background the prognostic value of blood culture testing in the diagnosis of bacteremia is limited by contamination. objectives in this multicenter study, the aim was to evaluate the contamination rates of blood cultures as well as the parameters that affect the culture results. materials and methods sample collection practices and culture data obtained from 16 university/research hospitals wer...

in recent years, the application of composite materials in aircraft and space vehicle structural components has become increasingly popular. preventing failure of composite structural systems has been an important issue in engineering design. due to the lack of through-the-thickness reinforcement, structures made from laminated composite materials and adhesively bonded joints are highly suscept...

A specimen transport audit was performed at a routine and reference laboratory. Over the survey period (1986-89) the percentage of specimens received and assessed as hazardous (inadequately packed, misidentified, or contaminated by leakage) fell significantly from 12.0 to 2.8%. Specimen transport audit identified technical and logistical faults associated with sample transmission. It is conclud...

HYPOTHESIS Specimen mammography is not beneficial in the management or outcome of patients undergoing image-guided needle-localized breast biopsies. DESIGN A retrospective study of consecutive patients who underwent needle/dye-localized breast biopsies between January 1, 1993, and December 31, 1995. SETTING National Cancer Institute (Bethesda, Md)-designated comprehensive cancer center. P...

man, set. 32, an old soldier, who had suddenly dropped down dead. No history of previous illness could be obtained. The heart was very much enlarged as seen in situ at the post-mortem, the enlargement being chiefly confined to the base. On opening the heart it was seen that this enlargement was not due to hypertrophy, but to a tumour of the septum. This tumour on examination was found to be an ...