Evaluation of diagnostic performance of a rapid antigen test in diagnosing COVID-19

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is our time's major global health crisis and the greatest health challenge. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) is the gold standard technique for diagnosis of symptomatic cases and asymptomatic carriers. By 2020, antigen rapid tests have been approved for use in Covid-19 testing by regulatory bodies all over the world owing to their benefits as they are rapid and cost effective. This work aimed to determine the diagnostic sensitivity and accuracy of the SARS-CoV-2 rapid antigen test in the detection of SARS-CoV-2 infection compared to RT-PCR data. The study included 111 symptomatic COVID-19 patients and 20 control subjects. Of the 111 study patients, 91 patients (81.98%) were positive by RT-PCR and 20 patients negative. The BIOZEK antigen COVID-19 Ag rapid test device was evaluated using sera from the 111 symptomatic COVID-19 patients. Of the 91 RT-PCR positive patients, 81 (90.1%) were positive by the antigen rapid diagnostic test (Ag-RDT). The control subjects were negative by both tests. The overall sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV, and accuracy of the Ag-RDT were 91.11%, 100%, 100%, 68.9%, and 91.8%, respectively and these increased as the level of viremia increased. In conclusion, the used Ag-RDT showed high sensitivity and accuracy for detecting of a SARS-CoV-2 infection, especially when the viral load was high. However, the test lacks sensitivity particularly in those with low viral load. Copyright© by the Egyptian Association of Immunologists.

Design and Development Integrated Sensor System for Measuring Body Temperature and Heart Rate

Heart rate and body temperature are some of the important components of a person's main vital signs that need to be monitored regularly and periodically. The detection system technology continues to develop which allows a person to detect his own condition, to avoid exposure to COVID-19. However, the tools that are developing in the market are quite expensive and sometimes complex in operation because they are external products, so that it becomes a difficulty in itself. For this reason, it is important to design a detection device with sensor components that exist in the country and with a simple design so that it is easy to operate and inexpensive. In this paper, utilizing pulse sensors and AD8232 sensors to detect heart rate and MLX90614 sensors to measure body temperature, then NodeMCU ESP8266 to process sensor signals received and will be forwarded to the Display (LCD) to display the results carry out the design and development of an integrated sensor system. From the research results, the accuracy of the MLX90614 temperature sensor is very good with the achievement of 99.24% and the pulse sensor with the achievement of 98.86%. For the test results on each sample obtained accuracy values of 98.4% and 99% for the temperature sensor, and 92.3% and 92.2% for the pulse sensor, respectively. From these results, it is very clear that the sensor design deserves to be promoted as a quality product. © 2022 IEEE.

De lo Real y de la obediencia

Hemos visto algunas reacciones al agujero en el saber que produjo la aparición de lo Real del sars-cov-2. Esa falta de saber define lo traumático para el sujeto, que ocasiona desde estupor hasta desmentidos de lo Real, estallidos de goce, proliferación de sentido, paranoia y creencia en lo oculto. Los científicos intentan traducir lo Real del virus, pues la ciencia carece de ese saber y el modelo neoliberal propicia las zoonosis. La otra reacción del sujeto a lo Real es la angustia y es allí donde el psicoanálisis puede ubicar cierta obediencia.Alternate : Vimos algumas reações ao buraco no conhecimento que o aparecimento do Real do SARS-CoV-2 produziu. Esse desconhecimento define o que é traumático para o sujeito, o que provoca desde o estupor até a negação do Real, explosões de gozo, proliferação de sentido, paranóia e crença no oculto. Os cientistas tentam traduzir o real do vírus, porque a ciência carece desse conhecimento e o modelo neoliberal promove zoonoses. A outra reação do sujeito ao Real é a angústia e é aí que a psicanálise pode localizar uma certa obediência.Alternate : We have seen some reactions to the hole in knowledge produced by the appearance of the Real of sars-cov-2. This lack of knowledge defines the traumatic for the subject, which causes from stupor to denials of the Real, explosions of jouissance, proliferation of meaning, paranoia and belief in the occult. Scientists try to translate the Real of the virus, because science lacks this knowledge and the neoliberal model favors zoonoses. The other reaction of the subject to the Real is anguish and it is there where psychoanalysis can locate a certain obedience.