Optimal early childhood nutrition is central to healthy growth, wellbeing and development. The World Health Organisation (WHO) Regional Office for Europe Nutrient and Promotion Profile Model (NPPM)(1) recommends that commercial infant and toddler foods do not carry compositional, nutrition, health or marketing claims. The Food Regulation Standing Committee of Australia and New Zealand (NZ) has identified labelling of these foods as a current area of concern(2). This study aims to identify on-pack labelling and marketing claims on commercial packaged foods aimed at infants and toddlers in NZ. Relevant infant and toddler products available in NZ supermarkets were identified through Nutritrack(3), a packaged food database managed by the University of Auckland. Information was collected from four major NZ supermarket chains in Auckland. Photographs of packaged foods and beverages were taken and names, brands, labelling, ingredients and NIP information identified. Data were collected between April and July 2023. In January 2024, online supermarket websites were checked for additional products. Infant products were those intended for ages up to 11 months as indicated on the package, and toddler products for ages 12 months to 36 months. Claims on each side of the package were coded using a pre-existing coding structure according to the three main categories identified in the WHO NPPM, composition and nutrition claims, health claims, and marketing claims, The absence or presence of the type of claim was noted. Descriptive statistics were conducted using Microsoft Excel to analyse frequency of types of claims. Two hundred and ten products were identified, 167 infant and 43 toddler products. All products had some type of claim on the package. On average, there were 7 unique types of claims per product (range 3-14) for both infant and toddler foods. The most common type of claims were composition and nutrition claims, with a mean of 4.0 types per product, followed by 3.3 types of marketing claims and 0.16 health claims. The most prevalent composition and nutrition claims were ‘free from’ claims relating to the absence of ingredients generally perceived to be harmful, most commonly flavours (on 72% of packages), colours (71%), added sugar (53%), preservatives (43%) and salt (33%). Two-thirds of packages (68%) carried statements on the natural or healthy nature of the ingredients mentioning words like organic/fresh/real or natural on-pack. All infant and toddler products carried some type of claim with the most common being about the composition or nutrition of the product, particularly the absence of additives, sugar and salt. Regulation is needed to ensure that parents and caregivers receive accurate information, preventing them from being misled when making purchasing decisions for their children.

The Nova classification(1) categorises foods according to the degree of food processing. Ultra-processed food have undergone a high level of industrial processing and typically contain cosmetic additives(1). Increased consumption of ultra-processed food has been associated with adverse health outcomes, including obesity and chronic diseases(2). Evaluating household food acquisition according to the Nova classification allows the assessment of dietary quality within populations, a strategy of nutrition surveillance that can support the development of effective public health actions to improve dietary quality. In Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ), there is limited up-to-date information on population dietary habits and a lack of data on ultra-processed food consumption. This study aimed to: i) develop a methodology to classify food items purchased by NZ households according to the Nova food groups: unprocessed/minimally processed foods (Group 1 [G1]), processed culinary ingredients (Group 2 [G2]), processed foods (Group 3 [G3]), and ultra-processed foods (Group 4 [G4]) and; ii) to describe the proportions of unique food items purchased according to Nova. We obtained data on food items purchased by NZ households from the 2019 NielsenIQ Homescan® panel, a national dataset of approximately 2,000 households who recorded their grocery purchases over 1-year. In total, 28,824 unique items were purchased. Using barcodes, we merged the products with the 2019 Nutritrack dataset, an inventory of NZ supermarkets foods(2), to obtain the products’ ingredient lists. We followed best practices for classification according to Nova(3). Where available, the ingredient lists were used to classify products. Of the total unique products, 13,263 (46%) were matched to Nutritrack and classified based on their ingredient lists. For the remaining 15,561 products (54%), we identified whole Nielsen product categories (PC) that were exclusively associated with a single Nova group. Items classified by PC level included rice, fresh fruits, eggs and coffee beans in G1; baking powder, liquid cooking oils and salt in G2; beer and wine in G3; and margarine, carbonated soft drinks and bubble gum in G4. An additional 6,398 products were identified at this stage, representing 41.1% of the total 15,561 products without ingredient lists. We classified the remaining 9,163 items (58.9% of those 15,561 without ingredient list) based on the distribution of Nova groups for the 60% most purchased items within their PC. If the ingredient list was absent for any item under the 60% most purchased group, it was obtained from a search of online supermarkets. The final unweighted distribution of unique products purchased in NZ according to the Nova classification were 5583 (21.7%) in G1, 671 (2.6%) in G2, 3043 (11.8%) in G3, and 16466 (63.9%) in G4. Further stages of the research will estimate the energy from Nova groups derived from household food purchases in NZ, examining socioeconomic distribution and temporal trends.

Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a leading cause of heart failure and the most common indication for a heart transplant. Guidelines are regularly based on studies of adults and applied to the young. Children and adolescents diagnosed with DCM face different lifestyle challenges from individuals diagnosed in adulthood that include medical trauma and are influenced by maturity levels and confidence with advocacy to adults.

Using a UK patient-scientist’s perspective, we reviewed the age-specific challenges faced by the young with DCM, evaluated current guidelines and evidence, and identified areas requiring further recommendations and research. We highlight the importance of (i) the transition clinic from paediatric to adult services, (ii) repeated signposting to mental health services, (iii) standardised guidance on physical activity, (iv) caution surrounding alcohol and smoking, (v) the dangers of illegal drugs, and (vi) reproductive options and health.

Further research is needed to address the many uncertainties in these areas with respect to young age, particularly for physical activity, and such guidance would be welcomed by the young with DCM who must come to terms with being different and more limited amongst healthy peers.

It is proved that for families of stochastic operators on a countable tensor product, depending smoothly on parameters, any spectral projection persists smoothly, where smoothness is defined using norms based on ideas of Dobrushin. A rigorous perturbation theory for families of stochastic operators with spectral gap is thereby created. It is illustrated by deriving an effective slow two-state dynamics for a three-state probabilistic cellular automaton.

The eight well-known food security indicators were developed in 1997 using a stepwise process that involved five focus group interviews (one Māori, one Pakeha, two Pacific, and one mixed ethnicity) of 8-16 people, all of whom were either on a low income or were government beneficiaries(1). As part of the development of the tools and methods for a future New Zealand National Nutrition Survey, these eight indicators were considered for inclusion. The Māori and Technical Advisory Groups convened for the development of the National Nutrition Survey foresaw issues with the interpretation of some of the questions given the changes in the food environment and sources of food assistance in the last 25 years and recommended that cognitive testing should be conducted to see if changes were required. Participants were recruited through two community organisations, a local marae, and community Facebook pages. Participants were given the option of participating in a one-on-one interview or as part of a focus group. During each session, participants were asked five (three original and two new) questions relating to food security (running out of basics, use of food assistance, household food preparation and storage resources). After each question, the participants were asked a series of additional probing questions to ascertain whether they had interpreted the question as intended. All interviews were audio recorded and transcribed, and a qualitative analysis was performed on the transcripts to determine areas of concern with each question. A total of 46 participants completed the cognitive testing of the food security questions, including 26 aged 18-64 years, and 20 aged 65+ years. Participants also spanned a range of ethnicities including 8 Māori, 15 Pasifika, 15 Asian, and 8 New Zealand European or Other. Just over half of the participants (n=24) reported themselves to be financially secure, 16 participants reported that their financial security was borderline, 1 participant reported that they were not at all financially secure, and 5 participants declined to answer. Variable interpretations of terms by participants were found in all questions that were tested. Therefore, answers to the food security questions may have not reflected the actual experience of participants. This study also identified other dimensions of food security not assessed by the current eight indicators (e.g., lack of time, poor accessibility). These findings indicate that the food security questions need to be improved to ensure they are interpreted as intended and that new questions are needed that considers all dimensions of food insecurity (i.e., access, availability, utilisation, and stability). These new and amended questions should be cognitively tested in groups that are more likely to be experiencing food insecurity.

National nutrition surveys play a pivotal role in shaping public health policies and programmes by providing valuable insights into dietary intake and the nutritional wellbeing of a population. A team from the University of Auckland and Massey University worked alongside the Ministry of Health and the Ministry for Primary Industries to develop the methods and tools for a future New Zealand Nutrition Survey. Throughout these developmental stages, we partnered and engaged with Māori as tangata whenua, and other key ethnic groups in Aotearoa - New Zealand, ensuring that their unique dietary practices and preferences were accurately captured. This presentation centres on the adaptation of Intake24, an innovative web-based 24-hour dietary recall tool, to optimize dietary data collection within the New Zealand context. The adaptation process involved several key steps including rationalisation of a New Zealand-specific food list, incorporating cultural dishes, adding new portion size estimation aids, and further customisation of the user interface(1). We provide new insights into the user experience and the tool’s functionality, sharing findings from field testing and valuable user feedback. This approach ensures collection of dietary data that is truly representative of the New Zealand population and acknowledges the rich diversity and dietary nuances within the country. As such, this adapted New Zealand version of Intake24 could serve as an essential tool for use in a future National Nutrition Survey or other research initiatives to collect accurate, culturally sensitive, and actionable nutrition data providing evidence to inform future public health programmes and policies.

Publicly-funded healthcare facilities in Australia(1) and New Zealand(2) have adopted healthy food and drink policies to enable staff and visitors to choose and consume healthier options. However, adopting such policies does not translate to their full implementation and compliance by food providers, who face barriers to providing healthier food and drinks(3). As part of the wider HealthY Policy Evaluation (HYPE) study, we interviewed hospital food providers and public health dietitians/professionals to understand their experiences implementing the voluntary National Healthy Food and Drink Policy introduced in New Zealand in 2016. Semi-structured interviews focused on the awareness, understanding of, and attitudes towards the Policy; level of support received; perceived customer response; tools and resources needed to support implementation; and unintended or unforeseen consequences. All semi-structured interviews were transcribed verbatim, inductively coded with the assistance of QSR’s NVivo software, and analysed using the reflexive thematic analysis method by Braun and Clarke(4). Twelve participants from across New Zealand were interviewed. Time in their roles ranged from one to 14.5 years, and many were not in the position when the Policy was first adopted. There was a discrepancy in the awareness of the voluntary Policy. However, there was agreement that hospitals should be healthy eating role models for the wider community. Reflexive thematic analysis identified three themes relating to the implementation of the Policy in New Zealand: 1) complexities of operating food outlets under the Policy in hospitals; 2) adoption, implementation and monitoring of the Policy as a series of incoherent ad-hoc actions; and 3) the Policy as (currently) not achieving the desired impact. Participants recognised that the current food supply, presence of food outlets nearby hospitals serving unhealthy foods and culture of unhealthy eating, combined with the difficulty of changing people’s eating habits, leaves doubts if the Policy and healthier options served in the healthcare facilities have any tangible positive impact on staff or visitors. Key suggestions to promote successful Policy implementation included adoption of a mandatory National Policy, funding of central government support for implementation (including supportive implementation tools), regular and systematic monitoring of food availability in each region, and frequent and ongoing communication with staff and visitors using positive messaging around healthy eating and non-health related benefits (e.g. sustainability) to increase their buy-in. Findings from stakeholder interviews and the remaining parts of the HYPE evaluation study are informing the update of the National Policy and associated supportive tools, and highlight the potential positive impact a comprehensive policy evaluation could have on improving policy implementation.

The ubiquity and durability of lithic artifacts inform archaeologists about important dimensions of human behavioral variability. Despite their importance, lithic artifacts can be problematic to study because lithic analysts differ widely in their theoretical approaches and the data they collect. The extent to which differences in lithic data relate to prehistoric behavioral variability or differences between archaeologists today remains incompletely known. We address this issue with the most extensive lithic replicability study yet, involving 11 analysts, 100 unmodified flakes, and 38 ratio, discrete, and nominal attributes. We use mixture models to show strong inter-analyst replicability scores on several attributes, making them well suited to comparative lithic analyses. Based on our results, we highlight 17 attributes that we consider reliable for compiling datasets collected by different individuals for comparative studies. Demonstrating this replicability is a crucial first step in tackling more general problems of data comparability in lithic analysis and lithic analyst's ability to conduct large-scale meta-analyses.

In this paper, we describe the system design and capabilities of the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP) radio telescope at the conclusion of its construction project and commencement of science operations. ASKAP is one of the first radio telescopes to deploy phased array feed (PAF) technology on a large scale, giving it an instantaneous field of view that covers $31\,\textrm{deg}^{2}$ at $800\,\textrm{MHz}$. As a two-dimensional array of 36$\times$12 m antennas, with baselines ranging from 22 m to 6 km, ASKAP also has excellent snapshot imaging capability and 10 arcsec resolution. This, combined with 288 MHz of instantaneous bandwidth and a unique third axis of rotation on each antenna, gives ASKAP the capability to create high dynamic range images of large sky areas very quickly. It is an excellent telescope for surveys between 700 and $1800\,\textrm{MHz}$ and is expected to facilitate great advances in our understanding of galaxy formation, cosmology, and radio transients while opening new parameter space for discovery of the unknown.

Differential forms provide a coordinate-free way to express many quantities and relations in mathematical physics. In particular, they are useful in plasma physics. This tutorial gives a guide so that you can read the plasma physics literature that uses them and apply them yourself.

GravityCam is a new concept of ground-based imaging instrument capable of delivering significantly sharper images from the ground than is normally possible without adaptive optics. Advances in optical and near-infrared imaging technologies allow images to be acquired at high speed without significant noise penalty. Aligning these images before they are combined can yield a 2.5–3-fold improvement in image resolution. By using arrays of such detectors, survey fields may be as wide as the telescope optics allows. Consequently, GravityCam enables both wide-field high-resolution imaging and high-speed photometry. We describe the instrument and detail its application to provide demographics of planets and satellites down to Lunar mass (or even below) across the Milky Way. GravityCam is also suited to improve the quality of weak shear studies of dark matter distribution in distant clusters of galaxies and multiwavelength follow-ups of background sources that are strongly lensed by galaxy clusters. The photometric data arising from an extensive microlensing survey will also be useful for asteroseismology studies, while GravityCam can be used to monitor fast multiwavelength flaring in accreting compact objects and promises to generate a unique data set on the population of the Kuiper belt and possibly the Oort cloud.

The conversion of Ca(OH)2 to CaO has been studied by X-ray diffraction techniques. When Ca(OH)2 crystals are heated in vacuo the conversion is oriented, but not when they are heated at atmospheric pressure. This difference is attributed to the lowering of the decomposition temperature in vacuo and consequent lower thermal vibration.

Introduction: Direct observation is essential to assess medical trainees and provide them with feedback to support their progression from novice to competent physicians. However, learners consistently report infrequent observations, and calls to increase direct observation in medical training abound. In this study, a theory-driven approach using the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) was applied to systematically investigate factors that serve as barriers and enablers to direct observation in residency training. Methods: Semi-structured interviews of faculty and residents from various specialties at two large tertiary-care teaching hospitals were conducted. An interview guide based on the TDF was used to capture 14 theoretical domains that may influence direct observation. Interview transcripts were independently coded using direct content analysis by two researchers, and specific beliefs were generated by grouping similar responses. Relevant domains were identified based on the frequencies of beliefs reported, presence of conflicting beliefs, and perceived influence on direct observation practices. Results: Data saturation was achieved after 12 resident and 13 faculty interviews, with a total of 10 different specialties represented. Median postgraduate year among residents was 4 (range 1-6), and mean years of independent practice among faculty was 10.3 (SD=8.6). Ten TDF domains were identified as influencing direct observation: knowledge, skills, beliefs about consequences, social professional role and identity, intention, goals, memory/attention/decision-making, environmental context and resources, social influences, and behavioural regulation. Discord between faculty and resident intentions to engage in direct observation, coupled with the social expectation that residents should be responsible for ensuring observations occur, was identified as a key barrier. Additionally, competing demands identified across multiple TDF domains emerged as an important and pervasive theme. Conclusion: This study identified key barriers and enablers to direct observation. The influencing factors identified in this study provide a basis for the development of potential strategies aimed at embedding direct observation as a routine pedagogical practice in residency training.