The Development of National Laboratory Accreditation Schemes with International Acceptance in Mind

2009 ◽  
pp. 147-147-6
Author(s):  
DH Stanger
Keyword(s):  
National Laboratory ◽  
Laboratory Accreditation

scholarly journals Laboratory system strengthening and quality improvement in Ethiopia

2014 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tilahun M. Hiwotu ◽  
Gonfa Ayana ◽  
Achamyeleh Mulugeta ◽  
Getachew B. Kassa ◽  
Yenew Kebede ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
National Laboratory ◽  
Evaluation Process ◽  
Routine Activities ◽  
Laboratory Accreditation ◽  
P Value ◽  
Supportive Supervision ◽  
Laboratory System ◽  
Average Amount ◽  
Laboratory Management ◽  
Percentage Points

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.

Automated mineral analysis in TASK8

1990 ◽  
Vol 48 (2) ◽  
pp. 212-213
Author(s):  
William F. Chambers ◽  
Arthur A. Chodos ◽  
Roland C. Hagan
Keyword(s):  
National Laboratory ◽  
Control Program ◽  
Mineral Analysis ◽  
Alamos National Laboratory ◽  
Mineral Phase ◽  
Los Alamos National Laboratory ◽  
California Institute Of Technology ◽  
Mineral Phases ◽  
Letter Code ◽  
Institute Of Technology

TASK8 was designed as an electron microprobe control program with maximum flexibility and versatility, lending itself to a wide variety of applications. While using TASKS in the microprobe laboratory of the Los Alamos National Laboratory, we decided to incorporate the capability of using subroutines which perform specific end-member calculations for nearly any type of mineral phase that might be analyzed in the laboratory. This procedure minimizes the need for post-processing of the data to perform such calculations as element ratios or end-member or formula proportions. It also allows real time assessment of each data point.The use of unique “mineral codes” to specify the list of elements to be measured and the type of calculation to perform on the results was first used in the microprobe laboratory at the California Institute of Technology to optimize the analysis of mineral phases. This approach was used to create a series of subroutines in TASK8 which are called by a three letter code.

Chemical and orientational imaging of polymeric samples

1994 ◽  
Vol 52 ◽  
pp. 68-69
Author(s):  
H. Ade ◽  
B. Hsiao ◽  
G. Mitchell ◽  
E. Rightor ◽  
A. P. Smith ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ethylene Terephthalate ◽  
National Laboratory ◽  
Brookhaven National Laboratory ◽  
Carbonyl Groups ◽  
Aromatic Rings ◽  
Edge Structure ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Scanning Transmission ◽  
Polymeric Samples ◽  
X Ray Absorption

We have used the Scanning Transmission X-ray Microscope at beamline X1A (X1-STXM) at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) to acquire high resolution, chemical and orientation sensitive images of polymeric samples as well as point spectra from 0.1 μm areas. This sensitivity is achieved by exploiting the X-ray Absorption Near Edge Structure (XANES) of the carbon K edge. One of the most illustrative example of the chemical sensitivity achievable is provided by images of a polycarbonate/pol(ethylene terephthalate) (70/30 PC/PET) blend. Contrast reversal at high overall contrast is observed between images acquired at 285.36 and 285.69 eV (Fig. 1). Contrast in these images is achieved by exploring subtle differences between resonances associated with the π bonds (sp hybridization) of the aromatic groups of each polymer. PET has a split peak associated with these aromatic groups, due to the proximity of its carbonyl groups to its aromatic rings, whereas PC has only a single peak.

Plug-in scripts for EFTEM automation

1996 ◽  
Vol 54 ◽  
pp. 546-547
Author(s):  
N. D. Evans ◽  
M. K. Kundmann
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
National Laboratory ◽  
Oak Ridge ◽  
Multiple User ◽  
Transmission Electron ◽  
Short Period ◽  
User Facility ◽  
Instrument Control ◽  
And Control ◽  
Research Equipment

Post-column energy-filtered transmission electron microscopy (EFTEM) is inherently challenging as it requires the researcher to setup, align, and control both the microscope and the energy-filter. The software behind an EFTEM system is therefore critical to efficient, day-to-day application of this technique. This is particularly the case in a multiple-user environment such as at the Shared Research Equipment (SHaRE) User Facility at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Here, visiting researchers, who may oe unfamiliar with the details of EFTEM, need to accomplish as much as possible in a relatively short period of time.We describe here our work in extending the base software of a commercially available EFTEM system in order to automate and streamline particular EFTEM tasks. The EFTEM system used is a Philips CM30 fitted with a Gatan Imaging Filter (GIF). The base software supplied with this system consists primarily of two Macintosh programs and a collection of add-ons (plug-ins) which provide instrument control, imaging, and data analysis facilities needed to perform EFTEM.

Electron and ion irradiation-induced dissolution of mechanical twins in the intermetalic U3Si: An in situ HVEM study

1989 ◽  
Vol 47 ◽  
pp. 652-653
Author(s):  
Charles W. Allen ◽  
Robert C. Birtcher
Keyword(s):  
Elevated Temperatures ◽  
Ion Irradiation ◽  
Ion Beam ◽  
National Laboratory ◽  
Argonne National Laboratory ◽  
Heavy Ion ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Mechanical Twinning ◽  
In Situ Experiments

The uranium silicides, including U3Si, are under study as candidate low enrichment nuclear fuels. Ion beam simulations of the in-reactor behavior of such materials are performed because a similar damage structure can be produced in hours by energetic heavy ions which requires years in actual reactor tests. This contribution treats one aspect of the microstructural behavior of U3Si under high energy electron irradiation and low dose energetic heavy ion irradiation and is based on in situ experiments, performed at the HVEM-Tandem User Facility at Argonne National Laboratory. This Facility interfaces a 2 MV Tandem ion accelerator and a 0.6 MV ion implanter to a 1.2 MeV AEI high voltage electron microscope, which allows a wide variety of in situ ion beam experiments to be performed with simultaneous irradiation and electron microscopy or diffraction.At elevated temperatures, U3Si exhibits the ordered AuCu3 structure. On cooling below 1058 K, the intermetallic transforms, evidently martensitically, to a body-centered tetragonal structure (alternatively, the structure may be described as face-centered tetragonal, which would be fcc except for a 1 pet tetragonal distortion). Mechanical twinning accompanies the transformation; however, diferences between electron diffraction patterns from twinned and non-twinned martensite plates could not be distinguished.

Environmental cell studies of deformation and fracture

1990 ◽  
Vol 48 (4) ◽  
pp. 516-517
Author(s):  
H. K. Birnbaum ◽  
I. M. Robertson
Keyword(s):  
National Laboratory ◽  
Argonne National Laboratory ◽  
Damage Threshold ◽  
Chromatic Aberration ◽  
Good Choice ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Deformation And Fracture ◽  
Environmental Cell ◽  
Gas Molecules ◽  
The University

Studies of the effects of hydrogen environments on the deformation and fracture of fcc, bcc and hep metals and alloys have been carried out in a TEM environmental cell. The initial experiments were performed in the environmental cell of the HVEM facility at Argonne National Laboratory. More recently, a dedicated environmental cell facility has been constructed at the University of Illinois using a JEOL 4000EX and has been used for these studies. In the present paper we will describe the general design features of the JEOL environmental cell and some of the observations we have made on hydrogen effects on deformation and fracture.The JEOL environmental cell is designed to operate at 400 keV and below; in part because of the available accelerating voltage of the microscope and in part because the damage threshold of most materials is below 400 keV. The gas pressure at which chromatic aberration due to electron scattering from the gas molecules becomes excessive does not increase rapidly with with accelerating voltage making 400 keV a good choice from that point of view as well. A series of apertures were placed above and below the cell to control the pressures in various parts of the column.

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