence in many pilots. 10.5 List two physiological sensory impairments. Two physiological sensory impairments include visual aspects (it is sometimes difficult to see how far or near something is) as well as hearing aspects (altitude can often cause problems with one’s ears and ability to hear—hence the desire to “pop” one’s ears in flight). 10.6 Identify the one activity that takes precedence over all others during an in flight emergency. The one activity that takes precedence over all others during an in flight emergency is making sure the plane is steady so as not to harm other passengers. 10.7 Identify basic survival techniques during in-flight medical emergencies. Basic survival techniques to use during in-flight emergencies include the use of life vests and oxygen masks, as well as the basics of CPR. 10.8 State the ABCs of CPR. This means Airway, Breathing, and Circulation Module 11 - Health Maintenance and Medical Standards, Regulations, and Certification 11.1 List the five components that makeup all foods. fat, protein and carbohydrate, fiber, water. 11.2 State what percentages of the diet come from protein, carbohydrate, and fat. Fat, protein and carbohydrates are called macronutrients. We eat these in the largest quantities—typically up to 75% of what we eat. 11.3 State the amount of energy that carbohydrates, fats, and carbohydrates provide. Carbohydrates, and fats make up about 90% of our energy resources. 11.4 List three sources of carbohydrates. Bread, pasta, potatoes. 11.5 Identify what carbohydrates are broken down into inside the body. Carbohydrates are broken down into the body as glucose sugar. 11.6 Identify the important body "fuel" used by the brain and muscles. The important fuel is called L-Alanine 11.7 List the three categories of fats. carbohydrate-based, protein-based, and fat-based. 11.8 State the difference between HDL and LDL. LDL is the “bad” cholesterol that can form plaque on the arteries. HDL is the “good” cholesterol which helps to protect against heart attack. 11.9 Provide examples for each type of fat category. Carbohydrate-based is found in foods such as pastas and bread. Protein-based is found in foods such as yogurt and dairy products. Fat-based is found in items such as chocolate and sweets. 11.10 Identify the nutritional value of vitamins. Vitamins can be key to nutritional value, helping individuals get what they need via a pill if they cannot get it from their food. 11.11 Define and state the prevention of hypoglycemia. The prevention of hypoglycemia is usually discovered by identifying the cause, and then making the solution around that cause. Often, a reduced dose of insulin can help. 11.12 Describe the role of exercise in a health maintenance program. Exercise can help one maintain a healthy heart rate, burn off unnecessary fat, and therefore maintain a better lifestyle. 11.13 Identify the different parts of the medical examination. The different parts of the medical examination include the initial health check (weight, pulse, etc), then talking to the doctor, then performing physical tests. 11.14 List four terms associated with medical certification. Four terms associated with medical certification are emergencies, deaths, heart rates, and first aid. 11.15 Describe the typical certification scenario. The typical certification scenario includes classes and tests. 11.16 Describe the process for recertification. In order to become re-certified, one must re-take a class or perform and pass a test. 11.17 Define denial. Denial means one’s ability to put out a particular happening. References Austin-Travis County (n.d). Retrieved July 19, 2009, from: http://www.atcems.org/Newsroom/PressRelease.cfm?PressReleaseID=1349 The Free Dictionary. (n.d.). Retrieved July 17, 2009, from: http://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/Radial+acceleration Humidity: Effects on the Human Body. (n.d). Retrieved July 19, 2009, from: http://www.spiritus-temporis.com/humidity/effects-on-human-body.html Hypoglycemia (n.d.). Retrieved July 17, 2009, from http://www.answers.com/topic/hypoglycemia Kaspari, L. (n.d.) “No Smoking.” Retrieved July 17, 2009, from: http://www.mdsupport.org/library/nosmoke.html The Stages of Sleep (n.d). Retrieved July 17, 2009, from: http://www.dreamviews.com/sleepstages.php Wikipedia, n.d. “G Force.” Retrieved July 17, 2009, from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G-force Wikipedia n.d. “CRM.” Retrieved July 17, 2009, from: CRMhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crew_Resource_Management Read More