title: Cyclic.: An interactive performance combining dance, graphics, music and kinect-technology

authors: Jung, Doris

subjects: Dance

abstract: This paper presents a case study of the dance piece, .cyclic., which uses dancer-controlled augmentation of the performance through graphics and music. The augmentation is controlled through dancer-3D-camera interaction employing Kinect-camera technology. This case study exemplifies how this technology can enrich dance performances, possible challenges that have to be faced on the way and points towards the potential that can be exploited in the future. This case study sets the first step to a prototype for the creation of a generic tool for dancer controlled graphics and music augmented performances. The narrative underlying the piece centres on the cyclic nature of the topics of birth/growth/death/rebirth. Creation unfolds until it retracts back to the start. We build the performance around the motto: "Every beginning comes from some other beginning's end", Senecca.

text: Cyclic.: An interactive performance combining dance, graphics, music and kinect-technology This paper presents a case study of the dance piece, .cyclic., which uses dancer-controlled augmentation of the performance through graphics and music. The augmentation is controlled through dancer-3D-camera interaction employing Kinect-camera technology. This case study exemplifies how this technology can enrich dance performances, possible challenges that have to be faced on the way and points towards the potential that can be exploited in the future. This case study sets the first step to a prototype for the creation of a generic tool for dancer controlled graphics and music augmented performances. The narrative underlying the piece centres on the cyclic nature of the topics of birth/growth/death/rebirth. Creation unfolds until it retracts back to the start. We build the performance around the motto: "Every beginning comes from some other beginning's end", Senecca.

year: 2012-07

title: Deriving bovine embryonic stem-like cells in defined conditions

authors: Muhammad Alahdal, Hadil

subjects: bovine

abstract: The first embryonic stem ES cell line was isolated from mouse in 1981 (Evans and Kaufman 1981; Martin1981). However, ESCs are only available in rodent species. Although research has been carried out on bovine embryos for more than two decades, there is no evidence of ESCs (Shanbo, Fang et al. 2009). Reasons for this are unknown developmental aspects associated with bovine embryology. Most attempts to culture bovine ES-like cells have been to isolate them from the ICM of day seven blastocysts, which have been generated by in vitro production (IVP). Here I report an alternative method to derive bES-like cells using dissociated blastomeres from early stages embryos (8 and 16-cell) and day 5 and 7 embryos. These bovine outgrowths were cultured in order to investigate which developmental stage associated with better blastomere attachment. Also, to examine their pluripotency, as it was hypothesised that early stages of development up to the blastocyst stage are pluripotent and that the naive state of bovine ESCs exist. In addition, instead of using animal material as feeder layers such as mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs), which provides leukemic inhibitory factor (LIF) to maintain pluripotency, defined extra cellular matrixes (ECM) were used in order to derive bES-like cells in defined conditions, avoid contamination by reagents used in cell culture and to find the substrate associated with better attachment and proliferation. 2i media was applied to the development of bovine embryos in order to determine if the use of 2i media with different numbers of blastomeres would encourage bES-like cell development, proliferation and to introduce cell uniformity. Blastomeres were cultured singularly, and in groups in 96 well plates and in tissue culture plates in order to produce short term cell lines. Development rate, attachment and outgrowth production were measured, for example, the proportion of blastomeres attached and proliferated. Markers of ESCs, epiblast stem cells (epiESCs) and trophectoderm were investigated in produced bovine outgrowths in order to examine their pluripotency, and their karyotyping was examined. In this study, from the different developmental stages used, outgrowths were produced from all stages used, but the inner cell mass (ICM) was associated with better outgrowth production. Different ECMs promoted attachment, however, with variable efficiency, in which gelatin was associated with better attachment and proliferation. The use of 2i media resulted in attachment, but with poor proliferation. cDNA isolated from bovine outgrowths expressed some of pluripotency markers, but with a lack of uniformity. In addition, metaphase spreads from outgrowths showed an abnormal karyotype. From this study, we increased our understanding of the factors that enhance the derivation of bES-like cells such as the culture media and the substrates. In addition, we have gained more information on bovine gene expression in blastomere derived outgrowths.

text: Deriving bovine embryonic stem-like cells in defined conditions The first embryonic stem ES cell line was isolated from mouse in 1981 (Evans and Kaufman 1981; Martin1981). However, ESCs are only available in rodent species. Although research has been carried out on bovine embryos for more than two decades, there is no evidence of ESCs (Shanbo, Fang et al. 2009). Reasons for this are unknown developmental aspects associated with bovine embryology. Most attempts to culture bovine ES-like cells have been to isolate them from the ICM of day seven blastocysts, which have been generated by in vitro production (IVP). Here I report an alternative method to derive bES-like cells using dissociated blastomeres from early stages embryos (8 and 16-cell) and day 5 and 7 embryos. These bovine outgrowths were cultured in order to investigate which developmental stage associated with better blastomere attachment. Also, to examine their pluripotency, as it was hypothesised that early stages of development up to the blastocyst stage are pluripotent and that the naive state of bovine ESCs exist. In addition, instead of using animal material as feeder layers such as mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs), which provides leukemic inhibitory factor (LIF) to maintain pluripotency, defined extra cellular matrixes (ECM) were used in order to derive bES-like cells in defined conditions, avoid contamination by reagents used in cell culture and to find the substrate associated with better attachment and proliferation. 2i media was applied to the development of bovine embryos in order to determine if the use of 2i media with different numbers of blastomeres would encourage bES-like cell development, proliferation and to introduce cell uniformity. Blastomeres were cultured singularly, and in groups in 96 well plates and in tissue culture plates in order to produce short term cell lines. Development rate, attachment and outgrowth production were measured, for example, the proportion of blastomeres attached and proliferated. Markers of ESCs, epiblast stem cells (epiESCs) and trophectoderm were investigated in produced bovine outgrowths in order to examine their pluripotency, and their karyotyping was examined. In this study, from the different developmental stages used, outgrowths were produced from all stages used, but the inner cell mass (ICM) was associated with better outgrowth production. Different ECMs promoted attachment, however, with variable efficiency, in which gelatin was associated with better attachment and proliferation. The use of 2i media resulted in attachment, but with poor proliferation. cDNA isolated from bovine outgrowths expressed some of pluripotency markers, but with a lack of uniformity. In addition, metaphase spreads from outgrowths showed an abnormal karyotype. From this study, we increased our understanding of the factors that enhance the derivation of bES-like cells such as the culture media and the substrates. In addition, we have gained more information on bovine gene expression in blastomere derived outgrowths.

year: 2011

title: Weaving the mat of Māori and Pacific learner success

authors: Tiakiwai, Sarah-Jane

subjects: Supporting learners, Pacific learner success, Māori learner success, higher education

abstract: The mat we are trying to weave at the University of Waikato to address educational outcomes, disparities and inequities in education for Māori and Pacific learners will weave rich data, stories and experience. Our goal is to use data to be better informed about what works for Māori and Pacific learners and what does not. Data is useful in building a more complete picture of what is happening to students, but student voice and previous research that has already captured the voices of Māori and Pacific experts, educators, students, families and communities can tell us more about why we are getting these outcomes. As we harness data to improve our knowledge, we must not forget the stories already in the mat and the stories being woven in the mat, for the stories are the gold.

This report details our work on this data-informed rather than data-driven project. It discusses how improved data and data analytic capability enhanced our understanding of the literature on Māori and Pacific learner success and the experience of Māori and Pacific learners at UoW. Our research and the report, however, also unapologetically privilege case studies through literature and Māori and Pacific student voices. We lay out the various materials – data, literature and voice – that will form our mat with this in mind, weaving them together in order to achieve better outcomes for Māori and Pacific learners at our university. These learners are the why of this mahi. Their success will create a beautiful pattern in the
weave.

text: Weaving the mat of Māori and Pacific learner success The mat we are trying to weave at the University of Waikato to address educational outcomes, disparities and inequities in education for Māori and Pacific learners will weave rich data, stories and experience. Our goal is to use data to be better informed about what works for Māori and Pacific learners and what does not. Data is useful in building a more complete picture of what is happening to students, but student voice and previous research that has already captured the voices of Māori and Pacific experts, educators, students, families and communities can tell us more about why we are getting these outcomes. As we harness data to improve our knowledge, we must not forget the stories already in the mat and the stories being woven in the mat, for the stories are the gold.

This report details our work on this data-informed rather than data-driven project. It discusses how improved data and data analytic capability enhanced our understanding of the literature on Māori and Pacific learner success and the experience of Māori and Pacific learners at UoW. Our research and the report, however, also unapologetically privilege case studies through literature and Māori and Pacific student voices. We lay out the various materials – data, literature and voice – that will form our mat with this in mind, weaving them together in order to achieve better outcomes for Māori and Pacific learners at our university. These learners are the why of this mahi. Their success will create a beautiful pattern in the
weave.

year: 2022-06