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This study demonstrates that while obesity is a risk factor for self-reported asthma, obese participants are at a lower risk for (objective) airflow obstruction. Many more obese than nonobese participants were using bronchodilators despite a lack of objective evidence for airflow obstruction. These data suggest that mechanisms other than airflow obstruction are responsible for dyspnea genesis in obesity and that asthma might be overdiagnosed in the obese population.

In young, healthy people the alveolar-arterial P O 2 difference (A-aDO 2 ) is small at rest, but frequently increases during exercise. Previously, investigators have focused on ventilation/perfusion mismatch and diffusion abnormalities to explain the impairment in gas exchange, as significant physiological intra-pulmonary shunt has not been found. The aim of this study was to use a non-gas exchange method to determine if anatomical intra-pulmonary (I-P) shunts develop during exercise, and, if so, whether there is a relationship between shunt and increased A-aDO 2 . Healthy male participants performed graded upright cycling to 90%V O 2 max while pulmonary arterial (PAP) and pulmonary artery wedge pressures were measured. Blood samples were obtained from the radial artery, cardiac output (Q) was calculated by the direct Fick method and I-P shunt was determined by administering agitated saline during continuous 2-D echocardiography. A-aDO 2 progressively increased with exercise and was related toQ (r = 0.86) and PAP (r = 0.75). No evidence of I-P shunt was found at rest in the upright position; however, 7 of 8 subjects developed I-P shunts during exercise. In these subjects, point bi-serial correlations indicated that I-P shunts were related to the increased A-aDO 2 (r = 0.68),Q (r = 0.76) and PAP (r = 0.73). During exercise, intra-pulmonary shunt always occurred when A-aDO 2 exceeded 12 mmHg andQ was greater than 24 l min −1 . These results indicate that anatomical I-P shunts develop during exercise and we suggest that shunt recruitment may contribute to the widened A-aDO 2 during exercise.

h i g h l i g h t s< Discussion of the rationale to choose a suitable alloy for Aleair battery. < Effect of the properties and preparation route to enhance the oxidation of Al. < Effect of the inhibitors on the anode oxidation in the alkaline electrolyte. This review shows the influence of the materials, including: aluminium alloy, oxygen reduction catalyst and electrolyte type, in the battery performance. Two issues are considered: (a) the parasitic corrosion of aluminium at open-circuit potential and under discharge, due to the reduction of water on the anode and (b) the formation of a passive hydroxide layer on aluminium, which inhibits dissolution and shifts its potential to positive values. To overcome these two issues, super-pure (99.999 wt%) aluminium alloyed with traces of Mg, Sn, In and Ga are used to inhibit corrosion or to break down the passive hydroxide layer. Since high-purity aluminium alloys are expensive, an alternative approach is to add inhibitors or additives directly into the electrolyte. The effectiveness of binary and ternary alloys and the addition of different electrolyte additives are evaluated. Novel methods to overcome the self-corrosion problem include using anionic membranes and gel electrolytes or alternative solvents, such as alcohols or ionic liquids, to replace aqueous solutions. The air cathode is also considered and future opportunities and directions for the development of aluminiumeair cells are highlighted.

Combining helium and hyperoxia delays dynamic hyperinflation and improves respiratory mechanics, which translates into added improvements in exercise tolerance for patients with COPD.

Subjects with greater aerobic fitness demonstrate better diastolic compliance at rest, but whether fitness modulates exercise cardiac compliance and cardiac filling pressures remains to be determined. On the basis of maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max), healthy male subjects were categorized into either low (LO: VO2max=43+/-6 ml.kg-1.min-1; n=3) or high (HI: VO2max=60+/-3 ml.kg-1.min-1; n=5) aerobic power. Subjects performed incremental cycle exercise to 90% Vo(2max). Right atrial (RAP) and pulmonary artery wedge (PAWP) pressures were measured, and left ventricular (LV) transmural filling pressure (TMFP=PAWP-RAP) was calculated. Cardiac output (CO) and stroke volume (SV) were determined by direct Fick, and LV end-diastolic volume (EDV) was estimated from echocardiographic fractional area change and Fick SV. There were no between-group differences for any measure at rest. At a submaximal workload of 150 W, PAWP and TMFP were higher (P<0.05) in LO compared with HI (12 vs. 8 mmHg, and 9 vs. 4 mmHg, respectively). At peak exercise, CO, SV, and EDV were lower in LO (P<0.05). RAP was not different at peak exercise, but PAWP (23 vs. 15 mmHg) and TMFP (12 vs. 6 mmHg) were higher in LO (P<0.05). Compared with less fit subjects, subjects with greater aerobic fitness demonstrated lower LV filling pressures during exercise, whereas SV and EDV were either similar (submaximal exercise) or higher (peak exercise), suggesting superior diastolic function and compliance.

In this thesis aluminium alloys containing small additions of both tin (~ 0.1 wt %) and gallium (~ 0.05 wt %) are shown to dissolve anodically at high rates in sodium chloride media at room temperatures; current densities > 0.2 A cm -2 can be obtained at potentialsclose to the open circuit potential, ~ -1.5 V vs SCE. Alloys that do not contain both tin and gallium were shown not to dissolve at such a negative potential. The tin exists in the alloys as a second phase, typically as ~ 1 µm inclusions (precipitates) distributed throughout the aluminium structure, and anodic dissolution occurs to form rounded pits around the tin inclusions. The pits were different in structure from the crystallographic pits commonly observed with Al and other alloys. The change in pit structure and the negative shift in dissolution potential indicate that the AlMgSnGa alloys dissolve by a different mechanism. Although the distribution of the gallium in the alloy could not be established, it is also shown to be critical in the formation of these pits as well as maintaining their activity. The stability of the alloys to open circuit corrosion and the overpotential for high rate dissolution, both critical to battery performance, is shown to depend on factors in addition to elemental composition; both heat treatment and mechanical working influence the performance of the alloy. The correlation between alloy performance and their microstructure has been investigated.iii Imaging of the surface with a resolution of 10 -20 µm was used for the direct observation of the anodic dissolution of aluminium alloys containing Sn and Ga. The resolution allows confirmation that hydrogen evolution occurs from the Sn inclusions.

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