Sap flow of sweet cherry reveals distinct effects of humidity and wind under rain covered and netted protected cropping systems.

Protected cropping systems (PCS) alter the plant growing environment, though understanding of this in ventilated systems and how the new climate affects tree water uptake is limited. Sap flow sensors and weather stations were deployed in 16-year-old 'Lapins' on 'Colt' rootstock cherry trees under a ventilated Voen PCS and in an adjacent bird netted PCS. Average and maximum temperatures were consistently higher (14.7 °C and 22.9 °C) while total daily solar radiation and average wind were consistently lower (12.9 MJ/m2 and 0.2 m/s) in rain covered, in contrast to netted, PCS (13.9 °C, 21.3 °C, 13.7 MJ/m2 and 0.9 m/s). Over the season, a threefold lower daily sap flow rate was observed under rain covered PCS. Using generalised additive modelling (GAM), the influence of individual climate parameters on sap flow were predicted. Whilst sap flow was only slightly affected by relative humidity (RH) less than 60%, above this threshold sap flow rapidly declined under rain covered PCS whereas sap flow more gradually declined above 20% RH under netted PCS. Overall, our novel modelling approach led to the discovery of the 60% RH critical threshold on predicted sap flow and the indirect effect that wind speeds have on sap flow under PCS.

Renal angiomyolipoma: further immunophenotypic characterization of an expanding morphologic spectrum.

BACKGROUND: Renal angiomyolipoma is a benign tumor histologically characterized by proliferation of spindle cells, epithelioid cells, and adipocytic cells in concert with many thick-walled blood vessels. To add further diagnostic confusion, an epithelioid cell-predominant variant of renal angiomyolipoma has recently been described. HMB-45 immunoreactivity correlates with ultrastructural striated organelles that closely resemble premelanosomes, although no evidence of melanogenesis has been documented in this tumor. OBJECTIVE: To further characterize the immunophenotypic and ultrastructural profile of renal angiomyolipoma based on phenotypic cell type (epithelioid, spindle, and adipocytic cell). DESIGN: Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues from 27 renal angiomyolipomas and 8 renal cell carcinomas were immunostained with monoclonal antibodies to the melanoma-associated antigens HMB-45, HMB-50, NKI/C3 (CD63), and tyrosinase; the smooth muscle-related antigens calponin and muscle-specific actin (HHF-35); S100; and cytokeratin (CK). All renal angiomyolipomas were also immunostained with a polyclonal antibody to renin. Ultrastructural examination was performed on 9 selected cases. RESULTS: All renal angiomyolipomas stained positive for HMB-45, HMB-50, NKI/C3, muscle-specific actin (HHF-35), and calponin. Overall, HMB-45, HMB-50, and NKI/C3 preferentially stained the epithelioid cells. Tyrosinase staining was present in 50% of the renal angiomyolipomas with adequate tissue for staining (12 of 24 cases); positive staining and intensity paralleled HMB-45, HMB-50, and NKI/C3. Muscle-specific actin (HHF-35) and calponin preferentially stained the spindle cells. The adipocytic cells stained positive for both melanoma-associated antigens and smooth muscle antigens. Epithelioid cells, spindle cells, and adipocytic cells were CK, S100, and renin negative. Ultrastructural findings paralleled immunohistochemical staining patterns. Premelanosome-like organelles and electron dense granules were more readily detected in the epithelioid cells within the tumor, whereas ultrastructural characteristics of smooth muscle cells were more easily found in the spindle cells. All renal cell carcinomas stained positive for CK, NKI/C3 staining was variable, and all were negative for HMB-45, HMB-50, smooth muscle actin (HHF-35), and calponin. CONCLUSION: In renal angiomyolipoma, the epithelioid and spindle cells have preferential staining patterns for melanoma-associated antigens versus smooth muscle antigens, respectively. Positivity in renal angiomyolipoma for HMB-50, NKI/C3, and tyrosinase, in addition to HMB-45, provides evidence for the presence of different melanoma-associated gene products. Immunophenotypic overlap of the 3 histologically distinct renal angiomyolipoma cell populations suggests a common cell line, supporting a unitarian concept for renal angiomyolipoma. Ultrastructural characteristics of the 3 renal angiomyolipoma cell phenotypes parallel the immunophenotype, giving further support to a common cell line. Our study lends further credence to the perivascular epithelioid cell concept as proposed by Bonetti and colleagues.

Odontogenic ghost cell tumor: a case report with cytologic findings.

Odontogenic ghost cell tumor is a rare, neoplastic form of calcifying odontogenic cyst (Gorlin cyst) whose cytologic features have not been previously reported. We present a case of odontogenic ghost cell tumor diagnosed by fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB). The aspirate was characterized by (1) tissue fragments with basaloid epithelial cells, (2) "ghost" cells, (3) scattered multinucleated giant cells, (4) rare, eosinophilic, densely hyalinized "dentinoid" material in close association with the basaloid cells, and (5) calcific debris. The aspirate was diagnosed as "consistent with odontogenic ghost cell tumor." The cytologic features of odontogenic ghost cell tumor, as described, closely parallel the major histologic findings in this rare tumor. The differential diagnoses include other odontogenic tumors, squamous cell carcinoma, basaloid cell tumors of the salivary gland, and pilomatrixoma.

A comparison of foreign body and hypersensitivity granuloma formation in the mouse: kinetic development, anergy, angiotensin converting enzyme levels, and response to captopril therapy.

Pulmonary granuloma size, anergy, serum and lung angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) levels, and responsiveness to captopril therapy were measured in both pulmonary hypersensitivity granuloma (HSG) and foreign body granuloma (FBG) murine models. The kinetic development of the granuloma was similar in both models, peaking at 3 days and resolving by 14 days. The granuloma size of the FBG model was significantly larger than the HSG model at 1 and 3 days. The FBG model further differed from the HSG model in that anergy was observed at 3 days and lung ACE levels were increased at 1, 7, and 14 days. In the HSG model anergy was not observed and lung ACE levels were significantly elevated only at 1 and 7 days. Furthermore, the HSG model was shown to be responsive to captopril therapy whereas the FBG model was not. This study shows that two murine pulmonary granuloma models, although displaying similar growth and resolution kinetics, differ in terms of granuloma size, anergy, lung ACE activity, and responsiveness to captopril therapy, suggesting that the mechanism(s) involved in the inflammatory response of the two models may be different.