A routine method to determine total haemoglobin mass (tHb) in clinical practice and sports medicine is non-existent. Radioactive tracers or other dilution procedures like the common CO-rebreathing method (Proc(com)) are impractical, the latter in particular because of the relatively long time of respiration. According to the multicompartment model of Bruce and Bruce (J Appl Physiol 95:1235-1247, 2003) the respiration time can be considerably reduced by inhaling a CO-bolus instead of the commonly used gas mixture. The aim of this study was to evaluate this theoretical concept in practice. The kinetics of the HbCO formation were compared in arterialised blood sampled from an hyperaemic earlobe after inhaling a CO-bolus (Proc(new)) for 2 min and a CO-O(2) mixture (Proc(com)) for approximately 10 min. The reliability of Proc(new) was checked in three consecutive tests, and phlebotomy was used to determine the validity. VO(2max) was determined with and without previous application of Proc(new) and the half-time of HbCO was registered also in arterialised blood after resting quietly and after the VO(2max) test. Proc(new) yielded virtual identical tHb values compared to Proc(com) when HbCO determined 5 min after starting CO-rebreathing was used for calculation. The typical error of Proc(new) was 1.7%, corresponding to a limit of agreement (95%) of 3.3%. The loss of 95 g (19) haemoglobin was detected with an accuracy of 9 g (12). After application of Proc(new) VO(2max) was reduced by 3.0% (3.7) (P=0.022) and half-time was lowered from 132 min (77) to 89 min (23) after the VO(2max) test. Inhaling a CO-bolus markedly simplifies the CO-rebreathing method without reducing validity and reliability and can be used for routine determination of tHb for various indications.

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Li-oxide garnets such as Li7La3Zr2O12 (LLZO) are among the most promising candidates for solid-state electrolytes to be used in next-generation Li-ion batteries. The garnet-structured cubic modification of LLZO, showing space group Ia-3d, has to be stabilized with supervalent cations. LLZO stabilized with Ga3+ shows superior properties compared to LLZO stabilized with similar cations; however, the reason for this behavior is still unknown. In this study, a comprehensive structural characterization of Ga-stabilized LLZO is performed by means of single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Coarse-grained samples with crystal sizes of several hundred micrometers are obtained by solid-state reaction. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction results show that Li7–3xGaxLa3Zr2O12 with x > 0.07 crystallizes in the acentric cubic space group I-43d. This is the first definite record of this cubic modification for LLZO materials and might explain the superior electrochemical performance of Ga-stabilized LLZO compared to its Al-stabilized counterpart. The phase transition seems to be caused by the site preference of Ga3+. 7Li NMR spectroscopy indicates an additional Li-ion diffusion process for LLZO with space group I-43d compared to space group Ia-3d. Despite all efforts undertaken to reveal structure–property relationships for this class of materials, this study highlights the potential for new discoveries.

Lithium titanate (LTO) is one of the most promising anode materials for large-scale stationary electrochemical storage of energy produced from renewable sources. Besides many other aspects, such as negligible formation of passivation layers and no volume expansion during lithiation, the success of LTO is mainly based on its ability to easily accommodate and release Li ions in a fully reversible way. This feature is tightly connected with Li self-diffusion. As yet, little information is available about microscopic Li diffusion properties and elementary steps of Li hopping at low intercalation levels, i.e., at values of x being significantly smaller than 1. Here, we used 7Li spin-locking NMR relaxometry to probe absolute hopping rates of LTO (homogeneous) solid solutions in quasi-thermodynamic equilibrium. As a result, the largest increase of Li diffusivity is observed when small amounts of Li are inserted. Strong Coulomb repulsions caused by the simultaneous occupation of neighboring 8a and 16c sites serve as an explanation for the enhanced Li diffusivity found. At even larger values of x, Li mobility slows down but is still much faster than in the host material with x = 0. Our results experimentally corroborate the outcome of recently published calculations on the DFT level focusing on both dynamic and structural aspects. The findings favor the formation of LTO solid solutions upon chemical lithiation; the steep increase in Li diffusivity found might also help with understanding the flat insertion potential observed.

ObjectiveTo characterise the time course of changes in haemoglobin mass (Hbmass) in response to altitude exposure.MethodsThis meta-analysis uses raw data from 17 studies that used carbon monoxide rebreathing to determine Hbmass prealtitude, during altitude and postaltitude. Seven studies were classic altitude training, eight were live high train low (LHTL) and two mixed classic and LHTL. Separate linear-mixed models were fitted to the data from the 17 studies and the resultant estimates of the effects of altitude used in a random effects meta-analysis to obtain an overall estimate of the effect of altitude, with separate analyses during altitude and postaltitude. In addition, within-subject differences from the prealtitude phase for altitude participant and all the data on control participants were used to estimate the analytical SD. The ‘true’ between-subject response to altitude was estimated from the within-subject differences on altitude participants, between the prealtitude and during-altitude phases, together with the estimated analytical SD.ResultsDuring-altitude Hbmass was estimated to increase by ∼1.1%/100 h for LHTL and classic altitude. Postaltitude Hbmass was estimated to be 3.3% higher than prealtitude values for up to 20 days. The within-subject SD was constant at ∼2% for up to 7 days between observations, indicative of analytical error. A 95% prediction interval for the ‘true’ response of an athlete exposed to 300 h of altitude was estimated to be 1.1–6%.ConclusionsCamps as short as 2 weeks of classic and LHTL altitude will quite likely increase Hbmass and most athletes can expect benefit.

Total haemoglobin mass can be easily measured by applying the optimised CO-rebreathing method (oCOR-method). Prerequisite for its accurate determination is a homogenous CO distribution in the blood and the exact knowledge of the CO volume circulating in the vascular space. The aim of the study was to evaluate the mixing time of CO in the blood after inhaling a CO-bolus and to quantify the CO volume leaving the vascular bed due to diffusion to myoglobin and due to exhalation during processing the oCOR-method. The oCOR-method was also compared to a former commonly used CO-rebreathing procedure. In ten subjects, the time course of carboxy-haemoglobin (HbCO) formation was analysed simultaneously in capillary and venous blood for a period of 15 min after inhaling a CO bolus. The volume of CO diffusing from haemoglobin to myoglobin was calculated via the decrease of HbCO. As part of this decrease is due to CO exhalation, this volume was quantified by collecting the exhaled air in a Douglas bag system. Equal HbCO values in capillary and venous blood were reached at min 6 indicating complete mixing of CO. The loss of CO out of the vascular bed due to exhalation and due to diffusion to myoglobin was 0.32 +/- 0.12% min(-1) (0.25 +/- 0.09 ml min(-1)) and 0.32 +/- 0.18% min(-1) (0.24 +/- 0.13 ml min(-1)) of the administered CO volume, respectively. The loss of CO due to exhalation and diffusion to myoglobin is of minor impact. It should, however, be considered by using correction factors to obtain high accuracy when determining total haemoglobin mass.

Training and hypoxia-associated changes in maximal oxygen uptake are mediated by different blood adaptations. Training increases blood volume because of plasma and red cell volume expansion, resulting in increased cardiac output, whereas hypoxia increases only red cell volume, leading to increased hemoglobin concentration and oxygen transport capacity. Blood doping mimics the altitude effects, however, by far exceeding its magnitude.

Aim of the study was to determine the influence of classic altitude training on hemoglobin mass (Hb-mass) in elite swimmers under the following aspects: (1) normal oscillation of Hb-mass at sea level; (2) time course of adaptation and de-adaptation; (3) sex influences; (4) influences of illness and injury; (5) interaction of Hb-mass and competition performance. Hb-mass of 45 top swimmers (male 24; female 21) was repeatedly measured (~6 times) over the course of 2 years using the optimized CO-rebreathing method. Twenty-five athletes trained between one and three times for 3-4 weeks at altitude training camps (ATCs) at 2,320 m (3 ATCs) and 1,360 m (1 ATC). Performance was determined by analyzing 726 competitions according to the German point system. The variation of Hb-mass without hypoxic influence was 3.0 % (m) and 2.7 % (f). At altitude, Hb-mass increased by 7.2 ± 3.3 % (p < 0.001; 2,320 m) and by 3.8 ± 3.4 % (p < 0.05; 1,360 m). The response at 2,320 m was not sex-related, and no increase was found in ill and injured athletes (n = 8). Hb-mass was found increased on day 13 and was still elevated 24 days after return (4.0 ± 2.7 %, p < 0.05). Hb-mass had only a small positive effect on swimming performance; an increase in performance was only observed 25-35 days after return from altitude. In conclusion, the altitude (2,320 m) effect on Hb-mass is still present 3 weeks after return, it decisively depends on the health status, but is not influenced by sex. In healthy subjects it exceeds by far the oscillation occurring at sea level. After return from altitude performance increases after a delay of 3 weeks.