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Biomedical subjects

O Inbar

Publications and source records attributed to O Inbar.

11 recordsLinked to original sources

Interleukin-3-like activity levels in pregnant women: possible modulation by progesterone.

Human interleukin-3-like activity (IL-3-LA), a factor possessing similar characteristics to interleukin-3 and having clony stimulating factor (CSF) activity, has recently been defined. In the present study, IL-3-LA levels in the sera of women before and after delivery were examined. The results indicate a significant increase in IL-3-LA levels in women before delivery as compared to IL-3-LA levels after delivery or to non-pregnant healthy women. The ability of mononuclear cells from women before and after delivery to produce IL-3-LA was similar to that of mononuclear cells from cord blood. In addition, the effect of progesterone on in vitro IL-3-LA production was examined and a stimulatory dose-dependent effect was observed. These observations point to the hypothesis that during pregnancy IL-3-LA levels are modulated by progesterone. With placental loss, the IL-3-LA in the sera decreases, although the mononuclear cells previously affected by the hormone continue to produce cytokines.

Female

Swimming and asthma. Benefits and deleterious effects.

Swimming is a common pastime activity and competitive sport for patients with asthma. One reason for such popularity may be the low asthmogenicity of swimming compared with landbased activities. Review of available evidence suggests that swimming induces less severe bronchoconstriction than other sports. The mechanisms for this protective effect of swimming are not clear, but there is some experimental evidence intimating that it results in part from the high humidity of inspired air at water level, which reduces respiratory heat loss (and possibly osmolarity of airways mucus). Beneficial roles of horizontal posture and of water immersion have been tested but not confirmed. Swimming poses two potentially deleterious effects to the patient with asthma. One is the exaggerated parasympathetic tone due to the 'diving reflex', that has been shown to trigger bronchoconstriction. The other is airway irritation because of chlorine and its derivatives. Swimming as a training modality has definite benefits for the patient with asthma. These include an increase in aerobic fitness and a decrease in asthma morbidity. There is no conclusive evidence, however, that swim training causes a decrease in the severity or frequency of exercise-induced bronchoconstriction.

Asthma

Evaluation of anaerobic performance capacity by the isokinetic Ariel computerized exercise system-reliability and validity.

The present study examines the reproducibility and validity of computerized muscle strength and endurance evaluation protocols using the Ariel Computerized Exercise System (ACE). Since the ACE has only recently become commercially available, there are no published normative data for various exercises, nor are the measurements' accuracy and validity for the various exercise protocols documented. Twenty males (17 to 30 years old) performed a set of isokinetic maximal leg and arm exercises on the ACE Multi Function Unit twice on 2 separate days. Test-retest correlation coefficient ranged from 0.44 (bench press) to 0.91 (bench pull and leg extension flexion). Thirty additional male subjects (16 to 31 years old) performed, on 2 separate days, the Wingate Anaerobic Test (WAnT) (leg), and various force and endurance leg exercises (squat) on the ACE. Correlation coefficients of the various performance indices between the 2 test systems ranged from -0.02 to 0.23. The results obtained on the ACE indicate moderate to high reproducibility and low concurrent validity with WAnT.

Adolescent

Effect of an iron supplement on body iron status and aerobic capacity of young training women.

Serum iron deficiency has a high incidence in female athletes. We investigated the effects of a daily oral iron supplement, (160 mg) administered during an intensive 7-week physical training programme, on body iron status, and the maximal aerobic capacity (VO2max) of 13 women (group A) compared to 15 who took a placebo (group B). The subjects were 19 years old. Blood samples were obtained before training began and on days 1, 7, 21 and 42 of training. They were analysed for packed cell volume (PVC) and for haemoglobin (Hb), 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (2,3-DPG), haptoglobin, iron and ferritin concentrations. The VO2max was measured on days 0, 21 and 42 of training. Following 21 days of training Hb, PCV and ferritin were significantly higher (P less than or equal to 0.01) in group A compared to group B. Over the training period Hb rose by 9.3% and 2.4% in groups A and B, respectively. At the end of training 66% of group B exhibited ferritin concentrations below 10 ng.ml-1, while none of group A had such low values. Mean VO2max of group A had increased by 7.5% following 21 days of training (P less than or equal to 0.01) and by 15.3% after 42 days. No appreciable increase in VO2max had occurred in group B by day 21 (significantly lower than VO2max of group A; P less than or equal to 0.05), however by day 42 it had increased by 14.3% (P less than or equal to 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult

The effect of body posture on exercise- and hyperventilation-induced asthma.

Recent studies have shown that swimming is of relatively low asthmogenicity, even under conditions of high respiratory heat (and/or water) loss (RHL). It has been suggested that the horizontal body position may contribute to swimming's low asthmogenicity. We studied the effects of upright and prone body postures on pulmonary function following exercise (EIA) and after nonexercise hyperventilation (HIA). Twelve asthmatic boys (aged 12 to 16 years) underwent two 8-min exercise sessions of shoulder flexion-extension and two 8-min isocapnic hyperventilation treatments, in a counterbalanced order, either while lying prone or standing upright. All tests were carried out in a climatic chamber at 10 +/- 1 degree C and 31 +/- 2 percent relative humidity. Minute ventilation (VE) was kept constant at a predetermined individual level during all treatments. No differences were observed in pulmonary functions between the prone and upright postures following either exercise (FEV1 = -20.5 +/- 18.7 percent vs -22.2 +/- 18.7 percent, respectively) or hyperventilation (FEV1 = -29.6 +/- 19.0 percent vs -29.7 +/- 20.2 percent). We conclude that body posture on land has no meaningful effect on the severity of bronchoconstriction in asthmatic children; however, in view of some conceivable physiologic benefits of the prone position in water, an interactive effect on swimming-induced asthma (SIA) of body posture and water immersion cannot be ruled out.

Adolescent

Reexamination of Stewart's quantitative analysis of acid-base status.

To provide experimental verification to Stewart's quantitative approach to acid-base analysis, the effects of acute maximal treadmill exercise (VO2max test) on venous acid base status were studied in 17 male subjects aged 18-23 yr. Venous CO2 tension (PCO2) total plasma proteins ([PTOT]), [H+], and concentrations of strong ions [( Na+], [K+], [Cl-] and lactate ion concentration ([La-]) were measured before and within 1 min post-exercise. Mean post-exercise PCO2, [PTOT], [K+], and [La-] were significantly higher than the corresponding pre-exercise values (P less than 0.05), there was a strong tendency for a significant change in [Na+] (P less than 0.056), and no changes were found in [Cl-]. Changes in venous acid-base status were analyzed quantitatively by applying relevant physicochemical theory. Altered values measured in the independent variables ([PTOT], PCO2, and net strong ion difference, [SID]) were used to calculate the corresponding changes in the dependent quantities. Comparison of individual measured and calculated values for the only one of these that is normally measured, ([H+]), yielded the theoretically expected agreement. PCO2 and [SID] changes accounted for most [H+] changes. These results demonstrate the usefulness of the quantitative approach (i.e., [H+]-PCO2 diagram) in the analysis and in understanding of plasma acid base changes with exercise and in clinical situations.

Acid-Base Equilibrium

Anaerobic characteristics in male children and adolescents.

Only sparse information has been published on the effects of growth, development, and maturation on the ability to perform high intensity, short-term "anaerobic" tasks. Cross-sectional studies on Italian, African, British, and American females and males have indicated an age-related progression in the performance of the Margaria step-running test. Children had a distinctly lower mechanical power output than adolescents and young adults, both in absolute terms and when divided by body weight, or by fat-free mass. Data are presented on some 300 10- to 45-yr-old Israeli males who performed the Wingate anaerobic test by cycling or by arm cranking. Both the peak power at any 5-s period and the mean power throughout the test were lowest in the children, whether expressed in absolute power units or corrected for body weight. Performance progressed with age and reached the highest values at the end of the third decade for cycling and at the end of the second decade for arm cranking. This pattern is unlike that described for maximal O2 uptake per kg body weight which, in males, remains virtually unchanged from childhood to young adulthood. In females, maximal O2 uptake per kg is even higher in children than among adolescents or adults. Biochemical correlates of such a low anaerobic performance in children are their lower maximal lactate concentration in muscle and blood, lower rate of anaerobic glycolysis, and lower levels of acidosis at maximal exercise. The mechanisms for the relatively deficient anaerobic characteristics of children are not clear.

Acidosis

Physiological effects of a sports rehabilitation program on cerebral palsied and post-poliomyelitic adolescents.

Thirty-four spastic cerebral palsied (CP) post-poliomyelitic (P) adolescents (mean age--17.9 years) participated in a twice-a-week mild conditioning program, lasting 12 months. Nine CP adolescents served as a control inactive group. The post-conditioning submaximal heart rates of the CP active group were significantly lower during 75 and 150 kpm/min work loads on an arm ergometer, compared with the respective values at the beginning of the program. Peak O2 uptake values, directly measured during an all-out arm pedalling test, were improved by some 8% in the CP active group. Neither CP inactive nor P active showed any significant changes attributable to conditioning in physiological variables obtained during the submaximal or maximal tests. Adiposity level of each of the three groups remained unchanged. The mechanical efficiency of all subjects was low (16.2%) and remained so following conditioning.

Adolescent

The effects of intermittent warm-up on 7-9 year-old boys.

Twelve boys, 7-9 years old, who, by use of questionnaires, were found to be ignorant of the concept of "warm-up", performed maximal aerobic and anaerobic tasks 4 min after completing a 15 min intermittent warm-up (WU) (30 sec treadmill run, 30 sec pause). The WU required some 60% of the individual's VO2max, and raised rectal temp. by 0.52 +/- 0.19 degrees C. The aerobic criterion task (CT) was a one-stage bicycle ride at a load predetermined to exhaust the subject after 4 min. The anaerobic CT was a 30 sec all-out ride against resistance of 35 gm/kg BW. Subjects also performed both CT's without any WU. VO2max (aerobic CT), HRmax, as well as total mechanical work output achieved during the aerobic CT, were significantly higher with WU, compared with the non-WU sessions. During the anaerobic CT total revolutions, total power output, as well as peak HR, were significantly higher following WU. It is suggested that the benefits of intermittent WU, as used in this study in young children, can be attributed to physiological rather than psychological mechanisms.

Adaptation, Physiological