title: Embodied ways of knowing: Revisiting feminist epistemology

authors: Barbour, Karen

abstract: Feminist scholarship has developed a focus on articulating alternative women’s ways of knowing and validating women’s experiences. The focus of my feminist interest in epistemology began with my attempt to understand my role as knower, and to contribute to the development of multiple and alternative “knowledges”. Key critiques of Western epistemology and dualistic ontology informed the development of feminist and phenomenological understandings of embodiment and embodied ways of knowing. Feminist writing about women’s movement experiences, considering the examples of throwing a ball, climbing, long-distance running and rowing, all offered contributions to alternative knowledges. In particular, through embodied ways of knowing as a dancer, I hope to offer insights relevant to other embodied practitioners in sport, leisure and physical activity.

text: Embodied ways of knowing: Revisiting feminist epistemology Feminist scholarship has developed a focus on articulating alternative women’s ways of knowing and validating women’s experiences. The focus of my feminist interest in epistemology began with my attempt to understand my role as knower, and to contribute to the development of multiple and alternative “knowledges”. Key critiques of Western epistemology and dualistic ontology informed the development of feminist and phenomenological understandings of embodiment and embodied ways of knowing. Feminist writing about women’s movement experiences, considering the examples of throwing a ball, climbing, long-distance running and rowing, all offered contributions to alternative knowledges. In particular, through embodied ways of knowing as a dancer, I hope to offer insights relevant to other embodied practitioners in sport, leisure and physical activity.

year: 2018

title: Characterization of a novel aerobic cellulolytic thermophilic bacterium and its cellulases

authors: Huang, Xiao Ping

abstract: A taxonomic position was established for a thermophilic, cellulolytic bacterium strain COMP.A2 on the basis of both phenotypic and phylogenetic characteristics. The bacterium was a Gram-positive, aerobic endospore-forming rod. Growth was observed between 60 and 70°C, with an optimum at 65°C. The optimum pH for growth was between 6.5 and 7.5. A wide range of substrates including Avicel and Sigmacell 20 could be utilised as sole carbon and energy source at 70°C. Lactate and acetate were produced when grown on cellobiose or amorphous cellulose medium. The organism was very sensitive to antibiotics such as penicilin G, streptomycin, and neomycin. Growth was inhibited by low concentrations of agar or agarose. A preference for uptake of cellobiose over glucose as the substrate was observed in a mixture of glucose and cellobiose medium. The bacterium was unable to grow autotrophically using hydrogen and carbon dioxide. The lack of alicyclic fatty acid in the cell membrane and the neutral growth pH indicates that the strain is not a member of the genus Alicyclobacillus. The G+C content of the DNA was 62.4 mol%. The 16S rRNA sequences showed that strain COMP.A2 is phylogenetically distinct from other members of genus Bacillus and forms a cluster with the genus Alicylobacillus and two facultatively chemolithoautotrophilic hydrogen-oxidizing Bacillus species, B. tusciae and B. schlegelii. Strain COMP.A2 is tentatively proposed as a new species of a new genus, namely Caldibacillus cellulovorans gen. nov., sp. nov. on the basis of its physiological and phylogenetic characters.

Two CMCases (CMCase A and CMCase B) and one β-glucosidase have been purified from the culture filtrate of strain COMP.A2 by Phenyl-Sepharose chromatography, ion exchange chromatography and chromatofocusing. CMCase A and β-glucosidase were shown to be electrophoretically homogeneous on PAGE and SDS-PAGE. CMCase B was partially purified.

The molecular weight of CMCase A was determined to be 85.1 kDa by SDS-PAGE and 174 kDa by size-exclusion chromatography. The isoelectric point of CMCase A was 4.12. With an assay time of 10 min, CMCase A displayed highest activity at 80°C. An optimum pH for activity was in the range of pH 6.5 to 7.0. An active energy was 46.6 KJ mol⁻¹. The enzyme did not lose activity over one hour at 70°C and still possessed 83% of the original activity after three hours incubation at 70°C. The half-life at 80°C was 32 min and the thermostability was increased by the addition of bovine serum albumin. The enzyme activity was inhibited by heavy metal ions (Zn²⁺ and Hg²⁺) and the thiol-specific inhibitor p-chloromercuribenzenesulphonic acid (pCMPS). The CMCase A showed greatest hydrolytic activity on CMC and low activity on Avicel and xylan. CMCase A hydrolyses CMC or amorphous cellulose in an exo-model of action following initial and random attack. The Km value of the enzyme for CMC was 3.4 mg ml⁻¹. The enzyme cleaved cellopentaose to cellotetraose and glucose or cellotriose and cellobiose. Cellotetraose was cleaved to cellobiose. Cellotriose and cellobiose were not degraded.

The β-glucosidase was largely cell-associated. The enzyme has a molecular weight of 52.5 kDa as determin by SDS-PAGE and an isoelectric point of 4.43. With an assay time of 15 min, β-glucosidase displayed highest activity at 75°C. The enzyme showed optimum activity in the range of pH 5.5 to 7.0. An active energy was 35.4 KJ mol⁻¹. The enzyme was inhibited by the thiol-specific inhibitor pCMPS and heavy metal ions (Cd²⁺, Hg²⁺, Ag⁺). The thermostability of β-glucosidase was increased by the addition of trehalose. The half-life of β-glucosidase was less than 5 minutes at 80°C and 2.5 hours at 70°C in comparison with 24 minutes at 80°C and 11.75 hours at 70°C in the presence of trehalose. The enzyme was competitive inhibited by gluconolactone. The β-glucosidase showed very broad substrate specificity and was active against sophorose, cellobiose and pNPG with Km values of 2.0 mM, 3.4 mM and 0.36mM, respectively.

text: Characterization of a novel aerobic cellulolytic thermophilic bacterium and its cellulases A taxonomic position was established for a thermophilic, cellulolytic bacterium strain COMP.A2 on the basis of both phenotypic and phylogenetic characteristics. The bacterium was a Gram-positive, aerobic endospore-forming rod. Growth was observed between 60 and 70°C, with an optimum at 65°C. The optimum pH for growth was between 6.5 and 7.5. A wide range of substrates including Avicel and Sigmacell 20 could be utilised as sole carbon and energy source at 70°C. Lactate and acetate were produced when grown on cellobiose or amorphous cellulose medium. The organism was very sensitive to antibiotics such as penicilin G, streptomycin, and neomycin. Growth was inhibited by low concentrations of agar or agarose. A preference for uptake of cellobiose over glucose as the substrate was observed in a mixture of glucose and cellobiose medium. The bacterium was unable to grow autotrophically using hydrogen and carbon dioxide. The lack of alicyclic fatty acid in the cell membrane and the neutral growth pH indicates that the strain is not a member of the genus Alicyclobacillus. The G+C content of the DNA was 62.4 mol%. The 16S rRNA sequences showed that strain COMP.A2 is phylogenetically distinct from other members of genus Bacillus and forms a cluster with the genus Alicylobacillus and two facultatively chemolithoautotrophilic hydrogen-oxidizing Bacillus species, B. tusciae and B. schlegelii. Strain COMP.A2 is tentatively proposed as a new species of a new genus, namely Caldibacillus cellulovorans gen. nov., sp. nov. on the basis of its physiological and phylogenetic characters.

Two CMCases (CMCase A and CMCase B) and one β-glucosidase have been purified from the culture filtrate of strain COMP.A2 by Phenyl-Sepharose chromatography, ion exchange chromatography and chromatofocusing. CMCase A and β-glucosidase were shown to be electrophoretically homogeneous on PAGE and SDS-PAGE. CMCase B was partially purified.

The molecular weight of CMCase A was determined to be 85.1 kDa by SDS-PAGE and 174 kDa by size-exclusion chromatography. The isoelectric point of CMCase A was 4.12. With an assay time of 10 min, CMCase A displayed highest activity at 80°C. An optimum pH for activity was in the range of pH 6.5 to 7.0. An active energy was 46.6 KJ mol⁻¹. The enzyme did not lose activity over one hour at 70°C and still possessed 83% of the original activity after three hours incubation at 70°C. The half-life at 80°C was 32 min and the thermostability was increased by the addition of bovine serum albumin. The enzyme activity was inhibited by heavy metal ions (Zn²⁺ and Hg²⁺) and the thiol-specific inhibitor p-chloromercuribenzenesulphonic acid (pCMPS). The CMCase A showed greatest hydrolytic activity on CMC and low activity on Avicel and xylan. CMCase A hydrolyses CMC or amorphous cellulose in an exo-model of action following initial and random attack. The Km value of the enzyme for CMC was 3.4 mg ml⁻¹. The enzyme cleaved cellopentaose to cellotetraose and glucose or cellotriose and cellobiose. Cellotetraose was cleaved to cellobiose. Cellotriose and cellobiose were not degraded.

The β-glucosidase was largely cell-associated. The enzyme has a molecular weight of 52.5 kDa as determin by SDS-PAGE and an isoelectric point of 4.43. With an assay time of 15 min, β-glucosidase displayed highest activity at 75°C. The enzyme showed optimum activity in the range of pH 5.5 to 7.0. An active energy was 35.4 KJ mol⁻¹. The enzyme was inhibited by the thiol-specific inhibitor pCMPS and heavy metal ions (Cd²⁺, Hg²⁺, Ag⁺). The thermostability of β-glucosidase was increased by the addition of trehalose. The half-life of β-glucosidase was less than 5 minutes at 80°C and 2.5 hours at 70°C in comparison with 24 minutes at 80°C and 11.75 hours at 70°C in the presence of trehalose. The enzyme was competitive inhibited by gluconolactone. The β-glucosidase showed very broad substrate specificity and was active against sophorose, cellobiose and pNPG with Km values of 2.0 mM, 3.4 mM and 0.36mM, respectively.

year: 1999

title: Kei ō tātou ringa te rongoa? Is the remedy already at hand?
The assertion and application of tikanga as a valid and credible response to contemporary issues.

authors: Taitoko, Mikaere

subjects: tikanga

abstract: This thesis examines the notion that tikanga is well positioned to address issues confronting Māori and other indigenous groups who strive to achieve self-determination and the freedom to be and to do.  This work is inspired by the late John Te Rangi-āniwaniwa Rangihau’s statement, “Ko te rongoā kei roto i ō tātau ringa” (1987, p. 24), which promotes the notion that through culture and identity Māori already have within their grasp the answers to contemporary matters of import in te ao Māori.  This thesis inverts that statement and presents it as a question querying whether indeed the remedy is at hand and, if so, could tikanga and cultural identity be that remedy.  To that end this study deliberately sets out to examine if the rongoa of self-determination, power and freedom can be achieved by the assertion and application of Māori ways of being and doing, that is to say by exercising tikanga.
Understanding notions of tikanga, sovereignty, and indigeneity is pivotal to this study as is articulating the notion of third space.  This thesis argues that these four notions are interconnected when considering ideas of self-determination for disempowered groups.  A case study forms a large part of this work and focuses on an indigenous group operating from a pre-contact tupuna worldview and based on He Whakaputanga o te Rangatiratanga o Nu Tireni 1835/Declaration of Independence of New Zealand 1835.  This particular group was chosen because it presented as being a point of intersect for the four notions of tikanga, sovereignty, indigeneity and the third space.
This thesis argues that whilst tikanga is a powerful mechanism for determining and rationalising ways of being and doing it has less to offer at a pragmatic level when it comes to effecting change in the status quo.  However, when overlaid with the third space lens new perspectives can be enunciated and new opportunities detected which in turn can lead to determining new actions.  Through this study it becomes clear that the assertion and application of tikanga contributes to, but on its own is not, the whole answer.

text: Kei ō tātou ringa te rongoa? Is the remedy already at hand?
The assertion and application of tikanga as a valid and credible response to contemporary issues. This thesis examines the notion that tikanga is well positioned to address issues confronting Māori and other indigenous groups who strive to achieve self-determination and the freedom to be and to do.  This work is inspired by the late John Te Rangi-āniwaniwa Rangihau’s statement, “Ko te rongoā kei roto i ō tātau ringa” (1987, p. 24), which promotes the notion that through culture and identity Māori already have within their grasp the answers to contemporary matters of import in te ao Māori.  This thesis inverts that statement and presents it as a question querying whether indeed the remedy is at hand and, if so, could tikanga and cultural identity be that remedy.  To that end this study deliberately sets out to examine if the rongoa of self-determination, power and freedom can be achieved by the assertion and application of Māori ways of being and doing, that is to say by exercising tikanga.
Understanding notions of tikanga, sovereignty, and indigeneity is pivotal to this study as is articulating the notion of third space.  This thesis argues that these four notions are interconnected when considering ideas of self-determination for disempowered groups.  A case study forms a large part of this work and focuses on an indigenous group operating from a pre-contact tupuna worldview and based on He Whakaputanga o te Rangatiratanga o Nu Tireni 1835/Declaration of Independence of New Zealand 1835.  This particular group was chosen because it presented as being a point of intersect for the four notions of tikanga, sovereignty, indigeneity and the third space.
This thesis argues that whilst tikanga is a powerful mechanism for determining and rationalising ways of being and doing it has less to offer at a pragmatic level when it comes to effecting change in the status quo.  However, when overlaid with the third space lens new perspectives can be enunciated and new opportunities detected which in turn can lead to determining new actions.  Through this study it becomes clear that the assertion and application of tikanga contributes to, but on its own is not, the whole answer.

year: 2013