BACKGROUND: Fecal occult blood tests (FOBTs) have been widely used as a means of colorectal cancer screening. Automated FOBTs using immunologic principles have the advantages such as quantitation, high specificity, and high throughput. We evaluated a newly-introduced automated FOBT analyzer, OC-SENSOR neo (OC neo) (Eiken Chemical Co., Japan). METHODS: The precision, linearity, and carry-over rate of OC neo were assessed with specimens prepared in accordance with the guidelines of CLSI. We performed a parallel test between OC neo and OC-SENSOR I (OC I) (Eiken Chemical Co.) using 300 consecutive stool specimens and 60 OC I-positive specimens. The results were analyzed with SPSS version 13.0 (SPSS Inc., USA). RESULTS: The coefficients of variation (CV) of within-run, between-run, and between-day using OCControl L (Eiken Chemical Co.) of ca. 150 ng/mL were 3.5-7.8%, 4.5-8.8% and 4.9-5.0%, respectively. The linear regression coefficient and carry-over rate with the range of 67.8-939.4 ng/mL were 0.9998 (P<0.001), and 0.1%, respectively. Correlation coefficient between OC neo and OC I was R(2)=0.954 (P<0.001) for 60 OC I-positive specimens. The positive and negative interpretations of 300 consecutive specimens by OC neo were completely consistent with those of OC I. CONCLUSIONS: Because OC neo showed an excellent performance and a good correlation with OC I, OC neo warrants to be a reliable quantitative FOBT system for high volume laboratories.
Colorectal Neoplasms/*diagnosis ; Hemoglobins/*analysis ; Humans ; Mass Screening/*instrumentation/methods ; *Occult Blood ; Reproducibility of Results ; Sensitivity and Specificity

This paper introduces remote Computed Tomography van, telemedicine and telecommunication vehicle.
Computer Communication Networks ; Humans ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted ; methods ; Lung Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; Mass Screening ; Telemedicine ; instrumentation ; methods ; Telemetry ; instrumentation ; methods ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; instrumentation ; methods

The accuracy of Kato's self smear Kit was studied in screening a relatively unselected population group for cervical cancer. Routine cervicovaginal smears taken periodically would be the ideal method but would be unrealistic in view of the physician's time involved when considered on a large population scale. Three hundred patients were randomly selected at the Out Patient Clinic of Yonsei Medical Center and 26 cases grossly of cervical cancer were included in this group. We have here summarized the results briefly as follows. 1. Among 300 women examined in our OPD, 256 (85.3%) were classified as Pap. Class I or II, 9(0.3%) as a 'Defferred' group (Class II, Repeat), 18(6%) as Class III and 17(5.7%) as Class IV or V. 2. Fifteen of the total cases had insufficient material for evaluation (poor quality) and the major causes of the poor smears were vaginal douche within 24 hours, technical problems and cell degeneration. 3. The rate of agreement between the Self Smear Kit and cervicovaginal smear was as follows: a. The rate of complete agreement was 93.2% (280/300) b. The rate of complete or partial agreement was 96.7% (290/300). 4. The diagnostic accuracy of the Self Smear Kit was as follows: a. If we assumed the 'Deferred' group to be detection failures for uterine cancer, the diagnostic accuracy would be 82.4%. b. If we assumed the 'Deferred' group to be detection successes, the diagnostic accuracy would be 94.1%. 5. The quality of self smears was superior when taken by an aid nurse rather than by the patient herself. 6. Optimal time for good preservation with the Self Smear Kit prior to pap. stain under the following temperatures was proven experimentally to be as follows; a. At 5 degrees C: 3 days after smear b. At 15 degrees C: 3 days after smear c. At 30 degrees C: 2 days after smear
Adult ; Cervix Neoplasms/prevention & control* ; Female ; Human ; Mass Screening/methods* ; Middle Age ; Vaginal Smears/instrumentation ; Vaginal Smears/methods*

BACKGROUND: Despite the importance of hepatitis screening for decreasing liver cancer mortality, screening rates remain low in Japan. Previous studies show that full subsidies increase screening uptake, but full subsidies are costly and difficult to implement in low-resource settings. Alternatively, applying nudge theory to the message design could increase screening at lower costs. This study examined the effects of both methods in increasing hepatitis virus screening rates at worksites. METHODS: 1496 employees from a Japanese transportation company received client reminders for an optional hepatitis virus screening before their general health checkups. Groups A and B received a client reminder designed based on the principles of "Easy" and "Attractive," while the control group received a client reminder not developed using nudge theory. Additionally, hepatitis virus screening was offered to the control group and group A for a co-payment of JPY 612, but was fully subsidized for group B. The hepatitis virus screening rates among the groups were compared using a Chi-square test with Bonferroni correction, and the risk ratios of group A and group B to the control group were also calculated. To adjust for unobservable heterogeneity per cluster, the regression analysis was performed using generalized linear mixed models. RESULTS: The screening rate was 21.2%, 37.1%, and 86.3% for the control group, group A, and group B, respectively. And the risk ratio for group A was 1.75 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.45-2.12) and that of group B was 4.08 (95% CI 3.44-4.83). The parameters of group A and group B also were significant when estimated using generalized linear mixed models. However, the cost-effectiveness (incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER)) of the nudge-based reminder with the full subsidies was lower than that of only the nudge-based reminder. CONCLUSIONS While fully subsidized screening led to the highest hepatitis screening rates, modifying client reminders using nudge theory significantly increased hepatitis screening uptake at lower costs per person.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Cost-Benefit Analysis ; Female ; Hepatitis Viruses/isolation & purification* ; Humans ; Japan ; Male ; Mass Screening/instrumentation* ; Middle Aged ; Workplace

BACKGROUNDTo evaluate homemade and imported HbsAg ELISA kits on screening blood donors.

METHODSSamples for evaluation included 120 HbsAg serum plates for the golden criteria and 400 sets of serum from blood donors in Dongguan. The samples underwent blind screening with homemade and imported ELISA kits respectively.

RESULTSThe sensitivity of homemade (Xinchuang) and imported (Diasorin) HbsAg ELISA kit were 85.71% (72/84) and 100% (84/84), respectively. Their specificity was 100% (436/436) and 96.55% (421/436) respectively. The consistency of two ELISA kits was 100%.

CONCLUSIONThe imported ELISA kit had the highest sensitivity, but its specificity was not as good as that of homemade ELISA kit. The two kinds of ELISA kits had good repetition. The combination of the two reagents may ensure the safety of blood transfusion.

Blood Donors ; China ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; instrumentation ; methods ; standards ; Hepatitis B ; blood ; diagnosis ; prevention & control ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; blood ; Humans ; Mass Screening ; methods ; standards ; Reagent Kits, Diagnostic ; standards ; Reference Standards ; Reproducibility of Results ; Sensitivity and Specificity

OBJECTIVETo investigate the value of computer-assisted slide-screening system (ThinPrep imaging system, TIS) in the diagnosis of cervical Thinprep smears.

METHODSA total of 19 600 ThinPrep smears were collected, including 9800 slides by TIS-assisted screening from September 2011 to March 2012 and 9800 slides by manual screening from September 2010 to April 2011 as control. The detection rates of abnormal cells and common microbial infection by the different screening methods were compared. With histopathological diagnosis of colposcopic biopsy as the gold standard, the screening efficiency and correlation of cytologic diagnosis among different screening methods were analyzed.

RESULTSCompared with manual screening, the detection rate of abnormal cells in 9800 cases by TIS-assisted screen was increased from 5.4% (525/9800) to 6.8% (665/9800), mainly in the categories of ASCUS and LSIL (P < 0.05). TIS had a higher accordance rate between cytologic diagnosis and histopathological diagnosis in the NILM and ASCUS than that by manual screening. False-negative rate of finding abnormal cells by TIS decreased from 8.5% (17/200) to 0.7% (2/289, P < 0.01) with an increased sensitivity compared to manual screening, although the specificity was similar. Both TIS and manual screening had advantages and disadvantages respectively in the detection of microbial organisms. TIS improved screening efficiency by 50%.

CONCLUSIONTIS improves not only the screening efficiency but also the detection of abnormal cells with a reduced false negativity, and it therefore has a broad application prospect.

Adenocarcinoma ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Candida ; isolation & purification ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Cytodiagnosis ; False Negative Reactions ; Female ; Humans ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted ; instrumentation ; Mass Screening ; Middle Aged ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Trichomonas vaginalis ; isolation & purification ; Uterine Cervical Dysplasia ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Vaginal Smears ; Young Adult