Non-Invasive Assessment of the Seasonal Stress Response to Veterinary Procedures and Transportation of Zoo-Housed Lesser Anteater (Tamandua tetradactyla)

Management procedures affect behavioural and physiological stress responses of wild mammals under human care. According to the Reactive Scope Model, normal values are presumed to exist within predictive and reactive ranges. First, stress parameters of zoo-housed adult Tamandua tetradactyla were evaluated in winter and summer (29 days each), determining the level of behaviour and/or physiological parameters needed to respond to predictable environmental changes. Secondly, the effects of veterinary procedures and transportation were studied in both seasons. Non-invasive methods were applied, assessing behaviour through videos and adrenocortical activity by faecal glucocorticoid metabolites (FGMs). Lesser anteaters exhibited seasonality (summer > winter) in some behavioural parameters, such as nocturnal activities, as well as in the activity cycle (e.g., acrophase) and FGMs. A veterinary check elicited an increase in total activity (TA), natural behaviours and repetitive locomotion and affected the activity cycle, particularly in summer. Transport produced changes in TA, nocturnal and natural activity and some variables of the activity cycle, mostly during summer. Although the effects of routine management procedures were different from each other and presumably stressful, they elicited changes only at the behavioural level, which was greater during summer. The differences observed according to non-invasive methodologies highlight the importance of a multidisciplinary approach in this context and suggest that it is unlikely that individual welfare was affected.

Features of functional maturation of the central nervous system in fetuses with multiple pregnancies

The study was undertaken to detect some peculiarities of fetal rest activity cycle formation in multiple pregnancy. 86 fetuses (43 twins) were observed with the following assessment of the newbornsneurological status. The rest activity cycle parameters and haemodynamic indices of fetoplacental system were examined. Also there was considered the influence of IUGR and twins birth weight discordance on CNSfunctionalformation. The results showed that twins comparing with single pregnancies are characterized by the retardation of rest activity cycle formation that is manifested in shortening оf the quite and prolongation оf the intermediate states, lowering of cardiac rhythm variability and motorcardial reflex. These findings substantiate the necessity of including twins into high-risk group concerning neurological disorders in the newborns. The IUGR appears an additional factor increasing this risk.

Relationship between geomagnetic storm development and the solar wind parameter ß

We have analyzed the dynamics of solar wind and interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) parameters during the development of 933 isolated geomagnetic storms, observed over the period from 1964 to 2010. The analysis was carried out using the epoch superposition method at intervals of 48 hrs before and 168 hrs after the moment of Dst minimum. The geomagnetic storms were selected by the type of storm commencement (sudden or gradual) and by intensity (weak, moderate, and strong). The dynamics of the solar wind and IMF parameters was compared with that of the Dst index, which is an indicator of the development of geomagnetic storms. The largest number of storms in the solar activity cycle is shown to occur in the years of minimum average values (close in magnitude to 1) of the solar wind parameter β (β is the ratio of plasma pressure to magnetic pressure). We have revealed that the dynamics of the Dst index is similar to that of the β parameter. The duration of the storm recovery phase follows the characteristic recovery time of the β parameter. We have found out that during the storm main phase the β parameter is close to 1, which reflects the maximum turbulence of solar wind plasma fluctuations. In the recovery phase, β returns to background values β~2‒3.5. We assume that the solar wind plasma turbulence, characterized by the β parameter, can play a significant role in the development of geomagnetic storms.

Relationship between geomagnetic storm development and the solar wind parameter β

We have analyzed the dynamics of solar wind and interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) parameters during the development of 933 isolated geomagnetic storms, observed over the period from 1964 to 2010. The analysis was carried out using the epoch superposition method at intervals of 48 hrs before and 168 hrs after the moment of Dst minimum. The geomagnetic storms were selected by the type of storm commencement (sudden or gradual) and by intensity (weak, moderate, and strong). The dynamics of the solar wind and IMF parameters was compared with that of the Dst index, which is an indicator of the development of geomagnetic storms. The largest number of storms in the solar activity cycle is shown to occur in the years of minimum average values (close in magnitude to 1) of the solar wind parameter β (β is the ratio of plasma pressure to magnetic pressure). We have revealed that the dynamics of the Dst index is similar to that of the β parameter. The duration of the storm recovery phase follows the characteristic recovery time of the β parameter. We have found out that during the storm main phase the β parameter is close to 1, which reflects the maximum turbulence of solar wind plasma fluctuations. In the recovery phase, β returns to background values β~2‒3.5. We assume that the solar wind plasma turbulence, characterized by the β parameter, can play a significant role in the development of geomagnetic storms.

TESS Asteroseismology of α Mensae: Benchmark Ages for a G7 Dwarf and Its M Dwarf Companion

Asteroseismology of bright stars has become increasingly important as a method to determine the fundamental properties (in particular ages) of stars. The Kepler Space Telescope initiated a revolution by detecting oscillations in more than 500 main-sequence and subgiant stars. However, most Kepler stars are faint and therefore have limited constraints from independent methods such as long-baseline interferometry. Here we present the discovery of solar-like oscillations in α Men A, a naked-eye (V = 5.1) G7 dwarf in TESS’s southern continuous viewing zone. Using a combination of astrometry, spectroscopy, and asteroseismology, we precisely characterize the solar analog α Men A (T eff = 5569 ± 62 K, R ⋆ = 0.960 ± 0.016 R ⊙, M ⋆ = 0.964 ± 0.045 M ⊙). To characterize the fully convective M dwarf companion, we derive empirical relations to estimate mass, radius, and temperature given the absolute Gaia magnitude and metallicity, yielding M ⋆ = 0.169 ± 0.006 M ⊙, R ⋆ = 0.19 ± 0.01 R ⊙, and T eff = 3054 ± 44 K. Our asteroseismic age of 6.2 ± 1.4 (stat) ± 0.6 (sys) Gyr for the primary places α Men B within a small population of M dwarfs with precisely measured ages. We combined multiple ground-based spectroscopy surveys to reveal an activity cycle of P = 13.1 ± 1.1 yr for α Men A, a period similar to that observed in the Sun. We used different gyrochronology models with the asteroseismic age to estimate a rotation period of ∼30 days for the primary. Alpha Men A is now the closest (d = 10 pc) solar analog with a precise asteroseismic age from space-based photometry, making it a prime target for next-generation direct-imaging missions searching for true Earth analogs.

CIRCADIAN RHYTHM AND CHRONIC DISORDERS OF CONSCIOUSNESS

Among the possible points of therapeutic action and predicting the outcome in patients in a vegetative state and minimally conscious state, the analysis of circadian rhythms, such as the sleep-wake cycle, melatonin secretion, temperature trends, heart rate, and blood pressure, attracts more and more attention. In this review, we analyzed studies on circadian rhythms in patients with chronic disorders of consciousness, assessed the possible limitations of standard methods, proposed a concept for the development of an assessment of the sleep-wake cycle, and assessed the role of exogenous factors that are likely to be involved in the disturbance of circadian rhythms in intensive care units. Based on the results of the study, we came to the conclusion that for the full realization of the rehabilitation potential, it is necessary to develop methods for assessing circadian rhythms based on a multicomponent approach, including 24-hour monitoring using actigraphy for more accurate identification of the rest -activity cycle, video monitoring of the orofascial area to increase the reliability of oculographic assessment and revealing hidden patterns, analysis of the temperature curve, the level of melatonin, TSH, cortisol, as well as exogenous factors. It is necessary to use the information obtained for therapeutic, prognostic, diagnostic and rehabilitation purposes

Reading across texts: perceptions and performance of early adolescent readers

<p>Learning Media have introduced an anthology series that draws on writing previously published in the School Journals with the addition, lately, of commissioned work. The series is designed to meet the new curriculum objectives for English, social studies and science with less practised readers. A title in the series will typically contain narratives as well as personal accounts by experts, loosely related to a theme in the social studies or science curriculum. A survey of how the titles were being used indicated that teachers were treating the contents of the anthologies as single texts and that the advantages of reading across texts related to a theme were not being realised. A study was therefore conducted with an intermediate school class in order to establish an activity cycle that would exploit the potential of anthologies as a resource for reading-to-write from multiple sources. The experience gained from the study suggests that the cycle should contain instruction on transforming sources and this skill needs to be practised within the framework of a discourse synthesis task. In the study, the task appeared to be the driving force that determined what was read, what information was selected, the student's stance towards the information, and what guided the monitoring process. Reading proficiency did not appear to make a substantial difference to the way the task was interpreted nor in the way the task was accomplished tactically, suggesting that discourse synthesis is an issue of experience with the component skills.</p>

Reading across texts: perceptions and performance of early adolescent readers

<p>Learning Media have introduced an anthology series that draws on writing previously published in the School Journals with the addition, lately, of commissioned work. The series is designed to meet the new curriculum objectives for English, social studies and science with less practised readers. A title in the series will typically contain narratives as well as personal accounts by experts, loosely related to a theme in the social studies or science curriculum. A survey of how the titles were being used indicated that teachers were treating the contents of the anthologies as single texts and that the advantages of reading across texts related to a theme were not being realised. A study was therefore conducted with an intermediate school class in order to establish an activity cycle that would exploit the potential of anthologies as a resource for reading-to-write from multiple sources. The experience gained from the study suggests that the cycle should contain instruction on transforming sources and this skill needs to be practised within the framework of a discourse synthesis task. In the study, the task appeared to be the driving force that determined what was read, what information was selected, the student's stance towards the information, and what guided the monitoring process. Reading proficiency did not appear to make a substantial difference to the way the task was interpreted nor in the way the task was accomplished tactically, suggesting that discourse synthesis is an issue of experience with the component skills.</p>

Analytic Representation of Illuminance on the Earth Surface with Different Types and Conditions of Cloud Cover over the 11-Year Solar Activity Cycle

The article describes the analytical expression approximating experimental data on daily natural illuminance on the Earth surface with different types and conditions of cloud cover over the 11-year solar activity cycle within the solar altitude angle range of 0 ° to 90 °. The values of the direct, diffused, and total illuminance on the Earth surface with different types and conditions of the cloud cover and, to some extent, of the substrate were defined and summarised in tables. The data presented may be used as part of the visual perception studies, light and engineering calculations, architecture and construction practice, etc.