Diurnal activity, temperature responses and endothermy in three South American cicadas (Homoptera: Cicadidae: Dorisiana bonaerensis, Quesada gigas and Fidicina mannifera)

1. 1. Measurements of body temperature (T_b) in the field demonstrated that endothermic cicadas regulate T_b by behavioral mechanisms as well as by endogenous heat production.

2. 2. The T_b of endothermically active cicadas without access to exogenous heat is approximately the same as the T_b of basking cicadas.

3. 3. Dorisiana bonaerensis (Berg) and Quesada gigas (Olivier) raise T_b in the field with the heat produced in flight.

4. 4. The thermal responses of a particular species are related to its activity patterns and habitat.

5. 5. Endothermy in cicadas may serve to uncouple reproductive behavior from environmental constraints; to circumvent possible thermoregulatory problems; to permit the utilization of habitats unavailable to strictly ectothermic cicadas; to reduce predation; and to optimize broadcast coverage and sound transmission.

     

Oral health status of a population of community-dwelling older Canadians

A sample of 170 responsive residents of seniors housing centres in Winnipeg, Canada, were studied, (>65 years, mean 82 years), with the objectives of relating their dental state lo their perception of need and uptake of service. Only 6% rated their oral health as poor, 46% reported a dental visit within the previous year and 68% felt they needed dental treatment. A lack of perceived need (88%) was the primary reasons why dental care was not sought more frequently. Hygiene practices revealed that only 7% brushed <1 time/day, 60% never flossed, 14% cleaned their dentures <1 time/day, and 42% slept with their dentures. Dental histories showed that examination (94%), prosthodontic treatment (76%), and restorative services (65%) were the most commonly sought treatments. Perceived dental needs included prosthodontic treatment (39%), periodontal/ prophylactic treatment (10%), restorative treatment (9%) and pain relief (9%). Study subjects had 2.8 decayed teeth, a DMST of 25.1, and a Root Caries Index of 38%. CPITN scores of 3 or 4 in at least one sextant were found in 80% of subjects. Of the 41 % edentulous, all wore complete dentures but 15% of complete upper dentures and 51% of complete lower dentures fitted poorly. Of the partial dentures, 20% fitted poorly. Soft tissue anomalies were seen in 67% of subjects and 47% had TMJ anomalies. Overall. 77% of edentulous subjects and all dentate subjects required some dental treatment even though 46% had seen a dentist within the preceding year. It is concluded that appropriate management of such people needs further attention.     

Ultrastructural changes associated with the haustorial mother cell septum during haustorium formation inUromyces phaseoli var.vignae

Protoplasma - The ultrastructural features of developing haustoria and associated haustorial mother cell septa were examined in the cowpea rust fungus,Uromyces phaseoli var.vignae. Significant...     

Role of the udder in heat loss from the sheep

Measurements have been made of temperatures on the surface of the udder, the back under the fleece, the exremities, and of the body core in sheep. The temperature on the surface of the udder changes very little in response to changes in ambient temperature, and, unlike the temperature on the back, and of the body core, there was no evidence of a 24 h variation. It is concluded that the udder does not function as an organ of controlled heat loss in sheep.     

Cutting edge: local recall responses by memory T cells newly recruited to peripheral nonlymphoid tissues

Infection results in the formation of a circulating effector memory T cell population able to enter peripheral tissues either in the steady state or in response to localized infection. As a consequence, recall is thought to result from a phased response first involving those T cells already at the site of infection followed by the infiltration of memory cells from the wider circulation. We have recently reported that tissue-resident T cells can undergo stimulation and proliferation in response to local infection. In this study, we examine the proliferation of memory T cells newly recruited from the circulation. Our results show that although recruitment of circulating memory cells is nonspecific in nature, there is preferential proliferation of specific T cells within infected tissues. Thus, expansion represents a means of local Ag-specific enrichment of T cells recruited from a circulating memory pool of mixed specificities.