Technical and economic feasibility of gradual concentric chambers reactor for sewage treatment in developing countries

A major challenge in developing countries concerning domestic wastewaters is to decrease their treatment costs. In the present study, a new cost-effective reactor called gradual concentric chambers (GCC) was designed and evaluated at lab-scale. The effluent quality of the GCC reactor was compared with that of an upflow anaerobic sludge bed (UASB) reactor. Both reactors showed organic matter removal efficiencies of 90%; however, the elimination of nitrogen was higher in the GCC reactor. The amount of biogas recovered in the GCC and the UASB systems was 50% and 75% of the theoretical amount expected, respectively, and both reactors showed a slightly higher methane production when the feed was supplemented with an additive based on vitamins and minerals. Overall, the economical analysis, the simplicity of design and the performance results revealed that the GCC technology can be of particular interest for sewage treatment in developing countries

Pinworms of the red howler monkey (Alouatta seniculus) in Colombia. Gathering the pieces of the pinworm-primate puzzle

Pinworms of primates are believed to be highly host specific parasites, forming co-evolutionary associations with their hosts. In order to assess the strength and reach of such evolutionary links, we need to have a broad understanding of the pinworm diversity associated with primates. Here, we employed an integrative taxonomic approach to assess pinworm diversity in red howler monkeys in Colombia. Molecular and morphological evidence validate the presence of at least four different species of Trypanoxyuris occurring in red howler monkeys: T. minutus, a widely distributed species, and three new species, T. seunimiii n. sp., T. kemuimae n. sp. and T. kotudoi n. sp. The mitochondrial COI gene and the 28S ribosomal gene were used for phylogenetic assessments through Bayesian inference. The three new species were morphologically distinct and formed reciprocally monophyletic lineages. Further molecular lineage subdivision in T. minutus and T. kotudoi n. sp. without morphological correspondence, suggests the potential scenario for the existence of cryptic species. Phylogenetic relationships imply that the different species of Trypanoxyuris occurring in each howler monkey species were acquired through independent colonization events. On-going efforts to uncover pinworm diversity will allow us to test the degree of host specificity and the co-phylogenetic hypothesis, as well as to further unravel the primate-pinworm evolutionary history puzzle

A genome-wide computational approach to define microRNA-Polycomb/ trithorax gene regulatory circuits in drosophila

Characterization of gene regulatory networks is fundamental to understanding homeostatic development. This process can be simplified by analyzing relatively simple genomes such as the genome of Drosophila melanogaster. In this work we have developed a computational framework in Drosophila to explore for the presence of gene regulatory circuits between two large groups of transcriptional regulators: the epigenetic group of the Polycomb/ trithorax (PcG/trxG) proteins and the microRNAs (miRNAs). We have searched genome-wide for miRNA targets in PcG/trxG transcripts as well as for Polycomb Response Elements (PREs) in miRNA genes. Our results show that 10% of the analyzed miRNAs could be controlling PcG/trxG gene expression, while 40% of those miRNAs are putatively controlled by the selected set of PcG/trxG proteins. The integration of these analyses has resulted in the predicted existence of 3 classes of miRNA-PcG/trxG crosstalk interactions that define potential regulatory circuits. In the first class, miRNA-PcG circuits are defined by miRNAs that reciprocally crosstalk with PcG. In the second, miRNA-trxG circuits are defined by miRNAs that reciprocally crosstalk with trxG. In the third class, miRNA-PcG/ trxG shared circuits are defined by miRNAs that crosstalk with both PcG and trxG regulators. These putative regulatory circuits may uncover a novel mechanism in Drosophila for the control of PcG/trxG and miRNAs levels of expression. The computational framework developed here for Drosophila melanogaster can serve as a model case for similar analyses in other species. Moreover, our work provides, for the first time, a new and useful resource for the Drosophila community to consult prior to experimental studies investigating the epigenetic regulatory networks of miRNA-PcG/trxG mediated gene expressionWe thank Dr. Peter Freddolino (University of Michigan Medical School, USA) for kindly providing us with the Polycomb Response Element genome-wide predictor (Khabiri and Freddolino, 2019) and Keith Harshman for carefully reading the manuscript. This work was supported by PID2020-114533 GB-C21 grant from Spanish Agencia Estatal de Investigacion/Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovaci on and by institutional grants from Fundacion Areces and Banco Santande

Using Wavelets to reject background in Dark Matter experiments

A method based on wavelet techniques has been developed and applied to background rejection in the data of the IGEX dark matter experiment. The method is presented and described in some detail to show how it efficiently rejects events coming from noise and microphonism through a mathematical inspection of their recorded pulse shape. The result of the application of the method to the last data of IGEX is presented.Comment: 14 pages, 8 figures. Submitted to Astrop. Phy

Spectral unmixing of multiply stained fluorescence samples T

The widespread use of fluorescence microscopy along with the vast library of available fluorescent stains and staining methods has been extremely beneficial to researchers in many fields, ranging from material sciences to plant biology. In clinical diagnostics, the ability to combine different markers in a given sample allows the simultaneous detection of the expression of several different molecules, which in turn provides a powerful diagnostic tool for pathologists, allowing a better classification of the sample at hand. The correct detection and separation of multiple stains in a sample is achieved not only by the biochemical and optical properties of the markers, but also by the use of appropriate hardware and software tools. In this chapter, we will review and compare these tools along with their advantages and limitations

La prueba testimonial de niños y niñas menores de doce años de edad practicada con el uso de la Cámara Gesell y su incidencia en el proceso penal salvadoreño.

La prueba testimonial de niñas y niños menores de doce años de edad practicada con el uso de la Cámara Gesell, la cual es una práctica de trascendental importancia, en relación a la prueba testimonial anticipada en un proceso penal, que presentan las niñas y niños, especialmente menores de doce años de edad, cuando son víctimas de delito, como ejemplo de ilícitos de contenido sexual y son llamados a comparecer en calidad de víctima para que presten su declaración, o bien en calidad de testigo cuando han presenciado un hecho punible. La anterior circunstancia presenta para la víctima o testigo, como personas vulnerables un sufrimiento en la ejecución del delito, como victimización primaria, pero ese padecimiento repercute en el desarrollo del proceso penal, mediante la victimización secundaria causada por el proceso, en tal sentido para reducir ese sufrimiento se ha implementado el uso del mecanismo tecnológico de la Cámara Gesell, como una forma importante para reducir al mínimo posible el trauma de los menores de edad y proteger sus derechos a la intimidad, identidad y a su imagen. Esta investigación se enfoca en la funcionabilidad y la eficacia de la Cámara Gesell en el sentido de que el mencionado acto procesal se realice tomando las declaraciones una sola vez, para ser presentadas, valoradas e incorporadas en vista pública sin la presencia de las víctimas o testigos menores de edad, para que no sean revictimizados, preservando el derecho de defensa del imputado. Se ha trabajado haciendo referencia a los antecedentes históricos de la Cámara Gesell, implementación en la administración de justicia, teniendo su base legal en los Arts. 2, 34, 35 de la Constitución de La República de El Salvador, Art. 12 LEPINA, Art. 3 de la Convención de los Derechos del Niño; se ha incorporado los subtemas de la oportunidad procesal y las diferentes circunstancias bajo las cuales se lleva a cabo la prueba testimonial anticipada, los mecanismos adecuados, su naturaleza, presupuestos procesales, así como las diferentes formas de victimización que enfrentan las niñas y niños víctimas o testigos de delito en un proceso penal. La Cámara Gesell, es un espacio adecuado en la recepción de un anticipo de prueba testimonial, que está compuesta por dos habitaciones divididas por un espejo unidireccional que permite ver lo que sucede en una de las habitaciones desde la otra habitación, pero no a la inversa, cuya invención se le atribuye al pediatra y psicólogo Arnold Lucius Gesell, de nacionalidad estadounidense. En El Salvador como en otros países de América Latina, el uso de la cámara Gesell es un novedoso sistema, útil para realizar los interrogatorios en materia penal o cualquier otra materia en la cual se requiera, se ha analizado la eficacia de la prueba testimonial anticipada y los casos bajo los cuales el Juez de la causa podrá autorizar la realización de dicho acto procesal. De esta manera se aborda una temática, primero investigando sobre el origen de la cámara Gesell, luego citar las bases jurídicas que permitieron su implementación, como ejemplo en el Código Procesal Penal, luego se abordan los aspectos normativos tanto nacionales como internacionales, que dan respaldo al uso de dicho mecanismo, para luego mencionar el marco operativo establecido administrativamente su uso e implementación

Neutron background at the Canfranc Underground Laboratory and its contribution to the IGEX-DM dark matter experiment

A quantitative study of the neutron environment in the Canfranc Underground Laboratory has been performed. The analysis is based on a complete set of simulations and, particularly, it is focused on the IGEX-DM dark matter experiment. The simulations are compared to the IGEX-DM low energy data obtained with different shielding conditions. The results of the study allow us to conclude, with respect to the IGEX-DM background, that the main neutron population, coming from radioactivity from the surrounding rock, is practically eliminated after the implementation of a suitable neutron shielding. The remaining neutron background (muon-induced neutrons in the shielding and in the rock) is substantially below the present background level thanks to the muon veto system. In addition, the present analysis gives us a further insight on the effect of neutrons in other current and future experiments at the Canfranc Underground Laboratory. The comparison of simulations with the body of data available has allowed to set the flux of neutrons from radioactivity of the Canfranc rock, (3.82 +- 0.44) x 10^{-6} cm^{-2} s^{-1}, as well as the flux of muon-induced neutrons in the rock, (1.73 +- 0.22(stat) \+- 0.69(syst)) x 10^{-9} cm^{-2} s^{-1}, or the rate of neutron production by muons in the lead shielding, (4.8 +- 0.6 (stat) +- 1.9 (syst)) x 10^{-9} cm^{-3} s^{-1}.Comment: 17 pages, 8 figures, elsart document class; final version to appear in Astroparticle Physic

Penetración ideológica de Estados Unidos en El Salvador a través de la televisión 1979-1989

Con el presente trabajo se ha intentado profundizar en uno de los elementos del proceso ideológico que en el país se desenvuelve. Se trata de dejar en evidencia la participación: que Estados Unidos de Norteamérica protagoniza en dicho proceso, mediante el empleo de la televisión, uno de los mas dinámicos y modernos medios masivos de información y propagada