Ventilation threshold (VET), threshold of decompensated metabolic acidosis (TDMA) and lactate threshold (LT₁, LT₂) were investigated during incremental bicycle exercise for 20 boys (11.7±0.1 years) and 10 girls (11.2±0.2 years) .
Maximum oxygen uptake (VO₂max) was measured by treadmill running. There was significant difference between boys and girls in VO₂max per body weight, but no signif-icant difference per LBM. Mean values of each threshold (% peak VO₂) were as follows. VET was 53.3±2.2%, TDMA was 69.0±2.2%, LT₁was 51.8±2.2% and LT₂was 72.8±2.2%. These values were not higher than those of previous adult's data. There was no significant difference in lactate and ventilatory parameters between boys and girls, except LT₂and LT₄mM.
In conclusion, it seems that no difference is seen in lactate and ventilatory responses between 9-12 year boys and girls. VET and TDMA by bicycle exercise could be estimated by ventilatory responses in prepubertal children.

The influence of daily physical exercise on oxygen utilizing capacity of working muscle investigated by means of measureing lactate threshold (LT) during progressive treadmill running from the comparison between soccer group (S group: N=12, 11.9±0.1 years of age) and control group (C group ; N=14, 11.8±0.1 years of age) . LT₁ was determined as the point where blood lactate concentration (La) increased from rest level, and LT₂ was determined by the gradient, La/VO₂. body weight^-1 (2 mM/10 ml. kg^-1, min^-1) .
LT₁ and LT₂ in S group were significantly higher than those in C group expressed with absolute and relative values of VO₂ (1. min^-1, ml. kg^-1. min^-1, % VO₂max) . No significant differences in La, ventilation responses, and heart rate at the point of LT₁ and LT₂ were observed between S and C group, La showed slight decrease and was kept at lower level in S group with increase of VO₂, compared with C group. On the contrary, La in C group began to increase at lower level of VO₂. From our previous longitudinal study of LT in non-athletic children, we observed that LT shifted to lower level with growth. It was sugesed that La curve of S group, such shift had not occurred. Differences of these patterns in VO₂ and La between athletic children and non-athletic children were similar to those observed in adults athletes and non-athletes.
In conclusion it was supposed that sufficient daily physical training in 10-12 year of age might increase oxygen utilizing capacity of leg working muscle during running exercise.

Oxidation of lactate at rest (RE, n=4), or after short strenuous exercise (EX, n=6) was investigated in rats. Food and water were given ad libitum before experiment. In EX, rats ran to exhaustion at the speed of 80-100 m·min^-1. Immediately after exercise, 4 μCi of (U-¹⁴C) lactate was injected into aorta through an indwelling catheter. In RE, (U-¹⁴C) lactate was injected into the rats at rest. Expired gas was collected by a Brooks type bottomless chamber on treadmill belt for 120 min. In EX, exercise duration was 109±18 sec (mean±SE), and maximum blood lactate concentration after the exercise was 23.7±2.1 mM (mean±SE) . Cumulative percent recovery of ¹⁴C as ¹⁴CO₂ for 120 min was 48.5±2.8% for EX and 61.7±0.9% for RE (mean±SE) . Significant difference was found between these two rates (p<0.01) . After 50 min of recovery, mean volume of ¹⁴CO₂ expired per min in RE was significantly greater than that in EX (p<0.01) . Mean volume of ¹⁴CO₂ expired per min per VCO₂ in RE was always greater than that in EX, and significant difference was found at 7.5 min of recovery (p<0.01) . It is concluded that although the rate of recovery of ¹⁴C as ¹⁴CO₂ after exercise is lower than that at rest, the major pathway of lactate metabolism after short strenuous exercise is oxidation.

The relationships between running performances (200 m running time and 5-min run) and VO₂max, Lactate Threshold (LT), or percent fat were investigated on 11-12-year old boys. Subjects were 21 control boys (group C) and 21 soccer boys (group S) . Mean 200 m running time in group S was significantly better than that in group C. Mean distance of 5-min run in group S was significantly longer than that in group C. No significant difference was found between mean running speed of 5-min run and mean speed at exhaustion in LT experiment. In group C, 200 m running time correlated significantly with VO₂max. In group S, faster runners showed higher peak post 200 m run lactate concentration. 5-min run correlated significantly with VO₂max for group C, group S and all subjects combined. LT correlated significantly with 200 m running time and 5-min run. No significant relation was found between running petformances and percent fat. It is suggested that VO₂max and LT determine, in part, boy's running performances, but percent fat do not.

In this study the effects of endurance exercise on cardiorespiratory functions and performance in developing age were exemined in 12 year old boys. Sujects were consisted of 11 boys who had been participating in training for soccer more than 2 hours a day for 6 days per week (S) and 10 non-participating boys for control (C) . Maximal oxygen uptake (Vo₂max), maximal heart rate (HRmax) and maximal cardiac output (Qmax) by acetylnerebreathing method were measured on the exercise on a treadmill. Five minute run was also administered.
Significant differences were found in Vo₂max (p<0.05), values of which were 2.13±0.07 1⋅min^-1 for S. and 1.86±0.08 1⋅min^-1 for C., respectively, and in Qmax (p<0.001), values of which were 17.9±1.41⋅min^-1 for S. and 12.4+0.71⋅min^-1 for C. G., respectively. There were no significant differences in HRmax and V_E between both groups. Values of stroke volume and V_E/Vo₂max were significantly higher for S.. Performances on 5 minute-run were 1164 m for S. and 1083 m for C, which showed significant difference (p<0.01) . Significant correlationship (r=0.746, p<0.001) was obtained between Vo₂max and Qmax. It was also found that the higher Vo₂max was, the higher Qmax was attaind.

Little is known about the effects of aerobic exercise on cardiac structure in children. Echocardiographic study was performed at rest in 38 boys aged 11-12 (18 soccer players and 20 untrained) . Soccer players had significantly increased left ventricular end-diastolic dimension (43.6±2.8 vs 40.1±2.8 mm) and left atrial dimension (27.7±3.7 vs 23.0±2.8 mm) . There was no difference in interventricular septum and left ventricular posterior wall thickness between the two groups, these data show that intensive aerobic exercise may influence on cardiac structure in children.

A study was conducted to investigate the mechanism of bone atrophy in various strains of inbred mice under the influence of tail-up suspension. Nine inbred strains of mice (NZB/N, NZW/N, AKR/N, Balb/C, C 57 BL, C 3 H/He, A/J, DBA, CBA/N) aged six weeks were used. Each strain was divided randomly into two groups, a suspension group (SG; n=5) and a control group (CG; n=5) . The suspension group were etherized and suspended with an elastic bandage. After one week, the tibiae were removed and their bone weights were measured using an electric balance (Metler; AE 240) . Their length was also measured with a vernier caliper. In all strains, body weight in the SG was significantly lower than that in the CG. From the bone weight and length in the CG, bone growth in the NZB/N, AKR/N, NZW/N and C3H/He strains was considered to be higher than in the other strains. On the other hand bone growth in the DBA, A/J, Balb/C, and CBA/N strains were lower than in the others. The absolute value of bone weight in the SG was significantly smaller than that in the CG in six strains (NZB/N, C 57 BL, A/J, NZW/N, C 3 H/He, Balb/C) . However in the DBA strain, the absolute value of bone weight in the SG was significantly higher than that in the CG.
From the results of this investigation we suggest that the mechanism of normal bone growth is not the same as the mechanism of bone atrophy induced by tail-up suspension.