Te Mata Ira: Guidelines for Genomic Research with Māori.: Te Mata Ira: Guidelines for Genomic Research with Māori.

Māori ethical frameworks recognise that all research in New Zealand is of interest to Māori and outline community expectations of appropriate behavior in research to deliver the best outcomes for Māori. Research contributes to the broader development objectives of society. Ethics has a specific role in guiding key behaviours, processes and methodologies used in research. This document outlines a framework for addressing Māori ethical issues within the context of genetic or genomic research. It draws on a foundation of mātauranga (Māori knowledge) and tikanga Māori (Māori protocols and practices) and will be useful for researchers, ethics committee members and those who engage in consultation or advice about genomic research with Māori in local, regional, national or international settings

Spatial considerations during cryopreservation of a large volume sample

AbstractThere have been relatively few studies on the implications of the physical conditions experienced by cells during large volume (litres) cryopreservation – most studies have focused on the problem of cryopreservation of smaller volumes, typically up to 2 ml.This study explores the effects of ice growth by progressive solidification, generally seen during larger scale cryopreservation, on encapsulated liver hepatocyte spheroids, and it develops a method to reliably sample different regions across the frozen cores of samples experiencing progressive solidification.These issues are examined in the context of a Bioartificial Liver Device which requires cryopreservation of a 2 L volume in a strict cylindrical geometry for optimal clinical delivery. Progressive solidification cannot be avoided in this arrangement. In such a system optimal cryoprotectant concentrations and cooling rates are known. However, applying these parameters to a large volume is challenging due to the thermal mass and subsequent thermal lag. The specific impact of this to the cryopreservation outcome is required.Under conditions of progressive solidification, the spatial location of Encapsulated Liver Spheroids had a strong impact on post-thaw recovery. Cells in areas first and last to solidify demonstrated significantly impaired post-thaw function, whereas areas solidifying through the majority of the process exhibited higher post-thaw outcome. It was also found that samples where the ice thawed more rapidly had greater post-thaw viability 24 h post-thaw (75.7 ± 3.9% and 62.0 ± 7.2% respectively).These findings have implications for the cryopreservation of large volumes with a rigid shape and for the cryopreservation of a Bioartificial Liver Device

N=2 Supersymmetry and Bailey Pairs

We demonstrate that the Bailey pair formulation of Rogers-Ramanujan identities unifies the calculations of the characters of $N=1$ and $N=2$ supersymmetric conformal field theories with the counterpart theory with no supersymmetry. We illustrate this construction for the $M(3,4)$ (Ising) model where the Bailey pairs have been given by Slater. We then present the general unitary case. We demonstrate that the model $M(p,p+1)$ is derived from $M(p-1,p)$ by a Bailey renormalization flow and conclude by obtaining the $N=1$ model $SM(p,p+2)$ and the unitary $N=2$ model with central charge $c=3(1-2/p).$Comment: 32 pages in harvmac, no figure

Te Mata Ira—Faces of the Gene: Developing a cultural foundation for biobanking and genomic research involving Māori

Te Mata Ira was a three-year research project (2012–2015) that explored Māori views on genomic research and biobanking for the development of culturally appropriate guidelines. A key component of this process has been to identify Māori concepts that provide cultural reference points for engaging with biobanking and genomic research. These cultural cues provide the basis for describing the cultural logic that underpins engagement in this context in a culturally acceptable manner. This paper outlines the role of two wānanga (workshops) conducted as part of the larger project that were used to make sense of the Māori concepts that emerged from other data-collection activities. The wānanga involved six experts who worked with the research team to make sense of the Māori concepts. The wānanga process created the logic behind the cultural foundation for biobanking and genomic research, providing a basis for understanding Māori concepts, Māori ethical principles and their application to biobanking and genomic research

Are trajectories of social isolation from childhood to mid-adulthood associated with adult depression or suicide outcomes

Purpose: Social isolation has been shown to have negative effects on mental health outcomes though little is known about trajectories across the life course. We examined the relationship between trajectory groups and selected mental health outcomes in mid-adulthood. Methods: We previously created a typology of social isolation based on onset during the life course and persistence into adulthood, using group-based trajectory analysis of longitudinal data from a New Zealand birth cohort. The typology comprises four groups: 'never-isolated', 'adult-only', 'child-only', and 'persistent (child-adult) isolation'. We undertook logistic regression analyses of three mental health outcomes with trajectory group as the predictor, adjusting for sex and a range of familial and child-behavioural factors. Results: Lifetime suicide attempt, and depression and suicide ideation in mid-adulthood were each associated with adult-only but not child-only social isolation. Depression in mid-adulthood was also associated with persistent child-adult social isolation. Conclusion: Although our findings are associational and not causal, they indicate that interrupting persistent social isolation may help to prevent adult depression whereas halting adult social isolation may ameliorate both depression and suicide outcomes

RAG-induced DNA double-strand breaks signal through Pim2 to promote pre-B cell survival and limit proliferation

Interleukin 7 (IL-7) promotes pre–B cell survival and proliferation by activating the Pim1 and Akt kinases. These signals must be attenuated to induce G1 cell cycle arrest and expression of the RAG endonuclease, which are both required for IgL chain gene rearrangement. As lost IL-7 signals would limit pre–B cell survival, how cells survive during IgL chain gene rearrangement remains unclear. We show that RAG-induced DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) generated during IgL chain gene assembly paradoxically promote pre–B cell survival. This occurs through the ATM-dependent induction of Pim2 kinase expression. Similar to Pim1, Pim2 phosphorylates BAD, which antagonizes the pro-apoptotic function of BAX. However, unlike IL-7 induction of Pim1, RAG DSB-mediated induction of Pim2 does not drive proliferation. Rather, Pim2 has antiproliferative functions that prevent the transit of pre–B cells harboring RAG DSBs from G1 into S phase, where these DNA breaks could be aberrantly repaired. Thus, signals from IL-7 and RAG DSBs activate distinct Pim kinase family members that have context-dependent activities in regulating pre–B cell proliferation and survival

The development of guidelines for indigenous research ethics in Aotearoa/New Zealand.

The development of Indigenous frameworks for research ethics has been a key component of progressing Indigenous aspirations for research around the world. They have provided a focal point for challenging approaches to research that prioritise non-Indigenous methods and values, and allow non-Indigenous researchers to claim expert status over Indigenous peoples, places and knowledges. The theme of self-determination underpins contemporary approaches to Indigenous development and the repositioning of state-Indigenous nation relationships. This paper describes the background, development, and implementation by Māori communities and researchers of an Indigenous ethical framework in Aotearoa/New Zealand

Initial report of the 2018 Census external data quality panel

One in six New Zealand residents did not complete a questionnaire for the 2018 New Zealand Census of Population and Dwellings. This was largely due to operational failures that made it difficult for a significant number of individuals and households to access census questionnaires, and to fulfill their statutory duty to participate

Final report of the 2018 Census External Data Quality Panel

At the time this report was submitted for publication in January 2020, Stats NZ was finalizing its release schedule for census products that allow users to produce their own tabulations and statistical analyses using census data (see Appendix 2 for a summary of release dates for 2018 Census products). In early 2020, Stats NZ will release 2018 Census data for use in the Data Lab, a distributed set of secure computer sites where users can access, with approval, microdata for research purposes. By March 2020, 2018 Census data will be in the Integrated Data Infrastructure (IDI) and available for use by approved researchers and policy analysts who wish to negotiate access to the IDI.https://www.stats.govt.nz/assets/Uploads/Reports/Final-report-of-the-2018-Census-External-Data-Quality-Panel/Downloads/Final-report-of-the-2018-Census-External-Data-Quality-Panel-corrected.pd

Social isolation from childhood to mid-adulthood: is there an association with older brain age?

Background: Older brain age - as estimated from structural MRI data - is known to be associated with detrimental mental and physical health outcomes in older adults. Social isolation, which has similar detrimental effects on health, may be associated with accelerated brain aging though little is known about how different trajectories of social isolation across the life course moderate this association. We examined the associations between social isolation trajectories from age 5 to age 38 and brain age assessed at age 45. Methods: We previously created a typology of social isolation based on onset during the life course and persistence into adulthood, using group-based trajectory analysis of longitudinal data from a New Zealand birth cohort. The typology comprises four groups: 'never-isolated', 'adult-only', 'child-only', and persistent 'child-adult' isolation. A brain age gap estimate (brainAGE) - the difference between predicted age from structural MRI date and chronological age - was derived at age 45. We undertook analyses of brainAGE with trajectory group as the predictor, adjusting for sex, family socio-economic status, and a range of familial and child-behavioral factors. Results: Older brain age in mid-adulthood was associated with trajectories of social isolation after adjustment for family and child confounders, particularly for the 'adult-only' group compared to the 'never-isolated' group. Conclusions: Although our findings are associational, they indicate that preventing social isolation, particularly in mid-adulthood, may help to avert accelerated brain aging associated with negative health outcomes later in life