Effect of 12 weeks of periodized resistance training upon total plasma adiponectin concentration in healthy young men

© 2015 National Strength and Conditioning Association. The effects of resistance training on adiponectin have thus far yielded equivocal results. However, the effect of periodized resistance training on plasma adiponectin in offspring of type 2 diabetic and nondiabetic (ND) parents (first-degree family history) has yet to be determined. Untrained healthy young men with and without a first-degree family history of type 2 diabetes were assigned to an exercise intervention group (E) or an active control group (C). The E group performed a 12-week periodized resistance training program, whereas the C group did not participate in any structured exercise program. Fasting plasma samples were obtained pre- and posttraining. Total plasma adiponectin changed significantly in the E group (33.7 ± 14.7%, p 0.025) but not in the C group (10.8 ± 19.2%). Offspring of type 2 diabetic parents subjects had significantly greater improvements in plasma adiponectin (69.3 ± 34.8%) compared with ND subjects (-3.2 ± 29.9%, p 0.046). Regular aerobic exercise was significantly correlated with average plasma adiponectin (r 0.32), whereas first-degree family history of type 2 diabetes (r -0.58) and decreases in body fat percentage (r -0.77) were inversely correlated with average plasma adiponectin. Periodized high-intensity resistance training seems to increase plasma adiponectin, particularly in individuals with a first-degree family history of type 2 diabetes or those who experience a significant loss of fat mass. The direct correlation between regular aerobic exercise and adiponectin further suggests that a combination of aerobic and resistance training yields greater improvements in plasma adiponectin compared with resistance training alone

Scholarship of Teaching and Learning: Developing a Culture of Assessment

The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Initiative at Hostos Community College focuses on melding assessment and faculty development through a scholastic approach. In order to facilitate a campus-wide engagement in assessment, particularly related to the effectiveness of classroom instruction, the focus remains on individual expectations and talents, professional responsibilities, and using formative and summative assessment to improve student success and recidivism. This was initiated through open dialogue on the critical need for inquiry-based instruction, targeted presentations, and a sustainable network of support

The X-Trials: Neural Correlates of an Inhibitory Control Task in Children and Adults

Event-related potentials (ERPs) were used to examine developmental differences between adults and 6-year-old children in the neural processes involved in an inhibitory control task. Twenty adults and 21 children completed a task that required them to selectively respond to target stimuli while inhibiting responses to equally salient non-target stimuli. Because this task had been previously studied using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), the relation between the fMRI and ERP findings was informally examined. The results indicate that latency and amplitude of the P3 differentiated the different types of trials. However, the pattern of event-related neural activity differed for adults and children. These results, which suggest that adults and children may be using different processes to perform this task, have implications for the interpretation of the previous fMRI findings

Center for Teaching and Learning on Tour: Sharing, Reflecting on, and Documenting Effective Strategies

The Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) on Tour is an instructional-development initiative addressing faculty-teaching needs in a minority-serving institution. At these CTL Tour meetings, faculty travel across campus to facilitate bi-weekly interdisciplinary discussions on current pedagogical challenges and opportunities. These meetings foster a safe and inclusive climate to share and discuss what happens in the classroom. The Tour initiative enables faculty to engage in reflective practices in meeting spaces across all departments and offices on campus and on nontraditional days and times that fit into our fast-paced work routines. These meetings have allowed the CTL to build a culture of assessment regarding effectiveness of instructional development initiatives

Draft Genome Sequence of Pseudoalteromonas sp. Strain JC3

We report the draft genome sequence for Pseudoalteromonas sp. strain JC3, an isolate obtained from an aquaculture facility for whiteleg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei). The JC3 genome suggests multiple mechanisms for microbial interactions, including a type VI secretion system and potential for antibiotic production