• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.132-136
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• 2004

The LAL (Limulus amebocyte lysate) test for the detection and quantification of endotoxin is based on the gelation reaction between endotoxin and LAL from a blood extract of Limulus polyphemus. The test is labor intensive, requiring dedicated personnel, a relatively long reaction time (approximately 1 h), relatively large volumes of samples and reagents and the detection of the end-point is rather subjective. To solve these problems, a miniaturized LOC (lab-on-a-chip) prototype, 62mm (L) ${\times}$ 18 mm (W), was fabricated using PDMS (polydimethylsiloxane) bonded to glass. Using this prototype, in which 2mm (W) ${\times}$ 44.3mm (L) ${\times}$ 100 $\mu\textrm{m}$ (D) microfluidic channel was constructed, turbidometric and chromogenic assay detection methods were compared, and the chromogenic method was found the most suitable for a small volume assay. In this assay, the kinetic-point method was more accurate than the end-point method. The PDMS chip thickness was found to be minimized to around 2 mm to allow sufficient light transmittance, which necessitated the use of a glass slide bonding for chip rigidity. Due to this miniaturization, the test time was reduced from 1 h to less than 10 min, and the sample volume could be reduced from 100 to ca. 4.4 ${\mu}$L. In summation, this study suggested that the LOC using the LAL test principle could be an alternative as a semi-automated and reliable method for the detection of endotoxin.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.575-579
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• 2018

Apple stem grooving virus (ASGV) is considered to cause the most economically important viral disease in pears in Korea. The current PCR-based methods used to diagnose ASGV are time-consuming in terms of target detection. In this study, a novel assay for specific ASGV detection that is based on reverse transcription-recombinase polymerase amplification is described. This assay has been shown to be reproducible and able to detect as little as $4.7ng/{\mu}l$ of purified RNA obtained from an ASGV-infected plant. The major advantage of this assay is that the reaction for the target virus is completed in 1 min, and amplification only requires an incubation temperature of $42^{\circ}C$. This assay is a promising alternative method for pear breeding programs or virus-free certification laboratories.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.133-139
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• 2003

Allergic contact dermatitis may be caused by a wide variety of chemicals. A murine local lymph node assay (LLNA) has been developed as an alternative to guinea pig models for assessing the contact sensitization potential of chemical. However, there is a need to develop a nonradioisotopic endpoint for the LLNA, because of the radioisotopic method's requiring the use of special facilities. In this study, we investigated the development of a nonradioisotopic endpoint for LLNA using ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay). Female Balb/c mice were treated by the topical application on the dorsum of both ears with four different strong sensitizers, 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB), oxazolone (OXZ), toluene diisocyanate (TDI), and trimellitic anhydride (TMA), and a strong irritant, sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), once daily for three consecutive days. The proliferation of cells in the auricular Iymph node was analyzed by means of the labelling index (Ll) of bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation into cells. The weights of the Iymph nodes in the mice treated with allergens, DNCB, OXZ, TDl and TMA were increased compared to the vehicle control. The stimulation index (Sl) of mice treated with DNCB, OXZ, TDl, and TMA was over three-fold increase compared to the vehicle control. However, the S1 of mice exposed to SLS was not significantly increased compared to the vehicle control, while the lymph node weight of SLS was significantly increased. These results suggest that the LLNA modified endpoint using ELISA based on BrdU incorporation could provide a useful method of screening for irritants and allergens.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.43-50
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• 2003

A liquid chromatographic method, using matrix solid-phase dispersion (MSPD) is developed for the extraction of residual furazolidone in chicken eggs. Blank or fortified egg samples (0.5 g) were blended with Octadecylsilyl (Bulk $C_{18}$, 40${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$, 18%. load, endcapped. 2 g) derivatized silica. After homogenization, $C_{18}$/egg and Na$_2$S $O_4$matrix were transferred to a column made of 10 ml glass syringe and filter paper and compressed 4.0∼4.5 ml volume. The column was washed with 8 ml of hexane and dried under $N_2$ gas. Furazolidone was eluted with acetonitrile (8 ml) under gravity. The eluate containing furazolidone was free from interfering compounds when analyzed by HPLC with UV detection (365 nm, photodiode array). Calibration curves were linear (r = 0.99985) and inter- (1.47%) and intra-assay (5.29%) variabilities for the concentration range examined (7.8∼497 ng/g of eggs, 20 ${mu}ell$ injection volume) were indicative of an acceptable methodology for the analysis of furazolidone. Average recovery of furazolidone added to egg was 96.2%. The limit of detection for the proposed method was 1 ng/g for furazolidone. The method using MSPD is proposed as an alternative assay to the classical method which involves the use of large volumes of a harmful solvent and requires a long tedious separation and clean-up processes prior to its determination.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Toxicology Conference
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• 2003.10b
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• pp.124-124
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• 2003

A murine local lymph node assay(LLNA) has been developed as an alternative method to guinea pig maximization test for contact sensitization potential. This study was carried out to investigate the potential use of cytokine producing cells to discriminate between allergens and irritant in the LLNA.(omitted)

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.193-202
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• 2009

This study was done to assess an alternative method as a replacement of in vivo phototoxicity test. The human fibroblasts were exposed to several phototoxic chemicals (promethazine, chlorpromazine chlortetracycline, 8-methoxypsoralen, neutral red, bithionol) and non-phototoxic materials (cinnamic aldehyde, p-aminobenzoic acid, sodium lauryl sulfate, L-cysteine). The cell viability was measured by neutral red uptake (NRU) assay. The results of the NRU phototoxicity (PT) assay showed a close agreement with in vivo test except bithionol. We also have tested the cosmetic ingredients including $Medimin^{(R)}$ A, $Medimin^{(R)}$ D, $LG^{(R)}$ 106W, $Phytoclear^{(R)}$ EL-1, Carex humilis L. extract, Canna indica L. extract, Salvia miltiorrhira Bunge extract, $Parsol^{(R)}$ MCX and $Parsol^{(R)}$ 1789. Most materials except Salvia miltiorrhira Bunge extract did not show any phototoxicity.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.429-433
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• 2003

LAL (Limulus amebocyte lysate) test to detect and quantity endotoxin is based on gellation reaction between endotoxin and LAL from a blood extract of Limulus polyphemus. The test is labor intensive requiring dedicated personnel, takes relatively long reaction time (approximately 1 hr), requires relatively large volume of samples and reagents, and its end-point detection method is rather subjective. To solve these problems, we attempted to develop a miniaturized LOC (lab-on-a-chip) prototype using PDMS and glass. Using the 62 mm (length) ${\times}$ 18 mm (width) prototype in which 2 mm (width) ${\times}$ 44.34 mm (length) ${\times}$ 100 $\mu\textrm{m}$ (depth) microfluidic channel was provided, we compared the various detection methods of gellation, turbidometric, and chromogenic assays to find the chromogenic method to be the most suitable for small volume assay. In this assay, kinetic point method was more accurate than end point method. We also found the PDMS chip thickness should be minimized to around 2 mm to allow sufficient light transmittance, which necessitated a glass slide bonding for chip rigidity. Through the miniaturization, the test time was reduced from 1 hr to less than 10 minutes, and the sample volume could be reduced from 100 ${\mu}\ell$ to 4.4 ${\mu}\ell$. In sum, this study revealed that the mini LOC could be an alternative for a semi-automated and reliable method for LAL test.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.10
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• pp.1689-1694
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• 2008

The ability to detect Salmonella spp. is essential in the prevention of foodborne illness. This study examined a Salmonella spp. detection method involving the application of immunomagnetic separation and immunoliposomes (IMS/IL) encapsulating sulforhodamine B (SRB), a fluorescent dye. A quantitative assay was conducted by measuring the fluorescence intensity of SRB that was produced from an immunomagnetic bead-Salmonella spp.-immunoliposome complex. The results indicated detection limits of $2.7{\times}10^{5}$ and $5.2{\times}10^{3}$ CFU/ml for Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Enteritidis (S. Enteritidis) and Salmonella enterka subsp. enterka serovar Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium), respectivley. The signal/noise ratio was improved by using 4% skim milk as a wash solution rather than 2% BSA. In addition, higher fluorescence intensity was obtained by increasing the liposome size. Compared with the conventional plating method, which takes 3-4 days for the isolation and identification of Salmonella spp., the total assay time of to h only including 6 h of culture enrichment was necessary for the Salmonella detection by IMS/IL. These results indicate that the IMS/ IL has great potential as an alternative rapid method for Salmonella detection.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.147-154
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• 2019

Ampicillin and Sulbactam (2:1, w/w) are combined in formulation to provide broader antibacterial action in treatment of many infections. The development of analytical method for simultaneouly determine these two compounds was difficult because of the differences in their chemical structures and ratio in the formulation. Current published methods still have some limitations. In this study, we developed an alternative high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) assay method for simultaneously determination of ampicillin sodium and sulbactam sodium in powder for injection. Method validation of HPLC method was conducted to determine linearity, precision, accuracy, system suitability, robustness. The linearity of the calibration curves in the desired concentration range was good ($r^2$> 0.9994). RSDs of intra-day and inter-day precision obtained were less than 2.00 %. Accuracy was obtained with the recoveries in range of 98.42 % and 101.36 %. As a result of system suitability, RSD of both retention time and the peak area obtained were not more than 1.0 %. The values of plate number were more than 7000 and symmetric factors obtained were 0.8. As intermediate-precision and robustness of the developed assay, it could be expected to become valuable tools for revising the Korean Pharmacopoeia (KP XI).

• Toxicological Research
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.107-118
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• 2017

Although alternative test methods based on the 3Rs (Replacement, Reduction, Refinement) are being developed to replace animal testing in reproductive and developmental toxicology, they are still in an early stage. Consequently, we aimed to develop alternative test methods in male animals using mouse spermatogonial stem cells (mSSCs). Here, we modified the OECD TG 489 and optimized the in vitro comet assay in our previous study. This study aimed to verify the validity of in vitro tests involving mSSCs by comparing their results with those of in vivo tests using C57BL/6 mice by gavage. We selected hydroxyurea (HU), which is known to chemically induce male reproductive toxicity. The 50% inhibitory concentration ($IC_{50}$) value of HU was 0.9 mM, as determined by the MTT assay. In the in vitro comet assay, % tail DNA and Olive tail moment (OTM) after HU administration increased significantly, compared to the control. Annexin V, PI staining and TUNEL assays showed that HU caused apoptosis in mSSCs. In order to compare in vitro tests with in vivo tests, the same substances were administered to male C57BL/6 mice. Reproductive toxicity was observed at 25, 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg/day as measured by clinical measures of reduction in sperm motility and testicular weight. The comet assay, DCFH-DA assay, H&E staining, and TUNEL assay were also performed. The results of the test with C57BL/6 mice were similar to those with mSSCs for HU treatment. Finally, linear regression analysis showed a strong positive correlation between results of in vitro tests and those of in vivo. In conclusion, the present study is the first to demonstrate the effect of HU-induced DNA damage, ROS formation, and apoptosis in mSSCs. Further, the results of the current study suggest that mSSCs could be a useful model to predict male reproductive toxicity.