title: Detection of Hsp60 in saliva and serum from type 2 diabetic and non-diabetic control subjects

authors: Yuan, Jing

subjects: Hsp60

abstract: There is increasing evidence that mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress may be integral to the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Heat shock protein (Hsp60) is a mitochondrial stress protein known to be induced under conditions of mitochondrial impairment. Although this intracellular protein is normally found in the mitochondrion, several studies have shown that this protein is also present in systemic circulation. In this study, we report the presence of elevated levels of Hsp60 in both saliva and serum of type 2 diabetic patients compared to non-diabetic controls. Hsp60 was detectable in the saliva of 10% of control and 93% of type 2 diabetic patients. Levels detected were in the range of 3–7 ng/ml in control and 3–75 ng/ml in type 2 diabetic patients. Serum Hsp60 levels in the range of 3–88 ng/ml were detected in 33% of control subjects, and levels in the range of 28–1,043 ng/ml were detected in 100% of type 2 diabetic patients. This is the first reporting of the presence of mitochondrial stress protein in salivary secretions. The serum Hsp60 levels were 16-fold higher compared to those in saliva, and there was a good positive correlation between salivary and serum Hsp60 levels (r=0.55). While the exact mechanisms responsible for the secretion of Hsp60 into biological fluids such as saliva and blood are not yet known. The presence of this molecular marker of mitochondrial stress in saliva offers a non-invasive route to further investigate the biological functions of extracellular Hsp60 in type 2 diabetes mellitus and other conditions.

text: Detection of Hsp60 in saliva and serum from type 2 diabetic and non-diabetic control subjects There is increasing evidence that mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress may be integral to the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Heat shock protein (Hsp60) is a mitochondrial stress protein known to be induced under conditions of mitochondrial impairment. Although this intracellular protein is normally found in the mitochondrion, several studies have shown that this protein is also present in systemic circulation. In this study, we report the presence of elevated levels of Hsp60 in both saliva and serum of type 2 diabetic patients compared to non-diabetic controls. Hsp60 was detectable in the saliva of 10% of control and 93% of type 2 diabetic patients. Levels detected were in the range of 3–7 ng/ml in control and 3–75 ng/ml in type 2 diabetic patients. Serum Hsp60 levels in the range of 3–88 ng/ml were detected in 33% of control subjects, and levels in the range of 28–1,043 ng/ml were detected in 100% of type 2 diabetic patients. This is the first reporting of the presence of mitochondrial stress protein in salivary secretions. The serum Hsp60 levels were 16-fold higher compared to those in saliva, and there was a good positive correlation between salivary and serum Hsp60 levels (r=0.55). While the exact mechanisms responsible for the secretion of Hsp60 into biological fluids such as saliva and blood are not yet known. The presence of this molecular marker of mitochondrial stress in saliva offers a non-invasive route to further investigate the biological functions of extracellular Hsp60 in type 2 diabetes mellitus and other conditions.

year: 2011

title: Rip current dynamics on an embayed beach

authors: Gallop, Shari L.

subjects: rip currents

abstract: Rip currents are fast, narrow currents which traverse the surf-zone in the seaward direction. The most important effect of rip currents is that they can pose a deadly hazard to beach-users. Rip currents and their interaction with waves and underwater morphology are still poorly understood. This is often attributed to a lack of high quality long-term datasets. This shortcoming is due to the difficulty of sampling in the turbulent surf-zone. Past attempts to compare rip current behaviour (e.g. alongshore spacing) to waves have failed to show that they interact. 

In this thesis, an improved technique of locating rip channels in video imagery is presented. Previous studies to create computer algorithms to locate rips in video imagery have only looked at one alongshore transect which is averaged in the cross-shore direction, and there have been issues making the algorithms work in complicated cases. The method created in this thesis uses computer algorithms to locate light intensity minima across the entire expanse of the surf-zone in video imagery. This was applied to a dataset from Tairua Beach. The light intensity minima are sorted into distinct rip channels to create a dataset spanning 3.3 years from 1999 until April 2002. Using the high quality rip data output from the algorithms, rip channel morphological reconfiguration events were defined using a measure of change. Wave climate was compared to the timing of these reconfiguration events. It was found that mean wave energy averaged over ten days and wave event duration showed a better relationship to the reconfiguration events than immediate, instantaneous measures of significant wave height. 

Rip channel spatial scale (i.e. cross-shore extent) was found to be critical in determining how rip channels behave during high wave events. At Tairua Beach, it was not uncommon for the surf-zone to be wide on one half of the beach and narrow on the other. This 'dual' surf-zone can be attributed to wave shadowing by offshore islands under certain wave directions. Smaller rip channels on the narrow half of the beach changed rapidly whereas larger rips were stable during the same period. This situation shows the importance of both hydrodynamic-control and topographic-control of rips, where rips may respond directly to changes in the wave conditions or be stabilised by the pre-existing morphology respectively. There was also a tendency for rips to form and persist at the headlands of the beach. 

A conceptual model was created to demonstrate how rip channels of different spatial scales respond to changes in the wave conditions. Small rips relative to the wave energy are more likely than larger rips to evolve, and vice versa.

text: Rip current dynamics on an embayed beach Rip currents are fast, narrow currents which traverse the surf-zone in the seaward direction. The most important effect of rip currents is that they can pose a deadly hazard to beach-users. Rip currents and their interaction with waves and underwater morphology are still poorly understood. This is often attributed to a lack of high quality long-term datasets. This shortcoming is due to the difficulty of sampling in the turbulent surf-zone. Past attempts to compare rip current behaviour (e.g. alongshore spacing) to waves have failed to show that they interact. 

In this thesis, an improved technique of locating rip channels in video imagery is presented. Previous studies to create computer algorithms to locate rips in video imagery have only looked at one alongshore transect which is averaged in the cross-shore direction, and there have been issues making the algorithms work in complicated cases. The method created in this thesis uses computer algorithms to locate light intensity minima across the entire expanse of the surf-zone in video imagery. This was applied to a dataset from Tairua Beach. The light intensity minima are sorted into distinct rip channels to create a dataset spanning 3.3 years from 1999 until April 2002. Using the high quality rip data output from the algorithms, rip channel morphological reconfiguration events were defined using a measure of change. Wave climate was compared to the timing of these reconfiguration events. It was found that mean wave energy averaged over ten days and wave event duration showed a better relationship to the reconfiguration events than immediate, instantaneous measures of significant wave height. 

Rip channel spatial scale (i.e. cross-shore extent) was found to be critical in determining how rip channels behave during high wave events. At Tairua Beach, it was not uncommon for the surf-zone to be wide on one half of the beach and narrow on the other. This 'dual' surf-zone can be attributed to wave shadowing by offshore islands under certain wave directions. Smaller rip channels on the narrow half of the beach changed rapidly whereas larger rips were stable during the same period. This situation shows the importance of both hydrodynamic-control and topographic-control of rips, where rips may respond directly to changes in the wave conditions or be stabilised by the pre-existing morphology respectively. There was also a tendency for rips to form and persist at the headlands of the beach. 

A conceptual model was created to demonstrate how rip channels of different spatial scales respond to changes in the wave conditions. Small rips relative to the wave energy are more likely than larger rips to evolve, and vice versa.

year: 2009

title: Horowaewae

authors: Maxwell, Te Kahautu

abstract: Horowaewae is dedicated to Horowaewae Maxwell a Te Matatini Lifemember. Horowaewae is from the Rotorua area and the Te Arawa iwi. He is a foundation member of the champion kapa haka Ngāti Rangiwewehi. Horowaewae has been a performer, a male leader, the Te Arawa delegate to the Te Matatini National Committee. He has served kapa haka in its development since the inception of Te Matatini in 1972 and prior to this performing in the tourism industry in Rotorua. Horowaewae was performed by Ōpōtiki Mai Tawhiti at the 2013 Te Matatini World Championship Kapa Haka Competition.

text: Horowaewae Horowaewae is dedicated to Horowaewae Maxwell a Te Matatini Lifemember. Horowaewae is from the Rotorua area and the Te Arawa iwi. He is a foundation member of the champion kapa haka Ngāti Rangiwewehi. Horowaewae has been a performer, a male leader, the Te Arawa delegate to the Te Matatini National Committee. He has served kapa haka in its development since the inception of Te Matatini in 1972 and prior to this performing in the tourism industry in Rotorua. Horowaewae was performed by Ōpōtiki Mai Tawhiti at the 2013 Te Matatini World Championship Kapa Haka Competition.

year: 2012-09-13