Medical Laboratory Observer articles from October 2007

Medical Laboratory Observer archives from October 2007

The fall comes in on little cat feet.(From the editor)
October 1, 2007... Autumn--my favorite season--comes to me on cat's paws, moves into the space between my ears in mid-September, and gets into my heart sometime about now. All year I ache for the nippy morning air, the smell of burning leaves, and the colors that...

Shiftin' the blame?(Readers respond)(Letter to the editor)
October 1, 2007... I have just received the August 2007 MLO, and I must take issue with the comments Angela C. Brin, CLS (NCA), MT(HHS), made concerning her third-shift stereotype comments [Letters to the editor, "Third-shift stereotype?" on p. 7]. I am entering...

Loyalty, truth, integrity, and quality.(Readers respond)(Letter to the editor)
October 1, 2007... Dr. Statland's article, "Ethics: a code for the laboratory" in the August 2007 issue [p. 10] of MLO was absolutely superb. There is no question that the important factors in the laboratory of loyalty, truth, integrity, and quality are most...

The ongoing experiment.(Readers respond)(Letter to the editor)(Report)
October 1, 2007... Clinical Laboratories of Hawaii has 15 hospital laboratory sites, 60 patient service centers, and over 900 employees located throughout the state. We have been extensively tracking spurious high potassium values on our patients for seven years....

Outbreaks strengthen.(Infectious diseases)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... Infectious diseases are spreading and mutating at what the World Health Organization (WHO) calls an "unprecedented rate," and they are becoming increasingly difficult to treat. Nearly 40 new infectious diseases today were unknown a generation...

FDA approves second WNV screening test for donated blood/organs.(Tests)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... In late August, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced approval of a second test for the detection of West Nile virus (WNV) in blood and organs. Approval came just as the FDA is preparing guidance on the use of licensed WNV...

India steps up HIV drive.(HIV/AIDS)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... Reuters reports in late July that India, a nation with the third highest HIV caseload in the world, aims to supply pediatric HIV-combative drugs to tens of thousands of mothers and children in an effort to stop the transmission of the virus to...

Conferences.(The Observatory)(Brief article)(Calendar)
October 1, 2007... * Oct 20-23. The AABB (American Association of Blood Banks) hosts its annual meeting and TXPO in Anaheim, CA, and offers more than 130 education sessions, networking venues, and exhibits featuring the latest in products and services. Timely...

The use of heparin in preparing samples for blood-gas analysis.
October 1, 2007... CONTINUING EDUCATION To earn CEUs, see test on page 22. LEARNING OBJECTIVES Upon completion of this article the reader will be able: 1. To learn about the structure of the heparin molecule. 2. To understand how heparin...

Tandem dyes for flow cytometry: can we overcome quality concerns?(CLINICAL ISSUES)
October 1, 2007... Multicolor analysis is an important tool used in the identification and investigation of cellular subpopulations. Many of the most common immunophenotyping tests involve analyzing multiple parameters. The additional parameters needed to perform...

Pandemic flu update: are you ready?(LAB MANAGEMENT)
October 1, 2007... In the last year, the threat of a possible new influenza pandemic has largely disappeared from the news--but the H5N1 virus that made that news has not. In fact, despite its disappearance from the headlines, the virus continues to kill both...

Ed Michael on Abbott: then and now.(Executive snapshot)(Company overview)
October 1, 2007... Watershed moments. In 1985, I joined Abbott, a successful, broad-based healthcare company; and 22 years later, we still are. Dramatic changes have reshaped the company. Our sharpened focus on innovation-driven businesses means we are a much...

Veterinary laboratory testing: a viable alternative?(EDUCATION)
October 1, 2007... On the surface, the veterinary clinical-laboratory industry looks very much like that of its human counterpart. Two giant national corporations with regional laboratories strategically located across the United States control the lion's share...

Inside transplant immunology.(SPECIAL FEATURE: ORGAN TRANSPLANT ISSUES)
October 1, 2007... With over 96,000 Americans on the waiting list for an organ transplant, physicians and laboratory scientists associated with transplantation fill a vital role in today's healthcare environment. Much attention is often placed on the...

Longer work hours; no compensation.(Addressing management issues.)
October 1, 2007... Q As a chemistry supervisor in a large private laboratory where we are always working short-handed, I am being asked to fill in for people who "call in." I am finding myself often working 60 to 65 hours a week without extra pay or compensatory...

Employee retention during lab sale.(Addreesing management issues)
October 1, 2007... Q We need ideas on how to retain staff during the merger of our laboratory. The sale has been announced but will not take place for eight months. People are leaving, as they do not know what to expect of the new owners. What, if anything, can...

Reporting clotted body fluids.(Answering your questions)
October 1, 2007... Q We are questioning our process of saying RBC and WBC are present or absent and reporting the differential. Some feel this differential is invalid because there is no way to measure what it contained in the clot. What is the correct way, if...

Who should initiate a transfusion-reaction investigation?(Answering your questions)(Disease/Disorder overview)
October 1, 2007... Q Our lab policy states whenever a transfusion reaction is suspected, the remaining blood products should be sent back to the laboratory for transfusion-reaction work-up. Recently, when a patient developed fever signs and symptoms during...

Hematocrit pre-analytical errors.(Answering your questions)
October 1, 2007... Q We have several physicians who are questioning hematocrit results. We checked the post-analytical results, and they are acceptable, ranging from 25% to 27%, to 26% to 24% on the same patient. The results are from venipuncture samples taken at...

Accepting gifts in the workplace.(Liability and the lab)
October 1, 2007... Q My supervisor's daughter recently received a new video iPod from the company that has the service contract for our hematology lab equipment. The supervisor defends accepting it, saying that she has worked closely with this particular...

Wasted products decrease with RFID.(BLOOD BANK EXTRA)(Radio Frequency Identification Device)
October 1, 2007... Medical Center of Piano (TX) Laboratory, this year's second runner-up in the MLO Medical Lab of the Year, recently implemented a hospital-wide radio frequency identification device (RFID) system, for about 3,000 pieces of mobile patient...

CLIAC welcomes new members; covers broad agenda.(CLIAC update)(Clinical Laboratory Improvement Advisory Committee )
October 1, 2007... The Clinical Laboratory Improvement Advisory Committee (CLIAC) met at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) Tom Harkin Global Communications Center in Atlanta on Sept. 5-6. The CDC campus has evolved and is still growing into...

Top quality for medium-size labs.(Product focus: Chemistry, hematology, and immunoassay analyzers)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... The Excell 22 hematology analyzer provides top-quality performance to medium-size laboratories at a reasonable price. It features a user-friendly interface, 22 parameters, two scattergrams, two histograms, proprietary laser technology,...

Simplified sampling process.(Product focus: Chemistry, hematology, and immunoassay analyzers)
October 1, 2007... The Pentra 400 clinical chemistry system features a sleek design with a benchtop footprint targeted for low-to-moderate volume labs, and as a backup alternative for high-volume esoteric testing. Delivering simplified QC and patient data...

Highest first-pass acceptance.(Product focus: Chemistry, hematology, and immunoassay analyzers)
October 1, 2007... The CELL-DYN Ruby hematology analyzer is now a smaller, fully featured system that has a patented, all-optical technology referred to as MAPSS (multi-angle-polarized scatter separation), which sets an industry standard for the highest...

Small footprint, big difference.(Product focus: Chemistry, hematology, and immunoassay analyzers)
October 1, 2007... With a footprint of less than four feet, the small but powerful XS-1000i offers CBC and S-part differential in an advanced hematology workstation. The equipment provides rapid, reliable test results from small samples for assistance in patient...

Convenient closed system.(Product focus: Chemistry, hematology, and immunoassay analyzers)
October 1, 2007... The ESR-100 100-position, high-capacity ESR analyzer is designed for labs that run over 100 samples daily. The closed-system instrument accurately and precisely measures the sedimentation rate of erythrocyte in 2.0-mL ESR-vacuum tubes. Results...

Optimize efficiency.(Product focus: Chemistry, hematology, and immunoassay analyzers)
October 1, 2007... The cobas e411 analyzer is part of this company's immunoassay (IA) portfolio and is an ideal solution for the low- to mid-volume immunoassay market. It optimizes operational efficiency by combining fast turnaround time and ease of use with...

Fast results.(Industry spotlight)
October 1, 2007... The GAP (Gastritis and Peptic Ulcer) Test is an ELISA test used to detect antibodies specific to the Helicobacter pylori (H pylori), a recognized agent in the etiology of Type B gastric and peptic ulcers in humans. The GAP test provides results...

Accurate readings.(Industry spotlight)
October 1, 2007... The Exact-Temp thermometer stays inside the refrigerator, incubator, or freezer, while the digital display stays outside, eliminating opening the door to take daily temperature readings. The probe is in a plastic bottle with an insulating...

One-step cleaning.(Industry spotlight)
October 1, 2007... Clean, disinfect, and deodorize in one step using alcohol-based EPA-registered disinfectant that kills up to 99% of all viruses, bacteria, and fungus including hepatitis A, B, and C, MRSA, salmonella, herpes, rotavirus, and HIV-1. The product...

Contamination free.(Industry spotlight)
October 1, 2007... These two new Laminar flow workstations are dust- and particle-free work areas for sensitive testing. They do not produce any by-products that can contaminate workers or production areas. These specialty workbenches are offered to hospital labs...

Safe, legal shipments.(Industry spotlight)
October 1, 2007... The STP 250 Ambient Diagnostic Shipper offers large capacity and is certified to hold up to four 2-inch grid boxes, the correct size for the standard air waybill pouch. Made for shipping diagnostic specimens and biological products, it contains...

Extra coverage.(Industry spotlight)
October 1, 2007... The new Rel.i Extended Warranty Program offers continued coverage for freezers, refrigerators, plasma thawing systems, platelet incubators, and platelet agitators made by this company, with flexible plans for any budget or lab size. The program...

Zero tolerance.(Industry spotlight)
October 1, 2007... The Zero Tolerance Policy, offered by this manufacturer of precision weights, and provider of calibration services, announces this new service. Send precision weights for recalibration, and if a calibration weight is out of tolerance, the...

Instant security.(Industry spotlight)
October 1, 2007... The new 8200/V/HTlabel was specifically developed to survive -80[degrees]C and maintain sample security. These labels ensure that contents remain secure and intact, whether from point of collection to the sample-analysis stage, or during...

Liquid, bi-level control.(Industry spotlight)
October 1, 2007... Liquichek Spinal Fluid Control with oligoclonal banding is a liquid, bi-level product designed to monitor the performance of automated and manual procedures for the analysis of proteins and other critical analytes assayed in cerebrospinal...

First FDA-cleared kit.(Industry spotlight)
October 1, 2007... The first FDA clearance has been granted to the HYDRAGEL A1AT Isofocusing kit for the qualitative detection and identification of different phenotypes of A1AT. Phenotyping results, in conjunction with clinical findings and other assays, aid in...

Quick and accurate.(Industry spotlight)
October 1, 2007... The LIASON VZV IgG assay is the first fully automated, chemiluminescent immunoassay that can determine if a varicellazoster infection had previously occurred, allowing quick and accurate identification for individuals, and can also quickly and...

Many options.(Industry spotlight)
October 1, 2007... A user-friendly, lab-useful website featuring a new intuitive linking system, easy access to antibodies, datasheets and products, and multiple navigational options to various sections: news, events, products, technical support, ordering, and...

Dedicated to platelets.(Industry spotlight)
October 1, 2007... The PDQ platelet function centrifuge is dedicated solely to the standardization of platelet-sample preparation, and reduces processing time to five minutes. Platelet-rich plasma is available in just 30 seconds, platelet-poor plasma in 120...

Save time.(Industry spotlight)
October 1, 2007... A simple lipoprotein test for fully automated clinical chemistry analyzers for the quantitative detection of sd LDL cholesterol is available. The direct sd LDL measurement saves time and labor costs, gives quantitative sd LDL values that will...

Online resource.(Industry spotlight)
October 1, 2007... A new online scientific, educational, and clinical information resource called VITROS VITAL Topics has been launched. It offers programming of relevance to the clinical lab on a broad spectrum of subjects including disease-state treatment,...

Safety cabinet.(Industry spotlight)
October 1, 2007... The new 1300 Series A2 Class II biological safety cabinet offers high levels of safety and reliability with significantly improved energy efficiency, simpler operation, and less maintenance than traditional cabinets. The front window drops...

Save antibodies.(Industry spotlight)
October 1, 2007... Reduce expensive antibody use with these new incubating trays. Filters are incubated in the Western blot process using an optimally sized tray that matches the filter's size. Trays are available in both single-and multiple-lane sizes, with...

One-hour TAT.(Industry spotlight)
October 1, 2007... A new B burgdorferi (Lyme) ELISA kit demonstrates 98% specificity in an average population. It is a very sensitive assay and distinguishes between true infections and vaccination response, and is sensitive in detection of antibodies in early...

Reduce fatigue.(Industry spotlight)
October 1, 2007... Tile-Top Spongecote heavy-duty rubber anti-fatigue mats have a buoyant sponge rubber base that reduces back and leg stress from standing for long periods of time. Mats are exceptionally durable in heavy-wear conditions, 1/2" thick with beveled...

Speedy reference.(Industry spotlight)
October 1, 2007... The Quick Guide to Hematology Testing is a speedy reference for anyone who orders, performs, or interprets laboratory tests, including CBC, bone-marrow biopsy, flow cytometry, cytogenetics, and molecular techniques. The pocket-size Guide...

Rapid detection.(Industry spotlight)
October 1, 2007... The BioStar OIA CdTOX AB immunoassay test for the rapid qualitative detection of Clostridium difficile Toxins A and/or B in human fecal samples provides positive or negative results in just 10 minutes, providing a significant advantage over EIA...

Why dilute?(Industry spotlight)
October 1, 2007... The new Solo-VPE variable pathlength extension enables UV/Vis measurements of varying solution concentrations without the need for dilutions. The closed-loop system dynamically changes the measurement pathlength based upon user-specified...

Customized labels.(Industry spotlight)
October 1, 2007... The Label Morphor II is part of a Web-based label-management solution designed to network label printing and design. It enables companies with multiple labs to store all labels in one location, yet have access and print them from multiple...

Monitor progress.(Industry spotlight)
October 1, 2007... The MESO-MARK Assay, the world's first in vitro test for monitoring mesothelioma, a form of cancer linked to asbestos exposure. Enables physicians to monitor the progress of patients diagnosed with mesothelioma, and determine appropriate...

Easy and compact.(Industry spotlight)
October 1, 2007... The Model KS-0050 clinical digital refractometer has a five-year warranty and two ranges to measure urine specific gravity and serum protein. The unit is hand held, weighing only 4.8 oz. and measures a compact 5-5/8"x 2-3/8"x 2-3/8". The unit...

Complete blood-bank automation.(Industry spotlight)
October 1, 2007... A blood-bank automation software PowerRANK Enterprise Edition is a powerful solution new for automation the functions of a hospital's blood bank and is a component of the company's Sunrise Laboratory, an LIS that helps increase productivity and...

Merger of in vivo and in vitro diagnostics: a new paradigm.(Washington report)
October 1, 2007... In the past several decades, major trends have significantly changed the in vitro diagnostic (IVD) industry and shaped the practice of laboratory medicine. These trends started with the development of walkaway testing platforms for all major...