Effect of habitat complexity on the predation of Buenoa fuscipennis (Heteroptera: Notonectidae) on mosquito immature stages and alternative prey.

Notonectids are well-known predators in aquatic habitats, where mosquito larvae, chironomids, and cladocerans constitute their main diet. Our purpose was to assess the effect of structural complexity on the predatory ability of Buenoa fuscipennis, a common predator in aquatic habitats of Buenos Aires city (Argentina). Buenoa fuscipennis showed type 2 functional responses in both the presence and absence of prey refuge and no differences in attack rate or handling time between refuge treatments.

[Supranuclear stria of ciliated cells in allergic rhinitis].

Nasal secretions were studied in 80 allergic adults patients: 16 with intermittent rhinitis and 64 with persistent rhinitis. The percentage of supranuclear stria of ciliated cells with regard to leucocytes was studied by nasal scraping. Four groups of patients were classified according to nasal leucocytic predominance: patients with eosinophilic predominance with eosinophils > 10% in Group A (N=23), patients with abundant neutrophils and eosinophils >10% in Group B (N=15), patients with scant leucocytes in Group C (N=29), patients with neutrophilic predominance without eosinophils in Group D (N=13).