Lab Report Requirements:

A completed typewritten laboratory report is required for each lab. Each report will consist of a minimum of 6 parts:

1. Introduction: statement of the objectives and the significance of the lab assignment.
2. Methods: description of the equipment and procedures used.
3. Data: present observed/collected data from the laboratory experiment.
4. Results and discussions: description of data analysis used, results of the exercise.
5. Conclusions / Recommendations: give recommendations for improving the lab exercise.
6. The answers to the specific questions found in the “Report” section of each lab assignment.

Grading:

• Each assignment will be graded on a 0-10 point scale.
• For each lab 2 points will be allocated to the lab participation.
• Each assignment will count equally to the final lab grade.

 

GRAING POINTS DESIGNATION FOR THE 8 POINTS OUT OF THE TOTAL 10 POINTS

 

Introduction:   0.5

Methods:     0.5

Data:      1.0

Results and discussions:      2.5

Conclusions / Recommendations:      1.0

Lab Report Questions:       2.5

LAB # 3:

METABOLIC MONITORING AND REVISED NIOSH LIFTING EQUATION

Metabolic Monitoring

Objectives

This lab introduces the students on how to measure/compute various physiological parameters such as oxygen consumption, carbon dioxide production, respiratory exchange ratio, respiratory rate, minute ventilation, tidal volume, energy expenditure, maximal aerobic power, and heart rate. The students will learn how to use this information in analyzing and comparing tasks.

 

Equipment

1. Metabolic testing equipment (Vista VO2 Lab)
2. Heart rate monitor watch and transmitter (Polar RS800)
3. Quinton Q55 Medical treadmill

 

Definitions:

• Metabolism: is the chemical process of converting food into mechanical work and heat. Provides the musculoskeletal system with the needed energy.
• Energy expenditure (EE_min): the rate of metabolism or the amount of energy expended per minute (kcal/min).
• Calorie: is used to express expenditure associated with physical action or activity.
• VO2 (L): Oxygen consumption in liter per minute (Table 1).
• VCO2 (L): CO2 output in liter per minute.
• Respiratory exchange ratio (RER): is the ratio between the amount of CO2 exhaled and O2 inhaled in one breath (VCO2/VO2). Measuring this ratio can be used for estimating the respiratory quotient (RQ).
• Respiratory quotient (RQ): is the ratio of CO2 produced to O2 consumed at the cellular level.
• Respiratory Rate (RR): Breaths per minute.
• Tidal Volume (TV): the volume of gas inhaled and exhaled during one respiratory cycle. In a healthy, young adult, tidal volume is approximately 0.5 L per inspiration.
• Minute Ventilation Exhaled (VE): the total volume of gas in liters exhaled from the lungs per minute.
• Heart Rate (HR): Beats per minute. Maximum heart rate is estimated as HR = 220 – Age (Table 1).
• Maximal Aerobic Power (MAP): Highest oxygen uptake an individual can attain during exercise (L/min). Good measure of cardiovascular fitness. A typical MAP for a young untrained male would be 3.5 L/min.

 

Table 1: The oxygen uptake and heart rate levels associated with different work intensities.

Level of Work	Oxygen Uptake (L/min)	HR (Beats/min)
Light Work	Up to 0.5	Up to 90
Moderate Work	0.5-1.0	90-110
Heavy Work	1.0-1.5	110-130
Very Heavy Work	1.5-2.0	130-150
Extremely Heavy Work	> 2.0	150-170

Vista VO2 Lab:

 

 

 

 

Procedure for Measuring Respiratory Parameters:

1. Calibrate equipment as described in the appendix section.
2. After calibration, testing can begin.
3. Click on VO2 button in main menu
4. Enter patient data (leave FEV1 as 1.0) and then click save.
5. Click on the exercise/rest button to select the type of test to be done.
6. Click on the “change/quit” button.
7. Click on the “Data Reporting Interval (DRI)” box.
8. Select “BBB display a 15 second average every 15 seconds” (BBB = Breath by Breath)
9. Click save
10. For Max Test Time enter 10 minutes. This sets the x-axis only to 10 minutes. At the end of the period the test will not terminate but the graph will automatically rescale.
11. Click on stress test.
12. Click Continue.
13. The monitor will begin recording respiratory data
14. Click Sop Test.
15. Click on submax test
16. Click view current data.

Heart Rate (HR) Transmitter:

 

 

Procedure for Wearing HR Transmitter:

 

1. Adjust the strap length to fit snugly and comfortably around chest as in the above picture. Secure strap just below the chest muscles and buckle it.
2. Lift the transmitter off chest and moisten the grooved electrode areas on the back of the transmitter.
3. Check that the wet electrode areas are firmly against skin and the Polar logo is in a central, upright position.
4. After experiment is complete, detach the transmitter by twisting the connector while pull the strap off.
5. Carefully wash the transmitter with mild soap and water solution.
6. Rinse it with pure water
7. Dry the transmitter carefully with a soft towel
8. Store the transmitter in a clean and dry place. Dirt impairs the elasticity and functioning of the transmitter. Sweat and moisture can keep the electrodes wet and the transmitter activated, which shortens battery life.

 

Polar RS800 HR Watch:

 

Procedure for Operating the Polar RS800 HR Watch:

1. Begin with the time-of-day display (to get to this display, press the “stop” button on the bottom left corner repeatedly until you get to it)
2. Press “OK” to start measuring HR. The instantaneous HR will be displayed
3. Press “OK” again to begin stop watch
4. At the end of each minute press “OK” to get average HR for elapsed period. The average HR will be displayed only for a couple of seconds and then the instantaneous HR will be shown again.
5. For any elapsed period, press “OK” again to get the average HR.
6. Once test is complete, press “Stop” twice to return to the main menu (time display).

 

Lab Experiment:

 

Measure heart rate and respiratory parameters of participants during rest and when walking on a treadmill at different speeds. The testing protocol consists of five consecutive stages with no breaks in between as follows:

 

Stage	Duration (min)	Speed (mph)
1	2	0 (resting)
2	2	2
3	2	3
4	2	4

 

Data Tables:

 

Form MM-1 (Participant data)

 

Participant	1	2	3	4
Gender
Age
Height (cm)
Weight (kg)

 

 

Form MM-2 (Respiratory Measurements)*:

 

Stage	Speed (mph)	Time (min)	VO2 (L)	RR (b/min)	VE (stpd)	TV (stpd)	EE (kcal/min)	HR (bpm)
1	0	1
		2
2	2	3
		4
3	3	5
		6
4	4	7
		8

 

 

*This data should be exported to excel from the Vista VO2 Lab software for distribution. See “Troubleshooting – Vista VO2 Lab” below for instructions.

 

 

 

 

Report Questions:

 

• Fill out Forms MM-1 and MM-2.
• Calculate the averages of heart rate and the respiratory parameters for each stage? How do the values of each parameter differ between stages? Explain why each parameter increases or decreases across stages.
• Graph and describe the regression line for average VO2 as a function of speed.
• Graph and describe the regression line for average EE as a function of speed.
• Assuming RER equals 0.85, calculate the estimated VCO2 at the resting stage.
• Graph and describe the regression line for HR as a function of VO2. Knowing max HR (= 220 – age), predict the maximal aerobic power using the VO2-HR regression line.

 

 

 

 

APPENDIX: CALIBRATION OF VISTA VO2 LAB

1. Allow instrument to warm up for 15 minutes
2. Oxygen Sensor Calibration (Quick Procedure)
   1. Adjust the O2 Cal. dial on the front panel so that the digital display reads between 20.93 and 20.95% while sampling room air.
   2. The best way to assure that room air is sampled, is to disconnect the sampling tube from the mixing chamber SAMPLE OUT port during this adjustment.
3. However, it is strongly recommended that you confirm proper calibration periodically (e.g. once a week), using the below procedure:
   1. Click on Calibration in the Main Menu.
   2. Calibrate temperature by double clicking on the temperature scale
   3. Enter the room temperature (e.g. 22.2 C) and check “automatic”
   4. Click on “save and exit”
   5. Calibrate pressure by double clicking on the pressure scale
   6. Enter the room pressure (e.g. 759 mmHg) and check “automatic”
   7. Click on “save and exit”
   8. Calibrate humidity by double clicking on the humidity scale
   9. Enter the humidity level (e.g. 50%) and check “manual”
   10. Click on “save and exit”
   11. Calibrate the exhale volume as follows:

1. Connect the blue rubber piece at the end of the calibringe (calibration syringe; Figure 1).
2. Connect the calibringe to the center hole of the two way valve.

• Click the “clear” button next to the “exhale volume” display

1. Double click on the “exhale volume “ display
2. Enter the syringe size as 3 Liters and check “unidirectional turbine”
3. Click “continue”

• Pull the handle on the calibringe fully out
• Click “continue”

1. Push the handle fully back into the calibringe in approximately 2 seconds.
2. Click “continue”
3. Check whether the exhale volume display reads as approximately 3 Liters.

• If not, repeat procedure.

1. 1. Connect calibration gas tank via the red tube supplied to the rear panel connector marked CAL GAS IN (But leave Cal Gas Tank closed until step 3q)
   2. Click on AUTO CALIBRATION
   3. Disconnect the Gas Sample tube from “sample out” in the Mixing Chamber Rear Panel to ambient air. The Low O2 volts should read approximately as 4.5
   4. Adjust O2 Cal Dial on the front panel of the VO2 Lab so that the digital meter indicates an O2 gas value of 20.93% or 20.95%.
   5. Click on START.
   6. When AutoCal step 1 is complete, connect the Gas Sample tube to the Front Panel “Cal Gas Out” port, open the valve on the calibration gas tank and adjust the pressure regulator (by turning the knob counterclockwise) so that the ball on the front panel flow indicator floats in the green dot area.
   7. Click on Continue. The low O2 volts should read approximately as 2 and the O2 digital display on the front panel should read approximately to 16.6%.
   8. Wait about 15 seconds, and then click on START. (Do not re-adjust the Cal O2 dial)
   9. When finish, close the calibration tank valve and return the pressure regulator to off by turning the knob clockwise. Re-connect the Gas Sample Tube to the Mixing Chamber Rear Panel “Sample out” port.
   10. Click on Main Menu button.

 

Figure 1: Syringe (Calibringe) connected to the two way-valve for calibration.

 

Troubleshooting – Vista VO2 Lab

• “No USB” or “Power Disconnected” warning when opening software

• 1. Turn the VO2 lab device on
  2. Close the Vista VO2 TurboFit 5.13 software
  3. Unplug the VO2 lab device from the computer
  4. While the VO2 lab device is on, connect it to the USB port on the left side of the laptop, closest to you
  5. Open the Vista VO2 TurboFit 5.13 software
  6. If the error message still appears, unplug and reboot the computer. Repeat 4 and 5.
• Exporting respiratory data as .xls
  1. In the Vista VO2 TurboFit 5.13 software home screen, select “Review.”
  2. Select the trial you wish to export.
  3. Click “Export” at the bottom of the screen.
  4. Click “. . .” to browse to find the desired export location.
  5. Click export. The collected data should be in a .xls file at the specified location.

Note: This file will include all the data the software can collect. Remind students that they will only need certain data for their data analysis.

 

Revised NIOSH Lifting Equation

Objectives:

1. To determine when the NIOSH lifting equation is appropriate to use.
2. Evaluate workstations using the NIOSH lifting equation, calculating recommended weight limit (RWL) and lifting index (LI).
3. Identify problem areas in the lift task/workstation and determining potential improvements

Procedure:

1. As a team of 3-4, evaluate the origin position of one of the workstations’ lifting tasks.
2. Determine whether the lifting equation is an appropriate tool for evaluating the job.
3. Determine the condition of the object’s coupling component.
4. Determine the lifting frequency (per minute) and work duration.
5. Measure the necessary dimensions at the starting and ending positions of the lift.
6. Fill out the tables below.
7. Use these observations and measurements to determine RWL:

RWL = (LC)(HM)(VM)(DM)(AM)(FM)(CM);

Where:

LC = load constant

HM = horizontal multiplier

VM = vertical multiplier

DM = distance multiplier

AM = asymmetric multiplier

FM = frequency multiplier

CM = coupling multiplier

1. To determine the formulas for each multiplier, refer to Table 3.14 on p. 68 of text book.
2. Calculate LI (= actual weight/RWL); the actual weight of the object will be given.
3. Answer report questions.
4. Discuss workstation modifications as a class

 

 

 

Notes:

The coupling component is considered:

• ‘Good’ if object allows hands to wrap around it (i.e. box with handles or hand-hold cutouts).
• ‘Fair’ if object has less than optimal handles or no handles but allows lifter to bend fingers at 90^o during lift.
• ‘Poor’ if object cannot be grasped.

Report Questions:

For each workstation, answer the following questions:

1. Is the lifting equation the appropriate tool to evaluate this job? If no, explain why. If yes, answer the following questions.
2. What are the RWL and LI for this job?
3. Is the lifting task within acceptable limits as set by the lifting equation? Note that an LI:
   • less than or equal to 1 is acceptable
   • between 1 and 3 indicates that there are potential problems
   • greater than or equal to 3 is unacceptable and must be fixed soon
4. Based on the calculated multiplier values, what components of the lifting task/workstation need improvement (if any).
5. How can you modify the workplace to make the task acceptable or at least to reduce the LI. Provide the RWL and LI for the improved/modified workplace.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Workstation 1 before improvements

 

 

 

 

Workstation 1 after improvements

 

Workstation 2 before improvements

 

 

 

 

Workstation 2 after improvements

 

Workstation 3 before improvements

 

 

 

 

Workstation 3 after improvements

 

Workstation 4 before improvements

 

 

 

 

Workstation 4 after improvements