Critical Periods Of Growth Research Articles

Pediatric Obesity Pharmacotherapy: State of the Science, Research Gaps, and Opportunities.

Pediatric obesity is a major public health problem, affecting nearly 20% of children and adolescents living in the United States. In 2023, the American Academy of Pediatrics released its first clinical practice guideline for the evaluation and management of child and adolescent obesity and recommended integrating health behavior and lifestyle interventions with pharmacological treatment when medically indicated. However, there is a limited evidence base to guide antiobesity medication treatment decisions in clinical practice and limited data on long-term safety during this critical period of growth and development in youth. Thus, in November of 2023, the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases sponsored a workshop to identify knowledge gaps and opportunities for research on the use of pharmacotherapy for obesity in children and adolescents. Leading scientific and clinical experts in obesity pathophysiology and treatment, pharmacotherapy, clinical trial design, and health equity and disparities, among others, identified gaps in clinical trial design, guidance for clinical use of medications in children and adolescents, additional treatment outcomes beyond body fat or weight, and improvement in care delivery. Adolescent patients and caregivers with lived experience of obesity and weight management were also invited to participate in a panel discussion, providing personal perspectives on living with obesity, clinical care considerations, and research needs. This article summarizes the workshop proceedings on the state of the science and identifies gaps and opportunities for future research to inform optimal and equitable medical management of children and adolescents with obesity.

How Does Parental Early Maladaptive Schema Affect Adolescents' Social Adaptation? Based on the Perspective of Intergenerational Transmission.

An individual's social adaptation is affected by their early maladaptive schemas. Previous studies have shown that early maladaptive schemas may be intergenerationally transmitted in families. It is important to explore the intergenerational effect of early maladaptive schemas on adolescents' social adaptation, as they are in a critical period of growth and development. In this study, a cross-sectional design and questionnaire survey were used to collect data to explore the intergenerational influence of early maladaptive schemas in families and their relationship with adolescents' social adaptation. The participants were 201 adolescents aged 12 to 16 years and their primary caregivers (father or mother), of whom 125 (62.2%) were boys and 76 (37.8%) were girls. There were 70 fathers (34.8%) and 131 mothers (65.2%). Chinese adolescents and their primary caregivers were surveyed using paired questionnaires, and the Young Schema Questionnaire (short form) and Adolescent Social Adaptation Scale were completed. The results show that adolescents' early maladaptive schema plays an intermediary role between parents' early maladaptive schema and adolescents' social adaptation. Parental mistrust/abuse and insufficient self-control schemas affected adolescents' social adaptation through the mediating effect of their corresponding schemas. Our results reveal the negative impact path of parents' early maladaptive schemas on adolescents' social adaptation and provide a new direction for the clinical practice of adolescent family therapy.

Remote Sensing and Field Data Analysis to Evaluate the Impact of Stone Bunds on Rainfed Agriculture in West Africa

This study evaluates the effectiveness of stone bunds in enhancing soil moisture, vegetation health, and crop yields in Ghana’s semi-arid Upper East Region, an important area for agricultural productivity in West Africa. In this region, agricultural practices are heavily impacted by erratic rainfall and poor soil moisture retention, threatening food security. Despite the known benefits of traditional soil conservation practices like stone bunds, their effectiveness in this context has not been fully quantified. Field and remote sensing data were used to evaluate the influence of stone bunds on soil moisture dynamics, vegetation growth, and crop yield. Experimental plots with and without stone bunds were monitored for climate, soil water infiltration, and soil moisture and analyzed using the NDVI from Sentinel-2 satellite imagery over two growing seasons under sorghum production (2022–2023). The results indicated that stone bunds enhanced soil moisture retention and increased infiltration rates. The NDVI analysis consistently revealed higher vegetation health and growth in the plots with stone bunds, particularly during critical growth periods. The intermediate results of the conducted experiment indicated that stone bunds increased sorghum yields by over 35% compared to the control plots. The substantial agronomic benefits of stone bunds as a soil and water conservation strategy were evident, improving soil water infiltration, water retention, vegetation health, and crop yields. The findings support the broader adoption of stone bunds in semi-arid regions to enhance agricultural productivity and resilience against climate variability. Further research is recommended to explore the long-term impacts and the integration of stone bunds with other sustainable farming practices to optimize rainfed agricultural outcomes.

Estimating pulmonary arterial remodeling via an animal-specific computational model of pulmonary artery stenosis.

Pulmonary artery stenosis (PAS) often presents in children with congenital heart disease, altering blood flow and pressure during critical periods of growth and development. Variability in stenosis onset, duration, and severity result in variable growth and remodeling of the pulmonary vasculature. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models enable investigation into the hemodynamic impact and altered mechanics associated with PAS. In this study, a one-dimensional (1D) fluid dynamics model was used to simulate hemodynamics throughout the pulmonary arteries of individual animals. The geometry of the large pulmonary arteries was prescribed by animal-specific imaging, whereas the distal vasculature was simulated by a three-element Windkessel model at each terminal vessel outlet. Remodeling of the pulmonary vasculature, which cannot be measured in vivo, was estimated via model-fitted parameters. The large artery stiffness was significantly higher on the left side of the vasculature in the left pulmonary artery (LPA) stenosis group, but neither side differed from the sham group. The sham group exhibited a balanced distribution of total distal vascular resistance, whereas the left side was generally larger in the LPA stenosis group, with no significant differences between groups. In contrast, the peripheral compliance on the right side of the LPA stenosis group was significantly greater than the corresponding side of the sham group. Further analysis indicated the underperfused distal vasculature likely moderately decreased in radius with little change in stiffness given the increase in thickness observed with histology. Ultimately, our model enables greater understanding of pulmonary arterial adaptation due to LPA stenosis and has potential for use as a tool to noninvasively estimate remodeling of the pulmonary vasculature.

Oro-facial Cleft in Nasomaxillo-acrodysostosis (Binder): Orthopaeddontics and Surgery

Nasomaxillo-acrodysostosis or Binder’s syndrome in a patient with a cleft lip and palate anomaly is infrequent. This case report underscores a unique surgical outcome achieved through an integrated orthopaeddontic and maxillofacial surgical approach within a multidisciplinary team. The treatment, initiated during a significant paediatric growth phase, was remarkably successful during the orthopaeddontic phase. The result obtained due to the successful early orthopaeddontic intervention significantly altered the initial plan for major midfacial orthognathic surgical reconstruction. As a result, the child born with this twin facial anomaly experiences a more typical development trajectory with fewer disruptions from extensive oro-facial reconstructions. The case underscores the importance of early maxillary expansion across multiple dimensions during the critical paediatric growth period. This approach was pivotal in achieving a positive outcome, ultimately reducing the need for major invasive surgical procedures. The success of the treatment was also attributed to the dedicated collaboration among the healthcare professionals, the patient’s commitment and the family’s strong support.

Dynamics of gas exchange and heart rate signal entropy in standard cardiopulmonary exercise testing during critical periods of growth and development.

Standard cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) produces a rich dataset but its current analysis is often limited to a few derived variables such as maximal or peak oxygen uptake (V̇O2). We tested whether breath-by-breath CPET data could be used to determine sample entropy (SampEn) in 81 healthy children and adolescents (age 7-18 years old, equal sex distribution). To overcome challenges of the relatively small time-series CPET data size and its nonstationarity, we developed a Python algorithm for short-duration physiological signals. Comparing pre- and post-ventilatory threshold (VT1) CPET phases, we found: (1) SampEn decreased by 9.46% for V̇O2 and 5.01% for V̇CO2 (p < 0.05), in the younger, early-pubertal participants; and (2) HR SampEn fell substantially by 70.8% in the younger and 77.5% in the older participants (p < 0.001). Across all ages, females exhibited greater HR SampEn than males during both pre- and post VT1 CPET phases by 14.10% and 23.79%, respectively, p < 0.01. In females, late-pubertal had 17.6% lower HR SampEn compared to early-pubertal participants (p < 0.05). Breath-by-breath gas exchange and HR data from CPET are amenable to SampEn analysis that leads to novel insight into physiological responses to work intensity, and sex and maturational effects.

A Study on Factors Influencing Digital Reading Behavior of Junior High School Students

Abstract The present study aimed to explore the impact pathway of digital reading willingness and behavior among junior high school students in Guangxi’s developed urban areas, so as to improve the digital reading quality of teenagers. This study took students from key junior high schools in Nanning, Guilin, and Liuzhou as the research subjects. The UTAUT model retained three factors, performance expectation, effort expectation, and social impact, while introducing two variables, perceived risk and immersive experience, to jointly develop a factor model for the digital reading behavior of junior high school students in Guangxi. After conducting a questionnaire survey using an “online + offline” method, 497 valid questionnaires were obtained. SPSS 23 was used to perform reliability and validity analysis and descriptive statistical analysis, while AMOS 26.0 was used to conduct discriminant validity analysis, model adaptation analysis, hypothesis testing, and path analysis. The research conclusion was that performance expectations, effort expectations, social impact, and immersive experience all had a positive and significant impact on the digital reading willingness of junior high school students; performance expectations, effort expectations, social impact, and immersive experience positively influenced their digital reading behavior through their digital reading willingness, while perceived risk was found to have no significant impact on digital reading willingness and corresponding behavior. This article used a composite research method to study a sample of student groups in specific regions. It was an early introduction of immersive experience and perceived risk indicators in the study of digital reading behavior, specifically exploring the digital reading patterns of junior high school students who had received less attention in previous studies but were in a critical period of growth.

A Framework for the Analysis of Personal Learning Networks

This paper reports on research undertaken to map and analyse Personal Learning Networks (PLNs). PLNs are the total preferred connections to the different people, technological devices, services, and information resources an individual uses for learning activities and learning goals in all learning contexts. Drawing from Education, Web Science, Digital Sociology and Network Science, a Framework was developed which conceptualises PLNs as egocentric interaction networks involving a mode, purpose and endpoint. The Framework introduces the idea of measuring the frequency of interaction along paths consisting of pre-determined, generalised nodes (and node sets). This eliminate network differences at the micro level and allows meaningful comparison and aggregation of individual PLNs into groups or whole samples. Quantitative survey data was collected as part of a FutureLearn MOOC and in real-time converted by a bespoke mapping and visualisation tool into an online PLN map. Analysis indicates that regardless of any contextual factors, individuals interact nearly three quarters of the time via digital devices, and just a quarter of the time face-to-face or non-digitally. One third of those interactions are with smartphones, most often for the purpose of gathering information from web searches. Individuals also interact more frequently with non-humans than they do with humans. Chi-square significance testing to examine the effect of a range of external shaping factors found that the PLNs of apparently diverse groups display a considerable homogeneity. Gender, country of residence and position on the Digital Resident-Digital Visitor spectrum have no effect on the size and use of a PLN. Age and being a UK HE student have the most effect. There may also be evidence of a Network Lifecycle, with a critical period of PLN growth occurring during the age of 18-25. This means that universities are ideally placed, indeed may even have a duty of care, to foster PLN development in educationally and personally productive ways. If HE institutions are to respond to the networked student, living, working and learning in a network age, then no longer can the learner be considered separately from the network of people, devices, services and information resources they use for daily life. Transitioning towards a PLN-centred, networked learning HE pedagogy and learning design may arguably be the most suitable response to a study body which is increasingly and inextricably embedded in a sociotechnical reality.

Monitoring yellow rust progression during spring critical wheat growth periods using multi-temporal Sentinel-2 imagery.

Yellow rust (Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici) is a devastating hazard to wheat production, which poses a serious threat to yield and food security in the main wheat-producing areas in eastern China. It is necessary to monitor yellow rust progression during spring critical wheat growth periods to support its prediction by providing timely calibrations for disease prediction models and timely green prevention and control. Three Sentinel-2 images for the disease during the three wheat growth periods (jointing, heading, and filling) were acquired. Spectral, texture, and color features were all extracted for each growth period disease. Then three period-specific feature sets were obtained. Given the differences in field disease epidemic status in the three periods, three period-targeted monitoring models were established to map yellow rust damage progression in spring and track its spatiotemporal change. The models' performance was then validated based on the disease field truth data during the three periods (87 for the jointing period, 183 for the heading period, and 155 for the filling period). The validation results revealed that the representation of the wheat yellow rust damage progression based on our monitoring model group was realistic and credible. The overall accuracy of the healthy and diseased pixel classification monitoring model at the jointing period reached 87.4%, and the coefficient of determination (R2) of the disease index regression monitoring models at the heading and filling periods was 0.77 (heading period) and 0.76 (filling period). The model-group-result-based spatiotemporal change detection of the yellow rust progression across the entire study area revealed that the area proportions conforming to the expected disease spatiotemporal development pattern during the jointing-to-heading period and the heading-to-filling period reached 98.2% and 84.4% respectively. Our jointing, heading, and filling period-targeted monitoring model group overcomes the limitations of most existing monitoring models only based on single-phase remote sensing information. It performs well in revealing the wheat yellow rust spatiotemporal epidemic in spring, can timely update disease trends to optimize disease management, and provide a basis for disease prediction to timely correct model. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Productivity of hybrid rice (Mestizo 27) under different water and nutrient management systems

This study examines the productivity of hybrid rice under different water and nutrient management systems. At Isabela State University, Cabagan, Isabela, we conducted a field experiment to determine the productivity of hybrid rice production under different water and nutrient management strategies. It was laid out in a split-plot design with four replications. Water management schemes as main plot consisted of alternate wetting and drying at -15 cm (A1), alternate wetting and drying at -20 cm (A2), field capacity (A3), and continuous flooding (A4), while nutrient management strategies as subplot consisted of recommended rate (B1), leaf color chart (B2), critical growth periods (B3), and rice crop management (B4). The Mestizo 27 subjected to nutrient management through the leaf color chart (B2) gained highest on the number of productive tillers, filled grains, biomass weight, and grain yield. Similarly, the interaction effect of field capacity and leaf color chart (A3xB2) resulted in numerous productive tillers, which increased the yield, net income, and return on investment. Moreover, water management through the field capacity (A3), continuous flooding (A4), and AWD-15 (A1) in combination with leaf color charts (B2) produced highest grain yield among treatments. Hence, the use of leaf color chart in combination with different water management schemes was seen as effective in increasing the yield of Mestizo 27 even beyond safe AWD-15.

Relationship between macro- and micronutrient intakes with undernutrition among toddlers aged 12-23 months in Aceh, Indonesia

Introduction: Foods consumed contain macro- and micronutrients necessary for the growth and development of children. This study aimed to analyse the relationship between macronutrient and micronutrient intakes with undernutrition in toddlers aged 12-23 months. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in 18 Integrated Healthcare Centres (Posyandu) in Simpang Tiga, Aceh Besar Regency. A total of 138 toddlers were selected using simple random sampling technique. Data collected included family demographics, characteristics, nutritional status of children, and food consumption for macro- and micronutrient intake analyses. Results: Prevalence of malnutrition in toddlers was relatively high – severe underweight and underweight totaled 23.2%, severe wasting and wasting 18.1%, and severe stunting and stunting 27.5%. Significant associations (p&lt;0.05) were found between underweight and intakes of energy, protein, carbohydrates, fat, calcium, phosphorus, zinc, thiamin, and niacin. Wasting was significantly associated (p&lt;0.05) with intakes of energy, protein, and vitamin A. Stunting was significantly associated (p&lt;0.05) with intakes of energy, protein, carbohydrates, fat, calcium, phosphorus, iron, calcium, zinc, vitamin A, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, and vitamin C. Conclusion: Certain macro- and micronutrient intakes were correlated with undernutrition in toddlers. The results of this study can be used as a reference for planning the development of supplementary feeding programmes for children aged 12-23 months, considering that the critical period of child growth and development is in the first 1000 days of life.

Influence of Selenium on the Yield and Content of the Amino Acid Composition of Spring Wheat Grain under Optimal Conditions of Water Supply and during Drought

In model experiments in soil culture, the effect of various methods of applying sodium selenite on the formation of yield and amino acid composition of grain varieties of spring wheat Zlata and Ester, depending on water supply conditions, was studied. Sodium selenite was introduced by pre-sowing seed treatment and leaf treatment of vegetative plants. The study simulated optimal water supply conditions and soil moisture deficiency during the critical period of plant growth. The role of selenium in the regulation of the production process and the formation of the amino acid composition of spring wheat grain was studied. It was found that the production process of wheat plants, both under optimal water supply and in drought conditions, depended on the method of application of selenium and the varietal characteristics of spring wheat. The results allowed us to assume that selenium activated the attenuating ability of the ear by enhancing its acceptor properties. Under these conditions, the grains were better provided with assimilates. this made it possible to form the maximum possible yield of wheat grain. In conditions of drought, during leaf treatment of plants with sodium selenite, favorable conditions were created for the formation of reproductive organs of wheat, which stimulated the restoration of the processes of assimilate outflow from the vegetative mass into the forming grains. This made it possible to influence production processes and reduce the depression of wheat crop formation. The use of selenium revealed an increase in the total content of key amino acids, which had a significant effect on the antioxidant status of plants and contributed to the realization of their adaptive potential. The positive effect of selenium on the content of a number of amino acids, including on the assimilation of methionine, was revealed, which was probably due to the synthesis of selenomethionine, since the ways of their formation are similar and it is not possible to separate them. The greatest effect of selenium was observed in the cultivation of wheat of the Zlata variety compared with wheat of the Ester variety, which was determined by varietal differences inherent genetically and the unequal protein content in the grain.

Hypersensitivity of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunit (CHRNA2L9′S/L9′S) in female adolescent mice produces deficits in nicotine-induced facilitation of hippocampal-dependent learning and memory

Adolescence is characterized by a critical period of maturation and growth, during which regions of the brain are vulnerable to long-lasting cognitive disturbances. Adolescent exposure to nicotine can lead to deleterious neurological and psychological outcomes. Moreover, the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) has been shown to play a functionally distinct role in the development of the adolescent brain. CHRNA2 encodes for the α2 subunit of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors associated with CA1 oriens lacunosum moleculare GABAergic interneurons and is associated with learning and memory. Previously, we found that adolescent male hypersensitive CHRNA2L9′S/L9′ mice had impairments in learning and memory during a pre-exposure-dependent contextual fear conditioning task that could be rescued by low-dose nicotine exposure. In this study, we assessed learning and memory in female adolescent hypersensitive CHRNA2L9′S/L9′ mice exposed to saline or a subthreshold dose of nicotine using a hippocampus-dependent task of pre-exposure-dependent contextual fear conditioning. We found that nicotine-treated wild-type female mice had significantly greater improvements in learning and memory than both saline-treated wild-type mice and nicotine-treated CHRNA2L9′S/L9′ female mice. Thus, hyperexcitability of CHRNA2 in female adolescent mice ablated the nicotine-mediated potentiation of learning and memory seen in wild-types. Our results indicate that nicotine exposure during adolescence mediates sexually dimorphic patterns of learning and memory, with wild-type female adolescents being more susceptible to the effects of sub-threshold nicotine exposure. To understand the mechanism underlying sexually dimorphic behavior between hyperexcitable CHRNA2 mice, it is critical that further research be conducted.

Adolescents’ short-form video addiction and sleep quality: the mediating role of social anxiety

BackgroundAdolescence is a critical period for individual growth and development. Insufficient sleep adversely affects adolescents’ physical development, blood pressure, vision, and cognitive function. This study examined the effect of short-form video addiction on adolescents’ sleep quality, as well as the mediating role of social anxiety, to identify methods for improving adolescents’ sleep quality in the Internet era.MethodsA questionnaire survey was conducted in this cross-sectional study on 1629 adolescents recruited from three high schools. Their short-form video addiction, social anxiety, and sleep quality were evaluated using corresponding scales. Pearson correlation analysis was carried out to analyze the relationships among short‐form video addiction, sleep quality, and social anxiety. Mediating effect analysis was constructed using AMOS 20.0 statistical software.ResultsParticipants’ sleep quality score is 6.12 ± 3.29 points. The detection rate of sleep quality among them is 31.06%. Short‐form video addiction, sleep quality, and social anxiety are significantly correlated (r = 0.439, 0.404, 0.457, P < 0.001). The direct effect of short-form video addiction on sleep quality is 0.248, accounting for 62.4% of the total effect. The indirect effect exerted through social anxiety is 0.149, accounting for 37.6%.ConclusionsSleep disorders are very common among Chinese adolescents. Short‐form video addiction is positively correlated with adolescents’ sleep quality and social anxiety. Social anxiety partially mediates the relationship between short-form video addiction and sleep quality. The adverse effects of short-form video addiction and social anxiety on the sleep quality of this group must be minimized. Schools are recommended to implement measures to promote sleep quality among adolescents.

Body image concern and demographic characteristics as predictors of anxiety in adolescent girls.

Adolescence is a critical and sensitive period of growth, marked by significant physical and psychological changes. During this time, adolescents often experience increased anxiety and concerns about their body image. Thisstudy aims to examine body image concern and demographic characteristics as predictors of anxiety in adolescent girls. This cross-sectional study included 381 female students aged 12-13 from Babol city. The participants were selected based on predefined inclusion criteria. Multi-stage sampling method was employed, and the samples were selected from six middle schools. The data collection tools consisted of a demographic information questionnaire, Littleton's body image concern scale, and Zung's anxiety scale. The mean score for body image concern was 16.59±44.82, while the mean score for anxiety was 10.53±37.31. When investigating the relationship between body image concern and anxiety, a significant and positive correlation between these two variables was observed during regression analysis (p<0.001). Both univariate and multivariate regression analyses indicated that for every one-unit increase in students' body image concern score, theiroverall anxiety score increased by an average of 0.34 units in both models (B: 0.34, 95 % CI: 0.29-0.39) (p<0.001). Additionally, in univariate regression analyses students whoreceived puberty information from sources other thantheir mother exhibited 2.68 units higher anxiety levels, which was statistically significant (B: 2.68, 95 % CI: 0.38-4.98) (p<0.001) and, concerning the preferred source of information, students who favored a non-mother source experienced 3.91 units increase in their anxiety score (B:3.91, 95 % CI: 1.74-6.08) (p<0.001). The results of multivariate regression analysis showed that with the presence of all independent variables in the model, 30 % of the dependent variable changes can be predicted (explained) (R 2 =0.302). The findings indicated a positive association between body image concerns and anxiety among students. Moreover, students who relied on sources other than their mother for obtaining information about puberty displayed higher levels of anxiety. Consequently, it is imperative to implement preventive and supportive programs targeting adolescents as well as empowering mothers to effectively deal with these issues.

Optimizing the Utilization of Local Food Resources for Stunting Prevention through "MPASI" Training in Sumber Village, Simo District, Boyolali Regency.

Sumber village, located in Simo district, Boyolali regency, faces a serious stunting problem. Stunting occurs due to prolonged nutritional deficiencies during critical growth periods in children, which are closely linked to cognitive development and long-term health risks. According to the Boyolali Health Department (2024), there has been an 8.9% increase in stunting cases, amounting to 4.913 cases in the Boyolali regency, with Simo district contributing 111 cases. To address this issue, the FATIPA UNISRI Community Service Team implemented a program to enhance knowledge and skills in preparing Complementary Foods for Breast Milk (MPASI) using locally available ingredients. This training was held in two sessions. "The first initiative focuses on stunting prevention outreach, while the second involves hands-on training in preparing MPASI." The results showed a significant increase in participants' knowledge and skills regarding stunting prevention and nutritious MPASI preparation, which is expected to reduce the prevalence of stunting in the village.

Sustaining the Yield of Maize, Blackgram, Greengram, Groundnut, Cotton, Sugarcane, and Coconut through the Application of Nutrients and Plant Growth Regulator Mixture.

The foliar application of nutrients and plant growth regulators (PGRs) at critical crop growth periods can improve the yield of field crops. Hence, the present study was conducted to quantify the effects of the combined application of nutrients and PGRs (crop-specific formulation) on maize, blackgram, greengram, groundnut, cotton, sugarcane, and coconut yield. In all the crops except coconut, the treatments included (i) a foliar spray of crop-specific nutrients and PGR combinations and (ii) an unsprayed control. In coconut, the treatments included (i) the root feeding of coconut-specific nutrients and PGR combinations and (ii) an untreated control. Crop-specific nutrient and PGR formulations were sprayed, namely, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) maize maxim 1.5% at the tassel initiation and grain-filling stages of maize, TNAU pulse wonder 1.0% at the peak flowering stage of green gram and black gram, TNAU groundnut-rich 1.0% at the flowering and pod-filling stages of groundnut, TNAU cotton plus 1.25% at the flowering and boll development stages of cotton, and TNAU sugarcane booster 0.5% at 45 days after planting (DAP), 0.75% at 60 DAP, and 1.0% at 75 DAP of sugarcane. The results showed that the foliar application of TNAU maize maxim, TNAU pulse wonder, TNAU groundnut-rich, TNAU cotton plus and TNAU sugarcane booster and the root feeding of TNAU coconut tonic increased the yield of maize, pulses, groundnut, cotton, sugarcane, and coconut, resulting in higher economic returns.

Linear growth in children and adolescents with congenital adrenal hyperplasia.

Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) is a relatively common disorder and one of the most challenging conditions seen by pediatric endocrinologists. Poor linear growth in CAH has been recognized for many years. There are new insights to explain this abnormality and shed light on strategies to promote normal growth. Published data suggest that the dose of hydrocortisone during two critical periods of rapid growth, namely infancy and at puberty, has a fundamental effect on growth velocity, and by definition adult height. To prevent over-treatment, hydrocortisone dosage should remain within the range of 10-15 mg/m 2 body surface area per day. Precursor steroids such as 17-hydroxy progesterone (17OHP) should not be suppressed to undetectable levels. In fact, 17OHP should always be measurable, as complete suppression suggests over-treatment. CAH is a challenging disorder. High-quality compliance within the consultation setting, with the patient seeing the same specialist at every visit, will be rewarded by improved long-term growth potential. Quality auxological monitoring can avoid phases of growth suppression. New therapy with CRH receptor antagonists may lead to a more nuanced approach by allowing fine tuning of hydrocortisone replacement without the need to suppress ACTH secretion.

Multimodal deep learning-based drought monitoring research for winter wheat during critical growth stages

Wheat is a major grain crop in China, accounting for one-fifth of the national grain production. Drought stress severely affects the normal growth and development of wheat, leading to total crop failure, reduced yields, and quality. To address the lag and limitations inherent in traditional drought monitoring methods, this paper proposes a multimodal deep learning-based drought stress monitoring S-DNet model for winter wheat during its critical growth periods. Drought stress images of winter wheat during the Rise-Jointing, Heading-Flowering and Flowering-Maturity stages were acquired to establish a dataset corresponding to soil moisture monitoring data. The DenseNet-121 model was selected as the base network to extract drought features. Combining the drought phenotypic characteristics of wheat in the field with meteorological factors and IoT technology, the study integrated the meteorological drought index SPEI, based on WSN sensors, and deep image learning data to build a multimodal deep learning-based S-DNet model for monitoring drought stress in winter wheat. The results show that, compared to the single-modal DenseNet-121 model, the multimodal S-DNet model has higher robustness and generalization capability, with an average drought recognition accuracy reaching 96.4%. This effectively achieves non-destructive, accurate, and rapid monitoring of drought stress in winter wheat.

Ontogenesis of honey bees (Apis mellifera) under the influence of temperature stress

The productivity of bee colonies mostly depends on the influence of exogenous factors. The most significant ones include: the presence of a honey base, climatic conditions, environmental temperature, etc. The stability of microclimate indicators in the nest significantly affect the growth of families and nest. The vital temperature range in the post-embryonic period ranges from 30–38 °С. For normal brood development, the incubation temperature should be 34–35 °С. The intensity of growth during this period is largely determined by the influence of climatic conditions, including temperature. As a result of decrease in temperature, there is a densification of the placement of bees, which are more concentrated in the central, breeding part of the nest. Under these conditions, hypothermia of individual areas of the brood, located on the peripheral parts of the honeycombs, beyond the healthy temperature range, is sometimes noted. This is manifested by a sharp drop in the ambient temperature, when there is a numerous brood in the family, or if the nest is not expanded properly. In order to study the influence of cold stress on the development of offspring, two groups were formed. The group incubated at a temperature of 35 ºС was considered the control group. The experimental group was a group which was grown at a temperature of 32 ºС. After the brood was sealed, pupae were selected every 2 days. At the same time, their mass, the content of total lipids and the ratio of their individual classes were determined. It was found that under the influence of cold stress during brood development, the duration of the incubation period increases by 35–42 hours. It has been established that the adaptation of bees to cold includes a complex of physiological and biochemical processes, among which changes in the mass and composition of lipids play a significant role. The dynamics of triacylglycerides under optimal and stressful conditions of incubation were studied. Taking into account their functional purpose as the main element of energy supply of metabolic pathways, such dynamics indicate profound changes in the processes of energy exchange. When studying the mechanisms of adaptation to cold, a change in the ratio of phospholipid classes, the expression of which is induced by the effect of cold, was revealed. The results of this study bring a deeper understanding of the adaptation mechanisms of honeybees' response to changes in brood incubation temperature. They expand data on the biology of bees during critical periods of growth and development.