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Understanding the Needs of Food-Allergic Adults
No full textFood allergies are a growing issue, yet society’s understanding of how individuals’ lives are affected is limited. We conducted four focus groups with food-allergic adults in New Zealand to gain an in-depth understanding of the issues that impacted their quality of life. Key themes identified included allergen-free eating issues, health care system issues, costs of having a food allergy, effects on well-being, external influences (e.g., others’ lack of awareness), and internal influences (personal growth and adaptation). The unmet needs of food-allergic adults led to risk taking, increased stress, and social isolation. A lack of awareness in others (including medical professionals, food service providers, and the general public) had a negative impact, suggesting that an intervention targeting awareness would be beneficial. Adaptation, particularly in terms of assertiveness and organizational skills, was important for coping, so we suggest training in these skills be made available for food-allergic patient
The Practice of Interdisciplinarity
No full textThere is a rocky chasm between the promise of interdisciplinary research and successful interdisciplinary research practice. As a group of researchers from New Zealand, based in five different disciplines (consumer psychology, economics, sociology, law, engineering), we share an interest in the behaviour of energy consumers, but understand behaviour through very different lenses. Initially we were mutually baffled by our discipline-specific languages and diverse theoretical stances. Over a period of time, however, we developed ways of working together to realise the benefits of collaboration. In this paper we reflect on the differences between disciplinarity and interdisciplinarity, and discuss the practices we have adopted that support interdisciplinarity. These include the importance of trust, focusing on a problem, being aware of limits, sharing a common intellectual framework, testing ideas across the disciplines, and practicing interdisciplinarity at every level of the research project. We suggest that not all people are comfortable with interdisciplinary work, and draw parallels with Kohlberg’s ‘stages of moral development’, in that interdisciplinarians need to be ‘post-conventional’ in the sense that they do not feel bound by the conventions of their own discipline and recognise the legitimacy and value of other perspectives and methods of inquiry
RF-amide related peptide neurons as modulators of stress-induced reproductive suppression
No full textReproduction is influenced by the physiological and environmental modulation of the hypothalamic gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neuronal network. GnRH hypothalamic activity is reflected in the systemic circulation by its downstream effector, luteinising hormone (LH). During stress, the GnRH-dependent LH activity that is required for adequate gonadal development and function is suppressed by glucocorticoids secreted by the adrenal glands. Emerging research in the field of stress-induced infertility show glucocorticoids do not directly inhibit GnRH activity and instead may act via the inhibitory RFamide-related peptide (RFRP) neurons, which suppress GnRH secretion. Thus far, this intermediary inhibitory role of RFRP neurons between the stress and reproductive axes is mainly supported by the upregulated expression of hypothalamic RFRP activity with stress in both sexes. Using a transgenic mouse model, the experiments in this thesis examine whether hypothalamic RFRP neuronal signalling is required for stress-induced infertility and whether increased RFRP activity is sufficient in mediating downstream suppression of LH in vivo.
The chemogenetic approach of Cre-dependent DREADD (designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drugs) expression was used to selectively manipulate hypothalamic RFRP neuronal signalling via the administration of the DREADD agonist, clozapine-n-oxide (CNO). With the use of Fos-related antigens as the neuronal activity marker, immunohistochemical staining of hypothalamic brain sections confirmed significant suppression of RFRP activity in DREADD-silenced mice. Similarly, a significant upregulation of RFRP activity was confirmed in DREADD-activated mice in comparison to control mice. Additional data also showed that this increase in RFRP activity also caused a marked release of glucocorticoids in both sexes.
To assess the requirement of RFRP neurons in stress-induced infertility, glucocorticoid-mediated inhibition of reproductive activity was achieved by long-term subcutaneously-placed corticosterone implants, with subsequent CNO-induced RFRP neuronal silencing. The suppression of LH pulse frequency and amplitude by glucocorticoids was observed for female control mice, but strikingly not for the RFRP-silenced mice. However, no significant effect of RFRP silencing was seen on pulsatile LH secretion in males. Similarly, hyperactivation of the RFRP neuronal population was sufficient to suppress LH secretion in females, but not in males. Attempts were also made to develop an in vivo model where the effect of RFRP neuronal signalling could be measured on the pre-ovulatory LH surges in females. The naturally occurring LH surge in intact female mice and the artificially-induced LH surge in gonadectomised mice were assessed, but an adequate control for glucocorticoid treatment could not be configured. These results showed a need for further optimisation before the effect of RFRP neuronal manipulation could be measured on glucocorticoid-induced inhibition of the LH surge.
Nonetheless, in this thesis I have demonstrated using Cre-dependent DREADD technology, a novel, sex specific physiological necessity of RFRP neurons for stress-induced suppression of pulsatile reproductive hormone secretion. This testing of physiological properties of RFRP neurons may lead to clinical trials of RFRP antagonists, at least in females, to restore homeostasis in reproductive hormone secretion affected by stress related disorders
Understanding stakeholder viewpoints for foodservice localization: the potential of the leadership viewpoint
No full textLocalization has been identified as an area to improve foodservice sustainability. We asked the research question “What are the dominant shared stakeholder viewpoints about local food in a college foodservice and how might an understanding of these be used to help management localize the foodservice?” We used Q methodology to group stakeholders (students, foodservice manager and staff, college staff and food suppliers) into four dominant shared stakeholder viewpoints. “The Leadership Viewpoint” showed the capacity to drive foodservice change. The study explores “The Leadership Viewpoint” of stakeholders in a college foodservice setting, which other dietetic professionals can compare to their own organizations
Distinct Patterns of Internalization of Different Calcitonin GeneRelated Peptide Receptors
No full textCalcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) is a neuropeptide that is involved in the transmission of pain. Drugs targeting CGRP or a CGRP receptor are efficacious in the treatment of migraine. The canonical CGRP receptor is a complex of a G protein-coupled receptor, the calcitonin-like receptor (CLR), with an accessory protein, receptor activity-modifying protein 1 (RAMP1). A second receptor, the AMY1 receptor, a complex of the calcitonin receptor with RAMP1, is a dual high-affinity receptor for CGRP and amylin. Receptor regulatory processes, such as internalization, are crucial for controlling peptide and drug responsiveness. Given the importance of CGRP receptor activity in migraine we compared the internalization profiles of both receptors for CGRP using novel fluorescent probes and a combination of live cell imaging, fixed cell imaging, and ELISA. This revealed stark differences in the regulation of each receptor with the AMY1 receptor unexpectedly showing little internalization.Peer Reviewe
On Common Ground: How landlords & tenants shape thermal performance of private rental properties.
No full textMuch of New Zealand’s private rental housing is energy inefficient, and this is an unnecessary source of greenhouse gas emissions and often unhealthy for the occupants. There have been limited inroads to improve the thermal performance of private rented housing and their lack of action is frequently (but only partially) explained as resulting from split incentives. Increasing attention is being paid to the complex factors involved in landlord decision making around home energy performance. An under-studied area is how landlords and their tenants interact over energy-related matters. This study investigates the dynamics between landlords and tenants, using the framing of their ‘energy cultures’. I undertook a qualitative study of how landlords and tenants of the same private rental property made decisions about energy performance. Key findings include: that landlord and tenant often shared aspirations for the quality and performance of private rental properties; and that a two-way influence between the landlord and the tenant shapes the thermal performance of the property. I developed the energy cultures framework to propose the concept of Shared Energy Cultures. This depicts the relationships and pathways of influence between landlords and tenants and how this in turn shapes the thermal performance of rental properties
‘JacindaBabyMania’: Media Representations of Jacinda Ardern & Women’s Perspectives of the ‘Working Mother’ in Aotearoa New Zealand
No full textIn January 2018, Jacinda Ardern, New Zealand’s third female Prime Minister, made history when she announced that she and her partner, Clarke Gayford, were expecting their first child. This child would make Ardern the second woman in history to give birth while being the government’s elected head, and news coverage on both a national and global scale exploded. News media narratives are an accessible, popular medium where dominant cultural values and ideologies are portrayed to populations on a mass scale. Media narratives full of ideologies that perpetuate widely held cultural beliefs around work and motherhood, hidden behind the facade of Ardern’s superstar image, were disseminated to the masses. This research is a mixed-methods study, consisting of a narrative analysis of news articles related to Ardern’s motherhood image over a 24 month period (August 2017 - July 2019), and a survey of over 249 New Zealand women. The narrative analysis identified two primary narratives employed in news media articles about Ardern: the Wonder Woman narrative, the sub-narrative of Catalyst for Change, and the Part-Time PM narratives. Key findings suggest that both the newspaper narratives and survey responses articulate western notions of the ‘ideal’ mother. However, survey results show that participants' understanding of and interactions with media narratives of motherhood are complex and varied. This complexity was evident through participants expressing frustration with the media’s representation of motherhood and them pushing back against the narratives in the data, despite their descriptions of the ‘ideal’ mother being consistent with dominant ideals of motherhood
Uncertainty, Precaution & Perception: Communicating the Risk of Heading in Football
No full textConcerns regarding the short and long-term effects of sport-related head injury have grown in recent decades. The damage incurred by mild traumatic brain injury in the context of collision sports has thus received significant attention in both the media and in scientific research. Although this field of enquiry largely concerns the neurological impact of acute head injury (including concussion), a recent proliferation of research considering more subtle mechanisms of brain damage has also taken place. General observations from the study of “subconcussion” suggest a potential link between repeated head impacts of a subclinical nature and increased risk of neurodegeneration.
The act of intentionally playing the ball with one’s head, or “heading”, is an integral part of football gameplay, and has since been identified as a potential vehicle of subconcussive injury. Despite the lack of conclusive evidence for a link between the act of heading and increased risk of brain injury, both the United States and the United Kingdom have recently taken precautionary measures by introducing regulations on junior heading exposure. To date, no empirical study has investigated public perceptions of heading as a possible health risk.
The present study explored attitudes of the New Zealand public towards heading in an effort to gauge how the factors of scientific uncertainty and precautionary information influence heading-related risk perceptions. A sample of domestic players and parents of junior players (n= 89) was recruited to take part in an online survey. Participants were presented with information regarding subconcussion research and the notion of a link between heading and neurodegenerative disease.
Individuals presented with a disclosure of scientific uncertainty tended to report a higher level of risk attributable to heading compared to controls. Conversely, information regarding precautionary measures generally resulted in slightly lower risk perceptions than controls. Analysis revealed a medium-large interaction effect between the factors of uncertainty and precautionary information (p<.05), illustrating significantly higher risk perceptions when uncertainty was paired with a “strong” example of precaution (banning junior heading) compared to when uncertainty was associated with an example of weaker precaution (limiting junior heading exposure).
The findings show that information on precautionary heading guidelines may act to attenuate concerns regarding heading as a possible health risk. Moreover, acknowledgment of the uncertainty inherent to current heading research may combine with information on strong precautionary measures to prompt a more intuitive and perhaps pessimistic assessment of risk. These findings have significant implications for the communication of current and future heading guidelines to the public, as transparent risk communication demands honest appraisals of the scientific uncertainty and value-laden precautionary judgments that underpin regulatory decisions. Considering the potential health risk posed by heading, alongside the general health benefits of physical activity; the communication of heading guidelines must take care in promoting the safety of at-risk populations while also avoiding the risk of escalating public concerns and reducing participation in football
The Radio Doctor: Broadcasting health into the home. Assessing New Zealand's changing public health needs through the talks of Dr H. B. Turbott, 1943 - 1984
No full textThis thesis examines the Department of Health’s most enduring health education series (1943 – 1984), written and presented over the radio by Department of Health official Dr Harold Bertram (H.B.) Turbott. The cultural impact of radio has received little historical attention in New Zealand, particularly in relation to health. I argue that the use of radio to promote health was significant as the intimate and ephemeral nature of the medium allowed for the discussion of subjects that would have not been permissible through other media forms. Radio broadcasting crossed geographical, racial and gendered divides, reaching into the intimate realm of the home.
The new technology of the radio was used to connect the widely dispersed and geographically isolated population of New Zealand, keeping citizens informed and educated. Although more-often associated with entertainment, radio was established as a reliable source of information during the interwar period. The Second World War led to limited resources and gave increased urgency to health concerns that had been raised prior to 1940. As a result, the Department of Health implemented a push to educate the public on matters of health. Radio’s popularity and established role within the home made it a key medium for communicating ideas regarding health.
Dr Turbott was selected by the Department of Health to front their new health outreach programme. He had exhibited a long-term commitment to public health in New Zealand, and was experienced in child and Māori health. Beginning in 1943, Dr Turbott broadcast health talks each morning, six days a week, covering a wide variety of health topics. Initially implemented as a temporary response to the war, a measure of their success was the continuation of these talks through until 1984. Radio broadcasts were clearly perceived to be effective in communicating health messages to the wider public.
This study ties together radio and health history, both areas that underwent rapid change over the course of the twentieth century. Dr Turbott’s health broadcasts are an untapped resource. The content and language provide insight into how the public understood health over a forty-year span. The longitudinal nature of my study, the singular focus on one programme, and the close examination of the subject of Dr Turbott’s talks and how they evolved over time allows for an in-depth analysis of the Department of Health’s changing health priorities between 1943 - 1984.
Over the course of forty years we can see several shifts in the advice provided by Dr Turbott. Discussion during the 1940s represented a direct response to wartime conditions and pre-war concerns. Practical advice regarding nutrition and child rearing featured along with discussion of communicable disease and the threat of ‘race suicide’. Considered a ‘golden period’ by some, the 1950s were a time of health crisis. Poliomyelitis was a prime example, indicating that antibiotics had not eradicated all forms of communicable disease. Urbanisation and increased prosperity saw the rise of new health threats, while teenage rebellion threatened post-war conformity. Preventative medicine measures faced greater scrutiny, as citizens questioned the right of their government to forcibly ‘medicate’ their water supplies or restrict their access to raw milk.
The threat of infectious disease lessened over the following decades, and diseases of lifestyle and longevity rose, causing a shift from a focus on communicable to lifestyle diseases. Cancer and heart disease were an increasing public health concern. Changing attitudes in the younger generation caused Turbott to discuss controversial health issues, such as drug use and contraception. Ageing healthfully was featured with growing frequency during Turbott’s final years of broadcasting, reflecting his own advanced age and an ageing population. Turbott retired from broadcasting in 1984. Radio had been fighting to maintain its popularity in competition with television and radio executives wanted presenters who related to a younger audience.
Turbott’s forty years of radio health talks are significant as they track changes in health understanding, both for professionals and lay audiences. These talks represent a mid-point between Department of Health concerns, professional knowledge of the issues at hand, and public understanding of disease and wellness over an extended period. This thesis argues that the ‘Radio Doctor’ played a key role in how health was understood and discussed by New Zealanders during the twentieth century, through conveying health messages into most homes over a span of forty years