Analysis of quality control outcomes of grass pollen identification and enumeration: experience matters
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Description
Pollen identification and enumeration is subject to human errors, and hence, it is crucial to evaluate the proficiency of pollen counters. Many networks still depend on manual pollen monitoring, and those adopting automation use manual counting data as a reference. A quality control exercise was undertaken across the AusPollen Aerobiology Collaboration Network to compare data analysis methods, gauge factors associated with accuracy, and improvements in counting proficiency. Counters were instructed to count grass and other pollen of the same two slides. Reported pollen concentrations were compared to an approximation of the true concentration values applying the published benchmark approach and alternative approach using bootstrapping technique. Participants were asked about their experience, training and usual practice via an online questionnaire. The majority (92% of 72) of reported values fell within acceptable ranges of variation from approximated true values. Outcomes were similar regardless of analysis approach, but bootstrapping did not require detection of outliers, and worked well with a small sample size with non-normal distribution. Counter reported pollen data were significantly shifted towards better outcomes compared to an initial exercise, and five of eight counters who were tested two times improved. Counting performance seemed not to be associated with amount of training received but was significantly related to counter experience. For future quality control exercises, particularly for small and skewed datasets, confidence limits of true pollen concentrations may be analysed by bootstrapping. Implementation of quality control exercises with harmonised analysis would enhance delivery of reliable pollen information to community, clinicians and government agencies for forecasting and environmental health management.
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| ID Code: | 226287 | ||
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| Item Type: | Contribution to Journal (Journal Article) | ||
| Refereed: | Yes | ||
| ORCID iD: |
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| Additional Information: | Funding Information: For their participation in the 2019 QC exercise, we thank participating pollen counters of the AusPollen Aerobiology Collaboration Network including members of the National Health and Medical Research Council AusPollen Partnership (GNT1116107), ARC Discovery (DP170101630), Victorian Thunderstorm Asthma Pollen Surveillance and AirRater projects, as well as coordinators of these pollen and spore monitoring sites. Special thanks go to Dr Penelope J. Jones (University of Tasmania), Ms Victoria Timbrell (Queensland University of Technology) and Dr Jane Al Kouba (Macquarie University) for undertaking the reference counting. We thank Professor Ed Newbigin and Ms Kerryn Popa (The University of Melbourne) for providing the reference slides. For their consultation on data analysis approaches, we thank Professor Bircan Erbas and Dr Don Vicendese (La Trobe University), as well as Dr Zoe Dettrick and Dr Darren Wraith (Queensland University of Technology). This study was funded by the Victorian State Government Department of Health and Human Services through the Epidemic Thunderstorm Asthma Program. The project was also supported by the National Health and Medical Research Council AusPollen Partnership (GNT1116107) and programme management of the Bureau of Meteorology. This study was funded by the Victorian State Government Department of Health and Human Services through the Epidemic Thunderstorm Asthma Program. This study was supported by the programme management from the Bureau of Meteorology. The study was also supported by the National Health and Medical Research Council AusPollen Partnership (GNT1116107). Professor Janet M. Davies leads the NHMRC AusPollen Partnership Project (GNT 1116107) with matching cash and in kind co-sponsorship from The Australasian Society for Clinical Immunology and Allergy, Asthma Australia, Bureau of Meteorology, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Stallergenes Australia, Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology MeteoSwiss, Switzerland. Outside the scope of this study, she is an investigator of current grants from The National Foundation for Medical Research Innovation with co-sponsorship from Abionic Switzerland, The Australian Research Council (LP190100216, DP190100376 and DP170101630) and The Emergency Medicine Foundation. She is a named inventor on patents assigned to QUT. Her institute has received Honorarium payments and travel expenses for education sessions and conference presentations in the last five years from Stallergenes Australia, and WyMedical. Other authors declare no conflicts of interest that are relevant to the content of this article. | ||
| Measurements or Duration: | 12 pages | ||
| Additional URLs: | |||
| Keywords: | Aerobiology, Bootstrapping, Grass pollen, Pollen, Quality control, Standardisation | ||
| DOI: | 10.1007/s10453-021-09723-6 | ||
| ISSN: | 0393-5965 | ||
| Pure ID: | 101730922 | ||
| Divisions: | Current > Research Centres > Centre for the Environment Current > Research Centres > Centre for Immunology and Infection Control Current > QUT Faculties and Divisions > Faculty of Science Current > QUT Faculties and Divisions > Faculty of Health Current > Schools > School of Biomedical Sciences |
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| Funding Information: | For their participation in the 2019 QC exercise, we thank participating pollen counters of the AusPollen Aerobiology Collaboration Network including members of the National Health and Medical Research Council AusPollen Partnership (GNT1116107), ARC Discovery (DP170101630), Victorian Thunderstorm Asthma Pollen Surveillance and AirRater projects, as well as coordinators of these pollen and spore monitoring sites. Special thanks go to Dr Penelope J. Jones (University of Tasmania), Ms Victoria Timbrell (Queensland University of Technology) and Dr Jane Al Kouba (Macquarie University) for undertaking the reference counting. We thank Professor Ed Newbigin and Ms Kerryn Popa (The University of Melbourne) for providing the reference slides. For their consultation on data analysis approaches, we thank Professor Bircan Erbas and Dr Don Vicendese (La Trobe University), as well as Dr Zoe Dettrick and Dr Darren Wraith (Queensland University of Technology). This study was funded by the Victorian State Government Department of Health and Human Services through the Epidemic Thunderstorm Asthma Program. The project was also supported by the National Health and Medical Research Council AusPollen Partnership (GNT1116107) and programme management of the Bureau of Meteorology. For their participation in the 2019 QC exercise, we thank participating pollen counters of the AusPollen Aerobiology Collaboration Network including members of the National Health and Medical Research Council AusPollen Partnership (GNT1116107), ARC Discovery (DP170101630), Victorian Thunderstorm Asthma Pollen Surveillance and AirRater projects, as well as coordinators of these pollen and spore monitoring sites. Special thanks go to Dr Penelope J. Jones (University of Tasmania), Ms Victoria Timbrell (Queensland University of Technology) and Dr Jane Al Kouba (Macquarie University) for undertaking the reference counting. We thank Professor Ed Newbigin and Ms Kerryn Popa (The University of Melbourne) for providing the reference slides. For their consultation on data analysis approaches, we thank Professor Bircan Erbas and Dr Don Vicendese (La Trobe University), as well as Dr Zoe Dettrick and Dr Darren Wraith (Queensland University of Technology). This study was funded by the Victorian State Government Department of Health and Human Services through the Epidemic Thunderstorm Asthma Program. The project was also supported by the National Health and Medical Research Council AusPollen Partnership (GNT1116107) and programme management of the Bureau of Meteorology. This study was funded by the Victorian State Government Department of Health and Human Services through the Epidemic Thunderstorm Asthma Program. This study was supported by the programme management from the Bureau of Meteorology. The study was also supported by the National Health and Medical Research Council AusPollen Partnership (GNT1116107). Professor Janet M. Davies leads the NHMRC AusPollen Partnership Project (GNT 1116107) with matching cash and in kind co-sponsorship from The Australasian Society for Clinical Immunology and Allergy, Asthma Australia, Bureau of Meteorology, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Stallergenes Australia, Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology MeteoSwiss, Switzerland. Outside the scope of this study, she is an investigator of current grants from The National Foundation for Medical Research Innovation with co-sponsorship from Abionic Switzerland, The Australian Research Council (LP190100216, DP190100376 and DP170101630) and The Emergency Medicine Foundation. She is a named inventor on patents assigned to QUT. Her institute has received Honorarium payments and travel expenses for education sessions and conference presentations in the last five years from Stallergenes Australia, and WyMedical. Other authors declare no conflicts of interest that are relevant to the content of this article. | ||
| Funding: | |||
| Copyright Owner: | 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V. | ||
| Copyright Statement: | This work is covered by copyright. Unless the document is being made available under a Creative Commons Licence, you must assume that re-use is limited to personal use and that permission from the copyright owner must be obtained for all other uses. If the document is available under a Creative Commons License (or other specified license) then refer to the Licence for details of permitted re-use. It is a condition of access that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights. If you believe that this work infringes copyright please provide details by email to qut.copyright@qut.edu.au | ||
| Deposited On: | 18 Nov 2021 00:35 | ||
| Last Modified: | 29 Feb 2024 11:47 |
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