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RNA interference (RNAi) is a powerful strategy for gene function analysis, and it is also widely studied in view of a promising use in pest control. The red palm weevil, Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Oliver) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), is one of the most devastating pests of palm in the world. Conventional pest management practices are not adequate to control this insect, thus the development of efficient approaches with minimal environmental impact are needed. In this work, the potential of RNAi in R. ferrugineus has been investigated through the silencing of three different genes (α-amylase, V-ATPase, Ecdysone receptor). For each gene we tested two different doses (1,500 and 5,500 ng) and two delivery techniques (injection and ingestion), evaluating both gene knockdown and mortality on insects. Results show that RNAi mediated gene silencing in R. ferrugineus varies from gene to gene, and that the response is dose-dependent, with stronger effects when dsRNA was administered by injection. In parallel, the same study was carried out with the model organism Tribolium castaneum Herbst (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae), with results showing a different pattern of response, although the two insects belong to the same order.

Based on literature identifying movement imagery, observation, and execution to elicit similar areas of neural activity, research has demonstrated that movement imagery and observation successfully prime movement execution. To investigate whether movement and observation could prime ease of imaging from an external visual-imagery perspective, an internal visual-imagery perspective, and kinesthetic modality, 36 participants (M age = 20.58; SD = 3.11; 18 women and 18 men) completed an adapted version of the Movement Imagery Questionnaire-Revised under four modes of delivery (movement prime, external observation prime, internal observation prime, and image-only). The results revealed that ease of imaging was significantly greater during the movement and observation prime conditions compared to the image-only condition (p less than 0.05). Specifically when priming external visual imagery and internal visual imagery, observation facilitated ease of imaging only when the perspective was congruent with the imagery perspective. The results support the use of movement and observation to facilitate ease of imaging, but highlight the importance of considering the visual perspective when using observation. (Contains 1 table.)

Recent brain imaging research demonstrates that the use of internal visual imagery (IVI) or kinesthetic imagery (KIN) activates common and distinct brain areas. In this paper, we argue that combining the imagery modalities (IVI and KIN) will lead to a greater cognitive representation (with more brain areas activated), and this will cause a greater slalom-based motor performance compared with using IVI alone. To examine this assertion, we randomly allocated 56 participants to one of the three groups: IVI, IVI and KIN, or a math control group. Participants performed a slalom-based driving task in a driving simulator, with average lap time used as a measure of performance. Results revealed that the IVI and KIN group achieved significantly quicker lap times than the IVI and the control groups. The discussion includes a theoretical advancement on why the combination of imagery modalities might facilitate performance, with links made to the cognitive neuroscience literature and applied practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of prime do not influence the ballistic movements themselves. This research helps to reconcile social and cognitive neuropsychological accounts concerning the effects of a stereotype prime on simple actions and provides a new avenue for exploring the effects of a social prime on motor action

Objective Patients with hemineglect fail to respond to egocentric stimuli or allocentric parts of stimuli contralateral to the brain lesion. The clinical diagnosis of hemineglect mainly involves evaluation of the egocentric form, while less sensitive standardized tests exist for other forms. Our global aim is to develop an innovative integrative robot measure, the MonAmour test, combining the assessment of egocentric, allocentric and motor hemineglect. Here, we present the egocentric and allocentric evaluations. Methods Thirty-five first stroke patients (25 hemineglect) and 56 age-matched healthy controls were assessed on the index test (MonAmour) and on three reference standard tests (Bells test, Apples test and Neglect subtest of the Test for Attentional Performance). Based on controls' performance, normative data were created. Validity was evaluated between the MonAmour and the reference standard tests through correlations and test sensitivity/specificity. Reliability of the MonAmour was measured with test–retest and minimal detectable change. Results Results demonstrated moderate to strong correlations between the MonAmour and the reference standard tests (r =.40–.88, p <.001 – p =.016). The sensitivity was high (50%–96%), with accurate diagnosis of patients with hemineglect, and reliability was excellent (Intraclass Correlation Coefficient =.79–.95, p <.001). Conclusions The MonAmour robot test is a valid, sensitive and reliable tool that can diagnose egocentric and allocentric hemineglect. Future studies will deepen the assessment and understanding of the different forms of hemineglect by testing the motor component of the test in order to use this accurate and integrative measure in daily clinical routine. Registration ClinicalTrials.gov(NCT02543424). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]