A novel online food recall checklist for use in an undergraduate student population : a comparison with diet diaries

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Computer-Assisted Classification Patterns in Autoimmune Diagnostics: The AIDA Project

Antinuclear antibodies (ANAs) are significant biomarkers in the diagnosis of autoimmune diseases in humans, done by mean of Indirect ImmunoFluorescence (IIF)method, and performed by analyzing patterns and fluorescence intensity. This paper introduces the AIDA Project (autoimmunity: diagnosis assisted by computer) developed in the framework of an Italy-Tunisia cross-border cooperation and its preliminary results. A database of interpreted IIF images is being collected through the exchange of images and double reporting and a Gold Standard database, containing around 1000 double reported images, has been settled. The Gold Standard database is used for optimization of aCAD(Computer AidedDetection) solution and for the assessment of its added value, in order to be applied along with an Immunologist as a second Reader in detection of autoantibodies. This CAD system is able to identify on IIF images the fluorescence intensity and the fluorescence pattern. Preliminary results show that CAD, used as second Reader, appeared to perform better than Junior Immunologists and hence may significantly improve their efficacy; compared with two Junior Immunologists, the CAD system showed higher Intensity Accuracy (85,5% versus 66,0% and 66,0%), higher Patterns Accuracy (79,3% versus 48,0% and 66,2%), and higher Mean Class Accuracy (79,4% versus 56,7% and 64.2%)

Preliminary results of the project A.I.D.A. (Auto Immunity: Diagnosis Assisted by computer)

In this paper, are presented the preliminary results of the A.I.D.A. (Auto Immunity: Diagnosis Assisted by computer) project which is developed in the frame of the cross-border cooperation Italy-Tunisia. According to the main objectives of this project, a database of interpreted Indirect ImmunoFluorescence (IIF) images on HEp 2 cells is being collected thanks to the contribution of Italian and Tunisian experts involved in routine diagnosis of autoimmune diseases. Through exchanging images and double reporting; a Gold Standard database, containing around 1000 double reported IIF images with different patterns including negative tests, has been settled. This Gold Standard database has been used for optimization of a computing solution (CADComputer Aided Detection) and for assessment of its added value in order to be used along with an immunologist as a second reader in detection of auto antibodies for autoimmune disease diagnosis. From the preliminary results obtained, the CAD appeared more powerful than junior immunologists used as second readers and may significantly improve their efficacy

Chemo-enzymatic synthesis of sugar fatty acid ethers

SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre- DSC:DX177872 / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo

Kinetics of quality degradation during storage of monovarietal extra virgin olive oils

Introduction. Lipophilic derivatives of olive secoiridois (namely, the dialdehydic form of decarboxymethyl oleuropein aglycone, the isomer of oleuropein aglycone, the dialdehydic form of decarboxymethyl ligstroside aglycone, and the isomer of ligstroside aglycone) are present in extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) due to the hydrolysis of their glycosidic precursor catalysed by endogenous glycosidases during the crushing of olive fruit. These compounds as well as alpha-tocopherol have received considerable interest due to their potential health effects, and could be used as indices to evaluate EVOO quality in addition to those established by the EU Regulations (1). Here we report on the kinetics of autoxidation and hydrolytic processes that occur during storage of EVOO, and their effects on the antioxidant content. The aim of this study was to determine whether the potential properties of EVOO antioxidants are maintained or lost during the commercial life of the product. Materials and methods. EVOOs of the Picual, Arbequina, Taggiasca, and Colombaia cultivars were obtained from industrial oil mills. EVOOs were stored under dark, in closed-bottles (10% head-space), at 25-40ºC for a period of 8 months. For each cultivar six bottles were taken from the incubator at scheduled times (monthly) for the analysis of acidity, peroxide number, spectroscopic indices K232 and K270, alpha-tocopherol, phenolics, and antioxidant activity (2). Results. Four monovarietal EVOOs with different fatty acid compositions and antioxidant contents were chosen to define the extent of antioxidant degradation during storage. Secoiridoids, alpha-tocopherol, and the antioxidant activity decreased in all EVOOs following pseudo-first order kinetics. Oleuropein derivatives were less stable than the corresponding ligstroside derivatives and alpha-tocopherol. Hydroxytyrosol and tyrosol increased during storage as a result of secoiridoid hydrolysis. However, the increase of simple phenolics was lower than the decrease of their precursors, indicating that degradation occurred via both hydrolysis and oxidation. Free acidity, peroxide value, and the spectroscopic indices in the UV region increased following pseudo-zero order kinetics. The rate constants for quality indices degradation were obtained, and the time to reach the limits established by EU Regulation was calculated. In all EVOOs K232 was the first parameter that exceeded the legal limit. It was found that when EVOOs attained the this latter threshold the residual antioxidant activity was more than 60% with respect to the initial value. These data led to the conclusion that the beneficial properties of EVOOs due to antioxidant activity can be maintained throughout their commercial lives. References 1. V. Lavelli (2002) J Agric. Food Chem. 50, 26, 7704-7708. 2. V. Lavelli, G. Fregapane, M.D. Salvador (2006), J Agric. Food Chem. 54, 8, 3002-3007

Effect of storage on secoiridoid and tocopherol contents and antioxidant activity of monovarietal extra virgin olive oil

The degradation of secoiridoid, tocopherol, and antioxidant activity in extra virgin olive oils (EVOOs) was studied during 8 months of storage in closed bottles in the dark, at 40 and 25 \ub0C. Picual, Arbequina, Taggiasca, and Colombaia monovarietal EVOOs possessing quite different fatty acid and antioxidant contents were used. The secoiridoid aglycones, namely, the oleuropein and ligstroside derivatives, and alpha-tocopherol decreased following pseudo-first-order kinetics. In all EVOOs oleuropein derivatives were less stable than the corresponding ligstroside derivatives and R-tocopherol. Accordingly, overall antioxidant activity decreased following pseudo-first-order kinetics, with rate constants ranging from 0.85 10-3 to 4.1 10-3 days-1 at 40 \ub0C and from 0.8 10-3 to 1.5 10-3 days-1 at 25 \ub0C . According to both the antioxidant activity and the hydrolysis and oxidation indices established by EU regulation to assess EVOO quality, Colombaia oil was the least stable, followed by Taggiasca, Arbequina, and Picual oils. Despite antioxidant degradation, EVOOs with high antioxidant contents were still \u201cexcellent\u201d after 240 days of storage at 40 \ub0C. These data led to the conclusion that the beneficial properties of EVOOs due to antioxidant activity can be maintained throughout their commercial lives

Kinetics of quality degradation during storage of monovarietal extra virgin olive oils

Introduction. Lipophilic derivatives of olive secoiridois (namely, the dialdehydic form of decarboxymethyl oleuropein aglycone, the isomer of oleuropein aglycone, the dialdehydic form of decarboxymethyl ligstroside aglycone, and the isomer of ligstroside aglycone) are present in extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) due to the hydrolysis of their glycosidic precursor catalysed by endogenous glycosidases during the crushing of olive fruit. These compounds as well as alpha-tocopherol have received considerable interest due to their potential health effects, and could be used as indices to evaluate EVOO quality in addition to those established by the EU Regulations (1). Here we report on the kinetics of autoxidation and hydrolytic processes that occur during storage of EVOO, and their effects on the antioxidant content. The aim of this study was to determine whether the potential properties of EVOO antioxidants are maintained or lost during the commercial life of the product. Materials and methods. EVOOs of the Picual, Arbequina, Taggiasca, and Colombaia cultivars were obtained from industrial oil mills. EVOOs were stored under dark, in closed-bottles (10% head-space), at 25-40ºC for a period of 8 months. For each cultivar six bottles were taken from the incubator at scheduled times (monthly) for the analysis of acidity, peroxide number, spectroscopic indices K232 and K270, alpha-tocopherol, phenolics, and antioxidant activity (2). Results. Four monovarietal EVOOs with different fatty acid compositions and antioxidant contents were chosen to define the extent of antioxidant degradation during storage. Secoiridoids, alpha-tocopherol, and the antioxidant activity decreased in all EVOOs following pseudo-first order kinetics. Oleuropein derivatives were less stable than the corresponding ligstroside derivatives and alpha-tocopherol. Hydroxytyrosol and tyrosol increased during storage as a result of secoiridoid hydrolysis. However, the increase of simple phenolics was lower than the decrease of their precursors, indicating that degradation occurred via both hydrolysis and oxidation. Free acidity, peroxide value, and the spectroscopic indices in the UV region increased following pseudo-zero order kinetics. The rate constants for quality indices degradation were obtained, and the time to reach the limits established by EU Regulation was calculated. In all EVOOs K232 was the first parameter that exceeded the legal limit. It was found that when EVOOs attained the this latter threshold the residual antioxidant activity was more than 60% with respect to the initial value. These data led to the conclusion that the beneficial properties of EVOOs due to antioxidant activity can be maintained throughout their commercial lives. References 1. V. Lavelli (2002) J Agric. Food Chem. 50, 26, 7704-7708. 2. V. Lavelli, G. Fregapane, M.D. Salvador (2006), J Agric. Food Chem. 54, 8, 3002-3007