Abstract: A flexible elongate atmospheric plasma generator for generating a transverse atmospheric plasma within configured for insertion into an internal channel of an elongate endoscope tube, the plasma generator including an elongate body of dielectric material, an elongate first electrode centrally located within the body of dielectric material and an elongate second electrode around an elongate external surface of the body of dielectric material, the second electrode having a plurality of electrically conductive elements forming a mesh defining holes in the second electrode, wherein application of a potential difference across the first and second electrodes can generate a plasma within atmospheric air surrounding the atmospheric plasma generator.

Abstract: The present invention refers to the development of a Peptide Nucleic acid (PNA) probe for the detection of the Salmonella genus in different types of samples. PNA is a synthetic molecule analogue to DNA that, due to its physicochemical properties, allows a faster analysis with higher sensitivity than the DNA probes. These probes are combined with fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), a molecular biology technique that allows the direct visualization of the microorganism in the sample. The combination of these two technologies rendered the FISH procedure faster, simpler and more efficient. This probe can be applied to a great variety of samples such as blood, food, biopsies, feces, water and other clinical, environmental or agriculture and food industry samples. The present invention also includes the development of the kit of detection and respective procedure for the identification of Salmonella spp. using the above referred sample types.