scholarly journals TEMPERATURE, MUSCLE POWER OUTPUT AND LIMITATIONS ON BURST LOCOMOTOR PERFORMANCE OF THE LIZARD DIPSOSAURUS DORSALIS

1993 ◽  
Vol 174 (1) ◽  
pp. 185-197 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. J. Swoap ◽  
T. P. Johnson ◽  
R. K. Josephson ◽  
A. F. Bennett

The mechanical power output of fast-twitch fibres from the iliofibularis of the lizard Dipsosaurus dorsalis was measured over a broad body temperature range using the oscillatory work-loop technique. The optimal cycling frequency, that frequency at which mechanical power output is maximal, increases with temperature from 3.3 Hz at 15°C to 20.1 Hz at 42°C. Maximum power output increases with temperature, from 20 W kg-1 at 15°C to 154 W kg-1 at 42°C, the largest power output yet measured using the work-loop technique. At low temperatures (15°C and 22°C), stride frequency during burst running is nearly identical to the optimal cycling frequency for in vitro power output, suggesting that maximum power output may limit hindlimb cycle frequency in vivo. However, at higher temperatures (35°C and 42°C), the optimal cycling frequency of the isolated muscle is significantly higher than the burst stride frequency, demonstrating that contractile events no longer limit hindlimb cycle frequency. At higher temperatures, it is thus unlikely that the fast-twitch fibres of this muscle in vivo attain their potential for maximum power output.

1997 ◽  
Vol 200 (24) ◽  
pp. 3119-3131 ◽  
Author(s):  
G N Askew ◽  
R L Marsh

The effects of length trajectory on the mechanical power output of mouse soleus and extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscles were investigated using the work loop technique in vitro at 37 degrees C. Muscles were subjected to sinusoidal and sawtooth cycles of lengthening and shortening; for the sawtooth cycles, the proportion of the cycle spent shortening was varied. For each cycle frequency examined, the timing and duration of stimulation and the strain amplitude were optimized to yield the maximum power output. During sawtooth length trajectories, power increased as the proportion of the cycle spent shortening increased. The increase in power was attributable to more complete activation of the muscle due to the longer stimulation duration, to a more rapid rise in force resulting from increased stretch velocity and to an increase in the optimal strain amplitude. The power produced during symmetrical sawtooth cycles was 5-10 % higher than during sinusoidal work loops. Maximum power outputs of 92 W kg-1 (soleus) and 247 W kg-1 (EDL) were obtained by manipulating the length trajectory. For each muscle, this was approximately 70 % of the maximum power output estimated from the isotonic force-velocity relationship. We have found a number of examples suggesting that animals exploit prolonging the shortening phase during activities requiring a high power output, such as flying, jet-propulsion swimming and vocalization. In an evolutionary context, increasing the relative shortening duration provides an alternative to increasing the maximum shortening velocity (Vmax) as a way to increase power output.


1995 ◽  
Vol 198 (4) ◽  
pp. 1035-1043 ◽  
Author(s):  
J Layland ◽  
I S Young ◽  
J D Altringham

Papillary muscles were isolated from the right ventricles of rats and the length for maximum active force generation (Lmax) was determined isometrically. The work loop technique was used to derive the length for maximum work production (Lopt) at the cycle frequency, strain amplitude and stimulation phase shift found to be optimal for power output. Lopt was typically 7% shorter than Lmax and within the physiological length range (87.5% Lmax to Lmax). Net work and power output were measured during sinusoidal strain cycles around Lopt, over the cycle frequency range 1-9 Hz, strain amplitude and phase shift being optimised for work and power at each frequency. Experiments were performed at 37 degrees C. Distinct optima were found in both the work-frequency and the power-frequency relationships. The optimum cycle frequency for net work production was lower than the frequency for maximum power output. The mean maximum power output at 37 degrees C was 8.62 +/- 0.50 W kg-1 (mean +/- S.E.M., N = 9) and was achieved at a cycle frequency of approximately 6 Hz, close to the estimated resting heart rate of 5.8 Hz for the rats used (mean mass 223 +/- 25 g). The cycle frequency, strain amplitude and stimulation phase shift found to be optimal for power output produced an in vitro contraction closely simulating the basal in vivo contraction.


1992 ◽  
Vol 170 (1) ◽  
pp. 143-154 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. ELIZABETH ANDERSON ◽  
IAN A. JOHNSTON

Fast muscle fibres were isolated from abdominal myotomes of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua L.) ranging in size from 10 to 63 cm standard length (Ls). Muscle fibres were subjected to sinusoidal length changes about their resting length (Lf) and stimulated at a selected phase of the strain cycle. The work performed in each oscillatory cycle was calculated from plots of force against muscle length, the area of the resulting loop being net work. Strain and the number and timing of stimuli were adjusted to maximise positive work per cycle over a range of cycle frequencies at 8°C. Force, and hence power output, declined with increasing cycles of oscillation until reaching a steady state around the ninth cycle. The strain required for maximum power output (Wmax) was ±7-11% of Lf in fish shorter than 18 cm standard length, but decreased to ±5 % of Lf in larger fish. The cycle frequency required for Wmax also declined with increasing fish length, scaling to Ls−0.51 under steady-state conditions (cycles 9–12). At the optimum cycle frequency and strain the maximum contraction velocity scaled to Ls−0.79. The maximum stress (Pmax) produced within a cycle was highest in the second cycle, ranging from 51.3 kPa in 10 cm fish to 81.8 kPa in 60 cm fish (Pmax=28.2Ls0.25). Under steady-state conditions the maximum power output per kilogram wet muscle mass was found to range from 27.5 W in a 10 cm Ls cod to 16.4 W in a 60 cm Ls cod, scaling with Ls−0.29 and body mass (Mb)−0.10 Note: To whom reprint requests should be sent


1997 ◽  
Vol 200 (3) ◽  
pp. 503-509
Author(s):  
J Layland ◽  
I S Young ◽  
J D Altringham

The work loop technique was used to examine the effects of adrenaline on the mechanics of cardiac muscle contraction in vitro. The length for maximum active force (Lmax) and net work production (Lopt) for rat papillary muscles was determined under control conditions (without adrenaline). The concentration of adrenaline producing the maximum inotropic effect was determined. This concentration was used in the remainder of the experiments. Sinusoidal strain cycles about Lopt were performed over a physiologically relevant range of cycle frequencies (4-11 Hz). Maximum work and the frequency for maximum work increased from 1.91 J kg-1 at 3 Hz in controls to 2.97 J kg-1 at 6 Hz with adrenaline. Similarly, maximum power output and the frequency for maximum power output (fopt) increased from 8.62 W kg-1 at 6 Hz in controls to 19.95 W kg-1 at 8 Hz with adrenaline. We suggest that the power-frequency relationship, derived using the work loop technique, represents a useful index with which to assess the effects of pharmacological interventions on cardiac muscle contractility.


1990 ◽  
Vol 151 (1) ◽  
pp. 453-467 ◽  
Author(s):  
JOHN D. ALTRINGHAM ◽  
IAN A. JOHNSTON

Bundles of 3–10 live fast fibres were isolated from the abdominal myotomes of cod (Gadus morhua L.) 13–67 cm in length. The preparations performed work under conditions simulating their activity during swimming: sinusoidal length changes were imposed about in situ fibre length, and the fibres were stimulated at a selected phase in each cycle. Strain amplitude, and the number and timing of stimuli were chosen to give maximum power output over a wide range of cycle/tailbeat frequencies. For each preparation power output was maximal at a particular frequency, although the peaks were rather broad. As the size of the fish increased the cycle frequency for maximum power output (fopt) decreased, from 12.5 Hz (13 cm fish) to 5 Hz (67 cm fish) (fopt= 1.67 L−0.52, where L is body length).


1991 ◽  
Vol 157 (1) ◽  
pp. 381-389 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. D. Altringham ◽  
I. S. Young

Bundles of muscle fibres were isolated from the diaphragm of mouse, rat and rabbit. Mean oscillatory power output was determined during phasic stimulation and imposed sinusoidal length changes. Maximum power output was measured over a range of cycle frequencies. The cycle frequency for maximum power output (fopt) decreased with increasing body mass and was described by the equation, fopt = 4.42M-0.16, where M is body mass. A very similar relationship has been reported between body mass and the frequency of the trot-gallop transition in terrestrial, quadrupedal mammals [Heglund et al. (1974), Science 186, 1112–1113), and the significance of this similarity is discussed.


1994 ◽  
Vol 187 (1) ◽  
pp. 295-303 ◽  
Author(s):  
R Josephson ◽  
D Stokes

The mechanical power output during oscillatory contraction was determined for the flagellum abductor muscle of the crab Carcinus maenas using the work loop technique. Measurements were made at 10 Hz, which is the normal operating frequency of the muscle. The temperature was 15 °C. Increasing the number of stimuli per cycle (given at an interstimulus interval of 3.3 ms) decreased the number of cycles required to reach a work plateau and increased the work per cycle at the plateau to a maximum at 4­5 stimuli per cycle. The maximum mechanical power output was 9.7 W kg-1 muscle (about 26 W kg-1 myofibril). The optimum strain for work output (5.7 %) was close to the estimated muscle strain in vivo (5.2 %).


1994 ◽  
Vol 197 (1) ◽  
pp. 143-164
Author(s):  
D A Syme

Mechanical power and oxygen consumption (VO2) were measured simultaneously from isolated segments of trabecular muscle from the frog (Rana pipiens) ventricle. Power was measured using the work-loop technique, in which bundles of trabeculae were subjected to cyclic, sinusoidal length change and phasic stimulation. VO2 was measured using a polarographic O2 electrode. Both mechanical power and VO2 increased with increasing cycle frequency (0.4-0.9 Hz), with increasing muscle length and with increasing strain (= shortening, range 0-25% of resting length). Net efficiency, defined as the ratio of mechanical power output to the energy equivalent of the increase in VO2 above resting level, was independent of cycle frequency and increased from 8.1 to 13.0% with increasing muscle length, and from 0 to 13% with increasing strain, in the ranges examined. Delta efficiency, defined as the slope of the line relating mechanical power output to the energy equivalent of VO2, was 24-43%, similar to that reported from studies using intact hearts. The cost of increasing power output was greater if power was increased by increasing cycle frequency or muscle length than if it was increased by increasing strain. The results suggest that the observation that pressure-loading is more costly than volume-loading is inherent to these muscle fibres and that frog cardiac muscle is, if anything, less efficient than most skeletal muscles studied thus far.


2004 ◽  
Vol 96 (4) ◽  
pp. 1277-1284 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roy L. P. G. Jentjens ◽  
Luke Moseley ◽  
Rosemary H. Waring ◽  
Leslie K. Harding ◽  
Asker E. Jeukendrup

The purpose of the present study was to examine whether combined ingestion of a large amount of fructose and glucose during cycling exercise would lead to exogenous carbohydrate oxidation rates >1 g/min. Eight trained cyclists (maximal O2consumption: 62 ± 3 ml·kg-1·min-1) performed four exercise trials in random order. Each trial consisted of 120 min of cycling at 50% maximum power output (63 ± 2% maximal O2consumption), while subjects received a solution providing either 1.2 g/min of glucose (Med-Glu), 1.8 g/min of glucose (High-Glu), 0.6 g/min of fructose + 1.2 g/min of glucose (Fruc+Glu), or water. The ingested fructose was labeled with [U-13C]fructose, and the ingested glucose was labeled with [U-14C]glucose. Peak exogenous carbohydrate oxidation rates were ∼55% higher ( P < 0.001) in Fruc+Glu (1.26 ± 0.07 g/min) compared with Med-Glu and High-Glu (0.80 ± 0.04 and 0.83 ± 0.05 g/min, respectively). Furthermore, the average exogenous carbohydrate oxidation rates over the 60- to 120-min exercise period were higher ( P < 0.001) in Fruc+Glu compared with Med-Glu and High-Glu (1.16 ± 0.06, 0.75 ± 0.04, and 0.75 ± 0.04 g/min, respectively). There was a trend toward a lower endogenous carbohydrate oxidation in Fruc+Glu compared with the other two carbohydrate trials, but this failed to reach statistical significance ( P = 0.075). The present results demonstrate that, when fructose and glucose are ingested simultaneously at high rates during cycling exercise, exogenous carbohydrate oxidation rates can reach peak values of ∼1.3 g/min.


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