Agricultural Fields Monitoring with Multi-Temporal Polarimetric SAR (MT-POLSAR) Change Detection

This work presents a novel methodology to extract and analyse multi-temporal polarimetric SAR (PolSAR) information from a stack of co-registered images. The method is based on the analysis of PolSAR changes between every image with respect to the rest of images in the stack. The changes are organized in a matrix form to encode the polarimetric evolution of a target. The change matrix is then used to visually understand a target evolution and its SAR response based on the evolution of scattering mechanisms due to the target physical evolution. Additionally, we design and test an image classification algorithm in a supervised learning fashion by using typical change matrices as training data. The methodology is tested exploiting C-band quad-pol RADARSAT-2 data with special interest on agricultural fields such as rice in Seville, South-West of Spain and in the Indian Head in Canada as part of the Agrisar 2009 campaign

Evaluation of the efficacy of essential oils of Lavandula angustifolia and Eucalyptus globulus for the control of Varroa destructor in Apis mellifera: A randomised field study

Varroa destructor is the most harmful and widespread parasite that spreads disease in bees. Eucalyptus spp essential oils (EOs), has been shown to be effective against V. destructor. Additionally, Lavender spp EOs treatment, resulted in mite mortality rates of 95% to 97% of V. destructor. During the treatments, 20 mL of each oil or the placebo was distributed on two sheets of papier-mâché located on the frames of the brood chamber inside each hive. The miticidal effects of Lavandula angustifolia and Eucalyptus globulus EOs were analysed. Parasitic load and mite fall were evaluated under field conditions. The mean infestation rate obtained from each of three treatment groups at the beginning of the study was less than 3.6%. Then, the infestation rate increased gradually in each group until day 36. The infestation rates in the groups treated with L. angustifolia and E. globulus EOs were lower than those in the control by more than two percentage points and never exceeded 10%; the differences between the control group and the L. angustifolia group were statistically significant (p <0.05). Both EO treatments were applied in four doses, which produced a prolonged effect that lowered the rates of parasite birth and reinfestation. The L. angustifolia EO was effective; in that treatment, parasitic loads were maintained at levels lower than those in the control group starting at the second treatment dose due to the reproductive cycles of both species

Análise Estatística no Diagnóstico de Doenças Cardíacas

In health area are needed mathematical methods that allow to affirm or to deny, starting from clinical data, the influence or not of certain symptom in the development or emergence of a disease. The hypothesis Test is a statistical method that allows to evaluate samples or to compare samples of independent populations. In this work is presented the analysis of a database on heart diseases diagnosis using the hypothesis test seeking to determine which symptoms influence in the percentage of artery narrowing. For that, the database of heart diseases, available in the repository of data of UCI Machine Learning Repository, is used.Na área da saúde, precisa-se de métodos matemáticos que permitam afirmar ou negar, a partir de dados clínicos, a influência ou não de determinado sintoma no desenvolvimento ou aparecimento de uma doença. O Teste de hipótese é um método estatístico que permite avaliar amostras ou comparar amostras de populações independentes. Neste trabalho apresenta-se a análise de um banco de dados sobre diagnóstico de doenças do coração utilizando o teste de hipótese visando determinar quais sintomas influenciam no percentual de estreitamento da artéria principal. Para tal utiliza-se a base de dados de doenças do coração disponibilizados pelo repositório de dados da UCI Machine Learning Repository

Perturbation theory/machine learning model of ChEMBL data for dopamine targets: docking, synthesis, and assay of new l-prolyl-l-leucyl-glycinamide peptidomimetics

[Abstract] Predicting drug–protein interactions (DPIs) for target proteins involved in dopamine pathways is a very important goal in medicinal chemistry. We can tackle this problem using Molecular Docking or Machine Learning (ML) models for one specific protein. Unfortunately, these models fail to account for large and complex big data sets of preclinical assays reported in public databases. This includes multiple conditions of assays, such as different experimental parameters, biological assays, target proteins, cell lines, organism of the target, or organism of assay. On the other hand, perturbation theory (PT) models allow us to predict the properties of a query compound or molecular system in experimental assays with multiple boundary conditions based on a previously known case of reference. In this work, we report the first PTML (PT + ML) study of a large ChEMBL data set of preclinical assays of compounds targeting dopamine pathway proteins. The best PTML model found predicts 50000 cases with accuracy of 70–91% in training and external validation series. We also compared the linear PTML model with alternative PTML models trained with multiple nonlinear methods (artificial neural network (ANN), Random Forest, Deep Learning, etc.). Some of the nonlinear methods outperform the linear model but at the cost of a notable increment of the complexity of the model. We illustrated the practical use of the new model with a proof-of-concept theoretical–experimental study. We reported for the first time the organic synthesis, chemical characterization, and pharmacological assay of a new series of l-prolyl-l-leucyl-glycinamide (PLG) peptidomimetic compounds. In addition, we performed a molecular docking study for some of these compounds with the software Vina AutoDock. The work ends with a PTML model predictive study of the outcomes of the new compounds in a large number of assays. Therefore, this study offers a new computational methodology for predicting the outcome for any compound in new assays. This PTML method focuses on the prediction with a simple linear model of multiple pharmacological parameters (IC50, EC50, Ki, etc.) for compounds in assays involving different cell lines used, organisms of the protein target, or organism of assay for proteins in the dopamine pathway.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad; CTQ2016-74881-PGobierno Vasco; IT1045-16Xunta de Galicia; GPC2014/003Xunta de Galicia; CN 2012/069Xunta de Galicia; ED431D 2017/16Xunta de Galicia; ED431D 2017/23Xunta de Galicia; GRC2014/049Xunta de Galicia; ED431D 2017/2

Brazilian solar saltworks - ancient uses and future possibilities

Coastal solar saltworks of Brazil are exploited for sea salt, which becomes progressively concentrated by evaporation. This study aimed to review the current and new potential uses of these systems, in order to provide more dynamic for this activity. The first evaporation ponds are also used for artisanal fisheries, ensuring the livelihood of many families. All the brine rich in secondary salts (bittern) can be widely used by the chemical industry, while the Brazil shows an incipient production of "flower of salt", a salt with distinct characteristics with higher market value than sodium chloride. On the other hand, the saltponds have a high potential for management and obtaining of large populations of Artemia spp., purifying the brine through the action as biological filter. This microcrustacean occurs naturally in intermediate salinity ponds, being commonly used in aquaculture. Species of microalgae and halobacteria found in the saltworks are employed for extraction of beta-carotene and glycerol, used in an extensive list of products with high commercial value. These ecosystems represent refuge zones for many species of migratory birds, becoming imperative to promote the conservation of these hypersaline wetlands

The Floristic-Holistic Method for Arid, Semiarid, and Subhumid Areas: A Tool for the Revaluation of Floristic Diversity, Conservation, and Protection of the Ecosystem

The valorization of methods for comprehensive data collection is one of the fundamental tools to establish concrete bases and is applicable to lines of work in conservation, preservation, and protection of ecosystems. During the last 20 years, from the Botany Laboratory and Herbarium Trelew, we have valued the Floristic-Holistic Method that we have been adapting, for flora surveys. Method is intensively used in some Argentine provinces of arid, semiarid, and subhumid zones of the South American Arid Diagonal (Santa Cruz, Chubut, Río Negro, Neuquén, Mendoza, and arid islands of the Patagonian Atlantic coast). This revaluation focuses its importance on not only providing information on ecological parameters (bare soil, topsoil, living plant cover, and dead plant cover), richness, equitability, and floristic diversity, but also on status, conservation, botanical types, biological forms, adaptations, plant density, percentages of protected species, potential invasions of exotic species, forage productivity, and animal receptivity. The information is comprehensive and adaptable to different situations, applicable to different plant associations, types of terrain, and landscape units (open and closed mount, shrubby steppes, subshrubs, grasses, wastelands, rocky fields, peladales, and all kinds of modified areas). The method thus holistically conceptualizes ecosystem goods and services, allowing their study at different scales

Roles of non-coding RNA in sugarcane-microbe interaction

Studies have highlighted the importance of non-coding RNA regulation in plant-microbe interaction. However, the roles of sugarcane microRNAs (miRNAs) in the regulation of disease responses have not been investigated. Firstly, we screened the sRNA transcriptome of sugarcane infected with Acidovorax avenae. Conserved and novel miRNAs were identified. Additionally, small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) were aligned to differentially expressed sequences from the sugarcane transcriptome. Interestingly, many siRNAs aligned to a transcript encoding a coppertransporter gene whose expression was induced in the presence of A. avenae, while the siRNAs were repressed in the presence of A. avenae. Moreover, a long intergenic non-coding RNA was identified as a potential target or decoy of miR408. To extend the bioinformatics analysis, we carried out independent inoculations and the expression patterns of six miRNAs were validated by quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (qRT-PCR). Among these miRNAs, miR408—a copper- microRNA—was downregulated. The cleavage of a putative miR408 target, a laccase, was confirmed by a modified 50RACE (rapid amplification of cDNA ends) assay. MiR408 was also downregulated in samples infected with other pathogens, but it was upregulated in the presence of a beneficial diazotrophic bacteria. Our results suggest that regulation by miR408 is important in sugarcane sensing whether microorganisms are either pathogenic or beneficial, triggering specific miRNA-mediated regulatory mechanisms accordingly

Local delivery of optimized nanobodies targeting the PD-1/PD-L1 axis with a self-amplifying RNA viral vector induces potent antitumor responses

Despite the success of immune checkpoint blockade for cancer therapy, many patients do not respond adequately. We aimed to improve this therapy by optimizing both the antibodies and their delivery route, using small monodomain antibodies (nanobodies) delivered locally with a self-amplifying RNA (saRNA) vector based on Semliki Forest virus (SFV). We generated nanobodies against PD-1 and PD-L1 able to inhibit both human and mouse interactions. Incorporation of a dimerization domain reduced PD-1/PD-L1 IC50 by 8- and 40-fold for antiPD-L1 and anti-PD-1 nanobodies, respectively. SFV viral particles expressing dimeric nanobodies showed a potent antitumor response in the MC38 model, resulting in >50% complete regressions, and showed better therapeutic efficacy compared to vectors expressing conventional antibodies. These effects were also observed in the B16 melanoma model. Although a short-term expression of nanobodies was observed due to the cytopathic nature of the saRNA vector, it was enough to generate a strong proinflammatory response in tumors, increasing infiltration of NK and CD8+ T cells. Delivery of the SFV vector expressing dimeric nanobodies by local plasmid electroporation, which could be more easily translated to the clinic, also showed a potent antitumor effect

Guías para aplicación de Normas de Calidad para los procesos de Ingeniería de Software en productos desarrollados con Lenguajes de Programación Open Source: relevamiento y aplicación en PYMES de la zona de influencia de la UNER Concordia

El Software Libre u Open Source es una forma de licenciamiento que da a los usuarios la libertad de compartir, estudiar y modificar el software. Este paradigma ha tenido impedimentos para su adopción en ambientes empresariales y comerciales debido a concepciones en muchos casos erróneas. En la actualidad, varias de estas ideas se han desmitificado, brindando una dosis de realidad a las oportunidades y obstáculos de esta filosofía. Esto se manifiesta en una evolución y aceptación paulatina de la adopción de software libre como temática central en la Ingeniería de Software. Este contexto plantea la necesidad de contar con estándares de medición y certificación de calidad específicos para productos de Software Libre y de las competencias y desempeño de empresas y profesionales que utilicen, generen y promocionen el Software Libre. Este proyecto de investigación propuso la formulación de marcos metodológicos y modelos de certificación relacionados con software libre y lenguajes de programación open source, tanto para empresas usuarias como desarrolladoras. De esta manera, se pretendió dar valor agregado y ventaja competitiva a las empresas y profesionales que utilicen, desarrollen y/o promuevan el Software Libre y las tecnologías abiertas