Search

Removing the swab after collection can speed up diagnosis and improve the quality of laboratory procedures. This study investigates the impact of swab removal on SARS-CoV-2 detection in clinical specimens with a focus on high Cycle threshold (Ct) samples (Cts≥32). The method assessed pairs of SARS-CoV-2 samples mimicking combined throat and nose swabs and tested them on two real-time-PCR platforms; the Applied Biosystems 7500 and the Abbott Alinity. Swab removal did not significantly affect detection rates of SARS-CoV-2 samples with Ct values<32, regardless of the PCR platform. However, reduced reproducibility was seen at the endpoint limit of detection of the platforms, which meant that fewer samples with Ct values≥32 were detected in the swab removal group., Competing Interests: The author(s) declare that there are no conflicts of interest., (© 2023 The Authors.)

Unlabelled: Legumes are recalcitrant to androgenesis and induction protocols were only recently developed for pea (Pisum sativum L.) and chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.), albeit with low regeneration frequencies. Androgenesis is thought to be mediated through abscisic acid (ABA) but other phytohormones, such as auxins, cytokinins, and gibberellins, have also been implicated. In view of improving induction protocols, the hormone content of pea, chickpea, and lentil anthers was measured after exposure to cold, centrifugation, electroporation, sonication, osmotic shock, or various combinations thereof using an analytical mass spectrometer. Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) had a key function during the induction process. In pea, high concentrations of IAA-asparagine (IAA-Asp), a putative IAA metabolite, accumulated during the application of the different stresses. In chickpea, the IAA-Asp concentration increased 30-fold compared to pea but only during the osmotic shock treatment and likely as a result of the presence of exogenous IAA in the medium. In contrast, no treatment in lentil (Lens culinaris) invoked such an increase in IAA-Asp content. Of the various cytokinins monitored, only cis zeatin riboside increased after centrifugation and electroporation in pea and possibly chickpea. No bioactive gibberellins were detected in any species investigated, indicating that this hormone group is likely not linked to androgenesis in legumes. In contrast to the other stresses, osmotic shock treatment caused a reduction in the levels of all hormones analyzed, with the exception of IAA-Asp in chickpea. A short period of low hormone content might be a necessary transition phase for androgenesis induction of legumes., Key Message: Five androgenesis-inducing stress treatments changed content of ABA, auxin and cytokinin in anthers of three legumes. Osmotic shock treatment differed because it reduced hormone content to very low levels.

Human parainfluenza virus 3 (HPIV3) infection can cause significant morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). There are no standard guidelines for the prevention and control of HPIV3 in the outpatient setting. After 2 HSCT inpatients diagnosed with HPIV3 were noted to have had multiple recent HSCT outpatient clinic (OPC) visits, an investigation of policy and procedures in the HSCT OPC was undertaken, and active surveillance for respiratory viral illness was instituted in the at-risk HSCT population. Between July 19 and August 30, 2005, 13 patients were diagnosed with HPIV3 infection. Morbidity in affected patients was significant, and mortality was high (38.5%) and not affected by antiviral therapy. Molecular typing identified several genetically distinct groups of the hemagglutinin-neuraminidase gene of the 11 available isolates. Based on sequence relatedness among the isolates and the demographic and exposure history of the patients, in many of these cases HPIV3 infection likely was acquired in the HSCT OPC. The major infection control interventions were introduced between August 20 and August 24. An epidemic curve revealed that HPIV3 infection frequency peaked between August 17 and August 26, with no cases identified after August 30. Prompt attention and focus on infection control interventions were associated with a rapid decrease in the number of incident cases. Policies and procedures regarding patients with respiratory viral illnesses in HSCT OPC populations should be formulated and universally reinforced with HSCT clinic staff to prevent the spread of these infections., (Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Bupropion is a weak inhibitor of noradrenaline (NE) and dopamine (DA) reuptake and has no direct action on serotonin (5-HT) neuronal elements. In the rat brain, bupropion suppresses NE neuron firing activity via the activation of alpha(2)-adrenoceptors and increases that of 5-HT neurons through an indirect action on NE neurons. Twenty-five healthy young male volunteers, with no previous history of psychiatric disorders, were randomized to one of four 7-day regimens: placebo, bupropion (150 mg) once daily, bupropion (150 mg) twice a day, and methylphenidate SR (20 mg daily). To assess the activity of the NE reuptake process, the blood pressure response to intravenous tyramine was determined. A decrease in the systolic pressure response to tyramine was considered evidence of NE reuptake inhibition. Effects on 5-HT reuptake were assessed by measuring whole blood 5-HT concentration, with a decrease serving as an index of 5-HT reuptake blockade. The Profile of Mood States (POMS) scale was used to assess behavioral and psychological changes. Neither bupropion nor methylphenidate altered the tyramine pressor response, in contrast to previous data that demonstrated decreases were obtained with NE reuptake inhibitors. Neither drug modified 5-HT concentrations. However, POMS scores revealed that bupropion at a dosage of 150 mg/day increased composedness, agreeability, and energy, whereas 300 mg/day improved only attention. In contrast, methylphenidate improved only energy. These data provide no evidence that bupropion acts as an inhibitor of NE or 5-HT reuptake in healthy humans. Presumably it enhances synaptic availability of NE by increasing release. Yet, because its behavioral profile is different from that of methylphenidate, it may not share all the biochemical properties of psychostimulants.