Schlank orchestrates insect developmental transition by switching H3K27 acetylation to trimethylation in the prothoracic gland.

Insect developmental transitions are precisely coordinated by ecdysone and juvenile hormone (JH). We previously revealed that accumulated H3K27 trimethylation (H3K27me3) at the locus encoding JH signal transducer Hairy is involved in the larval-pupal transition in insects, but the underlying mechanism remains to be fully defined. Here, we show in Drosophila and Bombyx that Rpd3-mediated H3K27 deacetylation in the prothoracic gland during the last larval instar promotes ecdysone biosynthesis and the larval-pupal transition by enabling H3K27me3 accumulation at the Hairy locus to induce its transcriptional repression. Importantly, we find that the homeodomain transcription factor Schlank acts to switch active H3K27 acetylation (H3K27ac) to repressive H3K27me3 at the Hairy locus by directly binding to the Hairy promoter and then recruiting the histone deacetylase Rpd3 and the histone methyltransferase PRC2 component Su(z)12 through physical interactions. Moreover, Schlank inhibits Hairy transcription to facilitate the larval-pupal transition, and the Schlank signaling cascade is suppressed by JH but regulated in a positive feedback manner by ecdysone. Together, our data uncover that Schlank mediates epigenetic reprogramming of H3K27 modifications in hormone actions during insect developmental transition.

Host Developmental Stage Effects on Parasite Resistance and Tolerance.

AbstractHosts can defend themselves against parasites either by preventing or limiting infections (resistance) or by limiting parasite-induced damage (tolerance). However, it remains underexplored how these defense types vary over host development with shifting patterns of resource allocation priorities. Here, we studied the role played by developmental stage in resistance and tolerance in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar). This anadromous fish has distinct life stages related to living in freshwater and seawater. We experimentally exposed 1-year-old salmon, either at the freshwater stage or at the stage transitioning to the marine phase, to the trematode Diplostomum pseudospathaceum. Using 56 pedigreed families and multivariate animal models, we show that developmental transition is associated with reduced resistance but does not affect tolerance. Furthermore, by comparing tolerance slopes (host fitness against parasite load) based on additive genetic effects among infected and unexposed control relatives, we observed that the slopes can be largely independent of the infection, that is, they may not reflect tolerance. Together, our results suggest that the relative importance of different defense types may vary with host development and emphasize the importance of including control treatments for more confident interpretations of tolerance estimates.

Segment number threshold determines juvenile onset of germline cluster expansion in Platynereis dumerilii.

Development of sexual characters and generation of gametes are tightly coupled with growth. Platynereis dumerilii is a marine annelid that has been used to study germline development and gametogenesis. P. dumerilii has germ cell clusters found across the body in the juvenile worms, and the clusters eventually form the gametes. Like other segmented worms, P. dumerilii grows by adding new segments at its posterior end. The number of segments reflect the growth state of the worms and therefore is a useful and measurable growth state metric to study the growth-reproduction crosstalk. To understand how growth correlates with progression of gametogenesis, we investigated germline development across several developmental stages. We discovered a distinct transition period when worms increase the number of germline clusters at a particular segment number threshold. Additionally, we found that keeping worms short in segment number, by manipulating environmental conditions or via amputations, supported a segment number threshold requirement for germline development. Finally, we asked if these clusters in P. dumerilii play a role in regeneration (as similar free-roaming cells are observed in Hydra and planarian regeneration) and found that the clusters were not required for regeneration in P. dumerilii, suggesting a strictly germline nature. Overall, these molecular analyses suggest a previously unidentified developmental transition dependent on the growth state of juvenile P. dumerilii leading to substantially increased germline expansion.

Transitions between socio-emotional and cognitive vulnerability profiles from early to middle childhood: a population study using multi-agency administrative records.

Adult psychosocial difficulties, including psychiatric disorders, are often preceded by childhood psychosocial vulnerabilities, presenting critical windows of opportunity for preventative intervention. The present study aimed to identify longitudinal patterns (representing transitions between profiles) of childhood socio-emotional and cognitive vulnerability in the general population from early to middle childhood, in relation to key risk factors (e.g. parental mental illness and offending). Data were drawn from the New South Wales Child Development Study, which combines intergenerational multi-agency administrative records with cross-sectional assessments using data linkage methods. We analysed data from childhood assessments of socio-emotional and cognitive functioning at two time points (ages 5-6 and 10-11 years) that were linked with administrative data from government departments of health, child protection, and education for 19,087 children and their parents. Latent profile analyses were used to identify socio-emotional and cognitive profiles at each time point, and latent transition analyses were used to determine the probability and potential moderators of transition between profiles at each age. Three developmental profiles were identified in early childhood, reflecting typically developing, emotionally vulnerable, and cognitively vulnerable children, respectively; two profiles were identified in middle childhood, reflecting typically developing and vulnerable children. Child's sex, child protection services contact, parental mental illness, and parental offending influenced children's transitions between different vulnerability profiles, with the strongest effects for parental mental illness and child protection contact. Early detection of vulnerable children and factors promoting resilience are important steps in directing future health and social policy, and service planning for vulnerable children.

CDK8 mediates the dietary effects on developmental transition in Drosophila.

The complex interplay between genetic and environmental factors, such as diet and lifestyle, defines the initiation and progression of multifactorial diseases, including cancer, cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, and neurological disorders. Given that most of the studies have been performed in controlled experimental settings to ensure the consistency and reproducibility, the impacts of environmental factors, such as dietary perturbation, on the development of animals with different genotypes and the pathogenesis of these diseases remain poorly understood. By analyzing the cdk8 and cyclin C (cycC) mutant larvae in Drosophila, we have previously reported that the CDK8-CycC complex coordinately regulates lipogenesis by repressing dSREBP (sterol regulatory element-binding protein)-activated transcription and developmental timing by activating EcR (ecdysone receptor)-dependent gene expression. Here we report that dietary nutrients, particularly proteins and carbohydrates, modulate the developmental timing through the CDK8/CycC/EcR pathway. We observed that cdk8 and cycC mutants are sensitive to the levels of dietary proteins and seven amino acids (arginine, glutamine, isoleucine, leucine, methionine, threonine, and valine). Those mutants are also sensitive to dietary carbohydrates, and they are more sensitive to monosaccharides than disaccharides. These results suggest that CDK8-CycC mediates the dietary effects on lipid metabolism and developmental timing in Drosophila larvae.

The RIN-regulated Small Auxin-Up RNA SAUR69 is involved in the unripe-to-ripe phase transition of tomato fruit via enhancement of the sensitivity to ethylene.

Ethylene is the main hormone controlling climacteric fruit ripening; however, the mechanisms underlying the developmental transition leading to the initiation of the ripening process remain elusive, although the presumed role of active hormone interplay has often been postulated. To unravel the putative role of auxin in the unripe-to-ripe transition, we investigated the dynamics of auxin activity in tomato fruit and addressed the physiological significance of Sl-SAUR69, previously identified as a RIN target gene, using reverse genetics approaches. Auxin signalling undergoes dramatic decline at the onset of ripening in wild-type fruit, but not in the nonripening rin mutant. Sl-SAUR69 exhibits reduced expression in rin and its up-regulation results in premature initiation of ripening, whereas its down-regulation extends the time to ripening. Overexpression of Sl-SAUR69 reduces proton pump activity and polar auxin transport, and ectopic expression in Arabidopsis alters auxin transporter abundance, further arguing for its active role in the regulation of auxin transport. The data support a model in which Sl-SAUR69 represses auxin transport, thus generating auxin minima, which results in enhanced ethylene sensitivity. This defines a regulation loop, fed by ethylene and auxin as the main hormonal signals and by RIN and Sl-SAUR69 as modulators of the balance between the two hormones.

Proteomic profiling of cotton fiber developmental transition from cell elongation to secondary wall deposition.

Cotton fiber developmental transition from elongation to secondary cell wall biosynthesis is a critical growth shifting phase that affects fiber final length, strength, and other properties. Morphological dynamic analysis indicated an asynchronous fiber developmental pattern between two most important commercial cotton species, Gossypium hirsutum (Gh) and G. barbadense (Gb). Using isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation techniques, we examined the temporal changes of protein expression at three representative development periods (15-19, 19-23, and 23-27 dpa) in both species. Strikingly, a large proportion of differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were identified at 19-23 dpa in Gh and at 23-27 dpa in Gb, corresponding to their fiber developmental transition timing. To better understand fiber transitional development, we comparatively analyzed those DEPs in 19-23 dpa of Gh vs. in 23-27 dpa of Gb, and noted that these cotton species indeed share fundamentally similar fiber developmental features under the biological processes. We also showed that there are limited overlaps in both specific upregulated and downregulated proteins between the two species, suggesting species-specific protein regulations in the development process. Proteomic profiling results revealed dynamic changes of several key proteins and biological processes that are potentially correlated with fiber developmental transition. During the transition, upregulated proteins are mainly involved in carbohydrate/energy metabolism, oxidation-reduction, cytoskeleton, protein turnover, Ca2+ signaling, etc., whereas important downregulated proteins are mostly involved in phenylpropanoid and flavonoid secondary metabolism pathways. The gene expressions of several changed proteins in this key stage were also examined by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Overall, the present study provides accurate pictures of the regulatory networks of functional proteins during the fiber developmental transition, therefore highlighting candidate genes/proteins and related pathways for the cotton fiber improvement.

Residential immersive life skills programs for youth with disabilities: Experiences of parents and shifts in parenting approaches.

INTRODUCTION: Residential immersive life skills (RILS) programs are designed for youth with disabilities and facilitate the development of adaptive behaviors for life skills required to navigate adulthood. This study explored parents' experiences of the RILS program journey, shifts in parenting approaches, and the implications of those shifts. METHODS: This study draws on twenty-three qualitative interviews that were conducted with nine parents of youth who attended RILS programs in Ontario, Canada. Three rounds of interviews were conducted at three different time points: Pre-program, 3 months post-program, and 12 months post-program. Data were analyzed using a constructivist grounded theory approach. RESULTS: The interviews captured parents' experiences of the RILS program journey and how their parenting changed as a result. Three overarching themes emerged: (1) Anticipation of RILS programs served as a catalyst for experiencing positive and negative tensions in parenting; (2) Parenting shifted following RILS programs; and (3) Where parenting shifts were limited, challenges for youth arose and reduced youth future growth. CONCLUSION: Parenting approaches can shift as a result of youth attending RILS programs. These shifts can create complex and challenging implications for parents as they seek to further encourage youths' development. This study offers an understanding of the implications of parenting during youths' developmental transition of adolescence to adulthood, and offers recommendations to further support parents in sustaining youth development of life skills during this developmental transition.

Transition-Age Young Adults with Cerebral Palsy: Level of Participation and the Influencing Factors.

Background and Objectives: The aim of this study was to identify the level of participation in the context of the developmental transition from adolescence to adult life for young adults with cerebral palsy (CP) and the factors that had an influence on participation. Materials and Methods: Eighty-one young adults (16-21 years old) with CP and with normal or slightly decreased cognitive function participated in this study. Assessments were made using the Rotterdam Transition Profile (RTP) and the WHO Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 (WHODAS 2.0). In the binary regression model, levels of participation (RTP scores) were set as dependents and the level of disability (WHODAS 2.0 scores), age, and level of gross motor function were set as independent variables. Results: In the age group <18 years, in three out of seven RTP domains, less than 10% of participants were in phase 2 (experimenting and orientating toward the future), i.e., finance-7%, housing-7%, sexuality-4%. In the age group ≥18 years, 21% (education and employment), 56% (intimate relationships), and 59% (sexuality) of the participants were in phase 0 (no experience). Higher scores in WHODAS 2.0 domains showed positive associations with RTP domains, i.e., cognition with social activities, mobility with transportation, self-care with sexuality and transportation, and life activities with transportation. Age was positively associated with education and employment, finance, housing, and sexuality. Low motor function according to the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) had negative associations with autonomy in social activities, sexuality, and transportation. Conclusions: Young adults with cerebral palsy showed low levels of autonomy in all domains of participation. When addressing a person's improvement in terms of their participation, the promotion of abilities in cognition, mobility, self-care, and life activities should be attempted. Age and gross motor function influenced autonomy in participation, but not in all domains.

SMZ/SNZ and gibberellin signaling are required for nitrate-elicited delay of flowering time in Arabidopsis thaliana.

The reproductive success of plants largely depends on the correct programming of developmental phase transitions, particularly the shift from vegetative to reproductive growth. The timing of this transition is finely regulated by the integration of an array of environmental and endogenous factors. Nitrogen is the mineral macronutrient that plants require in the largest amount, and as such its availability greatly impacts on many aspects of plant growth and development, including flowering time. We found that nitrate signaling interacts with the age-related and gibberellic acid pathways to control flowering time in Arabidopsis thaliana. We revealed that repressors of flowering time belonging to the AP2-type transcription factor family including SCHLAFMUTZE (SMZ) and SCHNARCHZAPFEN (SNZ) are important regulators of flowering time in response to nitrate. Our results support a model whereby nitrate activates SMZ and SNZ via the gibberellin pathway to repress flowering time in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Lung-injury depresses glutamatergic synaptic transmission in the nucleus tractus solitarii via discrete age-dependent mechanisms in neonatal rats.

Transition periods (TPs) are brief stages in CNS development where neural circuits can exhibit heightened vulnerability to pathologic conditions such as injury or infection. This susceptibility is due in part to specialized mechanisms of synaptic plasticity, which may become activated by inflammatory mediators released under pathologic conditions. Thus, we hypothesized that the immune response to lung injury (LI) mediated synaptic changes through plasticity-like mechanisms that depended on whether LI occurred just before or after a TP. We studied the impact of LI on brainstem 2nd-order viscerosensory neurons located in the nucleus tractus solitarii (nTS) during a TP for respiratory control spanning (postnatal day (P) 11-15). We injured the lungs of Sprague-Dawley rats by intratracheal instillation of Bleomycin (or saline) just before (P9-11) or after (P17-19) the TP. A week later, we prepared horizontal slices of the medulla and recorded spontaneous and evoked excitatory postsynaptic currents (sEPSCs/eEPSCs) in vitro from neurons in the nTS that received monosynaptic glutamatergic input from the tractus solitarii (TS). In rats injured before the TP (pre-TP), neurons exhibited blunted sEPSCs and TS-eEPSCs compared to controls. The decreased TS-eEPSCs were mediated by differences in postsynaptic α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic-acid receptors (AMPAR). Specifically, compared to controls, LI rats had more Ca2+-impermeable AMPARs (CI-AMPARs) as indicated by: 1) the absence of current-rectification, 2) decreased sensitivity to polyamine, 1-Naphthyl-acetyl-spermine-trihydrochloride (NASPM) and 3) augmented immunoreactive staining for the CI-AMPAR GluA2. Thus, pre-TP-LI acts postsynaptically to blunt glutamatergic transmission. The neuroimmune response to pre-TP-LI included microglia hyper-ramification throughout the nTS. Daily intraperitoneal administration of minocycline, an inhibitor of microglial/macrophage function prevented hyper-ramification and abolished the pre-TP-LI evoked synaptic changes. In contrast, rat-pups injured after the TP (post-TP) exhibited microglia hypo-ramification in the nTS and had increased sEPSC amplitudes/frequencies, and decreased TS-eEPSC amplitudes compared to controls. These synaptic changes were not associated with changes in CI-AMPARs, and instead involved greater TS-evoked use-dependent depression (reduced paired pulse ratio), which is a hallmark of presynaptic plasticity. Thus we conclude that LI regulates the efficacy of TS → nTS synapses through discrete plasticity-like mechanisms that are immune-mediated and depend on whether the injury occurs before or after the TP for respiratory control.

Sucrose affects the developmental transition of rhizomes in Oryza longistaminata.

Oryza longistaminata, the African wild rice, can propagate vegetatively through rhizomes. Rhizomes elongate horizontally underground as sink organs, however, they undergo a developmental transition that shifts their growth to the surface of the ground to become aerial stems. This particular stage is essential for the establishment of new ramets. While several determinants such as abiotic stimuli and plant hormones have been reported as key factors effecting developmental transition in aerial stem, the cause of this phenomenon in rhizome remains elusive. This study shows that depletion of nutrients, particularly sucrose, is the key stimulus that induces the developmental transition in rhizomes, as indicated by the gradient of sugars from the base to the tip of the rhizome. Sugar treatments revealed that sucrose specifically represses the developmental transition from rhizome to aerial stem by inhibiting the expression of sugar metabolism and hormone synthesis genes at the bending point. Sucrose depletion affected several factors contributing to the developmental transition of rhizome including signal transduction, transcriptional regulation and plant hormone balance.

Transition to a New Country: Acculturative and Developmental Predictors for Changes in Self-Efficacy among Adolescent Immigrants.

Self-efficacy is a key personal resource in individual development and successful adaptation, and it can serve innumerable purposes. Our study investigated levels and change rates in self-efficacy among newcomer and more experienced immigrant adolescents and tested whether acculturation-related and developmental variables explained inter-individual differences in self-efficacy in both groups. The sample comprised 480 newcomer (59% female, 15.8 years old) and 483 experienced (55% female, 15.9 years old) immigrant adolescents, assessed in four annual waves. Latent growth curve models showed newcomers to have lower levels and more pronounced increases of self-efficacy as compared to experienced immigrant adolescents. Both acculturation-related and developmental variables predicted self-efficacy. The results highlight the need for focusing on immigration stages and support the notion of combining developmental and acculturative factors in the study of immigrant adolescents.

miR168 influences phase transition, leaf epinasty, and fruit development via SlAGO1s in tomato.

In Arabidopsis thaliana, Argonaute1 (AGO1) interacts with miR168 to modulate the small RNA regulatory pathway. However, the underlying mechanism of regulation and relationship between AGO1 and miR168 is poorly understood in the cash crop Solanum lycopersicum (tomato). We previously found that SlAGO1A and SlAGO1B were cleaved by miR168 in tomato. In this study, we show that SlAGO1A and SlAGO1B accumulate in miR168-sponge transgenic plants, and that expression of miR168-resistant SlAGO1A (4m-SlAGO1A) and SlAGO1B (4m-SlAGO1B) in tomato results in a series of defects affecting growth rate, floral timing, leaves, and fruit. Accumulation of miR156 was found when 4m-SlAGO1A was at an early developmental stage compared to the wild type and original SlAGO1A transgenic plants, and miR172 was highly expressed in adult 4m-SlAGO1A compared to the controls. In addition, the expression of multiple small RNAs was altered in 4m-SlAGO1A. Taken together, our data provide novel insights into the interaction between SlAGO1s and miR168 in determining growth rate, phase change, leaf epinasty, fruit initiation and expansion, and other developmental processes in tomato.

Contemporary Hermits: A Developmental Psychopathology Account of Extreme Social Withdrawal (Hikikomori) in Young People.

Although it is widely accepted that human beings have an ingrained 'need to belong,' there seem to be a substantial subset of young people who seclude themselves for most of the time at home and no longer engage in education or work, ultimately withdrawing from participation in society. In Japan, this phenomenon has been labeled as 'hikikomori,' but given its global presence it may be preferable to use the term 'extreme social withdrawal' (ESW). In this qualitative review, we provide a description and definition of ESW, provide figures on its prevalence, and discuss a number of associated concepts, including loneliness and "aloneliness," school absenteeism and dropout, the 'new' developmental stage of adultolescence, and the labor force categories of freeter ('freelance arbeiter') and NEET (a young person not in employment, education, or training). The core of the paper is focused on the origins of ESW in young people and provides a narrative overview of relevant etiological factors, such as aberrant brain processes, unfavorable temperament, psychiatric conditions, adverse family processes including detrimental parenting, negative peer experiences, societal pressures, and excessive internet and digital media use, which are all placed within a comprehensive developmental psychopathology framework. We will close with a discussion of possible interventions for young people with ESW and formulate a guideline that describes (the temporal order of) various components that need to be included in such a treatment.

The Transition to Siblinghood: An Understudied Yet Influential Process Pertinent to Social Work Research.

Across cultures, the majority of individuals will have a sibling relationship in their lifetime. Of particular importance to parents and children is the transition to siblinghood, which refers to the process wherein a child becomes a sibling. Although many parents are concerned about how their children will adjust during the transition to siblinghood, scant empirical work on this subject exists. Available empirical work on the transition to siblinghood has stemmed from developmental psychology; however, social work researchers have yet to deeply explore this body of work. The transition to siblinghood is a topic that is rife with opportunity for social work researchers, who have the ability to study this transition from culturally sensitive, person-in-environment, and social justice perspectives. This article provides an overview of the elements and importance of the transition to siblinghood, introduces a theoretical framework relevant to social workers, reviews existent empirical work on the transition to siblinghood, and elucidates limitations in the literature that social work researchers are adept to address. The article concludes with four recommendations to researchers who are interested in studying the transition to siblinghood through a social work lens.

Parents' Perceptions of Emerging Adults With Congenital Heart Disease: An Integrative Review of Qualitative Studies.

BACKGROUND: As the primary caregivers for children with congenital heart disease (CHD), parents' perceptions are important for emerging adults to achieve independence. This integrative review of qualitative studies aimed to describe parents' perceptions of emerging adults with CHD. METHOD: Seven electronic databases were searched. Data extraction and quality assessment were performed. A meta-synthesis was conducted to inductively develop essential themes from five included studies. RESULTS: Three essential themes encompassing the parents' perspective of emerging adults with CHD were: (1) concerns about emerging adults' ability to be independent; (2) concerns about emerging adults' future; and (3) impact of disease on family. The themes depicted parents' concerns and worries about their children's ability to successfully achieve independence, especially in disease self-management and life goals. DISCUSSION: This review highlights parents' concerns about their emerging adult children's independence. Understanding these concerns allows for developing interventions to facilitate emerging adults' independence and ease parents' worries.

Study protocol for PRISE: a longitudinal study of sexual harassment during the transition from childhood to adolescence.

BACKGROUND: Sexual harassment is a widespread problem with serious consequences for individuals and societies. It is likely that sexual harassment among peers has its main onset during the transition from late childhood to early adolescence, when young people enter puberty. However, there is a lack of systematic research on sexual harassment during this developmental period. Thus, there is very little information about the prevalence of sexual harassment during this important transition, its consequences, and how to effectively intervene against and prevent the problem. The primary objective of the described project, entitled Peer Relations In School from an Ecological perspective (PRISE), is to examine sexual harassment and its developmental correlates during the transition from late childhood to early adolescence. METHODS: The PRISE study has a longitudinal design over 3 years, in which a cohort of children (N = 1000) and their main teachers (N = 40) fill out questionnaires in grades 4, 5, and 6. The questionnaires assess aspects of peer sexual harassment and potential correlates including biological (e.g., pubertal development), psychosocial (e.g., self-assertiveness, self-image, peer relations), and contextual (e.g., classroom climate, norms) factors. In addition, we will examine school readiness and policies in relation to sexual harassment and collect register data to assess the number of reports of sexual harassment from the participating schools. DISCUSSION: The PRISE study will enable the researchers to answer fundamental, unresolved questions about the development of sexual harassment and thus advance the very limited understanding of sexual harassment during the transition from childhood to adolescence - a central period for physical, sexual, and social development. Due to the sensitive nature of the main research concepts, and the age of the participants, the ethical aspects of the research need particular attention. Ultimately, the hope is that the PRISE study will help researchers, policy makers, and practitioners develop, and implement, knowledge that may help in combating a major, current societal challenge and adverse aspect of young people's developmental ecologies.

Molecular alterations during larval development of Haemonchus contortus in vitro are under tight post-transcriptional control.

In this study, we explored the molecular alterations in the developmental switch from the L3 to the exsheathed L3 (xL3) and to the L4 stage of Haemonchus contortus in vitro using an integrated transcriptomic, proteomic and bioinformatic approach. Totals of 9,754 mRNAs, 88 microRNAs (miRNAs) and 1,591 proteins were identified, and 6,686 miRNA-mRNA pairs inferred in all larval stages studied. Approximately 16% of transcripts in the combined transcriptome (representing all three larval stages) were expressed as proteins, and there were positive correlations (r = 0.39-0.44) between mRNA transcription and protein expression in the three distinct developmental stages of the parasite. Of the predicted targets, 1,019 (27.0%) mRNA transcripts were expressed as proteins, and there was a negative correlation (r = -0.60 to -0.50) in the differential mRNA transcription and protein expression between developmental stages upon pairwise comparison. The changes in transcription (mRNA and miRNA) and protein expression from the free-living to the parasitic life cycle phase of H. contortus related to enrichments in biological pathways associated with metabolism (e.g., carbohydrate and lipid degradation, and amino acid metabolism), environmental information processing (e.g., signal transduction, signalling molecules and interactions) and/or genetic information processing (e.g., transcription and translation). Specifically, fatty acid degradation, steroid hormone biosynthesis and the Rap1 signalling pathway were suppressed, whereas transcription, translation and protein processing in the endoplasmic reticulum were upregulated during the transition from the free-living L3 to the parasitic xL3 and L4 stages of the nematode in vitro. Dominant post-transcriptional regulation was inferred to elicit these changes, and particular miRNAs (e.g., hco-miR-34 and hco-miR-252) appear to play roles in stress responses and/or environmental adaptations during developmental transitions of H. contortus. Taken together, these integrated results provide a comprehensive insight into the developmental biology of this important parasite at the molecular level in vitro. The approach applied here to H. contortus can be readily applied to other parasitic nematodes.

Adulthood transitions in health and welfare; a literature review.

AIM: The aim of the literature review was to describe how adulthood transition is used in health and welfare. DESIGN: A qualitative design with a deductive approach were used. METHODS: As material, 283 articles published in scientific journals, between 2011-August 2013, were selected. The search was conducted August 2013. The data were analysed and sorted in a categorization matrix. RESULTS: Transition was identified as a process mainly related to the four types previously identified; developmental, situational, health-illness and organizational transitions. Another one transition was also identified, lifestyle transition.