The purpose of this study was to examine the acute effects of a caffeine-containing supplement on upper- and lower-body strength and muscular endurance as well as anaerobic capabilities. Thirty-seven resistance-trained men (mean +/- SD, age: 21 +/- 2 years) volunteered to participate in this study. On the first laboratory visit, the subjects performed 2 Wingate Anaerobic Tests (WAnTs) to determine peak power (PP) and mean power (MP), as well as tests for 1 repetition maximum (1RM), dynamic constant external resistance strength, and muscular endurance (TOTV; total volume of weight lifted during an endurance test with 80% of the 1RM) on the bilateral leg extension (LE) and free-weight bench press (BP) exercises. Following a minimum of 48 hours of rest, the subjects returned to the laboratory for the second testing session and were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 groups: a supplement group (SUPP; n = 17), which ingested a caffeine-containing supplement, or a placebo group (PLAC; n = 20), which ingested a cellulose placebo. One hour after ingesting either the caffeine-containing supplement or the placebo, the subjects performed 2 WAnTs and were tested for 1RM strength and muscular endurance on the LE and BP exercises. The results indicated that there was a significant (p < 0.05) increase in BP 1RM for the SUPP group, but not for the PLAC group. The caffeine-containing supplement had no effect, however, on LE 1RM, LE TOTV, BP TOTV, PP, and MP. Thus, the caffeine-containing supplement may be an effective supplement for increasing upper-body strength and, therefore, could be useful for competitive and recreational athletes who perform resistance training.

Muscle activation was greater at 80 % 1RM. However, differences in volume, metabolic byproduct accumulation, and muscle swelling may help explain the unexpected adaptations in hypertrophy vs. strength observed in previous studies.

Results indicate that pepsin/pepsinogen is present in the middle ears of children with otitis media, although not at the high rate previously reported. Gastric reflux may be one causative factor in the pathogenesis of otitis media.

The purposes of this investigation were twofold: (1) to determine if the model used for estimating the physical working capacity at the fatigue threshold (PWC(FT)) from electromyographic (EMG) amplitude data could be applied to the frequency domain of the signal to derive a new fatigue threshold for cycle ergometry called the mean power frequency fatigue threshold (MPF(FT)), and (2) to compare the power outputs associated with the PWC(FT), MPF(FT), ventilatory threshold (VT), and respiratory compensation point (RCP). Sixteen men [mean (SD) age = 23.4 (3.2) years] performed incremental cycle ergometer rides to exhaustion with bipolar surface EMG signals recorded from the vastus lateralis. There were significant (p < 0.05) mean differences for PWC(FT) [mean (SD) = 168 (36) W] versus MPF(FT) [208 (37) W] and VT [152 (33) W] versus RCP [205 (84) W], but no mean differences for PWC(FT) versus VT or MPF(FT) versus RCP. The mean difference between PWC(FT) and MPF(FT) may be due to the effects of specific metabolites that independently influence the time and frequency domains of the EMG signal. These findings indicated that the PWC(FT) model could be applied to the frequency domain of the EMG signal to estimate MPF(FT). Furthermore, the current findings suggested that the PWC(FT) may demarcate the moderate from heavy exercise domains, while the MPF(FT) demarcates heavy from severe exercise intensities.

Pepsin is detectable in the middle ear cleft of 20% of pediatric patients with OM undergoing tympanostomy tube placement, compared with 1.4% of controls; recovery of pepsin in the middle ear space of pediatric patients with OM is an independent risk factor for OM. Patients under 1 year of age have a higher incidence of purulent effusions and pepsin-positive effusions. Clinical history of GERD, allergy, and asthma do not seem to correlate with evidence of EORD reaching the middle ear cleft. The presence of pepsin in the middle ear space at the time of tube placement does not seem to predispose to posttympanostomy tube otorrhea.