Glossary

Particles floating in the air with an aero-dynamic diameter of 2.5 micron or less.

The concentration of an air contaminant measure by the UDAQ.

PM2.5 and ozone.

Allergy symptoms depend on your particular allergy, and can involve the airways, sinuses and nasal passages, skin, and digestive system. Allergic reactions can range from mild to severe. In some severe cases, allergies can trigger a life-threatening reaction in your body known as anaphylaxis. Hay fever, also called allergic rhinitis, may cause congestion, itchy, runny nose, Itchy, watery or swollen eyes (conjunctivitis).

A substance that may protect your cells against the effects of free radicals.

Air quality index. An index for reporting daily air quality. It tells you how clean or polluted your air is, and what associated health effects might be a concern for you.

Beats-per-minute.

The common cold is a viral infection of your upper respiratory tract – your nose and throat. A common cold is usually harmless, although it may not feel that way. If it’s not a runny nose, sore throat and cough, it’s the watery eyes, sneezing and congestion or maybe all of the above. In fact, because any one of more than 100 viruses can cause a common cold, signs and symptoms tend to vary greatly.

The total amount of a substance taken up, or absorbed. Units: µg.

Atoms, molecules, or ions with unpaired electrons or an open shell configuration.

A measure of the intensity of physical activity expressed as a percentage that indicates where the target heart rate is between the resting heart rate and the APMHR. Formula: intensity = ((THR – RHR) / (APMHR – RHR)) x 100.

A unit of length equal to one millionth (1/1,000,000) of a meter (1×10-6 meter), abbreviated as µm.

Particulate matter floating in the air.

Parts-per-million (volume-per-volume) concentration of a gaseous pollutant (such as ozone) in the air.

Rating of perceived exertion (Borg scale) Units: 1 through 10.

Utah Division of Air Quality.

Abbreviation for microgram(s) Formula: 1 gram/1,000,000.

Abbreviation for micron Formula: 1 meter/1,000,000.

The alveoli are the final branchings of the respiratory tree and act as the primary gas exchange units of the lung.

Air pollution dose model (myAir core app).

Asthma is a condition in which your airways narrow and swell and produce extra mucus. This can make breathing difficult and trigger coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath.

Branches of the bronchi, the bronchioles terminate by entering the circular sacs called alveoli.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) refers to a group of lung diseases that block airflow as you exhale and make it increasingly difficult for you to breathe.

Emphysema occurs when the air sacs in your lungs are gradually destroyed, making you progressively more short of breath. Emphysema is one of several diseases known collectively as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Smoking is the leading cause of emphysema.

An obscuration of the atmosphere.

Formula used to calculate target heart rate. Formula: THR = ((APMHR – RHR) * %intensity) + RHR.

A gas occurring in the atmosphere made up of molecules containing two oxygen atoms.

Particles floating in the air with an aero-dynamic diameter of 10 micron or less.

A surface-active lipoprotein complex (phospholipoprotein) formed by type II alveolar cells. The proteins and lipids that comprise the surfactant have both a hydrophilic region and a hydrophobic region. By adsorbing to the air-water interface of alveoli with the hydrophilic head groups in the water and the hydrophobic tails facing towards the air, the main lipid component of surfactant, dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC), reduces surface tension.

Atmosphere pollutants combined with haze and smoke.

Upper respiratory tract infections (URI or URTI) are the illnesses caused by an acute infection which involves the upper respiratory tract: nose, sinuses, pharynx or larynx. This commonly includes: tonsillitis, pharyngitis, laryngitis, sinusitis, otitis media, and the common cold.

Micrograms per hour (dosage rate).

Surrounding (applied to environmental media such as air, water, etc.)

Age-predicted maximum heart rate. Formula: 220 minus your age; units: BPM.

Acebutolol (Sectral®), Atenolol (Tenormin®), Betaxolol (Kerlone®, Betoptic®), Bisoprolol (Zebeta®), Esmolol (Brevibloc®), Nebivolol (Bystolic®), Metoprolol (Lopressor®, Toprol-X). Beta blockers slow your heart rate, which can prevent the increase in heart rate that typically occurs with exercise. This means that it might not be possible for you to reach your target heart rate.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The total amount of a substance taken up, or absorbed per hour or some other unit of time. Units: µg/hr.

The concentration or amount of an air contaminant in the air you breathe. Units: µg/m3.

A complex biological response of vascular tissues to harmful stimuli, such as pathogens, damaged cells, or irritants.

A unit of mass equal to one millionth (1/1,000,000) of a gram (1×10-6 gram), abbreviated as µg.

A gas made up of molecules containing three oxygen atoms.

Parts-per-billion (volume-per-volume) concentration of a gaseous pollutant (such as ozone) in the air.

Resting heart rate. Units: beats per minute or BPM.

Target heart rate, in beats per minute, as calculated by the Karnoven formula. Formula: THR = ((APMHR – RHR) * %intensity) + RHR.

Upper respiratory tract infections (URI or URTI).

Mass-per-volume pollution concentration expressed as µg per cubic meter of air.