Input output linearization approach to state observer design fornonlinear system

Presents a state observer for a class of nonlinear systems based on the input output linearization. While the previous result presented state observers for nonlinear systems of full relative degree, we proposed a procedure fur the design of nonlinear state observers which do not require the hypothesis of full relative degree. Assuming that there exists a global state observer for internal dynamics and that some functions are globally Lipschitz, we can design a globally convergent state observer. It is also shown that if the zero dynamics are locally exponentially stable, then there exists a local state observer. An example is given to illustrate the proposed design of nonlinear state observers     

Enhanced antimicrobial activity of nisin-loaded liposomal nanoparticles against foodborne pathogens

This study was designed to evaluate the prolonged antimicrobial stability of nisin-loaded liposome (LipoN) nanoparticles against Listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus aureus. The sizes of bare liposomes and LipoN were uniformly distributed between 114 and 125 nm. The nanoparticles were homogeneously dispersed in water with less than 0.2 of polydispersity index. The zeta potential value of LipoN was +17.1 mV due to the positive charged nisin, attaining 70% of loading efficiency. The minimum inhibitory concentration of LipoN against L. monocytogenes and S. aureus was 320 international unit/mL. The LipoN significantly enhanced the antimicrobial stability in brain heart infusion agar compared to free nisin. The numbers of L. monocytogenes and S. aureus exposed to LipoN were effectively reduced by more than 6 log colony-forming unit/mL after 48 and 72 h of incubation, respectively. These results provide useful information for the development of antimicrobial delivery system to improve food safety.     

The characteristics of Li(CoxNi1 − x)O2 cathode powders formed from the fine-sized Co3O4/NiO precursor powders

Li(Co_xNi_1 − x)O₂ (0 ≤ x ≤ 1) cathode powders were prepared by solid state reaction method using Co₃O₄/NiO precursor powders obtained by spray pyrolysis. The effect of the ratios of cobalt and nickel components on the characteristics of Co₃O₄/NiO precursor and Li(Co_xNi_1 − x)O₂ cathode powders were investigated. The Co₃O₄/NiO precursor powders with the ratios of cobalt and nickel components as 1/0, 0.75/0.25 and 0.5/0.5 had submicron size and regular morphologies. On the other hand, the Co₃O₄/NiO powders with the high contents of nickel component had aggregated morphologies of submicron size primary powders. The fine-sized precursor powders formed the fine-sized LiCoO₂ and Li(Co_0.75Ni_0.25)O₂ cathode powders by solid state reaction with LiOH powders. However, the high contents of the nickel component of the Co₃O₄/NiO precursor powders formed the Li(Co_xNi_1 − x)O₂ (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.5) cathode powders with aggregated morphologies and large sizes. The discharge capacities of the powders increased with increasing the nickel content into the Li(Co_xNi_1 − x)O₂ cathode powders up to 188 mAh/g.     

Detection and enumeration of Salmonella enteritidis in homemade ice cream associated with an outbreak: comparison of conventional and real-time PCR methods

Salmonellosis caused by Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) is a significant cause of foodborne illnesses in the United States. Consumption of undercooked eggs and egg-containing products has been the primary risk factor for the disease. The importance of the bacterial enumeration technique has been enormously stressed because of the quantitative risk analysis of SE in shell eggs. Traditional enumeration methods mainly depend on slow and tedious most-probable-number (MPN) methods. Therefore, specific, sensitive, and rapid methods for SE quantitation are needed to collect sufficient data for risk assessment and food safety policy development. We previously developed a real-time quantitative PCR assay for the direct detection and enumeration of SE and, in this study, applied it to naturally contaminated ice cream samples with and without enrichment. The detection limit of the real-time PCR assay was determined with artificially inoculated ice cream. When applied to the direct detection and quantification of SE in ice cream, the real-time PCR assay was as sensitive as the conventional plate count method in frequency of detection. However, populations of SE derived from real-time quantitative PCR were approximately 1 log higher than provided by MPN and CFU values obtained by conventional culture methods. The detection and enumeration of SE in naturally contaminated ice cream can be completed in 3 h by this real-time PCR method, whereas the cultural enrichment method requires 5 to 7 days. A commercial immunoassay for the specific detection of SE was also included in the study. The real-time PCR assay proved to be a valuable tool that may be useful to the food industry in monitoring its processes to improve product quality and safety.     

Preenrichment versus direct selective agar plating for the detection of Salmonella Enteritidis in shell eggs

The relative effectiveness of two methods for the recovery of Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) from jumbo and medium shell eggs was compared. The first method used in the comparison consisted of a preenrichment of the sample, and the second method was developed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). Three bulk lots of blended, pooled eggs, each containing 220 liquid whole eggs that were thoroughly mixed manually were artificially inoculated with different levels of SE cells between approximately 10(0) and 10(3) CFU/ml. Twenty samples containing the contents of approximately 10 eggs each (by weight) were withdrawn from each of the inoculated bulk lots and incubated for 4 days at room temperature (ca. 23 degrees C). For the APHIS method, each sample was cultured by direct plating onto brilliant green (BG), brilliant green with novobiocin (BGN), xylose lysine desoxycholate (XLD), and xylose lysine agar Tergitol 4 (XLT4) agars. For the preenrichment method, 25-g portions from each pool were enriched in modified tryptic soy broth with 30 mg/liter of FeSO4. After 24 h of incubation, the preenrichments were subcultured to tetrathionate and Rappaport-Vassiliadis broths, and streaked to BG, BGN, bismuth sulfite, XLD, and XLT4 agar plates. SE isolates were confirmed biochemically and serologically. In all of the experiments, the preenrichment method recovered significantly more SE isolates (P < 0.05) of all the phage types and inoculum levels than did the APHIS method. From a total of 539 jumbo egg test portions analyzed, 381 (71%) were SE-positive by the preenrichment method and 232 (43%) were positive by the APHIS method. From a total of 360 medium egg test portions analyzed, 223 (62%) were SE-positive by the preenrichment method and 174 (48%) were positive by the APHIS method. The preenrichment method provided greater sensitivity for the isolation of SE in contaminated egg slurries than did the APHIS method.     

Isolation and characterization of Cronobacter from desiccated foods in Korea

A total of 115 desiccated food samples, including agricultural and marine products, were investigated for the presence of Cronobacter. Cronobacter species were characterized with biochemical tests. Antibiotic resistance was assessed with the disk diffusion method, and the molecular subtypes of Cronobacter isolates were identified using an automated repetitive sequence-based PCR (rep-PCR) system. A total of 18 (15.7%) Cronobacter strains were isolated from 115 desiccated food products. Fifteen Cronobacter isolates were C. sakazakii (13%), followed by 2 C. dublinensis (1.7%), and 1 C. universalis (0.9%). The most common antibiotic resistance of Cronobacter observed was against cephalothin (77.8%) followed by ampicillin (5.6%). With exception of 2 strains, all Cronobacter strains isolated from different sources were successfully differentiated by using the automated rep-PCR system, indicating that it can be used for the purpose of contamination or outbreak source tracking of the bacteria.     

Comparison of free amino acid,carbohydrates concentrations in Korean edible and medicinal mushrooms

Ten popular species of both edible and medicinal Korean mushrooms were analysed for their free amino acids and disaccharides. The average total free amino acid concentration was 120.79 mg g⁻¹ in edible mushrooms and 61.47 mg g⁻¹ in medicinal mushrooms, respectively. The average total of free amino acids for all mushrooms, edible mushrooms and medicinal mushrooms was 91.13 mg g⁻¹. Agaricus blazei (227.00 mg g⁻¹) showed the highest concentration of total free amino acids; on the other hand, Inonotus obliquus (2.00 mg g⁻¹) showed the lowest concentration among the 10 species of mushrooms. The average total carbohydrates concentration was 46.67 mg g⁻¹ in the 10 species of mushrooms, where the edible mushrooms contained 66.68 mg g⁻¹ and the medicinal mushrooms contained 26.65 mg g⁻¹. The carbohydrates constituents of the 10 mushroom species were mainly mannose (36.23%), glucose (34.70%), and xylose (16.83%).     

Col4a3-/- Mice on Balb/C Background Have Less Severe Cardiorespiratory Phenotype and SGLT2 Over-Expression Compared to 129x1/SvJ and C57Bl/6 Backgrounds

Alport syndrome (AS) is a hereditary renal disorder with no etiological therapy. In the preclinical Col4a3^-/- model of AS, disease progression and severity vary depending on mouse strain. The sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) is emerging as an attractive therapeutic target in cardiac/renal pathologies, but its application to AS remains untested. This study investigates cardiorespiratory function and SGLT2 renal expression in Col4a3^-/- mice from three different genetic backgrounds, 129x1/SvJ, C57Bl/6 and Balb/C. male Col4a3^-/- 129x1/SvJ mice displayed alterations consistent with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Female, but not male, C57Bl/6 and Balb/C Col4a3^-/- mice exhibited mild changes in systolic and diastolic function of the heart by echocardiography. Male C57Bl/6 Col4a3^-/- mice presented systolic dysfunction by invasive hemodynamic analysis. All strains except Balb/C males demonstrated alterations in respiratory function. SGLT2 expression was significantly increased in AS compared to WT mice from all strains. However, cardiorespiratory abnormalities and SGLT2 over-expression were significantly less in AS Balb/C mice compared to the other two strains. Systolic blood pressure was significantly elevated only in mutant 129x1/SvJ mice. The results provide further evidence for strain-dependent cardiorespiratory and hypertensive phenotype variations in mouse AS models, corroborated by renal SGLT2 expression, and support ongoing initiatives to develop SGLT2 inhibitors for the treatment of AS.     

Single-Step Fast Tissue Clearing of Thick Mouse Brain Tissue for Multi-Dimensional High-Resolution Imaging

Recent advances in optical clearing techniques have dramatically improved deep tissue imaging by reducing the obscuring effects of light scattering and absorption. However, these optical clearing methods require specialized equipment or a lengthy undertaking with complex protocols that can lead to sample volume changes and distortion. In addition, the imaging of cleared tissues has limitations, such as fluorescence bleaching, harmful and foul-smelling solutions, and the difficulty of handling samples in high-viscosity refractive index (RI) matching solutions. To address the various limitations of thick tissue imaging, we developed an Aqueous high refractive Index matching and tissue Clearing solution for Imaging (termed AICI) with a one-step tissue clearing protocol that was easily made at a reasonable price in our own laboratory without any equipment. AICI can rapidly clear a 1 mm thick brain slice within 90 min with simultaneous RI matching, low viscosity, and a high refractive index (RI = 1.466), allowing the imaging of the sample without additional processing. We compared AICI with commercially available RI matching solutions, including optical clear agents (OCAs), for tissue clearing. The viscosity of AICI is closer to that of water compared with other RI matching solutions, and there was a less than 2.3% expansion in the tissue linear morphology during 24 h exposure to AICI. Moreover, AICI remained fluid over 30 days of air exposure, and the EGFP fluorescence signal was only reduced to ~65% after 10 days. AICI showed a limited clearing of brain tissue >3 mm thick. However, fine neuronal structures, such as dendritic spines and axonal boutons, could still be imaged in thick brain slices treated with AICI. Therefore, AICI is useful not only for the three-dimensional (3D) high-resolution identification of neuronal structures, but also for the examination of multiple structural imaging by neuronal distribution, projection, and gene expression in deep brain tissue. AICI is applicable beyond the imaging of fluorescent antibodies and dyes, and can clear a variety of tissue types, making it broadly useful to researchers for optical imaging applications.