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Abstract Objectives This study aimed to clarify the disinfectant efficacy of the 222‐nm far ultraviolet‐C (UV‐C) during esophagogastroduodenoscopy using bacterial cultures. Methods The endoscopists performed esophagogastroduodenoscopy wearing a gown with a tryptic soy agar medium plate on their epigastric region and were divided into two groups: 222‐nm far UV‐C irradiation (UV group) and non‐UV irradiation (non‐UV group). As a control group, tryptic soy agar medium plates were placed about 110 cm above the floor. The incidence of bacterial contamination was determined by positive bacterial culture. The cultured bacteria were identified by 16S rRNA sequencing. Additionally, the actual UV exposure dose was measured using the UV‐indicator card which changed colors upon exposure to 222 nm far UV‐C. Results The bacterial culture positivity in the UV group (5.03%) was significantly lower than that in the non‐UV group (25.76%), p < 0.0001. Most of the bacteria identified in the UV and non‐UV groups were normal constituents of the oral flora, including Streptococcus salivarius and Staphylococci. Conversely, pathogenic microbes were found in the control group. The actual exposure doses of 222‐nm far UV‐C at the endoscopists’ face, neck, and epigastric region were 2.09 ± 0.29, 5.89 ± 0.49, and 7.36 ± 0.58 mJ/cm2, respectively. Conclusions The 222‐nm far UV‐C irradiation reduced bacterial contamination for endoscopists. It can be used with conventional physical coverings to provide more effective infection control.

It has been reported that 222-nm ultraviolet C (UVC) exerts a germicidal effect on bacteria and viruses as well as UV radiation emitted from a conventional germicidal lamp but is less toxic to the mammalian cells than that from a germicidal lamp. An excimer lamp filled with krypton chloride (KrCl) gas principally emits 222-nm UVC. However, the lamp also emits a wide band of wavelengths other than 222 nm, especially UVC at a longer wavelength than 222 nm and ultraviolet B, which cause DNA damage. There are some reports on the critical role of bandpass filters in reducing the harmful effect of UVC emitted from a KrCl excimer lamp in a human skin model and human subjects. However, the effectiveness of a bandpass filter has not been demonstrated in animal experiments. In the present study, mice were irradiated with UVC emitted from a KrCl excimer lamp with or without a bandpass filter. UVC emitted from an unfiltered KrCl lamp at doses of 50, 150 and 300 mJ/cm2 induced cyclobutyl pyrimidine dimer (CPD)-positive cells, whereas UVC emitted from a filtered lamp did not significantly increase CPD-positive cells in the epidermis. The present study suggested that the bandpass filter serves a critical role in reducing the harmful effect of emission outside of 222 nm to mouse keratinocytes.

Recently, we described a novel reagentless fluorescent biosensor strategy named Quenchbody, which functions via the antigen-dependent removal of the quenching effect on a fluorophore that is attached to a single-chain antibody variable region. To explore the practical utility of Quenchbodies, we prepared antibody Fab fragments that were fluorolabeled at either one or two of the N-terminal regions, using a cell-free translation-mediated position-specific protein labeling system. Unexpectedly, the Fab fragment labeled at the heavy chain N-terminal region demonstrated a deeper quenching and antigen-dependent release compared to that observed using scFv. Moreover, when the Fab was fluorolabeled at the two N-termini with either the same dye or with two different dyes, an improved response due to enhanced quenching via dye-dye interactions was observed. On the basis of this approach, several targets, including peptides, proteins, and haptens, as well as narcotics, were quantified with a higher response up to 50-fold. In addition, differentiation of osteosarcoma to osteoblasts was successfully imaged using a similarly fluorolabeled recombinant Fab protein prepared from E. coli. Due to its versatility, this "Ultra-Quenchbody" is expected to exhibit a range of applications from in vitro diagnostics to the live imaging of various targets in situ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]