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In the last decade there has been a rapid advancement in the use of information and communication technologies to empower the practice of medicine. Wearable smart glasses, such as Google [...], Context.--Smart glasses are a wearable technology that enable hands-free data acquisition and entry. Objective.--To develop a surgical pathology grossing application on a smart glass platform. Design.--An existing logistics software for the Google Glass Enterprise smart glass platform was used to create surgical pathology grossing protocols. The 2 grossing protocols were developed to simulate grossing a complex (heart) and a simple (kidney) specimen. For both protocols, users were visually prompted by the smart glass device to perform each task, record measurements, or document the field of view. In addition to measuring the total time of the protocol performance, each substep within the protocol was automatically recorded. Subsequently, a report was generated that contained the dictation, images, voice recordings, and the timing of each step. The application was tested by 3 users using the 2 grossing protocols. The users were tracked across 3 grossing procedures for each protocol. Results.--For the complex specimen grossing the average time across repeated procedures was not significantly different between users (P > .99). However, when grossing times of the complex specimen were compared for repeated performances of the same user, a significant reduction in grossing times was observed with each repetition (P = .002). For the simple specimen, the average grossing time across multiple attempts was different among users (P = .03); however, no improvement in grossing time was observed with repeated performance (P = .499). Conclusions.--Augmented reality based grossing applications can provide automated data collection to track the changes in grossing performance over time. doi: 10.5858/arpa.2020-0090-OA

Gender-based barriers to equal salary, career advancement, and leadership still exist in medicine. (1) Women may find it uncomfortable to be forthright about their accomplishments and potential to new employers [...], * Context.--Gender-based barriers to equal salary, career advancement, and leadership still exist in medicine. Herein we provide the first report of data comparing the experiences of men and women seeking their first nonfellowship position in pathology. Objective.--To identify gender trends regarding pathologists taking their first job after training and the relationship to various demographic factors, job search satisfaction, and outcome. Design.--Aggregate data from the College of American Pathologists Graduate Medical Education Committee Job Market surveys (2015-2018) were analyzed across multiple domains including residency focus, number and subspecialty of fellowships completed, and extent to which expectations were met in regard to work duties, geographic preference, benefits, and salary. These data were examined in the context of assessing gender-based differences. Results.--Comparable results were identified in all measured outcomes according to gender. There were no differences between gender and medical school type, relocation, residency training focus, number of fellowships completed, overall satisfaction with position accepted, salary, or extent to which the position met expectations. Similarly, there were also no discrepancies between gender and the geographic region in which positions were accepted, practice setting, practice subspecialty, partnership track, length of job search, or difficulty finding a position. Conclusions.--Analysis from 4 years of job market survey data shows equivalent results between men and women looking for their first nonfellowship position in pathology. There were no significant differences with regard to difficulty finding a position, overall satisfaction with the position accepted, salary, benefits, or access to partnership track. (Arch Pathol Lab Med. 2020;144:435-442; doi: 10.5858/arpa.2019-0354-CP)

Patient demographics in the United States continue to change as the percentage of the population older than 65-years old is projected to reach 48% by 2032. (1) The increase in [...], * Context.--An aging population calls for an adequate response in the workforce of medical professionals. The field of pathology has seen a downward trend in numbers of graduating US allopathic medical students choosing the specialty. Concerns about the job market after residency and fellowship graduation may be a contributing factor. Objective.--To provide an update on the trends emerging from a survey of pathology graduates' job search experience for their first nonfellowship position. Design.--Data from an annual job search survey sent by the College of American Pathologists Graduate Medical Education Committee between 2017 and 2019 to College of American Pathologists junior members and fellows in practice 3 years or less actively looking for a non-fellowship position was analyzed. Various indicators of the job search experience were compared year to year and with the previously published 2012 to 2016 benchmark data. Results.--Analysis revealed positive trends between the 2017 to 2019 data and the 2012 to 2016 benchmark data, including participants' perceiving more ease in finding a position, improved availability of jobs in their subspecialty choice, and higher ratings of satisfaction with the position accepted, as well as a greater proportion of respondents finding a position within 6 months of initiating their job search. Conclusions.--The job market for pathology residents and fellows looking for their first nonfellowship position has improved with respect to multiple indicators, such as ease of finding a position, length of job search, and satisfaction with the position accepted when comparing 2017 to 2019 data with the 2012 to 2016 benchmark data. (Arch Pathol Lab Med. 2021;145:1117-1122; doi: 10.5858/arpa.2020-0455-CP

Compared to the parental SARS-CoV-2 virus, infections by the now dominant Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2 appear to be more common and more severe in pregnant women. The need for a robust, cheap, and quick method for diagnosing placental infection by SARS-CoV-2 has thus become more acute. Here, we describe a highly sensitive and specific immunohistochemical assay for SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein for routine use in placental pathology practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hemoglobin (Hb) Austin was first reported by MooPenn et al (1) in 1977 and was found by amino acid sequencing to be due to a substitution of serine for arginine [...], Context.--Hemoglobin (Hb) Austin was defined in 1977, using amino acid sequencing of samples from 3 unrelated Mexican-Americans, as a substitution of serine for arginine at position 40 of the [beta]-globin chain (Arg40Ser). Its electrophoretic migration on both cellulose acetate (pH 8.4) and citrate agar (pH 6.2) was reported between Hb F and Hb A, and this description persists in reference literature. Objectives.--To review the clinical features and redefine the diagnostic characteristics of Hb Austin. Design.--Eight samples from 6 unrelated individuals and 2 siblings, all with Hispanic surnames, were submitted for abnormal Hb identification between June 2010 and September 2011. High-performance liquid chromatography, isoelectric focusing (IEF), citrate agar electrophoresis, and bidirectional DNA sequencing of the entire [beta]-globin gene were performed. Results.--DNA sequencing confirmed all 8 individuals to be heterozygous for Hb Austin (Arg40Ser). Retention time on high-performance liquid chromatography and migration on citrate agar electrophoresis were consistent with that identification. Migration on IEF, however, was not between Hb F and Hb A, as predicted from the report of cellulose acetate electrophoresis. By IEF, Hb Austin migrated anodal to ("faster than") Hb A. Conclusions.--Hemoglobin Austin (Arg40Ser) appears on IEF as a "fast," anodally migrating, Hb variant, just as would be expected from its amino acid substitution. The cited historic report is, at best, not applicable to IEF and is probably erroneous. Our observation of 8 cases in 16 months suggests that this variant may be relatively common in some Hispanic populations, making its recognition important. Furthermore, gene sequencing is proving itself a powerful and reliable tool for definitive identification of Hb variants. (Arch Pathol Lab Med. 2014; 138:819-822; doi: 10.5858/arpa.2013-0105-OA)