Meteorological data, stem radius measurements (SR) and derivates of SR of the three Swiss forest sites Visp, Davos and Lägeren

. Separating continuously measured stem radius (SR) fluctuations into growth-induced irreversible stem expansion (GRO) and tree water deficit-induced reversible stem shrinkage (TWD) requires a concept to decide on potential growth processes during periods of shrinking and expanding SR below a precedent maximum. Here we investigated two physiological concepts: the linear growth (LG) concept assuming linear growth vs. the zero growth (ZG) concept assuming no growth during periods of shrunken stems. . We evaluated the physiological mechanisms underlying these two concepts and assessed the respective plausibility with SR data obtained from 15 deciduous and evergreen trees. . The LG concept showed steady growth rates, whereas the ZG concept showed strongly varying growth rates over time, more in accordance with mechanistic expectations. Further, growth increased for maximally 120 min after periods of shrunken stems, indicating limited growth activity during that period. However, the fraction of this extra growth was found to be small. Furthermore, TWD of the ZG concept was better explained by a hydraulic plant model than TWD of the LG concept. . We conclude that periods of shrunken stems allow for very little growth in the four tree species investigated. However, further studies should focus on obtaining independent growth data to ultimately validate these findings.

Functional neuro-anatomy, including an atlas of the brain stem.

Includes bibliography.

An intensive survey of the Big Muddy main stem from Rend Lake to the Mississippi River Summer 1988 /

"IEPA/WPC/91-56."--Cover.

Irish pedigrees; or, The origin and stem of the Irish nation.

"References": v. 1, p. [xxii]

Irish pedigrees, or, The origin and stem of the Irish nation.

Photocopy.

Bracon lissogaster Mues. : a parasite of the wheat stem sawfly /

Literature cited: p. 7.

Evidence for endothermic ancestors of crocodiles at the stem of archosaur evolution

Physiological, anatomical, and developmental features of the crocodilian heart support the paleontological evidence that the ancestors of living crocodilians were active and endothermic, but the lineage reverted to ectothermy when it invaded the aquatic, ambush predator niche. In endotherms, there is a functional nexus between high metabolic rates, high blood flow rates, and complete separation of high systemic blood pressure from low pulmonary blood pressure in a four-chambered heart. Ectotherms generally lack all of these characteristics, but crocodilians retain a four-chambered heart. However, crocodilians have a neurally controlled, pulmonary bypass shunt that is functional in diving. Shunting occurs outside of the heart and involves the left aortic arch that originates from the right ventricle, the foramen of Panizza between the left and right aortic arches, and the cog-tooth valve at the base of the pulmonary artery. Developmental studies show that all of these uniquely crocodilian features are secondarily derived, indicating a shift from the complete separation of blood flow of endotherms to the controlled shunting of ectotherms. We present other evidence for endothermy in stem archosaurs and suggest that some dinosaurs may have inherited the trait.

Mechanisms of hematopoietic stem cell mobilization: When innate immunity assails the cells that make blood and bone

Mobilization is now used worldwide to collect large numbers of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) for transplantation. Although the first mobilizing agents were discovered largely by accident, discovery of more efficient mobilizing agents will require a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms responsible. During the past 5 years, a number of mechanisms have been identified, shedding new light on the dynamics of the hematopoietic system in vivo and on the intricate relationship between hematopoiesis, innate immunity, and bone. After briefly reviewing the mechanisms by which circulating HSPCs home into the bone marrow and what keeps them there, the current knowledge of mechanisms responsible for HSPC mobilization in response to hematopoietic growth factors such as granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, chemotherapy, chemokines, and polyanions will be discussed together with current strategies developed to further increase HSPC mobilization. (c) 2006 International Society for Experimental Hematology.

The five families of sucrose-phosphate synthase genes in Saccharum spp. are differentially expressed in leaves and stem

Sucrose-phosphate synthase (SPS) is a key enzyme in the pathway of sucrose synthesis. Five different gene families encoding SPS have been reported in the Poaceae [Castleden CK, Aoki N, Gillespie VJ, MacRae EA, Quick WP, Buchner P, Foyer CH, Furbank RT, Lunn JE (2004) Evolution and function of the sucrose-phosphate synthase gene families in wheat and othergrasses. PlantPhysiology 135, 1753-1764]. Expression of the five families in leaf and stem tissues of Saccharum spp. at different stages of development was determined by quantitative real-time PCR. The type B and C families of SPS genes were predominantly expressed in both immature and mature leaves, whereas the two subfamilies making up the type D family were expressed at similar levels in all tissues examined. In the type A family, expression was lowest in leaves and increased from the meristem region down to internode 7 of the stem.

A comparison of high-content screening versus manual analysis to assay the effects of mesenchymal stem cell-conditioned medium on neurite outgrowth in vitro

Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) promote nerve growth and functional recovery in animal models of spinal cord injury (SCI) to varying levels. The authors have tested high-content screening to examine the effects of MSC-conditioned medium (MSC-CM) on neurite outgrowth from the human neuroblastoma cell line SH-SY5Y and from explants of chick dorsal root ganglia (DRG). These analyses were compared to previously published methods that involved hand-tracing individual neurites. Both methods demonstrated that MSC-CM promoted neurite outgrowth. Each showed the proportion of SH-SY5Y cells with neurites increased by ~200% in MSC-CM within 48 h, and the number of neurites/SH-SY5Y cells was significantly increased in MSC-CM compared with control medium. For high-content screening, the analysis was performed within minutes, testing multiple samples of MSC-CM and in each case measuring >15,000 SH-SY5Y cells. In contrast, the manual measurement of neurite outgrowth from >200 SH-SY5Y cells in a single sample of MSC-CM took at least 1 h. High-content analysis provided additional measures of increased neurite branching in MSC-CM compared with control medium. MSC-CM was also found to stimulate neurite outgrowth in DRG explants using either method. The application of the high-content analysis was less well optimized for measuring neurite outgrowth from DRG explants than from SH-SY5Y cells.