Characterizing haploinsufficiency of SHELL gene to improve fruit form prediction in introgressive hybrids of oil palm

The fundamental trait in selective breeding of oil palm (Eleais guineensis Jacq.) is the shell thickness surrounding the kernel. The monogenic shell thickness is inversely correlated to mesocarp thickness, where the crude palm oil accumulates. Commercial thin-shelled tenera derived from thick-shelled dura × shell-less pisifera generally contain 30% higher oil per bunch. Two mutations, shᴹᴾᴼᴮ (M1) and shAVROS (M2) in the SHELL gene – a type II MADS-box transcription factor mainly present in AVROS and Nigerian origins, were reported to be responsible for different fruit forms. In this study, we have tested 1,339 samples maintained in Sime Darby Plantation using both mutations. Five genotype-phenotype discrepancies and eight controls were then re-tested with all five reported mutations (shAVROS, shᴹᴾᴼᴮ, shᴹᴾᴼᴮ², shᴹᴾᴼᴮ ³ and shᴹᴾᴼᴮ⁴) within the same gene. The integration of genotypic data, pedigree records and shell formation model further explained the haploinsufficiency effect on the SHELL gene with different number of functional copies. Some rare mutations were also identified, suggesting a need to further confirm the existence of cis-compound mutations in the gene. With this, the prediction accuracy of fruit forms can be further improved, especially in introgressive hybrids of oil palm. Understanding causative variant segregation is extremely important, even for monogenic traits such as shell thickness in oil palm

Spatial proteomics defines the content of trafficking vesicles captured by golgin tethers.

Intracellular traffic between compartments of the secretory and endocytic pathways is mediated by vesicle-based carriers. The proteomes of carriers destined for many organelles are ill-defined because the vesicular intermediates are transient, low-abundance and difficult to purify. Here, we combine vesicle relocalisation with organelle proteomics and Bayesian analysis to define the content of different endosome-derived vesicles destined for the trans-Golgi network (TGN). The golgin coiled-coil proteins golgin-97 and GCC88, shown previously to capture endosome-derived vesicles at the TGN, were individually relocalised to mitochondria and the content of the subsequently re-routed vesicles was determined by organelle proteomics. Our findings reveal 45 integral and 51 peripheral membrane proteins re-routed by golgin-97, evidence for a distinct class of vesicles shared by golgin-97 and GCC88, and various cargoes specific to individual golgins. These results illustrate a general strategy for analysing intracellular sub-proteomes by combining acute cellular re-wiring with high-resolution spatial proteomics

Kinship structures create persistent channels for language transmission.

Languages are transmitted through channels created by kinship systems. Given sufficient time, these kinship channels can change the genetic and linguistic structure of populations. In traditional societies of eastern Indonesia, finely resolved cophylogenies of languages and genes reveal persistent movements between stable speech communities facilitated by kinship rules. When multiple languages are present in a region and postmarital residence rules encourage sustained directional movement between speech communities, then languages should be channeled along uniparental lines. We find strong evidence for this pattern in 982 individuals from 25 villages on two adjacent islands, where different kinship rules have been followed. Core groups of close relatives have stayed together for generations, while remaining in contact with, and marrying into, surrounding groups. Over time, these kinship systems shaped their gene and language phylogenies: Consistently following a postmarital residence rule turned social communities into speech communities

A practical genome-enabled legitimacy assay for oil palm breeding and seed production

Background: Legitimacy in breeding and commercial crop production depends on optimised protocols to ensure purity of crosses and correct field planting of material. In oil palm, the presence of three fruit forms permits these assumptions to be tested, although only after field planting. The presence of incorrect fruit forms in a cross is a clear sign of illegitimacy. Given that tenera forms produce 30% more oil for the same weight of fruit as dura, the presence of low levels of dura contamination can have major effect during the economic lifespan of an oil palm, which is around 25 years. We evaluated two methods for legitimacy test 1) The use of SHELL markers to the gene that determines the shell-thickness trait 2) The use of SNP markers, to determine the legitimacy of the cross

TOUCHLESS: Demonstrations of Contactless Haptics for Affective Touch

A set of demonstrators of contactless haptic principles is described in this work. The technologies are based on electrostatic piloerection, chemical compounds and ultrasound. Additionally, applications related to affective touch are presented, ranging from storytelling to biosignal transfer, accompanied with a simple application to edit dynamic tactile patterns in an easy way. The demonstrators are the result of the Touchless project, which is a H2020 european collaborative project that integrates 3 universities and 3 companies. These demostrators are contactless haptic experiences and thus facilitate the come-and-interact paradigm, where users can approach the demo booth and directly experience the applications without having to wear devices, making the experience fast and hygienic

Neonatal brain dynamic functional connectivity in term and preterm infants and its association with early childhood neurodevelopment

Brain dynamic functional connectivity characterises transient connections between brain regions. Features of brain dynamics have been linked to emotion and cognition in adult individuals, and atypical patterns have been associated with neurodevelopmental conditions such as autism. Although reliable functional brain networks have been consistently identified in neonates, little is known about the early development of dynamic functional connectivity. In this study we characterise dynamic functional connectivity with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in the first few weeks of postnatal life in term-born (n = 324) and preterm-born (n = 66) individuals. We show that a dynamic landscape of brain connectivity is already established by the time of birth in the human brain, characterised by six transient states of neonatal functional connectivity with changing dynamics through the neonatal period. The pattern of dynamic connectivity is atypical in preterm-born infants, and associated with atypical social, sensory, and repetitive behaviours measured by the Quantitative Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (Q-CHAT) scores at 18 months of age.</p

TOUCHLESS: demonstrations of contactless haptics for affective touch

A set of demonstrators of contactless haptic principles is described in this work. The technologies are based on electrostatic piloerection, chemical compounds and ultrasound. Additionally, applications related to affective touch are presented, ranging from storytelling to biosignal transfer, accompanied with a simple application to edit dynamic tactile patterns in an easy way. The demonstrators are the result of the Touchless project, which is a H2020 european collaborative project that integrates 3 universities and 3 companies. These demostrators are contactless haptic experiences and thus facilitate the come-and-interact paradigm, where users can approach the demo booth and directly experience the applications without having to wear devices, making the experience fast and hygienic.Funded by EU Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme grant agreement No 101017746 TOUCHLESS

Characterizing haploinsufficiency of SHELL gene to improve fruit form prediction in introgressive hybrids of oil palm

The fundamental trait in selective breeding of oil palm (Eleais guineensis Jacq.) is the shell thickness surrounding the kernel. The monogenic shell thickness is inversely correlated to mesocarp thickness, where the crude palm oil accumulates. Commercial thin-shelled tenera derived from thick-shelled dura × shell-less pisifera generally contain 30% higher oil per bunch. Two mutations, shᴹᴾᴼᴮ (M1) and shAVROS (M2) in the SHELL gene – a type II MADS-box transcription factor mainly present in AVROS and Nigerian origins, were reported to be responsible for different fruit forms. In this study, we have tested 1,339 samples maintained in Sime Darby Plantation using both mutations. Five genotype-phenotype discrepancies and eight controls were then re-tested with all five reported mutations (shAVROS, shᴹᴾᴼᴮ, shᴹᴾᴼᴮ², shᴹᴾᴼᴮ ³ and shᴹᴾᴼᴮ⁴) within the same gene. The integration of genotypic data, pedigree records and shell formation model further explained the haploinsufficiency effect on the SHELL gene with different number of functional copies. Some rare mutations were also identified, suggesting a need to further confirm the existence of cis-compound mutations in the gene. With this, the prediction accuracy of fruit forms can be further improved, especially in introgressive hybrids of oil palm. Understanding causative variant segregation is extremely important, even for monogenic traits such as shell thickness in oil palm

Calculated energy performance certificate of a duplex house and energy renovation analysis

V diplomski nalogi je predstavljena izdelava računske energetske izkaznice s poudarkom na priporočilih za energetsko sanacijo dvostanovanjske stavbe, locirane v Medvodah. Stavba je bila zgrajena leta 1985. V tem obdobju se je začela uporabljati toplotna izolacija, saj so se že pojavljala vprašanja o energetski učinkovitosti stavb. Energetska izkaznica stavb je potrebna pri prodaji in najemu stavbe, če je obdobje najema daljše od enega leta. Obvezna je tudi pri novogradnji kot del projekta izvedenih del. V uvodnem delu sem predstavil veljavno zakonodajo, ki ureja področje učinkovite rabe energije v stavbah. Potem sem s pomočjo programa TEDI in TOST izdelal računsko energetsko izkaznico za obravnavani objekt v obstoječem stanju, nato pa sem se osredotočil na učinkovitost posameznega ukrepa energetske sanacije. Pri vsakem ukrepu sem komentiral dobljene rezultate in se odločil o smiselnosti njegove izvedbe v odvisnosti od tehnične zahtevnosti in posledičnega prihranka energije. Pri obravnavani stavbi se največ energije, potrebne za ogrevanje z menjavo transparentnega dela in mehanskim prezračevanjem, prihrani z vračanjem toplote odpadnega zraka, in sicer blizu 50 %. Z izborom vseh ukrepov, za katere menim, da so smiselni, pa se prihrani preko 80 % potrebne letne toplote za ogrevanje stavbe. Tudi koeficient specifičnih transmisijskih izgub se zmanjša za 60 %. Poveča pa se potreba po hlajenju, kar je tipična stranska škoda zelo dobro toplotno izoliranih stavb. V zaključnem delu so predstavljene ugotovitve, nastale tekom diplomske naloge.In the undergraduate thesis, the production of the calculated energy performance certificate for the specific building is undertaken. This is done with the emphasis on recommendations for energy renovation of the duplex residential building, which is located in Medvode, Slovenia and was built in 1985. When the building was constructed, energy efficiency was already gaining importance. Consequently many buildings constructed in this period were moderately thermally insulated. An energy performance certificate is legally required when a building is offered for purchase and when it is leased for a period longer than one year. Furthermore the certificate is mandatory for newly built properties, as a basic requirement for the project plan. The thesis initially examines the current legislation, which regulates the area of energy efficiency in buildings. Next the energy performance for the considered building will be produced. This will be done with TEDI and TOST computer software. After that, individual technical measures will be analysed. The viability of these measures will be assessed in consideration of technical complexity and estimated energy savings potential. For the considered building, the greatest energy savings can be realised with exterior joinery renovation and installation of heat recovery ventilation. The implementation of booth measures accounts for about 50% of energy savings. With the comprehensive renovation, more than 80% of the annual heat required for the building would be preserved. In this case the specific heat transfer coefficient would decrease by about 60 %. On the contrary the requirements for cooling would increase, which is the common downside of a well-insulated building