Low temperature triggers physiological and behavioral shifts in adult oriental armyworm, Mythimna separata

Migratory insects display diverse behavioral strategies in response to external environmental shifts, via energy allocation of migration-reproduction trade-offs. However, how migratory insects distribute energy between migration and reproduction as an adaptive strategy to confront temporary low temperatures remains unclear. Here, we used Mythimna separata, a migratory cereal crop pest, to explore the effects of low temperature on reproductive performance, behavior, and energy allocation. We found that the influence of low temperatures on reproduction was not absolutely negative, but instead depended on the intensity, duration, and age of exposure to low temperature. Exposure to 6°C for 24 h significantly accelerated the onset of oviposition and ovarian development, and increased the synchrony of egg-laying and lifetime fecundity in 1-day-old adults compared to the control, while female's flight capacity decreased significantly on the first and second day after moths were exposed to 6°C. Furthermore, the abdominal and total triglycerides levels of females decreased significantly from exposure to low temperature, but their thoracic triglyceride content was significantly higher than the control on the third and fourth day. These results indicated that low temperatures induced M. separata to reduce energy investment for the development of flight system. This resulted in the shifting of moths from being migrants to residents during the environmental sensitive period (first day post-emergence). This expands our understanding of the adaptive strategy employed by migratory insects to deal with low temperatures and aids in the management of this pest species in China.

Physical Activity in High School Classrooms: A Promising Avenue for Future Research

Adolescence represents a sensitive period whereby lifestyle factors such as physical activity can have profound, long-lasting effects on development and later life habits. However, adolescence constitutes a period of frequent sedentary behaviour. Among children, integrating physical activity into elementary school classrooms has been shown to reduce sedentary behaviour and improve academic achievement and overall physical and mental health. However, this promising area of research has not extended to adolescents and high school classrooms. In this paper, we describe the benefits of conducting research on the impact of physically active high school classrooms, and highlight the challenges and potential misconceptions associated with research in this field. Specifically, we review research on the role of physical activity in adolescent development, the benefits of classroom-based physical activity for children, and discuss the factors that may have led researchers to focus on classroom-based physical activity primarily for children, despite the potentially similar benefits for adolescents.

Hypoxia-Ischemia During a Neonatal Sensitive Period Alters Purkinje Neuron Dendritic Complexity Differently in Male and Female Rats

Perinatal hypoxia-ischemia (HI) is a major health issue with no effective therapies beyond head cooling. Notably, male infants are at a greater risk for HI and exhibit more extreme deficits than females. Extensive clinical evidence indicates that perinatal HI impacts the developing cerebellum, yet this region has been largely ignored in preclinical models. Using a modified version of the Rice-Vannucci rat model for HI injury at postnatal day 10, we find reductions in dendritic complexity of Purkinje neurons in males one week later. Females exhibited modest but opposite effects, with slight increases in dendritic complexity, based on Sholl analysis. A custom-made NanoString panel for quantifying mRNAs associated with development, inflammation, and sex differences found almost no commonality in the response to HI in males versus females, with males up-regulating genes associated with microglia activity whereas females increased expression of a protective complement protein, but also of enzymes associated with endocannabinoids and prostaglandins. Both sexes exhibited a reduction in the GABA-synthetic enzymes, GAD-65 and GAD-67, after HI, suggesting increased excitotoxicity, but why males suffered more damage to the Purkinje neurons is unknown.

Transacting With Texts

This chapter presents an applied model for supporting preschool children's executive function, skills that serve as protective factors against risks associated with poverty, using Rosenblatt's transactional theory. The authors posit pedagogy that elicits children's responses to an author's/illustrator's picturebook whereby preschool readers' responses are mediated by the teacher through reflective discussion. Children are encouraged to reflect upon literary characters' motivations, behaviors, and problem solving. A demonstration case analysis shows how this model is implemented in a diverse and inclusive university laboratory preschool program where approximately half the children are served through Head Start, a federal program for children living in poverty. Given the preschool years are an especially sensitive period for acquisition of executive function skills, the authors assert that supporting young children's transactions with and interpretations of a text is the type of transactional strategy that has potential for narrowing the opportunity gap.

Improving the means and methods of training of young fencers aged 9-11 years

Background and Study Aim. Training of motor actions of young athletes requires consideration the peculiarities of the sensitive period of their development. An important component of the training program is the use of training tools that do not harm the health of young athletes. The purpose of the study is to identify the dynamics of physical training and provide an assessment of technical and tactical techniques of fencers (sword) aged 9-11 years under the influence of the author's program. Material and methods. The study involved young fencers (n = 20; age 9-11 years). The study lasted one academic year. The training was held in the gym of the children's and youth sports school "Wave" (Kharkiv, Ukraine). Athletes were divided into two uniform groups: control group (n = 10) and experimental group (n = 10). Classes were held according to the author's program 4 times a week for 2 hours. A survey of trainers of trainers (n = 12) and experienced fencers (n = 30) was conducted. Parents of children agreed to participate in the study. The following tests were used: “Standing Long Jump Test (Broad Jump), cm”; “4x9 m Shuttle test, sec.”; "Hits into the target, 30 sec. points"; "Simulation exercises of a simple fencing combination, sec.". The program "Microsoft Excel" Data Analysis, SPSS was used. The level of reliability is selected p <0.05. Results. Significant changes in the indicators of the control group were obtained: “Standing Long Jump Test (Broad Jump), cm”, (p <0.05); in the test "4x9 m Shuttle test, sec." (p <0.05); both tests have assessment of technical and tactical techniques (p <0.01). In the experimental group, all tests showed positive changes (p <0.01). In comparison of two groups with each other in the tests "Standing Long Jump Test (Broad Jump), cm", "4x9 m Shuttle test, sec." and " Hits into the target, 30 sec. points" there were positive statistically significant changes (p <0.05). In the test "Simulation exercises of a simple fencing combination, sec." no significant changes occurred (p˃0.05). Conclusions. It is recommended to take into account the effects of exercise on the health of young athletes when designing a fencing training program.

An Increase in TNF-α Levels in Fetus due to Prenatal Ischemic Hypoxia

BACKGROUND: Prenatal ischemic hypoxia can increase mortality and morbidity and affect the immune system. One of the immune responses is tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels. However, the cellular mechanism of immune response abnormalities due to prenatal hypoxia remains unclear. An 11–17-day-old fetus is a sensitive period of neural development. Brain ischemia will cause cell dysfunction and can even affect TNF-α levels. Thus, how prenatal ischemic hypoxia increases TNF-α levels in the fetus remains unclear. AIM: This study aims to examine the effect of the onset and duration of prenatal ischemic hypoxia on TNF-α levels. METHODOLOGY: An experimental study with a post-test control design was conducted. Thirty Rattus norvegicus were induced with prenatal ischemic hypoxia (embryos aged 7, 12, and 17 days). The independent variable was prenatal ischemic hypoxia, while the dependent variable was TNF-α levels. TNF-α was measured using the ELISA technique and was carried out when the fetus was 19 days old (E19). The TNF-α was analyzed using ANOVA, and the limit of significance was set at p < 0.05. RESULTS: The TNF-α levels in the prenatal ischemic hypoxia group were statistically higher than in the control group (p < 0.05). The more the onset and the longer the ischemic hypoxia is, the higher the TNF-level (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The prenatal ischemic hypoxia increased TNF-α levels in the fetus.

The Plight in Foreign Language Learning in Tunisian Context: Classroom Language Assessment v.s Foreign Language Learning Anxiety

The assessment of language proficiency from a psycholinguistics perspective has been a subject of considerable interest. Many literatures are devoted for the explanation of certain psychological phenomena related to first language acquisition and foreign language learning like language disorders/impairments, critical/sensitive period and language anxiety. This paper sheds the light on foreign language anxiety, which is in my conviction the hardest problem that concerns the foreign language learner as well as the teacher. The origin of this conviction is that foreign language anxiety hampers learner performance on one hand, and on the other hand effects, negatively, the classroom language assessment which in turn sharpens learner’s anxiety more and more. There is a significant negative correlation between foreign language anxiety and classroom language assessment. Three issues are to be tackled in this paper: (i) The implication of ‘anxiety’ as a psychological issue in foreign language learning, (ii) classroom language assessment in Tunisian schools and (iii) the relation between foreign language anxiety and classroom language assessment.

Comprehensive and special physical fitness of judo athletes of provincial national teams in the age groups: youngster (U16) and junior (U21)

The research aimed to determine the relationship between the universal and special physical fitness of judoists. The study involved players from the youngster (U16) and junior (U21) age group from provincial teams. The International Physical Fitness Test was used to measure comprehensive fitness, and the Special Judo Fitness Test was applied to assess special fitness. The research has shown that juniors exhibit a higher level of all-round (excluding flexibility) and special fitness than youngsters. More relationships between comprehensive physical fitness and special fitness were demonstrated in the youngster group. Leg muscle strength, endurance, agility, and abdominal strength were found to have the most significant impact on the overall level of all-round fitness in the youngster age group, while in the age group under 21, endurance, hand strength, and arm strength had the most significant impact. It has been shown that the combination of individual components of versatile fitness in a given training cycle may bring positive effects in shaping those features in both age groups. Besides, it has been shown that when taking account of the athlete’s ontogenetic development and his/her sensitive period, the relationships between the components of comprehensive fitness and comprehensive and special fitness can significantly affect the effectiveness of the training process in both age groups.