Water stress effects on root exudation by lodgepole pine

Individual roots of a 7-year-old lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta Dougl. ex Loud) were subjected to water potentials of 0, ?200 or ?400 kPa using PEG 4000 as the osmotic agent. Root exudation of photoassimilated ¹⁴CO₂ was followed over time. Although roots subjected to a water potential of ?400 kPa exuded more ¹⁴C-labeled material than roots at either 0 or ?200 kPa, more labeled material was also translocated to these roots, suggesting an attempt to alleviate the water stress. Some roots exuded over 80% of the total ¹⁴C-activity which moved to the roots in 10 days. Although exudation did not appear to be influenced by mycorrhizal infection, mother roots exuded a greater proportion of ¹⁴C-labeled assimilates than lateral roots.     

Effect of a single injection of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) on testicular blood flow measured by color doppler ultrasonography in male Shiba goats

Although color Doppler ultrasonography has been used to evaluate testicular blood flow in many species, very little has been done in goat. Eight male Shiba goats were exposed to a single intramuscular injection of either gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH group; 1 µg/kg BW) or human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG group; 25 IU/kg BW). Plasma testosterone (T), estradiol (E2) and inhibin (INH) were measured just before (0 hr) and at different intervals post injection by radioimmunoassay. Testis volume (TV) and Doppler indices, such as resistive index (RI) and pulsatility index (PI) of the supratesticular artery, were measured by B-mode and color Doppler ultrasonography, respectively. The results indicated an increase in testicular blood flow in both groups, as RI and PI decreased significantly (P<0.05), but this increase was significant higher and earlier in hCG group (1 hr) than in the GnRH group (2 hr). A high correlation was found for RI and PI with both T (RI, r= −0.862; PI, r= −0.707) and INH in the GnRH group (RI, r=0.661; PI, r=0.701). However, a significant (P<0.05) correlation was found between E2 and both RI (r= −0.610) and PI (r= −0.763) in hCG group. In addition, TV significantly increased and was highly correlated with RI in both groups (GnRH, r= −0.718; hCG, r= −0.779). In conclusion, hCG and GnRH may improve testicular blood flow and TV in Shiba goats.     

The effects of hypoxia,in vivo,on red blood cell β-adrenoceptors in the rainbow trout,Oncorhynchus mykiss

Rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss, were exposed to 48h of environmental hypoxia (water partial pressure of oxygen = 8.0 kPa) at either 5 or 15°C. Blood was sampled during hypoxia via a dorsal aorta cannula to measure arterial blood partial pressure of oxygen and plasma catecholamine concentrations. After 48h, the number (B_max) and dissociation constant (K_d) of red blood cell surface -adrenoceptors were determined using a radioligand-displacement binding assay. At 5°C, plasma catecholamine levels were elevated at 24h whereas at 15°C, levels were elevated at 48h. At either temperature, following 48h of hypoxia, there was no change in B_max or K_d of red blood cell surface -adrenoceptors, compared to normoxic control fish. This study demonstrates that chronic exposure to moderate hypoxia does not affect the number or affinity of cell surface -adrenoceptors on trout red blood cells.     

A Cross‐Sectional Study Examining Campylobacter and Other Zoonotic Enteric Pathogens in Dogs that Frequent Dog Parks in Three Cities in South‐Western Ontario and Risk Factors for Shedding of Campylobacter spp.

An estimated 6 million pet dogs live in Canadian households with the potential to transmit zoonotic pathogens to humans. Dogs have been identified as carriers of Salmonella, Giardia and Campylobacter spp., particularly Campylobacter upsaliensis, but little is known about the prevalence and risk factors for these pathogens in pet dogs that visit dog parks. This study examined the prevalence of these organisms in the faeces of dogs visiting dog parks in three cities in south‐western Ontario, as well as risk factors for shedding Campylobacter spp. and C. upsaliensis. From May to August 2009, canine faecal samples were collected at ten dog parks in the cities of Guelph and Kitchener‐Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. Owners were asked to complete a questionnaire related to pet characteristics and management factors including age, diet and activities in which the dog participates. Faecal samples were collected from 251 dogs, and 189 questionnaires were completed. Salmonella, Giardia and Campylobacter spp. were present in 1.2%, 6.4% and 43.0% of faecal samples, respectively. Of the Campylobacter spp. detected, 86.1% were C. upsaliensis, 13% were C. jejuni and 0.9% were C. coli. Statistically significant sparing factors associated with the shedding of Campylobacter spp. included the feeding of a commercial dry diet and the dog's exposure to compost. Age of dog had a quadratic effect, with young dogs and senior dogs having an increased probability of shedding Campylobacter spp. compared with adult dogs. The only statistically significant risk factor for shedding C. upsaliensis was outdoor water access including lakes and ditches, while dogs >1 year old were at a lower risk than young dogs. Understanding the pet‐related risk factors for Campylobacter spp. and C. upsaliensis shedding in dogs may help in the development of awareness and management strategies to potentially reduce the risk of transmitting this pathogen from dogs to humans.     

Quantification of presumptive Na+/H+ antiporters of the erythrocytes of trout and eel

The presumptive Na⁺/H⁺ exchange sites of trout and eel erythrocytes were quantified using amiloride-displaceable 5-(N-methyl-N-[³H]isobutyl)-amiloride (³H-MIA) equilibrium binding to further evaluate the mechanisms of i) hypoxia-mediated modifications in the trout erythrocyte -adrenergic signal transduction system and ii) the marked differences in the catecholamine responsiveness of this system between the trout and eel. MIA was a more potent inhibitor of both trout apparent erythrocyte proton extrusion (IC₅₀ = 20.1 ± 1.1 mol l^–1, N = 6) activity (as evaluated by measuring plasma pH changes after addition of catecholamine in vitro) and specific ³H-MIA binding (IC₅₀ = 257 ± 8.2 nmol l^–1, N = 3) than amiloride, which possessed a proton extrusion IC₅₀ of 26.1 ± 1.6 mol l^–1 (N = 6) and a binding IC₅₀ of 891 ± 113 nmol l^–1 (N = 3). The specific Na⁺ channel blocker phenamil was without effect on adrenergic proton extrusion activity or specific ³H-MIA binding. Trout erythrocytes suspended in Na⁺-free saline and maintained under normoxic conditions possessed 37,675 ± 6,678 (N = 6) amiloride-displaceable ³H-MIA binding sites per cell (B_max, presumptive Na⁺/H⁺ antiporters) with an apparent dissociation constant (K_D) of 244 ± 29 nmol l^–1 (N = 6). Acute hypoxia (PO₂ = 1.2 kPa; 30 min) did not affect the K_D, yet resulted in a 65% increase in the number of presumptive Na⁺/H⁺ antiporters. Normoxic eel erythrocytes, similarly suspended in Na⁺-free saline, possessed only 17,133 ± 3,716 presumptive Na⁺/H⁺ antiporters (N = 6), 45% of that of trout erythrocytes, with a similar K_D (246 ± 41 nmol l^–1, N = 6). These findings suggest that inter- and intra-specific differences in the responsiveness of the teleost erythrocyte -adrenergic signal transduction system can be explained, in part, by differences in the numbers of Na⁺/H⁺ exchange sites.