title: How do people use social network sites to regulate their emotions and wellbeing?

authors: Schofield, James Stewart

subjects: Social network

abstract: This thesis explores the relationship between social network site use, emotion regulation and mental health. As social network site use becomes more ubiquitous in western countries, adverse health consequences are claimed to stem from its overuse. This thesis seeks to determine whether emotion regulation styles play a pivotal role in how users interact with social network sites, and the impact of those styles. By measuring the amount of time participants spend on social network sites each day, this thesis will explore three hypotheses. One hundred and fourteen participants from a New Zealand university were randomly assigned to an experimental or control group and completed pre-test and post-test surveys consisting of the DASS, ERQ, and a questionnaire about attitudes toward social media. The experimental group were asked to continue their social network site usage as normal for one week, then reduce it by half, while the control group kept using social network sites as normal. The results showed that participants in the experimental group experienced lower rates of stress and anxiety, although their social network site use was not significantly different. Maladaptive emotion regulation strategies were also found to be associated with increases in depression and anxiety. Emotion regulation shared no relationship with quantity of social network site use. These results provide evidence that issues associated with social network site use is not solely due to quantity of use. This thesis adds to a growing body of research investigating healthy social network site use and draws links to how people use these sites and regulate their emotions while using them.

text: How do people use social network sites to regulate their emotions and wellbeing? This thesis explores the relationship between social network site use, emotion regulation and mental health. As social network site use becomes more ubiquitous in western countries, adverse health consequences are claimed to stem from its overuse. This thesis seeks to determine whether emotion regulation styles play a pivotal role in how users interact with social network sites, and the impact of those styles. By measuring the amount of time participants spend on social network sites each day, this thesis will explore three hypotheses. One hundred and fourteen participants from a New Zealand university were randomly assigned to an experimental or control group and completed pre-test and post-test surveys consisting of the DASS, ERQ, and a questionnaire about attitudes toward social media. The experimental group were asked to continue their social network site usage as normal for one week, then reduce it by half, while the control group kept using social network sites as normal. The results showed that participants in the experimental group experienced lower rates of stress and anxiety, although their social network site use was not significantly different. Maladaptive emotion regulation strategies were also found to be associated with increases in depression and anxiety. Emotion regulation shared no relationship with quantity of social network site use. These results provide evidence that issues associated with social network site use is not solely due to quantity of use. This thesis adds to a growing body of research investigating healthy social network site use and draws links to how people use these sites and regulate their emotions while using them.

year: 2020

title: Alternative expression forms of the bovine αₛ₁-casein gene

authors: Xie, Tao

abstract: The αₛ₁-casein A variant protein results from a rare polymorphism in the bovine αₛ₁-casein gene. It is dramatically different from other αₛ₁-caseins in that it has a 13 amino acid (encoded by the entire exon 4 of the αₛ₁-casein gene) deletion, which significantly alters the physico-chemical properties of the protein. Previous work suggested that the deletion is caused by exon 4 skipping during RNA processing and that a T→A transversion mutation at position +6 in the intron 4 splice donor site is responsible for this skipping (Mohr et al. 1994). The current investigation initially focused on the genetic aetiology of variant A animals in an New Zealand herd; it was found that a single base (adenine) deletion, which is different from the previously reported mutation in the αₛ₁-casein gene, occurs at position +4 of the intron 4 splice donor site in these animals. An amplification created restriction site (ACRS) based method has been developed to genotype this variant of calves and bulls. Later work centred on the investigation of aberrant αₛ₁-casein A variant RNA and protein arising from RNA processing perturbations rather than mutations in the coding sequences of the gene per se. Interestingly, it was found that αₛ₁-casein A variant mRNA and protein is actually expressed by all normal cows examined, at 1-5 percent of the level of the normal gene product! In addition, the identification of low levels of exon 17 and exon 4&5 aberrant skipped transcripts beside that of the exon 4 skipping suggests that, under normal circumstances, bovine αₛ₁-casein gene mRNA undergoes multi-exon-skipping during processing. Thus, it is possible that this gene might also express a spectrum of other hitherto unsuspected, truncated, αₛ₁-casein proteins. These studies utilised the sloughed off mammary epithelia cells in milk to characterise the αₛ₁-casein mRNAs. This technique was found to provide an ideal non-invasive approach for both gene expression studies on the mammary gland and as a screening technique for milk protein gene polymorphisms.

text: Alternative expression forms of the bovine αₛ₁-casein gene The αₛ₁-casein A variant protein results from a rare polymorphism in the bovine αₛ₁-casein gene. It is dramatically different from other αₛ₁-caseins in that it has a 13 amino acid (encoded by the entire exon 4 of the αₛ₁-casein gene) deletion, which significantly alters the physico-chemical properties of the protein. Previous work suggested that the deletion is caused by exon 4 skipping during RNA processing and that a T→A transversion mutation at position +6 in the intron 4 splice donor site is responsible for this skipping (Mohr et al. 1994). The current investigation initially focused on the genetic aetiology of variant A animals in an New Zealand herd; it was found that a single base (adenine) deletion, which is different from the previously reported mutation in the αₛ₁-casein gene, occurs at position +4 of the intron 4 splice donor site in these animals. An amplification created restriction site (ACRS) based method has been developed to genotype this variant of calves and bulls. Later work centred on the investigation of aberrant αₛ₁-casein A variant RNA and protein arising from RNA processing perturbations rather than mutations in the coding sequences of the gene per se. Interestingly, it was found that αₛ₁-casein A variant mRNA and protein is actually expressed by all normal cows examined, at 1-5 percent of the level of the normal gene product! In addition, the identification of low levels of exon 17 and exon 4&5 aberrant skipped transcripts beside that of the exon 4 skipping suggests that, under normal circumstances, bovine αₛ₁-casein gene mRNA undergoes multi-exon-skipping during processing. Thus, it is possible that this gene might also express a spectrum of other hitherto unsuspected, truncated, αₛ₁-casein proteins. These studies utilised the sloughed off mammary epithelia cells in milk to characterise the αₛ₁-casein mRNAs. This technique was found to provide an ideal non-invasive approach for both gene expression studies on the mammary gland and as a screening technique for milk protein gene polymorphisms.

year: 1999

title: Āio

authors: Maxwell, Te Kahautu

abstract: Whakawātea. Lyrics by Te Kahautu Maxwell. Musical score by Thomas Mitai. Performed by Ōpōtiki Mai Tawhiti (Kapa Haka group)

Waiata Tira: Aroha
Whakaeke: Haere mai rā
Mōteatea: Te Pātere a Te Turuki
Poi: Iarararararī
Waiata ā ringa: Taku Mana Māori Motuhake
Haka: Waiwharangi
Whakawātea: Āio

text: Āio Whakawātea. Lyrics by Te Kahautu Maxwell. Musical score by Thomas Mitai. Performed by Ōpōtiki Mai Tawhiti (Kapa Haka group)

Waiata Tira: Aroha
Whakaeke: Haere mai rā
Mōteatea: Te Pātere a Te Turuki
Poi: Iarararararī
Waiata ā ringa: Taku Mana Māori Motuhake
Haka: Waiwharangi
Whakawātea: Āio

year: 2020-02-06