Breaking the consensus: The politicisation of Maori affairs

This article takes issue with the claim made by Tremewan (2005a) that the New Zealand social sciences have been uncritical of neotraditionalist and culturalist trends in social policy. It points out that at least since the 1980s there has existed a significant body of social science literature critical of these trends. The article also takes issue with Tremewan’s attribution of increased political dissent in the area of Maori affairs to the culturalist ideological currents dominating social policy. The article provides an alternative explanation for this increase in political dissent by focusing upon the material conditions of existence and the opportunism of power-seeking politicians

The Unseen City: Anthropological Perspectives on Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, by Michael Goddard (Book Review)

Review of the book "The Unseen City: Anthropological Perspectives on Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea", by Michael Goddard. “The Unseen City” that is the focus of this collection of essays is the part of Port Moresby that remains out of sight for most non-Melanesians. It is the everyday social environment of migrant settlers and urban villagers who daily negotiate the legacies of tradition and the colonial past and the contemporary challenges of living in a modern city. Contrary to stereotypical portrayals of Port Moresby as the site of crime and corruption, the essays in this volume present a picture of creative, dynamic “grassroots” responses to the demands of everyday life

Problems with the census conception of ethnic group: an anthropological perspective

From the perspective of social anthropology, this paper examines the collection and analysis of census data on ethnic group membership. It identifies a fundamental problem lying in the census's attempt to enumerate a subjective identity. The problem is seen as exacerbated by allowing census respondents to report membership in more than one ethnic group. This not only contradicts the census's own definition of ethnic group, and steers respondents toward a racial conception of ethnicity, but involves the census in the arbitrary re-allocation of respondent's answers. The paper then reviews two influential social science analyses of census data on ethnic group membership and finds that the analysts concerned impose their own quite different definitions of ethnic groups onto the data. It is concluded that the whole process of collecting and analysing census data of ethnic group membership is subjective and arbitrary from start to finish

Vot Long Pati Ia! (Your vote, our party)

Review of the film "Vot Long Pati Ia!" The film is made by Wan Smolbag Theatre in Vanuatu and is a fascinating dramatization of political and developmental dilemmas in the South Pacific

A Study of Alumni Engagement and Satisfaction as Related to Alumni Volunteerism and Philanthropy

Keith Barber Educational Leadership Dissertation 2013.This is a study of factors and issues that influence alumni satisfaction and engagement. It is formatted as a journal-ready dissertation composed of two studies. The first study examined factors impacting alumni satisfaction and engagement at a rural state college and offered direction for all institutions in an era when competition for students, dollars, and favored political assistance is exceptionally high. The second study examined motivation factors of alumni from the same state college and how these factors impacted alumni volunteerism and philanthropy. It also incorporated validated motivational theories to better understand the why, what, and when of alumni engagement.Donald W. Leech; Larry F. Wiley; Karla M. Hull; John D. Crawfor

Molecular Mechanisms Mediating Retinal Reactive Gliosis Following Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation.

A variety of diseases lead to degeneration of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and their axons within the optic nerve resulting in loss of visual function. Although current therapies may delay RGC loss, they do not restore visual function or completely halt disease progression. Regenerative medicine has recently focused on stem cell therapy for both neuroprotective and regenerative purposes. However, significant problems remain to be addressed, such as the long-term impact of reactive gliosis occurring in the host retina in response to transplanted stem cells. The aim of this work was to investigate retinal glial responses to intravitreally transplanted bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) to help identify factors able to modulate graft-induced reactive gliosis. We found in vivo that intravitreal BM-MSC transplantation is associated with gliosis-mediated retinal folding, upregulation of intermediate filaments, and recruitment of macrophages. These responses were accompanied by significant JAK/STAT3 and MAPK (ERK1/2 and JNK) cascade activation in retinal Muller glia. Lipocalin-2 (Lcn-2) was identified as a potential new indicator of graft-induced reactive gliosis. Pharmacological inhibition of STAT3 in BM-MSC cocultured retinal explants successfully reduced glial fibrillary acidic protein expression in retinal Muller glia and increased BM-MSC retinal engraftment. Inhibition of stem cell-induced reactive gliosis is critical for successful transplantation-based strategies for neuroprotection, replacement, and regeneration of the optic nerve.This work was support by funding from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), the HB Allen Charitable Trust, the Cambridge Eye Trust, the Jukes Glaucoma Research Fund and by Pfizer, Neusentis. We thank Dr. Andras Lakatos from the University of Cambridge (UK) for donating the GFAP-STAT3 CKO mice, Prof. Verdon Taylor from the University of Basel (CH) for the Hes5 GFP+ve mice, Dr. Stefano Pluchino from the University of Cambridge (UK) for donating the mouse neural precursor cell (NPC) line and Prof. Astrid Limb from UCL, London (UK) for the MIO-M1 cell line.This is the final version of the article. It first appeared from Wiley via http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/stem.209

Suitability Evaluation of Three Tropical Pasture Species (Mulato II, Gatton Panic, and Rhodes Grass) for Cultivation under a Subtropical Climate of Australia

Exploring improved tropical forages is considered to be an important approach in delivering quality and consistent feed options for dairy cattle in tropical and subtropical regions. The present study aimed to study the suitability of three improved tropical grasses, Chloris gayana ‘Rhodes grass cv. Reclaimer’ (RR), Megathyrsus maximus ‘Gatton Panic’ (GP), and Brachiaria ruziziensis x B. decumbens x B. brizantha ‘Brachiaria Mulato II’ (BM) evaluating their carbon assimilation, canopy structure, herbage plant–part accumulation and quality parameters under irrigated conditions. An experiment was conducted at Gatton Research Dairy (27°54′ S, 152°33′ E, 89 m asl) Queensland, Australia, which has a predominantly subtropical climate. Photosynthesis biochemistry, canopy structure, herbage accumulation, plant part composition, and nutritive value were evaluated. Photosynthesis biochemistry differed between pasture species. Efficiency of CO2 assimilation was highest for GP and quantum efficiency was highest for BM. Pasture canopy structure was significantly affected by an interaction between pasture species and harvest. Forage biomass accumulation was highest in GP, while BM produced more leaf and less stem compared to both GP and RR. A greater leafy stratum and lower stemmy stratum depth were observed in the vertical sward structure of BM. Brachiaria Mulato II showed greater carbon partitioning to leaves, leaf: stem ratio, canopy, and leaf bulk density. It also demonstrated greater nutritive value (Total digestible nutrients (TDN), acid detergent fibre (ADF), neutral detergent fibre (NDF), neutral detergent insoluble protein (NDICP), Starch, nonfibre carbohydrates (NFC), metabolisable energy (ME), mineral profile (Mg, P, K, Fe, Zn) and dietary cation–anion difference (DCAD) for leaf, stem, and the whole plant. Greater quantum efficiency, leaf accumulation, and nutritive value of BM observed in the present study suggest BM as an attractive forage option for dairying that warrants further research in pasture-based systems in tropical and subtropical climates

Different processes lead to similar patterns: a test of codivergence and the role of sea level and climate changes in shaping a southern temperate freshwater assemblage

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Understanding how freshwater assemblages have been formed and maintained is a fundamental goal in evolutionary and ecological disciplines. Here we use a historical approach to test the hypothesis of codivergence in three clades of the Chilean freshwater species assemblage. Molecular studies of freshwater crabs (<it>Aegla</it>: Aeglidae: Anomura) and catfish (<it>Trichomycterus arealatus</it>: Trichomycteridae: Teleostei) exhibited similar levels of genetic divergences of mitochondrial lineages between species of crabs and phylogroups of the catfish, suggesting a shared evolutionary history among the three clades in this species assemblage.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A phylogeny was constructed for <it>Trichomycterus areolatus </it>under the following best-fit molecular models of evolution GTR + I + R, HKY + I, and HKY for cytochrome <it>b</it>, growth hormone, and rag 1 respectively. A GTR + I + R model provided the best fit for both 28S and mitochondrial loci and was used to construct both <it>Aegla </it>phylogenies. Three different diversification models were observed and the three groups arose during different time periods, from 2.25 to 5.05 million years ago (Ma). Cladogenesis within <it>Trichomycterus areolatus </it>was initiated roughly 2.25 Ma (Late Pliocene - Early Pleistocene) some 1.7 - 2.8 million years after the basal divergences observed in both <it>Aegla </it>clades. These results reject the hypothesis of codivergence.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The similar genetic distances between terminal sister-lineages observed in these select taxa from the freshwater Chilean species assemblage were formed by different processes occurring over the last ~5.0 Ma. Dramatic changes in historic sea levels documented in the region appear to have independently shaped the evolutionary history of each group. Our study illustrates the important role that history plays in shaping a species assemblage and argues against assuming similar patterns equal a shared evolutionary history.</p

Identification of a critical sulfation in chondroitin that inhibits axonal regeneration.

The failure of mammalian CNS neurons to regenerate their axons derives from a combination of intrinsic deficits and extrinsic factors. Following injury, chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans (CSPGs) within the glial scar inhibit axonal regeneration, an action mediated by the sulfated glycosaminoglycan (GAG) chains of CSPGs, especially those with 4-sulfated (4S) sugars. Arylsulfatase B (ARSB) selectively cleaves 4S groups from the non-reducing ends of GAG chains without disrupting other, growth-permissive motifs. We demonstrate that ARSB is effective in reducing the inhibitory actions of CSPGs both in in vitro models of the glial scar and after optic nerve crush (ONC) in adult mice. ARSB is clinically approved for replacement therapy in patients with mucopolysaccharidosis VI and therefore represents an attractive candidate for translation to the human CNS

Assessing the invertebrate fauna trajectories in remediation sites of Winstone Aggregates Hunua quarry in Auckland

This study monitored the invertebrates in restoration plantings in the Winstone Aggregates Hunua Quarry. This was to assess the re-establishment of invertebrates in the restoration planting sites and compare them with unplanted control and mature sites. This study follows on from a baseline study carried out in 2014-2015 measuring the restoration trajectory of invertebrates in the Winstone Aggregate Hunua quarry site. A range of entomological monitoring techniques were used and found that dung beetles, millipedes, foliage moths, leaf litter moths and some mite species increased in numbers from the control sites through to the mature sites, while ants, rove beetles, grass moths, some carabid beetles, and worms showed a downwards trend from the mature sites to the control sites. Further monitoring of invertebrates in the restoration area should be carried out