Carbohydrate Mouth Rinses before Exercise Improve Performance of Romanian Deadlift Exercise: A Randomized Crossover Study.

(1) Background: This study compared the effects of mouth rinsing with a carbohydrate trial (CMR) and a placebo trial (PL) on concentric and eccentric contraction strength in multi-joint resistance exercise performance. (2) Methods: Twenty healthy adult men (age: 22.4 ± 3.7 years, body mass index: 26 ± 3.8, peak power: 378.3 ± 138.7 W) were recruited in this study. Participants were employed in a double-blind, randomized crossover design to divide participants into carbohydrate mouth rinsing trial (CMR) and placebo trial (PL). After warming up, participants used 6.6% maltodextrin (CMR) or mineral water (PL) to rinse their mouth for 20 s. Next, the participants underwent tests of maximum inertial Romanian deadlift resistance exercise comprising five sets of six reps, with 3 min rests between sets. After deducting the first repetition of each set, the mean values from the five sets were analyzed. (3) Results: The concentric peak power of the CMR trial was significantly higher than that of the PL trial (p = 0.001, Cohen's d = 0.46), the eccentric peak power of the CMR trial was significantly higher than that of the PL trial (p = 0.008, Cohen's d = 0.56), and the total work of the CMR trial was significantly higher than that of PL trial (p = 0.002, Cohen's d = 0.51). (4) Conclusions: These findings demonstrate that mouth rinsing with carbohydrates before exercise can improve concentric and eccentric contraction strength in multi-joint resistance exercise performance.

Acute enhancement of Romanian deadlift performance after consumption of caffeinated chewing gum.

This study investigates the effect of the consumption of caffeinated chewing gum on the performance of Romanian deadlift on the flywheel training device. A total of 19 participants completed a randomized, cross-over, single-blind experiment with food-grade caffeinated chewing gum trial (CAF) or placebo trail (PL). Gum were chewed for 10 min and rest for 15 min prior to the Romanian deadlift test using the inertial resistance training machine. 5 sets of 6 Romanian deadlifts were performed, with a 3-min rest between sets, followed by a 7-day washout period before the next set of trials. The average power, average force, total peak power, peak concentric power, peak eccentric power, heart rate, and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) for each trials were analyzed using paired-T test. Compared to placebo, caffeinated chewing gum trial enhanced peak concentric power (P = 0.016, Cohen's d = 0.44), peak eccentric power (P = 0.005, Cohen's d = 0.55), average power (P = 0.013, Cohen's d = 0.43), and total work (P = 0.026, Cohen's d = 0.28). However, in average force (P = 0.063, Cohen's d = 0.50), RPE (P = 0.266), and heart rate (P = 0.143), were no significant differences between trials. Caffeinated chewing gum with a dose of caffeine of 200 mg for 10 min may acutely enhance Romanian deadlift performance on the flywheel machine.

Creatine Supplementation for Muscle Growth: A Scoping Review of Randomized Clinical Trials from 2012 to 2021.

Creatine supplementation is the most popular ergonomic aid for athletes in recent years and is used for improving sport performance and muscle growth. However, creatine supplementation is not always effective in all populations. To address these discrepancies, numerous studies have examined the use of creatine supplementation for muscle growth. This scoping review aimed to investigate the effects of creatine supplementation for muscle growth in various populations, in which Arksey and O'Malley's scoping review framework is used to present the findings. For this study, we performed a systematic search of the PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases for theses and articles published between 2012 and 2021. A manual search of the reference lists of the uncovered studies was conducted and an expert panel was consulted. Two reviewers screened the articles for eligibility according to the inclusion criteria. Methodological quality was assessed using the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute's (NHLBI's) quality assessment tool. A total of 16 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were finally included. All the authors extracted key data and descriptively analyzed the data. Thematic analysis was used to categorize the results into themes. Three major themes related to muscle growth were generated: (i) subjects of creatine supplementation-muscle growth is more effective in healthy young subjects than others; (ii) training of subjects-sufficient training is important in all populations; (iii) future direction and recommendation of creatine supplementation for muscle growth-injury prevention and utilization in medical practice. Overall, creatine is an efficient form of supplementation for muscle growth in the healthy young population with adequate training in a variety of dosage strategies and athletic activities. However, more well-designed, long-term RCTs with larger sample sizes are needed in older and muscular disease-related populations to definitively determine the effects of creatine supplementation on muscle growth in these other populations.

Effects of minimally invasive versus open esophagectomy on circulating tumor cells in patients with esophageal cancer / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effects of minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE) and open esophagectomy (OE) on the level of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in patients with esophageal cancer (EC).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 73 patients with EC undergoing MIE (n=38) or OE (n=35) in our department between October, 2015 and October, 2017 were enrolled, with 10 patients with benign esophagus disease and 10 healthy volunteers as controls. The levels of CTCs in the peripheral blood of the participants were detected using CanPatrol technique and analyzed for their association with the operation methods and perioperative complications.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>CTCs were detected in 60.3% (44/73) of the EC patients but in none of the control subjects. CTC level after the surgery was significantly higher than that during the surgery, and CTC level during the surgery was significantly higher than that before surgery (P<0.001). The preoperative and intra-operative CTC levels were not significantly different between MIE and OE groups (P>0.05), but the postoperative CTC level was significantly lower in MIE group than in OE group, and postoperative increment of CTC level (from the preoperative level) was significantly lower in MIE group than in OE group (P<0.001). The total incidence of postoperative complications was significantly lower in MIE group than in OE group (28.9% vs 54.3%, P=0.023), and in both groups, CTC levels in patients with complications were significantly higher than those in patients without complications (P=0.001 and P=0.005 in MIE and OE groups, respectively).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>MIE may help to reduce the number of peripheral blood CTCs early after the operation, and dynamic monitoring CTCs level assists in evaluation of the prognosis of EC patients. CTC level may serve as an indicator for monitoring the prognosis of EC.</p>

Establishment of a rabbit model of small diameter vascular graft replacement / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To establish an rabbit model that mimics the hemodynamics of the bypass graft after coronary artery bypass surgery.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Sixteen New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into two groups for abdominal aortic artery replacement using a 3-cm-long ePTFE graft with an inner diameter 4 mm through an incision at 1/3 from the middle to the lower part of the abdomen (group A) or in the lower abdomen (group B). The general conditions of the rabbits, operative time, number of collateral vessels that needed to be ligated, rate of massive intraoperative bleeding, fluctuation of vascular anastomosis after surgery, patency rate of the graft on day 7 after the operation were compared between the two groups.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The two groups of rabbits had similar body weight, diameter of the abdominal aortic artery, intraoperative bleeding rate and occlusion rate of the vascular graft at 7 days after the procedure. The operative time was longer in group A, but the difference was not statistically significant. In group A, the number of the vascular branches that needed to be ligated was smaller and the rate normal femoral artery pulsation was higher than those in group B.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>It is feasible to establish models of small diameter vascular graft replacement in rabbits, and the patency rate of the graft can be monitored by observation of the general condition and ultrasound examination of the rabbits.</p>

Relationship between early spontaneous cardioversion of atrial fibrillation and thyroid hormone metabolism after mitral replacement in patients with rheumatic heart disease / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To analyze the relationship between early spontaneous cardioversion of atrial fibrillation (AF) and thyroid hormone metabolism after mitral replacement in patients with rheumatic heart disease, and explore the treatment strategy of early spontaneous cardioversion after mitral valve replacement.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>According to the occurrence of cardioversion, 138 patients with mitral valve replacement were divided into conversion group and non-conversion group, and based on the duration of sinus rhythm, the patients in conversion group were divided into < 3 days group and > 3 days group. Triiodothyronine (T3) was detected by radioimmunoassay in all the patients.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>T3 metabolism decreased significantly after the operation in all the patients. Early spontaneous cardioversion of AF occurred 2 h after the operation in 52 cases (37.7%), and 28 (20.3%) of the cases had a duration of sinus rhythm longer than 3 days. T3 was significantly decreased in conversion group and non-conversion group by 44.5% and 58.7% at 2 h, by 40.0% and 52.4% at 24 h and by 28.6% and 37.7% at 72 h after the operation, respectively. The levels of T3 in conversion group was significantly higher than the levels in non-conversion group, and showed no significant variation with the duration of sinus rhythm.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Enhancement of T3 levels after mitral valve replacement may increase the probability of early spontaneous cardioversion of AF, but can not affect the duration of sinus rhythm. This finding supports the supplementation of T3 perioperatively in patients undergoing cardiac surgeries.</p>

Hemocompatibility evaluation in vitro of small-caliber expanded polytetrafluoroethylene vessel with silk fibroin coating sulfonated by low temperature plasma / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the hemocompatibility of a small-caliber expanded polytetrafluoroethylene vessel with silk fibroin coating sulfonated by low temperature plasma treatment.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The composite blood vessel was prepared by first coating the small-caliber expanded polytetrafluoroethylene vessel with silk fibroin followed by sulfonation by low temperature plasma treatment. After hemolysis test in vitro, dynamic coagulation time test, blood platelet adhesion test, and recalcification time test were performed to evaluate the hemocompatibility of the composite blood vessel.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Scanning electronic microscopy revealed obvious platelets adhesion on the conventional artificial (control) vessel, which seldom occurred on the composite vessel. The curve of absorbance-clotting time of the composite vessel declined more slowly than that of the control vessel. The recalcification time of the composite blood vessel averaged 603 s, significantly longer than that of the control vessel (480 s, P = 0.000).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The composite blood vessel has good antithrombotic activity and hemocompatibility as a promising vascular prosthesis.</p>