The Effect of Temperature-Induced Stress at Different Developmental Periods on Short-Term Memory of C. elegans

Patrick Nebl, Samantha Michniak, Amy Hebert — Sat, 19 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0200

As the incidence of neurodegenerative diseases continues to increase, it is essential to evaluate the causal factors that lead to neurodegeneration and resultant memory loss. In this study, Caenorhabditis elegans were used as a model organism to explore the effects of developmental stress on learning and short-term memory. Half of the population were placed into elevated temperatures, to invoke heat stress, while the other half was kept at their optimal functioning temperature of 22°C. The worms were then taught a simple chemosensory learning task. Results show that 25°C produced a small reduction in learning, while 28°C produced a substantial reduction. In a follow-up study, C. elegans were exposed to 28°C at different life stages Day 0 (embryo), Day 1, Day 2, and Day 3 stress each reduced learning when compared to controls, with the greatest deficit being stress experienced during Day 2. Insights into neurodevelopmental time periods of vulnerability to stress and the potential mechanisms affected by early-life stress can help in the prevention of neurodegenerative diseases and their associated cognitive decline.

A Trimean and Asymmetry-Based Statistical Permutation Test for Group Comparisons

Necati Alp Erilli — Sun, 06 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0200

Statistical multiple comparison tests are methods used to detect differences between several groups and to assess whether these differences are statistically significant. Typically, parametric tests like ANOVA (Analysis of Variance) or non-parametric tests like Kruskal-Wallis are employed for this purpose. In this study, we propose a new statistical permutation test based on the trimean and Bowley’s measure of asymmetry as an alternative to conventional multiple comparison tests. The proposed method is compared with ANOVA and Kruskal-Wallis tests in terms of reliability and statistical power. The analyses demonstrate that the proposed test yields statistically significant and effective results comparable to traditional methods. The findings reveal that the new test provides reliable outcomes especially for heterogeneous groups, skewed distributions, and small sample sizes. Overall, the proposed method can be considered a viable alternative in statistical analysis.

International Journal of Innovative Technology and Interdisciplinary Sciences

The Effect of Temperature-Induced Stress at Different Developmental Periods on Short-Term Memory of C. elegans

A Trimean and Asymmetry-Based Statistical Permutation Test for Group Comparisons