title: Gossypol's effects on ingestive behaviour in mice: The first step in a systematic process to define gossypol's suitability for use in murine pest management

authors: Churchill, Geoff

subjects: Gossypol

abstract: Gossypol, synthesised by the cotton plant, Gossypium, causes physiological and behavioural changes in mammals, suggesting it may be suitable for murine pest management. One of the most under-studied responses to gossypol, especially in the house mouse, Mus musculus, is its effect on ingestive behaviour, with some authors reporting anorexia and others observing no effect on energy metabolism. Importantly, there has been no systematic analysis of gossypol’s effect on food intake in mice. Therefore, the goal of this thesis was to provide the initial step in defining gossypol’s effect on feeding behaviour in mice by observing their responses after exposure to precise doses of gossypol delivered via injection. Mice underwent two injection intraperitoneal (IP) paradigms; acute and chronic (11 daily injections) exposures to 0 (vehicle), 10, 30, 100 and 300 mg/kg b.wt., and 0 (vehicle) and 100 mg/kg b.wt. respectively. The intakes of bland (chow) and palatable tastants were measured during the acute exposure. An increase in chow intake was observed at 1 and 3 hr post-exposure with 300 mg/kg b.wt. dose. An increase in glucose intake was also observed in mice injected with 100 mg/kg b.wt. at 1 and 12 hr post-exposure. Neither of these hyperphagia responses showed a complementary increase in body weight. During the chronic exposure, body weight and chow intake were measured throughout the injection period and on select days of the 40 day post-exposure period. While there was no difference in food intake and body weight during the gossypol exposure, on day 10 post-exposure, food intake had increased by 50% and was still elevated on day 40, but no differences in body weight were noted. To examine whether this increase in food intake was an effect of a long-term anxiogenic response associated with a likely post-exposure malaise, several anxiety assessment tests were performed, showing no change. This thesis shows that gossypol affects feeding behaviour in mice. Interestingly, no anorexigenic effect was observed, but in fact moderate hyperphagia without changes in body weight was shown in both acute and chronic paradigms. The data from this thesis can be built upon with future studies using oral administration to develop the understanding of this important aspect of gossypol and to more precisely determine gossypol’s suitability for enhancing murine pest management.

text: Gossypol's effects on ingestive behaviour in mice: The first step in a systematic process to define gossypol's suitability for use in murine pest management Gossypol, synthesised by the cotton plant, Gossypium, causes physiological and behavioural changes in mammals, suggesting it may be suitable for murine pest management. One of the most under-studied responses to gossypol, especially in the house mouse, Mus musculus, is its effect on ingestive behaviour, with some authors reporting anorexia and others observing no effect on energy metabolism. Importantly, there has been no systematic analysis of gossypol’s effect on food intake in mice. Therefore, the goal of this thesis was to provide the initial step in defining gossypol’s effect on feeding behaviour in mice by observing their responses after exposure to precise doses of gossypol delivered via injection. Mice underwent two injection intraperitoneal (IP) paradigms; acute and chronic (11 daily injections) exposures to 0 (vehicle), 10, 30, 100 and 300 mg/kg b.wt., and 0 (vehicle) and 100 mg/kg b.wt. respectively. The intakes of bland (chow) and palatable tastants were measured during the acute exposure. An increase in chow intake was observed at 1 and 3 hr post-exposure with 300 mg/kg b.wt. dose. An increase in glucose intake was also observed in mice injected with 100 mg/kg b.wt. at 1 and 12 hr post-exposure. Neither of these hyperphagia responses showed a complementary increase in body weight. During the chronic exposure, body weight and chow intake were measured throughout the injection period and on select days of the 40 day post-exposure period. While there was no difference in food intake and body weight during the gossypol exposure, on day 10 post-exposure, food intake had increased by 50% and was still elevated on day 40, but no differences in body weight were noted. To examine whether this increase in food intake was an effect of a long-term anxiogenic response associated with a likely post-exposure malaise, several anxiety assessment tests were performed, showing no change. This thesis shows that gossypol affects feeding behaviour in mice. Interestingly, no anorexigenic effect was observed, but in fact moderate hyperphagia without changes in body weight was shown in both acute and chronic paradigms. The data from this thesis can be built upon with future studies using oral administration to develop the understanding of this important aspect of gossypol and to more precisely determine gossypol’s suitability for enhancing murine pest management.

year: 2014

title: An overview of natural hazard planning in the Pacific Island region

authors: Campbell, John

subjects: Pacific Islands

abstract: PICs are exposed to a wide range of natural hazards. Despite this it appears that traditionally communities coped relatively well and in many ways Pacific community remain remarkably resilient, especially in rural areas. Nevertheless, colonialism resulted in the decline of many activities that contributed to resilience. This was reinforced by the provision of disaster relief which has intensified in the post-colonial era. In this same period regional activities and steps by newly independent countries have seen the development of solid institutional arrangements for disaster management (mostly in the form of preparedness planning). However, measures to reduce disaster losses by incorporating risk reduction into national planning activities and decision-making have received little support to date from national governments. At the same time urbanisation is increasing rapidly in many PICs, but there has been a low level of implementation of effective urban planning and management, let alone disaster risk management. Moves are being made at the regional level to address these problems but are at an early stage.

text: An overview of natural hazard planning in the Pacific Island region PICs are exposed to a wide range of natural hazards. Despite this it appears that traditionally communities coped relatively well and in many ways Pacific community remain remarkably resilient, especially in rural areas. Nevertheless, colonialism resulted in the decline of many activities that contributed to resilience. This was reinforced by the provision of disaster relief which has intensified in the post-colonial era. In this same period regional activities and steps by newly independent countries have seen the development of solid institutional arrangements for disaster management (mostly in the form of preparedness planning). However, measures to reduce disaster losses by incorporating risk reduction into national planning activities and decision-making have received little support to date from national governments. At the same time urbanisation is increasing rapidly in many PICs, but there has been a low level of implementation of effective urban planning and management, let alone disaster risk management. Moves are being made at the regional level to address these problems but are at an early stage.

year: 2010

title: Worlded object and its presentation: A Māori philosophy of language

authors: Mika, Carl Te Hira

abstract: In an era concerned with the survival of Indigenous languages, language as a general phenomenon needs to be thought of as thoroughly connected to one’s worldview. In this article, I propose a different conception of language that sides more with what I call ‘the worlding of things’ than linguistics. To foreshadow my speculations on language, I consider the possibility that, within the representation of one entity in perception, there exist all other entities. An entity is hence ‘worlded’—a key aspect of the term ‘whakapapa’. I then turn to think about language as a general phenomenon for Mäori, and its complex ability to world an entity even as it adumbrates that thing’s backdrop. I consider the verb ‘to be’ in that light, arguing that Mäori identify language as a sort of gathering of entities rather than an instrument for singling out one thing as thoroughly and separably evident. This article is therefore as much about the full participation of the world as it is about language; it also aims to counter the belief that language is merely a conveyor of ideas.

text: Worlded object and its presentation: A Māori philosophy of language In an era concerned with the survival of Indigenous languages, language as a general phenomenon needs to be thought of as thoroughly connected to one’s worldview. In this article, I propose a different conception of language that sides more with what I call ‘the worlding of things’ than linguistics. To foreshadow my speculations on language, I consider the possibility that, within the representation of one entity in perception, there exist all other entities. An entity is hence ‘worlded’—a key aspect of the term ‘whakapapa’. I then turn to think about language as a general phenomenon for Mäori, and its complex ability to world an entity even as it adumbrates that thing’s backdrop. I consider the verb ‘to be’ in that light, arguing that Mäori identify language as a sort of gathering of entities rather than an instrument for singling out one thing as thoroughly and separably evident. This article is therefore as much about the full participation of the world as it is about language; it also aims to counter the belief that language is merely a conveyor of ideas.

year: 2016