1.Implementation of point-of-care platforms for rapid detection of porcine circovirus type 2
Chiao-Hsu KE ; Mao-Yuan DU ; Wang-Ju HSIEH ; Chiu-Chiao LIN ; James Mingjuh TING ; Ming-Tang CHIOU ; Chao-Nan LIN
Journal of Veterinary Science 2024;25(2):e28-
Background:
Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) infection is ubiquitous around the world.Diagnosis of the porcine circovirus-associated disease requires clinic-pathological elements together with the quantification of viral loads. Furthermore, given pig farms in regions lacking access to sufficient laboratory equipment, developing diagnostic devices with high accuracy, accessibility, and affordability is a necessity.
Objectives:
This study aims to investigate two newly developed diagnostic tools that may satisfy these criteria.
Methods:
We collected 250 specimens, including 170 PCV2-positive and 80 PCV2-negative samples. The standard diagnosis and cycle threshold (Ct) values were determined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Then, two point-of-care (POC) diagnostic platforms, convective polymerase chain reaction (cPCR, qualitative assay: positive or negative results are shown) and EZtargex (quantitative assay: Ct values are shown), were examined and analyzed.
Results:
The sensitivity and specificity of cPCR were 88.23% and 100%, respectively; the sensitivity and specificity of EZtargex were 87.65% and 100%, respectively. These assays also showed excellent concordance compared with the qPCR assay (κ = 0.828 for cPCR and κ = 0.820 for EZtargex). The statistical analysis showed a great diagnostic power of the EZtargex assay to discriminate between samples with different levels of positivity.
Conclusions
The two point-of-care diagnostic platforms are accurate, rapid, convenient and require little training for PCV2 diagnosis. These POC platforms can discriminate viral loads to predict the clinical status of the animals. The current study provided evidence that these diagnostics were applicable with high sensitivity and specificity in the diagnosis of PCV2 infection in the field.
2.Experience in Professional Resilience for Nurses Caring for Patients with COVID-19: A Qualitative Descriptive Study
Pai-En CHIU ; Shu-Chuan A. LIN ; Ya-Ping LI ; Chiao-Hsin HUANG ; Ying-Mei SHU ; Chi-Wen CHEN
Asian Nursing Research 2024;18(1):28-35
Purpose:
During the COVID-19 pandemic, nurses have faced many professional and ethical dilemmas and challenges along with bearing physical, mental, and emotional stress resulting from worrying about themselves or their family being infected and stigmatized. This stress can potentially lead to burnout and resignation. Professional resilience is crucial for nurses to cope with these adverse situations. This study aimed to investigate the process by which nurses adapt, change, and overcome challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic and ultimately demonstrate professional resilience.
Methods:
Descriptive phenomenology was applied. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 nurses working in COVID-19 wards and intensive care units to collect data. Giorgi's phenomenological analysis method was employed.
Results:
Based on the interview responses, four major themes were identified: 1) balancing patient care, self-protection, and passing on experience; 2) providing timely pandemic team resources and social support; 3) nurses' perseverance amid social discourse and constrained lives; and 4) selfless dedication shaping nursing's pinnacle experiences.
Conclusions
In the face of a sudden pandemic, frontline nurses play a critical role in maintaining medical capacity. Consequently, they must balance their families, lives, and work while adapting to the impact of the pandemic and changing practices and procedures based on the development of the pandemic and policy demands. The study findings provide insights into the challenges and emotional experiences encountered by nurses during a sudden pandemic outbreak and can serve as a reference for developing strategies to help nurses overcome these challenges and enhance their professional resilience.