Research Bank
Not a member yet
5195 research outputs found
Sort by
Impacts of commonly used anti-parasitic treatment - fluralaner - in companion animal species
No full textWith the global increase in feline and canine ownership, there has been a corresponding rise in the use of antiparasitic drugs for companion animals to treat fleas (Ctenocephalides felis), ticks (Ixodes ricinus, Dermacentor reticulatus, and D. variabilis), sarcoptic mange (Sarcoptes scabiei var. canis), ear mites (Otodectes cynotis), and poultry red mite (Dermanyssus gallinae), with the goal of combating potential zoonotic diseases. While similar drugs are being banned or restricted in agriculture—fipronil being banned and imidacloprid being restricted due to concerns regarding their impact on non-target invertebrates—there is limited research on the environmental consequences of companion animal antiparasitic treatments, especially in densely populated urban areas worldwide. A systematic literature review was conducted to investigate the environmental transfer of fluralaner, a widely used isooxazoline insecticide and acaricide, and its potential impact on non-target invertebrates. Through a comprehensive analysis of published studies, this review concludes that fluralaner exhibits high toxicity to 28 insect species across 12 orders. There are unsubstantiated claims of soil persistence and literature indicating that runoff—resulting from washing, walking in the rain, and swimming— by companion animals could pose a potential risk to aquatic environments and ecosystems, with the primary concern of potential transfer to the environment through excretion in animal faeces. This review highlights the need for further research on the environmental transfer of fluralaner and its impact on the environment with the goal of better inform veterinary health providers, given this drug extensive use in companion animal species
Exploring the interplay of ecologies in architecture: Archiving digital media
No full textThis research delves into the intricate relationships shaping the ecologies of architectural representation and their profound impact on contemporary spatial experiences. By examining the dynamic interplay between territorialization, subjectivity, digital media, and simulacrum, this study seeks to unravel the multifaceted dimensions contributing to the architectural landscape’s evolving nature. The theme of territorialization is explored as a mechanism through which physical spaces are delineated, demarcated, and imbued with socio-cultural significance. Investigating the ways in which architecture engages with territorialization unveils the intricate dialogues between built environments and the socio-political contexts in which they exist. Subjectivity emerges as a critical lens through which individuals perceive and engage with architectural spaces. Understanding the subjective experience of architecture delves into the psychological and emotional dimensions, revealing the symbiotic relationship between human perception and the built environment. The integration of digital media into architectural practices is a transformative force that shapes contemporary design, communication, and interaction. This study scrutinizes the impact of digital media on the creation, representation, and dissemination of architectural forms, exploring the potential of technology to redefine spatial narratives.
Simulacrum archiving, in the context of architecture, introduces a dimension of hyperreality, where representations of spaces may surpass their physical manifestations. This investigation contemplates the implications of archiving architectural simulacra, acknowledging the complex interweaving of authenticity, representation, and memory within the digital realm.
By synthesizing these themes, the research aims to contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the ecologies of architecture. The findings hold implications for architects and consumers of architectural imagery, offering insights into the intricate relationships that define the contemporary built environment and its interactions with human experience and technological advancements
Beyond brick & mortar: Designing (third) places for social connections
No full textRESEARCH QUESTION
How can architecture meaningfully contribute to the resurgence of inclusive and vibrant third places in the urban realm?
ABSTRACT
At its start, this project aimed to identify where people place a sense of community in the urban realm. Historically, the neighbourhood was the definitive physical marker of community, while gathering spaces like markets, squares, and plazas were where social life thrived. However, the evolution of urban fabric has fractured these traditional social structures. As modern developments continue to create greater separation between work and home, with technology enabling unprecedented mobility, the traditional cohesion of the social fabric and its dynamics have appeared to unravel. Between the realms of work and home, Ray Oldenburg’s concept of ‘third place’ describes where informal social exchange and community bonds can thrive. Through his analysis, Oldenburg explains that while some establishments may present themselves as third places, they are merely disguised as such. True third places are inherently accessible and social, where anyone can visit at any time of the day and find a sense of community or companionship.
In Auckland’s urban fabric, especially after emerging from COVID-19 isolation, people eagerly returned to the public realm only to find that many of the social establishments they patronised had closed their doors. Those that survived the fallout of the pandemic were predominantly large corporations, saturating the urban landscape with an ethos that prioritises economic gain over social capital. This shift highlights the need for accessible, convivial spaces where interpersonal connections can grow, aligning with Richard Sennett’s assertion that successful urban planning must engage with the complexities of the local social fabric. Inspired by the works of sociologists, urban planners, architects and theorists such as Kevin Lynch, Jan Gehl, and William Whyte, this project investigates how third places can materialise in Auckland’s urban context. Many of these scholars discuss cities they consider successful, prompting the research to incorporate travel studies and adopt the notion of the flâneur as a method for observing and experiencing vibrant urban environments. Through this lens, the project explores how the physical characteristics of lively cities can inform Auckland’s urban fabric. The research suggests that meaningful public spaces need not emerge from grand, rapid developments but rather from small, deliberate interventions that prioritise social connection. The project proposes a series of ‘acupunctured’ architectural interventions, recognising that no single space can meet the diverse needs of a community, but together, they can support a more connected urban life
Vernacular void: Rekindling Scottish heritage in New Zealand through vernacular architecture
No full textRESEARCH QUESTION
How can vernacular architecture aid in commemorating the Scottish culture within New Zealand?
ABSTRACT
Scottish culture in New Zealand has been largely overshadowed by English influence, although Scottish immigrants represented a significant portion of New Zealand’s 19th century settlers. To mitigate this diminishment, vernacular architecture can be used to reinforce a sense of place. This project, therefore, poses the question: How can vernacular architecture aid in commemorating the Scottish culture within New Zealand?
Despite a strong presence of Scottish culture within associational events, such as the Caledonian Games, a lack of cultural representation through architecture manifests at the same time. Scotland is home to many unique vernacular structures, yet emigration to New Zealand saw numerous changes in the way Scottish settlers approached architecture, including the abandonment of many unique building customs. Therefore, this ‘vernacular void’ forms the basis of this research project.
While studies on architecture tend to focus on structures of more formal and monumental nature, vernacular architecture – the humble structures of the common people – can provide insight into cultural elements embedded within architecture, whether intentional or unintentional.
For this reason, the project both explores and analyses examples of vernacular architecture in Scotland and its adapted form in Central Otago, New Zealand. The analysis then informs the establishment of a contemporary architectural design. Taking shape as a museum complex, the design is situated in Central Otago, on the site of a historic Scottish settler’s cottage, providing much-needed support for the cottage, while celebrating the vernacular heritage of both Scotland and Central Otago.
The resulting design serves as a response to the research question, commemorating Scottish culture in New Zealand by celebrating Scottish architectural heritage, generating awareness through education, and bridging this vernacular void
Digital technologies in construction education: Digital course design for mobile learning
No full textDigital skills and competences must be accessible to all citizens of all ages and backgrounds. Every school, every education and training institution must take due account of the risks and opportunities presented by technology. Digital competences are becoming an essential element for the successful integration of graduates from graduate, formal education into the current labour market. With the dynamically changing labour market environment, the digital transformation of enterprises, it is important to assess the digital competences of secondary and higher education graduates in terms of their relevance and readiness for jobs. Digital competencies, skills and knowledge are key success factors for graduates in their job search and their success in the work environment. The digital transformation has resulted in increased demands for digital skills in new employees. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need to improve the digital readiness of education and training systems in terms of resilience, accessibility, high quality and inclusiveness. The Digital Decade commitment also sets the EU a target of 80% of the population aged 16-74 to have at least basic digital skills by 2030. Employers are looking for graduates with the ability to work effectively with digital tools and technologies, as well as the ability to adapt to new digital environments.
Businesses are often faced with a lack of digital skills among graduates. Many industries require specific technical skills such as programming, data analysis, working with software, etc., which many graduates do not have. This can lead to the need for further training during employment. Businesses and employers assess graduates' digital literacy using a variety of methods, including surveys, tests and face-to-face interviews. These assessments often focus on graduates' ability to solve problems using digital tools, their ability to adapt to new technologies, and their ability to communicate and collaborate effectively in a digital environment. Although graduates may have some level of digital competency, most businesses recognise the need to provide further training in digital skills for their employees. It is important to focus on education and training needs with regard to digital transformation and to take action at all levels of education.
Based on a quantitative research conducted among 550 employers, a detailed analysis of the collected data, scientific methods, the paper assesses the acquired digital skills, competencies of graduates of formal education, identifies the level of achieved digital competencies of graduates from the perspective of employers, presents the employers' perspective on the need to educate students during formal education, and highlights the need for postgraduate and lifelong learning in the field of digital technologies. The originality of the scientific article lies in presenting the employers' perspective, on the digital skills of graduates. The assessment of graduates' digital competencies from the employers' perspective is crucial for their success and successful integration into the modern work environment
Gender-fair advertising in New Zealand: How inclusive is recruitment in the construction industry?
No full textRESEARCH OBJECTIVE
Evaluating construction job vacancies in New Zealand to determine if gender inclusivity is practised in the talent acquisition space.
• Main RQ: How do recruitment practices influence gender diversity in the New Zealand construction industry?
• Sub Questions
• What practices exist around the usage of gender-inclusive language in job advertisements?
• What strategies are used to make the recruitment processes equitable?
Widening the talent pool is critical to addressing the construction industry's ongoing labour shortages, creating an urgency to challenge longstanding practices that deter women from entering and advancing in the sector. The recruitment of women into construction roles depends on gender-fair job advertising to create a more gender-inclusive industry. The construction industry is historically considered male-dominant, and there is a higher likelihood of using masculine-stereotyped words in classified advertisements, which may discourage women from applying for open vacancies. This exploratory study examines recruitment practices and their influence on improving gender diversity in the New Zealand construction industry. The research used content analysis to evaluate the use of gender-inclusive language in 169 construction vacancies in New Zealand. The findings underscore the high degree of feminine-coded language in construction vacancies, indicating that the industry is increasingly becoming gender-inclusive and exploring various avenues for encouraging women's engagement in the sector
Shifts in transgender healthcare: Thinking about gender diversity and inclusivity
No full textThis presentation examines the rapidly shifting landscape of transgender healthcare for adolescents at a time when an increasing number of young people are identifying as gender diverse, and the provision of associated medical care is hotly contested – along with the very conditions of possibility for trans life. The presentation critically analyses binary constructs of gender and sex, as well as problematic sex/gender distinctions that appear within transgender medicine, examining aspects of their history and effects in both clinical and wider political contexts. In addition, variable and sometimes incompatible concepts of gender at play in the clinic, as well as differentials of power surrounding age and patient agency, are identified and scrutinized. Building on a 2022 presentation at this symposium (delivered when the project was in its formative stages), and utilizing the methodology of analytic autoethnography, the author draws on her own experiences in a New Zealand clinic as the mother of a transgender teenager, presenting vignettes from healthcare consultations to illustrate operations of medical power as well as resistance against problematic formulations of clinical expertise. The concluding discussion outlines legacy learnings that could support a more diverse range of sex/gender embodiments in the future, articulating alternative understandings of the relationship between sex and gender to this end. The implications for theorizing sex and gender are significant and have the potential to contribute substantially not only to healthcare debates but also to more inclusive discourses about gender identit
Factors affecting the recovery of COVID-19 patients in Pakistan, with a focus on smoking: A comprehensive analysis
No full textThis research paper delves into the various factors influencing the recovery of COVID-19 patients in Pakistan, with a specific emphasis on the impact of tobacco smoking. To unravel these connections, we conducted a data collection campaign employing a custom-designed questionnaire, gathering responses from 170 individuals who had successfully recovered from the coronavirus. Subsequently, we employed the Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) method to examine the influence of socio-economic factors on the recovery process. Our findings revealed that patients within the age range of 36 to 46 years exhibited an extended recovery period, requiring an additional three days for recuperation compared to their younger counterparts aged 17 to 25 years. Furthermore, patients aged above 46 years experienced a more prolonged recovery period, with a delay of up to seven days. Residence played a pivotal role in recovery times, as urban-dwelling patients showed a noteworthy advantage, recuperating 1.5 days sooner than their rural counterparts. A conspicuous relationship emerged regarding smoking habits, as patients who smoked tobacco required an additional two days for recovery when compared to non-smokers. Similarly, patients classified as obese experienced 2.6 more days to regain their health compared to individuals with a normal Body Mass Index (BMI). Remarkably, our analysis revealed that factors such as income, gender, and education were insignificant in terms of the number of the days required for recovery. These results provide a comprehensive understanding of the dynamics at play in the recovery process of COVID-19 patients in Pakistan, offering valuable insights for healthcare professionals and policymakers
Is lilly pilly beetle a threat to New Zealand’s native Syzygium maire?
No full textParopsides calypso is native to subtropical rainforests in northern New South Wales, Australia and has been recorded in New Zealand since approximately 2020. They are voracious consumers of at least three Australian Syzygium species, which are commonly used as garden hedges in New Zealand. Syzygium maire is a threatened New Zealand endemic, which has the potential to be a host species for P. calypso. This project aimed to determine if P. calypso consumes S. maire and extent of this impact. Conducted separately on both adults and larvae, 30 mature leaves of S. australe and 30 S. maire were individually exposed to one specimen (adult or larvae) for 48 hours, after the specimen has been starved for 24 hours. Each leaf was traced before and after exposure on 2mm x 2mm grid paper. For each after exposure tracing, every square that the leaf margin passed through and then every square that a damaged leaf margin passed through was counted to determine the percentage of leaf perimeter damaged by a beetle. The before exposure tracing acted as an indication to non-related beetle perimeter damage. All S. maire leaves had no damage from either adults or larvae. The average percentage of damaged perimeter of S. australe by adults was 20% (SE 2.32) and larvae 18% (SE 2.70). Invasive insect species in New Zealand have been shown to have significant impact on either agricultural or horticultural production or contributed to the decline in native biodiversity. The apparent lack of impact of P. calypso on the endemic S. marie is a positive indication that this invasive insect will not contribute to this ongoing decline in relation to S. marie
Strategies for improving work-life balance in small construction firms in New Zealand
No full textMaintaining a work-life balance (WLB) in the construction sector is often challenging due to the demanding nature of the industry. The existing work culture dictates long working hours, disruptive work schedules and high-pressure deadlines that affects the well-being of construction professionals. Poor work-life balance has significant impacts, resulting in absenteeism, low job satisfaction, high employee turnover, low productivity, demotivated workers, reduced mental health, and a stressful work environment. Strategies to maintain a work-life balance are necessary for construction professionals to achieve higher job satisfaction and successful careers in the industry. This qualitative research investigated the strategies employed within a small construction company to improve its employees' work-life balance. Furthermore, it evaluated the impacts of these work-life balance strategies and their appropriateness for adoption by small construction organisations in New Zealand. A case study was conducted on a small construction company in Auckland using document analysis and semi-structured interviews as data collection methods. The findings indicate that smaller organisations often utilise informal approaches to WLB compared to larger organisations with formalised processes. The research also identified that workplace culture and company size affected WLB approaches, with smaller organisations focusing on enhancing workplace connections and creating a positive environment for employees compared to larger organisations centering on providing incentives. However, compared to larger firms, smaller construction organisations need to have adequate systems to raise awareness of work-life balance strategies that will benefit their employees.
RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
This study explored strategies a small construction company employed to improve WLB for its employees.
Main research question: How can work-life balance be improved within a small construction company in Auckland?
The sub-questions explored the various strategies implemented by the small company, the employees’ awareness of these WLB strategies and the perceptions of employees towards these strategies