title: Moving bodies beyond the social/biological divide: Toward theoretical and transdisciplinary adventures

authors: Thorpe, Holly Aysha

subjects: biology

abstract: In this paper I call for ‘new forms of thinking and new ways of theorizing’ the complex relations between the biological and social in sport and physical culture. I illustrate the inseparability of our biological and social bodies in sport and physical culture via the case of exercise and female reproductive hormones. Inspired by feminist biologists and philosophers of science such as Lynda Birke and Elizabeth Grosz, I describe my current research project in which I am seeking to create space for female exercisers’ (as distinct from female athletes) voices about their embodied experiences of exercise-associated amenorrhea. I offer reflections from my ongoing study and reveal a number of dilemmas that emerge as I consider how we might bring biology—and particularly hormones—back into conversations about women's moving bodies in non-reductionist and non-determinist terms. I conclude by advocating the need for more transdisciplinary approaches to help us move toward more multidimensional understandings of the body in sport and physical culture.

text: Moving bodies beyond the social/biological divide: Toward theoretical and transdisciplinary adventures In this paper I call for ‘new forms of thinking and new ways of theorizing’ the complex relations between the biological and social in sport and physical culture. I illustrate the inseparability of our biological and social bodies in sport and physical culture via the case of exercise and female reproductive hormones. Inspired by feminist biologists and philosophers of science such as Lynda Birke and Elizabeth Grosz, I describe my current research project in which I am seeking to create space for female exercisers’ (as distinct from female athletes) voices about their embodied experiences of exercise-associated amenorrhea. I offer reflections from my ongoing study and reveal a number of dilemmas that emerge as I consider how we might bring biology—and particularly hormones—back into conversations about women's moving bodies in non-reductionist and non-determinist terms. I conclude by advocating the need for more transdisciplinary approaches to help us move toward more multidimensional understandings of the body in sport and physical culture.

year: 2012

title: In vitro electrical conductivity of seizing and non-seizing mouse brain slices at 10 kHz

authors: Elbohouty, Maher

subjects: electrical conductivity

abstract: The electrical conductivity of small samples of mouse cortex (in vitro) has been measured at 10 kHz through the four-electrode method of van der Pauw. Brain slices from three mice were prepared under seizing and non-seizing conditions by changing the concentration of magnesium in the artificial cerebrospinal fluid used to maintain the tissue. These slices provided 121 square samples of cortical tissue; the conductivity of these samples was measured with an Agilent E4980A four-point impedance monitor. Of these, 73 samples were considered acceptable on the grounds of having good electrical contact between electrodes and tissue excluding outlier measurements. Results show that there is a significant difference (p = 0.03) in the conductivities of the samples under the two conditions. The seizing and non-seizing samples have mean conductivities of 0.33 and 0.36 S m⁻¹, respectively; however, these quantitative values should be used with caution as they are both subject to similar systematic uncertainties due to non-ideal temperature conditions and non-ideal placement of electrodes. We hypothesize that the difference between them, which is more robust to uncertainty, is due to the changing gap junction connectivity during seizures.

text: In vitro electrical conductivity of seizing and non-seizing mouse brain slices at 10 kHz The electrical conductivity of small samples of mouse cortex (in vitro) has been measured at 10 kHz through the four-electrode method of van der Pauw. Brain slices from three mice were prepared under seizing and non-seizing conditions by changing the concentration of magnesium in the artificial cerebrospinal fluid used to maintain the tissue. These slices provided 121 square samples of cortical tissue; the conductivity of these samples was measured with an Agilent E4980A four-point impedance monitor. Of these, 73 samples were considered acceptable on the grounds of having good electrical contact between electrodes and tissue excluding outlier measurements. Results show that there is a significant difference (p = 0.03) in the conductivities of the samples under the two conditions. The seizing and non-seizing samples have mean conductivities of 0.33 and 0.36 S m⁻¹, respectively; however, these quantitative values should be used with caution as they are both subject to similar systematic uncertainties due to non-ideal temperature conditions and non-ideal placement of electrodes. We hypothesize that the difference between them, which is more robust to uncertainty, is due to the changing gap junction connectivity during seizures.

year: 2013

title: A Way Forward for Te Reo Maori in English-Medium Education

authors: Waikari, Arihia

subjects: Maori

abstract: Aotearoa is the home of the Māori people and their language; te reo Māori. When European settlers arrived, they brought with them a new language; English. The Treaty of Waitangi was signed in 1840 and guaranteed Māori rangatiratanga (chiefly control) over their taonga, including te reo Māori. Over the years a negative language shift has occurred with many Māori moving from speaking te reo Māori to English. Although many initiatives, such as kōhanga reo were implemented in the 1980s, te reo Māori is still in a critical state. This research project is about te reo Māori experiences of both Māori and non-Māori whom were all attached to a English-medium primary school in Aotearoa/New Zealand. This study sought to understand the ways in which te reo Māori was being passed on, or not, from person to person and from one generation to the next.

text: A Way Forward for Te Reo Maori in English-Medium Education Aotearoa is the home of the Māori people and their language; te reo Māori. When European settlers arrived, they brought with them a new language; English. The Treaty of Waitangi was signed in 1840 and guaranteed Māori rangatiratanga (chiefly control) over their taonga, including te reo Māori. Over the years a negative language shift has occurred with many Māori moving from speaking te reo Māori to English. Although many initiatives, such as kōhanga reo were implemented in the 1980s, te reo Māori is still in a critical state. This research project is about te reo Māori experiences of both Māori and non-Māori whom were all attached to a English-medium primary school in Aotearoa/New Zealand. This study sought to understand the ways in which te reo Māori was being passed on, or not, from person to person and from one generation to the next.

year: 2011