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Introduction: This study was designed to examine the relationships between sleep problems among elementary school children and lifestyles of their family. Materials and methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey at the Elementary School attached to Joetsu University of Education from February to March 2013. The questionnaire for children consists of the Child and Adolescent Sleep Checklist (CASC: Oka, et al., 2009). The questionnaire for caregivers consists of items about lifestyles and sleep problems among their family members. Three hundred eighty-nine elementary school children (and their caregiver) completed and returned the questionnaire (collection rate: 84.74%). The analyzed sample was composed of 378 valid data (168 boys and 210 girls). Results: Ninety-three children (24.6%) were classified into the sleep disturbances group, as defined by a CASC total score ⩾18. Based on the results of unpaired t-test, sleep disturbances among elementary school children was significantly associated with (a) the discrepancy of average time in bed between weekday and a day before a holiday among family members (t (368)=2.13, p =.03), (b) delayed average wake time on the weekend morning of family members (t (368)=2.63, p=.01), (c) the discrepancy of average wake time between weekday and weekend among family members (t(358)=2.61, p =.01), and (d) the percentage of family members with sleep problems (t (368)=2.52, p =.01), and marginally significantly associated with (e) delayed average time in bed on a day before a holiday among family members (t (368)=1.69, p =.09) and (f) the discrepancy of average total sleep time between weekday and weekend among family members (t (359)=1.81, p =.07). Conclusion: Sleep disturbance among elementary school children is associated with the lifestyles of their family members. For the children’s sleep health, this study suggests that all family members should try to keep a regular sleep-wake schedule and especially try not to catch up on sleep on their days off. Acknowledgements: This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Joetsu University of Education. This study was granted by Research Project of Joetsu University of Education (General Research 2012–2013). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The morphology of the ovaries and oogenesis of Pimelodella vittata were studied using anatomical and histological techniques to provide information of its reproductive biology. Eighty adult females were captured trimonthly during the period November 2005 to October 2006. The ovaries are paired, saculiform organs, which are coated with tunica albuginea and contain ovigerous lamellae, where the oocytes develop before being released into the ovarian lumen and following the ovarian duct until reaching the genital papilla. Oogenesis was divided into stages based on the alterations to the nucleus, ooplasm and surrounding follicular layers. Oogonia form groups from the germinal epithelium have asynchronous development and differentiate into initial perinucleolar oocytes. The formation of the zona pellucida is initiated in the advanced perinucleolar oocytes reaching a thickness of 1.46 ± 0.58 μm in the vitellogenic oocytes. The follicular cells are squamous in perinucleolar oocytes, become cubical in the pre-vitellogenic oocytes and prismatic in the vitellogenic oocytes with a height of 11.20 ± 4.74 μm. The histochemical reactions indicate that zona pellucida, cortical alveoli and yolk globules contain neutral glycoproteins and the follicular cells contain neutral glycoproteins in association with carboxylated and sulphated glycoconjugates. Statistical analyses showed significant differences in the diameter of the oocytes and follicular cells height as oocytes matured. This study represents the first data about the ovarian structure and oogenesis of this species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study which evaluates the morphology of the testis of the catfish, pimelodella vittata. It states that 40 adult male pimelodella vittata were captured at the São Francisco River basin in Minas Gerais, Brazil between November 2005 and October 2006. The results show that the cells and fibers of connective tissue, as well as the blood capillaries of pimelodella vittata constitute with the intertestinal tissue.