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Understanding young immigrant Chinese consumers’ freshness perceptions of orange juices: A study based on concept evaluation
No full textFreshness is a multidimensional attribute commonly encountered in everyday life and particularly in association with food. It awakens certain expectations from consumers, as it is a critical variable that affects the food quality and acceptability. The aim of this research was to identify sensory and non-sensory factors contributing to young immigrant Chinese consumers’ freshness perceptions of orange juices. Two focus groups were undertaken, where participants (n= 19) evaluated freshness of 20 orange juices and their corresponding packages. The qualitative data from these focus groups was combined with the results from a wide-ranging review of existing literature on orange juice characteristics as well as related consumers’ perceptions. From this, a set of 60 statements was derived with the purpose of representing the whole spectrum of possible viewpoints that young immigrant Chinese consumers might have about freshness. To obtain a holistic understanding of freshness, these statements were then used for sub-sequent sorting exercises using Napping and Q methodology (n= 20). Results showed that perceived freshness was related to an overall notion of healthy and natural. The young immigrant Chinese consumers defined freshness as a level of closeness to the orange, perceiving orange-like sensory qualities as fresh. Results also showed that freshness perceptions were greatly influenced by non-sensory attributes. Three distinct consumer perspectives were identified, with consumers in each of these perspectives holding homogeneous viewpoints about freshness. The new insights obtained from this research are important for food companies in determining long-term new product developments and in developing the marketing mix for products that are marketed on the freshness attribut
Getting a Taste for Food Waste: A Mixed Methods Ethnographic Study into Hospital Food Waste before Patient Consumption Conducted at Three New Zealand Foodservice Facilities
No full textFoodservice organizations, particularly those in hospitals, are large producers of food waste. To date, research on waste in hospitals has focused primarily on plate waste and the affect of food waste on patient nutrition outcomes. Less focus has been placed on waste generation at the kitchen end of the hospital food system. We used a novel approach to understand reasons for hospital food waste before consumption and offer recommendations on waste minimization within foodservices. A mixed methods ethnographic research approach was adopted. Three New Zealand hospital foodservices were selected as research sites, all of which were contracted to an external foodservice provider. Data collection techniques included document analyses, observations, focus groups with kitchen staff, and one-on-one interviews with managers. Thematic analysis was conducted to generate common themes. Most food waste occurred during service and as a result of overproduction. Attitudes and habits of foodservice personnel were considered influential factors of waste generation. Implications of food waste were perceived differently by different levels of staff. Whereas managers raised discussion from a financial perspective, kitchen staff drew upon social implications. Organizational plans, controls, and use of pre-prepared ingredients assisted in waste minimization. An array of factors influenced waste generation in hospital foodservices. Exploring attitudes and practices of foodservice personnel allowed an understanding of reasons behind hospital food waste and ways in which it could be minimized. This study provides a foundation for further research on sustainable behavior within the wider foodservice sector and dietetics practice
New Home: New Zealand Health of Migrants and Tuberculosis Elimination
No full textBackground
Tuberculosis (TB) disproportionately affects migrants to New Zealand. In 2016, 79% of all cases were in those born overseas. The World Health Organization (WHO) has called for low-TB incidence countries such as New Zealand to aim for TB elimination. A focus on reducing TB in risk groups, including migrants, is necessary to achieve this. Despite radiological screening, TB still occurs in migrants, and little is known about specific risk factors for TB in migrants to this country.
This study aims to reduce the impact of TB in migrants to New Zealand by identifying risk factors and auditing current TB immigration screening procedures.
Objectives
1) To calculate TB incidence in migrants according to nationality, region, visa type, age and sex.
2) To assess if TB was identified at the time of immigration screening, and if not could it have been.
Methods
Cohort study: TB cases were linked to the Statistics New Zealand Integrated Data Infrastructure (IDI) migration records from 01/01/2007 to 31/12/2016. All long-term migrants to New Zealand were included in the study. Border movements for arrivals and departures were used to calculate total time in New Zealand per migrant. TB rates per 100,000 person-years were calculated for nationality, region of origin, visa category, age and sex. Multivariate analysis of incidence rate ratios was calculated for region of origin and WHO incidence in country of origin adjusting for visa type, age and sex.
Clinical audit: TB cases were linked to the Immigration New Zealand (INZ) health screening records from 01/02/2015 to 31/01/2018. Screening records, x-ray reports and specialist letters for TB cases were audited to identify whether TB was diagnosed by screening, and in cases where it was not diagnosed, possible gaps in the screening programme.
Results
Cohort Study: There were 873 TB cases in 1,597,077 migrants, with a total of 2,851,287 person-years of follow up. The highest incidence of TB was seen in those from South-Central Asia, with 104.8 cases per 100,000 person-years (95% CI: 95.7- 114.9), followed by South-East Asia with an incidence of 59.2 per 100,000 (95% CI: 51.9-67.5). Incidence by country was positively associated with incidence in the country of origin, but incidence was less in New Zealand than in the country of origin. Incidence in New Zealand was proportionate to WHO estimated incidence, with the exception of migrants from the highest WHO incidence bracket 350 per 100,000, where New Zealand incidence reduced. Migrants from countries with a WHO incidence of <40 per 100,000 had a New Zealand incidence of 2.8 per 100,000 (95% CI: 2.0-4.0). On multivariate analysis, region of origin and WHO estimated incidence were strongly associated with TB risk in New Zealand. Age <15 was associated with a reduced risk. Visa category was not associated with risk of TB once other factors were adjusted for.
Clinical Audit: There were 120 cases of TB included for audit. Immigration screening detected TB, or was likely to have detected TB in 46 (38%) cases. In 74 (62%) cases, screening did not detect TB. In those not detected by screening, 13 (18%) were notified within six months of screening, and thus were likely cases of prevalent, active TB. Six of these cases were pulmonary TB, and five of these either had old, or no x-ray submitted as part of their immigration medical. Seven were cases of extrapulmonary TB. There were 50 (68% of those not detected by screening) cases of likely reactivation of latent TB (LTBI). The remaining cases not detected by screening were likely due to inactive or early TB (8 cases) or possibly infection in New Zealand (3 cases).
Conclusion
This study is the first to describe risk factors for a large cohort of migrants to New Zealand and is the first audit of the country’s screening programme. The cohort study identified the main risk factors for TB in migrants are the world region and TB incidence in the country of origin. The clinical audit showed that there is limited scope to improve on currently used x-ray screening of migrants, with most TB not detected by screening being due to reactivation of LTBI.
This study has identified high-risk migrant groups that could benefit from enhanced TB screening. Overall findings support the idea that LTBI is the cause of most TB in migrants in New Zealand. Further study is needed to assess possible benefits and costs with additional screening, such as for LTBI in high risk groups. There is a low incidence of TB in New Zealand in migrants from low WHO incidence countries, and consideration should be given to abandoning screening in these groups. A change in screening procedures will reduce the incidence of TB in New Zealand and its considerable impact on migrant communities, and help progress New Zealand towards TB elimination
A business model for an accessible adventure hub in Dunedin, New Zealand
No full textOur thirst for outdoor adventure is growing, with participation rates in adventure recreation and sport increasing exponentially across the globe (Brandt & Buckley, 2018; Breivik, 2007, 2010; Brymer & Gray, 2009). There is strong evidence of how adventure benefits our health and wellbeing, yet in some cases adventure is not accessible to all people (Christie, 2017; Christie & Cole, 2017; Daniels, Cottingham, Walsh, & Pearson, 2017; Doran, 2016). A market scan indicated a gap in adventure offerings in Dunedin, New Zealand, that catered to people with different levels of ability. An idea for filling the market gap was devised by the researcher: the development of an adventure hub in Dunedin for people across a range of ages and abilities. However, there was no understanding of what Dunedin residents might want in such an adventure hub, and whether an adventure hub would be financially sustainable in Dunedin. Thus, the current study sought to explore how such an enterprise would be developed in the New Zealand context.
This thesis aimed to address these matters, and sought to answer the research question, How can a sustainable adventure hub be developed in Dunedin for people of all abilities?. The purpose of this research was to guide the development of an appropriate business model for a Dunedin adventure hub.
Design thinking was the research methodology used to guide the process of sampling, data collection and analysis through four stages. Design thinking methodology provides a framework for innovation to help understand issues for people in relation to adventure, and to explore possibilities of what could be, things they had not yet thought of. Design thinking is action-based, its purpose is to solve real-life problems and improve peoples’ lives (Brown, 2009; Cross, 2006).
In the first stage of research, in-depth interviews were carried out with twenty-five Dunedin residents to understand what adventure meant to them, their experiences of, and desire for, adventure. The participants ranged from being self-professed couch potatoes, to those unable to participate in adventure due to physical limitations, through to Olympic-level athletes and adventure junkies. The Dunedin residents were also shown a prototype of an adventure hub to seek their input. The prototype was then updated with their feedback to create a second prototype.
The focus of the second stage of the research was on the context of Dunedin. This was undertaken by interviewing eighteen key stakeholders from Dunedin. The aim was to ascertain their feedback on the second prototype, and seek their advice on how to develop and implement the hub, explore opportunities for collaboration, and identify any challenges or conflicts. The unique business context of Dunedin was also part of the second stage of the research which included Competitor, SWOT and PESTLE analyses.
Analysis of the interviews from the Dunedin residents and key stakeholders was carried out using thematic analysis (Saunders, Lewis, & Thornhill, 2016). The themes identified, and the ideas generated from the interviews, were then used to determine which adventure operators to include in the third stage of the research.
A total of thirteen businesses were purposively selected based on the information from the Dunedin residents, and key stakeholders. There were eleven operating in New Zealand, and two international businesses. A number of methods were used to collect data with the aim of understanding their business models. These methods consisted of an overview of the business which included a physical tour of the business, secondary data on the business, such as Trip Advisor and their websites, interviews with business representatives, participant observation, and researcher participation. This information, along with the information from the Dunedin residents, key stakeholders and the Dunedin business context, informed the development of a number of Dunedin adventure hub business models.
Interpretation of the data revealed that, for Dunedin residents, adventure involved challenging themselves, and the positive emotions experienced from participating in adventure. Adventure experiences allowed these residents to feel a sense of achievement. Residents also identified being in nature, and in solitude but with people as key adventure benefits. The meanings, experiences, barriers, and desire for adventure among these Dunedin residents illustrated the subjective nature of adventure. Their desire for adventure was linked to their meanings and experiences, and whilst the participants had different desires, a common theme was that they wanted to feel a sense of achievement.
The barriers to participating in adventure activities for the participants meant that some were not able to engage in any adventure activities, while others could not engage as much as they would have liked. The most common barrier was a lack of time. The next most commonly reported barriers were impairments or injuries that precluded them or their family from participating, and cost.
The adventure hub concept was supported by the Dunedin resident participants and the key stakeholders. All provided ideas on what they thought was missing in the prototypes, and what could be improved. The participants provided valuable suggestions on how to develop the hub in Dunedin, and where it should be sited; the most commonly suggested location was within the inner-city suburbs.
The first three stages of the research informed the fourth stage, which was the development of six unique business models, using the Business Model Canvas (BMC) (Osterwalder & Pigneur, 2010). The development of the BMCs was guided by the five typologies of Wrigley and Straker (2016), who provide a different starting point, sequence and approach to exploring business model options. The limitation of this approach though meant they were all developed in isolation of one another. A sixth business model was therefore developed, which was an accumulation of the perceived best features of the previous five.
Overall, there was support and enthusiasm for the concept of an adventure hub, and for accessible adventure, in Dunedin New Zealand. This research informed the design of accessible adventure experiences. The results enabled the researcher to develope a viable business model appropriate for the context of Dunedin, New Zealand
Microbial proteases from gelatin production system for the degradation of keratin-containing materials
No full textThis study aimed to isolate microorganisms from gelatin production systems, an extreme environment, which were prospected to isolate bacteria that secreted keratin degrading proteases. Keratin protein-containing materials are major by-products of the livestock and poultry processing industries. Keratin protein may have potential applications in food and nutrition; however, keratins are resistant to degradation by many common proteases, including those in the digestive system. Prospecting for proteases that possess keratin-degrading capability would enable utilization of keratin protein. Specialized environments such as that used for gelatin production, involves alkaline pre-treatment of animal hide in conditioning baths that leads to the release of animal skin, hair, and bone debris. The bath liquor and debris may harbour bacteria that may secrete keratinases in response to keratin containing materials in the environment.
The isolation of protease-secreting microorganisms was achieved by the cultivation of the above materials at 37oC in either (1) liquid broth Tris TSB (tryptic soy broth (TSB) containing 50 mM Tris with final media pH 8.5 or 10.8), or (2) on milk TSA agar (tryptic soy agar (TSA) containing 50 mM Tris and 1% (w/v) low-fat milk with final media pH approximately 8.8). Microorganisms were not able to be isolated at pH 10.8, but some species grew on Tris TSB at pH 8.5 and on milk TSA. Microbial colonies on milk TSA were collected and identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Sequence comparison with online databases showed that microorganisms isolated from conditioning bath liquors (CBLs) were primarily from Bacillus genus, while those isolated from animal hide, hair and bone debris were members of Aeromonas genus. The microbial communities associated with two types of CBLs which were used to pre-treat the animal hide for 5 and 45 days, i.e. CBL C5 and CBL D45 respectively were investigated via metagenomic 16S V3-V4 rRNA amplicon sequencing using an Illumina MiSeqTM platform. The 16S rRNA gene libraries were demultiplexed, denoised/clustered, and then taxonomically classified using reference sequences from the Silva 16S databases using Qiime2 software. The results showed that both CBLs contained numerous genera of microbes made up predominantly of Burkholderiaceae, Enterobacteriaceae, and Carnobacteriaceae. And, these may not be viable microorganisms. The alpha and beta diversity of CBLs were also not substantially different.
Two strains of Bacillus licheniformis that were encoded CP7 and DP1 were chosen for the studies, due to the generally recognized as safe (GRAS) status of many members of this bacterial species. The strains were evaluated for optimum growth conditions and nutrient requirement for the production of extracellular proteases, assayed using either casein or extracted soluble wool keratin as substrates. The results indicated that the optimum cultivation conditions for protease production by CP7 was 50oC, pH 7.5, 200 rpm, 24 h in sucrose, wool, NaCl and K2HPO4 (SWNK) media containing (w/v) 1.5% sucrose, 0.434 % wool, 5% NaCl and 70 mM K2HPO4, and for DP1, 50oC, pH 9.0, 200 rpm and 24 h in sucrose-malt extract, NaCl and K2HPO4 (SMNK) media containing 0.5% sucrose, 0.5% malt extract, 5% NaCl, and 70 mM K2HPO4. Only CP7 was found to be capable of producing keratinase(s) with the capability to degrade native chicken feather and wool. CP7 cell pellet was also investigated but was found to have quite a low level of proteases. The secreted CP7 proteases were harvested from the growth media and concentrated by ammonium sulphate precipitation. Two major protease containing fractions were obtained by anion exchange chromatography (Q-FPLC), which exhibited the capability of degrading keratin-containing materials. The target protease fractions were further fractionated using gel permeation (S100-FPLC) and analysed by reversed-phase chromatography (RP-HPLC). The protein and hydrolytic profiles of the protease fractions were investigated using SDS-PAGE and gelatin zymography. Protein gel bands were excised and subjected to in-gel digestion and LC-MS/MS for protein identification. Two protease fractions (QP0 SP2 and QP1 SP3) analysed were found to contain protease related to B. licheniformis Subtilisin Carlsberg. The optimal activity of the proteases was found to be 60oC, pH 10.0 and pH 6.0-10.0, respectively. This research has provided further insight into culturable protease-producing microorganisms in such gelatin production alkaline environment. Although the proteases analysed in this study have similar sequence homology to subtilisin Carlsberg, they appear to require different conditions for optimal activity. Various metal ions, protease inhibitors, reducing agents, and a detergent were also used to characterize both QP0 SP2 and QP1 SP3
Borrowing, Adapting, and Remixing: Digital Humanities and Shakespeare
No full textBARDS is a browser-based remix engine for three different textual versions and four graphic novel interpretations of Hamlet, allowing students and researchers to act as an editor of a visual text.
Between 1603 and 1623, there were three different editions of Shakespeare’s Hamlet published: Q1 (the first quarto) in 1603; Q2 (the second quarto) in 1604-5; and F1 (the text that appeared in the first folio, the first collection of all of Shakespeare’s plays) in 1623.
Q1 is the shortest at just over 2200 lines; Q2 and F1 are almost twice the length of Q1. All three have material unique to themselves. They also have shared material, but at times in unique order. Further, all three omit material that the other two contain. An editor’s challenge—your challenge—is to examine any part of the first scene of Hamlet in these three editions and make one edition that you feel best represents that portion of the scene.
Editing Q1, Q2, and F1 provides a fuller sense of Hamlet as text, but perhaps only a partial picture of Hamlet as drama. Plays were primarily played (rather than sold as books), so any editor’s challenge is to imagine how the words on the page might manifest themselves as actions on a stage. To help you in this respect, the BARDS web interface provides images from four graphic novels—with their words removed—so that you can overlay your edited text onto images. That is, you’ll need to imagine how the words on the page might appear as actions in a theatre (either a real theatre or the theatre of the mind)
Learning technologies: A medium for the transformation of medical education?
No full textContext
Learning technologies are ubiquitous in medical schools, implemented in anticipation of more effective, active and authentic learning and teaching. Such thinking appears to be an instance of solutionism. The evidence is that academics’ adoption of learning technologies is often limited in scale and scope and frequently fails to transform their teaching practices.
Purpose
This paper aims to provide a contextualised analysis of considerations pertinent to the adoption of learning technologies by teaching staff. We contextualise a framework for understanding adoption of learning technologies in higher education by medical education.
Conclusions
We identify multiple precursors that predict individual patterns of adoption, illuminating factors related to the technology, the individual staff member charged with adoption and the working environment. We offer conceptual clarity to the vexed issue of learning technology adoption and provide evidence explaining why, despite their widely promulgated potential, learning technologies do not offer an easy route to the transformation of medical education
Learning by Watching Others Learn: Vicarious Learning from Videoed Tutorials
No full textResearch attests to the efficacy of small group and individual tutoring in a range of educational contexts, but such tutoring requires resources that are beyond the means of many higher education institutions. In response, researchers have applied the notion of vicarious learning to explore the potential of having university students observe videos of tutorial discussions. The evidence from laboratory studies is very positive; students can and do learn from watching videos of tutorials, but the literature is somewhat confused, and a practical methodology has not been offered. This chapter reviews over two decades of research on observing others learn in tutorials. Additionally, the chapter shares the practice-based wisdom developed by the authors as they have sought to apply and test the approaches described in the research literature within a university business school. The chapter includes a series of recommendations with the aim of ensuring that learning vicariously from videoed tutoring is a pedagogy that can be successfully implemented by others.Peer Reviewe
Two approaches for fostering self-regulatory competencies in home-based early childhood education and care: exploring benefits for children’s developing self-regulatory and socio-emotional competencies through the transition to school
No full textHome-based early childhood education and care (ECEC) is a unique early childhood environment in which learning can take place to foster skills important for early school adjustment. The present studies examined the impact of the implementation of professional learning modules within a home-based ECEC setting that were developed to help educators promote the scaffolding of self-regulatory, socio-emotional and cognitive-linguistic competencies predicted to help early school adjustment. This thesis is a part of a larger project that aimed to look at the impact over time of providing participating home-based educators with professional development modules designed to foster the development of a range of key competencies in children aged 3 ½ to 4 ½. Each module was originally designed and found to show promise with parents of pre-school children but adapted for use in home-based ECEC. In the present project, these learning modules were developed to support teaching and learning in home-based ECEC.
The impact of these modules was measured over time, both post-implementation of the module (post-test) and one year after school entry. It was hypothesised that participation in a play/activity-based module, Enhancing Neurobehavioral Gains with the Aid of Games and Exercise (ENGAGE) and a shared reading/oral language-based module, Rich Reading and Reminiscing (RRR) would be associated with benefits to children’s developing competencies from pre-test to post-test. Specifically, it was expected that children who participated in ENGAGE would display improved scores in self-regulatory measures relative to those who participated in RRR. However, children who participated in RRR were expected to display improved scores in the socio-emotional measures relative to those who participated in ENGAGE. In addition, this thesis followed a subset of children to explore benefits for children’s related school-adjustment one year after school entry. It was hypothesised that participation in both areas of professional learning would be associated with children's developing competencies in their first year of school.
At post-test, results of mixed between-within subjects’ analyses of variance (ANOVA's) and nonparametric Wilcoxon signed ranks test suggested growth on measures of developing self-regulatory competencies over time. Although groups did not differ on measures of self-regulation at post-test, educators rated perceived benefits for self-regulation learning to be higher for ENGAGE relative to RRR. In contrast, there were two group X time interactions suggesting specific benefits of participation for children in RRR. Educators rated children in RRR to show higher levels of oral language competencies at post-test. Moreover, children in RRR also received higher composite scores for their responses to the Challenging Situations task, involving responses to responses to hypothetical scenarios involving peer provocation. At follow-up, repeated measures ANCOVAs and non-parametric Friedman-tests results demonstrated continued growth over time; however, there were limited differences between ENGAGE and RRR after school entry.
Overall, even though the hypotheses were only partially supported, it did appear that there was a benefit in providing resources to home-based early childhood educators to promote the development of competencies for preschool children in their education and care settings and children’s early school adjustment
Wild self-care: Rethinking 'risky' health-related practices among members of the gay community
No full textGay and queer men tend to experience higher rates of mental health issues, STIs/HIV, suicide, substance dependency, and poor well-being than other demographics. Despite sustained public health efforts internationally, many of these issues continue to disproportionately affect members of the gay community. This thesis presents a new approach to the health issues gay and queer men face. It examines how ‘risky’ health-related practices including condomless sex and the use of illicit drugs might be legitimate ways of performing self-care and pursuing well-being.
In order to address this aim, I conducted 16 interviews over a 12-month period in New Zealand and Australia using a constructionist grounded theory approach and a theoretical framework that draws upon the work of Judith Butler, Elizabeth Grosz, Michel Foucault, Homi Bhabha, Kane Race, Nikolas Rose, and Pierre Bourdieu. My participants and I explore a wide range of topics including the performative nature of sex and the notion of ‘play’, how pleasure and the emotional significance of sex might be related to self-care, the ways in which space might influence sexual practices and experiences, and to what extent having sex outside the home might be a form of self-care. I also cover safer sex practices and the experience of disease, how PrEP has radically changed the way gay men approach sex, the way drugs are bound up in self-care practices, and the relationships between self-care and community.
The concept of ‘wild self-care’ emerged from these interviews and describes how practices or behaviours which appear risky, dangerous, or unhealthy can also be seen as legitimate ways of caring for the body and the self. I demonstrate how my participants used creative, unexpected, and alternative methods of caring for themselves using substances or ‘risky’ forms of sex and describe the way self-care is communal nature rather than a solitary practice. I also present the notion of health-as-process. This concept allows researchers to approach health as an ongoing process rather than a state of being that might be achieved. This speaks to the emotional and personal way that risk is constructed and experienced. All these facets come together to articulate the deeply complicated ways that people care for themselves