title: Acute hypophagia and changes in c-Fos immunoreactivity in adolescent rats treated with low doses of oxytocin and naltrexone.

authors: Head, Mitchell Antony

subjects: neuropeptides

abstract: A recent case report has shown that an adjunctive oxytocin + naltrexone (OT + NTX) treatment promoted more robust hypophagia and body weight reduction than OT alone in an adolescent male with hypothalamic obesity after craniopharyngioma resection. Thus far, there has been no basic research in adolescent laboratory animals that would examine whether the benefit of OT + NTX on appetite extends onto adolescent individuals without surgically induced overeating. Thus, here we examined whether low doses of combined OT + NTX acutely affect post-deprivation intake of energy-dense, standard chow; intake of energy-dense and palatable high-fat high-sugar (HFHS) diet; or calorie-dilute, palaTable 10% sucrose solution without deprivation in adolescent male rats. We assessed whether OT + NTX decreases water intake after water deprivation or produces a conditioned taste aversion (CTA). Finally, by using c-Fos immunoreactivity, we determined changes in activity of feeding-related brain areas after OT + NTX. We found that individual subthreshold doses of OT and NTX decreased feeding induced by energy and by palatability. Significant c-Fos changes were noted in the arcuate and dorsomedial hypothalamic nuclei. The hypophagic doses of OT + NTX did not suppress water intake in thirsty rats and did not cause a CTA, which suggests that feeding reduction is not a secondary effect of gastrointestinal discomfort or changes in thirst processing. We conclude that OT + NTX is an effective drug combination to reduce appetite in adolescent male rats.

text: Acute hypophagia and changes in c-Fos immunoreactivity in adolescent rats treated with low doses of oxytocin and naltrexone. A recent case report has shown that an adjunctive oxytocin + naltrexone (OT + NTX) treatment promoted more robust hypophagia and body weight reduction than OT alone in an adolescent male with hypothalamic obesity after craniopharyngioma resection. Thus far, there has been no basic research in adolescent laboratory animals that would examine whether the benefit of OT + NTX on appetite extends onto adolescent individuals without surgically induced overeating. Thus, here we examined whether low doses of combined OT + NTX acutely affect post-deprivation intake of energy-dense, standard chow; intake of energy-dense and palatable high-fat high-sugar (HFHS) diet; or calorie-dilute, palaTable 10% sucrose solution without deprivation in adolescent male rats. We assessed whether OT + NTX decreases water intake after water deprivation or produces a conditioned taste aversion (CTA). Finally, by using c-Fos immunoreactivity, we determined changes in activity of feeding-related brain areas after OT + NTX. We found that individual subthreshold doses of OT and NTX decreased feeding induced by energy and by palatability. Significant c-Fos changes were noted in the arcuate and dorsomedial hypothalamic nuclei. The hypophagic doses of OT + NTX did not suppress water intake in thirsty rats and did not cause a CTA, which suggests that feeding reduction is not a secondary effect of gastrointestinal discomfort or changes in thirst processing. We conclude that OT + NTX is an effective drug combination to reduce appetite in adolescent male rats.

year: 2021-12-23

title: Problematising constructions of ‘expert teachers’ and ‘vulnerable children’ in New Zealand Early Childhood

authors: Kamenarac, Olivera

subjects: teacher identities

abstract: Over the last two decades, early childhood education (ECE) has come to the top of the political agenda in New Zealand and internationally. The interest of governments and policy-makers in ECE has been driven by the thinking that an 'investment' in ECE is a key a country's future social and economic development (Heckman 2000). Through an interplay of the existing early childhood discourses and emerging economic discourses, the contexts in which early childhood teachers understand and undertake their work and view themselves as professionals have, thus rapidly changed (Penn 2013; Brown et al. 2018; Pupala, Kascak, and Tesar 2016). This article problematises constructions of 'expert teachers' and 'vulnerable children', which emerged through an interplay of discourses of social intervention, economic investment and vulnerability in New Zealand ECE. It argues that the identity constructions on offer have a powerful potential to reinforce social-interventionist and neoliberal narratives in ECE, and move its purpose away from the idea of collective democracy (Dewey 1976). Keywords: teacher identities; New Zealand early childhood education; early childhood policies and politics; discourses of vulnerability; poststructural perspectives

text: Problematising constructions of ‘expert teachers’ and ‘vulnerable children’ in New Zealand Early Childhood Over the last two decades, early childhood education (ECE) has come to the top of the political agenda in New Zealand and internationally. The interest of governments and policy-makers in ECE has been driven by the thinking that an 'investment' in ECE is a key a country's future social and economic development (Heckman 2000). Through an interplay of the existing early childhood discourses and emerging economic discourses, the contexts in which early childhood teachers understand and undertake their work and view themselves as professionals have, thus rapidly changed (Penn 2013; Brown et al. 2018; Pupala, Kascak, and Tesar 2016). This article problematises constructions of 'expert teachers' and 'vulnerable children', which emerged through an interplay of discourses of social intervention, economic investment and vulnerability in New Zealand ECE. It argues that the identity constructions on offer have a powerful potential to reinforce social-interventionist and neoliberal narratives in ECE, and move its purpose away from the idea of collective democracy (Dewey 1976). Keywords: teacher identities; New Zealand early childhood education; early childhood policies and politics; discourses of vulnerability; poststructural perspectives

year: 2021

title: Mana whenua / Belonging through assessment: A kōhanga reo perspective

authors: McMillan, Hoana

abstract: This article presents the findings from a Teacher Led-Innovation Fund (TLIF) project where kaiako set out to develop and then explore Ngā kōrero tuku iho as an assessment approach within kōhanga reo. Underpinned by kaupapa Māori research protocols, wānanga (discussions) were held with kaiako and whānau to evaluate the approach. The findings from wānanga with whānau are presented and discussed in this article encouraging new ways of thinking about Mana Whenua/Belonging within the context of assessment and beyond.

text: Mana whenua / Belonging through assessment: A kōhanga reo perspective This article presents the findings from a Teacher Led-Innovation Fund (TLIF) project where kaiako set out to develop and then explore Ngā kōrero tuku iho as an assessment approach within kōhanga reo. Underpinned by kaupapa Māori research protocols, wānanga (discussions) were held with kaiako and whānau to evaluate the approach. The findings from wānanga with whānau are presented and discussed in this article encouraging new ways of thinking about Mana Whenua/Belonging within the context of assessment and beyond.

year: 2020