Comparación de las prevalencias de Leishmania (Leishmania) mexicana en mamíferos pequeños en cinco focos de leishmaniosis cutánea en el estado de Campeche, México

In the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico, 95% of the human cases of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis are caused by Leishmania (Leishmania) mexicana with an incidence rate of 5.08 per 100,000 inhabitants. Transmission is limited to the winter months (November to March). One study on wild rodents has incriminated Ototylomys phyllotis and Peromyscus yucatanicus as primary reservoirs of L. (L.) mexicana in the focus of La Libertad, Campeche. In the present study, the prevalence of both infection and disease caused by L. (L.) mexicana in small terrestrial mammals were documented during five transmission seasons (1994-2004) in five foci of Leishmaniasis in the state of Campeche. Foci separated by only 100 km, with similar relative abundances of small mammals, were found to differ significantly in their prevalence of both symptoms and infection. Transmission rates and reservoir species seemed to change in space as well as in time which limited the implementation of effective control measures of the disease even in a small endemic area such as the south of the Yucatan Peninsula.En la Península de Yucatán, México, la Leishmaniosis Cutánea es causada por Leishmania (L.) mexicana en 95% de los casos humanos, con una incidencia de 5.08% por cada 100,000 habitantes. El ciclo de transmisión se limita a la estación de invierno (noviembre- marzo). Un estudio de mamíferos silvestres incrimina a Ototylomys phyllotis y Peromyscus yucatanicus como reservorios primarios de L. (L.) mexicana en el foco de infección de La Libertad, Campeche. En el presente estudio, se documenta la prevalencia de infección/enfermedad causada por L. (L.) mexicana en pequeños mamíferos, durante cinco estaciones de transmisión (1994-2004) en cinco focos de CL del estado de Campeche. Los focos separados por solamente 100 km. de distancia, aún cuando tienen abundancias relativas de pequeños roedores similares, fueron significativamente diferentes en relación a la prevalencia de síntomas así como de infección. Las tasas de transmisión y las especies de reservorios parecen estar cambiando tanto en el tiempo como en el espacio, lo cual impide el establecimiento de adecuadas medidas de control de la enfermedad aún en un área endémica tan pequeña como lo es el sur de la Península de Yucatán

Una red de sensores inalámbrica basada en hardware y software abierto para colaboración con aplicaciones de robótica a misiones de búsqueda y rescate

as redes de sensores inalámbricas constituyen un complemento en diversas aplicaciones robóticas, como es el caso de las misiones de búsqueda y rescate. En este caso, la capacidad de las redes de sensores inalámbricas para obtener información en la cercanía de la zona de interés, su persistencia, y su capacidad para añadir sensores a vehículos constituyéndolos en nodos móviles, puede aportar a los equipos robóticos información que puede facilitar su misión. No obstante, la integración entre robots y redes de sensores inalámbricas es compleja, y debe prestar especial atención a aspectos como la cobertura, particularmente en el caso de nodos móviles. Este trabajo describe una red de sensores inalámbrica con comunicaciones en malla como alternativa a este problema. La red se basa además en elementos de hardware y software abierto, dando lugar a un sistema de tamaño, peso y coste reducido que facilita contar con un elevado número de nodos. El código y la documentación del sistema presentado en este artículo está disponible en https://github.com/jjflozano/WSNs.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Morpho-structural and thermo-mechanical characterization of recycled polypropylene and polystyrene from mixed post-consumer plastic waste

In this work, a complete sorting and characterization of dirty non-recyclable mixed plastic (plasmix fraction) from municipal solid waste was performed. The procedure comprised a visual inspection and identification of the materials presented in the mixed plastic bales, and subsequent moisture and dirt content determination. Afterwards, both polypropylene and polystyrene fractions obtained from the sorting process were recycled and physico-mechanically and thermally characterized for the assessment of recycled material quality. The dirty nonrecyclable mixed plastic from municipal solid waste was composed of polypropylene (28.89 %), polyethylene terephthalate (22.02 %), polystyrene (9.65 %) and rigid polyethylene (4.68 %). Regarding the moisture and dirt content of the mixed plastic fraction, the results were highly variable, mainly due to the heterogeneity of the material, its origin, atmospheric conditions, etc. The average sum of both parameters (moisture and dirt) was around 15 %. The mechanical properties were within the expected range for each type of polymer, noting that polystyrene recycled materials are more brittle than recycled polypropylene. The recycling of non-food polypropylene wastes yielded a material with higher impact resistance (70 kJ/m2) and Young´s modulus (1934 MPa) as compared to that obtained from the recycling of food packages. Concerning the polystyrene recyclates, it is worth mentioning that recycled materials obtained from foamed residues (expanded polystyrene and extruded polystyrene showed approximately twice the tensile strength with respect to the recycled materials from high impact polystyrene and general-purpose polystyrene residues. In some cases, infrared and thermal analyses revealed cross-contamination with traces of other polymers

Biofilm oxygen profiling using an array of microelectrodes on a microfabricated needle

A novel microelectrode array (DO-MEA) sensor was designed and fabricated using microelectromechanical systems technology on a needle for real time measurement of dissolved oxygen (DO). The sensor consisted of eleven gold disk microelectrodes and a rectangular auxiliary electrode along them. The sensor can also be operated with an integrated reference system. Three different sensor designs were fabricated, and their responses were fully characterized and evaluated. The DO-MEA sensor presented a linear response in the 0-8 mg DO·L-1 concentration range in water, displaying high sensitivity and repeatability. Knowledge of bacterial activity inside biofilms is key to the optimization of applied biotechnologies. The developed sensor was validated against a commercial Clark-type microelectrode overcoming its drawbacks, by profiling a heterotrophic biofilm cultivated in a flat-plate bioreactor. The DO-MEA sensor provided a multipoint, simultaneous dissolved oxygen snapshot profile inside a biofilm with high spatial resolution due to its micrometric dimensions, thus becoming a powerful tool for the research of many similar biological-based processes and applications.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author’s final draft

Forage yield of Urochloa cultivars in a warm sub-humid environment

Objective: Evaluate for 10 weeks the growth of five Urochloa cultivars: Camello, Cobra, Cayman, Convert 330, Mavuno and Xaraés; during the Nortes (NS), Drought (DS) and Rainy (RS) seasons in a humid semi-warm environment. Design/methodology/approach: Variables were crop growth rate (CGR; kg ha-1 d-1) and total dry matter yield (TDM; t ha-1); which were analyzed under a completely randomized design (Tukey; p=0.05). Results: During NS, Mavuno and Xaraés presented, on average, the highest values ??of CGR (p<0.05), 23.7 and 19.4 kg ha-1 d-1, respectively. In DS the cultivars Xaraés, Convert 330, Mavuno and Cayman, presented the highest values, with 20.7 and 26.8 kg ha-1 d-1, in week 2 and 4, respectively. During RS, in the second and fourth week of regrowth, the Xaraés and Mavuno cultivars presented the highest CGR (p<0.05), 119.8 and 144.7 kg ha-1 d-1, on average. In the NS, the Mavuno hybrid presented the highest yields (p<0.05) of TDM, 0.886, 1.553 and 2.156 t ha-1 in week 6, 8 and 10, respectively. For RS, the cultivars Camello, Cayman, Mavuno and Xaraés presented similar yields of TDM; which, on average, were 4.652, 5.312 and 6.278 t ha-1, at 6, 8 and 10 weeks, respectively. Findings/conclusions: The cultivars Xaraés, Mavuno and Cayman presented good forage potential in a humid semi-warm environment; mainly for showing greater growth and accumulation of total dry matter.Objective: To evaluate for 10 weeks the growth of five Urochloa cultivars: Camello,Cobra, Cayman, Convert 330, Mavuno and Xaraés; during the North Winds (NS), Dry(DS) and Rainy (RS) seasons in a warm sub-humid environment. Design/Methodology/Approach: The variables were crop growth rate (CGR; kg ha-1 d-1 ) and total dry matter yield (TDM; t ha -1 ); which were analyzed under a completelyrandomized design (Tukey; p=0.05). Results: During NS, Mavuno and Xaraés presented, on average, the highest values ??ofCGR (p<0.05), 23.7 and 19.4 kg ha-1 d-1, respectively. In DS the cultivars Xaraés,2Convert 330, Mavuno, and Cayman presented the highest values, with 20.7 and 26.8 kgha-1 d-1 , in week 2 and 4, respectively. During RS, in the second and fourth week ofregrowth, the Xaraés and Mavuno cultivars presented the highest CGR (p<0.05), 119.8and 144.7 kg ha-1 d-1 , on average. In the NS, the Mavuno hybrid presented the highestyields (p<0.05) of TDM, 0.886, 1.553 and 2.156 t ha -1 in week 6, 8 and 10, respectively.For RS, the cultivars Camello, Cayman, Mavuno, and Xaraés presented similar yields ofTDM; which, on average, were 4.652, 5.312 and 6.278 t ha -1 , at 6, 8 and 10 weeks,respectively. Findings/Conclusions: The cultivars Xaraés, Mavuno and Cayman presented goodforage potential in a warm sub-humid environment; mainly for showing greater growthand accumulation of total dry matter

Evaluación de imágenes satelitales para el estudio de la distribución térmica en una parcela comercial de olivar en seto

CComunicación presentada al XXXVII Congreso Nacional de Riegos, celebrado en Don Benito del 4 al 6 de Junio de 2019 y organizada por la Asociación Española de Riegos y Drenajes y la Universidad de ExtremaduraEl conocimiento por parte del técnico de las zonas de la parcela que están en mejor y peor estado hídrico, resulta fundamental a la hora de establecer correcciones en relación a las programaciones de riego. El uso de imágenes aéreas con cámaras térmicas permite determinar la temperatura de cultivo y determinar que zonas están en mejor y peor estado hídrico. En los últimos años las imágenes satelitales han provocado un salto importante en el manejo de cultivos. El objetivo de este trabajo es evaluar la información obtenida de los satélites Landsat 8 y Sentinel 2 para identificación de zonas con diferentes temperaturas de cultivo en olivar en seto y poder ser utilizados para identificar zonas con diferente estado hídrico. El ensayo se desarrolló en 2017 en una explotación comercial de olivar en seto (superintensivo) de la variedad Arbequina. Para el estudio se seleccionaron dos parcelas cada una de ellas en un sector diferente de riego; Parcela 1 con una superficie de 10 ha, con una estrategia de riego deficitario controlado sin pérdida de producción y Parcela 2 con una superficie de 5 ha, con una gestión de riego realizada por el técnico de la finca. Las imágenes satelitales permitieron identificar zonas con mayor y menor temperatura de cultivo de manera similar a la que se obtuvieron con las imágenes aéreas, aunque estas últimas permitieron identifica las zonas con mayor precisión. Los datos indican que la utilización de las imágenes satelitales pueden ser un buen indicador inicial de las diferencias de estado hídrico dentro de los diferentes sectores de la parcela, sin embargo, la baja resolución de los satélites que proporcionan imágenes térmicas, obliga a la utilización de bandas del infrarrojo lejano relacionadas con el contenido de agua en el cultivo y tamaño de cultivo y no con el térmico.Junta de Extremadura: Ayuda a grupos de investigación (AGA001 proyecto GR18196), INIA (RTA 2013-00045-C04-02), Proyecto FERTINNOWA financiado por EU H2020 y proyecto CCESAGROS, todos ellos cofinanciados con fondos FEDER

Quality indicators in radiation oncology: proposal of the Spanish Society of Radiation Oncology (SEOR) for a continuous improvement of the quality of care in oncology.

Purpose Current cancer treatment options include surgical intervention, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. The quality of the provision of each of them and their effective coordination determines the results in terms of benefit/risk. Regarding the radiation oncology treatments, there are not stabilised quality indicators to be used to perform control and continuous improvement processes for healthcare services. Therefore, the Spanish Society of Radiation Oncology has undertaken a comprehensive project to establish quality indicators for use with the information systems available in most Spanish healthcare services. Methods A two-round Delphi study examines consensus of several possible quality indicators (n = 28) in daily practice. These indicators were defined after a bibliographic search and the assessment by radiation oncology specialists (n = 8). They included aspects regarding treatment equipment, patient preparation, treatment, and follow-up processes and were divided in structure, process, and outcome indicators. Results After the evaluation of the defined quality indicators (n = 28) by an expert panel (38 radiation oncologist), 26 indicators achieved consensus in terms of agreement with the statement. Two quality indicators did not achieve consensus. Conclusions There is a high degree of consensus in Spanish Radiation Oncology specialists on which indicators in routine clinical practice can best measure quality. These indicators can be used to classify services based on several parameters (patients, equipments, complexity of the techniques used, and scientific research). Furthermore, these indicators allow assess our current situation and set improvements’ objectives.pre-print241 K

Changes in health behaviors, mental and physical health among older adults under severe lockdown restrictions during the covid-19 pandemic in spain

We used data from 3041 participants in four cohorts of community-dwelling individuals aged =65 years in Spain collected through a pre-pandemic face-to-face interview and a telephone interview conducted between weeks 7 to 15 after the beginning of the COVID-19 lockdown. On average, the confinement was not associated with a deterioration in lifestyle risk factors (smoking, alcohol intake, diet, or weight), except for a decreased physical activity and increased sedentary time, which reversed with the end of confinement. However, chronic pain worsened, and moderate declines in mental health, that did not seem to reverse after restrictions were lifted, were observed. Males, older adults with greater social isolation or greater feelings of loneliness, those with poorer housing conditions, as well as those with a higher prevalence of chronic morbidities were at increased risk of developing unhealthier lifestyles or mental health declines with confinement. On the other hand, previously having a greater adherence to the Mediterranean diet and doing more physical activity protected older adults from developing unhealthier lifestyles with confinement. If an-other lockdown were imposed during this or future pandemics, public health programs should spe-cially address the needs of older individuals with male sex, greater social isolation, sub-optimal housing conditions, and chronic morbidities because of their greater vulnerability to the enacted movement restrictions. © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland