Temperate woody species across the angiosperm phylogeny acquire tolerance to water deficit stress during the growing season.

Understanding the capacity of temperate trees to acclimate to limited soil water has become essential in the face of increasing drought risk due to climate change. We documented seasonal - or phenological - patterns in acclimation to water deficit stress in stems and leaves of tree species spanning the angiosperm phylogeny. Over 3 yr of field observations carried out in two US arboreta, we measured stem vulnerability to embolism (36 individuals of 7 Species) and turgor loss point (119 individuals of 27 species) over the growing season.

Two axial-flow Synergy Micro-Pumps as a biventricular assist device in an ovine animal model.

Objective: This study investigated the use of 2 Synergy Micro-Pumps for full biventricular assist device (BiVAD) support. We examined right-sided and left-sided hemodynamic parameters over a range of right-sided and left-sided pump speeds in an acute, fibrillating, non-beating-heart model in sheep.

Methods: Five juvenile sheep (43 ± 2 kg) were implanted with two Synergy Micro-Pumps (CircuLite Inc, Saddle Brook, NJ), 1 in the right (RV) and 1 in the left ventricle (LV), through a median sternotomy.

The time course of natriuretic hormones as plasma markers of myocardial recovery in heart transplant candidates during ventricular assist device support reveals differences among device types.

Background: The natriuretic hormones ANP and BNP are expressed differently in the myocardium. Both hormones have compensatory diuretic activity during heart failure. Mechanical stretch of the myocardial walls induces the expression of these hormones.

Device and patient management in a bridge-to-transplant setting.

Background: A variety of sophisticated devices have been developed for mechanical circulatory support in patients bridged to cardiac transplantation. Based on 13 years' experience, we have developed specific protocols for patient selection and management for different devices.

Methods: The principal systems applied in the bridge-to-transplant cohort are the Thoratec ventricular assist device (n = 144, mean duration of support 53 +/- 57 days), the Novacor left ventricular assist system (LVAS) (n = 85, mean duration of support 154 +/- 15 days), and the HeartMate LVAS (n = 54, mean duration of support 143 +/- 142 days).