bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
‘In Quietness and in Confidence Shall Be Your Strength’: Vicesimus Lush and His Journals, 1850-1882
Authors:   , Nelson Gillian 
Published: November 2021

<p>From his arrival in New Zealand in 1850 until his death in 1882 Reverend Vicesimus Lush kept a regular journal to send to family back “home” in England. These journals chronicle the life of an ordinary priest and settler in the Auckland region, his work, relationships and observations. This thesis examines the journals as texts: their role in correspondence and maintaining connections with family. Using Lush’s record of day-to-day experiences, the thesis deals with his emotional attachment towards various expressions of “home” (immediate and extended family, houses, relationship with English land and customs) and explores his associated sense of belonging. Lush’s role as a priest within the New Zealand Anglican Church also informed his writing. Witnessing and participating in the “building” of the Anglican Church in New Zealand, Lush provided a record of parochial, diocesan and countrywide problems. Lush’s journals track the Anglican Church’s financial struggles, from providing stable salaries to financing church buildings. “Building” the Church required constructing churches and building congregations, adapting liturgical traditions and encouraging the development of a uniquely Māori church. This thesis also uses the journals to explore Lush as a social commentator. As a witness to the settling and building of the colony, Lush observed the Taranaki and Waikato Wars, the Waikato Immigration Scheme and the Thames Gold Rush, and their impact on the development of settler living. In addition, the final chapter deals with Lush’s changing perceptions of Māori, particularly during the Waikato wars compared with while he lived in Thames.</p>
Contribution of Harman and Norharman to the Reinforcing Efficacy of Aqueous Tobacco Smoke Extract Self-Administered by Rats
Authors:   , Crowther Alex John 
Published: November 2021

<p>Background: Animal models of drug abuse treat nicotine as the primary reinforcing agent that promotes tobacco addiction. However, rodents demonstrate poor self-administration of nicotine despite evidence of tobacco's high abuse potential in humans. This discrepancy has been attributed to other constituents of tobacco smoke that facilitate the development of nicotine dependence. Objectives: This study aimed to determine whether rats would self-administer intravenous an aqueous tobacco smoke extract (TPM) to find evidence if it was more reinforcing than nicotine alone. The study also evaluated the role of tobacco smoke constituent’s harman and norharman in any differences observed. Methods: Firstly, male Sprague-Dawley rats (n=29) were assigned to treatment groups: nicotine (30.0μg/kg/infusion), TPM (containing 30.0μg/kg/infusion nicotine) or saline vehicle. Ability for each treatment to support intravenous self-administration was assessed using spontaneous acquisition of responding on gradually increasing fixed ratio schedules (FR1, FR2, FR5). Subsequent progressive ratio (PR) testing was employed to determine reinforcing efficacy of each treatment. Then a second group of rats (N = 56) were assigned to treatment groups: nicotine alone (30.0 or 75.0μg/kg/infusion) or nicotine combined with norharman (0, 0.4, 2.5 or 6.25μg/kg/infusion) and harman (0.0, 1.6 or 10.0μg/kg, IP), and tested using a similar protocol. Results: Animals readily acquired self-administration responding for TPM and produced higher PR breakpoints (BP) than rats treated with nicotine alone or vehicle. Rats trained to respond for a larger dose of nicotine demonstrated significantly greater response rates than those receiving the lower dose of nicotine. Finally, the addition of harman and norharman to nicotine significantly reduced BP at the lower unit dose of nicotine tested. Conclusions: These findings support the hypothesis that TPM is more reinforcing than nicotine alone. However, the increased reinforcing efficacy of TPM cannot be attributed to the actions of harman and norharman. The potential role of serotonin inhibition in tobacco reward processes is discussed.</p>
Industrial Revolutions Examining the Potential of Redundant Railway Land within Provincial New Zealand Cities
Authors:   , Bailey Joseph 
Published: November 2021

<p>Economic and technological shifts over the last half of the 20th century have seen widespread changes in the way the New Zealand rail network operates, and are continuing to lead to the eminent decline of sections within the network as priorities shift to ensure its long-term survival as a whole. The decline in rail operations to the present point has already seen railway stations, goods yards and associated industrial areas in many rural areas and some smaller centers falling into disuse, and it is inevitable that many more will follow. The aim of this research is to identify and analyze these rail facilities, both redundant and operational, within provincial New Zealand cities with the intention of establishing possible strategies for re-integrating these sites back within the surrounding urban fabric of their respective cities, while retaining links to the cultural and industrial heritage of the sites in terms of the role they played in the birth and development of provincial New Zealand. A review of relevant literature has been conducted in unison with a graphic analysis of both current and redundant rail sites in ten provincial New Zealand cities. The former railway goods yard in Oamaru was selected for the design case study as it encompasses the common issues identified throughout the graphic analysis, while also presenting a number of unique issues. In response to the initial aim of this research, the design case study for Oamaru concludes that, once redundant, these former rail facilities can be successfully re-integrated with their surrounding urban fabric, without comprimising the unique inherent cultural and industrial heritage of the site.</p>
Tritium Incorporation From Tritium Water as an Index of Metabolism
Authors:   , Mann Liam Robert Butland 
Published: November 2021

<p>Part A The metabolism of mustard (Sinapis alba) seeds wet at sub-germination temperatures has been studied using tritium incorporation as an index of metabolism. The theory and scope of the method are discussed. The enzymic reactions known in 1964 are surveyed one by one, suggesting which will, or will not, incorporate tritium from THO into specified metabolites, or cannot be confidently predicted either way. Improvements have been made in the chromatography procedure. At 0°, many of the normal germination chemical reactions proceed, but about one tenth as fast as at 24°. Amino-acids are being metabolised within 2 h of wetting the seeds, and malic and citric acids within 4 h. Within 24 h lipids and fructose are undergoing reactions. An unidentified compound “M”, not reported in normal germination, is being metabolised within 48 h. Another aberration from normal is the absence of detectable succinate metabolism. Labelling of the solid residue (insoluble in ethanol and in water) always occurs, shown to be largely non-metabolic. To explain the non-germination of seeds at temperatures near 0°, it is hypothesized that the Krebs cycle is qualitatively altered, perhaps by “wasting away” of glutamate to 4-aminobutyrate instead of its routing into the Krebs cycle as alpha-oxoglutarate. Part B A method has been developed for studying the metabolism of dry seeds, spores and pollen by exposure to THO vapour. Dry Pinus radiata pollen labels many compounds. A few have been identified and are common metabolites. It may be that the metabolism of dry pollen is not qualitatively different from its germination reactions. Dry mustard seeds and spores of the fungus Pithomyces chartarum give, in contrast to pollen, patterns of incorporation very different from those in early germination.</p>
Protein Identification Strategies for the Greenshell Mussel Perna canaliculus
Authors:   , Moeke Cassidy 
Published: November 2021

<p>The greenshell mussel Perna canaliculus is considered to be a suitable biomonitor for heavy metal pollution. This is due to their ability to accumulate and tolerate heavy metals in their tissues. These characteristics make them useful for identifying protein biomarkers of heavy metal pollution, as well as proteins associated with heavy metal detoxification and homeostasis. However, the identification of such proteins is restricted by the greenshell mussel being poorly represented in sequence databases. Several strategies have previously been used to identify proteins in unsequenced species, but only one of these strategies has been applied to the greenshell mussel. The objective of this thesis was to examine different protein identification strategies using a combined two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and MALDI-TOF/TOF mass spectrometry approach. The protein identification strategies used include a Mascot database search, as well as de novo sequencing approaches using PEAKS DB and SPIDER homology searches. In total, 155 protein spots were excised and a total of 68 identified. Fifty-six proteins were identified using a Mascot search against the Mollusca, NCBInr and Invertebrate EST database, with seven single-peptide identifications. De novo sequencing strategies identified additional proteins, with two from a PEAKS DB search and 10 from an error-tolerant SPIDER homology search. The most noticeable protein groups identified were cytoskeletal proteins, stress response proteins and those involved in protein biosynthesis. Actin and tubulin made up the bulk of the identifications, accounting for 39% of all proteins identified. This multifaceted approach was shown to be useful for identifying proteins in the greenshell mussel Perna canaliculus. Mascot and PEAKS DB performed equally well, while the error-tolerant functionality of SPIDER was useful for identifying additional proteins. A subsequent search against the Invertebrate EST database was also found to be useful for identifying additional proteins. Despite this, more than half of all proteins remained unidentified. Most of these proteins either failed to produce good quality MS spectra or did not find a match to a sequence in the database. Future research should first focus on obtaining quality MS spectra for all proteins concerned and then examine other strategies that may be more suitable for identifying proteins for species with poor representation in sequence databases.</p>
Understanding Human Scale and the Importance of its Relationship with Enclosure
Authors:   , Mackesy-Buckley Austin H. 
Published: November 2021

<p>The main objective of the research is to better understand the concept of human scale and the role that it has to play in the design of our urban environments. The need for a clearer, less ambiguous understanding of human scale is identified as a result of its poor definition and numerous manifestations across a multitude of literature. Human scale is an important part of design that flourished particularly in the middle ages, but has largely been neglected in the industrial and technological ages. Its remergence comes with the return of consideration for the comfort of people. Yet we cannot successfully apply a concept we do not wholly understand. Human scale is therefore redefined as a collective concept that embodies the multitude of existing definitions and treats them as aspects of a larger theory. As a broader but more comprehensive definition it better facilitates the identification and exploration of relationships with what are currently treated as separate urban design objectives, such as enclosure, in an endeavour to better understand the influence of human scale. The design case study proposes a design that tests the relationship between enclosure and human scale. A large site is chosen to display how human scale operates at urban, as well as architectural and detailed levels. Through aspiring to achieve a thorough human scale design, without any exclusive emphasis on enclosure, the process and the outcome still reveal that the theoretical relationship identified in the research (that aspects of human scale foster the formation of enclosure) is unavoidable in design practice. Enclosure simply results as a consequence of thorough human scale design. The research suggests that many urban design objectives may fall under human scale's sphere of influence meaning it is not a singular concept, but an ethic of design that has many desireable consequences. While the idealistic nature of the design may be unrealistic to achieve at present, it highlights the incompatibilities with contemporary approaches and succeeds in generating discussion.</p>
Critical Insights into Gender Mainstreaming in Non-Governmental Organizations Based in Vietnam
Authors:   , Le Binh Thi 
Published: November 2021

<p>In Vietnam, Confucian doctrine has traditionally influenced gender issues. Although, the determination of Government has brought about considerable improvements in gender equality in society, there remains a need for interventions from a variety of stakeholders including Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs). Recently, both International NGOs (INGOs) and Local NGOs (LNGOs) have increased in scope, size, and resources to address development issues in general and gender issues in particular in the specific context of Vietnam. They all play a pivotal role in delivering services and advocacy in an effort to enable Vietnamese people to live in a society of justice and well-being. However, there continues to be a gap between the rhetoric and practice of these organizations for both internal and external reasons. This research analyses the process of integrating gender into an INGO and an LNGO’s policies and development projects drawing on semi-structured interviews with staff in these organizations. The study explores the extent to which these NGOs use gender mainstreaming as a tool to achieve the goal of gender equality in their own organization and project sites. What challenges and opportunities for each organization exist? The findings indicate that in reference to gender mainstreaming, these NGOs, more or less, have encountered a series of common obstacles found in literature from other parts of the world. They also highlight the importance of the approach to gender work taken by NGOs. Each approach must be based on the specific conditions and characteristics of each organization and more importantly adaptable to the context, culture, and traditions of Vietnam. As a part of gender mainstreaming, NGOs are starting to pay attention to the work/home divides of their staff as a critically important element in organizational culture aiming to get the organization in order first before integrating gender into other dimensions of their development work. Both NGOs have the strong determination to have more male staff in office and involve more men in projects to address gender issues. Furthermore, the lack of openness and dialogue on implementing gender mainstreaming in the NGO community makes a part of the findings. These particular aspects of organisational practice were highlights of this thesis.</p>
Early Childhood Education Students' Experiences of Engaging with Academic Text
Authors:   , Blass Lacey 
Published: November 2021

<p>Academic text is viewed in most university environments as a tool for supporting student learning which generates knowledge, skills and the capacity to critique ideas. Yet there is little research undertaken to understand early childhood education (ECE) students’ experiences and beliefs of engaging with academic text. Therefore, in order to understand this specific group of students’ text engagement practices and beliefs, this ethnographic research followed a group of ten third-year ECE students at Victoria University in Wellington New Zealand through one course of their undergraduate study. The researcher collected data using ethnographic methods (including a non-traditional visual participatory method of identity portfolio collages) to identify patterns which help understand students’ beliefs and experiences of engaging with academic text. Based on social learning theories, the research examined the influence of student identity and cultural context on their motivation and interest in engaging with academic text. The study found that while this group of ECE students reported valuing academic text for a number of reasons, they were most likely to engage with assigned text for assessment purposes. The prevalent use of a surface learning approach, skim reading, when reading academic text also left students feeling frustrated with the reading they completed during their programme. Group expectations of reading mainly for assessment and a lack of text engagement by practicing teachers they encountered also encouraged these students, who hold positive reader identities, to limit their engagement with academic text. The results from this study indicate that students and educators can examine ways to increase student motivation to engage deeply with academic text on a more regular basis for students to achieve deeper and more meaningful learning experiences.</p>
Controlled Aggregation of Peptide Substituted Perylene-Bisimides
Authors:   , Gallaher Joseph Keith 
Published: November 2021

<p>In recent years there has been an intersection of supramolecular chemistry and materials science, with a particular focus on the controlled self-assembly of functional building blocks. The impetus for assembly of organised architectures is a requirement due to organic electronic device performance being sensitive to the geometric configuration of adjacent molecular semiconductors, interacting by means of overlapping π-orbitals to create electronic conduction. Inspired by the formation of elegant supramolecular structures in nature, this work employs perylene bisimides coupled to synthetic peptides which are able to control the assembly of chromophores in solution. Through examining the perturbations of optical absorption and fluorescence spectroscopic signatures, the presence of aggregates, and also the geometric configurations of adjacent chromophores are determined. By exploring these features as a function of peptide design, pH, solvent composition, and ionic strength, it is demonstrated that aggregation is strongly induced by the peptide and the aromatic core, with significant dependence on the electrostatic repulsion between peptide segments. By manipulating solvent compositions, we demonstrate the ability to induce controlled reorganisation of aggregates through the introduction of charge onto the peptide sequence in high water concentration solution. Furthermore, application of the exciton model to absorption spectra establishes the tuneability of aggregates by specific ion binding between neighbouring peptides. Our results demonstrate the capability of peptide sequences to drive aggregation of molecular semiconductor building blocks; moreover, the peptides allow fine tuning of the electronic overlap between neighbouring building blocks. The proof of concept paves the way for further investigation into utilising this assembly control for device fabrication, in particular, we see this work being applicable to biosensor devices.</p>
'Connecting to Disasters": The Critical Success Factors of Mobile Phone Utilisation within Disaster Management Operations: The Case of Vanuatu
Authors:   , Donald Simon 
Published: November 2021

<p>This study was an endeavour to contribute to the understanding of mobile phone use in disaster management. The main purpose of the study is to identify the factors necessary for mobile phones to successfully facilitate communication and information dissemination in disaster management operations in Vanuatu, which is viewed as a region experiencing significant risks to natural disasters, as well as a rapidly expanding mobile phone industry. The research uses qualitative data collected through semi-structured interviews from two months of fieldwork in Vanuatu. Interviews were conducted with participants sourced from mobile phone providers, civil society organisations, government departments, and Vanuatu communities. The research revealed a set of 16 critical success factors that affirmed a number of conclusions drawn from the literature but also revealed information unique to the Vanuatu context. The emerging factors necessary for mobile phone success were developed into a top-down framework with four categories. At the top, factors at the ‘Government Level’ highlighted the need for government leadership and ‘ownership’, particularly in ‘policy formulation’ and ‘sanctioning’ of disseminated information. Below this, key stakeholder groups involved in mobile phones and disaster management make up the ‘Stakeholder Level’, where there was a critical need for ‘communication’, ‘alignment’ and ‘collaboration’ between these groups. Stakeholder groups also need effective ‘staff training’, and a clear understanding of their ‘roles and responsibilities’ surrounding the mobile phone application. The means that enable stakeholders to operate this process make up the ‘Technology Level’, where critical factors include an ‘extensive network’ containing ‘resilient infrastructure’ with swift ‘maintenance and repair processes’. Finally, at the grassroots, community members make up the ‘User Level’. For users mobile phones must be both ‘affordable’ and ‘easy to use’, they also need ‘electricity access’ to meet phone charging needs, as well as knowledge of local areas with sufficient ‘network access’. These results reveal the importance of addressing ways to improve mobile phone use in disaster management. Mobile phones are now the most widely used information communication technology in Vanuatu, so improving their effectiveness in disaster management operations is important and could have significant implications for communities that are vulnerable to natural disaster hazards.</p>
A Subconscious Ascent: Exploring the Architecture of the Metaphoric Staircase
Authors:   , Erickstad Samantha 
Published: November 2021

<p>This research explores the significance of the stair as a spatial and symbolic architectural experience. The stepped form integrated with architecture. The stair is an integral feature of architecture which has the potential to be specifically designed to enhance space and create particular experiences. A stair is not only a functional object, but a medium for design. Metaphorical staircases are absent in contemporary architecture as a loss of meaning has resulted in monotonous designs devoid of figurative or poetic significance. The staircase has been a fundamental component of architecture since Neolithic times, however has recently been neglected. The stepped form has represented many themes including hierarchy, transcendence, or authority. In contrast, the contemporary staircase has embraced pragmatics. Safety restrictions, efficiency, and budget constraints, result in disregard for aesthetics and meaning. Film provides a behavioural setting in which to analyse how people move, behave, interact, and experience staircases. A range of films will be analysed to identify techniques for meaningful stair design. The influence of surreal qualities will also be determined to enhance an experience. Surreal imagery offers the opportunity to create dreamlike space, activating the subconscious. The metaphoric connotations of staircases will be explored through six research categories; the stair as Symbolic, Illusive, Transitional, Kinetic, Psychological, and Iconic. Design case studies will then investigate the intersection of the staircase as architecture, filmic representation, and surreal experience. The stepped building Casa Malaparte in Italy acts as a reference model for the successful integration of these concepts. With influence of these themes, the staircase can once again become widely acknowledged as architecture.</p>