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Effects of LSVT LOUD and EMST in individuals with Parkinson's disease: A two arm non-randomized clinical trial
No full textPurposeThis study compared the effects of Lee Silverman Voice Treatment and Expiratory Muscle Strength Training on swallow, cough, and voice function in individuals with Parkinson's disease.MethodFifty-eight individuals with mild-moderate Parkinson's disease (male = 45, M = 69 years, SD = 8) were enrolled in a two-treatment clinical trial and completed four consecutive weeks of either Lee Silverman Voice Therapy or Expiratory Muscle Strength Training. All participants completed standard protocol videofluoroscopic swallow study, spirometry-cough tests, acoustic-voice assessment, and self-rated questionnaires pre- and post-therapy. Data were analysed by masked clinicians using specialised software. Mixed-model repeated measures and t-tests were performed.ResultLee Silverman Voice Treatment resulted in greater effects in acoustic aerodynamic voice measures (loudness, pitch-range, and aerodynamic-efficiency; p p =.01) following Lee Silverman Voice Treatment. Expiratory Muscle Strength Training resulted in significantly greater change in maximum hyoid displacement (Hmax; p = .04) and decreased Hmax duration (p .01) compared to Lee Silverman Voice Therapy group. No cough measures and self-reported questionnaires significantly differed between groups with both groups improving post-treatment.ConclusionBoth Lee Silverman Voice Therapy and Expiratory Muscle Strength Training improved specific swallow efficiency and airway defence capacity despite differences in task and therapeutic dose. Only Lee Silverman Voice Thearpy improved vocal intensity. Both treatments are feasible options for individuals with mild-moderate Parkinson's disease
Understanding and optimising access to heart healthcare for rural Māori communities
No full textAim:
In Aotearoa New Zealand (AoNZ), Māori living in rural areas experience inequities in cardiovascular
outcomes compared to rural non-Māori and urban Māori. Rural Māori communities also experience
additional challenges in accessing care compared to their urban counterparts. This thesis seeks to
understand the factors that influence access to cardiovascular care for rural Māori living in Te Tai
Tokerau, Northland, and, by virtue, to develop recommendations for optimising access to care.
Methods:
We used a mixed methods approach guided by Kaupapa Māori methodology. The studies included a
scoping literature review of the barriers and facilitators to accessing heart healthcare for rural Māori
and Indigenous Peoples, semi-structured interviews with rural whānau Māori and healthcare
providers in Te Tai Tokerau Northland, a quantitative analysis of ST-elevation myocardial infarction
outcomes by ethnicity and across the rural-urban spectrum AoNZ, and a synthesis of findings using
the Te Tiriti o Waitangi Framework.
Results:
Our scoping review identified several key drivers that influence access to heart healthcare for rural
Indigenous peoples, but also found a lack of literature in the context of AoNZ. The semi-structured
interviews with rural whānau Māori found that rural Māori desire heart healthcare that is close to
home, culturally responsive, includes a representative Māori workforce, involves their whānau, and
values partnership. Interviews with heart healthcare providers revealed how discourses of
colonialism, metronormativity, and neo-liberalism influence narratives about healthcare access in
rural Māori communities. The quantitative analysis discovered that rural Māori have poorer access to
guideline-recommended interventions and worse heart health outcomes than some urban Māori and
non-Māori. Our synthesis led to five recommendations for optimising heart healthcare for rural Māori
communities: equitable resource distribution, Te Tiriti o Waitangi-centred care, rural Māori
partnerships, valuing our heart healthcare workforce, and establishing a rural Māori heart health hub.
Conclusions:
Our research indicates that optimising heart healthcare for rural Māori communities is a complex
challenge that requires targeted responses at the system, service, and community levels. Using Te
Tiriti o Waitangi as a guiding framework for care optimisation offers a pro-equity and Māori-rights
approach, driving transformative change for rural whānau Māori
Impacts of Ebb-Tidal Delta Shifts on the West Coast Beaches of New Zealand’s North Island
No full textThis thesis investigates the morphodynamic interactions between ebb-tidal deltas (ETDs) and adjacent shorelines over 25 years along the high-energy west coast of New Zealand’s North Island. ETD dynamics were determined by analysing breaking wave patterns from satellite imagery, while shoreline change was analysed using CoastSAT’s automated shoreline detection. The relationship between ETD dynamics and adjacent shoreline responses was subsequently assessed by statistical analyses. The thesis concluded that adjacent coastal morphology is substantially shaped by ETD dynamics. Temporally lagged shoreline reactions were shown to be primarily driven by ETD size and orientation. Larger, morphodynamically active systems, such as Kaipara and Manukau, exerted broader and more predictable influences than smaller, more stable deltas such as Raglan and Kāwhia.
Cyclic patterns of ETD evolution were observed, particularly at Kaipara and Manukau, where breaching-realignment cycles occurred over decadal timescales. These oscillations aligned with conceptual models such as FitzGerald’s (2000) breaching sequence and Michel & Howa’s shoal- welding framework. ETD dynamics are modulated by internal controls (tidal prism, inlet hydraulics) and external climatic drivers (ENSO-linked wave forcing). Sediment delivery from ETDs to shorelines was directionally influenced and delayed, with shoreline responses ranging from near- instantaneous (0-year lag) adjacent to the delta to ~4-year lags further alongshore. ETD orientation was a stronger predictor of shoreline change than ETD extension. The influence of ETDs was spatially confined to a definable zone of influence, expanding with delta size and tidal prism. Shoreline responses varied across sites due to local geomorphic constraints, headland interruptions, and sediment pathway complexity.
The methodology established a reproducible framework for evaluating delta-shoreline coupling, by utilising remote sensing and automated shoreline detection. An original contribution of this thesis is the use of recently available satellite products and tools to analyse four interconnected ETDs simultaneously over more than two decades, offering a multi-inlet perspective that advances beyond earlier single-site studies. By examining the relationship between ETD dynamics and shoreline change, this thesis provides insights into how ETDs regulate sediment. The findings bridge geospatial coastal analytics with delta-morphodynamic theory, enhancing the interpretation of ETD behaviour. Identifying directional feedbacks and time lags offers value for managing erosion and accretion, and supports adaptive sediment planning on inlet-dominated coasts
How Can Large Language Models (LLMs) Be Used to Analyze Phylogenetic Trees?
No full textThis study explores the potential of Large Language Models (LLMs) to reconstruct phylogenetic trees using the Neighbor-Joining (NJ) and Maximum Parsimony (MP) algorithms, with a particular focus on assessing their ability to directly construct phylogenetic trees and/or generate the corresponding Python or R code. The performance of LLMs, including ChatGPT (versions 3.5, 4.0, 4o, and o1), Copilot, Gemini, and Claude, was evaluated for the task of phylogenetic tree reconstruction. Furthermore, this study developed two plugins, NJGPT and ParGPT, which incorporate customized GPT functionality designed to integrate LLMs with phylogenetic algorithms and code, thereby enabling ChatGPT to perform tasks such as tree reconstruction and scoring.
The results from direct prompting and code generation tasks demonstrated that although some models were able to generate Python and R scripts, they encountered difficulties with the accuracy of tree reconstructions, particularly when handling complex datasets and large sequence sizes. In contrast, the ChatGPT-based NJGPT and ParGPT plugins that leveraged the natural language processing and code execution capabilities of LLMs were able to reconstruct phylogenetic trees. Nonetheless, a performance bottleneck still arises when handling excessively complex datasets (e.g., when the number of taxa exceeds 200). A comparative analysis with traditional bioinformatics tools, such as MEGA and Biopython, demonstrates that NJGPT and ParGPT plugins can accurately perform basic phylogenetic tree reconstruction tasks using the NJ and MP algorithms; however, they are not yet adequate substitutes for specialized software in handling highly complex phylogenetic tasks. This study underscores the potential and limitations of LLMs in bioinformatics, offering suggestions for future improvements, including enhanced computational power, better integration with bioinformatics tools, and more effective error handling
Online gaming and wellbeing among Pacific youth: a scoping review
No full textOnline gaming has become a core activity for leisure and as a career option. However, discourses on gaming are often adult-centric and position online gaming as detrimental to youth mental health and wellbeing. There is extensive research into online gaming and its intersections with gender and age, but our interests lie in gaming literature at the intersection of Pacific ethnicities. This article presents the findings of a scoping review focused on Pacific youth and online gaming. In line with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, 56 studies were identified, with only 3 studies meeting the inclusion criteria. These studies investigated the relationship between gaming and gambling among Pacific youth and the gamification of mental health support through computerised cognitive behavioural theory (cCBT). They found that, while Pacific people spend more money on lootboxes than other ethnic groups, there is no association between purchasing lootboxes and gambling. Additionally, Pacific peoples are able to suggest solutions to mitigate risk of gaming harm. Findings of the scoping review indicate a scarcity of literature on online gaming and Pacific youth wellbeing. There is a need to explore this relationship between gaming and Pacific youth wellbeing from Pacific wellbeing perspectives
Six-Pack Singing: On Associations Between Anterior Abdominal Muscle Activity and Vital Capacity Percentage
No full textBreath management techniques are a key component within singing voice pedagogy, as well as clinical treatment of both hypo- and hyperfunctional voice disorders. Common assumptions regarding the relationships between anterior abdominal musculature (AAM), subglottal pressure (PSub), and sound pressure level (SPL) suggest a linear relationship where increased AAM activation will result in greater PSub causing a rise in SPL. The present study questions this tenet, utilizing simultaneous surface electromyographic, aerodynamic, and acoustic measures to contribute to this gap in understanding. Twenty-one healthy adult singers were recorded performing a slow vital capacity (VC) task and consonant-vowel repetitions (/papapa…/) from maximum inspiration to depletion, phonating on a controlled fundamental frequency at three SPLs. The results revealed a strong systematic increase in AAM activation as %VC decreased below 40% (P < 0.0005, ⍴ = −0.81). During controlled phonation, a strong %VC effect was also observed, with incrementally higher %sEMG values for respectively increasing SPL targets. Surprisingly, %sEMG was not strongly associated with either PSub or SPL, and immediate and sustained maximal contraction of the AAM throughout phonation did not significantly alter target vocal outputs compared with baseline measurements. The current study offers three key findings: 1) in habitual behaviors of healthy singers, AAM activates predominantly in association with decreasing %VC; 2) AAM activity is not strongly correlated with PSub or SPL; and 3) immediate contraction of AAM within the inspiratory reserve appears unnecessary for phonation. These data offer novel insights into relationships between respiratory and phonatory parameters and contribute to evidence-based voice pedagogy and therapy
Effectiveness of a Pharmacist-Led Intervention on Inappropriate Omeprazole Continuation Following ICU Discharge
No full textBackground: Omeprazole is frequently prescribed for stress ulcer prophylaxis (SUP) in critically ill patients. However, inappropriate continuation beyond intensive care unit (ICU) and hospital discharge is common, increasing the risk of adverse effects and healthcare expenditure. Although this issue is well documented in international studies no published research has evaluated targeted de-prescribing interventions in the New Zealand context.
Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a pharmacist-led intervention in reducing inappropriate omeprazole continuation among adult patients discharged from ICU. Primary objectives were to evaluate the prevalence of inappropriate omeprazole continuation at ICU discharge, hospital discharge, and six-months after discharge. The secondary objective was to calculate the direct medication cost savings.
Methods: A retrospective, single-centre cohort study was conducted in three parts: (1) implementation of an ICU pharmacist-led intervention involving SUP education for staff, clinical pharmacist medication chart reviews, and an omeprazole indication documentation stamp; (2) retrospective data was collected before (Cohort 19, n=84) and after (Cohort 23, n=82) the intervention; and (3) calculation of direct medication cost savings. Cohort 19 comprised of eligible patients admitted between 1 March 2019 and 31 October 2019, whereas Cohort 23 included admissions from 23 March 2023 to 31 May 2023. Adults’ ≥18 years, who received at least, one dose of omeprazole during ICU admission were included. Patients with a pre-existing indication for acid suppression therapy, post cardiothoracic surgery, or pregnant were excluded.
Results: SUP was initiated in over 90% of reviewed patients (Cohort 19 76/84, Cohort 23 80/82). Post- intervention; documentation of indication improved significantly from 17.9% to 76.8% (p<0.001), and discontinuation rates during ICU admission increased from 36.8% to 76.3% (p<0.001). Inappropriate continuation decreased significantly at ICU discharge from 50.7% to 7.1% (p<0.001), with similar improvements observed at hospital discharge (30.6% to 7.1%) and six-months post discharge. Direct medication cost savings totalled NZD $4,072.18 (excl GST).
Conclusion: A structured, pharmacist-led intervention significantly reduced inappropriate omeprazole continuation across all transitions of care, enhancing medication safety, reducing polypharmacy, and achieving measurable cost savings. This model may inform national and local SUP deprescribing strategies in critical care settings
Benefit sharing on genetic resources: Modelling data access, control and willingness‐to‐pay for digital sequence information
No full textFair and equitable sharing of benefits derived from access to genetic resources is central to international agreements and conventions regarding the management of biodiversity. However, tensions remain between the laudable principles of benefit sharing and their practical implementation.
Digital sequence information on genetic resources provides an illustrative example by placing a spotlight on the tension between (1) open data access to facilitate innovation and knowledge transfer and (2) regulated control over data use to ensure benefits are shared with custodians of traditional knowledge and genetic resources.
In this study, we complement current governance mechanisms by modelling the amount of money individuals in the scientific community are prepared to pay from an allocated research budget to access DSI on genetic (kūtai) resources. Data collected from 1623 individual choices by Indigenous and non‐Indigenous scientists and managers reveal statistically significant preferences for data access, data integrity and provenance attributes.
Practical implications—respondents strongly prefer to know the dataset place of origin and whether consent to use has been awarded when using DSI on genetic resources. The presence or absence of these attributes determines the amount of budget an individual researcher is willing to pay to access and use DSI during pre‐commercialisation. To support managerial decision‐making, we develop a visualisation dashboard tool that allows interested readers to simulate how alternative access and control arrangements impact willingness‐to‐pay
Effect of sequential inoculation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and non-Saccharomyces species on Syrah red wine colour
No full textThe colour of red wine is a critical quality parameter that significantly influences consumer
perception and marketability. This study investigates the effect of sequential inoculation of
Saccharomyces cerevisiae and non-Saccharomyces yeast species on the colour profile of Syrah
red wine. The research employs a controlled experimental design, utilising specific yeast
strains and inoculation techniques to analyse the impact on wine colour. Colour measurement
techniques, including spectrophotometric analyses, were employed to quantify changes in hue,
colour density, and colour intensity. The results reveal that sequential inoculation significantly
enhances the colour stability and intensity of Syrah red wine compared to single inoculation
methods. Specifically, the interaction between Saccharomyces cerevisiae (RC212 and VL3)
and non-Saccharomyces species, such as Torulaspora delbrueckii (BIODIVA and PRELUDE),
promotes the synthesis of stable anthocyanin-derived pigments, including pyranoanthocyanins
and ethyl-linked anthocyanin complexes. These pigments are more resistant to oxidation and
SO₂ bleaching, contributing to the long-term colour stability of the wine. Additionally,
sequential inoculation strategies where the non-Saccharomyces yeast spp. is added to the must,
followed by the S. cerevisiae yeast, such as RC212_BIODIVA and VL3_PRELUDE,
demonstrated superior performance in maintaining higher colour density and intensity, even as
anthocyanin content decreased during ageing. This result suggests that the synergistic
metabolic activities of S. cerevisiae and non-Saccharomyces strains not only enhance pigment
extraction but also stabilise colour compounds, mitigating the degradation typically associated
with malolactic fermentation and ageing. These findings suggest that sequential inoculation
could be a valuable technique for winemakers aiming to optimise the colour quality of red
wines. The study also discusses the practical implications of these results for winemaking
practices and proposes future research directions to further explore the underlying mechanisms
and potential applications in different wine varieties. This research contributes to the growing
body of knowledge on yeast interactions and their impact on wine quality, offering a
sustainable and effective approach to enhancing red wine colour
COMPASS: Whānau partnerships with school—patterns and associations with Māori students’ learning
No full textThis report is the fourth in the COMPASS series, analysing a subsample of data from Professor Melinda Webber’s Kia tū rangatira ai: Living, thriving and succeeding in education project.
In this publication, we analyse responses from 1,665 whānau of Māori learners, focusing on three key areas:
whānau engagement;
whānau perceptions of children’s school engagement and enjoyment;
and intrinsic, extrinsic, and whānau motivation.
The whānau of Māori children who completed the surveys were predominantly from the Bay of Plenty, Waikato, and Te Tai Tokerau regions. Through a cluster analysis technique, we analysed their survey responses to address the following research questions:
In what ways do whānau of Māori children view their involvement with/in school, their child’s motivations to attend school, and their engagement patterns?
Do whānau views and perspectives of the above differ in relation to whānau reported achievement, career aspirations, and support networks?
Our study revealed nuanced differences in how whānau of Māori children view their children’s learning, engagement, and motivation. There were varied perspectives and experiences expressed, and our results indicate that these are likely to shape the extent to which they (and their children) act as partners and navigators in the education journey.
There are likely numerous positive outcomes from strengthening school–whānau partnerships— particularly when whānau expertise, knowledge, and experiences are intrinsically linked to classroom learning.
The findings of this study propose that Māori students, whānau, teachers, and schools benefit when whānau actively partner with schools to enhance the educational content, conditions, and contexts that enable Māori student learning.
Importantly, this study emphasises the critical role of school enjoyment and motivation to whānau engagement in education. It is hoped that this study will help schools to reconceptualise whānau partnerships as a product of the overall wellbeing and mana-enhancing ethos of the school context