title: Rangitoto Island field trip, Auckland

authors: Lowe, David J.

subjects: Rangitoto

abstract: Rangitoto, Māori for ‘blood red sky’ (also ‘lava, scoria’), derives from the phrase Ngā Rangi-i-totongia-a Tama-te-kapua (the full name for the island) meaning “the day the blood of Tamatekapua was shed”, referring to a battle between Tamatekapua and Hoturoa, commanders of the Arawa and Tainui canoes, respectively, at Islington Bay. The Island is arguably Auckland’s most beloved and omnipresent landscape feature. It is a symmetrical, ~6-km wide, basaltic shield volcano that last erupted c. 550‒500 calendar/calibrated (cal.) yr BP (c. 1400‒1450 AD), not long after arrival and settlement of Polynesians in the Auckland region (c. 1280 AD). It is by far the largest, and the youngest, volcano in the Auckland Volcanic Field (AVF). The AVF consists of ~53 individual eruptive centres, all of which lie within the boundaries of the Auckland urban area. Recent research on deposits in a 150-m-long drill core obtained from Rangitoto Island in February, 2014, and on cryptotephras in sediments from Lake Pupuke on North Shore and on tephras in wetlands on adjacent Motutapu Island, has revealed Rangitoto’s complex history, with three main phases (1‒3) suggested. The flora on Rangitoto is unique among the islands situated in the Hauraki Gulf because of the island’s young age, and the fact that technically Rangitoto is an ‘oceanic’ island. Its flora and fauna are derived entirely from long distance dispersal. The island contains some 582 vascular plant taxa of which 228 (39%) are indigenous.

text: Rangitoto Island field trip, Auckland Rangitoto, Māori for ‘blood red sky’ (also ‘lava, scoria’), derives from the phrase Ngā Rangi-i-totongia-a Tama-te-kapua (the full name for the island) meaning “the day the blood of Tamatekapua was shed”, referring to a battle between Tamatekapua and Hoturoa, commanders of the Arawa and Tainui canoes, respectively, at Islington Bay. The Island is arguably Auckland’s most beloved and omnipresent landscape feature. It is a symmetrical, ~6-km wide, basaltic shield volcano that last erupted c. 550‒500 calendar/calibrated (cal.) yr BP (c. 1400‒1450 AD), not long after arrival and settlement of Polynesians in the Auckland region (c. 1280 AD). It is by far the largest, and the youngest, volcano in the Auckland Volcanic Field (AVF). The AVF consists of ~53 individual eruptive centres, all of which lie within the boundaries of the Auckland urban area. Recent research on deposits in a 150-m-long drill core obtained from Rangitoto Island in February, 2014, and on cryptotephras in sediments from Lake Pupuke on North Shore and on tephras in wetlands on adjacent Motutapu Island, has revealed Rangitoto’s complex history, with three main phases (1‒3) suggested. The flora on Rangitoto is unique among the islands situated in the Hauraki Gulf because of the island’s young age, and the fact that technically Rangitoto is an ‘oceanic’ island. Its flora and fauna are derived entirely from long distance dispersal. The island contains some 582 vascular plant taxa of which 228 (39%) are indigenous.

year: 2017-11-28

title: Effects of oxytocin on feeding suppression and neuronal activity in aged mice

authors: Jervis, Robin

subjects: Oxytocin

abstract: Many studies have shown that, compared to younger adults, old individuals show a different sensitivity to various pharmacological treatments. This phenomenon stems from a plethora of physiological and pathophysiological changes associated with aging, from hormonal regulation to brain functioning. Yet, most animal and human studies do not focus on effects of experimental molecules in aged individuals. This includes drugs that affect appetite and body weight, among which, only a handful have been investigated in the context of aging. One appetite suppressant that has garnered recent attention is oxytocin (OT). In younger adult humans and laboratory animals, peripheral administration of OT reduces eating to satisfy hunger as well as the intake strictly for palatability (pleasure). The effects of OT on food intake in aged individuals are unknown. Thus, the current project was aimed at elucidating the effect of intraperitoneally (IP) injected OT on consumption of standard and palatable food in aged male mice.  This effect was compared to the outcome of the OT treatment in younger adults. In order to identify differences in central mechanisms triggered by OT treatment in aged versus adult mice, the feeding studies were followed by the analysis of OT-induced activity of brain sites involved in appetite control in these animals. Brain activation was assessed by an immunohistochemical detection of an immediate-early gene product, c-Fos, in relevant brain areas. IP OT decreased food consumption in aged and adult male mice. The lowest effective dose in supressing consumption of solid standard and palatable diets in aged animals was 0.3 mg/kg, whereas a higher dose of 1 mg/kg was required to elicit the same response in younger adults.  Furthermore, OT in aged mice supressed palatable sucrose solution intake at 1 mg/kg and milk at 0.1 mg/kg, whereas in young adults, sucrose and milk intakes were supressed by 1 mg/kg OT. The effective dose of 0.3 mg/kg OT in aged animals increased activation of the paraventricular nucleus, central nucleus of the amygdala, nucleus tractus solitarius, and arcuate nucleus and decreased activation of ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus and dorsomedial hypothalamus. On the other hand, the 0.3 mg/kg dose in adults resulted in increased c-Fos IR only in paraventricular nucleus, central nucleus of the amygdala, and nucleus tractus solitarius and a decrease only in the ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus. The results allow me to conclude that intraperitoneal OT is an effective appetite suppressant in aged individuals, however, a lower dose of the drug is sufficient to generate a decrease in consumption at an old age. This likely stems from a broader circuit of feeding-related brain sites activated by the low dose of OT in aged animals compared to the younger adults.

text: Effects of oxytocin on feeding suppression and neuronal activity in aged mice Many studies have shown that, compared to younger adults, old individuals show a different sensitivity to various pharmacological treatments. This phenomenon stems from a plethora of physiological and pathophysiological changes associated with aging, from hormonal regulation to brain functioning. Yet, most animal and human studies do not focus on effects of experimental molecules in aged individuals. This includes drugs that affect appetite and body weight, among which, only a handful have been investigated in the context of aging. One appetite suppressant that has garnered recent attention is oxytocin (OT). In younger adult humans and laboratory animals, peripheral administration of OT reduces eating to satisfy hunger as well as the intake strictly for palatability (pleasure). The effects of OT on food intake in aged individuals are unknown. Thus, the current project was aimed at elucidating the effect of intraperitoneally (IP) injected OT on consumption of standard and palatable food in aged male mice.  This effect was compared to the outcome of the OT treatment in younger adults. In order to identify differences in central mechanisms triggered by OT treatment in aged versus adult mice, the feeding studies were followed by the analysis of OT-induced activity of brain sites involved in appetite control in these animals. Brain activation was assessed by an immunohistochemical detection of an immediate-early gene product, c-Fos, in relevant brain areas. IP OT decreased food consumption in aged and adult male mice. The lowest effective dose in supressing consumption of solid standard and palatable diets in aged animals was 0.3 mg/kg, whereas a higher dose of 1 mg/kg was required to elicit the same response in younger adults.  Furthermore, OT in aged mice supressed palatable sucrose solution intake at 1 mg/kg and milk at 0.1 mg/kg, whereas in young adults, sucrose and milk intakes were supressed by 1 mg/kg OT. The effective dose of 0.3 mg/kg OT in aged animals increased activation of the paraventricular nucleus, central nucleus of the amygdala, nucleus tractus solitarius, and arcuate nucleus and decreased activation of ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus and dorsomedial hypothalamus. On the other hand, the 0.3 mg/kg dose in adults resulted in increased c-Fos IR only in paraventricular nucleus, central nucleus of the amygdala, and nucleus tractus solitarius and a decrease only in the ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus. The results allow me to conclude that intraperitoneal OT is an effective appetite suppressant in aged individuals, however, a lower dose of the drug is sufficient to generate a decrease in consumption at an old age. This likely stems from a broader circuit of feeding-related brain sites activated by the low dose of OT in aged animals compared to the younger adults.

year: 2022

title: Cultural justice, ethics and practice: Summary of presentation

authors: Herbert, Averil May Lloyd

subjects: psychology

abstract: The following cases and remarks are based on the author’s employment over six years
in the Department of Social Welfare in Rotorua Specialist Services. The author
discusses definitions that relate to the topic of cultural justice, ethics, and practice and
our awareness and understanding of the issues; and presents three case studies from practitioner experience.

text: Cultural justice, ethics and practice: Summary of presentation The following cases and remarks are based on the author’s employment over six years
in the Department of Social Welfare in Rotorua Specialist Services. The author
discusses definitions that relate to the topic of cultural justice, ethics, and practice and
our awareness and understanding of the issues; and presents three case studies from practitioner experience.

year: 1993