Objectives Sleeping ecology plays a key integrative role in the primates' lives. Selecting an adequate sleeping site is therefore critical, but both extrinsic (e.g., predation, thermoregulation) and intrinsic factors body size, circadian activity) need to be considered simultaneously. There is, however, notable lack of comprehensive comparative analyses within primates. We explored links among ...

Temporal variation in activity of dung and carrion beetles in tropical forest is considered as a mechanism of ecological segregation between potentially competing species. We describe the diel flight activity of Scarabaeidae collectedwithbaitedpitfall trapsatLesNouraguesfieldstation inFrenchGuiana.Atotalof2663individualsof63species was recorded, from the subfamilies Coprinae, Scarabaeinae andAp...

Most mammals can be characterized as nocturnal or diurnal. However infrequently, species may overcome evolutionary constraints and alter their activity patterns. We modeled the fundamental temporal niche of a diurnal desert rodent, the golden spiny mouse, Acomys russatus. This species can shift into nocturnal activity in the absence of its congener, the common spiny mouse, Acomys cahirinus, sug...

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effect of botulinum toxin type A on nocturnal bruxism. DESIGN Twelve subjects reporting nocturnal bruxism were recruited for a double-blind, randomized clinical trial. Six bruxers were injected with botulinum toxin in both masseters, and six with saline. Nocturnal electromyographic activity was recorded in the subject's natural sleeping environment from masseter and ...

Spectral analysis of heart rate variability was used to assess autonomic nervous system activity associated with episodes of nocturnal myocardial ischaemia in 32 patients (20 men, age 58 +/- 9 years) with extensive coronary artery disease. Twenty-four hour Holter tape recordings were analysed and spectral indexes of heart rate variability were computed by fast Fourier analysis on 2 min segments...

Different organs of Mesembryanthemum crystallinum exhibit differing levels of CAM (Crassulacean acid metabolism), identifiable by quantification of nocturnal malate accumulation. Shoots and also basal parts of young leaves were observed to accumulate high concentrations of malate. It was typically found in mature leaves and especially prominent in plants subjected to salt stress. Small amount o...