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In non-aqueous Li–air batteries, the liquid electrolytes penetrate the porous media such as carbon nanotube (CNT) paper structure, transport dissolved substances such as oxygen, and play a role in generating reactants on the surface of the porous media. Although the trapped air generated during the electrolyte penetration process could affect the oxygen transport and performance of the battery, this issue has not been sufficiently investigated. Therefore, in this study, the patterns of electrolyte penetration and air entrapment in porous media were investigated through numerical analysis. A multi-relaxation time color-gradient lattice Boltzmann method was employed for modeling. Based on a two-phase flow simulation in porous media, electrolyte penetration and trapped-air saturation were analyzed in terms of porosity, wettability, and viscosity ratio. The porosity and viscosity ratio did not considerably affect the trapped-air saturation, whereas wettability had a significant effect on the aforementioned parameter. In addition, for each variable, an increase in the effective diffusive coefficient corresponded to increased porosity and hydrophilicity, as well as an improved viscosity ratio.

The aim of this systematic review was to map the peer-reviewed literature (2009–2019) relating to school involvement with wraparound models in the support of students with complex needs. Specific research questions addressed explored the evidence base of the efficacy of wraparound with these students and barriers and enablers in the provision of wraparound services. Database searches were conducted and a total of 50 articles were identified. The analysis revealed eight different aspects of wraparound efficacy, with mixed results. Nine factors were identified as having a positive enabling, or disabling, effect on the provision of effective wraparound services. The wraparound programs were varied in their nature and in their successful implementation, with time to allow the program to mature and adherence to the 10 principles of the wraparound process emerging as enabling factors for wraparound success.

The aim of this research project was to examine how wraparound supports are represented in the Australian national and NSW state polices and schools and to identify best practices and models of wraparound support. The grey literature from seven sectors, i.e., youth justice, out of home care, disability, mental health, drug and alcohol, homelessness and education was searched and analysed. There is no consensus on a definition or understanding of wraparound across the sectors, the effectiveness of wraparound models is rarely assessed, and schools are not typically included in the wraparound teams of the other sectors.

Toxic elements (Cd, Pb, and As) accumulate into the environment by industrialization and natural phenomena and then pass to organisms. Analysis of toxic elements in food must be accurately carried out on a regular basis so as to avoid any adverse impact. Salted foods are difficult samples and accurate analysis of As is not easy due to salt interference. In this study, analysis of As was carried without influence of salts in three types of salted foods via an analytical method, which was validated using spiking recovery experiments and by analyzing certified reference materials. As a result, toxic elements were detected in all samples but none of these exceeded the World Health Organization recommended limits. Among the As species, arsenobetaine (AsB) was the most abundant, while inorganic As was below the detection limit in all samples. All the analyzed salted food samples appeared to be safe for consumption. In addition, the analysis of sea shrimp, freshwater shrimp, and seawater verified As bioaccumulation in these organisms from the environment.

Background Occlusal stress from oral parafunctional habits is one of the causes of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) and mandibular torus (MT). Although some studies have investigated the correlation between TMD and MT, understanding of the relationships between types of TMD and MT is insufficient. Therefore, we conducted this study to investigate the associations between presence of MT and TMD types. Methods This study included 77 patients diagnosed with TMD who first visited our clinic for TMD between March 2019 and July 2020. Among them, 30 (38.9%) had MT, and 54 (70.1%) had oral parafunction. Parafunctional activity during sleep was confirmed using a temporary splint for checking bruxism (TSCB). Results The relationship between prevalence of MT and oral parafunction in TMD patients was not statistically significant (P = 0.131), but the odds ratio was relatively high at 2.267. An analysis of TMD type revealed that Type I, which is classified as myalgia of the masticatory muscles, and MT had a significant association (P = 0.011). We fabricated a TSCB for 27 patients to wear during sleep and confirmed that 23 (85.2%) had nocturnal bruxism. The TSCB results and presence of MT showed a significant relationship (P = 0.047). Conclusion Through the results of this study, clinicians may consider the hyperactivity of masticatory muscles in the presence of MT when treating TMD patients. In addition, TSCB has a great diagnostic value as it can be easily manufactured and be useful for discovering pre-existing oral parafunctions that patients are not aware of.

Kimchi is a traditional Korean fermented vegetable, which is also widely consumed in Japan and China. However, little is known about the kimchi proteome. In this study, Korean and Chinese kimchi proteomes were evaluated by shotgun proteomics. A total of 250 proteins were annotated, and 29 of these were expressed at > 1% of the average relative abundance. Discrimination of the geographical origins of Korean and Chinese kimchi samples was possible using multivariate analysis of the proteomic data, and 23 proteins were expressed differently between the two types (p

Quinolizidine alkaloids (QAs) are toxic secondary metabolites of Lupinus plants. This study reports the simultaneous quantification of five alkaloids from Lupinus angustifolius L. and its processed foods by ultraperformance liquid chromatography with electrospray ionization mass spectrometric detection. After optimizing the extraction conditions, the analytical method was validated for the QAs in lupin beans and in three major processed foods through detection and quantification limits, linearity, precision, and accuracy. The detection and quantification limits of the QAs were 0.5-1.7 and 1.5-5.7 mg kg-1, respectively. The linearity was greater than 0.9992 and the precision was less than 3.1%. The recoveries of three different concentrations of each QA were 89.5-106.2%. For both raw lupin beans and processed foods, lupanine was the major QA, and 13-hydroxylupanine and angustifoline were detected in lower amounts. This method could be widely used for accurate risk assessment of QAs.

Historically, students attending school in rural and regional New South Wales have experienced poorer outcomes than their peers attending metropolitan schools. The lack of coordinated support services for students with complex support needs compounds this issue. Wraparound models of support have been successful in improving outcomes for students with complex support needs, and the New South Wales government has prioritised the establishment of strong relationships between schools and communities to overcome the limitations of geographic isolation. The aim of the current study was to explore wraparound support for students with complex support needs attending schools in rural and regional New South Wales. A qualitative research approach was employed, and semi-structured interviews were conducted with key stakeholders to gain an in-depth understanding of current successes, barriers, and needs. The findings indicated that wraparound was most effective in rural and remote schools when school staff implemented bespoke approaches to wraparound, such as restorative practices. Resourcing was a barrier found to be central to all schools. Recommendations are provided to enhance the capacity of rural and regional NSW schools to provide wraparound support for students with complex support needs.

Products of lupin, a leguminous plant belonging to genus Lupinus, have high protein contents and are consumed in Mediterranean and Middle East countries. However, quinolizidine alkaloids (Q...

A simple and rapid method was developed for the simultaneous determination of five preservatives, six artificial sweeteners, and nine synthetic dyes in kimchi using ultra-performance liquid chromat...

In this study, we evaluated the virucidal effects of chloroform, ethyl acetate, and n-butanol soluble fractions of ethanolic halophyte extracts, including extracts of iceplant (Mesembryantchemum crystallinum L.), salt sandspurry (Spergularia marina L. Besser), beach silvertop (Glehnia littoralis F. Schmidt ex Miq.), marshfire glasswort (Salicornia europaea L.), and East Asian seepweed (Suaeda japonica Makino), against human norovirus (HuNoV). Using reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction, magnetic bead separation for enrichment of viral particles with pretreatment combining propidium monoazide and sodium lauroyl sarcosinate, we found that the 100 μg/mL n-butanol fractions from S. europaea and S. japonica extracts showed the highest virucidal effects against HuNoV GII.4 after 1 h, as shown by log10 reductions of more than 2 (P

Despite the importance of preventing the spread of human norovirus (NoV), effective disinfectants are lacking. In this study, the efficacy of disinfectants against NoV on various non-porous surfaces was investigated by immunomagnetic separation (IMS) and quantitative real-time reverse transcription (RT-q)PCR. Monoclonal anti-NoV antibody-conjugated magnetic beads captured intact viral particles for RT-qPCR after the treatment of surfaces with disinfectants. Viral suspensions of approximately 5.97 log10 genomic copies were inoculated onto rubber, glass, stainless steel, ceramic tile, wood, and polyvinyl chloride surfaces. Various elution buffers were used to elute NoV from surfaces. Ethanol (50–70%), sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl, 100–1000 ppm), sodium metasilicate (SMS, 0.1% and 0.3%), and quaternary compounds (1000–2000 ppm) were investigated as disinfectants; the observed reductions were

Quinolizidine alkaloids (QAs) are toxic secondary metabolites of Lupinus plants. This study reports the simultaneous quantification of five alkaloids from Lupinus angustifolius L. and its processed foods by ultraperformance liquid chromatography with electrospray ionization mass spectrometric detection. After optimizing the extraction conditions, the analytical method was validated for the QAs in lupin beans and in three major processed foods through detection and quantification limits, linearity, precision, and accuracy. The detection and quantification limits of the QAs were 0.5–1.7 and 1.5–5.7 mg kg–1, respectively. The linearity was greater than 0.9992 and the precision was less than 3.1%. The recoveries of three different concentrations of each QA were 89.5–106.2%. For both raw lupin beans and processed foods, lupanine was the major QA, and 13-hydroxylupanine and angustifoline were detected in lower amounts. This method could be widely used for accurate risk assessment of QAs.

We analyze the interface-interface interactions of a surfactant-covered double emulsion using the lattice Boltzmann method and study the interaction of the inner and outer interfaces and the local surfactant distribution under a uniaxial extensional flow. First, the capillary effects are analyzed. Upon surfactant application, the outer droplet deformation increases and the inner droplet deformation decreases. The concentrated surfactants on the outer interface increase deformation, and the inner droplet is affected by the inner flow. At a fixed P\'eclet number (Pe), the surfactant concentration at the outer interface increases with an increase in capillary number (Ca); however, such a tendency is difficult to identify at the inner interface. Next, the Pe effects are analyzed. With an increase in Pe, the deformation of the inner droplet decreases significantly. The local distribution of the surfactant considerably affects the double emulsion stabilization, which is analyzed in terms of internal flow. The interfacial tension gradient induced by the surfactant generates vortices internally, which is verified by applying the surfactant to each interface independently. The radius ratio affects droplet deformation and surfactant transport. The compression of the inner flow region increases the viscous force and decreases the interface velocity. Therefore, with an increase in radius ratio, the deformation increases, and the surfactant transport becomes slow.

The curative effects of nanoparticle albumin-bound (nab)-paclitaxel in the first-line treatment of metastatic breast cancer (MBC) are still controversial, with even more after the removal of marketing approval of indication of bevacizumab. Five electronic databases and the related resources were searched for eligible randomized clinical trials (RCTs) without year and language restrictions to perform a meta-analysis. The studies were comparing the efficacy and safety between nab-paclitaxel chemotherapy versus solvent-based (sb)-taxanes chemotherapy such as sb-paclitaxel and docetaxel. The primary end points were overall response rate (ORR) and disease control rate (DCR). Secondary end points were progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), adverse events (AEs), and dose discontinuation rate (DDR). Five RCTs (1,554 patients) were finally identified from 1,902 studies. When compared to sb-paclitaxel, nab-paclitaxel showed significant beneficial effects in terms of ORR (OR 2.39, 95% CI 1.69–3.37, p

Objective The purpose of this study was to analyze the transverse dental compensation in reference to the maxillary and mandibular basal bones using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) and evaluate the correlations between transverse dental compensation and skeletal asymmetry variables in patients with skeletal Class III malocclusion and facial asymmetry. Methods Thirty patients with skeletal Class I (control group; 15 men, 15 women) and 30 patients with skeletal Class III with menton deviation (asymmetry group; 16 men, 14 women) were included. Skeletal and dental measurements were acquired from reconstructed CBCT images using OnDemand3D 1.0 software. All measurements were compared between groups and between the deviated and nondeviated sides of the asymmetry group. Correlation coefficients for the association between skeletal and dental measurements were calculated. Results Differences in the ramus inclination (p < 0.001), maxillary canine and first molar inclinations (p < 0.001), and distances from the canine and first molar cusp tips to the midmaxillary or midmandibular planes (p < 0.01) between the right and left sides were significantly greater in the asymmetry group than in the control group. In the asymmetry group, the ramus inclination difference (p < 0.05) and mandibular canting (p < 0.05) were correlated with the amount of menton deviation. In addition, dental measurements were positively correlated with the amount of menton deviation (p < 0.05). Conclusions Transverse dental compensation was correlated with the maxillary and mandibular asymmetry patterns. These results would be helpful in understanding the pattern of transverse dental compensation and planning surgical procedure for patients with skeletal Class III malocclusion and facial asymmetry.

Although Kimchi has health benefits, food poisoning associated with consumption of Kimchi has been frequently reported. Accordingly, microbiological properties of Kimchi (100 samples) and washing effects on microbial reduction against its ingredients (200 samples) were examined. Total aerobic bacteria, coliforms, Escherichia coli, Bacillus cereus, and Clostridium perfringens were quantified. In addition, B. cereus, Salmonella spp., Enterohemorrhagic E. coli, C. perfringens, Campylobacter jejuni/coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Listeria monocytogenes, and Yersinia enterocolitica were analysed qualitatively. Total aerobic bacteria count was approximately 1.4-9.0 log CFU/g, which were highest in ginger (8.8 log CFU/g), and Chonggak Kimchi (9.0 log CFU/g). The range of coliform counts detected in all raw materials was 0.5-7.3 log CFU/g and ginger showed the greatest number 7.3 log CFU/g among others. Contamination was decreased to 0.2-3.2, 0.3-2.7, and 1.0-3.9 log CFU/ g for total aerobic bacteria, coliforms, and B. cereus, respectively, after washing. Minimising microbial contamination in Kimchi ingredients is necessary to ensure the safety of Kimchi. These results indicate that washing is a useful method to reduce bacterial contamination in Kimchi.

In recent years, fresh vegetables have frequently been associated with the foodborne transmission of enteric viruses, such as human norovirus (NoV). Therefore, several studies have focused on developing methods to inactivate foodborne viruses for preventing outbreaks of foodborne illnesses. Sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) is commonly used as a disinfectant, but results in undesirable effects on the appearance and taste of foods and can generate toxic byproducts when it exceeds the allowable concentration. Here, we evaluated the efficacy of a range of NaOCl concentrations (50-1000 ppm) for reducing the amounts of human NoV (NoV GII.4) on lettuce (Lactuca sativa), celery (Apium graveolens L.), and white cabbage (Brassica oleracea ssp. capitata). In addition, the combination treatment of NaOCl and sodium metasilicate (SMS, 0.1-0.5%) pentahydrate was evaluated for its ability to decrease the populations of NoV GII.4 in the three food samples. An immunomagnetic separation procedure combined with reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used for virus detection. For lettuce, celery, and cabbage, the NoV GII.4 recovery rates were 57.3% ± 6.5%, 52.5% ± 1.7%, and 60.3% ± 3.9%, respectively, using a glycine/NaCl elution buffer (0.25 M glycine/0.14 M NaCl, pH 9.5). The reductions of NoV GII.4 were 3.17, 3.06, and 3.27 log

Recently, cabbage kimchi has occasionally been associated with the foodborne diseases of enteric viruses such as human norovirus (HuNoV). This study aimed to evaluate the correlation between microbial/physicochemical properties and persistence of HuNoV in experimentally contaminated cabbage kimchi fermented and stored at 4°C or 10°C for 28 days. Changes in organic acid content, lactic acid bacteria (LAB), acidity, pH, and salinity were analyzed. The recovery of structurally intact HuNoV was examined for up to 28 days post-inoculation, using a NoV GII.4 monoclonal antibody-conjugated immuno-magnetic separation method combined with quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. On day 0, LAB loads were 4.70 log10 colony forming units/g and HuNoV GII.4 titers were 2.57 log10 genomic copies/μl, at both temperatures. After 28 days, intact HuNoV titers decreased to 1.58 (4°C) and 1.04 (10°C) log10 genomic copies/μl, whereas the LAB density increased. This correlated with a gradual increase in lactic acid and acetic acid at both temperatures. Our findings support a statistical correlation between changes in physicochemical properties and the recovery of structurally intact HuNoV GII.4. Moreover, we determined that the production of organic acid and low pH could affect HuNoV GII.4 titers in cabbage kimchi during fermentation. However, HuNoV GII.4 was not completely eliminated by microbial/physicochemical factors during fermentation, although HuNoV GII.4 was reduced. Based on this, we speculate that the persistence of HuNoV GII.4 may be affected by the continually changing conditions during kimchi fermentation.

Little is known about microbial communities associated with the kimchi manufacturing process. We investigated the structure of microbial communities, focusing on foodborne pathogens, such as Bacillus cereus, enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli, Clostridium perfringens, Campylobacter jejuni, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella spp., Listeria monocytogenes, and Yersinia enterocolitica, during the kimchi manufacturing process, including the brining, washing, and condiment stuffing phases, using culture-dependent and culture-independent analyses. Foodborne pathogens were not identified in any test sample by the culture-dependent analysis, whereas the culture-independent analysis targeting the hypervariable regions V3 and V4 of the 16S rRNA gene detected traces of general or potential foodborne pathogens, such as Campylobacter spp., Enterobacter spp., Escherichia or Shigella spp., Serratia spp., Vibrio spp., Aeromonas spp., Acinetobacter spp., Pseudomonas spp., and Enterococcus spp. However, as the kimchi manufacturing process proceeded, the structure of the microbial community changed, and potential foodborne pathogens were replaced by probiotics, such as lactic acid bacteria. Our results suggest that it may be worth utilizing the culture-independent analysis to complement the culture-dependent analysis for microbiological quality control of the kimchi manufacturing process.

Rapid methods for the detection and clinical treatment of human norovirus (HuNoV) are needed to control foodborne disease outbreaks, but reliable techniques that are fast and sensitive enough to detect small amounts of HuNoV in food and aquatic environments are not yet available. We explore the interactions between HuNoV and concanavalin A (Con A), which could facilitate the development of a sensitive detection tool for HuNoV. Biophysical studies including hydrogen/deuterium exchange (HDX) mass spectrometry and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) revealed that when the metal coordinated region of Con A, which spans Asp16 to His24, is converted to nine alanine residues (mCon AMCR), the affinity for HuNoV (GII.4) diminishes, demonstrating that this Ca2+ and Mn2+ coordinated region is responsible for the observed virus-protein interaction. The mutated carbohydrate binding region of Con A (mCon ACBR) does not affect binding affinity significantly, indicating that MCR of Con A is a major region of interaction to HuNoV (GII.4). The results further contribute to the development of a HuNoV concentration tool, Con A-immobilized polyacrylate beads (Con A-PAB), for rapid detection of genotypes from genogroups I and II (GI and GII). This method offers many advantages over currently available methods, including a short concentration time. HuNov (GI and GII) can be detected in just 15 min with 90% recovery through Con A-PAB application. In addition, this method can be used over a wide range of pH values (pH 3.0 – 10.0). Overall, this rapid and sensitive detection of HuNoV (GI and GII) will aid in the prevention of virus transmission pathways, and the method developed here may have applicability for other foodborne viral infections.

This study aimed to evaluate the recovery of structurally intact human norovirus (NoV) during Kimchi fermentation at varying temperatures. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB), pH, and acidity during storage and fermentation were also measured to assess the correlation between NoV reduction and microbial or physicochemical property alterations. LAB number, NoV G titer, pH, acidity, and the ability of NoV GII.4 to persist in Kimchi stored at 4 °C and 10 °C (survivability) as determined using nano magnetic beads conjugated with poly(methyl vinyl ether-maleic anhydride) combined with quantitative real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction amplification were investigated up to 28 days post-inoculation. NoV was detected in all test samples after 28 days although the NoV recovery quantity was reduced to 1.31 (4 °C) and 1.66 (10 °C) log10 genomic copies/reaction. The time required to reduce the amount of virus by 2.57 log10 (td) on survival plots of NoV determined using a modified Weibull model was 2445 days at 4 °C and 138 days at 10 °C. These results indicate that NoV from food preparation or processing is able to persistently survive in Kimchi. Therefore, preventing NoV transmission is important for protecting Kimchi against NoV contamination.

Background Kimchi, a Korean food, is now produced and consumed in many other countries. In this study, the macro, trace, and toxic element content in varieties of kimchi from Korea and China was evaluated. A health-risk assessment, involving the calculation of estimated dietary intake values, was undertaken. To discriminate among samples with different origins, linear discriminant analysis (LDA) and principal component analysis (PCA) were applied. Results The analytical methods used for analyses were successfully validated. In the quantification of elements, no significant differences were detected in the concentrations of the elements that were analyzed. Based on the fresh weight of kimchi, among the macro elements, the concentrations of Na and K were relatively high, with values of 4181.9-9919.8 mg kg-1 and 1661.8-6623.5 mg kg-1 , respectively. Among the trace elements that were analyzed, zinc in Korean samples, and strontium in Chinese samples showed the highest concentrations, at 2.67 and 2.98 mg kg-1 , respectively. Concentration levels of the toxic trace elements were within permissible limits. The amount of daily intake and provisional daily intake of each element calculated based on kimchi intake confirmed its safety for consumption. Linear discriminant analysis and PCA successfully discriminated among the samples of Chinese and Korean origin. Conclusion The provisional daily intake of the toxic elements was within provisional tolerable daily intake values. The normal intake of kimchi could not pose a threat upon consumption. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.

Taking pictures of food and sharing them on social networking services has now become a general consumer trend. In particular, many companies are interested in Instagram marketing due to the increase in users and word-of-mouth effect generated by using hashtags. Therefore, this paper aims to investigate Instagram users’ food-content acceptance processes by applying the information adoption model. Sample data for this study was collected by an online survey company and a total of 333 valid responses were analyzed. The study found significant relationships between food-content quality—accuracy, relevance, and conciseness—and information usefulness. Among the factors constituting source credibility, source trustworthiness and hashtag scalability were found to have a significant relationship with information usefulness. Information adoption mediated the relationship between information usefulness and continued use of food-content Instagram/information sharing intentions. The theoretical and managerial implications based on these findings can contribute to designing marketing strategies.

Food contamination—especially by rodents—may cause microbial infections when consumed. Various spices contaminated with rodent fecal matter or hair, and several pathogenic microorganisms are often detected in the same spice sample. As such, it is imperative to constantly monitor contamination levels in food. Herein, we investigated the efficacy of two DNA extraction kits and ultimately used the DNeasy® mericon® Food Kit to monitor the contaminant levels associated with murine substances in 56 red pepper powder samples. We tested the samples for Escherichia coli O157, Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, and Salmonella spp. Using quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The Ct values of the samples were between 30 and 36. No significant fluorescence (Ct > 37) was detected in any samples. Murine DNA was detected in 30.3% of samples comprising six domestic and 11 imported red pepper powders and in 68.7% of the imported samples; 47.1% of samples with murine contamination tested positive for S. aureus. Our findings suggested that red pepper powder contaminated with murine substances likely contains S. aureus, which may potentially influence the health of consumers. Hence, these results may serve as a reference for members of the food industry aiming to improve food safety and quality.

The present study investigated the survival of murine norovirus (MNV) during the fermentation of cabbage kimchi and baek kimchi at different temperatures. Changes in MNV titer, lactic acid bacteria (LAB) count, capsaicinoid and organic acid content, pH, salinity, and acidity were measured for 6 weeks. MNV titer was reduced to a greater degree during storage at 10 °C (P

Background The lifespan of women with intellectual disability (ID) has been steadily increasing, bringing new and unique challenges to these individuals and those who support them. Understanding these issues will help to improve support services for this population.Methods Using inclusive research methods, 15 older women with ID were interviewed about their wellbeing and their views on growing older.Results Interview data were analysed using the grounded theory approach. The core phenomenon identified through data analysis was “changes in life.”Conclusion The women reported a growing loss of independence as well as changes in their health and activities. Analyses revealed factors important for wellbeing as well as different coping strategies used by the women to deal with the age-related changes in their lives.

RT-qPCR allows sensitive detection of viral particles of both infectious and noninfectious viruses in water environments, but cannot discriminate non-infectious from infectious viruses. In this study, we aimed to optimize RT-qPCR-based detection of chlorine-inactivated human norovirus (NoV) and pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV) in suspension by pretreatment with an optimal combination of a monoazide and a detergent that can efficiently penetrate damaged viral capsids. Four methods were compared to determine the efficacy of chlorine disinfection (at 1, 3, and 5 min mg/L): (A) RT-qPCR alone, (B) RT-qPCR assay preceded by magnetic bead separation for enrichment of viral particles (MBS-RT-qPCR), (C) MBS-RT-qPCR assay with pretreatment with propidium monoazide (PMA-MBS-RT-qPCR), and (D) PMA-MBS-RT-qPCR assay with pretreatment with sodium lauroyl sarcosinate (INCI-PMA-MBS-RT-qPCR). On the basis of a PMA optimization assay, 200 and 300 μM PMA were used in subsequent experiments for NoV GII.4 and PMMoV, respectively. Optimal INCI concentrations, having minimal influence on NoV GII.4 and PMMoV, were found to be 0.5% and 0.2% INCI, respectively. For NoV GII.4, there were significant differences (P

Hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection leads to acute liver failure and death through the intake of contaminated food. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has been used to detect HAV in food samples. HAV detection takes a long time, however, due to the virus concentration step required before PCR assay. In this study, a rapid method of detecting the HAVs present in lettuce using immunomagnetic separation combined with quantum dots (IMS-QDs) assay was developed. The detection limit of IMS-QDs for HAV was 10 TCID50/mL, similar to the result that was obtained using RT-PCR combined with PEG or IMS. The application of IMS-QDs assay completed the viral detection within one hour, but this was not possible using PEG combined with RT-PCR. In conclusion, IMS-QDs assay is a rapid and efficient method for detecting HAV at a low concentration in agricultural products.

The accuracy and sensitivity of PCR-based methods for detection of hepatitis A virus (HAV) are dependent on the methods used to separate and concentrate the HAV from the infected cells. The pH and ionic strength affect the binding affinity of the virus to cells. In this study, we initially investigated the effects of pH (4.0–10.0) and metal ions (Fe2+, Co2+, Cu2+, Mg2+, K+, and Ca2+) on the binding of HAV to oyster digestive cells. The lowest relative binding (RB) of HAV to the cells was found at pH 4.0 and in FeSO4 solution (64.6% and 68.1%, respectively). To develop an alternative to antibody-dependent immunomagnetic separation prior to detection of HAV using RT-PCR, the binding of HAV to five lectins, peanut agglutinin (PNA), Dolichos biflorus agglutinin (DBA), Helix pomatia agglutinin (HPA), Ulex europaeus agglutinin (UEA-1) and soybean agglutinin (SBA), was evaluated using ELISAs. SBA showed significantly higher RB to HAV than the other lectins tested. In addition, HAV could be concentrated within 30 min using SBA-linked magnetic bead separation (SMS) prior to the RT-PCR assay. Our findings demonstrate the feasibility of using SMS combined with RT-PCR to detect HAV at dilutions ranging from 10−1–10−4 of a HAV stock (titer: 104 TCID50/mL).

Current molecular methods that include PCR have been used to detect norovirus in many food samples. However, the protocols require removing PCR inhibitors and incorporate time-consuming concentration steps to separate virus from analyte for rapid and sensitive detection of norovirus. We developed an immunomagnetic separation (IMS) and a quantum dots (QDs) assay to detect norovirus eluted from fresh lettuce with Tris buffer containing 1% beef extract (pH 9.5). IMS facilitated viral precipitation with a 10-min incubation, whereas virus concentration using polyethylene glycol (PEG) requires more than 3 h and an additional high-speed centrifugation step to precipitate virus before reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) analysis. The fluorescence intensity of QDs was detected qualitatively on norovirus dilutions of 10(-1) to 10(-3) in a stool suspension (100 RT-PCR units/ml). The results suggest that a fluorescence assay based on IMS and QDs is valid for detecting norovirus qualitatively according to fluorescent signal intensity within the same virus detection limit produced by IMS-RT-PCR and PEG-RT-PCR.

This paper investigates the central subspace related with SIR, DOC and SAVE when the response has more than two values. The subspaces constructed by SIR, DOC and SAVE are investigated and compared. The SAVE paradigm is the most comprehensive. In addition, the SAVE coincides with the central subspace when the conditional distribution of predictors given the response is normally distributed.

A construction firm`s performance is largely attributable to performance in individual projects. In this regard, the awarding of an individual project has significant implications. However, project awards have received limited attention in the construction sector from amarket assessment perspective. This event study focuses on an analysis of market responses at the time of project awarding. A total of 252 samples wereselected through a rigorous sample screening processes. Performance was measured as cumulative abnormal return, which is traditionally adopted in event analysis. Research results indicated that the overall return is positive, and that the level isstatistically significant. Equity holders realized a higher return for projects awarded from the foreign countries compared to domestic projects. No relationship was observed between project size and the level of return. Other research findings and implications were discussed in detail from a management perspective.

HSV-1 ICP27, an immediate early protein of herpes simplex virus type 1, is involved in viral replication, transcriptional activation, RNA stability, apoptosis, and reactivation from viral latency. The reactivation from viral latency is closely related to apoptosis and oxidative stress. To understand the effect of ICP27 upon apoptosis, we tested for cell death of ICP27-expressing cells (3-3) in the presence of hydrogen peroxide. Under oxidative stress, 3-3 cells were sensitive to death, displaying typical apoptosis features such as oligonucleosomal DNA fragmentation, chromatin condensation, and G0/G1 accumulation. To dissect the sensitizing mechanism of ICP27 in apoptosis, we analyzed the level of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) in 3-3 cells. We found that 3-3 cells exhibited increased ROS levels compared to Vero cells devoid of ICP27. We also observed that the increased levels of intracellular ROS in 3-3 cells were caused by disturbances in antioxidant enzymes. In 3-3 cells, the elevated ROS increased the AP-1 activity, subsequently the expression of Bax increased, and the expression of Bcl2 was reduced. In addition, 3-3 cells were sensitive to various apoptotic agents. Taken together, these results indicate that HSV-1 ICP27 sensitizes the cells to apoptosis by elevating the intracellular levels of ROS.

Hepatitis B virus X protein (HBx) is essential for hepatitis B virus infection and exerts a pleiotropic effect on various cellular machineries. HBx has been also demonstrated as an indirect transcriptional transactivator of various different viral and cellular promoters. In addition, HBx is involved in the development of various liver diseases including hepatocellular carcinoma. However the mechanism of HBx in hepatocellular carcinogenesis remains largely unknown. In this study, to identify possible new cellular proteins interacting with HBx, we carried out yeast two-hybrid assay. We obtained several possible cellular partners including VBP1, a binding factor for VHL tumor suppressor protein. The direct physical interaction between HBx and VBP1 in vitro and in vivo was confirmed by immunoprecipitation assay. In addition, we found that VBP1 facilitates HBx-induced NFkappaB activation and cell proliferation. These results implicate the important role of HBx in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma through its interaction with VBP1.