Passive drag is still a good evaluator of swimming aptitude

The passive drag (Dp) of 218 competitive swimmers was studied and related to their performance level. To study this relationship, specific attention was given to anthropometric and joint laxity (JL) variations. The Dp was measured at 1.40 m.s-1, using a mechanical winch and a strain gauge with a load cell connected to a strain bridge. Swimmers were towed in a prone position holding their breath after a maximal inspiration. Buoyancy was evaluated by the hydrostatic lift (HL), i.e., the maximal weight just necessary to maintain the swimmer in a balanced position under the water after a maximal inspiration. The JL was assessed by a standard scoring system. The Dp was related mainly to the surface area (SA) (r = 0.73 and 0.53; P less than 0.01, for males and females, respectively). For a given SA, Dp was inversely related to the performance level. The JL explained 7% of the variability of Dp. On average, Dp measured after a maximal expiration, increases of about 22% SD 3% (P less than 0.01). This increase was related to individual vital capacities (r = 0.86, P less than 0.01). As Dp was mainly related to SA and HL, it is suggested that the body exerts a large pressure effect on the water. The contribution to performance might be related to the gliding phase of swimming.     

Automated anthropometry

Automated anthropometric equipment has been developed and is described with some technical details. The automated data registration offers the possibility of recording anthro-pologic measurements in an efficient way. Manpower, time and errors are reduced to a minimum.     

Two centuries of growth among Czech children and youth

The trend of increasing height can be interpreted as a reflection of the unfolding progress of civilization. Height changes among children and adolescents are good markers of this trend. We analyze the secular trend in the heights of children and adolescents in the Czech Republic on the basis of data from anthropological surveys. The earliest height data pertain to Czech youths who attended the Military Schools in Austria in 1800-1809. Data also exist for 1895 and continue in 1951 and at 10-year intervals thereafter. Growth curves were obtained for separate age groups by fitting mean values via third-order polynomial smoothing splines. Between 1951 and 2001, the mean heights of boys and girls aged 2.5 years increased by 2.7 and 3 cm, respectively. Since 1895, the mean height of 13-year-old boys has increased by 19.4 cm, and the mean height of girls has increased by 18.3 cm.     

Arm lengths and arm reaches: some interrelationships of structural and functional body dimensions

Structural measurements of the human body have for the most part been of little practical use as indicators of such functional body dimensions as arm reaches. These dimensions, which define the area around the body to which a person can reach given certain specified conditions and constraints are often critical for the design and layout of workspaces. However, they are relatively difficult and time-consuming to obtain, usually requiring specially constructed measuring systems for each differing design situation, as well as resurveys for each physically distinct population. An alternate approach, described here, investigates the interrelationships between these two classes of measurements with the aim of predicting functional reaches from structural body dimensions. In the present study traditional structural measurements and 117 functional arm reaches were obtained on 100 subjects. Correlations between the two types of measures are reported. Regression equations are presented which can predict functional arm reaches from two structural body dimensions on anthropometrically differing populations under a fixed set of workspace conditions.     

Clinical applications of physical anthropology

In recent decades physical anthropology has moved from its more traditional confines into many areas of clinical interest including growth and development, nutrition, clinical medicine, dysmorphology, and physical fitness. The “clinical applications” of physical anthropology is a broad topic, given the space limitations of a review. Hence, selected clinical applications, emphasizing anthropometry at the expense of physiology and genetics, are considered. Since the author is a pediatrician, the review concentrates largely on areas dealing with children.     

黑衣壮族成人Heath-Carter法体型研究

为探讨我国黑衣壮族成人的体型特征,本文采用Heath Carter人体测量法对广西壮族自治区百色市那坡县城厢乡331例(男165,女166)20—60岁的黑衣壮族成人进行了体型评定。结果表明:(1)黑衣壮族成人男女的平均体型值分别为1 58-5 19-2 69和2 99-4 43-1 79,黑衣壮族成人男女分别属偏外胚层的中胚层体型和偏内胚层的中胚层体型;(2)黑衣壮族成人男女间SAD值为1 85,T为16 04,男女间的体型有显著性差异(P<0 001);(3)与国内八个少数民族群体相比,黑衣壮族男性内因子值最小,中因子值最高,男、女性其它因子值居中。     

Love, careers, and heights in France, 2001

Short men are less likely to be married or live in a permanent relationship than their taller counterparts. This pattern is not due to their social status. While blue-collar workers are shorter on average than managers, the effects of height on finding a mate are similar in the two social groups. Being tall is also economically advantageous for men. With identical educational attainment levels, tall men have better careers than short men as they are given greater supervisory responsibilities. In making a commitment, some women might take height into account as an anticipated indicator of future resources of the household. Choice of partner is also influenced by social norms--i.e., partners should be physically well-matched--which is more difficult for shorter men.     

Similarity of Anthropometric Coefficients of Variation in Both Genders

Data on 455 female and 464 male subjects from the World Aquatic Sports Championships in Perth, Australia, in 1991, were used to demonstrate the similarity of variability of 35 anthropometric items and support the use non-gender-biased proportionality models. This paper is a preliminary report on a study of allometry, dimensionality and human proportionality inspired by Professor Otto Eiben.     

Anthropometric measurements by ethnicity in Colombia, 1965–1990

We analyzed the evolution of height in Colombia of cohorts born in the period 1965–1990 by ethnic groups. We found that Afro-Colombian men and women were the tallest: 6 cm taller than indigenous people and 2 cm taller than the rest of the population. We also found that the height gap between Afro-Colombians and others decreased during the period under study by 0.7 cm for both men and women. While improvements were noticeable among the Afro-Colombians and those who chose not to be classified by ethnicity, in the case of the indigenous population only female cohorts registered an average-height increase of 1.5 cm. Moreover, we found that indigenous Colombians were more likely than other ethnic groups to experience an increase in biological well-being as a consequence of an improvement in their socio-economic status, thereby reducing the average-stature gap between them and the rest of the population by 2.1 and 3.6 cm for men and women, respectively.     

(革)家人的体质特征

本文分析了在贵州黄平县调查的311例(男性为159例,女性为152例)(革)家人的体质数据,与我国族群资料进行了比较,结果表明:1)(革)家人上眼睑有皱褶率较高,有蒙古褶率低,眼裂狭窄率与中等型率较高,且多呈眼外角高,鼻根高度中等,直鼻背,男性颧骨体不突出,女性颧骨体较突出,鼻基部多上翘,鼻翼高度中等,鼻孔最大径男性多为倾斜,女性水平率最高,鼻翼宽男性中等型率和宽阔型率较高,女性多为中等型,耳垂圆形率最高,上唇皮肤部高度男性以中等型率最高,女性以低型率最高,红唇厚度中唇率最高;发黑,眼褐、肤黄.2)(革)家人男性头长、形态面高值小;头宽、面宽、鼻高、唇高、眼内角间宽值接近于南亚类型族群,口裂宽值接近于北亚类型族群,额最小宽、鼻宽值介于北亚、南亚类型族群之间,女性形态面高、鼻高值小,头长、头宽、额最小宽、面宽、鼻宽、唇高值接近于南亚类型族群,口裂宽、眼内角间宽值接近于北亚类型族群.3)(革)家人男性与女性身高均属于矮身材.(革)家人男性为圆头型、高头型、狭头型、阔面型、中鼻型,女性为中头型、高头型、中头型、中面型、中鼻型.(革)家人男女性均为中躯干型、宽肩型、宽骨盆型.男性还为中胸型、亚长腿型,女性还为宽胸型、中腿型.4)(革)家人属于蒙古人种南亚类型族群,与周围苗族体质特征存在较大差异.