Self-Recognition of an Inducible Host lncRNA by RIG-I Feedback Restricts Innate Immune Response.

The innate RNA sensor RIG-I is critical in the initiation of antiviral type I interferons (IFNs) production upon recognition of "non-self" viral RNAs. Here, we identify a host-derived, IFN-inducible long noncoding RNA, lnc-Lsm3b, that can compete with viral RNAs in the binding of RIG-I monomers and feedback inactivate the RIG-I innate function at late stage of innate response. Mechanistically, binding of lnc-Lsm3b restricts RIG-I protein's conformational shift and prevents downstream signaling, thereby terminating type I IFNs production. Multivalent structural motifs and long-stem structure are critical features of lnc-Lsm3b for RIG-I binding and inhibition. These data reveal a non-canonical self-recognition mode in the regulation of immune response and demonstrate an important role of an inducible "self" lncRNA acting as a potent molecular decoy actively saturating RIG-I binding sites to restrict the duration of "non-self" RNA-induced innate immune response and maintaining immune homeostasis, with potential utility in inflammatory disease management.

Self-regulation of the nuclear pore complex enables clogging-free crowded transport.

Nuclear pore complexes (NPCs) are the main conduits for macromolecular transport into and out of the nucleus of eukaryotic cells. The central component of the NPC transport mechanism is an assembly of intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) that fills the NPC channel. The channel interior is further crowded by large numbers of simultaneously translocating cargo-carrying and free transport proteins. How the NPC can efficiently, rapidly, and selectively transport varied cargoes in such crowded conditions remains ill understood. Past experimental results suggest that the NPC is surprisingly resistant to clogging and that transport may even become faster and more efficient as the concentration of transport protein increases. To understand the mechanisms behind these puzzling observations, we construct a computational model of the NPC comprising only a minimal set of commonly accepted consensus features. This model qualitatively reproduces the previous experimental results and identifies self-regulating mechanisms that relieve crowding. We show that some of the crowding-alleviating mechanisms-such as preventing saturation of the bulk flux-are "robust" and rely on very general properties of crowded dynamics in confined channels, pertaining to a broad class of selective transport nanopores. By contrast, the counterintuitive ability of the NPC to leverage crowding to achieve more efficient single-molecule translocation is "fine-tuned" and relies on the particular spatial architecture of the IDP assembly in the NPC channel.

Caresses, whispers and affective faces: A theoretical framework for a multimodal interoceptive mechanism underlying ASMR and affective touch: An evolutionary and developmental perspective for understanding ASMR and affective touch as complementary processes within affiliative interactions.

Autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) and affective touch (AT) are two phenomena that have been independently investigated from separate lines of research. In this article, I provide a unified theoretical framework for understanding and studying them as complementary processes. I highlight their shared biological basis and positive effects on emotional and psychophysiological regulation. Drawing from evolutionary and developmental theories, I propose that ASMR results from the development of biological mechanisms associated with early affiliative behaviour and self-regulation, similar to AT. I also propose a multimodal interoceptive mechanism underlying both phenomena, suggesting that different sensory systems could specifically respond to affective stimulation (caresses, whispers and affective faces), where the integration of those inputs occurs in the brain's interoceptive hubs, allowing physiological regulation. The implications of this proposal are discussed with a view to future research that jointly examines ASMR and AT, and their potential impact on improving emotional well-being and mental health.

Self-Regulated Assembly and Disassembly of Gold Nanoparticles for Low-Temperature Time Indication.

The color-changing self-assembly and autonomous disassembly of colloidal gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) is reported by simply mixing negatively charged phosphine ligand-capped AuNPs with partially oxidized polyethylene glycol (PEG). The assembly of AuNPs is initiated by PEG adsorption, which disrupts the hydration layer of AuNPs, leading to depletion attraction and reduction of hydration repulsion among the AuNPs. The oxidative species in PEG subsequently oxidize and remove the charged ligands from the AuNP surface, resulting in a decrease and reversal of the negative surface charge. This causes the PEG to adsorb on AuNPs in a tighter and more direct manner, providing strong steric shielding to the AuNPs, thereby triggering the disassembly of the AuNP assemblies. The self-regulated assembly-disassembly process can be tuned widely by controlling chemical conditions of PEG, nanoparticle concentration, and the environmental conditions, suggesting potential applications as colorimetric time-temperature indicators for food and medicine storage conditions. As a proof of concept, it is demonstrated that the lifetime of the color-changing assembly-disassembly process can be extended from tens of minutes to weeks when subjected to a refrigerated environment, with tunability achievable through varying polymer conditions and storage atmospheres.

Interconnection between density-regulation and stability in competitive ecological network.

In natural ecosystems, species can be characterized by the nonlinear density-dependent self-regulation of their growth profile. Species of many taxa show a substantial density-dependent reduction for low population size. Nevertheless, many show the opposite trend; density regulation is minimal for small populations and increases significantly when the population size is near the carrying capacity. The theta-logistic growth equation can portray the intraspecific density regulation in the growth profile, theta being the density regulation parameter. In this study, we examine the role of these different growth profiles on the stability of a competitive ecological community with the help of a mathematical model of competitive species interactions. This manuscript deals with the random matrix theory to understand the stability of the classical theta-logistic models of competitive interactions. Our results suggest that having more species with strong density dependence, which self-regulate at low densities, leads to more stable communities. With this, stability also depends on the complexity of the ecological network. Species network connectance (link density) shows a consistent trend of increasing stability, whereas community size (species richness) shows a context-dependent effect. We also interpret our results from the aspect of two different life history strategies: r and K-selection. Our results show that the stability of a competitive network increases with the fraction of r-selected species in the community. Our result is robust, irrespective of different network architectures.

Annual Research Review: 'There, the dance is - at the still point of the turning world' - dynamic systems perspectives on coregulation and dysregulation during early development.

During development we transition from coregulation (where regulatory processes are shared between child and caregiver) to self-regulation. Most early coregulatory interactions aim to manage fluctuations in the infant's arousal and alertness; but over time, coregulatory processes become progressively elaborated to encompass other functions such as sociocommunicative development, attention and executive control. The fundamental aim of coregulation is to help maintain an optimal 'critical state' between hypo- and hyperactivity. Here, we present a dynamic framework for understanding child-caregiver coregulatory interactions in the context of psychopathology. Early coregulatory processes involve both passive entrainment, through which a child's state entrains to the caregiver's, and active contingent responsiveness, through which the caregiver changes their behaviour in response to behaviours from the child. Similar principles, of interactive but asymmetric contingency, drive joint attention and the maintenance of epistemic states as well as arousal/alertness, emotion regulation and sociocommunicative development. We describe three ways in which active child-caregiver regulation can develop atypically, in conditions such as Autism, ADHD, anxiety and depression. The most well-known of these is insufficient contingent responsiveness, leading to reduced synchrony, which has been shown across a range of modalities in different disorders, and which is the target of most current interventions. We also present evidence that excessive contingent responsiveness and excessive synchrony can develop in some circumstances. And we show that positive feedback interactions can develop, which are contingent but mutually amplificatory child-caregiver interactions that drive the child further from their critical state. We discuss implications of these findings for future intervention research, and directions for future work.

Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial of a Standard Versus Postures-Only Yoga Session: Potential Self-Regulatory and Neurophysiological Mechanisms of an Ancient Practice.

BACKGROUND: It is well-recognized that maintaining a regular yogic practice is associated with numerous physical and psychological health benefits. However, few studies have explored the possible psychological and neurophysiological mediators through which the component parts of yoga-ethics, breath regulation, postures, and meditation-work to produce salutary effects. PURPOSE: To address this gap, we conducted a cluster randomized trial to test the following set of theory-based mechanisms: emotion regulation for ethics, self-control for breath regulation, discomfort and distress tolerance for postures, and mindfulness for meditation. We also explored yoga's effects on the autonomic nervous system by examining salivary acetylcholinesterase levels. METHODS: Participants (N = 260) were randomly assigned in clusters (n = 37) to a single, hour-long standard or postures-only yoga class. RESULTS: Findings suggest that a single yoga class may confer both psychological and neurophysiological benefits, yet there were few differences between the two types of yoga classes. Pre- to post-session main effects of time, all in the expected direction, emerged for five of eight theoretical mediators, as well as for salivary acetylcholinesterase levels. Time X condition interactions observed for three of the mediators-cognitive reappraisal, discomfort tolerance, and expressive suppression-along with findings from the exploratory mediation analysis suggest potential unique benefits of the two yoga sessions for certain outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Additional studies are needed to replicate these results and to test other potential mediators and/or primary outcomes through which yoga might work to promote health.

Past studies have suggested that yoga offers many benefits for both mind and body, but researchers do not fully understand how the different elements of yoga­ethics, breath regulation, postures, and meditation­lead to these benefits. To investigate this question, we conducted a study with 260 participants who were randomly assigned to either a standard yoga class incorporating the four different elements or a postures-only class that omitted the elements of ethics, breath regulation, and meditation. We examined if the two yoga classes affected psychological processes including emotion regulation, self-control, tolerance for distress and discomfort, mindfulness, and self-regulation differently. We also measured an enzyme related to nervous system functioning to explore possible physiological changes. Our results showed that both types of yoga classes produced psychological and neurophysiological benefits, but there were few differences between the standard and postures-only classes. This study highlights the potential of yoga to impact various health-related factors, but further research is needed to confirm these results and investigate other pathways through which yoga might work to promote health.

Goal pursuit increases more after dietary success than after dietary failure: examining conflicting theories of self-regulation using ecological momentary assessment.

BACKGROUND: Maintaining a healthy body weight and reaching long-term dietary goals requires ongoing self-monitoring and behavioral adjustments. How individuals respond to successes and failures is described in models of self-regulation: while cybernetic models propose that failures lead to increased self-regulatory efforts and successes permit a reduction of such efforts, motivational models (e.g., social-cognitive theory) make opposite predictions. Here, we tested these conflicting models in an ecological momentary assessment (EMA) context and explored whether effort adjustments are related to inter-individual differences in perceived self-regulatory success in dieting (i.e., weight management). METHODS: Using linear mixed effects models, we tested in 174 diet-interested individuals whether current day dietary success or failure (e.g., on Monday) was followed by self-regulatory effort adjustment for the next day (e.g., on Tuesday) across 14 days. Success vs. failure was operationalized with two EMA items: first, whether food intake was higher vs. lower than usual and second, whether food intake was perceived as more vs. less goal-congruent than usual. Trait-level perceived self-regulatory success in dieting was measured on a questionnaire. RESULTS: Intended self-regulatory effort increased more strongly after days with dietary success (i.e., eating less than usual / rating intake as goal-congruent) than after days with dietary failure (i.e., eating more than usual / rating intake as goal-incongruent), especially in those individuals with lower scores on perceived self-regulatory success in dieting. CONCLUSIONS: Findings support mechanisms proposed by social-cognitive theory, especially in unsuccessful dieters. Thus, future dietary interventions could focus on preventing the decrease in self-regulatory effort after instances of dietary failures and thereby mitigate the potential risk that a single dietary failure initiates a downward spiral into unhealthy eating.

Moderating effects of past wildfire on reburn severity depend on climate and initial severity in Western US forests.

Rising global fire activity is increasing the prevalence of repeated short-interval burning (reburning) in forests worldwide. In forests that historically experienced frequent-fire regimes, high-severity fire exacerbates the severity of subsequent fires by increasing prevalence of shrubs and/or by creating drier understory conditions. Low- to moderate-severity fire, in contrast, can moderate future fire behavior by reducing fuel loads. The extent to which previous fires moderate future fire severity will powerfully affect fire-prone forest ecosystem trajectories over the next century. Further, knowing where and when a wildfire may act as a landscape-scale fuel treatment can help direct pre- and post-fire management efforts. We leverage satellite imagery and fire progression mapping to model reburn dynamics within forests that initially burned at low/moderate severity in 726 unique fire pair events over a 36-year period across four large fire-prone Western US ecoregions. We ask (1) how strong are the moderating effects of low- to moderate-severity fire on future fire severity, (2) how long do moderating effects last, and (3) how does the time between fires (a proxy for fuel accumulation) interact with initial fire severity, day-of-burning weather conditions, and climate to influence reburn severity. Short-interval reburns primarily occurred in dry- and moist-mixed conifer forests with historically frequent-fire regimes. Previous fire moderated reburn severity in all ecoregions with the strongest effects occurring in the California Coast and Western Mountains and the average duration of moderating effects ranging from 13 years in the Western Mountains to >36 years in the California Coast. The strength and duration of moderating effects depended on climate and initial fire severity in some regions, reflecting differences in post-fire fuel accumulation. In the California Coast, moderating effects lasted longer in cooler and wetter forests. In the Western Mountains, moderating effects were stronger and longer lasting in forests that initially burned at higher severity. Moderating effects were largely robust to fire weather, suggesting that previous fire can mediate future fire severity even under extreme conditions. Our findings demonstrate that low- to moderate-severity fire buffers future fire severity in historically frequent-fire forests, underlining the importance of wildfire as a restoration tool for adapting to global change.

A challenge to the expected: Lack of longitudinal associations between the early caregiving environment, executive functions in toddlerhood, and self-regulation at 6 years.

Previous research and theory indicate an importance of the quality of the early caregiving environment in the development of self-regulation. However, it is unclear how attachment security and maternal sensitivity, two related but distinct aspects of the early caregiving environment, may differentially predict self-regulation at school start and whether a distinction between hot and cool executive function is informative in characterizing such predictions through mediation. In a 5-year longitudinal study (n = 108), we examined these associations using measures of maternal sensitivity and attachment security at 10-12 months, executive function at 4 years, and self-regulation at 6 years. Surprisingly, and despite methodological rigor, we found few significant bivariate associations between the study variables. We found no credible evidence of a longitudinal association between maternal sensitivity or attachment security in infancy and self-regulation at 6 years, or between executive function at 4 years and self-regulation at 6 years. The lack of bivariate longitudinal associations precluded us from building mediation models as intended. We discuss our null findings in terms of their potential theoretical implications, as well as how measurement type, reliability, and validity, may play a key role in determining longitudinal associations between early caregiving factors and later self-regulation and related abilities. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: The early caregiving environment has been implicated in the development of later self-regulation, which includes more basic skills, such as hot and cool executive functions (EF). In a 5-year longitudinal study, with a sample of 108 children, we rigorously measured aspects of early caregiving, EF, and self-regulation. We found no significant longitudinal associations between early caregiving and self-regulation at 6 years, nor between EF at 4 years and self-regulation at 6 years. These null results highlight the complexity of modeling self-regulation development and raise critical questions about general methodological conventions within self-regulation development research.

Correlation of altered intrinsic functional connectivity with impaired self-regulation in children and adolescents with ADHD.

BACKGROUND: Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has a high prevalence of co-occurring impaired self-regulation (dysregulation), exacerbating adverse outcomes. Neural correlates underlying impaired self-regulation in ADHD remain inconclusive. We aimed to investigate the impact of dysregulation on intrinsic functional connectivity (iFC) in children with ADHD and the correlation of iFC with dysregulation among children with ADHD relative to typically developing controls (TDC). METHODS: Resting-state functional MRI data of 71 children with ADHD (11.38 ± 2.44 years) and 117 age-matched TDC were used in the final analysis. We restricted our analyses to resting-state networks (RSNs) of interest derived from independent component analysis. Impaired self-regulation was estimated based on the Child Behavioral Checklist-Dysregulation Profile. RESULTS: Children with ADHD showed stronger iFC than TDC in the left frontoparietal network, somatomotor network (SMN), visual network (VIS), default-mode network (DMN), and dorsal attention network (DAN) (FWE-corrected alpha < 0.05). After adding dysregulation levels as an extra regressor, the ADHD group only showed stronger iFC in the VIS and SMN. ADHD children with high dysregulation had higher precuneus iFC within DMN than ADHD children with low dysregulation. Angular gyrus iFC within DMN was positively correlated with dysregulation in the ADHD group but negatively correlated with dysregulation in the TDC group. Functional network connectivity showed ADHD had a greater DMN-DAN connection than TDC, regardless of the dysregulation level. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that DMN connectivity may contribute to impaired self-regulation in ADHD. Impaired self-regulation should be considered categorical and dimensional moderators for the neural correlates of altered iFC in ADHD.

Low working memory reduces the use of mental contrasting.

Mentally contrasting a desired future with reality is a self-regulation strategy that helps people effectively pursue important personal wishes. People with higher self-regulation skills are more likely to spontaneously use mental contrasting. Because one central cognitive function underlying self-regulation is working memory capacity, we investigated whether people with low rather than high working memory capacity are less likely to spontaneously use mental contrasting. Study 1 provided correlational evidence that participants with lower working memory capacity, as measured by the Operation-Span Task, were less likely to use mental contrasting when elaborating an important interpersonal wish. Study 2 provided experimental evidence that manipulating low working memory capacity by inducing cognitive load (vs. no load) led fewer participants to use mental contrasting. The findings have theoretical implications by illuminating the processes that impede mental contrasting, and they have applied implications for understanding how to foster the use of mental contrasting in everyday life.

Distinguishing Emotion Regulation Success in Daily Life From Maladaptive Regulation and Dysregulation.

ACADEMIC ABSTRACT: This paper aims to motivate research on emotion regulation success in naturalistic settings. We define emotion regulation success as achieving one's emotion regulation goal and differentiate it from related concepts (i.e., maladaptive regulation and dysregulation). As goals vary across individuals and situations, it is insufficient to conceptualize emotion regulation success as maximizing positive affect and minimizing negative affect. Instead, emotion regulation success can be measured through novel approaches targeting the achievement of emotion regulation goals. In addition to utilizing novel data analytic tools (e.g., response surface analyses), future research can make use of informant reports and observing ambulatory behavior or physiology. Considering emotion regulation goals when measuring daily emotion regulation success has the potential to answer key questions about personality, development, and mental health. PUBLIC ABSTRACT: People differ in how they want to feel in daily situations (e.g., excited) and why they want to feel that way (e.g., to make others feel better), depending on factors such as culture or age. Although people manage their emotions to reach these goals, most research assessing emotion regulation success has not taken individual goals into account. When assessing if people successfully regulate their emotions, most research in daily life has been focused on whether people feel more positive or less negative. To help study emotion regulation success in a more thoughtful and inclusive way, we propose a new approach to conceptualizing emotion regulation success that incorporates individual differences in what motivates people to regulate and discuss future research directions and applications.

Promotion or prevention: regulatory foci as moderators in the job demands-resources model.

BACKGROUND: Building on the job demands-resources (JD-R) model and regulatory focus theory, this study examined how regulatory foci shaped the effects of different job demands and resources on both negative and positive workplace outcomes among medical staff. METHODS: Two independent studies (NStudy 1 = 267; NStudy 2 = 350) were designed for cross-validation. Participants completed a battery of measures evaluating job demands (workload, emotional demands, interpersonal stress), job resources (psychological safety, perceived organizational support, servant leadership), and well-being (job burnout, affective commitment, job satisfaction). RESULTS: Multiple linear regression analyses showed employees' well-being was affected by job demands and resources through energetic and motivational processes, respectively. The deleterious effect of emotional demands on job burnout was pronounced in individuals with weak prevention focus (B = 0.392, standard error [SE] = 0.069, p < .001). Psychological safety (Study 1) and servant leadership (Study 2) had stronger positive associations with motivational outcomes among individuals with weak promotion focus than those with strong promotion focus (B = 0.394, SE = 0.069, p < .001; B = 0.679, SE = 0.121, p < .001; and B = 0.476, SE = 0.072, p < .001, respectively). CONCLUSION: We used two samples to examine and cross-validate the joint effects of job characteristics and personal traits on workplace well-being among Chinese medical staff. Although heterogenous, the results showed regulatory foci were especially important in determining the effects of job demands and resources on well-being when there was (autonomous) self-regulation in the workplace.

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms and bullying victimization from childhood to adolescence - A within-person cross-lagged approach.

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and subclinical symptoms of hyperactivity-impulsivity and inattentiveness coincide with an increased risk of peer victimization. What remains unclear are the developmental dynamics of these associations. In a sample drawn from two Norwegian birth cohorts (n = 872; 49.94 % girls), assessed biennially from age 6 to age 14, reciprocal relations between ADHD symptoms and victimization were examined while controlling for symptoms of anxiety and depression. ADHD symptoms were assessed through clinical interviews with parents, whereas victimization was reported by teachers using questionnaires. Random-intercept cross-lagged panel modeling revealed a consistent reciprocal within-person effect of increased ADHD symptoms on victimization, and vice versa. Analyses of subdimensions of ADHD projected a consistent cross-lagged bidirectional relationship between victimization and inattentiveness symptoms only, whereas no such reciprocity was found for hyperactivity-impulsivity symptoms. Results did not differ by gender. Findings suggest that the social context may constitute a vulnerability factor in the etiology of the inattentive subtype of ADHD, and at the same time, that inattentiveness symptoms pose a risk for becoming victimized.

Profiles of self-regulation and their association with behavior problems among sexually abused children.

This study aimed to delineate profiles of self-regulation among sexually abused children and their association with behavior problems using a person-centered approach. A sample of 223 children aged six to 12, their parents, and teachers were recruited in specialized intervention centers. Latent profile analysis revealed four profiles: (1) Dysregulated, (2) Inhibited, (3) Flexibly Regulated, and (4) Parent Perceived Self-Regulation. Children from the Flexibly Regulated profile showed relatively low behavior problems, and those from the Dysregulated profile were characterized by high behavior problems. Children from the Parent Perceived Self-Regulation profile showed overall good adaptation, although teachers reported higher behavior problems than parents. Children from the Inhibited profile, characterized by the highest level of inhibition but low parent-rated emotion regulation competencies and executive functions, showed the highest level of internalizing behavior problems, indicating that high inhibition does not necessarily translate to better adaptation. Results also show a moderation effect of sex. Being assigned to the Inhibited profile was associated with decreased externalizing behaviors in boys and increased internalizing behaviors in girls. This study underscores the complexity of self-regulation in sexually abused children and supports the need to adopt a multi-method and multi-informant approach when assessing these children.

Contributions of preschool behavioral self-regulation and social skills to growth in different domains of early math knowledge.

The current study explored the relative contribution of individual differences in children's behavioral self-regulation and social skills (often referred to as learning-related skills) in the fall of preschool to children's rate of growth in different domains of early math knowledge through the spring of kindergarten. Participants were 684 children (Mage = 57.6 months, SD = 3.8, at Time 1 [fall of preschool]; 48% female; 43% Black, 32% White, 13% Latine, 11% multiracial, and 1% Asian). All children were from families with low incomes and lived in the midwestern United States. The math domains of informal numeracy, formal numeracy, and math language were assessed at four time points: fall and spring of preschool and fall and spring of kindergarten. Contrary to expectations, we did not find that either learning-related skill positively predicted rate of growth in math knowledge or observe differential relations by math domain. Rather, the relative contribution of behavioral self-regulation and social skills in the fall of preschool to rate of growth in math knowledge followed similar patterns across all math domains: an early advantage for children with higher initial social skills that stayed consistent over time (i.e., a nonsignificant slope effect) and an early advantage for children with higher initial behavioral self-regulation that diminished over time (i.e., a negative slope effect).

Elucidating mechanisms linking mothers' and fathers' mind-mindedness in infancy with children's self-regulation at early preschool age.

Extensive research has examined factors that contribute to individual differences in children's self-regulation (SR), a key social-emotional competence crucial to adjustment and mental health. Those differences become salient and measurable at late toddler age. In the CAPS (N = 200 community families), we examined mothers' and fathers' appropriate mind-mindedness (MM)-the ability to view the child as a psychological agent and correctly interpret his or her mental states-as a predictor of children's SR. MM was observed in parent-child interactions at 8 months, and SR was observed as the capacity for deliberate delay in standard tasks at 3 years. Reflecting a family system perspective, processes both within and across mother-child and father-child relationships were examined in one model. Parent-child mutual responsiveness, observed during interactions at 16 months, was modeled as a mediator of the paths from MM to SR. Fathers' MM had a significant, direct positive effect on SR; in addition, it enhanced mutual responsiveness in both father-child and mother-child dyads and promoted child SR through enhanced mother-child mutual responsiveness. The findings elucidate relatively poorly understood mechanisms linking parental MM in infancy with SR at early preschool age, highlight similarities and differences in the processes unfolding in mother-child and father-child relationships, and emphasize interparental dynamics in socialization.

Are physical activity and sleep associated with emotional self-regulation in toddlers? a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Toddlerhood (2-3 years) is a crucial period for the development of physical activity, sleep, and emotional self-regulation skills. Although there is growing evidence of positive associations between physical activity, sleep, and emotional self-regulation in school-aged children, the associations in toddlers remain unclear. Thus, this study aimed to examine the association between physical activity, sleep, and emotional self-regulation in toddlers. METHODS: Baseline data from 1350 toddlers (2.2 ± 0.33 year) from the Let's Grow randomised controlled trial were used. Toddlers' total physical activity (TPA) and moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA) were assessed via 4 + days of accelerometry and a 3-item parent-report scale. Parent-reported total sleep quantity was calculated using the sum of average night-time sleep and daytime nap durations. Sleep behaviour data including bedtime routine, bedtime resistance, sleep onset-delay, sleep duration, and night waking were collected using relevant subsections from the Child Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ) and Brief Infant Sleep Questionnaire revised (BISQ-R). A 4-item parent-report scale adapted from the Fast Track Project Child Behaviour Questionnaire was used to assess toddlers' emotional self-regulation. Linear regression models were used, adjusting for child age, sex, and parental education. RESULTS: Accelerometer-derived TPA, MVPA and parent-reported TPA were not associated with emotional self-regulation. Higher parent-reported MVPA (B = -0.01 CI95 -0.03, -0.003) was associated with poorer emotional self-regulation. Higher sleep duration was associated with better emotional self-regulation (B = 0.06 CI95 0.04, 0.08). The five sleep behaviours assessed were also positively associated with emotional self-regulation (all p < 0.01), with fewer problem sleep behaviours being associated with better emotional self-regulation. CONCLUSIONS: This cross-sectional study suggests that sleep may be important for emotional self-regulation in toddlers, but the role of physical activity remains unclear. These findings suggest that interventions targeting sleep duration and sleep behaviours during the early toddler years may benefit the positive development of emotional self-regulation skills in this population.

The contribution and interplay of implicit and explicit processes on physical activity behavior: empirical testing of the physical activity adoption and maintenance (PAAM) model.

The adoption and maintenance of physical activity (PA) is an important health behavior. This paper presents the first comprehensive empirical test of the Physical Activity Adoption and Maintenance (PAAM) model, which proposes that a combination of explicit (e.g., intention) and implicit (e.g., habit,, affect) self-regulatory processes is involved in PA adoption and maintenance. Data were collected via online questionnaires in English, German, and Italian at two measurement points four weeks apart. The study included 422 participants (Mage= 25.3, SDage= 10.1; 74.2% women) from Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Canada, and the U.S. The study results largely supported the assumptions of the PAAM model, indicating that intentions and habits significantly mediate the effects of past PA on future PA. In addition, the effect of past PA on future PA was shown to be significant through a mediation chain involving affect and habit. Although the hypothesis that trait self-regulation moderates the intention-behavior relationship was not supported, a significant moderating effect of affect on the same relationship was observed. The results suggest that interventions targeting both explicit and implicit processes may be effective in promoting PA adoption and maintenance.