El principe destronado (Miguel Delibes, 1973)/ La guerra de papá (Antonio Mercero, 1977) y la tercera vía del cine español

This articles examines Daddy’s War as an example of Third Way cinema, and considers the reasons for its box office success. First, it compares Delibes’s original novel with the film version. Above all, it considers the use of the child’s point of view (underlined in Delibes’s title) and the treatment of the Spanish Civil War (the focus of Mercero’s title). After analysing Daddy’s War in the context of contemporary Spanish auteur and commercial cinemas, it concludes that Mercero finds a half-way house between both tendencies that was enjoyed by audiences. Thus, the film is an example of Spanish middlebrow culture. Finally, the study considers the links between Delibes’s novel, Mercero’s cinema, and Spanish television today.Este artículo examina La guerra de papá como ejemplo de la Tercera Vía, y considera las razones de su éxito de taquilla. Mediante el análisis comparado de la novela original de Delibes y la versión cinematográfica de Mercero, se detiene en el uso del punto de vista infantil (subrayado en el título de Delibes) y el tratamiento de la Guerra Civil (focalizado en el título de Mercero). Tras analizar La guerra de papá en el contexto del cine de autor y cine comercial contemporáneos españoles, concluye que Mercero encuentra un punto de encuentro entre ambas tendencias que explica su éxito de público como un ejemplo de la cultura media española. Por último, el estudio considera los vínculos entre la novela de Delibes, el cine de Mercero, y la televisión española de momento

Integrating GIS approaches with geographic profiling as a novel conservation tool

PhDGeographic profiling (GP) was originally developed to solve the problem of information overload when dealing with cases of serial crime. In criminology, the model uses spatial data relating to the locations of connected crimes to prioritise the search for the criminal’s anchor point (usually a home or workplace), and is extremely successful in this field. Previous work has shown how the same approach can be adapted to biological data, but to date the model has assumed a spatially homogenous landscape, and has made no attempt to integrate more complex spatial information (eg, altitude, land use). It is this issue that I address here. In addition, I show for the first time how the model can be applied to conservation data and – taking the model back to its origins in criminology – to wildlife crime. In Chapter 2, I use the Dirichlet Process Mixture (DPM) model of geographic profiling to locate sleep trees for tarsiers in dense jungle in Indonesia, using as input the locations at which calls were recorded, demonstrating how the model can be applied to locating the nests, dens or roosts of other elusive animals and potentially improving estimates of population size, with important implications for management of both species and habitats. In Chapter 3, I show how spatial information in the form of citizen science could be used to improve a study of invasive mink in the Hebrides. In Chapter 4, I turn to the issue of ‘commuter crime’ in a study of poaching in Savé Valley Conservancy (SVC) in Zimbabwe, in which although poaching occurs inside SVC the majority of poachers live outside, showing how the model can be adjusted to reflect a simple binary classification of the landscape (inside or outside SVC). Finally, in Chapter 5, I combine more complex land use information (estimates of farm density) with the GP model to improve predictions of human-wildlife conflict.National Environment Research Council and Queen Mary University of London

Cinema, popular entertainment, literature and television

This is an attempt to analyze the relationship between spanish cinema and the popular culture and entertainment through its history

<i>El príncipe destronado</i> (Miguel Delibes, 1973)/<i>La guerra de papá</i> (Antonio Mercero, 1977), and third way spanish cinema

This articles examines <i>Daddy’s War</i> as an example of Third Way cinema, and considers the reasons for its box office success. First, it compares Delibes’s original novel with the film version. Above all, it considers the use of the child’s point of view (underlined in Delibes’s title) and the treatment of the Spanish Civil War (the focus of Mercero’s title). After analysing <i>Daddy’s War</i> in the context of contemporary Spanish auteur and commercial cinemas, it concludes that Mercero finds a half-way house between both tendencies that was enjoyed by audiences. Thus, the film is an example of Spanish middlebrow culture. Finally, the study considers the links between Delibes’s novel, Mercero’s cinema, and Spanish television today.<br><br>Este artículo examina <i>La guerra de papá</i> como ejemplo de la Tercera Vía, y considera las razones de su éxito de taquilla. Mediante el análisis comparado de la novela original de Delibes y la versión cinematográfica de Mercero, se detiene en el uso del punto de vista infantil (subrayado en el título de Delibes) y el tratamiento de la Guerra Civil (focalizado en el título de Mercero). Tras analizar <i>La guerra de papá</i> en el contexto del cine de autor y cine comercial contemporáneos españoles, concluye que Mercero encuentra un punto de encuentro entre ambas tendencias que explica su éxito de público como un ejemplo de la cultura media española. Por último, el estudio considera los vínculos entre la novela de Delibes, el cine de Mercero, y la televisión española de momento

Recovery-focused care planning and coordination in England and Wales: a cross-national mixed methods comparative case study

Background In the UK, concerns about safety and fragmented community mental health care led to the development of the care programme approach in England and care and treatment planning in Wales. These systems require service users to have a care coordinator, written care plan and regular reviews of their care. Processes are required to be collaborative, recovery-focused and personalised but have rarely been researched. We aimed to obtain the views and experiences of stakeholders involved in community mental health care and identify factors that facilitate or act as barriers to personalised, collaborative, recovery-focused care. Methods We conducted a cross-national comparative study employing a concurrent transformative mixed-methods approach with embedded case studies across six service provider sites in England and Wales. The study included a survey of views on recovery, empowerment and therapeutic relationships in service users (n = 448) and recovery in care coordinators (n = 201); embedded case studies involving interviews with service providers, service users and carers (n = 117) and a review of care plans (n = 33). Quantitative and qualitative data were analysed within and across sites using inferential statistics, correlations and framework method. Results Significant differences were found across sites for scores on therapeutic relationships. Variation within sites and participant groups was reported in experiences of care planning and understandings of recovery and personalisation. Care plans were described as administratively burdensome and were rarely consulted. Carers reported varying levels of involvement. Risk assessments were central to clinical concerns but were rarely discussed with service users. Service users valued therapeutic relationships with care coordinators and others, and saw these as central to recovery. Conclusions Administrative elements of care coordination reduce opportunities for recovery-focused and personalised work. There were few common understandings of recovery which may limit shared goals. Conversations on risk appeared to be neglected and assessments kept from service users. A reluctance to engage in dialogue about risk management may work against opportunities for positive risk-taking as part of recovery-focused work. Research to investigate innovative approaches to maximise staff contact time with service users and carers, shared decision-making in risk assessments, and training designed to enable personalised, recovery-focused care coordination is indicated

Social Jetlag and Cardiometabolic Risk in Preadolescent Children.

Objective: Childhood cardiometabolic disease risk (CMD) has been associated with short sleep duration. Its relationship with other aspects of sleep should also be considered, including social jetlag (SJL) which represents the difference between a person's social rhythms and circadian clock. This study investigated whether childhood CMD risk is associated with sleep duration, sleep disturbances, and SJL. Study Design: The observational study included 332 children aged 8–10 years (48.5% female). The three independent variables were sleep duration, sleep disturbances, and SJL. SJL was calculated as the variation in hours between the midpoint of sleep during free (weekend) days and work/school days. Eleven cardiometabolic biomarkers were measured, including central blood pressure, lipids, glycated hemoglobin, arterial wave reflection, and glucose. Underlying CMD risk factors were identified using factor analysis. Results: Four underlying CMD risk factors were identified using factor analysis: blood pressure, cholesterol, vascular health, and carbohydrate metabolism. Neither sleep disturbances nor sleep duration were significantly associated with any of the four CMD factors following adjustments to potential confounders. However, SJL was significantly linked to vascular health (p = 0.027) and cholesterol (p = 0.025). Conclusion: These findings suggest that SJL may be a significant and measurable public health target for offsetting negative CMD trajectories in children. Further studies are required to determine biological plausibility

A thin layer angiogenesis assay: a modified basement matrix assay for assessment of endothelial cell differentiation

BACKGROUND: Basement matrices such as Matrigel™ and Geltrex™ are used in a variety of cell culture assays of anchorage-dependent differentiation including endothelial cell tube formation assays. The volumes of matrix recommended for these assays (approximately 150 μl/cm(2)) are costly, limit working distances for microscopy, and require cell detachment for subsequent molecular analysis. Here we describe the development and validation of a thin-layer angiogenesis (TLA) assay for assessing the angiogenic potential of endothelial cells that overcomes these limitations. RESULTS: Geltrex™ basement matrix at 5 μl/cm(2) in 24-well (10 μl) or 96-well (2 μl) plates supports endothelial cell differentiation into tube-like structures in a comparable manner to the standard larger volumes of matrix. Since working distances are reduced, high-resolution single cell microscopy, including DIC and confocal imaging, can be used readily. Using MitoTracker dye we now demonstrate, for the first time, live mitochondrial dynamics and visualise the 3-dimensional network of mitochondria present in differentiated endothelial cells. Using a standard commercial total RNA extraction kit (Qiagen) we also show direct RNA extraction and RT-qPCR from differentiated endothelial cells without the need to initially detach cells from their supporting matrix. CONCLUSIONS: We present here a new thin-layer assay (TLA) for measuring the anchorage-dependent differentiation of endothelial cells into tube-like structures which retains all the characteristics of the traditional approach but with the added benefit of a greatly lowered cost and better compatibility with other techniques, including RT-qPCR and high-resolution microscopy. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12860-014-0041-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users

Pre-Adolescent Cardio-Metabolic Associations and Correlates: PACMAC methodology and study protocol

Introduction: Although cardiovascular disease is typically associated with middle or old age, the atherosclerotic process often initiates early in childhood. The process of atherosclerosis appears to be occurring at an increasing rate, even in pre-adolescents, and has been linked to the childhood obesity epidemic. This study will investigate the relationships between obesity, lifestyle behaviours and cardiometabolic health in pre-pubescent children aged 8–10 years, and investigates whether there are differences in the correlates of cardiometabolic health between Māori and Caucasian children. Details of the methodological aspects of recruitment, inclusion/exclusion criteria, assessments, statistical analyses, dissemination of findings and anticipated impact are described. Methods and analysis Phase 1: a cross-sectional study design will be used to investigate relationships between obesity, lifestyle behaviours (nutrition, physical activity/fitness, sleep behaviour, psychosocial influences) and cardiometabolic health in a sample of 400 pre-pubescent (8–10 years old) children. Phase 2: in a subgroup (50 Caucasian, 50 Māori children), additional measurements of cardiometabolic health and lifestyle behaviours will be obtained to provide objective and detailed data. General linear models and logistic regression will be used to investigate the strongest correlate of (1) fatness; (2) physical activity; (3) nutritional behaviours and (4) cardiometabolic health. Ethics and dissemination Ethical approval will be obtained from the New Zealand Health and Disabilities Ethics Committee. The findings from this study will elucidate targets for decreasing obesity and improving cardiometabolic health among preadolescent children in New Zealand. The aim is to ensure an immediate impact by disseminating these findings in an applicable manner via popular media and traditional academic forums. Most importantly, results from the study will be disseminated to participating schools and relevant Māori health entities

Cardio-metabolic Risk Variables in Pre-Adolescent Children:A Factor Analysis

Background: Atherosclerosis begins during preadolescence and is occurring at an accelerated rate. This acceleration has been linked to poor lifestyle behaviors and subsequent cardiometabolic complications. Although the clustering of cardiometabolic risk factors has been recognized for over 2 decades, previous studies in children have predominantly examined the relationships between atherosclerosis and individual cardiometabolic risk factors or have grouped together preadolescent and adolescent children. Further, no known studies have included glycated hemoglobin or central hemodynamic measures such as central systolic blood pressure and augmentation index. Methods and Results: Principal component analysis was performed on a cross‐sectional sample of 392 children (aged 9.5 years, 50% girls) from 3 representative sample sites across New Zealand. Four factors explained 60% of the variance in the measured variables. In order of variance explained, the factors were: blood pressure (central systolic blood pressure and peripheral systolic and diastolic blood pressure), adiposity (waist circumference, body mass index, and glycated hemoglobin), lipids (total cholesterol, low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol, and high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol), and vascular (augmentation index, heart rate, and fasting blood glucose). Conclusions: In accordance with previous findings in adults and adolescents, one common factor is unlikely to define cardiometabolic health in preadolescent children. Each of the factors, except vascular, which was predominantly explained by augmentation index, are in agreement with previous findings in adolescents. An additional novel finding was that glycated hemoglobin and fasting blood glucose loaded onto different factors, supporting previous work suggesting that fasting blood glucose indicates short‐term glycemic control, whereas glycated hemoglobin reflects chronic glycemic control. Clinical Trial Registration URL: www.anzctr.org.au/. ID: ACTRN12614000433606