Development Time Research Articles

Assessing Clinical Nurse Educators' Perceptions of Factors Influencing Evidence-Based Nursing Policy Implementation Within a Large Pediatric Healthcare System.

To identify barriers and facilitators to implementation of new evidence-based nursing policies among nurse educators. Evidence-based practice promotes safe patient care through the combination of the best available research, clinical expertise and patient preferences. Policies are utilised by nursing to drive patient care and thus should be evidence-based. Nurse educators are identified as champions of evidence-based practice and policy dissemination. Therefore, understanding nurse educators' perceptions surrounding barriers and facilitators to nursing policy implementation and attitudes regarding evidence-based practice can help drive successful policy implementation and foster evidence-based practice in patient care. Descriptive, cross-sectional. A 7-item survey was electronically distributed to all nurse educators within a large pediatric healthcare system to assess barriers and facilitators to policy implementation as well as attitudes surrounding evidence-based practice and policies. The most significant barriers were lack of time and poor understanding of policy development. The most significant facilitators were a standardised policy dissemination process and leadership support of policy implementation efforts. Most nurse educators agreed that evidence-based practice is valuable to patient care. However, nurse educators report that they have a neutral to poor understanding of evidence-based practice. Findings were consistent with the literature, thus adding to the body of literature that supports the need for further development around policy dissemination and evidence-based practice education for nurse educators. This paper supports the need for professional development for nurse educators, standardisation of policy dissemination and leadership support of policy dissemination and promotion of evidence-based practice. No patient or public contribution. This paper adheres to the SQUIRE 2.0 guidelines.

Research on the Contribution of Higher Education to the Sustainable Development of the Economy in China: An Empirical Analysis Based on Provincial Panel Data from 2014 to 2023

In a time of rapid economic development, sustainable development is increasingly becoming the primary concern of governments. Taking the human capital accumulation and spillover model as an analytical tool, we use interprovincial panel data for 2014–2023 to estimate the degree of contribution of higher education to the sustainable development of the economy. Instrumental variables are introduced to alleviate the problem of endogeneity. An urbanization index is also introduced, as well as an interaction term formed by the marketization index and the independent variable to explore the extent of the contribution of higher education to the sustainable development of the regional economy. There are regional differences in the contribution of higher education to sustainable economic development. The study shows that higher education has a significant positive effect on regional economic sustainability. The higher the level of urbanization and the higher the level of marketization, the more significant the positive effect of higher education on economic sustainability. We should continuously increase investment in higher education, optimize the structure and layout of higher education, promote the synergistic development of higher education and urbanization, and deepen the interaction between higher education and market-oriented reform in order to actively promote higher education to serve the sustainable development of regional economies.

Hatching of whipworm eggs induced by bacterial contact is serine-protease dependent.

Whipworms (Trichuris spp) are ubiquitous parasites of humans and domestic and wild mammals that cause chronic disease, considerably impacting human and animal health. Egg hatching is a critical phase in the whipworm life cycle that marks the initiation of infection, with newly hatched larvae rapidly migrating to and invading host intestinal epithelial cells. Hatching is triggered by the host microbiota; however, the physical and chemical interactions between bacteria and whipworm eggs, as well as the bacterial and larval responses that result in the disintegration of the polar plug and larval eclosion, are not completely understood. Here, we examined hatching in the murine whipworm, Trichuris muris, and investigated the role of specific bacterial and larval structures and molecules in this process. Using scanning and transmission electron microscopy, we characterised the physical interactions of both fimbriated (Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and non-fimbriated (Staphylococcus aureus) bacteria with the egg polar plugs during the induction/initiation stage, and visualised the effects of structural changes in the polar plugs, leading to larval eclosion. Further, we found that protease inhibitors blocked whipworm hatching induced by both fimbriated and non-fimbriated bacteria in a dose-dependent manner, suggesting the partial involvement of bacterial enzymes in this process. In addition, we identified the minimal egg developmental timing required for whipworm hatching, and transcriptomic analysis of T. muris eggs through embryonation revealed the specific upregulation of serine proteases (S01A family) in fully embryonated eggs containing 'hatch-ready' L1 larvae. Finally, we demonstrated that inhibition of serine proteases with the serine-protease inhibitor Pefabloc ablated T. muris egg hatching induced by bacteria. Collectively, our findings unravel the temporal and physicochemical bacterial-egg interactions leading to whipworm hatching and indicate serine proteases of both bacterial and larval origin mediate these processes.

Enhanced silk production and pupal weight in Bombyx mori through CRISPR/Cas9-mediated circadian Clock gene disruption.

The domesticated silkworm, Bombyx mori, is crucial for global silk production, which is a significant economic activity supporting millions of livelihoods worldwide. Beyond traditional silk production, the growing demand for insect larvae in cosmetics, biomedical products, and animal feed underscores the need to enhance B. mori productivity. This study investigates the role of the circadian clock gene Clock in B. mori using CRISPR/Cas9-mediated mutagenesis to establish the ClkΔ29 knock-out mutant strain. Dysregulation of the circadian clock in ClkΔ29 was demonstrated by altered temporal transcriptional profiles of core circadian clock genes in adult heads and disrupted circadian-controlled behaviors, including adult eclosion and egg hatching rhythms under constant darkness. By analysing larval development timing, as well as the weights of late instar larvae, pupae, and cocoon components in ClkΔ29 mutants and in ClkΔ1922 silkworms (carrying an independently generated Clk- null allele), we showed that CLK contributes to physiological processes regulating B. mori development and growth. Importantly, ClkΔ29 mutants reared on a standard sericulture diet exhibited significant increases in key economic traits, with silk production increasing by up to 7%, and pupal weight increasing by up to 25% compared to wild-type controls. This study highlights the potential of circadian clock gene manipulation to significantly enhance sericultural productivity. Future research should focus on elucidating the molecular mechanisms driving these phenotypes and determining whether they result from circadian clock functions or pleiotropic effects of B. mori Clk. These findings provide a foundation for advancing sustainable sericulture and developing new commercial applications for silkworm-derived products.

A meta-analysis of sex differences in neonatal rodent ultrasonic vocalizations and the implication for the preclinical maternal immune activation model

As the earliest measure of social communication in rodents, ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) in response to maternal separation are critical in preclinical research on neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs). While sex differences in both USV production and behavioral outcomes are reported, many studies overlook sex as a biological variable in preclinical NDD models. We aimed to evaluate sex differences in USV call parameters and determine if USVs are differently impacted based on sex in the preclinical maternal immune activation (MIA) model. Results indicate that sex differences in USVs vary with developmental stage and are more pronounced in MIA offspring. Specifically, developmental stage is a moderator of sex differences in USV call duration, with control females emitting longer calls than males in early development (up to postnatal day [PND] 8), but this pattern reverses after PND8. MIA leads to a reduction in call numbers for females compared to same-sex controls in early development, with a reversal post-PND8. MIA decreased call duration and increased total call duration in males, but unlike females, developmental stage did not influence these differences. In males, MIA effects varied by species, with decreased call numbers in rats but increased call numbers in mice. MIA timing (gestational day ≤ 12.5 vs. > 12.5) did not significantly affect results. Our findings highlight the importance of considering sex, developmental timing, and species in USVs research. We discuss how analyzing USV call types and incorporating sex as a biological variable can enhance our understanding of neonatal ultrasonic communication and its translational value in NDD research.

Unveiling the feeding response of Spodoptera litura to natural host and artificial diet

AbstractBehavioral studies play a crucial role in assessing food utilization in insects. However, there exists a gap in our understanding of the phenotypic plasticity in Spodoptera litura (Fabricius) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and how it impacts their growth, development, and potential for plant damage. This study aimed to investigate the phenotypic plasticity of S. litura, with a focus on its immature stages, and evaluate the consequences of plant damage and pest management. We conducted in vitro experiments using both a standard artificial diet and tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L., Solanaceae) plants to assess the growth, development, survival, longevity, reproductive capacity, and egg‐laying capability of S. litura larvae and adults. A type II functional response was estimated for all larval instars, utilizing the Likelihood Holling's Disk model, which provided two key coefficients: the search rate (a) and handling time (Th). Our findings revealed that sixth instars exhibited exceptional agility and efficiency, requiring the shortest time to process each milligram of diet compared with other larval stages. Moreover, when larvae were fed on tobacco, they displayed the shortest developmental time and the highest fecundity. This trend extended to pupal weight, pupal duration, pupal emergence, fecundity, and longevity, which were all significantly higher in individuals fed on tobacco. Additionally, S. litura larvae that fed on tobacco exhibited greater efficiency in converting digested food and lower approximate digestibility compared to larvae fed the artificial diet. These results underscore the importance of focusing on the management of fourth, fifth, and sixth instars, which have the potential to cause severe plant damage. Understanding the functional and nutritional response of S. litura larvae enhances the efficiency of integrated pest management strategies (IPM) at early stages while minimizing ecological impact.

Overcoming Printed Circuit Board Limitations in an Energy Harvester with Amplitude Shift Keying and Pulse Width Modulation Communication Decoder Using Practical Design Solutions

This paper presents PCB design solutions for implementing a radiative-field RF energy harvester with an ASK-PWM decoding communication scheme using available commercial components. The paper provides the design approach and tackles key challenges such as the impact of inductive parasitic effects at the output of the harvester, how to maintain the PCE at a constant value regardless of the time constant at the output of the communication path’s rectifier, and the difficulty of changing the aspect ratio of the discrete inverter used for PWM decoding. These challenges are addressed by using multiple capacitors connected in parallel at the output of the rectifier to reduce inductive parasitic effects, adding a series resistor in the communication path’s rectifier to isolate its loading from impacting the PCE, and utilizing a potentiometer in the inverter to realize PWM decoding on PCB. The system was manufactured using FR-4 substrate material with a size of 5 cm × 4 cm × 0.6 cm, harvesting energy at the ISM frequency of 924 MHz with a PCE of 42.12% at a bit rate of 15 Kbps. Moreover, the system consumes only 355 μW of power and maintains correct harvesting and decoding operation in the antenna separation range of 6–12 cm. This work aims to provide an alternative to IC realization by implementing the system entirely using commercial discrete components, reducing costs, adding flexibility, reducing development time, and allowing for simple debugging.

Assessing the stability of psychobiological stress reactivity during adolescence: mixed-effect modelling of cortisol responses to laboratory stressors

Background Puberty has been historically considered as a time of risk and vulnerability for young people. It is associated with rapid development in the hypothalamus, which is central in the production of both stress and sex steroids. While patterns of stress reactivity are calibrated in early life, this time of rapid development may provide a means for these patterns to change. This purpose of this study was to examine whether patterns of cortisol reactivity remained stable across one year of pubertal development, and whether variations in pubertal development impacted on this stability. Methods This study used a secondary dataset comprised of 102 adolescent-aged children and adolescents. Children and adolescents took part in the Trier Social Stress Test to elicit a physiological stress response. Cortisol reactivity was measured as the increase in salivary cortisol concentration taken at five time points throughout the session. Pubertal stage was measured by nurse report where possible, and parent/self-report otherwise and was used to calculate pubertal timing and tempo relative to peers. Measures of anxiety, BMI, and socio-economic status were taken and included in analysis. Results Results of a linear mixed-effect model found there to be a significant difference in cortisol reactivity over time, indicating that cortisol stress reactivity did not remain stable during this time (Estimate= 3.39, t=3.67, p<.001, CI[1.56, 5.22]). Additionally, results show children and adolescents who developed slower/quicker than peers displayed decreased stress reactivity (Estimate= -3.59, t=-2.13. p=.03, CI[-6.92, -0.25]). Conclusions This research contributes to a relatively small but consistent body of research noting pattern of increased cortisol reactivity during pubertal development. While a significant effect was found for pubertal tempo, this finding should not be considered indicative of any true effect.

Development of the house fly, Musca domestica L. (Diptera: Muscidae), on pork tissue at two temperatures.

The house fly, Musca domestica, L. (Diptera: Muscidae), is a filth fly that is often associated with criminal and civil investigations surrounding abuse, neglect, and death of humans and other vertebrates. However, development data, which are crucial for determining the age of immatures collected under forensically relevant circumstances, are limited. Given the lack of data and the recognition of population-specific growth patterns, the aim of this study was to generate data for development of a M. domestica population from Texas, USA, on decomposing lean pork at 24.0°C (i.e., approximate room temperature in Texas) and 37.0°C (i.e., approximate human body temperature). As expected, fly development significantly differed between temperatures with development at the higher temperature taking significantly less time (development from egg to adult emergence occurred c. 48.5% faster at 37.0°C than at 24.0°C). The value of this dataset is demonstrated through an applied comparison with previously published data for the house fly. Differences in development times across life stages for the studies are evident, with shorter time of colonization estimations using the data published by Wang etal. (2018), especially in later life stages. These data represent the first development dataset for the house fly on decomposing flesh in North America. Furthermore, the comparison with the previously published dataset demonstrate data from this study are of value for future forensic investigations in Texas or possibly other parts of the United States where this species is encountered, as they can be used to determine time of colonization.

Repurposing Mitochondria-Targeted Therapeutics for Kidney Diseases.

The kidney is one of the most metabolically demanding organs in the human body and requires a large amount of energy, in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), to perform and maintain normal renal functions. To meet this energy demand, proximal tubule cells within the nephron segments of the renal cortex are mitochondrially dense with high oxygen consumption rates. Mitochondria are complex organelles involved in diverse cellular and molecular functions, including the production of ATP, calcium homeostasis, and phospholipid regulation. Mitochondrial dysfunction is critical in the onset and progression of kidney disease. Dysfunctional renal mitochondria have been linked with alterations in redox homeostasis, impaired bioenergetics, oxidative stress, and inflammation, all of which result in renal cell injury and death, as well as fibrotic accumulation in kidney injury and disease. As such, interest in the development and/or repurposing of mitochondria-targeted therapeutics for the potential treatment of kidney diseases has recently surged. While novel therapeutics and promising new drug targets have been identified, drug repurposing for kidney diseases offers numerous advantages over traditional drug discovery initiatives, including reduced cost, time of therapeutic development, and preclinical testing, in addition to known pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics and safety profiles. Here, we provide an overview of mitochondrial dysfunction in the context of kidney injury and disease and shed light on promising mitochondria-targeted therapeutic agents that display repurposing potential for the restoration of renal function and/or acceleration of renal recovery.

Nature’s way-our way: A journey through the co-creation and sharing of an Indigenous physical literacy enriched early years initiative

Early years are a critical time in the healthy development of young children. It is essential for children to develop healthy bonds with family members to increase well-being. Colonialism has resulted in the loss of many Indigenous activities, intergenerational teachings and relationship-building strategies that encourage wholistic health-promoting behaviours. Research focused on physical activity behaviours among early years children has had limited success. To address these challenges, the Western concept of physical literacy that applies a wholistic approach to physical activity by focusing on physical, social, emotional, and spiritual wellness can align with many Indigenous Ways of Knowing, Being and Doing. Purpose: Our multi-cultural team embarks on a journey to co-create, and expand a physical literacy enriched and culturally rooted initiative designed to promote wholistic wellness. Methodology: Etuaptmumk (Two-eyed Seeing) guides the team through braiding Indigenous Ways of Knowing,Being and Doing in early childhood wellness and land- and nature-based games alongside Western knowledge of developing physical literacy and promoting risky/ adventurous play. We apply a pre-mid-post design for the meaningful evaluation of the Nature’s Way-Our Way initiative. Impact: Partnering with communities, we aim to produce 40-45 activity cards to promote physical literacy and wholistic health in Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities.

Comparisons of Physicians', Nurses', and Social Welfare Professionals' Experiences With Participation in Information System Development: Cross-Sectional Survey Study.

The integration of health care and social welfare services together with the consolidation of health care information systems (HISs) and client information systems (CISs) has become a timely topic. Despite this development, there is a scarcity of systematic research on physicians', registered nurses' (RNs) and social welfare professionals' (SWPs) experiences of participating in the development of HISs and CISs. This study aimed to examine how physicians, RNs and SWPs experience collaboration with HIS or CIS vendors, and what kinds of end users have participated in HIS or CIS development. National cross-sectional usability surveys were conducted in Finland among RNs and SWPs in 2020 and physicians in 2021. Questions concerning participation experiences were analyzed by professional group, working sector, managerial position, and age. In total, 4683 physicians, 3610 RNs, and 990 SWPs responded to the surveys. In all 3 professional groups, those working in nonmanagerial positions and the youngest respondents participated least in HIS or CIS development, and 76% (n=3528) of physicians, 78% (n=2814) of RNs and 67% (n=664) of SWPs had not participated at all. When comparing the groups, physicians were least aware of feedback processes and least satisfied with vendors' interest in end-user feedback and the manner and speed of HIS development. Those who had dedicated working time for HIS or CIS development were less critical of vendors' interest and responsiveness to development ideas than those who had not participated at all. In all 3 professional groups, the youngest were most dissatisfied with HIS and CIS vendor collaboration. Experiences of participation in HIS and CIS development were relatively negative across all 3 professional groups, with physicians being the most critical. Dialogue and collaboration between developers and end users-also the youngest ones and frontline workers-need improvement; simply increasing allotted working time is unlikely to produce more positive participation experiences.

Testing Performance of Modeling and Simulation Code of Liquid Propellant Supply System Using Method of Characteristics

The primary objective of a liquid propellant supply system is to supply propellant to the engine, enabling stable mission performance. Therefore, the system design must aim at minimizing factors that may contribute to instability while satisfying the specified requirements. Modeling and simulation (M&S) techniques are typically used to achieve efficient design, offering advantages such as the ability to simulate various conditions without constraints, thereby reducing initial development costs and time. Consequently, the performance and accuracy of the M&S program can significantly impact the overall development process. In this study, the method of characteristics (MOC) is used to effectively calculate internal flow in pipes, thereby developing an M&S code with excellent accuracy and performance. The efficiency of the developed in-house code is evaluated by comparing the simulation results with those of a commercial program. Additionally, a water supply experiment is conducted, and the experimental results are compared with the two simulation outcomes for validation. The comparative analysis highlights the superior performance and accuracy of the in-house code over the commercial program, with the in-house code demonstrating an average accuracy improvement of approximately 2% to 3% and with computational performance being approximately 1.7 times faster.

Effects of nonionic surfactants on life history traits of Drosophila melanogaster.

Surfactants are used for a variety of applications such as emulsifiers, solubilizers, or foaming agents. Their intensive production and use in pharmaceutical, cosmetic and agricultural products have resulted in their continuous discharge in the environment, especially via wastewaters. Surfactants have become a threat to living organisms as they interact with, and disrupt, cell membranes and macromolecules. Their effects have mainly been studied in aquatic species; however, terrestrial organisms are also threatened by these emerging contaminants. This study investigates the effects of two widely used nonionic surfactants, Tween-20 and Triton X-100, on key traits of larvae and adults of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. We assessed the toxicity of the two surfactants on viability, development time, body size and food intake of the flies. The results revealed that both surfactants induced toxic effects on the drosophila flies leading to decreased viability, delayed development and lowered food consumption at the highest tested concentrations. Both surfactants proved to be toxic to flies, and, for all tested traits, Triton X-100 appeared more toxic than Tween-20. Our results might extend to other invertebrates. The widespread use of these substances, which then end up in the environment, should be regulated to mitigate their impacts on biodiversity and ecosystems.

Developmental defects in ectodermal appendages caused by missense mutation in edaradd gene in the nfr mangrove killifish kryptolebias marmoratus

The mangrove killifish, Kryptolebias marmoratus, can reproduce with self-fertilisation, offering a unique and useful genetic tool for generation of genetic mutants and quick identification of mutated genes. From an ENU-mutated mangrove killifish line R228, we have isolated a novel mutant line, no-fin-ray/nfr in which homozygous mutant of adult fish fin ray development is largely reduced. Illumina RNAseq with 3 embryos each from mutants, siblings and the parental WT strain Hon9 (only 9 embryos as total) identified a mutation in the edaradd in a highly conserved C-terminal death domain. Edaradd is known as a cytoplasmic accessory protein for the Ectodysplasin A (EDA) signalling pathway. To confirm the crucial role of edaradd during fin development, CRISPR RNAs were designed to suppress the gene in another killifish species, Arabian killifish. Indeed, Arabian killifish edaradd crispants showed a potent reduction of the fin development with 100% frequency. Furthermore, EDA crispants also showed identical phenotypes to that of edaradd crispants, confirming the fin defect in the mutants/crispants is caused by the signalling pathway of the EDA in the killifish species. These data demonstrate a powerful genetic approach using isogenic self-fertilising mangrove killifish as a tool for identifying mutants and their mutations, and revealed the crucial role of edaradd for the first time in the fish fin development.

Recipe optimization using regression analysis method

Introduction. Mathematical modeling in food technology plays a key role in solving many theoretical and practical problems. At the stage of creating new recipes, it becomes one of the effective methods that allows reducing the time and costs of development, reducing the scope of testing, guaranteeing the required quality of the finished product and increasing the competitiveness of products. The research focuses on the bakery product recipe with the addition of whole grain sorghum flour. Grain sorghum of the Bachelor variety is zoned in the Saratov region. It has a high yield of 2.5-3.5 t / ha. It tolerates high temperatures and moisture deficiencies well, and it is resistant to diseases and pests. The nutritional value is due to the high content of protein and starch. The goal of the research was to develop the ratio of recipe components in a bakery product with the addition of whole-grain flour from grain sorghum. The studies were conducted sequentially. 1.The demand for fortified bakery products of consumers in the Saratov region using a questionnaire was studied. 2. The recipe for bakery products with whole-grain flour from grain sorghum using regression analysis was developed. This method made it possible to determine the regression dependence, study the properties of parameter estimates when proposing probable characteristics of facts and random errors of the model. Using linear regression, a linear function of porosity, specific volume, mass fraction of moisture, and vitamin P content was found. The result of the research was the solution to the problem of modeling the relationships between the selected variables and predicting the values of the dependent variable based on the model, which made it possible to compile a matrix of studies of fortified bakery products with whole grain flour from grain sorghum.

Timber resources and management characteristics of economic forestry management areas and other forests in South Korea: post-reforestation challenges

ABSTRACT Over the past 50 years South Korea has made considerable strides in economic development and reforestation by converting barren land into dense forests. Despite these achievements, the forestry sector still faces significant challenges in economic viability and resource utilization. Economic Forestry Management Areas (EFMAs) were established to enhance sustainable timber production and address these challenges. This study evaluates the effectiveness of EFMAs in comparison to other forest areas, focusing on timber resources and management characteristics. The findings reveal that, although EFMAs show a higher intensity of management operations than other forest areas, improvements in timber quality and productivity remain limited. This highlights an important insight: despite increased management efforts, substantial progress in enhancing the quality and quantity of timber resources has not yet been achieved. This outcome may be attributed to the relatively short time since EFMAs were first established, which has not allowed sufficient time for significant developments in timber resource enhancement. To address these challenges, this study recommends increasing the proportion of economically valuable coniferous species and expanding artificial forest coverage through well-coordinated reforestation and management efforts. Additionally, developing precise, location-specific management data is crucial to avoid overlapping activities and to enhance the efficiency of forest management. These strategic improvements will not only boost the productivity of EFMAs but also support sustainable forestry practices, facilitating South Korea’s transition into the post-reforestation era.

Child routines across preschool and associations with socioemotional adjustment.

Although a large body of research has documented the importance of routines for children's development, the role of developmental timing of routines has received less attention. The present study examined how use of routines across the preschool period is linked to children's socioemotional adjustment. We used Year 3 and Year 5 data from the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study (N = 2,353; 48% female). Child routines were measured through maternal reports of routines, including household chores, play, mealtime, and bedtime. Latent profile analysis revealed four groups based on timing and number of routines: stable-high, increasing, decreasing, and stable-low. In Year 5, parents reported on children's attentional, externalizing, and internalizing problems and social skills. Latent transition analysis indicated that most children (n = 1,782; 75%) maintained the same profiles over time. Regression analyses showed that profiles were differentially related to outcomes. After controlling for a set of confounding variables, children in the stable-high group had significantly lower attentional, externalizing, and internalizing problems than the decrease routines group (βs range from .23 to .40, p < .05). These findings contribute to the understanding of how routines are associated with child functioning and highlight the potential importance of the continued use of routines across early childhood. Children who had consistently high routines demonstrated better adjustment compared to those whose routines decreased across the preschool period. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).

Host size overrides maternal effects on the development of a secondary hyperparasitoid wasp.

Unraveling the numerous factors that drive phenotypic variation in trait expression among animals has long presented a significant challenge. Whereas traits like growth and adult size are often heritable and are passed on from one generation to the next, these can be significantly affected by the quality and quantity of resources provided by one or both parents to their offspring. In many vertebrates, such as birds and mammals, parents raise their young until adult, providing food, shelter, and protection. On the other hand, in insects, there is often little or no parental care, and the young are left to fend for themselves. Despite that, some insects can enhance the growth of their offspring. In parasitoid wasps, for example, mothers inject biochemical factors, including venoms, teratocytes, and virus-like particles into the host that increase host quality by regulating the nutritional milieu. However, it is not known whether maternal size is positively correlated with host regulation. Here, we evaluate maternal and host size-related effects on the development of an asexually reproducing (= female only) secondary idiobiont ectoparasitoid, Gelis agilis on pre-pupae in cocoons of its host, the primary parasitoid, Cotesia glomerata. Females G. agilis from 2 adult size classes, "small" (mean 0.7mg) or "large" (mean 1.2mg), were allowed to parasitize cocoons of differing size along a continuum from ~1.2mg to ~4.0mg, and the body size and development time of their offspring were measured. In both body size classes of G. agilis mothers, there was a strong correlation between host size and offspring size. However, there was no effect of adult G. agilis size on this parameter: for a given host size, the size of G. agilis offspring did not differ between small and large mothers. Our results reveal that host quality is mostly pre-determined, irrespective of maternal size.

Early attainment of 20-hydroxyecdysone threshold shapes mosquito sexual dimorphism in developmental timing

In holometabolous insects, critical weight (CW) attainment triggers pupation and metamorphosis, but its mechanism remains unclear in non-model organisms like mosquitoes. Here, we investigate the role of 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) in CW assessment and pupation timing in Aedes albopictus and Ae. aegypti, vectors of arboviruses including dengue and Zika. Our results show that the attainment of CW is contingent upon surpassing a critical 20E threshold, which results in entrance into a constant 22 h interval and the subsequent 20E pulse responsible for larval-pupal ecdysis. Sexual dimorphism in pupation time arises from higher basal 20E levels in males, enabling earlier CW attainment. Administering 20E at 50% of L3/L4 molt, when most of males but not females pass the pulse, results in female-specific lethality. These findings highlight the pivotal role of 20E thresholds in CW, pupation timing, and sexual dimorphism, suggesting that manipulating 20E levels can skew populations male, offering a potential mosquito sex separation strategy.