Symplastic communication in organ formation and tissue patterning.

Communication between cells is a crucial step to coordinate organ formation and tissue patterning. In plants, the intercellular transport of metabolites and signalling molecules occur symplastically through membranous structures (named plasmodesmata) that traverse the cell wall to connect the cytoplasm and endoplasmic reticulum of neighbouring cells. This review aims to highlight the importance of symplastic communication in plant development. We revisit current literature reporting the effects of changing plasmodesmata in cell morphogenesis, organ initiation and meristem maintenance and comment on recent work involving the identification of novel plasmodesmata regulators and of mobile developmental proteins and RNA molecules. New opportunities for unravelling the dynamic regulation and function of plasmodesmata are also discussed.EPSRC (Grant ID: EP/MO27740/1)This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Elsevier via http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.pbi.2015.10.00

Companion cells: a diamond in the rough.

Vascular plants have developed highly specialized cells to transport nutrients and developmental signals. The differentiation process includes the degradation of multiple organelles of the sieve element cells (SEs) to facilitate transport and, as a consequence, SEs become dependent on neighboring companion cells (CCs). Despite its importance for phloem function and flowering time control, CCs are still a mysterious cell type. In this review, we gather all the genes known to be expressed in CCs, in different organs and organisms, with the objective of better understanding CC identity and function.The laboratory of YH is funded by the Academy of Finland Centre of Excellence program, BBSRC, the Gatsby Foundation, University of Helsinki, the European Research Council Advanced Investigator Grant Symdev (No. Linked 323052), and Tekes (the Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation)

Adaptive Localized Active Route Maintenance Mechanism to Improve Performance of VoIP over Ad Hoc Networks

An important characteristic of a mobile ad hoc network routing protocol is connectivity maintenance. The protocol’s ability to maintain routes and react to topology changes due to link failures affects the delay, packet loss, and throughput of real-time applications. However, the time required to recover from a link failure in the current AODV protocol is too long for real-time applications. The objective of this paper is to develop a mechanism to allow fast response to link breaks to enable real-time communications, such as Voice over IP. We propose AODVM-ALARM, an adaptive localized route maintenance mechanism, over an existing ad hoc multipath routing protocol. The mechanism dynamically monitors and maintains on-going communications by utilizing special control messages and packet analysis techniques to enable fast response to link breaks. The mechanism can recognize, respond and recover quickly from link breaks due to topology changes. AODV-ALARM has been tested in an ad hoc experimental testbed, and compared with AODV-UU and AODVM protocols. Results show that AODVM-ALARM significantly improves the response time to link failures and achieves an overall improvement in the network performance in terms of the failover delay, failover loss and throughput when compared with the previous ad hoc routing protocols. AODVM-ALARM which is easily deployable, fault tolerant and have a fast response to topology changes can be used to rapidly establish VoIP communications, playing a significant role in emergency response for disaster recovery when the network infrastructure might be broken.YesPeer-reviewed journal articl

Effects of short-term hyposalinity stress on four commercially important bivalves: A proteomic perspective

Increased heavy rainfall can reduce salinity to values close to 0 in estuaries. Lethal and sublethal physiological and behavioural effects of decreases in salinity below ten have already been found to occur in the commercially important clam species Venerupis corrugata, Ruditapes decussatus and R. philippinarum and the cockle Cerastoderma edule, which generate an income of ∼74 million euros annually in Galicia (NW Spain). However, studies of the molecular response to hyposaline stress in bivalves are scarce. This ‘shotgun’ proteomics study evaluates changes in mantle-edge proteins subjected to short-term hyposaline episodes in two different months (March and May) during the gametogenic cycle. We found evidence that the mantle-edge proteome was more responsive to sampling time than to hyposalinity, strongly suggesting that reproductive stages condition the stress response. However, hyposalinity modulated proteome profiles in V. corrugata and C. edule in both months and R. philippinarum in May, involving proteins implicated in protein folding, redox homeostasis, detoxification, cytoskeleton modulation and the regulation of apoptotic, autophagic and lipid degradation pathways. However, proteins that are essential for an optimal osmotic stress response but which are highly energy demanding, such as chaperones, osmoprotectants and DNA repair factors, were found in small relative abundances. In both months in R. decussatus and in March in R. philippinarum, almost no differences between treatments were detected. Concordant trends in the relative abundance of stress response candidate proteins were also obtained in V. corrugata and C. edule in the different months, but not in Ruditapes spp., strongly suggesting that the osmotic stress response in bivalves is complex and possibly influenced by a combination of controlled (sampling time) and uncontrolled variables. In this paper, we report potential molecular targets for studying the response to osmotic stress, especially in the most osmosensitive native species C. edule and V. corrugata, and suggest factors to consider when searching for biomarkers of hyposaline stress in bivalves.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad | Ref. CTM2014-51935-RXunta de Galicia | Ref. GRC2013-004Xunta de Galicia | Ref. ED431C 2017/46Xunta de Galicia | Ref. ED431C 2020/05Financiado para publicación en acceso aberto: Universidade de Vigo/CISU

Two Different Populations within the Healthy Elderly: Lack of Conflict Detection in Those at Risk of Cognitive Decline

During healthy aging, inhibitory processing is affected at the sensorial, perceptual, and cognitive levels. The assessment of event-related potentials (ERPs) during the Stroop task has been used to study age-related decline in the efficiency of inhibitory processes. Studies using ERPs have found that the P300 amplitude increases and the N500 amplitude is attenuated in healthy elderly adults compared to those in young adults. On the other hand, it has been reported that theta excess in resting EEG with eyes closed is a good predictor of cognitive decline during aging 7 years later, while a normal EEG increases the probability of not developing cognitive decline. The behavioral and ERP responses during a Counting-Stroop task were compared between 22 healthy elderly subjects with normal EEG (Normal-EEG group) and 22 healthy elderly subjects with an excess of EEG theta activity (Theta-EEG group). Behaviorally, the Normal-EEG group showed a higher behavioral interference effect than the Theta-EEG group. ERP patterns were different between the groups, and two facts are highlighted: (a) the P300 amplitude was higher in the Theta-EEG group, with both groups showing a P300 effect in almost all electrodes, and (b) the Theta-EEG group did not show an N500 effect. These results suggest that the diminishment in inhibitory control observed in the Theta-EEG group may be compensated by different processes in earlier stages, which would allow them to perform the task with similar efficiency to that of participants with a normal EEG. This study is the first to show that healthy elderly subjects with an excess of theta EEG activity not only are at risk of developing cognitive decline but already have a cognitive impairment

Chest diameter measurement in pediatric patients for chest compression feedback calibration

Adequate compression depth is a main quality parameter during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Current CPR feedback devices can guide adult target depth which is fixed between 5 and 6 cm. For pediatric patients, conversely, target depth should be one third of the antero-posterior diameter of the chest. The aim of this study was to develop an algorithm to estimate chest diameter in pediatric patients using accelerometers. Using a tri-axial accelerometer, we measured the accelerations generated when moving the sensor from the floor to five different heights that simulated chest diameter. Five volunteers generated two records each per height. A total of fifty records were acquired. Chest diameter was measured by discrete integration of the z-axis acceleration signal. Velocity signal was band-pass filtered before computing the displacement signal. Chest diameter was identified as the displacement value at the instant in which the movement finished. Median (P25, P75) unsigned absolute and relative errors were 0.9 cm (0.3, 1.9) and 9.2 % (2.5, 14.6), respectively. Error in estimation of pediatric target compression depth was below 6.5 mm in 75 % of the cases. The proposed algorithm could be used to calibrate target chest compression depth in CPR feedback devices to be adapted for pediatric patients

A root phloem pole cell atlas reveals common transcriptional states in protophloem-adjacent cells

The phloem pole atlas has over 10,000 cells, with an unprecedented resolution of the transcriptional dynamics in phloem development. Despite distinct mature transcriptional states, co-expression networks show common states in protophloem-adjacent cells. Single-cell sequencing has recently allowed the generation of exhaustive root cell atlases. However, some cell types are elusive and remain underrepresented. Here we use a second-generation single-cell approach, where we zoom in on the root transcriptome sorting with specific markers to profile the phloem poles at an unprecedented resolution. Our data highlight the similarities among the developmental trajectories and gene regulatory networks common to protophloem sieve element (PSE)-adjacent lineages in relation to PSE enucleation, a key event in phloem biology. As a signature for early PSE-adjacent lineages, we have identified a set of DNA-binding with one finger (DOF) transcription factors, the PINEAPPLEs (PAPL), that act downstream of PHLOEM EARLY DOF (PEAR) genes and are important to guarantee a proper root nutrition in the transition to autotrophy. Our data provide a holistic view of the phloem poles that act as a functional unit in root development.Peer reviewe

Proyecto “Viajafácil”

En el país tenemos tres sistemas de transporte público importantes para la movilidad diaria de las personas, estos son: Metropolitano, Línea Metro 1, Corredor Complementario y para el 2021 o 2022 la Línea Metro 2; uno de los principales problemas que podemos ver en estos sistemas de transporte son las colas que se deben hacer para el servicio de recarga de tarjetas, sumado a ello existe también la informalidad por parte de algunos revendedores de saldo para poder hacer uso del servicio evitando la cola de recarga,  ocasionando aún más caos en las diferentes estaciones. A pesar de ello, aún no existe una solución que facilite y/o agilice el proceso de recarga en las estaciones, las recargas se hacen con dinero en efectivo siendo también poco conveniente para algunas personas que prefieren mayores métodos de pago. Al tener en cuenta la problemática, creamos una aplicación de recargas virtuales llamado ViajaFácil, que integra diversos métodos de pago para agilizar el proceso de recarga y a su vez posee ciertas características que pueden resultar de utilidad para los usuarios, entregando un servicio eficiente para muchos usuarios. En el presente trabajo se validará la existencia del problema mencionado y el modelo de negocio, así como también, presentaremos el plan operativo necesario para que nuestro emprendimiento funcione correctamente y el plan financiero, en el cual podremos ver la sostenibilidad y rentabilidad a futuro. Al finalizar las validaciones, se pudo observar que ViajaFácil si es un negocio rentable por el nivel de demanda que tendrá y al ser un mercado en donde el servicio de transporte se usa con una frecuencia alta debido a su importancia para la movilidad de la población limeña. El proyecto tendrá una inversión inicial de S/.334,974.24 con una estimación de recupero de dos años y dos meses aproximadamente, a partir del segundo año se podrá ver de manera constante un crecimiento de las ganancias notable en un escenario neutro.In the country we have three important public transport systems for the daily mobility of people, these are: Metropolitan, Metro Line 1, Complementary Corridor in 2021 or 2022 the Metro Line 2; One of the main problems that we can see in these transport systems are the queues that must be made for the card recharge service, in addition to this, there is also informality on the part of some balance resellers to be able to use the service avoiding the queue recharging, causing even more chaos at different stations. Despite this, there is still no solution that facilitates and / or speeds up the recharging process at the stations, recharges are made with cash, which is also inconvenient for some people who prefer greater payment methods. Taking into account the problem, we created a virtual recharge application called Viajafácil, which integrates various payment methods to streamline the recharge process and in turn has certain characteristics that may be useful for users, providing a useful service for many users. In this paper, the existence of the aforementioned problem and the business model will be validated, as well as we will present the operational plan necessary for our enterprise to function properly and the financial plan, in which we can see the sustainability and profitability in the future. At the end of the validations, it was observed that Viajafácil is a profitable business due to the level of demand it will have and since it is a market where the transport service is used with a high frequency due to its importance for the mobility of the Lima population . The project will have an initial investment of S/.336,471.728 with a recovery estimate of two years and two months, from the second year on, a notable growth in earnings will be seen constantly in a neutral scenario.Trabajo de investigació