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Biomedical subjects

C Marconi

Publications and source records attributed to C Marconi.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1991

Alveolar gas composition and exchange during deep breath-hold diving and dry breath holds in elite divers.

End tidal O2 and CO2 (PETCO2) pressures, expired volume, blood lactate concentration ([Lab]), and arterial blood O2 saturation [dry breath holds (BHs) only] were assessed in three elite breath-hold divers (ED) before and after deep dives and BH and in nine control subjects (C; BH only). After the dives (depth 40-70 m, duration 88-151 s), end-tidal O2 pressure decreased from approximately 140 Torr to a minimum of 30.6 Torr, PETCO2 increased from approximately 25 Torr to a maximum of 47.0 Torr, and expired volume (BTPS) ranged from 1.32 to 2.86 liters. Pulmonary O2 exchange was 455-1,006 ml. CO2 output approached zero. [Lab] increased from approximately 1.2 mM to at most 6.46 mM. Estimated power output during dives was 513-929 ml O2/min, i.e. approximately 20-30% of maximal O2 consumption. During BH, alveolar PO2 decreased from approximately 130 to less than 30 Torr in ED and from 125 to 45 Torr in C. PETCO2 increased from approximately 30 to approximately 50 Torr in both ED and C. Contrary to C, pulmonary O2 exchange in ED was less than resting O2 consumption, whereas CO2 output approached zero in both groups. [Lab] was unchanged. Arterial blood O2 saturation decreased more in ED than in C. ED are characterized by increased anaerobic metabolism likely due to the existence of a diving reflex.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Electrocardiogram during deep breath-hold dives by elite divers.

A portable ECG recorder was used during breath-hold dives at sea by 3 elite divers to 65 and 45 m. ECG was also recorded during nonimmersed maximal breath holds in the divers and 8 control subjects. Heart rate in the dives decreased rapidly to 20-24 beats.min(-1). During the surface experiments in the divers, bradycardia was much slower in onset, reaching 28-36 beats.min(-1) at the end of the breath holds. The divers showed a more consistent bradycardial response than the controls. The difference in temporal pattern of bradycardia, in the dives and in the breath holds by the divers, may have been due to face immersion in cold water, chest compression, and/or redistribution of blood into the chest with concomitant stimulation of cardiac and other mechanoreceptors. Arrhythmias, mostly supraventricular and ventricular premature complexes, were observed coincidently with the lowest heart rates, presumably reflecting a high vagal tone. In addition, cardiac distention at depth might have made the heart more prone to arrhythmias, while in the surface breath holds hypoxia might have accounted for a similar effect.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

L-carnitine supplementation in humans. The effects on physical performance.

The use of supplementary L-carnitine by athletes has become rather widespread over the recent years even in the absence of unequivocal results from human experimental studies that might support this practice. To justify the above procedure, the most commonly purported reasons are that L-carnitine administration could hypothetically: 1. increase lipid turnover in working muscles leading to glycogen saving and, as a consequence, allow longer performances for given heavy work loads; 2. contribute to the homeostasis of free and esterified L-carnitine in plasma and muscle, the allegation being that the levels of one or more of these compounds may decrease in the course of heavy repetitive exercise. A critical survey of the literature on carnitine metabolism in healthy humans at exercise does not appear to be available. The authors are of the opinion that this paper, besides shedding light into some relevant aspects of energy turnover in muscle, could also be of practical use not only for the physiologists but particularly for the Sport Medicine practitioners.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Spatial and temporal variability of blood flow in stimulated dog gastrocnemius muscle.

The distribution of blood flow in skeletal muscle stimulated to rhythmic isotonic contractions was studied by injections of radioactive microspheres into the arterial supply of gastrocnemius muscles (mean weight 88 g) subsequently cut into 0.5 g pieces for determination of radioactivity. The coefficient of variation (CV = SD/mean) of the ratio of simultaneously injected 10 microns and 15 microns microspheres, 0.12, was taken as the inherent scatter of the method. The average spatial distribution inequality of 10-15 microns microspheres corresponded to a CV of 0.45 and the specific local blood flow inhomogeneity to a CV = 0.43 (= square root of 0.45(2) - 0.12(2)), but there were marked differences between muscles. The temporal variability of blood flow in individual muscle pieces was obtained from the comparison of fractional trapping of 4 to 5 differently labeled microspheres injected at intervals of 2 minutes into steadily stimulated muscles. The mean CV for the variations in time was 0.23 and that corrected for methodological scatter, 0.19. There were large differences between muscle pieces within a muscle and between muscles. The presence of considerable spatial and temporal variations of blood flow in exercising muscle during apparent steady state may be important in limiting and/or modulating tissue O2 supply.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Gas exchange and metabolic transients in heart transplant recipients.

In human heart transplant recipients (HTR) an impairment of the cardiac function was expected to reduce peak oxygen consumption and the kinetics of the adjustment of respiratory gas exchange at the onset of rectangular work loads. In nine patients (males, 23-59 yr) 1 to 8 months after cardiac transplantation average peak VO2 (VO2p) was 1.1 L.min-1 +/- 0.3 (SD), i.e. 45% of that of the controls, the corresponding VCO2p value being 1.4 L.min-1 +/- 0.3 (SD). Mean VEp was 62.9 L.min-1 +/- 20.3 (SD), mean HRp was 136 beats.min-1 +/- 11 (SD), i.e. 45 beats.min-1 higher than preexercise values. Mean [Lab]p was 7.7 mM +/- 1.7 (SD), indicating that at the heaviest load the HTR were performing work at or above their maximum aerobic power. During the initial 60-90 sec of the transition from rest to graded rectangular exercise HR did not change from the resting value, increasing thereafter almost linearly with time. The half time (t1/2) of the VE on-response was 112 sec +/- 30 (SD) (controls values: 59 sec +/- 16), that of the VCO2 on- was 95 sec +/- 18 (SD) (58 sec +/- 11), and that of the VO2 on- was 78 sec +/- 24 (SD) (38 sec +/- 6). In spite of the slow kinetics of the VO2 on- response, no massive accumulation of lactate was found in the early phase of exercise. The limitation of the peak exercise in HTR appears to be imposed by a reduced maximal cardiac performance. The slow readjustment of the latter, as expected from the sluggish heart rate response, however, does not impair substantially the work load transients nor reduce the anaerobic threshold.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Blood flow distribution and its temporal variability in stimulated dog gastrocnemius muscle.

The distribution of blood flow in skeletal muscle stimulated to rhythmic isotonic contractions was studied by injections of radioactive microspheres into the arterial supply in 8 gastrocnemius muscles (mean weight 84 g) of 6 anesthetized dogs (20-25 kg body weight). The distribution of 10 micron microspheres in regions of about 0.5 g was very similar to that of the standard 15 micron microspheres, whereas that of 25 micron microspheres was more uneven. The coefficient of variation (CV = SD/mean) of the ratio of simultaneously injected 10 micron and 15 micron microspheres, 0.12, was taken as the inherent scatter of the method. The average spatial distribution inequality of 10-15 micron microspheres corresponded to a CV of 0.45 and the specific local blood flow inhomogeneity to a CV = 0.43 ( = square root 0.45(2) - 0.12(2], but there were marked differences between muscles. At equal blood flow levels, the inhomogeneity during reactive hyperemia was similar to that observed during stimulation. The temporal variability of blood flow in individual muscle pieces was obtained from the comparison of fractional trapping of 4 to 5 differently labeled microspheres injected at intervals of 2 min into steadily stimulated muscles. The mean CV for the variations in time was 0.23 and that corrected for methodological scatter, 0.19, but the differences in the extent of temporal blood flow changes among muscle pieces within a muscle and between different muscles were large. The presence of considerable spatial and temporal variations of blood flow in exercising muscle during apparent steady state may be important in limiting and/or modulating tissue O2 supply.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Effects of L-carnitine loading on the aerobic and anaerobic performance of endurance athletes.

L-Carnitine (L-C), a well known physiological carrier across the inner mitochondrial membrane of activated long chain fatty acids and acceptor of acyl groups from acyl-CoA, has been recently synthesised industrially. This has made it possible to study the effects of L-C loading (4 g X d(-1) by mouth over a period of 2 weeks) on the aerobic and anaerobic performance of 6 long distance competitive walkers. As a result of the treatment: 1) mean total, free and esterified serum L-C both at rest and shortly after completing a 120 min walk at about 65% of the individual maximal aerobic power (VO2max) were significantly increased; 2) VO2max increased 6%, from 54.5 +/- 3.7 (S.D.) to 57.8 +/- 4.7 m1O2 X kg(-1) X min(-1) (P less than 0.02); 3) blood lactate concentration (Lab) as a consequence of short bouts repeated exercise (series of 10, 15 and 20 jumps off both feet on a force platform) was unchanged; 4) heart rate, pulmonary ventilation, oxygen consumption, and respiratory quotient in the same conditions as for 1) were unchanged. It is concluded that, in trained athletes, as a consequence of L-C loading VO2max is slightly but significantly raised, probably as a result of an activation of substrate flow through the TCA cycle, whereas the lipid contribution to metabolism in prolonged submaximal exercise remains unchanged.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

Cardiac output and muscle blood flow in exercising dogs.

Average blood flow (q) was determined by trapping of 15 micron radioactive microspheres in the vastus lateralis, the gastrocnemius-flexor digitorum superficialis and the triceps brachii of five 18 kg untrained mongrel dogs at rest and during graded treadmill running. Oxygen uptake (VO2) and cardiac output (Qco) were simultaneously determined. q leveled off in all investigated muscles at 60-100 ml X 100 g-1 X min-1 when VO2 was ca. 70% of peak VO2. Qco increased linearly with VO2 up to peak VO2. The regional blood flow (qR) distribution pattern within the muscle was found to be extremely scattered around q, both at rest and at heavy exercise. qR ranged from approximately 5 to approximately 55 ml X 100 g-1 X min-1 at rest and from approximately 10 to approximately 200 ml X 100 g-1 X min-1 at maximal exercise. No significant topographic pattern was observed in the qR distribution of the gastrocnemius muscle which was essentially similar to that previously found for the isolated-perfused muscle preparation. The results indicate that maximal limb muscle blood flow and/or its uneven distribution may be the primary limiting factor to peak VO2 in untrained running dogs.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Blood flow distribution in dog gastrocnemius muscle at rest and during stimulation.

The distribution of blood flow within the isolated perfused dog gastrocnemius muscle (weight 100-240 g) was studied by intra-arterial injection of radioactively labeled microspheres (diameter 15 micron) at rest and during supramaximal stimulation to rhythmic isotonic tetanic contractions of varied frequency against varied loads. After the experiment the muscle was cut into 180-250 pieces of approximately 0.75 g each, and the blood flow to each muscle piece was determined from its radioactivity. The inhomogeneity of blood flow was represented as the frequency distribution of the ratios of regional specific blood flow, i.e., blood flow per unit tissue weight of the piece, QR, to the overall specific blood flow of the muscle, Q. The QR/Q values for the individual pieces of a muscle were found to vary widely both at rest and during stimulation. With rising work load the frequency distribution had a tendency to broaden and flatten, indicating increasing perfusion inhomogeneity. On the average of the experiments, there was no significant difference in specific blood flow between the three anatomic components of the gastrocnemius (lateral and medial heads of gastrocnemius and flexor digitorum superficialis) nor between the superficial and deep portions within these anatomic components, only the distal third of the muscle was relatively less perfused compared with the proximal two-thirds. The considerable inhomogeneity of blood flow as revealed by microsphere embolization and by other methods is expected to exert important limiting effects on local O2 supply, particularly during exercise. Its neglect would lead to serious errors in the analysis of O2 supply to muscle tissue.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

After effects of chronic hypoxia on cardiac output and muscle blood flow at rest and exercise.

Cardiac output (Q, by N2-CO2 rebreathing) and limb muscle blood flow (qm, from 133Xe clearance) were determined in eight male subjects at rest and during cycloergometric loads immediately before and 12 days after return from the 1981 Swiss Lhotse Shar (8,398 m) Expedition. Compared to control conditions, after exposure to hypoxia: 1) Q was unchanged at rest and at 75 watts (W) but was 18% less (P less than 0.01) at 150 W with constant heart rate (approximately 140 beats X min-1); 2) qm in the vastus lateralis was identical at rest but 26% and 39% less (P less than 0.05 and P less than 0.001, respectively) at two submaximal leg work loads (75 and 125 W); 3) qm in the biceps at 50 W was 34% less (P less than 0.01); 4) hemoglobin flow (QHb and qmHb), similarly to blood flow (Q and qm), was significantly reduced; 5) the qm adjustment rate, measured from the time required to attain a new steady state upon a square wave change of work load starting from rest, was slower, particularly at the lower work loads. From the above results as well as from corresponding morphometric findings showing in the same subjects: 1) a decrease of the ratio between fiber section and number of capillaries and 2) a rise of the mitochondrial to fiber volume ratio, it is concluded that during altitude acclimatization peripheral O2 delivery becomes more efficient.

Acclimatization↗
PubMed1984

Blood flow in exercising muscles by xenon clearance and by microsphere trapping.

The accuracy of muscle blood flow measurement by the 133Xe clearance method (QXe) was assessed against direct venous outflow (Qv) and microsphere trapping flow (Q mu) determinations in isolated perfused dog gastrocnemius both at rest and during graded stimulation [O2 consumption (VO2) up to 12 ml X 100 g-1 X min-1] and in the gastrocnemius, vastus lateralis, and triceps of intact dogs at rest and while running on a treadmill at varied speeds up to maximum VO2. In 29 measurements performed in 11 isolated muscles, Q mu was in good agreement with Qv at rest and at all stimulation levels (Q mu/Qv = 1.0; r = 0.98). 133Xe clearance yielded much lower blood flows than the venous outflow and the microsphere trapping methods. In 43 measurements in 11 muscles, the mean QXe/Qv ratio was 0.57 +/- 0.03 (SE), independent of blood flow. Similarly, in 65 measurements in 2 intact dogs, the mean QXe/Q mu ratio in all tested muscles was 0.49 +/- 0.02 (SE), independent of blood flow. These results show that the 133Xe clearance method considerably underestimates blood flow in dog muscles.

Animals↗
PubMed1982

The effect of an alpha-ketoglutarate-pyridoxine complex on human maximal aerobic and anaerobic performance.

The administration of 30 mg/kg of body weight of an alpha-ketoglutarate-pyridoxine complex (alpha-KG compl; stoichiometric ratio alpha-KG: pyridoxine 46.35 to 53.65) to trained non-athletic individuals increases VO2 max by 6% (p less than 0.005). The kinetics of the VO2on- and off-responses at the onset and offset of a rectangular work load is not affected by the drug. Peak blood lactate concentration [Lab] following two supramaximal running work loads lasting 60 s and 132 +/- 4 s, respectively is significantly (p less than 0.05 and p less than 0.005) less after the alpha-KG compl treatment (delta Lab = -1.1 and -2.7 mmol . l-1, respectively) than in a control group. The half time (t1/2) of La disappearance from blood during recovery is unaffected by the alpha-KG compl treatment (19.7 min vs 19.5 min). The increase in VO2 max and the corresponding decrease of [Lab] are not found after separate administration of either of the components of the complex. It is concluded that alpha-KG complex stimulates aerobic metabolism, probably prompting mitochondrial reabsorption of alpha-KG, which activates the malate-oxalacetate shuttle and the generation of high energy phosphates at the substrate level.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

Dynamic and steady-state metabolic changes in running dogs.

Dynamic and steady-state changes of VO2, VE, VCO2, PaO2 and blood lactate concentration (Lab) were studied in 4 intact (I) and in the same tracheostomized (T) dogs walking or running uphill (+ 10%) on a treadmill at speeds up to 12 km X h-1. A) Non-steady state results: The half times of the VO2 on-response (t1/2 VO2 on-) to rectangular work loads were 18.9 sec +/- 1.2 (SE) in I and 15.6 sec +/- 1.0 in T dogs (P less than 0.05), independent of work intensity and similar to those found for isolated perfused dog gastrocnemii (15-17 sec). Lab during the rest to work transient was almost unchanged. B) Steady-state results: VO2 and VE increased with increasing speed up to 8 km X h-1 (+ 10%) then levelled off both in I and T. Asymptotic VO2, and VE values were higher for I than for T (VO2 = 93 and 83 ml X kg-1 X min-1; VE = 2.6 and 1.75 l X kg-1 X min-1, respectively). Calculated delta VO2/delta VE ratios for equal external work loads indicate that the energy cost of breathing was about 12 ml O2 per liter VE. From (A) it is concluded that the adjustment of oxidative reactions upon work onset is as fast for the whole animal as for isolated gastrocnemius and can be assessed from gas exchange in the upper airways. From (B) it appears that, in the absence of glycolysis, the cost of running per unit distance decreases with increasing speed while the cost of VE becomes a sizeable part of the overall energy expenditure.

Animals↗
PubMed1980

Alveolar-capillary equilibration kinetics of 13CO2 in human lungs studied by rebreathing.

Blood/gas equilibration of CO2 in lungs was studied in man by a rebreathing technique, in which the rate of uptake of the stable isotope 13CO2 in low concentration (inspired concentration about 0.07%) was measured at blood/gas equilibrium of the abundant CO2 isotope. The results were expressed in terms of overall conductance for alveolar gas-pulmonary blood equilibration (DCO2, pulmonary diffusing capacity for CO2). The following mean values of DCO2 were found in 3 healthy young men (in mmol . min-1 . Torr-1): rest, 8.0; during exercise (75 Watts), 13.7. Comparison with DO2 measured by rebreathing in the same conditions suggests equilibration of the CO2/HCO3(-)/H+ system in blood, rather than diffusion of CO2, as the limiting process in capillary/alveolar CO2 transfer. The term 'equilibration capacity' is thus suggested for DCO2. Calculations based on the experimental results show that the overall limitation of pulmonary CO2 exchange function resulting from this finite DCO2 is slight at rest, but of considerable extent in heavy exercise.

Carbon Dioxide↗