Biomedical subjects

C A Estey

Publications and source records attributed to C A Estey.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2000

Robotic automation performs a nested RT-PCR analysis for HCV without introducing sample contamination.

The Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) is a popular method to amplify and detect specific RNA and DNA sequences. To obtain maximum performance of PCR, it is best performed by highly skilled technologists because of the complexity of the assay and the potential for laboratory contamination from the amplification products produced. We chose to automate this nested RT-PCR for hepatitis C assay to significantly reduce the need for manual pipetting while preserving the excellent non-contamination performance of the corresponding manual test. A three axis cartesian robotic pipetting station was equipped to perform RT-PCR using an on-board automated thermal cycling device. 104 sera were analyzed using this modified pipetting station and we found a very close agreement (100% sensitivity and 98% specificity) with results previously obtained by corresponding manual RT-PCR analysis. This study demonstrated a user-programmed robotic pipetting system could successfully automate a complex PCR assay without contamination. Our results suggest that use of robotic pipetting station can provide cost efficient alternative to performance of molecular diagnostic assays while demonstrating minimal inter sample contamination.

Electrophoresis, Agar Gel↗

PubMed1997

Clinical evaluation of serial blood processing at point of care.

The Axial Separation Module (ASM), which separates whole-blood specimens serially in Axial Process Containers (APC), was evaluated for clinical performance at the University of Virginia Health Sciences Center (UVA HSC) in a community-based outpatient laboratory (North Ridge Clinic). We hypothesized that moving the task of blood separation to point of care would reduce specimen turnaround time within the main laboratory. Blood drawn into an APC was separated in the ASM at point of care at the North Ridge Clinic. Blood drawn into a Vacutainer Tube was separated in a conventional centrifuge at the main laboratory. Turnaround time was calculated for the "chem 17" test from files stored in our laboratory information system. Blood serially separated at point of care yielded turnaround time savings for specimens originating from the North Ridge Clinic. Average turnaround time decreased by 24%. Phlebotomists found no appreciable workload increase from incorporating the ASM as a point-of-care blood separation device. Phlebotomists also found that they could immediately detect hemolysis. We concluded that serial separation at point of care reduces specimen turnaround time at the main laboratory. The ASM/APC was found to be better suited for point-of-care blood separation than a conventional centrifuge. We speculate that immediate blood separation has the potential to improve the quality of analytical results.

Blood Specimen Collection↗

PubMed1996

Clinical trials of a novel centrifugation method: axial separation.

Specimen centrifugation is one of the most time-consuming tasks associated with preanalytical specimen processing. We report the first clinical use and impact study of the novel centrifugation method, axial separation, using the Axial Separation Module (ASM). The ASM centrifuges medical specimens one at a time (in 1 min 9 s) in proprietary Axial Process Containers (APC). Here we report tests of the ASM in an outpatient clinical laboratory. Use of the ASM in the outpatient clinic laboratory led to an average total improvement (decrease in total bench time) of 8 min 9 s per specimen compared with conventional centrifugation. Laboratory analysis revealed no statistical difference between plasma obtained from the APC vs that from a Becton Dickinson Vacutainer Tube. We conclude the ASM offers a cost-effective alternative to conventional centrifugation. Further, the use of axial separation may allow specimen separation to become an integral part of the phlebotomy process.

Blood↗