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A study was conducted in sheep on Canadian farms to describe the relationship between packed cell volume (PCV) or fecal egg counts (FEC) and subjective clinical parameters that may indicate the severity of parasitic gastroenteritis. Twenty-one farms in Ontario (ON) and 8 farms in Quebec (QC) were purposively selected and visited during April–May (spring) and August (summer) 2007. At each farm visit, blood and fecal samples were collected from 10 ewes and 10 female lambs; body condition score (BCS), dag score (DS), fecal consistency score (FCS) and FAMACHA score were recorded for all sampled sheep. Packed cell volume was determined for all blood samples, and FEC were performed for all fecal samples. Summary statistics and simple correlations were performed for the parameters recorded. Two mixed models with random effects at the farm level were developed; one using PCV as the response variable and another using the natural log of eggs per gram of feces (lnEPG). Finally, the residuals from both models were correlated to the covariates in the models. The mean PCV values during the spring were 29.7% and 36.7% for lambs, and 28.8% and 31.1% for ewes, in ON and QC, respectively. During the summer, the mean PCV was 32.0% and 32.8% for lambs, and 30.1% and 29.9% for ewes, in ON and QC, respectively. The arithmetic mean FEC per gram of feces (EPG) during the spring was 3 and 2 for lambs, and 1266 and 789 for ewes, in ON and QC, respectively, whereas during summer the arithmetic mean EPG was 907 and 237 for lambs, and 458 and 246 for ewes, in ON and QC, respectively. Results from simple correlations indicated that PCV was negatively correlated with lnEPG (r = −0.255; r2 = 6.5%) and FAMACHA (r = −0.312; r2 = 9.7%), and positively correlated with BCS (r = 0.317; r2 = 10%). LnEPG was negatively correlated with BCS (r = −0.232; r2 = 5.4%) and PCV (r = −0.255; r2 = 6.5%), but positively correlated with FAMACHA (r = 0.178; r2 = 3.2%) and DS (r = 0.086; r2 = 0.7%). Results from the models indicated that PCV and lnEPG residuals were negatively correlated with FAMACHA, FCS and almost all categories of BCS and DS, although the correlations were very low. The main results from this study suggested that none of the subjective clinical parameters evaluated were highly correlated with PCV or lnEPG and therefore were not good predictors of lnEPG or PCV on the studied farms in Ontario and Quebec. Fil: Mederos, A.. Instituto Nacional de Investigación Agropecuaria; Uruguay Fil: Kelton, D.. University of Guelph; Canadá Fil: Peregrine, A. S.. University of Guelph; Canadá Fil: VanLeeuwen, J.. University Of Prince Edward Island; Canadá Fil: Fernández, Alicia Silvina. University of Guelph; Canadá. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina Fil: LeBoeuf, A.. Ministère de l’Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l’Alimentation du Québec; Canadá Fil: Menzies, P.. University of Guelph; Canadá Fil: Martin, R.. Nova Scotia Agricultural College; Canadá

Tree cavities are a critical multi-annual resource that can limit populations and structure communities of cavity-nesting vertebrates. We examined the regional and local factors influencing lifetime productivity (number and richness of occupants) of individual tree cavities across two divergent forest ecosystems: temperate mixed forest in Canada and subtropical Atlantic Forest, Argentina. We predicted that (1) species would accumulate more rapidly within cavities in the species-rich system (Argentina: 76 species) than the poorer system (Canada: 31 species), (2) cavity characteristics associated with nest-site selection in short-term studies would predict lifetime cavity productivity, and (3) species would accumulate more rapidly across highly used cavities than across cavities used only once, and in Argentina than in Canada. We monitored and measured nesting cavities used by birds and mammals over 22 breeding seasons (1995–2016) in Canada and 12 breeding seasons (2006–2017) in Argentina. Cavities were used an average of 3.1 times by 1.7 species in Canada and 2.2 times by 1.4 species in Argentina. Species richness within cavities increased with number of nesting events at similar rates in Canada and Argentina, in both cases much slower than expected if within-cavity species assemblages were random, suggesting that lifetime richness of individual cavities is more strongly influenced by local ecological factors (nest site fidelity, nest niche) than by the regional species pool. The major determinant of lifetime cavity productivity was the cavity’s life span. We found only weak or inconsistent relationships with cavity characteristics selected by individuals in short-term nest-site selection studies. Turnover among (vs. within) cavities was the primary driver of diversity at the landscape scale. In Canada, as predicted, species accumulation was fastest when sampling across high-use cavities. In Argentina, the rates of species accumulation were similar across high- and low-use cavities, and fastest when both high- and low-use cavities were pooled. These findings imply that biodiversity of cavity nesters is maintained by a mix of long-lived (highly productive, legacy trees) and many high-turnover (singleuse, fast decaying) tree cavities. Conservation of both long-lasting and single-use cavities should be incorporated into decisions about stand-level forest management, regional land use policies, and reserve networks. Fil: Cockle, Kristina Louise. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste. Instituto de Biología Subtropical. Instituto de Biología Subtropical - Nodo Puerto Iguazú | Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Instituto de Biología Subtropical. Instituto de Biología Subtropical - Nodo Puerto Iguazú; Argentina. University of British Columbia; Canadá Fil: Trzcinski, Mark Kurtis. University of British Columbia; Canadá Fil: Wiebe, Karen L.. University of Saskatchewan; Canadá Fil: Edworthy, Amanda B.. University of British Columbia; Canadá Fil: Martin, Kathy. Environment and Climate Change Canadá. Science & Technology Branch; Canadá. University of British Columbia; Canadá

In this work we experimentally and theoretically analyze the detachment of microscopic polystyrene beads from different self-assembled monolayer (SAM) surfaces in a shear flow in order to develop a mechanistic model for the removal of cells from surfaces. The detachment of the beads from the surface is treated as a thermally activated process applying an Arrhenius Ansatz to determine the activation barrier and attempt frequency of the rate determing step in bead removal. The statistical analysis of the experimental shear detachment data obtained in phosphate-buffered saline buffer results in an activation energy around 20 kJ/mol, which is orders of magnitude lower than the adhesion energy measured by atomic force microscopy (AFM). The same order of magnitude for the adhesion energy measured by AFM is derived from ab initio calculations of the van der Waals interaction energy between the polystyrene beads and the SAM-covered gold surface. We conclude that the rate determing step for detachment of the beads is the initiation of rolling on the surface (overcoming static friction) and not physical detachment, i.e., lifting the particle off the surface.

RATIONALE The pathophysiology of interstitial lung disease (ILD) impacts body composition, whereby ILD severity is linked to lower lean mass. OBJECTIVES To determine i) if pectoralis muscle area (PMA) is a surrogate for whole-body lean mass in ILD, ii) whether PMA is associated with ILD severity, and iii) if the longitudinal change in PMA is associated with pulmonary function and mortality in ILD. METHODS Patients with ILD (n = 164) were analyzed retrospectively. PMA was quantified from a chest computed tomography scan. Peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2), 6-min walk distance (6MWD), and pulmonary function were obtained as part of routine clinical care. Dyspnea and quality of life were assessed using the UCSD Shortness of Breath Questionnaire and European Quality of Life 5 Dimensions questionnaire, respectively. RESULTS PMA was associated with whole-body lean mass (p  0.05). The annual negative PMA slope was associated with annual negative slopes in FVC, FEV1, and DLCO (all p < 0.05), but not FEV1/FVC (p = 0.46). Annual slope in PMA was associated with all-cause mortality (hazard ratio = -0.80, 95% CI:0.889-0.959; p < 0.001). CONCLUSION In patients with ILD, PMA is a suitable surrogate for whole-body lean mass. A lower PMA is associated with indices of ILD severity, which supports the notion that ILD progression may involve sarcopenia.

Abstract Regular monitoring of circulating serum β-hydroxybutyrate is vital for dairy cattle health management. Herein, an electrochemical biosensor platform for rapid detection of β-hydroxybutyrate is described that is simple to operate. The biosensor platform is constructed by integrating the covalently functionalized ruthenium (II)-graphene oxide/NAD + composite with subsequent modification of enzyme, 3-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase. As-functionalized biosensor platform display enhanced redox behavior at the interface with a current sensitivity of 22 ± 2.51 μA mM −1 . Immobilization of enzyme 3-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase makes the sensor platform selective to β-hydroxybutyrate, which induces the concentration dependent amperometric response suitable for field-deployable application. Further, practical applicability of the proposed biosensor platform is tested with serum samples of various β-hydroxybutyrate concentrations. In addition to better selectivity, the demonstrated enzyme integrated hybrid nanocomposite biosensor exhibit rapid response time (less than 1 min), providing a promising approach for on-farm diagnostics.

Goldfish has been used as an unconventional model organism to study a number of biological processes. For example, goldfish is a well-characterized and widely used model in comparative endocrinology, especially in neuroendocrinology. Several decades of research has established and validated an array of tools to study hormones in goldfish. The detailed brain atlas of goldfish, together with the stereotaxic apparatus, are invaluable tools for the neuroanatomic localization and central administration of endocrine factors. In vitro techniques, such as organ and primary cell cultures, have been developed using goldfish. In vivo approaches using goldfish were used to measure endogenous hormonal milieu, feeding, behaviour and stress. While there are many benefits in using goldfish as a model organism in research, there are also challenges associated with it. One example is its tetraploid genome that results in the existence of multiple isoforms of endocrine factors. The presence of extra endogenous forms of peptides and its receptors adds further complexity to the already redundant multifactorial endocrine milieu. This review will attempt to discuss the importance of goldfish as a model organism in comparative endocrinology. It will highlight some of the merits and challenges in employing goldfish as an animal model for hormone research in the post-genomic era. Fil: Blanco, Ayelén Melisa. University of Saskatchewan; Canadá. Universidad Complutense de Madrid; España Fil: Sundarrajan, Lakshminarasimhan. University of Saskatchewan; Canadá Fil: Bertucci, Juan Ignacio. University of Saskatchewan; Canadá. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas. Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas "Dr. Raúl Alfonsín" (sede Chascomús). Universidad Nacional de San Martín. Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas. Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas "Dr. Raúl Alfonsín" (sede Chascomús); Argentina Fil: Unniappan, Suraj. University of Saskatchewan; Canadá

The topographic features of the free energy landscapes that govern the thermodynamics and kinetics of conformational transitions in proteins, which in turn are integral for function, are not well understood. This reflects the experimental challenges associated with characterizing these multidimensional surfaces, even for small proteins. Here we focus on a 62-residue protein, gpW, that folds very rapidly into a native structure with an α/β topology in which α-helices are at the N- and C-terminal ends of the molecule with a central β-hairpin positioned orthogonally to the helices. Using relaxation dispersion NMR spectroscopy to probe the conformational fluctuations in gpW at 1 °C, we found that the native state interconverts with a transiently formed, sparsely populated second state with a lifetime of 250 μs, consistent with the global folding-unfolding rate under these conditions. In this low-populated state, the β-hairpin is unfolded whereas the α-helices remain predominantly formed. Our results argue for a hierarchical stability of secondary structural elements and demonstrate the existence of a complex free energy landscape even in this small, fast-folding single-domain protein.

Phenology, or the timing of life cycle events, is a key trait of organisms that has significance for how communities are assembled and ecosystems function. Although variation in phenology in plants has received increased attention over the past decade as a result of changing climate, we are only beginning to understand the role of genetic variation in these phenological traits on ecological interactions and ecosystem-level processes. The influence of tree species on riparian environments presents an interesting system for understanding the effects of phenology in terrestrial species on aquatic ecosystems. Here, we used a dominant riparian tree (Populus trichocarpa: Salicaceae) and tested intraspecific genetic variation in the phenological timing of leaf drop, which influenced leaf-litter inputs into our experimental aquatic ecosystems. Our empirical results found that genotypic differences in P. trichocarpa explained much of the variation both in leaf-litter decomposition and aquatic invertebrate species richness within our experimental ponds. Moreover, our results showed that variation in the timing of leaf-litter inputs outweighed the effects of variation in leaf-litter quality among P. trichocarpa genotypes on aquatic invertebrate species richness. Taken together, our results suggest that genetic variation in the timing of litter inputs from dominant plant species is likely to be a strong underlying mechanism driving litter decomposition and invertebrate communities in aquatic ecosystems. This emphasises that studies disregarding phenology may significantly underestimate an important and variable component in communities and ecosystems. Fil: Rodriguez Cabal, Mariano Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Centro Regional Universidad Bariloche. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente; Argentina. University of British Columbia; Canadá Fil: Barrios Garcia Moar, Maria Noelia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. University of British Columbia; Canadá. Administración de Parques Nacionales. Parque Nacional "Nahuel Huapi"; Argentina Fil: Rudman, Seth M.. University of British Columbia; Canadá Fil: McKown, Athena D.. University of British Columbia; Canadá Fil: Sato, Takuya. Kobe University; Japón Fil: Crutsinger, Gregory M.. University of British Columbia; Canadá