Scan to discover online Background & Objective: A simple approach to prevent close contact in healthcare settings during the COVID-19 outbreak is to train patients to collect their own nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swabs and deliver them to medical laboratories to have them processed. The aim of our study was to compare lab technician-with patientcollected oropharyngeal and nasopharyngeal samples for detection of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID 19) using rapid real-time polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR). Methods: Fifty adult patients with flu-like symptoms and radiologic findings compatible with atypical pneumonia who were admitted to the infectious diseases ward of Imam Khomeini Hospital Complex, Tehran, Iran, with a clinical diagnosis of COVID-19 from February 28 to April 27 of 2020 were randomly selected and entered in our study. Two sets of naso-and oropharyngeal swabs were collected, one set by a lab technician and the other by the patients, and the COVID-19 rRT-PCR test was performed. Results: Of 50 selected cases, in seven patients all collected naso-and oropharyngeal swabs tested positive, and in 22 patients all samples tested negative for COVID-19 in rRT-PCR. Discrepancies between rRT-PCR results of lab technician-and patientcollected swabs were observed in 12 nasopharyngeal and 13 oropharyngeal specimens. Positive lab technician-collected and negative patient-collected samples were observed in 10 and 5 nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal specimens, respectively. Negative lab technician-collected and positive patient-collected samples were observed in two and seven nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal specimens, respectively. The overall percentage of agreement among both nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swabs taken by a lab technician and patients was 76% with a kappa value of 0.49 (P=0.001). Conclusion: Based on our findings, lab technician-collected naso-and oropharyngeal swabs cannot be replaced by patient-collected ones with regard to COVID-19 rRT-PCR.

Introduction: The introduction of a self-collection sampling method with less discomfort would be of great benefit in reducing the risk of medical provider's contamination and patient's acceptance. The aim of the present study was to investigate saliva samples' diagnostic performance for the COVID-19 RT-PCR test compared to pharyngeal swabs. Methodology: From individuals referred to a medical center with presentations compatible with COVID-19 who were eligible for molecular diagnostic tests, 80 cases were selected. Nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swabs (placed into the same transport tube) along with self-collected saliva sample were taken from each participant for COVID-19 RT-PCR assay. The results of pharyngeal swabs and saliva sample were compared. Results: Sixty-two (78%) infected cases were detected, of whom 31 (39%) cases tested positive for both pharyngeal swab and saliva samples. 24 (30%) and 7 (9%) cases tested positive only for pharyngeal or saliva samples, respectively. The overall percentage of agreement between pharyngeal swab and saliva sample was 61%, with a kappa value of 0.24 (p-value = 0.019, 95% CI: 0.04-0.44), showing a fair level of agreement. The diagnostic sensitivity of pharyngeal swabs was 88.71% (95% CI: 78.11-95.34), and the diagnostic sensitivity of saliva samples was 61.29% (95% CI: 48.07-73.40). Compared to pharyngeal swabs (oropharyngeal and nasopharyngeal swabs in the same collection tube), an important observation was that seven more positive cases were detected among saliva samples. Conclusions: The findings of the present study indicated that self-collected saliva samples cannot replace pharyngeal swabs. Still, saliva samples significantly increased the case detection rate and can be used along with pharyngeal swabs.

Abstract-This paper briefly illustrates the application of Building Energy Consumption Simulation (BECS) for sustainable construction education. The curricula of building-related majors have not greatly taken advantage of simulated environments as supplementary tools besides traditional methods. The main purpose of the research project was to determine how a simulation application can be used in a construction curriculum. In order to apply energy consumption optimization in a construction project, there are various suggestions and guidelines that should be carefully incorporated in design and construction phases. BECS is a simulation application that navigates construction students through a set of pre-defined stages and provides necessary information accordingly. BECS puts students in a role of a designer and requires them first to specify the main properties of the construction project such as location, total area, height, orientation, shape, function, and number of levels; and then, interactively specify the characteristics of a building element or construction method in each stage of simulation. The diversity of students' responses were portrayed by 3D avatars accompanied with related calculations and corresponding criteria. Each stage iterates until design and details are satisfactory. The final result, depicting construction details, is shown at the end based on each students design process in accordance with sustainable construction criteria. This study aimed to investigate the effect of using simulation on participants' perceptions of simulation on learning sustainable construction concepts. BECS was tested by a group of 42 undergraduate students in fall 2015. A quantitative method was used in this research. The data retrieved from a retrospective pre and post-test survey were clustered into three main categories. These categories represent sustainable construction contents provided in BECS. A t test was performed to show any statistical difference between pre and post situations. The results support development of more sustainable construction simulation applications and indicate BECS is an effective tool for sustainable construction education.