Diurnal patterns of water use in Eucalyptus victrix indicate pronounced desiccation-rehydration cycles despite unlimited water supply.

Knowledge about nocturnal transpiration (E(night)) of trees is increasing and its impact on regional water and carbon balance has been recognized. Most of this knowledge has been generated in temperate or equatorial regions. Yet, little is known about E(night) and tree water use (Q) in semi-arid regions.

Perfusion in Britain: the early days.

Experimental perfusion was largely the province of Germany in the nineteenth century but in the mid-twentieth century the focus of perfusion switched to the USA with the explosive clinical advances of Lillehei, Kirklin and Cooley. British clinical perfusion started with Melrose in 1953 at the Postgraduate Medical School in London but, as in other centres at that time, stopped due to the high mortality. The arrival of hands-on experience of American expertise via returning research fellows and other visitors to the USA enabled the first successful on-going series to begin at the Hammersmith Hospital with Cleland in 1957 and then to spread around the country.

The history of thoracoscopic surgery.

The necessity for thoracoscopy became apparent with the adhesions that limited the success of Forlanini's introduction in 1882 of artificial pneumothorax in the treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis. The first thoracoscopy, using a modified cystoscope, was performed by H. C.