Sensing the heat of tomato products red: the new approach to the objective assessment of their color

The concept of optothermal window (OW) detection was used for the first time to assess the color of several products (juice, purée, paste) derived from thermally processed tomatoes. Unlike traditional techniques that operate either in the reflectance or transmission mode, the method proposed here actually relies on indirect measurement of absorbance in optically opaque and scattering samples. Very good correlation between the magnitude of the OW signal and the color-related parameters [colorimetric index L* and tomato paste index (TPI)] was observed

Role of serum S100B and PET-CT in follow-up of patients with cutaneous melanoma

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Increased level of serum S100B can serve as a marker of metastatic spread in patients with cutaneous melanoma (CM). In patients with elevated S100 B and/or clinical signs of disease progression PET-CT scan is a valuable tool for discovering metastases and planning treatment.</p> <p>The aims of this study were to determine whether regular measurements of serum S100B are a useful tool for discovering patients with CM metastases and to evaluate the diagnostic value of PET-CT during the follow-up.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>From September 2007 to February 2010, 115 CM patients included in regular follow up at the Institute of Oncology Ljubljana were appointed to PET-CT. There were 82 (71.3%) patients with clinical signs of disease progression and 33 (28.7%) asymptomatic patients with two subsequent elevated values of S100B. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value (PPV, NPV) of S100B and PET-CT were calculated using standard procedures.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Disease progression was confirmed in 81.7% of patients (in 86.5% of patients with clinical signs of disease progression and in 69.7% of asymptomatic patients with elevated S100B). Sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV of S100B was 33.8%, 90.9%, 96.0% and 17.5% in patients with clinical signs of disease progression. In 20.0% of patients increased serum S100B was the only sign of disease progression. Sensitivity and PPV of S100 in this group of patients were 100.0% and 69.7%.</p> <p>With PET-CT disease progression was diagnosed in 84.2% of symptomatic patients and in 72.7% of asymptomatic patients with elevated S100B. The sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV of PET-CT for symptomatic patients was 98.5%, 90.9%, 98.5% and 90.9% and 100%, 90.0%, 95.8% and 100% for asymptomatic patients with elevated S100.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Measurements of serum S100B during regular follow-up of patients with CM are a useful tool for discovering disease progression in asymptomatic patients. The value of its use increases if measurements are followed by extended whole body PET-CT.</p