Infant feeding and atopy.

Parents of 457 5 year olds from a previous study of infant feeding and eczema in the first year of life were questioned about subsequent atopy. No association was found with early breast or bottle feeding. Family history was important. Parental recall of first year eczema was often inaccurate.

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A case study of a female ultramarathon wheelchair road user.

This unique report contains selected physical and structural characteristics of a female ultramarathon wheelchair road racer. When tested, this 25-year-old athlete weighed 65.6 kilograms, with a height of 171.4 centimetres. The resting heart rate was 57 beats per minute, which rose to a maximum of 161 during a progressive, arm-cranking, maximal work task. Maximum oxygen uptake was 21.0 ml X kg-1 X min-1. These values are significant, considering that this individual had traumatic paraplegia at the T-3/T-4 spinal level. She also had slight weakness of the upper extremities. It is suggested that with a graduated and intelligently structured training programme, greatly enhanced endurance capacity can be achieved. With the type of training outlined in this paper, an athlete who performs in a wheelchair can be conditioned to race successfully over distances of 26 to 50 miles.

Infant feeding and subsequent risk of atopic eczema.

An attempted controlled trial of exclusively breast fed neonates with atopic parents, to assess the effectiveness of breast feeding in preventing atopic allergy, was not successfully achieved. Analysis of the data as an observational study, however, provided evidence that breast feeding offers some protection against eczema in genetically vulnerable infants. Feeds of soya preparations were associated with eczema as often as cows' milk based feeds.

Effects of Knowledge of Results on Reciprocal, lsokinefk Strength and Fatigue.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of knowledge of results, i.e., visual feedback from watching the torque curve on the Cybex II recorder, on knee extensor and flexor strength (peak torque in ft-lb), and fatigue (strength decrement) during reciprocal, isokinetic testing at speeds of 15O/sec (slow) and 300 degrees /sec (fast). Knowledge of results induced higher strength and fatigue values in both muscle groups during slow, but not fast, speed tests. The greater amounts of fatigue resulted from elevated initial strength levels at the beginning of the slow speed fatigue tests. The superior quality of the slow speed knowledge of results and longer times to utilize the visual feedback may explain the enhanced strength values. The effect of knowledge of results on strength levels decreased during the course of the slow speed fatigue tests. Results are discussed in terms of information processing and motivation theory. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 1984;6(3):190-197.

Phenylalanine and tyrosine levels in newborn screening blood samples.

A previously described difference in newborn blood phenylalanine concentrations between those living in urban and non-urban areas in the south west of England has been confirmed and shown to be independent of the type of feed. Several factors including the place of abode, type of feed, birthweight, and the accuracy of the test have been found to affect the measured, phenylalanine concentration in the newborn screening blood spot, and the importance of these results to screening practice is considered. Blood tyrosine also varied with the above factors, but severe, neonatal tyrosinaemia was shown to be a rare problem.

Body composition comparison in two elite female wheelchair athletes.

It was the purpose of this study to determine body composition by two methods in two excellent female athletes. One sportswoman (SRH) was national wheelchair marathon champion in 1977 in 3 hours, 40 minutes on the Boston course. She still competes internationally and has won three gold medals and set three world records in the last Olympiad for the handicapped in 1980. The second woman athlete (LSJ) competes in wheelchair basketball and track on a national level. Body density was determined by the standard underwater weighing procedure and residual volume determination. A second method to calculate cellular body mass was the measure of potassium 40 (40K) activity by whole body scintillation counter. The characteristics of these athletes are listed as follows: (formula; see text) The results show that both methods of determining adiposity produce results differing by only one percentage point. It is important to determine body composition in these wheelchair athletes since their cellular body mass is decreased because of their disability.

The value of a single serum progesterone measurement in the midluteal phase as a criterion of a potentially fertile cycle ("ovulation") derived form treated and untreated conception cycles.

A single midluteal serum progesterone concentration was obtained in 212 untreated cycles in 113 infertile patients, including 138 cycles in 72 patients in whom tubal, seminal, and cervical causes of infertility had been excluded. There were 16 conception cycles in the latter group. In an extended study a total of 21 untreated singleton conception cycles have been observed with a mean progesterone value of 40.7 nmol/l (12.8 ng/ml), 95% confidence limits of 28 to 53 nmol/l (8.8 to 16.7 ng/ml), and a range of 27 to 53 nmol/l (8.5 to 16.7 ng/ml), which extended significantly above as well as below the conception range, indicating that there is an optimal range for fertility with both an upper and a lower limit. The lower limit is of greater practical importance; and, partly to allow for assay variation, we suggest it should be taken as 30 nmol/l (9.4 ng/ml). It provided a clinically reliable criterion of potential fertility ("ovulation") in related studies. Our findings in treated conception cycles suggest that a higher value may be needed after treatment with clomiphene or gonadotropins because of the contribution from other stimulated follicles.

Measurements of neuromuscular tone and strength in Down's syndrome children.

Twenty-eight Down's syndrome children and 22 normal children were evaluated for patellar tendon reflex, muscle tone and grip strength. All of this subjects were between the ages of 4 and 17 years. It was the purpose of this study to determine the differences between Down's syndrome and normal children. The standard patellar reflex test was used for one measure of muscle tone, and a locally devised muscle palpation test for the second measure of muscle tone. Finally, grip strength was employed as our measure of muscle strength. Results indicated that Down's syndrome children had a less brisk and more irregular patellar reflex response than normal controls. Furthermore, overall muscular tone was less in these Down's syndrome subjects and finally, muscular grip strength was inferior in Down's syndrome children when compared to normal children. Implications for increased physical education and physical activity are noted for this special population.

Physiological Characteristics of Masters Female Distance Runners.

In brief: Ten masters female long-distance runners (mean age 43.8 years) were assessed for body composition and cardiovascular endurance. The mean body fat was 18.3%, which is approximately 40% of the value for a control group of sedentary women. The only women exhibiting lower values for Percent body fat were much younger elite athletes. VO2 max averaged 43.41 ml·kg(-1) min(-1), which is 25% higher than that of normal women of comparative ages. The question of whether a lifetime of endurance training can offset the age- related decrease in Vo(2) max is still unknown, but the increased interest in masters competition may provide the data to answer this question.

Physiological characteristics of young well-trained swimmers.

The purpose of this study was to describe body composition, muscular strength, pulmonary function, and aerobic capacity of young swimmers, after 6 years of training. Twelve male members of a competitive swim team, ranging in age for 13 to 16 years, served as subjects. Each subject was measured on 2 separate days at approximately the same time of day on each occasion. On day one, body composition, muscular strength, TLC, FVC, FEV1.0, FRC, RV, and resting DLc0 were determined. On day 2, height, weight, VE max Hr max, and VO2 max were measured. Results indicated that children who train to swim competitively: (1) are lower than average in percent body fat (10.8%) as determined by hydrostatic weighing, (2) are muscularly fit as indicated by the Oregon Cable-Tension Strength Test, and (3) have cardiorespiratory capacities which are greater than one would expect to see in untrained youth of similar ages.