• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제24권8호
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• pp.1044-1050
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• 2014

Since there is no consensus about the most reliable assays to detect invasive aspergillosis from samples obtained by minimally invasive or noninvasive methods, we compared the efficacy of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for galactomannan (GM) detection and quantitative real-time PCR assay (qRT-PCR) for the diagnosis of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis. Neutropenic, male Sprague-Dawley rats (specific pathogen free; 8 weeks old; weight, $200{\pm}20g$) were immunosuppressed with cyclophosphamide and infected with Aspergillus fumigatus intratracheally. Tissue and whole blood samples were harvested on days 1, 3, 5, and 7 post-infection and examined with GM ELISA and qRT-PCR. The A. fumigatus DNA detection sequence was detected in the following number of samples from 12 immunosuppressed, infected rats examined on the scheduled days: day 1 (0/12), day 3 (0/12), day 5 (6/12), and day 7 (8/12) post-infection. The sensitivity and specificity of the qRT-PCR assay was 29.2% and 100%, respectively. Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis indicated a Ct (cycle threshold) cut-off value of 15.35, and the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.627. The GM assay detected antigen in sera obtained on day 1 (5/12), day 3 (9/12), day 5 (12/12), and day 7 (12/12) post-infection, and thus had a sensitivity of 79.2% and a specificity of 100%. The ROC of the GM assay indicated that the optimal Ct cut-off value was 1.40 (AUC, 0.919). The GM assay was more sensitive than the qRT-PCR assay in diagnosing invasive pulmonary aspergillosis in rats.

• Toxicological Research
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• 제20권2호
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• pp.89-100
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• 2004

The comet assay (also called the single-cell gel electrophoresis assay) has been widely used for detecting DNA damage and repair in individual cells. Since the conventional methods of evaluating comet assay data using frequency statistics are unsatisfactory we developed a new quantitative measure of DNA damage/repair that is based on all information residing in the dose/time-response curves of a comet experiment. Blood samples were taken from 25 breast cancer patients before undergoing radiotherapy. The comet assay was performed under alkaline conditions using isolated lymphocytes. Tail DNA, tail length, tail moment and tail inertia of the comet were measured for each patient at four doses of $\gamma$-rays (0, 2, 4 and 8 Gy) and at four time points after irradiation (0, 10, 20 and 30 min) using 100 cells each. The resulting three-dimensional dose-time response surface was modeled by multiple regression, and the second derivative, termed 2D, on dose and time was determined. A software module was programmed in SAS/AF to compute 2D values. We applied the new method successfully to data obtained from cancer patients to be assessed for their radiation sensitivity. We computed the 2D values for the four damage measures, i.e., tail moment, tail length, tail DNA and tail inertia, and examined the pairwise correlation coefficients of 2D both on the log scale and the unlogged scale. 2D values based on tail moment and tail DNA showed a high correlation and, therefore, these two damage measures can be used interchangeably as far as DNA repair is concerned. 2D values based on tail inertia have a correlation profile different from the other 2D values which may reflect different facets of DNA damage/repair. Using the dose-time response surface, other statistical models, e.g., the proportional hazards model, become applicable for data analysis. The 2D approach can be applied to all DNA repair measures, Le., tail moment, tail length, tail DNA and tail inertia, and appears to be superior to conventional evaluation methods as it integrates all data of the dose/time-response curves of a comet assay.

• BMB Reports
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• 제31권1호
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• pp.101-105
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• 1998

Immunoassay of botulinum toxin (BTX) B type was investigated using two typed of biosensors: light addressable potentiometric sensor (LAPS) and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor. Urease-tagged and immuno-filtration capture method have been used for LAPS. Tag-free and direct binding real-time detection method have been used for SPR sensor. The detection limit of sandwich assay format with LAPS was 10 ng/ml, which was the lowest among methods tested. SPR has the advantage of being more convenient because tag-free direct binding assay can be used and reaction time was reduced, regardless of low sensitivity. This result shows that sandwich assay format with LAPS can be used as an alternative method of BTX mouse bioassay which is known as the most sensitive method for the detection of BTX.

• 한국가축번식학회지
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• 제14권3호
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• pp.165-173
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• 1990

A simple and sensitive microplate enzyme immunoassay(ELISA) was developed for progesterone, based on progesterone monoclonal antibody as anti-progesterone, horseradish peroxise(HRP) as enzyme-label and tetramethylbenzidine(TMB) as substrate. The assay has a sensitivity of 5pg-120pg/well and intra- and inter assay coefficients of variation for progesterone standard curve(0.1ng-3.2ng/ml) were ranged 4.4-10.6% and 5.-12.6%, respectively. They assay is performed in less than two hours and provide reliable values to differentiate among samples from day 0(A.I.), day 14 and day 19. The discriminatory levels for early pregnancy diagnosis are [>10ng(day 19) & decreasing rate <1.5 : pregnancy] and [ 7ng & decreasing rate 1.5 : non-pregnancy]. The accuracy of the pregnancy diagnosis for cows classified as positive(pregnancy) and negative(non-pregnancy) were 96% and 100%, respectively.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• 제35권2호
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• pp.419-424
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• 2014

The pro-apoptotic BCL-2 family protein BID activates BAK and/or BAX, which form oligomeric pores in the mitochondrial outer membrane. This results in the release of cytochrome c into the cytoplasm, initiating the apoptotic cascade. Here, we utilized liposomes encapsulating sulfo-rhodamine at a controlled temperature to improve upon a previously reported assay system with enhanced sensitivity and specificity for measuring membrane permeabilization by BID-dependent BAK activation. BAK activation was inhibited by BCL-$X_L$ protein but not by a mutant protein with impaired anti-apoptotic activity. With the assay system, we screened a chemical library and identified several compounds including trifluoperazine, a mitochondrial apoptosis-induced channel blocker. It inhibited BAK activation by direct binding to BAK and blocking the oligomerization of BAK.

• 한국환경생물학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국환경생물학회 2003년도 학술대회
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• pp.68-73
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• 2003

The possibility of using the alkaline protocol of the single cell gel electrophoresis (SCGE) assay as a method for detecting induced DNA damage has been studied for six major plants. The EMS was applied as a model genotoxic agent on young excised leaves of the tested crops for 18 h at 26$^{\circ}C$ in the dark. With increasing concentrations of 0 to 10 mM EMS, the DNA damage, expressed by the averaged median tail moment values, significantly increased in nuclei of all plants studied. As the results, no correlation between the diameter of nuclei and sensitivity to EMS treatment was observed. The data obtained demonstrate the feasibility of using the SCGE assay for detecting induced DNA damage in plants.

• 식물병연구
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• 제24권4호
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• pp.348-352
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• 2018

A multiplex reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (mRT-PCR) assay was developed for the detection of Clover yellow vein virus (ClYVV), Peanut mottle virus (PeMoV), and Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV), which were recently reported to infect soybean and azuki bean in Korea. Species-specific primer sets were designed for the detection of each virus, and their specificity and sensitivity were tested using mixed primer sets. From among the designed primer sets, two combinations were selected and further evaluated to estimate the detection limits of uniplex, duplex, and multiplex RT-PCR. The multiplex RT-PCR assay could be a useful tool for the field survey of plant viruses and the rapid detection of ClYVV, PeMoV, and TSWV in leguminous plants.

• Mycobiology
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• 제50권5호
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• pp.382-388
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• 2022

White mold (or Sclerotinia stem rot), caused by Sclerotinia species, is a major air, soil, or seed-transmitted disease affecting numerous crops and wild plants. Microscopic or culture-based methods currently available for their detection and identification are time-consuming, laborious, and often erroneous. Therefore, we developed a multiplex quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay for the discrimination, detection, and quantification of DNA collected from each of the three economically relevant Sclerotinia species, namely, S. sclerotiorum, S. minor, and S. nivalis. TaqMan primer/probe combinations specific for each Sclerotinia species were designed based on the gene sequences encoding aspartyl protease. High specificity and sensitivity of each probe were confirmed for sclerotium and soil samples, as well as pure cultures, using simplex and multiplex qPCRs. This multiplex assay could be helpful in detecting and quantifying specific species of Sclerotinia, and therefore, may be valuable for disease diagnosis, forecasting, and management.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제54권1호
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• pp.1-8
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• 2016

Laboratory workers, in resource-poor countries, still consider PCR detection of Giardia lamblia more costly and more time-consuming than the classical parasitological techniques. Based on 2 published primers, an in-house one-round touchdown PCR-RFLP assay was developed. The assay was validated with an internal amplification control included in reactions. Performance of the assay was assessed with DNA samples of various purities, 91 control fecal samples with various parasite load, and 472 samples of unknown results. Two cysts per reaction were enough for PCR detection by the assay with exhibited specificity (Sp) and sensitivity (Se) of 100% and 93%, respectively. Taking a published small subunit rRNA reference PCR test results (6%; 29/472) as a nominated gold standard, G. lamblia was identified in 5.9% (28/472), 5.2%, (25/472), and 3.6% (17/472) by PCR assay, $RIDA^{(R)}$ Quick Giardia antigen detection test (R-Biopharm, Darmstadt, Germany), and iodine-stained smear microscopy, respectively. The percent agreements (kappa values) of 99.7% (0.745), 98.9% (0.900), and 97.7% (0.981) were exhibited between the assay results and that of the reference PCR, immunoassay, and microscopy, respectively. Restriction digestion of the 28 Giardia-positive samples revealed genotype A pattern in 12 and genotype B profile in 16 samples. The PCR assay with the described format and exhibited performance has a great potential to be adopted in basic clinical laboratories as a detection tool for G. lamblia especially in asymptomatic infections. This potential is increased more in particular situations where identification of the parasite genotype represents a major requirement as in epidemiological studies and infection outbreaks.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제15권3호
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• pp.595-602
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• 2005

A one-step real-time quantitative RT-PCR assay in combination with automated RNA extraction was evaluated for routine testing of HCV RNA in the laboratory. Specific primers and probes were developed to detect 302 bp on 5'-UTR of HCV RNA. The assay was able to quantitate a dynamic linear range of $10^7-10^1$ HCV RNA copies/reaction ($R^2=0.997$). The synthetic HCV RNA standard of $1.84{\pm}0.1\;(mean{\pm}SD)$ copies developed in this study corresponded to 1 international unit (IU) of WHO International Standard for HCV RNA (96/790 I). The detection limit of the assay was 3 RNA copies/reaction (81 IU/ml) in plasma samples. The assay was comparable to the Amplicor HCV Monitor (Monitor) assay with correlation coefficient r=0.985, but was more sensitive than the Monitor assay. The assay could be completed within 3 h from RNA extraction to detection and data analysis for up to 32 samples. It allowed rapid RNA extraction, detection, and quantitation of HCV RNA in plasma samples. The method provided sufficient sensitivity and reproducibility and proved to be fast and labor-saving, so that it was suitable for high throughput HCV RNA test.