Multispectral Imaging for Determination of Astaxanthin Concentration in Salmonids

Multispectral imaging has been evaluated for characterization of the concentration of a specific cartenoid pigment; astaxanthin. 59 fillets of rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss, were filleted and imaged using a rapid multispectral imaging device for quantitative analysis. The multispectral imaging device captures reflection properties in 19 distinct wavelength bands, prior to determination of the true concentration of astaxanthin. The samples ranged from 0.20 to 4.34 g per g fish. A PLSR model was calibrated to predict astaxanthin concentration from novel images, and showed good results with a RMSEP of 0.27. For comparison a similar model were built for normal color images, which yielded a RMSEP of 0.45. The acquisition speed of the multispectral imaging system and the accuracy of the PLSR model obtained suggest this method as a promising technique for rapid in-line estimation of astaxanthin concentration in rainbow trout fillets

Determining specific biomass activity in anaerobic wastewater treatment processes

«Erworben im Rahmen der Schweizer Nationallizenzen (http://www.nationallizenzen.ch)»An experimental method for the measurement of specific gas production rate was developed and tested with biomass samples taken from anaerobic fluidized bed reactors, operating with a variety of carriers with molasses, condensate from cellulose production and brewery wastewater as feeds. The method is based on reactor sampling and offline gas volume measurement during a known time interval. Important factors are biomass and liquid sampling under oxygen-free conditions, using the liquid from the reactor as substrate, providing sufficient mixing and maintaining the physical integrity of the biomass. The method was developed in such a way that small samples (20 ml) were taken under anaerobic conditions (poising agent) for short-term (2-3 min.) gas rate measurements in a small fluidized bed (25 ml) batch reactor with U-tube. Biomass content was measured by an instrumental nitrogen method (Dumas), followed by weight determination of the carrier. The gas rates measured with the test system, and their dependence on substrate concentration, were in good agreement with those directly measured from the continuous fluidized bed reactor. Additions of molasses and acetate to the sample proved that the influence of concentration on the biomass activity can be obtained only by operating the continuous reactor at the concentration levels of interest. Comparison between the reactors showed large differences in the specific activity and the total reactor activity. It was found when comparing two reactors, that the values of the specific and the total activities permitted the calculation of the relative biomass quantities. In this way the influence of the carrier-type could be evaluated

An Intelligent Decision Support System for the Detection of Meat Spoilage using Multispectral Images

In food industry, quality and safety are considered important issues worldwide that are directly related to health and social progress. The use of vision technology for quality testing of food production has the obvious advantage of being able to continuously monitor a production using non-destructive methods, thus increasing the quality and minimizing cost. The performance of an intelligent decision support system has been evaluated in monitoring the spoilage of minced beef stored either aerobically or under modified atmosphere packaging, at different storage temperatures (0, 5, 10, and 15 °C) utilising multispectral imaging information. This paper utilises a neuro-fuzzy model which incorporates a clustering pre-processing stage for the definition of fuzzy rules, while its final fuzzy rule base is determined by competitive learning. Initially, meat samples are classified according to their storage conditions, while identification models are then utilised for the prediction of the Total Viable Counts of bacteria. The innovation of the proposed approach is further extended to the identification of the temperature used for storage, utilizing only imaging spectral information. Results indicated that spectral information in combination with the proposed modelling scheme could be considered as an alternative methodology for the accurate evaluation of meat spoilage

The genetics of feto-placental development: A study of acid phosphatase locus 1 and adenosine deaminase polymorphisms in a consecutive series of newborn infants

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Acid phosphatase locus 1 and adenosine deaminase locus 1 polymorphisms show cooperative effects on glucose metabolism and immunological functions. The recent observation of cooperation between the two systems on susceptibility to repeated spontaneous miscarriage prompted us to search for possible interactional effects between these genes and the correlation between birth weight and placental weight. Deviation from a balanced development of the feto-placental unit has been found to be associated with perinatal morbidity and mortality and with cardiovascular diseases in adulthood.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We examined 400 consecutive newborns from the Caucasian population of Rome. Birth weight, placental weight, and gestational length were registered. Acid phosphatase locus 1 and adenosine deaminase locus 1 phenotypes were determined by starch gel electrophoresis and correlation analysis was performed by SPSS programs. Informed verbal consent to participate in the study was obtained from the mothers.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Highly significant differences in birth weight-placental weight correlations were observed among acid phosphatase locus 1 phenotypes (p = 0.005). The correlation between birth weight and placental weight was markedly elevated in subjects carrying acid phosphatase locus 1 phenotypes with medium-low F isoform concentration (A, CA and CB phenotypes) compared to those carrying acid phosphatase locus 1 phenotypes with medium-high F isoform concentration (BA and B phenotypes) (p = 0.002). Environmental and developmental variables were found to exert a significant effect on birth weight-placental weight correlation in subjects with medium-high F isoform concentrations, but only a marginal effect was observed in those with medium-low F isoform concentrations. The correlation between birth weight and placental weight is higher among carriers of the adenosine deaminase locus 1 allele*2, which is associated with low activity, than in homozygous adenosine deaminase locus 1 phenotype 1 carriers (p = 0.04). The two systems show a cooperative effect on the correlation between birth weight and placental weight: the highest value is observed in newborns carrying adenosine deaminase locus 1 allele*2 and acid phosphatase locus 1 phenotypes with medium-low F isoform concentration (p = 0.005).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>These data suggest that zygotes with low adenosine deaminase locus 1 activity and low F activity may experience the most favourable intrauterine conditions for a balanced development of the feto-placental unit.</p

Analysis of Signaling Mechanisms Regulating Microglial Process Movement

Microglia, the brain’s innate immune cells, are extremely motile cells, continuously surveying the CNS to serve homeostatic functions and to respond to pathological events. In the healthy brain, microglia exhibit a small cell body with long, branched and highly motile processes, which constantly extend and retract, effectively ‘patrolling’ the brain parenchyma. Over the last decade, methodological advances in microscopy and the availability of genetically encoded reporter mice have allowed us to probe microglial physiology in situ. Beyond their classical immunological roles, unexpected functions of microglia have been revealed, both in the developing and the adult brain: microglia regulate the generation of newborn neurons, control the formation and elimination of synapses, and modulate neuronal activity. Many of these newly ascribed functions depend directly on microglial process movement. Thus, elucidating the mechanisms underlying microglial motility is of great importance to understand their role in brain physiology and pathophysiology. Two-photon imaging of fluorescently labelled microglia, either in vivo or ex vivo in acute brain slices, has emerged as an indispensable tool for investigating microglial movements and their functional consequences. This chapter aims to provide a detailed description of the experimental data acquisition and analysis needed to address these questions, with a special focus on key dynamic and morphological metrics such as surveillance, directed motility and ramification

Mobile encounters:bus 5A as a cross-cultural meeting place

The paper explores modes of encounters in the everyday practice of bus travel. Particularly, it addresses cross-cultural encounters located in the tension between familiarity and difference, between inclusion and exclusion. The paper is located in contemporary thoughts, approaching public transport not only as a moving device but also as a social arena. Furthermore, the bus is simultaneously perceived as a public space, at once composite, contradictory and heterogeneous, and as a meeting place involving ‘Throwntogetherness’. The encounters analysed are bodily, emotional charged and outspoken meetings between passengers, with the socio-materiality of the bus and drivers as co-riders and gatekeepers

Genetic Diversity among Ancient Nordic Populations

Using established criteria for work with fossil DNA we have analysed mitochondrial DNA from 92 individuals from 18 locations in Denmark ranging in time from the Mesolithic to the Medieval Age. Unequivocal assignment of mtDNA haplotypes was possible for 56 of the ancient individuals; however, the success rate varied substantially between sites; the highest rates were obtained with untouched, freshly excavated material, whereas heavy handling, archeological preservation and storage for many years influenced the ability to obtain authentic endogenic DNA. While the nucleotide diversity at two locations was similar to that among extant Danes, the diversity at four sites was considerably higher. This supports previous observations for ancient Britons. The overall occurrence of haplogroups did not deviate from extant Scandinavians, however, haplogroup I was significantly more frequent among the ancient Danes (average 13%) than among extant Danes and Scandinavians (∼2.5%) as well as among other ancient population samples reported. Haplogroup I could therefore have been an ancient Southern Scandinavian type “diluted” by later immigration events. Interestingly, the two Neolithic samples (4,200 YBP, Bell Beaker culture) that were typed were haplogroup U4 and U5a, respectively, and the single Bronze Age sample (3,300–3,500 YBP) was haplogroup U4. These two haplogroups have been associated with the Mesolithic populations of Central and Northern Europe. Therefore, at least for Southern Scandinavia, our findings do not support a possible replacement of a haplogroup U dominated hunter-gatherer population by a more haplogroup diverse Neolithic Culture

Defects in muscarinic receptor-coupled signal transduction in isolated parotid gland cells after in vivo irradiation: evidence for a non-DNA target of radiation

Radiation-induced dysfunction of normal tissue, an unwanted side effect of radiotherapeutic treatment of cancer, is usually considered to be caused by impaired loss of cell renewal due to sterilisation of stem cells. This implies that the onset of normal tissue damage is usually determined by tissue turnover rate. Salivary glands are a clear exception to this rule: they have slow turnover rates (>60 days), yet develop radiation-induced dysfunction within hours to days. We showed that this could not be explained by a hypersensitivity to radiation-induced apoptosis or necrosis of the differentiated cells. In fact, salivary cells are still capable of amylase secretion shortly after irradiation while at the same time water secretion seems specifically and severely impaired. Here, we demonstrate that salivary gland cells isolated after in vivo irradiation are impaired in their ability to mobilise calcium from intracellular stores (Ca2+i), the driving force for water secretion, after exposure to muscarinic acetylcholine receptor agonists. Using radioligand-receptor-binding assays it is shown that radiation caused no changes in receptor density, receptor affinity nor in receptor-G-protein coupling. However, muscarinic acetylcholine agonist-induced activation of protein kinase C alpha (PKCα), measured as translocation to the plasma membrane, was severely affected in irradiated cells. Also, the phorbol ester PMA could no longer induce PKCα translocation in irradiated cells. Our data hence indicate that irradiation specifically interferes with PKCα association with membranes, leading to impairment of intracellular signalling. To the best of our knowledge, these data for the first time suggest that, the cells' capacity to respond to a receptor agonist is impaired after irradiation