Mechanical work and efficiency in treadmill running at aerobic and anaerobic thresholds

Mechanical work, mechanical power, energy consumption and mechanical efficiency were studied in constant-speed treadmill running of 5 min at seven different exercises around aerobic (AerT) and anaerobic (AnT) thresholds. The true efficiency of concentric (positive) mechanical work and gross efficiency of the whole body in seven male subjects were calculated. The total mechanical work was calculated from film through the translational, potential and rotational energy states as the sum of the changes of all the mechanical energy states in all body segments allowing energy transfer between segments and from energy state to state. The total energy consumption was measured by combining aerobic and anaerobic energy production in resting and working conditions. When the speed of the treadmill was increased from the velocity of 10 km h-1 (2.8 m s-1) to 22 km h-1 (6.1 m s-1), the concentric mechanical work per one step increased from 129 +/- 45 J to 228 +/- 82 J (P less than 0.01). Oxygen consumption increased from 2.22 +/- 0.27 1 min-1 to 4.47 +/- 0.24 1 min-1. The amount of blood lactate increased from 0.94 +/- 0.53 mmol l-1 at the lowest speed to 9.90 +/- 2.89 mmol l-1 at the highest speed (P less than 0.001). The true efficiency of concentric work decreased from 74 +/- 14% to 56 +/- 8% (P less than 0.05). At the speed of the AerT, the economy of running, the vertical rise of different body segments and mechanical efficiency of positive work were high. The highest gross efficiency was found at the running speed between the AerT and AnT.     

Strenuous prolonged exercise elevates resting metabolic rate and causes reduced mechanical efficiency

Resting O2 consumption, net mechanical efficiency during cycling exercise and excess postexercise O2 consumption (EPOC) was measured in 15 army cadets after 3 or 4 days of continuous simulated combat exercises (estimated energy demand: 40 MJ day-1), no organized sleep and virtually no food intake (stress experiment). They exercised for 30 minutes at a work load corresponding to about 50% of maximal O2 uptake. An identical test using the same absolute work load was repeated when the cadets were completely recovered from the combat course (control experiment). Resting O2 consumption increased by 15% from 279 +/- 7 ml min-1 (control) to 320 +/- 8 ml min-1 (stress, P less than 0.001). Mechanical efficiency decreased from 24.6 +/- 0.4% (control) to 20.9 +/- 0.2% (stress, P less than 0.001). EPOC1h increased from 0.58 +/- 0.41 l (control) to 2.24 +/- 0.2% (stress, P less than 0.05). Glucose infusion during exercise (0.20 g kg-1 body weight) had no effect on mechanical efficiency or EPOC. About 1/5 of the increase in exercise O2 uptake can be explained by a substrate shift from carbohydrates to fat, as evidenced by a reduction in R-value during exercise from 0.90 +/- 0.012 (control) to 0.80 +/- 0.010 (stress). Hence, after severe physical stress combined with sleep deprivation and food restriction, O2 uptake is increased both at rest and during submaximal exercise.     

Electromyographic activity related to aerobic and anaerobic threshold in ergometer bicycling

Electromyographic activity (EMG) of the knee extensor musculature (m. vastus lateralis, m. vastus medialis, m. rectus femoris), triceps surae (m. gastrocnemius, m. soleus) and m. tibialis anterior was studied in ergometer bicycling at five different power outputs around aerobic (AerT) and anaerobic (AnT) thresholds. EMGs were sampled with surface electrodes for ten revolutions at the beginning, in the middle and at the end of each work load and integrated (IEMG) separately for each of the muscles and for the descending (work) and ascending (rest) phase of the revolution. The mean power frequency (MPF) of the power spectral density function for the descending periods was also calculated. The first work load was 50% of the maximal load, the second at the level of AerT, the third at the AnT, the fourth between the AnT and the maximal load and the fifth load was maximal. The AerT and AnT were determined using blood lactate, ventilation volume and oxygen consumption. Five males from 21 to 38 years of age volunteered as subjects. When the IEMGs of the knee extensor and triceps surae musculature were related to the work load a nonlinearity was found at the aerobic threshold while no further change in the linearity was found at the AnT. The non-linear increase of the IEMG at the AerT was found both for the working (descending) and resting (ascending) phases of the cycling. In the MPF no difference below and above the AnT was found. It was thought that the integral of EMG activity could serve as an indicator of the aerobic threshold of an individual muscle.     

Metabolic cost and efficiency in two forms of squatting exercise in children and adults

These experiments investigated the oxygen consumption and work efficiency of adults and children performing identical movement patterns. Adult men (mean age 24) and male children (mean age 12) performed squatting exercises with and without a pause at the lowest point of the squat. The former were termed no rebound squats and the latter were termed rebound squats. Subjects performed the exercises without load and with loads equal to 5%, 10% and 15% of body mass.The results showed that the children consumed 10% more oxygen per unit total body mass than the adults. The gross efficiency of the adults was significantly greater than that of the children. Net and apparent efficiencies were not significantly different between the age groups. Gross and net efficiencies declined with load. Rebound squats required 13% less oxygen than no rebound squats. The gross, net and apparent efficiency of rebound squats was significantly greater than that of no rebound squats. It is suggested that the greater gross efficiencies of adults is related to their lower basal metabolic rate and that the greater efficiency of rebound exercise is related to the storage of energy in elastic tissues.     

Muscle metabolism,blood lactate and oxygen uptake in steady state exercise at aerobic and anaerobic thresholds

Summary Muscle metabolites and blood lactate concentration were studied in five male subjects during five constant-load cycling exercises. The power outputs were below, equal to and above aerobic (AerT) and anaerobic (AnT) threshold as determined during an incremental leg cycling test. At AerT, muscle lactate had increased significantly (p<0.05) from the rest value of 2.31 to 5.56 mmol · kg^–1 wet wt. This was accompanied by a significant reduction in CP by 28% (p<0.05), whereas only a minor change (9%) was observed for ATP. At AnT muscle lactate had further increased and CP decreased although not significantly as compared with values at AerT. At the highest power outputs (> AnT) muscle lactate had increased (p<0.01) and CP decreased (p<0.01) significantly from the values observed at AnT. Furthermore, a significant reduction (p<0.05) in ATP over resting values was recorded. Blood lactate decreased significantly (p<0.01) during the last half of the lowest 5 min exercise, remained unchanged at AerT and increased significantly (p<0.05–0.01) at power outputs AnT. It is concluded that anaerobic muscle metabolism is increased above resting values at AerT: at low power outputs (AerT) this could be related to the transient oxygen deficit during the onset of exercise or the increase in power output. At high power outputs (> AnT) anaerobic energy production is accelerated and it is suggested that AnT represents the upper limit of power output where lactate production and removal may attain equilibrium during constant load exercise.     

Endogenous nitric oxide in the control of skeletal muscle oxygen extraction during exercise

Our previous studies uncovered an inhibitory effect of nitric oxide (NO) on leg skeletal muscle respiration in dogs at rest. The role of NO in the modulation of O2 consumption and O2 extraction in hindlimb muscle during elevated metabolic states was investigated in chronically instrumented dogs while walking and at three exercise intensities which markedly increased hindlimb blood flow. Walking resulted in increased O2 consumption by 17 +/- 4 mL min-1 and O2 extraction from 24 +/- 1 to 37 +/- 8%, with no alteration in hindlimb blood flow (BFLeg) and vascular resistance (VRLeg). Running at the highest speed (9.1 mph) resulted in an increase in BFLeg from 0.67 +/- 0.05 to 2.2 +/- 0.1 L min-1, a reduction of VRLeg and elevation of hindlimb O2 consumption from 33 +/- 3 to 226 +/- 21 mL min-1 and O2 extraction from 29 +/- 2 to 61 +/- 5%, with a decrease in leg venous PO2 from 38 +/- 1 to 25 +/- 1 mmHg. After nitro-L-arginine (NLA) (35 mg kg-1, i.v.) to inhibit endogenous NO synthesis, walking caused greater increases in hindlimb O2 consumption (29 +/- 5 mL min-1) and O2 extraction (43 +/- 1 to 60 +/- 3%) (both P < 0.05), with no significant change in BFLeg. During running at the highest speed, BFLeg was 1.9 +/- 0.1 L min-1 (P < 0. 05) and VRLeg was higher, accompanied by increases in hindlimb O2 consumption from 49 +/- 7 to 318 +/- 24 mL min-1 and O2 extraction from 41 +/- 2 to 79 +/- 4% (both P < 0.05), with a greater decrease in leg venous PO2 from 33 +/- 1 to 20 +/- 1 mmHg (P < 0.05). Similar results were found for intermediate levels of exercise. Our results indicate that NO modulates hindlimb skeletal muscle O2 extraction and O2 usage whether blood flow increased or not during exercise.     

Measurement of left ventricular heat production in man

A system to measure left ventricular heat production phi iv in conscious human subjects is described. Using phi iv and the rate of energy supply to the myocardium, the mechanical efficiency of the left ventricle is calculated. Heat carriage in left ventricular myocardial blood flow phi cs is calculated from coronary sinus flow and the transcoronary temperature difference. Diffusional heat loss phi diff is derived from the ratio of areas under temperature/time curves recorded in the aorta and coronary sinus after a bolus injection of cold saline into the pulmonary artery. The sum of phi cs, phi diff and phi chem (the energy of endothermic reactions with haemoglobin) gives phi iv. The estimated errors in the derived values of heat production and mechanical efficiency are less than 17 per cent. At basal heart rates 17 patients with good left ventricular function had a transcoronary temperature difference of 0.16 +/- 0.03 degrees C (mean +/- standard deviation), left ventricular flow blood of 145.3 +/- 81.5 ml min-1, and phi iv of 3.1 +/- 1.8 W. Left ventricular oxygen extraction was strongly correlated with phi iv (r = 0.925, p less than 0.001). Left ventricular mechanical efficiency was 0.33 +/- 0.11, at basal heart rates, which fell to 0.18 +/- 0.15 (p less than 0.001) on atrial pacing at 100 beats min-1.     

Diet-induced thermogenesis in well-trained subjects

The purpose of this study was to examine the possible relationship between the thermogenic response to a mixed meal and the aerobic capacity in healthy subjects. Fourteen male subjects participated, and their maximal oxygen uptake was determined on a bicycle exercise ergometer. Two groups, each comprising seven individuals, were compared: a well-trained group, with an oxygen uptake of 58 +/- 2 ml min-1 kg-1 and a sedentary group, with an oxygen uptake of 39 +/- 2 ml min-1 kg-1. Respiratory gas exchange was measured continuously for 1 h in the basal state and then for 3 h postprandially. The subjects ingested a test meal in liquid form, consisting of 17% kJ protein, 28% kJ lipids and 55% kJ carbohydrates, and corresponding to 60% of the individually computed 24-h basal energy expenditure. Basal oxygen uptake and energy expenditure were similar in the two groups. After the meal, pulmonary oxygen uptake and energy expenditure rose rapidly and reached a plateau after 1 h. The responses were no different in the two groups: the average rise in pulmonary oxygen uptake above basal during the whole study period was 24.0 +/- 2.1% in well-trained and 26.7 +/- 1.5% in sedentary subjects (NS); the corresponding values for energy expenditure were 25.0 +/- 2.1% and 29.0 +/- 1.6% (NS). Also, when expressed in absolute terms the increments above basal were not significantly different. There was no discernible relationship between the individual thermogenic response and maximal oxygen uptake. In conclusion, the present findings do not indicate that diet-induced thermogenesis is proportional to aerobic capacity in healthy young men.     

Effect of pedaling technique on muscle activity and cycling efficiency

The purpose of this study was to examine the acute effect of talocrural joint position on muscle activity and gross mechanical efficiency (GE). Eleven trained cyclists participated in three randomized 6-min cycling bouts at approximately 80% of maximal aerobic capacity on an electromagnetically braked cycle ergometer while oxygen consumption and muscle activity (EMG) were monitored during the subject's self-selected pedaling technique (control) and while using a dorsi- and plantarflexed pedaling technique. The mean differences in range of motion of the dorsi- and plantarflexed technique from the control position were 7.1 +/- 4.4 and 6.9 +/- 5.4 degrees , respectively. Gastrocnemius EMG activity was higher with the dorsiflexion technique than when using the self-selected control position (33.2 +/- 13.0 and 24.2 +/- 8.4 microV s, respectively; P < 0.05). Moreover, GE was 2.6% lower while riding with the dorsiflexion technique than the control position (19.0 +/- 1.2 and 19.5 +/- 1.3%, respectively; P < 0.05). The data suggested that introducing more dorsiflexion into the pedal stroke of a trained cyclist increases muscle activity of the gastrocnemius lateralis and decreased GE when compared to the self-selected pedal stroke.     

Force kinetics and oxygen consumption during bicycle ergometer work in racing cyclists and reference-group

Summary The forces acting on the right crank of a bicycle ergometer were measured in 18 male subjects (6 racing cyclists, 8 students of physical education, 4 long distance runners) during an incremental exercise test. Oxygen consumption ( ) was simultaneously determined by means of a breath-by-breath method.Differences in peak values of the typical force record might indicate a different force distribution during each cranking cycle. When compared to the reference group, the racing cyclists showed peak values that were significantly lower at all levels of work load. Oxygen consumption during the initial 20 min of the test was found to be significantly lower in the cyclist group (cyclists: 37.2±3.2 l, reference group: 41.1±3.9 l). These results suggest that a different force distribution during a crank revolution might lead to an improved gross efficiency in the cyclist group. The findings might be due to different fractions of ST-fibres in the exercising muscle.     

The low physical working capacity of thyrotoxic patients is not normalized by oral antithyroid treatment

The low working capacity in thyrotoxic patients has not been quantified and its causes have not been clarified. We studied the working capacity in nine thyrotoxic patients at diagnosis (test 1), after 3 months of oral antithyroid medication (test 2), and in four of them again after 1 year (test 3). The maximum power output was low in thyrotoxic patients (1.65 +/- 0.15 W/kg-1) and was not significantly higher after 3 months of treatment (1.84 +/- 0.15), although plasma thyroid hormone concentrations had been normalized for approximately 3 months. After 1 year's treatment the maximum power output was still somewhat low in the four tested patients (2.75 +/- 0.34). The rate of oxygen uptake under maximum exercise was low (26 ml/min-1/kg-1) and was not significantly increased at test 2 and 3. The net mechanical efficiency was low at test 1 and 2 (18.9 +/- 2.1% and 20.1 +/- 1.8%, respectively), but was normal at test 3 (25.2%). At all three tests the blood lactate response upon maximum exercise attained only about 50% of normal concentration. Thus, low work capacity in thyrotoxic patients remained for a long period of time after euthyroid conditions had been attained. The low capacity was due to low aerobic and anaerobic capacities and initially also to a low mechanical efficiency.     

Efficiencies from consumed O2 and pressure-volume area to work of in situ dog heart

We studied the efficiencies from oxygen consumption (VO2) to external mechanical work (EW), from VO2 to the systolic pressure-volume area (PVA), and from PVA to EW, and the effects of cardiac output and contractility index (Emax) on these efficiencies in the left ventricle of open-chest, right-heart-bypassed dogs. PVA is an intermediate form of energy between VO2 and EW. PVA, EW, and Emax were determined by an abrupt occlusion of the ascending aorta. The right-heart bypass allowed us to collect all coronary venous return for VO2 measurement. The EW/VO2 efficiency ranged between 4 and 21%, the PVA/VO2 efficiency ranged between 5 and 27%, and the EW/PVA efficiency ranged between 60 and 95%. At a given Emax, EW/PVA efficiency was independent of cardiac output, but PVA/VO2 and EW/VO2 efficiencies increased with cardiac output. An increase in Emax by dobutamine increased EW/PVA efficiency, but decreased PVA/VO2 and EW/VO2 efficiencies. We could theoretically account for these changes in EW/PVA, PVA/VO2, and EW/VO2 efficiencies of the in situ heart by the VO2-PVA relation and its dependence on Emax that we had observed.     

Effects on efficiency in repetitive lifting of load and frequency combinations at a constant total power output

Sumary Boxes were lifted and lowered repetitively at three different combinations of load and frequency. These combinations were chosen such that the total mechanical power generated was constant. Effects of the varying load or frequency conditions (but constant total mechanical power) on the rate of energy expenditure (M) and on the mechanical efficiency (ME) were measured. Mechanical power was determined from film analysis and separated into external power (generated to lift the load) and internal power (to raise the lifter's body mass). The M was determined from oxygen consumption measurements. The ME was calculated in two ways, depending on the definition of mechanical power, including either the external power only (ME_ext) or the total power output (ME_tot). Despite a constant total mechanical power, M increased at higher loads and lower frequencies. This might be explained by the increasing isometric force required in postural and load control. The M increase resulted in a decrease of ME_tot. However, at higher loads and lower frequencies ME_ext increased, indicating that more external work can be done at the same energy costs at higher loads or lower frequencies, which could be of interest from the point of view of occupational physiology. It would seem that at higher loads or lower frequencies the increased costs for isometric muscle action do not outweigh the benefit of raising the body less frequently. Furthermore, it was found that the ME,, in lifting was much lower than the values reported for other kinds of activity. This was due to the large proportion of total power output that was internal power in repetitive lifting [e.g. 83.1% (at a load of 6 kg) in the present study].     

Mechanical muscular power output and work during ergometer cycling at different work loads and speeds

Summary The aim of the study was to calculate the magnitude of the instantaneous muscular power output at the hip, knee and ankle joints during ergometer cycling at different work loads and speeds. Six healthy subjects pedalled a weight-braked cycle ergometer at 0, 120 and 240 W at a constant speed of 60 rpm. The subjects also pedalled at 40, 60, 80 and 100 rpm against the same resistance, giving power outputs of 80, 120, 160 and 200 W respectively. The subjects were filmed with a cine-film camera, and pedal reaction forces were recorded from a force transducer mounted in the pedal. The muscular work for the hip, knee and ankle joint muscles was calculated using a model based upon dynamic mechanics and described elsewhere. The total work during one pedal revolution significantly increased with increased work load but did not increase with increased pedalling rate at the same braking force. The relative proportions of total positive work at the hip, knee and ankle joints were also calculated. Hip and ankle extension work proportionally decreased with increased work load. Pedalling rate did not change the relative proportion of total work at the different joints.     

Differences in autonomic modulation of heart rate during arm and leg exercise.

Heart rate (HR) is higher during dynamic arm exercise than during leg exercise at equal oxygen consumption levels, but the physiological background for this difference is not completely understood. The vagally mediated beat-to-beat R-R interval fluctuation decreases until the level of approximately 50% of maximal oxygen consumption during an incremental bicycle exercise, but the vagal responses to arm exercise are not well known. Changes in autonomic modulation of HR were compared during arm and leg exercise by measuring beat-to-beat R-R interval variability from a Poincaré plot normalized for the average R-R interval (SD1n), a measure of vagal activity, in 14 healthy male subjects (age 20 +/- 4 years) who performed graded bicycle and arm cranking tests until exhaustion. Seven of the subjects also performed the dynamic arm and leg tests after beta-adrenergic blockade (propranolol 0.2 mg kg-1 i.v.). More rapid reduction occurred in SD1n during the low-intensity level of dynamic arm exercise than during dynamic leg exercise without beta-blockade (e.g. 11 +/- 6 vs. 20 +/- 10 at the oxygen consumption level of 1.2 l min-1; P < 0.001) and with beta-blockade (e.g. 13 +/- 4 vs. 25 +/- 10 at the level of 1.0 l min-1; P < 0.05), and the mean HR was significantly higher during submaximal arm work than during leg work in both cases (e.g. during beta-blockade 81 +/- 12 vs. 74 +/- 6 beats min-1 at the level of 1.0 l min-1; P < 0.05). These data show that dynamic arm exercise results in more rapid withdrawal of vagal outflow than dynamic leg exercise.     

Influence of stretch-shortening cycle on mechanical behaviour of triceps surae during hopping.

Six subjects performed a first series of vertical plantar flexions and a second series of vertical rebounds, both involving muscle triceps surae exclusively. Vertical displacements, vertical forces and ankle angles were recorded during the entire work period of 60 seconds per series. In addition, expired gases were collected during the test and recovery for determination of the energy expenditure. Triceps surae was mechanically modelled with a contractile component and with an elastic component. Mechanical behaviour and work of the different muscle components were determined in both series. The net muscular efficiency calculated from the work performed by the centre of gravity was 17.5 +/- 3.0% (mean +/- SD) in plantar flexions and 29.9 +/- 4.8% in vertical rebounds. The net muscle efficiency calculated from the work performed by the contractile component was 17.4 +/- 2.9% in plantar flexions and 16.1 +/- 1.4% in vertical rebounds. These results suggest that the muscular efficiency differences do not reflect muscle contractile component efficiency but essentially the storage and recoil of elastic energy. This is supported by the relationship (P less than 0.01) found in vertical rebounds between the extra work and the elastic component work. A detailed observation of the mechanical behaviour of muscle mechanical components showed that the strategy to maximize the elastic work depends also on the force-velocity characteristics of the movement and that the eccentric-concentric work of the contractile component does not always correspond respectively to the ankle extension-flexion.     

Does prior 1500-m swimming affect cycling energy expenditure in well-trained triathletes?

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of a 1,500-m swim on energy expenditure during a subsequent cycle task. Eight well-trained male triathletes (age 26.0 +/- 5.0 yrs; height 179.6 +/- 4.5 cm; mass 71.3 +/- 5.8 kg; VO(2)max 71.9 +/- 7.8 ml.kg(-1).min(-1)) underwent two testing sessions in counterbalanced order. The sessions consisted of a 30-min ride on the cycle ergometer at 75% of maximal aerobic power (MAP), and at a pedaling frequency of 95 rev.min(-1), preceded either by a 1,500-m swim at 1.20 m.s(-1) (SC trial) or by a cycling warm-up at 30% of MAP (C trial). Respiratory and metabolic data were collected between the 3rd and the 5th min, and between the 28th and 30th min of cycling. The main results indicated a significantly lower gross efficiency (13.0%) and significantly higher blood lactate concentration (56.4%), VO(2) (5.0%), HR (9.3%), VE (15.7%), and RF (19.9%) in the SC compared to the C trial after 5 min, p < 0.05. After 30 min, only VE (7.9%) and blood lactate concentration (43.9%) were significantly higher in the SC compared to the C trial, p < 0.05. These results confirm the increase in energy cost previously observed during sprint-distance triathlons and point to the importance of the relative intensity of swimming on energy demand during subsequent cycling.     

The reversible effect of glucose on the energy metabolism of Schistosoma mansoni cercariae and schistosomula.

This study on isolated cercarial bodies demonstrates that the biological transformation from cercaria to schistosomulum and the biochemical transition from an aerobic to an anaerobic energy metabolism are separate processes, which are not necessarily linked. The metabolic transition depends on the external glucose concentration and is fully reversible. In the presence of only a tracer amount of [6-14C]glucose, carbon dioxide was the major end product, but at higher glucose concentrations mainly lactate was formed. This effect could be demonstrated in cercarial bodies in water as well as in fully transformed schistosomula. In non-transformed cercariae a change towards a more anaerobic energy metabolism could be induced by an increase in the external glucose concentration, which demonstrated that the biochemical transition can occur in the absence of the biological transformation. Furthermore, the biological transformation can occur without a concomitant biochemical transition: in the presence of 5 mM glucose, lactate production by cercarial bodies during transformation was increased 50-fold, whereas in the presence of only a tracer amount of glucose the metabolic profile remained that of cercariae. Also, in fully transformed schistosomula, this transition to a more anaerobic energy metabolism was induced by increased glucose concentrations, but at low glucose concentrations carbon dioxide was the major end product, as in cercariae. The effect of external glucose on the metabolism was fully reversible. After a high glucose concentration had induced a more anaerobic metabolism in cercariae in water, the metabolism returned to an aerobic one upon removal of the glucose. Likewise, the metabolism in schistosomula switched back and forth between anaerobic and aerobic patterns, following successive changes in the glucose concentration.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Functional role of aerobic glycolysis in rat portal vein

The functional role of aerobic lactate production in the rat portal vein was investigated. Changing substrate from glucose (11.5 mM) to pyruvate (11.5 mM) or beta-hydroxybutyrate (3 mM) had virtually no effect on spontaneous mechanical activity. Lactate production (FLA) was smaller with pyruvate than with glucose (0.05 +/- 0.01 vs. 0.14 +/- 0.03 mumol g-1 min-1, n = 4). Addition of 0.5 mM iodoacetate to inhibit glycolysis abolished mechanical activity in 15-20 min with glucose as substrate, whereas with pyruvate the mechanical activity was only moderately reduced over this time period. With beta-hydroxybutyrate (3 mM) as substrate no aerobic lactate production was detected during normal spontaneous activity. Inhibition of cellular respiration with increasing concentrations of cyanide in beta-hydroxybutyrate medium led to a graded decrease in mechanical activity and FO2, but only a marginal increase in lactate production. With glucose as substrate, repeated stimulation with a combination of isoproterenol (10(-5) M) and papaverine (10(-4) M) gave similar increases in lactate production at each exposure. With beta-hydroxybutyrate some lactate production was found at the first stimulation, but decreased to be abolished at the third stimulation. The mechanical inhibition caused by the stimulation was however similar at the three exposures for both substrates. Lactate production induced by cAMP-raising stimulation in beta-hydroxybutyrate could be accounted for by glycogenolysis. These results show that aerobic glycolysis leading to net lactate production is not necessary for normal spontaneous mechanical activity or the relaxing effect of hypoxia or cAMP raising stimuli in rat portal vein.     

Divergent effects of NO synthase inhibition on systemic and myocardial O2 delivery and consumption during dobutamine infusion in sheep

It is unknown if nitric oxide (NO) modulates the balance between systemic or myocardial O2 delivery ( DO2) and consumption VO2 during inotropic stimulation with the beta-adrenergic agonist dobutamine. Accordingly, we measured systemic and left ventricular (LV) DO2 and during dobutamine infusion to a peak of 10 microg .kg-1 .min-1, before and after inhibition of NO synthesis with i.v. N(omega)-nitro- L-arginine ( L-NNA, 25 mg.kg-1) in 11 anesthetized ewes instrumented with aortic, pulmonary arterial and coronary sinus catheters, an ultrasonic coronary artery flow probe and a pulmonary arterial thermistor to measure cardiac output. L-NNA reduced systemic DO2 by 19% (2.1+/-0.5 ml.min-1.kg-1, P<0.005) but increased systemic by 13% (0.4+/-0.1 ml.in-1.g-1, P<0.05), whereas LV DO2 and rose by 44% (4.3+/-1.3 ml.min-1).100 g-1, P<0.005) and 47% (3.1+/-0.9.min-1.100 g-1, P<0.025) respectively. Dobutamine increased systemic DO2 by 61% (5.3+/-0.9 ml.min-1.kg-1, P<0.001) and systemic by 10% (0.32+/-0.12 ml.min-1.kg-1, P<0.01), with no effect of L-NNA on either response ( P>0.9). As a result, while was 0.5 ml.min(-1).kg-1 higher at any given level of DO2 ( P<0.001), the slope of the systemic DO2- relation was unchanged after L-NNA. By contrast, LV DO2 increased by 152% (15.6+/-2.2 ml.min-1.100 g-1, P<0.001) and by 184% (12.7+/-1.9 ml.min-1.100 g-1, P<0.001), but because the slope of both dose-response curves was reduced by 48% after L-NNA ( P<0.001), the LV DO2- relationship was unaffected by inhibition of NO synthesis. These results suggest that NO modulated the baseline balance between systemic, but not myocardial, DO2 and. However, NO did not additionally alter dobutamine-related changes in either systemic or myocardial DO2 and balance.