The moa footprints from the Pliocene - early Pleistocene of Kyeburn, Otago, New Zealand.

In March, 2019, a trackway of seven footprints was found at a riverbank outcrop of Maniototo Conglomerate Formation in the Kyeburn River, Central Otago, South Island, New Zealand. In this study, we describe this first known occurrence of moa (Dinornithiformes) footprints to be found and recovered in Te Waipounamu/South Island. Footprints of the trackway were ∼46 mm deep, 272-300 mm wide and 260-294 mm in length.

Climate change impacts on Aotearoa New Zealand: a horizon scan approach.

Many of the implications of climate change for Aotearoa (New Zealand) remain unclear. To identify so-far unseen or understudied threats and opportunities related to climate change we applied a horizon-scanning process. First, we collated 171 threats and opportunities across our diverse fields of research.

Coral reefs: Fishing smarter for optimal nutrition and biodiversity.

One of humanity's biggest challenges is to ensure food and nutrition for the growing population, in the face of global change. A new study offers hope, showing how altered coral reefs with reduced fish biomass can offer some of the most nutritious fish.

Influence of park visitation on physical activity, well-being and social connectedness among Australians during COVID-19.

This cross-sectional study examined associations of park visitation with physical activity (PA), well-being, and social connectedness among 1089 participants during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. In August 2020, adolescents and adults in Australia self-reported demographics, usual park visitation, frequency and duration of park visits, PA, well-being and social connectedness. Multilevel linear regression models examined associations of park visitation with well-being and social connectedness.

Social Media Advice for Dermatologists.

This study focuses on how skincare professionals, such as dermatologists, plastic surgeons, and dermal clinicians, can apply strategies in publishing credible social media content related to the skin. The study interviewed 10 participants and asked questions about the skincare advice they seek from social media. Analysis of the results revealed the prominent themes of education, delivery of information, credibility, trustworthiness, and relatability; however, visual characteristics of how the information was presented, formed the most significant theme.

The influence of beliefs and health literacy on medication-related outcomes in older adults: A cross-sectional study.

Background: Older adults often manage multiple chronic diseases which necessitates the use of multiple medicines. Nevertheless, they also face an elevated risk of harm when medicines are used inappropriately. Studies indicate that socioeconomic disadvantage, beliefs, and health literacy may correlate with non-adherence and inappropriate medicine use.

Active particle motion in Poiseuille flow through rectangular channels.

We investigate the dynamics of a pointlike active particle suspended in fluid flow through a straight channel. For this particle-fluid system, we derive a constant of motion for a general unidirectional fluid flow and apply it to an approximation of Poiseuille flow through channels with rectangular cross- sections. We obtain a 4D nonlinear conservative dynamical system with one constant of motion and a dimensionless parameter describing the ratio of maximum flow speed to intrinsic active particle speed.

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.

Benefits of emergency department routine blood test performance on patients whose allocated triage category is not time critical: a retrospective study.

Introduction: Emergency department clinicians, and particularly nurses in triage, frequently perform routine blood tests on patients whose allocated triage category is not time critical (triage categories 3, 4 and 5 of the Australasian Triage Scale). Some observers have questioned the utility of routine blood testing in these acute healthcare settings given the cost and workload implications.

Methods: A quantitative method using retrospective observational design was utilised guided by STROBE checklist.

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.

Differences in DNA Methylation in Genes Involved in Vitamin D Metabolism Are Related to Insulin Requirement in Pregnant Women with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus.

In a previous study performed by our group, pregnant women with Gestational Diabetes (GDM) showed higher vitamin D (VitD) levels in the last trimester, particularly in those requiring insulin. This phenomenon was not linked to factors like season or supplementation. This study aimed to investigate if insulin treatment in GDM affects DNA methylation in VitD metabolism genes.

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.