Performance of a point of care test for detecting IgM and IgG antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 and seroprevalence in blood donors and health care workers in Panama

Novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the etiologic agent of the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, which has reached 28 million cases worldwide in eight months. The serological detection of antibodies against the virus will play a pivotal role in complementing molecular tests to improve diagnostic accuracy, contact tracing, vaccine efficacy testing and seroprevalence surveillance. Here, we aimed first to evaluate a lateral flow assays ability to identify specific IgM and IgG antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 and second, to report the seroprevalence of these antibodies among health care workers and healthy volunteer blood donors in Panama. We recruited study participants between April 30th and July 7th, 2020. For the test validation and performance evaluation, we analyzed serum samples from participants with clinical symptoms and confirmed positive RT-PCR for SARS-CoV-2, participants with other confirmed infectious diseases, and a set of pre-pandemic serum samples. We used two by two table analysis to determine the test sensitivity and specificity as well as the kappa agreement value with a 95% confidence interval. Then, we used the lateral flow assay to determine seroprevalence among serum samples from COVID-19 patients, potentially exposed health care workers, and healthy volunteer donors. Our results show this assay reached a positive percent agreement of 97.2% (95% CI 84.2-100.0%) for detecting both IgM and IgG. The assay showed a kappa of 0.898 (95%CI 0.811-0.985) and 0.918 (95% CI 0.839-0.997) for IgM and IgG, respectively. The evaluation of serum samples from hospitalized COVID-19 patients indicates a correlation between test sensitivity and the number of days since symptom onset; the highest positive percent agreement (87% (95% CI 67.0-96.3%)) was observed at [≥]15 days post-symptom onset. We found an overall antibody seroprevalence of 11.6% (95% CI 8.5-15.8%) among both health care workers and healthy blood donors. Our findings suggest this lateral flow assay could contribute significantly to implementing seroprevalence testing in locations with active community transmission of SARS-CoV-2.

3D-CTA assisted anterolateral thigh lobulated perforator flap in repairing soft tissue defect of limb:11 cases report / 中华显微外科杂志

Objective To investigate the effectiveness of preoperative 3D-CTA in assisting the preparation of free thinned anterolateral thigh lobulated perforator flap with nerve in repairing soft tissue defect of limb. Methods Between February, 2010 and May, 2018, free super-thin anterolateral thigh lobulated perforator flap with nerve was transferred to repair soft tissue defect of limbs in 11 cases. There were 8 males and 3 females with an average age of 35 (range, 22-56) years.The defect area was 8.0 cm×11.0 cm-9.0 cm×23.0 cm. Preoperation CT scan of the free flap donor site was performed to obtain 3D images of the region with arterial blood supply by digital 3D reconstruction CT, and to determine the origin, direction, classification, length, diameter and the position of pedicle perforator.Postopera鄄tive regular followed-up was carried according to the Upper Limb Function Evaluation Trial Standards of Chinese Medical Association of Hand Surgery and Enneking Evaluation System. Results All 11 flaps survived. No vascular crisis happened.All 11 cases were followed-up for 3 to 12 (average, 5) months.The flaps were supple and elastic with near normal color.There was no bulkiness.Sensory function was recovered well and two point discrimination was 3.0-6.0 mm. According to the Upper Limb Function Evaluation of Upper Limb of Chinese Medical Association of Hand Surgery, the results were excellent in 1 case, good in 3 cases and fair in 1 case.The Enneking system was used to as鄄sesse the lower limbs recovery.The average score was 21, an average of 70% of limb function restored. Conclusion The free super-thin anterolateral thigh lobulated perforator flap with nerve offers advantages to the traditional antero鄄lateral thigh flap. The survived flaps are ideal in terms of covering limb defects and restoring functions. Preoperative 3D-CTA in the anterolateral thigh perforator flap transplantation is an accurate and useful method.It helps a safer and successful operation with optimal outcome.

3D-CTA assisted anterolateral thigh lobulated perforator flap in repairing soft tissue defect of limb: 11 cases report / 中华显微外科杂志

Objective@#To investigate the effectiveness of preoperative 3D-CTA in assisting the preparation of free thinned anterolateral thigh lobulated perforator flap with nerve in repairing soft tissue defect of limb.@*Methods@#Between February, 2010 and May, 2018, free super-thin anterolateral thigh lobulated perforator flap with nerve was transferred to repair soft tissue defect of limbs in 11 cases. There were 8 males and 3 females with an average age of 35 (range, 22-56) years. The defect area was 8.0 cm×11.0 cm-9.0 cm×23.0 cm. Preoperation CT scan of the free flap donor site was performed to obtain 3D images of the region with arterial blood supply by digital 3D reconstruction CT, and to determine the origin, direction, classification, length, diameter and the position of pedicle perforator. Postoperative regular followed-up was carried according to the Upper Limb Function Evaluation Trial Standards of Chinese Medical Association of Hand Surgery and Enneking Evaluation System.@*Results@#All 11 flaps survived. No vascular crisis happened. All 11 cases were followed-up for 3 to 12 (average, 5) months. The flaps were supple and elastic with near normal color. There was no bulkiness. Sensory function was recovered well and two point discrimination was 3.0-6.0 mm. According to the Upper Limb Function Evaluation of Upper Limb of Chinese Medical Association of Hand Surgery, the results were excellent in 1 case, good in 3 cases and fair in 1 case. The Enneking system was used to assesse the lower limbs recovery. The average score was 21, an average of 70% of limb function restored.@*Conclusion@#The free super-thin anterolateral thigh lobulated perforator flap with nerve offers advantages to the traditional anterolateral thigh flap. The survived flaps are ideal in terms of covering limb defects and restoring functions. Preoperative 3D-CTA in the anterolateral thigh perforator flap transplantation is an accurate and useful method. It helps a safer and successful operation with optimal outcome.

Fibular head composite flap in repairing the bone and skin defect of radiocarpal joint / 中华整形外科杂志

Objective@#To investigate the therapeutic effect of fibular head composite flap in repairing the bone and skin defect of radiocarpal joint.@*Methods@#From Aug.2009 to Dec.2016, 9 cases with bone and skin defects at radiocarpal joint were reconstructed with fibular head composite flaps pedicled with lateral inferior genicular vascular bundle. The skin defect size was (3-7) cm×(5-10) cm.The joint function was assessed by the Gartland-Werley standard score.@*Results@#All 9 patients were followed up for 6 months to 3 years, with an average of 18 months.Primary wound healing was achieved in all cases without infection.Bony union of the transplanted fibular head was observed .The range of motion (ROM) of the wrist joint and forearm was assessed as following: the mean extension range of motion was 32.9° (range 29°-41°), flexion 24.5° (range 18°-33°), pronation 75° (range 56°-83°)and supination 65.4° (range 40°-78°). The average grip strength was 78% of that on the healthy side. Mayo wrist score was 85 on average, ranging from 58 to 91.By the Gartland-Werley standard score, the wrist function was rated as excellent in 3 case, good in 5 cases and fair in 1 case, with an excellent to good rate of 88.9%.All patients could cope with daily life and work, with good wrist stability and no motion-related pain.@*Conclusions@#The fibular head composite tissue flap has a good therapeutic effect in repairing the bone and skin defect of radiocarpal joint.

CLONING OF HUMAN ANGIOPOIETIN-1 GENE AND CONSTRUCTION OF ITS EUKARYOTIC AND PROKARYOTIC EXPRESSION VECTORS / 解放军医学杂志

Angiopoietin is a novel angiogenesis related molecule. To investigate its roles in tumor angiogenesis and metastasis,angiopoietin 1 gene was obtained from human placental tissue by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT PCR). The sense, antisense eukaryotic expression vector pcDNA3.1/hangiopoietin1(+), antisense eakaryotic expression vector pcDNA3.1/hangiopoietin1(-), and prokaryotic expression vector pRSETC hangiopoietin1 were successfully constructed by directional cloning the target gene into pcDNA3.1 V5 His C and pRSET C vectors, respectively. This lays good foundation for further study on the roles of angiopoietin 1 in angiogenesis in tumors of the digestive tract.