Estimating stomatal conductance with thermal imagery

Most thermal methods for the study of drought responses in plant leaves are based on the calculation of 'stress indices'. This paper proposes and compares three main extensions of these for the direct estimation of absolute values of stomatal conductance to water vapour (gs) using infrared thermography (IRT). All methods use the measured leaf temperature and two environmental variables (air temperature and boundary layer resistance) as input. Additional variables required, depending on the method, are the temperatures of wet and dry reference surfaces, net radiation and relative humidity. The methods were compared using measured gs data from a vineyard in Southern Portugal. The errors in thermal estimates of conductance were of the same order as the measurement errors using a porometer. Observed variability was also compared with theoretical estimates of errors in estimated gs determined on the basis of the errors in the input variables (leaf temperature, boundary layer resistance, net radiation) and the partial derivatives of the energy balance equations used for the gs calculations. The full energy balance approach requires accurate estimates of net radiation absorbed, which may not be readily available in field conditions, so alternatives using reference surfaces are shown to have advantages. A new approach using a dry reference leaf is particularly robust and recommended for those studies where the specific advantages of thermal imagery, including its non-contact nature and its ability to sample large numbers of leaves, are most apparent. Although the results suggest that estimates of the absolute magnitude of gs are somewhat subjective, depending on the skill of the experimenter at selecting evenly exposed leaves, relative treatment differences in conductance are sensitively detected by different experimenters.     

Functional Somatic Syndromes: Skin Temperatures and Activity Measurements Under Ambulatory Conditions

Functional somatic syndromes are mostly associated with pain and emotional distress. As one marker for the autonomic stress response, the distal skin temperature decreases during psychological stress. In patients with functional somatic syndromes, the distal skin temperature under baseline conditions (without stress induction) is usually lower than in healthy subjects, which could be due to the sustained presence of pain-related stress in such patients. The aim of our study was to investigate whether patients with functional somatic syndromes show altered skin temperatures also under everyday life conditions. 14 patients with functional somatic syndromes and 14 matched healthy control subjects were investigated under ambulatory conditions over six consecutive days. During this time, distal and proximal skin temperatures were continuously recorded and sleep-wake cycles were monitored by actimetry and sleep-wake diaries. Unexpectedly, the patients showed higher distal skin temperatures than control subjects in the afternoon. The objective temperature data did not match the patients’ subjective experience: ratings of thermal comfort did not vary between the two groups. Moreover, similar levels of daytime activity were recorded in the two samples, even though patients reported more tiredness and more body tension than controls. We interpret the observed dissociation between objective skin temperature measurements and subjective ratings of the bodily thermal comfort as support for the notion of an alexisomia account (reduced bodily awareness) for functional somatic syndromes. Moreover, findings indicate that subjective complaints of tiredness and tension do not necessarily result in physical avoidance behaviour.     

Case study of skin temperature and thermal perception in a hot outdoor environment

Focusing on the understanding and the estimation of the biometeorological conditions during summer in outdoor places, a field study was conducted in July 2010 in Athens, Greece over 6 days at three different sites: Syntagma Square, Ermou Street and Flisvos coast. Thermo-physiological measurements of five subjects were carried out from morning to evening for each site, simultaneously with meteorological measurements and subjective assessments of thermal sensation reported by questionnaires. The thermo-physiological variables measured were skin temperature, heat flux and metabolic heat production, while meteorological measurements included air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, globe temperature, ground surface temperature and global radiation. The possible relation of skin temperature with the meteorological parameters was examined. Theoretical values of mean skin temperature and mean radiant temperature were estimated applying the MENEX model and were compared with the measured values. Two biometeorological indices, thermal sensation (TS) and heat load (HL)—were calculated in order to compare the predicted thermal sensation with the actual thermal vote. The theoretically estimated values of skin temperature were underestimated in relation to the measured values, while the theoretical model of mean radiant temperature was more sensitive to variations of solar radiation compared to the experimental values. TS index underestimated the thermal sensation of the five subjects when their thermal vote was ‘hot’ or ‘very hot’ and overestimated thermal sensation in the case of ‘neutral’. The HL index predicted with greater accuracy thermal sensation tending to overestimate the thermal sensation of the subjects.     

Lubrication mode analysis of articular cartilage using Stribeck surfaces

Lubrication of articular cartilage occurs in distinct modes with various structural and biomolecular mechanisms contributing to the low-friction properties of natural joints. In order to elucidate relative contributions of these factors in normal and diseased tissues, determination and control of lubrication mode must occur. The objectives of these studies were (1) to develop an in vitro cartilage on glass test system to measure friction coefficient, mu; (2) to implement and extend a framework for the determination of cartilage lubrication modes; and (3) to determine the effects of synovial fluid on mu and lubrication mode transitions. Patellofemoral groove cartilage was linearly oscillated against glass under varying magnitudes of compressive strain utilizing phosphate buffered saline (PBS) and equine and bovine synovial fluid as lubricants. The time-dependent frictional properties were measured to determine the lubricant type and strain magnitude dependence for the initial friction coefficient (mu(0)=mu(t-->0)) and equilibrium friction coefficient (mu(eq)=mu(t-->infinity)). Parameters including tissue-glass co-planarity, normal strain, and surface speed were altered to determine the effect of the parameters on lubrication mode via a 'Stribeck surface'. Using this testing apparatus, cartilage exhibited biphasic lubrication with significant influence of strain magnitude on mu(0) and minimal influence on mu(eq), consistent with hydrostatic pressurization as reported by others. Lubrication analysis using 'Stribeck surfaces' demonstrated clear regions of boundary and mixed modes, but hydrodynamic or full film lubrication was not observed even at the highest speed (50mm/s) and lowest strain (5%).     

Acyl migration in 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycerol

The acyl migration of 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycerol (1,2-DPG) to 1,3-dipalmitoylglycerol (1,3-DPG) in different states, neat, in the presence of egg yolk lecithin (sonicated and unsonicated) and on silica gel was studied. The isomerization was quantitated by scanning densitometry of charred TLC plates, at different temperatures and for varying periods of time. At equilibrium the amount of 1,3-DPG was found to be 56%. The rates of initial isomerization, and the time required to isomerize to half the equilibrium quantity (i.e., t1/2 eq. = 1,3-DPG 28%) under the above conditions was estimated. In the case of neat melt at 74 degrees C and in an organic solvent the time required to t1/2 eq. is 18 h and a few days, respectively. However, at 62 degrees C in the presence of a polar solvent (sodium phosphate buffer at pH 7.0) the t1/2 eq. is 1-2 h. On dry silica gel (TLC plate) at 24 degrees C the t1/2 eq. is reached in less than 1 h.     

Specific electromagnetic effects of microwave radiation on Escherichia coli

The present study investigated the effects of microwave (MW) radiation applied under a sublethal temperature on Escherichia coli. The experiments were conducted at a frequency of 18 GHz and at a temperature below 40°C to avoid the thermal degradation of bacterial cells during exposure. The absorbed power was calculated to be 1,500 kW/m(3), and the electric field was determined to be 300 V/m. Both values were theoretically confirmed using CST Microwave Studio 3D Electromagnetic Simulation Software. As a negative control, E. coli cells were also thermally heated to temperatures up to 40°C using Peltier plate heating. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis performed immediately after MW exposure revealed that the E. coli cells exhibited a cell morphology significantly different from that of the negative controls. This MW effect, however, appeared to be temporary, as following a further 10-min elapsed period, the cell morphology appeared to revert to a state that was identical to that of the untreated controls. Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) revealed that fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-conjugated dextran (150 kDa) was taken up by the MW-treated cells, suggesting that pores had formed within the cell membrane. Cell viability experiments revealed that the MW treatment was not bactericidal, since 88% of the cells were recovered after radiation. It is proposed that one of the effects of exposing E. coli cells to MW radiation under sublethal temperature conditions is that the cell surface undergoes a modification that is electrokinetic in nature, resulting in a reversible MW-induced poration of the cell membrane.     

Study on legibility of characters for the elderly--effects of character display modes on legibility

It is more crucial than ever to consider the elderly when designing products. One of the important things to remember is the legibility of characters, since this influences the accessibility and usability of products. We studied the effects of character attributes on legibility using 70 subjects (60 aged 46-79 with no apparent ocular problems except presbyopia, and 10 aged 68-80 with cataracts). Thirty 10-key television remote control models were made. The characters on each were different, and were based on combinations of three attributes-height (5 levels), thickness (3 levels), and display mode (2 levels; positive: black characters on a white background, negative: white characters on a black background). Participants subjectively evaluated the legibility of the characters for each 10-key sample under two ambient illuminance conditions: 500 lx and 50 lx. They also performed paired comparisons on samples with the same height and thickness but different display modes. Subjective data were analyzed using a three-way factorial ANOVA for character height, thickness, and display mode. Legibility was significantly affected by all factors for those without cataracts under both illuminance conditions, and the interaction between thickness and display mode was significant. A two-way factorial ANOVA was performed for height and display mode for each thickness. Legibility was, in general, better for thinner characters in negative mode and was better in negative mode under dark illuminance for those with and without cataracts. This tendency was more pronounced in the elderly (over 65 years old). Paired comparisons showed that legibility was better in negative mode under both illuminance conditions, especially with medium and thin characters, for those with and without cataracts. Although there are few accounts of the effects of positive and negative modes in various existing guidelines, this finding would suggest that legibility can be enhanced by using the negative mode.     

Subjective estimation of thermal environment in recreational urban spaces—Part 1: investigations in Szeged,Hungary

During two investigation periods in transient seasons (14 weekdays in autumn 2009 and 15 weekdays in spring 2010) 967 visitors in two inner city squares of Szeged (Hungary) were asked about their estimation of their thermal environment. Interrelationships of subjective assessments—thermal sensation, perceptions and preferences for individual climate parameters—were analyzed, as well as their connections with the prevailing thermal conditions [air temperature, relative humidity, wind velocity, mean radiant temperature and physiologically equivalent temperature (PET)]. Thermal sensation showed strong positive relationships with air temperature and solar radiation perception, while wind velocity and air humidity perception had a negative (and weaker) impact. If a parameter was perceived to be low or weak, then it was usually desired to be higher or stronger. This negative correlation was weakest in the case of humidity. Of the basic meteorological parameters, Hungarians are most sensitive to variations in wind. Above PET?=?29°C, people usually prefer lower air temperature and less solar radiation. The temperature values perceived by the interviewees correlated stronger with PET, but their means were more similar to air temperature. It was also found that the mean thermal sensation of Hungarians in transient seasons depends on PET according to a quadratic function (R ²?=?0.912) and, consequently, the thermal comfort ranges of the locals differ from that usually adopted.     

A new intrinsic thermal parameter for enzymes reveals true temperature optima

Two established thermal properties of enzymes are the Arrhenius activation energy and thermal stability. Arising from anomalies found in the variation of enzyme activity with temperature, a comparison has been made of experimental data for the activity and stability properties of five different enzymes with theoretical models. The results provide evidence for a new and fundamental third thermal parameter of enzymes, T(eq), arising from a subsecond timescale-reversible temperature-dependent equilibrium between the active enzyme and an inactive (or less active) form. Thus, at temperatures above its optimum, the decrease in enzyme activity arising from the temperature-dependent shift in this equilibrium is up to two orders of magnitude greater than what occurs through thermal denaturation. This parameter has important implications for our understanding of the connection between catalytic activity and thermostability and of the effect of temperature on enzyme reactions within the cell. Unlike the Arrhenius activation energy, which is unaffected by the source ("evolved") temperature of the enzyme, and enzyme stability, which is not necessarily related to activity, T(eq) is central to the physiological adaptation of an enzyme to its environmental temperature and links the molecular, physiological, and environmental aspects of the adaptation of life to temperature in a way that has not been described previously. We may therefore expect the effect of evolution on T(eq) with respect to enzyme temperature/activity effects to be more important than on thermal stability. T(eq) is also an important parameter to consider when engineering enzymes to modify their thermal properties by both rational design and by directed enzyme evolution.     

A new cryomacroscope device (Type III) for visualization of physical events in cryopreservation with applications to vitrification and synthetic ice modulators

The objective of the current study is to develop a new cryomacroscope prototype for the study of vitrification in large-size specimens. The unique contribution in the current study is in developing a cryomacroscope setup as an add-on device to a commercial controlled-rate cooler and in demonstration of physical events in cryoprotective cocktails containing synthetic ice modulators (SIM)—compounds which hinder ice crystal growth. Cryopreservation by vitrification is a highly complex application, where the likelihood of crystallization, fracture formation, degradation of the biomaterial quality, and other physical events are dependent not only upon the instantaneous cryogenic conditions, but more significantly upon the evolution of conditions along the cryogenic protocol. Nevertheless, cryopreservation success is most frequently assessed by evaluating the cryopreserved product at its end states—either at the cryogenic storage temperature or room temperature. The cryomacroscope is the only available device for visualization of large-size specimens along the thermal protocol, in an effort to correlate the quality of the cryopreserved product with physical events. Compared with earlier cryomacroscope prototypes, the new Cryomacroscope-III evaluated here benefits from a higher resolution color camera, improved illumination, digital recording capabilities, and high repeatability in tested thermal conditions via a commercial controlled-rate cooler. A specialized software package was developed in the current study, having two modes of operation: (a) experimentation mode to control the operation of the camera, record camera frames sequentially, log thermal data from sensors, and save case-specific information; and (b) post-processing mode to generate a compact file integrating images, elapsed time, and thermal data for each experiment. The benefits of the Cryomacroscope-III are demonstrated using various tested mixtures of SIMs with the cryoprotective cocktail DP6, which were found effective in preventing ice growth, even at significantly subcritical cooling rates with reference to the pure DP6.     

Internal and surface-localized major surface proteases of Leishmania spp. and their differential release from promastigotes

Major surface protease (MSP), also called GP63, is a virulence factor of Leishmania spp. protozoa. There are three pools of MSP, located either internally within the parasite, anchored to the surface membrane, or released into the extracellular environment. The regulation and biological functions of these MSP pools are unknown. We investigated here the trafficking and extrusion of surface versus internal MSPs. Virulent Leishmania chagasi undergo a growth-associated lengthening in the t(1/2) of surface-localized MSP, but this did not occur in the attenuated L5 strain. The release of surface-localized MSP was enhanced in a dose-dependent manner by MbetaCD, which chelates membrane cholesterol-ergosterol. Furthermore, incubation of promastigotes at 37 degrees C with Matrigel matrix, a soluble basement membrane extract of Engelbreth-Holm-Swarm tumor cells, stimulated the release of internal MSP but not of surface-located MSP. Taken together, these data indicate that MSP subpopulations in distinct cellular locations are released from the parasite under different environmental conditions. We hypothesize that the internal MSP with its lengthy t(1/2) does not serve as a pool for promastigote surface MSP in the sand fly vector but that it instead functions as an MSP pool ready for quick release upon inoculation of metacyclic promastigotes into mammals. We present a model in which these different MSP pools are released under distinct life cycle-specific conditions.     

Interaction of ferricytochrome c with zwitterionic phospholipid bilayers: a Raman spectroscopic study

The vibrational Raman spectra of both pure L-alpha-dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) liposomes and DPPC multilayers reconstituted with ferricytochrome c under varying conditions of pH and ionic strength are reported as a function of temperature. Total integrated band intensities and relative peak height intensity ratios, two spectral scattering parameters used to determine bilayer disorder, are invariant to changes in pH and ionic strength but exhibit a sensitivity to the bilayer concentration of the ferricytochrome c. Protein concentrations were estimated by comparing the 1636 cm-1 resonance Raman line of known ferricytochrome c solutions to intensity values for the reconstituted multilayer samples. Temperature-dependent profiles of the 3100-2800 cm-1 C-H stretching, 1150-1000 cm-1 C-C stretching, 1440 cm-1 CH2 deformation, and 1295 cm-1 CH2 twisting mode regions characteristic of acyl chain vibrations reflect bilayer perturbations due to the weak interactions of ferricytochrome c. The DPPC multilamellar gel to liquid-crystalline phase transition temperature, TM, defined by either the C-H stretching mode I2935/I2880 or the C-C stretching mode I1061/I1090 peak height intensity ratios, is decreased by approximately 4 degrees C for the approximately 10(-4) M ferricytochrome c reconstituted DPPC liposomes. Other spectral features, such as the increase in the 2935 cm-1 C-H stretching mode region and the enhancement of higher frequency CH2 twisting modes, which arise in bilayers containing approximately 10(-4) M protein, are interpreted in terms of protein penetration into the hydrophobic region of the bilayer.     

Electromagnetic fields in combination with elevated temperatures affect embryogenesis of Drosophila.

The effect of electromagnetic fields (50 Hz, 100 microT magnetic flux density) on Drosophila embryogenesis was tested under conditions of mild thermal stress (temperatures between 34 and 37 degrees C). When exposed to these stressor(s) for 30 min during early embryogenesis those embryos which were subjected to both electromagnetic fields and elevated temperature (costress) showed pattern anomalies more frequently than embryos subjected to thermal stress alone. Furthermore, under costress conditions development was considerably delayed in three different strains tested. The use of transgenic strains with a lacZ reporter being expressed in segmental patterns facilitated the identification and quantification of the pattern anomalies.     

Thermal sensation at index finger while applying external pressure at upper arm

In this study we focused on thermal sensation at fingertip under the influence of applied external pressure via a tourniquet at the upper arm. The perceived thermal sensation has found to be closely related to the skin temperature (Tsk) that is regulated by the skin blood flow (SkBF), whereas SkBF is easily influenced by external pressure. We thus hypothesized that the perceived thermal sensation, the Tsk and SkBF form such a cross-coupled triad that jointly affects our feeling of thermal comfort. Such interconnections among them were examined in this study using two protocols to investigate the perceived thermal sensation from a given heat stimulus under an exerted external pressure: (1) the SkBF and Tsk, at the right hand index finger under different external pressures at the right upper arm of one male subject, were monitored by a laser-Doppler flowmeter (LDF); (2) subjective thermal feelings (cold, normal and warm) at the right index fingertip of 10 test takers were recorded, while contacting a glass tube filled with water at different temperatures, with/without 50 mm Hg external pressure at the upper arm, while the temperatures of the glass tube and the index fingertip were recorded by an infrared camera. First, it is found that the SkBF and Tsk at the index fingertip reduced significantly with high external pressure applied at the upper arm, while the pressure from our daily clothing is not large enough to generate such an effect. Next, the applied pressure suppresses the variations in subjective sensory responses towards the thermal stimuli. Our hypothesis on the interconnections among the perceived thermal sensation, the Tsk and SkBF is thus confirmed. Overall, females appear more discerning to temperature change under the given conditions compared to males.     

A new cryomacroscope device (Type III) for visualization of physical events in cryopreservation with applications to vitrification and synthetic ice modulators

The objective of the current study is to develop a new cryomacroscope prototype for the study of vitrification in large-size specimens. The unique contribution in the current study is in developing a cryomacroscope setup as an add-on device to a commercial controlled-rate cooler and in demonstration of physical events in cryoprotective cocktails containing synthetic ice modulators (SIM)—compounds which hinder ice crystal growth. Cryopreservation by vitrification is a highly complex application, where the likelihood of crystallization, fracture formation, degradation of the biomaterial quality, and other physical events are dependent not only upon the instantaneous cryogenic conditions, but more significantly upon the evolution of conditions along the cryogenic protocol. Nevertheless, cryopreservation success is most frequently assessed by evaluating the cryopreserved product at its end states—either at the cryogenic storage temperature or room temperature. The cryomacroscope is the only available device for visualization of large-size specimens along the thermal protocol, in an effort to correlate the quality of the cryopreserved product with physical events. Compared with earlier cryomacroscope prototypes, the new Cryomacroscope-III evaluated here benefits from a higher resolution color camera, improved illumination, digital recording capabilities, and high repeatability in tested thermal conditions via a commercial controlled-rate cooler. A specialized software package was developed in the current study, having two modes of operation: (a) experimentation mode to control the operation of the camera, record camera frames sequentially, log thermal data from sensors, and save case-specific information; and (b) post-processing mode to generate a compact file integrating images, elapsed time, and thermal data for each experiment. The benefits of the Cryomacroscope-III are demonstrated using various tested mixtures of SIMs with the cryoprotective cocktail DP6, which were found effective in preventing ice growth, even at significantly subcritical cooling rates with reference to the pure DP6.     

Mechanism of thermal aggregation of yeast alcohol dehydrogenase I: role of intramolecular chaperone

Kinetics of thermal aggregation of yeast alcohol dehydrogenase I (yADH) have been studied using dynamic light scattering at a fixed temperature (56 degrees C) and under the conditions where the temperature was elevated at a constant rate (1 K/min). The initial parts of the dependences of the hydrodynamic radius on time (or temperature) follow the exponential law. At rather high values of time splitting of the population of aggregates into two components occurs. It is assumed that such peculiarities of the kinetics of thermal aggregation of yADH are due to the presence of a sequence -YSGVCHTDLHAWHGDWPLPVK- in the polypeptide chain possessing chaperone-like activity. Thermodynamic parameters for thermal denaturation of yADH have been calculated from the differential scanning calorimetry data.     

Development and validity of a universal empirical equation to predict skin surface temperature on thermal manikins

Clothing evaporative resistance is an important input in thermal comfort models. Thermal manikin tests give the most accurate and reliable evaporative resistance values for clothing. The calculation methods of clothing evaporative resistance require the sweating skin surface temperature (i.e., options 1 and 2). However, prevailing calculation methods of clothing evaporative resistance (i.e., options 3 and 4) are based on the controlled nude manikin surface temperature due to the sensory measurement difficulty. In order to overcome the difficulty of attaching temperature sensors to the wet skin surface and to enhance the calculation accuracy on evaporative resistance, we conducted an intensive skin study on a thermal manikin ‘Tore’. The relationship among the nude manikin surface temperature, the total heat loss and the wet skin surface temperature in three ambient conditions was investigated. A universal empirical equation to predict the wet skin surface temperature of a sweating thermal manikin was developed and validated on the manikin dressed in six different clothing ensembles. The skin surface temperature prediction equation in an ambient temperature range between 25.0 and 34.0 °C is T_sk=34.0–0.0132HL. It is demonstrated that the universal empirical equation is a good alternative to predicting the wet skin surface temperature and facilitates calculating the evaporative resistance of permeable clothing ensembles. Further studies on the validation of the empirical equation on different thermal manikins are needed however.     

Quantification of metabolism in Saccharomyces cerevisiae under hyperosmotic conditions using elementary mode analysis

Yeast metabolism under hyperosmotic stress conditions was quantified using elementary mode analysis to obtain insights into the metabolic status of the cell. The fluxes of elementary modes were determined as solutions to a linear program that used the stoichiometry of the elementary modes as constraints. The analysis demonstrated that distinctly different sets of elementary modes operate under normal and hyperosmotic conditions. During the adaptation phase, elementary modes that only produce glycerol are active, while elementary modes that yield biomass, ethanol, and glycerol become active after the adaptive phase. The flux distribution in the metabolic network, calculated using the fluxes in the elementary modes, was employed to obtain the flux ratio at key nodes. At the glucose 6-phosphate (G6P) node, 25% of the carbon influx was diverted towards the pentose phosphate pathway under normal growth conditions, while only 0.3% of the carbon flux was diverted towards the pentose phosphate pathway during growth at 1?M NaCl, indicating that cell growth is arrested under hyperosmotic conditions. Further, objective functions were used in the linear program to obtain optimal solution spaces corresponding to the different accumulation rates. The analysis demonstrated that while biomass formation was optimal under normal growth conditions, glycerol synthesis was closer to optimal during adaptation to osmotic shock.     

Effects of thermal underwear on thermal and subjective responses in winter

This study was conducted to obtain basic data in improving the health of Koreans, saving energy and protecting environments. This study investigated the effects of wearing thermal underwear for keeping warm in the office in winter where temperature is not as low as affecting work efficiency, on thermoregulatory responses and subjective sensations. In order to create an environment where every subject feels the same thermal sensation, two experimental conditions were selected through preliminary experiments: wearing thermal underwear in 18 degrees C air (18-condition) and not wearing thermal underwear in 23 degrees C air (23-condition). Six healthy male students participated in this study as experiment subjects. Measurement items included rectal temperature (T(re)), skin temperature (T(sk)), clothing microclimate temperature (T(cm)), thermal sensation and thermal comfort. The results are as follows: (1) T(re) of all subjects was maintained constant at 37.1 degrees C under both conditions, indicating no significant differences. (2) (T)(sk) under the 18-condition and the 23-condition were 32.9 degrees C and 33.7 degrees C, respectively, indicating a significant level of difference (p<0.05). (3) Among local skin temperature, trunk part (forehead and abdomen) did not show significant differences. After 90-min exposure, the skin temperature of hands and feet under the 18-condition was significantly lower than that under the 23-condition (p<0.001). (4) More than 80% of all the respondents felt comfortable under both conditions. It was found (T)(sk) decreased due to a drop in the skin temperature of hands and feet, and the subjects felt cooler wearing only one layer of normal thermal underwear at 18 degrees C. Yet, the thermal comfort level, T(re) and T(cm) of chest part under the 18-condition were the same as those under the 23-condition. These results show that the same level of comfort, T(re) and T(cm) can be maintained as that of an environment about 5 degrees C higher in the office in winter, by wearing one layer of thermal underwear. In this regard, this study suggests that lowering indoor temperature by wearing thermal underwear in winter can contribute to saving energy and improving health.     

Temperature-dependent functional response of Euborellia annulipes (Dermaptera: Anisolabididae) preying on Plutella xylostella (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae) larvae

Temperature mediates trophic interactions, including relationships between insect pests and predators, and functional response studies are often used to determine the suitability of predators as biocontrol agents. We investigated the effects of temperature on the functional response of Euborellia annulipes (Lucas) (Dermaptera: Anisolabididae) preying on Plutella xylostella (L.) (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae) larvae. Predation rate, type of functional response, attack rate (a'), handling time (T_h), and maximum predation rate (T/T_h) of the predator were estimated using seven prey densities and three thermal conditions. The functional response of E. annulipes to P. xylostella was temperature-dependent, type III under the lower temperatur (18°C and 25 °C) , and type II at 32 °C. We observed increasing values of a’ in 25 °C and 32 °C, decreasing values of Th and highest T/T_h as the thermal condition increased. Our findings suggest that E. annulipes could be effective to control P. xylostella under different thermal conditions, however its predation behavior changes according to temperature variation.