Potential use of electronic noses, electronic tongues and biosensors, as multisensor systems for spoilage examination in foods

Development and use of reliable and precise detecting systems in the food supply chain must be taken into account to ensure the maximum level of food safety and quality for consumers. Spoilage is a challenging concern in food safety considerations as it is a threat to public health and is seriously considered in food hygiene issues accordingly. Although some procedures and detection methods are already available for the determination ofspoilage in food products, these traditional methods have some limitations and drawbacks as they are time-consuming,labour intensive and relatively expensive. Therefore, there is an urgent need for the development of rapid, reliable, precise and non-expensive systems to be used in the food supply and production chain as monitoring devices to detect metabolic alterations in foodstuff. Attention to instrumental detection systems such as electronic noses, electronic tongues and biosensors coupled with chemometric approaches has greatly increased because they have been demonstrated as a promising alternative for the purpose of detecting and monitoring food spoilage. This paper mainly focuses on the recent developments and the application of such multisensor systems in the food industry. Furthermore, the most traditionally methods for food spoilage detection are introduced in this context as well. The challenges and future trends of the potential use of the systems are also discussed. Based on the published literature, encouraging reports demonstrate that such systems are indeed the most promising candidates for the detection and monitoring of spoilage microorganisms in different foodstuff

Coadministration of lopinavir/ritonavir and rifampicin in HIV and tuberculosis co-infected adults in South Africa

In HIV-infected patients receiving rifampicin-based treatment for tuberculosis (TB), the dosage of lopinavir/ritonavir (LPV/r) is adjusted to prevent sub-therapeutic lopinavir concentrations. In this setting, South African clinicians were advised to administer super-boosted LPV/r (400 mg/400 mg) twice daily, instead of standard dosed LPV/r (400 mg/100 mg) twice daily. We sought to determine--in routine practice--the tolerability and HIV treatment outcomes associated with super-boosted LPV/r compared to unadjusted LPV/r in combination with rifampicin-based TB treatment

Two geometrically frustrated magnets studied by neutron diffraction

In the pyrochlore compounds, Tb$_2$Ti$_2$O$_7$ and Tb$_2$Sn$_2$O$_7$, only the Tb$^{3+}$ ions are magnetic. They exhibit quite abnormal -- and, in view of their chemical similarity, strikingly different -- magnetic behaviour, as probed by neutron diffraction at ambient and applied pressure. Tb$_2$Ti$_2$O$_7$ is a cooperative paramagnet (`spin liquid'), without long range order at ambient pressure; however, it does become ordered under pressure. By contrast, Tb$_2$Sn$_2$O$_7$ enters an "ordered spin ice" state already at ambient pressure. We analyse a simple model which already clearly exhibits some of the qualitative features observed experimentally. Overall, comparing these two compounds emphasizes the power of small perturbations in selecting low-temperature states in geometrically frustrated systems.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures, International Conference on Neutron Scattering Sydney(2005

Simulations of magnetic and magnetoelastic properties of Tb2Ti2O7 in paramagnetic phase

Magnetic and magnetoelastic properties of terbium titanate pyrochlore in paramagnetic phase are simulated. The magnetic field and temperature dependences of magnetization and forced magnetostriction in Tb2Ti2O7 single crystals and polycrystalline samples are calculated in the framework of exchange charge model of crystal field theory and a mean field approximation. The set of electron-deformation coupling constants has been determined. Variations of elastic constants with temperature and applied magnetic field are discussed. Additional strong softening of the crystal lattice at liquid helium temperatures in the magnetic field directed along the rhombic symmetry axis is predicted.Comment: 13 pages, 4 figures, 2 table

Intracranial pressure monitoring in severe traumatic brain injury

Intracranial pressure monitoring seems to be an indispensable stage in management of severe traumatic brain injured patient. Since 2009, this technique completes our trauma protocol. The study has been carried out from 2011 to 2013 in Prof. Dr. N. Oblu hospital in Iasi. There have been included in the study patients with severe craniocerebral trauma, who had traumatic brain lesions CT detected and Glasgow score between 3 and 8. The age ranged from 16 to 60, an average of 35.5 years old. 50% of the studied cases had a favorable outcome. Diagrams associated to this category of patients showed increases in intracranial pressure above normal values but without repeated values above 50 mm Hg. Most of those patients had a good evolution under medical treatment. Monitoring intracranial pressure is an extremely useful stage in treating intracranial high pressure in traumatology and it should be included in the equipment of any intensive therapy section caring traumatic patients

Single-cultivar extra virgin olive oil classification using a potentiometric electronic tongue

Label authentication of monovarietal extra virgin olive oils is of great importance. A novel approach based on a potentiometric electronic tongue is proposed to classify oils obtained from single olive cultivars (Portuguese cvs. Cobrançosa, Madural, Verdeal Transmontana; Spanish cvs. Arbequina, Hojiblanca, Picual). A meta-heuristic simulated annealing algorithm was applied to select the most informative sets of sensors to establish predictive linear discriminant models. Olive oils were correctly classified according to olive cultivar (sensitivities greater than 97%) and each Spanish olive oil was satisfactorily discriminated from the Portuguese ones with the exception of cv. Arbequina (sensitivities from 61% to 98%). Also, the discriminant ability was related to the polar compounds contents of olive oils and so, indirectly, with organoleptic properties like bitterness, astringency or pungency. Therefore the proposed E-tongue can be foreseen as a useful auxiliary tool for trained sensory panels for the classification of monovarietal extra virgin olive oils.This work was co-financed by FCT and FEDER under Program COMPETE (Project PEst-C/EQB/LA0020/2013)