• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.345-351
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• 2014

Purpose: Rapid detection of bacteria is very important in agricultural and food industries to prevent many foodborne illnesses. The objective of this study was to develop a portable nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)-based system to detect foodborne pathogens (E. coli). This study was focused on developing a method to detect low concentrations of magnetic nanoparticles using NMR techniques. Methods: NMR relaxometry was performed to examine the NMR properties of iron nanoparticle mixtures with different concentrations by using a 1 T permanent magnet magnetic resonance imaging system. Exponential curve fitting (ECF) and inverse Laplace transform (ILT) methods were used to estimate the NMR relaxation time constants, $T_1$ and $T_2$, of guar gum solutions with different iron nanoparticle concentrations (0, $10^{-3}$, $10^{-4}$, $10^{-5}$, $10^{-6}$, and $10^{-7}M$). Results: The ECF and ILT methods did not show much difference in these values. Analysis of the NMR relaxation data showed that the ILT method is comparable to the classical ECF method and is more sensitive to the presence of iron nanoparticles. This study also showed that the spin-spin relaxation time constants acquired by a Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill (CPMG) pulse sequence are more useful for determining the concentration of iron nanoparticle solutions comparwith the spin-lattice relaxation time constants acquired by an inversion recovery pulse sequence. Conclusions: We conclude that NMR relaxometry that utilizes CPMG pulse sequence and ILT analysis is more suitable for detecting foodborne pathogens bound to magnetic nanoparticles in agricultural and food products than using inversion recovery pulse sequence and ECF analysis.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.653-659
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• 2003

A 20 MHz pulsed NMR systems was employed to discriminate the geographical origin of soybeans and black beans (yak-kong) from Korea and foreign countries. Crude fat contents measured by soxhlet method were significantly (p<0.05) different between domestic and imported soybeans. Moisture and crude protein contents, measured by AOAC, were significantly different between domestic and imported black beans. In soybeans, values by solid fat content method and Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill (CPMG) method using 20 MHz pulsed NMR showed the significant difference among soybeans from various the geographical origins. In black beans (yak-kong), NMR values measured by NMR except $T_1$ SR pulse sequence revealed the significant difference by the geographical origins. The habitat of soybeans and black beans could be identified by canonical discriminant analysis of chemical composition with $70{\sim}91.7\;%$ accuracy. Low field NMR data followed by discriminant analysis, however, granted the 100% of accuracy for classification of soybeans.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.33-37
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• 2001

Purpose : The water exchange rate between bulk water and bound water is an important parameter in deciding the efficiency of paramagnetic contrast agents. In this study, we evaluated the water exchange rates of various Gd-chelates using oxygen-17 NMR technique. Material and Methods : The samples (Gd-DTPA, Gd-DTPA-BMA, Gd-DOTA, Gd-EOB-DTPA) were prepared by mixing 5% $^{17}O-enriched$ water (Isotech, USA). The pH of the samples was adjusted to physiological value [pH=7.0] by buffer solution. The variable temperature $^{17}O-NMR$ measurements were performed using Bruker-600 (14.1 T, 81.3 MHz) spectrometer. Bruker VT-1000 temperature control units were used to stabilize the temperature. The $^{17}O$ spin-spin relaxation times (T2) were measured using Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill (CPMG)I pulse sequence with 24 echo trains. The variable temperature T2 relaxation data were then fitted into Solomon-Bloembergen equations using least square fit algorithm to estimate the water exchange times. Results : From the measured $^{17}O-NMR$ relaxation rates, the determined water exchange rates at 300K are $0.42{\;}{\mu}s$ for Gd-DTPA, $1.99{\;}{\mu}s$ for Gd-DTPA-BMA, $0.27{\;}{\mu}s$ for Gd-DOTA, and $0.11{\;}{\mu}s$ for Gd-EOB-DTPA. The Gd-DTPA-BMA showed slowest exchange whereas Gd-EOB-DTPA had fastest water exchange rate. In addition, it was found that the water exchange rates (${\tau}_m$) of all samples had exponential temperature dependence with different decay constant. Conclusion : $^{17}O-NMR$ relaxation rate measurements, when combined with variable temperature technique, provide a solid tool for studying water exchange rate, which is very important in investigating the detailed mechanism of relaxation enhancement effect of the paramagnetic contrast agents.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.57-61
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• 2003

Variations in NMR relaxation time during freezing and thawing processes in pork loins were investigated. Continuous distribution analysis of data obtained from $T_2\;CPMG$ were carried out to observe the changes in water content in the muscles. Solid fat content slightly increased with decreasing temperature, then showed sharp increase at $-4^{\circ}C$, reaching 85% at $-25^{\circ}C$. Relaxation time decreased with decreasing temperature, suggesting that ice crystals gradually formed at freezing temperature. $T_2$ relaxation time during thawing was higher than that during freezing, suggesting that ice crystals melted by thawing and resulted in water loss from meat. Continuous distribution analysis of data obtained from Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill experiments shows one to four components on the spectra during freezing and thawing processes. The area of major components between 30 to 45 ms decreased with decreasing temperature, and were not detected below $-4^{\circ}C$, below which only $T_s$ signal was detected. The area of $T_s$ decreased with decreasing temperature. Between -4 to $10^{\circ}C$, the areas of $T_m$ and $T_l$ during thawing were larger than those during freezing. These results suggest that the exchange between bound water and free water takes place during freezing and thawing.