Receptor tyrosine kinase and p16/CDKN2 expression in a case of tripe palms associated with non-small-cell lung cancer

Background: Tripe palms is a descriptive term for a cutaneous paraneoplastic keratoderma. Tripe palms are frequently associated with gastric and pulmonary carcinoma. The pathogenetic mechanism remains unknown. Objective: To determine the influence of receptor tyrosine kinases, which are both expressed in pulmonary carcinomas and in human skin, we performed expression studies on epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), HER2, HERS in a skin sample of tripe palms obtained from a patient with non-small-cell lung cancer with lymph node involvement. Two months after diagnosis, the patient had developed palmoplantar `tripe palms'. Additionally, the expression of SRC, c-myc and p16/CDKN2 were studied. Method: Conventional reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction was performed on a tissue sample of tripe palms. Results: Weak expression of HER2 and of p16/CDKN2 was found. EGFR, HERS, c-myc and SRC were not expressed. Conclusion: Receptor tyrosine kinases of subclass I, the tyrosine kinase SRC and the oncogene c-myc play no major role in the pathogenesis of this case of tripe palms. Copyright (C) 2000 S. Karger AG. Basel

Plant material booklet 1: palms of Malaysia

This book is intended as quick reference for landscape architects, architects and urban planners in identifying palms for landscape planning and design of open spaces, recreational areas, residential landscape and street planting. It begins with descriptions of the indigenous or introduced palms found in Malaysia. It then discuss how palms can be used as spatial articulation features in shaping human spaces. The book also includes a set of table describing eight subfamilies of palms in alphabetical order. This booklet is the first in a series of plant material booklets on the utilization of plants in landscape planning and designs. Other titles in this series include, among others, Herbs and Medicinal Plants, Wayside Trees and Bamboos in Malaysia

Palm phytoliths of mid-elevation Andean forests

Palms are one of the most common tropical plant groups. They are widespread across lowland tropical forests, but many are found in higher altitudes have more constrained environmental ranges. The limited range of these species makes them particularly useful in paleoecological and paleoclimate reconstructions. Palms produce phytoliths, or silica structures, which are found in their vegetative parts (e.g., wood, leaves, etc.). Recent research has shown that several palms in the lowland tropical forests produce phytoliths that are diagnostic to the sub-family or genus-level. Here we characterize Andean palm phytoliths, and determine whether many of these species can also be identified by their silica structures. All of our sampled Andean palm species produced phytoliths, and we were able to characterize several previously unclassified morphotypes. Some species contained unique phytoliths that did not occur in other species, particularly Ceroxylon alpinium, which is indicative of specific climatic conditions. The differences in the morphologies of the Andean species indicate that palm phytolith analysis is particularly useful in paleoecological reconstructions. Future phytolith analyses will allow researchers to track how these palm species with limited environmental ranges have migrated up and down the Andean slopes as a result of past climatic change. The phytolith analyses can track local-scale vegetation dynamics, whereas pollen, which is commonly used in paleoecological reconstructions, reflects regional-scale vegetation change

The contribution of the Canary Island date palm (Phoenix canariensis) to the winter diet of frugivores in novel ecosystems

With the increasing expansion in urban areas, many species have adapted to utilising horticulturally used plants as alternate or augmentary food sources, in particular, during winter – when native foods are largely absent. Ornamental palms, particularly Canary Island Date Palms, fruit continuously during most of the year and thus provide a stable food supply. Based on observational, metric and bio-chemical data, this paper examines the role Canary Island Date Palms can and do play in the nutrition of frugivorous animals, in particular, for birds. It demonstrates that with its nearly year-round provisioning of drupes, the palm plays a major role as a ‘staple’ and backup food source for several species

In situ starch localisation in Cocos nucifera L. and Elaeis guineensis Jacq.: The major reserve carbohydrate in these Arecaceae or not ?

Carbohydrates accumulated in plants can later be mobilized to support biosynthesis for metabolism and growth particularly during periods of low assimilation (dry season), or after biotic or abiotic stresses. So, they play an important role in plants functioning. Starch is considered as the most important reserve carbohydrate in plants. Its content has been often used as sole indicator of a carbohydrate surplus over current needs, more generally, of carbohydrate status of plants. The subject is well documented for temperate and fruit-bearing species, little for tropical perennial species and almost none for Arecaceae. The distribution of starch was investigated on the basis of histological studies in all vegetative organs of adult coconuts (20-years old) and oil palms (12-years old) and compared. The anatomy of the studied organs has been described. Except for roots and leaflets, coconut and oil palms were characterized by anatomical structure uniformity. In the stem, many vascular bundles and groups of fibres were distributed in a parenchyma with small cells. Vascular bundles density decreased from the outer periphery of stem to the inner part, whereas their size showed reverse gradient. Starch grains were absent in roots, leaflets and lower parts of stem. They were found primarily at mid-height of stem, sometimes at its top and in leaf petioles and rachis, although these observations varied considerably among plants. Starch accumulates mainly in the parenchyma of bark and wood of trees. In coconut and oil palm, starch grains were located mainly in the reserves parenchyma cells and very little in the vascular bundles. In parallel, quantitative biochemical analyses confirmed our anatomical observations. Starch appeared in coconut and oil palms as not a major storage carbohydrate compared with soluble sugars like sucrose and glucose. Coconut and oil palms are characterized under optimal conditions by continuous vegetative growth and fruits production with a high caloric content (68-80% of stored lipids in the mature fruit). In order to meet quickly and continuously these very consuming needs for energy, storage in the form of soluble sugars seems well to be adapted to the functioning of coconut and oil palms (with a rapid adjustment of the mobilisable carbon level according to the needs). However, the starch pool varied clearly (in time) according our initial experimental conditions (e.g. a recovery after a pathological stress on coconut palm). For this reason, starch, even if there was little, could be a good indicator of a temporary carbohydrate surplus exceeding plant demand like numerous temperate woody species and, in our case, a good indicator of phytosanitary status. After hydrolysis, starch would seem to help occasionally in achieving optimum productivity again. (Texte intégral

Therapeutic hand-exercising device with cycling pressure value

Device exercises hands of persons whose fingers are generally straight and need to be flexed inward toward palms of hands. Device is extremely simple in design, which reduces costs, and fits all hand sizes. Patient can instantly free hand from device by pulling flap free from wrist of straps

New observations on the resistance of coconut cultivars to tropical cyclones in Vanuatu

The resistance of coconut palms to violent winds was observed at the Saraoutou research station as cyclone Dani passed over tile island of Santo in Vanuatu in January 1999. Mortality caused by felling or uprooting was recorded on 13 Dwarf varieties, 10 Tall varieties and 28 Dwarf x Tall hybrids. The Dwarf palms were generally more susceptible than the 'fall palms and hybrids, but substantial differences were also found between varieties in the same group. At 15 years old, the Tacunan Green Dwarf originating from the Philippines proved to be the most resistant Dwarf with 0% of felled palms compared to 100% of felled palms for the most susceptible, the Malayan Yellow Dwarf. Of the Tall palms, the Vanuatu Tall proved to be the most resistant with 2% of felled palms. The varieties originating from the South Pacific or the Philippines also displayed good resistance compared to varieties from Papua New Guinea. Of the hybrids, the Malayan Red Dwarf x Rennell Tall displayed the least resistance. The effect of different factors (morphological characteristics, age) on susceptibility to violent winds is discussed

Crecimiento y relación tamaño-edad del palmito (Euterpe edulis) en selvas aprovechadas y protegidas en el noreste de Misiones, Argentina

Euterpe edulis Mart. (Arecaceae), habita la selva Misionera en Argentina, tanto en áreas protegidas como en aquellas bajo aprovechamiento. Esta palmera se corta para extraer el palmito que es un alimento gourmet. Se estudió el crecimiento y se estimó la edad de los individuos utilizando 3 parcelas permanentes de una hectárea cada una. Dos parcelas se establecieron en el Parque Nacional Iguazú y otra en una propiedad privada donde se había realizado aprovechamiento de esta especie. Para cada palmera marcada se midió el crecimiento del tronco (altura y diámetro) por 3 años y se compararon los incrementos de aquellos viviendo en el Parque Nacional con los que prosperaron en el sitio aprovechado. Se realizaron regresiones para estimar la relación entre el incremento en tamaño y el área basal de la selva. Las palmeras se clasificaron en 5 categorías. Los parámetros de las regresiones se utilizaron para estimar el tiempo que un palmito necesita para alcanzar el tamaño para ser aprovechado. Las palmeras de un mismo tamaño pueden ser de diferente edad dependiendo del sitio donde viven. En Argentina, la ley permite cortar individuos con DAP igual o mayor a 10 cm. En sitios aprovechados, las palmeras alcanzan este tamaño a los 23 años de edad o menos, mientras que el Parque Nacional este tamaño se alcanza a los 50 años o más. El aprovechamiento de palmitos de 10 cm de DAP puede ser sustentable, sin embargo el ciclo de corta dependerá del tipo de ambiente.The Euterpe edulis Mart. (Arecaceae) occurs both in protected and logged areas of the Atlantic forest in Misiones, Argentina. This palm tree is harvested for its heart. To study the growth and estimate the age of E. edulis individuals, three one-hectare permanent plots were used: two of them located in the Iguazú National Park and the third, a private one, where this species had been harvested. Each marked individual was measured against those of the individuals in the harvested private site in its stem growth (height and diameter) for three years and their increase compared. To estimate the relationship growth increase to forest basal area of the forest, regressions were made. The palm trees were classified into five categories. The regression parameters were used to estimate the time a palm heart takes to become harvestable. Palm tree growth for each size category was related to harvestable palm basal area per hectare. Palm trees of the same size may be of different ages depending on where they grew. In Argentina, law allows palm trees to be harvested when their DBH is 10 cm or more. In logged areas, palm trees reach this size in 23 years or earlier, while in protected areas it takes them 50 years or more. Harvesting palm trees with 10 cm of DBH can be a sustainable practice. However, the cutting time will depend on the environment where palms grow.Fil: Chediack, Sandra Emilia. No especifica;Fil: Gatti, Maria Genoveva. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste. Instituto de Biología Subtropical. Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Instituto de Biología Subtropical; Argentin