A Novel Peptide-Based Detection of SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies.

The need for rapidly developed diagnostic tests has gained significant attention after the recent pandemic. Production of neutralizing antibodies for vaccine development or antibodies to be used in diagnostic tests usually require the usage of recombinant proteins representing the infectious agent. However, peptides that can mimic these recombinant proteins may be rapidly utilized, especially in emergencies such as the recent outbreak. Here, we report two peptides that mimic the receptor binding domain of the spike protein of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and investigate their binding behavior against the corresponding human immunoglobulin G and immunoglobulin M (IgG and IgM) antibodies in a clinical sample using a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) sensor. These peptides were immobilized on a QCM sensor surface, and their binding behavior was studied against a clinical serum sample that was previously determined to be IgG and IgM-positive. It was determined that designed peptides bind to SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in a clinical sample. These peptides might be useful for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies using different methods such as enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) or lateral flow assays. A similar platform might prove to be useful for the detection and development of antibodies in other infections.

Comparison of a novel antigen detection test with reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction assay for laboratory diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Molecular diagnosis of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in respiratory specimens is considered the gold standard method. This method is highly sensitive and specific but it has some limitations such as being expensive and requiring special laboratory equipment and skilled personnel. RapidFor™ Antigen Rapid Test Kit is a commercially available Ag-RDT which is produced in Turkey and designed to detect the nucleocapsid antigen of SARS-CoV-2 in nasopharyngeal swab samples. The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of this novel SARS-CoV-2 antigen detection considering the RT-PCR method as the gold standard. Four hundred forty-four nasopharyngeal swab samples which were collected from the patients who met clinical criteria of COVID-19 from ten centers in Turkey between September 2020 and February 2021 were included in the study. All the nasopharyngeal swab samples were tested for SARS-CoV-2 RNA using commercial RT-PCR kits (Bioeksen and A1 Lifesciences, Istanbul, Turkey) according to the manufacturer's instructions. Viral loads were assessed according to the cycle threshold (Ct) values. RapidFor™ SARS-CoV-2 antigen test (Vitrosens Biotechnology, Istanbul, Turkey) was used to investigate the presence of SARS-CoV-2 antigen in all samples following the manufacturer's instructions. Out of 444 nasopharyngeal swab samples tested, 346 (77.9%) were positive and 98 (22.1%) were negative for SARS-CoV-2 RNA by RTPCR. Overall sensitivity of the RapidFor™. Antigen Rapid Test Kit was 80.3% whereas specificity was found to be 87.8%. Positivity rate of rapid antigen test in samples with Ct values over 25 and below 30 was 82.7%, while it increased to 95.7% in samples 20 ≤ Ct < 25 and reached 100% in samples with Ct values below 20. RapidFor™ SARS-CoV-2 Ag test might be a good choice in the screening of symptomatic and asymptomatic patients and their contacts for taking isolation measures early, with advantages over RT-PCR as being rapid, easy and being applicable in every laboratory and even at point of care.

Simple concentration method enables the use of gargle and mouthwash instead of nasopharyngeal swab sampling for the diagnosis of COVID-19 by PCR.

Since its emergence in December 2019, SARS-CoV-2 is causing one of the most devastating pandemics in human history. Currently, the most important method for definitive diagnosis of COVID-19 is identification of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in nasopharyngeal swab samples by RT-PCR. Nasopharyngeal swab sampling is a discomforting procedure sometimes with adverse effects, which also poses a risk for infection for the personnel performing the sampling. We have developed a new method for concentrating biological samples, which enabled us to use gargle and mouthwash samples to be used in RT-PCR, for the diagnosis of COVID-19, as an alternative to nasopharyngeal swab samples. We have analyzed nasopharyngeal and gargle and mouthwash samples, before and after concentration, of 363 patients by RT-PCR for the presence of SARS-CoV-2. Among 114 patients in which SARS-CoV-2 was identified in at least one of their samples, the virus was identified in 76 (66.7%), 67 (58.8%), and 101 (88.6%) of nasopharyngeal swab, gargle, and mouthwash samples before and after concentration, respectively. When concentrated by our new method, gargle and mouthwash samples can be used instead of nasopharyngeal samples in identification of SARS-CoV-2 by RT-PCR, with the same or better sensitivity. Eliminating the need for nasopharyngeal sampling will save the patients from an invasive and painful procedure and will lower the risk of infection for the healthcare personnel taking the sample. This easy sampling procedure may decrease the workload of hospitals, shorten the turnaround time of obtaining test results, and thus enable rapid isolation of infected patients.

ORGANIZATIONAL CRISIS COMMUNICATION DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC: THE CASE OF FOOD INDUSTRY.

Although communication in crisis periods always points to an important challenge for organizations, it has become more complex and critical during the Covid-19 outbreak. Effective communication is particularly needed with respect to food supply and production, access to healthy food and food safety. In this context, the aim of this study is to understand the main crisis communication approaches the largest food companies in Turkey has developed during the pandemic. For this purpose, by conducting a quantitative content analysis, communication messages of 13 food producers were examined in a comparative manner based on their textual features, topics and crisis response strategies. For this review, two prominent crisis communication approaches -the widely established situational crisis communication theory and the recently developed CONSOLE model-have been utilized. Findings point to significant differences among firms in terms of communication effectiveness. While the most frequently adopted strategy is showing goodwill and reassuring, food producers' crisis communication approaches can be considered inadequate in providing feedback and showing support to stakeholders. (English) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] Kriz dönemlerindeki iletişim, örgütler için her zaman önemli bir noktaya işaret etse de, Covid-19 salgını sürecinde daha karmaşık ve yaşamsal hale gelmiştir. Etkin iletişim, özellikle gıda tedariği ve üretimi, sağlıklı gıdaya erişim ve gıda güvenliği meselelerinde başka bir boyut kazanmıştır. Bu çerçevede araştırmamızın amacı, Türkiye'deki büyük gıda firmalarının salgın sürecinde geliştirdikleri temel kriz iletişimi yaklaşımlarını anlamaktır. Bu amaçla, nicel içerik analizi yöntemi kullanılarak 13 gıda üreticisine ait iletişim mesajları metinsel özellikleri, konu başlıkları ve kriz yanıt stratejileri bakımından karşılaştırmalı biçimde incelenmiştir. Bu inceleme için iki farklı kriz iletişimi yaklaşımından;alanyazında yoğun ilgi gören durumsal kriz iletişimi kuramından ve güncel bir yaklaşım sunan CONSOLE modelinden faydalanılmıştır. Analiz bulguları, kriz iletişiminin etkinliği açısından firmalar arasında önemli farklara işaret etmektedir. En yoğun kullanılan strateji iyi niyet gösterme ve güven verme olurken mevcut kriz iletişimi anlayışlarının paydaşlara geribildirim sağlama ve destek gösterme boyutlarında yetersiz kaldığı görülmektedir. (Turkish) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Istanbul Aydin Üniversitesi Dergisi is the property of Istanbul Aydin University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)