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Biomedical subjects

R N Girandola

Publications and source records attributed to R N Girandola.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

The effects of diet and supplements on a male world champion lightweight rower.

A world-class lightweight rower who came to the Hong Kong Sports Institute was evaluated over a two-month period of training. He was preparing for the 1995 World Rowing Championships. The subjects trained for approximately 70 minutes per day at different levels of intensity, to simulate race conditions. Caloric expenditures (based upon heart rate response and estimation from specific activity) were estimated to be approximately 4125 kcal/day. A three day dietary survey revealed that the subject was able to maintain caloric balance (caloric intake = 4088 kcal/day). Body weight was maintained at a constant level, another indication that the subject was able to meet energy needs. A breakdown of his food intake revealed protein, carbohydrate, and fat, made up 19%, 51%, and 30% of his caloric intake, respectively. This was somewhat surprising since recommendations for endurance athletes are for higher carbohydrate contribution. During and after the training bouts the subject consumed two separate carbohydrate supplements. A total of 218 g of carbohydrate were consumed daily. This level of supplementation was able to maintain the subject's blood glucose concentration at normal levels following recovery from exercise. Comparisons of recovery heart rates when either water or carbohydrate was consumed indicate a beneficial effect of the supplement. Despite consuming carbohydrates at lower than recommended levels, this athlete went on to win this third gold medal in rowing.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

The effect of NH4Cl induced chronic metabolic acidosis on work capacity in man.

Eleven male and female subjects were randomly assigned to two treatment groups. One experimental ammonium chloride (NH4Cl) group (n = 6) and one calcium carbonate (CaCO3) placebo control group (n = 5) received treatment lasting 10 days. No significant changes were observed in several ventilatory parameters (VE, VE/V2, VE/VO2) during submaximal or maximal exercise. Heart rates and performance times were similarly unaltered. Changes were observed in oxygen consumption (VO2) and plasma lactates (HLa) during submaximal exercise at 40% maximal power output (approximately 48% VO2max). VO2 decreased from 1.12 l X min-1 to 1.04 l X min-1 (t = 2.87, p less than 0.05) and HLa were depressed from 2.3 to 1.9 mM X 1(-1) (t = 3.92, p less than 0.02). HLa and VO2max were not changed during an incremental VO2max test. The evidence suggests that under conditions of experimental renalcompensated, chronic metabolic acidoses (CMA), there are no significant changes in most cardiopulmonary parameters measured during maximal and submaximal exercise. It appears that the decrements in performance reported by previous investigators may be due to pH changes of acidosis rather than accompanying compensatory changes of acid-base control.

Acidosis↗
PubMed1981

Responses of leukocytes and other hematologic parameters to thermal dehydration.

Effects of thermal dehydration without exercise on leukocyte differentials, serum protein fractions, and other hematologic characteristics were studied in six healthy subjects. Both leukocyte and serum total protein levels increased beyond that predicted by hemoconcentration alone. Eosinophil counts decreased significantly, although other leukocyte counts tended to increase. Serum globulin concentrations tended to increase, but the albumin level did not change. Serum K+ concentration was elevated, but Na+ and Cl- were unaffected. It is suggested that thermal dehydration affects blood leukocyte composition and protein metabolism in many of the same ways as physical exercise.

Adult↗
PubMed1980

Further simplification of a method for determination of residual lung volume.

This paper describes a modification of the standard oxygen-dilution technique for determining residual lung volume, whereby rapid responding oxygen and carbon dioxide analyzers are used to determine the point of nitrogen equilibration, and a five-liter rebreathing bag is substituted for the standard spirometer. This simplified method reduced the total test time to five min or less for duplicate determinations, and eliminated the need for a nitrogen analyzer and a spirometer. This method was found to be both reliable (r = 0.99) and valid (r = 0.92), with a standard error of prediction of 125 ml, and a mean difference of only eight ml, when compared with the established oxygen-dilution technique on a sample of 76 healthy men and women, 19 to 55 years of age. In a subsample of 13 subjects, residual volume was also determined with the nitrogen washout technique, which correlated r = 0.89 and r = 0.91 with the established and modified oxygen-dilution techniques respectively. The use of assumed values for the initial and final alveolar concentrations of nitrogen did not appear to significantly influence the final results.

Adult↗
PubMed1978

Physiological alterations consequent to circuit weight training.

The efficacy of a 10-week program of circuit weight training to elicit specific physiological alterations was evaluated in a group of men (n = 16) and a group of women (n = 12), with an additional group of men (n = 10) and a group of women (n = 11) serving as controls. The circuit consisted of 10 stations performed on a Universal Gym, 3 circuits per day (approximately 22.5 min/day), 3 days/week. The subjects exercised at 40-55% of 1-RM, executing as many repetitions as possible in 30 sec on each of the lifts, followed by a 15 sec rest as the subject moved to the next station. Following the training program, the experimental groups demonstrated significant increases in lean body weight, flexed biceps girth, treadmill endurance time, VEmax (women only), Vo2max in ml/kg-min (women only), flexibility and strength. Significant decreases were found in selected skinfold measurements, and in resting heart rate (control group showed similar decreases). No change was found in body weight or in relative or absolute body fat. Generally, the women exhibited equal or greater changes when compared to the men for all variables assessed, which could be a function of their lower initial starting levels, or a more intense training program. It was concluded that circuit weight training is a good general conditioning activity, i.e., attends to more than one component of fitness.

Anthropometry↗
PubMed1977

Effects of water immersion on lung volumes: implications for body composition analysis.

Lung volumes of 20 healthy young men were measured before and after water immersion to the neck level. Immersion resulted in significant decreases (P less than 0.01) in forced vital capacity (FVC) (8.9%), expiratory reserve volume (ERV) (61%), total lung capacity (TLC) (5.6%), and functional residual capacity (FRC) (2.9%). Significant increases were observed in inspiratory capacity (IC) (10%) and residual volume (RV) (6.7%). The increase in RV was attributed to a possible "stiffness" of the lung tissue caused by pulmonary vascular engorgement. Densitometric analysis was made on each subject using hydrostatic weighing techniques. Subsequent calculation of body density and per-cent body fat indicated significant (P less than 0.01) differences when using RV measured on land and in water. Body fat was 14.0% using the land RV in the computation of density and decreased to 13.4% using the RV measured in water. It was concluded that when obtaining body density values. RV should be measured concurrently while the subject is in the water.

Adult↗
PubMed1976

Effects of physical training on ventilatory equivalent and respiratory exchange ratio during weight supported, steady-state exercise.

Thirty-three college men participated in a 9-week endurance training program. An equal number of subjects served as controls. Pre- and post-test metabolic measurements were made during 10 min of submaximal exercise (1080 kpm/min at 60 rpm) and 15 min of recovery. Measurements included oxygen consumption, CO2 production, ventilatory equivalent (Ve/VO2 ratio) and respiratory exchange ratio (R). A three factor design variance analysis was used to analyze the effects of training on min-by-min exercise and recovery Ve/VO2 ratio and R. For the experimental group training resulted in a significant improvement in ventilatory efficiency during exercise, as well as a significant decrease in R. During recovery, Ve/VO2 and R decreased significantly for both groups although the magnitude of change was greater for the group that trained. Apparently, there was a significant habituation effect due to test procedures for the control group. The results are discussed in terms of lactate production and substrate utilization during exercise.

Adult↗
PubMed1976

Body composition changes in women: effects of high and low exercise intensity.

Twenty college-age women participated in a ten-week physical training program involving two intensities of exercise. Eleven women trained at a relatively high exercise intensity (HI) of 840 kgm/min while nine women trained at a low exercise intensity (LI) of 420 kgm/min. Body composition and residual lung volume changes were analyzed before and after the training program for both groups. There were no significant changes in body weight, body density, percent body fat, lean body weight and residual lung volume for the HI group. The LI group exhibited a significant increase in body density (0.0026 density units) and significant decreases in percent fat (1.1%) and residual lung volume (67 ml). Closed circuit metabolic measures indicated that the HI group was working anaerobically for at least a portion of each minute. Results of the study support the contention that to reduce body fat stores an exercise program of low intensity and long duration is required.

Adipose Tissue↗