scholarly journals MALDI MS-Based Investigations for SARS-CoV-2 Detection

BioChem ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 250-278
Author(s):  
Mariaimmacolata Preianò ◽  
Serena Correnti ◽  
Corrado Pelaia ◽  
Rocco Savino ◽  
Rosa Terracciano
Keyword(s):  
Laboratory Testing ◽  
Time Frame ◽  
Maldi Ms ◽  
Contact Tracing ◽  
Testing Methods ◽  
International Scientific Community ◽  
Fast Spreading ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Diagnostic Approaches ◽  
The Many

The urgent need to fight the COVID-19 pandemic has impressively stimulated the efforts of the international scientific community, providing an extraordinary wealth of studies. After the sequence of the virus became available in early January 2020, safe and effective vaccines were developed in a time frame much shorter than everybody expected. However, additional studies are required since viral mutations have the potential of facilitating viral transmission, thus reducing the efficacy of developed vaccines. Therefore, improving the current laboratory testing methods and developing new rapid and reliable diagnostic approaches might be useful in managing contact tracing in the fight against both the original SARS-CoV-2 strain and the new, potentially fast-spreading CoV-2 variants. Mass Spectrometry (MS)-based testing methods are being explored, with the challenging promise to overcome the many limitations arising from currently used laboratory testing assays. More specifically, MALDI-MS, since its advent in the mid 1980s, has demonstrated without any doubt the great potential to overcome many unresolved analytical challenges, becoming an effective proteomic tool in several applications, including pathogen identification. With the aim of highlighting the challenges and opportunities that derive from MALDI-based approaches for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 and its variants, we extensively examined the most promising proofs of concept for MALDI studies related to the COVID-19 outbreak.

scholarly journals IoT Technologies during and Beyond COVID-19: A Comprehensive Review

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 105
Author(s):  
Mohamed Yousif ◽  
Chaminda Hewage ◽  
Liqaa Nawaf
Keyword(s):  
Social Impact ◽  
Contact Tracing ◽  
Privacy And Security ◽  
Comprehensive Review ◽  
Iot Applications ◽  
Depth Analysis ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Potential Applications ◽  
Readiness Level ◽  
Improved Performance

The COVID-19 pandemic provided a much-needed sanity check for IoT-inspired frameworks and solutions. IoT solutions such as remote health monitoring and contact tracing provided support for authorities to successfully manage the spread of the coronavirus. This article provides the first comprehensive review of key IoT solutions that have had an impact on COVID-19 in healthcare, contact tracing, and transportation during the pandemic. Each sector is investigated in depth; and potential applications, social and economic impact, and barriers for mass adaptation are discussed in detail. Furthermore, it elaborates on the challenges and opportunities for IoT framework solutions in the immediate post-COVID-19 era. To this end, privacy and security concerns of IoT applications are analyzed in depth and emerging standards and code of practices for mass adaptation are also discussed. The main contribution of this review paper is the in-depth analysis and categorization of sector-wise IoT technologies, which have the potential to be prominent applications in the new normal. IoT applications in each selected sector are rated for their potential economic and social impact, timeline for mass adaptation, and Technology Readiness Level (TRL). In addition, this article outlines potential research directions for next-generation IoT applications that would facilitate improved performance with preserved privacy and security, as well as wider adaptation by the population at large.

scholarly journals Using chemical biology to assess and modulate mitochondria: progress and challenges

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 20160151 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angela Logan ◽  
Michael P. Murphy
Keyword(s):  
Mitochondrial Function ◽  
Chemical Biology ◽  
Biomedical Sciences ◽  
Interdisciplinary Approaches ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Future Challenges ◽  
The Many ◽  
Opening Up

Our understanding of the role of mitochondria in biomedical sciences has expanded considerably over the past decade. In addition to their well-known metabolic roles, mitochondrial are also central to signalling for various processes through the generation of signals such as ROS and metabolites that affect cellular homeostasis, as well as other processes such as cell death and inflammation. Thus, mitochondrial function and dysfunction are central to the health and fate of the cell. Consequently, there is considerable interest in better understanding and assessing the many roles of mitochondria. Furthermore, there is also a growing realization that mitochondrial are a promising drug target in a wide range of pathologies. The application of interdisciplinary approaches at the interface between chemistry and biology are opening up new opportunities to understand mitochondrial function and in assessing the role of the organelle in biology. This work and the experience thus gained are leading to the development of new classes of therapies. Here, we overview the progress that has been made to date on exploring the chemical biology of the organelle and then focus on future challenges and opportunities that face this rapidly developing field.

Using Test Positivity Rate (TPR) as an Indicator for Strategic Action in COVID-19: A Situational Analysis in Kerala, India

2021 ◽  
pp. 263394472110542
Author(s):  
Raman Swathy Vaman ◽  
Mathew J. Valamparampil ◽  
Anu Elizabeth Augustine
Keyword(s):  
Time Frame ◽  
Contact Tracing ◽  
Situational Analysis ◽  
New Wave ◽  
Primary Care System ◽  
Rt Pcr ◽  
Strategic Action ◽  
Daily Change ◽  
Timely Fashion ◽  
Polymerase Chain

Administrators and policymakers have relied on test positivity rate (TPR) for making policy decisions regarding local, regional, and national lockdowns. It has the advantage of easily available data with an easy technique for calculation on day-to-day basis. However, concerns are being raised regarding its use as a sole indicator for determining movement restrictions and lockdowns. The present review provides a perspective of the alterations in TPR in Kasaragod district of Kerala during the first half of 2021. The variations in the number of antigen and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (rt-PCR) tests along with the trend of proportion of rt-PCR test are depicted. In places like Kerala where primary care system and contact tracing is comparatively robust than several other regions, testing the appropriate persons in a timely fashion alone is sufficient to cause an upswing in the TPR. Rather than daily change, the overall change in a larger time frame of 1 to 2 weeks could give early warning regarding the emergence of a new wave. TPR alone may not be able to reflect the transmission patterns of COVID-19. Using 7-day median value of TPR along with weekly tests done per 10,000 population, 7-day rolling average of active cases per 10,000 population, or daily number of new positive cases per 10,000 population could bring out a more composite indicator. Such an indicator reflecting the disease dynamics at regional levels will enable people to improve their livelihood without compromising on COVID-19.

Developing a Telecommunication Operation Support System (OSS)

2011 ◽  
pp. 54-73
Author(s):  
James G. Williams ◽  
Kai A. Olsen
Keyword(s):  
Central Office ◽  
Time Frame ◽  
Telecommunications Act Of 1996 ◽  
Telecommunications Network ◽  
It Department ◽  
Telecommunication Operation ◽  
Telecommunications Market ◽  
The Many ◽  
Office System ◽  
Operations Support Systems

The Telecommunications Act of 1996 opened competition in the telecommunications market in the U.S. and forced the incumbent telecommunications companies to open both their physical and logical infrastructure for Competitive Local Exchange Carriers (CLECs). In this case study we focus on the problems that face a CLEC with regard to designing an information system and getting a back office system, called an Operations Support Systems (OSS), operational in a highly competitive, complex, fast-paced market in a compressed time frame when a change in a critical telecommunications network component, namely the central office switch, is made after 75% of the system implementation was completed. This case deals with the factors that led to this change in central office switches, its impact on the IT department, its impact on the company, and the alternatives considered by the IT department as possible solutions to the many problems created by this change.

Canadian ports-external challenges and reform

1999 ◽  
Vol 26 (6) ◽  
pp. 818-826 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael C Ircha ◽  
Jeff Wood
Keyword(s):  
Transportation Network ◽  
Marine Policy ◽  
Reform Process ◽  
Surface Mode ◽  
Transportation Industry ◽  
Border Trade ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
International Trading ◽  
The Many ◽  
Tariff Reductions

The federal ports system in Canada faces considerable challenges and opportunities from the rapidly changing international trading environment in which they operate. Global trade has grown as a result of tariff reductions and removal of non-tariff barriers emanating from successive rounds of GATT trade discussions. Ports in Canada and the U.S. have been pressured to improve productivity to handle increasing amounts of cargo in a timely manner. Trans-border trade continues to grow due to the FTA and subsequent NAFTA. However, most continental trade is transported by surface mode to the detriment of ports and the coastal trade in both countries. Improvements to transport technology and economic deregulation challenge ports due to the growth of an integrated intermodal system serving a continental transportation network. Such integrated intermodalism enables the diversion of containerized cargo through load-centre ports in both countries. The many challenges facing Canadian ports are partly driving the current port reform process. Steps have been taken over the past several years to involve the Canadian transportation industry in the development of a national marine policy. The Canada Marine Act, which recently was given royal assent, shifts major commercial ports towards a more businesslike setting. However, this may not be enough, as ports need to be freed from the strictures of the federal government to operate independently in a continental competitive transportation environment.Key words: ports, international trade, shipping, technology, deregulation, reform.

The gut microbiota of wild rodents: Challenges and opportunities

2018 ◽  
Vol 53 (3) ◽  
pp. 252-258 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Viney
Keyword(s):  
Gut Microbiota ◽  
Wild Animal ◽  
Critical Assessment ◽  
Laboratory Animals ◽  
Wild Animals ◽  
Wild Rodents ◽  
Major Study ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
The Many

The gut microbiota can have important, wide-ranging effects on its host. To date, laboratory animals, particularly mice, have been the major study system for microbiota research. It is now becoming increasingly clear that laboratory animals often poorly model aspects of the biology of wild animals, and this concern extends to the study of the gut microbiota. Here, the relatively few studies of the microbiota of wild rodents are reviewed, including a critical assessment of how the gut microbiota differs between laboratory and wild rodents. Finally, the many potential advantages and opportunities of wild-animal systems for research into the gut microbiota are considered.

Nutrient Overages and Methodology Trends

1982 ◽  
Vol 65 (6) ◽  
pp. 1495-1499
Author(s):  
David L Mays
Keyword(s):  
Dietary Intake ◽  
Infant Formula ◽  
Laboratory Testing ◽  
Nutrient Composition ◽  
Testing Methods ◽  
Current Testing ◽  
Nutrient Levels ◽  
Analytical Technology

Abstract Because infant formula provides the sole dietary intake for many infants, it is important that the nutrient composition be carefully controlled. Establishing nutrient levels depends on laboratory testing. Current testing methods have certain limitations, some of which can be overcome by modern trends in analytical technology.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document