scholarly journals COVID-19 Diagnostic Strategies. Part I: Nucleic Acid-Based Technologies

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 49
Author(s):  
Tina Shaffaf ◽  
Ebrahim Ghafar-Zadeh

The novel Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused respiratory infection, resulting in more than two million deaths globally and hospitalizing thousands of people by March 2021. A considerable percentage of the SARS-CoV-2 positive patients are asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic carriers, facilitating the viral spread in the community by their social activities. Hence, it is critical to have access to commercialized diagnostic tests to detect the infection in the earliest stages, monitor the disease, and follow up the patients. Various technologies have been proposed to develop more promising assays and move toward the mass production of fast, reliable, cost-effective, and portable PoC diagnostic tests for COVID-19 detection. Not only COVID-19 but also many other pathogens will be able to spread and attach to human bodies in the future. These technologies enable the fast identification of high-risk individuals during future hazards to support the public in such outbreaks. This paper provides a comprehensive review of current technologies, the progress in the development of molecular diagnostic tests, and the potential strategies to facilitate innovative developments in unprecedented pandemics.

2009 ◽  
Vol 37 (5) ◽  
pp. 585-593 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marta Prytys ◽  
Kate Harman ◽  
Rachel Lee ◽  
June S. L. Brown

Background:This study examined characteristics of members of the public who self-referred and the effectiveness of psycho-educational CBT self-confidence workshops when run in routine practice.Method:Repeated measures were employed at pre- and post-workshop stages.Results:Of the 56 members of the general public who self-referred to the workshops, 70% were above the clinical cut-offs for Global Distress (CORE OM) and 86% were above the clinical cut offs for depression symptomatology (CES-D). Follow up data (n= 31) showed significant reduction in self-reported distress and depression at 4-week follow-up. A further analysis showed that those whose scores were above the clinical threshold at initial presentation benefited most but those with scores below the threshold did not seem to benefit.Conclusions:This study demonstrates that psycho-educational CBT workshops attract those with high levels of distress and depression, and have potential as a cost effective means of disseminating psychological interventions.


2007 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 48-70 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jaclyn Maurer ◽  
Carol Byrd-Bredbenner ◽  
Darlene Grasso

Increasingly children's caregivers (e.g., parents, teachers, babysitters) are faced with the responsibility of supervising eating experiences with children who have food allergies (FAs). Little research has addressed FA knowledge and practices of caregivers and few educational materials are available. Therefore, a statewide “Ask Before You Eat” educational campaign was mandated in New Jersey to inform residents about FAs and how to avoid triggering reactions. Key informant interviews with food and health experts ( n = 25) guided the development of the campaign materials. Interviews conducted with caregivers ( n = 32) assessed knowledge of FAs; how they would supervise eating situations involving children with FAs; importance they placed on knowing how to prevent triggering FA reactions; and desired format for information delivery. Experts and caregivers both identified fact sheets as preferred educational materials. Follow-up interviews with caregivers ( n = 26) revealed that fact sheets were very readable, comprehensive, relevant, and useful. The fact sheets were distributed as part of the statewide educational campaign, which significantly increased food allergy knowledge ( p < 0.001) of the public. Campaign lessons learned were three fold: 1) limited funding does not limit campaign scope, 2) utilize creative means of delivering education messages, and 3) engage fellow colleagues as a cost-effective way of further carrying the message to the target audience.


Materials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (8) ◽  
pp. 1937
Author(s):  
Jiri Militky ◽  
Ondrej Novak ◽  
Dana Kremenakova ◽  
Jakub Wiener ◽  
Mohanapriya Venkataraman ◽  
...  

COVID-19, classified as SARS-CoV-2, is causing an ongoing global pandemic. The pandemic has resulted in the loss of lives and has caused economic hardships. Most of the devices used to protect against the transmission of the novel COVID-19 disease are related to textile structures. Hence, the challenge for textile professionals is to design and develop suitable textile structures with multiple functionalities for capturing viruses, passivating them, and, at the same time, having no adverse effects on humans during the complete period of use. In addition to manufacturing efficient, biocompatible, and cost-effective protective face masks, it is also necessary to inform the public about the benefits and risks of protective face mask materials. The purpose of this article is to address the concerns of efficiency and efficacy of face masks by primarily reviewing the literature of research conducted at the Technical University of Liberec. The main focus is on the presentation of problems related to the specification of aims of face mask applications, mechanisms of capture, durability, and modes of sterilization. The recommendations, instead of conclusions, are addressed to the whole textile society because they should be leading players in the design, creation, and proper treatment of face masks due to their familiarity with the complex behavior of textile structures and targeted changes of structural hierarchy starting from polymeric chains (nano-level) and ending in planar textile structures (millimeter level) due to action by mechanical, physical and chemical fields. This becomes extremely critical to saving hundreds of thousands of lives from COVID-19.


2010 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. HSI.S4673 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin T. Bain

Household pharmaceuticals are ubiquitous and untold quantities are wasted annually. Most often, people dispose of household pharmaceuticals by flushing them down the toilet, pouring them down the drain, or throwing them away in the trash. Pharmaceuticals disposed in this manner compromise the safety of our environment. This article provides a comprehensive review on the public health issue of household pharmaceutical waste, describing its epidemiology, explaining its effects on aquatic and human life, estimating its cost burden, and discussing strategies for reducing environmental exposure to it. In doing so, this article proposes two key objectives for our nation: (1) reduce the amount of household pharmaceuticals wasted and (2) devise environmentally friendly and cost-effective ways for handling this waste once it has been generated.


2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (5) ◽  
pp. 1369-1378
Author(s):  
Lisette F. van Dam ◽  
Wilbert B. van den Hout ◽  
Gargi Gautam ◽  
Charlotte E. A. Dronkers ◽  
Waleed Ghanima ◽  
...  

Abstract The diagnostic workup of recurrent ipsilateral deep vein thrombosis (DVT) using compression ultrasonography (CUS) can be complicated by persistent intravascular abnormalities after a previous DVT. We showed that magnetic resonance direct thrombus imaging (MRDTI) can exclude recurrent ipsilateral DVT. However, it is unknown whether the application of MRDTI in daily clinical practice is cost effective. The aim of this study was to evaluate the cost effectiveness of MRDTI-based diagnosis for suspected recurrent ipsilateral DVT during first year of treatment and follow-up in the Dutch health care setting. Patient-level data of the Theia study (NCT02262052) were analyzed in 10 diagnostic scenarios, including a clinical decision rule and D-dimer test and imaging with CUS and/or MRDTI. The total costs of diagnostic tests and treatment during 1-year follow-up, including costs of false-positive and false-negative diagnoses, were compared and related to the associated mortality. The 1-year health care costs with MRDTI (range, €1219-1296) were generally lower than strategies without MRDTI (range, €1278-1529). This was because of superior specificity, despite higher initial diagnostic costs. Diagnostic strategies including CUS alone and CUS followed by MRDTI in case of an inconclusive CUS were potential optimal cost-effective strategies, with estimated average costs of €1529 and €1263 per patient and predicted mortality of 1 per 737 patients and 1 per 609 patients, respectively. Our model shows that diagnostic strategies with MRDTI for suspected recurrent ipsilateral DVT have generally lower 1-year health care costs than strategies without MRDTI. Therefore, compared with CUS alone, applying MRDTI did not increase health care costs.


Diagnostics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 1270
Author(s):  
Melissa R. Gitman ◽  
Maryia V. Shaban ◽  
Alberto E. Paniz-Mondolfi ◽  
Emilia M. Sordillo

The emergence and rapid proliferation of Coronavirus Disease-2019, throughout the past year, has put an unprecedented strain on the global schema of health infrastructure and health economy. The time-sensitive agenda of identifying the virus in humans and delivering a vaccine to the public constituted an effort to flatten the statistical curve of viral spread as it grew exponentially. At the forefront of this effort was an exigency of developing rapid and accurate diagnostic strategies. These have emerged in various forms over the past year—each with strengths and weaknesses. To date, they fall into three categories: (1) those isolating and replicating viral RNA in patient samples from the respiratory tract (Nucleic Acid Amplification Tests; NAATs), (2) those detecting the presence of viral proteins (Rapid Antigen Tests; RATs) and serology-based exams identifying antibodies to the virus in whole blood and serum. The latter vary in their detection of immunoglobulins of known prevalence in early-stage and late-stage infection. With this review, we delineate the categories of testing measures developed to date, analyze the efficacy of collecting patient specimens from diverse regions of the respiratory tract, and present the up and coming technologies which have made pathogen identification easier and more accessible to the public.


2005 ◽  
Vol 44 (01) ◽  
pp. 29-32 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. Garai ◽  
J. Varga ◽  
G. Szücs ◽  
Z. Galajda ◽  
C. András ◽  
...  

Summary Aim: We investigated the circulatory characteristics of patients suffering of primary and secondary Raynaud’s syndrome. Patients, methods: We examined 106 patients presenting with the classical symptoms of Raynaud’s syndrom (47 primary, 59 secondary) by hand perfusion scintigraphy developed by our Department of Nuclear Medicine. After visual evaluation we analyzed the images semiquantitatively, using the finger to palm ratio. We statistically compared the patients with primary and those with secondary Raynaud’s syndrome. Results: By visual evaluation we constated regional perfusion disturbances in 42 from 59 patients with secondary Raynaud’s syndrome. However, this was observed in only 3 from 47 patients with the primary form of this disease. This difference was statistically significant (p <0.001). Semiquantitative analysis showed that the finger/palm ratios (FPR) were significantly lower (p <0.05) for the patients with primary Raynaud’s syndrome. No differences in the FPR values concerning sex or right and left side. Conclusion: The hand perfusion scintigraphy with 99mTc-DTPA is a noninvasive, cost effective diagnostic tool, which objectively reflects the global and regional microcirculatory abnormalities of the hands, and provides quantitative data for follow-up.


2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Musa Musa

This research was conducted to determine the Effectiveness of Jakarta Siaga 112 Emergency Services in Fire Management by UPT. Disaster Data & Information Center of BPBD DKI Jakarta Province by paying attention to aspects contained in the Effectiveness of the Jakarta Siaga Emergency Service Program 112. The research method was carried out with a case study method with data collection techniques using interview methods and document review. Interviews were conducted on 10 (ten) key informants, document review focused on documents related to the Jakarta Emergency Alert Service 112 Effectiveness research in Fire Management. The results showed that the Effectiveness of Jakarta Siaga 112 Emergency Services in Fire Management by UPT. The Center for Disaster Data & Information BPBD DKI Jakarta Province Its effectiveness is still low, due to the Implementation of Emergency Services Jakarta Standby 112 in Fire Management implemented by UPT. Disaster Data & Information Center of BPBD DKI Jakarta Province in terms of the Target Group Understanding of the Program, the Achievement of the Program Objectives aspects, and the Program Follow-up aspects. It is recommended to continue to disseminate this Emergency Service to the public, it is necessary to increase the firm commitment of the Head of 8 SKPD related to fire management so that all units play a role in accordance with the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for Fire Management and the evaluation and follow-up of program services that are held periodically 3 once a month.Keywords: Effectiveness, Emergency Services, Fire Handling


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (SPL1) ◽  
pp. 462-468
Author(s):  
Latika kothari ◽  
Sanskruti Wadatkar ◽  
Roshni Taori ◽  
Pavan Bajaj ◽  
Diksha Agrawal

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a communicable infection caused by the novel coronavirus resulting in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV). It was recognized to be a health crisis for the general population of international concern on 30th January 2020 and conceded as a pandemic on 11th March 2020. India is taking various measures to fight this invisible enemy by adopting different strategies and policies. To stop the COVID-19 from spreading, the Home Affairs Ministry and the health ministry, of India, has issued the nCoV 19 guidelines on travel. Screening for COVID-19 by asking questions about any symptoms, recent travel history, and exposure. India has been trying to get testing kits available. The government of India has enforced various laws like the social distancing, Janata curfew, strict lockdowns, screening door to door to control the spread of novel coronavirus. In this pandemic, innovative medical treatments are being explored, and a proper vaccine is being hunted to deal with the situation. Infection control measures are necessary to prevent the virus from further spreading and to help control the current situation. Thus, this review illustrates and explains the criteria provided by the government of India to the awareness of the public to prevent the spread of COVID-19.


Author(s):  
Muntasir Muntasir ◽  
Pius Weraman

Community Partnership Program in small home industry of making fish floss brand "Savitri" and "Tiaras" inKupang city in the form of application of electric centrifugation filter model has been implemented. One of the problemsin the production of Savitri and Tiaras fish floss is that there is still a lot of oil in the frying product which is only drainedon a simple sieve and then placed for some time on traditional tools of filter and paper that can cause low quality and lowquality, so it is necessary to reduce the oil yield frying fish floss product. In order to increase the added value and sellingvalue of the products, it is necessary synergy between Universities and Partners in the form of application of the results ofscience and technology to the public. The main components of the composer of the versatile filter are the cylindrical plateas the bucket of the filter, the cylinder filter, the electric dynamo as the centrifuge system rotator and the load-bearingconstruction. The method of this program is the provision of materials, design and manufacture of tools, demonstrationtools and the provision of a versatile filter cylinder system centrifuge model by the team, simulation tools, specialcounseling at the location of partners and suggestions as a follow-up in the endurance of production. The output of thisprogram can provide added value in the form of the use of this tool can improve labor efficiency, increase productivitypartners by producing 40 kg to 50 kg raw material, raw fish marlin, fish meat after cleaning, processed, fried, in andpacked into 80-100 packs of fish floss with the price of Rp. 40,000.00 per package weighing 250 grams. With estimatedpartners will earn a profit of Rp 3,200,000 - 4,000,000.00 per production or 12,800,000.00 - 16,000,000.00 per month incash and consumptions, as well as the abundance of non-greasy, clean and hybrid fish products


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document