Kiwifruit bacterial canker in 'Hayward' kiwifruit : the application of observational study design and epidemiological techniques to the study of disease outbreaks affecting plant health : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Veterinary Epidemiology, Institute of Veterinary, Animal and Biomedical Sciences at Massey University, Manawatu, New Zealand

Bacterial canker of kiwifruit, caused by Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae (Psa) biovar 3, was first recorded in New Zealand in November 2010 and quickly made production of the goldfleshed kiwifruit cultivar, ‘Hort16A’, which is highly susceptible to Psa, no longer viable in the Bay of Plenty region. Production of the green-fleshed cultivar, ‘Hayward’ has remained viable but there is uncertainty around its long-term productivity. This thesis investigated aspects of Psa in commercial ‘Hayward’ orchards using observational studies. The aims were to: 1) quantify a change in productivity associated with disease; 2) determine the prevalence of disease in orchards; 3) identify factors that altered the initial development of disease and 4) identify factors that impact on the presence of severe disease. Severe disease was defined as 5% or more female vines in a block showing the systemic symptoms of green shoot wilt and cane dieback. To determine Psa effects on productivity historical data from 2599 ‘Hayward’ orchards were analysed. No reduction in productivity was found until 1 year after initial detection of Psa, after controlling for other orchard inputs that affect productivity. A crosssectional survey was sent to all Psa confirmed ‘Hayward’ orchards and 430 growers provided information about one of their ‘Hayward’ orchard blocks. The survey found 84% of orchard blocks were affected by disease and 57% had green shoot-wilt and/or cane dieback reported. Blocks typically had a low within block prevalence of systemic symptoms (Median = 5% of vines). In 194 orchards that were asymptomatic at the start of the study period the probability of disease developing in a block increased in association with use of Psa protectant sprays immediately post-pruning and using artificial pollination. A lower probability of disease developing was associated with undertaking summer girdling and with the presence of older male vines. The probability of developing severe disease was investigated in 331 orchard blocks that were symptomatic. The probability increased with time after Psa was first detected in a block and was highest when frost damage occurred, when poplar, cypress or pine shelter belts were present and when artificial pollination was used. The probability of severe bacterial canker was lower when spring girdling of female vines was undertaken. The results of this study can be used to prioritise future research. The thesis has also demonstrated the utility of observational studies for plant disease research

E-government, biblioteques públiques i inclusió social: debat sobre alguns d'aquests conceptes

L'objecte d'aquest escrit és l'aportació que les biblioteques públiques poden fer al desenvolupament dels serveis electrònics prestats pels governs estatals i locals, amb una especial referència a la dimensió de la inclusió social, perquè aquest és el punt fort d'aquestes institucions. Quan parlem d'aquesta àrea, tendim a centrar-nos en allò que ara en diem «la bretxa digital». Un dels temes que cal debatre és no sols en què consisteix, sinó també si és pertinent que abordem aquesta qüestió. El tema és important, perquè les biblioteques públiques han d'abordar les mateixes qüestions que altres sectors que desenvolupen les funcions relacionades amb els negocis electrònics en un context corporatiu. Aquestes qüestions inclouen la manera com els serveis es poden prestar a través de mitjans electrònics i com les biblioteques poden contribuir a la prestació de serveis de l'organització mare. | El objeto de este artículo es la aportación que las bibliotecas públicas pueden hacer al desarrollo de los servicios electrónicos prestados por los gobiernos estatales y locales, con una especial referencia a la dimensión de la inclusión social, porque éste es el punto fuerte de estas instituciones. Cuando hablamos de esta área, tendemos a centrarnos en lo que ahora llamamos «la brecha digital». Uno de los temas que hay que debatir no es sólo en qué consiste, sinó también si es pertinente que abordemos esta cuestión. El tema es importante, porque las bibliotecas públicas han de abordar las mismas cuestiones que otros sectores que desarrollan las funciones relacionadas con los negocios electrónicos en un contexto corporativo. Estas cuestiones incluyen la forma cómo los servicios se pueden prestar a través de medios electrónicos y cómo las bibliotecas pueden contribuir a la prestación de servicios de la organización madre. | The focus of this paper is the contribution public libraries can make to the development of e-government services provided by national and local government with particular reference to the social inclusion dimension, because that is a strength of public libraries. Discussion of this area tends to focus on what we now know to be the so-called «Digital Divide». One of the issues discussed is not only what that is, but whether it is a significant issue for us to address. The issue is important because as other sectors develop their e-business functions in a corporate context, public libraries also have to address the same issues. These issues include how services can be delivered electronically and how libraries can assist in the delivery of services of the parent organisation

Bird communities in the buffer lands of Epping Forest

A farmland site in the green-belt buffer lands to the north of Epping Forest was surveyed for bird species across one calendar year. This is the first known effort in this area. The principal focus was upon birds listed on the Farmland Bird Index, but all species encountered were recorded, giving 41 species in total. Diversity and dominance data is presented for the whole year and across seasons. Eleven of the 19 indicator species were registered, and ten of those were present during breeding season. The majority of the missing eight species are red listed and in population decline, but so are some of those recorded. Generalist species were more readily registered. Woodpigeon is the dominant species, from two forms of analysis. The limitations of this survey and next steps are discussed

Investigating the Mechanism of Action of Colostrinin™ on Cells in Culture

The aim of this Ph.D. project was to investigate the effects of Colostrinin (CLN) on cells in culture, and its Aβility to prevent or alleviate cytotoxicity induced by reactive oxygen species (ROS) and beta-amyloid (Aβ). Two cell culture systems were used to analyse the effects of CLN; rat primary hippocampal cultures and the B50 rat neuronal cell line. Bovine CLN was found to have no adverse effects on cell morphology or survival and to have a small, non-significant effect, on both menadione-induced, oxidative stress-mediated toxicity and Aβ1-42-induced toxicity of neurons in primary hippocampal cultures. This protective effect was found to potentially be related to the antioxidant effects of CLN. CLN was demonstrated to prevent a menadione-induced increase in ROS in the B50 cell line. Furthermore CLN was able to reverse a significant Aβ1-42-mediated increase in the protein levels of the antioxidant enzyme Cu/Zu superoxide dismutase (SOD) in primary hippocampal cultures, although CLN alone caused an increase in SOD1 protein in the B50 cell line. Bovine CLN was shown, in both B50 cells and primary hippocampal cells, not to significantly decrease the protein levels of cyclin dependent kinase 5 (Cdk5) which has previously been demonstrated to be involved in the mechanism of tumour necrosis factor (TNF) α-mediated protection against Aβ-induced toxicity in primary hippocampal cultures. Furthermore CLN did not consistently alter the expression of activated caspase 3 in either B50 or primary hippocampal cells. This study adds to the knowledge and understanding of the mechanism of action of CLN

Essay: So you want to be an architect...

Article written for Architects Journal exploring the changing face of architectural education and its relationship with the wider and even unstable world of professional practice

Molecular theory of hydrophobic mismatch between lipids and peptides

Effects of the mismatch between the hydrophobic length, d, of transmembrane alpha helices of integral proteins and the hydrophobic thickness, D_h, of the membranes they span are studied theoretically utilizing a microscopic model of lipids. In particular, we examine the dependence of the period of a lamellar phase on the hydrophobic length and volume fraction of a rigid, integral, peptide. We find that the period decreases when a short peptide, such that d<D_h, is inserted. More surprising, we find that the period increases when a long peptide, such that d>D_h, is inserted. The effect is due to the replacement of extensible lipid tails by rigid peptide. As the peptide length is increased, the lamellar period continues to increase, but at a slower rate, and can eventually decrease. The amount of peptide which fails to incorporate and span the membrane increases with the magnitude of the hydrophobic mismatch |d-D_h|. We explicate these behaviors which are all in accord with experiment. Predictions are made for the dependence of the tilt of a single trans-membrane alpha helix on hydrophobic mismatch and helix density.Comment: 14 pages, 5 figure

Cascade diagrams for depicting complex interventions in randomised trials

Clarity about how trial interventions are delivered is important for researchers and those who might want to use their results. A new graphical representation aims to help make complex interventions clearer. Many medical interventions—particularly non-pharmacological ones—are complex, consisting of multiple interacting components targeted at different organisational levels. Published descriptions of complex interventions often do not contain enough detail to enable their replication. Reports of behaviour change interventions should include descriptions of setting, mode, intensity, and duration, and characteristics of the participants. Graphical methods, such as that showing the relative timing of assessments and intervention components, may improve clarity of reporting. However, these approaches do not reveal the connections between the different “actors” in a complex intervention.8 Different audiences may want different things from a description of an intervention, but visualising relationships between actors can clarify crucial features such as the fidelity with which the intervention is passed down a chain of actors and possible routes of contamination between treatment arms. Here we describe a new graphical approach—the cascade diagram—that highlights these potential problems