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Investigating the use of cuprizone and lysolecithin to model demyelination ex vivo in sagittal rat brain organotypic slice cultures
No full textINTRODUCTION: The development of organotypic slice cultures of central nervous system (CNS) tissues has bridged the gap between simple in vitro cell cultures and complex in vivo whole animal studies. Organotypic brain slice cultures are a useful tool to study neurological disease, providing a more complex 3-dimensional system than standard 2-dimensional in vitro cell culture. In particular, organotypic brain slice cultures provide an excellent model to study the processes of demyelination and remyelination associated with neurological disease and injury. However, organotypic brain slice cultures are typically generated using coronal sectioning or regionspecific hippocampal or cerebellar tissue. We have previously reported the ability to generate sagittal organotypic brain slice cultures, allowing us to investigate the anterior-to-posterior integrity of the corpus callosum during demyelination and remyelination processes. To extend our sagittal organotypic brain slice culture model, this study compares the ability for two common demyelinating agents, cuprizone (CPZ) or lysolecithin (LPC), to induce demyelination of the corpus callosum. METHODS: Rat brain sagittal organotypic slice cultures were generated with clear visualization of the corpus callosum and treated either with CPZ (1 mM) or LPC (0.5 mg/mL). RESULTS: We demonstrate that CPZ treatment induces acute demyelination followed by endogenous remyelination 1-week post-treatment. Conversely, we show that LPC treatment results in prolonged demyelination of the corpus callosum that is maintained 5 weeks post-treatment and is associated with an acute astroglia response. DISCUSSION: Overall, this study demonstrates the use of CPZ and LPC to model either acute or prolonged demyelination in a sagittal organotypic brain slice culture system. These models provide a platform for studying acute and chronic demyelination and for testing new therapeutic approaches aimed at enhancing remyelination prior to conducting in vivo experiments
Multimodal Sentiment Analysis in Cryptocurrency: TikTok vs. Twitter’s Impact on Prices and Volumes
No full textAs cryptocurrencies gain popularity, the digital asset marketplace becomes increasingly significant. Understanding social media signals offers valuable insights into investor sentiment and market dynamics. Prior research has predominantly focused on text-based platforms, such as Twitter, leaving video-based platforms like TikTok underexplored. In this study, we present the multimodal analysis comparing TikTok and Twitter sentiment, using large language models to extract insights from both video and text data. We investigate the dynamic dependencies and spillover effects between social media sentiment and cryptocurrency market indicators. Our results reveal that TikTok’s video-based sentiment significantly influences speculative assets and short-term market trends, while Twitter’s text-based sentiment aligns more closely with long-term dynamics. Notably, the integration of cross-platform sentiment signals improves forecasting accuracy by up to 20%, underscoring the impact and practical relevance of our approach for investors, regulators, and researchers in the evolving digital asset landscape
Survival and dispersal of Phytophthora multivora zoospores in soil substrates
No full textPhytophthora pathogens are responsible for causing disease in a range of environments, including natural, urban, nurseries and horticultural settings, and can be cryptically spread when present as inoculum in infected soil media. By evaluating the survival of Phytophthora inoculum in soil substrates without plants, their potential to be spread cryptically could be better understood. We tested the ability of Phytophthora multivora to survive in and be dispersed from sterile potting mix, forest soil and sand in the absence of plants when introduced as zoospores. We found that P. multivora zoospores readily encysted and survived in the potting mix for up to 76 days. The encysted zoospores were dispersed from the inoculated potting mix pots by overhead watering for up to 49 days. Zoospore cysts accumulated in the bottom sections of the potting mix pots as they were washed downward with each watering event. In contrast, P. multivora did not survive and persist in the sterile sand and forest soil substrates well. At 28 days-post-inoculation, only 10.1% of the destructively harvested replicates were positive with baiting for both sand and soil, while 100% of the potting mix reps were positive. The results raise concerns about the cryptic dispersal of inoculum during restoration projects especially from potting mix and show that zoospore cysts can contribute to the longer-term survival of Phytophthora inoculum. The potential presence of cryptic Phytophthora inoculum in nursery plants should be considered when sourcing plants for restoration projects to avoid inadvertently spreading soil-borne Phytophthora diseases
Auditory Training Therapy for Misophonia
No full textBackground: Misophonia is a decreased sound tolerance disorder causing hatred of specific trigger sounds. Currently, little is known about the aetiology of misophonia. Consequently, there is a lack of epidemiological data and standardised diagnostic criteria for
this disorder. Since misophonia is considered a form of “annoyance hyperacusis” with neurological mechanisms similar to those that cause tinnitus, treatments for tinnitus have been extended to treat misophonia. Additionally, current misophonia treatments are expensive and not easily accessible. Recently, a novel digital poly-therapeutic system for tinnitus was developed at The University of Auckland. This system combines goal-directed counselling and auditory attention training to treat tinnitus distress. Currently, auditory attention training has not been investigated as a treatment for misophonia.
Aim: This study aimed to ascertain the benefit of using auditory training to treat misophonia, allowing for a potentially cost-effective and accessible treatment.
Methods: Fourteen participants were screened using the Duke-Vanderbilt Misophonia Screening Questionnaire (DVMSQ), Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K-10) and Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS-v1.1) Ten participants met the inclusion criteria (K-10 score = ≤30). Included participants completed the Amsterdam Misophonia Scale (Revised) (AMISO-SR), with heart rate (HR) recorded at rest and during trigger exposure, along with trigger unpleasantness ratings (Session 1). Session 2 (same as Session 1) was conducted after 14 days of auditory training via the TrueSilence app, with participants also providing feedback on the
training.
Results: Misophonia severity reduced significantly after auditory training as measured by the A-MISO-SR. No significant difference was found between trigger sound unpleasantness before and after training. HR recording showed an increase approaching statistical significance during trigger exposure in Session 1 (pre-training) and no significant increase during Session 2 (post-training), compared to rest. Participant feedback suggested that the therapy could be beneficial for misophonia if it is geared specifically towards it.
Conclusion: Overall, the findings of this study suggest that auditory training could benefit misophonia patients. The observed pre-training and post-training trends indicate that a misophonia-specific digital therapy, integrating auditory training with other treatments, such as counselling or habituation therapy, could offer a cost-effective and accessible solution for managing this condition
Raw Material Economisation in Aotearoa New Zealand: Evidence for Manufacture and Recycling of Adzes on Ahuahu Great Mercury Island
No full textRaw materials are used to characterise the early settlement of Aotearoa Te Wai Pounamu New Zealand by Māori. Current models suggest change in raw material use over time occurred in response to changing social organisation and reduced resource availability. However, few studies have examined spatial variation in raw material use. Here we examine four basalt artefact assemblages from Ahuahu Great Mercury Island to examine potential spatial variation and test the assumption of a lack of material economising in the earliest occupation. We explore this through the concept of adze recycling. Results suggest conservative use of basalt from the earliest occupation on Ahuahu through the recycling of adzes, with differences in resource use among adjacent locations. We suggest basalt use may have involved the bulk procurement of stone resources, provisioning of place and the recycling of material.
Les matières premières sont utilisées pour caractériser les premières phase d'occupation maories en Aotearoa Te Wai Pounamu (Nouvelle‐Zélande). Les modèles actuels suggèrent que l'utilisation des matières premières a évolué au fil du temps en réponse à la transformation de l'organisation sociale et à la diminution des resources disponibles. Toutefois, peu d’études ont examiné les variations spatiales dans l'exploitation de ces matières premières. Nous examinons ici quatre assemblages d'artefacts en basalte provenant d'Ahuahu (Great Mercury Island), afin d’étudier les variations spatiales potentielles et de tester l'hypothèse selon laquelle les premières occupations ne témoignent pas de comportement d'une économie de matériaux. Nous explorons cette question à travers le concept de recyclage des herminettes. Les résultats suggèrent une utilisation conservatrice du basalte dès les premières occupations d'Ahuahu grâce au recyclage des herminettes, avec des différences dans l'utilisation des ressources entre les sites adjacents. Nous suggérons que l'utilisation du basalte a pu impliquer l'approvisionnement en gros de ressources en pierre, l'approvisionnement du site et le recyclage des matériaux
Exploring Parental Perspectives: CMV Screening and Diagnosis in New Zealand through the Lens of Families
No full textBackground: Congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) is the most common non-genetic factor
leading to sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) in paediatrics. Not only does it affect hearing,
cCMV can also cause other significant neurocognitive and global developmental delays, as
well as sensory and motor disorders, with varying impact. In severe situations, cCMV can
even cause infant death. Despite its substantial effects, awareness and knowledge of cCMV
remain low globally, and early detection via screening is not yet established in New Zealand
(NZ). Multiple international studies have identified the importance of parental education for
early intervention and management of cCMV. However, families in NZ have limited
understanding of cCMV screening and diagnosis. This research aims to investigate parental
perspectives to establish a direction for NZ’s future healthcare policy.
Methods: Parents and caregivers of children diagnosed with cCMV in New Zealand were
recruited for the study. Interviews were conducted to examine their pre-diagnostic knowledge
of cCMV, their experiences with screening and diagnosis, and their perspectives on
communication and support within New Zealand’s healthcare system. Reflexive Thematic
Analysis (RTA) was employed to identify key themes in the qualitative data.
Main Results: Nine parents participated in the study. Five overarching themes emerged,
reflecting the complexities of cCMV screening and diagnosis from a parental perspective.
These themes were: (1) Being Blindsided, (2) Heavy Weight – Could I Have Done Something
Differently?, (3) Being Pushed from One Doctor to the Next – Why Wasn’t Anyone Listening?,
(4) Strain on Family Dynamics and Support Systems, and (5) People Need to Know More.
Conclusion: This study highlighted a gap in parental knowledge of cCMV and underscored
the need for improved communication and support networks within New Zealand’s healthcare
system. Parents reported feeling unprepared and unsupported, pointing to shortcomings in the
family-centred approach to cCMV screening and intervention. To improve parental
experiences and outcomes for children with cCMV in New Zealand, the findings suggest the
development of clear national guidelines, new education programmes, and strengthened
healthcare support services
Sound source enhancement using power spectral density estimation in beamspace for a dual unmanned aerial vehicle system
No full textA sound source enhancement framework is proposed
for a dual unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) system, where each UAV
is equipped with a microphone array. While introducing more
UAVs inevitably increases interfering noises, it simultaneously provides additional information that could enable improved robustness
against various noise conditions and ultimately lead to superior
overall performance compared to a single-UAV setup. This paper
extends the power spectral density (PSD) estimation in beamspace
by jointly using the combination of beamformers’ directivity gains
from both arrays to improve estimation accuracy. Moreover, the
cross-power spectral density between the beamformers’ outputs
is incorporated to further refine the PSD estimation of the target
source. The resulting PSD estimates are utilised to compute
a non-linear post-filter, which is then applied to the averaged
beamforming output to suppress residual noise. Experimental
results show that the proposed framework outperforms the singleUAV baseline, achieving significant improvement in terms of
signal-to-interference-plus-rotor-noise ratio and extended shorttime objective intelligibility
A hybrid data-driven approach for modeling post-earthquake housing recovery
No full textEmpirical data is fundamental for deriving accurate and high-resolution estimates of the post-earthquake building recovery process. To this end, a unique and extensive dataset comprising damage and recovery data from residential buildings affected by the 2010–2011 Canterbury Earthquake Sequence (CES) has been systematically compiled to introduce a novel hybrid data-driven approach for modeling post-earthquake recovery at both individual and community levels. At the individual building level, key temporal variables are modeled using their respective probability distribution functions (PDFs), which are iteratively refined through Bayesian inference with the incorporation of collected empirical data. Specifically, Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) and Empirical Bayes (EB) methods are employed to derive updated posterior distributions for these variables, offering a contextually grounded understanding of recovery dynamics within the New Zealand setting. At the community level, a suite of machine learning models, including Random Forest (RF), Gradient Boosting Machine (GBM), Decision Tree (DT), and Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), is developed to rapidly predict the recovery trajectories across residential building portfolios. The marginal posterior distributions derived from the MCMC and EB methods are directly applicable to future recovery modeling efforts, offering valuable insights into the temporal duration and inherent variability of recovery activities tailored to a region’s contextually specific socio-economic profiles and recovery practices. The findings further underscore the superior performance of the RF model in predicting community-level recovery trajectories, whereas the XGBoost model demonstrates excellence in estimating overall recovery timeframes. Consequently, an integrated approach utilizing both RF and XGBoost models is recommended to provide a comprehensive understanding of community-level recovery dynamics and overall recovery time in the aftermath of earthquakes
‘“Designed Upon the Most Modern Lines”: Purpose-Built Apartment Buildings in 1920s New Zealand’
No full textBy the 1920s, the detached house and garden was well-established as the desired housing norm for Pākehā New Zealanders. Developers had also started building purpose-built apartment buildings in the 1910s, and, in the 1920s, in response to population growth, urbanisation, an ongoing housing shortage, and increased opportunities for women, such buildings were built in increased numbers. The Great Depression provided a bookend because it curtailed the construction of the larger apartment buildings. This article analyses the 1920s apartment buildings collectively and, utilising historical geographer Richard Dennis’ writing on modernity, explores the ways in which the buildings can be considered modern. The article finds modernisation and the new in construction and other technologies, the standardisation and repetition of plans through vertical stacking, the introduction of new building by-laws, overt American influences, the changing place of women in society, and the increasing sale of stocks and shares as means to fund the speculative development of what were comparatively large buildings
Rainbow-washing: Marketing strategies used by the alcohol industry to target LGBTQ+ people
No full textAlcohol consumption is associated with both immediate and long-term negative health consequences, as well as significant social burdens. Drinking alcohol is highly prevalent among ‘rainbow communities’ (people who identify as LGBTQ+, including but not limited to gay, lesbian, bisexual, takatāpui, gender diverse, queer, transgender, and intersex). Members of these communities have been found to drink at higher levels compared to heterosexual and cisgender people, placing them at increased risk of experiencing alcohol-related harm. This higher alcohol consumption may stem from chronic and unique stressors that members of rainbow communities face.
For many rainbow people, drinking commonly happens in the ‘gay scene’ such as pubs, bars, clubs, and pride events. These spaces are crucial for community building, feeling safe in romantic pursuits, and exploring gender and sexuality without feeling marginalised. Alcohol companies and brands have infiltrated these spaces and actively target the rainbow population through various advertising and promotional strategies specifically crafted to appeal to gender and sexual minorities. The primary goal of this research was to identify the strategies used by the alcohol industry to target rainbow communities and to inform policy development.
We conducted an online search for publicly accessible documents related to industry marketing strategies. We used thematic analysis to examine the language used in 54 documents from articles on industry websites, online magazines and reports. This led to the identification of four key themes:
1) Social responsibility towards LGBTQ+ communities: alcohol companies are portrayed as socially responsible and supportive of LGBTQ+ communities.
2) Aligning values: alcohol companies construct value alignment with LGBTQ+ communities by claiming partnerships with community representatives.
3) Profitable allyship: the alcohol industry actively manages the challenge of balancing business motives with portraying authentic support for rainbow communities.
4) Genuine and authentic partnerships: alcohol companies position themselves as genuine allies and partners, aiming to mitigate perceptions of rainbow-washing.
Alcohol companies position themselves within industry texts as having noble objectives, while deflecting concerns about their authenticity and motives. Despite claims of impactful advocacy and genuine support, these companies are promoting alcohol products to a group that is particularly vulnerable to higher rates of alcohol consumption and its negative effects. Increased regulation is needed to prevent alcohol companies using rainbow-washing tactics. Addressing this issue is crucial to tackling the significant prevalence of harmful alcohol use among rainbow populations and mitigating the impact of alcohol marketing on their consumption patterns