title: An uncommon call: prospect for a new dialogue with Islam?

authors: Pratt, Douglas

subjects: Islam

abstract: This paper seeks to analyse and discuss the text of a most significant Muslim letter of 2007 addressed to the Christian Church, and the evidence of its reception within the Christian community in the year since it was delivered. It will also discuss some of the theological issues and challenges raised by the letter. Has a new era for dialogue with Islam been inaugurated by this epistolary event? What might the letter portend for the immediate and longer-term future of Christian relations with Islam? What does it raise in terms of theological issues and challenges? What challenges does this document signal for the ongoing quest of theology and interfaith engagement?

text: An uncommon call: prospect for a new dialogue with Islam? This paper seeks to analyse and discuss the text of a most significant Muslim letter of 2007 addressed to the Christian Church, and the evidence of its reception within the Christian community in the year since it was delivered. It will also discuss some of the theological issues and challenges raised by the letter. Has a new era for dialogue with Islam been inaugurated by this epistolary event? What might the letter portend for the immediate and longer-term future of Christian relations with Islam? What does it raise in terms of theological issues and challenges? What challenges does this document signal for the ongoing quest of theology and interfaith engagement?

year: 2008

title: Single nucleotide polymorphisms associated with the human electroencephalogram during desflurane anaesthesia

authors: Mulholland, Claire Vignette

subjects: single nucleotide polymorphism

abstract: General anaesthesia is an induced state that enables a person to endure surgical procedures without pain or recollection. There is substantial individual variability in the response to anaesthesia and in order to avoid adverse effects caused by either under- or over-sedation, anaesthetic drug administration must be tailored to suit the individual patient. This requires a means to monitor the depth of general anaesthesia. The electroencephalogram (EEG) records the electrical activity of the brain and enables effects of anaesthetic drugs on brain functioning to be monitored. Quantitative EEG monitors, such as the Bispectral (BIS) index monitor, process the raw EEG and provide a numerical output that is often used to measure the depth of general anaesthesia during surgery. Due to a number of factors including clinical conditions and genetic variability in the EEG, the BIS value can at times be misleading. 

To identify genetic variations associated with EEG phenotypes relevant to anaesthesia monitoring, an association analysis was performed for 34 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in a sample of 125 surgical patients undergoing general, gynaecological or orthopaedic surgery. During surgery, patients were anaesthetised with the volatile anaesthetic agent desflurane, the depth of anaesthesia was measured using BIS monitoring and the raw was also EEG recorded. SNP genotyping was performed for 13 SNPs in five candidate genes; SGIP1, GABRA2, CACNA1G, HCN1 and HCN2, using the polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. An additional 21 SNPs in 15 genes involved in various inflammatory and other immune-related pathways were genotyped by Sequenom MassARRAY at the Australian Genome Research Facility.
Six SNPs in five different genes were found to be associated with spindle amplitude (SGIP1, GABRA2, HCN1, IL1B and MYD88), and a further five SNPs were associated with either delta frequency (IL10), or end tidal desflurane concentration (ETDC) (CACNA1G, CRP, MYD88 and TGFB1). The strongest associations were identified for a single SNP located in the 3' UTR of MYD88 (rs6853). The rs6853 A/G genotype was associated with higher median spindle amplitude (p = 0.0040) and spindle amplitude relative to ETDC (p = 0.0006), and lower EDTC (p = 0.0095) than the A/A genotype. No rs6853 G/G homozygotes were identified in the study sample.
MYD88 acts as an adaptor protein in the interleukin-1 receptor and toll-like receptor signalling pathways. Within the brain, cytokines are thought to act as neuronal modulators and influence neurotransmitter signalling and ion channel activity. The association of MYD88 with spindle amplitude, in conjunction with IL1B, suggests that cytokines may influence the EEG during general anaesthesia. Thus cytokine mediated regulation of neuronal activity is speculated to underlie the reported associations. All reported effect sizes were small (0.77- to 1.55-fold) and associated genes had four distinct types of function; ion channels, neurotransmitter signalling, endocytosis, and cytokine signalling. This suggests that numerous genes in different pathways, each with a small, possibly additive effect, are involved in regulating the EEG during general anaesthesia.

text: Single nucleotide polymorphisms associated with the human electroencephalogram during desflurane anaesthesia General anaesthesia is an induced state that enables a person to endure surgical procedures without pain or recollection. There is substantial individual variability in the response to anaesthesia and in order to avoid adverse effects caused by either under- or over-sedation, anaesthetic drug administration must be tailored to suit the individual patient. This requires a means to monitor the depth of general anaesthesia. The electroencephalogram (EEG) records the electrical activity of the brain and enables effects of anaesthetic drugs on brain functioning to be monitored. Quantitative EEG monitors, such as the Bispectral (BIS) index monitor, process the raw EEG and provide a numerical output that is often used to measure the depth of general anaesthesia during surgery. Due to a number of factors including clinical conditions and genetic variability in the EEG, the BIS value can at times be misleading. 

To identify genetic variations associated with EEG phenotypes relevant to anaesthesia monitoring, an association analysis was performed for 34 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in a sample of 125 surgical patients undergoing general, gynaecological or orthopaedic surgery. During surgery, patients were anaesthetised with the volatile anaesthetic agent desflurane, the depth of anaesthesia was measured using BIS monitoring and the raw was also EEG recorded. SNP genotyping was performed for 13 SNPs in five candidate genes; SGIP1, GABRA2, CACNA1G, HCN1 and HCN2, using the polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. An additional 21 SNPs in 15 genes involved in various inflammatory and other immune-related pathways were genotyped by Sequenom MassARRAY at the Australian Genome Research Facility.
Six SNPs in five different genes were found to be associated with spindle amplitude (SGIP1, GABRA2, HCN1, IL1B and MYD88), and a further five SNPs were associated with either delta frequency (IL10), or end tidal desflurane concentration (ETDC) (CACNA1G, CRP, MYD88 and TGFB1). The strongest associations were identified for a single SNP located in the 3' UTR of MYD88 (rs6853). The rs6853 A/G genotype was associated with higher median spindle amplitude (p = 0.0040) and spindle amplitude relative to ETDC (p = 0.0006), and lower EDTC (p = 0.0095) than the A/A genotype. No rs6853 G/G homozygotes were identified in the study sample.
MYD88 acts as an adaptor protein in the interleukin-1 receptor and toll-like receptor signalling pathways. Within the brain, cytokines are thought to act as neuronal modulators and influence neurotransmitter signalling and ion channel activity. The association of MYD88 with spindle amplitude, in conjunction with IL1B, suggests that cytokines may influence the EEG during general anaesthesia. Thus cytokine mediated regulation of neuronal activity is speculated to underlie the reported associations. All reported effect sizes were small (0.77- to 1.55-fold) and associated genes had four distinct types of function; ion channels, neurotransmitter signalling, endocytosis, and cytokine signalling. This suggests that numerous genes in different pathways, each with a small, possibly additive effect, are involved in regulating the EEG during general anaesthesia.

year: 2012

title: Phytoplankton nutrient limitation in Lake Rotorua

authors: Tempero, Grant Wayne

abstract: Lake Rotorua is one of 12 lakes jointly managed by the Rotorua Lakes Council, Te Arawa Lakes Trust and the Bay of Plenty Regional Council under the Rotorua Te Arawa Lakes Programme. The lake is currently classified as eutrophic and a Trophic Lake Index (TLI) value of 4.2 has been set as an integrated target for lake water quality. A number of catchment and lake management strategies have been implemented to achieve the targeted TLI including land use changes, wetland enhancement, lake weed harvesting, sediment detainment bunds, sewage reticulation and alum dosing. Alum (aluminium sulphate) is commonly applied to freshwater and wastewater systems to remove phosphorus, reducing its availability for phytoplankton growth. The initiation of alum dosing to the Utuhina Stream in 2006 and the Puarenga Stream in 2010 was associated with a significant decline in water column dissolved reactive phosphorus (DRP) and improvements in water quality of Lake Rotorua. 
The use of alum to control external and internal phosphorus loading has been identified as key component in the restoration of Lake Rotorua and recently observed improvements in water quality suggest that the lake could be transitioning to a more phosphorus limited state. Determination of phytoplankton nutrient limitation in Lake Rotorua was identified as a priority through the 2017 Plan Change 10 Science Review. An initial seasonal nutrient limitation study was carried out in 2019 with nutrient limitation assays conducted at 3-monthly intervals over the course of the year. Nitrogen limitation was indicated for the March assay and nutrient co-limitation for the December period, but results for the winter and spring periods were inconclusive. There has also been increasing recognition that nutrient availability in limnetic systems may vary in response to seasonal changes in external and external loading and even to isolated storm events. 
The University of Waikato was contracted to investigate potential changes in nutrient limitation within Lake Rotorua at sub-monthly time-scales, and to determine if alum dose rates could be optimised to take advantage of periods of phosphorus limitation. Phytoplankton nutrient limitation growth assays were conducted on a fortnightly basis from mid-October 2020 to May 2021. In addition to determination of lake surface nutrient and chlorophyll a concentrations, triplicate 1 L phytoplankton samples were spiked with either phosphorus (0.1 mg-P L⁻¹), nitrogen (1 mg-N L⁻¹) or phosphorus (0.1 mg-P L⁻¹) and nitrogen (1 mg-N L⁻¹) and incubated for 5-days under a single light intensity of 100 μmol m⁻²s⁻¹ PAR at lake surface temperature and photoperiod. Phytoplankton growth responses were measured as comparative chlorophyll a, comparative biomass and net biomass growth. Summarised results from the 16 assays along with the predicted nutrient state from the stoichiometric mass ratio of TN:TP are presented in the table below. 
Under the test conditions nitrogen limitation was indicated for most of the summer months (December–March) and nutrient co-limitation during the spring and late autumn. Only short (~2 weeks) periods of P-limitation were observed, one of which was associated with an intensive storm event at the end of March. These seasonal fluctuations in nitrogen and phosphorus supply are similar to those observed in other temperate limnetic systems. In the spring, external nitrogen and phosphorus loading is high, then decline in the summer as rainfall and associated inflows wane. During the summer, internal loading becomes more important in polymictic lakes due to repeated internal nutrient cycling from stratification and mixing events. This results in phosphorus limitation in the spring, transitioning to nitrogen limitation or colimitation (primarily nitrogen) in the summer, and then returning to phosphorus/colimitation during the winter due to increased nitrogen-loading from the catchment from increased catchment discharge. 
Due to the modest periods of phosphorus limitation indicated by the assays, there appears to be little potential for optimisation of alum dose rates in order capitalise on natural periods of phosphorus limitation. Further, changes in phytoplankton community composition and abundance appear to be more strongly driven by physical environmental factors such as temperature, light and wind speed, than nutrient availability. Although alum dosing is effective in removing DRP from the Utuhina and Puarenga inflows, its assumed effectiveness in reducing internal phosphorus loading in Lake Rotorua requires further evaluation.

text: Phytoplankton nutrient limitation in Lake Rotorua Lake Rotorua is one of 12 lakes jointly managed by the Rotorua Lakes Council, Te Arawa Lakes Trust and the Bay of Plenty Regional Council under the Rotorua Te Arawa Lakes Programme. The lake is currently classified as eutrophic and a Trophic Lake Index (TLI) value of 4.2 has been set as an integrated target for lake water quality. A number of catchment and lake management strategies have been implemented to achieve the targeted TLI including land use changes, wetland enhancement, lake weed harvesting, sediment detainment bunds, sewage reticulation and alum dosing. Alum (aluminium sulphate) is commonly applied to freshwater and wastewater systems to remove phosphorus, reducing its availability for phytoplankton growth. The initiation of alum dosing to the Utuhina Stream in 2006 and the Puarenga Stream in 2010 was associated with a significant decline in water column dissolved reactive phosphorus (DRP) and improvements in water quality of Lake Rotorua. 
The use of alum to control external and internal phosphorus loading has been identified as key component in the restoration of Lake Rotorua and recently observed improvements in water quality suggest that the lake could be transitioning to a more phosphorus limited state. Determination of phytoplankton nutrient limitation in Lake Rotorua was identified as a priority through the 2017 Plan Change 10 Science Review. An initial seasonal nutrient limitation study was carried out in 2019 with nutrient limitation assays conducted at 3-monthly intervals over the course of the year. Nitrogen limitation was indicated for the March assay and nutrient co-limitation for the December period, but results for the winter and spring periods were inconclusive. There has also been increasing recognition that nutrient availability in limnetic systems may vary in response to seasonal changes in external and external loading and even to isolated storm events. 
The University of Waikato was contracted to investigate potential changes in nutrient limitation within Lake Rotorua at sub-monthly time-scales, and to determine if alum dose rates could be optimised to take advantage of periods of phosphorus limitation. Phytoplankton nutrient limitation growth assays were conducted on a fortnightly basis from mid-October 2020 to May 2021. In addition to determination of lake surface nutrient and chlorophyll a concentrations, triplicate 1 L phytoplankton samples were spiked with either phosphorus (0.1 mg-P L⁻¹), nitrogen (1 mg-N L⁻¹) or phosphorus (0.1 mg-P L⁻¹) and nitrogen (1 mg-N L⁻¹) and incubated for 5-days under a single light intensity of 100 μmol m⁻²s⁻¹ PAR at lake surface temperature and photoperiod. Phytoplankton growth responses were measured as comparative chlorophyll a, comparative biomass and net biomass growth. Summarised results from the 16 assays along with the predicted nutrient state from the stoichiometric mass ratio of TN:TP are presented in the table below. 
Under the test conditions nitrogen limitation was indicated for most of the summer months (December–March) and nutrient co-limitation during the spring and late autumn. Only short (~2 weeks) periods of P-limitation were observed, one of which was associated with an intensive storm event at the end of March. These seasonal fluctuations in nitrogen and phosphorus supply are similar to those observed in other temperate limnetic systems. In the spring, external nitrogen and phosphorus loading is high, then decline in the summer as rainfall and associated inflows wane. During the summer, internal loading becomes more important in polymictic lakes due to repeated internal nutrient cycling from stratification and mixing events. This results in phosphorus limitation in the spring, transitioning to nitrogen limitation or colimitation (primarily nitrogen) in the summer, and then returning to phosphorus/colimitation during the winter due to increased nitrogen-loading from the catchment from increased catchment discharge. 
Due to the modest periods of phosphorus limitation indicated by the assays, there appears to be little potential for optimisation of alum dose rates in order capitalise on natural periods of phosphorus limitation. Further, changes in phytoplankton community composition and abundance appear to be more strongly driven by physical environmental factors such as temperature, light and wind speed, than nutrient availability. Although alum dosing is effective in removing DRP from the Utuhina and Puarenga inflows, its assumed effectiveness in reducing internal phosphorus loading in Lake Rotorua requires further evaluation.

year: 2022