Calculo Da Função Psicofisica De Stevens Por Microcomputadores

The present paper introduces the use of a computacionalprogram for researchers who work in Psychophysics andPerception. The program determines the exponent (n), the scaleconstant (k) and the coefficient of determination (r2) of powerfunctions (R = k.Sn ) from raw data. The advantage of thisprogram is that it takes less time and is more precise in determiningindividual power functions than hand calculation, especiallywhen a great number of responses for the same stimuli areinvolved.RESUMO — O presente artigo introduz o uso de um programa computacional para pesquisadores da área de Psicofísica e Percepção. O programa calcula a partir dos dados brutos o expoente (n), a constante escalar (k) e o coeficiente de determinação (r2) da função de potência (R=k.Sn). O programa tem as vantagens da rapidez e precisão nas estimativas dos parâmetros individuais da função psicofísica quando um grande número de respostas e estímulos está envolvido

Reproducibility of the lactate minimum test in wistar rats after training at the maximal lactate steady state intensity

The aim of this study was to verify the reproducibility of the lactate minim (LM) test after four weeks of aerobic training, as well as its validity with the maximal lactate steady state (MLSS) in Wistar rats submitted to swimming exercise. Ten rats with 90 days were used. The aerobic and anaerobic capacity was determined by the LM test before and after the training. The protocol of MLSS was also applied before and after the training. Training was accomplished for four weeks, being the first two weeks with a volume of 30 minutes and the other two weeks with a volume of 45 minutes, both in the intensity of MLSS. With the training, the intensity of LM and the concentration of LM [Lac] increased of 16.19±1.87 to 18.84 ± 0.96 g and of 3.58±1.78 to 5.42±1.13 mmol/L, respectively. The intensity of MLSS increased of 18.64±1.75 to 19.97±2.15 g. The intensity of LM and MLSS in the pre and post-training phase presented high correlations (r=0.92) and (r=0.87), respectively. It was concluded that the LM test presented sensibility to the effects of the training, as well as validity with gold standard test (MLSS) in rats submitted to swimming exercise

Effects of swimming training on tissue glycogen content in experimental thyrotoxic rats

Thyrotoxicosis, a condition in which there is an excessive amount of circulating thyroid hormones, leads to reduced glycogen content in different tissues. In this study we analyzed the effects of aerobic swimming training on liver, heart, and skeletal muscle glycogen content in experimentally induced thyrotoxicosis. Wistar male rats were divided into euthyroid sedentary (ES, n = 12), euthyroid trained (ET, n = 11), thyrotoxic sedentary (TS, n = 12), and thyrotoxic trained (TT, n = 10) groups. Thyrotoxic groups received daily i.p. doses of T4 (sodium levothyroxine, 25 mu g/100 g body mass) through the experimental period, and trained groups swam for 1 h at 80% of the aerobic-anaerobic transition intensity, 5 days/week for 4 weeks. Heart and liver glycogen stores were similar to 30% lower in T4 treated compared with nontreated groups, but were not changed by training status. on the other hand, glycogen content in mixed fiber type gastrocnemius of TT was 1.5- to 2.3-fold greater than those in other groups, whereas no significant differences were found for the slow soleus muscle. Increased gastrocnemius but not soleus, liver, or heart glycogen indicates that in mild long-term thyrotoxicosis chronic swimming affects glycogen stores in a tissue-specific manner