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Ki te kapu o taku ringa - In the palm of my hand
No full textThis publication accompanies the launching of our exhibition 'Ki te Kapu o Taku Ringa - In the Palm of My Hand' at the Ōtorohanga Museum in June 2024.
The title is taken from a line of King Tāwhiao's song-poem 'Maioha mō Waikato'. Ejected from their homelands he and his Waikato brethren took refuge with their Maniapoto relations in Te Nehenehenui; parts of which are mentioned in the song-poem. Teh 'maioha' was composed expressing King Tāwhiao's love for his homelands, and his solastagic holding fast to those lands '...in the palm of his hand.
Neuroanatomy of a sex changing fish: the New Zealand spotty wrasse (Notolabrus celidotus) brain atlas
No full textFor most vertebrates, sexual fate is genetically determined and remains fixed throughout life. However, for some teleost fishes sex is more plastic. Significant progress has been made in characterising the cellular and molecular processes that underpin gonadal sex
change. The brain-mediated mechanisms that underlie and initiate this transformation, however, remain poorly understood. One reason for this is the current lack of a neuroanatomical reference work for sex changing fishes. Here, we present a brain atlas for the New
Zealand (NZ) spotty wrasse (Notolabrus celidotus), developed from 10 wild caught specimens (2 male and 8 female). From each fish, coronal cryosections were collected and stained with cresyl violet solution. Photomicrographs were taken of each section using an
inverted bright field microscope and 3D reconstructions were rendered of each brain for annotation and volumetric comparison of specific brain regions. The brain atlas describes the general features of the NZ spotty wrasse brain as well as its specificities. This atlas
provides the necessary foundation for further investigation of the brain mechanisms driving protogyny in this species
Key fuel poverty indicators and variables: A systematic literature review
No full textFuel poverty is a condition associated with the inability to afford sufficient energy services in a home, especially heating. There is no single standardised process for defining or measuring fuel poverty. Each different method used in research or policy presents biases, resulting in different numbers of affected households with implications for interventions. This systematic literature review aims to summarise the patterns and trends in the indicators and variables of fuel poverty found in relevant publications, as well as the prevalence of associated issues. This study analysed the strengths and weaknesses of the key indicators and variables, showing their biases and opportunities for improvement. The eighty-four publications analysed were selected according to the most relevant results found on Google Scholar searching for definitions and indicators of fuel poverty/energy poverty/energy hardship. The prevalence of relevant themes was identified using NVivo. Understanding the background and the strengths and weaknesses of common indicators and variables of fuel poverty can help develop efficient and effective policies and interventions
Measuring cybercrime in calls for police service
No full textConventional police databases contain much information on cybercrime, but extracting it remains a practical challenge. This is because these databases rarely contain labels that could be used to automatically retrieve all cybercrime incidents. In this article, we present a supervised machine learning method for extracting cybercrime incidents in calls for police service datasets. Data from the Korean National Police (2020, 9 months, N = 15 million call logs) is used for the demonstration. We combined methods of keyword query selection, minority oversampling, and majority voting techniques to develop a classifier. Three classification techniques, including Naïve Bayes, linear SVM, and kernel SVM, were tested, and the kernel model was chosen to build the final model (accuracy, 93.4%; F1-score, 92.4). We estimate that cybercrime only represents 4.6% of the cases in the selected dataset (excluding traffic-related incidents), but that it can be prevalent with some crime types. We found, for example, that about three quarters (76%) of all fraud incidents have a cyber dimension. We conclude that the cybercrime classification method proposed in this study can support further research on cybercrime and that it offers considerable advantages over manual or keyword-based approaches
Appropriateness of gentamicin therapeutic drug monitoring at a Middle Eastern tertiary hospital setting: a retrospective evaluation and quality audit
No full textIntroduction: The use of gentamicin in the treatment of infectious diseases requires frequent monitoring to attain the best treatment outcomes. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the appropriateness of gentamicin therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) at a tertiary care hospital in Qatar. Methods: A one-year quantitative retrospective chart review of all gentamicin TDM records was conducted. Evidence-based criteria were applied to evaluate the appropriateness of gentamicin TDM in terms of indication, sampling times, and post-analytical actions. Results: Out of 59 captured gentamicin TDM records, 58 gentamicin samples were eligible for evaluation. Overall, gentamicin TDM appropriateness was achieved in 50% (n = 29) of the evaluated records. However, 12% (n = 7) of gentamicin drug concentrations were below the assay quantification limits or were not sampled appropriately. Inappropriate post-analytical actions (22.4%, n = 13) and inappropriate sampling times (44.8%, n = 26) were recorded. Most of the gentamicin blood samples (n = 43; 74.2%) were taken appropriately at steady-state. Inappropriate sampling time relative to the last dose was captured in 31% (n = 18) of the cases. Although 27.6% (n = 16) of gentamicin concentrations were non-therapeutic, continuing gentamicin dosing without adjustment was the most frequent post-analytical action (69.8%, n = 37). Gentamicin dose regimen continuations, dose regimen decreases and dose regimen discontinuations were inappropriately applied in 27% (n = 10), 25% (n = 2) and 14% (n = 1) of the times, respectively. Conclusion: Suboptimal gentamicin TDM practices exist in relation to sampling time and post-analytical actions. Studies exploring setting-specific reasons behind inappropriate TDM practices and methods of its optimisation are needed
Me ko Māui: Harnessing the sun to provide better outcomes for marae and communities
No full textMarae are the cultural centres of Māori communities, providing a space for important gatherings both joyful and sad. With the advent of solar energy capture technologies and rising electricity bills, many marae are becoming interested in whether a solar powered system will be beneficial for them. However, marae have unique electricity demand profiles, distinct from commonly modelled building types such as residential or commercial buildings. It is thus difficult to estimate an appropriate solar and battery system size based on annual or even monthly electricity usage data, which may be the only data readily available, requiring more in-depth analysis at a highly site-specific level to find an answer. This thesis aims to increase understanding around how solar power could benefit marae, first by investigating the characteristic electricity demand profile of marae, then by observing how proposed system configurations meet the demand. The potential community benefits arising from such a system was also investigated. Using a year’s worth of half-hourly data from three marae, five characteristic day types were found in the analysis of the demand profile, namely a “Non-Event” profile that maintained a low baseload and accounted for 70% of the days in a year, a “1-Day Event” profile that lasted only a few hours, and for events spanning multiple days a “Start”, “Middle” and “End” day profile that varied greatly in demand magnitude. The demand profiles were then used to develop an annual demand profile for an average marae that was broadly representative of a wide range of marae. Different configurations of solar and battery powered systems were then applied to the annual demand and a technoeconomic analysis performed to determine whether a specific configuration met the needs of the average marae or not, which then produced a range of acceptable system sizes based on the needs specified. Not many solar and battery configurations resulted in positive economic returns for the marae alone, but widening the scope of the analysis to the surrounding community allows other interests such as local grid resilience to be considered, some of which may justify a marae’s decision to invest in a non-economic system to gain better community benefits. While investigating the use of peer-to-peer energy trading and community energy scenarios, sharing excess energy generated by a system with the wider community was also found to improve the economic outlook of solar for marae
Effects of anthropogenic land use on temperate mangrove forests
No full textCoastal ecosystems worldwide are facing unprecedented challenges due to ever increasing human activities, resulting in increased land-derived stressors that can threaten the health and integrity of these systems. Mangrove forests are unique ecosystems that play a crucial role in filtering nutrients, retaining pollutants, and sequestering carbon. However, to what extent they are impacted by an intensification of human pressures is unclear and empirical evidence of landscape scale effects of a holistic view of the ecosystem is scarce. This thesis investigates the effects of human land use on several aspects of temperate mangrove ecosystems and aims to identify potential vulnerabilities of ecosystem processes to provide a holistic view on the impacts that humas are having on these important ecosystems.
By working across a broad gradient of human land use, the first chapter establishes a connection between human land use intensity in catchments and regionally generalizable trends in mangrove forest structure and physicochemical parameters in sediments. Highlighting the integrated nature of anthropogenic impacts, this chapter emphasizes the need for holistic evaluations in assessing responses of complex natural systems to change.
The second chapter investigates environmental controls on organic matter degradation in mangrove forests. Results from this study emphasize the importance of considering multiple factors influencing degradation processes, that vary with the quality of the decaying organic matter. Furthermore, using the human land use gradient from the previous chapter, this study identifies an impact of human land use through eutrophication on the rate of labile organic matter loss from mangrove sediments.
The third chapter provides insights into bacterial communities in temperate mangrove sediments, revealing the persistent effects of nutrient enrichment even after the biochemical signal is lost. The study highlights the spatial resolution needed to detect impacts on microbial communities, warning that functional changes may persist beyond observable eutrophication effects.
The synthesis of these chapters provides a holistic view of the effects of anthropogenic impacts on temperate mangrove ecosystems across various scales. While some components of the system may benefit from moderate amounts of nutrient enrichment, others can deteriorate, ultimately diminishing overall service provisioning of the system. To understand and quantify these effects, this thesis calls for a nuanced understanding of disturbance effects on mangrove ecosystems, emphasizing their complexity and the interconnectedness of their components. It adds a valuable information about the functional resilience of mangrove forests in the face of human pressures and highlights the importance of an ecosystem-based perspective when assessing the effects of external stressors on these important ecosystems
The potential placebo effect of advanced footwear technology on running economy and comfort in female recreational runners
No full textSince the release of advanced footwear technology (AFT) in 2017, the running landscape has changed forever. However, researchers are unable to decisively conclude what part of AFT contributes the most to running economy (RE) improvements, with some eluding to a potential placebo effect of AFT shoes. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the presence of a potential placebo effect of AFT on RE and perceptual measures in female recreational runners.
Chapter One provides a brief overview of the origins of AFT, the properties of AFT proposed to contribute to RE improvements, shoe comfort, and placebo effects in sports and footwear research. Features of AFT shoes typically are a curved geometry, a rigid plate embedded in the midsole, and a resilient and compliant energy-returning foam midsole. AFT shoes are also typically lightweight, linked with improved RE. Research generally reports an average improvement in RE of runners when wearing AFT; however, responses are variable and there are responders and non-responders to AFT.
In Chapter Two, 26 female recreational runners (age: 34.7 ± 10.1 y, VO2peak: 45.19 ± 4.65 mL/kg/min) completed one session at the University of Waikato Adams Centre for High Performance Laboratory to assess RE and perceptual measures in two pairs of women’s Nike Vaporfly NEXT% 2. Participants completed 4 x 6-minute RE trials in these two pairs of shoes. One pair was described as a performance-enhancing super shoe (SS) with AFT worn by elite athletes, and the other pair was spray-painted black and described as a “knock-off” (KO) of the performance-enhancing shoe without AFT. Data from 24 participants were analysed (age: 33.3 ± 8.9 y, VO2peak: 45.58 ± 4.17 mL/kg/min) as physiological data from two participants suggested running above their aerobic threshold. Oxygen consumption was not significantly different between SS and KO (mean difference: 0.24 ± 0.64 mL/kg/min, p = 0.077, d = 0.11 [-0.01, 0.23]). Overall comfort on a 100 mm visual analogue scale (VAS) was significantly greater in SS than KO (mean difference: 14.6 ± 15.0 mm, p < 0.001, d = 0.94 [0.46, 1.40]), with 87.5% of runners preferring the SS over the KO. Runners perceived running as more enjoyable and less difficult, and perceived an improved running performance and lower injury risk in SS when compared to KO based on visual analogue scale scores (p ≤ 0.009, d = 0.72 to 1.16). While no significant physiological difference was observed between shoes, a significant difference in perceived comfort and performance was observed favouring the performance-enhancing SS, suggesting a perceptual placebo effect based on shoe description alone.
Chapter Three summarises the findings and provides avenues for future research. Overall, this thesis provides evidence that product descriptions can influence the perception of shoe comfort, performance, and injury risk. The improvements in RE reported for AFT shoes appear underpinned by how runners interact with the shoe properties, rather than by a placebo effect – at least in female recreational runners. Investigating a potential placebo effect in AFT during maximal running performances may provide further insight into the performance enhancements associated with shoes containing AFT
Canine scent detection: A new approach to detect invasive freshwater fish
No full textKoi carp (Cyprinus rubrofuscus) were first introduced to New Zealand in the early 1960s. Since their introduction, they have contributed to the decline of New Zealand’s freshwater ecosystems through resuspension of sediment from their feeding behaviour and through competition with native species. Methods such as netting, electrofishing, and environmental DNA (eDNA) are used to detect and monitor invasive fish species. However, these methods can be labour intensive, expensive, and can have low sensitivity when fish are rare or elusive. Although scent-detection dogs have been used to detect a wide range of substances, diseases, and animals, there is limited information on dogs’ ability to detect aquatic species. This thesis aimed to determine if laboratory-based dogs could be used as a viable survey technique for invasive carp. Three studies were performed to investigate this aim.
The first study (Chapter 2) investigated dogs’ sensitivity and specificity to carp scent using a multiple probe design experiment to determine if dogs had the potential to detect a low biomass of carp. A single dog was trained to use an automated carousel independently of its handler and assessed water samples from aquaria containing either no fish scent (non-target, n = 3), goldfish (Carassius auratus) scent (non-target, n = 5) or carp (target, n = 9) scent. The goldfish samples and six of the target samples were presented to the dog at a standard fish biomass concentration of 15.5 mg/L (equivalent to 310 kg fish/ha). The remaining three target samples (probes) were diluted to determine the dog’s detection threshold. Results showed that the dog could detect carp down to a dilution equivalent to a biomass of 9.3 kg/ha (i.e., 0.5 mg carp/L), well below the biomass threshold of carp known to cause significant ecological impacts (i.e., >100 kg/ha). The dog’s performance was then compared with eDNA, an existing survey method. Quantitative PCR conducted on DNA extracted from laboratory aquaria revealed that the species-specific primer could detect carp at 9.3 kg/ha, but amplification rates at this dilution were low, as were all dilutions below the limit of quantification (≈160 kg/ha). Collectively, these results suggest that laboratory-based dogs could, with further research, provide a highly sensitive method of carp detection.
Depending on the location of the field site it could take hours or even days for water samples to reach the laboratory and be assessed by dogs. Without effective preservation the olfactory profile of the scent could change, making it unrecognisable to the dogs. While preservation of scent samples is commonly practiced in the literature, very few studies have investigated the impacts preservation methods can have on dogs’ ability to detect the target scent. The second study of this thesis (Chapter 3) used an ABACADA reversal design to determine if refrigeration, freezing or potassium sorbate could be used as water sample preservation methods. To assess this, the dogs (n = 2-4) performed a baseline evaluation (A) of unpreserved water samples from aquaria containing carp (target scent; n = 7), goldfish (non-target scent; n = 5), or no fish (non-target scent; n = 5) before preservation treatments were applied to the samples. The treatment phases (B = refrigeration, C = freezing, and D = room temperature with potassium sorbate) involved applying a different preservation method to the water samples seven or eight days prior to assessment by the dogs. The results indicated that freezing and potassium sorbate have potential as scent sample preservatives. However, further research, testing longer storage durations with a larger sample size, is required to determine the full efficacy of these preservation techniques.
The final study in this thesis (Chapter 4) evaluated dogs’ ability to detect carp in lake water. The first experiment in this study was a proof-of-concept experiment to determine if dogs could detect a common biomass of carp in lake water, which likely contains more background odours than aquaria water. Results from this experiment revealed that dogs could accurately detect a standard biomass of carp (i.e., 310 kg carp/ha) in samples from three lakes with varying water qualities; Taupō, Rotoroa and Rotoehu. All dogs achieved sensitivity values >83.6% and specificity values >77.3% on all lakes tested. Experiment Two tested dogs' ability to generalise carp scent across lake samples that varied in novelty, trophic state, and carp biomass. The results from this experiment revealed that dogs' mean detection performance was above chance on some, but not all, lakes. To compare the dogs' detection performance to an existing survey technique, eDNA analysis was performed on water samples assessed by the dogs. Interestingly, the multispecies assay only detected carp in three out of five lakes. Quantitative PCR improved detection of carp but still failed to detect carp in a lake known to contain naturalised populations. These results indicated that dogs have the ability to detect carp in naturally sourced water. However, further research is necessary to determine the scope of their generalisation abilities given the limitations imposed by COVID-19 and their inconsistent performances during Experiment Two.
The findings from this thesis provide evidence that laboratory-based scent detection dogs may have potential to be used as an invasive carp detection method. In addition to demonstrating that dogs and eDNA have comparable levels of sensitivity to carp in aquaria water and that freezing, and potassium sorbate have potential as water sample preservatives, this thesis has also indicated that dogs may be able to detect and discriminate carp in water sourced from natural aquatic systems. The use of laboratory-based dogs could provide researchers with a timely and cost-efficient method of invasive fish detection, potentially enhancing their ability to regularly and extensively monitor freshwater ecosystems for new incursions of invasive species
Wetland biodiversity in Aotearoa New Zealand: an eDNA perspective on exotic and non-exotic species
No full textInvasive species threaten biodiversity in Aotearoa New Zealand. In wetlands − significant sites that provide an array of ecosystem and cultural services but represent <10% of their original extent − invasive species can affect hydrological function, nutrient regimes and overall ecological functionality. Environmental DNA (eDNA) has emerged as a valuable biomonitoring technique for cataloguing biodiversity and detecting biological incursions, but little is known about how biodiversity varies in wetlands over fine and broad spatial scales. Here, we examined the publicly available eDNA database of Wilderlab New Zealand, retrieving data from 26 sites across the country to characterise taxonomic diversity patterns, including the extent of exotic and non-exotic (native and endemic) species. We found significant spatial variation in biodiversity–even among neighbouring sites–and a pattern whereby all sites had ≥50% exotic species in their total species tally. Our results provide new information on the current state of wetland biodiversity in Aotearoa New Zealand and highlight the value of eDNA databases for generating new insights from publicly shared data. They also emphasise an urgent need for greater resource allocation to conservation and restoration initiatives in Aotearoa New Zealand that will ensure the persistence of treasured native and endemic wetland species