title: Using SmartQuit®, an acceptance and commitment therapy smartphone application, to reduce smoking intake.

authors: Singh, Satvir

subjects: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

abstract: Objective: SmartQuit® is a smartphone application (app) for smoking cessation based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, a behavioural therapy that encourages individuals to accept internal experiences, such as cravings to smoke, without acting on those experiences or urges. We used a single-subject (A-B-A) design with 10 participants to examine whether SmartQuit® use would reduce cigarette intake in a New Zealand sample. 
Methods: 10 smokers tallied their own cravings experienced and cigarettes smoked then sent those tallies to the first author every day until we observed stable patterns (Phase A1). We then gave the participants individual access to the SmartQuit® app (Phase B). When they advised that they had ceased using the app, they again recorded daily cravings and cigarettes smoked for a minimum of three days (Phase A2). We also collected follow-up smoking and craving data at 1, 2 and up to 13 months after completion of Phase A2. 
Results: Using SmartQuit® reduced our participants' daily cigarette intake significantly in the short-term and three individuals remained smoke-free up to 13 months later. Cravings to smoke did not differ significantly across Phases A1, B and A2, but graphical analysis showed a trend for decreasing cravings. 
Conclusion: Our results suggest that SmartQuit® provides another readily accessible intervention to help people stop smoking and is suited for use with a New Zealand population.

text: Using SmartQuit®, an acceptance and commitment therapy smartphone application, to reduce smoking intake. Objective: SmartQuit® is a smartphone application (app) for smoking cessation based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, a behavioural therapy that encourages individuals to accept internal experiences, such as cravings to smoke, without acting on those experiences or urges. We used a single-subject (A-B-A) design with 10 participants to examine whether SmartQuit® use would reduce cigarette intake in a New Zealand sample. 
Methods: 10 smokers tallied their own cravings experienced and cigarettes smoked then sent those tallies to the first author every day until we observed stable patterns (Phase A1). We then gave the participants individual access to the SmartQuit® app (Phase B). When they advised that they had ceased using the app, they again recorded daily cravings and cigarettes smoked for a minimum of three days (Phase A2). We also collected follow-up smoking and craving data at 1, 2 and up to 13 months after completion of Phase A2. 
Results: Using SmartQuit® reduced our participants' daily cigarette intake significantly in the short-term and three individuals remained smoke-free up to 13 months later. Cravings to smoke did not differ significantly across Phases A1, B and A2, but graphical analysis showed a trend for decreasing cravings. 
Conclusion: Our results suggest that SmartQuit® provides another readily accessible intervention to help people stop smoking and is suited for use with a New Zealand population.

year: 2017

title: Systematics of New Zealand Pimelea (Thymelaeaceae)

authors: Squire, Talissa Suellen

subjects: Pimelea

abstract: Pimelea Banks and Sol. ex Gaertn. is a genus of shrubs, sub-shrubs and herbs belonging to the eudicot family Thymelaeaceae. First described 1769, the genus initially contained four species but has since grown to contain 126 species which are distributed around Australia, New Zealand and Lord Howe Island. New Zealand has 35 endemic Pimelea species, and numerous subspecies bringing the total to 51 taxa which are distributed across the North and South Islands, as well as offshore.
The most recent revision of the genus Pimelea was conducted by Colin Burrows throughout a series of five papers published from 2008 to 2011. Burrows (2011), as well as Motsi (2010), theorized that New Zealand’s Pimelea initially originated from Australia. Motsi (2010) went on to hypothesise that these species were monophyletic and that the diversity present occurred via speciation and radiation. The conclusions drawn by these two papers, however, have their limitations. Burrows (2011) based his solely on the morphology of species across New Zealand Pimelea, while Motsi (2010) only studied the molecular sequences of four New Zealand Pimelea species. Burrows, throughout a number of his papers, also studied the molecular systematics of Pimelea and attempted to organize its taxonomy but similarly only based his findings on morphological traits.
This project has four key aims, the first is to assemble and review the literature currently available about Pimelea and in particular, the New Zealand Pimelea. Due to the absence of previous research which considers both morphology and molecular phylogenetics of Pimelea, this project will include all New Zealand Pimelea taxa and will use both morphological traits and molecular analysis of the DNA sequence variation off the nuclear ribosomal inter transcriber spacer regions (ITS). Using these, this research intends to 1) test the classification of the genus sensu Burrows, 2) infer biogeographic relationships between Pimelea species within New Zealand and 3) infer the number of colonization events of Pimelea in New Zealand and hence test its monophyly.

text: Systematics of New Zealand Pimelea (Thymelaeaceae) Pimelea Banks and Sol. ex Gaertn. is a genus of shrubs, sub-shrubs and herbs belonging to the eudicot family Thymelaeaceae. First described 1769, the genus initially contained four species but has since grown to contain 126 species which are distributed around Australia, New Zealand and Lord Howe Island. New Zealand has 35 endemic Pimelea species, and numerous subspecies bringing the total to 51 taxa which are distributed across the North and South Islands, as well as offshore.
The most recent revision of the genus Pimelea was conducted by Colin Burrows throughout a series of five papers published from 2008 to 2011. Burrows (2011), as well as Motsi (2010), theorized that New Zealand’s Pimelea initially originated from Australia. Motsi (2010) went on to hypothesise that these species were monophyletic and that the diversity present occurred via speciation and radiation. The conclusions drawn by these two papers, however, have their limitations. Burrows (2011) based his solely on the morphology of species across New Zealand Pimelea, while Motsi (2010) only studied the molecular sequences of four New Zealand Pimelea species. Burrows, throughout a number of his papers, also studied the molecular systematics of Pimelea and attempted to organize its taxonomy but similarly only based his findings on morphological traits.
This project has four key aims, the first is to assemble and review the literature currently available about Pimelea and in particular, the New Zealand Pimelea. Due to the absence of previous research which considers both morphology and molecular phylogenetics of Pimelea, this project will include all New Zealand Pimelea taxa and will use both morphological traits and molecular analysis of the DNA sequence variation off the nuclear ribosomal inter transcriber spacer regions (ITS). Using these, this research intends to 1) test the classification of the genus sensu Burrows, 2) infer biogeographic relationships between Pimelea species within New Zealand and 3) infer the number of colonization events of Pimelea in New Zealand and hence test its monophyly.

year: 2016

title: On equality and colourblindness

authors: Robertson, Neville

subjects: Maori

abstract: "I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character." So said Martin Luther King, Jr, just over 40 years ago, in a speech that galvanised the US civil rights movement. King spoke of the United States but his dream is equally relevant in New Zealand. Has it been achieved? Some people would argue that not only has it been achieved but that the tables have been turned and now white folk are the ones who are oppressed. What is needed, they argue, is a level playing field. But how level is the playing field?

text: On equality and colourblindness "I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character." So said Martin Luther King, Jr, just over 40 years ago, in a speech that galvanised the US civil rights movement. King spoke of the United States but his dream is equally relevant in New Zealand. Has it been achieved? Some people would argue that not only has it been achieved but that the tables have been turned and now white folk are the ones who are oppressed. What is needed, they argue, is a level playing field. But how level is the playing field?

year: 2004