WHO recommends a minimum of 80% sensitivity and 97% specificity for antigen-detection rapid diagnostic tests (Ag-RDTs), which can be used for patients with symptoms consistent with COVID-19. However, after the acute phase when viral load decreases, use of Ag-RDTs might lead to high rates of false negatives, suggesting that the tests should be replaced by a combination of molecular and serological tests. When the likelihood of having COVID-19 is low, such as for asymptomatic individuals in low prevalence settings, for travel, return to schools, workplaces, and mass gatherings, Ag-RDTs with high negative predictive values can be used with confidence to rule out infection. For those who test positive in low prevalence settings, the high false positive rate means that mitigation strategies, such as molecular testing to confirm positive results, are needed. Ag-RDTs, when used appropriately, are promising tools for scaling up testing and ensuring that patient management and public health measures can be implemented without delay.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S1473-3099(21)00048-7 | DOI Listing |
Med Biol Eng Comput
January 2025
College of Medicine and Biological Information Engineering, Northeastern University, Shenyang, 110169, China.
Accurately and swiftly segmenting breast tumors is significant for cancer diagnosis and treatment. Ultrasound imaging stands as one of the widely employed methods in clinical practice. However, due to challenges such as low contrast, blurred boundaries, and prevalent shadows in ultrasound images, tumor segmentation remains a daunting task.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAIDS Behav
January 2025
Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Rd. NE Atlanta GA, Atlanta, 30322, USA.
This study aimed to explore the awareness, willingness, and engagement with pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) among high-risk Chinese men who have sex with men (MSM) and to investigate the factors influencing its use. A cross-sectional survey of 1800 HIV-negative MSM was conducted in Chengdu, Suzhou, and Wuhan between June 2022 and February 2023 through in-person and online recruitment methods. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to identify predictors of PrEP use.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAdv Biotechnol (Singap)
January 2025
National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510120, China.
The co-circulation of influenza and SARS-CoV-2 has led to co-infection events, primarily affecting children and older adults, who are at higher risk for severe disease. Although co-infection prevalence is relatively low, it is associated with worse outcomes compared to mono-infections. Previous studies have shown that the outcomes of co-infection depend on multiple factors, including viral interference, virus-host interaction and host response.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFUpdates Surg
January 2025
University Center of Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases-Clarunis, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
Background: Primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) due to a parathyroid adenoma stands as one of the most prevalent endocrinological disorders, with focused parathyroidectomy being the established therapeutic strategy.
Aim: This study aims to investigate whether the volume of the pathological gland influences perioperative outcomes and postoperative morbidity.
Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on data from 141 patients who underwent focused parathyroidectomy for PHPT at the University Hospital of Basel between 2007 and 2022.
Adv Biotechnol (Singap)
November 2024
Root-Soil Interaction, TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, 85354, Freising, Germany.
Hydraulic redistribution (HR) is a critical ecological process whereby plant roots transfer water from wetter to drier soil layers, significantly impacting soil moisture dynamics and plant water and nutrient uptake. Yet a comprehensive understanding of the mechanism triggering HR and its influencing factors remains elusive. Here, we conducted a systematic meta-analysis to discuss the influence of soil conditions and plant species characteristics on HR occurrence.
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