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The diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (L.) is a serious and economically important pest of cruciferous crops worldwide. The nutritional indices of this pest on four host plants including two canola (SLM₀₄₆ and RGS₀₀₃) and two cabbage cultivars (Green-Cornet and Glob-Master) were determined under laboratory conditions (25 ± 0.5 °C, 65 ± 5% RH and 16: 8 L: D h). The highest relative consumption rate (RCR) and relative growth rate (RGR) were recorded on RGS₀₀₃ (95.68 ± 14.52 mg/mg/day) and SLM₀₄₆(0.382 ± 0.041 mg/mg/day), respectively. The efficiency of the conversion of ingested food (ECI) and efficiency of conversion of digested food (ECD) were significantly higher on SLM₀₄₆ (2.298 ± 0.646 and 2.471 ± 0.719%, respectively). However, there was no significant difference among cultivars regarding approximate digestibility (AD) index. The highest feeding performance of the larvae of P. xylostella was found on SLM₀₄₆. The nutritional indices are appropriate tools in host plant resistance evaluation and they also could provide profound understanding of the behavioral and physiological bases of insect-host plant interactions.  

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The diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (L.) (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae) is one of the most destructive insect pests, feeding exclusively on wild and cultivated cruciferous species. The attacked plants produce considerable amount of glucosinolates in response to insects’ feeding. Herein, we studied digestive activities of P. xylostella on four different genotypes of family Brassicaceae including two canola cultivars (SLM₀₄₆ and RGS₀₀₃) and two cabbage cultivars (Green-Cornet and Glob-Master). The highest proteolytic and amylolytic activities of P. xylostella were observed on Green-Cornet and the lowest occurred on RGS₀₀₃ and Glob-Master, respectively. The highest activity of α-glucosidase and β-glucosidases were observed on Green-Cornet and SLM₀₄₆ and the lowest was observed on Glob-Master and RGS₀₀₃. The zymogram analysis revealed different isozymes of protease, trypsin-like and α-amylase in the midgut extract of P. xylostella. Activity of the above mentioned isozymes was inhibited in larvae feeding on RGS₀₀₃ and Glob Master as resistant host cultivars. Also, larvae feeding on the resistant genotypes showed more glucosidase activities, indicating possibility of high glycosinolate existence in the resistant genotypes. By these results we can state that host plant property can affect insect digestive physiology through inhibiting digestive enzyme activities. These findings provide insights into the direct effects of host plants on insect physiology which are conducive to change in insect fitness.

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Bionomics of Aphis gossypii Glover and its predators Coccinella septempunctata L. and Hippodamia variegata Goeze were studied in Varamin (Tehran Province) during 11th May to 5th October 2006 on eggplant crop, with the interaction (density dependence) between the aphid and either of the predators determined. The reliable sample size (number of leaves) with a maximum variation of 6.73% was about 56. The index of dispersion, regression models (Taylor and Iwao), Morisita’s index as well as Lloyd’s mean crowding to mean were employed to estimate the spatial distribution pattern of the insects. The results indicated that the highest population densities of A. gossypii, C. septempunctata and H. variegata occurred in 8th June (11.62 per leaf), 17th August (0.36 per leaf) and 3rd August (2.11 per leaf), respectively. The index of dispersion, regression models (Taylor and Iwao), Morisita’s index and Lloyd’s mean crowding to mean showed aggregated distribution for all species. The linear regression model between prey and predators’ population densities showed a density independent predation by C. septempunctata and H. variegata on A. gossypii. This study indicated that spatial distribution parameters of the cotton aphid and its natural enemies can be employed to outline a sampling program and to estimate the population densities of these insects for use in integrated pest management programs.

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Simulation in the new generations of games has paved the way for employing flipped classes. Given the significance of learning English for Specific Purposes (ESP), this complementarity study with a full-factorial design using Augmented Reality- (AR)-mediated English for Nursing Purposes (ENP) classrooms was administered in the fall semester of the academic years 2019-2020. This way, 240 (from among 249) male (n=89) and female (n=151) students from Medical University of Isfahan were selected and randomly divided into Commercially-Off-the-Shelf (COTS) sets with interdisciplinary and disciplinary circles to learn ENP listening and reading comprehension in homogeneous and heterogeneous make-up. The data were collected through a questionnaire, continuous assessment, journaling, real-world assessment, and an interview. The gathered data were analyzed descriptively and inferentially through repeated measures ANOVA, which, in turn revealed that AR-mediated ENP Learning (AAEL) led into students' comprehension and outperformance in both instructional-learning and professional contexts. Along these lines, practicing ENP reading and listening via self-made AR-assisted activities in interdisciplinary circles with heterogeneous make-up facilitated students’ progress and performance. Accordingly, it can be argued that educational stakeholders have been inspired by and shaped the EdTech-assisted scenarios. The findings can be tapped into for developing new language curricula in higher education.

1. Introduction
With the extensive use of mobile technology in higher education studies, namely mobile learning or m-learning, diversified language learning applications (apps) based on m-learning are emerging in the instructional-learning settings. Among these new apps, the belonging together of the various sights of the augmented reality games through simulation allows the students to move toward understanding of the world. The main goal of this complementarity study with self-explanatory sequential mixed-methods was to explore the practicality of augmented reality game-mediated modules for supporting and easing the learning process of English receptive skills in medical higher education. In addition, this study explored the perceived learning outcomes of augmented reality game-mediated modules in English for nursing purposes classrooms of medical universities.
Research Question(s)
The main research question of this study can be formulated as follows:
To what extent do the augmented reality game-mediated tasks facilitate students’ English for nursing purposes skills learning?

2. Literature Review
The theoretical framework of this study follows the cognitive load theory for game-mediated learning (Taşçı & Titrek, 2020) that underlines the interactivity of practice for learning through the simulated chapters of the new generations of games.

3. Methodology
 The participants were selected from among the male (N = 89) and female (N = 151) students (N = 240) through random sampling using the design of experiments. They were students of nursing, operating room, and midwifery who took the obligatory two-credit courses of English for nursing purposes in the academic years 2020-2021 at the Isfahan University of medical sciences. To assess the participants’ English proficiency levels, they took part in a test of Ministry Health Language Examination (MHLE). In this way, they were randomly divided into two groups of ready-made and self-generated augmented reality games to practice and learn the reading and listening skills of English for nursing purposes in the disciplinary and interdisciplinary bands. While in the disciplinary bands the participants from the same academic discipline practiced the content materials, in the interdisciplinary bands the participants from different academic disciplines practiced the materials. In so doing, initially, the participants’ attitudes towards mobile-game-based learning was solocited.18 online instruction sessions were carried out through Adobe Connect. Meanwhile, the participants’ reading and listening skills were assessed continuously from 0-20 scores. In tandem, the researchers wrote the journals during the course. Six weeks after the very final sessions of the course, the participants’ professional receptive skills were assessed in the healthcare fields. Finally, to solicit the participants’ views regarding learning English for nursing purposes skills through the medium of the augmented reality game-mediated tasks in the disciplinary and interdisciplinary bands, an interview session was conducted. The gathered data from the assessment of the participants during the course were analyzed through the mixed effect models. The researchers’ journals and the participants’ responses to the interview questions were conventionally content analyzed through MAXQDA 2020.

4. Results
The results revealed that augmented reality game-mediated English for nursing purposes learning led into students’ comprehension and outperformance in both instructional-learning and professional settings. The analysis of qualitative data indicated that the participants applied different strategies during the study. Most frequently cited were cognitive and support strategies with addressing the (academic and professional) need (e.g., adopting proactive role, vicarious learning).
Practicing English for nursing purposes reading and listening skills via self-generated augmented reality game-mediated tasks in interdisciplinary bands facilitated students’ progress and performance. Accordingly, it can be argued that educational stakeholders have been inspired by and shaped the educational technology-mediated scenarios. The findings can be tapped into for developing new language curricula in medical higher education.
Another important finding was that easy addressing the needs was linked to the facilitative effects of peers' supports. Helping each other to address the comprehension needs, and particularly patients' needs, may therefore be beneficial. Fostering a supportive social and psychological instructional-learning context was perceived by students as important for facilitating comprehension.