Effects of long-term inputs of fertiliser and irrigation on soil carbon under grazed pasture

Objective: To investigate and quantify the effects of long-term increases in pasture production caused by variable inputs of fertiliser and irrigation on soil profile carbon under permanent grazed pasture.Funding provided by the Agricultural and Marketing Research and Development Trust, The New Zealand Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, and Environment Canterbury

Restricted Movements: Researching the Latin Music Scene in the Post HB 318 Triangle

The population of North Carolina residents identifying as Hispanic/Latino grew by 943% between 1990 and 2010. With this demographic shift, space for musical practice, dancing, and concerts has become contested within the Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill area. The latest of several anti-immigration laws passed in the last decade, the controversial Protect North Carolina Workers Act, HB 318, was signed into law on October 28, 2015. The effects of fear-inducing legislation and immigration enforcement on the ground have led to restricted movements in the Latino community, both in their daily and musical lives. Considering the Latin music scene in the Triangle as a cross-genre, multi-venue, and translocal network, this thesis details the experiences of those working, playing, and listening in this fragmented musical space.Master of Art

Indigenous resilience through urban disaster: the Maori response to the 2010 and 2011 Christchurch Otautahi earthquakes

The scale of damage from a series of earthquakes across Christchurch Otautahi in 2010 and 2011 challenged all networks in the city at a time when many individuals and communities were under severe economic pressure. Historically, Maori have drawn on traditional institutions such as whanau, marae, hapu and iwi in their endurance of past crises. This paper presents research in progress to describe how these Maori-centric networks supported both Maori and non-Maori through massive urban dislocation. Resilience to any disaster can be explained by configurations of economic, social and cultural factors. Knowing what has contributed to Maori resilience is fundamental to the strategic enhancement of future urban communities - Maori and non-Maori

Archeological 3D Mapping: The Structure from Motion Revolution

Mapping is a critical aspect of systematic documentation no matter where archaeologists work. From hand-drawn maps of excavation units to maps created with Total Data Stations or LiDAR scanning, today’s archaeologists have a suite of mapping techniques and technologies to choose from when documenting a site. Typically, spectacular sites often receive high resolution mapping, whereas everyday sites rarely do. Recently, however, a revolutionary technology and technique has been created that can produce highly accurate and precise three-dimensional maps and orthophotos of archaeological sites, features, and profiles at a fraction of the cost and time of LiDAR and intensive TDS mapping: Structure from Motion (SfM). SfM is a new digital photography processing technique for capturing highly detailed, three-dimensional (3D) data from almost any surface using digital cameras. This article introduces the various platforms SfM photographs can be collected from (UAV, kites, balloons, poles, and groundbased) and provides examples of different types of data SfM can provide. The Structure from Motion Revolution is unfolding across the globe at a rapid pace, and we encourage archaeologists to take advantage of this new recording method

Latent stem and progenitor cells in the hippocampus are activated by neural excitation

The regulated production of neurons in the hippocampus throughout life underpins important brain functions such as learning and memory. Surprisingly, however, studies have so far failed to identify a resident hippocampal stem cell capable of providing the renewable source of these neurons. Here, we report that depolarizing levels of KCl produce a threefold increase in the number of neurospheres generated from the adult mouse hippocampus. Most interestingly, however, depolarizing levels of KCl led to the emergence of a small subpopulation of precursors (approximately eight per hippocampus) with the capacity to generate very large neurospheres (>250 µm in diameter). Many of these contained cells that displayed the cardinal properties of stem cells: multipotentiality and self-renewal. In contrast, the same conditions led to the opposite effect in the other main neurogenic region of the brain, the subventricular zone, in which neurosphere numbers decreased by ~40% in response to depolarizing levels of KCl. Most importantly, we also show that the latent hippocampal progenitor population can be activated in vivo in response to prolonged neural activity found in status epilepticus. This work provides the first direct evidence of a latent precursor and stem cell population in the adult hippocampus, which is able to be activated by neural activity. Because the latent population is also demonstrated to reside in the aged animal, defining the precise mechanisms that underlie its activation may provide a means to combat the cognitive deficits associated with a decline in neurogenesis

The response of soil microbial communities to the infection of kauri (Agathis australis) seedlings with Phytophthora agathidicida

New Zealand's ancient kauri (Agathis australis) forests are under threat from the spread of dieback disease, caused by the soil-borne pathogen Phytophthora agathidicida. Characterizing the response of the soil microbiota to the infection of kauri with P. agathidicida is essential to identify how they may form a protective response to pathogen invasion and disease expression. This study infected 18-month-old kauri seedlings with a standardized inoculum load of P. agathidicida for 6 weeks under controlled environmental conditions. Following this, changes in the diversity, composition and biomass of soil microbial communities associated with kauri seedlings were characterized using high-throughput 16S rRNA and ITS gene region sequencing and phospholipid fatty acid analysis. Significant differences were found in the composition of soil bacterial communities associated with inoculated and non-inoculated kauri seedlings. Furthermore, soils of inoculated seedlings had a significantly higher relative abundance of bacteria previously reported to be associated with plant disease suppression, which included several members of the Firmicutes. Significant reductions were found in the fungal: bacterial biomass of soils from inoculated seedlings. This finding contrasts to previous field-based research that observed an increased diversity of soil fungal communities associated with diseased kauri in old growth kauri forests. Further research that aims to isolate members of the kauri soil microbiota and study their interactions with P. agathidicida is required for us to begin selecting potential biocontrol agents against kauri dieback

Differences in injury and concussion rates in a cohort of Canadian female and male youth Rugby Union:A step towards targeted prevention strategies

Objective: To examine differences in match and training musculoskeletal injury and concussion rates and describe mechanisms of concussion while considering previous playing experience in female and male Canadian high school Rugby Union ('rugby') players. Methods: A 2-year prospective cohort study was completed in a high school league (n=361 females, 421 player-seasons; n=429 males, 481 player-seasons) in Calgary, Canada over the 2018 and 2019 rugby playing seasons. Baseline testing was completed at the start of each season and injury surveillance and individual player participation through session attendance was documented to quantify individual-level player exposure hours. Injury incidence rates (IRs) and incidence rate ratios (IRRs) were calculated using Poisson regression, offset by player exposure hours and clustered by team. Results: Overall match IR for females was 62% higher than males (overall IRR=1.62, 95% CI: 1.20 to 2.18) and the overall training IR was twice as high for females (overall IRR=2.15, 95% CI: 1.40 to 3.32). The female match concussion IR was 70% higher than the males (concussion IRR=1.70, 95% CI: 1.08 to 2.69). Females had a 75% greater tackle-related IR compared with males (IRR=1.75, 95% CI: 1.20 to 2.56). Additionally, female tacklers had a twofold greater rate of injury compared with male tacklers (IRR=2.17, 95% CI: 1.14 to 4.14). Previous playing experience was not associated with tackle-related injury or concussion IRs. Conclusion: The rate of injury and concussion was significantly higher in females within this Canadian high school cohort. These results emphasise the need for development, implementation and evaluation of female-specific injury and concussion prevention strategies to reduce injury and concussion in female youth rugby.</p

Indigenous peoples' attitudes and social acceptability of invasive species control in New Zealand

Context: In Aotearoa New Zealand, a significant threat to biodiversity, conservation efforts and Indigenous cultural identity is the unwanted introduction of invasive pests, plants and pathogens. Currently methods to control invasive species in Aotearoa New Zealand, in particular mammalian pests (i.e. possums (Trichosurus vulpecula)) have had decreasing public support. This has likely come about for a number of reasons, including lack of social engagement and concerns over impacts combined with an increasing distrust of top-down initiatives. Aims and methods: We analysed opinions towards existing and emerging technologies to manage invasive species. Data were obtained from 1015 respondents who identified as Indigenous Māori from a national survey of 8199 respondents. Utilising psychological frameworks to investigate underlying beliefs of social acceptance, we analysed the responses using exploratory and latent class analysis methods to summarise the main perspectives. Key results: Our results revealed four distinct clusters of viewpoints amongwithin Māori respondents that were explained by known (objective) and subjective scientific knowledge around pest control methods, and Indigenous community wellbeing. We also observed a general neutrality in trust towards science, but more trust in scientists than science institutions. Conclusions and implications: Understanding the underlying values and viewpoints associated with pest control and including these in developing engagement plans will ensure a responsible process that empowers Māori. This way forward is key to sustain pathways of engagement and positive participation in decision-making

Branding and a child’s brain: an fMRI study of neural responses to logos

Branding and advertising have a powerful effect on both familiarity and preference for products, yet no neuroimaging studies have examined neural response to logos in children. Food advertising is particularly pervasive and effective in manipulating choices in children. The purpose of this study was to examine how healthy children’s brains respond to common food and other logos. A pilot validation study was first conducted with 32 children to select the most culturally familiar logos, and to match food and non-food logos on valence and intensity. A new sample of 17 healthy weight children were then scanned using functional magnetic resonance imaging. Food logos compared to baseline were associated with increased activation in orbitofrontal cortex and inferior prefrontal cortex. Compared to non-food logos, food logos elicited increased activation in posterior cingulate cortex. Results confirmed that food logos activate some brain regions in children known to be associated with motivation. This marks the first study in children to examine brain responses to culturally familiar logos. Considering the pervasiveness of advertising, research should further investigate how children respond at the neural level to marketing