Evaluation and monitoring of the water quality of an Argentinian urban river applying multivariate statistics.

In this work, we present the water quality assessment of an urban river, the San Luis River, located in San Luis Province, Argentina. The San Luis River flows through two developing cities; hence, urban anthropic activities affect its water quality. The river was sampled spatially and temporally, evaluating ten physicochemical variables on each water sample.

UWB-Modulated Microwave Imaging for Human Brain Functional Monitoring.

Morphological microwave imaging has shown interesting results on reconstructing biological objects inside the human body, and these parameters represent their actual biological condition, but not their biological activity. In this paper, we propose a novel microwave technique to locate the low-frequency (f≃1 kHz) -modulated signals produced by a microtag mimicking an action potential and proved it in a cylindrical phantom of the brain region. A set of two combined UWB microwave applicators, operating in the 0.

Melatonin production by rhizobacteria native strains: Towards sustainable plant growth promotion strategies.

In the current context of climate change and water deficit, the selection of native beneficial microorganisms, such as plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), has become a trend for sustainable agriculture due to their ability to improve plant-bacteria interaction with a minimal adverse effect on the soil microbiota compared to commercial PGPR. Until now, the production of phytohormones like melatonin (MT) by native PGPR and their effect on endogenous MT levels in plants have been poorly studied. MT is a ubiquitous phytohormone that protects plants against biotic and abiotic stress by improving the tolerance of stressed plants.

Short-term complications and post-acute sequelae in hospitalized paediatric patients with COVID-19 and obesity: A multicenter cohort study.

Background: Obesity increases the severity of coronavirus disease 2019 illness in adults. The role of obesity in short-term complications and post-acute sequelae in children is not well defined.

Objective: To evaluate the relationship between obesity and short-term complications and post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection in hospitalized paediatric patients.

Experimental Verification of Dielectric Models with a Capacitive Wheatstone Bridge Biosensor for Living Cells: .

Detection of bioparticles is of great importance in electrophoresis, identification of biomass sources, food and water safety, and other areas. It requires a proper model to describe bioparticles' electromagnetic characteristics. A numerical study of bacteria during their functional activity was carried out by using two different geometrical models for the cells that considered the bacteria as layered ellipsoids and layered spheres.

Cost-Effective Method to Perform SARS-CoV-2 Variant Surveillance: Detection of Alpha, Gamma, Lambda, Delta, Epsilon, and Zeta in Argentina.

SARS-CoV-2 variants with concerning characteristics have emerged since the end of 2020. Surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 variants was performed on a total of 4,851 samples from the capital city and 10 provinces of Argentina, during 51 epidemiological weeks (EWs) that covered the end of the first wave and the ongoing second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country (EW 44/2020 to EW 41/2021). The surveillance strategy was mainly based on Sanger sequencing of a Spike coding region that allows the identification of signature mutations associated with variants.

COVID-19 and Organized Crime: Strategies employed by criminal groups to increase their profits and power in the first months of the pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has created new opportunities for organized criminal groups and confronted them with new challenges. Analysis of how these groups have reacted to the pandemic yields better understanding of how they work and enables the devising of more effective counter-strategies. To this end, we identified illustrative cases regarding the provision of illegal governance and infiltration of the legal economy by conducting a systematic content analysis of international media articles and institutional reports published during the first eight months after the outbreak of the pandemic (January to August 2020).

On the Wireless Microwave Sensing of Bacterial Membrane Potential in Microfluidic-Actuated Platforms.

The investigation of the electromagnetic properties of biological particles in microfluidic platforms may enable microwave wireless monitoring and interaction with the functional activity of microorganisms. Of high relevance are the action and membrane potentials as they are some of the most important parameters of living cells. In particular, the complex mechanisms of a cell's action potential are comparable to the dynamics of bacterial membranes, and consequently focusing on the latter provides a simplified framework for advancing the current techniques and knowledge of general bacterial dynamics.

Grapevine morphological shade acclimation is mediated by light quality whereas hydraulic shade acclimation is mediated by light intensity.

Plants acclimate to shade by sensing light signals such as low photosynthetic active radiation (PAR), low blue light (BL) levels and low red-to-far red ratios (R:FR) trough plant photoreceptors cross talk. We previously demonstrated that grapevine is irresponsive to variations in R:FR and that BL-attenuation mediates morphological and architectural responses to shade increasing light interception and absorption efficiencies. However, we wondered if grapevine respond to low R:FR when BL is attenuated at the same time.

[Acute myocardial infarction caused by thrombosis of left main coronary artery. Report of two cases].

Acute myocardial infarction caused by thrombosis of left main coronary artery generate acute cardiac failure, cardiogenic shock and death. Along with the clinical history, the electrocardiogram (EKG) is the most useful tool for its recognition and timely management. Classically the EKG shows ST elevation > 1 mm in aVR or V1 with ST depression in the other leads.

[Salmonella Enteritidis meningitis in an infant. Case report and literature review].

Salmonella spp meningitis is rare in pediatrics. However, it should be especially suspected in children younger than 6 months. The enteric subspecies is the most frequent worldwide, with the Enteritidis serovar being the most important.

[Evaluation of sensi-disk elution for colistin susceptibility determination in multidrug resistant gramnegative bacilli].

Using clinical strains of multidrug resistant (MDR) Gram negative bacilli, we compared MICs obtained from both broth microdilution, the reference method, and sensi-disk elution method. We found that, with A. baumannii exception, results were very similar.

Machine Learning in Melanoma Diagnosis. Limitations About to be Overcome.

Background: Automated image classification is a promising branch of machine learning (ML) useful for skin cancer diagnosis, but little has been determined about its limitations for general usability in current clinical practice.

Objective: To determine limitations in the selection of skin cancer images for ML analysis, particularly in melanoma.

Methods: Retrospective cohort study design, including 2,849 consecutive high-quality dermoscopy images of skin tumors from 2010 to 2014, for evaluation by a ML system.

CMOS based image cytometry for detection of phytoplankton in ballast water.

We introduce an image cytometer (I-CYT) for the analysis of phytoplankton in fresh and marine water environments. A linear quantification of cell numbers was observed covering several orders of magnitude using cultures of and measured by autofluorescence in a laboratory environment. We assessed the functionality of the system outside the laboratory by phytoplankton quantification of samples taken from a marine water environment (Dutch Wadden Sea, The Netherlands) and a fresh water environment (Lake Ijssel, The Netherlands).

Morphology and Hydraulic Architecture of Vitis vinifera L. cv. Syrah and Torrontés Riojano Plants Are Unaffected by Variations in Red to Far-Red Ratio.

Plants have evolved an array of specific photoreceptors to acclimate to the light environment. By sensing light signals, photoreceptors modulate plant morphology, carbon- and water-physiology, crop yield and quality of harvestable organs, among other responses. Many cultural practices and crop management decisions alter light quantity and quality perceived by plants cultivated in the field.

An image cytometer based on angular spatial frequency processing and its validation for rapid detection and quantification of waterborne microorganisms.

We introduce a new image cytometer design for the detection of very small particulates and demonstrate its capability in water analysis. The device is a compact microscope composed of off-the-shelf components, such as a light emitting diode (LED) source, a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor, and a specific combination of optical lenses that allow, through an appropriate software, Fourier transform processing of the sample volume. Waterborne microorganisms, such as Escherichia coli (E.

stg fimbrial operon from S. Typhi STH2370 contributes to association and cell disruption of epithelial and macrophage-like cells.

Background: Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi (S. Typhi) stg operon, encoding a chaperone/usher fimbria (CU), contributes to an increased adherence to human epithelial cells. However, one report suggests that the presence of the Stg fimbria impairs the monocyte--bacteria association, as deduced by the lower level of invasion to macrophage-like cells observed when the stg fimbrial cluster was overexpressed.

RpoS integrates CRP, Fis, and PhoP signaling pathways to control Salmonella Typhi hlyE expression.

Background: SPI-18 is a pathogenicity island found in some Salmonella enterica serovars, including S. Typhi. SPI-18 harbors two ORFs organized into an operon, hlyE and taiA genes, both implicated in virulence.

Use of multiple indicators to assess the environmental quality of urbanized aquatic surroundings in San Luis, Argentina.

Urbanization can cause significant changes in the integrity of fluvial ecosystems, which makes it necessary to assess environmental conditions of areas where population growth rates are high. A study of the environmental quality of Chorrillos River (San Luis-Argentina) and its tributaries was carried out in order to evaluate the potential effect of an urbanization gradient. Six sites were sampled along the main course and tributaries of the river.

Ultra-fast quantum randomness generation by accelerated phase diffusion in a pulsed laser diode.

We demonstrate a high bit-rate quantum random number generator by interferometric detection of phase diffusion in a gain-switched DFB laser diode. Gain switching at few-GHz frequencies produces a train of bright pulses with nearly equal amplitudes and random phases. An unbalanced Mach-Zehnder interferometer is used to interfere subsequent pulses and thereby generate strong random-amplitude pulses, which are detected and digitized to produce a high-rate random bit string.

Phase-stable source of polarization-entangled photons in a linear double-pass configuration.

We demonstrate a compact, robust, and highly efficient source of polarization-entangled photons, based on linear bi-directional down-conversion in a novel 'folded sandwich' configuration. Bi-directionally pumping a single periodically poled KTiOPO(4) (ppKTP) crystal with a 405-nm laser diode, we generate entangled photon pairs at the non-degenerate wavelengths 784 nm (signal) and 839 nm (idler), and achieve an unprecedented detection rate of 11.8 kcps for 10.

NMRbot: Python scripts enable high-throughput data collection on current Bruker BioSpin NMR spectrometers.

To facilitate the high-throughput acquisition of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experimental data on large sets of samples, we have developed a simple and straightforward automated methodology that capitalizes on recent advances in Bruker BioSpin NMR spectrometer hardware and software. Given the daunting challenge for non-NMR experts to collect quality spectra, our goal was to increase user accessibility, provide customized functionality, and improve the consistency and reliability of resultant data. This methodology, NMRbot, is encoded in a set of scripts written in the Python programming language accessible within the Bruker BioSpin ™ software.

[Positron emission tomography with fluorine-deoxyglucose in sarcomas and non-sarcoma non-epithelial tumors].

Background: The usefulness of positron emission tomography (PET) with fluorine-deoxyglucose (FDG) in sarcomas and non-sarcoma non-epithelial (NSNE) tumors is not clearly defined.

Aim: To report a Chilean experience with NSNE tumors evaluated using PET with FDG.

Material And Methods: Retrospective review of the database of a PET laboratory.

Fast beam steering with full polarization control using a galvanometric optical scanner and polarization controller.

Optical beam steering is a key element in many industrial and scientific applications like in material processing, information technologies, medical imaging and laser display. Even though galvanometer-based scanners offer flexibility, speed and accuracy at a relatively low cost, they still lack the necessary control over the polarization required for certain applications. We report on the development of a polarization steerable system assembled with a fiber polarization controller and a galvanometric scanner, both controlled by a digital signal processor board.