Equipment/Facilities/Infrastructure
The CERPL is ~1000 ft2 in size and is located in the Department of Kinesiology & Physical Education (Currie Memorial Gymnasium, 475 Pine Avenue West) at McGill University.
The CERPL has direct and indirect access to the following human exercise & respiratory physiology test equipment:
- SensorMedics Encore V29n & Qubit Systems Inc. Cardiopulmonary Exercise test systems, which permit evaluation of standard cardio-respiratory and metabolic parameters (e.g., VO2, VCO2, ventilation, tidal volume, end-tidal PCO2, 12-lead ECG), and resting and exercise flow-volume loops.
- Electronically braked cycle ergometers (concentric & eccentric) and motorized treadmills.
- Diaphragm electromyogram (EMGdi) and contractile respiratory muscle force/pressure measurement systems, including:
• 16-Channel PowerLab data acquisition system with 27” iMac computer running LabChart Pro software, which is integrated for use with the abovementioned cardiopulmonary exercise test systems;
• Mulitpair esophageal electrode catheters that permit simultaneous, breath-by-breath measurement of EMGdi (an index of neural respiratory motor drive), esophageal, gastric and transdiaphragmatic pressures;
• 8 channel biomedical amplifier;
• Validyne DP15 differential pressure transducers with 4-channel Validyne carrier demodulator.
- Pulmonary function test equipment, including spirometers and constant-volume body plethysmograph.
- Non-invasive (PhysioFlow®) cardiovascular hemodynamic measurement device, which permits resting and exercise estimates of cardiac stroke volume, heart rate, cardiac output, etc.
- Peripheral locomotor muscle EMG measurement system.
- BioDex® peripheral locomotor muscle strength testing system.
- iDEXA scanner for detailed assessments of body composition (e.g., fat mass, fat free mass, bone mineral density, segmental body composition analysis).
- Modified rebreathing test system/apparatus, which permits detailed evaluation of central and peripheral chemoreflex responsiveness to hyperoxic- and hypoxic-hypercapnia, respectively.
- Blood biochemistry measurement & analysis devices (e.g., -80oC freezer, refrigerated centrifuge, acid-base analyzer, etc.).