Underestimating the relationship between academic advising and attainment: a case study in practice

The Higher Education Academy (2015) has highlighted attainment alongside access, retention and progression as key areas of foci in order to fulfill the aspiration to provide all students with the opportunities and support required to succeed in Higher Education. Although previous research into academic advising has focused on the impact upon student satisfaction and retention, the impact upon attainment is underexplored. This research aims to explore the extent of the relationship between advising and attainment and answers the call by bodies such as Advance HE (formerly the Higher Education Academy) to recognise that academic advising is vital to student success. This research provides a contribution to the body of knowledge around academic advising, in the form of a case study undertaken to identify the impact of academic advising on student attainment at Sheffield Hallam University. A focus group and questionnaire were employed to gather data from final year undergraduate students at Sheffield Hallam University. Findings indicate that the impact of academic advising on attainment is both explicit and implicit, with support in areas beyond academic studies having a significant impact on student experiences. In addition this research also questions the perceived meanings of attainment in HE and proposes that attainment should be viewed as holistic attainment whereby students are developed as a whole, better enabling them to deal with the HE environment and beyond rather than being limited to academic numerical attainment

Agricultural shows: visitor motivation, experience and behavioural intention

Purpose - This paper contributes to theory concerning visitor motivations, consumer experience and behavioural intentions at rural events; more specifically, it focuses on agricultural shows, which have hitherto been neglected in the events management literature. These events have successfully broadened their visitor base, but not without the attendant challenges for agricultural events' designers. Design/methodology/approach - The research adopts a quantitative design using a questionnaire survey. The analysis, using a range of statistical procedures, centres on consumer motivation, experience and behaviour in relation to show features and their influence on future behaviour. Findings - Demonstrate the relative importance to the consumer, of the show’s various components and their influence on revisitation, which reflect the significance of social, cultural and personal meanings attached to their experiences. This highlights key motivational variables such as appreciating the shows' traditions and intellectual enrichment Research limitations/implications - The study takes a cross sectional approach, using a non-probability sample at four multiday royal shows. Future research should establish the external validity of the findings and their applicability to smaller one day agricultural shows Practical implications - The research provides a managerial contribution by informing show designers about the motivations of an increasingly diverse range of visitors. This will facilitate decisions around the engagement of contemporary design while preserving the traditional elements of agricultural shows. Originality/value - Few studies have looked at rural events and, in particular, agricultural shows. Moreover, previous research in this area has focused on rural tourism and place making, while consumer behaviour and experience at rural events has been neglected. This paper provides an insight into the consumer experience and perceived importance of various aspects of contemporary agricultural shows

The Royal Welsh Show: the nation's true cauldron

The Royal Welsh Show (RWS), which is the largest event of its kind in Europe, is used as a single case study to examine events as a catalyst in the context of networks and the knowledge economy. The long-established essence of agricultural shows is a coalescing of dispersed populations in a temporary cluster, expressed most recently as ‘rural buzz’. This paper takes a new, and emerging, perspective of value and specifically examines how the show, through its manifold platforms and fusing of resources, generates network value. The RWS operates in a 176-acre showground, with exhibitors, partners, and close to 250,000 attendees, therefore engagement platforms are many and varied, and often co-produced. Thus, the event is a canopy, both within and beyond of its 4 days each July, for incalculable planned and less planned interactions and linkages. The event has been labelled ‘the nations true cauldron’, reflecting its proven potential to engage people, and organisations alike, and consequently co-create network value. The extensive case study includes 43 interviews and 1,322 questionnaires, in addition to archival research. The analysis of the quantitative and qualitative data is used to develop a ‘Taxonomy of Platforms’, exposing the multi-layered, co-creative, and pervasive approach to the generation of network value. The findings reveal the importance of such knowledge sharing and creation. Also evident is the manifest and focal role of the RWS in merging the events value creation partners and enabling linkages which can endure and underlie the stimulation and perpetuation of networks. The study endorses the virtue of the network lens through which to examine and reveal event induced value, but also as a way of more introspectively interpreting how value is extracted by event actors

Examining the need for organisational learning and entrepreneurialism to meet the changing roles and expectations of rural and agricultural shows in the UK.

Rural and Agricultural Shows are rich in tradition but their role in the rural economy is evolving. The effective closure of the sector in the UK in 2020 as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic led us to examine how rural Shows would re-emerge, as well as how subsequent economic challenges are influencing the future of Shows. The research draws on interviews with Show organisers and conversations with exhibitors while attending live events. Collectively, this has revealed the Shows have accelerated their digitalisation but also that the physical meeting space is critical to their social function. The research identified new expectations from exhibitors who have discovered alternative routes to market, including online, that are competing with the traditional Show space. Forward-thinking Show organisers are identifying methods to tap into these new online markets and offer complementary value to their exhibitors but those who closed for the duration of the pandemic are finding that they are now having to adapt more quickly to the changes that have occurred

The Acute Effects of Weighted Vest Protocols on 20-Metre Sprint Performance in Youth Soccer Players

This investigation examined the effects of a warm-up containing weighted vest (WV) sprints on subsequent 20-metre sprint time relative to a control (C) condition in youth soccer players (n=12, mean ± SD age 16 ± 0.60 years, height 175.17 ± 5.92 cm and body mass 61.85 ± 5.88 kg). The main experimental trials consisted of three WV conditions at 10, 20 and 30% of body mass (WV10, WV20 and WV30) and C. Participants were required to complete one 20-metre sprint with each of WV conditions or without additional mass as part of C prior to a 20-metre sprint at 4-, 8- and 12-minutes. A two-way repeated measures ANOVA revealed no significant difference between any of the conditions and rest periods (p = >0.05). The between condition effect sizes for 20-metre sprint times were moderate at 4- and 12-minutes post WV10 (d = -0.86 and -1.15, respectively) and 12-minutes post WV20 (d = -0.84) and WV30 (d = -0.80). Moderate effect sizes were also observed at 4-minutes post WV10 (d = -1.04) and WV20 (d = -0.67) for 10-metre sprint times. These findings demonstrate that WV loading has no significant effect on 20-metre sprint time in youth soccer players. However, there is an opportunity for S&C coaches to implement WV warm-ups of no more than 30% body mass to improve 20-metre sprint times

Reliability of gastrointestinal barrier integrity and microbial translocation biomarkers at rest and following exertional heat stress

Purpose:Exertional heat stress adversely distrupts (GI) barrier integrity and, through subsequent microbial translocation (MT), negativly impacts health. Despite widespread application, the temporal reliability of popular GI barrier integity and MT biomarkers is poorly characterised. Method: Fourteen males completed two 80‐min exertional heat stress tests (EHST) separated by 7–14 days. Venous blood was drawn pre, immediately‐ and 1‐hr post both EHSTs. GI barrier integrity was assessed using the serum Dual‐Sugar Absorption Test (DSAT), Intestinal Fatty‐Acid‐Binding Protein (I‐FABP) and Claudin‐3 (CLDN‐3). MT was assessed using plasma Lipopolysaccharide Binding Protein (LBP), total 16S bacterial DNA and Bacteroides DNA. Results: No GI barrier integrity or MT biomarker, except absolute Bacteroides DNA, displayed systematic trial order bias (p ≥ .05). I‐FABP (trial 1 = Δ 0.834 ± 0.445 ng ml−1; trial 2 = Δ 0.776 ± 0.489 ng ml−1) and CLDN‐3 (trial 1 = Δ 0.317 ± 0.586 ng ml−1; trial 2 = Δ 0.371 ± 0.508 ng ml−1) were increased post‐EHST (p ≤ .01). All MT biomarkers were unchanged post‐EHST. Coefficient of variation and typical error of measurement post‐EHST were: 11.5% and 0.004 (ratio) for the DSAT 90‐min postprobe ingestion; 12.2% and 0.004 (ratio) at 150‐min postprobe ingestion; 12.1% and 0.376 ng ml−1 for I‐FABP; 4.9% and 0.342 ng ml−1 for CLDN‐3; 9.2% and 0.420 µg ml−1 for LBP; 9.5% and 0.15 pg µl−1 for total 16S DNA; and 54.7% and 0.032 for Bacteroides/total 16S DNA ratio. Conclusion: Each GI barrier integrity and MT translocation biomarker, except Bacteroides/total 16S ratio, had acceptable reliability at rest and postexertional heat stress

Using a genetically encoded sensor to identify inhibitors of Toxoplasma gondii Ca2+ Signalling

This work was supported in part by National Institutes of Health Grants AI-110027 and AI-096836 (to S. N. J. M.) and 1DP5OD017892 (to S. L.).The life cycles of apicomplexan parasites progress in accordance with fluxes in cytosolic Ca2+. Such fluxes are necessary for events like motility and egress from host cells. We used genetically encoded Ca2+ indicators (GCaMPs) to develop a cell-based phenotypic screen for compounds that modulate Ca2+ signaling in the model apicomplexan Toxoplasma gondii. In doing so, we took advantage of the phosphodiesterase inhibitor zaprinast, which we show acts in part through cGMP-dependent protein kinase (protein kinase G; PKG) to raise levels of cytosolic Ca2+. We define the pool of Ca2+ regulated by PKG to be a neutral store distinct from the endoplasmic reticulum. Screening a library of 823 ATP mimetics, we identify both inhibitors and enhancers of Ca2+ signaling. Two such compounds constitute novel PKG inhibitors and prevent zaprinast from increasing cytosolic Ca2+. The enhancers identified are capable of releasing intracellular Ca2+ stores independently of zaprinast or PKG. One of these enhancers blocks parasite egress and invasion and shows strong antiparasitic activity against T. gondii. The same compound inhibits invasion of the most lethal malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum. Inhibition of Ca2+-related phenotypes in these two apicomplexan parasites suggests that depletion of intracellular Ca2+ stores by the enhancer may be an effective antiparasitic strategy. These results establish a powerful new strategy for identifying compounds that modulate the essential parasite signaling pathways regulated by Ca2+, underscoring the importance of these pathways and the therapeutic potential of their inhibition.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Using a Genetically Encoded Sensor to Identify Inhibitors of Toxoplasma gondii Ca 2+ Signaling

The life cycles of apicomplexan parasites progress in accordance with fluxes in cytosolic Ca2+. Such fluxes are necessary for events like motility and egress from host cells. We used genetically encoded Ca2+ indicators (GCaMPs) to develop a cell-based phenotypic screen for compounds that modulate Ca2+ signaling in the model apicomplexan Toxoplasma gondii. In doing so, we took advantage of the phosphodiesterase inhibitor zaprinast, which we show acts in part through cGMP-dependent protein kinase (protein kinase G; PKG) to raise levels of cytosolic Ca2+. We define the pool of Ca2+ regulated by PKG to be a neutral store distinct from the endoplasmic reticulum. Screening a library of 823 ATP mimetics, we identify both inhibitors and enhancers of Ca2+ signaling. Two such compounds constitute novel PKG inhibitors and prevent zaprinast from increasing cytosolic Ca2+. The enhancers identified are capable of releasing intracellular Ca2+ stores independently of zaprinast or PKG. One of these enhancers blocks parasite egress and invasion and shows strong antiparasitic activity against T. gondii. The same compound inhibits invasion of the most lethal malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum. Inhibition of Ca2+-related phenotypes in these two apicomplexan parasites suggests that depletion of intracellular Ca2+ stores by the enhancer may be an effective antiparasitic strategy. These results establish a powerful new strategy for identifying compounds that modulate the essential parasite signaling pathways regulated by Ca2+, underscoring the importance of these pathways and the therapeutic potential of their inhibition

Gastrointestinal Tolerance of Low, Medium and High Dose Acute Oral l-Glutamine Supplementation in Healthy Adults: A Pilot Study

l-Glutamine (GLN) is a conditionally essential amino acid which supports gastrointestinal (GI) and immune function prior to catabolic stress (e.g., strenuous exercise). Despite potential dose-dependent benefits, GI tolerance of acute high dose oral GLN supplementation is poorly characterised. Fourteen healthy males (25 ± 5 years; 1.79 ± 0.07 cm; 77.7 ± 9.8 kg; 14.8 ± 4.6% body fat) ingested 0.3 (LOW), 0.6 (MED) or 0.9 (HIGH) g·kg·FFM−1 GLN beverages, in a randomised, double-blind, counter-balanced, cross-over trial. Individual and accumulated GI symptoms were recorded using a visual analogue scale at regular intervals up to 24-h post ingestion. GLN beverages were characterised by tonicity measurement and microscopic observations. 24-h accumulated upper- and lower- and total-GI symptoms were all greater in the HIGH, compared to LOW and MED trials (p 0.05). All beverages were isotonic and contained a dose-dependent number of GLN crystals. Acute oral GLN ingestion in dosages up to 0.9 g·kg·FFM−1 are generally well-tolerated. However, the severity of mild GI symptoms appeared dose-dependent during the first two hours post prandial and may be due to high-concentrations of GLN crystals