bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Young People and Desistance from Crime: Perspectives from New Zealand
Authors:   , Carpenter Craig 
Published: November 2021

<p>This thesis examines the process by which young people stop, or 'desist' from, criminal offending in New Zealand. It does so by presenting insights on desistance gained from observations and interviews with young ex-offenders and those who work closely with them. In doing so, it avoids the exaggerated responses to youth crime expressed in political rhetoric and the popular media, and instead focuses on factors that are deemed most valuable in desistance by those most involved. This primary research is presented in the context of the existing literature that establishes desistance as a process influenced by the interaction of multiple variables including individual, social, and structural factors. Analysis of structural factors highlights the need for young people, especially those who experience economic marginalisation or racial discrimination, to be provided with opportunities to change. While the current New Zealand youth justice system generally does well to limit the negative impact of formal system contact for young people, it is noted that the focus on individual plans and strategies fails to adequately address social relations and structural conditions that are integral to desistance processes. The results of this study show that young desisters have mainstream aspirations for stable employment and relationships. Key factors of desistance identified in this study include the influence of 'growing up', family support and positive relationships. In other words, desistance from crime was the result of moving towards something positive in life. It is therefore argued that desistance is also more likely to be sustained with ongoing personal and social support. Rather than being passive victims of structural inequalities, or completely rational actors, this study found young desisters to be influenced by a combination of structural, social and individual factors. The ultimate recommendation is to enhance existing policy through wider strategies that address structural issues, such as poverty and unemployment, together with the development of social and cultural capital, so that desistance processes can be further encouraged in New Zealand's young offenders.</p>
A Study of University Students in Japan: Learning and Application of Academic English Writing
Authors:   , McKinley James Graham 
Published: November 2021

<p>This study investigated Japanese first and second year undergraduate students learning English academic writing in their compulsory English composition courses in a Japanese university. The thesis takes a social constructivist approach to investigate the aspects of critical argument and writer identity in these students’ classes and their writing. The data for the study include classroom observations and teacher and student interviews, all conducted monthly throughout the academic year-long course. In total there were six courses, four teachers, and sixteen student participants. The observations were analyzed using an adapted version of Ivanič’s (2004) Discourses of Writing framework, which focused on aspects of identity construction in the writing classroom. The linguistic data included a selection of one major piece of writing from each student, analyzed using an adapted Appraisal framework within Systemic Functional Linguistics (Martin, 1997; 2000). In order to maintain a focus on writer identity in the analysis, Clark and Ivanič’s (1997) selves were identified through this analysis. In addition, the texts were analyzed for use of Casanave’s (2002) writing game strategies, in order to further establish the students’ approaches in writing their texts. The objective was not to generalize about how Japanese students learn to write academic English, but rather to provide, from a social constructivist, Western researcher’s perspective, an analysis of what happened in these students’ writing classes and how it affected their writing for those classes. Teachers’ general practices in the observed courses mainly focused on two aspects of writing: 1) as a communicative act (writing for a reader), and 2) as an exercise in critical thinking (developing a thesis). These two aspects emerged from the observation and interview data collection. The four teachers used very different approaches in designing their courses, and the students in the same classes responded in different ways, mostly depending on their ability to understand their teachers’ intentions and to form appropriate academic identities in an attempt to meet their teachers’ expectations. The analysis of the students’ written texts revealed that students often did not meet the teachers’ expectations of writing objectively and using a genre-appropriate voice as students often resorted to the same authorial voice to push their thesis. This investigation was designed to inform pedagogic practices for university teachers of academic English and curriculum designers in Japan to establish effective English writing courses. The rich description of classroom practices and resulting written texts and the focus on differences in cultural expectations between teachers and students provide significant contributions to this area of inquiry. The main pedagogical suggestions are standardizing course objectives and goals, assigning more reading as a part of writing, and teaching students how to write authoritatively.</p>
Does Knowledge about Climate Change Predict Concern? Concern for Climate Change and the Knowledge-Deficit Theory
Authors:   , Cornforth Alana 
Published: November 2021

<p>The knowledge-deficit theory suggests that if people are not concerned about climate change, it is because there is a deficit in their knowledge of climate change—they do not properly comprehend the scientific consensus. So do people with higher levels of knowledge about climate change feel more concerned than those with lower knowledge levels? Existing research has been inconclusive but suggests differences between perceived and actual knowledge. This thesis comprises two studies. Study 1 tests the effect of perceived knowledge on concern for climate change with a nationally representative, randomly selected sample of 269 New Zealanders. Study 2 tests the effect of actual knowledge about climate change on concern with a sample of 452 New Zealanders recruited via snowball sampling. Results supported the knowledge-deficit theory for concern for climate change, but only when actual knowledge was tested. Participants in both Study 1 and Study 2 with high perceived knowledge did not have correspondingly high levels of concern, but Study 2 participants with high actual knowledge of climate change did also have high levels of concern. Other variables tested that consistently predicted high concern for climate change were perceived efficacy (the perception that one's actions will influence group outcomes) and environmental values. Demographic variables were not strong or consistent predictors of concern, but overall, younger female participants tended to display higher levels of concern than older male participants.</p>
Academic Reading and Pacific Students: Profiling Texts, Tasks & Readers in the First Year of University in New Zealand
Authors:   , Toumu'a Mary Ruth 
Published: November 2021

<p>Central to tertiary study in the literate world is the storage, transmission and retrieval of knowledge via the written word through the complex, multi-faceted and largely invisible process of academic reading. With New Zealand's changing demographics and increasing participation in tertiary education by students of Pacific descent, it cannot be assumed that there is a sufficient degree of match between the cultures of academic literacy of the institution and those of the linguistic /ethnic minority student readers; and this is an issue that requires in-depth investigation. This thesis focuses on student readers of Pacific descent undertaking their first year of study in selected 100-level Humanities and Commerce courses in a NZ university. By drawing together the composite skills, cognitive and socio-cultural traditions of reading research, this study conceptualizes academic reading as the dynamic interplay between Text-Task-Reader within any given socio-cultural context. This three-part understanding of academic reading enables a rich profiling of Readers, Texts, and Tasks within their contexts. It permits the systematic discovery and documentation of the nature of the challenge inherent in the academic texts and tasks of the first year of university, and enables the characteristics of the prototypical 'good reader' in a specific discipline to be established. By identifying and holding the core first year academic reading Task of 'reading to understand and remember' constant, the complex interactions between the Reader and Text were able to be observed, thus providing insights into the ways in which these Pacific readers made meaning from Text. Then, through the holistic profiling of cognitive, affective, skills, and socio-culturally based reader features, the Pacific student readers' academic reading personae were constructed. Combined, the readers' profiles reveal group trends, and individually, the complete holistic profiles of two case study readers were able to be woven together from the various profiling 'strands', thus highlighting the usefulness of the profiling system and the uniqueness of the individual readers. Finally, a comparison between the 'good reader' and the 'real' student readers affords an understanding of the degree of 'fit' between the readers' characteristics and the expectations of the institution. It is argued that this type of holistic profiling is of considerable value to institutions, enabling them to respond in informed, strategic ways to the academic literacy development requirements of their Pacific (and other) students, on both an individual and group scale.</p>
Performance Evaluation of Routing Metrics for Community Wireless Mesh Networks
Authors:   , Liu Nan 
Published: November 2021

<p>With the growth of different types of Internet traffic there is a compelling need to provide better quality of service, especially, over the increasing number of wireless networks. Expected Transmission Count (ETX) is a high throughput route selection metric that measures link loss ratios. ETX of a path reflects the total number of packet transmissions (including retransmission) required to successfully deliver a data packet along that path. Expected Transmission Time (ETT) is an improvement of ETX. ETT of a path is a measure of the transmission time needed to successfully deliver a packet along the path. ETT measures the loss ratio and the bandwidth of the link. Both, ETX and ETT, in comparison to hop count, provide better route selection for routing protocols widely used in Wireless Mesh Networks (WMNs). Using minimum hop count to find the shortest path has been shown to be inadequate for WMNs, as the selected routes often include the weakest links. This thesis presents a performance evaluation comparing hop count, ETX and ETT when used with the Optimized Link State Routing version 2 (OLSRv2) protocol. This study is based on the wireless mesh topology of a suburban residential area in New Zealand, and analyses the performance of three common Internet traffic types in terms of throughput, end-to-end delay, jitter and packet loss ratio, and presents findings that are closer to the perspective of what an enduser experiences. Also, a grid network of 121 nodes was used to analyze how the metrics choose paths, the performance changes (for different path lengths) and other conditions that affect the performance of the three metrics.</p>
A Proteomic Analysis of the Effects of Yessotoxin and Di-Desulfoyessotoxin on Yeast and Mammalian Cells
Authors:   , Cordiner Sarah 
Published: November 2021

<p>Yessotoxin (YTX) is a disulfated polycyclic polyether, produced by dinoflagellate algae. It is known to accumulate in edible shellfish, raising concerns about its potential risk to human health. YTX was initially classified as a diarrhetic shellfish poisoning toxin, due to commonly being extracted alongside toxins of this variety. However, YTX does not induce any of the effects characteristic of this group. A separate category for YTXs was established by the European Commission in 2002 and a limit of 1 mg/kg of shellfish meat was established. YTX has been shown to be an apoptosis inducer in a variety of cell lines in vitro. It has also been shown to be lethal to mice when administered by intra-peritoneal injection. However, when administered orally only limited toxicity is observed. The di-desulfated derivative (dsYTX) has also been shown to be lethal to mice following intra-peritoneal injection. However it causes damage mainly to the liver, whereas YTX appears to target the heart. The mechanism of action of YTX is still unknown. The goals of this project were to use proteomic techniques, to examine the effects of YTX and dsYTX on Saccharomyces cerevisiae and human promyelocytic leukemic blood leukocyte (HL60) cells. Young et al. (2009) showed that the major proteins affected by YTX in HepG2 cells were heterogeneous ribonucleoproteins (hnRNPs), lamins, cathepsins and heat shock proteins. HnRNPs had not previously been identified as possible targets of YTX. Alterations of hnRNP levels were also seen in HL60 cells treated with microtubule stabilising agents, peloruside A or paclitaxel (Wilmes et al., 2011, 2012). No differences in cell morphology or significant changes in protein abundance were observed when S. cerevisiae cells were exposed to YTX. A small number of significant changes in abundance were detected when these cells were exposed to dsYTX. The small number of protein changes seen is possibly due to poor toxin entrance into the cell through the yeast cell wall, lack of protein targets structurally homologous to those found in mammalian cells, or fast removal of the toxin through export pumps. Twenty-four hour incubation of HL60 cells with YTX resulted in increased cell death but no change in cell morphology. Treatment with dsYTX caused cells to aggregate into clusters and a 24% decrease in the number of live cells. Increases were found in the abundance of β-actin, hnRNP A and BiP proteins in response to dsYTX treatment. Decreases in these proteins were seen in HepG2 cells treated with YTX for 24 hours. As seen in S. cerevisiae cells, dsYTX had a greater effect in HL60 cells compared with YTX. Overall, the results provide some support for the previously identified effect on hnRNPs in mammalian cells exposed to YTX.</p>
Do You Have a "Strict Purse"? The Routes to Meaning in Metaphor
Authors:   , Stewart Jessie E. 
Published: November 2021

<p>Theoretically there are two processing systems through which meaning can be found for a given statement: an effortless, associative processing system (meaning retrieval), or an effortful, analytical processing system (meaning construction). The current study investigated whether or not the context in which target (loosely figurative) word-pairs are presented can influence whether a person relies on associative or analytical processing to find their meaning. Participants were presented with target (loosely figurative) novel word-pairs and asked to judge them for meaningfulness. These target novel word-pairs were presented in different contexts: either mixed with clearly meaningful word-pairs or with additional novel word-pairs. By nature, meaning cannot be retrieved for novel word-pairs, so if a novel word-pair is to be found "meaningful," then its meaning must usually be constructed online (via the analytical processing system). Consistent with increased reliance on analytical processing, participants who saw target novel word-pairs mixed with additional novel word-pairs judged them meaningful more often than did participants who saw them mixed with clearly meaningful word-pairs. Participants who saw target novel word-pairs mixed with additional novel word-pairs also had more negative N400s to target novel word-pairs, indicating that they committed more semantic effort to the processing of these (again consistent with analytical processing). Associative processing does not involve attempts to construct new meaning for given word-pairs. Consistent with increased reliance on associative processing, participants who saw target novel word-pairs mixed with clearly meaningful word-pairs judged them meaningful less often than did participants who saw them mixed with additional novel word-pairs. These participants also had less negative N400s to target novel word-pairs, indicating that they committed less semantic effort to the processing of these (again fitting with associative processing). Further evidence for different contexts leading to differential processing of the same target novel word-pairs was provided by examination of wave morphology. Two distinctive patterns of neural activation were found in response to the same target novel word-pairs, differing depending on the context in which these appeared. Overall, the results of the current study were consistent with the hypothesis that context can influence which processing system is relied upon to find meaning for a given statement. This finding challenges contemporary models of meaning construction and metaphor comprehension by showing that context is essential to these processes and needs to be taken into consideration.</p>
VJing: A New Zealand Case Study
Authors:   , Lamb Naomi 
Published: November 2021

<p>This thesis analyses some key factors of what is often considered a marginalised cultural and creative practice, VJing. The term VJ historically refers to Video Jockey, though in its own right VJ can be used to umbrella a number of various practices that utilise live visual media performances. This study is based on the researcher's active participation in the New Zealand (Kiwi) VJ scene for over thriteen years. Chapter One introduces some of the traditional principles and factors that are still in use in contemporary VJ practices, as well as the characteristics of the Kiwi VJ scene. Chapter Two outlines and analyses an experiment that takes these factors and characteristics into consideration. The case study utilises peer to peer information gathering through an experiment designed to generate a disruption to the intuitive mode of working to which four veteran VJs have been accustomed. The case study experiment sought to isolate key factors that impact on content creation and selection for live VJ mixing that utilise traditional principles. During the analysis, the following factors were identified: time, sight, memory, finance, environment, technology, availability, efficiency, compatibility, loops, silence, form, rhythm, movement, shape, colour and music. The experiment centred around a sample library of original content that the four VJs were asked to respond to, both through conversational dialogue and a live VJ performance. The DVD contains the results of the individual performances.</p>
Inside / Outside and the [Inbetween]
Authors:   , Brookes Toni-Rose 
Published: November 2021

<p>How can architecture overcome the traditional differentiation of inside and outside? Architects tend to associate our inhabitation and movement within two spatial realms, those being inside and outside. The connection between the two plays a fundamental role in our relationship and understanding of the environment in which we live in. The details of these connections are often neglected and standardised ideals and components are regularly implemented without much consideration in regards to the context in which they are being established. The fundamental act of architecture is to define one space from another. Primarily this means differentiating the inside from the outside (interactivearchitecture.org). Perceptually and practically the worlds of interior and exterior are mutually exclusive one cannot be in both at the same time, and yet traditionally they border directly on each other. (Lo, 1986) Through the exploration of the relationship between interior and exterior space a focus will be given to the boundary condition. Looking into the details and material expression which enable these connections and their ability and potential to blur the boundary. Along with material properties and capabilities aspects such as kinetic, interactive and dynamic architecture will be investigated and subsequently implemented as a response to the interior, exterior relationship established. Aim to achieve architecture, where one is able to interact with the structure and help to adapt the space surrounding in order to accommodate the activities and behaviour of the occupants whilst enabling a comfortable space in regards to the climatic conditions. With an objective to live with nature and the surrounding environment achieved through blurring the spatial boundaries, forcing one to acknowledge and establish a simultaneous relationship where one can interact and co-exist between the two realms. This will be enhanced through the integration of the building into the landscape enabling the opportunity for the building to work with the environment.</p>
Health in the Name of Justice: Does Justice Require a Right to Health
Authors:   , Horwood Morgan 
Published: November 2021

<p>Upholding and seeking justice in society has been important for philosophers and religious thinkers throughout the ages. Debates of different conceptions of justice have ranged from Plato’s conception of the just individual, to Aristotle’s just community where individuals receive what is owed to them according to their merit, to Kant’s claim that justice concerns the “… exercise of will among people; and it is concerned with the possibility and freedom of the exercise of will …” (Hudson, 2003, p. 11). Interpretations of justice and the value of justice in society vary. Fundamentally, however, theories of justice are concerned with answering the question, what do we as a society owe each other by determining the set of rights that are inalienable and vital for a just society to protect. Theories of justice hope to inform us of the rights that are essential for society to defend and uphold. The ever increasing amount of medical knowledge and sophisticated medical treatments now available raise questions of social justice in health and has prompted many to argue whether or not there is a right to health. As Charles Fried (1976) explained over thirty years ago, extending certain medical treatments to the poor seemed possible and inevitable during a period when certain medical advances in treating illness and disease, such as the introduction of antibiotics and vaccines, made a huge difference to the health of the population. He claims that in this “ ‘Golden Age’ we could unambiguously afford a notion of a general right to medical care because there were a number of clear successes available to medicine, and these successes were not unduly costly” (p. 29-30). However, as Fried recognised in the 1970s, and is even truer today with the costs associated with chronic illnesses, extending universal medical care to all in society in cases where treatment is expensive and marginally beneficial is problematic at best.</p>