Comparing the effects of water temperature and additives in glucose solution on pregnant women's taste, side effects, and glycemic levels during an oral glucose tolerance test: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: The oral glucose tolerance test is a common method of diagnosing gestational diabetes mellitus. This test causes several unpleasant side effects such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal bloating, and headache. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the effect of liquid temperature and additives on pregnant women's taste perception, side effects, and glycemic levels in an oral glucose tolerance test. STUDY DESIGN: This study was a single-center, randomized, and multi- and open-arm clinical trial. A total of 399 participants receiving the 75-g oral glucose tolerance test for gestational diabetes mellitus diagnosis were included. Solutions for use in the 75-g oral glucose tolerance test were prepared in 8 formulas, with the participants randomly assigned to 1 of the 8 groups: room-temperature water, hot water, cold water, hot water with tea bag, room-temperature water with tea bag, cold water with tea bag, room-temperature soda water, and cold soda water. The main study outcomes were glycemic levels, satisfaction, perceived taste, side effects, and gestational diabetes mellitus. Glycemic levels were measured when fasted and at 1 hour and 2 hours after glucose administration. Satisfaction, taste perception, and side effects were evaluated immediately after the oral glucose tolerance test, and gestational diabetes mellitus was determined on the basis of glycemic levels. RESULTS: The cold soda water solution led to a significantly higher glycemic level at 1 hour after glucose intake compared with room-temperature soda water solution (P=.009). Glucose formula was found to not significantly affect gestational diabetes mellitus incidence (P>.05) or the participants' satisfaction, vomiting, headache, or abdominal bloating (P>.05). However, the formula did significantly affect perceived taste (P=.027) and the degree of nausea (P=.014). CONCLUSION: Several glucose solutions, such as cold glucose solution and any-temperature glucose solution containing a tea bag, led to slightly higher taste scores and a lower degree of nausea compared with the room-temperature water-based glucose solution. However, soda water was found to affect the glycemic level at 1 hour after glucose intake, and is not suggested for use for gestational diabetes mellitus diagnosis.

Effects of compression garments on surface EMG and physiological responses during and after distance running.

BACKGROUND: The few previous studies that focused on the effects of compression garments (CG) on distance running performance have simultaneously measured electromyogram, physiological, and perceptual parameters. Therefore, this study investigated the effects of CG on muscle activation and median frequency during and after distance running, as well as blood-lactate concentration and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) during distance running. METHODS: Eight healthy male recreational runners were recruited to randomly perform two 40 min treadmill running trials, one with CG, and the other with control garment made of normal cloth. The RPE and the surface electromyography (EMG) of 5 lower extremity muscles including gluteus maximus (GM), rectus femoris (RF), semitendinosus (ST), tibialis anterior (TA), and gastrocnemius (GAS) were measured during the running trial. The blood-lactate levels before and after the running trial were measured. RESULTS: Wearing CG led to significant lower muscle activation (p < 0.05) in the GM (decreased 7.40%-14.31%), RF (decreased 4.39%-4.76%), and ST (decreased 3.42%-7.20%) muscles; moreover, significant higher median frequency (p< 0.05) in the GM (increased 5.57%) and ST (increased 10.58%) muscles. Wearing CG did not alter the RPE values or the blood-lactate levels (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Wearing CG was associated with significantly lower muscle activation and higher median frequency in the running-related key muscles during distance running. This finding suggested that wearing CG may improve muscle function, which might enhance running performance and prevent muscle fatigue.

Factors associated with cessation of exclusive breastfeeding at 1 and 2 months postpartum in Taiwan.

Background: Breastfeeding benefits both mothers and infants. Even though Taiwan national policy promotes exclusive breastfeeding (EBF), the rates in Taiwan are below those in other developed countries. This study aimed to investigate factors associated with EBF cessation at 1 and 2 months postpartum. Methods: This study was conducted in a community hospital in southern Taiwan between December 2016 and June 2017. Birth mothers (n = 1077) were interviewed by telephone at 1 and 2 months postpartum to collect information on infant feeding patterns (EBF since birth or not) and reasons for EBF cessation. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to determine risk factors associated with EBF cessation at 1 and 2 months. Results: At 1 month, 432 participants (40.1%) maintained EBF. Factors associated with cessation were lack of tertiary education, primiparity, perceived low milk quantity, mother/infant separation, medical condition in mother, inconvenience/fatigue due to breastfeeding, and baby-centered factors. At 2 months, 316 participants (29.3%) maintained EBF. Factors associated with cessation were lack of tertiary education, primiparity, perceived low milk quantity, and return to work. Conclusions: Education level, primiparity, perceived low milk quantity, and return to work are associated with premature cessation of EBF in Taiwan. Strategies about health education, family support, and baby-mother friendly environment can be used to achieve higher EBF rate.

Evaluation of two cooling systems under a firefighter coverall.

Firemen often suffer from heat strain. This study investigated two chest cooling systems for use under a firefighting suit. In nine male subjects, a vest with water soaked cooling pads and a vest with water perfused tubes were compared to a control condition. Subjects performed 30 min walking and 10 min recovery in hot conditions, while physiological and perceptual parameters were measured. No differences were observed in heart rate and rectal temperature, but scapular skin temperature and fluid loss were lower using the perfused vest. Thermal sensation was cooler for the perfused vest than for the other conditions, while the cool pad vest felt initially cooler than control. However, comfort and RPE scores were similar. We conclude that the cooling effect of both tested systems, mainly providing a (temporally) cooler thermal sensation, was limited and did not meet the expectations.

Influence of food intake on the predictive value of the gestational diabetes mellitus screening test.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the influence of prior food ingestion on the predictive value of a screening test for gestational diabetes mellitus. METHODS: This prospective, nonrandomized study enrolled 1,387 pregnant women who underwent the 50-g glucose challenge test. Gestational diabetes mellitus was diagnosed according to the National Diabetes Data Group criteria. A nutritional survey of dietary information before the glucose challenge test was conducted. The patients were stratified into three groups based on the time of last food ingestion (fasting interval): 1 hour or less, 1-2 hours, and more than 2 hours. The more than 2-hours fasting interval group was defined as the "fasting" group, and the combined 1 hour or less and 1-2 hours fasting interval groups were defined as the "fed" group. We calculated the positivity rate and the positive predictive value to detect the predictive value. RESULTS: Among women who fasted 1 hour or less, 1-2 hours, and more than 2 hours before a glucose challenge test, 2.5%, 3.1%, and 6.9% were diagnosed with gestational diabetes mellitus, respectively. The positive predictive value of the glucose challenge test was greater in the fasting group than in the fed group (27.1% compared with 13.7%, P=.003). A multinomial logistic analysis showed that gestational diabetes mellitus was more prevalent in the fasting group than in the fed group (adjusted odds ratio 2.86, 95% confidence interval 1.65-4.95). CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that food intake influences the predictive value of the gestational diabetes screening test. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: II.

Prediction of the physiological response of humans wearing protective clothing using a thermophysiological human simulator.

Most standards and devices for determining clothing properties ignore the physiological state of the wearer and are inadequate to evaluate the transient thermal properties of clothing ensembles. This study evaluated the physiological burden of different types of protective clothing and environmental conditions using the recently developed single-sector thermo-physiological human simulator and compared its performance with a thermal cylinder (without the physiological control model) and with an advanced physiological model (with a simple clothing model). A single-sector physiological simulator developed to simulate the dynamic thermal and perceptual behavior of humans over a wide range of environmental and personal conditions was successfully validated in this study through tests with clothed individuals exposed to hot and cold conditions. In comparative tests on water vapor permeable and impermeable clothing samples, the simulator provided a much more complete picture of actual clothing performance, for example, in terms of moisture retention within the clothing and the additional cooling due to the "heat pipe" effect in impermeable clothing.