Identifying Candidate Biomarkers of Ionizing Radiation in Human Pulmonary Microvascular Lumens Using Microfluidics-A Pilot Study.

The microvasculature system is critical for the delivery and removal of key nutrients and waste products and is significantly damaged by ionizing radiation. Single-cell capillaries and microvasculature structures are the primary cause of circulatory dysfunction, one that results in morbidities leading to progressive tissue and organ failure and premature death. Identifying tissue-specific biomarkers that are predictive of the extent of tissue and organ damage will aid in developing medical countermeasures for treating individuals exposed to ionizing radiation.

Separating the effects of tree size and meristem maturation on shoot development of grafted scions of red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.).

In order to separate the effects of size and meristem maturation on age-related changes in shoot growth behaviour, a reciprocal grafting experiment was conducted involving juvenile (J), mid-age (MA) and old-growth (OG) red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) trees as both scion donors and rootstock. The effects of rootstock and scion age on vegetative growth, foliar morphology and reproductive development were assessed over 7 years after grafting.

Age-related trends in red spruce foliar plasticity in relation to declining productivity.

Phenotypic plasticity in needle morphology with increasing tree size and age was investigated by comparing four age classes of red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) ranging from juvenile (3-12 years old) to mature (over 100 years old). With increase in tree age there were significant increases in leaf mass per unit area (LMA), mesophyll and vascular bundle area as a percentage of total needle cross-sectional area, and stomatal density.

Developmental decline in height growth in Douglas-fir.

The characteristic decline in height growth that occurs over a tree's lifespan is often called "age-related decline." But is the reduction in height growth in aging trees a function of age or of size? We grafted shoot tips across different ages and sizes of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) trees to determine whether the decline in height growth is mediated by tree size or by the age of the apical meristem.

Variation in lateral shoot elongation patterns and hybrid vigor in full-sib families and interspecific hybrids of larch.

Time of shoot initiation and cessation, and rate and duration of lateral shoot elongation of full-sib families of Larix decidua Mill., L. laricina (Du Roi) C.

Response to auxin changes during maturation-related loss of adventitious rooting competence in loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) stem cuttings.

Hypocotyl cuttings (from 20- and 50-day-old Pinus taeda L. seedlings) rooted readily within 30 days in response to exogenous auxin, while epicotyl cuttings (from 50-day-old seedlings) rarely formed roots within 60 days. Responses to auxin during adventitious rooting included the induction of cell reorganization and cell division, followed by the organization of the root meristem.

Flowering on long and short shoots of Larix laricina in response to differential timing of GA(4/7) applications.

In Larix, reproductive buds most often occur terminally on short shoots, but they can also differentiate in lateral positions on long shoots. The phenology of long and short shoots differs considerably, with short shoots breaking bud and expanding about 5 weeks before the start of long shoot extension. Foliar sprays of GA(4/7) were applied to 160 branches on 10 greenhouse-grown Larix laricina (Du Roi) K.

Juvenility and maturation in conifers: current concepts.

Maturation in conifers includes several distinct and persistent changes in the growth habits of apical meristems. Despite many studies on maturation in conifers, there are still many aspects of the process that have not been elucidated. For example, it is not known why maturation of cotyledon-derived tissue culture plantlets is rapid, whereas the natural maturation process is gradual.