Sample records for zealand international two-stream

  1. Wood in New Zealand's Native Forest Streams. Recent Advances

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mark, M. A.; Davies-Colley, R.

    2005-05-01

    We conducted a series of research projects to investigate the importance of wood in native forested streams of New Zealand. We examined abundance and geomorphic role of wood in 18 pristine native forest streams (channel width: 3-6 m) throughout New Zealand. Forest type and geographic location had no discernable influence on wood abundance, possibly reflecting the confounding influences of local features (e.g., tree fall regime) and methodology (`snap-shot' survey of a dynamic system). Number (18-66 per 100 m) and dead wood volume (85-470 m3 ha-1) of stream logs were at the high end of the international range. Living trees contributed up to 25% of total wood, and tree ferns were strongly represented (up to 11% of volume). The largest 10% of pieces contributed 75% of the total volume. The importance of the large wood pieces (>10 m3) was explored further with surveys within that watershed containing the site with the greatest wood volume. The largest pieces were rare but seemed relatively uniformly distributed. To explore the biological consequences of stream wood, we studied use of wood-related micro-habitat by the crayfish (Paranephrops planifrons White). Our findings suggest that wood is an important component of New Zealand's forested stream ecosystems.

  2. Effects of heavy metals on benthic macroinvertebrate communities in New Zealand streams

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Hickey, C.W.; Clements, W.H.

    1998-11-01

    The authors performed chemical analyses of heavy metals in water and periphyton, toxicity tests with Daphnia magna and an indigenous mayfly (Deleatidium sp.), and field surveys of benthic macroinvertebrates to estimate the degree of metal pollution in three catchments in the Coromandel Peninsula of New Zealand. Good agreement was found between toxicity tests and measures of benthic community structure, particularly at stations with the highest metal levels. Responses of benthic communities at stations with low or moderate levels of metal contamination were variable and were probably confounded by factors other than heavy metals. Effects of heavy metals on benthic communitiesmore » in New Zealand streams were similar to those reported for metal-polluted streams in North America and Europe, suggesting that responses to metal contamination are predictable. Abundance and species richness of mayflies, number of taxa in the orders Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera, and total taxonomic richness were the best indicators of heavy metals in New Zealand streams. In contrast, the quantitative macroinvertebrate community index (QMCI), a biotic index proposed for assessing effects of organic enrichment in New Zealand streams, could not distinguish between reference and metal-polluted streams. The poor performance of the QMCI was primarily due to incorrect tolerance scores for some taxa to heavy metals. Because of concerns regarding the subjective assignment of tolerance values to species, the authors recommend that tolerance values for dominant species in New Zealand streams should be verified experimentally in stream microcosms.« less

  3. Adoption of Stream Fencing Among Dairy Farmers in Four New Zealand Catchments

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bewsell, Denise; Monaghan, Ross M.; Kaine, Geoff

    2007-08-01

    The effect of dairy farming on water quality in New Zealand streams has been identified as an important environmental issue. Stream fencing, to keep cattle out of streams, is seen as a way to improve water quality. Fencing ensures that cattle cannot defecate in the stream, prevents bank erosion, and protects the aquatic habitat. Stream fencing targets have been set by the dairy industry. In this paper the results of a study to identify the factors influencing dairy farmers’ decisions to adopt stream fencing are outlined. Qualitative methods were used to gather data from 30 dairy farmers in four New Zealand catchments. Results suggest that farm contextual factors influenced farmers’ decision making when considering stream fencing. Farmers were classified into four segments based on their reasons for investing in stream fencing. These reasons were fencing boundaries, fencing for stock control, fencing to protect animal health, and fencing because of pressure to conform to local government guidelines or industry codes of practice. This suggests that adoption may be slow in the absence of on-farm benefits, that promotion of stream fencing needs to be strongly linked to on-farm benefits, and that regulation could play a role in ensuring greater adoption of stream fencing.

  4. Entering the University: The Differentiated Experience of Two Chinese International Students in a New Zealand University

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Skyrme, Gillian

    2007-01-01

    This article draws on findings from a longitudinal study of Chinese international students beginning study in a New Zealand university, and focuses on the very different experience of two students in relation to a single course and its assessment requirements, as they sought ways to negotiate identities as university students in their new setting.…

  5. International Students in New Zealand: Needs and Responses

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Butcher, Andrew; McGrath, Terry

    2004-01-01

    This paper considers the pastoral care needs of international students in New Zealand. Using the relatively new Code of Practice for the Pastoral Care of International Students as its departure point, this paper critically evaluates the assertion that there is a crisis in New Zealand's export education industry. It does this through considering…

  6. International migration and New Zealand labour markets.

    PubMed

    Farmer, R S

    1986-06-01

    "This paper seeks to assess the value of the overseas-born members of the labour force in ensuring a flexible labour supply in New Zealand since the beginning of the 1970s. Three main issues are considered: first, the role of the labour market in New Zealand's immigration policy; second, international migration trends and the labour market; and third, the evidence on migration and labour market segmentation in New Zealand." Data used are from official external migration statistics, quinquennial censuses, and recent research. The author notes that "in New Zealand immigration measures are currently being taken that emphasize that immigration continues to add to the flexibility of the labour market while uncontrolled emigration is a major cause of labour market instability." (SUMMARY IN FRE AND SPA) excerpt

  7. The Transition from Teaching in an International Context Back to New Zealand

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fisher, Anthony; Carlyon, Tracey

    2018-01-01

    While there can be benefits from having overseas teaching experience, the transition back to New Zealand is not always easy for teachers who have previously gained their initial teaching qualification and certification in New Zealand. Upon returning to New Zealand from teaching in an international context, teachers can find it difficult having…

  8. New Zealand nurses' views on preceptoring international nurses.

    PubMed

    Riden, H; Jacobs, S; Marshall, B

    2014-06-01

    New Zealand encourages internationally educated nurses to seek registration in New Zealand to reduce local nursing shortages. Internationally educated nurses must meet requirements of the Health Practitioners Competency Assurance Act 2003, and demonstrate competency to practise through a clinical competency assessment programme. The purpose was to establish whether preceptors believe they are adequately prepared to assess nurses for whom English is a second language, and to determine the support and recognition received in the role. Preceptor training, workload, understanding of ethical and legal accountability, and perceived organizational values, support and attitudes were evaluated via an anonymous internet survey. Some preceptors do not meet Nursing Council of New Zealand standards and some work environments require nurses to preceptor international nurses. Many nurses believe the role is not valued despite the high workload requirements. Training increased preceptor confidence and preparedness for clinical assessment but additional education is required to understand ethical and legal accountability within the role. Many preceptors indicated they felt pressured into recording assessments they were uncomfortable with. Enhancing preceptorship acceptance could be achieved through institutional recognition of the role's value via workload consideration, institutional recognition or financial means. Increased preceptorship training, particularly around ethical and legal issues, would encourage preceptor confidence. Organizations must find ways of meeting these challenges while recognizing they are responsible for the work environment of both preceptors and internationally registered nurses for whom English is a second language. A register of preceptors could provide a platform for audit and quality assurance principles, ensuring adequate education and preparation of preceptors. Effective preceptorship requires training, recognition and support. Successful

  9. Teachers' Views on the Effects of Streaming According to "Self-Management" Criteria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Butler, Philippa; Weir, Kama

    2013-01-01

    The pervasiveness of academic ability grouping, or streaming, as a means of organising students into instructional groups in New Zealand schools remains a dominant discourse, despite international and New Zealand research that casts doubt on the benefits of this practice. This article documents teachers' views on the effects of an innovative form…

  10. Identifying dissolved oxygen variability and stress in tidal freshwater streams of northern New Zealand.

    PubMed

    Wilding, Thomas K; Brown, Edmund; Collier, Kevin J

    2012-10-01

    Tidal streams are ecologically important components of lotic network, and we identify dissolved oxygen (DO) depletion as a potentially important stressor in freshwater tidal streams of northern New Zealand. Other studies have examined temporal DO variability within rivers and we build on this by examining variability between streams as a basis for regional-scale predictors of risk for DO stress. Diel DO variability in these streams was driven by: (1) photosynthesis by aquatic plants and community respiration which produced DO maxima in the afternoon and minima early morning (range, 0.6-4.7 g/m(3)) as a product of the solar cycle and (2) tidal variability as a product of the lunar cycle, including saline intrusions with variable DO concentrations plus a small residual effect on freshwater DO for low-velocity streams. The lowest DO concentrations were observed during March (early autumn) when water temperatures and macrophyte biomass were high. Spatial comparisons indicated that low-gradient tidal streams were at greater risk of DO depletions harmful to aquatic life. Tidal influence was stronger in low-gradient streams, which typically drain more developed catchments, have lower reaeration potential and offer conditions more suitable for aquatic plant proliferation. Combined, these characteristics supported a simple method based on the extent of low-gradient channel for identifying coastal streams at risk of DO depletion. High-risk streams can then be targeted for riparian planting, nutrient limits and water allocation controls to reduce potential ecological stress.

  11. Identifying Catchment-Scale Predictors of Coal Mining Impacts on New Zealand Stream Communities.

    PubMed

    Clapcott, Joanne E; Goodwin, Eric O; Harding, Jon S

    2016-03-01

    Coal mining activities can have severe and long-term impacts on freshwater ecosystems. At the individual stream scale, these impacts have been well studied; however, few attempts have been made to determine the predictors of mine impacts at a regional scale. We investigated whether catchment-scale measures of mining impacts could be used to predict biological responses. We collated data from multiple studies and analyzed algae, benthic invertebrate, and fish community data from 186 stream sites, including un-mined streams, and those associated with 620 mines on the West Coast of the South Island, New Zealand. Algal, invertebrate, and fish richness responded to mine impacts and were significantly higher in un-mined compared to mine-impacted streams. Changes in community composition toward more acid- and metal-tolerant species were evident for algae and invertebrates, whereas changes in fish communities were significant and driven by a loss of nonmigratory native species. Consistent catchment-scale predictors of mining activities affecting biota included the time post mining (years), mining density (the number of mines upstream per catchment area), and mining intensity (tons of coal production per catchment area). Mining was associated with a decline in stream biodiversity irrespective of catchment size, and recovery was not evident until at least 30 years after mining activities have ceased. These catchment-scale predictors can provide managers and regulators with practical metrics to focus on management and remediation decisions.

  12. Identifying Catchment-Scale Predictors of Coal Mining Impacts on New Zealand Stream Communities

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Clapcott, Joanne E.; Goodwin, Eric O.; Harding, Jon S.

    2016-03-01

    Coal mining activities can have severe and long-term impacts on freshwater ecosystems. At the individual stream scale, these impacts have been well studied; however, few attempts have been made to determine the predictors of mine impacts at a regional scale. We investigated whether catchment-scale measures of mining impacts could be used to predict biological responses. We collated data from multiple studies and analyzed algae, benthic invertebrate, and fish community data from 186 stream sites, including un-mined streams, and those associated with 620 mines on the West Coast of the South Island, New Zealand. Algal, invertebrate, and fish richness responded to mine impacts and were significantly higher in un-mined compared to mine-impacted streams. Changes in community composition toward more acid- and metal-tolerant species were evident for algae and invertebrates, whereas changes in fish communities were significant and driven by a loss of nonmigratory native species. Consistent catchment-scale predictors of mining activities affecting biota included the time post mining (years), mining density (the number of mines upstream per catchment area), and mining intensity (tons of coal production per catchment area). Mining was associated with a decline in stream biodiversity irrespective of catchment size, and recovery was not evident until at least 30 years after mining activities have ceased. These catchment-scale predictors can provide managers and regulators with practical metrics to focus on management and remediation decisions.

  13. Policies and Practices of Ability Grouping in New Zealand Intermediate Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hornby, Garry; Witte, Chrystal; Mitchell, David

    2011-01-01

    There is an extensive international research literature on the impact of ability grouping (e.g. streaming or banding) on children's academic and behavioural outcomes. However, it is questionable to what extent the findings of research on this topic have influenced the practice of pupil ability grouping in New Zealand intermediate schools. Nine…

  14. Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire: internal validity and reliability for New Zealand preschoolers.

    PubMed

    Kersten, Paula; Vandal, Alain C; Elder, Hinemoa; McPherson, Kathryn M

    2018-04-21

    This observational study examines the internal construct validity, internal consistency and cross-informant reliability of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) in a New Zealand preschool population across four ethnicity strata (New Zealand European, Māori, Pasifika, Asian). Rasch analysis was employed to examine internal validity on a subsample of 1000 children. Internal consistency (n=29 075) and cross-informant reliability (n=17 006) were examined using correlations, intraclass correlation coefficients and Cronbach's alpha on the sample available for such analyses. Data were used from a national SDQ database provided by the funder, pertaining to New Zealand domiciled children aged 4 and 5 and scored by their parents and teachers. The five subscales do not fit the Rasch model (as indicated by the overall fit statistics), contain items that are biased (differential item functioning (DIF)) by key variables, suffer from a floor and ceiling effect and have unacceptable internal consistency. After dealing with DIF, the Total Difficulty scale does fit the Rasch model and has good internal consistency. Parent/teacher inter-rater reliability was unacceptably low for all subscales. The five SDQ subscales are not valid and not suitable for use in their own right in New Zealand. We have provided a conversion table for the Total Difficulty scale, which takes account of bias by ethnic group. Clinicians should use this conversion table in order to reconcile DIF by culture in final scores. It is advisable to use both parents and teachers' feedback when considering children's needs for referral of further assessment. Future work should examine whether validity is impacted by different language versions used in the same country. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

  15. Facilitating International Fieldwork: The Receptive Services of New Zealand's Geography Community

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fuller, Ian C.

    2015-01-01

    This study aims to provide preliminary insight into facilitating international fieldwork in New Zealand by researchers and universities who support visiting university groups. Anonymous online surveys sought views of supporting researchers (15 respondents), and supported scholars (8 respondents). The extent to which international fieldwork is…

  16. Retention and Migration of Fine Organic Particles within an Agricultural Stream: Toenepi, Waikato, New Zealand

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Drummond, J. D.; Davies-Colley, R.; Stott, R.; Sukias, J.; Nagels, J.; Sharp, A.; Packman, A. I.

    2013-12-01

    Fine organic particle dynamics are important to stream biogeochemistry, ecology, and transport of contaminant microbes. These particles migrate downstream through a series of deposition and resuspension events, which results in a wide range of residence times. This retention influences biogeochemical processing and in-stream stores of contaminant microbes that may mobilize during flood events and present a hazard to downstream uses such as water supplies and recreation. We are conducting studies to gain insights into organic particle dynamics in streams, with a campaign of experiments and modeling. The results should improve understanding of nutrient (C, N, P) spiraling and fine sediment movement in streams, and have particular application to microbial hazards. We directly measure microbial transport by including the indicator organism, E. coli, as a tracer, which is compared to a fluorescent inert particle tracer and conservative solute to gain insight on both microbial ecology and waterborne disease transmission. We developed a stochastic model to describe the transport and retention of fine suspended particles in rivers, including advective delivery of particles to the streambed, transport through porewaters, and reversible filtration within the streambed. Because fine particles are only episodically transported in streams, with intervening periods at rest in the bed, this transport process violates conventional advection-dispersion assumptions. Instead we adopt a stochastic mobile-immobile model formulation to describe fine particle transport. We apply this model to measurements of particle transport from multiple tracer experiments in an agricultural stream in the Waikato dairy region of New Zealand, and use the model to improve interpretation of baseflow particle dynamics. Our results show the importance of the benthic and hyporheic regions and in-stream vegetation as a reservoir for fine organic particles in streams.

  17. In defiance of nuclear deterrence: anti-nuclear New Zealand after two decades.

    PubMed

    Reitzig, Andreas

    2006-01-01

    In 1984, nuclear-armed and nuclear-powered vessels were banned from New Zealand to express the country's rejection of the nuclear deterrence concept. This led to a disagreement with the United States. Today, the ban on nuclear-powered ships is the only element of the nuclear-free legislation that still strains US-New Zealand relations. This article presents the reasons for the ban on nuclear-powered ships, which include scientific safety concerns, a symbolic rejection of the nuclear deterrence posture, and patriotic factors such as a nuclear-free national identity. The military and economic consequences of the ban are also examined. Since the ban on nuclear-powered vessels appears to be neither widely known abroad nor commonly recognised as a supportive disarmament measure outside New Zealand, it is concluded that whatever the future of this ban will be, New Zealand's anti-nuclear image will remain known internationally through the ban on nuclear arms.

  18. The management of Graves' disease in New Zealand 2014.

    PubMed

    Cox, Stephanie C; Tamatea, Jade Au; Conaglen, John V; Elston, Marianne S

    2016-06-10

    Treatment options for Graves' disease (GD), namely anti-thyroid drugs (ATD), surgery or radioiodine (RAI), have not changed over the past two decades. There is no 'gold-standard' treatment for GD. To assess whether the management of GD in New Zealand has changed since the previous 1991 New Zealand survey and compare current management with that of contemporary international studies. We conducted an online survey of New Zealand physicians currently practising internal medicine, diabetes and/or endocrinology, using the cases and questions from the original European and 1991 New Zealand studies. The first-line use of RAI was 5.5%, compared to 41% in the 1991 New Zealand survey. This corresponded to an increase in ATD use, while the rates of surgery as a first-line treatment have remained static over time. New Zealand physicians use technetium scanning for diagnosis, whereas ultrasound and radioiodine uptake were the most commonly selected investigations by European and North American physicians, respectively. The pattern of ATD use in pregnancy was similar to international practice. Treatment of GD in New Zealand has shifted away from the use of RAI as first line treatment. There are significant differences in the investigation and treatment of Grave's disease between New Zealand, Europe and North America.

  19. Health Workforce and International Migration: Can New Zealand Compete? OECD Health Working Papers No. 33

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zurn, Pascal; Dumont, Jean-Christophe

    2008-01-01

    This paper examines health workforce and migration policies in New Zealand, with a special focus on the international recruitment of doctors and nurses. The health workforce in New Zealand, as in all OECD countries, plays a central role in the health system. Nonetheless, maybe more than for any other OECD country, the health workforce in New…

  20. Habitat heterogeneity drives the geographical distribution of beta diversity: the case of New Zealand stream invertebrates.

    PubMed

    Astorga, Anna; Death, Russell; Death, Fiona; Paavola, Riku; Chakraborty, Manas; Muotka, Timo

    2014-07-01

    To define whether the beta diversity of stream invertebrate communities in New Zealand exhibits geographical variation unexplained by variation in gamma diversity and, if so, what mechanisms (productivity, habitat heterogeneity, dispersal limitation, disturbance) best explain the observed broad-scale beta diversity patterns. We sampled 120 streams across eight regions (stream catchments), spanning a north-south gradient of 12° of latitude, and calculated beta diversity (with both species richness and abundance data) for each region. We explored through a null model if beta diversity deviates from the expectation of stochastic assembly processes and whether the magnitude of the deviation varies geographically. We then performed multimodel inference analysis on the key environmental drivers of beta diversity, using Akaike's information criterion and model and predictor weights to select the best model(s) explaining beta diversity. Beta diversity was, unexpectedly, highest in the South Island. The null model analysis revealed that beta diversity was greater than expected by chance in all eight regions, but the magnitude of beta deviation was higher in the South Island, suggesting differences in environmental filtering and/or dispersal limitation between North and South Island. Habitat heterogeneity was the predominant driver of beta diversity of stream macroinvertebrates, with productivity having a secondary, and negative, contribution. This is one of the first studies accounting for stochastic effects while examining the ecological drivers of beta diversity. Our results suggest that local environmental heterogeneity may be the strongest determinant of beta diversity of stream invertebrates, more so than regional- or landscape-scale variables.

  1. Streaming in First-Year University Classes.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jones, John; And Others

    1990-01-01

    The practice of dividing up a group of students on the basis of previous educational experience or achievement, and subjecting the different groups to different educational experiences is defended. Two case-studies of streaming in the departments of accountancy and physics at a university in New Zealand are presented. (Author/MLW)

  2. Identification of internal flow dynamics in two experimental catchments

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Hansen, D.P.; Jakeman, A.J.; Kendall, C.; Weizu, G.

    1997-01-01

    Identification of the internal flow dynamics in catchments is difficult because of the lack of information in precipitation -stream discharge time series alone. Two experimental catchments, Hydrohill and Nandadish, near Nanjing in China, have been set up to monitor internal flows reaching the catchment stream at various depths, from the surface runoff to the bedrock. With analysis of the precipitation against these internal discharges, it is possible to quantify the time constants and volumes associated with various flowpaths in both catchments.

  3. A missing piece of the workforce puzzle. The experiences of internationally qualified nurses in New Zealand: a literature review.

    PubMed

    Jenkins, Brittany Lauren; Huntington, Annette

    2015-01-01

    To analyse the literature regarding the context and experiences of internationally qualified registered nurses, particularly Filipino and Indian nurses, who have transitioned to New Zealand. Internationally qualified nurses are a significant proportion of the nursing workforce in many developed countries including New Zealand. This is increasingly important as populations age, escalating demand for nurses. Understanding the internationally qualified nurse experience is required as this could influence migration in a competitive labour market. Examination of peer-reviewed research, policy and discussion documents, and technical reports. A systematic literature search sought articles published between 2001 and 2014 using Google Scholar, CINAHL, and Medline. Articles were critically appraised for relevance, transferability, and methodological rigour. Fifty-one articles met inclusion criteria and demonstrate internationally qualified nurses face significant challenges transitioning into New Zealand. The internationally qualified nurse experience of transitioning into a new country is little researched and requires further investigation.

  4. An investigation into the performance of real-time GPS+GLONASS Precise Point Positioning (PPP) in New Zealand

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Harima, Ken; Choy, Suelynn; Rizos, Chris; Kogure, Satoshi

    2017-09-01

    This paper presents an investigation into the performance of real-time Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) Precise Point Positioning (PPP) in New Zealand. The motivation of the research is to evaluate the feasibility of using PPP technique and a satellite based augmentation system such as the Japanese Quasi-Zenith Satellite System (QZSS) to deliver a real-time precise positioning solution in support of a nation-wide high accuracy GNSS positioning coverage in New Zealand. Two IGS real-time correction streams are evaluated alongside with the PPP correction messages transmitted by the QZSS satellite known as MDC1. MDC1 corrections stream is generated by Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) using the Multi-GNSS Advanced Demonstration tool for Orbit and Clock Analysis (MADOCA) software and are currently transmitted in test mode by the QZSS satellite. The IGS real-time streams are the CLK9B real-time corrections stream generated by the French Centre National D'études Spatiales (CNES) using the PPP-Wizard software, and the CLK81 real-time corrections stream produced by GMV using their MagicGNSS software. GNSS data is collected from six New Zealand CORS stations operated by Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) over a one-week period in 2015. GPS and GLONASS measurements are processed in a real-time PPP mode using the satellite orbit and clock corrections from the real-time streams. The results show that positioning accuracies of 6 cm in horizontal component and 15 cm in vertical component can be achieved in real-time PPP. The real-time GPS+GLONASS PPP solution required 30 minutes to converge to within 10 cm horizontal positioning accuracy.

  5. International nurse migration: impacts on New Zealand.

    PubMed

    North, Nicola

    2007-08-01

    As a source and destination country, nurse flows in and out of New Zealand (NZ) are examined to determine impacts and regional contexts. A descriptive statistics method was used to analyze secondary data on nurses added to the register, NZ nurse qualifications verified by overseas authorities, nursing workforce data, and census data. It found that international movement of nurses was minimal during the 1990s, but from 2001 a sharp jump in the verification of NZ-registered nurses (RNs) by overseas authorities coincided with an equivalent increase in international RNs (IRNs) added to the NZ nursing register-a pattern that has been sustained to the present. Movement of NZ RNs to Australia is expedited by the Trans-Tasman Agreement, whereas entry of IRNs to NZ is facilitated by nursing being an identified Priority Occupation. Future research needs to consider health system and nurse workforce contexts and take a regional perspective on migration patterns.

  6. Dare to Dream: Personal Values, Life Goals, and International Students in New Zealand.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Kaili C; Zhang, Abraham

    2017-10-01

    It has been well identified and supported in the literature that values and life goals are associated with one's general well-being. However, there have been few studies on values and life goals among international students in New Zealand. This study addressed this lack of research by focusing on the life goals and personal values among international students in three tertiary institutes in New Zealand. Based on the literature review, the hypothesis of this study is that international students' intrinsic life goals are positively correlated with their spiritual values. In contrast, extrinsic goals did not have similar effects. The Aspirations Index, which was used to assess life goals, and the Schwartz' value survey, which measured the students' personal values, were both distributed to the participants. Follow-up interviews with 24 of the participants were also conducted. Findings revealed that spiritual values were positively correlated with intrinsic goals and that extrinsic goals did not have similar effects. As the research findings showed that spiritual values were positively correlated with intrinsic goals, helping international students to find meaning and purpose in life may promote their well-being, and the learning and growth of international students can be improved by incorporating spiritual values and cultural aspects in college education. The authors also argue that a holistic approach to college education for international students is needed.

  7. Firearm homicide in Australia, Canada, and New Zealand: what can we learn from long-term international comparisons?

    PubMed

    McPhedran, Samara; Baker, Jeanine; Singh, Pooja

    2011-01-01

    Although firearm homicide remains a topic of interest within criminological and policy discourse, existing research does not generally undertake longitudinal comparisons between countries. However, cross-country comparisons provide insight into whether "local" trends (e.g., declines in firearm homicide in one particular country) differ from broader, international trends. This in turn can improve knowledge about the role of factors such as policing practices and socioeconomic variables in the incidence of lethal violence using firearms. The current study compares long-term firearm homicide trends in three countries with similar social histories but different legislative regimes: Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. Using negative binomial regression, the study found that the most pronounced decline in firearm homicide over the past two decades occurred in New Zealand. Connections between social disadvantage, policing policy, and violence are discussed.

  8. Stream temperature medelling and fibre optic distributed temperature sensing to quantify groundwater discharge in the Ngongotaha Stream, New Zealand

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Moridnejad, Maryam; Cameron, Stewart; Shamseldin, Asaad; Ward, Nick Dudley; Verhagen, Floris

    2015-04-01

    To characterize stream/groundwater interaction, fibre optic distributed temperature sensing (FODTS) was deployed over a 1 km reach in the Ngongotaha Stream, Rotorua, New Zealand in January 2013. The cable was deployed at the streambed near the left and right banks as the groundwater fed springs discharge laterally at both banks. Temperature profiles measured by FODTS were used to identify the location of springs using a constant temperature method (20 min averaged temperature data) (Lowry et al., 2007; Matheswaran et al., 2014; Selker et al., 2006a) and a standard deviation of diurnal temperature method (Lowry et al., 2007; Matheswaran et al., 2014). Both methods identified 13 individual springs at the right and left banks in an approximately 115 m reach. The left and right bank temperature profiles showed that full mixing of the spring and stream water does not occur between most of the springs due to their close spacing. Groundwater discharge quantification based on FODTS data is typically made using a simple steady state thermal mixing model (Briggs et al., 2012a; Selker et al.,2006a; Westhoff et al., 2007). This formula is not applicable in streams like the Ngongotaha where springs are closely spaced and groundwater and surface water are not well mixed between springs. To address this issue, a new approach was developed in this study in which a one dimensional heat transport model was fitted to the FODTS measurements, where the main calibration parameters of interest were the unknown spring discharges. Datasets of measured temperatures at the left and right bank were transformed to a new single dataset using a weighted average where the weights reflect the degree of mixing downstream of a spring. Model calibration helped to find the optimum value of the weights in the springs section. For a spring on the left bank the weighted average was skewed towards the left bank data, and vice-versa for a right bank spring. Upstream of the spring section, a non

  9. Educational Psychology in New Zealand: Results of the 2006 International School Psychology Survey

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jimerson, Shane R.; Annan, Jean; Skokut, Mary; Renshaw, Tyler L.

    2009-01-01

    The International School Psychology Survey (ISPS) was used to gather information about New Zealand educational psychologists' characteristics, training, roles, activities, preferences, research interests and the challenges they experienced in their work. The results of this survey were considered in relation to the social and cultural context of…

  10. African International Doctoral Students in New Zealand: Englishes, Doctoral Writing and Intercultural Supervision

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Doyle, Stephanie; Manathunga, Catherine; Prinsen, Gerard; Tallon, Rachel; Cornforth, Sue

    2018-01-01

    While the experiences of international doctoral students, especially those from Asian countries, have been well researched, fewer studies have explored the experiences of African students in Southern countries like Australia and Aotearoa/New Zealand. This article reports on doctoral writing and student and supervisor perspectives on English…

  11. Chinese-Born International Students' Transition Experiences from Study to Work in New Zealand

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dyer, Suzette; Lu, Fen

    2010-01-01

    A growing number of Chinese-born international students are seeking permanent residency and paid employment in New Zealand after graduation. As yet, little is known about their post-study transitions to permanent residency and paid employment. This article reports on research investigating the transition experiences of 10 Chinese-born…

  12. Adolescence in New Zealand. Volume Two: Wider Perspectives.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stewart, Robert A. C., Ed.

    This is the second of a two-volume collection of research-based readings dealing with the New Zealand adolescent. This volume considers the areas of drugs and delinquency, as well as the world of work and Maori-pakeha differences. The following topics are included: marihuana use; vocational aspiration; alcohol and tobacco use; Maori-pakeha…

  13. Two-stream instability with time-dependent drift velocity

    DOE PAGES

    Qin, Hong; Davidson, Ronald C.

    2014-06-26

    The classical two-stream instability driven by a constant relative drift velocity between two plasma components is extended to the case with time-dependent drift velocity. A solution method is developed to rigorously define and calculate the instability growth rate for linear perturbations relative to the time-dependent unperturbed two-stream motions. The stability diagrams for the oscillating two-stream instability are presented over a large region of parameter space. It is shown that the growth rate for the classical two-stream instability can be significantly reduced by adding an oscillatory component to the relative drift velocity.

  14. Chironomid-based reconstructions of summer air temperature from lake deposits in Lyndon Stream, New Zealand spanning the MIS 3/2 transition

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Woodward, C. A.; Shulmeister, J.

    2007-01-01

    We present chironomid-based temperature reconstructions from lake sediments deposited between ca 26,600 cal yr BP and 24,500 cal yr BP from Lyndon Stream, South Island, New Zealand. Summer (February mean) temperatures averaged 1 °C cooler, with a maximum inferred cooling of 3.7 °C. These estimates corroborate macrofossil and beetle-based temperature inferences from the same site and suggest climate amelioration (an interstadial) at this time. Other records from the New Zealand region also show a large degree of variability during the late Otiran glacial sequence (34,000-18,000 cal yr BP) including a phase of warming at the MIS 2/3 transition and a maximum cooling that did not occur until the global LGM (ca 20,000 cal yr BP). The very moderate cooling identified here at the MIS 2/3 transition confirms and enhances the long-standing discrepancy in New Zealand records between pollen and other proxies. Low abundances (<20%) of canopy tree pollen in records from late MIS 3 to the end of MIS 2 cannot be explained by the minor (<5 °C) cooling inferred from this and other studies unless other environmental parameters are considered. Further work is required to address this critical issue.

  15. Preliminary results of sequential extraction experiments for selenium on mine waste and stream sediments from Vermont, Maine, and New Zealand

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Piatak, N.M.; Seal, R.R.; Sanzolone, R.F.; Lamothe, P.J.; Brown, Z.A.

    2006-01-01

    We report the preliminary results of sequential partial dissolutions used to characterize the geochemical distribution of selenium in stream sediments, mine wastes, and flotation-mill tailings. In general, extraction schemes are designed to extract metals associated with operationally defined solid phases. Total Se concentrations and the mineralogy of the samples are also presented. Samples were obtained from the Elizabeth, Ely, and Pike Hill mines in Vermont, the Callahan mine in Maine, and the Martha mine in New Zealand. These data are presented here with minimal interpretation or discussion. Further analysis of the data will be presented elsewhere.

  16. Multiscale Models for the Two-Stream Instability

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Joseph, Ilon; Dimits, Andris; Banks, Jeffrey; Berger, Richard; Brunner, Stephan; Chapman, Thomas

    2017-10-01

    Interpenetrating streams of plasma found in many important scenarios in nature and in the laboratory can develop kinetic two-stream instabilities that exchange momentum and energy between the streams. A quasilinear model for the electrostatic two-stream instability is under development as a component of a multiscale model that couples fluid simulations to kinetic theory. Parameters of the model will be validated with comparison to full kinetic simulations using LOKI and efficient strategies for numerical solution of the quasilinear model and for coupling to the fluid model will be discussed. Extending the kinetic models into the collisional regime requires an efficient treatment of the collision operator. Useful reductions of the collision operator relative to the full multi-species Landau-Fokker-Plank operator are being explored. These are further motivated both by careful consideration of the parameter orderings relevant to two-stream scenarios and by the particular 2D+2V phase space used in the LOKI code. Prepared for US DOE by LLNL under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344 and LDRD project 17- ERD-081.

  17. Social Networking Sites and Educational Adaptation in Higher Education: A Case Study of Chinese International Students in New Zealand

    PubMed Central

    Cao, Ling; Zhang, Tingting

    2012-01-01

    This study aims to find out the relationship between the use of SNSs and educational adaptation process of Chinese international students (from China) in New Zealand. Based on interview data, this paper addressed how Chinese international students use SNSs (RenRen, Facebook, etc.) to expand and manage their online social networks to help their adaptation to new educational environment. As a case study of Chinese international students in New Zealand and from the narrative of students, we examined the relationship among educational difficulties, life satisfaction, and the use of SNSs. This study would help in further understanding how and why SNSs can be adopted in higher education to support effective overseas learning experiences. PMID:22666100

  18. Social networking sites and educational adaptation in higher education: a case study of Chinese international students in New Zealand.

    PubMed

    Cao, Ling; Zhang, Tingting

    2012-01-01

    This study aims to find out the relationship between the use of SNSs and educational adaptation process of Chinese international students (from China) in New Zealand. Based on interview data, this paper addressed how Chinese international students use SNSs (RenRen, Facebook, etc.) to expand and manage their online social networks to help their adaptation to new educational environment. As a case study of Chinese international students in New Zealand and from the narrative of students, we examined the relationship among educational difficulties, life satisfaction, and the use of SNSs. This study would help in further understanding how and why SNSs can be adopted in higher education to support effective overseas learning experiences.

  19. Complementary Evaluation: The Development of a Conceptual Framework to Integrate External and Internal Evaluation in the New Zealand School Context

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mutch, Carol

    2012-01-01

    One of the themes of current school evaluation research and debate is the extent to which it is possible to integrate internal and external evaluation and accountability and improvement. In this article, the author outlines how New Zealand has attempted to reconcile these differing perspectives and aims. New Zealand has a national system of school…

  20. Temporal and spatial patterns of extreme low flows and effects on stream ecosystems in Otago, New Zealand

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Caruso, B. S.

    2002-02-01

    The temporal and spatial patterns of summer extreme low flows and effects on stream ecosystems were evaluated throughout the Otago Region of the South Island of New Zealand during a severe drought in 1998-1999. Flows, water quality, and aquatic biology were monitored bimonthly at 12 locations as part of a long-term regional monitoring programme and results were evaluated and compared among summer 1998-1999 and all previous summers, as well as among three major subregions. Flows during the drought were extremely low for prolonged periods in many locations, particularly in North Otago. At most sites temperatures were slightly higher for a longer period than during other summers. In predominantly agricultural/pastoral catchments, widespread bacterial contamination of streams occurred due to increased livestock use of watercourses and decreased dilution during low flows. Concentrations of other contaminants derived from non-point sources, including nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment, decreased in many locations due to the lack of rainfall and runoff events. Electrical conductivity generally increased as a result of the lack of dilution and increased evaporation and groundwater inputs. Overall water quality was worst in agricultural catchments in South Otago, and returned to conditions prior to the low flows by late autumn in most areas. The diversity of benthic macroinvertebrate communities and number of sensitive taxa decreased somewhat in many locations, but the magnitude and duration of these effects were not great. Differences between summer 1998-1999 and other periods, and among subregions, were not significant. Although some differences in low flows and effects on stream ecosystems across a range of landscapes and catchments can occur, the rapid recovery of water quality and benthic macroinvertebrates in most locations indicates that many streams are resilient to extreme low flows and drought with minor long-term effects.

  1. Sequential Extraction Results and Mineralogy of Mine Waste and Stream Sediments Associated With Metal Mines in Vermont, Maine, and New Zealand

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Piatak, N.M.; Seal, R.R.; Sanzolone, R.F.; Lamothe, P.J.; Brown, Z.A.; Adams, M.

    2007-01-01

    We report results from sequential extraction experiments and the quantitative mineralogy for samples of stream sediments and mine wastes collected from metal mines. Samples were from the Elizabeth, Ely Copper, and Pike Hill Copper mines in Vermont, the Callahan Mine in Maine, and the Martha Mine in New Zealand. The extraction technique targeted the following operationally defined fractions and solid-phase forms: (1) soluble, adsorbed, and exchangeable fractions; (2) carbonates; (3) organic material; (4) amorphous iron- and aluminum-hydroxides and crystalline manganese-oxides; (5) crystalline iron-oxides; (6) sulfides and selenides; and (7) residual material. For most elements, the sum of an element from all extractions steps correlated well with the original unleached concentration. Also, the quantitative mineralogy of the original material compared to that of the residues from two extraction steps gave insight into the effectiveness of reagents at dissolving targeted phases. The data are presented here with minimal interpretation or discussion and further analyses and interpretation will be presented elsewhere.

  2. Motor neuron disease mortality rates in New Zealand 1992-2013.

    PubMed

    Cao, Maize C; Chancellor, Andrew; Charleston, Alison; Dragunow, Mike; Scotter, Emma L

    2018-05-01

    We determined the mortality rates of motor neuron disease (MND) in New Zealand over 22 years from 1992 to 2013. Previous studies have found an unusually high and/or increasing incidence of MND in certain regions of New Zealand; however, no studies have examined MND rates nationwide to corroborate this. Death certificate data coded G12.2 by International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-10 coding, or 335.2 by ICD-9 coding were obtained. These codes specify amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, progressive bulbar palsy, or other motor neuron diseases as the underlying cause of death. Mortality rates for MND deaths in New Zealand were age-standardized to the European Standard Population and compared with rates from international studies that also examined death certificate data and were age-standardized to the same standard population. The age-standardized mortality from MND in New Zealand was 2.3 per 100,000 per year from 1992-2007 and 2.8 per 100,000 per year from 2008-2013. These rates were 3.3 and 4.0 per 100,000 per year, respectively, for the population 20 years and older. The increase in rate between these two time periods was likely due to changes in MND death coding from 2008. Contrary to a previous regional study of MND incidence, nationwide mortality rates did not increase steadily over this time period once aging was accounted for. However, New Zealand MND mortality rate was higher than comparable studies we examined internationally (mean 1.67 per 100,000 per year), suggesting that further analysis of MND burden in New Zealand is warranted.

  3. Two new pathogenic ascomycetes in Guignardia and Rosenscheldiella on New Zealand's pygmy mistletoes (Korthalsella: Viscaceae)

    PubMed Central

    Sultan, A.; Johnston, P.R.; Park, D.; Robertson, A.W.

    2011-01-01

    Two new pathogens, Guignardia korthalsellae and Rosenscheldiella korthalsellae, are described from New Zealand's pygmy mistletoes (Korthalsella, Viscaceae). Both form ascomata on living phylloclades with minimal disruption of the tissue. Fungal hyphae within the phylloclade are primarily intercellular. Guignardia korthalsellae disrupts a limited number of epidermal cells immediately around the erumpent ascoma, while the ascomata of Rosenscheldiella korthalsellae develop externally on small patches of stromatic tissue that form above stomatal cavities. Rosenscheldiella is applied in a purely morphological sense. LSU sequences show that R. korthalsellae as well as another New Zealand species, Rosenscheldiella brachyglottidis, are members of the Mycosphaerellaceae sensu stricto. Genetically, Rosenscheldiella, in the sense we are using it, is polyphyletic; LSU and ITS sequences place the two New Zealand species in different clades within the Mycosphaerellaceae. Rosenscheldiella is retained for these fungi until generic relationships within the family are resolved. Whether or not the type species of Rosenscheldiella, R. styracis, is also a member of the Mycosphaerellaceae is not known, but it has a similar morphology and relationship to its host as the two New Zealand species. PMID:21523197

  4. International Briefing 17: Training and Development in New Zealand

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pio, Edwina

    2007-01-01

    New Zealand is one of the world's most geographically isolated and least crowded countries. New Zealand organizations are increasingly becoming aware of the importance of training and development as the country becomes more technologically sophisticated, multiethnic and older. The country needs higher productivity, business investment and skills…

  5. Two-stream modeling of plasmaspheric refilling

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Guiter, S. M.; Gombosi, T. I.; Rasmussen, C. E.

    1995-01-01

    Plasmaspheric refilling on an L = 4 flux tube was studied by using a time-dependent, hydrodynamic plasmaspheric flow model in which the ion streams from the two hemispheres are treated as distinct fluids. In the model the continuity, momentum, and energy equations of a two-ion (O(+) and H(+)), quasi-neutral, currentless plasma are solved along a closed geomagnetic field line; diffusive equilibrium is not assumed. collisions between all stream pairs and with neutral species are included. The model includes a corotating, tilted dipole magnetic field and neutral winds. Ionospheric sources and sinks are accounted for in a self-consistent manner. Electrons are assumed to be heated by photoelectrons. The model flux tube extends from a 200-km altitude in one hemisphere to a 200-km altitude in the other hemisphere. Initially, the upwelling streams pass through each other practically unimpeded. When the streams approach the boundary in the conjugate ionosphere, a shock develops there, which moves upward and dissipates slowly; at about the same time a reverse shock develops in the hemisphere of origin, which moves upward. After about 1 hour, large shocks develop in each stream near the equator; these shocks move toward the equator and downward after crossing the equator. However, these shocks are probably artificial, because counterstreaming flows occur in each H(+) fluid, which the model can only handle by creating shocks.

  6. Navigating the River: He Waka Eke Noa. Proceedings of the 2011 Annual International Conference of the Association of Tertiary Learning Advisors of Aotearoa/New Zealand (ATLAANZ) (Petone, New Zealand, November 30-December 2, 2011). Volume 7

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Protheroe, Mervyn, Ed.

    2012-01-01

    The 10 articles in this 7th volume comprise the refereed proceedings of the 2011 ATLAANZ (Association of Tertiary Learning Advisors Aotearoa/New Zealand) conference. In Chapter 1, Cath Fraser and Pam Simpson ("Offshore-onshore: How international students' expectations of the New Zealand academic environment compare to their lived…

  7. Astronomy in New Zealand

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hearnshaw, John B.

    2006-01-01

    Although New Zealand is a young country, astronomy played a significant role in its early exploration and discovery during the three voyages of Cook from 1769. In the later 19th century several expeditions came to New Zealand to observe the transits of Venus of 1874 and 1882 and New Zealand's rich history of prominent amateur astronomers dates from this time. The Royal Astronomical Society of New Zealand (founded in 1920) has catered for the amateur community. Professional astronomy however had a slow start in New Zealand. The Carter Observatory was founded in 1941. But it was not until astronomy was taken up by New Zealand's universities, notably by the University of Canterbury from 1963, that a firm basis for research in astronomy and astrophysics was established. Mt John University Observatory with its four optical telescopes (largest 1.8 m) is operated by the University of Canterbury and is the main base for observational astronomy in the country. However four other New Zealand universities also have an interest in astronomical research at the present time. There is also considerable involvement in large international projects such as MOA, SALT, AMOR, IceCube and possibly SKA.

  8. Radar meteor orbital structure of Southern Hemisphere cometary dust streams

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Baggaley, W. Jack; Taylor, Andrew D.

    1992-01-01

    The Christchurch, New Zealand meteor orbit radar (AMOR) with its high precision and sensitivity, permits studies of the orbital fine structure of cometary streams. PC generated graphics are presented of data on some Southern Hemisphere Streams. Such data can be related to the formation phase and subsequent dynamical processes of dust streams.

  9. New Zealand environmental standards and energy policies

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    vant, William N.; McGlinchy, Brian J.

    1983-11-01

    This paper describes the primary energy resources of New Zealand and their relative importance. It describes the principal legislation that provides environmental protection and public participation with which State and private agencies are bound to comply. The paper then discusses air pollution in further detail and cites three examples where there is cause for concern. By international standards, air pollution is not a serious problem in New Zealand and so the economic consequences have received little attention Two simple examples are cited. A map showing the main centers and the location of facilities referred to in the text is included

  10. Broadband Shock Noise in Internally-Mixed Dual-Stream Jets

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bridges, James E.

    2009-01-01

    Broadband shock noise (BBSN) has been studied in some detail in single-flow jets and recently in dual-stream jets with separate flow exhaust systems. Shock noise is of great concern in these latter cases because of the noise created for the aircraft cabin by the underexpanded nozzle flow at cruise. Another case where shock noise is of concern is in the case of future supersonic aircraft that are expected to have bypass ratios small enough to justify internally mixed exhaust systems, and whose mission will push cycles to the point of imperfectly expanded flows. Dual-stream jets with internally mixed plume have some simplifying aspects relative to the separate flow jets, having a single shock structure given by the common nozzle pressure. This is used to separate the contribution of the turbulent shear layer to the broadband shock noise. Shock structure is held constant while the geometry and strength of the inner and merged shear layers are varying by changing splitter area ratio and core stream temperature. Flow and noise measurements are presented which document the efforts at separating the contribution of the inner shear layer to the broadband shock noise.

  11. Political Projects and Micro-Practices of Globalising Education: Building an International Education Industry in New Zealand

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lewis, Nicolas

    2011-01-01

    This paper examines the framing of globalising education as an industry in New Zealand. It traces the development of industry institutions to promote and regulate cross-border educational relations and practices. The paper argues that the making of a national "international education industry" has framed entrepreneurial education…

  12. Quality of life: international and domestic students studying medicine in New Zealand.

    PubMed

    Henning, Marcus A; Krägeloh, Christian; Moir, Fiona; Doherty, Iain; Hawken, Susan J

    2012-08-01

    International students form a significant proportion of students studying within universities in Western countries. The quality of life perceptions of international medical students in comparison with domestic medical students has not been well documented. There is some evidence to suggest that international medical students may have different educational and social experiences in relation to their domestic peers. This study investigates the levels of quality of life experienced by international and domestic students studying medicine. A total of 548 medical students completed the abbreviated version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life questionnaire. The focus of the analysis was to evaluate differences between international and domestic students in their early clinical years. The responses were analysed using multivariate analysis of variance methods. International medical students are experiencing lower social and environmental quality of life compared with domestic peers. International medical students in New Zealand have expressed quality of life concerns, which likely have an impact on their academic achievement, feelings of wellness, acculturation, and social adaptation. The findings reinforce the need for creating stronger social networks and accessible accommodation, as well as developing systems to ensure safety, peer mentorship and student support.

  13. High-frequency internal waves and thick bottom mixed layers observed by gliders in the Gulf Stream

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Todd, Robert E.

    2017-06-01

    Autonomous underwater gliders are conducting high-resolution surveys within the Gulf Stream along the U.S. East Coast. Glider surveys reveal two mechanisms by which energy is extracted from the Gulf Stream as it flows over the Blake Plateau, a portion of the outer continental shelf between Florida and North Carolina where bottom depths are less than 1000 m. Internal waves with vertical velocities exceeding 0.1 m s-1 and frequencies just below the local buoyancy frequency are routinely found over the Blake Plateau, particularly near the Charleston Bump, a prominent topographic feature. These waves are likely internal lee waves generated by the subinertial Gulf Stream flow over the irregular bathymetry of the outer continental shelf. Bottom mixed layers with O(100) m thickness are also frequently encountered; these thick bottom mixed layers likely form in the lee of topography due to enhanced turbulence generated by O(1) m s-1 near-bottom flows.

  14. The socio-cultural value of New Zealand wilderness

    Treesearch

    Kerry Wray

    2011-01-01

    New Zealand's wilderness resource has become iconic on both a national and international scale, and provides an important source of cultural identity for many Kiwis (a colloquial term for a New Zealander). Now, in the early 21st Century, however, social changes such as urbanization, globalization, increasing consumerism, and growing international tourism may be...

  15. Managing Internal Marketing in a New Zealand Language School: Some Important Lessons for All Educational Leaders

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stachowski, Christopher Allen

    2008-01-01

    In New Zealand, private language schools, although controversial, are popular for international travellers who want to study and travel simultaneously. These alternative schools are run in a business-like fashion and their educational administrators have embraced the use of marketing as part of their everyday educational management practice. Even…

  16. Rigorous merging of two-stream and Buneman instabilities

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bret, A.

    2011-12-01

    Two-stream and Buneman instabilities are among the most well-known streaming plasma instabilities. In general, they occur within distinct ranges of wave vectors and can be treated separately in the linear regime. For symmetric counter-streams however, these modes overlap and even merge exactly for some wavelengths. The corresponding range can be expressed using Cardano's method for the resolution of the cubic equation.

  17. Screening for Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09, Auckland International Airport, New Zealand

    PubMed Central

    Hale, Michael J.; Baker, Michael G.

    2012-01-01

    Entry screening for influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 at Auckland International Airport, New Zealand, detected 4 cases, which were later confirmed, among 456,518 passengers arriving April 27–June 22, 2009. On the basis of national influenza surveillance data, which suggest that ≈69 infected travelers passed through the airport, sensitivity for screening was only 5.8%. PMID:22516105

  18. Monitoring network-design influence on assessment of ecological condition in wadeable streams

    EPA Science Inventory

    We investigated outcomes of three monitoring networks for assessing ecological character and condition of wadeable streams in the Waikato region, New Zealand. Sites were selected 1) based on a professional judgment network, 2) within categories of stream and watershed characteris...

  19. Two-Stream Transformer Networks for Video-based Face Alignment.

    PubMed

    Liu, Hao; Lu, Jiwen; Feng, Jianjiang; Zhou, Jie

    2017-08-01

    In this paper, we propose a two-stream transformer networks (TSTN) approach for video-based face alignment. Unlike conventional image-based face alignment approaches which cannot explicitly model the temporal dependency in videos and motivated by the fact that consistent movements of facial landmarks usually occur across consecutive frames, our TSTN aims to capture the complementary information of both the spatial appearance on still frames and the temporal consistency information across frames. To achieve this, we develop a two-stream architecture, which decomposes the video-based face alignment into spatial and temporal streams accordingly. Specifically, the spatial stream aims to transform the facial image to the landmark positions by preserving the holistic facial shape structure. Accordingly, the temporal stream encodes the video input as active appearance codes, where the temporal consistency information across frames is captured to help shape refinements. Experimental results on the benchmarking video-based face alignment datasets show very competitive performance of our method in comparisons to the state-of-the-arts.

  20. Factor analytic study of two questionnaires measuring oral health-related quality of life among children and adults in New Zealand, Germany and Poland.

    PubMed

    Tapsoba, H; Deschamps, J P; Leclercq, M H

    2000-01-01

    A questionnaire designed to measure oral health-related quality of life (OHRQOL) in adults and children was assessed for its factorial structure and reliability using data from the Second International Collaborative Study on Oral Health Outcomes in New Zealand, Poland and Germany. Principal component analysis with orthogonal and oblique rotation was applied. The three-factor structure hypothesized for the children's questionnaire (self-reported oral disease symptoms, perceived oral well-being, social and physical functioning) was confirmed in New Zealand and Poland, and two self-reported oral disease symptom dimensions emerged in Germany. Five factors instead of the three hypothesized were identified for adults: two dimensions of symptoms were identified, and social and physical functioning appeared to be independent dimensions of OHRQOL. Similarity between the factors was demonstrated in all three countries. The reliability of the questionnaire ranged from moderate to excellent depending on the dimension and the country. These findings provide preliminary evidence of the cross-cultural stability of the OHRQOL questionnaire in New Zealand, Poland and Germany, for both children and adults. Further investigations by the present authors of the properties of the instrument in other samples will focus on demonstrating the stability and replicability of the factor structure identified here.

  1. Development in New Zealand. Development Education Paper No. 19.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Scott, Bob

    Although recognized as being out-of-date, two characteristics of New Zealand's outlook on the world (a monocultural attitude and isolationism), have played a significant part in forming community opinions and attitudes on national and international development questions. Attitudes toward Third World countries are narrowed by lack of information,…

  2. Internal gravity waves in the upper atmosphere, generated by tropospheric jet streams

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Chunchuzov, Y. P.; Torgashin, Y. M.

    1979-01-01

    A mechanism of internal gravity wave generation by jet streams in the troposphere is considered. Evaluations of the energy and pulse of internal gravity waves emitted into the upper atmosphere are given. The obtained values of flows can influence the thermal and dynamic regime of these layers.

  3. Obesity and Intellectual Disability in New Zealand

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stedman, Kurstyn V.; Leland, Louis S., Jr.

    2010-01-01

    Background: The international literature suggests that obesity is likely to be more pronounced in the population of people with intellectual disability (ID). However, there are no published New Zealand data for this population. Method: We accessed a database containing anonymous data for a New Zealand ID population. Ninety-eight people of 141 had…

  4. The Enduring Legacy of New Zealand's UNCLOS Investment (Invited)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wood, R.; Davy, B. W.; Herzer, R. H.; Barnes, P.; Barker, D. H.; Stagpoole, V.; Uruski, C.

    2013-12-01

    Data collected by surveys for New Zealand's extended continental shelf project have contributed to research into the tectonic history and resource potential of New Zealand. More than 20 scientific papers and a similar number of conference presentations and posters have used the data collected by these surveys. Data collected by these surveys have added significantly to national and international databases. Although the surveys were generally oriented to establish prolongation rather than to cross structural trends, the data have revealed the crustal, basement and sedimentary structure of many parts of the New Zealand region. In the area east of New Zealand, the data provide insight into the Cretaceous evolution of the New Zealand sector of Gondwana. Data collected southwest of New Zealand provided details about the relatively sudden transition from sea floor spreading between New Zealand and Australia in the Tasman Sea to orthogonal spreading in the Emerald Basin and the development of the modern Australian-Pacific plate boundary, including Late Tertiary motion on the Alpine Fault in the South Island, New Zealand. The data have been used to understand the formation of the New Caledonia Basin, the Norfolk Ridge and their associated structures, and they underpin the international collaboration between New Zealand, New Caledonia and Australia to promote resource exploration in the Tasman Sea. Data north of New Zealand have been used to understand the complex tectonic history of back arc spreading and island arc migration in the South Fiji Basin region. Seismic data collected along the axis of the New Caledonia Basin led to extensive hydrocarbon exploration surveys in the deepwater Taranaki region inside New Zealand's EEZ, and to an application for a hydrocarbon exploration licence in New Zealand's extended continental shelf.

  5. Two different streams form the dorsal visual system: anatomy and functions.

    PubMed

    Rizzolatti, Giacomo; Matelli, Massimo

    2003-11-01

    There are two radically different views on the functional role of the dorsal visual stream. One considers it as a system involved in space perception. The other is of a system that codes visual information for action organization. On the basis of new anatomical data and a reconsideration of previous functional and clinical data, we propose that the dorsal stream and its recipient parietal areas form two distinct functional systems: the dorso-dorsal stream (d-d stream) and the ventro-dorsal stream (v-d stream). The d-d stream is formed by area V6 (main d-d extrastriate visual node) and areas V6A and MIP of the superior parietal lobule. Its major functional role is the control of actions "on line". Its damage leads to optic ataxia. The v-d stream is formed by area MT (main v-d extrastriate visual node) and by the visual areas of the inferior parietal lobule. As the d-d stream, v-d stream is responsible for action organization. It, however, also plays a crucial role in space perception and action understanding. The putative mechanisms linking action and perception in the v-d stream is discussed.

  6. Engagement of Older Adults in Higher Education: International Perspectives from New Zealand and Scotland

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Findsen, Brian

    2012-01-01

    This article explores the issue of older adults' access to and participation in higher education in two countries, Aotearoa New Zealand and Scotland. It discusses older adults' engagement with regard to patterns of participation and provision, using a critical educational gerontology approach. The two case studies, one in more theoretical terms,…

  7. Oxides of nitrogen at two sites in New Zealand

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Stedman, D. H.; McEwan, M. J.

    1983-02-01

    Oxides of nitrogen, ozone and solar UV radiation were measured at two New Zealand sites, four months at Mt. John near Lake Tekapo, and one month at the New Zealand Department of scientific and Industrial Research, Physics and Engineering Laboratory Atmospheric Station (PELAS) near Lauder. The former site proved ideal for clean-air measurements. Ozone concentrations of ˜20-25 ppb, with little diurnal variation were accompanied by total nitrogen oxide (NOy) levels frequently less than 150 ppt (parts in 1012 by volume). The noon NO and NO2 data were well correlated with a slope comparable to model values. Gaseous HNO3 was observed to be significantly above the noise level (˜15 ppt) for only twenty-seven four-hour averages. For these a median of 43 ppt was obtained with a median ([NOy]-[HNO3])/[HNO3] ratio of 7.5, not comparable with model values of around 1.1. This low HNO3 may arise from the fact that the Mt. John site is downwind of a mountain range which experiences significant upwind precipitation. At the PELAS site, strong diurnal variation of ozone and much larger NOy concentrations were observed. The difference is apparently caused by local sources of nitrogen oxides and the local meteorology at the fertile valley PELAS site.

  8. The New Zealand Food Composition Database: A useful tool for assessing New Zealanders' nutrient intake.

    PubMed

    Sivakumaran, Subathira; Huffman, Lee; Sivakumaran, Sivalingam

    2018-01-01

    A country-specific food composition databases is useful for assessing nutrient intake reliably in national nutrition surveys, research studies and clinical practice. The New Zealand Food Composition Database (NZFCDB) programme seeks to maintain relevant and up-to-date food records that reflect the composition of foods commonly consumed in New Zealand following Food Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations/International Network of Food Data Systems (FAO/INFOODS) guidelines. Food composition data (FCD) of up to 87 core components for approximately 600 foods have been added to NZFCDB since 2010. These foods include those identified as providing key nutrients in a 2008/09 New Zealand Adult Nutrition Survey. Nutrient data obtained by analysis of composite samples or are calculated from analytical data. Currently >2500 foods in 22 food groups are freely available in various NZFCDB output products on the website: www.foodcomposition.co.nz. NZFCDB is the main source of FCD for estimating nutrient intake in New Zealand nutrition surveys. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Rapid grounding line migration induced by internal variability of a marine-terminating ice stream

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Robel, A.; Schoof, C.; Tziperman, E.

    2013-12-01

    Numerous studies have found significant variability in the velocity of ice streams to be a prominent feature of geomorphologic records in the Siple Coast (Catania et al. 2012) and other regions in West Antarctica (Dowdeswell et al. 2008). Observations indicate that grounding line position is strongly influenced by ice stream variability, producing rapid grounding line migration in the recent past (Catania et al. 2006) and the modern (Joughin & Tulaczyk 2002). We analyze the interaction of grounding line mass flux and position in a marine-terminating ice stream using a stretch-coordinate flowline model. This model is based on that described in Schoof (2007), with a mesh refined near the grounding line to ensure accurate resolution of the mechanical transition zone. Here we have added lateral shear stress (Dupont & Alley 2005) and an undrained plastic bed (Tulaczyk et al. 2000). The parameter dependence of ice stream variability seen in this model compares favorably to both simpler (Robel et al. 2013) and more complex (van der Wel et al. 2013) models, though with some key differences. We find that thermally-induced internal ice stream variability can cause very rapid grounding line migration even in the absence of retrograde bed slopes or external forcing. Activation waves propagate along the ice stream length and trigger periods of rapid grounding line migration. We compare the behavior of the grounding line due to internal ice stream variability to changes triggered externally at the grounding line such as the rapid disintegration of buttressing ice shelves. Implications for Heinrich events and the Marine Ice Sheet Instability are discussed.

  10. An Evaluation of Characteristics of Environmental Education Practice in New Zealand Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Eames, Chris; Cowie, Bronwen; Bolstad, Rachel

    2008-01-01

    This paper reports on a national evaluation project that investigated characteristics of environmental education (EE) practice in New Zealand schools in 2002-2003. The research included a review of New Zealand and international environmental education literature, a survey of nearly 200 New Zealand schools and case studies of environmental…

  11. Ethics committees in New Zealand.

    PubMed

    Gillett, Grant; Douglass, Alison

    2012-12-01

    The ethical review of research in New Zealand after the Cartwright Report of 1988 produced a major change in safeguards for and empowerment of participants in health care research. Several reforms since then have streamlined some processes but also seriously weakened some of the existing safeguards. The latest reforms, against the advice of various ethics bodies and the New Zealand Law Society, further reduced and attenuated the role of ethics committees so that New Zealand has moved from being a world leader in ethical review processes to there being serious doubt whether it is in conformity to international Conventions and codes. The latest round of reforms, seemingly driven by narrow economic aspirations, anecdote and innuendo, have occurred without any clear evidence of dysfunction in the system nor any plans for the resourcing required to improve quality of ethical review or to audit the process. It is of serious concern both to ethicists and medical lawyers in New Zealand that such hasty and poorly researched changes should have been made which threaten the hard-won gains of the Cartwright reforms.

  12. Asian Students' Voices: An Empirical Study of Asian Students' Learning Experiences at a New Zealand University

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Campbell, Jacqui; Li, Mingsheng

    2008-01-01

    More than 85% of the international students in New Zealand are Asian in origin. The level of satisfaction of Asian international students with their learning experiences in New Zealand has been of enormous concern for the New Zealand export education industry. The results of this current research, based on a qualitative research study conducted at…

  13. Institutional innovation and the handling of health complaints in New Zealand: an assessment.

    PubMed

    Dew, K; Roorda, M

    2001-07-01

    This paper explores innovations in health complaints mechanisms in New Zealand, focusing on two legislative developments-The Health and Disability Commissioner Act 1994 and the Medical Practitioners Act 1995. Both pieces of legislation were introduced during a time of far-reaching institutional change in New Zealand, and were influenced by the findings of unethical practices by medical researchers at a women's hospital in Auckland. Although the legislation was driven by concerns over consumer rights and in particular women's health, there have been some unanticipated developments. An assessment is made of the impact of these innovations, based on the analysis of a number of data sources, including media reports, complaint reports and submissions to select committee hearings. The regulatory environment in New Zealand left health consumers heavily dependent on the medical profession's internal mechanisms of regulation. The failure of this internal regulation led to new external regulatory mechanisms designed to empower the consumer. The analysis suggests that even when empowerment appears to be written into legislation there are mechanisms available to limit empowerment further.

  14. Structure of New Zealand sweetpotato starch.

    PubMed

    Zhu, Fan; Xie, Qian

    2018-05-15

    New Zealand sweetpotatoes (kumara) (Ipomoea batatas) represent unique genetic resources for sweetpotato diversity, though they are much under-studied. In this study, 7 New Zealand sweetpotato varieties with commercial significance were collected for the characterization of the molecular and granular structure of the starches. In particular, the internal molecular structure of the amylopectins was detailed by chromatographic and enzymatic techniques. Maize and potato starches with normal amylose contents, which are among the most important commercial starch sources, were employed for comparison. The results revealed a degree of diversity in amylose composition, unit and internal chain composition, granule size distribution, and degree of crystallinity among the 7 sweetpotato starches. All the sweetpotato starches showed C A -type polymorph. The sweetpotato amylopectins have intermediate amounts of both short and long internal unit chains among amylopectins of different botanical sources. The differences in the structure of sweetpotato starches suggest differences in physicochemical properties. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. TWO NEW HALO DEBRIS STREAMS IN THE SLOAN DIGITAL SKY SURVEY

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Grillmair, C. J., E-mail: carl@ipac.caltech.edu

    2014-07-20

    Using photometry from Data Release 10 of the northern footprint of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, we detect two new stellar streams with lengths of between 25° and 50°. The streams, which we designate Hermus and Hyllus, are at distances of between 15 and 23 kpc from the Sun and pass primarily through Hercules and Corona Borealis. Stars in the streams appear to be metal-poor, with [Fe/H] ∼ – 2.3, though we cannot rule out metallicities as high as [Fe/H] = –1.2. While Hermus passes within 1° (in projection) of the globular cluster NGC 6229, a roughly one magnitude difference in distancemore » modulus, combined with no signs of connecting with NGC 6229's Roche lobe, argue against any physical association between the two. Though the two streams almost certainly had different progenitors, similarities in preliminary orbit estimates suggest that those progenitors may themselves have been a product of a single accretion event.« less

  16. [Current situation of acupuncture in New Zealand].

    PubMed

    Li, Xiaoji; Hu, Youping

    2017-04-12

    The beginning of TCM acupuncture in New Zealand dates back to the middle of 19th century. After self-improvement for more than 100 years, TCM acupuncture has gained a considerable development. From the perspective of history and current situation, the development of acupuncture in New Zealand was elaborated in this article; in addition, the sustainable development of acupuncture was discussed from the perspective of education and training. In New Zealand, the TCM acupuncture and dry needling have played a dominant role in acupuncture treatments, which are practiced by TCM practitioners and physical therapists. The TCM acupuncture is widely applied in department of internal medicine, surgery, gynecology, and pediatrics, etc., while the dry needling is li-mited for traumatology and pain disorder. Therefore, including TCM acupuncture into the public medical and educational system in New Zealand should be an essential policy of Ministry of Health to provide welfare for the people.

  17. Chlorinated pesticides in stream sediments from organic, integrated and conventional farms.

    PubMed

    Shahpoury, Pourya; Hageman, Kimberly J; Matthaei, Christoph D; Magbanua, Francis S

    2013-10-01

    To determine if current sheep/beef farming practices affect pesticide residues in streams, current-use and legacy chlorinated pesticides were quantified in 100 sediment samples from 15 streams on the South Island of New Zealand. The study involved five blocks of three neighboring farms, with each block containing farms managed by organic, integrated and conventional farming practices. Significantly higher concentrations of dieldrin, ∑ endosulfans, ∑ current-use pesticides, and ∑ chlorinated pesticides were measured in sediments from conventional farms compared to organic and integrated farms. However, streams in the latter two farming categories were not pesticide-free and sometimes contained relatively high concentrations of legacy pesticides. Comparison of measured pesticide concentrations with sediment quality guidelines showed that, regardless of farming practice, mean pesticide concentrations were below the recommended toxicity thresholds. However, up to 23% of individual samples contained chlorpyrifos, endosulfan sulfate, ∑ DDT, dieldrin, or ∑ chlordane concentrations above these thresholds. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. The Literacy Debates: What Are the Issues in New Zealand?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Limbrick, Libby

    The 1970 International Educational Achievement (IEA) survey placed New Zealand's nine and fourteen year olds first in reading achievement in comparison with all other participating countries. Literacy educators the world over have studied New Zealand's methods and classroom environments, and its approaches to reading/writing instruction have been…

  19. Traditional Chinese medicine practitioners in New Zealand: differences associated with being a practitioner in New Zealand compared to China.

    PubMed

    Patel, Asmita; Toossi, Vahideh

    2016-10-28

    While New Zealand has experienced an increase in the use of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) based acupuncture, very little is known about the practitioners who provide this type of treatment modality. Therefore, this study was designed to identify differences associated with being a TCM practitioner in New Zealand compared to China. Ten Auckland-based TCM practitioners were individually interviewed. The interview schedule comprised of questions that were designed to identify any potential differences in practising TCM in New Zealand compared to China. Data were analysed using an inductive thematic approach. The main differences in practising between the two countries were related to the role and authority that a TCM practitioner had. This in turn resulted in differences between the conditions that were treated in these two countries. Differences in patient demography were also identified between the two countries. TCM is used as a form of alternative healthcare treatment in New Zealand for non-Chinese individuals. Acupuncture is the most utilised form of TCM treatment in New Zealand, and is predominantly used for pain management purposes. TCM treatment has been utilised by individuals from a number of different ethnic groups, reflecting the ethnic diversity of the New Zealand population.

  20. Pacemaker Use in New Zealand - Data From the New Zealand Implanted Cardiac Device Registry (ANZACS-QI 15).

    PubMed

    Larsen, P D; Kerr, A J; Hood, M; Harding, S A; Hooks, D; Heaven, D; Lever, N A; Sinclair, S; Boddington, D; Tang, E W; Swampillai, J; Stiles, M K

    2017-03-01

    The New Zealand Cardiac Implanted Device Registry (Device) has recently been developed under the auspices of the New Zealand Branch of the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand. This study describes the initial Device registry cohort of patients receiving a new pacemaker, their indications for pacing and their perioperative complications. The Device Registry was used to audit patients receiving a first pacemaker between 1 st January 2014 and 1 st June 2015. We examined 1611 patients undergoing first pacemaker implantation. Patients were predominantly male (59%), and had a median age of 70 years. The most common symptom for pacemaker implantation was syncope (39%), followed by dizziness (30%) and dyspnoea (12%). The most common aetiology for a pacemaker was a conduction tissue disorder (35%), followed by sinus node dysfunction (22%). Atrioventricular (AV) block was the most common ECG abnormality, present in 44%. Dual chamber pacemakers were most common (62%), followed by single chamber ventricular pacemakers (34%), and cardiac resynchronisation therapy - pacemakers (CRT-P) (2%). Complications within 24hours of the implant procedure were reported in 64 patients (3.9%), none of which were fatal. The most common complication was the need for reoperation to manipulate a lead, occurring in 23 patients (1.4%). This is the first description of data entered into the Device registry. Patients receiving a pacemaker were younger than in European registries, and there was a low use of CRT-P devices compared to international rates. Complications rates were low and compare favourably to available international data. Copyright © 2016 Australian and New Zealand Society of Cardiac and Thoracic Surgeons (ANZSCTS) and the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand (CSANZ). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Seep and stream nitrogen dynamics in two adjacent mixed land use watersheds

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    In many headwater catchments, stream flow originates from surface seeps and springs. The objective of this study was to determine the influence of seeps on nitrogen (N) dynamics within the stream and at the outlet of two adjacent mixed land use watersheds. Nitrogen concentrations in stream water wer...

  2. Two stream instability in n-type gallium arsenide semiconductor quantum plasma

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ghosh, S.; Muley, Apurva

    2018-01-01

    By using quantum hydrodynamic model, we derive a generalized dielectric response function for two stream instability (convective only) in n-type gallium arsenide semiconductor plasma. We investigate the phase and amplification profiles of two stream instability with externally applied electric field ranging from 2600 to 4000 kV m-1 in presence of non-dimensional quantum parameter- H. In this range, a significant number of electrons in satellite valley become comparable to the number of electrons in central valley. The presence of quantum corrections in plasma medium induces two novel modes; one of it has amplifying nature and propagates in forward direction. It also modifies the spectral profile of four pre-existing modes in classical plasma. The existence of two stream instability is also established analytically by deriving the real part of longitudinal electrokinetic power flow density.

  3. Trampolines in New Zealand: a decade of injuries.

    PubMed Central

    Chalmers, D J; Hume, P A; Wilson, B D

    1994-01-01

    Despite international concern about the safety of trampolines, they have become increasingly popular in New Zealand. While internationally attention has centred on a relatively few cases of catastrophic cervical spine injury, little research effort has been directed at placing these incidents in a wider context. To redress this, a descriptive epidemiological study of trampoline-related injury in New Zealand was undertaken. National hospitalization and mortality data for a 10-year period revealed 2098 hospitalizations and two deaths. The incidence rate for hospitalizations increased from 3.1 per 100,000 population per year in 1979 to 9.3 in 1988. Of the hospitalized victims, 71% were injured on home trampolines and 80% fell from the trampoline to the surrounding surface. Fractures were the commonest type of injury (68%), and the body site most frequently involved was the upper limb (53%). There was no evidence of a high incidence of severe head and neck injuries. It was concluded that, although existing trampoline standards addressed many of the issues raised by this research, measures to reduce the impact of falls from trampolines to the ground and to prohibit the provision of trampolines as 'play equipment' are required. PMID:7894953

  4. Trampolines in New Zealand: a decade of injuries.

    PubMed

    Chalmers, D J; Hume, P A; Wilson, B D

    1994-12-01

    Despite international concern about the safety of trampolines, they have become increasingly popular in New Zealand. While internationally attention has centred on a relatively few cases of catastrophic cervical spine injury, little research effort has been directed at placing these incidents in a wider context. To redress this, a descriptive epidemiological study of trampoline-related injury in New Zealand was undertaken. National hospitalization and mortality data for a 10-year period revealed 2098 hospitalizations and two deaths. The incidence rate for hospitalizations increased from 3.1 per 100,000 population per year in 1979 to 9.3 in 1988. Of the hospitalized victims, 71% were injured on home trampolines and 80% fell from the trampoline to the surrounding surface. Fractures were the commonest type of injury (68%), and the body site most frequently involved was the upper limb (53%). There was no evidence of a high incidence of severe head and neck injuries. It was concluded that, although existing trampoline standards addressed many of the issues raised by this research, measures to reduce the impact of falls from trampolines to the ground and to prohibit the provision of trampolines as 'play equipment' are required.

  5. Restorative Justice: Two Examples from New Zealand Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wearmouth, Janice; McKinney, Rawiri; Glynn, Ted

    2007-01-01

    In this article, Janice Wearmouth, formerly professor of education at the University of Wellington, New Zealand and now at Liverpool Hope University, Rawiri McKinney, an advocate for Rangatahi who has recently completed his Master of Education degree, and Ted Glynn, foundation professor of teacher education at the University of Waikato, discuss…

  6. Calibration of a transient transport model to tritium data in streams and simulation of groundwater ages in the western Lake Taupo catchment, New Zealand

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gusyev, M. A.; Toews, M.; Morgenstern, U.; Stewart, M.; White, P.; Daughney, C.; Hadfield, J.

    2013-03-01

    Here we present a general approach of calibrating transient transport models to tritium concentrations in river waters developed for the MT3DMS/MODFLOW model of the western Lake Taupo catchment, New Zealand. Tritium has a known pulse-shaped input to groundwater systems due to the bomb tritium in the early 1960s and, with its radioactive half-life of 12.32 yr, allows for the determination of the groundwater age. In the transport model, the tritium input (measured in rainfall) passes through the groundwater system, and the simulated tritium concentrations are matched to the measured tritium concentrations in the river and stream outlets for the Waihaha, Whanganui, Whareroa, Kuratau and Omori catchments from 2000-2007. For the Kuratau River, tritium was also measured between 1960 and 1970, which allowed us to fine-tune the transport model for the simulated bomb-peak tritium concentrations. In order to incorporate small surface water features in detail, an 80 m uniform grid cell size was selected in the steady-state MODFLOW model for the model area of 1072 km2. The groundwater flow model was first calibrated to groundwater levels and stream baseflow observations. Then, the transient tritium transport MT3DMS model was matched to the measured tritium concentrations in streams and rivers, which are the natural discharge of the groundwater system. The tritium concentrations in the rivers and streams correspond to the residence time of the water in the groundwater system (groundwater age) and mixing of water with different age. The transport model output showed a good agreement with the measured tritium values. Finally, the tritium-calibrated MT3DMS model is applied to simulate groundwater ages, which are used to obtain groundwater age distributions with mean residence times (MRTs) in streams and rivers for the five catchments. The effect of regional and local hydrogeology on the simulated groundwater ages is investigated by demonstrating groundwater ages at five model

  7. Nurses and the euthanasia debate: reflections from New Zealand.

    PubMed

    Woods, M; Bickley Asher, J

    2015-03-01

    Through an examination of the present situation relating to legalizing euthanasia and/or physician-assisted death in New Zealand, this paper is intended to encourage nurses worldwide to ponder about their own position on the ever present topic of assisted dying and euthanasia. In New Zealand, euthanasia remains illegal, but in 2012, the 'End of Life Choice Bill' was put in the ballot for potential selection for consideration by Parliament, later to be withdrawn. However, it is increasingly likely that New Zealand will follow international trends to offer people a choice about how their lives should end, and that such a Bill will be resubmitted in the near future. Undoubtedly, the passage of such legislation would have an impact on the day-to-day practices of nurses who work with dying people. This article has been prepared following a comprehensive review of appropriate literature both in New Zealand and overseas. This article aims to highlight the importance of nursing input into any national debates concerning proposed euthanasia or assisted dying laws. The discussion therefore covers New Zealand's experience of such proposed legislation, that is, the draft Bill itself and the implications for nurses, the history of the assisted dying debate in New Zealand, public and professional opinion, and national and international nursing responses to euthanasia. New Zealand nurses will eventually have an opportunity to make their views on proposed euthanasia legislation known, and what such legislation might mean for their practice. Nurses everywhere should seriously consider their own knowledge and viewpoint on this vitally important topic, and be prepared to respond as both individuals and as part of their professional bodies when the time inevitably arrives. The result will be a better informed set of policies, regulations and legislation leading to a more meaningful and dignified experience for dying people and their families. Nurses need to be fully informed about

  8. Epidemiology of childhood leukemia in New Zealand: studies of infectious hypotheses.

    PubMed

    Dockerty, John D

    2009-01-01

    The etiology of childhood leukemia remains an enigma despite decades of research. Hypotheses of an infectious etiology have been around for a long time, and in the last 20 years there have been two main theoretical contenders. One of these involves the possibility of a specific infectious agent having a causative role, and animal leukemia viruses would be analogous to this. Another theory relates to the possible involvement of unusual patterns of infections in infancy and how they might relate to aberrant immune responses. The first of these is easier to test. In New Zealand, since the early 1990s we have embarked on a program of research on the epidemiology of childhood leukemia. One of the goals has been to test hypotheses about the role of infection in causation. A variety of study designs have been employed, including descriptive, clustering, case-control and contributions to pooled international analyses. Some of the more interesting findings include: there has been a marked increase in the incidence of acute lymphoblastic leukemia among young children in New Zealand since the mid 1960s, poorer families are at greater risk, and there is no clear support for hypotheses of an infectious cause from the New Zealand data. However because of our small total population (4 million people) we cannot produce clear results on our own. Hence our current international collaborations, for example in CLIC (the Childhood Leukemia International Consortium) represent an important step forward. As countries work together across international boundaries we have a renewed hope that the causes of the childhood leukemias will be unlocked in the foreseeable future.

  9. Stream Communities Along a Catchment Land-Use Gradient: Subsidy-Stress Responses to Pastoral Development

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Niyogi, Dev K.; Koren, Mark; Arbuckle, Chris J.; Townsend, Colin R.

    2007-02-01

    When native grassland catchments are converted to pasture, the main effects on stream physicochemistry are usually related to increased nutrient concentrations and fine-sediment input. We predicted that increasing nutrient concentrations would produce a subsidy-stress response (where several ecological metrics first increase and then decrease at higher concentrations) and that increasing sediment cover of the streambed would produce a linear decline in stream health. We predicted that the net effect of agricultural development, estimated as percentage pastoral land cover, would have a nonlinear subsidy-stress or threshold pattern. In our suite of 21 New Zealand streams, epilithic algal biomass and invertebrate density and biomass were higher in catchments with a higher proportion of pastoral land cover, responding mainly to increased nutrient concentration. Invertebrate species richness had a linear, negative relationship with fine-sediment cover but was unrelated to nutrients or pastoral land cover. In accord with our predictions, several invertebrate stream health metrics (Ephemeroptera-Plecoptera-Trichoptera density and richness, New Zealand Macroinvertebrate Community Index, and percent abundance of noninsect taxa) had nonlinear relationships with pastoral land cover and nutrients. Most invertebrate health metrics usually had linear negative relationships with fine-sediment cover. In this region, stream health, as indicated by macroinvertebrates, primarily followed a subsidy-stress pattern with increasing pastoral development; management of these streams should focus on limiting development beyond the point where negative effects are seen.

  10. Ash Tree Leaf Litter (Fraxinus excelsior L.) Breakdown in Two Different Biotopes and Streams

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fleituch, Tadeusz; Leichtfried, Maria

    2004-11-01

    Coarse (0.5 mm) and fine (0.1 mm) mesh size bag methodology was used for comparing the breakdown of ash tree leaves (Fraxinus excelsior L.) in two biotopes (dry - terrestrial and wet - overflown stream zones) in two low order streams (the Oberer Seebach (OSB), Lower Austria and the Brzezowka stream (BRZ), Beskidy Mountains, southern Poland). In total, 96 bags were exposed in autumn 2000. Ash-free dry mass (AFDM) ranged in dry zones of both streams from 94-62% (OSB) and 85-53% (BRZ) respectively. The decomposition process was faster in wet zones: 96-33% (OSB) and 56-11% (B) during the study period. Significant differences in ash breakdown and its chemical content between studied streams were found. Total organic carbon (TOC) and total nitrogen content (TN) of AFDM of litter showed increased differences with experiment duration between zones and between two bag types for both streams. The strongest increase of TOC and TN content (100% on average initial content) for bag types, zones, and streams was observed in the first two weeks of the experiment. These results confirm the importance of chemical compounds for microbiological processes (biofilms) in different ecosystem biotopes. (

  11. Two-stream Convolutional Neural Network for Methane Emissions Quantification

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, J.; Ravikumar, A. P.; McGuire, M.; Bell, C.; Tchapmi, L. P.; Brandt, A. R.

    2017-12-01

    Methane, a key component of natural gas, has a 25x higher global warming potential than carbon dioxide on a 100-year basis. Accurately monitoring and mitigating methane emissions require cost-effective detection and quantification technologies. Optical gas imaging, one of the most commonly used leak detection technology, adopted by Environmental Protection Agency, cannot estimate leak-sizes. In this work, we harness advances in computer science to allow for rapid and automatic leak quantification. Particularly, we utilize two-stream deep Convolutional Networks (ConvNets) to estimate leak-size by capturing complementary spatial information from still plume frames, and temporal information from plume motion between frames. We build large leak datasets for training and evaluating purposes by collecting about 20 videos (i.e. 397,400 frames) of leaks. The videos were recorded at six distances from the source, covering 10 -60 ft. Leak sources included natural gas well-heads, separators, and tanks. All frames were labeled with a true leak size, which has eight levels ranging from 0 to 140 MCFH. Preliminary analysis shows that two-stream ConvNets provides significant accuracy advantage over single steam ConvNets. Spatial stream ConvNet can achieve an accuracy of 65.2%, by extracting important features, including texture, plume area, and pattern. Temporal stream, fed by the results of optical flow analysis, results in an accuracy of 58.3%. The integration of the two-stream ConvNets gives a combined accuracy of 77.6%. For future work, we will split the training and testing datasets in distinct ways in order to test the generalization of the algorithm for different leak sources. Several analytic metrics, including confusion matrix and visualization of key features, will be used to understand accuracy rates and occurrences of false positives. The quantification algorithm can help to find and fix super-emitters, and improve the cost-effectiveness of leak detection and repair

  12. Behavioral and catastrophic drift of invertebrates in two streams in northeastern Wyoming

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Wangsness, David J.; Peterson, David A.

    1980-01-01

    Invertebrate drift samples were collected in August 1977 from two streams in the Powder River structural basin in northeastern Wyoming. The streams are Clear Creek, a mountain stream, and the Little Powder River, a plains stream. Two major patterns of drift were recognized. Clear Creek was sampled during a period of normal seasonal conditions. High drift rates occurred during the night indicating a behavioral drift pattern that is related to the benthic invertebrate density and carrying capacity of the stream substrates. The mayfly genes Baetis, a common drift organism, dominated the peak periods of drift in Clear Creek. The Little Powder River has a high discharge during the study period. Midge larvae of the families Chironomidae and Ceratopogonidae, ususally not common in drift, dominated the drift community. The dominance of midge larvae, the presence of several other organisms not common in drift, and the high discharge during the study period caused a catastrophic drift pattern. (USGS)

  13. Effect of initial conditions on constant pressure mixing between two turbulent streams

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kangovi, S.

    1983-02-01

    It is pointed out that a study of the process of mixing between two dissimilar streams has varied applications in different fields. The applications include the design of an after burner in a high by-pass ratio aircraft engine and the disposal of effluents in a stream. The mixing process determines important quantities related to the energy transfer from main stream to the secondary stream, the temperature and velocity profiles, and the local kinematic and dissipative structure within the mixing region, and the growth of the mixing layer. Hill and Page (1968) have proposed the employment of an 'assumed epsilon' method in which the eddy viscosity model of Goertler (1942) is modified to account for the initial boundary layer. The present investigation is concerned with the application of the assumed epsilon technique to the study of the effect of initial conditions on the development of the turbulent mixing layer between two compressible, nonisoenergetic streams at constant pressure.

  14. Analytical Models of Exoplanetary Atmospheres. IV. Improved Two-stream Radiative Transfer for the Treatment of Aerosols

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Heng, Kevin; Kitzmann, Daniel, E-mail: kevin.heng@csh.unibe.ch, E-mail: daniel.kitzmann@csh.unibe.ch

    We present a novel generalization of the two-stream method of radiative transfer, which allows for the accurate treatment of radiative transfer in the presence of strong infrared scattering by aerosols. We prove that this generalization involves only a simple modification of the coupling coefficients and transmission functions in the hemispheric two-stream method. This modification originates from allowing the ratio of the first Eddington coefficients to depart from unity. At the heart of the method is the fact that this ratio may be computed once and for all over the entire range of values of the single-scattering albedo and scattering asymmetrymore » factor. We benchmark our improved two-stream method by calculating the fraction of flux reflected by a single atmospheric layer (the reflectivity) and comparing these calculations to those performed using a 32-stream discrete-ordinates method. We further compare our improved two-stream method to the two-stream source function (16 streams) and delta-Eddington methods, demonstrating that it is often more accurate at the order-of-magnitude level. Finally, we illustrate its accuracy using a toy model of the early Martian atmosphere hosting a cloud layer composed of carbon dioxide ice particles. The simplicity of implementation and accuracy of our improved two-stream method renders it suitable for implementation in three-dimensional general circulation models. In other words, our improved two-stream method has the ease of implementation of a standard two-stream method, but the accuracy of a 32-stream method.« less

  15. Older Adult Education in Two Universities: A Comparison in the New Zealand and Scottish Contexts

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Findsen, Brian; Mark, Rob

    2016-01-01

    This article examines the character of older adult education provision in two universities at opposite ends of the globe. The universities of Waikato (New Zealand) and Strathclyde (Scotland) are analysed in terms of specific domains: funding, curriculum and provision, older people's participation and university-community relationships. These two…

  16. Estimating the sources and transport of nutrients in the Waikato River Basin, New Zealand

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Alexander, Richard B.; Elliott, Alexander H.; Shankar, Ude; McBride, Graham B.

    2002-01-01

    We calibrated SPARROW (Spatially Referenced Regression on Watershed Attributes) surface water‐quality models using measurements of total nitrogen and total phosphorus from 37 sites in the 13,900‐km2 Waikato River Basin, the largest watershed on the North Island of New Zealand. This first application of SPARROW outside of the United States included watersheds representative of a wide range of natural and cultural conditions and water‐resources data that were well suited for calibrating and validating the models. We applied the spatially distributed model to a drainage network of nearly 5000 stream reaches and 75 lakes and reservoirs to empirically estimate the rates of nutrient delivery (and their levels of uncertainty) from point and diffuse sources to streams, lakes, and watershed outlets. The resulting models displayed relatively small errors; predictions of stream yield (kg ha−1 yr−1) were typically within 30% or less of the observed values at the monitoring sites. There was strong evidence of the accuracy of the model estimates of nutrient sources and the natural rates of nutrient attenuation in surface waters. Estimated loss rates for streams, lakes, and reservoirs agreed closely with experimental measurements and empirical models from New Zealand, North America, and Europe as well as with previous U.S. SPARROW models. The results indicate that the SPARROW modeling technique provides a reliable method for relating experimental data and observations from small catchments to the transport of nutrients in the surface waters of large river basins.

  17. New Zealand's Response to the Literacy Issues of the 1990's.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Limbrick, Libby

    The 1970 International Educational Achievement (IEA) survey had placed New Zealand's nine- and fourteen-year-olds first in reading achievement in comparison with all other participating countries. By the time the 1990 IEA survey took place, however, mean achievement levels had slipped somewhat, and by the mid-1990s New Zealand's reputation was…

  18. Junior Officer Leadership Development in the New Zealand Army

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2017-06-09

    officers within the New Zealand Army and United States Army were gathered using a survey , to gain their perspective and identify any key areas for...senior officers within the New Zealand Army and United States Army were gathered using a survey , to gain their perspective and identify any key areas...time to take part in my survey , and contribute their wisdom and experience. The support and guidance that I received from other international

  19. Changing Mechanisms of Governmentality? Academic Development in New Zealand and Student Evaluations of Teaching

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Barrow, M.; Grant, B. M.

    2016-01-01

    Academic (or educational) development is a relatively recent project in universities. In Aotearoa New Zealand there were two waves of foundation for academic development, separated by almost 20 years, during which time much in national and international higher education had changed. This article draws on empirical and archival data to propose that…

  20. Implementation failures in the use of two New Zealand laws to control the tobacco industry: 1989–2005

    PubMed Central

    Thomson, George; Wilson, Nick

    2005-01-01

    Background We reviewed the implementation of New Zealand laws in relation to the activities of the tobacco industry and their allies. Material for two brief case studies was obtained from correspondence with official agencies, official information requests, internet searches (tobacco industry documents and official government sites), and interviews with 12 key informants. Results The first case study identified four occasions over a period of 14 years where New Zealand Government agencies appeared to fail to enforce consumer protection law, although apparent breaches by the tobacco industry and their allies had occurred in relation to statements on the relative safety of secondhand smoke. The second case study examined responses to a legal requirement for the tobacco industry to provide information on tobacco additives. There was failure to enforce the law, and a failure of the political process for at least 13 years to clarify and strengthen the law. Relevant factors in both these cases of 'policy slippage' appear to have been financial and opportunity costs of taking legal action, political difficulties and the fragmented nature of government structures. Conclusion Considered together, these case studies suggest the need for governments to: (i) make better use of national consumer laws (with proper monitoring and enforcement) in relation to tobacco; and (ii) to strengthen international law and resources around tobacco-related consumer protection. A number of options for achieving these aims are available to governments. PMID:16354296

  1. Heuristic for Critical Machine Based a Lot Streaming for Two-Stage Hybrid Production Environment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Vivek, P.; Saravanan, R.; Chandrasekaran, M.; Pugazhenthi, R.

    2017-03-01

    Lot streaming in Hybrid flowshop [HFS] is encountered in many real world problems. This paper deals with a heuristic approach for Lot streaming based on critical machine consideration for a two stage Hybrid Flowshop. The first stage has two identical parallel machines and the second stage has only one machine. In the second stage machine is considered as a critical by valid reasons these kind of problems is known as NP hard. A mathematical model developed for the selected problem. The simulation modelling and analysis were carried out in Extend V6 software. The heuristic developed for obtaining optimal lot streaming schedule. The eleven cases of lot streaming were considered. The proposed heuristic was verified and validated by real time simulation experiments. All possible lot streaming strategies and possible sequence under each lot streaming strategy were simulated and examined. The heuristic consistently yielded optimal schedule consistently in all eleven cases. The identification procedure for select best lot streaming strategy was suggested.

  2. Experimental and numerical investigation of Acoustic streaming (Eckart streaming)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dridi, Walid; Botton, Valery; Henry, Daniel; Ben Hadid, Hamda

    The application of sound waves in the bulk of a fluid can generate steady or quasi-steady flows reffered to as Acoustic streaming flows. We can distinguish two kind of acoustic streaming: The Rayleigh Streaming is generated when a standing acoustic waves interfere with solid walls to give birth to an acoustic boundary layer. Steady recirculations are then driven out of the boundary layer and can be used in micro-gravity, where the free convection is too weak or absent, to enhance the convective heat or mass transfer and cooling the electronic devises [1]. The second kind is the Eckart streaming, which is a flow generated far from the solid boundaries, it can be used to mix a chemical solutions [2], and to drive a viscous liquids in channels [3-4], in micro-gravity area. Our study focuses on the Eckart streaming configuration, which is investigated both numerical and experimental means. The experimental configuration is restricted to the case of a cylindrical non-heated cavity full of water or of a water+glycerol mixture. At the middle of one side of the cavity, a plane ultrasonic transducer generates a 2MHz wave; an absorber is set at the opposite side of the cavity to avoid any reflections. The velocity field is measured with a standard PIV system. [1] P. Vainshtein, M. Fichman and C. Gutfinger, "Acoustic enhancement of heat transfer between two parallel plates", International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfert, 1995, 38(10), 1893. [2] C. Suri, K. Tekenaka, H. Yanagida, Y. Kojima and K. Koyama, "Chaotic mixing generated by acoustic streaming", Ultrasonics, 2002, 40, 393 [3] O.V. Rudenko and A.A. Sukhorukov, "Nonstationnary Eckart streaming and pumping of liquid in ultrasonic field", Acoustical Physics, 1998, 44, 653. [4] Kenneth D. Frampton, Shawn E. Martin and Keith Minor, "The scaling of acoustic streaming for application in micro-fluidic devices", Applied Acoustics, 2003, 64,681

  3. Magnetic field advection in two interpenetrating plasma streams

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Ryutov, D. D.; Kugland, N. L.; Levy, M. C.

    2013-03-15

    Laser-generated colliding plasma streams can serve as a test-bed for the study of various astrophysical phenomena and the general physics of self-organization. For streams of a sufficiently high kinetic energy, collisions between the ions of one stream with the ions of the other stream are negligible, and the streams can penetrate through each other. On the other hand, the intra-stream collisions for high-Mach-number flows can still be very frequent, so that each stream can be described hydrodynamically. This paper presents an analytical study of the effects that these interpenetrating streams have on large-scale magnetic fields either introduced by external coilsmore » or generated in the plasma near the laser targets. Specifically, a problem of the frozen-in constraint is assessed and paradoxical features of the field advection in this system are revealed. A possibility of using this system for studies of magnetic reconnection is mentioned.« less

  4. Acoustic streaming induced by two orthogonal ultrasound standing waves in a microfluidic channel.

    PubMed

    Doinikov, Alexander A; Thibault, Pierre; Marmottant, Philippe

    2018-07-01

    A mathematical model is derived for acoustic streaming in a microfluidic channel confined between a solid wall and a rigid reflector. Acoustic streaming is produced by two orthogonal ultrasound standing waves of the same frequency that are created by two pairs of counter-propagating leaky surface waves induced in the solid wall. The magnitudes and phases of the standing waves are assumed to be different. Full analytical solutions are found for the equations of acoustic streaming. The obtained solutions are used in numerical simulations to reveal the structure of the acoustic streaming. It is shown that the interaction of two standing waves leads to the appearance of a cross term in the equations of acoustic streaming. If the phase lag between the standing waves is nonzero, the cross term brings about circular vortices with rotation axes perpendicular to the solid wall of the channel. The vortices make fluid particles rotate and move alternately up and down between the solid wall and the reflector. The obtained results are of immediate interest for acoustomicrofluidic applications such as the ultrasonic micromixing of fluids and the manipulation of microparticles. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Seep and stream nitrogen dynamics in two adjacent mixed land use watersheds

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    In many headwater catchments, streamflow originates from surface seeps and springs. The objective of this study was to determine the influence of seeps on nitrogen (N) dynamics within the stream and at the outlet of two adjacent mixed land use watersheds. Nitrogen concentrations in stream water were...

  6. A nationwide classification of New Zealand aquifer properties

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Westerhoff, Rogier; Tschritter, Constanze; Rawlinson, Zara; White, Paul

    2017-04-01

    Groundwater plays an essential role in water provision for domestic, industrial and agricultural use. Groundwater is also vital for ecology and environment, since it provides baseflow to many streams, rivers and wetlands. As groundwater is a 'hidden' resource that is typically poorly understood by the public, simple and informative maps can assist to enhance awareness for understanding groundwater and associated environmental issues. The first national aquifer map for New Zealand (2001) identified 200 aquifers at a scale of approximately 1:5 Million. Subsequently, regional councils and unitary authorities have updated their aquifer boundaries using a variety of methods. However, with increasing demand of groundwater in New Zealand and drought impacts expected to be more significant in the future, more consistent and more advanced aquifer characterisation and mapping techniques are needed to improve our understanding of the available resources. Significant resources have gone into detailed geological mapping in recent years, and the New Zealand 1:250,000 Geological Map (QMAP) was developed and released as a seamless GIS database in 2014. To date, there has been no national assessment of this significant data set for aquifer characterisation purposes. This study details the use of the QMAP lithological and chrono-stratigraphic information to develop a nationwide assessment of hydrogeological units and their properties. The aim of this study is to map hydrogeological units in New Zealand, with a long-term goal to use this as a basis for a nationally-consistent map of aquifer systems and aquifer properties (e.g., hydraulic conductivity estimates). Internationally accepted aquifer mapping studies were reviewed and a method was devised that classifies hydrogeological units based on the geological attributes of the QMAP ArcGIS polygons. The QMAP attributes used in this study were: main rock type; geological age; and secondary rock type. The method was mainly based on

  7. Pacific Islands Families Study: Behavioral Problems among Two-Year-Old Pacific Children Living in New Zealand

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Paterson, Janis; Carter, Sarnia; Gao, Wanzhen; Perese, Lana

    2007-01-01

    Background: The aim of this study was to determine (1) the prevalence of behavioral problems among two-year-old Pacific children living in New Zealand, (2) ethnic differences in behavioral problems, and (3) relationships between maternal and socio-demographic variables and problem child behavior. Methods: Data were gathered from the Pacific…

  8. Interactions between dorsal and ventral streams for controlling skilled grasp

    PubMed Central

    van Polanen, Vonne; Davare, Marco

    2015-01-01

    The two visual systems hypothesis suggests processing of visual information into two distinct routes in the brain: a dorsal stream for the control of actions and a ventral stream for the identification of objects. Recently, increasing evidence has shown that the dorsal and ventral streams are not strictly independent, but do interact with each other. In this paper, we argue that the interactions between dorsal and ventral streams are important for controlling complex object-oriented hand movements, especially skilled grasp. Anatomical studies have reported the existence of direct connections between dorsal and ventral stream areas. These physiological interconnections appear to be gradually more active as the precision demands of the grasp become higher. It is hypothesised that the dorsal stream needs to retrieve detailed information about object identity, stored in ventral stream areas, when the object properties require complex fine-tuning of the grasp. In turn, the ventral stream might receive up to date grasp-related information from dorsal stream areas to refine the object internal representation. Future research will provide direct evidence for which specific areas of the two streams interact, the timing of their interactions and in which behavioural context they occur. PMID:26169317

  9. The Development of Astronomy and Emergence of Astrophysics in New Zealand

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hearnshaw, John; Orchiston, Wayne

    The development of astronomy and astrophysics in New Zealand from the earliest European exploration and settlement to the present day is discussed. The major contributions to astronomy by amateur astronomers are covered, as is the later development of astronomy and astrophysics in New Zealand's universities. The account includes the founding of professional observatories for optical astronomy at Mt. John (belonging to the University of Canterbury) and for radio astronomy at Warkworth (belonging to the Auckland University of Technology). Several major international collaborations in which New Zealand is participating (or has participated) are described, including SALT, MOA, IceCube and SKA. The founding and history of the Carter Observatory in Wellington, of the Stardome Observatory in Auckland (both engaged in astronomical education and outreach) and of the Royal Astronomical Society of New Zealand are briefly covered.

  10. Stream food web response to a salmon carcass analogue addition in two central Idaho, U.S.A. streams

    PubMed Central

    KOHLER, ANDRE E; RUGENSKI, AMANDA; TAKI, DOUG

    2008-01-01

    Pacific salmon and steelhead once contributed large amounts of marine-derived carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus to freshwater ecosystems in the Pacific Northwest of the United States of America (California, Oregon, Washington and Idaho). Declines in historically abundant anadromous salmonid populations represent a significant loss of returning nutrients across a large spatial scale. Recently, a manufactured salmon carcass analogue was developed and tested as a safe and effective method of delivering nutrients to freshwater and linked riparian ecosystems where marine-derived nutrients have been reduced or eliminated. We compared four streams: two reference and two treatment streams using salmon carcass analogue(s) (SCA) as a treatment. Response variables measured included: surface streamwater chemistry; nutrient limitation status; carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes; periphyton chlorophyll a and ash-free dry mass (AFDM); macroinvertebrate density and biomass; and leaf litter decomposition rates. Within each stream, upstream reference and downstream treatment reaches were sampled 1 year before, during, and 1 year after the addition of SCA. Periphyton chlorophyll a and AFDM and macroinvertebrate biomass were significantly higher in stream reaches treated with SCA. Enriched stable isotope (δ15N) signatures were observed in periphyton and macroinvertebrate samples collected from treatment reaches in both treatment streams, indicating trophic transfer from SCA to consumers. Densities of Ephemerellidae, Elmidae and Brachycentridae were significantly higher in treatment reaches. Macroinvertebrate community composition and structure, as measured by taxonomic richness and diversity, did not appear to respond significantly to SCA treatment. Leaf breakdown rates were variable among treatment streams: significantly higher in one stream treatment reach but not the other. Salmon carcass analogue treatments had no detectable effect on measured water chemistry variables. Our results

  11. Profilicollis novaezelandensis n. sp. (Polymorphidae) and two other acanthocephalan parasites from shore birds (Haematopodidae and Scolopacidae) in New Zealand, with records of two species in intertidal crabs (Decapoda: Grapsidae and Ocypodidae).

    PubMed

    Brockerhoff, A M; Smales, L R

    2002-05-01

    Profilicollis novaezelandensis n. sp. (Acanthocephala: Polymorphidae) is described from the South Island pied oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus finschi Martens (Haematopodidae) and the intertidal crab Hemigrapsus crenulatus (Milne Edwards) (Brachyura: Grapsidae) from the South Island of New Zealand. The new species can be distinguished from all the other species of the genus by a combination of the following characters: long neck (13% of total body length for adults) and a subspherical proboscis with 14-16 longitudinal rows of 7-8 hooks. The mud crabs Helice crassa Dana (Grapsidae) and Macrophthalmus hirtipes (Heller) (Ocypodidae) were also harbouring cystacanths and the bar-tailed godwit Limosa lapponica (Linnaeus) (Scolopacidae) juveniles of P. novaezelandensis. This is the first record of brachyuran decapods as intermediate hosts of Acanthocephala from New Zealand. P. antarcticus is recorded from three crab species (Helice crassa, Hemigraspus crenulatus and Macrophthalmus hirtipes) and two bird species (Haematopus o. finschi and Limosa lapponica) in New Zealand. An unidentified species of Plagiorhynchus was also found in two bird species (H. o. finschi and H. unicolor Forster). P. antarcticus and P. novaezelandensis are the first records of Profilicollis from New Zealand.

  12. Chain of Influence from Policy to Practice in the New Zealand Literacy Strategy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Timperley, Helen S.; Parr, Judy M.

    2009-01-01

    New Zealand's literacy strategy seeks to translate into reality the broad policy goals of equipping all New Zealanders with the knowledge, skills and values to be successful citizens of the twenty-first century. The central policy concern is reflected in international surveys showing that although the country's student achievement is above the…

  13. A Two-Stream Deep Fusion Framework for High-Resolution Aerial Scene Classification

    PubMed Central

    Liu, Fuxian

    2018-01-01

    One of the challenging problems in understanding high-resolution remote sensing images is aerial scene classification. A well-designed feature representation method and classifier can improve classification accuracy. In this paper, we construct a new two-stream deep architecture for aerial scene classification. First, we use two pretrained convolutional neural networks (CNNs) as feature extractor to learn deep features from the original aerial image and the processed aerial image through saliency detection, respectively. Second, two feature fusion strategies are adopted to fuse the two different types of deep convolutional features extracted by the original RGB stream and the saliency stream. Finally, we use the extreme learning machine (ELM) classifier for final classification with the fused features. The effectiveness of the proposed architecture is tested on four challenging datasets: UC-Merced dataset with 21 scene categories, WHU-RS dataset with 19 scene categories, AID dataset with 30 scene categories, and NWPU-RESISC45 dataset with 45 challenging scene categories. The experimental results demonstrate that our architecture gets a significant classification accuracy improvement over all state-of-the-art references. PMID:29581722

  14. A Two-Stream Deep Fusion Framework for High-Resolution Aerial Scene Classification.

    PubMed

    Yu, Yunlong; Liu, Fuxian

    2018-01-01

    One of the challenging problems in understanding high-resolution remote sensing images is aerial scene classification. A well-designed feature representation method and classifier can improve classification accuracy. In this paper, we construct a new two-stream deep architecture for aerial scene classification. First, we use two pretrained convolutional neural networks (CNNs) as feature extractor to learn deep features from the original aerial image and the processed aerial image through saliency detection, respectively. Second, two feature fusion strategies are adopted to fuse the two different types of deep convolutional features extracted by the original RGB stream and the saliency stream. Finally, we use the extreme learning machine (ELM) classifier for final classification with the fused features. The effectiveness of the proposed architecture is tested on four challenging datasets: UC-Merced dataset with 21 scene categories, WHU-RS dataset with 19 scene categories, AID dataset with 30 scene categories, and NWPU-RESISC45 dataset with 45 challenging scene categories. The experimental results demonstrate that our architecture gets a significant classification accuracy improvement over all state-of-the-art references.

  15. The two faces of Robert Fitzroy, Captain of HMS Beagle and governor of New Zealand.

    PubMed

    Paul, Diane B; Stenhouse, John; Spencer, Hamish G

    2013-09-01

    Robert FitzRoy, Captain of HMS Beagle and second governor of New Zealand, has two contradictory reputations among modern academics. Evolutionary biologists and Darwin scholars generally view FitzRoy as a supporter of slavery, famously quarrelling with the abolitionist Darwin over that topic during a Brazilian stopover early in the voyage of HMS Beagle. He is also regarded as a political and religious reactionary, taking a biblically creationist position at the infamous 1860 Oxford meeting of the British Association for the Advancement of Science. New Zealand historians, however, view his record as governor much more positively. They emphasize that FitzRoy was wildly unpopular with the British settlers because of his enlightened insistence that the native Maori should be treated fairly. We outline the history of these seemingly inconsistent views and examine the evidence for each. We conclude by suggesting that a more nuanced account of FitzRoy's career would surely be more thought-provoking as well as respectful of the facts.

  16. Strategic perspective: Nuclear issues in the New Zealand media

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Fridriksson, L.N.

    New Zealand's anti-nuclear policy drew international attention and threw the nation into a foreign policy crisis with the United States over the trilateral mutual security pact ANZUS. After more than a year of diminished intelligence and military cooperation, New Zealand was expelled from the alliance. This study involved a content analysis of coverage of these events and other nuclear issues in selected newspapers of New Zealand and the United States. Research points to the roles of the media as a critical one in the overall relations among countries. Through their frequent use of official government sources, the media tend tomore » uphold the government line or status quo with regard to foreign affairs. This study sought to identify the nuclear issues covered in the New Zealand and US media, the characteristics of that coverage, the sources of that coverage and how coverage varied during changing US-New Zealand relations. The official frame prevailed in coverage of nuclear issues. In the New Zealand and US newspapers under study, most sources of nuclear issue news were government officials. This research also found that most coverage of nuclear issues in the New Zealand media was related to some aspect of US interests, and that coverage of New Zealand's policy in the US media was covered most often when related to the United States. Nuclear issue coverage was most often not crisis-oriented in New Zealand and US newspapers, but coverage of all nuclear issues increased dramatically during the period of the ANZUS policy crisis. This study found a number of changes in nuclear issue coverage in the New Zealand media after the policy crisis was resolved. Among those changes were a tendency to focus less on economic and trade effects of the anti-nuclear policy, a tendency to focus more on ties with other South Pacific nations, use more sources from those countries, and a tendency to focus less on the moral and ethical position of the country.« less

  17. Evolution of two periodic meteoroid streams: The Perseids and Leonids

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Brown, Peter Gordon

    Jupiter and Saturn. Ejection velocities are found to be tens to of order a hundred m/s. Modelling of the Leonid stream has demonstrated that storms from the shower are from meteoroids less than a century in age and are due to trails from Tempel-Tuttle coming within (8 +/- 6) × 10 -4 A.U of the Earth's orbit on average. Trails are perturbed to Earth-intersection through distant, direct perturbations, primarily from Jupiter. The stream decreases in flux by two to three orders of magnitude in the first hundred years of development. Ejection velocities are found to be <20 m/s and average ~ 5 m/s for storm meteoroids. Jupiter controls evolution of the stream after a century; radiation pressure and initial ejection velocities are significant factors only on shorter time- scales. The age of the annual component of the stream is ~ 1000 years.

  18. Liability for medical malpractice--recent New Zealand developments.

    PubMed

    Sladden, Nicola; Graydon, Sarah

    2009-03-01

    Over the last 30 years in New Zealand, civil liability for personal injury including "medical malpractice" has been most notable for its absence. The system of accident compensation and the corresponding bar on personal injury claims has been an interesting contrast to the development of tort law claims for personal injury in other jurisdictions. The Health and Disability Commissioner was appointed in 1994 to protect and promote the rights of health and disability consumers as set out in the Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers' Rights. An important right in the Code, in terms of an equivalent to the common law duty to take reasonable care, is that patients have the right to services of an appropriate standard. Several case studies from the Commissioner's Office are used to illustrate New Zealand's unique medico-legal system and demonstrate how the traditional common law obligation of reasonable care and skill is applied. From an international perspective, the most interesting aspect of liability for medical malpractice in New Zealand is its relative absence - in a tortious sense anyway. This paper will give some general background on the New Zealand legal landscape and discuss recent case studies of interest.

  19. Fractures in New Zealand Elementary School Settings

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rubie-Davies, Christine M.; Townsend, Michael A. R.

    2007-01-01

    Background: There is a need for greater international understanding of student safety in schools. This New Zealand study investigated the causes and school location of fractures sustained by students attending elementary school, with special emphasis on the types of fractures sustained following falls from playground equipment of various heights.…

  20. A Survey of New Zealand Academic Reference Librarians: Current and Future Skills and Competencies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chawner, Brenda; Oliver, Gillian

    2013-01-01

    A survey of New Zealand academic subject/reference librarians was conducted in mid-2011 to identify the most highly valued knowledge, skills and competencies of reference librarians working in libraries in the tertiary sector. The project was part of an international collaborative project involving 13 countries. The results from New Zealand show…

  1. Connection between the two branches of the quantum two-stream instability across the k space

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Bret, A.; Haas, F.

    2010-05-15

    The stability of two quantum counterstreaming electron beams is investigated within the quantum plasma fluid equations for arbitrarily oriented wave vectors k. The analysis reveals that the two quantum two-stream unstable branches are indeed connected by a continuum of unstable modes with oblique wave vectors. Using the longitudinal approximation, the stability domain for any k is analytically explained, together with the growth rate.

  2. Health Promoting Schools: A New Zealand Perspective

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cushman, Penni

    2008-01-01

    In the last 20 years the health promoting schools movement has gained momentum internationally. Without strong national leadership and direction its development in New Zealand has been ad hoc and sporadic. However, as the evidence supporting the role of health promoting schools in contributing to students' health and academic outcomes becomes more…

  3. Stable Isotopic Tracking of Autocthonous Carbon in Two Contrasting Ozark Streams

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ziegler, S.; Brisco-Townsend, S.

    2005-05-01

    The central role of microbes in biogeochemical processes makes the identification of carbon (C) sources fueling microorganisms critical to our understanding of stream ecosystems. The δ13C of biofilm phospholipid fatty acids (δ13CBPLFA) were determined in experiments conducted from July 2002 through July 2003 using 13C-labeled bicarbonate to track autochthonous C in two streams. In Moore Creek (MC), an agricultural stream, and Huey Hollow (HH), a forested stream, dissolved organic carbon (DOC) was released in light incubations during all seasons and represented >10% biofilm net primary production. The DOC from light incubations was enriched in 13C relative to DOC from dark incubations suggesting algal exudates were a major source of the DOC. The δ13CBPLFA suggest that 13C enriched exudates were not utilized by heterotrophic bacterial components in MC. Autotrophic PLFA from light incubations were more enriched in 13C while heterotrophic bacterial δ13CBPLFA were similar between light and dark incubations. By contrast, both heterotrophic and autotrophic biomarkers were significantly enriched in 13C in light incubations relative to dark incubations conducted in spring and summer in HH. Results suggest the exchange of C between autotrophic and heterotrophic components of biofilm communities differs between nutrient-enriched and depleted streams.

  4. Community Psychology in Australia and Aotearoa/New Zealand

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fisher, Adrian T.; Gridley, Heather; Thomas, David R.; Bishop, Brian

    2008-01-01

    Community psychology in Australia and Aotearoa/New Zealand reflect interesting parallels and convergences. While both have a strong educational basis influenced by North American publications, they have developed foci and forms of practice reflecting the cultural, political, and historic underpinnings of these two countries. In New Zealand,…

  5. Penal Innovation in New Zealand: He Ara Hou.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Newbold, Greg; Eskridge, Chris

    1994-01-01

    Explores prison history/development in New Zealand, focusing on recent implementation of progressive prison operation/management program, He Ara Hou. Notes extremely positive results of program, such as higher administrative efficiency; greatly decreased levels of internal disorder; competent, stable workforce; and human product whose senses of…

  6. Australian and New Zealand Fish Oil Products in 2016 Meet Label Omega-3 Claims and Are Not Oxidized.

    PubMed

    Nichols, Peter D; Dogan, Lalen; Sinclair, Andrew

    2016-11-05

    We provide new fish oil product results to assist industry in Australia and New Zealand and, ultimately, consumers in understanding the high product quality assurance protocols in place, together with the high product quality that has been determined by both industry and independent laboratories. Fish oil capsule products common to Australia and New Zealand were purchased in May 2016 in Richmond, Victoria, Australia. Products were from two groups; five standard fish oil products and five fish oil concentrates. Noting Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) requirement for use of standard methods, for all analyses undertaken a laboratory was selected that met the TGA criteria, including with accreditation. Total n -3 content exceeded the label-claimed content for all 10 products, with supplements containing on average 124% of the claimed content (range 115%-136%); eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid (EPA + DHA) content averaged 109% of the label claim (range 99%-119%). All 10 products (100%) similarly met the international recommended peroxide value (PV) level. Anisidine value (pAV) met the international recommended level for eight of the 10 products, with two products known to contain flavorings that interfere with the pAV test. When accredited laboratories and standard protocols are used, Australian and New Zealand fish oil products have been shown to clearly meet their label claims for EPA + DHA content, and are not oxidized.

  7. Australian and New Zealand Fish Oil Products in 2016 Meet Label Omega-3 Claims and Are Not Oxidized

    PubMed Central

    Nichols, Peter D.; Dogan, Lalen; Sinclair, Andrew

    2016-01-01

    We provide new fish oil product results to assist industry in Australia and New Zealand and, ultimately, consumers in understanding the high product quality assurance protocols in place, together with the high product quality that has been determined by both industry and independent laboratories. Fish oil capsule products common to Australia and New Zealand were purchased in May 2016 in Richmond, Victoria, Australia. Products were from two groups; five standard fish oil products and five fish oil concentrates. Noting Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) requirement for use of standard methods, for all analyses undertaken a laboratory was selected that met the TGA criteria, including with accreditation. Total n-3 content exceeded the label-claimed content for all 10 products, with supplements containing on average 124% of the claimed content (range 115%–136%); eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid (EPA + DHA) content averaged 109% of the label claim (range 99%–119%). All 10 products (100%) similarly met the international recommended peroxide value (PV) level. Anisidine value (pAV) met the international recommended level for eight of the 10 products, with two products known to contain flavorings that interfere with the pAV test. When accredited laboratories and standard protocols are used, Australian and New Zealand fish oil products have been shown to clearly meet their label claims for EPA + DHA content, and are not oxidized. PMID:27827947

  8. Whirling disease among snake river cutthroat trout in two spring streams in Wyoming

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Hubert, W.A.; Joyce, M.P.; Gipson, R.; Zafft, D.; Money, D.; Hawk, D.; Taro, B.

    2002-01-01

    We assessed endemic age-0 cutthroat trout Oncorhynchus clarki for evidence of pathology associated with Myxobolus cerebralis in two streams formed by springs in western Wyoming. We hypothesized that the location of spawning sites in spring streams would affect the extent of exposure of cutthroat trout fry to M. cerebralis triactinomyxons (tams), occurrence of the parasite in their bodies, and clinical signs of whirling disease. The spring streams were warm relative to nearby streams flowing from the mountains or spawning and emergence of fry was early compared with fish in mountain streams. Tams were abundant early in the summer and clinical signs of whirling disease among age-0 fish were seen as early as mid-June in one stream. There were high densities of tams in one stream, and densities declined with upstream progression from May through July, whereas in the other stream, low densities of tams were observed in the downstream portion early in the summer, and they were not detected in July and August. Age-0 cutthroat trout were abundant; clinical signs of whirling disease were evident, and histological evidence of whirling disease was common in the stream where tams were abundant. Low densities of age-0 cutthroat trout and no clinical signs of whirling disease were observed in the stream where tams were not abundant. Among sentinel fish in the stream with abundant tams, we found extensive occurrence of M. cerebralis, with many fish showing clinical signs and histological evidence of pathology associated with M. cerebralis. The proportion of sentinel fish with clinical and histological signs of whirling disease decreased with upstream progression. In the stream with low tam, densities sentinel fish became infected with M. cerebralis, but there were essentially no clinical signs or histological indications of whirling disease. ?? 2002 by the American Fisheries Society.

  9. Phylogenetic Position and Subspecies Divergence of the Endangered New Zealand Dotterel (Charadrius obscurus)

    PubMed Central

    Barth, Julia M. I.; Matschiner, Michael; Robertson, Bruce C.

    2013-01-01

    The New Zealand Dotterel (Charadrius obscurus), an endangered shorebird of the family Charadriidae, is endemic to New Zealand where two subspecies are recognized. These subspecies are not only separated geographically, with C. o. aquilonius being distributed in the New Zealand North Island and C. o. obscurus mostly restricted to Stewart Island, but also differ substantially in morphology and behavior. Despite these divergent traits, previous work has failed to detect genetic differentiation between the subspecies, and the question of when and where the two populations separated is still open. Here, we use mitochondrial and nuclear markers to address molecular divergence between the subspecies, and apply maximum likelihood and Bayesian methods to place C. obscurus within the non-monophyletic genus Charadrius. Despite very little overall differentiation, distinct haplotypes for the subspecies were detected, thus supporting molecular separation of the northern and southern populations. Phylogenetic analysis recovers a monophyletic clade combining the New Zealand Dotterel with two other New Zealand endemic shorebirds, the Wrybill and the Double-Banded Plover, thus suggesting a single dispersal event as the origin of this group. Divergence dates within Charadriidae were estimated with BEAST 2, and our results indicate a Middle Miocene origin of New Zealand endemic Charadriidae, a Late Miocene emergence of the lineage leading to the New Zealand Dotterel, and a Middle to Late Pleistocene divergence of the two New Zealand Dotterel subspecies. PMID:24205094

  10. Comparison of Hydrologic and Water-Quality Characteristics of Two Native Tallgrass Prairie Streams with Agricultural Streams in Missouri and Kansas

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Heimann, David C.

    2009-01-01

    This report presents the results of a study by the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, to analyze and compare hydrologic and water-quality characteristics of tallgrass prairie and agricultural basins located within the historical distribution of tallgrass prairie in Missouri and Kansas. Streamflow and water-quality data from two remnant, tallgrass prairie basins (East Drywood Creek at Prairie State Park, Missouri, and Kings Creek near Manhattan, Kansas) were compared to similar data from agricultural basins in Missouri and Kansas. Prairie streams, especially Kings Creek in eastern Kansas, received a higher percentage of base flow and a lower percentage of direct runoff than similar-sized agricultural streams in the region. A larger contribution of direct runoff from the agricultural streams made them much flashier than prairie streams. During 22 years of record, the Kings Creek base-flow component averaged 66 percent of total flow, but base flow was only 16 to 26 percent of flows at agricultural sites of various record periods. The large base-flow component likely is the result of greater infiltration of precipitation in prairie soils and the resulting greater contribution of groundwater to streamflow. The 1- and 3-day annual maximum flows were significantly greater at three agricultural sites than at Kings Creek. The effects of flashier agricultural streams on native aquatic biota are unknown, but may be an important factor in the sustainability of some native aquatic species. There were no significant differences in the distribution of dissolved-oxygen concentrations at prairie and agricultural sites, and some samples from most sites fell below the 5 milligrams per liter Missouri and Kansas standard for the protection of aquatic life. More than 10 percent of samples from the East Drywood Creek prairie stream were less than this standard. These data indicate low dissolved-oxygen concentrations during summer low

  11. Differences in ecological structure, function, and native species abundance between native and invaded Hawaiian streams.

    PubMed

    Holitzki, Tara M; MacKenzie, Richard A; Wiegner, Tracy N; McDermid, Karla J

    2013-09-01

    Poeciliids, one of the most invasive species worldwide, are found on almost every continent and have been identified as an "invasive species of concern" in the United States, New Zealand, and Australia. Despite their global prevalence, few studies have quantified their impacts on tropical stream ecosystem structure, function, and biodiversity. Utilizing Hawaiian streams as model ecosystems, we documented how ecological structure, function, and native species abundance differed between poeciliid-free and poeciliid-invaded tropical streams. Stream nutrient yields, benthic biofilm biomass, densities of macroinvertebrates and fish, and community structures of benthic algae, macroinvertebrates, and fish were compared between streams with and without established poeciliid populations on the island of Hawai'i, Hawaii, USA. Sum nitrate (sigmaNO3(-) = NO3(-) + NO2(-)), total nitrogen, and total organic carbon yields were eight times, six times, and five times higher, respectively, in poeciliid streams than in poeciliid-free streams. Benthic biofilm ash-free dry mass was 1.5x higher in poeciliid streams than in poeciliid-free streams. Percentage contributions of chironomids and hydroptilid caddisflies to macroinvertebrate densities were lower in poeciliid streams compared to poeciliid-free streams, while percentage contributions of Cheumatopsyche analis caddisflies, Dugesia sp. flatworms, and oligochaetes were higher. Additionally, mean densities of native gobies were two times lower in poeciliid streams than in poeciliid-free ones, with poeciliid densities being approximately eight times higher than native fish densities. Our results, coupled with the wide distribution of invasive poeciliids across Hawaii and elsewhere in the tropics, suggest that poeciliids may negatively impact the ecosystem structure, function, and native species abundance of tropical streams they invade. This underscores the need for increased public awareness to prevent future introductions and for

  12. Preceptors, Interns, and Newly Registered Pharmacists' Perceptions of New Zealand Pharmacy Graduates' Preparedness to Practice

    PubMed Central

    Noble, Christy; Shaw, John

    2010-01-01

    Objective To determine the perceptions of pharmacy interns and newly registered pharmacists and preceptors regarding the preparedness of graduates to enter professional practice. Methods A questionnaire was developed from the New Zealand Competence Standards for the Pharmacy Profession (pharmacist level), with additional questions on communication skills included. The instrument contained 16 items and was mailed to preceptors (n=141), interns (n=72), and newly-registered pharmacists (n=101). Microsoft Excel (pivot tables) was used to analyse the quantitative responses. The final question asked respondents to provide free-text comments about the questionnaire, graduates and the program and responses were analyzed quantitatively and thematically. Results The response rates were 54.6% (n = 77) for preceptors, 100% (n = 72) for interns and 45.5% (n = 46), for newly registered pharmacists. The majority of responses (87.6%; n=2,562) were in agreement that the degree had prepared graduates for practice. Overall, preceptor perceptions of graduates' preparedness for practice were less favorable than graduates' self-perceptions of their preparedness. Four themes were identified from the free-text comments: the need for improved skills, more professional attitudes, better English communication, and additional training in extemporaneous compounding. Conclusion Feedback elicited from graduates and preceptors was helpful in identifying the strengths and weaknesses of a new bachelor of pharmacy (BPharm) program and proved useful in both the accreditation and curriculum revision processes. PMID:21045950

  13. DOM in stream water and soil solution in two small, bordering catchments in central Sweden

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Norström, Sara H.; Bylund, Dan

    2013-04-01

    Seasonal variations in dissolved organic matter (DOM) and the influence of wood ash application on DOM were studied in two first order streams draining two small, bordering forested catchments. The catchments, 40 and 50 h respectively, were situated in Bispgården (63°07N, 16°70E), central Sweden with forest consisting of mainly 50 to 80 year-old Norway spruce (Picea abies) and Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris). Seasonal variations in the stream water were measured during 2003-2007, and wood ash was applied in one of the catchments in the fall of 2004. In addition to stream water samples, sampling of soil solution in the riparian zone was made in one of the catchments during 2003-2006. The quantity of DOM differed between the streams, but the seasonal patterns for the two streams were correlated during 2003 and 2004. After wood ash treatment, dissolved organic carbon (DOC) increased significantly in the stream draining the treated catchment. 17 different low molecular mass organic acids (LMMOAs) were measured in the stream water during the whole study period. The most abundant LMMOAs were oxalic- and lactic acid, of which peak concentrations of oxalic acid coincided with those of DOC, while no such relation between the concentrations of DOC and lactic acid could be seen in either of the streams. Some of the most common acids in the soil solution, shikimic acid, citric acid and malic acid were rarely found in the stream water and only then in very low concentrations, thus appearing not to have made the transition from soil to stream water in the same manner as oxalic acid. The wood ash application did not affect the total LMMOA concentration and there was no difference during the investigated period. Of the 17 analysed LMMOAs, only malonic acid appeared affected by wood ash application, with a significant increase during both 2005 and 2006.

  14. Gas stream purifier

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Adam, Steven J.

    1994-01-01

    A gas stream purifier has been developed that is capable of removing corrosive acid, base, solvent, organic, inorganic, and water vapors as well as particulates from an inert mixed gas stream using only solid scrubbing agents. This small, lightweight purifier has demonstrated the ability to remove contaminants from an inert gas stream with a greater than 99 percent removal efficiency. The Gas Stream Purifier has outstanding market and sales potential in manufacturing, laboratory and science industries, medical, automotive, or any commercial industry where pollution, contamination, or gas stream purification is a concern. The purifier was developed under NASA contract NAS9-18200 Schedule A for use in the international Space Station. A patent application for the Gas Stream Purifier is currently on file with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

  15. Overview and key to the New Zealand Cynipoidea (Hymenoptera).

    PubMed

    Ward, D F

    2014-10-30

    An overview of Cynipoidea (Hymenoptera) in New Zealand is presented with information on families, genera, and when available, species. Notes on their distribution, biology, and a taxonomic key are provided. The New Zealand cynipoid fauna is very poorly known, with only 11 described species, and five genus-only taxa. The fauna is dominated by introduced species; two species have been deliberately introduced as biological control agents, and at least 12 taxa are definitely or probably adventives. Many of these species are widespread and collected from modified and non-native habitats. New generic records of Figitidae for New Zealand include: Xyalaspis (Anacharitinae), Ganaspis, (Eucoilinae), and Thoreauella (Emargininae), all of which are considered adventives. There are no native species of gall forming wasps (Cynipidae) in New Zealand, and only two native species of Figitidae are present: Anacharis zealandica Ashmead, 1900 and Kleidotoma subantarcticana Yoshimoto, 1964. 

  16. CHEMISTRY OF DISSOLVED ORGANIC CARBON AND ORGANIC ACIDS IN TWO STREAMS DRAINING FORESTED WATERSHEDS

    EPA Science Inventory

    The concentration, major fractions, and contribution of dissolved organic carbon (DOG) to stream chemistry were examined in two paired streams draining upland catchments in eastern Maine. oncentrations of DOC in East and West Bear Brooks were 183 +/- 73 and 169 +/- 70 umol CL-1 (...

  17. Emerging Voices or Linguistic Silence?: Examining a New Zealand Linguistic Landscape

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Macalister, John

    2010-01-01

    The monolingualism of New Zealand has often been remarked on, but statutory and demographic changes in recent years suggest a shift away from the dominance of the English language. New Zealand now has two official languages, the indigenous Maori language and New Zealand Sign Language, and census data report a decreasing proportion of monolingual…

  18. "Un-Learning and Re-Learning": The Experiences of Chinese Undergraduates in a First Year Management Class in New Zealand

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Guan, Xiaoyan; Jones, Glyndwr

    2012-01-01

    The growth of China's economy over the last two decades saw many Chinese students going overseas to study. Like many western countries, New Zealand benefited from increased international student enrolments, with Chinese students making up the largest proportion of the numbers. Many of these students experienced "culture shock" in their…

  19. Dispersal constraints for stream invertebrates: setting realistic timescales for biodiversity restoration.

    PubMed

    Parkyn, Stephanie M; Smith, Brian J

    2011-09-01

    Biodiversity goals are becoming increasingly important in stream restoration. Typical models of stream restoration are based on the assumption that if habitat is restored then species will return and ecological processes will re-establish. However, a range of constraints at different scales can affect restoration success. Much of the research in stream restoration ecology has focused on habitat constraints, namely the in-stream and riparian conditions required to restore biota. Dispersal constraints are also integral to determining the timescales, trajectory and potential endpoints of a restored ecosystem. Dispersal is both a means of organism recolonization of restored sites and a vital ecological process that maintains viable populations. We review knowledge of dispersal pathways and explore the factors influencing stream invertebrate dispersal. From empirical and modeling studies of restoration in warm-temperate zones of New Zealand, we make predictions about the timescales of stream ecological restoration under differing levels of dispersal constraints. This process of constraints identification and timescale prediction is proposed as a practical step for resource managers to prioritize and appropriately monitor restoration sites and highlights that in some instances, natural recolonization and achievement of biodiversity goals may not occur.

  20. Dispersal Constraints for Stream Invertebrates: Setting Realistic Timescales for Biodiversity Restoration

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Parkyn, Stephanie M.; Smith, Brian J.

    2011-09-01

    Biodiversity goals are becoming increasingly important in stream restoration. Typical models of stream restoration are based on the assumption that if habitat is restored then species will return and ecological processes will re-establish. However, a range of constraints at different scales can affect restoration success. Much of the research in stream restoration ecology has focused on habitat constraints, namely the in-stream and riparian conditions required to restore biota. Dispersal constraints are also integral to determining the timescales, trajectory and potential endpoints of a restored ecosystem. Dispersal is both a means of organism recolonization of restored sites and a vital ecological process that maintains viable populations. We review knowledge of dispersal pathways and explore the factors influencing stream invertebrate dispersal. From empirical and modeling studies of restoration in warm-temperate zones of New Zealand, we make predictions about the timescales of stream ecological restoration under differing levels of dispersal constraints. This process of constraints identification and timescale prediction is proposed as a practical step for resource managers to prioritize and appropriately monitor restoration sites and highlights that in some instances, natural recolonization and achievement of biodiversity goals may not occur.

  1. Recovery of Phytophthora species from drainage points and tributaries within two forest stream networks: a preliminary report

    Treesearch

    J. Hwang; S.W. Oak; S.N. Jeffers

    2011-01-01

    To evaluate the number of stream sample sites needed to effectively survey a given stream network for species of Phytophthora, two stream networks, Davidson River and Cathey's Creek, in western North Carolina (USA) were studied. One-litre water samples were collected from the terminal drainage points and most of the tributaries in each stream...

  2. New Zealand Early Childhood Curriculum: The Politics of Collaboration

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Farquhar, Sandy

    2015-01-01

    The New Zealand early childhood curriculum, "Te Whariki" (Ministry of Education [MoE],1996), is frequently hailed as a community inspired curriculum, praised nationally and internationally for its collaborative development, emancipatory spirit and bicultural approach. In its best form community can be collaborative, consultative,…

  3. 'Inductions of labour': on becoming an experienced midwifery practitioner in Aotearoa/New Zealand.

    PubMed

    Surtees, Ruth

    2008-03-01

    This paper analyzes and explores varying discourses within the talk of new practitioner direct entry (DE) midwives in Aotearoa/New Zealand. In Aotearoa/New Zealand, midwifery is theorized as a feminist profession undertaken in partnership with women. Direct entry midwifery education is similarly based on partnerships between educators and students in the form of liberatory pedagogies. The context for the analysis is a large ethnographic study undertaken with a variety of differently positioned midwives based mainly in one city in New Zealand. I interviewed and observed over 40 midwives in their different practice settings in 2003. Complex and contesting forms of knowledge production are analyzed in this paper drawing on methodological insights from Foucauldian discourse analysis. New practitioners engage in techniques of self-monitoring and surveillance as they move towards becoming established practitioners. New midwifery subjectivities and forms of knowledge production which contest authoritative forms of knowledge are produced. Midwives in New Zealand are seen to inhabit a complex and liminal space of midwifery praxis. Paradoxically, they are exhorted to remain the 'guardians of normal birth' in a time of increasing interventions into birth both locally and internationally. Paradoxes encountered by new midwifery practitioners in New Zealand as they struggle to maintain ideals of 'normal' birth may be paralleled by the constraints inadvertently produced through governing discourses of emancipatory or liberatory pedagogies. The relevance of this is also highly critical for midwifery and birth practices internationally.

  4. Relativism, Values and Morals in the New Zealand Curriculum Framework

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jorgensen, Lone Morris; Ryan, Sueann

    The New Zealand Curriculum Framework, 1993, is the official document for teaching, learning and assessment in New Zealand schools. It consists of a set of curriculum statements, which define the learning principles, achievement aims and essential skills for seven learning areas. It also indicates the place of attitudes and values in the school curriculum. This paper investigates the requirements for teaching attitudes, values and ethics in the curriculum statements for Science, Biology and Technology. The question is raised whether the teaching of skills for resolving moral and ethical dilemmas are required by the official education standards in New Zealand, and internationally. The paper reports on a survey done on pre-service teacher trainees of their understanding of these requirements. Implications for courses that might need to be provided in future pre-service teacher education programmes are briefly discussed.

  5. View of portion of South Island, New Zealand as seen from Skylab

    NASA Image and Video Library

    1973-12-22

    SL4-137-3700 (22 Dec. 1973) --- A near vertical view of a portion of South Island, New Zealand, as see from the Skylab space station in Earth orbit. This picture was taken by one of the Skylab 4 crew members with a handheld 70mm Hasselblad camera using a 100mm lens. The picture should be held with the largest body of water (Tasman Sea) on the left. Cape Foulwind is at the upper left. The City of Christchurch is under clouds at the center right margin. Note the movement of sediment by alongshore currents, especially on the east (right) side of the island. The Alpine Fault, which is part of the circum-Pacific volcanic-tectonic belt, is clearly visible on the left (west) side of the island. The fault line is marked by a scarp, which appears very distinct from orbital altitude. Differences in topography and vegetation on either side of the fault are also sharp. Streams change direction at the fault line, and the change in slope at the fault line is evident in the widening of stream channels. The left side of the fault has moved northeast (upward) relative to the right side; some stream offsets indicate the direction of relative movement, but others are controlled by local topography. The Alpine Fault, which also transects New Zealand's North Island, was photographed and described more than a dozen times by the Skylab 4 crewmen. The circum-Pacific volcanic-tectonic belt is a feature of the Earth's crust which is related to sea floor spreading and continental drift. Though the Alpine Fault is sharply delineated in this photograph, other major crustal features are subtle that their existence was unknown before their observation from orbit. The distance from top to bottom is about 290 kilometers (175 miles). Photo credit: NASA

  6. Developing an Undergraduate International Business Program: Context, Rationale, Process and Focus

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bell, Jim; Gray, Brendan; McNaughton, Rod

    2003-01-01

    This paper discusses the recent development of a new undergraduate international business program at the University of Otago in New Zealand. Firstly, it describes the context of the initiative in terms of the New Zealand business environment, the university sector in New Zealand and recent global trends in international business education.…

  7. Comparison of life history parameters of two Frankliniella occidentalis (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) strains in New Zealand.

    PubMed

    Nielsen, M-C; Teulon, D A J; Chapman, R B; Butler, R C; Drayton, G M; Philipsen, H

    2010-04-01

    Two strains of western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande), are reputedly found in New Zealand. One strain was recorded in 1934, and it is most common in flowers of Lupinus arboreus outdoors (lupin strain); the other strain was first recorded in New Zealand in 1992 and is found mostly indoors on greenhouse crops (greenhouse strain). Laboratory studies were conducted to compare the life history parameters of these two strains. Thrips from each strain were fed sucrose solution and capsicum or lupin pollen and reared at 25 degrees C, >60% RH, and 16 L:8 D photoperiod. Significant differences in life history parameters were found. Preoviposition time was significantly shorter, and oviposition rate and fecundity were markedly higher (four-fold) for the greenhouse than for the lupin strain. The lupin strain performed significantly better on the capsicum pollen, laying more than twice as many eggs than on the lupin pollen over a 14-d period. The greenhouse strain development time from larvae to adult was marginally faster (0.7-1.1 d less) than the lupin strain because of a shorter prepupal and a marginally shorter pupal development time. Females of the greenhouse strain lived on average 69% longer than females from the lupin strain. Large differences in the intrinsic growth rate (r(m)) were found, with r(m) being 1.4-1.8 times higher for the greenhouse strain than the lupin strain, depending on pollen source. The results are discussed in relation to different ecological requirements and pest status of the two strains.

  8. A thermal oscillating two-stream instability

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Dysthe, K. B.; Mjolhus, E.; Rypdal, K.; Pecseli, H. L.

    1983-01-01

    A theory for the oscillating two-stream instability, in which the Ohmic heating of the electrons constitutes the nonlinearity, is developed for an inhomogeneous and magnetized plasma. Its possible role in explaining short-scale, field-aligned irregularities observed in ionospheric heating experiments is emphasized. The theory predicts that the initial growth of such irregularities is centered around the level of upper hybrid resonance. Furthermore, plane disturbances nearly parallel to the magnetic meridian plane have the largest growth rates. Expressions for threshold, growth rate, and transverse scale of maximum growth are obtained. Special attention is paid to the transport theory, since the physical picture depends heavily on the kind of electron collisions which dominate. This is due to the velocity dependence of collision frequencies, which gives rise to the thermal forces

  9. Fast two-stream method for computing diurnal-mean actinic flux in vertically inhomogeneous atmospheres

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Filyushkin, V. V.; Madronich, S.; Brasseur, G. P.; Petropavlovskikh, I. V.

    1994-01-01

    Based on a derivation of the two-stream daytime-mean equations of radiative flux transfer, a method for computing the daytime-mean actinic fluxes in the absorbing and scattering vertically inhomogeneous atmosphere is suggested. The method applies direct daytime integration of the particular solutions of the two-stream approximations or the source functions. It is valid for any duration of period of averaging. The merit of the method is that the multiple scattering computation is carried out only once for the whole averaging period. It can be implemented with a number of widely used two-stream approximations. The method agrees with the results obtained with 200-point multiple scattering calculations. The method was also tested in runs with a 1-km cloud layer with optical depth of 10, as well as with aerosol background. Comparison of the results obtained for a cloud subdivided into 20 layers with those obtained for a one-layer cloud with the same optical parameters showed that direct integration of particular solutions possesses an 'analytical' accuracy. In the case of the source function interpolation, the actinic fluxes calculated above the one-layer and 20-layer clouds agreed within 1%-1.5%, while below the cloud they may differ up to 5% (in the worst case). The ways of enhancing the accuracy (in a 'two-stream sense') and computational efficiency of the method are discussed.

  10. Analysis of Medicine Prices in New Zealand and 16 European Countries.

    PubMed

    Vogler, Sabine; Kilpatrick, Kate; Babar, Zaheer-Ud-Din

    2015-06-01

    To compare prices of medicines, both originators and generics, in New Zealand and 16 European countries. Ex-factory price data as of December 2012 from New Zealand and 16 European countries were compared for a basket of 14 medicines, most of which were at least partially funded by the state in the 17 countries. Five medicines had, at least in some countries, generic versions on the market whose prices were also analyzed. Medicine price data for the 16 European countries were provided by the Pharma Price Information service. New Zealand medicine prices were retrieved from the New Zealand Pharmaceutical Schedule. Unit prices converted into euro were compared at the ex-factory price level. For the 14 medicines surveyed, considerable price differences at the ex-factory price level were identified. Within the European countries, prices in Greece, Portugal, the United Kingdom, and Spain ranked at the lower end, whereas prices in Switzerland, Germany, Denmark, and Sweden were at the upper end. The results for New Zealand compared with Europe were variable. New Zealand prices were found in the lowest quartile for five medicines and in the highest quartile for seven other products. Price differences between the originator products and generic versions ranged from 0% to 90% depending on the medicine and the country. Medicine prices varied considerably between European countries and New Zealand as well as among the European countries. These differences are likely to result from national pricing and reimbursement policies. Copyright © 2015 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. River restoration and biocoenoses improvement in two streams renaturated using bioengeneering.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Leoni, B.; Forasacco, E.; Dobner, R.; Cotta Ramusino, M.

    2003-04-01

    The Bioengineering is a constructive discipline having its own technical, ecological and environmental friendly scopes, by using living materials. The aim of this study is to assess the river restoration efficiency of Bioengineering. The basic goals of many management-concepts are the integrity of the river habitat, self-regulation and self-regeneration, the preservation of intact resources, to recreate the uniqueness, diversity and beauty of natural river landscape. From an ecological point of view the richness, diversity and age composition of the populations developing after restoration as a result of habitat improvement reveal the degree to which comprehensive concepts were applied (Jungwirth et al., 1995). The following results summarised an investigation on streams Boesio and Rancina in Valcuvia, (Varese, Northern Italy). These streams are characterised by human impacts like water pollution, river engineering and river bioengineering (palificata doppia viva). The samples of macrobenthic fauna were collected between August 2000 and July 2001 in 4 stations for each stream, where the 3rd station of Boesio and Rancina streams is characterised by bioengeneering measure, using a Surber sampler (0.125 m2, mesh size 0.45 mm). The zoobenthic communities of these pre-alpine streams are characterised by low richness and diversity and few families and genera were predominant. In Rancina stream, Ephemeroptera (genus Baetis), Trichoptera (families Hydropsychidae, Limnephilidae and Rhyacophilidae) and Diptera (families Chironomidae and Simuliidae) are present throughout the year with significant densities. The faunal composition of Boesio stream is similar. It differs, only, from stream Rancina to costant presence of Plecoptera with genus Leuctra. To evaluate the restoration of environmental quality two indices were applied: Indice Biotico Esteso (I.B.E.- Ghetti, 1995); Indice di Funzionalità Fluviale (I.F.F.- Siligardi, 2000). The E.B.I. scores of Boesio stream indicate

  12. Using Participatory Action Research to Study the Implementation of Career Development Benchmarks at a New Zealand University

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Furbish, Dale S.; Bailey, Robyn; Trought, David

    2016-01-01

    Benchmarks for career development services at tertiary institutions have been developed by Careers New Zealand. The benchmarks are intended to provide standards derived from international best practices to guide career development services. A new career development service was initiated at a large New Zealand university just after the benchmarks…

  13. Interaction in Classes at a New Zealand University: Some International Students' Experiences.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mills, Colleen

    1997-01-01

    Data from 5 Indonesian, 5 Thai, 21 Singaporean, and 85 Malaysian students in a New Zealand college were obtained through interviews, surveys, and observations. Differences in level and style of teacher-student interaction, difficulties learning English, perceptions of local students, lack of a common experience, and acculturation were the issues…

  14. Anthropogenic and natural sources of acidity and metals and their influence on the structure of stream food webs.

    PubMed

    Hogsden, Kristy L; Harding, Jon S

    2012-03-01

    We compared food web structure in 20 streams with either anthropogenic or natural sources of acidity and metals or circumneutral water chemistry in New Zealand. Community and diet analysis indicated that mining streams receiving anthropogenic inputs of acidic and metal-rich drainage had much simpler food webs (fewer species, shorter food chains, less links) than those in naturally acidic, naturally high metal, and circumneutral streams. Food webs of naturally high metal streams were structurally similar to those in mining streams, lacking fish predators and having few species. Whereas, webs in naturally acidic streams differed very little from those in circumneutral streams due to strong similarities in community composition and diets of secondary and top consumers. The combined negative effects of acidity and metals on stream food webs are clear. However, elevated metal concentrations, regardless of source, appear to play a more important role than acidity in driving food web structure. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Modifying Status Effects in Diverse Student Groups in New Zealand Tertiary Institutions: Elizabeth Cohen's Legacy for Teacher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Baker, Trish; Clark, Jill

    2017-01-01

    New Zealand tertiary classrooms are a mix of New Zealand's ethnically diverse domestic students and predominantly Asian international students. This multicultural diversity, while having potential to enhance educational experience, brings challenges for teachers in the use of cooperative learning. A major challenge is status inequality in diverse…

  16. The oribatid mite genus Macrogena (Acari, Oribatida, Ceratozetidae), with description of two new species from New Zealand

    PubMed Central

    Ermilov, Sergey G.; Minor, Maria A.

    2015-01-01

    Abstract Two new species of oribatid mites of the genus Macrogena (Oribatida, Ceratozetidae) are described from alpine soils of the South Island of New Zealand. Macrogena brevisensilla sp. n. and Macrogena abbreviata sp. n. differ from all species of this genus by the tridactylous legs and by the comparatively short interlamellar setae, respectively. New generic diagnosis and an identification key to the known species of Macrogena are provided. PMID:26085792

  17. On feathers, bifurcations and shells: the dynamics of tidal streams across the mass scale

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Amorisco, N. C.

    2015-06-01

    I present an organic description of the spectrum of regimes of collisionless tidal streams and define the orderings between the relevant physical quantities that shape their morphology. Three fundamental dichotomies are identified and described in the form of dimensionless inequalities. These govern (i) the speed of the stream's growth, (ii) the internal coherence of the stream and (iii) its thickness or opening angle, within and outside the orbital plane. The mechanisms through which such main qualitative properties are regulated and the relevant limiting cases are analysed. For example, the slope of the host's density profile strongly influences the speed of the stream's growth, in both length and width, as steeper density profiles enhance differential streaming. Internal coherence is the natural requirement for the appearance of substructure and overdensities in tidal debris, and I concentrate on the characteristic `feathering' typical of streams of star clusters. Overdensities and substructures are associated with minima in the relative streaming velocity of the stream members. For streams with high circularity, these are caused by the epicyclic oscillations of stars; however, for highly non-circular progenitor's orbits, internal substructure is caused by the oscillating differences in energy and actions with which material is shed at different orbital phases of the progenitor. This modulation results in different streaming speeds along the tidal arm: the streakline of material shed between two successive apocentric passages is folded along its length, pulled at its centre by the faster differential streaming of particles released near pericentre, which are therefore more widely scattered. When the stream is coherent enough, the same mechanism is potentially capable of generating a bimodal profile in the density distributions of the longer wraps of more massive progenitors, which I dub `bifurcations'. The conditions that allow streams to be internally coherent

  18. WEIBEL, TWO-STREAM, FILAMENTATION, OBLIQUE, BELL, BUNEMAN...WHICH ONE GROWS FASTER?

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Bret, A.

    2009-07-10

    Many competing linear instabilities are likely to occur in astrophysical settings, and it is important to assess which one grows faster for a given situation. An analytical model including the main beam plasma instabilities is developed. The full three-dimensional dielectric tensor is thus explained for a cold relativistic electron beam passing through a cold plasma, accounting for a guiding magnetic field, a return electronic current, and moving protons. Considering any orientations of the wave vector allows to retrieve the most unstable mode for any parameters set. An unified description of the filamentation (Weibel), two-stream, Buneman, Bell instabilities (and more) ismore » thus provided, allowing for the exact determination of their hierarchy in terms of the system parameters. For relevance to both real situations and PIC simulations, the electron-to-proton mass ratio is treated as a parameter, and numerical calculations are conducted with two different values, namely 1/1836 and 1/100. In the system parameter phase space, the shape of the domains governed by each kind of instability is far from being trivial. For low-density beams, the ultra-magnetized regime tends to be governed by either the two-stream or the Buneman instabilities. For beam densities equaling the plasma one, up to four kinds of modes are likely to play a role, depending of the beam Lorentz factor. In some regions of the system parameters phase space, the dominant mode may vary with the electron-to-proton mass ratio. Application is made to solar flares, intergalactic streams, and relativistic shocks physics.« less

  19. Radiative transfer in falling snow: A two-stream approximation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Koh, Gary

    1989-04-01

    Light transmission measurements through falling snow have produced results unexplainable by single scattering arguments. A two-stream approximation to radiative transfer is used to derive an analytical expression that describes the effects of multiple scattering as a function of the snow optical depth and the snow asymmetry parameter. The approximate solution is simple and it may be as accurate as the exact solution for describing the transmission measurements within the limits of experimental uncertainties.

  20. Rheumatic heart disease in indigenous populations--New Zealand experience.

    PubMed

    Wilson, Nigel

    2010-01-01

    Rheumatic fever continues unabated among the indigenous Māori and Pacific Island New Zealanders. Ethnic disparities have increased in the past decade. The major success story for disease control has been secondary penicillin prophylaxis with 28-day intramuscular benzathine penicillin with high penicillin delivery rates and low recurrence rates. A landmark study for primary prevention of acute rheumatic fever for group A streptococcal pharyngitis was published in 2009. New Zealand has helped establish the role of echocardiography in acute rheumatic fever, with subclinical carditis incorporated into guidelines as a major criterion of rheumatic fever in high prevalence regions. The rates of mitral valve repair for rheumatic heart disease (RHD) are currently greater than 90% in the children's cardiac unit but remain low in adult cardiac units in New Zealand. This is particularly relevant to women of child bearing age where New Zealand data has shown that pregnancy outcomes for mothers with prosthetic valves on warfarin are poor. There are new initiatives to prevent severe RHD using portable echocardiography by screening school aged children. The prevalence of definite RHD was 2.4% in a large cohort of socially disadvantaged children in South Auckland studied in 2007-2008. Cost benefit models of screening need to be developed. Ongoing research involves international consensus standardisation of RHD patterns, and the need to define the natural history of subclinical RHD. Copyright 2010 Australasian Society of Cardiac and Thoracic Surgeons and the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. New Zealand's tobacco control programme 1985-1998

    PubMed Central

    Laugesen, M.; Swinburn, B.

    2000-01-01

    OBJECTIVE—To review the impact of New Zealand's tobacco control programme from 1985 to 1998 on smoking prevalence and tobacco consumption, and to estimate the scope for further reduction.
DESIGN—Country case study; interventions, with outcomes ranked internationally across time.
SETTING—New Zealand 1985-98; for 1985-95, 23 OECD countries.
INTERVENTIONS—Between 1985 and 1998, New Zealand eliminated tobacco advertising, halved the affordability of cigarettes, and reduced smoke exposure in work time by 39%.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE—Reduction in adult smoking prevalence and in tobacco products consumption per adult.
RESULTS—Changes in prevalence 1985-98: in adults (aged 15+ years), −17% (from 30% to 25%) but short of the 20% target for 2000; in youth (aged 15-24 years), −20% (from 35% to 28%); and in Maori adults (aged 15+ years), −17% (from 56% in 1981 to 46% in 1996). Changes in consumption 1985-98: tobacco products per adult aged 15+ years, −45% (2493 to 1377 cigarette equivalents); cigarettes smoked per smoker, −34% (22.7 to 15.0 per day). Between 1985 and 1995 New Zealand reduced tobacco products consumption per adult more rapidly than any other OECD country, and reduced youth prevalence more rapidly than most. The acceleration of the decline in cigarette attributable mortality rates in men and in women age 35-69 years averted an additional 1400 deaths between 1985 and 1996. Between 1981 and 1996 smoking prevalence among blue collar workers decreased only marginally, and in 14-15 year olds, rose by one third between 1992 and 1997.
CONCLUSION—In 13 years, New Zealand's tobacco control programme has been successful in almost halving tobacco products consumption, particularly by lowering consumption per smoker. With strong political support for quit campaigns, increased taxation, and the elimination of displays of tobacco products on sale, the consumption could theoretically be halved again in as little as 3-6 years

  2. A Glimpse into the Thinking of Young New Zealanders.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lamb, Hilary

    In 1984, New Zealand tested 12- and 13- year-old and 15- and 16-year old students as part of the International Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) tests. Although weaknesses appeared at both age levels in the organization of material, particularly in argumentative and expository writing, students could write functional letters competently…

  3. Training the intern: The value of a pre-intern year in preparing students for practice.

    PubMed

    Dare, Anna; Fancourt, Nicholas; Robinson, Elizabeth; Wilkinson, Tim; Bagg, Warwick

    2009-08-01

    To evaluate the clinical and professional development that occurs during a New Zealand trainee intern year in preparation for the first house officer role. A quantitative questionnaire was distributed to all trainee interns (year 6) and year 5 medical students in New Zealand at the end of the 2007 academic year. This survey assessed self-reported competency and performance across clinical, professional and role development domains. Response rate was 65% (457/702). Compared to year 5 students, trainee interns reported significantly greater competence and performance levels across all three domains. The greatest improvement occurred in the independent performance of procedural skills (trainee interns: 77%, year 5: 35%, p < 0.001) and clinical tasks (trainee interns: 94%, year 5: 56%, p < 0.001) and in the level of clinical responsibility taken (p < 0.001). At the end of the trainee intern year, 92% of students felt prepared to be a junior doctor, versus only 53% at the end of their 5th year (p < 0.0001). The trainee intern year is important in preparing graduates for the intern role. The year affords increased responsibility and practical experience, whilst retaining an educational focus, facilitating the move from competence towards performance. Preparedness for practice was substantially higher following the New Zealand trainee intern year than has been reported with other pre-intern placements.

  4. Effect of whole catchment liming on the episodic acidification of two adirondack streams

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Newton, R.M.; Burns, Douglas A.; Blette, V.L.; Driscoll, C.T.

    1996-01-01

    During the fall of 1989 7.7Mg/ha of calcium carbonate was applied on two tributary catchments (40 ha and 60 ha) to Woods Lake, a small (25 ha) acidic headwater lake in the western Adirondack region of New York. Stream-water chemistry in both catchment tributaries responded immediately. Acid-neutralizing capacity (ANC) increased by more than 200 ??eq/L in one of the streams and more than 1000 ??eq/L in the other, from pre-liming values which ranged from -25 to +40 ??eq/L. The increase in ANC was primarily due to increases in dissolved Ca2+ concentrations. Most of the initial response of the streams was due to the dissolution of calcite that fell directly into the stream channels and adjacent wetlands. A small beaver impoundment and associated wetlands were probably responsible for the greater response observed in one of the streams. After the liming of subcatchmentIV (60 ha), Ca2+ concentrations increased with increasing stream discharge in the stream during fall rain events, suggesting a contribution from calcite dissolved within the soil and transported to the stream by surface runoff or shallow interflow. Concentrations of other ions not associated with the calcite (e.g. Na+) decreased during fall rain events, presumably due to mixing of solute-rich base flow with more dilute shallow interflow. The strong relation between changes in Ca2+ and changes in NO3- concentrations during spring snowmelt, (r2 = 0.93, slope = 0.96, on an equivalent basis) suggests that both solutes had a common source in the organic horizon of the soil. Increases in NO3- concentrations during snowmelt were balanced by increases in Ca2+ that was released either directly from the calcite or from exchange sites, mitigating episodic acidification of the stream. However, high ambient NO3- concentrations and relatively low ambient Ca2+ concentrations in the stream during the spring caused the stream to become acidic despite the CaCO3 treatment. In stream WO2 (40ha), Ca2+ concentrations were much

  5. Te Reo Maori: Indigenous Language Acquisition in the Context of New Zealand English

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Reese, Elaine; Keegan, Peter; McNaughton, Stuart; Kingi, Te Kani; Carr, Polly Atatoa; Schmidt, Johanna; Mohal, Jatender; Grant, Cameron; Morton, Susan

    2018-01-01

    This study assessed the status of te reo Maori, the indigenous language of New Zealand, in the context of New Zealand English. From a broadly representative sample of 6327 two-year-olds ("Growing Up in New Zealand"), 6090 mothers (96%) reported their children understood English, and 763 mothers (12%) reported their children understood…

  6. Reporting of suicide by the New Zealand media.

    PubMed

    Thom, Katey; McKenna, Brian; Edwards, Gareth; O'Brien, Anthony; Nakarada-Kordic, Ivana

    2012-01-01

    Rates of suicide in New Zealand are high compared with those of other countries. International evidence suggests that the reporting of suicide may influence rates of suicidal behavior. No research exists, however, on the reporting of suicide by New Zealand media. This study provides the first baseline picture of the reporting of suicide by New Zealand media. The overall objective was to use the findings to inform future development of media guidelines by the Ministry of Health. Newspaper, Internet, television and radio news items on suicide were collected over 12 months. Descriptive statistical data on the nature and extent of the reporting of suicide were generated through content analysis of applicable items. A random sample of 10% was then subjected to a quality analysis to determine whether items aligned with the Ministry of Health's guideline for the reporting of suicide. A total of 3,483 items were extracted, most of which reported on an individual's attempted or completed suicide, while suicide methods were not often mentioned. Few items focused on people overcoming their difficulties or provided information to assist people struggling with suicidal ideation. The reporting of suicide by New Zealand media was extensive and generally of good quality. Better collaboration between the media and mental health professionals is needed, however, to increase information supplied within items on support services. More succinct guidelines and increased journalist awareness of their existence would also contribute to the quality of reporting on suicide.

  7. Gene expression models for prediction of longitudinal dispersion coefficient in streams

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sattar, Ahmed M. A.; Gharabaghi, Bahram

    2015-05-01

    Longitudinal dispersion is the key hydrologic process that governs transport of pollutants in natural streams. It is critical for spill action centers to be able to predict the pollutant travel time and break-through curves accurately following accidental spills in urban streams. This study presents a novel gene expression model for longitudinal dispersion developed using 150 published data sets of geometric and hydraulic parameters in natural streams in the United States, Canada, Europe, and New Zealand. The training and testing of the model were accomplished using randomly-selected 67% (100 data sets) and 33% (50 data sets) of the data sets, respectively. Gene expression programming (GEP) is used to develop empirical relations between the longitudinal dispersion coefficient and various control variables, including the Froude number which reflects the effect of reach slope, aspect ratio, and the bed material roughness on the dispersion coefficient. Two GEP models have been developed, and the prediction uncertainties of the developed GEP models are quantified and compared with those of existing models, showing improved prediction accuracy in favor of GEP models. Finally, a parametric analysis is performed for further verification of the developed GEP models. The main reason for the higher accuracy of the GEP models compared to the existing regression models is that exponents of the key variables (aspect ratio and bed material roughness) are not constants but a function of the Froude number. The proposed relations are both simple and accurate and can be effectively used to predict the longitudinal dispersion coefficients in natural streams.

  8. Injury in elite New Zealand cricketers 2002-2008: descriptive epidemiology.

    PubMed

    Frost, Warren Leonard; Chalmers, David John

    2014-06-01

    To describe the incidence, prevalence, nature and severity of injury to elite New Zealand cricketers for the 2002/2003 to 2007/2008 seasons. Prospective cohort. Elite cricket in New Zealand. 248 elite male cricketers. Incidence and prevalence rates. The overall match injury incidence rate for the international competition (51.6 injuries per 10 000 player-hours; 95% CI 40.1 to 65.3) was almost twice that of the domestic competition (27.2; 23.5 to 31.4). The prevalence rate for the international competition (12%; 11.3% to 12.8%) was significantly higher than that for the domestic competition (9.7%; 9.4% to 10.1%). Overall, 79.5% of injuries occurred in matches and 48.7% of all injuries were sustained while bowling. The lower limb was the body region most commonly injured (43.5%), the most common specific diagnosis was hamstring strains/tears (11.1%) and the injuries contributing the highest proportion of match days lost were stress fractures to the low back (22%). The findings of this study support ongoing injury surveillance in New Zealand and other test cricket playing nations for the purpose of describing injury and monitoring the effect of interventions over time. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

  9. A Visit to a New Zealand School: Informal but On-Task, Strict but Caring.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hopfengardner, Jerrold D.; O'Dell, Frank L.

    1989-01-01

    Describes a visit by two educators to a primary school in Auckland, New Zealand. Discusses the development of children, educational goals, traditions, curricula, administration, and facilities of this New Zealand school. Finds the major difference is the New Zealand school's child-centered approach. (MS)

  10. Predator-Free New Zealand: Conservation Country.

    PubMed

    Russell, James C; Innes, John G; Brown, Philip H; Byrom, Andrea E

    2015-05-01

    Eradications of invasive species from over 1000 small islands around the world have created conservation arks, but to truly address the threat of invasive species to islands, eradications must be scaled by orders of magnitude. New Zealand has eradicated invasive predators from 10% of its offshore island area and now proposes a vision to eliminate them from the entire country. We review current knowledge of invasive predator ecology and control technologies in New Zealand and the biological research, technological advances, social capacity and enabling policy required. We discuss the economic costs and benefits and conclude with a 50-year strategy for a predator-free New Zealand that is shown to be ecologically obtainable, socially desirable, and economically viable. The proposal includes invasive predator eradication from the two largest offshore islands, mammal-free mainland peninsulas, very large ecosanctuaries, plus thousands of small projects that will together merge eradication and control concepts on landscape scales.

  11. Predator-Free New Zealand: Conservation Country

    PubMed Central

    Russell, James C.; Innes, John G.; Brown, Philip H.; Byrom, Andrea E.

    2015-01-01

    Eradications of invasive species from over 1000 small islands around the world have created conservation arks, but to truly address the threat of invasive species to islands, eradications must be scaled by orders of magnitude. New Zealand has eradicated invasive predators from 10% of its offshore island area and now proposes a vision to eliminate them from the entire country. We review current knowledge of invasive predator ecology and control technologies in New Zealand and the biological research, technological advances, social capacity and enabling policy required. We discuss the economic costs and benefits and conclude with a 50-year strategy for a predator-free New Zealand that is shown to be ecologically obtainable, socially desirable, and economically viable. The proposal includes invasive predator eradication from the two largest offshore islands, mammal-free mainland peninsulas, very large ecosanctuaries, plus thousands of small projects that will together merge eradication and control concepts on landscape scales. PMID:26955079

  12. Changes in the age pattern of New Zealand suicide rates.

    PubMed

    Snowdon, John

    2017-01-13

    It is timely to examine changes in male and female suicide rates across the age range in New Zealand, comparing them to some of the changes recorded in Australia. Data regarding suicide and population figures in New Zealand and Australia were obtained. The suicide rates of different age-groups in the two countries were calculated and compared. Data concerning 'open verdicts' were also obtained. The age patterns of suicide rates in New Zealand and Australia have changed markedly and similarly. Suicide rates of New Zealand males in their twenties increased threefold between the 1960s and 1990s, with a fall since then. Nevertheless, the 2009-13 youth suicide rates in New Zealand were double the corresponding rates in Australia. Since 1979-88 a decrease in suicide rates of men and women aged 60-79 has been even greater than in Australia. The Māori suicide rate is high in young men but almost zero in old age. The persistently high suicide rate of New Zealand youths (Māori much more than non-Māori) remains of concern. The rate is equally high among indigenous young Australians. There has been a welcome decrease in late-life suicide rates in New Zealand and Australia.

  13. Learning from Aotearoa New Zealand

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Carter, Margie

    2010-01-01

    Last February, in search of expanded thinking, the author led a group of 20 early childhood professionals on a study tour to Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ). The group included two Canadians and two Aussies, with everyone else from the United States. While they knew they had much to learn from the overall system of early childhood education in NZ, the…

  14. Neuschwanstein and Pribram: Two solitaire meteorites or members of a stream?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Oberst, J.; Spurny, P.; Heinlein, D.

    2003-04-01

    The fall of the Neuschwanstein enstatite chondrite EL6 at 20:20:17.7 UTC on April 6, 2002, in Southern Bavaria is well documented. Using photographic records obtained by the European Fireball Network (EN), the heliocentric orbit of the object before its collision with Earth could be determined [Spurny et al., Nature, submitted]. Surprisingly, its orbit is practically identical to that of another meteorite, which was photographed by the EN 43 years earlier: the Pribram H5-chondrite, which fell on April 7, 1959. The orbital elements are extremely similar indeed, as is indicated by a D-criterion of D=0.025. By analysis of the orbital elements of all available (approx. 200) ''meteorite candidates'', we estimate that the chances of finding two meteorites with orbital elements matching as well as in the case of Pribram and Neuschwanstein is 1:100,000. Therefore, we believe that the paired fall is not a coincidence and that the meteorites are members of a stream of objects. Considering Innisfree and Ridgedale, another paired fall, observed by the Canadian MORP (Meteorite Observation and Recovery Project), in 1977 and 1980 [Halliday, Icarus 69, 550-556, 1987], it appears that meteorite streams are not uncommon among Earth-approaching objects. On the basis of the observational efficiency of the EN, we estimate that the Pribram/Neuschwanstein meteorite stream contains approx. 10^9 members; all of them combined would form an asteroid with a minimum radius of 300m. From studies of cometary-type meteor streams it is known that these cometary stream members have separated from their parent body fairly recently. However, judging from the different classifications of the meteorites, and from their long cosmic exposure (Pribram has a cosmic ray age of 19 Million years) both, a common parent and a recent separation, are not very likely.

  15. A new genus and two new species of feather lice (Phthiraptera: Ischnocera: Philopteridae) from New Zealand endemic passerines (Aves: Passeriformes).

    PubMed

    Valim, Michel P; Palma, Ricardo L

    2015-03-09

    The first descriptions of New Zealand endemic feather lice belonging to the Brueelia-complex (Phthiraptera: Ischnocera: Philopteridae) are given. The new genus Melibrueelia and new species M. novaeseelandiae are described, illustrated and compared with morphologically close taxa within the complex. The type host of M. novaeseelandiae is the tui, Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae (Gmelin, 1788), and an additional host is the bellbird, Anthornis melanura (Sparrman, 1786) (Passeriformes: Meliphagidae), both endemic to New Zealand. Also, the new species Brueelia callaeincola is described and illustrated from four endemic bird species belonging to two endemic genera and an endemic family: Philesturnus carunculatus (Gmelin, 1789) (the type host), Ph. rufusater (Lesson, 1828), Callaeas cinerea (Gmelin, 1788) and C. wilsoni (Bonaparte, 1851) (Passeriformes: Callaeidae). Brief discussions on possible evolutionary histories of the new taxa are included.

  16. Direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription medication in New Zealand.

    PubMed

    Every-Palmer, Susanna; Duggal, Rishi; Menkes, David B

    2014-08-29

    The last decade has seen increasing measures aimed at regulating the influence of 'Big Pharma' following a number of scandals relating to unethical marketing. Despite these international trends, New Zealand continues to tolerate direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) of prescription medication, a controversial pharmaceutical marketing strategy that has been prohibited in all but two countries in the industrialised world. While the pharmaceutical industry asserts that DTCA is informational and empowers consumers, in this viewpoint article we argue that DTCA is a heavily biased source of health information that favours representation of benefits over harms, and is associated with unnecessary prescribing, iatrogenic harm and increased costs to the taxpayer. In this paper, we show that DTCA provides unbalanced information to consumers who may misconstrue DTCA as public health messages, and fail to recognise inherent commercial bias. We describe how DTCA has been linked with inappropriate prescribing and overtreatment, with evidence indicating that patients request and receive specific medications in response to DTCA, even when treatment is not clinically indicated. This exposes patients to unnecessary adverse effects and iatrogenic harm, and increases costs for the health-care sector through the prescription of expensive branded medication. We use local examples to illustrate these points. New Zealand remains an outlier in allowing DTCA to continue which, in our view, is a controversial and harmful practice. The available evidence suggests that consumers and health care professionals are generally opposed to DTCA. Therefore, we believe that the New Zealand government should review its stance on DTCA.

  17. Diagnosis based injury severity scaling: investigation of a method using Australian and New Zealand hospitalisations

    PubMed Central

    Stephenson, S; Henley, G; Harrison, J; Langley, J

    2004-01-01

    Objective: To assess the performance of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) based injury severity score, ICISS, when applied to two versions of the 10th edition of ICD, ICD-10 and ICD-10-AM. Design: ICISS was assessed on its ability to predict threat to life using logistic regression modelling. Models used ICISS and age as predictors and survival as the outcome. Setting: Australia and New Zealand. Patients or subjects: Hospitalisations with an ICD-10-AM principal diagnosis in the range S00–T89 from 1 July 1999 to 30 June 2001 (Australia) or 1 July 1999 to 31 December 2001 (New Zealand). Interventions: None. Main outcome measures: The models were assessed in terms of their discrimination, measured by the concordance score, and calibration, measured using calibration curves and the Hosmer-Lemeshow statistic. Results: 523 633 Australian and 124 767 New Zealand hospitalisations were selected, including 7230 and 1565 deaths respectively. Discrimination was high in all the fitted models with concordance scores of 0.885 to 0.910. Calibration results were also promising with all calibration curves being close to linear, though ICISS appeared to underestimate mortality somewhat for cases with an ICISS score less than 0.6. Overall ICISS performed better when applied to the Australian than the New Zealand hospitalisations. Australian and New Zealand hospitalisations were very similar. ICISS was also only a little more successful when ICD-10-AM rather than mapped ICD-10 was used. Conclusions: ICISS appears to be a reasonable way to estimate severity for databases using ICD-10 or ICD-10-AM. It is also likely to work well for other clinical variants of ICD-10. PMID:15583261

  18. Refining Family Literacy Practice: A New Zealand Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Benseman, John

    2006-01-01

    Following the results of the International Adult Literacy Survey (IALS) in 1996, there has been an upsurge of interest in adult literacy in New Zealand. This interest is reflected in a national adult literacy strategy with foundation learning as one of the government's six priorities for the postschool sector. One result of this policy change has…

  19. Performance analysis of sliding window filtering of two dimensional signals based on stream data processing systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kazanskiy, Nikolay; Protsenko, Vladimir; Serafimovich, Pavel

    2016-03-01

    This research article contains an experiment with implementation of image filtering task in Apache Storm and IBM InfoSphere Streams stream data processing systems. The aim of presented research is to show that new technologies could be effectively used for sliding window filtering of image sequences. The analysis of execution was focused on two parameters: throughput and memory consumption. Profiling was performed on CentOS operating systems running on two virtual machines for each system. The experiment results showed that IBM InfoSphere Streams has about 1.5 to 13.5 times lower memory footprint than Apache Storm, but could be about 2.0 to 2.5 slower on a real hardware.

  20. Online and social media presence of Australian and New Zealand urologists.

    PubMed

    Davies, Nicholas; Murphy, Declan G; van Rij, Simon; Woo, Henry H; Lawrentschuk, Nathan

    2015-12-01

    To assess the online and social media presence of all practising Australian and New Zealand urologists. In July 2014, all active members of the Urological Society of Australia and New Zealand (USANZ) were identified. A comprehensive search of Google and each social media platform (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube) was undertaken for each urologist to identify any private websites or social media profiles. Of the 435 urologists currently practising in Australia and New Zealand, 305 (70.1%) have an easily identifiable social media account. LinkedIn (51.3%) is the most commonly used form of social media followed by Twitter (33.3%) and private Facebook (30.1%) accounts. About half (49.8%) have a private business website. The average number of social media accounts per urologist is 1.42 and 16 urologists (3.7%) have an account with all searched social media platforms. Over half of those with a Twitter account (55.9%) follow a dedicated urology journal club and have a median (range) number of 'followers' of 12 (1-2 862). Social media users had a median (range) of 2 (0-8 717) 'tweets' on Twitter, 2 (1-45) LinkedIn posts and 1 (1-14) YouTube video. This study represents a unique dataset not relying on selection or recall bias but using data freely available to patients and colleagues to gauge social media presence of urologists. Most Australian and New Zealand urologists have a readily identifiable online and social media presence, with widespread and consistent use across both countries. © 2015 The Authors BJU International © 2015 BJU International Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  1. A rapid method to score stream reaches based on the overall performance of their main ecological functions.

    PubMed

    Rowe, David K; Parkyn, Stephanie; Quinn, John; Collier, Kevin; Hatton, Chris; Joy, Michael K; Maxted, John; Moore, Stephen

    2009-06-01

    A method was developed to score the ecological condition of first- to third-order stream reaches in the Auckland region of New Zealand based on the performance of their key ecological functions. Such a method is required by consultants and resource managers to quantify the reduction in ecological condition of a modified stream reach relative to its unmodified state. This is a fundamental precursor for the determination of fair environmental compensation for achieving no-net-loss in overall stream ecological value. Field testing and subsequent use of the method indicated that it provides a useful measure of ecological condition related to the performance of stream ecological functions. It is relatively simple to apply compared to a full ecological study, is quick to use, and allows identification of the degree of impairment of each of the key ecological functions. The scoring system was designed so that future improvements in the measurement of stream functions can be incorporated into it. Although the methodology was specifically designed for Auckland streams, the principles can be readily adapted to other regions and stream types.

  2. New Zealand Teachers Respond to the "National Writing Project" Experience

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Locke, Terry; Whitehead, David; Dix, Stephanie; Cawkwell, Gail

    2011-01-01

    This article draws on early data from a two-year project (2009-11) being undertaken in the New Zealand context by the authors entitled: "Teachers as Writers: Transforming Professional Identity and Classroom Practice". Based on the National Writing Project in the USA (and in New Zealand in the 1980s) its hypothesis is that when teachers…

  3. Incidence of stroke in women in Auckland, New Zealand. Ethnic trends over two decades: 1981-2003.

    PubMed

    Dyall, Lorna; Carter, Kristie; Bonita, Ruth; Anderson, Craig; Feigin, Valery; Kerse, Ngaire; Brown, Paul

    2006-11-17

    Although women have a greater lifetime risk of stroke than men, along with other gender differences in stroke, there is lack of reliable data on long-term trends in stroke in women. This paper presents the results of three population-based registers in Auckland (1981-1982, 1991-1992, and 2002-2003) which aimed to determine the trends in the incidence of stroke in New Zealand. This paper reports on the burden of stroke in women across different ethnic groups over the study period from 1981 to 2003. Three studies using similar methodology and overlapping case finding methods have been conducted in New Zealand to estimate trends in the incidence and outcome of stroke. The studies are recognised as meeting the 'ideal' criteria for stroke incidence and identify all first-ever and recurrent strokes in residents (aged greater than and equal to 15 years) the population of Auckland, New Zealand in the 12-month periods from 1981-1982, 1991-1992, and 2002-2003. There were totals of 307,578 strokes among women in 1981, 372,642 in 1991, and 470,727 in 2001, according to each Census representing over 50% of the population at each period (51%-54%). The WHO standard world population was used for direct age standardisation of annual rates (per 100,000 population), reported with 95% confidence intervals (CI). The proportion of women who have experienced a stroke did not change markedly over the study period but there were ethnic differences emerging which were related to population changes within the New Zealand population. Standardised stroke incidence in women was relatively stable across the three study periods (1981-1982), 133 [95% CI 118-151]; (1991-1992), 143 [95% CI 116-241]; and (2002-2003), 124 [95% CI 115-134]). However, a significant decline of 14% (95% CI 2%-29%) in rates of first-ever stroke was found between 1991-1992 and 2002-2003 in women. In contrast to the significant declines in event rates in European women over two decades (Rate ratio 0.84, 95% CI 0

  4. The New Zealand Indices of Multiple Deprivation (IMD): A new suite of indicators for social and health research in Aotearoa, New Zealand

    PubMed Central

    2017-01-01

    For the past 20 years, the New Zealand Deprivation Index (NZDep) has been the universal measure of area-based social circumstances for New Zealand (NZ) and often the key social determinant used in population health and social research. This paper presents the first theoretical and methodological shift in the measurement of area deprivation in New Zealand since the 1990s and describes the development of the New Zealand Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD). We briefly describe the development of Data Zones, an intermediary geographical scale, before outlining the development of the New Zealand Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD), which uses routine datasets and methods comparable to current international deprivation indices. We identified 28 indicators of deprivation from national health, social development, taxation, education, police databases, geospatial data providers and the 2013 Census, all of which represented seven Domains of deprivation: Employment; Income; Crime; Housing; Health; Education; and Geographical Access. The IMD is the combination of these seven Domains. The Domains may be used individually or in combination, to explore the geography of deprivation and its association with a given health or social outcome. Geographic variations in the distribution of the IMD and its Domains were found among the District Health Boards in NZ, suggesting that factors underpinning overall deprivation are inconsistent across the country. With the exception of the Access Domain, the IMD and its Domains were statistically and moderately-to-strongly associated with both smoking rates and household poverty. The IMD provides a more nuanced view of area deprivation circumstances in Aotearoa NZ. Our vision is for the IMD and the Data Zones to be widely used to inform research, policy and resource allocation projects, providing a better measurement of area deprivation in NZ, improved outcomes for Māori, and a more consistent approach to reporting and monitoring the social

  5. The New Zealand Indices of Multiple Deprivation (IMD): A new suite of indicators for social and health research in Aotearoa, New Zealand.

    PubMed

    Exeter, Daniel John; Zhao, Jinfeng; Crengle, Sue; Lee, Arier; Browne, Michael

    2017-01-01

    For the past 20 years, the New Zealand Deprivation Index (NZDep) has been the universal measure of area-based social circumstances for New Zealand (NZ) and often the key social determinant used in population health and social research. This paper presents the first theoretical and methodological shift in the measurement of area deprivation in New Zealand since the 1990s and describes the development of the New Zealand Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD). We briefly describe the development of Data Zones, an intermediary geographical scale, before outlining the development of the New Zealand Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD), which uses routine datasets and methods comparable to current international deprivation indices. We identified 28 indicators of deprivation from national health, social development, taxation, education, police databases, geospatial data providers and the 2013 Census, all of which represented seven Domains of deprivation: Employment; Income; Crime; Housing; Health; Education; and Geographical Access. The IMD is the combination of these seven Domains. The Domains may be used individually or in combination, to explore the geography of deprivation and its association with a given health or social outcome. Geographic variations in the distribution of the IMD and its Domains were found among the District Health Boards in NZ, suggesting that factors underpinning overall deprivation are inconsistent across the country. With the exception of the Access Domain, the IMD and its Domains were statistically and moderately-to-strongly associated with both smoking rates and household poverty. The IMD provides a more nuanced view of area deprivation circumstances in Aotearoa NZ. Our vision is for the IMD and the Data Zones to be widely used to inform research, policy and resource allocation projects, providing a better measurement of area deprivation in NZ, improved outcomes for Māori, and a more consistent approach to reporting and monitoring the social

  6. Large-magnitude Dextral Slip on the Wairarapa Fault, New Zealand

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rodgers, D. W.; Little, T.

    2004-12-01

    Dextral slip associated with an 1855 Ms 8.0+ event on the Wairarapa fault near Wellington, New Zealand was reported to be 12+/-1 m along a rupture length of at least 148km (Grapes, 1999), one of the largest single-event strike-slip offsets documented worldwide. Initial results from a new study involving detailed neotectonic mapping and microtopographic surveys of offset landforms (including many beheaded, inactive streams) strongly suggest that dextral slip was as much as 50% greater than previously measured. 1855 surface ruptures were mapped with certainty where a linear scarp characterized by steep slopes (30-90°) and exposed alluvium cuts across active or inactive stream channels. The fifteen individual strands comprising the Wairarapa fault zone that we have mapped to date are 1200+/-700 m long and typically left-stepping. Slip in the stepover zones between these strands is distributed amongst two or more ruptures and intervening anticlines, a situation that causes along-strike variations in slip and which locally complicates the interpretation of 1855 displacement. We focused on seven of the best-preserved sites where low-discharge streams are disrupted by the fault zone, including five that had been previously attributed by Grapes (1999) to coseismic slip during the 1855 earthquake. One of these (Pigeon Bush) includes two sequentially displaced, now beheaded linear stream channels, oriented perpendicular to the fault scarp, that preserve distinct offsets with respect to a single deeply incised, originally contiguous gorge on the opposite side of the fault. To quantify the minimum fault displacements at each site, we made 1:500 scale topographic maps employing n = 2,000-10,000 points collected with GPS and laser instrumentation. Measured dextral slip values, here attributed to the 1855 earthquake, include 16.4+/-1.0m (Hinaburn), 12.9+/-2.0m (Cross Creek), 17.2+/-2.5m (Lake Meadows), 18.7+/-1.0m (Pigeon Bush), 13.0+/-1.5m (Pigeon Bush 2), 15.1+/-1.0m (Pigeon

  7. Radar-imaged internal layering in the Weddell Sea sector of West Antarctica

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bingham, Robert G.; Rippin, David M.; Karlsson, Nanna B.; Corr, Hugh F. J.; Ferraccioli, Fausto; Jordan, Tom A.; Le Brocq, Anne M.; Ross, Neil; Wright, Andrew P.; Siegert, Martin J.

    2013-04-01

    Radio-echo sounding (RES) across polar ice sheets reveals extensive, isochronous internal layers, whose stratigraphy, and especially their degree of continuity over multi-km distances, can inform us about both present ice flow and past ice-flow histories. Here, we bring together for the first time two recent advances in this field of cryospheric remote sensing to analyse ice flow into the Weddell Sea sector of West Antarctica. Firstly, we have developed a new quantitative routine for analysing the continuity of internal layers obtained over large areas of ice by airborne RES surveys - we term this routine the "Internal-Layering Continuity-Index (ILCI)". Secondly, in the austral season 2010-11 we acquired, by airborne RES survey, the first comprehensive dataset of deep internal layering across Institute and Möller Ice Streams, two of the more significant feeders of ice into the Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf. Applying the ILCI to SAR-processed (migrated) RES profiles across Institute Ice Stream's catchment reveals two contrasting regions of internal-layering continuity behaviour. In the western portion of the catchment, where ice-stream tributaries incise deeply through the Ellsworth Subglacial Highlands, the continuity of internal layers is most disrupted across the present ice streams. We therefore interpret the ice-flow configuration in this western region as predominantly spatially stable over the lifetime of the ice. Further east, towards Möller Ice Stream, and towards the interior of the ice sheet, the ILCI does not closely match the present ice flow configuration, while across most of present-day Möller Ice Stream itself, the continuity of internal layers is generally low. We propose that the variation in continuity of internal layering across eastern Institute Ice Stream and the neighbouring Möller results primarily from two factors. Firstly, the noncorrespondence of some inland tributaries with internal-layering continuity acts as evidence for past spatial

  8. Ethnicity and Engagement in First-Year New Zealand Law Programmes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Taylor, Lynne; Brogt, Erik; Cheer, Ursula; Baird, Natalie; Caldwell, John; Wilson, Debra

    2017-01-01

    This paper investigated the extent to which the engagement levels of a self-selected cohort of students enrolled in first-year law programmes at three New Zealand universities varied according to ethnicity. When viewed in the light of factors identified within the international literature as having a bearing on student engagement and, in…

  9. Style and Rate of Late Pleistocene - Holocene Deformation of the Poukawa Fault Zone, Central Hawke's Bay, New Zealand

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Basili, R.; Langridge, R. M.; Villamor, P.; Rieser, U.

    2008-12-01

    The Poukawa Fault Zone is one component of a complex system of contractional faulting in eastern North Island, New Zealand. It is located within the actively uplifting Hikurangi Margin where the Australian plate meets the Pacific plate at a convergence rate of over 40 mm/yr. The most destructive earthquake in New Zealand history, the 1931 Hawke's Bay earthquake of M 7.8, occurred just off the northern termination of the Poukawa Fault Zone. To the south and probably within the Poukawa Fault Zone, another strong earthquake struck near Waipukurau in 1863. We have characterized the contemporary style of faulting along the zone on the basis of an integrated analysis of a broad spectrum of data, including exploratory trenching; geomorphic data aided by 1m resolution digital orthophotos, a LIDAR-derived Terrain Model, and GPS-RTK surveys; stratigraphic and paleoseismic analysis; radiocarbon and OSL dating and tephra correlation. We have also made a detailed reconstruction of the terrace sequences formed where the Kaikora Stream crosses at a high angle to the Poukawa Fault Zone. These data show that the Poukawa Fault Zone is a contractional fault system formed by a series of NE-SW strands with style varying, from west to east, from high-angle east-dipping reverse to low-angle west-dipping thrusting. The geometry of the system suggests that these faults may merge at shallow depth into a single large structure capable of generating strong earthquakes similar to those that occurred in the past on nearby sections. All these faults variously displace the top of the Ohakean aggradation surface (12-15 ka) thereby generating scarps of several meters. The Kaikora Stream terrace sequences also testify to a series of uplift events associated with the late-Holocene growth of two of the eastern thrust faults. Two reaches of Kaikora Stream show evidence of uplifted and abandoned inset Holocene stream terraces found in association with a surface-rupture trace and an active fold. The four

  10. High School Teaching of Bioethics in New Zealand, Australia, and Japan.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Asada, Yukiko; Tsuzuki, Miho; Akiyama, Shiro; Macer, Nobuko Y.; Macer, Darryl R. J.

    1996-01-01

    Summarizes the results of an International Bioethics Education Survey conducted in Australia, New Zealand, and Japan. Compares knowledge and teaching of 15 selected topics with particular emphasis on the teaching of social, ethical, and environmental issues of in vitro fertilization, prenatal diagnosis, biotechnology, nuclear power, pesticides,…

  11. The cardiac sonography workforce in New Zealand.

    PubMed

    Buckley, Belinda; White, Steve; Poppe, Katrina; Whalley, Gillian

    2013-05-01

    Introduction : The aim of this paper is to investigate the cardiac sonography workforce characteristics and registration requirements in New Zealand (NZ), with a comparison to similar workforces internationally. Methods : The Survey of Clinical Echocardiography in New Zealand 2 (SCANZ2) audit was performed in December 2010. All of NZ's public-funded District Health Board (DHB) centers providing echocardiography services responded to questions relating to staff, equipment, procedure types and patient statistics. The Medical Radiation Technologists Board (MRTB), Clinical Physiologists Registration Board (CPRB) and Australian Sonographers Association Registry (ASAR) websites were reviewed in March 2012 for registered sonographers with a cardiac scope of practice. The cardiac sonography workforces in Australia, the UK, the USA and Canada were investigated for comparison. Results : There are 84 cardiac sonographers (60.3 full-time equivalent) working in DHBs: 71% from a cardiac technical background; 40% have post-graduate qualifications; a further 17% are undertaking post-graduate qualifications; and 59 cardiac sonographers have registration with professional bodies in NZ and/or Australia. Cardiac sonographers in NZ do not undergo compulsory registration, but other sonographers in NZ have compulsory registration with the MRTB. Sonographers are predominantly not licensed internationally. Discussion : Disparity exists between registration of cardiac and non-cardiac sonographers in NZ. Many cardiac sonographers have voluntary registration but few are registered with the MRTB. Reasons for this include professional alignment, educational qualifications and representation. International trends show increased pressure from governments and professional bodies to regulate sonographers. Conclusion : This study provides a snapshot of the cardiac sonography workforce in NZ for the first time.

  12. The cardiac sonography workforce in New Zealand

    PubMed Central

    White, Steve; Poppe, Katrina; Whalley, Gillian

    2015-01-01

    Abstract Introduction: The aim of this paper is to investigate the cardiac sonography workforce characteristics and registration requirements in New Zealand (NZ), with a comparison to similar workforces internationally. Methods: The Survey of Clinical Echocardiography in New Zealand 2 (SCANZ2) audit was performed in December 2010. All of NZ's public‐funded District Health Board (DHB) centers providing echocardiography services responded to questions relating to staff, equipment, procedure types and patient statistics. The Medical Radiation Technologists Board (MRTB), Clinical Physiologists Registration Board (CPRB) and Australian Sonographers Association Registry (ASAR) websites were reviewed in March 2012 for registered sonographers with a cardiac scope of practice. The cardiac sonography workforces in Australia, the UK, the USA and Canada were investigated for comparison. Results: There are 84 cardiac sonographers (60.3 full‐time equivalent) working in DHBs: 71% from a cardiac technical background; 40% have post‐graduate qualifications; a further 17% are undertaking post‐graduate qualifications; and 59 cardiac sonographers have registration with professional bodies in NZ and/or Australia. Cardiac sonographers in NZ do not undergo compulsory registration, but other sonographers in NZ have compulsory registration with the MRTB. Sonographers are predominantly not licensed internationally. Discussion: Disparity exists between registration of cardiac and non‐cardiac sonographers in NZ. Many cardiac sonographers have voluntary registration but few are registered with the MRTB. Reasons for this include professional alignment, educational qualifications and representation. International trends show increased pressure from governments and professional bodies to regulate sonographers. Conclusion: This study provides a snapshot of the cardiac sonography workforce in NZ for the first time. PMID:28191178

  13. Changes in dissolved organic material determine exposure of stream benthic communities to UV-B radiation and heavy metals: Implications for climate change

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Clements, W.H.; Brooks, M.L.; Kashian, D.R.; Zuellig, R.E.

    2008-01-01

    Changes in regional climate in the Rocky Mountains over the next 100 years are expected to have significant effects on biogeochemical cycles and hydrological processes. In particular, decreased discharge and lower stream depth during summer when ultraviolet radiation (UVR) is the highest combined with greater photo-oxidation of dissolved organic materials (DOM) will significantly increase exposure of benthic communities to UVR. Communities in many Rocky Mountain streams are simultaneously exposed to elevated metals from abandoned mines, the toxicity and bioavailability of which are also determined by DOM. We integrated field surveys of 19 streams (21 sites) along a gradient of metal contamination with microcosm and field experiments conducted in Colorado, USA, and New Zealand to investigate the influence of DOM on bioavailability of heavy metals and exposure of benthic communities to UVR. Spatial and seasonal variation in DOM were closely related to stream discharge and significantly influenced heavy metal uptake in benthic organisms. Qualitative and quantitative changes in DOM resulting from exposure to sunlight increased UV-B (290-320nm) penetration and toxicity of heavy metals. Results of microcosm experiments showed that benthic communities from a metal-polluted stream were tolerant of metals, but were more sensitive to UV-B than communities from a reference stream. We speculate that the greater sensitivity of these communities to UV-B resulted from costs associated with metal tolerance. Exclusion of UVR from 12 separate Colorado streams and from outdoor stream microcosms in New Zealand increased the abundance of benthic organisms (mayflies, stoneflies, and caddisflies) by 18% and 54%, respectively. Our findings demonstrate the importance of considering changes in regional climate and UV-B exposure when assessing the effects of local anthropogenic stressors. ?? Journal compilation ?? 2008 Blackwell Publishing.

  14. The cost of child health inequalities in Aotearoa New Zealand: a preliminary scoping study.

    PubMed

    Mills, Clair; Reid, Papaarangi; Vaithianathan, Rhema

    2012-05-28

    Health inequalities have been extensively documented, internationally and in New Zealand. The cost of reducing health inequities is often perceived as high; however, recent international studies suggest the cost of "doing nothing" is itself significant. This study aimed to develop a preliminary estimate of the economic cost of health inequities between Māori (indigenous) and non-Māori children in New Zealand. Standard quantitative epidemiological methods and "cost of illness" methodology were employed, within a Kaupapa Māori theoretical framework. Data were obtained from national data collections held by the New Zealand Health Information Service and other health sector agencies. Preliminary estimates suggest child health inequities between Māori and non-Māori in New Zealand are cost-saving to the health sector. However the societal costs are significant. A conservative "base case" scenario estimate is over $NZ62 million per year, while alternative costing methods yield larger costs of nearly $NZ200 million per annum. The total cost estimate is highly sensitive to the costing method used and Value of Statistical Life applied, as the cost of potentially avoidable deaths of Māori children is the major contributor to this estimate. This preliminary study suggests that health sector spending is skewed towards non-Māori children despite evidence of greater Māori need. Persistent child health inequities result in significant societal economic costs. Eliminating child health inequities, particularly in primary care access, could result in significant economic benefits for New Zealand. However, there are conceptual, ethical and methodological challenges in estimating the economic cost of child health inequities. Re-thinking of traditional economic frameworks and development of more appropriate methodologies is required.

  15. Public Education in New Zealand.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ministry of Education, Wellington (New Zealand).

    Intended to stimulate public discussion on the aims and policies of New Zealand education, this background paper has three major sections. The first section discusses the role of education in relation to equal opportunity, democracy, cultural difference, national development, and personal development. In part two, graphs, tables, and text give a…

  16. Climatology of meteorological ``bombs'' in the New Zealand region

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Leslie, L. M.; Leplastrier, M.; Buckley, B. W.; Qi, L.

    2005-06-01

    The purpose of this paper is to present a recently developed climatology of explosively developing south eastern Tasman Sea extra-tropical cyclones, or meteorological “bombs”, using a latitude dependent definition for meteorological bombs based on that of Simmonds and Keay (2000a, b), and Lim and Simmonds (2002). These highly transient systems, which have a damaging impact upon New Zealand, are frequently accompanied by destructive winds, flood rains, and coastal storm surges. Two cases are selected from the climatology and briefly described here. The first case study is the major flood and storm force wind event of June 20 to 21, 2002 that affected the Coromandel Peninsula region of the North Island of New Zealand. The second case was a “supercyclone” bomb that developed well to the southwest of New Zealand region during May 29 to 31, 2004, but which could easily have formed in the New Zealand region with catastrophic consequences. It was well-captured by the new high resolution Quikscat scatterometer instrument.

  17. Patterns of fungal diversity in New Zealand Nothofagus forests.

    PubMed

    Johnston, Peter R; Johansen, Renee B; Williams, Alexandra F R; Paula Wikie, J; Park, Duckchul

    2012-03-01

    The development of protocols for the conservation of fungi requires knowledge of the factors controlling their distribution, diversity, and community composition. Here we compare patterns of variation in fungal communities across New Zealand's Nothofagus forests, reportedly the most myco-diverse in New Zealand and hence potentially key to effective conservation of fungi in New Zealand. Diversity of leaf endophytic fungi, as assessed by culturing on agar plates, is assessed for three Nothofagus sp. growing in mixed stands from four sites. Host species was found to have a greater influence on fungal community assemblage than site. The leaf endophyte communities associated with Nothofagus solandri and Nothofagus fusca (both Nothofagus subgenus Fuscopora), were more similar to each other than either were to the community associated with Nothofagus menziesii (Nothofagus subgenus Lophozonia). The broad taxonomic groups isolated, identified on the basis of internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences, were similar to those found in similar studies from other parts of the world, and from an earlier study on the endophyte diversity in four podocarp species from New Zealand, but there were few matches at species level. Average levels of endophyte species diversity associated with single Nothofagus species and single podocarp species were similar, despite historical literature and collection data recording more than twice as many fungal species on average from the Nothofagus species. The significance of these findings to fungal conservation is discussed. Copyright © 2012 The British Mycological Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Load-based approaches for modelling visual clarity in streams at regional scale.

    PubMed

    Elliott, A H; Davies-Colley, R J; Parshotam, A; Ballantine, D

    2013-01-01

    Reduction of visual clarity in streams by diffuse sources of fine sediment is a cause of water quality impairment in New Zealand and internationally. In this paper we introduce the concept of a load of optical cross section (LOCS), which can be used for load-based management of light-attenuating substances and for water quality models that are based on mass accounting. In this approach, the beam attenuation coefficient (units of m(-1)) is estimated from the inverse of the visual clarity (units of m) measured with a black disc. This beam attenuation coefficient can also be considered as an optical cross section (OCS) per volume of water, analogous to a concentration. The instantaneous 'flux' of cross section is obtained from the attenuation coefficient multiplied by the water discharge, and this can be accumulated over time to give an accumulated 'load' of cross section (LOCS). Moreover, OCS is a conservative quantity, in the sense that the OCS of two combined water volumes is the sum of the OCS of the individual water volumes (barring effects such as coagulation, settling, or sorption). The LOCS can be calculated for a water quality station using rating curve methods applied to measured time series of visual clarity and flow. This approach was applied to the sites in New Zealand's National Rivers Water Quality Network (NRWQN). Although the attenuation coefficient follows roughly a power relation with flow at some sites, more flexible loess rating curves are required at other sites. The hybrid mechanistic-statistical catchment model SPARROW (SPAtially Referenced Regressions On Watershed attributes), which is based on a mass balance for mean annual load, was then applied to the NRWQN dataset. Preliminary results from this model are presented, highlighting the importance of factors related to erosion, such as rainfall, slope, hardness of catchment rock types, and the influence of pastoral development on the load of optical cross section.

  19. Two-Step Fair Scheduling of Continuous Media Streams over Error-Prone Wireless Channels

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Oh, Soohyun; Lee, Jin Wook; Park, Taejoon; Jo, Tae-Chang

    In wireless cellular networks, streaming of continuous media (with strict QoS requirements) over wireless links is challenging due to their inherent unreliability characterized by location-dependent, bursty errors. To address this challenge, we present a two-step scheduling algorithm for a base station to provide streaming of continuous media to wireless clients over the error-prone wireless links. The proposed algorithm is capable of minimizing the packet loss rate of individual clients in the presence of error bursts, by transmitting packets in the round-robin manner and also adopting a mechanism for channel prediction and swapping.

  20. Differences in ecological structure, function, and native species abundance between native and invaded Hawaiian streams

    Treesearch

    Tara Holitzki; Richard A. MacKenzie; Tracy N. Wiegner; Karla J. McDermid

    2013-01-01

    Poeciliids, one of the most invasive species worldwide, are found on almost every continent and have been identified as an ‘‘invasive species of concern’’ in the United States, New Zealand, and Australia. Despite their global prevalence, few studies have quantified their impacts on tropical stream ecosystem structure, function, and biodiversity. Utilizing Hawaiian...

  1. Striving for best practice: standardising New Zealand nursing procedures, 1930-1960.

    PubMed

    Wood, Pamela J; Nelson, Katherine

    2013-11-01

    To identify how nurses in the past determined best practice, using the context of New Zealand, 1930-1960. In the current context of evidence-based practice, nurses strive to provide the best care, based on clinical research. We cannot assume that nurses in the past, prior to the evidence-based practice movement, did not also have a deliberate process for pursuing best practice. Discovering historical approaches to determining best practice will enrich our understanding of how nurses' current efforts are part of a continuing commitment to ensuring quality care. Historical research. The records of the Nursing Education Committee of the New Zealand Registered Nurses' Association, 1940-1959, and the 309 issues of New Zealand's nursing journal, Kai Tiaki, 1930-1960, were analysed to identify the profession's approach to ensuring best practice. This approach was then interpreted within the international context, particularly Canada and the USA. For nearly 30 years, nurse leaders collaborated in undertaking national surveys of training hospitals requesting information on different nursing practices. They subsequently distributed instructions for a range of procedures and other aspects of nursing care to standardise practice. Standardising nursing care was an effective way to ensure quality nursing at a time when hospital care was delivered mostly by nurses in training. The reasons for and timing of standardisation of nursing care in New Zealand differed from the international move towards standardisation, particularly in the USA. Historically, nurses also pursued best practice, based on standardising nursing procedures. Examining the antecedents of the present evidence-based approach to care reminds us that the process and reasons for determining best practice change through time. As knowledge and practice continually change, current confident assertions of best practice should and will continue to be challenged in future. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  2. Late-life homicide-suicide: a national case series in New Zealand.

    PubMed

    Cheung, Gary; Hatters Friedman, Susan; Sundram, Frederick

    2016-01-01

    Homicide-suicide is a rare event, but it has a significant impact on the family and community of the perpetrator and victim(s). The phenomenon of late-life homicide-suicide has not been previously studied in New Zealand, and there is only limited data in the international literature. The aim of this study is to systematically review coroners' records of late-life homicide-suicides in New Zealand. After ethics approval was granted, the Coronial Services of New Zealand was approached to provide records of all closed cases with a suicide verdict (age 65+) over a five-year period (July 2007-December 2012). Of the 225 suicides, 4 cases of homicide-suicide were identified (an estimated incidence of 0.12 per 100,000 per persons year). All four perpetrators were men; three had been farmers. Their ages ranged from 65 to 82. One case occurred in the context of an underlying psychiatric illness (psychotic depression in bipolar disorder). Firearms were used in three cases. Two cases were categorized as spousal/consortial subtype, one case as filicide-suicide, and one case as siblicide-suicide. The prospect of major social upheaval in the form of losing their homes was present in all four cases. The findings of this case series were consistent with the limited existing literature on homicide-suicide. Age-related biopsychosocial issues were highlighted in this case series of late-life homicide-suicide. Additionally, evaluating firearm licences in high-risk groups may represent a prevention strategy. © 2015 The Authors. Psychogeriatrics © 2015 Japanese Psychogeriatric Society.

  3. ANZSoilML: An Australian - New Zealand standard for exchange of soil data

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Simons, Bruce; Wilson, Peter; Ritchie, Alistair; Cox, Simon

    2013-04-01

    The Australian-New Zealand soil information exchange standard (ANZSoilML) is a GML-based standard designed to allow the discovery, query and delivery of soil and landscape data via standard Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) Web Feature Services. ANZSoilML modifies the Australian soil exchange standard (OzSoilML), which is based on the Australian Soil Information Transfer and Evaluation System (SITES) database design and exchange protocols, to meet the New Zealand National Soils Database requirements. The most significant change was the removal of the lists of CodeList terms in OzSoilML, which were based on the field methods specified in the 'Australian Soil and Land Survey Field Handbook'. These were replaced with empty CodeLists as placeholders to external vocabularies to allow the use of New Zealand vocabularies without violating the data model. Testing of the use of these separately governed Australian and New Zealand vocabularies has commenced. ANZSoilML attempts to accommodate the proposed International Organization for Standardization ISO/DIS 28258 standard for soil quality. For the most part, ANZSoilML is consistent with the ISO model, although major differences arise as a result of: • The need to specify the properties appropriate for each feature type; • The inclusion of soil-related 'Landscape' features; • Allowing the mapping of soil surfaces, bodies, layers and horizons, independent of the soil profile; • Allowing specifying the relationships between the various soil features; • Specifying soil horizons as specialisations of soil layers; • Removing duplication of features provided by the ISO Observation & Measurements standard. The International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS) Working Group on Soil Information Standards (WG-SIS) aims to develop, promote and maintain a standard to facilitate the exchange of soils data and information. Developing an international exchange standard that is compatible with existing and emerging national and

  4. Shaping the Responsible, Successful and Contributing Citizen of the Future: "Values" in the New Zealand Curriculum and Its Challenge to the Development of Ethical Teacher Professionality

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Benade, Leon

    2011-01-01

    The revised New Zealand Curriculum became mandatory for use in New Zealand schools in February 2010. The ongoing reform agenda in education in New Zealand since 1989 and elsewhere internationally has had corrosive effects on teacher professionality. State-driven neo-liberal policy and education reforms are deeply damaging to the mental and moral…

  5. Critical Professional Issues in Labour Force Development for Teachers with Children up to Two Years of Age: A New Zealand Perspective

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rockel, Jean

    2014-01-01

    This paper critically examines current concerns regarding professional issues in labour force development for teachers with children up to two years of age (UtoT). The concerns in New Zealand (NZ) relate to whether initial teacher-education (ITE) qualifications prepare teachers to work with children UtoT, involving synergy between ITE and the…

  6. Status assessment of New Zealand's naturally uncommon ecosystems.

    PubMed

    Holdaway, Robert J; Wiser, Susan K; Williams, Peter A

    2012-08-01

    Globally, ecosystems are under increasing anthropogenic pressure; thus, many are at risk of elimination. This situation has led the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to propose a quantitative approach to ecosystem-risk assessment. However, there is a need for their proposed criteria to be evaluated through practical examples spanning a diverse range of ecosystems and scales. We applied the IUCN's ecosystem red-list criteria, which are based on changes in extent of ecosystems and reductions in ecosystem processes, to New Zealand's 72 naturally uncommon ecosystems. We aimed to test the applicability of the proposed criteria to ecosystems that are naturally uncommon (i.e., those that would naturally occur over a small area in the absence of human activity) and to provide information on the probability of ecosystem elimination so that conservation priorities might be set. We also tested the hypothesis that naturally uncommon ecosystems classified as threatened on the basis of IUCN Red List criteria contain more threatened plant species than those classified as nonthreatened. We identified 18 critically endangered, 17 endangered, and 10 vulnerable ecosystems. We estimated that naturally uncommon ecosystems contained 145 (85%) of mainland New Zealand's taxonomically distinct nationally critical, nationally endangered, and nationally vulnerable plant species, 66 (46%) of which were endemic to naturally uncommon ecosystems. We estimated there was a greater number of threatened plant species (per unit area) in critically endangered ecosystems than in ecosystems classified as nonthreatened. With their high levels of endemism and rapid and relatively well-documented history of anthropogenic change, New Zealand's naturally uncommon ecosystems provide an excellent case-study for the ongoing development of international criteria for threatened ecosystems. We suggest that interactions and synergies among decline in area, decline in function, and the scale of

  7. The burial of headwater streams in drainage pipes reduces in-stream nitrate retention: results from two US metropolitan areas

    EPA Science Inventory

    Urbanization causes stream degradation in various ways, but perhaps the most extreme example is the burial of streams in underground storm drains to facilitate above ground development or to promote the rapid conveyance of stormwater. Stream burial is extensive in urban basins (...

  8. Hydrogeomorphic controls on hyporheic and riparian transport in two headwater mountain streams during base flow recession

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ward, Adam S.; Schmadel, Noah M.; Wondzell, Steven M.; Harman, Ciaran; Gooseff, Michael N.; Singha, Kamini

    2016-02-01

    Solute transport along riparian and hyporheic flow paths is broadly expected to respond to dynamic hydrologic forcing by streams, aquifers, and hillslopes. However, direct observation of these dynamic responses is lacking, as is the relative control of geologic setting as a control on responses to dynamic hydrologic forcing. We conducted a series of four stream solute tracer injections through base flow recession in each of two watersheds with contrasting valley morphology in the H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest, monitoring tracer concentrations in the stream and in a network of shallow riparian wells in each watershed. We found hyporheic mean arrival time, temporal variance, and fraction of stream water in the bedrock-constrained valley bottom and near large roughness elements in the wider valley bottom were not variable with discharge, suggesting minimal control by hydrologic forcing. Conversely, we observed increases in mean arrival time and temporal variance and decreasing fraction stream water with decreasing discharge near the hillslopes in the wider valley bottom. This may indicate changes in stream discharge and valley bottom hydrology control transport in less constrained locations. We detail five hydrogeomorphic responses to base flow recession to explain observed spatial and temporal patterns in the interactions between streams and their valley bottoms. Models able to account for the transition from geologically dominated processes in the near-stream subsurface to hydrologically dominated processes near the hillslope will be required to predict solute transport and fate in valley bottoms of headwater mountain streams.

  9. The burial of headwater streams in drainage pipes reduces in-stream nitrate retention: results from two US metropolitan areas

    EPA Science Inventory

    Nitrogen (N) retention in stream networks is an important ecosystem service that may be affected by the widespread burial of headwater streams in urban watersheds. Stream burial occurs when segments of a channel are encased in drainage pipe and buried beneath the land surface to...

  10. Comparison of Community Metabolism in two Streams With Different Landuse

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jin, H.; Kipphut, G. W.

    2005-05-01

    Gross primary production (GPP) and community respiration (CR) were measured in a forested (Panther Creek) and an agricultural stream (Ledbetter Creek) using the single-station, open-system method. Reaeration coefficients were estimated using the energy-dissipation model. Both GPP and CR were consistently higher in the forested stream than the agricultural stream. P/R ratio ranged from 0.09 to 0.23 showing the heterotrophic nature in both streams. In Panther Creek, mean daily GPP (1.58 gO2/m2) and CR (15.82 gO2/m2) were significantly higher during fall than summer (GPP=1.17 gO2, CR=5.02 gO2/m2). However, the seasonal differences in daily GPP (0.45 gO2 in summer and 0.33 gO2/m2 in fall) and CR (2.39 gO2 in summer and 3.53 gO2/m2 in fall) were not significant in Ledbetter Creek. Higher GPP and CR in the forested stream can be attributed to more stable hydrology and sediment composition compare to the agricultural stream that is subject to frequent spates and sediment movements. The higher metabolic activities observed in Panther Creek during fall compare to summer is a result of combined effect of higher light intensity reaching to benthic community and increased organic matter post litterfall.

  11. A review of the availability and cost effectiveness of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) management interventions in rural Australia and New Zealand.

    PubMed

    Brooke, Michelle E; Spiliopoulos, Nicolaos; Collins, Margaret

    2017-01-01

    Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a chronic, progressive disease, which consumes a significant proportion of the Australian and New Zealand healthcare budget. Studies have shown that people living with COPD outside of urban areas have higher rates of hospitalisations. Two international reviews have demonstrated reduced hospital admissions and length of stay in people with COPD who participate in an integrated disease management program. However, most studies included in these reviews are in urban settings. The purpose of this review is to explore the type and cost-effectiveness of COPD management interventions located in rural or remote settings of Australia and New Zealand in order to inform planning and ongoing service development in the authors' local health district. Six databases and Google scholar were searched to find literature relating to the availability and cost-effectiveness of non-pharmaceutical interventions for the management of COPD in rural and remote areas of Australia and New Zealand. Two studies were found that met the inclusion criteria. Both studies had small sample sizes, were single intervention studies and showed a positive influence on variables such as number of hospital admissions and length of stay at 12 months post-intervention. However, because of the limited number of studies and the lack of homogeneity of interventions, no conclusions regarding availability and cost-effectiveness of COPD interventions in rural and remote areas of Australia and New Zealand could be drawn. Limited literature exists to inform planning and development of services for people with COPD living in rural and remote areas of Australia and New Zealand. Approximately 50% of pulmonary rehabilitation programs are situated in rural and remote locations in Australia and New Zealand. Outcomes from existing programs need to be reported in a consistent and coordinated manner to allow evaluation of health resource utilisation.

  12. Some prehistory of New Zealand intensive care medicine.

    PubMed

    Trubuhovich, R V

    2009-07-01

    In taking 1960 as the foundation year for the practice of intensive care medicine in New Zealand, this paper briefly looks into the previous two centuries for some interventions in life-threatening conditions. With the help of descriptions in early 19th century journals and books by perceptive observers, the author focuses on some beliefs and practices of the Maori people during pre-European and later times, as well as aspects of medical treatment in New Zealand for early settlers and their descendents. Dr Laurie Gluckman's book Tangiwai has proved a valuable resource for New Zealand's medical history prior to 1860, while the recent publication of his findings from the examination of coroners' records for Auckland, 1841 to 1864, has been helpful. Drowning is highlighted as a common cause of accidental death, and consideration is given to alcohol as a factor. Following the 1893 foundation of the New Zealand Medical Journal, a limited number of its papers which are historically relevant to today's intensive care are explored: topics include tetanus, laryngeal diphtheria, direct cardiac massage, traumatic shock, thiopentone management for fitting and the ventilatory failure due to poliomyelitis.

  13. Cultural safety in New Zealand midwifery practice. Part 2.

    PubMed

    Farry, Annabel; Crowther, Susan

    2014-01-01

    Midwives in New Zealand work within a unique cultural context. This calls for an understanding and appreciation of biculturalism and the equal status of Mãori and Europeans as the nation's founding peoples. This paper is the second of two papers that explore the notions of cultural safety and competence. Exploration and discussion take place in the New Zealand context, yet have transferable implications for midwives everywhere. This second paper focuses on midwifery education and practice.

  14. Aircraft and runway deicers at General Mitchell International Airport, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA. 1. Biochemical oxygen demand and dissolved oxygen in receiving streams.

    PubMed

    Corsi, S R; Booth, N L; Hall, D W

    2001-07-01

    Aircraft and runway deicers are used during cold weather at many of the world's airports to facilitate safe air travel. Propylene glycol-, ethylene glycol-, and urea-based deicers are known to have very high biochemical oxygen demand. At General Mitchell International Airport (GMIA) in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA, deicer application, water chemistry, and dissolved oxygen (DO) data were collected for two deicing seasons in order to evaluate and define premanagement water quality parameters prior to the implementation of a glycol management program. Calculations using stream-monitoring data during a controlled release of deicer provided an estimate of 0.8/d for the first-order decay rate constant, substantially higher than published laboratory test results. For eight precipitation events with deicing activities, between 2.4 and 99% of propylene and ethylene glycol applied to aircraft was delivered directly to receiving streams. The percentage of glycol runoff during an event increased with increasing storm-flow volume. Elevated concentrations of glycol and biochemical oxygen demand were measured downstream from the airport. However, the frequency of low DO concentrations in the receiving streams is comparable with that at an upstream reference site. This is possibly due to slowed bacteria metabolism at low water temperatures, short travel times, and dilution from downstream tributaries.

  15. Aircraft and runway deicers at General Mitchell International Airport, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA. 1. Biochemical oxygen demand and dissolved oxygen in receiving streams

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Corsi, S.R.; Booth, N.L.; Hall, D.W.

    2001-01-01

    Aircraft and runway deicers are used during cold weather at many of the world's airports to facilitate safe air travel. Propylene glycol-, ethylene glycol-, and urea-based deicers are known to have very high biochemical oxygen demand. At General Mitchell International Airport (GMIA) in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA, deicer application, water chemistry, and dissolved oxygen (DO) data were collected for two deicing seasons in order to evaluate and define premanagement water quality parameters prior to the implementation of a glycol management program. Calculations using stream-monitoring data during a controlled release of deicer provided an estimate of 0.8/d for the first-order decay rate constant, substantially higher than published laboratory test results. For eight precipitation events with deicing activities, between 2.4 and 99% of propylene and ethylene glycol applied to aircraft was delivered directly to receiving streams. The percentage of glycol runoff during an event increased with increasing storm-flow volume. Elevated concentrations of glycol and biochemical oxygen demand were measured downstream from the airport. However, the frequency of low DO concentrations in the receiving streams is comparable with that at an upstream reference site. This is possibly due to slowed bacteria metabolism at low water temperatures, short travel times, and dilution from downstream tributaries.

  16. The cost of child health inequalities in Aotearoa New Zealand: a preliminary scoping study

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Background Health inequalities have been extensively documented, internationally and in New Zealand. The cost of reducing health inequities is often perceived as high; however, recent international studies suggest the cost of “doing nothing” is itself significant. This study aimed to develop a preliminary estimate of the economic cost of health inequities between Māori (indigenous) and non-Māori children in New Zealand. Methods Standard quantitative epidemiological methods and “cost of illness” methodology were employed, within a Kaupapa Māori theoretical framework. Data were obtained from national data collections held by the New Zealand Health Information Service and other health sector agencies. Results Preliminary estimates suggest child health inequities between Māori and non-Māori in New Zealand are cost-saving to the health sector. However the societal costs are significant. A conservative “base case” scenario estimate is over $NZ62 million per year, while alternative costing methods yield larger costs of nearly $NZ200 million per annum. The total cost estimate is highly sensitive to the costing method used and Value of Statistical Life applied, as the cost of potentially avoidable deaths of Māori children is the major contributor to this estimate. Conclusions This preliminary study suggests that health sector spending is skewed towards non-Māori children despite evidence of greater Māori need. Persistent child health inequities result in significant societal economic costs. Eliminating child health inequities, particularly in primary care access, could result in significant economic benefits for New Zealand. However, there are conceptual, ethical and methodological challenges in estimating the economic cost of child health inequities. Re-thinking of traditional economic frameworks and development of more appropriate methodologies is required. PMID:22640030

  17. Acceleration of plasma electrons by intense nonrelativistic ion and electron beams propagating in background plasma due to two-stream instability

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kaganovich, Igor D.

    2015-11-01

    In this paper we study the effects of the two-stream instability on the propagation of intense nonrelativistic ion and electron beams in background plasma. Development of the two-stream instability between the beam ions and plasma electrons leads to beam breakup, a slowing down of the beam particles, acceleration of the plasma particles, and transfer of the beam energy to the plasma particles and wave excitations. Making use of the particle-in-cell codes EDIPIC and LSP, and analytic theory we have simulated the effects of the two-stream instability on beam propagation over a wide range of beam and plasma parameters. Because of the two-stream instability the plasma electrons can be accelerated to velocities as high as twice the beam velocity. The resulting return current of the accelerated electrons may completely change the structure of the beam self - magnetic field, thereby changing its effect on the beam from focusing to defocusing. Therefore, previous theories of beam self-electromagnetic fields that did not take into account the effects of the two-stream instability must be significantly modified. This effect can be observed on the National Drift Compression Experiment-II (NDCX-II) facility by measuring the spot size of the extracted beamlet propagating through several meters of plasma. Particle-in-cell, fluid simulations, and analytical theory also reveal the rich complexity of beam- plasma interaction phenomena: intermittency and multiple regimes of the two-stream instability in dc discharges; band structure of the growth rate of the two-stream instability of an electron beam propagating in a bounded plasma and repeated acceleration of electrons in a finite system. In collaboration with E. Tokluoglu, D. Sydorenko, E. A. Startsev, J. Carlsson, and R. C. Davidson. Research supported by the U.S. Department of Energy.

  18. Rehabilitation and Flood Management Planning in a Steep, Boulder-Bedded Stream

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Caruso, Brian S.; Downs, Peter W.

    2007-08-01

    This study demonstrates the integration of rehabilitation and flood management planning in a steep, boulder-bedded stream in a coastal urban catchment on the South Island of New Zealand. The Water of Leith, the primary stream flowing through the city of Dunedin, is used as a case study. The catchment is steep, with a short time of concentration and rapid hydrologic response, and the lower stream reaches are highly channelized with floodplain encroachment, a high potential for debris flows, significant flood risks, and severely degraded aquatic habitat. Because the objectives for rehabilitation and flood management in urban catchments are often conflicting, a number of types of analyses at both the catchment and the reach scales and careful planning with stakeholder consultation were needed for successful rehabilitation efforts. This included modeling and analysis of catchment hydrology, fluvial geomorphologic assessment, analysis of water quality and aquatic ecology, hydraulic modeling and flood risk evaluation, detailed feasibility studies, and preliminary design to optimize multiple rehabilitation and flood management objectives. The study showed that all of these analyses were needed for integrated rehabilitation and flood management and that some incremental improvements in stream ecological health, aesthetics, and public recreational opportunities could be achieved in this challenging environment. These methods should be considered in a range of types of stream rehabilitation projects.

  19. The burial of headwater streams in drainage pipes reduces in-stream nitrate retention: results from two US metropolitan areas

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Beaulieu, J. J.; Mayer, P. M.; Kaushal, S.; Pennino, M. J.; Arango, C. P.; Balz, D. A.; Fritz, K. M.; Golden, H. E.; Knightes, C. D.

    2012-12-01

    Nitrogen (N) retention in stream networks is an important ecosystem service that may be affected by the widespread burial of headwater streams in urban watersheds. Stream burial occurs when segments of a channel are encased in drainage pipe and buried beneath the land surface to facilitate above ground development or stormwater runoff. We predicted that burial suppresses the capacity of streams to retain and transform nitrate, the dominate form of bioavailable N in urban streams, by eliminating primary production, reducing respiration rates, and decreasing water residence time. We tested these predictions by measuring whole-stream nitrate (NO3-) removal rates using 15NO3- isotope tracer releases in reaches that were buried and open to the sunlight in three streams in Cincinnati, Ohio and three streams in Baltimore, Maryland during four seasons. Nitrate uptake lengths in buried reaches (range: 560 - 43,650 m) were 2-98 times greater than open reaches exposed to daylight (range: 85 - 7195 m), indicating that buried reaches were substantially less effective at retaining NO3- than open reaches. Nitrate retention in buried reaches was suppressed by a combination of hydrological and biological processes. High water velocities in buried reaches (buried= 5.8 m/s, open=1.48 m/s) rapidly exported NO3- from the channel, reducing the potential for in-stream NO3- retention. Uptake lengths in the buried reaches were lengthened further by low in-stream biological NO3- demand, as indicated by NO3- uptake velocities 16-fold lower than that of the open reaches. Similarly, buried reaches had lower ecosystem respiration rates than open reaches (buried=1.5g O2/m2/hr, open=4.5g O2/m2/hr), likely due to lower organic matter standing stocks (buried=12 gAFMD/m2, open=48 gAFDM/m2). Biological activity in the buried reaches was further suppressed by the absence of light which precluded photosynthetic activity and the associated assimilative N demand. Overall, our results demonstrate that the

  20. Word-of-Mouth amongst Students at a New Zealand Tertiary Institution

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Warring, Susan

    2013-01-01

    Purpose: The aim of this case study was to investigate the extent of word-of-mouth influence amongst international students at a New Zealand tertiary institution and to review the literature for a valid and reliable conceptualisation and measurement of word-of-mouth. Design/methodology/approach: Literature suggests that opinion-leading and seeking…

  1. Pain control and chaplaincy in Aotearoa New Zealand.

    PubMed

    Carey, Lindsay B; Polita, Carla; Marsden, Candace Renee; Krikheli, Lillian

    2014-10-01

    This paper summarizes the results of 100 New Zealand health care chaplains with regard to their involvement in issues concerning pain control within the New Zealand health care context. Both quantitative (via survey) and qualitative methods (in-depth interviewing) were utilized. The findings of this study indicated that approximately 52 % of surveyed hospital chaplains had provided some form of pastoral intervention directly to patients and/or their families dealing with issues concerning pain and that approximately 30 % of hospital chaplains had assisted clinical staff with issues concerning pain. NZ chaplaincy personnel involved in pain-related issues utilized a number of pastoral interventions to assist patients, their families and clinical staff. Differences of involvement between professionally stipended hospital chaplains and their volunteer chaplaincy assistants are noted, as are the perspectives of interviewed chaplains about their pastoral interventions with issues relating to pain. Some implications of this study with respect to chaplaincy utility, training and collaboration with clinical staff are noted, as are comparisons with international findings.

  2. Sarcoptes scabiei on hedgehogs in New Zealand.

    PubMed

    Kriechbaum, Caroline; Pomroy, William; Gedye, Kristene

    2018-03-01

    European hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) were introduced into New Zealand from Britain during the period from 1869 to the early 1900s. The only mite found on New Zealand hedgehogs in early studies was Caparinia tripilis, with Sarcoptes scabiei first being reported in 1996. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of Sarcoptes infestation on hedgehogs in New Zealand, the number of mites found and the degree of mange observed. Dead hedgehogs were collected from veterinary clinics, rescue centres, members of the public and from road-kill. Twenty-one (55.3%) of the animals examined had visible skin lesions. Both Caparinia and Sarcoptes mites were identified on microscopic examination with Sarcoptes the most common, being found on over 70% of animals examined (n = 38). The numbers of mites recovered after brushing the head and body ranged from 1 to 5659 (median = 341 mites) with only six animals (22.2%) having fewer than 10 Sarcoptes mites found. Caparinia mites were seen on fewer animals and generally in very low numbers. These findings indicate a change in the mite populations on hedgehogs in New Zealand and that infected animals develop the debilitating hyperkeratotic form of sarcoptic mange without an accompanying hypersensitivity response limiting numbers of mites. Analysis of the cox 1 gene of Sarcoptes from two hedgehogs showed close alignment to sequences derived from a pig with one and from a dog with the second. More work needs to be undertaken to identify the source(s) of the Sarcoptes found on hedgehogs in New Zealand and whether other mammalian hosts may be infected from contact with hedgehogs.

  3. Current National Approach to Healthcare ICT Standardization: Focus on Progress in New Zealand.

    PubMed

    Park, Young-Taek; Atalag, Koray

    2015-07-01

    Many countries try to efficiently deliver high quality healthcare services at lower and manageable costs where healthcare information and communication technologies (ICT) standardisation may play an important role. New Zealand provides a good model of healthcare ICT standardisation. The purpose of this study was to review the current healthcare ICT standardisation and progress in New Zealand. This study reviewed the reports regarding the healthcare ICT standardisation in New Zealand. We also investigated relevant websites related with the healthcare ICT standards, most of which were run by the government. Then, we summarised the governance structure, standardisation processes, and their output regarding the current healthcare ICT standards status of New Zealand. New Zealand government bodies have established a set of healthcare ICT standards and clear guidelines and procedures for healthcare ICT standardisation. Government has actively participated in various enactments of healthcare ICT standards from the inception of ideas to their eventual retirement. Great achievements in eHealth have already been realized, and various standards are currently utilised at all levels of healthcare regionally and nationally. Standard clinical terminologies, such as International Classification of Diseases (ICD) and Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine - Clinical Terms (SNOMED-CT) have been adopted and Health Level Seven (HL7) standards are actively used in health information exchanges. The government to New Zealand has well organised ICT institutions, guidelines, and regulations, as well as various programs, such as e-Medications and integrated care services. Local district health boards directly running hospitals have effectively adopted various new ICT standards. They might already be benefiting from improved efficiency resulting from healthcare ICT standardisation.

  4. StreamExplorer: A Multi-Stage System for Visually Exploring Events in Social Streams.

    PubMed

    Wu, Yingcai; Chen, Zhutian; Sun, Guodao; Xie, Xiao; Cao, Nan; Liu, Shixia; Cui, Weiwei

    2017-10-18

    Analyzing social streams is important for many applications, such as crisis management. However, the considerable diversity, increasing volume, and high dynamics of social streams of large events continue to be significant challenges that must be overcome to ensure effective exploration. We propose a novel framework by which to handle complex social streams on a budget PC. This framework features two components: 1) an online method to detect important time periods (i.e., subevents), and 2) a tailored GPU-assisted Self-Organizing Map (SOM) method, which clusters the tweets of subevents stably and efficiently. Based on the framework, we present StreamExplorer to facilitate the visual analysis, tracking, and comparison of a social stream at three levels. At a macroscopic level, StreamExplorer uses a new glyph-based timeline visualization, which presents a quick multi-faceted overview of the ebb and flow of a social stream. At a mesoscopic level, a map visualization is employed to visually summarize the social stream from either a topical or geographical aspect. At a microscopic level, users can employ interactive lenses to visually examine and explore the social stream from different perspectives. Two case studies and a task-based evaluation are used to demonstrate the effectiveness and usefulness of StreamExplorer.Analyzing social streams is important for many applications, such as crisis management. However, the considerable diversity, increasing volume, and high dynamics of social streams of large events continue to be significant challenges that must be overcome to ensure effective exploration. We propose a novel framework by which to handle complex social streams on a budget PC. This framework features two components: 1) an online method to detect important time periods (i.e., subevents), and 2) a tailored GPU-assisted Self-Organizing Map (SOM) method, which clusters the tweets of subevents stably and efficiently. Based on the framework, we present Stream

  5. International Adventures: A Recreational Main Course with Some Learning on the Side

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mertz, Tim

    2008-01-01

    This past Winter, Stout Adventures at the University of Wisconsin-Stout took off for its first International Trip. Nine students, two student trip leaders and the author traveled New Zealand's South Island for twenty-two days. Jumping out of planes, rafting rivers, leaping off bungy platforms, sea-kayaking both Milford Sound and Abel Tasman…

  6. Implementation of the HbA1c IFCC unit --from the laboratory to the consumer: The New Zealand experience.

    PubMed

    Florkowski, Christopher; Crooke, Michael; Reed, Maxine

    2014-05-15

    In 2007, an international consensus statement recommended that HbA1c results should be reported world-wide in IFCC units (mmol/mol) and also the more familiar derived percentage units using a master equation. In New Zealand, the HbA1c IFCC units have been successfully implemented and used exclusively since 3rd October 2011 (following a 2 year period of reporting both units) for both patient monitoring and the diagnosis of diabetes, with a diagnostic cut-off of ≥50 mmol/mol. The consultation process in New Zealand dates back to 2003, well before the international recommendations were made. It reflects the close cooperation between the clinical and laboratory communities in New Zealand, particularly through the agency of the New Zealand Society for the Study of Diabetes (NZSSD), a key organisation in New Zealand open to all those involved in the care of people with diabetes and the national advisory body on scientific and clinical diabetes care and standards. There was a phased process of consultation designed to increase familiarity and comfort with the new units and the final step was coupled with the adoption of HbA1c as a diagnostic test with some evidence-based pragmatism around using the rounded cut-off. Genuine clinical engagement is vital in such a process. © 2013.

  7. Case clusters of leproid granulomas in foxhounds in New Zealand and Australia.

    PubMed

    Smits, Bronwyn; Willis, Richard; Malik, Richard; Studdert, Virginia; Collins, Desmond M; Kawakami, Pamela; Graham, Duncan; Fyfe, Janet A

    2012-12-01

    Canine leproid granuloma (CLG) characteristically presents as single to multiple circumscribed dermal to subcutaneous nodules in haired skin. An unidentified mycobacterium is considered be the aetiological agent of this entity. Several cases of canine leproid granulomas occurred in dogs in New Zealand during 2010 and 2011. Cases appeared in clusters, affecting multiple closely related foxhounds domiciled in the same kennels. All affected hounds recovered after topical and/or systemic antimicrobial therapy. Two similar outbreaks that occurred in foxhounds near Melbourne, Australia are also reported. Cases were investigated using cytological, histological, microbiological and several molecular techniques. An environmental epidemiological study was also performed. A diagnosis of CLG was established in 11 dogs. Molecular identification of the causative agent confirmed that it was a mycobacterial species with 100% sequence homology within the amplified regions of the 16S rRNA gene and internal transcribed spacer (ITS1) with that found in association with similar infections from the USA, Brazil and Australia. This report details the first occurrence of multiple cases of CLG occurring in in-contact dogs and the first proven case of CLG in dogs in New Zealand. © 2012 The Authors. Veterinary Dermatology © 2012 ESVD and ACVD.

  8. Coexistence of two freshwater turtle species along a Mediterranean stream: The role of spatial and temporal heterogeneity

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Segurado, Pedro; Figueiredo, Diogo

    2007-09-01

    In the Iberian Peninsula the European pond turtle ( Emys orbicularis) and the Mediterranean pond turtle ( Mauremys leprosa) share many freshwater habitats, in particular Mediterranean streams. Whether and how these two species divide space within those habitats is poorly known in part due to the very low abundance of E. orbicularis at most syntopic sites. The spatial coexistence of these two species was studied along a 1.3 km reach of a typical Mediterranean stream based on data from trapping sessions and basking counts. The effect of the hydrological regime on differences in space use between species was also assessed. Spatial associations between species and between each species and microhabitat descriptors were estimated using a permutation procedure to account for spatial autocorrelation. Differences in the use of space were also estimated using a resample technique to account for the small sample sizes of E. orbicularis. Results indicate that E. orbicularis shows a preference for temporary, shallow, well vegetated and sandy reaches, while M. leprosa is less selective regarding microhabitat. Differences between E. orbicularis and juveniles of M. leprosa were less obvious. The high spatial heterogeneity of Mediterranean streams may be responsible for the persistence of viable populations of E. orbicularis as well as favouring the coexistence of the two turtle species. Therefore, stream habitat management and conservation plans for E. orbicularis should give priority to the maintenance of high levels of heterogeneity along Mediterranean streams.

  9. First detection of Wolbachia in the New Zealand biota.

    PubMed

    Bridgeman, Benjamin; Morgan-Richards, Mary; Wheeler, David; Trewick, Steven A

    2018-01-01

    Wolbachia is one of the most widespread intracellular bacteria on earth, estimated to infect between 40 and 66% of arthropod species in most ecosystems that have been surveyed. Their significance rests not only in their vast distribution, but also in their ability to modify the reproductive biology of their hosts, which can ultimately affect genetic diversity and speciation of infected populations. Wolbachia has yet to be formally identified in the fauna of New Zealand which has high levels of endemic biodiversity and this represents a gap in our understanding of the global biology of Wolbachia. Using High Throughput Sequencing (HTS) of host DNA in conjunction with traditional molecular techniques we identified six endemic Orthoptera species that were positive for Wolbachia infection. In addition, short-sequence amplification with Wolbachia specific primers applied to New Zealand and introduced invertebrates detected a further 153 individuals positive for Wolbachia. From these short-range DNA amplification products sequence data was obtained for the ftsZ gene region from 86 individuals representing 10 host species. Phylogenetic analysis using the sequences obtained in this study reveals that there are two distinct Wolbachia bacteria lineages in New Zealand hosts belonging to recognised Wolbachia supergroups (A and B). These represent the first described instances of Wolbachia in the New Zealand native fauna, including detection in putative parasitoids of infected Orthoptera suggesting a possible transmission path. Our detection of Wolbachia infections of New Zealand species provides the opportunity to study local transmission of Wolbachia and explore their role in the evolution of New Zealand invertebrates.

  10. International Environmental Evaluation for the Helical Screw Expander Generator Unit Projects in Cesano, Italy and Broadlands, New Zealand

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Webb, J.W.; Mezga, L.J.; Reed, A.W.

    1981-08-01

    The objectives of the Helical Screw Expander (HSE) Generator Program are (1) to accelerate the development of geothermal resources by introducing this advanced conversion technology, (2) to provide operating experience to prospective users of the equipment, and (3) to collect data on the performance and reliability of the equipment under various geothermal resource conditions. The participants hope to achieve these goals by testing a small-scale, transportable HSE generator at existing geothermal test facilities that produce fluids of different salinity, temperature and pressure conditions. This Environmental Evaluation has been prepared, using available information, to analyze the environmental consequences of testing themore » HSE generator. Its purpose is to support a decision on the need for a complete environmental review of the HSE program under the terms of Executive Order 121 14, ''Environmental Effects Abroad of Major federal Actions''. This Executive Order requires review of projects which involve the release of potentially toxic effluents that are strictly regulated in the United States, or which may have significant environmental effects on the global commons, on natural or ecological resources of international significance, or on the environment of non-participating countries. The final guidelines implementing the provisions of the Executive Order for DOE have been published. This evaluation deals with testing to be conducted at Cesano, Italy by the designated contractor of the Italian government, the Ente Narionale per l'Energia Ellectrica (ENEL), and at Broadlands, New Zealand by the Ministry of Works and Development of New Zealand. Testing at Cerro Prieto, Mexico has already been completed by the Comision Federal de Electricidad and is not evaluated in this report.« less

  11. Stream salamanders as indicators of stream quality in Maryland, USA

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Southerland, M.T.; Jung, R.E.; Baxter, D.P.; Chellman, I.C.; Mercurio, G.; Volstad, J.H.

    2004-01-01

    Biological indicators are critical to the protection of small, headwater streams and the ecological values they provide. Maryland and other state monitoring programs have determined that fish indicators are ineffective in small streams, where stream salamanders may replace fish as top predators. Because of their life history, physiology, abundance, and ubiquity, stream salamanders are likely representative of biological integrity in these streams. The goal of this study was to determine whether stream salamanders are effective indicators of ecological conditions across biogeographic regions and gradients of human disturbance. During the summers of 2001 and 2002, we intensively surveyed for stream salamanders at 76 stream sites located west of the Maryland Coastal Plain, sites also monitored by the Maryland Biological Stream Survey (MBSS) and City of Gaithersburg. We found 1,584 stream salamanders, including all eight species known in Maryland, using two 15 ? 2 m transects and two 4 m2 quadrats that spanned both stream bank and channel. We performed removal sampling on transects to estimate salamander species detection probabilities, which ranged from 0.67-0.85. Stepwise regressions identified 15 of 52 non-salamander variables, representing water quality, physical habitat, land use, and biological conditions, which best predicted salamander metrics. Indicator development involved (1) identifying reference (non-degraded) and degraded sites (using percent forest, shading, riparian buffer width, aesthetic rating, and benthic macroinvertebrate and fish indices of biotic integrity); (2) testing 12 candidate salamander metrics (representing species richness and composition, abundance, species tolerance, and reproductive function) for their ability to distinguish reference from degraded sites; and (3) combining metrics into an index that effectively discriminated sites according to known stream conditions. Final indices for Highlands, Piedmont, and Non-Coastal Plain

  12. Punching loan sharks on the nose: effective interventions to reduce financial hardship in New Zealand.

    PubMed

    Signal, Louise; Lanumata, Tolotea; Bowers, Sharron

    2012-08-01

    Growth in the high-cost, unregulated fringe lender market (with these lenders commonly referred to as loan sharks) has occurred both internationally and in New Zealand in recent years. The credit practices of loan sharks create financial hardship for many people including Māori, Pacific and low-income New Zealanders. This paper reports on research that explored strategies for reducing the impact of the fringe lender market on Māori, Pacific and low-income New Zealanders. A narrative literature review and 10 key informant interviews were conducted to provide information on how best to intervene to reduce the impact of the fringe lender market for these people. The main interventions identified were: two regulatory approaches, one for capping interest rates and another to create codes of responsible lending; access to safe affordable micro-finance options; financial literacy education; and Pacific cultural change around fa'alavelave, which are the 'obligations' of giving. Protecting consumers from the unsafe practices of fringe lenders requires a combined approach of discouraging the undesirable practices of fringe lenders through regulation and encouraging the growth of safe, affordable micro-finance options. Financial literacy education is a valuable activity for directing consumer attention to the safest options, but in isolation will have limited effect if options are limited. Health promoters have a valuable role to play in implementing these interventions.

  13. The Coming of Age of Statistics Education in New Zealand, and Its Influence Internationally

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Forbes, Sharleen

    2014-01-01

    New Zealand has been leading the world in terms of the data handling, and in more recent years, data visualisation approach in its school statistics curriculum. In 2013, bootstrapping and randomisation were added to the senior secondary school (Ministry of Education 2012). This paper gives an historical perspective of the people and groups that…

  14. A new Starlight Reserve for the central South Island of New Zealand

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hearnshaw, John

    2015-03-01

    The Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve is a new reserve created in 2012 by the International Dark-Sky Association in the central South Island of New Zealand, and covers over 4300 square kilometres around Mt John University Observatory. It is the first such reserve to be recognized at gold tier level and is the largest dark sky reserve in the world. Astro-tourism in the new reserve will be a prominent activity in the coming years.

  15. Two tales of legacy effects on stream nutrient behaviour

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bieroza, M.; Heathwaite, A. L.

    2017-12-01

    Intensive agriculture has led to large-scale land use conversion, shortening of flow pathways and increased loads of nutrients in streams. This legacy results in gradual build-up of nutrients in agricultural catchments: in soil for phosphorus (biogeochemical legacy) and in the unsaturated zone for nitrate (hydrologic legacy), controlling the water quality in the long-term. Here we investigate these effects on phosphorus and nitrate stream concentrations using high-frequency (10-5 - 100 Hz) sampling with in situ wet-chemistry analysers and optical sensors. Based on our 5 year study, we observe that storm flow responses differ for both nutrients: phosphorus shows rapid increases (up to 3 orders of magnitude) in concentrations with stream flow, whereas nitrate shows both dilution and concentration effects with increasing flow. However, the range of nitrate concentrations change is narrow (up to 2 times the mean) and reflects chemostatic behaviour. We link these nutrient responses with their dominant sources and flow pathways in the catchment. Nitrate from agriculture (with the peak loading in 1983) is stored in the unsaturated zone of the Penrith Sandstone, which can reach up to 70 m depth. Thus nitrate legacy is related to a hydrologic time lag with long travel times in the unsaturated zone. Phosphorus is mainly sorbed to soil particles, therefore it is mobilised rapidly during rainfall events (biogeochemical legacy). The phosphorus stream response will however depend on how well connected is the stream to the catchment sources (driven by soil moisture distribution) and biogeochemical activity (driven by temperature), leading to both chemostatic and non-chemostatic responses, alternating on a storm-to-storm and seasonal basis. Our results also show that transient within-channel storage is playing an important role in delivery of phosphorus, providing an additional time lag component. These results show, that consistent agricultural legacy in the catchment (high

  16. A Detailed 31,000-Year Record of Climate and Vegetation Change, from the Isotope Geochemistry of Two New Zealand Speleothems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hellstrom, John; McCulloch, Malcolm; Stone, John

    1998-09-01

    Uranium-series dating and stable isotope analyses of two speleothems from northwest Nelson, New Zealand, record changes in regional climate and local forest extent over the past 31,000 years. Oxygen isotope variation in these speleothems primarily represents changes in the meteoric waters falling above the caves, possibly responding to latitudinal changes in the position of the Subtropical Front in the Tasman Sea. Seven positive excursions can be identified in the oxygen isotope record, which coincide with periods of glacier advance, known to be sensitive to northward movement of the Subtropical Front. Four glacier advances occurred during oxygen isotope stage 2, with the most extreme glacial conditions centered on 19,000 cal yr B.P. 2An excursion in the oxygen isotope record from 13,800 to 11,700 cal yr B.P. provides support for a previously identified New Zealand glacier advance at the time of the Younger Dryas Stade, but suggests it began slightly before the Younger Dryas as recorded in Greenland ice cores. Carbon isotope variations in the speleothems record changes in forest productivity, closely matching existing paleovegetation records. On the basis of vegetation changes, stage 2 glacial climate conditions terminated abruptly in central New Zealand, from 15,700 to 14,200 cal yr B.P. Evidence of continuous speleothem growth at one site suggests that depression of the local treeline was limited to 600-700 m below its present altitude, throughout the last 31,000 years. All ages reported or cited in this paper are in calendar years before present, expressed as "cal yr B.P." With the exception of the U-series dates of Williams (1996), all ages cited for events in New Zealand were reported by the sources cited as radiocarbon ages. In this paper, these radiocarbon ages have been corrected to calendar years before present using the 1993 calibration data set of Stuiver and Reimer (1993), or, for ages of greater than 19,000 14C yr B.P., by the addition of 4000 yr, on

  17. Applying fire spread simulators in New Zealand and Australia: Results from an international seminar

    Treesearch

    Tonja Opperman; Jim Gould; Mark Finney; Cordy Tymstra

    2006-01-01

    There is currently no spatial wildfire spread and growth simulation model used commonly across New Zealand or Australia. Fire management decision-making would be enhanced through the use of spatial fire simulators. Various groups from around the world met in January 2006 to evaluate the applicability of different spatial fire spread applications for common use in both...

  18. Smoking in film in New Zealand: measuring risk exposure

    PubMed Central

    Gale, Jesse; Fry, Bridget; Smith, Tara; Okawa, Ken; Chakrabarti, Anannya; Ah-Yen, Damien; Yi, Jesse; Townsend, Simon; Carroll, Rebecca; Stockwell, Alannah; Sievwright, Andrea; Dew, Kevin; Thomson, George

    2006-01-01

    Background Smoking in film is a risk factor for smoking uptake in adolescence. This study aimed to quantify exposure to smoking in film received by New Zealand audiences, and evaluate potential interventions to reduce the quantity and impact of this exposure. Methods The ten highest-grossing films in New Zealand for 2003 were each analysed independently by two viewers for smoking, smoking references and related imagery. Potential interventions were explored by reviewing relevant New Zealand legislation, and scientific literature. Results Seven of the ten films contained at least one tobacco reference, similar to larger film samples. The majority of the 38 tobacco references involved characters smoking, most of whom were male. Smoking was associated with positive character traits, notably rebellion (which may appeal to adolescents). There appeared to be a low threshold for including smoking in film. Legislative or censorship approaches to smoking in film are currently unlikely to succeed. Anti-smoking advertising before films has promise, but experimental research is required to demonstrate cost effectiveness. Conclusion Smoking in film warrants concern from public health advocates. In New Zealand, pre-film anti-smoking advertising appears to be the most promising immediate policy response. PMID:17020623

  19. Smoking in film in New Zealand: measuring risk exposure.

    PubMed

    Gale, Jesse; Fry, Bridget; Smith, Tara; Okawa, Ken; Chakrabarti, Anannya; Ah-Yen, Damien; Yi, Jesse; Townsend, Simon; Carroll, Rebecca; Stockwell, Alannah; Sievwright, Andrea; Dew, Kevin; Thomson, George

    2006-10-04

    Smoking in film is a risk factor for smoking uptake in adolescence. This study aimed to quantify exposure to smoking in film received by New Zealand audiences, and evaluate potential interventions to reduce the quantity and impact of this exposure. The ten highest-grossing films in New Zealand for 2003 were each analysed independently by two viewers for smoking, smoking references and related imagery. Potential interventions were explored by reviewing relevant New Zealand legislation, and scientific literature. Seven of the ten films contained at least one tobacco reference, similar to larger film samples. The majority of the 38 tobacco references involved characters smoking, most of whom were male. Smoking was associated with positive character traits, notably rebellion (which may appeal to adolescents). There appeared to be a low threshold for including smoking in film. Legislative or censorship approaches to smoking in film are currently unlikely to succeed. Anti-smoking advertising before films has promise, but experimental research is required to demonstrate cost effectiveness. Smoking in film warrants concern from public health advocates. In New Zealand, pre-film anti-smoking advertising appears to be the most promising immediate policy response.

  20. Fingerprinting two metal contaminants in streams with Cu isotopes near the Dexing Mine, China.

    PubMed

    Song, Shiming; Mathur, Ryan; Ruiz, Joaquin; Chen, Dandan; Allin, Nicholas; Guo, Kunyi; Kang, Wenkai

    2016-02-15

    Transition metal isotope signatures are becoming useful for fingerprinting sources in surface waters. This study explored the use of Cu isotope values to trace dissolved metal contaminants in stream water throughout a watershed affected by mining by-products of the Dexing Mine, the largest porphyry Cu operation in Asia. Cu isotope values of stream water were compared to potential mineral sources of Cu in the mining operation, and to proximity to the known Cu sources. The first mineral source, chalcopyrite, CuFeS2 has a 'tight' cluster of Cu isotope values (-0.15‰ to +1.65‰; +0.37 ± 0.6‰, 1σ, n=10), and the second mineral source, pyrite (FeS2), has a much larger range of Cu isotope values (-4‰ to +11.9‰; 2.7 ± 4.3‰, 1σ, n=16). Dissolved Cu isotope values of stream water indicated metal derived from either chalcopyrite or pyrite. Above known Cu mineralization, stream waters are approximately +1.5‰ greater than the average chalcopyrite and are interpreted as derived from weathering of chalcopyrite. In contrast, dissolved Cu isotope values in stream water emanating from tailings piles had Cu isotope values similar to or greater than pyrite (>+6‰, a common mineral in the tailings). These values are interpreted as sourced from the tailings, even in solutions that possess significantly lower concentrations of Cu (<0.05 ppm). Elevated Cu isotope values were also found in two soil and two tailings samples (δ(65)Cu ranging between +2 to +5‰). These data point to the mineral pyrite in tailings as the mineral source for the elevated Cu isotope values. Therefore, Cu isotope values of waters emanating from a clearly contaminated drainage possess different Cu isotope values, permitting the discrimination of Cu derived from chalcopyrite and pyrite in solution. Data demonstrate the utility of Cu isotopic values in waters, minerals, and soils to fingerprint metallic contamination for environmental problems. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Keeping it cool: unraveling the influences on stream temperature.

    Treesearch

    Jonathan Thompson

    2005-01-01

    Water temperature influences virtually every biotic component of stream ecosystems. Not surprisingly, increased summer temperatures in streams with coldwater species of fish such as salmon and trout have become a topic of concern regionally and internationally. Although stream temperature has been studied for many years, controversy continues over the relative...

  2. Imported malaria in Auckland, New Zealand.

    PubMed

    Camburn, Anna E; Ingram, R Joan H; Holland, David; Read, Kerry; Taylor, Susan

    2012-11-09

    To describe the current malaria situation in Auckland, New Zealand. We collected data on all cases of malaria diagnosed in Auckland from 1st October 2008 to 30th September 2009. Enhanced surveillance was arranged with all hospital and community haematology laboratories in the region. Laboratories notified us when a diagnosis of malaria was made. After obtaining informed consent the patient was asked about their travel, prophylaxis taken and symptoms. Laboratory results were collected. There were 36 cases of malaria in 34 patients. Consent could not be obtained from two patients so data is from 34 cases in 32 patients. (One patient had P.falciparum then later P.vivax, the other had P.vivax and relapsed.) There were 24 males and 8 females with a median age of 21 years (range 6 months to 75 years). Eleven of the 32 were New Zealand residents. 8 of these 11 had travelled to visit friends or relatives (VFR) while 3 were missionaries. In this group 6 had P.falciparum, 4 P.vivax and one had both. Twenty-one of the 32 were new arrivals to New Zealand: 11 refugees and 10 migrants. Malaria in Auckland is seen in new arrivals and VFR travellers, not in tourist travellers.

  3. Project ACTIVate: Innovations from New Zealand

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yelas, Janet; Engles, Paul

    2010-01-01

    This case study discusses a collaborative three year project involving two school clusters located in the North Island and South Island of New Zealand. The project was named "Project ACTIVate" and its main thrust was to study how the use of the interactive whiteboard (IWB) combined with teaching, learning and research across schools. The…

  4. Analyzing indicators of stream health for Minnesota streams

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Singh, U.; Kocian, M.; Wilson, B.; Bolton, A.; Nieber, J.; Vondracek, B.; Perry, J.; Magner, J.

    2005-01-01

    Recent research has emphasized the importance of using physical, chemical, and biological indicators of stream health for diagnosing impaired watersheds and their receiving water bodies. A multidisciplinary team at the University of Minnesota is carrying out research to develop a stream classification system for Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) assessment. Funding for this research is provided by the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. One objective of the research study involves investigating the relationships between indicators of stream health and localized stream characteristics. Measured data from Minnesota streams collected by various government and non-government agencies and research institutions have been obtained for the research study. Innovative Geographic Information Systems tools developed by the Environmental Science Research Institute and the University of Texas are being utilized to combine and organize the data. Simple linear relationships between index of biological integrity (IBI) and channel slope, two-year stream flow, and drainage area are presented for the Redwood River and the Snake River Basins. Results suggest that more rigorous techniques are needed to successfully capture trends in IBI scores. Additional analyses will be done using multiple regression, principal component analysis, and clustering techniques. Uncovering key independent variables and understanding how they fit together to influence stream health are critical in the development of a stream classification for TMDL assessment.

  5. Electronic Medical Consultation: A New Zealand Perspective

    PubMed Central

    Brebner, Campbell; Jones, Raymond; Marshall, Wendy; Parry, Graham

    2001-01-01

    Electronic medical consultation is available worldwide through access to the World Wide Web (WWW). This article outlines a research study on the adoption of electronic medical consultation as a means of health delivery. It focuses on the delivery of healthcare specifically for New Zealanders, by New Zealanders. It is acknowledged that the WWW is a global marketplace and that it is therefore difficult to identify New Zealanders' use of such a global market; nevertheless, we attempt to provide a New Zealand perspective on electronic medical consultation. PMID:11720955

  6. Two Dimensional Array Based Overlay Network for Balancing Load of Peer-to-Peer Live Video Streaming

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Faruq Ibn Ibrahimy, Abdullah; Rafiqul, Islam Md; Anwar, Farhat; Ibn Ibrahimy, Muhammad

    2013-12-01

    The live video data is streaming usually in a tree-based overlay network or in a mesh-based overlay network. In case of departure of a peer with additional upload bandwidth, the overlay network becomes very vulnerable to churn. In this paper, a two dimensional array-based overlay network is proposed for streaming the live video stream data. As there is always a peer or a live video streaming server to upload the live video stream data, so the overlay network is very stable and very robust to churn. Peers are placed according to their upload and download bandwidth, which enhances the balance of load and performance. The overlay network utilizes the additional upload bandwidth of peers to minimize chunk delivery delay and to maximize balance of load. The procedure, which is used for distributing the additional upload bandwidth of the peers, distributes the additional upload bandwidth to the heterogeneous strength peers in a fair treat distribution approach and to the homogeneous strength peers in a uniform distribution approach. The proposed overlay network has been simulated by Qualnet from Scalable Network Technologies and results are presented in this paper.

  7. Primary Prevention of Sexual Violence in Aotearoa New Zealand.

    PubMed

    Dickson, Sandra; Willis, Gwenda M

    2017-03-01

    The extensive and sometimes profoundly damaging effects of sexual violence and large numbers of victims necessitate dedicated attention to primary prevention efforts. Few studies have examined the scope of current prevention activities or their fit with empirical research into effective prevention strategies. The current article presents findings from a survey of primary prevention activities in non-Māori and bicultural communities within Aotearoa New Zealand. Forty-four respondents representing 42 agencies responded to a comprehensive survey that canvased types of sexual violence primary prevention activities undertaken, sexual violence primary prevention programs, and barriers and supports to sexual violence prevention work. Consistent with findings from previous international surveys, the focus of primary prevention work in New Zealand was on sexual violence education and increasing awareness. Findings are discussed in the context of the sexual violence prevention literature and what works in prevention more broadly to help identify promising initiatives as well as gaps in current practices. Recommendations for advancing sexual violence primary prevention research are also provided.

  8. New Zealand consumers' perceptions of private insurance for pharmaceuticals.

    PubMed

    Ragupathy, Rajan; Babar, Zaheer-Ud-Din; Mirza, Wasif; Daiya, Mitali; Chandra, Himesh; Yousif, Ali; Girn, Maninder

    2014-01-01

    Private insurance plays a minor role in paying for pharmaceuticals in New Zealand, despite controversy about access through the public health system. The present study examines New Zealand consumers' perceptions of private insurance for pharmaceuticals. A self-administered questionnaire was completed by 433 consumers at thirty pharmacies. The questionnaire included 18 questions on demographics, insurance status, perceptions of private insurance for pharmaceuticals and confidence in the public health system. Forty six percent of respondents had private health insurance. Respondents were more likely to have private health insurance as household income increased, and confidence in the public health system decreased. (Over two thirds of respondents were either confident or very confident in the public health system). Nineteen percent had private health insurance for pharmaceuticals, and the likelihood was not affected by household income or confidence in the public health system. Sixty one percent believed private insurance for pharmaceuticals would increase availability and affordability of pharmaceuticals. However, just over half were willing to pay for private insurance for pharmaceuticals. Of these, over two thirds were only willing to pay $20 per year or less. New Zealand pharmacy consumers' willingness to pay for private insurance for pharmaceuticals is very low.

  9. Multimorbidity, clinical decision making and health care delivery in New Zealand Primary care: a qualitative study.

    PubMed

    Stokes, Tim; Tumilty, Emma; Doolan-Noble, Fiona; Gauld, Robin

    2017-04-05

    Multimorbidity is a major issue for primary care. We aimed to explore primary care professionals' accounts of managing multimorbidity and its impact on clinical decision making and regional health care delivery. Qualitative interviews with 12 General Practitioners and 4 Primary Care Nurses in New Zealand's Otago region. Thematic analysis was conducted using the constant comparative method. Primary care professionals encountered challenges in providing care to patients with multimorbidity with respect to both clinical decision making and health care delivery. Clinical decision making occurred in time-limited consultations where the challenges of complexity and inadequacy of single disease guidelines were managed through the use of "satisficing" (care deemed satisfactory and sufficient for a given patient) and sequential consultations utilising relational continuity of care. The New Zealand primary care co-payment funding model was seen as a barrier to the delivery of care as it discourages sequential consultations, a problem only partially addressed through the use of the additional capitation based funding stream of Care Plus. Fragmentation of care also occurred within general practice and across the primary/secondary care interface. These findings highlight specific New Zealand barriers to the delivery of primary care to patients living with multimorbidity. There is a need to develop, implement and nationally evaluate a revised version of Care Plus that takes account of these barriers.

  10. A novel WDM passive optical network architecture supporting two independent multicast data streams

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Qiu, Yang; Chan, Chun-Kit

    2012-01-01

    We propose a novel scheme to perform optical multicast overlay of two independent multicast data streams on a wavelength-division-multiplexed (WDM) passive optical network. By controlling a sinusoidal clock signal and shifting the wavelength at the optical line terminal (OLT), the delivery of the two multicast data, being carried by the generated optical tones, can be independently and flexibly controlled. Simultaneous transmission of 10-Gb/s unicast downstream and upstream data as well as two independent 10-Gb/s multicast data was successfully demonstrated.

  11. Frequency-duration analysis of dissolved-oxygen concentrations in two southwestern Wisconsin streams

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Greb, Steven R.; Graczyk, David J.

    2007-01-01

    Historically, dissolved-oxygen (DO) data have been collected in the same manner as other water-quality constituents, typically at infrequent intervals as a grab sample or an instantaneous meter reading. Recent years have seen an increase in continuous water-quality monitoring with electronic dataloggers. This new technique requires new approaches in the statistical analysis of the continuous record. This paper presents an application of frequency-duration analysis to the continuous DO records of a cold and a warm water stream in rural southwestern Wisconsin. This method offers a quick, concise way to summarize large time-series data bases in an easily interpretable manner. Even though the two streams had similar mean DO concentrations, frequency-duration analyses showed distinct differences in their DO-concentration regime. This type of analysis also may be useful in relating DO concentrations to biological effects and in predicting low DO occurrences.

  12. Performing Manaaki and New Zealand Refugee Theatre

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hazou, Rand T.

    2018-01-01

    In September 2015, and in response to the Syrian refugee crisis, there were widespread calls in New Zealand urging the Government to raise its annual Refugee Quota. Maori Party co-leader Marama Fox argued that New Zealand could afford to take on more refugees as part of its global citizenship and suggested that New Zealand's policy might be shaped…

  13. New views of the Gulf Stream

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Todd, R. E.

    2016-02-01

    The Gulf Stream plays a major role in the climate system and is a significant forcing agent for the coastal circulation along the US East Coast, yet routine subsurface measurements of Gulf Stream structure are only collected in the Florida Straits and between New Jersey and Bermuda. A recent pilot program demonstrated the feasibility of using underwater gliders to repeatedly survey across the Gulf Stream and to provide subsurface Gulf Stream observations to the community in realtime. Spray gliders were deployed on three-month missions from Miami, Florida to the New England shelf south of Cape Cod, during which they zigzagged back and forth across the Gulf Stream. Three such deployments have been completed so far with a total of more than 20 cross-Gulf Stream transects occupied. These new observations detail the subsurface structure and variability of the Gulf Stream upstream and downstream of its separation from the continental margin, reveal large-amplitude internal waves within the boundary current, and capture numerous eddies along the flanks of the Gulf Stream. Future routine glider deployments in the Gulf Stream promise to provide critical observations for examining inherent Gulf Stream variability, investigating western boundary current influences on coastal circulation, and constraining numerical simulations.

  14. New Zealand geothermal: Wairakei -- 40 years

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    NONE

    This quarterly bulletin highlights the geothermal developments in New Zealand with the following articles: A brief history of the Wairakei geothermal power project; Geothermal resources in New Zealand -- An overview; Domestic and commercial heating and bathing -- Rotorua area; Kawerau geothermal development: A case study; Timber drying at Kawerau; Geothermal greenhouses at Kawerau; Drying of fibrous crops using geothermal steam and hot water at the Taupo Lucerne Company; Prawn Park -- Taupo, New Zealand; Geothermal orchids; Miranda hot springs; and Geothermal pipeline.

  15. National Evaluation Standards for Australia and New Zealand: Many Questions but Few Answers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fraser, Doug

    2004-01-01

    Australia and New Zealand stand out as something of an anomaly in the international trend toward developing common standards for evaluation. The national professional association that covers evaluation in both countries, the Australasian Evaluation Society (AES), was one of the earliest and most proactive in developing a comprehensive code of…

  16. Japanese women's experiences of pharmacological pain relief in New Zealand.

    PubMed

    Doering, Keiko; Patterson, Jean; Griffiths, Christine R

    2014-06-01

    In Japan, most women manage labour pain without pharmacological interventions. However, New Zealand statistics show a high percentage of epidural use amongst Asian women. Entonox (a gas mixture of nitrous oxide and oxygen) and pethidine are also available to women in New Zealand. This article investigates how Japanese women in New Zealand respond to the use of pharmacological pain relief in labour. The study was guided by two research questions: (1) How do Japanese women experience and manage labour pain in New Zealand? (2) How do they feel about the use of pharmacological pain relief? Thirteen Japanese women who had given birth in New Zealand were interviewed individually or in a focus group. The conversations were analysed using thematic analysis. Although in Japan very few women use pain relief, nine women received epidural and/or Entonox out of 11 women who experienced labour pain. The contrast between their Japanese cultural expectations and their birth experiences caused some of the women subsequent personal conflict. Japanese women's cultural perspectives and passive attitudes were demonstrated to influence the decision-making process concerning pain relief. It was concluded that understanding Japanese cultural worldviews and approaches to the role of pain in labour would help maternity providers in their provision of appropriate care for Japanese women. Copyright © 2013 Australian College of Midwives. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Ice flow in the Weddell Sea sector of West Antarctica as elucidated by radar-imaged internal layering

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bingham, R. G.; Rippin, D. M.; Karlsson, N. B.; Corr, H.; Ferraccioli, F.; Jordan, T. A.; Le Brocq, A.; Ross, N.; Wright, A.; Siegert, M. J.

    2012-12-01

    Radio-echo sounding (RES) across polar ice sheets reveals extensive, isochronous internal layers, whose stratigraphy, and especially their degree of continuity over multi-km distances, can inform us about both present ice flow and past ice-flow histories. Here, we bring together for the first time two recent advances in this field of cryospheric remote sensing to analyse ice flow into the Weddell Sea sector of West Antarctica. Firstly, we have developed a new quantitative routine for analysing the continuity of internal layers obtained over large areas of ice by airborne RES surveys - we term this routine the "Internal-Layering Continuity-Index (ILCI)". Secondly, in the austral season 2010-11 we acquired, by airborne RES survey, the first comprehensive dataset of deep internal layering across Institute and Möller Ice Streams, two of the more significant feeders of ice into the Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf. Applying the ILCI to SAR-processed (migrated) RES profiles across Institute Ice Stream's catchment reveals two contrasting regions of internal-layering continuity behaviour. In the western portion of the catchment, where ice-stream tributaries incise deeply through the Ellsworth Subglacial Highlands, the continuity of internal layers is most disrupted across the present ice streams. We therefore interpret the ice-flow configuration in this western region as predominantly spatially stable over the lifetime of the ice. Further east, towards Möller Ice Stream, and towards the interior of the ice sheet, the ILCI does not closely match the present ice flow configuration, while across most of present-day Möller Ice Stream itself, the continuity of internal layers is generally low. We propose that the variation in continuity of internal layering across eastern Institute Ice Stream and the neighbouring Möller results primarily from two factors. Firstly, the noncorrespondence of some inland tributaries with internal-layering continuity acts as evidence for past spatial

  18. Influence of two-stream relativistic electron beam parameters on the space-charge wave with broad frequency spectrum formation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Alexander, LYSENKO; Iurii, VOLK

    2018-03-01

    We developed a cubic non-linear theory describing the dynamics of the multiharmonic space-charge wave (SCW), with harmonics frequencies smaller than the two-stream instability critical frequency, with different relativistic electron beam (REB) parameters. The self-consistent differential equation system for multiharmonic SCW harmonic amplitudes was elaborated in a cubic non-linear approximation. This system considers plural three-wave parametric resonant interactions between wave harmonics and the two-stream instability effect. Different REB parameters such as the input angle with respect to focusing magnetic field, the average relativistic factor value, difference of partial relativistic factors, and plasma frequency of partial beams were investigated regarding their influence on the frequency spectrum width and multiharmonic SCW saturation levels. We suggested ways in which the multiharmonic SCW frequency spectrum widths could be increased in order to use them in multiharmonic two-stream superheterodyne free-electron lasers, with the main purpose of forming a powerful multiharmonic electromagnetic wave.

  19. The extent and nature of televised food advertising to New Zealand children and adolescents.

    PubMed

    Hammond, K M; Wyllie, A; Casswell, S

    1999-02-01

    There has been international concern over the balance of television advertising for healthy and less-healthy foods to which children and adolescents are exposed. This study examined the extent to which 9-17 year old New Zealanders were exposed to advertising for different food groups over a year and compared New Zealand rates of advertising with a 13-country study. 'People meter' data collected over three months--May and September 1995 and February 1996--and food advertising from a sample week of television during hours when children were likely to be watching were also examined. Comparison was made with a similar 1989 South Australian study and an international study covering 13 countries. Both the exposure estimated for a year and the opportunities for exposure during the sample week were highest for sweet snacks, drinks, fast food/takeaways and breakfast cereals. There were very low levels for fruit, vegetables, and meat/fish/eggs. Water was not advertised in any sample month. Comparisons with the 13-country study showed New Zealand had the third-highest rate of food advertising, the highest rate of confectionery and drinks advertising, and the second-highest rate of restaurant advertising which included fast food restaurants. Current patterns of food advertising pose a conflict of interest between public health and commercial interests. Regulation of food advertising may be needed to address this in order to improve future health.

  20. A retrospective survey into the presence of Plasmodium spp. and Toxoplasma gondii in archived tissue samples from New Zealand raptors: New Zealand falcons (Falco novaeseelandiae), Australasian harriers (Circus approximans) and moreporks (Ninox novaeseelandiae).

    PubMed

    Mirza, V; Burrows, E B; Gils, S; Hunter, S; Gartrell, B D; Howe, L

    2017-08-01

    Human colonisation of New Zealand has resulted in the introduction of emerging diseases, such as avian malaria and toxoplasmosis, which arrived with their exotic avian and mammalian hosts. Plasmodium spp. and Toxoplasma gondii have a wide host range, and several species of endemic New Zealand birds have developed a fatal disease following infection with either pathogen. However, no reports of either toxoplasmosis or avian malaria in New Zealand raptors, namely, the New Zealand falcons (Falco novaeseelandiae), Australasian harriers (Circus approximans) and moreporks (Ninox novaeseelandiae) exist in the literature. Therefore, this study was designed to determine if these two pathogens are present in these raptors through a retrospective analysis of archived tissue samples. Detection and isolate identification of these pathogens was determined using established histological and molecular techniques. All three species of New Zealand raptors tested positive for the presence of Plasmodium spp. (10/117; 8.5%) and an atypical genotype of T. gondii (9/117; 7.7%). Plasmodium lineages identified include P. elongatum GRW6, P. relictum SGS1, P. relictum PADOM02 and Plasmodium sp. LINN1. Two Australasian harriers and one morepork tested positive for the presence of both Plasmodium spp. and T. gondii. However, the pathogenicity of these organisms to the raptors is unclear as none of the tissues showed histological evidence of clinical disease associated with Plasmodium spp. and T. gondii infections. Thus, these results demonstrate for the first time that these two potential pathogens are present in New Zealand's raptors; however, further research is required to determine the prevalence and pathogenicity of these organisms among the living populations of these birds in the country.

  1. POPs monitoring in Australia and New Zealand using plastic resin pellets, and International Pellet Watch as a tool for education and raising public awareness on plastic debris and POPs.

    PubMed

    Yeo, Bee Geok; Takada, Hideshige; Taylor, Heidi; Ito, Maki; Hosoda, Junki; Allinson, Mayumi; Connell, Sharnie; Greaves, Laura; McGrath, John

    2015-12-15

    Persistent organic pollutants (i.e. PCBs, DDTs, and HCHs) were analyzed along Australia and New Zealand North Island coastlines. PCB concentrations were high in urban areas (107-294 ng/g-pellet), with Sydney Harbour the most polluted. Hepta-chlorinated PCB was abundant, with ~30% in urban areas suggesting legacy pollution. DDT concentrations showed similar pattern except in rural agricultural sites, Taupo Bay and Ahipara, New Zealand (23 and 47 ng/g-pellet). p,p'-DDE predominance at these 2 sites suggested historical input; they also had high HCH concentrations (17 and 29 ng/g-pellet). The role of International Pellet Watch (IPW) in science communication was studied through feedbacks from IPW volunteers, case studies and examples. IPW data were categorized into understandable terms and tailored reports based on volunteers' backgrounds complemented with pollution maps. The effectiveness of IPW science communication has led to its use in awareness and education activities focusing on both POPs and plastic debris issues. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Interaction between stream temperature, streamflow, and groundwater exchanges in alpine streams

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Constantz, James E.

    1998-01-01

    Four alpine streams were monitored to continuously collect stream temperature and streamflow for periods ranging from a week to a year. In a small stream in the Colorado Rockies, diurnal variations in both stream temperature and streamflow were significantly greater in losing reaches than in gaining reaches, with minimum streamflow losses occurring early in the day and maximum losses occurring early in the evening. Using measured stream temperature changes, diurnal streambed infiltration rates were predicted to increase as much as 35% during the day (based on a heat and water transport groundwater model), while the measured increase in streamflow loss was 40%. For two large streams in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, annual stream temperature variations ranged from 0° to 25°C. In summer months, diurnal stream temperature variations were 30–40% of annual stream temperature variations, owing to reduced streamflows and increased atmospheric heating. Previous reports document that one Sierra stream site generally gains groundwater during low flows, while the second Sierra stream site may lose water during low flows. For August the diurnal streamflow variation was 11% at the gaining stream site and 30% at the losing stream site. On the basis of measured diurnal stream temperature variations, streambed infiltration rates were predicted to vary diurnally as much as 20% at the losing stream site. Analysis of results suggests that evapotranspiration losses determined diurnal streamflow variations in the gaining reaches, while in the losing reaches, evapotranspiration losses were compounded by diurnal variations in streambed infiltration. Diurnal variations in stream temperature were reduced in the gaining reaches as a result of discharging groundwater of relatively constant temperature. For the Sierra sites, comparison of results with those from a small tributary demonstrated that stream temperature patterns were useful in delineating discharges of bank storage following

  3. Quantum stream instability in coupled two-dimensional plasmas

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Akbari-Moghanjoughi, M.

    2014-08-01

    In this paper the quantum counter-streaming instability problem is studied in planar two-dimensional (2D) quantum plasmas using the coupled quantum hydrodynamic (CQHD) model which incorporates the most important quantum features such as the statistical Fermi-Dirac electron pressure, the electron-exchange potential and the quantum diffraction effect. The instability is investigated for different 2D quantum electron systems using the dynamics of Coulomb-coupled carriers on each plasma sheet when these plasmas are both monolayer doped graphene or metalfilm (corresponding to 2D Dirac or Fermi electron fluids). It is revealed that there are fundamental differences between these two cases regarding the effects of Bohm's quantum potential and the electron-exchange on the instability criteria. These differences mark yet another interesting feature of the effect of the energy band dispersion of Dirac electrons in graphene. Moreover, the effects of plasma number-density and coupling parameter on the instability criteria are shown to be significant. This study is most relevant to low dimensional graphene-based field-effect-transistor (FET) devices. The current study helps in understanding the collective interactions of the low-dimensional coupled ballistic conductors and the nanofabrication of future graphene-based integrated circuits.

  4. Mercury bioaccumulation in northern two-lined salamanders from streams in the northeastern United States

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Bank, M.S.; Loftin, C.S.; Jung, R.E.

    2005-01-01

    Mercury (Hg) bioaccumulation in salamanders has received little attention despite widespread Hg contamination of aquatic ecosystems and worldwide amphibian declines. Here we report concentrations of methyl Hg (MeHg) and total Hg in larval northern two-lined salamanders (Eurycea bislineata bislineata) collected from streams in Acadia National Park (ANP), Maine, and Bear Brook Watershed, Maine (BBWM; a paired, gauged watershed treated with bimonthly applications (25 kg/ha/yr) of ammonium sulfate [(NH4)(2)SO4]) since 1989), and Shenandoah National Park (SNP), Virginia. MeHg comprised 73-97% of total Hg in the larval salamander composite samples from ANP. At BBWM we detected significantly higher total Hg levels in larvae from the (NH4)(2)SO4 treatment watershed. At ANP total Hg concentrations in salamander larvae were significantly higher from streams in unburned watersheds in contrast with larval samples collected from streams located in watersheds burned by the 1947 Bar Harbor fire. Additionally, total Hg levels were significantly higher in salamander larvae collected at ANP in contrast with SNP. Our results suggest that watershed-scale attributes including. re history, whole-catchment (NH4)(2)SO4 additions, wetland extent, and forest cover type influence mercury bioaccumulation in salamanders inhabiting lotic environments. We also discuss the use of this species as an indicator of Hg bioaccumulation in stream ecosystems.

  5. Chronic Care Management evolves towards Integrated Care in Counties Manukau, New Zealand.

    PubMed

    Rea, Harry; Kenealy, Tim; Wellingham, John; Moffitt, Allan; Sinclair, Gary; McAuley, Sue; Goodman, Meg; Arcus, Kim

    2007-04-13

    Despite anecdotes of many chronic care management and integrated care projects around New Zealand, there is no formal process to collect and share relevant learning within (but especially between) District Health Boards (DHBs). We wish to share our experiences and hope to stimulate a productive exchange of ongoing learning. We define chronic care management and integrated care, then summarise current theory and evidence. We describe national policy development (relevant to integrated care, since 2000) including the New Zealand Health Strategy, the NZ Primary Care Strategy, the development of Primary Health Organisations (PHOs), capitation payments, Care Plus, and Services to Improve Access funding. We then describe chronic care management in Counties Manukau, which evolved both prior to and during the international refinement of theory and evidence and the national policy development and implementation. We reflect on local progress to date and opportunities for (and barriers to) future improvements, aided by comparative reflections on the United Kingdom (UK). Our most important messages are addressed as follows: To policymakers and funders--a fragile culture change towards teamwork in the health system is taking place in New Zealand; this change needs to be specifically and actively supported. To PHOs--general practices need help to align their internal (within-practice) financial signals with the new world of capitation and integrated care. To primary and secondary care doctors, nurses, and other carers - systematic chronic care management and integrated care can improve patient quality of life; and if healthcare structures and systems are properly managed to support integration, then healthcare provider professional and personal satisfaction will improve.

  6. Quantifying potential tsunami hazard in the Puysegur subduction zone, south of New Zealand

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Hayes, G.P.; Furlong, K.P.

    2010-01-01

    Studies of subduction zone seismogenesis and tsunami potential, particularly of large subduction zones, have recently seen a resurgence after the great 2004 earthquake and tsunami offshore of Sumatra, yet these global studies have generally neglected the tsunami potential of small subduction zones such as the Puysegur subduction zone, south of New Zealand. Here, we study one such relatively small subduction zone by analysing the historical seismicity over the entire plate boundary region south of New Zealand, using these data to determine the seismic moment deficit of the subduction zone over the past ~100 yr. Our calculations indicate unreleased moment equivalent to a magnitude Mw 8.3 earthquake, suggesting this subduction zone has the potential to host a great, tsunamigenic event. We model this tsunami hazard and find that a tsunami caused by a great earthquake on the Puysegur subduction zone would pose threats to the coasts of southern and western South Island, New Zealand, Tasmania and southeastern Australia, nearly 2000 km distant. No claim to original US government works Geophysical Journal International ?? 2010 RAS.

  7. Advantages of geographically weighted regression for modeling benthic substrate in two Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem streams

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Sheehan, Kenneth R.; Strager, Michael P.; Welsh, Stuart A.

    2013-01-01

    Stream habitat assessments are commonplace in fish management, and often involve nonspatial analysis methods for quantifying or predicting habitat, such as ordinary least squares regression (OLS). Spatial relationships, however, often exist among stream habitat variables. For example, water depth, water velocity, and benthic substrate sizes within streams are often spatially correlated and may exhibit spatial nonstationarity or inconsistency in geographic space. Thus, analysis methods should address spatial relationships within habitat datasets. In this study, OLS and a recently developed method, geographically weighted regression (GWR), were used to model benthic substrate from water depth and water velocity data at two stream sites within the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. For data collection, each site was represented by a grid of 0.1 m2 cells, where actual values of water depth, water velocity, and benthic substrate class were measured for each cell. Accuracies of regressed substrate class data by OLS and GWR methods were calculated by comparing maps, parameter estimates, and determination coefficient r 2. For analysis of data from both sites, Akaike’s Information Criterion corrected for sample size indicated the best approximating model for the data resulted from GWR and not from OLS. Adjusted r 2 values also supported GWR as a better approach than OLS for prediction of substrate. This study supports GWR (a spatial analysis approach) over nonspatial OLS methods for prediction of habitat for stream habitat assessments.

  8. Ad Hoc Selection of Voice over Internet Streams

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Macha, Mitchell G. (Inventor); Bullock, John T. (Inventor)

    2014-01-01

    A method and apparatus for a communication system technique involving ad hoc selection of at least two audio streams is provided. Each of the at least two audio streams is a packetized version of an audio source. A data connection exists between a server and a client where a transport protocol actively propagates the at least two audio streams from the server to the client. Furthermore, software instructions executable on the client indicate a presence of the at least two audio streams, allow selection of at least one of the at least two audio streams, and direct the selected at least one of the at least two audio streams for audio playback.

  9. Ad Hoc Selection of Voice over Internet Streams

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Macha, Mitchell G. (Inventor); Bullock, John T. (Inventor)

    2008-01-01

    A method and apparatus for a communication system technique involving ad hoc selection of at least two audio streams is provided. Each of the at least two audio streams is a packetized version of an audio source. A data connection exists between a server and a client where a transport protocol actively propagates the at least two audio streams from the server to the client. Furthermore, software instructions executable on the client indicate a presence of the at least two audio streams, allow selection of at least one of the at least two audio streams, and direct the selected at least one of the at least two audio streams for audio playback.

  10. Foreign Television Programmes on New Zealand Television: Windows on the World or Wicked Imperialism?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lealand, Geoff

    Focusing on the experience of New Zealand, this paper is a response to a 1978 essay which suggested that a study be done to compare the programming patterns of television in the developed countries of Australia and New Zealand. Significant differences between the two nations are presented, including conspicuous discrepancies in television…

  11. Star Streams and the Assembly History of the Galaxy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Carlberg, Raymond G.

    2017-03-01

    Thin halo star streams originate from the evaporation of globular clusters and therefore provide information about the early epoch globular cluster population. The observed tidal tails from halo globular clusters in the Milky Way are much shorter than expected from a star cluster orbiting for 10 Gyr. The discrepancy is likely the result of the assumptions that nearly nonevolving clusters have been orbiting in a nonevolving galactic halo for a Hubble time. As a first step toward more realistic stream histories, a toy model that combines an idealized merger model with a simplified model of the internal collisional relaxation of individual star clusters is developed. On average, the resulting stream velocity dispersion increases with distance, causing the density of the stream to decline with distance. The accretion time sets an upper limit to the length of the readily visible stream, with the internal evolution of the cluster usually playing the dominant role in limiting the sky visibility of the older parts of streams. Nevertheless, the high surface density segment of the stellar streams created from the evaporation of the more massive globular clusters should all be visible in low-obscuration parts of the sky if closer than about 30 kpc. The Pan-STARRS1 halo volume is used to compare the numbers of halo streams and globular clusters.

  12. Characteristics of and differences between Pasifika women and New Zealand European women diagnosed with breast cancer in New Zealand.

    PubMed

    Brown, Charis; Lao, Chunhuan; Lawrenson, Ross; Tin Tin, Sandar; Schaaf, Michelle; Kidd, Jacquie; Allan-Moetaua, Anne; Herman, Josephine; Raamsroop, Reena; Campbell, Ian; Elwood, Mark

    2017-12-15

    Breast cancer in New Zealand-based Pasifika women is a significant issue. Although Pasifika women have a lower incidence of breast cancer compared to New Zealand European women, they have higher breast cancer mortality and lower five-year survival. The aim of this study was to describe the characteristics and tumour biology of Pasifika women and to compare New Zealand European women to identify what factors impact on early (Stage 1 and 2) vs advanced stage (Stage 3 and 4) at diagnosis. Data on all Pasifika and New Zealand European women diagnosed with breast cancer (C50) during the period 1 June 2000 to 31 May 2013 was extracted from the Auckland and Waikato Breast Cancer Registries. Descriptive tables and Chi-square test were used to examine differences in characteristics and tumour biology between Pasifika and New Zealand European women. Logistic regression was used to identify factors that contributed to an increased risk of advanced stage at diagnosis. A significantly higher proportion of Pasifika women had advanced disease at diagnosis compared to New Zealand European women (33.3% and 18.3%, respectively). Cancer biology in Pasifika women was more likely to be: 1) HER2+, 2) ER/PR negative and 3) have a tumour size of ≥50mm. Pasifika women live in higher deprivation areas of 9-10 compared to New Zealand European women (55% vs 14%, respectively) and were less likely to have their cancer identified through screening. Logistic regression showed that if Pasifika women were on the screen-detected pathway they had similar odds (not sig.) of having advanced disease at diagnosis to New Zealand European women. Mode of detection, deprivation, age and some biological factors contributed to the difference in odds ratio between Pasifika and New Zealand European women. For those of screening age, adherence to the screening programme and improvements in access to earlier diagnosis for Pasifika women under the current screening age have the potential to make a substantial

  13. Changes in the character of DOC in streams during storms in two Midwestern watersheds with contrasting land uses

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Vidon, P.; Wagner, L.E.; Soyeux, E.

    2008-01-01

    Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) dynamics in streams is important, yet few studies focus on DOC dynamics in Midwestern streams during storms. In this study, stream DOC dynamics during storms in two Midwestern watersheds with contrasting land uses, the change in character of stream DOC during storms, and the usability of DOC as a hydrologic tracer in artificially drained landscapes of the Midwest are investigated. Major cation/DOC concentrations, and DOC specific UV absorbance (SUVA) and fluorescence index (FI) were monitored at 2-4 h intervals during three spring storms. Although DOC is less aromatic in the mixed land use watershed than in the agricultural watershed, land use has little impact on stream DOC concentration during storms. For both watersheds, DOC concentration follows discharge, and SUVA and FI values indicate an increase in stream DOC aromaticity and lignin content during storms. The comparison of DOC/major cation flushing dynamics indicates that DOC is mainly exported via overland flow/macropore flow. In both watersheds, the increase in DOC concentration in the streams during storms corresponds to a shift in the source of DOC from DOC originating from mineral soil layers of the soil profile at baseflow, to DOC originating from surficial soil layers richer in aromatic substances and lignin during storms. Results also suggest that DOC, SUVA and FI could be used as hydrologic tracers in artificially drained landscapes of the Midwest. These results underscore the importance of sampling streams for DOC during high flow periods in order to understand the fate of DOC in streams. ?? 2008 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.

  14. Poles Apart: Comparing Trends of Alien Hymenoptera in New Zealand with Europe (DAISIE)

    PubMed Central

    Ward, Darren; Edney-Browne, Emma

    2015-01-01

    Developing generalisations of invasive species is an important part of invasion biology. However, trends and generalisations from one part of the world may not necessarily hold elsewhere. We present the first inventory and analysis of all Hymenoptera alien to New Zealand, and compare patterns from New Zealand with those previously published from Europe (DAISIE). Between the two regions there was broad correlation between families with the highest number of alien species (Braconidae, Encyrtidae, Pteromalidae, Eulophidae, Formicidae, Aphelinidae). However, major differences also existed. The number of species alien to New Zealand is higher than for Europe (334 vs 286), and major differences include: i) the much lower proportion of intentionally released species in New Zealand (21% vs 63% in Europe); and ii) the greater proportion of unintentionally introduced parasitoids in New Zealand (71.2% vs 22.6%). The disharmonic ‘island’ nature of New Zealand is shown, as a high proportion of families (36%) have no native representatives, and alien species also represent >10% of the native fauna for many other families. A much larger proportion of alien species are found in urban areas in New Zealand (60%) compared to Europe (~30%), and higher numbers of alien species were present earlier in New Zealand (especially <1950). Differences in the origins of alien species were also apparent. Unlike Europe, the New Zealand data reveals a change in the origins of alien species over time, with an increasing dominance of alien species from Australasia (a regional neighbour) during the past 25 years. We recommend that further effort be made towards the formation, and analysis, of regional inventories of alien species. This will allow a wider range of taxa and regions to be examined for generalisations, and help assess and prioritise the risk posed by certain taxa towards the economy or environment. PMID:26147445

  15. ADULT EDUCATION IN ASIA, AUSTRALIA, AND NEW ZEALAND. CURRENT INFORMATION SOURCES, NUMBER 13.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Syracuse Univ., NY. ERIC Clearinghouse on Adult Education.

    THE 45 ABSTRACTS AND ANNOTATIONS IN THIS BIBLIOGRAPHY COVERING THE PERIOD 1963-67 HAVE BEEN ARRANGED BY GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION TO GIVE THE USER CURRENT AWARENESS OF PUBLICATIONS AVAILABLE ON A GIVEN SEGMENT OF THE WORLD, AND TO FACILITATE THE INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION ON ADULT EDUCATION. ITEMS ON INDIA, AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND, NEPAL, AND…

  16. Revisiting New Zealand's "Unfortunate Experiment": Is medical ethics ever a thing done?

    PubMed

    Batt, Sharon

    2018-01-01

    An experiment dating from the 1960s in New Zealand has eerie similarities to research begun in 1976 in India. In both cases, women with evidence of early cervical cancer or pre-cancer went untreated, despite known treatments that could have prevented their condition from worsening. This Comment on carcinoma cervix research grew out of my reading of a new book by Ronald W Jones about the New Zealand experiment. Jones, a recently retired obstetrician/gynaecologist, worked at the hospital where the controversial research took place and was a whistleblower in the case. His book provides a meticulous account of internal struggles within the hospital over what has been called "the unfortunate experiment." Readers might fairly ask whether a detailed examination of a decades-old research scandal in New Zealand can usefully inform ethics debate in India today, where conditions are so different. I argue that Jones's account does indeed provide valuable insights for understanding research wrongdoing in other contexts, including low-income countries. Jones challenges some widespread assumptions about why such cases occur and how to combat them, as do several other recent analyses of research scandals.

  17. Shifting Tides: Reflecting on Regional Aspects of Our Roles as Comparative and International Educators

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shah, Ritesh; McCormick, Alexander; Thomas, Matthew A. M.

    2017-01-01

    In this paper, we critically interrogate the way in which comparative and international education coursework at two large institutions in Australia and New Zealand embody or challenge teleological, colonial, and Western/Northern-centric perspectives on education and development. Embedded within a broader and introspective examination of our roles…

  18. Biodiversity Offsets: Two New Zealand Case Studies and an Assessment Framework

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Norton, David A.

    2009-04-01

    Biodiversity offsets are increasingly being used for securing biodiversity conservation outcomes as part of sustainable economic development to compensate for the residual unavoidable impacts of projects. Two recent New Zealand examples of biodiversity offsets are reviewed—while both are positive for biodiversity conservation, the process by which they were developed and approved was based more on the precautionary principal than on any formal framework. Based on this review and the broader offset literature, an environmental framework for developing and approving biodiversity offsets, comprising six principles, is outlined: (1) biodiversity offsets should only be used as part of an hierarchy of actions that first seeks to avoid impacts and then minimizes the impacts that do occur; (2) a guarantee is provided that the offset proposed will occur; (3) biodiversity offsets are inappropriate for certain ecosystem (or habitat) types because of their rarity or the presence of threatened species within them; (4) offsets most often involve the creation of new habitat, but can include protection of existing habitat where there is currently no protection; (5) a clear currency is required that allows transparent quantification of values to be lost and gained in order to ensure ecological equivalency between cleared and offset areas; (6) offsets must take into account both the uncertainty involved in obtaining the desired outcome for the offset area and the time-lag that is involved in reaching that point.

  19. Black Tea Source, Production, and Consumption: Assessment of Health Risks of Fluoride Intake in New Zealand

    PubMed Central

    Godfrey, Michael; Limeback, Hardy

    2017-01-01

    In countries with fluoridation of public water, it is imperative to determine other dietary sources of fluoride intake to reduce the public health risk of chronic exposure. New Zealand has one of the highest per capita consumption rates of black tea internationally and is one of the few countries to artificially fluoridate public water; yet no information is available to consumers on the fluoride levels in tea products. In this study, we determined the contribution of black tea as a source of dietary fluoride intake by measuring the fluoride content in 18 brands of commercially available products in New Zealand. Fluoride concentrations were measured by potentiometric method with a fluoride ion-selective electrode and the contribution of black tea to Adequate Intake (AI) and Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL) was calculated for a range of consumption scenarios. We examined factors that influence the fluoride content in manufactured tea and tea infusions, as well as temporal changes in fluoride exposure from black tea. We review the international evidence regarding chronic fluoride intake and its association with chronic pain, arthritic disease, and musculoskeletal disorders and provide insights into possible association between fluoride intake and the high prevalence of these disorders in New Zealand. PMID:28713433

  20. Stellar streams as gravitational experiments. II. Asymmetric tails of globular cluster streams

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Thomas, G. F.; Famaey, B.; Ibata, R.; Renaud, F.; Martin, N. F.; Kroupa, P.

    2018-01-01

    Kinematically cold tidal streams of globular clusters (GC) are excellent tracers of the Galactic gravitational potential at moderate Galactocentric distances, and can also be used as probes of the law of gravity on Galactic scales. Here, we compare for the first time the generation of such streams in Newtonian and Milgromian gravity (MOND). We first computed analytical results to investigate the expected shape of the GC gravitational potential in both frameworks, and we then ran N-body simulations with the Phantom of Ramses code. We find that the GCs tend to become lopsided in MOND. This is a consequence of the external field effect which breaks the strong equivalence principle. When the GC is filling its tidal radius the lopsidedness generates a strongly asymmetric tidal stream. In Newtonian dynamics, such markedly asymmetric streams can in general only be the consequence of interactions with dark matter subhalos, giant molecular clouds, or interaction with the Galactic bar. In these Newtonian cases, the asymmetry is the consequence of a very large gap in the stream, whilst in MOND it is a true asymmetry. This should thus allow us in the future to distinguish these different scenarios by making deep observations of the environment of the asymmetric stellar stream of Palomar 5. Moreover, our simulations indicate that the high internal velocity dispersion of Palomar 5 for its small stellar mass would be natural in MOND. The movie is available in electronic form at http://www.aanda.org

  1. Shared and unique patterns of phenotypic diversification along a stream gradient in two congeneric species

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jourdan, Jonas; Krause, Sarah T.; Lazar, V. Max; Zimmer, Claudia; Sommer-Trembo, Carolin; Arias-Rodriguez, Lenin; Klaus, Sebastian; Riesch, Rüdiger; Plath, Martin

    2016-12-01

    Stream ecosystems show gradual variation of various selection factors, which can result in a zonation of species distributions and gradient evolution of morphological and life-history traits within species. Identifying the selective agents underlying such phenotypic evolution is challenging as different species could show shared and/or unique (species-specific) responses to components of the river gradient. We studied a stream gradient inhabited by two mosquitofishes (genus Gambusia) in the Río Grijalva basin in southern Mexico and found a patchy distribution pattern of both congeners along a stretch of 100 km, whereby one species was usually dominant at a given site. We uncovered both shared and unique patterns of diversification: some components of the stream gradient, including differences in piscine predation pressure, drove shared patterns of phenotypic divergence, especially in females. Other components of the gradient, particularly abiotic factors (max. annual temperature and temperature range) resulted in unique patterns of divergence, especially in males. Our study highlights the complexity of selective regimes in stream ecosystems. It exemplifies that even closely related, congeneric species can respond in unique ways to the same components of the river gradient and shows how both sexes can exhibit quite different patterns of divergence in multivariate phenotypic character suites.

  2. Shared and unique patterns of phenotypic diversification along a stream gradient in two congeneric species

    PubMed Central

    Jourdan, Jonas; Krause, Sarah T.; Lazar, V. Max; Zimmer, Claudia; Sommer-Trembo, Carolin; Arias-Rodriguez, Lenin; Klaus, Sebastian; Riesch, Rüdiger; Plath, Martin

    2016-01-01

    Stream ecosystems show gradual variation of various selection factors, which can result in a zonation of species distributions and gradient evolution of morphological and life-history traits within species. Identifying the selective agents underlying such phenotypic evolution is challenging as different species could show shared and/or unique (species-specific) responses to components of the river gradient. We studied a stream gradient inhabited by two mosquitofishes (genus Gambusia) in the Río Grijalva basin in southern Mexico and found a patchy distribution pattern of both congeners along a stretch of 100 km, whereby one species was usually dominant at a given site. We uncovered both shared and unique patterns of diversification: some components of the stream gradient, including differences in piscine predation pressure, drove shared patterns of phenotypic divergence, especially in females. Other components of the gradient, particularly abiotic factors (max. annual temperature and temperature range) resulted in unique patterns of divergence, especially in males. Our study highlights the complexity of selective regimes in stream ecosystems. It exemplifies that even closely related, congeneric species can respond in unique ways to the same components of the river gradient and shows how both sexes can exhibit quite different patterns of divergence in multivariate phenotypic character suites. PMID:27982114

  3. Shared and unique patterns of phenotypic diversification along a stream gradient in two congeneric species.

    PubMed

    Jourdan, Jonas; Krause, Sarah T; Lazar, V Max; Zimmer, Claudia; Sommer-Trembo, Carolin; Arias-Rodriguez, Lenin; Klaus, Sebastian; Riesch, Rüdiger; Plath, Martin

    2016-12-16

    Stream ecosystems show gradual variation of various selection factors, which can result in a zonation of species distributions and gradient evolution of morphological and life-history traits within species. Identifying the selective agents underlying such phenotypic evolution is challenging as different species could show shared and/or unique (species-specific) responses to components of the river gradient. We studied a stream gradient inhabited by two mosquitofishes (genus Gambusia) in the Río Grijalva basin in southern Mexico and found a patchy distribution pattern of both congeners along a stretch of 100 km, whereby one species was usually dominant at a given site. We uncovered both shared and unique patterns of diversification: some components of the stream gradient, including differences in piscine predation pressure, drove shared patterns of phenotypic divergence, especially in females. Other components of the gradient, particularly abiotic factors (max. annual temperature and temperature range) resulted in unique patterns of divergence, especially in males. Our study highlights the complexity of selective regimes in stream ecosystems. It exemplifies that even closely related, congeneric species can respond in unique ways to the same components of the river gradient and shows how both sexes can exhibit quite different patterns of divergence in multivariate phenotypic character suites.

  4. Genetic characterization of strains of Saccharomyces uvarum from New Zealand wineries.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Hanyao; Richards, Keith D; Wilson, Sandra; Lee, Soon A; Sheehan, Hester; Roncoroni, Miguel; Gardner, Richard C

    2015-04-01

    We present a genetic characterization of 65 isolates of Saccharomyces uvarum isolated from wineries in New Zealand, along with the complete nucleotide sequence of a single sulfite-tolerant isolate. The genome of the New Zealand isolate averaged 99.85% nucleotide identity to CBS7001, the previously sequenced strain of S. uvarum. However, three genomic segments (37-87 kb) showed 10% nucleotide divergence from CBS7001 but 99% identity to Saccharomyces eubayanus. We conclude that these three segments appear to have been introgressed from that species. The nucleotide sequence of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region from other New Zealand isolates were also very similar to that of CBS7001, and hybrids showed complete genetic compatibility for some strains, with tetrads giving four viable progeny that showed 2:2 segregations of marker genes. Some strains showed high tolerance to sulfite, with genetic analysis indicating linkage of this trait to the transcription factor FZF1, but not to SSU1, the sulfite efflux pump that it regulates in order to confer sulfite tolerance in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The fermentation characteristics of selected strains of S. uvarum showed exceptionally good cold fermentation characteristics, superior to the best commercially available strains of S. cerevisiae. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Cultural safety in New Zealand midwifery practice. Part 1.

    PubMed

    Farry, Annabel; Crowther, Susan

    2014-06-01

    Midwives in New Zealand work within a unique cultural context. This calls for an understanding and appreciation of biculturalism and the equal status of Mãori and Europeans as the nation's founding peoples. This paper is the first of two papers that explore the notions of cultural safety and competence. Exploration and discussion take place in the New Zealand context, yet have transferable implications for midwives everywhere. This first paper provides a background to practice in a bicultural country where cultural safety strategies were introduced over 20 years ago to help reduce health disparities. The implications of these strategies are examined. The second paper will focus on midwifery education and practice.

  6. The prevalence, correlates and reasons for using electronic cigarettes among New Zealand adults.

    PubMed

    Li, Judy; Newcombe, Rhiannon; Walton, Darren

    2015-06-01

    There is strong interest in the use of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) globally. This paper is the first to report population-based data on ever-use and current use of e-cigarettes among New Zealand adults. The paper also extends previous international studies by exploring the reasons for trying e-cigarettes, ever users' recall of brand(s) they have ever tried, and current users' recall of their current brand. The Health and Lifestyles Survey (HLS) is a biennial face-to-face in-house survey of New Zealand adults aged 15 years or over. In 2014, 2594 participants completed the survey. Ever-use and current use of e-cigarettes were 13.1% and 0.8% respectively. Tobacco smoking status predicted the use of e-cigarettes, with current smokers reporting the highest rate of use (50% ever-use and 4% current use). Among current smokers who had tried an e-cigarette, curiosity (49%) and desire to quit smoking (37%) were the most common reasons for trying. About half of the ever-users could not name any of the brand(s) they had ever tried, and one-fifth of current users could not name their current brand. Compared with other countries, New Zealand has a high rate of ever-use. Among current smokers, one in two had tried an e-cigarette. However, progression to regular use appears to be rare. The finding that 18% of current e-cigarette users could not name their current brand highlights the importance of investigating users' knowledge of e-cigarettes in general and assessing the factors that influence brand choice such as advertising, price, and accessibility. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. An Overview of New Zealand Career Development Services

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Furbish, Dale

    2012-01-01

    Career development services have existed in New Zealand since the early part of the 20th century. In many aspects, the profession has developed in New Zealand parallel to the development of career guidance and counselling in other Western countries but New Zealand also represents a unique context. In acknowledgement of the distinctive…

  8. The burden of cancer in 25-29 year olds in New Zealand: a case for a wider adolescent and young adult age range?

    PubMed

    Ballantine, Kirsten R; Utley, Victoria; Watson, Heidi; Sullivan, Michael J; Spearing, Ruth

    2018-01-19

    New Zealand currently defines the adolescent and young adult (AYA) group for cancer services as young people 12-24 years of age, while other countries favour a designation of 15-29 years. This study was undertaken to compare cancer incidence and survival among 25-29 year olds to New Zealand's younger AYA population and to assess survival for our 15-29 year population against international benchmarks. Diagnostic and demographic information for cancer registrations between 2000 and 2009 for 25-29 year olds was obtained from the New Zealand Cancer Registry. Incidence rates (IR) and five-year relative survival estimates were calculated according to AYA diagnostic group/sub-group, sex and prioritised ethnicity. 1,541 new primary malignant cancers were diagnosed (IR: 588 per million). Five-year relative survival was 85%, but was significantly lower for Māori and Pacific peoples (both 77%) compared to non-Māori/non-Pacific peoples (88%). In the overall 15-29 year AYA cohort, disease-specific outcomes for bone tumours (46%) and breast cancer (64%) were inferior to international standards. New Zealand 25 to 29 year olds are at twice the risk of developing cancer as those 15-24 years. Given that the survival disparities identified were remarkably consistent with those for younger AYA, consideration should be given widening New Zealand's AYA age range.

  9. Calculation of two-dimensional inlet flow fields in a supersonic free stream: Program documentation and test cases

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Biringen, S. H.; Mcmillan, O. J.

    1980-01-01

    The use of a computer code for the calculation of two dimensional inlet flow fields in a supersonic free stream and a nonorthogonal mesh-generation code are illustrated by specific examples. Input, output, and program operation and use are given and explained for the case of supercritical inlet operation at a subdesign Mach number (M Mach free stream = 2.09) for an isentropic-compression, drooped-cowl inlet. Source listings of the computer codes are also provided.

  10. STREAM2016: Streaming Requirements, Experience, Applications and Middleware Workshop

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Fox, Geoffrey; Jha, Shantenu; Ramakrishnan, Lavanya

    The Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science (SC) facilities including accelerators, light sources and neutron sources and sensors that study, the environment, and the atmosphere, are producing streaming data that needs to be analyzed for next-generation scientific discoveries. There has been an explosion of new research and technologies for stream analytics arising from the academic and private sectors. However, there has been no corresponding effort in either documenting the critical research opportunities or building a community that can create and foster productive collaborations. The two-part workshop series, STREAM: Streaming Requirements, Experience, Applications and Middleware Workshop (STREAM2015 and STREAM2016), weremore » conducted to bring the community together and identify gaps and future efforts needed by both NSF and DOE. This report describes the discussions, outcomes and conclusions from STREAM2016: Streaming Requirements, Experience, Applications and Middleware Workshop, the second of these workshops held on March 22-23, 2016 in Tysons, VA. STREAM2016 focused on the Department of Energy (DOE) applications, computational and experimental facilities, as well software systems. Thus, the role of “streaming and steering” as a critical mode of connecting the experimental and computing facilities was pervasive through the workshop. Given the overlap in interests and challenges with industry, the workshop had significant presence from several innovative companies and major contributors. The requirements that drive the proposed research directions, identified in this report, show an important opportunity for building competitive research and development program around streaming data. These findings and recommendations are consistent with vision outlined in NRC Frontiers of Data and National Strategic Computing Initiative (NCSI) [1, 2]. The discussions from the workshop are captured as topic areas covered in this report's sections. The report

  11. A Tale of Two Olivines: Magma Ascent in the Auckland Volcanic Field, New Zealand

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Smid, E. R.; McGee, L. E.; Smith, I. E.; Lindsay, J. M.

    2013-12-01

    The Auckland Volcanic Field (AVF) is a nephelinitic to subalkali basaltic monogenetic field centered on the city of Auckland, New Zealand. Lavas are olivine-phyric, and the deposits of several volcanoes in the field contain olivine crystals with chrome spinel (Cr-spinel) inclusions. Microprobe analyses show at least two populations of olivine, categorised by their Mg# and their spinel inclusion compositions: the first has olivines that are euhedral, have compositions slightly less forsteritic than expected for whole rock Mg#, and have Cr-spinel inclusions with relatively low Cr2O3 contents of ~20%. These are interpreted as antecrysts inherited from the mantle source that yielded their host magma. The second population is characterised by olivines that are sub- to euhedral, are significantly more forsteritic than expected from their host whole rock Mg#, and have Cr-spinel inclusons with relatively high Cr2O3 contents of ~50%. These are interpreted as xenocrysts. The composition of these high Cr2O3 spinels very closely resembles the composition of spinels within olivines in dunite sampled from the Dun Mountain Ophiolite on the South Island of New Zealand. The northward extension of the Dun Mountain complex beneath the North Island is defined by the Junction Magnetic Anomaly, marking a crustal terrane boundary that underlies the Auckland Volcanic Field. These data indicate that the magmas that have risen to produce the volcanoes of the Auckland Volcanic Field have carried crystals from an underlying ultramafic crust as well as from their asthenospheric source. Euhedral olivine crystals which do not contain Cr-spinel are also present in AVF lavas and these are interpreted as true phenocrysts that crystallised directly from their host magmas. The lack of reaction textures at crystal margins suggests rapid ascent rates. A crustal origin for the xenocrysts not only has large implications for ascent rate modelling of olivines, but also for the crustal structure of the

  12. White cell count in the normal range and short-term and long-term mortality: international comparisons of electronic health record cohorts in England and New Zealand.

    PubMed

    Shah, Anoop Dinesh; Thornley, Simon; Chung, Sheng-Chia; Denaxas, Spiros; Jackson, Rod; Hemingway, Harry

    2017-02-17

    Electronic health records offer the opportunity to discover new clinical implications for established blood tests, but international comparisons have been lacking. We tested the association of total white cell count (WBC) with all-cause mortality in England and New Zealand. Primary care practices in England (ClinicAl research using LInked Bespoke studies and Electronic health Records (CALIBER)) and New Zealand (PREDICT). Analysis of linked electronic health record data sets: CALIBER (primary care, hospitalisation, mortality and acute coronary syndrome registry) and PREDICT (cardiovascular risk assessments in primary care, hospitalisations, mortality, dispensed medication and laboratory results). People aged 30-75 years with no prior cardiovascular disease (CALIBER: N=686 475, 92.0% white; PREDICT: N=194 513, 53.5% European, 14.7% Pacific, 13.4% Maori), followed until death, transfer out of practice (in CALIBER) or study end. HRs for mortality were estimated using Cox models adjusted for age, sex, smoking, diabetes, systolic blood pressure, ethnicity and total:high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol ratio. We found 'J'-shaped associations between WBC and mortality; the second quintile was associated with lowest risk in both cohorts. High WBC within the reference range (8.65-10.05×10 9 /L) was associated with significantly increased mortality compared to the middle quintile (6.25-7.25×10 9 /L); adjusted HR 1.51 (95% CI 1.43 to 1.59) in CALIBER and 1.33 (95% CI 1.06 to 1.65) in PREDICT. WBC outside the reference range was associated with even greater mortality. The association was stronger over the first 6 months of follow-up, but similar across ethnic groups. Clinically recorded WBC within the range considered 'normal' is associated with mortality in ethnically different populations from two countries, particularly within the first 6 months. Large-scale international comparisons of electronic health record cohorts might yield new insights from widely

  13. Lessons from the removal of lead from gasoline for controlling other environmental pollutants: A case study from New Zealand

    PubMed Central

    Wilson, Nick; Horrocks, John

    2008-01-01

    Background It took over two decades to achieve the removal of leaded gasoline in this country. This was despite international evidence and original research conducted in New Zealand on the harm to child cognitive function and behaviour from lead exposure. Objective To identify lessons from the New Zealand experience of removing leaded gasoline that are potentially relevant to the control of other environmental pollutants. Discussion From the available documentation, we suggest a number of reasons for the slow policy response to the leaded gasoline hazard. These include: (1) industry power in the form of successful lobbying by the lead additive supplier, Associated Octel; (2) the absence of the precautionary principle as part of risk management policy; and (3) weak policymaking machinery that included: (a) the poor use of health research evidence (from both NZ and internationally), as well as limited use of expertise in academic and non-governmental organisations; (b) lack of personnel competent in addressing technically complex issues; and (c) diffusion of responsibility among government agencies. Conclusion There is a need for a stronger precautionary approach by policymakers when considering environmental pollutants. Politicians, officials and health workers need to strengthen policymaking processes and effectively counter the industry tactics used to delay regulatory responses. PMID:18179712

  14. A feather precipitation hydrogen isoscape for New Zealand

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rogers, K. M.; Wassenaar, L. I.; Soto, D. X.; Bartle, J. A.

    2012-04-01

    Forensic isotopic assays of feathers from historical Maori cloaks are a potential tool to link historical artefacts back to their native locales (Iwi) in New Zealand. In order to test this approach, we sampled feathers from extant museum archived birds of known origin for their feather hydrogen isotopes (δyHf) to assign their regional origin and location over time. We obtained feathers from two non-migratory bird species widely distributed around New Zealand, tui (Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae) and quail (Callipepla californica). Feathers were sampled from archived birds collected between 1880-2002 held in 3 New Zealand museum collections. We determined regression coefficients of δ2H on location, latitude, δ2Hprecipitation, and age. The data showed that ground dwelling quail had higher regression coefficients with respect to latitude (r2=0.46) than the nectar feeding tui (r2=0.39). On the whole, both resident birds showed promise as regional geographical indicators of their habitat (r2=0.58). Year of collection had no meaningful effect on isotopic composition. We conclude that isotopic assays may therefore be used to aid in regional assignments relevant to the interpretation of historical artefacts.

  15. Reconstructing demographic events from population genetic data: the introduction of bumblebees to New Zealand.

    PubMed

    Lye, G C; Lepais, O; Goulson, D

    2011-07-01

    Four British bumblebee species (Bombus terrestris, Bombus hortorum, Bombus ruderatus and Bombus subterraneus) became established in New Zealand following their introduction at the turn of the last century. Of these, two remain common in the United Kingdom (B. terrestris and B. hortorum), whilst two (B. ruderatus and B. subterraneus) have undergone marked declines, the latter being declared extinct in 2000. The presence of these bumblebees in New Zealand provides an unique system in which four related species have been isolated from their source population for over 100 years, providing a rare opportunity to examine the impacts of an initial bottleneck and introduction to a novel environment on their population genetics. We used microsatellite markers to compare modern populations of B. terrestris, B. hortorum and B. ruderatus in the United Kingdom and New Zealand and to compare museum specimens of British B. subterraneus with the current New Zealand population. We used approximate Bayesian computation to estimate demographic parameters of the introduction history, notably to estimate the number of founders involved in the initial introduction. Species-specific patterns derived from genetic analysis were consistent with the predictions based on the presumed history of these populations; demographic events have left a marked genetic signature on all four species. Approximate Bayesian analyses suggest that the New Zealand population of B. subterraneus may have been founded by as few as two individuals, giving rise to low genetic diversity and marked genetic divergence from the (now extinct) UK population. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  16. Effect of climate on the trophic structure of temperate forested streams. a comparison of Mediterranean and Atlantic streams.

    PubMed

    Sabater, Sergi; Elosegi, Arturo; Acuña, Vicenç; Basaguren, Ana; Muñoz, Isabel; Pozo, Jesús

    2008-02-15

    Climate affects many aspects of stream ecosystems, although the presence of riparian forests can buffer differences between streams in different climatic settings. In an attempt to measure the importance of climate, we compared the seasonal patterns of hydrology, input and storage of allochthonous organic matter, and the trophic structure (abundance of algae and macroinvertebrates) in two temperate forested streams, one Mediterranean, the other Atlantic. Hydrology played a leading role in shaping the trophic structure of both streams. Frequency and timing of floods and droughts determined benthic detritus storage. Inputs and retention of allochthonous organic matter were higher in the Atlantic stream, whereas chlorophyll concentration was lower because of stronger light limitation. Instead, light availability and scour of particulate organic matter during late winter favoured higher chlorophyll concentration in the Mediterranean stream. As a result, in the Mediterranean stream grazers were more prevalent and consumers showed a higher dependence on autotrophic materials. On the other hand, the Atlantic stream depended on allochthonous materials throughout the whole study period. The overall trophic structure showed much stronger seasonality in the Mediterranean than in the Atlantic stream, this being the most distinctive difference between these two types of temperate streams. The different patterns observed in the two streams are an indication that climatic differences should be incorporated in proper measurements of ecosystem health.

  17. StreamQRE: Modular Specification and Efficient Evaluation of Quantitative Queries over Streaming Data.

    PubMed

    Mamouras, Konstantinos; Raghothaman, Mukund; Alur, Rajeev; Ives, Zachary G; Khanna, Sanjeev

    2017-06-01

    Real-time decision making in emerging IoT applications typically relies on computing quantitative summaries of large data streams in an efficient and incremental manner. To simplify the task of programming the desired logic, we propose StreamQRE, which provides natural and high-level constructs for processing streaming data. Our language has a novel integration of linguistic constructs from two distinct programming paradigms: streaming extensions of relational query languages and quantitative extensions of regular expressions. The former allows the programmer to employ relational constructs to partition the input data by keys and to integrate data streams from different sources, while the latter can be used to exploit the logical hierarchy in the input stream for modular specifications. We first present the core language with a small set of combinators, formal semantics, and a decidable type system. We then show how to express a number of common patterns with illustrative examples. Our compilation algorithm translates the high-level query into a streaming algorithm with precise complexity bounds on per-item processing time and total memory footprint. We also show how to integrate approximation algorithms into our framework. We report on an implementation in Java, and evaluate it with respect to existing high-performance engines for processing streaming data. Our experimental evaluation shows that (1) StreamQRE allows more natural and succinct specification of queries compared to existing frameworks, (2) the throughput of our implementation is higher than comparable systems (for example, two-to-four times greater than RxJava), and (3) the approximation algorithms supported by our implementation can lead to substantial memory savings.

  18. Effects of 1997 debris floods in two Klamath Mountain streams: A large woody debris mass-balance approach

    Treesearch

    Zackary J. Mondry; Susan J. Hilton

    2000-01-01

    Large landslides and debris flows in January 1997 produced contrasting downstream debris flood effects in two adjacent Northern California Klamath Mountain streams. Valley morphology and riparian forests were examined on post-flood 1:3000 air photos along two approximately 8 km survey reaches.

  19. Sustaining Adventure in New Zealand Outdoor Education: Perspectives from Renowned New Zealand Outdoor Adventurers on the Contested Cultural Understanding of Adventure

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kane, Maurice; Tucker, Hazel

    2007-01-01

    One of the foundations of New Zealand's representation of itself to the world has been as a premier place of adventure. New Zealanders who have gained world recognition in outdoor leisure pursuits are used to promote this adventurous depiction of New Zealand. They are the focus of and contribute to the discourse which guides the New Zealand…

  20. Marketing fat and sugar to children on New Zealand television.

    PubMed

    Wilson, Nick; Signal, Louise; Nicholls, Sarah; Thomson, George

    2006-02-01

    We aimed to determine the frequency and content of television food advertisements during children's viewing times on various New Zealand television channels. A content analysis was conducted of two free-to-air channels covering a total of 155 h of television time during children's viewing times (n = 858 food advertisements in 2005). Comparisons were made with data from 1997 and data from Australia. Compared to Australian channels, both New Zealand channels (TV3 and TV2) had significantly higher proportions of food advertisements that were classified as being "high in fat and/or sugar" (54% versus 80% and 69%, respectively). Using a more detailed classification system, 70.3% of food advertisements on the New Zealand channels were for foods "counter to improved nutrition" (95% CI: 67.1%, 73.3%) compared to those "favoring improved nutrition" at 5.1% (95% CI: 3.8%, 6.9%). The number of food advertisements per hour was higher in 2005 than in 1997 for the channel (TV2) for which there was time trend data (12.8 versus 8.0 per hour for the afternoon time slot). These findings provide further evidence that the majority of food advertising on New Zealand television is counter to nutritional guidelines. They suggest the need for further regulatory or other controls.

  1. An introduction to the Australian and New Zealand flux tower network - OzFlux

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Beringer, Jason; Hutley, Lindsay B.; McHugh, Ian; Arndt, Stefan K.; Campbell, David; Cleugh, Helen A.; Cleverly, James; Resco de Dios, Víctor; Eamus, Derek; Evans, Bradley; Ewenz, Cacilia; Grace, Peter; Griebel, Anne; Haverd, Vanessa; Hinko-Najera, Nina; Huete, Alfredo; Isaac, Peter; Kanniah, Kasturi; Leuning, Ray; Liddell, Michael J.; Macfarlane, Craig; Meyer, Wayne; Moore, Caitlin; Pendall, Elise; Phillips, Alison; Phillips, Rebecca L.; Prober, Suzanne M.; Restrepo-Coupe, Natalia; Rutledge, Susanna; Schroder, Ivan; Silberstein, Richard; Southall, Patricia; Yee, Mei Sun; Tapper, Nigel J.; van Gorsel, Eva; Vote, Camilla; Walker, Jeff; Wardlaw, Tim

    2016-10-01

    OzFlux is the regional Australian and New Zealand flux tower network that aims to provide a continental-scale national research facility to monitor and assess trends, and improve predictions, of Australia's terrestrial biosphere and climate. This paper describes the evolution, design, and current status of OzFlux as well as provides an overview of data processing. We analyse measurements from all sites within the Australian portion of the OzFlux network and two sites from New Zealand. The response of the Australian biomes to climate was largely consistent with global studies except that Australian systems had a lower ecosystem water-use efficiency. Australian semi-arid/arid ecosystems are important because of their huge extent (70 %) and they have evolved with common moisture limitations. We also found that Australian ecosystems had a similar radiation-use efficiency per unit leaf area compared to global values that indicates a convergence toward a similar biochemical efficiency. The two New Zealand sites represented extremes in productivity for a moist temperate climate zone, with the grazed dairy farm site having the highest GPP of any OzFlux site (2620 gC m-2 yr-1) and the natural raised peat bog site having a very low GPP (820 gC m-2 yr-1). The paper discusses the utility of the flux data and the synergies between flux, remote sensing, and modelling. Lastly, the paper looks ahead at the future direction of the network and concludes that there has been a substantial contribution by OzFlux, and considerable opportunities remain to further advance our understanding of ecosystem response to disturbances, including drought, fire, land-use and land-cover change, land management, and climate change, which are relevant both nationally and internationally. It is suggested that a synergistic approach is required to address all of the spatial, ecological, human, and cultural challenges of managing the delicately balanced ecosystems in Australasia.

  2. Earth-approaching asteroid streams

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Drummond, J. D.

    1991-01-01

    Three association patterns have been noted among 139 earth-approaching asteroids on the basis of current orbital similarity; these asteroid streams, consisting of two groups of five members and one of four, can be matched to three of the four meteorite-producing fireball streams determined by Halliday et al. (1990). If the asteroid streams are true nonrandom associations, the opportunity arises for studies of an 'exploded' asteroid in the near-earth environment. Near-earth asteroid-search projects are encouraged to search the mean orbit of the present streams in order to discover additional association members.

  3. Gastroenteritis outbreak caused by waterborne norovirus at a New Zealand ski resort.

    PubMed

    Hewitt, Joanne; Bell, Derek; Simmons, Greg C; Rivera-Aban, Malet; Wolf, Sandro; Greening, Gail E

    2007-12-01

    In July 2006, public health services investigated an outbreak of acute gastroenteritis among staff and visitors of a popular ski resort in southern New Zealand. The source of the outbreak was a drinking water supply contaminated by human sewage. The virological component of the investigation played a major role in confirming the source of the outbreak. Drinking water, source stream water, and 31 fecal specimens from gastroenteritis outbreak cases were analyzed for the presence of norovirus (NoV). Water samples were concentrated by ultrafiltration, and real-time reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) was used for rapid detection of NoV from both water and fecal samples. The implicated NoV strain was further characterized by DNA sequencing. NoV genogroup GI/5 was identified in water samples and linked case fecal specimens, providing clear evidence of the predominant pathogen and route of exposure. A retrospective cohort study demonstrated that staff who consumed drinking water from the resort supply were twice as likely to have gastroenteritis than those who did not. This is the first time that an outbreak of gastroenteritis in New Zealand has been conclusively linked to NoV detected in a community water supply. To our knowledge, this is the first report of the use of ultrafiltration combined with quantitative real-time RT-PCR and DNA sequencing for investigation of a waterborne NoV outbreak.

  4. Communication and control by listening: toward optimal design of a two-class auditory streaming brain-computer interface.

    PubMed

    Hill, N Jeremy; Moinuddin, Aisha; Häuser, Ann-Katrin; Kienzle, Stephan; Schalk, Gerwin

    2012-01-01

    Most brain-computer interface (BCI) systems require users to modulate brain signals in response to visual stimuli. Thus, they may not be useful to people with limited vision, such as those with severe paralysis. One important approach for overcoming this issue is auditory streaming, an approach whereby a BCI system is driven by shifts of attention between two simultaneously presented auditory stimulus streams. Motivated by the long-term goal of translating such a system into a reliable, simple yes-no interface for clinical usage, we aim to answer two main questions. First, we asked which of two previously published variants provides superior performance: a fixed-phase (FP) design in which the streams have equal period and opposite phase, or a drifting-phase (DP) design where the periods are unequal. We found FP to be superior to DP (p = 0.002): average performance levels were 80 and 72% correct, respectively. We were also able to show, in a pilot with one subject, that auditory streaming can support continuous control and neurofeedback applications: by shifting attention between ongoing left and right auditory streams, the subject was able to control the position of a paddle in a computer game. Second, we examined whether the system is dependent on eye movements, since it is known that eye movements and auditory attention may influence each other, and any dependence on the ability to move one's eyes would be a barrier to translation to paralyzed users. We discovered that, despite instructions, some subjects did make eye movements that were indicative of the direction of attention. However, there was no correlation, across subjects, between the reliability of the eye movement signal and the reliability of the BCI system, indicating that our system was configured to work independently of eye movement. Together, these findings are an encouraging step forward toward BCIs that provide practical communication and control options for the most severely paralyzed users.

  5. Hydrology of Channelized and Natural Headwater Streams

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Understanding hydrology is paramount for optimal ecologic function and management of headwater streams. The objective of this study was to characterize and compare headwater streams within the Upper Big Walnut Creek watershed in Ohio. Two channelized and two unchannelized streams were instrumented w...

  6. Early Childhood Services in New Zealand.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Oborn, Glennie

    2002-01-01

    Describes the types and characteristics of New Zealand early childhood education services. Specific areas addressed include: (1) Te Whaariki, the New Zealand early childhood curriculum; (2) great outdoors as a feature of early education; (3) education and care centers; (4) kindergartens and playcenters; and (5) Te Kohanga Reo, Maori language and…

  7. Heavy metal contamination in an urban stream fed by contaminated air-conditioning and stormwater discharges.

    PubMed

    O'Sullivan, Aisling; Wicke, Daniel; Cochrane, Tom

    2012-03-01

    Urban waterways are impacted by diffuse stormwater runoff, yet other discharges can unintentionally contaminate them. The Okeover stream in Christchurch, New Zealand, receives air-conditioning discharge, while its ephemeral reach relies on untreated stormwater flow. Despite rehabilitation efforts, the ecosystem is still highly disturbed. It was assumed that stormwater was the sole contamination source to the stream although water quality data were sparse. We therefore investigated its water and sediment quality and compared the data with appropriate ecotoxicological thresholds from all water sources. Concentrations of metals (Zn, Cu and Pb) in stream baseflow, stormwater runoff, air-conditioning discharge and stream-bed sediments were quantified along with flow regimes to ascertain annual contaminant loads. Metals were analysed by ICP-MS following accredited techniques. Zn, Cu and Pb concentrations from stormflow exceeded relevant guidelines for the protection of 90% of aquatic species by 18-, 9- and 5-fold, respectively, suggesting substantial ecotoxicity potential. Sporadic copper (Cu) inputs from roof runoff exceeded these levels up to 3,200-fold at >4,000 μg L⁻¹ while Cu in baseflow from air-conditioning inputs exceeded them 5.4-fold. There was an 11-fold greater annual Cu load to the stream from air-conditioning discharge compared to stormwater runoff. Most Zn and Cu were dissolved species possibly enhancing metal bioavailability. Elevated metal concentrations were also found throughout the stream sediments. Environmental investigations revealed unsuspected contamination from air-conditioning discharge that contributed greater Cu annual loads to an urban stream compared to stormwater inputs. This discovery helped reassess treatment strategies for regaining ecological integrity in the ecosystem.

  8. Geochemical Differences between two adjacent streams in the Tenaya Lake region of Yosemite National Park

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Antweiler, R.; Andrews, E. D.

    2010-12-01

    Tenaya and Murphy Creeks are two small, intermittent streams with drainage basins adjacent to each other in the Tenaya Lake region of Yosemite National Park. Tenaya Creek has a drainage basin area of 3.49 km2 ranging in elevation from 2491 to 3012 m; Murphy Creek has a drainage basin size of 7.07 km2 ranging in elevation from 2485 to 2990 m. Both basins are underlain by the Half Dome and Cathedral Peak Granodiorites (Bateman et al, 1983), with chemical compositions that are practically indistinguishable (Bateman et al, 1988). Both streams derive all of their water from snowmelt and rainfall, normally going dry by early August each year. Tenaya Creek flows primarily south-southwest, whereas Murphy Creek predominantly flows south. For nearly all of Tenaya Creek’s length it is bordered by the Tioga Pass Road, the only highway in Yosemite National Park which crosses the Sierras; on the other hand, all of Murphy Creek (except its mouth) is wilderness. During the summers of 2009 and 2010, both creeks were sampled along most of their lengths for major and trace elements. In addition, both streams have been sampled near their mouths periodically during the spring and summer (until they go dry) since 2007. Water discharge has been continuously monitored during this time. Because these streams derive all of their water from snowmelt and rainfall, the water chemistry of each must originate from atmospheric deposition, weathering of the bedrock and/or human or animal inputs. These factors, along with the similarity of the geology, topography and basin orientation, suggest that the water chemistries of the creeks should be similar. Instead, while measured sulfate concentrations in Tenaya and Murphy Creeks are similar in their upper reaches, Tenaya Creek sulfate values are almost double in the lower reaches. No other major or trace element showed a similar pattern, although sodium, potassium, calcium and rubidium showed modest increases. Other concentration differences between

  9. The amathiiform Ctenostomata (phylum Bryozoa) of New Zealand--including four new species, two of them of probable alien origin.

    PubMed

    Gordon, Dennis P; Spencer-Jones, Mary

    2013-01-01

    The status of the vesiculariid ctenostome genus Amathia in New Zealand has been evaluated on the basis of all known material, including historic specimens in museums and those newly collected during formal surveillance of ports, harbours and vessels for possible alien species. Eight species are recognised, four of them new to science. Amathia gracei n. sp. and Amathia zealandica n. sp. are the only apparently endemic species. Amathia chimonidesi n. sp. appears to be a previously unrecognised alien species and is known only from shipping harbours and/or yacht marinas and some nearby beaches. Amathia similis n. sp. has been known in the Auckland area since the 1960s but was confused with A. distans Busk. Amathia bicornis (Tenison-Woods), A. biseriata Krauss, A. lamourouxi Chimonides and A. wilsoni Kirkpatrick are Australasian species that occur naturally on both sides of the Tasman Sea. Of this latter group, A. bicornis was discovered only at a single locality on the southwest coast of North Island in 1983 on a fucoid seaweed and it may be relatively re-cently self-introduced. A specimen of A. lendigera (Linnaeus) in the Museum of New Zealand, purportedly from Napier, is considered to be based on a misunderstanding or a labelling error and does not represent a failed alien introduction. The Amathia-like vesiculariid Bowerbankia citrina (Hincks) sensu lato is newly recorded for New Zealand. Keys are provided to the amathiiform (i.e. Amathia and Amathia-like) Ctenostomata of New Zealand and to the worldwide species of Amathia and Bowerbankia with zooid clusters spiralled on stoloniform axes.

  10. Anthropometric Profiling of New Zealand Junior Elite Triathletes

    PubMed Central

    Dave, Bhargav; Dave, Asmi; Kotecha, Nilesh; Oates, Myrtle

    2016-01-01

    Introduction The triathlon involves a combination of three separate disciplines-swimming, cycling and running. To date, very few studies have been conducted on the anthropometric characteristics of the New Zealand junior elite triathletes. The aim of this study was to determine the correlation between physical traits of calf girth or sum of eight skinfolds (anthropometry) and running or cycling performances in the triathlon event. Methods Eleven junior elite triathletes (6 females, 5 males; (Av. age: 17) who were selected for the New Zealand national squad, were examined in this cross-sectional study. All athletes were measured for the complete anthropometric profile, as per the International Society for Advancement of Kinanthropometry (ISAK) guidelines. It was then correlated with the cycling and running performances using interclass correlation (ICC) with 90% confidence interval (CI) limits. Results A non-significant positive correlation observed between eight skinfolds tests on running performance (ICC: 0.10; 90% CI: −0.68–0.77; p>0.05) and biking performance (ICC: 0.15; 90% CI: −0.65–0.79; p>0.05), suggested athletes with greater body fat may render a better athletic performance. Conversely, a significant negative correlation was observed between calf girth and running performance (ICC:−0.66; 90% CI: −0.94 – −0.12; p<0.05) and a non-significant negative correlation was observed between calf girth and cycling performance (ICC:−0.94; 90% CI: −0.97– 0.68; p>0.05). Conclusion Anthropometric data can help in predicting an ideal body profile. This research indicates the similarities and differences of the New Zealand junior profile and the world junior profile. PMID:27504176

  11. streamgap-pepper: Effects of peppering streams with many small impacts

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bovy, Jo; Erkal, Denis; Sanders, Jason

    2017-02-01

    streamgap-pepper computes the effect of subhalo fly-bys on cold tidal streams based on the action-angle representation of streams. A line-of-parallel-angle approach is used to calculate the perturbed distribution function of a given stream segment by undoing the effect of all impacts. This approach allows one to compute the perturbed stream density and track in any coordinate system in minutes for realizations of the subhalo distribution down to 10^5 Msun, accounting for the stream's internal dispersion and overlapping impacts. This code uses galpy (ascl:1411.008) and the streampepperdf.py galpy extension, which implements the fast calculation of the perturbed stream structure.

  12. Opportunity to Learn about Disciplinary Literacy in Senior Secondary English Classrooms in New Zealand

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wilson, Aaron; Madjar, Irena; McNaughton, Stuart

    2016-01-01

    The New Zealand education system is recognised internationally for its overall high quality. At the same time, there is a persistent gap in achievement between students in low socio-economic status (SES) schools in which there is an over-representation of Maori and Pasifika students, and students in more affluent communities. In this paper, we…

  13. A Future-Focus for Teaching and Learning: Technology Education in Two New Zealand Secondary Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Reinsfield, Elizabeth

    2016-01-01

    Technology education has been a part of the New Zealand curriculum in many forms since its inception as a craft subject. With a global push towards technological innovation and an increased awareness of the impact of technology on society, it is reasonable to assume that technology education has an established role in student learning around the…

  14. The Cost Efficiency New Zealand's Polytechnics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Abbott, Malcolm; Doucouliagos, Hristos

    2004-01-01

    In New Zealand the most important institutions that are responsible for the delivery of vocational education and training programs are the government owned and operated tertiary education institutions known as polytechnics. The New Zealand polytechnics deliver programs at the certificate, diploma and degree level. During the course of the 1990s,…

  15. Cross-Stream PIV Measurements of Jets With Internal Lobed Mixers

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bridges, James; Wernet, Mark P.

    2004-01-01

    With emphasis being placed on enhanced mixing of jet plumes for noise reduction and on predictions of jet noise based upon turbulent kinetic energy, unsteady measurements of jet plumes are a very important part of jet noise studies. Given that hot flows are of most practical interest, optical techniques such as Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) are applicable. When the flow has strong azimuthal features, such as those generated by chevrons or lobed mixers, traditional PIV, which aligns the measurement plane parallel to the dominant flow direction is very inefficient, requiring many planes of data to be acquired and stacked up to produce the desired flow cross-sections. This paper presents PIV data acquired in a plane normal to the jet axis, directly measuring the cross-stream gradients and features of an internally mixed nozzle operating at aircraft engine flow conditions. These nozzle systems included variations in lobed mixer penetration, lobe count, lobe scalloping, and nozzle length. Several cases validating the accuracy of the PIV data are examined along with examples of its use in answering questions about the jet noise generation processes in these nozzles. Of most interest is the relationship of low frequency aft-directed noise with turbulence kinetic energy and mean velocity.

  16. Language Teacher Research in Australia and New Zealand

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Burns, Anne, Ed.; Burton, Jill, Ed.

    2008-01-01

    Over the last 30 years, inquiry-based teaching has become a highly valued component of professional development and practitioner research in Australia and New Zealand. This volume of the Language Teacher Research Series focuses on teaching and learning experiences in those two countries, which encompass a large geographical area with diverse…

  17. Earthquake Hazard and Risk in New Zealand

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Apel, E. V.; Nyst, M.; Fitzenz, D. D.; Molas, G.

    2014-12-01

    To quantify risk in New Zealand we examine the impact of updating the seismic hazard model. The previous RMS New Zealand hazard model is based on the 2002 probabilistic seismic hazard maps for New Zealand (Stirling et al., 2002). The 2015 RMS model, based on Stirling et al., (2012) will update several key source parameters. These updates include: implementation a new set of crustal faults including multi-segment ruptures, updating the subduction zone geometry and reccurrence rate and implementing new background rates and a robust methodology for modeling background earthquake sources. The number of crustal faults has increased by over 200 from the 2002 model, to the 2012 model which now includes over 500 individual fault sources. This includes the additions of many offshore faults in northern, east-central, and southwest regions. We also use the recent data to update the source geometry of the Hikurangi subduction zone (Wallace, 2009; Williams et al., 2013). We compare hazard changes in our updated model with those from the previous version. Changes between the two maps are discussed as well as the drivers for these changes. We examine the impact the hazard model changes have on New Zealand earthquake risk. Considered risk metrics include average annual loss, an annualized expected loss level used by insurers to determine the costs of earthquake insurance (and premium levels), and the loss exceedance probability curve used by insurers to address their solvency and manage their portfolio risk. We analyze risk profile changes in areas with large population density and for structures of economic and financial importance. New Zealand is interesting in that the city with the majority of the risk exposure in the country (Auckland) lies in the region of lowest hazard, where we don't have a lot of information about the location of faults and distributed seismicity is modeled by averaged Mw-frequency relationships on area sources. Thus small changes to the background rates

  18. Study of one- and two-dimensional filtering and deconvolution algorithms for a streaming array computer

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ioup, G. E.

    1985-01-01

    Appendix 5 of the Study of One- and Two-Dimensional Filtering and Deconvolution Algorithms for a Streaming Array Computer includes a resume of the professional background of the Principal Investigator on the project, lists of this publications and research papers, graduate thesis supervised, and grants received.

  19. Acculturation of Pacific mothers in New Zealand over time: findings from the Pacific Islands Families study

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Background The epidemiological investigation of acculturation has often been hampered by inconsistent definitions and measurement, and methodological short-comings. Adopting a bi-directional model, with good theoretical and psychometric properties, this study aimed to describe the temporal, ethnic and socio-demographic influences of acculturation for a group of Pacific mothers residing in New Zealand. Methods Pacific mothers of a cohort of Pacific infants born at a large tertiary hospital in South Auckland in 2000 were interviewed at 6-weeks, 4-years and 6-years postpartum. At each measurement wave a home interview lasting approximately 90 minutes was conducted with each mother. Adapting the General Ethnicity Questionnaire, two scales of acculturation were elicited: one measuring New Zealand cultural orientation (NZAccult) and one measuring Pacific Islands cultural orientation (PIAccult). Acculturation scores were standardised and analysed using random intercept polynomial and piecewise mixed-effects regression models, accounting for the longitudinal nature of the repeated measured data. Mothers who immigrated to New Zealand and those who lived their lives in New Zealand were investigated separately. Results Overall, 1276 Pacific mothers provided 3104 NZAccult and 3107 PIAccult responses over the three measurement waves. Important and significant differences were observed in both bi-directional acculturation measures between the two maternal groups studied. New Zealand cultural orientation increased, on average, linearly with years lived in New Zealand both for immigrant mothers (0.013 per year, 95% CI: 0.012, 0.014), after adjusting for maternal age, and for mothers who lived their lives in New Zealand (0.008 per year, 95% CI: 0.06, 0.010). Immigrant mothers maintained their Pacific cultural orientation for, on average, 12 years before it began to linearly decrease with each year lived in New Zealand thereafter (-0.009 per year, 95% CI: -0.010, -0.008), after

  20. California's coast redwood in New Zealand

    Treesearch

    Tom Gaman

    2012-01-01

    New Zealanders are making a significant effort to develop their forest industry to benefit from rapid growth exhibited by Sequoia sempervirens on both the North Island and South Island. US and New Zealand forest products companies have established redwood plantations in the past decade, and have found that microclimate, site preparation, soil chemistry, fertilization...

  1. James Henry Marriott: New Zealand's first professional telescope-maker

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Orchiston, Wayne; Romick, Carl; Brown, Pendreigh.

    2015-11-01

    James Henry Marriott was born in London in 1799 and trained as an optician and scientific instrument- maker. In 1842 he emigrated to New Zealand and in January 1843 settled in the newly-established town of Wellington. He was New Zealand's first professional telescope-maker, but we have only been able to locate one telescope made by him while in New Zealand, a brass 1-draw marine telescope with a 44-mm objective, which was manufactured in 1844. In 2004 this marine telescope was purchased in Hawaii by the second author of this paper. In this paper we provide biographical information about Marriott, describe his 1844 marine telescope and speculate on its provenance. We conclude that although he may have been New Zealand's first professional telescope-maker Marriot actually made very few telescopes or other scientific instruments. As such, rather than being recognised as a pioneer of telescope-making in New Zealand he should be remembered as the founder of New Zealand theatre.

  2. Decoupling of dissolved organic matter patterns between stream and riparian groundwater in a headwater forested catchment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bernal, Susana; Lupon, Anna; Catalán, Núria; Castelar, Sara; Martí, Eugènia

    2018-03-01

    Streams are important sources of carbon to the atmosphere, though knowing whether they merely outgas terrestrially derived carbon dioxide or mineralize terrestrial inputs of dissolved organic matter (DOM) is still a big challenge in ecology. The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of riparian groundwater (GW) and in-stream processes on the temporal pattern of stream DOM concentrations and quality in a forested headwater stream, and whether this influence differed between the leaf litter fall (LLF) period and the remaining part of the year (non-LLF). The spectroscopic indexes (fluorescence index, biological index, humification index, and parallel factor analysis components) indicated that DOM had an eminently protein-like character and was most likely originated from microbial sources and recent biological activity in both stream water and riparian GW. However, paired samples of stream water and riparian GW showed that dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and nitrogen (DON) concentrations as well as the spectroscopic character of DOM differed between the two compartments throughout the year. A simple mass balance approach indicated that in-stream processes along the reach contributed to reducing DOC and DON fluxes by 50 and 30 %, respectively. Further, in-stream DOC and DON uptakes were unrelated to each other, suggesting that these two compounds underwent different biogeochemical pathways. During the LLF period, stream DOC and DOC : DON ratios were higher than during the non-LLF period, and spectroscopic indexes suggested a major influence of terrestrial vegetation on stream DOM. Our study highlights that stream DOM is not merely a reflection of riparian GW entering the stream and that headwater streams have the capacity to internally produce, transform, and consume DOM.

  3. StreamQRE: Modular Specification and Efficient Evaluation of Quantitative Queries over Streaming Data*

    PubMed Central

    Mamouras, Konstantinos; Raghothaman, Mukund; Alur, Rajeev; Ives, Zachary G.; Khanna, Sanjeev

    2017-01-01

    Real-time decision making in emerging IoT applications typically relies on computing quantitative summaries of large data streams in an efficient and incremental manner. To simplify the task of programming the desired logic, we propose StreamQRE, which provides natural and high-level constructs for processing streaming data. Our language has a novel integration of linguistic constructs from two distinct programming paradigms: streaming extensions of relational query languages and quantitative extensions of regular expressions. The former allows the programmer to employ relational constructs to partition the input data by keys and to integrate data streams from different sources, while the latter can be used to exploit the logical hierarchy in the input stream for modular specifications. We first present the core language with a small set of combinators, formal semantics, and a decidable type system. We then show how to express a number of common patterns with illustrative examples. Our compilation algorithm translates the high-level query into a streaming algorithm with precise complexity bounds on per-item processing time and total memory footprint. We also show how to integrate approximation algorithms into our framework. We report on an implementation in Java, and evaluate it with respect to existing high-performance engines for processing streaming data. Our experimental evaluation shows that (1) StreamQRE allows more natural and succinct specification of queries compared to existing frameworks, (2) the throughput of our implementation is higher than comparable systems (for example, two-to-four times greater than RxJava), and (3) the approximation algorithms supported by our implementation can lead to substantial memory savings. PMID:29151821

  4. Evaluating stress, burnout and job satisfaction in New Zealand radiation oncology departments.

    PubMed

    Jasperse, M; Herst, P; Dungey, G

    2014-01-01

    This research aimed to determine the levels of occupational stress, burnout and job satisfaction among radiation oncology workers across New Zealand. All oncology staff practising in all eight radiation oncology departments in New Zealand were invited to participate anonymously in a questionnaire, which consisted of the Maslach Burnout Inventory and measures of stress intensity associated with specific occupational stressors, stress reduction strategies and job satisfaction. A total of 171 (out of 349) complete responses were analysed using spss 19; there were 23 oncologists, 111 radiation therapists, 22 radiation nurses and 15 radiation physicists. All participants, regardless of profession, reported high stress levels associated with both patient-centred and organisational stressors. Participants scored high in all three domains of burnout: emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation and personal accomplishment. Interestingly, although organisational stressors predicted higher emotional exhaustion and emotional exhaustion predicted lower job satisfaction, patient stressors were associated with higher job satisfaction. Job satisfaction initiatives such as ongoing education, mentoring and role extension were supported by many participants as was addressing organisational stressors, such as lack of recognition and support from management and unrealistic expectations and demands. New Zealand staff exhibit higher levels of burnout than Maslach Burnout Inventory medical norms and oncology workers in previous international studies. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  5. How is a stream impacted by burial? Examining the spatial variation within urban buried streams in Cincinnati, OH

    EPA Science Inventory

    While the effects of urbanization on stream ecosystems have been well-documented, little is known regarding the impact of burying streams within culverts. Our project aims to explore the ecological impacts of stream burial at a fine spatial scale. Two culverted urban streams in C...

  6. Benzimidazole resistance in Nematodirus spathiger and N. filicollis in New Zealand.

    PubMed

    Oliver, Amb; Pomroy, W E; Leathwick, D M

    2016-07-01

    To determine the prevalence of benzimidazole resistance in Nematodirus spathiger and N. filicollis from a sample of New Zealand farms. The efficacy of albendazole (ABZ) against Nematodirus spp. was assessed by faecal nematode egg count reduction (FECR) tests undertaken in lambs aged 3-8 months old on 27 sheep farms throughout New Zealand. On each farm, groups of 10-16 lambs were either treated with ABZ (4.75 mg/kg) or remained as untreated controls. Faecal samples were collected from all animals at the time of treatment and 7-10 days later. Faecal nematode egg counts (FEC) were performed using a modified McMaster technique. Larvae were cultured from pooled faecal samples, collected 7-10 days after treatment from each group, by incubation at 20°C for 6 weeks, 4°C for 26 weeks then 13°C for 2 weeks. The resulting third stage larvae were identified to species using a multiplex PCR assay, that identified species-specific sequences in the second internal transcribed spacer region of ribosomal DNA. The efficacy of ABZ for N. spathiger and N. filicollis was calculated from the proportion of the two species in culture and the group mean FEC before and after treatment. Only farms with a mean of 10 epg for each species in untreated samples were included for analysis. Resistance was defined as an efficacy <95%. On farms that met the threshold of 10 epg in faecal samples, benzimidazole resistance was found on 20/21 (95%) farms for N. spathiger compared with 4/10 (40%) farms for N. filicollis (p<0.05). In samples collected following treatment, a mean of 83 (min 46, max 100)% of Nematodirus spp. larvae recovered from the untreated groups were N. spathiger, compared with 94 (min 45, max 100)% in the ABZ treated groups (p=0.03). This change in percentage was not influenced by the overall efficacy of treatment based on the FECR test (p=0.324). The results confirm the high level of resistance in N. spathiger in New Zealand and that benzimidazole resistance was more common

  7. The Polynesian and Educational Inequality in New Zealand.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Spoonley, Paul

    New Zealand shares with other Southeast Asian nations two sets of problems which stem from the presence of several distinct communities in one geographical/political area: the first relates to treatment of linguistic minorities, indigenous and immigrant; the second is that of social or regional dialects which, while not totally distinct from an…

  8. Collaboration and Development of Radio Astronomy in Australasia and South-Pacific Region: New Zealand Perspectives

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gulyaev, S.; Natusch, T.

    2006-08-01

    Radio telescopes in the Asia-Pacific region form a natural network for VLBI observations, similar to the very successful networks in North America (Network Users Group) and Europe (European VLBI Network). New Zealand's VLBI facility, which we are developing since 2005, has the potential to strengthen the Asian-Pacific VLBI network and its role in astronomy, geodesy and geoscience. It will positively influence regional and international activities in geoscience and geodesy that advance New Zealand's national interests. A self-contained radio astronomy system for VLBI, including a 1.658 GHz (centre frequency), 16 MHz bandwidth RF system (feed and downconversion system locked to a Rubidium maser and GPS clock), an 8-bit sampler/digitisation system, and a disk-based recording system built around a commodity PC was developed in New Zealand Centre for Radiophysics and Space Research. This was designed as a portable system for use on various radio telescopes. A number of Trans-Tasman tests has been conducted in 2005-2006 between the CRSR system installed on a 6 metre dish located in Auckland and the Australia Telescope Compact Array in Narrabri, Australia. This work has been successful, with fringes located from the recorded data and high resolution image of the quasar PKS1921-231 obtained. Experiments were recently conducted with Japan; new tests are planned with Korea and Fiji. Plans have been made to build a new 16.5 m antenna in New Zealand's North Island and to upgrade an 11 m dish in the South Island. A possible future of New Zealand's participation in the SKA is being discussed.

  9. Dual influences of ecosystem size and disturbance on food chain length in streams.

    PubMed

    McHugh, Peter A; McIntosh, Angus R; Jellyman, Phillip G

    2010-07-01

    The number of trophic transfers occurring between basal resources and top predators, food chain length (FCL), varies widely in the world's ecosystems for reasons that are poorly understood, particularly for stream ecosystems. Available evidence indicates that FCL is set by energetic constraints, environmental stochasticity, or ecosystem size effects, although no single explanation has yet accounted for FCL patterns in a broad sense. Further, whether environmental disturbance can influence FCL has been debated on both theoretical and empirical grounds for quite some time. Using data from sixteen South Island, New Zealand streams, we determined whether the so-called ecosystem size, disturbance, or resource availability hypotheses could account for FCL variation in high country fluvial environments. Stable isotope-based estimates of maximum trophic position ranged from 2.6 to 4.2 and averaged 3.5, a value on par with the global FCL average for streams. Model-selection results indicated that stream size and disturbance regime best explained across-site patterns in FCL, although resource availability was negatively correlated with our measure of disturbance; FCL approached its maximum in large, stable springs and was <3.5 trophic levels in small, fishless and/or disturbed streams. Community data indicate that size influenced FCL, primarily through its influence on local fish species richness (i.e., via trophic level additions and/or insertions), whereas disturbance did so via an effect on the relative availability of intermediate predators (i.e., predatory invertebrates) as prey for fishes. Overall, our results demonstrate that disturbance can have an important food web-structuring role in stream ecosystems, and further imply that pluralistic explanations are needed to fully understand the range of structural variation observed for real food webs.

  10. Yet Another Stream Search Among 2401 Photographic Meteors

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Cook, A. F., II; Lindblad, B.; Marsden, B. G.; Mccrosky, R. E.; Posen, A.

    1973-01-01

    Two streams previously listed (one of them with a classification on Ceplecha's system in terms of beginning height) by Cook are shown probably not to exist, a possibility already pointed out by Cook. One stream that he questioned was revised as to membership and then classified. Four streams are added to the list and one of these is classified. Previous reports exist for three of these streams, while one is new. The two Piscid streams of Lindblad and his alpha Triangulid stream are regrouped into two streams, one already called the Andromedids by Cook and the other still called the Piscids; the alpha Triangulids are absorbed into the Andromedids. The Piscids are classified along with the iota Aquarids. The classifications of the Taurids and the Andromedids remain unchanged.

  11. The Dark Energy Survey view of the Sagittarius stream: discovery of two faint stellar system candidates

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Luque, E.; Pieres, A.; Santiago, B.; Yanny, B.; Vivas, A. K.; Queiroz, A.; Drlica-Wagner, A.; Morganson, E.; Balbinot, E.; Marshall, J. L.; Li, T. S.; Neto, A. Fausti; da Costa, L. N.; Maia, M. A. G.; Bechtol, K.; Kim, A. G.; Bernstein, G. M.; Dodelson, S.; Whiteway, L.; Diehl, H. T.; Finley, D. A.; Abbott, T.; Abdalla, F. B.; Allam, S.; Annis, J.; Benoit-Lévy, A.; Bertin, E.; Brooks, D.; Burke, D. L.; Rosell, A. Carnero; Kind, M. Carrasco; Carretero, J.; Cunha, C. E.; D'Andrea, C. B.; Desai, S.; Doel, P.; Evrard, A. E.; Flaugher, B.; Fosalba, P.; Gerdes, D. W.; Goldstein, D. A.; Gruen, D.; Gruendl, R. A.; Gutierrez, G.; James, D. J.; Kuehn, K.; Kuropatkin, N.; Lahav, O.; Martini, P.; Miquel, R.; Nord, B.; Ogando, R.; Plazas, A. A.; Romer, A. K.; Sanchez, E.; Scarpine, V.; Schubnell, M.; Sevilla-Noarbe, I.; Smith, R. C.; Soares-Santos, M.; Sobreira, F.; Suchyta, E.; Swanson, M. E. C.; Tarle, G.; Thomas, D.; Walker, A. R.

    2017-06-01

    We report the discovery of two new candidate stellar systems in the constellation of Cetus using the data from the first two years of the Dark Energy Survey (DES). The objects, DES J0111-1341 and DES J0225+0304, are located at a heliocentric distance of ˜25 kpc and appear to have old and metal-poor populations. Their distances to the Sagittarius orbital plane, ˜1.73 kpc (DES J0111-1341) and ˜0.50 kpc (DES J0225+0304), indicate that they are possibly associated with the Sagittarius dwarf stream. The half-light radius (rh ≃ 4.55 pc) and luminosity (MV ≃ +0.3) of DES J0111-1341 are consistent with it being an ultrafaint stellar cluster, while the half-light radius (rh ≃ 18.55 pc) and luminosity (MV ≃ -1.1) of DES J0225+0304 place it in an ambiguous region of size-luminosity space between stellar clusters and dwarf galaxies. Determinations of the characteristic parameters of the Sagittarius stream, metallicity spread (-2.18 ≲ [Fe/H] ≲ -0.95) and distance gradient (23 kpc ≲ D⊙ ≲ 29 kpc), within the DES footprint in the Southern hemisphere, using the same DES data, also indicate a possible association between these systems. If these objects are confirmed through spectroscopic follow-up to be gravitationally bound systems and to share a Galactic trajectory with the Sagittarius stream, DES J0111-1341 and DES J0225+0304 would be the first ultrafaint stellar systems associated with the Sagittarius stream. Furthermore, DES J0225+0304 would also be the first confirmed case of an ultrafaint satellite of a satellite.

  12. Marine biodiversity of Aotearoa New Zealand.

    PubMed

    Gordon, Dennis P; Beaumont, Jennifer; MacDiarmid, Alison; Robertson, Donald A; Ahyong, Shane T

    2010-08-02

    The marine-biodiversity assessment of New Zealand (Aotearoa as known to Māori) is confined to the 200 nautical-mile boundary of the Exclusive Economic Zone, which, at 4.2 million km(2), is one of the largest in the world. It spans 30 degrees of latitude and includes a high diversity of seafloor relief, including a trench 10 km deep. Much of this region remains unexplored biologically, especially the 50% of the EEZ deeper than 2,000 m. Knowledge of the marine biota is based on more than 200 years of marine exploration in the region. The major oceanographic data repository is the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA), which is involved in several Census of Marine Life field projects and is the location of the Southwestern Pacific Regional OBIS Node; NIWA is also data manager and custodian for fisheries research data owned by the Ministry of Fisheries. Related data sources cover alien species, environmental measures, and historical information. Museum collections in New Zealand hold more than 800,000 registered lots representing several million specimens. During the past decade, 220 taxonomic specialists (85 marine) from 18 countries have been engaged in a project to review New Zealand's entire biodiversity. The above-mentioned marine information sources, published literature, and reports were scrutinized to give the results summarized here for the first time (current to 2010), including data on endemism and invasive species. There are 17,135 living species in the EEZ. This diversity includes 4,315 known undescribed species in collections. Species diversity for the most intensively studied phylum-level taxa (Porifera, Cnidaria, Mollusca, Brachiopoda, Bryozoa, Kinorhyncha, Echinodermata, Chordata) is more or less equivalent to that in the ERMS (European Register of Marine Species) region, which is 5.5 times larger in area than the New Zealand EEZ. The implication is that, when all other New Zealand phyla are equally well studied, total marine

  13. Marine Biodiversity of Aotearoa New Zealand

    PubMed Central

    Gordon, Dennis P.; Beaumont, Jennifer; MacDiarmid, Alison; Robertson, Donald A.; Ahyong, Shane T.

    2010-01-01

    The marine-biodiversity assessment of New Zealand (Aotearoa as known to Māori) is confined to the 200 nautical-mile boundary of the Exclusive Economic Zone, which, at 4.2 million km2, is one of the largest in the world. It spans 30° of latitude and includes a high diversity of seafloor relief, including a trench 10 km deep. Much of this region remains unexplored biologically, especially the 50% of the EEZ deeper than 2,000 m. Knowledge of the marine biota is based on more than 200 years of marine exploration in the region. The major oceanographic data repository is the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA), which is involved in several Census of Marine Life field projects and is the location of the Southwestern Pacific Regional OBIS Node; NIWA is also data manager and custodian for fisheries research data owned by the Ministry of Fisheries. Related data sources cover alien species, environmental measures, and historical information. Museum collections in New Zealand hold more than 800,000 registered lots representing several million specimens. During the past decade, 220 taxonomic specialists (85 marine) from 18 countries have been engaged in a project to review New Zealand's entire biodiversity. The above-mentioned marine information sources, published literature, and reports were scrutinized to give the results summarized here for the first time (current to 2010), including data on endemism and invasive species. There are 17,135 living species in the EEZ. This diversity includes 4,315 known undescribed species in collections. Species diversity for the most intensively studied phylum-level taxa (Porifera, Cnidaria, Mollusca, Brachiopoda, Bryozoa, Kinorhyncha, Echinodermata, Chordata) is more or less equivalent to that in the ERMS (European Register of Marine Species) region, which is 5.5 times larger in area than the New Zealand EEZ. The implication is that, when all other New Zealand phyla are equally well studied, total marine diversity

  14. Transformations: Proceedings of the 2008 Annual International Conference of the Association of Tertiary Learning Advisors of Aotearoa/New Zealand (ATLAANZ) (Porirua, New Zealand, November 19-21, 2008). Volume 4

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Silvester, Mary, Ed.

    2009-01-01

    This volume comprises the refereed proceedings of the 2008 ATLAANZ (Association of Tertiary Learning Advisors of Aotearoa/New Zealand) conference, and explores strands of transformations--learning within cultural contexts, service delivery, student literacy and numeracy, graduate students and professional practice. In Chapter 1, Kay Hammond…

  15. A survey of role stress, coping and health in Australian and New Zealand hospital nurses.

    PubMed

    Chang, Esther M L; Bidewell, John W; Huntington, Annette D; Daly, John; Johnson, Amanda; Wilson, Helen; Lambert, Vicki A; Lambert, Clinton E

    2007-11-01

    Previous research has identified international and cultural differences in nurses' workplace stress and coping responses. We hypothesised an association between problem-focused coping and improved health, emotion-focused coping with reduced health, and more frequent workplace stress with reduced health. Test the above hypotheses with Australian and New Zealand nurses, and compare Australian and New Zealand nurses' experience of workplace stress, coping and health status. Three hundred and twenty-eight New South Wales (NSW) and 190 New Zealand (NZ) volunteer acute care hospital nurses (response rate 41%) from randomly sampled nurses. Postal survey consisting of a demographic questionnaire, the Nursing Stress Scale, the WAYS of Coping Questionnaire and the SF-36 Health Survey Version 2. Consistent with hypotheses, more frequent workplace stress predicted lower physical and mental health. Problem-focused coping was associated with better mental health. Emotion-focused coping was associated with reduced mental health. Contrary to hypotheses, coping styles did not predict physical health. NSW and NZ scored effectively the same on sources of workplace stress, stress coping methods, and physical and mental health when controlling for relevant variables. Results suggest mental health benefits for nurses who use problem-solving to cope with stress by addressing the external source of the stress, rather than emotion-focused coping in which nurses try to control or manage their internal response to stress. Cultural similarities and similar hospital environments could account for equivalent findings for NSW and NZ.

  16. Temperature in lowland Danish streams: contemporary patterns, empirical models and future scenarios

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lagergaard Pedersen, Niels; Sand-Jensen, Kaj

    2007-01-01

    Continuous temperature measurements at 11 stream sites in small lowland streams of North Zealand, Denmark over a year showed much higher summer temperatures and lower winter temperatures along the course of the stream with artificial lakes than in the stream without lakes. The influence of lakes was even more prominent in the comparisons of colder lake inlets and warmer outlets and led to the decline of cold-water and oxygen-demanding brown trout. Seasonal and daily temperature variations were, as anticipated, dampened by forest cover, groundwater input, input from sewage plants and high downstream discharges. Seasonal variations in daily water temperature could be predicted with high accuracy at all sites by a linear air-water regression model (r2: 0.903-0.947). The predictions improved in all instances (r2: 0.927-0.964) by a non-linear logistic regression according to which water temperatures do not fall below freezing and they increase less steeply than air temperatures at high temperatures because of enhanced heat loss from the stream by evaporation and back radiation. The predictions improved slightly (r2: 0.933-0.969) by a multiple regression model which, in addition to air temperature as the main predictor, included solar radiation at un-shaded sites, relative humidity, precipitation and discharge. Application of the non-linear logistic model for a warming scenario of 4-5 °C higher air temperatures in Denmark in 2070-2100 yielded predictions of temperatures rising 1.6-3.0 °C during winter and summer and 4.4-6.0 °C during spring in un-shaded streams with low groundwater input. Groundwater-fed springs are expected to follow the increase of mean air temperatures for the region. Great caution should be exercised in these temperature projections because global and regional climate scenarios remain open to discussion. Copyright

  17. Using Mixed Methods to Build Research Capacity within the Spinal Cord Injured Population of New Zealand

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sullivan, Martin; Derrett, Sarah; Paul, Charlotte; Beaver, Carolyn; Stace, Hilary

    2014-01-01

    In 2007, a 4-year longitudinal study of all people admitted to the two New Zealand spinal units commenced. It aims to (a) explore interrelationship(s) of body, self, and society for people with spinal cord injury (SCI) and (b) investigate how entitlement to rehabilitation and compensation through New Zealand's Accident Compensation Corporation…

  18. 7 CFR 319.56-32 - Peppers from New Zealand.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 5 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Peppers from New Zealand. 319.56-32 Section 319.56-32... SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FOREIGN QUARANTINE NOTICES Fruits and Vegetables § 319.56-32 Peppers from New Zealand. Peppers (fruit) (Capsicum spp.) from New Zealand may be imported into the United...

  19. Ethnic bias and clinical decision-making among New Zealand medical students: an observational study.

    PubMed

    Harris, Ricci; Cormack, Donna; Stanley, James; Curtis, Elana; Jones, Rhys; Lacey, Cameron

    2018-01-23

    Health professional racial/ethnic bias may impact on clinical decision-making and contribute to subsequent ethnic health inequities. However, limited research has been undertaken among medical students. This paper presents findings from the Bias and Decision-Making in Medicine (BDMM) study, which sought to examine ethnic bias (Māori (indigenous peoples) compared with New Zealand European) among medical students and associations with clinical decision-making. All final year New Zealand (NZ) medical students in 2014 and 2015 (n = 888) were invited to participate in a cross-sectional online study. Key components included: two chronic disease vignettes (cardiovascular disease (CVD) and depression) with randomized patient ethnicity (Māori or NZ European) and questions on patient management; implicit bias measures (an ethnicity preference Implicit Association Test (IAT) and an ethnicity and compliant patient IAT); and, explicit ethnic bias questions. Associations between ethnic bias and clinical decision-making responses to vignettes were tested using linear regression. Three hundred and two students participated (34% response rate). Implicit and explicit ethnic bias favoring NZ Europeans was apparent among medical students. In the CVD vignette, no significant differences in clinical decision-making by patient ethnicity were observed. There were also no differential associations by patient ethnicity between any measures of ethnic bias (implicit or explicit) and patient management responses in the CVD vignette. In the depression vignette, some differences in the ranking of recommended treatment options were observed by patient ethnicity and explicit preference for NZ Europeans was associated with increased reporting that NZ European patients would benefit from treatment but not Māori (slope difference 0.34, 95% CI 0.08, 0.60; p = 0.011), although this was the only significant finding in these analyses. NZ medical students demonstrated ethnic bias, although

  20. The New Zealand Curriculum: Emergent Insights and Complex Renderings

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ovens, Alan

    2010-01-01

    The launch of New Zealand Curriculum (Ministry of Education, 2007) brings into question the future of the reforms introduced in the 1999 curriculum, Health and Physical Education in the New Zealand National Curriculum (Ministry of Education, 1999). The aim of this paper is to critique recent physical education curriculum policy in New Zealand and…

  1. Oscillating two-stream instability in a magnetized electron-positron-ion plasma

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tinakiche, Nouara; Annou, R.

    2015-04-01

    Oscillating two-stream instability (OTSI) in a magnetized electron-ion plasma has been thoroughly studied, e.g., in ionospheric heating experiments [C. S. Liu and V. K. Tripathi, Interaction of Electromagnetic Waves With Electron Beams and Plasmas (World Scientific, 1994); V. K. Tripathi and P. V. Siva Rama Prasad, J. Plasma Phys. 41, 13 (1989); K. Ramachandran and V. K. Tripathi, IEEE Trans. Plasma Sci. 25, 423 (1997)]. In this paper, OTSI is investigated in a magnetized electron-positron-ion plasma. The dispersion relation of the process is established. The pump field threshold, along with the maximum growth rate of the instability is assessed using the Arecibo and HAARP parameters.

  2. The New Zealand Tsunami Database: historical and modern records

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Barberopoulou, A.; Downes, G. L.; Cochran, U. A.; Clark, K.; Scheele, F.

    2016-12-01

    A database of historical (pre-instrumental) and modern (instrumentally recorded)tsunamis that have impacted or been observed in New Zealand has been compiled andpublished online. New Zealand's tectonic setting, astride an obliquely convergenttectonic boundary on the Pacific Rim, means that it is vulnerable to local, regional andcircum-Pacific tsunamis. Despite New Zealand's comparatively short written historicalrecord of c. 200 years there is a wealth of information about the impact of past tsunamis.The New Zealand Tsunami Database currently has 800+ entries that describe >50 highvaliditytsunamis. Sources of historical information include witness reports recorded indiaries, notes, newspapers, books, and photographs. Information on recent events comesfrom tide gauges and other instrumental recordings such as DART® buoys, and media ofgreater variety, for example, video and online surveys. The New Zealand TsunamiDatabase is an ongoing project with information added as further historical records cometo light. Modern tsunamis are also added to the database once the relevant data for anevent has been collated and edited. This paper briefly overviews the procedures and toolsused in the recording and analysis of New Zealand's historical tsunamis, with emphasison database content.

  3. Code of Practice for the Pastoral Care of International Students: Making a Globalising Industry in New Zealand

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lewis, Nicolas

    2005-01-01

    Export education in New Zealand has grown rapidly since 1990, earning significant foreign exchange and underwriting the finance of domestic education. As principal owner of education institutions, the national state is the primary investor. Previous governments treated the "industry" as both windfall and cash-cow as they advanced the…

  4. Origin and timing of New Zealand's earliest domestic chickens: Polynesian commensals or European introductions?

    PubMed Central

    Wood, Jamie R.; Herrera, Michael J. B.; Wilmshurst, Janet M.

    2016-01-01

    Human settlers transported chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus) to most East Polynesian archipelagos between AD 1000 and 1300; however, it has long been assumed that New Zealand was an exception. Despite the fact that chicken bones have been recovered from localities of early archaeological middens in New Zealand, their age and genetic relationships have never been critically assessed. Here, we test the assumption that chickens were not introduced to New Zealand during prehistory through ancient DNA and radiocarbon analyses of chicken bones from sites of Māori middens containing prehistoric material. The chickens belong to the widespread mitochondrial control region haplogroup E. Radiocarbon dating reveals that the bones are not prehistoric, but are still the earliest chicken remains known from New Zealand. Two of the bones pre-date permanent European settlement (ca 1803s onwards) but overlap with the arrival of James Cook's second voyage (1773–1774), and, therefore, they are likely to be chickens, or progeny thereof, liberated during that voyage. Our results support the idea that chickens were first introduced to New Zealand by Europeans, and provide new insights into Māori uptake and integration of resources introduced during the early post-European period. PMID:27853601

  5. Origin and timing of New Zealand's earliest domestic chickens: Polynesian commensals or European introductions?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wood, Jamie R.; Herrera, Michael J. B.; Scofield, R. Paul; Wilmshurst, Janet M.

    2016-08-01

    Human settlers transported chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus) to most East Polynesian archipelagos between AD 1000 and 1300; however, it has long been assumed that New Zealand was an exception. Despite the fact that chicken bones have been recovered from localities of early archaeological middens in New Zealand, their age and genetic relationships have never been critically assessed. Here, we test the assumption that chickens were not introduced to New Zealand during prehistory through ancient DNA and radiocarbon analyses of chicken bones from sites of Māori middens containing prehistoric material. The chickens belong to the widespread mitochondrial control region haplogroup E. Radiocarbon dating reveals that the bones are not prehistoric, but are still the earliest chicken remains known from New Zealand. Two of the bones pre-date permanent European settlement (ca 1803s onwards) but overlap with the arrival of James Cook's second voyage (1773-1774), and, therefore, they are likely to be chickens, or progeny thereof, liberated during that voyage. Our results support the idea that chickens were first introduced to New Zealand by Europeans, and provide new insights into Māori uptake and integration of resources introduced during the early post-European period.

  6. International Focus: Highlighting APPA Members Worldwide

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Glazner, Steve, Comp.

    2011-01-01

    While most APPA member institutions are located in the United States and Canada, there are also 45 of member institutions located internationally--from Australia and New Zealand to Southeast Asia to the Middle East to Europe. This article focuses on four of its international members: (1) American University of Kuwait (AUK); (2) American University…

  7. An overview of New Zealand's trauma system.

    PubMed

    Paice, Rhondda

    2007-01-01

    Patterns of trauma and trauma systems in New Zealand are similar to those in Australia. Both countries have geographical considerations, terrain and distance, that can cause delay to definitive care. There are only 7 hospitals in New Zealand that currently manage major trauma patients, and consequently, trauma patients are often hospitalized some distance from their homes. The prehospital services are provided by one major provider throughout the country, with a high level of volunteers providing these services in the rural areas. New Zealand has a national no-fault accident insurance system, the Accident Compensation Corporation, which funds all trauma-related healthcare from the roadside to rehabilitation. This insurance system provides 24-hour no-fault personal injury insurance coverage. The Accident Compensation Corporation provides bulk funding to hospitals for resources to manage the care of trauma patients. Case managers are assigned for major trauma patients. This national system also has a rehabilitation focus. The actual funds are managed by the hospitals, and this allows hospital staff to provide optimum care for trauma patients. New Zealand works closely with Australia in the development of a national trauma registry, research, and education in trauma care for patients in Australasia (the islands of the southern Pacific Ocean, including Australia, New Zealand, and New Guinea).

  8. Numbers Talk--Words Count: Language Policy and Adult Numeracy Education in Wales and New Zealand

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Coben, Diana; Miller-Reilly, Barbara

    2014-01-01

    In this paper we review and compare language policy in relation to adult numeracy education in Wales and New Zealand with respect to the Maori and Welsh languages in the latest stage of our international comparative study of adult numeracy education. While much has been written about the relationship between language and literacy, the relationship…

  9. Trophic Interactions Between Insects and Stream-Associated Amphibians in Steep, Cobble-Bottom Streams of the Pacific Coast of North America

    PubMed Central

    Atwood, Trisha; Richardson, John S.

    2012-01-01

    Two native, stream-associated amphibians are found in coastal streams of the west coast of North America, the tailed frog and the coastal giant salamander, and each interacts with stream insects in contrasting ways. For tailed frogs, their tadpoles are the primary life stage found in steep streams and they consume biofilm from rock surfaces, which can have trophic and non-trophic effects on stream insects. By virtue of their size the tadpoles are relatively insensitive to stream insect larvae, and tadpoles are capable of depleting biofilm levels directly (exploitative competition), and may also “bulldoze” insect larvae from the surfaces of stones (interference competition). Coastal giant salamander larvae, and sometimes adults, are found in small streams where they prey primarily on stream insects, as well as other small prey. This predator-prey interaction with stream insects does not appear to result in differences in the stream invertebrate community between streams with and without salamander larvae. These two examples illustrate the potential for trophic and non-trophic interactions between stream-associated amphibians and stream insects, and also highlights the need for further research in these systems. PMID:26466536

  10. The adaptive capacity of New Zealand communities to wildfire

    Treesearch

    Pamela J. Jakes; E.R. Langer

    2012-01-01

    When we think of natural disasters in New Zealand, we tend to think of earthquakes or volcanic eruptions. However, a series of events is placing New Zealand communities at greater risk of wildfire. In a case study of a rural New Zealand community that experienced wildfire, process elements such as networks and relationships among locals, development and application of...

  11. Health economics and health policy: experiences from New Zealand.

    PubMed

    Cumming, Jacqueline

    2015-06-01

    Health economics has had a significant impact on the New Zealand health system over the past 30 years. In this paper, I set out a framework for thinking about health economics, give some historical background to New Zealand and the New Zealand health system, and discuss examples of how health economics has influenced thinking about the organisation of the health sector and priority setting. I conclude the paper with overall observations about the role of health economics in health policy in New Zealand, also identifying where health economics has not made the contribution it could and where further influence might be beneficial.

  12. Biosafety assessment protocols for new organisms in New Zealand: Can they apply internationally to emerging technologies?

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Barratt, B.I.P.; Moeed, A.; Malone, L.A.

    2006-05-15

    An analysis of established biosafety protocols for release into the environment of exotic plants and biological control agents for weeds and arthropod pests has been carried out to determine whether such protocols can be applied to relatively new and emerging technologies intended for the primary production industries, such as transgenic plants. Example case studies are described to indicate the scope of issues considered by regulators who make decisions on new organism releases. No transgenic plants have been released to date in New Zealand, but two field test approvals are described as examples. An analysis of the biosafety protocols has shownmore » that, while many of the risk criteria considered for decision-making by regulators are similar for all new organisms, a case-by-case examination of risks and potential impacts is required in order to fully assess risk. The value of post-release monitoring and validation of decisions made by regulators is emphasised.« less

  13. The New Zealand cataract and refractive surgery survey 1997/1998.

    PubMed

    Elder, M; Tarr, K; Leaming, D

    2000-04-01

    This study documents the current practice for cataract and refractive surgery in New Zealand. A postal questionnaire was distributed in late 1997 to all consultant members of the Ophthalmological Society of New Zealand that were resident in the country at that time. Most questions were identical to the 1997 survey of the American Society of Cataract and Refraction Surgeons (ASCRS) to enable a comparison. There were 98 returns from 101 surveys distributed. Of the returns, 72 performed cataract surgery, 23 performed PRK and 11 performed LASIK. ASCRS members did more refractive surgery than did New Zealanders: 28 versus 1% of 1-5 RK per month, 7 versus 1% of 1-2 clear lens extractions per month and 85 versus 51% had access to an excimer laser. For cataract surgery, ASCRS members used more topical anaesthesia (30 vs 5.5%), used no sutures more often (73 vs 51%), used more preoperative antibiotics (76 vs 26%) and used fewer injections of antibiotic/steroids (38 vs 61%). Otherwise the two groups were broadly similar.

  14. Slavery in New Zealand: What is the role of the health sector?

    PubMed

    King, Paula; Blaiklock, Alison; Stringer, Christina; Amaranathan, Jay; McLean, Margot

    2017-10-06

    Contemporary forms of slavery and associated adverse health effects are a serious, complex and often neglected issue within the New Zealand health sector. Slavery in New Zealand has most recently been associated with the fishing and horticulture industries. However, victims may be found in a number of other industry sectors, including the health and aged-care sectors, or outside of the labour market such as in forced, early (underage) and servile forms of marriage. Victims of slavery are at increased risk of acute and chronic health problems, injuries from dangerous working and living conditions, and physical and sexual abuse. These issues are compounded by restricted access to high-quality healthcare. Slavery is a violation of many human rights, including the right to health. New Zealand has obligations under international law to ensure that all victims of slavery have access to adequate physical and psychological care. The health sector has opportunities to identify, intervene and protect victims. This requires doctors and other health practitioners to demonstrate their leadership, knowledge and commitment towards addressing slavery and its health consequences in ways that are effective and do not cause further harm. Key recommendations for a safe approach towards identifying and managing people in situations of slavery include building rapport, and culturally competent practice with an empathetic non-judgmental approach. We also recommend that health organisations and regulatory and professional bodies develop culturally competent guidelines to respond safely to those identified in situations of slavery. These responses should be based on the respect, promotion and protection of human rights, and occur within a robust person-centric coordinated government response to addressing slavery in New Zealand.

  15. The provision of family-centred intensive care bereavement support in Australia and New Zealand: Results of a cross sectional explorative descriptive survey.

    PubMed

    Mitchell, Marion; Coombs, Maureen; Wetzig, Krista

    2017-05-01

    Caring for the bereaved is an intrinsic part of intensive care practice with family bereavement support an important aspect of the nursing role at end of life. However, reporting on provision of intensive care family bereavement support at a national level has not been well reported since an Australian paper published ten years ago. The objective was to investigate provision of family bereavement support in intensive care units (ICU) across New Zealand (NZ) and Australia. A cross-sectional exploratory descriptive web-based survey was used. All ICUs [public/private, neonatal/pediatrics/adults] were included. The survey was distributed to one nursing leader from each identified ICU (n=229; 188 in Australia, 41 in NZ). Internal validity of the survey was established through piloting. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the data. Ethical approval was received by the ethics committees of two universities. One-hundred and fifty-three (67%) responses were received from across New Zealand and Australia with 69.3% of respondents from the public sector. Whilst respondents reported common bereavement practices to include debriefing for staff after a traumatic death (87.9%), there was greater variation in sending a sympathy card to families (NZ 54.2%, Australia 20.8%). Fifty percent of responding New Zealand units had a bereavement follow-up service compared to 28.3% of Australian unit respondents. Of those with follow-up services, 92.3% of New Zealand units undertook follow-up calls to families compared to 76.5% of Australian units. Bereavement follow-up services were mainly managed by social workers in Australia and nursing staff in New Zealand. This is the first Australia and New Zealand-wide survey on ICU bereavement support services. Whilst key components of family bereavement support remain consistent over the past decade, there were fewer bereavement follow-up services in responding Australian ICUs in 2015. As a quality improvement initiative, support for this

  16. An inquiry into good hospital governance: A New Zealand-Czech comparison

    PubMed Central

    Ditzel, Elizabeth; Štrach, Pavel; Pirozek, Petr

    2006-01-01

    Background This paper contributes to research in health systems literature by examining the role of health boards in hospital governance. Health care ranks among the largest public sectors in OECD countries. Efficient governance of hospitals requires the responsible and effective use of funds, professional management and competent governing structures. In this study hospital governance practice in two health care systems – Czech Republic and New Zealand – is compared and contrasted. These countries were chosen as both, even though they are geographically distant, have a universal right to 'free' health care provided by the state and each has experienced periods of political change and ensuing economic restructuring. Ongoing change has provided the impetus for policy reform in their public hospital governance systems. Methods Two comparative case studies are presented. They define key similarities and differences between the two countries' health care systems. Each public hospital governance system is critically analysed and discussed in light of D W Taylor's nine principles of 'good governance'. Results While some similarities were found to exist, the key difference between the two countries is that while many forms of 'ad hoc' hospital governance exist in Czech hospitals, public hospitals in New Zealand are governed in a 'collegiate' way by elected District Health Boards. These findings are discussed in relation to each of the suggested nine principles utilized by Taylor. Conclusion This comparative case analysis demonstrates that although the New Zealand and Czech Republic health systems appear to show a large degree of convergence, their approaches to public hospital governance differ on several counts. Some of the principles of 'good governance' existed in the Czech hospitals and many were practiced in New Zealand. It would appear that the governance styles have evolved from particular historical circumstances to meet each country's specific requirements

  17. Assessing Stream Restoration Potential of Recreational Enhancements on an Urban Stream, Springfield, OH

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ritter, J. B.; Evelsizor, A.; Minter, K.; Rigsby, C.; Shaw, K.; Shearer, K.

    2010-12-01

    Restoration potential of urban streams is inherently constrained by urban infrastructure. Roads and built structures may necessitate a static stream planform while water, sewage, and electrical utilities buried in the stream channel require a stable grade. A privately-led initiative to improve the recreational potential of a 9-km reach of Buck Creek and its tributary Beaver Creek in Springfield, Ohio, includes the modification of four lowhead dams with hydraulic heights up to 3 m. Modifications to the dams include replacing their hydraulic height with a series of drop structures engineered to create hydraulics conducive to kayak play. Two of the lowhead dams have been modified to date. The purpose of this study is to assess the potential benefits of modifications designed for their recreational value for stream restoration. The drop structure is a constructed channel constriction comprised of a hard step in the long stream profile immediately upstream of a scour pool, forming a morphologic sequence of constriction, step, and pool. Up to 4 drop structures are used along a given stream reach, constructed in the area of the former dam, its scour pool and a portion of the impounded area. Though not designed for stream restoration purposes, these structures potentially act as series a riffle-pool sequences. Changes in the stream habitat, water chemistry, and macroinvertebrates in response to dam modification highlight the potential for incorporating stream restoration into the engineering design. Following modification of two of the dams, the in-stream habitat quality, as measured by physical and biological indices, increased at one site and decreased at the other site, depending on whether the uppermost drop structure at the site reduced or expanded the impounded area. In the best case, channel sands and gravels, free of fine sand, silt, and organics, have deposited in a crescentic-shaped bar paralleling and grading to the constriction and step. Greater abundance and

  18. Oscillating two-stream instability of beat waves in a hot magnetized plasma

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ferdous, T.; Amin, M. R.; Salimullah, M.

    1997-02-01

    It is shown that an electrostatic electron plasma beat wave is efficiently unstable for a low-frequency and short-wave-length purely growing perturbation (ω, k), i.e. an oscillating two-stream instability in a transversely magnetized hot plasma. The nonlinear response of electrons and ions with strong finite Larmor radius effects has been obtained by solving the Vlasov equation expressed in the guiding-center coordinates. The effect of ion dynamics has been found to play a vital role around ω ∼ ωci, where ωci is the ion-cyclotron frequency. For typical plasma parameters, it is found that the maximum growth rate of the instability is about two orders higher when ion motion is taken into account in addition to the electron dynamics.

  19. Stream-groundwater exchange and hydrologic turnover at the network scale

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Covino, Tim; McGlynn, Brian; Mallard, John

    2011-12-01

    The exchange of water between streams and groundwater can influence stream water quality, hydrologic mass balances, and attenuate solute export from watersheds. We used conservative tracer injections (chloride, Cl-) across 10 stream reaches to investigate stream water gains and losses from and to groundwater at larger spatial and temporal scales than typically associated with hyporheic exchanges. We found strong relationships between reach discharge, median tracer velocity, and gross hydrologic loss across a range of stream morphologies and sizes in the 11.4 km2 Bull Trout Watershed of central ID. We implemented these empirical relationships in a numerical network model and simulated stream water gains and losses and subsequent fractional hydrologic turnover across the stream network. We found that stream gains and losses from and to groundwater can influence source water contributions and stream water compositions across stream networks. Quantifying proportional influences of source water contributions from runoff generation locations across the network on stream water composition can provide insight into the internal mechanisms that partially control the hydrologic and biogeochemical signatures observed along networks and at watershed outlets.

  20. Local government alcohol policy development: case studies in three New Zealand communities

    PubMed Central

    Maclennan, Brett; Kypri, Kypros; Room, Robin; Langley, John

    2013-01-01

    Aims Local alcohol policies can be effective in reducing alcohol-related harm. The aim of this study was to examine local government responses to alcohol-related problems and identify factors influencing their development and adoption of alcohol policy. Designsettings and participants Case studies were used to examine local government responses to alcohol problems in three New Zealand communities: a rural town, a provincial city and a metropolitan city. Newspaper reports, local government documents and key informant interviews were used to collect data which were analysed using two conceptual frameworks: Kingdon's Streams model and the Stakeholder model of policy development. Measurements Key informant narratives were categorized according to the concepts of the Streams and Stakeholder models. Findings Kingdon's theoretical concepts associated with increased likelihood of policy change seemed to apply in the rural and metropolitan communities. The political environment in the provincial city, however, was not favourable to the adoption of alcohol restrictions. The Stakeholder model highlighted differences between the communities in terms of power over agenda-setting and conflict between politicians and bureaucrats over policy solutions to alcohol-related harm. These differences were reflected in the ratio of policies considered versus adopted in each location. Decisions on local alcohol policies lie ultimately with local politicians, although the policies that can be adopted by local government are restricted by central government legislation. Conclusions The adoption of policies and strategies to reduce alcohol-related harm may be better facilitated by an agenda-setting process where no ‘gate-keepers’ determine what is included into the agenda, and community mobilization efforts to create competitive local government elections around alcohol issues. Policy adoption would also be facilitated by more enabling central government legislation. PMID:23130762

  1. Satellite imagery of the onset of streaming flow of ice streams C and D, West Antarctica

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Hodge, S.M.; Doppelhammer, S.K.

    1996-01-01

    Five overlapping Landsat multispectral scanner satellite images of the interior of the West Antarctic ice sheet were enhanced with principal component analysis, high-pass filtering, and linear contrast stretching and merged into a mosaic by aligning surface features in the overlap areas. The mosaic was registered to geodetic coordinates, to an accuracy of about 1 km, using the five scene centers as control points. The onset of streaming flow of two tributaries of ice stream C and one tributary of ice stream D is visible in the mosaic. The onset appears to occur within a relatively short distance, less than the width of the ice stream, typically at a subglacial topographic feature such as a step or ridge. The ice streams extend farther up into the interior than previously mapped. Ice stream D starts about 150 km from the ice divide, at an altitude of about 1500 m, approximately halfway up the convex-upward dome shape of the interior ice sheet. Ice stream D is relatively much longer than ice stream C, possibly because ice stream D is currently active whereas ice stream C is currently inactive. The grounded portion of the West Antarctic ice sheet is perhaps best conceptualized as an ice sheet in which ice streams are embedded over most of its area, with slow moving ice converging into fast moving ice streams in a widely distributed pattern, much like that of streams and rivers in a hydrologic basin. A relic margin appears to parallel most of the south margin of the tributary of ice stream D, separated from the active shear margin by about 10 km or less for a distance of over 200 km. This means there is now evidence for recent changes having occurred in three of the five major ice streams which drain most of West Antarctica (B, C, and D), two of which (B and D) are currently active.

  2. The Dark Energy Survey view of the Sagittarius stream: Discovery of two faint stellar system candidates

    DOE PAGES

    Luque, E.; Pieres, A.; Santiago, B.; ...

    2017-02-17

    We report the discovery of two new candidate stellar systems in the constellation of Cetus using the data from the first two years of the Dark Energy Survey (DES). The objects, DES J0111–1341 and DES J0225+0304, are located at a heliocentric distance of ~25 kpc and appear to have old and metal-poor populations. Their distances to the Sagittarius orbital plane, ~1.73 kpc (DES J0111–1341) and ~0.50 kpc (DES J0225+0304), indicate that they are possibly associated with the Sagittarius dwarf stream. The half-light radius (rh ≃ 4.55 pc) and luminosity (MV ≃ +0.3) of DES J0111–1341 are consistent with it beingmore » an ultrafaint stellar cluster, while the half-light radius (rh ≃ 18.55 pc) and luminosity (MV ≃ –1.1) of DES J0225+0304 place it in an ambiguous region of size–luminosity space between stellar clusters and dwarf galaxies. Determinations of the characteristic parameters of the Sagittarius stream, metallicity spread (–2.18 ≲ [Fe/H] ≲ –0.95) and distance gradient (23 kpc ≲ D⊙ ≲ 29 kpc), within the DES footprint in the Southern hemisphere, using the same DES data, also indicate a possible association between these systems. If these objects are confirmed through spectroscopic follow-up to be gravitationally bound systems and to share a Galactic trajectory with the Sagittarius stream, DES J0111–1341 and DES J0225+0304 would be the first ultrafaint stellar systems associated with the Sagittarius stream. Moreover, DES J0225+0304 would also be the first confirmed case of an ultrafaint satellite of a satellite.« less

  3. The Dark Energy Survey view of the Sagittarius stream: Discovery of two faint stellar system candidates

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Luque, E.; Pieres, A.; Santiago, B.

    We report the discovery of two new candidate stellar systems in the constellation of Cetus using the data from the first two years of the Dark Energy Survey (DES). The objects, DES J0111–1341 and DES J0225+0304, are located at a heliocentric distance of ~25 kpc and appear to have old and metal-poor populations. Their distances to the Sagittarius orbital plane, ~1.73 kpc (DES J0111–1341) and ~0.50 kpc (DES J0225+0304), indicate that they are possibly associated with the Sagittarius dwarf stream. The half-light radius (rh ≃ 4.55 pc) and luminosity (MV ≃ +0.3) of DES J0111–1341 are consistent with it beingmore » an ultrafaint stellar cluster, while the half-light radius (rh ≃ 18.55 pc) and luminosity (MV ≃ –1.1) of DES J0225+0304 place it in an ambiguous region of size–luminosity space between stellar clusters and dwarf galaxies. Determinations of the characteristic parameters of the Sagittarius stream, metallicity spread (–2.18 ≲ [Fe/H] ≲ –0.95) and distance gradient (23 kpc ≲ D⊙ ≲ 29 kpc), within the DES footprint in the Southern hemisphere, using the same DES data, also indicate a possible association between these systems. If these objects are confirmed through spectroscopic follow-up to be gravitationally bound systems and to share a Galactic trajectory with the Sagittarius stream, DES J0111–1341 and DES J0225+0304 would be the first ultrafaint stellar systems associated with the Sagittarius stream. Moreover, DES J0225+0304 would also be the first confirmed case of an ultrafaint satellite of a satellite.« less

  4. Building an educated health informatics workforce--the New Zealand experience.

    PubMed

    Parry, David; Hunter, Inga; Honey, Michelle; Holt, Alec; Day, Karen; Kirk, Ray; Cullen, Rowena

    2013-01-01

    New Zealand has a rapidly expanding health information technology (IT) development industry and wide-ranging use of informatics, especially in the primary health sector. The New Zealand government through the National Health IT Board (NHITB) has promised to provide shared care health records of core information for all New Zealanders by 2014. One of the major barriers to improvement in IT use in healthcare is the dearth of trained and interested clinicians, management and technical workforce. Health Informatics New Zealand (HINZ) and the academic community in New Zealand are attempting to remedy this by raising awareness of health informatics at the "grass roots" level of the existing workforce via free "primer" workshops and by developing a sustainable cross-institutional model of educational opportunities. Support from the NHITB has been forthcoming, and the workshops started in early 2013, reaching out to clinical and other staff in post around New Zealand.

  5. STREAM CHANNELS OF THE UPPER SAN PEDRO BASIN WITH PERCENT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN RESULTS FROM TWO SWAT SIMULATIONS

    EPA Science Inventory

    Stream channels of the Upper San Pedro with percent difference between results from two SWAT simulations run through AGWA: one using the 1973 NALC landcover for model parameterization, and the other using the 1997 NALC landcover.

  6. Electroconvulsive Therapy Practice in New Zealand.

    PubMed

    Fisher, Mark Wilkinson; Morrison, John; Jones, Paul Anthony

    2017-06-01

    The aim of this study was to describe the contemporary practice of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in New Zealand. A 53-item questionnaire was sent to all services providing ECT as of December 2015. Electroconvulsive therapy was provided by 16 services covering 15 district health boards funded by the New Zealand government. No private facilities provided ECT. All services providing ECT responded to an online survey questionnaire. Rates of ECT utilization were low relative to similar countries. Survey results indicated ECT was practiced to an overall good standard. Several resource and logistical issues potentially contributing to low ECT utilization were identified. Electroconvulsive therapy in New Zealand is provided using modern equipment and practices. However, overall rates of utilization remain low, perhaps as a result of controversy surrounding ECT and some resourcing issues.

  7. Neonatal encephalopathy in New Zealand: Demographics and clinical outcome.

    PubMed

    Battin, M; Sadler, L; Masson, V; Farquhar, C

    2016-06-01

    To establish the incidence of moderate to severe neonatal encephalopathy (NE) in term infants from New Zealand and to document demographic characteristics and neonatal outcomes. Cases were reported monthly via the New Zealand Paediatric Surveillance Unit (NZPSU). Data were collected from paediatricians for neonatal items and lead maternity carers for pregnancy and birth details. Term neonatal deaths in the Perinatal and Maternal Mortality Review Committee dataset that were because of hypoxia and/or neonatal deaths from hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy were added to the cases identified via the NZPSU, if they had not previously been ascertained. For the period January 2010 to December 2012, there were 227 cases, equivalent to a rate of 1.30/1000 term births (95% CI 1.14-1.48). Rates of NE were high in babies of Pacific and Indian mothers but only reached statistical significance for the comparison between Pacific and NZ European. There was also a significant increase in NE rates with increasing deprivation. Resuscitation at birth was initiated for 209 (92.1%) infants with NE. Mechanical ventilation was required, following neonatal unit admission, in 171 (75.3%) infants. Anticonvulsants were used in 157 (69.2%) infants with phenobarbitone (65.6%), phenytoin (14.5%) and benzodiazapines (21.1%), the most common. Cooling was induced in 168 infants (74%) with 145 (86.3%) reported as commenced within a 6-h window. The rate of NE in New Zealand is consistent with reported international rates. Establishing antecedent factors for NE is an important part of improving care, which may inform strategic efforts to decrease rates of NE. © 2016 Paediatrics and Child Health Division (The Royal Australasian College of Physicians).

  8. Tobacco tax as a health protecting policy: a brief review of the New Zealand evidence.

    PubMed

    Wilson, Nick; Thomson, George

    2005-04-15

    To review the evidence relating to tobacco taxation as a health and equity protecting policy for New Zealand. Searches of Medline, EconLit, ECONbase, Index NZ, and library databases for literature on tobacco taxation. The New Zealand evidence indicates that increases in tobacco prices are associated with decreases in tobacco consumption in the general population over the long term. This finding comes from multiple studies relating to: tobacco supplies released from bond, supermarket tobacco sales, household tobacco expenditure data, trends in smoking prevalence data, and from data on calls to the Quitline service. For the 1988-1998 period, the overall price elasticity of demand for all smoking households was estimated to be such that a 10% price increase would lower demand by 5% to 8%. Two studies are suggestive that increased tobacco affordability is also a risk factor for higher youth smoking rates. There is evidence from two studies that tobacco price increases reduce tobacco consumption in some low-income groups and one other study indicates that tobacco taxation is likely to be providing overall health benefit to low-income New Zealanders. These findings are broadly consistent with the very large body of scientific evidence from other developed countries. There is good evidence that tobacco taxation is associated with reduced tobacco consumption in the New Zealand setting, and some limited evidence for equity benefits from taxation increases. Substantial scope exists for improving tobacco taxation policy in New Zealand to better protect public health and to improve equity.

  9. Selection of School Counsellors in New Zealand.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Manthei, R. J.

    This paper presents the views of the New Zealand Counselling and Guidance Association regarding the need for changes in the system of selecting individuals for training as school counselors in New Zealand. A number of options are offered for improving the mechanics of selection, recommending selection criteria, and suggesting procedures for…

  10. Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in mainland and sub-Antarctic New Zealand sea lion (Phocarctos hookeri) populations.

    PubMed

    Michael, S A; Howe, L; Chilvers, B L; Morel, Pch; Roe, W D

    2016-09-01

    To investigate the seroprevalence of antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii in New Zealand sea lions (Phocarctos hookeri), as a potential contributor to reproductive failure. Archived sera were sourced from New Zealand sea lions from two recolonising mainland populations in the Otago Peninsula (n=15) and Stewart Island (n=12), as well as a declining population at Enderby Island (n=28) in the New Zealand sub-Antarctic. Sera were tested for antibodies to T. gondii using a commercially available ELISA (with samples considered positive if the sample to positive ratio was >30%), and latex agglutination test (LAT; with titres ≥1:32 considered positive). Western blot analysis was used to validate the results of a subset of 14 samples. Five samples from sea lions in mainland locations were confirmed positive for antibodies to T. gondii. Two adult females exhibited high LAT antibody titres (min 1:2048, max 1:4096) on both occasions when sampled 1 and 2 years apart, respectively. No animals from Enderby Island were seropositive. Toxoplasma gondii infection is unlikely to be a major contributor to poor reproductive success in New Zealand sea lions. However, continued surveillance is pertinent to assess subclinical and clinical impacts of the parasite on these threatened populations. The commercial tests evaluated here, with further species-specific threshold refinement could provide a fast, inexpensive and reliable indicator of T. gondii exposure in New Zealand sea lions.

  11. Stream noise, hybridization, and uncoupled evolution of call traits in two lineages of poison frogs: Oophaga histrionica and Oophaga lehmanni.

    PubMed

    Vargas-Salinas, Fernando; Amézquita, Adolfo

    2013-01-01

    According to the acoustic adaptation hypothesis, communication signals are evolutionary shaped in a way that minimizes its degradation and maximizes its contrast against the background noise. To compare the importance for call divergence of acoustic adaptation and hybridization, an evolutionary force allegedly promoting phenotypic variation, we compared the mate recognition signal of two species of poison frogs (Oophaga histrionica and O. lehmanni) at five localities: two (one per species) alongside noisy streams, two away from streams, and one interspecific hybrid. We recorded the calls of 47 males and characterized the microgeographic variation in their spectral and temporal features, measuring ambient noise level, body size, and body temperature as covariates. As predicted, frogs living in noisy habitats uttered high frequency calls and, in one species, were much smaller in size. These results support a previously unconsidered role of noise on streams as a selective force promoting an increase in call frequency and pleiotropic effects in body size. Regarding hybrid frogs, their calls overlapped in the signal space with the calls of one of the parental lineages. Our data support acoustic adaptation following two evolutionary routes but do not support the presumed role of hybridization in promoting phenotypic diversity.

  12. Theory of Collisional Two-Stream Plasma Instabilities in the Solar Chromosphere

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Madsen, Chad Allen; Dimant, Yakov; Oppenheim, Meers; Fontenla, Juan

    2014-06-01

    The solar chromosphere experiences intense heating just above its temperature minimum. The heating increases the electron temperature in this region by over 2000 K. Furthermore, it exhibits little time variation and appears widespread across the solar disk. Although semi-empirical models, UV continuum observations, and line emission measurements confirm the existence of the heating, its source remains unexplained. Potential heating sources such as acoustic shocks, resistive dissipation, and magnetic reconnection via nanoflares fail to account for the intensity, persistence, and ubiquity of the heating. Fontenla (2005) suggested turbulence from a collisional two-stream plasma instability known as the Farley-Buneman instability (FBI) could contribute significantly to the heating. This instability is known to heat the plasma of the E-region ionosphere which bears many similarities to the chromospheric plasma. However, the ionospheric theory of the FBI does not account for the diverse ion species found in the solar chromosphere. This work develops a new collisional, two-stream instability theory appropriate for the chromospheric plasma environment using a linear fluid analysis to derive a new dispersion relationship and critical E x B drift velocity required to trigger the instability. Using a 1D, non-local thermodynamic equilibrium, radiative transfer model and careful estimates of collision rates and magnetic field strengths, we calculate the trigger velocities necessary to induce the instability throughout the chromosphere. Trigger velocities as low as 4 km s^-1 are found near the temperature minimum, well below the local neutral acoustic speed in that region. From this, we expect the instability to occur frequently, converting kinetic energy contained in neutral convective flows from the photosphere into thermal energy via turbulence. This could contribute significantly to chromospheric heating and explain its persistent and ubiquitous nature.

  13. Learning in Later Life: A Bicultural Perspective from Aotearoa/New Zealand

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Findsen, Brian

    2016-01-01

    This article is concerned with how learning in later life has been constructed and practised by the two most numerous ethnic groups in Aotearoa/New Zealand, "Pakeha" (Europeans) and "Maori" (Indigenous people). It is argued that learning is heavily influenced by historic features of interaction between these two groups; Pakeha…

  14. Tidal Streams Near and Far

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fardal, Mark A.

    2014-06-01

    The Pandas survey of stars in M31's disk and halo is crisscrossed by numerous tidal features from both M31 and the Milky Way. Here I focus on two narrow stellar streams visible in the survey. They have comparable angular extent in the survey (10-13 degrees long versus only 0.3 degree wide), but one is a local Milky Way stream at about 30 kpc and one is in M31, roughly 25 times more distant. I estimate the stellar mass and metallicity in the streams and the distance gradient along them. The kinematics of the M31 stream is sparsely sampled by red giant stars and globular clusters. Bayesian modeling of the stream data yields accurate constraints on the orbital parameters of the streams.

  15. Real time assessment of the 15 July 2009 New Zealand tsunami

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Uslu, Burak; Power, William; Greensdale, Dianne; Titov, Vasily

    2010-05-01

    On the 15th July 2009 a Mw 7.6 earthquake occurred off the coast of Fiordland in the South Island of New Zealand, about 1200 km from Auckland, New Zealand, 1500 km from Hobart, Tasmania and 1800 km from Sydney, Australia. A tsunami was generated and an initial warning issued by the PTWC. The Centre for Australian Weather and Climate issued its first tsunami warning for coastal regions of eastern Australia and New Zealand 24 minutes after the earthquake. By serendipitous coincidence, the earthquake struck while the International Tsunami Symposium was in session in Novosibirsk Russia. This provided the opportunity to test, in real-time, several tsunami warning systems in front of attending scientists (Schiermeier, 2009). NOAA Center for Tsunami Research, Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, GNS Science, and Centre for Australian Weather and Climate scientists were present at the symposium and worked together. Vasily Titov showed "live" NOAA's methodology (Bernard et al, 2006) to assess the tsunami potential and, in consultation with colleagues, provided warning guidance, and the warning was eventually canceled. We discuss how the forecast was done and how accurate the initial determination was. References Bernard E.N. et al., 2006, Tsunami: scientific frontiers, mitigation, forecasting and policy implications, Phil. Trans. R. Soc. A, 364:1989-2007; doi:10.1098/rsta.2006.1809 Schiermeier, Q., 2009, Tsunami forecast in real time, Published online 16 July 2009 | Nature | doi:10.1038/news.2009.702

  16. Use of information and communication technology amongst New Zealand dental students.

    PubMed

    Cox, S; Pollock, D; Rountree, J; Murray, C M

    2016-08-01

    Although international studies have shown an increasing use of information and communication technology (ICT) amongst dental students, there are no published studies specific to New Zealand (NZ). The aim of this research was to identify device ownership and academic utilisation patterns amongst New Zealand dental students, including preferences and perceptions, and barriers to use. All currently enrolled dental students (322) were invited to complete a 15-item questionnaire. Data were statistically analysed in SPSS version 20.0. Qualitative data were analysed using a general inductive technique. The participation rate was 78.6% (N = 253 of 322). The majority of respondents personally owned laptop computers (98%) and smartphones (80.2%). A total of 10.8% of participants used a desktop computer everyday for academic purposes, whilst 78.7% used a laptop computer daily, and 54.7% a smartphone. New Zealand dental students demonstrated a high usage of ICT for their coursework with varied use of different online resources. The most frequently used online resources were search engines, social networking sites and lecture slides provided on Blackboard(®) . A high perceived value was placed on both audio podcasts and video podcasts despite the high value also placed on the traditional lectures. Although most participants (84.5%) felt that their ICT knowledge was adequate to meet academic requirements, a small number (1.6%) did not agree. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  17. Oscillating two-stream instability in a magnetized electron-positron-ion plasma

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Tinakiche, Nouara; Faculty of Physics, U.S.T.H.B, Algiers 16111; Annou, R.

    2015-04-15

    Oscillating two-stream instability (OTSI) in a magnetized electron-ion plasma has been thoroughly studied, e.g., in ionospheric heating experiments [C. S. Liu and V. K. Tripathi, Interaction of Electromagnetic Waves With Electron Beams and Plasmas (World Scientific, 1994); V. K. Tripathi and P. V. Siva Rama Prasad, J. Plasma Phys. 41, 13 (1989); K. Ramachandran and V. K. Tripathi, IEEE Trans. Plasma Sci. 25, 423 (1997)]. In this paper, OTSI is investigated in a magnetized electron-positron-ion plasma. The dispersion relation of the process is established. The pump field threshold, along with the maximum growth rate of the instability is assessed usingmore » the Arecibo and HAARP parameters.« less

  18. New Zealand Police and Restorative Justice Philosophy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Winfree, L. Thomas, Jr.

    2004-01-01

    In New Zealand, selected sworn police officers called youth aid officers participate in discussions and deliberations concerning the actions required to restore the sense of community balance upset by the actions of juvenile offenders. The author explores a representative sample of all sworn police officers serving in the New Zealand Police,…

  19. Creation of high-energy electron tails by means of the modified two-stream instability

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Tanaka, M.; Papadopoulos, K.

    1983-01-01

    Particle simulations of the modified two-stream instability demonstrate strong electron acceleration rather than bulk heating when the relative drift speed is below a critical speed Vc. A very interesting nonlinear mode transition and autoresonance acceleration process is observed which accelerates the electrons much above the phase speed of the linearly unstable modes. Simple criteria are presented that predict the value of Vc and the number density of the accelerated electrons.

  20. Alcohol sponsorship of a summer of sport: a frequency analysis of alcohol marketing during major sports events on New Zealand television.

    PubMed

    Chambers, Tim; Signal, Louise; Carter, Mary-Ann; McConville, Samuel; Wong, Rebecca; Zhu, Wendy

    2017-01-13

    This research aims to assess the nature and extent of alcohol marketing through sport sponsorship over a summer of televised sport in New Zealand. Frequency analysis of New Zealand television broadcasts of five international sporting events during the summer of 2014-2015. Broadcasts were analysed to identify the percentage of time when alcohol brands were visible during game-play. The number of independent alcohol brand exposures was recorded. Alcohol brands were observed during every televised event. Audiences were exposed to between 1.6 and 3.8 alcohol brand exposures per minute. Alcohol brands were visible between 42 and 777 times across the games examined. For three out of the five events alcohol brands were visible for almost half of the game. Alcohol sponsorship was prevalent in international sport on New Zealand television. Given the popularity of broadcast sport, especially with children, there is an urgent need for regulation of alcohol sponsorship of sport. There are viable models of alcohol sponsorship replacement but their implementation requires the will of both sporting organisations and politicians. This research adds weight to arguments to implement recommendations to remove all alcohol sponsorship of sport.

  1. Oxalates in oca (New Zealand yam) (Oxalis tuberosa Mol.).

    PubMed

    Ross, A B; Savage, G P; Martin, R J; Vanhanen, L

    1999-12-01

    Oca (Oxalis tuberosa Mol.) or New Zealand yam, in common with other members of this genus, contains oxalate, an antinutritive factor. Twelve South American and two New Zealand cultivars of oca were analyzed for total and soluble oxalate contents of the tubers. The range of total oxalate levels was 92-221 mg/100 g of fresh weight. Levels of soluble and total oxalate extracted from the tubers were not significantly different, suggesting that no calcium oxalate is formed in the tubers. The oxalate concentrations obtained in this study for oca suggest that previously reported values are too low and that oca is a moderately high oxalate-containing food. This is the first report of a tuber crop containing moderate to high levels of soluble oxalates in the tubers and no insoluble oxalates.

  2. Impact of beaver dams on abundance and distribution of anadromous salmonids in two lowland streams in Lithuania.

    PubMed

    Virbickas, Tomas; Stakėnas, Saulius; Steponėnas, Andrius

    2015-01-01

    European beaver dams impeded movements of anadromous salmonids as it was established by fishing survey, fish tagging and redd counts in two lowland streams in Lithuania. Significant differences in abundancies of other litophilic fish species and evenness of representation by species in the community were detected upstream and downstream of the beaver dams. Sea trout parr marked with RFID tags passed through several successive beaver dams in upstream direction, but no tagged fish were detected above the uppermost dam. Increase in abundances of salmonid parr in the stream between the beaver dams and decrease below the dams were recorded in November, at the time of spawning of Atlantic salmon and sea trout, but no significant changes were detected in the sections upstream of the dams. After construction of several additional beaver dams in the downstream sections of the studied streams, abundance of Atlantic salmon parr downstream of the dams decreased considerably in comparison with that estimated before construction.

  3. Process for recovering organic components from liquid streams

    DOEpatents

    Blume, Ingo; Baker, Richard W.

    1991-01-01

    A separation process for recovering organic components from liquid streams. The process is a combination of pervaporation and decantation. In cases where the liquid stream contains the organic to be separated in dissolved form, the pervaporation step is used to concentrate the organic to a point above the solubility limit, so that a two-phase permeate is formed and then decanted. In cases where the liquid stream is a two-phase mixture, the decantation step is performed first, to remove the organic product phase, and the residue from the decanter is then treated by pervaporation. The condensed permeate from the pervaporation unit is sufficiently concentrated in the organic component to be fed back to the decanter. The process can be tailored to produce only two streams: an essentially pure organic product stream suitable for reuse, and a residue stream for discharge or reuse.

  4. History of Transracial Adoption: A New Zealand Perspective

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Newman, Erica

    2013-01-01

    This article explores the New Zealand legal history of adoption and the effect it has had on Maori. The status of children within Maori and European societies before and during the early contact periods differed, and it is from here that the author begins this article. These two societies had their own terms in relation to the care of children by…

  5. Corporal punishment and child maltreatment in New Zealand.

    PubMed

    Kelly, Patrick

    2011-01-01

    On 2 May, 2007, the New Zealand Parliament passed a law repealing Section 59 of the Crimes Act. In so doing, New Zealand became the first English-speaking nation in the world to make corporal punishment of a child illegal. The passage of this legislation was surrounded by intense and persistent public debate, and supporters of corporal punishment continue to advocate against the law change to the present day. In Sweden, where the first stage of similar repeal took place in 1957, it may be difficult for many to understand the strength of the public opposition to this change in New Zealand. This article will present a viewpoint on the evolution of the debate in New Zealand, review the wider context of child maltreatment and family violence in New Zealand and summarize a range of attempts to prevent or intervene effectively in the cycle of dysfunction. Child maltreatment and family violence are public health issues of great importance, and a stain on all societies. While corporal punishment may be a significant contributing factor, there is no single 'solution'. Change must occur on multiple levels (political, economic, cultural, familial and professional) before the tide will turn.

  6. Allergic contact dermatitis from exposure to Grevillea robusta in New Zealand.

    PubMed

    Derraik, José G B; Rademaker, Marius

    2009-05-01

    There are a number of reports in the literature of allergic contact dermatitis as a result of exposure to the sawdust and plant parts of Grevillea robusta. While this tree is prevalent in New Zealand, there seems to have been no previous published accounts of contact dermatitis, although anecdotal evidence indicates that such cases may be common. Two brief case reports are provided regarding severe phytodermatitis to G. robusta among professional arborists in New Zealand. As with other common plants capable of inducing allergic contact dermatitis, greater awareness among arborists, orchardists, forestry workers, gardeners, and health professionals will likely result in a reduction of cases.

  7. Biogeographic and phylogenetic diversity of thermoacidophilic cyanidiales in Yellowstone National Park, Japan, and New Zealand.

    PubMed

    Toplin, J A; Norris, T B; Lehr, C R; McDermott, T R; Castenholz, R W

    2008-05-01

    Members of the rhodophytan order Cyanidiales are unique among phototrophs in their ability to live in extreme environments that combine low pH levels ( approximately 0.2 to 4.0) and moderately high temperatures of 40 to 56 degrees C. These unicellular algae occur in far-flung volcanic areas throughout the earth. Three genera (Cyanidium, Galdieria, and Cyanidioschyzon) are recognized. The phylogenetic diversity of culture isolates of the Cyanidiales from habitats throughout Yellowstone National Park (YNP), three areas in Japan, and seven regions in New Zealand was examined by using the chloroplast RuBisCO large subunit gene (rbcL) and the 18S rRNA gene. Based on the nucleotide sequences of both genes, the YNP isolates fall into two groups, one with high identity to Galdieria sulphuraria (type II) and another that is by far the most common and extensively distributed Yellowstone type (type IA). The latter is a spherical, walled cell that reproduces by internal divisions, with a subsequent release of smaller daughter cells. This type, nevertheless, shows a 99 to 100% identity to Cyanidioschyzon merolae (type IB), which lacks a wall, divides by "fission"-like cytokinesis into two daughter cells, and has less than 5% of the cell volume of type IA. The evolutionary and taxonomic ramifications of this disparity are discussed. Although the 18S rRNA and rbcL genes did not reveal diversity among the numerous isolates of type IA, chloroplast short sequence repeats did show some variation by location within YNP. In contrast, Japanese and New Zealand strains showed considerable diversity when we examined only the sequences of 18S and rbcL genes. Most exhibited identities closer to Galdieria maxima than to other strains, but these identities were commonly as low as 91 to 93%. Some of these Japanese and New Zealand strains probably represent undescribed species that diverged after long-term geographic isolation.

  8. Personality and demographic correlates of New Zealanders' confidence in the safety of childhood vaccinations.

    PubMed

    Lee, Carol H J; Duck, Isabelle M; Sibley, Chris G

    2017-10-27

    Despite extensive scientific evidence on the safety of standard vaccinations, some parents express skeptical attitudes towards the safety of childhood immunisations. This paper uses data from the 2013/14 New Zealand Attitudes and Values Study (NZAVS) survey (N=16,642) to explore the distribution, and demographic and personality correlates of New Zealanders' attitudes towards the safety of childhood vaccinations. Around two thirds (68.5%) of New Zealanders strongly agreed/were confident that "it is safe to vaccinate children following the standard New Zealand immunisation schedule," 26% were skeptical and 5.5% were strongly opposed. Multiple regression analysis indicated that people lower on Conscientiousness and Agreeableness but higher on Openness to Experience expressed lower confidence about vaccine safety. Having higher subjective health satisfaction, living rurally, being Māori, single, employed and not a parent were all associated with lower confidence, while a higher income and educational attainment were associated with greater confidence. Our findings suggest that the majority of New Zealand adults trust in the safety of scheduled childhood vaccinations, but about one third do express some degree of concern. This finding highlights the importance of improving public education about the safety and necessity of vaccinations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Evolution of campylobacter species in New Zealand

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    New Zealand is an isolated archipelago in the South-West Pacific with a unique fauna and flora, a feature partly attributable to it being the last sizable land mass to be colonized by man. In this chapter we test the hypothesis that different periods in the history of New Zealand – from pre-history ...

  10. Asia-Born New Zealand-Educated Business Graduates' Transition to Work

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Anderson, Vivienne; McGrath, Terry; Butcher, Andrew

    2014-01-01

    In 2008 the Asia New Zealand Foundation commissioned a three-year project examining Asia-born New Zealand-educated business graduates' study to work transitions. Data were collected through annual online surveys and in-depth interviews. Graduates were asked to discuss their post-study experiences, reflections on studying in New Zealand, and…

  11. FireHose Streaming Benchmarks

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Karl Anderson, Steve Plimpton

    2015-01-27

    The FireHose Streaming Benchmarks are a suite of stream-processing benchmarks defined to enable comparison of streaming software and hardware, both quantitatively vis-a-vis the rate at which they can process data, and qualitatively by judging the effort involved to implement and run the benchmarks. Each benchmark has two parts. The first is a generator which produces and outputs datums at a high rate in a specific format. The second is an analytic which reads the stream of datums and is required to perform a well-defined calculation on the collection of datums, typically to find anomalous datums that have been created inmore » the stream by the generator. The FireHose suite provides code for the generators, sample code for the analytics (which users are free to re-implement in their own custom frameworks), and a precise definition of each benchmark calculation.« less

  12. Is health workforce sustainability in Australia and New Zealand a realistic policy goal?

    PubMed

    Buchan, James M; Naccarella, Lucio; Brooks, Peter M

    2011-05-01

    This paper assesses what health workforce 'sustainability' might mean for Australia and New Zealand, given the policy direction set out in the World Health Organization draft code on international recruitment of health workers. The governments in both countries have in the past made policy statements about the desirability of health workforce 'self-sufficiency', but OECD data show that both have a high level of dependence on internationally recruited health professionals relative to most other OECD countries. The paper argues that if a target of 'self-sufficiency' or sustainability were to be based on meeting health workforce requirements from home based training, both Australia and New Zealand fall far short of this measure, and continue to be active recruiters. The paper stresses that there is no common agreed definition of what health workforce 'self-sufficiency', or 'sustainability' is in practice, and that without an agreed definition it will be difficult for policy-makers to move the debate on to reaching agreement and possibly setting measurable targets or timelines for achievement. The paper concludes that any policy decisions related to health workforce sustainability will also have to taken in the context of a wider community debate on what is required of a health system and how is it to be funded.

  13. A morphological comparison of narrow, low-gradient streams traversing wetland environments to alluvial streams.

    PubMed

    Jurmu, Michael C

    2002-12-01

    Twelve morphological features from research on alluvial streams are compared in four narrow, low-gradient wetland streams located in different geographic regions (Connecticut, Indiana, and Wisconsin, USA). All four reaches differed in morphological characteristics in five of the features compared (consistent bend width, bend cross-sectional shape, riffle width compared to pool width, greatest width directly downstream of riffles, and thalweg location), while three reaches differed in two comparisons (mean radius of curvature to width ratio and axial wavelength to width ratio). The remaining five features compared had at least one reach where different characteristics existed. This indicates the possibility of varying morphology for streams traversing wetland areas further supporting the concept that the unique qualities of wetland environments might also influence the controls on fluvial dynamics and the development of streams. If certain morphological features found in streams traversing wetland areas differ from current fluvial principles, then these varying features should be incorporated into future wetland stream design and creation projects. The results warrant further research on other streams traversing wetlands to determine if streams in these environments contain unique morphology and further investigation of the impact of low-energy fluvial processes on morphological development. Possible explanations for the morphology deviations in the study streams and some suggestions for stream design in wetland areas based upon the results and field observations are also presented.

  14. Do student nurses experience Imposter Phenomenon? An international comparison of Final Year Undergraduate Nursing Students readiness for registration.

    PubMed

    Christensen, Martin; Aubeeluck, Aimee; Fergusson, Diana; Craft, Judy; Knight, Jessica; Wirihana, Lisa; Stupple, Ed

    2016-11-01

    The transition shock or Imposter Phenomena sometimes associated with moving from student to Registered Nurse can lead to feelings of self-doubt and insecurity especially with the increased expectations and responsibilities that registration brings. The aim of this study was to examine the extent at which imposter phenomenon is evident in four final year nursing student cohorts in Australia, New Zealand and the UK. A survey design. The study took place at four higher education institutes - two metropolitan campuses and two regional campuses between October 2014 - February 2015 in Australia, New Zealand and the UK. A sample of 223 final year nursing students undertaking nationally accredited nursing programmes were approached. Each cohort exhibited mild to moderate feelings of Imposter Phenomena. A positive weak correlation between imposter phenomena and preparedness for practice was found. The New Zealand cohort scored higher than both the Australian and UK cohorts on both feelings of imposterism and preparedness for practice. Nursing students possess internalized feelings which suggest their performance and competence once qualified could be compromised. There is some speculation that the respective curriculums may have some bearing on preparing students for registration and beyond. It is recommended that educational programmes designed for this student cohort should be mindful of this internal conflict and potential external hostility. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  15. Media accounts of unintentional child injury deaths in New Zealand: a teachable moment?

    PubMed

    John, Savesh; Kool, Bridget

    2017-09-01

    To review media accounts of fatal child unintentional injury events reported in leading New Zealand newspapers for their completeness and potential to deliver evidence-based injury prevention messages. Media accounts of fatal unintentional child (0-14 years) injury events in New Zealand's four largest newspapers between 2011 and 2015 were reviewed. Variables of interest included: date, mechanism of injury and victim details. The article prominence, presence of prevention messages and case ascertainment for the two leading causes of death (2011 to 2013 only) were evaluated. Two hundred and forty-two media accounts detailing 122 fatal child injury events (133 deaths) were located for the five-year period. The most common causes of injury were transport-related (56%) and drownings (21%). Only 20% (n=49) of accounts included clear prevention messages. Just over 33% of accounts included images and 66% were located within the first three pages. Case ascertainment in the media accounts was complete for all transport deaths and all but one drowning. The low frequency of prevention messages in the media accounts reviewed highlights a missed opportunity for the dissemination of prevention messages to the New Zealand public. The findings confirm the utility of these accounts as a timely source of fatal child injury information.

  16. Analysis of Stream Channel Geometry Temporal and Spatial Evolution after Historic Dam Removal - two French case studies

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Slawson, Deborah; Manière, Louis; Marchandeau, Florent

    2014-05-01

    IRSTEA, in partnership with the French Office national de l'eau et des milieux aquatiques (ONEMA), has begun a study of channel geomorphology in small streams where dams have been removed or breached between two and 200 years ago, without any subsequent restoration of the channel in the legacy sediments. A preliminary analysis of two sites in the Morvan, Burgundy, will be presented; a dam breached at the beginning of the 20th century and another in the last decade. Using ergodic reasoning, historical and recent upstream and downstream channel geometry is being used to predict the future temporal and spatial scales of channel physical habitat restoration. With the implementation of the European Water Framework Directive (WFD), dam removal has become a more frequently used method for restoring stream ecological continuity. In France, these obstacles are ubiquitous in medium and small streams and considerably reduce lateral and longitudinal connectivity. Improvement in the hydromorphologically controlled, physical habitat, particularly flow and sediment transport regimes, is often essential to improvement in stream biology. However, dam removal may cause long-term disturbances in flow and sediment transport regimes. In the absence of channel restoration measures in addition to dam removal, these disturbances may result in long-term negative impacts on fish, macroinvertebrate, and riparian plant physical habitat. These negative impacts may include channel incision and lowering of the water table, disconnection from floodplains, increased stream power and bed scouring, and increased sediment load from headcutting and bank erosion. Over time, these negative impacts may resolve themselves. However, the time frame necessary for reestablishing adequate physical habitat is not well-known. Some studies have indicated that many decades or longer may be required, depending on a variety of factors. Under the WFD, the REstoring rivers FOR effective catchment Management (REFORM

  17. Amplification due to two-stream instability of self-electric and magnetic fields of an ion beam propagating in background plasma

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tokluoglu, Erinc K.; Kaganovich, Igor D.; Carlsson, Johan A.; Hara, Kentaro; Startsev, Edward A.

    2018-05-01

    Propagation of charged particle beams in background plasma as a method of space charge neutralization has been shown to achieve a high degree of charge and current neutralization and therefore enables nearly ballistic propagation and focusing of charged particle beams. Correspondingly, the use of plasmas for propagation of charged particle beams has important applications for transport and focusing of intense particle beams in inertial fusion and high energy density laboratory plasma physics. However, the streaming of beam ions through a background plasma can lead to the development of two-stream instability between the beam ions and the plasma electrons. The beam electric and magnetic fields enhanced by the two-stream instability can lead to defocusing of the ion beam. Using particle-in-cell simulations, we study the scaling of the instability-driven self-electromagnetic fields and consequent defocusing forces with the background plasma density and beam ion mass. We identify plasma parameters where the defocusing forces can be reduced.

  18. Rationality and Rationalisation in Teacher Education Policy Discourse in New Zealand

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    O'Neill, John

    2012-01-01

    Background: A newly elected centre-right coalition government in New Zealand was forced to deal with the cumulative fiscal consequences of two unforeseen challenges: a global financial crisis in September 2008 and two major seismic events in the country's second largest city in 2009 and 2010. This paper examines the way in which policies for…

  19. Asteroid/meteorite streams

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Drummond, J.

    The independent discovery of the same three streams (named alpha, beta, and gamma) among 139 Earth approaching asteroids and among 89 meteorite producing fireballs presents the possibility of matching specific meteorites to specific asteroids, or at least to asteroids in the same stream and, therefore, presumably of the same composition. Although perhaps of limited practical value, the three meteorites with known orbits are all ordinary chondrites. To identify, in general, the taxonomic type of the parent asteroid, however, would be of great scientific interest since these most abundant meteorite types cannot be unambiguously spectrally matched to an asteroid type. The H5 Pribram meteorite and asteroid 4486 (unclassified) are not part of a stream, but travel in fairly similar orbits. The LL5 Innisfree meteorite is orbitally similar to asteroid 1989DA (unclassified), and both are members of a fourth stream (delta) defined by five meteorite-dropping fireballs and this one asteroid. The H5 Lost City meteorite is orbitally similar to 1980AA (S type), which is a member of stream gamma defined by four asteroids and four fireballs. Another asteroid in this stream is classified as an S type, another is QU, and the fourth is unclassified. This stream suggests that ordinary chondrites should be associated with S (and/or Q) asteroids. Two of the known four V type asteroids belong to another stream, beta, defined by five asteroids and four meteorite-dropping (but unrecovered) fireballs, making it the most probable source of the eucrites. The final stream, alpha, defined by five asteroids and three fireballs is of unknown composition since no meteorites have been recovered and only one asteroid has an ambiguous classification of QRS. If this stream, or any other as yet undiscovered ones, were found to be composed of a more practical material (e.g., water or metalrich), then recovery of the associated meteorites would provide an opportunity for in-hand analysis of a potential

  20. Asteroid/meteorite streams

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Drummond, J.

    1991-01-01

    The independent discovery of the same three streams (named alpha, beta, and gamma) among 139 Earth approaching asteroids and among 89 meteorite producing fireballs presents the possibility of matching specific meteorites to specific asteroids, or at least to asteroids in the same stream and, therefore, presumably of the same composition. Although perhaps of limited practical value, the three meteorites with known orbits are all ordinary chondrites. To identify, in general, the taxonomic type of the parent asteroid, however, would be of great scientific interest since these most abundant meteorite types cannot be unambiguously spectrally matched to an asteroid type. The H5 Pribram meteorite and asteroid 4486 (unclassified) are not part of a stream, but travel in fairly similar orbits. The LL5 Innisfree meteorite is orbitally similar to asteroid 1989DA (unclassified), and both are members of a fourth stream (delta) defined by five meteorite-dropping fireballs and this one asteroid. The H5 Lost City meteorite is orbitally similar to 1980AA (S type), which is a member of stream gamma defined by four asteroids and four fireballs. Another asteroid in this stream is classified as an S type, another is QU, and the fourth is unclassified. This stream suggests that ordinary chondrites should be associated with S (and/or Q) asteroids. Two of the known four V type asteroids belong to another stream, beta, defined by five asteroids and four meteorite-dropping (but unrecovered) fireballs, making it the most probable source of the eucrites. The final stream, alpha, defined by five asteroids and three fireballs is of unknown composition since no meteorites have been recovered and only one asteroid has an ambiguous classification of QRS. If this stream, or any other as yet undiscovered ones, were found to be composed of a more practical material (e.g., water or metalrich), then recovery of the associated meteorites would provide an opportunity for in-hand analysis of a potential

  1. Updating the New Zealand Glacier Inventory

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Baumann, S. C.; Anderson, B.; Mackintosh, A.; Lorrey, A.; Chinn, T.; Collier, C.; Rack, W.; Purdie, H.

    2017-12-01

    The last complete glacier inventory of New Zealand dates from the year 1978 (North Island 1988) and was manually constructed from oblique aerial photographs and geodetic maps (Chinn 2001). The inventory has been partly updated by Gjermundsen et al. (2011) for the year 2002 (40% of total area) and by Sirguey & More (2010) for the year 2009 (32% of total area), both using ASTER satellite imagery. We used Landsat 8 OLI/TIRS satellite data from February/March 2016 to map the total glaciated area. Clean and debris-covered ice were mapped semi-automatically. The band ratio approach was used for clean ice (ratio: red/SWIR). We mapped debris-covered ice using a supervised classification (maximum likelihood). Manual post processing was necessary due to misclassifications (e.g. lakes, clouds) or mapping in shadowed areas. It was also necessary to manually combine the clean and debris-covered parts into single glaciers. Additional input data for the post processing were Sentinel 2 images from the same time period, orthophotos from Land Information New Zealand (resolution: 0.75 m, date: Nov 2014), and the 1978/88 outlines from the GLIMS database (http://www.glims.org/). As the Sentinel 2 data were more heavily cloud covered compared to the Landsat 8 images, they were only used for post processing and not for the classification itself. Initial results show that New Zealand glaciers covered an area of about 1050 km² in 2016, a reduction of 16% since 1978. Approximately 17% of glacier area was covered in surface debris. The glaciers in the central Southern Alps around Mt Cook reduced in area by 24%. Glaciers in the North Island of New Zealand reduced by 71% since 1988, and only 2 km² of ice cover remained in 2016. Chinn, TJH (2001). "Distribution of the glacial water resources of New Zealand." Journal of Hydrology (NZ) 40(2): 139-187 Gjermundsen, EF, Mathieu, R, Kääb, A, Chinn, TJH, Fitzharris, B & Hagen, JO (2011). "Assessment of multispectral glacier mapping methods and

  2. Influence of riparian seepage zones on nitrate variability in two agricultural headwater streams

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Riparian seepage zones are one of the primary pathways of groundwater transport to headwater streams. While seeps have been recognized for their contributions to streamflow, there is little information on how seeps affect stream water quality. The objective of this study was to examine the influence...

  3. Disentangling interoception: insights from focal strokes affecting the perception of external and internal milieus

    PubMed Central

    Couto, Blas; Adolfi, Federico; Sedeño, Lucas; Salles, Alejo; Canales-Johnson, Andrés; Alvarez-Abut, Pablo; Garcia-Cordero, Indira; Pietto, Marcos; Bekinschtein, Tristan; Sigman, Mariano; Manes, Facundo; Ibanez, Agustin

    2015-01-01

    Interoception is the moment-to-moment sensing of the physiological condition of the body. The multimodal sources of interoception can be classified into two different streams of afferents: an internal pathway of signals arising from core structures (i.e., heart, blood vessels, and bronchi) and an external pathway of body-mapped sensations (i.e., chemosensation and pain) arising from peripersonal space. This study examines differential processing along these streams within the insular cortex (IC) and their subcortical tracts connecting frontotemporal networks. Two rare patients presenting focal lesions of the IC (insular lesion, IL) or its subcortical tracts (subcortical lesion, SL) were tested. Internally generated interoceptive streams were assessed through a heartbeat detection (HBD) task, while those externally triggered were tapped via taste, smell, and pain recognition tasks. A differential pattern was observed. The IC patient showed impaired internal signal processing while the SL patient exhibited external perception deficits. Such selective deficits remained even when comparing each patient with a group of healthy controls and a group of brain-damaged patients. These outcomes suggest the existence of distinguishable interoceptive streams. Results are discussed in relation with neuroanatomical substrates, involving a fronto-insulo-temporal network for interoceptive and cognitive contextual integration. PMID:25983697

  4. Rainbow trout responses to water temperature and dissolved oxygen stress in two southern California stream pools

    Treesearch

    K.R. Matthews; N.H. Berg

    1997-01-01

    Habitat use by rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss is described for a southern California stream where the summer water temperatures typically exceed the lethal limits for trout (>25) C). During August 1994, water temperature, dissolved oxygen (DO), and trout distribution were monitored in two adjacent pools in Sespe Creek, Ventura County, where summer water...

  5. New Zealand Perspectives on Early Childhood Education: Naku Te Rourou Nau Te Rourou Ka Ora Ai Te Iwi

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tesar, Marek

    2016-01-01

    This special issue focuses on histories, pedagogies, policies, philosophies and alternative perspectives in early childhood education. "Te Whariki" is heralded as the first bicultural curriculum not only in New Zealand, but in the world. Its importance is reflected in national and international research and early childhood discourses.…

  6. Contrasting bacterial communities in two indigenous Chionochloa (Poaceae) grassland soils in New Zealand

    PubMed Central

    Griffith, Jocelyn C.; Lee, William G.; Orlovich, David A.

    2017-01-01

    The cultivation of grasslands can modify both bacterial community structure and impact on nutrient cycling as well as the productivity and diversity of plant communities. In this study, two pristine New Zealand grassland sites dominated by indigenous tall tussocks (Chionochloa pallens or C. teretifolia) were examined to investigate the extent and predictability of variation of the bacterial community. The contribution of free-living bacteria to biological nitrogen fixation is predicted to be ecologically significant in these soils; therefore, the diazotrophic community was also examined. The C. teretifolia site had N-poor and poorly-drained peaty soils, and the C. pallens had N-rich and well-drained fertile soils. These soils also differ in the proportion of organic carbon (C), Olsen phosphorus (P) and soil pH. The nutrient-rich soils showed increased relative abundances of some copiotrophic bacterial taxa (including members of the Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes phyla). Other copiotrophs, Actinobacteria and the oliogotrophic Acidobacteria showed increased relative abundance in nutrient-poor soils. Greater diversity based on 16S rRNA gene sequences and the Tax4Fun prediction of enhanced spore formation associated with nutrient-rich soils could indicate increased resilience of the bacterial community. The two sites had distinct diazotrophic communities with higher diversity in C. teretifolia soils that had less available nitrate and ammonium, potentially indicating increased resilience of the diazotroph community at this site. The C. teretifolia soils had more 16S rRNA gene and nifH copies per g soil than the nutrient rich site. However, the proportion of the bacterial community that was diazotrophic was similar in the two soils. We suggest that edaphic and vegetation factors are contributing to major differences in the composition and diversity of total bacterial and diazotrophic communities at these sites. We predict the differences in the communities

  7. Double streams of protons in the distant geomagnetic tail

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Villante, U.; Lazarus, A. J.

    1975-01-01

    Two intermingled streams of protons have been observed in the distant geomagnetic tail. The number densities of the two streams are comparable, and their velocity difference tends to lie along the field direction. The lower-velocity stream is probably composed of magnetosheath protons which have diffused through the boundary of the distant tail. The higher-velocity stream appears to originate in the field reversal region.

  8. Quantifying stream thermal regimes at management-pertinent scales: combining thermal infrared and stationary stream temperature data in a novel modeling framework.

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Vatland, Shane J.; Gresswell, Robert E.; Poole, Geoffrey C.

    2015-01-01

    Accurately quantifying stream thermal regimes can be challenging because stream temperatures are often spatially and temporally heterogeneous. In this study, we present a novel modeling framework that combines stream temperature data sets that are continuous in either space or time. Specifically, we merged the fine spatial resolution of thermal infrared (TIR) imagery with hourly data from 10 stationary temperature loggers in a 100 km portion of the Big Hole River, MT, USA. This combination allowed us to estimate summer thermal conditions at a relatively fine spatial resolution (every 100 m of stream length) over a large extent of stream (100 km of stream) during during the warmest part of the summer. Rigorous evaluation, including internal validation, external validation with spatially continuous instream temperature measurements collected from a Langrangian frame of reference, and sensitivity analyses, suggests the model was capable of accurately estimating longitudinal patterns in summer stream temperatures for this system Results revealed considerable spatial and temporal heterogeneity in summer stream temperatures and highlighted the value of assessing thermal regimes at relatively fine spatial and temporal scales. Preserving spatial and temporal variability and structure in abiotic stream data provides a critical foundation for understanding the dynamic, multiscale habitat needs of mobile stream organisms. Similarly, enhanced understanding of spatial and temporal variation in dynamic water quality attributes, including temporal sequence and spatial arrangement, can guide strategic placement of monitoring equipment that will subsequently capture variation in environmental conditions directly pertinent to research and management objectives.

  9. The macro-economic impact of a foot-and-mouth disease incursion in New Zealand.

    PubMed

    Belton, D J

    2004-01-01

    The 2001 outbreak of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) in the United Kingdom heightened public concern in New Zealand about the economic consequences of an outbreak of FMD, and resulted in the Reserve Bank and Treasury conducting an assessment of the macro-economic impact of a small FMD outbreak in New Zealand. The study was based on a relatively small outbreak in which 50 properties were infected over a period of two months. Cumulative losses calculated over two years from the beginning of the hypothetical outbreak were estimated at around NZ dollars 10 billion, a figure twice as large as the initial Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry estimate. The main reason for this difference is that the Reserve Bank study included the additional macro-economic effects of a slump in domestic demand. The study also demonstrated that in New Zealand under the conditions of the current OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Code for FMD, the economic impact of any programme to control FMD by vaccination in which vaccinated animals are not slaughtered, is significantly worse than rapid eradication by stamping out.

  10. A content analysis of the portrayal of alcohol in televised music videos in New Zealand: changes over time.

    PubMed

    Sloane, Kate; Wilson, Nick; Imlach Gunasekara, Fiona

    2013-01-01

    We aimed to: (i) document the extent and nature of alcohol portrayal in televised music videos in New Zealand in 2010; and (ii) assess trends over time by comparing with a similar 2005 sample. We undertook a content analysis for references to alcohol in 861 music videos shown on a youth-orientated television channel in New Zealand. This was compared with a sample in 2005 (564 music videos on the same channel plus sampling from two other channels). The proportion of alcohol content in the music videos was slightly higher in 2010 than for the same channel in the 2005 sample (19.5% vs. 15.7%) but this difference was not statistically significant. Only in the genre 'Rhythm and Blues' was the increase over time significant (P = 0.015). In both studies, the portrayal of alcohol was significantly more common in music videos where the main artist was international (not from New Zealand). Furthermore, in the music videos with alcohol content, at least a third of the time, alcohol was shown being consumed and the main artist was involved with alcohol. In only 2% (in 2005) and 4% (in 2010) of these videos was the tone explicitly negative towards alcohol. In both these studies, the portrayal of alcohol was relatively common in music videos. Nevertheless, there are various ways that policy makers can denormalise alcohol in youth-orientated media such as music videos or to compensate via other alcohol control measures such as higher alcohol taxes. © 2012 Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs.

  11. Revealing the dual streams of speech processing.

    PubMed

    Fridriksson, Julius; Yourganov, Grigori; Bonilha, Leonardo; Basilakos, Alexandra; Den Ouden, Dirk-Bart; Rorden, Christopher

    2016-12-27

    Several dual route models of human speech processing have been proposed suggesting a large-scale anatomical division between cortical regions that support motor-phonological aspects vs. lexical-semantic aspects of speech processing. However, to date, there is no complete agreement on what areas subserve each route or the nature of interactions across these routes that enables human speech processing. Relying on an extensive behavioral and neuroimaging assessment of a large sample of stroke survivors, we used a data-driven approach using principal components analysis of lesion-symptom mapping to identify brain regions crucial for performance on clusters of behavioral tasks without a priori separation into task types. Distinct anatomical boundaries were revealed between a dorsal frontoparietal stream and a ventral temporal-frontal stream associated with separate components. Collapsing over the tasks primarily supported by these streams, we characterize the dorsal stream as a form-to-articulation pathway and the ventral stream as a form-to-meaning pathway. This characterization of the division in the data reflects both the overlap between tasks supported by the two streams as well as the observation that there is a bias for phonological production tasks supported by the dorsal stream and lexical-semantic comprehension tasks supported by the ventral stream. As such, our findings show a division between two processing routes that underlie human speech processing and provide an empirical foundation for studying potential computational differences that distinguish between the two routes.

  12. Critical health psychology in New Zealand: Developments, directions and reflections.

    PubMed

    Chamberlain, Kerry; Lyons, Antonia C; Stephens, Christine

    2018-03-01

    We examine how critical health psychology developed in New Zealand, taking an historical perspective to document important influences. We discuss how academic appointments created a confluence of critical researchers at Massey University, how interest in health psychology arose and expanded, how the critical turn eventuated and how connections, both local and international, were important in building and sustaining these developments. We discuss the evolution of teaching a critical health psychology training programme, describe the research agendas and professional activities of academic staff involved and how this sustains the critical agenda. We close with some reflections on progress and attainment.

  13. Hydro-ecological degradation due to human impacts in the Twin Streams Watershed, Auckland, New Zealand

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Torrecillas Nunez, C.; Miguel-rodriguez, A.

    2012-12-01

    As a collaborative project between the Faculties of Engineering of the University of Sinaloa, Mexico and the University of Auckland, an inter-disciplinary team researched historical information, monitoring results and modelling completed over the last ten years to establish the cause-effect relationship of development and human impacts in the watershed and recommend strategies to offset them .The research program analyzed the performance of the Twin Streams watershed over time with modelling of floods, hydrological disturbance indicators, analysis of water quality and ecological information, cost / benefit, harbor modelling and contaminant loads. The watershed is located in the west of Auckland and comprises 10,356 hectare: 8.19% ecologically protected area, 29.70% buffer zone, 6.67% peri-urban, 30.98% urban, 16.04% parks, and 8.42% other; average impermeability is 19.1%. Current population is 129,475 (2011) forecast to grow to 212,798 by 2051. The watershed includes 317.5 km of streams that drain to the Waitemata Harbor. The human impact can be traced back to the 1850s when the colonial settlers logged the native forests, dammed streams and altered the channel hydro-ecology resulting in significant erosion, sediment and changes to flows. In the early 1900s native vegetation started to regenerate in the headwaters, while agriculture and horticulture become established in rest of the watershed leading to the use of quite often very harmful pesticides and insecticides, such as DDT which is still detected in current environmental monitoring programs, and more erosion and channel alterations. As land become unproductive in the 1950s it stared to be urbanized, followed by more intensive urban development in the 1990s. Curiously there was no regulatory regime to control land use in the early stages and consequently over 400 houses were built in the floodplains, as well there were no legislation to control environmental impacts until 1991. Consequently today there is a

  14. Switch of flow direction in an Antarctic ice stream.

    PubMed

    Conway, H; Catania, G; Raymond, C F; Gades, A M; Scambos, T A; Engelhardt, H

    2002-10-03

    Fast-flowing ice streams transport ice from the interior of West Antarctica to the ocean, and fluctuations in their activity control the mass balance of the ice sheet. The mass balance of the Ross Sea sector of the West Antarctic ice sheet is now positive--that is, it is growing--mainly because one of the ice streams (ice stream C) slowed down about 150 years ago. Here we present evidence from both surface measurements and remote sensing that demonstrates the highly dynamic nature of the Ross drainage system. We show that the flow in an area that once discharged into ice stream C has changed direction, now draining into the Whillans ice stream (formerly ice stream B). This switch in flow direction is a result of continuing thinning of the Whillans ice stream and recent thickening of ice stream C. Further abrupt reorganization of the activity and configuration of the ice streams over short timescales is to be expected in the future as the surface topography of the ice sheet responds to the combined effects of internal dynamics and long-term climate change. We suggest that caution is needed when using observations of short-term mass changes to draw conclusions about the large-scale mass balance of the ice sheet.

  15. Implementation and Analysis of Real-Time Streaming Protocols.

    PubMed

    Santos-González, Iván; Rivero-García, Alexandra; Molina-Gil, Jezabel; Caballero-Gil, Pino

    2017-04-12

    Communication media have become the primary way of interaction thanks to the discovery and innovation of many new technologies. One of the most widely used communication systems today is video streaming, which is constantly evolving. Such communications are a good alternative to face-to-face meetings, and are therefore very useful for coping with many problems caused by distance. However, they suffer from different issues such as bandwidth limitation, network congestion, energy efficiency, cost, reliability and connectivity. Hence, the quality of service and the quality of experience are considered the two most important issues for this type of communication. This work presents a complete comparative study of two of the most used protocols of video streaming, Real Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP) and the Web Real-Time Communication (WebRTC). In addition, this paper proposes two new mobile applications that implement those protocols in Android whose objective is to know how they are influenced by the aspects that most affect the streaming quality of service, which are the connection establishment time and the stream reception time. The new video streaming applications are also compared with the most popular video streaming applications for Android, and the experimental results of the analysis show that the developed WebRTC implementation improves the performance of the most popular video streaming applications with respect to the stream packet delay.

  16. Implementation and Analysis of Real-Time Streaming Protocols

    PubMed Central

    Santos-González, Iván; Rivero-García, Alexandra; Molina-Gil, Jezabel; Caballero-Gil, Pino

    2017-01-01

    Communication media have become the primary way of interaction thanks to the discovery and innovation of many new technologies. One of the most widely used communication systems today is video streaming, which is constantly evolving. Such communications are a good alternative to face-to-face meetings, and are therefore very useful for coping with many problems caused by distance. However, they suffer from different issues such as bandwidth limitation, network congestion, energy efficiency, cost, reliability and connectivity. Hence, the quality of service and the quality of experience are considered the two most important issues for this type of communication. This work presents a complete comparative study of two of the most used protocols of video streaming, Real Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP) and the Web Real-Time Communication (WebRTC). In addition, this paper proposes two new mobile applications that implement those protocols in Android whose objective is to know how they are influenced by the aspects that most affect the streaming quality of service, which are the connection establishment time and the stream reception time. The new video streaming applications are also compared with the most popular video streaming applications for Android, and the experimental results of the analysis show that the developed WebRTC implementation improves the performance of the most popular video streaming applications with respect to the stream packet delay. PMID:28417949

  17. Role of streams in myxobacteria aggregate formation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kiskowski, Maria A.; Jiang, Yi; Alber, Mark S.

    2004-10-01

    Cell contact, movement and directionality are important factors in biological development (morphogenesis), and myxobacteria are a model system for studying cell-cell interaction and cell organization preceding differentiation. When starved, thousands of myxobacteria cells align, stream and form aggregates which later develop into round, non-motile spores. Canonically, cell aggregation has been attributed to attractive chemotaxis, a long range interaction, but there is growing evidence that myxobacteria organization depends on contact-mediated cell-cell communication. We present a discrete stochastic model based on contact-mediated signaling that suggests an explanation for the initialization of early aggregates, aggregation dynamics and final aggregate distribution. Our model qualitatively reproduces the unique structures of myxobacteria aggregates and detailed stages which occur during myxobacteria aggregation: first, aggregates initialize in random positions and cells join aggregates by random walk; second, cells redistribute by moving within transient streams connecting aggregates. Streams play a critical role in final aggregate size distribution by redistributing cells among fewer, larger aggregates. The mechanism by which streams redistribute cells depends on aggregate sizes and is enhanced by noise. Our model predicts that with increased internal noise, more streams would form and streams would last longer. Simulation results suggest a series of new experiments.

  18. Gamma-Weighted Discrete Ordinate Two-Stream Approximation for Computation of Domain Averaged Solar Irradiance

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kato, S.; Smith, G. L.; Barker, H. W.

    2001-01-01

    An algorithm is developed for the gamma-weighted discrete ordinate two-stream approximation that computes profiles of domain-averaged shortwave irradiances for horizontally inhomogeneous cloudy atmospheres. The algorithm assumes that frequency distributions of cloud optical depth at unresolved scales can be represented by a gamma distribution though it neglects net horizontal transport of radiation. This algorithm is an alternative to the one used in earlier studies that adopted the adding method. At present, only overcast cloudy layers are permitted.

  19. Tsunami Forecasting and Monitoring in New Zealand

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Power, William; Gale, Nora

    2011-06-01

    New Zealand is exposed to tsunami threats from several sources that vary significantly in their potential impact and travel time. One route for reducing the risk from these tsunami sources is to provide advance warning based on forecasting and monitoring of events in progress. In this paper the National Tsunami Warning System framework, including the responsibilities of key organisations and the procedures that they follow in the event of a tsunami threatening New Zealand, are summarised. A method for forecasting threat-levels based on tsunami models is presented, similar in many respects to that developed for Australia by Allen and Greenslade (Nat Hazards 46:35-52, 2008), and a simple system for easy access to the threat-level forecasts using a clickable pdf file is presented. Once a tsunami enters or initiates within New Zealand waters, its progress and evolution can be monitored in real-time using a newly established network of online tsunami gauge sensors placed at strategic locations around the New Zealand coasts and offshore islands. Information from these gauges can be used to validate and revise forecasts, and assist in making the all-clear decision.

  20. Textbooks and Reading Materials. Volume Two: Outcomes of the Regional Seminar. Report of a Regional Seminar on Textbooks and Reading Materials (Wellington, New Zealand, October 4-12, 1983).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    New Zealand Dept. of Education, Wellington.

    For the second of two volumes dealing with the effective use of instructional materials to teach reading, this booklet describes the participants and outcomes of a regional seminar on the use of reading instruction materials and textbooks held in New Zealand. The first section of the booklet provides an overview of the seminar, including…

  1. Services Available to Visually Impaired Persons in New Zealand.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    LaGrow, S.; And Others

    1990-01-01

    The Royal New Zealand Foundation for the Blind is primarily responsible for services to visually impaired people in New Zealand. The article describes its history, structure, services, and plans for the future. (Author/JDD)

  2. From Professional Leader to CEO: The Changing Role of New Zealand College of Education Principals in the 1990s

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Alcorn, Noeline

    2007-01-01

    Policy changes in higher education internationally have led to greater institutional competition and performativity and a shift from academic to business management for institutional leaders. Major changes to tertiary education management in New Zealand, legislated in 1990, had a particularly marked impact on teacher education institutions,…

  3. Information Services in New Zealand and the Pacific.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ronnie, Mary A.

    This paper examines information services and resource sharing within New Zealand with a view to future participation in a Pacific resource sharing network. Activities of the National Library, the New Zealand Library Resources Committee, and the Information Services Committee are reviewed over a 40-year period, illustrating library cooperative…

  4. The Impact of National Standards Assessment in New Zealand, and National Testing Protocols in Norway on Indigenous Schooling

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Özerk, Kamil; Whitehead, David

    2012-01-01

    This paper first provides a critic of the implementation of compulsory national assessment protocols internationally, and then nationally through a review of the implementation process used for the introduction of National Standards in New Zealand, and National Testing in Norwegian mainstream schools. It then reviews the impact of these two…

  5. Comparison of work related fatal injuries in the United States, Australia, and New Zealand: method and overall findings

    PubMed Central

    Feyer, A; Williamson, A; Stout, N; Driscoll, T; Usher, H; Langley, J

    2001-01-01

    Objectives—To compare the extent, distribution, and nature of fatal occupational injury in New Zealand, Australia, and the United States. Setting—Workplaces in New Zealand, Australia, and the United States. Methods—Data collections based on vital records were used to compare overall rates and distribution of fatal injuries covering the period 1989–92 in Australia and the United States, and 1985–94 in New Zealand. Household labour force data (Australia and the United States) and census data (New Zealand) provided denominator data for calculation of rates. Case definition, case inclusion criteria, and classification of occupation and industry were harmonised across the three datasets. Results—New Zealand had the highest average annual rate (4.9/100 000), Australia an intermediate rate (3.8/100 000), and the United States the lowest rate (3.2/100 000) of fatal occupational injury. Much of the difference between countries was accounted for by differences in industry distribution. In each country, male workers, older workers, and those working in agriculture, forestry and fishing, in mining and in construction, were consistently at higher risk. Intentional fatal injury was more common in the United States, being rare in both Australia and New Zealand. This difference is likely to be reflected in the more common incidence of work related fatal injuries for sales workers in the United States compared with Australia and New Zealand. Conclusions—The present results contrasted with those obtained by a recent study that used published omnibus statistics, both in terms of absolute rates and relative ranking of the three countries. Such differences underscore the importance of using like datasets for international comparisons. The consistency of high risk areas across comparable data from comparable nations provides clear targets for further attention. At this stage, however, it is unclear whether the same specific occupations and/or hazards are contributing to

  6. Bicentenary 2016: The First New Zealand School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jones, Alison; Jenkins, Kuni Kaa

    2016-01-01

    Maori leaders visiting Australia invited a Pakeha (in this case, English) teacher to come to New Zealand to teach the children to read and write. On 12th August 1816, 200 years ago this year, the first school in New Zealand opened. Twenty-four Maori children came on that day, and each had his or her name written down. The teacher Thomas Kendall…

  7. The Puzzling Ophiuchus Stream

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kohler, Susanna

    2016-01-01

    Dwarf galaxies or globular clusters orbiting the Milky Way can be pulled apart by tidal forces, leaving behind a trail of stars known as a stellar stream. One such trail, the Ophiuchus stream, has posed a serious dynamical puzzle since its discovery. But a recent study has identified four stars that might help resolve this streams mystery.Conflicting TimescalesThe stellar stream Ophiuchus was discovered around our galaxy in 2014. Based on its length, which appears to be 1.6 kpc, we can calculate the time that has passed since its progenitor was disrupted and the stream was created: ~250 Myr. But the stars within it are ~12 Gyr old, and the stream orbits the galaxy with a period of ~350 Myr.Given these numbers, we can assume that Ophiuchuss progenitor completed many orbits of the Milky Way in its lifetime. So why would it only have been disrupted 250 million years ago?Fanning StreamLed by Branimir Sesar (Max Planck Institute for Astronomy), a team of scientists has proposed an idea that might help solve this puzzle. If the Ophiuchus stellar stream is on a chaotic orbit common in triaxial potentials, which the Milky Ways may be then the stream ends can fan out, with stars spreading in position and velocity.The fanned part of the stream, however, would be difficult to detect because of its low surface brightness. As a result, the Ophiuchus stellar stream could actually be longer than originally measured, implying that it was disrupted longer ago than was believed.Search for Fan StarsTo test this idea, Sesar and collaborators performed a search around the ends of the stream, looking for stars thatare of the right type to match the stream,are at the predicted distance of the stream,are located near the stream ends, andhave velocities that match the stream and dont match the background halo stars.Histogram of the heliocentric velocities of the 43 target stars. Six stars have velocities matching the stream velocity. Two of these are located in the main stream; the other

  8. Integration and segregation in auditory streaming

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Almonte, Felix; Jirsa, Viktor K.; Large, Edward W.; Tuller, Betty

    2005-12-01

    We aim to capture the perceptual dynamics of auditory streaming using a neurally inspired model of auditory processing. Traditional approaches view streaming as a competition of streams, realized within a tonotopically organized neural network. In contrast, we view streaming to be a dynamic integration process which resides at locations other than the sensory specific neural subsystems. This process finds its realization in the synchronization of neural ensembles or in the existence of informational convergence zones. Our approach uses two interacting dynamical systems, in which the first system responds to incoming acoustic stimuli and transforms them into a spatiotemporal neural field dynamics. The second system is a classification system coupled to the neural field and evolves to a stationary state. These states are identified with a single perceptual stream or multiple streams. Several results in human perception are modelled including temporal coherence and fission boundaries [L.P.A.S. van Noorden, Temporal coherence in the perception of tone sequences, Ph.D. Thesis, Eindhoven University of Technology, The Netherlands, 1975], and crossing of motions [A.S. Bregman, Auditory Scene Analysis: The Perceptual Organization of Sound, MIT Press, 1990]. Our model predicts phenomena such as the existence of two streams with the same pitch, which cannot be explained by the traditional stream competition models. An experimental study is performed to provide proof of existence of this phenomenon. The model elucidates possible mechanisms that may underlie perceptual phenomena.

  9. Olympism, Physical Education and Attitudes and Values: What Do Graduating Teachers in Aotearoa, New Zealand Know and Understand?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Culpan, Ian; Stevens, Susannah

    2017-01-01

    Attitudes and values (A + V) are an important component of the New Zealand physical education (PE) curriculum. These A + V have a strong synergy with the philosophy of Olympism and New Zealand is recognised as one of the few countries to link these constructs in a national curriculum statement. While these two constructs are linked, little is…

  10. Using a rule-based envelope model to predict the expansion of habitat suitability within New Zealand for the tick Haemaphysalis longicornis, with future projections based on two climate change scenarios.

    PubMed

    Lawrence, K E; Summers, S R; Heath, A C G; McFadden, A M J; Pulford, D J; Tait, A B; Pomroy, W E

    2017-08-30

    Haemaphysalis longicornis is the only species of tick present in New Zealand which infests livestock and is also the only competent vector for Theileria orientalis. Since 2012, New Zealand has suffered from an epidemic of infectious bovine anaemia associated with T. orientalis, an obligate intracellular protozoan parasite of cattle and buffaloes. The aim of this study was to predict the spatial distribution of habitat suitability of New Zealand for the tick H. longicornis using a simple rule-based climate envelope model, to validate the model against published data and use the validated model to project an expansion in habitat suitability for H. longicornis under two alternative climate change scenarios for the periods 2046-2065 and 2081-2100, relative to the climate of 1981-2010. A rule-based climate envelope model was developed based on the environmental requirements for off-host tick survival. The resulting model was validated against a maximum entropy environmental niche model of environmental suitability for T. orientalis transmission and against a H. longicornis occurrence map. Validation was completed using the I-similarity statistic and by linear regression. The H. longicornis climate envelope model predicted that 75% of cattle farms in the North Island, 3% of cattle farms in the South Island and 54% of cattle farms in New Zealand overall have habitats potentially suitable for the establishment of H. longicornis. The validation methods showed an acceptable level of agreement between the envelope model and published data. Both of the climate change scenarios, for each of the time periods, projected only slight to moderate increases in the average farm habitat suitability scores for all the South Island regions. However, only for the West Coast, Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson regions did these increases in environmental suitability translate into an increased proportion of cattle farms with low or high H. longicornis habitat suitability. These results will

  11. The New Zealand Model for Prevention of Cyberviolence.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Butterfield, Liz

    2003-01-01

    Describes the national initiative of the New Zealand Internet Safety Group to prevent cyberviolence through education. The effort includes distribution of an Internet Safety Kit to each school in the country, research on Internet use in New Zealand, and a national symposium on the social impact of the Internet. (SLD)

  12. Anti-Nuclear Attitudes in New Zealand and Australia,

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1985-12-01

    Wellington, 5 March 1985. 5. John Henderson, Keith Jackson , Richard Kennawav, eds. Beyond New Zealand; The Foreign Policy of a Small State. (Auckland...the city of San Francisco this first day of September, 1951. For Australia: PERCY C. SPENDER For New Zealand: C.A. BERENDSEN For the United States of

  13. Measuring Snow Precipitation in New Zealand- Challenges and Opportunities.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Renwick, J. A.; Zammit, C.

    2015-12-01

    Monitoring plays a pivotal role in determining sustainable strategy for efficient overall management of the water resource. Though periodic monitoring provides some information, only long-term monitoring can provide data sufficient in quantity and quality to determine trends and develop predictive models. These can support informed decisions about sustainable and efficient use of water resources in New Zealand. However the development of such strategies is underpinned by our understanding and our ability to measure all inputs in headwaters catchments, where most of the precipitation is falling. Historically due to the harsh environment New Zealand has had little to no formal high elevation monitoring stations for all climate and snow related parameters outside of ski field climate and snow stations. This leads to sparse and incomplete archived datasets. Due to the importance of these catchments to the New Zealand economy (eg irrigation, hydro-electricity generation, tourism) NIWA has developed a climate-snow and ice monitoring network (SIN) since 2006. This network extends existing monitoring by electricity generator and ski stations and it is used by a number of stakeholders. In 2014 the network comprises 13 stations located at elevation above 700masl. As part of the WMO Solid Precipitation Intercomparison Experiment (SPICE), NIWA is carrying out an intercomparison of precipitation data over the period 2013-2015 at Mueller Hut. The site was commissioned on 11 July 2013, set up on the 17th September 2013 and comprises two Geonor weighing bucket raingauges, one shielded and the other un-shielded, in association with a conventional tipping bucket raingauge and conventional climate and snow measurements (temperature, wind, solar radiation, relative humidity, snow depth and snow pillow). The presentation aims to outline the state of the current monitoring network in New Zealand, as well as the challenge and opportunities for measurement of precipitation in alpine

  14. Echocardiography service provision in New Zealand: The implications of capacity modelling for the cardiac sonographer workforce.

    PubMed

    Buckley, Belinda; Farnworth, Mark J; Whalley, Gillian

    2016-01-08

    Regional disparity in both utilisation and the cardiac sonographer workforce has previously been identified. We sought to model the capacity of the cardiac sonographer workforce at a national and District Health Board level to better understand these regional differences. In 2013, surveys were distributed to 18 hospitals who employ cardiac sonographers (return rate 100%). Questions related to cardiac sonographer demographics, echo utilisation and workflow. Actual clinical capacity was calculated from scan duration and annual scan volumes. New Zealand national actual capacity was compared to predicted capacity from three international models. Potential clinical capacity was calculated from the workforce size in fulltime equivalent (FTE) and clinical availability. In New Zealand, scan duration and population-based clinical capacity varies between centres. The New Zealand capacity is similar to the UK 30:70 model, and consistently less than the US model for all scan types. There are marked regional differences in potential versus actual capacity, with 10/16 DHBs demonstrating excess potential capacity. There is regional disparity in the capacity of the cardiac sonographer workforce, which appears to be strongly related to scan duration. Workforce capacity modelling should be used with need and demand modelling to plan adequate levels of service provision.

  15. Heavy metal accumulations in water, sediment, and some cyprinid species in Porsuk Stream (Turkey).

    PubMed

    Köse, Esengül; Çiçek, Arzu; Uysal, Kazim; Tokatlı, Cem; Emiroğlu, Özgür; Arslan, Naime

    2015-03-01

    Porsuk Stream is one of Turkey's most important river systems and also one of the most important branches of the Sakarya River. It provides drinking and utility water for two Turkish cities (Kütahya and Eskişehir) with a total population of one million. In this study, water, sediment, and some tissues (liver, gill, and muscle) of five cyprinid fish species were collected seasonally (2010-2011) from eight stations on the Porsuk Stream, and the zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), and arsenic (As) levels of collected samples were determined. The data observed were evaluated with national and international quality criteria. Based on the data observed, it was determined that the Porsuk Stream is affected by significant inorganic pollution from the Kütahya and Eskişehir Provinces. It was also determined that the Porsuk Dam Lake has an important cleaning capacity and that the water and sediment quality of the Porsuk Stream improves after the output of the dam lake.

  16. Extemporaneous compounding in veterinary practice: a New Zealand perspective.

    PubMed

    Gargiulo, D A; Chemal, C; Joda, L; Lee, Y J; Pilkington, M; Haywood, A; Garg, S

    2013-11-01

    The aims of this study were to explore the extent of extemporaneous compounding in veterinary centres throughout New Zealand and to determine whether pharmacists could collaborate with veterinarians to improve this service in New Zealand. Questionnaires were sent to 200 randomly selected veterinarians in New Zealand. Semi-structured interviews were also conducted with selected participants from four animal facilities (zoos, research facilities and animal shelters) and two compounding pharmacies. Of the 200 veterinarian questionnaire recipients, 99 responded. Ten replies were withdrawn from the study giving a response rate of 44.5%. Of these 89, 33 (37%) compounded in their practice. Of the 33 compounding professionals, 3 (9%) compounded daily for animals under their care; 11 (34%) weekly, 18 (54%) monthly and 1 (3%) compounded yearly. Compounding was done by 29/33 (88%) veterinarians, 16/33 (48%) veterinary nurses or 6/33 (18%) others. It was carried out due to the unavailability of commercial products, or the need for dose adjustment to ease administration or improve compliance. The animals most commonly requiring veterinary compounding were dogs (21/33; 64%), cats (19/33; 58%) or cattle (15/33; 46%). Products which were commonly compounded included cyclosporin eye drops, methimazole gels and potassium bromide solutions. Issues commonly faced when compounding included unavailability of dosage forms (18/33; 55%) or appropriate ingredients (14/33; 42%), stability (12/33; 36%), time constraints (10/33; 30%) or unavailability of equipment (9/33; 27%). Reasons given for not compounding included medicines being commercially available (38/56; 68%), pharmacy compounding for those particular practices (24/56; 43%), lack of training (21/56; 38%), ingredients (16/56; 29%) or equipment (15/56; 11%). All participants who worked with a pharmacist (11/33; 33%) described this relationship as beneficial and indicated they would continue to do so in the future. Veterinary

  17. The relative influence of nutrients and habitat on stream metabolism in agricultural streams

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Frankforter, J.D.; Weyers, H.S.; Bales, J.D.; Moran, P.W.; Calhoun, D.L.

    2010-01-01

    Stream metabolism was measured in 33 streams across a gradient of nutrient concentrations in four agricultural areas of the USA to determine the relative influence of nutrient concentrations and habitat on primary production (GPP) and respiration (CR-24). In conjunction with the stream metabolism estimates, water quality and algal biomass samples were collected, as was an assessment of habitat in the sampling reach. When data for all study areas were combined, there were no statistically significant relations between gross primary production or community respiration and any of the independent variables. However, significant regression models were developed for three study areas for GPP (r 2 = 0.79-0.91) and CR-24 (r 2 = 0.76-0.77). Various forms of nutrients (total phosphorus and area-weighted total nitrogen loading) were significant for predicting GPP in two study areas, with habitat variables important in seven significant models. Important physical variables included light availability, precipitation, basin area, and in-stream habitat cover. Both benthic and seston chlorophyll were not found to be important explanatory variables in any of the models; however, benthic ash-free dry weight was important in two models for GPP. ?? 2009 The Author(s).

  18. Problem gambling and help seeking among Chinese international students: narratives of place identity transformation.

    PubMed

    Li, Wendy Wen; Tse, Samson

    2015-03-01

    This article uses examples of problem gambling and help seeking among Chinese international students in New Zealand to demonstrate place identity transformation. Two-wave narrative interviews were conducted with 15 Chinese international students. Place identity among participants is shown to be a process that features the transformation of participants' identity. While the casinos in which the Chinese international students gambled gave rise to negative place identities, positive place identities facilitated the participants to change their problematic gambling. Through the investigation of place identity transformation, this article promotes a strength-based, non-labelling approach to intervention for people who are concerned about their gambling behaviours. © The Author(s) 2015.

  19. Evaluating the reliability of the stream tracer approach to characterize stream-subsurface water exchange

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Harvey, Judson W.; Wagner, Brian J.; Bencala, Kenneth E.

    1996-01-01

    Stream water was locally recharged into shallow groundwater flow paths that returned to the stream (hyporheic exchange) in St. Kevin Gulch, a Rocky Mountain stream in Colorado contaminated by acid mine drainage. Two approaches were used to characterize hyporheic exchange: sub-reach-scale measurement of hydraulic heads and hydraulic conductivity to compute streambed fluxes (hydrometric approach) and reachscale modeling of in-stream solute tracer injections to determine characteristic length and timescales of exchange with storage zones (stream tracer approach). Subsurface data were the standard of comparison used to evaluate the reliability of the stream tracer approach to characterize hyporheic exchange. The reach-averaged hyporheic exchange flux (1.5 mL s−1 m−1), determined by hydrometric methods, was largest when stream base flow was low (10 L s−1); hyporheic exchange persisted when base flow was 10-fold higher, decreasing by approximately 30%. Reliability of the stream tracer approach to detect hyporheic exchange was assessed using first-order uncertainty analysis that considered model parameter sensitivity. The stream tracer approach did not reliably characterize hyporheic exchange at high base flow: the model was apparently more sensitive to exchange with surface water storage zones than with the hyporheic zone. At low base flow the stream tracer approach reliably characterized exchange between the stream and gravel streambed (timescale of hours) but was relatively insensitive to slower exchange with deeper alluvium (timescale of tens of hours) that was detected by subsurface measurements. The stream tracer approach was therefore not equally sensitive to all timescales of hyporheic exchange. We conclude that while the stream tracer approach is an efficient means to characterize surface-subsurface exchange, future studies will need to more routinely consider decreasing sensitivities of tracer methods at higher base flow and a potential bias toward

  20. Predicting Stream Temperature After Riparian Vegetation Removal

    Treesearch

    Bruce J. McGurk

    1989-01-01

    Removal of stream channel shading during timber harvest operations may raise the stream temperature and adversely affect desirable aquatic populations. Field work in California at one clearcut and one mature fir site demonstrated diurnal water temperature cycles and provided data to evaluate two stream temperature prediction techniques. Larger diurnal temperature...

  1. Two-stream Maxwellian kinetic theory of cloud droplet growth by condensation

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Robinson, N. F.; Scott, W. T.

    1981-01-01

    A new growth rate formula (NGRF) is developed for the rate of growth of cloud droplets by condensation. The theory used is a modification of the Lees-Shankar theory in which the two-stream Maxwellian distribution function of Lees is used in Maxwell's method of moments to determine the transport of water vapor to and heat away from the droplet. Boundary conditions at the droplet are the usual conditions set in terms of accommodation coefficients, and the solution passes smoothly into diffusion flow in the far region. Comparisons are given between NGRF and the conventional formula showing close agreement (approximately 0.1%) for large radii with significant difference (approximately 5%) for small radii (not greater than 1 micron). Growth times for haze droplets in a Laktionov chamber are computed.

  2. Inpatient antibiotic consumption in a regional secondary hospital in New Zealand.

    PubMed

    Hopkins, C J

    2014-02-01

    Reporting of antibiotic consumption in hospitals is a crucial component of antibiotic stewardship, but data from Australasian secondary hospitals are scarce. The hypothesis of this audit is that antibiotic consumption in secondary hospitals would be lower than in tertiary centres. The study aims to present the first published audit of antibiotic consumption from a secondary hospital in New Zealand compared with two tertiary centres. Hospital population-level data were retrospectively accessed to identify all systemic antibiotics dispensed to adult inpatients at Taranaki District Health Board during 2011. Consumption was calculated in defined daily doses per 100 inpatient-days and per 100 admissions, stratified by drug class. Comparison was against published data from two tertiary centres. Total consumption was lower, but that of high-risk antibiotic classes was higher than both tertiary centres. The relative consumption of lincosamides was 4.0 and 2.6 times higher than the two tertiary centres, with an associated 14% incidence of Clostridium difficile associated diarrhoea within 3 months. Our secondary hospital appears to consume the wrong types of antibiotic rather than too much. Data from all Australasian hospitals, stratified by clinical service area and hospital level, are required for clinically relevant benchmarking. © 2014 The Author; Internal Medicine Journal © 2014 Royal Australasian College of Physicians.

  3. Comparison of time series models for predicting campylobacteriosis risk in New Zealand.

    PubMed

    Al-Sakkaf, A; Jones, G

    2014-05-01

    Predicting campylobacteriosis cases is a matter of considerable concern in New Zealand, after the number of the notified cases was the highest among the developed countries in 2006. Thus, there is a need to develop a model or a tool to predict accurately the number of campylobacteriosis cases as the Microbial Risk Assessment Model used to predict the number of campylobacteriosis cases failed to predict accurately the number of actual cases. We explore the appropriateness of classical time series modelling approaches for predicting campylobacteriosis. Finding the most appropriate time series model for New Zealand data has additional practical considerations given a possible structural change, that is, a specific and sudden change in response to the implemented interventions. A univariate methodological approach was used to predict monthly disease cases using New Zealand surveillance data of campylobacteriosis incidence from 1998 to 2009. The data from the years 1998 to 2008 were used to model the time series with the year 2009 held out of the data set for model validation. The best two models were then fitted to the full 1998-2009 data and used to predict for each month of 2010. The Holt-Winters (multiplicative) and ARIMA (additive) intervention models were considered the best models for predicting campylobacteriosis in New Zealand. It was noticed that the prediction by an additive ARIMA with intervention was slightly better than the prediction by a Holt-Winter multiplicative method for the annual total in year 2010, the former predicting only 23 cases less than the actual reported cases. It is confirmed that classical time series techniques such as ARIMA with intervention and Holt-Winters can provide a good prediction performance for campylobacteriosis risk in New Zealand. The results reported by this study are useful to the New Zealand Health and Safety Authority's efforts in addressing the problem of the campylobacteriosis epidemic. © 2013 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

  4. Blue whale vocalizations recorded around New Zealand: 1964-2013.

    PubMed

    Miller, Brian S; Collins, Kym; Barlow, Jay; Calderan, Susannah; Leaper, Russell; McDonald, Mark; Ensor, Paul; Olson, Paula A; Olavarria, Carlos; Double, Michael C

    2014-03-01

    Previous underwater recordings made in New Zealand have identified a complex sequence of low frequency sounds that have been attributed to blue whales based on similarity to blue whale songs in other areas. Recordings of sounds with these characteristics were made opportunistically during the Southern Ocean Research Partnership's recent Antarctic Blue Whale Voyage. Detections of these sounds occurred all around the South Island of New Zealand during the voyage transits from Nelson, New Zealand to the Antarctic and return. By following acoustic bearings from directional sonobuoys, blue whales were visually detected and confirmed as the source of these sounds. These recordings, together with the historical recordings made northeast of New Zealand, indicate song types that persist over several decades and are indicative of the year-round presence of a population of blue whales that inhabits the waters around New Zealand. Measurements of the four-part vocalizations reveal that blue whale song in this region has changed slowly, but consistently over the past 50 years. The most intense units of these calls were detected as far south as 53°S, which represents a considerable range extension compared to the limited prior data on the spatial distribution of this population.

  5. New Zealand Southern Alps

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2001-06-20

    This anaglyph from the MISR instrument aboard NASA Terra spacecraft shows the rugged Southern Alps extending some 650 kilometers along the western side of New Zealand South Island. 3D glasses are necessary to view this image.

  6. A Closer Look at Completion in Higher Education in New Zealand

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Scott, David J.

    2009-01-01

    New Zealand has one of the lowest reported higher education qualification completion rates in the OECD, significantly below Australia. Why do so many New Zealand students not complete their qualification? This paper looks behind some of the numbers in an attempt to understand better and assess New Zealand's performance compared with Australia and…

  7. Proceedings of the Towards Competency Seminar. A Seminar on Curriculum Development and Evaluation in Vocational Education in New Zealand (Wellington, New Zealand, August 30-31, 1988).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wagner, Graham, Ed.

    These proceedings begin with opening remarks that discuss seminar concerns and objectives. These remarks define two concerns: (1) evaluation of the methods of curriculum development and evaluation appropriate for vocational education in New Zealand; and (2) development of guidelines to assist educators to meet the requirements for competency-based…

  8. International migration, 1995: some reflections on an exceptional year.

    PubMed

    Bedford, R

    1996-10-01

    "This paper examines the 1995 international migration statistics in the context of New Zealand's immigration policy, and with reference to the impact of migration on population change in 1995. Particular attention is focused on trying to unravel and interpret the statistics relating to net migration. Considerable confusion has arisen in the public debate about immigration because of uniformed and, at times, quite misleading use of information supplied by Statistics New Zealand and the Department of Labour.... This is a reprinted version of an article originally published in the New Zealand Journal of Geography in April 1996. The article has been reprinted because a number of tables in the earlier version were incorrectly reproduced. Any inconvenience caused by this problem is regretted." excerpt

  9. Patient-Targeted Googling by New Zealand Mental Health Professionals: A New Field of Ethical Consideration in the Internet Age.

    PubMed

    Thabrew, Hiran; Sawyer, Adam; Eischenberg, Christiane

    2018-01-29

    Patient-targeted Googling (PTG) describes the searching on the Internet by healthcare professionals for information about patients with or without their knowledge. Little research has been conducted into PTG internationally. PTG can have particular ethical implications within the field of mental health. This study was undertaken to identify the extent of PTG by New Zealand mental healthcare professionals and needs for further guidance regarding this issue. All (1,850) psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, and psychotherapists working in New Zealand were electronically surveyed about their experience of PTG and knowledge about the associated practice of therapist-targeted Googling (TTG) using a questionnaire that had previously been developed with a German sample. Due to ethics and advertising restrictions, only one indirect approach was made to potential participants. Eighty-eight clinicians (5%) responded to the survey invitation. More than half (53.4%, N = 47) of respondents reportedly being engaged in PTG, but only a minority (10.3%, N = 9) had ever received any education about the subject. Reasons for undertaking PTG included facilitating the therapeutic process, information being in the public domain, and mitigating risks. Reasons against undertaking PTG included impairment of therapeutic relationship, unethical invasion of privacy, and concerns regarding the accuracy and clinical relevance of online information. Two-thirds of participants reported being the subject of TTG. New Zealand psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, and psychotherapists are engaging in PTG with limited education and professional guidance. Further discussion and research are required, and so, PTG is undertaken in a manner that is safe and useful for patients and health practitioners.

  10. Irish and New Zealand Midwives' expertise at preserving the perineum intact (the MEPPI study): Perspectives on preparations for birth.

    PubMed

    Smith, Valerie; Guilliland, Karen; Dixon, Lesley; Reilly, Mary; Keegan, Caroline; McCann, Colette; Begley, Cecily

    2017-12-01

    perineal trauma during birth can result in short or long term morbidity for women. Internationally, rates of episiotomy and severe perineal tears vary considerably. In New Zealand, in 2011, and in a trial of midwife-led care in Ireland, episiotomy rates were found to be considerably lower than those in many other countries. A qualitative exploratory study was undertaken to ascertain how midwives achieve these low rates, in these countries and settings. a qualitative exploratory study was conducted. Midwives expert in preserving the perineum intact (PPI) from two maternity units in the Republic of Ireland and from varied birth settings in New Zealand, were eligible to participate. Twenty-one consenting midwives took part, seven from Ireland and 14 from New Zealand. university ethical approval was granted. Face-to-face, semi-structured interviews were used to collect the data. Interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. The data were analysed using Ethnograph software and were organised into prominent themes. four themes were identified; 'Sources of knowledge for PPI', 'Associated factors', 'Decision-making on episiotomy', and 'Preparations for PPI'. Participants drew heavily on multiple sources of knowledge in building their own expertise for PPI. Physical characteristics of the perineum featured prominently as factors leading to PPI. Episiotomy was, in the main, only performed when there were signs of fetal distress. Antenatal perineal massage was supported. this study provides valuable insight into the views and skills of midwives, with expertise in PPI at birth, adding to the body of evidence on this topic. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. The impact of solar radiation on the use of dissolved organic matter in two Ozark Streams: Possible role of photo-enhanced humification

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Townsend, S. L.; Ziegler, S. E.

    2005-05-01

    The effect of solar radiation on dissolved organic matter (DOM) utilization was studied in two contrasting streams from June 2002 through October 2004. Moores Creek is an agricultural stream with elevated nutrient and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations. Huey Hollow is a forested stream with low nutrient and DOC concentrations. A series of experiments were conducted seasonally to assess how solar radiation influenced DOM utilization. Exposure of DOM to solar radiation significantly decreased its utilization during most seasons in both streams. Each stream experienced one seasonal period when exposure of DOM significantly increased bacterial production; during these periods, DOM appeared to be the least bioavailable and most photochemically reactive. Interestingly, in spring when bioavailability of DOM was lowest in Moores Creek solar radiation exposure further reduced DOM bioavailability. Elevated ammonium concentrations during this spring experiment suggest photochemically-enhanced humification may have been an important mechanism influencing DOM cycling. Bioassays using 15N-labeled ammonium indicated no significant effect of elevated ammonium on the utilization of DOM in either stream in fall 2004. Detection of elevated 15N in the DOM fractions, however, would reveal light stimulated humification under elevated ammonium concentrations not detected with the bioassay.

  12. Recovery Competencies for New Zealand Mental Health Workers.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    O'Hagan, Mary

    This book contains a detailed report of the recovery principles set out in the Mental Health Commission's Blueprint for Mental Health Services in New Zealand. The competencies, endorsed by the New Zealand government, describe what mental health workers need to know about using the recovery approach in their work with people with mental illness.…

  13. GIS in New Zealand Schools: Issues and Prospects

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chalmers, Lex

    2006-01-01

    There are undoubtedly many parallels between Australia and New Zealand in the history of geographic information system (GIS) in schools. These parallels occur in the social, institutional, professional development, and curricula areas, and each of these topics is considered in this article. In New Zealand at least, there is still a lot that needs…

  14. Consequences of variation in stream-landscape connections for stream nitrate retention and export

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Handler, A. M.; Helton, A. M.; Grimm, N. B.

    2017-12-01

    Hydrologic and material connections among streams, the surrounding terrestrial landscape, and groundwater systems fluctuate between extremes in dryland watersheds, yet the consequences of this variation for stream nutrient retention and export remain uncertain. We explored how seasonal variation in hydrologic connection among streams, landscapes, and groundwater affect nitrate and ammonium concentrations across a dryland stream network and how this variation mediates in-stream nitrate uptake and watershed export. We conducted spatial surveys of stream nitrate and ammonium concentration across the 1200 km2 Oak Creek watershed in central Arizona (USA). In addition, we conducted pulse releases of a solution containing biologically reactive sodium nitrate, with sodium chloride as a conservative hydrologic tracer, to estimate nitrate uptake rates in the mainstem (Q>1000 L/s) and two tributaries. Nitrate and ammonium concentrations generally increased from headwaters to mouth in the mainstem. Locally elevated concentrations occurred in spring-fed tributaries draining fish hatcheries and larger irrigation ditches, but did not have a substantial effect on the mainstem nitrogen load. Ambient nitrate concentration (as N) ranged from below the analytical detection limit of 0.005 mg/L to 0.43 mg/L across all uptake experiments. Uptake length—average stream distance traveled for a nutrient atom from the point of release to its uptake—at ambient concentration ranged from 250 to 704 m and increased significantly with higher discharge, both across streams and within the same stream on different experiment dates. Vertical uptake velocity and aerial uptake rate ranged from 6.6-10.6 mm min-1 and 0.03 to 1.4 mg N m-2 min-1, respectively. Preliminary analyses indicate potentially elevated nitrogen loading to the lower portion of the watershed during seasonal precipitation events, but overall, the capacity for nitrate uptake is high in the mainstem and tributaries. Ongoing work

  15. Improving health, safety and energy efficiency in New Zealand through measuring and applying basic housing standards.

    PubMed

    Gillespie-Bennett, Julie; Keall, Michael; Howden-Chapman, Philippa; Baker, Michael G

    2013-08-02

    Substandard housing is a problem in New Zealand. Historically there has been little recognition of the important aspects of housing quality that affect people's health and safety. In this viewpoint article we outline the importance of assessing these factors as an essential step to improving the health and safety of New Zealanders and household energy efficiency. A practical risk assessment tool adapted to New Zealand conditions, the Healthy Housing Index (HHI), measures the physical characteristics of houses that affect the health and safety of the occupants. This instrument is also the only tool that has been validated against health and safety outcomes and reported in the international peer-reviewed literature. The HHI provides a framework on which a housing warrant of fitness (WOF) can be based. The HHI inspection takes about one hour to conduct and is performed by a trained building inspector. To maximise the effectiveness of this housing quality assessment we envisage the output having two parts. The first would be a pass/fail WOF assessment showing whether or not the house meets basic health, safety and energy efficiency standards. The second component would rate each main assessment area (health, safety and energy efficiency), potentially on a five-point scale. This WOF system would establish a good minimum standard for rental accommodation as well encouraging improved housing performance over time. In this article we argue that the HHI is an important, validated, housing assessment tool that will improve housing quality, leading to better health of the occupants, reduced home injuries, and greater energy efficiency. If required, this tool could be extended to also cover resilience to natural hazards, broader aspects of sustainability, and the suitability of the dwelling for occupants with particular needs.

  16. Two regions of seafloor deformation generated the tsunami for the 13 November 2016, Kaikoura, New Zealand earthquake

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bai, Yefei; Lay, Thorne; Cheung, Kwok Fai; Ye, Lingling

    2017-07-01

    The 13 November 2016 Kaikoura, New Zealand, Mw 7.8 earthquake ruptured multiple crustal faults in the transpressional Marlborough and North Canterbury tectonic domains of northeastern South Island. The Hikurangi trench and underthrust Pacific slab terminate in the region south of Kaikoura, as the subdution zone transitions to the Alpine fault strike-slip regime. It is difficult to establish whether any coseismic slip occurred on the megathrust from on-land observations. The rupture generated a tsunami well recorded at tide gauges along the eastern coasts and in Chatham Islands, including a 4 m crest-to-trough signal at Kaikoura where coastal uplift was about 1 m, and at multiple gauges in Wellington Harbor. Iterative modeling of teleseismic body waves and the regional water-level recordings establishes that two regions of seafloor motion produced the tsunami, including an Mw 7.6 rupture on the megathrust below Kaikoura and comparable size transpressional crustal faulting extending offshore near Cook Strait.

  17. Principles and processes for effecting change in environmental management in New Zealand.

    PubMed

    Valentine, Ian; Hurley, Evelyn; Reid, Janet; Allen, Will

    2007-02-01

    In New Zealand environmental management is essentially the responsibility of land managers. Management decisions affect both production/productivity and the environment. However, responsibility for ensuring positive environmental outcomes falls on both local (Regional) and Central Government, and both they and international agencies such as the OECD would wish to monitor and report on changes. In terms of policy, strong links have been established via Central and Regional Government to land managers. Consumers in the market place are also, increasingly, requiring responsibility for positive environmental outcomes of those who purchase and process primary products. Strong links for responsibility have been established between our international markets and processing businesses and there is a noticeable strengthening of the links from the processors to the land manager/producer. In New Zealand a range of initiatives has been developed and implemented over recent times, whereby land managers are taking increasing responsibility for accounting for the environmental outcomes of their production activities. The range covers the spectrum from voluntary to compulsory (e.g., in order to meet market requirements) and from those initiated by customers to processor and/or producer initiatives. This paper follows the evolution of the principles that drove the predominant activities of the period and the processes that initiated the changes in environmental management. As the focus of agriculturalists changed from pioneering in a new world, to establishing a production base, to economic reality, and finally to environmental responsibility, the processes of extension adapted to meet the new challenge.

  18. Delineating advanced practice nursing in New Zealand: a national survey.

    PubMed

    Carryer, J; Wilkinson, J; Towers, A; Gardner, G

    2018-03-01

    A variety of advanced practice nursing roles and titles have proliferated in response to the changing demands of a population characterized by increasing age and chronic illness. Whilst similarly identified as advanced practice roles, they do not share a common practice profile, educational requirements or legislative direction. The lack of clarity limits comparative research that can inform policy and health service planning. To identify advanced practice roles within nursing titles employed in New Zealand and practice differences between advanced practice and other roles. Replicating recent Australian research, 3255 registered nurses/nurse practitioners in New Zealand completed the amended Advanced Practice Delineation survey tool. The mean domain scores of the predominant advanced practice position were compared with those of other positions. Differences between groups were explored using one-way ANOVA and post hoc between group comparisons. Four nursing position bands were identified: nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, domain-specific and registered nurse. Significant differences between the bands were found on many domain scores. The nurse practitioner and clinical nurse specialist bands had the most similar practice profiles, nurse practitioners being more involved in direct care and professional leadership. Similar to the position of clinical nurse consultant in Australia, those practicing as clinical nurse specialists were deemed to reflect the threshold for advanced practice nursing. The results identified different practice patterns for the identified bands and distinguish the advanced practice nursing roles. By replicating the Australian study of Gardener et al. (2016), this NZ paper extends the international data available to support more evidence-based nursing workforce planning and policy development. © 2017 International Council of Nurses.

  19. Taking the Step to Skill New Zealand. A Guide for Employers.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    New Zealand Qualifications Authority, Wellington.

    Skill New Zealand is a strategy to raise the skill levels of all New Zealanders, an industry-led approach to skills development that will increase the quantity, quality, and diversity of training in that country. The booklet contains four sections. The first section explains what Skill New Zealand is and why employers should become involved it.…

  20. Decision making for multiple utilization of water resources in New Zealand

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Memon, Pyar Ali

    1989-09-01

    The Clutha is the largest river in New Zealand. The last two decades have witnessed major conflicts centered on the utilization of the water resources of the upper Clutha river. These conflicts have by no means been finally resolved. The focus of this article is on institutional arrangements for water resource management on the Clutha, with particular reference to the decision-making processes that have culminated in the building of the high dam. It critically evaluates recent experiences and comments on future prospects for resolving resource use conflicts rationally through planning for multiple utilization in a climate of market led policies of the present government. The study demonstrates the inevitable conflicts that can arise within a public bureaucracy that combines dual responsibilities for policy making and operational functions. Hitherto, central government has been able to manipulate the water resource allocation process to its advantage because of a lack of clear separation between its two roles as a policy maker and developer. The conflicts that have manifested themselves during the last two decades over the Clutha should be seen as part of a wider public debate during the last two decades concerning resource utilization in New Zealand. The Clutha controversy was preceded by comparable concerns over the rising of the level of Lake Manapouri during the 1960s and has been followed by the debate over the “think big” resource development projects during the 1980s. The election of the fourth Labour government in 1983 has heralded a political and economic policy shift in New Zealand towards minimizing the role of public intervention in resource allocation and major structural reforms in the relative roles of central and regional government in resource management. The significance of these changes pose important implications for the future management of the Clutha.

  1. The Impact of a Natural Disaster: Under- and Postgraduate Nursing Education Following the Canterbury, New Zealand, Earthquake Experiences

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Richardson, S. K.; Richardson, A.; Trip, H.; Tabakakis, K.; Josland, H.; Maskill, V.; Dolan, B.; Hickmott, B.; Houston, G.; Cowan, L.; McKay, L.

    2015-01-01

    While natural disasters have been reported internationally in relation to the injury burden, role of rescuers and responders, there is little known about the impact on education in adult professional populations. A 7.1 magnitude earthquake affected the Canterbury region of New Zealand on 4 September 2010 followed by more than 13,000 aftershocks in…

  2. Influence of observers and stream flow on northern two-lined salamander (Eurycea bislineata bislineata) relative abundance estimates in Acadia and Shenandoah National Parks, USA

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Crocker, J.B.; Bank, M.S.; Loftin, C.S.; Jung Brown, R.E.

    2007-01-01

    We investigated effects of observers and stream flow on Northern Two-Lined Salamander (Eurycea bislineata bislineata) counts in streams in Acadia (ANP) and Shenandoah National Parks (SNP). We counted salamanders in 22 ANP streams during high flow (May to June 2002) and during low flow (July 2002). We also counted salamanders in SNP in nine streams during high flow (summer 2003) and 11 streams during low flow (summers 2001?02, 2004). In 2002, we used a modified cover-controlled active search method with a first and second observer. In succession, observers turned over 100 rocks along five 1-m belt transects across the streambed. The difference between observers in total salamander counts was not significant. We counted fewer E. b. bislineata during high flow conditions, confirming that detection of this species is reduced during high flow periods and that assessment of stream salamander relative abundance is likely more reliable during low or base flow conditions.

  3. Intercultural Competence of English Language Teachers in International Baccalaureate World Schools in Turkey and Abroad

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Demircioglu, Serife; Çakir, Cemal

    2015-01-01

    The study explores the opinions and attitudes of International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) English language teachers from Turkey, the USA, the UK, New Zealand and Spain on intercultural language teaching. 16 teachers from Turkey, 15 teachers from the USA, 11 teachers from the UK, 10 teachers from New Zealand and 8 teachers from Spain,…

  4. DOWN-STREAM SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION OF ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE TRAITS ALONG METAL CONTAMINATED STREAM REACHES

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Tuckfield, C; J V Mcarthur

    2007-04-16

    Sediment bacteria samples were collected from three streams in South Carolina, two contaminated with multiple metals (Four Mile Creek and Castor Creek), one uncontaminated (Meyers Branch), and another metal contaminated stream (Lampert Creek) in northern Washington State. Growth plates inoculated with Four Mile Creek sample extracts show bacteria colony growth after incubation on plates containing either one of two aminoglycosides (kanamycin or streptomycin), tetracycline or chloramphenocol. This study analyzes the spatial pattern of antibiotic resistance in culturable sediment bacteria in all four streams that may be due to metal contamination. We summarize the two aminoglycoside resistance measures and the 10more » metals concentrations by Principal Components Analysis. Respectively, 63% and 58% of the variability was explained in the 1st principal component of each variable set. We used the respective multivariate summary metrics (i.e. 1st principal component scores) as input measures for exploring the spatial correlation between antibiotic resistance and metal concentration for each stream reach sampled. Results show a significant and negative correlation between metals scores versus aminoglycoside resistance scores and suggest that selection for metal tolerance among sediment bacteria may influence selection for antibiotic resistance differently than previously supposed.. In addition, we borrow a method from geostatistics (variography) wherein a spatial cross-correlation analysis shows that decreasing metal concentrations scores are associated with increasing aminoglycoside resistance scores as the separation distance between sediment samples decreases, but for contaminated streams only. Since these results were counter to our initial expectation and to other experimental evidence for water column bacteria, we suspect our field results are influenced by metal bioavailability in the sediments and by a contaminant promoted interaction or ''cocktail effect

  5. Comparison of cancer survival in New Zealand and Australia, 2006-2010.

    PubMed

    Aye, Phyu S; Elwood, J Mark; Stevanovic, Vladimir

    2014-12-19

    Previous studies have shown substantially higher mortality rates from cancer in New Zealand compared to Australia, but these studies have not included data on patient survival. This study compares the survival of cancer patients diagnosed in 2006-10 in the whole populations of New Zealand and Australia. Identical period survival methods were used to calculate relative survival ratios for all cancers combined, and for 18 cancers each accounting for more than 50 deaths per year in New Zealand, from 1 to 10 years from diagnosis. Cancer survival was lower in New Zealand, with 5-year relative survival being 4.2% lower in women, and 3.8% lower in men for all cancers combined. Of 18 cancers, 14 showed lower survival in New Zealand; the exceptions, with similar survival in each country, being melanoma, myeloma, mesothelioma, and cervical cancer. For most cancers, the differences in survival were maximum at 1 year after diagnosis, becoming smaller later; however, for breast cancer, the survival difference increased with time after diagnosis. The lower survival in New Zealand, and the higher mortality rates shown earlier, suggest that further improvements in recognition, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer in New Zealand should be possible. As the survival differences are seen soon after diagnosis, issues of early management in primary care and time intervals to diagnosis and treatment may be particularly important.

  6. Surveillance for arboviral zoonoses in New Zealand birds

    PubMed Central

    Johansen, Cheryl; Jakob-Hoff, Richard; Pulford, David; Castro, Isabel; Mackereth, Graham

    2013-01-01

    Introduction Given the significant burden that emerging infectious diseases place on global economies and public health, the monitoring and mitigation of, and early response to, potential infectious diseases are of the highest priority. The objective of this study was to survey for known and other potential arboviral zoonoses in multiple bird species at four locations in New Zealand. Methods Common bird species were targeted for blood sampling during two southern hemisphere summers. Sera from each period (n = 185 and n = 693) were screened in an epitope blocking enzyme immunoassay for flavivirus antibody detection. In the first season, testing for antibodies to specific alphaviruses was conducted on samples with sufficient sera (n = 22). In the second season, blood clots (n = 544) were screened for viral presence by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for alphaviral and flaviviral RNA, and virus isolation (n = 146) was conducted. Results Flavivirus antibodies were detected in 13 species, and one Australasian gannet (Morus serrator) from one site was positive for antibodies to Ross River virus. PCR tests and virus isolation were all negative. Discussion: Evidence for flavivirus exposure in seabirds at Kaikoura Peninsula and Cape Kidnappers suggests that viruses isolated from seabirds and associated ticks in New Zealand in the late 1970s are still present. Evidence for flavivirus exposure in passerines at Kaikoura Peninsula, Cape Kidnappers and Mokoia Island is novel. The Ross River virus finding is also new and supports the hypothesis that migratory seabirds are an import pathway for such agents into New Zealand. PMID:24478919

  7. Parents, Participation, Partnership: Problematising New Zealand Early Childhood Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chan, Angel; Ritchie, Jenny

    2016-01-01

    This article interrogates notions of teacher "partnership with parents" within early childhood care and education settings in the context of Aotearoa (New Zealand). "Te Whariki," the New Zealand early childhood curriculum, clearly positions children's learning and development as being fostered when their families' cultures and…

  8. Invertebrate communities of small streams in northeastern Wyoming

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Peterson, D.A.

    1990-01-01

    Invertebrate communities of small streams in an energy-mineral- development area in the Powder River structural basin of northeastern Wyoming were studied during 1980-81. The largest average density of benthic invertebrates among 11 sites was 983 invertebrates/sq ft at a site on a perennial stream, the Little Powder River at State Highway 59. The smallest average densities were 3.4 invertebrates/sq ft in Salt Creek and 16.6 invertebrates/sq ft in the Cheyenne River, two streams where the invertebrates were stressed by degraded water quality or inadequate substrate or both. The rates of invertebrate drift were fastest in three perennial streams, compared to the rates in intermittent and ephemeral streams. Analysis of the invertebrate communities using the Jaccard coefficient of community similarity and a cluster diagram showed communities inhabiting perennial streams were similar to each other, because of the taxa adapted to flowing water in riffles and runs. Communities from sites on ephemeral streams were similar to each other, because of the taxa adapted to standing water and vegetation in pools. Communities of intermittent streams did not form a group; either they were relatively similar to those of perennial or ephemeral streams or they were relatively dissimilar to other communities. The communities of the two streams stressed by degraded water quality or inadequate substrate or both, Salt Creek and the Cheyenne River, were relatively dissimilar to communities of the other streams in the study. (USGS)

  9. An overview comparing results from two decades of monitoring for pesticides in the Nation’s streams and rivers, 1992-2001 and 2002-2011

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Stone, Wesley W.; Gilliom, Robert J.; Martin, Jeffrey D.

    2014-01-01

    This report provides an overview of the U.S. Geological Survey National Water-Quality Assessment program and National Stream Quality Accounting Network findings for pesticide occurrence in U.S. streams and rivers during 2002–11 and compares them to findings for the previous decade (1992–2001). In addition, pesticide stream concentrations were compared to Human Health Benchmarks (HHBs) and chronic Aquatic Life Benchmarks (ALBs). The comparisons between the decades were intended to be simple and descriptive. Trends over time are being evaluated separately in a series of studies involving rigorous trend analysis. During both decades, one or more pesticides or pesticide degradates were detected more than 90 percent of the time in streams across all types of land uses. For individual pesticides during 2002–11, atrazine (and degradate, deethylatrazine), carbaryl, fipronil (and degradates), metolachlor, prometon, and simazine were detected in streams more than 50 percent of the time. In contrast, alachlor, chlorpyrifos, cyanazine, diazinon, EPTC, Dacthal, and tebuthiuron were detected less frequently in streams during the second decade than during the first decade. During 2002–11, only one stream had an annual mean pesticide concentration that exceeded an HHB. In contrast, 17 percent of agriculture land-use streams and one mixed land-use stream had annual mean pesticide concentrations that exceeded HHBs during 1992–2001. The difference between the first and second decades in terms of percent of streams exceeding HHBs was attributed to regulatory changes. During 2002–11, nearly two-thirds of agriculture land-use streams and nearly one-half of mixed land-use streams exceeded chronic ALBs. For urban land use, 90 percent of the streams exceeded a chronic ALB. Fipronil, metolachlor, malathion, cis-permethrin, and dichlorvos exceeded chronic ALBs for more than 10 percent of the streams. For agriculture and mixed land-use streams, the overall percent of streams that

  10. Health equity in the New Zealand health care system: a national survey.

    PubMed

    Sheridan, Nicolette F; Kenealy, Timothy W; Connolly, Martin J; Mahony, Faith; Barber, P Alan; Boyd, Mary Anne; Carswell, Peter; Clinton, Janet; Devlin, Gerard; Doughty, Robert; Dyall, Lorna; Kerse, Ngaire; Kolbe, John; Lawrenson, Ross; Moffitt, Allan

    2011-10-20

    In all countries people experience different social circumstances that result in avoidable differences in health. In New Zealand, Māori, Pacific peoples, and those with lower socioeconomic status experience higher levels of chronic illness, which is the leading cause of mortality, morbidity and inequitable health outcomes. Whilst the health system can enable a fairer distribution of good health, limited national data is available to measure health equity. Therefore, we sought to find out whether health services in New Zealand were equitable by measuring the level of development of components of chronic care management systems across district health boards. Variation in provision by geography, condition or ethnicity can be interpreted as inequitable. A national survey of district health boards (DHBs) was undertaken on macro approaches to chronic condition management with detail on cardiovascular disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, congestive heart failure, stroke and diabetes. Additional data from expert informant interviews on program reach and the cultural needs of Māori and Pacific peoples was sought. Survey data were analyzed on dimensions of health equity relevant to strategic planning and program delivery. Results are presented as descriptive statistics and free text. Interviews were transcribed and NVivo 8 software supported a general inductive approach to identify common themes. Survey responses were received from the majority of DHBs (15/21), some PHOs (21/84) and 31 expert informants. Measuring, monitoring and targeting equity is not systematically undertaken. The Health Equity Assessment Tool is used in strategic planning but not in decisions about implementing or monitoring disease programs. Variable implementation of evidence-based practices in disease management and multiple funding streams made program implementation difficult. Equity for Māori is embedded in policy, this is not so for other ethnic groups or by geography. Populations

  11. Infection Prophylaxis in Peritoneal Dialysis Patients: Results from an Australia/New Zealand Survey.

    PubMed

    Campbell, Denise J; Mudge, David W; Gallagher, Martin P; Lim, Wai Hon; Ranganathan, Dwaraka; Saweirs, Walaa; Craig, Jonathan C

    2017-01-01

    ♦ BACKGROUND: Clinical practice guidelines aim to reduce the rates of peritoneal dialysis (PD)-related infections, a common complication of PD in end-stage kidney disease patients. We describe the clinical practices used by Australian and New Zealand nephrologists to prevent PD-related infections in PD patients. ♦ METHODS: A survey of PD practices in relation to the use of antibiotic and antifungal prophylaxis in PD patients was conducted of practicing nephrologists identified via the Australia and New Zealand Society of Nephrology (ANZSN) membership in 2013. ♦ RESULTS: Of 333 nephrologists approached, 133 (39.9%) participated. Overall, 127 (95.5%) nephrologists prescribed antibiotics at the time of Tenckhoff catheter insertion, 85 (63.9%) routinely screened for nasal S. aureus carriage, with 76 (88.4%) reporting they treated S. aureus carriers with mupirocin ointment. Following Tenckhoff catheter insertion, 79 (59.4%) prescribed mupirocin ointment at the exit site or intranasally, and 93 (69.9%) nephrologists routinely prescribed a course of oral antifungal agent whenever their PD patients were given a course of antibiotics. ♦ CONCLUSIONS: Although the majority of nephrologists prescribe antibiotics at the time of Tenckhoff catheter insertion, less than 70% routinely prescribe mupirocin ointment and/or prophylactic antifungal therapy. This variation in practice in Australia and New Zealand may contribute to the disparity in PD-related infection rates that is seen between units. Copyright © 2017 International Society for Peritoneal Dialysis.

  12. Stream structure at low flow: biogeochemical patterns in intermittent streams over space and time

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    MacNeille, R. B.; Lohse, K. A.; Godsey, S.; McCorkle, E. P.; Parsons, S.; Baxter, C.

    2017-12-01

    Climate change in the western United States is projected to lead to earlier snowmelt, increasing fire risk and potentially transitioning perennial streams to intermittent ones. Differences between perennial and intermittent streams, especially the temporal and spatial patterns of carbon and nutrient dynamics during periods of drying, are understudied. We examined spatial and temporal patterns in surface water biogeochemistry during a dry (2016) and a wet (2017) water year in southwest Idaho. We hypothesized that as streams dry, carbon concentrations would increase due to evapoconcentration and/or increased in-stream production, and that the heterogeneity of constituents within each stream would increase. We expected these patterns to differ in a high water year compared to a low water year due to algae scour. Finally, we expected that the spatial heterogeneity of biogeochemistry would decrease with time following fire. To test these hypotheses, in 2016 we collected surface water samples at 50 meter intervals from two intermittent headwater streams over 2,500 meter reaches in April, May, and June. One stream is burned and one remains unburned. In 2017, we collected surface water at the 50, 25 and 10 meter intervals from each stream once during low flow. 2016 results showed average concentrations of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) increased 3-fold from April to June in the burned site compared to the unburned site. Interestingly, average concentrations of total nitrogen (TN) dropped substantially for the burned site over these three months, but only decreased slightly for the unburned site over the same time period. Between wet and dry water years, we observed a decrease in the spatial heterogeneity as measured by the standard deviation (SD) in conductivity at 50 meter intervals; the burned stream had a SD of 23.08 in 2016 and 11.40 in 2017 whereas the unburned stream had similar SDs. We conclude that the burned stream experienced

  13. Linking nitrogen management, seep chemistry, and stream water quality in two agricultural headwater watersheds

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Riparian seepage zones in headwater agricultural watersheds represent important sources of nitrate-nitrogen (NO3-N) to surface waters, often connecting N-rich groundwater systems to streams. In this study, we examined how NO3-N concentrations in seep and stream water were affected by NO3-N processin...

  14. Recent Trends in Alcohol and Other Drug Use Among Police Detainees in New Zealand, 2010-2015.

    PubMed

    Wilkins, Chris; Prasad, Jitesh; Parker, Karl; Rychert, Marta; Barnes, Helen Moewaka

    New Zealand has unusual patterns of recreational substance use by international standards including low levels of cocaine and heroin use, and high methamphetamine use. This paper examines recent trends in alcohol and other drug use among police detainees in New Zealand over the past six years. The paper utilises data from the New Zealand Arrestee Drug Use Monitoring (NZ-ADUM) study. NZ-ADUM interviewed approximately 800 police detainees each year at four central city police watch houses (i.e. Whangarei, Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch) from 2010 to 2015. The proportion of police detainees who had used methamphetamine in the previous year increased from 28% in 2012 to 36% in 2015. Drinking prior to arrest declined from 41% in 2013 to 28% in 2015. The use of cannabis in the past year declined slightly from 76% in 2011 to 69% in 2015. The proportion using ecstasy in the previous year steadily declined from 28% in 2011 to 19% in 2015. Only small minorities had recently used cocaine or an opioid. Use of methamphetamine and ecstasy increased in Christchurch. Growing methamphetamine use is consistent with record seizures of methamphetamine over the past 2-3 years. Increasing drug use in Christchurch may reflect factors related to the devastating earthquakes in 2011 and the subsequent city rebuild, including an influx of construction workers, more organised trafficking groups and earthquake-related stress. The decline in cannabis use may be related to the emergence of 'legal' synthetic cannabinoids. The decline in ecstasy use may be the result of recent domestic enforcement operations and the overall global shortage of MDMA. The decline in alcohol drinking may be due to the introduction of pre-charge formal warnings for minor alcohol and disorder offences, and new restrictions on alcohol premise opening hours. Acknowledgements: The New Zealand Drug Use Monitoring (NZ-ADUM) research study is funded by the New Zealand Police and is conducted by SHORE and Whariki Research

  15. Doctors disciplined for professional misconduct in Australia and New Zealand, 2000-2009.

    PubMed

    Elkin, Katie J; Spittal, Matthew J; Elkin, David J; Studdert, David M

    2011-05-02

    To describe professional discipline cases in Australia and New Zealand in which doctors were found guilty of professional misconduct, and to develop a typology for describing the misconduct. A retrospective analysis of disciplinary cases adjudicated in five jurisdictions (New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia and New Zealand) in 2000-2009. Characteristics of the cases (setting, misconduct type, patient outcomes, disciplinary measure imposed), characteristics of the doctors involved (sex, specialty, years since qualification) and population-level case rates (by doctor characteristics). The tribunals studied disciplined 485 doctors. Male doctors were disciplined for misconduct at four times the rate of their female colleagues (91 versus 22 cases per 100 000 doctor-years). Obstetrics and gynaecology and psychiatry were the specialties with the highest rates (224 and 178 cases per 100 000 doctor-years). The mean age of disciplined doctors did not differ from that of the general doctor population. The most common types of offences considered as the primary issue were sexual misconduct (24% of cases), illegal or unethical prescribing (21%) and inappropriate medical care (20%). In 78% of cases, the tribunal made no mention of any patient having experienced physical or mental harm as a result of the misconduct. Penalties were severe, with 43% of cases resulting in removal from practice and 37% in restrictions on practice. Disciplinary cases in Australia and New Zealand have features distinct from those studied internationally. The recent nationalisation of Australia's medical boards offers new possibilities for tracking and analysing disciplinary cases to improve the safety and quality of health care.

  16. Variability of Bed Load Transport During Six Summers of Continuous Measurements in Two Austrian Mountain Streams (Fischbach and Ruetz)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rickenmann, Dieter

    2018-01-01

    Previous measurements of bed load transport in gravel bed streams revealed a large temporal and spatial variability of bed load transport rates. Using an impact plate geophone system, continuous bed load transport measurements were made during 6 years in two mountain streams in Austria. The two streams have a snow-melt and glacier-melt dominated hydrologic regime resulting in frequent transport activity during the summer half year. Periods of days to weeks were identified which are associated with approximately constant Shields values that indicate quasi-stable bed conditions. Between these stable periods, the position of the bed load transport function varied while its steepness remained approximately constant. For integration time scales of several hours to 1 day, the fluctuations in bed load transport decreased and the correlation between bed load transport and water discharge increased. For integration times of about 70-100 days, bed load transport is determined by discharge or shear stress to within a factor of about 2, relative to the 6 year mean level. Bed load texture increased with increasing mean flow strength and mean transport intensity. Weak and predominantly clockwise daily hysteresis of bed load transport was found for the first half of the summer period.

  17. Diversity and evolutionary history of lettuce necrotic yellows virus in Australia and New Zealand.

    PubMed

    Higgins, Colleen M; Chang, Wee-Leong; Khan, Subuhi; Tang, Joe; Elliott, Carol; Dietzgen, Ralf G

    2016-02-01

    Lettuce necrotic yellows virus (LNYV) is the type member of the genus Cytorhabdovirus, family Rhabdoviridae, and causes a severe disease of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.). This virus has been described as endemic to Australia and New Zealand, with sporadic reports of a similar virus in Europe. Genetic variability studies of plant-infecting rhabdoviruses are scarce. We have extended a previous study on the variability of the LNYV nucleocapsid gene, comparing sequences from isolates sampled from both Australia and New Zealand, as well as analysing symptom expression on Nicotiana glutinosa. Phylogenetic and BEAST analyses confirm separation of LNYV isolates into two subgroups (I and II) and suggest that subgroup I is slightly older than subgroup II. No correlation was observed between isolate subgroup and disease symptoms on N. glutinosa. The origin of LNYV remains unclear; LNYV may have moved between native and weed hosts within Australia or New Zealand before infecting lettuce or may have appeared as a result of at least two incursions, with the first coinciding with the beginning of European agriculture in the region. The apparent extinction of subgroup I in Australia may have been due to less-efficient dispersal than that which has occurred for subgroup II - possibly a consequence of suboptimal interactions with plant and/or insect hosts. Introduction of subgroup II to New Zealand appears to be more recent. More-detailed epidemiological studies using molecular tools are needed to fully understand how LNYV interacts with its hosts and to determine where the virus originated.

  18. Proceedings of the 20th International Conference on Ion Beam Modification of Materials (IBMM 2016)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kennedy, John; Elliman, Robert; Mccallum, Jeffrey; Ionescu, Mihail; Markwitz, Andreas

    2017-10-01

    The papers in this issue of NIMB were presented at the 20th international conference on Ion Beam Modification of Materials (IBMM) held at Te Papa Museum, Wellington, New Zealand from October 30th until November 4th, 2016. This conference continued the proud legacy of New Zealand-born Lord Rutherford and his pioneering research in ion beam physics.

  19. LOCAL RIPARIAN VERSUS WATERSHED INFLUENCE ON CHEMICAL AND MACROINVERTEBRATE INDICATORS OF STREAM WATER QUALITY IN TWO REGIONAL SURVEYS

    EPA Science Inventory

    We compiled data from regional stream surveys in two areas of the U.S. to examine whether indicators of human disturbance at the local riparian scale (e.g., site canopy density, riparian human disturbance) or the watershed scale (e.g., percent basin in agriculture, basin road den...

  20. Method and turbine for extracting kinetic energy from a stream of two-phase fluid

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Elliott, D. G. (Inventor)

    1979-01-01

    An axial flow separator turbine is described which includes a number of nozzles for delivering streams of a two-phase fluid along linear paths. A phase separator which responsively separates the vapor and liquid is characterized by concentrically related annuli supported for rotation within the paths. The separator has endless channels for confining the liquid under the influence of centrifugal forces. A vapor turbine fan extracts kinetic energy from the liquid. Angular momentum of both the liquid phase and the vapor phase of the fluid is converted to torque.

  1. Stoichiometry of hydrological C, N, and P losses across climate and geology: An environmental matrix approach across New Zealand primary forests

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    McGroddy, M. E.; Baisden, W. T.; Hedin, L. O.

    2008-03-01

    Hydrologic losses can play a key role in regulating ecosystem nutrient balances, particularly in regions where baseline nutrient cycles are not augmented by industrial deposition. We used first-order streams to integrate hydrologic losses at the watershed scale across unpolluted old-growth forests in New Zealand. We employed a matrix approach to resolve how stream water concentrations of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), organic and inorganic nitrogen (DON and DIN), and organic and inorganic phosphorus (DOP and DIP) varied as a function of landscape differences in climate and geology. We found stream water total dissolved nitrogen (TDN) to be dominated by organic forms (medians for DON, 81.3%, nitrate-N, 12.6%, and ammonium-N, 3.9%). The median stream water DOC:TDN:TDP molar ratio of 1050:21:1 favored C slightly over N and P when compared to typical temperate forest foliage ratios. Using the full set of variables in a multiple regression approach explained approximately half of the variability in DON, DOC, and TDP concentrations. Building on this approach we combined a simplified set of variables with a simple water balance model in a regression designed to predict DON export at larger spatial scales. Incorporating the effects of climate and geologic variables on nutrient exports will greatly aid the development of integrated Earth-climate biogeochemical models which are able to take into account multiple element dynamics and complex natural landscapes.

  2. Tick front-of-pack label has a positive nutritional impact on foods sold in New Zealand.

    PubMed

    Thomson, Rachel K; McLean, Rachael M; Ning, Sherry X; Mainvil, Louise A

    2016-11-01

    Nutritional impact of the Tick front-of-pack labelling programme was evaluated by investigating nutrient changes to the purchased food supply and the nutritional quality of Tick v. non-Tick products. Factors influencing manufacturers' decisions to develop and license Tick products were also explored. Observational, cross-sectional and change over time data. New Zealand food supply, 2011-2013. Forty-five newly licensed Tick products from five food categories were analysed: Edible Oil Spreads, Yoghurt & Dairy Desserts, Frozen Desserts, Ready Meals and Processed Poultry. Four manufacturers of these products were interviewed. Eligible products (31 % of all Tick products in these categories) removed 4·1 million megajoules of energy, 156·0 tonnes of saturated fat, 15·4 tonnes of trans-fat and 4·0 tonnes of sodium from food products sold in New Zealand over three years. In each food category, these Tick products were, on average, 14-76 % lower in energy, saturated fat, trans-fat and sodium than non-Tick products, indicating healthier options. Participating manufacturers reported that international market trends and consumer demand for tasty, healthy foods primarily influenced Tick product development and sales. Tick was used as part of their marketing strategy as it was perceived as a credible, well-recognised logo for New Zealand consumers. Tick was cited as the primary initiative encouraging saturated fat reduction. The Tick Programme is continuing to encourage manufacturers to make meaningful improvements to the nutritional quality of the New Zealand food supply. Over time, these changes are likely to influence population nutrient intakes and reduce CVD risk factors.

  3. Health information technology adoption in New Zealand optometric practices.

    PubMed

    Heidarian, Ahmadali; Mason, David

    2013-11-01

    Health information technology (HIT) has the potential to fundamentally change the practice of optometry and the relationship between optometrists and patients and to improve clinical outcomes. This paper aims to provide data on how health information technology is currently being used in New Zealand optometric practices. Also this paper aims to explore the potential benefits and barriers to the future adoption of health information technology in New Zealand. One hundred and six New Zealand optometrists were surveyed about their current use of health information technology and about potential benefits and barriers. In addition, 12 semi-structured interviews were carried out with leaders of health information technology in New Zealand optometry. The areas of interest were the current and intended use of HIT, the potential benefits of and barriers to using HIT in optometric offices and the level of investment in health information technology. Nearly all optometrists (98.7 per cent) in New Zealand use computers in their practices and 93.4 per cent of them use a computer in their consulting room. The most commonly used clinical assessment technology in optometric practices in New Zealand was automated perimeter (97.1 per cent), followed by a digital fundus/retinal camera (82.6 per cent) and automated lensometer (62.9 per cent). The pachymeter is the technology that most respondents intended to purchase in the next one to five years (42.6 per cent), followed by a scanning laser ophthalmoscope (36.8 per cent) and corneal topographer (32.9 per cent). The main benefits of using health information technology in optometric practices were improving patient perceptions of ‘state of the art’ practice and providing patients with information and digital images to explain the results of assessment. Barriers to the adoption of HIT included the need for frequent technology upgrades, cost, lack of time for implementation, and training. New Zealand optometrists are using HIT

  4. Neonatal extravasation injury: prevention and management in Australia and New Zealand-a survey of current practice.

    PubMed

    Restieaux, Matthew; Maw, Andrew; Broadbent, Roland; Jackson, Pam; Barker, David; Wheeler, Ben

    2013-03-11

    Extravasation injury remains an important cause of iatrogenic injury in neonatal intensive care. This study aims to describe the current approach to extravasation injury (EI) prevention and management in Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs) in Australia and New Zealand. A literature review regarding extravasation injury in the newborn was carried out to inform questionnaire design. An internet-based survey was then conducted with the clinical directors of the 27 tertiary NICUs in Australia and New Zealand. The survey received a 96% response rate. Approximately two thirds of Australian and New Zealand NICUs have written protocols for prevention and management of extravasation injury. Considerable practice variation was seen for both prevention and treatment of EI. 92% of units had experienced cases of significant EI. Australian and New Zealand tertiary neonatal units clearly recognise EI as an important cause of iatrogenic morbidity and mortality. Significant variation still exists among units with regards to guidelines for both prevention and management of EI. We recommend that neonatal staff should remain vigilant, ensuring that guidelines for the prevention and treatment of EI are available, and rigorously followed.

  5. Creating intoxigenic environments: marketing alcohol to young people in Aotearoa New Zealand.

    PubMed

    McCreanor, Tim; Barnes, Helen Moewaka; Kaiwai, Hector; Borell, Suaree; Gregory, Amanda

    2008-09-01

    Alcohol consumption among young people in New Zealand is on the rise. Given the broad array of acute and chronic harms that arise from this trend, it is a major cause for alarm and it is imperative that we improve our knowledge of key drivers of youth drinking. Changes wrought by the neoliberal political climate of deregulation that characterised the last two decades in many countries including Aotearoa (Aotearoa is a Maori name for New Zealand) New Zealand have transformed the availability of alcohol to young people. Commercial development of youth alcohol markets has seen the emergence of new environments, cultures and practices around drinking and intoxication but the ways in which these changes are interpreted and taken up are not well understood. This paper reports findings from a qualitative research project investigating the meaning-making practices of young people in New Zealand in response to alcohol marketing. Research data included group interviews with a range of Maori and Pakeha young people at three time periods. Thematic analyses of the youth data on usages of marketing materials indicate naturalisation of tropes of alcohol intoxication. We show how marketing is used and enjoyed in youth discourses creating and maintaining what we refer to as intoxigenic social environments. The implications are considered in light of the growing exposure of young people to alcohol marketing in a discussion of strategies to manage and mitigate its impacts on behaviour and consumption.

  6. Regional Groundwater and Storms Are Hydrologic Controls on the Quality and Export of Dissolved Organic Matter in Two Tropical Rainforest Streams, Costa Rica

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Osburn, Christopher L.; Oviedo-Vargas, Diana; Barnett, Emily; Dierick, Diego; Oberbauer, Steven F.; Genereux, David P.

    2018-03-01

    A paired-watershed approach was used to compare the quality and fluxes of dissolved organic matter (DOM) during stormflow and baseflow in two lowland tropical rainforest streams located in northeastern Costa Rica. The Arboleda stream received regional groundwater (RGW) flow, whereas the Taconazo stream did not. DOM quality was assessed with absorbance and fluorescence and stable carbon isotope (δ13C-DOC) values. RGW DOM lacked detectable fluorescence and had specific ultraviolet absorption (SUVA254) and absorbance slope ratio (SR) values consistent with low aromaticity and low molecular weight material, respectively. We attributed these properties to microbial degradation and sorption of humic DOM to mineral surfaces during transport through bedrock. SUVA254 values were lower and SR values were higher in the Arboleda stream during baseflow compared to the Taconazo stream, presumably due to dilution by RGW. However, no significant difference in SUVA254 or SR occurred between the streams during stormflow. SUVA254 was negatively correlated to δ13C-DOC (r2 = 0.61, P < 0.001), demonstrating a strong linkage between stream DOM characteristics and the relative amounts of RGW flow and local watershed runoff containing soil and throughfall C sources. Mean DOC export from the Taconazo stream during the study period was 2.62 ± 0.39 g C m-2 year-1, consistent with other tropical streams, yet mean DOC export from the Arboleda stream was 13.79 ± 2.07 g C m-2 year-1, one of the highest exports reported and demonstrating a substantial impact of old RGW from outside the watershed boundary can have on surface water carbon cycling.

  7. Stream network and stream segment temperature models software

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Bartholow, John

    2010-01-01

    This set of programs simulates steady-state stream temperatures throughout a dendritic stream network handling multiple time periods per year. The software requires a math co-processor and 384K RAM. Also included is a program (SSTEMP) designed to predict the steady state stream temperature within a single stream segment for a single time period.

  8. Midwifery empowerment: National surveys of midwives from Australia, New Zealand and Sweden.

    PubMed

    Hildingsson, Ingegerd; Gamble, Jenny; Sidebotham, Mary; Creedy, Debra K; Guilliland, Karen; Dixon, Lesley; Pallant, Julie; Fenwick, Jennifer

    2016-09-01

    the predicted midwifery workforce shortages in several countries have serious implications for the care of women during pregnancy, birth and post partum. There are a number of factors known to contribute to midwifery shortages and work attrition. However, midwives assessment of their own professional identity and role (sense of empowerment) are perhaps among the most important. There are few international workforce comparisons. to compare midwives' sense of empowerment across Australia, New Zealand and Sweden using the Perceptions of Empowerment in Midwifery Scale-R (PEMS-Revised). a self-administered survey package was distributed to midwives through professional colleges and networks in each country. The surveys asked about personal, professional and employment details and included the Perceptions of Empowerment in Midwifery Scale-R (PEMS-Revised). Descriptive statistics for the sample and PEMS were generated separately for the three countries. A series of analysis of variance with posthoc tests (Tukey's HSD) were conducted to compare scale scores across countries. Effect size statistics (partial eta squared) were also calculated. completed surveys were received from 2585 midwives (Australia 1037; New Zealand 1073 and Sweden 475). Respondents were predominantly female (98%), aged 50-59 years and had significant work experience as a midwife (+20 years). Statistically significant differences were recorded comparing scores on all four PEMS subscales across countries. Moderate effects were found on Professional Recognition, Skills and Resources and Autonomy/Empowerment comparisons. All pairwise comparisons between countries reached statistical significance (p<.001) except between Australia and New Zealand on the Manager Support subscale. Sweden recorded the highest score on three subscales except Skills and Resources which was the lowest score of the three countries. New Zealand midwives scored significantly better than both their Swedish and Australian counterparts

  9. Shifting Sands, Firm Foundations: Proceedings of the 2009 Annual International Conference of the Association of Tertiary Learning Advisors of Aotearoa/New Zealand (ATLAANZ) (Auckland, New Zealand, November 18-20, 2009). Volume 5

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    van der Ham, Vanessa, Ed.; Sevillano, Lilia, Ed.; George, Lily, Ed.

    2010-01-01

    The 15 articles in this volume comprise the refereed proceedings of the 2009 ATLAANZ (Association of Tertiary Learning Advisors Aotearoa/New Zealand) conference. The first three chapters focus on collaborative work. In Chapter 1, Ann Pocock shares her experiences of working with other university support services. In Chapter 2, Berni Cooper and…

  10. Carbon footprint of dairy goat milk production in New Zealand.

    PubMed

    Robertson, Kimberly; Symes, Wymond; Garnham, Malcolm

    2015-07-01

    The aim of this study was to assess the cradle-to-farm gate carbon footprint of indoor and outdoor dairy goat farming systems in New Zealand, identifying hotspots and discussing variability and methodology. Our study was based on the International Organization for Standardization standards for life cycle assessment, although only results for greenhouse gas emissions are presented. Two functional units were included: tonnes of CO2-equivalents (CO2e) per hectare (ha) and kilograms of CO2e per kilogram of fat- and protein-corrected milk (FPCM). The study covered 5 farms, 2 farming systems, and 3yr. Two methods for the calculation of enteric methane emissions were assessed. The Lassey method, as used in the New Zealand greenhouse gas inventory, provided a more robust estimate of emissions from enteric fermentation and was used in the final calculations. The alternative dry matter intake method was shown to overestimate emissions due to use of anecdotal assumptions around actual consumption of feed. Economic allocation was applied to milk and co-products. Scenario analysis was performed on the allocation method, nitrogen content of manure, manure management, and supplementary feed choice. The average carbon footprint for the indoor farms (n=3) was 11.05 t of CO2e/ha and 0.81kg of CO2e/kg of FPCM. For the outdoor farms (n=2), the average was 5.38 t of CO2e/ha and 1.03kg of CO2e/kg of FPCM. The average for all 5 farms was 8.78 t of CO2e/ha and 0.90kg of CO2e/kg of FPCM. The results showed relatively high variability due to differences in management practices between farms. The 5 farms covered 10% of the total dairy goat farms but may not be representative of an average farm. Methane from enteric fermentation was a major emission source. The use of supplementary feed was highly variable but an important contributor to the carbon footprint. Nitrous oxide can contribute up to 18% of emissions. Indoor goat farming systems produced milk with a significantly higher carbon

  11. The Fornax-Leo-Sculptor stream revisited

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Majewski, Steven R.

    1994-01-01

    Lynden-Bell first demonstrated that the satellites of the Milky Way appear situated along two great 'streams' in the sky: the 'Magellanic stream' and the 'Fornax-Leo-Sculptor (FLS) stream.' Further exploration of the three-dimensional distribution of Galactic satellites reveals that the recently discovered Sextans and Phoenix dwarf spheroidal galaxies also lie near the plane defined by the FLS galaxies, and therefore strengthens the evidence in favor of the FLS stream. Moreover, a specific group of globular clusters -- those exhibiting the reddest horizontal branches (HBs) among those identified as 'young halo' by Zinn -- appear to populate the FLS stream. As previously demonstrated by Zinn, the spatial distribution of old halo globulars appears to be flattened toward the Galactic plane, and therefore the old halo clusters are typically anti-correlated to the nearly orthogonal FLS stream. A scenario is postulated wherein the Galactic satellites of the FLS stream and the red HB, young halo globular clusters share a common origin in the accretion of a formerly larger, parent satellite galaxy or Searle & Zinn 'fragment.'

  12. Symmetric rearrangement of groundwater-fed streams.

    PubMed

    Yi, Robert; Cohen, Yossi; Devauchelle, Olivier; Gibbins, Goodwin; Seybold, Hansjörg; Rothman, Daniel H

    2017-11-01

    Streams shape landscapes through headward growth and lateral migration. When these streams are primarily fed by groundwater, recent work suggests that their tips advance to maximize the symmetry of the local Laplacian field associated with groundwater flow. We explore the extent to which such forcing is responsible for the lateral migration of streams by studying two features of groundwater-fed streams in Bristol, Florida: their confluence angle near junctions and their curvature. First, we find that, while streams asymptotically form a 72° angle near their tips, they simultaneously exhibit a wide 120° confluence angle within approximately 10 m of their junctions. We show that this wide angle maximizes the symmetry of the groundwater field near the junction. Second, we argue that streams migrate laterally within valleys and present a new spectral analysis method to relate planform curvature to the surrounding groundwater field. Our results suggest that streams migrate laterally in response to fluxes from the surrounding groundwater table, providing evidence of a new mechanism that complements Laplacian growth at their tips.

  13. How and Why Does Stream Water Temperature Vary at Small Spatial Scales in a Headwater Stream?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Morgan, J. C.; Gannon, J. P.; Kelleher, C.

    2017-12-01

    The temperature of stream water is controlled by climatic variables, runoff/baseflow generation, and hyporheic exchange. Hydrologic conditions such as gaining/losing reaches and sources of inflow can vary dramatically along a stream on a small spatial scale. In this work, we attempt to discern the extent that the factors of air temperature, groundwater inflow, and precipitation influence stream temperature at small spatial scales along the length of a stream. To address this question, we measured stream temperature along the perennial stream network in a 43 ha catchment with a complex land use history in Cullowhee, NC. Two water temperature sensors were placed along the stream network on opposite sides of the stream at 100-meter intervals and at several locations of interest (i.e. stream junctions). The forty total sensors recorded the temperature every 10 minutes for one month in the spring and one month in the summer. A subset of sampling locations where stream temperature was consistent or varied from one side of the stream to the other were explored with a thermal imaging camera to obtain a more detailed representation of the spatial variation in temperature at those sites. These thermal surveys were compared with descriptions of the contributing area at the sample sites in an effort to discern specific causes of differing flow paths. Preliminary results suggest that on some branches of the stream stormflow has less influence than regular hyporheic exchange, while other tributaries can change dramatically with stormflow conditions. We anticipate this work will lead to a better understanding of temperature patterns in stream water networks. A better understanding of the importance of small-scale differences in flow paths to water temperature may be able to inform watershed management decisions in the future.

  14. The role of outputs and outcomes in purchaser accountability: reflecting on New Zealand experiences.

    PubMed

    Cumming, J; Scott, C D

    1998-10-01

    Recent reforms in a number of countries' health systems have led to the separation of funder, purchaser and provider roles and the strengthening of funders' and purchasers' positions relative to providers. One of the aims of such reforms is to improve accountability. This paper reports on experiences in New Zealand where, in addition to improving the accountability of providers, purchaser accountability has also been a key policy issue. Attempts have been made in New Zealand to develop a funder-purchaser accountability framework based on a mix of outcomes, outputs and inputs. This paper discusses the roles that each might play in contracts and accountability relationships between funders and purchasers. The paper concludes that holding purchasers accountable for outcomes is likely to prove difficult and controversial, because of problems of attribution and because New Zealand funders in recent years have played an important role in determining the priority outputs and inputs which must be purchased. The paper suggests that accountability is more appropriate at the output and process level, in addition to holding purchasers accountable for the ways in which they make decisions and undertake contracting roles. Holding purchasers accountable for purchasing outputs and processes, however, requires greater commitment on the part of the funder to setting priorities more clearly; specifying the range and level of outputs to be purchased and the terms of access to those services; and funding services to this level. The international attention currently being paid to the development of practice guidelines and priority criteria also suggests that holding purchasers accountable for a form of inputs may become an increasingly common practice in future. From 1 July 1998, New Zealand will introduce a priority criteria system for determining access to elective surgery; accountability is thus becoming focused on inputs in the form of patient characteristics. This approach will

  15. Relating river geomorphology to the abundance of periphyton in New Zealand rivers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hoyle, Jo; Hicks, Murray; Kilroy, Cathy

    2013-04-01

    Aquatic plants (including both periphyton and macrophytes) are a natural component of stream and river systems. However, abundant growth of instream plants can have detrimental impacts on the values of rivers. For example, periphyton in rivers provides basal resources for food webs and provides an important ecological service by removing dissolved nutrients and contaminants from the water column. However, high abundance of periphyton can have negative effects on habitat quality, water chemistry and biodiversity, and can reduce recreation and aesthetic values. The abundance of periphyton in rivers is influenced by a number of factors, but two key factors can be directly influenced by human activities: flow regimes and nutrient concentrations. Establishing quantitative relationships between periphyton abundance and these factors has proven to be difficult but remains an urgent priority due to the need to manage the ecological impacts of water abstraction and eutrophication of rivers worldwide. This need is particularly strong in New Zealand, where there is increasing demand for water for industry, power generation and agriculture. However, we currently have limited ability to predict the effects of changes in the mid-range flow regime on the presence/absence, abundance and composition of aquatic plants. Current water allocation limits are based on simple flow statistics, such as multiples of the median flow, but these are regional averages and can be quite unreliable on a site-specific basis. This stems largely from our limited ability to transform flow data into ecologically meaningful physical processes that directly affect plants (e.g., drag, abrasion, bed movement). The research we will present examines whether geomorphic variables, such as frequency of bed movement, are useful co-predictors in periphyton abundance-flow relationships. We collected topographic survey data and bed sediment data for 20 study reaches in the Manawatu-Wanganui region of New Zealand

  16. Stream-profile analysis and stream-gradient index

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Hack, John T.

    1973-01-01

    The generally regular three-dimensional geometry of drainage networks is the basis for a simple method of terrain analysis providing clues to bedrock conditions and other factors that determine topographic forms. On a reach of any stream, a gradient-index value can be obtained which allows meaningful comparisons of channel slope on streams of different sizes. The index is believed to reflect stream power or competence and is simply the product of the channel slope at a point and channel length measured along the longest stream above the pointwhere the calculation is made. In an adjusted topography, changes in gradient-index values along a stream generally correspond to differences in bedrock or introduced load. In any landscape the gradient index of a stream is related to total relief and stream regimen. Thus, climate, tectonic events, and geomorphic history must be considered in using the gradient index. Gradient-index values can be obtained quickly by simple measurements on topographic maps, or they can be obtained by more sophisticated photogrammetric measurements that involve simple computer calculations from x, y, z coordinates.

  17. Miocene Fossils Reveal Ancient Roots for New Zealand's Endemic Mystacina (Chiroptera) and Its Rainforest Habitat.

    PubMed

    Hand, Suzanne J; Lee, Daphne E; Worthy, Trevor H; Archer, Michael; Worthy, Jennifer P; Tennyson, Alan J D; Salisbury, Steven W; Scofield, R Paul; Mildenhall, Dallas C; Kennedy, Elizabeth M; Lindqvist, Jon K

    2015-01-01

    The New Zealand endemic bat family Mystacinidae comprises just two Recent species referred to a single genus, Mystacina. The family was once more diverse and widespread, with an additional six extinct taxa recorded from Australia and New Zealand. Here, a new mystacinid is described from the early Miocene (19-16 Ma) St Bathans Fauna of Central Otago, South Island, New Zealand. It is the first pre-Pleistocene record of the modern genus and it extends the evolutionary history of Mystacina back at least 16 million years. Extant Mystacina species occupy old-growth rainforest and are semi-terrestrial with an exceptionally broad omnivorous diet. The majority of the plants inhabited, pollinated, dispersed or eaten by modern Mystacina were well-established in southern New Zealand in the early Miocene, based on the fossil record from sites at or near where the bat fossils are found. Similarly, many of the arthropod prey of living Mystacina are recorded as fossils in the same area. Although none of the Miocene plant and arthropod species is extant, most are closely related to modern taxa, demonstrating potentially long-standing ecological associations with Mystacina.

  18. Why People Gamble: A Qualitative Study of Four New Zealand Ethnic Groups

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tse, Samson; Dyall, Lorna; Clarke, Dave; Abbott, Max; Townsend, Sonia; Kingi, Pefi

    2012-01-01

    In multicultural countries such as New Zealand, it is particularly important that gambling research take into account possible cultural differences. Many New Zealanders come from cultures that do not have a history of gambling, including the Maori (New Zealand indigenous people), Pacific Islanders, and recent migrants. Little research has examined…

  19. Smokefree cars in New Zealand: rapid research among stakeholders on attitudes and future directions.

    PubMed

    Tapp, Dylan; Thomson, George

    2009-09-25

    To conduct a rapid appraisal of the attitudes of New Zealand decision makers and tobacco control stakeholders on enacting a smokefree cars law. A media and document search was made for relevant official and other statements. In early 2008, nine semi-structured interviews were carried out involving three MPs, two officials of government health agencies and four members of NGOs with a stake in tobacco control. Interviews were audiotaped, transcribed, and analysed for themes. In official statements, and amongst the interview sample, there was general opposition to giving smokefree car legislation a current high priority. Reasons given for opposition to such a law included the suboptimal use of advocacy capital compared with other initiatives (e.g. tobacco display bans), the perceived success of relevant health marketing campaigns, and concerns over the current political will to enact legislation that targets smoker freedoms. More information on the extent of current child exposure to tobacco smoke in New Zealand cars, and on the reach and effectiveness of the New Zealand smokefree cars media campaign would help advocates and policymakers. Wider dissemination to policymakers of New Zealand public and smoker support for banning smoking in cars, and of the progress overseas on smokefree car laws, appears to be essential.

  20. Seismic signals of snow-slurry lahars in motion: 25 September 2007, Mt Ruapehu, New Zealand

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cole, S. E.; Cronin, S. J.; Sherburn, S.; Manville, V.

    2009-05-01

    Detection of ground shaking forms the basis of many lahar-warning systems. Seismic records of two lahar types at Ruapehu, New Zealand, in 2007 are used to examine their nature and internal dynamics. Upstream detection of a flow depends upon flow type and coupling with the ground. 3-D characteristics of seismic signals can be used to distinguish the dominant rheology and gross physical composition. Water-rich hyperconcentrated flows are turbulent; common inter-particle and particle-substrate collisions engender higher energy in cross-channel vibrations relative to channel-parallel. Plug-like snow-slurry lahars show greater energy in channel-parallel signals, due to lateral deposition insulating channel margins, and low turbulence. Direct comparison of flow size must account for flow rheology; a water-rich lahar will generate signals of greater amplitude than a similar-sized snow-slurry flow.