Wideband Epidermal Antenna for Medical Radiometry

Microwave thermometry is a noninvasive and passive technique for measuring internal body temperature. Wearable compact antennas, matched to the specific body area, are required for this method. We present a new epidermal wideband antenna for medical radiometry. The double asymmetric H-shaped slot antenna was designed to be matched to different parts of the body without fat layers. The slots are fed by a short-circuited microstrip line in order to decrease size and back radiation, thus reducing potential interferences. In this way, contribution to radiometric temperature due to back radiation is lower than 4%, versus the 20% of the volume under investigation, over the whole operating frequency band. The designed prototype was manufactured on a flexible substrate. The antenna is a very small size, to make it comfortable and suitable for being used by patients with different body mass indexes. The double H-shaped antenna shows good wideband matching results from around 1.5 GHz up to 5 GHz, in different body locations such as the neck, foot instep and foot sole

First report of neocosmospora falciformis Causing Wilt and Root Rot of Muskmelon in Spain

‘Cantaloupe’ and ‘Piel de Sapo’ are melon (Cucumis melo L.) varieties cultivated in Spain. In 2018, during a pathogens survey in experimental fields of Valencia and Alicante provinces (southeast Spain), wilt and root rot of melon plants were detected in grafted and ungrafted plants. Disease incidence ranged from 10% (Alicante) to 45% (Valencia). Symptoms included yellowing and wilting of leaves, rotting at the stem base and upper root, and collapse of the entire plant. Samplings were conducted from severely decayed and dead plants. Fragments (0.5 to 1 cm) from rotted lower stems and roots were surface disinfected for 1 min in 1.5% NaOCl, washed twice with sterilized distilled water, and plated onto potato dextrose agar (PDA) with streptomycin sulfate (0.5 g/liter). Plates were incubated at 25°C in the dark for 3 to 5 days. Mycelia resembling Fusarium were isolated and characterized by morphological and molecular methods. Based on their adpressed beige mycelia, growth in concentric rings, and absence of sporodochia, colonies growing on PDA and Spezieller Nährstoffarmer agar were preliminary identified as belonging to the Fusarium solani species complex. On PDA, colonies were white-greyish to pale-cream growing in concentric rings with beige reverse after 6 days. No sporodochia were observed. Macroconidia were slender, falcate, hyaline, ..

Amenaza turística y vulnerabilidad de los sistemas de producción agrícola tradicional en Occidente Cercano, Antioquia Colombia

Se analiza el riesgo de pérdida de los sistemas de producción agrícola tradicional (SP) del Occidente cercano, Departamento de Antioquia, Colombia, debido a la actividad turística en la zona. Este análisis se realizó a partir de la identificación de los factores legales, infraestructura, atractivos y servicios presentes en el territorio, que promueven o facilitan el desarrollo del turismo como amenaza o factor de riesgo externo para los SP. También se evalúo la vulnerabilidad de los SP al turismo como un factor de riesgo interno del sistema, mediante la estimación de parámetros ambientales, económicos, sociales y técnicos. La investigación se realizó mediante el estudio de seis estudios de caso a escala predial. Los resultados obtenidos indican un riesgo bajo (Predio), una vulnerabilidad media de los seis SP ante el turismo (Predio).The risk of loss of traditional agricultural production systems (SP) of the nearby West, Department of Antioquia, Colombia, due to the tourist activity in the area is analyzed. This analysis was based on the identification of legal factors, infrastructure, attractions and services in the territory, that promote or facilitate the development of tourism as a threat or external risk factor for SP. SP vulnerability of tourism as an internal risk factor of the system is also evaluated by estimating environmental, economic, social and technical parameters. The research was conducted by studying six case studies at farm level. The results indicate a low risk, medium vulnerability of the six SP to tourism.Eje: A2: Paisajes, Territorios y AgroecologíaFacultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestale

Amenaza turística y vulnerabilidad de los sistemas de producción agrícola tradicional en Occidente Cercano, Antioquia Colombia

Se analiza el riesgo de pérdida de los sistemas de producción agrícola tradicional (SP) del Occidente cercano, Departamento de Antioquia, Colombia, debido a la actividad turística en la zona. Este análisis se realizó a partir de la identificación de los factores legales, infraestructura, atractivos y servicios presentes en el territorio, que promueven o facilitan el desarrollo del turismo como amenaza o factor de riesgo externo para los SP. También se evalúo la vulnerabilidad de los SP al turismo como un factor de riesgo interno del sistema, mediante la estimación de parámetros ambientales, económicos, sociales y técnicos. La investigación se realizó mediante el estudio de seis estudios de caso a escala predial. Los resultados obtenidos indican un riesgo bajo (Predio), una vulnerabilidad media de los seis SP ante el turismo (Predio).The risk of loss of traditional agricultural production systems (SP) of the nearby West, Department of Antioquia, Colombia, due to the tourist activity in the area is analyzed. This analysis was based on the identification of legal factors, infrastructure, attractions and services in the territory, that promote or facilitate the development of tourism as a threat or external risk factor for SP. SP vulnerability of tourism as an internal risk factor of the system is also evaluated by estimating environmental, economic, social and technical parameters. The research was conducted by studying six case studies at farm level. The results indicate a low risk, medium vulnerability of the six SP to tourism.Eje: A2: Paisajes, Territorios y AgroecologíaFacultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestale

Amenaza turística y vulnerabilidad de los sistemas de producción agrícola tradicional en Occidente Cercano, Antioquia Colombia

Se analiza el riesgo de pérdida de los sistemas de producción agrícola tradicional (SP) del Occidente cercano, Departamento de Antioquia, Colombia, debido a la actividad turística en la zona. Este análisis se realizó a partir de la identificación de los factores legales, infraestructura, atractivos y servicios presentes en el territorio, que promueven o facilitan el desarrollo del turismo como amenaza o factor de riesgo externo para los SP. También se evalúo la vulnerabilidad de los SP al turismo como un factor de riesgo interno del sistema, mediante la estimación de parámetros ambientales, económicos, sociales y técnicos. La investigación se realizó mediante el estudio de seis estudios de caso a escala predial. Los resultados obtenidos indican un riesgo bajo (Predio), una vulnerabilidad media de los seis SP ante el turismo (Predio).The risk of loss of traditional agricultural production systems (SP) of the nearby West, Department of Antioquia, Colombia, due to the tourist activity in the area is analyzed. This analysis was based on the identification of legal factors, infrastructure, attractions and services in the territory, that promote or facilitate the development of tourism as a threat or external risk factor for SP. SP vulnerability of tourism as an internal risk factor of the system is also evaluated by estimating environmental, economic, social and technical parameters. The research was conducted by studying six case studies at farm level. The results indicate a low risk, medium vulnerability of the six SP to tourism.Eje: A2: Paisajes, Territorios y AgroecologíaFacultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestale

Candelilla wax edible coating with Flourensia cernua bioactives to prolong the quality of tomato fruits

The improvement of the postharvest quality of tomato fruits was evaluated using an edible coating functionalized with an Flourensia cernua extract evaluating the antifungal, structural, barrier, and optical properties. The formulation and evaluation of an edible coating and its application on tomato was evaluated using a response surface methodology to determine the ideal concentrations of candelilla wax, whey protein, and glycerol. Edible films showed good barrier properties, with water vapor permeability varying from 0.4350.404 g mm/m2 day kPa. The addition o F. cernua extract showed significant improvement in the transparency of films. The edible coating applied to tomato reduced weight and firmness loss. The sensory evaluation proved that the product obtained is acceptable for consumers. The edible coating added with F. cernua extract was the most effective in inhibiting the growth of pathogenic fungi and the visual appearance at the end of storage confirmed the beneficial effect of the edible coating.(undefined)info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Grafting Snake Melon [Cucumis melo L. subsp. melo Var. flexuosus (L.) Naudin] in Organic Farming: Effects on Agronomic Performance; Resistance to Pathogens; Sugar, Acid, and VOC Profiles; and Consumer Acceptance

The performance of snake melon [Cucumis melo var. flexuosus (L.)] in organic farming was studied under high biotic and salt stress conditions. Soilborne diseases (mainly caused by Macrophomina phaseolina and Neocosmospora falciformis), combined with virus incidence [Watermelon mosaic virus (WMV), Zucchini yellow mosaic virus (ZYMV), and Tomato leaf curl New Delhi virus (ToLCNDV)] and Podosphaera xanthii attacks, reduced yield by more than 50%. Snake melon susceptibility to M. phaseolina and Monosporascus cannonballus was proved in pathogenicity tests, while it showed some degree of resistance to Neocosmospora keratoplastica and N. falciformis. On the contrary, salt stress had a minor impact, although a synergic effect was detected: yield losses caused by biotic stress increased dramatically when combined with salt stress. Under biotic stress, grafting onto the melon F1Pat81 and wild Cucumis rootstocks consistently reduced plant mortality in different agroecological conditions, with a better performance compared to classic Cucurbita commercial hybrids. Yield was even improved under saline conditions in grafted plants. A negative effect was detected, though, on consumer acceptability, especially with the use of Cucurbita rootstocks. Cucumis F1Pat81 rootstock minimized this side effect, which was probably related to changes in the profile of sugars, acids, and volatiles. Grafting affected sugars and organic acid contents, with this effect being more accentuated with the use of Cucurbita rootstocks than with Cucumis. In fact, the latter had a higher impact on the volatile organic compound profile than on sugar and acid profile, which may have resulted in a lower effect on consumer perception. The use of Cucumis rootstocks seems to be a strategy to enable organic farming production of snake melon targeted to high-quality markets in order to promote the cultivation of this neglected crop.

Constraining the pˉ/p\bar{p}/p Ratio in TeV Cosmic Rays with Observations of the Moon Shadow by HAWC

An indirect measurement of the antiproton flux in cosmic rays is possible as the particles undergo deflection by the geomagnetic field. This effect can be measured by studying the deficit in the flux, or shadow, created by the Moon as it absorbs cosmic rays that are headed towards the Earth. The shadow is displaced from the actual position of the Moon due to geomagnetic deflection, which is a function of the energy and charge of the cosmic rays. The displacement provides a natural tool for momentum/charge discrimination that can be used to study the composition of cosmic rays. Using 33 months of data comprising more than 80 billion cosmic rays measured by the High Altitude Water Cherenkov (HAWC) observatory, we have analyzed the Moon shadow to search for TeV antiprotons in cosmic rays. We present our first upper limits on the $\bar{p}/p$ fraction, which in the absence of any direct measurements, provide the tightest available constraints of $\sim1\%$ on the antiproton fraction for energies between 1 and 10 TeV.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figures. Accepted by Physical Review

Measurement of the Crab Nebula Spectrum Past 100 TeV with HAWC

We present TeV gamma-ray observations of the Crab Nebula, the standard reference source in ground-based gamma-ray astronomy, using data from the High Altitude Water Cherenkov (HAWC) Gamma-Ray Observatory. In this analysis we use two independent energy-estimation methods that utilize extensive air shower variables such as the core position, shower angle, and shower lateral energy distribution. In contrast, the previously published HAWC energy spectrum roughly estimated the shower energy with only the number of photomultipliers triggered. This new methodology yields a much improved energy resolution over the previous analysis and extends HAWC's ability to accurately measure gamma-ray energies well beyond 100 TeV. The energy spectrum of the Crab Nebula is well fit to a log parabola shape $\left(\frac{dN}{dE} = \phi_0 \left(E/\textrm{7 TeV}\right)^{-\alpha-\beta\ln\left(E/\textrm{7 TeV}\right)}\right)$ with emission up to at least 100 TeV. For the first estimator, a ground parameter that utilizes fits to the lateral distribution function to measure the charge density 40 meters from the shower axis, the best-fit values are $\phi_o$=(2.35$\pm$0.04$^{+0.20}_{-0.21}$)$\times$10$^{-13}$ (TeV cm$^2$ s)$^{-1}$, $\alpha$=2.79$\pm$0.02$^{+0.01}_{-0.03}$, and $\beta$=0.10$\pm$0.01$^{+0.01}_{-0.03}$. For the second estimator, a neural network which uses the charge distribution in annuli around the core and other variables, these values are $\phi_o$=(2.31$\pm$0.02$^{+0.32}_{-0.17}$)$\times$10$^{-13}$ (TeV cm$^2$ s)$^{-1}$, $\alpha$=2.73$\pm$0.02$^{+0.03}_{-0.02}$, and $\beta$=0.06$\pm$0.01$\pm$0.02. The first set of uncertainties are statistical; the second set are systematic. Both methods yield compatible results. These measurements are the highest-energy observation of a gamma-ray source to date.Comment: published in Ap