Background. Variable adherence to standardized case definitions, clinical procedures, specimen collection techniques, and laboratory methods has complicated the interpretation of previous multicenter pneumonia etiology studies. To circumvent these problems, a program of clinical standardization was embedded in the Pneumonia Etiology Research for Child Health (PERCH) study. Methods. Between Ma...

Vol. 20, No. 10 October 2013 JCOM 455 ABSTRACT Objective: To improve patient safety through identification, communication, and documentation of perceived contaminated specimen results. Methods: Representatives from the departments of emergency medicine, pathology and laboratory medicine, and performance improvement met to conduct a systematic review of a critical event and review associated pol...

The name Albuca caudata Jacq. has been widely misunderstood or even ignored since its description in 1791. After studying herbarium specimens and living populations in South Africa, plants fitting Jacquin´s concept of that species are found to be widely distributed in the Eastern Cape, mainly in the Albany centre of Endemism. Furthermore, some divergent specimens matching Baker´s concept of Alb...

CORRECTION After publication of this work [1] it was noticed the author - Jie Wang's name was in the wrong order. The original article was corrected. The publisher apologises for this error.

Prof. Schmieden's name alone should vouch for the high standard of the book under review. From its perusal we can strongly recommend it to all desirous of possessing a thoroughly upto-date and useful book on operative surgery. The book containing, as it does, practically an account of the practice of Prof. Bier's clinic in Berlin, is what it is named " A Course of Operative Surgery" and does no...

BACKGROUND Strengthening the communication and professional relationships between clinicians and laboratory workers is essential in order to positively change clinicians' attitudes about the reliability of diagnostic tests, enhancing the use of laboratory diagnostics and, ultimately, improving patient care. We developed an analytical framework to gain insight into the factors that influence com...