Automatic multiple sclerosis lesion detection in brain MRI by FLAIR thresholding

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is frequently used to detect and segment multiple sclerosis lesions due to the detailed and rich information provided. We present a modified expectation-maximisation algorithm to segment brain tissues (white matter, grey matter, and cerebro-spinal fluid) as well as a partial volume class containing fluid and grey matter. This algorithm provides an initial segmentation in which lesions are not separated from tissue, thus a second step is needed to find them. This second step involves the thresholding of the FLAIR image, followed by a regionwise refinement to discard false detections. To evaluate the proposal, we used a database with 45 cases comprising 1.5T imaging data from three different hospitals with different scanner machines and with a variable lesion load per case. The results for our database point out to a higher accuracy when compared to two of the best state-of-the-art approaches.     

Engineering model for intumescent coating behavior in a pilot‐scale gas‐fired furnace

In the event of a fire, intumescent fire protective coatings expand and form a thermally insulating char that protects the underlying substrate from heat and subsequent structural failure. The intumescence includes several rate phenomena, which have been investigated and quantified in the literature for several decades. However, various challenges still exist. The most important one concerns mathematical model validation under realistic exposure conditions and/or time scales. Another is the simplification of advanced models to overcome the often‐seen lack of a complete set of input and adjustable model parameters for a given coating, thereby providing models for industrial applications. In this work, these two challenges are addressed. Three experimental series, with an intumescent coating inside a 0.65 m³ gas‐fired furnace, heating up according to so‐called cellulosic fire conditions, were conducted and a very good repeatability was evident. The experiments were run for almost 3 h, reaching a final gas temperature of about 1100°C. Measurements include transient temperature developments inside the expanding char, at the steel substrate, and in the mineral wool insulation placed behind the substrate. A mathematical model, describing the intumescent coating behavior and temperatures in the furnace using a single overall reaction was developed and validated against experimental data. By including a decomposition front movement through the char, a good qualitative agreement was obtained. After further validation against experiments with other coating formulations, it has potential to become a practical engineering tool. © 2016 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 62: 3947–3962, 2016     

PRKAG3 and CAST genetic polymorphisms and quality traits of dry-cured hams-II. Associations in French dry-cured ham Jambon de Bayonne and their dependence on salt reduction

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of PRKAG3 Ile199Val and CAST Arg249Lys and CAST Ser638Arg polymorphisms on the quality traits of the French dry-cured ham Jambon de Bayonne and their interaction with salt reduction. Significant (p<0.05) and suggestive associations (p<0.10) between the polymorphisms and several quality traits of dry-cured ham, mainly related to processing and textural properties, were found. PRKAG3 Ile/Val and CAST 249Lys/638Arg presented the highest scores for sensory and processing properties, whatever the salt content.     

Mycotoxin Biomarkers of Exposure: A Comprehensive Review

To date, the use of biomarkers has become generally accepted. Biomarker‐driven research has been proposed as a successful method to assess the exposure to xenobiotics by using concentrations of the parent compounds and/or metabolites in biological matrices such as urine or blood. However, the identification and validation of biomarkers of exposure remain a challenge. Recent advances in high‐resolution mass spectrometry along with new analytical (post‐acquisition data‐mining) techniques will improve the quality and output of the biomarker identification process. Chronic or even acute exposure to mycotoxins remains a daily fact, and therefore it is crucial that the mycotoxins’ metabolism is unravelled so more knowledge on biomarkers in humans and animals is acquired. This review aims to provide the scientific community with a comprehensive overview of reported in vitro and in vivo mycotoxin metabolism studies in relation to biomarkers of exposure for deoxynivalenol, nivalenol, fusarenon‐X, T‐2 toxin, diacetoxyscirpenol, ochratoxin A, citrinin, fumonisins, zearalenone, aflatoxins, and sterigmatocystin.     

Stability of DON and DON-3-glucoside during baking as affected by the presence of food additives

The mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON) is one of the most common mycotoxins of cereals worldwide, and its occurrence has been widely reported in raw wheat. The free mycotoxin form is not the only route of exposure; modified forms can also be present in cereal products. Deoxynivalenol-3-glucoside (DON-3-glucoside) is a common DON plant conjugate. The mycotoxin concentration could be affected by food processing; here, we studied the stability of DON and DON-3-glucoside during baking of small doughs made from white wheat flour and other ingredients. A range of common food additives and ingredients were added to assess possible interference: ascorbic acid (E300), citric acid (E330), sorbic acid (E200), calcium propionate (E282), lecithin (E322), diacetyltartaric acid esters of fatty acid mono- and diglycerides (E472a), calcium phosphate (E341), disodium diphosphate (E450i), xanthan gum (E415), polydextrose (E1200), sorbitol (E420i), sodium bicarbonate (E500i), wheat gluten and malt flour. The DON content was reduced by 40%, and the DON-3-glucoside concentration increased by >100%, after baking for 20 min at 180°C. This confirmed that DON and DON-3-glucoside concentrations can vary during heating, and DON-3-glucoside could even increase after baking. However, DON and DON-3-glucoside are not affected significantly by the presence of the food additives tested.     

Rehydration kinetics at 5 and 15 °C of dry salted meat

The surface of meat products during intermittent drying is successively subjected to dehydration and rehydration processes. The aim of this paper was to study the rehydration kinetics at two temperatures (5 and 15 °C) of salted ground pork, (2% or 4% NaCl) dried to different water contents, (10%, 20% and 35%) using Peleg and Weibull’s models. Surface structure of dried samples was analyzed with electron microscopy and related to rehydration kinetics. The equilibrium water content decreased with temperature and increased with NaCl, but was not affected by the initial water content. The rehydration rate at the beginning decreased with water content and was significantly higher at 5 °C than at 15 °C, but it was not significantly affected by NaCl content. However, the equilibrium water decreased with temperature and tended to increase with NaCl content, but was not affected by the initial water content. High level of dehydration resulted in a more damaged and porous meat matrix. This microstructure may contribute to accelerating the rehydration process.     

Potassium chloride, potassium lactate and glycine as sodium chloride substitutes in fermented sausages and in dry-cured pork loin

Salt is essential in the elaboration of dry meat products, contributing to their texture and flavour development. The effect brought about by substituting NaCl with KCl (0-60%), potassium lactate (0-100%) and glycine (0-100%) on the texture, flavour and colour characteristics of fermented sausages and dry-cured pork loins was evaluated. Texture profile analysis and a sensory analysis were performed. Important flavour defects were detected with substitutions above 40% for the three substituents in both products, and with substitutions above 30% for glycine in dry-cured loin. A loss of cohesiveness was detected by the sensory analysis in fermented sausages at substitution levels higher than 30% with potassium lactate (K-lactate) and higher than 50% with glycine. Although the instrumental analysis detected texture changes in dry-cured loin, the sensory analysis did not detect any substitution effect on texture.     

Absorbing photonic crystals for silicon thin-film solar cells: Design,fabrication and experimental investigation

In this paper, we present the integration of an absorbing photonic crystal within a thin-film photovoltaic solar cell. Optical simulations performed on a complete solar cell revealed that patterning the hydrogenated amorphous silicon active layer as a 2D photonic crystal membrane enabled to increase its integrated absorption by 28 % between 300 and 720 nm, comparing to a similar but unpatterned stack. In order to fabricate such promising cells, we developed a high throughput process based on holographic lithography and reactive ion etching. The influences of the parameters taking part in those processes on the obtained patterns are discussed. Optical measurements performed on the resulting “photonized” solar cell structures underline the regularity of the 2D pattern and a significant absorption increase above 550 nm, similarly to what is observed on the simulated absorption spectra. Moreover, our patterned cells are found to be robust with regards to the angle of incidence of the light.