ABSTRACT
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is accelerating in the world. Although the epidemic has been basically controlled across China at the present stage, the domestic epidemic prevention and control situation is still complex and grim. Field epidemiology played an important role in the prevention and control of infectious diseases during this epidemic and the past epidemics. In order to improve the teaching content of field epidemiology in undergraduate medical education, and to explore the practice of training in epidemiology with the present situation, this paper explored the teaching practice of field epidemiology investigation based on COVID-19. This study will help to enhance both the ability of students from theory to practice, and the adaption of high-level talents in field epidemic under the new situation. © 2021, Publication Centre of Anhui Medical University. All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT
Objective: To evaluate the performance and application of a fast nucleic acid detection system for testing severe acute respiratory syndrome virus 2 (SARS-COV-2). Methods: Clinical samples were collected from February to July 2020 from Beijing Center for Diseases Prevention and Control and the Laboratory Department of China-Japan Friendship Hospital, to evaluate the sensitivity, specificity, anti-interference ability, precision and clinical sample coincidence rate of fast nucleic acid detection system for SARS-CoV-2. The analytical sensitivity was determined by a dilution series of 20 replications for each concentration. Analytical specificity study was performed by testing organisms whose infection produces symptoms similar to those observed at the onset of corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19), and of the normal or pathogenic microflora that may be present in specimens collected. Potential interference substances were evaluated with different concentration in the interference study. Precision study was conducted by estimating intra-and inter-batch variability. Clinical evaluation was performed by testing 230 oropharyngeal swab specimens and 95 sputum specimens in fast nucleic acid detection system, comparing with conventional real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) and clinical diagnostic results. Results: The analytical sensitivity of SARS-CoV-2 using fast nucleic acid detection system was 400 copies/ml. The result is negative for testing with the organisms that may likely in the circulating area or causing similar symptoms with SARS-CoV-2 and human nucleic acid, indicating that no cross reactivity with organisms. The results of precision test showed that the Coefficient of variation of Ct value of high, medium and low concentration samples was 1.90%-3.92%, and all of them were less than 5% in intra-and inter-batch testing. The results of the samples were still positive after adding the potential interfering substances, indicating that the possible interfering substances in the samples had no effect on the results. 98.46% and 97.85% diagnosis results of fast nucleic acid detection system were consistent with RT-qPCR and clinical diagnostic results, respectively. Conclusion: The fast nucleic acid detection system based on molecular parallel reaction can be used as a selection method for SARS-CoV-2 testing.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Nucleic Acids , COVID-19 Testing , Humans , RNA, Viral , Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction , SARS-CoV-2 , Sensitivity and SpecificityABSTRACT
This paper makes an initial attempt to develop a theory of supply chain resilience through ambidexterity in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. We conducted a single-case analysis focusing on Zong-Teng Group, one of the biggest cross-border e-commerce enterprises in China, as our sample. Data were mainly collected from interviews with Zong-Teng managers and public online resources. Through case analysis, this paper identifies that a fit between the information processing requirements of a firm and its information processing capability leads to greater ambidexterity for exploitation and exploration, which in turn improves supply chain resilience (SCR) in the form of agility, redundancy and flexibility. In addition, ambidexterity in terms of morality improves SCR culture. This paper may be the first to adopt information processing theory to examine SCR and consider the role of ambidexterity, noting that crises such as COVID-19 impose an exponential increase in information processing requirements, to which many firms fail to respond effectively.
ABSTRACT
Disease surveillance is essential for the control of flu and respiratory infectious diseases including the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Indoor air quality monitoring has been shown effective in understanding the effectiveness of airflow and circulation indoors to reduce the risk of infectious diseases. In this project, we developed low-cost indoor air quality monitoring devices and systems to tackle the disease surveillance problem. The monitoring device consists of a set of air quality sensors. By strategic deployment and real-time data analysis, the system is able to yield insightful air circulation information indoors. The real-time data analysis is performed on air quality for the indoor ventilation using Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) on sensed data. A series of user-friendly visualization interfaces and chatbot applications are designed to interact with users and ensure the successful delivery of infection control information. Finally, we work closely with the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and conduct field experiments in 15 locations including hospitals, long-term care centers, schools with total of 144 IAQ devices. © 2020 ACM.
ABSTRACT
Biosafety is an important guarantee of the new coronavirus laboratory test. The accident treatment of sample overflow and sprinkle is a necessary part of the emergency plan for testing activities. Beijing Preventive Medicine Association coordinated biosafety experts of COVID-19 laboratories from Beijing CDC, to write up "The standard for handling of accidents of corona virus disease 2019 sample (T/BPMA 0005-2020)" . The group standard was based on the guidelines of China and WHO, and combined with the practical experience of COVID-19 epidemic and the principle of "scientific, normative, applicable and feasible" . Through all kinds of risk Assessment, it included the spillover of samples caused by the packing of COVID-19 (highly pathogenic) samples, the overflow and sprinkle in the laboratory during the detection operation, and the spillage accident occurred during the transfer of samples in the same building. The standard could guide and standardize the handling methods of accidental overflow and sprinkle that may occur in the SARS-CoV-2 testing laboratories in the city.