Soil Water Status Monitoring System with Proximal Low-Cost Sensors and LoRa Technology for Smart Water Irrigation in Woody Crops.

Weather and soil water dictate farm operations such as irrigation scheduling. Low-cost and open-source agricultural monitoring stations are an emerging alternative to commercially available monitoring stations because they are often built from components using open-source, do-it-yourself (DIY) platforms and technologies. For irrigation management in an experimental vineyard located in Quiroga (Lugo, Spain), we faced the challenge of installing a low-cost environmental and soil parameter monitoring station composed of several nodes measuring air temperature and relative humidity, soil temperature, soil matric potential, and soil water content.

Molecular Detection and Genotyping of in Birds in Buenos Aires City, Argentina.

is a bacterium that infects several species of birds and mammals. It is the causal agent of avian chlamydiosis and psittacosis in humans and it is globally distributed. is one of the main zoonotic pathogens transmitted by birds.

Intra-operative ocular ultrasonography of iodine-125 brachytherapy plaques in patients with uveal melanoma.

Purpose: Brachytherapy with iodine-125 (I) has been extensively used as a conservative treatment for uveal melanoma (UM). Surgical technique for correct placement of episcleral radioactive plaques (ERP) in UM cases with posterior choroidal location and/or small size can be difficult and inaccurate. In this study, the correct positioning of plaques was assessed by intra-operative ultrasound control.

Brucella canis Group 2 isolated in Argentina.

The aim of this study was to estimate the diversity and prevalence of both groups of Brucella canis 1 and 2 with and without deletion respectively in different areas of Argentina. A total of 104 bacterial cultures were typed as B. canis strains using the classical biotyping method.

The effectiveness of the quality improvement collaborative strategy in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Quality improvement collaboratives (QICs) have been used to improve health care for decades. Evidence on QIC effectiveness has been reported, but systematic reviews to date have little information from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

Objective: To assess the effectiveness of QICs in LMICs.

Scavenger birds exploiting rubbish dumps: Pathogens at the gates.

Different bacteria are present in rubbish dumps used as food resources by various bird species. Birds may be good indicators of the presence of zoonotic diseases in these sites since they can be infected with zoonotic pathogens by foraging on organic waste, and can also act as carriers. We studied if foraging in rubbish dumps increases the occurrence of Salmonella spp.

Suitability of kefir powder production using spray drying.

Spray drying was applied for the production of kefir powder. The survival of microorganisms after drying, storage and simulated gastrointestinal (GI) conditions was investigated. Kefir was obtained by fermentation of milk and whey permeate, and was dehydrated directly (traditional kefir) or using different carriers (skim milk, whey permeate and maltodextrin).

Comparison of four polymerase chain reaction assays for the detection of spp. in clinical samples from dogs.

Aim: This study aimed to compare the sensitivity (S), specificity (Sp), and positive likelihood ratios (LR+) of four polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays for the detection of spp. in dog's clinical samples.

Materials And Methods: A total of 595 samples of whole blood, urine, and genital fluids were evaluated between October 2014 and November 2016.

Evaluation of macular retinal ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer thickness after vitrectomy with internal limiting membrane peeling for idiopathic macular holes.

Purpose: To evaluate macular retinal ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer (GCIPL) thickness changes after Brilliant Blue G-assisted internal limiting membrane peeling for idiopathic macular hole repair using a high-resolution spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT).

Methods: 32 eyes from 32 patients with idiopathic macular holes who underwent vitrectomy with internal limiting membrane peeling between January 2011 and July 2012 were retrospectively analyzed. GCIPL thickness was measured before surgery, and at one month and at six months after surgery.

Spontaneous dislocation of a phakic refractive lens into the vitreous cavity.

A 36-year-old woman with high myopia had uneventful implantation of a phakic refractive lens (PRL) bilaterally. Two months postoperatively, the best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) in the right eye decreased to the preoperative level and the posterior chamber PRL disappeared from the anterior segment and was found lying in the vitreous cavity inferiorly. After lensectomy and pars plana vitrectomy, the PRL was removed through the initial clear corneal incision, improving the BCVA to 1.

Antiphospholipid antibodies and retinal thrombosis in patients without risk factors: a prospective case-control study.

Purpose: To determine the prevalence of antiphospholipid antibodies and other immunologic abnormalities in patients with occlusive retinal vascular events, exempt from conventional risk factors of retinal thrombosis.

Methods: Forty patients with retinal vascular occlusion (26 with retinal vein occlusions, eight with arterial occlusions, two with combined venous and arterial occlusions, and four with venous occlusions plus vasculitis), free of main accepted risk factors for retinal thrombosis, were prospectively screened for antiphospholipid antibodies (anticardiolipin-antibodies and lupus anticoagulant) and other immunologic abnormalities. Fourteen patients were younger than 50 years.