Search

Inappropriate use of laboratory testing remains a challenging problem worldwide. Minimum retest intervals (MRI) are used to reduce inappropriate laboratory testing. However, their effectiveness and the usefulness in reducing inappropriate laboratory testing is still a matter of debate. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of broadly implemented MRIs as a means of reducing inappropriate laboratory test requests. We performed a retrospective study in a general care and teaching hospital in the Netherlands, where MRI alerts have been implemented as standard care since June 7th 2017. Clinical chemistry test orders in adult internal medicine patients placed between July 13th 2017 and December 31st 2019 were included. The primary outcome was the effectiveness of MRIs, expressed as percentages of tests ordered and barred as a result of MRIs. Of a total of 218,511 test requests, 4,159 (1.90%) got an MRI alert. These MRIs were overruled by physicians in 21.76% of the cases. As a result of implementing MRIs, 3,254 (1.49%) tests were barred. The financial savings for the department of internal medicine directly related to the included barred laboratory tests during this period were 11,880 euros on a total amount of 636,598 euros for all performed tests. Only a small proportion of laboratory tests are barred after implementation of MRIs, with a limited impact on the annual costs. However, MRIs provide a continuous reminder to focus on appropriate testing and the effectiveness of MRIs is potentially higher than described in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We surveyed 338 practicing latent print examiners about blind proficiency testing. • On average, examiners endorsed rather ambivalent views about blind testing. • Examiners working in labs with blind testing held more positive views of such testing. • Experience with blind testing also influenced identified pros and cons of such testing. • Results suggest that examiners are likely to be receptive of blind proficiency testing. In recent years, scholars have levied multiple criticisms against traditional proficiency testing procedures in forensic laboratories. Consequently, on several occasions, authorities have formally recommended that laboratories implement blind proficiency testing procedures. Implementation has been slow, but laboratory management has increasingly expressed interest in initiating blind testing in at least some forensic disciplines, with some laboratories conducting blind testing in almost all disciplines. However, little is known about how a key population perceives blind proficiency testing, i.e., forensic examiners. We surveyed active latent print examiners (N = 338) to explore perceptions of blind proficiency testing and determine whether beliefs varied between examiners who work for laboratories with and without blind proficiency testing. Results suggest that examiners do not hold particularly strong beliefs about such procedures, but that examiners who work in laboratories with blind proficiency testing procedures view them significantly more positively than those who do not. Further, examiner responses provide insight into potential obstacles to continued implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The handling of information about periodic quality inspections, the maintenance of test equipment, and other instrument monitoring tasks are acknowledged as being among the high-priority tasks concerning equipment and material management in the medical laboratory. Lack of management and neglect of equipment can result in malfunctions that end up costing more time and resources. This paper proposes a design for a web-based information system that addresses the issues of managing expensive medical equipment (ME) and consumable medical materials (CMM) in laboratories. Looking to improve data administration in medical laboratories' day-to-day operations, this study aims to create a design for an information system with complete functionality and evaluate that system based on the user specifications. Initially, a list of more than 200 materials and 50 medical equipment records were collected and transferred into the system. Three independent laboratories utilized the ME/CMM information system we developed to evaluate its performance compared to their traditional systems. The t-test statistical analysis was used to assess feedback surveys. The findings show that the system provides users convenience and effectiveness in handling ME and CMM; thus, our system significantly reduces the workload of staff and inefficient costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This review was designed to evaluate the status of quality management practice and challenges among medical laboratories in Ethiopia. Methods: A systematic qualitative review of the literature was made by searching the international electronic bibliographic database of PubMed (NML), web of science (TS), google scholar, African journals online (AJOL) and Cochrane Library. Results: Thirty-six full-text articles, which were published between 2010 and 2022, were included in this review. In this review, 33 of 36 (91.7%) studies showed that status of quality management practice in Ethiopian medical laboratories was limited. As a result, the quality of medical laboratories was inadequate. The main challenges were problems associated with laboratory professionals (35/36=97.2%), inadequate support from management bodies (21/36=58.3%), limited on-job training access (8 /36=22.2%) and high workload (5/36=13.8%). Conclusion: The status of quality management practice among medical laboratories in Ethiopia is limited. The main quality compromising factors were problems associated with laboratory professionals, inadequate support from management bodies, high workload, and limited on-job training access. Therefore, all responsible stakeholders should focus on ensuring Quality Management Systems and the system should be applied in all Medical laboratories. Only this will ensure the improvement of quality within medical laboratories across Ethiopia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Experimental Technology & Management is the property of Experimental Technology & Management Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The results were divided into three groups: dogs with confirmed Ehrlichiosis, dogs with confirmed Babesiosis and dogs with concurrent Babesiosis and Ehrlichiosis. The mean CHr was 24.07 in non-infected non-anemic dogs, 24.22 in non-infected anemic dogs, 24.21 in infected dogs and 24.69 in infected non-anemic animals. B Objective: b To set up a species-independent immunoassay procedure for detecting interference in serum samples, use it to screen a cross-section of dog samples from an animal hospital for interference, and to determine if the detected interference could be neutralized by using an immunoassay based on non-mammalian reagents. Poster Presentations: Abstracts 27-51 B 1 b Evaluation of dipstick for measuring urine pH in sheep and dogs B Labrini V. Athanasiou b SP 1 sp B , Panagiotis D. Katsoulos b SP 2 sp B , Eleni G. Katsogiannou b SP 1 sp B , Zoe S. Polizopoulou b SP 4 sp B , Myrto Diamantaki b SP 1 sp B , Constantinos Kamatsos b SP 1 sp B , Georgios Christodoulopoulos b SP 1 1 sp Department of Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Thessaly, Greece; SP 2 sp Clinic of Farm Animals, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece; SP 3 sp Diagnostic Laboratory, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece B 2 b Needles used for measuring and interpreting results trace elements in liver biopsy samples cannot be used to measure chromium and nickel B G.H.M. Counotte, S. Carp-van Dijken, M. Holzhauer, Y. van Buuren-Kelder b GD Animal Health, Deventer, The Netherlands B 3 b Measuring and interpreting results of uptake and storage of trace elements in cows B G.H.M. Counotte, S.G.A. van der Drift b GD Animal Health, Deventer, The Netherlands. B Results: b SDMA concentrations were increased in 17% control dogs and 29% sick dogs (24% of stage II dogs, 33% of stage III dogs and 83% of stage IV dogs). [Extracted from the article]

Purpose: Staff management is the most cited ART/IVF laboratory inspection deficiency. Small ART/IVF clinics may be challenged to perform these activities by low staff volume; similarly, large ART/IVF networks may be challenged by high staff volume and large datasets. Here, we sought to investigate the performance of an automated, digital platform solution to manage this necessary task. Methods: The ART Compass (ARTC) digital staff management platform was used to assess the clinical decision-making of ART laboratory staff. The survey modules presented standardized instructions to technologists and measured inter- and intra-technologist variability for subjective "clinical decision-making" type questions. Internal and external comparisons were achieved by providing technologists two answers: (1) a comparison to their own lab director and (2) to the most popular response collectively provided by all lab director level accounts. The platform is hosted on HIPAA compliant Amazon web servers, accessible via web browser and mobile applications for iOS (Apple) and Android mobile devices. Results: Here, we investigated the performance of a digital staff management platform for single embryologist IVF practices and for three IVF lab networks (sites A, B, C) from 2020 to 2022. Embryology dish preparation survey results show variance among respondents in the following: PPE use, media volume, timing of oil overlay, and timing of moving prepared dishes to incubators. Surveying the perceived Gardner score and terms in use for early blastocysts reveals a lack of standardization of terminology and fair to poor agreement. We observed moderate inter-technologist agreement for ICM and TE grade (0.47 and 0.52, respectively). Lastly, the clinical decision of choice to freeze or discard an embryo revealed that agreement to freeze was highest for the top-quality embryos, and that some embryos can be highly contested, evenly split between choice to freeze or discard. Conclusions: We conclude that a digital platform is a novel and effective tool to automate, routinely monitor, and assure quality for staff-related parameters in ART and IVF laboratories. Use of a digital platform can increase regulatory compliance and provide actionable insight for quality assurance in both single embryologist practices and for large networks. Furthermore, clinical decision-making can be augmented with artificial intelligence integration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Achievement of ISO15189 accreditation demonstrates competency of a laboratory to conduct testing. Three programmes were developed to facilitate achievement of accreditation in low‐ and middle‐income countries: Strengthening Laboratory Management Towards Accreditation (SLMTA), Stepwise Laboratory Improvement Process Towards Accreditation (SLIPTA) and Laboratory Quality Stepwise Implementation (LQSI). Objective: To determine the level of accreditation and associated barriers and facilitators among medical laboratories in the WHO‐AFRO region by 2020. Methods: A desk review of SLIPTA and SLMTA databases was conducted to identify ISO15189‐accredited medical laboratories between January 2013 and December 2020. Data on access to the LQSI tool were extracted from the WHO database. Facility and country characteristics were collected for analysis as possible enablers of accreditation. The chi‐square test was used to analyse differences with level of significance set at <0.05. Results: A total of 668 laboratories achieved accreditation by 2020 representing a 75% increase from the number in 2013. Accredited laboratories were mainly in South Africa (n = 396; 55%) and Kenya (n = 106; 16%), two countries with national accreditation bodies. About 16.9% (n = 113) of the accredited laboratories were registered for the SLIPTA programme and 26.6% (n = 178) for SLMTA. Approximately 58,217 LQSI users were registered by December 2020. Countries with a higher UHC index for access to HIV care and treatment, higher WHO JEE scores for laboratory networks, a larger number of registered LQSI users, with national laboratory policy/strategic plans and PEPFAR‐priority countries were more likely to have an accredited laboratory. Of the 475 laboratories engaged in the SLIPTA programme, 154 attained ≥4 SLIPTA stars (ready to apply for accreditation) and 113 achieved ISO 15189 accreditation, with 96 enrolled into the SLMTA programme. Lower‐tier laboratories were less likely to achieve accreditation than higher‐tier laboratories (7.7% vs. 30%) (p < 0.001). The probability of achieving ISO 15189 accreditation (19%) was highest during the first 24 months after enrolment into the SLIPTA programme. Conclusion: To sustainably anchor quality improvement initiatives at facility level, national approaches including access to a national accreditation authority, adoption of national quality standards and regulatory frameworks are required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: A group AB D‐positive child presented 1 year after haematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) from a group O D‐negative donor as group A D‐negative. Engraftment remained at 100% in white cell lineages. The reason for the unusual result was explored, and the scarcely reported phenomenon of adsorption of secreted antigen was considered. This study also investigated the prevalence of secreted antigen adsorbed onto donor‐derived group O red blood cells (RBCs) in children after HSCT and defined a process for laboratory management. Materials and Methods: Retrospective data analysis of HSCTs carried out over 19 months at Great Ormond Street Hospital was conducted to identify cases of adsorbed A antigen after HSCT. Investigation of RBC reactions with different clones of anti‐A and in vitro experiments was performed to recreate adsorption. Results: Nineteen A to O HSCTs were conducted over 19 months, of which six (31%) displayed weak A antigen on RBCs despite full myeloid engraftment. Negative reactions with anti‐A were obtained when run on an alternative clone. Laboratory protocols for the future management of these cases have been developed. Conclusion: Passive adsorption of secreted antigen is responsible for these results and is more widespread than previously reported, as a third of A to O HSCTs at our centre demonstrated this phenomenon. A process has been implemented into the laboratory to manage this cohort, ensuring component groups compatible with both donor and recipient are given, and the shared care centres are aware of these requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes an algorithm for the effective scheduling of analytical chemistry tests in the context of quality control for pharmaceutical manufacturing. The problem is formulated as an extension of a dual resource constrained flexible job shop scheduling problem for the allocation of both machines and analysts resources for analytical laboratory work of real dimensions. The formulation is novel and custom made to fit real quality control laboratory. The novelty comes from allowing multiple analyst interventions for each machine allocation while minimising the total completion time, formulated as a mixed integer linear programming model. A three-level dynamic heuristic is proposed to solve the problem efficiently for instances representative of real world schedules. The CPLEX solver and a Tabu Search algorithm are used for comparison. Results show that the heuristic is competitive with the other strategies for medium-sized instances while outperforming them for large-sized instances. The dynamic heuristic runs in a very short amount of time, making it suitable for real world environments. This work is valuable for the development of laboratory management solutions for quality control as it presents a way to provide automatic scheduling of resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The XXI century is known as the era or informational and / or knowledge society, at present it is impossible to conceive training without the presence of Information and Communication Technology. The objective of this work is to propose a training methodology in information management for the training and development specialists of the AICA Laboratories Company and verify its applicability in practice. An initial diagnosis was made. A methodology was proposed that has 4 stages, each with its explanation, objective, actions and expected results. The practical verification was made through direct observation and the Iadov satisfaction test. The Chi Square statistical method was used. The initial diagnosis made it possible to characterize the current state of these specialists in terms of their training in information management. The results of the abstraction process developed by the authors around the training process in this subject, allowed to base and elaborate the training methodology in information management. By comparing the results of direct observation with those obtained in the initial diagnosis, one can perceive the significant change observed in the improvement of the performance of training and development specialists in the workplace. The results of the statistical analysis show that the calculated value is greater than the tabulated one, which allows us to say that the change is considered significant positive and that the Working Hypothesis (H1) is accepted. The Iadov satisfaction test allowed to demonstrate the satisfaction of the specialists with the training received. The results obtained show the scientific value, relevance and applicability of the proposed methodology and its contribution to the improvement of the implementation in information management in the AICA Laboratories Company. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CSIRO's research in the arid zone was initiated after World War 2 when a strong push to develop the sparsely populated and isolated region of northern Australia was promoted as being in the national interest. This impetus had social and political origins but implementation depended on scientific insights into regional 'potential', which was couched at the time in terms of agronomic and pastoral use. Ray Perry was a key figure in early land resource surveys of the region and later a key motivator for, and supporter of, research in the arid and semi-arid rangelands of Australia. His commitment was fundamental to the establishment of CSIRO's Central Australian Laboratory. Pastoral land use and improving the land for that purpose were the primary concerns when CSIRO's presence in Alice Springs was established in 1953. From an initial focus on 'making the desert bloom', in particular making the vast spinifex grasslands more 'useful', the focus of research shifted to maintaining the productivity of country preferred by cattle and establishing methods for monitoring its health. It was not until the 1970s that Aboriginal and conservation land management appeared in the laboratory's research agenda, somewhat intermittently, in response to important social and political changes in the wider Australian community. When CSIRO's Arid Zone Unit was established in Alice Springs in 1953, the social and political imperative was to develop Australia's north and, more specifically, to make the vast interior more productive for pastoral and agronomic purposes. The research that followed showed the unreality of that goal and the need to nurture the land that cattle preferred to graze. Not until the 1970s were other values for land, such as Aboriginal and conservation uses, considered to be subjects for research, stimulated by social and political change in the wider Australian community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current scenario is of a permanent change in the organizational environment of companies due to increasingly fierce competition and technological innovation. The purpose of this research paper is to analyze the influence of selecting the people management model on the competence of accredited testing and calibration laboratories. Theoretical framework. People management is a topic of relevance for companies due to the changes in business and the intense technological development, which has given rise to a significant finding in organizations: people become the main competitive advantage in the organizational world. Design/methodology/approach. A questionnaire was developed to identify the adherence of laboratories to the People Management Models and their relationship with the number of non-conformities in item 6.2 (Personnel) according to the international standard ISO/IEC 17025(2017). The questionnaire was applied to the laboratory manager. Findings. The laboratories are at different levels of maturity for human behavior and personnel management. It is necessary to look beyond the requirements of the standard to remain in the market and to go toward new business challenges. Research, Practical & Social implications. The results are valid for laboratories attending to the requirements of ISO/IEC 17025(2017). Originality/value. Accredited laboratories need to look at their staff beyond the standard requirements. It is worth noting that skilled laboratory professionals foster new markets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The third edition of the ISO/IEC 17025 standard had significant changes with respect to its predecessor version, such as the approach and structure based on the process, the thought and action based on risk and the new requirement of impartiality and confidentiality, among others, no less important. The problem was how to deal with the transition to this third version of the standard and meet all its requirements. The mission of the DECA Scientific-Technical Services Management Group (GG SCTDECA), of the CNIC, is to provide specialized Scientific-Technical Services (SCT) for the characterization of water, wastewater and solid waste, the design and technical task of technological treatment solutions, as well as material protection services. All of them are covered by a management system in accordance with NC-ISO / IEC 17025 and accredited by the National Accreditation Body of the Republic of Cuba (ONARC). The objective of the work was the strategy to be followed in the Group to comply with the new requirements of ISO/IEC 17025. The procedure, descriptive and qualitative, took into account the main changes, taking as a guide a correlation between the second and third edition of the standard, which allowed, together with a documentary review, to define what needed to be done or improved. The necessary actions were defined to comply with the new requirements of the third edition and a plan was drawn up, establishing the deadlines for compliance and those responsible for executing them. Among other actions, an Impartiality Policy was developed and records of Confidentiality Commitments were established for internal and external personnel who can influence the Laboratory's activities. A procedure was implemented to address the Risks and Opportunities, the risks to impartiality were identified, a Policy for information and communication with the interested parties was defined, the Process Map and the Process Files were improved, the Profiles were adapted staff competence and training seminars were held. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quality management is integral to the practice of cytopathology, especially given the heavily manual workflows and expanding ancillary testing requirements inherent to the cytopathology laboratory. Monitoring quality data like turnaround time, specimen unsatisfactory rates, and diagnostic category utilization rates allows for better understanding of performance with opportunities for targeted improvement if there are variations from that which is expected. However, there are costs to quality monitoring including the time and resources needed, and, in already taxed systems, quality management risks being viewed as just another box to check. While there are mandated quality metrics that must be collected by cytology laboratories, thoughtful selection of key performance indicators can be of tremendous benefit in helping to better understand complex laboratory processes and directing improvement endeavors where needed. The following short communication is a discussion on quality management in the cytopathology laboratory from 3 Cytopathology Quality Management Directors. The discussion focuses on monitoring the atypical reporting category with an emphasis on how trending and visualizing quality metrics can provide laboratories with key data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the recent 39 years, China colleges and universities have developed drastically. However, the colleges' laboratory accidents also rise significantly. This paper analyzed 197 China college accidents. The results show that the highest percentage of safety accidents are hazardous chemicals. Most of the injured parts of the 416 casualties are concentrated in the front upper body. The author finds that there is a certain correlation between the percentage of accidents and the number of students, as well as the number of scientific research activities. Based on the findings, the author points out: firstly, the college safety department should build a laboratory safety information sharing and analysis platform. The dynamic information includes hazardous chemicals, students, dangerous equipment, research experiments, etc. Secondly, China colleges and universities should build a laboratory safety education system with Chinese characteristics, incorporating laboratory safety education into the training of students. Finally, it is urgent to establish a professional team to fully implement the laboratory safety responsibility system; to establish a laboratory hierarchical and classified management system and to improve experiment project risk assessment and control; to carry out a special inspection on laboratory safety; to carry out standardized construction and to establish standardized process management procedures. [Display omitted] • This paper combs 197 China university laboratory safety cases, and 416 casualties in recent 39 years are analyzed. • The highest percentage of safety accidents are hazardous chemicals. • The improper use of chemicals and unattended are the main causes of accidents. • The most of the injured parts are concentrated in the front upper body. • The occurrence month of college and institutes laboratory accidents shows certain regularity. • This paper points out three key directions for the university laboratories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Experimental Technology & Management is the property of Experimental Technology & Management Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Experimental Technology & Management is the property of Experimental Technology & Management Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Experimental Technology & Management is the property of Experimental Technology & Management Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Experimental Technology & Management is the property of Experimental Technology & Management Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This document is a correction notice for an article titled "Platform pricing and blockchain adoption for capacity sharing with cross-network externality and supply risk" published in the Annals of Operations Research. The correction addresses an error in the author's affiliation, specifically the omission of the sub-school. The correct affiliation should be read as the College of Management and Economics & The Laboratory of Computation and Analytics of Complex Management Systems (CACMS), Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China. The original article has been corrected. The publisher, Springer Nature, remains neutral regarding jurisdictional claims and institutional affiliations. The authors of the article are Longfei He, Xiao Zhang, Baofeng Huo, and Yang Zhang. [Extracted from the article]

Abstract Introduction The aim of this study was to investigate the improvements in laboratory testing procedures and the quality and safety management for large‐scale population screening for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2). Methods Because of epidemic prevention and control needs in Hebei Province, on January 7, 2021, the Health Commission of Zhejiang Province sent a medical team to Hebei Province, to carry out SARS‐CoV‐2 nucleic acid testing. Screening for the SARS‐CoV‐2 nucleic acid test was performed using reverse‐transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR). Practical tests and repeated process optimization were adopted to explore the optimal solution for improving laboratory testing procedures and the quality of and safety management for large‐scale population screening for SARS‐CoV‐2. Results The Zhejiang medical team completed 250,000 pooled SARS‐CoV‐2 nucleic acid samples in 24 days in Shijiazhuang, with a peak daily testing capacity of 40,246 samples testing. There were no false‐negative or false‐positive results, and no laboratory personnel was infected with SARS‐CoV‐2. Significant achievements have been made in SARS‐CoV‐2 prevention and control. Conclusions This report summarizes the effort of the medical team regarding their management of the quality and safety of laboratory tests and proposes corresponding empirical recommendations to provide a reference for future large‐scale population screening SARS‐CoV‐2.

With the deepening of teaching reform and the growth of scientific research strength, the safety situation faced by the laboratory for teaching and scientific research is becoming more and more serious. All sectors of society carry out work in different aspects for laboratory safety. Nevertheless, laboratory safety accidents still occur as before from time to time in universities and institutes. In fact, each accident not only relates to the laboratory safety management rules but also relates to the content of experiment project itself. This requires the organizers of experiment projects or relevant scientific researchers to take some actions. The risks involved in the whole process of the experimental project should be analyzed. If these risk analysis cases are collected and formed into a case base, it must be an effective means to reduce the occurrence of accidents and reduce the harm of the accidents. This work will play an important role in laboratory safety management and high-quality talents cultivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research data management (RDM) is needed to assist experimental advances and data collection in the chemical sciences. Many funders require RDM because experiments are often paid for by taxpayers and the resulting data should be deposited sustainably for posterity. However, paper notebooks are still common in laboratories and research data is often stored in proprietary and/or dead‐end file formats without experimental context. Data must mature beyond a mere supplement to a research paper. Electronic lab notebooks (ELN) and laboratory information management systems (LIMS) allow researchers to manage data better and they simplify research and publication. Thus, an agreement is needed on minimum information standards for data handling to support structured approaches to data reporting. As digitalization becomes part of curricular teaching, future generations of digital native chemists will embrace RDM and ELN as an organic part of their research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to improve the user access success rate, cloud service success rate and experiment resource sharing and retrieval efficiency of network virtual experiment environment, a network virtual experiment environment architecture based on cloud computing was proposed. Through the CVM cloud virtual experiment platform and LIMP Laboratory integrated management platform, the system architecture of network virtual experiment environment is designed. Based on cloud computing, the access control algorithm of network virtual experiment environment is designed, and the resource sharing of network virtual experiment environment is realized by data mining technology. The experimental results show that the architecture proposed in this paper has a high success rate of user access and cloud service, and a good efficiency of experimental resource sharing and retrieval, indicating that the architecture proposed in this paper has a good application effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Remote laboratories have been developed at many universities worldwide to provide students with access to apparatus and experiments via the Internet around the clock, thus giving partner institutions the opportunity to share resources, expensive equipment and specialized laboratories, whether within a single country or at regional and international levels. Universities usually implement learning management systems (LMS) such as Moodle and Blackboard to enable students to interact, carry out learning activities and access remote labs. However, remote labs generate enormous amounts of data, which is stored, processed, analyzed, and accessed using centralized systems that lack transparency, traceability, security features, trustworthiness, and reliability. In addition, they are vulnerable to the single point of failure problem due to centralization. The application of blockchain technology in remote labs is proposed as a promising solution for future online learning as it combines a new pedagogical approach with various state-of-the-art technologies in an era that embraces Education 4.0 as the education norm. Furthermore, a novel blockchain-based framework for remote labs allows data streaming and transfer in a decentralized, transparent, traceable, reliable, secure, and trustful manner, where only authorized peers can join or access the network, thereby providing privacy of students' data files and reports. An initial pilot of an Ethereum-based remote lab show promising result for effective management of online experiments, originally hosted in a Moodle LMS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the progress being made in green chemistry, as well as the challenges that must be overcome to achieve universal implementation. It informs that green chemistry is aiming to reduce the quantities of chemicals that negatively affect both humans and the environment. It further addresses the concerns of companies making the shift to the green chemistry practices including profitability, changes to business and operating models, and technology development.

Copyright of Experimental Technology & Management is the property of Experimental Technology & Management Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Hygiene management protocols in laboratory mouse husbandries worldwide most commonly employ soiled bedding-exposed sentinel mice to monitor the occurrence of infections in mouse colonies. Using this approach, sentinel mice repeatedly receive a mixture of used bedding, supplied by a variety of cages of a defined hygienic unit for a period of several months. Hereby, microorganisms shed in the used bedding can infect the sentinel animals and can be detected in subsequent health monitoring procedures. However, murine excrements carry more than only microorganisms. Mouse feces and urine also contain a multitude of olfactory molecules, which the animals use to code information about social status and context. However, if and how the persistent and repeated experience with these odor cues affects the behavior of sentinel mice, has not yet been explored. To address this question, we conducted a longitudinal study for neurochemical output parameters related to an organism's responsiveness to challenging conditions, and for the exploratory assessment of a panel of home cage behaviors in soiled bedding and control female C57BL/6J mice. We found that the number of mice showing abnormal repetitive behaviors, including barbering and bar mouthing, was lower in the soiled bedding group. While neutrophil/lymphocyte ratios and fecal corticosterone metabolites did not differ between groups, the within-group variance of the neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio was reduced in the soiled bedding group. These results show that the occurrence of abnormal repetitive behaviors is lower in sentinel than in control mice and suggest a beneficial effect of soiled bedding on the welfare of laboratory mice and on outcome variability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to the current management status of laboratories, an open laboratory management system based on 2DPCA face recognition technology is developed. Within this system, the environment of the lab is monitored from multiple aspects such as temperature and humidity, light intensity, PM2.5. The ZigBee module is adopted to realize the check-in and access control, which can automatically record the attendance of laboratory personnel and save the inconvenience of recording information manually. 2DPCA face recognition technology is used to ensure the security and theft prevention of the laboratory. The nodes composed of IoT, various sensors and microcontrollers help with the collection, transmission and processing of data between modules. Simultaneously, the IoT website is developed to record and display the environmental information of the lab, and the information will be published to the public network in real time through the ipv6 web server, thus allowing the users to view the usage of the work station through the net page on their cell phones. The innovation of this system design lies in the involvement of 2DPCA face recognition technology, which not only ensures the laboratory safety but also solves the problem of students not being able to enter due to the dim lighting and low resolution in the evening. Besides, the 2DPCA technology' ability to meet the demand of open laboratory management system is verified by the simulation and experimental verification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mass spectrometry-based steroidomics combined with machine learning (ML) provides a potentially powerful approach in endocrine diagnostics, but is hampered by limitations in the conveyance of results and interpretations to clinicians. We address this shortcoming by integration of the two technologies with a laboratory information management systems (LIMS) model. The approach involves integration of ML algorithm-derived models with commercially available mathematical programming software and a web-based LIMS prototype. To illustrate clinical utility, the process was applied to plasma steroidomics data from 22 patients tested for primary aldosteronism (PA). Once mass spectrometry data are uploaded into the system, automated processes enable generation of interpretations of steroid profiles from ML models. Generated reports include plasma concentrations of steroids in relation to age- and sex-specific reference intervals along with results of ML models and narrative interpretations that cover probabilities of PA. If PA is predicted, reports include probabilities of unilateral disease and mutations of KCNJ5 known to be associated with successful outcomes of adrenalectomy. Preliminary results, with no overlap in probabilities of disease among four patients with and 18 without PA and correct classification of all four patients with unilateral PA including three of four with KCNJ5 mutations, illustrate potential utility of the approach to guide diagnosis and subtyping of patients with PA. The outlined process for integrating plasma steroidomics data and ML with LIMS may facilitate improved diagnostic-decision-making when based on higher-dimensional data otherwise difficult to interpret. The approach is relevant to other diagnostic applications involving ML. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Experimental Technology & Management is the property of Experimental Technology & Management Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Experimental Technology & Management is the property of Experimental Technology & Management Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background Optimized laboratory services are recognized as an integral part of high-quality healthcare delivery. However, these services are often unavailable or substandard in resource-limited countries. The implementation of quality management systems (QMSs) in the laboratory can transform laboratory services and ultimately improve patient care in these settings. Methods The Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute, through its Global Health Partnerships (GHP) program, has intervened in 32 laboratories to implement QMSs and improve performance. Standardized checklists were used before and after the structured intervention to quantify the impact of this program. Results QMS implementation resulted in a statistically significant improvement in overall mean checklist scores. All participating laboratories demonstrated improvement in their quality and performance, with 13 laboratories achieving national accreditation within the time frame of this study. Conclusion A structured program that utilizes well-recognized, standardized checklists and has leadership and laboratory team support, professional training with onsite guidance (i.e. train the trainer) and access to professionals experienced with QMS implementation and maintenance can lead to significant improvements in quality in resource-limited countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Global Health Security Agenda and the International Health Regulations (2005) recommend that countries strengthen the capacity of their national laboratory systems to comply with the International Health Regulations. To efficiently and effectively direct these efforts, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention—in collaboration with the Ministry of Health Directorate of Laboratories, the African Society for Laboratory Medicine, and Integrated Quality Laboratory Service—assessed Burkina Faso's national laboratory system using the World Health Organization Laboratory Assessment Tool. Based on gaps observed in biorisk management, the Biosafety and Biosecurity Laboratory Assessment Tool (BSS LAT) was developed to assess 10 public laboratories handling dangerous pathogens. This tool uses a specific scoring matrix with quantitative output. Composite assessment scores for the 9 primary modules (capacity areas) were reported, with the highest scores reported in cleaning, disinfection, sterilization, waste management (42%), and good laboratory practices (40%), and the lowest scores in biosecurity/biosafety (33%), documents/regulations (18%), emergency management (16%), and risk management (5%). To address challenges identified in the assessments, a set of activities was planned with a focus on biorisk management. Results from an evaluation conducted 1 year later, using the BSS LAT, showed an increase in the average score of all indicators from 25% to 45% and an increase in the biorisk management module score from 5% to 35%. This evaluation process was a decisive step toward strengthening the capacity of the laboratory system in Burkina Faso. Global Health Security Agenda investments and activities have made a lasting impact on improving biosafety and biosecurity in public health laboratories. To ensure sustainability, a strong laboratory quality management program based on a mentorship system is greatly needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reference intervals (RIs) help physicians in differentiating healthy from sick individuals. The prothrombin time (PT) and International normalized ratio (INR) fluctuate in coagulation pathway defects and have interlaboratory variability due to the instrument/reagent used. As direct method is difficult in children, we chose an indirect data mining method for the determining PT/INR RIs. The indirect method overcomes the substantial financial and logistic challenges, and ethical restrictions in children, moreover, allows partitioning in more fine-grained age groups. Prothrombin Time/INR measurements performed in patients aged birth-18 years between January 2013 and December 2020, were retrieved from laboratory management system of the Aga Khan Hospital. Reference intervals were computed using an indirect KOSMIC algorithm. The KOSMIC package function on the assumption that the non-pathologic samples follow a Gaussian distribution (after Box-Cox transformation of the data), following an elaborate statistical process to isolate distribution of physiological samples from mixed dataset. A total of 56,712 and 52,245 values were retrieved for PT and INR respectively. After the exclusion of patients with multiple specimens obtained during the study period, RIs were calculated for 37,356 (PT) and 37,192 (INR) children with stratification into 9 age groups. A comparison of 2.5th and 97.5th percentile results with those of established RIs from SickKids Handbook of Pediatric Thrombosis and Hemostasis demonstrated good agreement in between different age groups. This study supports data mining as an alternate approach for establishing PT/INR RIs, specifically in resource-limited settings. The results obtained are specific to studied population and instrument/reagent used. The study also allows understanding of fluctuations in coagulation pathways with increasing age and hence better clinical decision-making based on PT and INR results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Phase I of the Korean Undiagnosed Diseases Program (KUDP), performed for 3 years, has been completed. The Phase I program aimed to solve the problem of undiagnosed patients throughout the country and develop infrastructure, including a data management system and functional core laboratory, for long-term translational research. Herein, we share the clinical experiences of the Phase I program and introduce the activities of the functional core laboratory and data management system.Results: During the program (2018-2020), 458 patients were enrolled and classified into 3 groups according to the following criteria: (I) those with a specific clinical assessment which can be verified by direct testing (32 patients); (II) those with a disease group with genetic and phenotypic heterogeneity (353 patients); and (III) those with atypical presentations or diseases unknown to date (73 patients). All patients underwent individualized diagnostic processes based on the decision of an expert consortium. Confirmative diagnoses were obtained for 242 patients (52.8%). The diagnostic yield was different for each group: 81.3% for Group I, 53.3% for Group II, and 38.4% for Group III. Diagnoses were made by next-generation sequencing for 204 patients (84.3%) and other genetic testing for 35 patients (14.5%). Three patients (1.2%) were diagnosed with nongenetic disorders. The KUDP functional core laboratory, with a group of experts, organized a streamlined research pipeline covering various resources, including animal models, stem cells, structural modeling and metabolic and biochemical approaches. Regular data review was performed to screen for candidate genes among undiagnosed patients, and six different genes were identified for functional research. We also developed a web-based database system that supports clinical cohort management and provides a matchmaker exchange protocol based on a matchbox, likely to reinforce the nationwide clinical network and further international collaboration.Conclusions: The KUDP evaluated the unmet needs of undiagnosed patients and established infrastructure for a data-sharing system and future functional research. The advancement of the KUDP may lead to sustainable bench-to-bedside research in Korea and contribute to ongoing international collaboration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent decades, the adoption of diagnostic laboratory techniques in clinical practice has accelerated. The cost of undertaking the care of an increasingly growing population of chronic systemic illnesses and malignancies is agonizing the health care system. A more health conscious population also demands sophisticated laboratory detection technology. From a consumer's point of view, they want accountability for both quality and safety. Laboratories can no longer rely only on efficient testing to meet their needs. The value of laboratory tests has been determined largely by payers, and until recently, many assumed that the tests were commodities. Payers are increasingly inquiring about the tests' value, which is defined as quality per unit of expense. Laboratories must also demonstrate that their tests are also cost-effective. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) is a cost-effectiveness analysis statistic used to summarize the cost-effectiveness of a health care intervention. The impact of an intervention on patient mortality and morbidity is included in cost-utility analysis (CUA), a type of CEA in which the benefits of an intervention are quantified in terms of quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) gained. This article will provide an in-depth review of literature on the various cost effectiveness of oral pathology laboratory testing and a new descriptive model for assessing the quality and value of latest laboratory tests. This new proposal can be used to efficiently evaluate the effectiveness of a new laboratory protocol against the gold standard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a major public health challenge with its impact felt disproportionately in Western Sub-Saharan Africa. Routine microbiology investigations serve as a rich source of AMR monitoring and surveillance data. Geographical variations in susceptibility patterns necessitate regional and institutional tracking of resistance patterns to aid in tailored Antimicrobial Stewardship (AMS) interventions to improve antibiotic use in such settings. This study focused on developing a cumulative antibiogram of bacterial isolates from clinical samples at the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital (CCTH). This was ultimately to improve AMS by guiding empiric therapy. Methods: A hospital-based longitudinal study involving standard microbiological procedures was conducted from 1st January to 31st December 2020. Isolates from routine diagnostic aerobic cultures were identified by colony morphology, Gram staining, and conventional biochemical tests. Isolates were subjected to antibiotic susceptibility testing using Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion. Inhibitory zone diameters were interpreted per the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines and were entered and analysed on the WHONET software using the "first isolate only" principle. Results: Overall, low to moderate susceptibility was observed in most pathogen-antibiotic combinations analysed in the study. Amikacin showed the highest susceptibility (86%, n = 537/626) against all Gram-negatives with ampicillin exhibiting the lowest (6%, n = 27/480). Among the Gram-positives, the highest susceptibilities were exhibited by gentamicin (78%, n = 124/159), with clindamycin having the lowest susceptibility (27%, n = 41/154). Among the Gram-negatives, 66% (n = 426/648) of the isolates were identified phenotypically as potential extended-spectrum beta-lactamase producers. Multiple multidrug-resistant isolates were also identified among both Gram-positive and Gram-negative isolates. Low to moderate susceptibility was found against first- and second-line antibiotics recommended in the National standard treatment guidelines (NSTG). Laboratory quality management deficiencies and a turnaround time of 3.4 days were the major AMS barriers identified. Conclusions: Low to moderate susceptibilities coupled with high rates of phenotypic resistance warrant tailoring NSTGs to fit local contexts within CCTH even after considering the biases in these results. The cumulative antibiogram proved a key AMS programme component after its communication to clinicians and subsequent monitoring of its influence on prescribing indicators. This should be adopted to enhance such programmes across the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study proposed the development of a computerized platform to support the inspection management and laboratory analysis of animal products supplied to the Brazilian Army troops. The applied research corresponds to the modality of technological production in three phases. Phase I consisted in survey from Fiscal Report Files of animal products, which was printed and issued by the FIBL (Food Inspection and Bromatology Laboratory) from the 12th Supply Battalion, from January to November 2021, and the Brazilian Army's Technical Bulletins (BT30.404-EB) Files. Phase II corresponded to design and development of the "Food Platform - Guaranteed Traceability and Reliability". All the developed programming was stored at an outsourced web server by accessing the FIBLs through the link: www.pmppa.com.br/alimentar. The supportive computerized platform used the PHP (Hypertext Preprocessor) language associated with the CSS (Cascading Style Sheet), HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language), JS (Java script) and bootstrap. Phase III consisted in performing a Black Box testing. The available modules for information inclusion in the system are the following issues: "Animal products registration"; "Analyses release"; "Technical Bulletin registration" and "Reports", which allow attributing the satisfactory or unsatisfactory quality to the animal products providing safe consumption for the troops, according to the evaluation of laboratory samples. The platform was effectively developed, guaranteeing the veterinary officer a safe tool to support the quality management of products intended for feeding the Brazilian Army troops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Autoverification (AV) is a postanalytical tool that uses algorithms to validate test results according to specified criteria. The Clinical and Laboratory Standard Institute (CLSI) document for AV of clinical laboratory test result (AUTO-10A) includes recommendations for laboratories needing guidance on implementation of AV algorithms. The aim was to design and validate the AV algorithm for biochemical tests. Materials and methods: Criteria were defined according to AUTO-10A. Three different approaches for algorithm were used as result limit checks, which are reference range, reference range ± total allowable error, and 2nd and 98th percentile values. To validate the algorithm, 720 cases in middleware were tested. For actual cases, 3,188,095 results and 194,520 reports in laboratory information system (LIS) were evaluated using the AV system. Cohen's kappa (1) was calculated to determine the degree of agreement between seven independent reviewers and the AV system. Results: The AV passing rate was found between 77% and 85%. The highest rates of AV were in alanine transaminase (ALT), direct bilirubin (DBIL), and magnesium (Mg), which all had AV rates exceeding 85%. The most common reason for non-validated results was the result limit check (41%). A total of 328 reports evaluated by reviewers were compared to AV system. The statistical analysis resulted in a value between 0.39 and 0.63 (P < 0.001) and an agreement rate between 79% and 88%. Conclusions: Our improved model can help laboratories design, build, and validate AV systems and be used as starting point for different test groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Moving average quality control (MA QC) is a patient-based real-time quality control system. Advantages compared to conventional periodic internal quality control (IQC) include absence of commutability problems and continuous monitoring of performance. We implemented MA QC for multiple routine hematology and chemistry parameters. We describe the evaluation process and provide practical tools to aid MA QC implementation. Nine parameters (serum sodium, calcium, bicarbonate and free thyroxine, hemoglobin [Hb], mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration [MCHC], reticulocyte count and erythrocyte sedimentation rate [ESR]) were chosen for initial consideration. Using data extractions from the laboratory information system (LIS; General Laboratory Information Management System), evaluation of usefulness and optimization of MA QC settings was performed using bias detection curves. After this, MA QC settings were incorporated in our LIS for further evaluation and implementation in routine care. Three out of nine parameters (Hb, ESR, and sodium) were excluded from MA QC implementation due to high variation and technical issues in the LIS. For the six remaining parameters, MA QC showed added value to IQC and was therefore implemented in the LIS. For three parameters a direct MA alarm work-up method was set up, including newly developed built-in features in the LIS. For the other parameters, we identified MA utilization beyond real-time monitoring. Implementation of MA QC has added value for our laboratory setting. Additional utilization beyond real-time QC monitoring was identified. We find MA QC especially useful for trend monitoring, detection of small shifts after maintenance and inter-analyzer comparisons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Railway Signalling & Communication Engineering is the property of Railway Signalling & Communication Engineering and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Experimental Technology & Management is the property of Experimental Technology & Management Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)