title: Environmental effects of the Manganui ski field, Mt Taranaki/Egmont

authors: Efford, Jackson Tai

abstract: During May 2012, the environmental effects of the Manganui ski field were examined. Permanent quadrats first established in 1974 to monitor vegetation changes were re-measured, vegetation mapping was conducted, modifications to ground form and drainage were identified, soil compaction was examined, and stream water from the ski field catchment was tested for nutrient enrichment. This report focusses primarily on the lower Manganui ski field, as the upper Manganui ski field consists mostly of unmodified herbfield or gravelfield, protected by a sufficient snow base over the winter months. The lower Manganui ski field has a long history of modification spanning from the early 1900s. Vegetation types mapped on the lower field included unmown tussockfield, mown tussock-herbfield, shrubland and exotics. The re-measurement of vegetation in permanent quadrats on the lower field suggests that since the last re-measurement in 1994, several exotic species have increased in cover, including Carex ovalis, Poa annua, and Agrostis capillaris (percentage cover increases of up to 46.6%, 42.0% and 20.7% respectively). Vegetation mapping and historic photographs indicate that the lower ski field sits within the elevational belt of shrubland vegetation, little of which remains due to regular mowing conducted on the field since 1947. Shrubs which have been largely excluded from the field through mowing include Brachyglottis elaeagnifolius, Hebe odora, Ozothamnus vauvilliersii, Dracophyllum filifolium, Pseudopanax colensoi, Raukaua simplex and Hebe stricta var. egmontiana. Areas of the ski field dominated by exotic vegetation were predominantly associated with historic culvert construction and rock dynamiting. Compaction by machinery was confined to the sensitive mossfield area at the base of the lower field.

text: Environmental effects of the Manganui ski field, Mt Taranaki/Egmont During May 2012, the environmental effects of the Manganui ski field were examined. Permanent quadrats first established in 1974 to monitor vegetation changes were re-measured, vegetation mapping was conducted, modifications to ground form and drainage were identified, soil compaction was examined, and stream water from the ski field catchment was tested for nutrient enrichment. This report focusses primarily on the lower Manganui ski field, as the upper Manganui ski field consists mostly of unmodified herbfield or gravelfield, protected by a sufficient snow base over the winter months. The lower Manganui ski field has a long history of modification spanning from the early 1900s. Vegetation types mapped on the lower field included unmown tussockfield, mown tussock-herbfield, shrubland and exotics. The re-measurement of vegetation in permanent quadrats on the lower field suggests that since the last re-measurement in 1994, several exotic species have increased in cover, including Carex ovalis, Poa annua, and Agrostis capillaris (percentage cover increases of up to 46.6%, 42.0% and 20.7% respectively). Vegetation mapping and historic photographs indicate that the lower ski field sits within the elevational belt of shrubland vegetation, little of which remains due to regular mowing conducted on the field since 1947. Shrubs which have been largely excluded from the field through mowing include Brachyglottis elaeagnifolius, Hebe odora, Ozothamnus vauvilliersii, Dracophyllum filifolium, Pseudopanax colensoi, Raukaua simplex and Hebe stricta var. egmontiana. Areas of the ski field dominated by exotic vegetation were predominantly associated with historic culvert construction and rock dynamiting. Compaction by machinery was confined to the sensitive mossfield area at the base of the lower field.

year: 2012

title: Evaluation of two Compton camera models for scintimammography

authors: Uche, Chibueze Zimuzo

subjects: Compton camera

abstract: We study the performance of a Si/LaBr3:Ce Compton camera model for scintimammography, and compare it with a Si/NaI(Tl) model of similar geometry. The GEANT4 simulation toolkit was used to study the behaviour of the cameras at 511 keV. Certain simulation steps, such as the modelling of radionuclide decay times, scintillation photon transport and interactions with photomultipliers, as well as detector dead time corrections were included to make the modelling of the cameras more realistic than previous studies. The Si/LaBr3:Ce Compton camera shows superior efficiency of 2.0×10⁻³ and resolution of 5.3 mm over the Si/NaI(Tl) Compton camera model which has the efficiency of 1.6×10⁻³ and resolution of 6.9 mm at a source-to-scatterer distance of interest, 2.5 cm. A similar result sequence is obtained for two breast tumours of 5 mm diameter embedded in the medial region of an average-size breast phantom of thickness 5 cm. Notably, the signal-to-noise ratios (SNR) obtained for the Si/LaBr3:Ce camera are 9.7 and 3.4 for tumour/background radiation uptakes of 10:1 and 6:1, whereas 6.8 and 2.4 were obtained for the Si/NaI(Tl) camera model for the same tumour/background radiation uptakes respectively. It is therefore envisioned that with lower cost, LaBr3:Ce could replace NaI(Tl) as the Compton camera absorber.

text: Evaluation of two Compton camera models for scintimammography We study the performance of a Si/LaBr3:Ce Compton camera model for scintimammography, and compare it with a Si/NaI(Tl) model of similar geometry. The GEANT4 simulation toolkit was used to study the behaviour of the cameras at 511 keV. Certain simulation steps, such as the modelling of radionuclide decay times, scintillation photon transport and interactions with photomultipliers, as well as detector dead time corrections were included to make the modelling of the cameras more realistic than previous studies. The Si/LaBr3:Ce Compton camera shows superior efficiency of 2.0×10⁻³ and resolution of 5.3 mm over the Si/NaI(Tl) Compton camera model which has the efficiency of 1.6×10⁻³ and resolution of 6.9 mm at a source-to-scatterer distance of interest, 2.5 cm. A similar result sequence is obtained for two breast tumours of 5 mm diameter embedded in the medial region of an average-size breast phantom of thickness 5 cm. Notably, the signal-to-noise ratios (SNR) obtained for the Si/LaBr3:Ce camera are 9.7 and 3.4 for tumour/background radiation uptakes of 10:1 and 6:1, whereas 6.8 and 2.4 were obtained for the Si/NaI(Tl) camera model for the same tumour/background radiation uptakes respectively. It is therefore envisioned that with lower cost, LaBr3:Ce could replace NaI(Tl) as the Compton camera absorber.

year: 2011

title: Akoranga whakarei: Learning about inclusion from four kura rumaki

authors: Berryman, Mere

subjects: Special education

abstract: In 2004 the New Zealand Ministry of Education proposed two research projects to understand how learning, social and cultural outcomes were being promoted for tamariki and rangatahi Māori with special educational needs in both kura auraki (English-medium schools) and kura rumaki (Māori-medium schools). 1hey also wanted to understand how this played out for other whānau members. At the time, a description of the services being promoted for Māori with special education needs acknowledged the philosophy that "tamariki and rangatahi with special needs and their whānau learn effectively through the provision of culturally competent services, which will ensure mana and tikanga are upheld" (Ministry of Education, 2003, p. 56). 
This chapter will briefly describe how this research was undertaken in kura rumaki and then discuss the findings that emerged. Perhaps not surprisingly, it will show that the staff from the kura who participated in this study, as with all of their students and whānau, had a very holistic and inclusive view of educating all tamariki and rangatahi, especially those with identified special education needs. The conclusion will consider some of the implications of these findings for others and propose that these research outcomes maintain relevance in 2014, a decade later.

text: Akoranga whakarei: Learning about inclusion from four kura rumaki In 2004 the New Zealand Ministry of Education proposed two research projects to understand how learning, social and cultural outcomes were being promoted for tamariki and rangatahi Māori with special educational needs in both kura auraki (English-medium schools) and kura rumaki (Māori-medium schools). 1hey also wanted to understand how this played out for other whānau members. At the time, a description of the services being promoted for Māori with special education needs acknowledged the philosophy that "tamariki and rangatahi with special needs and their whānau learn effectively through the provision of culturally competent services, which will ensure mana and tikanga are upheld" (Ministry of Education, 2003, p. 56). 
This chapter will briefly describe how this research was undertaken in kura rumaki and then discuss the findings that emerged. Perhaps not surprisingly, it will show that the staff from the kura who participated in this study, as with all of their students and whānau, had a very holistic and inclusive view of educating all tamariki and rangatahi, especially those with identified special education needs. The conclusion will consider some of the implications of these findings for others and propose that these research outcomes maintain relevance in 2014, a decade later.

year: 2015