Exhaled Air Sample Cooling and Heating for Protein Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current diagnostic methods for pathogen infections, such as COVID-19, face challenges in detecting low viral loads, identifying recovered patients, and distinguishing between severe and mild infections due to varying antibody responses, and are hindered by logistical issues in low- and middle-income countries, necessitating a rapid, cost-effective, and non-invasive testing solution.
Innovation Solution
A method and system utilizing exhaled volatile organic compounds (VOCs) analyzed through a process involving cooling, inert gas mixing, and heating, followed by Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) mass spectrometry to detect specific protein markers indicative of pathogen infections, enabling high-throughput and non-invasive testing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If genetic probes are used to detect virus infections, then reliable results are obtained when virus is present in detectable levels, but the test fails to detect the virus when present in extremely low levels and is less helpful in identifying recovered patients
Solution Approach 1:
The invention transitions from detecting genetic material (DNA/RNA) to detecting antibody proteins, representing a fundamental parameter change in the detection target. This allows the system to reliably identify recovered patients whose viral genetic material is no longer present but whose antibody response persists, thereby improving reliability across different infection stages while maintaining detection sensitivity through specialized antibody detection methods
2Reliability
If serodiagnosis is used to identify recovered patients, then the ability to detect past infections is improved, but a time lag of several days or weeks occurs between infection onset and antibody development
Solution Approach 1:
The invention implements preliminary action by detecting antibodies before they reach detectable levels through highly sensitive detection methods, or by using alternative markers such as immune complex formations that appear earlier in the infection timeline. This allows the system to identify infections sooner while maintaining the ability to detect recovered patients, effectively reducing the time lag without sacrificing reliability
3Loss of information
If antibody levels are used to distinguish between severe and mild infections, then information about infection severity is obtained, but different people have different antibody responses making standardized testing difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies local quality by detecting specific subsets of antibodies or antibody-antigen complexes that are more consistently produced across different individuals rather than relying on total antibody levels. This allows the system to maintain standardized testing protocols while still providing information about infection severity, as certain antibody responses are more uniform across the population despite individual variations in overall immune response
4Productivity
If high-throughput testing is implemented to meet global demand, then the number of samples tested per day increases, but logistical challenges and test quality reliability worsen in low- and middle-income countries
Solution Approach 1:
The invention employs disposable, pre-prepared reagent cartridges or test modules that contain all necessary components for antibody detection in a stable, ready-to-use format. These single-use units eliminate the need for complex reagent preparation and storage infrastructure, enabling high-throughput testing in resource-limited settings while maintaining consistent test quality and reliability across different locations and economic contexts
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach provides a rapid, accurate, and cost-effective means to detect pathogen infections, including COVID-19, by identifying unique VOC profiles associated with specific pathogens, overcoming limitations of existing genetic and serodiagnostic methods and addressing logistical challenges in resource-limited settings.
Implementation Method 1
a cooling chamber configured to cool the exhaled air sample to a sub-zero temperature
Implementation Method 2
heating the mixed sample to a temperature ranging from 30 to 55° C., thereby, preparing an air sample for the detection of a mixture of proteins
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a system including a pump configured to pump an air sample, from a container to a cooling chamber, at a capacity of at least 0.5 liter/sec, the cooling chamber is configured to cool the exhaled air sample to a sub-zero temperature, and is in fluid connection to a spectrometer test chamber; an inert gas source, configured to supply an inert gas to the test chamber at a pressure higher than the atmospheric pressure; and a heating unit for heating said air sample. Further provided is a method for preparing an air sample for detection of a mixture of proteins.