Tall tales and borderline cases

Abstract Objectives The Bio-Rad SARS-CoV-2 ddPCR Kit (Bio-Rad Laboratories) was the first droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR) assay to receive Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Emergency Use Authorization approval, but it has not been evaluated clinically. We describe the performance of ddPCR—in particular, its ability to confirm weak-positive severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) results. Methods We clinically validated the Bio-Rad Triplex Probe ddPCR Assay. The limit of detection was determined by using serial dilutions of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in an artificial viral envelope. The ddPCR assay was performed according to the manufacturer’s specifications on specimens confirmed to be positive (n = 48) or negative (n = 30) by an FDA-validated reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction assay on the m2000 RealTime system (Abbott). Ten borderline positive cases were also evaluated. Results The limit of detection was 50 copies/mL (19 of 20 positive). Forty-seven specimens spanning a range of quantification cycles (2.9-25.9 cycle numbers) were positive by this assay (47 of 48; 97.9% positive precent agreement), and 30 negative samples were confirmed as negative (30 of 30; 100% negative percent agreement). Nine of 10 borderline cases were positive when tested in triplicate. Conclusions The ddPCR of SARS-CoV-2 is an accurate method, with superior sensitivity for viral RNA detection. It could provide definitive evaluation of borderline positive cases or suspected false-negative cases.

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225 Rheumatic heart disease in Timor Leste school students (RHD-TL) follow-up study: assessment of secondary prophylaxis and outcomes in Timor Leste

European Heart Journal ◽

10.1093/ehjci/ehz872.010 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 41 (Supplement_1) ◽

Author(s):

A Horton ◽

B Remenyi ◽

K Davis ◽

N Mock ◽

E Paratz ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Heart Disease ◽

Rheumatic Heart Disease ◽

Secondary Prophylaxis ◽

Penicillin G ◽

School Students ◽

Borderline Cases ◽

Follow Up Study ◽

Timor Leste ◽

Rheumatic Heart

Abstract Background The Rheumatic Heart disease in Timor Leste school students (RHD-TL) study identified Timor Leste as having some of the highest rates of definite rheumatic heart disease (RHD) in the world. The RHD-TL follow-up study aimed to assess the delivery and outcomes of the secondary prophylaxis program in known patients with echocardiographic screen detected definite and borderline RHD. Methods School-students in Timor Leste where reassessed over a 3-year period since the initial study in 2016. Prospective assessments included adherence to secondary prophylaxis, complications of prophylaxis, follow-up clinical assessment and serial echocardiography. Of the 48 patients, 25 Definite and 23 Borderline, 38 (79%) of all patients, and 92% of definite RHD cases have had one or more follow-up assessments including full datasets for adherence, recurrence rates and progression of disease. Follow-up is provided by the volunteer paediatric cardiology team and rheumatic heart disease team of two NGOs in collaboration with local clinics. Results The median duration of follow-up of the 38 patients was of 1.6 years. The median age was 13 years (range 8-22) and 75% were female. Adherence rates in patients with definite RHD was on average greater than 95% during the follow-up period. Of the 23 patients with mild or moderate RHD one case with documented acute rheumatic fever (ARF) recurrence progressed whilst 8 cases improved on benzathine-penicillin G (BPG) therapy. There was no progression of the 6 borderline cases who were not prescribed BPG. Out of the 9 borderline cases in whom BPG was prescribed, one, with 67% adherence, had a documented episode of ARF leading to echocardiographic progression and moderate definite RHD. Conclusion This was the first follow-up study to look at disease natural history, both in treated and untreated groups, in Timor-Leste and brought practical insights into the efficacy of the Timor Leste RHD monitoring and prophylaxis programs. Its ongoing project will enable advocacy and quality assessment for the program as it expands. Abstract 225 Figure 1.

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Comparing Castelnuovo-Mumford regularity and extended degree: The borderline cases

Transactions of the American Mathematical Society ◽

10.1090/s0002-9947-04-03595-0 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 357 (9) ◽

pp. 3585-3603 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Uwe Nagel

Keyword(s):

Borderline Cases

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BORDERLINE CASES IN ORTHOPEDIC SURGERY

Southern Medical Journal ◽

10.1097/00007611-192110000-00013 ◽

1921 ◽

Vol 14 (10) ◽

pp. 811-815

Author(s):

Earl D. McBride

Keyword(s):

Orthopedic Surgery ◽

Borderline Cases

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Adding limits to argumentative reconstruction: the case of taste in argumentation

Cogency ◽

10.32995/cogency.v12i2.363 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (2) ◽

pp. 107

Author(s):

Daniel Mejía

Keyword(s):

Speech Acts ◽

Informal Logic ◽

Reconstruction Technique ◽

Borderline Cases ◽

Visual Argumentation ◽

The One

This paper questions the use of the argumentative reconstruction technique as a criterion for identifying arguments. To perform this, I stress a type of argument that appeals to taste. I proceed as follows: first, I relate such a technique to the ways in which pragma-dialectics and informal logic have defined argumentation. Second, I present some borderline cases to reconstruction technique such as argumentation through directives, expressives and commissives speech acts, narrative argumentation, and visual argumentation. Third, I add to these cases that of an argumentation that appeals to taste by analyzing a dialogue. Fourth, I conclude the article by offering reasons to study cases such as the one presented and by introducing some problems derived from the present study.

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The Cross-Border Enforcement of Court Settlements within Brussels Ia Regulation: From a European and an Austrian Perspective

Lexonomica ◽

10.18690/lexonomica.12.2.149-162.2020 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (2) ◽

pp. 149-162

Author(s):

Philipp Anzenberger

Keyword(s):

Practical Relevance ◽

Border Enforcement ◽

European Regulation ◽

Borderline Cases ◽

General Overview ◽

Cross Border ◽

Legal Instrument ◽

The Cross

Despite the enormous practical relevance of court settlements, the Brussels Ia Regulation contains only a few explicit provisions for the cross-border enforcement of this legal instrument. This can cause difficulties in borderline cases, for example when it is doubtful whether the legal act in question is to be classified as a settlement or a judgment or which specific European regulation is applicable to a settlement containing several different claims. This paper provides a general overview of the rules for the enforcement of court settlements under the Brussels Ia Regulation and examines some problems that may specifically arise in the case of cross-border enforcement of court settlements.

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Ad Hoc or Institutional Arbitration - A Clear-Cut Distinction? A Closer Look at Borderline Cases

10.31228/osf.io/bmeur ◽

2017 ◽

Author(s):

Ulrich G. Schroeter

Keyword(s):

Ad Hoc ◽

Theory And Practice ◽

Present Contribution ◽

Borderline Cases ◽

Institutional Rules ◽

Clear Cut ◽

Definition Of ◽

Core Characteristics ◽

Insight Into ◽

Mix And Match

It is generally accepted in both theory and practice of arbitration that there are two basic forms of arbitration, ad hoc and institutional. This long established dichotomy has rarely been questioned, and it has mostly worked well in international arbitration practice.The present contribution investigates the traditional distinction between ad hoc and institutional arbitration in more detail by looking at "borderline cases", i.e. constellations that cannot easily be allocated to one of these two categories. Four groups of borderline cases are discussed: (1) UNCITRAL arbitrations, in particular those administered by arbitral institutions; (2) cases in which the parties have chosen institutional rules, but not the issuing institution (and vice versa), (3) the modification of institutional rules by the parties and the identification of a possible "mandatory" core of institutional rules, and (4) "mix and match" (or "hybrid") arbitrations combining one arbitral institution's rules with the case's administration by a different arbitral institution. By identifying the factors that were decisive for these borderline cases being regarded as institutional or ad hoc, the article is trying to gain insight into the core characteristics underlying each arbitration category. Drawing on these insights, it develops and explains a novel definition of "institutional arbitration".

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