Acute and short-term normobaric hypoxic conditioning on psycho-physiological responses in obese populations

This thesis investigated the psycho-physiological responses of obese individuals during and following acute and short-term hypoxic conditioning, including both passive and active modalities. Study one determined psycho-physiological responses to passive hypoxic conditioning (FiO2= 12.0%) consisting of varying hypoxic and normoxic cycles in obese individuals. It was found that perceptions of breathlessness following short (15 × 2 mins hypoxia/2 mins normoxia) cycles was lowest (-7%) for up to 60 mins post-exposure compared to long cycles (5 × 6 mins hypoxia/6 mins normoxia), whilst the extent of desaturation in arterial oxygen satura tion was greater in the latter than the former (-4%). The fndings of this study later informed the interval work/rest duration of exercising in hypoxia for obese individuals. Study two assessed psycho-physiological responses of trained runners during a perceptually regulated interval running session (4 × 4 mins at a rating of perceived exertion equal to 16, 3mins recovery) in hypoxic (FiO2 = 15.0%) and normoxic conditions. The main findings show that a slower treadmill velocity (-6%) was required to maintain a rating of perceived exertion equal to 16 in hypoxia than normoxia. Whilst physiological responses were matched between conditions (i.e., heart rate and muscle oxygenation), exercise-related sensations (i.e., perceived recovery [-21%], motivation [-21%], breathlessness [+22%%], limb discomfort [+11%%] and pleasure [-31%]) were negatively impacted more so during hypoxia compared to normoxia. The findings of this study provided an intial insight regarding the influence of hypoxia on the perceptually-regulated exercise model in trained runners prior to utilisation in an obese population. Study three assessed psycho-physiological responses of obese individuals during a perceptually-regulated interval walking session (15 × 2 mins walking, 2 mins recovery, based on the findings of study one) in hypoxic (FiO2 = 13.0%) and normoxic conditions. Further, during an additional third condition, the psycho-physiological responses from hypoxia were isolated with the velocity selected during this trial matched in normoxic conditions. Similar to study three, a slower treadmill velocity (-2%) was required to maintain a rating of perceived exertion equal to 14 in hypoxia than normoxia. Physiological responses were more pronounced during hypoxia compared to normoxia (i.e., higher heart rate [+6%] and lower muscle oxygenation [-6%]), whilst perceptions of limb discomfort were lower (-21%) in the former than the latter. In the absence of hypoxia at the same velocity, perceptions of limb discomfort were matched to perceptually-regulated walking in hypoxia, but the physiological stress was lower (i.e., heart rate [-5%]). The findings of this study provided indication of the acute effects of perceptually-regulated interval walking in hypoxia prior to implementation of this protocol design on a regular, short-term basis. Study four examined the psycho-physiological responses of obese individuals to a short-term training intervention (utilising the same session protocol of study three, eight sessions in two weeks) in hypoxic (FiO2 = 13.0%) and normoxic conditions. A similar perceptually-regulated velocity, physiological stress (i.e., heart rate) and exercise-related sessions (i.e., perceived recovery, motivation, breathlessness, limb discomfort and pleasure) were recorded during training between conditions. Improvements in perceived mood state (+12%), exercise-selfefficacy (+11%) and energy expenditure (+10%) were reported after training independent of condition, whilst resting blood glucose levels were only enhanced after hypoxic training (-15%). Collectively, obese individuals may benefit in terms of psycho-physiological responses from exercising at a perceptually-regulated intensity in hypoxia more so than normoxia. These benefits (acute and short-term) could be potentiated largely due to the optimisation of cycle variations of hypoxia/normoxia and exercise/rest durations

“The inconvenience of the present arrangement can only be realized by those who have to work under it”: a History of the Legal Research Collections at McGill

The origins of McGill University’s Faculty of Law and of its law library stretch back to the 1840s. With the formal establishment of the Faculty in 1853, the issue of books and a library became acute. Through donations from a variety of benefactors a respectable collection of books began emerging. Only with Sir William Macdonald’s endowment for the Faculty in 1890, however, was ongoing support for the library finally guaranteed. Like the Faculty, the law library moved about considerably until 1949 when both settled into the James Ross property at the north-west corner of Penfield and Peel. Even here, the library has been housed in various locations before moving in 1998 to the Nahum Gelber Law Library.ResuméLes origines de la Faculté de droit de l’Université McGill et de sa Bibliothèque de droit remontent aux années 1840. Suite à la création formelle de la Faculté en1853, la question d’une bibliothèque et d’une collection de livres est devenue pressante. Grâce aux dons de divers bienfaiteurs, une collection respectable de livres commença à être établie. Ce n’est toutefois qu’avec la dotation que Sir William Macdonald fit à la Faculté en 1890 qu’un appui financier à long terme fut enfin garanti pour la Bibliothèque. Comme la Faculté, la Bibliothèque de droit s’est vu domiciliée à divers endroits jusqu’à 1949, quand la Faculté et la Bibliothèque se sont installées sur la propriété James Ross au coin nord-ouest des rues Penfield et Peel. Même après cette relocalisation, la Bibliothèque a occupé divers espaces jusqu’à ce qu’elle déménage en 1998 à la Bibliothèque de droit Nahum Gelber

Unearthing the Optics of War

Book review: Unearthing the Optics of Wa

Young Long-term Unemployed and the Individualization of Responsibility

In Sweden, as in most Western societies, a common belief is that unemployment is somehow linked to the individual, her lack of work ethic, or other personal shortcomings rather than to structural causes. This is not only manifested in public arenas such as the media or political debates but also in our social surroundings. In recent years, these views have gained importance, indicating a shift in the location of responsibilities from the welfare state to the individual. This shift entails high demands and expectations on unemployed people and is something they have to deal with and relate to. One of the most exposed groups is young long-term unemployed. The aim of this article is to highlight how the discourse of individualized responsibility is reflected in unemployed peoples’ stories, and to shed light on the ways in which young long-term unemployed adults relate to and position themselves toward this discourse. Based on 18 qualitative interviews with young Swedish long-term unemployed people, the findings show three approaches to the discourse: conformity, distancing, and resistance