Reflecting back and forwards: The ebb and flow of peer-reviewed reflective practice research in sport

Researchers in sport have claimed that reflective practice is important for competent practice. Evidence supporting this claim is sparse, highly theoretical and located within a variety of domains. The aim of this study was to assimilate and analyse the last 12 years of reflective practice literature within the sport domain in order to identify new areas of inquiry, emerging trends with regard to findings or methodology, and to identify implications for future research and practice. A sample of 68 papers published between 2001 and 2012 was examined, and investigated for the research locations, data collection methods utilised, and the professions and communities involved. The paper concludes with some suggestions for future research

First Report on Detection and Complete Genomic Analysis of a Novel CRESS DNA Virus from Sea Turtles

To date, only a handful of viruses have been identified in sea turtles. Although eukaryotic circular Rep (replication initiation protein)-encoding single-stranded DNA (CRESS DNA) viruses have been reported from a wide variety of terrestrial species, and some of these viruses have been associated with clinical conditions in certain animals, limited information is available on CRESS DNA viruses from marine life. The present study aimed to investigate the presence of CRESS DNA viruses in sea turtles. In the present study, two (samples T3 and T33) of the 34 cloacal samples from 31 sea turtles (found in ocean waters around the Caribbean Islands of St. Kitts and Nevis) tested positive for CRESS DNA viruses by a pan-rep nested PCR assay. The partial Rep sequence of T3 shared 75.78% of a deduced amino acid (aa) identity with that of a CRESS DNA virus (classified under family Circoviridae) from a mollusk. On the other hand, the complete genome (2428 bp) of T33 was determined by an inverse nested PCR assay. The genomic organization of T33 mirrored those of type II CRESS DNA viral genomes of cycloviruses, characterized by the putative “origin of replication” in the 5’-intergenic region, and the putative Capsid (Cap)- and Rep-encoding open reading frame on the virion-sense- and antisense-strand, respectively. The putative Rep (322 aa) of T33 retained the conserved “HUH endonuclease” and the “super 3 family helicase” domains and shared pairwise aa identities of ~57% with unclassified CRESS DNA viruses from benthic sediment and mollusks. Phylogenetically, the T33 Rep formed a distinct branch within an isolated cluster of unclassified CRESS DNA viruses. The putative Cap (370 aa) of T33 shared maximum pairwise aa identity of 30.51% with an unclassified CRESS DNA virus from a capybara. Except for a blood sample from T33 that tested negative for CRESS DNA viruses, other tissue samples were not available from the sea turtles. Therefore, we could not establish whether the T3 and T33 viral strains infected the sea turtles or were of dietary origin. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the detection of CRESS DNA viruses from sea turtles, adding yet another animal species to the rapidly expanding host range of these viruses. Complete genome analysis of T33 identified a novel, unclassified CRESS DNA virus, providing insights into the high genetic diversity between viruses within the phylum Cressdnaviricota. Considering that sea turtles are an at-risk species, extensive studies on virus discovery, surveillance, and pathogenesis in these marine animals are of the utmost importance

Correlates of Dietary Behaviors Among Young Emirati Males Completing Compulsory Military Service

INTRODUCTION: It is important to understand the correlates of different dietary behaviors in a military context in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to guide intervention development to prevent and treat obesity as it has a significant impact at the country and regional level. This study aimed to assess different dietary behaviors and their association with potential correlates including age, marital status, educational level, smoking status, screen time, dietary knowledge, eating self-efficacy, and general self-efficacy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study used a cross-sectional design and included 153 (M = 25.9 years, SD = ± 3.2) military recruits completing their basic training at a single military camp in the UAE. Dietary behaviors of these recruits were measured using the Arab Teens Lifestyle Study. Other potential correlates included dietary knowledge, general self-efficacy, and eating efficacy. The ethical approval was obtained from the research ethics committee in the UAE university. RESULTS: Daily intake of fruits, vegetables, and breakfast was reported by 14.4%, 25.5%, and 22.9% of the military recruits, respectively. Almost half of the recruits (46.4%) consumed sugar-sweetened drinks more than 3 times a week, 39.2% consumed fast food more than 3 times a week, and 37.3% consumed sweets/chocolates more than 3 times a week. Bivariate regression analyses revealed that eating self-efficacy was positively associated with breakfast and dairy food consumption, although it was inversely associated with sugar, fast-food, and French fries intake. Age was significantly and inversely associated with sugar, fast-food, and energy drink intake. Moreover, nutrition knowledge was significantly and positively correlated with vegetable intake and negatively correlated with energy drink consumption. Multiple regressions showed that lower age and lower eating self-efficacy were found to be the main predictors for sugar-sweetened drinks (adjusted R2 = 0.112) and fast-food intake (adjusted R2 = 0.084). Also, a higher dietary knowledge score was a predictor of vegetable intake (adjusted R2 = 0.093), although age and smoking predict energy drink intake (adjusted R2 = 0.225). CONCLUSIONS: The results show that unhealthy eating patterns are common among new recruits in the UAE military. The study suggests that age, eating self-efficacy, and nutrition knowledge are the main correlates of selected dietary behaviors. Interventions are advised to target these correlates to achieve healthier dietary habits inside the military