A computer vision system for appearance-based descriptive sensory evaluation of meals

This paper presents a complete machine vision system for automatic descriptive sensory evaluation of meals. A human sensory panel first developed a set of 72 sensory attributes describing the appearance of a prototypical meal, and then evaluated the intensities of those attributes on a data set of 58 images of example meals. This data was then used both to train and validate the performance of the artificial system. This system covers all stages of image analysis from pre-processing to pattern recognition, including novel techniques for enhancing the segmentation of meal components and extracting image features that mimic the attributes developed by the panel. Artificial neural networks were used to learn the mapping from image features to attribute intensity values. The results showed that the new system was extremely good in learning and reproducing the opinion of the human sensory experts, achieving almost the same performance as the panel members themselves

Simultaneous minimum-uncertainty measurement of discrete-valued complementary observables

We have made the first experimental demonstration of the simultaneous minimum uncertainty product between two complementary observables for a two-state system (a qubit). A partially entangled two-photon state was used to perform such measurements. Each of the photons carries (partial) information of the initial state thus leaving a room for measurements of two complementary observables on every member in an ensemble.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, REVTeX, submitted to PR

Quantum Key Distribution using Multilevel Encoding: Security Analysis

We present security proofs for a protocol for Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) based on encoding in finite high-dimensional Hilbert spaces. This protocol is an extension of Bennett's and Brassard's basic protocol from two bases, two state encoding to a multi bases, multi state encoding. We analyze the mutual information between the legitimate parties and the eavesdropper, and the error rate, as function of the dimension of the Hilbert space, while considering optimal incoherent and coherent eavesdropping attacks. We obtain the upper limit for the legitimate party error rate to ensure unconditional security when the eavesdropper uses incoherent and coherent eavesdropping strategies. We have also consider realistic noise caused by detector's noise.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures, REVTe

Circulating Linoleic Acid is Associated with Improved Glucose Tolerance in Women after Gestational Diabetes

Abstract: Women with previously diagnosed gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) are at increasedrisk of type-2-diabetes mellitus (T2D).We aimed to establish links between glucose tolerance (GT)and serum fatty acid (FA) profile in the transition from GDM to T2D. Six years after GDM, 221 womenwere grouped as having normal GT (NGT), impaired GT (IGT), or T2D based on oral GT testresults. Fasting serum FAs were profiled, anthropometric measures taken, and dietary intakedetermined. Linoleic acid (LA) was significantly higher in NGT women (p < 0.001) compared withIGT and T2D, and emerged as a strong predictor of low glucose and insulin levels, independentlyof BMI. Self-reported vegetable oil consumption correlated with LA serum levels and glucoselevels. Delta-6-, delta-9-, and stearoyl-CoA-desaturase activities were associated with decreased GT,and delta-5-desaturase activities with increased GT. In a subgroup of women at high risk of diabetes,low LA and high palmitic acid levels were seen in those that developed T2D, with no differences inother FAs or metabolic measurements. Results suggest that proportions of LA and palmitic acid areof particular interest in the transition from GDM to T2D. Interconversions between individual FAsregulated by desaturases appear to be relevant to glucose metabolis

Lysophosphatidic Acid-Induced Transcriptional Profile Represents Serous Epithelial Ovarian Carcinoma and Worsened Prognosis

BACKGROUND:Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) governs a number of physiologic and pathophysiological processes. Malignant ascites fluid is rich in LPA, and LPA receptors are aberrantly expressed by ovarian cancer cells, implicating LPA in the initiation and progression of ovarian cancer. However, there is an absence of systematic data critically analyzing the transcriptional changes induced by LPA in ovarian cancer. METHODOLOGY AND PRINCIPAL FINDINGS:In this study, gene expression profiling was used to examine LPA-mediated transcription by exogenously adding LPA to human epithelial ovarian cancer cells for 24 h to mimic long-term stimulation in the tumor microenvironment. The resultant transcriptional profile comprised a 39-gene signature that closely correlated to serous epithelial ovarian carcinoma. Hierarchical clustering of ovarian cancer patient specimens demonstrated that the signature is associated with worsened prognosis. Patients with LPA-signature-positive ovarian tumors have reduced disease-specific and progression-free survival times. They have a higher frequency of stage IIIc serous carcinoma and a greater proportion is deceased. Among the 39-gene signature, a group of seven genes associated with cell adhesion recapitulated the results. Out of those seven, claudin-1, an adhesion molecule and phenotypic epithelial marker, is the only independent biomarker of serous epithelial ovarian carcinoma. Knockdown of claudin-1 expression in ovarian cancer cells reduces LPA-mediated cellular adhesion, enhances suspended cells and reduces LPA-mediated migration. CONCLUSIONS:The data suggest that transcriptional events mediated by LPA in the tumor microenvironment influence tumor progression through modulation of cell adhesion molecules like claudin-1 and, for the first time, report an LPA-mediated expression signature in ovarian cancer that predicts a worse prognosis

Recording sympathetic nerve activity in conscious humans and other mammals:guidelines and the road to standardization

Over the past several decades, studies of the sympathetic nervous system in humans, sheep, rabbits, rats, and mice have substantially increased mechanistic understanding of cardiovascular function and dysfunction. Recently, interest in sympathetic neural mechanisms contributing to blood pressure control has grown, in part because of the development of devices or surgical procedures that treat hypertension by manipulating sympathetic outflow. Studies in animal models have provided important insights into physiological and pathophysiological mechanisms that are not accessible in human studies. Across species and among laboratories, various approaches have been developed to record, quantify, analyze, and interpret sympathetic nerve activity (SNA). In general, SNA demonstrates “bursting” behavior, where groups of action potentials are synchronized and linked to the cardiac cycle via the arterial baroreflex. In humans, it is common to quantify SNA as bursts per minute or bursts per 100 heart beats. This type of quantification can be done in other species but is only commonly reported in sheep, which have heart rates similar to humans. In rabbits, rats, and mice, SNA is often recorded relative to a maximal level elicited in the laboratory to control for differences in electrode position among animals or on different study days. SNA in humans can also be presented as total activity, where normalization to the largest burst is a common approach. The goal of the present paper is to put together a summary of “best practices” in several of the most common experimental models and to discuss opportunities and challenges relative to the optimal measurement of SNA across species. Listen to this article's corresponding podcast at https://ajpheart.podbean.com/e/guidelines-for-measuring-sympathetic-nerve-activity/ </jats:p

Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis function in Fragile X Syndrome and its relationship to behaviour: A systematic review

Fragile X Syndrome (FXS) is characterised by features including anxiety and autistic-like behaviour, which led to early hypotheses that aberrant physiological arousal may underlie the behavioural phenotype. In line with this, several lines of evidence suggest that the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis may be altered in the syndrome. This review collates evidence to determine the nature of HPA axis baseline activity and reactivity (as measured by glucocorticoid levels) differences in FXS, and its relationship to behaviour. Through a search of electronic databases, 15 papers were identified which provided data on humans with FXS or the FMR1 knockout mouse model. The findings across studies are mixed, though trends in the findings can be seen, including elevations in cortisol levels, particularly in males. Preliminary findings also highlight associations between cortisol levels and key behaviours associated with the syndrome, such as gaze avoidance. Areas for future research are discussed