scholarly journals Laboratory Diagnosis of COVID-19: Current Issues and Challenges

2020 ◽  
Vol 58 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yi-Wei Tang ◽  
Jonathan E. Schmitz ◽  
David H. Persing ◽  
Charles W. Stratton
Keyword(s):  
Point Of Care ◽  
Random Access ◽  
Laboratory Diagnosis ◽  
Test Results ◽  
Anatomic Site ◽  
Laboratory Staff ◽  
Reverse Transcription Pcr ◽  
Integrated Devices ◽  
The Right ◽  
Etiologic Diagnosis

ABSTRACT The COVID-19 outbreak has had a major impact on clinical microbiology laboratories in the past several months. This commentary covers current issues and challenges for the laboratory diagnosis of infections caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). In the preanalytical stage, collecting the proper respiratory tract specimen at the right time from the right anatomic site is essential for a prompt and accurate molecular diagnosis of COVID-19. Appropriate measures are required to keep laboratory staff safe while producing reliable test results. In the analytic stage, real-time reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) assays remain the molecular test of choice for the etiologic diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection while antibody-based techniques are being introduced as supplemental tools. In the postanalytical stage, testing results should be carefully interpreted using both molecular and serological findings. Finally, random-access, integrated devices available at the point of care with scalable capacities will facilitate the rapid and accurate diagnosis and monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 infections and greatly assist in the control of this outbreak.

scholarly journals Global Diagnostic Trends of Coronavirus

2021 ◽  
Vol VI (I) ◽  
pp. 73-84
Author(s):  
Sidra Afzal ◽  
Tania Naveel ◽  
Mahira Afzal
Keyword(s):  
Respiratory Tract ◽  
Clinical Laboratory ◽  
Point Of Care ◽  
Test Point ◽  
Laboratory Evaluation ◽  
Test Results ◽  
The World ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
The Right ◽  
Selection Of

For the last few months, COVID-19 has had a significant effect on clinical laboratory. This formalized with existing issues and difficulties for the laboratory evaluation of infections owing to extreme acute coronaviral syndrome 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The selection of the relevant respiratory tract specimen from the appropriate anatomical position is key to a timely and correct molecular diagnosis of COVID-19 at the right time in the pre-analytical process. Suitable steps are needed to safeguard laboratory personnel in order to provide accurate test results. The article is aimed at reviewing the literature related to the diagnosis and treatment therapy adapted to compete for novel coronavirus. The study is followed by reviewing 40-45 articles to critically evaluate and extract the possible therapies adapted in the different regions of the world. Serology, radiotherapy, antigen-detection test, point-of-care molecular diagnostics and other radiotherapeutic approaches are found to be efficient and used in several regions of the world.

scholarly journals Ultrasound Detection of the Aquarium Sign at the Bedside

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mihiro Kaga ◽  
Emi Yamashita ◽  
Takeshi Ueda
Keyword(s):  
Point Of Care ◽  
Point Of Care Ultrasound ◽  
Test Results ◽  
Mesenteric Ischaemia ◽  
Contrast Enhanced ◽  
Life Threatening ◽  
Hepatic Portal ◽  
The Right ◽  
Enhanced Computed Tomography ◽  
The Relationship

Objectives: The aquarium sign is the name given to a large quantity of bubble-like echoes that suggests the presence of hepatic portal venous gas (HPVG). Few studies in the literature have addressed the relationship between the aquarium sign and HPVG. In some cases, HPVG can only be detected using ultrasonography. HPVG can be observed in a variety of conditions, including those that require emergency surgery, such as acute mesenteric ischaemia (AMI). Therefore, it is important to identify the presence of HPVG as soon as possible.  Materials and methods: We report a case of the aquarium sign, where bubble-like echoes flowed from the right atrium towards the right ventricle, which was identified using bedside cardiac ultrasonography as part of a point-of-care ultrasound test. Results: This aquarium sign finding led to the diagnosis of AMI, which was confirmed using contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT).  Conclusion: The aquarium sign is a useful finding suggestive of HPVG and mesenteric ischaemia, which can be rapidly and easily observed using bedside cardiac ultrasonography. However, there are very few reports on the aquarium sign. The inability of other more cumbersome diagnostic imaging modalities, such as CT and magnetic resonance imaging, to detect HPVG emphasizes the utility and convenience of detecting the aquarium sign using bedside ultrasonography. This technique can lead to early detection of life-threatening diseases as well as improve the prognosis for patients. The diagnostic implications of the aquarium sign for HPVG are still unclear and require further research.

Point-of-Care Diagnosis of Onychomycosis by Dermoscopy

2017 ◽  
Vol 107 (5) ◽  
pp. 413-418 ◽  
Author(s):  
Myron A. Bodman
Keyword(s):  
Point Of Care ◽  
Laboratory Diagnosis ◽  
Diagnosis And Treatment ◽  
Cost Burden ◽  
Test Results ◽  
Nail Dystrophy ◽  
Aurora Borealis ◽  
Pathologic Diagnosis ◽  
Common Diseases ◽  
Pathology Reports

Background: Onychomycosis is one of the most common diseases of the toenails. The costs of diagnosis and treatment are substantial, and as the population ages, the overall cost burden will continue to escalate. The purpose of this study was to correlate dermoscopic features with pathologic diagnosis to support the accuracy of point-of-care diagnosis by dermoscopic examination. Methods: Nail unit pathology reports of 52 patients with abnormal great toenails were compared with the dermoscopic features detected by nail unit dermoscopy. Results: The dermoscopic analysis predicted the laboratory diagnosis in 90.4% of the study patients. The specific dermoscopic findings of short spikes (P < .001), long striae (P < .001), aurora borealis (P < .001), irregular termination (P = .003), dermatophytoma (P = .011), transverse onycholysis (P = .018), and dry scale (P = .04) patterns were all significantly associated with pathology test results consistent with oncyhomycosis. Transverse onycholysis (P = .018) was significantly associated with negative pathology results consistent with the diagnosis of nail dystrophy. Conclusions: Point-of-care examination by dermoscopy positively correlates with histopathologic tests and could be used to diagnose onychomycosis while reducing diagnostic costs.

scholarly journals What We Should Consider in Point of Care Blood Glucose Test; Current Quality Management Status of a Single Institution

Medicina ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 57 (3) ◽  
pp. 238
Author(s):  
Sooin Choi ◽  
Soo Jeong Choi ◽  
Byung Ryul Jeon ◽  
Yong-Wha Lee ◽  
Jongwon Oh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Control ◽  
Quality Assurance ◽  
Blood Glucose ◽  
Quality Management ◽  
Point Of Care ◽  
Test Results ◽  
Single Institution ◽  
Laboratory Staff ◽  
Blood Glucose Test ◽  
Glucose Test

Background and Objectives: Point of care test (POCT) is generally performed by non-laboratory staff who often lack an understanding on the quality control and quality assurance programs. The purpose of this study was to understand the current status of quality management of point of care (POC) blood glucose testing in a single institution where non-laboratory staff perform the tests. Materials and Methods: From July to August 2020, management status of glucometer, test strips, quality control (QC) materials, quality assurance program, and operators’ response to processing of displayed results was monitored in all Soonchunhyang University Bucheon hospital departments that performed POC blood glucose test. Results of the POC blood glucose test conducted from January 2019 to May 2020 were analyzed retrospectively. Results: A total 124 glucometers were monitored in 47 departments. Insufficient management of approximately 50% of blood sugar, test strips, and QC materials was observed. Although daily QC was conducted by 95.7% of the departments, the QC records were inaccurate. The method of recording test results varied with departments and operators. Various judgments and troubleshooting were performed on the unexpected or out of measurable range results, including some inappropriate processes. In POC blood glucose test results review, 4568 atypical results were identified from a total of 572,207 results. Conclusions: Sufficient training of the non-laboratory staff and ongoing assessment of competency through recertification is needed to maintain acceptable levels of POCT quality. In this study, various problems were identified in glucometer and reagent management, QC and post-analytic phase. We believe that these results provide meaningful basal information for planning effective operators’ training and competency evaluation, and the development of an efficient POCT quality management system.

Manufacturing In-Line Whole Wafer Focused Ion Beam (FIB) Memory Address Descramble Verification

2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven B. Herschbein ◽  
Hyoung H. Kang ◽  
Scott L. Jansen ◽  
Andrew S. Dalton
Keyword(s):  
Flip Chip ◽  
Focused Ion Beam ◽  
Ion Beam ◽  
Random Access ◽  
Cell Counting ◽  
Test Results ◽  
Laboratory Procedure ◽  
Memory Array ◽  
Dual Beam ◽  
Process Level

Abstract Test engineers and failure analyst familiar with random access memory arrays have probably encountered the frustration of dealing with address descrambling. The resulting nonsequential internal bit cell counting scheme often means that the location of the failing cell under investigation is nowhere near where it is expected to be. A logical to physical algorithm for decoding the standard library block might have been provided with the design, but is it still correct now that the array has been halved and inverted to fit the available space in a new processor chip? Off-line labs have traditionally been tasked with array layout verification. In the past, hard and soft failures could be induced on the frontside of finished product, then bitmapped to see if the sites were in agreement. As density tightened, flip-chip FIB techniques to induce a pattern of hard fails on packaged devices came into practice. While the backside FIB edit method is effective, it is complex and expensive. The installation of an in-line Dual Beam FIB created new opportunities to move FA tasks out of the lab and into the FAB. Using a new edit procedure, selected wafers have an extensive pattern of defects 'written' directly into the memory array at an early process level. Bitmapping of the RAM blocks upon wafer completion is then used to verify correlation between the physical damaged cells and the logical sites called out in the test results. This early feedback in-line methodology has worked so well that it has almost entirely displaced the complex laboratory procedure of backside FIB memory array descramble verification.

Re-challenging antibiotic resistance with Daniel Berman

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Berman
Keyword(s):  
Bacterial Infections ◽  
Point Of Care ◽  
Healthcare Setting ◽  
Rapid Diagnostic Tests ◽  
Resistant Bacteria ◽  
Drug Resistant ◽  
Drug Resistant Bacteria ◽  
Global Threat ◽  
The Right ◽  
Point Of Care Tests

How can we prevent the rise of resistance to antibiotics? In this video, Daniel Berman,  Nesta Challenges, discusses the global threat of AMR and how prizes like the Longitude Prize can foster the development of rapid diagnostic tests for bacterial infections, helping to contribute towards reducing the global threat of drug resistant bacteria. Daniel outlines how accelerating the development of rapid point-of-care tests will ensure that bacterial infections are treated with the most appropriate antibiotic, at the right time and in the right healthcare setting.

scholarly journals Technical efficiency of pesticide application on tomato, chinese cabbage and cauliflower in simpang empat sub-district Karo Regency

2018 ◽  
Vol 52 ◽  
pp. 00045
Author(s):  
Sri Fajar Ayu ◽  
Destanul Aulia
Keyword(s):  
Technical Efficiency ◽  
Chinese Cabbage ◽  
Quantitative Method ◽  
Protective Device ◽  
Test Results ◽  
Pesticide Application ◽  
Vegetable Farmers ◽  
The Right ◽  
North Sumatra ◽  
Mild Toxicity

Prior research by authors on the use of pesticides and their impact on 75 vegetable farmers in Simpang Empat subdistrict, Karo district, North Sumatra showed that 60% of respondents applied pesticides in excess of the packaging instructions. Respondents were also found not to use a complete protective device. Almost 70% of respondents have mild toxicity complaints, and based on blood cholinesterase levels are also found most respondents have mild toxicity. Pesticide residue test results also found 0.728 residues of chlorpyrifos and 0.321 profenofos in vegetables produced in this area. This led to continued review by checking the technical efficiency in the use of pesticides. The method used is a quantitative method with the Data Envelope Analysis (DEA) approach to analyze technical efficiency of pesticide on each commodity. The population is the whole vegetable farmer who grew tomatoes, Chinese cabbage and cauliflower at the time of the study. The entire population is used to be a sample of 35 tomato and cauliflower farmers and 20 Chinese cabbage farmers. The results of the study indicate that the uses of pesticide as production inputs on tomato commodities, Chinese cabbage and cauliflower are not technically efficient. It is suggested to farmers to use pesticide input according to the rules, proper dosage, on target, on time, the right way so that pesticide used is technically efficient.

scholarly journals Early Detection of Post-Endarterectomy Complication by Point-of-Care Ultrasound

Reports ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 21
Author(s):  
Bo-Ku Chen ◽  
Po-Wei Chiu ◽  
Chih-Hao Lin
Keyword(s):  
Femoral Artery ◽  
Point Of Care ◽  
Postoperative Bleeding ◽  
External Iliac Artery ◽  
Common Femoral Artery ◽  
Atheromatous Plaque ◽  
Point Of Care Ultrasound ◽  
Related Complication ◽  
Contrast Extravasation ◽  
The Right

Endarterectomy is an effective intervention to remove the atheromatous plaque in the inner lining of the artery, aiming to revascularize the occluded/stenosed vessel in patients with peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD). The most common wound-related complication is postoperative bleeding, followed by infection, hematoma, and seroma. However, hematoma complications with air surrounded have rarely been reported in clinical cases. Case presentation: A 90-year-old female patient visited our emergency department because of a rapidly growing hematoma with pulsatile bleeding over her right groin area. She had received bilateral percutaneous transluminal angioplasty with endarterectomy for PAOD one month prior. A point-of-care ultrasound revealed a large hypoechoic mass, with a dirty shadow on the right groin area. Computed tomography angiography showed a hematoma over her right femoral region, with free air surrounding the right femoral artery. Angiography revealed an irregular shaped lesion on the right femoral artery without contrast extravasation. The patient was diagnosed with right-femoral post-endarterectomy infection with infected hematoma, with the inclusion of air. She underwent urgent excision and repair of the right femoral artery infectious lesion, debridement of the infectious hematoma and stenting of the right external iliac artery, common femoral artery and superficial femoral artery.

scholarly journals Life after a point-of-care ultrasound course: setting up the right conditions!

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
T. J. Olgers ◽  
N. Azizi ◽  
H. R. Bouma ◽  
J. C. ter Maaten
Keyword(s):  
Point Of Care ◽  
Point Of Care Ultrasound ◽  
The Right

scholarly journals Rapid point-of-care (POC) testing for Hepatitis C antibodies in a very high prevalence setting: persons injecting drugs in Tallinn, Estonia

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anneli Uusküla ◽  
Ave Talu ◽  
Jürgen Rannap ◽  
David M. Barnes ◽  
Don Des Jarlais
Keyword(s):  
Hepatitis C ◽  
Point Of Care ◽  
Antibody Test ◽  
Hcv Rna ◽  
Test Results ◽  
Blood Draw ◽  
Persons Who Inject Drugs ◽  
Oral Swab ◽  
High Prevalence ◽  
Hcv Antibody

Abstract Background Between December 2018 and January of 2019, we evaluated the accuracy of the point-of-care Hepatitis C (HCV) antibody test (POC; OraQuick HCV) used at a community-based needle and syringe exchange program serving persons who inject drugs in Tallinn, Estonia. Methods We compared the results of screening for HCV antibodies by OraQuick (oral swab) and enzyme immunoassay (EIA; blood draw) and assessed test results implications in a high prevalence setting. Findings Of the 100 participants, 88 (88%) had reactive POC test results, and 93 were HCV antibody positive on EIA testing. Sensitivity, specificity and negative predictive value (NPV) for the POC assay with EIA as the relevant reference test were as follows: 94.6% (95% CI 90.0–99.2%), 100% and 58.3% (95% CI 30.4–86.2%). Of the 12 testing, HCV-negative with the POC only 7 (58.3%) were true negatives. Conclusions Oral swab rapid testing HCV screening in this nonclinical setting was sensitive and specific but had unacceptably low NPV. In high prevalence settings, POC tests with high sensitivity and that directly measure HCV RNA may be warranted.

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