title: Heterogeneous credit impacts of healthcare spending of the poor in peri-urban areas, Vietnam: Quantile treatment effects estimation

authors: Doan, Tinh Thanh

subjects: Economics Departments

abstract: Quantile Treatment Effects are estimated to study the impacts of household credit access on health spending by poor households in one District of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. There are significant positive effects of credit on the health budget shares of households with low healthcare spending. In contrast, when an Average Treatment Effect is estimated there is no discernible impact of credit access on health spending. Hence, typical approaches to studying heterogeneous credit impacts that only consider between group differences and not differences over the distribution of outcomes may miss some heterogeneity of interest to policymakers.

text: Heterogeneous credit impacts of healthcare spending of the poor in peri-urban areas, Vietnam: Quantile treatment effects estimation Quantile Treatment Effects are estimated to study the impacts of household credit access on health spending by poor households in one District of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. There are significant positive effects of credit on the health budget shares of households with low healthcare spending. In contrast, when an Average Treatment Effect is estimated there is no discernible impact of credit access on health spending. Hence, typical approaches to studying heterogeneous credit impacts that only consider between group differences and not differences over the distribution of outcomes may miss some heterogeneity of interest to policymakers.

year: 2011-02

title: Aconitine induces prolonged seizure-like events in rat neocortical brain slices

authors: Voss, Logan J.

subjects: cerebral cortex

abstract: Aconitine effects on the hippocampal slice preparation have been well documented and include acute inhibitory and prolonged excitatory effects. To date, the effect of aconitine on neocortical activity has not been investigated. The aim of this study was to characterise the acute and long term effects of aconitine on cortical local field potential activity. Neocortical slices from juvenile Sprague–Dawley rats were perfused at room temperature with aconitine in normal artificial cerebrospinal fluid (aCSF) (n = 10). Spontaneous local field potential activity was recorded from the somatosensory cortex. The calcium dependence of aconitine-induced activity was investigated using low-calcium aCSF (n = 8). To isolate sodium and N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) channel effects, phenytoin (n = 4) and 2-amino-5-phosphono-pentanoic acid (APV) (n = 6) were co-administered with aconitine, respectively. Aconitine consistently induced a dramatic increase in population “spike” activity after prolonged (89.5 ± 36.6 min) application in normal aCSF. This activity surge was eliminated in low-calcium aCSF and when aconitine was co-administered with phenytoin and APV. The acute effects of aconitine application were variable and included an increase in the frequency of population spikes, appearance of oscillatory seizure-like activity and prolonged bursts of multiunit activity. No acute inhibitory effects were observed. Aconitine has acute and prolonged excitatory effects on neocortical activity. The latter is effected by calcium-dependent mechanisms, in keeping with known effects of aconitine on hippocampal slices. Both sodium and NMDA channels are involved in mediating the calcium-dependent aconitine effects.

text: Aconitine induces prolonged seizure-like events in rat neocortical brain slices Aconitine effects on the hippocampal slice preparation have been well documented and include acute inhibitory and prolonged excitatory effects. To date, the effect of aconitine on neocortical activity has not been investigated. The aim of this study was to characterise the acute and long term effects of aconitine on cortical local field potential activity. Neocortical slices from juvenile Sprague–Dawley rats were perfused at room temperature with aconitine in normal artificial cerebrospinal fluid (aCSF) (n = 10). Spontaneous local field potential activity was recorded from the somatosensory cortex. The calcium dependence of aconitine-induced activity was investigated using low-calcium aCSF (n = 8). To isolate sodium and N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) channel effects, phenytoin (n = 4) and 2-amino-5-phosphono-pentanoic acid (APV) (n = 6) were co-administered with aconitine, respectively. Aconitine consistently induced a dramatic increase in population “spike” activity after prolonged (89.5 ± 36.6 min) application in normal aCSF. This activity surge was eliminated in low-calcium aCSF and when aconitine was co-administered with phenytoin and APV. The acute effects of aconitine application were variable and included an increase in the frequency of population spikes, appearance of oscillatory seizure-like activity and prolonged bursts of multiunit activity. No acute inhibitory effects were observed. Aconitine has acute and prolonged excitatory effects on neocortical activity. The latter is effected by calcium-dependent mechanisms, in keeping with known effects of aconitine on hippocampal slices. Both sodium and NMDA channels are involved in mediating the calcium-dependent aconitine effects.

year: 2008

title: Changing hearts and minds: Investigating transformative praxis from participating in the Poutama Pounamu Blended Learning

authors: Maisey, Carma

subjects: Poutama Pounamu

abstract: The Poutama Pounamu Blended Learning offers a unique bicultural opportunity to critically examine ourselves within the fabric of our society. This metaphoric fabric includes an inequitable education system which was shaped by, and designed to support, an oppressive colonial agenda. Within this education system, which has methodically assimilated and underserved its indigenous Māori children, holding a mirror up to ourselves as teachers to examine our own beliefs, values and practices is absolutely critical but very rarely done. The Blended Learning’s carefully considered underpinnings of Critical and Kaupapa Māori theories provide the tools to raise consciousness. A conscientised educator can recognise, understand and deconstruct prejudice, bias and racism when it reveals itself. This process is achieved by resisting systems and practices that perpetuate the marginalisation of Māori in favour of power-balancing transformative praxis which works to value language, culture and identity as assets in education.
This thesis describes the enduring implications of participating in the Poutama Pounamu Blended Learning by focusing on a number of educators in English-Medium state schools - the very context where our Māori children struggle the most to fit in and prove their potential. These educators suggest that this is an indigenised, evidence based, transformative education reform programme which has changed their lives and the lives of many others who have participated within this project. It has empowered and liberated Māori, Pākehā and Tauiwi participants alike by modelling the nurturing and liberating cultural relationships for responsive pedagogy that all students in Aotearoa should be experiencing. This is a pedagogy which can open hearts and minds and nurture a mauri ora pathway to educational freedom and success.

text: Changing hearts and minds: Investigating transformative praxis from participating in the Poutama Pounamu Blended Learning The Poutama Pounamu Blended Learning offers a unique bicultural opportunity to critically examine ourselves within the fabric of our society. This metaphoric fabric includes an inequitable education system which was shaped by, and designed to support, an oppressive colonial agenda. Within this education system, which has methodically assimilated and underserved its indigenous Māori children, holding a mirror up to ourselves as teachers to examine our own beliefs, values and practices is absolutely critical but very rarely done. The Blended Learning’s carefully considered underpinnings of Critical and Kaupapa Māori theories provide the tools to raise consciousness. A conscientised educator can recognise, understand and deconstruct prejudice, bias and racism when it reveals itself. This process is achieved by resisting systems and practices that perpetuate the marginalisation of Māori in favour of power-balancing transformative praxis which works to value language, culture and identity as assets in education.
This thesis describes the enduring implications of participating in the Poutama Pounamu Blended Learning by focusing on a number of educators in English-Medium state schools - the very context where our Māori children struggle the most to fit in and prove their potential. These educators suggest that this is an indigenised, evidence based, transformative education reform programme which has changed their lives and the lives of many others who have participated within this project. It has empowered and liberated Māori, Pākehā and Tauiwi participants alike by modelling the nurturing and liberating cultural relationships for responsive pedagogy that all students in Aotearoa should be experiencing. This is a pedagogy which can open hearts and minds and nurture a mauri ora pathway to educational freedom and success.

year: 2022