Biomedical subjects
R F Goldman
Publications and source records attributed to R F Goldman.
Three case reports of the metabolic and electroencephalographic changes during advanced Buddhist meditation techniques.
To examine the extent to which advanced meditative practices might alter body metabolism and the electroencephalogram (EEG), we investigated three Tibetan Buddhist monks living in the Rumtek monastery in Sikkim, India. In a study carried out in February 1988, we found that during the practice of several different meditative practices, resting metabolism (VO2) could be both raised (up to 61%) and lowered (down to 64%). The reduction from rest is the largest ever reported. On the EEG, marked asymmetry in alpha and beta activity between the hemispheres and increased beta activity were present. From these three case reports, we conclude that advanced meditative practices may yield different alterations in metabolism (there are also forms of meditation that increase metabolism) and that the decreases in metabolism can be striking.
Investigation of a fatal heatstroke.
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The effect of diet on thermogenesis in acquired lipodystrophy.
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Physical conditioning of sedentary young men with ankle weights during working hours.
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Food intake and energy expenditure in cold weather military training.
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Energy expenditure of heavy load carriage.
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Voluntary march rate as a measure of work output in the heat.
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Induced hyperthermia in sedated humans and the concept of critical thermal maximum.
The concept of critical thermal maximum (CTM) has been defined in the literature as the minimal high deep-body temperature that is lethal to an animal. In man the CTM has been estimated at 41.6--42.0 degrees C. Data are presented for sedated, unacclimatized, well-hydrated men heated 1 h at esophageal temperatures of 41.6--42.0 degrees C, without sequelae, except for modest elevation of serum enzymes in two of five patients. These data when combined with other observations in the literature suggest that CTM be redefined as the particular combination of exposure time at elevated body temperatures that results in either subclinical (CTM)s) or clinical (CTMc) injuries. Also presented is a mathematical technique, equivalent time at 42 degrees C (Teq 42 degrees), for expressing hyperthermia in terms of body temperature and exposure time.
Convergence of skin and rectal temperatures as a criterion for heat tolerance.
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Metabolic and endocrine studies in a case of lipoatrophic diabetes.
A 20-yr-old female with congenital lipoatrophic diabetes was studied, with the following findings: (1) Serum insulin levels increased after both oral glucose and intravenous arginine administration; there was no growth hormone response to the latter. (2) The infusion of insulin (0.1 units and 0.5 units/kg) during the fed state and following at 110-hr fast produced only minimal changes of various fuels measured, with the exception of a decrease in the branched-chain amino acids. (3) There was a minimal production of ketones during the 110-hr fast. (4) Matabolic expenditure was markedly increased during the postabsorptive state (65-75 kcal/hr/sg m); it fell into the normal range during the 110-hr fast (31-35 kcal/hr/sq m). (5) Following meals, the patient experienced complaints ranging from cold and shivering to feeling hot with gross diaphoresis. These findings were associated with intermittent lability of her skin temperature, which varied 1 degree - 2 degrees F during a 3-hr period. (6) Progressive increases in doses of regular insulin before each meal resulted in up to a total of 9000 units/day being required before normal blood glucose levels were achieved. (7) A 2-wk therapeutic trial of pimozide provided no significant changes in a variety of hormones and fuels in the basal state or following insulin perturbations. (8) A variety of pituitary hormones and pituitary target organ hormones were studied in both the hypothyroid (Hashimoto's thyroiditis) and euthyroid state (following thyroid replacement). All the hormone responses were normal except that growth hormone did not rise during the slow wave sleep in either thyroid state.
Role of physical fitness in heat acclimatisation, decay and reinduction.
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Predicting energy expenditure with loads while standing or walking very slowly.
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Metabolic energy expenditure and terrain coefficients for walking on snow.
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Freezing temperature of finger skin.
In 45 subjects, 154 frostnips of the finger were induced by cooling in air at -15 degrees C with various wind speeds. The mean supercooled skin temperature at which frostnip appeared was -9.4 degrees C. The mean skin temperature rise due to heat of fusion at ice crystallization was 5.3 degrees C. The skin temperature rose to what was termed the apparent freezing point. The relation of this point to the supercooled skin temperature was analyzed for the three wind speeds used. An apparent freezing point for a condition of no supercooling was calculated, estimating the highest temperature at which skin freezes at a given wind speed. The validity of the obtained differences in apparent freezing point was tested by an analysis of covariance. Although not statistically significant, the data suggest that the apparent freezing point with no supercooling decreases with increasing wind velocity. The highest calculated apparent freezing point at -15 degrees C and 6.8 m/s was 1.2 degrees C lower than the true freezing point for skin previously determined in brine, which is a statistically significant difference.
Thermal responses of unclothed men exposed to both cold temperatures and high altitudes.
Six resting men were exposed to three temperatures (15.5, 21, 26.5 degrees C) for 120 min at three altitudes (sea level, 2,500 m, 5,000 m). A 60-min sea-level control at the scheduled temperature preceded the nine altitude episodes. Comparison of the base-line results at any one temperature showed no differences between rectal temperatures (Tre) or mean weighted skin temperatures (Tsk). After 120 min, Tre and Tsk not only depended on ambient temperature but also altitude. The initial rate of fall in Tre increased with altitude and equilibrium occurred earlier. At 15.5 degrees C, Tre was 0.3 degrees C lower at 5,000 m and 0.2 degrees C lower at 2,500 m than at sea level. Tsk was almost 2 degrees C higher at 15.5 degrees C at 5,000 m and 1 degrees C higher at 2,500 m than at sea level. Similar, smaller differences were observed at 21 degrees C. Mean weighted body temperature showed no change with altitude, but, since the gradient between core and shell was reduced, a shift of blood toward the periphery is implied.
Differentiated ratings of perceived exertion during physical conditioning of older individuals using leg-weight loading.
Use of leg weights for physical conditioning was evaluated in 8 middle-aged male Ss; four Ss of similar age served as a control group. Pre- and post-training evaluation consisted of heart rate and oxygen uptake responses to five submaximal work loads which involved either level walking or cycling. Differentiated ratings of perceived exertion elicited for each work load were: a local muscular rating; a central or cardio-pulmonary rating; and an over-all or general rating. Submaximal heart rate decreased 6 to 9 beats/min. from pretraining values for all work load after training. The differentiated ratings for training generally reflected a reduced strain on the cardiovascular system and also improved functioning of the working muscles with training. However, when one set of sensations dominated the exertional perception the others appear to have been perceptually de-emphasized. Local muscular factors seemed to dominate the exertional perception for cycling, but central factors appeared to play a more important role for treadmill walking, at least within the range of velocities investigated.
Physical conditioning of less fit adults by use of leg weight loading.
Physical conditioning using weighted ankle spats was evaluated in eight men in the age range 33 to 45 years (mean, 38.4). Evaluation consisted of pretraining and posttraining heart rate (HR) and oxygen uptake (VO2) responses to five submaximal work loads: cycling six minutes at 600 kilopond meter per minute (kpm/min); level walking for ten minutes at both 4.0 and 5.6 km/hr with and without a 1.5-kg weight spat added to each ankle. After the initial baseline evaluation, subjects wore 1.5-kg weight spats on both ankles for three weeks and were reevaluated; during the next three-week period weight was increased to 2.25 kg per ankle. Following the six-week evaluation period, subjects did not wear ankle spats, and detraining was evaluated after three weeks. A control group of four subjects was evaluated at these same submaximal work loads on three different occasions with three-week periods between evaluations. The experimental group wore the spats about 13.5 hours per day and averaged 6.85 km/day (4.25 miles per day) during training. After six weeks of training, submaximal HR decreased 6 to 9 beats per minute (P smaller than 0.05) from pretraining values for all five submaximal work loads; predicted VO2 max and predicted work capacity to achieve a HR of 170 beats per minute increased by approximately 10%. Detraining submaximal HR responses increased slightly, but not significantly, from post six-week training responses. Control group submaximal responses were unchanged between evaluations. It was concluded that individuals who initially possess a low level of cardiorespiratory fitness may have a low threshold for training. Thus, leg weight conditioning may be extremely useful for rehabilitation of patients and for sedentary middle-aged men as special adaptation prio to more high intensity training.