Aerobic fitness level typical of elite athletes is not associated with even faster VO2 kinetics during cycling exercise

The aim of this study was to address the question if the VO2 kinetics is further improved as the aerobic training status increases from trained to elite level athletes. Maximal oxygen uptake (VO(2)max), work-rate associated to VO(2)max (IVO(2)max) and VO2 kinetics of moderate (Mod) and maximal exercise (Max) were determined in fifty-five subjects. Then, they were assigned into three groups: low (LF), intermediate (IF) and high (HF) aerobic fitness level. In average, the VO(2)max of LF, IF and HF groups were, respectively, 36.0 +/- 3.1, 51.1 +/- 4.5 and 68.1 +/- 3.9 ml . kg . min(-1) (p <= 0.05 among each other). VO2 kinetics mean response time of both exercise intensities were significantly faster (p <= 0.05) in HF (Mod, 27.5 +/- 5.5 s; Max, 32.6 +/- 8.3 s) and IF (Mod, 25.0 +/- 3.1 s; Max, 42.6 +/- 10.4 s) when compared to LF (Mod, 35.7 +/- 7.9 s; Max: 57.8 +/- 17.8 s). We can conclude that VO2 kinetics is improved as the fitness level is increased from low to intermediate but not further improved as the aerobic fitness level increases from intermediate to high.

Anaerobic contribution during maximal anaerobic running test: correlation with maximal accumulated oxygen deficit

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Electrocoagulation/flotation followed by fluidized bed anaerobic reactor applied to tannery effluent treatment

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

The fitness of the Brazilian damsel Stegastes fuscus is increased by sharing the territory with the dusky grouper Epinephelus marginatus

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Anaerobic threshold estimation by statistical modelling.

Anaerobic threshold (AT) is usually estimated as a change point problem by visual analysis of the cardiorespiratory response to incremental dynamic exercise. In this study, two phase linear (TPL) models of the linear-linear and linear-quadratic type were used for the estimation of AT. The correlation coefficient between the classical and statistical approaches was 0.88, and 0.89 after outlier exclusion. The TPL models provide a simple method for estimating AT that can be easily implemented using a digital computer for the automatic pattern recognition of AT.

Anaerobic microorganisms in root canals of human teeth with chronic apical periodontitis detected by indirect immunofluorescence

Aiming to assess the presence of selected anaerobic microorganisms in root canals of human teeth with chronic apical periodontitis, 25 central and lateral upper incisors presenting with radiographic evidence of chronic apical periodontitis were studied. The pulp chamber was opened under aseptic conditions and samples of the root canal content were collected with sterile absorbent paper points, which were placed and dispersed in test tubes containing reduced transport medium (RTF). Aliquots were dried on glass slides and stained by indirect immunofluorcscencc for detection of Actinomyces viscosus, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Porphyromonas gingivalis and Prevotella intermedia. The results showed a positive indirect immunofluorescence reaction in 24 of the 25 samples. Fourteen were positive for the specie Actinomyces viscosus, 12 for Prevotella intermedia, 10 for Fusobacterium nucleatum and 4 for Porphyromonas gingivalis. A semiquantitative assay was easily implemented for assessment of degree of infection by the organisms in individual cases. © Munksgaard, 1996.

Assessment of Anaerobic Power of Swimmers: The Correlation of Laboratory Tests on an Arm Ergometer with Field Tests in a Swimming Pool

The aim of this study was to verify the correlation between the Wingate arm crank test outputs (peak power, mean power, and fatigue index), obtained on a specific ergometer, and the performance in crawl stroke swim sprints of 14, 25, 50, and 400 m. The experiment was conducted with 9 healthy male volunteers (18.1 ± 2.2 years of age; 172 ± 0.04 cm; 67.7 ± 5.92 kg and 15.7 ± 4.57% body fat). On determined days, all individuals were submitted to the Wingate arm crank test and crawl freestyle sprints of 14, 25, 50, and 400 m as they were timed with a stopwatch. The peak power, the mean power, and the fatigue index, which were obtained during the Wingate arm crank test, were not significantly correlated with the maximum swim velocities during the crawl freestyle tests of 14 (r = 0.40; r = 0.64; r = 0.11), 25 (r = 0.28; r = 0.39; r = -0.17), 50 (r = 0.03; r = 0.09; r = -0.31), and 400 (r = -0.52; r = -0.37; r = -0.65) m, respectively. Thus, it is possible to conclude that the Wingate arm crank test is not suitable to assess the anaerobic power of swimmers under the described experimental conditions.

Assessment of anaerobic sewage sludge quality for agricultural application after metal bioleaching

The effects of metal bioleaching on nutrient solubilization, especially nitrogen and phosphorous, from anaerobically-digested sewage sludge were investigated in this work. The assessment of the sanitary quality of the anaerobic sludge after bioleaching was also carried out by enumerating indicator (total coliforms, fecal coliforms, and fecal streptococci) and total heterotrophic bacteria. The experiments of bioleaching were performed using indigenous sulphur-oxidizing bacteria (Thiobacillus spp.) as inoculum and samples of anaerobically-digested sludge. Nitrogen and phosphorous solubilization from sewage sludge was assessed by measuring, respectively, the concentration of Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen, ammonia, nitrate/nitrite, and soluble and total phosphorous before and after the bioleaching assays. At the end of the experiment, after 4 days of incubation (final pH of 1.4), the following metal solubilization yields were obtained: zinc, 91%; nickel, 87%; copper, 79%; lead, 52%; and chromium, 42%. As a result of sludge acidification, the viable counts of selected indicator bacteria were decreased to below the detection limit (4 × 103 cfu 100 ml-1), followed by an increase in the mineral fraction of nitrogen (from 6 to 10%) and in the soluble fraction of phosphorous (from 15 to 30%). Although some loss of sludge nutrients can occur during solid-liquid separation following bioleaching, its beneficial effects as metal removal and reduction of pathogenic bacteria are sufficient to consider the potential of this treatment before sludge disposal onto agricultural fields.

Exercise training in the aerobic/anaerobic metabolic transition prevents glucose intolerance in alloxan-treated rats

Background: Ninety percent of cases of diabetes are of the slowly evolving non-insulin-dependent type, or Type 2 diabetes. Lack of exercise is regarded as one of the main causes of this disorder. In this study we analyzed the effects of physical exercise on glucose homeostasis in adult rats with type 2 diabetes induced by a neonatal injection of alloxan. Methods: Female Wistar rats aged 6 days were injected with either 250 mg/ kg of body weight of alloxan or citrate buffer 0.01 M (controls). After weaning, half of the animals in each group were subjected to physical training adjusted to meet the aerobic-anaerobic metabolic transition by swimming 1 h/day for 5 days a week with weight overloads. The necessary overload used was set and periodically readjusted for each rat through effort tests based on the maximal lactate steady state procedure. When aged 28, 60, 90, and 120 days, the rats underwent glucose tolerance tests (GTT) and their peripheral insulin sensitivity was evaluated using the HOMA index. Results: The area under the serum glucose curve obtained through GTT was always higher in alloxan-treated animals than in controls. A decrease in this area was observed in trained alloxan-treated rats at 90 and 120 days old compared with non-trained animals. At 90 days old the trained controls showed lower HOMA indices than the non-trained controls. Conclusion: Neonatal administration of alloxan induced a persistent glucose intolerance in all injected rats, which was successfully counteracted by physical training in the aerobic/anaerobic metabolic transition. © 2008 Mota et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.