Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Joochan Kim, Jaehyung Jeon, Hyowon Jang, Youngkwang Moon, Abdurhaman Teyib Abafogi, Danny van Noort, Jinkee Lee, Taejoon Kang, Sungsu Park
Summary: The current standard method for diagnosing COVID-19 involves uncomfortable and invasive sampling. This study introduces a 3D printed fluidic swab (3DPFS) that enables easy and efficient nasal wash sampling, resulting in higher sensitivity for detecting SARS-CoV-2 compared to cotton swabs. Users also reported greater comfort when using the 3DPFS. These findings suggest that the 3DPFS can improve the performance of COVID-19 testing.
Letter
Oncology
Jeremy Chee, Xinyi Lin, Wei Sian Lim, Woei Shyang, Mark Thong, Lishia Ng
Summary: Using 3D printed nose models as a training tool for nasopharyngeal swabs is practical and beneficial in the COVID-19 era. Survey results indicate that healthcare workers are satisfied with the use of 3D models in training for nasopharyngeal swab techniques. The utilization of such models can help improve testing capabilities and volumes.
Editorial Material
Microbiology
Ramy A. Arnaouta
Summary: In the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a high demand for nasopharyngeal swabs to test for the virus, leading to a shortage in supply. A nationwide partnership involving multiple businesses and hospitals successfully met this demand and provided valuable lessons for future crisis responses, highlighting the importance of cooperation.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Elizabeth Jane Eggleton
Summary: The global pandemic of the 2019 Coronavirus Disease has caused significant strain on health services due to the varying severity of symptoms in patients. Proper triaging through clinical assessment and imaging/laboratory investigations helps prevent overwhelming of health services. A succinct triaging pathway is proposed to assist health services in combating the pandemic effectively.
POSTGRADUATE MEDICAL JOURNAL
(2021)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Raghubir Singh Khedar, Rajeev Gupta, Krishnakumar Sharma, Kartik Mittal, Harshad C. Ambaliya, Jugal B. Gupta, Surendra Singh, Swati Sharma, Yogendra Singh, Alok Mathur
Summary: High levels of hsCRP, D-dimer, IL-6, LDH, ferritin, and NLR are associated with more severe illness and higher in-hospital mortality in COVID-19 patients. NLR, a widely available investigation, provides information similar to more expensive biomarkers.
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Lip Ket Chin, Huiyan Li, Jae-Hyeok Choi, Yoshiko Iwamoto, Juhyun Oh, Jouha Min, Suk Kyung Beak, Dahyeon Yoo, Cesar M. Castro, Dongyoung Lee, Hyungsoon Im
Summary: In the era of precision oncology, multicolor fluorescence imaging has become a core technology for molecular analysis of cellular and tissue specimens. Conventional staining methods are labor-intensive and time-consuming, hindering their use in resource-limited settings. This study introduces a new immunostaining method based on hydrogel stamping, which is simple, fast, and reproducible. The hydrogel stamp effectively transfers fluorescent antibodies to targets and eliminates the need for extra washing steps. This method enables high-quality immunostaining in a shorter time and with reduced antibody consumption, and has the potential for use in compact point-of-care systems for cancer diagnosis.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2022)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Stephen Crosier, Debbie Hicks, Edward C. Schwalbe, Daniel Williamson, Sarah Leigh Nicholson, Amanda Smith, Janet C. Lindsey, Antony Michalski, Barry Pizer, Simon Bailey, Nick Bown, Gavin Cuthbert, Stephen B. Wharton, Thomas S. Jacques, Abhijit Joshi, Steven C. Clifford
Summary: The application of advanced molecular pathology in rare tumors faces challenges such as low sample numbers and accessibility to specialized expertise. A nationwide trial on medulloblastoma demonstrated the feasibility and effectiveness of coordinated real-time centralised pathology review (CPR) in providing robust diagnostics and altering clinical management. It was found that engagement of a specialist pathologist panel was essential for achieving consensus in histological assessments.
NEUROPATHOLOGY AND APPLIED NEUROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Sabina Berezowska, Andreas Schmid, Tereza Losmanova, Mafalda Trippel, Annika Blank, Yara Banz, Stephan M. Jakob, Rupert Langer
Summary: Postmortem investigations have highlighted the importance of examining pulmonary findings, including inflammatory and neoplastic lesions. Acute pneumonia plays a significant role in discrepancies between clinical and postmortem diagnoses, with some cases going undiagnosed clinically.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Kandambath Padinjareveetil Akshay Kumar, Martin Pumera
Summary: During the recent COVID-19 pandemic, 3D-printing technology played a crucial role in providing various medical supplies, including personal protection equipment and ventilators, to help protect lives. The use of 3D-printing in emergencies offers significant advantages over traditional methods and opens up enormous possibilities for future development. Collaboration between individuals, entrepreneurs, academics, and companies in forming a global network for delivering 3D-printed medical/non-medical components highlights new and significant opportunities for the future.
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Otorhinolaryngology
Nicolas Sananes, Massimo Lodi, Antoine Koch, Lise Lecointre, Axel Sananes, Nicolas Lefebvre, Christian Debry
Summary: In this study, a realistic nasopharyngeal swab collection simulator was developed through 3D printing, providing complete operating instructions. The simulator can simulate the actual collection process and provide real-time feedback, which is beneficial for training purposes.
EUROPEAN ARCHIVES OF OTO-RHINO-LARYNGOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Yoon Ok Jang, Hyo Joo Lee, Bonhan Koo, Hye-Hee Cha, Ji-Soo Kwon, Ji Yeun Kim, Myoung Gyu Kim, Hyun Soo Kim, Sung-Han Kim, Yong Shin
Summary: This article presents a rapid and sensitive COVID-19 molecular diagnostic system for detecting SARS-CoV-2 using self-powered sample preparation and LAMP technology. The system, which does not require sophisticated instruments, can extract and amplify viral RNA by hand within 60 minutes, enabling timely detection of SARS-CoV-2.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Dorthe Ornskov, Kirsten Jochumsen, Pernille Husted Steiner, Ivan Moulun Grunnet, Annemette Wildfang Lykkebo, Marianne Waldstrom
Summary: The study shows that self-collected vaginal and urine samples are comparable to clinician-taken cervical samples in detecting severe intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN2+/CIN3+). Women have a high level of acceptability towards self-sampling, with a preference for urine samples.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Sylvio Redanz, Andreas Enz, Andreas Podbielski, Philipp Warnke
Summary: Malachite green (0.2%) showed the highest bacterial recovery rates and best biofilm visualization results, suitable for smooth and rough implant surfaces. Targeted swab-sampling significantly increased bacterial recovery rate compared to a dye-free random swabbing diagnostic approach.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Akash Garg, Saigopalakrishna S. Yerneni, Phil Campbell, Philip R. LeDuc, O. Burak Ozdoganlar
Summary: This work introduces a freeform 3D ice printing process that allows for high-speed and reproducible fabrication of ice structures with micro-scale resolution. The dimension and geometry of the structures are controlled through modulation of droplet ejection frequency and stage motions. This method enables the creation of complex geometries, overhang structures, smooth surfaces, and micro-scale features.
Review
Microbiology
Rose A. Lee, Joshua C. Herigon, Andrea Benedetti, Nira R. Pollock, Claudia M. Denkinger
Summary: Nasopharyngeal (NP) swabs are considered the best sample for diagnosing SARS-CoV-2, but saliva, oropharyngeal (OP), nasal (NS) swabs, and combinations of OP/NS are promising alternatives. While some alternative samples had lower detection rates, a combination of OP/NS showed comparable performance to NP swabs. The absence of RNA extraction (saliva) and use of a more sensitive nucleic acid amplification test (NS) significantly reduced the positive yield of alternative samples.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
