RESUMEN
A high-throughput, accurate screening is crucial for the prevention and control of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Current methods, which involve sampling from the nasopharyngeal (NP) area by medical staffs, constitute a fundamental bottleneck in expanding the testing capacity. To meet the scales required for population-level surveillance, self-collectable specimens can be used; however, its low viral load has hindered its clinical adoption. Here, we describe a magnetic nanoparticle functionalized with synthetic apolipoprotein H (ApoH) peptides to capture, concentrate, and purify viruses. The ApoH assay demonstrates a viral enrichment efficiency of >90% for both SARS-CoV-2 and its variants, leading to an order of magnitude improvement in analytical sensitivity. For validation, we apply the assay to a total of 84 clinical specimens including nasal, oral, and mouth gargles obtained from COVID-19 patients. As a result, a 100% positivity rate is achieved from the patient-collected nasal and gargle samples, which exceeds that of the traditional NP swab method. The simple 12 min pre-enrichment assay enabling the use of self-collectable samples will be a practical solution to overcome the overwhelming diagnostic capacity. Furthermore, the methodology can easily be built on various clinical protocols, allowing its broad applicability to various disease diagnoses.
RESUMEN
Ventilation is becoming increasingly important to improve indoor air quality and prevent the spread of COVID-19. This study analyzed the indoor air quality of office spaces, where occupants remain for extended periods, among multi-use facilities with an increasing need for ventilation system application. A 'tool for office space CO2 prediction and indoor air quality improvement recommendation';was developed. The research method was divided into four steps. Step 1: Analysis of indoor air quality characteristics in office spaces was carried out with a questionnaire survey and indoor air quality experiment. Based on the CO2 concentration, which was found to be a problem in the indoor air quality experiment in the office space, Step 2: CO2 concentration prediction tool for office spaces, which requires inputs of regional and spatial factors and architectural and equipment elements, was developed. In Step 3: Development and verification of prediction tool considering economic feasibility, the cost of energy recovery ventilation systems based on the invoices of the energy recovery ventilation manufacturers was analyzed. In Step 4: Energy recovery ventilation proposal and indoor CO2 forecast, Office Space B, which can accommodate up to 15 people, was derived as an example of the proposed tool. As a result of the prediction, the optimal air volume of the energy recovery ventilation was determined according to the 'office CO2 prediction and indoor air quality improvement recommendations';. This study introduced simple tools, which can be used by non-experts, that are capable of showing changes in indoor air quality, CO2 concentration and cost according to activities.