scholarly journals Ochratoxin A Occurrence in Food

2010 ◽  
Vol 67 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dana FEIER ◽  
Maria TOFANA
Keyword(s):  
Ochratoxin A ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Poultry Meat ◽  
Screening Tests ◽  
Rapid Screening ◽  
Screening Methods ◽  
Ionization Mass ◽  
Promising Alternative ◽  
Analytical Technique ◽  
Analytical Approaches

The aim of the present study was to investigate the occurrence of Ochratoxin A (OA) in food based on the results of the investigation about the Assessment of dietary intake of Ochratoxin A by the population of EU Member States. Ochratoxin A (OTA) can occur in a large variety of commodities (cereals, beans, groundnuts, spices, dried fruits, coffee, beer, wine) and, because of a carry-over effect, in milk, pig blood, liver, and kidney, and poultry meat from animals fed with contaminated feed. Because of the persistence of OTA in the food chain, exposure to the compound is a potential human health hazard. This has prompted adoption of regulatory limits in several countries which, in turn, implies the development of suitable validated and official analytical methods and rapid screening tests for cost-effective food control on a large scale. Liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection (LC–FLD), coupled with immunoaffinity column (IAC) clean-up, is the most widely employed analytical technique. LC coupled with electrospray-ionization mass spectrometry (MS) has detection limits comparable with those of LC– FLD and the selectivity of IAC can be achieved by tandem (MS–MS) or sequential (MSn) detection. Synthetic counterparts to natural antibodies in the form of molecularly imprinted polymers seem a promising alternative to IAC for sample preparation. New analytical approaches to rapid, low-cost screening methods, for example those based on biosensors and dip-stick-like kits, are a direction in which innovation can be expected.

Rapid Screening Methods for Bleeding Disorders. A Three Year Survey

1964 ◽  
Vol 11 (02) ◽  
pp. 506-512 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. A Lovric ◽  
J Margolis
Keyword(s):  
Laboratory Tests ◽  
Capillary Blood ◽  
Screening Tests ◽  
Rapid Screening ◽  
Screening Methods ◽  
Bleeding Disorders ◽  
Routine Laboratory ◽  
Clotting Time ◽  
Kaolin Clotting Time ◽  
In Infants And Children

SummaryAn adaptation of “kaolin clotting time” and prothrombin time for use on haemolysed capillary blood provided simple and sensitive screening tests suitable for use in infants and children. A survey of three year’s experience shows that these are reliable routine laboratory tests for detection of latent coagulation disorders.

scholarly journals A study of prevalence of asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnant women from rural areas attending to Obstetric Department in Akash Hospital, Karnataka, India

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (7) ◽  
pp. 2845
Author(s):  
Rohini N. S. ◽  
Ravishankar S. N. ◽  
Kala K. ◽  
Rakshith N. R.
Keyword(s):  
Pregnant Women ◽  
Urine Culture ◽  
Screening Method ◽  
Asymptomatic Bacteriuria ◽  
Significant Risk ◽  
Screening Tests ◽  
Rapid Screening ◽  
Screening Methods ◽  
Gram Staining ◽  
In Pregnancy

Background: Asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB) in pregnancy is a significant risk factor for developing upper urinary tract infection and pyelonephritis which is associated with significant maternal and fetal risks. The aim of this study was to know the prevalence of asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnancy, to identify the organisms and their antibiotic susceptibility patterns and to formulate a single or combined rapid screening method as an acceptable alternative to urine culture.Methods: A total of 375 pregnant women aged between 18 to 45 years were included in this study. Clean catch mid-stream urine samples were collected. Screening tests done were gram staining of uncentrifuged urine, pus cell count, nitrite test and leukocyte esterase test. Identification of pathogens and antibiotic sensitivity tests were performed as per standard urine culture and sensitivity methods.Results: Out of the 375 pregnant women, 31 (8.4%) had significant bacteriuria. High percentage of women with ASB were primigravidas (51.38%) and in 2nd trimester (43.86%). The most common organism isolated was E.coli (56.14%). In screening tests, gram staining of uncentrifuged urine had a sensitivity of 85.71%. Sensitivity of 71.42% was found in Nitrite and leucocyte esterase tests. However, the combination of these two tests, with either test positive, showed sensitivity and negative predictive value of 90.47% and 99.09% respectively.Conclusions: Early detection and treatment of ASB in pregnancy can prevent complications. ASB can be identified by simple and combined rapid screening methods and urine culture along with antibiogram. Therefore, screening and treatment of ASB may be incorporated as routine antenatal care for safe motherhood and healthy newborn.

scholarly journals Comparative Evaluation of Ligation-Mediated PCR and Spoligotyping as Screening Methods for Genotyping ofMycobacterium tuberculosis Strains

1999 ◽  
Vol 37 (10) ◽  
pp. 3118-3123 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefano Bonora ◽  
M. Cristina Gutierrez ◽  
Giovanni Di Perri ◽  
Francesca Brunello ◽  
Benedetta Allegranzi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Comparative Evaluation ◽  
Screening Method ◽  
Rflp Analysis ◽  
Step Test ◽  
Screening Tests ◽  
Rapid Screening ◽  
Screening Methods ◽  
Typing Method ◽  
Low Prevalence ◽  
Discriminatory Index

Spoligotyping has been suggested as a screening test in multistep genotyping of Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains. Relying on restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis with IS6110 (IS6110 RFLP analysis) as a “gold standard,” we performed a comparative evaluation of spoligotyping and ligation-mediated PCR (LMPCR), a recently described PCR-based typing method, as rapid screening tests for fingerprinting of 158 M. tuberculosis strains collected in Verona, Italy. LMPCR seemed to be comparable to spoligotyping in terms both of feasibility with rapidly extracted DNA and of generation of software-analyzable images. Moreover, LMPCR grouped considerably fewer strains than spoligotyping (38 versus 67%) and was found to reduce the cluster overestimation rate (26.3 versus 58%) and to give a better discriminatory index (0.992 versus 0.970) compared to spoligotyping. In our geographical region, where there was no evidence of clustered strains carrying fewer than six IS6110 copies, LMPCR was found to be more discriminatory than spoligotyping. We also evaluated two models of three-step typing strategies, involving the use of spoligotyping and LMPCR as screening methods and IS6110 RFLP analysis as a further supporting test. LMPCR proved to be a more effective first-step test than spoligotyping, significantly reducing the need for subtyping. LMPCR should be considered an alternative to spoligotyping as a rapid screening method for M. tuberculosis fingerprinting, particularly in areas with a low prevalence of M. tuberculosis strains carrying few copies of IS6110.

Assessing the suitability of various screening methods as a proxy for drought tolerance in barley

2017 ◽  
Vol 44 (2) ◽  
pp. 253 ◽  
Author(s):  
Md. Hasanuzzaman ◽  
Lana Shabala ◽  
Tim J. Brodribb ◽  
Meixue Zhou ◽  
Sergey Shabala
Keyword(s):  
Chlorophyll Fluorescence ◽  
Drought Tolerance ◽  
Water Content ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Stomatal Density ◽  
Rapid Screening ◽  
Screening Methods ◽  
Water Stress Tolerance ◽  
Dry Biomass ◽  
Relative Root

Plant breeders are in the need for a convenient, reproducible, reliable and rapid screening methods to be used as a proxy for drought tolerance for a large number of genotypes. Addressing this need, we compared different physiological measures of stress in six barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) genotypes subjected to different drought treatments under glasshouse conditions. Genotypes were evaluated by measuring transpiration rate, quantum yield of PSII (chlorophyll fluorescence Fv/Fm ratio), SPAD chlorophyll meter reading, dry biomass and shoot water content. The accuracy of different methods for quantifying water stress tolerance was evaluated by measuring the rates of surviving and death in plants and leaves, and newly grown leaves after rewatering. In another experiment, the same genotypes were evaluated by applying 18% (w/v) of polyethylene glycol (PEG) to germinating seeds grown in paper rolls to induce osmotic stress, using relative root and shoot lengths as a measure of tolerance. The results suggest that transpiration measurements at the recovery stage could be the most sensitive method for separating contrasting genotypes. However, the method is time-consuming and laborious for large-scale screening. Chlorophyll content, dry biomass, shoot water content and stomatal density did not correlate with plant drought tolerance. At the same time, chlorophyll fluorescence Fv/Fm ratio showed a strong correlation with drought tolerance and could be recommended as suitable proxy for screening. Measuring relative root growth rate (length) using PEG-treated paper roll-grown seedlings also seems to be a highly suitable and promising method for screening a large number of genotypes in breeding programs.

scholarly journals Mycotoxins and fungal damage in maize harvested during 1982 in Far North Queensland

1984 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 463 ◽  
Author(s):  
BJ Blaney ◽  
CJ Moore ◽  
AL Tyler
Keyword(s):  
Zea Mays ◽  
Ochratoxin A ◽  
Zea Mays L ◽  
Gibberella Zeae ◽  
Screening Tests ◽  
Rapid Screening ◽  
Rainfall Distribution ◽  
Far North ◽  
Fungal Damage ◽  
The Mean

A survey for mycotoxins and fungal damage in maize (Zea mays L.) grown during 1982 in Far North Queensland is reported. This season had a rainfall distribution which was typical for the region. The 293 samples examined came from 111 farms in eight maize-growing districts. The samples were first subjected to rapid screening tests for fungal damage. Aflatoxins B1, B2, G1, G2, ochratoxin A, T-2 toxin, and sterigmatocystin were not detected, but zearalenone was found in 85% of the samples. The concentrations of zearalenone were correlated with the extent of Gibberella zeae cob rot as indicated by the proportion (up to 2%) of kernels in each sample having a reddish-purple discoloration. In four samples the zearalenone concentration exceeded 1 mg kg-1, but the mean � s.d. (n = 293) concentration in all samples was 0.17 � 0.225 mg kg-1. Concentrations were highest in districts with the highest rainfall during the period of maize growth.

A Rapid Antibody Screening Haemagglutination Test for Predicting Immunity to Sars CoV-2 Variants of Concern

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nina Urke Ertesvåg ◽  
Julie Xiao ◽  
Fan Zhou ◽  
Sonja Ljostveit ◽  
Helene Sandnes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Surrogate Marker ◽  
Vaccine Dose ◽  
Rapid Test ◽  
Screening Tests ◽  
Rapid Screening ◽  
Older Individuals ◽  
Neutralising Antibodies ◽  
Younger Adults ◽  
Domain Specific

Abstract Evaluation of susceptibility to emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOC) requires rapid screening tests for neutralising antibodies which provide protection. We developed a receptor-binding domain specific hemagglutination test (HAT) which correlated with neutralising antibodies (R=0.74-0.82) in two independent cohorts from 798 convalescents. Home-dwelling older individuals (80-99 years, n=89) had significantly lower antibodies after one dose of BNT162b2 vaccine than younger adult vaccinees (n=310) and naturally infected individuals (n=307). The second vaccine dose boosted and broadened the antibody repertoire to VOC in naïve but not previously infected, older and younger adults. >75% of older adults responded after two vaccinations to alpha and delta, but only 59-62% to beta and gamma, compared to 96-97% of younger vaccinees and 68-76% of infected individuals. Overall, the HAT provides a surrogate marker for neutralising antibodies, could be used as a simple inexpensive, rapid test, rapidly adaptable to emerging VOC for large-scale evaluation of potentially diminishing vaccine effectiveness.

Adsorption Isotherm Predictions for Multiple Molecules in MOFs Using the Same Deep Learning Model

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryther Anderson ◽  
Achay Biong ◽  
Diego Gómez-Gualdrón
Keyword(s):  
Neural Network ◽  
Machine Learning ◽  
Molecular Simulation ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Learning Model ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Small Subset ◽  
Screening Methods ◽  
Large Set ◽  
Metal Organic

<div>Tailoring the structure and chemistry of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) enables the manipulation of their adsorption properties to suit specific energy and environmental applications. As there are millions of possible MOFs (with tens of thousands already synthesized), molecular simulation, such as grand canonical Monte Carlo (GCMC), has frequently been used to rapidly evaluate the adsorption performance of a large set of MOFs. This allows subsequent experiments to focus only on a small subset of the most promising MOFs. In many instances, however, even molecular simulation becomes prohibitively time consuming, underscoring the need for alternative screening methods, such as machine learning, to precede molecular simulation efforts. In this study, as a proof of concept, we trained a neural network as the first example of a machine learning model capable of predicting full adsorption isotherms of different molecules not included in the training of the model. To achieve this, we trained our neural network only on alchemical species, represented only by their geometry and force field parameters, and used this neural network to predict the loadings of real adsorbates. We focused on predicting room temperature adsorption of small (one- and two-atom) molecules relevant to chemical separations. Namely, argon, krypton, xenon, methane, ethane, and nitrogen. However, we also observed surprisingly promising predictions for more complex molecules, whose properties are outside the range spanned by the alchemical adsorbates. Prediction accuracies suitable for large-scale screening were achieved using simple MOF (e.g. geometric properties and chemical moieties), and adsorbate (e.g. forcefield parameters and geometry) descriptors. Our results illustrate a new philosophy of training that opens the path towards development of machine learning models that can predict the adsorption loading of any new adsorbate at any new operating conditions in any new MOF.</div>

Advances in the Chromatographic Separation and Determination of Bioactive Compounds for Assessing the Nutrient Profile of Nuts

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natasa P. Kalogiouri ◽  
Natalia Manousi ◽  
Erwin Rosenberg ◽  
George A. Zachariadis ◽  
Victoria F. Samanidou
Keyword(s):  
Fatty Acids ◽  
Phenolic Compounds ◽  
Bioactive Compounds ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Unsaturated Fatty Acids ◽  
Nutritional Deficiencies ◽  
Analytical Technique ◽  
High Volatility ◽  
Analytical Approaches

Background:: Nuts have been incorporated into guidelines for healthy eating since they contain considerable amounts of antioxidants and their effects are related to health benefits since they contribute to the prevention of nutritional deficiencies. The micronutrient characterization is based mainly on the determination of phenolics which is the most abundant class of bioactive compounds in nuts. Terpenes constitute another class of bioactive compounds that are present in nuts and show high volatility. The analysis of phenolic compounds and terpenes are very demanding tasks that require optimization of the chromatographic conditions to improve the separation of the components. Moreover, nuts are rich in unsaturated fatty acids and they are therefore considered as cardioprotective. Gas chromatography is the predominant instrumental analytical technique for the determination of derivatized fatty acids and terpenes in food matrices, while high performance liquid chromatography is currently the most popular technique for the determination of phenolic compounds Objective:: This review summarizes all the recent advances in the optimization of the chromatographic conditions for the determination of phenolic compounds, fatty acids and terpenes in nuts Conclusion:: The state-of-the art in the technology available is critically discussed, exploring new analytical approaches to reduce the time of analysis and improve the performance of the chromatographic systems in terms of precision, reproducibility, limits of detection and quantification and overall quality of the results

Efficient Schedule of Energy-Constrained UAV Using Crowdsourced Buses in Last-Mile Parcel Delivery

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-23
Author(s):  
Yan Pan ◽  
Shining Li ◽  
Qianwu Chen ◽  
Nan Zhang ◽  
Tao Cheng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Traffic Congestion ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Load Capacity ◽  
Scheduling Algorithm ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Promising Alternative ◽  
Logistics Industry ◽  
Last Mile ◽  
Delivery Scheduling ◽  
Schedule Approach

Stimulated by the dramatical service demand in the logistics industry, logistics trucks employed in last-mile parcel delivery bring critical public concerns, such as heavy cost burden, traffic congestion and air pollution. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are a promising alternative tool in last-mile delivery, which is however limited by insufficient flight range and load capacity. This paper presents an innovative energy-limited logistics UAV schedule approach using crowdsourced buses. Specifically, when one UAV delivers a parcel, it first lands on a crowdsourced social bus to parcel destination, gets recharged by the wireless recharger deployed on the bus, and then flies from the bus to the parcel destination. This novel approach not only increases the delivery range and load capacity of battery-limited UAVs, but is also much more cost-effective and environment-friendly than traditional methods. New challenges therefore emerge as the buses with spatiotemporal mobility become the bottleneck during delivery. By landing on buses, an Energy-Neutral Flight Principle and a delivery scheduling algorithm are proposed for the UAVs. Using the Energy-Neutral Flight Principle, each UAV can plan a flying path without depleting energy given buses with uncertain velocities. Besides, the delivery scheduling algorithm optimizes the delivery time and number of delivered parcels given warehouse location, logistics UAVs, parcel locations and buses. Comprehensive evaluations using a large-scale bus dataset demonstrate the superiority of the innovative logistics UAV schedule approach.

scholarly journals Prenatal Nutritional Strategies to Reduce the Risk of Preterm Birth

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Karen Patricia Best ◽  
Judith Gomersall ◽  
Maria Makrides
Keyword(s):  
Preterm Birth ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Cochrane Review ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Omega 3 ◽  
Promising Alternative ◽  
Nutritional Interventions ◽  
Dietary Nutrients ◽  
Preterm Babies ◽  
Nutritional Strategies

Worldwide, around 15 million preterm babies are born annually, and despite intensive research, the specific mechanisms triggering preterm birth (PTB) remain unclear. Cost-effective primary prevention strategies to reduce PTB are required, and nutritional interventions offer a promising alternative. Nutrients contribute to a variety of mechanisms that are potentially important to preterm delivery, such as infection, inflammation, oxidative stress, and muscle contractility. Several observational studies have explored the association between dietary nutrients and/or dietary patterns and PTB, often with contrasting results. Randomized trial evidence on the effects of supplementation with zinc, multiple micronutrients (iron and folic acid), and vitamin D is promising; however, results are inconsistent, and many studies are not adequately powered for outcomes of PTB. Large-scale clinical trials with PTB as the primary outcome are needed before any firm conclusions can be drawn for these nutrients. The strongest evidence to date for a nutritional solution exists for omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFAs), key nutrients in fish. In 2018, a Cochrane Review (including 70 studies) showed that prenatal supplementation with omega-3 LCPUFAs reduced the risk of PTB and early PTB (EPTB) compared with no omega-3 supplementation. However, the largest trial of omega-3 supplementation in pregnancy, the Omega-3 to Reduce the Incidence of Prematurity (ORIP) trial (<i>n</i> = 5,544), showed no reduction in EPTB and a reduction in PTB only in a prespecified analysis of singleton pregnancies. Exploratory analyses from the ORIP trial found that women with low baseline total omega-3 status were at higher risk of EPTB, and that this risk was substantially reduced with omega-3 supplementation. In contrast, women with replete or high baseline total omega-3 status were already at low risk of EPTB and additional omega-3 supplementation increased the risk of EPTB compared to control. These findings suggest that determining an individual woman’s PUFA status may be the most precise way to inform recommendations to reduce her risk of PTB.

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