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Community sports clubs are one of the dominant sports delivery mechanisms around the world, yet they have received relatively little attention in the academic literature. This study specifically aims to contribute to the understanding of barriers and resistance to formalization through examining the workings of four small sports clubs in New Zealand. Drawing on a case study approach, we found that the clubs had been reasonably successful, yet still used a traditional 'kitchen-table' approach with no or little evidence of formalization and professionalization, which we argue can be explained by Bourdieu's theory of cultural reproduction. Specifically, we show how the club committee incumbents reproduced a habitus that prized social and symbolic capital over economic and cultural capital. Further, we note that, despite the government agency's production and dissemination of 'how to' materials, there were few incentives or resources for the small clubs to formalize and professionalize within New Zealand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blackcurrant extract mainly contains anthocyanins. Several reports suggest that anthocyanins have beneficial effect for cardiovascular functions. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of 7-day intake of New Zealand blackcurrant (NZBC) extract on arterial functions, e.g. arterial stiffness, and serum lipids. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover design study with a washout period of 28 days was conducted. Fourteen older adults participated in this study (age 73.3 ± 1.7 years). Participants took either a 7-day course of placebo or two capsules of NZBC extract (each 300 mg capsule contains 35% blackcurrant extract). Participants took one of the two trials first and then took the other after a washout period. Carotid-femoral pulse-wave velocity, an index of central arterial stiffness, and central blood pressure were measured at baseline and again at the end of the 7-day study period. Compared to baseline, carotid-femoral pulse-wave velocity (P =.03) and central blood pressure (P =.02) decreased significantly after the 7-day study period with NZBC intake. In addition, carotid-femoral pulse-wave velocity (P =.04) and central blood pressure (P =.001) in the NZBC intake trial decreased significantly more than in the placebo intake trial. No effects were observed on serum lipids. These results suggest that short-term NZBC intake reduces central arterial stiffness and central blood pressure in older adults. Therefore, anthocyanin-rich blackcurrants might be beneficial for maintaining or improving cardiovascular health as an alternative to pharmaceutical medications. Aix: augmentation index; BP: blood pressure; cfPWV: carotid–femoral pulse-wave velocity; CVD: cardiovascular diseases; DBP: diastolic blood pressure; faPWV: femoral-ankle pulse-wave velocity; FG: fasting glucose; HDL: high-density lipoprotein cholesterol; LDL: low-density lipoprotein cholesterol; MBP: mean blood pressure; NZBC: New Zealand blackcurrant; PP: pulse pressure; SBP: systolic blood pressure; TG: triglycerides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New Zealand white (NZW) mouse is a mutant strain that has a larval defect in the immune system, and a F1 hybrid between NZW and New Zealand Black mouse spontaneously develops systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). In meantime, the ablation of superoxide dismutase 1 (Sod1) causes autoimmune haemolytic anaemia, a clinical condition of SLE, in mice with a C57BL/6 background. On the basis of our previous studies, we hypothesised that oxidative stress may trigger this aberrant autoimmunity in NZW mice without crossing with another strain. To validate this, we attempted to establish Sod1−/−/NZW mice but this attempt failed to obtain any objective mouse. The congenic Sod1+/−/NZW male mice were completely infertile because of severe oligozoospermia attributed to a defect in spermatogenesis. The levels of the SOD1 protein were about a half in the testes of the Sod1+/−/NZW mice. Sperm from the Sod1+/−/NZW mice were largely defective and showed quite low fertilising ability in in vitro fertilisation assays. Concomitant with an increase in the oxidatively modified proteins, spermatogenic cells underwent more cell death in the testes of the Sod1+/−/NZW mice compared to those of WT/NZW mice. An examination of immunocompetent cells from Sod1+/−/NZW mice indicated an abnormality in T-cell responses. These collective results suggest that the oxidative stress caused by an SOD1 haploinsufficiency exerts deleterious effects on the testis, either directly on spermatogenic cells or via the destabilisation of the autoimmune response in Sod1+/−/NZW mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility of predictable or unpredictable amplitude-modulated sounds for tinnitus therapy. Design: The study consisted of two parts. (1) An adaptation experiment. Loudness level matches and rating scales (10-point) for loudness and distress were obtained at a silent baseline and at the end of three counterbalanced 30-min exposures (silence, predictable and unpredictable). (2) A qualitative 2-week sound therapy feasibility trial. Participants took home a personal music player (PMP). Study sample: Part 1: 23 individuals with chronic tinnitus and part 2: seven individuals randomly selected from Part 1. Results: Self-reported tinnitus loudness and annoyance were significantly lower than baseline ratings after acute unpredictable sound exposure. Tinnitus annoyance ratings were also significantly lower than the baseline but the effect was small. The feasibility trial identified that participant preferences for sounds varied. Three participants did not obtain any benefit from either sound. Three participants preferred unpredictable compared to predictable sounds. Some participants had difficulty using the PMP, the average self-report hours of use were low (less <1 h/day). Conclusions: Unpredictable surf-like sounds played using a PMP is a feasible tinnitus treatment. Further work is required to improve the acceptance of the sound and ease of PMP use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To compare preference for and performance of manually selected programmes to an automatic sound classifier, the Phonak AutoSense OS. Design: A single blind repeated measures study. Participants were fit with Phonak Virto V90 ITE aids; preferences for different listening programmes were compared across four different sound scenarios (speech in: quiet, noise, loud noise and a car). Following a 4-week trial preferences were reassessed and the users preferred programme was compared to the automatic classifier for sound quality and hearing in noise (HINT test) using a 12 loudspeaker array. Study sample: Twenty-five participants with symmetrical moderate-severe sensorineural hearing loss. Results: Participant preferences of manual programme for scenarios varied considerably between and within sessions. A HINT Speech Reception Threshold (SRT) advantage was observed for the automatic classifier over participant’s manual selection for speech in quiet, loud noise and car noise. Sound quality ratings were similar for both manual and automatic selections. Conclusions: The use of a sound classifier is a viable alternative to manual programme selection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2004, the governing body for sport and recreation in New Zealand developed a governance manual entitledthe Nine steps to effective governance. Based on the influential model, Policy Governance, developed by Carver [(1997).Boards that make a difference: A new design for leadership in nonprofit and public organizations(2nd ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass; (2006).Boards that make a difference: A new design for leadership in nonprofit and public organizations(3rd ed.). San Francisco, CA: John Wiley and Sons], this manual is seen as a blueprint for effective sport governance. In this study, we examine its appropriateness for small-scale sports clubs which make up the backbone of New Zealand sport sector. Through a case study of four clubs, using data collected through policy documents and interviews, we piece together the governance structures of four clubs and highlight the way they have achieved success without adopting a Policy Governance approach. We contend that small clubs can be effective using governance structures that deviate from the Policy Govenance approach and should consider more flexible governance structures as suggested by Bradshaw [(2009). A contingency approach to nonprofit governance.Nonprofit Management & Leadership,20(1), 61–68. doi:10.1002/nml.241] and Mowbray [(2011).Searching for the ‘mythical unicorn’: The missing link between boards of directors and organisational effectiveness(Unpublished doctoral thesis). Auckland University of Technology, Auckland.] [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The article discusses the practice of machizukuri to help a community recover from disasters. Topics covered include the prevalence of the practice in Japan, the use of the approach after the Great Hanshin Awaji earthquake and the impact of the event on the port city of Hanshini. Also mentioned is the importance of the approach to the recovery of Canterbury in New Zealand.

An antiracist rally in Christchurch, New Zealand in May 2004 was organized by Asian immigrants to protest and advocate for an end to everyday racism in their dealings with long settled New Zealanders, but public debate focused not on the experiences of recent migrants but on the question of whether Christchurch is racist. A discursive crisis, indicated by heavy media coverage in the weeks immediately before and after the event, is characterized by discourses of denial, affront and whiteness that indicate the social context in which racialization occurs. Such discourses are similar to those of ‘new racism’ in other immigrant societies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Animal models of fulminant hepatic failure (FHF) have been developed for characterization of disease progression and to evaluate the effectiveness of liver-assist devices, some by treatment with hepatotoxic drugs, viral hepatitis or surgical procedures. We have developed a model in the rabbit by combining resection of the three anterior lobes with ligation of the pedicle of the right lateral lobes, resulting in liver necrosis; the remnant quadrate lobes are left intact. Materials and methods: Adult male New Zealand white rabbits ( n=16) were used. Six animals were killed to measure the weight of the separate liver lobes. The others ( n=10) underwent left neck central line placement to monitor continuous blood pressure and collect blood for laboratory analysis, and a burr hole on the right parietal bone to monitor the intracranial pressure (ICP). Blood laboratory analysis, clinical hepatic encephalopathy and ICP levels were measured in FHF animals ( n=6). Animals ( n=4) undergoing a sham operation served as controls. Results: All FHF animals died between 12 and 26 h after liver surgery from FHF characterized by a progressive increase in liver enzymes, ammonia, total bilirubin, coagulopathy, hepatic encephalopathy and intracranial hypertension. Histological features of the ischaemic lobes showed coagulative necrosis of hepatocytes with absence of nuclei and collapse of cell plates. Brain histology revealed hypoxic cell damage. Conclusion: We have developed a simple, reproducible model of FHF in rabbits that has a number of features comparable with clinical FHF patients and is well suited for testing experimental bioartificial liver systems and investigating the pathogenesis of FHF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Bone substitutes are commonly used when bone grafts are necessary in human craniofacial surgery. To study the properties and biologic behaviour of those substitutes, they can be implanted in experimental animals. A frequently used model involves the creation of critical-sized defects (defects that are too large to heal by themselves) in the rabbits calvaria (the top part of the skull). The procedure was initially described in 1989 and the authors considered and reported that post-operative analgesia was not necessary. In our experience, this procedure is invasive and can result in severe postoperative pain. The anaesthetic management of rabbits undergoing this procedure is challenging. Most of the recent publications using this model fail to provide sufficient information on perioperative animal management. With this report we have aimed to document a possible practical and simple anaesthetic and postoperative management of rabbits undergoing this procedure. Particular emphasis has been placed on postoperative pain assessment, duration and treatment. Calvarial bone surgery on rabbits is frequently performed. This report aims to document a simple and practical anaesthetic and perioperative management for this procedure. Fourteen male New Zealand white rabbits were included in the study. Subcutaneous (SC) dexmedetomidine, ketamine and buprenorphine ± isoflurane vaporized in oxygen administered through a supraglottic airway device (V-gel®) provided clinically suitable anaesthesia. Supplemental oxygen was administered throughout recovery. Monitoring was clinical and instrumental (pulse-oximetry, capnography, invasive blood pressure, temperature, arterial blood gas analysis). Lidocaine was infiltrated at the surgical site and meloxicam was injected subcutaneously as perioperative analgesia. After surgery, pain was assessed five times daily (composite behavioural pain scale and grimace scale). Postoperative analgesia included SC meloxicam once daily for four days and buprenorphine every 8 h for three days (unless both pain scores were at the lowest possible levels). Rescue analgesia (buprenorphine) was administered in case of the score > 3/8 in the composite pain scale, >4/10 on the grimace scale or if determined necessary by the caregivers. Airway management with a V-gel® was possible but resulted in respiratory obstruction during the surgery in two cases. Hypoventilation was observed in all rabbits. All rabbits experienced pain after the procedure. Monitoring, pain assessments and administration of postoperative analgesia were recommended for 48 h. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our primary aim is to determine the effect of a six-week toe-in, toe-out and active placebo gait retraining program on proxy measures of medial knee joint load and varus thrust in people with medial knee osteoarthritis. Our secondary aim is to determine the intervention effects on patient reported outcomes and physical function and determine if changes are maintained at three-months follow-up. We will conduct a three-arm randomised placebo-controlled trial. Ninety participants with medial knee osteoarthritis will be randomised and stratified via varus thrust status (presence/absence) to: toe-in, toe-out or placebo gait retraining (an intervention that does not change proxy measures of medial knee joint load). The intervention involves weekly clinician-supervised sessions with biofeedback, knee osteoarthritis education, motor learning and behaviour change principles, and daily gait retraining practice. Primary outcomes are proxy measures of medial knee joint load: knee adduction moment (early- and late-stance peaks and impulse), and varus thrust (presence/absence). Secondary outcomes include pain, physical function, medication and health care utilisation, quality of life, work ability, treatment blinding, intervention credibility and other biomechanical outcomes. Assessment timepoints are at baseline, six weeks (post intensive training), and three-months following the six-week intervention. Our trial will determine whether toe-in or toe-out gait retraining is most effective at reducing proxy measures of medial knee joint load and varus thrust in people with medial knee osteoarthritis. This study will also evaluate if toe-in or toe-out gait retraining interventions are superior at improving pain, physical function and quality of life compared to placebo. This clinical trial protocol is registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12621000414819). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

International differences in practices and attitudes regarding pet cats' interactions with wildlife were assessed by surveying citizens from at least two cities in Australia, New Zealand, the UK, the USA, China and Japan. Predictions tested were: (i) cat owners would agree less than non-cat owners that cats might threaten wildlife, (ii) cat owners value wildlife less than non-cat owners, (iii) cat owners are less accepting of cat legislation/restrictions than non-owners, and (iv) respondents from regions with high endemic biodiversity would be most concerned about pet cats threatening wildlife. Everywhere non-owners were more likely than owners to agree that pet cats killing wildlife were a problem in cities, towns and rural areas. Over 85% of respondents from all countries except China valued wildlife in cities, towns and rural areas. Non-owners advocated cat legislation more strongly than owners except in Japan. Many Australian (62%), New Zealand (51%) and Chinese owners (42%) agreed that pet cats killing wildlife in cities, towns and rural areas was a problem, while Hawaiian owners were similar to the mainland USA (20%). Thus high endemic biodiversity might contribute to attitudes in some, but not all, countries. Husbandry practices varied internationally, with predation highest where fewer cats were confined. Although the risk of wildlife population declines caused by pet cats justifies precautionary action, campaigns based on wildlife protection are unlikely to succeed outside Australia or New Zealand. Restrictions on roaming protect wildlife and benefit cat welfare, so welfare is a better rationale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]