Exogenous preculture with sucrose and abscisic acid improves post-cryopreservation survival of eastern bracken fern gametophytes.

Cryopreservation is an important technique used in the conservation of various plant tissues. This study proposes a cryopreservation method for the long-term conservation of eastern bracken fern gametophytes (Pteridium aquilinum var. latiusculum). Encapsulation-dehydration of the gametophytes was performed, and the exogenous sucrose and abscisic acid (ABA) preculture conditions were investigated. Gametophytes are sensitive to dehydration and drying, and the following treatment conditions were applied: encapsulation by alginate containing 0.75 M sucrose, 18-h loading treatment with 0.75 M sucrose, and 6-h drying treatment. The survival rate following cryopreservation was determined. The water content of < 27.5% in the alginate beads after dehydration and drying was found to be appropriate for ensuring survival. Additionally, performing an exogenous sucrose and ABA preculture was essential before encapsulation to achieve a survival of ≥ 90%. The high stress induced by cryopreservation and exogenous preculture regulated the expression of PaSuSy, PaLEA14, and PaABI1b and the endogenous ABA content. In eastern bracken gametophytes, ABI1 appears to be a negative regulator of ABA signaling. These results indicate that the encapsulation-dehydration method is effective for the long-term conservation of eastern bracken fern gametophytes, and exogenous preculture alleviates abiotic stress and increases the survival rate.

Screening of Particulate Matter Reduction Ability of 21 Indigenous Korean Evergreen Species for Indoor Use.

The formation and pollution of particulate matter (PM), a side effect of rapid industrialization and urbanization, is considered a global issue. However, various plant species are able to effectively capture and reduce atmospheric PM concentrations. We investigated the indoor growth and morphology of 21 indigenous Korean evergreen species at low light intensities to ascertain their ability to reduce PM of aerosol particles in a closed acrylic chamber. The decrease in PM mass concentration differed significantly across species, with a significant correlation (8 h; p < 0.001). The reduction in the mass concentration of PM differed with particle size and across species. The highest reduction of PM2.5 occurred after 8 h with Dryopteris lacera (86.8%), Ilex × wandoensis (84.9%), Machilus thunbergii (84.3%), and Rhododendron brachycarpum (84.0%). Reduction of PM10 after 8 h was highest with Cephalotaxus harringtonii (98.3%), I. × wandoensis (98.5%), M. thunbergii (98.5%), and R. brachycarpum (98.3%). Plant morphological characteristics (category, plant height, leaf shape, leaf area) and relative humidity were closely related to the decrease in PM mass concentration. In conclusion, our findings can be used to identify Korean plant species that can reduce PM concentration and are suitable for indoor use.

Culture types and period impact gametophyte morphogenesis and sporophyte formation of eastern bracken.

BACKGROUND: Liquid suspension culture efficiently proliferates plant cells and can be applied to ferns because it rapidly increases the fresh weight of gametophytes. This study assessed gametophyte proliferation and sporophyte production of Pteridium aquilinum var. latiusculum using a suspension culture method. RESULTS: The growth curve linear phase of gametophyte cells was confirmed between 9 and 18 days of culture, and the subculture cycle was determined to be 2 weeks. A double-strength MS medium (fresh weight, 18.0 g) containing 2% sucrose and NH4+:NO3- (120 mM, 40:80) was found to be the optimal liquid medium. Gametophytes obtained after suspension culture for 18 days did not normally form sporophytes in an ex vitro soil environment. However, this issue was resolved after changing the culture type or extending the culture period to 6 weeks. A short suspension culture period increased the fresh weight of fragmented and homogenized gametophytes but yielded numerous relatively immature gametophytes (globular forms of branching gametophytes, BG). Furthermore, differences in gametophyte morphogenesis and development were indicated by changes in endogenous phytohormone content. BG with immature development exhibited high accumulation of zeatin, jasmonic acid, and salicylic acid, and relatively low levels of abscisic acid and indole-3-acetic acid. The immature development of gametophytes directly affected sporophyte formation. CONCLUSIONS: This study maximized the advantages of liquid suspension culture using eastern bracken gametophytes and provides data to resolve any associated issues, thus facilitating efficient bracken production.

Synthetic Seed Technology Development and Production Studies for Storage, Transport, and Industrialization of Bracken Spores.

Bracken fern (Pteridium aquilinum var. latiusculum (Desv.) Underw. ex A. Heller) has long been grown industrially in South Korea. Conventional propagation methods, including planting rhizomes and in vitro seedling culture, are labor intensive and expensive, and thus not commercially suitable. We aimed to develop a system to produce synthetic seeds using fern spores (SFS). Synthetic seeds were prepared by mixing bracken spores and alginate matrix. Spore germination and gametophyte and sporophyte growth and development from SFS proceeded normally. Spore density affected gametophyte and sporophyte numbers. SFS prepared using cold (4 °C) long-term storage spores (even 7-year-old spores) could effectively form sporophytes. The highest germination was observed at 25 °C. Soaking-treated SFS successfully formed sporophytes, even after 30 days of storage at 4 °C; indeed, sporophytes formed even after five days of storage at 25 °C during transport conditions. SFS were sown in plug trays for commercial use. Young sporophytes grown from plug seedlings were greenhouse cultivated, and transplanting within eight weeks was effective for root growth and growing-point formation. Developing synthetic seeds is a feasible solution for facilitating efficient transport and the handling of small-sized fern spores; furthermore, this SFS technology provides the basis for fern seedling culture and fern spore industrialization.

An Efficient Method for In Vitro Shoot-Tip Culture and Sporophyte Production Using Selaginella martensii Spring Sporophyte.

Selaginella martensii, an evergreen perennial fern that is native to South America and New Zealand, is named "frosty fern" because of its beautiful white-colored leaves and it is used as an ornamental plant. Efficient propagation methods for this species have not been developed. We aimed to develop an efficient propagation method for S. martensii through in vitro culture. We investigated culture conditions that are suitable for shoot-tip proliferation and growth. The optimum shoot-tip culture conditions were determined while using Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium (quarter, half, full, or double strength) and macronutrients (sucrose and two nitrogen sources) at various concentrations. In MS medium, the shoot tips formed a maximum of 6.77 nodes per explant, and each node formed two new shoot tips (i.e., 26 or 64 shoot tips). When using branching segments containing an angle meristem, the shoot-to-rhizophore formation ratio could be controlled by medium supplementation with plant-growth regulators. Sporophytes that were grown from shoot tips in vitro were acclimated in ex vitro soil conditions and successfully survived in the greenhouse. Numerous shoot tips could be obtained from in vitro-grown sporophytes and be proliferated ex vitro to produce a large number of plants. This method provides a way of shortening the time that is required for producing a large stock of S. martensii planting material.

Patterning nanoparticles into rings by "2-D Pickering emulsions".

We present a simple method for the two-dimensional self-assembly of CdSe/ZnS quantum dots (QDs) into well-defined rings at the air/water interface, through the formation of "2-D Pickering emulsions". Surfactant molecules assemble at the air/water interface into islands that are subsequently surrounded by adsorption of QDs from the aqueous subphase. The QD rings emanating from this process range from ∼100 nm to several micrometers in diameter, as characterized by atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and fluorescence microscopy. The deposition and alignment of QD rings onto large areas (cm(2)) were demonstrated by dip-coating onto a substrate. This simple method produces rings of QDs without the need for any templating or fabrication steps.

Fibrinogen recovery and changes in fibrin-based clot firmness after cryoprecipitate administration in patients undergoing aortic surgery involving deep hypothermic circulatory arrest.

BACKGROUND: Cryoprecipitate may be used to treat bleeding in cardiac surgery. Its effects on plasma fibrinogen and fibrin clotting in this setting are poorly defined. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Patients undergoing on-pump aortic surgery with deep hypothermic circulatory arrest (DHCA) were recruited prospectively. After protamine reversal, cryoprecipitate was administered to patients with bleeding, and fibrin deficit was indicated by thromboelastometry (ROTEM)-based FIBTEM test. Coagulation was assessed using ROTEM-based tests and standard laboratory tests before and after cryoprecipitate. RESULTS: Thirteen patients were included. Cryoprecipitate significantly elevated EXTEM A10 from (mean ± standard deviation) 29.4 ± 5.8 to 34.8 ± 5.9 mm (p = 0.01), FIBTEM A10 from 3.5 ± 0.9 to 5.8 ± 1.7 mm (p = 0.04), and plasma fibrinogen concentration from 154.2 ± 25.6 to 193.4 ± 30.5 mg/dL (p = 0.01). EXTEM clot elasticity at 10 minutes (CE10) increased from 42.5 ± 12.0 to 54.7 ± 14.9 mm after cryoprecipitate (30.0% increase). FIBTEM CE10 increased from 3.7 ± 0.9 to 6.2 ± 2.0 mm (53.0% increase). A fibrinogen dose of 13.2 ± 5.2 mg/kg was required to increase FIBTEM A10 by 1 mm. In vivo recovery of fibrinogen was 61.6 ± 31.2%. CONCLUSIONS: Cryoprecipitate increased plasma fibrinogen levels and fibrin-based clotting in bleeding patients undergoing aortic surgery with DHCA. In vivo recovery of fibrinogen was considerably below 100% and fibrinogen content varied between cryoprecipitate units. Trials are needed to assess whether cryoprecipitate impacts clinical outcomes and to evaluate its safety.

Recovery of indium from used LCD panel by a time efficient and environmentally sound method assisted HEBM.

In this study, a method which is environmentally sound, time and energy efficient has been used for recovery of indium from used liquid crystal display (LCD) panels. In this method, indium tin oxide (ITO) glass was crushed to micron size particles in seconds via high energy ball milling (HEBM). The parameters affecting the amount of dissolved indium such as milling time, particle size, effect time of acid solution, amount of HCl in the acid solution were tried to be optimized. The results show that by crushing ITO glass to micron size particles by HEBM, it is possible to extract higher amount of indium at room temperature than that by conventional methods using only conventional shredding machines. In this study, 86% of indium which exists in raw materials was recovered about in a very short time.

Dose fentanyl injection for blunting the hemodynamic response to intubation increase the risk of reflex bradycardia during major abdominal surgery?

BACKGROUND: Although supplemental fentanyl has been widely used to blunt the hemodynamic responses to laryngoscopic intubation, its residual vagotonic effect may increase the risk of reflex bradycardia. We compared the incidence and severity of significant reflex bradycardia after a bolus injection of equivalent doses of fentanyl and remifentanil (control drug). METHODS: In this prospective, randomized, double-blind study, 220 adult patients undergoing major abdominal surgery were randomly assigned to receive fentanyl (1.5 µg/kg) or remifentanil (1.5 µg/kg). No anticholinergic prophylaxis was administered. Symptomatic reflex bradycardia was defined as a sudden decrease in heart rate to < 50 beats per minute (bpm) or to 50-59 bpm associated with a systolic arterial pressure < 70 mmHg in connection with surgical maneuvers. If bradycardia or hypotension developed, atropine or ephedrine was administered following a predefined treatment protocol. RESULTS: In total, 188 subjects (remifentanil, 95; fentanyl, 93) were included. The proportion of subjects with symptomatic reflex bradycardia in the fentanyl group was similar to that in the remifentanil group (30.1% vs. 28.4%, respectively). Atropine and/or ephedrine were needed similarly in both groups. The differences between the group of 55 patients who presented with symptomatic reflex bradycardia were not statistically significant with respect to the lowest heart rate, anesthetic depth-related data (bispectral index and end-tidal sevoflurane concentration), or the proportion of causative surgical maneuvers. CONCLUSIONS: Fentanyl (1.5 µg/kg) administered intravenously during anesthetic induction is unlikely to increase the incidence and severity of significant reflex bradycardia in patients undergoing major abdominal surgery.

Nonpolymeric thermosensitive benzenetricarboxamides.

A new class of nonpolymeric thermosensitive materials based on the benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxamide (BTC) structural platform are described. We observed that the benzocrown ether-substituted BTC derivatives undergo an unusual temperature-dependent reversible solubility change in aqueous solution. Thus, a clear nonfluorescent solution of BTC derivatives becomes turbid and generates fluorescent aggregates above the LCST temperature. The aggregates disappear, and a clear solution is reformed when the solution is cooled to 20 °C. It is believed that the LCST behavior of BTC derivatives results from the removal of water molecules from crown ether moieties at elevated temperature. Thus, BTC derivatives exist in fully hydrated forms below the LCST. Heating the BTC derivatives solutions causes the expulsion of water and induces the formation of aggregates. At room temperature, the removal of water from BTC derivatives occurs slowly and leads to the formation of long nanofibers.