Breath by breath gas analysis system

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This proposal is requesting the SensorMedics Vmax 29 Encore Cardiopulmonary System.  This specialized equipment is used in humans to measure how much oxygen and carbon dioxide is breathed in and out; this can be done at rest or during exercise.  The equipment is specialized because it gives this information for each breath that is taken whereas similar systems need to collect and average several breaths to provide accurate results.  The requested equipment is very sensitive so it can be used to measure very rapid changes in breathing and these changes provide very valuable information on how the body responds to changes in its need to use energy.  As a new investigator building a research program, my work focuses on children's responses to exercise.  The main objective of this work is to understand what makes physical activity good for children's health.  The requested equipment is essential to my work as it provides a non-invasive method to measure many aspects of a child's response to exercise and how growth affects these responses.  With this equipment, I can a) measure fitness levels by directly measuring how much oxygen can be consumed during exercise; b) estimate what energy sources muscles use during exercise by measuring the relationship between oxygen and carbon dioxide; and c) gain some insight into how much blood is being delivered to the working muscle by knowing how quickly oxygen is being used by the body.  The ability to understand all of these processes in children who are growing provides an excellent way to learn what factors help control these responses.  This information will be very useful for researchers in other areas interested in how regular physical activity translates into health.  The requested equipment will create numerous possibilities to work together with other experts in the field and provide an essential tool for training of my students and visiting scholars who are currently restricted in their access to similar equipment.  Our laboratory is one of only a few in the world devoted to the study of children and exercise and this equipment will keep us at the leading edge of exciting new discoveries.