title: Economic implications of herbicide resistance and high labour costs for management of annual barnyardgrass (Echinochloa crus-galli) in Philippine rice farming systems

authors: Beltran, Jesusa C.

subjects: barnyardgrass

abstract: Implications of increasing labour costs and the development of herbicide resistance for profitable weed management in Philippine rice farming systems are investigated. The study employs RIMPhil (Resistance and Integrated Management in the Philippines), a bioeconomic simulation model developed to provide a comprehensive assessment of integrated weed management programmes for the control of annual barnyardgrass (Echinochloa crus-galli) in rice crops. Results indicate that herbicide application will become increasingly economically attractive, relative to manual weeding, as labour cost increases. This is important since urban migration in the Philippines continues to increase the scarcity of rural labour. Results also show that the onset of herbicide resistance results in substantial losses in farm profit. It is worthwhile for farmers to take management actions to prevent or delay the onset of herbicide resistance, provided that these changes are effective and not too costly. The study highlights the complexity of decision making about integrated weed management on rice farms in the Philippines.

text: Economic implications of herbicide resistance and high labour costs for management of annual barnyardgrass (Echinochloa crus-galli) in Philippine rice farming systems Implications of increasing labour costs and the development of herbicide resistance for profitable weed management in Philippine rice farming systems are investigated. The study employs RIMPhil (Resistance and Integrated Management in the Philippines), a bioeconomic simulation model developed to provide a comprehensive assessment of integrated weed management programmes for the control of annual barnyardgrass (Echinochloa crus-galli) in rice crops. Results indicate that herbicide application will become increasingly economically attractive, relative to manual weeding, as labour cost increases. This is important since urban migration in the Philippines continues to increase the scarcity of rural labour. Results also show that the onset of herbicide resistance results in substantial losses in farm profit. It is worthwhile for farmers to take management actions to prevent or delay the onset of herbicide resistance, provided that these changes are effective and not too costly. The study highlights the complexity of decision making about integrated weed management on rice farms in the Philippines.

year: 2010

title: A neural and behavioural investigation of aberrant feeding in animal models of autism spectrum disorder

authors: Harvey, Savannah

abstract: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a  neurodevelopmental disorder  affecting approximately 1.85% of the population, is underpinned by complex interplay between genetics and environment. Thus far, ASD research has focused predominantly on abnormal social communication, anxiety, and cognitive impairments. It omits, however, dysregulated food intake, which is the symptom present in over 60% of ASD individuals. Data suggest that feeding abnormalities include heightened food selectivity, neophobia and food refusal, as well as pica (consumption of non-food items). The current knowledge of the scope and magnitude of abnormal appetite in ASD as well as neuropathology underlying this phenomenon is extremely limited. Thus, the overarching goal of this thesis was to provide systematic evidence pertaining to aberrant food intake in ASD and identify the relevant mechanisms, by utilizing two key animal models of this disorder (one in which ASD stems from a genetic mutation, and the other, in which ASD is induced pharmacologically).
In Specific Aim 1 of this thesis, I investigated the hypothesis that ASD mutant male mice overconsume palatable foods beyond the level observed in neurotypical controls. In this animal model, ASD stems from the deletion of the contactin-associated protein like 2 (CNTNAP2) gene encoding a transmembrane neuronal protein which clusters K+ channels in the nodes of Ranvier. My studies show for the first time that Cntnap2-/- males drink more of sucrose, saccharin and intralipid solutions compared to wild-type (WT) controls. A c-Fos immunoreactivity analysis revealed that at the end of a sucrose solution meal, Cntnap2-/- mice have blunted activation in key regions associated with satiety and reward. Specifically in the central amygdala (CEA), dorsomedial hypothalamus (DMH), ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH) and the nucleus accumbens (Acb). Excessive consumption palatable sucrose  sucrose was  was ameliorated  in mutants  by intraperitoneal administration of oxytocin (OT), a satiety promoting neuropeptide whose dysregulated release is also associated with the broad symptomology of ASD, from anxiety to sociality impairments. In line with the injection experiment, the double staining for c-Fos and OT showed blunted OT neuronal activation in the hypothalamus of the mutants after a meal of sucrose. Overall, the data indicate that ASD Cntnap2-/-male mice show excessive intake of palatable foods, and it is associated with atypical neural activation (including the OT system) in response to a palatable meal. 
In Specific Aim 2, I examined whether the overconsumption of sucrose observed in male Cntnap2-/- mice also occurs in females. Research on ASD animal models often focuses on males due to concerns about oestrus driven behavioural variability and the subtler presentation of ASD-related behaviours in females. However, feeding issues in ASD affect both sexes. To address this, I evaluated sucrose intake in female Cntnap2-/- mice and compared their consummatory behaviour across different stages of the oestrous cycle. Female Cntnap2-/- mice exhibited overconsumption of sucrose, which remained consistent across all oestrous phases. This study suggests that palatability-driven overconsumption of sugar occurs in female Cntnap2-/- mice and does not appear to be influenced by oestrus phase.
In Specific Aim 3, I investigated the hypothesis that Cntnap2-/- mice exhibit heightened hyponeophagia, a common feeding issue associated with ASD. I assessed hyponeophagia in Cntnap2-/- mice both in a novel environment and in their home cage. In both contexts, Cntnap2-/- mice displayed a significantly greater latency to approach novel food compared to WTs. Notably, in the home cage more instances of presentation of that food were required for the latency in Cntnap2-/- mice to decrease to match that of WTs. The analysis of c-Fos immunoreactivity revealed different densities of activation in key brain regions associated with reward, feeding, and fear processing between Cntnap2-/- and WT mice in response to novel food presentation. These regions included the ventral tegmental area (VTA), CEA, and arcuate nucleus (ARC). These findings suggest potential impairments in neural processing of food-related novelty cues, which may contribute to the exaggerated neophobic behaviours observed.
Valproate (VPA), an anti-epileptic drug and known teratogen, induces an ASD phenotype in offspring when administered during the period of neural tube closure. Specific Aim 4 tested whether rats prenatally exposed to VPA exhibit impaired acquisition of the conditioned taste aversion (CTA), a protective learning mechanism against ingestion of foods inducing nausea/malaise. Feeding issues in ASD, such as pica, may reflect disruptions in aversion-based learning. Additionally, OT has been implicated in CTA acquisition, and VPA rats exhibit OT signaling abnormalities. Using a standard CTA paradigm with lithium chloride (LiCl) as a nausea-inducing agent, I found that VPA rats failed to acquire a CTA response. Gene expression analysis via qPCR revealed altered expression of catecholamine metabolism-, reward-, aversion-, and satiety-related genes in the CEA in LiCl-treated VPA rats compared to controls. These findings suggest that prenatal VPA exposure disrupts neural mechanisms critical for aversion-based learning, with the CEA playing a key role.
In summary, this thesis provides novel insights into the neuromolecular mechanisms underlying feeding behaviours in ASD, highlighting distinct anomalies in palatable food intake, food neophobia, and aversive learning. Using Cntnap2-/- mice and VPA-exposed rats, the studies demonstrate significant overconsumption of palatable foods in both sexes, prolonged neophobic responses, and disrupted conditioned taste aversion acquisition, all underpinned by aberrant brain activation and gene expression.

text: A neural and behavioural investigation of aberrant feeding in animal models of autism spectrum disorder Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a  neurodevelopmental disorder  affecting approximately 1.85% of the population, is underpinned by complex interplay between genetics and environment. Thus far, ASD research has focused predominantly on abnormal social communication, anxiety, and cognitive impairments. It omits, however, dysregulated food intake, which is the symptom present in over 60% of ASD individuals. Data suggest that feeding abnormalities include heightened food selectivity, neophobia and food refusal, as well as pica (consumption of non-food items). The current knowledge of the scope and magnitude of abnormal appetite in ASD as well as neuropathology underlying this phenomenon is extremely limited. Thus, the overarching goal of this thesis was to provide systematic evidence pertaining to aberrant food intake in ASD and identify the relevant mechanisms, by utilizing two key animal models of this disorder (one in which ASD stems from a genetic mutation, and the other, in which ASD is induced pharmacologically).
In Specific Aim 1 of this thesis, I investigated the hypothesis that ASD mutant male mice overconsume palatable foods beyond the level observed in neurotypical controls. In this animal model, ASD stems from the deletion of the contactin-associated protein like 2 (CNTNAP2) gene encoding a transmembrane neuronal protein which clusters K+ channels in the nodes of Ranvier. My studies show for the first time that Cntnap2-/- males drink more of sucrose, saccharin and intralipid solutions compared to wild-type (WT) controls. A c-Fos immunoreactivity analysis revealed that at the end of a sucrose solution meal, Cntnap2-/- mice have blunted activation in key regions associated with satiety and reward. Specifically in the central amygdala (CEA), dorsomedial hypothalamus (DMH), ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH) and the nucleus accumbens (Acb). Excessive consumption palatable sucrose  sucrose was  was ameliorated  in mutants  by intraperitoneal administration of oxytocin (OT), a satiety promoting neuropeptide whose dysregulated release is also associated with the broad symptomology of ASD, from anxiety to sociality impairments. In line with the injection experiment, the double staining for c-Fos and OT showed blunted OT neuronal activation in the hypothalamus of the mutants after a meal of sucrose. Overall, the data indicate that ASD Cntnap2-/-male mice show excessive intake of palatable foods, and it is associated with atypical neural activation (including the OT system) in response to a palatable meal. 
In Specific Aim 2, I examined whether the overconsumption of sucrose observed in male Cntnap2-/- mice also occurs in females. Research on ASD animal models often focuses on males due to concerns about oestrus driven behavioural variability and the subtler presentation of ASD-related behaviours in females. However, feeding issues in ASD affect both sexes. To address this, I evaluated sucrose intake in female Cntnap2-/- mice and compared their consummatory behaviour across different stages of the oestrous cycle. Female Cntnap2-/- mice exhibited overconsumption of sucrose, which remained consistent across all oestrous phases. This study suggests that palatability-driven overconsumption of sugar occurs in female Cntnap2-/- mice and does not appear to be influenced by oestrus phase.
In Specific Aim 3, I investigated the hypothesis that Cntnap2-/- mice exhibit heightened hyponeophagia, a common feeding issue associated with ASD. I assessed hyponeophagia in Cntnap2-/- mice both in a novel environment and in their home cage. In both contexts, Cntnap2-/- mice displayed a significantly greater latency to approach novel food compared to WTs. Notably, in the home cage more instances of presentation of that food were required for the latency in Cntnap2-/- mice to decrease to match that of WTs. The analysis of c-Fos immunoreactivity revealed different densities of activation in key brain regions associated with reward, feeding, and fear processing between Cntnap2-/- and WT mice in response to novel food presentation. These regions included the ventral tegmental area (VTA), CEA, and arcuate nucleus (ARC). These findings suggest potential impairments in neural processing of food-related novelty cues, which may contribute to the exaggerated neophobic behaviours observed.
Valproate (VPA), an anti-epileptic drug and known teratogen, induces an ASD phenotype in offspring when administered during the period of neural tube closure. Specific Aim 4 tested whether rats prenatally exposed to VPA exhibit impaired acquisition of the conditioned taste aversion (CTA), a protective learning mechanism against ingestion of foods inducing nausea/malaise. Feeding issues in ASD, such as pica, may reflect disruptions in aversion-based learning. Additionally, OT has been implicated in CTA acquisition, and VPA rats exhibit OT signaling abnormalities. Using a standard CTA paradigm with lithium chloride (LiCl) as a nausea-inducing agent, I found that VPA rats failed to acquire a CTA response. Gene expression analysis via qPCR revealed altered expression of catecholamine metabolism-, reward-, aversion-, and satiety-related genes in the CEA in LiCl-treated VPA rats compared to controls. These findings suggest that prenatal VPA exposure disrupts neural mechanisms critical for aversion-based learning, with the CEA playing a key role.
In summary, this thesis provides novel insights into the neuromolecular mechanisms underlying feeding behaviours in ASD, highlighting distinct anomalies in palatable food intake, food neophobia, and aversive learning. Using Cntnap2-/- mice and VPA-exposed rats, the studies demonstrate significant overconsumption of palatable foods in both sexes, prolonged neophobic responses, and disrupted conditioned taste aversion acquisition, all underpinned by aberrant brain activation and gene expression.

year: 2025

title: “This is not us”: But actually, it is. Talking about when to raise the issue of colonisation.

authors: Waitoki, Waikaremoana

abstract: This paper is a commentary on some of the responses to the public narrative of the events after the March 15th Christchurch attack. Several colleagues had publicly and privately, offered their views on the Government’s and media outlets use of terms such as ‘unprecedented’, ‘our loss of innocence’ and ‘our darkest day’. A fiery and empassioned exchange of words emerged on social media about the statement: ‘This is not us’. By exposing the counternarrative to these emotion laden terms, a shady past, and invisible present was revealed. However, the timing of the talk about colonisation also seemed out of step with the need for sensitivity. This paper also explores the role of White supremacy and causal racism in New Zealand. A personal I/we/us narrative style is used throughout the paper to describe how Muslim and Maori lives intersected prior to, and after the attack. The timeline of events is primarily 1 week, and up to 6 weeks post the attack.

text: “This is not us”: But actually, it is. Talking about when to raise the issue of colonisation. This paper is a commentary on some of the responses to the public narrative of the events after the March 15th Christchurch attack. Several colleagues had publicly and privately, offered their views on the Government’s and media outlets use of terms such as ‘unprecedented’, ‘our loss of innocence’ and ‘our darkest day’. A fiery and empassioned exchange of words emerged on social media about the statement: ‘This is not us’. By exposing the counternarrative to these emotion laden terms, a shady past, and invisible present was revealed. However, the timing of the talk about colonisation also seemed out of step with the need for sensitivity. This paper also explores the role of White supremacy and causal racism in New Zealand. A personal I/we/us narrative style is used throughout the paper to describe how Muslim and Maori lives intersected prior to, and after the attack. The timeline of events is primarily 1 week, and up to 6 weeks post the attack.

year: 2019