Abstract
This work addresses the use of hyperspectral imaging systems for remote detection of marine litter concentrations in oceanic environments. The work consisted on mounting an off-the-shelf hyperspectral imaging system (400-2500 nm) in two aerial platforms: manned and unmanned, and performing data acquisition to develop AI methods capable of detecting marine litter concentrations at the water surface. We performed the campaigns at Porto Pim Bay, Fail Island, Azores, resorting to artificial targets built using marine litter samples. During this work, we also developed a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN-3D), using spatial and spectral information to evaluate deep learning methods to detect marine litter in an automated manner. Results show over 84% overall accuracy (OA) in the detection and classification of the different types of marine litter samples present in the artificial targets.

Abstract
This work introduces a method specially developed to produce a biorecognition element based on modified Stöber silica nanoparticles by the covalent immobilization of the human IgG. The sensing structure is based on long period fiber gratings (LPFG), specially developed to allow the interaction of the electromagnetic wave with the target analytes through its evanescent field. The surface was modified by the immobilization of the IgG-modified nanoparticles serving has recognition elements for specific target molecules. The resulting configuration was tested in the presence of anti-human IgG, recording the refractometric response of the modified LPFG in contact with different amounts of analyte. The selectivity of the sensor was also assessed.

Abstract
Over the years, the food industry’s concern to provide safe food that does not cause harm or illness to consumers has increased. The growing demand for the detection of compounds that can contaminate food is increasingly important. Hydrogen peroxide is frequently used as a substance to control the growth of microorganisms in milk, thus increasing its shelf life. Here, a strategy is presented for the detection of hydrogen peroxide as a milk adulterant, using a single shot membrane sensor. The lowest concentration measured with this technique was 0.002% w/w of H2O2 in semi-fat milk.

Abstract
The knowledge of the optical properties of biological tissues in a wide spectral range is highly important for the development of noninvasive diagnostic or treatment procedures. The absorption coefficient is one of those properties, from which various information about tissue components can be retrieved. Using transmittance and reflectance spectral measurements acquired from ex vivo rabbit brain cortex samples allowed to calculate its optical properties in the ultraviolet to the near infrared spectral range. Melanin and lipofuscin, the two pigments that are related to the aging of tissues and cells were identified in the cortex absorption. By subtracting the absorption of these pigments from the absorption of the brain cortex, it was possible to evaluate the true ratios for the DNA/RNA and hemoglobin bands in the cortex—12.33-fold (at 260 nm), 12.02-fold (at 411 nm) and 4.47-fold (at 555 nm). Since melanin and lipofuscin accumulation increases with the aging of the brain tissues and are related to the degeneration of neurons and their death, further studies should be performed to evaluate the evolution of pigment accumulation in the brain, so that new optical methods can be developed to aid in the diagnosis and monitoring of brain diseases.

Abstract
In this paper, we describe the study of the kinetics and efficiency of the refractive index matching mechanism created by highly concentrated glycerol solutions in human normal and pathological colorectal mucosa tissues. Considering thewavelength range between 200 and 1000 nm, higher efficiency was obtained for the pathological mucosa, which shows a decreasing efficiency with increasing wavelength. The normal mucosa presents similar values in the deep-ultraviolet and in the near-infrared. Minimal efficiency values of 1% and 1.5% were obtained in the normal and pathological mucosa at 266 nm (combined absorption of DNA/RNA and myoglobin/hemoglobin bands at 260 and 274 nm) and local maxima of 2.9% and 3.8% were obtained in the same tissues at 570 nm. The diffusion time of glycerol was estimated as 417.3 +/- 5.2 s in normal mucosa and 504.9 +/- 3.8 s in pathological mucosa, suggesting that less molecules are necessary in the pathological tissue to produce a higher magnitude RI matching.

Abstract
In this paper, we describe the combination of ultraviolet (UV) spectroscopy with the optical clearing technique to induce new tissue windows, evaluate their efficiency, study the diffusion properties of agents and discriminate cancer. The use of highly concentrated glycerol solutions has induced high efficiency clearing effects in the UV, both in human colorectal and gingival tissues. The protein dissociation rate obtained for colorectal tissues was approximately 3 times higher in pathological than in normal mucosa and the kinetics of diffuse reflectance in the UV allowed to estimate the diffusion coefficient for water in gingival mucosa at glycerol action as (1.78 +/- 0.26) x 10(-6) cm(2)/s.