Exercise for older women: a training method and its influences on physical and cognitive performance

The decline in physical and mental ability often associated with increasing age in adults has both social and economic implications that affect most nations. Hence, the maintenance of functional capacity and independence of the older person are beneficial both for the individual and society alike. One way to enhance functioning in old age is physical exercise. However, few methods exist that enable older people to monitor and regulate exercise intensity without using expensive apparatus. Utilizing the individual's subjective feeling of perceived exertion through the use of a simple rating scale is an approach that differs markedly from those previously employed. The present study used the ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) scale to induce different exercise intensities in groups of older women. Walking was chosen as the type of exercise since most older women are unfamiliar with, or afraid to engage in, other types of physical exercise such as bicycling or running. Results indicated that physical exercise capacity increased after 3 months of regular low-intensity walking in the exercise groups but not in nonexercising controls. Furthermore, these changes were accompanied by improved digit span performance. In conclusion, this study has shown that the RPE scale may be used for exercise regulation and that older women would seem to be able to use the scale to monitor and regulate their exercise intensity in an outdoor environment in much the same way as younger individuals.     

Emergence,maturation and upstream oviposition flights of Plecoptera from the Breitenbach,with notes on the adult phase as a possible control of stream insect populations

Upstream oviposition flights of several Plecoptera species of the genera Leuctra, Nemoura, Isoperla and Siphonoperla along the Breitenbach, Hesse, Germany are inferred from 1. oviposition occuring upstream from emergence areas; 2. size differences and size-shifts between emerging and egg-laying females; 3. concentration of oviposition in upstream sections of the emergence area. The last point relies on direct catches of egg-laying females with sticky traps, and on over-representation of old, mature females in upstream emergence traps towards the end of, or even after actual emergence periods. Criteria for age class discrimination of the respective taxa are described. The validity of the present and of other indirect evidence for directed adult flights and the significance of adult upstream displacement are discussed. Optical orientation cues are suggested. Females of Leuctra prima and Siphonoperla torrentium are shown to gain 25–50% dry weight by feeding in the terrestrial environment; general information indicates many other Plecoptera may be similar in this respect. Terrestrial adult life is shown to last for 3–8 weeks. This long time, evidence of important flight activity and feeding together suggest that the terrestrial phase is spent as an active adult, the inevitable risks of which may form an important control of population dynamics.     

Mining pattern of the honeysuckle leaf-minerPhytomyza lonicerae

The mining pattern of the honeysuckle leaf-miner Phytomyza lonicerae which feeds on Lonicera gracilipes was analyzed with special reference to the avoidance of parasitoids' attacks. The leaf-miner makes the linear mine with branches and crosses by turning and branching, off the backtracking mine. Both average numbers of turnings and branchings were about 4. The speed of mining was 1.5 times faster in backtracking than in advancing. The mine width increased as the mining larva grew and total volume of consumed plant tissue was nearly constant independent of variability of the number of turnings and other characteristics of the mine. The majority of larval mortality were due to attacks by parasitoid wasps (Chrysochairs pentheus and Diglyphus minoeus), which locate the present position of leaf-miners, by tracing mine tracks, and wasps attack leaf-miners at a higher rate in backtracking than in advancing. The adaptive significance of branching and crossing by leaf-miners was discussed in terms of the reduction of parasitoids' attacks.     

Redescription of Amblyomma integrum adults and immature stages

Amblyomma integrum Karsch, 1879 (Acari: Ixodidae) is one of four Amblyomma Koch, 1844 species with eyes found in southern India and Sri Lanka. The immature stages of this species were poorly described. Therefore, accurate identification is difficult. Here we re‐describe the male, female, nymph and larva of A. integrum and illustrate all the stages in greater detail for the first time. A set of diagnostic morphological characters is defined to distinguish this species from other sympatric species of eyed Amblyomma in any parasitic stage of development. Adults of A. integrum parasitize mostly various larger mammals whereas nymphs and larvae use mostly larger and medium mammals. Amblyomma integrum is recorded from India (Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Karnataka, Orissa and Tamil Nadu States) and throughout Sri Lanka.     

Confort térmico de adultos mayores: una revisión sistemática de la literatura científica

By 2050, people over 65 years old will represent 66% of the world's population. Thermal comfort both indoors and outdoors is one of the most influential factors to improve their quality of life in cities. The aim of this paper is to present a systematic review of the literature that identifies differences in thermal comfort temperature between older adults and other age groups, as well as to determine the factors that influence them. The review focused on studies published between 2000 and 2018. The results show that, for physiological, psychological, and physical reasons, there were differences between 0.2 and 4 °C. However, the published studies were heterogeneous in terms of methodologies and sample size. Likewise, few determine the comfort temperature range for older people in a given climate, demonstrating the opportunity for future lines of research.     

Survival of Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota in the intestines of healthy Chinese adults

Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota (LcS) is a widely used probiotic strain with health benefits. In this study, the survival of LcS in the intestines of healthy Chinese adults was assessed and the effects of LcS on stool consistency, stool SCFAs and intestinal microbiota evaluated. Subjects consumed 100 mL per day of a probiotic beverage containing 1.0 × 10⁸ CFU/mL of LcS for 14 days. LcS were enumerated using a culture method and the colony identity confirmed by ELISA. Fourteen days after ingestion, the amount of LcS recovered from fecal samples was between 6.86 ± 0.80 and 7.17 ± 0.57 Log₁₀ CFU/g of feces (mean ± SD). The intestinal microbiotas were analyzed by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis. Principal component analysis showed that consuming LcS significantly changed fecal microbiota profiles. According to redundancy analysis, the amounts of 25 bacterial strains were significantly correlated with LcS intake (P < 0.05), 11 of them positively and fourteen negatively. Concentrations of acetic acid and propionic acid in feces were significantly lower during the ingestion period than during the baseline period (P < 0.05). These results confirm that LcS can survive passage through the gastrointestinal tract of Chinese people; however, they were found to have little ability to persist once their consumption had ceased. Furthermore, consumption of probiotic beverages containing LcS can modulate the composition of the intestinal microbiota on a long‐term basis, resulting in decreased concentrations of SCFAs in the gut.     

蛇伤胶囊治疗黄蜂蜇伤临床疗效观察

目的观察蛇伤胶囊治疗黄蜂蜇伤的临床疗效。方法将321例黄蜂蜇伤患者随机分为两组,对照组158例采用局部处理、抗感染、注射破伤风抗毒素、应用糖皮质激素、保护胃黏膜、改善细胞代谢及对症处理等治疗;治疗组163例在对照组治疗的基础上加用蛇伤胶囊治疗。比较两组患者治疗前、后的中医证候积分,并进行临床疗效评价。结果治疗前两组患者的中医证候积分无显著差异（P〉0．05）,治疗后两组患者中医证候积分差值比较有显著性差异（P〈0．01）;两组的临床疗效比较差异显著（P〈0．05）。结论蛇伤胶囊可以改善黄蜂蜇伤患者的临床症状,提高临床疗效。     

The Influence of Host Species on Some Biological and Behavioural Aspects of Dibrachys boarmiae (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae), Parasitoid of Kermania pistaciella (Lepidoptera: Tineidae)

Dibrachys boarmiae was recently found as a parasitoid of the pistachio twig borer moth, Kermania pistaciella, an important pistachio pest in Iran. Several biological and behavioural aspects of the wasp were studied under controlled conditions using three different lepidopterous host species, K. pistaciella, Sitotroga cerealella and Galleria mellonella. Development time from egg to adult decreases from 54 days at 15°C to 12.6 days at 32.5°C. The thermal constant was estimated 270°D, and the lower development threshold was at 9.9°C. Longevity of females that had the opportunity to oviposit and access to food (honey) was on average 23 days, and 134 offspring were produced during 13 days of oviposition. Ninety percent of ovipositions occur during the first 10 days of the parasitoid's life, although no pre-oviposition period was found. If females were deprived of food, longevity as well as fecundity, were drastically reduced to 8 days and only 79 offspring respectively. Females were able to mate immediately after emergence and the sex ratio of the progeny was strongly female biased on all examined hosts, especially on the largest host G. mellonella (0.08 male). When females were kept with a male throughout their life, the total number of progeny decreased to 92 wasps on average but the sex ratio was unaffected. The parasitoid significantly preferred to attack the pre-pupal stage, and this influenced the size of clutches allocated to different host stages. The parasitoid laid larger clutches on bigger hosts.     

Rearing techniques for hornets with emphasis on Vespa velutina (Hymenoptera: Vespidae): A review

Of the 34 vespid species recorded worldwide as invasive aliens, particular attention is currently being given to the yellow-legged hornet Vespa velutina that has invaded Europe, Japan, and Korea. The hornet is a voracious predator of bees and a serious threat to bee colonies and bee pollination. Control measures are needed, but their development has been challenging as biological and ecological studies are limited by the short field season and the cryptic nesting behavior of these hornets. A Vespa rearing process can generate the large numbers of workers, gynes, and males that are essential for studying chemical ecology and life history and for experimental testing of various hypotheses. We present a synthesis of suitable methods and techniques for year-round Vespa hornet rearing. Particular reference is given to Chinese know-how and experience with Vespa rearing for medicinal and culinary motivations. We also draw on observations with reared insects that have a similar life history as Vespa hornets, namely Bombus bumblebees and Vespula yellowjackets. Key challenges to optimizing Vespa hornet rearing are identified and discussed.