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The Collective Thomson scattering technique has been implemented to study the stagnation of a single liner gas-puff. The plasma parameters are determined by theoretically modelling the scattering form factor in combination with Bayesian inference to provide the set of the most probable parameters that describe the experimental data. Analysis of the data reveal that incoming flows are able to interpenetrate partially. Estimation of the mean free path shows a gradual transition from a weakly collisional to a collisional regime as the plasma gets to the axis. Furthermore, we find that the ion energy at r = 2.5 mm is 13.6 - 0.9 + 1.0 keV and is mostly kinetic in nature and represents 98 - 9 + 10 % of the total energy. This kinetic energy is far greater than the value on axis of 3.7 - 0.5 + 0.4 keV which is 84 - 14 + 15 % of the total energy. Energy transfer to the electrons and radiation losses are found to be negligible by this time. A possible explanation for this energy imbalance is the presence of an azimuthal magnetic field larger than ∼ 4.7 T that deflect the ions vertically. The uncertainties quoted represent 68% credible intervals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Collective Thomson scattering technique has been implemented to study the stagnation of a single liner gas-puff. The plasma parameters are determined by theoretically modelling the scattering form factor in combination with Bayesian inference to provide the set of the most probable parameters that describe the experimental data. Analysis of the data reveal that incoming flows are able to interpenetrate partially. Estimation of the mean free path shows a gradual transition from a weakly collisional to a collisional regime as the plasma gets to the axis. Furthermore, we find that the ion energy at r = 2.5 mm is 13.6 - 0.9 + 1.0 keV and is mostly kinetic in nature and represents 98 - 9 + 10 % of the total energy. This kinetic energy is far greater than the value on axis of 3.7 - 0.5 + 0.4 keV which is 84 - 14 + 15 % of the total energy. Energy transfer to the electrons and radiation losses are found to be negligible by this time. A possible explanation for this energy imbalance is the presence of an azimuthal magnetic field larger than ∼ 4.7 T that deflect the ions vertically. The uncertainties quoted represent 68% credible intervals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the electrical asymmetry effect (EAE) and the current dynamics in a geometrically asymmetric capacitively coupled radio frequency plasma driven by multiple consecutive harmonics based on a nonlinear global model. The discharge symmetry is controlled via the EAE, i.e., by varying the total number of harmonics and tuning the phase shifts ( θ k ) between them. Here, we systematically study the EAE in a low pressure (4 Pa) argon discharge with different geometrical asymmetries driven by a multifrequency rf source consisting of 13.56 MHz and its harmonics. We find that the geometrical asymmetry strongly affects the absolute value of the DC self-bias voltage, but its functional dependence on θ k is similar at different values of the geometrical asymmetry. Also, the values of the DC self-bias are enhanced by adding more consecutive harmonics. The voltage drop across the sheath at the powered and grounded electrode is found to increase/decrease, respectively, with the increase in the number of harmonics of the fundamental frequency. For the purpose of validating the model, its outputs are compared with the results obtained in a geometrically and electrically asymmetric 2f capacitively coupled plasmas experiment conducted by Schuengel et al. [J. Appl. Phys. 112, 053302 (2012)]. Finally, we study the self-excitation of nonlinear plasma series resonance oscillations and its dependence on the geometrical asymmetry as well as the phase angles between the driving frequencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: More than 3 million infections were attributed to Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) in the 2014-2016 outbreak in Mexico, Central and South America, with over 500 deaths directly or indirectly related to this viral disease. CHIKV outbreaks are recurrent and no vaccine nor approved therapeutics exist to prevent or treat CHIKV infection. Reliable and robust diagnostic methods are thus critical to control future CHIKV outbreaks. Direct CHIKV detection in serum samples via highly specific and high affinity anti-CHIKV antibodies has shown to be an early and effective clinical diagnosis.Methods: To isolate highly specific and high affinity anti-CHIKV, Chikungunya virions were isolated from serum of a patient in Veracruz, México. After purification and characterization via electron microscopy, SDS-PAGE and binding to well-characterized anti-CHIKV antibodies, UV-inactivated particles were utilized as selector in a solid-phase panning in combination with ALTHEA Gold Libraries™, as source of antibodies. The screening was based on ELISA and Next-Generation Sequencing.Results: The CHIKV isolate showed the typical morphology of the virus. Protein bands in the SDS-PAGE were consistent with the size of CHIKV capsid proteins. UV-inactivated CHIKV particles bound tightly the control antibodies. The lead antibodies here obtained, on the other hand, showed high expression yield, > 95% monomeric content after a single-step Protein A purification, and importantly, had a thermal stability above 75 °C. Most of the antibodies recognized linear epitopes on E2, including the highest affinity antibody called C7. A sandwich ELISA implemented with C7 and a potent neutralizing antibody isolated elsewhere, also specific for E2 but recognizing a discontinuous epitope, showed a dynamic range of 0.2-40.0 mg/mL of UV-inactivated CHIKV purified preparation. The number of CHIKV particles estimated based on the concentration of E2 in the extract suggested that the assay could detect clinically meaningful amounts of CHIKV in serum.Conclusions: The newly discovered antibodies offer valuable tools for characterization of CHIKV isolates. Therefore, the strategy here followed using whole viral particles and ALTHEA Gold Libraries™ could expedite the discovery and development of antibodies for detection and control of emergent and quickly spreading viral outbreaks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Goal: Health information systems are increasingly sophisticated and developing them is a challenge for software developers. Software engineers usually make use of UML as a standard model language that allows defining health information system entities and their relations. However, working with health system requires learning HL7 standards, that defines and manages standards related to health information systems. HL7 standards are varied, however this work focusses on v2 and v3 since these are the most used one on the area that this work is being conducted. This works aims to allow modeling HL7 standard by using UML.Methods: Several techniques based on the MDE (Model-Driven Engineering) paradigm have been used to cope with it.Results: A useful reference framework, reducing final users learning curve and allowing modeling maintainable and easy-going health information systems.Conclusions: By using this approach, a software engineer without any previous knowledge about HL7 would be able to solve the problem of modeling HL7-based health information systems. Reducing the learning curve when working in projects that need HL7 standards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The validation of any new methodological proposal demands several real-life implementations. However, organizations are reluctant to invest without the firm guarantee that they will be returned the entire expended amount of money. For this purpose, expert judgment techniques are very useful to provide a less-costly initial validation that, when positive, may encourage organizations to use these new proposals. Therefore, the primary goal of the paper will be to assess how expert judgment techniques based on the Delphi method can be applied to Web Engineering field and, more in particular, to assess the validity of the NDT-Agile framework. NDT-Agile is a framework that combines Agile and Web Engineering techniques to meet Capability Maturity Model Integration development goals. The paper presents a real example of an application of a Delphi-based expert judgment method to assess NDT-Agile framework validity, explaining the design as well as the selection and usage of the different techniques it involves. The application of the method will allow assessing benefits and limitations of use in Web Engineering. As a main conclusion, we will state the utility of the proposed methods to obtain a low-resource initial validation of a certain proposal. Finally, we will identify further lines of research related to the analyzed topics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2, emerged as a global pandemic, highlighting the RNA virus’s rapid mutation rate, in special affecting the Spike (S) protein, which is crucial in the binding with the host cell receptor. As a result, variants of concern (VOCs) appeared with the ability to escape from the immune response. In contrast, several monoclonal antibodies were used as treatment against COVID-19, but they failed through the time, because they lost the binding capacity. We developed bispecific antibodies from a group of human monoclonal antibodies able to recognize different RBD epitopes using the Epstein-Barr virus immortalization human B cells method. The variable regions of the heavy and light chains of these antibodies were amplified, sequenced, and the germlines were analyzed. The constructions of heterodimers VHS57G9-(G4S)4linker-VLS57G9-K6/K9linkerVHP7F8-(G4S)4linker-VLP7F8, and VHS56G9-(G4S)4linker-VLS56G9-K6/ K9linker-VHG6E8-(G4S)4linker-VLG6E8 were cloned in the pFUSEss-CHIg-hG1. Each dimer was expressed in Expi293 cells. These were purified by affinity chromatography with protein A. We evaluated the binding affinity and neutralization capacity compared with the monomers used as controls. These bispecific antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 increased the constant affinity and neutralizing properties. Also, their capacity against VOCs enhanced broadly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chikungunya fever (CF) is caused by CHIK virus and is transmitted by an arthropod vector. Currently, the climatic conditions spread the migration of the vector, increasing the possibilities of new outbreaks around the world. We evaluate the persistence of antibodies against CHIKV in a population of Guerrero by indirect ELISA, Western Blot (WB), and plaque reduction neutralization test (PRNT), nine years after the 2014 outbreak. To considerate positive specimens that recognize E2-CHIKV protein in ELISA, the ratio between positive and negative samples absorbance is ≥ 2, using a serum from one patient obtained during CHIKV outbreak of 2014 as a positive control. From thirty-four sera, the antibody titer was determined using a three-fold serial dilution, starting with 1:300. The samples were classified in four groups: 1) 16.6 % showed very high titer (≥10 001); 2) 8.3 % high titer (10 000-5 001); 3) 41.6 % intermediate titer (5 000-1 001); and 4) 33.3 % low titer (1 000-300). One sixth of these, showed neutralizing activity against the isolate Chikungunya virus 033. The protein E2 (37.5 kDa) was identify in almost all the samples by WB. These results indicate that long-lasting humoral immunity against CHIKV (due to the presence of long-live plasma cells) is reactivated by continuous exposure to the virus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The vaccination against COVID-19 represented a great advance in the reduction of infections and has provided patients with the disease with an improved immune response, although the prevailing public health crisis continues to cast doubt on the efficacy of current treatments due to the high rate of mutations that the virus possesses, which has led to the search for other therapeutic options such as monoclonal antibodies. In this work, we aimed to select and characterize a group of human monoclonal antibodies against SARS-CoV-2, from convalescent and/or vaccinated individuals, which are able to inhibit the interaction of protein S with the ACE-2 receptor. Using the Epstein-Barr virus memory B-cell immortalization method, we selected whole blood samples from confirmed and convalescent volunteers with antibodies with recognition of the RBD domain of the S1 protein of SARS-CoV-2. From venous blood PBMCs and by MACS and FACS selection, the number of RBD-specific antibody-producing cells was quantified and immortalized. Once the lymphoblastoid cell lines were developed, one of the best specific antibody-producing clones was determined by recognition assays and characterized. The antibody obtained is able to recognize RBD from different VOC of SARS-CoV-2 with an affinity of nM scale, and presents a reported motif with cross-reactivity to RBD and other Sarbecoviruses giving it a broad neutralization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Entity reconciliation (ER) aims to combine data from different sources for a unified vision. The management of large volumes of data has given rise to significant challenges to the ER problem due to facts such as data becoming more unstructured, unclean, and incomplete or the existence of many datasets that store information about the same topic. Testing the applications that implement the ER problem is crucial to ensure both the correctness of the reconciliation process and the quality of the reconciled data. This paper presents an approach based on model-driven engineering that allows the creation of test models for the early integration testing of ER applications, contributing in three main aspects: the description of the elements of the proposed framework, the definition of the testing model, and the validation of the proposal through two real-world case studies. This validation verifies that the early integration testing of the ER application is capable of detecting a series of deficiencies, which a priori are not known and that will help to improve the final result that the ER application offers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The behavior of a single frequency capacitively coupled plasma (CCP) driven by 13.56 MHz rf source is investigated using an approach that integrates a nonlinear global analytical model and experimental data. The non linear model consists of a description of the plasma bulk, based on a fluid dynamics approach coupled to a separate model of the sheath. The parameters used in the model are obtained by operating the single frequency CCP experiment (13.56 MHz) in argon at working pressures 73 to 400m torr. Experimentally measured plasma parameters such as the electron density, electron temperature, the discharge symmetry parameter as well as the rf voltage waveforms are the inputs of the theoretical model. Model results of the DC self bias and rf current for various operating pressures and powers are shown. A comparison of the outputs of the numerical results is done with the experimentally obtained values of the DC self bias and rf current. A good quantitative correspondence between them is obtained. The results presents may substantially improve the understanding of the behavior of the capacitively coupled plasma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Zika virus is an emerging arbovirus, which is expanding in epidemic proportions through tropical and subtropical areas of the world. Although Zika is linked to a number of congenital and neurological complications, there is scarce knowledge on the impact of ZIKV infection in human skin. We report the case of a 68‐year old woman who presented with generalized pustular psoriasis after a preceding and otherwise uneventful episode of ZIKV infection. Based on recent experimental data on the biology of ZIKV infection in the cutaneous environment, we speculate that ZIKV may have directly triggered the development of generalized pustular psoriasis by stimulation of keratinocyte‐derived mediators of inflammation and a polyfunctional T‐cell driven immune reaction in the cutaneous milieu. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assisted reproductive technologies are a combination of medical strategies designed to treat infertility patients. Ideal stimulation treatment has to be individualized, but one of the main challenges which clinicians face in the everyday clinic is how to select the best medical protocol for a patient. This work aims to look for behavior patterns in this kind of treatments, using fuzzy logic models with the objective of helping gynecologists and embryologists to make decisions that could improve the process of in vitro fertilization. For this purpose, a real-world dataset composed of one hundred and twenty-three (123) patients and five hundred and fifty-nine (559) treatments applied in relation to such patients provided by an assisted reproduction clinic, has been used to obtain the fuzzy models. As conclusion, this work corroborates some known clinic experiences, provides some new ones and proposes a set of questions to be solved in future experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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e-Health Systems quality management is an expensive and hard process that entails performing several tasks such as analysis, evaluation, and quality control. Furthermore, the development of an e-Health System involves great responsibility since people’s health and quality of life depend on the system and services offered. The focus of the following study is to identify the gap in Quality Characteristics for e-Health Systems, by detecting not only which are the most studied, but also which are the most used Quality Characteristics these Systems include. A strategic study is driven in this paper by a Systematic Literature Review so as to identify Quality Characteristics in e-Health. Such study makes information and communication technology organizations reflect and act strategically to manage quality in e-Health Systems efficiently and effectively. As a result, this paper proposes the bases of a Quality Model and focuses on a set of Quality Characteristics to enable e-Health Systems quality management. Thus, we can conclude that this paper contributes to implementing knowledge with regard to the mission and view of e-Health (Systems) quality management and helps understand how current researches evaluate quality in e-Health Systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to make a current diagnosis of the scientific production of Ibero-American researchers on information literacy and information competences during the last four decades. The literature output on information literacy was examined using the techniques of bibliometric analysis and information visualization. The literature considered was that constituted by the articles included in the Web of Science (Thomson Reuters), Scopus (Elsevier), Library and Information Science Abstracts, and Library, Information Science and Technology Abstracts databases. The occurrence of descriptors was analysed using VOSViewer, a program that groups them into clusters and generates a map of their connections. The results showed exponential growth of some 30 % annually between 2005 and 2011, with a mean of 14.45 documents per year. Spain, with 119 documents, was the top producing country, followed by Brazil with 76. The distribution of the more than 500 authors fitted a Lotka-law pattern, and the distribution of the 105 journals fitted the three zones of a Bradford-law pattern. The visualization map showed the 62 descriptors to group into seven clusters. For its centrality, there stood out 'Information literacy', strongly related with 'Information Science'. At the edge of the map were 'Digital literacy' and 'School library', indicative of their lack of any strong relationship with other terms. The 'Education', 'Knowledge management', 'Universities & colleges', and 'University libraries' descriptors were linked closely with the main IL theme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An integrative approach is taken to mapping the field of research on information literacy in health sciences and social sciences. The objective was to identify the conceptual structure of these areas, and to determine their main research fronts and descriptors, and the relationships between them. A further objective is to determine whether information literacy is a consistent area. The basis of the study is the use of the program VOSViewer to analyse the co-occurrence of the areas' descriptors, grouping them into clusters and generating a map of their connections. Information retrieval was by retrospective searches of the Web of Science (Thomson Reuters) and Scopus (Elsevier). The results for the health sciences area yielded four clusters. The centralmost descriptor was Education (with a total link strength of 1,470), which was strongly linked to the descriptor ' Information retrieval', and weakly linked to ' Information skills', ' Information seeking', and ' Information Science'. In social sciences, there were six clusters. ' Information literacy' was now the descriptor with most occurrences (812) as well as having the greatest weight-a total link strength of 2,340-followed by ' Education' with 839 occurrences. The resulting maps provide a graphical identification of the main research issues and trends in information literacy in these two areas of expertise which, according to the data of the present study, correspond to lesser (health sciences) and greater (social sciences) scientific production. Information literacy was seen to be conceptually more consistent in health sciences than in social sciences. However, at least for the moment, it is a still growing conceptual space that is in need of solider indices of consistency and specificity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current work compared the physiological characteristics of plantain ( Musa AAB) plantlets micropropagated in temporary immersion bioreactors (TIB) and on a gelled medium (GM). The plantlets were evaluated during in vitro growth (in the shoot elongation phase) and at the end of ex vitro acclimatization. TIB improved rooting and gave rise to longer shoots and higher dry mass. Respiration rate was the highest at the beginning of shoot elongation in both the TIB and GM plantlets. Photosynthetic rate in TIB was significantly higher than in GM from the midpoint of acclimatization, whereas a pyruvate kinase (PK) activity was lower. Starch accumulation was ca. two fold higher in corms than in leaves and always higher in the TIB than GM plantlets. The higher expression of genes coding for carbon metabolism enzymes PK and phospho enolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC) in TIB than in PM indicates a more important role of an autotrophic metabolism in the TIB plantlets when compared to the GM ones. The accumulated reserves were used during the first days of acclimatization leading to the higher survival rates and to the better plant quality of the TIB plantlets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key message: Proteomic and transcriptomic profiles of key enzymes were monitored in pineapple plants propagated under C3 and CAM-inducing metabolisms to obtain insight into the CAM-facultative metabolism and the relationship of CAM plants with oxidative stress. Abstract: Pineapple is one of the most important tropical crops worldwide. The use of temporary immersion bioreactors for the first stages of pineapple propagation enables precise control of plant growth, increases the rate of plant multiplication, decreases space, energy and labor requirements for pineapple plants in commercial micropropagation. Once the plantlets are ready to be taken from the reactors, they are carefully acclimatized to natural environmental conditions, and a facultative C3/CAM metabolism in the first 2 months of growth is the characteristic of pineapple plants, depending on environmental conditions. We subjected two sets of micropropagated pineapple plants to C3 and CAM-inducing environmental conditions, determined by light intensity/relative humidity (respectively 40 μmol m s/85 % and 260 μmol m s/50 %). Leaves of pineapple plants grown under CAM-inducing conditions showed higher leaf thickness and more developed cuticles and hypodermic tissue. Proteomic profiles of several proteins, isoenzyme patterns and transcriptomic profiles were also measured. Five major spots were isolated and identified, two of them for the first time in Ananas comosus (OEE 1; OEE 2) and the other three corresponding to small fragments of the large subunit of Rubisco (LSU). PEPC and PEPCK were also detected by immunobloting of 2DE at the end of both ex vitro treatments (C3/CAM) during the dark period. Isoenzymes of SOD and CAT were identified by electrophoresis and the transcript levels of OEE 1 and CAT were associated with CAM metabolism in pineapple plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hohenbergia penduliflora (A. Rich.) Mez. inhabits the protected ecological area of Cunagua Highland, Ciego de Ávila, Cuba. The availability of this plant for experimental purposes is exceedingly limited. Tissue cultured plants of this specie, would be useful for propagation purposes. Experiments were carried out to optimize the micropropagation process from the disinfection of fruits to ex vitro hardening of regenerated plantlets. The best results were obtained when seeds were disinfected with 2 % (v:v) sodium hypochlorite for 20 min and placed in vitro for 45 days for seed germination. Tissue cultured shoots (1 cm) with vertical wounds in the basal region (5 mm long) were placed in a medium containing Murashige and Skoog (MS) salts, 100 mg l myo-inositol, 0.1 mg l thiamine-HCl, 30 g l sucrose, 8.8 μM 6-benzyladenine (BA) and 1.6 μM naphthalene acetic acid (NAA). Shoots were proliferated for 45 days to obtain 8.21 new shoots per explant; they were subsequently divided and rooted on a medium containing 1.6 μM NAA for 30 days. For ex vitro hardening, plastic trays containing 82 cm of filter-cake-sugarcane ashes were used; 100 % survival rate was recorded. After 6 months of hardening, plants were established ex vitro and ready for protease extraction. Comparisons between protein contents, proteolytic activities and specific proteolytic activities of extracts from stems of macro- and micropropagated plants were acquired. Tissue cultured stems showed statistically lower figures which is why Ethrel was tested here to increase proteolytic activity in micropropagated plant stems. After Ethrel applications, protein contents, proteolytic activities and specific proteolytic activities of extracts from stems were the three main indicators recorded. However, other biochemical effects of Ethrel were also evaluated, such as, levels of chlorophyll pigments, malondialdehyde and other aldehydes; and superoxide dismutase, and guaiacol peroxidase activities. Rising concentrations of Ethrel (0, 1.5, 3.0, 4.5 and 6.0 mg l) decreased protein contents at 72 h but increased proteolytic and specific proteolytic activities of stem extracts. Ethrel was effective in increasing proteolytic activity in in vitro culture-derived plant stems, at a level higher than in field-grown plant stems. Moreover, Ethrel increased superoxide dismutase and guaiacol peroxidase-specific activities in leaves; and decreased chlorophyll pigments. Ethrel did not affect levels of malondialdehyde and other aldehydes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many plant species grown under in vitro controlled conditions can be used as models for the study of physiological processes. Adult pineapple can display CAM physiology while in vitro it functions as a C3 plant. Ex vitro Ananas comosus has plastic morphology and physiology, both easy to modify from C3 to CAM by changing the environmental conditions. The yield of survival for a rentable propagation protocol of pineapple is closely related with the C3/CAM shift and the associated physiological characteristics. In the present work, ex vitro pineapple plants were divided in two sets and subjected to C3 and CAM-inducing environmental conditions, determined by light intensity and relative humidity, respectively, 40 μmol m s/85% and 260 μmol m s/50%. The results demonstrated that the stress imposed by the environmental conditions switched pineapple plants from C3 to CAM behavior. Comparing to CAM induced, C3-induced pineapple plants showed substandard growth parameters and morphological leaf characteristics but a better rooting process and a higher ABA production, a phenotype closer to adult plants, which are expected to produce fruits in a normal production cycle. We conclude that the upholding of these characteristics is conditioned by low light intensity plus high relative humidity, especially during the first 8 weeks of ex vitro growth. It is expected that the better understanding of pineapple acclimatization will contribute to the design of a protocol to apply as a rentable tool in the pineapple agronomic industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study investigates gel polymer electrolytes (GPEs) based on sodium alginate plasticized with glycerol containing either CH3COOH or LiClO4. The membranes showed ionic conductivity results of 3.1 × 10−4 S/cm for the samples with LiClO4 and 8.7 × 10−5 S/cm for the samples with CH3COOH at room temperature. The samples also showed thermal stability up to 160°C, transparency of up to 90%, surface uniformity and adhesion to glass and steel. Moreover, Dynamic Mechanical Analysis revealed two relaxations for both samples and the Ea values were between 18 and 36 kJ/mol. All the results obtained indicate that alginate-based GPEs can be used as electrolytes in electrochemical devices. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Plantain ( Musa ABB CEMSA 3/4) plantlets were micropropagated in temporary immersion bioreactors (TIB) or in gelled medium (GM). After ex vitro transfer ROS accumulation was determined by infiltrating leaves with nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) and 3,3′-diaminobenzidine (DAB). Stomatal cells were more stained with NBT and DAB in GM plants than in TIB plants, but the difference disappeared at the end of acclimatization. At the end of the in vitro phase, GM plantlets showed higher activities of ascorbate peroxidase (APX), dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR), monodehydroascorbate reductase (MDHAR) and glutathione reductase (GR), while activities of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione transferase (GT) were higher in TIB grown plantlets. At the end of acclimatization GT, SOD, CAT and MDHAR stabilized at low values of activity in plantlets derived from both treatments. Concerning the correspondent genes, GM plantlets showed higher expression of all transcripts with the exception of CuZnSOD. The immunobloting of peroxiredoxins (PRXs) showed that chloroplast-located PRXs were expressed at higher levels in TIB plantlets, some showing polymerization. In conclusion, TIB grown plantlets had an improved anti-oxidative response when compared with GM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A procedure for the mass propagation of pineapple plants ( Ananas comosus L. Merr) using a temporary immersion technique is described. This procedure involved three distinct phases in the automated temporary immersion system: shooting, bud differentiation and elongation. To establish this protocol, we used in vitro shoots obtained from established liquid culture as starting materials. Three culture methods (solid, liquid and temporary immersion) were compared. Temporary immersion increased the multiplication rate and fresh and dry weight after 42 days. Conventional micropropagation (liquid medium) and temporary immersion were compared in combination with paclobutrazol. Paclobutrazol promoted the formation of compact bud clusters with limited leaf development. The highest multiplication rate (106) was found when ex-plants were cultured in shooting medium (MS+2.1 mg/l BA+0.3 mg/l NAA) supplemented with 1 mg/l PB for 7 weeks. A 10-l temporary immersion bioreactor was used to test two approaches during elongation stage: reduction of the shoot-formation period or decrease of the initial number of explants. The highest number of competent and uniform plants (191.8 plant/l) was achieved when shoots were cultured for 4 weeks in shooting medium supplemented with PB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

e-Health Systems quality management is an expensive and hard process that entails performing several tasks such as analysis, evaluation, and quality control. Furthermore, the development of an e-Health System involves great responsibility since people's health and quality of life depend on the system and services offered. The focus of the following study is to identify the gap in Quality Characteristics for e-Health Systems, by detecting not only which are the most studied, but also which are the most used Quality Characteristics these Systems include. A strategic study is driven in this paper by a Systematic Literature Review so as to identify Quality Characteristics in e-Health. Such study makes information and communication technology organizations reflect and act strategically to manage quality in e-Health Systems efficiently and effectively. As a result, this paper proposes the bases of a Quality Model and focuses on a set of Quality Characteristics to enable e-Health Systems quality management. Thus, we can conclude that this paper contributes to implementing knowledge with regard to the mission and view of e-Health (Systems) quality management and helps understand how current researches evaluate quality in e-Health Systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]