Assessing a commercially available sports drink on exogenous carbohydrate oxidation, fluid delivery and sustained exercise performance

Background: Whilst exogenous carbohydrate oxidation (CHOEXO) is influenced by mono- and disaccharide combinations, debate exists whether such beverages enhance fluid delivery and exercise performance. Therefore, this study aimed to ascertain CHOEXO, fluid delivery and performance times of a commercially available maltodextrin/ fructose beverage in comparison to an isocaloric maltodextrin beverage and placebo. Methods: Fourteen club level cyclists (age: 31.79 ± 10.02 years; height: 1.79 ± 0.06 m; weight: 73.69 ± 9.24 kg; VO2max: 60.38 ± 9.36 mL · kg·-1 min−1) performed three trials involving 2.5 hours continuous exercise at 50% maximum power output (Wmax: 176.71 ± 25.92 W) followed by a 60 km cycling performance test. Throughout each trial, athletes were randomly assigned, in a double-blind manner, either: (1) 1.1 g · min−1 maltodextrin + 0.6 g · min−1 fructose (MD + F), (2) 1.7 g · min−1 of maltodextrin (MD) or (3) flavoured water (P). In addition, the test beverage at 60 minutes contained 5.0 g of deuterium oxide (2H2O) to assess quantification of fluid delivery. Expired air samples were analysed for CHOEXO according to the 13C/12C ratio method using gas chromatography continuous flow isotope ratio mass spectrometry. Results: Peak CHOEXO was significantly greater in the final 30 minutes of submaximal exercise with MD + F and MD compared to P (1.45 ± 0.09 g · min−1, 1.07 ± 0.03 g · min−1and 0.00 ± 0.01 g · min−1 respectively, P < 0.0001), and significantly greater for MD + F compared to MD (P = 0.005). The overall appearance of 2H2O in plasma was significantly greater in both P and MD + F compared to MD (100.27 ± 3.57 ppm, 92.57 ± 2.94 ppm and 78.18 ± 4.07 ppm respectively, P < 0.003). There was no significant difference in fluid delivery between P and MD + F (P = 0.078). Performance times significantly improved with MD + F compared with both MD (by 7 min 22 s ± 1 min 56 s, or 7.2%) and P (by 6 min 35 s ± 2 min 33 s, or 6.5%, P < 0.05) over 60 km. Conclusions: A commercially available maltodextrin-fructose beverage improves CHOEXO and fluid delivery, which may benefit individuals during sustained moderate intensity exercise. The greater CHOEXO observed when consuming a maltodextrin-fructose beverage may support improved performance times

The effect of a decaffeinated green tea extract formula on fat oxidation, body composition and exercise performance

Background: The cardio-metabolic and antioxidant health benefits of caffeinated green tea (GT) relate to its catechin polyphenol content. Less is known about decaffeinated extracts, particularly in combination with exercise. The aim of this study was therefore to determine whether a decaffeinated green tea extract (dGTE) positively influenced fat oxidation, body composition and exercise performance in recreationally active participants. Methods: Fourteen, recreationally active males participated in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel design intervention (mean±SE; age = 21.4±0.3 yrs; weight = 76.37±1.73 kg; body fat = 16.84±0.97 %, peak oxygen consumption [V̇O2peak] = 3.00±0.10 L·min-1). Participants were randomly assigned capsulated dGTE (571 mg·d-1; n=7) or placebo (PL; n=7) for 4 weeks. Following body composition and resting cardiovascular measures, participants cycled for 1 hour at 50% V̇O2peak, followed by a 40 minute performance trial at week 0, 2 and 4. Fat and carbohydrate oxidation was assessed via indirect calorimetry. Pre-post exercise blood samples were collected for determination of total fatty acids (TFA). Distance covered (km) and average power output (W) were assessed as exercise performance criteria. Results: Total fat oxidation rates increased by 24.9 % from 0.241±0.025 to 0.301±0.009 g·min-1 with dGTE (P=0.05; ηp2 = 0.45) by week 4, whereas substrate utilisation was unaltered with PL. Body fat significantly decreased with dGTE by 1.63±0.16 % in contrast to PL over the intervention period (P<0.001; ηp2 = 0.84). No significant changes for FFA or blood pressure between groups were observed. dGTE resulted in a 10.9 % improvement in performance distance covered from 20.23±0.54 km to 22.43 ± 0.40 km by week 4 (P<0.001; ηp2 = 0.85). Conclusions: A 4 week dGTE intervention favourably enhanced substrate utilisation and subsequent performance indices, but did not alter TFA concentrations in comparison to PL. The results support the use of catechin polyphenols from dGTE in combination with exercise training in recreationally active volunteers

Quadratic optimal functional quantization of stochastic processes and numerical applications

In this paper, we present an overview of the recent developments of functional quantization of stochastic processes, with an emphasis on the quadratic case. Functional quantization is a way to approximate a process, viewed as a Hilbert-valued random variable, using a nearest neighbour projection on a finite codebook. A special emphasis is made on the computational aspects and the numerical applications, in particular the pricing of some path-dependent European options.Comment: 41 page

A rare case of paediatric astroblastoma with concomitant MN1-GTSE1 and EWSR1-PATZ1 gene fusions altering management

In a case of astroblastoma, methylation analysis was uninformative, with no clustering with known CNS-HGNET-MN1 cases. Whole genome sequencing however identified a novel MN1-GTSE1 gene fusion (image), confirming the diagnosis of astroblastoma, as well as an EWSR1-PATZ1 gene fusion. Whole genome sequencing, alongside methylation profiling and conventional neuropathology, will continue to lead to improved diagnostics and prognostication for children with brain tumours

The driver landscape of sporadic chordoma.

Chordoma is a malignant, often incurable bone tumour showing notochordal differentiation. Here, we defined the somatic driver landscape of 104 cases of sporadic chordoma. We reveal somatic duplications of the notochordal transcription factor brachyury (T) in up to 27% of cases. These variants recapitulate the rearrangement architecture of the pathogenic germline duplications of T that underlie familial chordoma. In addition, we find potentially clinically actionable PI3K signalling mutations in 16% of cases. Intriguingly, one of the most frequently altered genes, mutated exclusively by inactivating mutation, was LYST (10%), which may represent a novel cancer gene in chordoma.Chordoma is a rare often incurable malignant bone tumour. Here, the authors investigate driver mutations of sporadic chordoma in 104 cases, revealing duplications in notochordal transcription factor brachyury (T), PI3K signalling mutations, and mutations in LYST, a potential novel cancer gene in chordoma

Recurrent mutation of IGF signalling genes and distinct patterns of genomic rearrangement in osteosarcoma

Osteosarcoma is a primary malignancy of bone that affects children and adults. Here, we present the largest sequencing study of osteosarcoma to date, comprising 112 childhood and adult tumours encompassing all major histological subtypes. A key finding of our study is the identification of mutations in insulin-like growth factor (IGF) signalling genes in 8/112 (7%) of cases. We validate this observation using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) in an additional 87 osteosarcomas, with IGF1 receptor (IGF1R) amplification observed in 14% of tumours. These findings may inform patient selection in future trials of IGF1R inhibitors in osteosarcoma. Analysing patterns of mutation, we identify distinct rearrangement profiles including a process characterized by chromothripsis and amplification. This process operates recurrently at discrete genomic regions and generates driver mutations. It may represent an age-independent mutational mechanism that contributes to the development of osteosarcoma in children and adults alike

Mutations in FRMD7, a newly identified member of the FERM family, cause X-linked idiopathic congenital nystagmus.

Idiopathic congenital nystagmus is characterized by involuntary, periodic, predominantly horizontal oscillations of both eyes. We identified 22 mutations in FRMD7 in 26 families with X-linked idiopathic congenital nystagmus. Screening of 42 singleton cases of idiopathic congenital nystagmus (28 male, 14 females) yielded three mutations (7%). We found restricted expression of FRMD7 in human embryonic brain and developing neural retina, suggesting a specific role in the control of eye movement and gaze stability