title: Don't miss the well-being train: a radical ‎proposal for revolution in positive ‎psychology

authors: Weijers, Dan M.

abstract: Positive psychologists have added a great deal of knowledge about positive mental states and behaviors, especially over the last 20 years. As evidence is produced in support of the connections between positive psychological constructs, the model of mental flourishing is slowly being filled in. But, just like the broader well-being research and policy community (Lee et al., 2021), the discipline remains divided about how to conceptualize and measure well-being (Hone et al., 2014; Ackerman et al., 2018). This lack of unity makes it difficult to establish how measures of positive mental functioning connect with the bigger picture of the good life for the one living it, and deter its use in broader research and policy agendas. For example, the influential World Happiness Report 2020 (Helliwell et al., 2020) is edited by only economists and contains the phrase Positive Psychology just once.

text: Don't miss the well-being train: a radical ‎proposal for revolution in positive ‎psychology Positive psychologists have added a great deal of knowledge about positive mental states and behaviors, especially over the last 20 years. As evidence is produced in support of the connections between positive psychological constructs, the model of mental flourishing is slowly being filled in. But, just like the broader well-being research and policy community (Lee et al., 2021), the discipline remains divided about how to conceptualize and measure well-being (Hone et al., 2014; Ackerman et al., 2018). This lack of unity makes it difficult to establish how measures of positive mental functioning connect with the bigger picture of the good life for the one living it, and deter its use in broader research and policy agendas. For example, the influential World Happiness Report 2020 (Helliwell et al., 2020) is edited by only economists and contains the phrase Positive Psychology just once.

year: 2021

title: Cysteine biosynthesis and the role of CysE in Neisseria gonorrhoeae

authors: Oldham, Keely

abstract: Neisseria gonorrhoeae is the causative organism of the sexually transmitted infection (STI), gonorrhoea. Over decades of antibiotic use, the emergence of antibiotic-resistant strains of N. gonorrhoeae has dramatically increased and we are facing the reality of almost untreatable gonorrhoea. Combined with increasing incidence, there is an urgent need for new antimicrobial treatments for gonorrhoea infection. The synthesis of the amino acid cysteine is a promising new target for the development of new antimicrobials. Cysteine plays an important role in protein molecules, but also in the synthesis of glutathione for protection against oxidative stress. In addition, cysteine is the key step for the incorporation of sulphur into a variety of cellular constituents. N. gonorrhoeae displays unique differences in assimilation of sulphate for the synthesis of cysteine, yet little is known about the synthesis of this important amino acid in N. gonorrhoeae. 

The first step in the dual-step cysteine biosynthesis pathway is catalysed by the serine acetyltransferase, CysE, an essential gene in N. gonorrhoeae. To design inhibitors against this key enzyme we need to elucidate the enzymatic mechanism and the three-dimensional structure. In this thesis, we determine the kinetic parameters and regulation of CysE and present the structure of CysE to 2.01 Å. Biochemical assays demonstrate that CysE has serine acetyltransferase activity and experiences substrate inhibition by acetyl CoA. CysE is also sensitive to feedback inhibition by L-cysteine, which competitively inhibits CysE relative to the substrate L-serine. The structure shows CysE belongs to the left-handed β helix family and adopts a hexameric structure consisting of a dimer of trimers. Our structure reveals the first evidence of domain swapping for a CysE structure, where C-terminal tails domain swap with neighbouring monomers in the crystal lattice. Although an artefact of crystallisation it provides insight into the flexibility of this region. 

Collectively the data presented in this thesis represents key advances in our understanding of the uncharacterised cysteine biosynthetic pathway in N. gonorrhoeae. Data presented here is the basis for future work using the structure of CysE to guide computational inhibitor design, to identify lead compounds for CysE inhibition, and for the development of new antimicrobials for treatment of gonorrhoea.

text: Cysteine biosynthesis and the role of CysE in Neisseria gonorrhoeae Neisseria gonorrhoeae is the causative organism of the sexually transmitted infection (STI), gonorrhoea. Over decades of antibiotic use, the emergence of antibiotic-resistant strains of N. gonorrhoeae has dramatically increased and we are facing the reality of almost untreatable gonorrhoea. Combined with increasing incidence, there is an urgent need for new antimicrobial treatments for gonorrhoea infection. The synthesis of the amino acid cysteine is a promising new target for the development of new antimicrobials. Cysteine plays an important role in protein molecules, but also in the synthesis of glutathione for protection against oxidative stress. In addition, cysteine is the key step for the incorporation of sulphur into a variety of cellular constituents. N. gonorrhoeae displays unique differences in assimilation of sulphate for the synthesis of cysteine, yet little is known about the synthesis of this important amino acid in N. gonorrhoeae. 

The first step in the dual-step cysteine biosynthesis pathway is catalysed by the serine acetyltransferase, CysE, an essential gene in N. gonorrhoeae. To design inhibitors against this key enzyme we need to elucidate the enzymatic mechanism and the three-dimensional structure. In this thesis, we determine the kinetic parameters and regulation of CysE and present the structure of CysE to 2.01 Å. Biochemical assays demonstrate that CysE has serine acetyltransferase activity and experiences substrate inhibition by acetyl CoA. CysE is also sensitive to feedback inhibition by L-cysteine, which competitively inhibits CysE relative to the substrate L-serine. The structure shows CysE belongs to the left-handed β helix family and adopts a hexameric structure consisting of a dimer of trimers. Our structure reveals the first evidence of domain swapping for a CysE structure, where C-terminal tails domain swap with neighbouring monomers in the crystal lattice. Although an artefact of crystallisation it provides insight into the flexibility of this region. 

Collectively the data presented in this thesis represents key advances in our understanding of the uncharacterised cysteine biosynthetic pathway in N. gonorrhoeae. Data presented here is the basis for future work using the structure of CysE to guide computational inhibitor design, to identify lead compounds for CysE inhibition, and for the development of new antimicrobials for treatment of gonorrhoea.

year: 2020

title: Examining Culturally Responsive Leadership: An investigation into how one school leader, in a primary school setting, provides culturally responsive leadership that ensures Maori students achieve

authors: Ford, Therese

subjects: Culture

abstract: Addressing the achievement disparities that exist within New Zealand education between Maori and non-Maori is a major government priority and is identified by the Ministry of Education as being a critical challenge for school leadership (Ministry of Education, 2008a). Therefore, an important question for school leaders to contemplate is: How do we raise Maori student achievement and eliminate the ‘gap’, or more specifically, what are the teaching and leadership practices that will make a difference? The research project presented in this thesis examines how one school leader, in a mainstream primary school setting, provides culturally responsive leadership practice that ensures Maori students achieve. This case study was conducted within a kaupapa Maori theoretical framework and used a mixed methods approach that incorporated the triangulation of quantitative and qualitative data. Quantitative data included student achievement data in reading, while qualitative data collection and analysis included school documents, participant observations of the principal, a series of semi-structured interviews and a stimulated recall interview with the principal and focus group interviews with the school leadership team and a group of teachers. The literature reviewed highlighted the centrality of culture in education, the implications for relationships and interactions between teachers and students that are born out of cultural deficit theorising and the potential culturally responsive teaching practices hold for students from minority groups. It also identified a series of effective leadership practices that enable school leaders to influence classroom teaching and have a subsequent impact on student outcomes. The case study school reflects a mainstream primary school context where the majority of Maori students are achieving at or above national expectations in reading. The findings indicate that the principal is implementing many of the practices that characterise effective leadership in successful schools. The principal’s leadership practice is guided by her understandings of culturally responsive leadership, which emphasises the importance of developing quality relationships and quality teaching and learning. Consequently, she has focused her leadership practice on three interrelated strategies that reflect this theorising. The strategies include: prioritising the development of relationships with and between school stakeholders, establishing systems and structures to support the development of relationships and creating a school culture of learning where teachers reject deficit theorising, accept ownership for the performance of students, implement culturally responsive teaching practices and are critically reflective about their practice. This study suggests that further research examining culturally responsive leadership in mainstream education is needed to provide a more comprehensive profile of a culturally responsive leader in the New Zealand context. However, this report does provide an interesting point for reflection and discussion amongst school leaders who want to raise Maori student achievement and reduce disparities.

text: Examining Culturally Responsive Leadership: An investigation into how one school leader, in a primary school setting, provides culturally responsive leadership that ensures Maori students achieve Addressing the achievement disparities that exist within New Zealand education between Maori and non-Maori is a major government priority and is identified by the Ministry of Education as being a critical challenge for school leadership (Ministry of Education, 2008a). Therefore, an important question for school leaders to contemplate is: How do we raise Maori student achievement and eliminate the ‘gap’, or more specifically, what are the teaching and leadership practices that will make a difference? The research project presented in this thesis examines how one school leader, in a mainstream primary school setting, provides culturally responsive leadership practice that ensures Maori students achieve. This case study was conducted within a kaupapa Maori theoretical framework and used a mixed methods approach that incorporated the triangulation of quantitative and qualitative data. Quantitative data included student achievement data in reading, while qualitative data collection and analysis included school documents, participant observations of the principal, a series of semi-structured interviews and a stimulated recall interview with the principal and focus group interviews with the school leadership team and a group of teachers. The literature reviewed highlighted the centrality of culture in education, the implications for relationships and interactions between teachers and students that are born out of cultural deficit theorising and the potential culturally responsive teaching practices hold for students from minority groups. It also identified a series of effective leadership practices that enable school leaders to influence classroom teaching and have a subsequent impact on student outcomes. The case study school reflects a mainstream primary school context where the majority of Maori students are achieving at or above national expectations in reading. The findings indicate that the principal is implementing many of the practices that characterise effective leadership in successful schools. The principal’s leadership practice is guided by her understandings of culturally responsive leadership, which emphasises the importance of developing quality relationships and quality teaching and learning. Consequently, she has focused her leadership practice on three interrelated strategies that reflect this theorising. The strategies include: prioritising the development of relationships with and between school stakeholders, establishing systems and structures to support the development of relationships and creating a school culture of learning where teachers reject deficit theorising, accept ownership for the performance of students, implement culturally responsive teaching practices and are critically reflective about their practice. This study suggests that further research examining culturally responsive leadership in mainstream education is needed to provide a more comprehensive profile of a culturally responsive leader in the New Zealand context. However, this report does provide an interesting point for reflection and discussion amongst school leaders who want to raise Maori student achievement and reduce disparities.

year: 2010