title: Tutors' Voice: Future Directions?

authors: Zalipour, Arezou

abstract: Little did I guess when I started tutoring at the University of Waikato in 2012 and later when I was given the role of Tutor Support person at TDU last July, that there was no institutionally required formal training for those who choose to work as tutors, sessional assistants, lab demonstrators or similar titles. I was coming from a strong teaching and research background as I previously held the position of senior lecturer at several international and public universities overseas, which meant I had the skills, knowledge and experience required to tutor when I was given a tutoring role. Later, in the course of speaking to tutors and listening to their voices across several meetings and workshops in the past months as part of my teaching developer position at TDU, I came to realise that tutors vary immensely not only in their perceptions of a ‘tutor’s role’, but also in the level of teaching experience and communication skills they are required to have to take up the job. Their positions also differ in terms of the support provided for them by course conveners and departments across the University. In the past months, I have also explored the tutor-convener relationship and working protocol in terms of support and advice tutors would need and are actually offered, and was not surprised to arrive at a similar degree of variation in what is happening across programmes and faculties at the University of Waikato. What follows is based on my observation in the last few years and also conversations with various individuals across the University in the past months.

text: Tutors' Voice: Future Directions? Little did I guess when I started tutoring at the University of Waikato in 2012 and later when I was given the role of Tutor Support person at TDU last July, that there was no institutionally required formal training for those who choose to work as tutors, sessional assistants, lab demonstrators or similar titles. I was coming from a strong teaching and research background as I previously held the position of senior lecturer at several international and public universities overseas, which meant I had the skills, knowledge and experience required to tutor when I was given a tutoring role. Later, in the course of speaking to tutors and listening to their voices across several meetings and workshops in the past months as part of my teaching developer position at TDU, I came to realise that tutors vary immensely not only in their perceptions of a ‘tutor’s role’, but also in the level of teaching experience and communication skills they are required to have to take up the job. Their positions also differ in terms of the support provided for them by course conveners and departments across the University. In the past months, I have also explored the tutor-convener relationship and working protocol in terms of support and advice tutors would need and are actually offered, and was not surprised to arrive at a similar degree of variation in what is happening across programmes and faculties at the University of Waikato. What follows is based on my observation in the last few years and also conversations with various individuals across the University in the past months.

year: 2015-10-13

title: An eco-profile of thermoplastic protein derived from blood meal Part 1: allocation issues

authors: Bier, James Michael

subjects: Allocation

abstract: Purpose
A renewable thermoplastic called Novatein Thermoplastic Protein (NTP) has been developed from blood meal—a low-value by-product of the meat processing industry. The aim of this research was to develop a non-renewable energy and greenhouse gas emission eco-profile for cradle to gate production of NTP. Environmental impacts of supplying blood meal as a raw material were investigated using different allocation methods for farming and blood meal production. These included mass, economic, treating low-value by-products as waste and system expansion by substitution. In part 2, the entire system will be analysed on a cradle to gate basis and include the production of thermoplastic (NTP).
Methods
A theoretical NTP production facility was analysed for non-renewable primary energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. Data for feedstocks and process steps were obtained from published papers, government agency reports and engineering models. Mass and economic allocation models treating low-value by-products as waste and substitution were applied, and a sensitivity analysis was used to evaluate the impact of different methods of allocation on environmental impact.
Results and discussion
Non-renewable energy use in blood meal production varied between 5 (substitution) and 38 MJ (simple mass allocation) per kg of NTP. Greenhouse gas emissions varied between 0.4 (substitution), or even less if the biogenic carbon content is considered a credit, and 14 kg (mass allocation) CO2e per kg NTP.
Conclusions
It was concluded that both mass allocation and a waste assumption should be considered for the cradle to gate system. Mass allocation is common in other attributional studies and allows for a more transparent comparison. The most appropriate treatment of allocation in an attributional profile was to consider blood as a waste with regard to farming and meat processing, but include blood drying. This takes into account the motivations for farming and meat processing, but also recognises that there are other treatment options for blood that do not produce blood meal used in manufacturing NTP. This would allow NTP to be compared to other bioplastics as well as identifying hot spots in its cradle to gate production. It was also anticipated that results may be adapted in future cradle to grave assessments as product systems are developed.

text: An eco-profile of thermoplastic protein derived from blood meal Part 1: allocation issues Purpose
A renewable thermoplastic called Novatein Thermoplastic Protein (NTP) has been developed from blood meal—a low-value by-product of the meat processing industry. The aim of this research was to develop a non-renewable energy and greenhouse gas emission eco-profile for cradle to gate production of NTP. Environmental impacts of supplying blood meal as a raw material were investigated using different allocation methods for farming and blood meal production. These included mass, economic, treating low-value by-products as waste and system expansion by substitution. In part 2, the entire system will be analysed on a cradle to gate basis and include the production of thermoplastic (NTP).
Methods
A theoretical NTP production facility was analysed for non-renewable primary energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. Data for feedstocks and process steps were obtained from published papers, government agency reports and engineering models. Mass and economic allocation models treating low-value by-products as waste and substitution were applied, and a sensitivity analysis was used to evaluate the impact of different methods of allocation on environmental impact.
Results and discussion
Non-renewable energy use in blood meal production varied between 5 (substitution) and 38 MJ (simple mass allocation) per kg of NTP. Greenhouse gas emissions varied between 0.4 (substitution), or even less if the biogenic carbon content is considered a credit, and 14 kg (mass allocation) CO2e per kg NTP.
Conclusions
It was concluded that both mass allocation and a waste assumption should be considered for the cradle to gate system. Mass allocation is common in other attributional studies and allows for a more transparent comparison. The most appropriate treatment of allocation in an attributional profile was to consider blood as a waste with regard to farming and meat processing, but include blood drying. This takes into account the motivations for farming and meat processing, but also recognises that there are other treatment options for blood that do not produce blood meal used in manufacturing NTP. This would allow NTP to be compared to other bioplastics as well as identifying hot spots in its cradle to gate production. It was also anticipated that results may be adapted in future cradle to grave assessments as product systems are developed.

year: 2011

title: Investigation of in vitro diabetic inflammation and  treatment with Piper excelsum tea extract

authors: Harvey, Savannah

subjects: Piper excelsum

abstract: Induction of inflammation through hyperglycaemia and adiposity has been shown to contribute to the pathogenicity of type 2 diabetes (T2D). The pro-inflammatory cytokine, tumour necrosis factor α (TNF-α) was the first cytokine found to bridge the connection between the immune system and T2D. This was found due to its increased production in the disease state. TNF-α has specifically been linked to the onset of insulin resistance in T2D models. Evidence has shown that heat shock protein 60 (HSP60) may also play a role as a danger signal for the immune system as it can result in the induction of inflammation. Currently, there are no pharmaceutical options for T2D patients which target inflammation. Tea made from the leaves of kawakawa (Piper excelsum) has been used for many generations by Māori as a traditional rākau rongoā (traditional medicine) to treat a range of ailments including inflammation. The aim of this project was to investigate the modulation of inflammation using a commercially available kawakawa tea in human cancer cells in vitro. 

This project involved measuring the growth rate, cytotoxicity, TNF-α production and HSP60 expression upon exposure to three treatments: high glucose, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or kawakawa tea extract (KTE).

This study showed that a high concentration of KTE (1000 µg/mL) inhibited cell growth in both HEPG2 and HeLa cell lines. Cells treated with this concentration also showed typical morphological signs of apoptosis. Cytotoxicity testing confirmed that there was a significant (p <0.05) decrease in mitochondrial dehydrogenase activity for this treatment which confirmed the cells were likely dying through apoptosis. Over a course of 24-hours three LPS treatments were found to be cytotoxic. These were the 10 ng/mL, 10 µg/mL, and 100 µg/mL concentrations of LPS. After 48-hours all treatments apart from 100 µg/mL KTE treatment were also found to be cytotoxic. The cytotoxicity for these treatments was either due to a reduction in mitochondrial dehydrogenase activity (infers mitochondrial stress) or increased lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release from cells (infers necrotic cell death). These cytotoxicity experiments allowed for identification of which concentrations should be selected or removed for future experiments. 

Cytotoxicity levels were taken into consideration and experiments were run investigating the induction of TNF-α using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). Issues regarding negative readings from samples arose which resulted in protocol changes and extensive trouble shooting. It was found that extended exposure times were required to attenuate a positive result from the positive control, LPS. 

HSP60 expression was also measured for human cells exposed to high glucose and KTE treatments. No change in HSP60 expression was detected. However, 24-hour LPS exposure resulted in a significant increase in HSP60 expression compared to the control for the 100 ng/mL LPS treatment. Two concentrations were investigated; 100 ng/mL LPS and 100 µg/mL LPS which resulted in 1.4- and 2.1-fold increases compared to the control, respectively.

Overall, no conclusion could be drawn regarding the modulation of inflammation by KTE. However, this study was able to identify the effect the tea has on human cancer cell growth and the nature of cytotoxicity the tea poses to the cells. It is recommended to continue this research exploring different kawakawa tea blends and using alternative in vitro cell lines and whole animal models.

text: Investigation of in vitro diabetic inflammation and  treatment with Piper excelsum tea extract Induction of inflammation through hyperglycaemia and adiposity has been shown to contribute to the pathogenicity of type 2 diabetes (T2D). The pro-inflammatory cytokine, tumour necrosis factor α (TNF-α) was the first cytokine found to bridge the connection between the immune system and T2D. This was found due to its increased production in the disease state. TNF-α has specifically been linked to the onset of insulin resistance in T2D models. Evidence has shown that heat shock protein 60 (HSP60) may also play a role as a danger signal for the immune system as it can result in the induction of inflammation. Currently, there are no pharmaceutical options for T2D patients which target inflammation. Tea made from the leaves of kawakawa (Piper excelsum) has been used for many generations by Māori as a traditional rākau rongoā (traditional medicine) to treat a range of ailments including inflammation. The aim of this project was to investigate the modulation of inflammation using a commercially available kawakawa tea in human cancer cells in vitro. 

This project involved measuring the growth rate, cytotoxicity, TNF-α production and HSP60 expression upon exposure to three treatments: high glucose, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or kawakawa tea extract (KTE).

This study showed that a high concentration of KTE (1000 µg/mL) inhibited cell growth in both HEPG2 and HeLa cell lines. Cells treated with this concentration also showed typical morphological signs of apoptosis. Cytotoxicity testing confirmed that there was a significant (p <0.05) decrease in mitochondrial dehydrogenase activity for this treatment which confirmed the cells were likely dying through apoptosis. Over a course of 24-hours three LPS treatments were found to be cytotoxic. These were the 10 ng/mL, 10 µg/mL, and 100 µg/mL concentrations of LPS. After 48-hours all treatments apart from 100 µg/mL KTE treatment were also found to be cytotoxic. The cytotoxicity for these treatments was either due to a reduction in mitochondrial dehydrogenase activity (infers mitochondrial stress) or increased lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release from cells (infers necrotic cell death). These cytotoxicity experiments allowed for identification of which concentrations should be selected or removed for future experiments. 

Cytotoxicity levels were taken into consideration and experiments were run investigating the induction of TNF-α using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). Issues regarding negative readings from samples arose which resulted in protocol changes and extensive trouble shooting. It was found that extended exposure times were required to attenuate a positive result from the positive control, LPS. 

HSP60 expression was also measured for human cells exposed to high glucose and KTE treatments. No change in HSP60 expression was detected. However, 24-hour LPS exposure resulted in a significant increase in HSP60 expression compared to the control for the 100 ng/mL LPS treatment. Two concentrations were investigated; 100 ng/mL LPS and 100 µg/mL LPS which resulted in 1.4- and 2.1-fold increases compared to the control, respectively.

Overall, no conclusion could be drawn regarding the modulation of inflammation by KTE. However, this study was able to identify the effect the tea has on human cancer cell growth and the nature of cytotoxicity the tea poses to the cells. It is recommended to continue this research exploring different kawakawa tea blends and using alternative in vitro cell lines and whole animal models.

year: 2021