Assessment of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) Preparing Hygienic Condition in the Blood Donation Centers during the Outbreak of COVID-19

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak has led to an alteration in hygienic conditions. In this situation, improving standard operating procedures (SOPs) in blood donation centers is critical. The purpose of this study was the assessment of SOPs in the blood donation centers during the outbreak of COVID-19 by regular blood donors as external audits. Materials and Methods: Regular donors were selected as external inspectors in 31 provinces of Iran. The questionnaire containing 10 closed questions was provided to assess the hygienic SOPs of blood transfusion centers in the prevention of COVID-19 transmission. Comparison and evaluation of questionnaires were conducted by assigning an importance coefficient (IC) score to each question. Results: Assessment of SOPs in blood donation departments by regular donors in 31 provinces of Iran showed that 18 centers (58.1%) received IC scores >10(Strong performance), seven centers (22.6%) received the range of IC scores between7-10(acceptable performance), and six centers (19.4%) received IC scores <7(poor performance). The difference in IC scores between provinces was not statistically significant. Conclusion: This study confirms that the assessment of blood donation centers through regular blood donor inspection is a reliable method to identify the strengths and weaknesses of blood transfusion center services and ultimately leads to corrective intervention and improvement of hygienic SOPs to prevent COVID-19 transmission.

Effective detection and quantification of dietetically absorbed plant microRNAs in human plasma

The detection of exogenous plant microRNAs in human/animal plasma/sera lies at the foundation of exploring their cross-kingdom regulatory functions. It is necessary to establish a standard operation procedure to promote study in this nascent field. In this study, 18 plant miRNAs were assessed in watermelon juice and mixed fruits by quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). CT values, no-template controls and standard curves for each miRNA were used to evaluate the specificity and sensitivity of qRT-PCR and to obtain concentrations. Sixteen miRNAs were selected and measured in human plasma from volunteers after drinking juice. The CT values of 6 plant miRNAs in human plasma fell outside the linear ranges of their standard curves. The remaining 10 miRNAs were present at high basal levels, and 6 of them showed a dynamic physiological pattern in plasma (absorption rates of 0.04% to 1.31%). Northern blotting was used to confirm the qRT-PCR results. Critical issues such as RNA extraction and internal controls were also addressed.