Teacher Immediacy and Student Learning: An Examination of Lecture/Laboratory and Self-Contained Course Sections

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

LeFebvre, Luke; Allen, Mike

2014-01-01

This study examined teaching assistant's immediacy in lecture/laboratory and self-contained classes. Two hundred fifty-six students responded to instruments measuring teachers' immediacy behavior frequency, perceptions of instruction quality, and cognitive learning. No significant difference was identified when comparing lecture/laboratory and…

[Quality assessment of microscopic examination in tuberculosis diagnostic laboratories: a preliminary study].

PubMed

Simşek, Hülya; Ceyhan, Ismail; Tarhan, Gülnur; Güner, Uğur

2010-10-01

Recently, the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) has based on smear microscopy in the Direct Observed Treatment Strategy (DOTS) programme which provides the basis of treatment worldwide. Microscopic detection of AFB (Acid-Fast Bacilli) is one of the main components in the National TB Control Programmes (NTCP). Precision level in microscopy procedures and evaluations are the most important steps for accurate diagnosis of the disease and to initiate proper treatment. Therefore, the external quality assessment (EQA) is the most important implement to provide the reliability and validity of tests. In countries where NTCP are performed, this task is fulfilled by the National Reference Laboratories (NRL) according to the guidelines of the World Health Organization (WHO). For this purpose a pilot study was initiated by the central NRL of Turkey for EQA of AFB smear microscopy as part of the NTCP on January 1, 2005. A total of 5 laboratories of which 2 were district TB laboratories (A, B), 2 were tuberculosis control dispensaries (C, D), 1 was a national reference laboratory (E), participated in this study. Blind re-checking method (re-examination of randomly selected slides) was used for the evaluation, and the slides were sent to the central NRL with 3 months interval, four times a year, selected according to LQAS (Lot Quality Assurance Sampling) guides. In the re-evaluation of the slides, false positivity (FP), false negativity (FN) and quantification errors (QE) were noted. Laboratory A, sent totally 525 slides between January 1, 2005 and April 1, 2008. In the result of re-checking, 514 (97.9%) slides were found concordant, and 11 (2.1%) were discordant (10 FP, 1 FN). Laboratory B, participated in the study between October 1, 2005 and July 1, 2006 and of the 67 re-examined slides, 60 (89.5%) were concordant and 7 (10.5%) were discordant (2 FP, 0 FN, 5 QE). Laboratory C, sent 235 slides between January 1, 2005 and April 1, 2006; of them 218 (92.8%) were detected

Undergraduate nursing students' experiences when examining nursing skills in clinical simulation laboratories with high-fidelity patient simulators: A phenomenological research study.

PubMed

Sundler, Annelie J; Pettersson, Annika; Berglund, Mia

2015-12-01

Simulation has become a widely used and established pedagogy for teaching clinical nursing skills. Nevertheless, the evidence in favour of this pedagogical approach is weak, and more knowledge is needed in support of its use. The aim of this study was (a) to explore the experiences of undergraduate nursing students when examining knowledge, skills and competences in clinical simulation laboratories with high-fidelity patient simulators and (b) to analyse these students' learning experiences during the examination. A phenomenological approach was used, and qualitative interviews were conducted among 23 second-year undergraduate nursing students-17 women and 6 men. The findings revealed that, irrespective of whether they passed or failed the examination, it was experienced as a valuable assessment of the students' knowledge and skills. Even if the students felt that the examination was challenging, they described it as a learning opportunity. In the examination, the students were able to integrate theory with practice, and earlier established knowledge was scrutinised when reflecting on the scenarios. The examination added aspects to the students' learning that prepared them for the real world of nursing in a safe environment without risking patient safety. The study findings suggest that examinations in clinical simulation laboratories can be a useful teaching strategy in nursing education. The use of high-fidelity patient simulators made the examination authentic. The reflections and feedback on the scenario were described as significant for the students' learning. Undergraduate nursing students can improve their knowledge, understanding, competence and skills when such examinations are performed in the manner used in this study. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Beyond-laboratory-scale prediction for channeling flows through subsurface rock fractures with heterogeneous aperture distributions revealed by laboratory evaluation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ishibashi, Takuya; Watanabe, Noriaki; Hirano, Nobuo; Okamoto, Atsushi; Tsuchiya, Noriyoshi

2015-01-01

The present study evaluates aperture distributions and fluid flow characteristics for variously sized laboratory-scale granite fractures under confining stress. As a significant result of the laboratory investigation, the contact area in fracture plane was found to be virtually independent of scale. By combining this characteristic with the self-affine fractal nature of fracture surfaces, a novel method for predicting fracture aperture distributions beyond laboratory scale is developed. Validity of this method is revealed through reproduction of the results of laboratory investigation and the maximum aperture-fracture length relations, which are reported in the literature, for natural fractures. The present study finally predicts conceivable scale dependencies of fluid flows through joints (fractures without shear displacement) and faults (fractures with shear displacement). Both joint and fault aperture distributions are characterized by a scale-independent contact area, a scale-dependent geometric mean, and a scale-independent geometric standard deviation of aperture. The contact areas for joints and faults are approximately 60% and 40%. Changes in the geometric means of joint and fault apertures (µm), em, joint and em, fault, with fracture length (m), l, are approximated by em, joint = 1 × 102 l0.1 and em, fault = 1 × 103 l0.7, whereas the geometric standard deviations of both joint and fault apertures are approximately 3. Fluid flows through both joints and faults are characterized by formations of preferential flow paths (i.e., channeling flows) with scale-independent flow areas of approximately 10%, whereas the joint and fault permeabilities (m2), kjoint and kfault, are scale dependent and are approximated as kjoint = 1 × 10-12 l0.2 and kfault = 1 × 10-8 l1.1.

9 CFR 147.17 - Laboratory procedure recommended for the bacteriological examination of cull chicks and poults...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... the bacteriological examination of cull chicks and poults for salmonella. 147.17 Section 147.17... poults for salmonella. The laboratory procedure described in this section is recommended for the bacteriological examination of cull chicks from egg-type and meat-type chicken flocks and waterfowl, exhibition...

9 CFR 147.17 - Laboratory procedure recommended for the bacteriological examination of cull chicks and poults...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... the bacteriological examination of cull chicks and poults for salmonella. 147.17 Section 147.17... poults for salmonella. The laboratory procedure described in this section is recommended for the bacteriological examination of cull chicks from egg-type and meat-type chicken flocks and waterfowl, exhibition...

9 CFR 147.17 - Laboratory procedure recommended for the bacteriological examination of cull chicks and poults...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... the bacteriological examination of cull chicks and poults for salmonella. 147.17 Section 147.17... poults for salmonella. The laboratory procedure described in this section is recommended for the bacteriological examination of cull chicks from egg-type and meat-type chicken flocks and waterfowl, exhibition...

9 CFR 147.17 - Laboratory procedure recommended for the bacteriological examination of cull chicks and poults...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... the bacteriological examination of cull chicks and poults for salmonella. 147.17 Section 147.17... poults for salmonella. The laboratory procedure described in this section is recommended for the bacteriological examination of cull chicks from egg-type and meat-type chicken flocks and waterfowl, exhibition...

9 CFR 147.17 - Laboratory procedure recommended for the bacteriological examination of cull chicks and poults...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... the bacteriological examination of cull chicks and poults for salmonella. 147.17 Section 147.17... poults for salmonella. The laboratory procedure described in this section is recommended for the bacteriological examination of cull chicks from egg-type and meat-type chicken flocks and waterfowl, exhibition...

What do physicians tell laboratories when requesting tests? A multi-method examination of information supplied to the microbiology laboratory before and after the introduction of electronic ordering.

PubMed

Georgiou, Andrew; Prgomet, Mirela; Toouli, George; Callen, Joanne; Westbrook, Johanna

2011-09-01

The provision of relevant clinical information on pathology requests is an important part of facilitating appropriate laboratory utilization and accurate results interpretation and reporting. (1) To determine the quantity and importance of handwritten clinical information provided by physicians to the Microbiology Department of a hospital pathology service; and (2) to examine the impact of a Computerized Provider Order Entry (CPOE) system on the nature of clinical information communication to the laboratory. A multi-method and multi-stage investigation which included: (a) a retrospective audit of all handwritten Microbiology requests received over a 1-month period in the Microbiology Department of a large metropolitan teaching hospital; (b) the administration of a survey to laboratory professionals to investigate the impact of different clinical information on the processing and/or interpretation of tests; (c) an expert panel consisting of medical staff and senior scientists to assess the survey findings and their impact on pathology practice and patient care; and (d) a comparison of the provision and value of clinical information before CPOE, and across 3 years after its implementation. The audit of handwritten requests found that 43% (n=4215) contained patient-related clinical information. The laboratory survey showed that 97% (84/86) of the different types of clinical information provided for wound specimens and 86% (43/50) for stool specimens were shown to have an effect on the processing or interpretation of the specimens by one or more laboratory professionals. The evaluation of the impact of CPOE revealed a significant improvement in the provision of useful clinical information from 2005 to 2008, rising from 90.1% (n=749) to 99.8% (n=915) (p<.0001) for wound specimens and 34% (n=129) to 86% (n=422) (p<.0001) for stool specimens. This study showed that the CPOE system provided an integrated platform to access and exchange valuable patient-related information

Harmonization activities of Noklus - a quality improvement organization for point-of-care laboratory examinations.

PubMed

Stavelin, Anne; Sandberg, Sverre

2018-05-16

Noklus is a non-profit quality improvement organization that focuses to improve all elements in the total testing process. The aim is to ensure that all medical laboratory examinations are ordered, performed and interpreted correctly and in accordance with the patients' needs for investigation, treatment and follow-up. For 25 years, Noklus has focused on point-of-care (POC) testing in primary healthcare laboratories and has more than 3100 voluntary participants. The Noklus quality system uses different tools to obtain harmonization and improvement: (1) external quality assessment for the pre-examination, examination and postexamination phase to monitor the harmonization process and to identify areas that need improvement and harmonization, (2) manufacturer-independent evaluations of the analytical quality and user-friendliness of POC instruments and (3) close interactions and follow-up of the participants through site visits, courses, training and guidance. Noklus also recommends which tests that should be performed in the different facilities like general practitioner offices, nursing homes, home care, etc. About 400 courses with more than 6000 delegates are organized annually. In 2017, more than 21,000 e-learning programs were completed.

The View of Scientific Inquiry Conveyed by Simulation-Based Virtual Laboratories

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Sufen

2010-01-01

With an increasing number of studies evincing the effectiveness of simulation-based virtual laboratories (VLs), researchers have discussed replacing traditional laboratories. However, the approach of doing science endorsed by VLs has not been carefully examined. A survey of 233 online VLs revealed that hypothetico-deductive (HD) logic prevails in…

An examination of the usefulness of repeat testing practices in a large hospital clinical chemistry laboratory.

PubMed

Deetz, Carl O; Nolan, Debra K; Scott, Mitchell G

2012-01-01

A long-standing practice in clinical laboratories has been to automatically repeat laboratory tests when values trigger automated "repeat rules" in the laboratory information system such as a critical test result. We examined 25,553 repeated laboratory values for 30 common chemistry tests from December 1, 2010, to February 28, 2011, to determine whether this practice is necessary and whether it may be possible to reduce repeat testing to improve efficiency and turnaround time for reporting critical values. An "error" was defined to occur when the difference between the initial and verified values exceeded the College of American Pathologists/Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments allowable error limit. The initial values from 2.6% of all repeated tests (668) were errors. Of these 668 errors, only 102 occurred for values within the analytic measurement range. Median delays in reporting critical values owing to repeated testing ranged from 5 (blood gases) to 17 (glucose) minutes.

Leaf Degradation, Macroinvertebrate Shredders & Energy Flow in Streams: A Laboratory-Based Exercise Examining Ecosystem Processes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sparkes, Timothy C.; Mills, Colleen M.; Volesky, Lisa; Talkington, Jennifer; Brooke, Joanna

2008-01-01

A laboratory-based exercise that demonstrates mechanisms underlying leaf degradation in streams. Students examine the effects of "leaf conditioning" on the feeding behavior of invertebrate shredders. The exercise is completed in two sessions and can be adapted to both high school and college levels.

Examining the Effects of Reflective Journals on Pre-Service Science Teachers' General Chemistry Laboratory Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cengiz, Canan; Karatas, Faik Özgür

2015-01-01

The general chemistry laboratory is an appropriate place for learning chemistry well. It is also effective for stimulating higher-order thinking skills, including reflective thinking, a skill that is crucial for science teaching as well as learning. This study aims to examine the effects of feedback-supported reflective journal-keeping activities…

Clues from hands/Part 2. Personal details about patients revealed by hand examination.

PubMed

Schilli, Karen Danielle; Stricklin, Sherea Monica; Payne, Katie Sue; Rader, Ryan Kent; Stoecker, William V

2014-01-01

This is the second part of a two-part article on personal details revealed by hand examination. Examining hands to determine daily activities was the focus of Part 1 in the July/August 2014 Missouri Medicine. Personal traits and preferences, including pets, nutrition and psychology are presented here. These articles serve as a guide for visual clues on the hands to discern a patient's daily activities and personal preference, thereby providing social information that may help establish rapport between patient and physician and may have medical significance.

Plate-rate laboratory friction experiments reveal potential slip instability on weak faults

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ikari, M.; Kopf, A.

2016-12-01

laboratory, which best replicates natural forcing conditions, a tendency for unstable slip is revealed. Thus, weak faults should not be considered frictionally stable, but have the ability to participate in earthquake rupture or generate events themselves.

[Vulvar oedema revealing systemic mastocytosis].

PubMed

Deveza, E; Locatelli, F; Girardin, M; Valmary-Degano, S; Daguindau, E; Aubin, F; Humbert, P; Pelletier, F

2015-11-01

Systemic mastocytosis is characterised by abnormal proliferation of mast cells in various organs. We report an original case of systemic mastocytosis revealed by vulvar oedema. A 24-year-old patient was examined in the dermatology department for vulvar oedema appearing during sexual intercourse. She presented vasomotor dysfunction of the lower limbs, urticaria on the trunk on exertion, diarrhoea and bone pains. Laboratory tests showed serum tryptase of 29.7μg and plasma histamine at twice the normal value. Myelogram results showed infiltration by dysmorphic mast cells. Screening for c-kit D816V mutation was positive. Duodenal biopsies revealed mast-cell clusters with aggregation involving over 15 mast cells. CD2 staining was inconclusive and CD25 staining could not be done. Trabecular osteopenia was found, and we thus made a diagnosis of indolent systemic mastocytosis (ISM variant Ia) as per the WHO 2008 criteria. Symptomatic treatment was initiated (antiH1, H2, antileukotrienes) and clinical and laboratory follow-up was instituted. The cutaneous signs leading to diagnosis in this patient of systemic mastocytosis involving several organs were seemingly minimal signs associated with mastocyte degranulation. This is the third recorded case of mastocytosis revealed by vulvar oedema and the first case revealing systemic involvement. The two previously reported cases of vulvar oedema revealed cutaneous mastocytosis alone. Mastocytosis, whether systemic or cutaneous, must be included among the differential diagnoses considered in the presence of vulvar oedema. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Myoanatomy of the velvet worm leg revealed by laboratory-based nanofocus X-ray source tomography.

PubMed

Müller, Mark; de Sena Oliveira, Ivo; Allner, Sebastian; Ferstl, Simone; Bidola, Pidassa; Mechlem, Korbinian; Fehringer, Andreas; Hehn, Lorenz; Dierolf, Martin; Achterhold, Klaus; Gleich, Bernhard; Hammel, Jörg U; Jahn, Henry; Mayer, Georg; Pfeiffer, Franz

2017-11-21

X-ray computed tomography (CT) is a powerful noninvasive technique for investigating the inner structure of objects and organisms. However, the resolution of laboratory CT systems is typically limited to the micrometer range. In this paper, we present a table-top nanoCT system in conjunction with standard processing tools that is able to routinely reach resolutions down to 100 nm without using X-ray optics. We demonstrate its potential for biological investigations by imaging a walking appendage of Euperipatoides rowelli , a representative of Onychophora-an invertebrate group pivotal for understanding animal evolution. Comparative analyses proved that the nanoCT can depict the external morphology of the limb with an image quality similar to scanning electron microscopy, while simultaneously visualizing internal muscular structures at higher resolutions than confocal laser scanning microscopy. The obtained nanoCT data revealed hitherto unknown aspects of the onychophoran limb musculature, enabling the 3D reconstruction of individual muscle fibers, which was previously impossible using any laboratory-based imaging technique.

Verification of examination procedures in clinical laboratory for imprecision, trueness and diagnostic accuracy according to ISO 15189:2012: a pragmatic approach.

PubMed

Antonelli, Giorgia; Padoan, Andrea; Aita, Ada; Sciacovelli, Laura; Plebani, Mario

2017-08-28

Background The International Standard ISO 15189 is recognized as a valuable guide in ensuring high quality clinical laboratory services and promoting the harmonization of accreditation programmes in laboratory medicine. Examination procedures must be verified in order to guarantee that their performance characteristics are congruent with the intended scope of the test. The aim of the present study was to propose a practice model for implementing procedures employed for the verification of validated examination procedures already used for at least 2 years in our laboratory, in agreement with the ISO 15189 requirement at the Section 5.5.1.2. Methods In order to identify the operative procedure to be used, approved documents were identified, together with the definition of performance characteristics to be evaluated for the different methods; the examination procedures used in laboratory were analyzed and checked for performance specifications reported by manufacturers. Then, operative flow charts were identified to compare the laboratory performance characteristics with those declared by manufacturers. Results The choice of performance characteristics for verification was based on approved documents used as guidance, and the specific purpose tests undertaken, a consideration being made of: imprecision and trueness for quantitative methods; diagnostic accuracy for qualitative methods; imprecision together with diagnostic accuracy for semi-quantitative methods. Conclusions The described approach, balancing technological possibilities, risks and costs and assuring the compliance of the fundamental component of result accuracy, appears promising as an easily applicable and flexible procedure helping laboratories to comply with the ISO 15189 requirements.

Effect of implementing instructional videos in a physical examination course: an alternative paradigm for chiropractic physical examination teaching.

PubMed

Zhang, Niu; Chawla, Sudeep

2012-01-01

This study examined the effect of implementing instructional video in ophthalmic physical examination teaching on chiropractic students' laboratory physical examination skills and written test results. Instructional video clips of ophthalmic physical examination, consisting of both standard procedures and common mistakes, were created and used for laboratory teaching. The video clips were also available for student review after class. Students' laboratory skills and written test results were analyzed and compared using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and post hoc multiple comparison tests among three study cohorts: the comparison cohort who did not utilize the instructional videos as a tool, the standard video cohort who viewed only the standard procedure of video clips, and the mistake-referenced video cohort who viewed video clips containing both standard procedure and common mistakes. One-way ANOVA suggested a significant difference of lab results among the three cohorts. Post hoc multiple comparisons further revealed that the mean scores of both video cohorts were significantly higher than that of the comparison cohort (p < .001). There was, however, no significant difference of the mean scores between the two video cohorts (p > .05). However, the percentage of students having a perfect score was the highest in the mistake-referenced video cohort. There was no significant difference of written test scores among all three cohorts (p > .05). The instructional video of the standard procedure improves chiropractic students' ophthalmic physical examination skills, which may be further enhanced by implementing a mistake-referenced instructional video.

We are what we do: Examining learner-generated content in the anatomy laboratory through the lens of activity theory.

PubMed

Doubleday, Alison F; Wille, Sarah J

2014-01-01

Video and photography are often used for delivering content within the anatomical sciences. However, instructors typically produce these resources to provide instructional or procedural information. Although the benefits of learner-generated content have been explored within educational research, virtually no studies have investigated the use of learner-generated video and photograph content within anatomy dissection laboratories. This study outlines an activity involving learner-generated video diaries and learner-generated photograph assignments produced during anatomy laboratory sessions. The learner-generated photographs and videos provided instructors with a means of formative assessment and allowed instructors to identify evidence of collaborative behavior in the laboratory. Student questionnaires (n = 21) and interviews (n = 5), as well as in-class observations, were conducted to examine student perspectives on the laboratory activities. The quantitative and qualitative data were examined using the framework of activity theory to identify contradictions between student expectations of, and engagement with, the activity and the actual experiences of the students. Results indicate that learner-generated photograph and video content can act as a rich source of data on student learning processes and can be used for formative assessment, for observing collaborative behavior, and as a starting point for class discussions. This study stresses the idea that technology choice for activities must align with instructional goals. This research also highlights the utility of activity theory as a framework for assessing classroom and laboratory activities, demonstrating that this approach can guide the development of laboratory activities. © 2014 American Association of Anatomists.

Cerebrospinal fluid protein and glucose examinations and tuberculosis:
Will laboratory safety regulations force a change of practice?

PubMed

Tormey, William P; O'Hagan, Christopher

2015-01-01

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) protein and glucose examinations are usually performed in chemical pathology departments on autoanalysers. Tuberculosis (TB) is a group 3 biological agent under Directive 2000/54/EC of the European Parliament but in the biochemistry laboratory, no extra precautions are taken in its analysis in possible TB cases. The issue of laboratory practice and safety in the biochemical analyses of CSF specimens, when tuberculosis infection is in question is addressed in the context of ambiguity in the implementation of current national and international health and safety regulations. Additional protective measures for laboratory staff during the analysis of CSF TB samples should force a change in current laboratory practice and become a regulatory issue under ISO 15189. Annual Mantoux skin test or an interferon-γ release assay for TB should be mandatory for relevant staff. This manuscript addresses the issue of biochemistry laboratory practice and safety in the biochemical analyses of CSF specimens when tuberculosis infection is in question in the context of the ambiguity of statutory health and safety regulations.

History, Physical Examination, Laboratory Testing, and Emergency Department Ultrasonography for the Diagnosis of Acute Cholecystitis.

PubMed

Jain, Ashika; Mehta, Ninfa; Secko, Michael; Schechter, Joshua; Papanagnou, Dimitri; Pandya, Shreya; Sinert, Richard

2017-03-01

Acute cholecystitis (AC) is a common differential for patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) with abdominal pain. The diagnostic accuracy of history, physical examination, and bedside laboratory tests for AC have not been quantitatively described. We performed a systematic review to determine the utility of history and physical examination (H&P), laboratory studies, and ultrasonography (US) in diagnosing AC in the ED. We searched medical literature from January 1965 to March 2016 in PubMed, Embase, and SCOPUS using a strategy derived from the following formulation of our clinical question: patients-ED patients suspected of AC; interventions-H&P, laboratory studies, and US findings commonly used to diagnose AC; comparator-surgical pathology or definitive diagnostic radiologic study confirming AC; and outcome-the operating characteristics of the investigations in diagnosing AC were calculated. Sensitivity, specificity, and likelihood ratios (LRs) were calculated using Meta-DiSc with a random-effects model (95% CI). Study quality and risks for bias were assessed using the Quality Assessment Tool for Diagnostic Accuracy Studies. Separate PubMed, Embase, and SCOPUS searches retrieved studies for H&P (n = 734), laboratory findings (n = 74), and US (n = 492). Three H&P studies met inclusion/exclusion criteria with AC prevalence of 7%-64%. Fever had sensitivity ranging from 31% to 62% and specificity from 37% to 74%; positive LR [LR+] was 0.71-1.24, and negative LR [LR-] was 0.76-1.49. Jaundice sensitivity ranged from 11% to 14%, and specificity from 86% to 99%; LR+ was 0.80-13.81, and LR- was 0.87-1.03. Murphy's sign sensitivity was 62% (range = 53%-71%), and specificity was 96% (range = 95%-97%); LR+ was 15.64 (range = 11.48-21.31), and LR- was 0.40 (range = 0.32-0.50). Right upper quadrant pain had sensitivity ranging from 56% to 93% and specificity of 0% to 96%; LR+ ranged from 0.92 to 14.02, and LR- from 0.46 to 7.86. One laboratory study met

The stressed student: influence of written examinations and oral presentations on salivary cortisol concentrations in university students.

PubMed

Preuss, Diana; Schoofs, Daniela; Schlotz, Wolff; Wolf, Oliver T

2010-05-01

Laboratory research has demonstrated that social-evaluative threat has an influence on the hypothalamus pituitary adrenal axis (HPA). In two studies using independent samples, we evaluated the anticipatory cortisol response to a written university examination (n = 35) and to an oral presentation (n = 34). Saliva samples were collected before and after the examinations and on a control day. Additionally, saliva samples were collected on the day before the written examination and a control day. Results revealed significantly elevated cortisol concentrations on the day prior to the examination; however, this effect occurred only in those participants who had their control day after the examination. Cortisol concentrations were elevated on the examination day, with increased concentrations before but not after the examination. For the oral presentation study, the results revealed substantially elevated cortisol concentrations before and after the oral presentation. Taken together the results indicate that written examinations cause a mild anticipatory HPA response while oral presentations induce a strong HPA response. These findings appear to support the idea that social-evaluative threat is an important factor determining the size of the HPA response to laboratory stressors as well as to real-life stressors.

The Galapagos archipelago: A natural laboratory to examine sharp hydroclimatic, geologic and anthropogenic gradients

USGS Publications Warehouse

Percy, Madelyn; Schmitt, Sarah; Riveros-Iregui, Diego; Mirus, Benjamin B.

2016-01-01

Poor understanding of the water cycle in tropical ecosystems has the potential to exacerbate water shortages and water crises in the region. We suggest that the Galápagos Islands provide an excellent proxy to regions across the tropics as a result of sharp hydroclimatic, anthropogenic, and pedohydrologic gradients across the archipelago. Hydroclimatic and pedohydrologic gradients are found across different elevations on single islands, as well as across the archipelago, whereas anthropogenic gradients reflect land use and land cover change across islands as population and growth in tourism have affected individual islands differently. This article highlights specific opportunities to further examine our understanding of the interactions between water and critical zone processes in tropical ecosystems, making connections between the Galápagos archipelago and much of the understudied tropics. The Galápagos archipelago offers a natural laboratory through which we can examine current threats to freshwater security as well as the dynamics of coupled natural and human systems.

An analysis of laboratory activities found in "Applications In Biology/Chemistry: A Contextual Approach to Laboratory Science"

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haskins, Sandra Sue

The purpose of this study was to quantitatively determine whether the material found in ABC promotes scientific inquiry through the inclusion of science process skills, and to quantitatively determine the type (experimental, comparative, or descriptive) and character (wet-lab, paper and pencil, model, or computer) of laboratory activities. The research design allowed for an examination of the frequency and type of science process skills required of students in 79 laboratory activities sampled from all 12 units utilizing a modified 33-item laboratory analysis inventory (LAI) (Germane et al, 1996). Interrater reliability for the science process skills was completed on 19 of the laboratory activities with a mean score of 86.1%. Interrater reliability for the type and character of the laboratory, on the same 19 laboratory activities, was completed with mean scores of 79.0% and 96.5%, respectively. It was found that all laboratory activities provide a prelaboratory activity. In addition, the science process skill category of student performance is required most often of students with the skill of learning techniques or manipulating apparatus occurring 99% of the time. The science process skill category observed the least was student planning and design, occurring only 3% of the time. Students were rarely given the opportunity to practice science process skills such as developing and testing hypotheses through experiments they have designed. Chi-square tests, applied at the .05 level of significance, revealed that there was a significant difference in the type of laboratory activities; comparative laboratory activities appeared more often (59%). In addition the character of laboratory activities, "wet-lab" activities appeared more often (90%) than any of the others.

Student laboratory presentations as a learning tool in anatomy education.

PubMed

Chollet, Madeleine B; Teaford, Mark F; Garofalo, Evan M; DeLeon, Valerie B

2009-01-01

Previous studies have shown that anatomy students who complete oral laboratory presentations believe they understand the material better and retain it longer than they otherwise would if they only took examinations on the material; however, we have found no studies that empirically test such outcomes. The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of oral presentations through comparisons with other methods of assessment, most notably, examination performance. Specifically, we tested whether students (n = 256) performed better on examination questions on topics covered by their oral presentations than on other topics. Each student completed two graded, 12-minute laboratory presentations on two different assigned topics during the course and took three examinations, each of which covered a third of the course material. Examination questions were characterized by type (memorization, pathway, analytical, spatial). A two-way repeated measures analysis of variance revealed that students performed better on topics covered by their presentations than on topics not covered by their presentations (P < 0.005), regardless of presentation grade (P > 0.05) and question type (P > 0.05). These results demonstrate empirically that oral presentations are an effective learning tool.

Cystic Calculus in a Laboratory-housed Green Anole (Anolis carolinensis).

PubMed

Birke, Leslie L; Cespedes, Ann M; Schachner, Emma R; Lailvaux, Simon P

2017-03-01

An adult, male, wild-caught, laboratory-housed green anole (Anolis carolinensis) on a locomotor performance study was presented for anorexia. The anole exhibited a 26% weight loss and a thin body condition but was otherwise alert and active. Despite supportive care, the anole's clinical condition deteriorated, necessitating euthanasia. Postmortem examination revealed a 4.5 mm × 2.5-mm cystic calculus, which consisted entirely of sodium urate. Here we describe the clinical findings and locomotor consequences of this disease in a green anole. Although urolithiasis has been reported clinically in reptiles, this report presents the first case of a cystic calculus in a laboratory-housed green anole.

Anatomy and Humanity: Examining the Effects of a Short Documentary Film and First Anatomy Laboratory Experience on Medical Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dosani, Farah; Neuberger, Lindsay

2016-01-01

Medical students begin their education inside a laboratory dissecting cadavers to learn human gross anatomy. Many schools use the course experience as a way to instill empathy and some have begun integrating video and recorded interviews with body donors to humanize the experience, but their impact has yet to be measured. This study examines the…

An audit of immunofixation requesting practices at a South African referral laboratory

PubMed Central

Rampursat, Yashna

2014-01-01

Background It is common practice in most chemical pathology laboratories for reflective immunofixation electrophoresis (IFE) to occur following the detection or suspicion of a paraprotein on serum protein electrophoresis (SPEP). The chemical pathology laboratory at Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital (IALCH) in Durban, South Africa, is currently the only non-private laboratory in the KwaZulu Natal province that performs SPEP analysis, with current practice requiring that the clinician request IFE following suggestion by the laboratory after a suspicious SPEP result. Objectives To review the current process for IFE at IALCH in the context of reflective testing and to examine the use of the alpha-2-globulin/alpha-1-globulin ratio as a predictor of a positive IFE result. Methods Data for 1260 consecutive SPEP tests performed at the IALCH National Health Laboratory Service were collected between February and July 2011. SPEP and IFE were performed with a Sebia Hydrasys automated electrophoresis system. The alpha-2-globulin/alpha-1-globulin ratio was calculated using density of corresponding fractions on SPEP. Results Analysis revealed that of the 1260 SPEPs performed during the analysis period, 304 IFEs were suggested by the reviewing pathologist. A total of 45 (15%) of the suggested IFEs were subsequently requested by the attending clinicians. Almost half (46.5%) (n = 20) of the suggested IFEs that were performed revealed the presence of a paraprotein. There was no statistically-significant difference between the alpha-2-globulin/alpha-1-globulin ratio for patients with positive or negative IFEs (p-value = 0.2). Conclusions This study reveals the need for reflective addition of IFE testing by the laboratory following suspicious findings on SPEP. PMID:29043173

Anatomy and humanity: Examining the effects of a short documentary film and first anatomy laboratory experience on medical students.

PubMed

Dosani, Farah; Neuberger, Lindsay

2016-01-01

Medical students begin their education inside a laboratory dissecting cadavers to learn human gross anatomy. Many schools use the course experience as a way to instill empathy and some have begun integrating video and recorded interviews with body donors to humanize the experience, but their impact has yet to be measured. This study examines the effects of a brief documentary film and the initial cadaver encounter on student perceptions and attitudes towards the laboratory experience. A pre-test, exposure, post-test design was used with 77 first-year medical students at the University of Central Florida. A previously validated questionnaire was adapted to measure attitudes, emotions, initial reaction to cadaver, perception of the donor as a person, and impressions of the film. An online questionnaire was completed before the first day of laboratory, in which students watched the film Anatomy and Humanity and handled their respective cadavers (no dissection was performed). The post-test was administered immediately following the activities of the first laboratory day. Results indicate an increase in negative attitudes towards dissection, but a more positive initial reaction to the cadaver than originally anticipated. Students also experienced a decrease in emotions like sadness and guilt regarding anatomy laboratory and were less likely to view the cadaver as a once-living person. Findings suggest a higher comfort level, but also greater detachment toward the cadavers from day one despite the video intervention. These results provide novel insight that may aid other interventions aimed at promoting humanism in the anatomy laboratory experience. © 2015 American Association of Anatomists.

Examining Student Outcomes in University Computer Laboratory Environments: Issues for Educational Management

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Newby, Michael; Marcoulides, Laura D.

2008-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to model the relationship between student performance, student attitudes, and computer laboratory environments. Design/methodology/approach: Data were collected from 234 college students enrolled in courses that involved the use of a computer to solve problems and provided the laboratory experience by means of…

Simulating natural light and temperature cycles in the laboratory reveals differential effects on activity/rest rhythm of four Drosophilids.

PubMed

Prabhakaran, Priya M; Sheeba, Vasu

2014-10-01

Recent studies under semi-natural conditions have revealed various unique features of activity/rest rhythms in Drosophilids that differ from those under standard laboratory conditions. An additional afternoon peak (A-peak) has been reported for Drosophila melanogaster and another species D. malerkotliana while D. ananassae exhibited mostly unimodal diurnal activity. To tease apart the role of light and temperature in mediating these species-specific behaviours of four Drosophilid species D. melanogaster, D. malerkotliana, D. ananassae, and Zaprionus indianus we simulated gradual natural light and/or temperature cycles conditions in laboratory. The pattern observed under semi-natural conditions could be reproduced in the laboratory for all the species under a variety of simulated conditions. D. melanogaster and D. malerkotliana showed similar patterns where as D. ananassae consistently exhibited predominant morning activity under almost all regimes. Z. indianus showed clearly rhythmic activity mostly when temperature cycles were provided. We find that gradually changing light intensities reaching a sufficiently high peak value can elicit A-peak in D. melanogaster, D. malerkotliana, and D. ananassae even at mild ambient temperature. Furthermore, we show that high mid-day temperature could induce A-peak in all species even under constant light conditions suggesting that this A-peak is likely to be a stress response.

Size dependence of the disruption threshold: laboratory examination of millimeter-centimeter porous targets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakamura, Akiko M.; Yamane, Fumiya; Okamoto, Takaya; Takasawa, Susumu

2015-03-01

The outcome of collision between small solid bodies is characterized by the threshold energy density Q*s, the specific energy to shatter, that is defined as the ratio of projectile kinetic energy to the target mass (or the sum of target and projectile) needed to produce the largest intact fragment that contains one half the target mass. It is indicated theoretically and by numerical simulations that the disruption threshold Q*s decreases with target size in strength-dominated regime. The tendency was confirmed by laboratory impact experiments using non-porous rock targets (Housen and Holsapple, 1999; Nagaoka et al., 2014). In this study, we performed low-velocity impact disruption experiments on porous gypsum targets with porosity of 65-69% and of three different sizes to examine the size dependence of the disruption threshold for porous material. The gypsum specimens were shown to have a weaker volume dependence on static tensile strength than do the non-porous rocks. The disruption threshold had also a weaker dependence on size scale as Q*s ∝D-γ , γ ≤ 0.25 - 0.26, while the previous laboratory studies showed γ=0.40 for the non-porous rocks. The measurements at low-velocity lead to a value of about 100 J kg-1 for Q*s which is roughly one order of magnitude lower than the value of Q*s for the gypsum targets of 65% porosity but impacted by projectiles with higher velocities. Such a clear dependence on the impact velocity was also shown by previous studies of gypsum targets with porosity of 50%.

Science laboratory behavior strategies of students relative to performance in and attitude to laboratory work

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Okebukola, Peter Akinsola

The relationship between science laboratory behavior strategies of students and performance in and attitude to laboratory work was investigated in an observational study of 160 laboratory sessions involving 600 class five (eleventh grade) biology students. Zero-order correlations between the behavior strategies and outcome measures reveal a set of low to strong relationships. Transmitting information, listening and nonlesson related behaviors exhibited low correlations with practical skills and the attitude measure. The correlations between manipulating apparatus and observation with practical skills measures were found to be strong. Multiple correlation analysis revealed that the behaviors of students in the laboratories observed accounted for a large percentage of the variance in the scores on manipulative skills and a low percentage on interpretation of data, responsibility, initiative, and work habits. One significant canonical correlation emerged. The loadings on this canonical variate indicate that the practical skills measures, i.e., planning and design, manipulative skills and conduct of experiments, observation and recording of data, and attitude to laboratory work made primary contributions to the canonical relationship. Suggestions as to how students can be encouraged to go beyond cookbook-like laboratories and develop a more favorable attitude to laboratory work are made.

The student perspective of high school laboratory experiences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lambert, R. Mitch

High school science laboratory experiences are an accepted teaching practice across the nation despite a lack of research evidence to support them. The purpose of this study was to examine the perspective of students---stakeholders often ignored---on these experiences. Insight into the students' perspective was explored progressively using a grounded theory methodology. Field observations of science classrooms led to an open-ended survey of high school science students, garnering 665 responses. Twelve student interviews then focused on the data and questions evolving from the survey. The student perspective on laboratory experiences revealed varied information based on individual experience. Concurrent analysis of the data revealed that although most students like (348/665) or sometimes like (270/665) these experiences, some consistent factors yielded negative experiences and prompted suggestions for improvement. The category of responses that emerged as the core idea focused on student understanding of the experience. Students desire to understand the why do, the how to, and the what it means of laboratory experiences. Lacking any one of these, the experience loses educational value for them. This single recurring theme crossed the boundaries of age, level in school, gender, and even the student view of lab experiences as positive or negative. This study suggests reflection on the current laboratory activities in which science teachers engage their students. Is the activity appropriate (as opposed to being merely a favorite), does it encourage learning, does it fit, does it operate at the appropriate level of inquiry, and finally what can science teachers do to integrate these activities into the classroom curriculum more effectively? Simply stated, what can teachers do so that students understand what to do, what's the point, and how that point fits into what they are learning outside the laboratory?

[Microbiology--laboratory examinations for bacterias].

PubMed

Hen, Renjun; Imafuku, Yuji; Yoshida, Hiroshi

2002-11-01

As it has been required to identify pathogenic microbes in shorter times, simple and rapid methods have been developed and used. Here, we summarized the present situation of rapid diagnostic testing in clinical microbiology in Japan, and also presented our results on PBP2' detection. The rapid test kits available in Japan for E. coli, Helicobacter pylori, Salmonella, Streptococcus and Staphylococcus aureus were described. Rapid examination methods are based mainly on immunologic reactions, which included slide agglutination using latex particle, immunochromatography and ELISA. Times required for the identification are 10 to 15 minutes. Moreover, rapid test kits employing PCR are also marketed. Further, we evaluated MRSA-LA "Seiken" which is a rapid detection kit for PBP2' produced by MRSA. The test was shown to be highly sensitive and specific. For the rapid identification of pathogenic microbes, simple and rapid test kits described here will be used more in clinical diagnosis.

North Pole Marathon Laboratory Lessons and Field Success.

PubMed

Barwood, Martin J; Burrows, Holly; Cessford, Jessica

2016-05-01

This case study documents the training, laboratory preparation, and in-race performance data from Great Britain's top finisher in the 13(th) edition of the UVU North Pole Marathon. We report data from a preparatory laboratory test in simulated cold conditions (-15°C) with and without wind chill during high- and low-intensity expected 'race pace' running. These tests examined the adequacy of the selected clothing assembly and provided recommendations for the race. The tests established that there was no risk of hypothermia, as the clothing assembly provided too much insulation; terminal rectal temperature was 39.25°C. Skin temperature (Tsk) data revealed no impending risk of frostbite; nadir Tsk was 20.2°C at the hamstring. Oxygen consumption data revealed the self-selected high intensity was potentially not sustainable based on estimates of substrate utilization. We recommended: 1) a maximum running speed; 2) some of the clothing base layers could be removed pre-race; 3) vents and/or zips could be used to offload or retain heat; and 4) an even pacing profile should be adopted. The participant completed the race in 6:55:24 (h:mm:ss) in temperatures of -41°C. GPS data revealed a positive pacing template (i.e., marginally quicker in the first half). Neither hypothermia nor frostbite occurred. Peak pace from the laboratory tests was not consistently exceeded. Marathon performance can be undertaken in one of the world's most inhospitable environments when careful consideration is given to clothing insulation and exercise intensity by planning for the dynamic thermal changes that may occur as the race ensues.

[How to Interpret and Use Routine Laboratory Data--Our Methods to Interpret Routine Laboratory Data--Chairmen's Introductory Remarks].

PubMed

Honda, Takayuki; Tozuka, Minoru

2015-09-01

In the reversed clinicopathological conference (R-CPC), three specialists in laboratory medicine interpreted routine laboratory data independently in order to understand the detailed state of a patient. R-CPC is an educational method to use laboratory data appropriately, and it is also important to select differential diagnoses in a process of clinical reasoning in addition to the present illness and physical examination. Routine laboratory tests can be performed repeatedly at a relatively low cost, and their time-series analysis can be performed. Interpretation of routine laboratory data is almost the same as taking physical findings. General findings are initially checked and then the state of each organ is examined. Although routine laboratory tests cost little, we can gain much more information from them about the patient than physical examinations.

An abundance of Epsilonproteobacteria revealed in the gut microbiome of the laboratory cultured sea urchin, Lytechinus variegatus

PubMed Central

Hakim, Joseph A.; Koo, Hyunmin; Dennis, Lacey N.; Kumar, Ranjit; Ptacek, Travis; Morrow, Casey D.; Lefkowitz, Elliot J.; Powell, Mickie L.; Bej, Asim K.; Watts, Stephen A.

2015-01-01

In this study, we have examined the bacterial community composition of the laboratory cultured sea urchin Lytechinus variegatus gut microbiome and its culture environment using NextGen amplicon sequencing of the V4 segment of the 16S rRNA gene, and downstream bioinformatics tools. Overall, the gut and tank water was dominated by Proteobacteria, whereas the feed consisted of a co-occurrence of Proteobacteria and Firmicutes at a high abundance. The gut tissue represented Epsilonproteobacteria as dominant, with order Campylobacterales at the highest relative abundance (>95%). However, the pharynx tissue was dominated by class Alphaproteobacteria. The gut digesta and egested fecal pellets had a high abundance of class Gammaproteobacteria, from which Vibrio was found to be the primary genus, and Epsilonproteobacteria, with genus Arcobacter occurring at a moderate level. At the class level, the tank water was dominated by Gammaproteobacteria, and the feed by Alphaproteobacteria. Multi-Dimensional Scaling analysis showed that the microbial community of the gut tissue clustered together, as did the pharynx tissue to the feed. The gut digesta and egested fecal pellets showed a similarity relationship to the tank water. Further analysis of Campylobacterales at a lower taxonomic level using the oligotyping method revealed 37 unique types across the 10 samples, where Oligotype 1 was primarily represented in the gut tissue. BLAST analysis identified Oligotype 1 to be Arcobacter sp., Sulfuricurvum sp., and Arcobacter bivalviorum at an identity level >90%. This study showed that although distinct microbial communities are evident across multiple components of the sea urchin gut ecosystem, there is a noticeable correlation between the overall microbial communities of the gut with the sea urchin L. variegatus culture environment. PMID:26528245

Feature selection for examining behavior by pathology laboratories.

PubMed

Hawkins, S; Williams, G; Baxter, R

2001-08-01

Australia has a universal health insurance scheme called Medicare, which is managed by Australia's Health Insurance Commission. Medicare payments for pathology services generate voluminous transaction data on patients, doctors and pathology laboratories. The Health Insurance Commission (HIC) currently uses predictive models to monitor compliance with regulatory requirements. The HIC commissioned a project to investigate the generation of new features from the data. Feature generation has not appeared as an important step in the knowledge discovery in databases (KDD) literature. New interesting features for use in predictive modeling are generated. These features were summarized, visualized and used as inputs for clustering and outlier detection methods. Data organization and data transformation methods are described for the efficient access and manipulation of these new features.

[Quality Management System in Pathological Laboratory].

PubMed

Koyatsu, Junichi; Ueda, Yoshihiko

2015-07-01

Even compared to other clinical laboratories, the pathological laboratory conducts troublesome work, and many of the work processes are also manual. Therefore, the introduction of the systematic management of administration is necessary. It will be a shortcut to use existing standards such as ISO 15189 for this purpose. There is no standard specialized for the pathological laboratory, but it is considered to be important to a pathological laboratory in particular. 1. Safety nianagement of the personnel and environmental conditions. Comply with laws and regulations concerning the handling of hazardous materials. 2. Pre-examination processes. The laboratory shall have documented procedures for the proper collection and handling of primary samples. Developed and documented criteria for acceptance or rejection of samples are applied. 3. Examination processes. Selection, verification, and validation of the examination procedures. Devise a system that can constantly monitor the traceability of the sample. 4. Post-examination processes. Storage, retention, and disposal of clinical samples. 5. Release of results. When examination results fall within established alert or critical intervals, immediately notify the physicians. The important point is to recognize the needs of the client and be aware that pathological diagnoses are always "the final diagnoses".

A comparison of traditional physical laboratory and computer-simulated laboratory experiences in relation to engineering undergraduate students' conceptual understandings of a communication systems topic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Javidi, Giti

2005-07-01

This study was designed to investigate an alternative to the use of traditional physical laboratory activities in a communication systems course. Specifically, this study examined whether as an alternative, computer simulation is as effective as physical laboratory activities in teaching college-level electronics engineering education students about the concepts of signal transmission, modulation and demodulation. Eighty undergraduate engineering students participated in the study, which was conducted at a southeastern four-year university. The students were randomly assigned to two groups. The groups were compared on understanding the concepts, remembering the concepts, completion time of the lab experiments and perception toward the laboratory experiments. The physical group's (n = 40) treatment was to conduct laboratory experiments in a physical laboratory. The students in this group used equipment in a controlled electronics laboratory. The Simulation group's (n = 40) treatment was to conduct similar experiments in a PC laboratory. The students in this group used a simulation program in a controlled PC lab. At the completion of the treatment, scores on a validated conceptual test were collected once after the treatment and again three weeks after the treatment. Attitude surveys and qualitative study were administered at the completion of the treatment. The findings revealed significant differences, in favor of the simulation group, between the two groups on both the conceptual post-test and the follow-up test. The findings also revealed significant correlation between simulation groups' attitude toward the simulation program and their post-test scores. Moreover, there was a significant difference between the two groups on their attitude toward their laboratory experience in favor of the simulation group. In addition, there was significant difference between the two groups on their lab completion time in favor of the simulation group. At the same time, the

This Is not Participatory Design - A Critical Analysis of Eight Living Laboratories.

PubMed

Bygholm, Ann; Kanstrup, Anne Marie

2017-01-01

Design of Health Technology for elderly and care personnel has a high priority because of a severe increase of elderly citizens in need of health care combined with a decrease of resources in the health care sector. Desires for maintaining and improving the quality of care while reducing costs has resulted in a search for approaches that support co-operation between technology designers, elderly persons and health care professionals on innovating future care technology. Living laboratories, where areas of a care environment are transformed into a so-called platform for technology innovation, are popular. Expectations for living laboratories are high but examinations of how such laboratories support the intended participatory innovation are few. This paper presents and examines eight living laboratories set up in Danish nursing homes for technology innovation. We present the notion of a living laboratory and explicate the aspirations and expectations of this approach, and discuss why these expectations are hard to meet both on a general level and in the investigated labs. We question the basic assumptions of the possibility of reconciling the different interests of the stakeholders involved. In our analysis we focus on users in the living laboratories. We use guiding principles developed within Participatory Design to reveal the role and participation of the users - the health care professionals and the elderly - in the eight living laboratories. In general, these users played a minor role, in the labs where technical problems turned out to be main activity. We conclude that living laboratories do not nullify different/conflicting interests and that a real-life setting by itself is no guarantee for user participation.

[ISO 15189 medical laboratory accreditation].

PubMed

Aoyagi, Tsutomu

2004-10-01

This International Standard, based upon ISO/IEC 17025 and ISO 9001, provides requirements for competence and quality that are particular to medical laboratories. While this International Standard is intended for use throughout the currently recognized disciplines of medical laboratory services, those working in other services and disciplines will also find it useful and appropriate. In addition, bodies engaged in the recognition of the competence of medical laboratories will be able to use this International Standard as the basis for their activities. The Japan Accreditation Board for Conformity Assessment (AB) and the Japanese Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards (CCLS) are jointly developing the program of accreditation of medical laboratories. ISO 15189 requirements consist of two parts, one is management requirements and the other is technical requirements. The former includes the requirements of all parts of ISO 9001, moreover it includes the requirement of conformity assessment body, for example, impartiality and independence from any other party. The latter includes the requirements of laboratory competence (e.g. personnel, facility, instrument, and examination methods), moreover it requires that laboratories shall participate proficiency testing(s) and laboratories' examination results shall have traceability of measurements and implement uncertainty of measurement. Implementation of ISO 15189 will result in a significant improvement in medical laboratories management system and their technical competence. The accreditation of medical laboratory will improve medical laboratory service and be useful for patients.

An Examination of Career Satisfaction for Medical Laboratory Professionals Using Wlodkowski's Motivational Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kenwright, Kathleen M.

2016-01-01

Medical laboratory science professionals are healthcare practitioners who provide laboratory data that aids in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease. However, there is a large shortage of these professionals who perform the laboratory tests behind the scenes with very minimal patient contact. The purpose of this research was to…

Estimation of the Rate of Unrecognized Cross-Contamination with Mycobacterium tuberculosis in London Microbiology Laboratories

PubMed Central

Ruddy, M.; McHugh, T. D.; Dale, J. W.; Banerjee, D.; Maguire, H.; Wilson, P.; Drobniewski, F.; Butcher, P.; Gillespie, S. H.

2002-01-01

Isolates from patients with confirmed tuberculosis from London were collected over 2.5 years between 1995 and 1997. Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis was performed by the international standard technique as part of a multicenter epidemiological study. A total of 2,779 samples representing 2,500 individual patients from 56 laboratories were examined. Analysis of these samples revealed a laboratory cross-contamination rate of between 0.54%, when only presumed cases of cross-contamination were considered, and 0.93%, when presumed and possible cases were counted. Previous studies suggest an extremely wide range of laboratory cross-contamination rates of between 0.1 and 65%. These data indicate that laboratory cross-contamination has not been a common problem in routine practice in the London area, but in several incidents patients did receive full courses of therapy that were probably unnecessary. PMID:12409381

Illumination of Murine Gammaherpesvirus-68 Cycle Reveals a Sexual Transmission Route from Females to Males in Laboratory Mice

PubMed Central

François, Sylvie; Vidick, Sarah; Sarlet, Mickaël; Desmecht, Daniel; Drion, Pierre; Stevenson, Philip G.; Vanderplasschen, Alain; Gillet, Laurent

2013-01-01

Transmission is a matter of life or death for pathogen lineages and can therefore be considered as the main motor of their evolution. Gammaherpesviruses are archetypal pathogenic persistent viruses which have evolved to be transmitted in presence of specific immune response. Identifying their mode of transmission and their mechanisms of immune evasion is therefore essential to develop prophylactic and therapeutic strategies against these infections. As the known human gammaherpesviruses, Epstein-Barr virus and Kaposi's Sarcoma-associated Herpesvirus are host-specific and lack a convenient in vivo infection model; related animal gammaherpesviruses, such as murine gammaherpesvirus-68 (MHV-68), are commonly used as general models of gammaherpesvirus infections in vivo. To date, it has however never been possible to monitor viral excretion or virus transmission of MHV-68 in laboratory mice population. In this study, we have used MHV-68 associated with global luciferase imaging to investigate potential excretion sites of this virus in laboratory mice. This allowed us to identify a genital excretion site of MHV-68 following intranasal infection and latency establishment in female mice. This excretion occurred at the external border of the vagina and was dependent on the presence of estrogens. However, MHV-68 vaginal excretion was not associated with vertical transmission to the litter or with horizontal transmission to female mice. In contrast, we observed efficient virus transmission to naïve males after sexual contact. In vivo imaging allowed us to show that MHV-68 firstly replicated in penis epithelium and corpus cavernosum before spreading to draining lymph nodes and spleen. All together, those results revealed the first experimental transmission model for MHV-68 in laboratory mice. In the future, this model could help us to better understand the biology of gammaherpesviruses and could also allow the development of strategies that could prevent the spread of these

Factors Influencing Laboratory Information System Effectiveness Through Strategic Planning in Shiraz Teaching Hospitals.

PubMed

Bahador, Fateme; Sharifian, Roxana; Farhadi, Payam; Jafari, Abdosaleh; Nematolahi, Mohtram; Shokrpour, Nasrin

This study aimed to develop and test a research model that examined 7effective factors on the effectiveness of laboratory information system (LIS) through strategic planning. This research was carried out on total laboratory staff, information technology staff, and laboratory managers in Shiraz (a city in the south of Iran) teaching hospitals by structural equation modeling approach in 2015. The results revealed that there was no significant positive relationship between decisions based on cost-benefit analysis and LIS functionality with LIS effectiveness, but there was a significant positive relationship between other factors and LIS effectiveness. As expected, high levels of strategic information system planning result in increasing LIS effectiveness. The results also showed that the relationship between cost-benefit analysis, LIS functionality, end-user involvement, and information technology-business alignment with strategic information system planning was significant and positive.

An Examination of Preservice Primary Teachers' Written Arguments in an Open Inquiry Laboratory Task

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McDonald, Christine V.

2013-01-01

This study assessed the quality of preservice primary teachers' written arguments in an open inquiry laboratory task. An analysis of the features of the laboratory task was also undertaken to ascertain the characteristics of the task that facilitated or constrained the development of participants' written arguments. Australian preservice primary…

46 CFR 162.039-5 - Recognized laboratory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... Recognized laboratory. (a) A recognized laboratory is one which is regularly engaged in the examination...' Laboratories, Inc., mailing address: Post Office Box 247, Northbrook, Ill., 60062. (2) [Reserved] (b) [Reserved] ...

46 CFR 162.039-5 - Recognized laboratory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... Recognized laboratory. (a) A recognized laboratory is one which is regularly engaged in the examination...' Laboratories, Inc., mailing address: Post Office Box 247, Northbrook, Ill., 60062. (2) [Reserved] (b) [Reserved] ...

46 CFR 162.039-5 - Recognized laboratory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... Recognized laboratory. (a) A recognized laboratory is one which is regularly engaged in the examination...' Laboratories, Inc., mailing address: Post Office Box 247, Northbrook, Ill., 60062. (2) [Reserved] (b) [Reserved] ...

46 CFR 162.039-5 - Recognized laboratory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... Recognized laboratory. (a) A recognized laboratory is one which is regularly engaged in the examination...' Laboratories, Inc., mailing address: Post Office Box 247, Northbrook, Ill., 60062. (2) [Reserved] (b) [Reserved] ...

46 CFR 162.039-5 - Recognized laboratory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... Recognized laboratory. (a) A recognized laboratory is one which is regularly engaged in the examination...' Laboratories, Inc., mailing address: Post Office Box 247, Northbrook, Ill., 60062. (2) [Reserved] (b) [Reserved] ...

Proteotyping of laboratory-scale biogas plants reveals multiple steady-states in community composition.

PubMed

Kohrs, F; Heyer, R; Bissinger, T; Kottler, R; Schallert, K; Püttker, S; Behne, A; Rapp, E; Benndorf, D; Reichl, U

2017-08-01

Complex microbial communities are the functional core of anaerobic digestion processes taking place in biogas plants (BGP). So far, however, a comprehensive characterization of the microbiomes involved in methane formation is technically challenging. As an alternative, enriched communities from laboratory-scale experiments can be investigated that have a reduced number of organisms and are easier to characterize by state of the art mass spectrometric-based (MS) metaproteomic workflows. Six parallel laboratory digesters were inoculated with sludge from a full-scale BGP to study the development of enriched microbial communities under defined conditions. During the first three month of cultivation, all reactors (R1-R6) were functionally comparable regarding biogas productions (375-625 NL L reactor volume -1 d -1 ), methane yields (50-60%), pH values (7.1-7.3), and volatile fatty acids (VFA, <5 mM). Nevertheless, a clear impact of the temperature (R3, R4) and ammonia (R5, R6) shifts was observed for the respective reactors. In both reactors operated under thermophilic regime, acetic and propionic acid (10-20 mM) began to accumulate. While R4 recovered quickly from acidification, the levels of VFA remained to be high in R3 resulting in low pH values of 6.5-6.9. The digesters R5 and R6 operated under the high ammonia regime (>1 gNH 3 L -1 ) showed an increase to pH 7.5-8.0, accumulation of acetate (>10 mM), and decreasing biogas production (<125 NL L reactor volume -1 d -1 ). Tandem MS (MS/MS)-based proteotyping allowed the identification of taxonomic abundances and biological processes. Although all reactors showed similar performances, proteotyping and terminal restriction fragment length polymorphisms (T-RFLP) fingerprinting revealed significant differences in the composition of individual microbial communities, indicating multiple steady-states. Furthermore, cellulolytic enzymes and cellulosomal proteins of Clostridium thermocellum were identified to be specific

Inquiry-based laboratory investigations and student performance on standardized tests in biological science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Patke, Usha

Achievement data from the 3rd International Mathematics and Sciences Study and Program for International Student Assessment in science have indicated that Black students from economically disadvantaged families underachieve at alarming rates in comparison to White and economically advantaged peer groups. The study site was a predominately Black, urban school district experiencing underachievement. The purpose of this correlational study was to examine the relationship between students' use of inquiry-based laboratory investigations and their performance on the Biology End of Course Test, as well as to examine the relationship while partialling out the effects of student gender. Constructivist theory formed the theoretical foundation of the study. Students' perceived levels of experience with inquiry-based laboratory investigations were measured using the Laboratory Program Variable Inventory (LPVI) survey. LPVI scores of 256 students were correlated with test scores and were examined by student gender. The Pearson correlation coefficient revealed a small direct correlation between students' experience in inquiry-based laboratory investigation classes and standardized test scores on the Biology EOCT. A partial correlational analysis indicated that the correlation remained after controlling for gender. This study may prompt a change from teacher-centered to student-centered pedagogy at the local site in order to increase academic achievement for all students. The results of this study may also influence administrators and policy makers to initiate local, state, or nationwide curricular development. A change in curriculum may promote social change as students become more competent, and more able, to succeed in life beyond secondary school.

[Severe pulmonary embolism revealed by status epilepticus].

PubMed

Allou, N; Coolen-Allou, N; Delmas, B; Cordier, C; Allyn, J

2016-12-01

High-risk pulmonary embolism (PE) is associated with high mortality rate (>50%). In some cases, diagnosis of PE remains a challenge with atypical presentations like in this case report with a PE revealed by status epilepticus. We report the case of a 40-year-old man without prior disease, hospitalized in ICU for status epilepticus. All paraclinical examinations at admission did not show any significant abnormalities (laboratory tests, cardiologic and neurological investigations). On day 1, he presented a sudden circulatory collapse and echocardiography showed right intra-auricular thrombus. He was treated by thrombolysis and arteriovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. After stabilization, computed tomography showed severe bilateral PE. He developed multi-organ failure and died 4days after admission. Pulmonary embolism revealed by status epilepticus has rarely been reported and is associated with poor prognosis. Physicians should be aware and think of the possibility of PE in patients with status epilepticus without any history or risk factors of seizure and normal neurological investigations. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

[Errors in laboratory daily practice].

PubMed

Larrose, C; Le Carrer, D

2007-01-01

Legislation set by GBEA (Guide de bonne exécution des analyses) requires that, before performing analysis, the laboratory directors have to check both the nature of the samples and the patients identity. The data processing of requisition forms, which identifies key errors, was established in 2000 and in 2002 by the specialized biochemistry laboratory, also with the contribution of the reception centre for biological samples. The laboratories follow a strict criteria of defining acceptability as a starting point for the reception to then check requisition forms and biological samples. All errors are logged into the laboratory database and analysis report are sent to the care unit specifying the problems and the consequences they have on the analysis. The data is then assessed by the laboratory directors to produce monthly or annual statistical reports. This indicates the number of errors, which are then indexed to patient files to reveal the specific problem areas, therefore allowing the laboratory directors to teach the nurses and enable corrective action.

The effect of pre-existing vulnerability factors on a laboratory analogue trauma experience.

PubMed

Laposa, Judith M; Alden, Lynn E

2008-12-01

This study examined how pre-existing emotional and personality vulnerability factors affect responses to an analogue trauma experience. Sixty-eight undergraduate participants viewed a distressing film and completed measures of trait anxiety, intelligence, depression, trait dissociation, as well as changes in state anxiety, then recorded intrusions over the following week. Results revealed that trait anxiety, depression, trait dissociation, change in anxiety, and post-state anxiety were associated with intrusion frequency. Post-state anxiety mediated the relationship between trait anxiety, depression and trait dissociation, and intrusions. Implications for PTSD theories and laboratory trauma analogue research examining specific elements of cognitive models of PTSD are discussed.

Survey of laboratory-acquired infections around the world in biosafety level 3 and 4 laboratories.

PubMed

Wurtz, N; Papa, A; Hukic, M; Di Caro, A; Leparc-Goffart, I; Leroy, E; Landini, M P; Sekeyova, Z; Dumler, J S; Bădescu, D; Busquets, N; Calistri, A; Parolin, C; Palù, G; Christova, I; Maurin, M; La Scola, B; Raoult, D

2016-08-01

Laboratory-acquired infections due to a variety of bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi have been described over the last century, and laboratory workers are at risk of exposure to these infectious agents. However, reporting laboratory-associated infections has been largely voluntary, and there is no way to determine the real number of people involved or to know the precise risks for workers. In this study, an international survey based on volunteering was conducted in biosafety level 3 and 4 laboratories to determine the number of laboratory-acquired infections and the possible underlying causes of these contaminations. The analysis of the survey reveals that laboratory-acquired infections have been infrequent and even rare in recent years, and human errors represent a very high percentage of the cases. Today, most risks from biological hazards can be reduced through the use of appropriate procedures and techniques, containment devices and facilities, and the training of personnel.

Effective utilization of clinical laboratories.

PubMed

Murphy, J; Henry, J B

1978-11-01

Effective utilization of clinical laboratories requires that underutilization, overutilization, and malutilization be appreciated and eliminated or reduced. Optimal patient care service, although subjective to a major extent, is reflected in terms of outcome and cost. Increased per diem charges, reduced hospital stay, and increased laboratory workload over the past decade all require each laboratory to examine its internal operations to achieve economy and efficiency as well as maximal effectiveness. Increased research and development, an active managerial role on the part of pathologists, internal self-assessment, and an aggressive response to sophisticated scientific and clinical laboratory data base requirements are not only desirable but essential. The importance of undergraduate and graduate medical education in laboratory medicine to insure understanding as well as effective utilization is stressed. The costs and limitations as well as the accuracy, precision, sensitivity, specificity, and pitfalls of measurements and examinations must also be fully appreciated. Medical malpractice and defensive medicine and the use of critical values, emergency and routine services, and an active clinical role by the pathologist are of the utmost value in assuring effective utilization of the laboratory. A model for the optimal use of the laboratory including economy and efficiency has been achieved in the blood bank in regard to optimal hemotherapy for elective surgery, assuring superior patient care in a cost effective and safe manner.

[Study of quality of a branch laboratory--an opinion of a laboratory manager].

PubMed

Yazawa, Naoyuki

2006-11-01

At the stage of establishing a branch laboratory, quality evaluation is extremely difficult. Even the results of a control survey by the headquarters of the branch laboratory are unhelpful. For a clinical laboratory, the most important function is to provide reliable data all the time, and to maintain the reliability of clinical doctors with informed responses. We mostly refer to control surveys and daily quality control data to evaluate a clinical laboratory, but we rarely check its fundamental abilities, such as planning events, preserving statistical data about the standard range, using the right method for quality control and others. This is generally disregarded and it is taken for granted that they will be correct the first time. From my six years of experience working with X's branch laboratory, I realized that there might be some relation between the quality of a branch laboratory and the fundamental abilities of the company itself. I would never argue that all branch laboratories are ineffective, but they should be conscious of fundamental activities. The referring laboratory, not the referral laboratory, should be responsible for ensuring that the referral laboratory's examination results and findings are correct.

An evaluation of outcomes following the replacement of traditional histology laboratories with self-study modules.

PubMed

Thompson, Andrew R; Lowrie, Donald J

2017-06-01

Changes in medical school curricula often require educators to develop teaching strategies that decrease contact hours while maintaining effective pedagogical methods. When faced with this challenge, faculty at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine converted the majority of in-person histology laboratory sessions to self-study modules that utilize multiple audiovisual modalities and a virtual microscope platform. Outcomes related to this shift were investigated through performance on in-house examinations, results of the United States Medical Licensing Examination ® (USMLE ® ) Step 1 Examination, and student feedback. Medical School College Admissions Test ® (MCAT ® ) scores were used as a covariate when comparing in-house examinations. Results revealed no significant change in performance on in-house examinations when the content being assessed was controlled (F(2, 506) = 0.676, P = 0.51). A significant improvement in overall practical examination grade averages was associated with the self-study modules (F(6, 1164) = 10.213, P < 0.01), but gradual changes in examination content may explain this finding. The histology and cell biology portion of USMLE Step 1 Examination remained consistent throughout the time period that was investigated. Student feedback regarding the self-study modules was positive and suggested that features such as instructor narrated videos were an important component of the self-study modules because they helped recreate the experience of in-person laboratory sessions. Positive outcomes from the student perspective and no drop in examination performance suggests that utilizing self-study modules for histology laboratory content may be an option for educators faced with the challenge of reducing contact hours without eliminating content. Anat Sci Educ 10: 276-285. © 2016 American Association of Anatomists. © 2016 American Association of Anatomists.

Simplified Laboratory Procedures for Wastewater Examination. Second Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Water Pollution Control Federation, Washington, DC.

This booklet is for wastewater treatment plant operators who find it difficult to follow the detailed discussions and procedures found in "Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater." It is intended to be used with "Standard Methods" available for reference. Included in this publication are chapters on…

[Trend survey of ocular infections with bacteria at Toyama University Hospital over the past six years--from the standpoint of laboratory examination].

PubMed

Kubota, Tomomi; Hayashi, Shirou; Niimi, Hideki; Kitajima, Isao

2012-07-01

Specimens of bacterial ocular infections are frequently received in the clinical laboratory. However, a comprehensive trend survey of ocular infections with bacteria is very rare. Our objective is to understand the current tendency of ocular infections with bacteria in patients at Toyama University Hospital from the standpoint of laboratory examination. We studied 263 cases of ocular infection with bacteria diagnosed at Toyama University Hospital from January 2006 to December 2011. 123 were male and 140 were female, with a mean age of 61.2(0-98) years. Specimens were subjected to direct microscopy and culture. Cultures were positive in 174(66.2%) patients. The most common bacterial isolate was Staphylococcus (28.1%), followed by Corynebacterium (19.3%), Streptococcus (9.3%), and Propionibacterium (8.6%). MRSA accounted for 18.8% of all S. aureus isolates, and has increased in recent years. The number of bacteria detected was larger in March, June, July, August, and October. Age distribution indicated that around 70% of bacterial isolates were detected from patients over 60 years old. The most common specimen of ocular infections with bacteria was eye discharge (detection rate; 87.8%), followed by corneal scraping(41%), aqueous humor (19%), and vitreous body (27%). Nearly 80% of bacterial isolates were detected from patients with keratitis, endophthalmitis, dacryocystitis, and conjunctivitis. As for the disease specific detection rate, endophthalmitis was very low (38.3%). The detection rate by years indicated that the way doctors pick up the specimens greatly affects the detection rate. Based on this survey, we need close cooperation with medical doctors concerning laboratory examination in ocular infection with bacteria, and we must improve the detection sensitivity of specimens from patients with endophthalmitis.

Internal audit in a microbiology laboratory.

PubMed Central

Mifsud, A J; Shafi, M S

1995-01-01

AIM--To set up a programme of internal laboratory audit in a medical microbiology laboratory. METHODS--A model of laboratory based process audit is described. Laboratory activities were examined in turn by specimen type. Standards were set using laboratory standard operating procedures; practice was observed using a purpose designed questionnaire and the data were analysed by computer; performance was assessed at laboratory audit meetings; and the audit circle was closed by re-auditing topics after an interval. RESULTS--Improvements in performance scores (objective measures) and in staff morale (subjective impression) were observed. CONCLUSIONS--This model of process audit could be applied, with amendments to take local practice into account, in any microbiology laboratory. PMID:7665701

Communication, Communication, Communication! Growth through Laboratory Instructing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peterson, Jamie J.; DeAngelo, Samantha; Mack, Nancy; Thompson, Claudia; Cooper, Jennifer; Sesma, Arturo, Jr.

2014-01-01

This study examined gains undergraduate students made in their communication and collaboration skills when they served as peer teachers, i.e., laboratory instructors (LIs), for a General Psychology laboratory. Self-ratings of communication and collaboration skills were completed before and after teaching the laboratory. When compared to before the…

Errors in clinical laboratories or errors in laboratory medicine?

PubMed

Plebani, Mario

2006-01-01

in pre- and post-examination steps must be minimized to guarantee the total quality of laboratory services.

Examination of the Effects of Dimensionality on Cognitive Processing in Science: A Computational Modeling Experiment Comparing Online Laboratory Simulations and Serious Educational Games

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lamb, Richard L.

2016-02-01

Within the last 10 years, new tools for assisting in the teaching and learning of academic skills and content within the context of science have arisen. These new tools include multiple types of computer software and hardware to include (video) games. The purpose of this study was to examine and compare the effect of computer learning games in the form of three-dimensional serious educational games, two-dimensional online laboratories, and traditional lecture-based instruction in the context of student content learning in science. In particular, this study examines the impact of dimensionality, or the ability to move along the X-, Y-, and Z-axis in the games. Study subjects ( N = 551) were randomly selected using a stratified sampling technique. Independent strata subsamples were developed based upon the conditions of serious educational games, online laboratories, and lecture. The study also computationally models a potential mechanism of action and compares two- and three-dimensional learning environments. F test results suggest a significant difference for the main effect of condition across the factor of content gain score with large effect. Overall, comparisons using computational models suggest that three-dimensional serious educational games increase the level of success in learning as measured with content examinations through greater recruitment and attributional retraining of cognitive systems. The study supports assertions in the literature that the use of games in higher dimensions (i.e., three-dimensional versus two-dimensional) helps to increase student understanding of science concepts.

Genomic landscapes of endogenous retroviruses unveil intricate genetics of conventional and genetically-engineered laboratory mouse strains.

PubMed

Lee, Kang-Hoon; Lim, Debora; Chiu, Sophia; Greenhalgh, David; Cho, Kiho

2016-04-01

Laboratory strains of mice, both conventional and genetically engineered, have been introduced as critical components of a broad range of studies investigating normal and disease biology. Currently, the genetic identity of laboratory mice is primarily confirmed by surveying polymorphisms in selected sets of "conventional" genes and/or microsatellites in the absence of a single completely sequenced mouse genome. First, we examined variations in the genomic landscapes of transposable repetitive elements, named the TREome, in conventional and genetically engineered mouse strains using murine leukemia virus-type endogenous retroviruses (MLV-ERVs) as a probe. A survey of the genomes from 56 conventional strains revealed strain-specific TREome landscapes, and certain families (e.g., C57BL) of strains were discernible with defined patterns. Interestingly, the TREome landscapes of C3H/HeJ (toll-like receptor-4 [TLR4] mutant) inbred mice were different from its control C3H/HeOuJ (TLR4 wild-type) strain. In addition, a CD14 knock-out strain had a distinct TREome landscape compared to its control/backcross C57BL/6J strain. Second, an examination of superantigen (SAg, a "TREome gene") coding sequences of mouse mammary tumor virus-type ERVs in the genomes of the 46 conventional strains revealed a high diversity, suggesting a potential role of SAgs in strain-specific immune phenotypes. The findings from this study indicate that unexplored and intricate genomic variations exist in laboratory mouse strains, both conventional and genetically engineered. The TREome-based high-resolution genetics surveillance system for laboratory mice would contribute to efficient study design with quality control and accurate data interpretation. This genetics system can be easily adapted to other species ranging from plants to humans. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Revealing of tuberculosis in an infectious diseases hospital of a megalopolis].

PubMed

Malashenkov, E A; Ivanovskiĭ, V B

2007-01-01

The advisory work of the phthisiatrician in an infectious diseases hospital was analyzed; the analysis revealed that in 2005 tuberculose changes of various degrees of activity had been revealed in 42.5% of examined patients, and 32.1% of them were subjects in whom tuberculosis of diferent localizations had been revealed for the first time. In 43.2% of the latter subjects, the reasons for hospitalization were "clinical masks" of tuberculose process (influenza, acute respiratory viral disease), while 48.6% were hospitalized for gastrointestinal infections and viral hepatitis. In 20.7% of cases tuberculosis was combined with HIV infection. In the infectious diseases hospital, 16.2% of patients with active tuberculosis died. Among the patients treated in the infectious diseases hospital during one year, the proportion of patients with active tuberculosis was 1.44%, the proportion of those in whom the process was revealed for the first time, was 0.75%. In Botkin infectious diseases hospital, there were approximately 6% of patients in whom tuberculose process was revealed for the first time in Saint Petersburg. The peculiarities of this group of patients in an infectious diseases hospital require not only tuberculose alertness, but also reinforcement of phthisiatric, radiological, and laboratory services.

The Outpatient Physical Examination.

PubMed

Artandi, Maja K; Stewart, Rosalyn W

2018-05-01

The physical examination in the outpatient setting is a valuable tool. Even in settings where there is lack of evidence, such as the annual physical examination of an asymptomatic adult, the physical examination is beneficial for the physician-patient relationship. When a patient has specific symptoms, the physical examination-in addition to a thorough history-can help narrow down, or in many cases establish, a diagnosis. In a time where imaging and laboratory tests are easily available, but are expensive and can be invasive, a skilled physical examination remains an important component of patient evaluation. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Safety in the Microbiology laboratory].

PubMed

Rojo-Molinero, Estrella; Alados, Juan Carlos; de la Pedrosa, Elia Gómez G; Leiva, José; Pérez, José L

2015-01-01

The normal activity in the laboratory of microbiology poses different risks - mainly biological - that can affect the health of their workers, visitors and the community. Routine health examinations (surveillance and prevention), individual awareness of self-protection, hazard identification and risk assessment of laboratory procedures, the adoption of appropriate containment measures, and the use of conscientious microbiological techniques allow laboratory to be a safe place, as records of laboratory-acquired infections and accidents show. Training and information are the cornerstones for designing a comprehensive safety plan for the laboratory. In this article, the basic concepts and the theoretical background on laboratory safety are reviewed, including the main legal regulations. Moreover, practical guidelines are presented for each laboratory to design its own safety plan according its own particular characteristics. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier España, S.L.U. y Sociedad Española de Enfermedades Infecciosas y Microbiología Clínica. All rights reserved.

A Comparison of Laboratory and Clinical Working Memory Tests and Their Prediction of Fluid Intelligence

PubMed Central

Shelton, Jill T.; Elliott, Emily M.; Hill, B. D.; Calamia, Matthew R.; Gouvier, Wm. Drew

2010-01-01

The working memory (WM) construct is conceptualized similarly across domains of psychology, yet the methods used to measure WM function vary widely. The present study examined the relationship between WM measures used in the laboratory and those used in applied settings. A large sample of undergraduates completed three laboratory-based WM measures (operation span, listening span, and n-back), as well as the WM subtests from the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-III and the Wechsler Memory Scale-III. Performance on all of the WM subtests of the clinical batteries shared positive correlations with the lab measures; however, the Arithmetic and Spatial Span subtests shared lower correlations than the other WM tests. Factor analyses revealed that a factor comprising scores from the three lab WM measures and the clinical subtest, Letter-Number Sequencing (LNS), provided the best measurement of WM. Additionally, a latent variable approach was taken using fluid intelligence as a criterion construct to further discriminate between the WM tests. The results revealed that the lab measures, along with the LNS task, were the best predictors of fluid abilities. PMID:20161647

The Current State of Sustainability in Bioscience Laboratories: A Statistical Examination of a UK Tertiary Institute

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wright, Hazel A.; Ironside, Joseph E.; Gwynn-Jones, Dylan

2008-01-01

Purpose: This study aims to identify the current barriers to sustainability in the bioscience laboratory setting and to determine which mechanisms are likely to increase sustainable behaviours in this specialised environment. Design/methodology/approach: The study gathers qualitative data from a sample of laboratory researchers presently…

Laboratory performance in the Sediment Laboratory Quality-Assurance Project, 1996-98

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gordon, John D.; Newland, Carla A.; Gagliardi, Shane T.

2000-01-01

Analytical results from all sediment quality-control samples are compiled and statistically summarized by the USGS, Branch of Quality Systems, both on an intra- and interlaboratory basis. When evaluating these data, the reader needs to keep in mind that every measurement has an error component associated with it. It is premature to use the data from the first five SLQA studies to judge any of the laboratories as performing in an unacceptable manner. There were, however, some notable differences in the results for the 12 laboratories that participated in the five SLQA studies. For example, the overall median percent difference for suspended-sediment concentration on an individual laboratory basis ranged from –18.04 to –0.33 percent. Five of the 12 laboratories had an overall median percent difference for suspended-sediment concentration of –2.02 to –0.33 percent. There was less variability in the median difference for the measured fine-size material mass. The overall median percent difference for fine-size material mass ranged from –10.11 to –4.27 percent. Except for one laboratory, the median difference for fine-size material mass was within a fairly narrow range of –6.76 to –4.27 percent. The median percent difference for sand-size material mass differed among laboratories more than any other physical sediment property measured in the study. The overall median percent difference for the sand-size material mass ranged from –1.49 percent to 26.39 percent. Five of the nine laboratories that do sand/fine separations had overall median percent differences that ranged from –1.49 to 2.98 percent for sand-size material mass. Careful review of the data reveals that certain laboratories consistently produced data within statistical control limits for some or all of the physical sediment properties measured in this study, whereas other laboratories occasionally produced data that exceeded the control limits.

Undergraduate Laboratory Module on Skin Diffusion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Norman, James J.; Andrews, Samantha N.; Prausnitz, Mark R.

2011-01-01

To introduce students to an application of chemical engineering directly related to human health, we developed an experiment for the unit operations laboratory at Georgia Tech examining diffusion across cadaver skin in the context of transdermal drug delivery. In this laboratory module, students prepare mouse skin samples, set up diffusion cells…

Science Laboratory Environment and Academic Performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aladejana, Francisca; Aderibigbe, Oluyemisi

2007-12-01

The study determined how students assess the various components of their science laboratory environment. It also identified how the laboratory environment affects students' learning outcomes. The modified ex-post facto design was used. A sample of 328 randomly selected students was taken from a population of all Senior Secondary School chemistry students in a state in Nigeria. The research instrument, Science Laboratory Environment Inventory (SLEI) designed and validated by Fraser et al. (Sci Educ 77:1-24, 1993) was administered on the selected students. Data analysis was done using descriptive statistics and Product Moment Correlation. Findings revealed that students could assess the five components (Student cohesiveness, Open-endedness, Integration, Rule clarity, and Material Environment) of the laboratory environment. Student cohesiveness has the highest assessment while material environment has the least. The results also showed that the five components of the science laboratory environment are positively correlated with students' academic performance. The findings are discussed with a view to improving the quality of the laboratory environment, subsequent academic performance in science and ultimately the enrolment and retaining of learners in science.

Physical examination instead of laboratory tests for most infants born to mothers colonized with group B Streptococcus: support for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's 2010 recommendations.

PubMed

Cantoni, Luigi; Ronfani, Luca; Da Riol, Rosalia; Demarini, Sergio

2013-08-01

To compare 2 approaches in the management of neonates at risk for group B Streptococcus early-onset sepsis: laboratory tests plus standardized physical examination and standardized physical examination alone. Prospective, sequential study over 2 consecutive 12-month periods, carried out in the maternity hospitals of the region Friuli-Venezia Giulia (north-eastern Italy). All term infants were included (7628 in the first period, 7611 in the second). In the first period, complete blood count and blood culture were required for all infants at risk, followed by a 48-hour period of observation with a standardized physical examination. In the second period, only standardized physical examination was performed. Study outcomes were: (1) number of neonates treated with antibiotics; and (2) time between onset of signs of possible sepsis and beginning of treatment. There was no difference between the 2 periods in the rate of maternal colonization (19.7% vs 19.8%, P = .8), or in other risk factors. The interval between onset of signs of sepsis and starting of antibiotics was not different in the 2 periods. Significantly fewer infants were treated with antibiotics in the second period (0.5% vs 1.2%, P < .001). Laboratory tests together with standardized physical examination seem to offer no advantage over standardized physical examination alone; the latter was associated with fewer antibiotic treatments. Our results are in agreement with the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's 2010 recommendations. Copyright © 2013 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Examining Summer Laboratory Research Apprenticeships for High School Students as a Factor in Entry to MD/PhD Programs at Matriculation.

PubMed

Tai, Robert H; Kong, Xiaoqing; Mitchell, Claire E; Dabney, Katherine P; Read, Daniel M; Jeffe, Donna B; Andriole, Dorothy A; Wathington, Heather D

2017-01-01

Do summer laboratory research apprenticeships during high school have an impact on entry into MD/PhD programs? Apart from the nearly decade-long span of time between high school and matriculation into an MD/PhD program, young people have many life-shaping experiences that presumably impact their education and career trajectories. This quantitative study ( n = 236,432) examines the connection between early laboratory research apprenticeship experiences at the high school level and matriculation into one of the more rigorous educational programs for scientific research training. The span of time covered by this analysis reaches across more than a decade, examining the potential importance of research experiences during the precollege years in the educational trajectory of young people. Intertwined with this question on research experiences is a second major concern regarding diversity in the life sciences research corps. Diversity in this wide-ranging discipline refers specifically to the underrepresentation of Blacks/African Americans, Hispanics/Latino/as, and American Indians/Alaska Natives among the ranks of research scientists. Thus, this study includes analyses that specifically focus on research apprenticeships of Blacks/African Americans and Hispanics/Latino/as and their entrance into MD/PhD programs. © 2017 R. H. Tai et al. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2017 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

Physiology Laboratories Quantifying Gas Exchange in Health and Disease.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olson, L. E.

1985-01-01

Describes two quantitatively-oriented physiology laboratories for veterinary students. The laboratory exercises incorporate the procedures of radiology and physical examination with measurement of pulmonary function. Specific laboratory objectives, procedures and equipment needed for diagnoses of the pathologies are listed. (ML)

Structural differences in the brain between wild and laboratory rats (Rattus norvegicus): potential contribution to wariness.

PubMed

Koizumi, Ryoko; Kiyokawa, Yasushi; Mikami, Kaori; Ishii, Akiko; Tanaka, Kazuyuki D; Tanikawa, Tsutomu; Takeuchi, Yukari

2018-05-11

Wild animals typically exhibit defensive behaviors in response to a wider range and/or a weaker intensity of stimuli compared with domestic animals. However, little is known about the neural mechanisms underlying "wariness" in wild animals. Wild rats are one of the most accessible wild animals for experimental research. Laboratory rats are a domesticated form of wild rat, belonging to the same species, and are therefore considered suitable control animals for wild rats. Based on these factors, we analyzed structural differences in the brain between wild and laboratory rats to elucidate the neural mechanisms underlying wariness. We examined wild rats trapped in Tokyo, and weight-matched laboratory rats. We then prepared brain sections and compared the basolateral complex of the amygdala (BLA), the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST), the main olfactory bulb, and the accessory olfactory bulb. The results revealed that wild rats exhibited larger BLA, BNST and caudal part of the accessory olfactory bulb compared with laboratory rats. These results suggest that the BLA, BNST, and vomeronasal system potentially contribute to wariness in wild rats.

How does preclinical laboratory training impact physical examination skills during the first clinical year? A retrospective analysis of routinely collected objective structured clinical examination scores among the first two matriculating classes of a reformed curriculum in one Polish medical school

PubMed Central

Świerszcz, Jolanta; Stalmach-Przygoda, Agata; Kuźma, Marcin; Jabłoński, Konrad; Cegielny, Tomasz; Skrzypek, Agnieszka; Wieczorek-Surdacka, Ewa; Kruszelnicka, Olga; Chmura, Kaja; Chyrchel, Bernadeta; Surdacki, Andrzej; Nowakowski, Michał

2017-01-01

Objective As a result of a curriculum reform launched in 2012 at our institution, preclinical training was shortened to 2 years instead of the traditional 3 years, creating additional incentives to optimise teaching methods. In accordance with the new curriculum, a semester-long preclinical module of clinical skills (CS) laboratory training takes place in the second year of study, while an introductory clinical course (ie, brief introductory clerkships) is scheduled for the Fall semester of the third year. Objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs) are carried out at the conclusion of both the preclinical module and the introductory clinical course. Our aim was to compare the scores at physical examination stations between the first and second matriculating classes of a newly reformed curriculum on preclinical second-year OSCEs and early clinical third-year OSCEs. Design Analysis of routinely collected data. Setting One Polish medical school. Participants Complete OSCE records for 462 second-year students and 445 third-year students. Outcome measures OSCE scores by matriculation year. Results In comparison to the first class of the newly reformed curriculum, significantly higher (ie, better) OSCE scores were observed for those students who matriculated in 2013, a year after implementing the reformed curriculum. This finding was consistent for both second-year and third-year cohorts. Additionally, the magnitude of the improvement in median third-year OSCE scores was proportional to the corresponding advancement in preceding second-year preclinical OSCE scores for each of two different sets of physical examination tasks. In contrast, no significant difference was noted between the academic years in the ability to interpret laboratory data or ECG — tasks which had not been included in the second-year preclinical training. Conclusion Our results suggest the importance of preclinical training in a CS laboratory to improve students’ competence in

How does preclinical laboratory training impact physical examination skills during the first clinical year? A retrospective analysis of routinely collected objective structured clinical examination scores among the first two matriculating classes of a reformed curriculum in one Polish medical school.

PubMed

Świerszcz, Jolanta; Stalmach-Przygoda, Agata; Kuźma, Marcin; Jabłoński, Konrad; Cegielny, Tomasz; Skrzypek, Agnieszka; Wieczorek-Surdacka, Ewa; Kruszelnicka, Olga; Chmura, Kaja; Chyrchel, Bernadeta; Surdacki, Andrzej; Nowakowski, Michał

2017-09-01

As a result of a curriculum reform launched in 2012 at our institution, preclinical training was shortened to 2 years instead of the traditional 3 years, creating additional incentives to optimise teaching methods. In accordance with the new curriculum, a semester-long preclinical module of clinical skills (CS) laboratory training takes place in the second year of study, while an introductory clinical course (ie, brief introductory clerkships) is scheduled for the Fall semester of the third year. Objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs) are carried out at the conclusion of both the preclinical module and the introductory clinical course. Our aim was to compare the scores at physical examination stations between the first and second matriculating classes of a newly reformed curriculum on preclinical second-year OSCEs and early clinical third-year OSCEs. Analysis of routinely collected data. One Polish medical school. Complete OSCE records for 462 second-year students and 445 third-year students. OSCE scores by matriculation year. In comparison to the first class of the newly reformed curriculum, significantly higher (ie, better) OSCE scores were observed for those students who matriculated in 2013, a year after implementing the reformed curriculum. This finding was consistent for both second-year and third-year cohorts. Additionally, the magnitude of the improvement in median third-year OSCE scores was proportional to the corresponding advancement in preceding second-year preclinical OSCE scores for each of two different sets of physical examination tasks. In contrast, no significant difference was noted between the academic years in the ability to interpret laboratory data or ECG - tasks which had not been included in the second-year preclinical training. Our results suggest the importance of preclinical training in a CS laboratory to improve students' competence in physical examination at the completion of introductory clinical clerkships during

Dr. Grant Heikan examines lunar material in sieve from sample container

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1969-01-01

Dr. Grant Heikan, Manned Spacecraft Center and a Lunar Sample preliminary Examination Team member, examines lunar material in a sieve from the bulk sample container which was opened in the Biopreparation Laboratory of the Lunar Receiving Laboratory.

The case for investigating social context in laboratory studies of smoking.

PubMed

Dimoff, John D; Sayette, Michael A

2017-03-01

With increasing frequency, addiction is conceived of as a brain disease, and such accounts seem especially pertinent with regard to the rapid delivery of nicotine to the brain via cigarette smoke. Moreover, drug administration trials (cigarette puffs) suggest that the behavior of smoking becomes automatized, with individuals developing prototypical approaches to smoking a cigarette. Compared with presumably more social activities, such as drinking alcohol, there may be little opportunity for social processes to influence smoking behavior. However, survey research examining smoking motivation often reveals a broadly defined 'social' factor and field research suggests that social context does influence smoking. We posit that laboratory smoking research has largely ignored social contextual factors that may help to understand better the precise mechanisms underlying smoking behavior and smoking motivation. We reviewed laboratory studies examining the effect of social context (operationalized as modeling) on smoking behavior. Studies were identified by searching PsychInfo and Medline using the following keywords: smoking, nicotine, tobacco, cigarette, consumption, topography, puff, smoking behavior, cigarettes smoked, modeling, imitation, social context, social influence and peer pressure. The reference and citation lists of these studies were then searched to identify additional studies. Few laboratory smoking studies target social context. Those few studies indicate that smoking behavior can be influenced by the presence of others. There is also some evidence that social context influences the effects of smoking as well as processes related to self-perception and self-regulation that reinforce smoking and hamper smoking cessation efforts. © 2016 Society for the Study of Addiction.

Medical Laboratory Technician and Technologist Training: Arizona Heeds the Call.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Biehl, Ruth B.

Arizona's medical laboratory personnel training programs were examined in relation to the nationwide development and distribution of laboratory personnel classifications (Medical Technologist--MT, Medical Laboratory Technician--MLT, and Certified Laboratory Assistant--CLA) and the national educational response which has resulted in an increase in…

Multiethnic differences in responses to laboratory pain stimuli among children.

PubMed

Lu, Qian; Zeltzer, Lonnie; Tsao, Jennie

2013-08-01

A growing body of literature suggests ethnic differences in experimental pain. However, these studies largely focus on adults and the comparison between Caucasians and African Americans. The primary aim of this study is to determine ethnic differences in laboratory-induced pain in a multiethnic child sample. Participants were 214 healthy children (mean age = 12.7, SD = 3.0 years). Ninety-eight Caucasian, 58 Hispanic, 34 African American, and 24 Asian children were exposed to four trials of pressure and radiant heat pain stimuli. Pain responses were assessed with self-report measures (i.e., pain intensity and unpleasantness) and behavioral observation (i.e., pain tolerance). Asians demonstrated more pain sensitivity than Caucasians, who evidenced more pain sensitivity than African Americans and Hispanics. The results hold even after controlling for age, sex, SES, and experimenter's ethnicity. Asians also showed higher anticipatory anxiety compared with other ethnic groups. Anticipatory anxiety accounted for some ethnic differences in pain between Asians, Hispanics, and African Americans. By examining response to laboratory pain stimuli in children representing multiple ethnicities, an understudied sample, the study reveals unique findings compared to the existing literature. These findings have implications for clinicians who manage acute pain in children from diverse ethnic backgrounds. Future investigations should examine mechanisms that account for ethnic differences in pain during various developmental stages. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved.

Genetic examination of the putative skull of Jan Kochanowski reveals its female sex

PubMed Central

Kupiec, Tomasz; Branicki, Wojciech

2011-01-01

We report the results of genetic examination of the putative skull of Jan Kochanowski (1530-1584), a great Polish renaissance poet. The skull was retrieved in 1791 by historian Tadeusz Czacki from the Kochanowski family tomb and became the property of the Czartoryskis Museum in Krakow. An anthropological study in 1926 questioned its male origin, which raised doubts about its authenticity. Our report presents genetic evidence that resolves this dispute. From the sole tooth we obtained a sufficient amount of DNA to perform the analysis of nuclear markers. The analysis of the sex-informative part of intron 1 in amelogenin, genotyped using AmpFiSTR® NGM PCR Amplification Kit and Powerplex® ESI17 Kit human identification systems, revealed the female origin of the tooth. The female origin was further confirmed by the analysis of a portion of amelogenin intron 2, a microsatellite marker located on the X chromosome, as well as by a lack of signal from Y chromosomal microsatellite markers and the sex-determining region Y marker. Data obtained for two hypervariable regions, HVI and HVII, in mitochondrial DNA showed that mtDNA haplotype was relatively frequent among contemporary Europeans. The analysis of a set of single nucleotide polymorphisms relevant for prediction of the iris color indicated an 87% probability that the woman had hazel or brown eye color. PMID:21674838

Genetic examination of the putative skull of Jan Kochanowski reveals its female sex.

PubMed

Kupiec, Tomasz; Branicki, Wojciech

2011-06-01

We report the results of genetic examination of the putative skull of Jan Kochanowski (1530-1584), a great Polish renaissance poet. The skull was retrieved in 1791 by historian Tadeusz Czacki from the Kochanowski family tomb and became the property of the Czartoryskis Museum in Krakow. An anthropological study in 1926 questioned its male origin, which raised doubts about its authenticity. Our report presents genetic evidence that resolves this dispute. From the sole tooth we obtained a sufficient amount of DNA to perform the analysis of nuclear markers. The analysis of the sex-informative part of intron 1 in amelogenin, genotyped using AmpFiSTR® NGM PCR Amplification Kit and Powerplex® ESI17 Kit human identification systems, revealed the female origin of the tooth. The female origin was further confirmed by the analysis of a portion of amelogenin intron 2, a microsatellite marker located on the X chromosome, as well as by a lack of signal from Y chromosomal microsatellite markers and the sex-determining region Y marker. Data obtained for two hypervariable regions, HVI and HVII, in mitochondrial DNA showed that mtDNA haplotype was relatively frequent among contemporary Europeans. The analysis of a set of single nucleotide polymorphisms relevant for prediction of the iris color indicated an 87% probability that the woman had hazel or brown eye color.

Physical examination of swine.

PubMed

Masters, B J; Hamilton, M; Masters, P G

1992-07-01

Swine may be examined to evaluate a disease state or a lowered economic performance or as a herd health consultation. As much of the examination as possible should be performed without handling the animal. A thorough history, evaluation of herd records, environmental examination, and herd examination should be performed prior to the evaluation of an individual animal. All necessary equipment should be available when starting the individual examination. The animals is then restrained and examined, and necessary samples are taken. Post-mortem examinations or slaughter house evaluations are a very frequent part of a health examination on swine. All samples taken should be in accordance with the standards of the laboratory that you use. You should work closely with the laboratory to obtain the best results. Physical examination of swine can be rewarding for the veterinarian as well as the producer. The most important aspect to remember is to have enough information and the proper equipment available to handle the animals for the minimal amount of time to gain the maximum benefits. Vietnamese pot-bellied pigs are similar to domestic swine in terms of their diseases and health but are dissimilar in management; pot-bellied pigs are frequently brought to the veterinarian for individual examinations. History is the most valuable part of the examination, followed by observation. Pot-bellied pigs prefer to be held securely with a hand under the chin and rump. The examination is conducted similarly to the examination of any companion animal. Chemical restraint often is necessary for sampling or minor surgical procedures. Owners should be consulted prior to the use of any restraint. This will help win their approval and confidence when working on their pets. While performing the physical examination, look at the pig's overall health as well as specific breed characteristics. Try to stay abreast of swine vaccination recommendations; you may be consulted in this regard. Most

Adaptive and maladaptive perfectionism, and professional burnout among medical laboratory scientists.

PubMed

Robakowska, Marlena; Tyrańska-Fobke, Anna; Walkiewicz, Maciej; Tartas, Małgorzata

2018-05-22

The goal of this paper is to verify the correlations between adaptive and maladaptive perfectionism and the selected demographic and job characteristics vs. professional burnout among medical laboratory scientists in Poland. The study group consisted of 166 laboratory scientists. The Polish Adaptive and Maladaptive Perfectionism Questionnaire (Szczucka) was used for testing perfectionism. The Oldenburg Burnout Inventory was used for examining burnout syndrome. Adaptive perfectionism was positively and maladaptive perfectionism was negatively correlated with both aspects of professional burnout: the disengagement from work and exhaustion. What is more, maladaptive perfectionism was correlated negatively with age and work experience. People in relationships have a higher level of disengagement and a higher level of exhaustion than single ones. The results of hierarchical regression analyses have revealed, after having controlled selected demographic and job factors, that a significant predictor of disengagement is the high level of adaptive perfectionism and low level of maladaptive perfectionism. In addition, a significant predictor of high level of exhaustion is the low level of maladaptive perfectionism. Professional burnout among medical laboratory scientists is of a specific nature. The "healthier" perfectionism they reveal, the higher level of burnout they present. In this profession, lower risk of burnout is represented by those who are characterized by the lack of confidence in the quality of their actions and a negative reaction to their own imperfections associated with imposed social obligation to be perfect. The individuals pursuing their internal high standards experience burnout faster. Med Pr 2018;69(3):253-260. This work is available in Open Access model and licensed under a CC BY-NC 3.0 PL license.

Examining hydrogen transitions.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Plotkin, S. E.; Energy Systems

2007-03-01

This report describes the results of an effort to identify key analytic issues associated with modeling a transition to hydrogen as a fuel for light duty vehicles, and using insights gained from this effort to suggest ways to improve ongoing modeling efforts. The study reported on here examined multiple hydrogen scenarios reported in the literature, identified modeling issues associated with those scenario analyses, and examined three DOE-sponsored hydrogen transition models in the context of those modeling issues. The three hydrogen transition models are HyTrans (contractor: Oak Ridge National Laboratory), MARKAL/DOE* (Brookhaven National Laboratory), and NEMS-H2 (OnLocation, Inc). The goals ofmore » these models are (1) to help DOE improve its R&D effort by identifying key technology and other roadblocks to a transition and testing its technical program goals to determine whether they are likely to lead to the market success of hydrogen technologies, (2) to evaluate alternative policies to promote a transition, and (3) to estimate the costs and benefits of alternative pathways to hydrogen development.« less

The ATLAS project: The effects of a constructionist digital laboratory project on undergraduate laboratory performance.

PubMed

Shoepe, Todd C; Cavedon, Dana K; Derian, Joseph M; Levy, Celine S; Morales, Amy

2015-01-01

Anatomical education is a dynamic field where developments in the implementation of constructive, situated-learning show promise in improving student achievement. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of an individualized, technology heavy project in promoting student performance in a combined anatomy and physiology laboratory course. Mixed-methods research was used to compare two cohorts of anatomy laboratories separated by the adoption of a new laboratory atlas project, which were defined as preceding (PRE) and following the adoption of the Anatomical Teaching and Learning Assessment Study (ATLAS; POST). The ATLAS project required the creation of a student-generated, photographic atlas via acquisition of specimen images taken with tablet technology and digital microscope cameras throughout the semester. Images were transferred to laptops, digitally labeled and photo edited weekly, and compiled into a digital book using Internet publishing freeware for final project submission. An analysis of covariance confirmed that student final examination scores were improved (P < 0.05) following the implementation of the laboratory atlas project (PRE, n = 75; POST, n = 90; means ± SE; 74.9 ± 0.9 versus 78.1 ± 0.8, respectively) after controlling for cumulative student grade point average. Analysis of questionnaires collected (n = 68) from the post group suggested students identified with atlas objectives, appreciated the comprehensive value in final examination preparation, and the constructionism involved, but recommended alterations in assignment logistics and the format of the final version. Constructionist, comprehensive term-projects utilizing student-preferred technologies could be used to improve performance toward student learning outcomes. © 2014 American Association of Anatomists.

Emotional intelligence in medical laboratory science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Price, Travis

The purpose of this study was to explore the role of emotional intelligence (EI) in medical laboratory science, as perceived by laboratory administrators. To collect and evaluate these perceptions, a survey was developed and distributed to over 1,400 medical laboratory administrators throughout the U.S. during January and February of 2013. In addition to demographic-based questions, the survey contained a list of 16 items, three skills traditionally considered important for successful work in the medical laboratory as well as 13 EI-related items. Laboratory administrators were asked to rate each item for its importance for job performance, their satisfaction with the item's demonstration among currently working medical laboratory scientists (MLS) and the amount of responsibility college-based medical laboratory science programs should assume for the development of each skill or attribute. Participants were also asked about EI training in their laboratories and were given the opportunity to express any thoughts or opinions about EI as it related to medical laboratory science. This study revealed that each EI item, as well as each of the three other items, was considered to be very or extremely important for successful job performance. Administrators conveyed that they were satisfied overall, but indicated room for improvement in all areas, especially those related to EI. Those surveyed emphasized that medical laboratory science programs should continue to carry the bulk of the responsibility for the development of technical skills and theoretical knowledge and expressed support for increased attention to EI concepts at the individual, laboratory, and program levels.

Laboratory exercises on oscillation modes of pipes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haeberli, Willy

2009-03-01

This paper describes an improved lab setup to study the vibrations of air columns in pipes. Features of the setup include transparent pipes which reveal the position of a movable microphone inside the pipe; excitation of pipe modes with a miniature microphone placed to allow access to the microphone stem for open, closed, or conical pipes; and sound insulation to avoid interference between different setups in a student lab. The suggested experiments on the modes of open, closed, and conical pipes, the transient response of a pipe, and the effect of pipe diameter are suitable for introductory physics laboratories, including laboratories for nonscience majors and music students, and for more advanced undergraduate laboratories. For honors students or for advanced laboratory exercises, the quantitative relation between the resonance width and damping time constant is of interest.

7 CFR 97.100 - Examination of applications.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Standards, Inspections, Marketing Practices), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (CONTINUED) COMMODITY LABORATORY TESTING PROGRAMS... if there are fundamental defects in the application, as determined by the examiner, the examination...

Effect of a Virtual Chemistry Laboratory on Students' Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tatli, Zeynep; Ayas, Alipasa

2013-01-01

It is well known that laboratory applications are of significant importance in chemistry education. However, laboratory applications have generally been neglected in recent educational environments for a variety of reasons. In order to address this gap, this study examined the effect of a virtual chemistry laboratory (VCL) on student achievement…

Creative Report Writing in Undergraduate Organic Chemistry Laboratory Inspires Nonmajors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henary, Maged; Owens, Eric A.; Tawney, Joseph G.

2015-01-01

Laboratory-based courses require students to compose reports based on the performed experiments to assess their overall understanding of the presented material; unfortunately, the sterile and formulated nature of the laboratory report disinterests most students. As a result, the outcome is a lower-quality product that does not reveal full…

External quality assessment of medical laboratories in Croatia: preliminary evaluation of post-analytical laboratory testing.

PubMed

Krleza, Jasna Lenicek; Dorotic, Adrijana; Grzunov, Ana

2017-02-15

Proper standardization of laboratory testing requires assessment of performance after the tests are performed, known as the post-analytical phase. A nationwide external quality assessment (EQA) scheme implemented in Croatia in 2014 includes a questionnaire on post-analytical practices, and the present study examined laboratory responses in order to identify current post-analytical phase practices and identify areas for improvement. In four EQA exercises between September 2014 and December 2015, 145-174 medical laboratories across Croatia were surveyed using the Module 11 questionnaire on the post-analytical phase of testing. Based on their responses, the laboratories were evaluated on four quality indicators: turnaround time (TAT), critical values, interpretative comments and procedures in the event of abnormal results. Results were presented as absolute numbers and percentages. Just over half of laboratories (56.3%) monitored TAT. Laboratories varied substantially in how they dealt with critical values. Most laboratories (65-97%) issued interpretative comments with test results. One third of medical laboratories (30.6-33.3%) issued abnormal test results without confirming them in additional testing. Our results suggest that the nationwide post-analytical EQA scheme launched in 2014 in Croatia has yet to be implemented to the full. To close the gaps between existing recommendations and laboratory practice, laboratory professionals should focus on ensuring that TAT is monitored and lists of critical values are established within laboratories. Professional bodies/institutions should focus on clarify and harmonized rules to standardized practices and applied for adding interpretative comments to laboratory test results and for dealing with abnormal test results.

Some new tests at the Gottingen laboratory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1921-01-01

The tests at the Gottingen laboratory included: friction tests on a surface treated with omelette, verification tests on the M.V.A. 356 wing, and comparative tests of wing no. 36 at the Eiffel laboratory. The examination of all these experiments leads to the belief that, at large incidences, the speeds registered by the suction manometer of the testing chamber of the Eiffel laboratory wind tunnel are, owing to pressure drop, greater than the actual speeds. Therefore, the values of k(sub x) and k(sub y) measured at the Eiffel laboratory at large incidences are too low.

Module Architecture for in Situ Space Laboratories

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sherwood, Brent

2010-01-01

The paper analyzes internal outfitting architectures for space exploration laboratory modules. ISS laboratory architecture is examined as a baseline for comparison; applicable insights are derived. Laboratory functional programs are defined for seven planet-surface knowledge domains. Necessary and value-added departures from the ISS architecture standard are defined, and three sectional interior architecture options are assessed for practicality and potential performance. Contemporary guidelines for terrestrial analytical laboratory design are found to be applicable to the in-space functional program. Densepacked racks of system equipment, and high module volume packing ratios, should not be assumed as the default solution for exploration laboratories whose primary activities include un-scriptable investigations and experimentation on the system equipment itself.

Prostate needle biopsy processing: a survey of laboratory practice across Europe.

PubMed

Varma, Murali; Berney, Daniel M; Algaba, Ferran; Camparo, Philippe; Compérat, Eva; Griffiths, David F R; Kristiansen, Glen; Lopez-Beltran, Antonio; Montironi, Rodolfo; Egevad, Lars

2013-02-01

To determine the degree of variation in the handling of prostate needle biopsies (PBNx) in laboratories across Europe. A web based survey was emailed to members of the European Network of Uropathology and the British Association of Urological Pathologists. Responses were received from 241 laboratories in 15 countries. PNBx were generally taken by urologists (93.8%) or radiologists (23.7%) but in 8.7% were also taken by non-medical personnel such as radiographers, nurses or biomedical assistants. Of the responding laboratories, 40.8% received cores in separate containers, 42.3% processed one core/block, 54.2% examined three levels/block, 49.4% examined one H&E section/level and 56.1% retained spare sections for potential immunohistochemistry. Of the laboratories, 40.9% retained unstained spares for over a year while 36.2% discarded spares within 1 month of reporting. Only two (0.8%) respondents routinely performed immunohistochemistry on all PNBx. There were differences in laboratory practice between the UK and the rest of Europe (RE). Procurement of PNBx by non-medical personnel was more common in the UK. RE laboratories more commonly received each core in a separate container, processed one core/block, examined fewer levels/block and examined more H&E sections/level. RE laboratories also retained spares for potential immunohistochemistry less often and for shorter periods. Use of p63 as the sole basal cell marker was more common in RE. There are marked differences in procurement, handling and processing of PNBx in laboratories across Europe. This data can help the development of best practice guidelines.

Histopathological examination of nerve samples from pure neural leprosy patients: obtaining maximum information to improve diagnostic efficiency.

PubMed

Antunes, Sérgio Luiz Gomes; Chimelli, Leila; Jardim, Márcia Rodrigues; Vital, Robson Teixeira; Nery, José Augusto da Costa; Corte-Real, Suzana; Hacker, Mariana Andréa Vilas Boas; Sarno, Euzenir Nunes

2012-03-01

Nerve biopsy examination is an important auxiliary procedure for diagnosing pure neural leprosy (PNL). When acid-fast bacilli (AFB) are not detected in the nerve sample, the value of other nonspecific histological alterations should be considered along with pertinent clinical, electroneuromyographical and laboratory data (the detection of Mycobacterium leprae DNA with polymerase chain reaction and the detection of serum anti-phenolic glycolipid 1 antibodies) to support a possible or probable PNL diagnosis. Three hundred forty nerve samples [144 from PNL patients and 196 from patients with non-leprosy peripheral neuropathies (NLN)] were examined. Both AFB-negative and AFB-positive PNL samples had more frequent histopathological alterations (epithelioid granulomas, mononuclear infiltrates, fibrosis, perineurial and subperineurial oedema and decreased numbers of myelinated fibres) than the NLN group. Multivariate analysis revealed that independently, mononuclear infiltrate and perineurial fibrosis were more common in the PNL group and were able to correctly classify AFB-negative PNL samples. These results indicate that even in the absence of AFB, these histopathological nerve alterations may justify a PNL diagnosis when observed in conjunction with pertinent clinical, epidemiological and laboratory data.

Laboratory errors and patient safety.

PubMed

Miligy, Dawlat A

2015-01-01

Laboratory data are extensively used in medical practice; consequently, laboratory errors have a tremendous impact on patient safety. Therefore, programs designed to identify and reduce laboratory errors, as well as, setting specific strategies are required to minimize these errors and improve patient safety. The purpose of this paper is to identify part of the commonly encountered laboratory errors throughout our practice in laboratory work, their hazards on patient health care and some measures and recommendations to minimize or to eliminate these errors. Recording the encountered laboratory errors during May 2008 and their statistical evaluation (using simple percent distribution) have been done in the department of laboratory of one of the private hospitals in Egypt. Errors have been classified according to the laboratory phases and according to their implication on patient health. Data obtained out of 1,600 testing procedure revealed that the total number of encountered errors is 14 tests (0.87 percent of total testing procedures). Most of the encountered errors lay in the pre- and post-analytic phases of testing cycle (representing 35.7 and 50 percent, respectively, of total errors). While the number of test errors encountered in the analytic phase represented only 14.3 percent of total errors. About 85.7 percent of total errors were of non-significant implication on patients health being detected before test reports have been submitted to the patients. On the other hand, the number of test errors that have been already submitted to patients and reach the physician represented 14.3 percent of total errors. Only 7.1 percent of the errors could have an impact on patient diagnosis. The findings of this study were concomitant with those published from the USA and other countries. This proves that laboratory problems are universal and need general standardization and bench marking measures. Original being the first data published from Arabic countries that

Laboratory examination of seronegative and seropositive rheumatoid arthritis.

PubMed

Sahatçiu-Meka, Vjollca; Anton, Kukeli

2010-01-01

In response to the continuing debate whether seronegative and seropositive rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are parts of the same disease spectrum or are distinct disorders, we performed a comparative analysis of some laboratory characteristics. The test group consisted of 125 seronegative RA(93 female, 32 male), with titers lower than 1/64 as defined by Rose-Waaler test. The control group consisted of 125 seropositive RA patients (93 female, 32 male), with titers of 1/64 or higher. Patients all belonged to the 2nd and 3rd functional classes (ARA), and were between 25-60 years of age. The duration of the disease was 1-27 years. Elevated average values of erythrosedimentation (ERS), C-reactive protein (PCR) and erythrocytes (Er) were found in seropositive patients, but they did not present statistically significant difference with regard to sero-status. Reduced values of hemoglobin (Hb) were found more frequently in seropositive patients (t = 2.26, p < 0.05), especially female seropositive patients (t = 4.38, p < 0.01), without correlation to disability and duration of the disease. Statistically significant difference was found in average values of fibrinogen in the seropositive subset (t = 2.10, p < 0.05), especially in female seropositive patients (t = 2.65, p < 0.01), and in average values of leukocytes (t = 1.37, p < 0.05) among male seropositive patients. Elevated immunoglobulin (IgM) values were more prominent in the seropositive subset (chi2 = 47.6, p < 0.01), especially among seropositive females (chi2 = 35.68, p < 0.01). Values of IgA and IgG did not present statistically significant difference with regard to sero-status. Levels of C3 and C4 components of the complement were reduced in seropositive tested subjects, without significant difference between sero-subsets. Increased values of gamma-globulin were confirmed with statistical significance (chi2 = 3.39, p < 0.05) in seropositive subjects, while alpha-2 globulin values were nearly equally distributed in both

Laboratory Automation and Intra-Laboratory Turnaround Time: Experience at the University Hospital Campus Bio-Medico of Rome.

PubMed

Angeletti, Silvia; De Cesaris, Marina; Hart, Jonathan George; Urbano, Michele; Vitali, Massimiliano Andrea; Fragliasso, Fulvio; Dicuonzo, Giordano

2015-12-01

Intra-laboratory turnaround time (TAT) is a key indicator of laboratory performance. Improving TAT is a complex task requiring staff education, equipment acquisition, and adequate TAT monitoring. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the intra-laboratory TAT after laboratory automation implementation (June 2013-June 2014) and to compare it to that in the preautomation period (July 2012-May 2013). Intra-laboratory TAT was evaluated both as the mean TAT registered and the percentage of outlier (OP) exams. The mean TAT was 36, 38, and 34 min during the study periods, respectively. These values respected the goal TAT established at 45 min. The OP, calculated at 45 min as well as at 60 min, decreased from 26 to 21 and from 11 to 5, respectively. From a focused analysis on blood count cell, troponin I, and prothrombin (PT) test, TAT improvement was more evident for tests requiring longer preanalytical process. The follow-up of TAT from June 2013 to June 2014 revealed the reduction of the mean TAT as well as of the OP exams after automation implementation and that automation more strongly affects the test in the preanalytical phase including centrifugation of the sample, such as troponin I and PT. © 2015 Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening.

[Prostatic granulomas revealing a peripheral T-cell lymphoma].

PubMed

Foguem, C; Curlier, E; Rouamba, M-M; Regent, A; Philippe, P

2009-02-01

The presence of granulomas on tissue biopsie has been reported in a wide range of disorders. The clinical presentation and the diagnostic work-up of granulomatosis can be difficult as it is illustrated in the following report. A 59-year-old patient was referred in 2002 for a granulomatous prostatitis. Physical examination was normal. Except for the increase of prostate-specific antigen (which motivated a biopsy), the laboratory results were normal. Thoracic CT-scan disclosed mediastinal lymph nodes. A minor salivary gland biopsy was consistent with the diagnosis of sarcoidosis. In 2004, the patient presented an epidermal necrolysis, and in 2005 the deterioration of general status raised suspicion of a lymphoproliferative disorder. Liver and bone marrow biopsies revealed a granulomatous process. Despite steroid therapy, the patient died. Autopsy discloses a anaplasic T cell lymphoma. This report illustrates the relationship between sarcoidosis and lymphoma as a mode of presentation, a complication, or an accidental but misleading association? The association between anaplastic lymphoma and sarcoidosis is exceptional.

[Reversed clinicopathological conference (R-CPC)--interpreting laboratory data in the same way as physical findings].

PubMed

Sugano, Mitsutoshi; Shimada, Masashi; Moriyoshi, Miho; Kitagawa, Kiyoki; Nakashima, Hiromi; Wada, Hideo; Yanagihara, Katsunori; Fujisawa, Shinya; Yonekawa, Osamu; Honda, Takayuki

2012-05-01

Routine laboratory data are discussed by time series analysis in reversed clinicopathological conferences (R-CPC) at Shinshu University School of Medicine. We can identify fine changes in the laboratory data and the importance of negative data (without any changes) using time series analysis. Routine laboratory tests can be performed repeatedly and relatively cheaply, and time series analysis can be performed. The examination process of routine laboratory data in the R-CPC is almost the same as the process of taking physical findings. Firstly, general findings are checked and then the state of each organ is examined. Although routine laboratory data are cheap, we can obtain much more information about a patient's state than from physical examinations. In this R-CPC, several specialists in the various fields of laboratory medicine discussed the routine laboratory data of a patient, and we tried to understand the detailed state of the patient. R-CPC is an educational method to examine laboratory data and we, reconfirmed the usefulness of R-CPC to elucidate the clinical state of the patient.

Diagnostic Accuracy of History, Physical Examination, Laboratory Tests, and Point-of-care Ultrasound for Pediatric Acute Appendicitis in the Emergency Department: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

PubMed

Benabbas, Roshanak; Hanna, Mark; Shah, Jay; Sinert, Richard

2017-05-01

Acute appendicitis (AA) is the most common surgical emergency in children. Accurate and timely diagnosis is crucial but challenging due to atypical presentations and the inherent difficulty of obtaining a reliable history and physical examination in younger children. The aim of this study was to determine the utility of history, physical examination, laboratory tests, Pediatric Appendicitis Score (PAS) and Emergency Department Point-of-Care Ultrasound (ED-POCUS) in the diagnosis of AA in ED pediatric patients. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis and used a test-treatment threshold model to identify diagnostic findings that could rule in/out AA and obviate the need for further imaging studies, specifically computed tomography (CT) scan, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and radiology department ultrasound (RUS). We searched PubMed, EMBASE, and SCOPUS up to October 2016 for studies on ED pediatric patients with abdominal pain. Quality Assessment Tool for Diagnostic Accuracy Studies (QUADAS-2) was used to evaluate the quality and applicability of included studies. Positive and negative likelihood ratios (LR+ and LR-) for diagnostic modalities were calculated and when appropriate data was pooled using Meta-DiSc. Based on the available literature on the test characteristics of different imaging modalities and applying the Pauker-Kassirer method we developed a test-treatment threshold model. Twenty-one studies were included encompassing 8,605 patients with weighted AA prevalence of 39.2%. Studies had variable quality using the QUADAS-2 tool with most studies at high risk of partial verification bias. We divided studies based on their inclusion criteria into two groups of "undifferentiated abdominal pain" and abdominal pain "suspected of AA." In patients with undifferentiated abdominal pain, history of "pain migration to right lower quadrant (RLQ)" (LR+ = 4.81, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 3.59-6.44) and presence of "cough/hop pain" in the physical

Students' Progression in Monitoring Anomalous Results Obtained in Inquiry-Based Laboratory Tasks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crujeiras-Pérez, Beatriz; Jiménez-Aleixandre, Maria Pilar

2017-07-01

This paper examines students' engagement in monitoring anomalous results across a 2-year longitudinal study with 9th and 10th graders (14-15 and 15-16 years of age). The context is a set of five inquiry-based laboratory tasks, requiring students to plan and carry out investigations. The study seeks to examine students' interpretation of data, in particular anomalous results generated by them during the process of solving the tasks, and their ability to monitor them. Data collected include video and audio recordings as well as students' written products. For the analysis, two rubrics were developed drawing on Chinn and Brewer (Cognition and Instruction, 19, 323-393, 2001) and Hmelo-Silver et al. (Science Education, 86, 219-243, 2002). The findings point to a pattern of progress in students' responses across the 2 years: (a) responses revealing a low capacity of monitoring due to not recognizing the data as anomalous or recognizing it as anomalous but being unable to explain their causes are more frequent in the first tasks and (b) responses revealing an improved capacity of monitoring are more frequent in the last tasks. The factors influencing students' regulation of their performances, as the requirement of planning, and specific scaffolding based on activity theory are discussed.

Pre-marital examination as a method of prevention from blood genetic disorders. Community views.

PubMed

El-Hazmi, Mohsen A F

2006-09-01

The Saudi Royal Cabinet issued the Saudi Royal Decree No. 3 dated 11-7-1424, establishing the pre-marital examination as a health preventive measure for all Saudis, and requesting the 2 prospective partners (male and female) to carry out a pre-marital examination and present a certificate of pre-marital examination before the wedding. However, the prospective husband and wife are not obliged to abide by the laboratory results if they so wish. This program started officially on the 1st of Muharram, 1425. As a consequence, the community perception and views on the pre-marital examination program as a preventive measure become crucial. Therefore, this study was organized and conducted to reveal the perception of the community regarding the program, through a purpose-made questionnaire that was distributed during symposia and awareness lectures held throughout the Kingdom (Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, Al-Khobar, Al-Ahsa, Al-Qassim, and Madinah). The questionnaire covers the opinions of the participants in various aspects related to genetic diseases including nature of diseases, mode of transmission, affecting factors, complications, management, and prevention. In addition, the questionnaire also covers opinions regarding the pre-marital examination as a preventive measure of blood genetic diseases, and its contribution to the control of these diseases. The questionnaire also covers methods in obtaining information, whether from studies, lectures, information media, and awareness lectures. The results revealed that the majority of the participants (94.3%) were convinced that the pre-marital examination is an effective mean of prevention of blood genetic diseases. The majority (86.9%) of the participants were also convinced that the pre-marital examination should be mandatory. These are indications that the community is aware of the pre-marital examination, and the effectiveness of the awareness program is enriching the knowledge of the citizens.

Laboratory-based versus non-laboratory-based method for assessment of cardiovascular disease risk: the NHANES I Follow-up Study cohort

PubMed Central

Gaziano, Thomas A; Young, Cynthia R; Fitzmaurice, Garrett; Atwood, Sidney; Gaziano, J Michael

2008-01-01

Summary Background Around 80% of all cardiovascular deaths occur in developing countries. Assessment of those patients at high risk is an important strategy for prevention. Since developing countries have limited resources for prevention strategies that require laboratory testing, we assessed if a risk prediction method that did not require any laboratory tests could be as accurate as one requiring laboratory information. Methods The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) was a prospective cohort study of 14 407 US participants aged between 25–74 years at the time they were first examined (between 1971 and 1975). Our follow-up study population included participants with complete information on these surveys who did not report a history of cardiovascular disease (myocardial infarction, heart failure, stroke, angina) or cancer, yielding an analysis dataset N=6186. We compared how well either method could predict first-time fatal and non-fatal cardiovascular disease events in this cohort. For the laboratory-based model, which required blood testing, we used standard risk factors to assess risk of cardiovascular disease: age, systolic blood pressure, smoking status, total cholesterol, reported diabetes status, and current treatment for hypertension. For the non-laboratory-based model, we substituted body-mass index for cholesterol. Findings In the cohort of 6186, there were 1529 first-time cardiovascular events and 578 (38%) deaths due to cardiovascular disease over 21 years. In women, the laboratory-based model was useful for predicting events, with a c statistic of 0·829. The c statistic of the non-laboratory-based model was 0·831. In men, the results were similar (0·784 for the laboratory-based model and 0·783 for the non-laboratory-based model). Results were similar between the laboratory-based and non-laboratory-based models in both men and women when restricted to fatal events only. Interpretation A method that uses non-laboratory

The laboratory workforce shortage: a managerial perspective.

PubMed

Cortelyou-Ward, Kendall; Ramirez, Bernardo; Rotarius, Timothy

2011-01-01

Most clinical laboratories in the nation report severe difficulties in recruitment and retention of most types of personnel. Other important factors impacting this problem include work complexities, increased automation, and a graying workforce. As a further challenge, institutional needs for clinical laboratory personnel are expected to grow significantly in the next decade. This article examines the current situation of the clinical laboratory workforce. It analyzes the different types of personnel; the managerial, supervision, and line positions that are key for different types of laboratories; the job outlook and recent projections for different types of staff; and the current issues, trends, and challenges of the laboratory workforce. Laboratory managers need to take action with strategies suggested for overcoming these challenges. Most importantly, they need to become transformational leaders by developing effective staffing models, fostering healthy and productive work environments, and creating value with a strategic management culture and implementation of knowledge management.

46 CFR 160.064-6 - Examinations, tests and inspections.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... labeled water safety buoyant devices shall maintain quality control of the materials used, manufacturing... available to the recognized laboratory inspector or to the Coast Guard marine inspector, or both, for review upon request. (b) Laboratory inspections and tests. Such examinations, inspections and tests as are...

[Infection control team (ICT) in cooperation with microbiology laboratories].

PubMed

Okazaki, Mitsuhiro

2012-10-01

Infection control as a medical safety measure is an important issue in all medical facilities. In order to tackle this measure, cooperation between the infection control team (ICT) and microbiological laboratory is indispensable. Multiple drug-resistant bacteria have shifted from Gram-positive bacteria to Gram-negative bacilli within the last ten years. There are also a variety of bacilli, complicating the examination method and test results further. Therefore, cooperation between the ICT and microbiological laboratory has become important to understand examination results and to use them. In order to maintain functional cooperation, explanatory and communicative ability between the microbiological laboratory and ICT is required every day. Such positive information exchange will develop into efficient and functional ICT activity.

Laboratory-associated infections and biosafety.

PubMed Central

Sewell, D L

1995-01-01

An estimated 500,000 laboratory workers in the United States are at risk of exposure to infectious agents that cause disease ranging from inapparent to life-threatening infections, but the precise risk to a given worker unknown. The emergence of human immunodeficiency virus and hantavirus, the continuing problem of hepatitis B virus, and the reemergence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis have renewed interest in biosafety for the employees of laboratories and health care facilities. This review examines the history, the causes, and the methods for prevention of laboratory-associated infections. The initial step in a biosafety program is the assessment of risk to the employee. Risk assessment guidelines include the pathogenicity of the infectious agent, the method of transmission, worker-related risk factors, the source and route of infection, and the design of the laboratory facility. Strategies for the prevention and management of laboratory-associated infections are based on the containment of the infectious agent by physical separation from the laboratory worker and the environment, employee education about the occupational risks, and availability of an employee health program. Adherence to the biosafety guidelines mandated or proposed by various governmental and accrediting agencies reduces the risk of an occupational exposure to infectious agents handled in the workplace. PMID:7553572

Validation of a laboratory and hospital information system in a medical laboratory accredited according to ISO 15189.

PubMed

Biljak, Vanja Radisic; Ozvald, Ivan; Radeljak, Andrea; Majdenic, Kresimir; Lasic, Branka; Siftar, Zoran; Lovrencic, Marijana Vucic; Flegar-Mestric, Zlata

2012-01-01

The aim of the study was to present a protocol for laboratory information system (LIS) and hospital information system (HIS) validation at the Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine of the Merkur University Hospital, Zagreb, Croatia. Validity of data traceability was checked by entering all test requests for virtual patient into HIS/LIS and printing corresponding barcoded labels that provided laboratory analyzers with the information on requested tests. The original printouts of the test results from laboratory analyzer(s) were compared with the data obtained from LIS and entered into the provided template. Transfer of data from LIS to HIS was examined by requesting all tests in HIS and creating real data in a finding generated in LIS. Data obtained from LIS and HIS were entered into a corresponding template. The main outcome measure was the accuracy of transfer obtained from laboratory analyzers and results transferred from LIS and HIS expressed as percentage (%). The accuracy of data transfer from laboratory analyzers to LIS was 99.5% and of that from LIS to HIS 100%. We presented our established validation protocol for laboratory information system and demonstrated that a system meets its intended purpose.

46 CFR 164.012-13 - Examinations, tests, and inspections.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 6 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Examinations, tests, and inspections. 164.012-13 Section...-13 Examinations, tests, and inspections. (a) Manufacturer's inspection and tests. Manufacturers of... upon request. (b) Laboratory inspection and tests. Such examinations, inspections and tests as are...

Sequence analysis of chromosome 1 revealed different selection patterns between Chinese wild mice and laboratory strains.

PubMed

Xu, Fuyi; Hu, Shixian; Chao, Tianzhu; Wang, Maochun; Li, Kai; Zhou, Yuxun; Xu, Hongyan; Xiao, Junhua

2017-10-01

Both natural and artificial selection play a critical role in animals' adaptation to the environment. Detection of the signature of selection in genomic regions can provide insights for understanding the function of specific phenotypes. It is generally assumed that laboratory mice may experience intense artificial selection while wild mice more natural selection. However, the differences of selection signature in the mouse genome and underlying genes between wild and laboratory mice remain unclear. In this study, we used two mouse populations: chromosome 1 (Chr 1) substitution lines (C1SLs) derived from Chinese wild mice and mouse genome project (MGP) sequenced inbred strains and two selection detection statistics: Fst and Tajima's D to identify the signature of selection footprint on Chr 1. For the differentiation between the C1SLs and MGP, 110 candidate selection regions containing 47 protein coding genes were detected. A total of 149 selection regions which encompass 7.215 Mb were identified in the C1SLs by Tajima's D approach. While for the MGP, we identified nearly twice selection regions (243) compared with the C1SLs which accounted for 13.27 Mb Chr 1 sequence. Through functional annotation, we identified several biological processes with significant enrichment including seven genes in the olfactory transduction pathway. In addition, we searched the phenotypes associated with the 47 candidate selection genes identified by Fst. These genes were involved in behavior, growth or body weight, mortality or aging, and immune systems which align well with the phenotypic differences between wild and laboratory mice. Therefore, the findings would be helpful for our understanding of the phenotypic differences between wild and laboratory mice and applications for using this new mouse resource (C1SLs) for further genetics studies.

Mindfulness, anxiety, and high-stakes mathematics performance in the laboratory and classroom.

PubMed

Bellinger, David B; DeCaro, Marci S; Ralston, Patricia A S

2015-12-01

Mindfulness enhances emotion regulation and cognitive performance. A mindful approach may be especially beneficial in high-stakes academic testing environments, in which anxious thoughts disrupt cognitive control. The current studies examined whether mindfulness improves the emotional response to anxiety-producing testing situations, freeing working memory resources, and improving performance. In Study 1, we examined performance in a high-pressure laboratory setting. Mindfulness indirectly benefited math performance by reducing the experience of state anxiety. This benefit occurred selectively for problems that required greater working memory resources. Study 2 extended these findings to a calculus course taken by undergraduate engineering majors. Mindfulness indirectly benefited students' performance on high-stakes quizzes and exams by reducing their cognitive test anxiety. Mindfulness did not impact performance on lower-stakes homework assignments. These findings reveal an important mechanism by which mindfulness benefits academic performance, and suggest that mindfulness may help attenuate the negative effects of test anxiety. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Restructuring the CS 1 classroom: Examining the effect of open laboratory-based classes vs. closed laboratory-based classes on Computer Science 1 students' achievement and attitudes toward computers and computer courses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Henderson, Jean Foster

The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of classroom restructuring involving computer laboratories on student achievement and student attitudes toward computers and computer courses. The effects of the targeted student attributes of gender, previous programming experience, math background, and learning style were also examined. The open lab-based class structure consisted of a traditional lecture class with a separate, unscheduled lab component in which lab assignments were completed outside of class; the closed lab-based class structure integrated a lab component within the lecture class so that half the class was reserved for lecture and half the class was reserved for students to complete lab assignments by working cooperatively with each other and under the supervision and guidance of the instructor. The sample consisted of 71 students enrolled in four intact classes of Computer Science I during the fall and spring semesters of the 2006--2007 school year at two southern universities: two classes were held in the fall (one at each university) and two classes were held in the spring (one at each university). A counterbalanced repeated measures design was used in which all students experienced both class structures for half of each semester. The order of control and treatment was rotated among the four classes. All students received the same amount of class and instructor time. A multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) via a multiple regression strategy was used to test the study's hypotheses. Although the overall MANOVA model was statistically significant, independent follow-up univariate analyses relative to each dependent measure found that the only significant research factor was math background: Students whose mathematics background was at the level of Calculus I or higher had significantly higher student achievement than students whose mathematics background was less than Calculus I. The results suggest that classroom structures that

MDMA effects consistent across laboratories

PubMed Central

Kirkpatrick, Matthew G.; Baggott, Matthew J.; Mendelson, John E.; Galloway, Gantt P.; Liechti, Matthias E.; Hysek, Cédric M.; de Wit, Harriet

2014-01-01

Rationale Several laboratories have conducted placebo-controlled drug challenge studies with MDMA, providing a unique source of data to examine the reliability of the acute effects of the drug across subject samples and settings. We examined the subjective and physiological responses to the drug across three different laboratories, and investigated the influence of prior MDMA use. Methods Overall, 220 healthy volunteers with varying levels of previous MDMA experience participated in laboratory-based studies in which they received placebo or oral MDMA (1.5 mg/kg or 125 mg fixed dose) under double blind conditions. Cardiovascular and subjective effects were assessed before and repeatedly after drug administration. The studies were conducted independently by investigators in Basel, San Francisco and Chicago. Results Despite methodological differences between the studies and differences in the subjects' drug use histories, MDMA produced very similar cardiovascular and subjective effects across the sites. The participants' prior use of MDMA was inversely related to feeling `Any Drug Effect' only at sites testing more experienced users. Conclusions These data indicate that the pharmacological effects of MDMA are robust and highly reproducible across settings. There was also modest evidence for tolerance to the effects of MDMA in regular users. PMID:24633447

National survey on turnaround time of clinical biochemistry tests in 738 laboratories in China.

PubMed

Zhang, Xiaoyan; Fei, Yang; Wang, Wei; Zhao, Haijian; Wang, Minqi; Chen, Bingquan; Zhou, Jie; Wang, Zhiguo

2018-02-01

This survey was initiated to estimate the current status of turnaround time (TAT) monitoring of clinical biochemistry in China, provide baseline data for establishment of quality specifications and analyze the impact factors of TAT. 738 laboratories were included. Questionnaires involved general information and data of related indicators of TAT during 1 week were provided to participating laboratories. Nine quality indicators were covered, which were medians, 90th and outlier rates of pre-examination, examination, and post-examination TAT. The 25th percentile, median, and 75th percentile of TATs were calculated as optimum, desirable, and minimum quality specifications. Percentages and sigma values were used to describe the outlier rates. Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to identify the potential impacts of TAT. Response rate of this survey was 46.44%. More than 50% of the laboratories indicated they had set up target TATs in three time intervals and monitored TATs generally. The post-examination TAT of most laboratories was 0min, while the pre-examination and examination TAT varied. Sigma values of outlier rates for 45%~60% of laboratories were above 4, while 15%~20% of labs whose sigma values were below 3. Group comparisons suggested nurse or mechanical pipeline transportation, link laboratory information system with hospital information system, and using computer reporting instead of printing report were related to shorter TATs. Despite of the remarkable progresses of TATs in China, there was also room to improve. Laboratories should strengthen the construction of information systems, identify reasons for TAT delay to improve the service quality continuously. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Laboratory Exercises to Teach Clinically Relevant Chemistry of Antibiotics

PubMed Central

Chelette, Candace T.

2014-01-01

Objectives. To design, implement, and evaluate student performance on clinically relevant chemical and spectral laboratory exercises on antibiotics. Design. In the first of 2 exercises, second-year pharmacy students enrolled in an integrated laboratory sequence course studied the aqueous stability of ß-lactam antibiotics using a spectral visual approach. In a second exercise, students studied the tendency of tetracycline, rifamycins, and fluoroquinolones to form insoluble chelate complexes (turbidity) with polyvalent metals. Assessment. On a survey to assess achievement of class learning objectives, students agreed the laboratory activities helped them better retain important information concerning antibiotic stability and interactions. A significant improvement was observed in performance on examination questions related to the laboratory topics for 2012 and 2013 students compared to 2011 students who did not complete the laboratory. A 1-year follow-up examination question administered in a separate course showed >75% of the students were able to identify rifamycins-food interactions compared with <25% of students who had not completed the laboratory exercises. Conclusion. The use of spectral visual approaches allowed students to investigate antibiotic stability and interactions, thus reinforcing the clinical relevance of medicinal chemistry. Students’ performance on questions at the 1-year follow-up suggested increased retention of the concepts learned as a result of completing the exercises. PMID:24672070

Laboratory exercises to teach clinically relevant chemistry of antibiotics.

PubMed

El Sayed, Khalid A; Chelette, Candace T

2014-03-12

To design, implement, and evaluate student performance on clinically relevant chemical and spectral laboratory exercises on antibiotics. In the first of 2 exercises, second-year pharmacy students enrolled in an integrated laboratory sequence course studied the aqueous stability of ß-lactam antibiotics using a spectral visual approach. In a second exercise, students studied the tendency of tetracycline, rifamycins, and fluoroquinolones to form insoluble chelate complexes (turbidity) with polyvalent metals. On a survey to assess achievement of class learning objectives, students agreed the laboratory activities helped them better retain important information concerning antibiotic stability and interactions. A significant improvement was observed in performance on examination questions related to the laboratory topics for 2012 and 2013 students compared to 2011 students who did not complete the laboratory. A 1-year follow-up examination question administered in a separate course showed >75% of the students were able to identify rifamycins-food interactions compared with <25% of students who had not completed the laboratory exercises. The use of spectral visual approaches allowed students to investigate antibiotic stability and interactions, thus reinforcing the clinical relevance of medicinal chemistry. Students' performance on questions at the 1-year follow-up suggested increased retention of the concepts learned as a result of completing the exercises.

The OSHA hazardous chemical occupational exposure standard for laboratories.

PubMed

Armbruster, D A

1991-01-01

OSHA's chemical occupational exposure standard for laboratories is an outgrowth of the previously issued Hazard Communication Standard. The standard relieves laboratories from complying with general industry standards but does require compliance with specific laboratory guidelines. The heart of the standard is the creation of a Chemical Hygiene Plan (CHP). The CHP addresses major issues such as safety equipment and procedures, work practices, training, the designation of a chemical hygiene officer, and the provision of medical consultation and examination for affected employees. This new standard, in full effect as of January 31, 1991, presents yet another regulatory challenge to laboratory managers but also ensures a safer environment for laboratory workers.

Team-based learning in the gross anatomy laboratory improves academic performance and students' attitudes toward teamwork.

PubMed

Huitt, Tiffany W; Killins, Anita; Brooks, William S

2015-01-01

As the healthcare climate shifts toward increased interdisciplinary patient care, it is essential that students become accomplished at group problem solving and develop positive attitudes toward teamwork. Team-based learning (TBL) has become a popular approach to medical education because of its ability to promote active learning, problem-solving skills, communication, and teamwork. However, its documented use in the laboratory setting and physical therapy education is limited. We used TBL as a substitute for one-third of cadaveric dissections in the gross anatomy laboratories at two Doctor of Physical Therapy programs to study its effect on both students' perceptions and academic performance. We surveyed students at the beginning and completion of their anatomy course as well as students who had previously completed a traditional anatomy course to measure the impact of TBL on students' perceptions of teamwork. We found that the inclusion of TBL in the anatomy laboratory improves students' attitudes toward working with peers (P < 0.01). Non-TBL students had significantly lower attitudes toward teamwork (P < 0.01). Comparison of academic performance between TBL and non-TBL students revealed that students who participated in TBL scored significantly higher on their first anatomy practical examination and on their head/neck written examination (P < 0.001). When asked to rate their role in a team, a 10.5% increase in the mean rank score for Problem Solver resulted after the completion of the TBL-based anatomy course. Our data indicate that TBL is an effective supplement to cadaveric dissection in the laboratory portion of gross anatomy, improving both students' grades and perceptions of teamwork. © 2014 American Association of Anatomists.

Validation of a laboratory and hospital information system in a medical laboratory accredited according to ISO 15189

PubMed Central

Biljak, Vanja Radisic; Ozvald, Ivan; Radeljak, Andrea; Majdenic, Kresimir; Lasic, Branka; Siftar, Zoran; Lovrencic, Marijana Vucic; Flegar-Mestric, Zlata

2012-01-01

Introduction The aim of the study was to present a protocol for laboratory information system (LIS) and hospital information system (HIS) validation at the Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine of the Merkur University Hospital, Zagreb, Croatia. Materials and methods: Validity of data traceability was checked by entering all test requests for virtual patient into HIS/LIS and printing corresponding barcoded labels that provided laboratory analyzers with the information on requested tests. The original printouts of the test results from laboratory analyzer(s) were compared with the data obtained from LIS and entered into the provided template. Transfer of data from LIS to HIS was examined by requesting all tests in HIS and creating real data in a finding generated in LIS. Data obtained from LIS and HIS were entered into a corresponding template. The main outcome measure was the accuracy of transfer obtained from laboratory analyzers and results transferred from LIS and HIS expressed as percentage (%). Results: The accuracy of data transfer from laboratory analyzers to LIS was 99.5% and of that from LIS to HIS 100%. Conclusion: We presented our established validation protocol for laboratory information system and demonstrated that a system meets its intended purpose. PMID:22384522

[Current biosafety in clinical laboratories in Japan: report of questionnaires' data obtained from clinical laboratory personnel in Japan].

PubMed

Goto, Mieko; Yamashita, Tomonari; Misawa, Shigeki; Komori, Toshiaki; Okuzumi, Katsuko; Takahashi, Takashi

2007-01-01

To determine the status of biosafety in clinical laboratories in Japan, we conducted a survey using questionnaires on the biosafety of laboratory personnel in 2004. We obtained data from 431 hospitals (response: 59.5%). Respondents were 301 institutions (70%) having biological safety cabinets (BSCs). BSCs were held in 78% of microbiological laboratories, 7.9% of genetic laboratories, 2.7% of histopathological laboratories, and 1% or less at other laboratories. A clean bench in examination rooms for acid-fast bacilli was applied at 20 hospitals. We found 28 cases of possible laboratory-associated tuberculosis infection, 25 of which were associated with lack of BSC. Other risk factors were immature skills and insufficiently skilled eguipment operation. The frequency of rupture accidents during specimen centrifugation was 67% in dealing with blood and 9.7% in collecting acid-fast bacilli. Half or more accidents were related to inadequate sample tube materials. Technologists were shown to be working on blood collection in many hospitals (75%), and 1,534 events of self-inflicted needle puncture developed in the last 5 years. These results suggest that biosafety systems are woefully lacking or inadequate in clinical laboratories in Japan and must be established at the earliest possible opportunity.

[Mastitis revealing Churg-Strauss syndrome].

PubMed

Dannepond, C; Le Fourn, E; de Muret, A; Ouldamer, L; Carmier, D; Machet, L

2014-01-01

Churg-Strauss syndrome often involves the skin, and this may sometimes reveal the disease. A 25-year-old woman was referred to a gynaecologist for inflammation of the right breast with breast discharge. Cytological analysis of the liquid showed numerous inflammatory cells, particularly polymorphonuclear eosinophils and neutrophils. Ultrasound examination of the breast was consistent with galactophoritis. CRP was normal, and hypereosinophilia was seen. The patient was subsequently referred to a dermatology unit. Skin examination revealed inflammation of the entire breast, which was painful, warm and erythematous; the border was oedematous with blisters. Necrotic lesions were also present on the thumbs and knees. Skin biopsy of the breast showed a dermal infiltrate with abundant infiltrate of polymorphonuclear eosinophils, including patchy necrosis and intraepidermal vesicles. Histological examination of a biopsy sample from a thumb revealed eosinophilic granuloma and leukocytoclastic vasculitis. The patient was also presenting asthma, pulmonary infiltrates and mononeuropathy at L3, consistent with Churg-Strauss syndrome. Breast involvement in Churg-Strauss syndrome is very rare (only one other case has been reported). This is the first case in which the breast condition revealed the disease. Cutaneous involvement of the breast is, however, also compatible with Wells' cellulitis. The lesions quickly disappeared with 1mg/kg/d oral prednisolone. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

RealTime Physics: Active learning laboratory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thornton, Ronald K.; Sokoloff, David R.

1997-03-01

Our research shows that student learning of physics concepts in introductory physics courses is enhanced by the use of special guided discovery laboratory curricula which embody the results of educational research and which are supported by the use of the Tools for Scientific Thinking microcomputer-based laboratory (MBL) tools. In this paper we first describe the general characteristics of the research-based RealTime Physics laboratory curricula developed for use in introductory physics classes in colleges, universities and high schools. We then describe RealTime Physics Mechanics in detail. Finally we examine student learning of dynamics in traditional physics courses and in courses using RealTime Physics Mechanics, primarily by the use of correlated questions on the Force and Motion Conceptual Evaluation. We present considerable evidence that students who use the new laboratory curricula demonstrate significantly improved learning and retention of dynamics concepts compared to students taught by traditional methods.

[Clinical laboratory examination of diabetic patients in conjunction with metabolic syndrome].

PubMed

Kishitani, Yuzuru

2009-11-01

Diabetic patients tend to show a reduced QOL because of macrovascular complications such as cerebral and myocardial infarction, as well as marked microvascular complications. It is important for the prevention and amelioration of these complications to diagnose diabetes mellitus (DM) early and effectively control glycemia, the blood pressure, lipids, and body weight. We examine fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and HbA1c for a diagnosis of diabetes at any time, but examine 75gOGTT for impaired glucose tolerance or DM. Examination to be necessary for a pathologic classification of DM is islet-associated antibody, namely, GAD antibody, IA-2 antibody and the measurement of IRI, blood/urinary C-peptide to evaluate insulin secretory ability. HOMA-R is an index of insulin resistance, and HOMA-beta is an index of insulin secretory ability which can be calculated from FPG and IRI, but we need to be aware that the insulin secretory ability of the patient may have decreased already. HbA1c is a standard index of glycemic control, but glycoalbumin measurement is suitable for disease states such as anemia and liver cirrhosis, and 1,5-anhydroglucitol is suitable for detecting changes in levels of urinary glucose. Examinations necessary for the evaluation of diabetic nephropathy are microalbumin and 24hr Ccr in the urine, but eGFR has been recently recommended instead of 24hr Ccr. We measure small dense LDL-C, RLP-C, and Lp (a) as well as conduct conventional lipid analyses for dislipidemia combined with DM for qualitative as well as quantitative data. Metabolic syndrome is caused by the life habits of overeating and lack of exercise, leading to atherosclerotic disease, because insulin resistance advances from visceral fat accumulation. TNF-alpha and leptin levels as insulin resistance advances and adiponectin levels as insulin resistance improves are measured as adipocytokines secreted by visceral fat tissue.

Complementarity of Laboratory and Space Experiments on Reconnexion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moore, T. E.; Chen, L. J.

2017-12-01

Reconnection research has for some time been focused upon understanding the electron scale physics in the electron diffusion region (EDR), both in space and in the laboratory. Ren et al. [2008 PRL] reported identification and resolution of the EDR in the MRX laboratory experiment. More recently, Burch et al. [2016] reported identification of the EDR in reconnection at the magnetopause. Space observations from MMS have also provided the first capability to resolve and measure the full electron VDF within and around the EDR, making it possible to observe electron acceleration by the reconnection electric field and revealing new features of the EDR. Laboratory and space explorations of EDR physics may complement and inspire each other in other ways to be discussed by the panel.

A comparison of two microscale laboratory reporting methods in a secondary chemistry classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martinez, Lance Michael

This study attempted to determine if there was a difference between the laboratory achievement of students who used a modified reporting method and those who used traditional laboratory reporting. The study also determined the relationships between laboratory performance scores and the independent variables score on the Group Assessment of Logical Thinking (GALT) test, chronological age in months, gender, and ethnicity for each of the treatment groups. The study was conducted using 113 high school students who were enrolled in first-year general chemistry classes at Pueblo South High School in Colorado. The research design used was the quasi-experimental Nonequivalent Control Group Design. The statistical treatment consisted of the Multiple Regression Analysis and the Analysis of Covariance. Based on the GALT, students in the two groups were generally in the concrete and transitional stages of the Piagetian cognitive levels. The findings of the study revealed that the traditional and the modified methods of laboratory reporting did not have any effect on the laboratory performance outcome of the subjects. However, the students who used the traditional method of reporting showed a higher laboratory performance score when evaluation was conducted using the New Standards rubric recommended by the state. Multiple Regression Analysis revealed that there was a significant relationship between the criterion variable student laboratory performance outcome of individuals who employed traditional laboratory reporting methods and the composite set of predictor variables. On the contrary, there was no significant relationship between the criterion variable student laboratory performance outcome of individuals who employed modified laboratory reporting methods and the composite set of predictor variables.

Implementation of an accelerated physical examination course in a doctor of pharmacy program.

PubMed

Ho, Jackie; Bidwal, Monica K; Lopes, Ingrid C; Shah, Bijal M; Ip, Eric J

2014-12-15

To describe the implementation of a 1-day accelerated physical examination course for a doctor of pharmacy program and to evaluate pharmacy students' knowledge, attitudes, and confidence in performing physical examination. Using a flipped teaching approach, course coordinators collaborated with a physician faculty member to design and develop the objectives of the course. Knowledge, attitude, and confidence survey questions were administered before and after the practical laboratory. Following the practical laboratory, knowledge improved by 8.3% (p<0.0001). Students' perceived ability and confidence to perform a physical examination significantly improved (p<0.0001). A majority of students responded that reviewing the training video (81.3%) and reading material (67.4%) prior to the practical laboratory was helpful in learning the physical examination. An accelerated physical examination course using a flipped teaching approach was successful in improving students' knowledge of, attitudes about, and confidence in using physical examination skills in pharmacy practice.

Implementation of an Accelerated Physical Examination Course in a Doctor of Pharmacy Program

PubMed Central

Ho, Jackie; Lopes, Ingrid C.; Shah, Bijal M.; Ip, Eric J.

2014-01-01

Objective. To describe the implementation of a 1-day accelerated physical examination course for a doctor of pharmacy program and to evaluate pharmacy students’ knowledge, attitudes, and confidence in performing physical examination. Design. Using a flipped teaching approach, course coordinators collaborated with a physician faculty member to design and develop the objectives of the course. Knowledge, attitude, and confidence survey questions were administered before and after the practical laboratory. Assessment. Following the practical laboratory, knowledge improved by 8.3% (p<0.0001). Students’ perceived ability and confidence to perform a physical examination significantly improved (p<0.0001). A majority of students responded that reviewing the training video (81.3%) and reading material (67.4%) prior to the practical laboratory was helpful in learning the physical examination. Conclusion. An accelerated physical examination course using a flipped teaching approach was successful in improving students’ knowledge of, attitudes about, and confidence in using physical examination skills in pharmacy practice. PMID:25657369

Critical Value Reporting at Egyptian Laboratories.

PubMed

Mosallam, Rasha; Ibrahim, Samaa Zenhom

2015-06-12

To examine critical value reporting policies and practices and to identify critical value ranges for selected common laboratory assays at inpatient division of laboratories of Alexandria hospitals. A cross-sectional descriptive study design was used. Subjects were from inpatient division of all laboratories of Alexandria hospitals (40 laboratories). Data were collected using a questionnaire composed of 4 sections. The first section explored hospital and laboratory characteristics. The second section assessed policies and procedures of critical value reporting. The third section explored the reporting process. The fourth section explored critical value ranges for selected common laboratory assays. Written procedure for reporting of critical values was present in 77.5% of laboratories and a comprehensive list of critical values in 72.55%. For laboratories having a critical value list, the number of tests in the list ranged from 7 to 40. Three-fifths of laboratories had a policy for assessing the timeliness of reporting and 3 quarters stated that the laboratory policy requires feedback (60.0% and 75.0%, respectively). The hospital laboratory physician was responsible for critical value reporting followed by the laboratory technician (75.0% and 50.0%, respectively). The call is received mainly by nurses and physicians ordering the test (67.5% and 55.0%, respectively) and the channel of reporting is mainly the telephone or through sending test report to the ward (67.5% and 50.0%, respectively). Wireless technologies are used in reporting in only 10.0% of hospitals. The cutoff limits for reporting different assays showed considerable interlaboratory variation. Critical value policies and practices showed interinstitutional variation with deficiencies in some reporting practices. Selection of critical assays for notification and setting the limits of notification exhibited wide variation as well.

Using Microcomputers in the Undergraduate Laboratory.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hovancik, John R.

1986-01-01

A computer-controlled experimental psychology investigation suitable for use in an undergraduate laboratory is described. The investigation examines the relationship between aesthetic preference and speed of reaction in making choices between colors generated on a video monitor. (Author)

19 CFR 151.71 - Laboratory testing for clean yield.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... OF THE TREASURY (CONTINUED) EXAMINATION, SAMPLING, AND TESTING OF MERCHANDISE Wool and Hair § 151.71... director. (b) Notification to importer. Where samples of wool or hair have been tested in a Customs... laboratory test is not feasible, the wool or hair may be retested by a commercial laboratory in accordance...

19 CFR 151.71 - Laboratory testing for clean yield.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... OF THE TREASURY (CONTINUED) EXAMINATION, SAMPLING, AND TESTING OF MERCHANDISE Wool and Hair § 151.71... director. (b) Notification to importer. Where samples of wool or hair have been tested in a Customs... laboratory test is not feasible, the wool or hair may be retested by a commercial laboratory in accordance...

19 CFR 151.71 - Laboratory testing for clean yield.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... OF THE TREASURY (CONTINUED) EXAMINATION, SAMPLING, AND TESTING OF MERCHANDISE Wool and Hair § 151.71... director. (b) Notification to importer. Where samples of wool or hair have been tested in a Customs... laboratory test is not feasible, the wool or hair may be retested by a commercial laboratory in accordance...

19 CFR 151.71 - Laboratory testing for clean yield.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... OF THE TREASURY (CONTINUED) EXAMINATION, SAMPLING, AND TESTING OF MERCHANDISE Wool and Hair § 151.71... director. (b) Notification to importer. Where samples of wool or hair have been tested in a Customs... laboratory test is not feasible, the wool or hair may be retested by a commercial laboratory in accordance...

19 CFR 151.71 - Laboratory testing for clean yield.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... OF THE TREASURY (CONTINUED) EXAMINATION, SAMPLING, AND TESTING OF MERCHANDISE Wool and Hair § 151.71... director. (b) Notification to importer. Where samples of wool or hair have been tested in a Customs... laboratory test is not feasible, the wool or hair may be retested by a commercial laboratory in accordance...

Examination of Bond Properties through Infrared Spectroscopy and Molecular Modeling in the General Chemistry Laboratory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Csizmar, Clifford M.; Force, Dee Ann; Warner, Don L.

2012-01-01

A concerted effort has been made to increase the opportunities for undergraduate students to address scientific problems employing the processes used by practicing chemists. As part of this effort, an infrared (IR) spectroscopy and molecular modeling experiment was developed for the first-year general chemistry laboratory course. In the…

Implementation of Gas Chromatography and Microscale Distillation into the General Chemistry Laboratory Curriculum as Vehicles for Examining Intermolecular Forces

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Csizmar, Clifford M.; Force, Dee Ann; Warner, Don L.

2011-01-01

As part of an NSF-funded Course Curriculum and Laboratory Improvement (CCLI) project that seeks, in part, to increase student exposure to scientific instrumentation, a gas chromatography experiment has been integrated into the second-semester general chemistry laboratory curriculum. The experiment uses affordable, commercially available equipment…

Comparative study of transient hydraulic tomography with varying parameterizations and zonations: Laboratory sandbox investigation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luo, Ning; Zhao, Zhanfeng; Illman, Walter A.; Berg, Steven J.

2017-11-01

Transient hydraulic tomography (THT) is a robust method of aquifer characterization to estimate the spatial distributions (or tomograms) of both hydraulic conductivity (K) and specific storage (Ss). However, the highly-parameterized nature of the geostatistical inversion approach renders it computationally intensive for large-scale investigations. In addition, geostatistics-based THT may produce overly smooth tomograms when head data used to constrain the inversion is limited. Therefore, alternative model conceptualizations for THT need to be examined. To investigate this, we simultaneously calibrated different groundwater models with varying parameterizations and zonations using two cases of different pumping and monitoring data densities from a laboratory sandbox. Specifically, one effective parameter model, four geology-based zonation models with varying accuracy and resolution, and five geostatistical models with different prior information are calibrated. Model performance is quantitatively assessed by examining the calibration and validation results. Our study reveals that highly parameterized geostatistical models perform the best among the models compared, while the zonation model with excellent knowledge of stratigraphy also yields comparable results. When few pumping tests with sparse monitoring intervals are available, the incorporation of accurate or simplified geological information into geostatistical models reveals more details in heterogeneity and yields more robust validation results. However, results deteriorate when inaccurate geological information are incorporated. Finally, our study reveals that transient inversions are necessary to obtain reliable K and Ss estimates for making accurate predictions of transient drawdown events.

Emerging Technologies for the Clinical Microbiology Laboratory

PubMed Central

Buchan, Blake W.

2014-01-01

SUMMARY In this review we examine the literature related to emerging technologies that will help to reshape the clinical microbiology laboratory. These topics include nucleic acid amplification tests such as isothermal and point-of-care molecular diagnostics, multiplexed panels for syndromic diagnosis, digital PCR, next-generation sequencing, and automation of molecular tests. We also review matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization–time of flight (MALDI-TOF) and electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectrometry methods and their role in identification of microorganisms. Lastly, we review the shift to liquid-based microbiology and the integration of partial and full laboratory automation that are beginning to impact the clinical microbiology laboratory. PMID:25278575

Adaptation of Drosophila to a novel laboratory environment reveals temporally heterogeneous trajectories of selected alleles.

PubMed

Orozco-terWengel, Pablo; Kapun, Martin; Nolte, Viola; Kofler, Robert; Flatt, Thomas; Schlötterer, Christian

2012-10-01

The genomic basis of adaptation to novel environments is a fundamental problem in evolutionary biology that has gained additional importance in the light of the recent global change discussion. Here, we combined laboratory natural selection (experimental evolution) in Drosophila melanogaster with genome-wide next generation sequencing of DNA pools (Pool-Seq) to identify alleles that are favourable in a novel laboratory environment and traced their trajectories during the adaptive process. Already after 15 generations, we identified a pronounced genomic response to selection, with almost 5000 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP; genome-wide false discovery rates < 0.005%) deviating from neutral expectation. Importantly, the evolutionary trajectories of the selected alleles were heterogeneous, with the alleles falling into two distinct classes: (i) alleles that continuously rise in frequency; and (ii) alleles that at first increase rapidly but whose frequencies then reach a plateau. Our data thus suggest that the genomic response to selection can involve a large number of selected SNPs that show unexpectedly complex evolutionary trajectories, possibly due to nonadditive effects. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Components of laboratory accreditation.

PubMed

Royal, P D

1995-12-01

Accreditation or certification is a recognition given to an operation or product that has been evaluated against a standard; be it regulatory or voluntary. The purpose of accreditation is to provide the consumer with a level of confidence in the quality of operation (process) and the product of an organization. Environmental Protection Agency/OCM has proposed the development of an accreditation program under National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program for Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) laboratories as a supplement to the current program. This proposal was the result of the Inspector General Office reports that identified weaknesses in the current operation. Several accreditation programs can be evaluated and common components identified when proposing a structure for accrediting a GLP system. An understanding of these components is useful in building that structure. Internationally accepted accreditation programs provide a template for building a U.S. GLP accreditation program. This presentation will discuss the traditional structure of accreditation as presented in the Organization of Economic Cooperative Development/GLP program, ISO-9000 Accreditation and ISO/IEC Guide 25 Standard, and the Canadian Association for Environmental Analytical Laboratories, which has a biological component. Most accreditation programs are managed by a recognized third party, either privately or with government oversight. Common components often include a formal review of required credentials to evaluate organizational structure, a site visit to evaluate the facility, and a performance evaluation to assess technical competence. Laboratory performance is measured against written standards and scored. A formal report is then sent to the laboratory indicating accreditation status. Usually, there is a scheduled reevaluation built into the program. Fee structures vary considerably and will need to be examined closely when building a GLP program.

Impact decapitation from laboratory to basin scales

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schultz, P. H.; Gault, D. E.

1991-01-01

Although vertical hypervelocity impacts result in the annihilation (melting/vaporization) of the projectile, oblique impacts (less than 15 deg) fundamentally change the partitioning of energy with fragments as large as 10 percent of the original projectile surviving. Laboratory experiments reveal that both ductile and brittle projectiles produce very similar results where limiting disruption depends on stresses proportional to the vertical velocity component. Failure of the projectile at laboratory impact velocities (6 km/s) is largely controlled by stresses established before the projectile has penetrated a significant distance into the target. The planetary surface record exhibits numerous examples of oblique impacts with evidence fir projectile failure and downrange sibling collisions.

Extrapolating non-target risk of Bt crops from laboratory to field.

PubMed

Duan, Jian J; Lundgren, Jonathan G; Naranjo, Steve; Marvier, Michelle

2010-02-23

The tiered approach to assessing ecological risk of insect-resistant transgenic crops assumes that lower tier laboratory studies, which expose surrogate non-target organisms to high doses of insecticidal proteins, can detect harmful effects that might be manifested in the field. To test this assumption, we performed meta-analyses comparing results for non-target invertebrates exposed to Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) Cry proteins in laboratory studies with results derived from independent field studies examining effects on the abundance of non-target invertebrates. For Lepidopteran-active Cry proteins, laboratory studies correctly predicted the reduced field abundance of non-target Lepidoptera. However, laboratory studies incorporating tri-trophic interactions of Bt plants, herbivores and parasitoids were better correlated with the decreased field abundance of parasitoids than were direct-exposure assays. For predators, laboratory tri-trophic studies predicted reduced abundances that were not realized in field studies and thus overestimated ecological risk. Exposure to Coleopteran-active Cry proteins did not significantly reduce the laboratory survival or field abundance of any functional group examined. Our findings support the assumption that laboratory studies of transgenic insecticidal crops show effects that are either consistent with, or more conservative than, those found in field studies, with the important caveat that laboratory studies should explore all ecologically relevant routes of exposure.

The changing face of clinical laboratories.

PubMed

Plebani, M

1999-07-01

Laboratory medicine has undergone a sea change, and medical laboratories must now adapt to, and meet new, customer-supplier needs springing from shifts in the patterns of disease prevalence, medical practice, and demographics. Managed care and other cost-containment processes have forced those involved in health care to cooperate to develop a full picture of patient care, and this has affected clinical laboratory objectives, the main focus now being on improvement in medical outcomes. More recently, the resource shortages in health care and results of cost/effectiveness analysis have demonstrated that the value of a laboratory test must be ascertained not only on the basis of its chemical or clinical performance characteristics, but also by its impact on patient management, the only true assessment of the quality of testing being quality of patient outcomes. The time is ripe for changing the vision of laboratory medicine, and some of the reasons for this are the availability of results in real-time, the introduction of more specific tests, and the trend to prevent diseases rather than cure them. The information from laboratory tests designed to evaluate biochemical or genetic risk and/or prognostic factors cannot be replaced either by physical examination and/or the assessment of symptoms. Today, the importance of laboratory scientists must be proven in three broad areas: a) guaranteeing the quality of tests, irrespective of where they are performed; b) improving the quality of the service; c) maximizing the impact of laboratory information on patient management.

A Choice of Terminals: Spatial Patterning in Computer Laboratories

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spennemann, Dirk; Cornforth, David; Atkinson, John

2007-01-01

Purpose: This paper seeks to examine the spatial patterns of student use of machines in each laboratory to whether there are underlying commonalities. Design/methodology/approach: The research was carried out by assessing the user behaviour in 16 computer laboratories at a regional university in Australia. Findings: The study found that computers…

Comprehensive Examination of Bottom Ash, Soil Dust, and Direct Emissions and Aging of Laboratory Biomass Burning as Potential Sources of Ice Nucleating Particles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Polen, M.; Jahl, L.; Jahn, L.; Somers, J.; Sullivan, R. C.

2017-12-01

Recent laboratory and field studies have found that biomass burning can produce ice nucleating particles (INP) with varying efficiencies depending on fuel and burn conditions. Few studies have examined the ice nucleating potential of bottom ash, which has the potential to be lofted during intense burning events. To date, no publications have examined the impact of atmospheric aging or lofted soil particles on INP emitted from biomass burning. This study investigated each of these aspects through laboratory biomass fuel combustion studies. We burned a number of grasses from different locations, and collected filter samples of fresh and photochemically aged biomass burning aerosol, as well as bottom ash collected after the burn. Some burns included soil that the grasses grew in to test for the importance of soil dust to INP emissions lofting during intense fires. The composition and mixing state of the aerosol was determined using a suite of online and offline single-particle techniques. Our findings suggest that bottom ash is a relatively weak INP, but all samples froze consistently at -20 °C < T < -25 °C. We also found that oxidation of the biomass burning aerosol typically enhances ice nucleating activity over fresh, unaged particles, increasing the ice active site surface density by up to a factor of 3 at T = -25 °C. Lastly, the presence of soil dust can greatly enhance INP concentrations for biomass burning events with an increase in the freezing temperature spectrum by > 3 °C. Detailed analysis of these samples aims to provide a clearer understanding of what components of biomass burning increase the ambient concentrations of ice nucleation active particles, and how their ice nucleation properties evolve during atmospheric aging.

The Impact of Differentiated Instructional Materials on English Language Learner (ELL) Students' Comprehension of Science Laboratory Tasks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Manavathu, Marian; Zhou, George

2012-01-01

Through a qualitative research design, this article investigates the impacts of differentiated laboratory instructional materials on English language learners' (ELLs) laboratory task comprehension. The factors affecting ELLs' science learning experiences are further explored. Data analysis reveals a greater degree of laboratory task comprehension…

Legal Implications of Physical Examinations

PubMed Central

Felton, Jean Spencer

1978-01-01

With the new national emphasis on the prevention of occupationally incurred disease, legislative constraints have been placed in connection with the medical examination of employed persons at health risk. Concurrently, there is mandated a system of communication to the worker of the significant clinical findings encountered on his physical and laboratory inventories. PMID:636417

Suicide ideation among high-risk adolescent females: Examining the interplay between parasympathetic regulation and friendship support

PubMed Central

GILETTA, MATTEO; HASTINGS, PAUL D.; RUDOLPH, KAREN D.; BAUER, DANIEL J.; NOCK, MATTHEW K.; PRINSTEIN, MITCHELL J.

2018-01-01

Poor physiological self-regulation has been proposed as a potential biological vulnerability for adolescent suicidality. This study tested this hypothesis by examining the effect of parasympathetic stress responses on future suicide ideation. In addition, drawing from multilevel developmental psychopathology theories, the interplay between parasympathetic regulation and friendship support, conceptualized as an external source of regulation, was examined. At baseline, 132 adolescent females (M age = 14.59, SD = 1.39) with a history of mental health concerns participated in an in vivo interpersonal stressor (a laboratory speech task) and completed self-report measures of depressive symptoms and perceived support within a close same-age female friendship. Respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) was measured before and during the speech task. Suicide ideation was assessed at baseline and at 3, 6, and 9 months follow-up. The results revealed that females with greater relative RSA decreases to the laboratory stressor were at higher risk for reporting suicide ideation over the subsequent 9 months. Moreover, parasympathetic responses moderated the effect of friendship support on suicide ideation; among females with mild changes or higher relative increases in RSA, but not more pronounced RSA decreases, friendship support reduced risk for future suicide ideation. Findings highlight the crucial role of physiological and external regulation sources as protective factors for youth suicidality. PMID:28031059

Suicide ideation among high-risk adolescent females: Examining the interplay between parasympathetic regulation and friendship support.

PubMed

Giletta, Matteo; Hastings, Paul D; Rudolph, Karen D; Bauer, Daniel J; Nock, Matthew K; Prinstein, Mitchell J

2017-10-01

Poor physiological self-regulation has been proposed as a potential biological vulnerability for adolescent suicidality. This study tested this hypothesis by examining the effect of parasympathetic stress responses on future suicide ideation. In addition, drawing from multilevel developmental psychopathology theories, the interplay between parasympathetic regulation and friendship support, conceptualized as an external source of regulation, was examined. At baseline, 132 adolescent females (M age = 14.59, SD = 1.39) with a history of mental health concerns participated in an in vivo interpersonal stressor (a laboratory speech task) and completed self-report measures of depressive symptoms and perceived support within a close same-age female friendship. Respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) was measured before and during the speech task. Suicide ideation was assessed at baseline and at 3, 6, and 9 months follow-up. The results revealed that females with greater relative RSA decreases to the laboratory stressor were at higher risk for reporting suicide ideation over the subsequent 9 months. Moreover, parasympathetic responses moderated the effect of friendship support on suicide ideation; among females with mild changes or higher relative increases in RSA, but not more pronounced RSA decreases, friendship support reduced risk for future suicide ideation. Findings highlight the crucial role of physiological and external regulation sources as protective factors for youth suicidality.

An SDS-PAGE Examination of Protein Quaternary Structure and Disulfide Bonding for a Biochemistry Laboratory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Powers, Jennifer L.; Andrews, Carla S.; St. Antoine, Caroline C.; Jain, Swapan S.; Bevilacqua, Vicky L. H.

2005-01-01

Electrophoresis is a valuable tool for biochemists, yet this technique is often not included in biochemistry laboratory curricula owing to time constraints or lack of equipment. Protein structure is also a topic of interest in many disciplines, yet most undergraduate lab experiments focus only on primary structure. In this experiment, students use…

46 CFR 163.002-27 - Production tests and examination.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 6 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Production tests and examination. 163.002-27 Section 163... examination. Each pilot hoist manufactured under Coast Guard approval must be tested as prescribed in § 163... laboratory must also conduct the visual examination described in § 163.002-21(b). The hoist may not be sold...

Cutting of Gold Foil in the Genesis Laboratory

NASA Image and Video Library

2005-02-15

The facility for storing and examining Genesis solar wind samples consists of two adjacent laboratories. In these laboratories, the cutting of gold foil to be used in the gathering of the solar wind dust aboard the Genesis spacecraft. Views include: The process of cutting gold foil to be used aboard the Genesis spacecraft. The technicians use Gore-Tex suits with filters as to not contaminate the items.

[External quality assessment in clinical biochemistry laboratories: pilot study in 11 laboratories of Lomé (Togo)].

PubMed

Kouassi, Kafui; Fétéké, Lochina; Assignon, Selom; Dorkenoo, Ameyo; Napo-Koura, Gado

2015-01-01

This study aims to evaluate the performance of a few biochemistry analysis and make recommendations to the place of the stakeholders. It is a cross-sectional study conducted between the October 1(st), 2012 and the July 31, 2013 bearing on the results of 5 common examinations of clinical biochemistry, provided by 11 laboratories volunteers opening in the public and private sectors. These laboratories have analysed during the 3 cycles, 2 levels (medium and high) of serum concentration of urea, glucose, creatinine and serum aminotransferases. The performance of laboratories have been determined from the acceptable limits corresponding to the limits of total errors, defined by the French Society of Clinical Biology (SFBC). A system of internal quality control is implemented by all laboratories and 45% of them participated in international programs of external quality assessment (EQA). The rate of acceptable results for the entire study was of 69%. There was a significant difference (p<0.002) between the performance of the group of laboratories engaged in a quality approach and the group with default implementation of the quality approach. Also a significant difference was observed between the laboratories of the central level and those of the peripheral level of our health system (p<0.047). The performance of the results provided by the laboratories remains relatively unsatisfactory. It is important that the Ministry of Health put in place a national program of EQA with mandatory participation.

Situation analysis of occupational and environmental health laboratory accreditation in Thailand.

PubMed

Sithisarankul, Pornchai; Santiyanont, Rachana; Wongpinairat, Chongdee; Silva, Panadda; Rojanajirapa, Pinnapa; Wangwongwatana, Supat; Srinetr, Vithet; Sriratanaban, Jiruth; Chuntutanon, Swanya

2002-06-01

The objective of this study was to analyze the current situation of laboratory accreditation (LA) in Thailand, especially on occupational and environmental health. The study integrated both quantitative and qualitative approaches. The response rate of the quantitative questionnaires was 54.5% (226/415). The majority of the responders was environmental laboratories located outside hospital and did not have proficiency testing. The majority used ISO 9000, ISO/IEC 17025 or ISO/ EEC Guide 25, and hospital accreditation (HA) as their quality system. However, only 30 laboratories were currently accredited by one of these systems. Qualitative research revealed that international standard for laboratory accreditation for both testing laboratory and calibration laboratory was ISO/IEC Guide 25, which has been currently revised to be ISO/IEC 17025. The National Accreditation Council (NAC) has authorized 2 organizations as Accreditation Bodies (ABs) for LA: Thai Industrial Standards Institute, Ministry of Industry, and Bureau of Laboratory Quality Standards, Department of Medical Sciences, Ministry of Public Health. Regarding LA in HA, HA considered clinical laboratory as only 1 of 31 items for accreditation. Obtaining HA might satisfy the hospital director and his management team, and hence might actually be one of the obstacles for the hospital to further improve their laboratory quality system and apply for ISO/IEC 17025 which was more technically oriented. On the other hand, HA may be viewed as a good start or even a pre-requisite for laboratories in the hospitals to further improve their quality towards ISO/IEC 17025. Interviewing the director of NAC and some key men in some large laboratories revealed several major problems of Thailand's LA. Both Thai Industrial Standards Institute and Bureau of Laboratory Quality Standards did not yet obtain Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) with other international ABs. Several governmental bodies had their own standards and

Managing demand for laboratory tests: a laboratory toolkit.

PubMed

Fryer, Anthony A; Smellie, W Stuart A

2013-01-01

Healthcare budgets worldwide are facing increasing pressure to reduce costs and improve efficiency, while maintaining quality. Laboratory testing has not escaped this pressure, particularly since pathology investigations cost the National Health Service £2.5 billion per year. Indeed, the Carter Review, a UK Department of Health-commissioned review of pathology services in England, estimated that 20% of this could be saved by improving pathology services, despite an average annual increase of 8%-10% in workload. One area of increasing importance is managing the demands for pathology tests and reducing inappropriate requesting. The Carter Review estimated that 25% of pathology tests were unnecessary, representing a huge potential waste. Certainly, the large variability in levels of requesting between general practitioners suggests that inappropriate requesting is widespread. Unlocking the key to this variation and implementing measures to reduce inappropriate requesting would have major implications for patients and healthcare resources alike. This article reviews the approaches to demand management. Specifically, it aims to (a) define demand management and inappropriate requesting, (b) assess the drivers for demand management, (c) examine the various approaches used, illustrating the potential of electronic requesting and (d) provide a wider context. It will cover issues, such as educational approaches, information technology opportunities and challenges, vetting, duplicate request identification and management, the role of key performance indicators, profile composition and assessment of downstream impact of inappropriate requesting. Currently, many laboratories are exploring demand management using a plethora of disparate approaches. Hence, this review seeks to provide a 'toolkit' with the view to allowing laboratories to develop a standardised demand management strategy.

Fatal laboratory-acquired infection with an attenuated Yersinia pestis Strain--Chicago, Illinois, 2009.

PubMed

2011-02-25

On September 18, 2009, the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) was notified by a local hospital of a suspected case of fatal laboratory-acquired infection with Yersinia pestis, the causative agent of plague. The patient, a researcher in a university laboratory, had been working along with other members of the laboratory group with a pigmentation-negative (pgm-) attenuated Y. pestis strain (KIM D27). The strain had not been known to have caused laboratory-acquired infections or human fatalities. Other researchers in a separate university laboratory facility in the same building had contact with a virulent Y. pestis strain (CO92) that is considered a select biologic agent; however, the pgm- attenuated KIM D27 is excluded from the National Select Agent Registry. The university, CDPH, the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), and CDC conducted an investigation to ascertain the cause of death. This report summarizes the results of that investigation, which determined that the cause of death likely was an unrecognized occupational exposure (route unknown) to Y. pestis, leading to septic shock. Y. pestis was isolated from premortem blood cultures. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) identified the clinical isolate as a pgm- strain of Y. pestis. Postmortem examination revealed no evidence of pneumonic plague. A postmortem diagnosis of hereditary hemochromatosis was made on the basis of histopathologic, laboratory, and genetic testing. One possible explanation for the unexpected fatal outcome in this patient is that hemochromatosis-induced iron overload might have provided the infecting KIM D27 strain, which is attenuated as a result of defects in its ability to acquire iron, with sufficient iron to overcome its iron-acquisition defects and become virulent. Researchers should adhere to recommended biosafety practices when handling any live bacterial cultures, even attenuated strains, and institutional biosafety committees should implement and maintain effective

Development of a multiplex serological assay reveals a worldwide distribution of murine astrovirus infections in laboratory mice.

PubMed

Schmidt, Katja; Butt, Julia; Mauter, Petra; Vogel, Klaus; Erles-Kemna, Andrea; Pawlita, Michael; Nicklas, Werner

2017-01-01

Laboratory mice play a tremendous role in biomedical research in studies on immunology, infection, cancer and therapy. In the course of standardization of mice used in animal experiments, health monitoring constitutes an important instrument towards microbiological standardization. Infections with murine astroviruses (MuAstV) were only recently discovered and are, therefore, still relatively unknown in laboratory animal science. In rodent health monitoring viral infections within a population are commonly assessed in terms of specific antibodies by serological testing, as active infection and excretion of virus is often temporary and can easily be missed. So far only ongoing infections with astroviruses can be detected by PCR. The objective of this work was the development of a sensitive and specific MuAstV multiplex serological assay with a high-throughput capability to be used in routine testing of laboratory mice. Four different MuAstV proteins were recombinantly expressed and used as antigens. The best reacting antigen, the capsid spike protein VP27, was selected and tested with a panel of 400 sera of mice from units with a known MuAstV status. Assay sensitivity and specificity resulted in 98.5% and 100%, respectively, compared to RT-PCR results. Eventually this assay was used to test 5529 serum samples in total, during routine diagnostics at the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) in Heidelberg between 2015 and 2017. High sero-prevalence rates of up to 98% were detected in units with open cages indicating that the virus is highly infectious and circulates within these populations virtually infecting all animals regardless of the mouse strain. In addition, data collected from 312 mice purchased from commercial breeders and from 661 mice from 58 research institutes in 15 countries worldwide allowed the conclusion that MuAstV is widespread in contemporary laboratory mouse populations.

Laboratories | NREL

Science.gov Websites

| Z A Accelerated Exposure Testing Laboratory Advanced Optical Materials Laboratory Advanced Thermal Laboratory Structural Testing Laboratory Surface Analysis Laboratory Systems Performance Laboratory T Thermal Storage Materials Laboratory Thermal Storage Process and Components Laboratory Thin-Film Deposition

Agreed Discoveries: Students' Negotiations in a Virtual Laboratory Experiment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karlsson, Goran; Ivarsson, Jonas; Lindstrom, Berner

2013-01-01

This paper presents an analysis of the scientific reasoning of a dyad of secondary school students about the phenomenon of dissolution of gases in water as they work on this in a simulated laboratory experiment. A web-based virtual laboratory was developed to provide learners with the opportunity to examine the influence of physical factors on gas…

Laboratory systems integration: robotics and automation.

PubMed

Felder, R A

1991-01-01

Robotic technology is going to have a profound impact on the clinical laboratory of the future. Faced with increased pressure to reduce health care spending yet increase services to patients, many laboratories are looking for alternatives to the inflexible or "fixed" automation found in many clinical analyzers. Robots are being examined by many clinical pathologists as an attractive technology which can adapt to the constant changes in laboratory testing. Already, laboratory designs are being altered to accommodate robotics and automated specimen processors. However, the use of robotics and computer intelligence in the clinical laboratory is still in its infancy. Successful examples of robotic automation exist in several laboratories. Investigators have used robots to automate endocrine testing, high performance liquid chromatography, and specimen transportation. Large commercial laboratories are investigating the use of specimen processors which combine the use of fixed automation and robotics. Robotics have also reduced the exposure of medical technologists to specimens infected with viral pathogens. The successful examples of clinical robotics applications were a result of the cooperation of clinical chemists, engineers, and medical technologists. At the University of Virginia we have designed and implemented a robotic critical care laboratory. Initial clinical experience suggests that robotic performance is reliable, however, staff acceptance and utilization requires continuing education. We are also developing a robotic cyclosporine which promises to greatly reduce the labor costs of this analysis. The future will bring lab wide automation that will fully integrate computer artificial intelligence and robotics. Specimens will be transported by mobile robots. Specimen processing, aliquotting, and scheduling will be automated.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

US RERTR FUEL DEVELOPMENT POST IRRADIATION EXAMINATION RESULTS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

A. B. Robinson; D. M. Wachs; D. E. Burkes

2008-10-01

Post irradiation examinations of irradiated RERTR plate type fuel at the Idaho National Laboratory have led to in depth characterization of fuel behavior and performance. Both destructive and non-destructive examination capabilities at the Hot Fuels Examination Facility (HFEF) as well as recent results obtained are discussed herein. New equipment as well as more advanced techniques are also being developed to further advance the investigation into the performance of the high density U-Mo fuel.

Field and laboratory studies reveal interacting effects of stream oxygenation and warming on aquatic ectotherms.

PubMed

Verberk, Wilco C E P; Durance, Isabelle; Vaughan, Ian P; Ormerod, Steve J

2016-05-01

Aquatic ecological responses to climatic warming are complicated by interactions between thermal effects and other environmental stressors such as organic pollution and hypoxia. Laboratory experiments have demonstrated how oxygen limitation can set heat tolerance for some aquatic ectotherms, but only at unrealistic lethal temperatures and without field data to assess whether oxygen shortages might also underlie sublethal warming effects. Here, we test whether oxygen availability affects both lethal and nonlethal impacts of warming on two widespread Eurasian mayflies, Ephemera danica, Müller 1764 and Serratella ignita (Poda 1761). Mayfly nymphs are often a dominant component of the invertebrate assemblage in streams, and play a vital role in aquatic and riparian food webs. In the laboratory, lethal impacts of warming were assessed under three oxygen conditions. In the field, effects of oxygen availability on nonlethal impacts of warming were assessed from mayfly occurrence in 42 293 UK stream samples where water temperature and biochemical oxygen demand were measured. Oxygen limitation affected both lethal and sublethal impacts of warming in each species. Hypoxia lowered lethal limits by 5.5 °C (±2.13) and 8.2 °C (±0.62) for E. danica and S. ignita respectively. Field data confirmed the importance of oxygen limitation in warmer waters; poor oxygenation drastically reduced site occupancy, and reductions were especially pronounced under warm water conditions. Consequently, poor oxygenation lowered optimal stream temperatures for both species. The broad concordance shown here between laboratory results and extensive field data suggests that oxygen limitation not only impairs survival at thermal extremes but also restricts species abundance in the field at temperatures well below upper lethal limits. Stream oxygenation could thus control the vulnerability of aquatic ectotherms to global warming. Improving water oxygenation and reducing pollution can provide

History and physical examination plus laboratory testing for the diagnosis of adult female urinary tract infection.

PubMed

Meister, Lisa; Morley, Eric J; Scheer, Diane; Sinert, Richard

2013-07-01

Emergency physicians often encounter females presenting with symptoms suggestive of urinary tract infections (UTIs). The diagnostic accuracy of history, physical examination, and bedside laboratory tests for female UTIs in emergency departments (EDs) have not been quantitatively described. This was a systematic review to determine the utility of history and physical examination (H&P) and urinalysis in diagnosing uncomplicated female UTI in the ED. The medical literature was searched from January 1965 through October 2012 in PUBMED and EMBASE using the following criteria: Patients were females greater than 18 years of age in the ED suspected of having UTIs. Interventions were H&P and urinalysis used to diagnose a UTI. The comparator was UTI confirmed by a positive urine culture. The outcome was operating characteristics of the interventions in diagnosing a UTI. Study quality was assessed using Quality Assessment Tool for Diagnostic Accuracy Studies (QUADAS-2). Sensitivity, specificity, and likelihood ratios (LRs) were calculated using Meta-DiSc. Four studies (pooled n = 948) were included with UTI prevalence ranging from 40% to 60%. H&P variables all had positive LRs (+LR, range = 0.8 to 2.2) and negative LRs (-LR, range = 0.7 to 1.0) that are insufficient to significantly alter pretest probability of UTI. Only a positive nitrite reaction (+LR = 7.5 to 24.5) was useful to rule in a UTI. To rule out UTI, only a negative leukocyte esterase (LE; -LR = 0.2) or blood reaction on urine dipstick (-LR = 0.2) were significantly accurate. Increasing pyuria directly correlated with +LR, and moderate pyuria (urine white blood cells [uWBC] > 50 colony-forming units [CFUs]/ml) and moderate bacteruria were good predictors of UTI (+LR = 6.4 and 15.0, respectively). No single H&P finding can accurately rule in or rule out UTI in symptomatic women. Urinalysis with a positive nitrite or moderate pyuria and/or bacteruria are accurate predictors of a UTI. If the pretest probability of

9 CFR 147.11 - Laboratory procedure recommended for the bacteriological examination of salmonella.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... procedure recommended for the bacteriological examination of salmonella. (a) For egg- and meat-type chickens... the bacteriological examination of salmonella. 147.11 Section 147.11 Animals and Animal Products... 25 birds, and birds from Salmonella enteritidis (SE) positive environments should be cultured in...

9 CFR 147.11 - Laboratory procedure recommended for the bacteriological examination of salmonella.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... procedure recommended for the bacteriological examination of salmonella. (a) For egg- and meat-type chickens... the bacteriological examination of salmonella. 147.11 Section 147.11 Animals and Animal Products... 25 birds, and birds from Salmonella enteritidis (SE) positive environments should be cultured in...

9 CFR 147.11 - Laboratory procedure recommended for the bacteriological examination of salmonella.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... procedure recommended for the bacteriological examination of salmonella. (a) For egg- and meat-type chickens... the bacteriological examination of salmonella. 147.11 Section 147.11 Animals and Animal Products... 25 birds, and birds from Salmonella enteritidis (SE) positive environments should be cultured in...

9 CFR 147.11 - Laboratory procedure recommended for the bacteriological examination of salmonella.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... procedure recommended for the bacteriological examination of salmonella. (a) For egg- and meat-type chickens... the bacteriological examination of salmonella. 147.11 Section 147.11 Animals and Animal Products... 25 birds, and birds from Salmonella enteritidis (SE) positive environments should be cultured in...

9 CFR 147.11 - Laboratory procedure recommended for the bacteriological examination of salmonella.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... procedure recommended for the bacteriological examination of salmonella. (a) For egg- and meat-type chickens... the bacteriological examination of salmonella. 147.11 Section 147.11 Animals and Animal Products... 25 birds, and birds from Salmonella enteritidis (SE) positive environments should be cultured in...

Impact of a in situ laboratory on physician expectancy.

PubMed

Brulé, Romain; Sarazin, Marianne; Tayeb, Nicole; Roubille, Martine; Szymanowicz, Anton

2018-01-01

Biological examinations are essential for clinicians' medical care. The aim of this study is to assess clinicians' expectations in healthcare facilities and their perception of medical biology in different types of organization. We performed a prospective transversal study by electronic questionnaire conducted among 242 practitioners in four healthcare facilities. The aspects explored were as follows: quality, reliability, rendering time of examination results and biology platform support. Analyses were conducted after rectification of the sample by weight. Sixty one clinicians responded (25.2% [19.7-30.7]). The rendering time of examination is the main criterion mentioned with a requirement of less than one hour in case of emergency (81.5% [71.8-91.2] of the answers) to less than 72 hours for specialized examinations (81.5% [71.8-91.2] of the answers). Better collaboration with biologists is expected by clinicians (54.7% [50.9-58.5]). Satisfaction with the biology platform support and rendering time of emergency cases results was significantly (p <0.005) lower in facilities without an on-site laboratory. In conclusion, although medical biology performance is generally satisfactory within medical facilities, it remains nonetheless affected when the laboratory is not on site. The rendering time of examination, depending on the biology platform support functions and the proximity of the laboratory, remains the main criterion. Clinician-biologist collaboration, which increases of the medico-economic efficiency of patient's healthcare, appears as an essential criterion in a structural conception of medical biology.

Cost analysis in the toxicology laboratory.

PubMed

Travers, E M

1990-09-01

should construct an actual test-cost data base for instrument or method in use to accurately compare costs using the "bottom-up" approach. 6. Laboratory expenses can be examined from three perspectives: total laboratory, laboratory section, and subsection workstation. The objective is to track all laboratory expenses through each of these levels. 7. In the final analysis, a portion of total laboratory expenses must be allocated to each unit of laboratory output--the billable procedure or, in laboratories where tests are not billed, the tests produced.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Strategies for laboratory cost containment and for pathologist shortage: centralised pathology laboratories with microwave-stimulated histoprocessing and telepathology.

PubMed

Leong, Anthony S Y; Leong, F Joel W M

2005-02-01

The imposition of laboratory cost containment, often from external forces, dictates the necessity to develop strategies to meet laboratory cost savings. In addition, the national and worldwide shortage of anatomical pathologists makes it imperative to examine our current practice and laboratory set-ups. Some of the strategies employed in other areas of pathology and laboratory medicine include improvements in staff productivity and the adoption of technological developments that reduce manual intervention. However, such opportunities in anatomical pathology are few and far between. Centralisation has been an effective approach in bringing economies of scale, the adoption of 'best practices' and the consolidation of pathologists, but this has not been possible in anatomical pathology because conventional histoprocessing takes a minimum of 14 hours and clinical turnaround time requirements necessitate that the laboratory and pathologist be in proximity and on site. While centralisation of laboratories for clinical chemistry, haematology and even microbiology has been successful in Australia and other countries, the essential requirements for anatomical pathology laboratories are different. In addition to efficient synchronised courier networks, a method of ultra-rapid tissue processing and some expedient system of returning the prepared tissue sections to the remote laboratory are essential to maintain the turnaround times mandatory for optimal clinical management. The advent of microwave-stimulated tissue processing that can be completed in 30-60 minutes and the immediate availability of compressed digital images of entire tissue sections via telepathology completes the final components of the equation necessary for making centralised anatomical pathology laboratories a reality.

Computer Based Simulation of Laboratory Experiments.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edward, Norrie S.

1997-01-01

Examines computer based simulations of practical laboratory experiments in engineering. Discusses the aims and achievements of lab work (cognitive, process, psychomotor, and affective); types of simulations (model building and behavioral); and the strengths and weaknesses of simulations. Describes the development of a centrifugal pump simulation,…

Teaching Chromatography Using Virtual Laboratory Exercises

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stone, David C.

2007-01-01

Though deceptively simple to teach, chromatography presents many nuances and complex interactions that challenge both student and instructor. Time and instrumentation provide major obstacles to a thorough examination of these details in the laboratory. Modern chromatographic method-development software provides an opportunity to overcome this,…

The Relationships between University Students' Chemistry Laboratory Anxiety, Attitudes, and Self-Efficacy Beliefs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kurbanoglu, N. Izzet; Akin, Ahmet

2010-01-01

The aim of this study is to examine the relationships between chemistry laboratory anxiety, chemistry attitudes, and self-efficacy. Participants were 395 university students. Participants completed the Chemistry Laboratory Anxiety Scale, the Chemistry Attitudes Scale, and the Self-efficacy Scale. Results showed that chemistry laboratory anxiety…

'Big bang' of B-cell development revealed.

PubMed

Murre, Cornelis

2018-01-15

Earlier studies have identified transcription factors that specify B-cell fate, but the underlying mechanisms remain to be revealed. Two new studies by Miyai and colleagues (pp. 112-126) and Li and colleagues (pp. 96-111) in this issue of Genes & Development provide new and unprecedented insights into the genetic and epigenetic mechanisms that establish B-cell identity. © 2018 Murre; Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press.

Media effects of experimental presentation of the ideal physique on eating disorder symptoms: a meta-analysis of laboratory studies.

PubMed

Hausenblas, Heather A; Campbell, Anna; Menzel, Jessie E; Doughty, Jessica; Levine, Michael; Thompson, J Kevin

2013-02-01

Older meta-analyses of the effects of the media's portrayal of the ideal physique have found small effects revealing that exposure to the ideal physique increases body image concerns. These meta-analyses also included correlational, quasi-experimental, and experimental studies, with limited examination of moderators and other relevant outcomes besides body image. We conducted a systematic literature search and identified 33 experimental (i.e., pre and post data for both experimental and control groups) laboratory studies examining the effects of acute exposure to the media's portrayal of the ideal physique on eating disorder symptoms (i.e., body image, positive affect, negative affect, self-esteem, anger, anxiety and depression) and the mechanisms that moderate this effect. Fourteen separate meta-analyses revealed a range of small to moderate effect sizes for change in outcomes from pre to post for both experimental and control groups. Exposure to images of the ideal physique resulted in small effect sizes for increased depression and anger and decreased self-esteem and positive affect. Moderator analyses revealed moderate effect sizes for increased depression and body dissatisfaction among high-risk participants. This meta-analysis makes it clear that media exposure of the ideal physique results in small changes in eating disorder symptoms, particularly with participants at high risk for developing an eating disorder. Further research is needed to examine the longitudinal effects of media exposure of eating disorder symptoms. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A study of social interaction and teamwork in reformed physics laboratories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gresser, Paul W.

It is widely accepted that, for many students, learning can be accomplished most effectively through social interaction with peers, and there have been many successes in using the group environment to improve learning in a variety of classroom settings. What is not well understood, however, are the dynamics of student groups, specifically how the students collectively apprehend the subject matter and share the mental workload. This research examines recent developments of theoretical tools for describing the cognitive states of individual students: associational patterns such as epistemic games and cultural structures such as epistemological framing. Observing small group interaction in authentic classroom situations (labs, tutorials, problem solving) suggests that these tools could be effective in describing these interactions. Though conventional wisdom tells us that groups may succeed where individuals fail, there are many reasons why group work may also run into difficulties, such as a lack or imbalance of knowledge, an inappropriate mix of learning styles, or a destructive power arrangement. This research explores whether or not inconsistent epistemological framing among group members can also be a cause of group failure. Case studies of group interaction in the laboratory reveal evidence of successful groups employing common framing, and unsuccessful groups failing from lack of a shared frame. This study was conducted in a large introductory algebra-based physics course at the University of Maryland, College Park, in a laboratory designed specifically to foster increased student interaction and cooperation. Videotape studies of this environment reveal that productive lab groups coordinate their efforts through a number of locally coherent knowledge-building activities, which are described through the framework of epistemic games. The existence of these epistemic games makes it possible for many students to participate in cognitive activities without a

Axisymmetric magnetorotational instability in ideal and viscous laboratory plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mikhailovskii, A. B.; Lominadze, J. G.; Churikov, A. P.; Erokhin, N. N.; Pustovitov, V. D.; Konovalov, S. V.

2008-10-01

The original analysis of the axisymmetric magnetorotational instability (MRI) by Velikhov (Sov. Phys. JETP 9, 995 (1959)) and Chandrasekhar (Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. 46, 253 (1960)), applied to the ideally conducting magnetized medium in the laboratory conditions and restricted to the incompressible approximation, is extended by allowing for the compressibility. Thereby, two additional driving mechanisms of MRI are revealed in addition to the standard drive due to the negative medium rotation frequency gradient (the Velikhov effect). One is due to the squared medium pressure gradient and another is a combined effect of the pressure and density gradients. For laboratory applications, the expression for the MRI boundary with all the above driving mechanisms and the stabilizing magnetoacoustic effect is derived. The effects of parallel and perpendicular viscosities on the MRI in the laboratory plasma are investigated. It is shown that, for strong viscosity, there is a family of MRI driven for the same condition as the ideal one. It is also revealed that the presence of strong viscosity leads to additional family of instabilities called the viscosity-driven MRI. Then the parallel-viscositydriven MRI looks as an overstability (oscillatory instability) possessing both the growth rate and the real part of oscillation frequency, while the perpendicular-viscosity MRI is the aperiodical instability.

Using the Laboratory to Engage All Students in Science Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walker, J. P.; Sampson, V.; Southerland, S.; Enderle, P. J.

2016-01-01

This study examines the extent to which the type of instruction used during a general chemistry laboratory course affects students' ability to use core ideas to engage in science practices. We use Ford's (2008) description of the nature of scientific practices to categorize what students do in the laboratory as either empirical or…

Instructional Efficiency of Tutoring in an Outreach Gene Technology Laboratory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scharfenberg, Franz-Josef; Bogner, Franz X.

2013-01-01

Our research objective focused on examining the instructional efficiency of tutoring as a form of instructional change as opposed to a non-tutoring approach in an outreach laboratory. We designed our laboratory based on cognitive load (CL) theory. Altogether, 269 twelfth-graders participated in our day-long module "Genetic Fingerprinting." In a…

Lisa Smith in MSFC's Laboratory Training Complex

NASA Image and Video Library

2015-02-11

LISA SMITH, THE TRAINING TEAM LEAD IN MARSHALL'S MISSION OPERATIONS LAB, EXAMINES THE DRAWERS IN THE GLACIER MOCK-UP, A TRAINING VERSION OF A FREEZER ON THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION INSTALLED IN THE MARSHALL CENTER'S LABORATORY TRAINING COMPLEX

Total laboratory automation: Do stat tests still matter?

PubMed

Dolci, Alberto; Giavarina, Davide; Pasqualetti, Sara; Szőke, Dominika; Panteghini, Mauro

2017-07-01

During the past decades the healthcare systems have rapidly changed and today hospital care is primarily advocated for critical patients and acute treatments, for which laboratory test results are crucial and need to be always reported in predictably short turnaround time (TAT). Laboratories in the hospital setting can face this challenge by changing their organization from a compartmentalized laboratory department toward a decision making-based laboratory department. This requires the implementation of a core laboratory, that exploits total laboratory automation (TLA) using technological innovation in analytical platforms, track systems and information technology, including middleware, and a number of satellite specialized laboratory sections cooperating with care teams for specific medical conditions. In this laboratory department model, the short TAT for all first-line tests performed by TLA in the core laboratory represents the key paradigm, where no more stat testing is required because all samples are handled in real-time and (auto)validated results dispatched in a time that fulfills clinical needs. To optimally reach this goal, laboratories should be actively involved in managing all the steps covering the total examination process, speeding up also extra-laboratory phases, such sample delivery. Furthermore, to warrant effectiveness and not only efficiency, all the processes, e.g. specimen integrity check, should be managed by middleware through a predefined set of rules defined in light of the clinical governance. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Integration of Video-Based Demonstrations to Prepare Students for the Organic Chemistry Laboratory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nadelson, Louis S.; Scaggs, Jonathan; Sheffield, Colin; McDougal, Owen M.

2015-08-01

Consistent, high-quality introductions to organic chemistry laboratory techniques effectively and efficiently support student learning in the organic chemistry laboratory. In this work, we developed and deployed a series of instructional videos to communicate core laboratory techniques and concepts. Using a quasi-experimental design, we tested the videos in five traditional laboratory experiments by integrating them with the standard pre-laboratory student preparation presentations and instructor demonstrations. We assessed the influence of the videos on student laboratory knowledge and performance, using sections of students who did not view the videos as the control. Our analysis of pre-quizzes revealed the control group had equivalent scores to the treatment group, while the post-quiz results show consistently greater learning gains for the treatment group. Additionally, the students who watched the videos as part of their pre-laboratory instruction completed their experiments in less time.

The Future Direction of Regional Educational Laboratories in Contributing to Urban School Improvement. Laboratory Policy Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McKenzie, Floretta Dukes

This paper examines the current and future roles of organizations such as education laboratories in serving the changing needs of urban education. Concerns for greater effectiveness in support services stem from the growing need to effectively deal with some of the complex, lingering issues which to data have been only marginally addressed. Urban…

Preparation of Unconsolidated Sands for Microscopy Laboratory Exercises.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cameron, Barry; Jones, J. Richard

1988-01-01

Describes a technique of impregnating small amounts of sandy sediment in a quick curing resin for microscopic examination. Details the preparation of materials. Suggests laboratory exercises based on this preparation. (CW)

Variability of creatinine measurements in clinical laboratories: results from the CRIC study.

PubMed

Joffe, Marshall; Hsu, Chi-yuan; Feldman, Harold I; Weir, Matthew; Landis, J R; Hamm, L Lee

2010-01-01

Estimating equations using serum creatinine (SCr) are often used to assess glomerular filtration rate (GFR). Such creatinine (Cr)-based formulae may produce biased estimates of GFR when using Cr measurements that have not been calibrated to reference laboratories. In this paper, we sought to examine the degree of this variation in Cr assays in several laboratories associated with academic medical centers affiliated with the Chronic Renal Insufficiency Cohort (CRIC) Study; to consider how best to correct for this variation, and to quantify the impact of such corrections on eligibility for participation in CRIC. Variability of Cr is of particular concern in the conduct of CRIC, a large multicenter study of subjects with chronic renal disease, because eligibility for the study depends on Cr-based assessment of GFR. A library of 5 large volume plasma specimens from apheresis patients was assembled, representing levels of plasma Cr from 0.8 to 2.4 mg/dl. Samples from this library were used for measurement of Cr at each of the 14 CRIC laboratories repetitively over time. We used graphical displays and linear regression methods to examine the variability in Cr, and used linear regression to develop calibration equations. We also examined the impact of the various calibration equations on the proportion of subjects screened as potential participants who were actually eligible for the study. There was substantial variability in Cr assays across laboratories and over time. We developed calibration equations for each laboratory; these equations varied substantially among laboratories and somewhat over time in some laboratories. The laboratory site contributed the most to variability (51% of the variance unexplained by the specimen) and variation with time accounted for another 15%. In some laboratories, calibration equations resulted in differences in eligibility for CRIC of as much as 20%. The substantial variability in SCr assays across laboratories necessitates calibration

Inter-laboratory validation of bioaccessibility testing for metals.

PubMed

Henderson, Rayetta G; Verougstraete, Violaine; Anderson, Kim; Arbildua, José J; Brock, Thomas O; Brouwers, Tony; Cappellini, Danielle; Delbeke, Katrien; Herting, Gunilla; Hixon, Greg; Odnevall Wallinder, Inger; Rodriguez, Patricio H; Van Assche, Frank; Wilrich, Peter; Oller, Adriana R

2014-10-01

Bioelution assays are fast, simple alternatives to in vivo testing. In this study, the intra- and inter-laboratory variability in bioaccessibility data generated by bioelution tests were evaluated in synthetic fluids relevant to oral, inhalation, and dermal exposure. Using one defined protocol, five laboratories measured metal release from cobalt oxide, cobalt powder, copper concentrate, Inconel alloy, leaded brass alloy, and nickel sulfate hexahydrate. Standard deviations of repeatability (sr) and reproducibility (sR) were used to evaluate the intra- and inter-laboratory variability, respectively. Examination of the sR:sr ratios demonstrated that, while gastric and lysosomal fluids had reasonably good reproducibility, other fluids did not show as good concordance between laboratories. Relative standard deviation (RSD) analysis showed more favorable reproducibility outcomes for some data sets; overall results varied more between- than within-laboratories. RSD analysis of sr showed good within-laboratory variability for all conditions except some metals in interstitial fluid. In general, these findings indicate that absolute bioaccessibility results in some biological fluids may vary between different laboratories. However, for most applications, measures of relative bioaccessibility are needed, diminishing the requirement for high inter-laboratory reproducibility in absolute metal releases. The inter-laboratory exercise suggests that the degrees of freedom within the protocol need to be addressed. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Research Notes. OERI's Regional Laboratory Technology Efforts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garnette, Cheryl P., Ed.; Withrow, Frank B., Ed.

1989-01-01

Examines various educational technology projects that regional laboratories supported by the Office of Educational Research and Improvement (OERI) are undertaking. Highlights include innovative uses of instructional technology; tele-teaching using interactive audio conferencing; making informed decisions about technology; national teleconferences…

[Postgraduates' training as laboratory physicians/clinical pathologists in Japan--board certification of JSLM as a mandatory requirement for chairpersons of laboratory medicine].

PubMed

Kumasaka, Kazunari

2002-04-01

The educational committee of the Japanese Society of Laboratory Medicine(JSLM) proposed a revised laboratory medicine residency curriculum in 1999 and again in 2001. The committee believes that present undergraduate clinical training is insufficient and that Japanese medical graduates need clinical training for two years after graduation. This two years training should be a precondition for further postgraduate training in laboratory medicine and should include fundamental clinical skills(communication skills, physical examination and common laboratory procedures such as Gram's stain, Wright-Giemsa stain and urinalysis). After the two years training, the minimal training period of laboratory medicine should be three years, and should include: 1) Principles, instrumentation and techniques of each discipline including clinical chemistry, clinical hematology, clinical microbiology, clinical immunology, blood banking and other specific areas. 2) The use of laboratory information in a medical setting. 3) Interaction of the laboratory physician with laboratory staff, physicians and patients. With good on-the-job training and 24 hours on-call duties, laboratory physicians are expected to perform their tasks, including laboratory management, effectively. They should have appropriate educational background and should be well motivated. The background and duties of the laboratory physicians often reflect the institutional needs and personal philosophy of the chairperson of their department. At the moment, few senior physicians in Japan have qualifications in laboratory medicine and are unable, therefore, to provide the necessary guidance to help the laboratory physicians in their work. I therefore believe that the board certification of JSLM should be regarded as mandatory for chairpersons of laboratory medicine. Our on-call service system can enhance the training in laboratory medicine, and improve not only laboratory quality assurance but patients' care as well.

Development of Robotics Applications in a Solid Propellant Mixing Laboratory

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-06-01

implementation of robotic hardware and software into a laboratory environment requires a carefully structured series of phases which examines, in...strategy. The general methodology utilized in this project is discussed in Appendix A. The proposed laboratory robotics development program was structured ...Accessibility - Potential modifications - Safety precautions e) Robot Transport - Slider mechanisms - Linear tracks - Gantry configuration - Mobility f

Bioterrorism and the Role of the Clinical Microbiology Laboratory

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

SUMMARY Regular review of the management of bioterrorism is essential for maintaining readiness for these sporadically occurring events. This review provides an overview of the history of biological disasters and bioterrorism. I also discuss the recent recategorization of tier 1 agents by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Laboratory Response Network (LRN), and specific training and readiness processes and programs, such as the College of American Pathologists (CAP) Laboratory Preparedness Exercise (LPX). LPX examined the management of cultivable bacterial vaccine and attenuated strains of tier 1 agents or close mimics. In the LPX program, participating laboratories showed improvement in the level of diagnosis required and referral of isolates to an appropriate reference laboratory. Agents which proved difficult to manage in sentinel laboratories included the more fastidious Gram-negative organisms, especially Francisella tularensis and Burkholderia spp. The recent Ebola hemorrhagic fever epidemic provided a check on LRN safety processes. Specific guidelines and recommendations for laboratory safety and risk assessment in the clinical microbiology are explored so that sentinel laboratories can better prepare for the next biological disaster. PMID:26656673

Teenage Concerns about the Physical Examination

PubMed Central

Malus, Michael; Macaulay, Ann

1986-01-01

A study of teenagers' thoughts about doctor/patient relationships revealed a high level of discomfort deriving from the physical examination. Our report attempts to clarify the indications for genital and breast examination and techniques for performing these exams in a manner least distressing to teenagers. PMID:21267220

Why the history and physical examination still matter.

PubMed

Schultz, Michele A; Doty, Maggie

2016-03-01

The history and physical examination (H/PE) have been the foundation of medical diagnosis for centuries. However, as laboratory tests and diagnostic imaging has expanded, physical examination skills have been deemphasized in medical education, and clinicians have become more reliant on tests and imaging. This article describes the historical contributions of the H/PE and its resurgence in a refined form to improve diagnosis.

The American Society for Clinical Pathology's 2014 vacancy survey of medical laboratories in the United States.

PubMed

Garcia, Edna; Ali, Asma M; Soles, Ryan M; Lewis, D Grace

2015-09-01

To determine the extent and distribution of workforce shortages within the nation's medical laboratories. Historically, the results of this biennial survey have served as a basis for additional research on laboratory recruitment, retention, education, marketing, certification, and advocacy. The 2014 Vacancy Survey was conducted through collaboration between American Society for Clinical Pathology's Institute of Science, Technology, and Policy in Washington, DC, and the Evaluation, Measurement, and Assessment Department and Board of Certification in Chicago, Illinois. Data were collected via an Internet survey that was distributed to individuals who were able to report on staffing and certifications for their laboratories. Data reveal increased overall vacancy rates since 2012 for all departments surveyed except cytology and cytogenetics. Also, results show higher anticipated retirement rates for both staff and supervisors. Overall certification rates are highest among laboratory personnel in cytogenetics, hematology/coagulation, and flow cytometry departments and lowest among phlebotomy, specimen processing, and anatomic pathology. Factors such as retirement and the improving economy are driving the need for more laboratory professionals. Recruitment of qualified laboratory professionals in the workforce and students in laboratory programs will be the key in fulfilling the higher vacancies revealed from the survey results in 2014. Copyright© by the American Society for Clinical Pathology.

Laboratory Information Management Systems for Forensic Laboratories: A White Paper for Directors and Decision Makers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Anthony Hendrickson; Brian Mennecke; Kevin Scheibe

2005-10-01

Modern, forensics laboratories need Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS) implementations that allow the lab to track evidentiary items through their examination lifecycle and also serve all pertinent laboratory personnel. The research presented here presents LIMS core requirements as viewed by respondents serving in different forensic laboratory capacities as well as different forensic laboratory environments. A product-development methodology was employed to evaluate the relative value of the key features that constitute a LIMS, in order to develop a set of relative values for these features and the specifics of their implementation. In addition to the results of the product development analysis,more » this paper also provides an extensive review of LIMS and provides an overview of the preparation and planning process for the successful upgrade or implementation of a LIMS. Analysis of the data indicate that the relative value of LIMS components are viewed differently depending upon respondents' job roles (i.e., evidence technicians, scientists, and lab management), as well as by laboratory size. Specifically, the data show that: (1) Evidence technicians place the most value on chain of evidence capabilities and on chain of custody tracking; (2) Scientists generally place greatest value on report writing and generation, and on tracking daughter evidence that develops during their analyses; (3) Lab. Managers place the greatest value on chain of custody, daughter evidence, and not surprisingly, management reporting capabilities; and (4) Lab size affects LIMS preference in that, while all labs place daughter evidence tracking, chain of custody, and management and analyst report generation as their top three priorities, the order of this prioritization is size dependent.« less

NACA Researcher Examines the Cyclotron

NASA Image and Video Library

1951-02-21

Researcher James Blue examines the new cyclotron at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) Lewis Flight Propulsion Laboratory. Researchers at NACA Lewis began postulating about the use of atomic power for propulsion immediately after World War II. The NACA concentrated its efforts on the study of high temperature materials and heat transfer since it did not have access to the top secret fission information. The military studied the plausibility of nuclear propulsion for aircraft in the late 1940s. The military program was cancelled after four years without any breakthroughs, but the Atomic Energy Commission took on the effort in 1951. The NACA Lewis laboratory was expanding its nuclear-related research during this period. In 1948, Lewis engineers were assigned to the Oak Ridge National Laboratory to obtain expertise in high temperature heat transfer and advanced materials technology. The following year a new 80-person Nuclear Reactor Division was created, and an in-house nuclear school was established to train these researchers. The cyclotron was built behind the Materials and Structures Laboratory to support thermodynamic and materials research for both nuclear aircraft and nuclear rockets. The original NACA Lewis cyclotron was used to accelerate two kinds of particles. To better match the space radiation environment, the cyclotron was later modified to accelerate particles of the newly-discovered Van Allen radiation belts.

Research and Laboratory Instruction--An Experiment in Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kramm, Kenneth R.

1976-01-01

Describes an attempt to incorporate research into laboratory work in an introductory ecology class and a senior seminar. The investigation involves the examination of rhythms of food consumption and circadian activities in humans. (GS)

Size-dependent reactivity of magnetite nanoparticles: a field-laboratory comparison

USGS Publications Warehouse

Swindle, Andrew L.; Elwood Madden, Andrew S.; Cozzarelli, Isabelle M.; Benamara, Mourad

2014-01-01

Logistic challenges make direct comparisons between laboratory- and field-based investigations into the size-dependent reactivity of nanomaterials difficult. This investigation sought to compare the size-dependent reactivity of nanoparticles in a field setting to a laboratory analog using the specific example of magnetite dissolution. Synthetic magnetite nanoparticles of three size intervals, ∼6 nm, ∼44 nm, and ∼90 nm were emplaced in the subsurface of the USGS research site at the Norman Landfill for up to 30 days using custom-made subsurface nanoparticle holders. Laboratory analog dissolution experiments were conducted using synthetic groundwater. Reaction products were analyzed via TEM and SEM and compared to initial particle characterizations. Field results indicated that an organic coating developed on the particle surfaces largely inhibiting reactivity. Limited dissolution occurred, with the amount of dissolution decreasing as particle size decreased. Conversely, the laboratory analogs without organics revealed greater dissolution of the smaller particles. These results showed that the presence of dissolved organics led to a nearly complete reversal in the size-dependent reactivity trends displayed between the field and laboratory experiments indicating that size-dependent trends observed in laboratory investigations may not be relevant in organic-rich natural systems.

[Assessment of the quality of laboratory diagnosis of intestinal parasitic diseases by the laboratories participating in the Federal System of External Quality Assessment of Clinical Laboratory Testing].

PubMed

Malakhov, V N; Dovgalev, A S; Astanina, S Iu; Serdiuk, A P

2014-01-01

In 2010-2013, the quality of microscopic detection of the causative agents ofparasitic diseases in the feces has been assessed by the specialists of the laboratories of the therapeutic-and-prophylactic institutions (TPIs) and Hygiene and Epidemiology Centers, Russian Inspectorate for the Protection of Consumer Rights and Human Welfare, which are participants of the Federal System of External Quality Assessment of Clinical Laboratory Testing. Thirty-two specimens containing 16 species of human helminths and 4 species of enteric protozoa in different combinations were examined. The findings suggest that the quality of microscopic detection of the causative agents of parasitic diseases is low in the laboratories of health care facilities and that the specialists of the laboratories of TPIs and Hygiene and Epidemiology Centers, Russian Inspectorate for the Protection of Consumer Rights and Human Welfare, do not not possess the knowledge and skills necessary to make a laboratory diagnosis of helminths and enteric protozoa. The average detection rates of helminths and protozoa were at a level of 64 and 36%, respectively. The correct results showed that the proportion of helminths and protozoa were 94.5 and 5.5%, respectively. According to the biological and epidemiological classification of helminths, there were higher detection rates for contact group parasites (Enterobius vermicularis and Hymenolepis nana) and geohelminths (Ascaris, Trichuris trichiura, and others). Biohelminths (Opisthorchis, tapeworms, and others) Were detectable slightly worse.

Lunar impact basins revealed by Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory measurements

PubMed Central

Neumann, Gregory A.; Zuber, Maria T.; Wieczorek, Mark A.; Head, James W.; Baker, David M. H.; Solomon, Sean C.; Smith, David E.; Lemoine, Frank G.; Mazarico, Erwan; Sabaka, Terence J.; Goossens, Sander J.; Melosh, H. Jay; Phillips, Roger J.; Asmar, Sami W.; Konopliv, Alexander S.; Williams, James G.; Sori, Michael M.; Soderblom, Jason M.; Miljković, Katarina; Andrews-Hanna, Jeffrey C.; Nimmo, Francis; Kiefer, Walter S.

2015-01-01

Observations from the Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) mission indicate a marked change in the gravitational signature of lunar impact structures at the morphological transition, with increasing diameter, from complex craters to peak-ring basins. At crater diameters larger than ~200 km, a central positive Bouguer anomaly is seen within the innermost peak ring, and an annular negative Bouguer anomaly extends outward from this ring to the outer topographic rim crest. These observations demonstrate that basin-forming impacts remove crustal materials from within the peak ring and thicken the crust between the peak ring and the outer rim crest. A correlation between the diameter of the central Bouguer gravity high and the outer topographic ring diameter for well-preserved basins enables the identification and characterization of basins for which topographic signatures have been obscured by superposed cratering and volcanism. The GRAIL inventory of lunar basins improves upon earlier lists that differed in their totals by more than a factor of 2. The size-frequency distributions of basins on the nearside and farside hemispheres of the Moon differ substantially; the nearside hosts more basins larger than 350 km in diameter, whereas the farside has more smaller basins. Hemispherical differences in target properties, including temperature and porosity, are likely to have contributed to these different distributions. Better understanding of the factors that control basin size will help to constrain models of the original impactor population. PMID:26601317

Lunar impact basins revealed by Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory measurements.

PubMed

Neumann, Gregory A; Zuber, Maria T; Wieczorek, Mark A; Head, James W; Baker, David M H; Solomon, Sean C; Smith, David E; Lemoine, Frank G; Mazarico, Erwan; Sabaka, Terence J; Goossens, Sander J; Melosh, H Jay; Phillips, Roger J; Asmar, Sami W; Konopliv, Alexander S; Williams, James G; Sori, Michael M; Soderblom, Jason M; Miljković, Katarina; Andrews-Hanna, Jeffrey C; Nimmo, Francis; Kiefer, Walter S

2015-10-01

Observations from the Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) mission indicate a marked change in the gravitational signature of lunar impact structures at the morphological transition, with increasing diameter, from complex craters to peak-ring basins. At crater diameters larger than ~200 km, a central positive Bouguer anomaly is seen within the innermost peak ring, and an annular negative Bouguer anomaly extends outward from this ring to the outer topographic rim crest. These observations demonstrate that basin-forming impacts remove crustal materials from within the peak ring and thicken the crust between the peak ring and the outer rim crest. A correlation between the diameter of the central Bouguer gravity high and the outer topographic ring diameter for well-preserved basins enables the identification and characterization of basins for which topographic signatures have been obscured by superposed cratering and volcanism. The GRAIL inventory of lunar basins improves upon earlier lists that differed in their totals by more than a factor of 2. The size-frequency distributions of basins on the nearside and farside hemispheres of the Moon differ substantially; the nearside hosts more basins larger than 350 km in diameter, whereas the farside has more smaller basins. Hemispherical differences in target properties, including temperature and porosity, are likely to have contributed to these different distributions. Better understanding of the factors that control basin size will help to constrain models of the original impactor population.

The Contribution of a Virtual Biology Laboratory to College Students' Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Swan, Aubrie E.; O'Donnell, Angela M.

2009-01-01

The virtual laboratories developed by a life sciences department at a public university in the US were designed for use by college students enrolled in an introductory biology course. The results analyses conducted to examine their effectiveness indicated that self-selected users of the virtual laboratories outperformed non-users on laboratory…

The intellectual contribution of laboratory medicine professionals to research papers on laboratory medicine topics published in high-impact general medicine journals.

PubMed

Escobar, Pedro Medina; Nydegger, Urs; Risch, Martin; Risch, Lorenz

2012-03-01

An author is generally regarded as an individual "who has made substantial intellectual academic contributions to a published study". However, the extent of the contribution that laboratory medicine professionals have made as authors of research papers in high-impact medical journals remains unclear. From 1 January 2004 to 31 March 2009, 4837 original research articles appeared in the: New England Journal of Medicine, Lancet, Annals of Internal Medicine, JAMA and BMJ. Using authorship as an indicator of intellectual contribution, we analyzed articles that included laboratory medicine parameters in their titles in an observational cross-sectional study. We also extracted data regarding radiological topics that were published during the same time within the same journals. Out of 481 articles concerning laboratory medicine topics, 380 provided information on the affiliations of the authors. At least one author from an institution within the field of laboratory medicine was listed in 212 articles (55.8%). Out of 3943 co-authors, only 756 (19.2%) were affiliated with laboratory medicine institutions. Authors from laboratory medicine institutions were listed as the first, last or corresponding authors in 99 articles (26.1%). The comparative proportions for author affiliation from 55 radiology articles were significantly higher, as 72.7% (p=0.026) of articles and 24.8% (p=0.001) of authors indicated an affiliation with a radiology institution. Radiology professionals from 72.7% of the articles were listed as either the first, last or corresponding authors (p<0.0001). The subgroup analysis revealed that laboratory medicine professionals from North America were significantly less frequently involved as co-authors than were their colleagues from Europe (p=0.04). Laboratory medicine professionals are underrepresented as co-authors in laboratory medicine studies appearing in high-impact general medicine journals.

Determination of Passing Scores on Certification Examinations: An Unresolved Issue.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karni, Karen R.; Lofsness, Karen G.

1985-01-01

This study examined the results obtained from certification applicants and practitioners on a national certification examination for clinical laboratory scientists (medical technologists), using a modified Angoff procedure to establish the cut-off score. The major question of the investigation concerned whether the cut-off score was appropriate.…

Laboratory-based clinical audit as a tool for continual improvement: an example from CSF chemistry turnaround time audit in a South-African teaching hospital.

PubMed

Imoh, Lucius C; Mutale, Mubanga; Parker, Christopher T; Erasmus, Rajiv T; Zemlin, Annalise E

2016-01-01

Timeliness of laboratory results is crucial to patient care and outcome. Monitoring turnaround times (TAT), especially for emergency tests, is important to measure the effectiveness and efficiency of laboratory services. Laboratory-based clinical audits reveal opportunities for improving quality. Our aim was to identify the most critical steps causing a high TAT for cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) chemistry analysis in our laboratory. A 6-month retrospective audit was performed. The duration of each operational phase across the laboratory work flow was examined. A process-mapping audit trail of 60 randomly selected requests with a high TAT was conducted and reasons for high TAT were tested for significance. A total of 1505 CSF chemistry requests were analysed. Transport of samples to the laboratory was primarily responsible for the high average TAT (median TAT = 170 minutes). Labelling accounted for most delays within the laboratory (median TAT = 71 minutes) with most delays occurring after regular work hours (P < 0.05). CSF chemistry requests without the appropriate number of CSF sample tubes were significantly associated with delays in movement of samples from the labelling area to the technologist's work station (caused by a preference for microbiological testing prior to CSF chemistry). A laboratory-based clinical audit identified sample transportation, work shift periods and use of inappropriate CSF sample tubes as drivers of high TAT for CSF chemistry in our laboratory. The results of this audit will be used to change pre-analytical practices in our laboratory with the aim of improving TAT and customer satisfaction.

Laboratory-based clinical audit as a tool for continual improvement: an example from CSF chemistry turnaround time audit in a South-African teaching hospital

PubMed Central

Imoh, Lucius C; Mutale, Mubanga; Parker, Christopher T; Erasmus, Rajiv T; Zemlin, Annalise E

2016-01-01

Introduction Timeliness of laboratory results is crucial to patient care and outcome. Monitoring turnaround times (TAT), especially for emergency tests, is important to measure the effectiveness and efficiency of laboratory services. Laboratory-based clinical audits reveal opportunities for improving quality. Our aim was to identify the most critical steps causing a high TAT for cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) chemistry analysis in our laboratory. Materials and methods A 6-month retrospective audit was performed. The duration of each operational phase across the laboratory work flow was examined. A process-mapping audit trail of 60 randomly selected requests with a high TAT was conducted and reasons for high TAT were tested for significance. Results A total of 1505 CSF chemistry requests were analysed. Transport of samples to the laboratory was primarily responsible for the high average TAT (median TAT = 170 minutes). Labelling accounted for most delays within the laboratory (median TAT = 71 minutes) with most delays occurring after regular work hours (P < 0.05). CSF chemistry requests without the appropriate number of CSF sample tubes were significantly associated with delays in movement of samples from the labelling area to the technologist’s work station (caused by a preference for microbiological testing prior to CSF chemistry). Conclusion A laboratory-based clinical audit identified sample transportation, work shift periods and use of inappropriate CSF sample tubes as drivers of high TAT for CSF chemistry in our laboratory. The results of this audit will be used to change pre-analytical practices in our laboratory with the aim of improving TAT and customer satisfaction. PMID:27346964

Measuring meaningful learning in the undergraduate chemistry laboratory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Galloway, Kelli R.

these studies revealed students' narrow cognitive expectations for learning that go largely unmet by their experiences and diverse affective expectations and experiences. Concurrently, a qualitative study was carried out to describe and characterize students' cognitive and affective experiences in the undergraduate chemistry laboratory. Students were video recorded while performing one of their regular laboratory experiments and then interviewed about their experiences. The students' descriptions of their learning experiences were characterized by their overreliance on following the experimental procedure correctly rather than developing process-oriented problem solving skills. Future research could use the MLLI to intentionally compare different types of laboratory curricula or environments.

Laboratory practice at the periphery in developing countries.

PubMed

Lewis, S M

2002-08-01

An effective national health service structure requires a comprehensive programme for primary health care in peripheral and rural areas. This is especially important in under-resourced countries where facilities are sparse, the population is widely dispersed and transport is limited. Haematology has a key role in diagnosis and patient management by selecting tests for their clinical relevance and utility for the specific circumstances, and ensuring their technical reliability when used in health clinics and point-of-care testing. WHO has proposed a basic menu of tests in three categories: (a) tests such as haemoglobin screen which can be performed by nurses, midwives, health-aides or community doctors, (b) tests such as haemoglobinometry, microhaematocrit and microscopic examination of stained preparations which can be performed by a technician or laboratory assistant in a health centre, (c) tests requiring greater technical expertise of a laboratory technician or trained doctor. The peripheral health clinics and district laboratories must be familiar with the guidelines on standardized methods for collecting and storing specimens and transporting them to a regional laboratory or a reference centre. A training syllabus should be provided at the health centres and district laboratories, and this should include on-site instruction from supervisors and access to training manuals and distance-learning material. A co-ordinated programme of quality assurance and standardization of test methods should be established by a reference centre or national health authority with a network which encompasses all laboratories and health clinics undertaking any tests. Each regional laboratory should foster lower level laboratories or clinics within its neighbourhood. Of particular concern is the reliable diagnosis and management of anaemia. WHO reports indicate that 40% of the world population suffer from anaemia, especially affecting pregnant women, and a high proportion of infants

Use of proficiency test performance to determine clinical laboratory director qualifications.

PubMed

Howanitz, P J

1988-04-01

Many activities and policies influence laboratory test quality. Proficiency test results are one measure of laboratory quality, and during the past 25 years, five studies have examined the relationship of laboratory director educational requirements to proficiency test results. Data from three studies support the association between director qualifications and quality as measured by proficiency test performance, whereas no relationship was found in the other two studies. Possible reasons for conflicting results include differences in database size and demographics; in addition, proficiency test results may be inappropriate, although widely used, as the sole measure of laboratory director performance.

Battery testing at Argonne National Laboratory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deluca, W. H.; Gillie, K. R.; Kulaga, J. E.; Smaga, J. A.; Tummillo, A. F.; Webster, C. E.

1993-03-01

Argonne National Laboratory's Analysis & Diagnostic Laboratory (ADL) tests advanced batteries under simulated electric and hybrid vehicle operating conditions. The ADL facilities also include a post-test analysis laboratory to determine, in a protected atmosphere if needed, component compositional changes and failure mechanisms. The ADL provides a common basis for battery performance characterization and life evaluations with unbiased application of tests and analyses. The battery evaluations and post-test examinations help identify factors that limit system performance and life and the most-promising R&D approaches for overcoming these limitations. Since 1991, performance characterizations and/or life evaluations have been conducted on eight battery technologies: Na/S, Li/S, Zn/Br, Ni/MH, Ni/Zn, Ni/Cd, Ni/Fe, and lead-acid. These evaluations were performed for the Department of Energy's. Office of Transportation Technologies, Electric and Hybrid Propulsion Division (DOE/OTT/EHP), and Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) Transportation Program. The results obtained are discussed.

Social Comparison or Utility: An Experimental Examination.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rofe, Yacov; Lewin, Isaac

1988-01-01

Examined emotional comparison theory and utility theory in an analysis of effects of stress on affiliation in a laboratory setting. Two intense fear situations concerning the administration of painful electrical shocks were added to Schachter's (1959) original fear manipulation. Results showed that two new fear conditions resulted in marked…

Commercialization of a DOE Laboratory

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Stephenson, Barry A.

2008-01-15

On April 1, 1998, Materials and Chemistry Laboratory, Inc. (MCLinc) began business as an employee-owned, commercial, applied research laboratory offering services to both government and commercial clients. The laboratory had previously been a support laboratory to DoE's gaseous diffusion plant in Oak Ridge (K-25). When uranium enrichment was halted at the site, the laboratory was expanded to as an environmental demonstration center and served from 1992 until 1997 as a DOE Environmental User Facility. In 1997, after the laboratory was declared surplus, it was made available to the employee group who operated the laboratory for DOE as a government-owned, contractor-operatedmore » facility. This paper describes briefly the process of establishing the business. Attributes that contributed to the success of MCLinc are described. Some attention is given to lessons learned and to changes that could facilitate future attempts to make similar transitions. Lessons learnt: as with any business venture, operation over time has revealed that some actions taken by the laboratory founders have contributed to its successful operation while others were not so successful. Observations are offered in hopes that lessons learned may suggest actions that will facilitate future attempts to make similar transitions. First, the decision to vest significant ownership of the business in the core group of professionals operating the business is key to its success. Employee-owners of the laboratory have consistently provided a high level of service to its customers while conducting business in a cost-efficient manner. Secondly, an early decision to provide business support services in-house rather than purchasing them from support contractors on site have proven cost-effective. Laboratory employees do multiple tasks and perform overhead tasks in addition to their chargeable technical responsibilities. Thirdly, assessment of technical capabilities in view of market needs and a decision to

Culturally relevant inquiry-based laboratory module implementations in upper-division genetics and cell biology teaching laboratories.

PubMed

Siritunga, Dimuth; Montero-Rojas, María; Carrero, Katherine; Toro, Gladys; Vélez, Ana; Carrero-Martínez, Franklin A

2011-01-01

Today, more minority students are entering undergraduate programs than ever before, but they earn only 6% of all science or engineering PhDs awarded in the United States. Many studies suggest that hands-on research activities enhance students' interest in pursuing a research career. In this paper, we present a model for the implementation of laboratory research in the undergraduate teaching laboratory using a culturally relevant approach to engage students. Laboratory modules were implemented in upper-division genetics and cell biology courses using cassava as the central theme. Students were asked to bring cassava samples from their respective towns, which allowed them to compare their field-collected samples against known lineages from agricultural stations at the end of the implementation. Assessment of content and learning perceptions revealed that our novel approach allowed students to learn while engaged in characterizing Puerto Rican cassava. In two semesters, based on the percentage of students who answered correctly in the premodule assessment for content knowledge, there was an overall improvement of 66% and 55% at the end in the genetics course and 24% and 15% in the cell biology course. Our proposed pedagogical model enhances students' professional competitiveness by providing students with valuable research skills as they work on a problem to which they can relate.

Culturally Relevant Inquiry-Based Laboratory Module Implementations in Upper-Division Genetics and Cell Biology Teaching Laboratories

PubMed Central

Siritunga, Dimuth; Montero-Rojas, María; Carrero, Katherine; Toro, Gladys; Vélez, Ana; Carrero-Martínez, Franklin A.

2011-01-01

Today, more minority students are entering undergraduate programs than ever before, but they earn only 6% of all science or engineering PhDs awarded in the United States. Many studies suggest that hands-on research activities enhance students’ interest in pursuing a research career. In this paper, we present a model for the implementation of laboratory research in the undergraduate teaching laboratory using a culturally relevant approach to engage students. Laboratory modules were implemented in upper-division genetics and cell biology courses using cassava as the central theme. Students were asked to bring cassava samples from their respective towns, which allowed them to compare their field-collected samples against known lineages from agricultural stations at the end of the implementation. Assessment of content and learning perceptions revealed that our novel approach allowed students to learn while engaged in characterizing Puerto Rican cassava. In two semesters, based on the percentage of students who answered correctly in the premodule assessment for content knowledge, there was an overall improvement of 66% and 55% at the end in the genetics course and 24% and 15% in the cell biology course. Our proposed pedagogical model enhances students’ professional competitiveness by providing students with valuable research skills as they work on a problem to which they can relate. PMID:21885825

Certification standards transfer: from committee to laboratory.

PubMed

Lehmann, H P

1998-12-01

The ISO 9000 Standards series were developed to provide the international manufacturing industry with a framework to ensure purchased products meet quality criteria. Section 4 of ISO 9001, Quality System Model for Quality Assurance in Design, Development, Production, Installation and Servicing, contains 20 aspects of a quality system that must be addressed by an organization in order to receive ISO 9001 certification. This concept is extended to the clinical laboratory, where a quality system program establishes for the customer (patient/clinician) that the purchased product (requested information on a submitted specimen-test result) meets established quality norms. In order to satisfy the customer, the providing organization must have policies and procedures in place that ensure a quality product, and be certified. To become certified the organization must, through an inspection process, demonstrate to an independent accrediting agency that it meets defined standards. In the United States, the government through the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendment (CLIA) 1988 established quality standards for the clinical laboratory. The College of American Pathologists (CAP), through its Laboratory Accreditation Program (LAP), serves as an independent agency that certifies that laboratories meet standards. To demonstrate the applicability of an established clinical laboratory accreditation program to ISO 9001 certification, the standards and checklists of CLIA 1988 and the CAP LAP will be examined to determine their conformance to ISO 9001, Section 4.

Bar-Code System for a Microbiological Laboratory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Law, Jennifer; Kirschner, Larry

2007-01-01

A bar-code system has been assembled for a microbiological laboratory that must examine a large number of samples. The system includes a commercial bar-code reader, computer hardware and software components, plus custom-designed database software. The software generates a user-friendly, menu-driven interface.

The Pathology Laboratory Act 2007 explained.

PubMed

Looi, Lai-Meng

2008-06-01

laboratory practices are left to be specified by the Director-General of Health, providing for a formal recognition process and room for revision as pathology practices evolve. Encompassed in the responsibilities of the licensee is the requirement that samples are received and results issued through, and management vested in, a registered medical or dental practitioner. This effectively prohibits "walk-ins" to the laboratory and indiscriminate public screening. The requirement for a person-in-charge in accordance with class and speciality of laboratory ensures that the laboratory is under the charge of the pathology profession. Examined carefully, the requirements of the Act are similar to laboratory accreditation, but are backed by legislation. Many of these details will be spelt out in the Regulations, and these in turn are likely to fall back on National professional guidelines, as accreditation does. Although not at first obvious, enforcement of the Act is based on self-regulation by pathology laboratory professionals. Sincere professional input is thus required to embrace its philosophy, ensure rational and transparent enforcement of legislation, and develop National guidelines for good pathology practices upon which enforcement may be based.

Introduction to Nucleonics: A Laboratory Course.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Phelps, William; And Others

This student text and laboratory manual is designed primarily for the non-college bound high school student. It can be adapted, however, to a wide range of abilities. It begins with an examination of the properties of nuclear radiation, develops an understanding of the fundamentals of nucleonics, and ends with an investigation of careers in areas…

Engineer Examines Cluster of Ion Engines in the Electric Propulsion Laboratory

NASA Image and Video Library

1963-01-21

New staff member Paul Margosian inspects a cluster of ion engines in the Electric Propulsion Laboratory’s 25-foot diameter vacuum tank at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Lewis Research Center. Lewis researchers had been studying different methods of electric rocket propulsion since the mid-1950s. Harold Kaufman created the first successful engine, the electron bombardment ion engine, in the early 1960s. These engines used electric power to create and accelerate small particles of propellant material to high exhaust velocities. Electric engines have a very small thrust, and but can operate for long periods of time. The ion engines are often clustered together to provide higher levels of thrust. The Electric Propulsion Laboratory contained two large vacuum tanks capable of simulating the space environment. The tanks were designed especially for testing ion and plasma thrusters and spacecraft. The larger 25-foot diameter tank was intended for testing electric thrusters with condensable propellants. The tank’s test compartment, seen here, was 10 feet in diameter. Margosian joined Lewis in late 1962 during a major NASA hiring phase. The Agency reorganized in 1961 and began expanding its ranks through a massive recruiting effort. Lewis personnel increased from approximately 2,700 in 1961 to over 4,800 in 1966. Margosian, who worked with Bill Kerslake in the Electromagnetic Propulsion Division’s Propulsion Systems Section, wrote eight technical reports on mercury and electron bombardment thrusters, thermoelectrostatic generators, and a high voltage insulator.

Clinical laboratory technician to clinical laboratory scientist articulation and distance learning.

PubMed

Crowley, J R; Laurich, G A; Mobley, R C; Arnette, A H; Shaikh, A H; Martin, S M

1999-01-01

Laboratory workers and educators alike are challenged to support access to education that is current and provides opportunities for career advancement in the work place. The clinical laboratory science (CLS) program at the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta developed a clinical laboratory technician (CLT) to CLS articulation option, expanded it through distance learning, and integrated computer based learning technology into the educational process over a four year period to address technician needs for access to education. Both positive and negative outcomes were realized through these efforts. Twenty-seven students entered the pilot articulation program, graduated, and took a CLS certification examination. Measured in terms of CLS certification, promotions, pay raises, and career advancement, the program described was a success. However, major problems were encountered related to the use of unfamiliar communication technology; administration of the program at distance sites; communication between educational institutions, students, and employers; and competition with CLT programs for internship sites. These problems must be addressed in future efforts to provide a successful distance learning program. Effective methods for meeting educational needs and career ladder expectations of CLTs and their employers are important to the overall quality and appeal of the profession. Educational technology that includes computer-aided instruction, multimedia, and telecommunications can provide powerful tools for education in general and CLT articulation in particular. Careful preparation and vigilant attention to reliable delivery methods as well as students' progress and outcomes is critical for an efficient, economically feasible, and educationally sound program.

The instruments in the first psychological laboratory in Mexico: antecedents, influence, and methods.

PubMed

Escobar, Rogelio

2014-11-01

Enrique O. Aragón established the first psychological laboratory in Mexico in 1916. This laboratory was inspired by Wundt's laboratory and by those created afterward in Germany and the United States. It was equipped with state-of-the art instruments imported from Germany in 1902 from Ernst Zimmermann who supplied instruments for Wundt's laboratory. Although previous authors have described the social events leading to the creation of the laboratory, there are limited descriptions of the instruments, their use, and their influence. With the aid of archival resources, the initial location of the laboratory was determined. The analysis of instruments revealed a previously overlooked relation with a previous laboratory of experimental physiology. The influence of the laboratory was traced by describing the careers of 4 students, 3 of them women, who worked with the instruments during the first 2 decades of the 20th century, each becoming accomplished scholars. In addition, this article, by identifying and analyzing the instruments shown in photographs of the psychological laboratory and in 1 motion film, provides information of the class demonstrations and the experiments conducted in this laboratory.

Medical errors arising from outsourcing laboratory and radiology services.

PubMed

Chasin, Brian S; Elliott, Sean P; Klotz, Stephen A

2007-09-01

Document errors and the nuisance factor inherent in the informational exchange that occurs with the outsourcing of laboratory and radiology examinations. Three infectious diseases physicians at a tertiary care hospital recorded problems involving data transmitted by telephone or fax from outsource providers for 4 months. This included in- and outpatients, and those in transition from one status to another. Outsourcing laboratory and radiology examinations of insured outpatients is a common practice. Insurance companies determine which healthcare facility performs these tests based on contractual agreements with outsource providers. This leads to confusion and frustration for the doctor and patient alike, and occasionally, to medical error. The exchange of patient data involved in outsourcing is subject to systemic errors that do not allow of easy solution.

75 Breakthroughs by the U.S. Department of Energy's National Laboratories; Breakthroughs 2017

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

Born at a time when the world faced a dire threat, the National Laboratory System protects America through science and technology. For more than 75 years, the Department of Energy’s national laboratories have solved important problems in science, energy and national security. Partnering with industry and academia, the laboratories also drive innovation to advance economic competitiveness and ensure our nation’s future prosperity. Over the years, America's National Laboratories have been changing and improving the lives of millions of people and this expertise continues to keep our nation at the forefront of science and technology in a rapidly changing world. Thismore » network of Department of Energy Laboratories has grown into 17 facilities across the country. As this list of breakthroughs attests, Laboratory discoveries have spawned industries, saved lives, generated new products, fired the imagination and helped to reveal the secrets of the universe.« less

Management of laboratory data and information exchange in the electronic health record.

PubMed

Wilkerson, Myra L; Henricks, Walter H; Castellani, William J; Whitsitt, Mark S; Sinard, John H

2015-03-01

In the era of the electronic health record, the success of laboratories and pathologists will depend on effective presentation and management of laboratory information, including test orders and results, and effective exchange of data between the laboratory information system and the electronic health record. In this third paper of a series that explores empowerment of pathology in the era of the electronic health record, we review key elements of managing laboratory information within the electronic health record and examine functional issues pertinent to pathologists and laboratories in the exchange of laboratory information between electronic health records and both anatomic and clinical pathology laboratory information systems. Issues with electronic order-entry and results-reporting interfaces are described, and considerations for setting up these interfaces are detailed in tables. The role of the laboratory medical director as mandated by the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 and the impacts of discordance between laboratory results and their display in the electronic health record are also discussed.

Examining Radiation-Induced In Vivo and In Vitro Gene Expression Changes of the Peripheral Blood in Different Laboratories for Biodosimetry Purposes: First RENEB Gene Expression Study.

PubMed

Abend, M; Badie, C; Quintens, R; Kriehuber, R; Manning, G; Macaeva, E; Njima, M; Oskamp, D; Strunz, S; Moertl, S; Doucha-Senf, S; Dahlke, S; Menzel, J; Port, M

2016-02-01

The risk of a large-scale event leading to acute radiation exposure necessitates the development of high-throughput methods for providing rapid individual dose estimates. Our work addresses three goals, which align with the directive of the European Union's Realizing the European Network of Biodosimetry project (EU-RENB): 1. To examine the suitability of different gene expression platforms for biodosimetry purposes; 2. To perform this examination using blood samples collected from prostate cancer patients (in vivo) and from healthy donors (in vitro); and 3. To compare radiation-induced gene expression changes of the in vivo with in vitro blood samples. For the in vitro part of this study, EDTA-treated whole blood was irradiated immediately after venipuncture using single X-ray doses (1 Gy/min(-1) dose rate, 100 keV). Blood samples used to generate calibration curves as well as 10 coded (blinded) samples (0-4 Gy dose range) were incubated for 24 h in vitro, lysed and shipped on wet ice. For the in vivo part of the study PAXgene tubes were used and peripheral blood (2.5 ml) was collected from prostate cancer patients before and 24 h after the first fractionated 2 Gy dose of localized radiotherapy to the pelvis [linear accelerator (LINAC), 580 MU/min, exposure 1-1.5 min]. Assays were run in each laboratory according to locally established protocols using either microarray platforms (2 laboratories) or qRT-PCR (2 laboratories). Report times on dose estimates were documented. The mean absolute difference of estimated doses relative to the true doses (Gy) were calculated. Doses were also merged into binary categories reflecting aspects of clinical/diagnostic relevance. For the in vitro part of the study, the earliest report time on dose estimates was 7 h for qRT-PCR and 35 h for microarrays. Methodological variance of gene expression measurements (CV ≤10% for technical replicates) and interindividual variance (≤twofold for all genes) were low. Dose estimates based on

Prejudice, segregation and immigration laws —integration of the robot into the laboratory society

PubMed Central

Fraley, Jr., Norman E.

1994-01-01

This paper addresses some serious issues about personnel morale, fears and hopes associated with and attributed to the laboratory robot. The introduction of the laboratory robot into the laboratory is examined from a managerial perspective. Human-rights and robot-rights issues are identified and addressed. Real world examples of how the integration of two high through-put robots affected the routine of a major industrial food laboratory are discussed. PMID:18925001

Continual planning and scheduling for managing patient tests in hospital laboratories.

PubMed

Marinagi, C C; Spyropoulos, C D; Papatheodorou, C; Kokkotos, S

2000-10-01

Hospital laboratories perform examination tests upon patients, in order to assist medical diagnosis or therapy progress. Planning and scheduling patient requests for examination tests is a complicated problem because it concerns both minimization of patient stay in hospital and maximization of laboratory resources utilization. In the present paper, we propose an integrated patient-wise planning and scheduling system which supports the dynamic and continual nature of the problem. The proposed combination of multiagent and blackboard architecture allows the dynamic creation of agents that share a set of knowledge sources and a knowledge base to service patient test requests.

Infrared thermography for examination of paper structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kiiskinen, Harri T.; Pakarinen, Pekka I.

1998-03-01

The paper industry has used IR cameras primarily for troubleshooting, where the most common examples include the examination of the condition of dryer fabrics and dryer cylinders and the analysis of moisture variations in a paper web. Another application extensively using IR thermography is non-destructive testing of composite materials. This paper presents some recently developed laboratory methods using an IR camera to examine paper structure. Specific areas include cockling, moisture content, thermal uniformity, mechanism of failure, and an analysis of the copying process.

Pre-examination factors affecting molecular diagnostic test results and interpretation: A case-based approach.

PubMed

Payne, Deborah A; Baluchova, Katarina; Peoc'h, Katell H; van Schaik, Ron H N; Chan, K C Allen; Maekawa, Masato; Mamotte, Cyril; Russomando, Graciela; Rousseau, François; Ahmad-Nejad, Parviz

2017-04-01

Multiple organizations produce guidance documents that provide opportunities to harmonize quality practices for diagnostic testing. The International Organization for Standardization ISO 15189 standard addresses requirements for quality in management and technical aspects of the clinical laboratory. One technical aspect addresses the complexities of the pre-examination phase prior to diagnostic testing. The Committee for Molecular Diagnostics of the International Federation for Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (also known as, IFCC C-MD) conducted a survey of international molecular laboratories and determined ISO 15189 to be the most referenced guidance document. In this review, the IFCC C-MD provides case-based examples illustrating the value of select pre-examination processes as these processes relate to molecular diagnostic testing. Case-based examples in infectious disease, oncology, inherited disease and pharmacogenomics address the utility of: 1) providing information to patients and users, 2) designing requisition forms, 3) obtaining informed consent and 4) maintaining sample integrity prior to testing. The pre-examination phase requires extensive and consistent communication between the laboratory, the healthcare provider and the end user. The clinical vignettes presented in this paper illustrate the value of applying select ISO 15189 recommendations for general laboratory to the more specialized area of Molecular Diagnostics. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Chronic inflammatory joint disease revealing borderline leprosy.

PubMed

Miladi, Mohamed Imed; Feki, Imed; Bahloul, Zouhir; Jlidi, Rachid; Mhiri, Chokri

2006-05-01

Musculoskeletal symptoms are not infrequent in leprosy and, when inaugural, may be difficult to differentiate from other conditions, most notably rheumatoid arthritis. We report the case of a 24 year-old man with a 5 year history of intermittent inflammatory arthritis and fever. Physical findings and radiographs were normal initially. Several years later, he had severe wasting of the hand muscles, stocking-glove sensory loss, burn scars on the hands, and plantar ulcers. Electrophysiological test results indicated sensory-motor neuropathy with predominant demyelination. Laboratory tests showed inflammation without immunological abnormalities. A prominent endoneurial inflammatory infiltrate composed of mononuclear cells was seen on a nerve biopsy specimen, suggesting leprosy. A family study then revealed that the patient's aunt had been diagnosed with leprosy. Dapsone, clofazimine, and rifampin were given. The joint manifestations and laboratory tests for inflammation improved. However, no changes were noted in the neurological symptoms.

Use and Acceptance of Information and Communication Technology among Laboratory Science Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barnes, Brenda C.

2013-01-01

Online and blended learning platforms are being promoted within laboratory science education under the assumption that students have the necessary skills to navigate online and blended learning environments. Yet little research has examined the use of information and communication technology (ICT) among the laboratory science student population.…

42 CFR 493.945 - Cytology; gynecologic examinations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... dysplasia/CIN-2 and severe dysplasia/carcinoma in-situ/CIN-3. (2) Squamous cell carcinoma. (3... gynecologic examinations (Pap smears) in cytology, a program must provide test sets composed of 10- and 20..., provided the slides have been retained by the laboratory for the required period specified in §§ 493.1105(a...

Measuring dynamic kidney function in an undergraduate physiology laboratory.

PubMed

Medler, Scott; Harrington, Frederick

2013-12-01

Most undergraduate physiology laboratories are very limited in how they treat renal physiology. It is common to find teaching laboratories equipped with the capability for high-resolution digital recordings of physiological functions (muscle twitches, ECG, action potentials, respiratory responses, etc.), but most urinary laboratories still rely on a "dipstick" approach of urinalysis. Although this technique can provide some basic insights into the functioning of the kidneys, it overlooks the dynamic processes of filtration, reabsorption, and secretion. In the present article, we provide a straightforward approach of using renal clearance measurements to estimate glomerular filtration rate, fractional water reabsorption, glucose clearance, and other physiologically relevant parameters. The estimated values from our measurements in laboratory are in close agreement with those anticipated based on textbook parameters. For example, we found glomerular filtration rate to average 124 ± 45 ml/min, serum creatinine to be 1.23 ± 0.4 mg/dl, and fractional water reabsorption to be ∼96.8%. Furthermore, analyses for the class data revealed significant correlations between parameters like fractional water reabsorption and urine concentration, providing opportunities to discuss urine concentrating mechanisms and other physiological processes. The procedures outlined here are general enough that most undergraduate physiology laboratory courses should be able to implement them without difficulty.

A Three-Year Feedback Study of a Remote Laboratory Used in Control Engineering Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chevalier, Amélie; Copot, Cosmin; Ionescu, Clara; De Keyser, Robin

2017-01-01

This paper discusses the results of a feedback study for a remote laboratory used in the education of control engineering students. The goal is to show the effectiveness of the remote laboratory on examination results. To provide an overview, the two applications of the remote laboratory are addressed: 1) the Stewart platform, and 2) the quadruple…

Supplement analysis for continued operation of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratories, Livermore. Volume 2: Comment response document

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1999-03-01

The US Department of Energy (DOE), prepared a draft Supplement Analysis (SA) for Continued Operation of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and Sandia National Laboratories, Livermore (SNL-L), in accordance with DOE`s requirements for implementation of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) (10 Code of Federal Regulations [CFR] Part 1021.314). It considers whether the Final Environmental Impact Statement and Environmental Impact Report for Continued Operation of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratories, Livermore (1992 EIS/EIR) should be supplement3ed, whether a new environmental impact statement (EIS) should be prepared, or no further NEPA documentation is required. The SAmore » examines the current project and program plans and proposals for LLNL and SNL-L, operations to identify new or modified projects or operations or new information for the period from 1998 to 2002 that was not considered in the 1992 EIS/EIR. When such changes, modifications, and information are identified, they are examined to determine whether they could be considered substantial or significant in reference to the 1992 proposed action and the 1993 Record of Decision (ROD). DOE released the draft SA to the public to obtain stakeholder comments and to consider those comments in the preparation of the final SA. DOE distributed copies of the draft SA to those who were known to have an interest in LLNL or SNL-L activities in addition to those who requested a copy. In response to comments received, DOE prepared this Comment Response Document.« less

Evaluating the effectiveness of a laboratory-based professional development program for science educators

PubMed Central

Amolins, Michael W.; Ezrailson, Cathy M.; Pearce, David A.; Elliott, Amy J.

2015-01-01

The process of developing effective science educators has been a long-standing objective of the broader education community. Numerous studies have recommended not only depth in a teacher's subject area but also a breadth of professional development grounded in constructivist principles, allowing for successful student-centered and inquiry-based instruction. Few programs, however, have addressed the integration of the scientific research laboratory into the science classroom as a viable approach to professional development. Additionally, while occasional laboratory training programs have emerged in recent years, many lack a component for translating acquired skills into reformed classroom instruction. Given the rapid development and demand for knowledgeable employees and an informed population from the biotech and medical industries in recent years, it would appear to be particularly advantageous for the physiology and broader science education communities to consider this issue. The goal of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a laboratory-based professional development program focused on the integration of reformed teaching principles into the classrooms of secondary teachers. This was measured through the program's ability to instill in its participants elevated academic success while gaining fulfillment in the classroom. The findings demonstrated a significant improvement in the use of student-centered instruction and other reformed methods by program participants as well as improved self-efficacy, confidence, and job satisfaction. Also revealed was a reluctance to refashion established classroom protocols. The combination of these outcomes allowed for construction of an experiential framework for professional development in applied science education that supports an atmosphere of reformed teaching in the classroom. PMID:26628658

Examining High School Anatomy and Physiology Teacher Experience in a Cadaver Dissection Laboratory and Impacts on Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mattheis, Allison; Ingram, Debra; Jensen, Murray S.; Jackson, Jon

2015-01-01

This article describes the results of a study that investigated the experiences of a group of high school anatomy and physiology teachers who participated in a cadaver dissection laboratory workshop organized through a university-school partnership. Teacher feedback was collected before, during, and after the workshop through pre-arrival surveys,…

From instinct to statute: changes in laboratory safety

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jamieson, Jim

1991-09-01

This article examines changes that have taken place in laboratory safety in the past two decades. In particular, it looks at the way in which the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 is only now beginning to have proper effect.

Utility of Recycled Bedding for Laboratory Rodents

PubMed Central

Miyamoto, Toru; Li, Zhixia; Kibushi, Tomomi; Okano, Shinya; Yamasaki, Nakamichi; Kasai, Noriyuki

2009-01-01

Animal facilities generate a large amount of used bedding containing excrement as medical waste. We developed a recycling system for used bedding that involves soft hydrothermal processing. In this study, we examined the effects of bedding type on growth, hematologic and serum biochemical values, and organ weights of female and male mice reared on either recycled or fresh bedding from 3 to 33 wk of age. Neither growth nor physiology differed between mice housed on recycled bedding compared with fresh bedding. When 14-wk-old mice were bred, litter size and total number of weaned pups showed no significant differences between animals raised on recycled or fresh bedding. Because bedding type influences the environment within cages and animal rooms, we evaluated particulate and ammonia data from cages and animal rooms. Values were significantly lower from cages and rooms that used recycled bedding than from those using fresh bedding, thus indicating that recycled bedding has the potential to improve the environment within both cages and animal rooms. Overall, this study revealed that recycled bedding is an excellent material for use in housing laboratory rodents. Specifically, recycled bedding may reduce medical waste and maintain healthy environments within cages and animal rooms. PMID:19653951

Effect of Using Separate Laboratory and Lecture Courses for Introductory Crop Science on Student Performance.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wiebold, W. J.; Slaughter, Leon

1986-01-01

Reviews a study that examined the effects of laboratories on the grade performance of undergraduates in an introductory crop science course. Results indicated that students enrolled in lecture and laboratory concurrently did not receive higher lecture grades than students enrolled solely in lecture, but did have higher laboratory grades. (ML)

Does bacteriology laboratory automation reduce time to results and increase quality management?

PubMed

Dauwalder, O; Landrieve, L; Laurent, F; de Montclos, M; Vandenesch, F; Lina, G

2016-03-01

Due to reductions in financial and human resources, many microbiological laboratories have merged to build very large clinical microbiology laboratories, which allow the use of fully automated laboratory instruments. For clinical chemistry and haematology, automation has reduced the time to results and improved the management of laboratory quality. The aim of this review was to examine whether fully automated laboratory instruments for microbiology can reduce time to results and impact quality management. This study focused on solutions that are currently available, including the BD Kiestra™ Work Cell Automation and Total Lab Automation and the Copan WASPLab(®). Copyright © 2015 European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

TRUPACT-II 157 Examination Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Barry H. O'Brien; Jeffrey M. Lacy; Kip E. Archibald

2003-12-01

This report presents the results of examination and recovery activities performed on the TRUPACT-II 157 shipping container. The container was part of a contact-handled transuranic waste shipment being transported on a truck to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in New Mexico when an accident occurred. Although the transport vehicle sustained only minor damage, airborne transuranic contamination was detected in air samples extracted from inside TRUPACT-II 157 at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant. Consequently, the shipping container was rejected, resealed, and returned to the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory where the payload was disassembled, examined, and recovered for subsequent reshipmentmore » to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant. This report documents the results of those activities.« less

Application of flipped classroom pedagogy to the human gross anatomy laboratory: Student preferences and learning outcomes.

PubMed

Fleagle, Timothy R; Borcherding, Nicholas C; Harris, Jennie; Hoffmann, Darren S

2017-12-28

To improve student preparedness for anatomy laboratory dissection, the dental gross anatomy laboratory was transformed using flipped classroom pedagogy. Instead of spending class time explaining the procedures and anatomical structures for each laboratory, students were provided online materials to prepare for laboratory on their own. Eliminating in-class preparation provided the opportunity to end each period with integrative group activities that connected laboratory and lecture material and explored clinical correlations. Materials provided for prelaboratory preparation included: custom-made, three-dimensional (3D) anatomy videos, abbreviated dissection instructions, key atlas figures, and dissection videos. Data from three years of the course (n = 241 students) allowed for analysis of students' preferences for these materials and detailed tracking of usage of 3D anatomy videos. Students reported spending an average of 27:22 (±17:56) minutes preparing for laboratory, similar to the 30 minutes previously allocated for in-class dissection preparation. The 3D anatomy videos and key atlas figures were rated the most helpful resources. Scores on laboratory examinations were compared for the three years before the curriculum change (2011-2013; n = 242) and three years after (2014-2016; n = 241). There was no change in average grades on the first and second laboratory examinations. However, on the final semi-cumulative laboratory examination, scores were significantly higher in the post-flip classes (P = 0.04). These results demonstrate an effective model for applying flipped classroom pedagogy to the gross anatomy laboratory and illustrate a meaningful role for 3D anatomy visualizations in a dissection-based course. Anat Sci Educ. © 2017 American Association of Anatomists. © 2017 American Association of Anatomists.

[Importance of electromiographic examination in diagnostification and monitoring of chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy].

PubMed

Damjan, Igor; Cvijanović, Milan; Erak, Marko

2010-01-01

Polyneuropathies or peripheral neuropathies present a dysfunction or disease of larger number of peripheral nerves or their dysfunction. Considering their morbidity - mortality characteristics they present an important aspect in daily clinical practice. One particular polyneuropathy that deserves special review is chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, which, due to its clinical-laboratory presentation, does not include the group of "simple" neuropathies, thus requiring further examinations. Neurophysiological testing should be performed using the protocol for neuropathy examinations. Neurophysiological examination, during the electroneurographic examination, shows neurographic parameters referring to polyneuropatic demyelinating type of lesion, while the electromyographic finding records the presence of neuropathic lesions (denervation activity, great action potentials with a reduced sample). A 54-year-old patient was diagnosed to have a "complicated" demyelinating polyneuropathy according to the clinical-laboratory findings and electromyographic examination. Exclusion criteria, targeted diagnostic examinations, considering the mentioned peripheral neuropathies, pointed to acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy. However, the chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy was finally differentiated during the clinical and electromyographic monitoring.

The standardization of urine particle counting in medical laboratories--a Polish experience with the EQA programme.

PubMed

Cwiklińska, Agnieszka; Kąkol, Judyta; Kuchta, Agnieszka; Kortas-Stempak, Barbara; Pacanis, Anastasis; Rogulski, Jerzy; Wróblewska, Małgorzata

2012-02-01

Given the common problems with the standardization of urine particle counting methods and the great variability in the results obtained by Polish laboratories under international Labquality External Quality Assessment (EQA), we initiated educational recovery activities. Detailed instructions on how to perform the standardized examination were sent to EQA participants, as was a questionnaire forms which enabled information to be gathered in respect to the procedures being applied. Laboratory results were grouped according to the method declared on the EQA 'Result' form or according to a manual examination procedure established on the basis of the questionnaire. The between-laboratory CVs for leukocyte and erythrocyte counts were calculated for each group and compared using the Mann-Whitney test. Significantly lower between-laboratory CVs (p = 0.03) were achieved for leukocyte counting among the laboratories that analysed control specimens in accordance with standardized procedures as compared with those which used non-standardized procedures. We also observed a visible lower variability for erythrocyte counting. Unfortunately despite our activities, only a few of the Polish laboratories applied the standardized examination procedures, and only 29% of the results could have been considered to be standardized (16% - manual methods, 13% - automated systems). The standardization of urine particle counting methods continues to be a significant problem in medical laboratories and requires further recovery activities which can be conducted using the EQA scheme.

A laboratory examination of the three-equation model of ice-ocean interactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McConnochie, Craig; Kerr, Ross

2017-11-01

Numerical models of ice-ocean interactions are typically unable to resolve the transport of heat and salt to the ice face. As such, models rely upon parameterizations that have not been properly validated by data. Recent laboratory experiments of ice-saltwater interactions allow us to test the standard parameterization of heat and salt transport to ice faces - the `three equation model'. We find a significant disagreement in the dependence of the melt rate on the fluid velocity. The three-equation model predicts that the melt rate is proportional to the fluid velocity while the experimental results typically show that the melt rate is independent of the fluid velocity. By considering a theoretical analysis of the boundary layer next to a melting ice face we suggest a resolution to this disagreement. We show that the three-equation model assumes that the thickness of the diffusive sublayer is set by a shear instability. However, at low flow velocities, the sublayer is instead set by a convective instability. This distinction leads to a threshold velocity of approximately 4 cm/s at geophysically relevant conditions, above which the form of the parameterization should be valid. In contrast, at flow speeds below 4 cm/s, the three-equation model will underestimate the melt rate. ARC DP120102772.

Variety of Sedimentary Process and Distribution of Tsunami Deposits in Laboratory Experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamaguchi, N.; Sekiguchi, T.

2017-12-01

As an indicator of the history and magnitude of paleotsunami events, tsunami deposits have received considerable attention. To improve the identification and interpretation of paleotsunami deposits, an understanding of sedimentary process and distribution of tsunami deposits is crucial. Recent detailed surveys of onshore tsunami deposits including the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami and the 2011 Tohoku-oki tsunami have revealed that terrestrial topography causes a variety of their features and distributions. Therefore, a better understanding of possible sedimentary process and distribution on such influential topographies is required. Flume experiments, in which sedimentary conditions can be easily controlled, can provide insights into the effects of terrestrial topography as well as tsunami magnitude on the feature of tsunami deposits. In this presentation, we report laboratory experiments that focused on terrestrial topography including a water body (e.g. coastal lake) on a coastal lowland and a cliff. In both cases, the results suggested relationship between the distribution of tsunami deposits and the hydraulic condition of the tsunami flow associated with the terrestrial topography. These experiments suggest that influential topography would enhance the variability in thickness of tsunami deposits, and thus, in reconstructions of paleotsunami events using sedimentary records, we should take into account such anomalous distribution of tsunami deposits. Further examination of the temporal sequence of sedimentary process in laboratory tsunamis may improve interpretation and estimation of paleotsunami events.

Students' motivation toward laboratory work in physiology teaching.

PubMed

Dohn, Niels Bonderup; Fago, Angela; Overgaard, Johannes; Madsen, Peter Teglberg; Malte, Hans

2016-09-01

The laboratory has been given a central role in physiology education, and teachers report that it is motivating for students to undertake experimental work on live animals or measuring physiological responses on the students themselves. Since motivation is a critical variable for academic learning and achievement, then we must concern ourselves with questions that examine how students engage in laboratory work and persist at such activities. The purpose of the present study was to investigate how laboratory work influences student motivation in physiology. We administered the Lab Motivation Scale to assess our students' levels of interest, willingness to engage (effort), and confidence in understanding (self-efficacy). We also asked students about the role of laboratory work for their own learning and their experience in the physiology laboratory. Our results documented high levels of interest, effort, and self-efficacy among the students. Correlation analyses were performed on the three motivation scales and exam results, yet a significant correlation was only found between self-efficacy in laboratory work and academic performance at the final exam. However, almost all students reported that laboratory work was very important for learning difficult concepts and physiological processes (e.g., action potential), as the hands-on experiences gave a more concrete idea of the learning content and made the content easier to remember. These results have implications for classroom practice as biology students find laboratory exercises highly motivating, despite their different personal interests and subject preferences. This highlights the importance of not replacing laboratory work by other nonpractical approaches, for example, video demonstrations or computer simulations. Copyright © 2016 The American Physiological Society.

Forest Products Laboratory : supporting the nation's armed forces with valuable wood research for 90 years

Treesearch

Christopher D. Risbrudt; Robert J. Ross; Julie J. Blankenburg; Charles A. Nelson

2007-01-01

Founded in 1910 by the U.S. Forest Service to serve as a centralized, national wood research laboratory, the USDA Forest Products Laboratory (FPL) has a long history of providing technical services to other government agencies, including those within the Defense (DoD). A recent search of FPL’s library and correspondence files revealed that approximately 10,000...

Teaching Laboratory Management Principles and Practices Through Mentorship and Graduated Responsibility: The Assistant Medical Directorship.

PubMed

Hanley, Timothy; Sowder, Aleksandra M; Palmer, Cheryl Ann; Weiss, Ronald L

2016-01-01

With the changing landscape of medicine in general, and pathology in particular, a greater emphasis is being placed on laboratory management as a means of controlling spiraling medical costs and improving health-care efficiency. To meet this challenge, pathology residency programs have begun to incorporate formal laboratory management training into their curricula, using institutional curricula and/or online laboratory management courses offered by professional organizations. At the University of Utah, and its affiliated national reference laboratory, ARUP Laboratories, Inc, interested residents are able to supplement the departmental lecture-based and online laboratory management curriculum by participating in assistant medical directorship programs in one of several pathology subspecialty disciplines. The goals of many of the assistant medical directorship positions include the development of laboratory management skills and competencies. A survey of current and recent assistant medical directorship participants revealed that the assistant medical directorship program serves as an excellent means of improving laboratory management skills, as well as improving performance as a fellow and practicing pathologist.

A formative evaluation of problem-based learning as an instructional strategy in a medical laboratory technician course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nelson, Diane Patricia

2002-09-01

This study is a formative evaluation of problem-based learning as an effective course delivery strategy in a second year introductory Medical Laboratory Technician discipline-specific hematology course. This strategy can serve two purposes in this type of course: discipline specific content knowledge and process skills learning. A needs study identified that students required additional workplace skills as they entered the clinical internship. Students tested well on the national registry examinations, discipline-specific content knowledge, but group process skills needed improvement in the areas of collaboration, communication, and critical reasoning. Problem-based learning was identified as an change intervention to help provide these skills. A search of the literature revealed that the Baker College cultural and physical environment would support this intervention. Twelve cases were written, situated in a clinical laboratory environment, addressing learning issues identified in a modified Delphi survey of laboratory personnel e.g. fiscal responsibility, turn-around time, invasiveness of laboratory techniques, and holistic view of healthcare environment. A hematology class of 13 students received the intervention. The cases were structured to proceed from instructor-centered (guided) learning issues to learner-centered learning issues. Observations of the in-group collaboration processes were documented, as well as oral presentations and critical reasoning, with students given periodic feedback on these skills. Student surveys provided data about satisfaction, attitude to PBL process, and self-efficacy. Multiple choice discipline-specific content examinations were given and compared with classes from the previous four years. The study found that students receiving the PBL treatment scored as well as or better than students from previous years on traditional multiple choice exams. Recall questions showed positive significance and application/analysis questions

Understanding the 'Silver Book' - An important reference for standardised nomenclature in clinical laboratory sciences.

PubMed

Flatman, Robert; Férard, Georges; Dybkaer, René

2017-04-01

Clinical laboratories perform a wide menu of testing (examinations). Successful requesting, examination, and ordering in this environment requires clear standardised nomenclature. The Silver Book (SB) is an IUPAC (International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry) publication, produced with the support of both IUPAC and the IFCC (International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine), that makes recommendations on logical standardised nomenclature, symbols, properties, and units in many disciplines of the clinical laboratory sciences. These recommendations are founded on and in agreement with the principles and work of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), Bureau International des Poids et Mesures (BIPM), IUPAC, and the IFCC. Practical applications described are based on those scientific principles. The SB recommendations apply to all types of examination, not only to measurement of quantities but also examination of nominal properties where no magnitude is involved. The SB is applicable not only to clinical chemistry, but to many other clinical laboratory disciplines. For examples, reports regarding haemostasis, toxicology, clinical microbiology, reproduction and fertility, clinical pharmacology, clinical allergology, clinical molecular biology, and clinical immunohaematology have been published by the IUPAC and the IFCC. Peak scientific bodies such as the IUPAC and the IFCC have important roles in the development of sound international standards for nomenclature of examinations. Such standards support safe and effective representation of patient health information, foster portability, and empower future decision support systems. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Detection of Cryptosporidium and Giardia in clinical laboratories in Europe--a comparative study.

PubMed

Manser, M; Granlund, M; Edwards, H; Saez, A; Petersen, E; Evengard, B; Chiodini, P

2014-01-01

To determine the routine diagnostic methods used and compare the performance in detection of oocysts of Cryptosporidium species and cysts of Giardia intestinalis in faecal samples by European specialist parasitology laboratories and European clinical laboratories. Two sets of seven formalin-preserved faecal samples, one containing cysts of Giardia intestinalis and the other, containing oocysts of Cryptosporidium, were sent to 18 laboratories. Participants were asked to examine the specimens using their routine protocol for detecting these parasites and state the method(s) used. Eighteen laboratories answered the questionnaire. For detection of Giardia, 16 of them used sedimentation/concentration followed by light microscopy. Using this technique the lower limit of detection of Giardia was 17.2 cysts/mL of faeces in the best performing laboratories. Only three of 16 laboratories used fluorescent-conjugated antibody-based microscopy. For detection of Cryptosporidium acid-fast staining was used by 14 of the 17 laboratories that examined the samples. With this technique the lower limit of detection was 976 oocysts/mL of faeces. Fluorescent-conjugated antibody-based microscopy was used by only five of the 17 laboratories. There was variation in the lower limit of detection of cysts of Giardia and oocysts of Cryptosporidium between laboratories using the same basic microscopic methods. Fluorescent-conjugated antibody-based microscopy was not superior to light microscopy under the conditions of this study. There is a need for a larger-scale multi-site comparison of the methods used for the diagnosis of these parasites and the development of a Europe-wide laboratory protocol based upon its findings. © 2013 The Authors Clinical Microbiology and Infection © 2013 European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases.

The role of total laboratory automation in a consolidated laboratory network.

PubMed

Seaberg, R S; Stallone, R O; Statland, B E

2000-05-01

In an effort to reduce overall laboratory costs and improve overall laboratory efficiencies at all of its network hospitals, the North Shore-Long Island Health System recently established a Consolidated Laboratory Network with a Core Laboratory at its center. We established and implemented a centralized Core Laboratory designed around the Roche/Hitachi CLAS Total Laboratory Automation system to perform the general and esoteric laboratory testing throughout the system in a timely and cost-effective fashion. All remaining STAT testing will be performed within the Rapid Response Laboratories (RRLs) at each of the system's hospitals. Results for this laboratory consolidation and implementation effort demonstrated a decrease in labor costs and improved turnaround time (TAT) at the core laboratory. Anticipated system savings are approximately $2.7 million. TATs averaged 1.3 h within the Core Laboratory and less than 30 min in the RRLs. When properly implemented, automation systems can reduce overall laboratory expenses, enhance patient services, and address the overall concerns facing the laboratory today: job satisfaction, decreased length of stay, and safety. The financial savings realized are primarily a result of labor reductions.

Assessing Investigative Skill Development in Inquiry-Based and Traditional College Science Laboratory Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Suits, Jerry P.

2004-01-01

A laboratory practical examination was used to compare the investigative skills developed in two different types of general-chemistry laboratory courses. Science and engineering majors (SEM) in the control group used a traditional verification approach (SEM-Ctrl), whereas those in the treatment group learned from an innovative, inquiry-based…

An Application of Practical Strategies in Assessing the Criterion-Related Validity of Credentialing Examinations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fidler, James R.

1993-01-01

Criterion-related validities of 2 laboratory practitioner certification examinations for medical technologists (MTs) and medical laboratory technicians (MLTs) were assessed for 81 MT and 70 MLT examinees. Validity coefficients are presented for both measures. Overall, summative ratings yielded stronger validity coefficients than ratings based on…

19 CFR 151.54 - Testing by Customs laboratory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 19 Customs Duties 2 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Testing by Customs laboratory. 151.54 Section 151.54 Customs Duties U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY; DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY (CONTINUED) EXAMINATION, SAMPLING, AND TESTING OF MERCHANDISE Metal-Bearing Ores and...

19 CFR 151.54 - Testing by Customs laboratory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 19 Customs Duties 2 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Testing by Customs laboratory. 151.54 Section 151.54 Customs Duties U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY; DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY (CONTINUED) EXAMINATION, SAMPLING, AND TESTING OF MERCHANDISE Metal-Bearing Ores and...

19 CFR 151.54 - Testing by Customs laboratory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 19 Customs Duties 2 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Testing by Customs laboratory. 151.54 Section 151.54 Customs Duties U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY; DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY (CONTINUED) EXAMINATION, SAMPLING, AND TESTING OF MERCHANDISE Metal-Bearing Ores and...

To other worlds via the laboratory (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lorenz, R. D.

2009-12-01

Planetary science is fun, largely by virtue of the wide range of disciplines and techniques it embraces. Progress relies not only on spacecraft observation and models, but also on laboratory work to provide reference data with which to interpret observations and to provide quantitative constraints on model parameters. An important distinction should be drawn between two classes of investigation. The most familiar, pursued by those who make laboratory studies the focus of their careers, is the construction of well-controlled experiments, typically to determine the functional dependence of some desired physical property upon one or two controlled parameters such as temperature, pressure or concentration. Another class of experiment is more exploratory - to 'see what happens'. This exercise often reveals that models may be based on entirely false assumptions. In some cases laboratory results also have value as persuasive tools in providing graphic support for unfamiliar properties or processes - the iconic image of 'flaming ice' makes the exotic notion of methane clathrate immediately accessible. This talk will review the role of laboratory work in planetary science and especially the outer solar system. A few of the author's personal forays into laboratory measurements will be discussed in the talk; These include the physical properties of dessicated icy loess in the US Army Permafrost tunnel in Alaska (as a Mars analog), the use of a domestic microwave oven to measure radar absorptivity (in particular of ammonia-rich water ice) and the generation of waves - and ice - on the surface of a liquid by wind with fluid and air parameters appropriate to Mars and Titan rather than Earth using the MARSWIT wind tunnel at NASA Ames.

The laboratory diagnosis of testosterone deficiency.

PubMed

Paduch, Darius A; Brannigan, Robert E; Fuchs, Eugene F; Kim, Edward D; Marmar, Joel L; Sandlow, Jay I

2014-05-01

The evaluation and treatment of hypogonadal men has become an important part of urologic practice. Fatigue, loss of libido, and erectile dysfunction are commonly reported, but nonspecific symptoms and laboratory verification of low testosterone (T) are an important part of evaluation in addition to a detailed history and physical examination. Significant intraindividual fluctuations in serum T levels, biologic variation of T action on end organs, the wide range of T levels in human serum samples, and technical limitations of currently available assays have led to poor reliability of T measurements in the clinical laboratory setting. There is no universally accepted threshold of T concentration that distinguishes eugonadal from hypogonadal men; thus, laboratory results have to be interpreted in the appropriate clinical setting. This review focuses on clinical, biological, and technological challenges that affect serum T measurements to educate clinicians regarding technological advances and limitations of the currently available laboratory methods to diagnose hypogonadism. A collaborative effort led by the American Urological Association between practicing clinicians, patient advocacy groups, government regulatory agencies, industry, and professional societies is underway to provide optimized assay platforms and evidence-based normal assay ranges to guide clinical decision making. Until such standardization is commonplace in clinical laboratories, the decision to treat should be based on the presence of signs and symptoms in addition to serum T measurements. Rigid interpretation of T ranges should not dictate clinical decision making or define coverage of treatment by third party payers. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Sensitisation to Aspergillus fumigatus and Penicillium notatum in laboratory workers.

PubMed

Boscolo, P; Piccolomini, R; Benvenuti, F; Catamo, G; Di Gioacchino, M

1999-01-01

Four workers in medical research laboratories, located in a basement level of a University facility equipped with a humidified air conditioning system, complained of cough and/or asthma and/or rhinitis during their normal working activities. Since exposure to toxic compounds was very low (similar to that of the outdoor environment) only microbiological monitoring was performed. Aspergillus fumigatus and Penicillium notatum were found in some laboratories. Eight laboratory workers (including the 4 symptomatic subjects) out of 26 investigated were found to be atopic. Specific IgE sensitisation to Aspergillus fumigatus was found in the 8 atopic and in the 6 non-atopic workers, while Penicililum notatum was found in 7 atopic and 4 non-atopic subjects. History, physical examination and laboratory data excluded the presence of aspergillosis or allergic bronchial aspergillosis in the sensitised subjects. Our results suggest that evaluation of immune parameters, along with monitoring of the working environment, may reduce the risk of sensitisation and/or allergic symptoms in atopic laboratory workers.

Revealing teacher agendas: An examination of teacher motivations and strategies for conducting museum fieldtrips

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kisiel, James Francis

The purpose of this investigation was to identify the motivations and strategies that comprise teachers' agendas when leading a student fieldtrip to a museum or similar site. Two data collection methods were used. A survey regarding field trip experiences and rationale was mailed to upper elementary teachers, resulting in a variety of open-ended responses that were analyzed and coded to identify recurring themes. In addition, ten teachers accompanying students during a school trip to a natural history museum were interviewed and observed. Data collected from these in-depth studies were used to verify findings from the survey instrument and to refine and enhance the definitions and descriptions of actual practice. Eight fieldtrip motivations were identified including to connection with the classroom curriculum, to provide a general learning experience, to encourage lifelong learning, to enhance interest and motivation, to provide exposure to new experiences, to provide a change in setting or routine, for enjoyment, and to meet school expectations. Fieldtrip strategies used by teachers could be divided into pre-visit, during-visit or post-visit strategies. The commonly reported pre-visit strategies included familiarization and supervision preparation. During-visit strategies focused on structured student engagement strategies (such as worksheets or guided tours) and unstructured strategies (such as interpretation, connecting, facilitation, label-reading, advance organizers and free exploration), as well as event documentation and supervision tactics (such as keeping track and refocusing). Post-visit strategies included review and discussion, documentation , and assessment. Comparison of stated motivations and observed strategies revealed few links. However, results indicated that connecting to the classroom curriculum was an important consideration, even though teachers had different interpretations of what this meant. Providing hands-on experiences was also critical

Using the arthroscopic surgery skill evaluation tool as a pass-fail examination.

PubMed

Koehler, Ryan J; Nicandri, Gregg T

2013-12-04

Examination of arthroscopic skill requires evaluation tools that are valid and reliable with clear criteria for passing. The Arthroscopic Surgery Skill Evaluation Tool was developed as a video-based assessment of technical skill with criteria for passing established by a panel of experts. The purpose of this study was to test the validity and reliability of the Arthroscopic Surgery Skill Evaluation Tool as a pass-fail examination of arthroscopic skill. Twenty-eight residents and two sports medicine faculty members were recorded performing diagnostic knee arthroscopy on a left and right cadaveric specimen in our arthroscopic skills laboratory. Procedure videos were evaluated with use of the Arthroscopic Surgery Skill Evaluation Tool by two raters blind to subject identity. Subjects were considered to pass the Arthroscopic Surgery Skill Evaluation Tool when they attained scores of ≥ 3 on all eight assessment domains. The raters agreed on a pass-fail rating for fifty-five of sixty videos rated with an interclass correlation coefficient value of 0.83. Ten of thirty participants were assigned passing scores by both raters for both diagnostic arthroscopies performed in the laboratory. Receiver operating characteristic analysis demonstrated that logging more than eighty arthroscopic cases or performing more than thirty-five arthroscopic knee cases was predictive of attaining a passing Arthroscopic Surgery Skill Evaluation Tool score on both procedures performed in the laboratory. The Arthroscopic Surgery Skill Evaluation Tool is valid and reliable as a pass-fail examination of diagnostic arthroscopy of the knee in the simulation laboratory. This study demonstrates that the Arthroscopic Surgery Skill Evaluation Tool may be a useful tool for pass-fail examination of diagnostic arthroscopy of the knee in the simulation laboratory. Further study is necessary to determine whether the Arthroscopic Surgery Skill Evaluation Tool can be used for the assessment of multiple

Laboratory Animal Facilities. Laboratory Design Notes.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jonas, Albert M.

1965-01-01

Design of laboratory animal facilities must be functional. Accordingly, the designer should be aware of the complex nature of animal research and specifically the type of animal research which will be conducted in a new facility. The building of animal-care facilities in research institutions requires special knowledge in laboratory animal…

Technical note: Preservation of Trichomonas vaginalis viability in urine for laboratorial diagnosis by the wet mount examination.

PubMed

da Silva Dias, Mariana; Menezes, Camila Braz; Tasca, Tiana

2016-11-01

This study compared preservative solutions at different temperatures aiming to improve the wet mount for trichomoniasis diagnosis. The glucose-saline pH6.0 solution preserved the trophozoites up to 6h. The urine samples preservation is crucial for diagnosis and we suggest this solution as part of the clinical laboratorial routine. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Women's Experiences in the Engineering Laboratory in Japan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hosaka, Masako

2014-01-01

This qualitative study aims to examine Japanese women undergraduate engineering students' experiences of interacting with departmental peers of the same year in the laboratory setting by using interview data of 32 final-year students at two modestly selective national universities in Japan. Expectation state theory that explains unequal…

Do Teaching Assistants Matter? Investigating Relationships between Teaching Assistants and Student Outcomes in Undergraduate Science Laboratory Classes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wheeler, Lindsay B.; Maeng, Jennifer L.; Chiu, Jennie L.; Bell, Randy L.

2017-01-01

This study explores the relationship between teaching assistants (TAs) and student learning in undergraduate science laboratory classes. TAs typically instruct laboratory courses, yet little, if any, research examines professional development (PD) for TAs or relationships between instructors and students in laboratory settings. The use of…

Effect of Cooperative Learning and Traditional Methods on Students' Achievements and Identifications of Laboratory Equipments in Science-Technology Laboratory Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aydin, Suleyman

2011-01-01

Science lessons taught via experiments motivate the students, and make them more insistent on learning science. This study aims to examine the effects of cooperative learning on students' academic achievements and their skills in identifying laboratory equipments. The sample for the study consisted of a total of 43 sophomore students in primary…

Cushing disease revealed by bilateral atypical central serous chorioretinopathy: case report.

PubMed

Giovansili, Iama; Belange, Georeges; Affortit, Aude

2013-01-01

We report the case of a patient with Cushing disease revealed by bilateral central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR). We present the clinical history, physical findings, laboratory results, and imaging studies of a 53-year-old Chinese woman with a Cushing disease revealed by bilateral CSCR. The association with CSCR and the pertinent literature are reviewed. A 53-year-old patient initially presented to the Department of Ophthalmology with a 4-week history of decreased vision in the left eye. Standard ophthalmologic examination and fluorescein angiography established the diagnosis of bilateral CSCR. Systemic clinical signs and biochemical analysis indicated hypercortisolism. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the pituitary gland showed a left-side lesion compatible with a microadenoma. The diagnosis of Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)-dependent Cushing syndrome secondary to a pituitary microadenoma was selected. Endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal surgery was performed and the pituitary adenoma was successfully removed. The histology confirmed the presence of ACTH-immunopositive pituitary adenoma. Early postoperative morning cortisol levels indicated early remission. At 6 weeks postoperatively, the patient's morning cortisol remains undetectable, and serous retinal detachments had regressed. CSCR is an uncommon manifestation of endogenous Cushing syndrome. It can be the first presentation of hypercortisolism caused by Cushing disease. CSCR should be considered when assessing patients with Cushing syndrome complaining of visual disorders. On the other hand, it is useful in patients with an atypical form of CSCR to exclude Cushing's syndrome.

Multiple physical healthcare needs among outpatients with schizophrenia: findings from a health examination study.

PubMed

Eskelinen, Saana; Sailas, Eila; Joutsenniemi, Kaisla; Holi, Matti; Koskela, Tuomas H; Suvisaari, Jaana

2017-08-01

Despite the abundant literature on physical comorbidity, the full range of the concurrent somatic healthcare needs among individuals with schizophrenia has rarely been studied. This observational study aimed to assess the distressing somatic symptoms and needs for physical health interventions in outpatients with schizophrenia, and factors predicting those needs. A structured, comprehensive health examination was carried out, including a visit to a nurse and a general practitioner on 275 outpatients with schizophrenia. The required interventions were classified by type of disease. Logistic regression was used to assess the influence of sociodemographic factors, lifestyle, functional limitations, factors related to psychiatric disorder, and healthcare use on the need for interventions. In total, 44.9% of the patients (mean age 44.9 years) reported somatic symptoms affecting daily life; 87.6% needed specific interventions for a disease or condition, most commonly for cardiovascular, dermatological, dental, ophthalmological, and gastrointestinal conditions, and for altered glucose homeostasis. Smoking and obesity predicted significantly a need of any intervention, but the predictors varied in each disease category. Strikingly, use of general practitioner services during the previous year did not reduce the need for interventions. Health examinations for outpatients with schizophrenia revealed numerous physical healthcare needs. The health examinations for patients with schizophrenia should contain a medical history taking and a physical examination, in addition to basic measurements and laboratory tests. Prevention and treatment of obesity and smoking should be given priority in order to diminish somatic comorbidities in schizophrenia.

'Laboratory talk' in U.S. sociology, 1890-1930: the performance of scientific legitimacy.

PubMed

Owens, B Robert

2014-01-01

This paper examines one aspect of early twentieth century debates over the meaning of scientific methodology and epistemology within the social sciences: the tendency of sociologists to invoke "laboratory" as a multivalent concept and in reference to diverse institutions and sites of exploration. The aspiration to designate or create laboratories as spaces of sociological knowledge production was broadly unifying in early American sociology (1890-1930), even though there was no general agreement about what "laboratory" meant, nor any explicit acknowledgment of that lack of consensus. The persistence of laboratory talk in sociology over decades reflects the power of "laboratory" as a productively ambiguous, legitimizing ideal for sociologists aspiring to make their discipline rigorously scientific. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The total laboratory solution: a new laboratory E-business model based on a vertical laboratory meta-network.

PubMed

Friedman, B A

2001-08-01

Major forces are now reshaping all businesses on a global basis, including the healthcare and clinical laboratory industries. One of the major forces at work is information technology (IT), which now provides the opportunity to create a new economic and business model for the clinical laboratory industry based on the creation of an integrated vertical meta-network, referred to here as the "total laboratory solution" (TLS). Participants at the most basic level of such a network would include a hospital-based laboratory, a reference laboratory, a laboratory information system/application service provider/laboratory portal vendor, an in vitro diagnostic manufacturer, and a pharmaceutical/biotechnology manufacturer. It is suggested that each of these participants would add value to the network primarily in its area of core competency. Subvariants of such a network have evolved over recent years, but a TLS comprising all or most of these participants does not exist at this time. Although the TLS, enabled by IT and closely akin to the various e-businesses that are now taking shape, offers many advantages from a theoretical perspective over the current laboratory business model, its success will depend largely on (a) market forces, (b) how the collaborative networks are organized and managed, and (c) whether the network can offer healthcare organizations higher quality testing services at lower cost. If the concept is successful, new demands will be placed on hospital-based laboratory professionals to shift the range of professional services that they offer toward clinical consulting, integration of laboratory information from multiple sources, and laboratory information management. These information management and integration tasks can only increase in complexity in the future as new genomic and proteomics testing modalities are developed and come on-line in clinical laboratories.

3-dimensional examination of the adult mouse subventricular zone reveals lineage-specific microdomains.

PubMed

Azim, Kasum; Fiorelli, Roberto; Zweifel, Stefan; Hurtado-Chong, Anahi; Yoshikawa, Kazuaki; Slomianka, Lutz; Raineteau, Olivier

2012-01-01

Recent studies suggest that the subventricular zone (SVZ) of the lateral ventricle is populated by heterogeneous populations of stem and progenitor cells that, depending on their exact location, are biased to acquire specific neuronal fates. This newly described heterogeneity of SVZ stem and progenitor cells underlines the necessity to develop methods for the accurate quantification of SVZ stem and progenitor subpopulations. In this study, we provide 3-dimensional topographical maps of slow cycling "stem" cells and progenitors based on their unique cell cycle properties. These maps revealed that both cell populations are present throughout the lateral ventricle wall as well as in discrete regions of the dorsal wall. Immunodetection of transcription factors expressed in defined progenitor populations further reveals that divergent lineages have clear regional enrichments in the rostro-caudal as well as in the dorso-ventral span of the lateral ventricle. Thus, progenitors expressing Tbr2 and Dlx2 were confined to dorsal and dorso-lateral regions of the lateral ventricle, respectively, while Mash1+ progenitors were more homogeneously distributed. All cell populations were enriched in the rostral-most region of the lateral ventricle. This diversity and uneven distribution greatly impede the accurate quantification of SVZ progenitor populations. This is illustrated by measuring the coefficient of error of estimates obtained by using increasing section sampling interval. Based on our empirical data, we provide such estimates for all progenitor populations investigated in this study. These can be used in future studies as guidelines to judge if the precision obtained with a sampling scheme is sufficient to detect statistically significant differences between experimental groups if a biological effect is present. Altogether, our study underlines the need to consider the SVZ of the lateral ventricle as a complex 3D structure and define methods to accurately assess neural

9 CFR 147.10 - Laboratory procedure recommended for the bacteriological examination of egg-type breeding flocks...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... the bacteriological examination of egg-type breeding flocks with salmonella enteritidis positive... examination of egg-type breeding flocks with salmonella enteritidis positive environments. Birds selected for bacteriological examination from egg-type breeding flocks positive for Salmonella enteritidis after environmental...

VNTR diversity in Yersinia pestis isolates from an animal challenge study reveals the potential for in vitro mutations during laboratory cultivation

USGS Publications Warehouse

Vogler, Amy J.; Nottingham, Roxanne; Busch, Joseph D.; Sahl, Jason W.; Shuey, Megan M.; Foster, Jeffrey T.; Schupp, James M.; Smith, Susan; Rocke, Tonie E.; Klein, Paul; Wagner, David M.

2016-01-01

Underlying mutation rates and other evolutionary forces shape the population structure of bacteria in nature. Although easily overlooked, similar forces are at work in the laboratory and may influence observed mutations. Here, we investigated tissue samples and Yersinia pestis isolates from a rodent laboratory challenge with strain CO92 using whole genome sequencing and multi-locus variable-number tandem repeat (VNTR) analysis (MLVA). We identified six VNTR mutations that were found to have occurred in vitro during laboratory cultivation rather than in vivo during the rodent challenge. In contrast, no single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) mutations were observed, either in vivo or in vitro. These results were consistent with previously published mutation rates and the calculated number of Y. pestis generations that occurred during the in vitro versus the in vivo portions of the experiment. When genotyping disease outbreaks, the potential for in vitro mutations should be considered, particularly when highly variable genetic markers such as VNTRs are used.

Evaluating the effectiveness of a laboratory-based professional development program for science educators.

PubMed

Amolins, Michael W; Ezrailson, Cathy M; Pearce, David A; Elliott, Amy J; Vitiello, Peter F

2015-12-01

The process of developing effective science educators has been a long-standing objective of the broader education community. Numerous studies have recommended not only depth in a teacher's subject area but also a breadth of professional development grounded in constructivist principles, allowing for successful student-centered and inquiry-based instruction. Few programs, however, have addressed the integration of the scientific research laboratory into the science classroom as a viable approach to professional development. Additionally, while occasional laboratory training programs have emerged in recent years, many lack a component for translating acquired skills into reformed classroom instruction. Given the rapid development and demand for knowledgeable employees and an informed population from the biotech and medical industries in recent years, it would appear to be particularly advantageous for the physiology and broader science education communities to consider this issue. The goal of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a laboratory-based professional development program focused on the integration of reformed teaching principles into the classrooms of secondary teachers. This was measured through the program's ability to instill in its participants elevated academic success while gaining fulfillment in the classroom. The findings demonstrated a significant improvement in the use of student-centered instruction and other reformed methods by program participants as well as improved self-efficacy, confidence, and job satisfaction. Also revealed was a reluctance to refashion established classroom protocols. The combination of these outcomes allowed for construction of an experiential framework for professional development in applied science education that supports an atmosphere of reformed teaching in the classroom. Copyright © 2015 The American Physiological Society.

[Establishing biological reference intervals of alanine transaminase for clinical laboratory stored database].

PubMed

Guo, Wei; Song, Binbin; Shen, Junfei; Wu, Jiong; Zhang, Chunyan; Wang, Beili; Pan, Baishen

2015-08-25

To establish an indirect reference interval based on the test results of alanine aminotransferase stored in a laboratory information system. All alanine aminotransferase results were included for outpatients and physical examinations that were stored in the laboratory information system of Zhongshan Hospital during 2014. The original data were transformed using a Box-Cox transformation to obtain an approximate normal distribution. Outliers were identified and omitted using the Chauvenet and Tukey methods. The indirect reference intervals were obtained by simultaneously applying nonparametric and Hoffmann methods. The reference change value was selected to determine the statistical significance of the observed differences between the calculated and published reference intervals. The indirect reference intervals for alanine aminotransferase of all groups were 12 to 41 U/L (male, outpatient), 12 to 48 U/L (male, physical examination), 9 to 32 U/L (female, outpatient), and 8 to 35 U/L (female, physical examination), respectively. The absolute differences when compared with the direct results were all smaller than the reference change value of alanine aminotransferase. The Box-Cox transformation combined with the Hoffmann and Tukey methods is a simple and reliable technique that should be promoted and used by clinical laboratories.

Students' perceptions of academic dishonesty in the chemistry classroom laboratory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

del Carlo, Dawn I.; Bodner, George M.

2004-01-01

Although the literature on both academic dishonesty and scientific misconduct is extensive, research on academic dishonesty has focused on quizzes, exams, and papers, with the virtual exclusion of the classroom laboratory. This study examined the distinctions undergraduate chemistry majors made between academic dishonesty in the classroom laboratory and scientific misconduct in the research laboratory. Across the spectrum of undergraduate chemistry courses, from the introductory course for first-semester chemistry majors to the capstone course in instrumental analysis, we noted that students believe the classroom lab is fundamentally different from a research or industrial lab. This difference is so significant that it carries over into students' perceptions of dishonesty in these two environments.

Laboratory Information Systems.

PubMed

Henricks, Walter H

2015-06-01

Laboratory information systems (LISs) supply mission-critical capabilities for the vast array of information-processing needs of modern laboratories. LIS architectures include mainframe, client-server, and thin client configurations. The LIS database software manages a laboratory's data. LIS dictionaries are database tables that a laboratory uses to tailor an LIS to the unique needs of that laboratory. Anatomic pathology LIS (APLIS) functions play key roles throughout the pathology workflow, and laboratories rely on LIS management reports to monitor operations. This article describes the structure and functions of APLISs, with emphasis on their roles in laboratory operations and their relevance to pathologists. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Secondary standards laboratories for ionizing radiation calibrations: The national laboratory interests

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roberson, P. I.; Campbell, G. W.

1984-11-01

The national laboratories are probable candidates to serve as secondary standards laboratories for the federal sector. Representatives of the major Department of Energy laboratories were polled concerning attitudes toward a secondary laboratory structure. Generally, the need for secondary laboratories was recognized and the development of such a program was encouraged. The secondary laboratories should be reviewed and inspected by the National Bureau of Standards. They should offer all of the essential, and preferably additional, calibration services in the field of radiological health protection. The selection of secondary laboratories should be based on economic and geographic criteria and/or be voluntary.

Roles of laboratories and laboratory systems in effective tuberculosis programmes.

PubMed

Ridderhof, John C; van Deun, Armand; Kam, Kai Man; Narayanan, P R; Aziz, Mohamed Abdul

2007-05-01

Laboratories and laboratory networks are a fundamental component of tuberculosis (TB) control, providing testing for diagnosis, surveillance and treatment monitoring at every level of the health-care system. New initiatives and resources to strengthen laboratory capacity and implement rapid and new diagnostic tests for TB will require recognition that laboratories are systems that require quality standards, appropriate human resources, and attention to safety in addition to supplies and equipment. To prepare the laboratory networks for new diagnostics and expanded capacity, we need to focus efforts on strengthening quality management systems (QMS) through additional resources for external quality assessment programmes for microscopy, culture, drug susceptibility testing (DST) and molecular diagnostics. QMS should also promote development of accreditation programmes to ensure adherence to standards to improve both the quality and credibility of the laboratory system within TB programmes. Corresponding attention must be given to addressing human resources at every level of the laboratory, with special consideration being given to new programmes for laboratory management and leadership skills. Strengthening laboratory networks will also involve setting up partnerships between TB programmes and those seeking to control other diseases in order to pool resources and to promote advocacy for quality standards, to develop strategies to integrate laboratories functions and to extend control programme activities to the private sector. Improving the laboratory system will assure that increased resources, in the form of supplies, equipment and facilities, will be invested in networks that are capable of providing effective testing to meet the goals of the Global Plan to Stop TB.

Characterizing High School Students' Written Explanations in Biology Laboratories

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peker, Deniz; Wallace, Carolyn S.

2011-01-01

The purpose of this qualitative interpretive research study was to examine high school students' written scientific explanations during biology laboratory investigations. Specifically, we characterized the types of epistemologies and forms of reasoning involved in students' scientific explanations and students' perceptions of scientific…

The Dialectics of Authoring Expansive Learning: Tracing the Long Tail of a Change Laboratory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sannino, Annalisa; Engeström, Yrjö; Lahikainen, Johanna

2016-01-01

Purpose: The paper aims to examine organizational authoring understood as a longitudinal, material and dialectical process of transformation efforts. The following questions are asked: To which extent can a Change Laboratory intervention help practitioners author their own learning? Are the authored outcomes of a Change Laboratory intervention…

A Comparison of Student Reactions to Biology Instruction by Interactive Videodisc or Conventional Laboratory.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leonard, William H.

1989-01-01

Examines college students' perception of an interactive videodisc learning system as an alternative to the conventional laboratory for learning biology skills and concepts taught under classroom laboratory conditions. Reports that the videodisc instruction gave more experimental and procedural options and more efficient use of time than the…

Using Model Organisms in an Undergraduate Laboratory to Link Genotype, Phenotype, and the Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jacobs-McDaniels, Nicole L.; Maine, Eleanor M.; Albertson, R. Craig; Wiles, Jason R.

2013-01-01

We developed laboratory exercises using zebrafish ("Danio rerio") and nematodes ("Caenorhabditis elegans") for a sophomore-level Integrative Biology Laboratory course. Students examined live wildtype zebrafish at different stages of development and noted shifts occurring in response to "fgf8a" deficiency. Students were introduced to development in…

Laboratory investigation of lithium-bearing compounds for use in concrete.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2002-06-01

Lithium nitrate and lithium hyroxide were evaluated in the laboratory to examine their effectiveness in controlling expansions resulting from alkali-silica reaction and their effect on concrete properties. The lithium compounds were more effective in...

Laboratory System Improvement Program: first in the nation--New Hampshire reassessment.

PubMed

Power, Jill J; Bean, Christine L; Cosser, Amanda; Vazquez, Alma

2013-01-01

The New Hampshire Public Health Laboratories (NH PHL) conducted an initial Laboratory System Improvement Program (L-SIP) assessment in March 2007 and a reassessment in May 2011. New Hampshire was a pilot state for the initial L-SIP assessment in 2007 and was the first laboratory system in the United States to conduct an L-SIP reassessment. The New Hampshire reassessment was also used as a pilot for revising the assessment tool. The NH PHL performed a high-level comparison benchmarking the work done between the two assessments. This comparison revealed areas of improvement and other areas that needed continued focus to align with model standards of the 10 Essential Public Health Services. This article outlines achievements, improvements, and outcomes made since 2007, as well as participants, activities, plans, resources, and other factors that contributed to the change in scores between assessments.

A relic of the Wellcome Tropical Research Laboratories in Khartoum (1903-34).

PubMed

Adeel, Ahmed Awad

2016-01-01

This article explores the origins of an old brass monocular microscope in the Central Laboratory in Khartoum, which used to be the Wellcome Tropical Research Laboratory in Khartoum (1903-1934). Examination of the microscope and review of published literature gave clues to the historical background of this microscope. Identical microscopes were first manufactured by R and J Beck in 1898, and continued to be advertised in 1899. The microscope was probably among the instruments provided by Wellcome for the initial establishment of the laboratories in 1902-1903. The article includes a brief review of the development of light microscopy. The need for preservation and proper restoration of old relics of the Wellcome laboratories in Khartoum is emphasized.

Current safety practices in nano-research laboratories in China.

PubMed

Zhang, Can; Zhang, Jing; Wang, Guoyu

2014-06-01

China has become a key player in the global nanotechnology field, however, no surveys have specifically examined safety practices in the Chinese nano-laboratories in depth. This study reports results of a survey of 300 professionals who work in research laboratories that handle nanomaterials in China. We recruited participants at three major nano-research laboratories (which carry out research in diverse fields such as chemistry, material science, and biology) and the nano-chemistry session of the national meeting of the Chinese Chemical Society. Results show that almost all nano-research laboratories surveyed had general safety regulations, whereas less than one third of respondents reported having nanospecific safety rules. General safety measures were in place in most surveyed nano-research laboratories, while nanospecific protective measures existed or were implemented less frequently. Several factors reported from the scientific literature including nanotoxicology knowledge gaps, technical limitations on estimating nano-exposure, and the lack of nano-occupational safety legislation may contribute to the current state of affairs. With these factors in mind and embracing the precautionary principle, we suggest strengthening or providing nanosafety training (including raising risk awareness) and establishing nanosafety guidelines in China, to better protect personnel in the nano-workplace.

Effects of the Physical Laboratory versus the Virtual Laboratory in Teaching Simple Electric Circuits on Conceptual Achievement and Attitudes Towards the Subject

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tekbiyik, Ahmet; Ercan, Orhan

2015-01-01

Current study examined the effects of virtual and physical laboratory practices on students' conceptual achievement in the subject of electricity and their attitudes towards simple electric circuits. Two groups (virtual and physical) selected through simple random sampling was taught with web-aided material called "Electricity in Our…

Clinical laboratory sciences data transmission : the NPU coding system

PubMed Central

PONTET, Françoise; PETERSEN, Ulla MAGDAL; FUENTES-ARDERIU, Xavier; NORDIN, Gunnar; BRUUNSHUUS, Ivan; IHALAINEN, Jarkko; KARLSSON, Daniel; FORSUM, Urban; DYBKAER, René; SCHADOW, Gunther; KUELPMANN, Wolf; FÉRARD, Georges; KANG, Dongchon; McDONALD, Clement; HILL, Gilbert

2011-01-01

Introduction In health care services, technology requires that correct information be duly available to professionals, citizens and authorities, worldwide. Thus, clinical laboratory sciences require standardized electronic exchanges for results of laboratory examinations. Methods. The NPU (Nomenclature, Properties and Units) coding system provides a terminology for identification of result values (property values). It is structured according to BIPM, ISO, IUPAC and IFCC recommendations. It uses standard terms for established concepts and structured definitions describing: which part of the universe is examined, which component of relevance in that part, which kind-of-property is relevant. Unit and specifications can be added where relevant [System(spec) Component(spec); kind-of-property(spec) = ? unit]. Results. The English version of this terminology is freely accessible at http://dior.imt.liu.se/cnpu/ and http://www.labterm.dk, directly or through the IFCC and IUPAC websites. It has been nationally used for more than 10 years in Denmark and Sweden and has been translated into 6 other languages. Conclusions. The NPU coding system provides a terminology for dedicated kinds-of-property following the international recommendations. It fits well in the health network and is freely accessible. Clinical laboratory professionals worldwide will find many advantages in using the NPU coding system, notably with regards to an accreditation process. PMID:19745311

Clinical laboratory sciences data transmission: the NPU coding system.

PubMed

Pontet, Françoise; Magdal Petersen, Ulla; Fuentes-Arderiu, Xavier; Nordin, Gunnar; Bruunshuus, Ivan; Ihalainen, Jarkko; Karlsson, Daniel; Forsum, Urban; Dybkaer, René; Schadow, Gunther; Kuelpmann, Wolf; Férard, Georges; Kang, Dongchon; McDonald, Clement; Hill, Gilbert

2009-01-01

In health care services, technology requires that correct information be duly available to professionals, citizens and authorities, worldwide. Thus, clinical laboratory sciences require standardized electronic exchanges for results of laboratory examinations. The NPU (Nomenclature, Properties and Units) coding system provides a terminology for identification of result values (property values). It is structured according to BIPM, ISO, IUPAC and IFCC recommendations. It uses standard terms for established concepts and structured definitions describing: which part of the universe is examined, which component of relevance in that part, which kind-of-property is relevant. Unit and specifications can be added where relevant [System(spec)-Component(spec); kind-of-property(spec) = ? unit]. The English version of this terminology is freely accessible at http://dior.imt.liu.se/cnpu/ and http://www.labterm.dk, directly or through the IFCC and IUPAC websites. It has been nationally used for more than 10 years in Denmark and Sweden and has been translated into 6 other languages. The NPU coding system provides a terminology for dedicated kinds-of-property following the international recommendations. It fits well in the health network and is freely accessible. Clinical laboratory professionals worldwide will find many advantages in using the NPU coding system, notably with regards to an accreditation process.

Establishment of National Laboratory Standards in Public and Private Hospital Laboratories

PubMed Central

ANJARANI, Soghra; SAFADEL, Nooshafarin; DAHIM, Parisa; AMINI, Rana; MAHDAVI, Saeed; MIRAB SAMIEE, Siamak

2013-01-01

In September 2007 national standard manual was finalized and officially announced as the minimal quality requirements for all medical laboratories in the country. Apart from auditing laboratories, Reference Health Laboratory has performed benchmarking auditing of medical laboratory network (surveys) in provinces. 12th benchmarks performed in Tehran and Alborz provinces, Iran in 2010 in three stages. We tried to compare different processes, their quality and accordance with national standard measures between public and private hospital laboratories. The assessment tool was a standardized checklist consists of 164 questions. Analyzing process show although in most cases implementing the standard requirements are more prominent in private laboratories, there is still a long way to complete fulfillment of requirements, and it takes a lot of effort. Differences between laboratories in public and private sectors especially in laboratory personnel and management process are significant. Probably lack of motivation, plays a key role in obtaining less desirable results in laboratories in public sectors. PMID:23514840

Laboratory simulation reveals significant impacts of ocean acidification on microbial community composition and host-pathogen interactions between the blood clam and Vibrio harveyi.

PubMed

Zha, Shanjie; Liu, Saixi; Su, Wenhao; Shi, Wei; Xiao, Guoqiang; Yan, Maocang; Liu, Guangxu

2017-12-01

It has been suggested that climate change may promote the outbreaks of diseases in the sea through altering the host susceptibility, the pathogen virulence, and the host-pathogen interaction. However, the impacts of ocean acidification (OA) on the pathogen components of bacterial community and the host-pathogen interaction of marine bivalves are still poorly understood. Therefore, 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing and host-pathogen interaction analysis between blood clam (Tegillarca granosa) and Vibrio harveyi were conducted in the present study to gain a better understanding of the ecological impacts of ocean acidification. The results obtained revealed a significant impact of ocean acidification on the composition of microbial community at laboratory scale. Notably, the abundance of Vibrio, a major group of pathogens to many marine organisms, was significantly increased under ocean acidification condition. In addition, the survival rate and haemolytic activity of V. harveyi were significantly higher in the presence of haemolymph of OA treated T. granosa, indicating a compromised immunity of the clam and enhanced virulence of V. harveyi under future ocean acidification scenarios. Conclusively, the results obtained in this study suggest that future ocean acidification may increase the risk of Vibrio pathogen infection for marine bivalve species, such as blood clams. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Laboratory Diagnosis of Pertussis

PubMed Central

Schellekens, Joop F. P.; Mooi, Frits R.

2015-01-01

SUMMARY The introduction of vaccination in the 1950s significantly reduced the morbidity and mortality of pertussis. However, since the 1990s, a resurgence of pertussis has been observed in vaccinated populations, and a number of causes have been proposed for this phenomenon, including improved diagnostics, increased awareness, waning immunity, and pathogen adaptation. The resurgence of pertussis highlights the importance of standardized, sensitive, and specific laboratory diagnoses, the lack of which is responsible for the large differences in pertussis notifications between countries. Accurate laboratory diagnosis is also important for distinguishing between the several etiologic agents of pertussis-like diseases, which involve both viruses and bacteria. If pertussis is diagnosed in a timely manner, antibiotic treatment of the patient can mitigate the symptoms and prevent transmission. During an outbreak, timely diagnosis of pertussis allows prophylactic treatment of infants too young to be (fully) vaccinated, for whom pertussis is a severe, sometimes fatal disease. Finally, reliable diagnosis of pertussis is required to reveal trends in the (age-specific) disease incidence, which may point to changes in vaccine efficacy, waning immunity, and the emergence of vaccine-adapted strains. Here we review current approaches to the diagnosis of pertussis and discuss their limitations and strengths. In particular, we emphasize that the optimal diagnostic procedure depends on the stage of the disease, the age of the patient, and the vaccination status of the patient. PMID:26354823

Laboratory Investigation of Astrophysical Collimated Jets with Intense Lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuan, Dawei; Li, Yutong; Tao, Tao; Wei, Huigang; Zhong, Jiayong; Zhu, Baojun; Li, Yanfei; Zhao, Jiarui; Li, Fang; Han, Bo; Zhang, Zhe; Liang, Guiyun; Wang, Feilu; Hu, Guangyue; Zheng, Jian; Jiang, Shaoen; Du, Kai; Ding, Yongkun; Zhou, Shenlei; Zhu, Baoqiang; Zhu, Jianqiang; Zhao, Gang; Zhang, Jie

2018-06-01

One of the remarkable dynamic features of the Herbig–Haro (HH) object is its highly collimated propagation far away from the accretion disk. Different factors are proposed to give us a clearly physical explanation behind these fascinating phenomena, including magnetic field, radiation cooling, surrounding medium, and so on. Laboratory astrophysics, as a new complementary method of studying astrophysical issues, can provide an insight into these behaviors in a similar and controllable laboratory environment. Here we report the scaled laboratory experiments that a well-collimated radiative jet with high Mach number is successfully created to mimic the evolution of HH objects. According to our results, we find that the radiation cooling effect within the jet and the outer rare surrounding plasmas from the X-ray (>keV) photoionized target contribute to the jet collimation. The local nonuniform density structures along the collimated radiative jet axis are caused by the pressure competition between the inner jet and the outer plasmas. The corresponding simulations performed with radiation-hydrodynamic codes FLASH reveal how the radiative jet evolves.

A Managerial View of Myers-Briggs Personality Types in the Clinical Laboratory.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-12-01

of personality on selection of a laboratory specialty controlling for certain demographic variables, and to examine the relationship between...cent of the sample. One index of the personality, judging/perceiving, showed a weak relationship to choice of specialty unaffected by any of the... relationship between personality and job tenure in a sample of 141 medical technologists and medical laboratory technicians using the Myers-Briggs Type

Predictors of smoking lapse in a human laboratory paradigm.

PubMed

Roche, Daniel J O; Bujarski, Spencer; Moallem, Nathasha R; Guzman, Iris; Shapiro, Jenessa R; Ray, Lara A

2014-07-01

During a smoking quit attempt, a single smoking lapse is highly predictive of future relapse. While several risk factors for a smoking lapse have been identified during clinical trials, a laboratory model of lapse was until recently unavailable and, therefore, it is unclear whether these characteristics also convey risk for lapse in a laboratory environment. The primary study goal was to examine whether real-world risk factors of lapse are also predictive of smoking behavior in a laboratory model of smoking lapse. After overnight abstinence, 77 smokers completed the McKee smoking lapse task, in which they were presented with the choice of smoking or delaying in exchange for monetary reinforcement. Primary outcome measures were the latency to initiate smoking behavior and the number of cigarettes smoked during the lapse. Several baseline measures of smoking behavior, mood, and individual traits were examined as predictive factors. Craving to relieve the discomfort of withdrawal, withdrawal severity, and tension level were negatively predictive of latency to smoke. In contrast, average number of cigarettes smoked per day, withdrawal severity, level of nicotine dependence, craving for the positive effects of smoking, and craving to relieve the discomfort of withdrawal were positively predictive of number of cigarettes smoked. The results suggest that real-world risk factors for smoking lapse are also predictive of smoking behavior in a laboratory model of lapse. Future studies using the McKee lapse task should account for between subject differences in the unique factors that independently predict each outcome measure.

Laboratory Measurement Implications of Decreasing Childhood Blood Lead Levels

PubMed Central

Caldwell, Kathleen L.; Cheng, Po-Yung; Jarrett, Jeffery M.; Makhmudov, Amir; Vance, Kathryn; Ward, Cynthia D.; Jones, Robert L.; Mortensen, Mary E.

2017-01-01

In 2012, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) adopted its Advisory Committee on Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention (ACCLPP) recommendation to use a population-based reference value to identify children and environments associated with lead hazards. The current reference value of 5 μg/dL is calculated as the 97.5th percentile of the distribution of blood lead levels (BLL) in children one to five years old from 2007–2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data. We calculated and updated selected percentiles, including the 97.5th percentile, using NHANES 2011–2014 blood lead data and examined demographic characteristics of children whose blood lead was ≥90th percentile value. The 97.5% percentile BLL of 3.48 μg/dL highlighted analytical laboratory and clinical interpretation challenges of blood lead measurements ≤ 5 μg/dL. Review of five years of results for target blood lead values < 11 μg/dL for U.S. clinical laboratories participating in CDC’s voluntary Lead and Multi-Element Proficiency (LAMP) quality assurance program showed 40% unable to quantify and reported a non-detectable result at a target blood lead value of 1.48 μg/dL compared 5.5 % at a target blood lead of 4.60 μg/dL. We describe actions taken at CDC’s Environmental Health Laboratory in the Division of Laboratory Sciences, which measures blood lead for NHANES, to improve analytical accuracy and precision and to reduce external lead contamination during blood collection and analysis. PMID:28771411

The Language Laboratory.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hughes, John P.

Concepts pertaining to the language laboratory are clarified for the layman unfamiliar with recent educational developments in foreign language instruction. These include discussion of: (1) language laboratory components and functions, (2) techniques used in the laboratory, (3) new linguistic methods, (4) laboratory exercises, (5) traditional…

Comparing field investigations with laboratory models to predict landfill leachate emissions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fellner, Johann; Doeberl, Gernot; Allgaier, Gerhard

2009-06-15

Investigations into laboratory reactors and landfills are used for simulating and predicting emissions from municipal solid waste landfills. We examined water flow and solute transport through the same waste body for different volumetric scales (laboratory experiment: 0.08 m{sup 3}, landfill: 80,000 m{sup 3}), and assessed the differences in water flow and leachate emissions of chloride, total organic carbon and Kjeldahl nitrogen. The results indicate that, due to preferential pathways, the flow of water in field-scale landfills is less uniform than in laboratory reactors. Based on tracer experiments, it can be discerned that in laboratory-scale experiments around 40% of pore watermore » participates in advective solute transport, whereas this fraction amounts to less than 0.2% in the investigated full-scale landfill. Consequences of the difference in water flow and moisture distribution are: (1) leachate emissions from full-scale landfills decrease faster than predicted by laboratory experiments, and (2) the stock of materials remaining in the landfill body, and thus the long-term emission potential, is likely to be underestimated by laboratory landfill simulations.« less

Roles of laboratories and laboratory systems in effective tuberculosis programmes

PubMed Central

van Deun, Armand; Kam, Kai Man; Narayanan, PR; Aziz, Mohamed Abdul

2007-01-01

Abstract Laboratories and laboratory networks are a fundamental component of tuberculosis (TB) control, providing testing for diagnosis, surveillance and treatment monitoring at every level of the health-care system. New initiatives and resources to strengthen laboratory capacity and implement rapid and new diagnostic tests for TB will require recognition that laboratories are systems that require quality standards, appropriate human resources, and attention to safety in addition to supplies and equipment. To prepare the laboratory networks for new diagnostics and expanded capacity, we need to focus efforts on strengthening quality management systems (QMS) through additional resources for external quality assessment programmes for microscopy, culture, drug susceptibility testing (DST) and molecular diagnostics. QMS should also promote development of accreditation programmes to ensure adherence to standards to improve both the quality and credibility of the laboratory system within TB programmes. Corresponding attention must be given to addressing human resources at every level of the laboratory, with special consideration being given to new programmes for laboratory management and leadership skills. Strengthening laboratory networks will also involve setting up partnerships between TB programmes and those seeking to control other diseases in order to pool resources and to promote advocacy for quality standards, to develop strategies to integrate laboratories’ functions and to extend control programme activities to the private sector. Improving the laboratory system will assure that increased resources, in the form of supplies, equipment and facilities, will be invested in networks that are capable of providing effective testing to meet the goals of the Global Plan to Stop TB. PMID:17639219

How do laboratory technicians perceive their role in the tuberculosis diagnostic process? A cross-sectional study among laboratory technicians in health centers of Central Java Province, Indonesia.

PubMed

Widjanarko, Bagoes; Widyastari, Dyah Anantalia; Martini, Martini; Ginandjar, Praba

2016-01-01

Detection of acid-fast bacilli in respiratory specimens serves as an initial pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis. Laboratories are the essential and fundamental part of all health systems. This study aimed to describe how laboratory technicians perceived their own self and work. This included perceived self-efficacy, perceived role, perceived equipment availability, perceived procedures, perceived reward and job, and perceived benefit of health education, as well as level of knowledge and attitudes related to work performance of laboratory technicians. This was a cross-sectional quantitative study involving 120 laboratory technicians conducted in Central Java. Interviews and observation were conducted to measure performance and work-related variables. Among 120 laboratory technicians, 43.3% showed fairly good performance. They complied with 50%-75% of all procedures, including sputum collection, laboratory tools utilization, sputum smearing, staining, smear examination, grading of results, and universal precaution practice. Perceived role, perceived self-efficacy, and knowledge of laboratory procedures were significantly correlated to performance, besides education and years of working as a laboratory technician. Perceived equipment availability was also significantly correlated to performance after the education variable was controlled. Most of the laboratory technicians believed that they have an important role in TB patients' treatment and should display proper self-efficacy in performing laboratory activities. The result may serve as a basic consideration to develop a policy for enhancing motivation of laboratory technicians in order to improve the TB control program.

How do laboratory technicians perceive their role in the tuberculosis diagnostic process? A cross-sectional study among laboratory technicians in health centers of Central Java Province, Indonesia

PubMed Central

Widjanarko, Bagoes; Widyastari, Dyah Anantalia; Martini, Martini; Ginandjar, Praba

2016-01-01

Purpose Detection of acid-fast bacilli in respiratory specimens serves as an initial pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis. Laboratories are the essential and fundamental part of all health systems. This study aimed to describe how laboratory technicians perceived their own self and work. This included perceived self-efficacy, perceived role, perceived equipment availability, perceived procedures, perceived reward and job, and perceived benefit of health education, as well as level of knowledge and attitudes related to work performance of laboratory technicians. Methods This was a cross-sectional quantitative study involving 120 laboratory technicians conducted in Central Java. Interviews and observation were conducted to measure performance and work-related variables. Results Among 120 laboratory technicians, 43.3% showed fairly good performance. They complied with 50%–75% of all procedures, including sputum collection, laboratory tools utilization, sputum smearing, staining, smear examination, grading of results, and universal precaution practice. Perceived role, perceived self-efficacy, and knowledge of laboratory procedures were significantly correlated to performance, besides education and years of working as a laboratory technician. Perceived equipment availability was also significantly correlated to performance after the education variable was controlled. Conclusion Most of the laboratory technicians believed that they have an important role in TB patients’ treatment and should display proper self-efficacy in performing laboratory activities. The result may serve as a basic consideration to develop a policy for enhancing motivation of laboratory technicians in order to improve the TB control program. PMID:27660502

Unintended Laboratory-Driven Evolution Reveals Genetic Requirements for Biofilm Formation by Desulfovibrio vulgaris Hildenborough

DOE PAGES

De León, Kara B.; Zane, Grant M.; Trotter, Valentine V.; ...

2017-10-17

Biofilms of sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) are of particular interest as members of this group are culprits in corrosion of industrial metal and concrete pipelines as well as being key players in subsurface metal cycling. Yet the mechanism of biofilm formation by these bacteria has not been determined. Here in this paper, we show that two supposedly identical wild-type cultures of the SRBDesulfovibrio vulgarisHildenborough maintained in different laboratories have diverged in biofilm formation. From genome resequencing and subsequent mutant analyses, we discovered that a single nucleotide change within DVU1017, the ABC transporter of a type I secretion system (T1SS), was sufficientmore » to eliminate biofilm formation inD. vulgarisHildenborough. Two T1SS cargo proteins were identified as likely biofilm structural proteins, and the presence of at least one (with either being sufficient) was shown to be required for biofilm formation. Antibodies specific to these biofilm structural proteins confirmed that DVU1017, and thus the T1SS, is essential for localization of these adhesion proteins on the cell surface. We propose that DVU1017 is a member of the lapB category of microbial surface proteins because of its phenotypic similarity to the adhesin export system described for biofilm formation in the environmental pseudomonads. These findings have led to the identification of two functions required for biofilm formation in D. vulgaris Hildenborough and focus attention on the importance of monitoring laboratory-driven evolution, as phenotypes as fundamental as biofilm formation can be altered. The growth of bacteria attached to a surface (i.e., biofilm), specifically biofilms of sulfate-reducing bacteria, has a profound impact on the economy of developed nations due to steel and concrete corrosion in industrial pipelines and processing facilities. Furthermore, the presence of sulfate-reducing bacteria in oil wells causes oil souring from sulfide production

Unintended Laboratory-Driven Evolution Reveals Genetic Requirements for Biofilm Formation by Desulfovibrio vulgaris Hildenborough

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

De León, Kara B.; Zane, Grant M.; Trotter, Valentine V.

Biofilms of sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) are of particular interest as members of this group are culprits in corrosion of industrial metal and concrete pipelines as well as being key players in subsurface metal cycling. Yet the mechanism of biofilm formation by these bacteria has not been determined. Here in this paper, we show that two supposedly identical wild-type cultures of the SRBDesulfovibrio vulgarisHildenborough maintained in different laboratories have diverged in biofilm formation. From genome resequencing and subsequent mutant analyses, we discovered that a single nucleotide change within DVU1017, the ABC transporter of a type I secretion system (T1SS), was sufficientmore » to eliminate biofilm formation inD. vulgarisHildenborough. Two T1SS cargo proteins were identified as likely biofilm structural proteins, and the presence of at least one (with either being sufficient) was shown to be required for biofilm formation. Antibodies specific to these biofilm structural proteins confirmed that DVU1017, and thus the T1SS, is essential for localization of these adhesion proteins on the cell surface. We propose that DVU1017 is a member of the lapB category of microbial surface proteins because of its phenotypic similarity to the adhesin export system described for biofilm formation in the environmental pseudomonads. These findings have led to the identification of two functions required for biofilm formation in D. vulgaris Hildenborough and focus attention on the importance of monitoring laboratory-driven evolution, as phenotypes as fundamental as biofilm formation can be altered. The growth of bacteria attached to a surface (i.e., biofilm), specifically biofilms of sulfate-reducing bacteria, has a profound impact on the economy of developed nations due to steel and concrete corrosion in industrial pipelines and processing facilities. Furthermore, the presence of sulfate-reducing bacteria in oil wells causes oil souring from sulfide production

Water Bubble revealing a refracted image of ESA Andre Kuipers

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-02-28

ISS030-E-108804 (28 Feb. 2012) -- A close look at this four-inch polished metal sphere onboard the International Space Station reveals a reflected image of NASA astronaut Don Pettit, Expedition 30 flight engineer. Using a 105-mm lens, Pettit took a series of pictures of the sphere. Also visible is hardware from the Capillary Flow Experiment-2 (CFE-2) Vane Gap 1 Experiment, in the U.S. Laboratory Destiny.

Introduction to Nucleonics: A Laboratory Course. Teacher's Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Phelps, William; And Others

This collection of laboratory lessons is designed primarily for the non-college bound high school student. It can be adapted, however, to a wide range of abilities. It begins with an examination of the properties of nuclear radiation, develops an understanding of the fundamentals of nucleonics, and ends with an investigation of careers in areas…

From Instinct to Statute: Changes in Laboratory Safety.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jamieson, Jim

1991-01-01

The changes that have taken place in laboratory safety in the past two decades are examined. The way in which the United Kingdom's Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 is just now starting to have effect is described. The responsibility of teachers for the health and safety of their students is discussed. (KR)

Quality knowledge of science through virtual laboratory as an element of visualization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rizman Herga, Natasa

Doctoral dissertation discusses the use of virtual laboratory for learning and teaching chemical concepts at science classes in the seventh grade of primary school. The dissertation has got a two-part structure. In the first theoretical part presents a general platform of teaching science in elementary school, teaching forms and methods of teaching and among modern approaches we highlight experimental work. Particular emphasis was placed on the use of new technologies in education and virtual laboratories. Scientific findings on the importance of visualization of science concepts and their triple nature of their understanding are presented. These findings represent a fundamental foundation of empirical research presented in the second part of the doctoral dissertation, whose basic purpose was to examine the effectiveness of using virtual laboratory for teaching and learning chemical contents at science from students' point of view on knowledge and interest. We designed a didactic experiment in which 225 pupils participated. The work was conducted in the experimental and control group. Prior to its execution, the existing school practice among science and chemistry teachers was analysed in terms of: (1) inclusion of experimental work as a fundamental method of active learning chemical contents, (2) the use of visualization methods in the classroom and (3) the use of a virtual laboratory. The main findings of the empirical research, carried out in the school year 2012/2013, in which 48 science and chemistry participated, are that teachers often include experimental work when teaching chemical contents. Interviewed science teachers use a variety of visualization methods when presenting science concepts, in particular computer animation and simulation. Using virtual laboratory as a new strategy for teaching and learning chemical contents is not common because teachers lack special-didactic skills, enabling them to use virtual reality technology. Based on the didactic

Case report of Salmonella cross-contamination in a food laboratory.

PubMed

Rasschaert, Geertrui; De Reu, K; Heyndrickx, M; Herman, L

2016-03-10

This paper describes a case of Salmonella cross-contamination in a food laboratory. In 2012, chocolate bars shipped from Belgium to the USA were prevented from entering the USA because a Salmonella Rissen strain had been isolated from one of the chocolate bars in a Belgian food laboratory. However, a retrospective study of the Salmonella isolates sent from the laboratory to the Belgian National Reference Laboratory for Salmonella revealed that 7 weeks prior, a Salmonella Rissen strain has been isolated from fish meal in the same food laboratory. The chocolate bars were not expected to be contaminated with Salmonella because the ingredients all tested negative during the production process. Furthermore, because Salmonella Rissen is only rarely isolated from food, it was hypothesized that the two Salmonella Rissen isolates belonged to the same strain and that the second isolation event in this laboratory was caused by cross-contamination. To confirm this hypothesis, both Salmonella Rissen isolates were fingerprinted using different molecular techniques. To evaluate the discriminatory power of the techniques used, 11 other Salmonella Rissen isolates from different origins were included in the comparison. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, repetitive element palindromic PCR and three random amplified polymorphic DNA PCR assays were used. Repetitive element palindromic PCR and random amplified polymorphic DNA PCR assays were insufficiently discriminatory, whereas pulsed-field gel electrophoresis using the combination of two restriction enzymes showed sufficient discrimination to confirm the hypothesis. Although cross-contamination in food laboratories are rarely reported, cross-contamination can always occur. Laboratories should therefore always be aware of the possibility of cross-contamination, especially when enrichment is used in the microbiological analysis. Furthermore, it is advised that results showing isolates of the same serotype isolated in a short time frame

Laboratory plant study on the melting process of asbestos waste

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sakai, Shinichi; Terazono, Atsushi; Takatsuki, Hiroshi

The melting process was studied as a method of changing asbestos into non-hazardous waste and recovering it as a reusable resource. In an initial effort, the thermal behaviors of asbestos waste in terms of physical and chemical structure have been studied. Then, 10 kg/h-scale laboratory plant experiments were carried out. By X-ray diffraction analysis, the thermal behaviors of sprayed-on asbestos waste revealed that chrysotile asbestos waste change in crystal structure at around 800 C, and becomes melted slag, mainly composed of magnesium silicate, at around 1,500 C. Laboratory plant experiments on the melting process of sprayed-on asbestos have shown thatmore » melted slag can be obtained. X-ray diffraction analysis of the melted slag revealed crystal structure change, and SEM analysis showed the slag to have a non-fibrous form. And more, TEM analysis proved the very high treatment efficiency of the process, that is, reduction of the asbestos content to 1/10{sup 6} as a weight basis. These analytical results indicate the effectiveness of the melting process for asbestos waste treatment.« less

Review of Army Research Laboratory Programs for Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority Institutions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Academies Press, 2014

2014-01-01

"Review of Army Research Laboratory Programs for Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority Institutions" examines the ways in which historically black colleges and universities and minority institutions have used the Army Research Laboratory (ARL) funds to enhance the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics…

Dissociation in the laboratory: a comparison of strategies.

PubMed

Leonard, K N; Telch, M J; Harrington, P J

1999-01-01

Several methods for inducing dissociation in the laboratory were examined in a sample of 78 undergraduate students. Participants scoring high or low on the Dissociative Experiences Scale participated in three dissociation challenge conditions: (a) dot-staring task, (b) administration of pulsed photic and audio stimulation and (c) stimulus deprivation. Participants recorded their dissociative experiences both before and after each of the three challenge conditions. Across conditions, high DES participants reported significantly more dissociative sensations than low DES participants, even after controlling for pre-challenge dissociation. Moreover, regardless of DES status, pulsed photo and audio stimulation produced the greatest level of dissociative symptoms. The findings suggest that the induction of dissociative symptoms in a nonclinical sample is easily accomplished in the laboratory and that those who report more dissociative symptoms in their day-to-day life exhibit more pronounced dissociative symptoms when undergoing dissociative challenge in the laboratory. Implications for the study and treatment of dissociative symptoms are discussed.

Financial incentives and the supply of laboratory tests.

PubMed

Carlsen, Fredrik; Grytten, Jostein; Skau, Irene

2003-11-01

This study examined how the number of laboratory tests taken by a sample of Norwegian contract physicians is influenced by their private economy outside of the practice and by changes in remuneration. The data are drawn from 40,000 consultations carried out by 44 contract physicians in 1991-1994. Two factors which led to changes in the level of physicians' income are considered: changes in remuneration for consultations and laboratory tests and changes in interest rates on loans and bank deposits. The effect which changes in interest rates have on physicians' disposable income was calculated using information about their financial assets and debts obtained from tax assessments. The main finding was that changes in private economy and changes in remuneration have no or only a small effect on the number of laboratory tests taken. Our results suggest that fee regulation can be an effective means of controlling physicians' income and therefore government expenditure on primary physician services.

POLLUTION PREVENTION OPPORTUNITY ASSESSMENT - GEOCHEMISTRY LABORATORY AT SANDIA NATIONAL LABORATORIES

EPA Science Inventory

These reports summarize pollution prevention opportunity assessments conducted jointly by EPA and DOE at the Geochemistry Laboratory and the Manufacturing and Fabrication Repair Laboratory at the Department of Energy's Sandia National Laboratories facility in Albuquerque, New Mex...

Survey of Forensic Document Examination Habit Areas: Degree of Use and Discriminatory Power

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

G Sperry; PA Manzolillo; RC Hanlan

Beginning in 1998, the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNL), US Postal Inspection Service Forensic Laboratory (USPIS), and the Data Fusion Laboratory, Drexel University (DFL) have been collaborating on a large scale research project ''Handwriting Individuality--Moving From Art to Science''. In April 1998 a survey was distributed to the community of forensic document examiners (FDEs) requesting input on the habit areas used and their utility in distinguishing handwriting. The information obtained from this survey was intended to provide the data necessary to select the criteria and begin the evaluation of the handwriting samples currently in the project. Preliminary results of themore » survey were made available to the community at the American Society of Questioned Document Examiners (ASQDE) meeting in August 1998 and the American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) meeting in February 1999. This report provides final documentation of the survey and its results. This survey has two objectives: (1) to compile a list of handwriting features and characteristics used by professional forensic document examiners in the examination and comparison of handwriting and (2) to gather information about the significance of these features and characteristics. These objectives are met by having the FDEs provide an indication of their experience in the frequency of habit area evaluation and the utility of the habit area for discrimination.« less

Skylab mobile laboratory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Primeaux, G. R.; Larue, M. A.

1975-01-01

The Skylab mobile laboratory was designed to provide the capability to obtain necessary data on the Skylab crewmen 30 days before lift-off, within 1 hour after recovery, and until preflight physiological baselines were reattained. The mobile laboratory complex consisted of six laboratories that supported cardiovascular, metabolic, nutrition and endocrinology, operational medicine, blood, and microbiology experiments; a utility package; and two shipping containers. The objectives and equipment requirements of the Skylab mobile laboratory and the data acquisition systems are discussed along with processes such as permanently mounting equipment in the individual laboratories and methods of testing and transporting the units. The operational performance, in terms of amounts of data collected, and the concept of mobile laboratories for medical and scientific experiments are evaluated. The Skylab mobile laboratory succeeded in facilitating the data collection and sample preservation associated with the three Skylab manned flights.

Teaching laboratory neuroscience at bowdoin: the laboratory instructor perspective.

PubMed

Hauptman, Stephen; Curtis, Nancy

2009-01-01

Bowdoin College is a small liberal arts college that offers a comprehensive Neuroscience major. The laboratory experience is an integral part of the major, and many students progress through three stages. A core course offers a survey of concepts and techniques. Four upper-level courses function to give students more intensive laboratory research experience in neurophysiology, molecular neurobiology, social behavior, and learning and memory. Finally, many majors choose to work in the individual research labs of the Neuroscience faculty. We, as laboratory instructors, are vital to the process, and are actively involved in all aspects of the lab-based courses. We provide student instruction in state of the art techniques in neuroscience research. By sharing laboratory teaching responsibilities with course professors, we help to prepare students for careers in laboratory neuroscience and also support and facilitate faculty research programs.

Non-physics peer demonstrators in undergraduate laboratories: a study of students’ perceptions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Braun, Michael; Kirkup, Les

2016-01-01

Laboratory demonstrators play a crucial role in facilitating students’ learning in physics subjects. Inspired by the success of peer-led activities, we introduced peer demonstrators to support student learning in first-year physics subjects that enrol students not intending to major in physics. Surveys were administered to 1700 students over 4 years in four subjects to examine student perceptions of how demonstrators assisted them in the laboratory. Scores awarded to peer demonstrators by students were no lower than those awarded to demonstrators traditionally employed in the first year physics laboratory. These latter demonstrators were drawn mainly from the ranks of physics research students. The findings validate the recruitment of peer demonstrators and will be used to inform the recruitment and support programmes for laboratory demonstrators.

Laboratory System Improvement Program: First in the Nation— New Hampshire Reassessment

PubMed Central

Bean, Christine L.; Cosser, Amanda; Vazquez, Alma

2013-01-01

The New Hampshire Public Health Laboratories (NH PHL) conducted an initial Laboratory System Improvement Program (L-SIP) assessment in March 2007 and a reassessment in May 2011. New Hampshire was a pilot state for the initial L-SIP assessment in 2007 and was the first laboratory system in the United States to conduct an L-SIP reassessment. The New Hampshire reassessment was also used as a pilot for revising the assessment tool. The NH PHL performed a high-level comparison benchmarking the work done between the two assessments. This comparison revealed areas of improvement and other areas that needed continued focus to align with model standards of the 10 Essential Public Health Services. This article outlines achievements, improvements, and outcomes made since 2007, as well as participants, activities, plans, resources, and other factors that contributed to the change in scores between assessments. PMID:23997303

Evaluation of the “Pipeline” for Development of Medications for Cocaine Use Disorder: A Review of Translational Preclinical, Human Laboratory, and Clinical Trial Research

PubMed Central

Stoops, William W.; Rush, Craig R.

2016-01-01

Cocaine use disorder is a persistent public health problem for which no widely effective medications exist. Self-administration procedures, which have shown good predictive validity in estimating the abuse potential of drugs, have been used in rodent, nonhuman primate, and human laboratory studies to screen putative medications. This review assessed the effectiveness of the medications development process regarding pharmacotherapies for cocaine use disorder. The primary objective was to determine whether data from animal and human laboratory self-administration studies predicted the results of clinical trials. In addition, the concordance between laboratory studies in animals and humans was assessed. More than 100 blinded, randomized, fully placebo-controlled studies of putative medications for cocaine use disorder were identified. Of the 64 drugs tested in these trials, only 10 had been examined in both human and well-controlled animal laboratory studies. Within all three stages, few studies had been conducted for each drug and when multiple studies had been conducted conclusions were sometimes contradictory. Overall, however, there was good concordance between animal and human laboratory results when the former assessed chronic drug treatment. Although only seven of the ten reviewed drugs showed fully concordant results across all three types of studies reviewed, the analysis revealed several subject-related, procedural, and environmental factors that differ between the laboratory and clinical trial settings that help explain the disagreement for other drugs. The review closes with several recommendations to enhance translation and communication across stages of the medications development process that will ultimately speed the progress toward effective pharmacotherapeutic strategies for cocaine use disorder. PMID:27255266

Laboratory studies of in vivo fluorescence of phytoplankton

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brown, C. A., Jr.; Farmer, F. H.; Jarrett, O., Jr.; Staton, W. L.

1978-01-01

A lidar system is developed that uses four selected excitation wavelengths to induce chlorophyll 'a' fluorescence which is indicative of both the concentration and diversity of phytoplankton. The operating principles of the system and the results of measurements of phytoplankton fluorescence in a controlled laboratory environment are presented. A comparative study of results from lidar fluorosensor laboratory tank tests using representative species of phytoplankton in single and multispecies cultures from each of four color groups reveals that (1) there is good correlation between the fluorescence of chlorophyll 'a' remotely simulated and detected by the lidar system and in-situ measurements using four similar excitation wavelengths in a flow-through fluorometer; (2) good correlation exists between the total chlorophyll 'a' calculated from lidar-fluorosensor data and measurements obtained by the Strickland-Parsons method; and (3) the lidar fluorosensor can provide an index of population diversity.

Gas analysis reveals novel aerobic deammonification in thermophilic aerobic digestion.

PubMed

Yi, Y S; Kim, S; An, S; Choi, S I; Choi, E; Yun, Z

2003-01-01

A laboratory-scale thermophilic aerobic digester was operated with piggery wastewater. The operating temperature varied from 50-70 degrees C. It has been found that excessive nitrogen removal occurred in the laboratory-scale thermophilic system at various HRTs. Nitrite and nitrate were not observed in the effluent. Gas measurement reveals the presence of significant amount of N2O along with NH3 gas. The rational production of N2O gas in accordance with temperature and HRT suggests that biologically mediated deammonification processes significantly contribute to the N removal. Although further microbiological investigation is required to clarify the exact nitrogen removal mechanism, the large production of N2O gas seems to be a result of the existence of a rapid growing heterotrophic deammonification process in the thermophilic system.

Methodology in diagnostic laboratory test research in clinical chemistry and clinical chemistry and laboratory medicine.

PubMed

Lumbreras-Lacarra, Blanca; Ramos-Rincón, José Manuel; Hernández-Aguado, Ildefonso

2004-03-01

The application of epidemiologic principles to clinical diagnosis has been less developed than in other clinical areas. Knowledge of the main flaws affecting diagnostic laboratory test research is the first step for improving its quality. We assessed the methodologic aspects of articles on laboratory tests. We included articles that estimated indexes of diagnostic accuracy (sensitivity and specificity) and were published in Clinical Chemistry or Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine in 1996, 2001, and 2002. Clinical Chemistry has paid special attention to this field of research since 1996 by publishing recommendations, checklists, and reviews. Articles were identified through electronic searches in Medline. The strategy combined the Mesh term "sensitivity and specificity" (exploded) with the text words "specificity", "false negative", and "accuracy". We examined adherence to seven methodologic criteria used in the study by Reid et al. (JAMA1995;274:645-51) of papers published in general medical journals. Three observers evaluated each article independently. Seventy-nine articles fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The percentage of studies that satisfied each criterion improved from 1996 to 2002. Substantial improvement was observed in reporting of the statistical uncertainty of indices of diagnostic accuracy, in criteria based on clinical information from the study population (spectrum composition), and in avoidance of workup bias. Analytical reproducibility was reported frequently (68%), whereas information about indeterminate results was rarely provided. The mean number of methodologic criteria satisfied showed a statistically significant increase over the 3 years in Clinical Chemistry but not in Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine. The methodologic quality of the articles on diagnostic test research published in Clinical Chemistry and Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine is comparable to the quality observed in the best general medical journals

The Entrance and Exit Effects in Small Electrochemical Filter-Press Reactors Used in the Laboratory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frias-Ferrer, Angel; Gonzalez-Garcia, Jose; Saez, Veronica; Exposito, Eduardo; Sanchez-Sanchez, Carlos M.; Mantiel, Vicente; Walsh, Frank C.; Aldaz, Antonio; Walsh, Frank C.

2005-01-01

A laboratory experiment designed to examine the entrance and exit effects in small electrochemical filter-press reactors used in the laboratory is presented. The single compartment of the filter-press reactor is filled with different turbulence promoters to study their influence as compared to the empty configuration.

Metabolomics Analysis Reveals Specific Novel Tetrapeptide and Potential Anti-Inflammatory Metabolites in Pathogenic Aspergillus species

PubMed Central

Lee, Kim-Chung; Tam, Emily W. T.; Lo, Ka-Ching; Tsang, Alan K. L.; Lau, Candy C. Y.; To, Kelvin K. W.; Chan, Jasper F. W.; Lam, Ching-Wan; Yuen, Kwok-Yung; Lau, Susanna K. P.; Woo, Patrick C. Y.

2015-01-01

Infections related to Aspergillus species have emerged to become an important focus in infectious diseases, as a result of the increasing use of immunosuppressive agents and high fatality associated with invasive aspergillosis. However, laboratory diagnosis of Aspergillus infections remains difficult. In this study, by comparing the metabolomic profiles of the culture supernatants of 30 strains of six pathogenic Aspergillus species (A. fumigatus, A. flavus, A. niger, A. terreus, A. nomius and A. tamarii) and 31 strains of 10 non-Aspergillus fungi, eight compounds present in all strains of the six Aspergillus species but not in any strain of the non-Aspergillus fungi were observed. One of the eight compounds, Leu–Glu–Leu–Glu, is a novel tetrapeptide and represents the first linear tetrapeptide observed in Aspergillus species, which we propose to be named aspergitide. Two other closely related Aspergillus-specific compounds, hydroxy-(sulfooxy)benzoic acid and (sulfooxy)benzoic acid, may possess anti-inflammatory properties, as 2-(sulfooxy)benzoic acid possesses a structure similar to those of aspirin [2-(acetoxy)benzoic acid] and salicylic acid (2-hydroxybenzoic acid). Further studies to examine the potentials of these Aspergillus-specific compounds for laboratory diagnosis of aspergillosis are warranted and further experiments will reveal whether Leu–Glu–Leu–Glu, hydroxy-(sulfooxy)benzoic acid and (sulfooxy)benzoic acid are virulent factors of the pathogenic Aspergillus species. PMID:26090713

Metabolomics Analysis Reveals Specific Novel Tetrapeptide and Potential Anti-Inflammatory Metabolites in Pathogenic Aspergillus species.

PubMed

Lee, Kim-Chung; Tam, Emily W T; Lo, Ka-Ching; Tsang, Alan K L; Lau, Candy C Y; To, Kelvin K W; Chan, Jasper F W; Lam, Ching-Wan; Yuen, Kwok-Yung; Lau, Susanna K P; Woo, Patrick C Y

2015-06-17

Infections related to Aspergillus species have emerged to become an important focus in infectious diseases, as a result of the increasing use of immunosuppressive agents and high fatality associated with invasive aspergillosis. However, laboratory diagnosis of Aspergillus infections remains difficult. In this study, by comparing the metabolomic profiles of the culture supernatants of 30 strains of six pathogenic Aspergillus species (A. fumigatus, A. flavus, A. niger, A. terreus, A. nomius and A. tamarii) and 31 strains of 10 non-Aspergillus fungi, eight compounds present in all strains of the six Aspergillus species but not in any strain of the non-Aspergillus fungi were observed. One of the eight compounds, Leu-Glu-Leu-Glu, is a novel tetrapeptide and represents the first linear tetrapeptide observed in Aspergillus species, which we propose to be named aspergitide. Two other closely related Aspergillus-specific compounds, hydroxy-(sulfooxy)benzoic acid and (sulfooxy)benzoic acid, may possess anti-inflammatory properties, as 2-(sulfooxy)benzoic acid possesses a structure similar to those of aspirin [2-(acetoxy)benzoic acid] and salicylic acid (2-hydroxybenzoic acid). Further studies to examine the potentials of these Aspergillus-specific compounds for laboratory diagnosis of aspergillosis are warranted and further experiments will reveal whether Leu-Glu-Leu-Glu, hydroxy-(sulfooxy)benzoic acid and (sulfooxy)benzoic acid are virulent factors of the pathogenic Aspergillus species.

Response of Halimeda to ocean acidification: Field and laboratory evidence

USGS Publications Warehouse

Robbins, L.L.; Knorr, P.O.; Hallock, P.

2009-01-01

Rising atmospheric pCO2 levels are changing ocean chemistry more dramatically now than in the last 20 million years. In fact, pHvalues of the open ocean have decreased by 0.1 since the 1800s and are predicted to decrease 0.1-0.4 globally in the next 90 years. Ocean acidification will affect fundamental geochemical and biological processes including calcification and carbonate sediment production. The west Florida shelf is a natural laboratory to examine the effects of ocean acidification on aragonite production by calcareous green algae. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of crystal morphology of calcifying organisms reveals ultrastructural details of calcification that occurred at different saturation states. Comparison of archived and recent specimens of calcareous green alga Halimeda spp. from the west Florida shelf, demonstrates crystal changes in shape and abundance over a 40+ year time span. Halimeda crystal data from apical sections indicate that increases in crystal concentration and decreases in crystal width occurred over the last 40+ years. Laboratory experiments using living specimens of Halimeda grown in environments with known pH values were used to constrain historical observations. Percentages of organic and inorganic carbon per sample weight of pooled species did not significantly change. However, individual species showed decreased inorganic carbon and increased organic carbon in more recent samples, although the sample sizes were limited. These results indicate that the effect of increased pCO 2 and decreased pH on calcification is reflected in the crystal morphology of this organism. More data are needed to confirm the observed changes in mass of crystal and organic carbon. ?? Author(s) 2009.

Laboratory Building

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Herrera, Joshua M.

2015-03-01

This report is an analysis of the means of egress and life safety requirements for the laboratory building. The building is located at Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) in Albuquerque, NM. The report includes a prescriptive-based analysis as well as a performance-based analysis. Following the analysis are appendices which contain maps of the laboratory building used throughout the analysis. The top of all the maps is assumed to be north.

Obtaining patient test results from clinical laboratories: a survey of state law for pharmacists.

PubMed

Witry, Matthew J; Doucette, William R

2009-01-01

To identify states with laws that restrict to whom clinical laboratories may release copies of laboratory test results and to describe how these laws may affect pharmacists' ability to obtain patient laboratory test results. Researchers examined state statutes and administrative codes for all 50 states and the District of Columbia at the University of Iowa Law Library between June and July 2007. Researchers also consulted with lawyers, state Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments officers, and law librarians. Laws relating to the study objective were analyzed. 34 jurisdictions do not restrict the release of laboratory test results, while 17 states have laws that restrict to whom clinical laboratories can send copies of test results. In these states, pharmacists will have to use alternative sources, such as physician offices, to obtain test results. Pharmacists must consider state law before requesting copies of laboratory test results from clinical laboratories. This may be an issue that state pharmacy associations can address to increase pharmacist access to important patient information.

The impact of fatigue on latent print examinations as revealed by behavioral and eye gaze testing.

PubMed

Busey, Thomas; Swofford, Henry J; Vanderkolk, John; Emerick, Brandi

2015-06-01

Eye tracking and behavioral methods were used to assess the effects of fatigue on performance in latent print examiners. Eye gaze was measured both before and after a fatiguing exercise involving fine-grained examination decisions. The eye tracking tasks used similar images, often laterally reversed versions of previously viewed prints, which holds image detail constant while minimizing prior recognition. These methods, as well as a within-subject design with fine grained analyses of the eye gaze data, allow fairly strong conclusions despite a relatively small subject population. Consistent with the effects of fatigue on practitioners in other fields such as radiology, behavioral performance declined with fatigue, and the eye gaze statistics suggested a smaller working memory capacity. Participants also terminated the search/examination process sooner when fatigued. However, fatigue did not produce changes in inter-examiner consistency as measured by the Earth Mover Metric. Implications for practice are discussed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Laboratory Demonstration of Axicon-Lens Coronagraph

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choi, Jaeho; Jea, Geonho

2018-01-01

The results of laboratory based experiments of the proposed coronagraph using axicon-lenses that is conjunction with a method of noninterferometric quantitative phase imaging for direct imaging of exoplanets is will present. The light source is passing through tiny holes drilled on the thin metal plate is used as the simulated stellar and its companions. Those diffracted light at the edge of the holes bears a similarity to the light from the bright stellar. Those images are evaginated about the optical axis after the maximum focal length of the first axicon lens. Then the evaginated images of have cut off using the motorized iris which means the suppressed the central stellar light preferentially. Various length between the holes which represent the angular distance are examined. The laboratory experimental results are shown that the axicon-lens coronagraph has feature of ability to achieve the smaller IWA than l/D and high-contrast direct imaging. The laboratory based axicon-lens coronagraph imaging support the symbolic computation results which has potential in direct imaging for finding exoplanet and various astrophysical activities. The setup of the coronagraph is simple to build and is durable to operate. Moreover it can be transported the planets images to a broadband spectrometric instrument that able to investigate the constituent of the planetary system.

Strategies for the assessment of competence in laboratory animal science courses.

PubMed

Hansen, Axel Kornerup; Sørensen, Dorte Bratbo

2014-10-01

Evaluation of skills, knowledge and competencies is an essential part of education in laboratory animal science. In Europe, a greater emphasis will be placed on such evaluations going forward, because the European Union will base its education and training framework on learning outcomes rather than on course time and syllabuses, as done previously. The authors present their experiences administering different written, oral and practical examinations for Federation of European Laboratory Animal Science Associations categories B, C and D courses. Examinations can be administered online as well as on campus, if time constraints are provided to compensate for the advantage of being able to use external resources. Overall, students benefit from exposure to multiple types of exams over the course of their education because each type prepares students for different situations.

Virtual Laboratory "vs." Traditional Laboratory: Which Is More Effective for Teaching Electrochemistry?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hawkins, Ian; Phelps, Amy J.

2013-01-01

The use of virtual laboratories has become an increasing issue regarding science laboratories due to the increasing cost of hands-on laboratories, and the increase in distance education. Recent studies have looked at the use of virtual tools for laboratory to be used as supplements to the regular hands-on laboratories but many virtual tools have…

A Survey of Beginning Crop Science Courses at 49 U.S. Universities. II. Laboratory Format, Teaching Methods, and Topical Content.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Connors, Krista L.; Karnok, Keith J.

1986-01-01

This paper is the second of a two-part series which discusses the findings related to laboratory segments in the beginning crop science courses offered in Land Grant institutions. Survey results reveal that laboratories are used but employ traditional teaching rather than individualized or auto-tutorial techniques. (ML)

Individual need satisfaction, organizational practices, and job satisfaction among laboratory professionals.

PubMed

Matteson, M T; Ivancevich, J M; McMahon, J T

1977-08-01

This study examines the role of 1) personal job-related needs and 2) certain organizational characteristics in affecting overall job satisfaction for a sample of 259 laboratory professionals, primarily medical technologists. Specific individual needs and specific organizational characteristics were found to be related to three measures of overall job satisfaction. Additional comparisons were made for administrators versus non-administrators and for differences associated with different sized organizations. Implications for the managers of medical technologists and other laboratory professionals are discussed.

Soil erodibility variability in laboratory and field rainfall simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Szabó, Boglárka; Szabó, Judit; Jakab, Gergely; Centeri, Csaba; Szalai, Zoltán

2017-04-01

Rainfall simulation experiments are the most common way to observe and to model the soil erosion processes in in situ and ex situ circumstances. During modelling soil erosion, one of the most important factors are the annual soil loss and the soil erodibility which represent the effect of soil properties on soil loss and the soil resistance against water erosion. The amount of runoff and soil loss can differ in case of the same soil type, while it's characteristics determine the soil erodibility factor. This leads to uncertainties regarding soil erodibility. Soil loss and soil erodibility were examined with the investigation of the same soil under laboratory and field conditions with rainfall simulators. The comparative measurement was carried out in a laboratory on 0,5 m2, and in the field (Shower Power-02) on 6 m2 plot size where the applied slope angles were 5% and 12% with 30 and 90 mm/h rainfall intensity. The main idea was to examine and compare the soil erodibility and its variability coming from the same soil, but different rainfall simulator type. The applied model was the USLE, nomograph and other equations which concern single rainfall events. The given results show differences between the field and laboratory experiments and between the different calculations. Concerning for the whole rainfall events runoff and soil loss, were significantly higher at the laboratory experiments, which affected the soil erodibility values too. The given differences can originate from the plot size. The main research questions are that: How should we handle the soil erodibility factors and its significant variability? What is the best solution for soil erodibility determination?

Calgary Laboratory Services

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Calgary Laboratory Services provides global hospital and community laboratory services for Calgary and surrounding areas (population 1.4 million) and global academic support for the University of Calgary Cumming School of Medicine. It developed rapidly after the Alberta Provincial Government implemented an austerity program to address rising health care costs and to address Alberta’s debt and deficit in 1994. Over roughly the next year, all hospital and community laboratory test funding within the province was put into a single budget, fee codes for fee-for-service test billing were closed, roughly 40% of the provincial laboratory budget was cut, and roughly 40% of the pathologists left the province of Alberta. In Calgary, in the face of these abrupt changes in the laboratory environment, private laboratories, publicly funded hospital laboratories and the medical school department precipitously and reluctantly merged in 1996. The origin of Calgary Laboratory Services was likened to an “unhappy shotgun marriage” by all parties. Although such a structure could save money by eliminating duplicated services and excess capacity and could provide excellent city-wide clinical service by increasing standardization, it was less clear whether it could provide strong academic support for a medical school. Over the past decade, iterations of the Calgary Laboratory Services model have been implemented or are being considered in other Canadian jurisdictions. This case study analyzes the evolution of Calgary Laboratory Services, provides a metric-based review of academic performance over time, and demonstrates that this model, essentially arising as an unplanned experiment, has merit within a Canadian health care context. PMID:28725754

Laboratory hemostasis: milestones in Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine.

PubMed

Lippi, Giuseppe; Favaloro, Emmanuel J

2013-01-01

Hemostasis is a delicate, dynamic and intricate system, in which pro- and anti-coagulant forces cooperate for either maintaining blood fluidity under normal conditions, or else will prompt blood clot generation to limit the bleeding when the integrity of blood vessels is jeopardized. Excessive prevalence of anticoagulant forces leads to hemorrhage, whereas excessive activation of procoagulant forces triggers excessive coagulation and thrombosis. The hemostasis laboratory performs a variety of first, second and third line tests, and plays a pivotal role in diagnostic and monitoring of most hemostasis disturbances. Since the leading targets of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine include promotion of progress in fundamental and applied research, along with publication of guidelines and recommendations in laboratory diagnostics, this journal is an ideal source of information on current developments in the laboratory technology of hemostasis, and this article is aimed to celebrate some of the most important and popular articles ever published by the journal in the filed of laboratory hemostasis.

Students' Written Arguments in General Chemistry Laboratory Investigations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Choi, Aeran; Hand, Brian; Greenbowe, Thomas

2013-01-01

This study aimed to examine the written arguments developed by college freshman students using the Science Writing Heuristic approach in inquiry-based general chemistry laboratory classrooms and its relationships with students' achievement in chemistry courses. Fourteen freshman students participated in the first year of the study while 19…

The Correlated Lecture Laboratory Series in Diagnostic Radiological Physics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lamel, David A.; And Others

This series in diagnostic radiological physics has been designed to provide the physics background requisite for the proper conduct of medical diagnostic x-ray examinations. The basic goal of the series is to bridge physics theory and radiological practice, achieved by combining pertinent lecture material with laboratory exercises that illustrate…

Laboratory Measured Behavioral Impulsivity Relates to Suicide Attempt History

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dougherty, Donald M.; Mathias, Charles W.; Marsh, Dawn M.; Papageorgiou, T. Dorina; Swann, Alan C.; Moeller, F. Gerard

2004-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between laboratory behavioral measured impulsivity (using the Immediate and Delayed Memory Tasks) and suicidal attempt histories. Three groups of adults were recruited, those with either: no previous suicide attempts (Control, n = 20), only a single suicide attempt (Single, n = 20), or…

Talk and community: The place of reporting in a life sciences laboratory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Swieringa, Robert Cecil

This study investigates the routine situated communicative practice within the weekly meetings of a life sciences laboratory. The key, constitutive discourse of "reporting" is examined as an activity in which participants jointly sustain the work community of the laboratory and manage their own work within this community. This study seeks to contribute to studies of small groups by focusing upon the multifunctionality and situated nature of the meeting interactions within this enduring "bona fide" group as participants undertake multiple goals associated with their own progress and with the overlapping contexts of the setting. It also seeks to contribute to investigations of institutional talk and activity by examining "reporting" as interaction with institutional and community consequences for members of the community. This study takes a practice-oriented perspective to investigate the laboratory as a community of practice, focusing upon the "activity" of interaction as the overall unit of analysis. Ethnographic materials (involving observation, interviews, conversations, and activity logs) and discourse analysis techniques (involving audiotaping and transcriptions of meetings) were used to locate and record data within a university entomology laboratory over a two year period. Through triangulation of data, "reporting" is identified as a key discourse activity within the laboratory. As situated communicative practice within the weekly meetings, reporting is found to be compelled discourse through which interactants interactively manage one's ongoing goals and activity while temporally situating that activity within the broader stream of laboratory work. This study provides an example of how engagement in situated discursive activity provides for the coordination of individual lines of progress within the ongoing work of a community.

[Proposal for graduate school education in the future: from the viewpoint of the Department of clinical Laboratory in a university hospital].

PubMed

Ishii, Junichi

2009-08-01

Fujita Health University Hospital, located in Toyoake, is a large teaching hospital with 1,505 beds. The Department of Clinical Laboratory in our hospital, in which 136 medical technologists work, is one of the largest clinical laboratories in Japan. Medical technologists in our hospital are required not only to perform accurate laboratory examinations, but also to contribute to the medical care team. In addition, they must educate students and trainee medical technologists. Furthermore, they conduct research to develop and evaluate new laboratory methods. Thus, we hope that education in graduate schools of medical technology (Master's course), along with promoting the specialty of laboratory techniques, will develop students' clinical skills to examine patients and research skills to conduct studies.

Laboratory Governance: Issues for the Study Group on Regional Laboratories.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schultz, Thomas; Dominic, Joseph

Background information and an analysis of issues involved in the governance of new regional educational laboratories are presented. The new laboratories are to be established through a 1984 competition administered by the National Institute of Education (NIE). The analysis is designed to assist the Study Group on Regional Laboratories to advise…

Economic Education Laboratory: Initiating a Meaningful Economic Learning through Laboratory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Noviani, Leny; Soetjipto, Budi Eko; Sabandi, Muhammad

2015-01-01

Laboratory is considered as one of the resources in supporting the learning process. The laboratory can be used as facilities to deepen the concepts, learning methods and enriching students' knowledge and skills. Learning process by utilizing the laboratory facilities can help lecturers and students in grasping the concept easily, constructing the…

A comprehensive Laboratory Services Survey of State Public Health Laboratories.

PubMed

Inhorn, Stanley L; Wilcke, Burton W; Downes, Frances Pouch; Adjanor, Oluwatosin Omolade; Cada, Ronald; Ford, James R

2006-01-01

In November 2004, the Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL) conducted a Comprehensive Laboratory Services Survey of State Public Health Laboratories (SPHLs) in order to establish the baseline data necessary for Healthy People 2010 Objective 23-13. This objective aims to measure the increase in the proportion of health agencies that provide or assure access to comprehensive laboratory services to support essential public health services. This assessment addressed only SPHLs and served as a baseline to periodically evaluate the level of improvement in the provision of laboratory services over the decade ending 2010. The 2004 survey used selected questions that were identified as key indicators of provision of comprehensive laboratory services. The survey was developed in consultation with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Center for Health Statistics, based on newly developed data sources. Forty-seven states and one territory responded to the survey. The survey was based on the 11 core functions of SPHLs as previously defined by APHL. The range of performance among individual laboratories for the 11 core functions (subobjectives) reflects the challenging issues that have confronted SPHLs in the first half of this decade. APHL is now working on a coordinated effort with other stakeholders to create seamless state and national systems for the provision of laboratory services in support of public health programs. These services are necessary to help face the threats raised by the specter of terrorism, emerging infections, and natural disasters.

A Laboratory-based Analysis of Nontuberculous Mycobacterial Lung Disease in Japan from 2012 to 2013.

PubMed

Morimoto, Kozo; Hasegawa, Naoki; Izumi, Kiyohiko; Namkoong, Ho; Uchimura, Kazuhiro; Yoshiyama, Takashi; Hoshino, Yoshihiko; Kurashima, Atsuyuki; Sokunaga, Jun; Shibuya, Shunsuke; Shimojima, Masahiro; Ato, Manabu; Mitarai, Satoshi

2017-01-01

Since 2010, mycobacterial examination results have been used widely to survey nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) lung disease. To reveal the clinical and epidemiological status of NTM lung disease in Japan. All data on the isolation and identification of mycobacteria in 2012 and 2013 were obtained from three dominant commercial laboratories in Japan. Pulmonary NTM disease was defined on the basis of bacteriological diagnostic criteria issued by the American Thoracic Society/Infectious Diseases Society of America. The coverage population was estimated using the ratio between national tuberculosis registration data and laboratory results for each of the eight regions of Japan. A total of 113,313 mycobacterial specimens from 4,710 institutes were collected, and specimens from 26,059 patients tested positive for NTM cultures at least once. Among patients with positive cultures, 7,167 (27.5%) satisfied the American Thoracic Society/Infectious Diseases Society of America criteria for NTM lung disease, resulting in a 2-year prevalence rate of 24.0 per 100,000. Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) was the most commonly isolated species (93.3%), and 29.0% of the patients from whom MAC was isolated satisfied the criteria for NTM lung disease. Individuals older than 70 years of age accounted for the majority of cases, and 65.5% of cases involved females. After MAC, Mycobacterium kansasii and Mycobacterium abscessus exhibited the highest (43.6%) and second-highest (37.1%) incidence per isolation, respectively. The prevalence of M. kansasii was highest in the Kinki region (P < 0.05), and M. abscessus had the greatest prevalence in the Kyushu-Okinawa region (P < 0.005). The proportion of Mycobacterium intracellulare in MAC cases was higher in the southwestern part of Japan than in other regions. The period prevalence was highest in the southwestern part of Japan, and the standardized prevalence ratio was highest in central regions. Evaluations of clarithromycin

Student Understanding of Time in an Introductory Astronomy Laboratory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Traxler, A. L.; Batuski, D. J.; Comins, N. F.; Thompson, J. R.

2005-09-01

The astronomy lab at the University of Maine consists of discrete weekly lessons in which students work in small groups. Individual pretests and post-tests accompany each lesson. The lesson studied here covers the topic of time, including sidereal time, Apparent Solar Time, and time zones. The pretest consists of four multiple-choice questions, which are also administered after instruction as a post-test. In the fall 2004 semester, the pretest was rewritten to focus on some major conceptual components of the lab, while the lesson materials were not modified from previous years. Examination of class performance (n = 96) revealed no significant improvements in score from pre- to post-lesson. In the spring 2005 semester, the lesson was altered to incorporate the Starry Night software for simulating the sky instead of the celestial sphere models previously used. The goal of the change was to give students a more interactive environment for completing the laboratory exercise, which was otherwise altered as little as possible. Data from the spring semester show some gains on the pre/post-test questions covering sidereal time and Daylight Savings Time. Results to date have informed planned modifications to the lesson. A. L. T. was supported during this research by the University of Maine through a Provost Fellowship.

Detection of malignancy in body fluids: a comparison of the hematology and cytology laboratories.

PubMed

Jerz, Jaclyn L; Donohue, Rachel E; Mody, Rayomond R; Schwartz, Mary R; Mody, Dina R; Zieske, Arthur W

2014-05-01

Body fluids submitted to the hematology laboratory for cell counts may also be examined for the presence of malignancy. Previous studies evaluating the hematology laboratory's performance at detecting malignancy in body fluids have reached conflicting conclusions. To investigate the hematology laboratory's ability to detect malignancy in body fluids by comparison with cytology. Retrospective analysis of 414 body fluid samples during an 18-month period, with introduction of new quality assurance measures after the first 210 cases. If no concurrent cytology was ordered, results were compared with recent previous and/or subsequent cytologic, histologic, or flow cytometric diagnoses. Of the initial 210 cases, the hematology laboratory detected 3 of 13 malignancies diagnosed by concurrent cytology (23% sensitivity), with no false-positives (100% specificity). Malignancy was not identified on retrospective review of the hematology slides in the 10 discrepant cases. After the initial study, educational sessions on morphology for the medical technologists and a more thorough hematology-cytology correlation policy were implemented. The subsequent 204 hematology laboratory cases had increased sensitivity for the detection of malignancy (60%; 6 of 10). Definitive features of malignancy were seen in only one discrepant hematology laboratory slide on retrospective review. This case had not been flagged for hematopathologist review. None of the discrepancies before or after implementation of the additional quality assurance measures impacted patient care. Body fluid processing by the hematology laboratory is not optimized for the detection of malignancy. Concurrent cytologic examination is critical for the detection of malignancy, and needs to be considered as cost-saving measures are increasingly implemented.

The quality of research on physical examination for abdominal aortic aneurysm.

PubMed

Nunnelee, Janice D; Spaner, Steven D

2004-03-01

A review of nursing literature revealed no studies regarding physical examination or other interventions (except unit based) for abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA). The physician literature was explored, revealing an excellent meta-analysis in 1999 of studies before that date with regard to physician accuracy in physical examination for AAA. These are reviewed for quality and recommendations made for nursing research and the role of the Society for Vascular Nursing in teaching nurses.

Creep Laboratory manual

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Osgerby, S.; Loveday, M. S.

1992-06-01

A manual for the NPL Creep Laboratory, a collective name given to two testing laboratories, the Uniaxial Creep Laboratory and the Advanced High Temperature Mechanical Testing Laboratory, is presented. The first laboratory is devoted to uniaxial creep testing and houses approximately 50 high sensitivity creep machines including 10 constant stress cam lever machines. The second laboratory houses a low cycle fatigue testing machine of 100 kN capacity driven by a servo-electric actuator, five machines for uniaxial tensile creep testing of engineering ceramics at temperatures up to 1600C, and an electronic creep machine. Details of the operational procedures for carrying out uniaxial creep testing are given. Calibration procedures to be followed in order to comply with the specifications laid down by British standards, and to provide traceability back to the primary standards are described.

Generation and composition of medical wastes from private medical microbiology laboratories.

PubMed

Komilis, Dimitrios; Makroleivaditis, Nikolaos; Nikolakopoulou, Eftychia

2017-03-01

A study on the generation rate and the composition of solid medical wastes (MW) produced by private medical microbiology laboratories (PMML) was conducted in Greece. The novelty of the work is that no such information exists in the literature for this type of laboratories worldwide. Seven laboratories were selected with capacities that ranged from 8 to 88 examinees per day. The study lasted 6months and daily recording of MW weights was done over 30days during that period. The rates were correlated to the number of examinees, examinations and personnel. Results indicated that on average 35% of the total MW was hazardous (infectious) medical wastes (IFMW). The IFMW generation rates ranged from 11.5 to 32.5g examinee -1 d -1 while an average value from all 7 labs was 19.6±9.6g examinee -1 d -1 or 2.27±1.11g examination -1 d -1 . The average urban type medical waste generation rate was 44.2±32.5g examinee -1 d -1 . Using basic regression modeling, it was shown that the number of examinees and examinations can be predictors of the IFMW generation, but not of the urban type MW generation. The number of examinations was a better predictor of the MW amounts than the number of examinees. Statistical comparison of the means of the 7PMML was done with standard ANOVA techniques after checking the normality of the data and after doing the appropriate transformations. Based on the results of this work, it is approximated that 580 tonnes of infectious MW are generated annually by the PMML in Greece. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Inter-laboratory comparison of the in vivo comet assay including three image analysis systems.

PubMed

Plappert-Helbig, Ulla; Guérard, Melanie

2015-12-01

To compare the extent of potential inter-laboratory variability and the influence of different comet image analysis systems, in vivo comet experiments were conducted using the genotoxicants ethyl methanesulfonate and methyl methanesulfonate. Tissue samples from the same animals were processed and analyzed-including independent slide evaluation by image analysis-in two laboratories with extensive experience in performing the comet assay. The analysis revealed low inter-laboratory experimental variability. Neither the use of different image analysis systems, nor the staining procedure of DNA (propidium iodide vs. SYBR® Gold), considerably impacted the results or sensitivity of the assay. In addition, relatively high stability of the staining intensity of propidium iodide-stained slides was found in slides that were refrigerated for over 3 months. In conclusion, following a thoroughly defined protocol and standardized routine procedures ensures that the comet assay is robust and generates comparable results between different laboratories. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

ChemCam rock laser for Mars Science Laboratory "Curiosity"

ScienceCinema

Wiens, Roger

2018-02-06

Los Alamos has a long history of space-related instruments, tied primarily to its role in defense-related treaty verification. Space-based detectors have helped determine the differences between signals from lightning bolts and potential nuclear explosions. LANL-developed gamma-ray detection instruments first revealed the existence of what we now know as gamma-ray bursts, an exciting area of astrophysical research. And the use of LANL instruments on varied space missions continues with such products as the ChemCam rock laser for NASA, shown here. The Engineering Model of the ChemCam Mars Science Laboratory rover instrument arrived at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory on February 6, 2008. The Flight Model was shipped in August, 2010 for installation on the rover at JPL. ChemCam will use imaging and laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) to determine rock and soil compositions on Mars, up to 9 meters from the rover. The engineering model is being integrated into the rover test bed for the development and testing of the rover software. The actual flight model components were concurrently assembled at Los Alamos and in Toulouse, France. The Mars Science Laboratory is scheduled to launch in 2011. Animations courtesy of JPL/NASA.

Utilization of Multimedia Laboratory: An Acceptance Analysis using TAM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Modeong, M.; Palilingan, V. R.

2018-02-01

Multimedia is often utilized by teachers to present a learning materials. Learning that delivered by multimedia enables people to understand the information of up to 60% of the learning in general. To applying the creative learning to the classroom, multimedia presentation needs a laboratory as a space that provides multimedia needs. This study aims to reveal the level of student acceptance on the multimedia laboratories, by explaining the direct and indirect effect of internal support and technology infrastructure. Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) is used as the basis of measurement on this research, through the perception of usefulness, ease of use, and the intention, it’s recognized capable of predicting user acceptance about technology. This study used the quantitative method. The data analysis using path analysis that focuses on trimming models, it’s performed to improve the model of path analysis structure by removing exogenous variables that have insignificant path coefficients. The result stated that Internal Support and Technology Infrastructure are well mediated by TAM variables to measure the level of technology acceptance. The implications suggest that TAM can measure the success of multimedia laboratory utilization in Faculty of Engineering UNIMA.

Students' perceptions of academic dishonesty in a chemistry classroom laboratory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Del Carlo, Dawn Irene

Academic dishonesty has been an important issue in the classroom for as long as the classroom has been in use. Most reports pertain to exams, homework, and plagiarism of term papers but, one area that has not been studied extensively is that of the classroom laboratory. My work focuses on three guiding questions: (1) What are students' perceptions toward academic dishonesty in a laboratory based class? (2) What distinction if any do students make between this type of academic dishonesty compared to dishonesty that may occur in a research laboratory? (3) How if at all do these perceptions change with age and/or research experience? Four major assertions come from this work. The first is that students do not think that what they do in the classroom laboratory is science and consequently do not treat the classroom laboratory differently than any other academic class. Additionally, they make a clear distinction between what happens in a class lab and what happens in a research or industrial lab. Consequently, students perceive there to be a significant difference in dishonesty between those two settings. Finally, this distinction is not as pronounced in graduate students and is seen as an element of maturity. In the process of determining the above assertions, students perceptions on the nature of science were revealed and are also discussed. These beliefs have direct relevance to students' perceptions of dishonesty in both lab atmospheres.

Smoking patterns among Los Alamos National Laboratory employees

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mahoney, M.C.; Wilkinson, G.S.

Smoking patterns among 5507 employees at Los Alamos National Laboratory were investigated for those who underwent physical examinations by occupational physicians from 1978 to 1983. More male than female employees smoked, although differences in smoking rates between the sexes were not as large as differences observed for national smoking rates. Employees over 40 were more likely to smoke than younger employees, males consumed more cigarettes than did females, and Anglo employees smoked more cigarettes than did Hispanic employees. Highly educated employees smoked less than did less-educated workers, and staff members exhibited the lowest rates of smoking. Smoking cessation programs formore » Laboratory employees should be directed toward those subpopulations with the highest rates of smoking. 31 refs., 8 figs., 1 tab.« less

Examination of orbital tissues in murine models of Graves' disease reveals expression of UCP-1 and the TSHR in retrobulbar adipose tissues.

PubMed

Johnson, K T M; Wiesweg, B; Schott, M; Ehlers, M; Müller, M; Minich, W B; Nagayama, Y; Gulbins, E; Eckstein, A K; Berchner-Pfannschmidt, U

2013-06-01

Over the past decade a number of murine models of Graves' disease (GD) have been described. The full symptom complex, including typical orbital changes, however, could not yet be induced. In this report, we examined the influence of modified immunization protocols on orbital pathology. C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice were immunized against the human TSH receptor (TSHR), using either a TSHR encoding plasmid or a TSHR A-subunit adenovirus. Prior to immunization with the TSHR plasmid, regulatory T cells were depleted in one group of each strain. TSHR-stimulating antibodies (TSAbs) were evaluated and orbits were stained immunohistochemically for F4/80, uncoupling protein-1 (UCP-1) and the TSHR. We found that after depletion of regulatory T cells, incidence of TSAb was increased in TSHR plasmid immunized C57BL/6 mice. Examination of early immunized mice showed no antibody production. However, a TSHR epitope-specific cellular immune response could be detected by tetramer-analyses. Adenoviral immunization lead to TSAb production in all but one animal. Analysis of F4/80 positive cells in retrobulbar fat revealed no significant macrophage infiltration in the orbits of immunized mice. Immunohistochemical staining shows co-localization of F4/80 positive cells, UCP-1 and the TSHR in retrobulbar fat. Though targets for TSHR autoimmunity could clearly be shown, immunization methods were not efficient enough to cause clear signs of orbital inflammation. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

9 CFR 147.10 - Laboratory procedure recommended for the bacteriological examination of egg-type breeding flocks...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... the bacteriological examination of egg-type breeding flocks with salmonella enteritidis positive environments. 147.10 Section 147.10 Animals and Animal Products ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE... examination of egg-type breeding flocks with salmonella enteritidis positive environments. Birds selected for...

Preservice laboratory education strengthening enhances sustainable laboratory workforce in Ethiopia

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background There is a severe healthcare workforce shortage in sub Saharan Africa, which threatens achieving the Millennium Development Goals and attaining an AIDS-free generation. The strength of a healthcare system depends on the skills, competencies, values and availability of its workforce. A well-trained and competent laboratory technologist ensures accurate and reliable results for use in prevention, diagnosis, care and treatment of diseases. Methods An assessment of existing preservice education of five medical laboratory schools, followed by remedial intervention and monitoring was conducted. The remedial interventions included 1) standardizing curriculum and implementation; 2) training faculty staff on pedagogical methods and quality management systems; 3) providing teaching materials; and 4) procuring equipment for teaching laboratories to provide practical skills to complement didactic education. Results A total of 2,230 undergraduate students from the five universities benefitted from the standardized curriculum. University of Gondar accounted for 252 of 2,230 (11.3%) of the students, Addis Ababa University for 663 (29.7%), Jimma University for 649 (29.1%), Haramaya University for 429 (19.2%) and Hawassa University for 237 (10.6%) of the students. Together the universities graduated 388 and 312 laboratory technologists in 2010/2011 and 2011/2012 academic year, respectively. Practical hands-on training and experience with well-equipped laboratories enhanced and ensured skilled, confident and competent laboratory technologists upon graduation. Conclusions Strengthening preservice laboratory education is feasible in resource-limited settings, and emphasizing its merits (ample local capacity, country ownership and sustainability) provides a valuable source of competent laboratory technologists to relieve an overstretched healthcare system. PMID:24164781

Analyzing Inquiry Questions of High-School Students in a Gas Chromatography Open-Ended Laboratory Experiment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blonder, Ron; Mamlock-Naaman, Rachel; Hofstein, Avi

2008-01-01

This paper describes the implementation of an open-ended inquiry experiment for high-school students, based on gas chromatography (GC). The research focuses on identifying the level of questions that students ask during the GC open inquiry laboratory, and it examines whether implementing the advanced inquiry laboratory opens up new directions for…

Student performance on practical gross anatomy examinations is not affected by assessment modality.

PubMed

Meyer, Amanda J; Innes, Stanley I; Stomski, Norman J; Armson, Anthony J

2016-01-01

Anatomical education is becoming modernized, not only in its teaching and learning, but also in its assessment formats. Traditional "steeplechase" examinations are being replaced with online gross anatomy examinations. The aims of this study were to: (1) determine if online anatomy practical examinations are equivalent to traditional anatomy practical examinations; and (2) to examine if students' perceptions of the online or laboratory testing environments influenced their performance on the examinations. In phase one, 10 third-year students were interviewed to generate perception items to which five anatomy lecturers assigned content validity. In phase two, students' gross anatomical knowledge was assessed by examinations in two modes and their perceptions were examined using the devised survey instrument. Forty-five second-year chiropractic students voluntarily participated in Phase Two. The two randomly allocated groups completed the examinations in a sequential cross-over manner. Student performance on the gross anatomy examination was not different between traditional "steeplechase" (mean ± standard deviation (SD): 69 ± 11%) and online (68 ± 15%) modes. The majority of students (87%) agreed that they felt comfortable using computers for gross anatomy examinations. However, fewer students found it easy to orientate images of cadaver specimens online. The majority of students (85%) agreed that they felt comfortable working with cadavers but there was less agreement on the effect of moving around the laboratory during practical examinations. This data will allow anatomists to confidently implement online assessments without fear of jeopardizing academic rigor or student performance. © 2015 American Association of Anatomists.

Safety in laboratories: Indian scenario.

PubMed

Mustafa, Ajaz; Farooq, A Jan; Qadri, Gj; S A, Tabish

2008-07-01

Health and safety in clinical laboratories is becoming an increasingly important subject as a result of emergence of highly infectious diseases such as Hepatitis and HIV. A cross sectional study was carried out to study the safety measures being adopted in clinical laboratories of India. Heads of laboratories of teaching hospitals of India were subjected to a standardized, pretested questionnaire. Response rate was 44.8%. only 60% of laboratories had person in-charge of safety in laboratory. Seventy three percent of laboratories had safety education program regarding hazards. In 91% of laboratories staff is using protective clothing while working in laboratories. Hazardous material regulations are followed in 78% of laboratories. Regular health check ups are carried among laboratory staff in 43.4% of laboratories.Safety manual is available in 56.5% of laboratories. 73.9% of laboratories are equipped with fire extinguishers. Fume cupboards are provided in 34.7% of laboratories and they are regularly checked in 87.5% of these laboratories. In 78.26% of laboratories suitable measures are taken to minimize formation of aerosols.In 95.6% of laboratories waste is disposed off as per bio-medical waste management handling rules. Laboratory of one private medical college was accredited with NABL and safety parameters were better in that laboratory. Installing safety engineered devices apparently contributes to significant decrease in injuries in laboratories; laboratory safety has to be a part of overall quality assurance programme in hospitals. Accreditation has to be made necessary for all laboratories.

The Red Effect, Anxiety, and Exam Performance: A Multistudy Examination

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smajic, Adnan; Merritt, Stephanie; Banister, Christina; Blinebry, Amanda

2014-01-01

Laboratory studies have established a negative relationship between the color red and academic performance. This research examined whether this effect would generalize to classroom performance and whether anxiety and negative affect might mediate the effect. In two studies, students taking classroom exams were randomly assigned an exam color. We…

Students' perceptions of laboratory science careers: changing ideas with an education module.

PubMed

Haun, Daniel; Leach, Argie; Lawrence, Louann; Jarreau, Patsy

2005-01-01

To assess the effectiveness of a Web-based education module in changing students' perceptions of laboratory science careers. Perception was measured with a short examination and then a Web-based exercise was presented. Following the exercise, the test was administered again. Frequency data from the pre-test and post-test were compared for changes in perception. The correlated pre-test/post-test pairs were also examined for opinion changes and these were analyzed for significance. Large parochial high schools in New Orleans, Louisiana. A small team visited the schools during their appointed class times for biology. Study participants were high school biology students in grades 9-10. Two-hundred-forty-five students participated (149 male and 96 female). A Web-based exercise on blood film examination was presented to the students in a classroom setting (www.mclno.org/labpartners/index_03.htm). The exercise contained focused messages about: (1) the numbers of healthcare workers acquiring AIDS from on-the-job exposure and (2) common career paths available to the laboratory science workforce. The shift in perception of: What medical service generates the most diagnostic data. Which professional group performs laboratory tests. The risk of acquiring AIDS while working in the healthcare setting. Interest in a science-related career. How much education is required to work in a science-related field. The intervention significantly shifted perception in all areas measured except that of interest in a science-related career. Many students perceive that the risk of acquiring AIDS while working in the healthcare setting is "high". Web-based presentations and similar partnerships with science teachers can change perceptions that might lead to increased interest in clinical laboratory science careers.

A relic of the Wellcome Tropical Research Laboratories in Khartoum (1903–34)

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

This article explores the origins of an old brass monocular microscope in the Central Laboratory in Khartoum, which used to be the Wellcome Tropical Research Laboratory in Khartoum (1903–1934). Examination of the microscope and review of published literature gave clues to the historical background of this microscope. Identical microscopes were first manufactured by R and J Beck in 1898, and continued to be advertised in 1899. The microscope was probably among the instruments provided by Wellcome for the initial establishment of the laboratories in 1902–1903. The article includes a brief review of the development of light microscopy. The need for preservation and proper restoration of old relics of the Wellcome laboratories in Khartoum is emphasized. PMID:27651557

ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS INFLUENCING METHANOGENESIS IN A SHALLOW ANOXIC AQUIFER: A FIELD AND LABORATORY STUDY

EPA Science Inventory

The environmental factors influencing methanogenesis in a shallow anoxic aquifer were probed in a combined field and laboratory study. Field data collected over a year revealed that in situ rates of methane production were depressed in winter and elevated in summer. Over the same...

Training strategies for laboratory animal veterinarians: challenges and opportunities.

PubMed

Colby, Lesley A; Turner, Patricia V; Vasbinder, Mary Ann

2007-01-01

The field of laboratory animal medicine is experiencing a serious shortage of appropriately trained veterinarians for both clinically related and research-oriented positions within academia, industry, and government. Recent outreach efforts sponsored by professional organizations have stimulated increased interest in the field. It is an opportune time to critically review and evaluate postgraduate training opportunities in the United States and Canada, including formal training programs, informal training, publicly accessible training resources and educational opportunities, and newly emerging training resources such as Internet-based learning aids. Challenges related to each of these training opportunities exist and include increasing enrollment in formal programs, securing adequate funding support, ensuring appropriate content between formal programs that may have diverse objectives, and accommodating the training needs of veterinarians who enter the field by the experience route. Current training opportunities and resources that exist for veterinarians who enter and are established within the field of laboratory animal science are examined. Strategies for improving formal laboratory animal medicine training programs and for developing alternative programs more suited to practicing clinical veterinarians are discussed. In addition, the resources for high-quality continuing education of experienced laboratory animal veterinarians are reviewed.

Examining the Literature to Reveal the Nature of Community EE/ESD Programs and Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aguilar, Olivia M.

2018-01-01

Interest in community environmental education (EE) and community education for sustainable development (ESD) is increasing, as evidenced by the increase in studies examining community EE/ESD approaches and NAAEE's current development of the Community EE Guidelines for Excellence. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to: (1) provide a review of…

Undergraduate Chemistry Laboratory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bretz, Stacey Lowery; Fay, Michael; Bruck, Laura B.; Towns, Marcy H.

2013-01-01

Forty chemistry faculty from American Chemical Society-approved departments were interviewed to determine their goals for undergraduate chemistry laboratory. Faculty were stratified by type of institution, departmental success with regard to National Science Foundation funding for laboratory reform, and level of laboratory course. Interview…

Laboratory Response to Ebola - West Africa and United States.

PubMed

Sealy, Tara K; Erickson, Bobbie R; Taboy, Céline H; Ströher, Ute; Towner, Jonathan S; Andrews, Sharon E; Rose, Laura E; Weirich, Elizabeth; Lowe, Luis; Klena, John D; Spiropoulou, Christina F; Rayfield, Mark A; Bird, Brian H

2016-07-08

The 2014-2016 Ebola virus disease (Ebola) epidemic in West Africa highlighted the need to maintain organized laboratory systems or networks that can be effectively reorganized to implement new diagnostic strategies and laboratory services in response to large-scale events. Although previous Ebola outbreaks enabled establishment of critical laboratory practice safeguards and diagnostic procedures, this Ebola outbreak in West Africa highlighted the need for planning and preparedness activities that are better adapted to emerging pathogens or to pathogens that have attracted little commercial interest. The crisis underscored the need for better mechanisms to streamline development and evaluation of new diagnostic assays, transfer of material and specimens between countries and organizations, and improved processes for rapidly deploying health workers with specific laboratory expertise. The challenges and events of the outbreak forced laboratorians to examine not only the comprehensive capacities of existing national laboratory systems to recognize and respond to events, but also their sustainability over time and the mechanisms that need to be pre-established to ensure effective response. Critical to this assessment was the recognition of how response activities (i.e., infrastructure support, logistics, and workforce supplementation) can be used or repurposed to support the strengthening of national laboratory systems during the postevent transition to capacity building and recovery. This report compares CDC's domestic and international laboratory response engagements and lessons learned that can improve future responses in support of the International Health Regulations and Global Health Security Agenda initiatives.The activities summarized in this report would not have been possible without collaboration with many U.S. and international partners (http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/outbreaks/2014-west-africa/partners.html).

Washback of English National Examination in the Indonesian Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Furaidah; Saukah, Ali; Widiati, Utami

2015-01-01

This study examines how teachers teach English to prepare students for high-stakes English national examination in the Indonesian context. Data were collected from two high-achieving and three low-achieving schools with eleven teachers as the subjects of in-depth interviews and non-participatory classroom observations. The findings reveal that…

Laboratory Equipment Criteria.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

State Univ. Construction Fund, Albany, NY.

Requirements for planning, designing, constructing and installing laboratory furniture are given in conjunction with establishing facility criteria for housing laboratory equipment. Furniture and equipment described include--(1) center tables, (2) reagent racks, (3) laboratory benches and their mechanical fixtures, (4) sink and work counters, (5)…

42 CFR 493.1355 - Condition: Laboratories performing PPM procedures; laboratory director.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 42 Public Health 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Condition: Laboratories performing PPM procedures; laboratory director. 493.1355 Section 493.1355 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) STANDARDS AND CERTIFICATION LABORATORY REQUIREMENTS...

42 CFR 493.1355 - Condition: Laboratories performing PPM procedures; laboratory director.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 42 Public Health 5 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Condition: Laboratories performing PPM procedures; laboratory director. 493.1355 Section 493.1355 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) STANDARDS AND CERTIFICATION LABORATORY REQUIREMENTS...

Genome sequencing reveals loci under artificial selection that underlie disease phenotypes in the laboratory rat.

PubMed

Atanur, Santosh S; Diaz, Ana Garcia; Maratou, Klio; Sarkis, Allison; Rotival, Maxime; Game, Laurence; Tschannen, Michael R; Kaisaki, Pamela J; Otto, Georg W; Ma, Man Chun John; Keane, Thomas M; Hummel, Oliver; Saar, Kathrin; Chen, Wei; Guryev, Victor; Gopalakrishnan, Kathirvel; Garrett, Michael R; Joe, Bina; Citterio, Lorena; Bianchi, Giuseppe; McBride, Martin; Dominiczak, Anna; Adams, David J; Serikawa, Tadao; Flicek, Paul; Cuppen, Edwin; Hubner, Norbert; Petretto, Enrico; Gauguier, Dominique; Kwitek, Anne; Jacob, Howard; Aitman, Timothy J

2013-08-01

Large numbers of inbred laboratory rat strains have been developed for a range of complex disease phenotypes. To gain insights into the evolutionary pressures underlying selection for these phenotypes, we sequenced the genomes of 27 rat strains, including 11 models of hypertension, diabetes, and insulin resistance, along with their respective control strains. Altogether, we identified more than 13 million single-nucleotide variants, indels, and structural variants across these rat strains. Analysis of strain-specific selective sweeps and gene clusters implicated genes and pathways involved in cation transport, angiotensin production, and regulators of oxidative stress in the development of cardiovascular disease phenotypes in rats. Many of the rat loci that we identified overlap with previously mapped loci for related traits in humans, indicating the presence of shared pathways underlying these phenotypes in rats and humans. These data represent a step change in resources available for evolutionary analysis of complex traits in disease models. Copyright © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Genome Sequencing Reveals Loci under Artificial Selection that Underlie Disease Phenotypes in the Laboratory Rat

PubMed Central

Atanur, Santosh S.; Diaz, Ana Garcia; Maratou, Klio; Sarkis, Allison; Rotival, Maxime; Game, Laurence; Tschannen, Michael R.; Kaisaki, Pamela J.; Otto, Georg W.; Ma, Man Chun John; Keane, Thomas M.; Hummel, Oliver; Saar, Kathrin; Chen, Wei; Guryev, Victor; Gopalakrishnan, Kathirvel; Garrett, Michael R.; Joe, Bina; Citterio, Lorena; Bianchi, Giuseppe; McBride, Martin; Dominiczak, Anna; Adams, David J.; Serikawa, Tadao; Flicek, Paul; Cuppen, Edwin; Hubner, Norbert; Petretto, Enrico; Gauguier, Dominique; Kwitek, Anne; Jacob, Howard; Aitman, Timothy J.

2013-01-01

Summary Large numbers of inbred laboratory rat strains have been developed for a range of complex disease phenotypes. To gain insights into the evolutionary pressures underlying selection for these phenotypes, we sequenced the genomes of 27 rat strains, including 11 models of hypertension, diabetes, and insulin resistance, along with their respective control strains. Altogether, we identified more than 13 million single-nucleotide variants, indels, and structural variants across these rat strains. Analysis of strain-specific selective sweeps and gene clusters implicated genes and pathways involved in cation transport, angiotensin production, and regulators of oxidative stress in the development of cardiovascular disease phenotypes in rats. Many of the rat loci that we identified overlap with previously mapped loci for related traits in humans, indicating the presence of shared pathways underlying these phenotypes in rats and humans. These data represent a step change in resources available for evolutionary analysis of complex traits in disease models. PaperClip PMID:23890820

Theme: Laboratory Instruction.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bruening, Thomas H.; And Others

1992-01-01

A series of theme articles discuss setting up laboratory hydroponics units, the school farm at the Zuni Pueblo in New Mexico, laboratory experiences in natural resources management and urban horticulture, the development of teaching labs at Derry (PA) High School, management of instructional laboratories, and industry involvement in agricultural…

Laboratory Medicine Education at U.S. Medical Schools: A 2014 Status Report.

PubMed

Smith, Brian R; Kamoun, Malek; Hickner, John

2016-01-01

To assess the current state of laboratory medicine education at U.S. medical schools. From 2013 to 2014, the authors surveyed the appropriate dean, department chair, or undergraduate education director at each U.S. medical school accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education about the state of laboratory medicine education, curriculum and competency assessment, and barriers to education at his or her institution. The authors used descriptive statistics to analyze the results. The authors received 98 (75%) responses. Eighty-two schools (84%) offered course work in laboratory medicine; 76 (78%) required it. The median number of hours of required course work was 12.5, with 8.0 devoted to lectures and 4.5 to small-group, problem-based learning and/or laboratory sessions. Only 8 schools required training in a clinical setting. Fewer than half reported regular, formal review of the laboratory medicine curriculum. The assessment of students' competency in laboratory medicine was rare (8 schools), and only half of respondents were aware of published curriculum guidelines. Barriers to teaching laboratory medicine included lack of sufficient time in the preclinical curriculum (86; 88%) or clinical curriculum (84; 86%), lack of knowledge of best laboratory practices by residents (70; 72%), lack of student interest (62; 63%), and lack of knowledge by attending physicians (58; 59%). Half of respondents were likely to use a national standardized examination to assess competency in laboratory medicine, if one was available. Significant opportunities exist to improve laboratory medicine education, including in the proper use and interpretation of clinical laboratory testing.

Laboratory Medicine Education at U.S. Medical Schools: A 2014 Status Report

PubMed Central

Smith, Brian R.; Kamoun, Malek; Hickner, John

2017-01-01

Purpose To assess the current state of laboratory medicine education at U.S. medical schools. Method From 2013 to 2014, the authors surveyed the appropriate dean, department chair, or undergraduate education director at each U.S. medical school accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education about the state of laboratory medicine education, curriculum and competency assessment, and barriers to education at his or her institution. The authors used descriptive statistics to analyze the results. Results The authors received 98 (75%) responses. Eighty-two schools (84%) offered course work in laboratory medicine; 76 (78%) required it. The median number of hours of required course work was 12.5, with 8.0 devoted to lectures and 4.5 to small-group, problem-based learning and/or laboratory sessions. Only 8 schools required training in a clinical setting. Fewer than half reported regular, formal review of the laboratory medicine curriculum. The assessment of students’ competency in laboratory medicine was rare (8 schools), and only half of respondents were aware of published curriculum guidelines. Barriers to teaching laboratory medicine included lack of sufficient time in the preclinical curriculum (86; 88%) or clinical curriculum (84; 86%), lack of knowledge of best laboratory practices by residents (70; 72%), lack of student interest (62; 63%), and lack of knowledge by attending physicians (58; 59%). Half of respondents were likely to use a national standardized examination to assess competency in laboratory medicine, if one was available. Conclusions Significant opportunities exist to improve laboratory medicine education, including in the proper use and interpretation of clinical laboratory testing. PMID:26200574

Examining Infants' Cortisol Responses to Laboratory Tasks among Children Varying in Attachment Disorganization: Stress Reactivity or Return to Baseline?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bernard, Kristin; Dozier, Mary

2010-01-01

Cortisol is a hormone involved in mounting a stress response in humans. The evidence of stress reactivity among young children has been mixed, however. In the present study, the order of two laboratory tasks (i.e., Strange Situation and play) was counterbalanced, and home saliva samples were obtained. Saliva samples were also collected upon the…

Physical examination in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.

PubMed

Diab, Mohammad

2007-04-01

The following distinguish the physical examination in scoliosis: it is extensive, it is revealing, and it influences treatment. Throughout this discussion, reference frequently is made to evaluation for underlying neural disease. Idiopathic scoliosis is a diagnosis of exclusion, and a neural etiology of spinal deformity must be ruled out in every case.

Safety in the Chemical Laboratory: Procedures for Laboratory Destruction of Chemicals.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McKusick, Blaine C.

1984-01-01

Discusses a National Research Council report which summarizes what laboratories need to know about Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Transportation regulations that apply to laboratory waste. The report provides guidelines for establishing and operating waste management systems for laboratories and gives specific advice on waste…

Inter-laboratory comparison measurements of radiochemical laboratories in Slovakia.

PubMed

Meresová, J; Belanová, A; Vrsková, M

2010-01-01

The first inter-laboratory comparison organized by the radiochemistry laboratory of Water Research Institute (WRI) in Bratislava was carried out in 1993 and since then is it realized on an annual basis and about 10 radiochemical laboratories from all over Slovakia are participating. The gross alpha and gross beta activities, and the activity concentrations of (222)Rn, tritium, and (226)Ra, and U(nat) concentration in synthetic water samples are compared. The distributed samples are covering the concentration range prevailing in potable and surface waters and are prepared by dilution of certified reference materials. Over the course of the years 1993-2008, we observed the improvement in the quality of results for most of the laboratories. However, the success rate of the gross alpha determination activity is not improving as much as the other parameters. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A professional development model for medical laboratory scientists working in the microbiology laboratory.

PubMed

Amerson, Megan H; Pulido, Lila; Garza, Melinda N; Ali, Faheem A; Greenhill, Brandy; Einspahr, Christopher L; Yarsa, Joseph; Sood, Pramilla K; Hu, Peter C

2012-01-01

The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Division of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine is committed to providing the best pathology and medicine through: state-of-the art techniques, progressive ground-breaking research, education and training for the clinical diagnosis and research of cancer and related diseases. After surveying the laboratory staff and other hospital professionals, the Department administrators and Human Resource generalists developed a professional development model for Microbiology to support laboratory skills, behavior, certification, and continual education within its staff. This model sets high standards for the laboratory professionals to allow the labs to work at their fullest potential; it provides organization to training technologists based on complete laboratory needs instead of training technologists in individual areas in which more training is required if the laboratory needs them to work in other areas. This model is a working example for all microbiology based laboratories who want to set high standards and want their staff to be acknowledged for demonstrated excellence and professional development in the laboratory. The PDM model is designed to focus on the needs of the laboratory as well as the laboratory professionals.

Early events in plant hypersensitive response leaves revealed by IR thermography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boccara, Martine; Boue, Christine; De Paepe, Rosine; Boccara, Albert C.

2001-10-01

Infrared thermography is used to reveal the establishment of Erwinia amylovora harpin-induced hypersensitive response (HR) in Nicotiana sylvestris leaves. We observed a decrease in temperature (1-2 degree(s)C) in the harpin infiltrated zone, correlated with an increase in stomatal opening, strongly suggesting that the temperature decrease is due to higher transpiration rate. IRT experiments were conducted in a laboratory environment and could be widely applied for genotype screening and monitoring drug effects.

Large-scale laboratory observations of wave forces on a highway bridge superstructure.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-10-01

The experimental setup and data are presented for a laboratory experiment conducted to examine realistic wave forcing on a highway bridge : superstructure. The experiments measure wave conditions along with the resulting forces, pressures, and struct...

Service Quality and Patient Satisfaction: An Exploratory Study of Pathology Laboratories in Jaipur.

PubMed

Agarwal, Anuradha; Singh, Maithili R P

2016-01-01

One of the most important parts of healthcare system is diagnostics. Nowadays, Indians have become more aware of their health, due to improved and better availability of health related information, increase in medical tourism, and expanding health insurance. The demand for better diagnostic facilities have increased with the increase in lifestyle related diseases, excesses use of chemicals in agriculture practices and change in food habits. It is expected that the Indian diagnostic market will grow from USD $5 billion in the year 2012 to USD $32 billion by the year 2020 with 20% CAGR (India Brand Equity Foundation 2015 ). Today patients have easy access of information regarding the health services and they have become more concerned about it as they look forward to receiving the maximum value for their money. To win the confidence of the patients and to maintain that trust, it is required to deliver the right services to the right person at the right time. The purpose of this study was to develop a scale to measure the service quality at pathology laboratory. A thorough review of literature revealed that there are studies related to healthcare service quality but there is no such established scale to measure service quality of pathology laboratory. Thus, the authors strived to develop a reliable and valid instrument to measure the patients' perception toward pathology laboratory service quality. For this exploratory study was conducted on the sample of 80 patients of the laboratories in Jaipur city. The reliability and factor structures were tested to purify the scale. The findings revealed 13 items, comprising of three dimensions of service quality: responsiveness, tangibility, and reliability.

Toward a Mouse Neuroethology in the Laboratory Environment

PubMed Central

Hellier, Jennifer L.; Ly, Xuan; Koka, Kanthaiah; Tollin, Daniel J.; Restrepo, Diego

2010-01-01

In this report we demonstrate that differences in cage type brought unexpected effects on aggressive behavior and neuroanatomical features of the mouse olfactory bulb. A careful characterization of two cage types, including a comparison of the auditory and temperature environments, coupled with a demonstration that naris occlusion abolishes the neuroanatomical changes, lead us to conclude that a likely important factor mediating the phenotypic changes we find is the olfactory environment of the two cages. We infer that seemingly innocuous changes in cage environment can affect sensory input relevant to mice and elicit profound effects on neural output. Study of the neural mechanisms underlying animal behavior in the laboratory environment should be broadened to include neuroethological approaches to examine how the laboratory environment (beyond animal well-being and enrichment) influences neural systems and behavior. PMID:20613876

The economic impact of poor sample quality in clinical chemistry laboratories: results from a global survey.

PubMed

Erdal, Erik P; Mitra, Debanjali; Khangulov, Victor S; Church, Stephen; Plokhoy, Elizabeth

2017-03-01

Background Despite advances in clinical chemistry testing, poor blood sample quality continues to impact laboratory operations and the quality of results. While previous studies have identified the preanalytical causes of lower sample quality, few studies have examined the economic impact of poor sample quality on the laboratory. Specifically, the costs associated with workarounds related to fibrin and gel contaminants remain largely unexplored. Methods A quantitative survey of clinical chemistry laboratory stakeholders across 10 international regions, including countries in North America, Europe and Oceania, was conducted to examine current blood sample testing practices, sample quality issues and practices to remediate poor sample quality. Survey data were used to estimate costs incurred by laboratories to mitigate sample quality issues. Results Responses from 164 participants were included in the analysis, which was focused on three specific issues: fibrin strands, fibrin masses and gel globules. Fibrin strands were the most commonly reported issue, with an overall incidence rate of ∼3%. Further, 65% of respondents indicated that these issues contribute to analyzer probe clogging, and the majority of laboratories had visual inspection and manual remediation practices in place to address fibrin- and gel-related quality problems (55% and 70%, respectively). Probe maintenance/replacement, visual inspection and manual remediation were estimated to carry significant costs for the laboratories surveyed. Annual cost associated with lower sample quality and remediation related to fibrin and/or gel globules for an average US laboratory was estimated to be $100,247. Conclusions Measures to improve blood sample quality present an important step towards improved laboratory operations.

Teaching Laboratory Renovation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Al-Zuhairi, Ali Jassim; Al-Dahhan, Wedad; Hussein, Falah

Scientists at universities across Iraq are actively working to report actual incidents and accidents occurring in their laboratories, as well as structural improvements made to improve safety and security, to raise awareness and encourage openness, leading to widespread adoption of robust Chemical Safety and Security (CSS) practices. The improvement of students’ understanding of concepts in science and its applications, practical scientific skills and understanding of how science and scientists work in laboratory experiences have been considered key aspects of education in science for over 100 years. Facility requirements for the necessary level of safety and security combined with specific requirementsmore » relevant to the course to be conducted dictate the structural design of a particular laboratory, and the design process must address both. This manuscript is the second in a series of five case studies describing laboratory incidents, accidents, and laboratory improvements. We summarize the process used to guide a major renovation of the chemistry instructional laboratory facilities at Al-Nahrain University and discuss lessons learned from the project.« less

Does Agricultural Mechanics Laboratory Size Affect Agricultural Education Teachers' Job Satisfaction?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Byrd, Alex Preston; Anderson, Ryan G.; Paulsen, Thomas H.

2015-01-01

Secondary agricultural education teachers were surveyed to examine if a relationship existed between the physical attributes of agricultural mechanics laboratories and agricultural education teachers' enjoyment of teaching agricultural mechanics. Teachers also indicated their competence to teach courses other than agricultural mechanics within the…

Accelerated laboratory weathering of acrylic lens materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arndt, Thomas; Richter, Steffen; Kogler, René; Pasierb, Mike; Walby, Christopher

2015-09-01

Flat samples from various poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) formulations were subjected to outdoor weathering in Arizona and Florida, EMMAQUA® accelerated outdoor weathering, and two accelerated laboratory weathering procedures at 3 Sun irradiance which, imitate dry (Arizona) and wet (Florida) conditions. The main mode of degradation is yellowing and not the generation of haze for any weathering procedure within the investigated radiant exposure. Higher UV absorber concentrations lead to smaller changes in optical properties and in the resulting relative concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) module efficiencies. Comparison of sample properties after various weathering procedures reveals that the influence of weathering factors other than radiant exposure depends on the sample as well.

Cognitive knowledge, attitude toward science, and skill development in virtual science laboratories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Babaie, Mahya

The purpose of this quantitative, descriptive, single group, pretest posttest design study was to explore the influence of a Virtual Science Laboratory (VSL) on middle school students' cognitive knowledge, skill development, and attitudes toward science. This study involved 2 eighth grade Physical Science classrooms at a large urban charter middle school located in Southern California. The Buoyancy and Density Test (BDT), a computer generated test, assessed students' scientific knowledge in areas of Buoyancy and Density. The Attitude Toward Science Inventory (ATSI), a multidimensional survey assessment, measured students' attitudes toward science in the areas of value of science in society, motivation in science, enjoyment of science, self-concept regarding science, and anxiety toward science. A Virtual Laboratory Packet (VLP), generated by the researcher, captured students' mathematical and scientific skills. Data collection was conducted over a period of five days. BDT and ATSI assessments were administered twice: once before the Buoyancy and Density VSL to serve as baseline data (pre) and also after the VSL (post). The findings of this study revealed that students' cognitive knowledge and attitudes toward science were positively changed as expected, however, the results from paired sample t-tests found no statistical significance. Analyses indicated that VSLs were effective in supporting students' scientific knowledge and attitude toward science. The attitudes most changed were value of science in society and enjoyment of science with mean differences of 1.71 and 0.88, respectively. Researchers and educational practitioners are urged to further examine VSLs, covering a variety of topics, with more middle school students to assess their learning outcomes. Additionally, it is recommended that publishers in charge of designing the VSLs communicate with science instructors and research practitioners to further improve the design and analytic components of these

Factors associated with rape as predictors of laboratory aggression against women.

PubMed

Malamuth, N M

1983-08-01

This study examined the relation between factors associated with "real"-world aggression against women and laboratory aggression. In the first phase of the research, assessment was made of the attitudes about aggression against women and of the sexual responsiveness to rape of 42 male subjects. In the second phase of the research, which subjects believed was a totally independent experiment, aggression was assessed within a Buss paradigm. It was found that the factors assessed in the first phase successfully predicted men's laboratory aggression in the second research phase. The data are interpreted as supporting the construct validity of (a) theory that suggests that common factors underlie varied acts of aggression against women, (b) the measures designed to predict aggressive tendencies, and (c) the methodology of assessing aggression within a laboratory context.

Cost of gentamicin assays carried out by microbiology laboratories.

PubMed Central

Vacani, P F; Malek, M M; Davey, P G

1993-01-01

AIMS--To assess the current range of prices charged for gentamicin assays in United Kingdom laboratories; and to examine the laboratories' likely response to increases or decreases in the demand for the service. METHODS--A postal survey of the 420 members of the Association of Medical Microbiologists was used to establish the range of prices charged for aminoglycoside assays. Additionally, eight private institutions were contacted to determine what the private sector was charging for aminoglycoside assays. Reagent costs in the NHS laboratories were calculated by dividing the total cost of all aminoglycoside assay kits by the number of samples analysed. RESULTS--The NHS and the private institutions both showed a wide price variation. Prices charged to an in-hospital requester for a peak and trough assay ranged from 5.00 pounds to 68.20 pounds (n = 44), and to an external private hospital, under a bulk service contract, from 5.00 pounds to 96.00 pounds (n = 47). Prices charged by private laboratories ranged from 49.00 pounds to 84.00 pounds (n = 8). There was a log linear correlation in the NHS laboratories between the reagent costs per assay and the number of assays performed per year, and most laboratories thought that their price per assay would be sensitive to increases or decreases in demand. Laboratories which had purchased their assay machines had lower reagent costs per assay but higher repair and maintenance costs. Overall, number of assays performed and method of payment for assay machinery only accounted for 44.8% of the observed variation in assay kit costs. CONCLUSIONS--The price range for gentamicin assays in the United Kingdom is wide and is only partially explained by the number of assays performed. Most laboratories believe that they would experience a reduction in unit cost as output increases. The currently offered range of prices is, in part, due to variation in the laboratories' approach to costing the service provided and some laboratories

Dehydration of 2-Methyl-1-Cyclohexanol: New Findings from a Popular Undergraduate Laboratory Experiment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Friesen, J. Brent; Schretzman, Robert

2011-01-01

The mineral acid-catalyzed dehydration of 2-methyl-1-cyclohexanol has been a popular laboratory exercise in second-year organic chemistry for several decades. The dehydration experiment is often performed by organic chemistry students to illustrate Zaitsev's rule. However, sensitive analytical techniques reveal that the results do not entirely…

Implementing a laboratory automation system: experience of a large clinical laboratory.

PubMed

Lam, Choong Weng; Jacob, Edward

2012-02-01

Laboratories today face increasing pressure to automate their operations as they are challenged by a continuing increase in workload, need to reduce expenditure, and difficulties in recruitment of experienced technical staff. Was the implementation of a laboratory automation system (LAS) in the Clinical Biochemistry Laboratory at Singapore General Hospital successful? There is no simple answer, so the following topics comparing and contrasting pre- and post-LAS have been explored: turnaround time (TAT), laboratory errors, and staff satisfaction. The benefits and limitations of LAS from the laboratory experience were also reviewed. The mean TAT for both stat and routine samples decreased post-LAS (30% and 13.4%, respectively). In the 90th percentile TAT chart, a 29% reduction was seen in the processing of stat samples on the LAS. However, no significant difference in the 90th percentile TAT was observed with routine samples. It was surprising to note that laboratory errors increased post-LAS. Considerable effort was needed to overcome the initial difficulties associated with adjusting to a new system, new software, and new working procedures. Although some of the known advantages and limitations of LAS have been validated, the claimed benefits such as improvements in TAT, laboratory errors, and staff morale were not evident in the initial months.

A Study of the Effectiveness of the Instructional Systems Laboratory.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Philipson, Will D.; Chan-Tam, Pik Wai

A survey examined perception and use of the services of the Instructional Systems Laboratory (ISL) by the faculty of the University of Minnesota's College of Education. The questionnaire, mailed to all College of Education faculty members, emphasized faculty perception of instructional systems in the following areas: (1) instructional commitment:…

Temperament in bullheads: do laboratory and field explorative behaviour variables correlate?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kobler, Alexander; Engelen, Brecht; Knaepkens, Guy; Eens, Marcel

2009-10-01

The relevance of temperament traits for life history strategy or productivity is increasingly acknowledged. Temperament traits are often either observed in captivity or in the wild, but studies combining both observations are very rare. We examine whether exploratory behaviour in the bullhead ( Cottus perifretum), assayed under laboratory conditions, predicts this behaviour under field conditions. Forty-three PIT-tagged individuals were first assayed for exploration of a novel environment in the aquarium and then released into an unfamiliar stream stretch, where they were later relocated using a mobile antenna. Explorative behaviour assayed in the laboratory was significantly positively related to the exploration in the field, thus predicting distance moved in the field release. Both in the laboratory and in the field, explorative behaviour was not related to individual body length. When bullheads that did not leave the refuge in the aquarium (laboratory assay) and, therefore, did not explore the new environment were excluded from the analysis, the correlation between laboratory and field explorative behaviour variables became weaker. However, overall, our results illustrate that exploration rate of bullheads in isolated single-individual experiments can be used to predict this behaviour in the natural ecosystem.

Contextual Influences on Concordance between Maternal Report and Laboratory Observation of Toddler Fear

PubMed Central

Kiel, Elizabeth J.; Hummel, Alexandra C.

2016-01-01

Emotion and temperament researchers have faced an enduring issue of how to best measure children’s tendencies to express specific emotions. Inconsistencies between laboratory observation and parental report have made it challenging for researchers to determine the utility of these different forms of measurement. The current study examined the effect of laboratory episode characteristics (i.e., threat-level of the episode, maternal involvement) on concordance between maternal report and laboratory observation of toddler fear. The sample included 111 mother-toddler dyads who participated in a laboratory assessment when toddlers were approximately 24-months-old. Toddler fear was assessed both via maternal report and observation from a number of laboratory episodes that varied in their level of threat and whether mothers were free or constrained in their involvement in the task. Results indicated that maternal report related to the observed fear composites for low-threat, but not high-threat episodes. On the other hand, maternal involvement in the laboratory episodes did not moderate the relation between maternal report and laboratory observation of fear. These results suggest that the threat-level of laboratory episodes designed to elicit fear, but not maternal involvement in these episodes, may be important to take into consideration when assessing their relation to maternal report of fear and fearful temperament. PMID:27606826

A blinded international study on the reliability of genetic testing for GGGGCC-repeat expansions in C9orf72 reveals marked differences in results among 14 laboratories

PubMed Central

Akimoto, Chizuru; Volk, Alexander E; van Blitterswijk, Marka; Van den Broeck, Marleen; Leblond, Claire S; Lumbroso, Serge; Camu, William; Neitzel, Birgit; Onodera, Osamu; van Rheenen, Wouter; Pinto, Susana; Weber, Markus; Smith, Bradley; Proven, Melanie; Talbot, Kevin; Keagle, Pamela; Chesi, Alessandra; Ratti, Antonia; van der Zee, Julie; Alstermark, Helena; Birve, Anna; Calini, Daniela; Nordin, Angelica; Tradowsky, Daniela C; Just, Walter; Daoud, Hussein; Angerbauer, Sabrina; DeJesus-Hernandez, Mariely; Konno, Takuya; Lloyd-Jani, Anjali; de Carvalho, Mamede; Mouzat, Kevin; Landers, John E; Veldink, Jan H; Silani, Vincenzo; Gitler, Aaron D; Shaw, Christopher E; Rouleau, Guy A; van den Berg, Leonard H; Van Broeckhoven, Christine; Rademakers, Rosa; Andersen, Peter M; Kubisch, Christian

2014-01-01

Background The GGGGCC-repeat expansion in C9orf72 is the most frequent mutation found in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Most of the studies on C9orf72 have relied on repeat-primed PCR (RP-PCR) methods for detection of the expansions. To investigate the inherent limitations of this technique, we compared methods and results of 14 laboratories. Methods The 14 laboratories genotyped DNA from 78 individuals (diagnosed with ALS or FTD) in a blinded fashion. Eleven laboratories used a combination of amplicon-length analysis and RP-PCR, whereas three laboratories used RP-PCR alone; Southern blotting techniques were used as a reference. Results Using PCR-based techniques, 5 of the 14 laboratories got results in full accordance with the Southern blotting results. Only 50 of the 78 DNA samples got the same genotype result in all 14 laboratories. There was a high degree of false positive and false negative results, and at least one sample could not be genotyped at all in 9 of the 14 laboratories. The mean sensitivity of a combination of amplicon-length analysis and RP-PCR was 95.0% (73.9–100%), and the mean specificity was 98.0% (87.5–100%). Overall, a sensitivity and specificity of more than 95% was observed in only seven laboratories. Conclusions Because of the wide range seen in genotyping results, we recommend using a combination of amplicon-length analysis and RP-PCR as a minimum in a research setting. We propose that Southern blotting techniques should be the gold standard, and be made obligatory in a clinical diagnostic setting. PMID:24706941

An Examination of Safety and Health Practices in Agricultural Mechanics Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Threeton, Mark D.; Ewing, John C.

2017-01-01

Providing training of safe operations and behaviors in Agricultural Mechanics classrooms and laboratories is an important aspect of the agricultural education teaching and learning environment. The purpose of this survey research study was to examine current occupational safety and health practices within agricultural mechanics programs. The…

Probing the Reproducibility of Leaf Growth and Molecular Phenotypes: A Comparison of Three Arabidopsis Accessions Cultivated in Ten Laboratories1[W

PubMed Central

Massonnet, Catherine; Vile, Denis; Fabre, Juliette; Hannah, Matthew A.; Caldana, Camila; Lisec, Jan; Beemster, Gerrit T.S.; Meyer, Rhonda C.; Messerli, Gaëlle; Gronlund, Jesper T.; Perkovic, Josip; Wigmore, Emma; May, Sean; Bevan, Michael W.; Meyer, Christian; Rubio-Díaz, Silvia; Weigel, Detlef; Micol, José Luis; Buchanan-Wollaston, Vicky; Fiorani, Fabio; Walsh, Sean; Rinn, Bernd; Gruissem, Wilhelm; Hilson, Pierre; Hennig, Lars; Willmitzer, Lothar; Granier, Christine

2010-01-01

A major goal of the life sciences is to understand how molecular processes control phenotypes. Because understanding biological systems relies on the work of multiple laboratories, biologists implicitly assume that organisms with the same genotype will display similar phenotypes when grown in comparable conditions. We investigated to what extent this holds true for leaf growth variables and metabolite and transcriptome profiles of three Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) genotypes grown in 10 laboratories using a standardized and detailed protocol. A core group of four laboratories generated similar leaf growth phenotypes, demonstrating that standardization is possible. But some laboratories presented significant differences in some leaf growth variables, sometimes changing the genotype ranking. Metabolite profiles derived from the same leaf displayed a strong genotype × environment (laboratory) component. Genotypes could be separated on the basis of their metabolic signature, but only when the analysis was limited to samples derived from one laboratory. Transcriptome data revealed considerable plant-to-plant variation, but the standardization ensured that interlaboratory variation was not considerably larger than intralaboratory variation. The different impacts of the standardization on phenotypes and molecular profiles could result from differences of temporal scale between processes involved at these organizational levels. Our findings underscore the challenge of describing, monitoring, and precisely controlling environmental conditions but also demonstrate that dedicated efforts can result in reproducible data across multiple laboratories. Finally, our comparative analysis revealed that small variations in growing conditions (light quality principally) and handling of plants can account for significant differences in phenotypes and molecular profiles obtained in independent laboratories. PMID:20200072

42 CFR 414.510 - Laboratory date of service for clinical laboratory and pathology specimens.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 42 Public Health 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Laboratory date of service for clinical laboratory... AND OTHER HEALTH SERVICES Payment for New Clinical Diagnostic Laboratory Tests § 414.510 Laboratory date of service for clinical laboratory and pathology specimens. The date of service for either a...

[Strategy Development for International Cooperation in the Clinical Laboratory Field].

PubMed

Kudo, Yoshiko; Osawa, Susumu

2015-10-01

The strategy of international cooperation in the clinical laboratory field was analyzed to improve the quality of intervention by reviewing documents from international organizations and the Japanese government. Based on the world development agenda, the target of action for health has shifted from communicable diseases to non-communicable diseases (NCD). This emphasizes the importance of comprehensive clinical laboratories instead of disease-specific examinations in developing countries. To achieve this goal, the World Health Organization (WHO) has disseminated to the African and Asian regions the Laboratory Quality Management System (LQMS), which is based on the same principles of the International Organization of Standardization (ISO) 15189. To execute this strategy, international experts must have competence in project management, analyze information regarding the target country, and develop a strategy for management of the LQMS with an understanding of the technical aspects of laboratory work. However, there is no appropriate pre- and post-educational system of international health for Japanese international workers. Universities and academic organizations should cooperate with the government to establish a system of education for international workers. Objectives of this education system must include: (1) training for the organization and understanding of global health issues, (2) education of the principles regarding comprehensive management of clinical laboratories, and (3) understanding the LQMS which was employed based on WHO's initiative. Achievement of these objectives will help improve the quality of international cooperation in the clinical laboratory field.

Use of laboratory testing for genital chlamydial infection in Norway.

PubMed Central

Aavitsland, P

1993-01-01

OBJECTIVE--To assess the use of laboratory tests for genital chlamydial infection in Norway. DESIGN--Questionnaire survey of general practitioners' practice in chlamydial testing, retrospective survey of laboratory records, 1986-91, and prospective study of testing in one laboratory during four weeks. SETTING--All 18 microbiological laboratories in Norway (4.2 million population), including one serving all doctors in Vestfold county (0.2 million population). SUBJECTS--302 general practitioners. MAIN MEASURES--GPs' routine practice, methods used for testing, 1986-91, and sex specific and age group specific testing in 1991. RESULTS--201(69%) GPs replied to the questionnaire: 101(51%) would test all women younger than 25 years at routine pelvic examination, 107(54%) all girls at first pelvic examination, 131(66%) all pregnant women, and 106(54%) all men whose female partner had urogenital complaints. Nationwide in 1986, 122,000 tests were performed (2.9 per 100 population); 10% were positive and 51% were cell culture tests. In 1991, 341,000 tests were performed (8.0 per 100 population); 4.5% were positive and 15% were cell culture tests. 13,184 tests were performed in Vestfold in 1991 (6.6 per 100 population). The age group specific rates (per 100 population) among women were: age 15-19 years, 22.0(95% confidence interval 18.2 to 25.8); 20-24 years, 47.2(42.1 to 52.3); 25-29 years, 42.3(37.1 to 47.5); 30-34 years, 29.8(25.4 to 34.2); and 35-39 years, 12.5(9.5 to 15.5). CONCLUSIONS--GPs use liberal indications for testing. The dramatic increase in testing, especially by enzyme immunoassays, in populations with a low prevalence of infection results in low cost effectiveness and low predictive value of positive tests, which in women over 29 years is estimated as 17-36%. IMPLICATIONS--Doctors should be educated about the limitations of enzyme immunoassays in screening low prevalence populations, and laboratories should apply a confirmatory test to specimens testing

Semester-Long Inquiry-Based Molecular Biology Laboratory: Transcriptional Regulation in Yeast

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oelkers, Peter M.

2017-01-01

A single semester molecular biology laboratory has been developed in which students design and execute a project examining transcriptional regulation in "Saccharomyces cerevisiae." Three weeks of planning are allocated to developing a hypothesis through literature searches and use of bioinformatics. Common experimental plans address a…

ChemCam rock laser for Mars Science Laboratory "Curiosity"

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wiens, Roger

2010-09-03

Los Alamos has a long history of space-related instruments, tied primarily to its role in defense-related treaty verification. Space-based detectors have helped determine the differences between signals from lightning bolts and potential nuclear explosions. LANL-developed gamma-ray detection instruments first revealed the existence of what we now know as gamma-ray bursts, an exciting area of astrophysical research. And the use of LANL instruments on varied space missions continues with such products as the ChemCam rock laser for NASA, shown here. The Engineering Model of the ChemCam Mars Science Laboratory rover instrument arrived at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory on February 6, 2008.more » The Flight Model was shipped in August, 2010 for installation on the rover at JPL. ChemCam will use imaging and laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) to determine rock and soil compositions on Mars, up to 9 meters from the rover. The engineering model is being integrated into the rover test bed for the development and testing of the rover software. The actual flight model components were concurrently assembled at Los Alamos and in Toulouse, France. The Mars Science Laboratory is scheduled to launch in 2011. Animations courtesy of JPL/NASA.« less

ChemCam Rock Laser for the Mars Science Laboratory

ScienceCinema

LANL

2017-12-09

Los Alamos has a long history of space-related instr... Los Alamos has a long history of space-related instruments, tied primarily to its role in defense-related treaty verification. Space-based detectors have helped determine the differences between signals from lightning bolts and potential nuclear explosions. LANL-developed gamma-ray detection instruments first revealed the existence of what we now know as gamma-ray bursts, an exciting area of astrophysical research. And the use of LANL instruments on varied space missions continues with such products as the ChemCam rock laser for NASA, shown here. The Engineering Model of the ChemCam Mars Science Laboratory rover instrument arrived at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory on February 6, 2008. ChemCam will use imaging and laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) to determine rock and soil compositions on Mars, up to 9 meters from the rover. The engineering model is being integrated into the rover test bed for the development and testing of the rover software. The actual flight model components are concurrently being assembled at Los Alamos and in Toulouse, France, and will be delivered to JPL in July. The Mars Science Laboratory is scheduled to launch in 2009. Animations courtesy of JPL/NASA.

[Accreditation of medical laboratories].

PubMed

Horváth, Andrea Rita; Ring, Rózsa; Fehér, Miklós; Mikó, Tivadar

2003-07-27

In Hungary, the National Accreditation Body was established by government in 1995 as an independent, non-profit organization, and has exclusive rights to accredit, amongst others, medical laboratories. The National Accreditation Body has two Specialist Advisory Committees in the health care sector. One is the Health Care Specialist Advisory Committee that accredits certifying bodies, which deal with certification of hospitals. The other Specialist Advisory Committee for Medical Laboratories is directly involved in accrediting medical laboratory services of health care institutions. The Specialist Advisory Committee for Medical Laboratories is a multidisciplinary peer review group of experts from all disciplines of in vitro diagnostics, i.e. laboratory medicine, microbiology, histopathology and blood banking. At present, the only published International Standard applicable to laboratories is ISO/IEC 17025:1999. Work has been in progress on the official approval of the new ISO 15189 standard, specific to medical laboratories. Until the official approval of the International Standard ISO 15189, as accreditation standard, the Hungarian National Accreditation Body has decided to progress with accreditation by formulating explanatory notes to the ISO/IEC 17025:1999 document, using ISO/FDIS 15189:2000, the European EC4 criteria and CPA (UK) Ltd accreditation standards as guidelines. This harmonized guideline provides 'explanations' that facilitate the application of ISO/IEC 17025:1999 to medical laboratories, and can be used as a checklist for the verification of compliance during the onsite assessment of the laboratory. The harmonized guideline adapted the process model of ISO 9001:2000 to rearrange the main clauses of ISO/IEC 17025:1999. This rearrangement does not only make the guideline compliant with ISO 9001:2000 but also improves understanding for those working in medical laboratories, and facilitates the training and education of laboratory staff. With the

Laboratory directed research and development FY98 annual report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Al-Ayat, R; Holzrichter, J

1999-05-01

In 1984, Congress and the Department of Energy (DOE) established the Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) Program to enable the director of a national laboratory to foster and expedite innovative research and development (R and D) in mission areas. The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) continually examines these mission areas through strategic planning and shapes the LDRD Program to meet its long-term vision. The goal of the LDRD Program is to spur development of new scientific and technical capabilities that enable LLNL to respond to the challenges within its evolving mission areas. In addition, the LDRD Program provides LLNLmore » with the flexibility to nurture and enrich essential scientific and technical competencies and enables the Laboratory to attract the most qualified scientists and engineers. The FY98 LDRD portfolio described in this annual report has been carefully structured to continue the tradition of vigorously supporting DOE and LLNL strategic vision and evolving mission areas. The projects selected for LDRD funding undergo stringent review and selection processes, which emphasize strategic relevance and require technical peer reviews of proposals by external and internal experts. These FY98 projects emphasize the Laboratory's national security needs: stewardship of the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile, responsibility for the counter- and nonproliferation of weapons of mass destruction, development of high-performance computing, and support of DOE environmental research and waste management programs.« less

Classification of neural tumors in laboratory rodents, emphasizing the rat.

PubMed

Weber, Klaus; Garman, Robert H; Germann, Paul-Georg; Hardisty, Jerry F; Krinke, Georg; Millar, Peter; Pardo, Ingrid D

2011-01-01

Neoplasms of the nervous system, whether spontaneous or induced, are infrequent in laboratory rodents and very rare in other laboratory animal species. The morphology of neural tumors depends on the intrinsic functions and properties of the cell type, the interactions between the neoplasm and surrounding normal tissue, and regressive changes. The incidence of neural neoplasms varies with sex, location, and age of tumor onset. Although the onset of spontaneous tumor development cannot be established in routine oncogenicity studies, calculations using the time of diagnosis (day of death) have revealed significant differences in tumor biology among different rat strains. In the central nervous system, granular cell tumors (a meningioma variant), followed by glial tumors, are the most common neoplasms in rats, whereas glial cell tumors are observed most frequently in mice. Central nervous system tumors usually affect the brain rather than the spinal cord. Other than adrenal gland pheochromocytomas, the most common neoplasms of the peripheral nervous system are schwannomas. Neural tumors may develop in the central nervous system and peripheral nervous system from other cell lineages (including extraneural elements like adipose tissue and lymphocytes), but such lesions are very rare in laboratory animals.

The jet/wind outflow in Centaurus A: a local laboratory for AGN feedback

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McKinley, B.; Tingay, S. J.; Carretti, E.; Ellis, S.; Bland-Hawthorn, J.; Morganti, R.; Line, J.; McDonald, M.; Veilleux, S.; Wahl Olsen, R.; Sidonio, M.; Ekers, R.; Offringa, A. R.; Procopio, P.; Pindor, B.; Wayth, R. B.; Hurley-Walker, N.; Bernardi, G.; Gaensler, B. M.; Haverkorn, M.; Kesteven, M.; Poppi, S.; Staveley-Smith, L.

2018-03-01

We present new radio and optical images of the nearest radio galaxy Centaurus A and its host galaxy NGC 5128. We focus our investigation on the northern transition region, where energy is transported from the ˜5 kpc (˜5 arcmin) scales of the northern inner lobe (NIL) to the ˜30 kpc (˜30 arcmin) scales of the northern middle lobe (NML). Our Murchison Widefield Array observations at 154 MHz and our Parkes radio telescope observations at 2.3 GHz show diffuse radio emission connecting the NIL to the NML, in agreement with previous Australia Telescope Compact Array observations at 1.4 GHz. Comparison of these radio data with our wide-field optical emission-line images show the relationship between the NML radio emission and the ionized filaments that extend north from the NIL, and reveal a new ionized filament to the east, possibly associated with a galactic wind. Our deep optical images show clear evidence for a bipolar outflow from the central galaxy extending to intermediate scales, despite the non-detection of a southern radio counterpart to the NML. Thus, our observational overview of Centaurus A reveals a number of features proposed to be associated with active galactic nucleus feedback mechanisms, often cited as likely to have significant effects in galaxy evolution models. As one of the closest galaxies to us, Centaurus A therefore provides a unique laboratory to examine feedback mechanisms in detail.

Feasibility of Key Star Wars Technology at Center of Debate over Information a Cal. Laboratory Gave Government.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McDonald, Kim

1988-01-01

The question of whether a university is responsible for the technical accuracy of information released by senior administrators of a laboratory it is charged with overseeing is examined in the case involving a dispute at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory that is overseen by the University of California. (MLW)