122 research outputs found
Phyllotactic pattern and stem cell fate are determined by the Arabidopsis homeobox gene BELLRINGER
No full textLateral organs in plants arise from the meristem in a stereotypical pattern known as phyllotaxy. Spiral patterns result from initiation of successive organs at a fixed angle of divergence but variable patterns of physical contact. Such patterns ultimately give rise to individual leaves and flowers at positions related to each other by consecutive terms in the mathematical series first described by Leonardo Fibonacci. We demonstrate that a BELL1 related homeodomain protein in Arabidopsis, BELLRINGER, maintains the spiral phyllotactic pattern. In the absence of BELLRINGER, the regular pattern of organ initiation is disturbed and lateral organs are initiated more frequently. BELLRINGER is also required for maintenance of stem cell fate in the absence of the regulatory genes SHOOT MERISTEMLESS and ASYMMETRIC LEAVES1. We propose a model whereby BELLRINGER coordinates the maintenance of stem cells with differentiation of daughter cells in stem cell lineages
New Zealand National Gambling Study: 2018 Participant Re-contact and Implications for a 2019 Interview Wave
No full textIntroduction
The National Gambling Study (NGS) is a nationally representative longitudinal survey of adults aged 18 years and older, designed to provide information on the prevalence, incidence, nature and effects of gambling in New Zealand. Participants (N=6,251) were recruited in 2012 via face-to-face household recruitment and computer-assisted personal interviews (CAPI). It was designed as a multi-stage, stratified, probability-proportional-to-size sample with oversampling of Māori, Pacific people and Asian people, so that statistical analyses could be conducted on sub-samples by ethnicity. In 2013, one year after initial recruitment and interviewing, 3,745 participants were re-interviewed. The reduced sample was partly due to insufficient budget to attempt re-contact of all participants (only attempted re-contact with 5,266 participants) and partly due to attrition. Numbers re-interviewed in 2014 and 2015 were 3,115 and 2,770, respectively.
As the number of moderate-risk and problem gamblers in the NGS is relatively small (about two percent of participants), an additional cohort of 106 adult moderate-risk and problem gamblers was recruited from gambling venues and via advertisements in 2014/15, and reinterviewed in 2015/16. An analysis of data from this additional cohort concluded that:
“… it is feasible to combine the MR/PG cohort with the NGS moderate-risk/problem gamblers in order to conduct sub-group analyses, as the two cohorts are similar in the majority of respects. However, as there are some differences between the cohorts, dependent on the analyses being undertaken, weightings may have to be applied to the MR/PG cohort to make it more representative of the general population moderate-risk and problem gamblers.” (Bellringer, Prah, Garrett & Abbott, 2018, p. 7)
The NGS was conducted by the Gambling and Addictions Research Centre at Auckland University of Technology (AUT) in collaboration with the National Research Bureau (NRB), an independent research company. In all years, NRB recruited the participants (apart from the additional cohort in 2014/15) and conducted all face-to-face interviews.Ministry of Healt
New Zealand National Gambling Study: 2018 Participant Re-contact and Implications for a 2019 Interview Wave
No full textIntroduction
The National Gambling Study (NGS) is a nationally representative longitudinal survey of adults aged 18 years and older, designed to provide information on the prevalence, incidence, nature and effects of gambling in New Zealand. Participants (N=6,251) were recruited in 2012 via face-to-face household recruitment and computer-assisted personal interviews (CAPI). It was designed as a multi-stage, stratified, probability-proportional-to-size sample with oversampling of Māori, Pacific people and Asian people, so that statistical analyses could be conducted on sub-samples by ethnicity. In 2013, one year after initial recruitment and interviewing, 3,745 participants were re-interviewed. The reduced sample was partly due to insufficient budget to attempt re-contact of all participants (only attempted re-contact with 5,266 participants) and partly due to attrition. Numbers re-interviewed in 2014 and 2015 were 3,115 and 2,770, respectively.
As the number of moderate-risk and problem gamblers in the NGS is relatively small (about two percent of participants), an additional cohort of 106 adult moderate-risk and problem gamblers was recruited from gambling venues and via advertisements in 2014/15, and reinterviewed in 2015/16. An analysis of data from this additional cohort concluded that:
“… it is feasible to combine the MR/PG cohort with the NGS moderate-risk/problem gamblers in order to conduct sub-group analyses, as the two cohorts are similar in the majority of respects. However, as there are some differences between the cohorts, dependent on the analyses being undertaken, weightings may have to be applied to the MR/PG cohort to make it more representative of the general population moderate-risk and problem gamblers.” (Bellringer, Prah, Garrett & Abbott, 2018, p. 7)
The NGS was conducted by the Gambling and Addictions Research Centre at Auckland University of Technology (AUT) in collaboration with the National Research Bureau (NRB), an independent research company. In all years, NRB recruited the participants (apart from the additional cohort in 2014/15) and conducted all face-to-face interviews.Ministry of Healt
Comparing an Additional High-risk Gambler Cohort With National Gambling Study High-risk Gamblers. NGS Series Report Number 7
No full textBackground
The New Zealand National Gambling Study (NGS) is a nationally representative longitudinal survey of adults aged 18 years and older. The purpose of the NGS is to provide information on the prevalence, incidence, nature and effects of gambling in New Zealand. Participants in the NGS were recruited in 2012 (Wave 1), and then re-interviewed annually in 2013 to 2015 (Waves 2 to 4). It is important to note that in 2013 (Wave 2), due to budgetary constraints, attempts were only made to re-contact 5,266 (84%) of the original 6,251 participants meaning that 985 participants (16%) were lost to the study because no re-contact attempt was made. In 2012, there were 1481 moderate-risk and problem gamblers amongst the 6,251 participants. Subsequently, the number was 75, 55 and 57 in 2013, 2014 and 2015 respectively.
As the number of moderate-risk and problem gamblers in the NGS is relatively small (about two percent of participants), this limits the extent of statistical analyses that can be performed, especially when sub-group analyses are required. Therefore, an additional cohort of 1062 adult (aged 18 years and older) moderate-risk and problem gamblers was recruited from gambling venues and via advertisements in 2014/15, and re-assessed in 2015/16.
The cohort was a self-selected convenience sample recruited in Auckland, Christchurch, Hamilton and Wellington from August 2014 to July 2015. From September 2015 to July 2016, 70 participants were re-contacted and re-interviewed (66% response rate). Participants were sought via advertisements placed in the jobs section of a national auction and classifieds website, advertisements on a national employment website (in the volunteer section) and via gambling venues (casino and Class 43 venues). The four cities were selected as they are the major cities in New Zealand with a range of available gambling opportunities.
The questionnaires used for the additional cohort were the same as those used in Wave 1 (2012) and Wave 2 (2013) of the NGS, so that additional cohort data could be used to supplement NGS data. The questionnaire incorporated a range of measures on gambling participation, gambling strategies and cognitions, gambling attitudes, problem gambling, health and well-being, psychological status, substance use/misuse, life events, social capital/support and demographic information.
Findings from the NGS study to date have been published in a series of six reports. The Wave 1 results are presented in three reports covering an overview of gambling and gambling participation findings (Abbott, Bellringer, Garrett, & Mundy-McPherson, 2014a), gambling harm and problem gambling (Abbott et al., 2014b), and attitudes towards gambling (Abbott et al., 2015a). The Wave 2, Wave 3 and Wave 4 results are detailed in three further reports (Abbott et al., 2015b; Abbott et al., 2016, Abbott et al., 2018).
This report is the seventh in the series. As the results from the additional cohort are compared with data from NGS Wave 1 and Wave 2 data, this report should be read in conjunction with those reports, in particular, report number 1 (Abbott et al, 2014a), report number 2 (Abbott et al., 2014b) and report number 4 (Abbott et al., 2015b).New Zealand Ministry of Healt
Comparing an Additional High-risk Gambler Cohort With National Gambling Study High-risk Gamblers. NGS Series Report Number 7
No full textBackground
The New Zealand National Gambling Study (NGS) is a nationally representative longitudinal survey of adults aged 18 years and older. The purpose of the NGS is to provide information on the prevalence, incidence, nature and effects of gambling in New Zealand. Participants in the NGS were recruited in 2012 (Wave 1), and then re-interviewed annually in 2013 to 2015 (Waves 2 to 4). It is important to note that in 2013 (Wave 2), due to budgetary constraints, attempts were only made to re-contact 5,266 (84%) of the original 6,251 participants meaning that 985 participants (16%) were lost to the study because no re-contact attempt was made. In 2012, there were 1481 moderate-risk and problem gamblers amongst the 6,251 participants. Subsequently, the number was 75, 55 and 57 in 2013, 2014 and 2015 respectively.
As the number of moderate-risk and problem gamblers in the NGS is relatively small (about two percent of participants), this limits the extent of statistical analyses that can be performed, especially when sub-group analyses are required. Therefore, an additional cohort of 1062 adult (aged 18 years and older) moderate-risk and problem gamblers was recruited from gambling venues and via advertisements in 2014/15, and re-assessed in 2015/16.
The cohort was a self-selected convenience sample recruited in Auckland, Christchurch, Hamilton and Wellington from August 2014 to July 2015. From September 2015 to July 2016, 70 participants were re-contacted and re-interviewed (66% response rate). Participants were sought via advertisements placed in the jobs section of a national auction and classifieds website, advertisements on a national employment website (in the volunteer section) and via gambling venues (casino and Class 43 venues). The four cities were selected as they are the major cities in New Zealand with a range of available gambling opportunities.
The questionnaires used for the additional cohort were the same as those used in Wave 1 (2012) and Wave 2 (2013) of the NGS, so that additional cohort data could be used to supplement NGS data. The questionnaire incorporated a range of measures on gambling participation, gambling strategies and cognitions, gambling attitudes, problem gambling, health and well-being, psychological status, substance use/misuse, life events, social capital/support and demographic information.
Findings from the NGS study to date have been published in a series of six reports. The Wave 1 results are presented in three reports covering an overview of gambling and gambling participation findings (Abbott, Bellringer, Garrett, & Mundy-McPherson, 2014a), gambling harm and problem gambling (Abbott et al., 2014b), and attitudes towards gambling (Abbott et al., 2015a). The Wave 2, Wave 3 and Wave 4 results are detailed in three further reports (Abbott et al., 2015b; Abbott et al., 2016, Abbott et al., 2018).
This report is the seventh in the series. As the results from the additional cohort are compared with data from NGS Wave 1 and Wave 2 data, this report should be read in conjunction with those reports, in particular, report number 1 (Abbott et al, 2014a), report number 2 (Abbott et al., 2014b) and report number 4 (Abbott et al., 2015b).New Zealand Ministry of Healt
Lotteries Literature Review: Final Report
No full textThis report provides an overview of available literature relating to lotteries products, based on five specific question areas of focus:
• To what extent do lotteries products in general and New Zealand lotteries products in particular appeal to problem and under-age gamblers? Do someproducts appeal more than others and, if so, can this be described?
• What policies, programmes, codes of practice and corporate social responsibility guidelines have other lotteries adopted and is there any evidence about the impact these have had on problem and under-age gamblers?
• What other lotteries have made existing or new products available on the internet or via electronic media and what impact, if any, have these had on problem and under-age gambling?
• What is the role of lotteries marketing in shaping people’s views on participating in lotteries and about gambling in general?
• What education programmes or materials have been developed to educate gamblers about responsible gambling and are there examples of ‘good practice’ in this area?
The review was commissioned by the New Zealand Lotteries Commission in order that research gaps could be identified and recommendations made for research that the New Zealand Lotteries Commission could potentially contract. The review consisted of an extensive search of library and other electronic databases, personal specialist collections and grey literature. Professional and personal networks were also drawn on to locate unpublished reports and more especially, organisational documents relating to social responsibility and/or educational programmes and materials that might otherwise not have been easily accessible via the public domain. Relevant documentation was accessed and critically reviewed. Background and contextual information is provided in Chapter 1. Chapter 2 outlines the methodology used. The literature review (Chapter 3) comprises the main body of the report and is followed by the conclusion (Chapter 4), identified research gaps (Chapter 5) and recommendations for research (Chapter 6).
Key points from the review follow, grouped under the five questions areas of focus.New Zealand Lotteries Commissio
Lotteries Literature Review: Final Report
No full textThis report provides an overview of available literature relating to lotteries products, based on five specific question areas of focus:
• To what extent do lotteries products in general and New Zealand lotteries products in particular appeal to problem and under-age gamblers? Do someproducts appeal more than others and, if so, can this be described?
• What policies, programmes, codes of practice and corporate social responsibility guidelines have other lotteries adopted and is there any evidence about the impact these have had on problem and under-age gamblers?
• What other lotteries have made existing or new products available on the internet or via electronic media and what impact, if any, have these had on problem and under-age gambling?
• What is the role of lotteries marketing in shaping people’s views on participating in lotteries and about gambling in general?
• What education programmes or materials have been developed to educate gamblers about responsible gambling and are there examples of ‘good practice’ in this area?
The review was commissioned by the New Zealand Lotteries Commission in order that research gaps could be identified and recommendations made for research that the New Zealand Lotteries Commission could potentially contract. The review consisted of an extensive search of library and other electronic databases, personal specialist collections and grey literature. Professional and personal networks were also drawn on to locate unpublished reports and more especially, organisational documents relating to social responsibility and/or educational programmes and materials that might otherwise not have been easily accessible via the public domain. Relevant documentation was accessed and critically reviewed. Background and contextual information is provided in Chapter 1. Chapter 2 outlines the methodology used. The literature review (Chapter 3) comprises the main body of the report and is followed by the conclusion (Chapter 4), identified research gaps (Chapter 5) and recommendations for research (Chapter 6).
Key points from the review follow, grouped under the five questions areas of focus.New Zealand Lotteries Commissio
Patterns of Family and Intimate Partner Violence in Problem Gamblers
No full textWhile the evidence about the statistical co-occurrence of family violence and problem gambling is growing, the mechanism by which the two behaviours are related is less clear. This study sought to clarify the dynamics of the problem behaviours, including the role of gender in victimisation and perpetration of violence in the family. Two-hundred-and-twelve treatment seeking problem gamblers (50.5% females) were recruited for interviews about past year FV and IPV experiences. The interviews included questions about the types of FV and IPV using the HITS tool (Sherin et al. in Fam Med Kans City 30:508-512, 1998). The questions addressed multiple family members, the temporal order of violence and gambling and the perceived associations between the two behaviours. The result show that well over half (60.8%; 95 CI = 54.1-67.2) of the participants reported some form of violence in the past 12 months, with no gender differences in relation to perpetration and victimisation. Bidirectional violence (43.9%; 95 CI = 37.4-50.6) was significantly more common than 'perpetration only' (11.3%; 95 CI = 7.7-16.3) or 'victimisation only' (5.7%; 95 CI = 3.3-9.6). Violence was mostly verbal, although considerable rates of physical violence also featured in the responses. 'Participants' own gambling preceded violence in a majority of the interviews but a small group of IPV victims reported that being a victim had led to their problematic gambling. These results can be used inform prevention, better treatment matching and capacity building in family violence and problem gambling services, where a significant focus should be on situational IPV.Aino Suomi, Nicki A. Dowling, Shane Thomas, Max Abbott, Maria Bellringer, Malcolm Battersby ... et al
A role for <it>BELLRINGER</it> in cell wall development is supported by loss-of-function phenotypes
No full textAbstract Background Homeodomain transcription factors play critical roles in metazoan development. BELLRINGER (BLR), one such transcription factor, is involved in diverse developmental processes in Arabidopsis, acting in vascular differentiation, phyllotaxy, flower and fruit development. BLR also has a redundant role in meristem maintenance. Cell wall remodelling underpins many of these processes, and BLR has recently been shown to regulate expression of PECTIN METHYL-ESTERASE 5 (PME5), a cell wall modifying enzyme in control of phyllotaxy. We have further explored the role of BLR in plant development by analysing phenotypes and gene expression in a series of plants over-expressing BLR, and generating combinatorial mutants with blr, brevipedicellus (bp), a member of the KNOX1 family of transcription factors that has previously been shown to interact with blr, and the homeodomain transcription factor revoluta (rev), required for radial patterning of the stem. Results Plants over-expressing BLR exhibited a wide range of phenotypes. Some were defective in cell size and demonstrated misregulation of genes predominantly affecting cell wall development. Other lines with more extreme phenotypes failed to generate lateral organs, consistent with BLR repressing transcription in the shoot apex. Cell wall dynamics are also affected in blr mutant plants, and BLR has previously been shown to regulate vascular development in conjunction with BP. We found that when bp and blr were combined with rev, a set of defects was observed that were distinct from those of bp blr lines. In these triple mutants xylem development was most strikingly affected, resulting in an almost complete lack of vessels and xylem parenchyma with secondary thickening. Conclusions Our data support a role for BLR in ordering the shoot apex and, in conjunction with BP and REV, playing a part in determining the composition and organisation of the vascular system. Microarray analysis strongly indicates that the striking vascular phenotypes of blr bp rev triple mutants and plants over-expressing BLR result from the misregulation of a suite of genes, targets of BLR in wild type plants, that determine cell size and structure in the developing vasculature.</p
Problem gambling and family violence: family member reports of prevalence, family impacts and family coping
No full textThis article reports on the Australian arm of a large-scale study of the patterns and prevalence of co-occurrence of family violence and problem gambling in Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong.AbstractThere exists only a small number of empirical studies investigating the patterns of family violence in problem gambling populations, although some evidence exists that intimate partner violence and child abuse are among the most severe interpersonal correlates of problem gambling. The current article reports on the Australian arm of a large-scale study of the patterns and prevalence of co-occurrence of family violence and problem gambling in Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong. The current study screened 120 help-seeking family members of problem gamblers in a range of clinical services for both family violence and problem gambling. The main results showed that 52.5% reported some form of family violence in the past 12 months: 20.0% reported only victimisation, 10.8% reported only perpetration and 21.6% reported both victimisation and perpetration of family violence. Parents, current and ex-partners were most likely to be both perpetrators and victims of family violence. There were no gender differences in reciprocal violence but females were more likely to be only victims and less likely to report no violence in comparison to males. Most of the 32 participants interviewed in depth, reported that gambling generally preceded family violence. The findings suggest that perpetration of family violence was more likely to occur as a reaction to deeply-rooted and accumulated anger and mistrust whereas victimisation was an outcome of gambler’s anger brought on by immediate gambling losses and frustration. While multiple and intertwined negative family impacts were likely to occur in the presence of family violence, gambling-related coping strategies were not associated with the presence or absence of family violence. The implications of the findings for service providers are discussed.Authored by Aino Suomi, Alun C Jackson, Nicki A Dowling, Tiffany Lavis, Janet Patford, Shane A Thomas, Peter Harvey, Max Abbott, Maria E Bellringer, Jane Koziol-McLain and Sue Cockman
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