In a survey of soils in South Central England matric suctions were measured frequently during 1962 and 1963. Results for the period October to May are given for sites lying above the influence of the regional ground water table and show the matric suctions to which the soils drain. Sandy soils drain within 2 or 3 days to a definite field capacity at about 50 mbar suction. Loams and clay loams, though from profile appearance regarded as freely drained, take up to about 1 week to drain to a fairly constant suction of 40–50 mbar, which can also be regarded as field capacity. However, suctions prevailing during this time are less – about 20 mbar. The prevailing suctions in clay soils are about 10 mbar in the topsoil (13 cm) and – 10 mbar in the subsoil (38 cm). These soils drain slowly but steadily when rain ceases and no definite field capacity is evident. For the sandy soils, loams and clay loams, the matric suctions characterize the upper limit of the available water capacity (AWC) of the soil. The values are less than almost all previous estimates or assumed values. For the clays the upper limit of AWC remains best estimated by field sampling at the time of interest.

The variations which occur in the medial and lateral ligament complexes of the elbow were investigated. These occurred frequently with the standard appearances occurring in no more than half the specimens on the medial side and one quarter of those on the lateral side. Surgeons who regularly perform elbow arthroplasty must be aware of these considerations, especially with the introduction of unconstrained prostheses which rely upon the ligament complex for their postoperative stability.

The thermocouple psychrometer was used to determine water potential, Ψ and its components in the lichen Parmotrema tinctorum. Data suggested that using conventional pressure-volume curves to study the water relations of lichens may give anomalous results, possibly because lichens may contain appreciable amounts of intercellular water. A way of correcting pressure-volume curves to remove the effect of intercellular water is discussed. Parmotrema tinctorum had a very low osmotic potential at full turgor (c. −2.5 MPa), and a low bulk modulus of elasticit (c. 2.1 MPa). As a result, P. tinctorum lost turgor only when the relative water content dropped below 0.47. Likely benefits of this for the lichen are discussed.

The suitability of l-[3-3H]valine for measuring valine oxidation was studied by comparing its oxidation rate with that of l-[1-14C]valine in rats and pigs. l-[3-3H]valine was synthesized by removal of the tritium on carbon-2 of l-[2,3-3H]valine by acetylation. The acetyl group was removed enzymatically using pig renal acylase 1 (EC 3.5.1.14) and the product was purified by ion-exchange and paper chromatography. For the first rat experiment l-[3-3H]valine was synthesized in our laboratory; for the subsequent experiments it was produced by Amersham International plc. In the first experiment in rats the two tracers were given by injection and 14CO2 was collected for 2 h. The oxidation of tritiated valine was significantly higher than that of l-[1-14C]valine. In a second experiment there was no difference. This was probably due to the higher purity of the labelled valine which, for the second experiment, was shown by nuclear magnetic resonance to contain only one tritium atom. In a study with pigs in which the two tracers were given by continuous infusion there was no significant difference between them in flux or oxidation. The results of this experiment were used to evaluate a model to estimate amino acid requirements. With pigs given a methionine-limiting diet a reduction in methionine intake, by reducing protein accretion, increased valine oxidation by the same proportion.

Heavy metal uptake by lichens is briefly reviewed in terms of the trapping of paniculate material and the uptake of soluble cations. The kinetics of uptake to extracellular sites and intracellular carrier-mediated incorporation into cells are compared and the effects of competing cations and the energetics of the processes considered. The influence of heavy metals on lichen growth, morphology and physiology are reviewed emphasizing recent reports showing the greater sensitivity of cyanobacterial compared with chlorophycean lichens, the induction of heavy metal tolerance in the field and laboratory in Peltigera species, and alterations in intracellular cadmium uptake kinetics by some, but not all, tolerant Peltigera populations.