Growth of ectomycorrhizal fungi stimulated by lipids from a pine root exudate

Summary The content of fatty acids was analysed in an exudate from roots of pine seedlings grown axenically in vermiculite with a synthetic nutrient medium. The dominating fatty acdis were fewer in the exudate than in the roots. Unsaturated fatty acids were predominant. The total lipid fraction of the exudate promoted mycelial growth in two of the three ectomycorrhizal fungi tested.     

Hormonal regulation of the alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase complex in the isolated perfused rat liver

The metabolic flux through the alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase reaction in perfused livers was monitored by measuring the rate of 14CO2 production from [1-14C]alpha-ketoglutarate. The rates of 14CO2 production and glucose production from [1-14C]alpha-ketoglutarate were increased with increasing perfusate alpha-ketoglutarate concentrations. Vasopressin, angiotensin II, and the alpha 1-adrenergic agonist phenylephrine stimulated transiently by 2.5-fold the metabolic flux through the alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase reaction in the presence and absence of Ca2+ in the perfusion medium. High concentrations of glucagon (1 x 10(-8) M) and 8-p-chlorophenylthio-cAMP (100 microM) (data not shown) also stimulated transiently the metabolic flux through the alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase reaction. However, lower glucagon concentrations (1 x 10(-9) M) stimulated the rate of 14CO2 production from [1-14C]alpha-ketoglutarate only under conditions optimized to fix the cellular oxidation-reduction state at an intermediate level, when glucagon (1 x 10(-9) M)-mediated elevation of cAMP content was greater than that observed under highly oxidizing and reducing conditions. These data indicate that agonists which increase cytosolic free Ca2+ levels stimulate the metabolic flux through the alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase complex. Furthermore, the data presented here demonstrate for the first time that physiological glucagon concentrations stimulate the metabolic flux through the alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase reaction only under conditions known to be optimal for glucagon-mediated Ca2+ mobilization in the isolated perfused rat liver.     

Boring Forminifera in French Polynesian coral reefs

The discovery of epipsammitic Foraminifera in sediments of Moorea and Scilly (French Polynesia) and the study of close relationships between embedded specimens and host-grains indicate that some species participate in the weakening and subsequent breakdown of skeletal grains and consequently contribute to the production of silt-sized particles. The study of 36 stations around the islands shows the factors that control the distribution and abundance of this incrusted microfauna. Specimens are more abundant on sand particles larger than 1,000 microns and in the high energy areas; this abundance decreases with depth. The physiological mechanism of penetrations is presumably chemical, but each species apparently has its own process: complete dissolution with removal of ions for the cytoplasm of calcareous species; partial dissolution with transport of silt-size aggregates on the test of agglutinated species. The purpose of such penetration may be to protect themselves against water turbulence and to provide material for test construction.     

Lung protein leaks in ventilated lambs: effects of gestational age

To study the protein permeability properties of the ventilated premature lung, we delivered groups of eight lambs at 122 and 135 days gestational age and ventilated the lambs equivalently. The lambs at 122 days gestational age had been treated with natural sheep surfactant at birth, and both groups of lambs had similar pH and blood gas values to 3 h of age. Three groups of lambs at 146 days gestational age also were studied for comparison; four lambs were ventilated to normalized PCO2 values, four lambs were ventilated equivalently to the premature lambs with supplemental CO2 used to normalize PCO2 values, and four lambs were treated with natural surfactant and ventilated similarly to the preterm lambs. The percent recovery into an alveolar wash and lung tissue of 131I-albumin given by intravascular injection and of 125I-albumin given into the airways was measured in each animal after killing at 3 h of age. Full-term lambs had a small bidirectional leak of albumin to and from the alveoli and lung tissue. The recovery of intravascular 131I-albumin in the alveolar wash was 5.8- and 4.1-fold higher in lambs at 122 and 135 days gestational age, respectively, than in full-term lambs. The loss of 125I-albumin from the airways and alveoli also increased as gestational age decreased. The bidirectional flux of albumin to and from the alveoli increased as gestational age decreased in the prematurely delivered and ventilated lambs.     

Effect of butaclamol enantiomers on hypothalamic tyrosine hydroxylase in the rat brain

The authors demonstrate stereospecificity of the action of butaclamol enantiomers on substrate inhibition of hypothalamic tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and regulation of the tyrosine hydroxylase response by the presynaptic membrane (presynaptic receptors) of rat hypothalamus synaptosomes under membrane activation with dopamine. The effect of (+)-butaclamol on the substrate inhibition of TH was noticeable at a concentration of 10(-8)M, reaching a maximum at 10(-5)M. (-)-Butaclamol administered at the same concentrations did not influence the substrate inhibition of the enzyme. (+)-Butaclamol added to the incubation medium containing hypothalamic synaptosomes concurrently with dopamine (10(-5)M) completely blocked the regulatory action of the latter on TH, with this action mediated via presynaptic receptors. (-)-Butaclamol (10(-5)M) antagonized the action of dopamine under the same conditions. The data obtained indicate high stereo-specificity of butaclamol enantiomers as regards their effect on presynaptic regulation of TH, suggesting that elimination of the substrate inhibition of hypothalamic TH is a stereoselective effect of neuroleptics and can be a prognostically important criterion in the appraisal of compounds with potential neuroleptic activity.     

Ontogeny of diurnal rhythms of central dopamine, serotonin and spirodecanone binding sites and of motor activity in the rat

The binding of 3H-spiperone to its 3 high affinity sites (dopaminergic D2, serotonergic S2 and spirodecanone site) was determined in forebrain homogenates of 14,30 and 88-90 day old male rats at different times of the day. Diurnal variations were seen in the spirodecanone site from postnatal day 15, in the D2 and S2 sites at the age of 30 days. Each site showed a different diurnal rhythm, moreover, the rhythms of the D2 and S2 sites differed between immature and adult animals. Diurnal variations of motor activity were recorded at the age of 30 and 88-90 days. The two developmental stages differed with respect to the activity pattern of the dark phase. At both stages, the motor activity pattern was found to be a mirror image of the variation in D2 binding sites during the dark phase. Our data point to differences in the regulation of various neuroleptic binding sites in immature and adult animals. They further suggest a link between the dopaminergic D2 site and motor activity which is evident throughout ontogeny.     

Entomofauna resource distribution associated with pig cadavers in Bogotá DC

A cadaver represents a temporal energy‐loaded resource, which provides arthropods with food, protection and a place in which to find a mate. Insects are usually the first organisms to discover and colonize a cadaver; as decomposition progresses, insects colonize cadavers in a predictable sequence. This work aimed to establish cadaverous entomofauna relationships with regard to stages of decomposition and environmental conditions using multiple correspondence analysis and thereby to identify the way in which insects distribute a perishable and changing resource. Entomofauna were thus collected in a semi‐rural area near Bogotá from the cadavers of three pigs (Sus scrofa L.) which had been shot. Environmental variables were recorded for each sampling. Multiple correspondence analyses were carried out for adult forms belonging to Diptera and Coleoptera families and stages of decomposition, and for Diptera and Coleoptera adult forms and environmental conditions. Stages of decomposition were a primary determining factor for structuring four guilds of entomofauna. However, environmental conditions influenced insect activity and were therefore a relevant factor in the structure of the entomofauna community. The results showed that the insects' distribution of available resources was related to changes in the stage of decomposition.     

Implantation and Recovery of Long-Term Archival Transceivers in a Migratory Shark with High Site Fidelity

We developed a long-term tagging method that can be used to understand species assemblages and social groupings associated with large marine fishes such as the Sand Tiger shark Carcharias taurus. We deployed internally implanted archival VEMCO Mobile Transceivers (VMTs; VEMCO Ltd. Nova Scotia, Canada) in 20 adult Sand Tigers, of which two tags were successfully recovered (10%). The recovered VMTs recorded 29,646 and 44,210 detections of telemetered animals respectively. To our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate a method for long-term (~ 1 year) archival acoustic transceiver tag implantation, retention, and recovery in a highly migratory marine fish. Results show low presumed mortality (n = 1, 5%), high VMT retention, and that non-lethal recovery after almost a year at liberty can be achieved for archival acoustic transceivers. This method can be applied to study the social interactions and behavioral ecology of large marine fishes.