title: The Chthonomonas calidirosea genome is highly conserved across geographic locations and distinct chemical and microbial environments in New Zealand's Taupo Volcanic Zone

authors: Lee, Kevin C.

abstract: Chthonomonas calidirosea T49T is a low-abundance, carbohydrate-scavenging, and thermophilic soil bacterium with a seemingly disorganized genome. We hypothesized that the C. calidirosea genome would be highly responsive to local selection pressure, resulting in the divergence of its genomic content, genome organization, and carbohydrate utilization phenotype across environments. We tested this hypothesis by sequencing the genomes of four C. calidirosea isolates obtained from four separate geothermal fields in the Taupō Volcanic Zone, New Zealand. For each isolation site, we measured physicochemical attributes and defined the associated microbial community by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Despite their ecological and geographical isolation, the genome sequences showed low divergence (maximum, 1.17%). Isolate-specific variations included single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), restriction-modification systems, and mobile elements but few major deletions and no major rearrangements. The 50-fold variation in C. calidirosea relative abundance among the four sites correlated with site environmental characteristics but not with differences in genomic content. Conversely, the carbohydrate utilization profiles of the C. calidirosea isolates corresponded to the inferred isolate phylogenies, which only partially paralleled the geographical relationships among the sample sites. Genomic sequence conservation does not entirely parallel geographic distance, suggesting that stochastic dispersal and localized extinction, which allow for rapid population homogenization with little restriction by geographical barriers, are possible mechanisms of C. calidirosea distribution. This dispersal and extinction mechanism is likely not limited to C. calidirosea but may shape the populations and genomes of many other low-abundance free-living taxa.

text: The Chthonomonas calidirosea genome is highly conserved across geographic locations and distinct chemical and microbial environments in New Zealand's Taupo Volcanic Zone Chthonomonas calidirosea T49T is a low-abundance, carbohydrate-scavenging, and thermophilic soil bacterium with a seemingly disorganized genome. We hypothesized that the C. calidirosea genome would be highly responsive to local selection pressure, resulting in the divergence of its genomic content, genome organization, and carbohydrate utilization phenotype across environments. We tested this hypothesis by sequencing the genomes of four C. calidirosea isolates obtained from four separate geothermal fields in the Taupō Volcanic Zone, New Zealand. For each isolation site, we measured physicochemical attributes and defined the associated microbial community by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Despite their ecological and geographical isolation, the genome sequences showed low divergence (maximum, 1.17%). Isolate-specific variations included single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), restriction-modification systems, and mobile elements but few major deletions and no major rearrangements. The 50-fold variation in C. calidirosea relative abundance among the four sites correlated with site environmental characteristics but not with differences in genomic content. Conversely, the carbohydrate utilization profiles of the C. calidirosea isolates corresponded to the inferred isolate phylogenies, which only partially paralleled the geographical relationships among the sample sites. Genomic sequence conservation does not entirely parallel geographic distance, suggesting that stochastic dispersal and localized extinction, which allow for rapid population homogenization with little restriction by geographical barriers, are possible mechanisms of C. calidirosea distribution. This dispersal and extinction mechanism is likely not limited to C. calidirosea but may shape the populations and genomes of many other low-abundance free-living taxa.

year: 2016

title: The wellbeing and health needs of a cohort of transgender young people accessing specialist medical gender-affirming healthcare in Auckland

authors: Oliphant, Jeannie

subjects: Adolescent

abstract: INTRODUCTION: Increasing numbers of young people are seeking gender-affirming healthcare in Aotearoa New Zealand, and although international studies report health and wellbeing benefits of early medical intervention, we have no published reports on the impact of health services in this country. 
METHODS: Transgender young people accessing a specialist service providing medical gender-affirming healthcare were invited to take part in a survey about their health and wellbeing.
RESULTS: High or very high psychological distress levels were reported by 74% of respondents, with 39% being unable to access mental health support when needed. 
DISCUSSION: Although the proportion of transgender young people with high or very high levels of psychological distress was five times greater (74%) than for the general population of young people (14.5%) in Aotearoa New Zealand, it was not as large as the proportion found for transgender young people in a community study (86%) in which an unmet need for hormones was reported by 29%. This highlights the need for clear referral pathways to access specialist gender-affirming healthcare services in order to reduce disparities in mental health outcomes.

text: The wellbeing and health needs of a cohort of transgender young people accessing specialist medical gender-affirming healthcare in Auckland INTRODUCTION: Increasing numbers of young people are seeking gender-affirming healthcare in Aotearoa New Zealand, and although international studies report health and wellbeing benefits of early medical intervention, we have no published reports on the impact of health services in this country. 
METHODS: Transgender young people accessing a specialist service providing medical gender-affirming healthcare were invited to take part in a survey about their health and wellbeing.
RESULTS: High or very high psychological distress levels were reported by 74% of respondents, with 39% being unable to access mental health support when needed. 
DISCUSSION: Although the proportion of transgender young people with high or very high levels of psychological distress was five times greater (74%) than for the general population of young people (14.5%) in Aotearoa New Zealand, it was not as large as the proportion found for transgender young people in a community study (86%) in which an unmet need for hormones was reported by 29%. This highlights the need for clear referral pathways to access specialist gender-affirming healthcare services in order to reduce disparities in mental health outcomes.

year: 2021-09-03

title: New Zealand regions, 1986 – 2001: Hospitalisation and some related health facts

authors: Pool, Ian

subjects: health

abstract: Once age and gender composition is controlled for, regional health differentials are a function of problems of health service delivery, of socio-economic variance, and overall Māori Pakeha health differences. They indicate relative levels of exclusion and of inequality. This paper shows that these differentials follow in general the patterns seen in other papers in this series.

text: New Zealand regions, 1986 – 2001: Hospitalisation and some related health facts Once age and gender composition is controlled for, regional health differentials are a function of problems of health service delivery, of socio-economic variance, and overall Māori Pakeha health differences. They indicate relative levels of exclusion and of inequality. This paper shows that these differentials follow in general the patterns seen in other papers in this series.

year: 2006-03