Caracterización física y química de ríos de montaña (Tafí del Valle-Tucumán-Argentina)

En este trabajo se estudió durante el ciclo anual 2000-2001, a los ríos Blanquito, Churqui, de La Ovejería, de Las Carreras, Tafí, El Mollar y Los Sosa, ubicados a 2000 msnm en el valle de Tafí (Tucumán-Argentina). El objetivo de esta contribución fue caracterizar e interpretar las variaciones espacio-temporales de los parámetros físicos y químicos en relación con la dinámica hidrológica a la que se encuentran sujetos estos ecosistemas acuáticos y además, comparar la calidad de sus aguas. Las variables físicas y químicas analizadas fueron: oxígeno disuelto (OD), demanda bioquímica de oxígeno (DBO5), iones mayoritarios, compuestos nitrogenados, ortofosfatos y metales pesados. Los resultados muestran que la temperatura varió entre 4.2 y 28 ◦C, el pH fluctuó de neutro a alcalino (6.7-8.7) y la conductividad eléctrica entre 64 y 296 μS/cm. El OD y la DBO5 se mostraron estables, alcanzando máximos valores de 10.1 y 2 mg/l, respectivamente. El agua pudo caracterizarse como bicarbonatada-cálcica dominante. Las concentraciones de N-NO−3 oscilaron entre 0.1 y 0.6 mg/l, el N-NO−2 sólo llegó en el río Churqui a 0.01 mg/l y el N-NH+4 alcanzó valores de 0.8 mg/l. En general los registros de los ortofosfatos fueron inferiores a 0.2 mg/l. Los metales pesados Cu2+ y Fe3+ llegaron a un máximo de 3 mg/l y 1.8 mg/l, respectivamente. Las mayores concentraciones del hierro se presentaron en el río de La Ovejería y de cobre en el río El Mollar, probablemente por contaminación antropogénica. La interpretación de los análisis de componentes principales realizados sobre la matriz de parámetros físicos y químicos, permitió diferenciar a los sistemas lóticos temporal y espacialmente. El componente 1 ordenó a los ríos de acuerdo a los iones mayoritarios predominantes y a la conductividad, lo que podría interpretarse como un eje de mineralización. Los componentes 2 y 3, ordenaron las muestras de invierno y primavera y las de verano y otoño, de acuerdo a la variación cíclica estacional coincidiendo con las condiciones climáticas del área de estudio.In this work, throughout the 2000-2001 annual period, the Blanquito, Churqui, de La Ovejería, de Las Carreras, Tafí, El Mollar and Los Sosa rivers, located at 2000 m above sea level in the Taf'ı Valley (Tucumán-Argentina) were studied. The aim of this paper was not only to characterize and understand the spatial and temporal variations of physical and chemical parameters related to the hydrological dynamics these aquatic ecosystems are subject to, but also to compare the quality of their waters. Physical and chemical variables analysed were: dissolved oxygen (DO), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5), preponderant ions, nitrogenous compounds, orthophosphates, and heavy metals. Results show that the temperature ranged between 4.2 and 28 ◦C, pH fluctuated from neutral to alkaline (6.7-8.7) and electrical conductivity varied between 64 and 296 μS/cm. DO and BOD5 were stable and reached maximum values of 10.1 and 2 mg/l, respectively. The water could be characterized as mainly bicarbonated-calcic. N-NO−3 concentrations ranged between 0.1 and 0.6 mg/l, N-NO−2 reaching only 0.01 mg/l in the Churqui river, and N-NH+4 reached values of 0.8 mg/l. In general, orthophosphate records were lower than 0.2 mg/l. Maximum values for heavy metals, Cu2 + and Fe3 + were 3 mg/l y 1.8 mg/l, respectively. Iron highest concentrations were found in de La Ovejería river, whereas those for copper were found in El Mollar river, probably due to anthropogenic pollution. The interpretation of the main component analyses carried out on the physical and chemical parameters matrix, allowed to differentiate lotic systems both temporally and spatially. Component 1 ordered the rivers according to both the prevailing ions and conductivity, which could be interpreted as a mineralization axis. Components 2 and 3 ordered the winter and spring, and the summer and autumn samples according to the seasonal cyclic variation, coinciding with the climatic conditions of the area under study

Decision intelligence in street lighting management

The European Union has been making efforts to increase energy efficiency within its member states, in line with most of the industrialized countries. In these efforts, the energy consumed by public lighting networks is a key target as it represents approximately 50% of the electricity consumption of European cities. In this paper we propose an approach for the autonomous management of public lighting networks in which each luminary is managed individually and that takes into account both their individual characteristics as well as ambient data. The approach is compared against a traditional management scheme, leading to a reduction in energy consumption of 28%.This work is co-funded by Fundos Europeus Estruturais e de Investimento (FEEI) through Programa Operacional Regional Norte, in the scope of project NORTE01-0145-FEDER-023577 and by national funds through FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia through projects UID/CEC/00319/2019 and UIDB/04728/2020

Procesadores de bajo coste y su aplicación en la docencia de Ingeniería de Computadores

La Informática evoluciona a gran velocidad y es necesario actualizar con frecuencia los recursos de aprendizaje para mantener el interés de los estudiantes. En la actualidad, hay una gran diversidad de plataformas de cómputo de bajo coste que son utilizadas como recursos en los estudios de Informática. Raspberry Pi y algunos modelos de Arduino (como Arduino Due), ambas basadas en procesadores ARM, son ejemplos representativos de este tipo de plataformas. Las arquitecturas ARM son ejemplos de procesadores RISC que actualmente gozan de gran popularidad por su buena relación entre potencia computacional, consumo y coste. De hecho, constituyen el núcleo de muchos de los teléfonos móviles y sistemas empotrados actuales. Al estar tan cerca de los estudiantes, el uso de este tipo de recursos en el aula representa una oportunidad para: (1) motivar a los alumnos de Bachillerato y Educación Secundaria para estudiar el Grado de Informática y (2) potenciar el interés de los alumnos de Grado de Informática por la Ingeniería de Computadores. Existe una serie de eventos consolidados que tienen una gran difusión social. En ellos, se muestran vistosos ejemplos de aplicación y funcionamiento de este tipo de plataformas. En este trabajo se describen el conjunto de sistemas interactivos y basados en plataformas computacionales de bajo coste que se han desarrollado para ser utilizadas en este tipo de eventos. De acuerdo con nuestra experiencia de participación, creemos que están sirviendo para despertar el interés del alumno de secundaria por la Informática en general, y más específicamente por la Ingeniería de Computadores. Por otra parte, un porcentaje de los alumnos que cursan el Grado de Ingeniería Informática no está interesado en el análisis de los componentes hardware y de su organización para construir un computador moderno. Piensan que la asignatura de Arquitectura de Computadores del Grado en Ingeniería Informática está lejos de su futura actividad profesional. En este contexto, nos planteamos seleccionar ARM como arquitectura de referencia para desarrollar los contenidos de la asignatura de Arquitectura de Computadores. Creemos que esta decisión mejora el interés del alumno por dos motivos: (1) el objeto de estudio se usa en multitud de plataformas muy cotidianas para el alumno y (2) es posible diseñar las actividades prácticas de las asignaturas basadas en elementos reales y no únicamente virtuales. Este trabajo muestra las distintas actividades tanto a nivel teórico como práctico que se plantean al alumno en el marco de la asignatura Arquitectura de Computadores.Computer Science is advancing rapidly and it is necessary to keep the educational resources up to date in order to keep the interest of students. Nowadays, there is a wide variety of low-cost computing platforms that are used as educational resources in the Computer Science degree. Raspberry Pi and some models of Arduino (such as Arduino Due), which are both based on ARM processors, are representative examples of this kind of platforms. ARM architectures are instances of RISC processors which nowadays have reached an important popularity due to their good relation between performance, consumption and cost. In fact, they constitute the core of numerous current mobile phones and embedded systems. Considering their proximity to the students, the use of this kind of resources in the classroom is an opportunity to: (1) encourage the high schools pupils to study the Computer Science degree and (2) to increase the interest of the students for the Computer Engineering. There are several consolidated informational events of great social outreach in which different examples of application of this kind of platforms are shown. In this work, the set of interactive systems designed to be used in this kind of events is described. According to our experience, we think that they arouse the interest of high schools pupils for the Computer Science in general, and, more specifically, for the Computer Engineering. Furthermore, a percentage of the students of the Computer Science degree is not interested in the analysis of hardware components and the architecture of modern computers. They think that the subject of Computer Architecture of the Computer Science Degree is far from his/her future career. In this context, we will select ARM as a reference architecture where the contents of the subject Computer Architecture will be developed on. We think this might improve the motivation of the students mainly for two reasons: (1) the object of study is being used in a lot of modern platforms; and (2) it is possible to design the practical activities of the subjects using real platforms and not only virtual ones. This work shows the activities proposed to the students in the context of the subject Computer Architecture, considering both practical and theoretical approaches

Early-life glucocorticoids programme behaviour and metabolism in adulthood in zebrafish

Glucocorticoids (GCs) in utero influence embryonic development with consequent programmed effects on adult physiology and pathophysiology and altered susceptibility to cardiovascular disease. However, in viviparous species, studies of these processes are compromised by secondary maternal influences. The zebrafish, being fertilised externally, avoids this problem and has been used here to investigate the effects of transient alterations in GC activity during early development. Embryonic fish were treated either with dexamethasone (a synthetic GC), an antisense GC receptor (GR) morpholino (GR Mo), or hypoxia for the first 120h post fertilisation (hpf); responses were measured during embryonic treatment or later, post treatment, in adults. All treatments reduced cortisol levels in embryonic fish to similar levels. However, morpholino- and hypoxia-treated embryos showed delayed physical development (slower hatching and straightening of head–trunk angle, shorter body length), less locomotor activity, reduced tactile responses and anxiogenic activity. In contrast, dexamethasone-treated embryos showed advanced development and thigmotaxis but no change in locomotor activity or tactile responses. Gene expression changes were consistent with increased (dexamethasone) and decreased (hypoxia, GR Mo) GC activity. In adults, stressed cortisol values were increased with dexamethasone and decreased by GR Mo and hypoxia pre-treatments. Other responses were similarly differentially affected. In three separate tests of behaviour, dexamethasone-programmed fish appeared ‘bolder’ than matched controls, whereas Mo and hypoxia pre-treated fish were unaffected or more reserved. Similarly, the dexamethasone group but not the Mo or hypoxia groups were heavier, longer and had a greater girth than controls. Hyperglycaemia and expression of GC responsive gene (pepck) were also increased in the dexamethasone group. We conclude that GC activity controls many aspects of early-life growth and development in the zebrafish and that, like other species, manipulating GC status pharmacologically, physiologically or genetically in early life leads to programmable metabolic and behavioural traits in adulthood

Generación morfológica digital en arquitectura: diseño paramétrico y algoritmos evolucionistas

This paper presents results obtained from a research project development carried out in the Design Systems Laboratory, FAU-UNT. This research was oriented to establish techniques and procedures for the production of potentially architectural 3D objects, during conceptual stage. Objects with different scales, feasible to accept architecture, were studied. For their generation, visual programming environments oriented to parametric design, were applied. Parameters, as genomes, were put to work in an "evolutionary algorithm" environment with the purpose to obtain architectural design applications, emulating biological evolutions. The main procedure consists in testing quantitative and qualitative parameters that define each object, until an expected architectural result is reached. Some results obtained are shown.Este trabajo presenta algunos resultados finales obtenidos a partir del desarrollo de un proyecto de investigación llevado a cabo en el Laboratorio de Sistemas de Diseño de la FAU-UNT. La investigación estuvo orientada a establecer técnicas y procedimientos para la producción de objetos 3D potencialmente arquitectónicos durante la etapa de “Concepción Arquitectónica”. En esta presentación se consideran objetos, de diferentes escalas, factibles de aceptar arquitectura y que fueron estudiados y generados en entornos de programación visual orientado al diseño paramétrico, un nuevo paradigma de diseño donde se establecen relaciones entre los partes que definen a un objeto como un todo. Los parámetros de los objetos en estudio fueron puestos a funcionar, a modo de genomas, en un entorno generativo del tipo “algoritmo evolucionista”, rama de la inteligencia artificial que usa métodos de optimización y búsqueda de soluciones basados en los postulados de la evolución biológica aplicado al diseño. A partir de los parámetros que definen a cada objeto, se procede a su evolución hasta alcanzar el propósito buscado. Los resultados obtenidos permitieron evaluar su utilidad y aplicación en entornos de diseños digitales en etapas tempranas de la concepción arquitectónica. La generación automática, aleatoria y dirigida permitió incentivar la creatividad y evaluación de casos impensados. Se muestran algunos resultados obtenidos.Facultad de Arquitectura y Urbanism

Prótesis dentales y patologías en adultos mayores de un centro de salud, Trujillo – 2021

The present investigation held as a general objective to correlate the adaptation of dental prostheses and the pathologies of the oral mucosa in elderly patients treated in a health center. The type of research was basic, relational level, also has a non-experimental design with a cross-section. Through probability sampling, the sample consisted of 60 older adults with dental prostheses treated in the dentistry office of a health center in the city of Trujillo. The technique used was the survey technique, its instrument being the questionnaire, which was previously validated by experts in the field. Concluding that: there is a correlation between the adaptation of the prosthesis and the pathologies since it resulted in 0,000 in its chi square, an amount less than the 0,05 level of significance. Likewise, it is realized that the level of correlation is high, since the result of the contingency coefficient was 0,666, suggesting that, if there is a poor adaptation of dental prostheses, greater pathologies will result in the oral mucosa of older adults.La presente investigación sostuvo como objetivo general correlacionar la adaptación de prótesis dentales y las patologías de la mucosa oral en pacientes adultos mayores atendidos en un centro de salud. El tipo de investigación fue aplicada, de nivel relacional, asimismo tiene un diseño no experimental con corte transversal. Mediante el muestreo probabilístico, la muestra estuvo conformada por 60 adultos mayores portadores de prótesis dental atendidos en el consultorio de odontología de un centro de salud en la ciudad de Trujillo. La técnica que se utilizó fue la técnica de la encuesta, siendo su instrumento el cuestionario, que previamente fueron validados por expertos de la materia. Concluyendo que: se aprecia una correlación entre la adaptación de prótesis y las patologías ya que tuvo como resultado en su chi cuadrada un 0,000, un monto menor al nivel de significancia del 0,05. Asimismo, se observó que el nivel de correlación es alto, dado que el resultado del coeficiente de contingencia fue de 0,666, dando a entender que, si existe una mala adaptación de prótesis dentales, resultarán mayores patologías en la mucosa oral de los adultos mayores

SIMONE - Neonatal Monitoring System. An Open Source Solution in Health Care from R+D+i

In Neonatal Intensive Care Units, the proclivity to error and the occurrence of adverse events is even greater, given the greater vulnerability of newborns. From the General Dr. José Penna Interzonal Hospital, a combined strategy was developed to reduce the incidence of safety problems in neonatal care. One component in the strategy is the safety checklist (LVS). The LVS constitutes a tool that facilitates the review of critical processes in patients and facilitates the detection of safety problems. The LVS developed for the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of Hospital Penna was complemented with the implementation of a neonatal monitoring system called SIMONE. It has the safety checklist, a system of alerts and patient management. This application provides speed and simplicity to the task of daily check-up and storage of information for future analysis and is available an open source solution in health care from R+D+i. Although the use of safety lists is not new, its implementation through an open source and free-use software system, developed by an inter-disciplinary team, positions this proposal as one of a kind.Sociedad Argentina de Informática e Investigación Operativ

Brucella abortus–infected platelets modulate the activation of neutrophils

Brucellosis is a contagious disease caused by bacteria of the genus Brucella. Platelets (PLTs) have been widely involved in the modulation of the immune response. We have previously reported the modulation of Brucella abortus–mediated infection of monocytes. As a result, PLTs cooperate with monocytes and increase their inflammatory capacity, promoting the resolution of the infection. Extending these results, in this study we demonstrate that patients with brucellosis present slightly elevated levels of complexes between PLTs and both monocytes and neutrophils. We then assessed whether PLTs were capable of modulating functional aspects of neutrophils. The presence of PLTs throughout neutrophil infection increased the production of interleukin‐8, CD11b surface expression and reactive oxygen species formation, whereas it decreased the expression of CD62L, indicating an activated status of these cells. We next analyzed whether this modulation was mediated by released factors. To discriminate between these options, neutrophils were treated with supernatants collected from B. abortus–infected PLTs. Our results show that CD11b expression was induced by soluble factors of PLTs but direct contact between cell populations was needed to enhance the respiratory burst. Additionally, B. abortus–infected PLTs recruit polymorphonuclear (PMN) cells to the site of infection. Finally, the presence of PLTs did not modify the initial invasion of PMN cells by B. abortus but improved the control of the infection at extended times. Altogether, our results demonstrate that PLTs interact with neutrophils and promote a proinflammatory phenotype which could also contribute to the resolution of the infection.Fil: Trotta, Aldana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Medicina Experimental. Academia Nacional de Medicina de Buenos Aires. Instituto de Medicina Experimental; ArgentinaFil: Milillo, María Ayelén. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Medicina Experimental. Academia Nacional de Medicina de Buenos Aires. Instituto de Medicina Experimental; ArgentinaFil: Serafino, Agustina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Medicina Experimental. Academia Nacional de Medicina de Buenos Aires. Instituto de Medicina Experimental; ArgentinaFil: Castillo Montañez, Luis Alejandro. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Medicina Experimental. Academia Nacional de Medicina de Buenos Aires. Instituto de Medicina Experimental; ArgentinaFil: Birnberg Weiss, Federico. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Medicina Experimental. Academia Nacional de Medicina de Buenos Aires. Instituto de Medicina Experimental; ArgentinaFil: Delpino, María Victoria. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Inmunología, Genética y Metabolismo. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Inmunología, Genética y Metabolismo; ArgentinaFil: Giambartolomei, Guillermo Hernan. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Inmunología, Genética y Metabolismo. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Inmunología, Genética y Metabolismo; ArgentinaFil: Fernández, Cecilia Gabriela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Medicina Experimental. Academia Nacional de Medicina de Buenos Aires. Instituto de Medicina Experimental; ArgentinaFil: Barrionuevo, Paula. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Medicina Experimental. Academia Nacional de Medicina de Buenos Aires. Instituto de Medicina Experimental; Argentin