School of Science - Te Kura Pūtaiao
Permanent link for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/10292/1333
Research at AUT's School of Science - Te Kura Pūtaiao is focused on key scientific issues with regional and global significance. The common theme connecting all research areas is sustainability – in the broadest sense as it relates to environmental and human health. Our research is closely allied to teaching and learning opportunities at undergraduate and postgraduate level within the school.
Research is organised in six main areas:
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Recent Submissions
Item Decision Processes Contributing to Support and Willingness to Forward Links on the Ukraine War(Interactive Media Institute, 2025-06-01) Phillips, JG; Mann, LWe investigated whether religiosity, political partisanship activism on the Ukraine-Russia conflict, decision making style, and time taken to complete an online Questionnaire predict willingness to forward the online Questionnaire to others. The Questionnaire study was conducted May-September 2024 on Qualtrics with an online sample of N=204. The online Questionnaire measured political support for Ukraine, Russia, or neither in the Ukraine-Russia War, decision making style on the Melbourne Decision Making Questionnaire (MDMQ), political activism, religiosity, and willingness to forward the Questionnaire. We found more support for Ukraine (73.5%) than for Russia (3.9%), than for neither side (22.5%). Religiosity was a factor in willingness to forward the Questionnaire. There was a tendency for religious participants to be more willing to forward the Questionnaire. A 2x2 MANOVA found that politically active participants were more willing to forward the Questionnaire and religious participants with a less vigilant decisional style were more willing to forward the Questionnaire. We measured time taken to complete the online Questionnaire. Participants neutral in the Ukraine-Russia conflict and who spent more time on the Questionnaire were more willing to forward the Questionnaire. The findings suggest people who are less vigilant, have stronger political viewpoints, and take more time completing Questionnaires, are more likely to spread information and accordingly might pose greater security risks in organisations.Item Variability of Airborne Microbial Communities and Associations with Organic Pollutants in African Air Particulate Matter Across Land-Use Types(Elsevier BV, 2025-12-15) Kalisa, Egide; Lacap-Bugler, Donnabella; Adams, Matthew; Bi, Jiaqi; Nsabimana, Antoine; Habiyaremye, Gabriel; Uwizeye, Glorieuse; Lawrence, Timothy; Lee, Kevin; Hayakawa, Kazuichi; Pointing, Stephen; Archer, Stephen DJExposure to particulate matter (PM) is a major global health concern, yet the potential relationships between its chemical and microbial components remains poorly understood, particularly in rapidly urbanizing, understudied settings. This study presents an integrated assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), nitrated PAHs (NPAHs), bacteria, and fungi in both fine (PM2.5) and coarse (PM10) aerosols across urban, roadside, and rural sites in sub-Saharan Africa, with a focus on Rwanda across dry and wet seasons. Microbial analysis revealed that the richness and community structure of the airborne bacterial and fungal communities varied with land-use type, linked with PAH/NPAH abundance, PM size fraction, and season. Spearman correlation coefficient confirmed that bacterial communities were more strongly associated with PAH and NPAH compounds, whereas fungal communities were shaped primarily by environmental factors. One bacterial genus, Sphingobium, exhibited evidence of selective enrichment within the PAH rich PM2.5 size fraction, highlighting the potential for direct interaction between the biological and chemical compositions in air. We provide a critical baseline for African cities where air quality data are scarce. Current air quality standards, which prioritize chemical thresholds, overlook the biological burden carried by PM.Item Untargeted Metabolomics in Halophytes: The Role of Different Metabolites in New Zealand Mangroves Under Multi-factorial Abiotic Stress Conditions(Elsevier, 2020-05-01) Ravi, S; Young, T; Macinnis-Ng, C; Nyugen, TV; Duxbury, M; Alfaro, AC; Leuzinger, SMangroves are halophytes which live in harsh coastal environments, and can serve as excellent model organisms to understand mechanisms of stress tolerance. Metabolomics is a useful approach to investigate the role different metabolites play during physiological responses of plants to abiotic stress factors. Previous studies indicate that levels of non-structural carbohydrates in plants may be associated with stress tolerance. Here, we manipulated levels of non-structural carbohydrates (NSCs) in the New Zealand mangrove, Avicennia marina subsp. australasica, through a light swapping regime. In a subsequent drought × salinity experiment, we then monitored leaf metabolite profiles of two NSC groups (high-NSC and low-NSC). Our results show that fourteen metabolites, belonging to multiple biochemical pathways, were significantly affected by one or more of these factors. The manipulation of non-structural carbohydrates led to increased abundance of amino acids in the low-NSC (L-NSC) plants compared to the high-NSC (H-NSC) plants. Under high drought conditions, the L-NSC plants had higher abundances of leucine and valine in comparison to those with the H-NSC phenotype. The L-NSC plants also had higher abundances of putrescine and aminoadipic acid when exposed to high salinity. Under the combination of drought and salinity, α-ketoglutarate was reduced in plants with the H-NSC phenotype, and soluble sugars accumulated compared to those with the L-NSC phenotype. The increased soluble sugar content in the H-NSC plants can facilitate osmotic adjustment, thereby aiding their survival during low soil water potential conditions. We also detected the presence of stress-protective phenolic compounds (syringic and sinapic acids) not previously reported in mangroves. Relationships between plant growth and the mangrove metabolome were also established, with levels of glucose and phosphoenol pyruvate being primarily responsible for phenotypic associations. Our findings show that the metabolites detected in this study, and their respective metabolic pathways, play a significant role in salinity and drought stress tolerance of A. marina subsp. australasica, providing new information to better understand mangrove mortality.Item 3642 Down the Rabbit Hole: Case Reports of a Hallucinogen-induced Disorder of Neuroperception(BMJ Publishing Group Ltd, 2025-10-23) McConnell, Anneliese; He, Wei; McConnell, Harry; Sprendei, Sandro; Sowman, PaulBackground/Objectives We present case histories of severe adverse effects associated with Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder (HPPD), a disorder of neuroperception involving visual and other senses that is due to the treatment of various neuropsychiatric disorders with hallucinogens. This includes the case of a young woman who developed visual hallucinations of distorted shapes and colours after participating in a clinical trial of psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression. She continued to have ongoing perceptual abnormalities, and other neuropsychiatric phenomena with severe effects on her quality of life. Objective To discuss the ramifications of HPPD stemming from treatment with psychedelics for neuropsychiatric disorders and the importance this holds for clinical practice and research trials. Methods We present case histories of people with HPPD, with a focus on a case occurring during a research trial as well as a systematic review of HPPD occurring with therapeutic use of hallucinogens. Results HPPD affects approximately 1 in 25 people taking psychedelics whether recreationally or therapeutically. HPPD occurs irrespective of dosing or frequency of use and may occur in those who have microdosed. HPPD may have serious long-term consequences often associated with other perceptual and neuropsychiatric symptoms. Conclusion HPPD is a potentially devastating adverse effect of hallucinogens irrespective whether the use occurs recreationally, therapeutically or even in a controlled trial. It is important that HPPD be screened for and that informed consent is obtained from patients with reference to this adverse effect. Patient education prior to being offered therapeutic hallucinogens is essential for clinical and research practice.Item The in Vitro Bioactive Properties of Fermented Brewer's Spent Grain With Lactiplantibacillus plantarum: Aerobic vs Anaerobic Processes(MDPI, 2025-10-27) Ha, Minh Quoc; Rimbault, Victor; Nguyen, Phuc Hanh; Berthevas, Mathilde; Ghamsary, Maryam; Kitundu, Eileen; Kam, Rothman; Seale, Brent; Henier Bang-Berthelsen, Claus; Le, ThaoIntroduction Fermentation offers a sustainable method to convert food by-products into valuable resources. This study explored the Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (L. plantarum) fermentation of brewer’s spent grain (BSG), a major by-product from blonde wheat (WB) and stout beer (SB) production. This study compared aerobic and anaerobic fermentation conditions to enhance BSG’s bioactive properties. Methods BSG from WB and SB was fermented with L. plantarum under aerobic and anaerobic conditions for 10 days, with non-fermented BSG as a control. Extracts, collected every two days, were evaluated for in vitro bioactivities: antioxidant capacity (ferric ion reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and DPPH assays), antimicrobial effects (against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Bacillus cereus), anti-obesity potential (anti-lipase activity), and cytotoxicity on RAW 264.7 macrophages. Ex vivo antibacterial activity was assessed on wheat- and milk-based food products. Results Fermentation significantly enhanced BSG bioactivities compared to non-fermented controls, with distinct outcomes varying by condition. Anaerobic fermentation doubled antioxidant activity in WB and SB extracts by Day 6 compared to aerobic conditions. Aerobic fermentation showed superior antimicrobial activity, fully inhibiting Bacillus cereus at 83.3 mg/mL (vs. 166.6 mg/mL under anaerobic conditions, Day 6), and stronger anti-obesity effects, with IC₅₀ values of 8.6 mg orlistat equivalents (OE)/g (WB) and 6.6 mg OE/g (SB) on Day 8. Ex vivo assays confirmed antimicrobial effects, with wheat-based media requiring lower concentrations (0.042 mg/mL) than milk-based media (333.3 mg/mL). Cytotoxicity assays indicated no toxicity, with both conditions promoting macrophage proliferation. Conclusions Fermentation with L. plantarum significantly enhances BSG’s bioactivity. Anaerobic conditions optimise antioxidant properties, while aerobic conditions favour antimicrobial and anti-obesity effects. These findings suggest fermented BSG’s potential for food preservation and health-promoting applications.Item From Clicks to Creating Kin: How Australian Online Egg Donors Craft Relationships With Recipients and Donor-conceived Children(Informa UK Limited, 2025-12-03) Volks, C; Goedeke, S; Griffin, L; Kelly, FAnonymous egg donation is prohibited in Australia, with all states allowing donor-conceived people (DCPs) to access their donor's identity at age 18 or 16, depending on the state. However, early contact, well before age 18, is becoming more common. A key driver of this trend is recipients' and donors' use of online platforms (OPs) like Facebook to find one another, enabling donor-recipient contact before donation and/or after the donor-conceived children are born. This study reports on interviews with 24 egg donors who met recipients via OPs and had early contact post-birth. Using reflexive thematic analysis, the study found that donors were primarily motivated by empathy and saw donation as a relational act. They selected recipients with shared values around early contact and negotiated post-birth relationships. Early contact often led to meaningful kinship connections, with relationships described using extended family terms. The donor-recipient relationship unfolded as a progressive relational model: motivations informed recipient choice and contact expectations, and early contact deepened relational bonds. However, some donors experienced relationship breakdowns with recipients, illustrating the emotional complexity of (early) contact, even when agreed to. Findings underscore the importance of psychosocial support to ensure donor conception practices promote the wellbeing of all parties involved.Item Nowhere Else to Go: Help Seeking Online and Maladaptive Decisional Styles(Elsevier BV, 2021) Kim, J; Phillips, JG; Ogeil, RPMany high-risk individuals do not use mental health services. This is a concern for mental health and suicide prevention efforts, and requires an examination of the role of decision-making style upon willingness to seek help. To consider whether defensive avoidance influenced willingness to engage with Professionals or online assistance, participants (N = 189) answered an online survey, completing the Melbourne Decision Making Questionnaire and WHOQOLBref. Participants were then asked their preferred source of assistance, and their subsequent behaviour (time, clicks) was tracked on a debrief page listing sources of assistance. Overall quality of life was used to determine risk. Multiple regression indicated that people with poorer quality of life had poorer decisional styles. A 2 × 4 Risk by Preferred Source of Assistance MANOVA found that: (1) people seeking online assistance were hypervigilant procrastinators; (2) self-sufficiency and an unwillingness to seek professional assistance by those at risk was linked to panic and confirmed behaviourally from the increased number of clicks on a debrief page. Decision making styles can influence quality of life, and help-seeking behaviors, and this has implications for outreach towards those with poor engagement with offline mental health services.Item Quantifying Opponent Process Dynamics in Pornography Use and Masturbation: An Exploratory Ecological Momentary Assessment Study(Springer, 2025-11-21) Henry, Nathan IN; Pedersen, Mangor; Williams, Matt; Donkin, LiesjeThe causal relationships between pornography use, masturbation, moral incongruence, and mental health are poorly understood. While the link between problematic pornography use (PPU) and depression is well documented, the temporal dynamics associated with pornography use and masturbation have not yet been quantified. Utilizing an exploratory ecological momentary assessment (EMA) design, we measured the temporal dynamics of cognitive and affective state variables collected from 22 participants before, during, and after pornography use and masturbation, and examined the moderating role of moral incongruence in these relationships. Participants completed an initial survey followed by a four-week EMA, capturing data on sexual activities and cognitive and affective state variables. Bayesian hierarchical mixed-effects models were employed to analyze temporal dynamics. Findings suggest that pornography use and masturbation were linked to changes in affective and cognitive states that spiked both before and after sexual episodes. These states were generally more pronounced and sustained in participants with high moral incongruence, who experienced transient increases in shame, guilt, difficulty thinking, relationship disconnectedness, craving for sexual intercourse, and mood deterioration after pornography use and masturbation. These shifts typically persisted for several hours before decaying to baseline levels. High-incongruence participants also experienced strong spikes in craving prior to sexual episodes, while low-incongruence participants experienced craving spikes after pornography use and masturbation, indicating possible sensitization effects. Our findings also signalled potential evidence for "brain fog" following pornography use in both low and high-incongruence participants. Further, we discovered opponent process dynamics in the mood of high-incongruence participants, providing a possible causal mechanism that may explain how PPU can lead to depression.Item Ontogenetic Variation in the Gut Microbiota of Kyphosus sydneyanus: A Comparative Analysis(American Society for Microbiology, 2025-10-20) Pisaniello, Alessandro; Handley, Kim M; White, W Lindsey; Angert, Esther R; Clements, Kendall DGut microbiota can be shaped by host-related (e.g., species, diet) and environmental (e.g., habitat, geography) factors. Gut microbiota of the herbivorous fish family Kyphosidae vary between individuals and gut sections and can be influenced by diet and geography. Temperate Kyphosus sydneyanus are abundant on rocky reefs of northeastern New Zealand, where adults mainly consume Phaeophyceae, whereas juveniles typically feed on Rhodophyta and Chlorophyceae. We compared the gut microbiota of K. sydneyanus adults and juveniles to investigate the relative effects of ontogeny versus diet on bacterial community composition. We used 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing and ddPCR quantification to determine the following: (i) ontogenetic variation in gut microbiota of K. sydneyanus, (ii) shared microbial taxa, and (iii) processes influencing bacterial community assembly, given the lack of vertical transmission. To further explore dietary effects, we also compared these data to the gut microbiota of adult K. sectatrix, which are rare tropical vagrants to northeastern New Zealand. Juvenile K. sydneyanus exhibited greater dietary similarity to K. sectatrix adults than conspecific adults. Overall, K. sydneyanus gut microbiota diversity increased with fish size, and K. sydneyanus adults had a more diverse gut microbiota than K. sectatrix adults. Estimated absolute abundances and community structure varied considerably across individuals. K. sydneyanus juveniles had relative abundances more similar to those from adult K. sectatrix than adult conspecifics. However, a comparison of amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) showed that juveniles of K. sydneyanus shared more ASVs with conspecific adults. This suggests that historical contingency and selection are important drivers of community assembly.Item BrainScape: An Open-Source Framework for Integrating and Preprocessing Anatomical MRI Datasets(Massachusetts Institute of Technology Press, 2025-09-30) Yasinzai, Muhammad Nabi; Mito, Remika; Pedersen, MangorMRI has revolutionized our ability to investigate and understand brain structure and function in health and disease. A large amount of MRI data is widely available to researchers, both from large-scale multi-site consortia and smaller site-specific datasets. This wealth of MRI data offers opportunities to advance our understanding of the brain, particularly through machine learning and deep learning approaches that rely on large sample sizes to reveal complex associations between brain organization and its behavioral and clinical associations. Many large-scale initiatives provide extensive datasets with sufficient statistical power to support reproducibility, but reproducibility alone does not ensure clinical relevance or broad generalizability due to narrow demographic representations and minimized dataset variability. Recent work highlights the need to embrace dataset variability and open-science collaborations for pooling heterogeneous datasets. Nevertheless, effectively integrating these diverse resources remains a significant challenge. Inconsistencies in organization, data formatting, acquisition protocols, and metadata remain, especially for smaller, site-specific datasets, despite ongoing efforts within the neuroimaging community to standardize data sharing practices. To address these issues, we introduce BrainScape: a curated collection of 160 publicly available MRI datasets packaged with an open-source, plugin-based Python framework that automates the download, organization, preprocessing, and demographic attachment of the MRI data. Each individual dataset includes a detailed configuration file capturing all dataset-specific parameters, enabling other researchers to regenerate the BrainScape dataset. The current BrainScape dataset integrates 160 datasets, encompassing a total of 27227 subjects and 46583 multimodal MRI scans after quality control. The BrainScape framework’s pipeline effectively aggregates these heterogeneous datasets while preserving the original dataset structure and demographic details. Its modular design allows integration into data pipelines, supporting large-scale studies involving diverse cohorts and targeted research on rare phenotypes. BrainScape framework employs an easy-to-use plugin-based architecture with distinct modules for data downloading, file mapping, validation, preprocessing, and demographics attachment. Furthermore, each MRI image can be traced to its source project and repository, and subjects excluded from datasets are documented in dedicated dataset-specific configuration files, providing transparent and reproducible exclusion criteria. BrainScape dataset includes multiple MRI modalities such as T1-weighted (T1w), T2-weighted (T2w), gadolinium-enhanced T1-weighted (T1Gd), and fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) from diverse sources and integrates key demographic fields, such as age, sex, and handedness, for large-scale studies. This unified workflow reduces manual labor and minimizes the risk of data duplication and biases. By providing automated, transparent, and configurable workflows, BrainScape hopes to address open science challenges, accelerate data-driven investigations, and promote inclusivity and reproducibility in neuroscience research.Item Diet-Faeces Trophic Discrimination Factor and Gut Passage Time of an Aotearoa New Zealand Insectivorous Bat, Chalinolobus tuberculatus, Determined via Controlled Feeding Experiment(Wiley, 2025-09-25) Nomblot, L; Borkin, KM; Bury, SJ; Sabadel, AStudying bat diet is challenging due to their rarity, cryptic nature, nocturnal habits, and protected status. Stable isotope analysis of bat faeces offers a promising noninvasive and nonlethal method to understand their trophic interactions. However, this requires knowledge of the isotopic difference between food items and resulting faeces, known as the trophic discrimination factor (TDF). Accurate TDF calculations rely on precise dietary information, typically obtained through controlled feeding experiments. We used the rare opportunity of a captive rehabilitating Chalinolobus tuberculatus, a threatened Aotearoa New Zealand insectivorous bat, to conduct a feeding trial to determine its diet-faeces TDF. Given the bat was fed three different food types, we used DNA metabarcoding to match food items to faeces and estimate gut passage time—the time it takes for food to travel from ingestion to excretion. We calculated TDF values for nitrogen and carbon as—0.89 ± 1.19‰ and 0.82 ± 0.23‰, respectively, with both not significantly different from zero. The gut passage time was less than 3–4 h. Altogether, these findings add to our understanding of bat trophic ecology, particularly for Chalinolobus, but also highlight that where TDFs remain poorly constrained and close to zero, applying them may not always improve diet reconstruction accuracy, and uncorrected stable isotope values may be just as informative.Item Human Contributions to Global Soundscapes Are Less Predictable Than the Acoustic Rhythms of Wildlife(Nature Research, 2025-07-09) Somervuo, P; Roslin, T; Fisher, BL; Hardwick, B; Kerdraon, D; Raharinjanahary, D; Rajoelison, ET; Lauha, P; Griem, L; Lehikoinen, P; Niittynen, P; Piirainen, E; Lumme, M; Riihikoski, VM; Acevedo-Charry, O; Adalsteinsson, SA; Ahmad, M; Alcobia, S; Aldará, J; Andrew, NR; Anslan, S; Antonelli, A; Arena, JS; Arroyo Almeida, S; Aster, I; Autto, H; Aviles Gamboa, A; Baixeras, J; Baldauf, M; Balestrieri, R; Banelyte, GG; Barrett, A; Beja, P; Berg, TO; Bergerot, B; Biro, EG; Blendinger, PG; Bollache, L; Bou Dagher Kharrat, M; Boyer, S; Bridell, E; Brotherson, M; Brown, LR; Buckley, HL; Buscardo, E; Buthelezi, N; Cagnolo, L; Calvente, A; Capobianco, G; Carreón-Palau, L; Carriere, S; Case, BS; Chang, J; Chaparro, JM; Chen, CL; Chicoine, C; Christensson, M; Collado Rosique, F; Colom Montero, W; da Fonseca, RDS; Da Silva, LP; Dal Molin, A; Dallas, T; de Francesco, MC; Del Ángel-Rodríguez, JA; Díaz-Delgado, R; Dirnböck, T; Djukic, I; Dladla, P; Domínguez Masciale, J; Dorigo, T; Douwes, E; Ekrem, T; Enderskog, H; Erefur, C; Fahad, M; Falahati-Anbaran, M; Farrell, A; Ferland, G; Ferrari, E; Figueiredo, A; Forero, F; Freiberga, I; Frosch-Radivo, A; Ganchozo Intriago, LA; Garzoli, L; Giacomotti, P; Gianuca, AT; Gilg, O; Gilg, V; Gísladóttir, F; Glowacki, R; Gottsberger, B; Gregoire, J; Groner, E; Guedes, P; Guile, AM; Haase, P; Hadi, F; Haidegger, MAcross the world, human (anthropophonic) sounds add to sounds of biological (biophonic) and geophysical (geophonic) origin, with human contributions including both speech and technophony (sounds of technological devices). To characterize society’s contribution to the global soundscapes, we used passive acoustic recorders at 139 sites across 6 continents, sampling both urban green spaces and nearby pristine sites continuously for 3 years in a paired design. Recordings were characterized by bird species richness and by 14 complementary acoustic indices. By relating each index to seasonal, diurnal, climatic and anthropogenic factors, we show here that latitude, time of day and day of year each predict a substantial proportion of variation in key metrics of biophony—whereas anthropophony (speech and traffic) show less predictable patterns. Compared to pristine sites, the soundscape of urban green spaces is more dominated by technophony and less diverse in terms of acoustic energy across frequencies and time steps, with less instances of quiet. We conclude that the global soundscape is formed from a highly predictable rhythm in biophony, with added noise from geophony and anthropophony. At urban sites, animals experience an increasingly noisy background of sound, which poses challenges to efficient communication.Item Toward Responsible Artificial Intelligence in Medicine: Reflections From the Australian Epilepsy Project(Elsevier BV, 2025-06-05) Pedersen, Mangor; Pardoe, Heath R; de Weger, Anton; Hutchison, Donna; Abbott, David F; Verspoor, Karin; Jackson, Graeme DArtificial intelligence (AI) is a multidisciplinary scientific field that uses machines to solve real-world problems and predict outcomes. Despite the current enthusiasm about AI's potential as a clinical support tool, there is also a growing awareness and concern about the potentially harmful effects of AI. Because AI will likely impact expert-based decision-making in medicine, it is critical to consider the issues that AI raises in medical research. This paper outlines the AI guidelines of the Australian Epilepsy Project. This large-scale platform aims to democratise specialist care in epilepsy and use AI for clinical decision support based on prospective multimodal datasets (MRI, genetic, clinical, and cognitive data) from thousands of people with epilepsy. As AI develops rapidly, we focus on key areas of medical AI identified in the literature, including Trust, Responsibility and Safety. We believe AI is changing medicine, and we believe it is imperative to advance and update our AI guidelines adaptably while preparing for an era of augmented-intelligence-based medicine.Item Ultrastructure of Antennal Sensilla of a Prionine Longhorn Beetle, Prionoplus reticularis (White)(Informa UK Limited, 2025-02-10) Birrell, Neil W; Walker, Leilani A; Chan, Andrew; Holwell, Gregory IAntennal sensilla are fundamental to an insects sensory perception of its environment. In species where one sex produces pheromones for attracting mates, we can predict antennal and sensilla morphology to be sexually dimorphic. Prionoplus reticularis White (Prioninae; Cerambycidae; Coleoptera) is a large longhorn beetle exhibiting a scramble competition polygyny mating system with sexual dimorphism present in antennae length, suggesting chemical cues are of importance in male mate searching. The present study aims to investigate the antennal ultrastructure morphology and sexual dimorphism in this species using scanning electron microscopy. Various sensilla were identified only in males: sensilla filiformia, sensilla auricillica, wall pore hairs, and distal sensilla chaetica. These sensilla are known to have chemosensory and mechanosensory functions in other insect groups, suggesting these sensory organs play an important role in male mating strategies.Item Mild and Moderate Traumatic Brain Injury: Screening, Documentation, and Referral to Concussion Services(Elsevier, 2025-04-09) Zangi, Mahdi; Pickering, John W; Theadom, Alice; Than, Martin; Snell, Deborah LBACKGROUND AND AIM: Screening of traumatic brain injuries (TBI) using different clinical assessment tools would facilitate diagnosis and effective inpatient follow-up. We aimed to describe rates of diagnosis, classification, documentation, and referral practices for TBI inpatients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In a retrospective cohort study, we reviewed electronic clinical records of adult patients admitted to a hospital ward with head trauma from an emergency department (ED) in 2021. Data included demographics, injury, TBI diagnoses, and referral to concussion services. Factors predicting ED physician documentation and referral to concussion services were identified. RESULTS: Of approximately 34,000 adults admitted from the ED, 1059 presented with head trauma, and 609 (57.5 %) were diagnosed with TBI. There were 553 mild/moderate TBI cases with an incidence rate of 103.4 per 100,000 adult population in Canterbury. 14 % (n = 77) were referred to a concussion service. Predictors of ED-documented TBI included non-isolated head injury (OR:0.60), head CT request (OR:9.12), injured in street/public areas (OR:2.03). Older age and non-isolated head injury decreased odds of concussion service referral (0.96 and 0.46, respectively), while female and ED-documented TBI increased odds of referral (5.8 and 28, respectively). CONCLUSION: Better documentation of mild/moderate TBI might facilitate health care access, with efficient clinical decision making.Item But Is Ageing Really All Bad? Conceptualising Positive Ageing(MDPI AG, 2025-11-18) Park, Miriam Sang-Ah; Webber, Blake; Badham, Stephen P; Krägeloh, Christian U; Capone, Vincenza; Donizzetti, Anna Rosa; Joshanloo, Mohsen; Harsányi, Szabolcs Gergő; Kovács, Monika; Hellis, EmilyAgeing literature, while growing in huge volume in the past decades, is still largely dominated by frameworks and topics of frailty and decline. A shift in attention to conceptualising ageing more holistically to include psychosocial and emotional aspects as well as subjective experience is much needed, in order to better account for the ageing (well) experience and processes in today’s times. There is a large portion of older adults with relatively good health. As life expectancy increases around the world, many older adults are living longer and healthier overall, often wishing for their lives to continue being active, meaningful, and fulfilling. With this changing demographic in mind, we argue for a framework of positive ageing. We define positive ageing as a subjective, intentional experience, which includes the multi-dimensional construction of ageing well. The notion of positive ageing has the potential to widen the scope of gerontological research and to help guide policy and intervention development. Furthermore, this conceptual framework and a cyclic model of positive ageing presented in the current work can effectively complement current models and practices of care in geriatrics by taking a more person-centred and holistic approach to understanding and managing health and well-being.Item A Tutorial and Methodological Review of Linear Time Series Models: Using R and SPSS(American Psychological Association (APA), 2025-11-13) Rosel, Jesús F; Puchol, Sara; Elipe, Marcel; Flor, Patricia; Machancoses, Francisco H; Canales, Juan JThis article introduces autoregressive (AR) linear models to psychology students and researchers through a step-by-step approach using SPSS and R. Despite their relevance, AR models remain underutilized in behavioral sciences, possibly due to conceptual challenges and difficulties interpreting autocorrelation and seasonality. Our aim is to simplify their implementation by presenting time series models as special cases of linear regression, using accessible language and practical examples. The article illustrates AR estimation using real data, incorporating lagged values as predictors of the dependent variable. Residual diagnostics, a frequently overlooked aspect in applied research, receive special attention, including figures and statistical tests. As Kmenta (1971) demonstrated, serially correlated residuals can lead to artificially low p values for the parameter estimates, potentially resulting in explanatory variables being deemed significant when they truly are not. To promote understanding, we offer intuitive visualizations and clear decision rules for model building, lag selection, and seasonality detection. We compare polynomial and AR models using the confounding test. The data set and annotated R and SPSS scripts are included to support replication and help readers learn basic syntax. We also discuss conceptual and practical limitations of moving average, integration (I), and exponential smoothing models, emphasizing the practical advantages of AR-only models in psychological contexts. Throughout, we stress the importance of aligning statistical models with theoretical assumptions and the temporal structure of data. By combining step-by-step explanations, visual guidance, and real-data applications, this tutorial provides a practical foundation for incorporating AR models into applied psychological research.Item Extraction, Phytochemical Analysis, and Bioactivity Evaluation of Polyphenols from Kunzea ericoides (Kanuka) Plant(MDPI AG, 2025-10-31) Dhaliwal, Harmandeep; Li, Yan; Yoo, MichelleKunzea ericoides (kanuka), a native plant of New Zealand, has a significant role in traditional medicine due to the presence of essential oils. Apart from these oils, this plant also is a source of many bioactive compounds, majority of which are polyphenols. However, there is lack of sufficient data supporting the extraction of polyphenols from kanuka plant leaves and investigating its bioactivity and phytochemical properties. The study aims to extract polyphenols from kanuka plant leaves with a conventional solvent-based method and determine the phytochemical analysis as well as bioactive potential. Extraction was performed with methanol and acetone as solvents. Polyphenolic prolife was analyzed with LC-MS. Bioactive analysis of kanuka leaf extract was carried out to determine total phenolic content and antioxidant activity. We investigated the cytotoxic effect of kanuka leaf extract on two triple-negative breast cancer cells—MDA-MB-231 and BT-549. LC-MS analysis confirmed kanuka leaf extract is a source of many polyphenols, some giving very prominent signals on TIC scan. Ten polyphenolic compounds were confirmed to be present in kanuka leaf extract based on MRM analysis. FRAP-CUPRAC analysis indicated significant antioxidant activity in the kanuka leaf extract. Antiproliferative analysis has confirmed cytotoxicity of the kanuka leaf extract on the triple-negative breast cancer cell lines. This study indicates that Kunzea ericoides leaf extract, rich in polyphenols, shows promising antioxidant and antiproliferative potential, warranting further investigation for therapeutic applications.Item Design Considerations for a Multiple Sclerosis Fatigue Mobile App MS Energize: A Pragmatic Iterative Approach Using Usability Testing and Resonance Checks(Elsevier, 2021-04-01) van Kessel, K; Babbage, D; Kersten, P; Drown, J; Sezier, A; Thomas, PW; Thomas, SMultiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic neurological condition affecting around 2.2 million people worldwide. The illness includes a range of symptoms, with fatigue considered to be one of the most disabling. This paper describes how a pragmatic and iterative approach, supported by usability and resonance testing, was used to build a minimum viable product of MS Energize—or MS Energise in UK English regions. MS Energise is a mobile application focused on self-management of fatigue for people with MS. The iterative approach included various stages of testing, during which user feedback including comments about interface, navigation and content, was sought to inform incremental app development and continual improvement. Usability testing was conducted with 11 people with longstanding multiple sclerosis in New Zealand and the United Kingdom, and focused on particular sections of the app as well as the accessibility of the app to users with MS. Two participants contributed to further resonance testing post-release to ensure the app was perceived as relevant and useful to the user. The usability testing and resonance testing phases suggested that user experience of MS Energise was mostly positive. Participants provided a number of suggestions for improvements to aspects of content and design; some of which we implemented during our app development process. Findings will also contribute to future planning and design iteration to enhance the user experience. The next step is further improvement of MS Energise prior to a trial of its clinical and cost effectiveness.Item Coping Strategies During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Compliance with Precautionary Health Behaviors: An Online Study Among the Saudi Adult Population(Medknow, 2021) Alyami, H; Alyami, M; Krägeloh, Chris; Nemenqani, D; Henning, MBackground: The COVID-19 pandemic has caused major morbidity and mortality internationally. Most governments worldwide have enforced precautionary health measures such as social distancing, hand hygiene, and wearing gloves to limit the spread of this disease. In response to major health and economic stressors, individuals exhibit a range of different coping styles. Aim: The aim of this study is to identify coping strategies that are predictive of compliance with pandemic-related precautionary health behaviors in Saudi Arabia. Settings: A cross-sectional study was conducted online with a total of 1029 Saudi adult participants. Materials and Methods: The Brief Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced (COPE) questionnaire was administered as well as appraising the level of compliance with the Saudi Ministry of Health precautionary measures. Multiple regression analyses explored the associations between coping styles and precautionary health behavior compliance. Statistical Analysis: Multivariate multiple regression and linear regression analyses were used to analyze the data. Results: The active coping and religion Brief COPE subscales as well as age predicted compliance with all precautionary measures. The behavioral disengagement Brief COPE subscale predicted hand washing and social distancing while the substance use Brief COPE subscale and sex predicted wearing gloves. Conclusion: Compliance with COVID-19-related precautionary health behaviors is driven by different coping styles. Active coping and religion appeared to influence all three health behaviors which might guide public health officials in their efforts to develop effective public health campaigns, which further suggests the importance of involving the religious institutions in Saudi Arabia.