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Aim Methods Results Conclusion This scoping review aims to assess the utility of ultrasound as a prospective tool in measuring body composition and nutritional status in the paediatric population. We provide a comprehensive summary of the existing literature, identify gaps, and propose future research directions.We conducted a systematic scoping review following the PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines. This involved screening titles and abstracts of relevant studies, followed by a detailed full‐text review and extraction of pertinent data.We identified and synthesised 34 articles. The review revealed that while ultrasound has been used to assess body composition and bone properties in children, significant gaps remain in the literature. These include limited studies on ultrasound performance, insufficient attention to relevant sample characteristics, reliance on manual image measurements, and limited sample diversity.Point‐of‐care ultrasound shows significant promise for assessing paediatric body composition and nutritional status. To validate and enhance its effectiveness, further research is needed. Future studies should include larger and more diverse patient cohorts and conduct longitudinal investigations to evaluate nutritional interventions. Additionally, developing artificial intelligence (AI) for standardising and automating data interpretation will be crucial in improving the accuracy and efficiency of ultrasound assessments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tendons enable locomotion by transmitting high tensile mechanical forces between muscle and bone via their dense extracellular matrix (ECM). The application of extrinsic mechanical stimuli via muscle contraction is necessary to regulate healthy tendon function. Specifically, applied physiological levels of mechanical loading elicit an anabolic tendon cell response, while decreased mechanical loading evokes a degradative tendon state. Although the tendon response to mechanical stimuli has implications in disease pathogenesis and clinical treatment strategies, the cell signaling mechanisms by which tendon cells sense and respond to mechanical stimuli within the native tendon ECM remain largely unknown. Therefore, we explored the role of cell–ECM adhesions in regulating tendon cell mechanotransduction by perturbing the genetic expression and signaling activity of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) through both in vitro and in vivo approaches. We determined that FAK regulates tendon cell spreading behavior and focal adhesion morphology, nuclear deformation in response to applied mechanical strain, and mechanosensitive gene expression. In addition, our data reveal that FAK signaling plays an essential role in in vivo tendon development and postnatal growth, as FAK‐knockout mouse tendons demonstrated reduced tendon size, altered mechanical properties, differences in cellular composition, and reduced maturity of the deposited ECM. These data provide a foundational understanding of the role of FAK signaling as a critical regulator of in situ tendon cell mechanotransduction. Importantly, an increased understanding of tendon cell mechanotransductive mechanisms may inform clinical practice as well as lead to the discovery of diagnostic and/or therapeutic molecular targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• MVFI can display the real-time perfusion status of fetal microvessels, including blood flow velocity, volume, and other related parameters. This technology is a non-invasive method that can be used to evaluate the blood flow situation in the fetal cranial region. • Growth restricted fetuses have lower biparietal diameter, head circumference, abdominal circumference, and femur length than normal fetuses, and their microvascular index and peak systolic velocity of internal arteries are also lower than normal fetuses. • The larger the microvascular index and peak systolic velocity of the internal artery, the more severe the fetal growth restriction. The study conducted retrospective analysis design, aiming to explore the use of Microvascular Imaging Technique (MVFI) to assess fetal cerebral microcirculation and analyze the relationship between Microvascular Index (MVI) and fetal growth and development. 100 pregnant women who met the criteria for fetal growth restriction (FGR) provided in the Expert Consensus on Fetal Growth Restriction (2019 Edition) and underwent routine prenatal examinations at the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department of Peking University Third Hospital from January 2021 to June 2023 were selected as the study subjects. A normal fetus with a fetal weight less than 10 % can be classified as FGR, Pregnant women with fetal umbilical artery (UA) systolic and diastolic (S/D) values ≥3 were included in the observation group, while 200 pregnant women with normal fetuses were selected as the control group during the same period. The fetuses' change in both groups were measured using color Doppler ultrasound, including bi-parietal diameter (BPD), head circumference (HC), abdominal circumference (AC), and femur length (FL). The cerebral microcirculation of the fetuses in both groups was evaluated using MVFI, and the MVI values were compared. The clinical characteristics of FGR fetuses with umbilical artery S/D ratio ≥ 3 were summarized, and the correlation between fetal cerebral microvascular status and fetal growth and development was analyzed using Pearson correlation analysis. The outcomes told that the BPD, HC, AC, and FL values of the fetuses in the control group were lower the other's value (P < 0.05), and the MVI and peak systolic velocity of the middle cerebral artery (MCA-PSV) values were also lower in the control group (P < 0.05). Pearson correlation analysis revealed a positive correlation between fetal growth and development and MVI and MCA-PSV values in FGR fetuses. In conclusion, MVFI can monitor and quantitatively analyze fetal intracranial microcirculation, visualize slow blood flow in microvascular structures, and this study provides preliminary evidence of the close relationship between fetal cerebral microcirculation and intrauterine growth and development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nucleic acid demethylases of α-ketoglutarate-dependent dioxygenase (AlkB) family can reversibly erase methyl adducts from nucleobases, thus dynamically regulating the methylation status of DNA/RNA and playing critical roles in multiple cellular processes. But little is known about AlkB demethylases in filamentous fungi so far. The present study reports that Monascus purpureus genomes contain a total of five MpAlkB genes. The MpAlkB1 gene was disrupted and complemented through homologous recombination strategy to analyze its biological functions in M. purpureus. MpAlkB1 knockout significantly accelerated the growth of strain, increased biomass, promoted sporulation and cleistothecia development, reduced the content of Monascus pigments (Mps), and strongly inhibited citrinin biosynthesis. The downregulated expression of the global regulator gene LaeA, and genes of Mps biosynthesis gene cluster (BGC) or citrinin BGC in MpAlkB1 disruption strain supported the pleiotropic trait changes caused by MpAlkB1 deletion. These results indicate that MpAlkB1-mediated demethylation of nucleic acid plays important roles in regulating the growth and development, and secondary metabolism in Monascus spp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite agreement that humans have evolved to be unusually fat primates, adipose patterning among hunter–gatherers has received little empirical consideration. Here we consider the development of adiposity among four contemporary groups of hunter–gatherers, the Aka, Savanna Pumé, Ju'/Hoansi and Agta using multi-level generalized additive mixed modelling to characterize the growth of tricep skinfolds from early childhood through adolescence. In contrast to references, hunter–gatherers show several consistent patterns: (i) children are lean with little fat accumulation; (ii) no adiposity rebound at 5 years is evident; (iii) girls on average have built 90% of their body size, and reach menarche when adiposity is at its maximum velocity; and (iv) a metabolic trade-off is evident in young, but not older children, such that both boys and girls prioritize skeletal growth during middle childhood, a trade-off that diminishes during adolescence when height velocity increases in pace with fat accumulation. Consistent results across hunter–gatherers living in diverse environments suggest that these patterns reflect a general forager pattern of development. The findings provide a valuable baseline for adipose development not apparent from reference populations. We emphasize both generalized trends among hunter–gatherers, and that inter-populational differences point to the plasticity with which humans organize growth and development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite agreement that humans have evolved to be unusually fat primates, adipose patterning among hunter–gatherers has received little empirical consideration. Here we consider the development of adiposity among four contemporary groups of hunter–gatherers, the Aka, Savanna Pumé, Ju'/Hoansi and Agta using multi-level generalized additive mixed modelling to characterize the growth of tricep skinfolds from early childhood through adolescence. In contrast to references, hunter–gatherers show several consistent patterns: (i) children are lean with little fat accumulation; (ii) no adiposity rebound at 5 years is evident; (iii) girls on average have built 90% of their body size, and reach menarche when adiposity is at its maximum velocity; and (iv) a metabolic trade-off is evident in young, but not older children, such that both boys and girls prioritize skeletal growth during middle childhood, a trade-off that diminishes during adolescence when height velocity increases in pace with fat accumulation. Consistent results across hunter–gatherers living in diverse environments suggest that these patterns reflect a general forager pattern of development. The findings provide a valuable baseline for adipose development not apparent from reference populations. We emphasize both generalized trends among hunter–gatherers, and that inter-populational differences point to the plasticity with which humans organize growth and development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using different improved organic materials as materials, the effects of different improved organic materials on the growth, development, and quality of Shangluo flue-cured tobacco were studied, in order to provide a theoretical basis for reducing the cost of organic fertilizer use in Shangluo tobacco area. In 2022, a community experiment on improving soil with organic materials was conducted in Luonan County, Shangluo City, Shaanxi Province. Three treatments were set up: T1 (conventional fertilization+high carbon base fertilizer 750 kg/hm²), T2 (conventional fertilization+commercial chicken manure 750 kg/hm²), and T3 (conventional fertilization+decomposed cake fertilizer 750 kg/hm²). CK0 (conventional fertilization, no organic fertilizer) and CK1 (conventional fertilization+tobacco company set organic fertilizer) were used as controls. The results showed that different improved organic materials could significantly improve the agronomic traits and disease resistance of tobacco plants; different improved organic materials increased the material accumulation of tobacco plants and enriched their organic elements; Different improved organic materials significantly improved the economic traits of flue-cured tobacco. The use of different improved organic materials in soil was beneficial for improving the yield and quality of Shangluo flue-cured tobacco, among which T1 (conventional fertilization+high carbon base fertilizer 750 kg/hm²) and T2 treatment (conventional fertilization+commercial chicken manure 750 kg/hm²) had the best effect on improving the growth and development of Shangluo flue-cured tobacco. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cordyceps cicadae is recognized for its medicinal properties, attributed to bioactive constituents like polysaccharides and adenosine, which have been shown to improve kidney and liver functions and possess anti-tumor properties. Rho GTPase activating proteins (Rho GAPs) serve as inhibitory regulators of Rho GTPases in eukaryotic cells by accelerating the GTP hydrolysis of Rho GTPases, leading to their inactivation. In this study, we explored the function of the CcRga8 gene in C. cicadae, which encodes a Rho-type GTPase activating protein. Our study found that the knockout of CcRga8 resulted in a decrease in polysaccharide levels and an increase in adenosine concentration. Furthermore, the mutants exhibited altered spore yield and morphology, fruiting body development, decreased infectivity, reduced resistance to hyperosmotic stress, oxidative conditions, and cell wall inhibitors. These findings suggest that CcRga8 plays a crucial role in the development, stress response, and bioactive compound production of C. cicadae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine the normative values of the Korean version of the Modified Barthel Index (K-MBI) score for typically developing children in Korea and assess its suitability for use in children. Methods: Rehabilitation physicians and occupational therapists with children were invited through an online platform to participate in a survey assessing their children's performance of activity of daily living (ADL) using the K-MBI. The questionnaire encompassed queries on sociodemographic information of children and the assessment criteria outlined in the K-MBI. The standardized K-MBI scores by age were estimated using the nonlinear least squares method. Results: The analysis incorporated responses from a total of 206 individuals. K-MBI total scores showed a rapid increase over the first 8 years of life, with 99% of children achieving a score of 90 or higher by age 8. Mobility scores exhibited a swift increase during early childhood, surpassing 90% of the maximum score at 3 years of age and nearing 100% at 7 years of age. In contrast, self-care scores demonstrated a more gradual advancement, achieving approximately 100% of the maximum score by the age of 10 years. Conclusion: Age-specific normative values for K-MBI scores of typically developing children were established, which can be used as a reference in clinical care. While the K-MBI captured the overall trajectory of children's ADL development, it did not discern subtle differences across various developmental stages. There is a need for the development of more refined assessment tools tailored specifically to children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reversible regulation of N6-methyladenosine (m6A) methylation of eukaryotic RNA via methyltransferases is an important epigenetic event affecting RNA metabolism. As such, m6A methylation plays crucial roles in regulating animal growth, development, reproduction, and disease progression. Herein, we review the latest research advancements in m6A methylation modifications and discuss regulatory aspects in the context of growth, development, and reproductive traits of livestock. New insights are highlighted and perspectives for the study of m6A methylation modifications in shaping economically important traits are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The temporomandibular joint is the only joint structure within the craniofacial skeletal system, responsible for performing functions related to opening and closing mouth movements, such as chewing, speaking, and facial expression in daily life. The condyle of the mandible, as a vital component of the temporomandibular joint, originates from the mandibular process formed by the first gill arch and is the key growth center at the end of the mandibular ramus. Condyle is composed of a layer of cartilage as its surface and subchondral bone below, exhibiting unique biological processes during its growth and development. In the articular fossa, the functional movement of the condyle depends on its normal physiological and anatomical structure, which plays a crucial role in establishing occlusion and shaping facial features. Abnormal growth and development can lead to the occurrence of condylar deformities, which affect the vertical height of the patient's maxillofacial region and ultimately lead to secondary skeletal class II or 皿 craniofacial deformities. During the process of growth and development, the condyle is subject to complex signal regulation. In recent years, with in-depth research on the temporomandibular joint, researchers have begun to discuss the regulatory mechanisms of condyle growth and development from the perspectives of gene expression and molecular level, in order to explain the causes of temporomandibular joint diseases and condylar deformities. This article provides a review on the growth process and structure of condyle, classification and pathological manifestations of condylar deformities, and related regulatory mechanisms of the growth and development of condyle, as well as pathogenesis of condylar deformities. The aim of this article is to provide research ideas for temporomandibular joint diseases and craniofacial malformations caused by abnormal development of the mandibular condyle in clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective • To analyze the anatomical and macroscopic characteristics of the pterygopalatine suture (PPS) in Chinese population using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) technology, and to preliminarily investigate its developmental pattern and its association with the correction of maxillary underdevelopment. Methods • A total of 134 CBCT images, taken from July to August 2023 at Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, were categorized into six age groups. The PPS landmarks were utilized to determine the overall transverse position (XPPS), sagittal position (YPPS), insertion angle (IAP), insertion width of the pyramidal process (IWP), and insertion depth of the pyramidal process (IDP). The pterygomaxillary junction was identified through multiplanar observations. Regression analysis was performed to assess the correlation of these parameters with age and gender, and pairwise comparisons were made to determine the stable age range for parameter changes. Paired t-tests and paired chi-squared tests were conducted to analyze the bilateral parameter differences. Results • Results showed that YPPS and IDP did not exhibit significant correlation with age, whereas XPPS, IAP, IWP, and the incidence of pterygomaxillary fusion were significantly positively correlated with age (P<0.01). Gender differences were only significant for XPPS, with males demonstrating greater values than females (P<0.01). Analysis of age-related trends indicated significant differences in XPPS between group 1 (6 yearsWage<9 years) and group 2 (9 yearsWage<12 years) (female: F=0.006, male: F=0.004); significant differences in IAP were observed between group 2 and group 3 (12 years Wage<15 years)孑=0.042), with 98.5% of samples having an IAP greater than 45 degrees; IWP differences were significant between group 1 and group 3 (P=0.016), and the pterygomaxillary fusion incidence was significantly different among group 1, 2, and 3 (group 1 vs. 2: P<0.001, group 2 vs 3: P=0.037, group 1 vs 3: P<0.001), with an incidence rate exceeding 90% in adults. No significant bilateral differences were found for all parameters. Conclusion • No significant changes were observed in YPPS and IDP after the age of 6, indicating a trend towards fusion of the maxilla with the pterygoid process. The overall transverse position of the PPS tends to stabilize around 12 years of age, while the IAP and IWP continue to increase and reach stability around 15 years of age,with a sagittal insertion orientation of the pyramidal process into the pterygoid notch. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Polyamines (PAs) are pleiotropic bioorganic molecules. Cellular PA contents are determined by a balance between PA synthesis and degradation. PAs have been extensively demonstrated to play vital roles in the modulation of plant developmental processes and adaptation to various environmental stresses. In this review, the latest advances on the diverse roles of PAs in a range of developmental processes, such as morphogenesis, organogenesis, growth and development, and fruit ripening, are summarized and discussed. Besides, the crosstalk between PAs and phytohormones or other signalling molecules, including H2O2 and NO, involved in these processes is dwelled on. In addition, the attempts made to improve the yield and quality of grain and vegetable crops through altering the PA catabolism are enumerated. Finally, several other vital questions that remain unanswered are proposed and discussed. These include the mechanisms underlying the cooperative regulation of developmental processes by PAs and their interplaying partners like phytohormones, H2O2 and NO; PA transport for maintaining homeostasis; and utilization of PA anabolism/catabolism for generating high‐yield and good‐quality crops. This review aims to gain new insights into the pleiotropic role of PAs in the modulation of plant growth and development, which provides an alternative approach for manipulating and engineering valuable crop varieties that can be used in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The stage of tooth formation is one of the most reliable indicators for predicting a patient's developmental age by radiographs. This study compared the accuracy of three distinct dental age estimation methods (Demirjian, Nolla, and Willems) in children aged 3–17 in the northern Iranian population. Methods: This cross‐sectional study examined panoramic radiographs of 434 children aged 3–17 from Mazandaran Province, Iran, who had teeth 31–37 present on the left mandible. This study employed the Demirjian, Nolla, and Willems methods to estimate the dental age of the sample and compare it with the chronological age. The data were analyzed using SPSS v16. A paired t‐test was used to compare chronological and dental ages. The Pearson correlation was used to correlate the chronological and dental ages. The errors of different methods were compared using the Wilcoxon test. P values < 0.05 were considered significant for all tests except Wilcoxon. For Wilcoxon, a P value < 0.017 was considered significant. Results: The three methods presented differing mean estimated ages. The Demirjian method delivered the highest mean, and all three methods differed significantly when compared in pairs. The results showed that the Demirjian method overestimated chronological age by 0.25 years (P < 0.001) in girls and 0.09 years (P = 0.28) in boys. The Willems method underestimated chronological age by 0.05 years (P = 0.47) in girls and 0.12 years (P = 0.13) in boys. The Nolla method underestimated chronological age by 0.41 years (P < 0.001) in girls and 0.40 years (P < 0.001) in boys. The accuracy of each method varied with the patient's age. Conclusion: According to the findings, the Willems method outperformed the Demirjian method, and the Demirjian method exceeded the Nolla method for estimating dental age in Iranian children aged 3–17. Overall, the Demirjian method overestimated the age of the study population, whereas the other two underestimated it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gibberellin（GA）is an important plant hormone that regulates plant development and its response to environmental signals, the biosynthesis and metabolism of GA are involved in a variety of enzymes, and gibberellin oxidase plays a key role in regulating the biosynthesis of gibberellin. Gibberellin oxidase is the key enzyme in gibberellin biosynthesis and catabolism and plays a complex regulatory role in the gibberellin biosynthetic pathway in plants. GA20ox（gibberellin 20 oxidase）, GA3ox（gibberellin 3 oxidase）and GA2ox（gibberellin 2 oxidase）are the gibberellin oxidase gene family. GA20ox and GA3ox are rate-limiting enzymes in gibberellin biosynthesis, while GA2ox is the key enzyme in gibberellin catabolism. And they regulate GA biosynthesis pathway in plants and ensure the plant's demand for GA during growth and development and interaction with the environment. Gibberellin oxidase is involved in regulating plant growth and development, and it is strictly regulated by environment and endogenous factors. Gibberellin oxidase has been cloned in Arabidopsis thaliana, Oryza sativa; and poplar species, and its function varies among species. Therefore, this review focuses on the functions of GA20ox, GA3ox and GA2ox, describes the characteristics, spatial and temporal expression of plant gibberellin oxidase and the response of gibberellin oxidase to light and hormones, with special emphasis on the function of gibberellin oxidase and its research progress, aiming to provide information for further studies on gibberellin oxidase gene function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Growth and developmental studies have been a prominent theme in bioarchaeology. These works traditionally focus on metric measurements of long bone length and age‐at‐death or cross‐sectional geometric studies with the use of computed tomography scans for questions on growth and mobility. However, teasing apart aspects of size and shape have been difficult due to the cylindrical nature of immature long bones. This research investigates the methodological use of surface geometries from linear measurements and geometric morphometric methods (GMM) to answer questions on mobility and allometry during childhood. Materials and Methods: Left femora were selected from 42 individuals ranging from fetal to 12 years of age from medieval St Gregory's Priory, Canterbury, UK. Femora were digitized with structured‐light‐scanning for auto3dgm analysis and measurements were obtained from physical caliper measurements. Individuals were put into age groups based on biomechanical milestones during this age range. Results: Ratio and GMM confirm hypotheses of allometry and biomechanical milestones. Geometric morphometrics, however, detects more subtle differences in mobility at each age group. Discussion: The findings of this preliminary study support the potential use of GMM of immature femora, while indicating that the extent in range of mobility that can occur varies at different biological milestones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To observe the levels of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D, calcium and zinc in children, and explore the relationship between the three indexes and the growth and development of children. Methods From January 2021 to December 2022, 98 children with growth retardation treated in Zigong Maternal and Child Health Hospital were included in the growth retardation group, and 80 children with normal growth and development were taken as the normal growth and development group. The serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D, calcium, zinc level and other clinical data of the two groups were compared, and the relationship between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D, calcium, zinc level and growth and development was analyzed. Results The levels of body length/height, weight, calcium, zinc and 25- hydroxyvitamin D in the growth retardation group were lower than those in the normal growth development group (P < 0.05). The results of point-and-column correlation analysis showed that the levels of calcium, zinc and 25- hydroxyvitamin D were negatively correlated with children's growth retardation (r < 0, P < 0.05) . Logistic regression model was established. The results showed that the levels of Size / height (95%CI:0.673～0.824), weight (95%CI:0.477～0.717), calcium (95%CI: 0.127～0.467), zinc (95%CI: 0.140～0.571) and 25- hydroxyvitamin D (95%CI: 0.130～0.461) were the protective factors for children's growth and development (or < 1 The ROC curve was drawn. The results showed that the levels of calcium, zinc and 25-hydroxyvitamin D had certain predictive value for children's growth and development (AUC = 0.601, 0.627 and 0.667), and the predictive value of The three indicators are parallel was higher (AUC = 0.808). Conclusion The growth and development of children is closely related to the level of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D, calcium and zinc. Clinical monitoring of the level of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D, calcium and zinc is helpful for early prediction of children's growth and development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cotton bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) is considered as one of the most important pests of vegetables worldwide. Nowadays, alternative safe control measures are usually recommended against various insect pests. We investigated the ethanolic extracts of a medicinal plant fruit called winter cherry Withania somnifera L. (Solanaceae) against third instar larvae of cotton bollworm. The LC50, LC30, and LC10 values were estimated by feeding through larval diet at 1.33, 0.53, and 0.14 (% w/v). Later, the LC30 value (0.53 % w/v) obtained was again treated on third instar larvae to find out its sublethal effects on some important molecules and enzymes. The results showed elevated amount of uric acid and also increased activity in acid phosphatase, aspartate aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase, glutathione S-transferase in comparison with the controls (fed artificial diet with ethanol alone). However, decreased activity of alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, catalase, acetylcholinesterase, superoxide dismutase, and peroxidase were observed. The midgut histology showed disruption in main midgut epithelial cells as well as other cell types in treated vs controls. Chemical components of the ethanolic extract of winter cherry fruits were also identified using GC-MS where the main components included 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural (51.18 %) and 4H-Pyran-4-one, 2,3-dihydro-3,5-dihydroxy-6-methyl (21.86%). Our results are indicative of a promising natural product that can be regarded as a new source for insect pest control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The toddler period is a vulnerable time, especially with regard to growth, as it can affect the development of children in the future. Therefore, it is necessary to intervene to increase the interaction of health professionals with parents to have a positive impact on child development. The Maternal and Child Health Information Sharing Agenda (ASIKIA) is an activity carried out in an effort to empower the community, especially cadres and mothers of toddlers in optimizing the growth and development of infants and toddlers. Community empowerment activities were carried out through cadre mentoring activities on March 14, 2023 and toddler mother class activities on March 16, 2023. The empowerment model used is Unlimited Totality Health Empowerement (UTHE) which uses several kinds of models in activities in the form of lectures, group discussions, demonstrations and discussions. The activities carried out proved to be able to increase the knowledge of cadres about stimulation of growth and development of toddlers as shown by the results of the pre-test and post-test where before being given counseling, cadre knowledge in the good category was 50% and after being given counseling cadre knowledge increased to the good category as much as 88%. Likewise, the knowledge of mothers of toddlers about stunting showed results before being given counseling, the knowledge of mothers of toddlers in the good category was 17% and after being given counseling, the knowledge of mothers of toddlers increased to the good category by 100%. In addition, the success of the activity is also indicated by the ability of cadres to correctly assess child development using the "SIP (Developmental Stimulation) Bag" media. ASIKIA can be used as a means of sharing knowledge and active discussion between the service team and activity participants on various maternal and child health issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Circular RNA (circRNA) is a type of non-coding RNA with multiple biological functions. Whole circRNA genomes in plants have been identified, and circRNAs have been demonstrated to be widely present and highly expressed in various plant tissues and organs. CircRNAs are highly stable and conserved in plants, and exhibit tissue specificity and developmental stage specificity. CircRNAs often interact with other biomolecules, such as miRNAs and proteins, thereby regulating gene expression, interfering with gene function, and affecting plant growth and development or response to environmental stress. CircRNAs are less studied in plants than in animals, and their regulatory mechanisms of biogenesis and molecular functions are not fully understood. A variety of circRNAs in plants are involved in regulating growth and development and responding to environmental stress. This review focuses on the biogenesis and regulatory mechanisms of circRNAs, as well as their biological functions during growth, development, and stress responses in plants, including a discussion of plant circRNA research prospects. Understanding the generation and regulatory mechanisms of circRNAs is a challenging but important topic in the field of circRNAs in plants, as it can provide insights into plant life activities and their response mechanisms to biotic or abiotic stresses as well as new strategies for plant molecular breeding and pest control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To study the correlation between serum leptin (Leptin), 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 [25-(OH)D3] and glucose and lipid metabolism, growth and development and renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAS) in children with simple obesity. Methods: 132 children with simple obesity admitted to Shanxi Children's Hospital from September 2021 to September 2023 were selected as observation group, and 100 healthy children who underwent physical examination during the same period were selected as control group. Serum Leptin, 25-(OH)D3, glucose and lipid metabolism indexes [fasting blood glucose (FBG), triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low density lipoprotein (LDL-C), high density lipoprotein (HDL-C)] and RAS system indexes [renin (PRA), angiotensin-II (Ang-II), aldosterone (ALD)] were detected, and growth and development indexes [body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), waist-hip ratio (WHR)] were measured. The correlation between serum Leptin, 25-(OH)D3 and glucose and lipid metabolism, growth and development and RAS indexes in children with simple obesity were analyzed by Pearson test. Results: Serum Leptin in observation group was higher than that in control group, and 25-(OH)D3 was lower than that in control group (P<0.05). FBG, TG, TC and LDL-C in observation group were higher than those in control group, while HDL-C was lower than that in control group (P<0.05). BMI, WC and WHR in observation group were higher than those in control group(P<0.05). The PRA, Ang-II and ALD in observation group were higher than those in control group(P<0.05). Pearson test showed that, serum Leptin was positively correlated with FBG, TG, TC, LDL-C, BMI, WC, WHR, PRA, Ang-II and ALD, and negatively correlated with HDL-C, 25-(OH)D3 was negatively correlated with FBG, TG, TC, LDL-C, BMI, WC, WHR, PRA, Ang-II and ALD, and positively correlated with HDL-C(all P<0.05). Conclusion: In children with simple obesity, serum Leptin is highly express and 25-(OH)D3 is lowly express, which is closely relate to glucose and lipid metabolism, growth and development, and RAS system. Serum Leptin and 25-(OH)D3 may be involve in the pathogenesis of children with simple obesity by affecting glucose and lipid metabolism, growth and development and RAS system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an emerging group of bioactive fatty acids, monomethyl branched-chain fatty acids (mmBCFAs) have sparked the interest of many researchers both domestically and internationally. In addition to documenting the importance of mmBCFAs for growth and development, there is increasing evidence that mmBCFAs are highly correlated with obesity and insulin resistance. According to previous pharmacological investigations, mmBCFAs also exhibit anti-inflammatory effects and anticancer properties. This review summarized the distribution of mmBCFAs, which are widely found in dairy products, ruminants, fish, and fermented foods. Besides, we discuss the biosynthesis pathway in different species and detection methods of mmBCFAs. With the hope to unveil their mechanisms of action, we recapitulated detailed the nutrition and health benefits of mmBCFAs. Furthermore, this study provides a thorough, critical overview of the current state of the art, upcoming difficulties, and trends in mmBCFAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although growth delays and disruption are a well described medical complication of restrictive eating disorders in children and young adolescents, this complication has received less attention in patients with Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID). Patients with ARFID have challenges with adequacy of food volume and variety that are not related to body image but are instead related to lack of interest in eating, sensory concerns, and/or fears of aversive consequences. Because onset of ARFID is commonly before puberty, concerns regarding growth adequacy may present an additional treatment challenge and a unique opportunity for support. Review: Child and adolescent patients with other restrictive eating disorders are at risk of irreversible deleterious impact on growth and development, particularly when onset is before or around puberty. Although faltering growth is a defining feature of ARFID, less attention has been paid to methods for examining growth concerns in young patients with ARFID and training providers to assess growth adequacy when prepubertal and peripubertal patients present with this diagnosis. Providers working with patients under 18 years of age with eating disorders will benefit from the tools discussed in this narrative review to adequately assess growth and development against genetic potential, recognize alterations in growth that are a result of nutritional deficiencies, and support and maximize catch-up growth and development when it has been impaired. Conclusion: Established pediatric growth monitoring tools and techniques to assess adequacy of growth can be applied to child and adolescent patients presenting with ARFID. These tools can improve long term outcomes in linear height for these patients and allow for monitoring during and after treatment until growth and development is complete. Medical providers caring for patients presenting with ARFID will need to establish best practices for assessing and monitoring growth. Plain English Summary: Providers caring for younger patients with eating disorders must remember that children should be growing, and adolescents must progress through puberty. Linear height gain, as well as bone and brain development, hinge upon adequate nutrition. Patients with Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) are at risk for inadequate nutrition and will need an assessment of growth at presentation, as well as ongoing medical support to assure that growth is on track to achieve predicted adult height. Lack of attention to these developmental concerns in a critical window may allow growth to be lost. For medical providers, additional skills will be needed to assess young patients with ARFID and assist them in resuming and achieving growth that matches their genetic potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salt stress seriously affects crop growth, leading to a decline in crop quality and yield. Application of exogenous substances to improve the salt tolerance of crops and promote their growth under salt stress has become a widespread and effective means. Eugenol is a small molecule of plant origin with medicinal properties such as antibacterial, antiviral, and antioxidant properties. In this study, tobacco seedlings were placed in Hoagland's solution containing NaCl in the presence or absence of eugenol, and physiological indices related to stress tolerance were measured along with transcriptome sequencing. The results showed that eugenol improved the growth of tobacco seedlings under salt stress. It promoted carbon and nitrogen metabolism, increased the activities of nitrate reductase (NR), sucrose synthase (SS), and glutamine synthetase (GS) by 31.03, 5.80, and 51.06%. It also activated the enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant systems, reduced the accumulation of reactive oxygen species in the tobacco seedlings, and increased the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT), and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) by 24.38%, 18.22%, 21.60%, and 28.8%, respectively. The content of glutathione (GSH) was increased by 29.49%, and the content of superoxide anion (O2−) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were reduced by 29.83 and 33.86%, respectively. Promoted osmoregulation, the content of Na+ decreased by 34.34, K+ increased by 41.25%, and starch and soluble sugar increased by 7.72% and 25.42%, respectively. It coordinated hormone signaling in seedlings; the content of abscisic acid (ABA) and gibberellic acid 3 (GA3) increased by 51.93% and 266.28%, respectively. The transcriptome data indicated that the differentially expressed genes were mainly enriched in phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, the MAPK signaling pathway, and phytohormone signal transduction pathways. The results of this study revealed the novel role of eugenol in regulating plant resistance and provided a reference for the use of exogenous substances to alleviate salt stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To investigate the effects of colostrum oral immunotherapy combined with oral massage stimulation on oral motor function and growth and development in premature infants. Methods A total of 98 premature infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit from September 2021 to October 2022 were selected and divided into the observation group and the control group according to the envelope method, with 49 cases in each group. The control group received oral stimulation intervention, while the observation group received colostrum oral immunotherapy combined with oral massage stimulation. The oral motor function, development and complications of premature infants in the two groups were compared. Results After intervention, the oral motor function improved in both groups of preterm infants compared to the post-intervention period, and the normal sucking pattern in the observation group was higher than that in the control group, whereas the impaired sucking pattern and disordered sucking pattern were lower than those in the control group, the differences were statistically significant (P <0. 05). After intervention, the development of premature infants in the two groups was improved compared with that before intervention, and the weight, head circumference and height of premature infants in the observation group were higher than those in the control group, the differences were statistically significant(P <0. 05). The total incidence of complications in the observation group [4. 08%(2/49)] was significantly lower than that in the control group [24. 49%(12/49)], and the difference was statistically significant (P <0. 05). Conclusion The implementation of colostrum oral immunotherapy combined with oral massage stimulation can effectively improve the sucking behavior of premature infants, improve their oral motor function, and promote development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Objectives] The paper was to explore the effects of different doses of water-retaining agent on the growth and development indicators, yield and quality of soybean plants subjected to drought stress. [Methods] The effects of drought stress (MDS) and drought stress with low (MDS-L), medium (MDS-M) and high doses (MDS-H) of the water-retaining agent on the growth and development indicators, root activity, MDA content, antioxidant enzyme activity, yield and quality of soybean were studied by field plot test, with the normal water supply serving as the control (CK). [Results] In response to drought stress, the plant height, stem diameter, and yield of soybean exhibited a notable decline. Additionally, the contents of protein, fat, linoleic acid, and linolenic acid in seeds demonstrated a significant reduction. Conversely, the root activity and antioxidant enzyme activity exhibited a noticeable decline, while the MDA content exhibited an increase. The application of varying doses of the water-retaining agent was found to significantly enhance soybean growth, stimulate root activity, and elevate antioxidant enzyme activity, while concurrently reducing MDA content. The observed effects were found to be dose-dependent, with the greatest effects observed at the highest dose. In comparison to MDS, the yields of soybean in the MDS-L, MDS-M, and MDS-H treatments exhibited a 18.38%, 25.58%, and 46.26% increase, respectively. Additionally, the content of protein, fat, linoleic acid, and linolenic acid in seeds demonstrated a notable enhancement. [Conclusions] The application of the water-retaining agent has been demonstrated to significantly promote the growth of soybean plants under conditions of drought strefs, resulting in an improvement in both the yield and the quality of the soybean crop. The recommended dosage of the water-retaining agent is 3.3 kg/(667 m². [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Although the geographic distribution and production of rice are significantly influenced by temperature fluctuations, rice plants have developed a wide range of physiological, biochemical, and molecular responses to cope with and adapt to temperature stresses, including cold stress resulting from low temperatures. Deciphering cold-responsive genes and the underlying mechanisms may accelerate the development of new cold-resistant rice varieties and ensure stable rice production in adverse temperature conditions. This review aims to provide a straightforward summary of the previous progress in understanding the functions and molecular mechanisms of cold-responsive genes in rice. Rice (Oryza sativa L.) production is highly susceptible to temperature fluctuations, which can significantly reduce plant growth and development at different developmental stages, resulting in a dramatic loss of grain yield. Over the past century, substantial efforts have been undertaken to investigate the physiological, biochemical, and molecular mechanisms of cold stress tolerance in rice. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the recent developments and trends in this field. We summarized the previous advancements and methodologies used for identifying cold-responsive genes and the molecular mechanisms of cold tolerance in rice. Integration of new technologies has significantly improved studies in this era, facilitating the identification of essential genes, QTLs, and molecular modules in rice. These findings have accelerated the molecular breeding of cold-resistant rice varieties. In addition, functional genomics, including the investigation of natural variations in alleles and artificially developed mutants, is emerging as an exciting new approach to investigating cold tolerance. Looking ahead, it is imperative for scientists to evaluate the collective impacts of these novel genes to develop rice cultivars resilient to global climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key message: MePMTR1 is involved in plant development and production as well as photosynthesis in plant. Melatonin is widely involved in plant growth and development as well as stress responses. Compared with the extending studies of melatonin in stress responses, the direct link between melatonin and plant development in the whole stages remains unclear. With the identification of phytomelatonin receptor PMTR1 in plants, melatonin signalling is becoming much clearer. However, the function of MePMTR1 in tropical crop cassava remains elusive. In this study, we found that overexpression of MePMTR1 showed larger biomass than wild type (WT), including higher number and area of leaves, weight, and accompanying with higher photosynthetic efficiency. Consistently, exogenous melatonin accelerated photosynthetic rate in Arabidopsis. In addition, MePMTR1-overexpressed plants exhibited more resistance to dark-induced senescence compared with WT, demonstrated by higher chlorophyll, lower hydrogen peroxide and superoxide content. In summary, this study illustrated that melatonin and its receptor regulate growth, development and senescence in plants, highlighting the potential application of melatonin and its receptor in improving crop yield and photosynthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to explore the influencing factors of aerobic capacity of male students in Beijing colleges and universities, 134 male students aged 18 ~ 25 years old in Beijing colleges and universities were selected by random sampling method, and venous blood was drawn in fasting to measure the blood indexes, and gas metabolism was monitored in real time with the MetaMax 3B system from Germany, and the relative maximum oxygen uptake (VO2max) was measured by a linear incremental scheme. The results were analyzed and processed based on Spearman􀆳s correlation and ordered Logistic regression. The results show that the factors affecting the aerobic capacity of male students in Beijing colleges and universities in the regression equation are body weight (M), heart rate (HR), stroke volume (SV), ventricular ejection time (VET) and hemoglobin (HGB). The P of the combined regression equation model coefficients test step, block, and model tests are less than 0. 01. The - 2 log likelihood value ( - 2LL) of the goodness-of-fit test is 159. 374, the Cox & Snell R 2 is 0. 331, and the Nagelkerke R 2 is 0. 373. The predicted rank 1 accuracy is 45. 5%, rank 2 accuracy is 100%, rank 3 accuracy is 100%, and the combined is 81. 8%, indicating that the Logistic regression model performs well. Hosmer and Lemeshow test predicts that there is no significant difference between the predicted values and the observed values (P > 0. 05). This indicates that the multivariate Logistic regression model of quantitative loading cardiac function, blood indexes and aerobic capacity of male students in Beijing colleges and universities has a good fit, and HR, SV, VET and HGB are important factors to predict aerobic capacity of male students in Beijing colleges and universities. Meanwhile, the subjects do not need to exercise to the limit state, and the intensity of exercise is greatly reduced, which can effectively avoid the occurrence of exercise risk, and the test results of the regression model are better and good, which is suitable for the promotion in a large sample of the population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: This study investigates the effectiveness of a novel genetics-based biopesticide, miR-184 agomir, against the English grain aphid, Sitobion avenae, a major wheat pest. miR-184 agomir interference significantly reduced aphid survival rates, particularly during their early developmental stages. Life table analysis demonstrated that the application of miR-184 agomir resulted in adverse effects on multiple vital parameters essential for the expansion of the aphid population. Population projection models predicted a substantial decline in the aphid population size at 60 days post-treatment. These findings underscore the potential of genetics-based biopesticides in the effective management of grain aphid populations, thereby contributing to wheat crop protection and environmental sustainability. The investigation of genetics-based biopesticides has become a central focus in pesticide studies due to their inherent advantages, including species specificity, environmental safety, and a wide range of target genes. In this study, a mixture of miR-184 agomir and nanomaterial star polycation (SPc) was used to treat the nymphs of the English grain aphid, Sitobion avenae (F.). The life parameters of the aphids at various developmental stages were analyzed using an age–stage two-sex life table to assess the effect of miR-184 agomir on the experimental population. The results indicated that miR-184 agomir had a significant negative effect on four key life parameters, including the intrinsic rate of increase, the finite rate of increase, the net rate of increase, and the mean generation time. The population prediction revealed a substantial reduction (91.81% and 95.88%) in the population size of S. avenae at 60 d after treatment with miR-184 agomir, compared to the control groups. Our findings suggest that the miR-184 agomir has the potential to reduce the survival rate and mean longevity of S. avenae, highlighting its potential as a promising candidate for the development of an effective genetics-based biopesticide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) is an invasive insect pest that poses a threat to solanaceous crops. In recent years, the occurrences of extremely high temperature have been increasing due to climate change. Therefore, it is important to study the effect of high temperature on the growth and development of T. absoluta. In this study, when the eggs, pupae, and adults of T. absoluta were exposed to high-temperature stress, the pupal stage exhibited the highest sensitivity. This was demonstrated by a significant decrease in emergence rate, longevity, and fecundity. High-temperature stress during the egg stage resulted in a cascading effect, leading to a reduction in the adult longevity. This study provides a new insight for the integrated management of T. absoluta under high temperature. Insect life processes and reproductive behaviors are significantly affected by extremely high temperatures. This study focused on Tuta absoluta, which poses a severe threat to tomato cultivars. The effects of intense heat stress on the growth, development, oviposition, and longevity of T. absoluta were investigated. This investigation encompassed various developmental stages, including eggs, pupae, and adults. This study revealed that egg hatching and pupa emergence rates were significantly reduced at a temperature of 44 °C maintained for 6 h. The longevity of adults that emerged after the egg and pupal stages were exposed to 44 °C for 6 h was significantly reduced compared to the control. Notably, there was no significant variation in adult fecundity after egg-stage exposure to high temperatures. However, all treatments exhibited significantly reduced fecundity compared to the control after exposure to high temperatures during the pupal stage. Adult survival rates after exposure to 40 °C and 44 °C for 3 h were 74.29% and 22.40%, respectively, dramatically less than that of the control, which was 100%. However, no significant differences were noted in terms of longevity and egg production. These results offer a better understanding of the complex interactions between extreme temperatures and the life history traits of T. absoluta, thereby offering valuable insights for implementing management strategies to alleviate its impact on tomato crops in response to climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MicroRNAs (miRNA) play a vital role in insects' growth and development and have significant potential value in pest control. Previously, we identified miR-306 from small RNA libraries within the English grain aphid, Sitobion avenae, a devasting insect pest for wheat. miR-306 not only involves in wing morphogenesis, but also is critically important for aphid survival. Its specific impacts on the life history traits, however, remain unclear. Here, we evaluate the impact of miR-306 perturbation on S. avenae populations using a two-sex life table approach. This comprehensive analysis revealed that miR-306 perturbation significantly prolongs the developmental stages (9.64% and 8.20%) and adult longevity of S. avenae, while decreasing pre-adult survival rate (41.45% and 38.74%) and slightly reducing average fecundity (5.80% and 13.05%). Overall, miR-306 perturbation negatively affects the life table parameters of the aphid population. The population prediction models show a significant decline in the aphid population 60 days post interference, compared to the control groups (98.14% and 97.76%). Our findings highlight the detrimental effects of miR-306 perturbation on S. avenae population growth and suggest potential candidate genes for the development of RNAi-based biopesticides targeted specifically at this pest species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To investigate the effects of vitamin D deficiency in early life on growth and development and subclinical bone health in neonatal rats. Methods Twenty-seven healthy adult SD rats (9 males and 18 females) were selected. All female SD rats were randomly divided into the control group, vitamin D deficiency group (VDD group) and vitamin D supplement group (VDS group), with 6 rats in each group. Rats in the VDD and VDS groups were fed with vitamin D deficiency diet, while rats in the control group and all male mice were fed with standard diet. They were fed for 4 weeks and mated at a male-to-female ratio of 2∶1. After successful mating, rats in the control group and VDS group were fed with standard diet and illuminated by incandescent light, and rats in the VDD group continued to be fed with vitamin Ddeficient diet and illuminated by white LED light. After delivery, rats in the VDD group continued to be fed with vitamin D deficient diets and illuminated by bright white LED lighting, while rats in the control and VDS groups continued to be fed with standard diets and illuminated by incandescent lighting. The young mice were fed 21 days after lactating and were fed according to the above conditions until the 7th weekend of birth. At the 1st,2nd,3rd and 4th weekends after birth, the body mass and tail length were measured. At the 7th weekend after birth, blood was taken from the heart after anesthesia and serum was retained by centrifugation. Serum Ca2+ was detected by azo-arsenic Ⅲ method, serum parathyroid hormone (PTH) was detected by two-site enzyme immunoassay, and serum 25 hydroxyvitamin D［25-(OH) D］ was detected by ELISA. The whole body bone mineral content and bone mineral density were measured by dual-energy X-ray bone densitometer. Serum phosphorus was detected by enzyme assay, serum insulin-like growth factor 1(IGF-1) was detected by ELISA, and serum type I procollagen N-terminal lengthening peptide (P1NP) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were detected by chemiluminescence immunoassay. Results The body weight, body length and tail length of rats in the control group and VDS group were higher than those in the VDD group at the 1st to 4th weekends after birth (all P<0. 05), and the body weight, body length and tail length of rats in the VDS group were higher than those in the VDD group at the 1st to 4th weekends after birth (all P<0. 05). At the end of the 7th week, serum Ca2+,25-(OH) D, ALP, phosphorus, IGF-1 levels, bone mineral content and density of rats in the control group and VDS group were higher than those in the VDD group, while serum PTH and P1NP levels were lower than those in the VDD group (all P<0. 05). Serum ALP, phosphorus, IGF-1, bone mineral content and density of the VDS group were higher than those of the control group, and serum P1NP level was lower than that of the control group (all P<0. 05). Conclusion Vitamin D deficiency in early life can affect the growth and development of offspring rats and lead to subclinical bone health, while timely supplementation of vitamin D can promote the growth and development, and reverse the subclinical bone health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The wrapping of the newborn in an orthopedic tubular mesh, simulating a cocoon, can allow the infant to regain the feeling of security and stability experienced in the uterus given that the movement of one of the parts of the body exerts tactile and pressure variation in others. We aimed to evaluate the influence of an orthopedic tubular mesh, simulating a cocoon, in therapeutic positioning, on the variables of the autonomous, motor, and regulatory systems of preterm newborns. A controlled and randomized clinical trial was conducted with preterm newborns positioned in dorsal decubitus and divided into two groups: (a) cocoon – newborns covered with an orthopedic tubular mesh, and (b) control – newborns positioned according to the sector's routine and without the use of an orthopedic mesh. During the follow-up, each newborn was placed in the position for 30 min and was recorded for a total of 2 min, once at the beginning and again at the end of the observation period. Variables related to the autonomous system (heart rate, respiratory rate, and peripheral oxygen saturation), motor system (general movements), and regulatory system (Neonatal Infant Pain Scale) were evaluated before and after the intervention. The videos were evaluated by a researcher blind to the purpose of the study, and the resulting data were analyzed using SPSS. Of the 40 preterm newborns evaluated (32.5 ± 1.83 weeks), 21 were female, and 20 were allocated to the cocoon group. The variables related to the autonomous, motor, and regulatory systems remained unchanged following the positioning in the cocoon, as compared to the typical positioning employed in the neonatal unit. The simulation of a cocoon, utilizing an orthopedic tubular mesh, when applied to preterm newborns admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit can contribute to maintaining low levels of stress, without altering variables of the autonomous, motor, and regulatory systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The insect epidermis covers multiple parts of the insect body, fulfilling both structural and protective roles. Primarily composed of chitin and epidermal proteins, the insect epidermis displays considerable diversity among insects. The CPR family, the largest and most diverse group of cuticular protein (CP) genes identified to date, plays crucial roles in insect development, including body length regulation and cuticle formation. Steroid hormones, such as ecdysteroids, regulate the expression of epidermal proteins. In addition, the insecticide Methoxyfenozide mimics the action of 20E, thereby affecting insect growth. Our study on Heortia vitessoides Moore elucidates the role of HvCP3L and offers novel insights into pest management strategies for Aquilaria sinensis (Lour.) Spreng. Cuticle proteins (CPs) constitute a multifunctional family; however, the physiological role of Cuticle Protein 3-like (CP3L) in Heortia vitessoides Moore remains largely unclear. In this study, we cloned the HvCP3L gene from the transcriptional library of Heortia vitessoides Moore. RT-qPCR results revealed that HvCP3L exhibited high expression levels during the larval stage of Heortia vitessoides Moore, particularly at the L5D1 stage, observed in both larval and adult heads. Through RNA interference, we successfully silenced the HvCP3L gene, resulting in a significant reduction in the survival rate of Heortia vitessoides Moore, with the survival rate from larvae to adults plummeting to a mere 17.7%, accompanied by phenotypic abnormalities. Additionally, we observed that the knockdown of HvCP3L led to the inhibition of genes in the chitin pathway. Following exposure to methoxyfenozide stress, the HvCP3L gene exhibited significant overexpression, coinciding with phenotypic abnormalities. These findings underscore the pivotal role of HvCP3L in the growth and development of Heortia vitessoides Moore. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The present study investigated the effects of different temperatures (15, 20, 25, 30, and 35 °C) on the growth and development of Habrobracon hebetor Say (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) on Ephestia elutella (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) larvae. Habrobracon hebetor could complete growth and development when E. elutella larvae were used as hosts, and the developmental duration decreased with increasing temperature at 15, 20, 25, 30, and 35 °C. Taking into account factors such as the total number of eggs laid, egg hatchability, the number of emerged adults, emergence ratio, percentage of female offspring, innate rate of increase, and net reproductive rate, the optimal temperature for rearing of H. hebetor is 30 °C. Augmentative release of parasitoids has been an important component of integrated insect management for stored product protection. Understanding the effect of different temperatures on the growth and development of parasitoids is in favor of mass rearing of parasitoids. Habrobracon hebetor Say (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) is a highly cosmopolitan, gregarious ecto-parasitoid of a variety of Lepidopterous larvae. Thus, the growth and development of H. hebetor reared on Ephestia elutella (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) larvae were investigated at 15, 20, 25, 30, and 35 °C. Habrobracon hebetor could complete growth and development, and the developmental duration decreased with increasing temperature at 15, 20, 25, 30, and 35 °C. The development threshold temperatures of H. hebetor eggs, larvae, pupae, and egg-to-adult stages were 13.89, 6.39, 9.24, and 9.29 °C, and the effective accumulated temperatures were 23.33, 46.40, 142.68, and 240.31 °C·d, respectively. The total number of eggs laid by H. hebetor, the hatching rate of H. hebetor eggs, and the percentage of female offspring reached the maximum of 192.39, 83.89%, and 74.04% at 30 °C, respectively. There was no significant difference in pupal survival rate in the temperature range of 15 °C to 35 °C. At 30 °C, the pre-oviposition duration of H. hebetor was the shortest (0.87 d). Therefore, the optimal rearing temperature of H. hebetor was 30 °C. The present results are useful for the large-scale rearing of H. hebetor using E. elutella larvae as hosts and effectively implementing the biological control of stored-product insects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bioarchaeology lacks a system for recording the morphology of muscle and ligament attachment sites, called entheses, in growing individuals. Such information is useful in investigating factors that affect bone growth and development, including sex, age, puberty, pathology, and activity. This paper presents a standardized recording method for nonadult entheses based on 29 archaeological individuals of archivally known sex and age-at-death, ranging from two to 17 years. This paper (a) assesses the range of osseous changes of 16 entheses in the upper and lower limbs of growing individuals, and (b) presents a scoring method for each enthesis, which is evaluated through inter-and intra-observer comparisons. Nonadult entheses show a wide range of morphological variation. Method reproducibility is established. This method will allow researchers to further investigate factors affecting bone development in nonadult skeletal remains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The aim of this study was thus to evaluate the effect of Cr supplementation on morphological changes and expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines in the hippocampus and on developmental parameters. Methods: Male Wistar rat pups were submitted to an experimental model of CP. Cr was administered via gavage from the 21st to the 28th postnatal day, and in water after the 28th, until the end of the experiment. Body weight (BW), food consumption (FC), muscle strength, and locomotion were evaluated. Expression of interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) were assessed in the hippocampus by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Iba1 immunoreactivity was assessed by immunocytochemistry in the hippocampal hilus. Results: Experimental CP caused increased density and activation of microglial cells, and overexpression of IL-6. The rats with CP also presented abnormal BW development and impairment of strength and locomotion. Cr supplementation was able to reverse the overexpression of IL-6 in the hippocampus and mitigate the impairments observed in BW, strength, and locomotion. Discussion: Future studies should evaluate other neurobiological characteristics, including changes in neural precursor cells and other cytokines, both pro- and anti-inflammatory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To discuss the changes of serum levels of Klotho and fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) in the small for gestational age (SGA) infants after birth, and to clarify their relationships with growth and development. Methods: A total of 35 SGA and 53 appropriate for the gestational age (AGA) infants were selected and divided into SGA group (n=35) and AGA group (n=53), including 51 infants in premature group, among them 20 infants in preterm SGA group and 31 infants in preterm AGA group; among them 37 infants in full-term group, 15 infants in full-term SGA group and 22 infants in full-term AGA group. The clinical materials of the infants in various groups were collected. The levels of Klotho and FGF23 in serum and clinical biochemical markers of the infants on the 7th and 14th days after birth were detected. The relationships between the levels of Klotho and FGF23 in serum on the 7th and 14th days postnatally and newborn growth indicators such as body weight, body length, head circumference, chest circumference, and Kopu index, as well as their correlations with calcium and phosphorus metabolism were analyzed. Results: Compared with AGA group, the body weight, body length, head circumference, chest circumference, and Kopu index of the infants in SGA group were decreased (P<0. 05). On the 7th and 14th days after birth, compared with preterm group, the serum levels of Klotho and FGF23 of the infants in full-term group were significantly increased (P<0. 01). Compared with the 7th day after birth, the levels of serum Klotho of the infants in preterm and full-term groups on the 14th day were significantly increased (P<0. 01), and the levels of FGF23 in serum were decreased (P<0. 01). Compared with AGA group, the levels of serum Klotho and FGF23 of the infants in SGA group on the 7th and 14th days after birth were significantly decreased (P<0. 05 or P<0. 01). Compared with the 7th day after birth, the levels of serum Klotho of the infants in both AGA and SGA groups on the 14th days after birth were significantly increased (P<0. 01), and the FGF23 levels were decreased (P<0. 05 or P<0. 01). Compared with preterm AGA group, the levels of Klotho and FGF23 in serum of the infants in preterm SGA group on the 7th and 14th days after birth were significantly decreased (P<0. 05 or P<0. 01). Compared with full-term AGA group, the levels of Klotho and FGF23 in serum of the infants in full-term SGA group on the 7th and 14th days after birth were significantly decreased (P<0. 05 or P<0. 01). In SGA group, the serum levels of Klotho and FGF23 on the 7th day after birth were positively correlated with the gestational age, body weight, body length, head circumference, chest circumference, and Kopu index (P<0. 05 or P<0. 01); there was a positive correlation between the serum level of Klotho and the serum level of FGF23 (P<0. 05). In terms of calcium-phosphorus metabolism, in SGA group, the serum level of Klotho on the 7th day after birth was positively correlated with serum phosphorus level (P<0. 01), and the level of serum FGF23 on the 7th day after birth was positively correlated with serum calcium and phosphorus levels (P<0. 05 or P<0. 01). Conclusion: Klotho and FGF23 proteins are closely associated with growth and development and phosphate metabolism of the infants. The expression levels of Klotho and FGF23 in serum of the SGA infants postnatally are lower, but the secretion of Klotho is increased with the gradul improvement of each organ, and the decrease of FGF23 may be the adaptive response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Objective] The present study aimed to clarify the internal correlation between environmental parameters change and production performance of high quality chicken houses under different feeding conditions, and provide theoretical basis for the control of environmental parameters in high quality chicken houses. [Method] A total of 480 healthy 0-day high quality broiler chickens of L line were divided into four groups with 120 chickens per group randomly, 6 replicates and 20 chickens each replicate. Experimental groups I, II and III were fed in three closed environmental control modules, and control group IV was fed in temperature controlled chambers during brooding period (0-21 days), and transferred to semi-enclosed common coop later. The internal environmental parameters, the changes of body weight, body size and the development of sexual organs were measured. [Result] (i) The temperature of group IV chickens in the environmental control chamber was relatively high, reaching more than 32 °C, and the humidity was about 55%. The concentrations of NH3, PM2.5 and PM10 were always in a low state. With the gradual increase of the temperature and humidity difference between the chicken house and the outside after the transfer to the semi-enclosed ordinary chicken house, the change laws of the concentration of gases and dust were the same as outside the house basically, which decreased first and then rose, and the concentration of O2 was always in a relatively stable trend. The exchange of fresh air in groups I, II and III kept the temperature and humidity within the preset range, other NH3, CO2, O2, PM2.5, PM10 and other environmental parameters change trends were consistent with the house basically, lower than the ordinary semi-enclosed chicken coop slightly. (ii) The correlations between the temperature outside the house and O2, CO₂ and NH3 were 0.7287, -0.7123 and -0.6875(P<0.01), and the correlations between the temperature inside the house and O2, CO2 and NH3 were 0.8071, 8427 and 0.7221 respectively (P<0.01). All of them were correlated or strongly correlated moderately, indicating that temperature had a greater influence on gas concentration, and the temperature inside the house had a stronger correlation with gas concentration than outside the house. (iii) At 8 weeks of age, the body weight of group II was significantly higher than groups III and IV (P<0.05, the same as below), the body growth and development of chickens in all groups reached the peak at 12 weeks of age, the body weight of group II were about 84 g, 144 g and 126 g higher than group I, III and IV respectively, and body diagonal length and keel length in group II were significantly higher than groups I, III and IV. At 16 weeks of age, the length of fallopian tube in group II reached 23. 25 mm, and the weight of yolk follicles and ovaries were 6. 25 and 10. 15 g respectively, which were significantly higher than groups I, III and IV. The results showed that there were significant differences in growth and sexual organ development of high quality broilers under different environmental parameters. [Conclusion] There are some differences in growth and sexual maturity among different coop environmental parameters, and the closed loop control mode is more suitable for the healthy growth and welfare breeding of high quality broiler chickens in China. High quality broilers have different requirements for temperature and humidity in different growth cycles, among which Group II environmental control mode has more advantages in growth and sexual organ development at different age segments, so it is recommended to increase its application in poultry breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The calmodulin-binding protein 60 (CBP60) family is a gene family unique to plants, and its members play a crucial role in plant defense responses to pathogens and growth and development. Considering that cotton is the primary source of natural cotton textile fiber, the functional study of its CBP60 gene family members is critical. In this research, we successfully identified 162 CBP60 members from the genomes of 21 species. Of these, 72 members were found in four cotton species, divided into four clades. To understand the function of GhCBP60B in cotton in depth, we conducted a detailed analysis of its sequence, structure, cis-acting elements, and expression patterns. Research results show that GhCBP60B is located in the nucleus and plays a crucial role in cotton growth and development and response to salt and drought stress. After using VIGS (virus-induced gene silencing) technology to conduct gene silencing experiments, we found that the plants silenced by GhCBP60B showed dwarf plants and shortened stem nodes, and the expression of related immune genes also changed. In further abiotic stress treatment experiments, we found that GhCBP60B-silenced plants were more sensitive to drought and salt stress, and their POD (peroxidase) activity was also significantly reduced. These results imply the vital role of GhCBP60B in cotton, especially in regulating plant responses to drought and salt stress. This study systematically analyzed CBP60 gene family members through bioinformatics methods and explored in depth the biological function of GhCBP60B in cotton. These research results lay a solid foundation for the future use of the GhCBP60B gene to improve cotton plant type and its drought and salt resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Objective] To explore the practical significance of organic fertilizer combined with biochar in the production of flue-cured tobacco in Dali, Yunnan Province, the study was carried out from four aspects: the transformation of soil nutrients, the growth and development of tobacco plants, the carbon and nitrogen metabolism in tobacco plants and the yield and quality of tobacco leaves. [Method] The field experiment was conducted, and three treatments were set up: applying only organic fertilizer (Y), applying only biochar (S) and applying organic fertilizer with biochar (Y+S). The input amount of C, N, P and K elements in each treatment room was consistent. [Result] Y+S and Y treatments were more beneficial to the formation of plant height, stem circumference and leaf area than S treatments;the activities of nitrogen metabolism-related enzymes and carbon metabolism-related enzymes in the plant were the best in Y+S, and the biomass of the tobacco plant was the largest. Compared with Y and S treatments, the water soluble sugar and reducing sugar in the upper flue-cured tobacco leaves were increased by 8. 30-8. 95 and 4. 90-6. 09 percentage points, respectively, and the ratio of sugar to alkali and potassium to chlorine was 6. 29- 6. 97 and 0. 22-0. 27, significantly reducing the nicotine content by 0. 82%; Compared with Y treatment, Y+S treatment significantly reduced the nicotine content by 0. 38 percentage points and increased the proportion of equal tobacco, with an increase of 0. 09 and 0.24 respectively; the output of flue-cured tobacco increased by 186. 15 and 510. 9 kg/hm² respectively, and the output value of flue-cured tobacco increased significantly by 20 391. 45 and 27 688. 8 yuan/hm² respectively. [Conclusion] The treatment of organic fertilizer combined with biochar is higher than other treatments in agronomic traits and related enzyme activities, organic matter content in soil, total nitrogen and other nutrients, significantly increasing the yield and output value. The application of organic fertilizer combined with biochar is beneficial to further improve the quality of tobacco leaves in Dali Bay Bridge tobacco planting area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to screen out the seedling tray specifications which could not only meet the needs of well cellar type seedling transplanting in Yibin tobacco-growing area, but also reduce the amount of substrate and seedling rearing site, the effects of different seedling tray specifications on the growth and development of tobacco seedlings and tobacco yield and quality were studied by means of wet seedling rearing. The results showed that the seedlings grew faster in 128 pores per tray and 162 pores per tray, and the agronomic characters, material accumulation and qualified seedling rate were higher. The agronomic characters and economic characters of tobacco plants in the field were higher, but the amount of matrix and the required seedling area were larger, and the input cost of seedling rearing increased obviously. The quality, agronomic characters and economic characters of tobacco plants cultivated in 200 pores per tray were similar to that of 128 pores per tray, but the substrate consumption and the required seedling tray area were 39. 88% lower than that of 128 pores per tray, 30. 77% lower than that of 128 pores per tray, and the cost of seedling rearing was significantly reduced. The seedling quality, agronomic characters and economic characters of tobacco plant in the field were significantly lower than those of other treatments, although the substrate consumption and seedling area required by 288 pores per tray were the lowest. In summary, 200 pores per tray is an ideal choice in Yibin tobacco area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Panonychus citri McGregor (Acari: Tetranychidae), a destructive citrus pest, causes considerable annual economic losses due to its short lifespan and rapid resistance development. MicroRNA (miRNA)‐induced RNA interference is a promising approach for pest control because of endogenous regulation of pest growth and development. To search for miRNAs with potential insecticidal activity in P. citri, genome‐wide analysis of miRNAs at different developmental stages was conducted, resulting in the identification of 136 miRNAs, including 73 known and 63 novel miRNAs. A total of 17 isomiRNAs and 12 duplicated miRNAs were characterized. MiR‐1 and miR‐252‐5p were identified as reference miRNAs for P. citri and Tetranychus urticae. Based on differential expression analysis, treatments with miR‐let‐7a and miR‐315 mimics and the miR‐let‐7a antagomir significantly reduced the egg hatch rate and resulted in abnormal egg development. Overexpression or downregulation of miR‐34‐5p and miR‐305‐5p through feeding significantly decreased the adult eclosion rate and caused molting defects. The 4 miRNAs, miR‐let‐7a, miR‐315, miR‐34‐5p, and miR‐305‐5p, had important regulatory functions and insecticidal properties in egg hatching and adult eclosion. In general, these data advance our understanding of miRNAs in mite biology, which can assist future studies on insect‐specific miRNA‐based green pest control technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Xiang FZ001 was used as a test variety in this experiment, which was conducted in a plant factory with a cycle of 16 hours of light and 8 hours of darkness to study the effects of varying light intensities on the growth and development of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.), three light intensity treatments with parameters of L1: 450 µmol⋅m-2⋅s-1, L2: 600 µmol⋅m-2⋅s-1, and L3: 750 µmol⋅m-2⋅s-1, were established to determine the dry weight of each cotton organ. The height of the cotton plant was measured using a straightedge, the chlorophyll content of cotton leaves was measured using a SPAD-502 chlorophyll meter. Additionally, six chlorophyll fluorescence parameters were measured, including initial fluorescence (F0) and maximum fluorescence (Fm), using a Flour Pen 110. The relative chlorophyll content and plant height of cotton were greatest under the L1 light intensity treatment, the root dry weight of cotton was greatest under the L2 light intensity treatment, and the total weight of cotton stems, leaves, and individual plants under the three light intensity treatments were L3>L2>L1 in descending order, and the F0 and Fm were L1>L2>L3 in descending order. The maximum photochemical quantum yield (Fv/Fm) was L2>L3>L1 in descending order. The photochemical bursting coefficient (qp) and effective quantum yield (φPSII) of cotton under the same light intensity treatment showed the same curves of change. During the pre-growth era, there was no significant difference in the qp, φPSII, and nonphotochemical burst (NPQ) of cotton under the three light intensity treatments. However, in the late period, there was a greater difference. For the late growth stage, cotton's qp and φPSII under the three light intensity treatments were high to low in the order of L3>L2>L1, and high to low in the order of L2>L3>L1. High light intensities increase the dry weight, stem dry weight, and leaf dry weight of cotton plants; low light intensities enhance the height of the cotton plant, but too high or too low a light intensity prevents the growth of cotton roots. Compared with cotton under L1 and L3 light intensity treatments, L2 light intensity was suitable for cotton growth, avoiding both inter-plant competition for light and the phenomenon of photoinhibition, with moderate chlorophyll content, resulting in the highest photochemical efficiency of cotton. This study can provide a guidance for cotton factory production and cotton breeding accelerator development and application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

14-3-3 proteins are a highly conserved family of acidic proteins encoded by different genes in eukaryotic organisms. After interacting with the target proteins through the phosphorylation sites, 14-3-3 proteins influence the stability, subcellular localization, or interactions with other proteins of the target protein, thereby regulating its function. Various isoforms of 14-3-3 proteins have been found in different species, and these isoforms influence the processes such as plant growth and development. In this review, we summarize the type, subcellular localization, and expression patterns of 14-3-3 proteins in plants, with a specific focus on the functions of 14-3-3 proteins in plant hormone signaling, growth and development, and stress response. The aim of this review is to provide a theoretical foundation for further systematic research on 14-3-3 proteins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hybridization of livestock can be used to improve varieties, and different hybrid combinations produce unique breeding effects. In this study, male Southdown and Suffolk sheep were selected to hybridize with female Hu sheep to explore the effects of male parentage on muscle growth and the development of offspring. Using data-independent acquisition technology, we identified 119, 187, and 26 differentially abundant proteins (DAPs) between Hu × Hu (HH) versus Southdown × Hu (NH), HH versus Suffolk × Hu (SH), and NH versus SH crosses. Two DAPs, MYOZ2 and MYOM3, were common to the three hybrid groups and were mainly enriched in muscle growth and development-related pathways. At the myoblast proliferation stage, MYOZ2 expression decreased cell viability and inhibited proliferation. At the myoblast differentiation stage, MYOZ2 expression promoted myoblast fusion and enhanced the level of cell fusion. These findings provide new insights into the key proteins and metabolic pathways involved in the effect of male parentage on muscle growth and the development of hybrid offspring in sheep. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are produced as undesirable by‐products of metabolism in various cellular compartments, especially in response to unfavorable environmental conditions, throughout the life cycle of plants. Stress‐induced ROS production disrupts normal cellular function and leads to oxidative damage. To cope with excessive ROS, plants are equipped with a sophisticated antioxidative defense system consisting of enzymatic and non‐enzymatic components that scavenge ROS or inhibit their harmful effects on biomolecules. Nonetheless, when maintained at relatively low levels, ROS act as signaling molecules that regulate plant growth, development, and adaptation to adverse conditions. Here, we provide an overview of current approaches for detecting ROS. We also discuss recent advances in understanding ROS signaling, ROS metabolism, and the roles of ROS in plant growth and responses to various abiotic stresses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microplastics (MPs) refer to plastics with a diameter of less than 5 mm. As a new environmental pollutant, MPs can enter the body through the respiratory tract, digestive tract and skin, and then deposit in multiple tissues such as the intestine, liver and ovary. MPs exposure has toxic effects on the female reproductive system by affecting follicle development, oocyte quality and sex hormone levels through apoptosis, oxidative stress and disorders of hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, thereby reducing female fertility. Moreover, recent studies have found that MPs can enter the placenta and lead to the abnormal placental metabolism, immune imbalance at the maternal and fetal interface, and the impaired placental structure. MPs can further enter the offspring through the placental barrier after maternal exposure to MPs, causing adverse effects on the neural, digestive, reproductive and other multiple systems of the offspring. Given the toxicity of MPs and the persistence in environment, the exposure to MPs should be reduced in daily life to prevent human from the harm of MPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: There is a continuous search for an effective intervention to help preterm low birth weight neonates overcome their poor growth and developmental outcomes. Most researchers have examined the effect of Oromotor Stimulation (OMS) on feeding performance. Studies exploring Multimodal Sensory Stimulation (MSS) on various outcome parameters are sparse and reveal inconsistent results. Aim: To analyse the effectiveness of MSS in improving weight gain, length of hospitalisation, and feeding performance in preterm Very Low Birth Weight (VLBW) neonates. Materials and Methods: This quasi-experimental study was conducted between June 2021 and December 2022 in the Paediatrics Department of Agartala Government Medical College, Agartala, Tripura, India. A total of 104 hospitalised neonates with gestational age from 28 to less than 37 weeks and birth weight from 1000 to less than 1500 grams (VLBW) were included in the study. All neonates received standard care and Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC). On the advice of some faculties, several of them also received MSS. All neonates were divided into two groups: those who received MSS and those who did not, and they were monitored until discharge. Mean hospitalisation length, weight gain, and transition time were derived and statistically analysed using Chi-square and Mann-Whitney U tests. Results: In the present study, the mean gestational age was 32.04±1.75 and 32.679±1.19 weeks, and the M:F ratio was 1.43:1 and 1.30:1 in the MSS-given and MSS-not given groups, respectively. Mean weight gain was significantly higher in the MSS-given group (97.00±123.09 g versus-23.42±43.96 g). Mean hospitalisation length was longer in the MSS-given group, but transition time did not differ significantly across the groups. Conclusion: Multimodal sensory stimulation is effective in promoting weight gain in preterm VLBW neonates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]