Costing the cold: Connecting fuel poverty & supplier switching in Wellington, New Zealand

Fuel poverty describes the inability of households to afford adequate energy services, such as space heating. In New Zealand, where 25% of households are estimated to be ‘fuel poor’, high electricity prices in a restructured electricity market have an important influence on fuel poverty. However, the ability of the New Zealand Government to regulate these high electricity prices is constrained. Consequently, there is a strong reliance on consumers to switch energy suppliers, which promotes competitive prices and in turn regulates the price of electricity. In contrast to energy efficiency improvements, switching offers fuel poor households a low-cost opportunity to improve the short-term affordability of energy services. Yet, switching is suggested to not benefit fuel poor households who are in most need of affordable energy. This thesis explored the relationship between fuel poverty and supplier switching in Wellington, New Zealand through a geographic lens. First, a new approach to identifying fuel poverty in New Zealand was applied. Using geographic information systems (GIS), a fuel poverty index was calculated to identify fuel poverty in Wellington at meshblock level. Spatial analysis of the index revealed the complexity of identifying fuel poverty and the extent to which the spatial distribution of fuel poverty in Wellington is shaped by the city’s colonial history. The index was then used to identify survey participants through which a survey was conducted exploring Wellington households’ switching behaviours. In a competitive market, consumers are expected to switch according to economically rational behaviours. However, switching behaviours in the survey sample were influenced by factors other than these economically rational behaviours. Integrating the findings of this thesis supports suggestions that switching is not benefiting the fuel poor. Finally, this thesis sheds light on the extent to which an understanding of the geography of fuel poverty can be applied towards improving the effectiveness of policy and equitable outcomes for fuel poor households

EFFECT OF BLOCK DESIGN ON ROTATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS OF A SWIM START

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of start block design on the rotational characteristics of a swim start. Seven male and seven female university-level competitive swimmers (21.1±2.1 yrs, 1.79±0.08 m, 75.6±11.8 kg) completed three maximal effort swim starts under each of four conditions, flat block with no kick plate, flat block with a kick plate, inclined block with no kick plate and inclined block with a kick plate. Temporal and kinematic variables and angular momentum were determined for each start using a two-dimensional video analysis. Use of an inclined block significantly reduced block time by 4%, reduced time to 5m by 2.2% and reduced vertical velocity at entry by 4.9% compared to a flat block. Use of a kick plate significantly reduced block time by 3.4%, reduced time to 5m by 3.4%, increased horizontal velocity at takeoff by 3.7%, increased horizontal velocity at entry by 2.7% and increased the body orientation angle at takeoff by 2.7% compared to not using a kick plate. Neither block inclination nor use of a kick plate affected airborne whole body angular momentum. These data support using an inclined block platform and kick plate to improve start performance and suggest that experienced swimmers can adapt the rotational characteristics of their start to different conditions

Lower Extremity Muscle Activity When Walking on a Non-Motorized Treadmill

Effective interventions for increasing walking speed are important for improving health and quality of life in aging populations. Non-motorized treadmills (NMT) may enhance the ability to develop or improve motor control in gait by requiring the participant to produce and maintain speed as compared to use of a motorized treadmill (MT) which requires one to simply match speed. PURPOSE: The purpose of this project was to compare muscle activation patterns of lower extremity muscles between MT, NMT and overground (OG) walking. METHODS: Twenty healthy adults (24.4±7.2 yrs, 1.75±0.09 m, 75.4±13.1 kg) completed one trial of walking at each of three speeds (2.5, 3.5, 4.5 mph) and three modes (OG, MT, NMT). Surface EMG of the Biceps Femoris (BF), Tibialis Anterior (TA), Gastrocnemius (GA), and Vastus Medialis (VM) was collected at 1000 Hz using electrodes placed longitudinally at the midpoint of the muscle belly. After removing DC bias, EMG RMS was computed using a moving window of 250 ms. Peak EMG RMS within a stride was averaged across 8 consecutive gait cycles identified using vertical acceleration measured with a triaxial accelerometer. Separate 3x3 repeated measures ANOVA’s were used to compare muscle activity across walking speed and mode for each muscle. RESULTS: For all muscles, there was no significant interaction between walking mode and speed. Muscle activity significantly increased with walking speed (p\u3c0.05). TA, VM, and GA activity was not different between walking modes (p\u3c0.05). At 2.5 mph, GA muscle activity, was significantly (p\u3c0.001) higher for NMT (0.44±0.16 mV) than MT (0.33±0.13 mV) and OG (0.31±0.14 mV) but MT and OG were not different. At 3.5 mph, GA muscle activity, was significantly (p\u3c0.001) higher for NMT (0.49±0.19 mV) than MT (0.36±0.15 mV) and OG (0.36±0.17 mV) but MT and OG were not different. At 4.5 mph, GA muscle activity, was significantly (p\u3c0.001) higher for NMT (0.58±0.28 mV) than MT (0.47±0.19 mV) and OG (0.44±0.19 mV) but MT and OG were not different. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that use of NMT accentuates plantar flexor activity when walking. Given that reduced plantar flexor activity contributes to reduced gait speed in older adults, use of NMT has potential for clinical use in treatment of gait deficiencies in aging adults

Epitope mapping of antibodies induced with a conserved rhinovirus protein generating protective anti-rhinovirus immunity

Human rhinovirus (RV) infections are the principle cause of common colds and precipitate asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbations. Currently there is no vaccine for RV which is largely due to the existence of ~160 serotypes/strains. We demonstrated previously that immunising mice with highly conserved VP4 and VP2 regions of the RV polyprotein (RV-A16 VP0) generated cross-reactive immunity to RV in vivo. The current study investigated and mapped the epitopes of RV-A16 VP0 that are targets for antibodies in serum samples from VP0 immunisation and RV challenge studies in mice. Recombinant capsid proteins, peptide pools and individual peptides spanning the immunogen sequence (RV-A16 VP0) were assessed for IgG binding sites to identify epitopes. We found that peptide pools covering the C-terminus of VP4, the N-terminus of VP2 and the neutralising NIm-II site within VP2 were bound by serum IgG from immunised mice. The NIm-II site peptide pool blocked IgG binding to the immunogen RV-A16 VP0 and individual peptides within the pool binding IgG were further mapped. Thus, we have identified immunodominant epitopes of RV vaccine candidate RV-A16 VP0, noting that strong IgG binding antibodies were observed that target a key neutralising epitope that is highly variable amongst RV serotypes

A Scoping Study To Explore The Application And Impact Of Grading Practice In Pre-registration Midwifery Programmes Across The United Kingdom.

Grading of practice is a mandatory element of programmes leading to registration as a midwife in the United Kingdom, required by the Nursing and Midwifery Council. This validates the importance of practice by placing it on an equal level with academic work, contributing to degree classification. This paper discusses a scoping project undertaken by the Lead Midwives for Education group across the 55 Higher Education Institutions in the United Kingdom which deliver pre-registration midwifery programmes. A questionnaire was circulated and practice tools shared, enabling exploration of the application of the standards and collation of the views of the Lead Midwives. Timing and individuals involved in practice assessment varied as did the components and the credit weighting applied to practice modules. Sign-off mentor confidence in awarding a range of grades had increased over time, and mentors seemed positive about the value given to practice and their role as professional gatekeepers. Grading was generally felt to be more robust and meaningful than pass/refer. It also appeared that practice grading may contribute to an enhanced student academic profile. A set of guiding principles is being developed with the purpose of enhancing consistency of the application of the professional standards across the United Kingdom

Effects of dredging-related pressures on critical ecological processes for organisms other than fish or coral. Report of Theme 9 - Project 9.1 prepared for the Dredging Science Node

In November 2013 a workshop was held at CSIRO Floreat, which brought together national and international marine scientists. The workshop addressed two primary objectives: • identify the timing of critical ecological processes in tropical and temperate ecosystems with a focus on non-coral and non-fish biota (seagrass, seaweed, sponges, ascidians, bryozoans, molluscs, echinoderms, crustaceans and non-coral cnidarians); and • identify environmental windows for critical ecological processes identified in Objective 1. This will be achieved by compiling information on the timing of reproduction, release of propagules and recruitment for these organisms, as well as the temporal and spatial scales of reproduction and recruitment events. During Workshop 1 a conceptual diagram was developed to illustrate and guide the decision process behind the selection of environmental windows (EWs) (see Figure 1). The life histories of the biota investigated were then identified and listed in detailed tables with specific reference to potential effects of dredging at each life history stage..

Use of Antiviral Drugs to Reduce Household Transmission of Pandemic (H1N1) 2009, United Kingdom1

TOC Summary: Early treatment of primary case-patients and prophylaxis of household contacts provides effective protection