Small Beneficial Effect of Caffeinated Energy Drink Ingestion on Strength.

Collier, NB, Hardy, MA, Millard-Stafford, ML, and Warren, GL. Small beneficial effect of caffeinated energy drink ingestion on strength. J Strength Cond Res 30(7): 1862-1870, 2016-Because caffeine ingestion has been found to increase muscle strength, our aim was to determine whether caffeine when combined with other potential ergogenic ingredients, such as those in commercial energy drinks, would have a similar effect. Fifteen young healthy subjects were used in a double-blind, repeated-measures experimental design. Each subject performed 3 trials, ingesting either a caffeinated energy drink, an uncaffeinated version of the drink, or a placebo drink. The interpolated twitch procedure was used to assess maximum voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) strength, electrically evoked strength, and percent muscle activation during MVIC of the knee extensors both before and after drink ingestion, and after a fatiguing bout of contractions; electromyographic (EMG) amplitude of the knee extensors during MVIC was also assessed. The mean (±SE) change in MVIC strength from before to after drink ingestion was significantly greater for the caffeinated energy drink compared with placebo [+5.0 (±1.7) vs. -0.5 (±1.5)%] and the difference between the drinks remained after fatigue (p = 0.015); the strength changes for the uncaffeinated energy drink were not significantly different from those of the other 2 drinks at any time. There was no significant effect of drink type on the changes in electrically evoked strength, percent muscle activation, and EMG from before to after drink ingestion. This study indicates that a caffeinated energy drink can increase MVIC strength but the effect is modest and the strength increase cannot be attributed to increased muscle activation. Whether the efficacy of energy drinks can be attributed solely to caffeine remains unclear.

Rhythm and music for promoting sensorimotor organization in autism: broader implications for outcomes.

Emerging research suggests that music and rhythm-based interventions offer promising avenues for facilitating functional outcomes for autistic individuals. Evidence suggests that many individuals with ASD have music processing and production abilities similar to those of neurotypical peers. These individual strengths in music processing and production may be used within music therapy with a competence-based treatment approach. We provide an updated perspective of how music and rhythm-based interventions promote sensory and motor regulation, and how rhythm and music may then impact motor, social, and communicative skills. We discuss how music can engage and motivate individuals, and can be used intentionally to promote skill acquisition through both structured and flexible therapeutic applications. Overall, we illustrate the potential of music and rhythm as valuable tools in addressing skill development in individuals on the autism spectrum.

Improving attitudes toward trauma-informed care in the neonatal intensive care unit through comprehensive multi-disciplinary education.

OBJECTIVE: This study measured staff understanding and integration of trauma-informed care following comprehensive education. STUDY DESIGN: This mixed method design used the validated Attitudes Related to Trauma-Informed Care (ARTIC) scale and open-ended survey questions via REDCap optional surveys. Trauma-informed care education was made available to staff members in a level IV NICU. Pre- and post-intervention ARTIC scores were compared and post-intervention REDCap surveys were analyzed. RESULT: There were 245 multi-disciplinary NICU team members who completed the ARTIC survey before and/or after the educational intervention; and 764 REDCap surveys were completed throughout the study time. ARTIC scores increased from pre- to post-training both for participants with data at both time points (0.5 SD mean increase) and among those with data at only one time point (0.4 SD mean increase). Content analysis of the REDCap survey corroborated the ARTIC results. CONCLUSION: System-wide trauma-informed education can achieve measurable effect in a NICU setting.

Variable levels of stress and anxiety reported by physiotherapy students during clinical placements: a cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: Healthcare students are at risk of high stress and anxiety, particularly during clinical placements. This study measured the stress and anxiety levels of physiotherapy students during clinical placements, how stress/anxiety changed over time, effect on academic performance, factors influencing stress/anxiety and coping strategies. DESIGN: A prospective cohort study using surveys collecting quantitative and qualitative data. SETTING: Three sites where physiotherapy students from one university undertook clinical placements. PARTICIPANTS: 109 students across 159 placements. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI [Y2]) provided a baseline measure of general stress level and propensity for anxiety. Perceived stress and anxiety were measured using visual analogue scales (VASs) at baseline and weekly over the 5-weeks duration of placements. A questionnaire sought students' perceptions of factors affecting stress/anxiety and coping strategies. RESULTS: VAS stress/anxiety scores were highly variable between participants. Higher VAS scores were seen at Weeks 3 and 4 compared to Week 5 and placements earlier in the academic year. Baseline VAS scores were significantly associated with Weeks 1-5 VAS scores. Higher VAS scores were associated with poorer academic results. Stress/anxiety were affected by patient complexity, assessments, workload, poor health and family issues. Most participants felt supported by clinical educators/peers, and used coping strategies including exercise and taking breaks. CONCLUSIONS: Physiotherapy students demonstrated highly variable stress/anxiety levels during clinical placements, with higher levels negatively affecting academic performance. Baseline measures of perceived stress/anxiety could potentially highlight students at risk of high levels of stress/anxiety during clinical placements, allowing more targeted interventions. Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12618000302257).

Rhythm, movement, and autism: using rhythmic rehabilitation research as a model for autism.

Recently, there has been increased focus on movement and sensory abnormalities in autism spectrum disorders (ASD). This has come from research demonstrating cortical and cerebellar differences in autism, with suggestion of early cerebellar dysfunction. As evidence for an extended profile of ASD grows, there are vast implications for treatment and therapy for individuals with autism. Persons with autism are often provided behavioral or cognitive strategies for navigating their environment; however, these strategies do not consider differences in motor functioning. One accommodation that has not yet been explored in the literature is the use of auditory rhythmic cueing to improve motor functioning in ASD. The purpose of this paper is to illustrate the potential impact of auditory rhythmic cueing for motor functioning in persons with ASD. To this effect, we review research on rhythm in motor rehabilitation, draw parallels to motor dysfunction in ASD, and propose a rationale for how rhythmic input can improve sensorimotor functioning, thereby allowing individuals with autism to demonstrate their full cognitive, behavioral, social, and communicative potential.

Does caffeine added to carbohydrate provide additional ergogenic benefit for endurance?

CONTEXT: Carbohydrate (CHO) and caffeine (CAF) both improve endurance performance. PURPOSE: To determine by systematic literature review coupled with meta-analysis whether CAF ingested with CHO (CHO+CAF) improves endurance performance more than CHO alone. METHODS: Databases were searched using the keywords caffeine, endurance, exercise, carbohydrate, and performance. Criteria for inclusion were studies that used human subjects performing an endurance-exercise performance task and included both a CHO and CHO+CAF condition. Effect sizes (ESs) were calculated as the standardized mean difference. RESULTS: Twenty-one studies met the criteria for analysis. ESs for individual studies ranged from -0.08 (trivial effect favoring CHO) to 1.01 (large effect favoring CHO+CAF). The overall ES equaled 0.26 (95% CI 0.15-0.38, p < .001), indicating that CHO+CAF provides a small but significant performance benefit over CHO. ES was not significantly (p > .05) related to CAF dose, exercise duration, or performance-assessment method. To determine whether ES of CHO+CAF vs. CHO was different than CAF compared with water (placebo), a subgroup meta-analysis compared 36 CAF vs. placebo studies against the 21 CHO+CAF vs. CHO studies. The overall ES for the former group of studies (ES = 0.51, 95% CI 0.40-0.61) was nearly 2-fold greater than in CHO+CAF vs. CHO studies (p = .006). CONCLUSIONS: CHO+CAF ingestion provides a significant but small effect to improve endurance performance compared with CHO alone. However, the magnitude of the performance benefit that CAF provides is less when added to CHO than when added to placebo.