Effect of Modified Corn Starch Ingestion on Soccer Skills and Physical/Cognitive Performance During a Simulated Soccer Game

Abstract Generation UCAN® (UCAN), which contains heat treated non Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) corn starch, has the potential to enhance endurance exercise performance via altering substrate use; however, whether its effects are similar during high intensity, intermittent exercise, like that performed in soccer is unknown. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess the effects of UCAN on physical, skill and cognitive performance during and following a simulated soccer game. Eleven trained male soccer players completed a 60-min soccer simulated game on a treadmill, under two experimental conditions: UCAN and an isoenergetic carbohydrate (CHO) placebo. There were no significant treatment differences in physical performance; however, UCAN improved skills and some measures of cognitive performance (

The Role of Exogenous Ketones on Various Aspects of Exercise Performance

Routinely, athletes and coaches pursue novel nutritional strategies in an attempt to support exercise training techniques and/or enhance athletic performance. Body carbohydrate (CHO) stores are limited so strategies to enhance fat use and spare CHO during exercise and thus, attenuate the onset of fatigue are commonplace. It has been suggested that oral exogenous ketone administration is ergogenic not only by altering exercise metabolism (sparing CHO), but also by improving exercise cognitive function as well as enhancing post-exercise glycogen resynthesis. However, data supporting these claims are limited and contradictory. Therefore, the purpose of this dissertation was to explore the role of exogenous ketone type, i.e., salts (KS) vs ketone monoester (KME) supplementation on various aspects of performance to provide more insight into the current body of evidence. Study 1 showed that relative to an isoenergetic control, acute ingestion of both a caffeinated KS supplement and the same KS supplement without caffeine improved Wingate peak power output, following a 20 km time trial (TT20km), while only the caffeinated supplement improved the best effort TT20km. Therefore, these performance benefits were likely due to the added caffeine or taurine, not the ketones. Study 2 demonstrated that co-ingestion of KME and CHO after glycogen lowering exercise (GLE) vs isoenergetic CHO alone, resulted in no significant differences in any of the exercise performance parameters suggesting that glycogen resynthesis post exercise was not enhanced with KME. Study 3 revealed that, following induced mental fatigue, KME attenuated the decline in cognitive function during exercise in a complex reaction test, when compared to a non-caloric placebo. Taken together, these data demonstrate that 1) acute KS supplementation is not likely to be ergogenic nor detrimental for intense exercise performance, 2) KME supplementation may improve some aspects of cognitive function during exercise, and 3) KME supplementation has little effect on post-exercise glycogen synthesis following prior GLE. Relative to the ergogenic potential of ketones for athletes, these data are intriguing, but more study is needed to assess fully whether and how ketone supplements are beneficial for athletes

Antiinflammatory Therapy with Canakinumab for Atherosclerotic Disease

Background: Experimental and clinical data suggest that reducing inflammation without affecting lipid levels may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Yet, the inflammatory hypothesis of atherothrombosis has remained unproved. Methods: We conducted a randomized, double-blind trial of canakinumab, a therapeutic monoclonal antibody targeting interleukin-1β, involving 10,061 patients with previous myocardial infarction and a high-sensitivity C-reactive protein level of 2 mg or more per liter. The trial compared three doses of canakinumab (50 mg, 150 mg, and 300 mg, administered subcutaneously every 3 months) with placebo. The primary efficacy end point was nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, or cardiovascular death. RESULTS: At 48 months, the median reduction from baseline in the high-sensitivity C-reactive protein level was 26 percentage points greater in the group that received the 50-mg dose of canakinumab, 37 percentage points greater in the 150-mg group, and 41 percentage points greater in the 300-mg group than in the placebo group. Canakinumab did not reduce lipid levels from baseline. At a median follow-up of 3.7 years, the incidence rate for the primary end point was 4.50 events per 100 person-years in the placebo group, 4.11 events per 100 person-years in the 50-mg group, 3.86 events per 100 person-years in the 150-mg group, and 3.90 events per 100 person-years in the 300-mg group. The hazard ratios as compared with placebo were as follows: in the 50-mg group, 0.93 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.80 to 1.07; P = 0.30); in the 150-mg group, 0.85 (95% CI, 0.74 to 0.98; P = 0.021); and in the 300-mg group, 0.86 (95% CI, 0.75 to 0.99; P = 0.031). The 150-mg dose, but not the other doses, met the prespecified multiplicity-adjusted threshold for statistical significance for the primary end point and the secondary end point that additionally included hospitalization for unstable angina that led to urgent revascularization (hazard ratio vs. placebo, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.73 to 0.95; P = 0.005). Canakinumab was associated with a higher incidence of fatal infection than was placebo. There was no significant difference in all-cause mortality (hazard ratio for all canakinumab doses vs. placebo, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.83 to 1.06; P = 0.31). Conclusions: Antiinflammatory therapy targeting the interleukin-1β innate immunity pathway with canakinumab at a dose of 150 mg every 3 months led to a significantly lower rate of recurrent cardiovascular events than placebo, independent of lipid-level lowering. (Funded by Novartis; CANTOS ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01327846.

ARIA digital anamorphosis : Digital transformation of health and care in airway diseases from research to practice

Digital anamorphosis is used to define a distorted image of health and care that may be viewed correctly using digital tools and strategies. MASK digital anamorphosis represents the process used by MASK to develop the digital transformation of health and care in rhinitis. It strengthens the ARIA change management strategy in the prevention and management of airway disease. The MASK strategy is based on validated digital tools. Using the MASK digital tool and the CARAT online enhanced clinical framework, solutions for practical steps of digital enhancement of care are proposed.Peer reviewe

ARIA digital anamorphosis: Digital transformation of health and care in airway diseases from research to practice

Digital anamorphosis is used to define a distorted image of health and care that may be viewed correctly using digital tools and strategies. MASK digital anamorphosis represents the process used by MASK to develop the digital transformation of health and care in rhinitis. It strengthens the ARIA change management strategy in the prevention and management of airway disease. The MASK strategy is based on validated digital tools. Using the MASK digital tool and the CARAT online enhanced clinical framework, solutions for practical steps of digital enhancement of care are proposed

Ketone Ester Supplementation Improves Some Aspects of Cognitive Function during a Simulated Soccer Match after Induced Mental Fatigue

Ketone supplementation has been proposed to enhance cognition during exercise. To assess whether any benefits are due to reduced cognitive fatigue during the latter portions of typical sport game action, we induced cognitive fatigue, provided a ketone monoester supplement (KME) vs. a non-caloric placebo (PLAC), and assessed cognitive performance during a simulated soccer match (SSM). In a double-blind, balanced, crossover design, nine recreationally active men (174.3 ± 4.2 cm, 76.6 ± 7.4 kg, 30 ± 3 y, 14.2 ± 5.5 % body fat, V˙O2 max = 55 ± 5 mL·kg BM−1·min−1; mean ± SD) completed a 45-min SSM (3 blocks of intermittent, variable intensity exercise) consuming either KME (25 g) or PLAC, after a 40-min mental fatiguing task. Cognitive function (Stroop and Choice Reaction Task [CRT]) and blood metabolites were measured throughout the match. KME reduced concentrations of both blood glucose (block 2: 4.6 vs. 5.2 mM, p = 0.02; block 3: 4.7 vs. 5.3 mM, p = 0.01) and blood lactate (block 1: 4.7 vs. 5.4 mM, p = 0.05; block 2: 4.9 vs. 5.9 mM, p = 0.01) during the SSM vs. PLAC, perhaps indicating a CHO sparing effect. Both treatments resulted in impaired CRT performance during the SSM relative to baseline, but KME displayed a reduced (p p = 0.02). No other differences in cognitive function were seen. These data suggest that KME supplementation attenuated decrements in CRT during repeated, high intensity, intermittent exercise. More study is warranted to assess fully the potential cognitive/physical benefits of KME for athletes

UFC and Ion Chromatography characterization of Cartagena de Indias’ Walls

Le mura difensive di Cartagena de Indias, patrimonio culturale UNESCO dal 1984, circondano il centro storico della città Colombiana e sono un classico esempio di architettura coloniale spagnola. Progettato da Battista Antonelli e migliorato da Cristoforo Roda Antonelli, i muri hanno svolto un ruolo fondamentale nello sviluppo sociale ed economico del centro città, promuovendo la costruzione di un complesso di inestimabili strutture coloniali. Al giorno d'oggi, la città fortificata rappresenta la principale attrazione turistica del Mar dei Caraibi Colombiano e viene proposta come destinazione mondiale per il turismo. Tuttavia, a causa di fattori antropogenici e ambientali, la struttura è altamente degradata. L'impatto del sale è stato studiato modellando i risultati della cromatografia ionica sulla pietra di superficie con il software RUNSALT, come anche la relazione tra unità formatrici di colonia (CFU) e umidità della pietra in situ (SH). Si è evidenziata una forte correlazione tra SH e CFU, scartando il ruolo della salinità nel processo di degrado della struttura