PEPPER, a novel K-homology domain gene, regulates vegetative and gynoecium development in Arabidopsis

AbstractPistil final morphology relies on floral meristem homeostasis, proper organ specification and regional differentiation. These are developmental processes in which sophisticated signaling networks are being uncovered. However, further elements for fine-tuning adjustment still remain to be disclosed. At the molecular level, posttranscriptional modulators may fit such a profile. In this work, we describe the characterization of PEPPER (PEP), a novel Arabidopsis gene encoding a polypeptide with K-homology (KH) RNA-binding modules, which acts on vegetative growth and pistil development. PEP was initially identified as one of the gene functions affected in a complex mutant carrying a chromosomal reorganization, which exhibits aberrant phyllotaxy and small fruits with supernumerary carpels. In contrast, plants carrying single-gene pep null mutations exhibit subtle morphological alterations. Individuals bearing a stronger-than-null allele present a phenotype comprising leaf alterations, phyllotactic errors and sporadic presence of fruits with multiple valves. Accordingly, dynamic PEP expression was detected in all major organs examined. Complementation experiments with a PEP genomic clone confirmed a role for PEP as a regulator in vegetative and reproductive development. Moreover, our genetic studies suggest that PEP interacts with element(s) of the CLAVATA signaling pathway

New Materials for 3D-Printing Based on Polycaprolactone with Gum Rosin and Beeswax as Additives

[EN] In this work, different materials for three-dimensional (3D)-printing were studied, which based on polycaprolactone with two natural additives, gum rosin, and beeswax. During the 3D-printing process, the bed and extrusion temperatures of each formulation were established. After, the obtained materials were characterized by mechanical, thermal, and structural properties. The results showed that the formulation with containing polycaprolactone with a mixture of gum rosin and beeswax as additive behaved better during the 3D-printing process. Moreover, the miscibility and compatibility between the additives and the matrix were concluded through the thermal assessment. The mechanical characterization established that the addition of the mixture of gum rosin and beeswax provides greater tensile strength than those additives separately, facilitating 3D-printing. In contrast, the addition of beeswax increased the ductility of the material, which makes the 3D-printing processing difficult. Despite the fact that both natural additives had a plasticizing effect, the formulations containing gum rosin showed greater elongation at break. Finally, Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy assessment deduced that polycaprolactone interacts with the functional groups of the additives.This research was supported by the Spanish State Agency of Research trough the project MAT2017-84909-C2-2-R and Universidad Politecnica de Valencia-GVA through the project "Development".Pavón-Vargas, CP.; Aldas-Carrasco, MF.; López-Martínez, J.; Ferrándiz Bou, S. (2020). New Materials for 3D-Printing Based on Polycaprolactone with Gum Rosin and Beeswax as Additives. Polymers. 12(2):1-20. https://doi.org/10.3390/polym12020334S120122Zhu, Y., Romain, C., & Williams, C. K. (2016). Sustainable polymers from renewable resources. 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A., Prawiro, E., Luanto, R. A., & Mahlia, T. M. I. (2017). Thermal properties of beeswax/graphene phase change material as energy storage for building applications. Applied Thermal Engineering, 112, 273-280. doi:10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2016.10.085Aldas, M., Rayón, E., López-Martínez, J., & Arrieta, M. P. (2020). A Deeper Microscopic Study of the Interaction between Gum Rosin Derivatives and a Mater-Bi Type Bioplastic. Polymers, 12(1), 226. doi:10.3390/polym12010226Vasile, C., Stoleru, E., Darie-Niţa, R. N., Dumitriu, R. P., Pamfil, D., & Tarţau, L. (2019). Biocompatible Materials Based on Plasticized Poly(lactic acid), Chitosan and Rosemary Ethanolic Extract I. Effect of Chitosan on the Properties of Plasticized Poly(lactic acid) Materials. Polymers, 11(6), 941. doi:10.3390/polym11060941Fabra, M. J., Jiménez, A., Atarés, L., Talens, P., & Chiralt, A. (2009). Effect of Fatty Acids and Beeswax Addition on Properties of Sodium Caseinate Dispersions and Films. 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The CRC orthologue from Pisum sativum shows conserved functions in carpel morphogenesis and vascular development

[EN] CRABS CLAW (CRC) is a member of the YABBY family of transcription factors involved in carpel morphogenesis, floral determinacy and nectary specification in arabidopsis. CRC orthologues have been functionally characterized across angiosperms, revealing additional roles in leaf vascular development and carpel identity specification in Poaceae. These studies support an ancestral role of CRC orthologues in carpel development, while roles in vascular development and nectary specification appear to be derived. This study aimed to expand research on CRC functional conservation to the legume family in order to better understand the evolutionary history of CRC orthologues in angiosperms. CRC orthologues from Pisum sativum and Medicago truncatula were identified. RNA in situ hybridization experiments determined the corresponding expression patterns throughout flower development. The phenotypic effects of reduced CRC activity were investigated in P. sativum using virus-induced gene silencing. CRC orthologues from P. sativum and M. truncatula showed similar expression patterns, mainly restricted to carpels and nectaries. However, these expression patterns differed from those of other core eudicots, most importantly in a lack of abaxial expression in the carpel and in atypical expression associated with the medial vein of the ovary. CRC downregulation in pea caused defects in carpel fusion and style/stigma development, both typically associated with CRC function in eudicots, but also affected vascular development in the carpel. The data support the conserved roles of CRC orthologues in carpel fusion, style/stigma development and nectary development. In addition, an intriguing new aspect of CRC function in legumes was the unexpected role in vascular development, which could be shared by other species from widely diverged clades within the angiosperms, suggesting that this role could be ancestral rather than derived, as so far generally accepted.We thank Rafael Martinez-Pardo (IBMCP) for greenhouse support, Alejandro Terrones (IBMCP) for technical assistance and Elisabeth Johansen (University of Aarhus, Denmark) for providing VIGS plasmids and technical advice. This work was supported by the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovacion (BIO2009-09920), the Spanish Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad (BIO2012-32902) and the Generalitat Valenciana (ACOMP/2012/099).Fourquin ., C.; Primo-Capella, A.; Martinez-Fernandez, I.; Huet-Trujillo, E.; Ferrandiz Maestre, C. (2014). The CRC orthologue from Pisum sativum shows conserved functions in carpel morphogenesis and vascular development. Annals of Botany. 114(7):1535-1544. https://doi.org/10.1093/aob/mcu129S15351544114

Afectación emocional en pacientes críticos: Factores de riesgo y de protección

Despite the importance of patients’ psychological well-being in their own recovery from illness, few studies examine these issues while the patient is still in ICU. This study analyzes the psychological distress of 71 ICU patients and the potential risk/protective factors for such distress. Patients showed moderate anxiety and depression although in a significant percentage clinical symptomatology was observed. More than halve of the patients revealed an intermediate general stress level and the most important stressor was having pain. Regarding risk factors for psychological distress, being a woman increased the risk for anxiety, depression and stress. Being a septic patient also increased the risk of experiencing stress. Conversely, some protective factors were being married and younger. These data provide a landscape of the distress experienced by patients while they are still in ICU, which is important to optimize the attention provided in a context where time for intervention is rather limited.A pesar de la importancia del bienestar psicológico del paciente en su recuperación, pocos estudios analizan estos aspectos mientras el paciente está todavía en UCI. Este estudio analiza la afectación emocional de 71 pacientes críticos y facto-res de riesgo/protección para dicha afectación. Los pacientes mostraron síntomas de ansiedad/depresión moderados, aunque un porcentaje significativo mostró sintomatología clínica. Más de la mitad de los pacientes reveló un nivel de estrés intermedio y el estresor más importante fue tener dolor. Asimismo, ser mujer aumentó el riesgo de ansiedad, depresión y estrés. Ser paciente séptico incrementó el riesgo de experimentar estrés. Por el contrario, algunos factores protectores fueron estar casado y ser más joven. Estos datos proporcionan un panorama general del malestar experimentado por los pacientes mientras están en UCI, lo cual es importante para optimizar la atención de los pacientes en un contexto en el que el tiempo para intervenir es bastante escaso

Psychological distress in critically ill patients: Risk and protective factors

Abstract: Despite the importance of patients’ psychological well-being in their own recovery from illness, few studies examine these issues while the patient is still in ICU. This study analyzes the psychological distress of 71 ICU patients and the potential risk/protective factors for such distress. Patients showed moderate anxiety and depression although in a significant percentage clinical symptomatology was observed. More than halve of the patients revealed an intermediate general stress level and the most important stressor was having pain. Regarding risk factors for psychological distress, being a woman increased the risk for anxiety, depression and stress. Being a septic patient also increased the risk of experiencing stress. Conversely, some protective factors were being married and younger. These data provide a landscape of the distress experienced by patients while they are still in ICU, which is important to optimize the attention provided in a context where time for intervention is rather limited. Keywords: Critically ill patients; psychological distress; risk factors; protective factors. Afectación emocional en pacientes críticos: Factores de riesgo y de protección Resumen: A pesar de la importancia del bienestar psicológico del paciente en su recuperación, pocos estudios analizan estos aspectos mientras el paciente está todavía en UCI. Este estudio analiza la afectación emocional de 71 pacientes críticos y factores de riesgo/protección para dicha afectación. Los pacientes mostraron síntomas de ansiedad/depresión moderados, aunque un porcentaje significativo mostró sintomatología clínica. Más de la mitad de los pacientes reveló un nivel de estrés intermedio y el estresor más importante fue tener dolor. Asimismo, ser mujer aumentó el riesgo de ansiedad, depresión y estrés. Ser paciente séptico incrementó el riesgo de experimentar estrés. Por el contrario, algunos factores protectores fueron estar casado y ser más joven. Estos datos proporcionan un panorama general del malestar experimentado por los pacientes mientras están en UCI, lo cual es importante para optimizar la atención de los pacientes en un contexto en el que el tiempo para intervenir es bastanteescaso. Palabras clave: Pacientes críticamente enfermos; malestar emocional; factores de riesgo; factores protectores

Removal torque and physico-chemical characteristics of dental implants etched with hydrofluoric and nitric acid : an experimental study in Beagle dogs

Objective: To study the composition, surface characteristics and response to removal torque of an implant surface subjected to hydrofluoric acid etching and posterior passivating with hydrofluoric and nitric acid. Study design: Twelve implants were initially selected and their physico-chemical characteristics were evaluated by means of energy-dispersive X-rays (EDS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). In addition, 24 implants ? 12 measuring 8 mm and 12 measuring 10 mm in length ? were implanted in 6 Beagle dogs. Twelve implants were removed after a recovery period of 6 weeks, followed by removal of the remaining 12 implants after 12 weeks, using a torque calibrator (Gauge Tonichi® model BGT150CN-S) with a force registry range of 0-150 Ncm. Results: EDS analysis of the surface chemical composition only revealed the presence of titanium in the etched surfaces. In the same way as with the surfaces of other dental implants, XPS analysis revealed traces of other elements present in the surface, fundamentally carbon. Following dual acid etching, the surface showed the roughness resulting from acid action, with a morphology that proved to be quite homogeneous. The roughness values obtained exceeded 1 µm. The mean removal torque values after 6 weeks were 79.7 Ncm for the 8 mm implants and 115 Ncm for the 10 mm implants. After 12 weeks, these values increased to 101.2 Ncm and 139.7 Ncm, respectively. Conclusions: Hydrofluoric and nitric acid etching affords optimum surface characteristics comparable to those of other surfaces. The recorded removal torque values raise the possibility of human clinical application for early or immediate loading procedures

Alginate-Agarose Hydrogels Improve the In Vitro Differentiation of Human Dental Pulp Stem Cells in Chondrocytes. A Histological Study

[EN] Matrix-assisted autologous chondrocyte implantation (MACI) has shown promising results for cartilage repair, combining cultured chondrocytes and hydrogels, including alginate. The ability of chondrocytes for MACI is limited by different factors including donor site morbidity, dedifferentiation, limited lifespan or poor proliferation in vitro. Mesenchymal stem cells could represent an alternative for cartilage regeneration. In this study, we propose a MACI scaffold consisting of a mixed alginate-agarose hydrogel in combination with human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs), suitable for cartilage regeneration. Scaffolds were characterized according to their rheological properties, and their histomorphometric and molecular biology results. Agarose significantly improved the biomechanical behavior of the alginate scaffolds. Large scaffolds were manufactured, and a homogeneous distribution of cells was observed within them. Although primary chondrocytes showed a greater capacity for chondrogenic differentiation, hDPSCs cultured in the scaffolds formed large aggregates of cells, acquired a rounded morphology and expressed high amounts of type II collagen and aggrecan. Cells cultured in the scaffolds expressed not only chondral matrix-related genes, but also remodeling proteins and chondrocyte differentiation factors. The degree of differentiation of cells was proportional to the number and size of the cell aggregates that were formed in the hydrogels.This work was funded by the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness of the Spanish Government (PID2019-106099RB-C42, MM) and by the Generalitat Valenciana, Spain (PROMETEO/2020/069, CC). CIBER-BBN and CIBER-ER are financed by the VI National R&D&I Plan 2008-2011, Iniciativa Ingenio 2010, Consolider Program, CIBER Actions and the Instituto de Salud Carlos III, with assistance of the European Regional Development Fund.Oliver-Ferrándiz, M.; Milián, L.; Sancho-Tello, M.; Martín De Llano, JJ.; Gisbert-Roca, F.; Martínez-Ramos, C.; Carda, C.... (2021). Alginate-Agarose Hydrogels Improve the In Vitro Differentiation of Human Dental Pulp Stem Cells in Chondrocytes. A Histological Study. Biomedicines. 9(7):1-22. https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines9070834S1229

A Comparative Study of Cell Culture Conditions during Conversion from Primed to Naive Human Pluripotent Stem Cells

The successful reprogramming of human somatic cells into induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) represented a turning point in the stem cell research field, owing to their ability to differentiate into any cell type with fewer ethical issues than human embryonic stem cells (hESCs). In mice, PSCs are thought to exist in a naive state, the cell culture equivalent of the immature pre-implantation embryo, whereas in humans, PSCs are in a primed state, which is a more committed pluripotent state than a naive state. Recent studies have focused on capturing a similar cell stage in human cells. Given their earlier developmental stage and therefore lack of cell-of-origin epigenetic memory, these cells would be better candidates for further re-differentiation, use in disease modeling, regenerative medicine and drug discovery. In this study, we used primed hiPSCs and hESCs to evaluate the successful establishment and maintenance of a naive cell stage using three different naive-conversion media, both in the feeder and feeder-free cells conditions. In addition, we compared the directed differentiation capacity of primed and naive cells into the three germ layers and characterized these different cell stages with commonly used pluripotent and lineage-specific markers. Our results show that, in general, naive culture NHSM medium (in both feeder and feeder-free systems) confers greater hiPSCs and hESCs viability and the highest naive pluripotency markers expression. This medium also allows better cell differentiation cells toward endoderm and mesoderm.This work was supported by the Health Department of the Basque Government (Grant 2019111068, 2019/4703, 2020111058, 2020333032, 2021333057 and 2021333012), Merck-Salud Founda- tion (FSALUD17/004), Economic Development and Infrastructures Department of the Basque Govern- ment (KK-2020/00068), EITB Maratoia (BIO21/COV/030), Project “PI18/01299” and “PI21/01187”, funded by Instituto de Salud Carlos III and co-funded by European Union (ERDF) “A way to make Europe”, “ICI21/00095” funded by Instituto de Salud Carlos III and co-funded by European Union (NextGenerationEU), “Plan de Recuperación Transformación y Resiliencia” Investigación Clínica Independiente 2021–Acción Estratégica Salud 2017–2020, RICORS: (RD21/00017/0024) Red Española de Terapias Avanzadas TERAV ISCIII. Funded by Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII) and co-funded by European Union (NextGenerationEU) “Plan de Recuperación Transformación y Resiliencia” Redes de Investigación Cooperativa Orientadas a Resultados en Salud (RICORS) 2021–Acción Estratégica Salud 2017–2020. L.H. was supported by the Jesus Gangoiti Barrera Foundation and the Asociación Española contra el Cáncer (AECC) AECC16/501 and the Fundación Mutua Madrileña AP176182020. M.M-I was supported by Jesus Gangoiti Barrera Foundation. I.R was supported by Margarita Salas Grant “MARSA21/60” and the Jesus Gangoiti Barrera Foundation. M.I-F. was supported by Inocente Inocente Foundation FII18/003. J.R.P. has grant “RYC-2013-13450” funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033, by the European Social Fund “ESF investing in your future”