BioMed research international
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Knowledge of the sensitivities of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) antibody tests beyond 35 days after the clinical onset of COVID-19 is insufficient. We aimed to describe positivity rate of SARS-CoV-2 assays employing three different measurement principles over a prolonged period. Two hundred sixty-eight samples from 180 symptomatic patients with COVID-19 and a reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test followed by serological investigation of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies were included. ⋯ The confirmation of negative results using an orthogonal algorithm with another assay provided lower NPVs than the single assays. When interpreting results from SARS-CoV-2 tests, the pretest probability, time of blood draw, and assay characteristics must be carefully considered. An orthogonal testing approach increases the accuracy of positive, but not negative, predictions.
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Comparative Study
Comparison of Chemical Composition and Bioactivities of Essential Oils from Fresh and Dry Rhizomes of Zingiber zerumbet (L.) Smith.
The chemical constituents and the antioxidant, antimicrobial, and cytotoxic activities of fresh rhizome essential oil (FR-EO) and dry rhizome essential oil (DR-EO) of Zingiber zerumbet (L.) Smith obtained from Southwest China were compared. Zerumbone was the predominant component in both FR-EO and DR-EO (75.0% and 41.9%, respectively). FR-EO, DR-EO, and zerumbone were all demonstrated to have significant antimicrobial capacity against Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, and Proteus vulgaris, with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) ranging from 31.25 to 156.25 μg/mL and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) ranging from 62.50 to 625.00 μg/mL. ⋯ However, FR-EO, DR-EO, and zerumbone all exhibited weak free-radical-scavenging activity according to DPPH and ABTS analysis. The findings highlighted in this study show that FR-EO provides appreciably higher content of the bioactive compound, zerumbone, and has higher antimicrobial and cytotoxic properties than DR-EO. Thus, fresh Z. zerumbet rhizome should be preferred in cosmetic, food, and pharmaceutical applications.
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To investigate the value of coagulation indicators D-dimer (DD), prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), thrombin time (TT), and fibrinogen (Fg) in predicting the severity and prognosis of COVID-19. ⋯ Coagulation dysfunction is more likely to occur in severe and critically ill patients. DD and PT could be used as the significant indicators in predicting the mortality of COVID-19.
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To evaluate the efficacy of immuno-oncology combinational therapy (IOCT) versus monotherapy with programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) or PD-ligand 1 (PD-L1) inhibitors or conventional therapies, i.e., non-IOCT, in patients with advanced solid tumors. ⋯ IOCT is a preferable treatment option over PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor monotherapy and conventional therapy for patients with advanced solid tumors. However, we should note the increased incidence rate of high-grade AEs in IOCT.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Efficacy of Combination Therapies on Neck Pain and Muscle Tenderness in Male Patients with Upper Trapezius Active Myofascial Trigger Points.
Myofascial pain syndrome, thought to be the main cause of neck pain and shoulder muscle tenderness in the working population, is characterized by myofascial trigger points (MTrPs). This study aimed to examine the immediate and short-term effect of the combination of two therapeutic techniques for improving neck pain and muscle tenderness in male patients with upper trapezius active MTrPs. This study was a pretest-posttest single-blinded randomized controlled trial. ⋯ The intergroup analysis revealed significant differences among groups A, B, and C in VAS and PPT at Po (VAS-Po: F = 13.88, p=0.0001; PPT-Po: F = 17.17, p=0.0001) and even after 2 weeks of follow-up (VAS-Fo: F = 222.35, p=0.0001; PPT-Fo: F = 147.70, p=0.0001). Cohen's d revealed a significant treatment effect size within all groups except group C (only significant for VAS-Po-VAS-Pr: mean difference = 1.33, p < 0.05, d = 1.09); however, it showed a maximum effect size in group A for its variables (VAS-Fo-VAS-Pr: mean difference = 5.27, p=0.01, d = 4.04; PPT-Fo-PPT-Pr: mean difference = 2.14, p < 0.01, d = 3.89). Combination therapies (MET plus ICT) showed immediate and short-term (2-week follow-up) improvements in neck pain and muscle tenderness in male patients with upper trapezius active MTrPs.