bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Intervening to Reduce Sedentary Behaviors and Childhood Obesity among School-Age Youth: A Systematic Review of Randomized Trials
Authors: Leung May May , Agaronov Alen , Grytsenko Kateryna , Yeh Ming-Chin
Published: October 2011

Objective. To assess the effectiveness of interventions that focus on reducing sedentary behavior (SB) among school-age youth and to identify elements associated with interventions' potential for translation into practice settings.Methods. A comprehensive literature search was conducted using 4 databases for peer-reviewed studies published between 1980 and April 2011. Randomized trials, which lasted at least 12 weeks, aimed at decreasing SB among children aged 6 to 19 years were identified.Results. Twelve studies were included; 3 focused only on SB, 1 focused on physical activity (PA), 6 were combined SB and PA interventions, and 2 studies targeted SB, PA, and diet. The majority of the studies were conducted in a school setting, while others were conducted in such settings as clinics, community centers, and libraries.Conclusions. Overall, interventions that focused on decreasing SB were associated with reduction in time spent on SB and/or improvements in anthropometric measurements related to childhood obesity. Several of the studies did consider elements related to the intervention's potential for translation into practice settings.
Intra- and Interobserver Variability of Intrapartum Cardiotocography: A Multicenter Study Comparing the FIGO Classification with Computer Analysis Software
Authors: Schiermeier S. , Westhof G. , Leven A. , Hatzmann H. , Reinhard J.
Published: October 2011

Objective: To evaluate and compare the computer analyzing software system with subjective interpretation using the FIGO classification of intrapartum cardiotocograms. Methods: Twenty-four obstetricians and 19 midwives from 3 hospitals [19 junior (≤3 years) and 24 senior (>3 years) experience] participated in this study. Forty-three doctors and midwifes interpreted intrapartum cardiotocographic (CTG) readings from 12 parturients without knowing the clinical outcome. Two CTG readings were repeated for evaluation of the intraobserver variability. Inter- and intraobserver agreement in CTG interpretation using the FIGO score and the computer analyzing software was assessed via proportions of agreement (Pa), with 95% confidence intervals. The level of inter- and intraobserver agreement was analyzed by calculating Pa values for CTG baseline, variability, accelerations and decelerations. Results: In total, for all parameters of the FIGO classification, Pa was very low. The highest 95% confidence level of Pa was found for the baseline parameter (0.49–1.01), and the lowest for the parameter acceleration. No significant difference was seen between obstetricians and midwifes as well as between junior and senior experience. In assessments of normal cases, the Pa were significantly higher than in pathological readings. Conclusion: Computer analyzing software can reduce the high inter- and intraobserver variability; however, further studies are needed to find out whether this can improve fetal outcome and reduce the number of Cesarean sections.
Pyrrolidine Dithiocarbamate Attenuates Nuclear Factor-ĸB Activation, Cyclooxygenase-2 Expression and Prostaglandin E2 Production in Human Endometriotic Epithelial Cells
Authors: Zhang Jing-jing , Xu Zhi-ming , Chang Hong , Zhang Chun-mei , Dai Hong-ying , Ji Xin-qiang , Li Chao , Wang Xu-fu
Published: October 2011

Background: The nuclear factor-ĸB (NF-ĸB) pathway activates many of the target genes that are critical to the initiation and establishment of endometriosis. We sought to examine the potential application of pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC), a potent NF-ĸB inhibitor, in the treatment of endometriosis. Methods: The phosphorylation of IĸB, expression of nuclear p65 protein and NF-ĸB DNA binding in endometriotic epithelial cells (EECs), endometriotic eutopic epithelial cells (EuECs) and normal epithelial cells (NECs) were detected by Western blot analysis and electrophoretic mobility shift assay. Cyclooxgenase-2 (COX-2) gene and protein expressions in EECs were measured by RT-PCR and Western blot analysis. Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) production of EECs was measured by ELISA. Results: PDTC in the absence or presence of tumor necrosing factor-α (TNF-α) showed stronger inhibitory effects on IĸB phosphorylation, expression of nuclear p65 protein and NF-ĸB DNA-binding activity in EECs than in EuECs or NECs. Pretreatment of EECs with PDTC resulted in a dose-dependent reduction in the TNF-α-induced expressions of COX-2 at gene and protein levels, as well as a reduction of PGE2 synthesis. Conclusion: PDTC may represent a novel therapeutic strategy for treatment of endometriosis.
First-Trimester Adiponectin and Subsequent Development of Preeclampsia or Fetal Growth Restriction
Authors: Valdés Enrique R. , Lattes Karinna A. , Muñoz Hernán S. , Barja Pilar Y. , Papapietro Karin V.
Published: October 2011

Background/Aims: The evidence regarding the utility of assessing first-trimester adiponectin (ApN) serum levels in early prediction of preeclampsia (PE) and fetal growth restriction (FGR) is contradictory. This study aims to determine the role of maternal serum ApN levels as an early predictor of PE and FGR. Methods: A prospective case-control study among a pregnant population who attended their 11- to 14-week ultrasound scan at the University of Chile’s Clinical Hospital’s Fetal Medicine Unit. We included patients who developed PE or FGR (10 cases per group) and 35 healthy controls. We determined ApN levels in blood samples from these 55 patients using a commercial ELISA kit and assessed the relationship of ApN levels with variables like development of PE, FGR, weight at birth and maternal BMI. Results: There were no significant differences among first-trimester ApN serum levels in the groups. Average concentrations were 8, 6.8 and 10.8 ng/ml for the control, PE and FGR groups, respectively. Conclusion: In our study, maternal serum ApN levels were not useful in predicting subsequent development of PE and FGR. However, maternal serum ApN concentration adjusted by BMI was significantly higher during the first trimester in women who later developed FGR.
Genetic and Functional Effects of Membrane Metalloendopeptidase on Diabetic Nephropathy Development
Authors: Zhang Dongying , Gu Tianwei , Forsberg Elisabete , Efendic Suad , Brismar Kerstin , Gu Harvest F.
Published: October 2011

Background/Aims: Vasopeptidase as an agent inhibits membrane metalloendopeptidase (MME, also known as neutral endopeptidase). MME is widely distributed in the body and particularly abundant in the kidney. The MME gene is located on chromosome 3q25.1 within a linkage region for diabetic nephropathy (DN). The present study aims to evaluate the genetic and functional effects of MME in the development of DN. Methods: A case-control genetic study of the MME gene in type 1 diabetes (T1D) patients with and without DN (n = 578/599) was performed. All subjects were selected from the Genetics of Kidneys in Diabetes study. Genotyping was performed with TagMan allelic discrimination. Mme mRNA and protein expression levels in kidney tissues of db/db mice at the ages of 5, 12 and 26 weeks were analyzed with TaqMan real-time RT-PCR and Western blot. Results: The haplotype A-C constructed with single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) rs3796268A/G and rs3773885C/T in the MME gene was found to be associated with DN (p = 0.015, OR = 1.33, 95% CI 1.05–1.68) in female T1D patients. Further analyses of renal traits in T1D patients with DN and end-stage renal disease according to the genotypes of SNP rs3773885 indicated that the C allele carriers had higher serum creatinine levels compared to the subjects carrying T allele in both females and males. Mme expression at mRNA and protein levels was upregulated in kidneys of db/db mice at the ages of 12 and 26 weeks (p = 0.017 and <0.001) but not at the age of 5 weeks compared to the controls. Conclusions: The present study provides the first evidence that MME has genetic and biological effects on the development of DN, and suggests that the inhibition of MME expression in the kidney with the agent of vasopeptidase may be a useful therapeutic approach for this disease.
Cholesterol Granuloma of the Middle Ear in Post-Irradiated Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Patients
Authors: Yang Haidi , Zheng Yiqing , Chen Suijun , Liang Maojin , Zhang Zhigang , Xu Yaodong , Liu Xiang
Published: October 2011

Background/Aims: To evaluate the surgical outcome of tympanoplasty with mastoidectomy for cholesterol granuloma of the middle ear in post-irradiated patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Methods: Nine post-irradiated NPC patients diagnosed with cholesterol granuloma in a single-sided middle ear were included in this study. The time from radiotherapy termination to surgery ranged from 6 to 14 years (median 9 years). All patients underwent radical tympanoplasty with canal wall down or up mastoidectomy. Results: All the patients with NPC received radiotherapy of 68–75 Gy before surgery. Three ears underwent tympanoplasty with canal wall down mastoidectomy, and 6 ears underwent tympanoplasty with canal wall up mastoidectomy. All the patients were followed up for at least 2 years. Seven ears (77.8%) had an intact tympanic membrane and 2 ears developed re-perforation of the eardrum 3 months after surgery, but otorrhea decreased significantly. All these patients reported improved quality of life after surgery. Before the operation, the pure tone averages (0.25, 0.5, 1, 2 kHz) were 90.5 dB and the air-bone gaps (0.5, 1, 2 kHz) were 45.8 dB (vs. 62.3 and 25.5 dB, respectively, at 6 months after the operation). Conclusions: Most post-irradiated NPC patients with cholesterol granuloma of the middle ear benefit from this surgery. Chronic otitis media caused by radiotherapy is not a contraindication to tympanoplasty.
Efficient Blind Dereverberation and Echo Cancellation Based on Independent Component Analysis for Actual Acoustic Signals
Authors: Takeda Ryu , Nakadai Kazuhiro , Takahashi Toru , Komatani Kazunori , Ogata Tetsuya , Okuno Hiroshi G.
Published: October 2011

This letter presents a new algorithm for blind dereverberation and echo cancellation based on independent component analysis (ICA) for actual acoustic signals. We focus on frequency domain ICA (FD-ICA) because its computational cost and speed of learning convergence are sufficiently reasonable for practical applications such as hands-free speech recognition. In applying conventional FD-ICA as a preprocessing of automatic speech recognition in noisy environments, one of the most critical problems is how to cope with reverberations. To extract a clean signal from the reverberant observation, we model the separation process in the short-time Fourier transform domain and apply the multiple input/output inverse-filtering theorem (MINT) to the FD-ICA separation model. A naive implementation of this method is computationally expensive, because its time complexity is the second order of reverberation time. Therefore, the main issue in dereverberation is to reduce the high computational cost of ICA. In this letter, we reduce the computational complexity to the linear order of the reverberation time by using two techniques: (1) a separation model based on the independence of delayed observed signals with MINT and (2) spatial sphering for preprocessing. Experiments show that the computational cost grows in proportion to the linear order of the reverberation time and that our method improves the word correctness of automatic speech recognition by 10 to 20 points in a RT20= 670 ms reverberant environment.
Mathematical Equivalence of Two Common Forms of Firing Rate Models of Neural Networks
Authors: Miller Kenneth D. , Fumarola Francesco
Published: October 2011

We demonstrate the mathematical equivalence of two commonly used forms of firing rate model equations for neural networks. In addition, we show that what is commonly interpreted as the firing rate in one form of model may be better interpreted as a low-pass-filtered firing rate, and we point out a conductance-based firing rate model.
Cross-Talk Induces Bifurcations in Nonlinear Models of Synaptic Plasticity
Authors: Elliott Terry
Published: October 2011

Linear models of synaptic plasticity provide a useful starting-point for examining the dynamics of neuronal development and learning, but their inherent problems are well known. Models of synaptic plasticity that embrace the demands of biological realism are therefore typically nonlinear. Viewed from a more abstract perspective, nonlinear models of synaptic plasticity are a subset of nonlinear dynamical systems. As such, they may therefore exhibit bifurcations under the variation of control parameters, including noise and errors in synaptic updates. One source of noise or error is the cross-talk that occurs during otherwise Hebbian plasticity. Under cross-talk, stimulation of a set of synapses can induce or modify plasticity in adjacent, unstimulated synapses. Here, we analyze two nonlinear models of developmental synaptic plasticity and a model of independent component analysis in the presence of a simple model of cross-talk. We show that cross-talk does indeed induce bifurcations in these models, entirely destroying their ability to acquire either developmentally or learning-related patterns of fixed points. Importantly, the critical level of cross-talk required to induce bifurcations in these models is very sensitive to the statistics of the afferents’ activities and the number of afferents synapsing on a postsynaptic cell. In particular, the critical level can be made arbitrarily small. Because bifurcations are inevitable in nonlinear models, our results likely apply to many nonlinear models of synaptic plasticity, although the precise details vary by model. Hence, many nonlinear models of synaptic plasticity are potentially fatally compromised by the toxic influence of cross-talk and other sources of noise and errors more generally. We conclude by arguing that biologically realistic models of synaptic plasticity must be robust against noise-induced bifurcations and that biological systems may have evolved strategies to circumvent their possible dangers.
Lack of Legacy? Shadows of Surveillance after the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany
Authors: Eick Volker
Published: October 2011

The FIFA World Cup 2006 in Germany saw the largest display of domestic security since 1945. More than 250 000 police officers from the state and federal police, 7000 military guards, 20 000 private security contractors and an unknown number of intelligence service officers operated in the 12 host cities during the four-week event. In addition, more than 20 000 volunteers took part in security and safety measures, constituting what have become known as ‘pop-up armies’. Surveillance technologies were deployed, including but not limited to airborne warning and control system planes (AWACS), a variety of security robots, video surveillance cameras and radio frequency identification chips (RFID). Data banks stored more than 250 000 personal data files of FIFA employees and another 10 million of those persons applying for tickets. The paper first describes how, since the early 20th century, FIFA has been embracing neo-liberalism as a ‘neo-communitarian entrepreneur’. Secondly, it analyses how FIFA enabled itself to set the preconditions for candidate and host cities to carry out the event. Thirdly, it develops the concept of ‘legacy’ in order to allow for an understanding of the World Cup’s positive and negative impacts for all stakeholders involved. Fourthly, it examines the 2006 World Cup in Germany as a sports-related ‘security assemblage’, deciphering why parts of the assemblage were dismantled whereas others remained after the World Cup was over. Finally, it draws some conclusions about the role of FIFA as an incubator for a ‘sustained securitisation’ of host and post-host cities.
From ‘Violence-complacent’ to ‘Terrorist-ready’
Authors: Schimmel Kimberly S.
Published: October 2011

This study focuses on emerging discourses of stadium and event security at the US National Football League’s (NFL) annual Super Bowl game. Unlike the championship series in other US sports leagues in which games are located in the cities of the teams that qualify, the NFL’s Super Bowl game is ‘awarded’ to cities after a competitive bidding process. The Super Bowl provides an interesting case study because football stadia are now developed based not only on franchise owners’ demands regarding profit and control, but also on the NFL’s requirements for hosting a Super Bowl. These requirements reach beyond the confines of the stadium itself and into the urban spaces and communities in which stadia are located. In this new geo-political context, ‘Super-Bowl-ready’ means shifting from ‘violence-complacent’ to ‘terrorist-ready’—indeed, since 9/11, the US government has classified the Super Bowl as a ‘national special security event’. Both the host city and the event are, in military parlance, ‘target-rich environments’, offering tantalising opportunities for ‘terrorists’ to strike at the very heart of the ‘American way of life’. This new discourse of security complicates the longstanding and well-documented rhetoric connecting stadium development with urban growth. Rather than replace the pro-growth discourse, post-9/11 frames were effectively incorporated by journalists into the pro-growth discourse—both vulnerability and safety are now presented as contributing to the ‘fact’ that hosting a Super Bowl is good for the city-as-a-whole.
Calling the Shots
Authors: Armstrong Gary , Hobbs Dick , Lindsay Iain
Published: October 2011

The Olympic Games promise great things; world peace and the transformation of the host city are but two ambitions of the Olympic Movement. The benefits and changes that the 2012 Olympics are supposed to bring to the London Borough of Newham—which will host some 80 per cent of the Olympic events—have been much lauded by the Olympic apparatchiks who typically proselytise about the transformation of communities, countries and individuals via the staging of the Games. The local Organising Committee and others—typically within the real estate sector—are the people who shape these sentiments into particular land deals that will serve to justify the plethora of deals, contracts and developments. Whilst the Olympics are about transformations, ostensibly in the lives of athletes, ordinary people and communities, transformations of an even more lasting sort occur in the Olympic neighbourhood through massive construction and servicing contracts. The Olympics are also about discipline which plays out not only in terms of the preparation of athletes to perform at their utmost, but is imperative to all the arrangements required to host such a huge event. For the good of the Games, people living in the shadow of the 2012 Olympic stadium face having their movements and their neighbourhoods subjected to all manner of prohibitions and limitations.
Investigation of tool wear and surface integrity on MQL machining of Ti-6AL-4V using biodegradable oil
Authors: Rahim E A , Sasahara H
Published: October 2011

Minimum quantity lubrication (MQL) machining involves the application of small quantity of lubricant to the tool–workpiece interface. This paper describes the results of an investigation on the effects of using different MQL lubricants (synthetic ester and palm oil) on the drilling of Ti-6Al-4V. Dry cutting was also performed for comparison purposes. It was found that drilling under dry conditions resulted in the shortest tool life due to severe chipping. MQL is beneficial to the measured responses such as tool life, thrust force, torque, and temperature. The outstanding performance of palm oil in reducing the value of those responses was attributed to its ability to form a thin film which promoted boundary lubrication during the machining process. The presented results indicated the substantial benefit of using palm oil in terms of microhardness, surface roughness, and subsurface deformation. This work shows that palm oil can be used as a viable alternative to a synthetic ester as a MQL lubricant.
The effect of pressure on thermal diffusivity in pyroxenes
Authors: Hunt S. A. , Walker A. M. , McCormack R. J. , Dobson D. P. , Wills A. S. , Li L.
Published: October 2011

The thermal diffusivity of diopside, jadeite and enstatite were measured at simultaneous pressures and temperatures of up to 7 GPa and 1200 K using the X-radiographic Ångström method. The measurements herein show that the pressure dependency of thermal diffusivity in pyroxenes is significantly greater than in olivine or garnet and that in the MORB-layer of a subducting slab the thermal diffusivity of pyroxenes are a factor of 1.5 greater than that of olivine. The temperature dependence of all the data sets is well described by a low-order polynomial fit to 1/K and the pressure dependence is exponential in 1/K, formulations which are consistent with the damped harmonic oscillator model for thermal properties.
High-pressure crystal structure investigation of synthetic Fe2SiO4spinel
Authors: Nestola F. , Balić-Žunić T. , Koch-Müller M. , Secco L. , Princivalle F. , Parisi F. , Dal Negro A.
Published: October 2011

The crystal structure of Fe2SiO4spinel at room temperature was investigated at seven different pressures by X-ray diffraction, using a diamond anvil cell to examine the influence of Fe substitution on ringwoodite behaviour at high pressure. The results compared with those of a pure Mg endmember show that the substitution of Fe into the spinel structure causes only small changes in the compression rate of coordination polyhedra and the distortion of the octahedron. The data show that the compression rate for the octahedron and tetrahedron in (Mg,Fe)2SiO4can be considered statistically equal for FeO6and MgO6, as well as for SiO4in both the endmembers. This shows why almost identical bulk moduli are reported along the solid solution in recent literature.
Synthesis, Photochromic, and Electrical Properties of Diarylethene Derivatives Having 9-Carbazolyl or 2-(1,3,4-Oxadiazolyl) Group as Carrier Mobilization Sites
Authors: Tani Keita , Kubono Koji , Hori Kazushige , Shoji Kentaro , Shiga Goji , Yamamoto Muneyuki , Tsujioka Tsuyoshi
Published: October 2011

Diarylethene derivatives, 1c and 1d, having carrier mobilization sites have been synthesized. Their photochromic properties are examined both in solution and in thin film. Current–voltage characteristics at photostationary state of 1c and 1d showed drastic current increase compared with the corresponding open-ring isomers 1c and 1d, respectively.
Inhibitor-substituted Boron-dipyrromethene as a Turn-on Fluorescence Probe for Enzymes
Authors: Tsuji Tomohiro , Gonda Katsuya , Aoyama Yasuhiro , Tokunaga Takeshi , Sando Shinsuke
Published: October 2011

Benzenesulfonamide is a known inhibitor of carbonic anhydrase (CA). 8-[4-(Aminosulfonyl)phenyl]-BODIPY is designed as an inhibitor–dye conjugate for turn-on fluorescence sensing of CA, and binds specifically to bovine carbonic anhydrase in water with Ka = 1.04 ± 0.25 × 107 M−1 (Kd = 0.96 × 10−7 M) with concomitant increase in the fluorescence intensity of the former by a factor of 2.5–2.8 because of the steric constraint imposed on the probe by the enzyme.
Computed tomography versus ureteroscopy in identification of renal tract stone with ureteral stent in situ
Authors: Tang VCY , Attwell-Heap A
Published: October 2011

INTRODUCTION

The aim of this study was to validate the use of non-contrast computed tomography (CT) with a ureteral stent in situ instead of ureteroscopy for identification of renal tract stones.

METHODS

All patients who had stents inserted for renal tract stones and underwent non-contrast CT with the stent in situ followed by ureteroscopy between May 2008 and October 2009 at The Canberra Hospital, Australia, were analysed retrospectively. Statistical analysis was performed to compare any differences between CT and ureteroscopy in the identification of stones.

RESULTS

Overall, 57 patients were included in the study. The difference between CT and ureteroscopy findings was statistically significant. CT identification of stones with a stent in situ had a sensitivity of 86%, a specificity of 46%, a positive predictive value of 63%, a negative predictive value of 76% and an accuracy of 67%.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study suggests that non-contrast CT is inferior to the ‘gold standard’ of ureteroscopy. It lacks sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy. Therefore, we cannot recommend using non-contrast CT to replace ureteroscopy.
A review of national selection into core surgical training
Authors: Scott Humphrey , Ridley-Pearson Vicky , Horwood Adrian
Published: October 2011

In 2011 a national selection pilot project into core surgical training (CST) at entry level, CT1, took place within England and Wales. Its unique model succeeded with a 100% fill rate and is a strong platform for national selection into CST in the future.
A Surgical Collaboration in Sierra Leone
Authors: Groen Reinou S , Kamara Thaim B , Kingham T Peter , Kushner Adam L
Published: October 2011

In the developing world a woman in labour, a child with appendicitis, or someone with a broken leg may die because of a lack of adequate surgical care. Such people are seldom served by hospitals and even if they are, the staff often lack essential resources and may be untrained. If patients can find a qualified surgeon, families must often provide the necessary supplies: gauze, intravenous equipment, scalpels, sutures and sterile gloves. The result is that far too often people die or are left disabled from conditions that could have been addressed with simple and cost-effective cures if they had been available.
12 hours (recurring): Working for Médecins Sans Frontières in the DR Congo
Authors: Bullock Marc
Published: October 2011

Marc Bullock describes an intense six-week period that he spent as a surgeon attached to Médecins Sans Frontières in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The working environment and the exotic cases he encountered, partly a reflection on the violence that dominates the region, are bound to have had a profound personal and professional impact. I would imagine that this report will inspire some trainees to seek a similar experience.
The College's Inaugural Student Summer School
Authors: Burt Jenny , Wade Anca , Davies Nigel , Roberts Jane , Larvin Mike
Published: October 2011

On Monday 8 August 2011 the College opened its doors for the first Summer School in Anatomy and Practical Skills for medical students, planned in response to a perceived deficit in anatomy teaching for those intending to become surgeons. Richard Collins first proposed the idea, inspired by German medical summer camps, and students were asked what they would like to see in a week-long programme. They advised against didactic lectures, preferring 'hands-on' activities with prosections as well as instruction in surgical skills. Authoritative career guidance was also requested.
The Lecture Rolls of Sir Joseph Lister
Authors: King Louise
Published: October 2011

Sir Joseph Lister is most famous as the pioneer of antiseptic surgery. As well as being a practising surgeon he taught at Glasgow, Edinburgh and King's College London. We hold an impressive Lister collection (ref. MS0021) including correspondence, case notes, drawings, commonplace books and lecture notes. These large rolled drawings are the equivalent of PowerPoint slides today and we believe that Lister's wife Agnes (daughter of Professor James Syme) produced them, as she kept most of his records for him. The drawings on the rolls show bacteria viewed through a microscope, in combinations of solutions of sour milk, boiled milk, Pasteur's salt solution and urine.
A systematic review of enhanced recovery protocols in colorectal surgery
Authors: Rawlinson A , Kang P , Evans J , Khanna A
Published: October 2011

INTRODUCTION

Colorectal surgery has been associated with a complication rate of 15–20% and mean postoperative inpatient stays of 6–11 days. The principles of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) are well established and have been developed to optimise perioperative care and facilitate discharge. The purpose of this systematic review is to present an updated review of perioperative care in colorectal surgery from the available evidence and ERAS group recommendations.

METHODS

Systematic searches of the PubMed and Embase™ databases and the Cochrane library were conducted. A hand search of bibliographies of identified studies was conducted to identify any additional articles missed by the initial search strategy.

RESULTS

A total of 59 relevant studies were identified. These included six randomised controlled trials and seven clinical controlled trials that fulfilled the inclusion criteria. These studies showed reductions in duration of inpatient stays in the ERAS groups compared with more traditional care as well as reductions in morbidity and mortality rates.

CONCLUSIONS

Reviewing the data reveals that ERAS protocols have a role in reducing postoperative morbidity and result in an accelerated recovery following colorectal surgery. Similarly, both primary and overall hospital stays are reduced significantly. However, the available evidence suggests that ERAS protocols do not reduce hospital readmissions or mortality. These findings help to confirm that ERAS protocols should now be implemented as the standard approach for perioperative care in colorectal surgery.
A case study in compromise: The Green & Black’s brand of ethical chocolate
Authors: Khamis Susie
Published: October 2011

Since the early 1990s, numerous corporations have signaled their social responsibility by marketing goods and services in ostensibly ethical terms. This phenomenon rests on the discourse of ethical consumption. The practice is predicated on consumers’ interest in such matters,
which are often of a humanitarian or environmentalist nature. In turn, consumers can either reward brands and businesses that are similarly inclined, or punish those that are not. This article considers both the efficacy and politics of such activity through the Green & Black’s brand
of organic, Fairtrade chocolate. This was the first Fairtrade product sold in the United Kingdom. The nuanced dynamics of the Green & Black’s brand though underline the necessary compromise of ethical consumption, and reflect a complex grid of contingent ideals and institutionalized
hurdles. This article shows how, in articulating a popularly agreeable narrative, the brand’s ethics involves an inherent trade between quantitative gains at a qualitative cost.
In search of the great Australian (graphic) novel
Authors: Patrick Kevin
Published: October 2011

The critical acclaim enjoyed by such recent Australian graphic novels as Shaun Tan’s The Arrival (2006) and Nicki Greenberg’s adaptation of The Great Gatsby (2007) suggested that Australia had finally ‘caught up’ with the United States and Britain, by embracing
the graphic novel as a legitimate creative medium, on a par with literature and cinema. The media interest generated by a succession of Australian graphic novels during recent years often implied that their very existence was a relatively new phenomenon. Accepting this premise without question,
however, overlooks the evolution of the graphic novel in Australia, early examples of which – such as Syd Nicholls’ Middy Malone: A Book Pirates (1941) – date back to the 1940s. Documenting how historical changes in the production and dissemination of graphic novels in Australia
have influenced their critical and popular reception therefore creates new opportunities to explore a largely overlooked facet of Australian print culture. Furthermore, the study of the graphic novel in an exclusively Australian context provides a new perspective for re-examining the origins,
definitions and, indeed, the limitations of the term ‘graphic novel’, and extends the parameters of the academic literature devoted to the medium beyond the traditionally dominant Anglo-American focus.
Historicizing the zoot: Masculinity, misreading and Mexican American men’s perception of the zoot suit in World War II Los Angeles
Authors: Gerardo G. Mehera
Published: October 2011

This article provides a gendered analysis of the zoot suit and the Zoot Suit Riots. It focuses on the perspective of young Mexican American zoot suiters and emphasizes that their understanding of the zoot suit’s meaning varied considerably from that of their attackers. The article
provides a historiographical overview of the zoot suit and the Zoot Suit Riots, incorporating both design and social scientific perspectives. It builds upon the existing historiography by incorporating sources that emphasize the experiences, statements and actions of Mexican American zoot
suiters in the 1940s. It concludes that Mexican Americans did not adopt the zoot suit style as an expression of resistance. In contrast, the men who attacked Mexican Americans during the riots did so because they interpreted the zoot suit as a sign of subversion.
The Dutch Animation Collection: a work in progress
Authors: Peters Mette , Bosma Peter
Published: October 2011

Dutch animation film has a history that goes back to the first decades of the twentieth century. Over the course of this history many Dutch animation film-makers have been internationally successful; their work has been shown at major festivals and they have received many awards. This
text observes that many of these films became unknown for contemporary audiences. The situation of the Dutch animation heritage will be investigated in more detail, and touch upon the contemporary position of animation film in the field of preservation and film archives in general. The focus
of the text will be the practice of a research project initiated by the Netherlands Institute for Animation Film (NIAf) that intends to enhance the safeguarding of Dutch animation, and by doing so making films accessible and available for research and public presentations.
Dissensus and the politics of collaborative practice
Authors: Charnley Kim
Published: October 2011

The tensions that exist in thinking around politicized collaborative art are exemplified by the theoretical positions taken by Claire Bishop and Grant Kester. Bishop argues that the autonomy of the artist is indispensable to the critical function of collaborative art, and that this
is impeded by an ‘ethical turn’ in criticism that promotes ‘the sacrifice of authorship in the name of a “true” and respectful collaboration’ (Bishop 2006a: 181). By contrast, Kester affirms that ethical reflection is a central feature of collaborative art,
where the artist must overcome their own privileged status in order to create an equal dialogue with participants. This article is an attempt to move beyond the polarized form of debate between these two theorists. It argues that collaborative art is defined by a contradiction where an apparently
free aesthetic space is superimposed on the social and institutional reality of art with all of its implicit exclusions. Despite appearances, the positions of Kester and Bishop are complicit in their attempt to expel this contradiction. This article argues that this contradiction must be regarded
as the foundation of the political in collaborative art. In doing so it suggests that Ranci concept ‘dissensus’ offers scope for mapping the paradoxical complexity of the interdependence of ethical, aesthetic and political issues in the liminal space between art and the social.
Retro-Spective: ‘Places with a Past’ – New site-specific art in Charleston, Spoleto Festival USA, 1991
Authors: Wilson Mick
Published: October 2011

Adopting the form of a retrospective review of the temporary site-specific public art programme curated by Mary Jane Jacob at the Spoleto Festival in 1991, this article contextualizes the project with reference to both subsequent critical responses and the broader informal professional
reception of the programme. Consideration is given to the contestation of traditional museum practices; the construction of counter-histories; questions of affect and ethical positioning; questions of mediation and the conditions of critique; and the reputational stakes involved in experimental
public art outside the traditional centres of the contemporary art world. The article concludes by asserting the importance of attending to everyday operational and reputational practices in constructing critical accounts and analyses of public culture.
Performative tactics and the choreographic reinvention of public space
Authors: Patrick Martin
Published: October 2011

Recently a multitude of artists’ endeavours to creatively engage with the public space have become more aligned with the temporal than the spatial. This shift away from traditional notions of public space has allowed for an increasingly elusive, radically dispersed number of events
and intervals to occur. Projects incorporating site-specificity have also shown a greater preoccupation with so-called non-spaces and non-sites. Many such artworks can be characterized by their movement from the grandiose to the more intimate in scale. Practices rooted in institutional critique
now foreground playfulness rather than pontificate, although nonetheless maintaining a concertedly premeditated approach incorporating multiple angles, vantage points, and media. Much recent art has been involved with a choreographic turn as artists stage, configure, and orchestrate their
creative actions. This article discusses a variety of these projects including artworks by Mark Boulos, Harrell Fletcher, Sharon Hayes, Toby Huddlestone, Tino Sehgal, Jane Tsong, and The Yes Men.
Use of online versus offline information sources by tourists
Authors: López Manuela , Sicilia Maria
Published: October 2011

Understanding how tourists acquire knowledge is crucial to developing effective marketing communication strategies. With the advent of the Internet, tourist information search strategies have changed drastically. However, few studies have analysed their new search patterns in depth.
This article analyses preferred information sources including both personal and impersonal sources. The trade-off between online and offline sources is also examined. Results indicate that travellers seek more information online when the source is impersonal. For personal sources and for long,
expensive and foreign trips, offline sources still remain crucial.
Recommendation culture’s influence on the promotional communication of Spanish autonomous community brands
Authors: Lozano Natàlia
Published: October 2011

The irruption of social media in the tourism sector has transformed the way people plan their trips. Nowadays users can experience their stay before going to the destination by watching other tourists’ videos, reading others’ referrals before booking a hotel, and making
enquiries about the must-sees of a region. These user-generated content websites have promoted the appearance of a new recommendation culture. This new communicative sphere has had a significant impact on the tourism sector, with destination marketing organizations obliged to find meaningful
and engaging new ways to attract more tourists to their territories. This article analyses and classifies the influence of this new recommendation culture on mainly online promotional communication strategies, tactics and messages of destination marketing organizations in each of the Spanish
autonomous communities.
Beyond control: Rethinking industry and craft dynamics
Authors: Woolley Martin
Published: October 2011

This article explores a different strategic role for the crafts in relation to contemporary industry, together with an analysis of potential benefits considered in two ways: first, as a pervasive craft influence to stimulate new design thinking, markets and values, within appropriate
industrial contexts; and second, as a series of hands-on, craft interventions that directly affect the quality, aesthetics and role of products. The article examines the current and potential position of the crafts relative to art, design, industry and consumer culture, through a series of
related schematic models. These trace the relationship of craft to practice, thinking and influence, and identify the related demands on the craftsperson in the move from a personal paradigm of making to the broader paradigm of production. It is argued that contemporary crafts should contribute
to the production of socially directed goods of long-term value to a wider society than the current craft market niche.
Insights from formal testing of civics and citizenship learning in Australia
Authors: Mellor Suzanne
Published: October 2011

The national assessment programme in civics and citizenship (NAP-CC), conducted in Australia in 2004 and 2007, collected achievement data on the knowledge and understandings – of both cognition and dispositional orientation – of year 6 and year 10 students. The test instruments
for both cycles broke new ground, especially in relation to the testing of student disposition to civics and citizenship participation and engagement, and enabled students to give creative and focussed responses to a range of citizenship concepts.

The 'civics and citizenship literacy achievement
scales' for both cycles indicate student achievement is variable, and generally low level. The 'student background survey' in the second cycle sought data and information about variables with explanatory power as to the demonstrated levels of achievement. Analyses of student background and
school programme data identified factors that appear to have a significant effect on achievement.

The article describes contextual developments which influenced the assessments, provides an analysis of the achievement and background data and reflects on what the reported findings, especially
from the second cycle, have revealed about students and their civics and citizenship learning experiences in Australian schools.
From getting along to democratic engagement: Moving toward deep diversity in citizenship education
Authors: Peck Carla L. , Thompson Laura A. , Chareka Ottilia , Joshee Reva , Sears Alan
Published: October 2011

For much of Canada's history, diversity has been a defining characteristic of the country and has preoccupied and bedevilled policymakers. Policy and practice in Canada has moved from attempts to assimilate minority groups to fostering respect and appreciation for diversity. We argue,
however, that attention to diversity education remains superficial and limited. In this article we provide an overview of policy and practice in education about and for diversity in Canada, make connections between that and policy and practice in citizenship education. We also review findings
from research in the area, and lay out possible directions for moving the field forward. Like other democracies Canada has struggled to balance recognition and respect for diversity with concerns about social cohesion and we believe Canada's unique experience in this area can provide valuable
insights to researchers and practitioners in other jurisdictions.
A good global neighbour: Scotland, Malawi and global citizenship
Authors: Enslin Penny , Hedge Nicki
Published: October 2011

Used to express the international aspirations of Universities Scotland, the idea of the good global neighbour is reflected in the 2005 'Cooperation Agreement' between Scotland and Malawi and represents a challenging metaphor for global citizenship. We develop a critical but sympathetic
account of the idea of the good global neighbour and its uptake in Scotland. The notion of the global neighbour is identified as a form of qualified moral partiality, appropriate to the shifting understandings of geographical borders occasioned by globalization. In this article, we highlight
that this qualified partiality is reflected in Scottish policy, and its historical basis is also described. Finally, in considering a potential postcolonial criticism of this deployment of the idea of the good global neighbour, we reflect on implications for higher education policy in Scotland
and its implicit assumptions about global citizenship.
Going global: Young Europeans' aspirations and actions for the future
Authors: Holden Cathie , Minty Sarah
Published: October 2011

Do young people of today feel themselves to be global citizens? If so, what is it that they care about? Is it politics, poverty, climate change or issues relating to children? Understanding young people's views is important if schools are to be responsive to their needs and prepare
them for life in a rapidly changing world. This article reports on a study into the hopes and fears of over 600 children and young people from a range of schools in the UK for the future of the global community. The sample was drawn from three age groups: eleven, fourteen and seventeen. It
indicates the extent to which young people feel optimistic about the future, informed about current global issues, and motivated to act for change. The UK study was part of a larger study involving Poland and Spain. Comparisons are made with findings from these countries and with earlier UK
studies (Hicks and Holden 1995; Holden 2007). Findings demonstrate that UK pupils are concerned about global issues relating to the environment, war, poverty, and injustice but that they are often misinformed about the causes and possible solutions. They want to be involved in working for
change but action tends to centre around school-initiated fund raising or low level environmental activity. Participation is adult-initiated rather than pupil led. The findings have implications for policy makers and practitioners engaged in education for citizenship and global education.
Listening to what young people have to say reinforces the need for a global dimension in the curriculum which is responsive to their concerns and helps prepare them as active and informed global citizens.
'Political ideas can only be discussed if they are in the syllabus; otherwise a political discussion is not necessary': Teachers' views on citizenship education in Zimbabwe
Authors: Sigauke Aaron T.
Published: October 2011

This study on the introduction of citizenship education in Zimbabwe reviewed teachers' opinions about and preparedness in implementing the programme. Data were collected through in-depth face-to-face interviews with 21 teachers purposefully selected from two high schools in the country.
Interviews focused on teachers' conceptions of citizenship and citizenship education, the status of citizenship education in the curriculum, teaching techniques regarded as appropriate for teaching citizenship issues, assessment and training needs. In the sample there were a wide range of
views on the meaning and purpose of citizenship and citizenship education. While some teachers are positive about the purpose of this subject, others think that it is an attempt to indoctrinate and silence young people from being critical of the government.