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At least 469 records · Page 26Linked to original sources
PubMed2005

[Evaluation of the Robobact system for processing stool cultures: another step towards automation in the microbiology laboratory].

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to evaluate the Robobact system (DIESSE Diagnostica Senese S.p.A., Italy) for processing stool specimens and to compare it with conventional methodology. METHOD: A total of 240 stool specimens from outpatients in Madrid (Spain) were studied. The samples were processed simultaneously with both the Robobact system and a conventional method. RESULTS: Overall, 13 isolates of Campylobacter spp., 12 of Salmonella spp., 4 of Yersinia enterocolitica and 1 of Shigella spp. were obtained. The Robobact method failed to identify 1 of the 13 Campylobacter spp. isolates and 2 of the 12 Salmonella spp. isolates. The single Shigella spp. isolate was detected only by the Robobact system. All the Robobact results were available at 24 hours. CONCLUSIONS: Robobact is a fast, useful tool for microbiological processing of stool specimens.

Automation↗
PubMed1994

Automation and quality control in the coagulation laboratory.

Hemostasis is a balance between complex interactions of directly opposing systems (coagulation and fibrinolysis) with seemingly unrelated systems at both the enzymatic and cellular levels (platelets, endothelium, leukocytes). It should not be surprising that coagulation disorders often accompany many different disease states. Because the function of each protein involved in coagulation is now better defined, newer methodologies have been developed to assay them. In this regard, the hemostasis laboratory can take a two-step approach to diagnosis: global screening and targeted analysis. Several new global test systems provide more detailed, quantitative, and more physiologically relevant evaluations than earlier assays allowed. In addition, individual enzymes, inhibitors, cellular release products, and low molecular weight products of activation reactions (molecular markers) can now be measured in sensitive, specific assays. With this new perspective, genetic predisposition to pathologic hemostatic conditions can be identified through molecular biology and can be identified during the early stages of disease (i.e., at subclinical stages before major pathologic complications are established), and more specifically targeted prophylactic, as well as therapeutic drug interventions, can be administered. The molecular markers of hemostatic activation that can be assessed by various immunochemical methods provide very early evidence of thrombotic, fibrinolytic, or platelet-involved aberrations. Technological advances in methodology and instrumentation have changed the scope of all clinical laboratories but, in particular, that of the coagulation laboratory. The dramatic growth and development have resulted from the influences of clinical chemistry, clinical immunology, pharmacology, biochemistry, and biotechnology. Analytical instruments for use in hemostatic testing go beyond plasma or whole blood clot-based readers, platelet aggregometers, and microscopes to a range of automated, discrete, chemistrylike analyzers, spectrophotometers, microliter ELISA systems, RIA systems, and multiprobe instruments designed to measure simultaneously the different assay end-points of colorimetric and clotting assays and flow cytometers. Instruments are designed for batch processing of single tests on multiple samples or multiple test panels on a single sample. Versatility ranges from instruments that measure only the final reaction solution, by end-point or kinetic analysis, to instruments that automatically pipet reagents and sample, incubate, and analyze the reaction for truly walk-away assay performance. Typically, a wider range of assays are available in automated laboratories as opposed to laboratories performing manual assays.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1998

Technologies for implementation of quality assurance in the clinical laboratory.

To face the rapid evolution of the clinical laboratory activity from sample analysis towards an in-vitro diagnostic network, a Total Quality Management system must be implemented by laboratory professionals. Technological advances make it possible to introduce new tools and techniques for many issues surrounding the analytical process, as has happened for analysis automation and laboratory management. Preanalytical steps should benefit from extended traceability, using new identification devices such as electronic labels. This may promote the improvement of sample handling in this phase, such as during transportation or centrifugation. Another field is the expansion of metrology. Many factors can now easily be controlled in the clinical laboratory. New reliable automated systems are available to evaluate the performance of pipetting devices. Autonomous miniaturized recorders and probes connected to monitoring softwares allow traceable temperature monitoring. In this paper, some examples are presented to illustrate how technical solutions can support the implementation of Quality Assurance in the clinical laboratory.

Clinical Laboratory Information Systems↗
PubMed1983

Automation in microbiology: a physician's viewpoint.

Physicians in clinical practice are often less than fully aware of the problems and potential resources of the microbiology laboratory. While automation can be of significant benefit simply within the laboratory itself, communication with those directly responsible for patient care is vital if the full potential of automation to improve the quality of health care is to be realized. This paper presents the clinician's viewpoint and suggests affirmative actions the microbiologist can take to improve the clinician/laboratory working relationship.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Time to defibrillation: a controlled laboratory study comparing three automated and semi-automated defibrillators.

Currently there are three vendors marketing first-responder defibrillation units. Each vendor's unit has its own distinct features, advantages, and disadvantages, making the selection of one vendor's unit a complex decision. However, two critical performance criteria upon which a decision to choose one vendor's unit over another could be 1) differences in dysrhythmia recognition sensitivity and specificity and 2) time to delivery of a defibrillation shock. While there appears to be evidence suggesting no significant differences between the three units in terms of dysrhythmia recognition, there do not appear to be any controlled 'time-to-defibrillation' studies. The purpose of this study was to determine if, under controlled conditions, any performance differences existed between these three units in time to delivery of a defibrillation shock. The results of this study suggest that there are no pragmatic differences between the three defibrillation units. In the absence of time-to-defibrillation differences, EMS systems managers can place more emphasis on other features so as to better address the needs, concerns, and resources of their system.

Arrhythmias, Cardiac↗
PubMed1976

Curve prediction in automated analyses in routine laboratories.

1. The hydraulics of first- and second-generation AutoAnalyzers introduce lag and exponential deformations of the square wave signal expected from the colorimeter. These factors limit sampling rates by causing sample interaction. Curve regeneration carried out on Technicon Flame IV modules, using a digital approach, with a Hewlett-Packard 2100A computer, has successfully compensated for exponential deformation of sodium, potassium, chloride and carbon dioxide channels in routine laboratory use for one year. A sampling rate of 138/hr has been used; faster rates are possible. 2. Reduced sample and reagent consumption are benefits in addition to the increased analysis rate.

Autoanalysis↗
PubMed1977

Laboratory evaluation of an automated antimicrobial susceptibility system.

A newly introduced automated method for antibiotic susceptibility testing, AUTOBAC 1, has been evaluated by comparison with the disk agar diffusion method (Bauer-Kirby). A total of 2,518 strains of gram-positive (540) and gram-negative (1,978) organisms isolated from clinical specimens was examined by both methods with eight or ten antibiotics, including Tobramycin. An overall agreement of 97.4% was obtained when results were compared by individual antibiotic. However, many discrepancies were observed when individual genera or species were analyzed. Of 2,518 strains examined, 651 (26%) showed discrepancies in response to one or more antibiotics. Strains, showing discrepancies were re-examined by the broth dilution susceptibility method. The results obtained favored the disk agar diffusion method. Reproducibility experiments revealed a greater inconsistency in the AUTOBAC 1 system than in the agar diffusion test. It is concluded that although a rapid automated system for antibiotic sensitivity testing is desirable, the conventional disk agar diffusion method is easier to perform, more reliable, and a less expensive procedure for antibiotic sensitivity determination.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Distribution of serum paraoxon hydrolyzing activity in a large Spanish population using a routine automized method in clinical laboratory.

This work was performed to adapt the manual laboratory method of measuring serum paraoxonase activity using a routine automatized method in the clinical laboratory and to study the distribution of paraoxonase activity in a large population from Alcoy, a region of Spain. The serum samples for the study were obtained from extractions of blood from 2891 individuals, distributed by sex and age groups, in a routine check in a primary care facility of Alcoy. Paraoxonase activity was assayed by measuring the release of p-nitrophenol according to a previously published method adapted to an automatized analyzer. The mean paraoxonase activity recorder was 70.2 +/- 16.5 IU/L. Paraoxonase activity in children (both males and females) was significantly lower (p < 0.0005) than in older individuals. Paraoxonase activity detected in males and females older than 56 was slightly lower than that detected in younger individuals, although in this case the difference was not statistically significant. The paraoxonase activity shows higher mean values in females than in males (p < 0.0005). Human paraoxonase activity shows a unimodal distribution pattern in the studied population, which is in contrast with other studies showing bimodal distribution.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

An interprovincial external quality assessment of the ability of Canadian laboratories to detect the vancomycin and penicillin resistance of Enterococcus faecium D366.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the ability of Canadian laboratories to identify enterococci and detect low-level resistance to penicillin, ampicillin and vancomycin in five provinces and two territories by two external quality assessment schemes. METHODS: Enterococcus faecium, strain D366, with minimum inhibitory concentrations for vancomycin and penicillin of 32 and 16 mg/L respectively, was distributed during a routine proficiency survey. Laboratories were required to culture and identify the isolate and to test antimicrobial susceptibility. Participants were assessed against consensus reference values. RESULTS: Three hundred and sixty-four hospital, commercial and public-health laboratories participated, using their established procedures for patient samples. The isolate was identified to the species level by 222 (61%) laboratories and to the genus level by a further 98 participants. Forty-four failed to meet the expected standard. Vancomycin resistance was detected by 94%. Those reporting a falsely susceptible result used disk diffusion testing. Penicillin resistance was noted by 250 of 258 laboratories reporting on this agent. An incorrect ampicillin-susceptible finding was reported by 62 of 147 laboratories using automated microdilution or agar dilution methods. CONCLUSIONS: Most laboratories identified the isolate to an appropriate level. Detection of low-level vancomycin and penicillin resistance was achieved by the majority. Ampicillin resistance was less readily detected.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2003

Validation of automated event triggers using laboratory values related to two problem-prone drugs.

We used computerized alerts to identify patients with laboratory values that could be related to medication errors associated with digoxin and warfarin. Over a six-week period at two inpatient facilities, we generated 62 laboratory-based alerts for warfarin, and 66 for digoxin. The positive predictive value for these alerts representing a preventable event was 71% and 57% for warfarin and digoxin, respectively.

Anticoagulants↗