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A number of relaxor ferroelectric ceramics have been demonstrated to possess a near stable value of relative permittivity over very wide temperature ranges. This cannot be explained by conventional theories of relaxors. One such system is based on the perovskite solid solution series: (1-x) (Ba 0.8 Ca 0.2 )TiO 3 -xBi(Mg 0.5 Ti 0.5 )O 3 , giving stable relative permittivity from 150 to 500 °C. We show by scanning transmission electron microscopy and electron energy loss spectroscopic elemental mapping that nanoscale compositional segregation occurs in the temperature stable relaxor composition (x = 0.55), with Ba/Ti clusters some 2–4 nm in extent, separated by Bi-rich regions of comparable size. This nanomosaic structure is consistent with phase separation into a ferroelectrically active BaTiO 3 – type phase (Ba/Ti rich) and a weakly polar Bi/(Mg) rich perovskite solid solution. The possibility that nanophase segregation is the cause of weak dipole coupling and suppression of the dielectric relaxation peak is considered.

Depression is an increasing global problem, and was the leading cause of disability in 2015. Much is known about the factors that give rise to depression, and social inequalities in its prevalence, but less about empirically based interventions that might prevent its occurrence. We focus on the role of maternal parenting factors (that is emotional warmth and harsh discipline) experienced in childhood affecting depression in youth (aged 15–21 years) in New Zealand. We introduce a novel simulational life-course approach. We use estimates from meta-analytic reviews on the effects of maternal parenting factors to drive a simulation model of the early life course. We then mimic possible interventions by testing scenarios based on modifying these key factors and assessing their impact on depression. We find that reduction in depression prevalence is better achieved by altering a combination of rather than single maternal parenting factors, and that the social groups in which youth are structurally embedded (by parental social position) are differentially affected. In the most optimistic scenario, if both lack of emotional warmth and harsh discipline could be completely eliminated in childhood, our model shows that youth depression overall (baseline 7.4%) would be reduced by about a fifth (to 5.8%), while the greatest improvement would accrue to youth who had parents without formal educational qualifications (baseline 11.3%) by nearly a third (to 7.7%). Our findings support the utility of our approach for policy making on population health issues, in this case, indicating maternal parenting interventions that might be effective in preventing youth depression and the social groups that might gain most benefit.

To develop a model to investigate a potential relationship between mechanical strain, cell responses, and endoplasmic reticulum stress in periodontal ligament (PDL) cells, primary PDL cell cultures were obtained from extracted premolars. Cells were cultured in hydrogel and subjected to 24 h of static mechanical strain, resulting in 18% dimensional substrate elongation. Cell viability, caspase-3/7 activity, and mRNA levels for 28 genes, including unfolded protein response (UPR)-related and mechanically responsive genes, serving as positive controls for stress induction, were examined. Compared with unstrained cultures, no difference in caspase activity was observed; however, viability responses differed between cell lines. Multiple UPR-related genes were differentially upregulated, with marginal statistical significance, including cAMP responsive element binding protein 3 like 3 (CREB3L3) (mean fold-regulation = 1.91), an adenosine monophosphate-dependent transcription factor with roles in UPR activation and the acute inflammatory response; and the pro-apoptotic UPR gene, endoplasmic reticulum to nucleus signaling 2 (ERN2) (mean fold-regulation = 4.01). The observed effect on cell viability following strain with no change in caspase activity suggests that reduction in viability may be mediated via caspase-3/7-independent mechanisms. Three-dimensional mechanical strain PDL cell culture models offer a method to study the role of endoplasmic reticulum stress and UPR, and provide a framework and potential UPR targets for future investigations.

In order to assess the colonization efficacy of the oral probiotic Streptococcus salivarius K12, a rapid method for specific detection and enumeration of the strain was developed. Here, we describe a two-step TaqMan™ quantitative PCR assay using primer-probe combinations targeting genes of the locus encoding the lantibiotic bacteriocin salivaricin B.

Author(s): Saremi, Nedda F; Supple, Megan A; Byrne, Ashley; Cahill, James A; Coutinho, Luiz Lehmann; Dalen, Love; Figueiro, Henrique V; Johnson, Warren E; Milne, Heather J; O'Brien, Stephen J; O'Connell, Brendan; Onorato, David P; Riley, Seth PD; Sikich, Jeff A; Stahler, Daniel R; Villela, Priscilla Marqui Schmidt; Vollmers, Christopher; Wayne, Robert K; Eizirik, Eduardo; Corbett-Detig, Russell B; Green, Richard E; Wilmers, Christopher C; Shapiro, Beth | Abstract: An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.

Background: Acute rheumatic fever (ARF) has largely disappeared from high-income countries. However, in New Zealand (NZ) rates remain high in indigenous (Māori) and Pacific populations. In 2011, NZ launched an intensive and unparalleled primary Rheumatic Fever Prevention Programme (RFPP). We evaluated the impact of the school-based sore throat service component of the RFPP. Methods: The evaluation used national trends of all-age first episode ARF hospitalisation rates before (2009-11) and after (2012-16) implementation of the RFPP. A retrospective cohort study compared first-episode ARF incidence during time-not-exposed (23 093 207 person-days) and time-exposed (68 465 350 person-days) with a school-based sore throat service among children aged 5-12 years from 2012 to 2016. Results: Following implementation of the RFPP, the national ARF incidence rate declined by 28% from 4.0 per 100 000 [95% confidence interval (CI) 3.5-4.6] at baseline (2009-11) to 2.9 per 100 000 by 2016 (95% CI 2.4-3.4, P

Calcium-oxide-based sorbents were coated onto Saffil ceramic fibers by means of a wet impregnation method. The effect of synthesis parameters on the crystalline structure, morphology, and texture of the CaO layer was investigated by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and gas adsorption techniques. The analyses revealed that the optimized synthesis method produced a uniform coating composed of a network of CaO nanoflakes. The evaluation of the materials as CO2 sorbents was performed under repeated carbonation–decarbonation cycles using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). A nominal 25 wt % loading of CaO gave a CO2 uptake capacity of 0.118 mg of CO2/mg of sorbent (carbonation at 650 °C in 90% CO2 and decarbonation at 850 °C in N2). A 5 wt % loading exhibited improved durability with a ∼30% decay in carrying capacity after 30 TGA cycles but at the expense of the initial uptake capacity.

Phloem unloading represents a series of cell-to-cell transport steps transferring phloem-mobile constituents from phloem to sink tissues/organs to fuel their development or resource storage. Our analysis focuses on unloading of two major phloem-mobile constituents, sugars and water. Their unloading can occur across phloem plasma membranes (apoplasmic unloading), through plasmodesmata interconnecting phloem and sink cells (symplasmic unloading) or predominately symplasmically with an intervening post-phloem apoplasmic step. In planta studies of phloem unloading encounter substantial technical challenges in accessing phloem within a meshwork of vascular/ground tissues. Thus, current understanding of phloem-unloading mechanisms largely has been deduced from indirect experimental measures or modelling. Here we highlight recent advances in understanding phloem unloading mechanisms and identify where important knowledge gaps remain.

Ceramics with temperature-stable dielectric characteristics have been developed in the system: 0.6[0.85Na 0.5 Bi 0.5 TiO 3 -(0.15-x)Ba 0.8 Ca 0.2 TiO 3 -xBi(Mg 0.5 Ti 0.5 )O 3 ]−0.4NaNbO 3 , x ≤ 0.15. Dielectric measurements exhibited relaxor ferroelectric characteristics with temperature-stable relative permittivity from e r ~1330 ± 15% in the temperature range from −70 °C to 215 °C and tanδ ≤ 0.02 from −20 °C to 380 °C for x = 0 compositions. For the Bi(Mg 0.5 Ti 0.5 )O 3 modified compositions the temperature range of stable relative permittivity extended from −70 °C to 400 °C, with e r ~ 950 ± 15% and tanδ ≤ 0.02 from −70 °C to 260 °C. Values of dc resistivity were ~ 10 8 Ω m at a temperature of 300 °C and the corresponding RC constant values were in the range from 0.40 − 0.78 s at 300 °C. All ceramic samples exhibited a linear polarisation-electric field response at maximum applied electric field of 5 kV/cm (1 kHz).

Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a complex immunological disorder, mediated in part by the release of cytokines by activated T-cells. Recently, the role of novel cytokines including IL33 and IL35 has been described in various chronic inflammatory diseases. IL33, a member of the IL-1 superfamily of cytokines, functions as an ‘alarmin’ released after cell necrosis to alert the immune system to tissue damage or stress. IL35, a member of IL12 cytokine family, is produced by regulatory T-cells and suppresses the immune response. The expression of IL33 and IL35 is yet to be investigated in OLP. The aim of this study was to determine the presence and topographical distribution of IL33 and IL35 in OLP using immunohistochemistry and quantitative real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). For IHC, formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded archival specimens of OLP (n = 10) and a non-specific inflammatory (NSI) control group (n = 9) were used. A double-labelling immunofluorescence technique was used to determine the expression of IL33 and IL35 on CD3+ T-cells. In addition, 12 fresh tissue samples (OLP n = 6 and NSI controls n = 6) were used to determine the gene expression of IL33 and EBI3 (one chain of the dimeric IL35). Quantitative and qualitative analysis was performed with statistical significance set at p

Background and objective T cells are known to play a pivotal role in periodontal disease; however, less is known about the T-helper subsets of regulatory T cells (Tregs) and Th17 cells. The aim of this study was to investigate the cell types expressing FoxP3 and interleukin (IL)-17A within periodontal disease tissues and to determine gene and protein expression profiles associated with periodontitis. Material and methods A total of 10 healthy/gingivitis and 10 chronic periodontitis tissues were investigated. Immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence techniques were used to identify the FoxP3 and IL17-positive cells and to determine the cell types respectively. Gene expression was determined using semi-quantitative polymerase chain reaction array technology that allowed the analysis of 84 pathway-focused genes known to be associated with Tregs and Th17 cells. Transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1, IL10 and IL17A protein levels were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results Double immunofluorescence labeling revealed that all FoxP3+ cells were CD4+ , while IL17+ cells were neither CD4+ nor CD8+ but were tryptase+ , suggestive of mast cells. More FoxP3+ cells than IL17+ cells were found in all the tissues examined and overall there were few IL17+ cells. Statistically significant increases in gene expression were found for STAT5A, STAT3, SOCS1, TGFβ1 and IL10 in the chronic periodontitis specimens predominantly infiltrated with B cells and plasma cells when compared with healthy/gingivitis specimens predominantly infiltrated with T cells. Protein analysis demonstrated higher levels of the TGFβ1 and IL10 cytokines in periodontitis tissues and in B-cell and plasma cell predominant gingival tissues than in healthy/gingivitis tissues and T-cell predominant gingival tissues. IL17A gene and protein expression was not detected in any of the tissues. Conclusion Based on the findings of this study, we suggest that the source of low levels of IL17A in periodontal tissues is mast cells not Th17 cells and that Tregs may have a more prominent role in the pathogenesis of periodontal disease than Th17 cells.

MnO2 and Mn3O4 particles were prepared by wet chemical methods and efficiently dispersed and mixed with multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) for the fabrication of composite MnO2-MWCNT and Mn3O4-MWCNT electrodes for electrochemical supercapacitors (ES). The problem of particle agglomeration was addressed by particle extraction through a liquid-liquid interface (PELLI) using octanohydroxamic acid (OHA) as a new extractor. OHA exhibited remarkable adsorption on particles due to a bidentate bonding mechanism. The use of OHA broadened the application of PELLI technology, because it allowed good extraction of particles from an aqueous phase at high pH. Moreover, OHA allowed efficient extraction by strong adsorption on particles not only at the liquid-liquid interface, but also in the bulk of an aqueous phase. Building on the advantages offered by the PELLI method and OHA as an extractor we found that Mn3O4-MWCNT electrodes exhibited a remarkably high capacitance of 4.2F cm−2. Another major finding was that capacitance of Mn3O4-MWCNT electrodes was higher than that of MnO2-MWCNT electrodes at active mass of 33 mg cm−2. This finding showed processing advantages of PELLI and paved the way for applications of novel colloidal and surface modification strategies for the development of advanced ES. A conceptually new approach has been proposed based on the use of hydroxamic acids as capping agents for synthesis and extractor molecules for PELLI.

This review describes new strategies for the non-covalent functionalization and dispersion of CNT using small molecules, such as commercial bile acid salts (BAS) and organic dyes. Efficient CNT dispersion was achieved due to the small size, charge and unique adsorption properties of BAS and dyes, which facilitated the bundle “unzipping” mechanism. The discovery of interesting electrochemical and film-forming properties of BAS and organic dyes allowed electrophoretic deposition (EPD) of CNT films by cathodic or anodic methods. Of particular importance is the efficiency of BAS dispersants in the sorting of CNT by diameter, chirality and length. These studies allowed for the efficient separation of SWCNT by electronic type and size, which addressed the urgent needs for many advanced applications. New dispersants allowed the fabrication of functional polymer coated CNT and development of advanced techniques for the fabrication of composites. Chelating dyes were used as co-dispersants for CNT and inorganic nanoparticles. The use of BAS and organic dyes for CNT dispersion has driven the development of advanced composites, films, aerogels for electrochemical, electronic, energy generation and storage, biomedical, sensor and other applications. Colloidal and interface chemistry of new dispersing agents is emerging as a new area of technological and scientific interest.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to offer a counter-narrative to accounts of specific species extinction. The authors place humanity’s ways of organising at the core and recognise that only fundamental re-appraisal of humanity’s taken-for-granted narratives offers hope for biodiversity and sustainability. The authors challenge producers of accounts of all sorts to reconsider the context and level of resolution of their accounts. The authors argue that humankind is the root cause of most (if not all) current species extinctions; that such extinctions represent one reason why humanity might itself be threatened with extinction; and why human extinction might be a good thing. The authors need to imagine other, better, futures.Design/methodology/approachThe piece is an essay which assembles a wide range of literature in order to support its contentions.FindingsThere are many individual accounts of species which explore the (albeit very serious) symptoms of a problem without, the authors maintain, examining the systematic source of the problem. The source problem is western mankind’s organisation and somewhat taciturn conception of humanity. There is a lack of accounts offering new possibilities.Research limitations/implicationsThe piece is an essay and, consequently, limited to the quality of the argument presented. The essay suggests that the principal implications relate to how producers of counter-accounts frame their construction of accounts and how accounts of species extinction need to be more cognisant of underlying causes.Practical implicationsWithout substantial change, planetary ecology, including humanity, is very seriously threatened. Imagining a plausible future is a most practical act of faith.Social implicationsThe essay suggests that as accountants the authors might think to approach the counter-accounts with a lower level of resolution: one that is directed towards a more challenging notion of what it is to be human.Originality/valueWhilst building upon the growing sophistication in the understanding of (new) accounts and responding to the emerging literatures on biodiversity, species extinction and utopian vision the authors offer what the authors believe to be a unique suggestion in the accounting literature about the extinction of mankind.

Metallic silver nanoparticles were synthesized using a hydrothermal route for use in high throughput biosensing applications. Particle shape was engineered by varying polyvinyl pyrollidone (PVP) concentration in the precursor mixture, resulting in the emergence of flat triangular shaped nanoparticles with increasing PVP content. The hydrothermal method was found to yield particles with better particle size distribution and longer shelf life relative to polyol synthesis particles.

Objectives: To investigate ethnic-specific deprivation gradients in early childhood dental caries experience considering different domains of deprivation. Methods: We used cross-sectional near whole population-level data on 318 321 four-year-olds attending the "B4 School check," a national health and development check in New Zealand, across 6 fiscal years (2010/2011 to 2015/2016). The "lift the lip" screening tool was used to estimate experience of any caries and severe caries. We investigated deprivation gradients using the Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD), which measures seven domains of deprivation across 5958 geographical areas ("data zones"). Ethnicity was categorized into five groups: (i) Māori, (ii) Pacific, (iii) Asian, (iv) Middle Eastern, Latin American and African (MELAA) and (v) European & Other (combined). We used a random intercepts model to estimate mutually adjusted associations between deprivation, ethnicity, age, fiscal year, and evidence of any dental caries experience. Results: Reports of any caries experience decreased from 15.8% (95% CI: 15.7; 15.9%) to 14.7% 95% CI: 14.4; 14.8%), while reports of severe caries experience increased from 3.0% (95% CI: 3.0; 3.1%) to 4.4% (95% CI: 4.3; 4.5%) from 2010/2011 to 2015/2016. This varied by ethnicity with larger increases in severe caries for Pacific children from 7.1% (95% CI: 6.8; 7.4%) to 14.1% (95% CI: 13.7; 14.5%). There were deprivation gradients in dental caries experience with considerable variation by ethnicity and by domain of deprivation. The association between deprivation and dental caries experience was weakest for Asian children and was most pronounced for Pacific and Māori children. Conclusion: Socioeconomic gradients in dental caries experience are evident by age 4 years, and these gradients vary by ethnicity and domain of deprivation.

Mn3O4-multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) electrodes for supercapacitors with high active mass loadings have been fabricated with the goal of achieving a high area normalized capacitance (CS) and enhanced capacitance retention at high charge-discharge rates. Poly(4-styrenesulfonic acid-co-maleic acid) sodium salt P(SSA-MA) was used as a charging and dispersing agent for the fabrication of Mn3O4. The unique bonding properties of the MA monomers allowed efficient P(SSA-MA) adsorption on Mn3O4, whereas SSA monomers imparted a negative charge. Cationic ethyl violet (EV) and pyronin Y (PY) dyes were used for dispersion and charging of MWCNT. Good dispersion of the individual components and their electrostatic heterocoagulation facilitated efficient mixing, which allowed enhanced capacitive behavior at mass loadings of 28.4 mg cm−2, which meet requirements for practical applications. The highest capacitance of 2.8 F cm−2 was obtained at a scan rate of 2 mV s−1 for the composites, prepared using PY. However, the composites, prepared using EV showed better capacitance retention of 88% in the scan rate range of 2–100 mV s−1 and the capacitance of 2.1 F cm−2 was obtained at a scan rate of 100 mV s−1. The composites showed activation behavior during cycling, which resulted in a capacitance increase and electrical resistance reduction. The results of this investigation showed that Mn3O4–MWCNT composites, prepared by new colloidal methods are promising materials for practical applications in electrochemical supercapacitors.

The voluntary carbon market (VCM) is a relatively mature field where institutions have become firmly established. This empirical paper explores findings obtained from interviewing key actors within the VCM in New Zealand, at a time when the organizational field was beginning to emerge (2010/2011). Fourteen semi-structured interviews were carried out with managers and decision-makers at 13 organizations, representing a cross-section of leaders in the field at the time. Participants were investigated regarding their cognitions as well as their operational activities and interactions with the range of actors in the field, and how these evolved over time. Case studies of the wine industry, the taxi industry and the carbon services industry are presented. Findings identify a number of early successes, including endeavors which focused on promoting market integrity through infrastructure and knowledge sharing amongst participants, which influenced others to shift behavior around climate change mitigatio...

Social isolation - the lack of social contacts in number and frequency – has been shown to have a negative impact on health and well-being. Using group-based trajectory analysis of longitudinal data from a New Zealand birth cohort, we created a typology of social isolation based on onset during the life course and persistence into adulthood. We then characterized each type according to risk factors related to family environment and child behavior that have been shown previously to be associated with social isolation. Based on fit statistics and distinctness of trajectories we considered the four-class model to be the most appropriate: (1) ‘never isolated’ (71.6 % of the cohort), (2) ‘adult only’ (10.1 %), (3) ‘child only’ (14.3 %), and (4) ‘persistent isolation’ (4.0 %). Family-environmental factors – i.e. having a teen-aged mother, having a single parent, frequent changes in residence, or maltreatment – tended to be associated with both child and adult onset and persistence of social isolation, whereas child-behavioral factors – i.e. self-control or internalizing symptoms – applied more to the child onset of social isolation. Sensitivity analyses using empirically defined groups – based on 15 % ‘cut-offs’ for isolation in childhood and adulthood - produced similar life-course groupings and similar associations. Our findings provide insights into the development of social isolation and demonstrate the changeability of social isolation across almost four decades of the life span. They also suggest family-based and child-based interventions could address child onset and the persistence of social isolation into adulthood.

SummaryBackground Prevalence of childhood obesity is high in developed countries, and there is a growing concern regarding increasing socio-economic disparities. Objectives To assess trends in the prevalence of overweight, obesity and extreme obesity among New Zealand 4-year olds, and whether these differ by socio-economic and ethnic groupings. Methods A national screening programme, the B4 School Check, collected height and weight data for 75–92% of New Zealand 4-year-old children (n = 317 298) between July 2010 and June 2016. Children at, or above, the 85th, 95th and 99.7th percentile for age and sex adjusted body mass index (according to World Health Organization standards) were classified as overweight, obese and extremely obese, respectively. Prevalence rates across 6 years (2010/11 to 2015/16) were examined by sex, across quintiles of socio-economic deprivation, and by ethnicity. Results The prevalence of overweight, obesity and extreme obesity decreased by 2.2 [95% CI, 1.8–2.5], 2.0 [1.8–2.2] and 0.6 [0.4–0.6] percentage points, respectively, between 2010/2011 and 2015/2016. The downward trends in overweight, obesity and extreme obesity in the population persisted after adjustment for sex, ethnicity, deprivation and urban/rural residence. Downward trends were also observed across sex, ethnicity and deprivation groups. Conclusions The prevalence of obesity appears to be declining in 4-year-old children in New Zealand across all socio-economic and ethnic groups.

In the article “Consonance preferences within an unconventional tuning system,” Friedman and colleagues (2021) examine consonance ratings of a large range of dyads and triads from the Bohlen-Pierce chromatic just (BPCJ) scale. The study is designed as a replication of a recent paper by Bowling, Purves, and Gill (2018), which proposes that perception of consonance in dyads, triads, and tetrads can be predicted by their harmonic similarity to human vocalisations.In this commentary, we would like to correct some interpretations regarding Friedman et al.’s (2021) discussion of our paper (Smit, Milne, Dean, & Weidemann, 2019), as well as express some concerns regarding the statistical methods used. We also propose a stronger emphasis on the use of, as named by Friedman et al., composite models as a range of recent evidence strongly suggests that no single acoustic measure can fully predict the complex experience of consonance.

Featured Application In the present work, RXES planes are reconstructed with high energy resolution from the experimental spectra of the X-ray radiation emitted from a sample and of incident X-ray pulses delivered by an XFEL operated in the raw SASE mode. The dependence of the reconstructed RXES planes' quality on the number of recorded XFEL shots is studied. Aqueous iron (III) oxide nanoparticles were irradiated with pure self-amplified spontaneous emission (SASE) X-ray free-electron laser (XFEL) pulses tuned to the energy around the Fe K-edge ionization threshold. For each XFEL shot, the incident X-ray pulse spectrum and Fe K beta emission spectrum were measured synchronously with dedicated spectrometers and processed through a reconstruction algorithm allowing for the determination of Fe K beta resonant X-ray emission spectroscopy (RXES) plane with high energy resolution. The influence of the number of X-ray shots employed in the experiment on the reconstructed data quality was evaluated, enabling the determination of thresholds for good data acquisition and experimental times essential for practical usage of scarce XFEL beam times.

Patients and families need hope, not false hope

This study investigated the association between the prevalence of oral health problems (caries, gingivitis, mucosal pigmentation and enamel defects in one to 5 year-old children exposed and not exposed to environmental tobacco smoke before and/or after birth. Exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) in childhood may have significant health effects. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data on a child’s current and previous illnesses, oral health behaviours, dietary habits, parental smoking behaviours and parents’ dental history. The intraoral examination recorded dental caries (dmfs), enamel defects, gingival health, melanin pigmentation and soft tissue health. Stimulated saliva was collected. Total sIgA levels were quantified using indirect competitive ELISA with a SalimetricsTM kit. The 44 children (aged 15–69 months) recruited were divided into two groups: ETS and non-ETS (control). There were 22 children in each: 16 who were exposed to ETS during and after gestation were identified as the ETSB subgroup. Participants exposed to ETS were more likely to have had upper respiratory tract and middle ear infections during the neonatal period and had higher mean dmft, mean dmfs, mean percent of surfaces with demarcated opacities and mean GI than the non-ETS participants. The children exposed to ETS before and after birth had the highest occurrence of enamel opacities showed a higher risk for dental caries even though more children in this group used the recommended fluoride toothpaste (1000 ppm fluoride). Mothers who smoked either never breastfed their children or breastfed their children for less than the recommended period of 6 months. Children exposed to ETS were shown to have higher mean total sIgA (μg/ml) than the children in the control group. Associations between ETS exposure before and after gestation and oral health, including salivary changes in young children were shown in the present study. Dental health professionals should include a question about household smoking in children’s dental histories, which would allow opportunities to discuss the impact of smoking on child oral health. Longitudinal oral health studies should include a history of maternal smoking during pregnancy and afterwards.

Periodic scales and meters typically embody “organizational principles” – their pitches and onset times are not randomly distributed, but structured by rules or constraints. Identifying such princi...

Ceramics in the system (1-x)[0.5K 0.5 Bi 0.5 TiO 3 -0.5Ba(Zr 0.2 Ti 0.8 )O 3 ]-xBi(Zn 2/3 Nb 1/3 )O 3 have been fabricated by a solid-state processing route for compositions x≤0.3. The materials are relaxor dielectrics. The temperature of maximum relative permittivity, T m , decreased from 150 °C for composition x=0, to 70 °C for x=0.2. The x=0.2 sample displayed a wide temperature range of stable relative permittivity, e r , such that e r =805±15% from −20 to 600 °C (1 kHz). Dielectric loss tangent was ≤0.02 from 50 °C to 450 °C (1 kHz), but due to the tanδ dispersion peak, the value increased to 0.09 as temperatures fell from 50 °C to −20 °C. Values of dc resistivity were of the order of ~10 9 Ω m at 300 °C. These properties are promising in the context of developing new high temperature capacitor materials.

This is a review of Collected Works of John Tate. Parts I, II, edited by Barry Mazur and Jean-Pierre Serre. American Mathematical Society, Providence, Rhode Island, 2016.

Summary The ability of the wheat Lr34 multipathogen resistance gene (Lr34res) to function across a wide taxonomic boundary was investigated in transgenic Sorghum bicolor. Increased resistance to sorghum rust and anthracnose disease symptoms following infection with the biotrophic pathogen Puccinia purpurea and the hemibiotroph Colletotrichum sublineolum, respectively, occurred in transgenic plants expressing the Lr34res ABC transporter. Transgenic sorghum lines that highly expressed the wheat Lr34res gene exhibited immunity to sorghum rust compared to the low‐expressing single copy Lr34res genotype that conferred partial resistance. Pathogen‐induced pigmentation mediated by flavonoid phytoalexins was evident on transgenic sorghum leaves following P. purpurea infection within 24–72 h, which paralleled Lr34res gene expression. Elevated expression of flavone synthase II, flavanone 4‐reductase and dihydroflavonol reductase genes which control the biosynthesis of flavonoid phytoalexins characterized the highly expressing Lr34res transgenic lines 24‐h post‐inoculation with P. purpurea. Metabolite analysis of mesocotyls infected with C. sublineolum showed increased levels of 3‐deoxyanthocyanidin metabolites were associated with Lr34res expression, concomitant with reduced symptoms of anthracnose.

The underlying causes of temporal gland secretion (TGS) in African elephants are not well understood. In order to better understand TGS predisposing factors, we assessed TGS in relation to a suite of intrinsic and environmental variables in free ranging elephants. TGS monitoring was done in fully protected areas of Lake Manyara National Park (LMNP) and Tarangire National Park (TNP) and Manyara Ranch (MR), a semi-protected multiple use area. Using a hierarchical modeling approach that accounted for the nested data structure, we found that TGS was mainly associated with elephant-specific variables. The likelihood of TGS increased with elephant age. Female elephants were more likely to show TGS than male elephants. In larger groups, females were less likely to have TGS, whereas the likelihood for TGS increased with group size in male elephants. This information enhances our understanding of TGS, and its importance as physiological marker.

Sorption-enhanced steam reforming (SESR) is an energy and cost efficient approach to produce hydrogen with high purity. SESR makes it economically feasible to use a wide range of feedstocks for hydrogen production such as methane, ethanol, and biomass. Selection of catalysts and sorbents plays a vital role in SESR. This article reviews the recent research aimed at process intensification by the integration of catalysis and chemisorption functions into a single material. Alkali metal ceramic powders, including Li2ZrO3, Li4SiO4 and Na2ZrO3 display characteristics suitable for capturing CO2 at low concentrations ( 500 °C), and thus are applicable to precombustion technologies such as SESR, as well as postcombustion capture of CO2 from flue gases. This paper reviews the progress made in improving the operational performance of alkali metal ceramics under conditions that simulate power plant and SESR operation, by adopting new methods of sorbent synthesis and doping with additi...

Pumas are the most widely distributed felid in the Western Hemisphere. Increasingly, however, human persecution and habitat loss are isolating puma populations. To explore the genomic consequences of this isolation, we assemble a draft puma genome and a geographically broad panel of resequenced individuals. We estimate that the lineage leading to present-day North American pumas diverged from South American lineages 300–100 thousand years ago. We find signatures of close inbreeding in geographically isolated North American populations, but also that tracts of homozygosity are rarely shared among these populations, suggesting that assisted gene flow would restore local genetic diversity. The genome of a Florida panther descended from translocated Central American individuals has long tracts of homozygosity despite recent outbreeding. This suggests that while translocations may introduce diversity, sustaining diversity in small and isolated populations will require either repeated translocations or restoration of landscape connectivity. Our approach provides a framework for genome-wide analyses that can be applied to the management of similarly small and isolated populations., Pumas are experiencing increased isolation as human persecution and habitat loss fragment the populations of this once widespread species. Here, the authors estimate the genomic consequences of this isolation by analyzing the genomes of ten pumas from across North and South America.

Since 2000, many countries have achieved considerable success in improving child survival, but localized progress remains unclear. To inform efforts towards United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 3.2—to end preventable child deaths by 2030—we need consistently estimated data at the subnational level regarding child mortality rates and trends. Here we quantified, for the period 2000–2017, the subnational variation in mortality rates and number of deaths of neonates, infants and children under 5 years of age within 99 low- and middle-income countries using a geostatistical survival model. We estimated that 32% of children under 5 in these countries lived in districts that had attained rates of 25 or fewer child deaths per 1,000 live births by 2017, and that 58% of child deaths between 2000 and 2017 in these countries could have been averted in the absence of geographical inequality. This study enables the identification of high-mortality clusters, patterns of progress and geographical inequalities to inform appropriate investments and implementations that will help to improve the health of all populations., A high-resolution, global atlas of mortality of children under five years of age between 2000 and 2017 highlights subnational geographical inequalities in the distribution, rates and absolute counts of child deaths by age.

Stochastic processes are highly relevant in research fields as different as neuroscience, economy, ecology, chemistry, and fundamental physics. However, due to their intrinsic unpredictability, stochastic mechanisms are very challenging for any kind of investigations and practical applications. Here we report the deliberate use of stochastic X-ray pulses in two-dimensional spectroscopy to the simultaneous mapping of unoccupied and occupied electronic states of atoms in a regime where the opacity and transparency properties of matter are subject to the incident intensity and photon energy. A readily transferable matrix formalism is presented to extract the electronic states from a dataset measured with the monitored input from a stochastic excitation source. The presented formalism enables investigations of the response of the electronic structure to irradiation with intense X-ray pulses while the time structure of the incident pulses is preserved., Free electron X-ray laser pulses, generated by self-amplified spontaneous emission, are stochastic in nature. Here the authors present a reconstruction method for 2D spectroscopy while preserving the intrinsic properties of the incident pulses and apply it to a study towards X-ray intensity induced effects.

The impact of age, ethnicity and socio-economic deprivation in the era of novel anti-myeloma agents is unclear. Using linked national data from New Zealand, we evaluated the incidence, prevalence and overall survival (OS) of individuals who were diagnosed with myeloma between 2004 and 2016. The crude incidence rate increased from 5·42 to 8·47/100 000 and the age-standardised rate increased from 4·01 to 5·28/100 000. The estimated prevalence in December 2016 was 37·8/100 000. Median OS increased from 34·8 (95% CI 31·4, 39·3) months in 2004-2007 to 50·7 (48·5, 57·3) months in 2012-2016. Following the public funding of bortezomib in 2011, the median OS for individuals >70 years increased from 19·4 (16·3, 23·1) to 28·6 (24·5, 32·8) months. For those ≤70 years of age who did not have autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT), median OS increased from 49·1 (37·1, 57·5) to 62·7 (51·7, 79·2) months; but for those who had ASCT, there was no difference in median OS. Socio-economic deprivation was an independent adverse prognostic factor. Māori/Pasifika and those in the most deprived quintile experienced no improvement in survival after bortezomib was funded. Our study confirms the increasing incidence and improving survival of myeloma patients, and the negative impact of Māori/Pasifika ethnicity and socio-economic deprivation on survival.