MUCKE aims to mine a large volume of images, to structure them conceptually and to use this conceptual structuring in order to improve large-scale image retrieval. The last decade witnessed important progress concerning low-level image representations. However, there are a number problems which need to be solved in order to unleash the full potential of image mining in applications. The central problem with low-level representations is the mismatch between them and the human interpretation of image content. This problem can be instantiated, for instance, by the incapability of existing descriptors to capture spatial relationships between the concepts represented or by their incapability to convey an explanation of why two images are similar in a content-based image retrieval framework. We start by assessing existing local descriptors for image classification and by proposing to use co-occurrence matrices to better capture spatial relationships in images. The main focus in MUCKE is on cleaning large scale Web image corpora and on proposing image representations which are closer to the human interpretation of images. Consequently, we introduce methods which tackle these two problems and compare results to state of the art methods. Note: some aspects of this deliverable are withheld at this time as they are pending review. Please contact the authors for a preview.

http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/iel2/4524/12820/00592460.pdf

Image Processing

ConspectusNature has mastered the art of molecular recognition. For example, using synergistic non-covalent interactions, proteins can distinguish between molecules and bind a partner with incredible affinity and specificity. Scientists have developed, and continue to develop, techniques to investigate and better understand molecular recognition. As a consequence, analyte-responsive hydrogels that mimic these recognitive processes have emerged as a class of intelligent materials. These materials are unique not only in the type of analyte to which they respond but also in how molecular recognition is achieved and how the hydrogel responds to the analyte. Traditional intelligent hydrogels can respond to environmental cues such as pH, temperature, and ionic strength. The functional monomers used to make these hydrogels can be varied to achieve responsive behavior. For analyte-responsive hydrogels, molecular recognition can also be achieved by incorporating biomolecules with inherent molecular recognition pro...

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Analyte-Responsive Hydrogels: Intelligent Materials for Biosensing and Drug Delivery

In this paper, we report the development of a versatile platform for a highly efficient and stable graphene oxide (GO)-based optical sensor that exhibits distinctive ratiometric color responses. To demonstrate the applicability of the platform, we fabricated a colorimetric, GO-based pH sensor that responds to a wide range of pH changes. Our sensing system is based on responsive polymer and quantum dot (QD) hybrids integrated on a single GO sheet (MQD-GO), with the GO providing an excellent signal-to-noise ratio and high dispersion stability in water. The photoluminescence emissions of the blue and orange color-emitting QDs (BQDs and OQDs) in MQD-GO can be controlled independently by different pH-responsive linkers of poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) (pKa = 4.5) and poly(2-vinylpyridine) (P2VP) (pKa = 3.0) that can tune the efficiencies of Forster resonance energy transfer from the BQDs to the GO and from the OQDs to the GO, respectively. As a result, the color of MQD-GO changes from orange to near-white to blue o...

Efficient colorimetric pH sensor based on responsive polymer-quantum dot integrated graphene oxide.

Biotechnological Applications Jose Ramos,† Jacqueline Forcada,*,† and Roque Hidalgo-Alvarez*,‡ †POLYMAT, Bionanoparticles Group, Departamento de Química Aplicada, UFI 11/56, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad del País Vasco UPV/EHU, Apdo. 1072, 20080 Donostia-San Sebastiań, Spain ‡Grupo de Física de Fluidos y Biocoloides, Departamento de Física Aplicada, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain

Cationic Polymer Nanoparticles and Nanogels: From Synthesis to Biotechnological Applications

Nanogels are robust nanoparticles that could be used to deliver active drug compounds in controlled drug delivery applications. Nanogels drug delivery system is more effective and safer for both hydrophilic and hydrophobic drugs due to their chemical composition and formulations that are inappropriate for other formulations. Nanogels have enabled enlargement of functionalized nanoparticles, which act as a drug carriers that can be loaded with drugs and other active material to be released in a controlled manner at specific site. This review aims at providing general introduction on nanogels, recent synthesis methodology and their novel application in different fields.

Nanogel--an advanced drug delivery tool: Current and future.

Cationic nanogels based on diethylaminoethyl methacrylate

Novel glucose-sensitive systems for the release of insulin from poly(diethylaminoethyl methacrylate) (PDEAEM) micro-particles and nanoparticles decorated with glucose oxidase and catalase enzymes have been developed. The effect of polymer composition and loading conditions on the insulin loading efficiency and release was studied. The optimal conditions for loading insulin into PDEAEM microparticles were found to be at a loading pH of 5.6, particle to insulin mass ratio of 7:1, a concentration of 1.0 mg/mL insulin, and a collapsing pH of approximately 9.5. Microparticles exhibited a responsive (pH) or intelligent (glucose) release of insulin from a stimulus. Microparticles that had a nominal crosslinking ratio of 10% released a third of the insulin payload after a single stimulus, compared to nearly 70% for microparticles with a 3% crosslinking ratio. PDEAEM micro particles of 150 µm diameter showed promise as components of a system of automated, intelligent delivery method for insulin to type I diabetics.

Insulin release dynamics from poly(diethylaminoethyl methacrylate) hydrogel systems

Drug loading and processing conditions in a dry powder inhaler system are critical for performance of the system since it is these forces that must be overcome to properly redisperse respirable particles. In this work, we have investigated the effects of different loading forces for adhering micronized drug onto surfaces on the drug adhesion, detachment, and aerosol performance under controlled conditions. Drug loading onto a standardized surface was performed under three different loading conditions using turbula-mixer to actively induce powder–surface interactions. It was seen the drug loading increased with increased processing time. The presence of external press-on force also increased drug loading. Drug detachment studies performed using centrifugation method indicated that adhesion forces were the lowest at lower mixing time and increased with increasing press-on forces. Drug aerosolization performance from the surface was assessed using a prototype DPI and confirmed that external forces during dru...

Micronized drug adhesion and detachment from surfaces: Effect of loading conditions

Effects of mild processing pressures on the performance of dry powder inhaler formulations for inhalation therapy (1): Budesonide and lactose

Hydrogels are hydrophilic polymers that have been crosslinked to form a three-dimensional polymer matrix as shown. Under the correct environmental conditions, these materials can imbibe significant amounts of water, often over two orders of magnitude more water than polymer by weight. Due to the large water content, hydrogels are currently the synthetic materials that most resemble living tissue. These properties help make hydrogels ideal for use in tissue engineering, drug delivery, surface coatings, contact lenses, wound dressings, and even polluted water treatment. Swollen crosslinked networks and hydrogels have been influential in the improvement of polymeric systems for controlled release of a wide variety of therapeutic agents. These materials are attractive as carriers for transmucosal and intracellular drug delivery because of their inherent biocompatibility, tunable physicochemical properties, basic synthesis, and ability to be physiologically responsive.

Steve R. Marek

Papers

Cationic nanogels based on diethylaminoethyl methacrylate

Insulin release dynamics from poly(diethylaminoethyl methacrylate) hydrogel systems

Micronized drug adhesion and detachment from surfaces: Effect of loading conditions

Effects of mild processing pressures on the performance of dry powder inhaler formulations for inhalation therapy (1): Budesonide and lactose

Intelligent, responsive and theranostic hydrogel systems for controlled delivery of therapeutics