Engineering Macromolecular Trafficking Into the Citrus Vasculature.

The plant vasculature is a central organ for long-distance transport of nutrients and signaling molecules that coordinate vegetative and reproductive processes, and adaptation response mechanisms to biotic and abiotic stress. In angiosperms, the sieve elements are devoid of nuclei, thus depending on the companion cells for the synthesis of RNA and proteins, which constitute some of the systemic signals that coordinate these processes. Massive analysis approaches have identified proteins and RNAs that could function as long-range signals in the phloem translocation stream. The selective translocation of such molecules could occur as ribonucleoprotein complexes. A key molecule facilitating this movement in Cucurbitaceae is the phloem protein CmPP16, which can facilitate the movement of RNA and other proteins into the sieve tube. The CmPP16 ortholog in Citrus CsPP16 was characterized in silico to determine its potential capacity to associate with other mobile proteins and its enrichment in the vascular tissue. The systemic nature of CsPP16 was approached by evaluating its capacity to provide phloem-mobile properties to antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), important in the innate immune defense. The engineering of macromolecular trafficking in the vasculature demonstrated the capacity to mobilize translationally fused peptides into the phloem stream for long-distance transport. The translocation into the phloem of AMPs could mitigate the growth of Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus, with important implications for crop defense; this system also opens the possibility of translocating other molecules to modulate traits, such as plant growth, defense, and plant productivity.

Diseño e implementación de un instrumento virtual para la adquisición y procesamiento de señales fisiológicas

Se desarrolla e implementa un sistema basado en instrumentación virtual para la adquisición y procesamiento de señales fisiológicas para ser empleado como herramienta para mejorar el proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje que se lleva a cabo en los laboratorios de fisiología de las facultades de Medicina de nuestro país. El hardware del sistema comprende un amplificador de bio-potenciales de cuatro canales, una tarjeta de adquisición de datos y un computador personal (PC) que permite la interfase con el usuario. Para el desarrollo del software se empleó el lenguaje de programación gráfico LABVIEW 6.1. Se implementaron prácticas de laboratorios empleando principalmente las señales fisiológicas: electrocardiográficas y electromiógraficas. Como resultado del trabajo se implementó un prototipo que funciona con los requerimientos técnicos exigidos para realizar prácticas docentes en un laboratorio de fisiología. Entre las conclusiones del trabajo podemos nombrar: es factible el diseño e implementación de instrumentos virtuales con fines educativos para ser empleados en laboratorios con las mismas capacidades de instrumentos equivalentes producidos en países desarrollados, y la necesidad de que estos instrumentos puedan producirse en serie para beneficiar a un mayor número de estudiantes de Medicina.

It is developed and it implemented a system based on virtual instrumentation for the acquisition and physiological signal processing to be used like tool to improve the education process learning that are carried out in the laboratories of physiology of the medicine faculties of our country. The hardware of the system includes/understands a bio-potential amplifier of 4 channels, a card of data acquisition, and a personal computer (PC) that the interphase with the user allows. For the development of software the graphical programming language LABVIEW 6.1 was used. Practices of laboratories were implemented mainly using the physiological signals: electrocardiograficas and electromiograficas. As resulting from the work implemented a prototype that works with the technical requirements demanded to make educational practices in a physiology laboratory. Between the conclusions of the work we can name: It is feasible the design and implementation of virtual instruments with educative aims to be used in laboratories with the same capacities of produced equivalent instruments in developed countries, and the necessity that these instruments can take place in series to benefit to a greater number of medicine students.

[Evaluation of an antioxidant and mitochondria-stimulating cream formula on the skin of patients with stable common vitiligo]. / Evaluación de una formulación antioxidante y estimuladora mitocondrial en piel de pacientes con vitiligo vulgar estable.

Vitiligo is a chronic illness of a yet unknown etiology, characterized by an acquired and progressive depigmentation of the skin. There are diverse treatments for this condition around the world, but up to now, none has been completely effective. The objective of this work was to evaluate the application of an antioxidant and mitochondrial stimulating formula, of topic use in leukodermic areas of patients with stable vulgar vitiligo. A clinical, experimental, randomized, double blind study was carried out in 50 male and 50 female patients with stable vulgar vitiligo. The patients were distributed in five groups as follows: Group 1 (labelled as VitilVenz AF): application of antioxidant and mitochondrial stimulating cream and oral administration of antioxidants and phenylalanine. Group 2 (labelled as Placebo AF): application of a placebo cream and oral administration of antioxidants and phenylalanine. Group 3 (labelled as without cream AF): oral administration of antioxidants and phenylalanine. Group 4 (labelled as Placebo cream): application of a placebo cream. Group 5 (labelled as VitilVenz): application of the antioxidant and mitochondrial stimulating cream. The following were measured in all patients: the clinical area of newly formed pigment every 30 days, during five months; and the presence of melanocytes in the histological study, at the beginning and at the end of treatment. The test of multiple comparison of Turkey-Kramer was used for the analysis of the results. The scheme of treatment that produced the best results was that of the Group 1, which consisted of the joint application of the antioxidant and mitochondrial stimulating cream and oral administration of antioxidants and phenylalanine (p < 0.001); followed by Group 5 that only received the topical treatment with the antioxidant and mitochondrial stimulating cream. The clinical and histological responses of these two groups (1 and 5) were significantly different to the rest of the groups. We concluded that the melanocytes in these patients could be in a dysfunctional state, product of the formation of free radicals that cause cellular and mitochondrial toxicity; and that these free radicals are removed by the antioxidant and mitochondrial stimulating elements present in the cream, turning the melanocytes functional and producing melanin in the achromic area of the vitiligo. This effect would be potentiated by the use of oral antioxidants and phenylalanine.

Evaluación de una formulación antioxidante y estimuladora mitocondrial en piel de pacientes con vitiligo vulgar estable / Evaluation of an antioxidant and mitochondrial stimulating cream formula in the skin of patients with stable vulgar vitiligo

El vitiligo es una enfermedad crónica, despigmentante de la piel, de carácter progresivo y adquirido, con etiología aún desconocida. Existen diversos tratamientos en el mundo, pero hasta ahora ninguno ha sido totalmente efectivo. El objetivo de este trabajo fue evaluar la aplicación de una formulación antioxidante y estimulante mitocondrial de uso tópico, en zonas leucodérmicas de pacientes con vitiligo vulgar estable. Se realizó un ensayo clínico, experimental, aleatorizado y doble ciego en 100 pacientes con vitiligo vulgar estable, 50 varones y 50 mujeres, distribuidos en cinco grupos, a saber: Grupo 1 (etiquetado como VitilVenz AF): Aplicación de crema antioxidante y estimulante mitocondrial e ingestión oral de antioxidantes y fenilalanina. Grupo 2 (etiquetado como Placebo AF): Aplicación de crema con placebo e ingestión oral de antioxidantes y fenilalanina. Grupo 3 (etiquetado como sin crema AF): Ingestión oral de antioxidantes y fenilalanina. Grupo 4 (etiquetado como crema Placebo): Aplicación de crema placebo. Grupo 5: (etiquetado como Vitilvenz): Aplicación de crema antioxidante y estimulante mitocondrial. En todos los pacientes se midieron: la zona clínica de pigmento formado cada 30 días y durante cinco meses y la presencia de melanocitos en el estudio histológico al inicio del estudio y al final del tratamiento. Para el análisis de los resultados se utilizó la prueba de comparación múltiple de Tukey-Kramer. El mejor esquema de tratamiento y que produjo mejores resultados fue el del grupo 1 basado en la ingestión de antioxidantes y fenilalanina conjuntamente con la aplicación de la crema antioxidante y estimulante mitocondr¡al (p < 0,001), seguido por el grupo 5 que recibió tratamiento tópico con la crema antioxidante y estimulante mitocondrial. La respuesta clínica e histológica de estos dos grupos (1 y 5) fue significativamente diferente al resto de los grupos 2, 3 y 4.