ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE@#Late 2019 witnessed the outbreak and widespread transmission of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), a new, highly contagious disease caused by novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Consequently, considerable attention has been paid to the development of new diagnostic tools for the early detection of SARS-CoV-2.@*METHODS@#In this study, a new poly-N-isopropylacrylamide microgel-based electrochemical sensor was explored to detect the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (S protein) in human saliva. The microgel was composed of a copolymer of N-isopropylacrylamide and acrylic acid, and gold nanoparticles were encapsulated within the microgel through facile and economical fabrication. The electrochemical performance of the sensor was evaluated through differential pulse voltammetry.@*RESULTS@#Under optimal experimental conditions, the linear range of the sensor was 10 -13-10 -9 mg/mL, whereas the detection limit was 9.55 fg/mL. Furthermore, the S protein was instilled in artificial saliva as the infected human saliva model, and the sensing platform showed satisfactory detection capability.@*CONCLUSION@#The sensing platform exhibited excellent specificity and sensitivity in detecting spike protein, indicating its potential application for the time-saving and inexpensive detection of SARS-CoV-2.
Subject(s)
Humans , Microgels , Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus , COVID-19/diagnosis , Gold , Metal Nanoparticles , SARS-CoV-2ABSTRACT
With the development of integration process, how to manage citizens' cross-border healthcare be-tween member countries in an organized way has become a major agenda for European Union (EU). Through great efforts over years,a well-functioning mechanism has been established by EU's social health insurance and has been of global interest. It's believed that China's trans-provincial healthcare management can learn a lot from this mechanism. This study aims to provide experiences and reference to China's trans-provincial healthcare management by overview EU's mechanism for cross-border healthcare and then analyzing the differences between China and European Union in terms of object of management,authorization,service institutions,types of healthcare services,and reimbursement of medical insurance in different places. This study suggests that it's necessary for each province to officially introduce relevant policies in order to speed up and facilitate the establishment of trans-provincial healthcare management mech-anism. Moreover,to achieve orderly seeking medical treatment, health insurance agencies should be endowed with approval power to authorize patient trans-provincial application. Meanwhile, the network of health institutions which are entitled to provide services to trans-provincial patients should be expanded. Along with such expansion,and given the lack of understanding on behaviors of health institutions in different provinces for a specific local health insurance agency,it's required that national trans-provincial healthcare management system should take an active role in putting such health institutions under supervision.
ABSTRACT
Objective To compare the medical expenditure and its trend for diabetes mellitus and non-diabetes mellitus and to assess the direct economic burden of diabetes for individuals and families.Methods Using data from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS),propensity scores matching (PSM) was used to match diabetes mellitus and non-diabetes mellitus according to the related characteristic variables.Data from 679 pairs of objects was then compared.Results From 2000 to 2009,gaps of annual medical expenditure from diabetes mellitus and non-diabetes mellitus showed an increase,from 3361.93 to 6608.48 Yuan,with the ratios of medical expenditure about 4 times.The ratios of personal economic burden and family economic burden had an increase of about 4-5 times.Conclusion Compared with non-diabetes mellitus,the annual medical expenses was significantly higher among patients with diabetes mellitus.The absolute cost appeared a dramatic increase,along with the personal and familiar economic burden.