The invention relates to a method for detecting Serpula lacrymans contamination in an internal environment, taking into account the absence and presence of VOCs produced by the metabolism of Serpula lacrymans, especially by means of the calculation of a contamination index.

Disclosed is an optical gas sensor. The optical gas sensor includes: a light source which emits light; a gas collector which includes a cavity to be filled with gas to be sensed; an optical wave guider which guides light emitted from the light source to be output to the cavity, and guides the output light to be output again to the cavity after passing through the cavity of the gas collector; and an optical detector which detects light output from the optical wave guider. Thus, a path of light exposed to the gas to be sensed is increased within the cavity, thereby achieving miniaturization and sensing gas of low-concentration.

Methods for diagnosing, treating, and monitoring the treatment of invasive aspergillosis (IA) are described. The methods can include detecting the presence of one or more volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the breath of subjects suspected of having IA.

Disclosed herein are embodiments of methods for detecting the presence of and amount of drugs in a sample, particularly a particle sample obtained from a subject. In particular disclosed embodiments, the particle samples are skin particle samples, saliva particle samples, and/or mucous samples isolated from a subject and analyzed using thermal desorption methods combined with a selected detection method.

Methods for diagnosing, treating, and monitoring the treatment of mucormycosis are described. The methods can include detecting the presence of one or more volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the breath of subjects suspected of having mucormycosis.

The invention is directed to a system and method for providing an ARDS indication of a patient comprising a sampling device for obtaining a gas sample of the exhaled breath of a patient, a measuring unit for measuring a content of n-octane in the exhaled breath of a patient, a controller which is able to distinguish if the patient has or may develop ARDS based on the content of n-octane in the exhaled breath of a patient resulting in a ARDS indication of the patient and provided with a protocol for providing output regarding the ARDS indication of the patient, and a user interface for indicating the ARDS indication to a user.

An analysis cartridge the includes a main body portion and a filter assembly. The main body portion includes an upper portion that defines an upper chamber and a lower portion that defines a fluid chamber. The filter assembly is movable along a filter assembly path between a first position and a second position. The filter assembly has an opening defined therethrough. In the first position, the opening partially defines the upper chamber and in the second position the opening partially defines the fluid chamber.

A method and apparatus for the diagnosis of hospital-acquired pneumonia is described. The method uses the analysis of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in exhaled breath that indicate pneumonia or the presence of pathogens in the respiratory tract in intubated and mechanically ventilated intensive care unit patients. The apparatus may be an electronic nose incorporated into a ventilation system, which outputs to a display the indication of pneumonia. One particular useful VOC is 1-propanol.

Methods and systems for diagnosis, prognosis and monitoring of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Specifically, the present invention relates to the use of breath tests based on isotope-labeled octanoate in the detection and monitoring of HCC.

An airborne substance sensing device is capable of blocking fluorescence that is not from an airborne substance and detecting faint fluorescence of an airborne substance with a high degree of accuracy through the use of a cartridge having an introduction plate in which micropores are formed through which a gas including an airborne substance can pass. A transparent collection plate opposes the introduction plate, and the airborne substance can be made to collide on the plate and be collected through the collision of the gas having passed through the micropores. In a main body, the introduction and collection plates are disposed in parallel, and a flow path for guiding the gas including the airborne substance to the micropores is formed. An opaque mask covers the collection plate and is provided with an opening window through which light can pass at a position corresponding to a collection area.