title: The All Whites are alright with us: An analysis of New Zealand national media coverage surrounding the 2010 All Whites World Cup finals campaign

authors: Stewart, Arron Mark

subjects: New Zealand

abstract: In June of 2010, the New Zealand men’s representative football team, the All Whites, contested the FIFA World Cup finals in South Africa for only the second time. Due to their credible on-field performances and unprecedented exposure in the national media, their campaign captured the attention of the New Zealand public like never before; surpassing even the national interest in the previous 1982 All Whites and their own storied World Cup finals campaign. Mainstream New Zealand’s sudden resurgence of interest and the accompanying rise in the All Whites’ media profile provided a rare opportunity to undertake a substantial survey of the media discourses surrounding the team in the hopes of better understanding the ways in which national audiences were likely to have (re)configured their understandings regarding the team and, in the broader sense, football’s place in the contemporary New Zealand socio-cultural landscape. Via an integration of poststructuralist textual analysis and content analysis, this thesis examined a sampling of national media coverage related to the All Whites’ 2010 World Cup campaign. Overarching themes relating to masculinity, nationalism and celebrity were identified, and I argue that audiences engaging with the media discourses surrounding these themes would likely have been encouraged to ascribe to the All Whites (a) an acceptably masculine status, (b) an authentic affiliation to New Zealand national identity, and (c) to ascribe to All Whites captain Ryan Nelsen a legitimated celebrity status. Furthermore, I suggest that these likely interpretations are indicative of an incremental but ongoing shift for football and the All Whites away from New Zealand’s socio-cultural periphery and towards its centre.

text: The All Whites are alright with us: An analysis of New Zealand national media coverage surrounding the 2010 All Whites World Cup finals campaign In June of 2010, the New Zealand men’s representative football team, the All Whites, contested the FIFA World Cup finals in South Africa for only the second time. Due to their credible on-field performances and unprecedented exposure in the national media, their campaign captured the attention of the New Zealand public like never before; surpassing even the national interest in the previous 1982 All Whites and their own storied World Cup finals campaign. Mainstream New Zealand’s sudden resurgence of interest and the accompanying rise in the All Whites’ media profile provided a rare opportunity to undertake a substantial survey of the media discourses surrounding the team in the hopes of better understanding the ways in which national audiences were likely to have (re)configured their understandings regarding the team and, in the broader sense, football’s place in the contemporary New Zealand socio-cultural landscape. Via an integration of poststructuralist textual analysis and content analysis, this thesis examined a sampling of national media coverage related to the All Whites’ 2010 World Cup campaign. Overarching themes relating to masculinity, nationalism and celebrity were identified, and I argue that audiences engaging with the media discourses surrounding these themes would likely have been encouraged to ascribe to the All Whites (a) an acceptably masculine status, (b) an authentic affiliation to New Zealand national identity, and (c) to ascribe to All Whites captain Ryan Nelsen a legitimated celebrity status. Furthermore, I suggest that these likely interpretations are indicative of an incremental but ongoing shift for football and the All Whites away from New Zealand’s socio-cultural periphery and towards its centre.

year: 2011

title: Refinement of LC-MS Methodology for the Analysis of Saponins

authors: Ball, Dylan Tane Charles

subjects: saponins

abstract: Systematic evaluation of the factors affecting LC-MS detection of some saponins and sapogenins associated with hepatogenous photo-sensitisation diseases in livestock, as determined using a Thermo Finnigan LCQ Advantage mass spectrometer, showed that ion responses could be substantially improved by careful selection of analysis parameters. Eluent composition, capillary temperatures and flow rate were found to significantly affect the ionisation of the target analytes. 
Optimisation of ionisation conditions resulted in a more than 100 fold (2 orders of magnitude) improvement in the detection of the model sapogenins and sapogenin glycosides relative to conditions utilised in previous studies at the University of Waikato. Optimal ESI and APCI responses were achieved using formic acid buffered acetonitrile-water eluent mixtures which possessed 30-40% acetonitrile for sapogenin glycosides or 50-60% acetonitrile for sapogenins and capillary interface temperatures in the range 275-325 C. Lower eluent flow rates also results in increased detector responses. Optimised ESI responses were greater by ca 2-10 times when compared to optimised APCI responses.
Analyses of full scan and MSn ESI and APCI mass spectral fragmentation data showed that the molecular weight of conjugated sapogenin glycosides could be readily determined from [M+H]+ ions observed in full scan spectra. Under MS2 conditions sapogenin glycosides [M+H]+ ions fragmented to afford ions attributable to the protonated parent sapogenin and a series of other ions that were found to present in the ESI and APCI mass spectra of parent sapogenins, including m/z 399, m/z 273 and m/z 255 ions.
 


Detailed analysis of full scan, MS2 and MS3 ESI and APCI fragmentation and chromatographic data determined for sarsasapogenin, episarsasapogenin, smilagenin, 20,20,23-2H3-sarsasapogenin and 2,2,4,4-2H4-episarsasapogenin, tigogenin and diosgenin showed that, unlike previously reported EI-GC-MS data, neither LC-MS ion ratio data, or retention time data could not be used to distinguish isomeric 3α/β, 5 α/β, 25(R/S)-spirostanol sapogenins of the type known to be present in the rumen and other GI tracts samples recovered from livestock suffering hepatogenous photo-sensitisation diseases.
Based on the results reported in this thesis it is apparent that a combination of EI-GC-MS and LC-ESI-MSn data will be required to identify conjugated sapogenins present in rumen and other GI tract samples recovered from livestock suffering from hepatogenous photo-sensitisation diseases since LC-MSn data alone is not capable of distinguishing isomeric forms of free and conjugated sapogenins. 
It has been hypothesised that genetic factors may influence the nature of conjugates in the rumen and their metabolism to alternate conjugated analogues. The availability of combination of EI-GC-MS and optimised LC-MS methods to probe the nature and distribution of free and conjugated sapogenins in rumen and GI tact samples may assist in the identification of susceptible and resistant animals.

text: Refinement of LC-MS Methodology for the Analysis of Saponins Systematic evaluation of the factors affecting LC-MS detection of some saponins and sapogenins associated with hepatogenous photo-sensitisation diseases in livestock, as determined using a Thermo Finnigan LCQ Advantage mass spectrometer, showed that ion responses could be substantially improved by careful selection of analysis parameters. Eluent composition, capillary temperatures and flow rate were found to significantly affect the ionisation of the target analytes. 
Optimisation of ionisation conditions resulted in a more than 100 fold (2 orders of magnitude) improvement in the detection of the model sapogenins and sapogenin glycosides relative to conditions utilised in previous studies at the University of Waikato. Optimal ESI and APCI responses were achieved using formic acid buffered acetonitrile-water eluent mixtures which possessed 30-40% acetonitrile for sapogenin glycosides or 50-60% acetonitrile for sapogenins and capillary interface temperatures in the range 275-325 C. Lower eluent flow rates also results in increased detector responses. Optimised ESI responses were greater by ca 2-10 times when compared to optimised APCI responses.
Analyses of full scan and MSn ESI and APCI mass spectral fragmentation data showed that the molecular weight of conjugated sapogenin glycosides could be readily determined from [M+H]+ ions observed in full scan spectra. Under MS2 conditions sapogenin glycosides [M+H]+ ions fragmented to afford ions attributable to the protonated parent sapogenin and a series of other ions that were found to present in the ESI and APCI mass spectra of parent sapogenins, including m/z 399, m/z 273 and m/z 255 ions.
 


Detailed analysis of full scan, MS2 and MS3 ESI and APCI fragmentation and chromatographic data determined for sarsasapogenin, episarsasapogenin, smilagenin, 20,20,23-2H3-sarsasapogenin and 2,2,4,4-2H4-episarsasapogenin, tigogenin and diosgenin showed that, unlike previously reported EI-GC-MS data, neither LC-MS ion ratio data, or retention time data could not be used to distinguish isomeric 3α/β, 5 α/β, 25(R/S)-spirostanol sapogenins of the type known to be present in the rumen and other GI tracts samples recovered from livestock suffering hepatogenous photo-sensitisation diseases.
Based on the results reported in this thesis it is apparent that a combination of EI-GC-MS and LC-ESI-MSn data will be required to identify conjugated sapogenins present in rumen and other GI tract samples recovered from livestock suffering from hepatogenous photo-sensitisation diseases since LC-MSn data alone is not capable of distinguishing isomeric forms of free and conjugated sapogenins. 
It has been hypothesised that genetic factors may influence the nature of conjugates in the rumen and their metabolism to alternate conjugated analogues. The availability of combination of EI-GC-MS and optimised LC-MS methods to probe the nature and distribution of free and conjugated sapogenins in rumen and GI tact samples may assist in the identification of susceptible and resistant animals.

year: 2010

title: Māori & Psychology Research Unit Annual Report 2012

authors: Waitoki, Waikaremoana

abstract: Annual report of the Māori and Psychology Research Unit (MPRU) 2012. The unit was established in August of 1997. The unit is designed to provide a catalyst and support network for enhancing research concerning the psychological needs, aspirations, and priorities of Maori people. The MPRU is well situated to draw together skilled and experienced interdisciplinary research groups by networking and establishing working relationships with staff and students within the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, the University, and the wider community.

text: Māori & Psychology Research Unit Annual Report 2012 Annual report of the Māori and Psychology Research Unit (MPRU) 2012. The unit was established in August of 1997. The unit is designed to provide a catalyst and support network for enhancing research concerning the psychological needs, aspirations, and priorities of Maori people. The MPRU is well situated to draw together skilled and experienced interdisciplinary research groups by networking and establishing working relationships with staff and students within the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, the University, and the wider community.

year: 2012