Performance characteristics of a rapid immunochromatographic assay for detection of influenza virus in children during the 2003 to 2004 influenza season.

Study Objective: We evaluate the performance of a rapid assay (Binax NOW) for the detection of influenza A virus in children.

Methods: The performance of an in vitro rapid immunochromatographic assay for detection of influenza A virus was compared to viral culture in 4,383 consecutive respiratory specimens received during the 2003 to 2004 season, which included an influenza A epidemic in October and November of 2003.

Results: The overall test sensitivity was 61.

Effects of low temperature on shear-induced platelet aggregation and activation.

Background: Hemorrhage is a major complication of trauma and often becomes more severe in hypothermic patients. Although it has been known that platelets are activated in the cold, studies have been focused on platelet behavior at 4 degrees C, which is far below temperatures encountered in hypothermic trauma patients. In contrast, how platelets function at temperatures that are commonly found in hypothermic trauma patients (32-37 degrees C) remains largely unknown, especially when they are exposed to significant changes in fluid shear stress that could occur in trauma patients due to hemorrhage, vascular dilation/constriction, and fluid resuscitation.

Duration of exposure to high fluid shear stress is critical in shear-induced platelet activation-aggregation.

Platelet functions are increasingly measured under flow conditions to account for blood hydrodynamic effects. Typically, these studies involve exposing platelets to high shear stress for periods significantly longer than would occur in vivo. In the current study, we demonstrate that the platelet response to high shear depends on the duration of shear exposure.