The effect of short-duration sprint interval exercise on plasma postprandial triacylglycerol levels in young men

Abstract

It is well established that regular exercise can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, although the most time-efficient exercise protocol to confer benefits has yet to be established. The aim of the current study was to determine the effects of short-duration sprint interval exercise on postprandial triacylglycerol. Fifteen healthy male participants completed two 2 day trials. On day 1, participants rested (control) or carried out twenty 6 s sprints, interspersed with 24 s recovery (sprint interval exercise – 14 min for total exercise session). On day 2, participants consumed a high-fat meal for breakfast with blood samples collected at baseline, 2 h and 4 h. Gas exchange was also measured at these time points. On day 2 of control and sprint interval exercise trials, there were no differences (P < 0.05) between trials in plasma glucose, triacylglycerol, insulin or respiratory exchange ratio (RER). The area under the curve for plasma triacylglycerol was 7.67 ± 2.37 mmol · l^–1.4 h^–1 in the control trial and 7.26 ± 2.49 mmol · l^–1.4 h^–1 in the sprint interval exercise trial. Although the sprint exercise protocol employed had no significant effect on postprandial triacylglycerol, there was a clear variability in responses that warrants further investigation.     

Increasing appropriate classroom behaviour and academic performance by reinforcing correct work alone

The present study examined indirect effects of modifying appropriate classroom behaviour by itself and academic performance by itself. Of particular interest were changes in appropriate behaviour as students were reinforced for correct work. Five disruptive boys were given arithmetic assignments during daily 20-minute experimental sessions. Changes in appropriate behaviour and arithmetic performance were measured during the following phases: (a) an initial baseline phase; (b) reinforcement for appropriate behaviour alone; (c) return to baseline; (d) reinforcement for correct arithmetic work. It was found that reinforcing appropriate behaviour increased that behaviour, but produced little improvement in arithmetic performance. However, reinforcing arithmetic performance not only increased correct work, but resulted in a high rate of appropriate behaviour as well. The implications of these findings for the management of classroom behaviours were discussed.     

Academic conferences: representative and resistant sites for higher education research

The overarching argument made in this article is twofold. Firstly, academic conferences are posited as sites for higher education research. Secondly, the well-recognised emotional and social processes of conferences are used to make space at the boundaries of higher education research for psychosocial analysis. The article theorises conferences in relation to the current concerns of higher education, such as globalisation, technologisation and neoliberalisation, but simultaneously delves into the micro-conventions of academic spaces. This latter mode of analysis is adapted from Butler's (1997) work Excitable speech: A politics of the performative (New York: Routledge), around naming and vulnerability to language. An autobiographical example of naming and misnaming at a conference is worked through, both zooming in to micro-processes and zooming out to the wider concerns of higher education research. The article asserts the importance of recognising the connection between micro- and macro-scale analyses of higher education.     

A PhD In motion: Advancing a critical academic mobilities approach (CAMA) to researching short-term mobility schemes for doctoral students

ABSTRACT

Short-term mobility has been neglected in the higher education mobilities literature, which tends to focus on longer stays such as study abroad or entire degrees. Short-term doctoral mobility schemes are relatively low-cost, potentially high-value investments in the development of early career researchers. Doctoral mobilities research – and the field of academic mobilities research more broadly – is characterised by a positivist, often atheoretical orientation; this article responds to this by introducing a critical academic mobilities approach (CAMA). This approach is rooted in the ‘mobilities paradigm’, and involves (i) questioning the status of mobility as a universal good; (ii) exploring the subjectivity of mobile subjects as dynamic and shifting, but also structurally determined; (iii) a commitment to researching mobility processes as well as investments and outcomes. The article explores ‘autoethno-case studies’ of two doctoral mobility schemes funded by the UK Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC): Overseas Institutional Visits (OIV) and the PhD Partnering Scheme (PPS).     

Anticipating doctoral supervision: (Not) bridging the transition from supervisee to supervisor

Building on existing studies that ask doctoral supervisors how they understand their role, and what has influenced this understanding, this article explores invitations that are issued to supervisors to reflect in certain ways about the role of supervisor. The article calls into question the ways in which supervisors are invited to think about and represent supervision, by professional development courses, handbooks on supervision, and the questions that researchers pose about supervision. This discussion is situated in autoethnographic analysis of a valuable moment in the author's academic career for reflecting on these factors: the author is positioned directly between the role of doctoral supervisee and the role of doctoral supervisor. Through autoethnographic engagement with doctoral supervision literature, the article argues that professional development for supervisors would benefit from more critical analysis of the invitations which are issued to supervisors to reflect on the transition from supervisee to supervisor.     

Examining the use of theory within educational technology and media research

Academic research in the areas of educational technology and media is often portrayed to be limited in terms of its use of theory. This short paper reports on data collected from a survey of 462 ‘research active’ academic researchers working in the broad area of educational technology and educational media. The paper explores their use (and non-use) of theory.     

Refocusing Reference Services Outside the Library Building: One Library's Experience

In response to changing user needs, the library sought ways to meet new challenges and engage users outside of the building. Librarians were removed from the service desk in order to offer support at locations around campus. The service desk in the library was staffed primarily by paraprofessionals with librarians providing support as needed. Targeted staff training was offered, and different scheduling models were used over a period of time. Restructuring the service desk was a complicated endeavor but provided a number of benefits including expansion of services. Along the way, challenges were met and recognized as learning opportunities.