IoT for Development: Building a Classification Algorithm to Help Beekeepers Detect Honeybee Health Problems Early

Bees are the main pollinators of most wild plant species and are essential for the maintenance of plant ecosystems and for food production. However, in recent years they are suffering from deforestation and pesticides. Here, we propose a method to identify the health status of bee colonies. We trained, validated and tested 4 classification algorithms (Naive Bayes, k-NN, Random Forest and Neural Networks) on actual data from a beehive that was monitored for 6 months. For the generation of the classification model, we take into account data from internal sensors to the hive (temperature, relative humidity, and weight), external data (temperature, pressure, wind speed, and rainfall). We also use data from inspections performed weekly by a specialist in beekeeping. We compared the four algorithms and arrived at a high precision classification model to automatically identify the health status of bee colonies

Continuous assessment of carotid intima-media thickness applied to estimate a volumetric compliance using B-mode ultrasound sequences

Recent reports have shown that the carotid artery wall had significant movements not only in the radial but also in the longitudinal direction during the cardiac cycle. Accordingly, the idea that longitudinal elongations could be systematically neglected for compliance estimations became controversial. Assuming a dynamic change in vessel length, the standard measurement of cross-sectional compliance can be revised. In this work, we propose to estimate a volumetric compliance based on continuous measurements of carotid diameter and intima-media thickness (IMT) from B-mode ultrasound sequences. Assuming the principle of conservation of the mass of wall volume (compressibility equals zero), a temporal longitudinal elongation can be calculated to estimate a volumetric compliance. Moreover, elongations can also be estimated allowing small compressibility factors to model some wall leakage. The cross-sectional and the volumetric compliance were estimated in 45 healthy volunteers and 19 asymptomatic patients. The standard measurement underestimated the volumetric compliance by 25% for young volunteers (p < 0.01) and 17% for patients (p < 0.05). When compressibility factors different from zero were allowed, volunteers and patients reached values of 9% and 4%, respectively. We conclude that a simultaneous assessment of carotid diameter and IMT can be employed to estimate a volumetric compliance incorporating a longitudinal elongation. The cross-sectional compliance, that neglects the change in vessel length, underestimates the volumetric compliance.Fil: Pascaner, Ariel Fernando. Universidad Favaloro. Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Tecnología Electrónica; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Craiem, Damian. Universidad Favaloro. Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Tecnología Electrónica; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Casciaro, Mariano Ezequiel. Universidad Favaloro. Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Tecnología Electrónica; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Danielo, Rafael. Fundación Favaloro; ArgentinaFil: Graf Caride, Diego Sebastián. Universidad Favaloro. Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Tecnología Electrónica; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Guevara, Eduardo. Fundación Favaloro; Argentin

Chagas' disease reactivation with skin symptoms in a patient with kidney transplant

Immunodepressed patients in the intermediate phase of Chagas' disease may undergo reactivation of the disease together with atypical symptoms. The case of an immunodepressed kidney transplant patient with reactivation of Chagas' disease with skin symptoms is reported. A 65-year-old man presented with infiltrated erythematous lesions on the anterior aspect of the right thigh of 2 weeks' duration. The lesions later extended to the abdomen, thorax, and lower limbs. In the histologic skin examination, amastigotes and Trypanosoma cruzi trypoamastigotes were observed. A fresh smear showed positive parasitemia. Using the Strout hemoconcentration method, multiple Trypanosoma cruzi trypoamastigotes with motility could be seen. Polymerase chain reaction was positive for Trypanosoma cruzi. An immunofluorescence test was positive (1:64) and there was hemoagglutination (1:32). Treatment was started with benznidazole, 7mg/kg/day. The patient did not evolve favorably and died 20 days after hospitalization. Skin lesions may be a manifestation of the reactivation of Chagas' disease in immunosuppressed patients. All patients with positive Chagas serology who require immunosuppressant drugs should receive specific treatment for Chagas' disease.Fil: Gallerano, Verónica. Universidad Católica de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud; ArgentinaFil: Consigli, Javier Enrique. Universidad Católica de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud; ArgentinaFil: Pereyra, Susana. Universidad Católica de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud; ArgentinaFil: Gómez Zanni, Susana. Universidad Católica de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud; ArgentinaFil: Danielo, Cristian. Universidad Católica de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud; ArgentinaFil: Gallerano, Rafael H. Universidad Católica de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud; ArgentinaFil: Guidi, Andrés Emilio. Universidad Católica de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud; Argentin

BeeNotified! A Notification System of Physical Quantities for Beehives Remote Monitoring

One of the ways to reduce inappropriate management of hives and monitor bee health is to send notifications/alerts about the data collected through sensors. This study presents  BeeNotified!, a solution for sending notifications through Telegram, e-mail, and SMS. The notifications warn about the level of temperature, humidity, sound, carbon dioxide, oxygen, hive weight and delay in data gathering. From this data, researchers and beekeepers can be informed and make changes in the locations of the hives, avoiding catastrophes and possible diseases. The results obtained with the processing time in the sending of messages showed that the messages sent via SMS and Telegram have a shorter processing time compared to the sending via e-mail. In regards to sending notifications according to user preferences, all notifications were sent correctly