In order to analyse the relationship between maximal aerobic power (VO2max) and height, body mass and lean body mass a multi-longitudinal survey was conducted on three different age groups of randomly selected children from a small Czech community. Beginning at the initial ages of 8, 12 and 16 years subjects were subsequently retested three times at 2-year intervals. At overlapping ages there were no differences in the various age groups between height and VO2max. By utilizing mean values for the various parameters at specific calendar ages a growth curve was constructed for each sex for the age range 8-20 years. The values were compared with longitudinal studies in various countries and no substantial differences were found. When VO2max was then compared to height, body mass and lean body mass it was apparent that the almost linear relationship with height was the most precise. In addition the children remained, generally speaking, in their same rank order for VO2max for the three different age groupings.

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The circulatory and metabolic changes during prolonged exercise (60 min) were studied in a group of 10 healthy prepubertal boys. The boys worked on the treadmill and on the bicycle ergometer at two levels of load, namely at oxygen uptakes of 36--39%, and 60% of the respective VO2 max for both types of exercise. The identical relative work loads represent higher metabolic rate at the treadmill exercise. The rectal temperature was higher after exercises on treadmill than on bicycle. The heart rate increase during prolonged exercise was lower in boys than in adults in both types of exercise. Better cardiovascular adjustment is suggested. The blood lactate increase was negligible in the initial phase of exercise with subsequent removal from the blood during extended exercise, which was more pronounced at the treadmill exercises. The increasing blood free glycerol concentration indicates similar fat share on energy release in children as in adults. No biological handicap could be found for prolonged exercise in children. The preference of short-time exercises in children lies probably in the psychological sphere.

UDP-glucuronosyltransferases (UGT) catalyze the glucuronidation of various compounds and thus inactivate toxic substrates. Genetic variations reducing the activity of UGT1A7 have been associated with various gastrointestinal cancers. Most recently, the UGT1A7*3 allele has been reported as a significant risk factor for pancreatic disorders, but we could not confirm these data. This study focused on the possible causes for the noted discrepancy. UGT1A7 genotypes were assessed in 37 samples, which were previously analyzed for UGT1A7 polymorphisms by others. We determined genotypes by melting curve analysis and by DNA sequencing. Additionally, we produced UGT1A7*1 and *3 constructs with or without a mutation at position À 57 of UGT1A7 and analyzed various combinations of these constructs. In 14/37 samples UGT1A7 genotyping results differed. The discrepancy could be explained by polymerase chain reaction bias owing to an unbalanced allelic amplification which was caused by a À57T4G variant located within the sequence of the chosen primer template in previous studies. Our findings indicate that most of the previously reported genetic associations between UGT1A7 and gastrointestinal cancers are based on primer-dependent genotyping errors.