Microstructural evolution of UNS S32205 duplex stainless steel during cold rolling and subsequent annealing

We followed the microstructural evolution of UNS S32205 duplex stainless steel during cold rolling up to 79% reduction in thickness and at early stages of isothermal annealing at 1080ºC. Qualitative analysis of peak broadening and kernel average misorientation (KAM) parameter obtained by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), respectively, indicated a higher work hardening of austenite. Strain-induced martensite was not detected within this strain range by using X-ray diffraction and DC-magnetisation measurements. Two particular rolling thickness reductions were chosen for recrystallisation studies; i.e., 43% and 64%. After annealing for 1 min, primary recrystallisation occurred in ferrite (42% of recrystallised grains for 43% cold rolling), whereas austenite only recovered. For a reduction of 64%, the recrystallised fraction of ferrite did not change significantly, while austenite reached a recrystallised fraction of 43%. Full recrystallisation is noticed after annealing for 3 min for both conditions resulting in a bamboo-like grain structure

Exploring shifts in teaching practice through the use of digital technology in the mathematics classroom: A qualitative study

Abstract Recent debates have highlighted the declining academic performance of New Zealand students in mathematics. This study explored the innovative use of digital technology in teaching practices to potentially enhance student performance. The aim of this study was to better understand year 7-10 mathematics teachers perceptions of the aspects that influence their use or not of digital technology. Using a qualitative methodology, specifically Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), the research allowed for open-ended exploration, providing narrative accounts that support teacher reflection and offer in-depth insights into their perspectives. Discussions focused on the influences affecting digital technology use and its actual and desired roles in teaching. Professional learning and development were considered to illustrate the dynamic nature of digital approaches in mathematics classrooms and how teacher perceptions have evolved. The study identified a fluid nature in teaching practices, reflecting educators’ commitment to meeting professional standards. Literature debates the optimal use of digital technology for achieving educational outcomes, with some advocating for a one-size-fits-all student-centric approach. However, this study found that in secondary mathematics, out-of-field teaching is common, raising the profile of digital technology as a support tool, depending on the software used. This highlighted issues such as mathematics anxiety among teachers and a lack of content knowledge. Collective efficacy emerged as a strength in schools that maximised dedicated mathematics software to enhance student outcomes. The use of a qualitative methodology like IPA has allowed for the research undertaken to be open ended, where outcomes cannot be predicted or controlled. This approach provided the narrative account to support teacher reflective capacity and equally allowed the researcher to interpret teacher perspectives and develop indepth insights. Discussion was undertaken reflecting the influences at play, and the actual and desired role of digital technology at the time of the research. Consideration of professional learning and development helped to illustrate the dynamic nature of a digital approach within the mathematics classroom, and subsequently how teacher perception of what is desirable has changed. These factors suggested the fluid nature of teaching practice as changes were undertaken that reflect the commitment made by educators as they addressed the requisite standards of the teaching profession. Debate exists within literature about the use of digital technology and the role played in achieving the optimal outcomes, perhaps considered, but yet to be achieved. The delivery of quality instruction is now thought of as inclusive of the use of digital technology. Theory suggests a one-size-fits-all adoption of student-centric practice will enable the transformative potential of digital technology use to be optimised. Debate exists within literature of this one-size-fits-all approach. In a secondary mathematics environment, it is not unusual for teachers to teach out-of-field, raising the profile of the use of digital technology in teaching practice, as a possible support, depending on the software. This highlighted the issue of mathematics anxiety faced by teachers and discussed within this study. Both considerations related to a lack of knowledge content by teachers within the mathematics classroom. Collective efficacy became a strength developed over time within two of the schools of this study as they maximised the potential of the dedicated mathematics software available to enhance student outcomes. The COVID-19 pandemic, occurring during the study, emphasised the impact of immersive online teaching models, adding depth to the dialogue on digital technology use. The conclusions support the need for teacher participation in decisions regarding digital platform resourcing and usage. Collaborative decision-making between leadership and teachers can alleviate anxiety related to transforming teaching practices. Teacher resilience, identity and agency were significant in the transformative use of digital technology. The study identified multiple influences on teaching practices and teachers’ choices regarding digital technology, suggesting that teachers are hybrid practitioners, employing both teacher and student-centric practices to achieve desire student outcomes

The Mentrual cycle's effect on sleep in adolescent female athletes.

Sleep is a crucial aspect of recovery and overall well-being, yet many adolescent female athletes experience disruptions influenced by hormonal changes throughout the menstrual cycle. While research on elite adult athletes has explored sleep disturbances related to training and competition, there is limited understanding of how menstrual cycle fluctuations impact sleep in younger athletes. Variations in estrogen and progesterone levels across the follicular and luteal phases are known to affect sleep patterns, including sleep quality, duration and onset latency. Increased progesterone in the luteal phase, for example, has been linked to poorer sleep efficiency and greater difficulty falling asleep. Additionally, menstrual-related symptoms such as cramps, fatigue, and mood changes may further interfere with rest and recovery. Given the importance of sleep for athletic performance and well-being, the first chapter of this thesis seeks to examine the current knowledge on how different phases of the menstrual cycle influence sleep in adolescent female athletes. The second chapter of this thesis presents an original study that examined how different phases of the menstrual cycle affect sleep in adolescent female athletes. Over the course of three menstrual cycles, ten participants (14.5 ± 1.9) who were in their early-to-mid and mid-to-late pubertal stages, tracked their sleep using both subjective and objective methods. They recorded sleep duration and perceived sleep quality in a sleep diary. Simultaneously, wrist-worn actigraphy devices (Fitbit) measured objective sleep metrics, including sleep duration, sleep quality, sleep onset latency, wake episodes, and wake time. The reliability of both subjective and objective sleep measures in adolescent female athletes during the follicular phase (FP) and luteal phases (LP) of the menstrual cycle was examined. Subjective measures demonstrated poor reliability in the luteal phase (sleep duration: ICC = -0.22; sleep quality: ICC = -0.49) but fair to good reliability during the follicular phase for sleep duration (ICC= 0.69; CV = 4.9%) and sleep quality (ICC = 0.57; CV = 8.9%). Objective measures showed poor reliability during the luteal phase for sleep duration (ICC = -0.17; CV 11%) and sleep quality (ICC= 0.00; CV = 9.2%) but fair reliability during the follicular phase for sleep duration (ICC = 0.38; CV = 7.2%) and sleep quality (ICC = 0.51; CV = 5.8%). When comparing objective data to subjective data, participants overestimated subjective sleep duration compared to the objective sleep duration data with the average difference being (1.38 h; p = 3.00 x 10-47; effect size = 1.20). When comparing the two menstrual phases, sleep onset latency was non-significantly worse during the luteal phase compared to the follicular phase (LP = 20.8 mins; FP = 16.0 mins; p= 0.68; effect size = -1.54). Objective sleep quality was non-significantly worse in the luteal phase in comparison to the follicular phase (LP = 75.4; FP = 77.1%; p = 0.34; effect size = 1.56) and sleep duration was non-significantly shorter in the luteal phase compared to the follicular phase (LP = 9.04 hrs; FP = 9.09 hrs; p = 0.72; effect size = 0.24). Lastly, the mid-late pubertal group had 3 significantly longer sleep duration during the follicular phase compared to the early-mid pubertal group (7.98 vs 7.44 h; p =0.03; effect size = -4.36 ± 0.12). The final chapter discusses the study’s findings, indicating that although both subjective and objective measures have their advantages, the subjective measures tended to be more reliable during specific menstrual cycle phases. The participants underestimated their sleep duration, reinforcing the importance of combining objective and subjective measures to get more accurate assessments of sleep duration. The adolescent female athlete’s sleep quality and sleep onset latency can slightly be impacted by the menstrual cycle phases and sleep patterns were subtly worse during the luteal phase in comparison to the follicular phase; however, there were no statistically significant differences observed in the sleep measures studied. Sleep patterns do seem to improve in the mid-late pubertal maturation stage when compared to the early-mid pubertal stage. The data show that it is important to understand and take into consideration the menstrual cycle phases and the maturation stages of our athletes when creating training and recovery plans for these adolescent female athletes; however, more investigation is required to understand the potential effects of the menstrual cycle on sleep disturbances and its effect on female participation and performance in sport

Geothermal energy, decarbonisation and the just transition: developments in governance and regulation

This review article pursues this special issue’s theme of renewable energy and just transition into the field of geothermal energy, an energy source which has a special role in Aotearoa New Zealand, and which raises clear questions of justice in the energy transition. It evaluates the track record, and examines the legal, regulatory and institutional challenges and opportunities for a just transition for geothermal in New Zealand. It particularly considers the role of Māori, and the challenges presented by emerging technological change. It considers the problems of renewability and sustainability that are special to geothermal resources. It evaluates the just transition issues that have particularly affected Māori landowners and holders of mana whenua. It finds that what constitutes a just transition must be seen against a longer historical time frame than many observers might assume. It shows that the distinctive regulatory framework for geothermal has been considerably affected by addressing these problems but may need to adapt further in the future. It considers the technical features that have shaped geothermal regulation and are likely to shape it in the future as new technological options emerge

Queering the Real: Antisociality and the impossible nothing of queer

This project charts a logic of queer antisociality along literary, cinematic, and theoretical works. Reading across a collection of textual case studies from Gertrude Stein, Herman Melville, and Samuel Beckett, as well as films from Derek Jarman and David Cronenberg, this thesis thinks through antisociality, employing it as a critical approach to reconcile moments of textual disorientation as queer encounter. The ambition of this thesis is not to designate certain works as queer texts, or to suggest a unifying queer thread across them; it is the very nature of queer as resistant to coherence and continuity that such a task could only ever fail. Rather, reading through antisociality offers a way to think queerness beyond a rubric of sexual difference as what frustrates or works against established forms of knowledge and trace modes of queer negation along inconsistent lines as aporetic junctures, opacity, and incoherence. This approach is developed in conversation with Lee Edelman’s Bad Education where he conceptualises queer aligned to the incomprehensibility of the Lacanian Real – as being outside of identity markers or systems of recognition. Queer as such does not locate an ontology or a sexuality, but rather resists determinate meaning and troubles categorisation; queer is that which disturbs coherence. To think queerness then, Edelman suggests, is to think beyond the structural limits of language. Following this invocation to think queerly beyond structures of knowledge, this project contemplates its application and details what it might look like to do so. Each chapter then illustrates forms of queer negation that resist the controls immanent in language, and articulates antisociality as a way of thinking, and indeed a way of reading, attuned to semiological abstractions and improper grammar as queer methods of resistance. Since queer cannot be secured within language, this thesis works to reframe incoherence as queer encounter that changes shape across whatever given literary or visual landscapes. Antisociality then operates as a conceptual lens to locate queer not as content but as form: as structural idiosyncrasies that frustrate comprehension and unsettle conventional logic. Writing this thesis and working across different texts and mediums then allowed for a mapping of the different ways that queer is discursively constructed while simultaneously conceptualising modes of resistance that work against these constructions

Haumanu hauora: A commentary on strengthening health institution responsiveness to Māori health in the face of climate change

Climate change is the biggest threat to humanity through compounding ecological disasters. A focus on global averages tends to hide dramatic differences and mask health disparities that exist for Indigenous people. For 21 years, district health boards (DHBs) were responsible for providing or funding the provision of health services across Aotearoa. The introduction of the Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Act 2022 disestablished DHBs and offered an opportunity to reshape health in ways that give serious consideration to climate change impacts. The need to give greater consideration to Indigenous people in climate change conversations is essential. The Waitangi Tribunal highlights areas where the Crown needs to work to improve Māori health outcomes. A clear deficit in existing policy process means a lack of preparedness for the intersecting health crises vulnerable Māori will experience in the face of climate change. Structural change is needed to strengthen health institution responsiveness to Māori health needs

Healing through culture: Kava-talanoa as a PTSD therapeutic framework

Introduction: The incidence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is increasing, particularly among military personnel, first responders (police, fire, ambulance), and prison officers. PTSD is also a health economic burden, with costs linked to treatment, long-term morbidity, and increased mortality risk. Many cases go undiagnosed due to factors such as trauma-related avoidance behavior, which also negatively impacts PTSD therapy (Watkins et al., 2018, Front. Behav. Neurosci., 12:1-9). There is a significant unmet need for improved and culturally aligned PTSD treatments in the Pacific and beyond. Medical standards of care for acute anxiety/PTSD typically involve psychotropic drugs such as benzodiazepines, tricyclic antidepressants, and antipsychotics. These medications offer short-term relief only, carry addictive risks, are contraindicated for key populations (e.g., the elderly), and have had harmful effects in indigenous communities. Kava (Piper methysticum) is a traditional, culturally significant Pacific Island beverage known for its soporific and relaxant effects, similar to benzodiazepine (Sarris et al., 2012, J. Hum. Psychopharmacol. Clin. Exp., 27:262-9). Unlike benzodiazepines, kava is non-addictive with regular use and extremely safe — regulated as ‘food’ in several countries (Aporosa, 2019, J. Drug Sci. Policy Law, 5:1-13). Kava does not induce marked euphoria or hallucinations (Aporosa et al., 2022, J. Ethnopharm., 291:1-15), and promotes productive discussion known as talanoa—a form of ‘talk therapy’ (Vaka et al., Issues Ment. Health Nurs., 37:537-544). Methods: This ethics approved (21/372) study was guided by the faikava talanoa methodology (Aporosa et al., 2021, Pacific Dynamics, 5:74-92). Self-report experiences of Pacific-based UK and US military veterans and serving combat returnees (n=40) were documented in traditionally influenced kava-use spaces in which attendees engaged in talanoa. While exact kava consumption volumes were not measured, participants typically consumed 3.6 litres (6.33 pints) of kava—approximately 5,000 mg of kavalactones— over six hours. Focused coding was utilised to analyse participant comments. Results: Participants reported that engagement in talanoa within traditionally influenced kava-use spaces increased their relational connectedness, improved meaning making of trauma experiences and promoted better sleep. Conclusions: Aided by kava’s anxiolytic soporific effects, it is suspected that kava use with talanoa reduces the triggering of 'fear structures', minimizes avoidance behavior and aids sleep quality, contributing to symptom reduction. Further, we believe that kava-talanoa offers an innovative, culturally augmented, group-based CBT intervention (Aporosa et al., 2025, Front. Psychol., doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1460731). The findings serve as a foundation for clinical trials (underway) to determine the efficacy of the approach as a much-needed transcultural treatment of trauma that addresses the global PTSD burden

From willingness to engage to willingness to pay: A behavioral experiment on green consumer information in a digital product passport

Information represents the “third wave” of environmental policy. Existing evidence shows consumers increase their willingness to pay (WTP) for environmentally friendly products with clear labelling. However, there is a gap in the literature regarding whether consumers have a willingness to engage (WTE) with detailed information, for example, through a Digital Product Passport (DPP). This technological innovation is part of the European Union’s new circular economy action plan. In our theoretical model, a green consumer decides whether to invest in information on how to mitigate their environmental damage, but at a cognitive cost. We test the model in a lab experiment selling an environmentally friendly toothbrush, but information about its environmental credentials is only available through a DPP. We find education on the DPP’s purpose is key to increasing revealed WTE when a DPP is available. Participants with a high stated WTE engage with the DPP regardless; the increase in revealed WTE comes from those with a lower stated WTE. Engagement with the DPP, in the case that it contains positive environmental information, increases WTP. The policy implications of our results are that education about the purpose of the DPP is required in order to increase the likelihood of actual consumer engagement with it, as long as it is user friendly. However, engagement with a DPP may not lead to further shifts in environmental orientation and behavior. Our study also demonstrates novel measures of WTE, and how these can be used to understand pro-environmental consumer behavior in a theoretically informed manner

Effects of activator powders on hybrid binders based on volcanic ash and portalnd clinker based cement

Concrete remains the most widely used construction material worldwide. However, the high energy consumption and CO₂ emissions associated with Portland cement production have driven the search for more sustainable alternatives. Volcanic ash (VA), a naturally occurring pozzolan found in abundance in regions such as Tauranga, New Zealand, presents promising potential as a partial replacement for cement. This thesis investigates the performance of value-added products from the Takitimu North Link (TNL) site, using chemical activation with sodium sulphate (Na₂SO₄) and calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)₂) in hybrid binder systems. A central composite experimental design was employed to systematically vary the VA content and activator dosages. Mortar mixes with 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% VA replacement were tested (Series A), with particular focus on the 25% blend. This composition underwent further testing with varying activator dosages to determine the optimal Na₂SO₄/Ca(OH)₂ (NS/CH) ratio (Series B). Compressive strength tests were conducted at 7, 28, and 90 days to assess mechanical performance. Additionally, microstructural characterization techniques including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) were used to identify hydration products and evaluate binder densification. The results showed that a 25% replacement of Portland cement with VA, activated with 14% Na₂SO₄ at an NS/CH ratio of 1, delivered optimal compressive strength and microstructural development. While higher replacement levels generally reduced early-age strength due to weaker pozzolanic activity, appropriate activator dosages improved long-term performance significantly. Overall, the study demonstrates that chemically activated volcanic ash can substantially improve the sustainability profile of concrete by reducing Portland cement usage and its environmental impacts. The use of optimized hybrid binders incorporating volcanic ash offers a viable solution for developing sustainable, resilient, and cost-effective construction materials in New Zealand and other volcanic regions worldwide

Breaking barriers and empowering perspectives: Centering women's voices in the mongrel mob wāhine toa

Gang communities in Aotearoa New Zealand have traditionally been sites of masculinity where specific forms of 'maleness' - including resistance to authority, antisocial behaviour, and expressions of violence - are embraced, expressed, and enforced through various internal cultural norms and reactions to the outside world. The dominant narrative that informs public perceptions of New Zealand gangs is often centered on crime, poverty, and Indigeneity. Much less is known about the role of women in these communities, particularly as their voices have only recently emerged from one of the largest gang chapters in the country. This research, conducted in close collaboration with wāhine within the Mongrel Mob Kingdom's first female-only chapter, Mongrel Mob Wāhine Toa, uses a participatory action research approach with photovoice methodology. Drawing on the personal narratives of six wāhine, this study aims to better understand their perspectives and experiences of contributing to a fledgling movement that privileges women within a predominantly male-centered gang environment. Photovoice is used alongside semi-structured interviews to provide depth and breadth to the data, allowing the wāhine to visually and verbally express their experiences and perspectives. Themes include navigating marginality, empowerment, and resistance. The long-range goal of this work is to inform context-sensitive policies and interventions for wāhine in gangs in Aotearoa. By foregrounding the perspective of wāhine, this study contributes to breaking down barriers and reshaping discourses around women in gangs, with implications for well-being and empowerment