Comparing the Health Status of Immigrant and New Zealand-Born Older Adults in Aotearoa New Zealand: The Role of Socioeconomic Position.

Objectives: The study investigated the health status of older migrants relative to their New Zealand-born peers. We adopted a holistic view of health (physical, mental, and social) and a structural approach to health disparities based on migrant status and socioeconomic position.

Methods: Using case-control matching based on age, gender, and education, the health status of 357 older migrants and 357 New Zealand-born older adults was compared.

Testing the relationship between preferences for infant-directed speech and vocabulary development: A multi-lab study.

From early on, infants show a preference for infant-directed speech (IDS) over adult-directed speech (ADS), and exposure to IDS has been correlated with language outcome measures such as vocabulary. The present multi-laboratory study explores this issue by investigating whether there is a link between early preference for IDS and later vocabulary size. Infants' preference for IDS was tested as part of the ManyBabies 1 project, and follow-up CDI data were collected from a subsample of this dataset at 18 and 24 months.

Early pregnancy high normal HbA1c: a high risk group?

Aim: To determine if high normal early pregnancy HbA1c (35-40mmol/mol), in the absence of diabetes, was associated with increased risk of adverse perinatal outcomes compared to normal HbA1c (<35mmol/mol).

Method: A retrospective chart review was carried out on all singleton births in the Wellington region from 1 July 2019 to 31 December 2019. Exclusion criteria were participants domiciled outside the Wellington region, HbA1c ≥50mmol/mol, pre-existing diabetes, gestational diabetes in current pregnancy, no HbA1c performed <20 weeks or the first HbA1c was taken at ≥20 weeks.

Technology for helping people with neuromotor, intellectual, and speech disabilities engage in leisure and communication activities: a proof-of-concept study.

We extended the assessment of our recently developed technology to help people with neuromotor, intellectual, and speech disabilities access (listen to) music, communicate with distant partners, and answer questions. The technology included a tablet (1) fitted with an Internet connection, a SIM card, WhatsApp Messenger, and MacroDroid application, and (2) interfaced with different pairs of response sensors. Six participants were included in the study, which was carried out according to a nonconcurrent multiple baseline design across participants.

Design and manufacture of an ultra-compact, 1.5 T class, controlled-contact resistance, REBCO, brain imaging MRI magnet.

Brain imaging MRI comprises a significant proportion of MRI scans, but the requirement for including the shoulders in the magnet bore means there is not a significant size reduction in the magnet compared to whole-body magnets. Here we present a new design approach for brain imaging MRI magnets targeting ±20 kHz variation over the imaging volume rather than the more usual ±200 Hz making use of novel high-bandwidth MRI pulse sequences and distortion correction. Using this design approach, we designed and manufactured a 1.

Quantum Phase Transition as a Promising Route to Enhance the Critical Current in Kagome Superconductor CsVSb.

Developing strategies to systematically increase the critical current, the threshold current below which the superconductivity exists, is an important goal of materials science. Here, the concept of quantum phase transition is employed to enhance the critical current of a kagome superconductor CsVSb, which exhibits a charge density wave (CDW) and superconductivity that are both affected by hydrostatic pressure. As the CDW phase is rapidly suppressed under pressure, a large enhancement in the self-field critical current (I) is recorded.

Diagnosis of fetal arrhythmia in echocardiography imaging using deep learning with cyclic loss.

Background: Fetal arrhythmias frequently co-occur with congenital heart disease in fetuses. The peaks observed in M-mode fetal echocardiograms serve as pivotal diagnostic markers for fetal arrhythmias. However, speckles, artifacts, and noise pose notable challenges for accurate image analysis.

Limited gut bacterial response of tuatara (Sphenodon punctatus) to dietary manipulation and captivity.

The bacteria of a host's digestive tract play crucial roles in digestion and pathogen resistance. Hosts living in captivity often have more human interaction and antibiotic use, in addition to differences in diet and environment, compared to their wild counterparts. Consequently, wild and captive animals frequently harbour different bacterial communities.

'I wouldn't want one or the other': Understanding parents' preferences for direct support or parent coaching for young autistic children.

Professionals often support autistic children by working with them directly (direct support) or by coaching their parents. We know a lot about what parents think about parent coaching, but we do not know as much about what they think about direct support. We also do not know whether parents prefer parent coaching or direct support.

The effectiveness of secondary-school based interventions on the future physical activity of adolescents in Aotearoa New Zealand: a modelling study.

Background: Secondary schools are important settings for promoting varied physical activity (PA) opportunities for adolescents to promote PA throughout life. However, research on the effect of secondary school-based interventions on future PA is limited. This study examined the potential impact of secondary school-based interventions on the determinants of future PA participation of Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ) adolescents using simulated modelling.

Rasch analysis of the depression anxiety stress scales-21 (DASS-21) in a mild traumatic brain injury sample.

Objective: In this study, we evaluated the psychometric properties of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales 21 items (DASS-21) in a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) sample.

Method: Treatment-seeking adults ( = 347) were recruited from outpatient rehabilitation services in New Zealand. Dimensionality, reliability, person separation index, and differential item functioning (DIF) of the DASS-21 were examined using Rasch analysis.

Minimal exposure durations reveal visual processing priorities for different stimulus attributes.

Human vision can detect a single photon, but the minimal exposure required to extract meaning from stimulation remains unknown. This requirement cannot be characterised by stimulus energy, because the system is differentially sensitive to attributes defined by configuration rather than physical amplitude. Determining minimal exposure durations required for processing various stimulus attributes can thus reveal the system's priorities.

Histidine-bridged cyclic peptide natural products: isolation, biosynthesis and synthetic studies.

The histidine bridge is a rare and often overlooked structural motif in macrocyclic peptide natural products, yet there are several examples in nature of cyclic peptides bearing this moiety that exhibit potent biological activity. These interesting compounds have been the focus of several studies reporting their isolation, biosynthesis and chemical synthesis over the last four decades. This review summarises the findings on the structure, biological activity and, where possible, proposed biosynthesis and progress towards the synthesis of histidine-bridged cyclic peptides.

Marine heatwaves and commercial fishing in New Zealand.

A marine heatwave (MHW) is an atypical and relatively short period of warmer Sea Surface Temperature (SST) which may be disruptive to marine life. Changes brought about by MHWs can reshape marine ecosystems in ways that have an economic impact on their users. MHWs are expected to become more frequent, longer, and more intense due to anthropogenic climate change.

Antifungal Activity of Disalt of Epipyrone A from Likely via Disrupted Fatty Acid Elongation and Sphingolipid Biosynthesis.

Multidrug-resistant fungal pathogens and antifungal drug toxicity have challenged our current ability to fight fungal infections. Therefore, there is a strong global demand for novel antifungal molecules with the distinct mode of action and specificity to service the medical and agricultural sectors. Polyenes are a class of antifungal drugs with the broadest spectrum of activity among the current antifungal drugs.

CO Loss into Solution: An Experimental Investigation of CO Electrolysis with a Membrane Electrode Assembly Cell.

In pursuit of commercial viability for carbon dioxide (CO) electrolysis, this study investigates the operational challenges associated with membrane electrode assembly (MEA)-type CO electrolyzers, with a focus on CO loss into the solution phase through bicarbonate (HCO ) and carbonate (CO ) ion formation. Utilizing a silver electrode known for selectively facilitating CO to CO conversion, the molar production of CO, CO, and H is measured across a range of current densities from 0 to 600 mA/cm, while maintaining a constant CO inlet flow rate of 58 mL/min. The dynamics of CO loss are monitored through measurements of pH changes in the electrolyte and carbon elemental balance analysis.

Use of puberty-blocking hormones for gender dysphoria in New Zealand: descriptive analysis and international comparisons.

Aim: To investigate use of puberty-blocking hormones (gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogues [GnRHa]) for gender dysphoria in New Zealand. Specifically, to describe demographic characteristics and time trends in the prevalence and incidence of prescribing, and to calculate cumulative incidence (proportion) of first prescribing of GnRHa for gender dysphoria in order to make valid international comparisons.

Method: The national Pharmaceutical Collection was used to identify all dispensing from 2006 to 2023 to those aged <18, by sex/gender and age.