Ka-band return link for UAVs using adaptive spreading factor for DSSS in a DVB-RCS2 context

This paper evaluates the potential performances of a Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum (DSSS) satellite communication for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in Ka-band using low directional antenna. The need to comply with the interference templates established by ITU enforces a bound to the signal power emitted toward adjacent satellites and greatly limits the accessible data rate. That prevents the UAVs communications to use a dedicated repeater for the return link. Instead, simultaneous transmission with return link communications in accordance to DVB-RCS2 standard is investigated. The proposed system is thus based on simultaneous transmission of narrow-band carriers (DVB-RCS2 primary system) and spread spectrum carriers (secondary system dedicated to UAVs). Mutual interferences are evaluated, it is shown that secondary transmissions do not affect primary systems availability, but conversely DVB-RCS2 carriers forces the secondary systems to use a high spreading factor, typically between 28 and 214 which can be updated as the number of primary active carriers changes within the beam. A compromise between secondary burst length and speed of adaptation for spreading factor is also discussed. Typically, if the targeted Packet Error Rate (PER) of the secondary link is 10e-5 and modulation is QPSK with a code rate 1/3, SNIR has to be held over 0 dB. This objective is reached with a spreading factor switching from 2e10 to 2e14 as the number of active primary carriers changes with a maximum bandwidth occupation of 90%, resulting in a data rate varying between 8 kbps and 34 kbps for the secondary system and a SNIR maintained between 1.5 dB and 4.5 dB

An online database for plant image analysis software tools

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Gravimetric phenotyping of whole plant transpiration responses to atmospheric vapour pressure deficit identifies genotypic variation in water use efficiency

There is increasing interest in rapidly identifying genotypes with improved water use efficiency, exemplified by the development of whole plant phenotyping platforms that automatically measure plant growth and water use. Transpirational responses to atmospheric vapour pressure deficit (VPD) and whole plant water use efficiency (WUE, defined as the accumulation of above ground biomass per unit of water used) were measured in 100 maize (Zea mays L.) genotypes. Using a glasshouse based phenotyping platform with naturally varying VPD (1.5 to 3.8 kPa), a 2-fold variation in WUE was identified in well-watered plants. Regression analysis of transpiration versus VPD under these conditions, and subsequent whole plant gas exchange at imposed VPDs (0.8 to 3.4 kPa) showed identical responses in specific genotypes. Genotype response of transpiration versus VPD fell into two categories: 1) a linear increase in transpiration rate with VPD with low (high WUE) or high (low WUE) transpiration rate at all VPDs, 2) a non-linear response with a pronounced change point at low VPD (high WUE) or high VPD (low WUE). In the latter group, high WUE genotypes required a significantly lower VPD before transpiration was restricted, and had a significantly lower rate of transpiration in response to VPD after this point, when compared to low WUE genotypes. Change point values were significantly positively correlated with stomatal sensitivity to VPD. A change point in stomatal response to VPD may explain why some genotypes show contradictory WUE rankings according to whether they are measured under glasshouse or field conditions. Furthermore, this novel use of a high throughput phenotyping platform successfully reproduced the gas exchange responses of individuals measured in whole plant chambers, accelerating the identification of plants with high WUE

Analysis of root growth from a phenotyping data set using a density-based model

Major research efforts are targeting the improved performance of root systems for more efficient use of water and nutrients by crops. However, characterizing root system architecture (RSA) is challenging, because roots are difficult objects to observe and analyse. A model-based analysis of RSA traits from phenotyping image data is presented. The model can successfully back-calculate growth parameters without the need to measure individual roots. The mathematical model uses partial differential equations to describe root system development. Methods based on kernel estimators were used to quantify root density distributions from experimental image data, and different optimization approaches to parameterize the model were tested. The model was tested on root images of a set of 89 Brassica rapa L. individuals of the same genotype grown for 14 d after sowing on blue filter paper. Optimized root growth parameters enabled the final (modelled) length of the main root axes to be matched within 1% of their mean values observed in experiments. Parameterized values for elongation rates were within ±4% of the values measured directly on images. Future work should investigate the time dependency of growth parameters using time-lapse image data. The approach is a potentially powerful quantitative technique for identifying crop genotypes with more efficient root systems, using (even incomplete) data from high-throughput phenotyping systems

A quantitative model of traffic between plasma membrane and secondary lysosomes: evaluation of inflow, lateral diffusion, and degradation.

We present here a mathematical model that accounts for the various proportions of plasma membrane constituents occurring in the lysosomal membrane of rat fibroblasts (Draye, J.-P., J. Quintart, P. J. Courtoy, and P. Baudhuin. 1987. Eur. J. Biochem. 170: 395-403; Draye, J.-P., P. J. Courtoy, J. Quintart, and P. Baudhuin. 1987. Eur. J. Biochem. 170:405-411). It is based on contents of plasma membrane markers in purified lysosomal preparations, evaluations of their half-life in lysosomes and measurements of areas of lysosomal and plasma membranes by morphometry. In rat fibroblasts, structures labeled by a 2-h uptake of horseradish peroxidase followed by a 16-h chase (i.e., lysosomes) occupy 3% of the cellular volume and their total membrane area corresponds to 30% of the pericellular membrane area. Based on the latter values, the model predicts the rate of inflow and outflow of plasma membrane constituents into lysosomal membrane, provided their rate of degradation is known. Of the bulk of polypeptides iodinated at the cell surface, only 4% reach the lysosomes every hour, where the major part (integral of 83%) is degraded with a half-life in lysosomes of integral to 0.8 h. For specific plasma membrane constituents, this model can further account for differences in the association to the lysosomal membrane by variations in the rate either of lysosomal degradation, of inflow along the pathway from the pericellular membrane to the lysosomes, or of lateral diffusion

Modification of the expression of the aquaporin ZmPIP2;5 affects water relations and plant growth

The maize plasma membrane PIP2;5 aquaporin plays a role in controlling root radial water movement, leaf hydraulic conductivity, and plant growth. The plasma membrane intrinsic protein PIP2;5 is the most highly expressed aquaporin in maize (Zea mays) roots. Here, we investigated how deregulation of PIP2;5 expression affects water relations and growth using maize overexpression (OE; B104 inbred) or knockout (KO; W22 inbred) lines. The hydraulic conductivity of the cortex cells of roots grown hydroponically was higher in PIP2;5 OE and lower in pip2;5 KO lines compared with the corresponding wild-type plants. While whole-root conductivity decreased in the KO lines compared to the wild type, no difference was observed in OE plants. This paradox was interpreted using the MECHA hydraulic model, which computes the radial flow of water within root sections. The model hints that the plasma membrane permeability of the cells is not radially uniform but that PIP2;5 may be saturated in cell layers with apoplastic barriers, i.e. the endodermis and exodermis, suggesting the presence of posttranslational mechanisms controlling the abundance of PIP in the plasma membrane in these cells. At the leaf level, where the PIP2;5 gene is weakly expressed in wild-type plants, the hydraulic conductance was higher in the PIP2;5 OE lines compared with the wild-type plants, whereas no difference was observed in the pip2;5 KO lines. The temporal trend of leaf elongation rate, used as a proxy for that of xylem water potential, was faster in PIP2;5 OE plants upon mild stress, but not in well-watered conditions, demonstrating that PIP2;5 may play a beneficial role in plant growth under specific conditions