Abstract: Wounding of Norway spruce by inoculation with sterile agar, or agar containing the pathogenic fungus Ceratocystis polonica, induced traumatic resin duct formation in the stem. Visible anatomical responses occurred in the cambium 6-9 d post-inoculation. Near the inoculation site cellular proliferation, polyphenolic accumulation, and lignification were induced as a wound reaction to seal the damaged area. Five centimetres from the inoculation site cells in the cambial zone swelled and divided to form clusters. By 18 d post-inoculation, these cells began to differentiate into resin duct epithelial cells surrounding incipient schizogenous lumens. Mature axial traumatic ducts appeared by 36 d as a row of ducts in the xylem centripetal to the cambium. The ducts formed an interconnected network continuous with radial resin ducts. Parenchyma cells surrounding the ducts accumulated polyphenols that disappeared as the cells differentiated into tracheids. These polyphenols appeared to contain fewer sugar residues compared to those accumulating in the secondary phloem, as indicated by the periodic acid-Schiff's staining. The epithelial cells did not accumulate polyphenols but contained immunologically detectable phenylalanine ammonia lyase (EC 4.3.1.5), indicating synthesis of phenolics as a possible resin component. These findings may represent a defense mechanism in Norway spruce against the pathogenic fungus Ceratocystis polonica.

Abstract: Atherosclerosis is characterized by chronic inflammation of an injured intima. The pathological processes are initiated by accumulation of morphologically distinct, modified forms of LDL, and followed by cellular infiltration and foam cell formation. Activated intimal cells secrete enzymes and agents capable of modifying LDL, and the modified lipids of LDL, in turn, are able to activate intimal cells and to trigger various inflammatory signals. These processes can initiate and maintain a vicious circle in the intima and lead to lesion progression. In this review, we focus on the LDL modifications relevant to the initial lipid accumulation and discuss their pro-inflammatory effects.

Abstract: An annual series of maximum dailyrainfall extending through 1860–1995, i.e., 136 years,was extracted from the archives of a meteorologicalstation in Athens. This is the longest rainfall recordavailable in Greece and its analysis is required forthe prediction of intense rainfall in Athens, wherecurrently major flood protection works are under way.Moreover, the statistical analysis of this long recordcan be useful for investigating more generalisedissues regarding the adequacy of extreme valuedistributions for extreme rainfall analysis and theeffect of sample size on design rainfall inferences.Statistical exploration and tests based on this longrecord indicate no statistically significant climaticchanges in extreme rainfall during the last 136 years.Furthermore, statistical analysis shows that theconventionally employed Extreme Value Type I (EV1 orGumbel) distribution is inappropriate for the examinedrecord (especially in its upper tail), whereas thisdistribution would seem as an appropriate model iffewer years of measurements were available (i.e., partof this sample were used). On the contrary, theGeneral Extreme Value (GEV) distribution appears to besuitable for the examined series and its predictionsfor large return periods agree with the probablemaximum precipitation estimated by the statistical(Hershfield's) method, when the latter is consideredfrom a probabilistic point of view. Thus, the resultsof the analysis of this record agree with a recently(and internationally) expressed scepticism about theEV1 distribution which tends to underestimate thelargest extreme rainfall amounts. It is demonstratedthat the underestimation is quite substantial (e.g.,1 : 2) for large return periods and this fact must beconsidered as a warning against the widespread use ofthe EV1 distribution for rainfall extremes.

Abstract: Effects of water stress on phenology, growth, stomatal activity and water status were assessed from April to November 1996 in 2-year-old seedlings of Quercus frainetto Ten. (Quercus conferta Kit.), Quercus pubescens Willd., Quercus macrolepis Kotschy (Quercus aegilops auct.) and Quercus ilex L. growing in containers in northern Greece. All four species developed more than 50% of their total leaf area before the beginning of June--an adaptation to arid climates. Well-irrigated plants tended to develop greater individual leaf area, number of leaves per plant, total plant leaf area, height and root:shoot ratios than water-stressed plants, but the difference between treatments was not significant for any parameter in any species. Quercus macrolepis appeared to be the most drought-tolerant of the four species. It maintained the highest number of leaves of the smallest size and increased the proportion of fine roots during drought. In all species, drought caused significant decreases in stomatal conductance and predawn and midday water potentials from mid-July until the end of August, when the lowest soil water content and highest mean daily air temperatures and midday leaf temperatures occurred; however, the responses were species-specific. Among the four species, Quercus macrolepis sustained the highest stomatal conductance despite very low water potentials, thus overcoming drought by means of desiccation tolerance. Quercus ilex decreased stomatal conductance even before severe water stress occurred, thereby avoiding desication during drought. Quercus pubescens had the highest water potential despite a high stomatal conductance, indicating that its leaf water status was independent of stomatal activity. Quercus frainetto was the least drought-resistant of the four species. During drought it developed very low water potentials despite markedly reduced stomatal aperture.

Abstract: Background—The number of activated mast cells is increased in the adventitia of coronary segments with plaque rupture and in spastic atherosclerotic coronary segments. Neurogenic activation of mast cells has been demonstrated previously in other tissues. Here we identified and quantified contacts between mast cells and nerves in the adventitia of normal and atherosclerotic coronary segments. Methods and Results—Normal (types 0 or I) and atherosclerotic (lesion types II, III, and IV) coronary segments from 22 unselected autopsy cases were stained for mast cells and sensory nerves by a histochemical double-labeling method. Contacts between mast cells and sensory nerves were quantified morphometrically and also identified by confocal microscopy. Coronary arteries obtained during heart transplantation were stained for the neuropeptides capable of stimulating mast cells, ie, substance P and calcitonin gene–related peptide. In the adventitia of atherosclerotic coronary segments with type IV lesions, the numbers...

Abstract: The fungus Phlebiopsis gigantea has been used in Europe as a biological agent for the control of conifer root and butt (caused by Heterobasidion annosum ) for nearly 40 years. P. gigantea competes with H. annosum for the woody resource within conifer stumps, and is applied to stump surfaces at felling. Three distinct biological control products based on P. gigantea have been developed: PG Suspension in the UK, PG IBL in Poland and Rotstop in Finland. The formulations are of oidia, which are maintained in a sucrose suspension, sawdust, or a wettable powder, respectively. PG Suspension and PG IBL are applied to pine stumps, while Rotstop is equally as effective on pine as on Norway spruce stumps. For each product, isolates of P. gigantea are selected from the wild and are screened for their competitive ability against H. annosum before formulation. Viability and purity checks are undertaken throughout the production cycle and during routine use. The increasing use of mechanized harvesting machines to fell a...

Abstract: Habitat selection can be envisaged as a hierarchical spatial process, from choice of home range to choice of dietary item. The green woodpecker (Picus viridis) is described as being closely bound to cultivated land and deciduous forests, mainly due to its summer diet composed of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) found on meadows and pastures. To explore possible responses of this woodpecker to recent changes in land use practice, we studied home ranges, feeding habitats and food selection of a marginal population (four radio-marked males and five females) in a 30,000-ha conifer-dominated landscape at the northern edge of its distribution range in south-central Scandinavia. We asked: (1) Is the green woodpecker confined to areas with cultivated land and deciduous forest? (2) If so, are important food items (ants) particularly abundant or exclusively found there? (3) Can clearcuts and young plantations substitute for cultivated land as feeding habitat? Home ranges (mean=100 ha) were invariably confined to the parts of the landscape that contained cultivated land (<1% of the total area). In summer, birds preferred to feed in cultivated land, presumably due to a higher overall biomass of ants compared to forest habitats. They avoided clearcuts, but preyed extensively upon soil-dwelling ants in young conifer stands (16-30 years old). We failed to find preferences for particular ant groups (Lasius niger and L. flavus) associated with cultivated land. The principal summer food was Serviformica, an ant group that was equally abundant in cultivated land and forest habitat. A positive correlation between ant body mass and a preference index suggests that the birds selected the larger ant species independent of habitat type. In winter, birds fed exclusively on mound-building Formica rufa-ants in closed-canopy, older forest stands. Our results indicate that the green woodpecker successfully utilizes young conifer plantations as feeding habitat. At a larger scale, we hypothesize that green woodpecker populations fail to establish in managed forest tracts, not because of food shortage, but because the landscapes lack cultivated land serving as a key stimulus encouraging individuals to settle.

Abstract: The decrease in anthropogenic deposition, namely SO42- and SO2, in European forest ecosystems during the last 20 years has raised questions concerning the recovery of forest ecosystems. The aim of this study was to evaluate if the long term data of element concentrations at the Fichtelgebirge (NE-Bavaria, Germany) monitoring site indicates a relationship between the nutrient content of needles and the state of soil solution acidity. The soil at the site is very acidic and has relatively small pools of exchangeable Ca and Mg. The trees show medium to severe nutrient deficiency symptoms such as needle loss and needle yellowing. The Ca and Mg concentrations in throughfall decreased significantly during the last 12 years parallel to the significant decline in the throughfall of H+ and SO42- concentrations. Soil solution concentrations of SO42-, Ca and Mg generally decreased while the pH value remained stable. Aluminum concentrations decreased slightly, but only at a depth of 90 cm. Simultaneously a decrease in the molar Ca/Al and Mg/Al ratios in the soil solution was observed. Ca and Mg contents in the spruce needles decreased, emphasizing the relevance of soil solution changes for tree nutrition. The reasons for the delay in ecosystem recovery are due to a combination of the following two factors: (1) the continued high concentrations of NO3— and SO42— in the soil solution leading to high Al concentrations and low pH values and, (2) the decreased rates of Ca and Mg deposition cause a correlated decrease in the concentration of Ca and Mg in the soil solution, since little Ca and Mg is present in the soil's exchangeable cation pools. It is our conclusion that detrimental soil conditions with respect to Mg and Ca nutrition as well as to Al stress are not easily reversed by the decreasing deposition of H+ and SO42—. Thus, forest management is still confronted with the necessity of frequent liming to counteract the nutrient depletion in soils and subsequent nutrient deficiencies in trees.

Abstract: The natural, postfire regeneration of Pinus brutia forests has been studied in two 40–60-year-old forests of Thasos island, North Aegean sea, Greece, burned in the summers of 1985 and 1989. Within the latter burned area (5 700 ha), forty experimental sites of various aspects and site index values were established and successively monitored for 5 years, at 6-month intervals. Pine seedling emergence took place late in spring (due to a long drought in that particular year) but exclusively during the first postfire year. By the end of the recruitment period (May 1990), mean pine seedling density was considerably high (2–6 seedlings.m –2 ) while a significant drop in the first summer was observed. Thereafter, a relatively smooth decline was obtained and the density was almost stabilized to about 0.6–2 seedlings.m –2 after 5 years: the kinetics of survival was found to follow a rectangular hyperbola. Significant differences in seedling density values were detected among site groups of varying aspect or site index: north-facing and index I sites showed the highest density values while south-facing and index V ones the lowest. Similarly, height kinetics showed a significant divergence among site groups; again, the north-facing and the index I sites were the fastest growing. Annual height growth showed a linear regression kinetics throughout the 5- (and conceivably 9-) year-long postfire period of study, with a yearly increment of 17 cm. Starting at an age of 4–6 years, an increasing fraction of the sapling population became reproductive so that after 9 years a considerable portion (5–15 %) had already produced cones with fully germinable seeds.

Abstract: During last years, the populations of the oak buprestid beetleAgrilus biguttatus (Fab.) in Europe have increased. In several countries, the beetles’ attacks have become a new component in oak dieback. The larvae excavate galleries under the bark of weakened trees, which are killed through the girdling. Because of the difficult diagnosis it is necessary to draw more attention to the infestations. Therefore, this paper presents a review on the literature concerning the recognition of the infestations by the insect and its bionomics.

Abstract: An experiment was carried out using a trade-off framework to determine the rules of sward selection, in relation to gastrointestinal parasite dispersion, used by mammalian herbivores, and the effect of level of feeding motivation and parasitic status on these rules. Twenty-four sheep divided into four animal treatment groups resulting from two levels of feeding motivation (high and moderate) and two parasitic states (parasitised with Ostertagia circumcincta and non-parasitised) were presented with pairs of experimental swards which varied in N content (high and low), sward height (tall and short) and level of contamination with faeces and thus parasites (contaminated and non-contaminated). The selection for tall swards outweighed both the selection for N-rich swards and the avoidance of faecal contaminated swards. The selection for N-rich swards could not completely overcome faecal avoidance. Parasitism in animals with a moderate feeding motivation reduced their bite rates and grazing depths, thereby probably reducing the rate of ingestion of parasitic larvae. In contrast, highly feeding-motivated animals (including those parasitised) increased their bite rates and grazing depths, thereby increasing the rate of ingestion of parasites. The inclusion of parasite distributions, both in the environment and within herbivore host populations, is likely to advance optimal foraging theory by enhancing its predictive power.

Abstract: The composition of essential oils from twigs and needles of Balkan pine (Pinus peuce Gris.) grown in northern Greece was investigated. The compounds were identified by using GC-MS analysis. The twig oil was rich in α-pinene (7.38%), β-pinene (12.46%), β-phellandrene (26.93%), β-caryophyllene (4.48%), and citronellol (12.48%), and the needle oil was rich in α-pinene (23.07%), camphene (5.52%), β-pinene (22.00%), β-phellandrene (6.78%), bornyl acetate (9.76%), β-caryophyllene (3.05%), and citronellol (13.42%). The mean oil yield was 2.85% for twigs and 0.57% for needles. Keywords: Pinus peuce; Pinaceae; essential oil composition

Abstract: A one-dimensional stress model was proposed for drying of radiata pine lumber, which has considered wood moisture shrinkage, instantaneous stress-strain relationships, mechano-sorptive creep, time-induced creep and temperature effects. In addition, wood hardening behaviour in the plastic region and differences between stress increase and decrease have been taken into account. The proposed Stress model can predict stress development and relief in a drying cycle once the required wood mechanical and Theological properties have been quantified. Drying experiments were performed to dry Pinus radiata sap wood boards of 100×40×590 mm in a tunnel dryer. In the experiment, wood temperature, moisture content gradient and residual stress through board thickness were measured. The drying cycle included HT drying, cooling and final steam conditioning. The measured stress patterns were in agreement with the model predictions. However, more accurate calculations will be made once the detailed experimental data...

Abstract: Background Currently hydergine is used almost exclusively for treating patients with either dementia, or 'age-related' cognitive symptoms. Since the early 1980s there have been over a dozen more clinical trials, yet hydergine's efficacy remains uncertain. Although previous reviews offer generally favourable support for hydergine's efficacy, they were, however, limited by a bias with respect to the particular clinical studies chosen (e.g., the inclusion of case reports, and uncontrolled trials), and by authors' impressionistic assessments of results. Not surprisingly, there has been a lack of consensus among reviewers with regard to the efficacy of hydergine. In 1994, a meta-analysis was published by the present reviewers who reported that overall, hydergine was more effective than placebo. However they also observed that the statistical evidence for efficacy in 'possible or probable Alzheimer's disease' patients was so modest that one additional statistically non-significant trial would have reduced the results to non-significance. Objectives Because of uncertainty surrounding the efficacy of hydergine, the goals of this overview were to assess its overall effect in patients with possible dementia, and to investigate potential moderators of an effect. Search methods The trials were identified from a searches of the Specialized Register of the Cochrane Dementia and Cognitive Improvement Group, The Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, LILACS, clinical trials registries and grey literature sources on 2 March 2009 using the terms hydergin*, ergoloid* and dihydroergo*. Two proprietary databases were also searched. Published reviews were inspected for further sources. Selection criteria Trials to be included must be randomized, double-blind, parallel-group, and unconfounded comparisons of hydergine with placebo for a treatment duration of greater than one week in subjects with dementia or symptoms consistent with dementia. Data collection and analysis Data were extracted independently by the reviewers, pooled where appropriate and possible, and the pooled odds ratios (95% CI) or the average differences (95% CI) were estimated. Where possible, intention-to-treat data were used. Outcomes of interest included clinical global impressions of change and comprehensive rating scales. Potential moderating variables of a treatment effect included: inpatient/outpatient status, trial duration, age, sex, medication dose, publication year, and diagnostic grouping. Main results There were a total of 19 trials that met inclusion criteria and that had data sufficient for analysis. Thirteen trials reported sufficient information to use a global rating of improvement and nine trials provided information on a comprehensive rating scale. Three trials provided both outcome measures. It was not possible to use many of the published results in a combined analysis owing to the lack of sufficient data to perform statistical analyses. For the 12 trials that used global ratings, there was a significant effect favouring hydergine (OR 3.78, 95% CI, 2.72 to 5.27). For the nine trials that used comprehensive ratings, there was a significant mean difference favouring hydergine (WMD 0.96, 95%CI, 0.54 to 1.37). Hydergine was well tolerated in these trials, with 78% of randomized subjects available for data analyses. Greater effect sizes on global ratings were associated with younger age, and possibly higher dose, although most of the subgroup analyses were statistically insignificant. Authors' conclusions As in an earlier systematic review, we found hydergine to show significant treatment effects when assessed by either global ratings or comprehensive rating scales (based here on a smaller set of trials than in the earlier published systematic review because trials were required to have data that could conform with MetaView, the Cochrane Collaboration statistics software). The small number of trials available for analysis, however, limited the ability of subgroup analyses to identify statistically significant moderating effects. Unfortunately, most of the randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled trials of hydergine were conducted and published before the advent of consensus-based diagnostic standards of dementia in 1984; therefore diagnostic criteria were less specific. As a result, uncertainty remains regarding hydergine's efficacy in dementia.

Abstract: Metrosideros bartlettii (Myrtaceae) is a distinctive and extremely rare tree, endemic to New Zealand, first discovered in 1975 Prior to this study, a total of 19 adult individuals of the species had been reported; these are located in three small forest remnants in the far north of the North Island of New Zealand Here we describe a total of 31 adult M bartlettii at the three sites, including 12 individuals newly discovered by us We analyse the genetic diversity of the species, using microsatellites to examine the chloroplast genome and amplified fragment length polymorphisms (AFLPs) to monitor nuclear variation The results clearly demonstrate that M bartlettii is a unique species, distinct from its two closest relatives M robusta and M excelsa Analysis of genetic diversity within the 31 remaining individuals of M bartlettii showed an average heterozygosity ( ) of 018 and a proportion of polymorphic genes ( ) of 044 Population structure, as shown by 286 AFLP loci, varied between the three geographical sites; the site with fewest individuals, containing two trees, showed some separation from the populations at the other two locations These two latter sites, by contrast, had highly overlapping AFLP population diversity profiles The implications of these results for conservation of the species are discussed

Abstract: The beetle fauna of 299 sporocarps of the bracket fungus Fomitopsis pinicola in a 200 ha spruce forest in southeastern Norway was investigated in relation to sporocarp, tree and forest variables The sporocarps contained 36 species of beetles, of which six species are on the Norwegian Red List Of 12,373 individual beetles collected, 91% were Cis glabratus Plots of species accumulation curves suggested that there may be more than 60 beetle species present in F pinicola in the area, but that probably all the specialist Ciidae were found The major factor influencing beetle diversity turned out to be the level of dead wood at and in the vicinity of the sampling site, with a higher number of species per unit volume of sporocarps in areas with high levels of dead wood There were also significantly more red-listed species in those areas Analysing the species occurrence with stepwise logistic regression, we show preferential habitat selection of the six most abundant species of Ciidae Conservation of beetles associated with bracket fungi using amount of dead wood as a surrogate measurement is discussed

Abstract: Summary In Greece extensive pine wilting is associated with the presence of nematodes of the genus Bursaphelenchus. In order to check the pathogenicity of Bursaphelenchus sexdentati, Bursaphelenchus leoni and Bursaphelenchus hellenicus, inoculation tests were carried out on 3-year-old seedlings of Pinus brutia, Pinus halepensis, Pinus nigra, Pinus pinaster and Pinus sylvestris. For inoculations, 6000 nematodes in 0.5 ml of water were used per seedling. Bursaphelenchus sexdentati proved to be highly virulent causing mortality of up to 100%, followed by B. leoni whereas B. hellenicus was nonpathogenic. Resume En Grece, le fletrissement des pins est associea la preesence de nematodes du genre Bursaphelenchus. Pour verifier le pouvoir pathogene de Bursaphelenchus sexdentati, B. leoni, et B. hellenicus, des inoculations ont ete faites sur des semis de 3 ans de Pinus brutia, P. halepensis, P. nigra, P. pinaster et P. sylvestris. Pour les inoculations, 6000 nematodes dans 0,5 ml d'eau ont ete appliques par semis. Bursaphelenchus sexdentati s' est montre le plus agressif (jusqu'a 100% de mortalite), suivi de B. leoni alors que B. hellenicus n'etait pas pathogene. Zusammenfassung In Griechenland ist das Auftreten einer Kiefernwelke mit der Anwesenheit von Splintholznematoden der Gattung Bursaphelenchus assoziiert. Zur Uberprufung der Pathogenitat von Bursaphelenchus sexdentati, Bursaphelenchus leoni und Bursaphelenchus hellenicus wurden Inokula tionsversuche an dreijahrigen Samlingen von Pinus brutia, Pinus halepensis, Pinus nigra, Pinus pinaster und Pinus sylvestris durchgefuhrt. Dafur wurden pro Pflanze 6000 Nematoden in 0.5 ml Wasser inokuliert. Bursaphalenchus sexdentati zeigte die starkste Virulenz mit Absterberaten bis zu 100% gefolgt von B. leoni, wahrend B. hellenicus nicht pathogen war.

Abstract: Four different approaches were taken to improve the water resistance of poly(vinyl acetate) (PVAc) emulsion adhesives. The improved wood adhesives were tested according to the ISO 9020 standard. Tensile storage modulus (E’) and glass transition temperature of the polymer films were measured using dynamic mechanical thermal analysis to quantify the influence of different approaches on those variables. Gel fraction and swelling ratio of the polymer film were measured to evaluate internal crosslink density. The experimental results showed that blending melamine/urea/formaldehyde (MUF) resin with PVAc emulsions modified the water resistance considerably and the film had a high E’ since an interpenetrating network‐type structure was formed in the polymer. The advantages and limitations of each modification were assessed on the basis of comparison of the results.

Abstract: Scots pine trees (Pinus sylvestris) recovering from a 90–100% defoliation 2–3 years previously were pretreated with small mechanical wounds or inoculations with the blue-stain fungi Leptographium wingfieldii and Ophiostoma canum. Pretreated trees were less susceptible to a subsequent massive inoculation with L. wingfieldii than untreated control trees, which were extensively colonised by the mass-inoculation. A low pretreatment dosage of L. wingfieldii was somewhat more effective in inducing disease resistance than a higher dosage. Pretreatment with L. wingfieldii, O. canum, and mechanical wounding were about equally effective inducers of resistance in Scots pine, even though L. wingfieldii is known to produce much more extensive phloem necrosis than the other pretreatments. Thus, the strength of the induced resistance response did not depend on the amount of host tissues that was destroyed by the pretreatment. Previously, induced disease resistance has been demonstrated in Norway spruce (Picea abies), and the present study shows that similar responses can be activated in Scots pine.

Abstract: The objective of this study was to determine the genetic location and effects of genomic regions controlling wood density at three stages, i.e., rings corresponding to ages 1–5 (WD1_5), rings corresponding to ages 6–10 (WD6_10), and outer wood density (WD14) in a full-sib pedigree (850.055×850.096) of Pinus radiata. The number of offspring measured at these three stages were 80, 93 and 93, respectively. Only a single linkage group of the parent 850.55 was considered for mapping quantitative trait loci (QTLs). A multiple-marker least-squares approach was employed for mapping QTLs for each of the three traits, using a single-QTL model. Logistic regression was used for multiple-trait QTL mapping. Critical values for test-statistic were calculated empirically by ’shuffling’ the data. A putative QTL with large effect on WD1_5 appears to be segregating at the 73 cM position (experimentwise P<0.01). The width of the 95% bootstrap confidence interval for this putative QTL was 40 cM (i.e. 56–96 cM). The effect of this QTL on the expression of wood density at later stages was diminished. From multiple-trait analysis, two marker locations (at 66 cM and 91 cM) were found to be significantly associated (experimentwise P <0.05) with the expression of wood density at different ages. These results are encouraging for the application of marker information to early selection in order to increase juvenile wood density, although the putative QTLs detected in this study need to be verified in an independent population.