Acute effect of alcohol intake on sine-wave Cartesian and polar contrast sensitivity functions

The aim of this study was to assess contrast sensitivity for angular frequency stimuli as well as for sine-wave gratings in adults under the effect of acute ingestion of alcohol. We measured the contrast sensitivity function (CSF) for gratings of 0.25, 1.25, 2.5, 4, 10, and 20 cycles per degree of visual angle (cpd) as well as for angular frequency stimuli of 1, 2, 4, 24, 48, and 96 cycles/360°. Twenty adults free of ocular diseases, with normal or corrected-to-normal visual acuity, and no history of alcoholism were enrolled in two experimental groups: 1) no alcohol intake (control group) and 2) alcohol ingestion (experimental group). The average concentration of alcohol in the experimental group was set to about 0.08%. We used a paradigm involving a forced-choice method. Maximum sensitivity to contrast for sine-wave gratings in the two groups occurred at 4 cpd sine-wave gratings and at 24 and 48 cycles/360° for angular frequency stimuli. Significant changes in contrast sensitivity were observed after alcohol intake compared with the control condition at spatial frequency of 4 cpd and 1, 24, and 48 cycles/360° for angular frequency stimuli. Alcohol intake seems to affect the processing of sine-wave gratings at maximum sensitivity and at the low and high frequency ends for angular frequency stimuli, both under photopic luminance conditions.

Effect of salt intake and potassium supplementation on brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity in Chinese subjects: an interventional study

Accumulating evidence has suggested that high salt and potassium might be associated with vascular function. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of salt intake and potassium supplementation on brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (PWV) in Chinese subjects. Forty-nine subjects (28-65 years of age) were selected from a rural community of northern China. All subjects were sequentially maintained on a low-salt diet for 7 days (3.0 g/day NaCl), a high-salt diet for an additional 7 days (18.0 g/day NaCl), and a high-salt diet with potassium supplementation for a final 7 days (18.0 g/day NaCl+4.5 g/day KCl). Brachial-ankle PWV was measured at baseline and on the last day of each intervention. Blood pressure levels were significantly increased from the low-salt to high-salt diet, and decreased from the high-salt diet to high-salt plus potassium supplementation. Baseline brachial-ankle PWV in salt-sensitive subjects was significantly higher than in salt-resistant subjects. There was no significant change in brachial-ankle PWV among the 3 intervention periods in salt-sensitive, salt-resistant, or total subjects. No significant correlations were found between brachial-ankle PWV and 24-h sodium and potassium excretions. Our study indicates that dietary salt intake and potassium supplementation, at least in the short term, had no significant effect on brachial-ankle PWV in Chinese subjects.

Use of the Wasserman equation in optimization of the duration of the power ramp in a cardiopulmonary exercise test: a study of Brazilian men

This study aimed to analyze the agreement between measurements of unloaded oxygen uptake and peak oxygen uptake based on equations proposed by Wasserman and on real measurements directly obtained with the ergospirometry system. We performed an incremental cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET), which was applied to two groups of sedentary male subjects: one apparently healthy group (HG, n=12) and the other had stable coronary artery disease (n=16). The mean age in the HG was 47±4 years and that in the coronary artery disease group (CG) was 57±8 years. Both groups performed CPET on a cycle ergometer with a ramp-type protocol at an intensity that was calculated according to the Wasserman equation. In the HG, there was no significant difference between measurements predicted by the formula and real measurements obtained in CPET in the unloaded condition. However, at peak effort, a significant difference was observed between oxygen uptake (V˙O2)peak(predicted)and V˙O2peak(real)(nonparametric Wilcoxon test). In the CG, there was a significant difference of 116.26 mL/min between the predicted values by the formula and the real values obtained in the unloaded condition. A significant difference in peak effort was found, where V˙O2peak(real)was 40% lower than V˙O2peak(predicted)(nonparametric Wilcoxon test). There was no agreement between the real and predicted measurements as analyzed by Lin’s coefficient or the Bland and Altman model. The Wasserman formula does not appear to be appropriate for prediction of functional capacity of volunteers. Therefore, this formula cannot precisely predict the increase in power in incremental CPET on a cycle ergometer.