title: Nuclear power in New Zealand: Attitudes and prospects

authors: Smith, Ron C.

subjects: nuclear

abstract: Traditional New Zealand attitudes with regard to all things nuclear are subjected to critical scrutiny.  It is argued that these may frequently lead us to take policy positions that do not best serve our national interests.  In the context of continuing anxiety about future energy supplies, an unreflective refusal to even consider civilian nuclear power is an outstanding example of this.  The chapter author makes a ‘modest proposal’.

text: Nuclear power in New Zealand: Attitudes and prospects Traditional New Zealand attitudes with regard to all things nuclear are subjected to critical scrutiny.  It is argued that these may frequently lead us to take policy positions that do not best serve our national interests.  In the context of continuing anxiety about future energy supplies, an unreflective refusal to even consider civilian nuclear power is an outstanding example of this.  The chapter author makes a ‘modest proposal’.

year: 2008

title: Development and field assessment of a quantitative PCR for the detection and enumeration of the noxious bloom-former Anabaena planktonica

authors: Rueckert, Andreas

subjects: biology

abstract: Anabaena planktonica is a harmful, bloom-forming freshwater cyanobacterium, which has arrived recently in New Zealand. In the short time since its incursion (<10 yr), A. planktonica has spread rapidly throughout lakes in the North Island. To date, the identification and enumeration of A. planktonica has been undertaken using light microscopy. There is an urgent demand for a highly sensitive and specific quantitative detection method that can be combined with a high sample processing capability in order to increase sampling frequency. In this study, we sequenced 36 cyanobacterial 16S rRNA genes (partial), complete intergenic transcribed spacers (ITS), and 23S rRNA genes (partial) of fresh-water cyanobacteria found in New Zealand. The sequences were used to develop an A. Planktonica specific TaqMan QPCR assay targeting the long ITS1-L and the 5´ terminus of the 23S rRNA gene. The QPCR method was linear (R2 = 0.999) over seven orders of magnitude with a lower end sensitivity of approximately five A. planktonica cells in the presence of exogenous DNA. The quantitative PCR (QPCR) method was used to assess the spatial distribution and seasonal population dynamics of A. planktonica from the Lower Karori Reservoir (Wellington, New Zealand) over a five-month period. The QPCR results were compared directly to microscopic cell counts and found to correlate significantly (95% confidence level) under both bloom and non-bloom conditions. The current QPCR assay will be an invaluable tool for routine monitoring programs and in research investigating environmental factors that regulate the population dynamics and the blooming of A. planktonica.

text: Development and field assessment of a quantitative PCR for the detection and enumeration of the noxious bloom-former Anabaena planktonica Anabaena planktonica is a harmful, bloom-forming freshwater cyanobacterium, which has arrived recently in New Zealand. In the short time since its incursion (<10 yr), A. planktonica has spread rapidly throughout lakes in the North Island. To date, the identification and enumeration of A. planktonica has been undertaken using light microscopy. There is an urgent demand for a highly sensitive and specific quantitative detection method that can be combined with a high sample processing capability in order to increase sampling frequency. In this study, we sequenced 36 cyanobacterial 16S rRNA genes (partial), complete intergenic transcribed spacers (ITS), and 23S rRNA genes (partial) of fresh-water cyanobacteria found in New Zealand. The sequences were used to develop an A. Planktonica specific TaqMan QPCR assay targeting the long ITS1-L and the 5´ terminus of the 23S rRNA gene. The QPCR method was linear (R2 = 0.999) over seven orders of magnitude with a lower end sensitivity of approximately five A. planktonica cells in the presence of exogenous DNA. The quantitative PCR (QPCR) method was used to assess the spatial distribution and seasonal population dynamics of A. planktonica from the Lower Karori Reservoir (Wellington, New Zealand) over a five-month period. The QPCR results were compared directly to microscopic cell counts and found to correlate significantly (95% confidence level) under both bloom and non-bloom conditions. The current QPCR assay will be an invaluable tool for routine monitoring programs and in research investigating environmental factors that regulate the population dynamics and the blooming of A. planktonica.

year: 2007

title: A Maori and Psychology Research Unit

authors: Nikora, Linda Waimarie

subjects: Maori

abstract: Little psychological information and few applications have been informed by Maori centred research. The psychological research base available to support prevention or change strategies aimed at Maori is almost non-existent. Most information and applications are imported from outside of Aotearoa/New Zealand and are seldom subjected to vetting procedures to ensure adequacy and appropriateness. Even though numbers have changed slightly in the last 10 years, there are still too few Maori in the professional ranks of psychology, both as practitioners, teachers and researchers. More of everything is needed, and it was needed yesterday. At the University of Waikato, staff of the Psychology Department have recognised the need to support positive changes to rectify that situation described above.

This paper describes the fledgling development of a Maori and Psychology Research Unit and how it is intended to promote Maori centred-research, Maori-partnership research, and the scholarly development of Maori professionals. The first section deals with issues and challenges the MPRU expects to face in its development and is written by the first author. The second section describes the nature of learning and support that the MPRU will afford to a new generation of Maori researchers and scholars within the discipline of psychology. This section is written by the second author.

text: A Maori and Psychology Research Unit Little psychological information and few applications have been informed by Maori centred research. The psychological research base available to support prevention or change strategies aimed at Maori is almost non-existent. Most information and applications are imported from outside of Aotearoa/New Zealand and are seldom subjected to vetting procedures to ensure adequacy and appropriateness. Even though numbers have changed slightly in the last 10 years, there are still too few Maori in the professional ranks of psychology, both as practitioners, teachers and researchers. More of everything is needed, and it was needed yesterday. At the University of Waikato, staff of the Psychology Department have recognised the need to support positive changes to rectify that situation described above.

This paper describes the fledgling development of a Maori and Psychology Research Unit and how it is intended to promote Maori centred-research, Maori-partnership research, and the scholarly development of Maori professionals. The first section deals with issues and challenges the MPRU expects to face in its development and is written by the first author. The second section describes the nature of learning and support that the MPRU will afford to a new generation of Maori researchers and scholars within the discipline of psychology. This section is written by the second author.

year: 1998-07-01