Articles: sars-cov-2.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Dec 2024
Review Meta AnalysisThe effect of sample site and collection procedure on identification of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Sample collection is a key driver of accuracy in the diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Viral load may vary at different anatomical sampling sites and accuracy may be compromised by difficulties obtaining specimens and the expertise of the person taking the sample. It is important to optimise sampling accuracy within cost, safety and accessibility constraints. ⋯ When used with RT-PCR, there is no evidence for a difference in sensitivity of self-collected gargle or deep-throat saliva samples compared to nasopharyngeal samples collected by healthcare workers when used with RT-PCR. Use of these alternative, self-collected sample types has the potential to reduce cost and discomfort and improve the safety of sampling by reducing risk of transmission from aerosol spread which occurs as a result of coughing and gagging during the nasopharyngeal or oropharyngeal sample collection procedure. This may, in turn, improve access to and uptake of testing. Other types of saliva, nasal, oral and oropharyngeal samples are, on average, less sensitive compared to healthcare worker-collected nasopharyngeal samples, and it is unlikely that sensitivities of this magnitude would be acceptable for confirmation of SARS-CoV-2 infection with RT-PCR. When used with Ag-RDTs, there is no evidence of a difference in sensitivity between nasal samples and healthcare worker-collected nasopharyngeal samples for detecting SARS-CoV-2. The implications of this for self-testing are unclear as evaluations did not report whether nasal samples were self-collected or collected by healthcare workers. Further research is needed in asymptomatic individuals, children and in Ag-RDTs, and to investigate the effect of operator expertise on accuracy. Quality assessment of the evidence base underpinning these conclusions was restricted by poor reporting. There is a need for further high-quality studies, adhering to reporting standards for test accuracy studies.
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To describe clinical and sociodemographic characteristics as well as the outcome of patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 in first six months of the pandemic. ⋯ Sociodemographic and clinical differences were noted between the two health areas. Most infections were managed in primary care, while those referred to the hospital had a higher hospitalization rate.
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Arch Orthop Trauma Surg · Dec 2024
Timing of surgery for spinal deformity patients during the COVID‑19 pandemic: experience from a prospective cohort at Peking Union Medical College Hospital.
The purpose of this study was to explore the optimal timing and associated risks of spinal deformity surgery during the COVID‑19 pandemic. ⋯ With careful preoperative screening of patients for COVID-19, spinal deformity surgery can proceed safely during the epidemic. We recommend that spinal deformity surgery be delayed in patients with COVID-19 until 8 weeks after SARS-CoV-2 infection.
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Chinese medical journal · Dec 2024
Living biobank: Standardization of organoid construction and challenges.
In multiple areas such as science, technology, and economic activities, it is necessary to unify the management of repetitive tasks or concepts by standardization to obtain the best order and high efficiency. Organoids, as living tissue models, have rapidly developed in the past decade. Organoids can be used repetitively for in vitro culture, cryopreservation, and recovery for further utilization. ⋯ Given the increasing importance of organoids in the development of new drugs, standardized operation, and management in all steps of organoid construction is an important guarantee to ensure the high quality of products. In this review, we systematically introduce the standardization of organoid construction operation procedures, the standardization of laboratory construction, and available standardization documents related to organoid culture that have been published so far. We also proposed the challenges and prospects in this field.