A Multi-channel Handheld Automatic Spectrometer for Wide Range and On-site Detection of Okadaic Acid Based on Specific Aptamer Binding

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chiyu Ma ◽  
Xianyou Sun ◽  
Liubing Kong ◽  
Xinyi Wang ◽  
Shuqi Zhou ◽  
...  

Okadaic acid (OA) is one of the marine toxin that is widely distributed and harmful to human. However, the current detection methods for OA have complex procedures, long detection time,...

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ibtissame Khaoua ◽  
Guillaume Graciani ◽  
Andrey Kim ◽  
François Amblard

AbstractFor a wide range of purposes, one faces the challenge to detect light from extremely faint and spatially extended sources. In such cases, detector noises dominate over the photon noise of the source, and quantum detectors in photon counting mode are generally the best option. Here, we combine a statistical model with an in-depth analysis of detector noises and calibration experiments, and we show that visible light can be detected with an electron-multiplying charge-coupled devices (EM-CCD) with a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of 3 for fluxes less than $$30\,{\text{photon}}\,{\text{s}}^{ - 1} \,{\text{cm}}^{ - 2}$$ 30 photon s - 1 cm - 2 . For green photons, this corresponds to 12 aW $${\text{cm}}^{ - 2}$$ cm - 2 ≈ $$9{ } \times 10^{ - 11}$$ 9 × 10 - 11 lux, i.e. 15 orders of magnitude less than typical daylight. The strong nonlinearity of the SNR with the sampling time leads to a dynamic range of detection of 4 orders of magnitude. To detect possibly varying light fluxes, we operate in conditions of maximal detectivity $${\mathcal{D}}$$ D rather than maximal SNR. Given the quantum efficiency $$QE\left( \lambda \right)$$ Q E λ of the detector, we find $${ \mathcal{D}} = 0.015\,{\text{photon}}^{ - 1} \,{\text{s}}^{1/2} \,{\text{cm}}$$ D = 0.015 photon - 1 s 1 / 2 cm , and a non-negligible sensitivity to blackbody radiation for T > 50 °C. This work should help design highly sensitive luminescence detection methods and develop experiments to explore dynamic phenomena involving ultra-weak luminescence in biology, chemistry, and material sciences.


2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (9) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sadik Omairey ◽  
Nithin Jayasree ◽  
Mihalis Kazilas

AbstractThe increasing use of fibre reinforced polymer composite materials in a wide range of applications increases the use of similar and dissimilar joints. Traditional joining methods such as welding, mechanical fastening and riveting are challenging in composites due to their material properties, heterogeneous nature, and layup configuration. Adhesive bonding allows flexibility in materials selection and offers improved production efficiency from product design and manufacture to final assembly, enabling cost reduction. However, the performance of adhesively bonded composite structures cannot be fully verified by inspection and testing due to the unforeseen nature of defects and manufacturing uncertainties presented in this joining method. These uncertainties can manifest as kissing bonds, porosity and voids in the adhesive. As a result, the use of adhesively bonded joints is often constrained by conservative certification requirements, limiting the potential of composite materials in weight reduction, cost-saving, and performance. There is a need to identify these uncertainties and understand their effect when designing these adhesively bonded joints. This article aims to report and categorise these uncertainties, offering the reader a reliable and inclusive source to conduct further research, such as the development of probabilistic reliability-based design optimisation, sensitivity analysis, defect detection methods and process development.


Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (7) ◽  
pp. 2499
Author(s):  
Michael Dillon ◽  
Maja A. Zaczek-Moczydlowska ◽  
Christine Edwards ◽  
Andrew D. Turner ◽  
Peter I. Miller ◽  
...  

In the past twenty years marine biotoxin analysis in routine regulatory monitoring has advanced significantly in Europe (EU) and other regions from the use of the mouse bioassay (MBA) towards the high-end analytical techniques such as high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with tandem mass spectrometry (MS). Previously, acceptance of these advanced methods, in progressing away from the MBA, was hindered by a lack of commercial certified analytical standards for method development and validation. This has now been addressed whereby the availability of a wide range of analytical standards from several companies in the EU, North America and Asia has enhanced the development and validation of methods to the required regulatory standards. However, the cost of the high-end analytical equipment, lengthy procedures and the need for qualified personnel to perform analysis can still be a challenge for routine monitoring laboratories. In developing regions, aquaculture production is increasing and alternative inexpensive Sensitive, Measurable, Accurate and Real-Time (SMART) rapid point-of-site testing (POST) methods suitable for novice end users that can be validated and internationally accepted remain an objective for both regulators and the industry. The range of commercial testing kits on the market for marine toxin analysis remains limited and even more so those meeting the requirements for use in regulatory control. Individual assays include enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) and lateral flow membrane-based immunoassays (LFIA) for EU-regulated toxins, such as okadaic acid (OA) and dinophysistoxins (DTXs), saxitoxin (STX) and its analogues and domoic acid (DA) in the form of three separate tests offering varying costs and benefits for the industry. It can be observed from the literature that not only are developments and improvements ongoing for these assays, but there are also novel assays being developed using upcoming state-of-the-art biosensor technology. This review focuses on both currently available methods and recent advances in innovative methods for marine biotoxin testing and the end-user practicalities that need to be observed. Furthermore, it highlights trends that are influencing assay developments such as multiplexing capabilities and rapid POST, indicating potential detection methods that will shape the future market.


2017 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 850-868 ◽  
Author(s):  
William Soo Lon Wah ◽  
Yung-Tsang Chen ◽  
Gethin Wyn Roberts ◽  
Ahmed Elamin

Analyzing changes in vibration properties (e.g. natural frequencies) of structures as a result of damage has been heavily used by researchers for damage detection of civil structures. These changes, however, are not only caused by damage of the structural components, but they are also affected by the varying environmental conditions the structures are faced with, such as the temperature change, which limits the use of most damage detection methods presented in the literature that did not account for these effects. In this article, a damage detection method capable of distinguishing between the effects of damage and of the changing environmental conditions affecting damage sensitivity features is proposed. This method eliminates the need to form the baseline of the undamaged structure using damage sensitivity features obtained from a wide range of environmental conditions, as conventionally has been done, and utilizes features from two extreme and opposite environmental conditions as baselines. To allow near real-time monitoring, subsequent measurements are added one at a time to the baseline to create new data sets. Principal component analysis is then introduced for processing each data set so that patterns can be extracted and damage can be distinguished from environmental effects. The proposed method is tested using a two-dimensional truss structure and validated using measurements from the Z24 Bridge which was monitored for nearly a year, with damage scenarios applied to it near the end of the monitoring period. The results demonstrate the robustness of the proposed method for damage detection under changing environmental conditions. The method also works despite the nonlinear effects produced by environmental conditions on damage sensitivity features. Moreover, since each measurement is allowed to be analyzed one at a time, near real-time monitoring is possible. Damage progression can also be given from the method which makes it advantageous for damage evolution monitoring.


Author(s):  
Eoin Carmody ◽  
Sean Kelly ◽  
Alan Bishop ◽  
Kevin James

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott Sherrill-Mix ◽  
Gregory D. Van Duyne ◽  
Frederic D. Bushman

AbstractOver the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, several SARS-CoV-2 genetic variants of concern have appeared and spread throughout the world. Detection and identification of these variants is important to understanding and controlling their rapid spread. Current detection methods for a particularly concerning variant, B.1.1.7, require expensive qPCR machines and depend on the absence of a signal rather than a positive indicator of variant presence. Here we report an assay using a pair of molecular beacons paired with reverse transcription loop mediated amplification to allow isothermal amplification from saliva to specifically detect B.1.1.7 and other variants which contain a characteristic deletion in the gene encoding the viral spike protein. This assay is specific, affordable and allows multiplexing with other SARS-CoV-2 LAMP primer sets.


Plant Disease ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gangming Zhan ◽  
Fan Ji ◽  
Jun Zhao ◽  
Yue Liu ◽  
Aihong Zhou ◽  
...  

Wheat stripe rust, caused by Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst), is a destructive disease of wheat that seriously threatens production safety in wheat-producing areas worldwide. In China, the disease has been largely controlled with fungicide triadimefon. Although high levels of fungicide resistance in other fungal pathogens have been reported, failure to control Pst with any fungicides has seldomly been reported and fungicide sensitivity of Pst has not been evaluated in China. The distribution of triadimefon-resistant Pst isolates was investigated in the present study. The baseline sensitivity of 446 Pst isolates across the country to triadimefon was determined, and the concentration for 50% of maximal effect (EC50) showed a unimodal distribution curve, with a mean value of 0.19 μg mL-1. The results indicated a wide range of sensitivity to triadimefon, with more insensitive isolates collected from Pst winter-increasing areas and northwest over-summering areas, whereas more sensitive isolates were collected from southwest over-summering areas and epidemic areas of Xinjiang and Tibet. The majority of the tested Pst isolates were sensitive to triadimefon; only 6.79% had developed varying degrees of resistance. Characterization of parasitic fitness revealed that the triadimefon-resistant isolates exhibited strong adaptive traits in urediniospore germination rate, latent period, sporulation intensity, and lesion expansion rate. Positive cross-resistance was observed between triadimefon and tebuconazole or hexaconazole, but not between pyraclostrobin or flubeneteram. The point mutation Y134F in the 14α-demethylase enzyme (CYP51) was detected in triadimefon-resistant isolates. A molecular method (Kompetitive Allele Specific PCR) was established for the rapid detection of Y134F mutants in the Pst population. Two genotypes with one point mutation Y134F conferred resistance to triadimefon in Pst. The risk of resistance to triadimefon in Pst may be low to moderate. This study provided important data for establishment of high throughput molecular detection methods, fungicide resistance risk management, and the development of new target fungicides.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document