Informatics. Using the Internet for forensic sciences.

This article deals with the elementary concepts of the use of Internet informatics for communication of information between individuals having an interest in forensics. The use of the Internet for purposes of e-mail and news-group communication, Medline literature search, information search of the Internet for areas of interest, Web sites of interest to forensic-based personnel, and the availability of File Transfer Protocols are briefly discussed.

Bar codes and the clinical laboratory: adaptation perspectives.

This paper provides an overview of the functional capabilities of bar-code technology within the laboratory environment and assesses the problems and solutions encountered during its introduction in our laboratory. An idea of the potential costs and personnel savings is offered, demonstrating that we have saved an entire full-time equivalent (FTE) medical technologist in clinical chemistry with an associated improvement in the accuracy of patient identification and a marked improvement in turnaround time for both chemistry and hematology routine procedures. We have estimated the savings of two FTE medical technologists while improving service and accuracy. Hardware costs should be recovered in 2 years.

Using spreadsheets in the clinical laboratory.

Once the user becomes acquainted with the power of electronic spreadsheet software, it is easy to visualize how it could be of use in the laboratory. Here is an overview of this new tool's current and potential uses and in-depth explanation of one possible application in the laboratory.

Comparative evaluation of an automated kinetic laser nephelometer with other immunoprecipitin technics for the assay of serum immunoglobulins.

A comparative evaluation of a laser nephelometer (J.T. Baker Immunology Series 420 Laser Nephelometer) with other immunoprecipitin methods in each of two separate laboratories is reported. This is a batch-oriented almost fully-automated laser nephelometer capable of both kinetic and end-point nephelometry. In the kinetic mode, it will automatically detect antigen-excess and perform multiple reassays of further dilutions of sample in a completely unattended mode. Both instrument maintenance and down-time were minimal in both laboratories. The data derived from manufacturer's kits for the assay of IgG, IgA, and IgM were compared to both commercial radial-immunodiffusion and a two-point fixed interval immunoturbidimetric method on a centrifugal fast analyzer. Correlation coefficients exceeded 0.9 in all instances, with variable bias depending on the assay. The apparent bias was felt to be due to a combination of factors including different antibody sources, variance in reference material, assay conditions, difference in measurement modality, and form of mathematical evaluation. The instrument was easy to operate, rapidly gained technologist acceptance, replicated various assay levels at coefficient of variations of less than 10% (between run) and fulfilled our expectations regarding the automatic detection of antigen excess and unattended sample reassay.

Automated rheumatoid factor assay in a population of patients with rheumatic disease.

Rheumatoid factor has been measured in 128 patients having rheumatic disease to compare the Singer-Plotz assay with an automated particle size assay. Correlation coefficient between the two methods using regression analysis revealed r = 0.89, P less than 0.00001 when two different commercial sources of sensitized latex particles were used. Thus rheumatoid factor may be quantitated electronically and represented in arbitrary units (MPRF) without altering clinical interpretation. This methodology may be applicable to many other immunologic assays.

Microdetermination of serum calcium by parallel fast analyzer.

An adaptation of a direct microdetermination of serum calcium based upon its colored reaction product with cresolphthalein complexone for use with a parallel fast analyzer is described. It is simple, reliable and clinically accurate. Twenty microliters of sample are employed in a final volume of 650 mul. Comparison studies with an atomic absorption method resulted in a correlation coefficinet (r) of 0.94. Replicate analyses at normal (8.5 mg. per dl.) and abnormal (12.1 mg. per dl) levels showed inter-day coefficients of variation of 3.2 and 2.3%, respectively. Assays of sera of male and female donors (age range: 17--60 years) showed normal ranges of 8.5--10.8 and 8.5--10.5 mg. per dl., respectively. Moderate hemolysis and jaundice and mild lipemia are associated with spuriously high results. Magnesium in serum showed no significant effect below 4.0 mEq. per l.