Cardiovascular and ventilatory responses to dorsal, facial, and whole-head water immersion in eupnea.

Objective: Facial cooling can regulate reflexes of the dive response whereas further body cooling generally induces the cold-shock response. We examined the cardiovascular and ventilatory parameters of these responses during 3-min immersions of the head dorsum, face, and whole head in 17 degrees C water while breathing was maintained.

Methods: From a horizontal position, the head was inserted into a temperature controlled immersion tank in which the water level could be changed rapidly.

Clothing buoyancy and underwater horizontal swim distance after exiting a submersed vehicle simulator.

Background: Winter road workers, who drive heavy vehicles over ice-covered waterways, are at risk for ice failure, vehicle submersion, and subsequent drowning in frigid water. Although some jurisdictions require these workers to wear flotation clothing, there are concerns that, following an underwater exit in fast-moving water, increased clothing buoyancy may reduce ability to swim against the current to safely return to the ice opening.

Methods: Using a simulator in a swimming pool (3.

Whole-body hypothermia has central and peripheral influences on elbow flexor performance.

The superimposed twitch technique was used to study the effect of whole-body hypothermia on maximal voluntary activation of elbow flexors. Seven subjects [26.4 ± 4 years old (mean ± SD)] were exposed to 60 min of either immersion in 8°C water (hypothermia) or sitting in 22°C air (control).

Shivering heat production and body fat protect the core from cooling during body immersion, but not during head submersion: a structural equation model.

Previous studies showed that core cooling rates are similar when only the head or only the body is cooled. Structural equation modeling was used on data from two cold water studies involving body-only, or whole body (including head) cooling. Exposure of both the body and head increased core cooling, while only body cooling elicited shivering.

Core cooling and thermal responses during whole-head, facial, and dorsal immersion in 17 degrees C water.

This study isolated the effects of dorsal, facial, and whole-head immersion in 17 degrees C water on peripheral vasoconstriction and the rate of body core cooling. Seven male subjects were studied in thermoneutral air (approximately 28 degrees C). On 3 separate days, they lay prone or supine on a bed with their heads inserted through the side of an adjustable immersion tank.

Field torso-warming modalities: a comparative study using a human model.

Objective: To compare four field-appropriate torso-warming modalities that do not require alternating-current (AC) electrical power, using a human model of nonshivering hypothermia.

Methods: Five subjects, serving as their own controls, were cooled four times in 8 degrees C water for 10-30 minutes. Shivering was inhibited by buspirone (30 mg) taken orally prior to cooling and intravenous (IV) meperidine (1.

Survey of public knowledge and responses to educational slogans regarding cold-water immersion.

Objectives: Cold water temperature is a significant factor in North American drownings. These deaths are usually attributed to hypothermia. Survey questions were administered to 661 attendees of cold-stress seminars-including medical, rescue, law enforcement and lay attendees-to determine general knowledge of the effects of ice water immersion and responses to 2 public service educational slogans.

Longitudinal study of quality of life and psychological functioning for active, fluctuating, and inactive disease patterns in inflammatory bowel disease.

Background: The aim was to assess quality of life (QOL) and psychological functioning in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) as related to patterns of disease activity over time.

Methods: Study participants were 388 recently diagnosed individuals from the population-based Manitoba IBD Cohort Study. They completed mail-out surveys at 6-month intervals and clinical interviews annually.

Shivering heat production and core cooling during head-in and head-out immersion in 17 degrees C water.

Introduction: Many cold-water scenarios cause the head to be partially or fully immersed (e.g., ship wreck survival, scuba diving, cold-water adventure swim racing, cold-water drowning, etc.

Thermal effects of whole head submersion in cold water on nonshivering humans.

This study isolated the effect of whole head submersion in cold water, on surface heat loss and body core cooling, when the confounding effect of shivering heat production was pharmacologically eliminated. Eight healthy male subjects were studied in 17 degrees C water under four conditions: the body was either insulated or uninsulated, with the head either above the water or completely submersed in each body-insulation subcondition. Shivering was abolished with buspirone (30 mg) and meperidine (2.