A Semi-Automated Tuberculosis Testing Workflow Reduces Manual Hazardous Sample Handling and Hands-On Time: A Proof-of-Concept Study.

A central tenet of good diagnostic laboratory practice is protecting laboratory staff from contact with sample-borne pathogens and dangerous chemicals. Automated sample-processing systems can reduce or eliminate the risk of exposure to infectious samples while providing results on par with, or better than, those from manually processed samples. In addition, hands-free automated processing may enable analysts to focus on higher order activities while eliminating the risk of repetitive strain injuries associated with manual pipetting. Here, we describe a semi-automated tuberculosis interferon-γ release assay (IGRA) workflow that includes an automated high-throughput sample-processing system. The system automates cap removal, automates sample mixing and aspiration of blood from lithium heparin collection tubes, and aliquots blood samples into multiple blood assay tubes for downstream testing without manual intervention. We show that automated results are comparable to manual methods without risk of analyst exposure or repetitive strain injury.

Measuring the Effects of an Animal-Assisted Intervention for Pediatric Oncology Patients and Their Parents: A Multisite Randomized Controlled Trial [Formula: see text].

OBJECTIVE: This multicenter, parallel-group, randomized trial examined the effects of an animal-assisted intervention on the stress, anxiety, and health-related quality of life for children diagnosed with cancer and their parents. METHOD: Newly diagnosed patients, aged 3 to 17 years (n = 106), were randomized to receive either standard care plus regular visits from a therapy dog (intervention group), or standard care only (control group). Data were collected at set points over 4 months of the child's treatment. Measures included the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory™, Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory, Pediatric Inventory for Parents, and child blood pressure and heart rate. All instruments were completed by the child and/or his/her parent(s). RESULTS: Children in both groups experienced a significant reduction in state anxiety ( P < .001). Parents in the intervention group showed significantly decreased parenting stress ( P = .008), with no changes in stress among parents in the control group. However, no significant differences between groups over time on any measures were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Animal-assisted interventions may provide certain benefits for parents and families during the initial stages of pediatric cancer treatment.

Family psychology and family law: introduction to the special issue.

As part of a multilevel systemic approach, the authors appearing in this journal suggest implications for social policy and legislation extrapolated from the individual, family, legal, and larger sociocultural systems discussed. The field of family psychology can play a significant leadership role in advocating policies and legislation relevant to the emerging family types and legal dilemmas based on empirical findings.

Continuous lidocaine infusion for the relief of refractory malignant pain in a terminally ill pediatric cancer patient.

Despite aggressive pain management with opiates, debilitating pain still occurs in a subset of children with terminal cancer. A 5-year-old girl with metastatic retinoblastoma, profound opiate tolerance, and refractory pain was treated. Continuous lidocaine infusion was initiated at a dose of 35 microg/kg per minute and increased over 4 days to 50 microg/kg per minute, at which point the patient was discharged for continued end-of-life comfort care. The patient had excellent pain relief without the associated lethargy of high-dose opiates. No complicating neuroexcitatory symptoms or cardiac conduction abnormalities were experienced. Intravenous lidocaine may be an effective alternative to opioids in the treatment of refractory malignant pain in the pediatric patient with terminal cancer.