CALIFORNIA SOCIETY FOR HISTOTECHNOLOGY

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1 Summer 2016 Volume 26 Microtome Letter from the CSH President: Greetings everyone! CALIFORNIA SOCIETY FOR HISTOTECHNOLOGY With summer running up so quickly and the weather warming up, the Convention Committee is starting to feel the NSH meeting running up faster than before. I have been receiving calls from people asking how they can volunteer for the Long Beach meeting and how to obtain CE s from NSH. The CSH website has started posting NSH information on registration and other information that pertains to the Long Beach meeting, so please take this opportunity to check this out. If you or any of your co-workers are interested in assisting at this meeting please go to the CSH and NSH website for further details on how you can volunteer and receive CE s at no charge to you. We will always need assistance at the NSH registration desk to fill the bags each day as well as volunteers to be a guide to assist people in finding workshops etc. Anyone interested in sharing your expertise can assist in the Career Day event which guides High School students through the histology stations. This is always a huge success so please consider sharing your skills! For those of you that may be studying for your boards the NSH website has information on their new member NSH + LABCE Histology Exam Simulator. As a member of NSH you will find The Block, an open forum to share your questions with and get wonderful feedback from Histology Professionals such as one sent recently from Frieda Carson. This Member Only open forum is really a wonderful and useful tool so please take a look at this on their website. NSH membership is not just for their annual meetings so take advantage of everything NSH offers. I hope that you all have a wonderful summer and I look forward to seeing you all in September! That is just 3 months away and you know it will be here before you know it. See you all soon. Warmest regards, Kathy Hardy Inside this Issue: President s Letter Pg. 1 Everyday Information Pg. 2 Anatech Ad Pg. 3 Region VIII Update Pg. 4 The Block Pg. 5 Following Procedures Pg. 6-7 Tips & Tricks Pg. 8 Lab Storage Pg. 9 Dye & Stain: An Everyday Occurrence Pg CSH Officers Pg NSH Symposium Long Beach Pg. 14 Poly Scientific Ad Pg. 15 Editors Note Pg. 16 Summer Time 1

2 News & Alerts Summer 2016 Volume 26 CSH 2016 t-shirt contest. Submit your ideas. Earn CEU credit and learn about new technologies Sign up for a NSH webinar to advance your skills/training. Sakura is offering free monthly webinars. Earn 1 CEU for attending. Education: Would you like a BS program for Histotechnology? Please take the online survey. CSH 2015 convention feedback and ideas for future workshops survey Check out our website at: Send us your job openings or ideas for articles, and ads... We will be glad to add them to the newsletter Thank you The Microtome is published quarterly by the California Society for Histotechnology for its members. Contributions, suggestions and advertisements are welcome. Permission to reprint is granted as long as source and author are acknowledged and a copy of the reprint is sent to the editors. Articles without bylines are written by the editors. Please submit manuscripts to the editor in electronic format (TIFF, JPEG, or PDF) whenever possible. Payment must accompany requests for advertising space. Make checks payable to California Society for Histotechnology. Send to: Dusko Trajkovic, 6434 La Garza Ct., Carlsbad, CA Business Cards $30 per issue 1/4 page ad $40 per issue 1/2 page ad $75 per issue Full page ad $100 per issue Deadlines for Submissions for the Newsletter are: September 1 - Fall December 1 Winter March 1 - Spring June 1 - Summer 2

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4 Summer 2016 Volume Membership Year January 1 December 31 Any questions please contact the NSH Office, or histo@nsh.org. NSH Region VIII Update Greetings all! As you may know, I was recently elected to serve as the Region VIII Director within the National Society of Histotechnology. This is a great honor and one that I don t take lightly. As one of the youngest people to have taken this position, it is extremely important for me to lean on the expertise and experience that already exists within our field and specifically within our region, while at the same time not being afraid to shake things up a bit. Our society has continued to see a decline in membership over the last decade and this will be my primary concern over the next few years. I have already begun to compile a list of the labs that exist within each state and their respective supervisors/managers. I plan to spend most of my time working with the states that either no longer have a functioning society or have never had one at all. I hope to lean heavily on the California society as a resource, as you are the only state society in Region VIII that is functioning as it should be. Hats off to you! There are a lot of things that go into creating and maintaining a state society (bylaws, budgets, etc.) and my hope is that the other societies will be able to lean on you as a means of forming their own. Who am I and why did I choose to run for this position? I am currently a lab manager of a regional laboratory in beautiful Bellingham, Washington. Previously, I worked as an IHC supervisor for several years at PhenoPath laboratories in Seattle, Washington. I chose to run for this position because I felt like I could make a difference and I honestly believe I can with the help of ALL of you! In years past, I know the tendency has been to put a disproportionate emphasis on continuing education. While I do believe that education should be a focus within each society, I strongly believe the primary purpose of the state and national societies should be a relational one. We need each other! "Concordia res parvae crescent" work together to accomplish more. The longer I m in this field, the more I realize that I cannot run a lab single-handedly. The interconnectivity of laboratories is what makes this organization what it is. Facebook helps, The Block helps, NSH.org helps, but at the end of the day it comes down to the people behind all of these resources.it comes down to YOU! Will you work with me to revamp NSH? If you have any suggestions for your state, our region, or for the NSH as a whole, I want to hear it! I will do my best to faithfully represent the sentiments of our region to the Board of Directors. That said, if you have any constructive criticism, please don't hesitate to share it as I hope to show the maturity to accept feedback and gracefully grow from it. I am really excited that I get to represent the state society that is hosting our annual symposium/convention in beautiful Long Beach, California! I would like to say thank you to all those who have been putting in countless hours volunteering to make this year s S/C a success. From what I ve already seen, Kathy Hardy and her team are doing a stellar job. I would encourage all of you to attend this year s event and please join us on Saturday, September 17 th from 4:35-5:30pm for our Region VIII meeting. I d love to have the opportunity to meet all of you and get to know the people behind the great California society. Thank you for the opportunity to represent each and every one of you. Sincerely, Jeremy Johnston 4

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6 Following Procedures, or, Why don t They!?! By Tim Morken We have way too many procedures. Or not enough. It s hard to tell because we have more than anyone can remember, yet someone is always asking for a new one! In any case, almost every lab supervisor will comment that someone on their staff doesn t follow the procedure. Why is that? Everyone working in the lab knows we need procedures, and want guidance on how to do things. Everyone also knows that standard procedures keep things working smoothly, and some get upset if they are not followed. Yet it seems they are hard to keep track of and to follow all the time. I think the problem is rooted in training and expectations. I would consider inadequate training to be that which does not instill in the trainee a full rational of why a particular method is used. If the rational is sound, then the expectation that the method being taught is the exact method to be used every time is easy for a tech to accept. The most important part of training is to evaluate what the person already knows or doesn't know. Many of our techs come from other institutions where they learned whatever was done at that institution. The training and experience they received previously should not be discounted, but also must not affect the current training. A trainer needs to ferret out what, if anything, was learned, and how it differs from what is being taught. Do not skip this evaluation even if the person claims 15 years of experience. That may or may not be totally true. I have known techs with many years of experience performing stains, but it turned out they did not know what it was they were staining. That is not a well-trained tech. A trainee needs to know that no matter what was done at another institution, the only method to be used is the one being taught now. If the trainee insists another method is better, then they can make that case to the person responsible for developing methods, and a decision can be made on whether to investigate modifications. In the meantime, the current method is the gold standard. When it comes time for annual competency evaluation the best way to re-enforce following a procedure is to observe the tech doing the procedure exactly as it is written. That forces them to rehearse the procedure and documents that they do indeed know the correct procedure. However, before you train anyone, you need a good procedure. Procedures need to be clear and comprehensive if they are to be followed. This starts during the development process. A major part of that development is writing the instructions for the procedure. Don t assume that one person can write it and it will be ok. Make it a group effort with trials of the procedure having several people to do it and give their feedback on whether they understand the procedure, if the instructions are straight forward and if there are missing or confusing parts. This serves both to get input and to get buy-in from the techs that will do the procedure. When they know they have had their say and have heard input from others they are much more likely to follow the procedure exactly once it is put in place. An example of that is how we instituted barcoding at our lab. This a big project and so it involved everyone in the lab as well as pathologists and residents and administration. As we developed the various processes each person had a job in testing and evaluating. 6

7 Following Procedures, or, Why don t They!?!, Feedback from everyone involved helped fine tune each step. We went through many reiterations of each process to find the best way to do it and built a user manual from that experience. Then in training every person had to run test samples through the entire process on their own to both train them how each step related to the next and to get their ideas on any last minute improvements. As a result of all that involvement we did not have a single complaint from staff once we went live, and very few instances of someone not following the procedure. And those instances were resolved quickly. After two years of using that system we still have not had any complaints about how it works, and no further instances of non-compliance with procedures. We followed a similar course when revamping our special stains training. We had a problem with staff doing odd steps, taking short cuts, and apparently not understanding some of the procedures. We reevaluated every Histotech on special stains and discovered some discrepancies in knowledge. We then went about revising procedures with input from all staff, and then re-training everyone on the procedures, no matter how many years they had been there. Lucky for us our Medical Director was very positive about the whole process, was very involved and actually made it fun for the techs. That made it a pleasure to do rather than having people feel like they were being punished, as often happens. The take-away for me is that when techs are involved in the development and writing of procedures then they become invested in it and will follow it because they have a full understanding of the WHY of the procedure. That is the important part and the key in trusting that everyone will follow the procedure. Tim Morken cont. Pathology Site Manager, Parnassus Supervisor, Electron Microscopy/Neuromuscular Special Studies Department of Pathology, UC San Francisco Medical Center tim.morken@ucsfmedctr.org 7

8 Spring 2016 Volume 25 Books & Articles: Here is very good free e-book.. Tips & Tricks: Static Electricity I cannot be the only histology tech that had a problem with Static Electricity so I am sharing my recent find. In the past I had tried extra fabric softener, dryer sheets at Microtomy, and wool balls in my dryer with my uniforms, any suggestions, I tried with little to no success. The recent try was a large ball of aluminum foil (size of a baseball) in the dryer instead for dryer sheets or dryer ball with my uniforms (thank you YOUTUBE) and much to my surprise this was the first time I was able to go through work without my lab coat or Microtomy sections sticking to me. Yes, you can reuse it and yes, it does make a thudding sound in the dryer that might drive some crazy but nowhere near as crazy as the static at Microtomy. Cassandra Wilmington,DE Histo Net California Society for Histotechnology If any member working in the state of California would like to chair a committee and/or be on a committee please contact me and we will definitely welcome YOUR talents. Warm Regards, Kathy Hardy. CSH President 8

9 Summer 2016 Volume 26 Would you like to advertise online? For any questions regarding website advertisement, please Visit the CSH website at. For the latest news about our society.. 9

10 Dye and Stain: An Everyday Occurrence V.L.Kalscheur, HT(ASCP), A.L. Elwell Comparative Orthopedic Research Laboratory University of Wisconsin, School of Veterinary Medicine Madison, WI 53706, (608) , What are dyes? Essentially, they are substances used to add color to fabrics, papers, woods, oils, fats, foods, waxes and more. In the scientific realm, dyes are used to produce color in tissues, plants assays and more. as dye purity and quality is necessary in medical histochemical techniques. As histology and cytology trainees, we study dye history, dye stability, staining solution considerations, organic dye composition, inorganic dye reagents, and the mechanism of color production how dyes attach to tissues. Our dyes are certified by the Biological Stain Commission (BSC). This commission, established in 1921, follows strict criteria and testing, to determine that the laboratory dyes are certifiable. To qualify, batch after batch of dyes must react consistently on laboratory samples. For more information on Biological Stain Commission visit The history of staining is fascinating. In this summary, we will look outside the laboratory into everyday stain phenomena. Natural and synthetic dyes, approved by the Food and Drug Administration, are used every day in the preparation of food, drugs and cosmetics. Initially, dye pigments were derived from exotic plants and used by tribal groups for ritual face and body painting. Next came the textile trade, going back many centuries with its start in India. The dyers manipulated the dye (berries, flowers, hematoxylin) on the cloth surface to create designs delicate flowers, pictorial scenes and animals. In ancient times, the fabric was cotton, one of the most difficult fibers to dye. Over time the dye and stain industry grew. In science, hematoxylin, a natural dye extracted from the logwood tree, was first used as a tissue stain in Carmine is made from the cochineal bug and is used in glycogen staining methods. Gradually, the number of pigments available has expanded beyond natural sources, making regulation necessary. The advent of synthetically manufactured dyes to fill in where natural dyes are becoming obsolete is a concern Scientific histology contributions found in the literature explain how we can influence the stain results by manipulating dye ph and solvency as well as using additives. Histologists are masters of special stains, immunohistochemistry dye and stain, cellular and molecular biology using different fluorochromes, protein blots, gels, and many more areas where dyes are used. Of the many histological dyes, few are known to be carcinogenic. Workplace hazards such as auramine O (CI 41000), basic fuchsin (pararosaniline hydrochloride, CI 42500), and ponceau 2R (ponceau de xylidine, CI 16150) are some that I use in my laboratory. Powders and solutions containing dyes such as these require awareness and it is recommended to use a safety hood and correct laboratory disposal. However, many other dyes pose little, if any, health risk. Let us switch from things we learned in school to everyday dye and stain fun facts! 10

11 Dye and Stain: An Everyday Occurrence, cont. Tumeric (curry powder) bright gold Beets deep pink Blueberries lavender Coffee mocha Onions brown Cranberries bright red Flowers varying colors Today, much of the pigment used to color lips and cheeks is carmine, an animal by-product derived from a Central American species of scaly insect called the cochineal histologists, sound familiar? Besides carmine, lip color is often comprised of red pigment 57-1, chemical fluorosceins (combined with bromoacids to create long-lasting stains) and acid-eosin (D and C Red No. 21). Using modern techniques, small adjustments in the pigment can change the tint or shade in makeup. The saffron flower creates a striking yellow dye and is used in Paella, a Spanish specialty. Interestingly enough, cheese makers started out with using saffron then resorted to marigolds, annatto and other natural colorings to make the cheese look more attractive. Today, yellow dye no. 5 is used to color cheese and other yellow-dyed foods, including cereal, ice cream, fruit, margarine and butter. FDC #5 is the same compound as tartrazine (CI 19140). The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition is some what secretive about food dyes. It can take thirty to forty ingredients, for example, to give candies color some parents believe that these dyes cause toxic brain symptoms in children, such as lethargy. I have no comment on that, but it might be worth looking into. Makeup and skin products are an interesting blend of oils, waxes, and fats often taken from animals, with many color and chemical enhancements that may contribute to cancer, lymphomas, and possible birth defects. The FDA does oversee and approve animal and plant use in cosmetics this is an area that may soon come with warning labels stating the safety of this product has not been determined. Basically, the cosmetic industry does its own testing and evaluation through an independent panel of experts but FDA is suggesting stronger federal oversight of these products. Pearl essence is the silvery component found in fish (herring) scales and is used in lipsticks, nail polishes and ceramic glazes. Though many synthetic versions of these dyes are now being used, there are environmentally aware companies which use only natural plant ingredients. All natural products avoid drying chemicals and metallic materials. Although some colors are difficult to create without carmine, vegetable extracts (beets, for example), seaweed, and lichen (or orcein) mixtures often come to mind. Methylpentane-2-one is an ingredient found in nail polish, and is not tested. Discard makeup after a year to avoid microbials and possible bacteria, leading to infection. Dyes are also used in hair products, most commonly in hair coloring. Henna is a renewable vegetable material, such as corn, coconut or palmkern oil. Botanical vegetables provide a basis of color. Coffee enhances brown shades. Some hair dyes contain coal tar, which has been linked to bladder cancer and non-hodgkin s lymphoma. Even low dose exposure to a chemical which 11

12 Dye and Stain: An Everyday Occurrence, cont. has not been adequately tested can contribute to health problems. Aromatherapy is a mixture of dyes and scents, created from plant oils, such as rosemary extract. We enjoy our aromatherapy scents and here too additives for color, texture and preservation are used. The dye and textile industry relies on consistencies in color to produce a specific shade on fiber or fabric. The dye reacts differently on silk, wool, cotton or blends. Fabric dye manufacturers manipulate the dye molecules and concentrations, often changing the color names. Artists follow some standardization criteria for consistency in order to buy the same fabric dye content for their work in fibers, fabrics, etc. As noted earlier, histologists rely on consistency in their stains, which is why the standardization and certification set by the Biological Stain Commission (BSC) is so important. In histology, we follow BSC guidelines for dye certification. Experts establish criteria for the dye molecular structure, shape and behavior. The food and cosmetics industries also follow guidelines. In the Comparative Orthopaedic Research Laboratory in the School of Veterinary Medicine, at the University of Wisconsin- Madison, we use dyes for bone stains, blots, fluorochrome work and more. Stains evolve constantly and are essential to a clinical or research setting. In the laboratory, dye and stain is science. In day-to-day interaction continue to question, be innovative and creative in your thinking as you use dyes at work, at home and read labels! In summary, I hope you enjoyed the everyday stain and dye facts. There is a plethora of information available I barely touched upon the subject. Stains, in and out of the laboratory, are fascinating. The continued development of artificial dyes in the latter half of the 19 th century has lead to an explosion of color, and today, color is still being developed by adjusting the pigment to create different tints or shades. Celebrate color is everywhere! For further information, the following Web sites and references may be helpful. Biological Stain Commission: Journal: Biotechnic and Histochemistry Rowley Biochemical, Inc. Catalog and Price Dyes and Colors: History.jsp USFDA Color Additives: SPI-Chem Light Microscope Dyes and Stains: Stains File: index.html References Clark, George and Kasten, Frederick H. The History of Staining. 3 rd Edition. Hagerstown, MD: The Williams & Wilkins Company,

13 CSH STATE AND CHAPTER OFFICERS 2016 STATE OFFICERS President Kathy Hardy Vice President Jennifer MacDonald Secretary Rebecca Luna Treasurer Dusko Trajkovic Judicial/Legislation Chair Lydia Figueroa Nominations/Elections Chair Janna Frey Newsletter Editor Carole Fields NORTHERN CHAPTER President Kathy Hardy Vice President Deborah Overcash Secretary Lucy Cordero Treasurer Carl Nituda Director Robin Simpkins LOS ANGLES/SAN BERNADINO CHAPTER President Rebecca Luna Vice President Lydia Figueroa Secretary Julie Galindo Treasurer Melanie Montano Director Lydia Figueroa Director Rebecca Luna Past President Melanie Montano SAN DIEGO CHAPTER President Vice President Secretary OPEN OPEN OPEN Treasurer Dusko Trajkovic Director Dusko Trajkovic 13

14 2016 NSH Symposium/Convention California is the host state for the 2016 NSH Meeting in Long Beach. We look forward to having volunteers to assist us at the 2016 NSH Symposium/Convention. Kathy Hardy 14

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16 Summer 2016 Volume 26 Hi CSH Members, Hope you enjoy the 4th of July! The National Convention for Histology is getting closer so make your plans and reservations to join the fun in Long Beach this year. Also we would love to hear from you for ideas and articles for the Newsletter. See you in Long Beach! Carole Fields, HT (ASCP) California Newsletter Editor 16