IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
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국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
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출원번호 |
UP-0470110
(2006-09-05)
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등록번호 |
US-7622723
(2009-12-02)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
- Reinisch, Lou
- Sarasanandarajah, Sivananthan
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출원인 / 주소 |
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대리인 / 주소 |
Dann, Dorfman, Herrell and Skillman, P.C.
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인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
0 인용 특허 :
9 |
초록
▼
A method for detecting the presence of bacterial spores in a sample comprises non-destructively to the spores carrying out the steps of assessing the fluorescence of the sample, subjecting the sample to UV radiation, and reassessing the fluorescence of the sample to determine the presence of spores.
A method for detecting the presence of bacterial spores in a sample comprises non-destructively to the spores carrying out the steps of assessing the fluorescence of the sample, subjecting the sample to UV radiation, and reassessing the fluorescence of the sample to determine the presence of spores. An increase in fluorescence indicates the presence of spores.
대표청구항
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The invention claimed is: 1. A method of detecting the presence of bacterial spores in a sample comprising non-destructively to the spores carrying out the steps of assessing the sample for fluorescence, subjecting the sample to UV radiation, and reassessing the sample for an increase in fluorescen
The invention claimed is: 1. A method of detecting the presence of bacterial spores in a sample comprising non-destructively to the spores carrying out the steps of assessing the sample for fluorescence, subjecting the sample to UV radiation, and reassessing the sample for an increase in fluorescence relative to any fluorescence assessed in said first assessing step, the presence of fluorescence at said assessing step and an increase in fluorescence at said reassessing step being indicative of the presence of spores. 2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the physical state or phase of the sample is not altered within the steps of the method. 3. A method as claimed in claim 2 including measuring actual fluorescence of the sample. 4. A method as claimed in claim 3 including measuring any change in actual fluorescence between the assessment and the reassessment. 5. A method as claimed in claim 1 including subjecting the sample between assessments to UV radiation in the wavelength range 200-300 nm. 6. A method as claimed in claim 1 including subjecting the sample between assessments to UV radiation of about 280 nm wavelength. 7. A method as claimed in claim 6 including causing the fluorescence to pass a filter oriented to pass substantially only horizontally polarised light. 8. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising assessing and reassessing the fluorescence of the sample by reference to substantially only horizontally polarised fluorescent light. 9. A method as claimed in claim 8 including in the assessment and reassessment exposing the sample to vertically polarised light as the excitation light. 10. A method as claimed in 1 including spectrally resolving the fluorescence observed in the assessment and reassessment steps. 11. A method according to claim 10 including spectrally resolving the fluorescence observed in the assessment or reassessment step or both, and analysing the shape of the fluorescence. 12. A method according to claim 10 including spectrally resolving the fluorescence observed in the assessment or reassessment step or both, and analysing the fluorescence observed at the reassessment step for additional information useful for detecting bacterial spores. 13. A method as claimed in claim 1 including subjecting the sample to UV radiation less than 5 minutes. 14. A method as claimed in claim 1 including assessing the fluorescence of the sample, subjecting the sample to a pulse of UV radiation and reassessing the fluorescence of the sample after a delay. 15. A method as claimed claim 1 including reassessing the fluorescence of the sample after a period of time substantially corresponding to the fluorescence lifetime of DPA. 16. A method as claimed claim 1 including assessing the fluorescence of the sample, subjecting the sample to a modulated UV signal, reassessing the fluorescence of the sample for a modulated response. 17. A method as claimed in claim 1 including reassessing the fluorescence for a modulated response after a period of time substantially corresponding to the fluorescence lifetime of the DPA fluorescence. 18. A method as claimed in claim 1 including assessing and reassessing broadband fluorescence of the sample. 19. A method as claimed in claim 1 including subjecting the sample to UV radiation for a time less than 20 minutes. 20. A method as claimed in claim 1 including subjecting the sample to UV radiation for a time less than 10 minutes. 21. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the sample is a solid material immobilised on a support and the method includes subjecting the sample to UV radiation by irradiating the sample on the support with UV radiation and reassessment of the fluorescence of the sample. 22. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the sample is airborne and the method includes subjecting the sample to UV radiation by causing the sample to pass through a beam of UV radiation. 23. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the sample is a solution or a suspension, and the method includes subjecting the sample to UV radiation by subjecting the solution or suspension to UV radiation. 24. A method of detecting bacterial spores in a sample comprising the steps of providing a detector which comprises a UV source, a detection zone within which a sample may be placed or may pass, means for fluorescence analysis arranged to assess for the presence of spores by reference to an increase in fluorescence following one and then a subsequent exposure of the sample to a UV source without altering the structure of any spore, positioning the detector so that the sample is in the detection zone, analysing the spore content of the sample, wherein the step of analysis of the spore content includes assessing the sample for fluorescence, exposing the sample to UV radiation, and then reassessing the sample for an increase in fluorescence relative to any fluorescence assessed in said first assessing step, the presence of fluorescence at said assessing step and an increase in fluorescence at said reassessing step being indicative of the presence of spores. 25. A method as claimed in claim 24 wherein the physical state or phase of the sample is not altered within the steps of the method. 26. A method as claimed in claim 25 including subjecting the sample to UV radiation between assessments of about 280 nm wavelength. 27. A method as claimed in claim 26 comprising assessing and reassessing the fluorescence of the sample by reference to substantially only horizontally polarised fluorescent light. 28. A method as claimed in claim 27 including in the assessment and reassessment exposing the sample to vertically polarised light as the excitation light. 29. A method of ascertaining whether a sample, due to its content of bacterial spores, presents a threat to a mammal comprising the steps of providing a detector which comprises UV source, a detection zone within which a sample may be placed or may pass, means for fluorescence analysis arranged to assess for the presence of spores by reference to a first assessment of the sample for fluorescence, exposure of the sample to the UV source, and a reassessment of the sample for an increase in fluorescence relative to any fluorescence assessed in said first assessing step, the presence of fluorescence at said first assessment step and an increase in fluorescence at said reassessment step being indicative of the presence of spores, all without altering the structure of any spore; setting the sensitivity of the detector at a predetermined threshold above which a threat would be considered to be present, positioning the detector so that the sample is in the detection zone, and reading or interpreting the output of the detector as either a) above the threshold and thus the sample presents a threat, or b) below the threshold and thus the sample does not present a threat. 30. A method as claimed in claim 29 wherein the physical state of the sample is not altered within the steps of the method. 31. A method as claimed in claim 29 wherein the mammal is a human. 32. A method as claimed in claim 31 wherein the detector is adapted to detect and identify bacteria used in biological warfare. 33. A method as claimed in claim 32 wherein the detector is adapted to detect bacterial contamination of a foodstuff. 34. A method of detecting the presence of bacterial spores in a sample comprising non-destructively to the spores carrying out the steps of assessing the sample for fluorescence, subjecting the sample to UV radiation, then reassessing the sample for fluorescence, and spectrally resolving fluorescence observed in the assessment and reassessment steps and analysing the fluorescence for an increase in fluorescence indicative of the presence of spores. 35. Apparatus for detecting bacterial spores in a sample comprising: a source or sources of UV radiation disposed for irradiating a sample and operable to irradiate the sample with UV radiation having a wavelength effective to cause fluorescence of the sample and subsequently with UV radiation having a wavelength effective to cause a photochemical change in the sample; a radiation detector disposed for receiving fluorescence radiation from the sample when irradiated by said source or sources of UV radiation and generating a fluorescence signal upon receiving said fluorescence radiation; and a computer apparatus operatively connected to said radiation detector or detectors and programmed to (a) record a first fluorescence signal from said radiation detector after the sample is first irradiated with UV radiation having a wavelength effective to cause fluorescence of the sample; (b) record a second fluorescence signal from said radiation detector after the sample is irradiated with UV radiation having a wavelength effective to cause a photochemical change in the sample and then re-irradiated with UV radiation having a wavelength effective to cause fluorescence of the sample; (c) compare said first and second fluorescence signals; and then (d) determine if there is any enhancement of the fluorescence of the sample to thereby detect the presence of bacterial spores in the sample non-destructively to the spores. 36. An apparatus as claimed in claim 35 wherein said source or sources of UV radiation comprise(s) first and second sources of UV radiation wherein the first source is operable to irradiate the sample with UV radiation having the wavelength effective to cause fluorescence of the sample and the second source is operable to irradiate the sample with UV radiation having the wavelength effective to cause a photochemical change in the sample, and said radiation detector comprises first and second radiation detectors wherein the first radiation detector is disposed for receiving the fluorescence radiation from the sample when irradiated by the first source UV radiation and generating the first fluorescence signal upon receiving said fluorescence radiation and the second radiation detector is disposed for receiving fluorescence radiation from the sample when re-irradiated by the second source of UV radiation and generating the second fluorescence signal upon receiving said fluorescence radiation. 37. A detector as claimed in claim 36 wherein said source or sources of UV radiation is or are operable to irradiate the sample with UV radiation having a wavelength in the range of 200-300 nm as the radiation having the wavelength effective to cause fluorescence of the sample. 38. A detector as claimed in claim 37 wherein said source or sources of UV radiation is or are operable to irradiate the sample with UV radiation having a wavelength of about 280 nm wavelength as the radiation having the wavelength effective to cause fluorescence of the sample. 39. A detector as claimed in claim 35 wherein said radiation detector is arranged to detect substantially only horizontally polarized fluorescent radiation. 40. A detector as claimed in claim 39 wherein said source or sources of UV radiation include a source of UV radiation operable to irradiate the sample with vertically polarized UV radiation as the radiation having the wavelength effective to cause fluorescence of the sample. 41. A detector as claimed in claim 35 wherein said source or sources of UV radiation include a source of UV radiation operable to irradiate the sample with vertically polarized UV radiation as the radiation having the wavelength effective to cause fluorescence of the sample. 42. A detector as claimed in claim 35 wherein said computer apparatus is arranged to spectrally resolve the first and second florescence signals. 43. A detector according to claim 35 wherein said computer apparatus is arranged to spectrally resolve the first and second fluorescence signals and analyse the shape of the fluorescence signals. 44. A detector according to claim 35 wherein said computer apparatus is arranged to spectrally resolve the second fluorescence signal, and analyse the spectrally resolved second fluorescence signal for additional information useful for detecting bacterial spores. 45. A detector as claimed in claim 35 wherein said source or sources of UV radiation include a source of UV radiation operable to irradiate the sample with UV radiation having a wavelength effective to cause a photochemical change in the sample as a pulse of said UV radiation, and wherein said computer apparatus is arranged to record said second fluorescence signal after a time period from the end of said pulse of between 0.1-10 ns. 46. A detector as claimed in claim 45 wherein said computer apparatus is arranged to record said second fluorescence signal after a time period corresponding to a lifetime of the fluorescence. 47. A detector as claimed in claim 35 wherein said source or sources of UV radiation is or are operable to irradiate the sample with modulated UV radiation, and said radiation detector is arranged to detect a modulated fluorescence response.
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