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Te Kāhui a Kiwa—Advancing Indigenous self determination and wellbeing through trade and can the CPTPP help
No full textThis report provides an interim account of a conference held in Hamilton on 28-29 June 2023 called Te Kāhui a Kiwa—Advancing Indigenous self-determination and wellbeing through trade and can the CPTPP help. The conference was hosted by the University of Waikato, working collaboratively with Ngā Toki Whakarururanga, with funding from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Manatū Aorere). University kaumātua (elder) Koro Taki Turner gifted the conference its name. Kāhui refers to an assembly of stars or in this case, people, while Kiwa is short for Te Moana nui a Kiwa—the great ocean of Kiwa, the Pacific Ocean
Gene expression profiles of 3D gene-edited bioprinted cells
No full textCancer is the biggest cause of death in New Zealand each year and places a large economic strain on the health system. Previously, two-dimensional (2D) cell models have provided insight into the development of cancer but now, three-dimensional (3D) models provided more accurate information on how cell-cell interactions in the body affect the efficacy of different drug therapies. This research aims to investigate the gene expression profiles of 3D gene-edited bioprinted lung cancer cells to understand how mutations and the vital trace element Selenium (Se) affects gene expression. The human A549 lung cancer cell line was bioprinted into a set dome shape made of sodium alginate, gelatine, and cell media. The cells were then cultured for 21 days before a six-hour drug exposure with 2μM and 10μM Methylselenic Acid (MSA).
RNA was also extracted from 18 bioprints and the spectrophotometer data suggested high quality with a total RNA concentration range of 9 – 671μg/μL, respectively. The RNA integrity was further examined using the RNA tape station. The solvent control (n=2) and the 2μM MSA treatment (n=3) from the second independent experiment resulted in intact ribosomal bands. The protein concentration was determined using a Bradford assay and ranged from 0.1 – 3.42mg/mL. The electrophoresed protein showed a molecular weight size range from 120kDa – 10kDa. The protein was then transferred onto a western blot membrane and detected by two primary antibodies; (1) HSP70 - correctly fold proteins that are under cellular stress and (2) GAPDH – a loading control reference antibody. The HSP70 protein expression was measured for the drug-treated bioprints for three bioprinting experiment. We hypothesised an upregulation in HSP70 expression based on previous studies. However, the data set could not be replicated to conclusively downregulation in response to 2 and 10μM MSA. Thus, further optimisation into drug accessibility, cell and protein loading concentration is required.
Gene-editing using lipofectamine and CRISPR-Cas9 was attempted using A549 cells but no conclusive evidence that a mutation had been introduced into the Cyclin Dependent Kinase 4 (CDK4) gene was observed (n=5). Three research optimisations have been recommended for gene-editing and establishing a stable gene-edited cell line for future use in 3D bioprinting and gene expression analysis
Local FinTech development and stock price crash risk
No full textThis study investigates the effect of financial technology (FinTech) development on stock price crash risk. We show that the development of FinTech can inhibit management from deliberately hiding bad news and alleviate information asymmetry, thereby reducing stock price crash risk. This effect is more pronounced among non-state-owned enterprises, firms with poor information environments and low-quality internal controls, and those in competitive industries and regions with high marketization. Overall, these findings suggest that FinTech development can mitigate the deliberate concealment of bad news by management and improve the timeliness of disclosure, leading to lower risks faced by investors
Olsemwanem kastom blong tring kava i save afektem tingting blong man mo wei we man i draev (Traditional kava-drinking, cognition and driver fitness)
No full textKava, we oli singautem tu se ‘plant blong ol god’, hemi gro plante long ol tropikol aelan blong Pacific. Ol man oli yusum kava olsem lokol meresin. Mo tu, oli kranem rus blong hem, afta strenem long wota blong oli save tring blong mekem oli fil rilaks. Long saed blong kastom, kava i kat impotent mining, be naoia we man i stap tring tumas kava, i kat wari i kamaot from ifekt blong hem long saed blong seifti taem man i draev. Dokta ‘Apo’ Aporosa, we hemi stap karem aut risej long Waikato University long Aotearoa New Zealand, hemi bin stadi wei we kava i afektem tingting blong man taem man i draev. (Kava, or ‘the plant of the gods’, grows widely across tropical Moananuiākea (the Pacific). Used in traditional medicine, its roots are also pounded and strained through water to make a drink with relaxant effects. Kava has deep cultural significance, but because it is drunk in large quantities over several hours, concerns have been raised about its effects on driver safety. Dr ‘Apo’ Aporosa, a Research Fellow at the University of Waikato in New Zealand, has studied the impact of traditional kava use on cognition and its implications for driver fitness. The findings of that research are presented here in Bislama/Pidgeon language.
Can we be friends with AI? What risks would arise from the proliferation of such friendships?
No full textIn this paper we analyse friendships between humans and artificial intelligences, exploring the various arguments that have been or could be offered against the value of such friendships, and arguing that these objections do not stand up to critical scrutiny. As such, we argue that there is no good in-principle reason to oppose the development of human-AI friendships (although there may be some practical defeasible reasons to worry about such friendships becoming widespread). If we are right, there are important implications for how friendship is conceptualised and valued in modern times. Furthermore, if human-AI friendships are in-principle valuable, the moral responsibilities for how governments and corporations should act in regards to AI friends are quite different to those generated by human-AI friendships being dis-valuable
The influence of constant region polymorphisms on antibody stability and structural dynamics
Get PDFAntibodies are highly effective mediators of the adaptive immune response. Their unique structural architecture makes them ideally suited for the specific targeting of disease-causing agents and the subsequent activation of potent effector functions upon binding to immune cells. These properties have led to the extensive use of antibodies in the biomedical industry as diagnostics and therapeutics. Notably, the IgG class of human antibodies (defined by the sequence of the constant region) has dominated the pool of antibody-based therapeutics, largely due to exceptional stability and efficient immune activation. The constant region genes of human IgG harbour a surprising amount of genetic variation in the form of allelic sequences encoding nonsynonymous mutations. Many allelic sequences have only been uncovered within the last five years, yet a handful of studies have already identified links between specific amino acid polymorphisms and improved receptor binding affinities that lead to enhanced activation of effector functions. This thesis furthers our understanding of the evolutionary pressures driving this genetic diversification by investigating the influence of IgG constant region diversity on antibody structural dynamics, including stability and flexibility.
To analyse the structural effects in detail, I expressed a large panel of 35 trastuzumab-formatted antibodies with unique constant region allele sequences from subclasses IgG1, IgG2, and IgG3. Purified antibodies were confirmed to be of high purity and the composition of appended glycans was characterised for each variant. In this thesis, I compare the thermal stability properties of the unique IgG antibodies, measured by red edge excitation shift (REES) spectroscopy. Striking stability differences were resolved both between and within IgG subclasses, leading to new insights about the effect of specific amino acid positions on antibody stabilisation.
Following the stability analysis, I extensively evaluate the limitations of REES to measure antibody stability, with a particular emphasis on tryptophan content. Using the naturally occurring mutation of arginine to tryptophan present in three of the IgG3 alleles, I generated experimental data that demonstrates the relationship between the solvation state of local tryptophan environments and the REES effect. This analysis highlights the need for matched tryptophan content for robust comparison of antibody stability using a thermodynamic model of REES behaviour.
Finally, the effects of IgG3 hinge length polymorphisms on conformational flexibility are analysed. Here, I used small angle X-ray scattering to characterise the solution structures of allelic variants encoding three distinct hinge lengths. This work provides the first report of X-ray scattering data for naturally occurring IgG3 antibodies with hinge lengths of 32 and 47 amino acids. Comparison of the scattering behaviour and predicted ab initio model structures reveal more compact conformations with reduced space between the Fab domains and the Fc domain when the hinge is truncated, thereby resulting in reduced overall flexibility of the full-length structure. This study highlights dynamic differences between the IgG3 variants tested, which are likely to translate into differences in biological functions.
Taken together, this data provides an important basis for future investigations into the functional roles of IgG allelic diversity. Moreover, the experimental schemes optimised throughout this thesis will enable the high-throughput screening of antibody constant region variants in the future, particularly as more genetic diversity comes to light
Access and Use of Teaching and Research Materials from A Copyright Perspective in Fiji and the Philippines
Get PDFThis study fills the gap created by the lack of research on educators’ perspectives on copyright protected resources in Fiji and the Philippines and identifies the challenges and strategies they undertake when confronted with material protected by copyright law
The relaxed livestock farmer: The effect of coping strategies and leisure activities on farmer wellbeing and stress
Get PDFFarmers experience higher levels of stress and low wellbeing compared to non-farmers. This can be attributed to experiencing general stressors, such as interpersonal disagreements, and farm-specific stressors, such as severe weather events. Previous research has found coping strategies reduce stress and improve wellbeing. However, it is not known how coping strategies and leisure activities affect the wellbeing and stress of farmers in Aotearoa New Zealand. The research questions explored what leisure activities farmers use to unwind, how leisure activities and coping strategies affected wellbeing, and whether coping strategies moderated the relationship between stressors, wellbeing, and stress. 131 participants completed a questionnaire measuring wellbeing, stress, coping, leisure, and farm stressors. A content analysis grouped leisure activities and barriers into meaningful groups. A paired samples t-test found farmers significantly prefer to engage in more leisure activities than they engaged in currently. A hierarchical regression found the coping strategies, behavioural disengagement (b = 2.18, t = -3.48, p < .01) and self-blame (b = -0.81, t = -2.01, p = .05), significantly and negatively predicted wellbeing. Finally, a moderation analysis found Social Coping moderated the relationships between farming finance and wellbeing (ΔR² = .06, F(3, 112) = 8.39, p < .01), isolation and wellbeing (ΔR² = .03, F(3, 112) = 4.12, p = .05), and social satisfaction and wellbeing (ΔR² = .05, F(3, 117) = 8.20, p < .01). Dysfunctional Coping moderated the relationship between time pressure and wellbeing (ΔR² = .05, F(3, 103) = 8.52, p < .01) and time pressure and stress (ΔR² = .05, F(3, 105) = 10.47, p < .01). In conclusion, improving coping strategies, particularly social coping, may increase wellbeing among farmers
Navigating the waters: Swimming in Samoa; resistance, negotiation, acceptance and identity: a reflexive examination of the socio-cultural influences on competitive swimming participation in Samoa
Get PDFSwimming and water-based activities are replete within Polynesian history through missionary accounts, ethnographic writings and historical accounts. However, formal competitive swimming began in the Oceania region in 1963, with Samoa joining in 2003. For the past two decades, the sport has grown slowly and with little explanation. A growing corpus of research has found that Samoa’s historical landscape and its unique culture have influenced sport engagement, even though non-mainstream sports, such as swimming, have received less attention.
This thesis examines the enablers and constraints on swimming participation in Samoa. The research used a Samoan conceptual framework, the Talanoa ile i’a, that has an inherent multiperspectival design. This proverbial expression, coupled with the talanoa method, was used to capture the voices of 32 participants living in Samoa who were affiliated with swimming, competitive swimming and sports development. The data were condensed into unique stories, vignettes, and poetry using thematic analysis and creative nonfiction practices to construct a multiperspectival window into the life of a swimmer in Samoa, traversing across a variety of periods, locales, geographical settings and experiences.
The stories of the participants were structured around several themes, including natural and built swimming environments, freedom, fear, and humour, disobedience and obedience, being seen but not heard, and becoming a swimmer. Written from the perspectives of the swimmer, parent, coach, swimming pool, and the code, the stories highlighted the challenges of negotiating traditional roles and expectations, infrastructure issues, rural and urban disparities, the parent-child divide, and sport-related conflict.
There were three significant findings that could contribute to sports and swimming development in Samoa. The first discovery was the power and influence of the parent's voice, which directly supported or opposed the child's decision to become a swimmer which was hinged on the cultural value of time. Secondly, the challenges of being seen, metaphorically, geographically, and physically, in a new sport and context revealed novel evidence on gendered competitive swimming experiences, including the internationalisation of semi-nudity social norms. Lastly, the findings revealed that a young person's sense of agency and identity as a swimmer intersected and clashed with cultural elements, but through a process of resistance, negotiation, and self-acceptance within the family and community, a young person could successfully emerge as a contemporary competitive swimmer.
Furthermore, the thesis provided new insights into the existing conceptual framework. The additional perspective of the shoreline represented the personal, historical, cultural, and sociopolitical legacies that hindered the growth of competitive swimming in Samoa. The study's findings shed light on the shifting practices and perceptions of the sport, the historical and cultural influences on swimming development and the complex role of Samoan youth participating in modern sports within a non-Western society
Exposure frequency and affect
Get PDFThree experiments were conducted to examine the hypothesis that attitudinal affect is a monotonic function of frequency of exposure. In the first experiment while supporting the frequency-affect relationship a non significant difference between males and females and positive and negative set conditions were obtained. In the second experiment low association value stimuli produced significantly greater increases in affect over exposure than relatively higher association stimuli. Duration of exposure at 2 and 5 second intervals only were shown to enhance evaluative rating while frequency of exposure again showed the predicted increase in affect, in a third experiment. Further inspection of the results of the first and third experiment indicated that whilst most showed greater preference for familiar stimuli there was a group of subjects preferring low exposure stimuli.
In the second part of the study subjects were presented with stimuli at different exposure frequencies and stimulus complexity to test the hypothesis that affect was an inverted U shape function of stimulus complexity with subjects preferring stimuli of medium complexity regardless of exposure frequency. Although the hypothesis was supported marked individual differences were obtained by examining the complexity level at which the increase in positive affect as a function of exposure was most pronounced for each subject.
The results were interpreted as supporting the theory of optimum levels of arousal and it was suggested that not only do the differences in the point of maximum increase in affect over exposure frequency provide a measure of an individual’s optimal level but also they reflect a cognitive style of search for novel as opposed to familiar environmental contingencies.
It is suggested that the need for familiar versus novel stimulation is not only a crucial determinant of an organism’s affect arousal but also the distinction underlies many of the more well known and researched cognitive styles.
Some of the factors determining the development of orientations towards familiar versus novel stimulation are discussed together with directions for future research