Interventions for reducing sedentary behaviour in people with stroke.

Background: Stroke survivors are often physically inactive as well as sedentary,and may sit for long periods of time each day. This increases cardiometabolic risk and has impacts on physical and other functions. Interventions to reduce or interrupt periods of sedentary time, as well as to increase physical activity after stroke, could reduce the risk of secondary cardiovascular events and mortality during life after stroke.

Cardiac Responses to Submaximal Isometric Contraction and Aerobic Exercise in Healthy Pregnancy.

Purpose: The increased physiological demand of pregnancy results in the profound adaptation of the maternal cardiovascular system, reflected by greater resting cardiac output and left ventricular (LV) deformation. Whether the increased resting demand alters acute cardiac responses to exercise in healthy pregnant women is not well understood.

Methods: Healthy nonpregnant (n = 18), pregnant (n = 14, 22-26 wk gestation), and postpartum women (n = 13, 12-16 wk postdelivery) underwent assessments of cardiac function and LV mechanics at rest, during a sustained isometric forearm contraction (30% maximum), and during low-intensity (LOW) and moderate-intensity (MOD) dynamic cycling exercise (25% and 50% peak power output).

Left ventricular mechanics in late second trimester of healthy pregnancy.

Objective: To evaluate left ventricular (LV) mechanics in the second trimester of healthy pregnancy and to determine the influence of underpinning hemodynamics (heart rate (HR), preload and afterload) on LV mechanics during gestation.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of 18 non-pregnant, 14 nulliparous pregnant (22-26 weeks' gestation) and 13 primiparous postpartum (12-16 weeks after delivery) women. All pregnant and postpartum women had uncomplicated, singleton gestations.

Static and Dynamic Lung Volumes in Swimmers and Their Ventilatory Response to Maximal Exercise.

Purpose: While the static and dynamic lung volumes of active swimmers is often greater than the predicted volume of similarly active non-swimmers, little is known if their ventilatory response to exercise is also different.

Methods: Three groups of anthropometrically matched male adults were recruited, daily active swimmers (n = 15), daily active in fields sport (Rugby and Football) (n = 15), and recreationally active (n = 15). Forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV), and maximal voluntary ventilation (MVV) was measured before and after exercise to volitional exhaustion.

A longitudinal study of muscle strength and function in patients with cancer cachexia.

Purpose: Patients with cancer frequently experience an involuntary loss of weight (in particular loss of muscle mass), defined as cachexia, with profound implications for independence and quality of life. The rate at which such patients' physical performance declines has not been well established. The aim of this study was to determine the change in muscle strength and function over 8 weeks in patients with already established cancer cachexia, to help inform the design and duration of physical activity interventions applicable to this patient group.