title: Understanding cognitive functions related to driving following kava (Piper methysticum) use at traditional consumption volumes

authors: Aporosa, S. 'Apo'

abstract: Introduction: Kava (Piper methysticum), a traditional and culturally significant Pacific Island beverage, produces soporific relaxant effects similar to Benzodiazepine (Sarris et al, 2012, Journal of Human Psychopharmacology Clinical and Experimental, 27:262-9). Traditional users consume this drink at volumes 32 times greater than pharmacologically recommended doses (Aporosa et al, 2014, Anthropologica, 56:163-75), with reports suggesting 70% of users frequently drive following kava use (Maneze et al, 2008, Australian & New Zealand Journal Of Public Health, 32:314-6). Prompted by concerns regarding driver impairment post kava use, this seminal research investigated the effects of kava on two cognitive functions related to driving. Research was based on a traditionally influenced kava session. Methods: Kava consumers (n=20 [18 male/2 females], mean age = 35.35) attended a six hour kava session, each drinking an average 3.52 litres (SD = 0.713 litres) of kava. Also present were a non-kava consuming control group (n=20 [18 male/2 females], mean age = 35.1). At baseline all participants completed computerised tests (Vienna Test System: Traffic WAFA Alertness and WAFG Divided Attention) to assess reaction time, perception and attention. Re-testing was conducted hourly over the six hour period. Pre/post analysis was conducted comparing within person and between group change. Statistical modelling is based on ANOVA and independent t-tests. Results: Data analysis indicated no statistically significant (p<0.05) difference between reaction time [F=(13,264), 0.582, p=0.868] and divided attention [F=(13,264), 0.834, p=0.624] both within person and between groups at any measurement point over the six hour testing period. Mean reaction time and divided attention at baseline was 249.95msec (SD=37.57) and 583.58msec (SD=226.62) respectively. The control and active group mean reaction times at the final test were 256.70msec (SD=36.86) and 271.8msec (SD=46.32) respectively. The mean divided attention times for the control and active groups at the final test were 499.75msec (SD=167.62) and 568.32msec (SD=217.71). Conclusions: Kava at traditional consumption volumes was not correlated to response latency or impairment on perception and attention tasks. Further research beyond the assessment of these two cognitive functions is required to better understand if kava has any effect on driver ability. Sponsorship: The study is funded by the New Zealand Health Research Council (16/462) and the test battery was generously donated by Vienna Tests Systems, Germany.

text: Understanding cognitive functions related to driving following kava (Piper methysticum) use at traditional consumption volumes Introduction: Kava (Piper methysticum), a traditional and culturally significant Pacific Island beverage, produces soporific relaxant effects similar to Benzodiazepine (Sarris et al, 2012, Journal of Human Psychopharmacology Clinical and Experimental, 27:262-9). Traditional users consume this drink at volumes 32 times greater than pharmacologically recommended doses (Aporosa et al, 2014, Anthropologica, 56:163-75), with reports suggesting 70% of users frequently drive following kava use (Maneze et al, 2008, Australian & New Zealand Journal Of Public Health, 32:314-6). Prompted by concerns regarding driver impairment post kava use, this seminal research investigated the effects of kava on two cognitive functions related to driving. Research was based on a traditionally influenced kava session. Methods: Kava consumers (n=20 [18 male/2 females], mean age = 35.35) attended a six hour kava session, each drinking an average 3.52 litres (SD = 0.713 litres) of kava. Also present were a non-kava consuming control group (n=20 [18 male/2 females], mean age = 35.1). At baseline all participants completed computerised tests (Vienna Test System: Traffic WAFA Alertness and WAFG Divided Attention) to assess reaction time, perception and attention. Re-testing was conducted hourly over the six hour period. Pre/post analysis was conducted comparing within person and between group change. Statistical modelling is based on ANOVA and independent t-tests. Results: Data analysis indicated no statistically significant (p<0.05) difference between reaction time [F=(13,264), 0.582, p=0.868] and divided attention [F=(13,264), 0.834, p=0.624] both within person and between groups at any measurement point over the six hour testing period. Mean reaction time and divided attention at baseline was 249.95msec (SD=37.57) and 583.58msec (SD=226.62) respectively. The control and active group mean reaction times at the final test were 256.70msec (SD=36.86) and 271.8msec (SD=46.32) respectively. The mean divided attention times for the control and active groups at the final test were 499.75msec (SD=167.62) and 568.32msec (SD=217.71). Conclusions: Kava at traditional consumption volumes was not correlated to response latency or impairment on perception and attention tasks. Further research beyond the assessment of these two cognitive functions is required to better understand if kava has any effect on driver ability. Sponsorship: The study is funded by the New Zealand Health Research Council (16/462) and the test battery was generously donated by Vienna Tests Systems, Germany.

year: 2017

title: University accounting and business curricula on sustainability: Perceptions of undergraduate students

authors: Sharma, Umesh Prasad

subjects: accounting

abstract: The challenge to embed sustainability in the formal curriculum has been troublesome for accounting academics. This study investigates sustainability in the accounting curriculum at a regional university in New Zealand. Sustainability practices are becoming an important issue given that many business activity problems have arisen over the years, unsustainable practices have resulted in societal and environmental damages. There has been an increasing recognition of the need for sustainability teaching in tertiary education.

Education plays an important role in equipping graduates with the relevant sustainability skills to make informed decisions towards a more sustainable world. There is a need to examine how students respond to the teaching of sustainability in their courses. This will allow education providers to find out how student perceive sustainability education, and make changes to improve the teaching of sustainability.  Literatures have claimed that students have positive attitudes towards sustainability; however, this does not mean that students are familiar with the concept of sustainability. There are business students who seem to perceive the study of sustainability to be less important when compared to other subjects. There still seems to be a shortage of research done on how students perceive sustainability.  This paper contributes to the discussion needed to understand what sustainability skills are required by managers and how tertiary education programs in accounting may need to incorporate sustainability. The role of accounting schools in leading and managing change towards sustainability must be further informed.

text: University accounting and business curricula on sustainability: Perceptions of undergraduate students The challenge to embed sustainability in the formal curriculum has been troublesome for accounting academics. This study investigates sustainability in the accounting curriculum at a regional university in New Zealand. Sustainability practices are becoming an important issue given that many business activity problems have arisen over the years, unsustainable practices have resulted in societal and environmental damages. There has been an increasing recognition of the need for sustainability teaching in tertiary education.

Education plays an important role in equipping graduates with the relevant sustainability skills to make informed decisions towards a more sustainable world. There is a need to examine how students respond to the teaching of sustainability in their courses. This will allow education providers to find out how student perceive sustainability education, and make changes to improve the teaching of sustainability.  Literatures have claimed that students have positive attitudes towards sustainability; however, this does not mean that students are familiar with the concept of sustainability. There are business students who seem to perceive the study of sustainability to be less important when compared to other subjects. There still seems to be a shortage of research done on how students perceive sustainability.  This paper contributes to the discussion needed to understand what sustainability skills are required by managers and how tertiary education programs in accounting may need to incorporate sustainability. The role of accounting schools in leading and managing change towards sustainability must be further informed.

year: 2012

title: Perception and flagging of loanwords – A diachronic case-study of Māori loanwords in New Zealand English

authors: Levendis, Katharine

abstract: This paper combines a quantitative and qualitative analysis of a diachronic corpus of New Zealand newspapers built to analyse the use of Māori loanwords in New Zealand English. We report findings in relation to flagging (marking of loanwords as being foreign material in a given language) and show that it is (weakly) predicated by frequency-of-use and by semantic category of the loanword (core loans are flagged more than cultural ones), but not by listedness. Alongside this trend, we note that perceptions of writers using the words vary enormously in regard to which loans are integrated and familiar, matching neither listedness nor frequency-of-use patterns. This indicates that in NZE, loanword use remains strongly tied up with socio-political identity and language ideology, rather than rooted in linguistic factors (such as, bilingualism or filling in lexical gaps).

text: Perception and flagging of loanwords – A diachronic case-study of Māori loanwords in New Zealand English This paper combines a quantitative and qualitative analysis of a diachronic corpus of New Zealand newspapers built to analyse the use of Māori loanwords in New Zealand English. We report findings in relation to flagging (marking of loanwords as being foreign material in a given language) and show that it is (weakly) predicated by frequency-of-use and by semantic category of the loanword (core loans are flagged more than cultural ones), but not by listedness. Alongside this trend, we note that perceptions of writers using the words vary enormously in regard to which loans are integrated and familiar, matching neither listedness nor frequency-of-use patterns. This indicates that in NZE, loanword use remains strongly tied up with socio-political identity and language ideology, rather than rooted in linguistic factors (such as, bilingualism or filling in lexical gaps).

year: 2019