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ADVANCE for Administrators of the Laboratory is thrilled to welcome you to DeLABerations: A Medium for Lab Managers, part of the Healthcare POV: Blog and Forum Community from ADVANCE. Our new blogs offer posts covering timely questions, advice and opinions about the Laboratory field and connecting professionals nationwide. We have provided tags to assist in locating topics of interest, a profile page to make uniquely your own and a list of our most active posts to keep you abreast of the latest discussions. We look forward to hearing more about your field from your Point of View (POV).
LATEST POSTS FROM EACH BLOG
Saliva-based Diagnostics
July 3, 2008 11:20 AM by Todd Smith of ADVANCE Discourse: Lab

The following is a guest blog submitted by John G. Thomas, PhD, director of the Biofilm Research Laboratory for Translational Studies and senior consultant for Clinical Microbiology, West Virginia University Hospitals.

Saliva: A Diagnostic Fluid

Most present day laboratories assays of immunology markers ...


 
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Eye of a Spy
July 2, 2008 9:05 AM by Lynn Nace of ADVANCE Discourse: Lab

A recent "Good Morning America" segment gained my interest. It discussed spy patients-individuals hired to enter emergency rooms and inpatient settings with fictitious symptoms to evaluate healthcare workers' interactions with patients and accordance to policies and procedures. Apparently, some physicians are up in arms over this ...


 
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To Screen or not to Screen for Prostate Cancer
June 4, 2008 4:30 PM by David Plaut of David Plaut: Off the Cuff

Recently, I looked at Pubmed to see where the discussion of screening for prostate cancer stood. Here are some notes:

* "The American College of Preventive Medicine concludes that there is insufficient evidence to recommend routine population screening with DRE or PSA. Clinicians caring for men, especially African-American men and those with positive family histories, should provide information about potential ...


 
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Career Paths: Detours and Straight-aways
May 12, 2008 1:58 PM by Lynn Nace of ADVANCE Discourse: Lab

When I have opportunities to network with people, such as at national conferences or ADVANCE-hosted Job Fairs, I really enjoy learning about how people chose their career paths and landed jobs. Sometimes the stories are serious in nature; other times, they're downright comical. A friend of mine from high school, for example, had a passion for the drums. He played in a "garage" band with friends, the marching ...

 
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A Long-Awaited Approval
May 6, 2008 11:09 AM by Kelly Graham of ADVANCE Discourse: Lab

Although many states already have similar laws protecting individuals from discrimination on the basis of genetic information, the recent passage of the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) through the Senate and the House marks an important-and long awaited-milestone for the clinical lab, as it illustrates just how seriously this matter is considered. Valuable genetic tests exist that may predict future ...


 
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The “Text” Level in Glucose Monitoring
April 22, 2008 10:08 AM by Todd Smith of ADVANCE Discourse: Lab

We may be witnessing the wi-fi tipping point, as the convergence of medical devices with wireless technologies has produced a cellular phone that doubles as a glucose meter. The meter can be fitted onto any regular cell phone. Software can be downloaded into the cell phone that can interface with the attached meter to test and read the patient's glucose level. The patient sticks the test strip into the side of the ...


 
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Raise MRSA Awareness
April 8, 2008 9:00 AM by Lynn Nace of ADVANCE Discourse: Lab

The risks, dangers and test methods of MRSA have been covered extensively by ADVANCE and other media. But despite the discussions among the medical community, its threat still exists and the infection continues to be spread in schools and hospitals.

It's time to take discussions and education to another level. As a medical community and advocates for MRSA prevention, let's raise awareness in the public sector. ...


 
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A Difficult Decision: Huntington’s Disease
March 28, 2008 9:19 AM by David Plaut of David Plaut: Off the Cuff

I have said that the color of medicine is gray.  This is true in many areas of medicine.  One of the more difficult areas that must be faced is in Huntington's disease (HD).  Following a brief summary of the disease itself, we will examine the exceedingly difficult decisions that must be made when faced with HD. The name, Huntington's disease is derived from Huntington's chorea, which gets its name from ...

 
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Artificial Blood: Why and When?
February 20, 2008 3:41 PM by David Plaut of David Plaut: Off the Cuff

The idea of producing artificial blood may sound simple, at least until you think more about all that we mean when we talk about blood. Ever since William Harvey first described the circulation of blood in 1616, scientists have thought about whether blood that had been intentionally or accidentally lost could be replaced by other fluids. Those early scientists thought that by doing so, diseases could be cured and even ...

 
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Cervical Cancer
January 22, 2008 11:31 AM by David Plaut of David Plaut: Off the Cuff

Worldwide, cervical cancer (CC) is the second most common cancer in women.  Our knowledge regarding its cause and pathogenesis is expanding rapidly.  Nearly all cases of persistent infection occur due to one of about 15 genotypes of carcinogenic human papillomavirus (HPV).  The four major steps in cervical cancer development are: infection at the cervical transformation zone, viral persistence, progression ...

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Stem Cell Research
January 22, 2008 11:30 AM by David Plaut of David Plaut: Off the Cuff

There is much discussion, argument and dissension among many people about the use of stem cells of any kind in medicine.  For many the position is based on what might be termed received religious doctrine.  For others it is based more on science.

The only 'right' answer might be the one a person chooses.  However, any choice should be an informed one.

Here are some (by no means all) aspects ...


 
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The next influenza epidemic
January 10, 2008 2:20 PM by David Plaut of David Plaut: Off the Cuff

If you haven't thought about a 'flu' epidemic consider these two recent quotes:  "No country is fully prepared for a 1918-like pandemic influenza.  Averting a pandemic of H5N1 influenza virus depends on the successful control of its endemicity, outbreaks in poultry and occasional spillage into human which carries a case-fatality rate of over 50%."  (Guan Y, BMC Infect Dis. 2007 Nov 13;7(1):132.)

"If ...


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The Cardiac Troponins: Then and Now (Part Two)
December 10, 2007 10:18 AM by David Plaut of David Plaut: Off the Cuff

Another project to assess how effective cTn was when measured in the ED also showed that the length of stay was significantly reduced: 5.2 hours versus 7.1 hours. POC was significantly shorter (average15 minutes) than for central laboratory testing (83 minutes). With central testing as the criterion standard, POCT had a sensitivity of 100 percent and a specificity of 96 percent. (Singer AJ, Ardise J, and Gulla J. ...


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The Cardiac Troponins: Then and Now (Part One)
December 3, 2007 4:02 PM by David Plaut of David Plaut: Off the Cuff

When I started working in a community hospital in the mid 1960s, we measured LD(H), AST (a.k.a. SGOT) and ALT (a.k.a. SGPT) in patients suspected of an acute myocardial infarction (MI). This was really all we had to assist the physician in making a diagnosis and treating the patient. Perhaps at that time those tests were sufficient for the treatment was mostly palliative-we did not have interventional therapy of any ...

 
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Quality Control and the Innovation Curve
October 29, 2007 2:27 PM by David Plaut of David Plaut: Off the Cuff

Let me begin my blog with a few comments on general laboratory practice rather than any particular department or test. I ran across a graph recently that I'd like us to think about. The graph is as normal or bell curve (Gaussian curve):

The curve (Everett M. Rogers, Diffusion ...


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ABOUT OUR BLOGS

David Plaut: Off the Cuff
David Plaut, a chemist and statistician in Plano, TX, provides his unique perspective on hot topics within the clinical lab industry.

ADVANCE Discourse: Lab
The ADVANCE for Administrators of the Laboratory editorial staff will offer personal perspectives on issues in the clinical laboratory field and current healthcare environment.