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Data Selection Strategies for Bayesian Analysis with Filtering of Genetic Data
No full textThe aim of this thesis is to look into data selection strategies for selecting data to be used for Bayesian analysis of genotyping by sequencing (GBS) data. Each selection of data leads to a different distribution on the model parameters. Methods for analysing the different resulting posterior distributions will be discussed and compared. The most applicable method will be applied to a set of simulated genetic markers.
Traditionally, GBS data sets are constructed so that each marker is a polymorphic (non-constant) site, for example a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP). However, there is evidence to show that this might not be the optimal method. The best method may in fact be to include a certain proportion of sites which are not filtered on being polymorphic sites and are allowed to be constant sites.
To understand whether there is truth in this, we begin by analysing simplified problems with simpler distributions. These simpler problems will be studied analytically and using Monte Carlo samples. This decision making process is to decide the optimal proportion of which class of data points to include in the marker data set. The chosen method will then be first applied to a simulated marker data set and then the results analysed in order to show there appears to be an optimal mixture of data which should be used in any future phylogenetic analysis
Under Surveillance: Does Global Positioning System (GPS) Monitoring of Offenders Really Work and What Does the Dynamic Risk Assessment Offender Re-Entry (DRAOR) Really Tell Us?
No full textAppropriate supervision and risk assessments are critical in offender management, but require effective tools and accurate risk assessments to guide decisions and interventions appropriately. This research sought to investigate the effectiveness of Global Positioning System (GPS) monitoring in preventing re-offending, whilst considering the impact of GPS monitoring on the offender’s psychological and emotional wellbeing. The second aim was to evaluate the utility of the Dynamic Risk Assessment Offender Re-entry (DRAOR) in predicting future re-offending and examining whether such predictions were different in a matched sample of GPS monitored offenders (n = 220) versus non-GPS monitored (n =219) over a 24-month follow-up period. All participants were male offenders released from prison within New Zealand. The results showed statistically significant differences for ‘non-violent’ and ‘violent’ re-offending rates, with GPS monitoring being associated with lower rates of recidivism. The findings demonstrated that the DRAOR may be better at predicting violent and general recidivism, rather than technical violations and overall re-offending in this sample. There was no evidence of increased psychological distress in those men subject to GPS monitoring. The DRAOR’s utility in predicting re-offending came primarily from the Stable scale, demonstrating the highest predictive accuracy for re-offending when compared to the Acute and Protective scales. The final assessment predicted re-offending better than the initial assessment. The amount of change on the DRAOR scores was dependent on the individual’s re-offence status, in that the scores had decreased more substantially for those who did not re-offend compared to those who did, demonstrating the value in monitoring risk. However, the DRAOR’s utility in predicting future re-offending was essentially identical across GPS and non-GPS monitored groups
The challenges we face: A professional identity analysis of learning technology implementation
No full textInstitutionally implemented learning technologies are often not adopted or are underused by academic staff. We aimed to better understand this problem by drawing on the notion of professional identity to explore the challenges academic staff experienced when they were to adopt a replacement learning management system (LMS). We describe a single case study approach in which focus group discussions, workshop evaluation data and documents are analysed. We found that challenges academic staff faced lay in the technology being a threat to professional identity, in the sense-making process, and in the diverse and individually distinct nature of teachers’ professional identities. Institutional support offered to facilitate staff adoption appeared not to fully address these challenges. The implications for academic development and technology implementation are explored.Peer Reviewe
Indigenous peoples, consents and rights: Troubling subjects
No full textAnalysing how Indigenous Peoples come to be identifiable as bearers of human rights, this book considers how individuals and communities claim the right of free, prior and informed consent (FPIC) as Indigenous peoples.
The basic notion of FPIC is that states should seek Indigenous peoples’ consent before taking actions that will have an impact on them, their territories or their livelihoods. FPIC is an important development for Indigenous peoples, their advocates and supporters because one might assume that, where states recognize it, Indigenous peoples will have the ability to control how non-Indigenous laws and actions will affect them. But who exactly are the Indigenous peoples that are the subjects of this discourse? This book argues that the subject status of Indigenous peoples emerged out of international law in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Then, through a series of case studies, it considers how self-identifying Indigenous peoples, scholars, UN institutions and non-government organizations (NGOs) dispersed that subject-status and associated rights discourse through international and national legal contexts. It shows that those who claim international human rights as Indigenous peoples performatively become identifiable subjects of international law – but further demonstrates that this does not, however, provide them with control over, or emancipation from, a state-based legal system. Maintaining that the discourse on Indigenous peoples and international law itself needs to be theoretically and critically re-appraised, this book problematises the subject-status of those who claim Indigenous peoples’ rights and the role of scholars, institutions, NGOs and others in producing that subject-status. Squarely addressing the limitations of international human rights law, it nevertheless goes on to provide a conceptual framework for rethinking the promise and power of Indigenous peoples’ rights.
Original and sophisticated, the book will appeal to scholars, activists and lawyers involved with indigenous rights, as well as those with more general interests in the operation of international law.Peer Reviewe
Toitū te Mātauranga Māori: The Protection of Mātauranga Māori in the Publishing Industry
No full textTahau-Hodges, P. (2020). Toitū te Mātauranga Māori: The Protection of Mātauranga Māori in the Publishing Industry. (A thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Indigenous Studies at the University of Otago, Dunedin, Aotearoa, New Zealand).
ABSTRACT
This dissertation focuses on the protection of mātauranga Māori in the Aotearoa New Zealand publishing industry. Mātauranga Māori is Māori knowledge in its most expansive and all-encompassing form. It is fortified with all the values, experiences, attitudes and worldviews handed down by our tīpuna (ancestors), and reflects Māori ways of being, knowing, and thinking. Publishing is a means by which Māori (the Indigenous people of Aotearoa New Zealand) and other Indigenous peoples can preserve our mātauranga (knowledge) for future generations. However, there are a plethora of issues and challenges concerning the protection of mātauranga Māori in the publishing industry.
The primary objective of this research is to explore issues and challenges concerning the protection of mātauranga Māori in the publishing sector. Many of these issues relate to a conceptual divide that exists between Pākehā understandings of property, and how Māori and other Indigenous peoples view the world, share knowledge, and express culture.
This research provides a literature review about Indigenous knowledge and mātauranga Māori, and explores understandings and definitions of these concepts. It looks at the many facets of the publishing industry as the context for this research and examines where and how mātauranga Māori features in this sector. It presents a summary of the issues and challenges identified through interviews with experienced publishing practitioners. Finally, it offers a conceptual model developed as a tool for publishing practitioners so that they can better protect mātauranga Māori in the publishing industry
On the functions of palladium (II) cages
No full textThis thesis consists of four chapters.
Chapter 1 provides an overview of metallosupramolecular chemistry, detailing the three main approaches to self-assembled metallosupramolecular architectures: the ligand direct approach, the symmetry interaction approach, and the weak link approach. The various applications of these systems are discussed with regards to their molecular recognition properties. A series of [Pd2(L)4]4+ cages designed and produced by the Crowley group is introduced and their achievements and failings of binding the inorganic anticancer drug cisplatin are outlined. The necessity to address the failings of these systems is the foundation for one of the aims of this project. The other goals of this project are centred around structurally similar, but functionally different [Pd2(L)4]4+ cages. These are investigated as molecular reaction vessels and their potential to enhance the rate of [4+2] Diels Alder cycloaddition reactions are studied.
Chapter 2 describes the global struggle against cancer, and how inorganic drug molecules such as cisplatin are used to combat the fatal disease. Advances in the use of metallosupramolecular architectures as drug delivery vectors are discussed, in particular [Pd2(L)4]4+ cage systems. Work building on the cages first developed by the Crowley group is detailed. Terminal coordinating pyridine groups have been substituted for quinoline and isoquinoline units in the new cages. The quinoline system no longer has the ability to bind cisplatin due to a twisting caused by steric clashes of the quinoline units. As these units are situated over the external faces of the palladium(II) metal ions, they provide protection from biological nucleophiles and therefore increase the kinetic robustness of the cage. This is reflected in the increased, sub-micromolar anticancer activity, the highest activity of any [Pd2(L)4]4+ system to date. However, like cisplatin, the system displayed very little discrimination between cancerous cells and healthy tissue.
Chapter 3 introduces a new [Pd2(L)4]4+ cage system whereby the central pyridine ring is replaced with a rotationally flexible, redox active ferrocene moiety. X-ray crystallography confirmed the structure of both the BF4- salt and the PF6- salt. The coordination chemistry of an alteration of the ferrocene-based ligand, whereby a 3-pyridyl donor is replaced by a 4-pyridyl donor, is also studied. Again, a single architecture was generated (and confirmed through X-ray crystallography), in this case a [Pd3(L)6]6+ prism. The exploration of the host-guest properties of both systems revealed them to interact strongly with the toluenesulfonate anion. While the cages retained the redox properties of ferrocene, the ferrocene units in each ligand did not interact with each other, and the electrochemical signals were unperturbed upon the introduction of the guest.
Chapter 4 details the history and current state of artificial enzymes, with particular emphasis on metallosupramolecular structures and more specifically, how [Pd2(L)4]4+ cages accelerate the rate of bimolecular [4+2] Diels Alder cycloaddition reactions. The work presented in this chapter is a continuation of a project started by the Lusby group in which the original [Pd2(L)4]4+ cage developed by Crowley was shown to not only accelerate the cycloaddition, but also alter the chemo- and regio-selectivity of the products. Electronic alterations to the cage have been explored in this section with regard to the catalytic activity. The new cages maintained their hosting abilities however altering the electronics only seemed to diminish the catalytic behaviour of the system when compared to the parent cage
Dietary Fibre intakes and the main food sources of fibre in New Zealand adolescents
No full textBackground: The mean fibre intakes for 15-18-year old females from the last national nutrition survey (2008/09 New Zealand Adult Nutrition Survey) was 16.0 grams/day, well below the Adequate Intake (AI) for this age group of 22.0 grams/day. Adolescent male’s fibre was at 21.9 g/day, which was also below the AI for their age group of 28 g/day. Given the role of dietary fibre in optimal health promotion, an update on the dietary fibre intakes of New Zealand adolescents is justified as it is unknown how intakes may have changed over time.
Objective: To assess the dietary fibre intakes and identify the main food groups contributing to fibre intake with secondary aims of examining the association between fibre and bodyweight and correlation with bowel habits.
Methods: The Survey of Nutrition Dietary Assessment and Lifestyle (SuNDiAL) study is two-year multi-centre, cross-sectional survey in New Zealand that was conducted in 2019 and 2020. Data were collected across three points; February-April 2019, July- August 2019 and February-April 2020 throughout New Zealand. Nationwide, adolescents aged 15-18 were recruited from high schools from eight locations nationwide in Dunedin, Wellington, Christchurch, Rotorua, Tauranga, New Plymouth, Wanaka and Auckland. Anthropometric measures were measured using standard protocols and used to calculate body mass index z- scores. Sociodemographic and bowel habits were self-reported with an online semi- quantitative questionnaire through REDCap. Dietary data were obtained via two interviewer- led 24-hour multi-pass dietary recalls on non-consecutive days, with a second recall via phone or video call. The dietary data were entered into FoodWorks 9 (Xyris Software, Australia) for each participant and analysed for nutrient content to estimate mean fibre intakes.
Results: Two hundred and sixty six female and 135 male participants were enrolled. Of the sample, 344 participants completed one 24-hr recall with 281 of those completing a second recall. The mean dietary fibre intake of adolescent females was 24.1 g/day (95% CI: 22.2, 25.9), which was higher than the AI for their age group (22g /day). Mean dietary fibre intake in adolescent males was 24.0 g/day (95% CI: 22.1, 25.8), which was lower than their AI (28 g/day). The top five food sources contributing to fibre intake were bread; grains and pasta; fruits; vegetables and breakfast cereals in both males and females. Bread made the greatest contribution to fibre in males, and fruits and vegetables and bread contributed in equal amounts in females. Dietary fibre intake was positively associated with energy intake, however, a higher fibre intake was associated with a lower bodyweight in females and in males after energy adjustment. A bowel habits questionnaire was completed by 129 males and 124 females. Overall, males and females both tended to have frequent and regular bowel motions regardless of fibre intake (R² = 0.0099).
Conclusion: Adolescent females had higher mean fibre intakes their AI whilst adolescent male’s dietary fibre intake was lower than their AI. Given the influence of dietary fibre on chronic disease prevention, encouraging adolescents, males in particular, to increase fibre-dense foods may help in achieving their AI for dietary fibre
The Role of Empathy and Parent Mental State Talk in Theory-of-Mind Development: A Longitudinal Investigation
No full textTheory of mind is an important aspect of social understanding and the development of this skill is of much interest. Theory of mind describes the ability to infer the mental states of others and apply this knowledge. Despite significant research into the roles that related constructs such as language and emotion understanding play in theory-of-mind development, the construct of empathy has received little attention. It is of interest to look at the association between empathy and theory of mind, in the context of known social correlates such as parent mental state talk. This longitudinal study aimed to investigate the relation between empathy and theory of mind, and to determine whether it was mediated by parent mental state talk.
The current study involved 55 children and their parents. These children were involved in a previous study by Aitken (2019) when they had an average age of 20.5 months. Aitken’s study assessed child prosociality, self-concept, empathy, and language ability, and parent’s use of mental state talk. The current study saw these children again when they were 4.6 years on average. Child false-belief understanding, empathy, emotion understanding, prosociality, and language ability was assessed, and parents’ mental state talk was assessed again.
Correlation and mediation analyses revealed three main findings. First, early empathy was not related to later theory of mind, second, empathy and theory of mind were not associated at age 4.6, and third, both empathy and theory of mind were associated with parent mental state talk at the later time point. Additionally, results showed that children’s later prosociality mediated the association between parents’ early references to child emotions and later child emotion understanding. Furthermore, within the later time point, the association between parents’ references to child cognitions and child false-belief understanding, was mediated by children’s general language ability
The study on Chinese SMEs' internationalization speed
No full textEnterprise internationalization, as one of the key strategies for companies to increase business opportunities and expand their business territory, is not only the core driving factor of economic globalization, but also a key link for SMEs to make strategic decisions to enter the international market. However, the speed of enterprise internationalization and market performance will show huge differences under different environmental factors. In particular, the current academic research is more focused on the internationalization speed and market performance of large enterprises, the trajectory and influence mechanism of how SMEs are going international and how to proceed quickly are rarely known. On the other hand, the internationalization speed of SMEs is often accompanied by many limitations, such as lack of resources, etc. Thereby, if SMEs want to realize the internationalization more quickly, they tend to rely on the entrepreneurial orientation, innovation capabilities, and a certain degree of adventurous spirit. This research will focus on how entrepreneurial orientation affects the speed of internationalization of private SMEs in China. It further explores the relationship between the institutional environment and different relationship networks on the impact of entrepreneurial orientation and the speed of corporate internationalization. We hypothesize that entrepreneurial orientation has a positive role in promoting the speed of enterprise internationalization, and this promotion relationship will be stronger in a more developed institutional environment. At the same time, we also believe that an established relationship network will have a positive impact on this facilitating role of entrepreneurial orientation. From a historical perspective, China, as an important part of the international market, has provided active institutional and environmental support for the internationalization of local enterprises. This research provides support for our hypothesis based on the survey research of 146 Chinese private enterprises. The results of this study not only bring theoretical enlightenment and support to the research of private SMEs, but also have practical significance of management practice
Ideal Attributes of Functional Foods Helping the Immune System Recover From the Impact of Air Pollution: A Consumer-Led Product Design
No full textAir pollution is becoming an increasing problem in many developing economies with China being one of the countries most effected. Four Consumer Idealized Design (CID) workshops were conducted in Suzhou to explore the ideal product attributes consumers require in functional foods designed to combat the adverse impact of air pollution. A tablet was the most common format in the supplement designs and the majority of conventional-foods were designed as either snacks, drinks, or dairy options. Effective health claims were considered to be “boosting immunity” for products designed for long-term use and “relieving respiratory symptoms” for products designed for use in acute situations. Supplements and conventional-format functional foods were perceived as having different health benefits and target markets. Consumers’ attention to food safety suggested product producers should apply multi-methods to communicate the safety of their products to consumers. This study was the first to utilize CID workshops with Chinese consumers and will help inform industry product development