1,720,964 research outputs found
Advantages and limitations of total laboratory automation: a personal overview
No full textAutomation is considered one of the most important breakthroughs in the recent history of laboratory diagnostics. In a model of total laboratory automation (TLA), many analyzers performing different types of tests on different sample matrices are physically integrated as modular systems or physically connected by assembly lines. The opportunity to integrate multiple diagnostic specialties to one single track seems effective to improve efficiency, organization, standardization, quality and safety of laboratory testing, whilst also providing a significant return of investment on the long-term and enabling staff requalification. On the other hand, developing a model of TLA also presents some potential problems, mainly represented by higher initial costs, enhanced expenditure for supplies, space requirements and infrastructure constraints, staff overcrowding, increased generation of noise and heat, higher risk of downtime, psychological dependence, critical issues for biospecimen management, disruption of staff trained in specific technologies, along with the risk of transition toward a manufacturer's-driven laboratory. As many ongoing technological innovations coupled with the current scenario, profoundly driven by cost-containment policies, will promote further diffusion of laboratory automation in the foreseeable future, here we provide a personal overview on some potential advantages and limitations of TLA
Integration of Diagnostic Microbiology in a Model of Total Laboratory Automation
No full textBACKGROUND: Although automation has become widely utilized in certain areas of diagnostic testing, its adoption in diagnostic microbiology has proceeded much more slowly.OBJECTIVE: To describe our real-world experience of integrating an automated instrument for diagnostic microbiology (Walk-Away Specimen Processor, WASPLab) within a model of total laboratory automation (TLA).METHODS: The implementation process was divided into 2 phases. The former period, lasting approximately 6 weeks, entailed the installation of the WASPLab processor to operate as a stand-alone instrumentation, whereas the latter, lasting approximately 2 weeks, involved physical connection of the WASPLab with the automation.RESULTS: Using the WASPLab instrument in conjunction with the TLA model, we obtained a time savings equivalent to the work of 1.2 full-time laboratory technicians for diagnostic microbiology. The connection of WASPLab to TLA allowed its management by a generalist or clinical chemistry technician, with no need for microbiology skills on the part of either worker. Hence, diagnostic microbiology could be performed by the staff that is already using the TLA, extending their activities to include processing urgent clinical chemistry and hematology specimens. The time to result was also substantially improved.CONCLUSIONS: According to our experience, using the WASPLab instrument as part of a TLA in diagnostic microbiology holds great promise for optimizing laboratory workflow and improving the quality of testing
Harmonization of interpretative comments in laboratory hematology reporting: the recommendations of Working Group on Diagnostic Hematology of the Italian Society of Clinical Chemistry and Clinical Molecular Biology (WGDH-SIBioC)
No full textThe goal of harmonizing laboratory testing is contributing to improving the quality of patient care and ultimately ameliorating patient outcome. The complete blood and leukocyte differential counts are among the most frequently requested clinical laboratory tests. The morphological assessment of peripheral blood cells (PB) through microscopic examination of properly stained blood smears is still considered a hallmark of laboratory hematology. Nevertheless, a variable inter-observer experience and the different terminology used for characterizing cellular abnormalities both contribute to the current lack of harmonization in blood smear revision. In 2014, the Working Group on Diagnostic Hematology of the Italian Society of Clinical Chemistry and Clinical Molecular Biology (WGDH-SIBioC) conducted a national survey, collecting responses from 78 different Italian laboratories. The results of this survey highlighted a lack of harmonization of interpretative comments in hematology, which prompted the WGDH-SIBioC to develop a project on "Harmonization of interpretative comments in the laboratory hematology report", aimed at identifying appropriate comments and proposing a standardized reporting system. The comments were then revised and updated according to the 2016 revision of the World Health Organization classification of hematologic malignancies. In summary, the purpose of revaluating comments was aimed at: (a) reducing their overall number, (b) standardizing the language
La valutazione delle performance della Morfologia Digitale in Ematologia: confronto con emocitometria automatizzata, microscopia ottica e citofluorimetria.
No full textLa valutazione della morfologia cellulare su striscio di sangue periferico mediante microscopia ottica (MO) viene prescritta dai medici o eseguita dagli specialisti in ematologia a seguito di risultati alterati o allarmi d’immaturità prodotti dagli emocitometri automatizzati. Ad oggi è considerata il gold standard anche se da alcuni anni si sta discutendo circa la possibilità di nuovi standard di riferimento, basati sulla citometria a flusso e sull’uso di opportuni pannelli di anticorpi monoclonali. La valutazione della morfologia cellulare ematologica mostra infatti diversi limiti, tra i quali le competenze richieste ai professionisti, la variabilità intra e inter-osservatore, l’affaticamento e i tempi di analisi prolungati. L’innovazione tecnologica ha permesso lo sviluppo della revisione microscopica automatizzata con sistemi di digitalizzazione e pre-classificazione delle cellule (AIS), sistemi considerati un valido supporto alla diagnostica morfologica. Diversi studi hanno dimostrato le buone performance degli AIS nella pre-classificazione cellulare nei confronti della MO. Ad oggi non vi è evidenza in letteratura di studi di valutazione delle performance degli AIS rispetto al metodo citofluorimentrico. Lo scopo di questo studio è pertanto quello di valutare le prestazioni analitiche della “morfologia digitale” confrontata con il metodo ottico tradizionale e la citofluorimetria. I nostri risultati suggeriscono l’impiego degli AIS come screening morfologico iniziale, che deve essere accompagnato da una verifica al microscopio ottico tradizionale e ad un’analisi multiparametrica di base con il citofluorimetro per i casi dubbi o con incongruenze nella differenziazione leucocitaria.
Traduzione in lingua inglese:
Cell morphology evaluation by optical microscopy (OM) on peripheral blood smears is prescribed by physicians or it’s performed by hematology specialists, following altered results or immaturity alarms of the automated hemocytometer. Even if for years there has been discussions about flow cytometry new standard references and the use of suitable monoclonal panels, today the OM is considered the gold standard. The assessment of hematological cell morphology shows various limits, including the skills required to professionals, observer variability, fatigue and prolonged analysis times. Technological innovation has allowed the development of Automated Information Systems (AIS). They has been considered an effective support for morphological diagnostics. Several studies have shown good performance of AIS in cell pre-classification against OM, but in literature there is no evidence of AIS performance evaluation studies compared to flow cytometric method. The aim of the study is the evaluation of "digital morphology" analytical performance compared to the traditional optical method and flow cytometry. Our results suggest the use of AIS as an initial morphological screening. For doubtful cases or incongruities in leukocyte differentiation, it must be followed by the use of a traditional optical microscope check and a basic multiparametric flow cytometric analysis
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Variations on the Author
Full text link“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
Appropriate Similarity Measures for Author Cocitation Analysis
Full text linkWe provide a number of new insights into the methodological discussion about author cocitation analysis. We first argue that the use of the Pearson correlation for measuring the similarity between authors’ cocitation profiles is not very satisfactory. We then discuss what kind of similarity measures may be used as an alternative to the Pearson correlation. We consider three similarity measures in particular. One is the well-known cosine. The other two similarity measures have not been used before in the bibliometric literature. Finally, we show by means of an example that our findings have a high practical relevance.information science;Pearson correlation;cosine;similarity measure;author cocitation analysis
Dispelling the Myths Behind First-author Citation Counts
Full text linkWe conducted a full-scale evaluative citation analysis study of scholars in the XML research field to explore just how different from each other author rankings resulting from different citation counting methods actually are, and to demonstrate the capability of emerging data and tools on the Web in supporting more realistic citation counting methods. Our results contest some common arguments for the continued
use of first-author citation counts in the evaluation of scholars, such as high correlations between author rankings by first-author citation counts and other citation
counting methods, and high costs of using more realistic citation counting methods that are not well-supported by the ISI databases. It is argued that increasingly available digital full text research papers make it possible for citation analysis studies to go beyond what the ISI databases have directly supported and to employ more
sophisticated methods
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