Recreating the Pulsilogium of Santorio: Outlines for a Historically-Engaged Endeavour.

Between 2015 and 2016 a series of seminars on the history of early modern technology and medicine were held at the Centres for Medical History and Biomedical Modelling and Analysis of the University of Exeter. As a result of that work we laid down the basis for the first historically accurate reconstruction of a seventeenth-century instrument, the of Sanctorius (1561-1636). Previous copies were in fact either simple models for display or lacked any commitment to historical accuracy.

Obesity increases precision errors in total body dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry measurements.

Total body (TB) dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is increasingly being used to measure body composition in research and clinical settings. This study investigated the effect of body mass index (BMI) and body fat on precision errors for total and regional TB DXA measurements of bone mineral density, fat tissue, and lean tissue using the GE Lunar Prodigy (GE Healthcare, Bedford, UK). One hundred forty-four women with BMI's ranging from 18.

The relationship between sagittal curvature and extensor muscle volume in the lumbar spine.

A previous modelling study predicted that the forces applied by the extensor muscles to stabilise the lumbar spine would be greater in spines that have a larger sagittal curvature (lordosis). Because the force-generating capacity of a muscle is related to its size, it was hypothesised that the size of the extensor muscles in a subject would be related to the size of their lumbar lordosis. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data were obtained, together with age, height, body mass and back pain status, from 42 female subjects.

Evaluation of a dual-scales method to measure weight-bearing through the legs, and effects of weight-bearing inequalities on hip bone mineral density and leg lean tissue mass.

Objective: To investigate: the accuracy of measuring relative left/right weight-bearing using two identically calibrated weighing scales; the short-term weight-bearing tendencies in a general population of 9 participants and long-term in 42 females; the effect weight-bearing inequalities on hip bone mineral density and leg lean tissue mass.

Method: Participants were measured standing astride two scales. Short-term volunteers were measured 10 times on one visit, with repositioning between measurements and the long-term group were measured on three visits at 6 month intervals.

Influence of training status and maturity on pulmonary O2 uptake recovery kinetics following cycle and upper body exercise in girls.

The influence of training status on pulmonary VO(2) recovery kinetics, and its interaction with maturity, has not been investigated in young girls. Sixteen prepubertal (Pre: trained (T, 11.4 ± 0.

Obesity increases precision errors in dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry measurements.

The precision errors of dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) measurements are important for monitoring osteoporosis. This study investigated the effect of body mass index (BMI) on precision errors for lumbar spine (LS), femoral neck (NOF), total hip (TH), and total body (TB) bone mineral density using the GE Lunar Prodigy. One hundred two women with BMIs ranging from 18.

The influence of training and maturity status on girls' responses to short-term, high-intensity upper- and lower-body exercise.

A maturational threshold has been suggested to be present in young peoples' responses to exercise, with significant influences of training status evidenced only above this threshold. The presence of such a threshold has not been investigated for short-term, high-intensity exercise. To address this, we investigated the relationship between swim-training status and maturity on the power output, pulmonary gas exchange, and metabolic responses to an upper- and lower-body Wingate anaerobic test (WAnT).

Influence of training and maturity status on the cardiopulmonary responses to ramp incremental cycle and upper body exercise in girls.

It has been suggested that the potential for training to alter the physiological responses to exercise in children is related to a "maturational threshold". To address this, we investigated the interaction of swim-training status and maturity on cardiovascular and metabolic responses to lower and upper body exercise. Twenty-one prepubertal [Pre: 11 trained (T), 10 untrained (UT)], 30 pubertal (Pub: 14 T, 16 UT), and 18 postpubertal (Post: 8 T, 10 UT) girls completed ramp incremental exercise on a cycle and an upper body ergometer.

Influence of training status and exercise modality on pulmonary O2 uptake kinetics in pubertal girls.

The influence of training status on the oxygen uptake (VO2) response to heavy intensity exercise in pubertal girls has not previously been investigated. We hypothesised that whilst training status-related adaptations would be evident in the VO2, heart rate (HR) and deoxyhaemoglobin ([HHb]) kinetics of pubertal swimmers during both lower and upper body exercise, they would be more pronounced during upper body exercise. Eight swim-trained (T; 14.

Prolonged unilateral disuse osteopenia 14 years post external fixator removal: a case history and critical review.

Disuse osteopenia is a complication of immobilisation, with reversal generally noted upon remobilisation. This case report focuses on a patient who was seen 18 years following a road traffic collision when multiple fractures were sustained. The patient had an external fixator fitted for a tibia and fibula fracture, which remained in situ for a period of 4 years.

Longitudinal changes in the oxygen uptake kinetic response to heavy-intensity exercise in 14- to 16-year-old boys.

This study examined longitudinal changes in the pulmonary oxygen uptake (pVO(2)) kinetic response to heavy-intensity exercise in 14-16 yr old boys. Fourteen healthy boys (age 14.1 +/- 0.

Influence of training status and exercise modality on pulmonary O(2) uptake kinetics in pre-pubertal girls.

The limited available evidence suggests that endurance training does not influence the pulmonary oxygen uptake (V(O)(2)) kinetics of pre-pubertal children. We hypothesised that, in young trained swimmers, training status-related adaptations in the V(O)(2) and heart rate (HR) kinetics would be more evident during upper body (arm cranking) than during leg cycling exercise. Eight swim-trained (T; 11.

Quadriceps muscle energetics during incremental exercise in children and adults.

Purpose: This study tested the hypothesis that the muscle metabolic responses of 9- to 12-yr-old children and young adults during incremental quadriceps exercise are dependent on age and sex.

Methods: Fifteen boys, 18 girls, 8 men, and 8 women completed a quadriceps step-incremental test to exhaustion inside a magnetic resonance scanner for determination of the muscle metabolic responses using P-magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Quadriceps muscle mass was determined using magnetic resonance imaging scans enabling comparison of metabolic data at a normalized power output.

Sex difference in peak oxygen uptake in prepubertal children.

Prepubertal boys' greater aerobic fitness (peak V O(2)) has been attributed to their larger lean body mass (LBM); this bestowing a greater heart size and consequent larger maximum cardiac output. No difference in peak arterio-venous (A-VO(2)) difference is thought to exist. However other work indicates that boys' aerobic fitness remains 5% higher even after controlling for differences in LBM.

Muscle phosphocreatine kinetics in children and adults at the onset and offset of moderate-intensity exercise.

The splitting of muscle phosphocreatine (PCr) plays an integral role in the regulation of muscle O2 utilization during a "step" change in metabolic rate. This study tested the hypothesis that the kinetics of muscle PCr would be faster in children compared with adults both at the onset and offset of moderate-intensity exercise, in concert with the previous demonstration of faster phase II pulmonary O2 uptake kinetics in children. Eighteen peri-pubertal children (8 boys, 10 girls) and 16 adults (8 men, 8 women) completed repeated constant work-rate exercise transitions corresponding to 80% of the Pi/PCr intracellular threshold.

Muscle phosphocreatine and pulmonary oxygen uptake kinetics in children at the onset and offset of moderate intensity exercise.

To further understand the mechanism(s) explaining the faster pulmonary oxygen uptake (p(VO)(2)) kinetics found in children compared to adults, this study examined whether the phase II p(VO)(2) kinetics in children are mechanistically linked to the dynamics of intramuscular PCr, which is known to play a principal role in controlling mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation during metabolic transitions. On separate days, 18 children completed repeated bouts of moderate intensity constant work-rate exercise for determination of (1) PCr changes every 6 s during prone quadriceps exercise using (31)P-magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and (2) breath by breath changes in p(VO)(2) during upright cycle ergometry. Only subjects (n = 12) with 95% confidence intervals View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Aerobic fitness: what are we measuring?

Aerobic fitness depends upon the components of oxygen delivery and the oxidative mechanisms of the exercising muscle. Peak oxygen uptake is recognised as the best single criterion of aerobic fitness but it is strongly correlated with body size. Methods of controlling for body size are discussed and it is demonstrated how inappropriate use of ratio scaling has clouded our understanding of aerobic fitness during growth and maturation and across time.

The physical activity patterns of European youth with reference to methods of assessment.

This article reviews the habitual physical activity of children and adolescents from member countries of the European Union in relation to methods of assessing and interpreting physical activity. Data are available from all European Union countries except Luxembourg and the trends are very similar. European boys of all ages participate in more physical activity than European girls and the gender difference is more marked when vigorous activity is considered.

Reliability of 31P-magnetic resonance spectroscopy during an exhaustive incremental exercise test in children.

This study examined the reliability of (31)P-magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) to measure parameters of muscle metabolic function in children. On separate days, 14 children (7 boys and 7 girls) completed three knee-extensor incremental tests to exhaustion inside a whole-body scanner (1.5 T, Phillips).

Reliability of peak VO(2) and maximal cardiac output assessed using thoracic bioimpedance in children.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the reliability of a thoracic electrical bioimpedance based device (PhysioFlow) for the determination of cardiac output and stroke volume during exercise at peak oxygen uptake (peak VO(2) in children. The reliability of peak VO(2) is also reported. Eleven boys and nine girls aged 10-11 years completed a cycle ergometer test to voluntary exhaustion on three occasions each 1 week apart.

Short-term appetite and energy intake following imposed exercise in 9- to 10-year-old girls.

Short-term effects of different intensities of exercise-induced energy expenditure on energy intake and hunger were compared in 19 girls (10.0 +/- 0.6 years) in three conditions: sedentary, low-intensity exercise and high-intensity exercise.

Oxygen uptake kinetics in children and adults after the onset of moderate-intensity exercise.

The literature suggests that the oxygen uptake (VO2) response to the onset of moderate-intensity exercise may be both mature from childhood and independent of sex. Yet the cardiorespiratory response to exercise and the metabolic profile of the muscle appear to change with growth and development and to differ between the sexes. The aim of this study was to investigate further changes in the VO2 kinetic response with age and sex.