High-intensity exercise and recovery during short-term supplementation with creatine plus a protein-carbohydrate formula

Objective. To determine the effect of short-term creatine supplementation plus a protein-carbohydrate formula on high-intensity exercise performance and recovery. Design. A repeated-measures, experimental study, employing a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, group comparison design was used. Interventions. Thirty active but not sprint-trained male subjects were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 groups: creatine plus protein-carbohydrate formula (CRF); creatine only (CRE); and control (CON). All groups were exposed to the same high-intensity sprint exercise programme, 3 times per week for 30 days. Main outcome measures. Dependant variables included total repeat sprint distance, fatigue index, perceived muscle pain, and blood lactate, urea, creatine kinase, and cortisol concentrations. Results. All groups significantly (p ≤ 0.05) increased total sprint distance and decreased blood urea concentrations. There were no significant changes in blood lactate or cortisol concentrations in any group. CRF showed significant decreases (p ≤ 0.05) in fatigue index, muscle pain, and creatine kinase concentration. However, no significant differences were found between groups. Conclusion. Short-term creatine supplementation with or without protein-carbohydrate supplementation does not appear to enhance performance or recovery significantly over high-intensity exercise training alone in non-sprint-trained individuals. A longer trial period may be required to evaluate effect on recovery more conclusively. In addition, the prime importance of physical conditioning, and in particular task-specific exercise training, in stimulating performance and recovery adaptations is highlighted. South African Journal of Sports Medicine Vol. 18 (4) 2006: pp. 136-14

Suboptimal compensation of gyroscopic coupling for inertia-wheel attitude control

Suboptimal compensation of gyroscopic coupling for inertia-wheel attitude control by mathematical technique

Higher log position is not associated with better physical fitness in professional soccer teams in South Africa

Objective. To assess the difference in physical fitness of players in successful versus less-successful professional soccer teams in South Africa. Design. Professional soccer players (N = 140) underwent a battery of tests assessing important physiological components during the early part of their competitive season. Players were then separated into two groups on the basis of their teams' final log position in the Premier Soccer League (PSL) in South Africa. Players in successful (N = 70) and less-successful (N = 70) teams were in the top four or bottom six positions on the log respectively. Descriptive statistics (mean ± standard deviation (SD)) were calculated for each group, and independent t-tests were used to compare the means of the groups for each of the physical tests. Main outcome measures. Body composition, flexibility, muscle strength-endurance, power, speed, agility, aerobic endurance, and repeat sprint distance. Results. There were no significant differences between groups for all measures of body composition, flexibility, repeat sprint distance, and agility. Significant differences (p < 0.05) were found for sit-ups, aerobic endurance, and speed, but these were generally small, not meaningful differences in performance. Players in successful squads were significantly (p < 0.01) older than those in less-successful teams. Conclusions. The results demonstrate that in South Africa level of physical fitness is not higher in more-successful compared with less-successful teams in the PSL. Factors other than physical fitness may be more important in determining successful league performance and discrimi-nate better between players in teams with different levels of success. Improving professional soccer performance may require coaches and trainers to focus more attention on technical and tactical skill development in sport-specific training once an acceptable standard of fitness has been attained.. South African Journal of Sports Medicine Vol. 19 (2) 2007: pp. 40-4

Ampoule sealing apparatus and process

An apparatus and process for sealing fused quartz ampoules housing a semiconductor growth charge under vacuum is described. An elongated fused quartz ampoule having an enlarged diameter open end and a reduced diameter closed end is vertically retained in a vacuum assembly. A semiconductor charge is disposed within the reduced diameter portion of the ampoule. A quartz plug of substantially the same diameter as the reduced diameter portion is suspended within the open and of the ampoule via a rotary vacuum feed. After evacuation of the ampoule a plug is lowered into the reduced diameter area and sealed therein while maintaining the vacuum on the ampoule. The charged ampoule area is then separated from the remaining structure by breaking along the scored line

Inflatable stretcher to transport patients

Inflatable plastic bag inside strong, inflexible outer bag facilitates emergency transport of seriously burned or disabled patients. When the bag is inflated the patient is completely immobilized and cushioned from external shock. Air for breathing, temperature controls and communications may be provided by appropriate plug-in connections

Federal Procedure—Indispensability of Superior Officers in Review of Deportation Order

Plaintiff deportee brought an action against the District Director of Immigration and Naturalization seeking a declaration that a deportation order issued against him by the Commissioner of Immigration and Naturalization was invalid, alleging a lack of due process in the hearing and asking injunctive relief against the enforcement of the order. The defendant district director moved to dismiss the action for lack of an indispensable party. Held: the commissioner is not an indispensable party to an action to review an order of deportation. The term “indispensable party” is used in the federal courts to describe a party without whom the court cannot proceed. The first case involving the question of indispensability of superior governmental officers in an action against a subordinate was Warner Valley Stock Co. v. Smith. That case held the superior officer indispensable on the ground that the purpose of the suit was to control his action. Subsequent to this decision many cases were decided without raising the question. Twenty-seven years later the United States Supreme Court reiterated the doctrine in Gnerich v. Rutter, followed shortly by Webster v. Toll. These three cases were ignored in Colorado v. Toll which allowed the action to proceed without the superior officer, holding that he was not indispensable. Irreconcilable conflict followed, with courts following both lines of authority. Williams v. Fanning unsuccessfully attempted to settle the controversy by ruling that the superior is not indispensable “. . . if the decree granted will effectively grant the relief desired by expending itself on the subordinate official who is before the court.” Efforts to apply this rule have resulted in a conflict in deportation order cases

Dynamics of moving bubbles in single and binary component systems

Dynamics of a single bubble moving in a quiescent liquid is analyzed for single and binary component systems. The transport of energy and/or mass at thermodynamic-phase equilibrium governs the dynamics of the bubble at its interface

Rags And Tatters : March

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