Indian Newslink December 15, 2017 Digital Edition

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DECEMBER 15, 2017 06 Educationlink Scientists study how the brain talks to other organs Research to understand the Autonomic Nervous System Venkat Raman venkat@indiannewslink.co.nz Do you know that almost every emotion activates your nervous system which in turn impacts on the functioning of the brain and other essential organs of your body? That was of course a simplistic question, but it illustrates the need to take cognisance of the importance of the nervous system. The Auckland Bioengineering Institute (ABI) of University of Auckland is playing a key role in a Programme of the US-based National Institute of Health (NIH) that aims to understand and use the autonomic nervous system to treat disease. ABI Director Professor Peter Hunter said that the $20 million plus programme, called, ‘Stimulating Peripheral Activity to Relieve Conditions (SPARC), recognises that all organs of the human body are innervated by the autonomic nervous system. A chilling example “For example, when you have a fright, you release adrenalin into your body, your heart rate speeds up and all sorts of things change, partly because you are releasing hormones into the blood stream, and partly because your neural system is activating through neural transmission to your organs,” Professor Peter Hunter Professor Hunter said. This has been a relatively neglected area of neuroscience, as researchers have focused on the higher cognitive functions of the brain, he said. But a year ago, the NIH funded a number of experimental groups to map out neural innervation looking at how peripheral nerves send out electrical signals to a particular organ in response to external and internal factors such as stress, diet, exercise and disease. Potential to treat diseases Part of NIH’s motivation is a growing awareness that modulation of these electrical, control signals via therapies and devices is a potentially powerful way to treat many diseases and conditions such as hypertension, heart failure, gastrointestinal disorders, type II diabetes, inflammatory disorders, and more. But more knowledge is needed to fully understand how these therapies control internal organ function, Professor Hunter said. “In addition, the design of more effective neuro-modulation therapies requires knowing exactly what nerves one must stimulate and how they must be stimulated to achieve the desired effect on organ function,” he said. Mapping digital info A key aspect of the SPARC project is mapping and organising all the digital information generated, which would be the area of involvement for ABI. Professor Hunter and his team (which includes Dr Bernard de Bono and Dr David Nickerson from the ABI, as well as a number of ABI software developers) are one of three groups commissioned to form the Data and Resource Center working on digital components of SPARC. “Our role is to map data as it is collected and not only from different organs but also from the different animal species used in physiological experiments,” Professor Hunter said. Five-Year Project Over five years, ABI will be mapping all the data as it is produced and developing web portals that will enable researchers to interact with the data and start developing computer models. “This builds on the infrastructure and modelling work we’ve already developed and it will enable us to acquire new skills and experience with neural pathways,” Professor Hunter said. University Physiologist Professor Julian Paton, who has spent 30 years studying the autonomic nervous system and is collaborating with ABI, said that modulating the activity of nerves controlling our organs has huge potential for addressing unmet clinical need for many cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. “The SPARC programme will provide essential information and, for the first time, reveal how the brain talks to every organ of our body which can be subsequently mimicked by devices to treat diseases,” he said. NCEA examinations over for another year Supplied Content NCEA and New Zealand Scholarship examinations are closed for the year. The New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) and schools have run more than 100 examinations at 411 examination centres over the last four weeks, Deputy Chief Executive Kristine Kilkelly said. “Our examinations process is a significant undertaking, with around 143,000 students entered for examinations that count towards their NCEA achievement. The great support from schools helps to make sure the examinations process runs smoothly,” she said. Pilot Programme Ms Kilkelly said that about 5100 students had entered for digital examinations as a part of the NZQA Digital Trials and Pilots programme. Digital examinations were available at NCEA Level 1 in English, Media Studies and Classical Studies, and in the same subjects at NCEA Level 2. NCEA results will be available online from January 16, 2018 and Scholarship results on February 13, 2018. The secure Learner Login section of the NZQA website will be unavailable from January 12, 2018. FLEXIBLE STUDY YOUR WAY Apply now for 2018 WE ARE PROUD TO OFFER FLEXIBLE STUDY OPTIONS FOR 2018.* Administration and Financial | Online study Choose between coming to class, studying online with lecturer support, or a combination of both Business | Evening options Work by day, study in the evenings and still be home in time for dinner Find out if your programme of study has flexible learning options. Plus ask us if you can use your experience to qualify faster with Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). BIT212_08 INL *Conditions apply. Refer to manukau.ac.nz for details manukau.ac.nz/flexible | 0800 62 62 52
DECEMBER 15, 2017 Educationlink 07 Digital Divide poses new challenges to New Zealanders Clare Curran Communications Minister Clare Curran has released a report outlining the digital divide in New Zealand. The following is her Statement: In line with our commitment to open government, I have released the Report, ‘Digital New Zealanders: The Pulse of our Nation,’ which the previous government did not make public until after the election as it exposed the digital divide in New Zealand. Twelve Focus Groups report on online bullying Julie Anne Genter ANew Report shows how girls experience online harm differently than boys, and tailored prevention approaches are needed. The Report ‘Insights into digital harm: The online lives of New We are doing well in terms of improving connectivity for New Zealanders, but while more people are getting better connectivity, more people are also being left behind. Families on low incomes, seniors, and people living outside urban areas are becoming increasingly disenfranchised by a lack of access, the inability to afford the internet or a lack of skills or motivation to be digitally capable. Low Budget Review This Report was a very low budget literature review. It is a good foundation, but this Government intends to do much more, so that we can find real solutions for real people. The Report sets out the need Zealand girls and boys,’ was launched on December 1, 2017. Focus Groups It covers young people’s experiences with digital harm and draws on insights from 12 focus groups from schools across New Zealand. My message to young people is that ‘You deserve to be safe, and you deserve support to get safe’ We live in a digital world. Getting insights into the online for a single, nationwide policy framework on digital inclusion in New Zealand with input from digitally disadvantaged groups and informed by robust economic data. We know that not all New Zealanders are participating equally in the digital world – and we need to understand better why that is, and what solutions may be effective in changing that. Global examples We do not have to reinvent the wheel and have only to look at the international examples in this Report to see what is in train and working around the world. We need to determine what works specifically for us and make it happen. This Report, together with other research and data that is currently available, will be a valuable input to the development of the new government’s blueprint for digital inclusion which we will be developing with the assistance of a soon to be established Advisory Group. Exploring basic issues The group will help us explore the complex but fundamental issues of how we can reduce the gap between the digital ‘haves’ and ‘have nots’ and will help determine what skills Kiwis need to be ready for the jobs of the future. A full copy of the report is available at www.mbie.govt.nz lives of girls and boys helps us better understand how young people view digital harm and how to prevent it. Every single young person in this report knew of someone badly affected by things happening online. Young people’s behaviour online can lead to further harm in their offline relationships. Preventing harm We have to understand more about how to prevent harm online, about how to keep safe, and what to do when it is not safe. Girls and boys in our study strongly supported prevention efforts, including education about norms, consent, mental health and respect. The research found that young people will not always ask their parents for help. Young people and their parents do need to know where to get help and who to ask for it. I encourage parents to educate themselves about young people’s online environments, to talk about healthy relationships, and to discuss online risks and safety with their children. The full report is available at www.women.govt.nz. Resources for parents, teachers and young people are available at www.netsafe.org.nz Julie Anne Genter is New Zealand’s Minister of Women • Foundedbyformer Minister ofImmigration • Unparalleled recordofsuccess • Evenotheradvisers andimmigrationofficersuse TDA Honourable TuarikiDelamere FormerMinisterofImmigration FounderofTDA Honourable Tua ri ki Delamere Fo rm er M inister o fImm i gration Founder of TDA Auckland Office HastingsOffice LowerGround 5 th Floor 441QueenSt 215 Railway Road Auckland Hastings 09-337-0380 09-337-0380 dol@delamere.co.nz www.tdavisa.com
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