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Biomedical subjects

K Morgenstern

Publications and source records attributed to K Morgenstern.

17 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2007

Changes in net ecosystem productivity with forest age following clearcutting of a coastal Douglas-fir forest: testing a mathematical model with eddy covariance measurements along a forest chronosequence.

We hypothesized that changes in net ecosystem productivity (NEP) during aging of coastal Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii Mirb. Franco) stands could be explained by (1) changing nutrient uptake caused by different time scales for decomposition of fine, non-woody and coarse woody litter left after harvesting, (2) declines in canopy water status with lengthening of the water uptake pathway during bole and branch growth, and (3) increases in the ratio of autotrophic respiration (R (a)) to gross primary productivity (GPP) with phytomass accumulation. These hypotheses were implemented and tested in the mathematical model ecosys against eddy covariance (EC) measurements of forest CO(2) and energy exchange in a post-clearcut Douglas-fir chronosequence. Hypothesis 1 explained how (a) an initial rise in GPP observed during the first 3 years after clearcutting could be caused by nutrient mineralization from rapid decomposition of fine, non-woody litter with lower C:N ratios (assart effect), (b) a slower rise in GPP during the next 20 years could be caused by immobilization during later decomposition of coarse woody litter, and (c) a rapid rise in GPP between 20 and 40 years after clearcutting could be caused by nutrient mineralization with further decomposition of coarse woody litter and of its decomposition products. During periods (a) and (b), heterotrophic respiration (R (h)) from decomposition of fine and coarse litter greatly exceeded net primary productivity (NPP = GPP - R (a)) so that Douglas-fir stands were large sources of CO(2). During period (c), NPP exceeded R (h) so that these stands became large sinks for CO(2). Hypothesis 2 explained how declines in NPP during later growth in period (c) could be caused by lower hydraulic conductances in taller trees that would force lower canopy water potentials and hence greater sensitivity of stomatal conductances and CO(2) uptake to vapor pressure deficits. Enhanced sensitivity to vapor pressure deficits was also apparent in the EC measurements over the post-clearcut chronosequence. Hypothesis 3 did not contribute to the explanation of forest age effects on NEP.

Abies↗
PubMed2002

Atomic-scale structure of dislocations revealed by scanning tunneling microscopy and molecular dynamics.

The intersection between dislocations and a Ag(111) surface has been studied using an interplay of scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and molecular dynamics. Whereas the STM provides atomically resolved information about the surface structure and Burgers vectors of the dislocations, the simulations can be used to determine dislocation structure and orientation in the near-surface region. In a similar way, the subsurface structure of other extended defects can be studied. The simulations show dislocations to reorient the partials in the surface region leading to an increased splitting width at the surface, in agreement with the STM observations. Implications for surface-induced cross slip are discussed.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2001

Brownian motion of 2D vacancy islands by adatom terrace diffusion.

We have studied the Brownian motion of two-dimensional (2D) vacancy islands on Ag(110) at temperatures between 175 and 215 K. While the detachment of adatoms from the island and their diffusion on the terrace are permitted in this temperature range, the periphery diffusion of single adatoms is prohibited. The present scanning tunneling microscopy results provide the first direct experimental proof that the Brownian motion of the islands follows a simple scaling law with terrace diffusion being the rate limiting process. The activation energy of the vacancy island motion is determined to 0.41 eV.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2001

Congenital intraocular teratoma associated with eyelid coloboma.

PURPOSE: To describe the first case of intraocular teratoma associated with eyelid coloboma and the second reported case of intraocular teratoma. DESIGN: Interventional case report. METHODS: A left intraocular tumor was surgically resected from a 2-day-old female with an associated lower eyelid coloboma. RESULTS: Pathologic evaluation revealed a completely intraocular tumor comprising derivatives of all three germ cell layers giving a diagnosis of intraocular teratoma. The eyelid coloboma was repaired, and a scleral-wrapped hydoxyapatite-integrated orbital implant was placed. CONCLUSION: To our knowledge, this is the second reported instance of teratoma originating within the globe and the only reported case of teratoma associated with eyelid coloboma. Although exceedingly rare, intraocular teratoma should be added to the differential diagnosis of congenital intraocular tumors.

Coloboma↗
PubMed2000

Respiration as the main determinant of carbon balance in European forests.

Carbon exchange between the terrestrial biosphere and the atmosphere is one of the key processes that need to be assessed in the context of the Kyoto Protocol. Several studies suggest that the terrestrial biosphere is gaining carbon, but these estimates are obtained primarily by indirect methods, and the factors that control terrestrial carbon exchange, its magnitude and primary locations, are under debate. Here we present data of net ecosystem carbon exchange, collected between 1996 and 1998 from 15 European forests, which confirm that many European forest ecosystems act as carbon sinks. The annual carbon balances range from an uptake of 6.6 tonnes of carbon per hectare per year to a release of nearly 1 t C ha(-1) yr(-1), with a large variability between forests. The data show a significant increase of carbon uptake with decreasing latitude, whereas the gross primary production seems to be largely independent of latitude. Our observations indicate that, in general, ecosystem respiration determines net ecosystem carbon exchange. Also, for an accurate assessment of the carbon balance in a particular forest ecosystem, remote sensing of the normalized difference vegetation index or estimates based on forest inventories may not be sufficient.

Atmosphere↗
PubMed1998

Bilateral pneumothorax following air bag deployment.

Air bags have been shown to decrease mortality from automobile accidents. Herein is a unique case of bilateral pneumothorax following deployment and rupture of an air bag with no other associated chest trauma. One may posit that rupture of the air bag allowed high-pressure gases to be expelled into the patient's lungs resulting in explosive barotrauma.

Accidents, Traffic↗
PubMed1995

Regulation of protein kinase C activity in cerebral microvessels.

Regulation of protein kinase C (PKC)-mediated responses may occur by inhibition of PKC-dependent phosphorylation or by dephosphorylation of targets by specific phosphatases. Mechanisms for the regulation of PKC were examined in isolated cerebral microvessels and compared to those in brain. The data demonstrated that inhibitors of phosphorylation are responsible for the regulation in brain microvessels while dephosphorylation by protein phosphatases accounts for a substantial portion of the regulation of the PKC response in brain. In addition, the inhibitory activity apparently increases with age. These results suggest that the control of PKC may be cell-type specific and developmentally regulated.

Aging↗
PubMed1993

Protein kinase C in rat cerebral microvessels.

Activation of protein kinase C is a key event in the transduction of receptor-mediated extracellular signals. Little is known about the role of protein kinase C in the microcirculation of the brain. In this study, we examined protein kinase C in isolated cerebral microvessels. A technique for partial purification of protein kinase C from microvessels was employed, using Q-Sepharose batch adsorption and single-step salt elution in microfuge tubes. This procedure greatly reduced variability and increased protein kinase C specific activity in both the cytosolic and particulate fractions by nearly 50-fold. The identity of the enzyme was confirmed by its inhibition by staurosporine and bisindolylmaleimide and by its translocation in response to phorbol ester. The level of protein kinase C was assessed by [3H]phorbol ester binding and the endogenous substrates evaluated by in vitro phosphorylation studies. Finally, western blot analysis of protein kinase C isoforms indicated that the beta-isoform was present in both cytosolic and particulate fractions. The alpha-isoform was present at low levels in the cytosolic fraction, whereas the gamma-isoform was not detected.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1992

Density-dependent regulation of cell surface gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase in cultured glial cells.

A decline in cell surface gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase specific activity was previously observed to be concomitant with C6 glial cell proliferation. To elucidate the underlying factor(s) mediating gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase down-regulation, the effects of C6 cell density and culture conditions on cell surface transpeptidase activity levels were investigated. After 24 h of culture, the transpeptidase specific activities were inversely related to the initial plating densities. The lower-density cultures showed an induction within 24 h of plating. As the cultures proliferated, the specific transpeptidase activities declined to a common low level at post-confluency. The gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase down-regulation was unrelated to cell growth rate and was most pronounced during logarithmic proliferation. Induction and down-regulation of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase activity at low cell densities were not a result of trypsinization. Supplementation of low-density cultures with conditioned medium, use of matrix-coated wells, or periodic replacement of growth media to prevent conditioning had minor effects on the decline of cell surface activity. Kinetic analysis showed that the Michaelis constants and the reaction mechanism were unaltered by cell density, indicating that down-regulation was not due to allosteric factors or an alteration in enzyme character. A reduction in the maximal velocity of cell surface transpeptidation at higher cell densities suggested that gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase down-regulation is related to the concentration of enzyme at the cell surface. Immunocytochemical localization of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase demonstrated that gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase antigen levels decrease as C6 cell density increases. These results led us to propose that cell-cell contact stimulates the disappearance of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase from the surface of cultured C6 glial cells.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Cell surface gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase in live cultures.

A physiological assay for measuring surface accessible gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase activity in adherent, living cultures is described. Cell surface transpeptidase activity remained linear throughout a 60-min time course over a wide range of cell densities. In addition, the assay conditions have neither acute nor long-term effects on cell growth potential, cellular morphology, or cell surface transpeptidase activity levels. As a result, cell surface transpeptidase activity can be continually evaluated in the same cultures during proliferation. The assay appears to be specific for cell surface transpeptidase and can be used to study the partitioning of the enzyme between substrate-accessible and substrate-inaccessible pools. This method utilizes an automated microtiter plate reader for the spectrophotometric quantification of small aliquots removed from cultures incubated with the chromogenic substrate L-gamma-glutamyl-p-nitroanilide. The use of a microtiter plate autoreader and the minimal handling of the cells permit a large number of cultures to be assayed with a substantial reduction in the time required to measure surface transpeptidase activity. The assay described is a nondestructive means for studying cell surface-accessible gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase catalytic activity within the microenvironment of the living culture.

Animals↗