Automatic Monitoring Cheese Ripeness Using Computer Vision and Artificial Intelligence

Ripening is a very important process that contributes to cheese quality, as its characteristics are determined by the biochemical changes that occur during this period. Therefore, monitoring ripening time is a fundamental task to market a quality product in a timely manner. However, it is difficult to accurately determine the degree of cheese ripeness. Although some scientific methods have also been proposed in the literature, the conventional methods adopted in dairy industries are typically based on visual and weight control. This study proposes a novel approach aimed at automatically monitoring the cheese ripening based on the analysis of cheese images acquired by a photo camera. Both computer vision and machine learning techniques have been used to deal with this task. The study is based on a dataset of 195 images (specifically collected from an Italian dairy industry), which represent Pecorino cheese forms at four degrees of ripeness. All stages but the one labeled as 'day 18', which has 45 images, consist of 50 images. These images have been handled with image processing techniques and then classified according to the degree of ripening, i.e., 18, 22, 24, and 30 days. A 5-fold cross-validation strategy was used to empirically evaluate the performance of the models. During this phase, each training fold was augmented online. This strategy allowed to use 624 images for training, leaving 39 original images per fold for testing. Experimental results have demonstrated the validity of the approach, showing good performance for most of the trained models

Saliva, a bodily fluid with recognized and potential diagnostic applications

Human whole saliva is a bodily fluid that can be obtained easily by noninvasive techniques. Specimens can be collected by the patient also at home in order to monitor health status and variations of several analytes of clinical interest. The contributions to whole saliva include secretions from salivary glands and, among others, from the gingival crevicular fluid that derives from the epithelial mucosa. Therefore, saliva is currently a relevant diagnostic fluid for many substances, including steroids, nonpeptide hormones, therapeutic drugs, and drugs of abuse. This review at first briefly describes the different contributions to whole saliva. A section illustrates the procedures for the collection, handling, and storage of salivary specimens. Another section describes the present use of whole saliva for diagnostic purposes and its specific utilization for the diagnosis of several local and systemic diseases. The final sections illustrate the future opportunities offered by various not conventional techniques with a focus on the most recent –omic investigations. It describes the various issues that have to be taken into account to avoid false positives and negatives, such as the strength of the experimental plan, the adequacy of the number of samples under study, and the proper choice of controls

Levodopa-induced dyskinesia in Parkinson's disease: sleep matters

OBJECTIVE: The spectrum of clinical symptoms changes during the course of Parkinson's disease. Levodopa therapy, while offering remarkable control of classical motor symptoms, causes abnormal involuntary movements as the disease progresses. These levodopa-induced dyskinesias (LIDs) have been associated with abnormal cortical plasticity. Since slow wave activity (SWA) of nonrapid eye movement (NREM) sleep underlies adjustment of cortical excitability, we sought to elucidate the relationship between this physiological process and LIDs. METHODS: Thirty-six patients at different stages of Parkinson's disease (PD) underwent whole-night video polysomnography-high-density EEG (vPSG-hdEEG), preceded by 1 week of actigraphy. To represent the broad spectrum of the disease, patients were divided into three groups by disease stage, (i) de novo (DNV; n = 9), (ii) advanced (ADV; n = 13), and (iii) dyskinetic (DYS; n = 14) and were compared to an age-matched control group (CTL; n = 12). The SWA-NREM content of the PSG-hdEEG was then temporally divided into 10 equal parts, from T1 to T10, and power and source analyses were performed. T2-T3-T4 were considered early sleep and were compared to T7-T8-T9, representing late sleep. RESULTS: We found that all groups, except the DYS group, manifested a clear-cut SWA decrease between early and late sleep. INTERPRETATION: Our data demonstrate a strong pathophysiological association between sleep and PD. Given that SWA may be a surrogate for synaptic strength, our data suggest that DYS patients do not have adequate synaptic downscaling. Further analysis is needed to determine the effect of drugs that can enhance cortical SWA in LIDs

VGF peptides as novel biomarkers in Parkinson’s disease

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is characterized by a progressive degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra (SN). At disease onset, a diagnosis is often difficult. VGF peptides are abundant in the SN and peripheral circulation; hence, we investigate whether their plasma profile may reflect the brain dopamine reduction. Using antibodies against the VGF C-terminal portion, we analyzed the rat brain and human plasma, with immunohistochemistry and ELISA. Rats were unilaterally lesioned with 6-hyroxydopamine and sacrificed either 3 or 6 weeks later with or without levodopa treatment. Plasma samples were obtained from PD patients, either at the time of diagnosis (group 1, drug naïve, n = 23) or upon dopamine replacement (group 2, 1–6 years, n = 24; group 3, > 6 years, n = 16), compared with age-matched control subjects (group 4, n = 21). Assessment of the olfactory function was carried out in group 2 using the “Sniffin’ Sticks” test. VGF immunoreactivity was present in GABAergic neurons and, on the lesioned side, it was reduced at 3 weeks and abolished at 6 weeks after lesion. Conversely, upon levopoda, VGF labeling was restored. In PD patients, VGF levels were reduced at the time of diagnosis (1504 ± 587 vs. 643 ± 348 pmol/mL, means ± S.E.M: control vs. naïve; p < 0.05) but were comparable with the controls after long-term drug treatment (> 6 years). A linear correlation was demonstrated between VGF immunoreactivity and disease duration, levodopa equivalent dose and olfactory dysfunction. Plasma VGF levels may represent a useful biomarker, especially in the early stages of PD

Brief Communication: Rapid mapping of landslide events: the 3 December 2013 Montescaglioso landslide, Italy

We present an approach to measure 3-D surface deformations caused by large, rapid-moving landslides using the amplitude information of high-resolution, X-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images. We exploit SAR data captured by the COSMO-SkyMed satellites to measure the deformation produced by the 3 December 2013 Montescaglioso landslide, southern Italy. The deformation produced by the deep-seated landslide exceeded 10 m and caused the disruption of a main road, a few homes and commercial buildings. The results open up the possibility of obtaining 3-D surface deformation maps shortly after the occurrence of large, rapid-moving landslides using high-resolution SAR data

Immunoreactivity of thymosin beta 4 in human foetal and adult genitourinary tract

Thymosin beta 4 (Tβ4) is a member of the beta-thymosins family, a family of peptides playing essential roles in many cellular functions. Our recent studies suggested Tβ4 plays a key role in the development of human salivary glands and the gastrointestinal tract. The aim of this study was to analyse the presence of Tβ4 in the human adult and foetal genitourinary tract. Immunolocalization of Tβ4 was studied in autoptic samples of kidney, bladder, uterus, ovary, testicle and prostate obtained from four human foetuses and four adults. Presence of the peptide was observed in cells of different origin: in surface epithelium, in gland epithelial cells and in the interstitial cells. Tβ4 was mainly found in adult and foetal bladder in the transitional epithelial cells; in the adult endometrium, glands and stromal cells were immunoreactive for the peptide; Tβ4 was mainly localized in the glands of foetal prostate while, in the adults a weak Tβ4 reactivity was restricted to the stroma. In adult and foetal kidney, Tβ4 reactivity was restricted to ducts and tubules with completely spared glomeruli; a weak positivity was observed in adult and foetal oocytes; immunoreactivity was mainly localized in the interstitial cells of foetal and adult testis. In this study, we confirm that Tβ4 could play a relevant role during human development, even in the genitourinary tract, and reveal that immunoreactivity for this peptide may change during postnatal and adult life

Preparation of gellan-cholesterol nanohydrogels embedding baicalin and evaluation of their wound healing activity

[EN] In the present work, the preparation, characterization and therapeutic potential of baicalin-loaded nanohydrogels are reported. The nanohydrogels were prepared by sonicating (S nanohydrogel) or autoclaving (A nanohydrogel) a dispersion of cholesterol-derivatized gellan in phosphate buffer. The nanohydrogel obtained by autoclave treatment showed the most promising results: smaller particles ( similar to 362 nm vs. similar to 530 nm), higher homogeneity (polydispersity index = similar to 0.24 vs. similar to 0.47), and lower viscosity than those obtained by sonication. In vitro studies demonstrated the ability of the nanohydrogels to favour the deposition of baicalin in the epidermis. A high biocompatibility was found for baicalin-loaded nanohydrogels, along with a great ability to counteract the toxic effect induced by hydrogen peroxide in cells, as the nanohydrogels re-established the normal conditions (similar to 100% viability). Further, the potential of baicalin-loaded nanohydrogels in skin wound healing was demonstrated in vivo in mice by complete skin restoration and inhibition of specific inflammatory markers (i.e., myeloperoxidase, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and oedema.Financial support from University "Sapienza" - Progetti di Ricerca: grant RP116154C2EF9AC8 and grant RM11715C1743EE89 are acknowledged.Manconi, M.; Manca, M.; Caddeo, C.; Cencetti, C.; Di Meo, C.; Zoratto, N.; Nácher Alonso, A.... (2018). Preparation of gellan-cholesterol nanohydrogels embedding baicalin and evaluation of their wound healing activity. European Journal of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics. 127:244-249. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejpb.2018.02.015S24424912

Loading of beclomethasone in liposomes and hyalurosomes improved with mucin as effective approach to counteract the oxidative stress generated by cigarette smoke extract

In this work beclomethasone dipropionate was loaded into liposomes and hyalurosomes modified with mucin to improve the ability of the payload to counteract the oxidative stress and involved damages caused by cigarette smoke in the airway. The vesicles were prepared by dispersing all components in the appropriate vehicle and sonicating them, thus avoiding the use of organic solvents. Unilamellar and bilamellar vesicles small in size (~117 nm), homogeneously dispersed (polydispersity index lower than 0.22) and negatively charged (~−11 mV), were obtained. Moreover, these vesicle dispersions were stable for five months at room temperature (~25◦C). In vitro studies performed using the Next Generation Impactor confirmed the suitability of the formulations to be nebulized as they were capable of reaching the last stages of the impactor that mimic the deeper airways, thus improving the deposition of beclomethasone in the target site. Further, biocompatibility studies performed by using 16HBE bronchial epithelial cells confirmed the high biocompatibility and safety of all the vesicles. Among the tested formulations, only mucin-hyalurosomes were capable of effectively counteracting the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) induced by cigarette smoke extract, suggesting that this formulation may represent a promising tool to reduce the damaging effects of cigarette smoke in the lung tissues, thus reducing the pathogenesis of cigarette smoke-associated diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, emphysema, and cancer

SAS CARE 1: Sleep architecture changes in a cohort of patients with Ischemic Stroke/TIA.

OBJECTIVE Changes in sleep architecture following ischemic stroke have been poorly investigated. Our objective was to explore changes of sleep structure in patients with ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack in order to verify a possible predictive value of sleep with respect to clinical outcome. METHODS Patients recruited in the prospective SAS-CARE study received two polysomnographies (PSG) in the acute and chronic phases after stroke/TIA. Sleep parameters were compared between the two time-points and matched with a non-stroke population randomly selected from the HypnoLaus cohort. RESULTS Of the 169 patients investigated with PSG in the acute phase, 104 were again studied 3 months after stroke symptom onset and compared with 162 controls. The acute phase of stroke/TIA was associated with sleep disruption, which significantly improved in the chronic phase, but remained worse than controls (total sleep time improve from 318.8 ± 90.8 to 348.4 ± 81.5 min, compared to 388.2 ± 71.3 in controls, sleep latency from 49.9 ± 58.4 to 27.9 min, compared to 20.2 ± 22 in controls, sleep efficiency from 58.2 ± 18.1% to 27.9 ± 36.4 min, compared to 83.4 ± 10.3% in controls, wakefulness after sleep onset percentage from 36.5 ± 17.3 to 29.3 ± 15.6, compared to 13.2 ± 9.2 in controls). The percentage of REM sleep was negatively associated with stroke severity, whereas stroke topography did not correlate with sleep parameters. CONCLUSIONS This study confirmed a severe sleep disruption in the acute phase of stroke. Although a significant improvement of sleep quality was observed during the three months after stroke, sleep architecture did not normalize. In particular, sleep efficiency and REM sleep seem to be particularly affected by stroke in the acute phase, with a relative preservation of NREM sleep. We suggest that these sleep architecture changes represent a persistent marker of brain damage due to stroke. Further studies are needed to assess the relationship with stroke topographic and outcome

Top-Down Proteomics of Human Saliva Highlights Anti-inflammatory, Antioxidant, and Antimicrobial Defense Responses in Alzheimer Disease

Alzheimer disease (AD) is the most prevalent neurodegenerative disease in the elderly, characterized by accumulation in the brain of misfolded proteins, inflammation, and oxidative damage leading to neuronal cell death. By considering the viewpoint that AD onset and worsening may be influenced by environmental factors causing infection, oxidative stress, and inflammatory reaction, we investigated the changes of the salivary proteome in a population of patients with respect to that in healthy controls (HCs). Indeed, the possible use of saliva as a diagnostic tool has been explored in several oral and systemic diseases. Moreover, the oral cavity continuously established adaptative and protective processes toward exogenous stimuli. In the present study, qualitative/quantitative variations of 56 salivary proteoforms, including post-translationally modified derivatives, have been analyzed by RP-HPLC-ESI-IT-MS and MS/MS analyses, and immunological methods were applied to validate MS results. The salivary protein profile of AD patients was characterized by significantly higher levels of some multifaceted proteins and peptides that were either specific to the oral cavity or also expressed in other body districts: (i) peptides involved in the homeostasis of the oral cavity; (ii) proteins acting as ROS/RNS scavengers and with a neuroprotective role, such as S100A8, S100A9, and their glutathionylated and nitrosylated proteoforms; cystatin B and glutathionylated and dimeric derivatives; (iii) proteins with antimicrobial activity, such as α-defensins, cystatins A and B, histatin 1, statherin, and thymosin β4, this last with a neuroprotective role at the level of microglia. These results suggested that, in response to injured conditions, Alzheimer patients established defensive mechanisms detectable at the oral level. Data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD021538