bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The effect of episodic future thinking on delay discounting
Authors:   , Olsen Rebecca
Published: December 2021

Delay discounting refers to the fact that rewards lose their value if they are delayed. Excessive delay discounting is associated with various health-related problems such as over-eating and substance abuse. One phenomenon shown to reduce delay discounting is Episodic Future Thinking (EFT; imagining personal future events). Across multiple experiments and a meta-analysis, the current thesis examined the reliability of the effect of EFT on delay discounting and also sought to clarify the components of EFT that are necessary to reduce delay discounting.  Experiment 1 replicated the EFT effect using a common titrating-amount procedure, and the meta-analysis based on 40 independent studies confirmed that EFT has a reliable, medium-sized effect on delay discounting. The meta-analysis also assessed the robustness of the EFT effect across various methodological features and participant characteristics. A multiple meta-regression revealed that the between-study variability in the size of the EFT effect was accounted for by study design and type of discounting measure. Within-subjects design studies had significantly smaller effect sizes than between-subjects design studies. Studies that used k as a discounting rate measure had significantly smaller effect sizes than studies that used area under the discounting curve or other atheoretical discounting measures. The size of the EFT effect was robust across different participant characteristics and ages, suggesting that EFT may be utilized as an effective intervention for a variety of age groups and impulsive behaviors.  Experiments 2A, 2B and 2C assessed the suitability of an alternative and briefer delay discounting procedure (in which participants simply report their indifference points) for subsequent EFT experiments. The report indifference points procedure produced a high percentage of invalid data, a finding that was replicated across all three experiments. We therefore continued to use the well-established titrating-amount procedure in subsequent studies.  Experiment 3A found that episodic past thinking (imagining personal past events) and semantic future thinking (estimating what a person could buy with the larger, delayed amount) had no effect on discounting, indicating that both episodic thinking and future thinking are necessary components of the EFT effect. Experiment 3A results also indicated that financial relevance alone is not sufficient to reducing discounting. Experiment 3B found that the future events also need to be personally relevant to reduce discounting, and that participants perceived EFT to reduce their discounting by primarily making the larger, delayed reward more valuable. We also showed that demand characteristics, where participants change their behavior to conform to the researcher’s expectations, are an unlikely explanation for the EFT effects found in Experiments 3A and 3B. Further research is warranted to form a better understanding of the mechanism(s) through which EFT reduces delay discounting.
The Effects of Cultural Competence Feedback on Intercultural Anxiety, Attitudes toward, and Willingness to Engage with International Students
Authors:   , Zenoni Natalia
Published: December 2021

The study examined the effects of cultural competency feedback on domestic and international students’ intercultural anxiety, attitudes toward, and willingness to engage with international students. One hundred and sixty-one students (96 domestic, 65 internationals) completed a test of cultural competency and were randomly assigned to receive positive (top 25%) or negative (bottom 25%) fictitious feedback on their performance. Participants then completed measures of intercultural anxiety, attitudes toward international students, and self-reported willingness to engage with international students. Finally, students accepted or declined an invitation to learn more about participating in a buddy programme for international students at Victoria University of Wellington. It was hypothesized that those receiving negative performance feedback would have higher levels of intercultural anxiety and that this anxiety would partially mediate the effects of performance feedback on attitudes toward and willingness to engage with international students. It was also hypothesized that the effects of intercultural anxiety on attitudes and willingness to engage would be stronger for domestic, compared to international students. Preliminary analyses indicated that the performance feedback did not affect intercultural anxiety; although the manipulation checks showed that the participants could accurately describe their performance feedback, overall, students did not find the feedback credible. Controlling for age, gender, and previous intercultural contact, hierarchical regression analyses were performed to predict attitudes toward international students and willingness to engage (both self-reported and behavioural measures). The results revealed that beyond the control variables, intercultural anxiety was the only significant predictor of self-reported willingness to engage with international students. Performance feedback, student status (domestic/international), intercultural anxiety, and the interaction between student status and intercultural anxiety failed to predict attitudes toward international students and agreement to be contacted about the buddy programme. The implications of the presented findings are discussed, as well as limitations and future research directions advised.  Keywords: Cultural Competence, Intercultural Anxiety, Education, International Students
Commitment Without Consequences. A Carnapian Approach to Fictional Objects and Negative Existence Statements
Authors:   , Gilchrist Michael
Published: December 2021

The overall aim of this thesis is to present a fresh perspective on three closely related areas of enquiry: Descriptivist theories of reference, Direct Reference theories and the Carnapian approach to questions of existence and identity. This perspective is developed and tested by a critical analysis of the work of a leading Carnapian theorist, Amie Thomasson, and by looking at some of the central problems associated with our talk of fictional objects. It concludes in an account of negative existence statements and fictional objects as possibly existing objects. In Chapter one I set out the key elements of Carnap’s approach, as that approach was developed over time and in dialogue with his colleague Quine. In Chapter two I explore the relation between the previously mentioned three areas of enquiry through an examination of Amie Thomasson’s brand of Carnapian meta-ontology. In Chapters four and five I develop the view that fictional objects are objects that meet the criteria of existence and identity of at least one linguistic framework but fail to meet the criteria of another, preferred framework. This provides the basis for a neo-Carnapian account of fictional objects in terms of the relations between linguistic frameworks, a novel approach to the questions surrounding such objects. In chapter five, the concluding chapter of the thesis, I further develop my explanation of how there can be truths about fictional and non-existent objects by giving an ontological version of John MacFarlane’s relativity principle. This paves the way for a neo-Carnapian analysis of true negative existence statements. Here I integrate the story I have told about fictional objects and the relations between linguistic frameworks with theories of reference and meaning. In particular, I incorporate a satisfactory concept of the rigid designation of ordinary proper names (and, potentially, of natural and artefactual kind terms). This then leads on to an explanation of how fictional objects, contra Kripke and many others, may reasonably said to be possible objects that, though they don’t exist, might exist under different circumstances.
After the fact(s): Communicating scientific complexity, risk, and uncertainty in Aotearoa
Authors:   , Soar Matthew
Published: December 2021

This thesis draws on social constructivist theories of scientific knowledge to analyse the public engagement practices of a cohort of scientist-communicators in Aotearoa as they represent scientific complexity, risk, and uncertainty in public. Through semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis, this thesis demonstrates that participants think defensively about the publics they communicate to, drawing boundaries between science and publics that minimise exposure of the elements of scientific knowledge they perceive might undermine scientific authority. Such boundary-work often demarcates public engagement from scientific knowledge production, constructing public engagement as a subjective process applied to scientific knowledge after the fact. These science-communicators also work to overcome these very same boundaries by making science more accessible and democratic. Such tensions suggest that participants not only socially construct science, but also contribute to the social construction of public engagement with science as they work to transform systemic and cultural barriers acting to entrench science as an inaccessible, exclusive, and unilateral arbiter of knowledge. In doing so, participants found that presenting a more accurate, complex picture of science—with all its uncertainties and failures—had not undermined public confidence in science. Instead, complexity, risk and uncertainty could become transparent elements of scientific knowledge production, thereby open to public scrutiny and definition. Participants’ representations of complexity, risk, and uncertainty were influenced by accessible, local publications, and economic and institutional conditions, but rarely by established public engagement scholarship.
Exploring Male Students’ Lived Experiences of Intimate Partner Abuse from a Female Partner and Help-seeking
Authors:   , Scotts-Bahle Jakob
Published: December 2021

This research investigated how male university students who have experienced abuse from a female intimate partner made sense of this abuse and their help seeking experiences. Students who indicated having experienced some form of Intimate Partner Abuse (IPA) were identified through a screening questionnaire and invited to take part in this study. In-depth interviews with seven students were analysed using interpretive phenomenological analysis. This analysis identified two themes related to the men’s experiences of IPA and help seeking. The first theme of stuck in the abusive relationship comprised four subthemes, each representing a barrier the men faced which kept them in an abusive relationship and prevented them from acting to end the abuse or from seeking help. These barriers were 1) the emotional investment the men had in the relationship, 2) living in an all-encompassing controlling environment, 3) their sense of responsibility to shoulder the burdens of the relationship, and 4) their understanding of abuse in relationships. The second theme moving on from the abuse described the process of overcoming and moving past these experiences. It comprised three subthemes: 1) how the men overcame the barriers and began moving on, 2) the slow process of supported recovery and learning, and 3) the existence of ongoing impacts related to the abuse. These findings add to the growing body of literature on IPA which has found that men can be the victims of abuse which can be serious, have lasting impacts, and for which they have difficulty seeking and receiving help. The need for policies and services which can overcome the barriers men face and that address their needs are discussed. This is the first qualitative research looking at men’s IPA victimisation with a student sample and future research is needed which looks at this phenomenon with students across countries and cultural groups and in relationships in which IPA was bidirectional.
Motivations for Pursuing Radical Life Extension
Authors:   , Campbell Lucinda April
Published: December 2021

In bio-ethics, the potential practical and ethical implications of radical life extension are being seriously debated. However, the role of motivation in relation to dramatically increasing the human life span has been largely overlooked. I propose that motivation is a crucial aspect to consider within the radical life extension discourse by conjecturing about why it might appeal and the possible ways it could impact outcomes where it is successfully developed and implemented. I do not thereby present an argument that supports or opposes radical life extension technology. This is ultimately a speculative piece. In exploring the relationship between motivation and radical life extension, I present a conceptual framework called the Thanatophobic and Romantic Motivational Spectrum (TRM Spectrum) designed to assist deeper examination on the subject. It captures what I suggest are two key motivators related to life and death, that is, the fear of death (Thanatophobia) and the “love” of life (Romanticism). The motivational spectrum is then applied to the death penalty versus life imprisonment, and euthanasia and suicide debates to demonstrate how it can be used for analysis of ethical issues in relation to the potential introduction of radical life extension technology.
Scraping By and Making Do: Navigating New Zealand’s Welfare System
Authors:   , Walford-Bourke Evelyn
Published: December 2021

In August 2017, debate over Green Party co-leader Metiria Turei’s declaration of two-decade-old benefit fraud sparked an ongoing discussion around poverty in New Zealand that revealed the fraying edges of the country’s welfare safety net. The perception that New Zealand has a low level of poverty and a fair, coherent welfare system that ensures those “deserving” of support receive what they need is untrue. Instead, there is an extraordinary disconnect between those responsible for running New Zealand’s welfare system and the daily experience of beneficiaries and NGO workers who must navigate the complex welfare landscape to address hardship. Patching together the threads of a fraying safety net, for New Zealand’s most vulnerable, is little-appreciated work, but crucial to their survival nonetheless. In this thesis, I explore how beneficiaries and NGO workers use tactics to manage the gaps between policy, practice and need created by state strategy in order to address hardship. I examine the resilience and experiential expertise of beneficiaries and NGO workers as they work around the limitations of state bureaucracy to address high levels of poverty in New Zealand.
Novel peptide natural products from the NZ thermophilic microorganism Thermogemmatispora strain T81
Authors:   , Aitken Emma Jayne
Published: December 2021

Genome mining of the newly described Thermogemmatispora strain T81, a thermophile from the Taupo Volcanic Zone, NZ, revealed the potential to produce novel ribosomally synthesised and post-translationally modified peptide natural products. Previous work established that strain T81 exhibits antimicrobial activity against a wide range of extremophilic bacteria. This thesis describes the mass spectrometry-guided screening of strain T81, and the subsequent isolation and structure elucidation of a novel lanthipeptide, tikitericin (32).

Tikitericin is a class II lanthipeptide which bears no sequence homology to known lanthipeptides. Comprised of 35 amino acids, the three-dimensional structure of tikitericin is conformationally restricted by four macrocyclic structures formed by the non-proteinogenic residues methyllanthionine and lanthionine. The amino acid sequence, predicted through bioinformatic analysis, was confirmed by chemical degradation experiments and subsequent tandem mass spectrometry. Characterisation of tikitericin’s ring topology was performed by tandem mass spectrometry and stereochemical configuration of the (methyl)lanthionine residues was determined by gas chromatography mass spectrometry.
Strongly Graded C*-algebras
Authors:   , Dawson Ellis
Published: December 2021

We investigate strongly graded C*-algebras. We focus on graph C*-algebras and explore the connection between graph C*-algebras and Leavitt path algebras, both of which are $\Z$-graded. It is known that a graphical condition called \emph{Condition (Y)} is necessary and sufficient for Leavitt path algebras to be strongly graded. In this thesis we prove this can be translated to the graph C*-algebra and prove that a graph C*-algebra associated to a row-finite graph is strongly graded if and only if Condition (Y) holds.
Harnessing the Potential of MAIT Cells as Cellular Adjuvants in Mucosal Vaccines
Authors:   , Buick Kaitlin
Published: December 2021

The development of vaccines is considered one of the most successful medical interventions to date, preventing millions of deaths every year. However, the majority of vaccines are administered peritoneally, despite the vast majority of pathogens invade the human host at mucosal sites. By vaccinating at distal sites, little to no protection is developed at the mucosa where the initial invasion occurs. There are however, a handful of licenced mucosally administered vaccines against infections such as poliovirus, influenza and Salmonella Typhi that are able to induce both a systemic and mucosal protective immune response. All but one of the current licenced mucosal vaccines are live attenuated due in part to the difficulty of developing new mucosal adjuvants. Recombinant cholera toxin subunit B is the only adjuvant used in the current licenced mucosal vaccines. While inactivated and subunit vaccines are considered safer as they are unable to revert back to virulent pathogens, adjuvants are required to boost their immunogenicity. This thesis therefore explores whether mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells which are found in mucosal tissues, are invariant in nature and have rapid activation, could be exploited as cellular adjuvants in mucosal vaccines.   This thesis was able to show that intranasally administered MAIT cell agonist components, 5-A-RU and methylglyoxal (MG), are able to induce both MAIT cell and conventional dendritic cell (cDC) activation in the lung tissue and mediastinal lymph node (mLN). In this model CD40L and RANKL co-stimulatory interactions are involved in ICOSL expression on cDCs in the lung and associated with cDC activation. The MAIT cells within this model also maintained a RORyT and GATA3 phenotype after both one and three doses of the 5-A-RU + MG vaccine. Furthermore, a prime-boost intranasal vaccine scheme of 5-A-RU + MG and the model antigen OVA, was able to induce MR1-dependent accumulation of TFH cells and antigen-specific germinal center B cells in the mLN along with systemic antigen-specific IgG antibody production. This humoral response was also dependent on the presence of both cDC1 and cDC2 populations. Together, this thesis suggests MAIT cells have the potential to be utilised as cellular adjuvants in mucosal vaccines.
Unseen - Digital interactions for low vision spatial engagement
Authors:   , Cooper Zachary
Published: December 2021

Visually impaired persons possess a specific set of functional and sensory requirements for their successful existence in architectural environments. Unfortunately, a majority of our existing built infrastructure is ill-equipped to address these requirements. Both existing forms of solution for this issues, technological and architectural, are incapable of compensating for the inadequately considered design of public spaces and are subject to widespread general criticisms from the vision loss and architectural community (Human Rights Commission, 2012; Pawluk et al., 2015).   This thesis recruits the native capabilities of emerging consumer-level digital technologies in order to explore new solutions to this complex problem. This research saw the proposition tested through the development of a digital platform which blended the design strategies of universal design and assistive technologies with a wide range of theoretical perspectives drawn from medical, psychological, sociological, and geolocational literature. The resulting integration generated unique forms of architectural engagement which improve the spatial comprehension abilities of the visually impaired.  The early design outcomes focus on two distinct modes of engagement with a virtual, augmented environment. The first is direct bodily interaction, in which the human-scale perception of the user is bolstered through an object-detection system, which provides users with sensory cues to identify objects in their direct vicinity. The second was the development of various methods for distance-based spatial engagements. Engagement with an environment from a distance significantly expands the scale of potential spatial understanding. These methods allow users to explore spaces in a myriad of different ways, with each mechanic providing different environmental information through diverse sensory outputs. The later design work reflects on these creations and through a process of redevelopment and evaluation draws larger observations regarding the development of the tools and what they offer in terms of spatial understanding. Final conclusions from the thesis provide a framework for research which would allow for the digital adaptation of our currently unsuitable infrastructure.
Perceptions of authenticity towards Māori Branding: Congruence as determinator?
Authors:   , Baltus Brittany
Published: December 2021

Increasingly, both local and global organisations are implementing indigenous branding in their market offerings, regardless of whether they have ancestral connections to indigenous culture. However, numerous criticisms and claims of cultural appropriation have been raised in response to organisations’ commercialisation and commodification of indigenous culture through indigenous branding. This raises questions about the authentic and appropriate use of indigenous culture, language and iconography in commerce, particularly with regards to consumers perceptions of authenticity towards this use. As such, the purpose of this study was to understand consumers’ perceptions of authenticity in the context of indigenous (Māori) branding and organisational values.  In this study, a 2x2x2 between-subjects experimental design was conducted using an online questionnaire. Subjects in the study were presented with a scenario communicating information about a brands values (either conventional or tikanga Māori), and their proposed brand concept (either orthodox or Māori branding). As the purpose of the study was to investigate both Māori and non-Māori perspectives, the sample was comprised of 570 adult Māori and non-Māori consumers currently living in New Zealand. These subjects were randomly distributed to one of the eight experimental conditions. Data from the questionnaire was analysed using a factorial ANOVA.   The findings indicate that congruence among branding, organisational values and consumers’’ ethnic identification exerts the most leverage on consumers’ authenticity perceptions. Although, Māori consumers also perceived congruent (conventional) organisational values and (orthodox) branding as highly authentic. Interestingly, consumers, in general, found incongruent Māori branding and conventional values to be the least authentic, a finding attributed to issues of cultural appropriation. The results of the analyses contribute to the current understanding of perceived authenticity and indigenous brands. Moreover, this indigenous branding congruence effect extends social identity theory as it illuminates the fluidity of indigenous consumers social experiences and understandings. Managerially, marketers should be cognizant of the effects of congruence among branding, values and their target market, and make efforts to achieve congruence among these factors. If congruence cannot be achieved, then marketers should make efforts to be perceived as congruent through only communicating those factors which are congruent.
Ecology and Development in an Island Population of Wellington Tree Weta (Hemideina crassidens).
Authors:   , Dixson Alexander
Published: December 2021

Sexual selection and the mating system of the Wellington tree weta has been extensively studied during the last 15 years. In the past 10 years, nutritional ecology and factors affecting the distribution of species in the genus Hemideina have also been examined in great detail. This recent work and the extensive studies of New Zealand tree weta species that preceded it provide much context and comparison for this thesis, which examines the ecology of a population of tree weta living on Matiu/Somes Island. Less is known about factors affecting the development of the exaggerated male weaponry that is characteristic of much of the genus Hemideina.   This thesis firstly presents a mark-recapture study conducted over 42 months on Matiu/Somes Island to obtain ecological information about the population. Secondly, this thesis presents an experiment on the effects of protein supplement on growth and weaponry in male Wellington tree weta derived from the Matiu/Somes Island population. The results of the field study indicate that male tree weta live longer than females on Matiu/Somes Island and weapon size is positively related to adult longevity of males. Seasonal patterns shown in the population on Matiu/Somes Island and inferences about aspects of their life cycle are discussed. Female tree weta on Matiu/Somes Island formed harems throughout each year and there was a positive relationship between males weapon size and the number of females in a harem. Results do not indicate seasonal differences in harem-forming behaviours of females. The results of the captive rearing study include a shorter development time and larger weaponry as adults in males raised on a protein supplemented diet, compared to individuals raised on an entirely herbivorous diet. Details of differences in the course of development are also discussed for the two diet treatment groups.
Meditative Breathing A Catalyst for Positive Change
Authors:   , Browne Robyn
Published: December 2021

The New Zealand government faces substantive challenges in meeting both the health and education needs of a significant number of our children who are vulnerable to alienation and inform the statistics of mental health distress and academic underachievement. The New Zealand Ministry of Education acknowledges that the education system is not meeting the needs of its most disadvantaged young people. This research explored whether a programme of meditative breathing might contribute to the alleviation of this situation by supporting the development of self-regulation and well-being in students. It also sought to enable student agency by adding nuanced student voice to the literature in this field. While there is an increasing number of peer-reviewed studies in this field, there are few studies that encourage the participants to describe their experiences directly in their own words or images. The main research question was ‘What are student’s experience of guided meditative breathing?’ The sub-questions were ‘Does it contribute to their wellbeing?’ and ‘Does it contribute to their learning?’. Students participated in a ten-week programme of daily meditative breathing. Data was collected from the weekly cogenerative dialogue, journals, from a heuristic and teacher recorded reflections with a three-month follow-up. The meditative breathing intervention intervention was described by students and the classroom teacher as leading to a calmer and more peaceful classroom climate. They indicated reduced anxiety, increased clarity of thinking, improved self-regulation and engagement. A number of students described taking the skills that they had learned in the programme and regularly applying them in other contexts. Implications for teachers and teacher training are discussed.
The Use of Land Value Taxation In New Zealand (1891 - 1991)
Authors:   , Hobbs Dylan
Published: December 2021

This thesis examines the historical use of land value taxation by the New Zealand government over the period 1891 – 1991. The study adopts qualitative research methods to explore how land taxation policy progressed over the century and what were the relevant influences on policy direction. The primary aim of the study is to examine how the land value tax policy used in New Zealand developed over time, what drove changes to it and, ultimately, why it was abolished. To this end the study adopts a historical institutionalist framework to analyse the influence of institutional factors on the development of land tax policy. Particular attention is paid to the influence of ideas, path dependency, critical junctures and power. The research itself is an interpretive narrative history, primarily drawing from historical document sources including government records and publications, legislation, parliamentary debate records, court records and media coverage. By addressing this topic, this research informs future debate as to the suitability of land taxation for use as a tool to influence the property market or as a method of wealth taxation. In addition it offers an explanation as to how methods of taxation can become obsolete and eventually be abolished, in a New Zealand context.
The paradox of contemporary midwifery practice: Promoting an out-of-hospital birth setting
Authors:   , Torrance Bronwyn
Published: December 2021

In New Zealand women choose their place of birth in partnership with their Lead Maternity Care (case loading) midwife, with most choosing a hospital regardless of their lack of risk factors. The reasons why most women in western countries choose to birth in hospital have been widely investigated. Risk aversity is most commonly implicated. For both women and health professionals this powerful discourse persists despite consistent research findings indicating higher rates of normal birth, and lower rates of maternal morbidity associated with interventions for healthy women who birth in out-of-hospital (primary) maternity units, with no difference in neonatal outcomes. There is however a gap in the literature regarding what is known about how midwives might positively influence the choice to birth in a primary unit.   A qualitative descriptive design through an appreciative inquiry lens enabled insight from 12 midwives who have a higher ratio of women within their caseload who choose to birth in a primary unit. Four focus groups were formed with these midwives to explore their perspectives and approaches as they assist women to make their place of birth decisions. From thematically analysed data, five themes emerged, Ways of knowing: woman, art, science and research; Trusting in you, me, and the process of childbirth; Setting boundaries as a ‘primary birth midwife’; and Delaying and diverting, a malleable approach, centered around the theme When it matters what we say: reframing safety and risk.   Alongside supporting current research, this study adds to the body of knowledge about birthplace choice by bringing to the fore the notion of paradox in practice, setting boundaries whilst remaining malleable for example. In a contemporary maternity context, these midwives dance between two worlds fundamentally at odds with one another, effectively managing contradiction, complexity and uncertainty to achieve a high primary unit caseload. The experience of what works to promote the primary unit for a cohort of New Zealand midwives is uncovered in this research.   The social recalibrations needed to adjust the hospital birth norm are much broader issues than midwives alone can change, but in this study, we see they are staying the course in order to protect and promote normal birth. How midwives might inform decision-making for place of birth choice is described.
On matroids that are transversal and cotransversal
Authors:   , Jose Meenu Mariya
Published: December 2021

There are distinct differences between classes of matroids that are closed under principal extensions and those that are not Finite-field-representable matroids are not closed under principal extensions and they exhibit attractive properties like well-quasi-ordering and decidable theories (at least for subclasses with bounded branch-width). Infinite-field-representable matroids, on the other hand, are closed under principal extensions and exhibit none of these behaviours. For example, the class of rank-3 real representable matroids is not well-quasi-ordered and has an undecidable theory. The class of matroids that are transversal and cotransversal is not closed under principal extensions or coprincipal coextentions, so we expect it to behave more like the class of finite-field-representable matroids. This thesis is invested in exploring properties in the aforementioned class. A major idea that has inspired the thesis is the investigation of well-quasi-ordered classes in the world of matroids that are transversal and cotransversal. We conjecture that any minor-closed class with bounded branch-width containing matroids that are transversal and cotransversal is well-quasi-ordered. In Chapter 8 of the thesis, we prove this is true for lattice-path matroids, a well-behaved class that falls in this intersection. The general class of lattice-path matroids is not well-quasi-ordered as it contains an infinite antichain of so-called ‘notch matroids’. The interesting phenomenon that we observe is that this is essentially the only antichain in this class, that is, any minor-closed family of lattice-path matroids that contains only finitely many notch matroids is well-quasi-ordered. This answers a question posed by Jim Geelen.  Another question that drove the research was recognising fundamental transversal matroids, since these matroids are also cotransversal. We prove that this problem in general is in NP and conjecture that it is NP-complete. We later explore this question for the classes of lattice-path and bicircular matroids. We are successful in finding polynomial-time algorithms in both classes that identify fundamental transversal matroids. We end this part by investigating the intersection of bicircular and cobicircular matroids. We define a specific class - whirly-swirls - and conjecture that eventually any matroid in the above mentioned intersection belongs to this class.
Colour psychology in retirement homes
Authors:   , Sebastian Dalisha
Published: December 2021

As the population of New Zealand ages demand and popularity of retirement homes is increasing. This thesis argues that interior spaces of retirement homes can become more interesting and stimulating through the use of colour, and that a simple colour redesign of the common shared areas could achieve great benefits for the users. The main aim of this study is to explore how to create healing and comforting environment in retirement homes using colour as the main design driver. Based on the literature review it was possible to establish four key design colour strategies of healing; Views of nature, natural light, soothing colours and colours promoting interaction. Based on these, a series of design experiments were undertaken, developing a new set of approaches of how colour can be used in the interior design. Some of the design explorations were not focused on a particular site, but some considered the limitations of a possible site. The study succeeded in redesigning the selected site through a creative application of the four key design strategies of healing, but also supported development of a set of findings on how to use colour strategies more effectively in retirement homes. One of the key findings of this study is that the use of bright and saturated colour could prevent adverse effect of sensory deprivation associated with aging. This could have broader applications in interior architecture.
Virtual Environments as Medium for Laypeople’s Communication and Collaboration in Urban Design
Authors:   , Chowdhury Shuva
Published: December 2021

The distance between urban design processes and outcomes and their communication to stakeholders and citizens are often significant. Urban designers use a variety of tools to bridge this gap. Each tool often places high demands on the audience, and each through inherent characteristics and affordances, introduces possible failures to understand the design ideas, thus imposing a divergence between the ideas, their communication and the understandings.   Urban design is a hugely complex activity influenced by numerous factors. The design exploration process may follow established design traditions. In all instances, the medium in which the exploration takes place affects the understanding by laypeople. Design tools are chosen, in part, to facilitate the design process.  Most urban design community engagement does not use Virtual Environments (VE) as a means of communication and participation in the early stage of the design generation. There has been little research on how the use of VE for urban design can engage laypeople as contributors to the design process. It has been suggested that VE instruments can allow laypeople to express, explore and convey their imagination more easily. The very different nature of perceptual understanding of VE and its capability to produce instant 3D artefacts with design actions may allow laypeople to generate meaningful design ideas. An experiment setup has developed to leverage laypeople in authentic design collaboration.   This thesis examines in the context of New Zealand’s National Science Challenge ‘Building Better Homes, Towns and Cities’ the drivers of change that contribute to the shaping of places, development and design of future neighbourhoods. A series of experiments have been conducted in the site of a neighbourhood to investigate the relative effectiveness of immersive VE to facilitate people in collaborative urban design. The findings support the hypothesis that VE with the generation of 3D artefacts enhances design communication for laypeople to design an urban form for their neighbourhood. The thesis concludes by discussing how New Zealand’s future neighbourhoods can be shaped and developed with VE assisted participatory urban design.
Reproductive justice: Improving access to abortion services in Aotearoa New Zealand
Authors:   , Downing Penelope
Published: December 2021

With the recently introduced Abortion Legislation Bill 2019, 2020 could be the year that Aotearoa decriminalises abortion. The Bill, if passed, would remove abortion from the Crimes Act 1961 and treat it, instead, as a health issue. Current legislation has been heavily critiqued for undermining patients’ human rights to healthcare and bodily autonomy, causing lengthy delays in treatment, and contributing to stress. Access to abortion is unequal for different members of society, particularly for those who face socioeconomic disadvantages, are marginalised, rural, Māori, religious, migrant, or a combination thereof. Factors that obstruct access may be legal, geographical, socioeconomic, cultural and societal. Additionally, stigma, the lack of availability of willing abortion practitioners, and conscientious objection represent significant barriers. Improving access to abortion would assist in the achievement of reproductive justice and Aotearoa’s national and international agreements, such as Te Tiriti o Waitangi and the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals. This study explores how access to abortion can be improved, particularly for the most disadvantaged, whether or not the law changes. It aims to contribute to improved and more equitable access to abortion services. Undertaken from a social constructivist and transformative epistemology, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 abortion providers, academics and advocates, as they are the knowledge-holders of abortion access. The research is guided by the framework of reproductive justice, which recognises every aspect which may hinder or empower a person’s right to control their fertility. The study found that decriminalisation and telemedicine have the greatest potential to improve access to abortion in Aotearoa, particularly for the most disadvantaged. Other ways to improve access, regardless of law change, include improved cultural competency, efforts to reduce stigma, changes to conscientious objection, and integrated services. Decriminalisation would assist in improving access to abortion and making advancements towards reproductive justice and human rights. However, questions remain over the future of funding, training and access.
High efficiency class-D RF amplifiers and mobile NMR systems
Authors:   , Zhen John Z.
Published: December 2021

This thesis details the development of a hand held mobile NMR system. The new system addressed the drawbacks on most of the existing NMR systems of being physically large and heavy with poor power inefficiency. In order to achieve the goal of producing a compact and power efficient NMR system, several high efficiency Class D RF amplifiers were developed which showed efficiencies of over 80%. The single cycle controlled PWM amplifier working at 2 MHz was a novel design and no other PWM Class D amplifiers has been reported to operate at high frequency with output power greater than 100 W. Development of the 20 MHz amplifier with 100 W constant amplitude output showed that the Class D amplifiers are suitable for NMR applications even at high frequency and further development of this amplifier to work at 17 MHz with amplitude modulation was successful. It paved the way for the development of a full mobile system with the newly available 17 MHz Mini-MOUSE sensor. The fully integrated mobile system was developed using SoC FPGA technologies. The use of a 400 Msps DDS device for RF pulse generation results in a broadband system. A duplexer was developed to enable sensor tuning and matching with the receiver amplifiers on the duplexer output stage provided 72 dB gain. The web based control program running on an iPad has shown great portability and it allows the system to be operated outdoors, even in remote areas. Experiments on industrial applications has shown successful T2eff measurements on polymer composites and rubber samples and showed the potential for such a system to be used in industrial applications. The fully integrated system prototype fits in a case measuring 140x120x100 mm (LxWxH) and weighs 800 grams and fulfil all the requirements for a mobile NMR system.
Heparan sulphate compounds regulate cholesterol metabolism in neurodegenerative disease models
Authors:   , Heathcott Rosemary
Published: December 2021

Heparan sulphate proteoglycans (HSPG) are central to numerous processes of the mammalian cell. The highly charged negative side chains of the heparan sulphate (HS) oligosaccharides are essential for the regulatory and structural functions of the proteoglycan. Synthetic HS compounds have potential therapeutic value due to their ability to mimic naturally occurring HS. Niemann-Pick disease type C (NPC) is a fatal childhood neurodegenerative disease with characteristic cholesterol and sphingolipid accumulation in the late endosome or lysosome. Alzheimer’s disease, another neurodegenerative disorder, shares alterations of cholesterol and amyloid β metabolism with NPC. In this study,a set of novel heparan sulphate compounds with a range of structures and oligosaccharide side groups with a variety of degrees of sulphation was investigated with regards to their effects on cholesterol and amyloid β metabolism in cell line models of these two diseases. Fluorescent staining of cholesterol and confocal microscopy showed highly sulphated compounds reduce the accumulation of cholesterol in the perinuclear lysosomal storage organelles in patient fibroblast cell lines. The compounds had no effect on secreted amyloid β levels or amyloid precursor protein levels in a neuronal cell line model of early onset Alzheimer’s disease. The mechanism of cholesterol reduction is unclear but may be related to a reduction in HSPG-associated endocytosis of LDL/cholesterol.
Subglacial Conditions of the Kamb Ice Stream and its Response to Environmental Change
Authors:   , van Haastrecht Laurine
Published: December 2021

The Siple Coast ice streams, which drain the West Antarctic Ice Sheet into the Ross Ice Shelf, are susceptible to temporal changes in flow dynamics. The Kamb Ice Stream on the Siple Coast, stagnated approximately 160 years ago, thought to partially be the result of basal water diversion. The character of its subglacial environment can exert an important control on long- and short-term ice sheet and ice stream fluctuations. Were the Kamb Ice Stream to reactivate in response to subglacial or future climate change, it would have the potential to contribute more substantially to ice discharge into the Ross Ice Shelf. Therefore, it is important to characterise the present-day subglacial environment and climatic conditions that may reactivate this flow. This study investigates the present-day subglacial conditions of the Kamb Ice Stream and how these conditions may be affected by environmental perturbations. Due to the difficult nature of making direct observations of ice sheet basal conditions, other methods are employed to investigate the response of the Kamb Ice Stream to environmental change. Active source seismic surveying data obtained during the 2015/16 and 2018/19 austral summer seasons provides an instantaneous snapshot of the present-day basal conditions. Flowline and whole-continent numerical ice sheet modelling is used to investigate the longer-term response of the Kamb Ice Stream and the West Antarctic Ice Sheet. Amplitude analysis of seismic lines indicate saturated till beneath the Ross Ice Shelf in the vicinity of the grounding zone, which is supported by retreat rates of the Kamb Ice Stream grounding zone post-stagnation. Seismic reflection imaging suggests potential dewatered till conditions beneath the grounded Kamb Ice Stream. Flowline modelling of the Kamb Ice Stream indicates that changes to the water content of the subglacial sediments appear to be self regulating, with high reversibility over centennial timescales. Oceanic temperature forcings are the key driver of change of the Kamb Ice Stream, and the ice stream is susceptible to topographic pinning points in 2D and lateral drag. Future glaciological change is more likely to occur in response to oceanic than to atmospheric temperature perturbations. Results from 3D continent-wide modelling experiments also find that precipitation increases offset the effect of air temperature perturbations and influence subglacial conditions, indicating more dynamic ice stream behaviour on the Siple Coast. This study has worked to re-enforce and strengthen our existing understanding of the Kamb Ice Stream and its sensitivity to environmental change. Future work using higher-resolution simulations and a higher density of observational data may help refine these results.