Medical Laboratory Observer articles from September 2004

Medical Laboratory Observer archives from September 2004

Stay smart.(From the Editor)(Holiday Inn Express commercials)(Editorial)
September 1, 2004... According to its "Stay Smart" brand managers, the Effie-winning Holiday Inn Express commercials show ordinary people in extraordinary situations, exhibiting newly enhanced intelligence, skill, or artistic ability after a night at the hotel. Of...

New methods to measure chemical exposure released.(News)
September 1, 2004... New methods to measure chemical exposure released. The Journal of Analytical Toxicology released a July 28 special edition in collaboration with the CDC; the special journal issue is devoted to assessing human exposure to chemical agents,...

Telediagnosis helps labs identify malaria.(News)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Telediagnosis helps labs identify malaria. The World Health Organization reports that more than 1 million deaths from malaria occur annually, with 90% of these fatalities in sub-Saharan Africa. Malaria is rare in the United States, however, and...

Small World competition celebrates art of science.(Art of Science)
September 1, 2004... Small World Competition celebrates art of science. In late July, a collection of renowned scientists, researchers, and academics assembled at Nikon Instruments' United States headquarters in Long Island, NY, to judge the 30th Nikon...

Oct. 7-10. Pathology Today.(It's Showtime)
September 1, 2004... Oct. 7-10. Pathology Today. The 2004 American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) annual meeting will be held in San Antonio, TX. Workshops covering a broad range of topics will be presented by more than 115 internationally renowned experts...

Oct. 30-Nov. 2.(It's Showtime)
September 1, 2004... Oct. 30-Nov. 2. The American Society for Microbiology (ASM) will present the 44th Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (ICAAC) in Washington, DC. ICAAC is designed to meet the needs of healthcare professionals,...

Executive seminar series.(Education)
September 1, 2004... Executive seminar series. Lean thinking in laboratory management is the theme for Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics' Executive Seminar Series 2004 on Oct. 6 in Las Vegas. Learn how to achieve world-class performance in laboratory operations by...

POL symposium.(Education)(Physician's Office Laboratory)
September 1, 2004... POL symposium. The 19th annual Physician's Office Laboratory (POL) Symposium, Oct. 20-23, will be jointly sponsored by the University of Wisconsin Medical School and COLA in Baltimore, MD. The symposium offers more than 20 hours of CME, AAFP,...

WNV claims more lives.(Global Disease Update)(West Nile virus)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... WNV claims more lives. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report 689 human cases of West Nile virus (WNV) throughout 27 states as of Aug. 17; of the total 689 human cases of WNV, 253 cases have been classified as the more...

P.A.C.E. for new blood-management training.(Bloodwork)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... P.A.C.E. for new blood-management training. P.A.C.E. credits have been approved for training on Wyndgate Technologies donor and advanced transfusion-management systems. Wyndgate has also received approval to offer P.A.C.E. credits for its...

Cervical disease screening and detection: emerging techniques in molecular diagnostic assays.(Cover Story)
September 1, 2004... CONTINUING EDUCATION To earn CEUs, see test on page 18. LEARNING OBJECTIVES Upon completion of this article the reader will be able to: 1. Outline the current techniques available for the detection of cervical disease. 2....

Cytology information system helps improve patient care.(laboratories need to be aware of criminal charges for negligence)
September 1, 2004... While much diagnostic testing produces numbers or metrics from which a diagnosis is rendered, cytology--the study of exfoliated cells--requires that the cytotechnologist screens slides, determining if changes in the cells are consistent with a...

A chat with the good doctor: how can the lab support the physician in the allergy march?(Clinical Issues)
September 1, 2004... Primary-care physicians manage most allergy patients, but it is difficult for these clinicians to have comprehensive knowledge of the myriad laboratory tests available, which can ensure an appropriate diagnosis. Henry Homburger, MD, is a...

Part I: tumor markers from A to Z.(Clinical Issues)(tumor markers for cancer patients)
September 1, 2004... The applications of CA 15-3, CA 19-9, CA 27-29, CEA, the estrogen receptors, and HER2/neu are the focus of our continuing discussion of tumor markers and how assays have been used clinically to aid practicing physicians. Keep in mind that...

Correction.(Correction Notice)
September 1, 2004... In the "Introduction to Tumor Markers from A to Z" in MLO's August 2004 issue, the measurement (1*[10.sup.-9]m) should have read (1*[10.sup.-b]m). We apologize for any confusion this error caused.

Chemistry inventory-control software.(Answering Your Questions)
September 1, 2004... Q Is there a system that can organize reagents and supplies for the laboratory? We are looking for a way to bar code them as they arrive in and bar code them out when they are used, eliminating the need to do inventory. We would also like to...

RBCs in body fluids.(Answering Your Questions)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Q I have a question regarding cell counts on body fluids. Are there any fluids that do not require the red blood cell (RBC) count? How useful are they? A RBC counts are useful in peritoneal fluid, pleural fluid, pericardial fluid, synovial...

Building bridges one bar code at a time: laboratorians and nurses pursue patient ID system.(point-of-care testing)(failure mode effects analysis team)
September 1, 2004... Data management for point-of-care (POC) testing is designed to save time and money and to improve accurate posting of results to the patient chart. Many "puzzle pieces" must fit, working together to capture and interface POC data. In York, PA,...

ABX VP Jim Williams affirms perpetual growth mode.(Executive Forecast)(Interview)
September 1, 2004... Q What is the most significant change that has taken place within your company in the last few years? [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A As an international organization serving over 140 countries, Horiba-ABX is in a perpetual growth mode. With...

Analyze this.(Chemistry Systems/Analyzers)
September 1, 2004... Not only are blood, plasma, and serum chemistry important reflections of a patient's overall condition, but they also serve as valuable tools in the early detection/diagnosis of disease and in the assessment of a patient's response to...

Clarification.(Correction Notice)
September 1, 2004... In the August 2004 Product Focus feature on refrigerators and freezers entitled "Way cool," page 38, an incorrect photo was published. The photo below is the correct image of Biolab Systems' SL-LUR 6.1 General Purpose Lab Refrigerator that...

Staff disquietude.(Addressing Workplace Issues)(Interview)
September 1, 2004... Q Sometimes, it seems the entire staff is at odds with one another (i.e., who takes longer breaks, who is performing more tests, who is talking more than the next). Should management deal with this on a daily basis or just ignore it and...

New level of sectioning precision.(Industry Spotlight)
September 1, 2004... Specially designed for experienced users who prefer the feel of manual sectioning, the new, semi-automated RM 2245 offers a motorized specimen feed and a multitude of technological innovations and practical features that enhance safety,...

Auto chemiluminescent assays.(Industry Spotlight)
September 1, 2004... Offering the convenience of either fully automated or manual chemiluminescent technology, the new ACTIVEGLO range of assays, together with the LR-100 luminometer, provide clinicians greater precision and specificity. The comprehensive range...

High-quality slide prep.(Industry Spotlight)
September 1, 2004... Intended for single use on the Shandon Cytospin, the new leakproof EZ Megafunnel provides a more efficient and cost-effective method of producing high-quality thin-layer slide preparations. Packaged in kits of 25, the EZ Megafunnels come...

In-lab virus-culture testing.(Industry Spotlight)
September 1, 2004... A backup to fresh cell inventories or an alternative to short-dated fresh cells, the new frozen-cell format, ReadyCells, withstands long-term storage of shell vial cell monolayers. This patented technology reduces waste and promotes the...

Full-color computer labels.(Industry Spotlight)
September 1, 2004... Resistant to chemicals, solvents, moisture, and extreme temperatures, the new range of full-color computer labels enables the creation of single, multitask labels that incorporate color-coded product identification, bar-code information, and...

Clostridium difficile detection.(Industry Spotlight)
September 1, 2004... For the detection of Clostridium difficile Toxin A + B, the Gastro-Tect ELISA kit has a 30-minute incubation period at room temperature, requires no shaker or sealing tape, and has a 60-minute "can-be-read" time after the addition of the stop...

Cell washer with saline fills.(Industry Spotlight)
September 1, 2004... Featuring a flow meter that electronically provides precise saline fills, the UltraCW Automatic Cell Washing System has a lowprofile, large chamber, a 12- or 24-place rotor that accepts either 10X75-mm or 12X75-mm standard tubes, and lid...

BV rapid test.(Industry Spotlight)
September 1, 2004... The OSOM BVBLUE Test is a new point-of-care rapid test that aids in the diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis (BV). The user-friendly kits include reagent, sample swabs, and testing vessels. With this simple 10-minute test, the vaginal swab is...

One kit, two programs.(Industry Spotlight)
September 1, 2004... A fast and effective method to screen for beta thalassemia and monitor diabetes, the D-10 Hb A2/F/A1c program is a fully automated assay for the quantitative determination of hemoglobin A2, hemoglobin F, and hemoglobin A1c. The program offers...

Legal dangers of testing unacceptable specimens.(Liability and the Lab)
September 1, 2004... Q When we receive a hemolyzed or otherwise unacceptable specimen, we discard it. Occasionally, a physician will call and ask us to run tests on it anyway. What is our responsibility--and our liability--if we do run a test on an unacceptable...

Specialty histology labs increase risks.(Washington Report)
September 1, 2004... There is an increasing trend toward the establishment of histology laboratories by nonpathology medical practices, particularly gastroenterology, urology, and dermatology practices. A specialty practice can establish an in-house histology...