Guest Editorial: From Cartagena to Ballarat: A Report on the Joint Fifth World Congress on Action Learning,Action Research,and Process Management and Ninth World Congress on Participatory Action Research

Systemic Practice and Action Research -     

Water balance and fluid consumption in the southern grasshopper mouse, Onychomys torridus

Weight loss was rapid and fluid consumption decreased sharply when Onychomys torridus were exposed to salinities greater than 0.3 Molar. The southern grasshopper mouse is physiologically unspecialized for maintaining water balance in its xeric habitat. The southern grasshopper mouse is capable of weight maintenance on smaller daily water rations than is the northern grasshopper mouse ( Onychomys leucogaster ) . Differences in the water balance of O. torridus and O. leucogaster may influence their local distributions in areas of sympatry.     

An adrenergic participation subserving a positive inotropism and chonotropism of prostacyclin on isolated rat atria.

The effects of prostacyclin (PGI2) on the contractile frequency and on the isometric developed tension of spontaneously beating or paced isolated rat atria were explored. PGI2 enhanced frequency and contractile tension, both effects being blocked by the presence of propranolol, or following a pretreatment with 6-OHDopamine.     

Is prostacyclin subserving a vasodilator effect of methoxamine involving alpha adrenoreceptors?

The influence of methoxamine on the contractile tension of isolated rat abdominal aorta, and on its capacity to produce a platelet antiaggregating substance, were explored. Methoxamine stimulated platelet antiaggregation and diminished arterial tone. The last action was blocked by phentolamine as well as by inhibitors of cyclo-oxygenase and prostacyclinsynthetase.