Modelling and control of a flying robot interacting with the environment

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Design of a beamline for soft and deep lithography on third generation synchrotron radiation source

ELETTRA is a third generation synchrotron radiation source. The energy spectrum allows the design of beamlines suitable for x-ray lithography from soft to hard x-ray wavelengths. An appropriate lithographic window for micro- and nanofabrication can be obtained by a combination of selected filters and mirrors. As the beamline is interfaced to a vertical x-ray stepper, a uniformity in the beam intensity better than 3% (3σ) in the horizontal direction has to be reached. The present beamline is designed by taking into account the main factors which can affect the beam quality, namely, thermal loading on mirrors and filters, slope errors, and surface roughness of the mirrors. The resulting lithographic resolution at soft x-ray wavelengths is better than 100 nm

The rotation of white lupin (Lupinus albus L.) with metal-accumulating plant crops: A strategy to increase the benefits of soil phytoremediation

Most of the plants employed to remove metals from contaminated soils are annuals and have a seed-to- seed life cycle of a few months, usually over spring and summer. Consequently, for most of the year, fields are not actively cleaned but are completely bare and subject to erosion by water and wind. The objective of this study was to evaluate the benefits of using Lupinus albus as a winter crop in a rotation sequence with a summer crop ideally selected for phytoextraction, such as industrial hemp. Lupin plants were grown in two alkaline soil plots (heavy metal-contaminated and uncontaminated) of approximately 400 m 2 each after the cultivation and harvest of industrial hemp. A smaller-scale parallel pot experiment was also performed to better understand the lupin behavior in increasing concentrations of Cd, Cu, Ni and Zn. White lupin grew well in alkaline conditions, covering the soil during the winter season. In few months plants were approximately 40e50 cm high in both control and contaminated plots. In fields where the bioavailable fraction of metals was low (less than 12%), plants showed a high tolerance to these contaminants. However, their growth was affected in some pot treatments in which the concen- trations of assimilable Cu, Zn and Ni were higher, ranging from approximately 40e70% of the total concentrations. The lupin's ability to absorb heavy metals and translocate them to shoots was negligible with respect to the magnitude of contamination, suggesting that this plant is not suitable for extending the period of phytoextraction. However, it is entirely exploitable as green manure, avoiding the appli- cation of chemical amendments during phytoremediation. In addition, in polluted fields, white lupin cultivation increased the soil concentration of live bacteria and the bioavailable percentage of metals. On average live bacteria counts per gram of soil were 65 10 6 ± 18 10 6 and 99 10 6 ± 22*10 6 before and after cultivation, respectively. The percentages of bioavailable Cu, Pb, Ni, Zn and Cr, which were 5.7 ± 0.7, 5.3 ± 1.7, 1.2 ± 0.1, 12 ± 1.5 and 0.1 ± 0.02%, respectively, before lupin growth, increased to 9.6 ± 1.6, 7 ± 2, 2 ± 0.3, 14 ± 1.5 and 0.1 ± 0.02% after lupin harvest. On the whole, our results indicate that the winter cultivation of white lupin in sequence with a metal- accumulator summer crop can improve the recovery of soil quality during the phytoextraction period. It improves the safety of the area, limiting additional ecological and human health problems, and enhances soil health by avoiding the use of chemical amendments and by increasing the levels of viable microorganism

Uso agrícola del suelo y demanda de agua para riego en la cuenca del río Vinces (Ecuador) durante el período 1990 – 2014

El rápido crecimiento demográfico y la creciente demanda internacional de productos agrícolas tropicales han propiciado la conversión de extensas áreas de tierra para la producción agrícola intensiva de varios monocultivos en el Ecuador. El presente trabajo tiene por objetivo analizar el cambio temporo-espacial del uso del suelo agrícola y la ampliación de su frontera en la cuenca del río Vinces durante el período 1990-2014 por efecto de la presencia de los principales monocultivos agrícolas y la demanda de agua para riego por parte de los mismos cultivos agrícolas, de acuerdo a las concesiones de agua otorgadas por la autoridad gubernamental con competencia en la cuenca. La presente investigación conllevó la recopilación de geoinformación digital, su posterior procesamiento en Sistemas de Información Geográfica, tabulación de información estadística oficial y verificación en terreno. La integración conceptual de la Gestión Integrada de Recursos Hídricos permite avanzar en la comprensión de la complejidad y las dificultades para alcanzar un equilibrio entre los procesos naturales y sociales que nos afectan. Las coberturas agrícolas principales de la cuenca del río Vinces representada por los monocultivos de banano, cacao, y palma aceitera presentaron un notable y progresivo cambio temporo-espacial (ampliación de la superficie cultivada) y aumento de la presión por el agua de la cuenca para el riego en el largo período de estiaje. Las concesiones históricas de agua para riego extendidas en la cuenca del río Vinces por parte de la autoridad ambiental no refleja el verdadero volumen que emplea el sector agrícola en la etapa de verano, lo cual queda demostrado al relacionar los volúmenes de agua concesionados, las hectáreas de cultivos plantadas y los requerimientos reales de agua por los cultivos antes mencionados para lograr su máxima productividad.The rapid population growth and the growing international demand for tropical agricultural products have led to the conversion of large areas of land for the intensive agricultural production of several monocultures in Ecuador. The aim of the present work is to analyze the temporo-spatial change of agricultural land use and the expansion of its border in the Vinces basin during the period 1990-2014 due to the presence of the main agricultural monocultures and the demand for water for irrigation by the same agricultural crops according to the water concessions granted by the governmental authority with competence in the basin. The present investigation involved the compilation of digital geoinformation, its subsequent processing in Geographic Information Systems, tabulation of official statistical information and verification in the field. The conceptual integration of the Integrated Management of Water Resources allows us to advance in the understanding of the complexity and difficulties to reach a balance between the natural and social processes that affect us. The main agricultural coverings of the Vinces river basin, represented by monocultures of banana, cocoa, and oil palm, showed a remarkable and progressive temporo-spatial change (expansion of the cultivated area) and an increase in water pressure in the basin. irrigation in the long period of low water. The historical concessions of irrigation water extended in the Vinces basin by the environmental authority does not reflect the true volume used by the agricultural sector in the summer stage, which is demonstrated by relating the volumes of water concessioned, the hectares of planted crops and the actual water requirements for the crops mentioned above to achieve maximum productivity.Fil: Muñoz Murcillo, José Luis. Universidad Técnica Estatal de Quevedo; EcuadorFil: Gentili, Jorge Osvaldo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Geografía y Turismo; ArgentinaFil: Bustos Cara, Roberto. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Geografía y Turismo; Argentin

Design and Multiphysics Analysis of Direct and Cross-Coupled SIW Combline Filters Using Electric and Magnetic Couplings

In this paper, combline substrate integrated waveguide (SIW) filters using electric and magnetic couplings are thoroughly studied. Thus, a negative coupling scheme consisting on an open-ended coplanar probe is proposed and analyzed in detail. Several in-line 3-pole filters at C-band are designed, manufactured and measured showing how the presented approach can be used for implementing direct couplings while enabling an important size reduction and improved spurious-free band compared to conventional magnetic irises. A fully-packaged quasi-elliptic 4-pole filter is also designed at 5.75 GHz showing how the negative coupling structure can be used for introducing transmission zeros by means of cross-couplings between non-adjacent resonators. Finally, average and peak power handling capabilities of these filters have been also analyzed from a multiphysics point of view. Measured results validate the theoretical predictions confirming that combline SIW filters can handle significant levels of continuous and peak power, providing at the same time easy integration, compact size and advanced filtering responses.This work was supported in part by MINECO (Spanish Government) under projects TEC2013-47037-C5-1-R and TEC2013-48036-C3-3-R. This paper is an expanded version from the IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Symposium, Phoenix, AZ, USA, May 17-22, 2015.Sirci, S.; Sánchez Soriano, MÁ.; Martínez Pérez, JD.; Boria Esbert, VE.; Gentili, F.; Boesch, W.; Sorrentino, R. (2015). Design and Multiphysics Analysis of Direct and Cross-Coupled SIW Combline Filters Using Electric and Magnetic Couplings. IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques. 63(12):4341-4354. doi:10.1109/TMTT.2015.2495287S43414354631

Serological levels of mutated p53 protein are highly detected at early stages in breast cancer patients

The aim of this study was to compare the sensitivity of the serological level of anti-p53 antibodies in breast cancer patients and to correlate its expression level with patient age, histological stage and grade of tumor differentiation. Total p53 protein expression (mutant and wild-type) was also determined in the breast cancer tissues using immunohistochemistry (IHC). The serological levels of mutant p53 expression were found to be age-dependent, reaching the highest level at 50 years of age. Faint or low detection was observed in patients ≤30 years of age. Anti-p53-antibodies were detected in patients ≤40 and ≥61 years of age. The serological levels of mutant p53 protein were highly detected in all stages of breast cancer, including the early stages. However, anti-p53 antibodies reached a high level of detection only in stage III breast carcinomas. No expression was found in patients with benign breast disease. The detection of p53 mutations was dependent on the grade of tumor differentiation, achieving the highest level in the poorly differentiated breast carcinomas. Results from IHC were highly correlated with serological p53 mutational analysis. Our findings indicate that mutant p53 in serum is a promising novel parameter for the evaluation of cellular biology and the prognosis of breast cancer from its early stages using blood samples. Anti-p53 antibodies were demonstrated to be less sensitive in this study. It is also possible to use the expression of mutant p53 protein as a molecular marker to differentiate benign breast disease from breast carcinoma prior to surgery.Fil: Balogh, Gabriela Andrea. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Centro de Recursos Naturales Renovables de la Zona Semiarida. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Centro de Recursos Naturales Renovables de la Zona Semiarida; ArgentinaFil: Mailo, Daniel. No especifíca;Fil: Nardi, Héctor. No especifíca;Fil: Corte, María Marta. No especifíca;Fil: Vincent, Esteban. No especifíca;Fil: Barutta, Elena. No especifíca;Fil: Lizarraga, Guillermo. No especifíca;Fil: Lizarraga, Pablo. No especifíca;Fil: Montero, Héctor. No especifíca;Fil: Gentili, Roberto. No especifíca;Fil: Mordoh, Jose. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Pque. Centenario. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Buenos Aires. Fundación Instituto Leloir. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Buenos Aires; Argentin

Spectral Diversity Successfully Estimates the α-Diversity of Biocrust-Forming Lichens

Biocrusts, topsoil communities formed by mosses, lichens, liverworts, algae, and cyanobacteria, are a key biotic component of dryland ecosystems worldwide. Experiments carried out with lichen- and moss-dominated biocrusts indicate that climate change may dramatically reduce their cover and diversity. Therefore, the development of reproducible methods to monitor changes in biocrust diversity and abundance across multiple spatio-temporal scales is key for evaluating how climate change may impact biocrust communities and the myriad of ecosystem functions and services that rely on them. In this study, we collected lichen-dominated biocrust samples from a semi-arid ecosystem in central Spain. Their α-diversity was then evaluated using very high spatial resolution hyperspectral images (pixel size of 0.091 mm) measured in laboratory under controlled conditions. Support vector machines were used to map the biocrust composition. Traditional α-diversity metrics (i.e., species richness, Shannon’s, Simpson’s, and Pielou’s indices) were calculated using lichen fractional cover data derived from their classifications in the hyperspectral imagery. Spectral diversity was calculated at different wavelength ranges as the coefficient of variation of different regions of the reflectance spectra of lichens and as the standard deviation of the continuum removal algorithm (SD_CR). The accuracy of the classifications of the images obtained was close to 100%. The results showed the best coefficient of determination (r2 = 0.47) between SD_CR calculated at 680 nm and the α-diversity calculated as the Simpson’s index, which includes species richness and their evenness. These findings indicate that this spectral diversity index could be used to track spatio-temporal changes in lichen-dominated biocrust communities. Thus, they are the first step to monitor α-diversity of biocrust-forming lichens at the ecosystem and regional levels, a key task for any program aiming to evaluate changes in biodiversity and associated ecosystem services in drylands.The research has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation 514 program under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant agreement no. 721995. F.T.M. acknowledges support from the European Research Council grant agreement no. 647038 (BIODESERT)

Structured and shared CT radiological report of gastric cancer: a consensus proposal by the Italian Research Group for Gastric Cancer (GIRCG) and the Italian Society of Medical and Interventional Radiology (SIRM)

Objectives Written radiological report remains the most important means of communication between radiologist and referring medical/surgical doctor, even though CT reports are frequently just descriptive, unclear, and unstructured. The Italian Society of Medical and Interventional Radiology (SIRM) and the Italian Research Group for Gastric Cancer (GIRCG) promoted a critical shared discussion between 10 skilled radiologists and 10 surgical oncologists, by means of multi-round consensus-building Delphi survey, to develop a structured reporting template for CT of GC patients. Methods Twenty-four items were organized according to the broad categories of a structured report as suggested by the European Society of Radiology (clinical referral, technique, findings, conclusion, and advice) and grouped into three "CT report sections" depending on the diagnostic phase of the radiological assessment for the oncologic patient (staging, restaging, and follow-up). Results In the final round, 23 out of 24 items obtained agreement ( >= 8) and consensus ( 0.05). Conclusions The structured report obtained, shared by surgical and medical oncologists and radiologists, allows an appropriate, clearer, and focused CT report essential to high-quality patient care in GC, avoiding the exclusion of key radiological information useful for multidisciplinary decision-making

Trigo pan: comportamiento agronómico y calidad comercial de la Red de cultivares comerciales en el centro-sur de Santa Fe. Campaña 2020-21.

Desde la Estación Experimental Agropecuaria del INTA Oliveros se desarrolla en forma ininterrumpida desde hace 22 años, una red de ensayos de trigo en su área de influencia. La misma comprende lotes de productores de cultivares comerciales de distintos criaderos. Acompañan este proceso las Agencias de Extensión (AER) de Gálvez y Carlos Pellegrini, unidades que dependen de la Estación Experimental Agropecuaria del INTA Rafaela. Estos ensayos se realizan en macro parcelas en campo de productores, excepto en la localidad de Oliveros que fueron en microparcelas. Los cultivares participantes se agruparon según su precocidad en dos grupos: ciclo largo e intermedio y ciclo corto.EEA OliverosFil: Manlla, Amalia Graciela. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Oliveros; ArgentinaFil: Almada, Gustavo. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Rafaela. Agencia de Extensión Rural Carlos Pellegrini; ArgentinaFil: Boero, Leandro Ruben. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Rafaela. Agencia de Extensión Rural Galvez; ArgentinaFil: Calcha, Jose Alfredo Nicolas. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Rafaela. Agencia de Extensión Rural Galvez; ArgentinaFil: Casasola Farre, Erica Alejandra. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Oliveros. Agencia de Extensión Rural Casilda; ArgentinaFil: Gentili, Oscar Alfredo. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Oliveros. Agencia de Extensión Rural Casilda; ArgentinaFil: Malmantile, Alberto. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Oliveros. Agencia de Extensión Rural Venado Tuerto; ArgentinaFil: Mendez, Jose Maria. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Oliveros. Agencia de Extensión Rural Totoras; ArgentinaFil: Loto, Ariel Roberto. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Oliveros. Agencia de Extensión Rural Arroyo Seco; ArgentinaFil: Prieto, Gabriel Maria. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Oliveros. Agencia de Extensión Rural Arroyo Seco; ArgentinaFil: Vita Larrieu, Eduardo Alberto. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Oliveros. Agencia de Extensión Rural Máximo Paz; ArgentinaFil: Pagani, Ricardo. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Oliveros. Agencia de Extensión Rural Las Rosas; ArgentinaFil: Lago, Maria Elena. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Oliveros; ArgentinaFil: Alberione, Enrique Javier. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Marcos Juárez; Argentin