title: Effect of long-term starvation on the survival, recovery, and carbon utilization profiles of a bovine Escherichia coli O157:H7 isolate from New Zealand

authors: Xavier, Ron Neo

abstract: The ability to maintain a dual lifestyle of colonizing the ruminant gut and surviving in nonhost environments once shed is key to the success of Escherichia coli O157:H7 as a zoonotic pathogen. Both physical and biological conditions encountered by the bacteria are likely to change during the transition between host and nonhost environments. In this study, carbon starvation at suboptimal temperatures in nonhost environments was simulated by starving a New Zealand bovine E. coli O157:H7 isolate in phosphate-buffered saline at 4 and 15°C for 84 days. Recovery of starved cells on media with different nutrient availabilities was monitored under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. We found that the New Zealand bovine E. coli O157:H7 isolate was able to maintain membrane integrity and viability over 84 days and that the level of recovery depended on the nutrient level of the recovery medium as well as the starvation temperature. In addition, a significant difference in carbon utilization was observed between starved and nonstarved cells.

text: Effect of long-term starvation on the survival, recovery, and carbon utilization profiles of a bovine Escherichia coli O157:H7 isolate from New Zealand The ability to maintain a dual lifestyle of colonizing the ruminant gut and surviving in nonhost environments once shed is key to the success of Escherichia coli O157:H7 as a zoonotic pathogen. Both physical and biological conditions encountered by the bacteria are likely to change during the transition between host and nonhost environments. In this study, carbon starvation at suboptimal temperatures in nonhost environments was simulated by starving a New Zealand bovine E. coli O157:H7 isolate in phosphate-buffered saline at 4 and 15°C for 84 days. Recovery of starved cells on media with different nutrient availabilities was monitored under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. We found that the New Zealand bovine E. coli O157:H7 isolate was able to maintain membrane integrity and viability over 84 days and that the level of recovery depended on the nutrient level of the recovery medium as well as the starvation temperature. In addition, a significant difference in carbon utilization was observed between starved and nonstarved cells.

year: 2014

title: Breaking the Intergenerational Cycle of Physical Punishment

authors: Sturkenboom, Gina Alicia

subjects: physical punishment

abstract: Fifteen women and five men participated in a study aimed at devising strategies to reduce the use of physical punishment in New Zealand. The potential problems with the use of physical punishment, the extent of its use in New Zealand, and the likelihood of intergenerational transmission are discussed to justify the aim of the study. 

The participants were all parents who had been smacked themselves, but who had decided not to smack their own children. Their ages ranged from 28 to 57, and only three had less than some tertiary education. They were from various ethnic backgrounds; fourteen had an occupation other than parenting, and nine were single parents.

The participants had broken the intergenerational cycle of physical punishment: they had been smacked themselves but did not smack their own children. All participated in an individual, semi-structured interview, in which their childhood physical punishment, their decision not to smack, the maintenance of that decision, and their use of alternative disciplinary techniques were discussed. Four participated in a focus group, in which the strategies suggested in the interviews were discussed and refined to produce a final list of recommendations.
  
The parents made a conscious decision against smacking, which involved a particular experience that prompted them to consider their disciplinary practices. Negative views of smacking (ineffective, modelling violence, and potential to escalate) were also helpful in making the decision. 
 
While maintaining their decision was usually easy, alternative techniques were sometimes hard to use, though effective in the long term. Some had to deal with the effects of deviating from a childrearing norm, particularly in regard to other family members. While many were satisfied that their own children were free from physical punishment, some had actively tried to convince other parents not to use it as well. 
 
They recommended strategies aimed at achieving the goals of parent education, raising awareness, reducing strain, and increasing support for parents. They also suggested practical steps that individual parents who were interested in breaking the cycle of physical punishment could take. 

The limitations and strengths of the study are discussed, as well as the implications for further research. The study demonstrates that parenting without physical punishment is effective, desirable, and achievable, even by parents who were smacked themselves. It presents a number of possible strategies and intermediate goals, for interventions at a national, community, or individual level, which aim to reduce the use of physical punishment.

text: Breaking the Intergenerational Cycle of Physical Punishment Fifteen women and five men participated in a study aimed at devising strategies to reduce the use of physical punishment in New Zealand. The potential problems with the use of physical punishment, the extent of its use in New Zealand, and the likelihood of intergenerational transmission are discussed to justify the aim of the study. 

The participants were all parents who had been smacked themselves, but who had decided not to smack their own children. Their ages ranged from 28 to 57, and only three had less than some tertiary education. They were from various ethnic backgrounds; fourteen had an occupation other than parenting, and nine were single parents.

The participants had broken the intergenerational cycle of physical punishment: they had been smacked themselves but did not smack their own children. All participated in an individual, semi-structured interview, in which their childhood physical punishment, their decision not to smack, the maintenance of that decision, and their use of alternative disciplinary techniques were discussed. Four participated in a focus group, in which the strategies suggested in the interviews were discussed and refined to produce a final list of recommendations.
  
The parents made a conscious decision against smacking, which involved a particular experience that prompted them to consider their disciplinary practices. Negative views of smacking (ineffective, modelling violence, and potential to escalate) were also helpful in making the decision. 
 
While maintaining their decision was usually easy, alternative techniques were sometimes hard to use, though effective in the long term. Some had to deal with the effects of deviating from a childrearing norm, particularly in regard to other family members. While many were satisfied that their own children were free from physical punishment, some had actively tried to convince other parents not to use it as well. 
 
They recommended strategies aimed at achieving the goals of parent education, raising awareness, reducing strain, and increasing support for parents. They also suggested practical steps that individual parents who were interested in breaking the cycle of physical punishment could take. 

The limitations and strengths of the study are discussed, as well as the implications for further research. The study demonstrates that parenting without physical punishment is effective, desirable, and achievable, even by parents who were smacked themselves. It presents a number of possible strategies and intermediate goals, for interventions at a national, community, or individual level, which aim to reduce the use of physical punishment.

year: 2007

title: Testing a suicidal ideation-to-action framework among Queer and Takatāpui people in Aotearoa New Zealand: An examination of the three-step theory

authors: Schimanski, Irie

abstract: The three-step theory (3ST) of suicide is well-established in the general population and shows promise for explaining suicidal ideation among Queer samples. This study examined the applicability of the 3ST using data from 250 Queer (n = 213) and Takatāpui (n = 37) people aged 18-74 living in Aotearoa New Zealand. The analytic approach entailed hierarchical multiple regression, ANOVA, t-tests, and logistic regression. Step-one was partially supported, with discrimination and hopelessness independently associated with suicidal ideation, but not their interaction. Step-two was fully supported, showing social support associated with lower suicidal ideation when social support exceeded discrimination, compared with the inverse. Full support for step-three was observed, finding higher self-harm among participants with histories of attempted suicide than those who had never attempted. An adapted version of the 3ST for Queer and Takatāpui people is presented, offering novel approaches to testing the ideation-to-action framework with these communities.

text: Testing a suicidal ideation-to-action framework among Queer and Takatāpui people in Aotearoa New Zealand: An examination of the three-step theory The three-step theory (3ST) of suicide is well-established in the general population and shows promise for explaining suicidal ideation among Queer samples. This study examined the applicability of the 3ST using data from 250 Queer (n = 213) and Takatāpui (n = 37) people aged 18-74 living in Aotearoa New Zealand. The analytic approach entailed hierarchical multiple regression, ANOVA, t-tests, and logistic regression. Step-one was partially supported, with discrimination and hopelessness independently associated with suicidal ideation, but not their interaction. Step-two was fully supported, showing social support associated with lower suicidal ideation when social support exceeded discrimination, compared with the inverse. Full support for step-three was observed, finding higher self-harm among participants with histories of attempted suicide than those who had never attempted. An adapted version of the 3ST for Queer and Takatāpui people is presented, offering novel approaches to testing the ideation-to-action framework with these communities.

year: 2025-08-01