News
Minimally invasive mesothelioma diagnosis from lung fluid
Minimally invasive mesothelioma diagnosis with lung fluid may be just as effective as a tissue biopsy.
That’s according to Australian mesothelioma researchers. Australia was once one of the biggest producers of asbestos and now has some of the highest mesothelioma rates in the world. It is also home to high-level mesothelioma research.
Red blood cell donor pregnancy history not linked to higher mortality in transfusion recipients
A new study has found that the sex or pregnancy history of red blood cell donors does not influence the risk of death among patients who receive their blood. The study adds to a growing body of literature examining whether blood donor characteristics such as sex, age, and pregnancy history affect the survival of transfused patients.
Change management
We previously have written about the human perspective regarding how laboratory managers can lead their staff through change. For this article, we want to take a deeper look into what type of organizational culture drives sustained change and explore systematic approaches that can be applied to the change-management process.
Bloodborne and airborne transmissible pathogens in the lab
A major concern for clinical laboratory employees is exposure to biological agents during sample collection, contact with patients, or during laboratory analysis. Minimizing exposure begins with the implementation of an exposure control plan (ECP).
NYC's 'Quickie Lab' closes loophole in sexual health prevention
New York City’s health department on Wednesday unveiled the “Quickie Lab” at its Chelsea Express Sexual Health Clinic, a new system for gonorrhea and chlamydia tests that reduces the wait time for results from seven days to three hours.
U of A virologists identify how experimental Ebola treatment works
University of Alberta research is giving the medical community better tools to combat viral pandemics like the escalating Ebola crisis in Central Africa.
Russian scientist plans to create more genetically-edited humans
After a gene-editing experiment in China last year, an international group of experts pushed back forcefully against the idea that science and the world are ready to edit the genome of human embryos. They suggested a moratorium that would give scientists time to create guidelines and standards for such work. That isn't stopping Russian biologist Denis Rebrikov, who runs an in vitro fertilization clinic and has announced his plans to genetically edit human embryos.
Norovirus close-ups might help fight stomach flu
Knowing your enemy is an important principle of competition, and scientists may just have become more familiar with one nasty stomach virus.
Closeup looks at several strains of norovirus reveal that the vomit- and diarrhea-inducing virus can come in a variety of sizes.
Better access to pain management needed to combat the opioid crisis
A new report from the Coalition for Safe and Effective Pain Management (CSEPM) highlights possible solutions to Canada's opioid crisis. The report's authors believe that optimizing safe and effective non-pharmacological treatments could reduce the use of opioids as a first-line treatment for non-cancer pain.
Identifying the risk of recurrence of developmental disorder in future pregnancies
Having a child with a developmental disorder can cause parents to worry about the outcome of further pregnancies. In cases where the genetic mutation causing the disorder is not present in either parent it is assumed to be a one-off event with a very small chance of recurrence. But in some families, the risk of having another affected child is as high as 50%.
We need your help to grow this newsletter! Please pass along the subscription link to any colleague you think would benefit from hearing about med lab news.