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Alzheimer's Disease / Dementia

 As life expectancy grows to unprecedented ages, diseases of age, especially Alzheimer's and Dementia, are becoming more and more prevalent. Accordingly, understanding and combating this disease has become a major focus of many labs,

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Sputum Cytology

How is the test performed? This test is usually performed in the morning, right after waking up. The person is asked to rinse his or her mouth with water to avoid a poor sample. After taking several deep breaths, the person then coughs deeply. This should bring up enough of a material from deep in the lungs known as sputum. Sputum is different from spit. The sputum sample is then taken to a lab. The lab can then examine the sample with a microscope    What is involved in preparation for the test? Instructions on sample collection are provided to people having this test. No other special preparation is needed   What do the test results mean? Usually, sputum contains some normal cells. No cells that look like cancer should be in the sample. If cancer cells are seen, the person usually has lung cancer.

Toxic Shock Syndrome

Introduction Toxic shock syndrome, or TSS, is a rare, potentially life-threatening disorder. It occurs when toxins made by certain types of bacteria are released into the bloodstream. What is going on in the body? Toxic shock syndrome was first described in children in 1978. Experts quickly realized it happened more often among women who used superabsorbent tampons during their periods. TSS is triggered by toxins made by Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. The toxins cause a high fever and can damage the kidneys, liver, and heart. Experts believe that tampons may block bacteria within the vagina. The moist, humid environment allows them to grow and produce high levels of toxins. Tampons can cause very small cuts in the vagina during insertion. These small cuts allow bacteria and their toxins to enter the bloodstream. About 70% of TSS cases have been related to certain brands of highly absorbent tampons that are no longer made. What are the causes and risks of the...

Direct coombs test

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