Arterial baroreflex is impaired in the normotensive elderly. However, no information is available on the effects of aging on another major reflex mechanism of cardiovascular control, i.e., cardiopulmonary reflex. Three groups of normotensive subjects divided according to age were evaluated during leg raising, which increased central venous pressure, and during lower body negative pressures, which reduced central venous pressure without altering blood pressure and heart rate. These maneuvers stimulated and deactivated cardiopulmonary receptors with only little involvement of arterial baroreceptors. During lower body negative pressures, central venous pressure decreased similarly in three groups, but reflex increases in forearm vascular resistance, plasma norepinephrine, and plasma renin activity were smaller in elderly than in middle-aged and young subjects. Furthermore, during leg raising, comparable increases in central venous pressure caused reflex vascular and humoral responses that were smaller in elderly than in middle-aged and young subjects. Elderly subjects had smaller changes in left ventricular diameter in response to changes in central venous pressure. Blood pressure and vascular responses to cold pressor test were similar in the three groups, excluding a hyporeactivity of older subjects to neural stimuli. Thus aging is associated with an impairment of the cardiopulmonary reflex. This may originate from an impaired ability of cardiac receptors to sense alterations in central blood volume because of an age-dependent reduction in cardiac compliance.

Thigh muscles indirect injuries are common finding in soccer and represent a critical challenge for teams medical staffs. Indirect injuries are classified on the basis of their site and their clinical and radiological findings, but the assessment of a precise prognosis remains a crucial point. Both ultrasound (US) and magnetic resonance (MR) represent effective techniques not only to detect indirect injuries but also to accurately determine severity, location, and, consequently, the prognosis. In this setting, our aim is to review imaging findings of professional athletes muscle tears at three time points (3 days, 2 weeks, and 4 weeks after the time of injury) and, further, to investigate the correlation between tears extent and lay-off time of the athletes. Combined US-MR assessment could be helpful in the management of thigh muscles indirect injuries providing accurate information about the site, the extent, and the healing process.

This study assessed a technology-aided program (monitoring responding, and ensuring preferred stimulation and encouragements) for promoting physical activity with 11 participants with severe/profound intellectual and multiple disabilities. Each participant was provided with an exercise device (e.g. a static bicycle and a stepper) and exposed to the program according to an ABAB design, in which A and B represented baseline and intervention phases, respectively. Data recording concerned (a) the participants' responses with the exercise device (e.g. pedaling) during baseline and intervention phases and (b) their heart rates during the last intervention phase. The results showed that all participants had significant increases in responding with the exercise devices during the intervention phases. Heart-rate values during the intervention sessions indicated that the participants' responding during those sessions mostly amounted to moderate-intensity physical activity, with potential benefits for their overall physical condition. Implications of the findings and questions for future research in the area were discussed.

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