title: The antibacterial properties of honey

authors: Russell, Kathryn Mary

subjects: honey

abstract: Honey has been used medicinally by man for thousands of years. With the apparent misuse of many antibiotics there has recently been renewed interest in such natural antibacterial substances. 
Honey is known to contain several natural antibiotic systems but research so far has been largely confined to the glucose oxidase (inhibine) area. Some past research, however, has indicated the possible existence of anti­bacterial substances other than hydrogen peroxide (inhibine) and the osmotic potential of honey. The aim of this project was to confirm the existence of these substances and to isolate and characterise them if possible. 
The antibacterial assay used to detect activity was an agar diffusion technique incorporating staphylococcus aureus. 
Various honey samples were screened for non-peroxide antibacterial activity and the most active honey (manuka) selected for further investigation. 
The activity was found to be completely heat-stable (1 hr, 95 °C) at acidic pH but less stable at neutral pH, and the honey was less active at neutral pH. 
Solvent extraction of the honey was carried out with ethanol, and ether was added to precipitate most of the sugar. All activity was recovered from the honey into the extract in this way. Further isolation of the active fractions was carried out using preparative thin-layer chromatography.
Information on the fractions with activity that were isolated was obtained by ultraviolet spectroscopy, infra­red spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance and mass spectrometry.

text: The antibacterial properties of honey Honey has been used medicinally by man for thousands of years. With the apparent misuse of many antibiotics there has recently been renewed interest in such natural antibacterial substances. 
Honey is known to contain several natural antibiotic systems but research so far has been largely confined to the glucose oxidase (inhibine) area. Some past research, however, has indicated the possible existence of anti­bacterial substances other than hydrogen peroxide (inhibine) and the osmotic potential of honey. The aim of this project was to confirm the existence of these substances and to isolate and characterise them if possible. 
The antibacterial assay used to detect activity was an agar diffusion technique incorporating staphylococcus aureus. 
Various honey samples were screened for non-peroxide antibacterial activity and the most active honey (manuka) selected for further investigation. 
The activity was found to be completely heat-stable (1 hr, 95 °C) at acidic pH but less stable at neutral pH, and the honey was less active at neutral pH. 
Solvent extraction of the honey was carried out with ethanol, and ether was added to precipitate most of the sugar. All activity was recovered from the honey into the extract in this way. Further isolation of the active fractions was carried out using preparative thin-layer chromatography.
Information on the fractions with activity that were isolated was obtained by ultraviolet spectroscopy, infra­red spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance and mass spectrometry.

year: 1983

title: Improving mental wellbeing among university students via a smartphone application based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

authors: Li, Fengshan

abstract: The number of university students experiencing mental disturbances is increasing. Due to the impact it has on students’ academic life, there is a need for an efficient, convenient, and cost- effective intervention which can be widely applied to university populations. Acceptance and
Commitment Therapy (ACT) is an effective behavioural treatment for a range of psychological disorders. ACT has a transdiagnostic feature, as it focus on educating individuals to be aware of their internal experiences, such as thoughts and feelings and to accept them, instead of suppressing or avoiding them. The fundamental goal of ACT is to promote individuals’ psychological flexibility when faced with challenging events by addressing their valued life goals. ACT CompanionTM app is an ACT-based smartphone app which incorporates exercises to assist users achieve their treatment goals. I used a single- subject design to examine the efficacy of the ACT CompanionTM app in reducing measures of stress, anxiety, depression, and psychological flexibility for 9 university participants. Graphs showed that app use lowered daily stress levels for all participants. At a group level, there was a significant decrease in anxiety, stress, depressive symptoms, and negative emotions. However, no significant effect of app use on mindfulness and psychological flexibility. Overall, the results suggest that the ACT CompanionTM app is a promising approach for improving mental wellbeing among university students.

text: Improving mental wellbeing among university students via a smartphone application based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy The number of university students experiencing mental disturbances is increasing. Due to the impact it has on students’ academic life, there is a need for an efficient, convenient, and cost- effective intervention which can be widely applied to university populations. Acceptance and
Commitment Therapy (ACT) is an effective behavioural treatment for a range of psychological disorders. ACT has a transdiagnostic feature, as it focus on educating individuals to be aware of their internal experiences, such as thoughts and feelings and to accept them, instead of suppressing or avoiding them. The fundamental goal of ACT is to promote individuals’ psychological flexibility when faced with challenging events by addressing their valued life goals. ACT CompanionTM app is an ACT-based smartphone app which incorporates exercises to assist users achieve their treatment goals. I used a single- subject design to examine the efficacy of the ACT CompanionTM app in reducing measures of stress, anxiety, depression, and psychological flexibility for 9 university participants. Graphs showed that app use lowered daily stress levels for all participants. At a group level, there was a significant decrease in anxiety, stress, depressive symptoms, and negative emotions. However, no significant effect of app use on mindfulness and psychological flexibility. Overall, the results suggest that the ACT CompanionTM app is a promising approach for improving mental wellbeing among university students.

year: 2018

title: Kia mau ki tō Māoritanga - The role of Māori teachers in English medium primary schools

authors: Coffin, Rachel Marie

subjects: Māori  teachers

abstract: The achievement levels between Māori and non-Māori students remains increasingly wide within a westernised education system. This system has continued to perpetuate the ongoing failure of Māori students. We need to look at ways in which Māori students can best be supported in English medium education settings as these are where the majority of Māori students receive their schooling, and how we can close the gap between Māori and non-Māori achievement. 

Māori teachers are a minority group within English medium education and their potential to raise Māori student achievement is often overlooked (Lee, 2009). This thesis used a case study approach framed by kaupapa Māori methodology to examine how one primary school, whose Māori students are achieving at similar levels to their non-Māori peers, utilises Māori staff to enhance the cultural pedagogy of the school and how this contributes to the success of Māori students.

The literature review takes an historic look at Māori within a westernised education system and looks at how Māori underachievement is not a recent occurrence but an ongoing issue, dating back over one hundred years.  It draws on international literature around the experiences of other indigenous peoples who have experienced colonisation, and highlights the similar struggles that they have had, and continue to have as minority students. 

The literature review also looks at the ways in which indigenous peoples are working to lift indigenous achievement and the role of indigenous teachers in supporting this process. It looks at the role that culture plays in the belief of indigenous peoples in their own ability to succeed, which is referred to in this thesis as self-efficacy (Bandura, 1997, Schunk, 1986).

In contrast to this  students with low self-efficacy will typically avoid difficult tasks in order to minimize risk to self-worth and protect self-esteem (McRae et al., 2010). 

The findings indicate that Māori teachers at Te Kauri School have some level of proficiency in tikanga and te reo Māori and that this plays a vital role in the schools ability to create a culturally responsive learning environment. The Māori staff have the support of the school leadership team, which promotes and values the inclusion of tikanga and te reo Māori. 

This culturally responsive environment instils in Māori students at Te Kauri School a sense of pride in who they are as culturally located beings. This pride means that they do not feel pressure to conform to the ways of the dominant culture, rather that they are able to be Māori. This also corresponds with achievement data for the school, which shows that Māori achievement levels are at similar levels to that of non-Māori students, and in some year and gender levels above. 

The findings indicate that the relationship between Māori whānau (families) and the school is vital in creating a supportive environment and that Māori teachers are especially valuable in this process. Having cultural practices such as kapa haka, waiata and karakia give Māori whānau a connection to the school and provide them with an opportunity to support not only their children but also the school community. 

The findings also indicate that Māori staff and whānau participants view Māori teachers as role models and that having Māori role models within the school adds to Māori student’s sense of pride in being Māori, thus enhancing their self-efficacy and success.

text: Kia mau ki tō Māoritanga - The role of Māori teachers in English medium primary schools The achievement levels between Māori and non-Māori students remains increasingly wide within a westernised education system. This system has continued to perpetuate the ongoing failure of Māori students. We need to look at ways in which Māori students can best be supported in English medium education settings as these are where the majority of Māori students receive their schooling, and how we can close the gap between Māori and non-Māori achievement. 

Māori teachers are a minority group within English medium education and their potential to raise Māori student achievement is often overlooked (Lee, 2009). This thesis used a case study approach framed by kaupapa Māori methodology to examine how one primary school, whose Māori students are achieving at similar levels to their non-Māori peers, utilises Māori staff to enhance the cultural pedagogy of the school and how this contributes to the success of Māori students.

The literature review takes an historic look at Māori within a westernised education system and looks at how Māori underachievement is not a recent occurrence but an ongoing issue, dating back over one hundred years.  It draws on international literature around the experiences of other indigenous peoples who have experienced colonisation, and highlights the similar struggles that they have had, and continue to have as minority students. 

The literature review also looks at the ways in which indigenous peoples are working to lift indigenous achievement and the role of indigenous teachers in supporting this process. It looks at the role that culture plays in the belief of indigenous peoples in their own ability to succeed, which is referred to in this thesis as self-efficacy (Bandura, 1997, Schunk, 1986).

In contrast to this  students with low self-efficacy will typically avoid difficult tasks in order to minimize risk to self-worth and protect self-esteem (McRae et al., 2010). 

The findings indicate that Māori teachers at Te Kauri School have some level of proficiency in tikanga and te reo Māori and that this plays a vital role in the schools ability to create a culturally responsive learning environment. The Māori staff have the support of the school leadership team, which promotes and values the inclusion of tikanga and te reo Māori. 

This culturally responsive environment instils in Māori students at Te Kauri School a sense of pride in who they are as culturally located beings. This pride means that they do not feel pressure to conform to the ways of the dominant culture, rather that they are able to be Māori. This also corresponds with achievement data for the school, which shows that Māori achievement levels are at similar levels to that of non-Māori students, and in some year and gender levels above. 

The findings indicate that the relationship between Māori whānau (families) and the school is vital in creating a supportive environment and that Māori teachers are especially valuable in this process. Having cultural practices such as kapa haka, waiata and karakia give Māori whānau a connection to the school and provide them with an opportunity to support not only their children but also the school community. 

The findings also indicate that Māori staff and whānau participants view Māori teachers as role models and that having Māori role models within the school adds to Māori student’s sense of pride in being Māori, thus enhancing their self-efficacy and success.

year: 2013