• Food Engineering Progress
• /
• v.21 no.3
• /
• pp.191-200
• /
• 2017

There have been great efforts to develop a rapid and sensitive detection method to monitor the presence of pathogenic bacteria in food. While a number of methods have been reported for bacterial detection with a detection limit to a single digit, most of them are suitable only for the bacteria in pure culture or buffered solution. On the other hand, foods are composed of highly complicated matrices containing carbohydrate, fat, protein, fibers, and many other components whose composition varies from one food to the other. Furthermore, many components in food interfere with the downstream detection process, which significantly affect the sensitivity and selectivity of the detection. Therefore, isolating and concentrating the target pathogenic bacteria from food matrices are of importance to enhance the detection power of the system. The present review provides an introduction to the representative sample preparation strategies to isolate target pathogenic bacteria from food sample. We further describe the nucleic acid-based detection methods, such as PCR, real-time PCR, NASBA, RCA, LCR, and LAMP. Nucleic acid-based methods are by far the most sensitive and effective for the detection of a low number of target pathogens whose performance is greatly improved by combining with the sample preparation methods.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
• /
• v.11 no.3
• /
• pp.200-205
• /
• 1990

Chemically modified electrodes(CMEs), based on 2-imino-1-cyclopentane-dithiocarboxylic acid (icdc) containing carbon paste, have been characterized using cyclic voltammetric techniques. Ag(I) was chemically deposited on the CMEs, and voltammograms were obtained with the electrode in a separate buffer solution. The CME surface can be regenerated with exposure to acid and reused for deposition. In 10 deposition/measurement/regenerate cycles, the linear response have been reproduced up to $1{\times}10^{-6}$ M in linear sweep voltammetry and 1${\times}$10-8 M in differential pulse voltammetry with relative standard deviation of 5.2% and 12.4%, respectiveiy. The sensitivity increased with deposition time and scanning rate, and detection limit was $1{\times}10^{-7}M\;and\;1{\times}10^{-9}M$ at 20 minutes deposition in the linear sweep voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetry, respectively. The presence of some metal ions does not influence the silver ion response. Satisfactory results were obtained for the analysis of the silver ion for a variety of reference materials without interference of Hg ion at the condition of pH = 5-6.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
• /
• v.46 no.1
• /
• pp.1-6
• /
• 2021

Since the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-2019), the infection has spread worldwide due to the highly contagious nature of severe acute syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). To manage SARS-CoV-2, the development of diagnostic assays that can quickly and accurately identify the disease in patients is necessary. Currently, nucleic acid-based testing and serology-based testing are two widely used approaches. Of these, nucleic acid-based testing with quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (RT-qPCR) using nasopharyngeal (NP) and/or oropharyngeal (OP) swabs is considered to be the gold standard. Recently, the use of saliva samples has been considered as an alternative method of sample collection. Compared to the NP and OP swab methods, saliva specimens have several advantages. Saliva specimens are easier to collect. Self-collection of saliva specimens can reduce the risk of infection to healthcare providers and reduce sample collection time and cost. Until recently, the sensitivity and accuracy of the data obtained using saliva specimens for SARS-CoV-2 detection was controversial. However, recent clinical research has found that sensitive and reliable data can be obtained from saliva specimens using RT-qPCR, with approximately 81% to 95% correspondence with the data obtained from NP and OP swabs. These data suggest that self-collected saliva is an alternative option for the diagnosis of COVID-19.

• Applied Chemistry
• /
• v.15 no.1
• /
• pp.25-28
• /
• 2011

A highly sensitive spectrofluorimetric method was developed for the determination of levodopa based on the formation of a ternary complex with Eu³⁺ in the presence of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid. It was found that this complex manifests intense fluorescence at 591 and 613 nm with excitation at 372 nm and maximum intensity was obtained at 613 nm. Under the optimum conditions, the enhanced fluorescence intensity was proportional to the concentration of levodopa over the range of 3×10^-9-2.5×10^-7 mol L^-1 with limit of detection (LOD) of 4.37×10^-10 mol L^-1. The method offers higher sensitivity and selectivity which could be effectively applied for the determination of levodopa in pharmaceutical and biological samples.

• Analytical Science and Technology
• /
• v.6 no.4
• /
• pp.349-357
• /
• 1993

Analytical methods of thromboxane $B_2(TXB_2)$ using various techniques of Fast Atom Bombardment mass spectrometry (FAB MS) were studied, static FAB condition was investigated to obtain linear response curve using docosanoic acid as a internal standard. For maximum sensitivity, a continuos-flow(CF-) FAB MS by selected-ion monitoring(SIM) with devised sample introduction system, has been developed to quantiate thromboxane $B_2$ in biological sample. Instrumental parameters affecting sensitivity, reproducibility has been studied. The method has been optimized with respect to the eluent, 0.75% glycerol(in EtOH v/v) and flow rate of $3.7{\mu}l/min.$ Under the condition, detection limits were below 10pg in SIM mode and a good linear relationship between dose and response was achieved.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
• /
• v.6 no.4
• /
• pp.239-244
• /
• 1973

Effects of nitrogen sources on free amino acids, and on photosynthsis-respiration equilibrium point of various positional leaf in soybean were investigated in relation to phosphorus sensitivity. The content of free amino acids was highest in ammonium and lowest in urea treated leaves. Glycine, serine, alanine and especially histidine were high in the ammonium treated leaves. Aspartic acid was high in the nitrate treated leaves. Photosynthesis respiration equilibrium point was higher in the sensitive cultivars, and higher with ammonium than with nitrate. The excess ammonium in plant appears to draw out an intermediate metabolite from carbon fixation pathway resulting in photosynthetic inhibition and activate pentoses phosphate pathway and photorespiration. Such phenomena were likely accentuated in phosphorus sensitive variety.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
• /
• v.31 no.8
• /
• pp.2293-2298
• /
• 2010

Focused electrospray (FES) deposition method is presented for matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry. FES ion optics consists of two cylindrical focusing electrodes capped with a truncated conical electrode through which an electrospray emitter passes along the cylindrical axis. A spray of charged droplets is focused onto a sample well on a MALDI target plate under atmospheric pressure. The shape and size distributions of matrix crystals are visualized by scanning electron microscope and the mass spectra are obtained by time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Angiotensin II, bradykinin, and substance P are used as test samples, while $\alpha$-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamic acid and dihydroxybenzoic acid are employed as matrices. FES of a sample/matrix mixture produces fine crystal grains on a 1-3 mm spot and reproducibly yields the mass spectra with little shot-to-shot and spot-to-spot variations. Although FES greatly stabilizes the signals, the space charge due to matrix ions limits the detection sensitivity of peptides. To avoid the space charge problem, we adopted a dual FES/FES mode, which separately deposits matrix and sample by FES in sequence. The dual FES/FES mode reaches the detection sensitivity of 0.88 amol, enabling ultrasensitive of peptides by homogeneously depositing matrix and sample under atmospheric pressure.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
• /
• v.7 no.4
• /
• pp.395-408
• /
• 2007

This study reports the analgesic, anti-inflammatory and membrane-stabilizing property of alcoholic extract of Ophiorrhiza nicobarica (ON), a wild herb, used as an anti-infective ethnomedicine of Nicobarese and Shompen tribes of Great Nicobar Island, India. We for the first time investigated the analgesic and antiinflammatory potential of this herb in acute, subacute and chronic model of inflammation in Swiss albino mice and Wistar albino rats, along with sheep RBC-induced sensitivity and membrane stabilization. The acetic acid induced writhing, tail flick and tail immersion tests are used as a model for evaluating analgesic activity; while the carrageenin-induced paw oedema was used as the model for acute inflammation, dextran-induced oedema as sub-acute and cotton-pellateinduced granuloma as chronic inflammatory model. The probable mode by which ON mediate its effect on inflammatory conditions was studied on sheep RBC-induced sensitivity and membrane stabilization. The in vitro results revealed that the ON extract possesses significant (P < 0.05) dose dependent analgesic and antiinflammatory activity at 200 and 300 mg/kg and its fractions at 50 mg/kg, p.o. respectively, compared to the control groups. However, the extract failed to exhibit membrane-stabilizing property as it unable to reduce the level of haemolysis of RBC exposed to hypotonic solution. The acute toxicity studies of ON extract in rats and mice revealed that the extract was nontoxic even up to 3.0 g/kg body weight of the animals, with a high safety profile. We have isolated ursolic acid, ${\beta}$-sitosterol and harmaline respectively, from the bioactive part of the extract. The results indicated that the O. nicobarica is indeed beneficial in primary health care, and suggest that its anti-inflammatory activity may not be related to membrane-stabilization.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
• /
• v.24 no.2
• /
• pp.179-185
• /
• 2007

Backgroud : Urinary tract infection (UTI) is common in children. The available gold standard methods for diagnosis, Tc-99m dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) scan and computed tomography (CT) are invasive and expensive. This study was performed to assess the role of power Doppler ultrasound (PDU) for diagnosis of acute pyelonephritis (APN). Materials and Methods : A prospective study was conducted in 25 children with aged 2 weeks to 5 years who were hospitalized with the first episode of febrile UTI suggesting acute pyelonephritis. All children were examined in the first 3-5 days of admission by PDU and Tc-99m DMSA scan. The comparison between PDU and DMSA scan was performed on the basis of patients. Results : The sensitivity and specificity of PDU for the detection of affected kidneys were 38.1% and 50.0%, and the positive predictive value and negative predictive value were 61.9% and 50.0%, respectively. Vesicoureteral refluxes (VUR) were identified in 11 patients (44.4%) and 18 kidneys (36%). The PDU and DMSA scan showed a matching perfusion defect in 23.8% and 50.0% respectively. Conclusion : These data indicate the PDU has a relatively low sensitivity and specificity for differentiating APN from lower UTI but may be a complement tool to DMSA scan for the prediction of VUR in infants and children.

• Polymer(Korea)
• /
• v.38 no.6
• /
• pp.809-814
• /
• 2014

An array structure of conducting polymer microtubule was fabricated for an amperometric biosensor. 3,4-Ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT) was electropolymerized in the microporous template membrane with poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)/poly(4-styrenesulfonic acid) (PEDOT/PSS) composite as a binder. The array structure can provide enhanced current collecting capability due to large active surface area compared to the macroscopic area of the electrode itself. For a biosensor application, the array electrode was tested for $H_2O_2$ detection and showed very sluggish electrochemical response to $H_2O_2$. To enhance the detection efficiency to the oxidation of $H_2O_2$, gold was treated on the electrode by two different approaches: sputtering and electrochemical deposition. Gold treatment with either method greatly enhanced the sensitivity of the electrode to $H_2O_2$. So, conducting polymer microtubule array with gold treatment was expected to be a sensitive amperometric biosensor system based on the detection of $H_2O_2$.