A Modified Underwater Weighing Method Without Complete Immersion

This study was designed to examine the validity of a modified underwater weighing method for measuring human body volume (BV) that does not require head submersion (MUW). Results were compared with those obtained by the underwater weighing method (UW). The true head volume was calculated from the difference in BV, with and without head submersion. Stepwise regression analysis provided an equation to predict the head volume (HV) from the head girth (HG), the head length (HL), the head breadth (HB), the neck girth (NG), the face length I (FLI), the face length II (FLII), and the cheek girth. The equation for males was HV=0.185^*(HG) +0.122^*(FLII) -8.925, r^2=0.678, SEE=0.216. The equation for females was HV=0.131^*(HG) -0.026^*(NG) +0.112^*(FLI) -6.760, r^2=0.747, SEE=0.154. Cross-validation of predicted HV showed that the correlation coefficients were r=0.759, SEE=0.193 and r=0.749, SEE=0.193, for males and females respectively. Correlation coefficients and SEE between MUW and MW for body volume and % body fat were r=1.000, SEE=0.207 and r=0.983, SEE=1.339 for males and r=1.000, SEE=0.196 and r=0.946, SEE=1.915 for females. It can be concluded that this new method offers promising possibilities for future research with people who are unable to submerge their heads

A Historical Timeline of Doping in the Olympics (Part III 1989--2006)

This is the last part of a three part paper on a timeline history of doping in the Olympics. Part three of the timeline focuses on the creation of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), new doping drugs, known drugs that are not detectable to current drug tests, new drug testing procedures and improvements in the sanctioning of athletes. The years 1989-2006 saw a coming together of the world sports community to fight doping. WADA has worked as a powerful umbrella group supporting this fight. It has succeeded in standardizing drug test procedures and sanctions across all Olympic sports disciplines. It has also led to the independence of doping organizations within individual Olympic member countries. This has cut down on cheating at the organizational level.However, doping by athletes continues. WADA monitors doping in many ways: by providing support to research scientists as they devise new tests for known and, as yet, undetectable doping drugs, improved monitoring of athletes like unannounced and out of competition testing, and a sense of fair play whereby superstars are held to the same standard as regards doping as any other competitive Olympic athlete. These programs, unfortunately, are just the beginning. Doping is real, doping continues, doping will be around as long as competitive sport is

Validity of Dietary Surveys in Physically Active Japanese Male Students

Under or overestimating dietary intake is considered a serious problem in dietary surveys. We compared estimated energy intake (EI) with measured total energy expenditure (TEE) in 22 physically active Japanese male students (age: 20.6±1.2 years: active group) and 37 physically non-active male students (age: 19.3±1.4 years: control group). EI was estimated by a food frequency questionnaire (FFQg). TEE was calculated by using the time study method with a measured basal metabolic rate. The accuracy of EI (EI/TEE) was 0.57 in the active group and 0.74 in the control group; showing a significant difference between the two groups (p<0.01). EI/TEE was negatively associated (r=-0.395, p<0.05) with BMI in the control group, but not in the active group. Intake of confectioneries, oils and fruits in the active group was significantly higher (p<0.01, p<0.05, p<0.01 respectively) than the control group. Intake of confectioneries and fruits per 1,000kcal was significantly higher (p<0.05, p<0.01 respectively) but grains were significantly lower (p<0.01) in the active group than the control group. EI/TEE was positively associated (r=0.539, p<0.05) with intake of fish per 1,000kcal in the active group. These results suggested that underestimating dietary intake might occur more often among physically active male students than physically inactive male students and it seemed to be associated with their lack of interest in food rather than psychological factors

Action of α-Adrenoceptors in Liver Blood Flow Regulation during Treadmill Exercise in Dogs

The purpose of this study was to determine how the liver blood flow is maintained during running in dogs and to examine the sympathetic system that regulates hepatic circulation during dynamic exercise. Heart rate (HR), mean blood pressure (MBP), superior mesenteric arterial flow (SMAF), the external iliac arterial flow (EIAF), the hepatic arterial flow (HAF), and the portal venous flow (PVF) were measured during tredmill exercise at 8Km/h with a 9% grade.HR, MBP, and EIAF increased significantly, while SMAF and PVF decreased significantly during exercise. HAF fell slightly, but not significantly. This response of HAF was reduced significantly by pretreatment with yohimbine and was eliminated by combining prazosin with the yohimbine. PVF responses were unmodified by α_1 and/or α_2 adrenoceptor blockers. These results suggest that blood flow to the splanchnic organs of the dog was decreased, while HAF was kept constant by a negative feedback mechanism mediated by the presynaptic α_2-adrenoceptor during dynamic exercise