The implicit nature of advice on the intimate topic of financial management : an exploration of how the financial management advisory system shapes financial management advice in the dairy sector in Aotearoa : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Agriculture & Environment at Massey University, Manawatu, Aotearoa

Financial Management (FM) skills have been argued to be essential for the effective management of a farm in response to pressures like climatic and economic volatility. Internationally, agricultural advisors are considered important actors concerned with supporting farmers in different aspects of farm management. Agricultural advisors are recognised for their role in facilitating the application and use of new knowledge by farmers through advice. Despite the recognized importance of financial management, limited research has looked at the role of advisory services in relation to the topic of financial management in the agricultural sector. This doctoral research takes a systemic view in studying FM advisory provisioning in the New Zealand dairy sector. In particular, this study explores three different areas of the FM advisory system in the New Zealand dairy sector and how they shape FM advisory provisioning. The first area studied is how interactions between farmers and FM advisors are shaped. The second area focuses on how interactions between FM advisors around a mutual client are shaped. Lastly, the third area studied is how FM advisors navigate the multiple accountabilities and demands placed on their role. The findings of this research are informed by forty-seven semi-structured interviews with farmers, accountants, bankers, farm management consultants, specialist financial advisors and employees of the industry good organisation DairyNZ. This study follows a social constructivistic approach and was mainly data-driven; by an empirical social phenomenon. This research explores and enriches the literature on agricultural advisory services, by exploring advisory services in relation to farmers’ FM. This study enriches this literature firstly by highlighting the influence of the sensitivity of the topic. The sensitivity of the topic and how this topic relates to farmer’s identity, influences whom farmers seek advice from and the nature of that advice. Moreover, the presence of an authority dimension in the relationship between advisor and farmer is shown in this research to shape the content and form of farmer-advisor interactions. Regarding advisor-advisor interactions, this research also provides deeper insights on what drives and shapes coordination among agricultural advisors. In particular, duty of care for a farmer and authority and advocacy are found to coordinate relationships and interactions between advisors. Lastly, this thesis contributes empirical insights to discussions about the relationship between formal advisory agendas of agricultural advisory activities on the one hand and on the other hand, the reality of agricultural advisory programs. In particular, it provides a detailed illustration of the complex institutional context placing contradictory demands and accountabilities on advisors and how these advisors navigate these in their everyday practices

An Armenian invocational prayer of a lost memra of Jacob of Serugh on Good Friday and the destruction of Sheol

This article offers the editio princeps and translation of the Armenian translation of an invocational prayer of a now lost memra of Jacob of Serugh on Good Friday and the destruction of Sheol. This text is different from the Armenian homily on Good Friday which was recently edited and translated by Edward G. Mathews, Jr. On the basis of comparisons with extant homilies of Jacob, it is argued that the prayer is genuine

Characteristics of Chemotherapy-induced Neuropathy: Clinical Studies on Cisplatin and Docetaxel

Peripheral neurotoxicity is an important side-effect of several chemotherapeutic agents. These agents may cause a usually axonal neuropathy, which may ultimately lead to severe and disabling symptoms and signs. Besides describing in this review the pathogenesis, the clinical presentation, the neurophysiological findings and the nerve biopsies, we also recount the relation between cumulative dosage/dosage per cycle and neuropathy for the cytostatic drugs for which neurotoxicity is an important side-effect: cisplatin, vincristine, paclitaxel, docetaxel and suramin. With the development of strategies to circumvent toxicities of other organs and \\vith the use of combinations of neurotoxic agents such as cisplatinlpaclitaxel, neurotoxicity is an important and dose limiting side-effect of many treatment regimens. Detailed knowledge of the neurologic side-effects of these drugs is essential for the management of their neurotoxicity. The review concludes with a short discussion of neuro-protective agents. Although several nerve growth factors, gluthation and ethiofos hold promise as possible neuroprotective factors, the clinical data on these drugs are still limited. New trials are needed to confirm the value of these drugs. If neurotoxicity can indeed be prevented or delayed, this may lead to more effective treatment regimens

The expression pattern of MUC1 (EMA) is related to tumour characteristics and clinical outcome of invasive ductal breast carcinoma

Aims: To clarify MUC1 patterns in invasive ductal breast carcinoma and to relate them to clinicopathological parameters, coexpression of other biological markers and prognosis. Methods and results: Samples from 243 consecutive patients with primary ductal carcinoma were incorporated into tissue microarrays (TMAs). Slides were stained for MUC1, oestrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), Her2/neu, p53 and cyclin D1. Apical membrane MUC1 expression was associated with smaller tumours (P = 0.001), lower tumour grades (P < 0.001), PR positivity (P = 0.003) and increased overall survival (OS; P = 0.030). Diffuse cytoplasmic MUC1 expression was associated with cyclin D1 positivity (P = 0.009) and increased relapse-free survival (RFS; P = 0.034). Negativity for MUC1 was associated with ER negativity (P = 0.004), PR negativity (P = 0.001) and cyclin D1 negativity (P = 0.009). In stepwise multivariate analysis MUC1 negativity was an independent predictor of both RFS [hazard ratio (HR) 3.5, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.5, 8.5; P = 0.005] and OS (HR 14.7, 9 5% Cl 4.9, 44. 1; P < 0.001). Conclusions: The expression pattern of MUC1 in invasive ductal breast carcinoma is related to tumour characteristics and clinical outcome. In addition, negative MUC1 expression is an independent risk factor for poor RFS and OS, besides 'classical' prognostic indicators