• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.13-18
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• 2004

This study was designed to establish working range for reoportable range in own laboratory in order to cover the upper and lower limits of the range in test method. We experimented ten times during 10 days for setting of reportable range with between run for method evaluation. It is generally assumed that the analytical method produces a linear response and that the test results between those upper and lower limits are then reportable. CLIA recommends that laboratories verify the reportable range of all moderate and high complexity tests. The Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments(CLIA) and Laboratory Accreditation Program of the Korean Society for Laboratory Medicine states reportable range is only required for "modified" moderately complex tests. Linearity requirements have been eliminated from the CLIA regulations and from others accreditation agencies, many inspectors continue to feel that linearity studies are a part of good lab practice and should be encouraged. It is important to assess the useful reportable range of a laboratory method, i.e., the lowest and highest test results that are reliable and can be reported. Manufacturers make claims for the reportable range of their methods by stating the upper and lower limits of the range. Instrument manufacturers state an operating range and a reportable range. The commercial linearity material can be used to verify this range, if it adequately covers the stated linear interval. CLIA requirements for quality control, must demonstrate that, prior to reporting patient test results, it can obtain the performance specifications for accuracy, precision, and reportable range of patient test results, comparable to those established by the manufacturer. If applicable, the laboratory must also verify the reportable range of patient test results. The reportable range of patient test results is the range of test result values over which the laboratory can establish or verify the accuracy of the instrument, kit or test system measurement response. We need to define the usable reportable range of the method so that the experiments can be properly planned and valid data can be collected. The reportable range is usually defined as the range where the analytical response of the method is linear with respect to the concentration of the analyte being measured. In conclusion, experimental results on reportable range using concentrated control sample and zero calibrators covering from highest to lowest range were salicylate $8.8{\mu}g/dL$, phenytoin $0.67{\mu}g/dL$, phenobarbital $1.53{\mu}g/dL$, primidone $0.16{\mu}g/dL$, theophylline $0.2{\mu}g/dL$, vancomycine $1.3{\mu}g/dL$, valproic acid $3.2{\mu}g/dL$, digitoxin 0.17ng/dL, carbamazepine $0.36{\mu}g/dL$ and acetaminophen $0.7{\mu}g/dL$ at minimum level and salicylate $969.9{\mu}g/dL$, phenytoin $38.1{\mu}g/dL$, phenobarbital $60.4{\mu}g/dL$, primidone $24.57{\mu}g/dL$, theophylline $39.2{\mu}g/dL$, vancomycine $83.65{\mu}g/dL$, valproic acid $147.96{\mu}g/dL$, digitoxin 5.04ng/dL, carbamazepine $19.76{\mu}g/dL$, acetaminophen $300.92{\mu}g/dL$ at maximum level.

• Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.49-61
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• 2009

This article provides training exercises for executives into interpreting subroutine maps of executives' thinking in processing business and industrial marketing problems and opportunities. This study builds on premises that Schank proposes about learning and teaching including (1) learning occurs by experiencing and the best instruction offers learners opportunities to distill their knowledge and skills from interactive stories in the form of goal.based scenarios, team projects, and understanding stories from experts. Also, (2) telling does not lead to learning because learning requires action-training environments should emphasize active engagement with stories, cases, and projects. Each training case study includes executive exposure to decision system analysis (DSA). The training case requires the executive to write a "Briefing Report" of a DSA map. Instructions to the executive trainee in writing the briefing report include coverage in the briefing report of (1) details of the essence of the DSA map and (2) a statement of warnings and opportunities that the executive map reader interprets within the DSA map. The length maximum for a briefing report is 500 words-an arbitrary rule that works well in executive training programs. Following this introduction, section two of the article briefly summarizes relevant literature on how humans think within contexts in response to problems and opportunities. Section three illustrates the creation and interpreting of DSA maps using a training exercise in pricing a chemical product to different OEM (original equipment manufacturer) customers. Section four presents a training exercise in pricing decisions by a petroleum manufacturing firm. Section five presents a training exercise in marketing strategies by an office furniture distributer along with buying strategies by business customers. Each of the three training exercises is based on research into information processing and decision making of executives operating in marketing contexts. Section six concludes the article with suggestions for use of this training case and for developing additional training cases for honing executives' decision-making skills. Todd and Gigerenzer propose that humans use simple heuristics because they enable adaptive behavior by exploiting the structure of information in natural decision environments. "Simplicity is a virtue, rather than a curse". Bounded rationality theorists emphasize the centrality of Simon's proposition, "Human rational behavior is shaped by a scissors whose blades are the structure of the task environments and the computational capabilities of the actor". Gigerenzer's view is relevant to Simon's environmental blade and to the environmental structures in the three cases in this article, "The term environment, here, does not refer to a description of the total physical and biological environment, but only to that part important to an organism, given its needs and goals." The present article directs attention to research that combines reports on the structure of task environments with the use of adaptive toolbox heuristics of actors. The DSA mapping approach here concerns the match between strategy and an environment-the development and understanding of ecological rationality theory. Aspiration adaptation theory is central to this approach. Aspiration adaptation theory models decision making as a multi-goal problem without aggregation of the goals into a complete preference order over all decision alternatives. The three case studies in this article permit the learner to apply propositions in aspiration level rules in reaching a decision. Aspiration adaptation takes the form of a sequence of adjustment steps. An adjustment step shifts the current aspiration level to a neighboring point on an aspiration grid by a change in only one goal variable. An upward adjustment step is an increase and a downward adjustment step is a decrease of a goal variable. Creating and using aspiration adaptation levels is integral to bounded rationality theory. The present article increases understanding and expertise of both aspiration adaptation and bounded rationality theories by providing learner experiences and practice in using propositions in both theories. Practice in ranking CTSs and writing TOP gists from DSA maps serves to clarify and deepen Selten's view, "Clearly, aspiration adaptation must enter the picture as an integrated part of the search for a solution." The body of "direct research" by Mintzberg, Gladwin's ethnographic decision tree modeling, and Huff's work on mapping strategic thought are suggestions on where to look for research that considers both the structure of the environment and the computational capabilities of the actors making decisions in these environments. Such research on bounded rationality permits both further development of theory in how and why decisions are made in real life and the development of learning exercises in the use of heuristics occurring in natural environments. The exercises in the present article encourage learning skills and principles of using fast and frugal heuristics in contexts of their intended use. The exercises respond to Schank's wisdom, "In a deep sense, education isn't about knowledge or getting students to know what has happened. It is about getting them to feel what has happened. This is not easy to do. Education, as it is in schools today, is emotionless. This is a huge problem." The three cases and accompanying set of exercise questions adhere to Schank's view, "Processes are best taught by actually engaging in them, which can often mean, for mental processing, active discussion."