Development, comparison and utilization of enhanced immunoassays for the detection of lettuce mosaic virus

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) employing alkaline phosphatase, (beta)-galactosidase, and biotin to conjugate the anti-LMV Immunoglobulin (L-IgG) was used to detect lettuce mosaic virus (LMV). Substrates, 4-methylumbelliferyll phosphate (MUP), and 4-methylumbelliferyll-(beta)-D-galactopyranoside (MUG) and p-nitrophenylphosphate (NPP) were used to react with the appropriate labeled antibody. Polystyrene microtiter plates and polystyrene beads were used as the solid-phase in the immunoassays. Optimal conditions for coating the solid-phase, specificity of the immune reaction, and other sensitivities of the immune reaction were also defined for standardization. A sensitivity level of 25 and 50 ng/ml of purified LMV was obtained when beads and plates were used as the solid-phase in s-ELISA, respectively. The b-ELISA was sensitive at 1 and 10 ng/ml of purified LMV when beads and plates were used, respectively. Fluorescence assays with beads as the solid-phase were sensitive at 1 ng/ml of purified LMV when either the substrate MUP for alkaline phosphatase or MUG for (beta)-galactosidase were used. The use of a fluorogenic substrate and beads as the solid-phase can enhance sensitivity for detection of LMV. The addition of seed extracts did not interfere with the ability of the assay to detect purified virus. This indicates a potential for seed assay. In the seed assay using ELFA-MUP, LMV was detected in at least one infected seed from a contrived sample containing 17 infected (virus source was predetermined to have 2% LMV infection) and 483 healthy seeds with a probability of 0.30. The chances of detecting the virus using the bead ELFA-MUP increases with increasing number of infected seeds to be tested;The simplicity and reproducibility of an ELFA-MUP system has potential utility for routine screening of seed samples

Flora Matritensis,1 (Pteridophyta)

La flora pteridológica de la provincia de Madrid y comarcas limítrofes consta de 24 géneros, 54 especies, siete subespecies, dos formas y doce híbridos. La obra posee claves para determinar órdenes, géneros, especies, subespecies y formas. Para cada taxon se indica el biotipo, tamaño, ecología, fitosociología, pisos bioclimáticos, corología general y regional, así como la ploidía y número de cromosomas.The pteridological flora from Madrid and surrouding areas comprehends 24 genera, 54 species, 7 subspecies, 2 forms and 12 hybrids. This paper has keys for the determination of all taxa up to the form level. Biotype, size, ecology, phytosociology, vegetation stage, general and regional and regional chorology, plody level and chromosome number is given for each [email protected]

El yacimiento arqueológico de El Saucedo (Talavera La Nueva, Toledo): balance y perspectivas

En este artículo presentamos una síntesis de los trabajos de investigación, conservación y difusión reali-zados en el yacimiento de b'l Saucedo hasta el presente, así como un esbozo de los planes de actuación para el futuro

"It has no meaning to me". How do researchers understand the effectiveness of literature searches? A qualitative analysis and preliminary typology of understandings

This study aimed to address the question: what does “effectiveness” mean to researchers in the context of literature searching for systematic reviews? We conducted a thematic analysis of responses to an e‐mail survey. Eighty‐nine study authors, whose studies met inclusion in a recent review (2018), were contacted via e‐mail and asked three questions; one directly asking the question: in literature searching, what does effective (or effectiveness in) literature searching mean to you? Thirty‐eight (46%) responses were received from diverse professional groups, including: literature searchers, systematic reviewers, clinicians and researchers. A shared understanding of what effectiveness means was not identified. Instead, five themes were developed from data: 1) effectiveness is described as a metric; 2) effectiveness is a balance between metrics; 3) effectiveness can be categorised by search purpose; 4) effectiveness is an outcome; and, 5) effectiveness is an experimental concept. We propose that these themes constitute a preliminary typology of understandings. No single definition of effectiveness was identified. The proposed typology suggests that different researchers have differing understandings of effectiveness. This could lead to uncertainty as to the aim and the purpose of literature searches and confusion about the outcomes. The typology offers a potential route for further exploration

Optical and mechanical properties of cocona chips as affected by the drying process

[EN] The effect of the application of a pre-osmotic treatment to obtain hot air dried cocona(Solanum sessiliofurum Dunal) chips was studied. The drying kinetics and the optical andmechanical properties of cocona chips obtained by the combined method of osmotic dehy-dration and hot air drying (OD + HAD) and by only hot air drying (HAD) were compared.Samples were dried by hot air at 60◦C. For the combined method, they were pre-dried toa moisture content of 75 gwater/100 g, immersed in a 55◦Brix sucrose solution at 25◦C for48 min. The pre-osmodehydration applied did not influence the subsequent hot air dryingkinetics, resulting in a final product with 0.055 ± 0.005 gwater/gcocona.The optical properties ofOD + HAD chips were more favorable, exhibiting a smaller color change with respect to thefresh fruit (±15 units) than the HAD samples (±23 units). On the other hand, the OD + HADchips presented more fracture peaks than HAD ones, this related with a structure with ahigher degree of crispness, a very desirable property for a chip product.The authors thank the Universidad Politecnica de Valencia for the financial support given throughout the Project ADSIDEO-COOPERACION 2010 "Adaptacion de procesos de secado para favorecer la comercializacion de super frutas de origen colombiano".Agudelo Sterling, CM.; Igual Ramo, M.; Talens Oliag, P.; Martínez Navarrete, N. (2015). Optical and mechanical properties of cocona chips as affected by the drying process. Food and Bioproducts Processing. 95:192-199. doi:10.1016/j.fbp.2015.05.009S1921999

"It has no meaning to me". How do researchers understand the effectiveness of literature searches? A qualitative analysis and preliminary typology of understandings.

This study aimed to address the question: what does "effectiveness" mean to researchers in the context of literature searching for systematic reviews? We conducted a thematic analysis of responses to an e-mail survey. Eighty-nine study authors, whose studies met inclusion in a recent review (2018), were contacted via e-mail and asked three questions; one directly asking the question: in literature searching, what does effective (or effectiveness in) literature searching mean to you? Thirty-eight (46%) responses were received from diverse professional groups, including: literature searchers, systematic reviewers, clinicians and researchers. A shared understanding of what effectiveness means was not identified. Instead, five themes were developed from data: 1) effectiveness is described as a metric; 2) effectiveness is a balance between metrics; 3) effectiveness can be categorised by search purpose; 4) effectiveness is an outcome; and, 5) effectiveness is an experimental concept. We propose that these themes constitute a preliminary typology of understandings. No single definition of effectiveness was identified. The proposed typology suggests that different researchers have differing understandings of effectiveness. This could lead to uncertainty as to the aim and the purpose of literature searches and confusion about the outcomes. The typology offers a potential route for further exploration

Physicochemical properties and structural characteristics of whole grain Oryza sativa L. with different treatments

[EN] Physicochemical properties and structural characteristics of whole rice flours with different treatments (soaking, germination and extrusion cooking) were studied. Water solubility, water absorption, crystallinity, adsorption isotherms (BET and GAB models), and glass transition temperature of the samples were determined. Water solubility and water absorption were enhanced by extrusion cooking process (3.17 4.98 vs. 24.1 53.76 g/100 g and 2.77 3.05 vs. 4.46 7.04 ml/g, respectively), but crystallinity was decreased (30 33 vs. 4 16%). Adsorption isotherms showed that extruded samples exhibited higher equilibrium moisture content as compared with their corresponding non-extruded samples (5.0 19.2 vs. 4.0 16.1 g water/g solids). There were no changes in glass transition temperature values in the studied moisture range (3.8 16 g/100 g). These results allow the correct use of whole rice flours with different treatments in foods and also contributed to the knowledge of stabilization of the productsThe author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This work was partially financed by ANPCYT (PICT 1105) and ERASMUS MUNDUS ACTION 2 ARCOIRIS Fellowship.Albarracin, M.; Talens Oliag, P.; Martínez Navarrete, N.; González, RJ.; Drago, SR. (2016). Physicochemical properties and structural characteristics of whole grain Oryza sativa L. with different treatments. Food Science and Technology International. 22(4):1-10. doi:10.1177/1082013215600078S110224Albarracín, M., José González, R., & Drago, S. R. (2015). Soaking and extrusion effects on physicochemical parameters, phytic acid, nutrient content and mineral bio-accessibility of whole rice grain. International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition, 66(2), 210-215. doi:10.3109/09637486.2014.986070Björck, I., & Asp, N.-G. (1983). The effects of extrusion cooking on nutritional value — A literature review. Journal of Food Engineering, 2(4), 281-308. doi:10.1016/0260-8774(83)90016-xBrunauer, S., Deming, L. S., Deming, W. E., & Teller, E. (1940). On a Theory of the van der Waals Adsorption of Gases. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 62(7), 1723-1732. doi:10.1021/ja01864a025Donkor, O. N., Stojanovska, L., Ginn, P., Ashton, J., & Vasiljevic, T. (2012). Germinated grains – Sources of bioactive compounds. Food Chemistry, 135(3), 950-959. doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2012.05.058Gonzalez, R. J., De Greef, D. M., Torres, R. L., Borras, F. S., & Robutti, J. (2004). Effects of endosperm hardness and extrusion temperature on properties of products obtained with grits from two commercial maize cultivars. LWT - Food Science and Technology, 37(2), 193-198. doi:10.1016/j.lwt.2003.07.004Gonzalez, R., Drago, S., Torres, R., & De Greef, D. (2013). Extrusion Cooking of Cereal-Based Products. Contemporary Food Engineering. doi:10.1201/b15246-13González, R. J., Pastor Cavada, E., Vioque Peña, J., Torres, R. L., De Greef, D. M., & Drago, S. R. (2013). Extrusion Conditions and Amylose Content Affect Physicochemical Properties of Extrudates Obtained from Brown Rice Grains. International Journal of Food Science, 2013, 1-8. doi:10.1155/2013/584148Herawat, H., Kusnandar, F., Adawiyah, D. R., Budijanto, S., & Rahman, M. S. (2014). Thermal characteristics and state diagram of extruded instant artificial rice. Thermochimica Acta, 593, 50-57. doi:10.1016/j.tca.2014.08.017Jones, J. M., & Engleson, J. (2010). Whole Grains: Benefits and Challenges. Annual Review of Food Science and Technology, 1(1), 19-40. doi:10.1146/annurev.food.112408.132746Kim, H. Y., Hwang, I. G., Kim, T. M., Woo, K. S., Park, D. S., Kim, J. H., … Jeong, H. S. (2012). Chemical and functional components in different parts of rough rice (Oryza sativa L.) before and after germination. Food Chemistry, 134(1), 288-293. doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2012.02.138Lowry, R. R., & Tinsley, I. J. (1976). Rapid colorimetric determination of free fatty acids. Journal of the American Oil Chemists’ Society, 53(7), 470-472. doi:10.1007/bf02636814Matveev, Y. (2000). The plasticizing effect of water on proteins, polysaccharides and their mixtures. Glassy state of biopolymers, food and seeds. Food Hydrocolloids, 14(5), 425-437. doi:10.1016/s0268-005x(00)00020-5Perdon, A., Siebenmorgen, T. J., & Mauromoustakos, A. (2000). Glassy State Transition and Rice Drying: Development of a Brown Rice State Diagram. Cereal Chemistry Journal, 77(6), 708-713. doi:10.1094/cchem.2000.77.6.708ROOS, Y., & KAREL, M. (1991). Plasticizing Effect of Water on Thermal Behavior and Crystallization of Amorphous Food Models. Journal of Food Science, 56(1), 38-43. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2621.1991.tb07970.xRuiz-Ruiz, J., Martínez-Ayala, A., Drago, S., González, R., Betancur-Ancona, D., & Chel-Guerrero, L. (2008). Extrusion of a hard-to-cook bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) and quality protein maize (Zea mays L.) flour blend. LWT - Food Science and Technology, 41(10), 1799-1807. doi:10.1016/j.lwt.2008.01.005SIU, G. M., & DRAPER, H. H. (1978). A SURVEY OF THE MALONALDEHYDE CONTENT OF RETAIL MEATS AND FISH. Journal of Food Science, 43(4), 1147-1149. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2621.1978.tb15256.xSun, Z., Yang, W., Siebenmorgen, T., Stelwagen, A., & Cnossen, A. (2002). Thermomechanical Transitions of Rice Kernels. Cereal Chemistry Journal, 79(3), 349-353. doi:10.1094/cchem.2002.79.3.349Timmermann, E. O. (2003). Multilayer sorption parameters: BET or GAB values? Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects, 220(1-3), 235-260. doi:10.1016/s0927-7757(03)00059-1Tovar, J., Bjoerck, I. M., & Asp, N. G. (1990). Starch content and .alpha.-amylolysis rate in precooked legume flours. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 38(9), 1818-1823. doi:10.1021/jf00099a00