Medical Laboratory Observer articles from January 2006

Medical Laboratory Observer archives from January 2006

A toast-est for the most-est.(disaster victims medical assistance)(Editorial)
January 1, 2006... Over the holidays, I caught up by telephone with local friends who escaped my grasp throughout the year. One of my seasonal conversations was with a 30-year nursing veteran, concerned about her "better half" who has suffered long-term from...

Readers respond: one expert's opinion.(important role of laboratory professionals)(Editorial)
January 1, 2006... Just a note to express my enthusiasm for the very fine cover story by Sharon Miller and Julie Meeker on hereditary hemochromatosis published in the October 2005 issue (p. 10). I hope that it might be reprinted in journals that are read by...

Readers respond: more on blood-collection standards.(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2006... Please find enclosed the original manuscript entitled "Laboratory quality improvement by implementation of phlebotomy guidelines" (see below) as a response to the recent article "Coalition strives for phlebotomy personnel standards" (MLO...

Readers respond: laboratory quality improvement by implementation of phlebotomy guidelines.(Enhancement of the quality of laboratory standards)
January 1, 2006... Errors and quality of laboratory testing Laboratory testing is increasingly claimed as an integral part of clinical decision making and laboratory expenditure represents a substantial proportion of the total hospital care. The increased...

Rise in diseases associated with climate shift.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... Rise in diseases associated with climate shift. The World Health Organization recently estimated that the earth's warming climate over the last 30 years might have contributed to more than 150,000 deaths and 5 million illnesses annually. Warmer...

British man "cured" of AIDS?(Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... British man "cured" of AIDS? A 25-year-old Scot living in London agreed to undergo further clinical tests to determine how he became perhaps the first person to have overcome HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. Physicians for the British man...

H7N3 strain of pathogenic bird flu discovered.(infectious diseases)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... H7N3 strain of pathogenic bird flu discovered. In Taiwan, a highly pathogenic strain of the avian flu was discovered in the droppings of a migratory bird. The H7N3 strain can also infect humans as does the H5N1, which has already killed more...

University opens second bioterrorism lab.(infectious diseases)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... University opens second bioterrorism lab. The $10.6 million Margaret Batts Tobin Laboratory Building on the San Antonio campus of the University of Texas (UTSA) opened in November 2005. The 22,000-square-foot facility will accommodate UTSA...

Obesity drives needle changes.(infectious diseases)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... Obesity drives needle changes. A study, published as an abstract and presented orally at the Radiological Society of North America late last year, suggests that the growing epidemic of obesity means that many men and women are not getting the...

Genetic testing for celiac disease.
January 1, 2006... Celiac disease (CD) is a remarkably common immune-mediated disorder determined by both genetic risk [certain human leukocyte antigen (HLA) alleles] and one of the best characterized environmental triggers (gliadin) for any common autoimmune...

Tips for managing your POCT program.(point-of-care testing)
January 1, 2006... Managing point-of-care testing (POCT) is challenging. Unlike core-laboratory testing conducted by dedicated staff with formal laboratory education on a limited number of instruments, POCT is conducted in dozens of sites with hundreds of devices...

Interlaboratory surveys to assess performance: more than proficiency testing.(LAB MANAGEMENT)(Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene)
January 1, 2006... With the implementation of the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 (CLIA 88), proficiency testing (PT) programs assumed an even greater regulatory role than held previously. PT programs--initially provided for educational...

Bayer's Nosenzo talks business.(Executive snapshot)(Bayer HealthCare LLC.)(John Nosenzo)
January 1, 2006... Diagnostic trends on the horizon: As the clinical value of diagnostics advances, leading labs are transforming their operations. No longer simply a cost center, labs are becoming an integral part of patient care and they are subject to...

Beyond CSI: careers in forensic science.(crime scene investigation)
January 1, 2006... When Louisiana authorities hit a stone wall in their search for a serial killer, they turned to DNAPrint genomics. Its DNAWitness forensics technology was used in the analysis of the killer's DNA lifted from several crime scenes. Viewers of a...

Addressing management issues.(Management Q&A)
January 1, 2006... Coping with change Q I am a manager of two shifts, which consist of 18 employees. While I have asked all of them to let go of past problems and start fresh, some employees are having difficulty with this concept. These problems have been...

Answering your questions.(Tips from the clinical experts and the research about the laboratory diagnosis.)
January 1, 2006... Specific gravity on body fluids Q Our lab has received requests for specific gravity testing on body fluids (CSF, peritoneal). The research I have conducted on the refractometer available in urinalysis specifically states that this unit is...

One day in the life of a transfusion service.(SPECIAL FEATURE)(Samaritan Medical Center)
January 1, 2006... Since 1881, Samaritan Medical Center (SMC) has dedicated itself to meeting the diverse medical needs of northern New York. In 2006, we will celebrate its 125th anniversary. The hospital has grown from a five-bed institution (originally named...

Flow cytometry: quick and efficient.(FACSCanto Digital Flow Cytometer BD Biosciences)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... The new digital FACSCanto supports routing and complex clinical assays, securing quality data quickly and efficiently. FACSCanto supports a broad range of research applications, being particularly suited for rare-event analysis with its high...

Flow cytometry: safe with extended sample retention.(Product focus)
January 1, 2006... Cyto-Chex BCT, a direct-draw vacuum tube for the collection, transport, and retention of whole-blood samples for immunophenotyping by flow cytometry, contains a preservative reagent that maintains the integrity of white blood cells at room...

Flow cytometry: standardized and streamlined.(Product focus)
January 1, 2006... With the Integrated Cytometry Solution, the five steps of sample processing have been standardized and streamlined, and electronically linked for an integrated, seamless solution. This system manages e-communications between the LIS and each...

Diagnosis of rotavirus.(Rotavirus immunoassay)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... The ImmunoCard STAT Rotavirus immunoassay is a one-step, rapid in vitro qualitative procedure for the detection of rotavirus antigen in human stool. The test can be used to aid in the diagnosis of rotavirus-associated gastroenteritis. This easy...

Reference for med-tech pros.
January 1, 2006... Two CD-based reference collections for med-tech professionals are now available. The Fundamental Collection of 20 in-depth articles has information and guidance on device technology, management/maintenance of devices, troubleshooting,...

Adjustable tabletops.(Industry spotlight)
January 1, 2006... Series 6600 Adjustable Height Workstations address medical-device assembly application needs, and are adjustable by hand crank/motorized drive for users on different shifts/working with different size components/equipment. Featured accessories...

CLIA-waived drug screen.(Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments)
January 1, 2006... ToxCup Drug Screen Cup is a one-step test for the rapid detection of up to seven drugs of abuse, which integrates sample collection, drug testing, and shipping for confirmation in a single container. This CLIA-waived test cup detects abused...

Pipettor storage.(mechanical and electronic pipettors)
January 1, 2006... Keep counter space organized with the new Linear Stand that combines style and practicality to the safe storage of pipettors. The Linear Stand is designed for all of the company's mechanical and electronic pipettors. In addition, this skidproof...

Lab water system.(Industry spotlight)
January 1, 2006... The ARIES High Purity Water System provides up to 4.0 liters per minute of 18.2-megohm water. Quiet circulation pump ensures constant water purity. Quality meets/exceeds ASTM Type 1 water specs. Compact unit can be free-standing or...

Neonatal CF diagnosis.(cystic-fibrosis diagnosis)
January 1, 2006... The Nanoduct Neonatal Sweat Analysis system further simplifies the sweat test and delivers reliable cystic-fibrosis diagnosis in the first days of life. Designed to accommodate the tiny limbs of newborn infants, this completely integrated...

PT testing.(Industry spotlight)
January 1, 2006... The first dilute prothrombin time test kit, ACTICLOT dPT, complete with a high phospholipids reagent for confirmation of a positive dPT lupus anticoagulant (LA) screening test is now available. This test identifies LA patients who are not...

Spill-free dispensing.(Industry spotlight)
January 1, 2006... Eliminate spills when transferring urine from the collection cup to conical centrifuge tube with the Sip-P-Urine Dispensing Cup. A gentle squeeze of the cup releases urine slowly for controlled dispensing through an integrated spout that flips...

Extended alarms.(Industry spotlight)
January 1, 2006... New Remote Alarms extend device alarms to remote locations. The RA1 monitors one device/zone, while the RA4 monitors up to four devices/zones. Operational at distances up to 3,000 feet with audible/visual signals and adjustable volume. Small in...

Safe thawing.(Industry spotlight)
January 1, 2006... The Cryoprecipitate Bath, Model 9406, is safely and reliably thaws fresh frozen plasma for the recovery of cryoprecipitated antihemophilic factor. Easy to operate with only power switch and timer. Thawing temperature is preset at 4[degrees]C...

Smooth-running operation.(Industry spotlight)
January 1, 2006... New SD Series miniature ball screws for lab instrument applications (including syringe pumps and automated pipettes) features an internal recirculation design for quiet, smooth-running operation, dependable repeatability, and precise...

LIS enhancement.(Industry spotlight)
January 1, 2006... A new, value-added, Web-based e.lixa with e.orders and e.reports for clinical/AP, gives all labs a hosted outreach system. Use with LabWeb LIS/WindoPath or enhance any LIS. e-reports gives fast access to critical patient-care information....

P4P: hot buzzword to reality.(P4P,its the pay for performance which provides compensation for workers for their higher level of performance)
January 1, 2006... At best, it is a challenge to keep up with the hot buzzwords inside the Beltway, but diagnostic laboratories need to be aware of a current hot one: pay-for-performance, affectionately known as P4P. Clinical labs will be keenly affected as this...