Sixteen experienced marathoners ran on treadmills for 3 h at approximately 70% maximal oxygen consumption (Vo(2 max)) on two occasions while receiving 1 l/h carbohydrate (CHO) or placebo (Pla) beverages. Blood and vastus lateralis muscle biopsy samples were collected before and after exercise. Plasma was analyzed for IL-6, IL-10, IL-1 receptor agonist (IL-1ra), IL-8, cortisol, glucose, and insulin. Muscle was analyzed for glycogen content and relative gene expression of 13 cytokines by using real-time quantitative RT-PCR. Plasma glucose and insulin were higher, and cortisol, IL-6, IL-10, and IL-1ra, but not IL-8, were significantly lower postexercise in CHO vs. Pla. Change in muscle glycogen content did not differ between CHO and Pla (P = 0.246). Muscle cytokine mRNA content was detected preexercise for seven cytokines in this order (highest to lowest): IL-15, TNF-alpha, IL-8, IL-1beta, IL-12p35, IL-6, and IFN-gamma. After subjects ran for 3 h, gene expression above prerun levels was measured for five of these cytokines: IL-1beta, IL-6, and IL-8 (large increases), and IL-10 and TNF-alpha (small increases). The increase in mRNA (fold difference from preexercise) was attenuated in CHO (15.9-fold) compared with Pla (35.2-fold) for IL-6 (P = 0.071) and IL-8 (CHO, 7.8-fold; Pla, 23.3-fold; P = 0.063). CHO compared with Pla beverage ingestion attenuates the increase in plasma IL-6, IL-10, and IL-1ra and gene expression for IL-6 and IL-8 in athletes running 3 h at 70% Vo(2 max) despite no differences in muscle glycogen content.

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Modifying the surface morphology of an elastomer surface into 3D microstructures is crucial for various soft sensor applications. However, processes based on typical mold microfabrication and elastomer casting remain the dominant methodologies. This study demonstrates a novel strategy for generating 3D and irregular microdome structures for flexible pressure sensors through the internal popping of microspheres. When thermal treatment is applied to a composite film composed of microspheres and an elastomer matrix, the microspheres expand, and irregular microdome structures are generated. This composite film with an irregular microdome structure is utilized as a piezoresistive pressure-sensing film. The sensor shows high sensitivity (−50.45 kPa −1 ) owing to the heterogeneous contact change between the irregular microdome structure and a laser-induced graphene electrode; it also exhibits a short response time (τ 10-90% ≈ 39 ms), excellent repeatability, and high reliability. The sensor is applied in a fingertip-shaped pressure sensor to detect the blood pulse on the index finger and on electronic skin to recognize soft objects. Furthermore, a pressure sensor array that enables various functions such as drawing, multitouch, and deep learning-based motion control, is demonstrated.

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