June 6, 2017
Kinesiology faculty and student widely published by the American Physiological Society
Faculty members and students in the College of Human Ecology's kinesiology department were highly lauded and recognized in a recent issue of the Journal of Applied Physiology.
Karen Sue Hageman, master's degree graduate in kinesiology and laboratory manager; Craig Harms, kinesiology department head and professor of exercise physiology; Timothy Musch, professor of exercise physiology; David Poole, professor of exercise physiology; and Joshua Smith, recent doctoral graduate in kinesiology, authored the paper "Respiratory muscle blood flow during exercise: Effects of sex and ovarian cycle."
The research team explored whether differences in male and female respiratory system structure and function resulted in different blood flows to the muscles that power lung function at rest and during exercise using the microsphere technique. Smith and colleagues determined that neither sex nor the ovarian cycle impacted resting or exercising muscle blood flows.
Carl Ade, assistant professor of exercise physiology; Ryan Broxterman, 2015 doctoral graduate in physiology and postdoctoral fellow at the University of Utah; Alan Moore, associate professor of health and kinesiology at Lamar University; and Thomas Barstow, professor of exercise physiology, authored "Decreases in maximal oxygen uptake following long-duration spaceflight: Role of convective and diffusive O2 transport mechanisms."
This publication was selected by the American Physiological Society as one of the 10 best research articles in the April collection, noting it as an American Physiological Society Select article. Ade further explains the team's research in an in-depth article and an accompanying podcast.
Poole and Andrew Jones, professor of applied physiology at the University of Exeter, authored "Measurement of the maximum oxygen uptake V̇o2max: V̇o2peak is no longer acceptable" and their research article was recognized as an Editor's Pick. This paper addresses the lack of reproducibility in assessing cardiorespiratory function in health and disease — a major National Institutes of Health initiative. Specifically, they solve the problem by presenting the rationale and guidelines for measuring correctly the upper capacity of the lungs, cardiovascular system and skeletal muscles to transport and utilize oxygen during maximal exercise — i.e., V̇o2max.
"Each of these research topics are notable and central to the department of kinesiology's teaching mission and research profile," Poole said, and Harms agrees that continued research in these areas of importance only elevates the program and what it can offer to current and future students and research faculty.