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

title: Putting it in there: "PSYC575 Indigenous Psychologies" as a for-credit university paper in New Zealand

authors: Waitoki, Waikaremoana

abstract: Over the past 30 years, scholar advocates have sparked the emergence of indigenous psychology as an important contribution to understanding the experiences and challenges faced by indigenous peoples. Part of this exercise is to also bring indigenous knowledges to the learning table as critical information for meaning making and resolving psychological challenges. Increasingly, academics are writing and teaching papers in the fledgling field as important and legitimate contributions for undergraduate and graduate degree credit. Previously, students and academics were confined to the more flexible research driven, directed-learning, study options rather than papers explicitly advertised and institutionally promoted. In this paper, we discuss how we are going about writing the curricula for a graduate level paper called "Indigenous Psychologies" to be offered in 2016 at the University of Waikato, New Zealand. We discuss a) principles that guide curricula decision-making; b) the programme of lecture topics developed; and c) finding and developing supporting resources. We welcome conversation and resource sharing.

text: Putting it in there: "PSYC575 Indigenous Psychologies" as a for-credit university paper in New Zealand Over the past 30 years, scholar advocates have sparked the emergence of indigenous psychology as an important contribution to understanding the experiences and challenges faced by indigenous peoples. Part of this exercise is to also bring indigenous knowledges to the learning table as critical information for meaning making and resolving psychological challenges. Increasingly, academics are writing and teaching papers in the fledgling field as important and legitimate contributions for undergraduate and graduate degree credit. Previously, students and academics were confined to the more flexible research driven, directed-learning, study options rather than papers explicitly advertised and institutionally promoted. In this paper, we discuss how we are going about writing the curricula for a graduate level paper called "Indigenous Psychologies" to be offered in 2016 at the University of Waikato, New Zealand. We discuss a) principles that guide curricula decision-making; b) the programme of lecture topics developed; and c) finding and developing supporting resources. We welcome conversation and resource sharing.

year: 2015

title: Retaining the authentic self in the workplace: Authenticity and work engagement in the mass-service industries

authors: Sharp, Lisa Karen Peden

subjects: authenticity

abstract: This research explored the association between authenticity and work engagement within the customer service context of mass-service industries. Authenticity in customer service workers is usually considered detrimental to organisational aims for a consistent standard of good service. However, research which finds that acting the service-persona is associated with emotional exhaustion and cynicism in workers (Brotheridge & Lee, 2002), while authenticity is related to positive customer-outcomes (Bujisic, Wu, Mattila, & Bilgihan, 2014), suggests that authenticity may enhance the experience of service for workers, and their customers, to provide for sustained competitive advantage. In the present research, I sought to examine the relationship between the degree of authenticity that employees use in their interaction with customers, and their experience of work engagement. Mass-service refers to a sector of the service industry modelled on mass-production. Contrary to principles for work engagement, workers in customer service roles within mass-service, usually repeat a small range of tasks with very little variation or autonomy. One hundred and forty service employees in petrol stations, fast food outlets, supermarkets, and in general retail responded to a survey measuring the extent to which they felt authentic, used surface acting and deep acting, their state of self-efficacy, feelings of personal accomplishment, and work engagement. Results revealed a positive relationship between authenticity and work engagement. Surface acting emerged as a less authentic approach to service than deep acting, however, deep acting was not strongly related to authenticity. Personal accomplishment strongly moderated associations with work engagement. Overall, results suggest that an authentic approach to interaction with customers and a sense of personal accomplishment are important to work engagement in mass-service workers. Findings support the promotion of authenticity in the workplace, as well as providing opportunities for workers to obtain a sense of accomplishment. Practical implications for the integration of authenticity into the customer service context, such as greater job autonomy and training customer service employees in the beneficial use of personality within the service-role, are discussed.

text: Retaining the authentic self in the workplace: Authenticity and work engagement in the mass-service industries This research explored the association between authenticity and work engagement within the customer service context of mass-service industries. Authenticity in customer service workers is usually considered detrimental to organisational aims for a consistent standard of good service. However, research which finds that acting the service-persona is associated with emotional exhaustion and cynicism in workers (Brotheridge & Lee, 2002), while authenticity is related to positive customer-outcomes (Bujisic, Wu, Mattila, & Bilgihan, 2014), suggests that authenticity may enhance the experience of service for workers, and their customers, to provide for sustained competitive advantage. In the present research, I sought to examine the relationship between the degree of authenticity that employees use in their interaction with customers, and their experience of work engagement. Mass-service refers to a sector of the service industry modelled on mass-production. Contrary to principles for work engagement, workers in customer service roles within mass-service, usually repeat a small range of tasks with very little variation or autonomy. One hundred and forty service employees in petrol stations, fast food outlets, supermarkets, and in general retail responded to a survey measuring the extent to which they felt authentic, used surface acting and deep acting, their state of self-efficacy, feelings of personal accomplishment, and work engagement. Results revealed a positive relationship between authenticity and work engagement. Surface acting emerged as a less authentic approach to service than deep acting, however, deep acting was not strongly related to authenticity. Personal accomplishment strongly moderated associations with work engagement. Overall, results suggest that an authentic approach to interaction with customers and a sense of personal accomplishment are important to work engagement in mass-service workers. Findings support the promotion of authenticity in the workplace, as well as providing opportunities for workers to obtain a sense of accomplishment. Practical implications for the integration of authenticity into the customer service context, such as greater job autonomy and training customer service employees in the beneficial use of personality within the service-role, are discussed.

year: 2015