A Novel RFID EMSICC-based Chipless Tag

A new Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) chipless tag based on the Substrate Integrated Waveguide (SIW) technology is proposed in this paper. The tag highlights the importance of using such technologies allowing a surface miniaturization, a high Q-factor and an original shape. Thus, the novel design consists of an Eight-Mode Substrate Integrated Circular Cavity (EMSICC) associated to an Ultra Wideband (UWB) bowtie-shaped antenna. The EMSICC is realized by bisecting the Quarter Mode Substrate Integrated Circular Cavity (QMSICC) into two parts, while preserving the same resonant frequency and the original electric field distribution. Further, the operating frequency band is from 5 GHz to 8 GHz within a compact area of 4.97 × 1.05 cm2. The proposed design is experimentally validated in the frequency domain

Radio Frequency Identification Sensing Chipless Tag for Permittivity Monitoring of Specific Sizes Materials

In this paper, a novel Radio Frequency Identification chipless tag for permittivity sensing characterized by a reduced size, an original shape and a low manufacturing cost is presented. The tag consists of a linear shape taken with multiple linear slots etched on the metal patch, ensuring a multi-frequency response. It enables the development of a robust tag with 8 bits as data capacity within a reduced surface is of 17.5×23 mm². Hence, using the frequency Domain Approach, the chipless tag is able to obtain more than 64 different binary states, by the utilization of the frequency shifting technique and the bandwidth distribution. Also, the operating frequency band ranges from 3.5 to 6.5 GHz. The new design is simulated, realized and experimentally validated by a bi-static measurement in the anechoic chamber. Then, preliminary tests are used for defining the Radio Frequency sensing chipless tag for permittivity monitoring, and proving its feasibility to control the evolution of a material over time or after use

Circulating CD56^bright NK cells inversely correlate with survival of melanoma patients.

The roles of NK cells in human melanoma remain only partially understood. We characterized NK cells from peripheral blood ex vivo by flow cytometry obtained from late stage (III/IV) melanoma patients. Interestingly, we found that the abundance of CD56 <sup>bright</sup> NK cells negatively correlate with overall patient survival, together with distant metastases, in a multivariate cox regression analysis. The patients' CD56 <sup>bright</sup> NK cells showed upregulation of CD11a, CD38 and CD95 as compared to healthy controls, pointing to an activated phenotype as well as a possible immune regulatory role in melanoma patients. After stimulation in vitro, CD56 <sup>bright</sup> NK cells produced less TNFα and GMCSF in patients than controls. Furthermore, IFNγ production by the CD56 <sup>bright</sup> NK cells correlated inversely with overall survival. Our results highlight that abundance and function of CD56 <sup>bright</sup> NK cells are associated with melanoma patient survival, emphasizing the potential of NK cell subsets for biomarker discovery and future therapeutic targeting

RFID Chipless Tag Based on Substrate Integrated Triangular Cavity

International audienc

Lipid components of olive oil from Tunisian cv. Sayali: characterization and authenticity

The analysis of the total lipid fraction from the Sayali variety of olive oil was accomplished in the present investigation. Glyceridic, unsaponifiable and flavour fractions of the oil were isolated and identified using several analytical methods. Chromatographic techniques have proven to be suitable for these determinations, especially capillary gas chromatography. Gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry was successfully used to identify sterols, triterpenes alcohols, 4-monomethylsterols, aliphatic alcohols and aroma compounds in our samples. Furthermore, solid phase microextraction was used to isolate volatiles from the total lipid fraction. Results from the quantitative characterization of Sayali olive oil showed that oleic acid (77.4%) and triolein (47.4%) were the dominant glyceridic components. However, the main compounds of the unsaponifiable fraction were b-sitosterol (147.5mg/100 g oil), 24-methylene cycloartenol (146.4mg/100 g oil) and hexacosanol (49.3 mg/100 g oil). Moreover, results showed that the aldehydic compounds were the major flavours present in Sayali olive oi

Morphology and chemical composition of Tunisian caper seeds: variability and population profiling

Caper, as a spontaneous plant, has a large natural distribution in the Mediterranean Sea basin. It is an interesting crop with an economic importance; especially the species Capparis spinosa. The morphology of seeds and their composition in lipid and protein were studied in 15 wild Tunisian caper populations: 9 populations represented the subspecies C. spinosa subsp. spinosa (thorny caper) and 6 populations represented the subspecies C. spinosa subsp. rupestris (inerm caper). Results show that seeds of C. spinosa are especially attractive because they can be grown to produce oil (ca. 30%) and protein (26%). Principal component analysis (PCA) did not show a geographic separation. A subspecies segregation between C. spinosa subsp. rupestris (as a homogeneous group) and C. spinosa subsp. spinosa (as a heterogeneous group) was clearly detected.Key words: Caper (Cappains spinosa), morphology; lipids, proteins, principal component analysis (PCA)

BiodegChip : a DNA microarray to study the catabolic genes of aromatic "BTEX" pollutants in complex microbial communities

Different tools have been proposed to detect, characterize and quantify genes responsible for degradation of different pollutants in environmental samples such us PCR-SSCP DNA fingerprinting, PCR DNA clone libraries and microarrays. In the present work, we developed a custom array system termed BiodegChip to assess functional BTEX (Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene, Xylene) catabolic gene diversity in contaminated environments. A custom CDS database was created including all catabolic genes encoding key activities in BTEX degradation pathways based on the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) database, containing >15,000 genes in >30 functional groups (EC number). Resulting gene database were subjected to probe design (50 mer) using the software Oligoarrays 2.1 with a selection parameter of GC content between 35 and 50% and Tm range 80 and 88\ub0C. The verification of specificity of all probes was used using BLASTTN database. Printing and experimental procedures for application in environmental analyses are in progress

Effects of Olive Trees Age on the Minor Components of Oueslati Virgin Olive Oils Produced from Olives Harvested at Different Ripening Degrees

Phenolics, volatiles, squalene, tocopherols, and fatty acids of virgin olive oils (VOO) from adult and young olive trees of the Oueslati variety, typically cultivated in the Center of Tunisia, were analyzed at three different harvesting periods. Significant differences in contents of saturated fatty acids (p\ua0<\ua00.05), squalene (p\ua0<\ua00.05), alpha-tocopherol and total tocopherol (p\ua0<\ua00.02) and oxidized form of decarboxymethyl oleuropein aglycon (p\ua0<\ua00.05) were seen between VOO from adult and young trees during maturation. Moreover, the volatile profiles of VOO from adult and young trees showed significant differences in the amounts of hexanal, 1-penten-3-ol (p\ua0<\ua00.05), (Z)-3-hexenal and (Z)-2-penten-1-ol (p\ua0<\ua00.01). Principal component analysis showed that olives from adult trees should be harvested at the cherry stage of maturation to obtain a satisfactory level of oil quality, while olives from young trees should be harvested at the black maturation stage