Accuracy of delivered airway pressure and work of breathing estimation during proportional assist ventilation: a bench study

Additional file 2: Table S1. Measured and theoretical mean airway pressure during inspiration (imeas and iTh) with different triggers in different respiratory mechanics

Effects of Cadmium (Cd) on Dry Matter and on Cd Concentration in Leaves and Roots of Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea L.)

The aim of this research was to examine the effect of Cd on leaves dry matter (LDM), root dry matter (RDM) and on Cd concentration in leaves (Cd-leaves) and roots (Cd-roots) of purple coneflower (E. purpurea) grown in an acid and in a neutral substrate. A completely randomized block design with four treatments (0-control, 1, 2, and 5 mg Cd L-1) and six replications for each treatment and each substrate (acid, neutral) was conducted in pot experiments. Cd concentration in leaves grown in acid substrate as well as in roots of plants grown in neutral substrate increased at Cd rates greater than 2 mg Cd L-1. Cd concentration in roots of the plants grown in neutral substrate raised with increasing doses of Cd. In general Cd concentration in the roots and leaves of purple coneflower grown either in acid or in neutral substrate was affected by Cd applications

Effects of Cultivation System and Fertilization on Seedling Production of Ocimum basilicum L. and Mentha spicata L.

The demand for aromatic plants as ornamentals and sources of essential oils has increased recently. A float system is a promising alternative method of seedling production. Two cropping systems, float and conventional (seed bed), and two nutrient solution formulations, one organic and one inorganic, were evaluated for Ocimum basilicum (basil) and Mentha spicata (spearmint) seedling production. Basil seedlings grown in float system had better or comparable growth of shoots and leaves with those grown in seedbeds, irrespective of the fertilization, whereas spearmint organic fertilization reduced the growth of the aboveground parts of the seedlings, regardless of the cropping system. By contrast, fertilization treatments on both species' seedling grown in float system showed better root length and higher root biomass accumulation. The survival percentage of seedlings after transplanting, as well as the subsequent growth of plants, were not seriously affected by the cropping system of the fertilization method during transplant production. Overall, we conclude that a float system can be used for the production of Ocimum basilicum and Mentha spicata seedlings under organic or inorganic fertilization

Sexual and Vegetative Propagation of Hypericum empetrifolium Willd. subsp. empetrifolium

Hypericum empetrifolium Willd. subsp. empetrifolium is an evergreen small shrub with small elongated decorative leaves and small yellow flowers in inflorescences, characterized for several pharmaceutical properties. In the present study, a first approach on the sexual and asexual propagation of this species was performed. Seeds, subjected to different types of pre-treatments [soaked in tap water; 50, 100 or 150 mg L-1 GA3 for 30 min and no treatment (control)], cultured for germination in petri dishes at 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 °C. Seed germination was only affected by temperature and the best result was obtained at 15 °C (71.2%). A significant interaction was found between pre-treatments and incubation temperature with the highest germination percentage (82%) occurred when the seeds soaked in 100 mg L-1 GA3 solution for 30 min and incubated at 20 °C constant temperature. Moreover, the germination speed was fastest from 20 to 25 °C (T50= 9.84 and 9.56 days for 20 and 25 °C, respectively). For asexual propagation, apical stem cuttings were taken at four different periods (4 seasons) and treated with IBA at concentrations of 0, 1000, 2000 and 3000 mg L-1. The cuttings were planted in a peat/perlite mixture 1:1 v/v in plastic square plug trays in order to study the rooting percentage. Winter was the most appropriate season for cuttings collection (100% rooting percentage) and dipping in 1000 or 2000 mg L-1 IBA (72% and 73%, respectively) was the best rooting hormone treatment

Nickel (Ni) Effects on Shoots and Roots Dry Matter and on Ni Concentration in Shoots of Mojito (Mentha × villosa) and Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)

Nickel is an essential trace element for plants, but excessive Ni levels in the soil can result in toxicity to plants. The aim of this research was to examine the effect of Ni on shoots dry matter (SDM), roots dry matter (RDM) and on Ni concentrations in SDM (Ni-SDM) of mojito and lavender plants. A completely randomized block design with five treatments (0, 5, 10, 20 and 40 mg Ni L-1) and five replications for each treatment and plant species was conducted in pot experiments. Nickel was applied to the pot medium as NiCl26H2O. No visible toxic or inhibitory symptoms were observed on the plants due to the increasing rates of Ni applications. The SDM and RDM were not affected by Ni in the studied plants. Ni-SDM of mojito and lavender raised with increasing rates of Ni above 20 and 10 mg Ni L-1, respectively

Sexual and Asexual Propagation of Teucrium brevifolium

The propagation with seeds and stem cuttings of Teucrium brevifolium were investigated in order to facilitate the use of the species in floricultural practice and as a medicinal plant. The seeds after they subjected to different types of treatments (dipping in H2SO4 for 15 min or in H2SO4 for 15 min and GA3 1000 mg l-1 for 10 min, 24 or 48h and untreated) cultured for germination in vitro at 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 °C. The cuttings were planted in a peat/perlite mixture 1:1 v/v in plastic square plug trays in order to study the rooting percentage. Seed germination was very low (2%) at temperatures of 15-25 °C, while chemical treatment with the concentrated H2SO4 for 15 min, increased germination to 8-10% at the same temperatures. Asexual propagation of the species resulted in a 52.5-61.5% rooting percentage, in all seasons except winter. Treatment with IBA 2000 mg l-1 increaseds rooting percentage

Optimized detection of circulating anti-nuclear envelope autoantibodies by immunofluorescence

BACKGROUND: Antinuclear antibodies are useful diagnostic tools in several autoimmune diseases. However, the routine detection of nuclear envelope autoantibodies using immunofluorescence (IF) is not always easy to perform in patients' sera because of the presence of autoantibodies to other nuclear and cytoplasmic components which could mask the characteristic rim-like pattern of nuclear envelope autoantibodies. This is particularly common in sera from patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC), which generaly have high titres of anti-mitochondrial antibodies. Therefore, we have assayed a number of commercial slides and alternative fixation conditions to optimize the detection of anti-nuclear envelope antibodies (ANEA) in PBC sera. METHODS: We have explored the presence of ANEA in 33 sera from patients with established PBC using three different Hep2 commercial slides and home-made slides with HeLa and Hep2 cells fixed with methanol, ethanol, 1% or 4% formaldehyde. RESULTS: We observed that the IF pattern was related to the cell type used (Hep2 or HeLa), the manufacturer and the cell fixation scheme. When both cell lines were fixed with 1% formaldehyde, the intensity of the cytoplasmic staining was considerably decreased regardless to the serum sample, whereas the prevalence of cytoplasmic autoantibodies was significantly lowered, as compared to any of the Hep2 commercial slide and fixation used. In addition, the prevalence of ANEA was importantly increased in formaldehyde-fixed cells. CONCLUSION: Immunofluorescence using appropriately fixed cells represent an easy, no time-consuming and low cost technique for the routine screening of sera for ANEA. Detection of ANEA is shown to be more efficient using formaldehyde-fixed cells instead of commercially available Hep2 cells