Analyzing the Mass-Rearing System of the California Red Scale Parasitoid Aphytis melinus (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae)

Results from studies to improve mass rearing production of the parasitoid Aphytis melinus De Bach (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) are presented. Parasitoid production was carried out following standard commercial procedures using an alternative host, Aspidiotus nerii Bouché (Hemiptera: Diaspididae), infesting Cucurbita moschata (Duchesne) (Cucurbitaceae), butternut squash. We found that the initial number of A. melinus adults introduced into rearing cages to start production and the scale/parasitoid ratio in those cages profoundly influenced future parasitoid production. We also observed that scale parasitism was positively correlated with the production of parasitoid adults, but this relationship was negatively correlated if > 2.6 parasitoids per d, per cm2, were used in the cages to start parasitism. Supplemental honey (provided on the squash surface) had no clear impact on parasitoid production or survival, but improved host parasitism. Approximately 47% of the host scale population on squash was parasitized, with another 43.1% of the population recorded as dead. We found that ≤ 10 host scales per cm2 on squash was an adequate density for mass production purposes

Children’s improvement of a motor response during backward falls through the implementation of a safe fall program

The World Health Organization has warned that, in children, the second cause of death from unintentional injuries are falls. The objective of this study was to analyze the motor response of primary schoolchildren when a backwards fall occurs. These analyses occurred before and after interventions of the Safe Fall program, which aims to teach safe and protected ways of backward falling. A quasi-experimental research design was used, with a sample of 122 Spanish (Sevillian) schoolchildren in the 10–12 age bracket. The INFOSECA ad-hoc observation scale was used for data collection: this scale registers 5 essential physical reactions throughout the process of a safe and protected backwards fall. After that, a number of descriptive, correlational and contrast statistics were applied. The value used in the McNemar test to establish statistical significance was p < 0.05. Results showed that over 85% of students had developed the competence to correctly perform all five physical motions that allow for a safer backward fall. The teaching of safe and protected techniques for falling backwards in child population in Primary Education is possible through the implementation of the Safe Fall program in Physical Education classes, which can help making falls safer, diminishing the risk and severity of the injuries they cause

Coach autonomy support and quality of sport engagement in young soccer players

Based on the self-determination theory (Ryan & Deci, 2000), this study tested a model of the assumed sequential relationships between perceived autonomy support, psychological need satisfaction, self-determined motivation, and enjoyment/boredom. The hypothesized mediational roles of psychological need satisfaction and self-determined motivation were also studied. In a sample of 370 young male soccer players, path analysis results offered support for the proposed model. Total mediation was supported in the case of the psychological need satisfaction in the relationship between autonomy support and self-determined motivation, and partial mediation for self-determined motivation in the links between psychological need satisfaction and enjoyment (positive) and boredom (negative). Implications of autonomy-supportive behaviors provided by coaches for the quality of sport involvement among young athletes are discussed.Alvarez, Maria Soledad; [email protected]; [email protected]

La participación del alumnado en el Proyecto Piloto "Agenda 21 Escolar" en Málaga

En la ciudad de Málaga se puso marcha, en otoño del 2013, un proceso participativo donde la comunidad educativa se comprometía a trabajar la sostenibilidad y la calidad ambiental siguiendo la metodología de la Agenda 21 local. Para lograrlo, se creó el Programa Educativo Agenda 21 escolar, cuyos componentes básicos son la participación comunitaria, la gestión sostenible del centro educativo y del municipio y la innovación curricular. Siete centros educativos se adscribieron al programa, eligieron una temática ambiental y la trabajaron durante el curso en cinco fases: organización y planificación, sensibilización y motivación, diagnóstico y reflexión, plan de acción y evaluación. De este modo, cada centro educativo creó su propio proyecto. El proyecto Agenda 21 escolar brinda la oportunidad a toda la comunidad educativa que exista una participación activa en las dinámicas de enseñanza formal y no formal, en el propio centro educativo y en su ámbito local, donde la participación del alumnado es clave para alcanzar su éxito. Por ello, el objetivo de la investigación fue evaluar la participación de una muestra de 84 alumnos/as del tercer curso de Educación Secundaria Obligatoria perteneciente a cinco centros educativos pilotos adscritos al programa. El paradigma de la investigación es empírico-analítico y el diseño descriptivo. El instrumento que se utilizó para medir la participación fue un cuestionario de escala aditiva de Likert formado por veinte ítems. El cuestionario usado fue cerrado y ordinal, de este modo los datos que se obtuvieron se pudieron tratar en hojas de cálculo. En cada centro educativo se averiguó la puntuación total que cada estudiante obtuvo del cuestionario, así como la de los/as coordinadores/as. También se calcularon las medianas y las modas en cada ítem por centro educativo, el porcentaje de las frecuencias de las respuestas del alumnado en cada fase, y el porcentaje final de la participación de la muestra en el proyecto. Se elaboraron tablas y gráficas, facilitando la interpretación de los resultados, y se comprobaron si se alcanzaron los objetivos propuestos en la investigación. Una vez analizados los resultados se concluyó que la participación de la muestra en todas las fases del proyecto no fue verdadera, salvo en la fase del plan de acción donde la participación del alumnado fue informada pero sólo asignada, es decir, en esta fase el alumnado se limitó a realizar las actividades que les propuso el profesorado.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Seasonal and interannual variation of bacterial production in lowland rivers of the Orinoco basin

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/71562/1/j.1365-2427.2004.01277.x.pd

Clima motivacional, metas de logro de aproximación y evitación y bienestar en futbolistas cadetes

Basado en la teoría de las metas de logro (modelo dicotómico, Nicholls, 1989; y modelo 2 x 2, Elliot y McGregor, 2001), se exploró un modelo en el que se analizaban las relaciones hipotetizadas entre el clima motivacional percibido, la competencia percibida, las metas de maestría y resultado (aproximación y evitación), e indicadores positivos de bienestar (satisfacción con la vida y autoestima). Participaron 370 jóvenes varones jugadores de fútbol entre los 12 y los 16 años (M = 14,77). Los resultados mostraron una asociación positiva entre la percepción de un clima de implicación en la tarea y las orientaciones a la maestría (aproximación y evitación), y entre la percepción de un clima de implicación en el ego y las orientaciones al resultado (aproximación y evitación). La competencia percibida se asoció positivamente con las orientaciones a la maestría-aproximación y al resultado-aproximación. Por último, la orientación a la maestría-aproximación se asoció positivamente con la satisfacción con la vida y de la autoestima, la orientación al resultado-aproximación se relacionó positivamente la satisfacción con vida, mientras que la relación entre la orientación al resultado-evitación y la autoestima resultó negativa. Estos resultados señalan la importancia de la figura del entrenador en la promoción del bienestar psicológico de los deportistasTests based on achievement goal theory (dichotomous model, Nicholls, 1989; and 2 x 2 model, Elliot and McGregor, 2001) were conducted on a model to analyse the hypothesised relationships between perceived motivational climate, perceived competence, approach and avoidance (mastery and performance) goals, and positive well-being indices (i. e., life satisfaction and self-esteem). A total of 370 young male soccer players between the ages of 12 and 16 took part in the study (M= 14.77). The results showed that perceptions of a task-involvement climate predicted the adoption of mastery approach and mastery avoidance goals, whereas a perceived ego-involving climate was related to performanceapproach and performance-avoidance goals. Perceived competence positively correlated to the two approach goals (mastery and performance). Lastly, the mastery-approach orientation positively correlated to life satisfaction and selfesteem; the performance-approach orientation was positively associated with life satisfaction; and the performanceavoidance orientation negatively correlated to self-esteem. These results highlight the importance of the coach's role in promoting psychological well-being in athlete

Effect of the Safe Fall Programme on Children’s Health and Safety: Dealing Proactively with Backward Falls in Physical Education Classes

The aim of this study is to show that the implementation of the Safe Fall programme in physical education classes can help to reduce the negative effects of unintentional backward falls in the adolescent population, by teaching them how to protect themselves when falling. A quasi-experimental research design was applied in a sample of 120 children (M = 15.1 years, SD = 2.45), attending a secondary school in Seville (Spain). Data was collected on an ad hoc observation scale INFOSECA (which records five basic elements during a backward fall: position of the neck, the hands, the trunk, the hips, and the knees), applying descriptive, correlational, and contrast statistics. The criteria for considering statistical significance was p < 0.05 in McNemar’s test. The data indicates that learning safe and protected ways of falling backward is possible through the implementation of the Safe Fall programme, and no differences were found in terms of gender

Increased caspase-3 immunoexpression and morphology alterations in oenocytes and trophocytes of Apis mellifera larvae induced by toxic secretion of Epormenis cestri

Toxic honeydew produced by Flatidae Epormenis cestri in Uruguay has been shown to cause among honeybees (Apis mellifera) colonies a massive larva death called “River disease”, but the intrinsic mechanisms are still unknown. Because fat body cells, oenocytes and trophocytes, are known to regulated larvae metabolism, and to be affected by xenobiotics, we tested whether apoptosis of these cells can be an underlying cause of larvae death. Ten colonies were divided into two groups and fed with common honey or toxic honeydew obtained from colonies affected by “River disease”. Five-day-old larvae were collected and processed for histology and immunohistochemistry for caspase-3. The area, diameter, and immunostaining area in oenocytes and trophocytes were measured. The oenocyte and trophocyte cellular area decreased in the treated group (p=0.002; p<0.001 respectively) compared to the control group. The diameter of oenocytes (p=0.0002) and trophocytes (p<0.0001) decreased in the treated group. Caspase-3 was detected in cytoplasm in the control group but in the cytoplasm and nucleus in the treated group. The caspase-3 immunostaining area increased in oenocytes (p<0.002) and trophocytes (p<0.0001) of the treated group. The ingestion of toxic honeydew altered the morphology, localization and immunoexpression of caspase-3 in fat body cells, which suggests that the deregulation of the apoptotic mechanism affected the normal development in A. mellifera larvae

The Effect of Adapted Utilitarian Judo, as an Educational Innovation, on Fear-of-Falling Syndrome

Background: The aim of the research was to analyze the effects of an intervention program based on Adapted Utilitarian Judo (AUJ) to teach fall control, over fear of falling syndrome (FOF) in a group of older adults. Method: A quasi-experimental design (pre–post measurement) was adopted, with a healthy and pre-fragile sample of 19 subjects in the experimental group and 11 subjects in the control group (65–85 years), chosen using non-probabilistic-incidental accessibility sampling. The intervention program was conducted over six weeks, with two 60-minute sessions each week. To evaluate FOF, it was applied (pretest and post-test) the 16-item version of the Falls Efficacy Scale-International (FES-I). Results: The data show significant differences between pre- and post-test in reducing FOF into both specific variables (do the shopping, walk on a slippery surface, walk in a crowded place, walk on an uneven surface, and go up and down a ramp), as in the overall score (the global values of the experimental group decreased six points in the perceived fear scale, while the global values of the group increased three points). Conclusion: The application of the AUJ program meant significant improvements in subjects’ perception of FOF

An optical sensor for the sensitive determination of formaldehyde gas based on chromotropic acid and 4-aminoazobenzene immobilized in a hydrophilic membrane

Formaldehyde is a common contaminant in occupational and environmental atmospheres, prolonged exposure leads to health risks, and its determination is necessary to protect health. There is a great demand for portable, rapid, and sensitive methods that can be used in resource-limited settings. In this respect, a colorimetric sensor has been developed based on the colour change from pink to purple of co-immobilized chromotropic acid and 4-aminoazobenzene in hydroxypropyl methylcellulose when it is exposed to different concentrations of formaldehyde. The concentration of formaldehyde in the gas phase was quantified by measuring the change of the appropriate colour coordinates in response to the concentration of formaldehyde. A calibration curve was obtained for formaldehyde, with a useful concentration range from 0.08 to 0.6 ppmv. The detection limit was 0.016 ppmv, which is lower than the maximum exposure concentrations recommended by both the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). The optical sensor was found to have good reproducibility, with a relative standard deviation of 2.3 and 1.7% at 0.08 and 0.25 ppmv, respectively. The sensor can operate at room temperature and environmental humidity, 25 °C, and 50% RH, respectively. In addition, a study of interferents (acetaldehyde, toluene, methanol, ethyl acetate, acetone, acetic acid, carbon dioxide and ammonia) showed high selectivity for formaldehyde, which indicates that this membrane is a simple, fast, and economical alternative for quantifying the concentration of formaldehyde in different environments.Spanish “Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación/Agencia Estatal de Innovación” Project: PID2019-103938RB-I00Spanish “Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación/Agencia Estatal de Innovación” Project: PID 2021-126579OB-C31Junta de Andalucía Projects: B-FQM-243-UGR18 and P18-RT-296