Dry Bath Research Articles

The Effectiveness of Dry Carbon Dioxide Baths in Menopausal Syndrome: a Randomized Clinical Study

INTRODUCTION. Climacteric syndrome is characterized by significant disorders in the nervous, musculoskeletal, urinary and cardiovascular systems in women of the perimenopausal and postmenopausal periods. The main reason is a sharp decrease in estrogen levels. Menopausal hormone therapy is often used for treatment, but due to contraindications and complications, it does not always completely solve the problem. This has sparked interest in alternative treatments such as dry carbon dioxide baths. AIM. To study the effectiveness of using dry carbon dioxide baths in women with menopausal syndrome and evaluate their impact on the neurovegetative, metabolic and psycho-emotional state of these patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS. A prospective randomized study was conducted involving 70 patients with moderate climacteric syndrome aged from 48 to 60 years. Using a simple randomization method, the women were divided into 2 groups: 35 patients of the main group received 10 procedures of dry carbon dioxide baths with a CO2 concentration of 15–20 %, temperature 28–32 °C, lasting 15–20 minutes, 35 patients of the control group did not receive any treatment. To assess the effectiveness of treatment, a modified Kupperman-Uvarova menopausal index, an assessment of the effect of “hot flashes” on daily life on the HFRDIS scale, as well as daily blood pressure monitoring (SMAD) were used. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION. After treatment, patients in the main group observed a significantly significant (p 0.05) improvement in the patients’ condition in the form of a decrease in integral indicators of the modified menopausal index and an assessment of the impact of hot flashes on daily activity on the HFRDIS scale by 28.2 and 43.1 %, respectively, as well as in the form of a decrease in average daily systolic blood pressure by 13.7 %. CONCLUSION. The use of dry carbon dioxide baths is recommended for use in women with moderate climacteric syndrome, since this method significantly improves the quality of life of patients and is an effective non-drug that can reduce the drug load on the body of a woman suffering from neurovegetative disorders.

Efficiency of balneotherapy with highly mineralized sodium chloride water in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis

AIM. To study the effectiveness of including baths with natural mineral sodium chloride water in a complex of sanatorium-resort treatment on the dynamics of pain syndrome in people with osteoarthritis (OA). METHODS. In the conditions of Sanatorium Chuvashiyakurort, 59 people received sanatorium-resort treatment: 1st (main group, 35 people), in which, in addition to the standard program of sanatorium-resort treatment, they received a course of mineral baths with natural sodium chloride water; in the 2nd group (comparison group, 24 people) they received physical therapy, dry carbon-dioxide baths, enteral oxygentherapy, halotherapy; massage, consultations with a psychologist. The examination included an assessment of pain using validated scales, a visual analogue scale (VAS), an assessment of joint function, the severity of anxiety and depression, and quality of life parameters. RESULTS. Upon admission to the sanatorium, patients complained of pain in the knee joint when moving (average VAS value 61.5±5.6 mm). The average score on the Lequene scale was 6.25±0.8 points. In the dynamics, a decrease in pain during movement was revealed: in patients of group 1 by the 10th day by 39% according to VAS from the initial level (p0.05), by the 21st – by 60% (p0.05), in patients of the control group - by 21% (p0.05) and 44%, respectively. CONCLUSION. The use of mineral baths improved indicators of psycho-emotional state: by the 21st day of treatment in group 1, signs of depression were leveled out in 51% of women and in 69% of men, the level of anxiety normalized in 60% of patients (p0.05). In group 2, anxiety levels decreased in more than half of the patients, and depression levels decreased in 30% of patients. On the scale of physical functioning, an improvement was noted by 40% (p0.05), in general health – by 35% (p0.05). The greatest changes were noted on the scales of emotional-role functioning and mental health.

Effects of traditional and dry bed baths on patients admitted in intensive units: A randomized crossover clinical trial.

The bed bath is an important part of nursing care. There are few studies evaluating the effects of traditional and dry bed baths on patients. This study was performed with the aim of investigating the effect of traditional and dry bed baths given to intensive care unit patients on the patients' hemodynamic parameters, the duration of the bathing procedure and the cost of consumable items. This was a randomized crossover clinical trial and a prospective study. The study was conducted in a General Surgery Intensive Care Unit with 22 intensive care patients aged 18 and over, who had a nursing diagnosis of bathing personal care deficiency. Each patient was given two types of bed baths at an interval of 24 h: a traditional bed bath and a dry bed bath performed with single-use tissues. Immediately before each bath, in the 5th, 10th and 15th minute of bathing, immediately after bathing and 30 min after bathing, body temperature, heart rate, blood pressure, breathing rate and peripheral oxygen saturation measurement changes over time were compared within the group using the Friedman test. The Wilcoxon signed ranks test was used to compare the variables of bathing duration and bathing consumable item costs between the bathing procedures. It was found that at the completion of traditional and dry bed bathing, the participants' body temperature, blood pressure, heart rate and breathing rate parameters were statistically significantly lower than before bathing, whereas peripheral oxygen saturation values showed a significant increase (p < 0.05). It was found that the dry bed bath took a statistically significantly shorter time than the traditional bed bath and that the cost of consumable bathing materials was less (p < 0.05). It was concluded that traditional and dry bed baths given to intensive care patients affected their hemodynamic parameters and that the dry bed bath was superior to the traditional bed bath in that it took less time and that it cost less.

PCR compatible miniprep DNA isolation in rice using microwave and dry bath based heating devices

PCR compatible miniprep DNA isolation in rice using microwave and dry bath based heating devices

Simple and Fast Determination of Carbaryl Pesticide in Commercial Topical Formulations by Capillary Electrophoresis

A novel analytical method using capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) for simple and fast determination of the pesticide carbaryl in commercial topical formulations was developed and validated. The carbaryl was previously hydrolyzed quantitatively under an alkaline medium (NaOH solution) to form 1-naphthol, which was separated and quantified by CZE with spectrophotometric detection at 214 nm. Optimization of the hydrolysis reaction regarding time and NaOH concentration was conducted. The CZE separation was achieved in less than 3 min using a bare silica capillary (60 cm total length) and a 10 mmol L-1 sodium borate buffer (pH 9.3) as background electrolyte. The proposed CZE method was linear in the 0.25 to 70 mg L-1 concentration range, as attested by a coefficient of determination (R2) higher than 0.999 and confirmed by the lack of fit test. Recovery tests at three concentration levels provided recovery percentages ranging from 80 to 115%, indicating acceptable accuracy. The limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) were 0.08 and 0.25 mg L-1, respectively. The proposed CZE method was successfully applied for carbaryl determination in commercial samples of topical formulations such as powders and dry bath gel.

Фунгицидная активность экспериментальных образцов средства для сухих ножных ванн

The purpose of the study is to determine the activity of the developed experimental samples of a complex product for the group prevention and treatment of infectious diseases of the distal extremities of cattle against microscopic fungi of the genus Aspergillus, Fusarium, Penicillium and Candida. When selecting components for creating experimental samples of a product in powder form for group prevention and treatment of infectious diseases of the distal limbs of cattle using the dry foot bath method, the presence of adsorption, bactericidal and fungicidal properties was taken into account. The following components were used for dry foot baths: adsorbents (bentonite, zeolite, kieselguhr), sodium benzene sulfochloramide, sodium hydroxide, cal¬cium hypochlorite, zinc oxide and sulfate, copper sulfate and additional components taken in various proportions. The fungicidal activity of experimental samples coded CB, CB1 and CB2 against microscopic fungi Aspergillus, Fusarium, Penicillium and Candida was determined in accordance with Guideline 4.2.3676-20 “Methods of laboratory research and testing of disinfectants to assess their effectiveness and safety ". The greatest fungicidal activity against yeast fungi C. albicans (concentration 4 %, 60 min of contact), filamentous fungi A. niger, A. flavus, F. poae, F. sp, P. sp and P. notatum (concentration from 4 to 6 %, 120 min of contact) showed a sample coded SV. The remaining samples SV1, SV2 and Lubisan Eco turned out to be less effective and had fungicidal activity at a concentration of 6 to 8 %.

Acetaminophen used at therapeutic dosage causes significant changes in signaling pathways in mouse hearts

Acetaminophen (APAP) is a common over-the-counter medication that is used to treat pain and fever. It can be taken orally, topically, or intravenously and is considered a safe and effective drug when taken at therapeutic doses for a short amount of time. However, recent research suggests that APAP taken regularly can result in increased blood pressure, resulting in increased cardiovascular risk. Previous publications found that non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) resulted in increased Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) in cardiomyocytes, resulting in cardiac dysfunction. Although APAP is not an NSAID, it is likely that APAP has similar effects. Our hypothesis is that regular usage of APAP increases ROS levels, leading to potential dysfunction in hearts and other organs. We treated five 6-month-old female mice with either water or acetaminophen dissolved in water for seven days. The concentration of acetaminophen that mice were given was 103 mg/kg/day, which is equivalent to a daily 500 mg dosage of acetaminophen in humans. The heart samples from these mice were homogenized in urea lysis buffer and then centrifuged to separate the supernatant from the pellet. After discarding the pellet, the proteins in the supernatant were discarded, and the pellet was treated with acetone overnight to allow the protein to precipitate. The supernatant was discarded, and the pellet was kept and denatured with tris(2-carboxyethyl) phosphine (TCEP) while incubating in a 55ºC dry bath, iodoacetamide was added to prevent disulfide bonds from forming, and acetone was added to the supernatant and left overnight to make proteins precipitate. After precipitation, the sample was centrifuged again to separate the supernatant from the pellet, and the pellet was saved while the supernatant was discarded. The pellet was resuspended and Tandem Mass Tags (TMT) label reagents were added to the samples, the samples quenched, and then combined and analyzed using mass spectroscopy (MS) after fractionating the samples using a Pierce High pH Reverse-Phase Peptide Fractionation kit (Thermofisher), then separated and eluted in liquid chromatography (LC) to determine any changes in the protein. LC/MS/MS data underwent a power analysis and Sequest-HT to compare samples to all mouse sequences. Target Decoy PSM was used to analyze and exclude decoy sequences from the samples, and Scaffold Q+ was used to quantify the peptides and proteins identified from the MS and LC data. Pathway analysis of the significant protein expression changes suggests antioxidant pathways, the ubiquitin-proteasome system, fatty acid oxidation, oxidative phosphorylation, and de novo purine synthesis and degradation. Proteasome assays were also conducted for the β5, β2, and β1 proteolytic subunits. There was a significant decrease in the β5 chymotrypsin-like activity in the hearts of APAP-treated mice compared to the control mice and no significant change in the β2 and β1 proteasome activity. Overall, these results show that mice treated with a therapeutic dosage of APAP regularly over the course of a week exhibited increased stress in the heart. NIEHS/Superfund Research Program (P42 ES004699). This is the full abstract presented at the American Physiology Summit 2024 meeting and is only available in HTML format. There are no additional versions or additional content available for this abstract. Physiology was not involved in the peer review process.

A temperature-independent model of dual calibration standards for onsite and point-of-care quantification analyses via electrophoresis titration chip

Electrophoresis titration chip (ETC) is a versatile tool for onsite and point-of-care quantification analyses because it affords naked-eye detection and a straightforward quantification format. However, it is vulnerable to changes in environmental temperature, which regulates the electrophoretic migration by affecting the ion mobility and the target recognition by influencing the enzyme activity. Therefore, the quantification accuracy of the ETC tests was severely compromised.Rather than using the dry bath or heating/cooling units, we proposed a facile model of dual calibration standards (DCS) to mathematically eliminate the effects of temperature on quantification accuracy. To verify our model, we deployed the ETC device at different temperatures ranging from 5 to 40 °C. We further utilized the DCS-ETC to determine the protein content and uric acid concentration in real samples outside the laboratory. All the experimental results showed that our model significantly stabilized the quantification recovery from 35.31-153.44 % to 99.38–103.44 % for protein titration; the recovery of uric acid titration is also stable at 96.25–106.42 %, suggesting the enhanced robustness of the ETC tests.Therefore, DCS-ETC is a field-deployable test that can offer reliable quantification performance without extra equipment for temperature control. We envision that it is promising to be used for onsite applications, including food safety control and disease diagnostics.

Scientific and production substantiation of the effectiveness of the product for dry hoof baths

This paper presents the results of a study of the adsorption activity of a developed complex product for the treatment and prevention of diseases of the distal extremities of cattle and its effectiveness with individual and group use using the method of dry hoof baths in a number of agricultural enterprises with tethered and freestall housing of cattle. It was shown that the developed product has a porous structure and a wide range of adsorption. The main cause of infection causing mass lesions of the fingers and hooves of cattle in the surveyed agricultural enterprises was an increase in the threshold number of the diversity of saprophytic and opportunistic microorganisms transmitted directly from one animal to another. Associations of bacteria and micromycetes determined the cause of the occurrence and spread of infectious diseases of the fingers and hooves. The test results of the developed complex product, which includes inorganic adsorbents and active substances with pronounced fungicidal, bactericidal and anti-inflammatory properties indicate the possibility of its introduction into the system of control measures with diseases of fingers and hooves in disadvantaged agricultural enterprises with both tethered and free-stall livestock keeping.

Sweating as a Preventive Care and Treatment Strategy in Traditional Persian Medicine

Proper and regular sweating plays a significant thermoregulatory role. It is a common perception that, sweating has other important homeostatic functions such as clearance of excessive micronutrients, waste products of metabolic processes, and toxins from the body, which helps to maintain human good health. In addition, sweating, thermotherapy, and sauna are commonly used to treat various diseases such as cardiovascular, respiratory and joint diseases. In traditional Persian medicine (PM) textbooks, sweating is considered a preventive care and treatment strategy as well. In this study, we aim to explain the beneficial effects of sweating in human health and its role in the management of various diseases, as well as introducing the therapeutic applications of some diaphoretic plants from the viewpoint of PM. We reviewed the most famous PM textbooks such as Kamil al-Sinaa al-Tibbiya, Al-Qānūn fī al-Tibb, Zakhireye Kharazmshahi, Kholasat al-Hikmat, Exir-e-Azam, and Hifzos-sihhat-e Naseri. Also, current evidence was searched in PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and other relevant databases related to the topic. The results of this study revealed that PM scientists believed proper sweating removes waste products and maintains the body’s health, thus, any disturbances in the excretion of these waste products can cause diseases. They recommended the induction of sweating through hot and dry baths, sun bath, sand bath and also the use of diaphoretic herbs for the management of various diseases. Therefore, further researches are recommended to evaluate the effectiveness of these diaphoretic plants. [GMJ.2020;9:e2003]

Effectiveness of Complex Medical Rehabilitation of Patients with Postthrombophlebitic Syndrome of Lower Extremities and Obesity: a Randomized Clinical Study

INTRODUCTION. The relevance of the development of comprehensive rehabilitation programmes for patients with postthrombophlebitic syndrome (PTPS) is due to the high frequency of disability and a significant reduction in their quality of life. Since obesity and excessive body weight are proven risk factors for the development and progression of chronic vein diseases, weight reduction is one of the important tasks of rehabilitation measures in patients with PTPS and concomitant obesity.&#x0D; AIM. Comparative study of the influence of complex methods of medical rehabilitation, including various methods of laser blood irradiation (supravascular and intravenous), pulse magnetotherapy and dry carbon baths, on the dynamics of indicators of composite body composition according to bioimpedance measurements in patients with postthrombophlebitic syndrome of the lower extremities and obesity.&#x0D; MATERIALS AND METHODS. A randomized prospective study was conducted on the basis of the Department of Medical Rehabilitation of Patients with Somatic Diseases of National Medical Research Center of Rehabilitation and Balneology of the Ministry of Health of Russia. The study included 40 patients with PTS of the lower extremities and accompanying obesity, the average age of which was 58.3 [51.5; 68.0] year), randomized to two groups. The patients of the 1st group received Intravenous laser blood irradiation (ILIB) (“Lazmik”, Russia), impulse magnetotherapy and dry carbon baths, as well as therapeutic gymnastics in the hall. The patients of the 2nd group received a complex that included supravascular laser irradiation of blood (“Azor-2K”, Russia), pulse magnetic therapy, and dry carbon baths, as well as therapeutic gymnastics in the gym. Anthropometric measurements (body mass, malleolar volume) were used for the evaluation of anti-edema and lipolytic effects after a comprehensive course of medical rehabilitation, as well as bioimpedance measurement of body composition (“MEDASS”, Russia).&#x0D; RESULTS. In patients with PTS of the lower extremities and obesity, after carrying out a course of medical rehabilitation using preformed physical factors, including various methods of laser irradiation of the blood (supravascular and intravenous), a significant decrease in body weight indicators was observed (p 0.001), a decrease in BMI (p 0.001), total and extracellular fluid (p 0.001) without significant differences between groups. A significant decrease in the index of fat mass (kg) (p = 0.007) was found in patients of the main group.&#x0D; DISCUSSION. Maintaining a healthy body weight as well as combating obesity are first-line secondary prevention measures recommended for all patients with PTS of the lower extremities. For the control of the dynamics of the composite composition of the body, an effective and sensitive method is the method of bioimpedance measurement, which allows to estimate the reduction of extracellular fluid (anti-flow effect) and fat mass of the body (lipolytic effect).&#x0D; CONCLUSION. The method of bioimpedance measurement, used for the evaluation of the composite composition of the body, showed high sensitivity and allowed to establish the greater effectiveness of the developed complex, which includes ILIB with a wavelength of low-intensity laser radiation (NILI) of 635 nm in reducing fat mass.

A STUDY OF THE EFFECT OF SAUNA ON THE OXYGEN TRANSPORT FUNCTION OF YOUNG ATHLETES ENGAGED IN HANDBALL SPORT

The effect of sauna on blood oxygen transport function, lipid peroxidation, prooxidant-antioxidant balance in athletes aged 17-21 engaged in handball sport was studied in the article. Persons involved in the hot air sauna were exposed once a week (20 procedures) for a period of four months. The sauna procedure (at 85-90°C, 10-15% humidity) consisted of two parts: 5 and 10 minutes. In young handball athletes, after taking a dry air bath, an increase in pO2, which is the development of respiratory alkolosis, and a decrease in the combination of hemoglobin and oxygen in venous blood increased the amount of oxygen transported to tissues. After a one-time exposure to the sauna, the development of oxidative stess accelerated (intensification of free radical processes, weakening of antioxidant defenses), and at the end of the course it began to decline. The observed increase in the formation of nitric oxide can play an important role in the modification of oxygen-dependent processes in the body.

A simple method to account for thermal boundary layers during the estimation of CTmax in small ectotherms

As temperatures rise, understanding how ectotherms will become impacted by thermal stress is of critical importance. In this context, many researchers quantify critical temperatures – these are the upper (CTmax) and lower (CTmin) thermal limits at which organisms can no longer function. Most studies estimate CTs using bath-based methods where organisms are submerged within a set thermal environment. Plate-based methods (i.e. hot plates), however, offer huge opportunity for automation and are readily available in many lab settings. Plates, however, generate a unidirectional thermal boundary layer above their surface which means that the temperatures experienced by organisms of different sizes is different. This boundary layer effect can bias estimates of critical temperatures. Here, we test the hypothesis that biases in critical temperature estimation on hot plates are driven by organism height. We also quantify the composition of the boundary layer in order to correct for these biases. We assayed four differently sized species of UK ants for their CTmax in dry baths (with no boundary layer) and on hot plates (with a boundary layer). We found that hot plates overestimated the CTmax values of the different ants, and that this overestimate was larger for taller species. By statistically modelling the thickness of the thermal boundary layer, and combining with estimates of species height, we were able to correct this overestimation and eliminate methodological differences. Our study provides two main findings. First, we provide evidence that organism height is positively related to the bias present in plate-based estimates of CTmax. Second, we show that a relatively simple statistical model can correct for this bias. By using simple corrections for boundary layer effects, as we have done here, researchers could open up a new possibility space in the design and implementation of thermal tolerance assays using plates rather than restrictive dry or water baths.

Complex electrocerebral therapy in medical rehabilitation of patients with dry eye syndrome associated with the novel coronavirus infection

The purpose of the study is to evaluate the effectiveness of complex medical rehabilitation using integrated electrocerebral therapy with patients suffering from a dry eye syndrome associated with the novel coronavirus infection. Material and methods. There have been examined 62 patients with a dry eye syndrome associated with the novel coronavirus infection. They were divided into 2 groups by simple randomization. In the group of comparison/GC (30 people), the patients were prescribed exercise therapy, small-group psychotherapy, dry carbon dioxide baths, and tear replacement therapy (Systane-Balance); in the main group/MG (32 people), the patients additionally had a complex electrocerebral therapy — transcranial micropolarization (TCMP) and diencephalic brain stimulation (DEBS). The efficacy was monitored by the dynamics of the ocular auxiliary function study (Schirmer’s and Norn’s tests) and quality of life assessment using the Ocular surface disease index (OSDI). Results. The comparative analysis of biomicroscopy parameters showed that the patients of the MG experienced hyperemia leveling, reduced swelling of the eyelid margins, reduction of scaly and sebaceous deposits, and restoration of the corneal epithelium to a greater extent. Notably, the differences with the final values of the GC were statistically significant (t=12.3; p&lt;0.001). The analysis of Schirmer I test scores and the Norn samples showed that in the GC the dynamics of the indicators was lower by 8–10 %, while the preservation of the treatment effect was only 3 months, compared to 6 months in the MG. Notably, the contingency of these indicators with OSDI visual quality data was revealed with a high degree of reliability (r = 74; r=72; p &lt; 0.001). Conclusion. Carrying out rehabilitation measures for patients with a dry eye syndrome associated with the novel coronavirus infection using combined electrocerebral therapy ensures the preservation of vision and restoration of their quality of life.

Evaluation of loop-mediated isothermal amplification assay for visual detection of Acinetobacter baumannii directly from soil and water sample from Mangalore.

Acinetobacter baumannii is a well-known nosocomial pathogen that commonly inhabits soil and water and has been implicated in numerous hospital-acquired infections. The existing methods for detecting A. baumannii have several drawbacks, such as being time-consuming, expensive, labor-intensive, and unable to distinguish between closely related Acinetobacter species. Thus, it is important to have a simple, rapid, sensitive, and specific method for its detection. In this study, we developed a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay using hydroxynaphthol blue dye to visualize A. baumannii by targeting its pgaD gene. The LAMP assay was performed using a simple dry bath and was shown to be specific and highly sensitive, as it could detect up to 10 pg/μl of A. baumannii DNA. Further, the optimized assay was used to detect A. baumannii in soil and water samples by culture-medium enrichment. Out of 27 samples tested, 14 (51.85%) samples were positive for A. baumannii through LAMP assay, while only 5 (18.51%) samples were found to be positive through conventional methods. Thus, the LAMP assay has been found to be a simple, rapid, sensitive, and specific method that can be used as a point-of-care diagnostic tool for detecting A. baumannii.

Efficacy of dry salt baths and low-frequency magnetotherapy in patients with psoriasis

The results of evaluating the effectiveness of dry salt baths and low-frequency magnetotherapy in the medical rehabilitation of 66 patients with psoriasis are presented. The purpose of the study: to evaluate the efficacy of dry salt baths and low-frequency magnetotherapy in the rehabilitation of patients with psoriasis. It was found that against the background of the developed rehabilitation complex with the combined effect of common dry salt baths and low-frequency magnetotherapy in 22 patients, there was a significant decrease and regression of psoriatic elements on the skin, improvement of peripheral blood flow, metabolic parameters, psycho-emotional status, and quality of life of patients in 81.8 % of cases, compared to the control group in 45.5 % cases.

Dry carbon dioxide bath in medical rehabilitation of children with various diseases

The article presents the main aspects of using dry carbon dioxide baths in the medical rehabilitation of children with various diseases. The main aspects of the formation of the mechanism of the therapeutic effect in bronchial asthma, atopic dermatitis, dysautonomia, and other diseases are presented.The inclusion of dry carbon dioxide bath in the complex of rehabilitation measures in children with bronchial asthma helps to reduce the intensity of allergic inflammation and bronchial obstruction, as well as the frequency of exacerbations of the disease and the drug load. In patients with atopic dermatitis, there was a decrease in the main clinical symptoms of the disease and an improvement in the psycho-emotional state under the influence of dry carbon dioxide bath. With the dysautonomia syndrome, after a course of dry carbon dioxide baths, a favorable restructuring of autonomic regulation is observed, aimed at reducing tension in the sympathetic department of the autonomic nervous system. In children who often suffer from acute respiratory diseases, the course use of dry carbon dioxide baths contributes to the regression of clinical symptoms of acute respiratory infections, improves mucosal immunity, and reduces the frequency of recurrent infections throughout the year.

Detection of Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica via Quenching of Unincorporated Amplification Signal Reporters in Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification.

Salmonella enterica is a major cause of diarrheal diseases in developing countries where timely surveillance and proper clinical management are inadequate. In this study, a rapid and cheap method of detecting S. enterica DNA was developed by employing the Quenching of Unincorporated Amplification Signal Reporters in Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (QUASR LAMP) platform. QUASR LAMP provides a closed-tube, target-specific endpoint detection of pathogens, wherein results can be analyzed visually through an LED transilluminator and verified through agarose gel electrophoresis. Based on the chromosomal SopD gene, primers and probes were first designed, then screened. The assay was subsequently optimized so that the presence of S. enterica is determined by incubating the extracted DNA at 65°C for only 60 minutes. The assay was repeatable and can be performed by simply using a thermal cycler or even a dry bath incubator. S. enterica positives appear bright yellow green when viewed through a yellow filter excited with blue LED. The developed assay had an in silico and in vitro specificity towards Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovars with a limit of detection of 104 copies per microliter. The Salmonella QUASR LAMP assay has the potential for food and environmental applications. Chiefly, as an alternative to traditional microbiology and PCR, this QUASR LAMP assay can be used for point-of-care salmonellosis testing of clinical specimens in low-resource settings.

A comparative study for determination of thermal inactivation parameters of Salmonella in high gel and standard egg white powder using three methods

Egg white powder (EWP), the main ingredient in many food products, is widely used in the food industry due to its whipping, textural properties and practical advantages. Significant food safety risks might occur when contamination/cross-contamination takes place after a lethal processing step. It is critical to use appropriate D- and Z-values to evaluate the food safety risks. However, different thermal destructing methods may result in discrepancies in thermal resistance values of the same food matrix. Four isothermal treatments at 75, 80, 85, and 90 °C were studied in EWP using three methods for comparison, thermal death disks water bath (TDWB), plastic bags water bath (PBWB), and plastic bags dry bath (PBDB). D-values for Salmonella under four isothermal temperatures were greater (P < 0.05) in Standard EWP compared to High Gel EWP, respectively; The average Z-values for Salmonella were in the range of 10.62 °C–14.57 °C. D-values resulted significant difference (P < 0.05) using TDWB and PBWB, but no significant difference was observed between PBDB and PBWB. These results can be potentially applied for EWP pasteurization, and PBDB may provid a better way of studying a large variety of powdered products regarding thermal inactivation parameters of pathogens.

Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay for specific and rapid detection of Dickeya fangzhongdai targeting a unique genomic region

Dickeya fangzhongdai, a bacterial pathogen of taro (Colocasia esculenta), onion (Allium sp.), and several species in the orchid family (Orchidaceae) causes soft rot and bleeding canker diseases. No field-deployable diagnostic tool is available for specific detection of this pathogen in different plant tissues. Therefore, we developed a field-deployable loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay using a unique genomic region, present exclusively in D. fangzhongdai. Multiple genomes of D. fangzhongdai, and other species of Dickeya, Pectobacterium and unrelated genera were used for comparative genomic analyses to identify an exclusive and conserved target sequence from the major facilitator superfamily (MFS) transporter gene region. This gene region had broad detection capability for D. fangzhongdai and thus was used to design primers for endpoint PCR and LAMP assays. In-silico validation showed high specificity with D. fangzhongdai genome sequences available in the NCBI GenBank genome database as well as the in-house sequenced genome. The specificity of the LAMP assay was determined with 96 strains that included all Dickeya species and Pectobacterium species as well as other closely related genera and 5 hosts; no false positives or false negatives were detected. The detection limit of the assay was determined by performing four sensitivity assays with tenfold serially diluted purified genomic DNA of D. fangzhongdai with and without the presence of crude host extract (taro, orchid, and onion). The detection limit for all sensitivity assays was 100 fg (18–20 genome copies) with no negative interference by host crude extracts. The assays were performed by five independent operators (blind test) and on three instruments (Rotor-Gene, thermocycler and dry bath); the assay results were concordant. The assay consistently detected the target pathogen from artificially inoculated and naturally infected host samples. The developed assay is highly specific for D. fangzhongdai and has applications in routine diagnostics, phytosanitary and seed certification programs, and epidemiological studies.