title: OZCHI‘96 Industry Session: Sixth Australian Conference on Human-Computer Interaction

authors: Phillips, Chris

subjects: computer science

abstract: The idea for a specific industry session at OZCHI was first mooted at the 1995 conference in Wollongong, during questions following a session of short papers which happened (serendipitously) to be presented by people from industry. An animated discussion took place, most of which was about how OZCHI could be made more relevant to people in industry, be it working as usability consultants, or working within organisations either as usability professionals or as ‘champions of the cause’. The discussion raised more questions than answers, about the format of such as session, about the challenges of attracting industry participation, and about the best way of publishing the results. Although no real solutions were arrived at, it was enough to place an industry session on the agenda for OZCHI‘96.

text: OZCHI‘96 Industry Session: Sixth Australian Conference on Human-Computer Interaction The idea for a specific industry session at OZCHI was first mooted at the 1995 conference in Wollongong, during questions following a session of short papers which happened (serendipitously) to be presented by people from industry. An animated discussion took place, most of which was about how OZCHI could be made more relevant to people in industry, be it working as usability consultants, or working within organisations either as usability professionals or as ‘champions of the cause’. The discussion raised more questions than answers, about the format of such as session, about the challenges of attracting industry participation, and about the best way of publishing the results. Although no real solutions were arrived at, it was enough to place an industry session on the agenda for OZCHI‘96.

year: 1997-11

title: Whole genome sequencing of Mycobacterium tuberculosis reveals slow growth and low mutation rates during latent infections in humans

authors: Colangeli, Roberto

subjects: genome sequencing

abstract: Very little is known about the growth and mutation rates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis during latent infection in humans. However, studies in rhesus macaques have suggested that latent infections have mutation rates that are higher than that observed during active tuberculosis disease. Elevated mutation rates are presumed risk factors for the development of drug resistance. Therefore, the investigation of mutation rates during human latency is of high importance. We performed whole genome mutation analysis of M. tuberculosis isolates from a multi-decade tuberculosis outbreak of the New Zealand Rangipo strain. We used epidemiological and phylogenetic analysis to identify four cases of tuberculosis acquired from the same index case. Two of the tuberculosis cases occurred within two years of exposure and were classified as recently transmitted tuberculosis. Two other cases occurred more than 20 years after exposure and were classified as reactivation of latent M. tuberculosis infections. Mutation rates were compared between the two recently transmitted pairs versus the two latent pairs. Mean mutation rates assuming 20 hour generation times were 5.5X10⁻¹⁰ mutations/bp/generation for recently transmitted tuberculosis and 7.3X10⁻¹¹ mutations/bp/generation for latent tuberculosis. Generation time versus mutation rate curves were also significantly higher for recently transmitted tuberculosis across all replication rates (p = 0.006). Assuming identical replication and mutation rates among all isolates in the final two years before disease reactivation, the u20hr mutation rate attributable to the remaining latent period was 1.6×10⁻¹¹ mutations/bp/generation, or approximately 30 fold less than that calculated during the two years immediately before disease. Mutations attributable to oxidative stress as might be caused by bacterial exposure to the host immune system were not increased in latent infections. In conclusion, we did not find any evidence to suggest elevated mutation rates during tuberculosis latency in humans, unlike the situation in rhesus macaques.

text: Whole genome sequencing of Mycobacterium tuberculosis reveals slow growth and low mutation rates during latent infections in humans Very little is known about the growth and mutation rates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis during latent infection in humans. However, studies in rhesus macaques have suggested that latent infections have mutation rates that are higher than that observed during active tuberculosis disease. Elevated mutation rates are presumed risk factors for the development of drug resistance. Therefore, the investigation of mutation rates during human latency is of high importance. We performed whole genome mutation analysis of M. tuberculosis isolates from a multi-decade tuberculosis outbreak of the New Zealand Rangipo strain. We used epidemiological and phylogenetic analysis to identify four cases of tuberculosis acquired from the same index case. Two of the tuberculosis cases occurred within two years of exposure and were classified as recently transmitted tuberculosis. Two other cases occurred more than 20 years after exposure and were classified as reactivation of latent M. tuberculosis infections. Mutation rates were compared between the two recently transmitted pairs versus the two latent pairs. Mean mutation rates assuming 20 hour generation times were 5.5X10⁻¹⁰ mutations/bp/generation for recently transmitted tuberculosis and 7.3X10⁻¹¹ mutations/bp/generation for latent tuberculosis. Generation time versus mutation rate curves were also significantly higher for recently transmitted tuberculosis across all replication rates (p = 0.006). Assuming identical replication and mutation rates among all isolates in the final two years before disease reactivation, the u20hr mutation rate attributable to the remaining latent period was 1.6×10⁻¹¹ mutations/bp/generation, or approximately 30 fold less than that calculated during the two years immediately before disease. Mutations attributable to oxidative stress as might be caused by bacterial exposure to the host immune system were not increased in latent infections. In conclusion, we did not find any evidence to suggest elevated mutation rates during tuberculosis latency in humans, unlike the situation in rhesus macaques.

year: 2014

title: Honouring our ancestors: Reclaiming the power of Māori maternities

authors: Simmonds, Naomi Beth

abstract: Māori¹ maternal knowledges are intimately tied to ancestors, to ancestral knowledges, and to whenua (land).² Iwi (tribes), hapū (smaller tribal groupings), and whānau (families)³ have their own maternal knowledges, which are woven into their cosmologies, histories, songs, carvings, place names, chants, and incantations. These knowledges, though spatially and temporally specific, speak to the sanctity of the maternal body, the power and prestige of women’s reproductive capabilities, and the empowering collective approach to raising children. Māori knowledges pertaining to pregnancy, childbirth, and parenting were imparted generation to generation as they were lived, embodied and emplaced by our ancestors, sustaining the sacred and empowering approach to maternities within our communities.
This chapter considers the challenges and possibilities of reclaiming Māori maternal knowledges and their associated practices and ceremonies for Māori women and whānau in contemporary Aotearoa-New Zealand. Three key themes frame this chapter. First, I consider the ways in which colonialism has served to silence Māori maternal knowledges to such an extent that whānau are left trying to find meaning in the voices, knowledges, and advices of others. Indigenous women are largely birthing within Western ideologies and institutions that do not adequately provide for Indigenous ways of being and birthing. The chapter then considers the ways in which women and whānau are reclaiming ancient knowledges and practices in new and contemporary ways. I seek to illustrate the ways in which traditional practices and ritual customs have the potential to transform and empower individual and collective experiences of birth and afterbirth. The chapter ends with arguing that Indigenous maternities, Māori maternities, are an important site of decolonization. Reclaiming the messages and embodied practices left to us by our ancestors can provide an empowering collective approach to pregnancy, birth, and afterbirth, and can facilitate a “decolonized pathway” (Simpson 28) into and through the world for our children and for generations to come.

text: Honouring our ancestors: Reclaiming the power of Māori maternities Māori¹ maternal knowledges are intimately tied to ancestors, to ancestral knowledges, and to whenua (land).² Iwi (tribes), hapū (smaller tribal groupings), and whānau (families)³ have their own maternal knowledges, which are woven into their cosmologies, histories, songs, carvings, place names, chants, and incantations. These knowledges, though spatially and temporally specific, speak to the sanctity of the maternal body, the power and prestige of women’s reproductive capabilities, and the empowering collective approach to raising children. Māori knowledges pertaining to pregnancy, childbirth, and parenting were imparted generation to generation as they were lived, embodied and emplaced by our ancestors, sustaining the sacred and empowering approach to maternities within our communities.
This chapter considers the challenges and possibilities of reclaiming Māori maternal knowledges and their associated practices and ceremonies for Māori women and whānau in contemporary Aotearoa-New Zealand. Three key themes frame this chapter. First, I consider the ways in which colonialism has served to silence Māori maternal knowledges to such an extent that whānau are left trying to find meaning in the voices, knowledges, and advices of others. Indigenous women are largely birthing within Western ideologies and institutions that do not adequately provide for Indigenous ways of being and birthing. The chapter then considers the ways in which women and whānau are reclaiming ancient knowledges and practices in new and contemporary ways. I seek to illustrate the ways in which traditional practices and ritual customs have the potential to transform and empower individual and collective experiences of birth and afterbirth. The chapter ends with arguing that Indigenous maternities, Māori maternities, are an important site of decolonization. Reclaiming the messages and embodied practices left to us by our ancestors can provide an empowering collective approach to pregnancy, birth, and afterbirth, and can facilitate a “decolonized pathway” (Simpson 28) into and through the world for our children and for generations to come.

year: 2017