Laboratory setup for temperature and humidity measurements

CERN Document Server

Eimre, Kristjan

2015-01-01

In active particle detectors, the temperature and humidity conditions must be under constant monitoring and control, as even small deviations from the norm cause changes to detector characteristics and result in a loss of precision. To monitor the temperature and humidity, different kinds of sensors are used, which must be calibrated beforehand to ensure their accuracy. To calibrate the large number of sensors that are needed for the particle detectors and other laboratory work, a calibration system is needed. The purpose of the current work was to develop a laboratory setup for temperature and humidity sensor measurements and calibration.

Measurement of cosmic ray flux in the China Jinping underground laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu Yucheng; Hao Xiqing; Yue Qian

2013-01-01

The China JinPing underground Laboratory (CJPL) is the deepest underground laboratory running in the world at present. In such a deep underground laboratory, the cosmic ray flux is a very important and necessary parameter for rare-event experiments. A plastic scintillator telescope system has been set up to measure the cosmic ray flux. The performance of the telescope system has been studied using the cosmic rays on the ground laboratory near the CJPL. Based on the underground experimental data taken from November 2010 to December 2011 in the CJPL, which has an effective live time of 171 days, the cosmic ray muon flux in the CJPL is measured to be (2.0±0.4)×10 -10 /(cm 2 ·s). The ultra-low cosmic ray background guarantees an ideal environment for dark matter experiments at the CJPL. (authors)

Power Systems Integration Laboratory | Energy Systems Integration Facility

Science.gov (United States)

| NREL Power Systems Integration Laboratory Power Systems Integration Laboratory Research in the Energy System Integration Facility's Power Systems Integration Laboratory focuses on the microgrid applications. Photo of engineers testing an inverter in the Power Systems Integration Laboratory

The monitoring system of the Tritium Research Laboratory, Sandia Laboratories, Livermore, California

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hafner, R.S.; Westfall, D.L.; Ristau, R.D.

1978-01-01

Computerized tritium monitoring is now in use at the Tritium Research Laboratory (TRL). Betatec 100 tritium monitors, along with several Sandia designed accessories, have been combined with a PDP 11/40 computer to provide maximum personnel and environmental protection. Each individual monitoring system, in addition to a local display in the area of interest, has a visual/audible display in the control room. Each system is then channeled into the PDP 11/40 computer, providing immediate assessment of the status of the entire laboratory from a central location. Measurement capability ranges from uCi/m 3 levels for room air monitoring to KCi/m 3 levels for glove box and process system monitoring. The overall monitoring system and its capabilities will be presented

AUTOMATION OF THE SYSTEM OF INTERNAL LABORATORY QUALITY CONTROL

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. Z. Stetsyuk

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Quality control system base d on the principles of standardi zation of all phases of laboratory testing and analysis of internal laboratory quality control and external quality assessment. For the detection accuracy of the results of laboratory tests, carried out internally between the laboratory and laboratory quality control. Under internal laboratory quality control we understand measurement results of each analysis in each anal ytical series rendered directly in the lab every day. The purpose of internal laboratory control - identifying and eliminating unacceptable deviations from standard perfor mance test in the laboratory, i.e. identifying and eliminating harmful analytical errors. The solutions to these problems by implementing automated systems - software that allows you to optimize analytical laboratory research stage of the procedure by automatically creating process control charts was shown.

Study on the Effects of Sample Density on Gamma Spectrometry System Measurement Efficiency at Radiochemistry and Environment Laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wo, Y.M.; Dainee Nor Fardzila Ahmad Tugi; Khairul Nizam Razali

2015-01-01

The effects of sample density on the measurement efficiency of the gamma spectrometry system were studied by using four sets multi nuclide standard sources of various densities between 0.3 - 1.4 g/ ml. The study was conducted on seven unit 25 % coaxial HPGe detector gamma spectrometry systems in Radiochemistry and Environment Laboratory (RAS). Difference on efficiency against gamma emitting radionuclides energy and measurement systems were compared and discussed. Correction factor for self absorption caused by difference in sample matrix density of the gamma systems were estimated. The correction factors are to be used in quantification of radionuclides concentration in various densities of service and research samples in RAS. (author)

Quality assurance handbook for measurement laboratories

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Delvin, W.L.

1984-10-01

This handbook provides guidance in the application of quality assurance to measurement activities. It is intended to help those persons making measurements in applying quality assurance to their work activities by showing how laboratory practices and quality assurance requirements are integrated to provide control within those activities. The use of the guidance found in this handbook should help provide consistency in the interpretation of quality assurance requirements across all types of measurement laboratories. This handbook also can assist quality assurance personnel in understanding the relationships between laboratory practices and quality assurance requirements. The handbook is composed of three chapters and several appendices. Basic guidance is provided by the three chapters. In Chapter 1, the role of quality assurance in obtaining quality data and the importance of such data are discussed. Chapter 2 presents the elements of laboratory quality assurance in terms of practices that can be used in controlling work activities to assure the acquisition of quality data. Chapter 3 discusses the implementation of laboratory quality assurance. The appendices provide supplemental information to give the users a better understanding of the following: what is quality assurance; why quality assurance is required; where quality assurance requirements come from; how those requirements are interpreted for application to laboratory operations; how the elements of laboratory quality assurance relate to various laboratory activities; and how a quality assurance program can be developed

Trends in instrumentation for environmental radiation measurements at Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hiebert, R.D.; Wolf, M.A.

1980-01-01

Recent instruments developed to fulfill radiation monitoring needs at Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory are described. Laboratory instruments that measure tritium gas effluents alone, or in the presence of activated air from D-T fusion reactors are discussed. Fully portable systems for gamma, x-ray, and alpha analyses in the field are described. Also included are descriptions of survey instruments that measure low levels of transuranic contaminants and that measure pulsed-neutron dose rates

Challenges in small screening laboratories: implementing an on-demand laboratory information management system.

Science.gov (United States)

Lemmon, Vance P; Jia, Yuanyuan; Shi, Yan; Holbrook, S Douglas; Bixby, John L; Buchser, William

2011-11-01

The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, part of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, includes a laboratory devoted to High Content Analysis (HCA) of neurons. The goal of the laboratory is to uncover signaling pathways, genes, compounds, or drugs that can be used to promote nerve growth. HCA permits the quantification of neuronal morphology, including the lengths and numbers of axons. HCA of various libraries on primary neurons requires a team-based approach, a variety of process steps and complex manipulations of cells and libraries to obtain meaningful results. HCA itself produces vast amounts of information including images, well-based data and cell-based phenotypic measures. Documenting and integrating the experimental workflows, library data and extensive experimental results is challenging. For academic laboratories generating large data sets from experiments involving thousands of perturbagens, a Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) is the data tracking solution of choice. With both productivity and efficiency as driving rationales, the Miami Project has equipped its HCA laboratory with an On Demand or Software As A Service (SaaS) LIMS to ensure the quality of its experiments and workflows. The article discusses how the system was selected and integrated into the laboratory. The advantages of a SaaS based LIMS over a client-server based system are described. © 2011 Bentham Science Publishers

Methods of Estimation the Reliability and Increasing the Informativeness of the Laboratory Results (Analysis of the Laboratory Case of Measurement the Indicators of Thyroid Function

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N A Kovyazina

2014-06-01

Full Text Available The goal of the study was to demonstrate the multilevel laboratory quality management system and point at the methods of estimating the reliability and increasing the amount of information content of the laboratory results (on the example of the laboratory case. Results. The article examines the stages of laboratory quality management which has helped to estimate the reliability of the results of determining Free T3, Free T4 and TSH. The measurement results are presented by the expanded uncertainty and the evaluation of the dynamics. Conclusion. Compliance with mandatory measures for laboratory quality management system enables laboratories to obtain reliable results and calculate the parameters that are able to increase the amount of information content of laboratory tests in clinical decision making.

Purdue Hydrogen Systems Laboratory

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jay P Gore; Robert Kramer; Timothee L Pourpoint; P. V. Ramachandran; Arvind Varma; Yuan Zheng

2011-12-28

The Hydrogen Systems Laboratory in a unique partnership between Purdue University's main campus in West Lafayette and the Calumet campus was established and its capabilities were enhanced towards technology demonstrators. The laboratory engaged in basic research in hydrogen production and storage and initiated engineering systems research with performance goals established as per the USDOE Hydrogen, Fuel Cells, and Infrastructure Technologies Program. In the chemical storage and recycling part of the project, we worked towards maximum recycling yield via novel chemical selection and novel recycling pathways. With the basic potential of a large hydrogen yield from AB, we used it as an example chemical but have also discovered its limitations. Further, we discovered alternate storage chemicals that appear to have advantages over AB. We improved the slurry hydrolysis approach by using advanced slurry/solution mixing techniques. We demonstrated vehicle scale aqueous and non-aqueous slurry reactors to address various engineering issues in on-board chemical hydrogen storage systems. We measured the thermal properties of raw and spent AB. Further, we conducted experiments to determine reaction mechanisms and kinetics of hydrothermolysis in hydride-rich solutions and slurries. We also developed a continuous flow reactor and a laboratory scale fuel cell power generation system. The biological hydrogen production work summarized as Task 4.0 below, included investigating optimal hydrogen production cultures for different substrates, reducing the water content in the substrate, and integrating results from vacuum tube solar collector based pre and post processing tests into an enhanced energy system model. An automated testing device was used to finalize optimal hydrogen production conditions using statistical procedures. A 3 L commercial fermentor (New Brunswick, BioFlo 115) was used to finalize testing of larger samples and to consider issues related to scale up

Purdue Hydrogen Systems Laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gore, Jay P.; Kramer, Robert; Pourpoint, Timothee L.; Ramachandran, P.V.; Varma, Arvind; Zheng, Yuan

2011-01-01

The Hydrogen Systems Laboratory in a unique partnership between Purdue University's main campus in West Lafayette and the Calumet campus was established and its capabilities were enhanced towards technology demonstrators. The laboratory engaged in basic research in hydrogen production and storage and initiated engineering systems research with performance goals established as per the USDOE Hydrogen, Fuel Cells, and Infrastructure Technologies Program. In the chemical storage and recycling part of the project, we worked towards maximum recycling yield via novel chemical selection and novel recycling pathways. With the basic potential of a large hydrogen yield from AB, we used it as an example chemical but have also discovered its limitations. Further, we discovered alternate storage chemicals that appear to have advantages over AB. We improved the slurry hydrolysis approach by using advanced slurry/solution mixing techniques. We demonstrated vehicle scale aqueous and non-aqueous slurry reactors to address various engineering issues in on-board chemical hydrogen storage systems. We measured the thermal properties of raw and spent AB. Further, we conducted experiments to determine reaction mechanisms and kinetics of hydrothermolysis in hydride-rich solutions and slurries. We also developed a continuous flow reactor and a laboratory scale fuel cell power generation system. The biological hydrogen production work summarized as Task 4.0 below, included investigating optimal hydrogen production cultures for different substrates, reducing the water content in the substrate, and integrating results from vacuum tube solar collector based pre and post processing tests into an enhanced energy system model. An automated testing device was used to finalize optimal hydrogen production conditions using statistical procedures. A 3 L commercial fermentor (New Brunswick, BioFlo 115) was used to finalize testing of larger samples and to consider issues related to scale up. Efforts

Precise turnaround time measurement of laboratory processes using radiofrequency identification technology.

Science.gov (United States)

Mayer, Horst; Brümmer, Jens; Brinkmann, Thomas

2011-01-01

To implement Lean Six Sigma in our central laboratory we conducted a project to measure single pre-analytical steps influencing turnaround time (TAT) of emergency department (ED) serum samples. The traditional approach of extracting data from the Laboratory Information System (LIS) for a retrospective calculation of a mean TAT is not suitable. Therefore, we used radiofrequency identification (RFID) chips for real time tracking of individual samples at any pre-analytical step. 1,200 serum tubes were labelled with RFID chips and were provided to the emergency department. 3 RFID receivers were installed in the laboratory: at the outlet of the pneumatic tube system, at the centrifuge, and in the analyser area. In addition, time stamps of sample entry at the automated sample distributor and communication of results from the analyser were collected from LIS. 1,023 labelled serum tubes arrived at our laboratory. 899 RFID tags were used for TAT calculation. The following transfer times were determined (median 95th percentile in min:sec): pneumatic tube system --> centrifuge (01:25/04:48), centrifuge --> sample distributor (14:06/5:33), sample distributor --> analysis system zone (02:39/15:07), analysis system zone --> result communication (12:42/22:21). Total TAT was calculated at 33:19/57:40 min:sec. Manual processes around centrifugation were identified as a major part of TAT with 44%/60% (median/95th percentile). RFID is a robust, easy to use, and error-free technology and not susceptible to interferences in the laboratory environment. With this study design we were able to measure significant variations in a single manual sample transfer process. We showed that TAT is mainly influenced by manual steps around the centrifugation process and we concluded that centrifugation should be integrated in solutions for total laboratory automation.

Latest developments at the ALBA magnetic measurements laboratory

Science.gov (United States)

Marcos, J.; Massana, V.; García, L.; Campmany, J.

2018-02-01

ALBA is a third-generation synchrotron light source that has been in operation since 2012 near Barcelona. A magnetic measurements laboratory has been associated with the facility since its very early stages and has been active for the last 20 years. In the first part of this work, the different instruments available at the laboratory are described, and a brief overview of the measurement campaigns carried out during its 20 years of history is presented. In the second part, a more detailed description of the approach to Hall probe measurements adopted at ALBA is offered, with an explanation of the methods and ancillary equipment that have been developed along the years in order to improve the accuracy of the system. In the third part, a new concept of Hall probe bench devoted to the measurement of closed structures is presented. The in-house design and building of a prototype for such a bench is described, together with its mechanical and magnetic characterization. As a conclusion, the first results obtained with this bench are discussed.

Handbook of laboratory health and safety measures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pal, S.B.

1985-01-01

The application of radioactive isotopes and various scientific instruments based on different ionizing and non-ionizing radiation have brought new safety problems to laboratory workers today. Therefore, there is a need to revise present knowledge of safety measures to deal with new hazards, thus broadening the outlook towards health and safety measures for contemporary laboratory staff. This handbook presents a series of articles on current knowledge regarding laboratory safety

Measuring the spatial resolution of an optical system in an undergraduate optics laboratory

Science.gov (United States)

Leung, Calvin; Donnelly, T. D.

2017-06-01

Two methods of quantifying the spatial resolution of a camera are described, performed, and compared, with the objective of designing an imaging-system experiment for students in an undergraduate optics laboratory. With the goal of characterizing the resolution of a typical digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) camera, we motivate, introduce, and show agreement between traditional test-target contrast measurements and the technique of using Fourier analysis to obtain the modulation transfer function (MTF). The advantages and drawbacks of each method are compared. Finally, we explore the rich optical physics at work in the camera system by calculating the MTF as a function of wavelength and f-number. For example, we find that the Canon 40D demonstrates better spatial resolution at short wavelengths, in accordance with scalar diffraction theory, but is not diffraction-limited, being significantly affected by spherical aberration. The experiment and data analysis routines described here can be built and written in an undergraduate optics lab setting.

Measurement quality assurance for radioassay laboratories

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

McCurdy, D.E. [Yankee Atomic Environmental Laboratory, Boston, MA (United States)

1993-12-31

Until recently, the quality of U.S. radioassay laboratory services has been evaluated by a limited number of governmental measurement assurance programs (MAPs). The major programs have been limited to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). In 1988, an industry MAP was established for the nuclear power utility industry through the U.S. Council for Energy Awareness/National Institute of Standards and Technology (USCEA/NIST). This program functions as both a MAP for utility laboratories and/or their commercial contractor laboratories, and as a traceability program for the U.S. radioactive source manufacturers and the utility laboratories. Each of these generic MAPs has been initiated and is maintained to serve the specific needs of the sponsoring agency or organization. As a result, there is diversification in their approach, scope, requirements, and degree of traceability to NIST. In 1987, a writing committee was formed under the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) N42.2 committee to develop a standard to serve as the basis document for the creation of a national measurement quality assurance (MQA) program for radioassay laboratories in the U.S. The standard is entitled, {open_quotes}Measurement Quality Assurance For Radioassay Laboratories.{open_quotes} The document was developed to serve as a guide for MQA programs maintained for the specialized sectors of the radioassay community, such as bioassay, routine environmental monitoring, environmental restoration and waste management, radiopharmaceuticals, and nuclear facilities. It was the intent of the writing committee to develop a guidance document that could be utilized to establish a laboratory`s specific data quality objectives (DQOs) that govern the operational requirements of the radioassay process, including mandated protocols and recommendations.

Validation of a laboratory and hospital information system in a medical laboratory accredited according to ISO 15189.

Science.gov (United States)

Biljak, Vanja Radisic; Ozvald, Ivan; Radeljak, Andrea; Majdenic, Kresimir; Lasic, Branka; Siftar, Zoran; Lovrencic, Marijana Vucic; Flegar-Mestric, Zlata

2012-01-01

The aim of the study was to present a protocol for laboratory information system (LIS) and hospital information system (HIS) validation at the Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine of the Merkur University Hospital, Zagreb, Croatia. Validity of data traceability was checked by entering all test requests for virtual patient into HIS/LIS and printing corresponding barcoded labels that provided laboratory analyzers with the information on requested tests. The original printouts of the test results from laboratory analyzer(s) were compared with the data obtained from LIS and entered into the provided template. Transfer of data from LIS to HIS was examined by requesting all tests in HIS and creating real data in a finding generated in LIS. Data obtained from LIS and HIS were entered into a corresponding template. The main outcome measure was the accuracy of transfer obtained from laboratory analyzers and results transferred from LIS and HIS expressed as percentage (%). The accuracy of data transfer from laboratory analyzers to LIS was 99.5% and of that from LIS to HIS 100%. We presented our established validation protocol for laboratory information system and demonstrated that a system meets its intended purpose.

An inter-laboratory comparison of urinary 3-hydroxypropylmercapturic acid measurement demonstrates good reproducibility between laboratories

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bailey Brian

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Biomarkers have been used extensively in clinical studies to assess toxicant exposure in smokers and non-smokers and have recently been used in the evaluation of novel tobacco products. The urinary metabolite 3-HPMA, a metabolite of the major tobacco smoke toxicity contributor acrolein, is one example of a biomarker used to measure exposure to tobacco smoke. A number of laboratories have developed liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS based methods to measure urinary 3-HPMA; however, it is unclear to what extent the data obtained by these different laboratories are comparable. Findings This report describes an inter-laboratory comparison carried out to evaluate the comparability of 3-HPMA measurement between four laboratories. A common set of spiked and authentic smoker and non-smoker urine samples were used. Each laboratory used their in-house LC-MS/MS method and a common internal standard. A comparison of the repeatability ('r', reproducibility ('R', and coefficient of variation for 3-HPMA demonstrated that within-laboratory variation was consistently lower than between-laboratory variation. The average inter-laboratory coefficient of variation was 7% for fortified urine samples and 16.2% for authentic urine samples. Together, this represents an inter-laboratory variation of 12.2%. Conclusion The results from this first inter-laboratory comparison for the measurement of 3-HPMA in urine demonstrate a reasonably good consensus between laboratories. However, some consistent measurement biases were still observed between laboratories, suggesting that additional work may be required to further reduce the inter-laboratory coefficient of variation.

Energy Systems Integration Laboratory | Energy Systems Integration Facility

Science.gov (United States)

| NREL Integration Laboratory Energy Systems Integration Laboratory Research in the Energy Systems Integration Laboratory is advancing engineering knowledge and market deployment of hydrogen technologies. Applications include microgrids, energy storage for renewables integration, and home- and station

Environmental monitoring systems: a new type of mobile laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bruecher, L.; Langmueller, G.; Tuerschmann, G.

1999-01-01

Nuclear facilities are obligated to monitor the environmental radiation in their vicinity, which is often fulfilled by monitoring cars, combined with fixed monitoring stations. The MOLAR Mobile Laboratory for Environmental Radiation Monitoring as described here is being used under normal and accident conditions as a spot check monitoring system or to perform continuous measurements along a driving track. The mobile laboratories are continuously connected with the control centre's CRCS Central Radiological Computer System, where the RIS Radiological Information System provides corresponding evaluation functions. The mobile labs contain measuring and controlling units like γ-dose rate monitors, γ-spectrometer with a HpGe High Purity Germanium detector, a lead shielded measuring cell and MCA Multi-Channel Analyser, portable β-contamination monitor, α/β/γ multipurpose quick measuring unit, aerosol and iodine sampling units. The collected samples are safely stored for the transport to the environmental laboratory for being analysed later. The geographical location of the moving car is continuously determined by the satellite based GPS Global Positioning System and transferred in the on-board rack mounted computer system for being stored and locally displayed. Real-time data transmission via radio and mobile phone is continuously performed to supply the RIS Radiological Information System in the control centre via radio and mobile phone. The latter also serves for voice communication. Currently three MOLAR systems can be operated parallel and independent from the control centre. The system is ready to be extended to more mobile labs. This combination of mobile monitoring, sample analysis and radiological assessment of environmental data in combination with process occurrences has turned out to be a powerful instrument for emergency preparedness and environmental supervising. (orig.) [de

Measurement quality assurance for radioassay laboratories

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McCurdy, D.E.

1993-01-01

Until recently, the quality of U.S. radioassay laboratory services has been evaluated by a limited number of governmental measurement assurance programs (MAPs). The major programs have been limited to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). In 1988, an industry MAP was established for the nuclear power utility industry through the U.S. Council for Energy Awareness/National Institute of Standards and Technology (USCEA/NIST). This program functions as both a MAP for utility laboratories and/or their commercial contractor laboratories, and as a traceability program for the U.S. radioactive source manufacturers and the utility laboratories. Each of these generic MAPs has been initiated and is maintained to serve the specific needs of the sponsoring agency or organization. As a result, there is diversification in their approach, scope, requirements, and degree of traceability to NIST. In 1987, a writing committee was formed under the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) N42.2 committee to develop a standard to serve as the basis document for the creation of a national measurement quality assurance (MQA) program for radioassay laboratories in the U.S. The standard is entitled, open-quotes Measurement Quality Assurance For Radioassay Laboratories.open-quotes The document was developed to serve as a guide for MQA programs maintained for the specialized sectors of the radioassay community, such as bioassay, routine environmental monitoring, environmental restoration and waste management, radiopharmaceuticals, and nuclear facilities. It was the intent of the writing committee to develop a guidance document that could be utilized to establish a laboratory's specific data quality objectives (DQOs) that govern the operational requirements of the radioassay process, including mandated protocols and recommendations

Tactical Systems Integration Laboratory

Data.gov (United States)

Federal Laboratory Consortium — The Tactical Systems Integration Laboratory is used to design and integrate computer hardware and software and related electronic subsystems for tactical vehicles....

Rain Erosion/Measurement Impact Laboratory

Data.gov (United States)

Federal Laboratory Consortium — The FARM Rain Erosion/Impact Measurement Lab develops solutions for deficiencies in the ability of materials, coatings and designs to withstand a severe operational...

Energy Systems High-Pressure Test Laboratory | Energy Systems Integration

Science.gov (United States)

Facility | NREL Energy Systems High-Pressure Test Laboratory Energy Systems High-Pressure Test Laboratory In the Energy Systems Integration Facility's High-Pressure Test Laboratory, researchers can safely test high-pressure hydrogen components. Photo of researchers running an experiment with a hydrogen fuel

An automated image analysis system to measure and count organisms in laboratory microcosms.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

François Mallard

Full Text Available 1. Because of recent technological improvements in the way computer and digital camera perform, the potential use of imaging for contributing to the study of communities, populations or individuals in laboratory microcosms has risen enormously. However its limited use is due to difficulties in the automation of image analysis. 2. We present an accurate and flexible method of image analysis for detecting, counting and measuring moving particles on a fixed but heterogeneous substrate. This method has been specifically designed to follow individuals, or entire populations, in experimental laboratory microcosms. It can be used in other applications. 3. The method consists in comparing multiple pictures of the same experimental microcosm in order to generate an image of the fixed background. This background is then used to extract, measure and count the moving organisms, leaving out the fixed background and the motionless or dead individuals. 4. We provide different examples (springtails, ants, nematodes, daphnia to show that this non intrusive method is efficient at detecting organisms under a wide variety of conditions even on faintly contrasted and heterogeneous substrates. 5. The repeatability and reliability of this method has been assessed using experimental populations of the Collembola Folsomia candida. 6. We present an ImageJ plugin to automate the analysis of digital pictures of laboratory microcosms. The plugin automates the successive steps of the analysis and recursively analyses multiple sets of images, rapidly producing measurements from a large number of replicated microcosms.

Multichannel microwave interferometer with an antenna switching system for electron density measurement in a laboratory plasma experiment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kawamori, Eiichirou; Lin, Yu-Hsiang [Institute of Space and Plasma Sciences, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan (China); Mase, Atsushi [Art, Science and Technology Center for Cooperative Research, Kyushu University, Kasuga 816-8580 (Japan); Nishida, Yasushi; Cheng, C. Z. [Institute of Space and Plasma Sciences, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan (China); Plasma and Space Science Center, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan (China)

2014-02-15

This study presents a simple and powerful technique for multichannel measurements of the density profile in laboratory plasmas by microwave interferometry. This technique uses electromechanical microwave switches to temporally switch the connection between multiple receiver antennas and one phase-detection circuit. Using this method, the phase information detected at different positions is rearranged into a time series that can be acquired from a minimum number of data acquisition channels (e.g., two channels in the case of quadrature detection). Our successfully developed multichannel microwave interferometer that uses the antenna switching method was applied to measure the radial electron density profiles in a magnetized plasma experiment. The advantage of the proposed method is its compactness and scalability to multidimensional measurement systems at low cost.

Automated transport and sorting system in a large reference laboratory: part 2. Implementation of the system and performance measures over three years.

Science.gov (United States)

Hawker, Charles D; Roberts, William L; Garr, Susan B; Hamilton, Leslie T; Penrose, John R; Ashwood, Edward R; Weiss, Ronald L

2002-10-01

Our laboratory implemented a major automation system in November 1998. A related report describes a 4-year process of evaluation and planning leading to system installation. This report describes the implementation and performance results over 3 years since the system was placed into use. Project management software was used to track the project. Turnaround times of our top 500 tests before and after automation were measured. We compared the rate of hiring of employees and the billed unit per employee ratio before and after automation by use of linear regression analysis. Finally, we analyzed the financial contribution of the project through an analysis of return on investment. Since implementation, the volume of work transported and sorted has grown to >15,000 new tubes and >25,000 total tubes per day. Median turnaround time has decreased by an estimated 7 h, and turnaround time at the 95th percentile has decreased by 12 h. Lost specimens have decreased by 58%. A comparison of pre- and post-implementation hiring rates of employees estimated a savings of 33.6 employees, whereas a similar comparison of ratios of billed units per employee estimated a savings of 49.1 employees. Using the higher figure, we estimated that the $4.02 million cost of the project would be paid off approximately 4.9 years subsequent to placing the system into daily use. The overall automation project implemented in our laboratory has contributed considerably to improvement of key performance measures and has met our original project objectives.

Purdue Rare Isotope Measurement Laboratory

Science.gov (United States)

Caffee, M.; Elmore, D.; Granger, D.; Muzikar, P.

2002-12-01

The Purdue Rare Isotope Measurement Laboratory (PRIME Lab) is a dedicated research and service facility for accelerator mass spectrometry. AMS is an ultra-sensitive analytical technique used to measure low levels of long-lived cosmic-ray-produced and anthropogenic radionuclides, and rare trace elements. We measure 10Be (T1/2 = 1.5 My), 26Al (.702 My), 36Cl (.301 My), and 129I (16 My), in geologic samples. Applications include dating the cosmic-ray-exposure time of rocks on Earth's surface, determining rock and sediment burial ages, measuring the erosion rates of rocks and soils, and tracing and dating ground water. We perform sample preparation and separation chemistries for these radio-nuclides for our internal research activities and for those external researchers not possessing this capability. Our chemical preparation laboratories also serve as training sites for members of the geoscience community developing these techniques at their institutions. Research at Purdue involves collaborators among members of the Purdue Departments of Physics, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Chemistry, Agronomy, and Anthropology. We also collaborate and serve numerous scientists from other institutions. We are currently in the process of modernizing the facility with the goals of higher precision for routinely measured radio-nuclides, increased sample throughput, and the development of new measurement capabilities for the geoscience community.

Spacecraft contamination programs within the Air Force Systems Command Laboratories

Science.gov (United States)

Murad, Edmond

1990-01-01

Spacecraft contamination programs exist in five independent AFSC organizations: Geophysics Laboratory (GL), Arnold Engineering and Development Center (AEDC), Rome Air Development Center (RADC/OSCE), Wright Research and Development Center (MLBT), Armament Laboratory (ATL/SAI), and Space Systems Division (SSD/OL-AW). In addition, a sizable program exists at Aerospace Corp. These programs are complementary, each effort addressing a specific area of expertise: GL's effort is aimed at addressing the effects of on-orbit contamination; AEDC's effort is aimed at ground simulation and measurement of optical contamination; RADC's effort addresses the accumulation, measurement, and removal of contamination on large optics; MLBT's effort is aimed at understanding the effect of contamination on materials; ATL's effort is aimed at understanding the effect of plume contamination on systems; SSD's effort is confined to the integration of some contamination experiments sponsored by SSD/CLT; and Aerospace Corp.'s effort is aimed at supporting the needs of the using System Program Offices (SPO) in specific areas, such as contamination during ground handling, ascent phase, laboratory measurements aimed at understanding on-orbit contamination, and mass loss and mass gain in on-orbit operations. These programs are described in some detail, with emphasis on GL's program.

The ideal laboratory information system.

Science.gov (United States)

Sepulveda, Jorge L; Young, Donald S

2013-08-01

Laboratory information systems (LIS) are critical components of the operation of clinical laboratories. However, the functionalities of LIS have lagged significantly behind the capacities of current hardware and software technologies, while the complexity of the information produced by clinical laboratories has been increasing over time and will soon undergo rapid expansion with the use of new, high-throughput and high-dimensionality laboratory tests. In the broadest sense, LIS are essential to manage the flow of information between health care providers, patients, and laboratories and should be designed to optimize not only laboratory operations but also personalized clinical care. To list suggestions for designing LIS with the goal of optimizing the operation of clinical laboratories while improving clinical care by intelligent management of laboratory information. Literature review, interviews with laboratory users, and personal experience and opinion. Laboratory information systems can improve laboratory operations and improve patient care. Specific suggestions for improving the function of LIS are listed under the following sections: (1) Information Security, (2) Test Ordering, (3) Specimen Collection, Accessioning, and Processing, (4) Analytic Phase, (5) Result Entry and Validation, (6) Result Reporting, (7) Notification Management, (8) Data Mining and Cross-sectional Reports, (9) Method Validation, (10) Quality Management, (11) Administrative and Financial Issues, and (12) Other Operational Issues.

Road Transportable Analytical Laboratory (RTAL) system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1993-01-01

The goal of this contractual effort is the development and demonstration of a Road Transportable Analytical Laboratory (RTAL) system to meet the unique needs of the Department of Energy (DOE) for rapid, accurate analysis of a wide variety of hazardous and radioactive contaminants in soil, groundwater, and surface waters. This laboratory system will be designed to provide the field and laboratory analytical equipment necessary to detect and quantify radionuclides, organics, heavy metals and other inorganics, and explosive materials. The planned laboratory system will consist of a set of individual laboratory modules deployable independently or as an interconnected group to meet each DOE site's specific needs

Investigation and Analysis of Hemoglobin A1c Measurement Systems' Performance for 135 Laboratories in China

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hai-Jian Zhao

2017-01-01

Conclusions: This study indicated that, although participating laboratories were laboratories with better performance in China, the performances were still unsatisfactory. Actions should be taken to improve HbA1c measurement performance before we can include HbA1c assays in diabetes diagnosis in China.

Burnup verification measurements at a US nuclear utility using the FORK measurement system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ewing, R.I.; Bosler, G.E.; Walden, G.

1993-01-01

The FORK measurement system, designed at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) for the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards program, has been used to examine spent reactor fuel assemblies at Duke Power Company's Oconee Nuclear Station. The FORK system measures the passive neutron and gamma-ray emission from spent fuel assemblies while in the storage pool. These measurements can be correlated with burnup and cooling time, and can be used to verify the reactor site records. Verification measurements may be used to help ensure nuclear criticality safety when burnup credit is applied to spent fuel transport and storage systems. By taking into account the reduced reactivity of spent fuel due to its burnup in the reactor, burnup credit results in more efficient and economic transport and storage. The objectives of these tests are to demonstrate the applicability of the FORK system to verify reactor records and to develop optimal procedures compatible with utility operations. The test program is a cooperative effort supported by Sandia National Laboratories, the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), Los Alamos National Laboratory, and the Duke Power Company

[Measures to prevent patient identification errors in blood collection/physiological function testing utilizing a laboratory information system].

Science.gov (United States)

Shimazu, Chisato; Hoshino, Satoshi; Furukawa, Taiji

2013-08-01

We constructed an integrated personal identification workflow chart using both bar code reading and an all in-one laboratory information system. The information system not only handles test data but also the information needed for patient guidance in the laboratory department. The reception terminals at the entrance, displays for patient guidance and patient identification tools at blood-sampling booths are all controlled by the information system. The number of patient identification errors was greatly reduced by the system. However, identification errors have not been abolished in the ultrasound department. After re-evaluation of the patient identification process in this department, we recognized that the major reason for the errors came from excessive identification workflow. Ordinarily, an ultrasound test requires patient identification 3 times, because 3 different systems are required during the entire test process, i.e. ultrasound modality system, laboratory information system and a system for producing reports. We are trying to connect the 3 different systems to develop a one-time identification workflow, but it is not a simple task and has not been completed yet. Utilization of the laboratory information system is effective, but is not yet perfect for patient identification. The most fundamental procedure for patient identification is to ask a person's name even today. Everyday checks in the ordinary workflow and everyone's participation in safety-management activity are important for the prevention of patient identification errors.

The LLNL Multiuser Tandem Laboratory computer-controlled radiation monitoring system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Homann, S.G.

1992-01-01

The Physics Department of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) recently constructed a Multiuser Tandem Laboratory (MTL) to perform a variety of basic and applied measurement programs. The laboratory and its research equipment were constructed with support from a consortium of LLNL Divisions, Sandia National Laboratories Livermore, and the University of California. Primary design goals for the facility were inexpensive construction and operation, high beam quality at a large number of experimental stations, and versatility in adapting to new experimental needs. To accomplish these goals, our main design decisions were to place the accelerator in an unshielded structure, to make use of reconfigured cyclotrons as effective switching magnets, and to rely on computer control systems for both radiological protection and highly reproducible and well-characterized accelerator operation. This paper addresses the radiological control computer system

Semi-Autonomous Systems Laboratory

Data.gov (United States)

Federal Laboratory Consortium — VisionThe Semi-Autonomous Systems Lab focuses on developing a comprehensive framework for semi-autonomous coordination of networked robotic systems. Semi-autonomous...

Design of a Clinical Information Management System to Support DNA Analysis Laboratory Operation

Science.gov (United States)

Dubay, Christopher J.; Zimmerman, David; Popovich, Bradley

1995-01-01

The LabDirector system has been developed at the Oregon Health Sciences University to support the operation of our clinical DNA analysis laboratory. Through an iterative design process which has spanned two years, we have produced a system that is both highly tailored to a clinical genetics production laboratory and flexible in its implementation, to support the rapid growth and change of protocols and methodologies in use in the field. The administrative aspects of the system are integrated with an enterprise schedule management system. The laboratory side of the system is driven by a protocol modeling and execution system. The close integration between these two aspects of the clinical laboratory facilitates smooth operations, and allows management to accurately measure costs and performance. The entire application has been designed and documented to provide utility to a wide range of clinical laboratory environments.

ELAN - expert system supported information and management system for analytical laboratories

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jaeschke, A.; Orth, H.; Zilly, G.

1990-08-01

The demand for high efficiency and short response time calls for the use of computer support in chemico-analytical laboratories. This is usually achieved by laboratory information and management systems covering the three levels of analytical instrument automation, laboratory operation support and laboratory management. The management component of the systems implemented up to now suffers from a lack of flexibility as far as unforeseen analytical investigations outside the laboratory routine work are concerned. Another drawback is the lack of adaptability with respect to structural changes in laboratory organization. It can be eliminated by the application of expert system structures and methods for the implementation of this system level. The ELAN laboratory information and management system has been developed on the basis of this concept. (orig.) [de

Propulsion Systems Laboratory, Bldg. 125

Data.gov (United States)

Federal Laboratory Consortium — The Propulsion Systems Laboratory (PSL) is NASAs only ground test facility capable of providing true altitude and flight speed simulation for testing full scale gas...

[The future of clinical laboratory database management system].

Science.gov (United States)

Kambe, M; Imidy, D; Matsubara, A; Sugimoto, Y

1999-09-01

To assess the present status of the clinical laboratory database management system, the difference between the Clinical Laboratory Information System and Clinical Laboratory System was explained in this study. Although three kinds of database management systems (DBMS) were shown including the relational model, tree model and network model, the relational model was found to be the best DBMS for the clinical laboratory database based on our experience and developments of some clinical laboratory expert systems. As a future clinical laboratory database management system, the IC card system connected to an automatic chemical analyzer was proposed for personal health data management and a microscope/video system was proposed for dynamic data management of leukocytes or bacteria.

Non-exhaust emission measurement system of the mobile laboratory SNIFFER

Science.gov (United States)

Pirjola, L.; Kupiainen, K. J.; Perhoniemi, P.; Tervahattu, H.; Vesala, H.

In this paper we describe and quality assure the sampling system of a mobile research laboratory SNIFFER which was shown to be a useful tool for studying emission levels of respirable dust from street surfaces. The dust plume had bimodal structure; another mode rising to higher altitudes whereas the other mode remained at lower altitudes. The system was tested on a route in Helsinki, Finland, during spring 2005 and 2006. The PM 2.5 and PM 10 were positively correlated and the PM levels increased with the vehicle speed. SNIFFER was able to identify the characteristic emission levels on different streets. A clear downward trend in the concentrations was observed in all street locations between April and June. The composition of the street dust collected by SNIFFER was compared with springtime PM 10 aerosol samples from the air quality monitoring stations in Helsinki. The results showed similarities in the abundance and composition of the mineral fraction but contained significantly more salt particles.

Accreditation - Its relevance for laboratories measuring radionuclides

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Palsson, S E [Icelandic Radiation Protection Inst. (Iceland)

2001-11-01

Accreditation is an internationally recognised way for laboratories to demonstrate their competence. Obtaining and maintaining accreditation is, however, a costly and time-consuming procedure. The benefits of accreditation also depend on the role of the laboratory. Accreditation may be of limited relevance for a research laboratory, but essential for a laboratory associated with a national authority and e.g. issuing certificates. This report describes work done within the NKSBOK-1.1 sub-project on introducing accreditation to Nordic laboratories measuring radionuclides. Initially the focus was on the new standard ISO/IEC 17025, which was just in a draft form at the time, but which provides now a new framework for accreditation of laboratories. Later the focus was widened to include a general introduction to accreditation and providing through seminars a forum for exchanging views on the experience laboratories have had in this field. Copies of overheads from the last such seminar are included in the appendix to this report. (au)

Strengthening laboratory systems in resource-limited settings.

Science.gov (United States)

Olmsted, Stuart S; Moore, Melinda; Meili, Robin C; Duber, Herbert C; Wasserman, Jeffrey; Sama, Preethi; Mundell, Ben; Hilborne, Lee H

2010-09-01

Considerable resources have been invested in recent years to improve laboratory systems in resource-limited settings. We reviewed published reports, interviewed major donor organizations, and conducted case studies of laboratory systems in 3 countries to assess how countries and donors have worked together to improve laboratory services. While infrastructure and the provision of services have seen improvement, important opportunities remain for further advancement. Implementation of national laboratory plans is inconsistent, human resources are limited, and quality laboratory services rarely extend to lower tier laboratories (eg, health clinics, district hospitals). Coordination within, between, and among governments and donor organizations is also frequently problematic. Laboratory standardization and quality control are improving but remain challenging, making accreditation a difficult goal. Host country governments and their external funding partners should coordinate their efforts effectively around a host country's own national laboratory plan to advance sustainable capacity development throughout a country's laboratory system.

Region 7 Laboratory Information Management System

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — This is metadata documentation for the Region 7 Laboratory Information Management System (R7LIMS) which maintains records for the Regional Laboratory. Any Laboratory...

Understanding water uptake in bioaerosols using laboratory measurements, field tests, and modeling

Science.gov (United States)

Chaudhry, Zahra; Ratnesar-Shumate, Shanna A.; Buckley, Thomas J.; Kalter, Jeffrey M.; Gilberry, Jerome U.; Eshbaugh, Jonathan P.; Corson, Elizabeth C.; Santarpia, Joshua L.; Carter, Christopher C.

2013-05-01

Uptake of water by biological aerosols can impact their physical and chemical characteristics. The water content in a bioaerosol can affect the backscatter cross-section as measured by LIDAR systems. Better understanding of the water content in controlled-release clouds of bioaerosols can aid in the development of improved standoff detection systems. This study includes three methods to improve understanding of how bioaerosols take up water. The laboratory method measures hygroscopic growth of biological material after it is aerosolized and dried. Hygroscopicity curves are created as the humidity is increased in small increments to observe the deliquescence point, then the humidity is decreased to observe the efflorescence point. The field component of the study measures particle size distributions of biological material disseminated into a large humidified chamber. Measurements are made with a Twin-Aerodynamic Particle Sizer (APS, TSI, Inc), -Relative Humidity apparatus where two APS units measure the same aerosol cloud side-by-side. The first operated under dry conditions by sampling downstream of desiccant dryers, the second operated under ambient conditions. Relative humidity was measured within the sampling systems to determine the difference in the aerosol water content between the two sampling trains. The water content of the bioaerosols was calculated from the twin APS units following Khlystov et al. 2005 [1]. Biological material is measured dried and wet and compared to laboratory curves of the same material. Lastly, theoretical curves are constructed from literature values for components of the bioaerosol material.

Evaluation of the Argonne National Laboratory servo-controlled calorimeter system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Foster, L.A.

1997-01-01

The control system of a replacement mode, twin-bridge, water-bath calorimeter originally built by Mound EG ampersand G Applied Technologies was modified by Argonne National Laboratory. The calorimeter was upgraded with a PC-based computer control and data acquisition system. The system was redesigned to operate in a servo-control mode, and a preheater was constructed to allow pre-equilibration of samples. The instrument was sent to the Plutonium Facility at Los Alamos National Laboratory for testing and evaluation of its performance in the field using heat source standards and plutonium process materials. The important parameters for calorimeter operation necessary to satisfy the nuclear materials control and accountability requirements of the Plutonium Facility were evaluated over a period of several months. These parameters include calorimeter stability, measurement precision and accuracy, and average measurement time. The observed measurement precision and accuracy were found to be acceptable for most accountability measurements, although they were slightly larger than the values for calorimeters in routine use at the Plutonium Facility. Average measurement times were significantly shorter than measurement times for identical items in the Plutonium Facility calorimeters. Unexplained shifts in the baseline measurements were observed on numerous occasions. These shifts could lead to substantial measurement errors if they are not very carefully monitored by the operating facility. Detailed results of the experimental evaluation are presented in this report

Availability of urinary albumin measurement in Southern Brazilian laboratories

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ariana Aguiar Soares

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Diabetic kidney disease (DKD is the leading worldwide cause of end-stage renal disease. The current recommendation is to screen for DKD by evaluating estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR and measuring urinary albumin (UA levels in a spot sample. The aim of this study was to evaluate the availability of UA measurement in Southern Brazilian laboratories.   Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the routine use of UA in all laboratories registered in the State Pharmacy Council ofRio Grande do Sul, the southernmost state ofBrazil. Data was collected by mail, e-mail, telephone, or personal interview. A sample size of at least 384 laboratories was necessary to achieve 5% precision at a 95% confidence level based on a fixed proportion of 0.5.   Results: Eight hundred and eighty laboratories currently registered in the state were invited to participate in the study; 548 (62% answered the technical specification questionnaire. Only 306 (55% of the 548 surveyed laboratories performed UA measurements. The laboratories were also required to provide the number of UA measurements performed per day, which ranged from less than one per week to 65 per day.  Conclusion: The availability of UA measurements is undesirably low inSouthern Brazil. This demonstrates the urgent need to increase the availability of this important test. It also reveals the gap between the current guidelines and the awareness about them among health care professionals.

Quality system implementation in the Radiotoxicology Laboratory of IPEN, Brazil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gaburo, J.C.; Caldeira Filho, J.S.; Todo, A.S.; Sanches, M.; Campos, L.L.

2002-01-01

The perception of assured quality is getting more transparence in the research and development areas. The Radiotoxicology Laboratory, LRT, of IPEN, operating since 1978, has as main attribution the development and implantation of analytical techniques for the measurements of different radionuclides in biological samples. Thus, the LRT considers being of extreme importance to have a management of the quality system to guarantee the reliability of the results and to obtain Accreditation Certificate of the National Institute of Metrology, INMETRO. With this objective the LRT has participated of projects of quality assurance for analytical laboratories since 1997, promoted by International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA. Currently the quality system of the LRT is in implementation phase, operating in compliance with the quality system of IPEN (consistent pair ISO 9001-9004:2000) and with NBR ISO/IEC 17025. The quality system implemented in the LRT is described in its Quality Manual, MQ-LRT and in complementary procedures that are in their first revision. The participation of the laboratory in intercomparison programs among national as international laboratories and the analysis of the results of internal as well as external audits has demonstrated that the LRT laboratory presents good performance and with suitable methodology and accurate and precise results. With the implementation of the quality system it was possible to verify the effectiveness and efficiency of the tests carried out in the Radiotoxicology Laboratory. The project ARCAL XXVI was concluded in November 2001 and the LRT earned the Certificate of Recognition by IAEA. (author)

Methods of Estimation the Reliability and Increasing the Informativeness of the Laboratory Results (Analysis of the Laboratory Case of Measurement the Indicators of Thyroid Function)

OpenAIRE

N A Kovyazina; N A Alhutova; N N Zybina; N M Kalinina

2014-01-01

The goal of the study was to demonstrate the multilevel laboratory quality management system and point at the methods of estimating the reliability and increasing the amount of information content of the laboratory results (on the example of the laboratory case). Results. The article examines the stages of laboratory quality management which has helped to estimate the reliability of the results of determining Free T3, Free T4 and TSH. The measurement results are presented by the expanded unce...

On-line computer system applied in a nuclear chemistry laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Banasik, Z.; Kierzek, J.; Parus, J.; Zoltowski, T.; Zalewski, J.

1980-01-01

A PDP-11/45 based computer system used in a radioanalytical chemical laboratory is described. It is mainly concerned with spectrometry of ionizing radiation and remote measurement of physico-chemical properties. The objectives in mind when constructing the hardware inter-connections and developing the software of the system were to minimize the work of the electronics and computer personnel and to provide maximum flexibility for the users. For the hardware interfacing, 3 categories of equipment are used: - LPS-11 Laboratory Peripheral System - CAMAC system with CA11F-P controller - interfaces from instrument manufacturers. Flexible operation has been achieved by using a 3-level programming structure: - data transfer by assembly language programs - data formatting using bit operations in FORTRAN - data evaluation by procedures written in FORTRAN. (Auth.)

Environmental Measurements Laboratory (EML) procedures manual

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chieco, N.A.; Bogen, D.C.; Knutson, E.O.

1990-11-01

Volume 1 of this manual documents the procedures and existing technology that are currently used by the Environmental Measurements Laboratory. A section devoted to quality assurance has been included. These procedures have been updated and revised and new procedures have been added. They include: sampling; radiation measurements; analytical chemistry; radionuclide data; special facilities; and specifications. 228 refs., 62 figs., 37 tabs. (FL)

Active Radiation Level Measurement on New Laboratory Instrument for Evaluating the Antibacterial Activity of Radioisotope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Joh, Eunha; Park, Jang Guen

2014-01-01

A disc method has been widely used to measure the antibacterial effect of chemical agents. However, it is difficult to measure the antibacterial effect of radioisotopes using a disc method. A disc method is a method for diffusing a drug by placing the drug containing disc on the medium. In this method, radioisotopes are diffused on the medium and it is difficult to measure the exact effect by radiation. Thus, new laboratory equipment needs to evaluate the antibacterial activity by the radioisotopes. In this study, we measured the radiation level of radioisotopes on a new laboratory instrument using a MCNP. A disc method has been widely used to measure the antibacterial effect of chemical agents. This method uses a drug diffusion system for the measurement of anti-bacterial antibiotics. To measure the antimicrobial activity of a radioisotope, a new type of laboratory instrument is necessary to prevent the drug from spreading. The radioisotopes are used to diagnose and treat cancer. However, studies for anti-biotical use have not progressed. The radiation of radioisotopes has the effect of killing bacteria. Before this study proceeds further, it is necessary to be able to measure the antimicrobial activity of the radioisotope easily in the laboratory. However, in this study, it was possible to measure the antimicrobial activity of the radioisotope in the laboratory using a new laboratory instrument. We intend to start evaluation studies of the antibacterial activity of specific radioisotopes. In addition, it will be possible to develop research to overcome diseases caused by bacteria in the future

Active Radiation Level Measurement on New Laboratory Instrument for Evaluating the Antibacterial Activity of Radioisotope

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Joh, Eunha; Park, Jang Guen [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2014-05-15

A disc method has been widely used to measure the antibacterial effect of chemical agents. However, it is difficult to measure the antibacterial effect of radioisotopes using a disc method. A disc method is a method for diffusing a drug by placing the drug containing disc on the medium. In this method, radioisotopes are diffused on the medium and it is difficult to measure the exact effect by radiation. Thus, new laboratory equipment needs to evaluate the antibacterial activity by the radioisotopes. In this study, we measured the radiation level of radioisotopes on a new laboratory instrument using a MCNP. A disc method has been widely used to measure the antibacterial effect of chemical agents. This method uses a drug diffusion system for the measurement of anti-bacterial antibiotics. To measure the antimicrobial activity of a radioisotope, a new type of laboratory instrument is necessary to prevent the drug from spreading. The radioisotopes are used to diagnose and treat cancer. However, studies for anti-biotical use have not progressed. The radiation of radioisotopes has the effect of killing bacteria. Before this study proceeds further, it is necessary to be able to measure the antimicrobial activity of the radioisotope easily in the laboratory. However, in this study, it was possible to measure the antimicrobial activity of the radioisotope in the laboratory using a new laboratory instrument. We intend to start evaluation studies of the antibacterial activity of specific radioisotopes. In addition, it will be possible to develop research to overcome diseases caused by bacteria in the future.

Understanding Women's Subjective Sexual Arousal Within the Laboratory: Definition, Measurement, and Manipulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Handy, Ariel B; Stanton, Amelia M; Meston, Cindy M

2018-04-01

Subjective sexual arousal (SSA) is positive, cognitive engagement in sexual activity. SSA is considered an important aspect of the sexual experience, as it has been found to facilitate sexual activity and, in situations of chronically low or absent arousal, potentially cause distress. Despite the clinical implications of SSA, a thorough review of how to manipulate SSA has yet to be conducted. To review the state of knowledge about SSA in women, including its definition, measurement, and the outcomes of studies attempting to manipulate SSA within a laboratory setting. A comprehensive search of the electronic databases of PubMed and PsycINFO was conducted. The generated list of articles was reviewed and duplicates were removed. Individual articles were assessed for inclusion and, when appropriate, relevant content was extracted. The potential effects of various manipulations of SSA in a laboratory setting was the main outcome. 44 studies were included in this review. Manipulations were grouped into 3 primary categories: pharmacological (n = 16), cognitive (n = 22), and those based on changes to the autonomic nervous system (n = 6). Results suggest that cognitive manipulation is the most effective method of increasing SSA. Altering the relative balance of the 2 branches of the autonomic nervous system (the sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system) also appears to be a promising avenue for increasing SSA. This review supports the use of cognitive manipulation for increasing women's SSA in a laboratory setting. Avenues for future research and recommendations for clinicians are discussed. Handy AB, Stanton AM, Meston CM. Understanding Women's Subjective Sexual Arousal Within the Laboratory: Definition, Measurement, and Manipulation. Sex Med Rev 2018;6:201-216. Copyright © 2017 International Society for Sexual Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Road Transportable Analytical Laboratory system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Finger, S.M.; Keith, V.F.; Spertzel, R.O.; De Avila, J.C.; O'Donnell, M.; Vann, R.L.

1993-09-01

This developmental effort clearly shows that a Road Transportable Analytical Laboratory System is a worthwhile and achievable goal. The RTAL is designed to fully analyze (radioanalytes, and organic and inorganic chemical analytes) 20 samples per day at the highest levels of quality assurance and quality control. It dramatically reduces the turnaround time for environmental sample analysis from 45 days (at a central commercial laboratory) to 1 day. At the same time each RTAL system will save the DOE over $12 million per year in sample analysis costs compared to the costs at a central commercial laboratory. If RTAL systems were used at the eight largest DOE facilities (at Hanford, Savannah River, Fernald, Oak Ridge, Idaho, Rocky Flats, Los Alamos, and the Nevada Test Site), the annual savings would be $96,589,000. The DOE's internal study of sample analysis needs projects 130,000 environmental samples requiring analysis in FY 1994, clearly supporting the need for the RTAL system. The cost and time savings achievable with the RTAL system will accelerate and improve the efficiency of cleanup and remediation operations throughout the DOE complex

Laboratory automation in clinical bacteriology: what system to choose?

Science.gov (United States)

Croxatto, A; Prod'hom, G; Faverjon, F; Rochais, Y; Greub, G

2016-03-01

Automation was introduced many years ago in several diagnostic disciplines such as chemistry, haematology and molecular biology. The first laboratory automation system for clinical bacteriology was released in 2006, and it rapidly proved its value by increasing productivity, allowing a continuous increase in sample volumes despite limited budgets and personnel shortages. Today, two major manufacturers, BD Kiestra and Copan, are commercializing partial or complete laboratory automation systems for bacteriology. The laboratory automation systems are rapidly evolving to provide improved hardware and software solutions to optimize laboratory efficiency. However, the complex parameters of the laboratory and automation systems must be considered to determine the best system for each given laboratory. We address several topics on laboratory automation that may help clinical bacteriologists to understand the particularities and operative modalities of the different systems. We present (a) a comparison of the engineering and technical features of the various elements composing the two different automated systems currently available, (b) the system workflows of partial and complete laboratory automation, which define the basis for laboratory reorganization required to optimize system efficiency, (c) the concept of digital imaging and telebacteriology, (d) the connectivity of laboratory automation to the laboratory information system, (e) the general advantages and disadvantages as well as the expected impacts provided by laboratory automation and (f) the laboratory data required to conduct a workflow assessment to determine the best configuration of an automated system for the laboratory activities and specificities. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Region 7 Laboratory Information Management System

Science.gov (United States)

This is metadata documentation for the Region 7 Laboratory Information Management System (R7LIMS) which maintains records for the Regional Laboratory. Any Laboratory analytical work performed is stored in this system which replaces LIMS-Lite, and before that LAST. The EPA and its contractors may use this database. The Office of Policy & Management (PLMG) Division at EPA Region 7 is the primary managing entity; contractors can access this database but it is not accessible to the public.

Automated statistical modeling of analytical measurement systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jacobson, J.J.

1992-01-01

The statistical modeling of analytical measurement systems at the Idaho Chemical Processing Plant (ICPP) has been completely automated through computer software. The statistical modeling of analytical measurement systems is one part of a complete quality control program used by the Remote Analytical Laboratory (RAL) at the ICPP. The quality control program is an integration of automated data input, measurement system calibration, database management, and statistical process control. The quality control program and statistical modeling program meet the guidelines set forth by the American Society for Testing Materials and American National Standards Institute. A statistical model is a set of mathematical equations describing any systematic bias inherent in a measurement system and the precision of a measurement system. A statistical model is developed from data generated from the analysis of control standards. Control standards are samples which are made up at precise known levels by an independent laboratory and submitted to the RAL. The RAL analysts who process control standards do not know the values of those control standards. The object behind statistical modeling is to describe real process samples in terms of their bias and precision and, to verify that a measurement system is operating satisfactorily. The processing of control standards gives us this ability

A Laboratory Notebook System

OpenAIRE

Schreiber, Andreas

2012-01-01

Many scientists are using a laboratory notebook when conducting experiments. The scientist documents each step, either taken in the experiment or afterwards when processing data. Due to computerized research systems, acquired data increases in volume and becomes more elaborate. This increases the need to migrate from originally paper-based to electronic notebooks with data storage, computational features and reliable electronic documentation. This talks describes a laboratory notebook bas...

Implementing and measuring the level of laboratory service integration in a program setting in Nigeria.

Science.gov (United States)

Mbah, Henry; Negedu-Momoh, Olubunmi Ruth; Adedokun, Oluwasanmi; Ikani, Patrick Anibbe; Balogun, Oluseyi; Sanwo, Olusola; Ochei, Kingsley; Ekanem, Maurice; Torpey, Kwasi

2014-01-01

The surge of donor funds to fight HIV&AIDS epidemic inadvertently resulted in the setup of laboratories as parallel structures to rapidly respond to the identified need. However these parallel structures are a threat to the existing fragile laboratory systems. Laboratory service integration is critical to remedy this situation. This paper describes an approach to quantitatively measure and track integration of HIV-related laboratory services into the mainstream laboratory services and highlight some key intervention steps taken, to enhance service integration. A quantitative before-and-after study conducted in 122 Family Health International (FHI360) supported health facilities across Nigeria. A minimum service package was identified including management structure; trainings; equipment utilization and maintenance; information, commodity and quality management for laboratory integration. A check list was used to assess facilities at baseline and 3 months follow-up. Level of integration was assessed on an ordinal scale (0 = no integration, 1 = partial integration, 2 = full integration) for each service package. A composite score grading expressed as a percentage of total obtainable score of 14 was defined and used to classify facilities (≤ 80% FULL, 25% to 79% PARTIAL and laboratory systems were 64 (52.5%) and 0 (0.0%) at baseline, compared to 100 (82.0%) and 3 (2.4%) respectively at 3 months follow-up (p = 0.000). This project showcases our novel approach to measure the status of each laboratory on the integration continuum.

The Computational Sensorimotor Systems Laboratory

Data.gov (United States)

Federal Laboratory Consortium — The Computational Sensorimotor Systems Lab focuses on the exploration, analysis, modeling and implementation of biological sensorimotor systems for both scientific...

Measurement comparisons of radioactivity among European monitoring laboratories for the environment and food stuff

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Waetjen, U.; Spasova, Y.; Altzitzoglou, T.

2008-01-01

For more than 15 years, European Union (EU) laboratories monitoring environmental radioactivity have been obliged to participate in measurement comparisons organised by the European Commission. After a short review of comparisons conducted during the 1990s, the approach of IRMM organising these comparisons since 2003 is presented. It relies on the provision of comparison samples with reference values traceable to the International Reference System for radionuclides (SIR). The results of the most recent comparison, the determination of 40 K, 90 Sr and 137 Cs in milk powder, are presented. The influence of repetitive participation in measurement comparisons on laboratory performance is studied on the basis of data from more than 20 laboratories having participated in several exercises during the last 15 years

Aviation Information Systems Development Laboratory (AISDL)

Data.gov (United States)

Federal Laboratory Consortium — Purpose:The Aviation Information Systems Development Laboratory (AISDL) provides the tools, reconfigurability and support to ensure the quality and integrity of new...

Potential of Laboratory Execution Systems (LESs) to Simplify the Application of Business Process Management Systems (BPMSs) in Laboratory Automation.

Science.gov (United States)

Neubert, Sebastian; Göde, Bernd; Gu, Xiangyu; Stoll, Norbert; Thurow, Kerstin

2017-04-01

Modern business process management (BPM) is increasingly interesting for laboratory automation. End-to-end workflow automation and improved top-level systems integration for information technology (IT) and automation systems are especially prominent objectives. With the ISO Standard Business Process Model and Notation (BPMN) 2.X, a system-independent and interdisciplinary accepted graphical process control notation is provided, allowing process analysis, while also being executable. The transfer of BPM solutions to structured laboratory automation places novel demands, for example, concerning the real-time-critical process and systems integration. The article discusses the potential of laboratory execution systems (LESs) for an easier implementation of the business process management system (BPMS) in hierarchical laboratory automation. In particular, complex application scenarios, including long process chains based on, for example, several distributed automation islands and mobile laboratory robots for a material transport, are difficult to handle in BPMSs. The presented approach deals with the displacement of workflow control tasks into life science specialized LESs, the reduction of numerous different interfaces between BPMSs and subsystems, and the simplification of complex process modelings. Thus, the integration effort for complex laboratory workflows can be significantly reduced for strictly structured automation solutions. An example application, consisting of a mixture of manual and automated subprocesses, is demonstrated by the presented BPMS-LES approach.

LABORATORY EVALUATION OF AIR FLOW MEASUREMENT METHODS FOR RESIDENTIAL HVAC RETURNS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Walker, Iain; Stratton, Chris

2015-02-01

This project improved the accuracy of air flow measurements used in commissioning California heating and air conditioning systems in Title 24 (Building and Appliance Efficiency Standards), thereby improving system performance and efficiency of California residences. The research team at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory addressed the issue that typical tools used by contractors in the field to test air flows may not be accurate enough to measure return flows used in Title 24 applications. The team developed guidance on performance of current diagnostics as well as a draft test method for use in future evaluations. The series of tests performed measured air flow using a range of techniques and devices. The measured air flows were compared to reference air flow measurements using inline air flow meters built into the test apparatus. The experimental results showed that some devices had reasonable results (typical errors of 5 percent or less) but others had much bigger errors (up to 25 percent). Because manufacturers’ accuracy estimates for their equipment do not include many of the sources of error found in actual field measurements (and replicated in the laboratory testing in this study) it is essential for a test method that could be used to determine the actual uncertainty in this specific application. The study team prepared a draft test method through ASTM International to determine the uncertainty of air flow measurements at residential heating ventilation and air conditioning returns and other terminals. This test method, when finalized, can be used by the Energy Commission and other entities to specify required accuracy of measurement devices used to show compliance with standards.

Measurement of the gravitational constant in an orbiting laboratory

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Farinella, P [Osservatorio Astronomico di Merate, Milan (Italy); Milani, A [Pisa Univ. (Italy). Ist. di Matematica; Nobili, A M [Pisa Univ. (Italy). Ist. di Scienze dell' Informazione

1980-12-01

We propose to measure the gravitational constant G by putting in an orbiting laboratory a known mass of very high density and by tracking the motion of a small test mass under the gravitational influence of the primary mass. We analyze the different sources of perturbation: the consideration of the Earth's gravity gradient leads us to conclude that, if the laboratory is in a low Earth orbit, we cannot get stable satellite-like orbits of the test mass, but we must study only a process of gravitational scattering. In order to maximize the time of interaction it is proposed to use the practical stability of a collinear equilibrium point of the system Earth-primary mass, by putting the test mass as close as possible to the stable manifold of an equilibrium point. This method will allow the determination of the value of G withing a few parts over 10/sup 5/ as shown by some computer simulations of the experiment taking into account also some unknown perturbation and random noise. Two main problems are involved in this experiment: (a) refined numerical methods are needed to take into account all significant perturbations and to extract the result about G from the experimental data; (b) during the motion of the test mass, the primary mass must always be free-falling inside the laboratory, so that this experiment needs a drag-free satellite technique of the same type which is necessary for high-precision gravimetric measurement.

Measuring meaningful learning in the undergraduate chemistry laboratory

Science.gov (United States)

Galloway, Kelli R.

The undergraduate chemistry laboratory has been an essential component in chemistry education for over a century. The literature includes reports on investigations of singular aspects laboratory learning and attempts to measure the efficacy of reformed laboratory curriculum as well as faculty goals for laboratory learning which found common goals among instructors for students to learn laboratory skills, techniques, experimental design, and to develop critical thinking skills. These findings are important for improving teaching and learning in the undergraduate chemistry laboratory, but research is needed to connect the faculty goals to student perceptions. This study was designed to explore students' ideas about learning in the undergraduate chemistry laboratory. Novak's Theory of Meaningful Learning was used as a guide for the data collection and analysis choices for this research. Novak's theory states that in order for meaningful learning to occur the cognitive, affective, and psychomotor domains must be integrated. The psychomotor domain is inherent in the chemistry laboratory, but the extent to which the cognitive and affective domains are integrated is unknown. For meaningful learning to occur in the laboratory, students must actively integrate both the cognitive domain and the affective domains into the "doing" of their laboratory work. The Meaningful Learning in the Laboratory Instrument (MLLI) was designed to measure students' cognitive and affective expectations and experiences within the context of conducting experiments in the undergraduate chemistry laboratory. Evidence for the validity and reliability of the data generated by the MLLI were collected from multiple quantitative studies: a one semester study at one university, a one semester study at 15 colleges and universities across the United States, and a longitudinal study where the MLLI was administered 6 times during two years of general and organic chemistry laboratory courses. Results from

US Department of Energy Laboratory Accredition Program (DOELAP) for personnel dosimetry systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cummings, F.M.; Carlson, R.D.; Loesch, R.M.

1993-12-31

Accreditation of personnel dosimetry systems is required for laboratories that conduct personnel dosimetry for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Accreditation is a two-step process which requires the participant to pass a proficiency test and an onsite assessment. The DOE Laboratory Accreditation Program (DOELAP) is a measurement quality assurance program for DOE laboratories. Currently, the DOELAP addresses only dosimetry systems used to assess the whole body dose to personnel. A pilot extremity DOELAP has been completed and routine testing is expected to begin in January 1994. It is expected that participation in the extremity program will be a regulatory requirement by January 1996.

Mobile Radiological Laboratories Intercomparison Measurements - Chernobyl

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martincic, R.; Glavic-Cindro, D.; Korun, M.; Pucelj, B.; Vodenik, B.

2001-01-01

Full text: In last decade different institutions in European countries have organised periodic intercomparison exercises of mobile radiological laboratories to improve the preparedness of emergency monitoring teams. The 12th Regular Workshop on Mobile Radiological Laboratories was held in Exclusion Zone of the Chernobyl NPP, Ukraine from September 13 to September 18, 1999 under the acronym MORAL-12. The European Centre of Technological Safety (TESEC), Kiev, Ukraine and J. Stefan Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia organised Intercomparison Measurements 99 jointly under the auspices of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Nineteen teams from 9 countries and IAEA participated in the Workshop. Six field and personal and equipment contamination control exercises were prepared and conducted at two measuring sites with very different ambient dose rate levels. The Workshop pointed out that such exercises are very valuable for rapid, efficient and harmonised emergency response in case of nuclear or radiological emergency. The teams had an opportunity to test their ability to perform field measurements in the contaminated environment, and to report results on the spot, as well as to test their emergency preparedness and persistence. They gained new experiences for fieldwork under stress conditions. An overview and results of these intercomparison measurements are presented and lessons learned are discussed. (author)

Mounted Smartphones as Measurement and Control Platforms for Motor-Based Laboratory Test-Beds

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jared A. Frank

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Laboratory education in science and engineering often entails the use of test-beds equipped with costly peripherals for sensing, acquisition, storage, processing, and control of physical behavior. However, costly peripherals are no longer necessary to obtain precise measurements and achieve stable feedback control of test-beds. With smartphones performing diverse sensing and processing tasks, this study examines the feasibility of mounting smartphones directly to test-beds to exploit their embedded hardware and software in the measurement and control of the test-beds. This approach is a first step towards replacing laboratory-grade peripherals with more compact and affordable smartphone-based platforms, whose interactive user interfaces can engender wider participation and engagement from learners. Demonstrative cases are presented in which the sensing, computation, control, and user interaction with three motor-based test-beds are handled by a mounted smartphone. Results of experiments and simulations are used to validate the feasibility of mounted smartphones as measurement and feedback control platforms for motor-based laboratory test-beds, report the measurement precision and closed-loop performance achieved with such platforms, and address challenges in the development of platforms to maintain system stability.

Mounted Smartphones as Measurement and Control Platforms for Motor-Based Laboratory Test-Beds.

Science.gov (United States)

Frank, Jared A; Brill, Anthony; Kapila, Vikram

2016-08-20

Laboratory education in science and engineering often entails the use of test-beds equipped with costly peripherals for sensing, acquisition, storage, processing, and control of physical behavior. However, costly peripherals are no longer necessary to obtain precise measurements and achieve stable feedback control of test-beds. With smartphones performing diverse sensing and processing tasks, this study examines the feasibility of mounting smartphones directly to test-beds to exploit their embedded hardware and software in the measurement and control of the test-beds. This approach is a first step towards replacing laboratory-grade peripherals with more compact and affordable smartphone-based platforms, whose interactive user interfaces can engender wider participation and engagement from learners. Demonstrative cases are presented in which the sensing, computation, control, and user interaction with three motor-based test-beds are handled by a mounted smartphone. Results of experiments and simulations are used to validate the feasibility of mounted smartphones as measurement and feedback control platforms for motor-based laboratory test-beds, report the measurement precision and closed-loop performance achieved with such platforms, and address challenges in the development of platforms to maintain system stability.

Control measurement system in purex process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mani, V.V.S.

1985-01-01

The dependence of a bulk facility handling Purex Process on the control measurement system for evaluating the process performance needs hardly be emphasized. process control, Plant control, inventory control and quality control are the four components of the control measurement system. The scope and requirements of each component are different and the measurement methods are selected accordingly. However, each measurement system has six important elements. These are described in detail. The quality assurance programme carried out by the laboratory as a mechanism through which the quality of measurements is regularly tested and stated in quantitative terms is also explained in terms of internal and external quality assurance, with examples. Suggestions for making the control measurement system more responsive to the operational needs in future are also briefly discussed. (author)

Gaerttner LINAC Laboratory report on international nuclear data measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mesh, D.W.; Block, R.C.

1999-04-01

The Gaerttner LINAC Laboratory has made neutron transmission and capture measurements up to several hundred eV on samples of Zr, Nb, Mo, Sm, Nd, Ho, Er, Tm, Hf, and W. A new neutron time-of-flight target has been built and installed and a new 6 Li glass transmission detector is under construction. The electron linear accelerator is being refurbished with new klystrons, a new RF transport system and the reinstallation of the ninth accelerating section. These improvements are intended to provide a more powerful and monoenergetic electron beam

[Laboratory accreditation and proficiency testing].

Science.gov (United States)

Kuwa, Katsuhiko

2003-05-01

ISO/TC 212 covering clinical laboratory testing and in vitro diagnostic test systems will issue the international standard for medical laboratory quality and competence requirements, ISO 15189. This standard is based on the ISO/IEC 17025, general requirements for competence of testing and calibration laboratories and ISO 9001, quality management systems-requirements. Clinical laboratory services are essential to patient care and therefore should be available to meet the needs of all patients and clinical personnel responsible for human health care. If a laboratory seeks accreditation, it should select an accreditation body that operates according to this international standard and in a manner which takes into account the particular requirements of clinical laboratories. Proficiency testing should be available to evaluate the calibration laboratories and reference measurement laboratories in clinical medicine. Reference measurement procedures should be of precise and the analytical principle of measurement applied should ensure reliability. We should be prepared to establish a quality management system and proficiency testing in clinical laboratories.

Improved radon-flux-measurement system for uranium-tailings pile measurement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Freeman, H.D.

1981-10-01

The Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) is developing cover technology for uranium mill tailings that will inhibit the diffusion of radon to the atmosphere. As part of this cover program, an improved radon flux measurement system has been developed. The radon measurement system is a recirculating, pressure-balanced, flow-through system that uses activated carbon at ambient temperatures to collect the radon. With the system, an area of 0.93 m 2 is sampled for periods ranging from 1 to 12 h. The activated carbon is removed from the radon trap and the collected radon is determined by counting the 214 Bi daughter product. Development of the system included studies to determine the efficiency of activated carbon, relative calibration measurements and field measurements made during 1980 at the inactive tailings pile in Grand Junction, Colorado. Results of these studies are presented

Fully automated laboratory and field-portable goniometer used for performing accurate and precise multiangular reflectance measurements

Science.gov (United States)

Harms, Justin D.; Bachmann, Charles M.; Ambeau, Brittany L.; Faulring, Jason W.; Ruiz Torres, Andres J.; Badura, Gregory; Myers, Emily

2017-10-01

Field-portable goniometers are created for a wide variety of applications. Many of these applications require specific types of instruments and measurement schemes and must operate in challenging environments. Therefore, designs are based on the requirements that are specific to the application. We present a field-portable goniometer that was designed for measuring the hemispherical-conical reflectance factor (HCRF) of various soils and low-growing vegetation in austere coastal and desert environments and biconical reflectance factors in laboratory settings. Unlike some goniometers, this system features a requirement for "target-plane tracking" to ensure that measurements can be collected on sloped surfaces, without compromising angular accuracy. The system also features a second upward-looking spectrometer to measure the spatially dependent incoming illumination, an integrated software package to provide full automation, an automated leveling system to ensure a standard frame of reference, a design that minimizes the obscuration due to self-shading to measure the opposition effect, and the ability to record a digital elevation model of the target region. This fully automated and highly mobile system obtains accurate and precise measurements of HCRF in a wide variety of terrain and in less time than most other systems while not sacrificing consistency or repeatability in laboratory environments.

Laboratory Evaluation of Air Flow Measurement Methods for Residential HVAC Returns

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Walker, Iain; Stratton, Chris

2015-07-01

This project improved the accuracy of air flow measurements used in commissioning California heating and air conditioning systems in Title 24 (Building and Appliance Efficiency Standards), thereby improving system performance and efficiency of California residences. The research team at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory addressed the issue that typical tools used by contractors in the field to test air flows may not be accurate enough to measure return flows used in Title 24 applications. The team developed guidance on performance of current diagnostics as well as a draft test method for use in future evaluations. The series of tests performed measured air flow using a range of techniques and devices. The measured air flows were compared to reference air flow measurements using inline air flow meters built into the test apparatus. The experimental results showed that some devices had reasonable results (typical errors of 5 percent or less) but others had much bigger errors (up to 25 percent).

Road Transportable Analytical Laboratory (RTAL) system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Finger, S.M.

1995-01-01

U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) facilities around the country have, over the years, become contaminated with radionuclides and a range of organic and inorganic wastes. Many of the DOE sites encompass large land areas and were originally sited in relatively unpopulated regions of the country to minimize risk to surrounding populations. In addition, wastes were sometimes stored underground at the sites in 55-gallon drums, wood boxes or other containers until final disposal methods could be determined. Over the years, these containers have deteriorated, releasing contaminants into the surrounding environment. This contamination has spread, in some cases polluting extensive areas. Remediation of these sites requires extensive sampling to determine the extent of the contamination, to monitor clean-up and remediation progress, and for post-closure monitoring of facilities. The DOE would benefit greatly if it had reliable, road transportable, fully independent laboratory systems that could perform on-site the full range of analyses required. Such systems would accelerate and thereby reduce the cost of clean-up and remediation efforts by (1) providing critical analytical data more rapidly, and (2) eliminating the handling, shipping and manpower associated with sample shipments. The goal of the Road Transportable Analytical Laboratory (RTAL) Project is the development and demonstration of a system to meet the unique needs of the DOE for rapid, accurate analysis of a wide variety of hazardous and radioactive contaminants in soil, groundwater, and surface waters. This laboratory system has been designed to provide the field and laboratory analytical equipment necessary to detect and quantify radionuclides, organics, heavy metals and other inorganic compounds. The laboratory system consists of a set of individual laboratory modules deployable independently or as an interconnected group to meet each DOE site's specific needs

Measuring preschool learning engagement in the laboratory.

Science.gov (United States)

Halliday, Simone E; Calkins, Susan D; Leerkes, Esther M

2018-03-01

Learning engagement is a critical factor for academic achievement and successful school transitioning. However, current methods of assessing learning engagement in young children are limited to teacher report or classroom observation, which may limit the types of research questions one could assess about this construct. The current study investigated the validity of a novel assessment designed to measure behavioral learning engagement among young children in a standardized laboratory setting and examined how learning engagement in the laboratory relates to future classroom adjustment. Preschool-aged children (N = 278) participated in a learning-based Tangrams task and Story sequencing task and were observed based on seven behavioral indicators of engagement. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the construct validity for a behavioral engagement factor composed of six of the original behavioral indicators: attention to instructions, on-task behavior, enthusiasm/energy, persistence, monitoring progress/strategy use, and negative affect. Concurrent validity for this behavioral engagement factor was established through its associations with parent-reported mastery motivation and pre-academic skills in math and literacy measured in the laboratory, and predictive validity was demonstrated through its associations with teacher-reported classroom learning behaviors and performance in math and reading in kindergarten. These associations were found when behavioral engagement was observed during both the nonverbal task and the verbal story sequencing tasks and persisted even after controlling for child minority status, gender, and maternal education. Learning engagement in preschool appears to be successfully measurable in a laboratory setting. This finding has implications for future research on the mechanisms that support successful academic development. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Response to the evolution of NDT: The laboratory for studying measurement systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pons, F.; Georgel, B.; Jossinet, J.; Lebrun, A.

1985-01-01

The procedures used have been defined taking into account the work of other laboratories in this field and the choice of a reference probe has been particularly looked at. The equipment are controlled by a mini-computer and the users have at their disposal many types of programs, depending upon their needs and a lot of software for data processing. The results are summarized on paper or recorded on a mass memory. So the evolution of the characteristics of the systems is followed. The results on some NDT systems used in nuclear power plants, are presented and the last part of the paper deals with new developments in the field of characterization (how to apply some procedures in the plant itself) as well as in NDT methods (ultrasonic waves laser generation, dynamic focusing)

Argonne National Laboratory's thermal plume measurements: instruments and techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Van Loon, L.S.; Frigo, A.A.; Paddock, R.A.

1977-12-01

Instrumentation and techniques were developed at Argonne National Laboratory for measuring the three-dimensional temperature structure of thermal plumes from power plants, along with the limnological, meteorological, and plant operating conditions affecting their behavior. The equipment and procedures were designed to provide field data for use in evaluating predictive models that describe thermal plume behavior, and over 100 sets of these data have been collected. The instrument systems and techniques employed in a typical thermal discharge survey are highly integrated. Continuous monitoring of ambient and plant conditions is coupled with plume mapping from a moving survey boat. The instantaneous location of the boat together with subsurface temperature measurements from a towed thermistor chain provide a quasisynoptic view of the plume structure. Real-time, onboard display of the boat path and vertical temperatures supply feedback to investigators for determining the extent and spatial resolution of measurements required. The unique design, reliability, accuracy, calibration, and historical development of the components of these integrated systems are described. Survey system interfaces with data handling and processing techniques are also explained. Special supportive studies to investigate plume dynamics, values of eddy diffusivities, time-temperature histories of water parcels in thermal plumes, and rapid changes in plume shape are also described along with instrumentation used

Radon measurements during the building of a low-level laboratory

CERN Document Server

Antanasijevic, R; Bikit, I; Banjanac, R; Dragic, A; Joksimovic, D; Krmpotic, D; Udovicic, V; Vukovic, J

1999-01-01

Radon measurements were provided during the different stages of building of a low-level laboratory in Belgrade. The depth of the laboratory is 12 m, equivalent to 30 m of water with an area of 45 m sup 2. The whole of the laboratory is hermetically lined with 1 mm A1 foil and is ventilated with filtered air. Radon concentrations were measured with the CR-39 detector as well as via the gamma-ray spectroscopic measurements. The radon concentrations in the air were achieved to 20 Bqm sup - sup 3 and reduction of secondary and tertiary cosmic-ray fluxes is five times when ventilation, filtering and sealing was applied.

Radon measurements during the building of a low-level laboratory

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Antanasijevic, R.; Anicin, I.; Bikit, I.; Banjanac, R.; Dragic, A.; Joksimovic, D.; Krmpotic, D.; Udovicic, V.; Vukovic, J

1999-06-01

Radon measurements were provided during the different stages of building of a low-level laboratory in Belgrade. The depth of the laboratory is 12 m, equivalent to 30 m of water with an area of 45 m{sup 2}. The whole of the laboratory is hermetically lined with 1 mm A1 foil and is ventilated with filtered air. Radon concentrations were measured with the CR-39 detector as well as via the gamma-ray spectroscopic measurements. The radon concentrations in the air were achieved to 20 Bqm{sup -3} and reduction of secondary and tertiary cosmic-ray fluxes is five times when ventilation, filtering and sealing was applied.

Radon measurements during the building of a low-level laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Antanasijevic, R.; Anicin, I.; Bikit, I.; Banjanac, R.; Dragic, A.; Joksimovic, D.; Krmpotic, D.; Udovicic, V.; Vukovic, J.

1999-01-01

Radon measurements were provided during the different stages of building of a low-level laboratory in Belgrade. The depth of the laboratory is 12 m, equivalent to 30 m of water with an area of 45 m 2 . The whole of the laboratory is hermetically lined with 1 mm A1 foil and is ventilated with filtered air. Radon concentrations were measured with the CR-39 detector as well as via the gamma-ray spectroscopic measurements. The radon concentrations in the air were achieved to 20 Bqm -3 and reduction of secondary and tertiary cosmic-ray fluxes is five times when ventilation, filtering and sealing was applied

Absolute calibration in vivo measurement systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kruchten, D.A.; Hickman, D.P.

1991-02-01

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) is currently investigating a new method for obtaining absolute calibration factors for radiation measurement systems used to measure internally deposited radionuclides in vivo. Absolute calibration of in vivo measurement systems will eliminate the need to generate a series of human surrogate structures (i.e., phantoms) for calibrating in vivo measurement systems. The absolute calibration of in vivo measurement systems utilizes magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to define physiological structure, size, and composition. The MRI image provides a digitized representation of the physiological structure, which allows for any mathematical distribution of radionuclides within the body. Using Monte Carlo transport codes, the emission spectrum from the body is predicted. The in vivo measurement equipment is calibrated using the Monte Carlo code and adjusting for the intrinsic properties of the detection system. The calibration factors are verified using measurements of existing phantoms and previously obtained measurements of human volunteers. 8 refs

A FMEA clinical laboratory case study: how to make problems and improvements measurable.

Science.gov (United States)

Capunzo, Mario; Cavallo, Pierpaolo; Boccia, Giovanni; Brunetti, Luigi; Pizzuti, Sante

2004-01-01

The authors have experimented the application of the Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA) technique in a clinical laboratory. FMEA technique allows: a) to evaluate and measure the hazards of a process malfunction, b) to decide where to execute improvement actions, and c) to measure the outcome of those actions. A small sample of analytes has been studied: there have been determined the causes of the possible malfunctions of the analytical process, calculating the risk probability index (RPI), with a value between 1 and 1,000. Only for the cases of RPI > 400, improvement actions have been implemented that allowed a reduction of RPI values between 25% to 70% with a costs increment of FMEA technique can be applied to the processes of a clinical laboratory, even if of small dimensions, and offers a high potential of improvement. Nevertheless, such activity needs a thorough planning because it is complex, even if the laboratory already operates an ISO 9000 Quality Management System.

Assessment of laboratory logistics management information system ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Introduction: Logistics management information system for health commodities remained poorly implemented in most of developing countries. To assess the status of laboratory logistics management information system for HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis laboratory commodities in public health facilities in Addis Ababa. Methods: ...

Electronic instrumentation system for pulsed neutron measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burda, J.; Igielski, A.; Kowalik, W.

1982-01-01

An essential point of pulsed neutron measurement of thermal neutron parameters for different materials is the registration of the thermal neutron die-away curve after a fast neutron bursts have been injected into the system. An electronic instrumentation system which is successfully applied for pulsed neutron measurements is presented. An important part of the system is the control unit which has been designed and built in the Laboratory of Neutron Parameters of Materials. (author)

Progress in Harmonizing Tiered HIV Laboratory Systems: Challenges and Opportunities in 8 African Countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, Jason; Umaru, Farouk; Edgil, Dianna; Kuritsky, Joel

2016-09-28

In 2014, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS released its 90-90-90 targets, which make laboratory diagnostics a cornerstone for measuring efforts toward the epidemic control of HIV. A data-driven laboratory harmonization and standardization approach is one way to create efficiencies and ensure optimal laboratory procurements. Following the 2008 "Maputo Declaration on Strengthening of Laboratory Systems"-a call for government leadership in harmonizing tiered laboratory networks and standardizing testing services-several national ministries of health requested that the United States Government and in-country partners help implement the recommendations by facilitating laboratory harmonization and standardization workshops, with a primary focus on improving HIV laboratory service delivery. Between 2007 and 2015, harmonization and standardization workshops were held in 8 African countries. This article reviews progress in the harmonization of laboratory systems in these 8 countries. We examined agreed-upon instrument lists established at the workshops and compared them against instrument data from laboratory quantification exercises over time. We used this measure as an indicator of adherence to national procurement policies. We found high levels of diversity across laboratories' diagnostic instruments, equipment, and services. This diversity contributes to different levels of compliance with expected service delivery standards. We believe the following challenges to be the most important to address: (1) lack of adherence to procurement policies, (2) absence or limited influence of a coordinating body to fully implement harmonization proposals, and (3) misalignment of laboratory policies with minimum packages of care and with national HIV care and treatment guidelines. Overall, the effort to implement the recommendations from the Maputo Declaration has had mixed success and is a work in progress. Program managers should continue efforts to advance the

A measurement evaluation program to support nuclear material control and accountability measurements in Brazilian laboratories

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dias, Fabio C.; Mason, Peter

2013-01-01

A measurement evaluation program (MEP) is one of a number of valuable tools that analytical chemists can use to ensure that the data produced in the laboratory are fit for their intended purpose and consistent with expected performance values at a given time. As such, participation in a MEP is an important indicator of the quality of analytical data, and is recognized as such by independent regulatory and/or accreditation bodies. With the intent to implement such a program in Brazil, in November 2012 the Nuclear Energy Commission of Brazil (CNEN), with support from the Department of Energy of the United States' (US-DOE International Safeguards and Engagement Program), decided to initiate a technical cooperation project aiming at organizing a Safeguards Measurement Evaluation Program (SMEP) for Brazilian facilities. The project, entitled Action Sheet 23, was formalized under the terms of the Agreement between the US-DOE and the CNEN concerning research and development in nuclear material control, accountancy, verification, physical protection, and advanced containment and surveillance technologies for International Safeguards Applications. The work, jointly performed by the CNEN's Safeguards Laboratory (LASAL) and the New Brunswick Laboratory (NBL), has the objective to strengthen the traceability of accountability measurements and ensure adequate quality of safeguards measurements for facilities within Brazil, utilizing test samples characterized and provided by NBL. Recommendations to participants included measurement frequency, number of results per sample and format for reporting results using ISO methods for calculating and expressing measurement uncertainties. In this paper, we discuss the main steps taken by CNEN and NBL aiming at implementing such a program and the expected results, in particular the impact of uncertainty estimation on the evaluation of performance of each participant laboratory. The program is considered by Brazilian safeguards authorities

A measurement evaluation program to support nuclear material control and accountability measurements in Brazilian laboratories

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dias, Fabio C., E-mail: fabio@ird.gov.br [Comissao Nacional de Energia Nuclear (CNEN-RJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil); Mason, Peter, E-mail: peter.mason@ch.doe.gov [New Brunswick Laboratory (DOE/NBL), Argonne, IL (United States)

2013-07-01

A measurement evaluation program (MEP) is one of a number of valuable tools that analytical chemists can use to ensure that the data produced in the laboratory are fit for their intended purpose and consistent with expected performance values at a given time. As such, participation in a MEP is an important indicator of the quality of analytical data, and is recognized as such by independent regulatory and/or accreditation bodies. With the intent to implement such a program in Brazil, in November 2012 the Nuclear Energy Commission of Brazil (CNEN), with support from the Department of Energy of the United States' (US-DOE International Safeguards and Engagement Program), decided to initiate a technical cooperation project aiming at organizing a Safeguards Measurement Evaluation Program (SMEP) for Brazilian facilities. The project, entitled Action Sheet 23, was formalized under the terms of the Agreement between the US-DOE and the CNEN concerning research and development in nuclear material control, accountancy, verification, physical protection, and advanced containment and surveillance technologies for International Safeguards Applications. The work, jointly performed by the CNEN's Safeguards Laboratory (LASAL) and the New Brunswick Laboratory (NBL), has the objective to strengthen the traceability of accountability measurements and ensure adequate quality of safeguards measurements for facilities within Brazil, utilizing test samples characterized and provided by NBL. Recommendations to participants included measurement frequency, number of results per sample and format for reporting results using ISO methods for calculating and expressing measurement uncertainties. In this paper, we discuss the main steps taken by CNEN and NBL aiming at implementing such a program and the expected results, in particular the impact of uncertainty estimation on the evaluation of performance of each participant laboratory. The program is considered by Brazilian safeguards

Spectro-Polarimetry of Fine-Grained Ice and Dust Surfaces Measured in the Laboratory to Study Solar System Objects and Beyond

Science.gov (United States)

Poch, O.; Cerubini, R.; Pommerol, A.; Thomas, N.; Schmid, H. M.; Potin, S.; Beck, P.; Schmitt, B.; Brissaud, O.; Carrasco, N.; Szopa, C.; Buch, A.

2017-12-01

The polarization of the light is very sensitive to the size, morphology, porosity and composition of the scattering particles. As a consequence, polarimetric observations could significantly complement observations performed in total light intensity, providing additional constraints to interpret remote sensing observations of Solar System and extra-solar objects. This presentation will focus on measurements performed in the laboratory on carefully characterized surface samples, providing reference data that can be used to test theoretical models and predict or interpret spectro-polarimetric observations. Using methods developed in the Laboratory for Outflow Studies of Sublimating Materials (LOSSy) at the University of Bern, we produce well-characterized and reproducible surfaces made of water ice particles having different grain sizes and porosities, as well as mineral/organic dusts, pure or mixed together, as analogues of planetary or small bodies surfaces. These surface samples are illuminated with a randomly polarized light source simulating the Sun. The polarization of their scattered light is measured at multiple phase angles and wavelengths, allowing to study the shape of the polarimetric phase curves and their spectral dependence, with two recently developed setups: The POLarimeter for Icy Samples (POLICES), at the University of Bern, allows the measurement of the weak polarization of ice surfaces from 400 to 800 nm, with direct application to icy satellites. Using a precision Stokes polarimeter, this setup is also used to study the spectral variations of circular polarization in the light scattered by biotic versus abiotic surfaces. The Spectrogonio radiometer with cHanging Angles for Detection Of Weak Signals (SHADOWS), at IPAG (University of Grenoble Alpes), measures linear polarization spectra from 0.35 to 5 μm in the light scattered by dark meteorite powders or icy samples, with application to primitive objects of the Solar System (asteroids, comets).

Burnup verification using the FORK measurement system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ewing, R.I.

1994-01-01

Verification measurements may be used to help ensure nuclear criticality safety when burnup credit is applied to spent fuel transport and storage systems. The FORK measurement system, designed at Los Alamos National Laboratory for the International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards program, has been used to verify reactor site records for burnup and cooling time for many years. The FORK system measures the passive neutron and gamma-ray emission from spent fuel assemblies while in the storage pool. This report deals with the application of the FORK system to burnup credit operations based on measurements performed on spent fuel assemblies at the Oconee Nuclear Station of Duke Power Company

Intelligent Acquisition System Used in Mechanical Laboratory

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rob Raluca

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The main purpose of this paper consists in determining of the parameters which characterize the functioning of the Teves MK 60 as an ABS-ESP braking laboratory stand. This braking system model is used by the Volkswagen Golf and Bora the since 2002. The braking laboratory stand is able to simulate many operations which are able to give information concerning the ABS-ESP braking system comparing to the classical braking system. An application designed in LabVIEW comes to acquire and to process in real time the electrical signals generated by the Teves MK 60 laboratory stand.

The Safeguards Analytical Laboratory (SAL) in the Agency's safeguards measurement system activity in 1990

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bagliano, G.; Cappis, J.; Deron, S.; Parus, J.L.

1991-05-01

The IAEA applies Safeguards at the request of a Member State to whole or part of its nuclear materials. The verification of nuclear material accountability still constitutes the fundamental method of control, although sealing and surveillance procedures play an important complementary and increasing role in Safeguards. A small fraction of samples must still be analyzed at independent analytical laboratories using conventional Destructive Analytical (DA) methods of highest accuracy in order to verify that small potential biases in the declarations of the State are not masking protracted diversions of significant quantities of fissile materials. The Safeguards Analytical Laboratory (SAL) is operated by the Agency's Laboratories at Seibersdorf to provide to the Department of Safeguards and its inspectors such off-site Analytical Services, in collaboration with the Network of Analytical Laboratories (NWAL) of the Agency. In the last years SAL and the Safeguards DA Services have become more directly involved in the qualification and utilization of on-site analytical instrumentation such as K-edge X-Ray absorptiometers and quadrupole mass spectrometers. The nature and the origin of the samples analyzed, the measurements usually requested by the IAEA inspectors, the methods and the analytical techniques available at SAL and at the Network of Analytical Laboratories (NWAL) with the performances achieved during the past years are described and discussed in several documents. This report gives an evaluation compared with 1989 of the volume and the quality of the analyses reported in 1990 by SAL and by the NWAL in reply to requests of IAEA Safeguards inspectors. The reports summarizes also on-site DA developments and support provided by SAL to the Division of Safeguards Operation and special training courses to the IAEA Safeguards inspectors. 55 refs, 7 figs, 15 tabs

Intercomparison Measurements Exercises of Mobile Radiological Laboratories (invited paper)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martincic, R.

2000-01-01

After the reactor accident in Chernobyl, the importance of mobile radiological laboratories became evident and in situ gamma spectrometry became a common method for the rapid detection of gamma emitters in the environment. Since then different institutions in European countries have organised periodic intercomparison exercises of mobile radiological laboratories to improve the measurement methods and the preparedness of emergency monitoring teams. The general objectives of these workshops are to promote the knowledge and to exchange the experiences of emergency monitoring teams that use mobile radiological laboratories, as well as to foster the international harmonisation of emergency monitoring procedures and cooperation among teams. Finally, the results of intercomparison measurements have shown that such exercises are mandatory for rapid, efficient and correct environmental monitoring in nuclear or radiological emergencies. An overview of these intercomparison measurements is given, results from the 1999 intercomparison workshop are presented and lessons learned are discussed. (author)

Photovoltaic Device Performance Evaluation Using an Open-Hardware System and Standard Calibrated Laboratory Instruments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jesús Montes-Romero

2017-11-01

Full Text Available This article describes a complete characterization system for photovoltaic devices designed to acquire the current-voltage curve and to process the obtained data. The proposed system can be replicated for educational or research purposes without having wide knowledge about electronic engineering. Using standard calibrated instrumentation, commonly available in any laboratory, the accuracy of measurements is ensured. A capacitive load is used to bias the device due to its versatility and simplicity. The system includes a common part and an interchangeable part that must be designed depending on the electrical characteristics of each PV device. Control software, developed in LabVIEW, controls the equipment, performs automatic campaigns of measurements, and performs additional calculations in real time. These include different procedures to extrapolate the measurements to standard test conditions and methods to obtain the intrinsic parameters of the single diode model. A deep analysis of the uncertainty of measurement is also provided. Finally, the proposed system is validated by comparing the results obtained from some commercial photovoltaic modules to the measurements given by an independently accredited laboratory.

BIOPLUS: An eclectic laboratory information management system for the ORNL Radiobioassay Laboratory

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ferguson, R.L.; Hwang, H.L.; Bishop, C.P.; Blair, R.L.; Cornett, R.L.; Gonzalez, B.D.; Hotchandani, M.; Keaton, J.A.; Miller, J.L.; Myers, R.D.; Ohnesorge, M.J.; Thein, M.

1992-12-31

Data management activities in analytical laboratories can include sample scheduling, logging, and tracking, as well as results collection and reporting. In the Radiobioassay Laboratory (RBL) such activities were formerly accomplished by entering data in log books and on forms followed by manual entry of data into a computer database. As sample load has increased and further emphasis has been placed on improving efficiency and on error reduction, it has become worthwhile to automate the laboratory`s information management. In addition, a Bioassay Data Management System (BDMS) has developed for use by all five of the DOE sites managed by Martin Marietta Energy Systems in order to centralize bioassay data management for internal dosimetry purposes. BIOPLUS, the LIMS described in this paper, provides an interface with BDMS and automates RBL information management to a large extent. The system provides for downloading personnel data from a central computer, logging in samples, and bar-code sample tracking, as well as recording, reporting, archiving, and trending of analysis results. Sketches of the hardware and software are presented along with some details of the instrument interface modules.

78 FR 60245 - Privacy Act Systems of Records; LabWare Laboratory Information Management System

Science.gov (United States)

2013-10-01

... of Records; LabWare Laboratory Information Management System AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health... system of records, entitled LabWare Laboratory Information Management System (LabWare LIMS), to maintain... Affairs, OMB. Thomas J. Vilsack, Secretary. SYSTEM NAME: LabWare Laboratory Information Management System...

Mounted Smartphones as Measurement and Control Platforms for Motor-Based Laboratory Test-Beds †

Science.gov (United States)

Frank, Jared A.; Brill, Anthony; Kapila, Vikram

2016-01-01

Laboratory education in science and engineering often entails the use of test-beds equipped with costly peripherals for sensing, acquisition, storage, processing, and control of physical behavior. However, costly peripherals are no longer necessary to obtain precise measurements and achieve stable feedback control of test-beds. With smartphones performing diverse sensing and processing tasks, this study examines the feasibility of mounting smartphones directly to test-beds to exploit their embedded hardware and software in the measurement and control of the test-beds. This approach is a first step towards replacing laboratory-grade peripherals with more compact and affordable smartphone-based platforms, whose interactive user interfaces can engender wider participation and engagement from learners. Demonstrative cases are presented in which the sensing, computation, control, and user interaction with three motor-based test-beds are handled by a mounted smartphone. Results of experiments and simulations are used to validate the feasibility of mounted smartphones as measurement and feedback control platforms for motor-based laboratory test-beds, report the measurement precision and closed-loop performance achieved with such platforms, and address challenges in the development of platforms to maintain system stability. PMID:27556464

Characterization of Orbital Debris Photometric Properties Derived from Laboratory-Based Measurements

Science.gov (United States)

Cowardin, H.; Abercromby, K.; Barker, E.; Seitzer, P.; Schildknecht, T.

2010-01-01

To better characterize and model optical data acquired from ground-based telescopes, the Optical Measurements Center (OMC) at NASA/JSC attempts to emulate illumination conditions seen in space using equipment and techniques that parallel telescopic observations and source-target-sensor orientations. The OMC uses a 75 Watt Xenon arc lamp as a solar simulator, an SBIG CCD camera with standard Johnson/Bessel filters, and a robotic arm to simulate an object's position and rotation. The laboratory uses known shapes, materials suspected to be consistent with the orbital debris population, and three phase angles to best match the lighting conditions of the telescope based data. The fourteen objects studied in the laboratory are fragments or materials acquired through ground-tests of scaled-model satellites/rocket bodies as well as material samples in more/less "flight-ready" condition. All fragments were measured at 10 increments in a full 360 rotation at 6 , 36 , and 60 phase angles. This paper will investigate published color photometric data for a series of orbital debris targets and compare it to the empirical photometric measurements generated in the OMC. Using the data acquired over specific rotational angles through different filters (B, V, R, I), a color index is acquired (B-R, R-I). Using these values and their associated lightcurves, this laboratory data is compared to observational data obtained on the 1 m telescope of the Astronomical Institute of the University of Bern (AUIB), the 0.9 m operated by the Small- and Medium-Aperture Research Telescope System (SMARTS) Consortium and the Curtis-Schmidt 0.6 m Michigan Orbital Debris Space Debris Telescope both located at Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (CTIO). An empirical based optical characterization model will be presented to provide preliminary correlations between laboratory based and telescope-based data in the context of classification of GEO debris objects.

Automation of measurements in the dclf laboratory of the CSIR NML

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Marais, EL

2006-01-01

Full Text Available At the end of 2005 it was decided that a number of measurements performed in the dc Low Frequency (dclf) Laboratory of the CSIR National Metrology Laboratory (CSIR NML) could benefit from automation. The measurements identified were typically highly...

Laboratory measurements of rock thermal properties

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bording, Thue Sylvester; Balling, N.; Nielsen, S.B.

The thermal properties of rocks are key elements in understanding and modelling the temperature field of the subsurface. Thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity can be measured in the laboratory if rock samples can be provided. We have introduced improvements to the divided bar and needle...... probe methods to be able to measure both thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity. The improvements we implement include, for both methods, a combination of fast numerical finite element forward modelling and a Markov Chain Monte Carlo inversion scheme for estimating rock thermal parameters...

Mechanical Measurements Laboratory

CERN Multimedia

Maximilien Brice

2007-01-01

The CERN mechanical measurements team check the sensors on one of the ATLAS inner detector end-caps using high precision measurement equipment. Remote checks like this must be made on these sensitive detector components before they can be transported to make sure that all systems are working correctly.

Laboratory Modelling of Volcano Plumbing Systems: a review

Science.gov (United States)

Galland, Olivier; Holohan, Eoghan P.; van Wyk de Vries, Benjamin; Burchardt, Steffi

2015-04-01

Earth scientists have, since the XIX century, tried to replicate or model geological processes in controlled laboratory experiments. In particular, laboratory modelling has been used study the development of volcanic plumbing systems, which sets the stage for volcanic eruptions. Volcanic plumbing systems involve complex processes that act at length scales of microns to thousands of kilometres and at time scales from milliseconds to billions of years, and laboratory models appear very suitable to address them. This contribution reviews laboratory models dedicated to study the dynamics of volcano plumbing systems (Galland et al., Accepted). The foundation of laboratory models is the choice of relevant model materials, both for rock and magma. We outline a broad range of suitable model materials used in the literature. These materials exhibit very diverse rheological behaviours, so their careful choice is a crucial first step for the proper experiment design. The second step is model scaling, which successively calls upon: (1) the principle of dimensional analysis, and (2) the principle of similarity. The dimensional analysis aims to identify the dimensionless physical parameters that govern the underlying processes. The principle of similarity states that "a laboratory model is equivalent to his geological analogue if the dimensionless parameters identified in the dimensional analysis are identical, even if the values of the governing dimensional parameters differ greatly" (Barenblatt, 2003). The application of these two steps ensures a solid understanding and geological relevance of the laboratory models. In addition, this procedure shows that laboratory models are not designed to exactly mimic a given geological system, but to understand underlying generic processes, either individually or in combination, and to identify or demonstrate physical laws that govern these processes. From this perspective, we review the numerous applications of laboratory models to

Comparison of modulation transfer function, noise power spectrum, and sensitometric measurements of x-ray screen-film systems made in two different laboratories

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sandrik, J.M.; Jennings, R.J.; Wagner, R.F.

1980-01-01

A project to develop standardization in the measurement of fundamental characteristics of screen-film systems is described. This project is a comparison of measurements on the same film samples performed by both the Kurt Rossmann Laboratories for Radiologic Image Research at the University of Chicago and by the Radiologic Imaging Section in the Medical Physics Branch, Division of Electronic Products. For this comparison we are making three fundamental measurements that characterize the operation of the screen-film systems. One is sensitometry of the characteristic or H and D curve. The film darkening is studied as a function of x-ray exposure to the screen-film system. This provides information on the speed and contrast of the system and it is also used in the determination of the MTF. The second measurement is the spatial frequency response or the MTF. For this measurement the screen-film system is exposed through a slit about 10 microns wide. This provides information on the fidelity with which contrast in the object is transferred to the image and information on the resolution of the image receptor. The third measure is the noise power or Wiener spectrum. In this case the film is exposed to a uniform x-ray field and the image provides information on the noise content of the receptor as a function of spatial frequency so that the effect of noise on the signal can be assessed

Electrical measurements in the laboratory practice

CERN Document Server

Bartiromo, Rosario

2016-01-01

This book covers the basic theory of electrical circuits, describes analog and digital instrumentation, and applies modern methods to evaluate uncertainties in electrical measurements. It is comprehensive in scope and is designed specifically to meet the needs of students in physics and electrical engineering who are attending laboratory classes in electrical measurements. The topics addressed in individual chapters include the analysis of continuous current circuits; sources of measurement uncertainty and their combined effect; direct current measurements; analysis of alternating current circuits; special circuits including resonant circuits, frequency filters and impedance matching networks; alternating current measurements; analog and digital oscilloscopes; non-sinusoidal waveforms and circuit excitation by pulses; distributed parameter components and transmission lines. Each chapter is equipped with a number of problems. A special appendix describes a series of nine experiments, in each case providing a p...

The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Intelligent Actinide Analysis System

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buckley, W.M.; Carlson, J.B.; Koenig, Z.M.

1993-01-01

The authors have developed an Intelligent Actinide Analysis System (IAAS) for Materials Management to use in the Plutonium Facility at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. The IAAS will measure isotopic ratios for plutonium and other actinides non-destructively by high-resolution gamma-ray spectrometry. This system will measure samples in a variety of matrices and containers. It will provide automated control of many aspects of the instrument that previously required manual intervention and/or control. The IAAS is a second-generation instrument, based on experience in fielding gamma isotopic systems, that is intended to advance non-destructive actinide analysis for nuclear safeguards in performance, automation, ease of use, adaptability, systems integration and extensibility to robotics. It uses a client-server distributed monitoring and control architecture. The IAAS uses MGA as the isotopic analysis code. The design of the IAAS reduces the need for operator intervention, operator training, and operator exposure

Systems integration for the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Robotics Applications Development Laboratory (RADL)

Science.gov (United States)

Davis, V. Leon; Nordeen, Ross

1988-01-01

A laboratory for developing robotics technology for hazardous and repetitive Shuttle and payload processing activities is discussed. An overview of the computer hardware and software responsible for integrating the laboratory systems is given. The center's anthropomorphic robot is placed on a track allowing it to be moved to different stations. Various aspects of the laboratory equipment are described, including industrial robot arm control, smart systems integration, the supervisory computer, programmable process controller, real-time tracking controller, image processing hardware, and control display graphics. Topics of research include: automated loading and unloading of hypergolics for space vehicles and payloads; the use of mobile robotics for security, fire fighting, and hazardous spill operations; nondestructive testing for SRB joint and seal verification; Shuttle Orbiter radiator damage inspection; and Orbiter contour measurements. The possibility of expanding the laboratory in the future is examined.

Design and implementation of a virtual laboratory of radiation measurement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alvarez T, J. R.; Morales S, J. B.

2009-10-01

The work involves the implementation of a virtual laboratory, this project is conducted in the Faculty of Engineering of National Autonomous University of Mexico with the name of LANUVI. It is intended that the laboratory can be used by students who have interest in the nuclear radiation knowledge as well as in its detection and attenuation, in addition serve as and introduction to nuclear systems. In the first part of project will conduct a source that can simulate the particle radiation of Alfa, beta, neutrons and gamma rays. The project will take sources used in class laboratories and elements that are dangerous but are used in different practical applications. After taking the source analyzing the particles behaviour in different media like air, animal tissue, aluminium, lead, etc. The analysis is done in different ways in order to know with which material can stop or mitigate the different types of radiation. Finally shall be measure radioactivity with different types of detectors. At this point, has the behaviour of ionization chamber but in the future is expected to make the simulation of some other radiation detectors. The mathematical models we represent the behaviour of these cases were implemented in free software. The program will be used to implement the virtual laboratory with radiation sources, detectors and different types of shields will be Blender which is a free software that is used by many users for the embodiment of games but try to use as a tool to help visualize the different equipment that is widely used in a radioactive materials laboratory. (Author)

Simulation-Based System Design Laboratory

Data.gov (United States)

Federal Laboratory Consortium — The research objective is to develop, test, and implement effective and efficient simulation techniques for modeling, evaluating, and optimizing systems in order to...

Comparative study of bedside and laboratory measurements of hemoglobin.

Science.gov (United States)

Krenzischek, D A; Tanseco, F V

1996-11-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of variations in technique on measurements of hemoglobin level done at the bedside and to compare these results with laboratory measurements of hemoglobin. In accordance with hospital policy, procedure, and protocol, various techniques were used to obtain samples of capillary and venous blood and of blood from arterial and central venous catheters. Levels of hemoglobin were measured at the bedside and in the laboratory, and the results were compared. The Johns Hopkins Hospital adult postanesthesia care unit. A total of 187 blood samples were obtained from 62 adults who had undergone general surgery. Group I comprised 20 subjects with capillary and venous blood samples. Group II comprised 21 subjects with arterial blood samples. Group III comprised 21 subjects with central venous blood samples. The results showed that the amount of blood to be discarded before obtaining samples of arterial and central venous blood need not be any larger than double the dead space of the catheter, and that shaking the blood sample for 10 seconds was sufficient to mix the sample before measurement of hemoglobin levels. Results of bedside and laboratory measurements of hemoglobin level were comparable. Bedside measurement of hemoglobin increases efficiency in patient care, decreases risk of blood-transmitted infection for staff, and decreases cost to the patient. However, the persons who perform the assay must be responsible in adhering to the standard of practice to minimize errors in the measurements.

Commissioning Ventilated Containment Systems in the Laboratory

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

2008-08-01

This Best Practices Guide focuses on the specialized approaches required for ventilated containment systems, understood to be all components that drive and control ventilated enclosures and local exhaust systems within the laboratory. Geared toward architects, engineers, and facility managers, this guide provides information about technologies and practices to use in designing, constructing, and operating operating safe, sustainable, high-performance laboratories.

Low-Level Plutonium Bioassay Measurements at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hamilton, T; Brown, T; Hickman, D; Marchetti, A; Williams, R; Kehl, S

2007-06-18

Plutonium-239 ({sup 239}Pu) and plutonium-240 ({sup 240}Pu) are important alpha emitting radionuclides contained in radioactive debris from nuclear weapons testing. {sup 239}Pu and {sup 240}Pu are long-lived radionuclides with half-lives of 24,400 years and 6580 years, respectively. Concerns over human exposure to plutonium stem from knowledge about the persistence of plutonium isotopes in the environment and the high relative effectiveness of alpha-radiation to cause potential harm to cells once incorporated into the human body. In vitro bioassay tests have been developed to assess uptakes of plutonium based on measured urinary excretion patterns and modeled metabolic behaviors of the absorbed radionuclides. Systemic plutonium absorbed by the deep lung or from the gastrointestinal tract after ingestion is either excreted or distributed to other organs, primarily to the liver and skeleton, where it is retained for biological half-times of around 20 and 50 years, respectively. Dose assessment and atoll rehabilitation programs in the Marshall Islands have historically given special consideration to residual concentrations of plutonium in the environment even though the predicted dose from inhalation and/or ingestion of plutonium accounts for less than 5% of the annual effective dose from exposure to fallout contamination. Scientists from the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) have developed a state-of-the-art bioassay test to assess urinary excretion rates of plutonium from Marshallese populations. This new heavy-isotope measurement system is based on Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS). The AMS system at LLNL far exceeds the standard measurement requirements established under the latest United States Department of Energy (DOE) regulation, 10CFR 835, for occupational monitoring of plutonium, and offers several advantages over classical as well as competing new technologies for low-level detection and measurement of plutonium isotopes. The United States

Portable laboratories for radioactivity measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Damljanovic, D.; Smelcerovic, M.; Koturovic, A.; Drndarevic, V.; Sobajic, M.

1989-01-01

The portable radiometric laboratories LARA-10, LARA-GS, LARA-86 and ALARA-10 designed, developed and produced at the Boris Kidric Institute are described. Earlier models (LARA-1, LARA-1D, LARA-2 and LARA-5) are presented in brief. The basic characteristics of the devices and methods of measurements are given. All the instruments are battery operated and almost all can also use 220V/50Hz supply. They are a very suitable facility for radiological monitoring of soil, water, food, clothes etc., when working in field conditions (author)

An overview of Quality Management System implementation in a research laboratory

Science.gov (United States)

Molinéro-Demilly, Valérie; Charki, Abdérafi; Jeoffrion, Christine; Lyonnet, Barbara; O'Brien, Steve; Martin, Luc

2018-02-01

The aim of this paper is to show the advantages of implementing a Quality Management System (QMS) in a research laboratory in order to improve the management of risks specific to research programmes and to increase the reliability of results. This paper also presents experience gained from feedback following the implementation of the Quality process in a research laboratory at INRA, the French National Institute for Agronomic Research and details the various challenges encountered and solutions proposed to help achieve smoother adoption of a QMS process. The 7Ms (Management, Measurement, Manpower, Methods, Materials, Machinery, Mother-nature) methodology based on the Ishikawa `Fishbone' diagram is used to show the effectiveness of the actions considered by a QMS, which involve both the organization and the activities of the laboratory. Practical examples illustrate the benefits and improvements observed in the laboratory.

The impact of SLMTA in improving laboratory quality systems in the Caribbean Region.

Science.gov (United States)

Guevara, Giselle; Gordon, Floris; Irving, Yvette; Whyms, Ismae; Parris, Keith; Beckles, Songee; Maruta, Talkmore; Ndlovu, Nqobile; Albalak, Rachel; Alemnji, George

Past efforts to improve laboratory quality systems and to achieve accreditation for better patient care in the Caribbean Region have been slow. To describe the impact of the Strengthening of Laboratory Management Toward Accreditation (SLMTA) training programme and mentorship amongst five clinical laboratories in the Caribbean after 18 months. Five national reference laboratories from four countries participated in the SLMTA programme that incorporated classroom teaching and implementation of improvement projects. Mentors were assigned to the laboratories to guide trainees on their improvement projects and to assist in the development of Quality Management Systems (QMS). Audits were conducted at baseline, six months, exit (at 12 months) and post-SLMTA (at 18 months) using the Stepwise Laboratory Quality Improvement Process Towards Accreditation (SLIPTA) checklist to measure changes in implementation of the QMS during the period. At the end of each audit, a comprehensive implementation plan was developed in order to address gaps. Baseline audit scores ranged from 19% to 52%, corresponding to 0 stars on the SLIPTA five-star scale. After 18 months, one laboratory reached four stars, two reached three stars and two reached two stars. There was a corresponding decrease in nonconformities and development of over 100 management and technical standard operating procedures in each of the five laboratories. The tremendous improvement in these five Caribbean laboratories shows that SLMTA coupled with mentorship is an effective, user-friendly, flexible and customisable approach to the implementation of laboratory QMS. It is recommended that other laboratories in the region consider using the SLMTA training programme as they engage in quality systems improvement and preparation for accreditation.

The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Intelligent Actinide Analysis System

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buckley, W.M.; Carlson, J.B.; Koenig, Z.M.

1993-07-01

The authors have developed an Intelligent Actinide Analysis System (IAAS) for Materials Management to use in the Plutonium Facility at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. The IAAS will measure isotopic ratios for plutonium and other actinides non-destructively by high-resolution gamma-ray spectrometry. This system will measure samples in a variety of matrices and containers. It will provide automated control of many aspects of the instrument that previously required manual intervention and/or control. The IAAS is a second-generation instrument, based on the authors' experience in fielding gamma isotopic systems, that is intended to advance non-destructive actinide analysis for nuclear safeguards in performance, automation, ease of use, adaptability, systems integration and extensibility to robotics. It uses a client-server distributed monitoring and control architecture. The IAAS uses MGA 3 as the isotopic analysis code. The design of the IAAS reduces the need for operator intervention, operator training, and operator exposure

Quality system for Medical laboratories

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shiva Raj K.C.

2015-03-01

Full Text Available According to William Edwards Deming “Good quality does not necessarily mean high quality. Instead it means a predicable degree of uniformity and dependability at low cost with a quality suited to the market.” Whereas according to famous engineer and management consultant Joseph M. Juran quality is “fitness for purpose”. It should meet the customers’ expectations and requirements, should be cost effective.ISO began in 1926 as the International Federation of the National Standardizing Associations (ISA. The name, "ISO" was derived from the Greek word "isos" meaning "equal". (The relation to standards is that if two objects meet the same standard, they should be equal. This name eliminates any confusion that could result from the translation of "International Organization for Standardization" into different languages which would lead to different acronyms.In health sector, quality plays pivotal role, as it is directly related to patient’s care. Earlier time, health service was simple, quite safe but ineffective. Now health care system is an organizational system with more complex processes to deliver care. Medical laboratory service is an integral part in patient’s management system. So, for everyone involved in the treatment of the patient, the accuracy, reliability and safety of those services must be the primary concerns. Accreditation is a significant enabler of quality, thereby delivering confidence to healthcare providers, clinicians, the medical laboratories and the patients themselves.ISO announced meeting in Philadelphia to form a technical committee to develop a new standard for medical laboratory quality. It took 7 years for the creation of a new Quality standard for medical laboratories. It was named as “ISO 15189” and was first published in 2003. The ISO has released three versions of the standard. The first two were released in 2003 and 2007. In 2012, a revised and updated version of the standard, ISO 15189

Microgravity Emissions Laboratory (MEL)

Data.gov (United States)

Federal Laboratory Consortium — The Microgravity Emissions Laboratory (MEL) utilizes a low-frequency acceleration measurement system for the characterization of rigid body inertial forces generated...

A real-time data acquisition and processing system for the analytical laboratory automation of a HTR spent fuel reprocessing facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Watzlawik, K.H.

1979-12-01

A real-time data acquisition and processing system for the analytical laboratory of an experimental HTR spent fuel reprocessing facility is presented. The on-line open-loop system combines in-line and off-line analytical measurement procedures including data acquisition and evaluation as well as analytical laboratory organisation under the control of a computer-supported laboratory automation system. In-line measurements are performed for density, volume and temperature in process tanks and registration of samples for off-line measurements. Off-line computer-coupled experiments are potentiometric titration, gas chromatography and X-ray fluorescence analysis. Organisational sections like sample registration, magazining, distribution and identification, multiple data assignment and especially calibrations of analytical devices are performed by the data processing system. (orig.) [de

[Knowledge management system for laboratory work and clinical decision support].

Science.gov (United States)

Inada, Masanori; Sato, Mayumi; Yoneyama, Akiko

2011-05-01

This paper discusses a knowledge management system for clinical laboratories. In the clinical laboratory of Toranomon Hospital, we receive about 20 questions relevant to laboratory tests per day from medical doctors or co-medical staff. These questions mostly involve the essence to appropriately accomplish laboratory tests. We have to answer them carefully and suitably because an incorrect answer may cause a medical accident. Up to now, no method has been in place to achieve a rapid response and standardized answers. For this reason, the laboratory staff have responded to various questions based on their individual knowledge. We began to develop a knowledge management system to promote the knowledge of staff working for the laboratory. This system is a type of knowledge base for assisting the work, such as inquiry management, laboratory consultation, process management, and clinical support. It consists of several functions: guiding laboratory test information, managing inquiries from medical staff, reporting results of patient consultation, distributing laboratory staffs notes, and recording guidelines for laboratory medicine. The laboratory test information guide has 2,000 records of medical test information registered in the database with flexible retrieval. The inquiry management tool provides a methos to record all questions, answer easily, and retrieve cases. It helps staff to respond appropriately in a short period of time. The consulting report system treats patients' claims regarding medical tests. The laboratory staffs notes enter a file management system so they can be accessed to aid in clinical support. Knowledge sharing using this function can achieve the transition from individual to organizational learning. Storing guidelines for laboratory medicine will support EBM. Finally, it is expected that this system will support intellectual activity concerning laboratory work and contribute to the practice of knowledge management for clinical work support.

VIRTUAL LABORATORY IN DISTANCE LEARNING SYSTEM

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Е. Kozlovsky

2011-11-01

Full Text Available Questions of designing and a choice of technologies of creation of virtual laboratory for the distance learning system are considered. Distance learning system «Kherson Virtual University» is used as illustration.

Implementing and measuring the level of laboratory service integration in a program setting in Nigeria.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Henry Mbah

Full Text Available The surge of donor funds to fight HIV&AIDS epidemic inadvertently resulted in the setup of laboratories as parallel structures to rapidly respond to the identified need. However these parallel structures are a threat to the existing fragile laboratory systems. Laboratory service integration is critical to remedy this situation. This paper describes an approach to quantitatively measure and track integration of HIV-related laboratory services into the mainstream laboratory services and highlight some key intervention steps taken, to enhance service integration.A quantitative before-and-after study conducted in 122 Family Health International (FHI360 supported health facilities across Nigeria. A minimum service package was identified including management structure; trainings; equipment utilization and maintenance; information, commodity and quality management for laboratory integration. A check list was used to assess facilities at baseline and 3 months follow-up. Level of integration was assessed on an ordinal scale (0 = no integration, 1 = partial integration, 2 = full integration for each service package. A composite score grading expressed as a percentage of total obtainable score of 14 was defined and used to classify facilities (≤ 80% FULL, 25% to 79% PARTIAL and <25% NO integration. Weaknesses were noted and addressed.We analyzed 9 (7.4% primary, 104 (85.2% secondary and 9 (7.4% tertiary level facilities. There were statistically significant differences in integration levels between baseline and 3 months follow-up period (p<0.01. Baseline median total integration score was 4 (IQR 3 to 5 compared to 7 (IQR 4 to 9 at 3 months follow-up (p = 0.000. Partial and fully integrated laboratory systems were 64 (52.5% and 0 (0.0% at baseline, compared to 100 (82.0% and 3 (2.4% respectively at 3 months follow-up (p = 0.000.This project showcases our novel approach to measure the status of each laboratory on the integration continuum.

DB4US: A Decision Support System for Laboratory Information Management.

Science.gov (United States)

Carmona-Cejudo, José M; Hortas, Maria Luisa; Baena-García, Manuel; Lana-Linati, Jorge; González, Carlos; Redondo, Maximino; Morales-Bueno, Rafael

2012-11-14

Until recently, laboratory automation has focused primarily on improving hardware. Future advances are concentrated on intelligent software since laboratories performing clinical diagnostic testing require improved information systems to address their data processing needs. In this paper, we propose DB4US, an application that automates information related to laboratory quality indicators information. Currently, there is a lack of ready-to-use management quality measures. This application addresses this deficiency through the extraction, consolidation, statistical analysis, and visualization of data related to the use of demographics, reagents, and turn-around times. The design and implementation issues, as well as the technologies used for the implementation of this system, are discussed in this paper. To develop a general methodology that integrates the computation of ready-to-use management quality measures and a dashboard to easily analyze the overall performance of a laboratory, as well as automatically detect anomalies or errors. The novelty of our approach lies in the application of integrated web-based dashboards as an information management system in hospital laboratories. We propose a new methodology for laboratory information management based on the extraction, consolidation, statistical analysis, and visualization of data related to demographics, reagents, and turn-around times, offering a dashboard-like user web interface to the laboratory manager. The methodology comprises a unified data warehouse that stores and consolidates multidimensional data from different data sources. The methodology is illustrated through the implementation and validation of DB4US, a novel web application based on this methodology that constructs an interface to obtain ready-to-use indicators, and offers the possibility to drill down from high-level metrics to more detailed summaries. The offered indicators are calculated beforehand so that they are ready to use when the user

CMDS System Integration and IAMD End-to-End Laboratory

Data.gov (United States)

Federal Laboratory Consortium — The Cruise Missile Defense Systems (CMDS) Project Office is establishing a secure System Integration Laboratory at the AMRDEC. This lab will contain tactical Signal...

BIOPLUS: An eclectic laboratory information management system for the ORNL Radiobioassay Laboratory

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ferguson, R.L.; Hwang, H.L.; Bishop, C.P.; Blair, R.L.; Cornett, R.L.; Gonzalez, B.D.; Hotchandani, M.; Keaton, J.A.; Miller, J.L.; Myers, R.D.; Ohnesorge, M.J.; Thein, M.

1992-01-01

Data management activities in analytical laboratories can include sample scheduling, logging, and tracking, as well as results collection and reporting. In the Radiobioassay Laboratory (RBL) such activities were formerly accomplished by entering data in log books and on forms followed by manual entry of data into a computer database. As sample load has increased and further emphasis has been placed on improving efficiency and on error reduction, it has become worthwhile to automate the laboratory's information management. In addition, a Bioassay Data Management System (BDMS) has developed for use by all five of the DOE sites managed by Martin Marietta Energy Systems in order to centralize bioassay data management for internal dosimetry purposes. BIOPLUS, the LIMS described in this paper, provides an interface with BDMS and automates RBL information management to a large extent. The system provides for downloading personnel data from a central computer, logging in samples, and bar-code sample tracking, as well as recording, reporting, archiving, and trending of analysis results. Sketches of the hardware and software are presented along with some details of the instrument interface modules.

BIOPLUS: An eclectic laboratory information management system for the ORNL Radiobioassay Laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ferguson, R.L.; Hwang, H.L.; Bishop, C.P.; Blair, R.L.; Cornett, R.L.; Gonzalez, B.D.; Hotchandani, M.; Keaton, J.A.; Miller, J.L.; Myers, R.D.; Ohnesorge, M.J.; Thein, M.

1992-01-01

Data management activities in analytical laboratories can include sample scheduling, logging, and tracking, as well as results collection and reporting. In the Radiobioassay Laboratory (RBL) such activities were formerly accomplished by entering data in log books and on forms followed by manual entry of data into a computer database. As sample load has increased and further emphasis has been placed on improving efficiency and on error reduction, it has become worthwhile to automate the laboratory's information management. In addition, a Bioassay Data Management System (BDMS) has developed for use by all five of the DOE sites managed by Martin Marietta Energy Systems in order to centralize bioassay data management for internal dosimetry purposes. BIOPLUS, the LIMS described in this paper, provides an interface with BDMS and automates RBL information management to a large extent. The system provides for downloading personnel data from a central computer, logging in samples, and bar-code sample tracking, as well as recording, reporting, archiving, and trending of analysis results. Sketches of the hardware and software are presented along with some details of the instrument interface modules

Validation of an optical system to measure acetabular shell deformation in cadavers.

Science.gov (United States)

Dold, Philipp; Bone, Martin C; Flohr, Markus; Preuss, Roman; Joyce, Tom J; Deehan, David; Holland, James

2014-08-01

Deformation of the acetabular shell at the time of surgery can result in poor performance and early failure of the hip replacement. The study aim was to validate an ATOS III Triple Scan optical measurement system against a co-ordinate measuring machine using in vitro testing and to check repeatability under cadaver laboratory conditions. Two sizes of custom-made acetabular shells were deformed using a uniaxial/two-point loading frame and measured at different loads. Roundness measurements were performed using both the ATOS III Triple Scan optical system and a co-ordinate measuring machine and then compared. The repeatability was also tested by measuring shells pre- and post-insertion in a cadaver laboratory multiple times. The in vitro comparison with the co-ordinate measuring machine demonstrated a maximum difference of 5 µm at the rim and 9 µm at the measurement closest to the pole of the shell. Maximum repeatability was below 1 µm for the co-ordinate measuring machine and 3 µm for the ATOS III Triple Scan optical system. Repeatability was comparable between the pre-insertion (below 2 µm) and post-insertion (below 3 µm) measurements in the cadaver laboratory. This study supports the view that the ATOS III Triple Scan optical system fulfils the necessary requirements to accurately measure shell deformation in cadavers. © IMechE 2014.

The impact of SLMTA in improving laboratory quality systems in the Caribbean Region

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Giselle Guevara

2014-11-01

Objective: To describe the impact of the Strengthening of Laboratory Management Toward Accreditation (SLMTA training programme and mentorship amongst five clinical laboratories in the Caribbean after 18 months. Method: Five national reference laboratories from four countries participated in the SLMTA programme that incorporated classroom teaching and implementation of improvement projects. Mentors were assigned to the laboratories to guide trainees on their improvement projects and to assist in the development of Quality Management Systems (QMS. Audits were conducted at baseline, six months, exit (at 12 months and post-SLMTA (at 18 months using the Stepwise Laboratory Quality Improvement Process Towards Accreditation (SLIPTA checklist to measure changes in implementation of the QMS during the period. At the end of each audit, a comprehensive implementation plan was developed in order to address gaps. Results: Baseline audit scores ranged from 19% to 52%, corresponding to 0 stars on the SLIPTA five-star scale. After 18 months, one laboratory reached four stars, two reached three stars and two reached two stars. There was a corresponding decrease in nonconformities and development of over 100 management and technical standard operating procedures in each of the five laboratories. Conclusion: The tremendous improvement in these five Caribbean laboratories shows that SLMTA coupled with mentorship is an effective, user-friendly, flexible and customisable approach to the implementation of laboratory QMS. It is recommended that other laboratories in the region consider using the SLMTA training programme as they engage in quality systems improvement and preparation for accreditation.

The application of acoustic emission measurements on laboratory testpieces to large scale pressure vessel monitoring

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ingham, T.; Dawson, D.G.

1975-01-01

A test pressure vessel containing 4 artificial defects was monitored for emission whilst pressure cycling to failure. Testpieces cut from both the failed vessel and from as-rolled plate material were tested in the laboratory. A marked difference in emission characteristics was observed between plate and vessel testpieces. Activity from vessel material was virtually constant after general yield and emission amplitudes were low. Plate testpieces showed maximum activity at general yield and more frequent high amplitude emissions. An attempt has been made to compare the system sensitivities between the pressure vessel test and laboratory tests. In the absence of an absolute calibration device, system sensitivities were estimated using dummy signals generated by the excitation of an emission sensor. The measurements have shown an overall difference in sensitivity between vessel and laboratory tests of approximately 25db. The reduced sensitivity in the vessel test is attributed to a combination of differences in sensors, acoustic couplant, attenuation, and dispersion relative to laboratory tests and the relative significance of these factors is discussed. Signal amplitude analysis of the emissions monitored from laboratory testpieces showed that, whith losses of the order of 25 to 30db, few emissions would be detected from the pressure vessel test. It is concluded that no reliable prediction of acoustic behaviour of a structure may be made from laboratory test unless testpieces of the actual structural material are used. A considerable improvement in detection sensitivity, is also required for reliable detection of defects in low strength ductile materials and an absolute method of system calibration is required between tests

Environmental Measurements Laboratory fiscal year 1998: Accomplishments and technical activities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Erickson, M.D.

1999-01-01

The Environmental Measurements Laboratory (EML) is government-owned, government-operated, and programmatically under the DOE Office of Environmental Management. The Laboratory is administered by the Chicago Operations Office. EML provides program management, technical assistance and data quality assurance for measurements of radiation and radioactivity relating to environmental restoration, global nuclear nonproliferation, and other priority issues for the Department of Energy, as well as for other government, national, and international organizations. This report presents the technical activities and accomplishments of EML for Fiscal Year 1998.

Towards an evaluation framework for Laboratory Information Systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Yusof, Maryati M; Arifin, Azila

Laboratory testing and reporting are error-prone and redundant due to repeated, unnecessary requests and delayed or missed reactions to laboratory reports. Occurring errors may negatively affect the patient treatment process and clinical decision making. Evaluation on laboratory testing and Laboratory Information System (LIS) may explain the root cause to improve the testing process and enhance LIS in supporting the process. This paper discusses a new evaluation framework for LIS that encompasses the laboratory testing cycle and the socio-technical part of LIS. Literature review on discourses, dimensions and evaluation methods of laboratory testing and LIS. A critical appraisal of the Total Testing Process (TTP) and the human, organization, technology-fit factors (HOT-fit) evaluation frameworks was undertaken in order to identify error incident, its contributing factors and preventive action pertinent to laboratory testing process and LIS. A new evaluation framework for LIS using a comprehensive and socio-technical approach is outlined. Positive relationship between laboratory and clinical staff resulted in a smooth laboratory testing process, reduced errors and increased process efficiency whilst effective use of LIS streamlined the testing processes. The TTP-LIS framework could serve as an assessment as well as a problem-solving tool for the laboratory testing process and system. Copyright © 2016 King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Vehicle emission factors of solid nanoparticles in the laboratory and on the road using Portable Emission Measurement Systems (PEMS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Barouch eGiechaskiel

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Emission inventories are used to quantify sources and identify trends in the emissions of air pollutants. They use vehicle-specific emission factors that are typically determined in the laboratory, through remote-sensing, vehicle chasing experiments and, more recently, on-board Portable Emission Measurement Systems (PEMS. Although PEMS is widely applied to measure gaseous pollutants, their application to Solid Particle Number (SPN emissions is new. In this paper, we discuss the current status of determining SPN emission factors both on the chassis dynamometer and on-road using PEMS-SPN. First, we determine the influence of the measurement equipment, ambient temperature, driving style and cycle characteristics, and the extra mass of the PEMS equipment on the SPN emissions. Afterward, we present the SPN emissions under type-approval conditions as well as on the road of two heavy-duty diesel vehicles equipped with Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF (one Euro VI, two light-duty diesel vehicles equipped with DPF, one light-duty vehicle equipped with a Port Fuel Injection engine (PFI, and seven Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI passenger cars (two Euro 6. We find that cold-start and strong accelerations tend to substantially increase SPN emissions. The two heavy-duty vehicles showed emissions around 2×10^13 p/km (Euro V truck and 6×10^10 p/km (Euro VI truck, respectively. One of the DPF-equipped light-duty vehicles showed emissions of 8×10^11 p/km, while the other one had one order of magnitude lower emissions. The PFI car had SPN emissions slightly higher than 1×10^12 p/km. The emissions of GDI cars spanned approximately from 8×10^11 p/km to 8×10^12 p/km. For the cars without DPF, the SPN emissions remained within a factor of two of the laboratory results. This factor was on average around 0.8 for the Euro 6 and 1.6 for the Euro 5 GDIs. The DPF equipped vehicles showed a difference of almost one order of magnitude between laboratory and on-road tests

Comparison of field-measured radon diffusion coefficients with laboratory-measured coefficients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lepel, E.A.; Silker, W.B.; Thomas, V.W.; Kalkwarf, D.R.

1983-04-01

Experiments were conducted to compare radon diffusion coefficients determined for 0.1-m depths of soils by a steady-state method in the laboratory and diffusion coefficients evaluated from radon fluxes through several-fold greater depths of the same soils covering uranium-mill tailings. The coefficients referred to diffusion in the total pore volume of the soils and are equivalent to values for the quantity, D/P, in the Generic Environmental Impact Statement on Uranium Milling prepared by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Two soils were tested: a well-graded sand and an inorganic clay of low plasticity. For the flux evaluations, radon was collected by adsorption on charcoal following passive diffusion from the soil surface and also from air recirculating through an aluminum tent over the soil surface. An analysis of variance in the flux evaluations showed no significant difference between these two collection methods. Radon diffusion coefficients evaluated from field data were statistically indistinguishable, at the 95% confidence level, from those measured in the laboratory; however, the low precision of the field data prevented a sensitive validation of the laboratory measurements. From the field data, the coefficients were calculated to be 0.03 +- 0.03 cm 2 /s for the sand cover and 0.0036 +- 0.0004 cm 2 /s for the clay cover. The low precision in the coefficients evaluated from field data was attributed to high variation in radon flux with time and surface location at the field site

Assessing the outcome of Strengthening Laboratory Management Towards Accreditation (SLMTA) on laboratory quality management system in city government of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Science.gov (United States)

Sisay, Abay; Mindaye, Tedla; Tesfaye, Abrham; Abera, Eyob; Desale, Adino

2015-01-01

Strengthening Laboratory Management Toward Accreditation (SLMTA) is a competency-based management training programme designed to bring about immediate and measurable laboratory improvement. The aim of this study is to assess the outcome of SLMTA on laboratory quality management system in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The study used an Institutional based cross sectional study design that employed a secondary and primary data collection approach on the participated institution of medical laboratory in SLMTA. The study was conducted in Addis Ababa city government and the data was collected from February 'April 2014 and data was entered in to EPI-data version 3.1 and was analyzed by SPSS version 20. The assessment finding indicate that there was a significant improvement in average scores (141.4; range of 65-196, 95%CI=86.275-115.5, p=0.000) at final with 3 laboratories become 3 star, 6 laboratories were at 2 star, 11 were 1 star. Laboratory facilities respondents which thought getting adequate and timely manner mentorship were found 2.5 times more likely to get good success in the final score(AOR=2.501, 95% CI=1.109-4.602) than which did not get it. At the end of SLMTA implementation,3 laboratories score 3 star, 6 laboratories were at 2 star, 11 were at 1 star. The most important contributing factor for not scoring star in the final outcome of SLMTA were not conducting their customer satisfaction survey, poor staff motivation, and lack of regular equipment service maintenance. Mentorship, onsite and offsite coaching and training activities had shown a great improvement on laboratory quality management system in most laboratories.

Implementing a Quality Management System in the Medical Microbiology Laboratory.

Science.gov (United States)

Carey, Roberta B; Bhattacharyya, Sanjib; Kehl, Sue C; Matukas, Larissa M; Pentella, Michael A; Salfinger, Max; Schuetz, Audrey N

2018-07-01

This document outlines a comprehensive practical approach to a laboratory quality management system (QMS) by describing how to operationalize the management and technical requirements described in the ISO 15189 international standard. It provides a crosswalk of the ISO requirements for quality and competence for medical laboratories to the 12 quality system essentials delineated by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute. The quality principles are organized under three main categories: quality infrastructure, laboratory operations, and quality assurance and continual improvement. The roles and responsibilities to establish and sustain a QMS are outlined for microbiology laboratory staff, laboratory management personnel, and the institution's leadership. Examples and forms are included to assist in the real-world implementation of this system and to allow the adaptation of the system for each laboratory's unique environment. Errors and nonconforming events are acknowledged and embraced as an opportunity to improve the quality of the laboratory, a culture shift from blaming individuals. An effective QMS encourages "systems thinking" by providing a process to think globally of the effects of any type of change. Ultimately, a successful QMS is achieved when its principles are adopted as part of daily practice throughout the total testing process continuum. Copyright © 2018 American Society for Microbiology.

Intelligent nuclear measuring system for multi detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gujgiczer, A.; Solymosi, J.; Zsille, O.; Illes, Z.; Barnabas, I.; Ranga, T.; Lakatos, T.

1998-01-01

The measuring system can be used for recording gamma spectra and/or experimental beta-dispersion. Several environmental samples can be examined simultaneously, and the instrument can be used in the laboratory or in the field. Low cost multichannel analyzers using NaI(Tl) or plastic scintillators are interfaced to an IBM PC/AT, which controls the measurement, data processing, and data transmission and archiving. (M.D.)

Implementation of ISO 28218 quality system in the laboratory of body radioactivity counter CIEMAT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Navarro Amaro, J. F.; Perez Lopez, B.; Lopez Ponte, M. A.; Perez Jimenez, C.

2011-01-01

The laboratory of body radioactivity counter has implemented IS0 28218 standard Performance Criteria for Radio bioassay in all measured in vivo techniques of internal contamination in the human organism in monitoring programs defined by the Personal Dosimetry Service Internal CIEMAT. The application of this rule in the laboratory's quality system is essential to meet the technical requirements of the standard IS0/IEC 17025 with the purpose of obtaining ENAC accreditation as a testing laboratory and calibration within the framework of the accreditation of Service CIEMAT Radiation Dosimetry. (Author)

Road Transportable Analytical Laboratory system. Phase 1

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Finger, S.M.; Keith, V.F.; Spertzel, R.O.; De Avila, J.C.; O`Donnell, M.; Vann, R.L.

1993-09-01

This developmental effort clearly shows that a Road Transportable Analytical Laboratory System is a worthwhile and achievable goal. The RTAL is designed to fully analyze (radioanalytes, and organic and inorganic chemical analytes) 20 samples per day at the highest levels of quality assurance and quality control. It dramatically reduces the turnaround time for environmental sample analysis from 45 days (at a central commercial laboratory) to 1 day. At the same time each RTAL system will save the DOE over $12 million per year in sample analysis costs compared to the costs at a central commercial laboratory. If RTAL systems were used at the eight largest DOE facilities (at Hanford, Savannah River, Fernald, Oak Ridge, Idaho, Rocky Flats, Los Alamos, and the Nevada Test Site), the annual savings would be $96,589,000. The DOE`s internal study of sample analysis needs projects 130,000 environmental samples requiring analysis in FY 1994, clearly supporting the need for the RTAL system. The cost and time savings achievable with the RTAL system will accelerate and improve the efficiency of cleanup and remediation operations throughout the DOE complex.

Toward a direct comparison of field and laboratory goniometer measurements

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dangel, S.; Verstraete, M.; Schopfer, J.; Kneubuehler, M.; Schaepman, M.E.; Itten, K.I.

2005-01-01

Field and laboratory goniometers are widely used in the remote sensing community to assess spectrodirectional reflection properties of selected targets. Even when the same target and goniometer system are used, field and laboratory results cannot directly be compared due to inherent differences,

Mining of hospital laboratory information systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Søeby, Karen; Jensen, Peter Bjødstrup; Werge, Thomas

2015-01-01

of hospital laboratory data as a source of information, we analyzed enzymatic plasma creatinine as a model analyte in two large pediatric hospital samples. Methods: Plasma creatinine measurements from 9700 children aged 0-18 years were obtained from hospital laboratory databases and partitioned into high...... in creatinine levels at different time points after birth and around the early teens, which challenges the establishment and usefulness of reference intervals in those age groups. Conclusions: The study documents that hospital laboratory data may inform on the developmental aspects of creatinine, on periods...... with pronounced heterogeneity and valid reference intervals. Furthermore, part of the heterogeneity in creatinine distribution is likely due to differences in biological and chronological age of children and should be considered when using age-specific reference intervals....

Modernization of laboratories of test of electric measurer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cuervo, Luis Felipe

1999-01-01

The paper presents to the companies that possess test laboratories and calibration of electric measurer, an economic alternative for their modernization, using the repontentiation like an economic solution that it liberates resources to be used in other areas that they want it

Data acquisition and processing system for coincidence measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Xu

1990-07-01

An instrument has been designed for the absolute measurement of radioactivity with 4πβ(PC)-γ coincidence. The instrument can be used as a standard device for the radioactivity measurement in metrology laboratories. Also it can be used in the nuclear science and engineering research for absolute measurement of nuclear decay rate. The control of the system dead time and coincidence resolving time is digitized. The precision can reach ±2 ns. For data acquisition and communication the normalizing GPIB interface system technique is adopted. The measuring error caused by this instrument itself can be better than ±0.02%

Laboratory information management system proposal

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brown, B.; Schweitzer, S.; Adams, C.; White, S. [Tennessee Univ., Knoxville, TN (United States)

1992-08-01

The objectives of this paper is design a user friendly information management system using a relational database in order to: allow customers direct access to the system; provide customers with direct sample tracking capabilities; provide customers with more timely, consistent reporting; better allocate costs for analyses to appropriate customers; eliminate cumbersome and costly papertrails; and enhance facility utilization by laboratory personnel. The resultant savings through increased efficiency provided by this system should more than offset its cost in the long-term.

Laboratory information management system proposal

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brown, B.; Schweitzer, S.; Adams, C.; White, S. (Tennessee Univ., Knoxville, TN (United States))

1992-01-01

The objectives of this paper is design a user friendly information management system using a relational database in order to: allow customers direct access to the system; provide customers with direct sample tracking capabilities; provide customers with more timely, consistent reporting; better allocate costs for analyses to appropriate customers; eliminate cumbersome and costly papertrails; and enhance facility utilization by laboratory personnel. The resultant savings through increased efficiency provided by this system should more than offset its cost in the long-term.

Computerized plutonium laboratory-stack monitoring system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stafford, R.G.; DeVore, R.K.

1977-01-01

The Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory has recently designed and constructed a Plutonium Research and Development Facility to meet design criteria imposed by the United States Energy Research and Development Administration. A primary objective of the design criteria is to assure environmental protection and to reliably monitor plutonium effluent via the ventilation exhaust systems. A state-of-the-art facility exhaust air monitoring system is described which establishes near ideal conditions for evaluating plutonium activity in the stack effluent. Total and static pressure sensing manifolds are incorporated to measure average velocity and integrated total discharge air volume. These data are logged at a computer which receives instrument data through a multiplex scanning system. A multipoint isokinetic sampling assembly with associated instrumentation is described. Continuous air monitors have been designed to sample from the isokinetic sampling assembly and transmit both instantaneous and integrated stack effluent concentration data to the computer and various cathode ray tube displays. The continuous air monitors also serve as room air monitors in the plutonium facility with the primary objective of timely evacuation of personnel if an above tolerance airborne plutonium concentration is detected. Several continuous air monitors are incorporated in the ventilation system to assist in identification of release problem areas

Matrix diffusion studies by electrical conductivity methods. Comparison between laboratory and in-situ measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ohlsson, Y.; Neretnieks, I.

1998-01-01

Traditional laboratory diffusion experiments in rock material are time consuming, and quite small samples are generally used. Electrical conductivity measurements, on the other hand, provide a fast means for examining transport properties in rock and allow measurements on larger samples as well. Laboratory measurements using electrical conductivity give results that compare well to those from traditional diffusion experiments. The measurement of the electrical resistivity in the rock surrounding a borehole is a standard method for the detection of water conducting fractures. If these data could be correlated to matrix diffusion properties, in-situ diffusion data from large areas could be obtained. This would be valuable because it would make it possible to obtain data very early in future investigations of potentially suitable sites for a repository. This study compares laboratory electrical conductivity measurements with in-situ resistivity measurements from a borehole at Aespoe. The laboratory samples consist mainly of Aespoe diorite and fine-grained granite and the rock surrounding the borehole of Aespoe diorite, Smaaland granite and fine-grained granite. The comparison shows good agreement between laboratory measurements and in-situ data

A Consistent System for Coding Laboratory Samples

Science.gov (United States)

Sih, John C.

1996-07-01

A formal laboratory coding system is presented to keep track of laboratory samples. Preliminary useful information regarding the sample (origin and history) is gained without consulting a research notebook. Since this system uses and retains the same research notebook page number for each new experiment (reaction), finding and distinguishing products (samples) of the same or different reactions becomes an easy task. Using this system multiple products generated from a single reaction can be identified and classified in a uniform fashion. Samples can be stored and filed according to stage and degree of purification, e.g. crude reaction mixtures, recrystallized samples, chromatographed or distilled products.

Sandia Laboratories plutonium protection system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bernard, E.A.; Miyoshi, D.S.; Gutierrez, F.D.

1977-01-01

Sandia Laboratories is developing an improved plutonium protection system (PPS) to demonstrate new concepts for enhancing special nuclear materials safeguards. PPS concepts include separation of functions, real-time item accountability and improved means for control of materials, activities and personnel access. Physical barriers and a secure communications network are designed into the system to offer greater protection against sabotage, diversion and theft attempts. Prototype systems are being constructed at Hanford, Washington and Albuquerque, New Mexico and will be subjected to a comprehensive testing and evaluation program

Progress in Harmonizing Tiered HIV Laboratory Systems: Challenges and Opportunities in 8 African Countries

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, Jason; Umaru, Farouk; Edgil, Dianna; Kuritsky, Joel

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT In 2014, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS released its 90-90-90 targets, which make laboratory diagnostics a cornerstone for measuring efforts toward the epidemic control of HIV. A data-driven laboratory harmonization and standardization approach is one way to create efficiencies and ensure optimal laboratory procurements. Following the 2008 “Maputo Declaration on Strengthening of Laboratory Systems”—a call for government leadership in harmonizing tiered laboratory networks and standardizing testing services—several national ministries of health requested that the United States Government and in-country partners help implement the recommendations by facilitating laboratory harmonization and standardization workshops, with a primary focus on improving HIV laboratory service delivery. Between 2007 and 2015, harmonization and standardization workshops were held in 8 African countries. This article reviews progress in the harmonization of laboratory systems in these 8 countries. We examined agreed-upon instrument lists established at the workshops and compared them against instrument data from laboratory quantification exercises over time. We used this measure as an indicator of adherence to national procurement policies. We found high levels of diversity across laboratories’ diagnostic instruments, equipment, and services. This diversity contributes to different levels of compliance with expected service delivery standards. We believe the following challenges to be the most important to address: (1) lack of adherence to procurement policies, (2) absence or limited influence of a coordinating body to fully implement harmonization proposals, and (3) misalignment of laboratory policies with minimum packages of care and with national HIV care and treatment guidelines. Overall, the effort to implement the recommendations from the Maputo Declaration has had mixed success and is a work in progress. Program managers should continue efforts to

Performance audits and laboratory comparisons for SCOS97-NARSTO measurements of speciated volatile organic compounds

Science.gov (United States)

Fujita, Eric M.; Harshfield, Gregory; Sheetz, Laurence

Performance audits and laboratory comparisons were conducted as part of the quality assurance program for the 1997 Southern California Ozone Study (SCOS97-NARSTO) to document potential measurement biases among laboratories measuring speciated nonmethane hydrocarbons (NMHC), carbonyl compounds, halogenated compounds, and biogenic hydrocarbons. The results show that measurements of volatile organic compounds (VOC) made during SCOS97-NARSTO are generally consistent with specified data quality objectives. The hydrocarbon comparison involved nine laboratories and consisted of two sets of collocated ambient samples. The coefficients of variation among laboratories for the sum of the 55 PAM target compounds and total NMHC ranged from ±5 to 15 percent for ambient samples from Los Angeles and Azusa. Abundant hydrocarbons are consistently identified by all laboratories, but discrepancies occur for olefins greater than C 4 and for hydrocarbons greater than C 8. Laboratory comparisons for halogenated compounds and biogenic hydrocarbons consisted of both concurrent ambient sampling by different laboratories and round-robin analysis of ambient samples. The coefficients of variation among participating laboratories were about 10-20 percent. Performance audits were conducted for measurement of carbonyl compounds involving sampling from a standard mixture of carbonyl compounds. The values reported by most of the laboratories were within 10-20 percent of those of the reference laboratory. Results of field measurement comparisons showed larger variations among the laboratories ranging from 20 to 40 percent for C 1-C 3 carbonyl compounds. The greater variations observed in the field measurement comparison may reflect potential sampling artifacts, which the performance audits did not address.

[Building and implementation of management system in laboratories of the National Institute of Hygiene].

Science.gov (United States)

Rozbicka, Beata; Brulińska-Ostrowska, Elzbieta

2008-01-01

The rules of good laboratory practice have always been observed in the laboratories of National Institute of Hygiene (NIH) and the reliability of the results has been carefully cared after when performing tests for clients. In 2003 the laboratories performing analyses related to food safety were designated as the national reference laboratories. This, added to the necessity of compliance with work standards and requirements of EU legislation and to the need of confirmation of competence by an independent organisation, led to a decision to seek accreditation of Polish Centre of Accreditation (PCA). The following stages of building and implementation of management system were presented: training, modifications of Institute's organisational structure, elaboration of management system's documentation, renovation and refurbishment of laboratory facilities, implementation of measuring and test equipment's supervision, internal audits and management review. The importance of earlier experiences and achievements with regard to validation of analytical methods and guarding of the quality of the results through organisation and participation in proficiency tests was highlighted. Current status of accreditation of testing procedures used in NIH laboratories that perform analyses in the field of chemistry, microbiology, radiobiology and medical diagnostic tests was presented.

Road Transportable Analytical Laboratory (RTAL) system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Finger, S.M.

1995-01-01

U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) facilities around the country have, over the years, become contaminated with radionuclides and a range of organic and inorganic wastes. Many of the DOE sites encompass large land areas and were originally sited in relatively unpopulated regions of the country to minimize risk to surrounding populations. In addition, wastes were sometimes stored underground at the sites in 55-gallon drums, wood boxes or other containers until final disposal methods could be determined. Over the years, these containers have deteriorated, releasing contaminants into the surrounding environment. This contamination has spread, in some cases polluting extensive areas. The DOE would benefit greatly if it had reliable, road transportable, fully independent laboratory systems that could perform on-site the full range of analyses required. The goal of the Road Transportable Analytical Laboratory (RTAL) project is the development and demonstration of a system to meet the unique needs of the DOE for rapid, accurate analysis of a wide variety of hazardous and radioactive contaminants in soils, ground water and surface waters. This document describes the requirements for such a laboratory

Laboratory system strengthening and quality improvement in Ethiopia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tilahun M. Hiwotu

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Background: In 2010, a National Laboratory Strategic Plan was set forth in Ethiopia to strengthen laboratory quality systems and set the stage for laboratory accreditation. As a result, the Strengthening Laboratory Management Toward Accreditation (SLMTA programme was initiated in 45 Ethiopian laboratories. Objectives: This article discusses the implementation of the programme, the findings from the evaluation process and key challenges. Methods: The 45 laboratories were divided into two consecutive cohorts and staff from each laboratory participated in SLMTA training and improvement projects. The average amount of supportive supervision conducted in the laboratories was 68 hours for cohort I and two hoursfor cohort II. Baseline and exit audits were conducted in 44 of the laboratories and percent compliance was determined using a checklist with scores divided into zero- to five-star ratinglevels. Results: Improvements, ranging from < 1 to 51 percentage points, were noted in 42 laboratories, whilst decreases were recorded in two. The average scores at the baseline and exit audits were 40% and 58% for cohort I (p < 0.01; and 42% and 53% for cohort II (p < 0.01,respectively. The p-value for difference between cohorts was 0.07. At the exit audit, 61% ofthe first and 48% of the second cohort laboratories achieved an increase in star rating. Poor awareness, lack of harmonisation with other facility activities and the absence of a quality manual were challenges identified. Conclusion: Improvements resulting from SLMTA implementation are encouraging. Continuous advocacy at all levels of the health system is needed to ensure involvement of stakeholders and integration with other improvement initiatives and routine activities.

Environmental Measurements Laboratory 2002 Unit Performance Plan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None

2001-10-01

This EML Unit Performance Plan provides the key goals and performance measures for FY 2002 and continuing to FY 2003. The purpose of the Plan is to inform EML's stakeholders and customers of the Laboratory's products and services, and its accomplishments and future challenges. Also incorporated in the Unit Performance Plan is EML's Communication Plan for FY 2002.

Cataclastic effects in rock salt laboratory and in situ measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gramberg, J.; Roest, J.P.A.

1984-01-01

The aim of the research is the determination of eventual cataclastic effects in environmental rock salt of a heated part of a vertical deep test bore hole, a model for HLW disposal. Known cataclastic systems from hard rock mining and rock salt mines will form the starting point for the explanation of convergence of underground cavity walls. In rock salt, however, different elements seem to prevail: crystal plasticity and micro-cataclasis. The environmental measurements at the deep bore hole have to be carried out from a distance. To this end the acoustic micro-seismic method will be a suitable one. The appropriate equipment for micro-seismic cross hole measurement is designed, constructed and tested in the laboratory as well as underground. Acoustic velocity data form a crucial point. A micro-seismic acoustic P-wave model, adapted to the process of structural changes, is developed. P-wave velocity measurements in rock salt cubes in the laboratory are described. An underground cross hole measurement in the wall of a gallery with semi-circular section is treated and analysed. A conclusion was that, in this case, no macro-cataclasis (systematic large fractures) will be involved in the process of gallery convergence, but that the mechanism proved to be a combination of crystal plasticity and micro-cataclasis. The same mechanism might be expected to be present in the environmental rock salt of the HLW-disposal deep bore hole. As a result this environmental rock salt might be expected to be impermeable. A plan for the application of the developed equipment during the heating test on the ECN-deep-bore-hole is shown. A theory on ''disking'' or ''rim cracks'' is presented in an annex

New measurements of G using the measurement standards laboratory torsion balance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Armstrong, T.R.; Fitzgerald, M.P.

2003-01-01

This Letter presents the results of a series of measurements of the Newtonian gravitational constant G using the compensated torsion balance developed at the Measurement Standards Laboratory. Since our last published result using the torsion balance in the compensated mode of operation [Meas. Sci. Technol. 10, 439 (1999)], several improvements have been made to reduce the uncertainty in the final result. The new measurements have used both stainless steel and copper large masses. The values of G for the two sets of masses are in good agreement. After combining all of the measurements we get a value of G=6.673 87(0.000 27)x10 -11 m 3 kg -1 s -2 . This new value is 5 parts in 10 5 smaller than our previous published values

Hazardous waste systems analysis at Los Alamos National Laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Urioste, J.

1997-01-01

Los Alamos National Laboratory produces routine and non-routine hazardous waste as a by-product of mission operations. Hazardous waste commonly generated at the Laboratory includes many types of laboratory research chemicals, solvents, acids, bases, carcinogens, compressed gases, metals, and other solid waste contaminated with hazardous waste. The Los Alamos National Laboratory Environmental Stewardship Office has established a Hazardous Waste Minimization Coordinator to specifically focus on routine and non-routine RCRA, TSCA, and other administratively controlled wastes. In this process, the Waste Minimization Coordinator has developed and implemented a systems approach to define waste streams, estimate waste management costs and develop plans to implement avoidance practices, and develop projects to reduce or eliminate the waste streams at the Laboratory. The paper describes this systems approach

Laboratory versus industrial cutting force sensor in tool condition monitoring system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Szwajka, K

2005-01-01

Research works concerning the utilisation of cutting force measures in tool condition monitoring usually present results and deliberations based on laboratory sensors. These sensors are too fragile to be used in industrial practice. Industrial sensors employed on the factory floor are less accurate, and this must be taken into account when creating a tool condition monitoring strategy. Another drawback of most of these works is that constant cutting parameters are used for the entire tool life. This does not reflect industrial practice where the same tool is used at different feeds and depths of cut in sequential passes. This paper presents a comparison of signals originating from laboratory and industrial cutting force sensors. The usability of the sensor output was studied during a laboratory simulation of industrial cutting conditions. Instead of building mathematical models for the correlation between tool wear and cutting force, an FFBP artificial neural network was used to find which combination of input data would provide an acceptable estimation of tool wear. The results obtained proved that cross talk between channels has an important influence on cutting force measurements, however this input configuration can be used for a tool condition monitoring system

Laser Tracker Calibration - Testing the Angle Measurement System -

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gassner, Georg; Ruland, Robert; /SLAC

2008-12-05

Physics experiments at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory (SLAC) usually require high accuracy positioning, e. g. 100 {micro}m over a distance of 150 m or 25 {micro}m in a 10 x 10 x 3 meter volume. Laser tracker measurement systems have become one of the most important tools for achieving these accuracies when mapping components. The accuracy of these measurements is related to the manufacturing tolerances of various individual components, the resolutions of measurement systems, the overall precision of the assembly, and how well imperfections can be modeled. As with theodolites and total stations, one can remove the effects of most assembly and calibration errors by measuring targets in both direct and reverse positions and computing the mean to obtain the result. However, this approach does not compensate for errors originating from the encoder system. In order to improve and gain a better understanding of laser tracker angle measurement tolerances we extended our laboratory's capabilities with the addition of a horizontal angle calibration test stand. This setup is based on the use of a high precision rotary table providing an angular accuracy of better than 0.2 arcsec. Presently, our setup permits only tests of the horizontal angle measurement system. A test stand for vertical angle calibration is under construction. Distance measurements (LECOCQ & FUSS, 2000) are compared to an interferometer bench for distances of up to 32 m. Together both tests provide a better understanding of the instrument and how it should be operated. The observations also provide a reasonable estimate of covariance information of the measurements according to their actual performance for network adjustments.

Fuel Cell Development and Test Laboratory | Energy Systems Integration

Science.gov (United States)

Facility | NREL Fuel Cell Development and Test Laboratory Fuel Cell Development and Test Laboratory The Energy System Integration Facility's Fuel Cell Development and Test Laboratory supports fuel cell research and development projects through in-situ fuel cell testing. Photo of a researcher running

ELAN - expert system supported information and management system for analytical laboratories. ELAN - Expertengestuetztes Informationssystem fuer die Laboranalytik

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Orth, H.; Zilly, G.

1990-05-01

The demand for high efficiency and short response time calls for the use of computer support in chemico-analytical laboratories. This is usually achieved by laboratory information and management systems covering the three levels of analytical instrument automation, laboratory operation support and laboratory management. The management component of the systems implemented up to now suffers from a lack of flexibility as far as unforeseen analytical investigations outside the laboratory routine work are concerned. Another drawback is the lack of adaptability with respect to structural changes in laboratory organization. It can be eliminated by the application of expert system structures and methods for the implementation of this system level. The ELAN laboratory information and management system has been developed on the basis of this concept. (orig.).

Performance of the RAD-57 pulse CO-oximeter compared with standard laboratory carboxyhemoglobin measurement.

Science.gov (United States)

Touger, Michael; Birnbaum, Adrienne; Wang, Jessica; Chou, Katherine; Pearson, Darion; Bijur, Polly

2010-10-01

We assess agreement between carboxyhemoglobin levels measured by the Rad-57 signal extraction pulse CO-oximeter (RAD), a Food and Drug Administration-approved device for noninvasive bedside measurement, and standard laboratory arterial or venous measurement in a sample of emergency department (ED) patients with suspected carbon monoxide poisoning. The study was a cross-sectional cohort design using a convenience sample of adult and pediatric ED patients in a Level I trauma, burn, and hyperbaric oxygen referral center. Measurement of RAD carboxyhemoglobin was performed simultaneously with blood sampling for laboratory determination of carboxyhemoglobin level. The difference between the measures for each patient was calculated as laboratory carboxyhemoglobin minus carboxyhemoglobin from the carbon monoxide oximeter. The limits of agreement from a Bland-Altman analysis are calculated as the mean of the differences between methods ±1.96 SDs above and below the mean. Median laboratory percentage carboxyhemoglobin level was 2.3% (interquartile range 1 to 8.5; range 0% to 38%). The mean difference between laboratory carboxyhemoglobin values and RAD values was 1.4% carboxyhemoglobin (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.2% to 2.6%). The limits of agreement of differences of measurement made with the 2 devices were -11.6% and 14.4% carboxyhemoglobin. This range exceeded the value of ±5% carboxyhemoglobin defined a priori as clinically acceptable. RAD correctly identified 11 of 23 patients with laboratory values greater than 15% carboxyhemoglobin (sensitivity 48%; 95% CI 27% to 69%). There was one case of a laboratory carboxyhemoglobin level less than 15%, in which the RAD device gave a result greater than 15% (specificity of RAD 96/97=99%; 95% CI 94% to 100%). In the range of carboxyhemoglobin values measured in this sample, the level of agreement observed suggests RAD measurement may not be used interchangeably with standard laboratory measurement. Copyright © 2010 American

Environmental Measurements Laboratory program review, December 1983

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Volchok, H.L.; de Planque, G.

1984-03-01

This volume contains all of the written material that was submitted to the panel of Reviewers in advance of a Program Review conducted by the US Department of Energy, Office of Health and Environmental Research at the Environmental Measurements Laboratory (EML) December 7-9, 1983. In addition to a general introduction there are nineteen papers grouped into the five broad program categories covering all of the scientific and engineering projects of the Laboratory: Natural Radioactivity and Radiation, Anthropogenic Radioactivity and Radiation, Non-nuclear, Quality Assurance, and Development and Support. These short articles, for the most part, focus on the rationale for EML's involvement in each project, emphasizing their relevance to the EML and Department of Energy missions. Project results and their interpretation were presented at the Review and can be found in the material referenced in this volume

A Next-Generation Automated Holdup Measurement System (HMS-5)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gariazzo, Claudio Andres; Smith, Steven E.; Solodov, Alexander A

2007-01-01

Holdup Measurement System 4 software (HMS4) has been in use at facilities to systematically measure and verify the amounts of uranium holdup in process facilities under safeguards since its release in 2004. It is a system for measuring uranium and plutonium and archiving holdup data (via barcoded locations with information) which is essential for any internationally safeguarded facility to monitor all amounts of residual special nuclear material (SNM). Additionally, HMS4 has been tested by sites in Russia, the United States, South Africa, and China for more effective application. Comments and lessons learned have been received over time and an updated version of the software would enable the international partners to use a wider variety of commercial equipment existing at these facilities. In June 2005, the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and Los Alamos National Laboratory conducted a holdup measurement training course on HMS4 for subject matter experts from the Ulba Metallurgical Facility at Ust-Kamenogorsk, Kazakhstan, which included an additional external software package for improved measurements of low-enriched uranium by using higher energy gamma-rays more readily found. Due to not being currently integrated into HMS4, it would be greatly beneficial to include this application in the next generation HMS software package (HMS-5). This software system upgrade would assist the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in having a more comprehensive software package and having it tested at several safeguarded locations. When released, HMS4 only supported AMETEK/ORTEC equipment despite many facilities currently utilizing Canberra Industries technology (detectors, multi-channel analyzers, other hardware, and software packages). For HMS-5 to support all available hardware systems and to benefit the majority of international partners and the IAEA, Canberra technology must be integrated because of such widespread use of its hardware. Furthermore, newly developed

Science outside the laboratory measurement in field science and economics

CERN Document Server

Boumans, Marcel

2015-01-01

The conduct of most of social science occurs outside the laboratory. Such studies in field science explore phenomena that cannot for practical, technical, or ethical reasons be explored under controlled conditions. These phenomena cannot be fully isolated from their environment or investigated by manipulation or intervention. Yet measurement, including rigorous or clinical measurement, does provide analysts with a sound basis for discerning what occurs under field conditions, and why. In Science Outside the Laboratory, Marcel Boumans explores the state of measurement theory, its reliability, and the role expert judgment plays in field investigations from the perspective of the philosophy of science. Its discussion of the problems of passive observation, the calculus of observation, the two-model problem, and model-based consensus uses illustrations drawn primarily from economics. Rich in research and discussion, the volume clarifies the extent to which measurement provides valid information about objects an...

Quality system of the Chemical Analysis Laboratory to fulfill the requirements with Certification Organizations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Merlo S, L.; Rodriguez L, R.; Cota S, G.

1996-01-01

In the present work was described the Quality System established in the Chemical Analysis Department to fulfill with the Organization requirements, personnel, measurement equipment, calibration, working procedures, etc. to get official acknowledgment by the National Assurance System for Testing laboratories, dependent of the General Standards Direction. There are described the available resources, the performance and control of each of one principal points of the system. (Author)

The structural analysis of zinc borate glass by laboratory EXAFS and X-ray diffraction measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kajinami, Akihiko; Harada, Yasushi; Inoue, Shinsuke; Deki, Shigehito; Umesaki, Norimasa

1999-01-01

The structure of zinc borate glass has been investigated by laboratory EXAFS and X-ray diffraction measurement as preliminary investigations for the detailed study in SPring-8. The zinc borate glass was prepared in the range from 40 to 65 mol% of zinc oxide content. The X-ray diffraction was measured by horizontal θ-θ goniometer with 60 kV and 300 mA output of Mo target. The EXAFS of zinc borate glass was measured by laboratory EXAFS system with 20 kV, 100 mA output of Mo target for the K absorption edge of zinc atom. From the X-ray diffraction and the EXAFS measurements, it is found that the zinc ion is surrounded by four oxygen atoms and formed a tetrahedral structure whose (Zn-O) distance is about 2 A and that the structure is unchanged with the zinc oxide content. The diffraction data show that the neighboring structure of boron atom transforms from BO 4 tetrahedra to BO 3 tetragonal planar structure with increasing of the zinc oxide content. (author)

Progress of the AVNG System - Attribute Verification System with Information Barriers for Mass Isotopics Measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Budnikov, D.; Bulatov, M.; Jarikhine, I.; Lebedev, B.; Livke, A.; Modenov, A.; Morkin, A.; Razinkov, S.; Tsaregorodtsev, D.; Vlokh, A.; Yakovleva, S.; Elmont, T.H.; Langner, D.C.; MacArthur, D.W.; Mayo, D.R.; Smith, M.K.; Luke, S.J.

2005-01-01

An attribute verification system (AVNG) with information barriers for mass and isotopics measurements has been designed and its fabrication is nearly completed. The AVNG is being built by scientists at the Russian Federal Nuclear Center-VNIIEF, with support of Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). Such a system could be used to verify the presence of several unclassified attributes of classified material with no classified information release. The system is comprised of a neutron multiplicity counter and gamma-spectrometry system based on a high purity germanium gamma detector (nominal relative efficiency @ 1332 keV 50%) and digital gamma-ray spectrometer DSPEC PLUS . The neutron multiplicity counter is a three ring counter with 164 3 He tubes. The system was designed to measure prototype containers 491 mm in diameter and 503 mm high. This paper provides a brief history of the project and documents the progress of this effort with drawings and photographs.

Dose measurements in laboratory of Physics department, University of Khartoum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hamid, Maria Mohammed

1999-05-01

Personal monitoring in University of Khartoum is being conducted using thermoluminescent dosimetry. The purpose of the study is to measure the dose of radiation in laboratory of Physics in physics department. TL phosphors LiF: Mg, Ti (card) and LiF Mg, Cu, P (GR-200) and mini-rad dosimeter are used to measure the dose in laboratory. The total dose for students form the laboratory bu using card, GR-200 and mini-rad dosimeter was found to be 2.2μ sv/year. 2.5 μ sv/year and 2.6 μ sv respectively, and for the teacher about 4.0 μ sv/year, 5.8 μ sv/year and 13.6 μ sv/year respectively, and for the dose near junk room about 3.9 μ sv/year, 2.9 μ sv/year and 2.8 μ sv/year by using card, GR-200 and mini-rad dosimeter respectively. There is just a background radiation in the main library and the applied nuclear.(Author)

Laboratory Information System – Where are we Today?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lukić Vera

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Wider implementation of laboratory information systems (LIS in clinical laboratories in Serbia has been initiated ten years ago. The first LIS in the Railway Health Care Institute has been implemented nine years ago. Before the LIS was initiated, manual admission procedures limited daily output of patients. Moreover, manual entering of patients data and ordering tests on analyzers was problematic and time consuming. After completing tests, laboratory personnel had to write results in patient register (with potential errors and provide invoices for health insurance organisation. First LIS brought forward some advantages with regards to these obstacles, but it also showed various weaknesses. These can be summarised in rigidity of system and inability to fulfil user expectation. After 4 years of use, we replaced this system with another LIS. Hence, the main aim of this paper is to evaluate advant ages of using LIS in laboratory of the Railway Health Care Institute and also to discuss further possibilities for its application. After implementing LIS, admission procedure has proven to be much faster. LIS enabled electronic requests, barcoded specimens prevent identification errors, bidirectional interface replaces redundant data entry steps, QC data are transferred automatically, results are electronically validated and automatically archived in data base, billing information is transferred electronically, and more. We also use some advanced options, like delta check, HIL feature, quality indicators and various types of reports. All steps in total testing process are drastically improved after the implementation of LIS, which had a positive impact on the quality of issued laboratory results. However, we expect development of some new features in the future, for example auto-verification and inventory management. On the example of the laboratory of the Railway Health Care Institute, we show that it is crucial that laboratory specialists have the main

Measurements of cutter forces and cutter temperature of boring machine in Aespoe Hard Rock Laboratory

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Z.X.; Kou, S.Q.; Lindqvist, P.-A. [Luleaa Univ. of Technology (Sweden)

2001-04-01

This report presents both the testing methods used and the testing results obtained for cutter forces and cutter temperature during field boring in Aespoe Hard Rock Laboratory. In order to estimate the strains induced by cutter forces in the cutter shaft and choose proper transducers, first a numerical simulation was performed. The simulation results indicated that the cutter forces should be measurable by ordinary strain gauges. Furthermore, an independent three-direction loading system for laboratory calibration was set up to solve force-coupling problems appearing in field measurements. By means of the established measuring system, which was proved successfully in the laboratory, the normal forces, tangential forces, and side forces of two button cutters in the boring machine were measured in the field. In addition, the temperature in the shaft of the front cutter was measured. After the measurements of the cutter forces and cutter temperature, rock core samples were taken from the bottom and the wall of the testing borehole. Then the samples were cut, polished, and examined by means of the Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). After that, the lengths of major cracks induced by the cutters in the rock samples were measured, and an approximate relationship between the length of the medium cracks and the relevant cutter forces was obtained. This relationship was compared with the theoretical relationship established before. Finally, according to the measured results, the cracked zones around the borehole were described. The results show that: (1) there are two kinds of cracked zones: one in the borehole wall and the other in the bottom of the borehole. The depth of the cracked zone in the borehole bottom is much larger than that in the borehole wall because the maximum normal force of the front cutter is always much larger than that of the gauge cutter. (2) Each cracked zone includes a densely cracked zone and all the longest medium cracks caused by mechanical

Mobile User Objective Systems (MUOS) Reference Implementation Laboratory (MRIL)

Data.gov (United States)

Federal Laboratory Consortium — The Mobile User Objective Systems (MUOS) Reference Implementation Laboratory (MRIL) performs verification and validation testing of various MUOS terminals. MRIL also...

Fluorescence quantum yield measurements of fluorescent proteins: a laboratory experiment for a biochemistry or molecular biophysics laboratory course.

Science.gov (United States)

Wall, Kathryn P; Dillon, Rebecca; Knowles, Michelle K

2015-01-01

Fluorescent proteins are commonly used in cell biology to assess where proteins are within a cell as a function of time and provide insight into intracellular protein function. However, the usefulness of a fluorescent protein depends directly on the quantum yield. The quantum yield relates the efficiency at which a fluorescent molecule converts absorbed photons into emitted photons and it is necessary to know for assessing what fluorescent protein is the most appropriate for a particular application. In this work, we have designed an upper-level, biochemistry laboratory experiment where students measure the fluorescence quantum yields of fluorescent proteins relative to a standard organic dye. Four fluorescent protein variants, enhanced cyan fluorescent protein (ECFP), enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP), mCitrine, and mCherry, were used, however the methods described are useful for the characterization of any fluorescent protein or could be expanded to fluorescent quantum yield measurements of organic dye molecules. The laboratory is designed as a guided inquiry project and takes two, 4 hr laboratory periods. During the first day students design the experiment by selecting the excitation wavelength, choosing the standard, and determining the concentration needed for the quantum yield experiment that takes place in the second laboratory period. Overall, this laboratory provides students with a guided inquiry learning experience and introduces concepts of fluorescence biophysics into a biochemistry laboratory curriculum. © 2014 The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

Sandia Laboratories technical capabilities: systems analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lundergan, C.D.

1975-06-01

The systems analysis capabilities at Sandia Laboratories are summarized. Selected applications of these capabilities are presented to illustrate the extent to which they can be applied in research and development programs. (U.S.)

Summarizing documentation of the laboratory automation system RADAR for the analytical services of a nuclear fuel reprocessing facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brandenburg, G.; Brocke, W.; Brodda, B.G.; Buerger, K.; Halling, H.; Heer, H.; Puetz, K.; Schaedlich, W.; Watzlawik, K.H.

1981-12-01

The essential tasks of the system are on-line open-loop process control based on in-line measurements and automation of the off-line analytical laboratory. The in-line measurements (at 55 tanks of the chemical process area) provide density-, liquid-, level-, and temperature values. The concentration value of a single component may easily be determined, if the solution consists of no more than two phases. The automation of the off-line analytical laboratory contains laboratory organization including sample management and data organization and computer-aided sample transportation control, data acquisition and data processing at chemical and nuclear analytical devices. The computer system consists of two computer-subsystems: a front end system for sample central registration and in-line process control and a central size system for the off-line analytical tasks. The organization of the application oriented system uses a centralized data base. Similar data processing functions concerning different analytical management tasks are structured into the following subsystem: man machine interface, interrupt- and data acquisition system, data base, protocol service and data processing. The procedures for the laboratory management (organization and experiment sequences) are defined by application data bases. Following the project phases, engineering requirements-, design-, assembly-, start up- and test run phase are described. In addition figures on expenditure and experiences are given and the system concept is discussed. (orig./HP) [de

Seawater circulating system in an aquaculture laboratory

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Chatterji, A.; Ingole, B.S.; Parulekar, A.H.

The note gives an account, for the first time in India, of an Aquaculture Laboratory with open type seawater circulating system developed at the National Institute of Oceanography, Goa, India. Besides describing the details of the system...

Recirculating ventilation system for radioactive laboratories

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kotrappa, P.; Menon, V.B.; Dingankar, M.V.; Chandramoleshwar, K.; Bhargava, B.L.

1980-01-01

Radioactive laboratories designed to handle toxic substances such as plutonium are required to have ''once through'' ventilation scheme. This is an expensive proposition particularly when conditioned air is required. A recent approach is to have recirculatory system with exhausted air passing through absolute (HEPA) filters. This scheme not only drastically reduces capital costs but also substantially cuts down maintenance and running costs. Experiments emplyoing aerosol clearance techniques were conducted to specifically establish that this new scheme meets all the health physics safety stipulations laid down for such installations. It is shown that the ''once through'' system is three times more expensive compared to the recirculation system adopted in Purnima Laboratories. Further a saving of 70% is also achieved in running and operating costs. Therefore the new approach deserves serious consideration in future planning of similar projects, particularly in view of the fact that the considerable savings achievable both in terms of money and energy are without in any way compromising on safety. (auth.)

Variability of creatinine measurements in clinical laboratories: results from the CRIC study.

Science.gov (United States)

Joffe, Marshall; Hsu, Chi-yuan; Feldman, Harold I; Weir, Matthew; Landis, J R; Hamm, L Lee

2010-01-01

Estimating equations using serum creatinine (SCr) are often used to assess glomerular filtration rate (GFR). Such creatinine (Cr)-based formulae may produce biased estimates of GFR when using Cr measurements that have not been calibrated to reference laboratories. In this paper, we sought to examine the degree of this variation in Cr assays in several laboratories associated with academic medical centers affiliated with the Chronic Renal Insufficiency Cohort (CRIC) Study; to consider how best to correct for this variation, and to quantify the impact of such corrections on eligibility for participation in CRIC. Variability of Cr is of particular concern in the conduct of CRIC, a large multicenter study of subjects with chronic renal disease, because eligibility for the study depends on Cr-based assessment of GFR. A library of 5 large volume plasma specimens from apheresis patients was assembled, representing levels of plasma Cr from 0.8 to 2.4 mg/dl. Samples from this library were used for measurement of Cr at each of the 14 CRIC laboratories repetitively over time. We used graphical displays and linear regression methods to examine the variability in Cr, and used linear regression to develop calibration equations. We also examined the impact of the various calibration equations on the proportion of subjects screened as potential participants who were actually eligible for the study. There was substantial variability in Cr assays across laboratories and over time. We developed calibration equations for each laboratory; these equations varied substantially among laboratories and somewhat over time in some laboratories. The laboratory site contributed the most to variability (51% of the variance unexplained by the specimen) and variation with time accounted for another 15%. In some laboratories, calibration equations resulted in differences in eligibility for CRIC of as much as 20%. The substantial variability in SCr assays across laboratories necessitates calibration

Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS): A case study

Science.gov (United States)

Crandall, Karen S.; Auping, Judith V.; Megargle, Robert G.

1987-01-01

In the late 70's, a refurbishment of the analytical laboratories serving the Materials Division at NASA Lewis Research Center was undertaken. As part of the modernization efforts, a Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) was to be included. Preliminary studies indicated a custom-designed system as the best choice in order to satisfy all of the requirements. A scaled down version of the original design has been in operation since 1984. The LIMS, a combination of computer hardware, provides the chemical characterization laboratory with an information data base, a report generator, a user interface, and networking capabilities. This paper is an account of the processes involved in designing and implementing that LIMS.

An open microcomputer-based laboratory system for perceptional experimentality

Science.gov (United States)

Hamalainen, Ari

A computer, equipped with hardware for acquiring data about the properties of a physical system and programs for processing that data, is a powerful tool for physics research and instruction. There is strong evidence that utilizing microcomputer-based laboratories (MBLs) in instruction can lead to significantly improved learning. The perceptional approach is a method for physics instruction, developed at the Department of Physics, University of Helsinki. Its main arguments are that the meanings of the concepts must be learnt before their formal definitions and adoption, and that learning and research are fundamentally similar concept formation processes. Applying the perceptional approach requires the ability to perform quantitative experiments, either as students' laboratory exercises or as lecture demonstrations, and to process their results. MBL tools are essential for this. In student's laboratory exercises, they reduce the routine work and leave more time for the actual learning. In lecture demonstrations, they make it possible to perform the experiments in the tight time limits. At a previous stage of the research, a set of requirements was found that the perceptional approach places on MBL systems. The primary goal of this thesis is to build a prototype of a MBL system that would fulfil these requirements. A secondary goal is to describe technical aspects of a computerized measurement system from the standpoint of educational use. The prototype was built using mostly commercial sensors and data acquisition units. The software was written with a visual programming language, designed for instrumentation applications. The prototype system was developed and tested with a set of demonstrations of various topics in the Finnish high school physics curriculum, which were implemented according to the perceptional approach. Limited usability tests were also performed. The prototype was improved, until it could perform the test demonstrations. It was found to meet the

Intercomparison of in vivo monitoring systems in Europe. Results from Risoe National Laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lauridsen, B.; Soegaard-Hansen, J.

1996-12-01

This report contains the contribution from Risoe National Laboratory to the European project: 'Intercomparison of in Vivo Monitoring Systems in Europe'. The whole-body counter at Risoe and the measurement on a phantom used as an intercalibration object in the project is described. In four case studies, prepared by the project coordinator, intakes of radionuclides and resulting doses are calculated. These calculations are based on informations on the radioactive materials taken into the body, routes of intake and on body contents of radionuclides from simulated single or multiple whole-body measurement. The answer from Risoe National Laboratory to two questionnaires - one on the whole-body counting facility and calibration methods and one on the legal requirements is the country - is listed. (au)

Quality control of calibration system for area monitors at National Laboratory of Metrology from Ionizing Radiations (LNMRI)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ramos, M.M.O.; Freitas, L.C. de

1992-01-01

The quality control of equipment used in calibration from the National Laboratory of Metrology on Ionizing Radiations is presented, with results of standard measure systems and irradiation system. Tables and graphics with the quality of systems are also shown. (C.G.C.)

Implementing planetary protection measures on the Mars Science Laboratory.

Science.gov (United States)

Benardini, James N; La Duc, Myron T; Beaudet, Robert A; Koukol, Robert

2014-01-01

The Mars Science Laboratory (MSL), comprising a cruise stage; an aeroshell; an entry, descent, and landing system; and the radioisotope thermoelectric generator-powered Curiosity rover, made history with its unprecedented sky crane landing on Mars on August 6, 2012. The mission's primary science objective has been to explore the area surrounding Gale Crater and assess its habitability for past life. Because microbial contamination could profoundly impact the integrity of the mission and compliance with international treaty was required, planetary protection measures were implemented on MSL hardware to verify that bioburden levels complied with NASA regulations. By applying the proper antimicrobial countermeasures throughout all phases of assembly, the total bacterial endospore burden of MSL at the time of launch was kept to 2.78×10⁵ spores, well within the required specification of less than 5.0×10⁵ spores. The total spore burden of the exposed surfaces of the landed MSL hardware was 5.64×10⁴, well below the allowed limit of 3.0×10⁵ spores. At the time of launch, the MSL spacecraft was burdened with an average of 22 spores/m², which included both planned landed and planned impacted hardware. Here, we report the results of a campaign to implement and verify planetary protection measures on the MSL flight system.

Improving performance in the ED through laboratory information exchange systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Raymond, Louis; Paré, Guy; Maillet, Éric; Ortiz de Guinea, Ana; Trudel, Marie-Claude; Marsan, Josianne

2018-03-12

The accessibility of laboratory test results is crucial to the performance of emergency departments and to the safety of patients. This study aims to develop a better understanding of which laboratory information exchange (LIE) systems emergency care physicians (ECPs) are using to consult their patients' laboratory test results and which benefits they derive from such use. A survey of 163 (36%) ECPs in Quebec was conducted in collaboration with the Quebec's Department of Health and Social Services. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, cluster analyses, and ANOVAs were conducted. The great majority of respondents indicated that they use several LIE systems including interoperable electronic health record (iEHR) systems, laboratory results viewers (LRVs), and emergency department information systems (EDIS) to consult their patients' laboratory results. Three distinct profiles of LIE users were observed. The extent of LIE usage was found to be primarily determined by the functional design differences between LIE systems available in the EDs. Our findings also indicate that the more widespread LIE usage, the higher the perceived benefits. More specifically, physicians who make extensive use of iEHR systems and LRVs obtain the widest range of benefits in terms of efficiency, quality, and safety of emergency care. Extensive use of LIE systems allows ECPs to better determine and monitor the health status of their patients, verify their diagnostic assumptions, and apply evidence-based practices in laboratory medicine. But for such benefits to be possible, ECPs must be provided with LIE systems that produce accurate, up-to-date, complete, and easy-to-interpret information.

Measurement accuracy of weighing and tipping-bucket rainfall intensity gauges under dynamic laboratory testing

Science.gov (United States)

Colli, M.; Lanza, L. G.; La Barbera, P.; Chan, P. W.

2014-07-01

The contribution of any single uncertainty factor in the resulting performance of infield rain gauge measurements still has to be comprehensively assessed due to the high number of real world error sources involved, such as the intrinsic variability of rainfall intensity (RI), wind effects, wetting losses, the ambient temperature, etc. In recent years the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) addressed these issues by fostering dedicated investigations, which revealed further difficulties in assessing the actual reference rainfall intensity in the field. This work reports on an extensive assessment of the OTT Pluvio2 weighing gauge accuracy when measuring rainfall intensity under laboratory dynamic conditions (time varying reference flow rates). The results obtained from the weighing rain gauge (WG) were also compared with a MTX tipping-bucket rain gauge (TBR) under the same test conditions. Tests were carried out by simulating various artificial precipitation events, with unsteady rainfall intensity, using a suitable dynamic rainfall generator. Real world rainfall data measured by an Ogawa catching-type drop counter at a field test site located within the Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) were used as a reference for the artificial rain generation system. Results demonstrate that the differences observed between the laboratory and field performance of catching-type gauges are only partially attributable to the weather and operational conditions in the field. The dynamics of real world precipitation events is responsible for a large part of the measurement errors, which can be accurately assessed in the laboratory under controlled environmental conditions. This allows for new testing methodologies and the development of instruments with enhanced performance in the field.

Quality assurance in the measurement of internal radioactive contamination and dose assessment and the United States Department of Energy Laboratory Accreditation Program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bhatt, Anita

2016-01-01

The Quality Assurance for analytical measurement of internal radioactive contamination and dose assessment in the United States (US) is achieved through the US Department of Energy (DOE) Laboratory Accreditation Program (DOELAP) for both Dosimetry and Radio bioassay laboratories for approximately 150,000 radiation workers. This presentation will explain the link between Quality Assurance and the DOELAP Accreditation process. DOELAP is a DOE complex-wide safety program that ensures the quality of worker radiation protection programs. DOELAP tests the ability of laboratories to accurately measure and quantify radiation dose to workers and assures the laboratories quality systems are capable of defending and sustaining their measurement results. The United States Law in Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations 835 requires that personnel Dosimetry and Radio bioassay programs be tested and accredited

Customizable Electronic Laboratory Online (CELO): A Web-based Data Management System Builder for Biomedical Research Laboratories

Science.gov (United States)

Fong, Christine; Brinkley, James F.

2006-01-01

A common challenge among today’s biomedical research labs is managing growing amounts of research data. In order to reduce the time and resource costs of building data management tools, we designed the Customizable Electronic Laboratory Online (CELO) system. CELO automatically creates a generic database and web interface for laboratories that submit a simple web registration form. Laboratories can then use a collection of predefined XML templates to assist with the design of a database schema. Users can immediately utilize the web-based system to query data, manage multimedia files, and securely share data remotely over the internet. PMID:17238541

In-situ measurement of environment radioactivity by mobile nuclear field laboratory (MNFL)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gopalani, Deepak; Mathur, A.P.; Rawat, D.K.; Barala, S.S.; Singhal, K.P.; Singh, G.P.; Samant, R.P.

2008-01-01

In-situ measurement of environment radioactivity is useful tool for determine the unusual increase of radioactivity at any place due to any nuclear eventuality take place. A mobile nuclear field laboratory has been designed and developed for in-situ measurement of environment radioactivity at any desired location. This vehicle is equipped with different monitoring and analysis instruments. These equipment can be operated while vehicle is moving. The measured data can be stored in computer. This vehicle has the space for storage of various environmental matrices of affected area and these can analysis in laboratory. (author)

Open-circuit respirometry: real-time, laboratory-based systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Ward, Susan A

2018-05-04

This review explores the conceptual and technological factors integral to the development of laboratory-based, automated real-time open-circuit mixing-chamber and breath-by-breath (B × B) gas-exchange systems, together with considerations of assumptions and limitations. Advances in sensor technology, signal analysis, and digital computation led to the emergence of these technologies in the mid-20th century, at a time when investigators were beginning to recognise the interpretational advantages of nonsteady-state physiological-system interrogation in understanding the aetiology of exercise (in)tolerance in health, sport, and disease. Key milestones include the 'Auchincloss' description of an off-line system to estimate alveolar O 2 uptake B × B during exercise. This was followed by the first descriptions of real-time automated O 2 uptake and CO 2 output B × B measurement by Beaver and colleagues and by Linnarsson and Lindborg, and mixing-chamber measurement by Wilmore and colleagues. Challenges to both approaches soon emerged: e.g., the influence of mixing-chamber washout kinetics on mixed-expired gas concentration determination, and B × B alignment of gas-concentration signals with respired flow. The challenging algorithmic and technical refinements required for gas-exchange estimation at the alveolar level have also been extensively explored. In conclusion, while the technology (both hardware and software) underpinning real-time automated gas-exchange measurement has progressively advanced, there are still concerns regarding accuracy especially under the challenging conditions of changing metabolic rate.

High power beam test and measurement of emittance evolution of a 1.6-cell photocathode RF gun at Pohang Accelerator Laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Jang-Ho; Park, Sung-Ju; Kim, Changbum; Huang, Jung-Yun; Ko, In Soo; Parc, Yong-Woon; Hong, Ju-Ho; Xiang Dao; Wang, Xijie

2007-01-01

A Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) GUN-IV type photocathode rf gun has been fabricated to use in femtosecond electron diffraction (FED), femtosecond far infrared radiation (fs-FIR) facility, and X-ray free electron laser (XFEL) facilities at the Pohang Accelerator Laboratory (PAL). The gun consists of a 1.6-cell cavity with a copper cathode, a solenoid magnet, beam diagnostic components and auxiliary systems. We report here the measurement of the basic beam parameters which confirm a successful fabrication of the photocathode RF gun system. The emittance evolution is measured by an emittance meter and compared with the PARMELA simulation, which shows a good agreement. (author)

Automation of metrological operations on measuring apparatuses of radiation monitoring system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kulich, V.; Studeny, J.

1995-01-01

(J.K.)In this paper the measuring apparatuses of ionizing radiation for the radiation monitoring of NPP Dukovany operation is described. The increase of metrological operations number has been made possible only by a timely reconstruction of the laboratory and by computerization of the measuring procedure and of administrative work which consists mainly of recording of a great number information pieces about the observed measuring apparatuses. There are three working places in the laboratory: 1) irradiation gamma stand with cesium-137 sources; 2) irradiation stand with plutonium-beryllium neutron sources; 3) spectrometric working place. With the regard to the uniqueness of the laboratory operation, all the works in the sphere of hardware as well as software has been implemented by own forces. The equipment of the laboratory makes possible to test metrologically all the radiation monitoring apparatuses used in NPP Dukovany. The quantity of operation of he laboratory of ionizing metrology qualifies the proper functioning of the radiation monitoring system, which directly influences the ensurance of nuclear safety of NPP Dukovany

Automation of metrological operations on measuring apparatuses of radiation monitoring system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kulich, V; Studeny, J [NPP Dukovany (Czech Republic)

1996-12-31

(J.K.)In this paper the measuring apparatuses of ionizing radiation for the radiation monitoring of NPP Dukovany operation is described. The increase of metrological operations number has been made possible only by a timely reconstruction of the laboratory and by computerization of the measuring procedure and of administrative work which consists mainly of recording of a great number information pieces about the observed measuring apparatuses. There are three working places in the laboratory: 1) irradiation gamma stand with cesium-137 sources; 2) irradiation stand with plutonium-beryllium neutron sources; 3) spectrometric working place. With the regard to the uniqueness of the laboratory operation, all the works in the sphere of hardware as well as software has been implemented by own forces. The equipment of the laboratory makes possible to test metrologically all the radiation monitoring apparatuses used in NPP Dukovany. The quantity of operation of he laboratory of ionizing metrology qualifies the proper functioning of the radiation monitoring system, which directly influences the ensurance of nuclear safety of NPP Dukovany.

Planning an Automatic Fire Detection, Alarm, and Extinguishing System for Research Laboratories

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rostam Golmohamadi

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Background & Objectives: Educational and research laboratories in universities have a high risk of fire, because they have a variety of materials and equipment. The aim of this study was to provide a technical plan for safety improvement in educational and research laboratories of a university based on the design of automatic detection, alarm, and extinguishing systems . Methods : In this study, fire risk assessment was performed based on the standard of Military Risk Assessment method (MIL-STD-882. For all laboratories, detection and fire alarm systems and optimal fixed fire extinguishing systems were designed. Results : Maximum and minimum risks of fire were in chemical water and wastewater (81.2% and physical agents (62.5% laboratories, respectively. For studied laboratories, we designed fire detection systems based on heat and smoke detectors. Also in these places, fire-extinguishing systems based on CO2 were designed . Conclusion : Due to high risk of fire in studied laboratories, the best control method for fire prevention and protection based on special features of these laboratories is using automatic detection, warning and fire extinguishing systems using CO2 .

Energy Yield Determination of Concentrator Solar Cells using Laboratory Measurements: Preprint

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Geisz, John F.; Garcia, Ivan; McMahon, William E.; Steiner, Myles A.; Ochoa, Mario; France, Ryan M.; Habte, Aron; Friedman, Daniel J.

2015-09-14

The annual energy conversion efficiency is calculated for a four junction inverted metamorphic solar cell that has been completely characterized in the laboratory at room temperature using measurements fit to a comprehensive optoelectronic model of the multijunction solar cells. A simple model of the temperature dependence is used to predict the performance of the solar cell under varying temperature and spectra characteristic of Golden, CO for an entire year. The annual energy conversion efficiency is calculated by integrating the predicted cell performance over the entire year. The effects of geometric concentration, CPV system thermal characteristics, and luminescent coupling are highlighted. temperature and spectra characteristic of Golden, CO for an entire year. The annual energy conversion efficiency is calculated by integrating the predicted cell performance over the entire year. The effects of geometric concentration, CPV system thermal characteristics, and luminescent coupling are highlighted.

Measuring Meaningful Learning in the Undergraduate Chemistry Laboratory: A National, Cross-Sectional Study

Science.gov (United States)

Galloway, Kelli R.; Bretz, Stacey Lowery

2015-01-01

Research on laboratory learning points to the need to better understand what and how students learn in the undergraduate chemistry laboratory. The Meaningful Learning in the Laboratory Instrument (MLLI) was administered to general and organic chemistry students from 15 colleges and universities across the United States in order to measure the…

Culturing Security System of Chemical Laboratory in Indonesia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eka Dian Pusfitasari

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Indonesia has experiences on the lack of chemical security such as: a number of bombing terrors and hazardous chemicals found in food. Bomb used in terror is a homemade bomb made from chemicals which are widely spread in the research laboratories such as a mixture of pottasium chlorate, sulphur, and alumunium. Therefore, security of chemicals should be implemented to avoid the misused of the chemicals. Although it has experienced many cases of the misuse of chemicals, and many regulations and seminars related to chemical security have been held, but the implementation of chemical security is still a new thing for Indonesian citizens. The evident is coming from the interviews conducted in this study. Questions asked in this interview/survey included: the implementation of chemical safety and chemical security in laboratory; chemical inventory system and its regulation; and training needed for chemical security implementation. Respondents were basically a researcher from Government Research Institutes, University laboratories, senior high school laboratories, and service laboratories were still ambiguous in distinguishing chemical safety and chemical security. Because of this condition, most Indonesia chemical laboratories did not totally apply chemical security system. Education is very important step to raise people awareness and address this problem. Law and regulations should be sustained by all laboratory personnel activities to avoid chemical diversion to be used for harming people and environment. The Indonesia Government could also develop practical guidelines and standards to be applied to all chemical laboratories in Indonesia. These acts can help Government’s efforts to promote chemical security best practices which usually conducted by doing seminars and workshop.

Meta-audit of laboratory ISO accreditation inspections: measuring the old emperor's clothes.

Science.gov (United States)

Wilson, Ian G; Smye, Michael; Wallace, Ian J C

2016-02-01

Accreditation to ISO/IEC 17025 is required for EC official food control and veterinary laboratories by Regulation (EC) No. 882/2004. Measurements in hospital laboratories and clinics are increasingly accredited to ISO/IEC 15189. Both of these management standards arose from command and control military standards for factory inspection during World War II. They rely on auditing of compliance and have not been validated internally as assessment bodies require of those they accredit. Neither have they been validated to criteria outside their own ideology such as the Cochrane principles of evidence-based medicine which might establish whether any benefit exceeds their cost. We undertook a retrospective meta-audit over 14 years of internal and external laboratory audits that checked compliance with ISO 17025 in a public health laboratory. Most noncompliances arose solely from clauses in the standard and would not affect users. No effect was likely from 91% of these. Fewer than 1% of noncompliances were likely to have consequences for the validity of results or quality of service. The ISO system of compliance auditing has the performance characteristics of a poor screening test. It adds substantially to costs and generates more noise (false positives) than informative signal. Ethical use of resources indicates that management standards should not be used unless proven to deliver the efficacy, effectiveness, and value required of modern healthcare interventions. © 2015 The Authors. MicrobiologyOpen published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Protective Systems Laboratory

Data.gov (United States)

Federal Laboratory Consortium — This laboratory is a 40 by 28 by 9 foot facility that is equipped with tools for the development of various items of control technology related to the transmission...

Impact of laboratory accreditation on patient care and the health system.

Science.gov (United States)

Peter, Trevor F; Rotz, Philip D; Blair, Duncan H; Khine, Aye-Aye; Freeman, Richard R; Murtagh, Maurine M

2010-10-01

Accreditation is emerging as a preferred framework for building quality medical laboratory systems in resource-limited settings. Despite the low numbers of laboratories accredited to date, accreditation has the potential to improve the quality of health care for patients through the reduction of testing errors and attendant decreases in inappropriate treatment. Accredited laboratories can become more accountable and less dependent on external support. Efforts made to achieve accreditation may also lead to improvements in the management of laboratory networks by focusing attention on areas of greatest need and accelerating improvement in areas such as supply chain, training, and instrument maintenance. Laboratory accreditation may also have a positive influence on performance in other areas of health care systems by allowing laboratories to demonstrate high standards of service delivery. Accreditation may, thus, provide an effective mechanism for health system improvement yielding long-term benefits in the quality, cost-effectiveness, and sustainability of public health programs. Further studies are needed to strengthen the evidence on the benefits of accreditation and to justify the resources needed to implement accreditation programs aimed at improving the performance of laboratory systems.

Mobile laboratory for near real-time measurements of very low-level radioactivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sigg, R.A.

1984-01-01

The Tracking Radioactive Atmospheric Contaminants (TRAC) System is a mobile laboratory, developed by Savannah River Laboratory (SRL) to improve emergency response and environmental research capabilities at the Savannah River Plant (SRP). In the event of an atmospheric release, the TRAC laboratory can confirm the location and radionuclide composition of the downwind cloud by analyzing samples in near real-time in the field. Specialized monitoring systems were developed to analyze most radionuclides produced in SRP's diverse operations. Sensitivities are radionuclide dependent and can be below maximum permissible concentration (MPC) values by factors as large as one hundred thousand. 6 references, 6 figures

Measurement system for large motions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Noyes, R.; Davies, L.; Kalinowski, J.; Stubbs, T.

1979-05-01

The system used to measure the response of geologic media to stress waves generated during and after underground tests performed by the Lawrence Livermore Laboratory (LLL) at the Department of Energy's Nevada Test Site (NTS) is described. Included are descriptions of the system transducers and accelerometers, the procedures used in calibrating and packaging the system at the North Las Vegas Facility of EG and G, Inc., the positioning of equipment during fielding activities at NTS, and the procedures used at LLL's facilities in California to reduce and analyze the data recorded on magnetic tape at NTS during an underground nuclear explosion. In summarizing, the authors give the system high marks, attributing its success to good basic design, careful installation, and rigorous calibration and data analysis techniques applied with good judgement on the part of the instrumentation engineers and data analysts. 10 figures

Measuring whole-plant transpiration gravimetrically: a scalable automated system built from components

Science.gov (United States)

Damian Cirelli; Victor J. Lieffers; Melvin T. Tyree

2012-01-01

Measuring whole-plant transpiration is highly relevant considering the increasing interest in understanding and improving plant water use at the whole-plant level. We present an original software package (Amalthea) and a design to create a system for measuring transpiration using laboratory balances based on the readily available commodity hardware. The system is...

Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory Operations System: Version 4.0 - system requirements specification

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kashporenko, D.

1996-07-01

This document is intended to provide an operations standard for the Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory OPerations System (EMSL OPS). It is directed toward three primary audiences: (1) Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory (EMSL) facility and operations personnel; (2) laboratory line managers and staff; and (3) researchers, equipment operators, and laboratory users. It is also a statement of system requirements for software developers of EMSL OPS. The need for a finely tuned, superior research environment as provided by the US Department of Energy`s (DOE) Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory has never been greater. The abrupt end of the Cold War and the realignment of national priorities caused major US and competing overseas laboratories to reposition themselves in a highly competitive research marketplace. For a new laboratory such as the EMSL, this means coming into existence in a rapidly changing external environment. For any major laboratory, these changes create funding uncertainties and increasing global competition along with concomitant demands for higher standards of research product quality and innovation. While more laboratories are chasing fewer funding dollars, research ideas and proposals, especially for molecular-level research in the materials and biological sciences, are burgeoning. In such an economically constrained atmosphere, reduced costs, improved productivity, and strategic research project portfolio building become essential to establish and maintain any distinct competitive advantage. For EMSL, this environment and these demands require clear operational objectives, specific goals, and a well-crafted strategy. Specific goals will evolve and change with the evolution of the nature and definition of DOE`s environmental research needs. Hence, EMSL OPS is designed to facilitate migration of these changes with ease into every pertinent job function, creating a facile {open_quotes}learning organization.{close_quotes}

Developing a customised approach for strengthening tuberculosis laboratory quality management systems toward accreditation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Heidi Albert

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Background: Quality-assured tuberculosis laboratory services are critical to achieve global and national goals for tuberculosis prevention and care. Implementation of a quality management system (QMS in laboratories leads to improved quality of diagnostic tests and better patient care. The Strengthening Laboratory Management Toward Accreditation (SLMTA programme has led to measurable improvements in the QMS of clinical laboratories. However, progress in tuberculosis laboratories has been slower, which may be attributed to the need for a structured tuberculosis-specific approach to implementing QMS. We describe the development and early implementation of the Strengthening Tuberculosis Laboratory Management Toward Accreditation (TB SLMTA programme. Development: The TB SLMTA curriculum was developed by customizing the SLMTA curriculum to include specific tools, job aids and supplementary materials specific to the tuberculosis laboratory. The TB SLMTA Harmonized Checklist was developed from the World Health Organisation Regional Office for Africa Stepwise Laboratory Quality Improvement Process Towards Accreditation checklist, and incorporated tuberculosis-specific requirements from the Global Laboratory Initiative Stepwise Process Towards Tuberculosis Laboratory Accreditation online tool. Implementation: Four regional training-of-trainers workshops have been conducted since 2013. The TB SLMTA programme has been rolled out in 37 tuberculosis laboratories in 10 countries using the Workshop approach in 32 laboratories in five countries and the Facility based approach in five tuberculosis laboratories in five countries. Conclusion: Lessons learnt from early implementation of TB SLMTA suggest that a structured training and mentoring programme can build a foundation towards further quality improvement in tuberculosis laboratories. Structured mentoring, and institutionalisation of QMS into country programmes, is needed to support tuberculosis laboratories

Verification of Electromagnetic Field Measurements via Inter-laboratory Comparison Measurements

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Mann

2005-01-01

Full Text Available An inter-laboratory comparison of field strength measurements was conducted in order to verify the comparability of high-frequency electromagnetic field measurements. For this purpose, 17 participating teams hosted by the working group "procedures of exposure determination" of the LAI (Länderausschuss für Immissionsschutz, state committee on immission control determined the field strength at given stations around a hospital situation. At those stations very different signals were generated, such as sine wave signals at 27MHz and 433MHz, signals from a diathermy device in Continuous-Wave (CW and Pulse-Width-Modulation (PWM mode, from a GSM base station at 900MHz and 1800MHz, from a UMTS base station, from a babyphone device and from a DECT cordless phone. This contribution describes the evaluation of the measured values and the approach to the computation of a reference value. Considering various sources of electromagnetic fields in the areas of personal safety at work and of immission control, the most important results are presented and the conclusions drawn are discussed.

Laboratory Measurements of Optical Properties of Micron Size Individual Dust Grains

Science.gov (United States)

Abbas, M. M.; Craven, P. D.; Spann, J. F.; Tankosic, D.; LeClair, A.; Witherow, W. K.; Camata, R.; Gerakines, P.

2003-01-01

A laboratory program is being developed at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center for experimental determination of the optical and physical properties individual dust grains in simulated astrophysical environments. The experimental setup is based on an electrodynamic balance that permits levitation of single 0.1 - 10 micron radii dust grains in a cavity evacuated to pressures of approx. 10(exp -6) torr. The experimental apparatus is equipped with observational ports for measurements in the UV, visible, and infrared spectral regions. A cryogenic facility for cooling the particles to temperature of approx. 10-50K is being installed. The current and the planned measurements include: dust charging processes, photoelectric emissions and yields with UV irradiation, radiation pressure measurements, infrared absorption and scattering properties, and condensation processes, involving the analogs of cosmic dust grains. Selected results based on photoemissions, radiation pressure, and other laboratory measurements will be presented.

REFLECTANCE ANISOTROPY MEASUREMENTS USING A PUSHBROOM SPECTROMETER MOUNTED ON UAV AND A LABORATORY GONIOMETER – PRELIMINARY RESULTS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. Suomalainen

2015-08-01

Full Text Available During 2014–2015 we have developed a new method to measure reflectance factor anisotropy using a pushbroom spectrometer mounted on a multicopter UAV. In this paper/presentation we describe the acquisition method and show the preliminary results of the experiment. To validate the measurements the same targets have also been measured with a laboratory goniometer system. The first experiments over sugar beet fields in 2014 show similar trends in both UAV and laboratory anisotropy data, but also some differences caused by differences in sampling and diffuse illumination. In 2015 a more extensive study on wheat, barley and potato fields were performed. The measurements were repeated on three days over the growth of the crops allowing linking the development of the crops to the anisotropy signals. On each day the anisotropy measurement was repeated 4–5 times with different solar zenith angles ranging from 60° to 40° allowing analysis how the solar angle affects the anisotropy. The first results of these experiments will be presented in this conference.

Impact of a do-not-do intervention on 12 laboratory measurements.

Science.gov (United States)

Zambrana-García, J L; Macías Blanco, C; Fernández-Suárez, A; Peñacoba Masa, A; Olivares Durán, M J; Aguilar Benítez, J M; Zambrana-Luque, J L

2017-11-01

In recent years, various scientific societies and healthcare organisations have created recommendations aimed at decreasing the use of healthcare interventions that have shown no efficacy or effectiveness. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of an intervention on 12 do-not-do recommendations regarding the laboratory in 7 hospital centres. Before-after study conducted in 7 hospital centres of Cordoba and Jaen during 2015 and 2016. Based on the recommendations of existing scientific societies, a consensus was reached on various actions regarding laboratory measurements. We analysed the number and cost of measuring 6 tumour markers (carcinoembryonic antigen, prostate-specific antigen, carbohydrate antigen [CA] 15.3, CA125, CA19.9 and alpha-fetoprotein), thyrotropin, T3, T4, glycated haemoglobin, urea, ferritin and antigliadin antibodies, before and after implementing the consensus. Compared with the previous year, there were 55,902 fewer laboratory measurements (-19%) in 2016, with an overall savings of €82,100. The reduction in the number of measurements occurred mainly in plasma urea (-50.3%) and in the tumour markers CA125 (-16%), CA19.9 (-11.6%) and CA15.3 (-10.5%). The most pronounced savings were achieved in the measurements of urea (-€21,002), thyroid hormones (-€12,716) and thyrotropin (-€7,638). The adoption and consensus of do-not-do recommendations among healthcare levels resulted in a significant reduction in unnecessary measurements. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier España, S.L.U. and Sociedad Española de Medicina Interna (SEMI). All rights reserved.

Best practice guide for radioactivity measurement laboratories in a post-accident situation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2011-01-01

Published for laboratories likely to be asked to perform radioactivity measurements at the time of or after a radiological or nuclear accident in France or abroad, this guide aims at defining the best practices in terms of laboratory organisation (sample flow management, personnel radioprotection, sample identification and recording, sample cross-contamination risks, result transmission, archiving of data, results and samples, waste dismissal), and in terms of metrology (adaptation to needs in terms of detection limit and measurement uncertainty, preferred use of gamma spectrometry, analysis strategies)

Measurements of energetic particle radiation in transit to Mars on the Mars Science Laboratory.

Science.gov (United States)

Zeitlin, C; Hassler, D M; Cucinotta, F A; Ehresmann, B; Wimmer-Schweingruber, R F; Brinza, D E; Kang, S; Weigle, G; Böttcher, S; Böhm, E; Burmeister, S; Guo, J; Köhler, J; Martin, C; Posner, A; Rafkin, S; Reitz, G

2013-05-31

The Mars Science Laboratory spacecraft, containing the Curiosity rover, was launched to Mars on 26 November 2011, and for most of the 253-day, 560-million-kilometer cruise to Mars, the Radiation Assessment Detector made detailed measurements of the energetic particle radiation environment inside the spacecraft. These data provide insights into the radiation hazards that would be associated with a human mission to Mars. We report measurements of the radiation dose, dose equivalent, and linear energy transfer spectra. The dose equivalent for even the shortest round-trip with current propulsion systems and comparable shielding is found to be 0.66 ± 0.12 sievert.

Laboratory Evaluation of Air Flow Measurement Methods for Residential HVAC Returns for New Instrument Standards

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Walker, Iain [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Stratton, Chris [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)

2015-08-01

This project improved the accuracy of air flow measurements used in commissioning California heating and air conditioning systems in Title 24 (Building and Appliance Efficiency Standards), thereby improving system performance and efficiency of California residences. The research team at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory addressed the issue that typical tools used by contractors in the field to test air flows may not be accurate enough to measure return flows used in Title 24 applications. The team developed guidance on performance of current diagnostics as well as a draft test method for use in future evaluations. The study team prepared a draft test method through ASTM International to determine the uncertainty of air flow measurements at residential heating ventilation and air conditioning returns and other terminals. This test method, when finalized, can be used by the Energy Commission and other entities to specify required accuracy of measurement devices used to show compliance with standards.

Development of performance assessment instrument based contextual learning for measuring students laboratory skills

Science.gov (United States)

Susilaningsih, E.; Khotimah, K.; Nurhayati, S.

2018-04-01

The assessment of laboratory skill in general hasn’t specific guideline in assessment, while the individual assessment of students during a performance and skill in performing laboratory is still not been observed and measured properly. Alternative assessment that can be used to measure student laboratory skill is use performance assessment. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the performance assessment instrument that the result of research can be used to assess basic skills student laboratory. This research was conducted by the Research and Development. The result of the data analysis performance assessment instruments developed feasible to implement and validation result 62.5 with very good categories for observation sheets laboratory skills and all of the components with the very good category. The procedure is the preliminary stages of research and development stages. Preliminary stages are divided in two, namely the field studies and literature studies. The development stages are divided into several parts, namely 1) development of the type instrument, 2) validation by an expert, 3) a limited scale trial, 4) large-scale trials and 5) implementation of the product. The instrument included in the category of effective because 26 from 29 students have very high laboratory skill and high laboratory skill. The research of performance assessment instrument is standard and can be used to assess basic skill student laboratory.

Laboratory information management system: an example of international cooperation in Namibia.

Science.gov (United States)

Colangeli, Patrizia; Ferrilli, Monica; Quaranta, Fabrizio; Malizia, Elio; Mbulu, Rosa-Stella; Mukete, Esther; Iipumbu, Lukas; Kamhulu, Anna; Tjipura-Zaire, Georgina; Di Francesco, Cesare; Lelli, Rossella; Scacchia, Massimo

2012-01-01

The authors describe the project undertaken by the Istituto G. Caporale to provide a laboratory information management system (LIMS) to the Central Veterinary Laboratory (CVL) in Windhoek, Namibia. This robust laboratory management tool satisfies Namibia's information obligations under international quality standard ISO 17025:2005. The Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) for Africa was designed to collect and manage all necessary information on samples, tests and test results. The system involves the entry of sample data on arrival, as required by Namibian sampling plans, the tracking of samples through the various sections of the CVL, the collection of test results, generation of test reports and monitoring of outbreaks through data interrogation functions, eliminating multiple registrations of the same data on paper records. It is a fundamental component of the Namibian veterinary information system.

Laboratory Measured Behavioral Impulsivity Relates to Suicide Attempt History

Science.gov (United States)

Dougherty, Donald M.; Mathias, Charles W.; Marsh, Dawn M.; Papageorgiou, T. Dorina; Swann, Alan C.; Moeller, F. Gerard

2004-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between laboratory behavioral measured impulsivity (using the Immediate and Delayed Memory Tasks) and suicidal attempt histories. Three groups of adults were recruited, those with either: no previous suicide attempts (Control, n = 20), only a single suicide attempt (Single, n = 20), or…

The laboratory efficiencies initiative: partnership for building a sustainable national public health laboratory system.

Science.gov (United States)

Ridderhof, John C; Moulton, Anthony D; Ned, Renée M; Nicholson, Janet K A; Chu, May C; Becker, Scott J; Blank, Eric C; Breckenridge, Karen J; Waddell, Victor; Brokopp, Charles

2013-01-01

Beginning in early 2011, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Association of Public Health Laboratories launched the Laboratory Efficiencies Initiative (LEI) to help public health laboratories (PHLs) and the nation's entire PHL system achieve and maintain sustainability to continue to conduct vital services in the face of unprecedented financial and other pressures. The LEI focuses on stimulating substantial gains in laboratories' operating efficiency and cost efficiency through the adoption of proven and promising management practices. In its first year, the LEI generated a strategic plan and a number of resources that PHL directors can use toward achieving LEI goals. Additionally, the first year saw the formation of a dynamic community of practitioners committed to implementing the LEI strategic plan in coordination with state and local public health executives, program officials, foundations, and other key partners.

Measuring the opacity of stellar interior matter in terrestrial laboratories

Science.gov (United States)

Bailey, James

2015-11-01

How does energy propagate from the core to the surface of the Sun, where it emerges to warm the Earth? Nearly a century ago Eddington recognized that the attenuation of radiation by stellar matter controls the internal structure of stars like the sun. Opacities for high energy density (HED) matter are challenging to calculate because accurate and complete descriptions of the energy levels, populations, and plasma effects such as continuum lowering and line broadening are needed for partially ionized atoms. This requires approximations, in part because billions of bound-bound and bound-free electronic transitions can contribute to the opacity. Opacity calculations, however, have never been benchmarked against laboratory measurements at stellar interior conditions. Laboratory opacity measurements were limited in the past by the challenges of creating and diagnosing sufficiently large and uniform samples at the extreme conditions found inside stars. In research conducted over more than 10 years, we developed an experimental platform on the Z facility and measured wavelength-resolved iron opacity at electron temperatures Te = 156-195 eV and densities ne = 0.7-4.0 x 1022 cm-3 - conditions very similar to the radiation/convection boundary zone within the Sun. The wavelength-dependent opacity in the 975-1775 eV photon energy range is 30-400% higher than models predict. This raises questions about how well we understand the behavior of atoms in HED plasma. These measurements may also help resolve decade-old discrepancies between solar model predictions and helioseismic observations. This talk will provide an overview of the measurements, investigations of possible errors, and ongoing experiments aimed at testing hypotheses to resolve the model-data discrepancy. Sandia is a multiprogram laboratory operated by Sandia Corporation, a Lockheed Martin Company, for the United States Department of Energy under contract DE-AC04-94AL85000.

Measurements of the background noise gamma at the Modane underground laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morales, A.; Morales, J.; Nunez-Lagos, R.; Villar, J.A.

1985-01-01

Experimental measurements of the background have been performed at the Modane underground laboratory, in the Frejus tunnel, in order to locate here a neutrinoless double beta decay on 76 Ge experiment. The background reduction relative to the sea level laboratory at Bordeaux is studied, as well as the intrinsic radiactivity the INa and F 2 Ba scintillators to be selected as a 4 coincidence crown for the experiment. (author)

Implementation of Software Tools for Hybrid Control Rooms in the Human Systems Simulation Laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jokstad, Håkon; Berntsson, Olof; McDonald, Robert; Boring, Ronald; Hallbert, Bruce; Fitzgerald, Kirk

2014-01-01

The Institute for Energy Technology (IFE) and Idaho National Laboratory have designed, implemented, tested and installed a functioning prototype of a set of large screen overview and procedure support displays for the Generic Pressurized Water Reactor (GPWR) simulator in the U.S. Department of Energy's Human Systems Simulation Laboratory. The overview display is based on IFE's extensive experiences with large screen overview displays in the Halden Man-Machine Laboratory (HAMMLAB), and presents the main control room indicators on a combined three-screen display. The procedure support displays are designed and implemented to provide a compact but still comprehensive overview of the relevant process measurements and indicators to support operators' good situational awareness during the performance of various types of procedures and plant conditions.

Implementation of Software Tools for Hybrid Control Rooms in the Human Systems Simulation Laboratory

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jokstad, Håkon [Halden Reactor Project, Halden (Norway); Berntsson, Olof [Halden Reactor Project, Halden (Norway); McDonald, Robert [Halden Reactor Project, Halden (Norway); Boring, Ronald [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Hallbert, Bruce [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Fitzgerald, Kirk [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

2014-11-01

The Institute for Energy Technology (IFE) and Idaho National Laboratory have designed, implemented, tested and installed a functioning prototype of a set of large screen overview and procedure support displays for the Generic Pressurized Water Reactor (GPWR) simulator in the U.S. Department of Energy’s Human Systems Simulation Laboratory. The overview display is based on IFE’s extensive experiences with large screen overview displays in the Halden Man-Machine Laboratory (HAMMLAB), and presents the main control room indicators on a combined three-screen display. The procedure support displays are designed and implemented to provide a compact but still comprehensive overview of the relevant process measurements and indicators to support operators' good situational awareness during the performance of various types of procedures and plant conditions.

Variability in baseline laboratory measurements of the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil).

Science.gov (United States)

Ladwig, R; Vigo, A; Fedeli, L M G; Chambless, L E; Bensenor, I; Schmidt, M I; Vidigal, P G; Castilhos, C D; Duncan, B B

2016-08-01

Multi-center epidemiological studies must ascertain that their measurements are accurate and reliable. For laboratory measurements, reliability can be assessed through investigation of reproducibility of measurements in the same individual. In this paper, we present results from the quality control analysis of the baseline laboratory measurements from the ELSA-Brasil study. The study enrolled 15,105 civil servants at 6 research centers in 3 regions of Brazil between 2008-2010, with multiple biochemical analytes being measured at a central laboratory. Quality control was ascertained through standard laboratory evaluation of intra- and inter-assay variability and test-retest analysis in a subset of randomly chosen participants. An additional sample of urine or blood was collected from these participants, and these samples were handled in the same manner as the original ones, locally and at the central laboratory. Reliability was assessed with the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), estimated through a random effects model. Coefficients of variation (CV) and Bland-Altman plots were additionally used to assess measurement variability. Laboratory intra and inter-assay CVs varied from 0.86% to 7.77%. From test-retest analyses, the ICCs were high for the majority of the analytes. Notably lower ICCs were observed for serum sodium (ICC=0.50; 95%CI=0.31-0.65) and serum potassium (ICC=0.73; 95%CI=0.60-0.83), due to the small biological range of these analytes. The CVs ranged from 1 to 14%. The Bland-Altman plots confirmed these results. The quality control analyses showed that the collection, processing and measurement protocols utilized in the ELSA-Brasil produced reliable biochemical measurements.

Neutron background measurements in the underground laboratory of Modane

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chazal, V.; Chambon, B.; De Jesus, M.; Drain, D.; Pastor, C.; Vagneron, L.; Brissot, R.; Cavaignac, J.F.; Stutz, A.; Giraud-Heraud, Y.

1997-07-01

Measurements of the background neutron environment, at a depth of 1780 m (4800 mWe) in the Underground Laboratory of Modane (L.S.M) are reported. Using a 6 Li liquid scintillator, the energy spectrum of the fast neutron flux has been determined. Monte-Carlo calculations of the (α,n) and spontaneous fission processes in the surrounding rock has been performed and compared to the experimental result. In addition, using two 3 He neutron counters, the thermal neutron flux has been measured. (author)

Laboratory Information Management System Chain of Custody: Reliability and Security

Science.gov (United States)

Tomlinson, J. J.; Elliott-Smith, W.; Radosta, T.

2006-01-01

A chain of custody (COC) is required in many laboratories that handle forensics, drugs of abuse, environmental, clinical, and DNA testing, as well as other laboratories that want to assure reliability of reported results. Maintaining a dependable COC can be laborious, but with the recent establishment of the criteria for electronic records and signatures by US regulatory agencies, laboratory information management systems (LIMSs) are now being developed to fully automate COCs. The extent of automation and of data reliability can vary, and FDA- and EPA-compliant electronic signatures and system security are rare. PMID:17671623

Comparison of the corrosion potential for stainless steel measured in-plant and in laboratory during BWR normal water chemistry conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Molander, A.; Pein, K.; Tarkpea, P.; Takagi, Junichi; Karlberg, G.; Gott, K.

1998-01-01

To obtain reliable crack growth rate date for stainless steel in BWR environments careful laboratory simulation of the environmental conditions is necessary. In the plant the BWR normal water chemistry environment contains hydrogen peroxide, oxygen and hydrogen. However, in crack growth rate experiments in laboratories, the environment is normally simulated by adding 200 ppb oxygen to the high temperature water. Thus, as hydrogen peroxide is a more powerful oxidant than oxygen, it is to be expected that a lower corrosion potential will be measured in the laboratory than in the plant. To resolve this issue this work has been performed. In-plant and laboratory measurements have often been performed with somewhat different equipment, due to the special requirements concerning in-plant measurements. In this work such differences have been avoided and two identical sets of equipment for electrochemical measurements were built and used for measurements in-plant in a Swedish BWR and in high purity water in the laboratory. The host plant was Barsebaeck 1. Corrosion potential monitoring in-plant was performed under both NWC (Normal Water Chemistry) and HWC (Hydrogen Water Chemistry) conditions. This paper is, however, focused on NWC conditions. This is due to the fact, that the total crack growth obtained during a reactor cycle, can be determined by NWC conditions, even for plants running with HWC due to periodic stops in the hydrogen addition for turbine inspections or failure of the dosage or hydrogen production equipment. Thus, crack growth data for NWC is of great importance both for BWRs operating with HWC and NWC. Measurements in-plant and in the laboratory were performed during additions of oxygen and hydrogen peroxide to the autoclave systems. The corrosion potentials were compared for various conditions in the autoclaves, as well as versus in-plant in-pipe corrosion potentials. (J.P.N.)

Information systems as a quality management tool in clinical laboratories

Science.gov (United States)

Schmitz, Vanessa; Rosecler Bez el Boukhari, Marta

2007-11-01

This article describes information systems as a quality management tool in clinical laboratories. The quality of laboratory analyses is of fundamental importance for health professionals in aiding appropriate diagnosis and treatment. Information systems allow the automation of internal quality management processes, using standard sample tests, Levey-Jennings charts and Westgard multirule analysis. This simplifies evaluation and interpretation of quality tests and reduces the possibility of human error. This study proposes the development of an information system with appropriate functions and costs for the automation of internal quality control in small and medium-sized clinical laboratories. To this end, it evaluates the functions and usability of two commercial software products designed for this purpose, identifying the positive features of each, so that these can be taken into account during the development of the proposed system.

Information systems as a quality management tool in clinical laboratories

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schmitz, Vanessa; Boukhari, Marta Rosecler Bez el

2007-01-01

This article describes information systems as a quality management tool in clinical laboratories. The quality of laboratory analyses is of fundamental importance for health professionals in aiding appropriate diagnosis and treatment. Information systems allow the automation of internal quality management processes, using standard sample tests, Levey-Jennings charts and Westgard multirule analysis. This simplifies evaluation and interpretation of quality tests and reduces the possibility of human error. This study proposes the development of an information system with appropriate functions and costs for the automation of internal quality control in small and medium-sized clinical laboratories. To this end, it evaluates the functions and usability of two commercial software products designed for this purpose, identifying the positive features of each, so that these can be taken into account during the development of the proposed system

A Monte Carlo Simulation of the in vivo measurement of lung activity in the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory torso phantom.

Science.gov (United States)

Acha, Robert; Brey, Richard; Capello, Kevin

2013-02-01

A torso phantom was developed by the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) that serves as a standard for intercomparison and intercalibration of detector systems used to measure low-energy photons from radionuclides, such as americium deposited in the lungs. DICOM images of the second-generation Human Monitoring Laboratory-Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (HML-LLNL) torso phantom were segmented and converted into three-dimensional (3D) voxel phantoms to simulate the response of high purity germanium (HPGe) detector systems, as found in the HML new lung counter using a Monte Carlo technique. The photon energies of interest in this study were 17.5, 26.4, 45.4, 59.5, 122, 244, and 344 keV. The detection efficiencies at these photon energies were predicted for different chest wall thicknesses (1.49 to 6.35 cm) and compared to measured values obtained with lungs containing (241)Am (34.8 kBq) and (152)Eu (10.4 kBq). It was observed that no statistically significant differences exist at the 95% confidence level between the mean values of simulated and measured detection efficiencies. Comparisons between the simulated and measured detection efficiencies reveal a variation of 20% at 17.5 keV and 1% at 59.5 keV. It was found that small changes in the formulation of the tissue substitute material caused no significant change in the outcome of Monte Carlo simulations.

Laboratory information management system: an example of international cooperation in Namibia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Patrizia Colangeli

2012-09-01

Full Text Available The authors describe the project undertaken by the Istituto G. Caporale to provide a laboratory information management system (LIMS to the Central Veterinary Laboratory (CVL in Windhoek, Namibia. This robust laboratory management tool satisfies Namibia’s information obligations under international quality standard ISO 17025:2005. The Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS for Africa was designed to collect and manage all necessary information on samples, tests and test results. The system involves the entry of sample data on arrival, as required by Namibian sampling plans, the tracking of samples through the various sections of the CVL, the collection of test results, generation of test reports and monitoring of outbreaks through data interrogation functions, eliminating multiple registrations of the same data on paper records. It is a fundamental component of the Namibian veterinary information system.

The Gran Sasso underground laboratories (measurements of rock radioactivity and neutron fluxes)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bellotti, E.; Buraschi, M.; Fiorini, E.; Liguori, C.

1985-01-01

The authors report on measurements of rock radioactivity and neutron flux performed in the Gran Sasso underground laboratories of the INFN in Italy. The Gran Sasso' Laboratories of the INFN are located underground, in galleries which have been excavated under the Gran Sasso mountain range. The minimum rock thickness covering the laboratories is about 1400 m of rock of average density 2.8 g cm/sup -3/, corresponding to a thickness of some 4000 m of water equivalent. The laboratories are located at about 1000 m above sea level. The main destination of these laboratories is to shelter very huge particle detectors which shall detect extremely rare nuclear events of extraordinary interest for particle physics as well as for astrophysics and cosmology. In these laboratories, the radiation background is expected to be extremely low, which is the main condition for performing the proposed experiments

Remote Experiments in Control Engineering Education Laboratory

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Milica B Naumović

2008-05-01

Full Text Available This paper presents Automatic Control Engineering Laboratory (ACEL - WebLab, an under-developed, internet-based remote laboratory for control engineering education at the Faculty of Electronic Engineering in Niš. Up to now, the remote laboratory integrates two physical systems (velocity servo system and magnetic levitation system and enables some levels of measurement and control. To perform experiments in ACEL-WebLab, the "LabVIEW Run Time Engine"and a standard web browser are needed.

Performance of the APS optical slope measuring system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qian, Jun; Sullivan, Joe; Erdmann, Mark; Khounsary, Ali; Assoufid, Lahsen

2013-01-01

An optical slope measuring system (OSMS) was recently brought into operation at the Advanced Photon Source of the Argonne National Laboratory. This system is equipped with a precision autocollimator and a very accurate mirror-based pentaprism on a scanning stage and kept in an environment-controlled enclosure. This system has the capability to measure precision optics with sub-microradian rms slope errors as documented with a series of tests demonstrating accuracy, stability, reliability and repeatability. Measurements of a flat mirror with 0.2 μrad rms slope error are presented which show that the variation of the slope profile measurements with the mirror setting at different locations along the scanning direction is only 60 nrad and the corresponding height error profile has 2 nm rms. -- Highlights: ► This is the first time to present the APS OSMS in publication. ► The APS OSMS is capable to measure flat and near flat mirrors with slope error <100 nrad rms. ► The accuracy of the slope error measurements of a 350 mm long mirror is less than 60 nrad rms

Laboratory Measurements of Particulate Matter Concentrations from Asphalt Pavement Abrasion

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fullová Daša

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The issue of emissions from road traffic is compounded by the fact that the number of vehicles and driven kilometres increase each year. Road traffic is one of the main sources of particulate matter and traffic volume is still increasing and has unpleasant impact on longevity of the pavements and the environment. Vehicle motions cause mechanical wearing of the asphalt pavement surface - wearing course by vehicle tyres. The contribution deals with abrasion of bituminous wearing courses of pavements. The asphalt mixtures of wearing courses are compared in terms of mechanically separated particulate matter. The samples of asphalt mixtures were rutted in wheel tracking machine. The particulate matter measurements were performed in laboratory conditions. The experimental laboratory measurements make it possible to sample particulates without contamination from exhaust emissions, abraded particles from vehicles, resuspension of road dust and climate affects. The contribution offers partial results of measurements on six trial samples of asphalt mixtures with different composition. It presents particulate matter morphology and the comparison of rutted asphalt samples in terms of PM mass concentrations and chemical composition.

Vision system for measuring wagon buffers’ lateral movements

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Barjaktarović Marko

2013-01-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a vision system designed for measuring horizontal and vertical displacements of a railway wagon body. The model comprises a commercial webcam and a cooperative target of an appropriate shape. The lateral buffer movement is determined by calculating target displacement in real time by processing the camera image in a LabVIEW platform using free OpenCV library. Laboratory experiments demonstrate an accuracy which is better than ±0.5 mm within a 50 mm measuring range.

Innovations for In-Pile Measurements in the Framework of the CEA-SCK•CEN Joint Instrumentation Laboratory

Science.gov (United States)

Villard, Jean-Francois; Schyns, Marc

2010-12-01

Optimizing the life cycle of nuclear systems under safety constraints requires high-performance experimental programs to reduce uncertainties on margins and limits. In addition to improvement in modeling and simulation, innovation in instrumentation is crucial for analytical and integral experiments conducted in research reactors. The quality of nuclear research programs relies obviously on an excellent knowledge of their experimental environment which constantly calls for better online determination of neutron and gamma flux. But the combination of continuously increasing scientific requirements and new experimental domains -brought for example by Generation IV programsnecessitates also major innovations for in-pile measurements of temperature, dimensions, pressure or chemical analysis in innovative mediums. At the same time, the recent arising of a European platform around the building of the Jules Horowitz Reactor offers new opportunities for research institutes and organizations to pool their resources in order to face these technical challenges. In this situation, CEA (French Nuclear Energy Commission) and SCK'CEN (Belgian Nuclear Research Centre) have combined their efforts and now share common developments through a Joint Instrumentation Laboratory. Significant progresses have thus been obtained recently in the field of in-pile measurements, on one hand by improvement of existing measurement methods, and on the other hand by introduction in research reactors of original measurement techniques. This paper highlights the state-of-the-art and the main requirements regarding in-pile measurements, particularly for the needs of current and future irradiation programs performed in material testing reactors. Some of the main on-going developments performed in the framework of the Joint Instrumentation Laboratory are also described, such as: - a unique fast neutron flux measurement system using fission chambers with 242Pu deposit and a specific online data processing

The New Brunswick Laboratory Safeguards Measurement Evaluation Program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cacic, C.G.; Trahey, N.M.; Zook, A.C.

1987-01-01

The New Brunswick Laboratory (NBL) has been tasked by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Safeguards and Security (OSS) to assess and evaluate the adequacy of measurement technology as applied to materials accounting in DOE nuclear facilities. The Safeguards Measurement Evaluation (SME) Program was developed as a means to monitor and evaluate the quality and effectiveness of accounting measurements by site, material balance area (MBA), or unit process. Phase I of the SME Program, initiated during 1985, involved evaluation of the primary accountability measurement methods at six DOE Defense Programs facilities: Savannah River Plant, Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant, Y-12 Plant, Rocky Flats Plant, Rockwell Hanford Operations, and NBL. Samples of uranyl nitrate solution, dried plutonium nitrates, and plutonium oxides were shipped to the participants for assay and isotopic abundance measurements. Resulting data are presented and evaluated as indicators of current state-of-the-practice accountability measurement methodology, deficiencies in materials accounting practices, and areas for possible assistance in upgrading measurement capabilities. Continuing expansion of the SME Program to include materials which are representative of specific accountability measurement points within the DOE complex is discussed

Importance of Public-Private Partnerships: Strengthening Laboratory Medicine Systems and Clinical Practice in Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Shrivastava, Ritu; Gadde, Renuka; Nkengasong, John N

2016-04-15

After the launch of the US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief in 2003, it became evident that inadequate laboratory systems and services would severely limit the scale-up of human immunodeficiency virus infection prevention, care, and treatment programs. Thus, the Office of the US Global AIDS Coordinator, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Becton, Dickinson and Company developed a public-private partnership (PPP). Between October 2007 and July 2012, the PPP combined the competencies of the public and private sectors to boost sustainable laboratory systems and develop workforce skills in 4 African countries. Key accomplishments of the initiative include measurable and scalable outcomes to strengthen national capacities to build technical skills, develop sample referral networks, map disease prevalence, support evidence-based health programming, and drive continuous quality improvement in laboratories. This report details lessons learned from our experience and a series of recommendations on how to achieve successful PPPs. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, e-mail journals.permissions@oup.com.

Innovative LIDAR 3D Dynamic Measurement System to estimate fruit-tree leaf area.

Science.gov (United States)

Sanz-Cortiella, Ricardo; Llorens-Calveras, Jordi; Escolà, Alexandre; Arnó-Satorra, Jaume; Ribes-Dasi, Manel; Masip-Vilalta, Joan; Camp, Ferran; Gràcia-Aguilá, Felip; Solanelles-Batlle, Francesc; Planas-DeMartí, Santiago; Pallejà-Cabré, Tomàs; Palacin-Roca, Jordi; Gregorio-Lopez, Eduard; Del-Moral-Martínez, Ignacio; Rosell-Polo, Joan R

2011-01-01

In this work, a LIDAR-based 3D Dynamic Measurement System is presented and evaluated for the geometric characterization of tree crops. Using this measurement system, trees were scanned from two opposing sides to obtain two three-dimensional point clouds. After registration of the point clouds, a simple and easily obtainable parameter is the number of impacts received by the scanned vegetation. The work in this study is based on the hypothesis of the existence of a linear relationship between the number of impacts of the LIDAR sensor laser beam on the vegetation and the tree leaf area. Tests performed under laboratory conditions using an ornamental tree and, subsequently, in a pear tree orchard demonstrate the correct operation of the measurement system presented in this paper. The results from both the laboratory and field tests confirm the initial hypothesis and the 3D Dynamic Measurement System is validated in field operation. This opens the door to new lines of research centred on the geometric characterization of tree crops in the field of agriculture and, more specifically, in precision fruit growing.

Laboratory measurements and astronomical search for cyanomethanimine

Science.gov (United States)

Melosso, M.; Melli, A.; Puzzarini, C.; Codella, C.; Spada, L.; Dore, L.; Degli Esposti, C.; Lefloch, B.; Bachiller, R.; Ceccarelli, C.; Cernicharo, J.; Barone, V.

2018-02-01

Context. C-cyanomethanimine (HNCHCN), existing in the two Z and E isomeric forms, is a key prebiotic molecule, but, so far, only the E isomer has been detected toward the massive star-forming region Sagittarius B2(N) using transitions in the radio wavelength domain. Aims: With the aim of detecting HNCHCN in Sun-like-star forming regions, the laboratory investigation of its rotational spectrum has been extended to the millimeter-/submillimeter-wave (mm-/submm-) spectral window in which several unbiased spectral surveys have been already carried out. Methods: High-resolution laboratory measurements of the rotational spectrum of C-cyanomethanimine were carried out in the 100-420 GHz range using a frequency-modulation absorption spectrometer. We then searched for the C-cyanomethanimine spectral features in the mm-wave range using the high-sensitivity and unbiased spectral surveys obtained with the IRAM 30-m antenna in the ASAI context, the earliest stages of star formation from starless to evolved Class I objects being sampled. Results: For both the Z and E isomers, the spectroscopic work has led to an improved and extended knowledge of the spectroscopic parameters, thus providing accurate predictions of the rotational signatures up to 700 GHz. So far, no C-cyanomethanimine emission has been detected toward the ASAI targets, and upper limits of the column density of 1011-1012 cm-2 could only be derived. Consequently, the C-cyanomethanimine abundances have to be less than a few 10-10 for starless and hot-corinos. A less stringent constraint, ≤10-9, is obtained for shocks sites. Conclusions: The combination of the upper limits of the abundances of C-cyanomethanimine together with accurate laboratory frequencies up to 700 GHz poses the basis for future higher sensitivity searches around Sun-like-star forming regions. For compact (typically less than 1″) and chemically enriched sources such as hot-corinos, the use of interferometers as NOEMA and ALMA in their extended

Aerial Measuring System Sensor Modeling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Detwiler, R.S.

2002-01-01

This project deals with the modeling the Aerial Measuring System (AMS) fixed-wing and rotary-wing sensor systems, which are critical U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Consequence Management assets. The fixed-wing system is critical in detecting lost or stolen radiography or medical sources, or mixed fission products as from a commercial power plant release at high flying altitudes. The helicopter is typically used at lower altitudes to determine ground contamination, such as in measuring americium from a plutonium ground dispersal during a cleanup. Since the sensitivity of these instruments as a function of altitude is crucial in estimating detection limits of various ground contaminations and necessary count times, a characterization of their sensitivity as a function of altitude and energy is needed. Experimental data at altitude as well as laboratory benchmarks is important to insure that the strong effects of air attenuation are modeled correctly. The modeling presented here is the first attempt at such a characterization of the equipment for flying altitudes. The sodium iodide (NaI) sensors utilized with these systems were characterized using the Monte Carlo N-Particle code (MCNP) developed at Los Alamos National Laboratory. For the fixed wing system, calculations modeled the spectral response for the 3-element NaI detector pod and High-Purity Germanium (HPGe) detector, in the relevant energy range of 50 keV to 3 MeV. NaI detector responses were simulated for both point and distributed surface sources as a function of gamma energy and flying altitude. For point sources, photopeak efficiencies were calculated for a zero radial distance and an offset equal to the altitude. For distributed sources approximating an infinite plane, gross count efficiencies were calculated and normalized to a uniform surface deposition of 1 microCi/m 2 . The helicopter calculations modeled the transport of americium-241 ( 241 Am) as this is

Compendium of the Environmental Measurements Laboratory's research projects related to the Chernobyl nuclear accident

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Volchok, H L; Chieco, N [comps.

1986-10-01

Following the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear reactor power station in the USSR on April 26, 1986, the Environmental Measurements Laboratory (EML) initiated a number of research projects as follows: (1) selected sites in both the Deposition and Surface Air networks were alerted and their sampling protocols adjusted to accommodate the anticipated arrival times and activity concentrations of the Chernobyl debris; (2) a number of cooperative programs involving field work, sampling, analysis and data interpretation were set up with institutions and scientists in other countries; (3) EML's Regional Baseline Station at Chester, NJ, as well as the roof of the Laboratory in New York City, provided bases for sampling and measurements to study the radionuclide concentrations, radiation levels, physical characteristics and potential biological implications of the Chernobyl fallout on the northeastern United States; and (4) the resulting fallout from the Chernobyl accident provided an 'experiment of opportunity' in that it enabled us to study fresh fission product deposition using collection systems resurrected from the 1950's and 1960's for comparison with current state-of-the-art methodology. The 13 reports of this volume have been entered separately into the data base.

A data acquisition system for a radionuclide laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reher, D.; Idzerda, A.B.

1984-01-01

The concept and installation of a computer system for use in a radionuclide laboratory is described. It consists of a hierarchical star network of distributed intelligence. The system installation was spread over several years in three phases which made an economical solution possible. (orig.)

Expert Assessment of Conditions for Accredited Quality Management System Functioning in Testing Laboratories

Science.gov (United States)

Mytych, Joanna; Ligarski, Mariusz J.

2018-03-01

The quality management systems compliant with the ISO 9001:2009 have been thoroughly researched and described in detail in the world literature. The accredited management systems used in the testing laboratories and compliant with the ISO/IEC 17025:2005 have been mainly described in terms of the system design and implementation. They have also been investigated from the analytical point of view. Unfortunately, a low number of studies concerned the management system functioning in the accredited testing laboratories. The aim of following study was to assess the management system functioning in the accredited testing laboratories in Poland. On 8 October 2015, 1,213 accredited testing laboratories were present in Poland. They investigated various scientific areas and substances/objects. There are more and more such laboratories that have various problems and different long-term experience when it comes to the implementation, maintenance and improvement of the management systems. The article describes the results of the conducted expert assessment (survey) carried out to examine the conditions for the functioning of a management system in an accredited laboratory. It also focuses on the characteristics of the accredited research laboratories in Poland. The authors discuss the selection of the external and internal conditions that may affect the accredited management system. They show how the experts assessing the selected conditions were chosen. The survey results are also presented.

A measurement control program for plutonium isotopic gamma-ray systems at the Rocky Flats Plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fleissner, J.G.

1986-01-01

A sound measurement control (MC) program should be an integral part of every nondestructive assay measurement system used for the assay of special nuclear materials. This paper describes a measurement control program for plutonium isotopic composition measurements, using high-resolution gamma-ray spectroscopy, that has been implemented in the Analytical Laboratories and the Chemistry Standards Laboratory at the Rocky Flats Plant. This MC program emphasizes the standardization of data collection procedures along with the implementation of internal and external measurement control checks to provide the requisite measurement quality assurance

Management system of in vivo reports of activity measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Castro, R.C.; Dantas, A.L.A.; Lourenco, M.C.; Dantas, B.M.

2005-01-01

The SGRIMA (management system of in vivo reports of activity measurements) is a software for Windows developed specifically for the Laboratory of In Vivo Measurements of the IRD - Brazilian Institute for Radioprotection and Dosimetry -, in order to manage the individual monitoring process that includes personal data archiving, data relating to the parameters of each measure and calculation results of activity. The software was developed in MS Visual Basic 6, using a MS Access database and can be run on personal computers with MS Windows 98 or higher

The performance test of NAA laboratory at radionuclide measure with low activity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sri Murniasih; Sukirno

2016-01-01

The performance test to measure the I-131 radionuclide activity has been carried out at CAST-NAA laboratory. The purpose of this activity is to know the performance of a laboratory in the testing of low radioactivity sample. The tested sample consists of the form I-131 radionuclide sources shaped thin plastic disk with a certain weight. Evaluation of laboratory performance test results carried out by the organizer of the program test appeal (PTKMR-BATAN). Evaluation results showed that testing of point source of the I-131 radionuclide with comparative method gives a good enough results with errors below 10%. The results of the performance test evaluation are useful as the external quality control to a testing method that is expected in NAA laboratory. (author)

Results of laboratory and in-situ measurements for the description of coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical processes in clays

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Goebel, Ingeborg; Alheid, Hans-Joachim [BGR Hannover, Stilleweg 2, D-30655 Hannover (Germany); Jockwer, Norbert [Gesellschaft fuer Anlagen- und Reaktorsicherheit (GRS) mbH, Theodor-Heuss-Str. 4, 38122 Braunschweig (Germany); Mayor, Juan Carlos [ENRESA, Emilio Vargas 7, E-Madrid (Spain); Garcia-Sineriz, Jose Luis [AITEMIN, c/ Alenza, 1 - 28003 Madrid (Spain); Alonso, Eduardo [International Center for Numerical Methods in Engineering, CIMNE, Edificio C-1, Campus Norte UPC, C/Gran Capitan, s/n, 08034 Barcelona (Spain); Weber, Hans Peter [NAGRA, Hardstrasse 73, CH-5430 Wettingen (Switzerland); Ploetze, Michael [ETHZ, Eidgenoessische Technische Hochschule Zuerich, ETH Zentrum, HG Raemistrasse 101, CH-8092 Zuerich (Switzerland); Klubertanz, Georg [COLENCO Power Engineering Ltd, CPE, Taefern Str. 26, 5405 Baden-Daettwil (Switzerland); Ammon, Christian [Rothpletz, Lienhard, Cie AG, Schifflaendestrasse 35, 5001 Aarau (Switzerland)

2004-07-01

The Heater Experiment at the Mont Terri Underground Laboratory aims at producing a validated model of thermo-hydro-mechanically (THM) coupled processes. The experiment consists of an engineered barrier system where in a vertical borehole, a heater is embedded in bentonite blocks, surrounded by the host rock, Opalinus Clay. The experimental programme comprises permanent monitoring before, during, and after the heating phase, complemented by geotechnical, hydraulic, and seismic in-situ measurements as well as laboratory analyses of mineralogical and rock mechanics properties. After the heating, the experiment was dismantled for further investigations. Major results of the experimental findings are outlined. (authors)

Measuring Meaningful Learning in the Undergraduate General Chemistry and Organic Chemistry Laboratories: A Longitudinal Study

Science.gov (United States)

Galloway, Kelli R.; Bretz, Stacey Lowery

2015-01-01

Understanding how students learn in the undergraduate chemistry teaching laboratory is an essential component to developing evidence-based laboratory curricula. The Meaningful Learning in the Laboratory Instrument (MLLI) was developed to measure students' cognitive and affective expectations and experiences for learning in the chemistry…

Correction of stream quality trends for the effects of laboratory measurement bias

Science.gov (United States)

Alexander, Richard B.; Smith, Richard A.; Schwarz, Gregory E.

1993-01-01

We present a statistical model relating measurements of water quality to associated errors in laboratory methods. Estimation of the model allows us to correct trends in water quality for long-term and short-term variations in laboratory measurement errors. An illustration of the bias correction method for a large national set of stream water quality and quality assurance data shows that reductions in the bias of estimates of water quality trend slopes are achieved at the expense of increases in the variance of these estimates. Slight improvements occur in the precision of estimates of trend in bias by using correlative information on bias and water quality to estimate random variations in measurement bias. The results of this investigation stress the need for reliable, long-term quality assurance data and efficient statistical methods to assess the effects of measurement errors on the detection of water quality trends.

Experiential learning in control systems laboratories and engineering project management

Science.gov (United States)

Reck, Rebecca Marie

Experiential learning is a process by which a student creates knowledge through the insights gained from an experience. Kolb's model of experiential learning is a cycle of four modes: (1) concrete experience, (2) reflective observation, (3) abstract conceptualization, and (4) active experimentation. His model is used in each of the three studies presented in this dissertation. Laboratories are a popular way to apply the experiential learning modes in STEM courses. Laboratory kits allow students to take home laboratory equipment to complete experiments on their own time. Although students like laboratory kits, no previous studies compared student learning outcomes on assignments using laboratory kits with existing laboratory equipment. In this study, we examined the similarities and differences between the experiences of students who used a portable laboratory kit and students who used the traditional equipment. During the 2014- 2015 academic year, we conducted a quasi-experiment to compare students' achievement of learning outcomes and their experiences in the instructional laboratory for an introductory control systems course. Half of the laboratory sections in each semester used the existing equipment, while the other sections used a new kit. We collected both quantitative data and qualitative data. We did not identify any major differences in the student experience based on the equipment they used. Course objectives, like research objectives and product requirements, help provide clarity and direction for faculty and students. Unfortunately, course and laboratory objectives are not always clearly stated. Without a clear set of objectives, it can be hard to design a learning experience and determine whether students are achieving the intended outcomes of the course or laboratory. In this study, I identified a common set of laboratory objectives, concepts, and components of a laboratory apparatus for undergraduate control systems laboratories. During the summer of

Wet chemical analysis with a laboratory robotic system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burkett, S.D.; Dyches, G.M.; Spencer, W.A.

1984-01-01

Emphasis on laboratory automation has increased in recent years. The desire to improve analytical reliability, increase productivity, and reduce exposure of personnel to hazardous materials has been fundamental to this increase. The Savannah River Laboratory (SRL) performs research and development on nuclear materials. Development of methods to increase efficiency and safety and to reduce exposure of personnel to radioactive materials is an ongoing process at our site. Robotic systems offer a potentially attractive way to achieve these goals

Contact Thermocouple Methodology and Evaluation for Temperature Measurement in the Laboratory

Science.gov (United States)

Brewer, Ethan J.; Pawlik, Ralph J.; Krause, David L.

2013-01-01

Laboratory testing of advanced aerospace components very often requires highly accurate temperature measurement and control devices, as well as methods to precisely analyze and predict the performance of such components. Analysis of test articles depends on accurate measurements of temperature across the specimen. Where possible, this task is accomplished using many thermocouples welded directly to the test specimen, which can produce results with great precision. However, it is known that thermocouple spot welds can initiate deleterious cracks in some materials, prohibiting the use of welded thermocouples. Such is the case for the nickel-based superalloy MarM-247, which is used in the high temperature, high pressure heater heads for the Advanced Stirling Converter component of the Advanced Stirling Radioisotope Generator space power system. To overcome this limitation, a method was developed that uses small diameter contact thermocouples to measure the temperature of heater head test articles with the same level of accuracy as welded thermocouples. This paper includes a brief introduction and a background describing the circumstances that compelled the development of the contact thermocouple measurement method. Next, the paper describes studies performed on contact thermocouple readings to determine the accuracy of results. It continues on to describe in detail the developed measurement method and the evaluation of results produced. A further study that evaluates the performance of different measurement output devices is also described. Finally, a brief conclusion and summary of results is provided.

Onsite Distributed Generation Systems For Laboratories, Laboratories for the 21st Century: Best Practices (Brochure)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

2011-09-01

This guide provides general information on implementing onsite distributed generation systems in laboratory environments. Specific technology applications, general performance information, and cost data are provided to educate and encourage laboratory energy managers to consider onsite power generation or combined heat and power (CHP) systems for their facilities. After conducting an initial screening, energy managers are encouraged to conduct a detailed feasibility study with actual cost and performance data for technologies that look promising. Onsite distributed generation systems are small, modular, decentralized, grid-connected, or off-grid energy systems. These systems are located at or near the place where the energy is used. These systems are also known as distributed energy or distributed power systems. DG technologies are generally considered those that produce less than 20 megawatts (MW) of power. A number of technologies can be applied as effective onsite DG systems, including: (1) Diesel, natural gas, and dual-fuel reciprocating engines; (2) Combustion turbines and steam turbines; (3) Fuel cells; (4) Biomass heating; (5) Biomass combined heat and power; (6) Photovoltaics; and (7) Wind turbines. These systems can provide a number of potential benefits to an individual laboratory facility or campus, including: (1) High-quality, reliable, and potentially dispatchable power; (2) Low-cost energy and long-term utility cost assurance, especially where electricity and/or fuel costs are high; (3) Significantly reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Typical CHP plants reduce onsite GHG by 40 to 60 percent; (4) Peak demand shaving where demand costs are high; (5) CHP where thermal energy can be used in addition to electricity; (6) The ability to meet standby power needs, especially where utility-supplied power is interrupted frequently or for long periods and where standby power is required for safety or emergencies; and (7) Use for standalone or off

Key Performance Indicators to Measure Improvement After Implementation of Total Laboratory Automation Abbott Accelerator a3600.

Science.gov (United States)

Miler, Marijana; Nikolac Gabaj, Nora; Dukic, Lora; Simundic, Ana-Maria

2017-12-27

The aim of the study was to estimate improvement of work efficiency in the laboratory after implementation of total laboratory automation (TLA) by Abbott Accelerator a3600 in the laboratory with measuring different key performance indicators (KPIs) before and after TLA implementation. The objective was also to recommend steps for defining KPIs in other laboratories. For evaluation of improvement 10 organizational and/or technical KPIs were defined for all phases of laboratory work and measured before (November 2013) and after (from 2015 to 2017) TLA implementation. Out of 10 defined KPIs, 9 were successfully measured and significantly improved. Waiting time for registration of samples in the LIS was significantly reduced from 16 (9-28) to 9 (6-16) minutes after TLA (P performed at core biochemistry analyzers which significantly reduced walking distance for sample management (for more than 800 m per worker) and number of tube touches (for almost 50%). Analyzers downtime and engagement time for analyzers maintenance was reduced for 50 h and 28 h per month, respectively. TLA eliminated manual dilution of samples with extreme results with sigma values increment from 3.4 to >6 after TLA. Although median turnaround time TAT for potassium and troponin was higher (for approximately 20 min), number of outliers with TAT >60 min expressed as sigma values were satisfying (>3). Implementation of the TLA improved the most of the processes in our laboratory with 9 out of 10 properly defined and measured KPIs. With proper planning and defining of KPIs, every laboratory could measure changes in daily workflow.

Pre-Ebola virus disease laboratory system and related challenges in Liberia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stephen B. Kennedy

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Prior to the Ebola virus disease outbreak in Liberia, the laboratory system was duplicativefragmented and minimally coordinated. The National Reference Laboratory was conceptualisedto address the existing challenges by promoting the implementation of effective and sustainablelaboratory services in Liberia. However, in a resource-limited environment such as Liberiaprogress regarding the rebuilding of the health system can be relatively slow, while efforts tosustain the transient gains remain a key challenge for the Ministry of Health. In this paper, wedescribe the pre-Ebola virus disease laboratory system in Liberia and its prevailing efforts toaddress future emerging infectious diseases, as well as current Infectious diseases, all of whichare exacerbated by poverty. We conclude that laboratory and diagnostic services in Liberiahave encountered numerous challenges regarding its efforts to strengthen the healthcaredelivery system. These challenges include limited trained human resource capacity, inadequateinfrastructure, and a lack of coordination. As with most countries in sub-Saharan Africa, whencomparing urban and rural settings, diagnostic and clinical services are generally skewedtoward urban health facilities and private, faith-based health facilities. We recommend thatstructured policy be directed at these challenges for national institutions to develop guidelinesto improve, strengthen and sustain diagnostic and curative laboratory services to effectivelyaddress current infectious diseases and prepare for future emerging and re-emerging infectiousdiseases.

An international marine-atmospheric 222Rn measurement intercomparison in Bermuda. Part 2: Results for the participating laboratories

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Colle, R.; Unterweger, M.P.; Hutchinson, J.M.R.

1996-01-01

As part of an international measurement intercomparison of instruments used to measure atmospheric 222 Rn, four participating laboratories made nearly simultaneous measurements of 222 Rn activity concentration in commonly sampled, ambient air over approximately a 2 week period, and three of these four laboratories participated in the measurement comparison of 14 introduced samples with known, but undisclosed (blind) 222 Rn activity concentration. The exercise was conducted in Bermuda in October 1991. The 222 Rn activity concentrations in ambient Bermudian air over the course of the intercomparison ranged from a few hundredths of a Bq · m -3 to about 2 Bq · m -3 , while the standardized sample additions covered a range from approximately 2.5 Bq · m -3 to 35 Bq · m -3 . The overall uncertainty in the latter concentrations was in the general range of 10%, approximating a 3 standard deviation uncertainty interval. The results of the intercomparison indicated that two of the laboratories were within very good agreement with the standard additions, and almost within expected statistical variations. These same two laboratories, however, at lower ambient concentrations, exhibited a systematic difference with an averaged offset of roughly 0.3 Bq · m -3 . The third laboratory participating in the measurement of standardized sample additions was systematically low by about 65% to 70%, with respect to the standard addition which was also confirmed in their ambient air concentration measurements. The fourth laboratory, participating in only the ambient measurement part of the intercomparison, was also systematically low by at least 40% with respect to the first two laboratories

[View of a Laboratory Physician on the Present and Future of Clinical Laboratories].

Science.gov (United States)

Matsuo, Shuji

2014-10-01

It is meaningful to discuss the "present and future of laboratories" for the development of laboratories and education of medical technologists. Laboratory staff must be able to perform urgent high-quality tests and take part in so-called team-based medicine and should be proud of devising systems that efficiently provide laboratory data for all medical staff. On the other hand, there may be staff with a poor sense of professionalism who work no more than is expected and too readily ask firms and commercial laboratories to solve problems. Overwork caused by providing team-based medicine and a decrease in numbers of clinical chemists are concerns. The following are hoped for in the future. Firstly, laboratory staff will become conscious of their own high-level abilities and expand their areas of work, for example, bioscience, proteomics, and reproductive medicine. Secondly, a consultation system for medical staff and patients will be established. Thirdly, clinical research will be advanced, such as investigating unknown pathophysiologies using laboratory data and samples, and developing new methods of measurement. Lastly, it is of overriding importance that staff of laboratory and educational facilities will cooperate with each other to train the next generation. In conclusion, each laboratory should be appreciated, attractive, positive regarding its contribution to society, and show individuality.

Integrated management system best practices in radioecological laboratories

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carvalho, Claudia Aparecida Zerbinatti de

2010-01-01

The research aims to study the best practices to support a conceptual proposal for IMS - Integrated Management System (quality, environment, safety and health) applicable to Radioecology laboratories. The research design is organized into the following steps: in a first step, it was developed the bibliographic and documentary research in IMS, survey and study of standards (QMS ISO 9000 (2005), ISO 9001 (2008), ISO 9004 (2000), EMS ISO 14001 (2004) and OHSMS OHSAS 18001 (2007) and OHSAS 18002 (2008)), identification and characterization of processes in Radioecology Laboratories and study of best practices methodology and benchmarking; in the second stage of the research it was developed a case study (qualitative research, with questionnaires via e-mail and interviews, when possible), preceded by a survey and selection of international and national radioecology laboratories and then these laboratories were contacted and some of them agreed to participate in this research; in the third stage of the research it was built the framework of best practices that showed results that could support the conceptual proposal for the IMS Radioecology Laboratory; the fourth and final stage of research consisted in the construction of the proposed conceptual framework of SGI for Radioecology Laboratory, being then achieved the initial objective of the research. (author)

Evaluation of the enterovirus laboratory surveillance system in Denmark, 2010 to 2013.

Science.gov (United States)

Condell, Orla; Midgley, Sofie; Christiansen, Claus Bohn; Chen, Ming; Chen Nielsen, Xiaohui; Ellermann-Eriksen, Svend; Mølvadgaard, Mette; Schønning, Kristian; Vermedal Hoegh, Silje; Andersen, Peter Henrik; Voldstedlund, Marianne; Fischer, Thea Kølsen

2016-05-05

The primary aim of the Danish enterovirus (EV) surveillance system is to document absence of poliovirus infection. The conflict in Syria has left many children unvaccinated and movement from areas with polio cases to Europe calls for increased awareness to detect and respond to virus-transmission in a timely manner. We evaluate the national EV laboratory surveillance, to generate recommendations for system strengthening. The system was analysed for completeness of viral typing analysis and clinical information and timeliness of specimen collection, laboratory results and reporting of clinical information. Of 23,720 specimens screened, 2,202 (9.3%) were EV-positive. Submission of cerebrospinal fluid and faecal specimens from primary diagnostic laboratories was 79.5% complete (845/1,063), and varied by laboratory and patient age. EV genotypes were determined in 68.5% (979/1,430) of laboratory-confirmed cases, clinical information was available for 63.1% (903/1,430). Primary diagnostic results were available after a median of 1.4 days, typing results after 17 days, detailed clinical information after 33 days. The large number of samples typed demonstrated continued monitoring of EV-circulation in Denmark. The system could be strengthened by increasing the collection of supplementary faecal specimens, improving communication with primary diagnostic laboratories, adapting the laboratory typing methodology and collecting clinical information with electronic forms.

Assessing the outcome of Strengthening Laboratory Management ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

SLMTA) is a competency-based management training programme designed to bring about immediate and measurable laboratory improvement. The aim of this study is to assess the outcome of SLMTA on laboratory quality management system in ...

A system for tumor heterogeneity evaluation and diagnosis based on tumor markers measured routinely in the laboratory.

Science.gov (United States)

Hui, Liu; Rixv, Liu; Xiuying, Zhou

2015-12-01

To develop an efficient and reliable approach to estimate tumor heterogeneity and improve tumor diagnosis using multiple tumor markers measured routinely in the clinical laboratory. A total of 161 patients with different cancers were recruited as the cancer group, and 91 patients with non-oncological conditions were required as the non-oncological disease group. The control group comprised 90 randomly selected healthy subjects. AFP, CEA, CYFRA, CA125, CA153, CA199, CA724, and NSE levels were measured in all these subjects with a chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay. The tumor marker with the maximum S/CO value (sample test value:cutoff value for discriminating individuals with and without tumors) was considered as a specific tumor marker (STM) for an individual. Tumor heterogeneity index (THI)=N/P (N: number of STMs; P: percentage of individuals with STMs in a certain tumor population) was used to quantify tumor heterogeneity: high THI indicated high tumor heterogeneity. The tumor marker index (TMI), TMI = STM×(number of positive tumor markers+1), was used for diagnosis. The THIs of lung, gastric, and liver cancers were 8.33, 9.63, and 5.2, respectively, while the ROC-areas under the curve for TMI were 0.862, 0.809, and 0.966. In this study, we developed a novel index for tumor heterogeneity based on the expression of various routinely evaluated serum tumor markers. Development of an evaluation system for tumor heterogeneity on the basis of this index could provide an effective diagnostic tool for some cancers. Copyright © 2015 The Canadian Society of Clinical Chemists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Near Field UHF RFID Antenna System Enabling the Tracking of Small Laboratory Animals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luca Catarinucci

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Radio frequency identification (RFID technology is more and more adopted in a wide range of applicative scenarios. In many cases, such as the tracking of small-size living animals for behaviour analysis purposes, the straightforward use of commercial solutions does not ensure adequate performance. Consequently, both RFID hardware and the control software should be tailored for the particular application. In this work, a novel RFID-based approach enabling an effective localization and tracking of small-sized laboratory animals is proposed. It is mainly based on a UHF Near Field RFID multiantenna system, to be placed under the animals’ cage, and able to rigorously identify the NF RFID tags implanted in laboratory animals (e.g., mice. Once the requirements of the reader antenna have been individuated, the antenna system has been designed and realized. Moreover, an algorithm based on the measured Received Signal Strength Indication (RSSI aiming at removing potential ambiguities in data captured by the multiantenna system has been developed and integrated. The animal tracking system has been largely tested on phantom mice in order to verify its ability to precisely localize each subject and to reconstruct its path. The achieved and discussed results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed tracking system.

Accreditation of Medical Laboratories – System, Process, Benefits for Labs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zima Tomáš

2017-09-01

Full Text Available One and key of the priorities in laboratory medicine is improvement of quality management system for patient safety. Quality in the health care is tightly connected to the level of excellence of the health care provided in relation to the current level of knowledge and technical development. Accreditation is an effective way to demonstrate competence of the laboratory, a tool to recognize laboratories world-wide, is linked to periodical audits, to stimulate the maintenance and improvement of the quality, which leads to high standard of services for clients (patients, health care providers, etc.. The strategic plans of IFCC and EFLM include focusing on accreditation of labs based on ISO standards and cooperation with European Accreditation and national accreditation bodies. IFCC and EFLM recognised that ISO 15189:2012 Medical laboratories – Requirements for quality and competence, encompasses all the assessment criteria specified in the policy of quality. The last version is oriented to process approach with detailed division and clearly defined requirements. The accreditation of labs improves facilitation of accurate and rapid diagnostics, efficiency of treatment and reduction of errors in the laboratory process. Accreditation is not about who the best is, but who has a system of standard procedures with aim to improve the quality and patient safety. Quality system is about people, with people and for people.

MULTIMEDIA EDITOR OF VIRTUAL PHYSICAL LABORATORY IN DISTANCE LEARNING SYSTEM «KHERSON VIRTUAL UNIVERSITY»

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kravtsov H.

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The questions of modeling the structure of the objects of the system, the design of software modules and technologies for creating the editor of a virtual laboratory are considered. The relevance of the study is due to the lack in existing distance learning systems of support for the creation and use of virtual laboratory work on disciplines of the natural-science profile. The subject of the study is a software module for creating and using virtual laboratory work in a distance learning system. The purpose of the study is the development of a system model and a description of the software development technology of a virtual laboratory for physics for a distance learning system. The information technologies of designing the structure of the virtual laboratory and the main modes of the program module of the editor of the virtual laboratory work are described. At the heart of the structure of the software module "Virtual Laboratory" is the multimedia Web-editor of virtual laboratory works, which is created using object-oriented design technology. The program library of multimedia 3D objects created in the development environment of interactive graphic objects Unity3D. It unifies the process of creation and processing of virtual laboratory works. The basic mathematical package for supporting calculations is the mathematical processor Waterloo Maple. The application of the developed software interface will allow teachers to create laboratory works and use them in their distance courses. Students, in turn, will be able to conduct research, performing virtual laboratory work. As an example, the editor of the virtual laboratory for physics in the distance learning system "Kherson Virtual University" is considered.

Evaluation of the enterovirus laboratory surveillance system in Denmark, 2010 to 2013

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Condell, Orla; Midgley, Sofie E; Christiansen, Claus Bohn

2016-01-01

The primary aim of the Danish enterovirus (EV) surveillance system is to document absence of poliovirus infection. The conflict in Syria has left many children unvaccinated and movement from areas with polio cases to Europe calls for increased awareness to detect and respond to virus-transmission......The primary aim of the Danish enterovirus (EV) surveillance system is to document absence of poliovirus infection. The conflict in Syria has left many children unvaccinated and movement from areas with polio cases to Europe calls for increased awareness to detect and respond to virus......-transmission in a timely manner. We evaluate the national EV laboratory surveillance, to generate recommendations for system strengthening. The system was analysed for completeness of viral typing analysis and clinical information and timeliness of specimen collection, laboratory results and reporting of clinical...... information. Of 23,720 specimens screened, 2,202 (9.3%) were EV-positive. Submission of cerebrospinal fluid and faecal specimens from primary diagnostic laboratories was 79.5% complete (845/1,063), and varied by laboratory and patient age. EV genotypes were determined in 68.5% (979/1,430) of laboratory...

A magnetic suspension system for measuring liquid density

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luz María Centeno González

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Density is a derived quantity of mass and length; it is defined as mass per volume unit and its SI unit is kg/m3. National metrology institutes have been designing and building their own magnetic suspension systems during the last 5 decades for making fluid density measurements; this has allowed them to carry out research into liquids and gases’ physical characteristics. This paper was aimed at designing and developing a magnetic suspension system for a magnetic balance used in determining liquid density to be used in CENAM’s metrology density laboratories.

The LUT-Gauge for overcoring rock stress measurements - Technical description and laboratory evaluation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leijon, B.

1988-03-01

The development of the LUT-Gauge - a triaxial borehole instrument for overcoring rock stress measurements - is reported. The borehole gauge and the associated equipment is described in some detail. The experimental procedures applicable to field measurements with the device are presented. A series of laboratory tests, aimed at investigating the performance of the instrumentation, are reported, This included basic tests of mechanical and electrical reliability, as well as investigations of the thermal sensitivity of the measuring method. These factors are significant with respect to the applicability of the method under field conditions. The results from the laboratory tests showed that instrument performance was in all respects satisfactory. Furthermore, that the effects of temperature changes, expressed as the corresponding measuring error to be expected under typical field conditions, was less than ± 1 MPa. (author)

Using the Human Systems Simulation Laboratory at Idaho National Laboratory for Safety Focused Research

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Joe, Jeffrey .C; Boring, Ronald L.

2016-07-01

Under the United States (U.S.) Department of Energy (DOE) Light Water Reactor Sustainability (LWRS) program, researchers at Idaho National Laboratory (INL) have been using the Human Systems Simulation Laboratory (HSSL) to conduct critical safety focused Human Factors research and development (R&D) for the nuclear industry. The LWRS program has the overall objective to develop the scientific basis to extend existing nuclear power plant (NPP) operating life beyond the current 60-year licensing period and to ensure their long-term reliability, productivity, safety, and security. One focus area for LWRS is the NPP main control room (MCR), because many of the instrumentation and control (I&C) system technologies installed in the MCR, while highly reliable and safe, are now difficult to replace and are therefore limiting the operating life of the NPP. This paper describes how INL researchers use the HSSL to conduct Human Factors R&D on modernizing or upgrading these I&C systems in a step-wise manner, and how the HSSL has addressed a significant gap in how to upgrade systems and technologies that are built to last, and therefore require careful integration of analog and new advanced digital technologies.

Coordinate metrology accuracy of systems and measurements

CERN Document Server

Sładek, Jerzy A

2016-01-01

This book focuses on effective methods for assessing the accuracy of both coordinate measuring systems and coordinate measurements. It mainly reports on original research work conducted by Sladek’s team at Cracow University of Technology’s Laboratory of Coordinate Metrology. The book describes the implementation of different methods, including artificial neural networks, the Matrix Method, the Monte Carlo method and the virtual CMM (Coordinate Measuring Machine), and demonstrates how these methods can be effectively used in practice to gauge the accuracy of coordinate measurements. Moreover, the book includes an introduction to the theory of measurement uncertainty and to key techniques for assessing measurement accuracy. All methods and tools are presented in detail, using suitable mathematical formulations and illustrated with numerous examples. The book fills an important gap in the literature, providing readers with an advanced text on a topic that has been rapidly developing in recent years. The book...

Instruments for radiation measurement in life sciences (5). 'Development of imaging Technology in life sciences'. 5. X-ray CT for laboratory animals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tamegai, Toshiaki

2007-01-01

X-ray computed tomography, commercialized by EMI Co., UK, in 1973 and now used world-widely, is used not only for medical use but also for laboratory animals such as rats and mice to measure bone density and to obtain fine structures of bones. This paper introduces X-ray CT apparatus specifically designed for laboratory animals. Besides general explanations about the method, followed by emphasis on important performance of the measuring system, the paper explains technical aspects for obtaining the CT imaging scan procedure thus showing several photographs as example and introducing some clinical applications. (S. Ohno)

Laboratory Information Management System Chain of Custody: Reliability and Security

OpenAIRE

Tomlinson, J. J.; Elliott-Smith, W.; Radosta, T.

2006-01-01

A chain of custody (COC) is required in many laboratories that handle forensics, drugs of abuse, environmental, clinical, and DNA testing, as well as other laboratories that want to assure reliability of reported results. Maintaining a dependable COC can be laborious, but with the recent establishment of the criteria for electronic records and signatures by US regulatory agencies, laboratory information management systems (LIMSs) are now being developed to fully automate COCs. The extent of a...

Integrated management system best practices in radioecological laboratories

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carvalho, Claudia Aparecida Zerbinatti de

2009-01-01

This paper presents a Master dissertation advancements with the target of studying the best practices, in order to give support to an IMS conceptual model ?Integrated Management System (quality, environment, work safety and health), applied to radioecological laboratories. The planning of the proposed research comprises the following stages: first stage - the bibliographic and documental survey in IMS; a survey and study of the applied standards (QMS NBR ISO 9000 (2005), NBR ISO 9001 (2008), NBR ISO 9004 (2000), EMS 14001(2004) and OHSMS OHSAS 18001 (2007) and OHSAS 18002 (2008)); identification and characterization in radioecological laboratories processes; a methodological study of better practices and benchmarking is carried out. In the second stage of the research, the development of a case study is forecast (qualitative research, with electronic questionnaires and personal interviews, when possible), preceded by a survey and selection of international and national radioecological laboratories to be studied and, in sequence, these laboratories should be contacted and agree to participate in the research; in a third stage, the construction of a matrix of better practices, which incur in the results able to subside an IMS conceptual model proposition for radioecological laboratories; the fourth and last stage of the research comprises the construction of a conceptual proposal of an IMS structure for radioecological laboratories. The first stage of the research results are presented concisely, as well as a preliminary selection of laboratories to be studied. (author)

Integrated management system best practices in radioecological laboratories

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Carvalho, Claudia Aparecida Zerbinatti de [Centro Tecnologico da Marinha em Sao Paulo (CTMSP), SP (Brazil). Dept. da Qualidade], e-mail: clau.zerbina@gmail.com; Zouain, Desiree Moraes [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN/CNEN-SP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil)], e-mail: dmzouain@ipen.br

2009-07-01

This paper presents a Master dissertation advancements with the target of studying the best practices, in order to give support to an IMS conceptual model ?Integrated Management System (quality, environment, work safety and health), applied to radioecological laboratories. The planning of the proposed research comprises the following stages: first stage - the bibliographic and documental survey in IMS; a survey and study of the applied standards (QMS NBR ISO 9000 (2005), NBR ISO 9001 (2008), NBR ISO 9004 (2000), EMS 14001(2004) and OHSMS OHSAS 18001 (2007) and OHSAS 18002 (2008)); identification and characterization in radioecological laboratories processes; a methodological study of better practices and benchmarking is carried out. In the second stage of the research, the development of a case study is forecast (qualitative research, with electronic questionnaires and personal interviews, when possible), preceded by a survey and selection of international and national radioecological laboratories to be studied and, in sequence, these laboratories should be contacted and agree to participate in the research; in a third stage, the construction of a matrix of better practices, which incur in the results able to subside an IMS conceptual model proposition for radioecological laboratories; the fourth and last stage of the research comprises the construction of a conceptual proposal of an IMS structure for radioecological laboratories. The first stage of the research results are presented concisely, as well as a preliminary selection of laboratories to be studied. (author)

Porosity measurements of crystalline rocks by laboratory and geophysical methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alexander, J.; Hall, D.H.; Storey, B.C.

1981-12-01

Porosity values of igneous and metamorphic crystalline rocks have been determined from core samples taken at specific depths from Altnabreac, by a combination of laboratory and geophysical techniques. Using resaturation and mercury injection methods in three laboratories within I.G.S., porosity values have been derived and the effect of variations in the measuring techniques and results obtained have been compared. Comparison of inter-laboratory porosity values illustrates that systematic errors are present, resulting in higher porosity values for samples subjected to re-testing. This is considered to be caused by the variable nature of the initial samples combined with the inability to completely dry or resaturate samples during a second testing. Geophysical techniques for determining in situ porosity using the neutron log have been carried out in borehole ALA. The neutron log has been calibrated with laboratory derived porosity values and an empirical formula derived enabling porosity values to be ascribed throughout the logged borehole ALA. Comparison of the porosity results from Altnabreac with crystalline samples elsewhere in America, Europe and the U.K. suggest that porosities at Altnabreac are lower than average. However, very few publications concerned with water movement in crystalline areas actually state the method used. (author)

Liquid scintillation systems and apparatus for measuring high-energy radiation emitted by samples in standard laboratory test tubes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Benvenutti, R.A.

1976-01-01

Liquid scintillation detection system employs improved sample holders in which the cap of a glass vial is provided with a well for receiving a standard laboratory test tube containing a radioactive sample. The well is immersed in a liquid scintillator in the vial, the scintillator containing lead acetate solution to enhance its efficiency. A commercially available beta-counting liquid scintillation apparatus is modified to provide gamma-counting with the improved sample holders

GESCAL: Quality management automated system for a calibration and test laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Manzano de Armas, J.; Valdes Ramos, M.; Morales Monzon, J.A.

1998-01-01

GESCAL is a software created to automate all elements composing the quality system in a calibration and test laboratory. It also evaluates quality according to its objectives and policies. This integrated data system decreases considerably the amount of time devoted to manage quality. It is speedier in searching and evaluating information registers thus notably in reducing the workload for laboratory staff

Comparison of a laboratory grade force platform with a Nintendo Wii balance board in measurement of postural control in single-legged stance balance tasks

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Huurnink, A.; Fransz, D.P.; Kingma, I.; van Dieen, J.H.

2013-01-01

Training and testing of balance have potential applications in sports and medicine. Laboratory grade force plates (FP) are considered the gold standard for the measurement of balance performance. Measurements in these systems are based on the parameterization of center of pressure (CoP)

Laboratory diagnostic methods, system of quality and validation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ašanin Ružica

2005-01-01

Full Text Available It is known that laboratory investigations secure safe and reliable results that provide a final confirmation of the quality of work. Ideas, planning, knowledge, skills, experience, and environment, along with good laboratory practice, quality control and reliability of quality, make the area of biological investigations very complex. In recent years, quality control, including the control of work in the laboratory, is based on international standards and is used at that level. The implementation of widely recognized international standards, such as the International Standard ISO/IEC 17025 (1 and the implementing of the quality system series ISO/IEC 9000 (2 have become the imperative on the grounds of which laboratories have a formal, visible and corresponding system of quality. The diagnostic methods that are used must constantly yield results which identify the animal as positive or negative, and the precise status of the animal is determined with a predefined degree of statistical significance. Methods applied on a selected population reduce the risk of obtaining falsely positive or falsely negative results. A condition for this are well conceived and documented methods, with the application of the corresponding reagents, and work with professional and skilled staff. This process requires also a consistent implementation of the most rigorous experimental plans, epidemiological and statistical data and estimations, with constant monitoring of the validity of the applied methods. Such an approach is necessary in order to cut down the number of misconceptions and accidental mistakes, for a referent population of animals on which the validity of a method is tested. Once a valid method is included in daily routine investigations, it is necessary to apply constant monitoring for the purpose of internal quality control, in order adequately to evaluate its reproducibility and reliability. Consequently, it is necessary at least twice yearly to conduct

In situ measurement of the energy gap of a semiconductor using a microcontroller-based system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mukaro, R; Taele, B M; Tinarwo, D

2006-01-01

This paper describes a microcontroller-based laboratory technique for automatic in situ measurement of the energy gap of germanium. The design is based on the original undergraduate laboratory experiment in which students manually measure the variation of the reverse saturation current of a germanium diode with temperature using a current-to-voltage converter. After collecting the results students later analyse them to determine the energy gap of the semiconductor. The objective of this work was to introduce interfacing and computerized measurement systems in the undergraduate laboratory. The microcontroller-based data acquisition system and its implementation in automatic in situ measurement of the band gap of germanium diode is presented. The system which uses an LM335 temperature sensor for measuring temperature transmits the measured data to the computer via the RS232 serial port while a C++ software program developed to run on the computer monitors the serial port for incoming information sent by the microcontroller. This information is displayed on the computer screen as it comes and automatically saved to a data file. Once all the data are received, the computer performs least-squares fit to the data to compute the energy gap which is displayed on the screen together with its error estimate. For the IN34A germanium diode used the value of the energy gap obtained was 0.50 ± 0.02 eV

In situ measurement of the energy gap of a semiconductor using a microcontroller-based system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mukaro, R [Department of Physics, Bindura University of Science, P/Bag 1020, Bindura (Zimbabwe); Taele, B M [Department of Physics and Electronics, National University of Lesotho, Roma 180 (Lesotho); Tinarwo, D [Department of Physics, Bindura University of Science, P/Bag 1020, Bindura (Zimbabwe)

2006-05-01

This paper describes a microcontroller-based laboratory technique for automatic in situ measurement of the energy gap of germanium. The design is based on the original undergraduate laboratory experiment in which students manually measure the variation of the reverse saturation current of a germanium diode with temperature using a current-to-voltage converter. After collecting the results students later analyse them to determine the energy gap of the semiconductor. The objective of this work was to introduce interfacing and computerized measurement systems in the undergraduate laboratory. The microcontroller-based data acquisition system and its implementation in automatic in situ measurement of the band gap of germanium diode is presented. The system which uses an LM335 temperature sensor for measuring temperature transmits the measured data to the computer via the RS232 serial port while a C++ software program developed to run on the computer monitors the serial port for incoming information sent by the microcontroller. This information is displayed on the computer screen as it comes and automatically saved to a data file. Once all the data are received, the computer performs least-squares fit to the data to compute the energy gap which is displayed on the screen together with its error estimate. For the IN34A germanium diode used the value of the energy gap obtained was 0.50 {+-} 0.02 eV.

Sandia Laboratories technical capabilities: instrumentation and data systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lundergain, C.D.; Mead, P.L.

1975-12-01

This report characterizes the instrumentation and data systems capabilities at Sandia Laboratories. Selected applications of these capabilities are presented to illustrate the extent to which they can be applied in research and development programs

Customizing Laboratory Information Systems: Closing the Functionality Gap.

Science.gov (United States)

Gershkovich, Peter; Sinard, John H

2015-09-01

Highly customizable laboratory information systems help to address great variations in laboratory workflows, typical in Pathology. Often, however, built-in customization tools are not sufficient to add all of the desired functionality and improve systems interoperability. Emerging technologies and advances in medicine often create a void in functionality that we call a functionality gap. These gaps have distinct characteristics—a persuasive need to change the way a pathology group operates, the general availability of technology to address the missing functionality, the absence of this technology from your laboratory information system, and inability of built-in customization tools to address it. We emphasize the pervasive nature of these gaps, the role of pathology informatics in closing them, and suggest methods on how to achieve that. We found that a large number of the papers in the Journal of Pathology Informatics are concerned with these functionality gaps, and an even larger proportion of electronic posters and abstracts presented at the Pathology Informatics Summit conference each year deal directly with these unmet needs in pathology practice. A rapid, continuous, and sustainable approach to closing these gaps is critical for Pathology to provide the highest quality of care, adopt new technologies, and meet regulatory and financial challenges. The key element of successfully addressing functionality gaps is gap ownership—the ability to control the entire pathology information infrastructure with access to complementary systems and components. In addition, software developers with detailed domain expertise, equipped with right tools and methodology can effectively address these needs as they emerge.

Laboratory testing & measurement on optical imaging systems

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Theron, B

2013-04-01

Full Text Available on Optical Imaging Systems Bertus Theron 27 April 2013 presented at SIECPC 2013, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Overview of Workshop Part 1. Introduction & Context  Some history of Arabic Optics  Context: Global vs Local optical testing... of Arabic Optics 1 See [4]  Arabic records of study of geometrical optics  Traced to Hellenistic (Greek) optics  Translated to Arabic  9th century  Arabic contribution to geometric optics  Not just translation to Arabic  Innovative research...

Directed energy deflection laboratory measurements of common space based targets

Science.gov (United States)

Brashears, Travis; Lubin, Philip; Hughes, Gary B.; Meinhold, Peter; Batliner, Payton; Motta, Caio; Madajian, Jonathan; Mercer, Whitaker; Knowles, Patrick

2016-09-01

We report on laboratory studies of the effectiveness of directed energy planetary defense as a part of the DE-STAR (Directed Energy System for Targeting of Asteroids and exploRation) program. DE-STAR and DE-STARLITE are directed energy "stand-off" and "stand-on" programs, respectively. These systems consist of a modular array of kilowatt-class lasers powered by photovoltaics, and are capable of heating a spot on the surface of an asteroid to the point of vaporization. Mass ejection, as a plume of evaporated material, creates a reactionary thrust capable of diverting the asteroid's orbit. In a series of papers, we have developed a theoretical basis and described numerical simulations for determining the thrust produced by material evaporating from the surface of an asteroid. In the DESTAR concept, the asteroid itself is used as the deflection "propellant". This study presents results of experiments designed to measure the thrust created by evaporation from a laser directed energy spot. We constructed a vacuum chamber to simulate space conditions, and installed a torsion balance that holds a common space target sample. The sample is illuminated with a fiber array laser with flux levels up to 60 MW/m2 , which allows us to simulate a mission level flux but on a small scale. We use a separate laser as well as a position sensitive centroid detector to readout the angular motion of the torsion balance and can thus determine the thrust. We compare the measured thrust to the models. Our theoretical models indicate a coupling coefficient well in excess of 100 μN/Woptical, though we assume a more conservative value of 80 μN/Woptical and then degrade this with an optical "encircled energy" efficiency of 0.75 to 60 μN/Woptical in our deflection modeling. Our measurements discussed here yield about 45 μN/Wabsorbed as a reasonable lower limit to the thrust per optical watt absorbed. Results vary depending on the material tested and are limited to measurements of 1 axis, so

The procedures manual of the Environmental Measurements Laboratory. Volume 1, 28. edition

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chieco, N.A. [ed.

1997-02-01

This manual covers procedures and technology currently in use at the Environmental Measurements Laboratory. An attempt is made to be sure that all work carried out will be of the highest quality. Attention is focused on the following areas: quality assurance; sampling; radiation measurements; analytical chemistry; radionuclide data; special facilities; and specifications.

The procedures manual of the Environmental Measurements Laboratory. Volume 1, 28. edition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chieco, N.A.

1997-02-01

This manual covers procedures and technology currently in use at the Environmental Measurements Laboratory. An attempt is made to be sure that all work carried out will be of the highest quality. Attention is focused on the following areas: quality assurance; sampling; radiation measurements; analytical chemistry; radionuclide data; special facilities; and specifications

Measuring of main parameters of blood circulation at small laboratory animals in chronic experiment by means of computerized gamma-camera

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rutskij, A.V.; Kovalenko, Yu.D.; Rudenko, F.V.; Ioda, G.I.; Kaminskij, M.P.

1996-01-01

Technique for studding of a state systemic and regional hemodynamics at small laboratory animals (rats) by using short-lived isotopes (technetium 99 m) and computerized gamma-camera are described. One gives possibility to make the repeated measuring in condition long-tome experiment. The proposed technique of radiocardiocirculography gives possibility simultaneously to measure linear parameters of both arterial and vein blood circulation too. 3 refs., 1 tab., 2 figs

On the relationships between higher and lower bit-depth system measurements

Science.gov (United States)

Burks, Stephen D.; Haefner, David P.; Doe, Joshua M.

2018-04-01

The quality of an imaging system can be assessed through controlled laboratory objective measurements. Currently, all imaging measurements require some form of digitization in order to evaluate a metric. Depending on the device, the amount of bits available, relative to a fixed dynamic range, will exhibit quantization artifacts. From a measurement standpoint, measurements are desired to be performed at the highest possible bit-depth available. In this correspondence, we described the relationship between higher and lower bit-depth measurements. The limits to which quantization alters the observed measurements will be presented. Specifically, we address dynamic range, MTF, SiTF, and noise. Our results provide guidelines to how systems of lower bit-depth should be characterized and the corresponding experimental methods.

Laboratory Characterization of an Imaging Reflectometer System

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Munsat, T.; Mazzucato, E.; Park, H.; Domier, C.W.; Luhmann, N.C. Jr.; Donne, A.J.H.; Pol, M. van de

2003-01-01

While microwave reflectometry has proven to be a sensitive tool for measuring electron density fluctuations in many circumstances, it has also been shown to have limited viability for core measurements and/or conditions of strong turbulence. To this end, a new instrument based on 2-D imaging reflectometry has been developed to measure density fluctuations over an extended plasma region in the TEXTOR tokamak. Laboratory characterization of this instrument has been performed using corrugated reflecting targets as an approximation to plasma reflections including 2-D turbulent fluctuations of various magnitude and poloidal wavenumber. Within this approximation, the imaging reflectometer can recover the spectral and spatial characteristics of the reflection layer lost to or otherwise inaccessible to conventional techniques

New radionuclide specific laboratory detection system for metallurgical industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burianova, L.; Solc, J.; Dryak, P.; Moser, H.; Branger, T.; Garcia-Torano, E.; Peyres, V.; Capogni, M.; Luca, A.; Vodenik, B.; Oliveira, C.; Portugal, L.; Tzika, F.; Lutter, G.; Szucs, L.; Dziel, T.; Burda, O.; Dirk, A.; Martinkovic, J.; Sliskonen, T.; Mattila, A.

2014-01-01

One of the main outputs of the European Metrology Research Programme (EMRP) project 'Ionising radiation metrology for the metallurgical industry' (MetroMetal) was the recommendation on a novel spectrometric detection system optimized for the measurement of radioactivity in metallurgical samples. The recommended system, prototypes of which were constructed at two project partner's laboratories, was characterized by using Monte Carlo (MC) simulations. Six different MC codes were used to model the system and a range of cylindrical samples of cast steel, slag and fume dust. The samples' shape, density, and elemental composition were the same as the ones of the calibration standards developed within the project to provide traceability to end-users. The MC models were used to calculate full-energy peak and total detection efficiencies as well as true coincidence summing correction (TCSC) factors for selected radionuclides of interest in the metallurgical industry: 60 Co, 137 Cs, 192 Ir, 214 Bi, 214 Pb, and 208 Tl. The MC codes were compared to each other on the basis of the calculated detection efficiencies and TCSC factors. In addition, a 'Procedural guide for calculation of TCSC factors for samples in metallurgical industry' was developed for end-users. The TCSC factors reached in certain cases up to 32% showing that the summing effects are of high importance in the close measurement geometries met in routine analysis of metallurgical samples. (authors)

Two low-level gamma spectrometry systems of the IAEA Safeguards Analytical Laboratory

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Parus, J L [IAEA, SAL, Vienna (Austria); Raab, W [IAEA, SAL, Vienna (Austria); Donohue, D [IAEA, SAL, Vienna (Austria); Jansta, V [IAEA, SAL, Vienna (Austria); Kierzek, J [IAEA, SAL, Vienna (Austria)

1997-03-01

A gamma spectrometry system designed for the measurement of samples with low and medium radioactivity (activity from a few to about 10{sup 4} Bq in the energy range from 25 to 2700 keV) has been installed at the IAEA Safeguards Analytical Laboratory in Seibersdorf. The system consists of 3 low level detectors: (1) n-type coaxial Ge with 42.4% relative efficiency, 1.85 keV FWHM at 1.33 MeV (2) planar Ge with 2000 mm{sup 2} area and 20 mm thickness, 562 eV FWHM at 122 keV (3) NaI(Tl) annulus of 25.4 cm diameter and 25.4 cm height, hole diameter 90 mm. (orig./DG)

Computer-based nuclear radiation detection and instrumentation teaching laboratory system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ellis, W.H.; He, Q.

1993-01-01

The integration of computers into the University of Florida's Nuclear Engineering Sciences teaching laboratories is based on the innovative use of MacIntosh 2 microcomputers, IEEE-488 (GPIB) communication and control bus system and protocol, compatible modular nuclear instrumentation (NIM) and test equipment, LabVIEW graphics and applications software, with locally prepared, interactive, menu-driven, HyperCard based multi-exercise laboratory instruction sets and procedures. Results thus far have been highly successful with the majority of the laboratory exercises having been implemented

Quality assurance manual for the Department of Energy laboratory accreditation program for personnel dosimetry systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1987-02-01

The overall purpose of this document is to establish a uniform approach to quality assurance. This will ensure that uniform, high-quality personnel dosimetry practices are followed by the participating testing laboratories. The document presents guidelines for calibrating and maintaining measurement and test equipment (M and TE), calibrating radiation fields, and subsequently irradiating and handling personnel dosimeters in laboratories involved in the DOE dosimetry systems testing program. Radiation energies for which the test procedures apply are photons with approximately 15 keV to 2 MeV, beta particles above 0.3 MeV, neutrons with approximately 1 keV to 2 MeV. 12 refs., 4 tabs

Development and testing of highway storm-sewer flow measurement and recording system

Science.gov (United States)

Kilpatrick, F.A.; Kaehrle, W.R.; Hardee, Jack; Cordes, E.H.; Landers, M.N.

1985-01-01

A comprehensive study and development of measuring instruments and techniques for measuring all components of flow in a storm-sewer drainage system was undertaken by the U.S. Geological Survey under the sponsorship of the Federal Highway Administration. The study involved laboratory and field calibration and testing of measuring flumes, pipe insert meters, weirs, electromagnetic velocity meters as well as the development and calibration of pneumatic-bubbler pressure transducer head measuring systems. Tracer-dilution and acoustic flow meter measurements were used in field verification tests. A single micrologger was used to record data from all the above instruments as well as from a tipping-bucket rain gage and also to activate on command the electromagnetic velocity meter and tracer-dilution systems. (Author 's abstract)

Development of a Modular Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) for NAA Laboratories Using Open-Source Developing Tools

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bounakhla, Moussa; Amsil, Hamid; Embarch, K.; Bounouira, Hamid

2018-01-01

CNESTEN designed and developed a modular Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) for the NAA Laboratory using open-source developing tools. This LIMS ensures a personalized management web space for sample acquisition and preparation, spectra processing and for final analysis of the sample. The system helps also dematerializing process for irradiation requests and for the acquisition of new equipments and samples. It allows managing circulating documents between different actors of the LIMS. Modules for concentration determination, facilities characterization are also included in this LIMS. New modules such as spectra fitting, true coincidence and attenuation corrections can be developed and integrated individually in this system. All data, including nuclear data libraries, are stored in a unique distant database via intranet network to allow instantaneous multi-user access. (author)

Burnup verification tests with the FORK measurement system-implementation for burnup credit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ewing, R.I.

1994-01-01

Verification measurements may be used to help ensure nuclear criticality safety when burnup credit is applied to spent fuel transport and storage systems. The FORK system measures the passive neutron and gamma-ray emission from spent fuel assemblies while in the storage pool. It was designed at Los Alamos National Laboratory for the International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards program and is well suited to verify burnup and cooling time records at commercial Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) sites. This report deals with the application of the FORK system to burnup credit operations

The establishment of a portable high sensitivity exhaled thoron activity measurement system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Xing-an; Cheng, Yong-e

2008-01-01

A portable system, using electrostatic collection, for the measurement of exhaled thoron activity in humans is described, together with the basic theory, equipment, calibration procedures, measurement and the preliminary use. The portable system built on experience at the Argonne National Laboratory to achieve a reduction in measurement time from 30 hours to 200 minutes, and to increase the total efficiency of the system from 50%(ANL) to 55% with a minimum detection limit decreased to 0.007 Bq (zero activity± σ). The total standard error of this system is 47% for a thorium lung burden of 0.22 Bq. The average background of this scintillation detector was 0.003 counts/min. (author)

Implementing an integrated standards-based management system to ensure compliance at Los Alamos National Laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hjeresen, D.; Roybal, S.; Bertino, P.; Gherman, C.; Hosteny, B.

1995-01-01

Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL or the Laboratory) is developing and implementing a comprehensive, Integrated Standards-Based Management System (ISBMS) to enhance environmental, safety, and health (ESH) compliance efforts and streamline management of ESH throughout the Laboratory. The Laboratory recognizes that to be competitive in today's business environment and attractive to potential Partnerships, Laboratory operations must be efficient and cost-effective. The Laboratory also realizes potential growth opportunities for developing ESH as a strength in providing new or improved services to its customers. Overall, the Laboratory desires to establish and build upon an ESH management system which ensures continuous improvement in protecting public health and safety and the environment and which fosters a working relationship with stakeholders. A team of process experts from the LANL Environmental Management (EM) Program Office, worked with management system consultants, and the Department of Energy (DOE) to develop an ESH management systems process to compare current LANL ESH management Systems and programs against leading industry standards. The process enabled the Laboratory to gauge its performance in each of the following areas: Planning and Policy Setting; Systems and Procedures; Implementation and Education; and Monitoring and Reporting. The information gathered on ESH management systems enabled LANL to pinpoint and prioritize opportunities for improvement in the provision of ESH services throughout the Laboratory and ultimately overall ESH compliance

[ISO 15189 medical laboratory accreditation].

Science.gov (United States)

Aoyagi, Tsutomu

2004-10-01

This International Standard, based upon ISO/IEC 17025 and ISO 9001, provides requirements for competence and quality that are particular to medical laboratories. While this International Standard is intended for use throughout the currently recognized disciplines of medical laboratory services, those working in other services and disciplines will also find it useful and appropriate. In addition, bodies engaged in the recognition of the competence of medical laboratories will be able to use this International Standard as the basis for their activities. The Japan Accreditation Board for Conformity Assessment (AB) and the Japanese Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards (CCLS) are jointly developing the program of accreditation of medical laboratories. ISO 15189 requirements consist of two parts, one is management requirements and the other is technical requirements. The former includes the requirements of all parts of ISO 9001, moreover it includes the requirement of conformity assessment body, for example, impartiality and independence from any other party. The latter includes the requirements of laboratory competence (e.g. personnel, facility, instrument, and examination methods), moreover it requires that laboratories shall participate proficiency testing(s) and laboratories' examination results shall have traceability of measurements and implement uncertainty of measurement. Implementation of ISO 15189 will result in a significant improvement in medical laboratories management system and their technical competence. The accreditation of medical laboratory will improve medical laboratory service and be useful for patients.

Collimation system for a laboratory of primary and secondary ionizing radiation calibration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oliveira, S.R.; David, M.G.

2003-01-01

This work is part of a cooperation plan between the LNMRI/IRD and the LCR/UERJ, for the a primary calibration at the IRD and a secondary laboratory at the LCR, both calibrated for mammographic beams which will be part a Calibration National Network. For the mounting of the primary laboratory, the first step was to install two additional collimators in order to guarantee that the beam area over the ionization chamber to satisfy the calibration international standards. So, the collimators were constructed obeying the geometric rules, the first being of conic format and the second of the cylindrical format, therefore avoiding the effects of the scattering radiation on the edges. By using this collimation system it was possible to verify the uniformity of the radiation field incident the ionization chamber to be over 98% of the total area, guaranteeing better precision of the measurement

Signs management and acquisition system for measurement of thermo physics properties of nuclear fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Migliorini, Fabricio Lima; Silva, Egonn Hendrigo Carvalho; Neto Ferreira, Ricardo Alberto; Miranda, Odair; Grossi, Pablo Andrade; Camarano, Denise das Merces

2009-01-01

This work presents the management and acquisition system (SGA-LMPT) developed in a Lab View platform implemented at the Laboratory for Measurement of Thermophysics Properties at the Center for Development of Nuclear Technology - Brazilian Nuclear Energy Commission (CDTN/CNEN-MG). The SGA-LMPT is a tool which guarantee the complete fulfilment of the regulatory regulations, allowing a much more quality, productivity, costs reduction and optimization of the laboratory process. Besides, the SGA-LMPT presents the necessary requirements for demonstration a management system capable to produce results technically valid. The determination of the thermal diffusivity of the UO 2 pellet fabricated with microspheres was used for demonstration of the new system adequacy for the measurement of nuclear fuel thermo physics properties. The results were discussed and compared with literature

Laboratory microwave measurement of the moisture content in seed cotton and ginned cotton fiber

Science.gov (United States)

The timely and accurate measurement of cotton fiber moisture content is important, but the measurement is often performed by laborious, time-consuming laboratory oven drying methods. Microwave technology for measuring fiber moisture content directly (not for drying only) offers potential advantages...

Real-time deformation measurement using a transportable shearography system

Science.gov (United States)

Weijers, A. L.; van Brug, Hedser H.; Frankena, Hans J.

1997-03-01

A new system for deformation visualization has been developed, being a real time phase stepped shearing speckle interferometer. This system provides the possibility to measure quantitatively deformations of diffusely reflecting objects in an industrial environment. The main characteristics of this interferometer are its speed of operation and its reduced sensitivity to external disturbances. Apart from its semiconductor laser source, this system has a shoe-box size and is mounted on a tripod for easy handling during inspection. This paper describes the shearing speckle interferometry set-up, as it is developed at our laboratory and its potential for detecting defects.

Digital Data Acquisition System for experiments with segmented detectors at National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Starosta, K., E-mail: starosta@sfu.c [National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory and Department of Physics and Astronomy, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824 (United States); Vaman, C.; Miller, D.; Voss, P.; Bazin, D.; Glasmacher, T. [National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory and Department of Physics and Astronomy, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824 (United States); Crawford, H.; Mantica, P. [National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory and Department of Chemistry, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824 (United States); Tan, H.; Hennig, W.; Walby, M.; Fallu-Labruyere, A.; Harris, J.; Breus, D.; Grudberg, P.; Warburton, W.K. [XIA LLC, Hayward, CA 94544 (United States)

2009-11-11

A 624-channel Digital Data Acquisition System capable of instrumenting the Segmented Germanium Array at National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory has been implemented using Pixie-16 Digital Gamma Finder modules by XIA LLC. The system opens an opportunity for determination of the first interaction position of a gamma ray in a SeGA detector from implementation of gamma-ray tracking. This will translate into a significantly improved determination of angle of emission, and in consequence much better Doppler corrections for experiments with fast beams. For stopped-beam experiments the system provides means for zero dead time measurements of rare decays, which occur on time scales of microseconds.

Digital Data Acquisition System for experiments with segmented detectors at National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Starosta, K.; Vaman, C.; Miller, D.; Voss, P.; Bazin, D.; Glasmacher, T.; Crawford, H.; Mantica, P.; Tan, H.; Hennig, W.; Walby, M.; Fallu-Labruyere, A.; Harris, J.; Breus, D.; Grudberg, P.; Warburton, W.K.

2009-01-01

A 624-channel Digital Data Acquisition System capable of instrumenting the Segmented Germanium Array at National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory has been implemented using Pixie-16 Digital Gamma Finder modules by XIA LLC. The system opens an opportunity for determination of the first interaction position of a γ ray in a SeGA detector from implementation of γ-ray tracking. This will translate into a significantly improved determination of angle of emission, and in consequence much better Doppler corrections for experiments with fast beams. For stopped-beam experiments the system provides means for zero dead time measurements of rare decays, which occur on time scales of microseconds.

Digital Data Acquisition System for experiments with segmented detectors at National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory

Science.gov (United States)

Starosta, K.; Vaman, C.; Miller, D.; Voss, P.; Bazin, D.; Glasmacher, T.; Crawford, H.; Mantica, P.; Tan, H.; Hennig, W.; Walby, M.; Fallu-Labruyere, A.; Harris, J.; Breus, D.; Grudberg, P.; Warburton, W. K.

2009-11-01

A 624-channel Digital Data Acquisition System capable of instrumenting the Segmented Germanium Array at National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory has been implemented using Pixie-16 Digital Gamma Finder modules by XIA LLC. The system opens an opportunity for determination of the first interaction position of a γ ray in a SeGA detector from implementation of γ-ray tracking. This will translate into a significantly improved determination of angle of emission, and in consequence much better Doppler corrections for experiments with fast beams. For stopped-beam experiments the system provides means for zero dead time measurements of rare decays, which occur on time scales of microseconds.

Methodologically controlled variations in laboratory and field pH measurements in waterlogged soils

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Elberling, Bo; Matthiesen, Henning

2007-01-01

artefacts is critical. But the study includes agricultural and forest soils for comparison. At a waterlogged site, Laboratory results were compared with three different field methods: calomel pH probes inserted in the soil from pits, pH measurements of soil solution extracted from the soil, and pH profiles...... using a solid-state pH electrode pushed into the soil from the surface. Comparisons between in situ and laboratory methods revealed differences of more than 1 pH unit. The content of dissolved ions in soil solution and field observations of O2 and CO2 concentrations were used in the speciation model...... PHREEQE in order to predict gas exchange processes. Changes in pH in soil solution following equilibrium in the laboratory could be explained mainly by CO2 degassing. Only soil pH measured in situ using either calomel or solid-state probes inserted directly into the soil was not affected by gas exchange...

Sandia National Laboratories, California Environmental Management System program manual.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Larsen, Barbara L.

2013-04-01

The Sandia National Laboratories, California (SNL/CA) Environmental Management System (EMS) Program Manual documents the elements of the site EMS Program. The SNL/CA EMS Program conforms to the International Standard on Environmental Management Systems, ISO 14001:2004 and Department of Energy (DOE) Order 436.1.

Sandia National Laboratories, California Environmental Management System program manual

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Larsen, Barbara L.

2014-04-01

The Sandia National Laboratories, California (SNL/CA) Environmental Management System (EMS) Program Manual documents the elements of the site EMS Program. The SNL/CA EMS Program conforms to the International Standard on Environmental Management Systems, ISO 14001:2004 and Department of Energy (DOE) Order 436.1.

Sequim Marine Research Laboratory routine environmental measurements during CY-1978

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Houston, J.R.; Blumer, P.J.

1979-03-01

Environmental data collected during 1978 in the vicinity of the Marine Research Laboratory show continued compliance with all applicable state and federal regulations and furthermore show no detectable change from conditions that existed in previous years. Samples collected for radiological analysis included soil, drinking water, bay water, clams, and seaweed. Radiation dose rates at 1 meter aboveground were also measured

A Project-Based Laboratory for Learning Embedded System Design with Industry Support

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Chyi-Shyong; Su, Juing-Huei; Lin, Kuo-En; Chang, Jia-Hao; Lin, Gu-Hong

2010-01-01

A project-based laboratory for learning embedded system design with support from industry is presented in this paper. The aim of this laboratory is to motivate students to learn the building blocks of embedded systems and practical control algorithms by constructing a line-following robot using the quadratic interpolation technique to predict the…

Clinical evaluation of analytical variations in serum creatinine measurements : why laboratories should abandon Jaffe techniques

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Drion, Iefke; Cobbaert, Christa; Groenier, Klaas H.; Weykamp, Cas; Bilo, Henk J. G.; Wetzels, Jack F. M.; Kleefstra, Nanne

2012-01-01

Background: Non-equivalence in serum creatinine (SCr) measurements across Dutch laboratories and the consequences hereof on chronic kidney disease (CKD) staging were examined. Methods: National data from the Dutch annual external quality organization of 2009 were used. 144 participating laboratories

Secondary standard dosimetry laboratory Saraykoy Nuclear Research and Training Center Ankara, Turkey

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Okruhlica, P.

2014-01-01

Turkish Saraykoy Nuclear Research and Training Center (SANA) was founded in 2005. In 2014 the company PTW Freiburg in cooperation with VF Cerna Hora started the construction of a comprehensive national metrology laboratories of ionizing radiation 'Secondary Standard Dosimetry Laboratory' (SSDL). The laboratory will be located in the area of 'Saraykoy Nuclear Research and Training Center' in Ankara in Turkey. SSDL will be equipped with metrology departments for calibration and measurement of standard required quantities of metrology of ionizing radiation: - Neutron workplace; Gamma workplace (low-energy X-ray, gamma Standard Cs-137 and high dose rate, Co-60); - Beta workplace; - Control system of metrology laboratories and irradiation VF DARS; - Radiation monitoring system VF RMS; - Camera and security system; - Measuring instruments (ionization chambers, electrometers, monitors for environmental measurements ...) with the appropriate phantoms and other systems.

Laboratory quality management system: Road to accreditation and beyond

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V Wadhwa

2012-01-01

Full Text Available This review attempts to clarify the concepts of Laboratory Quality Management System (Lab QMS for a medical testing and diagnostic laboratory in a holistic way and hopes to expand the horizon beyond quality control (QC and quality assurance. It provides an insight on accreditation bodies and highlights a glimpse of existing laboratory practices but essentially it takes the reader through the journey of accreditation and during the course of reading and understanding this document, prepares the laboratory for the same. Some of the areas which have not been highlighted previously include: requirement for accreditation consultants, laboratory infrastructure and scope, applying for accreditation, document preparation. This section is well supported with practical illustrations and necessary tables and exhaustive details like preparation of a standard operating procedure and a quality manual. Concept of training and privileging of staff has been clarified and a few of the QC exercises have been dealt with in a novel way. Finally, a practical advice for facing an actual third party assessment and caution needed to prevent post-assessment pitfalls has been dealt with.

Employee Engagement Is Vital for the Successful Selection of a Total Laboratory Automation System.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Hoi-Ying E; Wilkerson, Myra L

2017-11-08

To concretely outline a process for selecting a total laboratory automation system that connects clinical chemistry, hematology, and coagulation analyzers and to serve as a reference for other laboratories. In Phase I, a committee including the laboratory's directors and technologists conducted a review of 5 systems based on formal request for information process, site visits, and vendor presentations. We developed evaluation criteria and selected the 2 highest performing systems. In Phase II, we executed a detailed comparison of the 2 vendors based on cost, instrument layout, workflow design, and future potential. In addition to selecting a laboratory automation system, we used the process to ensure employee engagement in preparation for implementation. Selecting a total laboratory automation system is a complicated process. This paper provides practical guide in how a thorough selection process can be done with participation of key stakeholders. © American Society for Clinical Pathology, 2017. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com

Measurements of copper corrosion in the LOT Project at the Aespoe Hard Rock Laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rosborg, B.; Karnland, O.; Quirk, G.; Werme, L.

2003-01-01

Real-time monitoring, of corrosion by means of electrochemical noise and other electrochemical techniques may offer interesting possibilities to estimate the kind and degree of corrosion in a sample or component, and further visualize the corrosion resistance of pure copper in repository environments. As a pilot effort, three cylindrical copper electrodes for such measurements, each of about 100 cm 2 surface area, have been installed in a test parcel in the Aespoe Hard Rock Laboratory and electrochemical measurements using InterCorr's SmartCET system were initiated in May 2001. The first results from real-time monitoring of copper corrosion in the Aespoe HRL under actual repository environment conditions by means of linear polarisation resistance, harmonic distortion analysis and electrochemical noise techniques are presented, and compared with the results obtained from one of the retrieved test parcels. (authors)

Development of a laboratory prototype water quality monitoring system suitable for use in zero gravity

Science.gov (United States)

Misselhorn, J. E.; Witz, S.; Hartung, W. H.

1973-01-01

The development of a laboratory prototype water quality monitoring system for use in the evaluation of candidate water recovery systems and for study of techniques for measuring potability parameters is reported. Sensing techniques for monitoring of the most desirable parameters are reviewed in terms of their sensitivities and complexities, and their recommendations for sensing techniques are presented. Rationale for selection of those parameters to be monitored (pH, specific conductivity, Cr(+6), I2, total carbon, and bacteria) in a next generation water monitor is presented along with an estimate of flight system specifications. A master water monitor development schedule is included.

Usability evaluation of Laboratory and Radiology Information Systems integrated into a hospital information system.

Science.gov (United States)

Nabovati, Ehsan; Vakili-Arki, Hasan; Eslami, Saeid; Khajouei, Reza

2014-04-01

This study was conducted to evaluate the usability of widely used laboratory and radiology information systems. Three usability experts independently evaluated the user interfaces of Laboratory and Radiology Information Systems using heuristic evaluation method. They applied Nielsen's heuristics to identify and classify usability problems and Nielsen's severity rating to judge their severity. Overall, 116 unique heuristic violations were identified as usability problems. In terms of severity, 67 % of problems were rated as major and catastrophic. Among 10 heuristics, "consistency and standards" was violated most frequently. Moreover, mean severity of problems concerning "error prevention" and "help and documentation" heuristics was higher than of the others. Despite widespread use of specific healthcare information systems, they suffer from usability problems. Improving the usability of systems by following existing design standards and principles from the early phased of system development life cycle is recommended. Especially, it is recommended that the designers design systems that inhibit the initiation of erroneous actions and provide sufficient guidance to users.

[Information system of the national network of public health laboratories in Peru (Netlab)].

Science.gov (United States)

Vargas-Herrera, Javier; Segovia-Juarez, José; Garro Nuñez, Gladys María

2015-01-01

Clinical laboratory information systems produce improvements in the quality of information, reduce service costs, and diminish wait times for results, among other things. In the construction process of this information system, the National Institute of Health (NIH) of Peru has developed and implemented a web-based application to communicate to health personnel (laboratory workers, epidemiologists, health strategy managers, physicians, etc.) the results of laboratory tests performed at the Peruvian NIH or in the laboratories of the National Network of Public Health Laboratories which is called NETLAB. This article presents the experience of implementing NETLAB, its current situation, perspectives of its use, and its contribution to the prevention and control of diseases in Peru.

Electronic system for the complex measurement of a Wilberforce pendulum

Science.gov (United States)

Kos, B.; Grodzicki, M.; Wasielewski, R.

2018-05-01

The authors present a novel application of a micro-electro-mechanical measurement system to the description of basic physical phenomena in a model Wilberforce pendulum. The composition of the kit includes a tripod with a mounted spring with freely hanging bob, a module GY-521 on the MPU 6050 coupled with an Arduino Uno, which in conjunction with a PC acts as measuring set. The system allows one to observe the swing of the pendulum in real time. Obtained data stays in good agreement with both theoretical predictions and previous works. The aim of this article is to introduce the study of a Wilberforce pendulum to the canon of physical laboratory exercises due to its interesting properties and multifaceted method of measurement.

The AFGL (Air Force Geophysics Laboratory) Absolute Gravity System’s Error Budget Revisted.

Science.gov (United States)

1985-05-08

also be induced by equipment not associated with the system. A systematic bias of 68 pgal was observed by the Istituto di Metrologia "G. Colonnetti...Laboratory Astrophysics, Univ. of Colo., Boulder, Colo. IMGC: Istituto di Metrologia "G. Colonnetti", Torino, Italy Table 1. Absolute Gravity Values...measurements were made with three Model D and three Model G La Coste-Romberg gravity meters. These instruments were operated by the following agencies

Application of phosphor thermometry to a Galvanneal Temperature Measurement System

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Allison, S.W.; Andrews, W.H.; Beshears, D.L.; Cates, M.R.; Childs, R.M.; Grann, E.B.; Manges, W.W.; McIntyre, T.J.; Scudiere, M.B.; Simpson, M.L.

1999-01-01

The Galvanneal Temperature Measurement System (GTMS) was developed for the American Iron and Steel Institute by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory through a partnership with the National Steel Midwest Division in Portage, Indiana. The GTMS provides crucial on-line thermal process control information during the manufacturing of galvanneal steel. The system has been used with the induction furnaces to measure temperatures ranging from 450 to 700 degrees C with an accuracy of better than +/-5 Degrees C. The GTMS provides accurate, reliable temperature information thus ensuring a high quality product, reducing waste, and saving energy. The production of uniform, high-quality galvanneal steel is only possible through strict temperature control

Laboratory testing of the in-well vapor-stripping system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gilmore, T.J.; Francois, O.

1996-03-01

The Volatile organic Compounds-Arid Integrated Demonstration (VOC-Arid ID) was implemented by the US Department of Energy's (DOE's) Office of Technology Development to develop and test new technologies for the remediation of organic chemicals in the subsurface. One of the technologies being tested under the VOC-Arid ID is the in-well vapor-stripping system. The in-well vapor-stripping concept was initially proposed by researchers at Stanford University and is currently under development through a collaboration between workers at Stanford University and DOE's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. The project to demonstrate the in-well vapor-stripping technology is divided into three phases: (1) conceptual model and computer simulation, (2) laboratory testing, and (3) field demonstration. This report provides the methods and results of the laboratory testing in which a full-scale replica was constructed and tested above ground in a test facility located at DOE's Hanford Site, Washington. The system is a remediation technology designed to preferentially extract volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from contaminated groundwater by converting them to a vapor phase

Brookhaven National Laboratory's multiparticle spectrometer drift chamber system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Etkin, A.; Kramer, M.A.

1979-01-01

A system of drift chambers is being built to replace the present spark chambers in the Brookhaven National Laboratory's Multiparticle Spectrometer. This system will handle a beam of approx. 3 million particles per second and have a resolution of 200 μm. A summary of the status of the chambers and the custom integrated circuits is presented. The data acquisition system is described. Prototype chambers have been built and tested with results that are consistent with the expected chamber properties

Report on interlaboratory comparisons of 14C measurements organized by the environmental research branch, Chalk River Laboratories

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Milton, G.M.; Kramer, S.J.; Cooper, E.L.; Rao, R.R.; Milton, J.C.D.

1996-02-01

The need for increased quality assurance for measurements performed by the monitoring laboratories at nuclear stations has spurred the introduction of a number of laboratory intercomparisons. This report provides details of two intercomparisons of 14 C measurements, including the preparation of potential secondary reference materials, the range of analytical techniques in use at the participating laboratories, and a statistical analysis of the results reported. The agreement evident in the two sets of materials - milk and vegetation - was good. (author)

Modification and testing of the Sandia Laboratories Livermore tritium decontamination systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gildea, P.D.; Birnbaum, H.G.; Wall, W.R.

1978-08-01

Sandia Laboratories, Livermore, has put into operation a new facility, the Tritium Research Laboratory. The laboratory incorporates containment and cleanup facilities such that any tritium accidentally released is captured rather than vented to the atmosphere. This containment is achieved with hermetically sealed glove boxes that are connected on demand by manifolds to two central decontamination systems called the Gas Purification System (GPS) and the Vacuum Effluent Recovery System (VERS). The primary function of the GPS is to remove tritium and tritiated water vapor from the glove box atmosphere. The primary function of the VERS is to decontaminate the gas exhausted from the glove box pressure control systems and vacuum pumps in the building before venting the gas to the stack. Both of these systems are designed to remove tritium to the few parts per billion range. Acceptance tests at the manufacturer's plant and preoperational testing at Livermore demonstrated that the systems met their design specifications. After preoperational testing the Gas Purification System was modified to enhance the safety of maintanance operations. Both the Gas Purification System and the Vacuum Effluent Recovery System were performance tested with tritium. Results show that concentraion reduction factors (ratio of inlet to exhaust concentrations) much in excess of 1000 per pass have been achieved for both systems at inlet concentrations of 1 ppM or less

Modification and testing of the Sandia Laboratories Livermore tritium decontamination systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gildea, P.D.; Birnbaum, H.G.; Wall, W.R.

1979-01-01

Sandia Laboratories, Livermore, has put into operation a new facility, the Tritium Research Laboratory. The laboratory incorporates containment and cleanup facilities such that any tritium accidentally released is captured rather than vented to the atmosphere. This containment is achieved with hermetically sealed glove boxes that are connected on demand by manifolds to two central decontamination systems called the Gas Purification System (GPS) and the Vacuum Effluent Recovery System (VERS). The primary function of the GPS is to remove tritium and tritiated water vapor from the glove box atmosphere. The primary function of the VERS is to decontaminate the gas exhausted from the glove box pressure control systems and vacuum pumps in the building before venting the gas to the stack. Both of these systems are designed to remove tritium to the few parts per billion range. Acceptance tests at the manufacturer's plant and preoperational testing at Livermore demonstrated that the systems met their design specifications. After preoperational testing the Gas Purification System was modified to enhance the safety of maintanance operations. Both the Gas Purification System and the Vacuum Effluent Recovery System were performance tested with tritium. Results show that concentration reduction factors (ratio of inlet to exhaust concentrations) much in excess of 1000 per pass have been achieved for both systems at inlet concentrations of 1 ppM or less

Intercalibration of radiological measurements for surveillance purposes of the internal dosimetry laboratory coordinated by the IAEA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alfaro L, M.M.

2002-07-01

The ININ of Mexico participated in this intercomparison organized by the IAEA in 2000. The objective of this activity is that the dosimetry laboratories that participate can validate the programs of internal dosimetry, with the purpose of improving its capacity in the evaluation of the internal dose and have access to a mechanism to evaluate its dosimetry system under real conditions. The specific objectives of this intercomparison were: 1. To evaluate the participant's capacity to manage the measurements of individual monitoring in terms of the activity in the phantom. 2. To provide the access to the unique calibration resources that otherwise would not be available. 3. To compare the operation of several detection systems, the geometry, phantoms, calibration methods and methods for the evaluation of activity of the radionuclide used by each institution. 4. To provide the independent verification of the direct measurement methods of the dosimetry service. (Author)

Framework for laboratory harmonization of folate measurements in low- and middle-income countries and regions.

Science.gov (United States)

Pfeiffer, Christine M; Zhang, Mindy; Jabbar, Shameem

2018-02-01

The measurement of serum and red blood cell folate, two commonly used biomarkers of folate status in populations, is complicated by analytical and data interpretation challenges. Folate results show poor comparability across laboratories, even using the same analytical technique. The folate microbiologic assay produces accurate results and requires simple instrumentation. Thus, it could be set up and maintained in low- and middle-income country laboratories. However, the assay has to be harmonized through the use of common critical reagents (e.g., microorganism and folate calibrator) in order to produce comparable results across laboratories and over time, so that the same cutoff values can be applied across surveys. There is a limited need for blood folate measurements in a country owing to the periodic nature of surveys. Having a network of regional resource laboratories proficient in conducting the folate microbiologic assay and willing and able to perform service work for other countries will be the most efficient way to create an infrastructure wherein qualified laboratories produce reliable blood folate data. Continuous participation of these laboratories in a certification program can verify and document their proficiency. If the resource laboratories conduct the work on a fee-for-service basis, they could become self-sustaining in the long run. © 2018 This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Routine internal- and external-quality control data in clinical laboratories for estimating measurement and diagnostic uncertainty using GUM principles.

Science.gov (United States)

Magnusson, Bertil; Ossowicki, Haakan; Rienitz, Olaf; Theodorsson, Elvar

2012-05-01

Healthcare laboratories are increasingly joining into larger laboratory organizations encompassing several physical laboratories. This caters for important new opportunities for re-defining the concept of a 'laboratory' to encompass all laboratories and measurement methods measuring the same measurand for a population of patients. In order to make measurement results, comparable bias should be minimized or eliminated and measurement uncertainty properly evaluated for all methods used for a particular patient population. The measurement as well as diagnostic uncertainty can be evaluated from internal and external quality control results using GUM principles. In this paper the uncertainty evaluations are described in detail using only two main components, within-laboratory reproducibility and uncertainty of the bias component according to a Nordtest guideline. The evaluation is exemplified for the determination of creatinine in serum for a conglomerate of laboratories both expressed in absolute units (μmol/L) and relative (%). An expanded measurement uncertainty of 12 μmol/L associated with concentrations of creatinine below 120 μmol/L and of 10% associated with concentrations above 120 μmol/L was estimated. The diagnostic uncertainty encompasses both measurement uncertainty and biological variation, and can be estimated for a single value and for a difference. This diagnostic uncertainty for the difference for two samples from the same patient was determined to be 14 μmol/L associated with concentrations of creatinine below 100 μmol/L and 14 % associated with concentrations above 100 μmol/L.

Characterization of Orbital Debris Photometric Properties Derived from Laboratory-Based Measurements

Science.gov (United States)

Cowardin, Heather; Seitzer, Pat; Abercromby, Kira; Barker, Ed; Schildknecht, Thomas

2010-01-01

Capitalizing on optical data products and applying them to generate a more complete understanding of orbital space objects, is a key objective of NASA's Optical Measurement Program, and a primary objective for the creation of the Optical Measurements Center(OMC). The OMC attempts to emulate space-based illumination conditions using equipment and techniques that parallel telescopic observations and source-target-sensor orientations. The data acquired in the OMC are a function of known shape, size, and material. These three physical parameters are key to understanding the orbital debris environment in more depth. For optical observations, one must rely on spectroscopic or photometric measurements to ascertain an object's material type. Determination of an object s shape using remote observations is more complicated due to the various light scattering properties each object present and is a subject that requires more study. It is much easier to look at the periodicity of the light curve and analyze its structure for rotation. In order to best simulate the orbital debris population, three main sources were used as test fragments for optical measurements: flight-ready materials, destructive hypervelocity testing (simulating on-orbit collisions) and destructive pressure testing (simulating on-orbit explosions). Laboratory optical characteristics of fragments were measured, including light curve shape, phase angle dependence, and photometric and spectroscopic color indices. These characteristics were then compared with similar optical measurements acquired from telescopic observations in order to correlate remote and laboratory properties with the intent of ascertaining the intrinsic properties of the observed orbital debris

Development of mobile radiological assessment laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pujari, R.N.; Saindane, Shashank S.; Jain, Amit; Parmar, Jayesh; Narsaiah, M.V.R.; Pote, M.B.; Murali, S.; Chaudhury, Probal

2018-01-01

During any emergency situations real-time radiation measurements and the fast analysis of the measured radiological data are of crucial importance. The newly developed mobile vehicle based laboratory known as 'Radiological Assessment Laboratory' (RAL) can be used for real time measurements in different radiation emergency scenarios, such as the release of radioactive materials from a radiological/nuclear incident, during search of an orphan source or during radioisotope transportation. RAL is equipped with several high sensitive detectors/systems such as NaI(Tl) gamma spectrometers, large size plastic scintillators and air-sampler, along with GPS and data transfer capability through GSM modem

Laboratory Measurements for H3+ Deuteration Reactions

Science.gov (United States)

Bowen, Kyle; Hillenbrand, Pierre-Michel; Urbain, Xavier; Savin, Daniel Wolf

2018-06-01

Deuterated molecules are important chemical tracers of protostellar cores. At the ~106 cm-3 particle densities and ~20 K temperatures typical for protostellar cores, most molecules freeze onto dust grains. A notable exception is H3+ and its isotopologues. These become important carriers of positive charge in the gas, can couple to any ambient magnetic field, and can thereby alter the cloud dynamics. Knowing the total abundance of H3+ and its isotopologues is important for studying the evolution of protostellar cores. However, H3+ and D3+ have no dipole moment. They lack a pure rotational spectrum and are not observable at protostellar core temperatures. Fortunately H2D+ and D2H+ have dipole moments and a pure rotational spectrum that can be excited in protostellar cores. Observations of these two molecules, combined with astrochemical models, provide information about the total abundance of H3+ and all its isotopologues. The inferred abundances, though, rely on accurate astrochemical data for the deuteration of H3+ and its isotopologues.Here we present laboratory measurements of the rate coefficients for three important deuterating reactions, namely D + H3+/H2D+/D2H+ → H + H2D+/ D2H+/D3+. Astrochemical models currently rely on rate coefficients from classical (Langevin) or semi-classical methods for these reactions, as fully quantum-mechanical calculations are beyond current computational capabilities. Laboratory studies are the most tractable means of providing the needed data. For our studies we used our novel dual-source, merged fast-beams apparatus, which enables us to study reactions of neutral atoms and molecular ions. Co-propagating beams allow us to measure experimental rate coefficients as a function of collision energy. We extract cross section data from these results, which we then convolve with a Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution to generate thermal rate coefficients. Here we present our results for these three reactions and discuss some implications.

Laboratory challenges in the scaling up of HIV, TB, and malaria programs: The interaction of health and laboratory systems, clinical research, and service delivery.

Science.gov (United States)

Birx, Deborah; de Souza, Mark; Nkengasong, John N

2009-06-01

Strengthening national health laboratory systems in resource-poor countries is critical to meeting the United Nations Millennium Development Goals. Despite strong commitment from the international community to fight major infectious diseases, weak laboratory infrastructure remains a huge rate-limiting step. Some major challenges facing laboratory systems in resource-poor settings include dilapidated infrastructure; lack of human capacity, laboratory policies, and strategic plans; and limited synergies between clinical and research laboratories. Together, these factors compromise the quality of test results and impact patient management. With increased funding, the target of laboratory strengthening efforts in resource-poor countries should be the integrating of laboratory services across major diseases to leverage resources with respect to physical infrastructure; types of assays; supply chain management of reagents and equipment; and maintenance of equipment.

Laboratory Information Systems in Molecular Diagnostics: Why Molecular Diagnostics Data are Different.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Roy E; Henricks, Walter H; Sirintrapun, Sahussapont J

2016-03-01

Molecular diagnostic testing presents new challenges to information management that are yet to be sufficiently addressed by currently available information systems for the molecular laboratory. These challenges relate to unique aspects of molecular genetic testing: molecular test ordering, informed consent issues, diverse specimen types that encompass the full breadth of specimens handled by traditional anatomic and clinical pathology information systems, data structures and data elements specific to molecular testing, varied testing workflows and protocols, diverse instrument outputs, unique needs and requirements of molecular test reporting, and nuances related to the dissemination of molecular pathology test reports. By satisfactorily addressing these needs in molecular test data management, a laboratory information system designed for the unique needs of molecular diagnostics presents a compelling reason to migrate away from the current paper and spreadsheet information management that many molecular laboratories currently use. This paper reviews the issues and challenges of information management in the molecular diagnostics laboratory.

[The practice of development and implementation of quality management systems in medical laboratories. The GOST R ISO 15189-2009 "medical laboratories. The detailed requirements to quality and competence". Particular difficulties of global nature].

Science.gov (United States)

Emanuel', A V; Ivanov, G A; Fleganova, I N; Emanuel', V L

2012-12-01

The article discusses the methodological issues related to the implementation of international principles of standardization in the format of GOST R ISO 9001-2008 "Quality management systems. Requirements", GOST R ISO 15189-2009 "Medical laboratories. The detailed requirements to quality and competence" and GOST R ISO 18113.1-5 "Medical items for diagnostics in vitro. Information provided by manufacturer (marking)". This approach legibly assigns the responsibility concerning the support of metrological correctness of laboratory measurements. The lacking of both full-value public and sectorial normative documentation and coordinated positions of Rosstandard and Minzdrav of Russia on functioning of medical laboratories is noted.

An e-health driven laboratory information system to support HIV treatment in Peru: E-quity for laboratory personnel, health providers and people living with HIV

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Caballero N Patricia

2009-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Peru has a concentrated HIV epidemic with an estimated 76,000 people living with HIV (PLHIV. Access to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART expanded between 2004-2006 and the Peruvian National Institute of Health was named by the Ministry of Health as the institution responsible for carrying out testing to monitor the effectiveness of HAART. However, a national public health laboratory information system did not exist. We describe the design and implementation of an e-health driven, web-based laboratory information system - NETLAB - to communicate laboratory results for monitoring HAART to laboratory personnel, health providers and PLHIV. Methods We carried out a needs assessment of the existing public health laboratory system, which included the generation and subsequent review of flowcharts of laboratory testing processes to generate better, more efficient streamlined processes, improving them and eliminating duplications. Next, we designed NETLAB as a modular system, integrating key security functions. The system was implemented and evaluated. Results The three main components of the NETLAB system, registration, reporting and education, began operating in early 2007. The number of PLHIV with recorded CD4 counts and viral loads increased by 1.5 times, to reach 18,907. Publication of test results with NETLAB took an average of 1 day, compared to a pre-NETLAB average of 60 days. NETLAB reached 2,037 users, including 944 PLHIV and 1,093 health providers, during its first year and a half. The percentage of overall PLHIV and health providers who were aware of NETLAB and had a NETLAB password has also increased substantially. Conclusion NETLAB is an effective laboratory management tool since it is directly integrated into the national laboratory system and streamlined existing processes at the local, regional and national levels. The system also represents the best possible source of timely laboratory information for

A Computerized Clinical Support System and Psychological Laboratory.

Science.gov (United States)

Cassel, Russell N.

1978-01-01

Advocating "holistic" medicine, this article details the benefits to be derived from using a computerized clinical support system in a psychological laboratory focusing on internal healing where the client/patient becomes a committed partner utilizing biofeedback equipment, gaming, and simulation to achieve self-understanding and…

Comparison of CO/sub 2/ measurements by two laboratories on air from bubbles in polar ice

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Barnola, J.M.; Raynaud, D.; Neftel, A.; Oeschger, H.

1983-06-02

The CO/sub 2/ content of air enclosed in bubbles in polar ice has been reported by two laboratories (in Grenoble and Bern) to be representative of the atmospheric CO/sub 2/ concentration at the time the ice was formed. Such ice core studies indicate lower concentrations in ice formed at the end of the ice age, around 18,000 yr BP, and several explanations have been proposed for such a change. Both laboratories are currently measuring various ice cores in order to determine the pre-AD 1850 CO/sub 2/ level in the atmosphere, which relates to the partitioning of anthropogenic CO/sub 2/ among the atmospheric, biospheric and oceanic reservoirs. The two laboratories use different ice cores and different analytical procedures and, therefore, there is a need to know to what extent the measurements are quantitatively comparable. The results are presented of a comparison between the two laboratories based on measurements from the same ice core sections, which indicate that the measurements can be compared with great confidence. The results suggest that the mean CO/sub 2/ level recorded by Antartic ice for the period 800-2500 yr BP is about 260 p.p.m.v.

Environmental gamma background measurements in China Jinping Underground Laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhi Zeng; Jian Su; Hao Ma; Hengguan Yi; Jianping Cheng; Qian Yue; Junli Li; Hui Zhang

2014-01-01

To determine the environmental gamma background levels which affects rare events experiments, we measured in situ gamma spectrum at four locations in the China Jinping Underground Laboratory. The integral background count rates (40-2,700 keV) varied from 3.76 to 74.1 cps. The average count rate of the measurements inside the CJPL was 73.4 cps. The spectrometer was calibrated with a 152 Eu point source and Monte Carlo simulation to obtain the activity conversion factors for the rock and the air, respectively. The rocks that surrounded the CJPL was characterized by very low activity concentrations of 238 U (3.69-4.21 Bq kg -1 ), 232 Th (0.52-0.64 Bq kg -1 ) and 40 K (4.28 Bq kg -1 ). (author)

Robotics and Autonomous Systems Laboratory

Data.gov (United States)

Federal Laboratory Consortium — FUNCTION: Provides an environment for developing and evaluating intelligent software for both actual and simulated autonomous vehicles. Laboratory computers provide...

Laboratory Information Systems Management and Operations.

Science.gov (United States)

Cucoranu, Ioan C

2015-06-01

The main mission of a laboratory information system (LIS) is to manage workflow and deliver accurate results for clinical management. Successful selection and implementation of an anatomic pathology LIS is not complete unless it is complemented by specialized information technology support and maintenance. LIS is required to remain continuously operational with minimal or no downtime and the LIS team has to ensure that all operations are compliant with the mandated rules and regulations. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Laboratory investigations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Handin, J.

1980-01-01

Our task is to design mined-repository systems that will adequately secure high-level nuclear waste for at least 10,000 yr and that will be mechanically stable for 50 to 100-yr periods of retrievability during which mistakes could be corrected and a valuable source of energy could be reclaimed, should national policy on the reprocessing of spent fuel ever change. The only credible path for the escape of radionuclides from the repository to the biosphere is through ground-water, and in hard rock, bulk permeability is largely governed by natural and artificial fracture systems. Catastrophic failure of an excavation in hard rock is likely to occur at the weakest links - the discontinuities in the rock mass that is perturbed first by mining and then by radiogenic heating. The laboratory can contribute precise measurements of the pertinent thermomechanical, hydrological and chemical properties and improve our understanding of the fundamental processes through careful experiments under well controlled conditions that simulate the prototype environment. Thus laboratory investigations are necessary, but they are not sufficient, for conventional sample sizes are small relative to natural defects like joints - i.e., the rock mass is not a continuum - and test durations are short compared to those that predictive modeling must take into account. Laboratory investigators can contribute substantially more useful data if they are provided facilities for testing large specimens(say one cubic meter) and for creep testing of all candidate host rocks. Even so, extrapolations of laboratory data to the field in neither space nor time are valid without the firm theoretical foundations yet to be built. Meanwhile in-situ measurements of structure-sensitive physical properties and access to direct observations of rock-mass character will be absolutely necessary

MASTR-MS: a web-based collaborative laboratory information management system (LIMS) for metabolomics.

Science.gov (United States)

Hunter, Adam; Dayalan, Saravanan; De Souza, David; Power, Brad; Lorrimar, Rodney; Szabo, Tamas; Nguyen, Thu; O'Callaghan, Sean; Hack, Jeremy; Pyke, James; Nahid, Amsha; Barrero, Roberto; Roessner, Ute; Likic, Vladimir; Tull, Dedreia; Bacic, Antony; McConville, Malcolm; Bellgard, Matthew

2017-01-01

An increasing number of research laboratories and core analytical facilities around the world are developing high throughput metabolomic analytical and data processing pipelines that are capable of handling hundreds to thousands of individual samples per year, often over multiple projects, collaborations and sample types. At present, there are no Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS) that are specifically tailored for metabolomics laboratories that are capable of tracking samples and associated metadata from the beginning to the end of an experiment, including data processing and archiving, and which are also suitable for use in large institutional core facilities or multi-laboratory consortia as well as single laboratory environments. Here we present MASTR-MS, a downloadable and installable LIMS solution that can be deployed either within a single laboratory or used to link workflows across a multisite network. It comprises a Node Management System that can be used to link and manage projects across one or multiple collaborating laboratories; a User Management System which defines different user groups and privileges of users; a Quote Management System where client quotes are managed; a Project Management System in which metadata is stored and all aspects of project management, including experimental setup, sample tracking and instrument analysis, are defined, and a Data Management System that allows the automatic capture and storage of raw and processed data from the analytical instruments to the LIMS. MASTR-MS is a comprehensive LIMS solution specifically designed for metabolomics. It captures the entire lifecycle of a sample starting from project and experiment design to sample analysis, data capture and storage. It acts as an electronic notebook, facilitating project management within a single laboratory or a multi-node collaborative environment. This software is being developed in close consultation with members of the metabolomics research

Status of Data Base Management Systems at Argonne National Laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fuja, P.M.; Lindeman, A.J.

1978-01-01

Argonne National Laboratory has been using the System 2000 data base management system for the past two years. It has been used for technical as well as administrative applications. This paper describes some of the experience gained relating to advantages and disadvantages of data base management systems as well as of System 2000 in particular

Design and construction of thermal desorption measurement system for tritium contained materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hara, M.; Hatano, Y.; Calderoni, P.; Shimada, M.

2014-01-01

The dual-mode thermal desorption analysis system was designed and built in Idaho National Laboratory (INL) to examine the evolution of the hydrogen isotope gas from materials. The system is equipped with a mass spectrometer for stable hydrogen isotopes and an ionization chamber for tritium components. The performance of the system built was tested with using tritium contained materials. The evolution of tritiated gas species from contaminated materials was measured successfully by using the system. (author)

Enabling three-dimensional densitometric measurements using laboratory source X-ray micro-computed tomography

Science.gov (United States)

Pankhurst, M. J.; Fowler, R.; Courtois, L.; Nonni, S.; Zuddas, F.; Atwood, R. C.; Davis, G. R.; Lee, P. D.

2018-01-01

We present new software allowing significantly improved quantitative mapping of the three-dimensional density distribution of objects using laboratory source polychromatic X-rays via a beam characterisation approach (c.f. filtering or comparison to phantoms). One key advantage is that a precise representation of the specimen material is not required. The method exploits well-established, widely available, non-destructive and increasingly accessible laboratory-source X-ray tomography. Beam characterisation is performed in two stages: (1) projection data are collected through a range of known materials utilising a novel hardware design integrated into the rotation stage; and (2) a Python code optimises a spectral response model of the system. We provide hardware designs for use with a rotation stage able to be tilted, yet the concept is easily adaptable to virtually any laboratory system and sample, and implicitly corrects the image artefact known as beam hardening.

Proceedings of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory Wind Energy Systems Engineering Workshop

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dykes, K.

2014-12-01

The second National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) Wind Energy Systems Engineering Workshop was held in Broomfield, Colorado, from January 29 to February 1, 2013. The event included a day-and-a-half workshop exploring a wide variety of topics related to system modeling and design of wind turbines and plants. Following the workshop, 2 days of tutorials were held at NREL, showcasing software developed at Sandia National Laboratories, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Glenn Laboratories, and NREL. This document provides a brief summary of the various workshop activities and includes a review of the content and evaluation results from attendees.

Standardization of clinical enzyme analysis using frozen human serum pools with values assigned by the International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine reference measurement procedures.

Science.gov (United States)

Tong, Qing; Chen, Baorong; Zhang, Rui; Zuo, Chang

Variation in clinical enzyme analysis, particularly across different measuring systems and laboratories, represents a critical but long-lasting problem in diagnosis. Calibrators with traceability and commutability are imminently needed to harmonize analysis in laboratory medicine. Fresh frozen human serum pools were assigned values for alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT), creatine kinase (CK) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) by six laboratories with established International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine reference measurement procedures. These serum pools were then used across 76 laboratories as a calibrator in the analysis of five enzymes. Bias and imprecision in the measurement of the five enzymes tested were significantly reduced by using the value-assigned serum in analytical systems with open and single-point calibration. The median (interquartile range) of the relative biases of ALT, AST, GGT, CK and LDH were 2.0% (0.6-3.4%), 0.8% (-0.8-2.3%), 1.0% (-0.5-2.0%), 0.2% (-0.3-1.0%) and 0.2% (-0.9-1.1%), respectively. Before calibration, the interlaboratory coefficients of variation (CVs) in the analysis of patient serum samples were 8.0-8.2%, 7.3-8.5%, 8.1-8.7%, 5.1-5.9% and 5.8-6.4% for ALT, AST, GGT, CK and LDH, respectively; after calibration, the CVs decreased to 2.7-3.3%, 3.0-3.6%, 1.6-2.1%, 1.8-1.9% and 3.3-3.5%, respectively. The results suggest that the use of fresh frozen serum pools significantly improved the comparability of test results in analytical systems with open and single-point calibration.

Evaluation of 12 blood glucose monitoring systems for self-testing: system accuracy and measurement reproducibility.

Science.gov (United States)

Freckmann, Guido; Baumstark, Annette; Schmid, Christina; Pleus, Stefan; Link, Manuela; Haug, Cornelia

2014-02-01

Systems for self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) have to provide accurate and reproducible blood glucose (BG) values in order to ensure adequate therapeutic decisions by people with diabetes. Twelve SMBG systems were compared in a standardized manner under controlled laboratory conditions: nine systems were available on the German market and were purchased from a local pharmacy, and three systems were obtained from the manufacturer (two systems were available on the U.S. market, and one system was not yet introduced to the German market). System accuracy was evaluated following DIN EN ISO (International Organization for Standardization) 15197:2003. In addition, measurement reproducibility was assessed following a modified TNO (Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research) procedure. Comparison measurements were performed with either the glucose oxidase method (YSI 2300 STAT Plus™ glucose analyzer; YSI Life Sciences, Yellow Springs, OH) or the hexokinase method (cobas(®) c111; Roche Diagnostics GmbH, Mannheim, Germany) according to the manufacturer's measurement procedure. The 12 evaluated systems showed between 71.5% and 100% of the measurement results within the required system accuracy limits. Ten systems fulfilled with the evaluated test strip lot minimum accuracy requirements specified by DIN EN ISO 15197:2003. In addition, accuracy limits of the recently published revision ISO 15197:2013 were applied and showed between 54.5% and 100% of the systems' measurement results within the required accuracy limits. Regarding measurement reproducibility, each of the 12 tested systems met the applied performance criteria. In summary, 83% of the systems fulfilled with the evaluated test strip lot minimum system accuracy requirements of DIN EN ISO 15197:2003. Each of the tested systems showed acceptable measurement reproducibility. In order to ensure sufficient measurement quality of each distributed test strip lot, regular evaluations are required.

Evaluation of Large-Scale Wing Vortex Wakes from Multi-Camera PIV Measurements in Free-Flight Laboratory

Science.gov (United States)

Carmer, Carl F. v.; Heider, André; Schröder, Andreas; Konrath, Robert; Agocs, Janos; Gilliot, Anne; Monnier, Jean-Claude

Multiple-vortex systems of aircraft wakes have been investigated experimentally in a unique large-scale laboratory facility, the free-flight B20 catapult bench, ONERA Lille. 2D/2C PIV measurements have been performed in a translating reference frame, which provided time-resolved crossvelocity observations of the vortex systems in a Lagrangian frame normal to the wake axis. A PIV setup using a moving multiple-camera array and a variable double-frame time delay has been employed successfully. The large-scale quasi-2D structures of the wake-vortex system have been identified using the QW criterion based on the 2D velocity gradient tensor ∇H u, thus illustrating the temporal development of unequal-strength corotating vortex pairs in aircraft wakes for nondimensional times tU0/b≲45.

Effectiveness of a GUM-compliant course for teaching measurement in the introductory physics laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pillay, Seshini; Buffler, Andy; Lubben, Fred; Allie, Saalih

2008-01-01

An evaluation of a course aimed at developing university students' understanding of the nature of scientific measurement and uncertainty is described. The course materials follow the framework for metrology as recommended in the Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement (GUM). The evaluation of the course is based on responses to written questionnaires administered to a cohort of 76 first year physics students both pre- and post-instruction, which were interpreted in terms of 'point' or 'set' reasoning. These findings are compared with responses from a control group of 70 students who completed a similar laboratory course apart from the use of traditional approaches to measurement and data analysis. The results suggest that the GUM framework, together with the specific teaching strategies described, provides opportunities for more effective learning of measurement and uncertainty in the introductory laboratory

The bogus taste test: Validity as a measure of laboratory food intake

OpenAIRE

Robinson, Eric; Haynes, Ashleigh; Hardman, Charlotte A.; Kemps, Eva; Higgs, Suzanne; Jones, Andrew

2017-01-01

Because overconsumption of food contributes to ill health, understanding what affects how much people eat is of importance. The ?bogus? taste test is a measure widely used in eating behaviour research to identify factors that may have a causal effect on food intake. However, there has been no examination of the validity of the bogus taste test as a measure of food intake. We conducted a participant level analysis of 31 published laboratory studies that used the taste test to measure food inta...

A Vision-Based Dynamic Rotational Angle Measurement System for Large Civil Structures

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Jong-Jae; Ho, Hoai-Nam; Lee, Jong-Han

2012-01-01

In this paper, we propose a vision-based rotational angle measurement system for large-scale civil structures. Despite the fact that during the last decade several rotation angle measurement systems were introduced, they however often required complex and expensive equipment. Therefore, alternative effective solutions with high resolution are in great demand. The proposed system consists of commercial PCs, commercial camcorders, low-cost frame grabbers, and a wireless LAN router. The calculation of rotation angle is obtained by using image processing techniques with pre-measured calibration parameters. Several laboratory tests were conducted to verify the performance of the proposed system. Compared with the commercial rotation angle measurement, the results of the system showed very good agreement with an error of less than 1.0% in all test cases. Furthermore, several tests were conducted on the five-story modal testing tower with a hybrid mass damper to experimentally verify the feasibility of the proposed system. PMID:22969348

Incorporating spectroscopy and measurement technology into the high school chemistry laboratory

Science.gov (United States)

Harbert, Emily Ann

Science and technology are becoming increasingly important in maintaining a healthy economy at home and a competitive edge on the world stage, though that is just one facet affected by inadequate science education in the United States. Engaging students in the pursuit of knowledge and giving them the skills to think critically are paramount. One small way to assist in achieving these goals is to increase the quality and variety of technology-rich activities conducted in high school classrooms. Incorporating more laboratory measurement technology into high schools may incite more student interest in the processes and practices of science and may allow students to learn to think more critically about their data and what it represents. The first objective of the work described herein was to determine what measurement technology is being used in schools and to what extent, as well as to determine other teacher needs and preferences. Second, the objective was to develop a new program to provide incoming freshmen (or rising seniors) with measurement technology training they did not receive in high school, and expose them to new research and career opportunities in science. The final objective was to create a technology-rich classroom laboratory activity for use in high schools.

Simulation of General Physics laboratory exercise

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aceituno, P; Hernández-Cabrera, A; Hernández-Aceituno, J

2015-01-01

Laboratory exercises are an important part of general Physics teaching, both during the last years of high school and the first year of college education. Due to the need to acquire enough laboratory equipment for all the students, and the widespread access to computers rooms in teaching, we propose the development of computer simulated laboratory exercises. A representative exercise in general Physics is the calculation of the gravity acceleration value, through the free fall motion of a metal ball. Using a model of the real exercise, we have developed an interactive system which allows students to alter the starting height of the ball to obtain different fall times. The simulation was programmed in ActionScript 3, so that it can be freely executed in any operative system; to ensure the accuracy of the calculations, all the input parameters of the simulations were modelled using digital measurement units, and to allow a statistical management of the resulting data, measurement errors are simulated through limited randomization

Safeguards training at Pacific Northwest Laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dickman, D.A.

1986-10-01

Safeguarding our country's nuclear materials against theft or diversion is extremely important due to their significantly strategic value. In addition, nuclear materials also have an extremely high monetary value. The term ''safeguards'' is defined as an integrated system of physical protection, accountability, and material control measures designed to deter, prevent, detect, and respond to unauthorized possession and use of special nuclear materials. An aggressive Safeguards program, therefore, employs both good security measures and a strong material control and accountability system. For effective internal control of nuclear materials, having people qualified in the many aspects of safeguards and accountability is essential. At Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL), this goal is accomplished through a Laboratory-wide Safeguards Awareness Program. All PNL staff members receive a level of Safeguards training appropriate to their particular function within the Laboratory. This paper presents an overview of the unique training opportunities this topic provides and how the training goals are accomplished through the various training courses given to the staff members

2D X-ray scanner and its uses in laboratory reservoir characterization measurements

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Maloney, D.; Doggett, K.

1997-08-01

X-ray techniques are used in petroleum laboratories for a variety of reservoir characterization measurements. This paper describes the configuration of a 2D X-ray scanner and many of the ways in which it simplifies and improves accuracy`s of laboratory measurements. Linear X-ray scanners are most often used to provide descriptions of fluid saturations within core plugs during flow tests. We configured our linear scanner for both horizontal and vertical movement. Samples can be scanned horizontally, vertically, or according to horizontal and vertical grids. X-ray measurements are fast, allowing measurements of two- and three-phase fluid saturations during both steady- and unsteady-state flow processes. Rock samples can be scanned while they are subjected to stress, pore pressure, and temperature conditions simulating those of a petroleum reservoir. Many types of measurements are possible by selecting appropriate X-ray power settings, dopes, filters, and collimator configurations. The scanner has been used for a variety of applications besides fluid saturation measurements. It is useful for measuring porosity distributions in rocks, concentrations of X-ray dopes within flow streams during tracer tests, gap widths in fracture flow cells, fluid interface levels in PVT cells and fluid separators, and other features and phenomena.

Standard guide for qualification of measurement methods by a laboratory within the nuclear industry

CERN Document Server

American Society for Testing and Materials. Philadelphia

2003-01-01

1.1 This guide provides guidance for selecting, validating, and qualifying measurement methods when qualification is required for a specific program. The recommended practices presented in this guide provide a major part of a quality assurance program for the laboratory data (see Fig. 1). Qualification helps to assure that the data produced will meet established requirements. 1.2 The activities intended to assure the quality of analytical laboratory measurement data are diagrammed in Fig. 1. Discussion and guidance related to some of these activities appear in the following sections: Section Selection of Measurement Methods 5 Validation of Measurement Methods 6 Qualification of Measurement Methods 7 Control 8 Personnel Qualification 9 1.3 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitati...

Design and installation of a laboratory-scale system for radioactive waste treatment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berger, D.N.; Knox, C.A.; Siemens, D.H.

1980-05-01

Described are the mechanical design features and remote installation of a laboratory-scale radiochemical immobilization system which is to provide a means at Pacific Northwest Laboratory of studying effluents generated during solidification of high-level liquid radioactive waste. Detailed are the hot cell, instrumentation, two 4-in. and 12-in. service racks, the immobilization system modules - waste feed, spray calciner unit, and effluent - and a gamma emission monitor system for viewing calcine powder buildup in the spray calciner/in-can melter

Real-Time Rocket/Vehicle System Integrated Health Management Laboratory For Development and Testing of Health Monitoring/Management Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Aguilar, R.

2006-01-01

Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne has developed a real-time engine/vehicle system integrated health management laboratory, or testbed, for developing and testing health management system concepts. This laboratory simulates components of an integrated system such as the rocket engine, rocket engine controller, vehicle or test controller, as well as a health management computer on separate general purpose computers. These general purpose computers can be replaced with more realistic components such as actual electronic controllers and valve actuators for hardware-in-the-loop simulation. Various engine configurations and propellant combinations are available. Fault or failure insertion capability on-the-fly using direct memory insertion from a user console is used to test system detection and response. The laboratory is currently capable of simulating the flow-path of a single rocket engine but work is underway to include structural and multiengine simulation capability as well as a dedicated data acquisition system. The ultimate goal is to simulate as accurately and realistically as possible the environment in which the health management system will operate including noise, dynamic response of the engine/engine controller, sensor time delays, and asynchronous operation of the various components. The rationale for the laboratory is also discussed including limited alternatives for demonstrating the effectiveness and safety of a flight system.

LABORATORY MEASUREMENTS OF WHITE DWARF PHOTOSPHERIC SPECTRAL LINES: Hβ

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Falcon, Ross E.; Gomez, T. A.; Montgomery, M. H.; Winget, D. E.; Rochau, G. A.; Bailey, J. E.; Nagayama, T.

2015-01-01

We spectroscopically measure multiple hydrogen Balmer line profiles from laboratory plasmas to investigate the theoretical line profiles used in white dwarf (WD) atmosphere models. X-ray radiation produced at the Z Pulsed Power Facility at Sandia National Laboratories initiates plasma formation in a hydrogen-filled gas cell, replicating WD photospheric conditions. Here we present time-resolved measurements of Hβ and fit this line using different theoretical line profiles to diagnose electron density, n e , and n = 2 level population, n 2 . Aided by synthetic tests, we characterize the validity of our diagnostic method for this experimental platform. During a single experiment, we infer a continuous range of electron densities increasing from n e ∼ 4 to ∼30 × 10 16 cm −3 throughout a 120-ns evolution of our plasma. Also, we observe n 2 to be initially elevated with respect to local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE); it then equilibrates within ∼55 ns to become consistent with LTE. This supports our electron-temperature determination of T e ∼ 1.3 eV (∼15,000 K) after this time. At n e ≳ 10 17 cm −3 , we find that computer-simulation-based line-profile calculations provide better fits (lower reduced χ 2 ) than the line profiles currently used in the WD astronomy community. The inferred conditions, however, are in good quantitative agreement. This work establishes an experimental foundation for the future investigation of relative shapes and strengths between different hydrogen Balmer lines

Laboratory use of industrial control systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rijllart, A.; Avot, L.; Brahy, D.; Jegou, D.; Saban, R.

1994-01-01

Industrial control system manufacturers supply the building blocks for the control of industrial equipment or specific process control applications. Although the laboratory environment is different in many aspects (prototyping, evolution and frequent reconfiguration), the use of these building blocks remain attractive because of their general purpose nature, their cost and the large spectrum of available types. In this paper we present three projects which have been implemented using both industrial control system building blocks (PLCs, controllers, digital and analogue plug-in I/O cards) and commercial software packages (LabView and VisualBasic) for the man-machine interface, the data acquisition and archiving, and the process control. This approach has proved to be economical, easy and fast to implement. ((orig.))

Quality control for radionuclide determinations in the Saxon state laboratories for environmental radioactivity by intercomparison and comparative measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Knobus, B.

2001-01-01

Quality control for radionuclide analysis is necessary and essential for the quality assurance of the measuring results executing the measuring programmes of surveillance of the radioactivity in the environment and from installations. Acts, ordinances and guidelines require the participation in intercomparisons for authorized institutions detecting the demanded quality of measurements (e.g. trueness, reproducibility) for Federal Authorities. These are mainly those intercomparisons which are prepared, practised and evaluated by the federal laboratories. Comparative measurements are generally organized and executed by the state laboratory itself with a few participants for special measuring tasks. In this paper are described and discussed extend and special results of those intercomparisons and comparative measurements of the Saxon state laboratories for environmental radioactivity from 1992 until 2000. If necessary, there are following improvements for quality assurance. (orig.) [de

Building a Laboratory Information Management System Using Windows4GL

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pickens, M.A.; Shaieb, M.R.

1996-05-01

The system discussed is currently implemented at LLNL in the Environmental Services program which operates out of the Chemistry ampersand Materials Science (C ampersand MS) directorate. Responsibility is to provide the C ampersand MS Environmental Services (CES) program with an enterprise-wide information system which will aid CES. The specific portion of the information system is the Sample Tracking, Analysis and Reporting System (STARS). Since CES was formed by merging two analytical laboratory organizations in May 1995, a new Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) had to be developed. The development of a LIMS in Windows4GL was found to be satisfactory. The product STARS was well received by the user community, and it has improved business practices and efficiency in CES. The CES management staff has seen increased personnel productivity since STARS was release. We look forward to upgrading to CA-OpenROAD and taking advantage of its many improved and innovative features to further enhance STARS