title: A review of urban climatology

authors: McBoyle, G.R.

abstract: The review attempts to elucidate the history of interest and the developing research work done in the field of urban climatology, with special emphasis on temperature. References are made to the works of certain researchers whose publications have not yet been translated into the English language. The reference list is by no means complete but contains most of the important works in this field.

text: A review of urban climatology The review attempts to elucidate the history of interest and the developing research work done in the field of urban climatology, with special emphasis on temperature. References are made to the works of certain researchers whose publications have not yet been translated into the English language. The reference list is by no means complete but contains most of the important works in this field.

year: 1968

title: Characterisation of VapBC Toxin-Antitoxins from Mycobacterium tuberculosis

authors: Sharrock, Abigail Victoria

subjects: vapBC

abstract: Toxin-antitoxin (TA) systems were identified more than 20 years ago on the mini F plasmid of Escherichia coli as plasmid stability elements; components responsible for purging bacterial cells that lack the plasmid from the population. More recent discovery of TA systems spanning a wide diversity of prokaryotic chromosomes, including that of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tb), suggests a broader biochemical role. TA systems can be classified into a number of families, with the vapBC systems being by far the largest. The biochemical role of vapBC systems in M. tb remains unclear despite their abundance within the genome. 
This thesis describes the biochemical and functional characterisation of two vapBC systems encoded by operons Rv0065a/c and Rv0617a/c in the M. tb genome. VapCRv0617 overexpression had a bacteriostatic effect on the growth of Mycobacterium smegmatis cultures. Therefore, the biochemistry underlying this phenotype was investigated, along with that of the Rv0065a/c system. VapCRv0065 and VapCRv0617 are Mg2+-dependent, sequence-specific ribonucleases targeting GC rich 4-mers. Ribonuclease assays with in vitro synthesised RNA transcripts suggested an additional layer of target recognition resides in RNA secondary structure, and revealed that both VapC proteins exhibit high activity against isolated M. smegmatis 16S and 23S rRNA. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays with purified VapBC protein and labelled DNA demonstrated an autoregulatory function for the VapBCRv0617a/c complex and not the VapBCRv0065a/c complex. VapBCRv0617a/c bound specifically to a near-perfect inverted repeat in the Rv0617a/c promoter region that overlaps an annotated -10 M. tb promoter element. In contrast, the VapBCRv0065a/c complex exhibited no DNA binding activity against a putative Rv0065a/c promoter region. Individualised vapBC transcriptional regulation mechanisms may help explain the persistence of such an expanded number of these systems in the genome.

Knowledge of the physiological role of vapBC systems in M. tb will enable a better understanding of how they contribute to the pathogenicity of this bacterium. This would serve as the basis for the design of drugs which interfere with vapBC system functioning and in turn the ability of M. tb cells to enter the persistent state.

text: Characterisation of VapBC Toxin-Antitoxins from Mycobacterium tuberculosis Toxin-antitoxin (TA) systems were identified more than 20 years ago on the mini F plasmid of Escherichia coli as plasmid stability elements; components responsible for purging bacterial cells that lack the plasmid from the population. More recent discovery of TA systems spanning a wide diversity of prokaryotic chromosomes, including that of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tb), suggests a broader biochemical role. TA systems can be classified into a number of families, with the vapBC systems being by far the largest. The biochemical role of vapBC systems in M. tb remains unclear despite their abundance within the genome. 
This thesis describes the biochemical and functional characterisation of two vapBC systems encoded by operons Rv0065a/c and Rv0617a/c in the M. tb genome. VapCRv0617 overexpression had a bacteriostatic effect on the growth of Mycobacterium smegmatis cultures. Therefore, the biochemistry underlying this phenotype was investigated, along with that of the Rv0065a/c system. VapCRv0065 and VapCRv0617 are Mg2+-dependent, sequence-specific ribonucleases targeting GC rich 4-mers. Ribonuclease assays with in vitro synthesised RNA transcripts suggested an additional layer of target recognition resides in RNA secondary structure, and revealed that both VapC proteins exhibit high activity against isolated M. smegmatis 16S and 23S rRNA. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays with purified VapBC protein and labelled DNA demonstrated an autoregulatory function for the VapBCRv0617a/c complex and not the VapBCRv0065a/c complex. VapBCRv0617a/c bound specifically to a near-perfect inverted repeat in the Rv0617a/c promoter region that overlaps an annotated -10 M. tb promoter element. In contrast, the VapBCRv0065a/c complex exhibited no DNA binding activity against a putative Rv0065a/c promoter region. Individualised vapBC transcriptional regulation mechanisms may help explain the persistence of such an expanded number of these systems in the genome.

Knowledge of the physiological role of vapBC systems in M. tb will enable a better understanding of how they contribute to the pathogenicity of this bacterium. This would serve as the basis for the design of drugs which interfere with vapBC system functioning and in turn the ability of M. tb cells to enter the persistent state.

year: 2013

title: 'Reclaiming the Ancient Feminine in Māori Society.' 'Kei wareware i a tātou te Ūkaipō!'

authors: Yates-Smith, Aroha

subjects: Atua wāhine

abstract: With our constant interface with the threat of globalisation, it is timely that we reflect on the words of an ancient god who advised his brother, Tāne, to return to their mother, Papatūānuku (Best, 1923, p. 111). His words, which translate loosely as ‘lest we forget the Mother who nurtured us at her breast,’ remind us of the importance of considering the feminine, respecting our Earth Mother, and not taking either for granted.

This paper addresses several issues pertaining to the Māori feminine. The discussion of these will begin with a brief reflection on the importance of balance between the male and female in Māori cosmogony and the marginalisation of the feminine as a result of two hundred years of colonisation. The principal focus of the article as a whole will be the last two decades and the efforts made to address some of the negative effects brought about by colonisation, which could be described as forming the first waves in the tide of globalisation.

The key for the ordering of Māori society lay within our cosmogonic beginnings. Recent studies of Māori cosmology reveal that both male and female deities held prominent positions in the pantheon of gods (Yates-Smith, 1998). There was a strong presence of the feminine at the embryonic stage of Māori society.

text: 'Reclaiming the Ancient Feminine in Māori Society.' 'Kei wareware i a tātou te Ūkaipō!' With our constant interface with the threat of globalisation, it is timely that we reflect on the words of an ancient god who advised his brother, Tāne, to return to their mother, Papatūānuku (Best, 1923, p. 111). His words, which translate loosely as ‘lest we forget the Mother who nurtured us at her breast,’ remind us of the importance of considering the feminine, respecting our Earth Mother, and not taking either for granted.

This paper addresses several issues pertaining to the Māori feminine. The discussion of these will begin with a brief reflection on the importance of balance between the male and female in Māori cosmogony and the marginalisation of the feminine as a result of two hundred years of colonisation. The principal focus of the article as a whole will be the last two decades and the efforts made to address some of the negative effects brought about by colonisation, which could be described as forming the first waves in the tide of globalisation.

The key for the ordering of Māori society lay within our cosmogonic beginnings. Recent studies of Māori cosmology reveal that both male and female deities held prominent positions in the pantheon of gods (Yates-Smith, 1998). There was a strong presence of the feminine at the embryonic stage of Māori society.

year: 2003