title: Ecological response differentials: An alternative benchmark to inform stream and river bioassessment

authors: Collier, Kevin J.

subjects: macroinvertebrate

abstract: Contemporary patterns of land development mean that suitable reference sites for low-gradient stream and non-wadeable river biomonitoring are difficult to locate, requiring alternative approaches for benchmarking human impacts. We use two strongly harmonised macroinvertebrate data sets for wadeable streams (180 sites) and non-wadeable rivers (30 sites) to (i) quantify metric response differentials across a regional landcover pressure gradient in northern New Zealand; (ii) interpolate reference condition for waterway types lacking comparable reference sites and (iii) inform development of narrative condition bands for data-poor waterway types.
Cumulative distribution functions of per cent waterway length indicated that near-shore littoral samples from non-wadeable rivers had fewer total and EPT (Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera) taxa than wadeable streams, which had higher % EPT abundance and lower % Crustacea abundance. Community composition differed significantly among non-wadeable river and wadeable hard-bottom and soft-bottom stream samples, reflecting factors associated with catchment altitude, slope, rainfall and landuse intensity.
Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera richness was the only metric evaluated that significantly reflected landcover across all waterway types. The intercept of the 60th percentile quantile regression line at 100% native vegetation cover provided the best approximation of median EPT taxa richness in an independent reference site data set for hard-bottom streams. Applying the same interpolation to samples from soft-bottom streams and non-wadable rivers that lacked regional reference sites indicated median reference expectations of 9 and 11 EPT taxa, respectively, and a consistent differential across the pressure gradient relative to hard-bottom streams of seven taxa and five taxa, respectively.
The derived response differentials enabled the development of narrative bands for directly comparing ecological condition of data-poor stream and river types. Quantification of ecological response differentials can provide an alternative means of benchmarking macroinvertebrate metrics in the absence of suitable reference sites.

text: Ecological response differentials: An alternative benchmark to inform stream and river bioassessment Contemporary patterns of land development mean that suitable reference sites for low-gradient stream and non-wadeable river biomonitoring are difficult to locate, requiring alternative approaches for benchmarking human impacts. We use two strongly harmonised macroinvertebrate data sets for wadeable streams (180 sites) and non-wadeable rivers (30 sites) to (i) quantify metric response differentials across a regional landcover pressure gradient in northern New Zealand; (ii) interpolate reference condition for waterway types lacking comparable reference sites and (iii) inform development of narrative condition bands for data-poor waterway types.
Cumulative distribution functions of per cent waterway length indicated that near-shore littoral samples from non-wadeable rivers had fewer total and EPT (Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera) taxa than wadeable streams, which had higher % EPT abundance and lower % Crustacea abundance. Community composition differed significantly among non-wadeable river and wadeable hard-bottom and soft-bottom stream samples, reflecting factors associated with catchment altitude, slope, rainfall and landuse intensity.
Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera richness was the only metric evaluated that significantly reflected landcover across all waterway types. The intercept of the 60th percentile quantile regression line at 100% native vegetation cover provided the best approximation of median EPT taxa richness in an independent reference site data set for hard-bottom streams. Applying the same interpolation to samples from soft-bottom streams and non-wadable rivers that lacked regional reference sites indicated median reference expectations of 9 and 11 EPT taxa, respectively, and a consistent differential across the pressure gradient relative to hard-bottom streams of seven taxa and five taxa, respectively.
The derived response differentials enabled the development of narrative bands for directly comparing ecological condition of data-poor stream and river types. Quantification of ecological response differentials can provide an alternative means of benchmarking macroinvertebrate metrics in the absence of suitable reference sites.

year: 2013

title: Neuropsychological Profiles of 5-Year Ischemic Stroke Survivors by Oxfordshire Stroke Classification and Hemisphere of Lesion

authors: Barker-Collo, Suzanne

subjects: classification

abstract: Background and Purpose—Although the neuropsychological literature typically examines stroke outcomes by hemisphere of lesion, the medical literature provides classifications more closely linked to circulatory distribution impacted by stroke. This article examined profiles of cognitive function by hemisphere and by Oxfordshire Community Stroke Project stroke classification.
Methods—This study included a sample of 315 5-year ischemic stroke survivors. Assessment included tests of verbal memory, visual memory, word finding/verbal fluency, abstract visual reasoning, executive functioning, and speed of processing.
Results—The sample produced scores within 1 standard deviation of the normative mean on tests of abstract visual reasoning, verbal memory, and visual recall. Impaired performances were observed for executive function and processing speed. Profile analysis revealed no significant differences in overall cognitive performance or in the profile of performance across measures by hemisphere of lesion. However, groups defined by Oxfordshire Community Stroke Project categories produced significantly different cognitive profiles. Post hoc analyses indicate those with posterior stroke performed best overall on all tests except the Stroop Dots trial, whereas those with total anterior stroke produced significantly worse scores on tasks requiring visual abstract reasoning (Block Design, Rey Figure Copy), word finding (Boston Naming Test), and processing speed (Stroop Dots, Trails A).
Conclusions—Oxfordshire Community Stroke Project stroke subtypes identified significant differences between groups, suggesting this classification system is of greater use than hemisphere of lesion in predicting poststroke cognitive outcomes.

text: Neuropsychological Profiles of 5-Year Ischemic Stroke Survivors by Oxfordshire Stroke Classification and Hemisphere of Lesion Background and Purpose—Although the neuropsychological literature typically examines stroke outcomes by hemisphere of lesion, the medical literature provides classifications more closely linked to circulatory distribution impacted by stroke. This article examined profiles of cognitive function by hemisphere and by Oxfordshire Community Stroke Project stroke classification.
Methods—This study included a sample of 315 5-year ischemic stroke survivors. Assessment included tests of verbal memory, visual memory, word finding/verbal fluency, abstract visual reasoning, executive functioning, and speed of processing.
Results—The sample produced scores within 1 standard deviation of the normative mean on tests of abstract visual reasoning, verbal memory, and visual recall. Impaired performances were observed for executive function and processing speed. Profile analysis revealed no significant differences in overall cognitive performance or in the profile of performance across measures by hemisphere of lesion. However, groups defined by Oxfordshire Community Stroke Project categories produced significantly different cognitive profiles. Post hoc analyses indicate those with posterior stroke performed best overall on all tests except the Stroop Dots trial, whereas those with total anterior stroke produced significantly worse scores on tasks requiring visual abstract reasoning (Block Design, Rey Figure Copy), word finding (Boston Naming Test), and processing speed (Stroop Dots, Trails A).
Conclusions—Oxfordshire Community Stroke Project stroke subtypes identified significant differences between groups, suggesting this classification system is of greater use than hemisphere of lesion in predicting poststroke cognitive outcomes.

year: 2012

title: Using the curriculum guidelines for the teaching and learning of te reo Māori in Years 1 – 13 of New Zealand schools to create lessons for young learners

authors: Johnson, Diane

subjects: New Zealand

abstract: In 2009, The New Zealand Ministry of Education published curriculum guidelines for te reo Maori in Years 1 – 13 of English-medium New Zealand schools, that is, from age 5 upwards. These guidelines recommend a communicative approach to the teaching and learning of te reo Māori. In this article, we discuss communicative approaches and provide examples of ways in which teachers can design communicative language lessons that are appropriate for very young learners, lessons that are not only fun but also effective in developing genuine communicative competence in te reo Māori.

text: Using the curriculum guidelines for the teaching and learning of te reo Māori in Years 1 – 13 of New Zealand schools to create lessons for young learners In 2009, The New Zealand Ministry of Education published curriculum guidelines for te reo Maori in Years 1 – 13 of English-medium New Zealand schools, that is, from age 5 upwards. These guidelines recommend a communicative approach to the teaching and learning of te reo Māori. In this article, we discuss communicative approaches and provide examples of ways in which teachers can design communicative language lessons that are appropriate for very young learners, lessons that are not only fun but also effective in developing genuine communicative competence in te reo Māori.

year: 2009-09