LLNL NESHAPs 2015 Annual Report - June 2016

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wilson, K. R.; Gallegos, G. M.; MacQueen, D. H.

2016-06-01

Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC operates facilities at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) in which radionuclides are handled and stored. These facilities are subject to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAPs) in Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Title 40, Part 61, Subpart H, which regulates radionuclide emissions to air from Department of Energy (DOE) facilities. Specifically, NESHAPs limits the emission of radionuclides to the ambient air to levels resulting in an annual effective dose equivalent of 10 mrem (100 μSv) to any member of the public. Using measured and calculated emissions, andmore » building-specific and common parameters, LLNL personnel applied the EPA-approved computer code, CAP88-PC, Version 4.0.1.17, to calculate the dose to the maximally exposed individual member of the public for the Livermore Site and Site 300.« less

Hazardous-waste analysis plan for LLNL operations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Roberts, R.S.

The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory is involved in many facets of research ranging from nuclear weapons research to advanced Biomedical studies. Approximately 80% of all programs at LLNL generate hazardous waste in one form or another. Aside from producing waste from industrial type operations (oils, solvents, bottom sludges, etc.) many unique and toxic wastes are generated such as phosgene, dioxin (TCDD), radioactive wastes and high explosives. One key to any successful waste management program must address the following: proper identification of the waste, safe handling procedures and proper storage containers and areas. This section of the Waste Management Plan willmore » address methodologies used for the Analysis of Hazardous Waste. In addition to the wastes defined in 40 CFR 261, LLNL and Site 300 also generate radioactive waste not specifically covered by RCRA. However, for completeness, the Waste Analysis Plan will address all hazardous waste.« less

LLNL Mercury Project Trinity Open Science Final Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Brantley, Patrick; Dawson, Shawn; McKinley, Scott

2016-04-20

The Mercury Monte Carlo particle transport code developed at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) is used to simulate the transport of radiation through urban environments. These challenging calculations include complicated geometries and require significant computational resources to complete. As a result, a question arises as to the level of convergence of the calculations with Monte Carlo simulation particle count. In the Trinity Open Science calculations, one main focus was to investigate convergence of the relevant simulation quantities with Monte Carlo particle count to assess the current simulation methodology. Both for this application space but also of more general applicability, wemore » also investigated the impact of code algorithms on parallel scaling on the Trinity machine as well as the utilization of the Trinity DataWarp burst buffer technology in Mercury via the LLNL Scalable Checkpoint/Restart (SCR) library.« less

LLNL Results from CALIBAN-PROSPERO Nuclear Accident Dosimetry Experiments in September 2014

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lobaugh, M. L.; Hickman, D. P.; Wong, C. W.

2015-05-21

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) uses thin neutron activation foils, sulfur, and threshold energy shielding to determine neutron component doses and the total dose from neutrons in the event of a nuclear criticality accident. The dosimeter also uses a DOELAP accredited Panasonic UD-810 (Panasonic Industrial Devices Sales Company of America, 2 Riverfront Plaza, Newark, NJ 07102, U.S.A.) thermoluminescent dosimetery system (TLD) for determining the gamma component of the total dose. LLNL has participated in three international intercomparisons of nuclear accident dosimeters. In October 2009, LLNL participated in an exercise at the French Commissariat à l’énergie atomique et aux énergies alternativesmore » (Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission- CEA) Research Center at Valduc utilizing the SILENE reactor (Hickman, et.al. 2010). In September 2010, LLNL participated in a second intercomparison at CEA Valduc, this time with exposures at the CALIBAN reactor (Hickman et al. 2011). This paper discusses LLNL’s results of a third intercomparison hosted by the French Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (Institute for Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety- IRSN) with exposures at two CEA Valduc reactors (CALIBAN and PROSPERO) in September 2014. Comparison results between the three participating facilities is presented elsewhere (Chevallier 2015; Duluc 2015).« less

Review of LLNL Mixed Waste Streams for the Application of Potential Waste Reduction Controls

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Belue, A; Fischer, R P

2007-01-08

In July 2004, LLNL adopted the International Standard ISO 14001 as a Work Smart Standard in lieu of DOE Order 450.1. In support of this new requirement the Director issued a new environmental policy that was documented in Section 3.0 of Document 1.2, ''ES&H Policies of LLNL'', in the ES&H Manual. In recent years the Environmental Management System (EMS) process has become formalized as LLNL adopted ISO 14001 as part of the contract under which the laboratory is operated for the Department of Energy (DOE). On May 9, 2005, LLNL revised its Integrated Safety Management System Description to enhance existingmore » environmental requirements to meet ISO 14001. Effective October 1, 2005, each new project or activity is required to be evaluated from an environmental aspect, particularly if a potential exists for significant environmental impacts. Authorizing organizations are required to consider the management of all environmental aspects, the applicable regulatory requirements, and reasonable actions that can be taken to reduce negative environmental impacts. During 2006, LLNL has worked to implement the corrective actions addressing the deficiencies identified in the DOE/LSO audit. LLNL has begun to update the present EMS to meet the requirements of ISO 14001:2004. The EMS commits LLNL--and each employee--to responsible stewardship of all the environmental resources in our care. The generation of mixed radioactive waste was identified as a significant environmental aspect. Mixed waste for the purposes of this report is defined as waste materials containing both hazardous chemical and radioactive constituents. Significant environmental aspects require that an Environmental Management Plan (EMP) be developed. The objective of the EMP developed for mixed waste (EMP-005) is to evaluate options for reducing the amount of mixed waste generated. This document presents the findings of the evaluation of mixed waste generated at LLNL and a proposed plan for reduction.« less

2020 Foresight Forging the Future of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chrzanowski, P.

2000-01-01

The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) of 2020 will look much different from the LLNL of today and vastly different from how it looked twenty years ago. We, the members of the Long-Range Strategy Project, envision a Laboratory not defined by one program--nuclear weapons research--but by several core programs related to or synergistic with LLNL's national security mission. We expect the Laboratory to be fully engaged with sponsors and the local community and closely partnering with other research and development (R&D) organizations and academia. Unclassified work will be a vital part of the Laboratory of 2020 and will visibly demonstratemore » LLNL's international science and technology strengths. We firmly believe that there will be a critical and continuing role for the Laboratory. As a dynamic and versatile multipurpose laboratory with a national security focus, LLNL will be applying its capabilities in science and technology to meet the needs of the nation in the 21st century. With strategic investments in science, outstanding technical capabilities, and effective relationships, the Laboratory will, we believe, continue to play a key role in securing the nation's future.« less

CDAC Student Report: Summary of LLNL Internship

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Herriman, Jane E.

Multiple objectives motivated me to apply for an internship at LLNL: I wanted to experience the work environment at a national lab, to learn about research and job opportunities at LLNL in particular, and to gain greater experience with code development, particularly within the realm of high performance computing (HPC). This summer I was selected to participate in LLNL's Computational Chemistry and Material Science Summer Institute (CCMS). CCMS is a 10 week program hosted by the Quantum Simulations group leader, Dr. Eric Schwegler. CCMS connects graduate students to mentors at LLNL involved in similar re- search and provides weekly seminarsmore » on a broad array of topics from within chemistry and materials science. Dr. Xavier Andrade and Dr. Erik Draeger served as my co-mentors over the summer, and Dr. Andrade continues to mentor me now that CCMS has concluded. Dr. Andrade is a member of the Quantum Simulations group within the Physical and Life Sciences at LLNL, and Dr. Draeger leads the HPC group within the Center for Applied Scientific Computing (CASC). The two have worked together to develop Qb@ll, an open-source first principles molecular dynamics code that was the platform for my summer research project.« less

Natural Language Processing as a Discipline at LLNL

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Firpo, M A

The field of Natural Language Processing (NLP) is described as it applies to the needs of LLNL in handling free-text. The state of the practice is outlined with the emphasis placed on two specific aspects of NLP: Information Extraction and Discourse Integration. A brief description is included of the NLP applications currently being used at LLNL. A gap analysis provides a look at where the technology needs work in order to meet the needs of LLNL. Finally, recommendations are made to meet these needs.

Reliability and validity of job content questionnaire for university research laboratory staff in Malaysia.

PubMed

Nehzat, F; Huda, B Z; Tajuddin, S H Syed

2014-03-01

Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ) has been proven a reliable and valid instrument to assess job stress in many countries and among various occupations. In Malaysia, both English and Malay versions of the JCQ have been administered to automotive workers, schoolteachers, and office workers. This study assessed the reliability and validity of the instrument with research laboratory staff in a university. A cross sectional study was conducted among 258 research laboratory staff in Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM). Malaysian laboratory staff who have worked for at least one year were randomly selected from nine faculties and institutes in the university that have research laboratory. A self-administered English and Malay version of Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ) was used. Three major scales of JCQ: decision latitude, psychological job demands, and social support were assessed. Cronbach's alpha coefficients of two scales were acceptable, decision latitude and psychological job demands (0.70 and 0.72, respectively), while Cronbach's alpha coefficient for social support (0.86) was good. Exploratory factor analysis showed five factors that correspond closely to the theoretical construct of the questionnaire. The results of this research suggest that the JCQ is reliable and valid for examining psychosocial work situations and job strain among research laboratory staff. Further studies should be done for confirmative results, and further evaluation is needed on the decision authority subscale for this occupation.

Molecular epidemiology and virulence characteristics of Staphylococcus aureus nasal colonization in medical laboratory staff: comparison between microbiological and non-microbiological laboratories.

PubMed

Xie, Xiaoying; Dai, Xinlu; Ni, Lijia; Chen, Baiji; Luo, Zhaofan; Yao, Yandan; Wu, Xiquan; Li, Hongyu; Huang, Songyin

2018-03-12

Medical laboratory staff are a high-risk population for colonization of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) due to direct and dense contact with the pathogens; however, there is limited information about this colonization. This study sought to determine the prevalence and molecular characteristics of nasal colonization by S. aureus in medical laboratory staff in Guangzhou, southern China, and to compare the differences between microbiological laboratory (MLS) and non-microbiological laboratory (NMLS) staff. S. aureus colonization was assessed by nasal swab cultures from 434 subjects, including 130 MLSs and 304 NMLSs from 33 hospitals in Guangzhou. All S. aureus isolates underwent the antimicrobial susceptibility test, virulence gene detection and molecular typing. The overall prevalence of S. aureus carriage was 20.1% (87/434), which was higher in MLSs than in NMLSs (26.2% vs. 17.4%, P < 0.05), while the prevalence of Methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) was similar. Living with hospital staff was associated with S. aureus carriage. The majority of the isolates harboured various virulence genes, and those in MLSs appeared less resistant to antibiotics and more virulent than their counterparts. A total of 37 different spa types were detected; among these, t338, t437, t189 and t701 were the most frequently encountered types. T338 was the main spa type contributing to nasal colonization Methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA) (13.0%), and t437-SCCmec IV was predominant in MRSA isolates (40%). These findings provide insight into the risk factors, molecular epidemiology and virulence gene profiles of S. aureus nasal carriage among the medical laboratory staff in Guangzhou.

LLNL Partners with IBM on Brain-Like Computing Chip

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Van Essen, Brian

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) will receive a first-of-a-kind brain-inspired supercomputing platform for deep learning developed by IBM Research. Based on a breakthrough neurosynaptic computer chip called IBM TrueNorth, the scalable platform will process the equivalent of 16 million neurons and 4 billion synapses and consume the energy equivalent of a hearing aid battery – a mere 2.5 watts of power. The brain-like, neural network design of the IBM Neuromorphic System is able to infer complex cognitive tasks such as pattern recognition and integrated sensory processing far more efficiently than conventional chips.

LLNL Partners with IBM on Brain-Like Computing Chip

ScienceCinema

Van Essen, Brian

2018-06-25

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) will receive a first-of-a-kind brain-inspired supercomputing platform for deep learning developed by IBM Research. Based on a breakthrough neurosynaptic computer chip called IBM TrueNorth, the scalable platform will process the equivalent of 16 million neurons and 4 billion synapses and consume the energy equivalent of a hearing aid battery – a mere 2.5 watts of power. The brain-like, neural network design of the IBM Neuromorphic System is able to infer complex cognitive tasks such as pattern recognition and integrated sensory processing far more efficiently than conventional chips.

LLNL Experimental Test Site (Site 300) Potable Water System Operations Plan

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ocampo, R. P.; Bellah, W.

The existing Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) Site 300 drinking water system operation schematic is shown in Figures 1 and 2 below. The sources of water are from two Site 300 wells (Well #18 and Well #20) and San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) Hetch-Hetchy water through the Thomas shaft pumping station. Currently, Well #20 with 300 gallons per minute (gpm) pump capacity is the primary source of well water used during the months of September through July, while Well #18 with 225 gpm pump capacity is the source of well water for the month of August. The well watermore » is chlorinated using sodium hypochlorite to provide required residual chlorine throughout Site 300. Well water chlorination is covered in the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Experimental Test Site (Site 300) Chlorination Plan (“the Chlorination Plan”; LLNL-TR-642903; current version dated August 2013). The third source of water is the SFPUC Hetch-Hetchy Water System through the Thomas shaft facility with a 150 gpm pump capacity. At the Thomas shaft station the pumped water is treated through SFPUC-owned and operated ultraviolet (UV) reactor disinfection units on its way to Site 300. The Thomas Shaft Hetch- Hetchy water line is connected to the Site 300 water system through the line common to Well pumps #18 and #20 at valve box #1.« less

Simulating Afterburn with LLNL Hydrocodes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Daily, L D

2004-06-11

Presented here is a working methodology for adapting a Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) developed hydrocode, ALE3D, to simulate weapon damage effects when afterburn is a consideration in the blast propagation. Experiments have shown that afterburn is of great consequence in enclosed environments (i.e. bomb in tunnel scenario, penetrating conventional munition in a bunker, or satchel charge placed in a deep underground facility). This empirical energy deposition methodology simulates the anticipated addition of kinetic energy that has been demonstrated by experiment (Kuhl, et. al. 1998), without explicitly solving the chemistry, or resolving the mesh to capture small-scale vorticity. This effortmore » is intended to complement the existing capability of either coupling ALE3D blast simulations with DYNA3D or performing fully coupled ALE3D simulations to predict building or component failure, for applications in National Security offensive strike planning as well as Homeland Defense infrastructure protection.« less

A Novel Approach to Semantic and Coreference Annotation at LLNL

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Firpo, M

A case is made for the importance of high quality semantic and coreference annotation. The challenges of providing such annotation are described. Asperger's Syndrome is introduced, and the connections are drawn between the needs of text annotation and the abilities of persons with Asperger's Syndrome to meet those needs. Finally, a pilot program is recommended wherein semantic annotation is performed by people with Asperger's Syndrome. The primary points embodied in this paper are as follows: (1) Document annotation is essential to the Natural Language Processing (NLP) projects at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL); (2) LLNL does not currently have amore » system in place to meet its need for text annotation; (3) Text annotation is challenging for a variety of reasons, many related to its very rote nature; (4) Persons with Asperger's Syndrome are particularly skilled at rote verbal tasks, and behavioral experts agree that they would excel at text annotation; and (6) A pilot study is recommend in which two to three people with Asperger's Syndrome annotate documents and then the quality and throughput of their work is evaluated relative to that of their neuro-typical peers.« less

Joint FAM/Line Management Assessment Report on LLNL Machine Guarding Safety Program

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Armstrong, J. J.

2016-07-19

The LLNL Safety Program for Machine Guarding is implemented to comply with requirements in the ES&H Manual Document 11.2, "Hazards-General and Miscellaneous," Section 13 Machine Guarding (Rev 18, issued Dec. 15, 2015). The primary goal of this LLNL Safety Program is to ensure that LLNL operations involving machine guarding are managed so that workers, equipment and government property are adequately protected. This means that all such operations are planned and approved using the Integrated Safety Management System to provide the most cost effective and safest means available to support the LLNL mission.

LLNL electro-optical mine detection program

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Anderson, C.; Aimonetti, W.; Barth, M.

1994-09-30

Under funding from the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) and the US Marine Corps (USMC), Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) has directed a program aimed at improving detection capabilities against buried mines and munitions. The program has provided a national test facility for buried mines in arid environments, compiled and distributed an extensive data base of infrared (IR), ground penetrating radar (GPR), and other measurements made at that site, served as a host for other organizations wishing to make measurements, made considerable progress in the use of ground penetrating radar for mine detection, and worked on the difficult problem ofmore » sensor fusion as applied to buried mine detection. While the majority of our effort has been concentrated on the buried mine problem, LLNL has worked with the U.S.M.C. on surface mine problems as well, providing data and analysis to support the COBRA (Coastal Battlefield Reconnaissance and Analysis) program. The original aim of the experimental aspect of the program was the utilization of multiband infrared approaches for the detection of buried mines. Later the work was extended to a multisensor investigation, including sensors other than infrared imagers. After an early series of measurements, it was determined that further progress would require a larger test facility in a natural environment, so the Buried Object Test Facility (BOTF) was constructed at the Nevada Test Site. After extensive testing, with sensors spanning the electromagnetic spectrum from the near ultraviolet to radio frequencies, possible paths for improvement were: improved spatial resolution providing better ground texture discrimination; analysis which involves more complicated spatial queueing and filtering; additional IR bands using imaging spectroscopy; the use of additional sensors other than IR and the use of data fusion techniques with multi-sensor data; and utilizing time dependent observables like temperature.« less

Report on the B-Fields at NIF Workshop Held at LLNL October 12-13, 2015

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fournier, K. B.; Moody, J. D.

2015-12-13

A national ICF laboratory workshop on requirements for a magnetized target capability on NIF was held by NIF at LLNL on October 12 and 13, attended by experts from LLNL, SNL, LLE, LANL, GA, and NRL. Advocates for indirect drive (LLNL), magnetic (Z) drive (SNL), polar direct drive (LLE), and basic science needing applied B (many institutions) presented and discussed requirements for the magnetized target capabilities they would like to see. 30T capability was most frequently requested. A phased operation increasing the field in steps experimentally can be envisioned. The NIF management will take the inputs from the scientific communitymore » represented at the workshop and recommend pulse-powered magnet parameters for NIF that best meet the collective user requests. In parallel, LLNL will continue investigating magnets for future generations that might be powered by compact laser-B-field generators (Moody, Fujioka, Santos, Woolsey, Pollock). The NIF facility engineers will start to analyze compatibility of the recommended pulsed magnet parameters (size, field, rise time, materials) with NIF chamber constraints, diagnostic access, and final optics protection against debris in FY16. The objective of this assessment will be to develop a schedule for achieving an initial Bfield capability. Based on an initial assessment, room temperature magnetized gas capsules will be fielded on NIF first. Magnetized cryo-ice-layered targets will take longer (more compatibility issues). Magnetized wetted foam DT targets (Olson) may have somewhat fewer compatibility issues making them a more likely choice for the first cryo-ice-layered target fielded with applied Bz.« less

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Environmental Report 2010

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jones, H E; Bertoldo, N A; Campbell, C G

The purposes of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Environmental Report 2010 are to record Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's (LLNL's) compliance with environmental standards and requirements, describe LLNL's environmental protection and remediation programs, and present the results of environmental monitoring at the two LLNL sites - the Livermore site and Site 300. The report is prepared for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) by LLNL's Environmental Protection Department. Submittal of the report satisfies requirements under DOE Order 231.1A, Environmental Safety and Health Reporting, and DOE Order 5400.5, Radiation Protection of the Public and Environment. The report is distributed electronically and ismore » available at https://saer.llnl.gov/, the website for the LLNL annual environmental report. Previous LLNL annual environmental reports beginning in 1994 are also on the website. Some references in the electronic report text are underlined, which indicates that they are clickable links. Clicking on one of these links will open the related document, data workbook, or website that it refers to. The report begins with an executive summary, which provides the purpose of the report and an overview of LLNL's compliance and monitoring results. The first three chapters provide background information: Chapter 1 is an overview of the location, meteorology, and hydrogeology of the two LLNL sites; Chapter 2 is a summary of LLNL's compliance with environmental regulations; and Chapter 3 is a description of LLNL's environmental programs with an emphasis on the Environmental Management System including pollution prevention. The majority of the report covers LLNL's environmental monitoring programs and monitoring data for 2010: effluent and ambient air (Chapter 4); waters, including wastewater, storm water runoff, surface water, rain, and groundwater (Chapter 5); and terrestrial, including soil, sediment, vegetation, foodstuff, ambient radiation, and special

Using the e-Chasqui, web-based information system, to determine laboratory guidelines and data available to clinical staff.

PubMed

Blaya, Joaquin A; Yagui, Martin; Contreras, Carmen C; Palma, Betty; Shin, Sonya S; Yale, Gloria; Suarez, Carmen; Fraser, Hamish S F

2008-11-06

13% of all drug susceptibility tests (DSTs) performed at a public laboratory in Peru were duplicate. To determine reasons for duplicate requests an online survey was implemented in the e-Chasqui laboratory information system. Results showed that 59.6% of tests were ordered because clinical staff was unaware of ordering guidelines or of a previous result. This shows a benefit of using a web-based system and the lack of laboratory information available to clinical staff in Peru.

Laboratory directed research and development fy1999 annual report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Al-Ayat, R A

2000-04-11

The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) was founded in 1952 and has been managed since its inception by the University of California (UC) for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Because of this long association with UC, the Laboratory has been able to recruit a world-class workforce, establish an atmosphere of intellectual freedom and innovation, and achieve recognition in relevant fields of knowledge as a scientific and technological leader. This environment and reputation are essential for sustained scientific and technical excellence. As a DOE national laboratory with about 7,000 employees, LLNL has an essential and compelling primary mission to ensuremore » that the nation's nuclear weapons remain safe, secure, and reliable and to prevent the spread and use of nuclear weapons worldwide. The Laboratory receives funding from the DOE Assistant Secretary for Defense Programs, whose focus is stewardship of our nuclear weapons stockpile. Funding is also provided by the Deputy Administrator for Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation, many Department of Defense sponsors, other federal agencies, and the private sector. As a multidisciplinary laboratory, LLNL has applied its considerable skills in high-performance computing, advanced engineering, and the management of large research and development projects to become the science and technology leader in those areas of its mission responsibility. The Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) Program was authorized by the U.S. Congress in 1984. The Program allows the Director of each DOE laboratory to fund advanced, creative, and innovative research and development (R&D) activities that will ensure scientific and technical vitality in the continually evolving mission areas at DOE and the Laboratory. In addition, the LDRD Program provides LLNL with the flexibility to nurture and enrich essential scientific and technical competencies, which attract the most qualified scientists and engineers. The LDRD

Advanced Design Concepts for Dense Plasma Focus Devices at LLNL

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Povilus, Alexander; Podpaly, Yuri; Cooper, Christopher; Shaw, Brian; Chapman, Steve; Mitrani, James; Anderson, Michael; Pearson, Aric; Anaya, Enrique; Koh, Ed; Falabella, Steve; Link, Tony; Schmidt, Andrea

2017-10-01

The dense plasma focus (DPF) is a z-pinch device where a plasma sheath is accelerated down a coaxial railgun and ends in a radial implosion, pinch phase. During the pinch phase, the plasma generates intense, transient electric fields through physical mechanisms, similar to beam instabilities, that can accelerate ions in the plasma sheath to MeV-scale energies on millimeter length scales. Using kinetic modeling techniques developed at LLNL, we have gained insight into the formation of these accelerating fields and are using these observations to optimize the behavior of the generated ion beam for producing neutrons via beam-target interactions for kilojoule to megajoule-scale devices. Using a set of DPF's, both in operation and in development at LLNL, we have explored critical aspects of these devices, including plasma sheath formation behavior, power delivery to the plasma, and instability seeding during the implosion in order to improve the absolute yield and stability of the device. Prepared by LLNL under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344. Computing support for this work came from the LLNL Institutional Computing Grand Challenge program.

Control System for the LLNL Kicker Pulse Generator

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Watson, J A; Anaya, R M; Cook, E G

2002-06-18

A solid-state high voltage pulse generator with multi-pulse burst capability, very fast rise and fall times, pulse width agility, and amplitude modulation capability for use with high speed electron beam kickers has been designed and tested at LLNL. A control system calculates a desired waveform to be applied to the kicker based on measured electron beam displacement then adjusts the pulse generators to provide the desired waveform. This paper presents the design of the control system and measure performance data from operation on the ETA-11 accelerator at LLNL.

Criticality Safety Evaluation of the LLNL Inherently Safe Subcritical Assembly (ISSA)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Percher, Catherine

2012-06-19

The LLNL Nuclear Criticality Safety Division has developed a training center to illustrate criticality safety and reactor physics concepts through hands-on experimental training. The experimental assembly, the Inherently Safe Subcritical Assembly (ISSA), uses surplus highly enriched research reactor fuel configured in a water tank. The training activities will be conducted by LLNL following the requirements of an Integration Work Sheet (IWS) and associated Safety Plan. Students will be allowed to handle the fissile material under the supervision of LLNL instructors. This report provides the technical criticality safety basis for instructional operations with the ISSA experimental assembly.

Edge Simulation Laboratory Progress and Plans

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cohen, R

The Edge Simulation Laboratory (ESL) is a project to develop a gyrokinetic code for MFE edge plasmas based on continuum (Eulerian) techniques. ESL is a base-program activity of OFES, with an allied algorithm research activity funded by the OASCR base math program. ESL OFES funds directly support about 0.8 FTE of career staff at LLNL, a postdoc and a small fraction of an FTE at GA, and a graduate student at UCSD. In addition the allied OASCR program funds about 1/2 FTE each in the computations directorates at LBNL and LLNL. OFES ESL funding for LLNL and UCSD began inmore » fall 2005, while funding for GA and the math team began about a year ago. ESL's continuum approach is a complement to the PIC-based methods of the CPES Project, and was selected (1) because of concerns about noise issues associated with PIC in the high-density-contrast environment of the edge pedestal, (2) to be able to exploit advanced numerical methods developed for fluid codes, and (3) to build upon the successes of core continuum gyrokinetic codes such as GYRO, GS2 and GENE. The ESL project presently has three components: TEMPEST, a full-f, full-geometry (single-null divertor, or arbitrary-shape closed flux surfaces) code in E, {mu} (energy, magnetic-moment) coordinates; EGK, a simple-geometry rapid-prototype code, presently of; and the math component, which is developing and implementing algorithms for a next-generation code. Progress would be accelerated if we could find funding for a fourth, computer science, component, which would develop software infrastructure, provide user support, and address needs for data handing and analysis. We summarize the status and plans for the three funded activities.« less

Laboratory Directed Research and Development FY2001 Annual Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Al-Ayat, R

2002-06-20

Established by Congress in 1991, the Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) Program provides the Department of Energy (DOE)/National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) laboratories, like Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL or the Laboratory), with the flexibility to invest up to 6% of their budget in long-term, high-risk, and potentially high payoff research and development (R&D) activities to support the DOE/NNSA's national security missions. By funding innovative R&D, the LDRD Program at LLNL develops and extends the Laboratory's intellectual foundations and maintains its vitality as a premier research institution. As proof of the Program's success, many of the research thrusts thatmore » started many years ago under LDRD sponsorship are at the core of today's programs. The LDRD Program, which serves as a proving ground for innovative ideas, is the Laboratory's most important single resource for fostering excellent science and technology for today's needs and tomorrow's challenges. Basic and applied research activities funded by LDRD enhance the Laboratory's core strengths, driving its technical vitality to create new capabilities that enable LLNL to meet DOE/NNSA's national security missions. The Program also plays a key role in building a world-class multidisciplinary workforce by engaging the Laboratory's best researchers, recruiting its future scientists and engineers, and promoting collaborations with all sectors of the larger scientific community.« less

OHD/HL - Staff

Science.gov Websites

Laboratory Branches Hydrologic Software Engineering Branch (HSEB) Hydrologic Science and Modeling Branch (HSMB) General Info Publications Documentation Software Standard and Guidelines Contact Us HL Staff resources and services. Staff Directory Chief, Hydrology Laboratory; Chief, Hydrologic Software Engineering

Dielectronic Satellite Spectra of Na-like Mo Ions Benchmarked by LLNL EBIT with Application to HED Plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stafford, A.; Safronova, A. S.; Kantsyrev, V. L.; Safronova, U. I.; Petkov, E. E.; Shlyaptseva, V. V.; Childers, R.; Shrestha, I.; Beiersdorfer, P.; Hell, H.; Brown, G. V.

2017-10-01

Dielectronic recombination (DR) is an important process for astrophysical and laboratory high energy density (HED) plasmas and the associated satellite lines are frequently used for plasma diagnostics. In particular, K-shell DR satellite lines were studied in detail in low-Z plasmas. L-shell Na-like spectral features from Mo X-pinches considered here represent the blend of DR and inner shell satellites and motivated the detailed study of DR at the EBIT-1 electron beam ion trap at LLNL. In these experiments the beam energy was swept between 0.6 - 2.4 keV to produce resonances at certain electron beam energies. The advantages of using an electron beam ion trap to better understand atomic processes with highly ionized ions in HED Mo plasma are highlighted. This work was supported by NNSA under DOE Grant DE-NA0002954. Work at LLNL was performed under the auspices of the U.S. DOE under Contract No. DE-AC52-07NA27344.

Competency assessment in laboratory medicine: Standardization and utility for technical staff assessment and recertification in Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Nemenqani, Dalal M; Tekian, Ara; Park, Yoon Soo

2017-04-01

The assessment of technical staff members' competency has been a challenge for laboratory workers, to ensure patient safety and high quality services. The aim of this study was to (1) investigate awareness on best ways to assess lab competencies; (2) identify existing institutional methods of competency assessment and how staff perceptions; and (3) gather opinions of respondents about a proposed program for competency assessment in laboratory medicine. A cross-sectional survey was conducted, followed by an interview and discussion with laboratory stakeholders about a proposed competency assessment program that included all the six procedural elements of laboratory personnel competency assessment. An online questionnaire was sent via email to different hospitals in Saudi Arabia through survey monkey. A proposed competency assessment program was circulated via email to laboratory stakeholders who agreed to be enrolled in structured interviews. A total of 47 out of the 168 (25.3%) laboratory workers responded to the emailed survey administered via survey monkey. Among the survey respondents, 16 out of the 47 (34%) participated in the structured interview and the discussion and formed the community of practice group that provided insight and opinion about the proposed competency program. Among stakeholders, 87.2% practiced in accredited laboratories. Over half (52%) of respondents positively rated the proposed program. Results of interviews and discussions revealed suggestions about continuous ongoing assessment, such as the inclusion of laboratory quality management and safety as separate items to be unified for all sections. The proposed competency assessment program overcomes challenges noted in competency assessment and has been positively received by stakeholders. This program will be validated by a group of experts then implemented as part of a core curriculum for laboratory staff, in their assessment, certification, recertification, registration, evaluation and

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory environmental report for 1990

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sims, J.M.; Surano, K.A.; Lamson, K.C.

1990-01-01

This report documents the results of the Environmental Monitoring Program at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and presents summary information about environmental compliance for 1990. To evaluate the effect of LLNL operations on the local environment, measurements of direct radiation and a variety of radionuclides and chemical compounds in ambient air, soil, sewage effluent surface water, groundwater, vegetation, and foodstuff were made at both the Livermore site and at Site 300 nearly. LLNL's compliance with all applicable guides, standards, and limits for radiological and nonradiological emissions to the environment was evaluated. Aside from an August 13 observation of silvermore » concentrations slightly above guidelines for discharges to the sanitary sewer, all the monitoring data demonstrated LLNL compliance with environmental laws and regulations governing emission and discharge of materials to the environment. In addition, the monitoring data demonstrated that the environmental impacts of LLNL are minimal and pose no threat to the public to or to the environment. 114 refs., 46 figs., 79 tabs.« less

Laboratory Directed Research and Development FY 2000 Annual Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Al-Ayat, R

This Annual Report provides an overview of the FY2000 Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) Program at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and presents a summary of the results achieved by each project during the year.

Astronomy Applications of Adaptive Optics at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bauman, B J; Gavel, D T

2003-04-23

Astronomical applications of adaptive optics at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) has a history that extends from 1984. The program started with the Lick Observatory Adaptive Optics system and has progressed through the years to lever-larger telescopes: Keck, and now the proposed CELT (California Extremely Large Telescope) 30m telescope. LLNL AO continues to be at the forefront of AO development and science.

LLNL small-scale static spark machine: static spark sensitivity test

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Foltz, M F; Simpson, L R

1999-08-23

Small-scale safety testing of explosives and other energetic materials is done in order to determine their sensitivity to various stimuli, such as friction, static spark, and impact. Typically this testing is done to discover potential handling problems that may exist for either newly synthesized materials of unknown behavior, or materials that have been stored for long periods of time. This report describes the existing ''Static Spark Test Apparatus'' at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), as well as the method used to evaluate the relative static spark sensitivity of energetic materials. The basic design, originally developed by the Picatinny Arsenal inmore » New Jersey, is discussed. The accumulated data for the materials tested to date is not included here, with the exception of specific examples that have yielded interesting or unusual results during the tests.« less

Historical Doses from Tritiated Water and Tritiated Hydrogen Gas Released to the Atmosphere from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). Part 5. Accidental Releases

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Peterson, S

2007-08-15

Over the course of fifty-three years, LLNL had six acute releases of tritiated hydrogen gas (HT) and one acute release of tritiated water vapor (HTO) that were too large relative to the annual releases to be included as part of the annual releases from normal operations detailed in Parts 3 and 4 of the Tritium Dose Reconstruction (TDR). Sandia National Laboratories/California (SNL/CA) had one such release of HT and one of HTO. Doses to the maximally exposed individual (MEI) for these accidents have been modeled using an equation derived from the time-dependent tritium model, UFOTRI, and parameter values based onmore » expert judgment. All of these acute releases are described in this report. Doses that could not have been exceeded from the large HT releases of 1965 and 1970 were calculated to be 43 {micro}Sv (4.3 mrem) and 120 {micro}Sv (12 mrem) to an adult, respectively. Two published sets of dose predictions for the accidental HT release in 1970 are compared with the dose predictions of this TDR. The highest predicted dose was for an acute release of HTO in 1954. For this release, the dose that could not have been exceeded was estimated to have been 2 mSv (200 mrem), although, because of the high uncertainty about the predictions, the likely dose may have been as low as 360 {micro}Sv (36 mrem) or less. The estimated maximum exposures from the accidental releases were such that no adverse health effects would be expected. Appendix A lists all accidents and large routine puff releases that have occurred at LLNL and SNL/CA between 1953 and 2005. Appendix B describes the processes unique to tritium that must be modeled after an acute release, some of the time-dependent tritium models being used today, and the results of tests of these models.« less

Summary Report of Summer 2009 NGSI Human Capital Development Efforts at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dougan, A; Dreicer, M; Essner, J

2009-11-16

In 2009, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) engaged in several activities to support NA-24's Next Generation Safeguards Initiative (NGSI). This report outlines LLNL's efforts to support Human Capital Development (HCD), one of five key components of NGSI managed by Dunbar Lockwood in the Office of International Regimes and Agreements (NA-243). There were five main LLNL summer safeguards HCD efforts sponsored by NGSI: (1) A joint Monterey Institute of International Studies/Center for Nonproliferation Studies-LLNL International Safeguards Policy and Information Analysis Course; (2) A Summer Safeguards Policy Internship Program at LLNL; (3) A Training in Environmental Sample Analysis for IAEA Safeguards Internship;more » (4) Safeguards Technology Internships; and (5) A joint LLNL-INL Summer Safeguards Lecture Series. In this report, we provide an overview of these five initiatives, an analysis of lessons learned, an update on the NGSI FY09 post-doc, and an update on students who participated in previous NGSI-sponsored LLNL safeguards HCD efforts.« less

Laboratory Directed Research and Development FY2011 Annual Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Craig, W; Sketchley, J; Kotta, P

2012-03-22

A premier applied-science laboratory, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) has earned the reputation as a leader in providing science and technology solutions to the most pressing national and global security problems. The LDRD Program, established by Congress at all DOE national laboratories in 1991, is LLNL's most important single resource for fostering excellent science and technology for today's needs and tomorrow's challenges. The LDRD internally directed research and development funding at LLNL enables high-risk, potentially high-payoff projects at the forefront of science and technology. The LDRD Program at Livermore serves to: (1) Support the Laboratory's missions, strategic plan, and foundationalmore » science; (2) Maintain the Laboratory's science and technology vitality; (3) Promote recruiting and retention; (4) Pursue collaborations; (5) Generate intellectual property; and (6) Strengthen the U.S. economy. Myriad LDRD projects over the years have made important contributions to every facet of the Laboratory's mission and strategic plan, including its commitment to nuclear, global, and energy and environmental security, as well as cutting-edge science and technology and engineering in high-energy-density matter, high-performance computing and simulation, materials and chemistry at the extremes, information systems, measurements and experimental science, and energy manipulation. A summary of each project was submitted by the principal investigator. Project summaries include the scope, motivation, goals, relevance to DOE/NNSA and LLNL mission areas, the technical progress achieved in FY11, and a list of publications that resulted from the research. The projects are: (1) Nuclear Threat Reduction; (2) Biosecurity; (3) High-Performance Computing and Simulation; (4) Intelligence; (5) Cybersecurity; (6) Energy Security; (7) Carbon Capture; (8) Material Properties, Theory, and Design; (9) Radiochemistry; (10) High-Energy-Density Science; (11) Laser

Laboratory directed research and development FY98 annual report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Al-Ayat, R; Holzrichter, J

1999-05-01

In 1984, Congress and the Department of Energy (DOE) established the Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) Program to enable the director of a national laboratory to foster and expedite innovative research and development (R and D) in mission areas. The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) continually examines these mission areas through strategic planning and shapes the LDRD Program to meet its long-term vision. The goal of the LDRD Program is to spur development of new scientific and technical capabilities that enable LLNL to respond to the challenges within its evolving mission areas. In addition, the LDRD Program provides LLNLmore » with the flexibility to nurture and enrich essential scientific and technical competencies and enables the Laboratory to attract the most qualified scientists and engineers. The FY98 LDRD portfolio described in this annual report has been carefully structured to continue the tradition of vigorously supporting DOE and LLNL strategic vision and evolving mission areas. The projects selected for LDRD funding undergo stringent review and selection processes, which emphasize strategic relevance and require technical peer reviews of proposals by external and internal experts. These FY98 projects emphasize the Laboratory's national security needs: stewardship of the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile, responsibility for the counter- and nonproliferation of weapons of mass destruction, development of high-performance computing, and support of DOE environmental research and waste management programs.« less

LLNL Scientists Use NERSC to Advance Global Aerosol Simulations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bergmann, D J; Chuang, C; Rotman, D

2004-10-13

While ''greenhouse gases'' have been the focus of climate change research for a number of years, DOE's ''Aerosol Initiative'' is now examining how aerosols (small particles of approximately micron size) affect the climate on both a global and regional scale. Scientists in the Atmospheric Science Division at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) are using NERSC's IBM supercomputer and LLNL's IMPACT (atmospheric chemistry) model to perform simulations showing the historic effects of sulfur aerosols at a finer spatial resolution than ever done before. Simulations were carried out for five decades, from the 1950s through the 1990s. The results clearly show themore » effects of the changing global pattern of sulfur emissions. Whereas in 1950 the United States emitted 41 percent of the world's sulfur aerosols, this figure had dropped to 15 percent by 1990, due to conservation and anti-pollution policies. By contrast, the fraction of total sulfur emissions of European origin has only dropped by a factor of 2 and the Asian emission fraction jumped six fold during the same time, from 7 percent in 1950 to 44 percent in 1990. Under a special allocation of computing time provided by the Office of Science INCITE (Innovative and Novel Computational Impact on Theory and Experiment) program, Dan Bergmann, working with a team of LLNL scientists including Cathy Chuang, Philip Cameron-Smith, and Bala Govindasamy, was able to carry out a large number of calculations during the past month, making the aerosol project one of the largest users of NERSC resources. The applications ran on 128 and 256 processors. The objective was to assess the effects of anthropogenic (man-made) sulfate aerosols. The IMPACT model calculates the rate at which SO{sub 2} (a gas emitted by industrial activity) is oxidized and forms particles known as sulfate aerosols. These particles have a short lifespan in the atmosphere, often washing out in about a week. This means that their effects on climate

Research Staff | Buildings | NREL

Science.gov Websites

Research Staff Research Staff Photo of Roderick Jackson Roderick Jackson Laboratory Program Manager -related research at NREL. He works closely with senior laboratory management to set the strategic agenda for NREL's buildings portfolio, including all research, development, and market implementation

A Review of Radiation Protection Solutions for the Staff in the Cardiac Catheterisation Laboratory.

PubMed

Badawy, Mohamed Khaldoun; Deb, Pradip; Chan, Robert; Farouque, Omar

2016-10-01

Adverse health effects of radiation exposure to staff in cardiac catheterisation laboratories have been well documented in the literature. Examples include increased risk of cataracts as well as possible malignancies. These risks can be partly mitigated by reducing scatter radiation exposure to staff during diagnostic and interventional cardiac procedures. There are currently commercially available radiation protection tools, including radioprotective caps, gloves, eyewear, thyroid collars, aprons, mounted shields, table skirts and patient drapes to protect staff from excessive radiation exposure. Furthermore, real-time dose feedback could lead to procedural changes that reduce operator dose. The objective of this review is to examine the efficacy of these tools and provide practical recommendations to reduce occupational radiation exposure with the aim of minimising long-term adverse health outcomes. Copyright © 2016 Australian and New Zealand Society of Cardiac and Thoracic Surgeons (ANZSCTS) and the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand (CSANZ). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

LLNL 10(a)(1)(A) Annual Report (TE-053672-2)--2005

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Woollett, J

2006-01-26

This report summarizes research related to Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's (LLNL) Experimental Test Site, Site 300 (S300), located within Alameda and San Joaquin Counties (Figure 1) and conducted under the 10(a)(1)(A) (Recovery) permit TE-053672-2. This property is held in ownership by the U.S. Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). The 2005 Recovery research at S300 involved fieldwork associated with only two species: Alameda whipsnake (Masticophis lateralis euryxanthus) and the California red-legged frog (Rana aurora draytonii) (RLF). Note: the whipsnake subspecies existing at S300 shows taxonomic variation (generally 50% chaparral whipsnake [Masticophis lateralis] traits) when compared to the Alameda whipsnakemore » (Riemer 1954) and therefore it will be referred to as ''California whipsnake (Masticophis lateralis)'' (CWS) for classification purposes in this report (Swaim 2004).« less

Supplement analysis for continued operation of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratories, Livermore. Volume 2: Comment response document

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1999-03-01

The US Department of Energy (DOE), prepared a draft Supplement Analysis (SA) for Continued Operation of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and Sandia National Laboratories, Livermore (SNL-L), in accordance with DOE`s requirements for implementation of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) (10 Code of Federal Regulations [CFR] Part 1021.314). It considers whether the Final Environmental Impact Statement and Environmental Impact Report for Continued Operation of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratories, Livermore (1992 EIS/EIR) should be supplement3ed, whether a new environmental impact statement (EIS) should be prepared, or no further NEPA documentation is required. The SAmore » examines the current project and program plans and proposals for LLNL and SNL-L, operations to identify new or modified projects or operations or new information for the period from 1998 to 2002 that was not considered in the 1992 EIS/EIR. When such changes, modifications, and information are identified, they are examined to determine whether they could be considered substantial or significant in reference to the 1992 proposed action and the 1993 Record of Decision (ROD). DOE released the draft SA to the public to obtain stakeholder comments and to consider those comments in the preparation of the final SA. DOE distributed copies of the draft SA to those who were known to have an interest in LLNL or SNL-L activities in addition to those who requested a copy. In response to comments received, DOE prepared this Comment Response Document.« less

Historic Context and Building Assessments for the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Built Environment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ullrich, R. A.; Sullivan, M. A.

2007-09-14

This document was prepared to support u.s. Department of Energy / National Nuclear Security Agency (DOE/NNSA) compliance with Sections 106 and 110 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA). Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) is a DOE/NNSA laboratory and is engaged in determining the historic status of its properties at both its main site in Livermore, California, and Site 300, its test site located eleven miles from the main site. LLNL contracted with the authors via Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) to prepare a historic context statement for properties at both sites and to provide assessments of those properties of potentialmore » historic interest. The report contains an extensive historic context statement and the assessments of individual properties and groups of properties determined, via criteria established in the context statement, to be of potential interest. The historic context statement addresses the four contexts within which LLNL falls: Local History, World War II History (WWII), Cold War History, and Post-Cold War History. Appropriate historic preservation themes relevant to LLNL's history are delineated within each context. In addition, thresholds are identified for historic significance within each of the contexts based on the explication and understanding of the Secretary of the Interior's Guidelines for determining eligibility for the National Register of Historic Places. The report identifies specific research areas and events in LLNL's history that are of interest and the portions of the built environment in which they occurred. Based on that discussion, properties of potential interest are identified and assessments of them are provided. Twenty individual buildings and three areas of potential historic interest were assessed. The final recommendation is that, of these, LLNL has five individual historic buildings, two sets of historic objects, and two historic districts eligible for the National Register. All are eligible

Staff and students' perceptions and experiences of teaching and assessment in Clinical Skills Laboratories: interview findings from a multiple case study.

PubMed

Houghton, Catherine E; Casey, Dympna; Shaw, David; Murphy, Kathy

2012-08-01

The Clinical Skills Laboratory has become an essential structure in nurse education and several benefits of its use have been identified. However, the literature identifies the need to examine the transferability of skills learned there into the reality of practice. This research explored the role of the Clinical Skills Laboratory in preparing nursing students for the real world of practice. This paper focuses specifically on the perceptions of the teaching and assessment strategies employed there. Qualitative multiple case study design. Five case study sites. Interviewees (n=58) included academic staff, clinical staff and nursing students. Semi-structured interviews. The Clinical Skills Laboratory can provide a pathway to practice and its authenticity is significant. Teaching strategies need to incorporate communication as well as psychomotor skills. Including audio-visual recording into assessment strategies is beneficial. Effective relationships between education institutions and clinical settings are needed to enhance the transferability of the skills learned. The Clinical Skills Laboratory should provide an authentic learning environment, with the appropriate use of teaching strategies. It is crucial that effective links between educators and clinical staff are established and maintained. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Instructor qualification for radiation safety training at a national laboratory

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Trinoskey, P.A.

1994-10-01

Prior to 1993, Health Physics Training (HPT) was conducted by the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) health physics group. The job requirements specified a Masters Degree and experience. In fact, the majority of Health Physicists in the group were certified by the American Board of Health Physics. Under those circumstances, it was assumed that individuals in the group were technically qualified and the HPT instructor qualification stated that. In late 1993, the Health Physics Group at the LLNL was restructured and the training function was assigned to the training group. Additional requirements for training were mandated by the Department ofmore » Energy (DOE), which would necessitate increasing the existing training staff. With the need to hire, and the policy of reassignment of employees during downsizing, it was imperative that formal qualification standards be developed for technical knowledge. Qualification standards were in place for instructional capability. In drafting the new training qualifications for instructors, the requirements of a Certified Health Physicists had to be modified due to supply and demand. Additionally, for many of the performance-based training courses, registration by the National Registry of Radiation Protection Technologists is more desirable. Flexibility in qualification requirements has been incorporated to meet the reality of ongoing training and the compensation for desirable skills of individuals who may not meet all the criteria. The qualification requirements for an instructor rely on entry-level requirements and emphasis on goals (preferred) and continuing development of technical and instructional capabilities.« less

Screening Program Reduced Melanoma Mortality at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, 1984-1996

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schneider, MD, J S; II, PhD, D; MD, PhD, M

Worldwide incidence of cutaneous malignant melanoma has increased substantially, and no screening program has yet demonstrated reduction in mortality. We evaluated the education, self examination and targeted screening campaign at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) from its beginning in July 1984 through 1996. The thickness and crude incidence of melanoma from the years before the campaign were compared to those obtained during the 13 years of screening. Melanoma mortality during the 13-year period was based on a National Death Index search. Expected yearly deaths from melanoma among LLNL employees were calculated by using California mortality data matched by age,more » sex, and race/ethnicity and adjusted to exclude deaths from melanoma diagnosed before the program began or before employment at LLNL. After the program began, crude incidence of melanoma thicker than 0.75 mm decreased from 18 to 4 cases per 100,000 person-years (p = 0.02), while melanoma less than 0.75mm remained stable and in situ melanoma increased substantially. No eligible melanoma deaths occurred among LLNL employees during the screening period compared with a calculated 3.39 expected deaths (p = 0.034). Education, self examination and selective screening for melanoma at LLNL significantly decreased incidence of melanoma thicker than 0.75 mm and reduced the melanoma-related mortality rate to zero. This significant decrease in mortality rate persisted for at least 3 yr after employees retired or otherwise left the laboratory.« less

Evaluation of LLNL BSL-3 Maximum Credible Event Potential Consequence to the General Population and Surrounding Environment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Johnson, M.

2010-08-16

The purpose of this evaluation is to establish reproducibility of the analysis and consequence results to the general population and surrounding environment in the LLNL Biosafety Level 3 Facility Environmental Assessment (LLNL 2008).

The EBIT Calorimeter Spectrometer: a new, permanent user facility at the LLNL EBIT

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Porter, F S; Beiersdorfer, P; Brown, G V

The EBIT Calorimeter Spectrometer (ECS) is currently being completed and will be installed at the EBIT facility at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in October 2007. The ECS will replace the smaller XRS/EBIT microcalorimeter spectrometer that has been in almost continuous operation since 2000. The XRS/EBIT was based on a spare laboratory cryostat and an engineering model detector system from the Suzaku/XRS observatory program. The new ECS spectrometer was built to be a low maintenance, high performance implanted silicon microcalorimeter spectrometer with 4 eV resolution at 6 keV, 32 detector channels, 10 {micro}s event timing, and capable of uninterrupted acquisitionmore » sessions of over 60 hours at 50 mK. The XRS/EBIT program has been very successful, producing many results on topics such as laboratory astrophysics, atomic physics, nuclear physics, and calibration of the spectrometers for the National Ignition Facility. The ECS spectrometer will continue this work into the future with improved spectral resolution, integration times, and ease-of-use. We designed the ECS instrument with TES detectors in mind by using the same highly successful magnetic shielding as our laboratory TES cryostats. This design will lead to a future TES instrument at the LLNL EBIT. Here we discuss the legacy of the XRS/EBIT program, the performance of the new ECS spectrometer, and plans for a future TES instrument.« less

Analyses in Support of Z-IFE: LLNL Progress Report for FY-04

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Meier, W; Abbott, R; Latkowski, J

2004-10-06

During the last quarter of FY2004, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) conducted a brief study of power plant options for a z-pinch-based inertial fusion energy (Z-IFE) power plant. Areas that were covered include chamber design, thick-liquid response, neutronics and activation, and systems studies. This report summarizes the progress made in each of these areas, provides recommendations for improvements to the basic design concept, and identifies future work that is needed. As a starting point to the LLNL studies, we have taken information provided in several publications and presentations. In particular, many of the basic parameters were taken from the ZP-3more » study, which is described in reference 4. The ZP-3 design called for 12 separate target chambers, with any 10 of them operating at a given time. Each chamber would be pulsed at a repetition rate of 0.1 Hz with a target yield of 3 GJ. Thus, each chamber would have a fusion power of 300 MW for a power plant total of 3000 MW. The ZP-3 study considered several options for the recyclable transmission lines (RTL). Early in the study, the LLNL group questioned the use of many chambers as well as the yield limitation of 3 GJ. The feeling was that a large number of chambers would invariably lead to a considerably higher system cost than for a system with fewer chambers. Naturally, this trend would be somewhat offset by the increased availability that might be possible with many chambers. Reference 4 points out that target yields as high as 20 GJ would be possible with currently available manufacturing technology. The LLNL team considered yields ranging from 3 to 20 GJ. Our findings indicate that higher yields, which lead one to fewer chambers, make the most sense from an economic point of view. Systems modeling, including relative economics, is covered in Section 2. Regardless of the number of chambers of the fusion yield per target, a Z-IFE power plant would make use of a thick-liquid wall protection

LLNL-G3Dv3: Global P wave tomography model for improved regional and teleseismic travel time prediction: LLNL-G3DV3---GLOBAL P WAVE TOMOGRAPHY

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Simmons, N. A.; Myers, S. C.; Johannesson, G.

[1] We develop a global-scale P wave velocity model (LLNL-G3Dv3) designed to accurately predict seismic travel times at regional and teleseismic distances simultaneously. The model provides a new image of Earth's interior, but the underlying practical purpose of the model is to provide enhanced seismic event location capabilities. The LLNL-G3Dv3 model is based on ∼2.8 millionP and Pnarrivals that are re-processed using our global multiple-event locator called Bayesloc. We construct LLNL-G3Dv3 within a spherical tessellation based framework, allowing for explicit representation of undulating and discontinuous layers including the crust and transition zone layers. Using a multiscale inversion technique, regional trendsmore » as well as fine details are captured where the data allow. LLNL-G3Dv3 exhibits large-scale structures including cratons and superplumes as well numerous complex details in the upper mantle including within the transition zone. Particularly, the model reveals new details of a vast network of subducted slabs trapped within the transition beneath much of Eurasia, including beneath the Tibetan Plateau. We demonstrate the impact of Bayesloc multiple-event location on the resulting tomographic images through comparison with images produced without the benefit of multiple-event constraints (single-event locations). We find that the multiple-event locations allow for better reconciliation of the large set of direct P phases recorded at 0–97° distance and yield a smoother and more continuous image relative to the single-event locations. Travel times predicted from a 3-D model are also found to be strongly influenced by the initial locations of the input data, even when an iterative inversion/relocation technique is employed.« less

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory`s Computer Security Short Subjects Videos: Hidden Password, The Incident, Dangerous Games and The Mess; Computer Security Awareness Guide

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

A video on computer security is described. Lonnie Moore, the Computer Security Manager, CSSM/CPPM at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and Gale Warshawsky, the Coordinator for Computer Security Education and Awareness at LLNL, wanted to share topics such as computer ethics, software piracy, privacy issues, and protecting information in a format that would capture and hold an audience`s attention. Four Computer Security Short Subject videos were produced which ranged from 1--3 minutes each. These videos are very effective education and awareness tools that can be used to generate discussions about computer security concerns and good computing practices.

Nuclear criticality safety staff training and qualifications at Los Alamos National Laboratory

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Monahan, S.P.; McLaughlin, T.P.

1997-05-01

Operations involving significant quantities of fissile material have been conducted at Los Alamos National Laboratory continuously since 1943. Until the advent of the Laboratory`s Nuclear Criticality Safety Committee (NCSC) in 1957, line management had sole responsibility for controlling criticality risks. From 1957 until 1961, the NCSC was the Laboratory body which promulgated policy guidance as well as some technical guidance for specific operations. In 1961 the Laboratory created the position of Nuclear Criticality Safety Office (in addition to the NCSC). In 1980, Laboratory management moved the Criticality Safety Officer (and one other LACEF staff member who, by that time, wasmore » also working nearly full-time on criticality safety issues) into the Health Division office. Later that same year the Criticality Safety Group, H-6 (at that time) was created within H-Division, and staffed by these two individuals. The training and education of these individuals in the art of criticality safety was almost entirely self-regulated, depending heavily on technical interactions between each other, as well as NCSC, LACEF, operations, other facility, and broader criticality safety community personnel. Although the Los Alamos criticality safety group has grown both in size and formality of operations since 1980, the basic philosophy that a criticality specialist must be developed through mentoring and self motivation remains the same. Formally, this philosophy has been captured in an internal policy, document ``Conduct of Business in the Nuclear Criticality Safety Group.`` There are no short cuts or substitutes in the development of a criticality safety specialist. A person must have a self-motivated personality, excellent communications skills, a thorough understanding of the principals of neutron physics, a safety-conscious and helpful attitude, a good perspective of real risk, as well as a detailed understanding of process operations and credible upsets.« less

Status of experiments at LLNL on high-power X-band microwave generators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Houck, Timothy L.; Westenskow, Glen A.

1994-05-01

The Microwave Source Facility at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) is studying the application of induction accelerator technology to high-power microwave generators suitable for linear collider power sources. We report on the results of two experiments, both using the Choppertron's 11.4 GHz modulator and a 5-MeV, 1-kA induction beam. The first experimental configuration has a single traveling-wave output structure designed to produce in excess of 300 MW in a single fundamental waveguide. This output structure consists of 12 individual cells, the first two incorporating de-Q-ing circuits to dampen higher order resonant modes. The second experiment studies the feasibility of enhancing beam to microwave power conversion by accelerating a modulated beam with induction cells. Referred to as the `reacceleration experiment,' this experiment consists of three traveling-wave output structures designed to produce about 125 MW per output and two induction cells located between the outputs. Status of current and planned experiments are presented.

Progress Toward Measuring CO2 Isotopologue Fluxes in situ with the LLNL Miniature, Laser-based CO2 Sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Osuna, J. L.; Bora, M.; Bond, T.

2015-12-01

One method to constrain photosynthesis and respiration independently at the ecosystem scale is to measure the fluxes of CO2­ isotopologues. Instrumentation is currently available to makes these measurements but they are generally costly, large, bench-top instruments. Here, we present progress toward developing a laser-based sensor that can be deployed directly to a canopy to passively measure CO2 isotopologue fluxes. In this study, we perform initial proof-of-concept and sensor characterization tests in the laboratory and in the field to demonstrate performance of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) tunable diode laser flux sensor. The results shown herein demonstrate measurement of bulk CO2 as a first step toward achieving flux measurements of CO2 isotopologues. The sensor uses a Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser (VCSEL) in the 2012 nm range. The laser is mounted in a multi-pass White Cell. In order to amplify the absorption signal of CO2 in this range we employ wave modulation spectroscopy, introducing an alternating current (AC) bias component where f is the frequency of modulation on the laser drive current in addition to the direct current (DC) emission scanning component. We observed a strong linear relationship (r2 = 0.998 and r2 = 0.978 at all and low CO2 concentrations, respectively) between the 2f signal and the CO2 concentration in the cell across the range of CO2 concentrations relevant for flux measurements. We use this calibration to interpret CO2 concentration of a gas flowing through the White cell in the laboratory and deployed over a grassy field. We will discuss sensor performance in the lab and in situ as well as address steps toward achieving canopy-deployed, passive measurements of CO2 isotopologue fluxes. This work performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344. LLNL-ABS-675788

The National Ignition Facility (NIF) and High Energy Density Science Research at LLNL (Briefing Charts)

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-06-21

neutron activation detectors (FNADS) 2013-049951s2.ppt Detector locations • Average rR ~ 1 g/cm2 • ~ 50% variations Motivates new 2D backlit imaging...of the implosion Motivates Compton radiography for stagnated fuel shape g/cm2 DrR rR map from neutron Activation Detectors (90Zr(n,2n)  89Zr...high energy cosmic rays Oxford Univ./LLNL LLNL Novel phases of compressed diamond Synthesis of elements heavier than iron 1545 Neutron flux in

Advancing Your Career at LLNL: Meet NIF’s Radiation Control Technicians

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zarco, Judy; Gutierrez, Myrna; Beale, Richard

2017-04-26

Myrna Gutierrez and Judy Zarco took advantage of LLNL's legacy of encouraging continuing education to get the necessary degrees and training to advance their careers at the Lab. As Radiation Control Technicians, they help maintain safety at the National Ignition Facility.

Laboratory Directed Research and Development FY2010 Annual Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jackson, K J

2011-03-22

A premier applied-science laboratory, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) has at its core a primary national security mission - to ensure the safety, security, and reliability of the nation's nuclear weapons stockpile without nuclear testing, and to prevent and counter the spread and use of weapons of mass destruction: nuclear, chemical, and biological. The Laboratory uses the scientific and engineering expertise and facilities developed for its primary mission to pursue advanced technologies to meet other important national security needs - homeland defense, military operations, and missile defense, for example - that evolve in response to emerging threats. For broader nationalmore » needs, LLNL executes programs in energy security, climate change and long-term energy needs, environmental assessment and management, bioscience and technology to improve human health, and for breakthroughs in fundamental science and technology. With this multidisciplinary expertise, the Laboratory serves as a science and technology resource to the U.S. government and as a partner with industry and academia. This annual report discusses the following topics: (1) Advanced Sensors and Instrumentation; (2) Biological Sciences; (3) Chemistry; (4) Earth and Space Sciences; (5) Energy Supply and Use; (6) Engineering and Manufacturing Processes; (7) Materials Science and Technology; Mathematics and Computing Science; (8) Nuclear Science and Engineering; and (9) Physics.« less

Lightning Protection System for HE Facilities at LLNL - Certification Template

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Clancy, T J; Ong, M M; Brown, C G

2005-12-08

This document is meant as a template to assist in the development of your own lighting certification process. Aside from this introduction and the mock representative name of the building (Building A), this document is nearly identical to a lightning certification report issued by the Engineering Directorate at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. At the date of this release, we have certified over 70 HE processing and storage cells at our Site 300 facilities. In Chapters 1 and 2 respectively, we address the need and methods of lightning certification for HE processing and storage facilities at LLNL. We present the preferredmore » method of lightning protection in Chapter 3, as well as the likely building modifications that are needed to comply with this method. In Chapter 4, we present the threat assessment and resulting safe work areas within a cell. After certification, there may be changes to operations during a lightning alert, and this is discussed in Chapter 5. Chapter 6 lists the maintenance requirements for the continuation of lighting certification status. Appendices of this document are meant as an aid in developing your own certification process, and they include a bonding list, an inventory of measurement equipment, surge suppressors in use at LLNL, an Integrated Work and Safety form (IWS), and a template certification sign-off sheet. The lightning certification process involves more that what is spelled out in this document. The first steps involve considerable planning, the securing of funds, and management and explosives safety buy-in. Permits must be obtained, measurement equipment must be assembled and tested, and engineers and technicians must be trained in their use. Cursory building inspections are also recommended, and surge suppression for power systems must be addressed. Upon completion of a certification report and its sign-off by management, additional work is required. Training will be needed in order to educate workers and facility

Improving Scientific Communication and Publication Output in a Multidisciplinary Laboratory: Changing Culture Through Staff Development Workshops

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Noonan, Christine F.; Stratton, Kelly G.

Communication plays a fundamental role in science and engineering disciplines. However, many higher education programs provide little, if any, technical communication coursework. Without strong communication skills scientists and engineers have less opportunity to publish, obtain competitive research funds, or grow their careers. This article describes the role of scientific communication training as an innovative staff development program in a learning-intensive workplace – a national scientific research and development laboratory. The findings show that involvement in the workshop has increased overall participating staff annual publications by an average of 61 percent compared to their pre-workshop publishing performance as well as confidencemore » level in their ability to write and publish peer-reviewed literature. Secondary benefits include improved information literacy skills and the development of informal communities of practice. This work provides insight into adult education in the workplace.« less

Fast Steering Mirror systems for the U-AVLIS program at LLNL

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Watson, J.; Avicola, K.; Payne, A.

1994-07-01

We have successfully deployed several fast steering mirror systems in the Uranium Atomic Vapor Isotope Separation (U-AVLIS) facility at LLNL. These systems employ 2 mm to 150 mm optics and piezoelectric actuators to achieve microradian pointing accuracy with disturbance rejection bandwidths to a few hundred hertz.

Training and qualification of health and safety technicians at a national laboratory

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Egbert, W.F.; Trinoskey, P.A.

1994-10-01

Over the last 30 years, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) has successfully implemented the concept of a multi-disciplined technician. LLNL Health and Safety Technicians have responsibilities in industrial hygiene, industrial safety, health physics, as well as fire, explosive, and criticality safety. One of the major benefits to this approach is the cost-effective use of workers who display an ownership of health and safety issues which is sometimes lacking when responsibilities are divided. Although LLNL has always promoted the concept of a multi-discipline technician, this concept is gaining interest within the Department of Energy (DOE) community. In November 1992, individuals frommore » Oak Ridge Institute of Science and Education (ORISE) and RUST Geotech, joined by LLNL established a committee to address the issues of Health and Safety Technicians. In 1993, the DOE Office of Environmental, Safety and Health, in response to the Defense Nuclear Facility Safety Board Recommendation 91-6, stated DOE projects, particularly environmental restoration, typically present hazards other than radiation such as chemicals, explosives, complex construction activities, etc., which require additional expertise by Radiological Control Technicians. They followed with a commitment that a training guide would be issued. The trend in the last two decades has been toward greater specialization in the areas of health and safety. In contrast, the LLNL has moved toward a generalist approach integrating the once separate functions of the industrial hygiene and health physics technician into one function.« less

Transition-ready technologies and expertise from the Chemical and Biological National Security Program at LLNL

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Folta, P A; McBride, M T

2006-02-22

HSARPA has initiated a new Bioinformatics and Assay Development solicitation, BIAD2 (BAA 06-01), to address a number of technology gaps and requirements for biodetection (www.hsarpabaa.com). This solicitation will leverage the vast research and development capabilities of the private sector and academia in order to meet the needs of HSARPA and Homeland Security. In order to meet these requirements, this solicitation will: (1) Develop and validate actionable assays for the public and private sector; (2) Develop and validate new assays and novel assay methodologies to enhance existing detection systems and enable future detection platforms; (3) Develop next generation assays which aremore » robust against novel, emerging and engineered threats; (4) Develop novel assays that detect low levels of ribonucleic acid (RNA)-based viral threats in complex backgrounds; (5) Develop novel assays to characterize the viability, degree of virulence or toxicity, and countermeasure resistance of a biological agent; and (6) Develop new bioinformatics tools to support assay development and assay validation The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) Bioassays and Signature Program (BSP) develops nationally-validated detection and identification assays to cover the full range of biological threat agents, starting from human, animal, and plant pathogens on the Select Agent list. The assays that have been co-developed by the CDC and the BSP are used internationally and represent the gold standard for molecular detection of select agent pathogens for the public health community. They are also used in the DHS environmental monitoring operations such as BioWatch and DHS National Security Special Events support. These reagents have been used to process and analyze more than 5 million samples and have delivered exceptional performance for the end users, with zero false positives since their deployment. Currently, highly-multiplexed nucleic acid assays that represent the ''next

Code Verification Results of an LLNL ASC Code on Some Tri-Lab Verification Test Suite Problems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Anderson, S R; Bihari, B L; Salari, K

As scientific codes become more complex and involve larger numbers of developers and algorithms, chances for algorithmic implementation mistakes increase. In this environment, code verification becomes essential to building confidence in the code implementation. This paper will present first results of a new code verification effort within LLNL's B Division. In particular, we will show results of code verification of the LLNL ASC ARES code on the test problems: Su Olson non-equilibrium radiation diffusion, Sod shock tube, Sedov point blast modeled with shock hydrodynamics, and Noh implosion.

Special Analysis for the Disposal of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory EnergyX Macroencapsulated Waste Stream at the Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Site, Nevada National Security Site, Nye County, Nevada

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shott, Gregory J.

This special analysis (SA) evaluates whether the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) EnergyX Macroencapsulated waste stream (B LAMACRONCAP, Revision 1) is suitable for disposal by shallow land burial (SLB) at the Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Site (RWMS) at the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS). The LLNL EnergyX Macroencapsulated waste stream is macroencapsulated mixed waste generated during research laboratory operations and maintenance (LLNL 2015). The LLNL EnergyX Macroencapsulated waste stream required a special analysis due to tritium (3H), cobalt-60 (60Co), cesium-137 (137Cs), and radium-226 (226Ra) exceeding the NNSS Waste Acceptance Criteria (WAC) Action Levels (U.S. Department of Energy, National Nuclearmore » Security Administration Nevada Field Office [NNSA/NFO] 2015).The results indicate that all performance objectives can be met with disposal of the waste stream in a SLB trench. Addition of the LLNL EnergyX Macroencapsulated inventory slightly increases multiple performance assessment results, with the largest relative increase occurring for the all-pathways annual total effective dose (TED). The maximum mean and 95th percentile 222Rn flux density remain less than the performance objective throughout the compliance period. The LLNL EnergyX Macroencapsulated waste stream is suitable for disposal by SLB at the Area 5 RWMS. The waste stream is recommended for approval without conditions.« less

The EBIT Calorimeter Spectrometer: A New, Permanent User Facility at the LLNL EBIT

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Porter, S.

2007-01-01

The EBIT Calorimeter Spectrometer (ECS) has recently been completed and is currently being installed at the EBIT facility at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. The ECS will replace the smaller XRS/EBIT spectrometer that has been in almost continuous operation since 2000. The XRS/EBIT was based on a spare laboratory cryostat and an engineering model detector system from the Suzaku/XRS observatory. The new ECS spectrometer was built from the ground up to be a low maintenance, high performance microcalorimeter spectrometer with 4 eV resolution at 6 keV, 32 detector channels, 10 us event timing, and capable of uninterrupted acquisition sessions of over 70 hours at 50 mK. The XRSIEBIT program has been extremely successful, producing over two-dozen refereed publications on topics such as laboratory astrophysics, atomic physics, nuclear physics, and calibration of the spectrometers for the National Ignition Facility, with many more publications in preparation. The ECS spectrometer will continue this work into the future with improved spectral resolution, integration times, and ease-of-use. We designed the ECS instrument with TES detectors in mind by using the same highly successful magnetic shielding as our laboratory TES cryostats. This design will lead to a future TES instrument at the LLNL EBIT. This proposed future instrument would include a hybrid detector system with 0.8 eV resolution in the band from 0.1-1.0 keV, 2 eV from 0.1-10 keV, and 30 eV from 0.5-100 keV, with high quantum efficiency in each band. Here we discuss the legacy of the XRS/EBIT program, the performance of the new ECS spectrometer, and plans for a future TES spectrometer.

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Safeguards and Security quarterly progress report to the US Department of Energy: Quarter ending December 31, 1993

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Davis, G.; Mansur, D.L.; Ruhter, W.D.

1994-01-01

The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) carries out safeguards and security activities for the Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Safeguards and Security (OSS), as well as other organizations, both within and outside the DOE. This document summarizes the activities conducted for the OSS during the first quarter of fiscal year 1994 (October through December, 1993). The nature and scope of the activities carried out for OSS at LLNL require a broad base of technical expertise. To assure projects are staffed and executed effectively, projects are conducted by the organization at LLNL best able to supply the needed technical expertise.more » These projects are developed and managed by senior program managers. Institutional oversight and coordination is provided through the LLNL Deputy Director`s office. At present, the Laboratory is supporting OSS in five areas: (1) Safeguards Technology, (2) Safeguards and Decision Support, (3) Computer Security, (4) DOE Automated Physical Security, and (5) DOE Automated Visitor Access Control System. This report describes the activities in each of these five areas. The information provided includes an introduction which briefly describes the activity, summary of major accomplishments, task descriptions with quarterly progress, summaries of milestones and deliverables and publications published this quarter.« less

Strategies for a successful organizational transition. Identifying staff roles and fulfilling their needs during changing times.

PubMed

Herbst, D S; Dimmick, J E

1995-01-01

For a successful reorganization of the laboratory, there is a role for each staff member to play during the transition. The role of those in laboratory administration is that of leading change agent. Corporate support staff, such as those in a human resources department, can advise the laboratory director in their areas of expertise. The role of the medical and technical supervisory staff is that of chief implementers of the plan. General laboratory staff has a confusing dual role--not only must they continue to provide laboratory services during the transition, but they also may have to change what they are doing and how they are doing it. Success also depends on meeting the individual personal needs of staff. Laboratory directors and administrators want to make a meaningful contribution to health care. Corporate support staff need to feel that they are a part of the change process. Supervisors' needs vary--coping with the loss of identity, position, or territory will be difficult for some; others will want to be involved in all stages of planning and implementation. The major need of the general laboratory staff is stability. Strategies are listed for each staff grouping to help the laboratory director coordinate staff roles and satisfy staff needs during the transition period.

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Site Seismic Safety Program: Summary of Findings

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Savy, J B; Foxall, W

The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) Site Seismic Safety Program was conceived in 1979 during the preparation of the site Draft Environmental Impact Statement. The impetus for the program came from the development of new methodologies and geologic data that affect assessments of geologic hazards at the LLNL site; it was designed to develop a new assessment of the seismic hazard to the LLNL site and LLNL employees. Secondarily, the program was also intended to provide the technical information needed to make ongoing decisions about design criteria for future construction at LLNL and about the adequacy of existing facilities. Thismore » assessment was intended to be of the highest technical quality and to make use of the most recent and accepted hazard assessment methodologies. The basic purposes and objectives of the current revision are similar to those of the previous studies. Although all the data and experience assembled in the previous studies were utilized to their fullest, the large quantity of new information and new methodologies led to the formation of a new team that includes LLNL staff and outside consultants from academia and private consulting firms. A peer-review panel composed of individuals from academia (A. Cornell, Stanford University), the Department of Energy (DOE; Jeff Kimball), and consulting (Kevin Coppersmith), provided review and guidance. This panel was involved from the beginning of the project in a ''participatory'' type of review. The Senior Seismic Hazard Analysis Committee (SSHAC, a committee sponsored by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, DOE, and the Electric Power Research Institute) strongly recommends the use of participatory reviews, in which the reviewers follow the progress of a project from the beginning, rather than waiting until the end to provide comments (Budnitz et al., 1997). Following the requirements for probabilistic seismic hazard analysis (PSHA) stipulated in the DOE standard DOE-STD-1023-95, a

LLNL Radiation Protection Program (RPP) Rev 9.2, Implementation of 10 CFR 835, 'Occupational Radiation Protection'

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shingleton, K. L.

2011-06-15

The Department of Energy (DOE) originally issued Part 10 CFR 835, Occupational Radiation Protection, on January 1, 1994. This regulation, hereafter referred to as “the Rule”, required DOE contractors to develop and maintain a DOE-approved Radiation Protection Program (RPP); DOE approved the initial Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) RPP (Rev 2) on 6/29/95. DOE issued a revision to the Rule on December 4, 1998 and approved LLNL’s revised RPP (Rev 7.1) on 11/18/99. DOE issued a second Rule revision on June 8, 2007 (effective July 9, 2007) and on June 13, 2008 approved LLNL’s RPP (Rev 9.0) which contained plansmore » and measures for coming into compliance with the 2007 Rule changes. DOE issued a correction to the Rule on April 21, 2009.« less

Summary Statistics for Homemade ?Play Dough? -- Data Acquired at LLNL

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kallman, J S; Morales, K E; Whipple, R E

Using x-ray computerized tomography (CT), we have characterized the x-ray linear attenuation coefficients (LAC) of a homemade Play Dough{trademark}-like material, designated as PDA. Table 1 gives the first-order statistics for each of four CT measurements, estimated with a Gaussian kernel density estimator (KDE) analysis. The mean values of the LAC range from a high of about 2700 LMHU{sub D} 100kVp to a low of about 1200 LMHUD at 300kVp. The standard deviation of each measurement is around 10% to 15% of the mean. The entropy covers the range from 6.0 to 7.4. Ordinarily, we would model the LAC of themore » material and compare the modeled values to the measured values. In this case, however, we did not have the detailed chemical composition of the material and therefore did not model the LAC. Using a method recently proposed by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), we estimate the value of the effective atomic number, Z{sub eff}, to be near 10. LLNL prepared about 50mL of the homemade 'Play Dough' in a polypropylene vial and firmly compressed it immediately prior to the x-ray measurements. We used the computer program IMGREC to reconstruct the CT images. The values of the key parameters used in the data capture and image reconstruction are given in this report. Additional details may be found in the experimental SOP and a separate document. To characterize the statistical distribution of LAC values in each CT image, we first isolated an 80% central-core segment of volume elements ('voxels') lying completely within the specimen, away from the walls of the polypropylene vial. All of the voxels within this central core, including those comprised of voids and inclusions, are included in the statistics. We then calculated the mean value, standard deviation and entropy for (a) the four image segments and for (b) their digital gradient images. (A digital gradient image of a given image was obtained by taking the absolute value of the difference between the

Summary Statistics for Fun Dough Data Acquired at LLNL

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kallman, J S; Morales, K E; Whipple, R E

Using x-ray computerized tomography (CT), we have characterized the x-ray linear attenuation coefficients (LAC) of a Play Dough{trademark}-like product, Fun Dough{trademark}, designated as PD. Table 1 gives the first-order statistics for each of four CT measurements, estimated with a Gaussian kernel density estimator (KDE) analysis. The mean values of the LAC range from a high of about 2100 LMHU{sub D} at 100kVp to a low of about 1100 LMHU{sub D} at 300kVp. The standard deviation of each measurement is around 1% of the mean. The entropy covers the range from 3.9 to 4.6. Ordinarily, we would model the LAC ofmore » the material and compare the modeled values to the measured values. In this case, however, we did not have the composition of the material and therefore did not model the LAC. Using a method recently proposed by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), we estimate the value of the effective atomic number, Z{sub eff}, to be near 8.5. LLNL prepared about 50mL of the Fun Dough{trademark} in a polypropylene vial and firmly compressed it immediately prior to the x-ray measurements. Still, layers can plainly be seen in the reconstructed images, indicating that the bulk density of the material in the container is affected by voids and bubbles. We used the computer program IMGREC to reconstruct the CT images. The values of the key parameters used in the data capture and image reconstruction are given in this report. Additional details may be found in the experimental SOP and a separate document. To characterize the statistical distribution of LAC values in each CT image, we first isolated an 80% central-core segment of volume elements ('voxels') lying completely within the specimen, away from the walls of the polypropylene vial. All of the voxels within this central core, including those comprised of voids and inclusions, are included in the statistics. We then calculated the mean value, standard deviation and entropy for (a) the four image segments and

2009 Annual Health Physics Report for the HEU Transparency Program

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Radev, R

2010-04-14

During the 2009 calendar year, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) provided health physics support for the Highly Enriched Uranium (HEU) Transparency Program for external and internal radiation protection. LLNL also provided technical expertise related to BDMS radioactive sources and Russian radiation safety regulatory compliance. For the calendar year 2009, there were 159 person-trips that required dose monitoring of the U.S. monitors. Of the 159 person-trips, 149 person-trips were SMVs and 10 person-trips were Transparency Monitoring Office (TMO) trips. There were 4 monitoring visits by TMO monitors to facilities other than UEIE and 10 to UEIE itself. LLNL's Hazard Control Departmentmore » laboratories provided the dosimetry services for the HEU Transparency monitors. In 2009, the HEU Transparency activities in Russia were conducted in a radiologically safe manner for the HEU Transparency monitors in accordance with the expectations of the HEU Transparency staff, NNSA and DOE. The HEU Transparency Program now has over fifteen years of successful experience in developing and providing health and safety support in meeting its technical objectives.« less

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory safeguards and security quarterly progress report to the U.S. Department of Energy. Quarter ending December 31, 1996

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Davis, G.; Mansur, D.L.; Ruhter, W.D.

The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) carries out safeguards and security activities for the Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Safeguards and Security (OSS), as well as other organizations, both within and outside the DOE. This document summarizes the activities conducted for the OSS during the First Quarter of Fiscal Year 1997 (October through December, 1996). The nature and scope of the activities carried out for OSS at LLNL require a broad base of technical expertise. To assure projects are staffed and executed effectively, projects are conducted by the organization at LLNL best able to supply the needed technical expertise.more » These projects are developed and managed by senior program managers. Institutional oversight and coordination is provided through the LLNL Deputy Director`s office. At present, the Laboratory is supporting OSS in four areas: (1) safeguards technology; (2) safeguards and material accountability; (3) computer security--distributed systems; and (4) physical and personnel security support. The remainder of this report describes the activities in each of these four areas. The information provided includes an introduction which briefly describes the activity, summary of major accomplishments, task descriptions with quarterly progress, summaries of milestones and deliverables and publications published this quarter.« less

National Renewable Energy Laboratory To Reduce Staff

Science.gov Websites

employees. The reduction will occur in two phases. The first phase will be a Voluntary Separation Program to partners in industry and universities," said NREL Director Dr. Charles Gay. "Congressional budget mitigation of future staff reductions. NREL's work force reductions will be guided by a plan submitted to the

Java Performance for Scientific Applications on LLNL Computer Systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kapfer, C; Wissink, A

2002-05-10

Languages in use for high performance computing at the laboratory--Fortran (f77 and f90), C, and C++--have many years of development behind them and are generally considered the fastest available. However, Fortran and C do not readily extend to object-oriented programming models, limiting their capability for very complex simulation software. C++ facilitates object-oriented programming but is a very complex and error-prone language. Java offers a number of capabilities that these other languages do not. For instance it implements cleaner (i.e., easier to use and less prone to errors) object-oriented models than C++. It also offers networking and security as part ofmore » the language standard, and cross-platform executables that make it architecture neutral, to name a few. These features have made Java very popular for industrial computing applications. The aim of this paper is to explain the trade-offs in using Java for large-scale scientific applications at LLNL. Despite its advantages, the computational science community has been reluctant to write large-scale computationally intensive applications in Java due to concerns over its poor performance. However, considerable progress has been made over the last several years. The Java Grande Forum [1] has been promoting the use of Java for large-scale computing. Members have introduced efficient array libraries, developed fast just-in-time (JIT) compilers, and built links to existing packages used in high performance parallel computing.« less

Report on the Threatened Valley Elderberry Longhorn Beetle and its Elderberry Food Plant at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory--Site 300

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Arnold, Ph.D., R A; Woollett, J

2004-11-16

This report describes the results of an entomological survey in 2002 to determine the presence of the federally-listed, threatened Valley Elderberry Longhorn Beetle or ''VELB'' (Desmocerus culifornicus dimorphus: Coleoptera, Cerambycidae) and its elderberry food plant (Sumbucus mexicana: Caprifoliaceae) on the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's (LLNL) Experimental Test Site, known as Site 300. In addition, an area located immediately southeast of Site 300, which is owned and managed by the California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG), but secured by LLNL, was also included in this survey. This report will refer to the survey areas as the LLNL-Site 300 and themore » CDFG site. The 2002 survey included mapping the locations of elderberry plants that were observed using a global positioning system (GPS) to obtain positional coordinates for every elderberry plant at Site 300. In addition, observations of VELB adults and signs of their infestation on elderberry plants were also mapped using GPS technology. LLNL requested information on the VELB and its elderberry food plants to update earlier information that had been collected in 1991 (Arnold 1991) as part of the 1992 EIS/EIR for continued operation of LLNL. No VELB adults were observed as part of this prior survey. The findings of the 2002 survey reported herein will be used by LLNL as it updates the expected 2004 Environmental Impact Statement for ongoing operations at LLNL, including Site 300.« less

Ferrenberg Swendsen Analysis of LLNL and NYBlue BG/L p4rhms Data

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Soltz, R

2007-12-05

These results are from the continuing Lattice Quantum Chromodynamics runs on BG/L. These results are from the Ferrenberg-Swendsen analysis [?] of the combined data from LLNL and NYBlue BG/L runs for 32{sup 3} x 8 runs with the p4rhmc v2.0 QMP-MPI.X (semi-optimized p4 code using qmp over mpi). The jobs include beta values ranging from 3.525 to 3.535 with an alternate analysis extending to 3.540. The NYBlue data sets are from 9k trajectories from Oct 2007, and the LLNL data are from two independent streams of {approx}5k each, taking from the July 2007 runs. The following outputs are produced bymore » the fs-2+1-chiub.c program. All outputs have had checksums produced by addCks.pl and checked by the checkCks.pl perl script after scanning.« less

A professional development model for medical laboratory scientists working in the microbiology laboratory.

PubMed

Amerson, Megan H; Pulido, Lila; Garza, Melinda N; Ali, Faheem A; Greenhill, Brandy; Einspahr, Christopher L; Yarsa, Joseph; Sood, Pramilla K; Hu, Peter C

2012-01-01

The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Division of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine is committed to providing the best pathology and medicine through: state-of-the art techniques, progressive ground-breaking research, education and training for the clinical diagnosis and research of cancer and related diseases. After surveying the laboratory staff and other hospital professionals, the Department administrators and Human Resource generalists developed a professional development model for Microbiology to support laboratory skills, behavior, certification, and continual education within its staff. This model sets high standards for the laboratory professionals to allow the labs to work at their fullest potential; it provides organization to training technologists based on complete laboratory needs instead of training technologists in individual areas in which more training is required if the laboratory needs them to work in other areas. This model is a working example for all microbiology based laboratories who want to set high standards and want their staff to be acknowledged for demonstrated excellence and professional development in the laboratory. The PDM model is designed to focus on the needs of the laboratory as well as the laboratory professionals.

Selected results from LLNL-Hughes RAR for West Coast Scotland Experiment 1992

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lehman, S.K.; Johnston, B.; Twogood, R.

1993-01-05

The joint US-UK 1992 West Coast Scotland Experiment (WCSEX) was held in the Sound of Sleat from June 6 to 25. The LLNL-Hughes team fielded a fully polarimetric X-band hill-side real aperture radar to collect internal wave wake data. We present here a sample data set of the best radar runs.

FY15 LLNL OMEGA Experimental Programs

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Heeter, R. F.; Baker, K. L.; Barrios, M. A.

In FY15, LLNL’s High-Energy-Density Physics (HED) and Indirect Drive Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF-ID) programs conducted several campaigns on the OMEGA laser system and on the EP laser system, as well as campaigns that used the OMEGA and EP beams jointly. Overall these LLNL programs led 468 target shots in FY15, with 315 shots using just the OMEGA laser system, 145 shots using just the EP laser system, and 8 Joint shots using Omega and EP together. Approximately 25% of the total number of shots (56 OMEGA shots and 67 EP shots, including the 8 Joint shots) supported the Indirect Drivemore » Inertial Confinement Fusion Campaign (ICF-ID). The remaining 75% (267 OMEGA shots and 86 EP shots) were dedicated to experiments for High-Energy-Density Physics (HED). Highlights of the various HED and ICF campaigns are summarized in the following reports.« less

FY 2008 Next Generation Safeguards Initiative International Safeguards Education and Training Pilot Progerams Summary Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dreicer, M; Anzelon, G; Essner, J

2008-10-17

students were senior classmen or new master's degree graduates from MIIS specializing in nonproliferation policy studies. Other university/organizations represented: University of California in LA, Stanford University, and the IAEA. Four of the students that completed this intensive course participated in a 2-month internship at LLNL. The conclusions of the two pilot courses and internships was a NGSI Summer Student Symposium, held at LLNL, where 20 students participated in LLNL facility tours and poster sessions. The Poster sessions were designed to provide a forum for sharing the results of their summer projects and providing experience in presenting their work to a varied audience of students, faculty and laboratory staff. The success of bringing together the students from the technical and policy pilots was notable and will factor into the planning for the continued refinement of their two pilot efforts in the coming years.« less

Implementing a laboratory automation system: experience of a large clinical laboratory.

PubMed

Lam, Choong Weng; Jacob, Edward

2012-02-01

Laboratories today face increasing pressure to automate their operations as they are challenged by a continuing increase in workload, need to reduce expenditure, and difficulties in recruitment of experienced technical staff. Was the implementation of a laboratory automation system (LAS) in the Clinical Biochemistry Laboratory at Singapore General Hospital successful? There is no simple answer, so the following topics comparing and contrasting pre- and post-LAS have been explored: turnaround time (TAT), laboratory errors, and staff satisfaction. The benefits and limitations of LAS from the laboratory experience were also reviewed. The mean TAT for both stat and routine samples decreased post-LAS (30% and 13.4%, respectively). In the 90th percentile TAT chart, a 29% reduction was seen in the processing of stat samples on the LAS. However, no significant difference in the 90th percentile TAT was observed with routine samples. It was surprising to note that laboratory errors increased post-LAS. Considerable effort was needed to overcome the initial difficulties associated with adjusting to a new system, new software, and new working procedures. Although some of the known advantages and limitations of LAS have been validated, the claimed benefits such as improvements in TAT, laboratory errors, and staff morale were not evident in the initial months.

FY14 LLNL OMEGA Experimental Programs

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Heeter, R. F.; Fournier, K. B.; Baker, K.

In FY14, LLNL’s High-Energy-Density Physics (HED) and Indirect Drive Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF-ID) programs conducted several campaigns on the OMEGA laser system and on the EP laser system, as well as campaigns that used the OMEGA and EP beams jointly. Overall these LLNL programs led 324 target shots in FY14, with 246 shots using just the OMEGA laser system, 62 shots using just the EP laser system, and 16 Joint shots using Omega and EP together. Approximately 31% of the total number of shots (62 OMEGA shots, 42 EP shots) shots supported the Indirect Drive Inertial Confinement Fusion Campaign (ICF-ID).more » The remaining 69% (200 OMEGA shots and 36 EP shots, including the 16 Joint shots) were dedicated to experiments for High- Energy-Density Physics (HED). Highlights of the various HED and ICF campaigns are summarized in the following reports.« less

Laboratory Data for X-Ray Astronomy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Beiersdorfer, P.; Brown, G. V.; Chen, H.; Gu, M.-F.; Kahn, S. M.; Lepson, J. K.; Savin, D. W.; Utter, S. B.

2000-01-01

Laboratory facilities have made great strides in producing large sets of reliable data for X-ray astronomy, which include ionization and recombination cross sections needed for charge balance calculations as well as the atomic data needed for interpreting X-ray line formation. We discuss data from the new generation sources and pay special attention to the LLNL electron beam ion trap experiment, which is unique in its ability to provide direct laboratory access to spectral data under precisely controlled conditions that simulate those found in many astrophysical plasmas. Examples of spectral data obtained in the 1-160 A wavelength range are given illustrating the type of laboratory X-ray data produced in support of such missions as Chandra, X-Ray Multi-Mirror telescope (XMM), Advanced Satellite for Cosmology and Astrophysics (ASCA) and Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer Satellite (EUVE).

Precision and manufacturing at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Saito, Theodore T.; Wasley, Richard J.; Stowers, Irving F.; Donaldson, Robert R.; Thompson, Daniel C.

1994-01-01

Precision Engineering is one of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's core strengths. This paper discusses the past and present current technology transfer efforts of LLNL's Precision Engineering program and the Livermore Center for Advanced Manufacturing and Productivity (LCAMP). More than a year ago the Precision Machine Commercialization project embodied several successful methods of transferring high technology from the National Laboratories to industry. Currently, LCAMP has already demonstrated successful technology transfer and is involved in a broad spectrum of current programs. In addition, this paper discusses other technologies ripe for future transition including the Large Optics Diamond Turning Machine.

Precision and manufacturing at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saito, Theodore T.; Wasley, Richard J.; Stowers, Irving F.; Donaldson, Robert R.; Thompson, Daniel C.

1994-02-01

Precision Engineering is one of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's core strengths. This paper discusses the past and present current technology transfer efforts of LLNL's Precision Engineering program and the Livermore Center for Advanced Manufacturing and Productivity (LCAMP). More than a year ago the Precision Machine Commercialization project embodied several successful methods of transferring high technology from the National Laboratories to industry. Currently, LCAMP has already demonstrated successful technology transfer and is involved in a broad spectrum of current programs. In addition, this paper discusses other technologies ripe for future transition including the Large Optics Diamond Turning Machine.

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories Perspective on Code Development and High Performance Computing Resources in Support of the National HED/ICF Effort

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Clouse, C. J.; Edwards, M. J.; McCoy, M. G.

2015-07-07

Through its Advanced Scientific Computing (ASC) and Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) code development efforts, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) provides a world leading numerical simulation capability for the National HED/ICF program in support of the Stockpile Stewardship Program (SSP). In addition the ASC effort provides high performance computing platform capabilities upon which these codes are run. LLNL remains committed to, and will work with, the national HED/ICF program community to help insure numerical simulation needs are met and to make those capabilities available, consistent with programmatic priorities and available resources.

Installation of hybrid ion source on the 1-MV LLNL BioAMS spectrometer

PubMed Central

Ognibene, T. J.; Salazar, G. A.

2012-01-01

A second ion source was recently installed onto the LLNL 1-MV AMS spectrometer, which is dedicated to the quantification of 14C and 3H within biochemical samples. This source is unique among the other LLNL cesium sputter ion sources in that it can ionize both gaseous and solid samples. Also, the injection beam line has been designed to directly measure 14C/12C isotope ratios without the need for electrostatic bouncing. Preliminary tests show that this source can ionize transient CO2 gas pulses containing less than 1 ug carbon with approximately 1.5% efficiency. We demonstrate that the measured 14C/12C isotope ratio is largely unaffected by small drifts in the argon stripper gas density. We also determine that a tandem accelerating voltage of 670 kV enables the highest 14C transmission through the system. Finally, we describe a series of performance tests using solid graphite targets spanning nearly 3 orders in magnitude dynamic range and compare the results to our other ion source. PMID:23467295

Advanced Compton scattering light source R&D at LLNL

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Albert, F; Anderson, S G; Anderson, G

2010-02-16

We report the design and current status of a monoenergetic laser-based Compton scattering 0.5-2.5 MeV {gamma}-ray source. Previous nuclear resonance fluorescence results and future linac and laser developments for the source are presented. At MeV photon energies relevant for nuclear processes, Compton scattering light sources are attractive because of their relative compactness and improved brightness above 100 keV, compared to typical 4th generation synchrotrons. Recent progress in accelerator physics and laser technology have enabled the development of a new class of tunable Mono-Energetic Gamma-Ray (MEGa-Ray) light sources based on Compton scattering between a high-brightness, relativistic electron beam and a highmore » intensity laser pulse produced via chirped-pulse amplification (CPA). A new precision, tunable gamma-ray source driven by a compact, high-gradient X-band linac is currently under development and construction at LLNL. High-brightness, relativistic electron bunches produced by an X-band linac designed in collaboration with SLAC will interact with a Joule-class, 10 ps, diode-pumped CPA laser pulse to generate tunable {gamma}-rays in the 0.5-2.5 MeV photon energy range via Compton scattering. Based on the success of the previous Thomson-Radiated Extreme X-rays (T-REX) Compton scattering source at LLNL, the source will be used to excite nuclear resonance fluorescence lines in various isotopes; applications include homeland security, stockpile science and surveillance, nuclear fuel assay, and waste imaging and assay. After a brief presentation of successful nuclear resonance fluorescence (NRF) experiments done with T-REX, the new source design, key parameters, and current status are presented.« less

Exposure to hazardous substances in a standard molecular biology laboratory environment: evaluation of exposures in IARC laboratories.

PubMed

Chapot, Brigitte; Secretan, Béatrice; Robert, Annie; Hainaut, Pierre

2009-07-01

Working in a molecular biology laboratory environment implies regular exposure to a wide range of hazardous substances. Several recent studies have shown that laboratory workers may have an elevated risk of certain cancers. Data on the nature and frequency of exposures in such settings are scanty. The frequency of use of 163 agents by staff working in molecular biology laboratories was evaluated over a period of 4 years by self-administered questionnaire. Of the agents listed, ethanol was used by the largest proportion of staff (70%), followed by ethidium bromide (55%). Individual patterns of use showed three patterns, namely (i) frequent use of a narrow range of products, (ii) occasional use of a wide range of products, and (iii) frequent and occasional use of an intermediate range of products. Among known or suspected carcinogens (International Agency for Research on Cancer Group 1 and 2A, respectively), those most frequently used included formaldehyde (17%), oncogenic viruses (4%), and acrylamide (32%). The type of exposure encountered in research laboratories is extremely diverse. Few carcinogenic agents are used frequently but many laboratory workers may be exposed occasionally to known human carcinogens. In addition, many of the chemicals handled by staff represent a health hazard. The results enabled the staff physician to develop an individual approach to medical surveillance and to draw a personal history of occupational exposures for laboratory staff.

Laboratory Tests of Multiplex Detection of PCR Amplicons Using the Luminex 100 Flow Analyzer

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Venkateswaran, K.S.; Nasarabadi, S.; Langlois, R.G.

2000-05-05

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) demonstrated the power of flow cytometry in detecting the biological agents simulants at JFT III. LLNL pioneered in the development of advanced nucleic acid analyzer (ANM) for portable real time identification. Recent advances in flow cytometry provide a means for multiplexed nucleic acid detection and immunoassay of pathogenic microorganisms. We are presently developing multiplexed immunoassays for the simultaneous detection of different simulants. Our goal is to build an integrated instrument for both nucleic acid analysis and immuno detection. In this study we evaluated the Luminex LX 100 for concurrent identification of more than one PCRmore » amplified product. ANAA has real-time Taqman fluorescent detection capability for rapid identification of field samples. However, its multiplexing ability is limited by the combination of available fluorescent labels. Hence integration of ANAA with flow cytometry can give the rapidity of ANAA amplification and the multiplex capability of flow cytometry. Multiplexed flow cytometric analysis is made possible using a set of fluorescent latex microsphere that are individually identified by their red and infrared fluorescence. A green fluorochrome is used as the assay signal. Methods were developed for the identification of specific nucleic acid sequences from Bacillus globigii (Bg), Bacillus thuringensis (Bt) and Erwinia herbicola (Eh). Detection sensitivity using different reporter fluorochromes was tested with the LX 100, and also different assay formats were evaluated for their suitability for rapid testing. A blind laboratory trial was carried out December 22-27, 1999 to evaluate bead assays for multiplex identification of Bg and Bt PCR products. This report summarizes the assay development, fluorochrome comparisons, and the results of the blind trial conducted at LLNL for the laboratory evaluation of the LX 100 flow analyzer.« less

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

PubMed

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.

Selected results from LLNL-Hughes RAR for West Coast Scotland Experiment 1991

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lehman, S K; Johnston, B; Twogood, R

1993-01-05

The joint US -- UK 1991 West Coast Scotland Experiment (WCSEX) was held in two locations. From July 5 to 12, 1991, in Upper Loch Linnhe, and from July 18 to July 26, 1991, in the Sound of Sleat. The LLNL-Hughes team fielded a fully polarimetric X-band hill-side real aperture radar to collect internal wave wake data. We present here a sample data set of the best radar runs.

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Environmental Report 2016

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rosene, Crystal

The purposes of the Environmental Report 2016 are to record LLNL’s compliance with environmental standards and requirements, describe LLNL’s environmental protection and remediation programs, and present the results of environmental monitoring. Specifically, the report discusses LLNL’s EMS; describes significant accomplishments in pollution prevention; presents the results of air, water, vegetation, and foodstuff monitoring; reports radiological doses from LLNL operations; summarizes LLNL’s activities involving special status wildlife, plants, and habitats; and describes the progress LLNL has made in remediating groundwater contamination. Environmental monitoring at LLNL, including analysis of samples and data, is conducted according to documented standard operating procedures. Duplicate samplesmore » are collected and analytical results are reviewed and compared to internal acceptance standards. This report is prepared for DOE by LLNL’s Environmental Functional Area (EFA). Submittal of the report satisfies requirements under DOE Order 231.1B, “Environment, Safety and Health Reporting,” and DOE Order 458.1, “Radiation Protection of the Public and Environment.” The report is distributed in electronic form and is available to the public at https://saer.llnl.gov/, the website for the LLNL annual environmental report. Previous LLNL annual environmental reports beginning with 1994 are also on the website.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Peck, T; Sparkman, D; Storch, N

''The LLNL Site-Specific Advanced Simulation and Computing (ASCI) Software Quality Engineering Recommended Practices VI.I'' document describes a set of recommended software quality engineering (SQE) practices for ASCI code projects at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). In this context, SQE is defined as the process of building quality into software products by applying the appropriate guiding principles and management practices. Continual code improvement and ongoing process improvement are expected benefits. Certain practices are recommended, although projects may select the specific activities they wish to improve, and the appropriate time lines for such actions. Additionally, projects can rely on the guidance ofmore » this document when generating ASCI Verification and Validation (VSrV) deliverables. ASCI program managers will gather information about their software engineering practices and improvement. This information can be shared to leverage the best SQE practices among development organizations. It will further be used to ensure the currency and vitality of the recommended practices. This Overview is intended to provide basic information to the LLNL ASCI software management and development staff from the ''LLNL Site-Specific ASCI Software Quality Engineering Recommended Practices VI.I'' document. Additionally the Overview provides steps to using the ''LLNL Site-Specific ASCI Software Quality Engineering Recommended Practices VI.I'' document. For definitions of terminology and acronyms, refer to the Glossary and Acronyms sections in the ''LLNL Site-Specific ASCI Software Quality Engineering Recommended Practices VI.I''.« less

Clinical Laboratory Automation: A Case Study

PubMed Central

Archetti, Claudia; Montanelli, Alessandro; Finazzi, Dario; Caimi, Luigi; Garrafa, Emirena

2017-01-01

Background This paper presents a case study of an automated clinical laboratory in a large urban academic teaching hospital in the North of Italy, the Spedali Civili in Brescia, where four laboratories were merged in a unique laboratory through the introduction of laboratory automation. Materials and Methods The analysis compares the preautomation situation and the new setting from a cost perspective, by considering direct and indirect costs. It also presents an analysis of the turnaround time (TAT). The study considers equipment, staff and indirect costs. Results The introduction of automation led to a slight increase in equipment costs which is highly compensated by a remarkable decrease in staff costs. Consequently, total costs decreased by 12.55%. The analysis of the TAT shows an improvement of nonemergency exams while emergency exams are still validated within the maximum time imposed by the hospital. Conclusions The strategy adopted by the management, which was based on re-using the available equipment and staff when merging the pre-existing laboratories, has reached its goal: introducing automation while minimizing the costs. Significance for public health Automation is an emerging trend in modern clinical laboratories with a positive impact on service level to patients and on staff safety as shown by different studies. In fact, it allows process standardization which, in turn, decreases the frequency of outliers and errors. In addition, it induces faster processing times, thus improving the service level. On the other side, automation decreases the staff exposition to accidents strongly improving staff safety. In this study, we analyse a further potential benefit of automation, that is economic convenience. We study the case of the automated laboratory of one of the biggest hospital in Italy and compare the cost related to the pre and post automation situation. Introducing automation lead to a cost decrease without affecting the service level to patients

PEL Staff Together for the First Time | Poster

Cancer.gov

By Ashley DeVine, Staff Writer John-Paul Denson and Troy Taylor of the Protein Expression Laboratory (PEL) used to pack liters of Escherichia coli lysates on ice, put them in the back of a microvan, and drive across campus to deliver the samples for protein purification. Now that all PEL staff members are working under the same roof at the Advanced Technology Research Facility (ATRF), transferring samples is just a walk down the hall. Staff members were previously spread out in five buildings across the Fort Detrick campus.

Ultra-trace analysis of 41Ca in urine by accelerator mass spectrometry: an inter-laboratory comparison

PubMed Central

Jackson, George S.; Hillegonds, Darren J.; Muzikar, Paul; Goehring, Brent

2013-01-01

A 41Ca interlaboratory comparison between Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and the Purdue Rare Isotope Laboratory (PRIME Lab) has been completed. Analysis of the ratios assayed by accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) shows that there is no statistically significant difference in the ratios. Further, Bayesian analysis shows that the uncertainties reported by both facilities are correct with the possibility of a slight under-estimation by one laboratory. Finally, the chemistry procedures used by the two facilities to produce CaF2 for the cesium sputter ion source are robust and don't yield any significant differences in the final result. PMID:24179312

PEL Staff Together for the First Time | Poster

Cancer.gov

By Ashley DeVine, Staff Writer John-Paul Denson and Troy Taylor of the Protein Expression Laboratory (PEL) used to pack liters of Escherichia coli lysates on ice, put them in the back of a microvan, and drive across campus to deliver the samples for protein purification. Now that all PEL staff members are working under the same roof at the Advanced Technology Research Facility

An Electronics "Unit Laboratory"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davies, E. R.; Penton, S. J.

1976-01-01

Describes a laboratory teaching technique in which a single topic (in this case, bipolar junction transistors) is studied over a period of weeks under the supervision of one staff member, who also designs the laboratory work. (MLH)

Clinical Laboratory Automation: A Case Study.

PubMed

Archetti, Claudia; Montanelli, Alessandro; Finazzi, Dario; Caimi, Luigi; Garrafa, Emirena

2017-04-13

This paper presents a case study of an automated clinical laboratory in a large urban academic teaching hospital in the North of Italy, the Spedali Civili in Brescia, where four laboratories were merged in a unique laboratory through the introduction of laboratory automation. The analysis compares the preautomation situation and the new setting from a cost perspective, by considering direct and indirect costs. It also presents an analysis of the turnaround time (TAT). The study considers equipment, staff and indirect costs. The introduction of automation led to a slight increase in equipment costs which is highly compensated by a remarkable decrease in staff costs. Consequently, total costs decreased by 12.55%. The analysis of the TAT shows an improvement of nonemergency exams while emergency exams are still validated within the maximum time imposed by the hospital. The strategy adopted by the management, which was based on re-using the available equipment and staff when merging the pre-existing laboratories, has reached its goal: introducing automation while minimizing the costs.

Final Report Bald and Golden Eagle Territory Surveys for the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fratanduono, M. L.

2014-11-25

Garcia and Associates (GANDA) was contracted by the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) to conduct surveys for bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) and golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) at Site 300 and in the surrounding area out to 10-miles. The survey effort was intended to document the boundaries of eagle territories by careful observation of eagle behavior from selected viewing locations throughout the study area.

Multilayer deposition and EUV reflectance characterization of 131 ? flight mirrors for AIA at LLNL

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Soufli, R; Robinson, J C; Spiller, E

2006-02-22

Mo/Si multilayer coatings reflecting at 131 {angstrom} were deposited successfully on the AIA primary and secondary flight mirrors and on two coating witness Si wafers, on November 16, 2005, at LLNL. All coatings were characterized by means of EUV reflectance measurements at beamline 6.3.2 of the Advanced Light Source (ALS) synchrotron at LBNL, and were found to be well within specifications.

Impact of the Revised 10 CFR 835 on the Neutron Dose Rates at LLNL

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Radev, R

2009-01-13

In June 2007, 10 CFR 835 [1] was revised to include new radiation weighting factors for neutrons, updated dosimetric models, and dose terms consistent with the newer ICRP recommendations. A significant aspect of the revised 10 CFR 835 is the adoption of the recommendations outlined in ICRP-60 [2]. The recommended new quantities demand a review of much of the basic data used in protection against exposure to sources of ionizing radiation. The International Commission on Radiation Units and Measurements has defined a number of quantities for use in personnel and area monitoring [3,4,5] including the ambient dose equivalent H*(d) tomore » be used for area monitoring and instrument calibrations. These quantities are used in ICRP-60 and ICRP-74. This report deals only with the changes in the ambient dose equivalent and ambient dose rate equivalent for neutrons as a result of the implementation of the revised 10 CFR 835. In the report, the terms neutron dose and neutron dose rate will be used for convenience for ambient neutron dose and ambient neutron dose rate unless otherwise stated. This report provides a qualitative and quantitative estimate of how much the neutron dose rates at LLNL will change with the implementation of the revised 10 CFR 835. Neutron spectra and dose rates from selected locations at the LLNL were measured with a high resolution spectroscopic neutron dose rate system (ROSPEC) as well as with a standard neutron rem meter (a.k.a., a remball). The spectra obtained at these locations compare well with the spectra from the Radiation Calibration Laboratory's (RCL) bare californium source that is currently used to calibrate neutron dose rate instruments. The measurements obtained from the high resolution neutron spectrometer and dose meter ROSPEC and the NRD dose meter compare within the range of {+-}25%. When the new radiation weighting factors are adopted with the implementation of the revised 10 CFR 835, the measured dose rates will increase by up

Final Report for the Arroyo Las Positas Maintenance Impact Study, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

van Hattem, M; Paterson, L

2006-01-12

In 2000, the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's (LLNL) Environmental Protection Department, in coordination with Plant Engineering (PE), began dredging sections of the Arroyo Las Positas (ALP) to alleviate concerns about flooding of sensitive facilities within the mainsite of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. In order to reduce potential impacts on the federally threatened California red-legged frog (Rana aurora draytonii), LLNL proposed to dredge sections of the ALP in a ''checkerboard pattern'', resulting in a mosaic of open water habitat and vegetated sections (Figure 1). The Arroyo Las Positas Management Plan (Plan) was coordinated with both state and federal agencies including themore » U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), California Department of Fish and Game (CDF&G), San Francisco Regional Water Quality Control Board (SFRWQCB), and the Army Corp of Engineers (ACOE). Water Discharge Requirements (WDRs) were issued for this project on December 30, 1999 (Order No. 99-086) by the SFRWQCB. Provision 19 of the WDRs outlined a five-year (2000 through 2004) Maintenance Impact Study (MIS) that LLNL began in coordination with dredging work that was conducted as part of the Arroyo Las Positas Management Plan. Provision 20 of these WDRs requires LLNL to submit a final report of the results of the Maintenance Impact Study for this project to the SFRWQCB. The purpose of this report is to present the results of the Maintenance Impact Study for Arroyo Las Positas and meet the requirements of Provision 20. A description of the annual monitoring included in this Maintenance Impact Study is included in the methods section of this report. Initially the Plan called for dredging the entire length of the Arroyo Las Positas (approximately 6,981 linear feet) over a 5-year period to minimize temporal impacts on the California red-legged frog. Dredging occurred in 2000 ({approx}1,300 ft.), 2001 ({approx}800 ft.), and 2002 ({approx}1,200 ft.), which constituted

Attenuation Drift in the Micro-Computed Tomography System at LLNL

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dooraghi, Alex A.; Brown, William; Seetho, Isaac

2016-01-12

The maximum allowable level of drift in the linear attenuation coefficients (μ) for a Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) micro-computed tomography (MCT) system was determined to be 0.1%. After ~100 scans were acquired during the period of November 2014 to March 2015, the drift in μ for a set of six reference materials reached or exceeded 0.1%. Two strategies have been identified to account for or correct the drift. First, normalizing the 160 kV and 100 kV μ data by the μ of water at the corresponding energy, in contrast to conducting normalization at the 160 kV energy only, significantlymore » compensates for measurement drift. Even after the modified normalization, μ of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) increases linearly with scan number at an average rate of 0.00147% per scan. This is consistent with PTFE radiation damage documented in the literature. The second strategy suggested is the replacement of the PTFE reference with fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP), which has the same effective atomic number (Ze) and electron density (ρe) as PTFE, but is 10 times more radiation resistant. This is important as effective atomic number and electron density are key parameters in analysis. The presence of a material with properties such as PTFE, when taken together with the remaining references, allows for a broad range of the (Ze, ρe) feature space to be used in analysis. While FEP is documented as 10 times more radiation resistant, testing will be necessary to assess how often, if necessary, FEP will need to be replaced. As radiation damage to references has been observed, it will be necessary to monitor all reference materials for radiation damage to ensure consistent x-ray characteristics of the references.« less

Laboratory for Oceans

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1988-01-01

A review is made of the activities of the Laboratory for Oceans. The staff and the research activities are nearly evenly divided between engineering and scientific endeavors. The Laboratory contributes engineering design skills to aircraft and ground based experiments in terrestrial and atmospheric sciences in cooperation with scientists from labs in Earth sciences.

Procedures of Exercise Physiology Laboratories

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bishop, Phillip A.; Fortney, Suzanne; Greenisen, Michael; Siconolfi, Steven F.; Bamman, Marcas M.; Moore, Alan D., Jr.; Squires, William

1998-01-01

This manual describes the laboratory methods used to collect flight crew physiological performance data at the Johnson Space Center. The Exercise Countermeasures Project Laboratory is a standard physiology laboratory; only the application to the study of human physiological adaptations to spaceflight is unique. In the absence of any other recently published laboratory manual, this manual should be a useful document staffs and students of other laboratories.

Serving the Nation for Fifty Years: 1952 - 2002 Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory [LLNL], Fifty Years of Accomplishments

DOE R&D Accomplishments Database

2002-01-01

For 50 years, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory has been making history and making a difference. The outstanding efforts by a dedicated work force have led to many remarkable accomplishments. Creative individuals and interdisciplinary teams at the Laboratory have sought breakthrough advances to strengthen national security and to help meet other enduring national needs. The Laboratory's rich history includes many interwoven stories -- from the first nuclear test failure to accomplishments meeting today's challenges. Many stories are tied to Livermore's national security mission, which has evolved to include ensuring the safety, security, and reliability of the nation's nuclear weapons without conducting nuclear tests and preventing the proliferation and use of weapons of mass destruction. Throughout its history and in its wide range of research activities, Livermore has achieved breakthroughs in applied and basic science, remarkable feats of engineering, and extraordinary advances in experimental and computational capabilities. From the many stories to tell, one has been selected for each year of the Laboratory's history. Together, these stories give a sense of the Laboratory -- its lasting focus on important missions, dedication to scientific and technical excellence, and drive to made the world more secure and a better place to live.

Individual dose monitoring of the nuclear medicine departments staff controlled by Central Laboratory for Radiological Protection.

PubMed

Szewczak, Kamil; Jednoróg, Sławomir; Krajewski, Paweł

2013-01-01

Presented paper describes the results of the individual doses measurements for ionizing radiation, carried out by the Laboratory of Individual and Environmental Doses Monitoring (PDIS) of the Central Laboratory for Radiological Protection in Warsaw (CLOR) for the medical staff employees in several nuclear medicine (NM) departments across Poland. In total there are48 NM departments in operation in Poland [1] (consultation in Nuclear Atomic Agency). Presented results were collected over the period from January 2011 to December 2011 at eight NM departments located in Krakow, Warszawa (two departments), Rzeszow (two departments), Opole, Przemysl and Gorzow Wielkopolski. For radiation monitoring three kinds of thermo luminescence dosimeters (TLD) were used. The first TLD h collected information about whole body (C) effective dose, the second dosimeter was mounted in the ring (P) meanwhile the third on the wrist (N) of the tested person. Reading of TLDs was performed in quarterly periods. As a good approximation of effective and equivalent dose assessment of operational quantities both the individual dose equivalent Hp(10) and the Hp(0.07) were used. The analysis of the data was performed using two methods The first method was based on quarterly estimations of Hp(10)q and Hp(0.07)q while the second measured cumulative annual doses Hp(10)a and Hp(0.07)a. The highest recorded value of the radiation dose for quarterly assessments reached 24.4 mSv and was recorded by the wrist type dosimeter worn by a worker involved in source preparation procedure. The mean values of Hp(10)q(C type dosimeter) and Hp(0.07)q (P and N type dosimeter) for all monitored departments were respectively 0.46 mSv and 3.29 mSv. There was a strong correlation between the performed job and the value of the received dose. The highest doses always were absorbed by those staff members who were involved in sources preparation. The highest annual cumulative dose for a particular worker in the considered time

Cost analysis in the toxicology laboratory.

PubMed

Travers, E M

1990-09-01

The process of determining laboratory sectional and departmental costs and test costs for instrument-generated and manually generated reportable results for toxicology laboratories has been outlined in this article. It is hoped that the basic principles outlined in the preceding text will clarify and elucidate one of the most important areas needed for laboratory fiscal integrity and its survival in these difficult times for health care providers. The following general principles derived from this article are helpful aids for managers of toxicology laboratories. 1. To manage a cost-effective, efficient toxicology laboratory, several factors must be considered: the laboratory's instrument configuration, test turnaround time needs, the test menu offered, the analytic methods used, the cost of labor based on time expended and the experience and educational level of the staff, and logistics that determine specimen delivery time and costs. 2. There is a wide variation in costs for toxicologic methods, which requires that an analysis of capital (equipment) purchase and operational (test performance) costs be performed to avoid waste, purchase wisely, and determine which tests consume the majority of the laboratory's resources. 3. Toxicologic analysis is composed of many complex steps. Each step must be individually cost-accounted. Screening test results must be confirmed, and the cost for both steps must be included in the cost per reportable result. 4. Total costs will vary in the same laboratory and between laboratories based on differences in salaries paid to technical staff, differences in reagent/supply costs, the number of technical staff needed to operate the analyzer or perform the method, and the inefficient use of highly paid staff to operate the analyzer or perform the method. 5. Since direct test costs vary directly with the type and number of analyzers or methods and are dependent on the operational mode designed by the manufacturer, laboratory managers

Safety in laboratories: Indian scenario.

PubMed

Mustafa, Ajaz; Farooq, A Jan; Qadri, Gj; S A, Tabish

2008-07-01

Health and safety in clinical laboratories is becoming an increasingly important subject as a result of emergence of highly infectious diseases such as Hepatitis and HIV. A cross sectional study was carried out to study the safety measures being adopted in clinical laboratories of India. Heads of laboratories of teaching hospitals of India were subjected to a standardized, pretested questionnaire. Response rate was 44.8%. only 60% of laboratories had person in-charge of safety in laboratory. Seventy three percent of laboratories had safety education program regarding hazards. In 91% of laboratories staff is using protective clothing while working in laboratories. Hazardous material regulations are followed in 78% of laboratories. Regular health check ups are carried among laboratory staff in 43.4% of laboratories.Safety manual is available in 56.5% of laboratories. 73.9% of laboratories are equipped with fire extinguishers. Fume cupboards are provided in 34.7% of laboratories and they are regularly checked in 87.5% of these laboratories. In 78.26% of laboratories suitable measures are taken to minimize formation of aerosols.In 95.6% of laboratories waste is disposed off as per bio-medical waste management handling rules. Laboratory of one private medical college was accredited with NABL and safety parameters were better in that laboratory. Installing safety engineered devices apparently contributes to significant decrease in injuries in laboratories; laboratory safety has to be a part of overall quality assurance programme in hospitals. Accreditation has to be made necessary for all laboratories.

Decision support for clinical laboratory capacity planning.

PubMed

van Merode, G G; Hasman, A; Derks, J; Goldschmidt, H M; Schoenmaker, B; Oosten, M

1995-01-01

The design of a decision support system for capacity planning in clinical laboratories is discussed. The DSS supports decisions concerning the following questions: how should the laboratory be divided into job shops (departments/sections), how should staff be assigned to workstations and how should samples be assigned to workstations for testing. The decision support system contains modules for supporting decisions at the overall laboratory level (concerning the division of the laboratory into job shops) and for supporting decisions at the job shop level (assignment of staff to workstations and sample scheduling). Experiments with these modules are described showing both the functionality and the validity.

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Environmental Report 2014

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jones, H. E.; Bertoldo, N. A.; Blake, R. G.

The purposes of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Environmental Report 2014 are to record Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory’s (LLNL’s) compliance with environmental standards and requirements, describe LLNL’s environmental protection and remediation programs, and present the results of environmental monitoring at the two LLNL sites—the Livermore Site and Site 300. The report is prepared for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) by LLNL’s Environmental Functional Area. Submittal of the report satisfies requirements under DOE Order 231.1B, “Environment, Safety and Health Reporting,” and DOE Order 458.1, “Radiation Protection of the Public and Environment.”

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Environmental Report 2015

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rosene, C. A.; Jones, H. E.

The purposes of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Environmental Report 2015 are to record Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory’s (LLNL’s) compliance with environmental standards and requirements, describe LLNL’s environmental protection and remediation programs, and present the results of environmental monitoring at the two LLNL sites—the Livermore Site and Site 300. The report is prepared for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) by LLNL’s Environmental Functional Area. Submittal of the report satisfies requirements under DOE Order 231.1B, “Environment, Safety and Health Reporting,” and DOE Order 458.1, “Radiation Protection of the Public and Environment.”

Prevalence of latent tuberculosis infection among tuberculosis laboratory workers in Iran.

PubMed

Nasehi, Mahshid; Hashemi-Shahraki, Abdolrazagh; Doosti-Irani, Amin; Sharafi, Saeed; Mostafavi, Ehsan

2017-01-01

The risk of transmission of Mycobacterium tuberculosis from patients to health care workers (HCWs) is a neglected problem in many countries, including Iran. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of latent tuberculosis (TB) infection (LTBI) among TB laboratory staff in Iran, and to elucidate the risk factors associated with LTBI. All TB laboratory staff (689 individuals) employed in the TB laboratories of 50 Iranian universities of medical sciences and a random sample consisting of 317 low-risk HCWs were included in this cross-sectional study. Participants with tuberculin skin test indurations of 10 mm or more were considered to have an LTBI. The prevalence of LTBI among TB laboratory staff and low-risk HCWs was 24.83% (95% confidence interval [CI], 21.31 to 27.74%) and 14.82% (95% CI, 11.31 to 19.20%), respectively. No active TB cases were found in either group. After adjusting for potential confounders, TB laboratory staff were more likely to have an LTBI than low-risk HCWs (prevalence odds ratio, 2.06; 95% CI, 1.35 to 3.17). This study showed that LTBI are an occupational health problem among TB laboratory staff in Iran. This study reinforces the need to design and implement simple, effective, and affordable TB infection control programs in TB laboratories in Iran.

LLNL compiled first pages ordered by ascending B&R code

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Campbell, G; Kumar, M; Tobin, J

We aim to develop a fundamental understanding of materials dynamics (from {micro}s to ns) in systems where the required combination of spatial and temporal resolution can only be reached by the dynamic transmission electron microscope (DTEM). In this regime, the DTEM is capable of studying complex transient phenomena with several orders of magnitude time resolution advantage over any existing in-situ TEM. Using the unique in situ capabilities and the nanosecond time resolution of the DTEM, we seek to study complex transient phenomena associated with rapid processes in materials, such as active sites on nanoscale catalysts and the atomic level mechanismsmore » and microstructural features for nucleation and growth associated with phase transformations in materials, specifically in martensite formation and crystallization reactions from the amorphous phase. We also will study the transient phase evolution in rapid solid-state reactions, such as those occurring in reactive multilayer foils (RMLF). Program Impact: The LLNL DTEM possesses unique capabilities for capturing time resolved images and diffraction patterns of rapidly evolving materials microstructure under strongly driven conditions. No other instrument in the world can capture images with <10 nm spatial resolution of interesting irreversible materials processes such as phase transformations, plasticity, or morphology changes with 15 ns time resolution. The development of this innovative capability requires the continuing collaboration of laser scientists, electron microscopists, and materials scientists experienced in time resolved observations of materials that exist with particularly relevant backgrounds at LLNL. The research team has made observations of materials processes that are possible by no other method, such as the rapid crystallization of thin film NiTi that identified a change in mechanism at high heating rates as compared to isothermal anneals through changes in nucleation and growth rates of

Detailed characterization of the LLNL imaging proton spectrometer

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rasmus, A. M., E-mail: rasmus@lanl.gov, E-mail: arasmus@umich.edu; University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109; Hazi, A. U.

2016-11-15

Ultra-intense short pulse lasers incident on solid targets (e.g., thin Au foils) produce well collimated, broad-spectrum proton beams. These proton beams can be used to characterize magnetic fields, electric fields, and density gradients in high energy-density systems. The LLNL-Imaging Proton Spectrometer (L-IPS) was designed and built [H. Chen et al., Rev. Sci. Instrum. 81, 10D314 (2010)] for use with such laser produced proton beams. The L-IPS has an energy range of 50 keV-40 MeV with a resolving power (E/dE) of about 275 at 1 MeV and 21 at 20 MeV, as well as a single spatial imaging axis. In ordermore » to better characterize the dispersion and imaging capability of this diagnostic, a 3D finite element analysis solver is used to calculate the magnetic field of the L-IPS. Particle trajectories are then obtained via numerical integration to determine the dispersion relation of the L-IPS in both energy and angular space.« less

Institutional Computing Executive Group Review of Multi-programmatic & Institutional Computing, Fiscal Year 2005 and 2006

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Langer, S; Rotman, D; Schwegler, E

The Institutional Computing Executive Group (ICEG) review of FY05-06 Multiprogrammatic and Institutional Computing (M and IC) activities is presented in the attached report. In summary, we find that the M and IC staff does an outstanding job of acquiring and supporting a wide range of institutional computing resources to meet the programmatic and scientific goals of LLNL. The responsiveness and high quality of support given to users and the programs investing in M and IC reflects the dedication and skill of the M and IC staff. M and IC has successfully managed serial capacity, parallel capacity, and capability computing resources.more » Serial capacity computing supports a wide range of scientific projects which require access to a few high performance processors within a shared memory computer. Parallel capacity computing supports scientific projects that require a moderate number of processors (up to roughly 1000) on a parallel computer. Capability computing supports parallel jobs that push the limits of simulation science. M and IC has worked closely with Stockpile Stewardship, and together they have made LLNL a premier institution for computational and simulation science. Such a standing is vital to the continued success of laboratory science programs and to the recruitment and retention of top scientists. This report provides recommendations to build on M and IC's accomplishments and improve simulation capabilities at LLNL. We recommend that institution fully fund (1) operation of the atlas cluster purchased in FY06 to support a few large projects; (2) operation of the thunder and zeus clusters to enable 'mid-range' parallel capacity simulations during normal operation and a limited number of large simulations during dedicated application time; (3) operation of the new yana cluster to support a wide range of serial capacity simulations; (4) improvements to the reliability and performance of the Lustre parallel file system; (5) support for the new GDO

Impact of Nuclear Laboratory Personnel Credentials & Continuing Education on Nuclear Cardiology Laboratory Quality Operations.

PubMed

Malhotra, Saurabh; Sobieraj, Diana M; Mann, April; Parker, Matthew W

2017-12-22

Background/Objectives: The specific credentials and continuing education (CME/CE) of nuclear cardiology laboratory medical and technical staff are important factors in the delivery of quality imaging services that have not been systematically evaluated. Methods: Nuclear cardiology accreditation application data from the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC) was used to characterize facilities performing myocardial perfusion imaging by setting, size, previous accreditation and credentials of the medical and technical staff. Credentials and CME/CE were compared against initial accreditation decisions (grant or delay) using multivariable logistic regression. Results: Complete data were available for 1913 nuclear cardiology laboratories from 2011-2014. Laboratories with initial positive accreditation decisions had a greater prevalence of Certification Board in Nuclear Cardiology (CBNC) certified medical directors and specialty credentialed technical directors. Certification and credentials of the medical and technical directors, respectively, staff CME/CE compliance, and assistance of a consultant with the application were positively associated with accreditation decisions. Conclusion: Nuclear cardiology laboratories directed by CBNC-certified physicians and NCT- or PET-credentialed technologists were less likely to receive delay decisions for MPI. CME/CE compliance of both the medical and technical directors was associated with accreditation decision. Medical and technical directors' years of experience were not associated with accreditation decision. Copyright © 2017 by the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Inc.

Feasibility of Wide-Area Decontamination of Bacillus anthracis Spores Using a Germination-Lysis Approach

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-11-16

Security, LLC 2011 CBD S& T Conference November 16, 2011 LLNL-PRES-508394 Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory LLNL-PRES-  Background...PRES-  Gruinard Island 5% formaldehyde  Sverdlosk Release UNKNOWN: but washing, chloramines , soil disposal believed to have been used...508394 Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory LLNL-PRES- 4 Disinfectant >6 Log Reduction on Materials (EPA, 2010a,b; Wood et al., 2011

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Experimental Test Site (Site 300) Potable Water System Operations Plan

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ocampo, Ruben P.; Bellah, Wendy

The existing Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) Site 300 drinking water system operation schematic is shown in Figures 1 and 2 below. The sources of water are from two Site 300 wells (Well #18 and Well #20) and San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) Hetch-Hetchy water through the Thomas shaft pumping station. Currently, Well #20 with 300 gallons per minute (gpm) pump capacity is the primary source of well water used during the months of September through July, while Well #18 with 225 gpm pump capacity is the source of well water for the month of August. The well watermore » is chlorinated using sodium hypochlorite to provide required residual chlorine throughout Site 300. Well water chlorination is covered in the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Experimental Test Site (Site 300) Chlorination Plan (“the Chlorination Plan”; LLNL-TR-642903; current version dated August 2013). The third source of water is the SFPUC Hetch-Hetchy Water System through the Thomas shaft facility with a 150 gpm pump capacity. At the Thomas shaft station the pumped water is treated through SFPUC-owned and operated ultraviolet (UV) reactor disinfection units on its way to Site 300. The Thomas Shaft Hetch- Hetchy water line is connected to the Site 300 water system through the line common to Well pumps #18 and #20 at valve box #1.« less

Protein Laboratories in Single Location | Poster

Cancer.gov

By Andrew Stephen, Timothy Veenstra, and Gordon Whiteley, Guest Writers, and Ken Michaels, Staff Writer The Laboratory of Proteomics and Analytical Technologies (LPAT), Antibody Characterization Laboratory (ACL), and Protein Chemistry Laboratory (PCL), previously located on different floors or in different buildings, are now together on the first floor of C wing in the ATRF.

Knowledge, attitude and practice of aspects of laboratory safety in Pathology Laboratories at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Nigeria.

PubMed

Ejilemele, A A; Ojule, A C

2005-12-01

To assess current knowledge, attitudes and practice of aspects of laboratory safety in pathology laboratories at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital in view of perceived inadequacies in safety practices in clinical laboratories in developing countries. Sixty (60) self- administered questionnaires were distributed to all cadres of staff in four (4) different laboratories (Chemical Pathology, Haematology, Blood bank and Medical Microbiology) at the Hospital. Gross deficiencies were found in the knowledge, attitudes and practice of laboratory safety by laboratory staff in areas of use of personal protective equipment, specimen collection and processing, centrifuge--related hazards, infective hazards waste disposal and provision and use of First Aid Kits. Issues pertaining to laboratory safety are not yet given adequate attention by both employers and employees in developing countries in this ear of resurgence of diseases such as HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis Band C, is emphasized.

IGPP 1999-2000 Annual Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ryerson, F J; Cook, K; Hitchcock, B

2003-01-27

The Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics (IGPP) is a Multicampus Research Unit of the University of California (UC). IGPP was founded in 1946 at UC Los Angeles with a charter to further research in the earth and planetary sciences and related fields. The Institute now has branches at UC campuses in Irvine, Los Angeles, San Diego, Santa Cruz and Riverside, and at Los Alamos National Laboratory and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. The University-wide IGPP has played an important role in establishing interdisciplinary research in the earth and planetary sciences. For example, IGPP was instrumental in founding the fields ofmore » physical oceanography and space physics, which at the time fell between the cracks of established university departments. Because of its multicampus orientation, IGPP has sponsored important inter-institutional consortia in the earth and planetary sciences. Each of the seven branches has a somewhat different intellectual emphasis as a result of the interplay between strengths of campus departments and Laboratory programs. The IGPP branch at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) was approved by the Regents of the University of California in 1982. IGPP-LLNL emphasizes research in tectonics, geochemistry, and astrophysics. It provides a venue for studying the fundamental aspects of these fields, thereby complementing LLNL programs that pursue applications of these disciplines in national security and energy research. IGPP-LLNL was directed by Charles Alcock during this period and was originally organized into three centers: Geosciences, stressing seismology; High-Pressure Physics, stressing experiments using the two-stage light-gas gun at LLNL; and Astrophysics, stressing theoretical and computational astrophysics. In 1994, the activities of the Center for High-Pressure Physics were merged with those of the Center for Geosciences. The Center for Geosciences, headed by Frederick Ryerson, focuses on research in geophysics

Review of Excess Weapons Plutonium Disposition LLNL Contract Work in Russia-(English)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jardine, L; Borisov, G B

This third meeting of the recently completed and ongoing Russian plutonium immobilization contract work was held at the State Education Center (SEC) in St. Petersburg on January 14-18, 2002. The meeting agenda is reprinted here as Appendix A and the attendance list as Appendix B. The meeting had 58 Russian participants from 21 Russian organizations, including the industrial sites (Mayak, Krasonayarsk-26, Tomsk), scientific institutes (VNIINM, KRI, VNIPIPT, RIAR), design organizations (VNIPIET and GSPI), universities (Nyzhny Novgorod, Urals Technical), Russian Academy of Sciences (Institute of Physical Chemistry or IPhCh, Institute of Ore-Deposit Geology, Petrography, Mineralogy, and Geochemistry or IGEM), Radon-Moscow, S&TCmore » Podol'osk, Kharkov-Ukraine, GAN-SEC-NRS and SNIIChM, the RF Ministry of Atomic Energy (Minatom) and Gosatomnadzor (GAN). This volume, published by LLNL, documents this third annual meeting. Forty-nine technical papers were presented by the Russian participants, and nearly all of these have been collected in this Proceedings. The two objectives for the meeting were to: (1) Bring together the Russian organizations, experts, and managers performing this contract work into one place for four days to review and discuss their work amongst each other. (2) Publish a meeting summary and proceedings of all the excellent Russian plutonium immobilization and other plutonium disposition contract work in one document so that the wide extent of the Russian immobilization activities are documented, referencable and available for others to use, as were the Proceedings of the two previous meetings. Attendees gave talks describing their LLNL contract work and submitted written papers documenting their contract work (in English and Russian), in both hard copy and on computer disks. Simultaneous translation into Russian and English was used for presentations made at the State Region Educational Center (SEC).« less

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

PubMed

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.

Net Weight Issue LLNL DOE-STD-3013 Containers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wilk, P

2008-01-16

The following position paper will describe DOE-STD-3013 container sets No.L000072 and No.L000076, and how they are compliant with DOE-STD-3013-2004. All masses of accountable nuclear materials are measured on LLNL certified balances maintained under an MC&A Program approved by DOE/NNSA LSO. All accountability balances are recalibrated annually and checked to be within calibration on each day that the balance is used for accountability purposes. A statistical analysis of the historical calibration checks from the last seven years indicates that the full-range Limit of Error (LoE, 95% confidence level) for the balance used to measure the mass of the contents of themore » above indicated 3013 containers is 0.185 g. If this error envelope, at the 95% confidence level, were to be used to generate an upper-limit to the measured weight of the containers No.L000072 and No.L000076, the error-envelope would extend beyond the 5.0 kg 3013-standard limit on the package contents by less than 0.3 g. However, this is still well within the intended safety bounds of DOE-STD-3013-2004.« less

Staffing benchmarks for histology laboratories.

PubMed

Buesa, René J

2010-06-01

This article summarizes annual workloads for staff positions and work flow productivity (WFP) values from 247 human pathology, 31 veterinary, and 35 forensic histology laboratories (histolabs). There are single summaries for veterinary and forensic histolabs, but the data from human pathology are divided into 2 groups because of statistically significant differences between those from Spain and 6 Hispano American countries (SpHA) and the rest from the United States and 17 other countries. The differences reflect the way the work is organized, but the histotechnicians and histotechnologists (histotechs) from SpHA have the same task productivity levels as those from any other country (Buesa RJ. Productivity standards for histology laboratories. [YADPA 50,552]). The information is also segregated by groups of histolabs with increasing workloads; this aspect also showed statistical differences. The information from human pathology histolabs other than those from SpHA were used to calculate staffing annual benchmarks for pathologists (from 3700 to 6500 cases depending on the histolab annual workload), pathology assistants (20,000 cases), staff histotechs (9900 blocks), cutting histotechs (15,000 blocks), histotechs doing special procedures (9500 slides if done manually or 15,000 slides with autostainers), dieners (100 autopsies), laboratory aides and transcriptionists (15,000 cases each), and secretaries (20,000 cases). There are also recommendations about workload limits for supervisory staff (lead techs and supervisors) and when neither is required. Each benchmark was related with the productivity of the different tasks they include (Buesa RJ. Productivity standards for histology laboratories. [YADPA 50,552]) to calculate the hours per year required to complete them. The relationship between workload and benchmarks allows the director of pathology to determine the staff needed for the efficient operation of the histolab.

A Laboratory Safety Program at Delaware.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whitmyre, George; Sandler, Stanley I.

1986-01-01

Describes a laboratory safety program at the University of Delaware. Includes a history of the program's development, along with standard safety training and inspections now being implemented. Outlines a two-day laboratory safety course given to all graduate students and staff in chemical engineering. (TW)

Meier associates and Pacific Northwest Laboratory staff exchange: Transfer of corrosion monitoring expertise to assess and develop in-line inspection tools for corrosion control

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Olson, N.J.; Meier, T.E.

1995-04-01

Staff exchanges, such as the one described in this report, are intended to facilitate communication and collaboration among scientists and engineers at DOE laboratories, in US industry, and academia. During the past 5 years, PNL has developed prototype instrumentation to automate the data collection required for electrochemical determination of corrosion rates and behavior of materials in various electrically conductive environments. The last version is labeled the Sentry 100 prototype corrosion data scanner. Applications include these in the pulp and paper industry and at hazardous waste sites.

2011 Annual Health Physics Report for the HEU transparency Program

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Radev, R

2012-04-30

During the 2008 calendar year, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) provided health physics support for the Highly Enriched Uranium (HEU) Transparency Program for external and internal radiation protection. They also provided technical expertise related to BDMS radioactive sources and Russian radiation safety regulatory compliance. For the calendar year 2008, there were 158 person-trips that required dose monitoring of the U.S. monitors. Of the 158 person-trips, 148 person-trips were SMVs and 10 person-trips were Transparency Monitoring Office (TMO) trips. There were 6 monitoring visits by TMO monitors to facilities other than UEIE and 8 to UEIE itself. There were three monitoringmore » visits (source changes) that were back-to-back with a total of 24 monitors. LLNL's Hazard Control Department laboratories provided the dosimetry services for the HEU Transparency monitors. In 2008, the HEU Transparency activities in Russia were conducted in a radiologically safe manner for the HEU Transparency monitors in accordance with the expectations of the HEU Transparency staff, NNSA and DOE. The HEU Transparency now has thirteen years of successful experience in developing and providing health and safety support in meeting its technical objectives.« less

Use of artificial intelligence to analyze clinical database reduces workload on surgical house staff.

PubMed

Grossi, E A; Steinberg, B M; LeBoutillier, M; Coppa, G F; Roses, D F

1994-08-01

The current quantity and diversity of hospital clinical, laboratory, and pharmacy records have resulted in a glut of information, which can be overwhelming to house staff. This study was performed to measure the impact of artificial intelligence analysis of such data on the junior surgical house staff's workload, time for direct patient care, and quality of life. A personal computer was interfaced with the hospital computerized patient data system. Artificial intelligence algorithms were applied to retrieve and condense laboratory values, microbiology reports, and medication orders. Unusual laboratory tests were reported without artificial intelligence filtering. A survey of 23 junior house staff showed a requirement for a total of 30.75 man-hours per day, an average of 184.5 minutes per service twice a day for five surgical services each with an average of 40.7 patients, to manually produce a report in contrast to a total of 3.4 man-hours, an average of 20.5 minutes on the same basis (88.9% reduction, p < 0.001), to computer generate and distribute a similarly useful report. Two thirds of the residents reported an increased ability to perform patient care. Current medical practice has created an explosion of information, which is a burden for surgical house staff. Artificial intelligence preprocessing of the hospital database information focuses attention, eliminates superfluous data, and significantly reduces surgical house staff clerical work, allowing more time for education, research, and patient care.

LLNL's Big Science Capabilities Help Spur Over $796 Billion in U.S. Economic Activity Sequencing the Human Genome

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Stewart, Jeffrey S.

LLNL’s successful history of taking on big science projects spans beyond national security and has helped create billions of dollars per year in new economic activity. One example is LLNL’s role in helping sequence the human genome. Over $796 billion in new economic activity in over half a dozen fields has been documented since LLNL successfully completed this Grand Challenge.

From elementary school science to graduate school textbooks

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lanier, R.G.

1990-09-01

The Nuclear Chemistry Division (NCD) at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) has a long history of using its resources to enhance the scientific literacy of students at virtually all educational levels, as well as providing for the continued scholarly development of its own staff. The Division has shown a particularly deep concern for motivating young scientific talent, and has a strong record of commitment toward educating and increasing the scientific skills of minorities and women. These activities are carried out by individual, group, or Division initiative and range from simple community involvement and classroom teaching to highly structured andmore » specialized technical training. This report collects and describes the official and unofficial educational activities that have been conducted in the Nuclear Chemistry Division at LLNL during the recent past. These activities serve as a model of what a few dedicated individuals and an enlightened management can contribute to the education of a new generation of scientists and engineers.« less

Laser program annual report 1983

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hendricks, C.D.; Rufer, M.L.; Murphy, P.W.

1984-06-01

In the 1983 Laser Program Annual Report we present the accomplishments and unclassified activities of the Laser Program at Lawrence Livermore National laboratory (LLNL) for the year 1983. It should be noted that the report, of necessity, is a summary, and more detailed expositions of the research can be found in the many publications and reports authored by staff members in the Laser Program. The purpose of this report is to present our work in a brief form, but with sufficient depth to provide an overview of the analytical and experimental aspects of the LLNL Inertial-Confinement Fusion (ICF) Program. Themore » format of this report is basically the same as that of previous years. Section 1 is an overview and highlights the important accomplishments and directions of the Program. Sections 2 through 7 provide the detailed information on the various major parts of the Program: Laser Systems and Operations, Target Design, Target Fabrication, Fusion Experiments, Laser Research and Development, and Energy Applications.« less

Predictive Model and Methodology for Heat Treatment Distortion Final Report CRADA No. TC-298-92

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nikkel, D. J.; McCabe, J.

This project was a multi-lab, multi-partner CRADA involving LLNL, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Sandia National Laboratories, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Martin Marietta Energy Systems and the industrial partner, The National Center of Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS). A number of member companies of NCMS participated including General Motors Corporation, Ford Motor Company, The Torrington Company, Gear Research, the Illinois Institute of Technology Research Institute, and Deformation Control Technology •. LLNL was the lead laboratory for metrology technology used for validation of the computational tool/methodology. LLNL was also the lead laboratory for the development of the software user interface , for the computationalmore » tool. This report focuses on the participation of LLNL and NCMS. The purpose of the project was to develop a computational tool/methodology that engineers would use to predict the effects of heat treatment on the _size and shape of industrial parts made of quench hardenable alloys. Initially, the target application of the tool was gears for automotive power trains.« less

Clinical laboratory waste management in Shiraz, Iran.

PubMed

Askarian, Mehrdad; Motazedian, Nasrin; Palenik, Charles John

2012-06-01

Clinical laboratories are significant generators of infectious waste, including microbiological materials, contaminated sharps, and pathologic wastes such as blood specimens and blood products. Most waste produced in laboratories can be disposed of in the general solid waste stream. However, improper management of infectious waste, including mixing general wastes with infectious wastes and improper handling or storage, could lead to disease transmission. The aim of this study was to assess waste management processes used at clinical laboratories in Shiraz, Iran. One hundred and nine clinical laboratories participated In this cross sectional study, Data collection was by questionnaire and direct observation. Of the total amount of waste generated, 52% (by weight) was noninfectious domestic waste, 43% was non-sharps infectious waste and 5% consisted of sharps. There was no significant relationship between laboratory staff or manager education and the score for quality of waste collection and disposal at clinical laboratories. Improvements in infectious waste management processes should involve clearer, more uniformly accepted definitions of infectious waste and increased staff training.

Wide Area Recovery and Resiliency Program (WARRP) Knowledge Enhancement Events: CBR Workshop After Action Report

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-01-01

Laboratories Walker Ray Walker Engineering Solutions, LLC Williams Patricia Denver Office of Emergency Management Wood- Zika Annmarie Lawrence Livermore...llnl.gov AnnMarie Wood- Zika woodzika1@llnl.gov Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Ann Lesperance ann.lesperance@pnnl.gov Jessica Sandusky

Engineering Research and Development and Technology thrust area report FY92

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Langland, R.T.; Minichino, C.

1993-03-01

The mission of the Engineering Research, Development, and Technology Program at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) is to develop the technical staff and the technology needed to support current and future LLNL programs. To accomplish this mission, the Engineering Research, Development, and Technology Program has two important goals: (1) to identify key technologies and (2) to conduct high-quality work to enhance our capabilities in these key technologies. To help focus our efforts, we identify technology thrust areas and select technical leaders for each area. The thrust areas are integrated engineering activities and, rather than being based on individual disciplines, theymore » are staffed by personnel from Electronics Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and other LLNL organizations, as appropriate. The thrust area leaders are expected to establish strong links to LLNL program leaders and to industry; to use outside and inside experts to review the quality and direction of the work; to use university contacts to supplement and complement their efforts; and to be certain that we are not duplicating the work of others. This annual report, organized by thrust area, describes activities conducted within the Program for the fiscal year 1992. Its intent is to provide timely summaries of objectives, theories, methods, and results. The nine thrust areas for this fiscal year are: Computational Electronics and Electromagnetics; Computational Mechanics; Diagnostics and Microelectronics; Emerging Technologies; Fabrication Technology; Materials Science and Engineering; Microwave and Pulsed Power; Nondestructive Evaluation; and Remote Sensing and Imaging, and Signal Engineering.« less

Michael M. May: Working toward solutions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

May, M.M.

1993-07-01

As part of LLNL's 40th anniversary celebration held during 1992, the six former Directors were asked to participate in a lecture series. Each of these men contributed in important ways toward making the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) what it has become today. Each was asked to comment on some of the Laboratory's accomplishments, his career here, his view of the changing world, and where he sees the Laboratory going in the future. Michael M. May, LLNL's fifth Director and now a Director Emeritus, comments on a broad range of issues including arms control, nonproliferation, cooperative security, and the futuremore » role of the Laboratory.« less

George Lewis Addresses Staff during the Construction of the New Laboratory

NASA Image and Video Library

1942-05-21

Construction Manager Raymond Sharp and the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) Director of Research George Lewis speak to employees during the May 8, 1942, Initiation of Research ceremony at the Aircraft Engine Research Laboratory. The event marked the first operation of a test facility at the new laboratory. The overall laboratory was still under construction, however, and behind schedule. Lewis traveled from his office in Washington, DC every week to personally assess the progress. Drastic measures were undertaken to accelerate the lab’s construction schedule. The military provided special supplies, contractors were given new agreements and pressured to meet deadlines, and Congress approved additional funds. The effort paid off and much of the laboratory was operational in early 1943. George Lewis managed the NACA’s aeronautical research for over 20 years. Lewis joined the NACA as Executive Officer in 1919, and was named Director of Aeronautical Research in 1924. In this role Lewis served as the liaison between the Executive Committee and the research laboratories. His most important accomplishment may have been the investigative tours of the research facilities in Germany in 1936 and 1939. The visits resulted in the NACA’s physical expansion and the broadening of the scope of its research. Lewis did not take a day of leave between the Pearl Harbor attack and the Armistice. He began suffering health problems in 1945 and was forced to retire two years later. The Aircraft Engine Research Laboratory was renamed the NACA Lewis Flight Propulsion Laboratory in September 1948.

Special-Status Plant Species Surveys and Vegetation Mapping at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Preston, R E

This report presents the results of Jones & Stokes special-status plant surveys and vegetation mapping for the University of California, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). Special-status plant surveys were conducted at Site 300 in April to May 1997 and in March to April 2002. Eight special-status plants were identified at Site 300: large-flowered fiddleneck, big tarplant, diamond-petaled poppy, round-leaved filaree, gypsum-loving larkspur, California androsace, stinkbells, and hogwallow starfish. Maps identifying the locations of these species, a discussion of the occurrence of these species at Site 300, and a checklist of the flora of Site 300 are presented. A reconnaissance surveymore » of the LLNL Livermore Site was conducted in June 2002. This survey concluded that no special-status plants occur at the Livermore Site. Vegetation mapping was conducted in 2001 at Site 300 to update a previous vegetation study done in 1986. The purpose of the vegetation mapping was to update and to delineate more precisely the boundaries between vegetation types and to map vegetation types that previously were not mapped. The vegetation map is presented with a discussion of the vegetation classification used.« less

42 CFR 493.1239 - Standard: General laboratory systems quality assessment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... of general laboratory systems quality assessment reviews with appropriate staff. (c) The laboratory must document all general laboratory systems quality assessment activities. [68 FR 3703, Jan. 24, 2003... 42 Public Health 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Standard: General laboratory systems quality...

Competency Assessment of Microbiology Medical Laboratory Technologists in Ontario, Canada

PubMed Central

Fleming, Christine Ann

2014-01-01

Accreditation in Ontario, Canada, requires that licensed clinical laboratories participate in external quality assessment (also known as proficiency testing) and perform competency evaluation of their staff. To assess the extent of ongoing competency assessment practices, the Quality Management Program—Laboratory Services (QMP-LS) Microbiology Committee surveyed all 112 licensed Ontario microbiology laboratories. The questionnaire consisted of a total of 21 questions that included yes/no, multiple-choice, and short-answer formats. Participants were asked to provide information about existing programs, the frequency of testing, what areas are evaluated, and how results are communicated to the staff. Of the 111 responding laboratories, 6 indicated they did not have a formal evaluation program since they perform only limited bacteriology testing. Of the remaining 105 respondents, 87% perform evaluations at least annually or every 2 years, and 61% include any test or task performed, whereas 16% and 10% focus only on problem areas and high-volume complex tasks, respectively. The most common methods of evaluation were review of external quality assessment (EQA) challenges, direct observation, and worksheet review. With the exception of one participant, all communicate results to staff, and most take remedial action to correct the deficiencies. Although most accredited laboratories have a program to assess the ongoing competency of their staff, the methods used are not standardized or consistently applied, indicating that there is room for improvement. The survey successfully highlighted potential areas for improvement and allowed the QMP-LS Microbiology Committee to provide guidance to Ontario laboratories for establishing or improving existing microbiology-specific competency assessment programs. PMID:24899030

Staffing benchmarks for clinical laboratories: a College of American Pathologists Q-Probes study of laboratory staffing at 98 institutions.

PubMed

Jones, Bruce A; Darcy, Teresa; Souers, Rhona J; Meier, Frederick A

2012-02-01

Publicly available information concerning laboratory staffing benchmarks is scarce. One of the few publications on this topic summarized the findings of a Q-Probes study performed in 2004. This publication reports a similar survey with data collected in 2010. To assess the relationship between staffing levels in specified laboratory sections and test volumes in these sections and quantify management span of control. The study defined 4 laboratory sections: anatomic pathology (including cytology), chemistry/hematology/immunology, microbiology, and transfusion medicine. It divided staff into 3 categories: management, nonmanagement (operational or bench staff), and doctoral (MD, PhD) supervisory staff. People in these categories were tabulated as full-time equivalents and exclusions specified. Tests were counted in uniform formats, specified for each laboratory section, according to Medicare rules for the bundling and unbundling of tests. Ninety-eight participating institutions provided data that showed significant associations between test volumes and staffing for all 4 sections. There was wide variation in productivity based on volume. There was no relationship between testing volume per laboratory section and management span of control. Higher productivity in chemistry/hematology/immunology was associated with a higher fraction of tests coming from nonacute care patients. In both the 2004 and 2010 studies, productivity was inseparably linked to test volume. Higher test volume was associated with higher productivity ratios in chemistry/hematology/immunology and transfusion medicine sections. The impact of various testing services on productivity is section-specific.

Library Staff operate a Microfilm Reader at the Lewis Research Center

NASA Image and Video Library

1961-04-21

Jean Neidengard and George Mandel operate a Kodak Recordak microfilm reader in the library at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Lewis Research Center. The library was located in the Administration Building until the mid-1960s. It was then moved to the Propulsion Systems Laboratory Office Building. In 2008 the library was moved once again, to the Research Analysis Center. At the time of this photograph, the Lewis library claimed to possess “One of the most complete aero-technical collections in the world.” It was doing a brisk business in the early 1960s. During 1960 alone the library acquired 19,000 new documents and provided 100,000 documents to customers. The library’s eleven-person staff provided reference services, archived technical reports, and supplied periodicals. The staff also included Sam Reiss, a full-time translator who could read 30 languages. He translated technical reports from all over the world for the Lewis research staff. Jean Neidengard oversaw the secret Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) documents in the collection. NASA was partnering with the AEC at the time on Nuclear Engine for Rocket Vehicle Application (NERVA) program. NASA Lewis was the agency’s lead center in the NERVA program. Neidengard’s husband Bill was the head mechanic in the Propulsion Systems Laboratory. George Mandel led the library staff from 1955 to 1968.

Summary of International Waste Management Programs (LLNL Input to SNL L3 MS: System-Wide Integration and Site Selection Concepts for Future Disposition Options for HLW)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Greenberg, Harris R.; Blink, James A.; Halsey, William G.

2011-08-11

The Used Fuel Disposition Campaign (UFDC) within the Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Energy (DOE-NE) Fuel Cycle Technology (FCT) program has been tasked with investigating the disposal of the nation’s spent nuclear fuel (SNF) and high-level nuclear waste (HLW) for a range of potential waste forms and geologic environments. This Lessons Learned task is part of a multi-laboratory effort, with this LLNL report providing input to a Level 3 SNL milestone (System-Wide Integration and Site Selection Concepts for Future Disposition Options for HLW). The work package number is: FTLL11UF0328; the work package title is: Technical Bases / Lessons Learned;more » the milestone number is: M41UF032802; and the milestone title is: “LLNL Input to SNL L3 MS: System-Wide Integration and Site Selection Concepts for Future Disposition Options for HLW”. The system-wide integration effort will integrate all aspects of waste management and disposal, integrating the waste generators, interim storage, transportation, and ultimate disposal at a repository site. The review of international experience in these areas is required to support future studies that address all of these components in an integrated manner. Note that this report is a snapshot of nuclear power infrastructure and international waste management programs that is current as of August 2011, with one notable exception. No attempt has been made to discuss the currently evolving world-wide response to the tragic consequences of the earthquake and tsunami that devastated Japan on March 11, 2011, leaving more than 15,000 people dead and more than 8,000 people missing, and severely damaging the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power complex. Continuing efforts in FY 2012 will update the data, and summarize it in an Excel spreadsheet for easy comparison and assist in the knowledge management of the study cases.« less

Staff Scientist - RNA Bioinformatics | Center for Cancer Research

Cancer.gov

The newly established RNA Biology Laboratory (RBL) at the Center for Cancer Research (CCR), National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Frederick, Maryland is recruiting a Staff Scientist with strong expertise in RNA bioinformatics to join the Intramural Research Program’s mission of high impact, high reward science. The RBL is the equivalent of an

Thermal safety characterization on PETN, PBX-9407, LX-10-2, LX-17-1 and detonator in the LLNL's P-ODTX system

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hsu, P. C.; Strout, S.; Reynolds, J. G.

Incidents caused by fire and other thermal events can heat energetic materials that may lead to thermal explosion and result in structural damage and casualty. Thus, it is important to understand the response of energetic materials to thermal insults. The One-Dimensional-Time to Explosion (ODTX) system at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) has been used for decades to characterize thermal safety of energetic materials. In this study, an integration of a pressure monitoring element has been added into the ODTX system (P-ODTX) to perform thermal explosion (cook-off) experiments (thermal runaway) on PETN powder, PBX-9407, LX-10-2, LX-17-1, and detonator samples (cupmore » tests). The P-ODTX testing generates useful data (thermal explosion temperature, thermal explosion time, and gas pressures) to assist with the thermal safety assessment of relevant energetic materials and components. This report summarizes the results of P-ODTX experiments that were performed from May 2015 to July 2017. Recent upgrades to the data acquisition system allows for rapid pressure monitoring in microsecond intervals during thermal explosion. These pressure data are also included in the report.« less

Design and development of a solar powered mobile laboratory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiao, L.; Simon, A.; Barrera, H.; Acharya, V.; Repke, W.

2016-08-01

This paper describes the design and development of a solar powered mobile laboratory (SPML) system. The SPML provides a mobile platform that schools, universities, and communities can use to give students and staff access to laboratory environments where dedicated laboratories are not available. The lab includes equipment like 3D printers, computers, and soldering stations. The primary power source of the system is solar PV which allows the laboratory to be operated in places where the grid power is not readily available or not sufficient to power all the equipment. The main system components include PV panels, junction box, battery, charge controller, and inverter. Not only is it used to teach students and staff how to use the lab equipment, but it is also a great tool to educate the public about solar PV technologies.

Reform of the National Security Science and Technology Enterprise

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-10-01

still attract the very best S&E talent.54 Table 1. National Academy Membership (Source: National Academies Website) ANL BNL JPL LANL LL LLNL IBM...ANL BNL JPL LANL LLNL NIH NIST NRL Articles 1023 761 705 1526 1038 4305 350 957 Government S&E Workforce—Tomorrow With the significant exception...ANL), Brookhaven National Laboratory ( BNL ), Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), Lincoln Laboratory (LL), Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL

Competency assessment of microbiology medical laboratory technologists in Ontario, Canada.

PubMed

Desjardins, Marc; Fleming, Christine Ann

2014-08-01

Accreditation in Ontario, Canada, requires that licensed clinical laboratories participate in external quality assessment (also known as proficiency testing) and perform competency evaluation of their staff. To assess the extent of ongoing competency assessment practices, the Quality Management Program--Laboratory Services (QMP-LS) Microbiology Committee surveyed all 112 licensed Ontario microbiology laboratories. The questionnaire consisted of a total of 21 questions that included yes/no, multiple-choice, and short-answer formats. Participants were asked to provide information about existing programs, the frequency of testing, what areas are evaluated, and how results are communicated to the staff. Of the 111 responding laboratories, 6 indicated they did not have a formal evaluation program since they perform only limited bacteriology testing. Of the remaining 105 respondents, 87% perform evaluations at least annually or every 2 years, and 61% include any test or task performed, whereas 16% and 10% focus only on problem areas and high-volume complex tasks, respectively. The most common methods of evaluation were review of external quality assessment (EQA) challenges, direct observation, and worksheet review. With the exception of one participant, all communicate results to staff, and most take remedial action to correct the deficiencies. Although most accredited laboratories have a program to assess the ongoing competency of their staff, the methods used are not standardized or consistently applied, indicating that there is room for improvement. The survey successfully highlighted potential areas for improvement and allowed the QMP-LS Microbiology Committee to provide guidance to Ontario laboratories for establishing or improving existing microbiology-specific competency assessment programs. Copyright © 2014, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Implementation research: a mentoring programme to improve laboratory quality in Cambodia

PubMed Central

Voeurng, Vireak; Sek, Sophat; Song, Sophanna; Vong, Nora; Tous, Chansamrach; Flandin, Jean-Frederic; Confer, Deborah; Costa, Alexandre; Martin, Robert

2016-01-01

Abstract Objective To implement a mentored laboratory quality stepwise implementation (LQSI) programme to strengthen the quality and capacity of Cambodian hospital laboratories. Methods We recruited four laboratory technicians to be mentors and trained them in mentoring skills, laboratory quality management practices and international standard organization (ISO) 15189 requirements for medical laboratories. Separately, we trained staff from 12 referral hospital laboratories in laboratory quality management systems followed by tri-weekly in-person mentoring on quality management systems implementation using the LQSI tool, which is aligned with the ISO 15189 standard. The tool was adapted from a web-based resource into a software-based spreadsheet checklist, which includes a detailed action plan and can be used to qualitatively monitor each laboratory’s progress. The tool – translated into Khmer – included a set of quality improvement activities grouped into four phases for implementation with increasing complexity. Project staff reviewed the laboratories’ progress and challenges in weekly conference calls and bi-monthly meetings with focal points of the health ministry, participating laboratories and local partners. We present the achievements in implementation from September 2014 to March 2016. Findings As of March 2016, the 12 laboratories have completed 74–90% of the 104 activities in phase 1, 53–78% of the 178 activities in phase 2, and 18–26% of the 129 activities in phase 3. Conclusion Regular on-site mentoring of laboratories using a detailed action plan in the local language allows staff to learn concepts of quality management system and learn on the job without disruption to laboratory service provision. PMID:27843164

Selecting automation for the clinical chemistry laboratory.

PubMed

Melanson, Stacy E F; Lindeman, Neal I; Jarolim, Petr

2007-07-01

Laboratory automation proposes to improve the quality and efficiency of laboratory operations, and may provide a solution to the quality demands and staff shortages faced by today's clinical laboratories. Several vendors offer automation systems in the United States, with both subtle and obvious differences. Arriving at a decision to automate, and the ensuing evaluation of available products, can be time-consuming and challenging. Although considerable discussion concerning the decision to automate has been published, relatively little attention has been paid to the process of evaluating and selecting automation systems. To outline a process for evaluating and selecting automation systems as a reference for laboratories contemplating laboratory automation. Our Clinical Chemistry Laboratory staff recently evaluated all major laboratory automation systems in the United States, with their respective chemistry and immunochemistry analyzers. Our experience is described and organized according to the selection process, the important considerations in clinical chemistry automation, decisions and implementation, and we give conclusions pertaining to this experience. Including the formation of a committee, workflow analysis, submitting a request for proposal, site visits, and making a final decision, the process of selecting chemistry automation took approximately 14 months. We outline important considerations in automation design, preanalytical processing, analyzer selection, postanalytical storage, and data management. Selecting clinical chemistry laboratory automation is a complex, time-consuming process. Laboratories considering laboratory automation may benefit from the concise overview and narrative and tabular suggestions provided.

Comparison of the LLNL ALE3D and AKTS Thermal Safety Computer Codes for Calculating Times to Explosion in ODTX and STEX Thermal Cookoff Experiments

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wemhoff, A P; Burnham, A K

2006-04-05

Cross-comparison of the results of two computer codes for the same problem provides a mutual validation of their computational methods. This cross-validation exercise was performed for LLNL's ALE3D code and AKTS's Thermal Safety code, using the thermal ignition of HMX in two standard LLNL cookoff experiments: the One-Dimensional Time to Explosion (ODTX) test and the Scaled Thermal Explosion (STEX) test. The chemical kinetics model used in both codes was the extended Prout-Tompkins model, a relatively new addition to ALE3D. This model was applied using ALE3D's new pseudospecies feature. In addition, an advanced isoconversional kinetic approach was used in the AKTSmore » code. The mathematical constants in the Prout-Tompkins code were calibrated using DSC data from hermetically sealed vessels and the LLNL optimization code Kinetics05. The isoconversional kinetic parameters were optimized using the AKTS Thermokinetics code. We found that the Prout-Tompkins model calculations agree fairly well between the two codes, and the isoconversional kinetic model gives very similar results as the Prout-Tompkins model. We also found that an autocatalytic approach in the beta-delta phase transition model does affect the times to explosion for some conditions, especially STEX-like simulations at ramp rates above 100 C/hr, and further exploration of that effect is warranted.« less

Internal audit in a microbiology laboratory.

PubMed Central

Mifsud, A J; Shafi, M S

1995-01-01

AIM--To set up a programme of internal laboratory audit in a medical microbiology laboratory. METHODS--A model of laboratory based process audit is described. Laboratory activities were examined in turn by specimen type. Standards were set using laboratory standard operating procedures; practice was observed using a purpose designed questionnaire and the data were analysed by computer; performance was assessed at laboratory audit meetings; and the audit circle was closed by re-auditing topics after an interval. RESULTS--Improvements in performance scores (objective measures) and in staff morale (subjective impression) were observed. CONCLUSIONS--This model of process audit could be applied, with amendments to take local practice into account, in any microbiology laboratory. PMID:7665701

Survey of Staff Perceptions of the AEL Resource Center.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cowley, Kimberly S.

The Resource Center at the Appalachia Educational Laboratory (AEL), Inc., provides direct services to clients both within and outside AEL, as well as serving as a repository and distribution center for educational materials. Three main objectives were identified: to discover the extent to which staff use current components of the Resource Center;…

Issues Identified During September 2016 IBM OpenMP 4.5 Hackathon

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Richards, David F.

In September, 2016 IBM hosted an OpenMP 4.5 Hackathon at the TJ Watson Research Center. Teams from LLNL, ORNL, SNL, LANL, and LBNL attended the event. As with the 2015 hackathon, IBM produced an extremely useful and successful event with unmatched support from compiler team, applications staff, and facilities. Approximately 24 IBM staff supported 4-day hackathon and spent significant time 4-6 weeks out to prepare environment and become familiar with apps. This hackathon was also the first event to feature LLVM & XL C/C++ and Fortran compilers. This report records many of the issues encountered by the LLNL teams duringmore » the hackathon.« less

Special Analysis for the Disposal of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Low Activity Beta/Gamma Sources Waste Stream at the Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Site, Nevada National Security Site, Nye County, Nevada

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shott, Gregory J.

This special analysis (SA) evaluates whether the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) Low Activity Beta/Gamma Sources waste stream (BCLALADOEOSRP, Revision 0) is suitable for disposal by shallow land burial (SLB) at the Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Site (RWMS) at the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS). The LLNL Low Activity Beta/Gamma Sources waste stream consists of sealed sources that are no longer needed. The LLNL Low Activity Beta/Gamma Sources waste stream required a special analysis because cobalt-60 (60Co), strontium-90 (90Sr), cesium-137 (137Cs), and radium-226 (226Ra) exceeded the NNSS Waste Acceptance Criteria (WAC) Action Levels (U.S. Department of Energy, National Nuclearmore » Security Administration Nevada Field Office [NNSA/NFO] 2015). The results indicate that all performance objectives can be met with disposal of the LLNL Low Activity Beta/Gamma Sources in a SLB trench. The LLNL Low Activity Beta/Gamma Sources waste stream is suitable for disposal by SLB at the Area 5 RWMS. However, the activity concentration of 226Ra listed on the waste profile sheet significantly exceeds the action level. Approval of the waste profile sheet could potentially allow the disposal of high activity 226Ra sources. To ensure that the generator does not include large 226Ra sources in this waste stream without additional evaluation, a control is need on the maximum 226Ra inventory. A limit based on the generator’s estimate of the total 226Ra inventory is recommended. The waste stream is recommended for approval with the control that the total 226Ra inventory disposed shall not exceed 5.5E10 Bq (1.5 Ci).« less

Development of a competency based training programme to support multidisciplinary working in a combined biochemistry/haematology laboratory

PubMed Central

Woods, R; Longmire, W; Galloway, M; Smellie, W

2000-01-01

The aim of this study was to develop a competency based training programme to support multidisciplinary working in a combined biochemistry and haematology laboratory. The training programme was developed to document that staff were trained in the full range of laboratory tests that they were expected to perform. This programme subsequently formed the basis for the annual performance review of all staff. All staff successfully completed the first phase of the programme. This allowed laboratory staff to work unsupervised at night as part of a partial shift system. All staff are now working towards achieving a level of competence equivalent to the training level required for state registration by the Council for Professions Supplementary to Medicine. External evaluation of the training programme has included accreditation by the Council for Professions Supplementary to Medicine and reinspection by Clinical Pathology Accreditation (UK) Ltd. The development of a competency based training system has facilitated the introduction of multidisciplinary working in the laboratory. In addition, it enables the documentation of all staff to ensure that they are fully trained and are keeping up to date, because the continuing professional development programme in use in our laboratory has been linked to this training scheme. This approach to documentation of training facilitated a recent reinspection by Clinical Pathology Accreditation (UK) Ltd. Key Words: Keyword: multidisciplinary working • competency based training PMID:10889827

Framework for leadership and training of Biosafety Level 4 laboratory workers.

PubMed

Le Duc, James W; Anderson, Kevin; Bloom, Marshall E; Estep, James E; Feldmann, Heinz; Geisbert, Joan B; Geisbert, Thomas W; Hensley, Lisa; Holbrook, Michael; Jahrling, Peter B; Ksiazek, Thomas G; Korch, George; Patterson, Jean; Skvorak, John P; Weingartl, Hana

2008-11-01

Construction of several new Biosafety Level 4 (BSL-4) laboratories and expansion of existing operations have created an increased international demand for well-trained staff and facility leaders. Directors of most North American BSL-4 laboratories met and agreed upon a framework for leadership and training of biocontainment research and operations staff. They agreed on essential preparation and training that includes theoretical consideration of biocontainment principles, practical hands-on training, and mentored on-the-job experiences relevant to positional responsibilities as essential preparation before a person's independent access to a BSL-4 facility. They also agreed that the BSL-4 laboratory director is the key person most responsible for ensuring that staff members are appropriately prepared for BSL-4 operations. Although standardized certification of training does not formally exist, the directors agreed that facility-specific, time-limited documentation to recognize specific skills and experiences of trained persons is needed.

Sandia National Laboratories Institutional Plan FY1994--1999

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1993-10-01

This report presents a five year plan for the laboratory. This plan takes advantage of the technical strengths of the lab and its staff to address issues of concern to the nation on a scope much broader than Sandia`s original mission, while maintaining the general integrity of the laboratory. The plan proposes initiatives in a number of technologies which overlap the needs of its customers and the strengths of its staff. They include: advanced manufacturing technology; electronics; information and computational technology; transportation energy technology and infrastructure; environmental technology; energy research and technology development; biomedical systems engineering; and post-cold war defensemore » imperatives.« less

Non-Invasive Pneumothorax Detector Final Report CRADA No. TC02110.0

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chang, J. T.; Purcell, R.

This was a collaborative effort between Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC as manager and operator of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and ElectroSonics Medical Inc. (formerly known as BIOMEC, Inc.), to develop a non-invasive pneumothorax detector based upon the micropower impulse radar technology invented at LLNL. Under a Work for Others Subcontract (L-9248), LLNL and ElectroSonics successfully demonstrated the feasibility of a novel device for non-invasive detection of pneumothorax for emergency and long-term monitoring. The device is based on Micropower Impulse Radar (MIR) Ultra Wideband (UWB) technology. Phase I experimental results were promising, showing that a pneumothorax volume even asmore » small as 30 ml was clearly detectable from the MIR signals. Phase I results contributed to the award of a National Institute of Health (NIH) SBIR Phase II grant to support further research and development. The Phase II award led to the establishment of a LLNL/ElectroSonics CRADA related to Case No. TC02045.0. Under the subsequent CRADA, LLNL and ElectroSonics successfully demonstrated the feasibility of the pneumothorax detection in human subject research trials. Under this current CRADA TC02110.0, also referred to as Phase II Type II, the project scope consisted of seven tasks in Project Year 1; five tasks in Project Year 2; and four tasks in Project Year 3. Year 1 tasks were aimed toward the delivery of the pneumothorax detector design package for the pre-production of the miniaturized CompactFlash dockable version of the system. The tasks in Project Years 2 and 3 critically depended upon the accomplishments of Task 1. Since LLNL’s task was to provide subject matter expertise and performance verification, much of the timeline of engagement by the LLNL staff depended upon the overall project milestones as determined by the lead organization ElectroSonics. The scope of efforts were subsequently adjusted accordingly to commensurate with funding

Laboratory issues: use of nutritional biomarkers.

PubMed

Blanck, Heidi Michels; Bowman, Barbara A; Cooper, Gerald R; Myers, Gary L; Miller, Dayton T

2003-03-01

Biomarkers of nutritional status provide alternative measures of dietary intake. Like the error and variation associated with dietary intake measures, the magnitude and impact of both biological (preanalytical) and laboratory (analytical) variability need to be considered when one is using biomarkers. When choosing a biomarker, it is important to understand how it relates to nutritional intake and the specific time frame of exposure it reflects as well as how it is affected by sampling and laboratory procedures. Biological sources of variation that arise from genetic and disease states of an individual affect biomarkers, but they are also affected by nonbiological sources of variation arising from specimen collection and storage, seasonality, time of day, contamination, stability and laboratory quality assurance. When choosing a laboratory for biomarker assessment, researchers should try to make sure random and systematic error is minimized by inclusion of certain techniques such as blinding of laboratory staff to disease status and including external pooled standards to which laboratory staff are blinded. In addition analytic quality control should be ensured by use of internal standards or certified materials over the entire range of possible values to control method accuracy. One must consider the effect of random laboratory error on measurement precision and also understand the method's limit of detection and the laboratory cutpoints. Choosing appropriate cutpoints and reducing error is extremely important in nutritional epidemiology where weak associations are frequent. As part of this review, serum lipids are included as an example of a biomarker whereby collaborative efforts have been put forth to both understand biological sources of variation and standardize laboratory results.

Laboratory Directed Research and Development FY2008 Annual Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kammeraad, J E; Jackson, K J; Sketchley, J A

The Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) Program, authorized by Congress in 1991 and administered by the Institutional Science and Technology Office at Lawrence Livermore, is our primary means for pursuing innovative, long-term, high-risk, and potentially high-payoff research that supports the full spectrum of national security interests encompassed by the missions of the Laboratory, the Department of Energy, and National Nuclear Security Administration. The accomplishments described in this annual report demonstrate the strong alignment of the LDRD portfolio with these missions and contribute to the Laboratory's success in meeting its goals. The LDRD budget of $91.5 million for fiscal yearmore » 2008 sponsored 176 projects. These projects were selected through an extensive peer-review process to ensure the highest scientific quality and mission relevance. Each year, the number of deserving proposals far exceeds the funding available, making the selection a tough one indeed. Our ongoing investments in LDRD have reaped long-term rewards for the Laboratory and the nation. Many Laboratory programs trace their roots to research thrusts that began several years ago under LDRD sponsorship. In addition, many LDRD projects contribute to more than one mission area, leveraging the Laboratory's multidisciplinary team approach to science and technology. Safeguarding the nation from terrorist activity and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction will be an enduring mission of this Laboratory, for which LDRD will continue to play a vital role. The LDRD Program is a success story. Our projects continue to win national recognition for excellence through prestigious awards, papers published in peer-reviewed journals, and patents granted. With its reputation for sponsoring innovative projects, the LDRD Program is also a major vehicle for attracting and retaining the best and the brightest technical staff and for establishing collaborations with universities

Adaptable healing patient room for stroke patients. A staff evaluation.

PubMed

Daemen, E M L; Flinsenberg, I C M; Van Loenen, E J; Cuppen, R P G; Rajae-Joordens, R J E

2014-01-01

This article is part of the focus theme of Methods of Information in Medicine on "Pervasive Intelligent Technologies for Health". This paper addresses the evaluation with hospital staff of an in-patient environment that supports patients, family, nursing staff and medical specialists during the recovery process of neurology patients and especially patients recovering from a stroke. We describe the methods that were used to evaluate the Adaptive Daily Rhythm Atmospheres (ADRA), Artificial Skylight (AS) and Adaptive Stimulus Dosage (ASD) concepts. The goal of this evaluation was to gather qualitative and quantitative feedback from hospital staff about the usefulness, the usability and desirability of the Adaptive Daily Rhythm Atmospheres (ADRA), Artificial Skylight (AS) and Adaptive Stimulus Dosage (ASD) concepts that were implemented as different phases of a novel healing patient room. This paper reports the effects of these concepts with regard to 1) the healing process of the patient and 2) the workflow of the staff. These results are part of a larger R&D project and provide the initial feedback in an iterative user-centered design methodology. After signing informed consents, the group of participants was taken to the laboratory environment where they were introduced to the Adaptive Healing Environment Patient Room and where they could also experience the room. Then, the participants were seated next to the patient bed so they had a similar viewing angle as the patients. The participants received a booklet with questionnaires. The items on this questionnaire addressed the influence on the healing process (i.e., the possible effect the concept/phase has on the healing process of the patient, meaning faster recovery, better sleep and enhanced well-being) and influence on the workflow (i.e., the possible effect of such a concept/phase on the working activities of the staff in the ward). We presented every concept (AS and ASD) and all the phases of ADRA. After every

Framework for Leadership and Training of Biosafety Level 4 Laboratory Workers

PubMed Central

Anderson, Kevin; Bloom, Marshall E.; Estep, James E.; Feldmann, Heinz; Geisbert, Joan B.; Geisbert, Thomas W.; Hensley, Lisa; Holbrook, Michael; Jahrling, Peter B.; Ksiazek, Thomas G.; Korch, George; Patterson, Jean; Skvorak, John P.; Weingartl, Hana

2008-01-01

Construction of several new Biosafety Level 4 (BSL-4) laboratories and expansion of existing operations have created an increased international demand for well-trained staff and facility leaders. Directors of most North American BSL-4 laboratories met and agreed upon a framework for leadership and training of biocontainment research and operations staff. They agreed on essential preparation and training that includes theoretical consideration of biocontainment principles, practical hands-on training, and mentored on-the-job experiences relevant to positional responsibilities as essential preparation before a person’s independent access to a BSL-4 facility. They also agreed that the BSL-4 laboratory director is the key person most responsible for ensuring that staff members are appropriately prepared for BSL-4 operations. Although standardized certification of training does not formally exist, the directors agreed that facility-specific, time-limited documentation to recognize specific skills and experiences of trained persons is needed. PMID:18976549

Appreciating Staff.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rollins, Chris

1998-01-01

Suggests positive ways to deal with camp staff: reduce precamp jitters and first-session doubts, personalize paycheck envelopes, schedule breaks and parties, rotate staff, permit use of facilities, keep in touch off-season, develop an interstaff "buddy" system, post a thank-you board, and celebrate staff accomplishments. Sidebars offer…

USGS Scientific Visualization Laboratory

USGS Publications Warehouse

,

1995-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) Scientific Visualization Laboratory at the National Center in Reston, Va., provides a central facility where USGS employees can use state-of-the-art equipment for projects ranging from presentation graphics preparation to complex visual representations of scientific data. Equipment including color printers, black-and-white and color scanners, film recorders, video equipment, and DOS, Apple Macintosh, and UNIX platforms with software are available for both technical and nontechnical users. The laboratory staff provides assistance and demonstrations in the use of the hardware and software products.

ORNL (Oak Ridge National Laboratory) 89

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Anderson, T.D.; Appleton, B.R.; Jefferson, J.W.

This is the inaugural issues of an annual publication about the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Here you will find a brief overview of ORNL, a sampling of our recent research achievements, and a glimpse of the directions we want to take over the next 15 years. A major purpose of ornl 89 is to provide the staff with a sketch of the character and dynamics of the Laboratory.

A winning formula for new laboratories.

PubMed

Robinson, Tim

2012-11-01

High quality architecture and extensive stakeholder consultations have transformed the delivery of Laboratory Medicine within Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (NHSFT), explains Tim Robinson, senior architect at Race Cottam Associates, the architects on a scheme that has seen laboratory services from across the city consolidated within one modern, spacious, well-lit, and well-equipped building that should provide an extremely positive, 'future-proofed' working environment for staff.

FY2007 Laboratory Directed Research and Development Annual Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Craig, W W; Sketchley, J A; Kotta, P R

The Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) annual report for fiscal year 2007 (FY07) provides a summary of LDRD-funded projects for the fiscal year and consists of two parts: An introduction to the LDRD Program, the LDRD portfolio-management process, program statistics for the year, and highlights of accomplishments for the year. A summary of each project, submitted by the principal investigator. Project summaries include the scope, motivation, goals, relevance to Department of Energy (DOE)/National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) mission areas, the technical progress achieved in FY07, and a list of publications that resulted frommore » the research in FY07. Summaries are organized in sections by research category (in alphabetical order). Within each research category, the projects are listed in order of their LDRD project category: Strategic Initiative (SI), Exploratory Research (ER), Laboratory-Wide Competition (LW), and Feasibility Study (FS). Within each project category, the individual project summaries appear in order of their project tracking code, a unique identifier that consists of three elements. The first is the fiscal year the project began, the second represents the project category, and the third identifies the serial number of the proposal for that fiscal year.« less

Factors influencing biosafety level and LAI among the staff of medical laboratories.

PubMed

Kozajda, Anna; Bródka, Karolina; Szadkowska-Stańczyk, Irena

2013-01-01

The aim of the study was to assess the biological risks of medical laboratory employees with particular focus on laboratory acquired infection (LAI), activities having the greatest risk, accidents with biological material, post exposure procedure, preventive measures and workers' knowledge about biological exposure. The study involved 9 laboratories. A questionnaire survey was attended by 123 employees and 9 heads of these units with the use of two questionnaires for laboratory workers and the managers. 32.5% of the respondents (40 persons) had an accident at least once. Needlestick or a broken glass injury covered 18.7% respondents (23 persons), while splashing the skin, mucous membranes or conjunctivae related to 22.8% (28 persons). Among the employees who had an accident, only 45% of the respondents (18 persons) reported this to the manager. Microbes dominant in the biological material were known only to 57 respondents (46.3%), less than half could correctly give an example of a disease (57 persons, 46.3%). More than half of the respondents admitted that they do not know all of the possible routes of infection while working in the laboratory (68 persons, 55.3%). In the study population, a high incidence of accidents was observed, usually during blood sampling and transfer of biological material. Condition of the workers' equipment with personal protective measures and laboratory facilities in devices to reduce the risk of infection and procedures for handling the potentially infectious material should be considered as insufficient. Lack of basic knowledge of the employees about biohazards at workplaces was shown.

Cost challenges for laboratory medicine automation in Africa.

PubMed

Tanyanyiwa, Donald Moshen

2010-01-01

Automation in laboratory medicine is inevitable and the only way forward especially in Africa where the staff turnover is high due to migration of experienced staff to Europe and America. Described here are the common issues that laboratory Managers and Directors encounter when upgrading, replacing analytical systems as well as daily running of diagnostic laboratories. The rapid advancement driven by the first world where research facilities, resources and expertise are available has seen changes in the both the hardware and software utilised by analyzers every two to three years. The downside is that in the process of replacing/phasing out old analysers, the first world countries in some cases donate them to second and third world countries as refurbished analysers. Problems in obtaining spares ensue since the production of new analysers results in reduced production or even of old spares. Unavailability or delayed availability of spares results in suspension of diagnostic service by the recipient laboratory. In some areas costly modifications to the analysers or the location/building have had to done to suite local (African) conditions, hence the need for Laboratory managers to understand fully the analysers' operational requirements before purchasing or accepting donations.

LLNL Location and Detection Research

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Myers, S C; Harris, D B; Anderson, M L

2003-07-16

We present two LLNL research projects in the topical areas of location and detection. The first project assesses epicenter accuracy using a multiple-event location algorithm, and the second project employs waveform subspace Correlation to detect and identify events at Fennoscandian mines. Accurately located seismic events are the bases of location calibration. A well-characterized set of calibration events enables new Earth model development, empirical calibration, and validation of models. In a recent study, Bondar et al. (2003) develop network coverage criteria for assessing the accuracy of event locations that are determined using single-event, linearized inversion methods. These criteria are conservative andmore » are meant for application to large bulletins where emphasis is on catalog completeness and any given event location may be improved through detailed analysis or application of advanced algorithms. Relative event location techniques are touted as advancements that may improve absolute location accuracy by (1) ensuring an internally consistent dataset, (2) constraining a subset of events to known locations, and (3) taking advantage of station and event correlation structure. Here we present the preliminary phase of this work in which we use Nevada Test Site (NTS) nuclear explosions, with known locations, to test the effect of travel-time model accuracy on relative location accuracy. Like previous studies, we find that the reference velocity-model and relative-location accuracy are highly correlated. We also find that metrics based on travel-time residual of relocated events are not a reliable for assessing either velocity-model or relative-location accuracy. In the topical area of detection, we develop specialized correlation (subspace) detectors for the principal mines surrounding the ARCES station located in the European Arctic. Our objective is to provide efficient screens for explosions occurring in the mines of the Kola Peninsula (Kovdor

Apel - Applied Process Engineering Laboratory

Science.gov Websites

startup and testing Equipment can be quickly connected to building services and effluent systems. A professional, regulated environment for bringing forth new product processes and services. Testing shortens the support Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) scientists, engineers, and other professional staff

Biothreat agents and pathology laboratories.

PubMed

Nelson, Ann; Wilson, Michael L

2007-11-01

Pathologists and laboratory staff are likely to be among the first health care workers to be aware that a potential bioterrorism attack has occurred. To prepare for such an event, it is necessary to be familiar with 1) the characteristics of bioterrorism attacks versus natural disease outbreaks, 2) which pathogens are potential bioterrorism agents; 3) the types of lesions that each causes; 4) the microbiological characteristics of each agent; 5) the Laboratory Response Network and reporting requirements, and 6) what resources are available.

Sub-picosecond streak camera measurements at LLNL: From IR to x-rays

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kuba, J; Shepherd, R; Booth, R

An ultra fast, sub-picosecond resolution streak camera has been recently developed at the LLNL. The camera is a versatile instrument with a wide operating wavelength range. The temporal resolution of up to 300 fs can be achieved, with routine operation at 500 fs. The streak camera has been operated in a wide wavelength range from IR to x-rays up to 2 keV. In this paper we briefly review the main design features that result in the unique properties of the streak camera and present its several scientific applications: (1) Streak camera characterization using a Michelson interferometer in visible range, (2)more » temporally resolved study of a transient x-ray laser at 14.7 nm, which enabled us to vary the x-ray laser pulse duration from {approx}2-6 ps by changing the pump laser parameters, and (3) an example of a time-resolved spectroscopy experiment with the streak camera.« less

Directorate of Management - Special Staff - Joint Staff - Leadership - The

Science.gov Websites

Space Management, Publications Management, Administrative Services, Joint Staff Information Data Systems J-4 J-5 J-6 J-7 J-8 Personal Staff Inspector General Judge Advocate General Officer Management Public Affairs Executive Support Services Legislative Liaison Special Staff Directorate of Management

Laboratory safety aspects of SARS at Biosafety Level 2.

PubMed

Barkham, T M S

2004-03-01

The severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-associated coronavirus causes severe disease, is transmissible to the community and there is no effective prophylaxis or treatment--perhaps fulfilling the criteria for biohazard group 3 or 4. The recommendation to use Biosafety Level (BSL)3 practices within a BSL2 environment appears to have been a practical decision based on available resources; most diagnostic laboratories operate at BSL2. Safety is achieved with controls in administration, engineering and personal protective equipment/behaviour. At the heart of every safety policy is a risk assessment based on the exact manipulations employed. Excessive administrative and engineering controls are less important than the training and personal attitudes, abilities and understanding of the staff. The SARS outbreak focused our attention on the safety aspects of common mundane tasks, such as decapping blood tubes. Laboratories often claim they follow certain practices but casual observation does not always support these claims. Guidelines differed and created uncertainty. This was stressful for laboratory staff held accountable for their implementation. Attempts to categorise risks and their management into neatly wrapped parcels are attractive, but closer inspection reveals a subjective element that allows doubt to creep in with varying interpretations of the literature. Staff most at risk were those handling respiratory samples. Staff receiving samples via pneumatic tubes had least control over their exposure and were potentially exposed to aerosols from leaking samples. Risk assessment remains a balance between cost and benefit.

Graduates | Argonne National Laboratory

Science.gov Websites

Staff Directory Argonne National Laboratory Educational Programs Connecting today's world-class research , Argonne is the place to be if you are a graduate student. With access to world-class facilities and world -reknowned researchers, graduate students at Argonne can taste the best of the research and development world

Fixatives Application for Risk Mitigation Following Contamination with a Biological Agent

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-11-02

PRES-  Gruinard Island 5% formaldehyde  Sverdlosk Release UNKNOWN: but washing, chloramines , soil disposal believed to have been used...507816 Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory LLNL-PRES- 4 Disinfectant >6 Log Reduction on Materials (EPA, 2010a,b; Wood et al., 2011...LL L-PRES-507816 Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory LLNL-PRES-  High disinfectant concentrations increase operational costs and risk

Occupational health hazards of working in the interventional laboratory: a multisite case control study of physicians and allied staff.

PubMed

Orme, Nicholas M; Rihal, Charanjit S; Gulati, Rajiv; Holmes, David R; Lennon, Ryan J; Lewis, Bradley R; McPhail, Ian R; Thielen, Kent R; Pislaru, Sorin V; Sandhu, Gurpreet S; Singh, Mandeep

2015-03-03

The occupational hazards of working in the interventional laboratory have been inadequately studied for physicians and remain unaddressed for nonphysician personnel. This study sought to determine whether the prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal pain, cancer, and other medical conditions is higher among physicians and allied staff who work in interventional laboratories compared with employees who do not. Mayo Clinic employees who work in affiliated hospitals with interventional cardiology or interventional radiology laboratories took an electronic survey. Results were stratified on the basis of self-reported occupational exposure to procedures that involve radiation. There were 1,543 employees (mean age 43 ± 11.3 years, 33% male) who responded to the survey (response rate of 57%), and 1,042 (67.5%) reported being involved with procedures utilizing radiation. These employees reported experiencing work-related pain more often than the control group before (54.7% vs. 44.7%; p < 0.001) and after adjustment for age, sex, body mass index, pre-existing musculoskeletal conditions, years in profession, and job description (odds ratio: 1.67; 95% confidence interval: 1.32 to 2.11; p < 0.001). Musculoskeletal pain varied significantly by job description, with the highest incidence reported by technicians (62%) and nurses (60%) followed by attending physicians (44%) and trainees (19%; p < 0.001). There was no difference in cancer prevalence between groups (9% vs. 9%; p = 0.96). Musculoskeletal pain is more common among healthcare workers who participate in interventional procedures and is highest in nonphysician employees. The diagnosis of cancer in employees who participate in procedures that utilize radiation was not elevated when compared to controls within the same departments, although any conclusion regarding causality is limited by the cross-sectional nature of the study, as well as the low overall prevalence of malignancy in our study group. Copyright �

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratory Nuclear Accident Dosimetry Support of IER 252 and the Dose Characterization of the Flattop Reactor at the DAF

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hickman, D. P.; Jeffers, K. L.; Radev, R. P.

In support of IER 252 “Characterization of the Flattop Reactor at the NCERC”, LLNL performed ROSPEC measurements of the neutron spectrum and deployed 129 Personnel Nuclear Accident Dosimeters (PNAD) to establish the need for height corrections and verification of neutron spectrum evaluation of the fluences and dose. A very limited number of heights (typically only one or two heights) can be measured using neutron spectrometers, therefore it was important to determine if any height correction would be needed in future intercomparisons and studies. Specific measurement positions around the Flatttop reactor are provided in Figure 1. Table 1 provides run andmore » position information for LLNL measurements. The LLNL ROSPEC (R2) was used for run numbers 1 – 7, and vi. PNADs were positioned on trees during run numbers 9, 11, and 13.« less

Physics Laboratory in UEC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takada, Tohru; Nakamura, Jin; Suzuki, Masaru

All the first-year students in the University of Electro-Communications (UEC) take "Basic Physics I", "Basic Physics II" and "Physics Laboratory" as required subjects; Basic Physics I and Basic Physics II are calculus-based physics of mechanics, wave and oscillation, thermal physics and electromagnetics. Physics Laboratory is designed mainly aiming at learning the skill of basic experimental technique and technical writing. Although 95% students have taken physics in the senior high school, they poorly understand it by connecting with experience, and it is difficult to learn Physics Laboratory in the university. For this reason, we introduced two ICT (Information and Communication Technology) systems of Physics Laboratory to support students'learning and staff's teaching. By using quantitative data obtained from the ICT systems, we can easily check understanding of physics contents in students, and can improve physics education.

ISCR FY2005 Annual Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Keyes, D E; McGraw, J R

2006-02-02

Large-scale scientific computation and all of the disciplines that support and help validate it have been placed at the focus of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) by the Advanced Simulation and Computing (ASC) program of the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) and the Scientific Discovery through Advanced Computing (SciDAC) initiative of the Office of Science of the Department of Energy (DOE). The maturation of simulation as a fundamental tool of scientific and engineering research is underscored in the President's Information Technology Advisory Committee (PITAC) June 2005 finding that ''computational science has become critical to scientific leadership, economic competitiveness, and nationalmore » security''. LLNL operates several of the world's most powerful computers--including today's single most powerful--and has undertaken some of the largest and most compute-intensive simulations ever performed, most notably the molecular dynamics simulation that sustained more than 100 Teraflop/s and won the 2005 Gordon Bell Prize. Ultrascale simulation has been identified as one of the highest priorities in DOE's facilities planning for the next two decades. However, computers at architectural extremes are notoriously difficult to use in an efficient manner. Furthermore, each successful terascale simulation only points out the need for much better ways of interacting with the resulting avalanche of data. Advances in scientific computing research have, therefore, never been more vital to the core missions of LLNL than at present. Computational science is evolving so rapidly along every one of its research fronts that to remain on the leading edge, LLNL must engage researchers at many academic centers of excellence. In FY 2005, the Institute for Scientific Computing Research (ISCR) served as one of LLNL's main bridges to the academic community with a program of collaborative subcontracts, visiting faculty, student internships, workshops, and an

ISCR Annual Report: Fical Year 2004

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McGraw, J R

2005-03-03

Large-scale scientific computation and all of the disciplines that support and help to validate it have been placed at the focus of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) by the Advanced Simulation and Computing (ASC) program of the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) and the Scientific Discovery through Advanced Computing (SciDAC) initiative of the Office of Science of the Department of Energy (DOE). The maturation of computational simulation as a tool of scientific and engineering research is underscored in the November 2004 statement of the Secretary of Energy that, ''high performance computing is the backbone of the nation's science and technologymore » enterprise''. LLNL operates several of the world's most powerful computers--including today's single most powerful--and has undertaken some of the largest and most compute-intensive simulations ever performed. Ultrascale simulation has been identified as one of the highest priorities in DOE's facilities planning for the next two decades. However, computers at architectural extremes are notoriously difficult to use efficiently. Furthermore, each successful terascale simulation only points out the need for much better ways of interacting with the resulting avalanche of data. Advances in scientific computing research have, therefore, never been more vital to LLNL's core missions than at present. Computational science is evolving so rapidly along every one of its research fronts that to remain on the leading edge, LLNL must engage researchers at many academic centers of excellence. In Fiscal Year 2004, the Institute for Scientific Computing Research (ISCR) served as one of LLNL's main bridges to the academic community with a program of collaborative subcontracts, visiting faculty, student internships, workshops, and an active seminar series. The ISCR identifies researchers from the academic community for computer science and computational science collaborations with LLNL and hosts them for short

Addressing Transportation Energy and Environmental Impacts: Technical and Policy Research Directions

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1995-08-10

The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) is establishing a local chapter of the University of California Energy Institute (UCEI). In order to most effectively contribute to the Institute, LLNL sponsored a workshop on energy and environmental...

Microcomputer software to facilitate costing in pathology laboratories.

PubMed Central

Stilwell, J A; Woodford, F P

1987-01-01

A software program is described which will enable laboratory managers to calculate, for their laboratory over a 12 month period, the cost of each test or investigation and of components of that cost. These comprise the costs of direct labour, consumables, equipment maintenance and depreciation; allocated costs of intermediate operations--for example, specimen procurement, reception, and data processing; and apportioned indirect costs such as senior staff time as well as external overheads such as telephone charges, rent, and rates. Total annual expenditure on each type of test is also calculated. The principles on which the program is based are discussed. Considered in particular, are the problems of apportioning indirect costs (which are considerable in clinical laboratory work) over different test costs, and the merits of different ways of estimating the amount or fraction of staff members' time spent on each kind of test. The computer program is Crown copyright but is available under licence from one of us (JAS). PMID:3654982

The makeover of the Lakeshore General Hospital laboratories.

PubMed

Estioko-Taimuri, Teresa

2006-01-31

This article describes the expansion and reorganization of a moderate-sized Canadian laboratory from Day One to "Live Day." The key factors to the success of this project were organized planning by the laboratory staff and the introduction of core lab theories, team building, and organized training sessions. The successful makeover resulted in improved turnaround time for STAT tests, especially those coming from the Emergency Unit. The efforts of the laboratory personnel toward the improvement of laboratory services, in spite of budget, human resources constraints, and resistance to change, are addressed.

Biosafety and biosecurity in veterinary laboratories

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Finley, Melissa R.; Astuto-Gribble, Lisa M.; Brass, Van Hildren

Here, with recent outbreaks of MERS-Cov, Anthrax, Nipah, and Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, much emphasis has been placed on rapid identification of infectious agents globally. As a result, laboratories are building capacity, conducting more advanced and sophisticated research, increasing laboratory staff, and establishing collections of dangerous pathogens in an attempt to reduce the impact of infectious disease outbreaks and characterize disease causing agents. With this expansion, the global laboratory community has started to focus on laboratory biosafety and biosecurity to prevent the accidental and/or intent ional release o f these agents. Laboratory biosafety and biosecurity systems are used around themore » world to help mit igate the risks posed by dangerous pathogens in the laboratory. Veterinary laboratories carry unique responsibilities to workers and communities to safely and securely handle disease causing microorganisms. Many microorganisms studied in veterinary laboratories not only infect animals, but also have the potential to infect humans. This paper will discuss the fundamentals of laboratory biosafety and biosecurity.« less

76 FR 38342 - Medicare Program; Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule: Signature on Requisition

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-30

... cases, the physician may keep abreast of the patient's condition by calling the nursing staff. If a patient's condition indicates that a clinical diagnostic laboratory test is required, the nursing staff... signature on the requisition. Another example that occurs in many settings, including nursing homes, all...

Improving quality management systems of laboratories in developing countries: an innovative training approach to accelerate laboratory accreditation.

PubMed

Yao, Katy; McKinney, Barbara; Murphy, Anna; Rotz, Phil; Wafula, Winnie; Sendagire, Hakim; Okui, Scolastica; Nkengasong, John N

2010-09-01

The Strengthening Laboratory Management Toward Accreditation (SLMTA) program was developed to promote immediate, measurable improvement in laboratories of developing countries. The laboratory management framework, a tool that prescribes managerial job tasks, forms the basis of the hands-on, activity-based curriculum. SLMTA is implemented through multiple workshops with intervening site visits to support improvement projects. To evaluate the effectiveness of SLMTA, the laboratory accreditation checklist was developed and subsequently adopted by the World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa (WHO AFRO). The SLMTA program and the implementation model were validated through a pilot in Uganda. SLMTA yielded observable, measurable results in the laboratories and improved patient flow and turnaround time in a laboratory simulation. The laboratory staff members were empowered to improve their own laboratories by using existing resources, communicate with clinicians and hospital administrators, and advocate for system strengthening. The SLMTA program supports laboratories by improving management and building preparedness for accreditation.

Production of High Harmonic X-ray Radiation from Non-linear Thomson Scattering at LLNL PLEIADES

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lim, J; Doyuran, A; Frigola, P

2005-05-17

We describe an experiment for production of high harmonic x-ray radiation from Thomson backscattering of an ultra-short high power density laser by a relativistic electron beam at the PLEIADES facility at LLNL. In this scenario, electrons execute a ''figure-8'' motion under the influence of the high-intensity laser field, where the constant characterizing the field strength is expected to exceed unity: a{sub L} = eE{sub L}/m{sub e}cw{sub L} {ge} 1. With large a{sub L} this motion produces high harmonic x-ray radiation and significant broadening of the spectral peaks. This paper is intended to give a layout of the PLEIADES experiment, alongmore » with progress towards experimental goals.« less

A Report of the Joint Development of a Prototype Communications Link to Share Nuclear Accident Dispersion and Dose Assessment Modeling Products Between JAERI/WSPEEDI and LLNL/NARAC

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sullivan, T J; Belles, R D; Ellis, J S

2001-05-01

In June of 1997, under an umbrella Memorandum of Understanding between the Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute (JAERI) and the U.S. Department of Energy (US/DOE) concerning matters of nuclear research and development, a Specific Memorandum of Agreement (SMA) entitled ''A Collaborative Programme of Development of a Prototype Communication Link to Share Atmospheric Dispersion and Dose Assessment Modelling Products'' was signed. This SMA formalized an informal collaborative exchange between the DOE's Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) Atmospheric Release Advisory Capability (ARAC) center and the Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute (JAERI) Worldwide System for Prediction of Environmental Emergency Dose Information (WSPEEDI). Themore » intended objective of this agreement was to explore various modes of information exchange, beyond facsimile transmission, which could provide for the quick exchange of information between two major nuclear emergency dose assessment and prediction national centers to provide consistency checks and data exchange before public release of their calculations. The extreme sensitivity of the general public to any nuclear accident information has been a strong motivation to seek peer preview prior to public release. Other intended objectives of this work are the development of an affordable/accessible system for distribution of prediction results to other countries having no prediction capabilities and utilization of the link for collaboration studies. To fulfill the objectives of this project JAERI and LLNL scientists determined to assess the evolving Internet and rapidly emerging communications application software. Our timing was a little early in 1997-1998 but nonetheless a few candidate software packages were found, evaluated and a selection was made for initial test and evaluation. Subsequently several new candidate software packages have arrived, albeit with limitations. This report outlines the ARAC and JAERI emergency

Test result communication in primary care: clinical and office staff perspectives.

PubMed

Litchfield, Ian J; Bentham, Louise M; Lilford, Richard J; Greenfield, Sheila M

2014-10-01

To understand how the results of laboratory tests are communicated to patients in primary care and perceptions on how the process may be improved. Qualitative study employing staff focus groups. Four UK primary care practices. Staff involved in the communication of test results. Five main themes emerged from the data: (i) the default method for communicating results differed between practices; (ii) clinical impact of results and patient characteristics such as anxiety level or health literacy influenced methods by which patients received their test result; (iii) which staff member had responsibility for the task was frequently unclear; (iv) barriers to communicating results existed, including there being no system or failsafe in place to determine whether results were returned to a practice or patient; (v) staff envisaged problems with a variety of test result communication methods discussed, including use of modern technologies, such as SMS messaging or online access. Communication of test results is a complex yet core primary care activity necessitating flexibility by both patients and staff. Dealing with the results from increasing numbers of tests is resource intensive and pressure on practice staff can be eased by greater utilization of electronic communication. Current systems appear vulnerable with no routine method of tracing delayed or missing results. Instead, practices only become aware of missing results following queries from patients. The creation of a test communication protocol for dissemination among patients and staff would help ensure both groups are aware of their roles and responsibilities. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press.

Development of Operational Free-Space-Optical (FSO) Laser Communication Systems Final Report CRADA No. TC02093.0

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ruggiero, A.; Orgren, A.

This project was a collaborative effort between Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC (formerly The Regents of the University of California)/Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and LGS Innovations, LLC (formerly Lucent Technologies, Inc.), to develop long-range and mobile operational free-space optical (FSO) laser communication systems for specialized government applications. LLNL and LGS Innovations formerly Lucent Bell Laboratories Government Communications Systems performed this work for a United States Government (USG) Intelligence Work for Others (I-WFO) customer, also referred to as "Government Customer", or "Customer" and "Government Sponsor." The CRADA was a critical and required part of the LLNL technology transfer plan formore » the customer.« less

From grass to grace: How SLMTA revolutionised the Bamenda Regional Hospital Laboratory in Cameroon

PubMed Central

Batumani, Nakeli N.; Maruta, Talkmore; Awasom, Charles N.

2014-01-01

Background Public health laboratories form the foundation on which today’s clinical laboratory practice in Cameroon is built. The advent of the Strengthening Laboratory Management Toward Accreditation (SLMTA) programme in 2009 empowered the Bamenda Regional Hospital Laboratory (BRHL) to improve its working culture, practices and management. Objectives To evaluate the results of SLMTA implementation at BRHL and discuss lessons learned. Method In 2010, the SLMTA programme was rolled out in Cameroon to improve laboratory quality management systems in five laboratories, including BRHL. Three workshops were conducted (the first centralised, the remaining two on-site at each laboratory) and improvement projects were implemented after each workshop with the assistance of mentors. Audits were used in order to evaluate performance and to identify areas for further improvement. Results BRHL had the lowest score (18%) amongst the cohort at the baseline audit and the highest (81%) at the official Stepwise Laboratory Quality Improvement Process Towards Accreditation (SLIPTA) audit conducted in August 2013 by the African Society for Laboratory Medicine. Improvements were observed in each of the 12 Quality System Essentials; improvement was especially noteworthy in the areas of facilities and safety, and purchasing and inventory. Staff investment and pride in the quality of laboratory services increased. Conclusion BRHL’s remarkable improvement was achieved with a combination of SLMTA training activities, intensive on-site mentorship and the collective focus of all laboratory staff. The experience at Bamenda Hospital illustrates what can be achieved when a laboratory successfully harnesses the energy of its staff and implements changes to improve the quality of services in a transformation taking them from grass to grace. PMID:29043186

222-S Laboratory Quality Assurance Plan. Revision 1

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Meznarich, H.K.

1995-07-31

This Quality Assurance Plan provides,quality assurance (QA) guidance, regulatory QA requirements (e.g., 10 CFR 830.120), and quality control (QC) specifications for analytical service. This document follows the U.S Department of Energy (DOE) issued Hanford Analytical Services Quality Assurance Plan (HASQAP). In addition, this document meets the objectives of the Quality Assurance Program provided in the WHC-CM-4-2, Section 2.1. Quality assurance elements required in the Guidelines and Specifications for Preparing Quality Assurance Program Plans (QAMS-004) and Interim Guidelines and Specifications for Preparing Quality Assurance Project Plans (QAMS-005) from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are covered throughout this document. A qualitymore » assurance index is provided in the Appendix A. This document also provides and/or identifies the procedural information that governs laboratory operations. The personnel of the 222-S Laboratory and the Standards Laboratory including managers, analysts, QA/QC staff, auditors, and support staff shall use this document as guidance and instructions for their operational and quality assurance activities. Other organizations that conduct activities described in this document for the 222-S Laboratory shall follow this QA/QC document.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Adams, C.; Arsenlis, T.; Bailey, A.

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Campus Capability Plan for 2018-2028. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) is one of three national laboratories that are part of the National Nuclear Security Administration. LLNL provides critical expertise to strengthen U.S. security through development and application of world-class science and technology that: Ensures the safety, reliability, and performance of the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile; Promotes international nuclear safety and nonproliferation; Reduces global danger from weapons of mass destruction; Supports U.S. leadership in science and technology. Essential to the execution and continued advancement of these mission areas are responsive infrastructure capabilities. This report showcases each LLNLmore » capability area and describes the mission, science, and technology efforts enabled by LLNL infrastructure, as well as future infrastructure plans.« less

Architectural Analysis of a LLNL LWIR Sensor System

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bond, Essex J.; Curry, Jim R.; LaFortune, Kai N.

The architecture of an LLNL airborne imaging and detection system is considered in this report. The purpose of the system is to find the location of substances of interest by detecting their chemical signatures using a long-wave infrared (LWIR) imager with geo-registration capability. The detection system consists of an LWIR imaging spectrometer as well as a network of computer hardware and analysis software for analyzing the images for the features of interest. The system has been in the operations phase now for well over a year, and as such, there is enough use data and feedback from the primary beneficiarymore » to assess the current successes and shortcomings of the LWIR system architecture. LWIR system has been successful in providing reliable data collection and the delivery of a report with results. The weakness of the architecture has been identified in two areas: with the network of computer hardware and software and with the feedback of the state of the system health. Regarding the former, the system computers and software that carry out the data acquisition are too complicated for routine operations and maintenance. With respect to the latter, the primary beneficiary of the instrument’s data does not have enough metrics to use to filter the large quantity of data to determine its utility. In addition to the needs in these two areas, a latent need of one of the stakeholders is identified. This report documents the strengths and weaknesses, as well as proposes a solution for enhancing the architecture that simultaneously addresses the two areas of weakness and leverages them to meet the newly identified latent need.« less

Detailed characterization of the LLNL imaging proton spectrometer

DOE PAGES

Rasmus, A. M.; Hazi, A. U.; Manuel, M. J. -E.; ...

2016-09-01

Here, ultra-intense short pulse lasers incident on solid targets (e.g., several um thick Au foils) produce well collimated, broad-energy-spectrum proton beams. These proton beams can be used to characterize magnetic fields, electric fields (through particle deflection), and density gradients (through collisions) in high energy-density systems. The LLNL-Imaging Proton Spectrometer (L-IPS) was designed and built for use with such laser produced proton beams. The L-IPS has an energy range of 50 keV-40 MeV with a resolving power (E/dE) of about 275 at 1 MeV and 21 at 20 MeV, as well as a single spatial imaging axis. The protons enter themore » diagnostic through a vertical slit, aligned with a magnetic field imposed by permanent magnets. The protons are deflected perpendicular to the magnetic field (and therefor slit), so that spatial information in the direction of the slit is preserved. The extent to which the protons are bent by the magnetic field depends on the energy, so that the energy of the protons can be resolved as well. The protons are then measured by image plates, in which a meta-stable state is excited by collisions with the protons, which can later be imaged by a scanner. In order to better characterize the dispersion and imaging capability of this diagnostic, a 3D finite element analysis solver is used to calculate the magnetic field of the L-IPS. Particle trajectories are then obtained via numerical integration to determine the dispersion relation of the L-IPS in both energy and angular space.« less

Eye dose to staff involved in interventional and procedural fluoroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McLean, D.; Hadaya, D.; Tse, J.

2016-03-01

In 2011 the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) lowered the occupational eye dose limit from 150 to 20 mSv/yr [1]. While international jurisdictions are in a process of adopting these substantial changes, medical physicists at the clinical level have been advising medical colleagues on specific situations based on dose measurements. Commissioned and calibrated TLDs mounted in commercially available holders designed to simulate the measurement of Hp(3), were applied to staff involved in x-ray procedures for a one month period. During this period clinical procedure data was concurrently collected and subject to audit. The use or not of eye personal protective equipment (PPE) was noted for all staff. Audits were conducted in the cardiac catheterisation laboratory, the interventional angiography rooms and the procedural room where endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) procedures are performed. Significant levels of occupational dose were recorded in the cardiac and interventional procedures, with maximum reading exceeding the new limit for some interventional radiologists. No significant eye doses were measured for staff performing ERCP procedures. One outcome of the studies was increased use of eye PPE for operators of interventional equipment with increased availability also to nursing staff, when standing in close proximity to the patient during procedures.

2002 Small Mammal Inventory at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Site 300

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

West, E; Woollett, J

2004-11-16

To assist the University of California in obtaining biological assessment information for the ''2004 Environmental Impact Statement for Continued Operation of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL)'', Jones & Stokes conducted an inventory of small mammals in six major vegetation communities at Site 300. These communities were annual grassland, native grassland, oak savanna, riparian corridor, coastal scrub, and seep/spring wetlands. The principal objective of this study was to assess the diversity and abundance of small mammal species in these communities, as well as the current status of any special-status small mammal species found in these communities. Surveys in the native grasslandmore » community were conducted before and after a controlled fire management burn of the grasslands to qualitatively evaluate any potential effects of fire on small mammals in the area.« less

Demonstration of Regional Discrimination of Eurasian Seismic Events Using Observations at Soviet IRIS and CDSN Stations

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-03-01

Propagation of Lg Waves Across Eastern Europe and Asia, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Report, LLNL Report No. UCRL -52494. Press, F., and M. Ewing...the Nuclear Testing Ground in Eastern Kazakhstan, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Report, LLNL Report No. UCRL -52856. Ruzaikin, A., I. Nersesov...Derring Hall University Park, PA 16802 Blacksburg, VA 24061 Dr. Ralph Alewine, III Dr. Stephen Bratt DARPAftMRO Center for Seismic Studies 3701 North Fairax

Service quality framework for clinical laboratories.

PubMed

Ramessur, Vinaysing; Hurreeram, Dinesh Kumar; Maistry, Kaylasson

2015-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to illustrate a service quality framework that enhances service delivery in clinical laboratories by gauging medical practitioner satisfaction and by providing avenues for continuous improvement. The case study method has been used for conducting the exploratory study, with focus on the Mauritian public clinical laboratory. A structured questionnaire based on the SERVQUAL service quality model was used for data collection, analysis and for the development of the service quality framework. The study confirms the pertinence of the following service quality dimensions within the context of clinical laboratories: tangibility, reliability, responsiveness, turnaround time, technology, test reports, communication and laboratory staff attitude and behaviour. The service quality framework developed, termed LabSERV, is vital for clinical laboratories in the search for improving service delivery to medical practitioners. This is a pioneering work carried out in the clinical laboratory sector in Mauritius. Medical practitioner expectations and perceptions have been simultaneously considered to generate a novel service quality framework for clinical laboratories.

Technical Review Report for the Mound 1KW Package Safety Analysis Report for Packaging Waiver for the Use of Modified Primary Containment Vessel (PCV)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

West, M; Hafner, R

2008-05-05

This Technical Review Report (TRR) documents the review, performed by the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) staff, at the request of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), on the Waiver for the Use of Modified Primary Containment Vessels (PCV). The waiver is to be used to support a limited number of shipments of fuel for the Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (MMRTG) Project in support of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA's) Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) mission. Under the waiver, an inventory of existing national security PCVs will be converted to standard PCVs. Both types of PCVs are currently approvedmore » for use by the Office of Nuclear Energy. LLNL has previously reviewed the national security PCVs under Mound 1KW Package Safety Analysis Report for Packaging, Addendum No. 1, Revision c, dated June 2007 (Addendum 1). The safety analysis of the package is documented in the Safety Analysis Report for Packaging (SARP) for the Mound 1KW Package (i.e., the Mound 1KW SARP, or the SARP) where the standard PCVs have been reviewed by LLNL. The Mound 1KW Package is certified by DOE Certificate of Compliance (CoC) number USA/9516/B(U)F-85 for the transportation of Type B quantities of plutonium heat source material. The waiver requests an exemption, claiming safety equivalent to the requirements specified in 10 CFR 71.12, Specific Exemptions, and will lead to a letter amendment to the CoC. Under the waiver, the Office of Radioisotope Power Systems, NE-34, is seeking an exemption from 10 CFR 71.19(d)(1), Previously Approved Package,[5] which states: '(d) NRC will approve modifications to the design and authorized contents of a Type B package, or a fissile material package, previously approved by NRC, provided--(1) The modifications of a Type B package are not significant with respect to the design, operating characteristics, or safe performance of the containment system, when the package is subjected to the tests

Development of the Global Measles Laboratory Network.

PubMed

Featherstone, David; Brown, David; Sanders, Ray

2003-05-15

The routine reporting of suspected measles cases and laboratory testing of samples from these cases is the backbone of measles surveillance. The Global Measles Laboratory Network (GMLN) has developed standards for laboratory confirmation of measles and provides training resources for staff of network laboratories, reference materials and expertise for the development and quality control of testing procedures, and accurate information for the Measles Mortality Reduction and Regional Elimination Initiative. The GMLN was developed along the lines of the successful Global Polio Laboratory Network, and much of the polio laboratory infrastructure was utilized for measles. The GMLN has developed as countries focus on measles control activities following successful eradication of polio. Currently more than 100 laboratories are part of the global network and follow standardized testing and reporting procedures. A comprehensive laboratory accreditation process will be introduced in 2002 with six quality assurance and performance indicators.

National Water Quality Laboratory - A Profile

USGS Publications Warehouse

Raese, Jon W.

2001-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water Quality Laboratory (NWQL) is a full-service laboratory that specializes in environmental analytical chemistry. The NWQL's primary mission is to support USGS programs requiring environmental analyses that provide consistent methodology for national assessment and trends analysis. The NWQL provides the following: high-quality chemical data; consistent, published, state-of-the-art methodology; extremely low-detection levels; high-volume capability; biological unit for identifying benthic invertebrates; quality assurance for determining long-term water-quality trends; and a professional staff.

Spherical harmonic results for the 3D Kobayashi Benchmark suite

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Brown, P N; Chang, B; Hanebutte, U R

1999-03-02

Spherical harmonic solutions are presented for the Kobayashi benchmark suite. The results were obtained with Ardra, a scalable, parallel neutron transport code developed at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). The calculations were performed on the IBM ASCI Blue-Pacific computer at LLNL.

Environmental Report 1993-1996

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2002-08-16

These reports are prepared for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), as required by DOE Order 5400.1 and DOE Order 231.1, by the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). The results of LLNL's envi...

Investigation of zoonotic infections among Auckland Zoo staff: 1991-2010.

PubMed

Forsyth, M B; Morris, A J; Sinclair, D A; Pritchard, C P

2012-12-01

Investigation was undertaken to assess the occurrence of zoonotic infection among staff at Auckland Zoological Park, New Zealand, in 1991, 2002 and 2010. Serial cross-sectional health surveys in 1991, 2002 and 2010 comprising a health questionnaire, and serological, immunological and microbiological analysis for a range of potential zoonotic infections were performed. Laboratory results for zoo animals were also reviewed for 2004-2010 to assess the occurrence of potential zoonotic infections. Veterinary clinic, animal handler, grounds, maintenance and administrative staff participated in the surveys, with 49, 42 and 46 participants in the 1991, 2002 and 2010 surveys, respectively (29% of total zoo staff in 2010). A small number of staff reported work-related infections, including erysipelas (1), giardiasis (1) and campylobacteriosis (1). The seroprevalence of antibodies to hepatitis A virus and Toxoplasma gondii closely reflected those in the Auckland community. No carriage of hepatitis B virus (HBV) was detected, and most of those with anti-HBV antibodies had been vaccinated. Few staff had serological evidence of past leptospiral infection. Three veterinary clinic staff had raised Chlamydophila psittaci antibodies, all < 1 : 160 indicating past exposure. Two staff (in 1991) had asymptomatic carriage of Giardia lamblia and one person (in 2010) had a dermatophyte infection. After 1991, positive tests indicating exposure to Mycobacterium tuberculosis were < 10%, comparable to the general New Zealand population. Zoo animals had infections with potential zoonotic agents, including G. lamblia, Salmonella spp., Campylobacter spp. and T. gondii, although the occurrence was low. Zoonotic agents pose an occupational risk to zoo workers. While there was evidence of some zoonotic transmission at Auckland Zoo, this was uncommon and risks appear to be adequately managed under current policies and procedures. Nevertheless, ongoing assessment of risk factors is needed as

Energy and Water Conservation Assessment of the Radiochemical Processing Laboratory (RPL) at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Johnson, Stephanie R.; Koehler, Theresa M.; Boyd, Brian K.

2014-05-31

This report summarizes the results of an energy and water conservation assessment of the Radiochemical Processing Laboratory (RPL) at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). The assessment was performed in October 2013 by engineers from the PNNL Building Performance Team with the support of the dedicated RPL staff and several Facilities and Operations (F&O) department engineers. The assessment was completed for the Facilities and Operations (F&O) department at PNNL in support of the requirements within Section 432 of the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) of 2007.

Lumber drying and heat sterilization research at the U.S. Forest Products Laboratory

Treesearch

William T. Simpson

2002-01-01

The Forest Products Laboratory (FPL) has a long history of research and technology transfer in lumber drying. Many of the dry kiln schedules used in industry today were developed by the staff of the Laboratory, and for many years the Laboratory conducted a kiln drying short course for training dry kiln operators. The purpose of this report is to describe the Laboratory...

Environmental Report 2008

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gallegos, G; Bertoldo, N A; Campbell, C G

The purposes of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Environmental Report 2008 are to record Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's (LLNL's) compliance with environmental standards and requirements, describe LLNL's environmental protection and remediation programs, and present the results of environmental monitoring at the two LLNL sites - the Livermore site and Site 300. The report is prepared for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) by LLNL's Environmental Protection Department. Submittal of the report satisfies requirements under DOE Order 231.1A, Environmental Safety and Health Reporting, and DOE Order 5400.5, Radiation Protection of the Public and Environment. The report is distributed electronically and ismore » available at https://saer.lln.gov/, the website for the LLNL annual environmental report. Previous LLNL annual environmental reports beginning in 1994 are also on the website. Some references in the electronic report text are underlined, which indicates that they are clickable links. Clicking on one of these links will open the related document, data workbook, or website that it refers to. The report begins with an executive summary, which provides the purpose of the report and an overview of LLNL's compliance and monitoring results. The first three chapters provide background information: Chapter 1 is an overview of the location, meteorology, and hydrogeology of the two LLNL sites; Chapter 2 is a summary of LLNL's compliance with environmental regulations; and Chapter 3 is a description of LLNL's environmental programs with an emphasis on the Environmental Management System including pollution prevention. The majority of the report covers LLNL's environmental monitoring programs and monitoring data for 2008: effluent and ambient air (Chapter 4); waters, including wastewater, storm water runoff, surface water, rain, and groundwater (Chapter 5); and terrestrial, including soil, sediment, vegetation, foodstuff, ambient radiation, and special

[Fundamentals of quality control systems in medical-biochemical laboratories--the role of marketing].

PubMed

Topić, E; Turek, S

2000-01-01

The basic criterion for the overall quality system in medical biochemistry laboratories concerning equipment, premises and laboratory staff in primary health care (PHC) (Regulations on quality systems and good laboratory practice of the Croatian Medical Biochemists Chamber, 1995, Regulations on categorization of medical biochemistry laboratories of the Croatian Medical Biochemists Chamber, 1996, EC4: Essential criteria for quality systems in medical laboratories. Eur J Clin Chem Clin Biochem 1997 in medical biochemical laboratories included in the First Croatia health project, Primary health care subproject, has been met by the marketing approach to the project. The equipment ensuring implementation of the complete laboratory program (NN/96), more accurate and precise analytical procedures, and higher reliability of laboratory test results compared with previous equipment, has been purchased by an international tender. Uniform technology and methods of analysis have ensured high standards of good laboratory services, yielding test results than can be transferred from primary to secondary health care level. The new equipment has improved organization between central and detached medical biochemistry laboratory units, while the high quality requirement has led to improvement in the staff structure, e.g., medical biochemists have been employed in laboratories that had previously worked without such a professional. Equipment renewal has been accompanied by proper education for all levels of PHC professionals.

Collection and processing of plant, animal and soil samples from Bikini, Enewetak and Rongelap Atolls

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Stuart, M.L.

1995-09-01

The United States used the Marshall Islands for its nuclear weapons program testing site from 1946 to 1958. The BRAVO test was detonated at Bikini Atoll on March 1, 1954. Due to shifting wind conditions at the time of the nuclear detonation, many of the surrounding Atolls became contaminated with fallout (radionuclides carried by the wind currents). Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory`s (LLNL) Marshall Islands Project has been responsible for the collecting, processing, and analyzing of food crops, vegetation, soil, water, animals, and marine species to characterize the radionuclides in the environment, and to estimate dose at atolls that may havemore » been contaminated. Tropical agriculture experiments reducing the uptake of {sup 137}Cs have been conducted on Bikini Atoll. The Marshall Islands field team and laboratory processing team play an important role in the overall scheme of the Marshall Islands Dose Assessment and Radioecology Project. This report gives a general description of the Marshall Islands field sampling and laboratory processing procedures currently used by our staff.« less

An Approach to Industrial Stormwater Benchmarks: Establishing and Using Site-Specific Threshold Criteria at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Campbell, C G; Mathews, S

2006-09-07

Current regulatory schemes use generic or industrial sector specific benchmarks to evaluate the quality of industrial stormwater discharges. While benchmarks can be a useful tool for facility stormwater managers in evaluating the quality stormwater runoff, benchmarks typically do not take into account site-specific conditions, such as: soil chemistry, atmospheric deposition, seasonal changes in water source, and upstream land use. Failing to account for these factors may lead to unnecessary costs to trace a source of natural variation, or potentially missing a significant local water quality problem. Site-specific water quality thresholds, established upon the statistical evaluation of historic data take intomore » account these factors, are a better tool for the direct evaluation of runoff quality, and a more cost-effective trigger to investigate anomalous results. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), a federal facility, established stormwater monitoring programs to comply with the requirements of the industrial stormwater permit and Department of Energy orders, which require the evaluation of the impact of effluent discharges on the environment. LLNL recognized the need to create a tool to evaluate and manage stormwater quality that would allow analysts to identify trends in stormwater quality and recognize anomalous results so that trace-back and corrective actions could be initiated. LLNL created the site-specific water quality threshold tool to better understand the nature of the stormwater influent and effluent, to establish a technical basis for determining when facility operations might be impacting the quality of stormwater discharges, and to provide ''action levels'' to initiate follow-up to analytical results. The threshold criteria were based on a statistical analysis of the historic stormwater monitoring data and a review of relevant water quality objectives.« less

Joint Chiefs of Staff > Leadership

Science.gov Websites

Senior Enlisted Advisor Joint Staff History Joint Staff Inspector General Joint Staff Structure Origin of J8 | Force Structure, Resources & Assessment Contact Joint Staff Structure Joint Staff Organizational Chart Joint Chiefs of Staff Links Home Today in DOD About DOD Top Issues News Photos/Videos

Space Food Systems Laboratory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Perchonok, Michele; Russo, Dane M. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

The Space Food Systems Laboratory (SFSL) is a multipurpose laboratory responsible for space food and package research and development. It is located on-site at Johnson Space Center in Building 17. The facility supports the development of flight food, menus, packaging and food related hardware for Shuttle, International Space Station, and Advanced Life Support food systems. All foods used to support NASA ground tests and/or missions must meet the highest standards before they are 'accepted' for use on actual space flights. The foods are evaluated for nutritional content, sensory acceptability, safety, storage and shelf life, and suitability for use in micro-gravity. The food packaging is also tested to determine its functionality and suitability for use in space. Food Scientist, Registered Dieticians, Packaging Engineers, Food Systems Engineers, and Technicians staff the Space Food Systems Laboratory.

National Ignition Facility, High-Energy-Density and Inertial Confinement Fusion, Peer-Review Panel (PRP) Final Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Keane, C. J.

2014-01-28

The National Ignition Facility (NIF) at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) is operated as a National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) user facility in accordance with Department of Energy (DOE) best practices, including peer-reviewed experiments, regular external reviews of performance, and the use of a management structure that facilitates user and stakeholder feedback. NIF facility time is managed using processes similar to those in other DOE science facilities and is tailored to meet the mix of missions and customers that NIF supports. The NIF Governance Plan describes the process for allocating facility time on NIF and for creating the shot schedule.more » It also includes the flow of responsibility from entity to entity. The plan works to ensure that NIF meets its mission goals using the principles of scientific peer review, including transparency and cooperation among the sponsor, the NIF staff, and the various user communities. The NIF Governance Plan, dated September 28, 2012, was accepted and signed by LLNL Director Parney Albright, NIF Director Ed Moses, and Don Cook and Thomas D’Agostino of NNSA. Figure 1 shows the organizational structure for NIF Governance.« less

Establishing a China malaria diagnosis reference laboratory network for malaria elimination.

PubMed

Yin, Jian-hai; Yan, He; Huang, Fang; Li, Mei; Xiao, Hui-hui; Zhou, Shui-sen; Xia, Zhi-gui

2015-01-28

In China, the prevalence of malaria has reduced dramatically due to the elimination programme. The continued success of the programme will depend upon the accurate diagnosis of the disease in the laboratory. The basic requirements for this are a reliable malaria diagnosis laboratory network and quality management system to support case verification and source tracking. The baseline information of provincial malaria laboratories in the China malaria diagnosis reference laboratory network was collected and analysed, and a quality-assurance activity was carried out to assess their accuracies in malaria diagnosis by microscopy using WHO standards and PCR. By the end of 2013, nineteen of 24 provincial laboratories have been included in the network. In the study, a total of 168 staff were registered and there was no bias in their age, gender, education level, and position. Generally Plasmodium species were identified with great accuracy by microscopy and PCR. However, Plasmodium ovale was likely to be misdiagnosed as Plasmodium vivax by microscopy. China has established a laboratory network for primary malaria diagnosis which will cover a larger area. Currently, Plasmodium species can be identified fairly accurately by microscopy and PCR. However, laboratory staff need additional trainings on accurate identification of P. ovale microscopically and good performance of PCR operations.

International Safeguards Technology and Policy Education and Training Pilot Programs

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dreicer, M; Anzelon, G A; Essner, J T

2009-06-16

A major focus of the National Nuclear Security Administration-led Next Generation Safeguards Initiative (NGSI) is the development of human capital to meet present and future challenges to the safeguards regime. An effective university-level education in safeguards and related disciplines is an essential element in a layered strategy to rebuild the safeguards human resource capacity. NNSA launched two pilot programs in 2008 to develop university level courses and internships in association with James, Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies (CNS) at the Monterey Institute of International Studies (MIIS) and Texas A&M University (TAMU). These pilot efforts involved 44 students in total andmore » were closely linked to hands-on internships at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). The Safeguards and Nuclear Material Management pilot program was a collaboration between TAMU, LANL, and LLNL. The LANL-based coursework was shared with the students undertaking internships at LLNL via video teleconferencing. A weeklong hands-on exercise was also conducted at LANL. A second pilot effort, the International Nuclear Safeguards Policy and Information Analysis pilot program was implemented at MIIS in cooperation with LLNL. Speakers from MIIS, LLNL, and other U.S. national laboratories (LANL, BNL) delivered lectures for the audience of 16 students. The majority of students were senior classmen or new master's degree graduates from MIIS specializing in nonproliferation policy studies. The two pilots programs concluded with an NGSI Summer Student Symposium, held at LLNL, where 20 students participated in LLNL facility tours and poster sessions. The value of bringing together the students from the technical and policy pilots was notable and will factor into the planning for the continued refinement of the two programs in the coming years.« less

Automated System for Aneuploidy Detection in Sperm Final Report CRADA No. TC-1364-96: Phase I SBIR

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wyrobek, A. J.; Dunlay, R. T.

This project was a relationship between Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and Biological Detection, Inc. (now known as Cellomics, Inc.) It was funded as a Phase I SBIR from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) awarded to Cellomics, Inc. with a subcontract to LLNL.

Los Alamos and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories Code-to-Code Comparison of Inter Lab Test Problem 1 for Asteroid Impact Hazard Mitigation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Weaver, Robert P.; Miller, Paul; Howley, Kirsten

The NNSA Laboratories have entered into an interagency collaboration with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to explore strategies for prevention of Earth impacts by asteroids. Assessment of such strategies relies upon use of sophisticated multi-physics simulation codes. This document describes the task of verifying and cross-validating, between Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), modeling capabilities and methods to be employed as part of the NNSA-NASA collaboration. The approach has been to develop a set of test problems and then to compare and contrast results obtained by use of a suite of codes, includingmore » MCNP, RAGE, Mercury, Ares, and Spheral. This document provides a short description of the codes, an overview of the idealized test problems, and discussion of the results for deflection by kinetic impactors and stand-off nuclear explosions.« less

Preservice laboratory education strengthening enhances sustainable laboratory workforce in Ethiopia

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background There is a severe healthcare workforce shortage in sub Saharan Africa, which threatens achieving the Millennium Development Goals and attaining an AIDS-free generation. The strength of a healthcare system depends on the skills, competencies, values and availability of its workforce. A well-trained and competent laboratory technologist ensures accurate and reliable results for use in prevention, diagnosis, care and treatment of diseases. Methods An assessment of existing preservice education of five medical laboratory schools, followed by remedial intervention and monitoring was conducted. The remedial interventions included 1) standardizing curriculum and implementation; 2) training faculty staff on pedagogical methods and quality management systems; 3) providing teaching materials; and 4) procuring equipment for teaching laboratories to provide practical skills to complement didactic education. Results A total of 2,230 undergraduate students from the five universities benefitted from the standardized curriculum. University of Gondar accounted for 252 of 2,230 (11.3%) of the students, Addis Ababa University for 663 (29.7%), Jimma University for 649 (29.1%), Haramaya University for 429 (19.2%) and Hawassa University for 237 (10.6%) of the students. Together the universities graduated 388 and 312 laboratory technologists in 2010/2011 and 2011/2012 academic year, respectively. Practical hands-on training and experience with well-equipped laboratories enhanced and ensured skilled, confident and competent laboratory technologists upon graduation. Conclusions Strengthening preservice laboratory education is feasible in resource-limited settings, and emphasizing its merits (ample local capacity, country ownership and sustainability) provides a valuable source of competent laboratory technologists to relieve an overstretched healthcare system. PMID:24164781

Prepare, Do, Review: A skills-based approach for laboratory practical classes in biochemistry and molecular biology.

PubMed

Arthur, Peter; Ludwig, Martha; Castelli, Joane; Kirkwood, Paul; Attwood, Paul

2016-05-06

A new laboratory practical system is described which is comprised of a number of laboratory practical modules, each based around a particular technique or set of techniques, related to the theory part of the course but not designed to be dependent on it. Each module comprises an online recorded pre-lab lecture, the laboratory practical itself and a post-lab session in which students make oral presentations on different aspects of the practical. Each part of the module is assessed with the aim of providing rapid feedback to staff and students. Each laboratory practical is the responsibility of a single staff member and through this "ownership," continual review and updating is promoted. Examples of changes made by staff to modules as a result of student feedback are detailed. A survey of students who had experienced both the old-style laboratory course and the new one provided evidence of increased satisfaction with the new program. The assessment of acquired shills in the new program showed that it was much more effective than the old course. © 2016 by The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 44:276-287, 2016. © 2016 The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

[Cooperations between biology laboratories of the establishments of healthcare].

PubMed

Burnat, Pascal; Payen, Catherine; Mérens, Audrey; Ceppa, Franck; Renard, Christophe

2013-01-01

In France, the cooperations between biological laboratories of the healthcare establishments increased after those realized in the private laboratories. The biologists are confronted with various hypotheses of organization. They are often complex because they may preserve the quality of the care and their continuity while realizing financial economies. These economies are mostly based on the global reduction in the staff and in the equipments by mutualising the biological tests with varying degrees. We describe the various elements to be taken into account (staff, activities, budget, quality, transport, materials) and propose many scenarios of cooperations, from a unique central shape to the transfer of very specialized tests, with their advantages and their inconveniences. The management of human aspects in these cooperations is determining to facilitate their success as well as a reliable preliminary inventory of fixtures.

New Brunswick Laboratory progress report, October 1994--September 1995

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

The mission of the New Brunswick Laboratory (NBL) of the A. S. Department of Energy (DOE) is to serve as the National Certifying Authority for nuclear reference materials and to provide an independent Federal technical staff and laboratory resource performing nuclear material measurement, safeguards, and non-proliferation functions in support of multiple program sponsors. This annual report describes accomplishments achieved in carrying out NBL`s assigned missions.

Behavioral Emergency Response Team: Implementation Improves Patient Safety, Staff Safety, and Staff Collaboration.

PubMed

Zicko, Cdr Jennifer M; Schroeder, Lcdr Rebecca A; Byers, Cdr William S; Taylor, Lt Adam M; Spence, Cdr Dennis L

2017-10-01

Staff members working on our nonmental health (non-MH) units (i.e., medical-surgical [MS] units) were not educated in recognizing or deescalating behavioral emergencies. Published evidence suggests a behavioral emergency response team (BERT) composed of MH experts who assist with deescalating behavioral emergencies may be beneficial in these situations. Therefore, we sought to implement a BERT on the inpatient non-MH units at our military treatment facility. The objectives of this evidence-based practice process improvement project were to determine how implementation of a BERT affects staff and patient safety and to examine nursing staffs' level of knowledge, confidence, and support in caring for psychiatric patients and patients exhibiting behavioral emergencies. A BERT was piloted on one MS unit for 5 months and expanded to two additional units for 3 months. Pre- and postimplementation staff surveys were conducted, and the number of staff assaults and injuries, restraint usage, and security intervention were compared. The BERT responded to 17 behavioral emergencies. The number of assaults decreased from 10 (pre) to 1 (post); security intervention decreased from 14 to 1; and restraint use decreased from 8 to 1. MS staffs' level of BERT knowledge and rating of support between MH staff and their staff significantly increased. Both MS and MH nurses rated the BERT as supportive and effective. A BERT can assist with deescalating behavioral emergencies, and improve staff collaboration and patient and staff safety. © 2017 Sigma Theta Tau International.

Educational Revolution on the Reservation: A Working Model.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murphy, Pete

1993-01-01

Since 1986, Navajo Community College (NCC) and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) have collaborated to improve science and technical education on the Navajo Reservation through equipment loans, faculty exchanges, summer student work at LLNL, scholarships for NCC students, summer workshops for elementary science teachers, and classroom…

Inconsistent identification of pit bull-type dogs by shelter staff.

PubMed

Olson, K R; Levy, J K; Norby, B; Crandall, M M; Broadhurst, J E; Jacks, S; Barton, R C; Zimmerman, M S

2015-11-01

Shelter staff and veterinarians routinely make subjective dog breed identification based on appearance, but their accuracy regarding pit bull-type breeds is unknown. The purpose of this study was to measure agreement among shelter staff in assigning pit bull-type breed designations to shelter dogs and to compare breed assignments with DNA breed signatures. In this prospective cross-sectional study, four staff members at each of four different shelters recorded their suspected breed(s) for 30 dogs; there was a total of 16 breed assessors and 120 dogs. The terms American pit bull terrier, American Staffordshire terrier, Staffordshire bull terrier, pit bull, and their mixes were included in the study definition of 'pit bull-type breeds.' Using visual identification only, the median inter-observer agreements and kappa values in pair-wise comparisons of each of the staff breed assignments for pit bull-type breed vs. not pit bull-type breed ranged from 76% to 83% and from 0.44 to 0.52 (moderate agreement), respectively. Whole blood was submitted to a commercial DNA testing laboratory for breed identification. Whereas DNA breed signatures identified only 25 dogs (21%) as pit bull-type, shelter staff collectively identified 62 (52%) dogs as pit bull-type. Agreement between visual and DNA-based breed assignments varied among individuals, with sensitivity for pit bull-type identification ranging from 33% to 75% and specificity ranging from 52% to 100%. The median kappa value for inter-observer agreement with DNA results at each shelter ranged from 0.1 to 0.48 (poor to moderate). Lack of consistency among shelter staff indicated that visual identification of pit bull-type dogs was unreliable. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Malignant melanoma slide review project: Patients from non-Kaiser hospitals in the San Francisco Bay Area. Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Reynolds, P.

This project was initiated, in response to concerns that the observed excess of malignant melanoma among employees of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) might reflect the incidence of disease diagnostically different than that observed in the general population. LLNL sponsored a slide review project, inviting leading dermatopathology experts to independently evaluate pathology slides from LLNL employees diagnosed with melanoma and those from a matched sample of Bay Area melanoma patients who did not work at the LLNL. The study objectives were to: Identify all 1969--1984 newly diagnosed cases of malignant melanoma among LLNL employees resident in the San Francisco-Oakland Metropolitanmore » Statistical Area, and diagnosed at facilities other than Kaiser Permanente; identify a comparison series of melanoma cases also diagnosed between 1969--1984 in non-Kaiser facilities, and matched as closely as possible to the LLNL case series by gender, race, age at diagnosis, year of diagnosis, and hospital of diagnosis; obtain pathology slides for the identified (LLNL) case and (non-LLNL) comparison patients for review by the LLNL-invited panel of dermatopathology experts; and to compare the pathologic characteristics of the case and comparison melanoma patients, as recorded by the dermatopathology panel.« less

32 CFR 270.5 - Staff.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 32 National Defense 2 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Staff. 270.5 Section 270.5 National Defense... Staff. (a) The Commission will have a support staff, which will include staff members sufficient to expeditiously and efficiently process the applications for payments under this part. All members of the staff...

32 CFR 270.5 - Staff.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 32 National Defense 2 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Staff. 270.5 Section 270.5 National Defense... Staff. (a) The Commission will have a support staff, which will include staff members sufficient to expeditiously and efficiently process the applications for payments under this part. All members of the staff...

32 CFR 270.5 - Staff.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 32 National Defense 2 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Staff. 270.5 Section 270.5 National Defense... Staff. (a) The Commission will have a support staff, which will include staff members sufficient to expeditiously and efficiently process the applications for payments under this part. All members of the staff...

32 CFR 270.5 - Staff.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 32 National Defense 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Staff. 270.5 Section 270.5 National Defense... Staff. (a) The Commission will have a support staff, which will include staff members sufficient to expeditiously and efficiently process the applications for payments under this part. All members of the staff...

32 CFR 270.5 - Staff.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 32 National Defense 2 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Staff. 270.5 Section 270.5 National Defense... Staff. (a) The Commission will have a support staff, which will include staff members sufficient to expeditiously and efficiently process the applications for payments under this part. All members of the staff...

Staff Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Purcell, Larry O.

Staff development programs and activities are common methods of stimulating change in the behavior of educators. These programs may be designed for a number of purposes, including (1) problem-solving within the local school or district; (2) remediation to develop work-related skills; (3) motivation to change and improve staff; and (4) development…

Demonstration of Laser Plasma X-Ray Source with X-Ray Collimator Final Report CRADA No. TC-1564-99

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lane, S. M.; Forber, R. A.

2017-09-28

This collaborative effort between the University of California, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and JMAR Research, Inc. (JRI), was to demonstrate that LLNL x-ray collimators can effectively increase the wafer throughput of JRI's laser based x-ray lithography systems. The technical objectives were expected to be achieved by completion of the following tasks, which are separated into two task lists by funding source. The organization (LLNL or JMAR) having primary responsibility is given parenthetically for each task.

Laboratory accidents--a matter of attitude.

PubMed

Karim, N; Choe, C K

2000-12-01

This is a prospective study on accidents occurring in the Pathology laboratories of Hospital Ipoh over the 3-year period from January 1996 to October 1999. 15 mishaps were recorded. The location of the accidents were the histology (40%), microbiology (33%), haematology (20%) and cytology (7%) laboratories. No mishaps were reported from the clinical chemistry, blood bank and outpatient laboratories. Cuts by sharp objects were the most common injuries sustained (47%) followed by splashes and squirts by fluid such as blood or chemicals (27%). There was 1 case each of contact with biohazardous fluid, burn, allergy and accidental drinking of disinfectant. 67% of the accidents involved medical laboratory technicians, 20% involved attendants and the rest were medical officers and the junior laboratory technicians. Although the accidents reported appeared trivial, it is vital to document them and bring them to the attention of all concerned in the laboratory, in order to prevent major accidents and also because of medico-legal implications. The role of the Laboratory Safety Committee cannot be overemphasised. Modification of staff attitude is considered an important remedial goal.

LDRD Highlights at the National Laboratories

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Alayat, R. A.

2016-10-10

To meet the nation’s critical challenges, the Department of Energy (DOE) national laboratories have always pushed the boundaries of science, technology, and engineering. The Atomic Energy Act of 1954 provided the basis for these laboratories to engage in the cutting edge of science and technology and respond to technological surprises, while retaining the best scientific and technological minds. To help re-energize this commitment, in 1991 the U.S. Congress authorized the national laboratories to devote a relatively small percentage of their budget to creative and innovative work that serves to maintain their vitality in disciplines relevant to DOE missions. Since then,more » this effort has been formally called the Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) Program. LDRD has been an essential mechanism to enable the laboratories to address DOE’s current and future missions with leading-edge research proposed independently by laboratory technical staff, evaluated through expert peer-review committees, and funded by the individual laboratories consistent with the authorizing legislation and the DOE LDRD Order 413.2C.« less

Joint Chiefs of Staff > Media

Science.gov Websites

Senior Enlisted Advisor Joint Staff History Joint Staff Inspector General Joint Staff Structure Origin of J8 | Force Structure, Resources & Assessment Contact Joint Staff Media News Videos Chairman's

The laboratory workforce shortage: a managerial perspective.

PubMed

Cortelyou-Ward, Kendall; Ramirez, Bernardo; Rotarius, Timothy

2011-01-01

Most clinical laboratories in the nation report severe difficulties in recruitment and retention of most types of personnel. Other important factors impacting this problem include work complexities, increased automation, and a graying workforce. As a further challenge, institutional needs for clinical laboratory personnel are expected to grow significantly in the next decade. This article examines the current situation of the clinical laboratory workforce. It analyzes the different types of personnel; the managerial, supervision, and line positions that are key for different types of laboratories; the job outlook and recent projections for different types of staff; and the current issues, trends, and challenges of the laboratory workforce. Laboratory managers need to take action with strategies suggested for overcoming these challenges. Most importantly, they need to become transformational leaders by developing effective staffing models, fostering healthy and productive work environments, and creating value with a strategic management culture and implementation of knowledge management.

Staff Caricatures

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Templeton, Kristine

2010-01-01

This article describes how the author brings staff and students together through an art project that deals with caricatures. The author started with a lesson on caricature, and she made a PowerPoint presentation showcasing the work of Al Hirschfeld. Using photos of the staff, students created portraits and hung them in a main hallway after school.…

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Murray, Robert C.

Following the January 1980 earthquake that was felt at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), a network of strong-motion accelerographs was installed at LLNL. Prior to the 1980 earthquake, there were no accelerographs installed. The ground motion from the 1980 earthquake was estimated from USGS instruments around the Laboratory to be between 0.2 – 0.3 g horizontal peak ground acceleration. These instruments were located at the Veterans Hospital, 5 miles southwest of LLNL, and in San Ramon, about 12 miles west of LLNL. In 2011, the Department of Energy (DOE) requested to know the status of our seismic instruments. We conductedmore » a survey of our instrumentation systems and responded to DOE in a letter. During this survey, it was found that the recorders in Buildings 111 and 332 were not operational. The instruments on Nova had been removed, and only three of the 10 NIF instruments installed in 2005 were operational (two were damaged and five had been removed from operation at the request of the program). After the survey, it was clear that the site seismic instrumentation had degraded substantially and would benefit from an overhaul and more attention to ongoing maintenance. LLNL management decided to update the LLNL seismic instrumentation system. The updated system is documented in this report.« less

2004 Environmental Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Althouse, P E; Bertoldo, N A; Brown, R A

2005-09-28

The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) annual Environmental Report, prepared for the Department of Energy (DOE) and made available to the public, presents summary environmental data that characterizes site environmental management performance, summarizes environmental occurrences and responses reported during the calendar year, confirms compliance with environmental standards and requirements, and highlights significant programs and efforts. By explaining the results of effluent and environmental monitoring, mentioning environmental performance indicators and performance measure programs, and assessing the impact of Laboratory operations on the environment and the public, the report also demonstrates LLNL's continuing commitment to minimize any potentially adverse impact of itsmore » operations. The combination of environmental and effluent monitoring, source characterization, and dose assessment showed that radiological doses to the public caused by LLNL operations in 2004 were less than 0.26% of regulatory standards and more than 11,000 times smaller than dose from natural background. Analytical results and evaluations generally showed continuing low levels of most contaminants; remediation efforts further reduced the concentrations of contaminants of concern in groundwater and soil vapor. In addition, LLNL's extensive environmental compliance activities related to water, air, endangered species, waste, wastewater, and waste reduction controlled or reduced LLNL's effects on the environment. LLNL's environmental program clearly demonstrates a commitment to protecting the environment from operational impacts.« less

Laboratory Directed Research and Development FY-10 Annual Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dena Tomchak

2011-03-01

The FY 2010 Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) Annual Report is a compendium of the diverse research performed to develop and ensure the INL's technical capabilities can support the future DOE missions and national research priorities. LDRD is essential to the INL -- it provides a means for the laboratory to pursue novel scientific and engineering research in areas that are deemed too basic or risky for programmatic investments. This research enhances technical capabilities at the laboratory, providing scientific and engineering staff with opportunities for skill building and partnership development.

Calibration of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Passive-Active Neutron Drum Shuffler for Measurement of Highly Enriched Uranium in Oxides within DOE-STD-3013-2000 Containers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mount, M E; O'Connell, W J

2005-06-03

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) uses the LLNL passive-active neutron drum (PAN) shuffler (Canberra Model JCC-92) for accountability measurement of highly enriched uranium (HEU) oxide and HEU in mixed uranium-plutonium (U-Pu) oxide. In June 2002, at the 43rd Annual Meeting of the Institute of Nuclear Material Management, LLNL reported on an extensive effort to calibrate this shuffler, based on standards measurements and extensive simulations, for HEU oxides and mixed U-Pu oxides in thin-walled primary and secondary containers. In August 2002, LLNL began to also use DOE-STD-3013-2000 containers for HEU oxide and mixed U-Pu oxide. These DOE-STD-3013-2000 containers are comprised ofmore » a stainless steel convenience can enclosed in welded stainless steel primary and secondary containers. Compared to the double thin-walled containers, the DOE-STD-3013-2000 containers have substantially thicker walls, and the density of materials in these containers was found to extend over a greater range (1.35 g/cm{sup 3} to 4.62 g/cm{sup 3}) than foreseen for the double thin-walled containers. Further, the DOE-STD-3013-2000 Standard allows for oxides containing at least 30 wt% Pu plus U whereas the calibration algorithms for thin-walled containers were derived for virtually pure HEU or mixed U-Pu oxides. An initial series of Monte Carlo simulations of the PAN shuffler response to given quantities of HEU oxide and mixed U-Pu oxide in DOE-STD-3013-2000 containers was generated and compared with the response predicted by the calibration algorithms for thin-walled containers. Results showed a decrease on the order of 10% in the count rate, and hence a decrease in the calculated U mass for measured unknowns, with some varying trends versus U mass. Therefore a decision was made to develop a calibration algorithm for the PAN shuffler unique to the DOE-STD-3013-2000 container. This paper describes that effort and selected unknown item measurement results.« less

Computer Simulations Improve University Instructional Laboratories1

PubMed Central

2004-01-01

Laboratory classes are commonplace and essential in biology departments but can sometimes be cumbersome, unreliable, and a drain on time and resources. As university intakes increase, pressure on budgets and staff time can often lead to reduction in practical class provision. Frequently, the ability to use laboratory equipment, mix solutions, and manipulate test animals are essential learning outcomes, and “wet” laboratory classes are thus appropriate. In others, however, interpretation and manipulation of the data are the primary learning outcomes, and here, computer-based simulations can provide a cheaper, easier, and less time- and labor-intensive alternative. We report the evaluation of two computer-based simulations of practical exercises: the first in chromosome analysis, the second in bioinformatics. Simulations can provide significant time savings to students (by a factor of four in our first case study) without affecting learning, as measured by performance in assessment. Moreover, under certain circumstances, performance can be improved by the use of simulations (by 7% in our second case study). We concluded that the introduction of these simulations can significantly enhance student learning where consideration of the learning outcomes indicates that it might be appropriate. In addition, they can offer significant benefits to teaching staff. PMID:15592599

Joint Chiefs of Staff > Directorates > J2 | Joint Staff Intelligence

Science.gov Websites

on Facebook on Flickr Joint Chiefs► Army Chief of Staff Marine Corps Commandant Chief of Naval Operations Air Force Chief of Staff Chief of National Guard Bureau Biographies Directorates Directorates of

Mozambique's journey toward accreditation of the National Tuberculosis Reference Laboratory.

PubMed

Viegas, Sofia O; Azam, Khalide; Madeira, Carla; Aguiar, Carmen; Dolores, Carolina; Mandlaze, Ana P; Chongo, Patrina; Masamha, Jessina; Cirillo, Daniela M; Jani, Ilesh V; Gudo, Eduardo S

2017-01-01

Internationally-accredited laboratories are recognised for their superior test reliability, operational performance, quality management and competence. In a bid to meet international quality standards, the Mozambique National Institute of Health enrolled the National Tuberculosis Reference Laboratory (NTRL) in a continuous quality improvement process towards ISO 15189 accreditation. Here, we describe the road map taken by the NTRL to achieve international accreditation. The NTRL adopted the Strengthening Laboratory Management Toward Accreditation (SLMTA) programme as a strategy to implement a quality management system. After SLMTA, the Mozambique National Institute of Health committed to accelerate the NTRL's process toward accreditation. An action plan was designed to streamline the process. Quality indicators were defined to benchmark progress. Staff were trained to improve performance. Mentorship from an experienced assessor was provided. Fulfilment of accreditation standards was assessed by the Portuguese Accreditation Board. Of the eight laboratories participating in SLMTA, the NTRL was the best-performing laboratory, achieving a 53.6% improvement over the SLMTA baseline conducted in February 2011 to the Stepwise Laboratory Quality Improvement Process Towards Accreditation (SLIPTA) assessment in June 2013. During the accreditation assessment in September 2014, 25 minor nonconformities were identified and addressed. In March 2015, the NTRL received Portuguese Accreditation Board recognition of technical competency for fluorescence smear microscopy, and solid and liquid culture. The NTRL is the first laboratory in Mozambique to achieve ISO 15189 accreditation. From our experience, accreditation was made possible by institutional commitment, strong laboratory leadership, staff motivation, adequate infrastructure and a comprehensive action plan.

Audit to assess the quality of communication between operators and technicians in a fixed prosthodontic laboratory: educational and training implications.

PubMed

Dickie, J; Shearer, A C; Ricketts, D N J

2014-02-01

This audit aimed to assess the quality of communication between dental students/qualified dentists and dental technicians, increase the percentage of satisfactorily completed laboratory prescriptions and reduce the number of errors that can result from poor communication. A subsidiary aim was to educate students and staff in this respect. An audit of laboratory prescription completion was conducted within Dundee Dental Hospital. Four hundred and eighteen prescriptions for indirect fixed restorations completed by dental undergraduates and qualified staff were audited over a three month period (first audit cycle). Educational reminders on laboratory prescriptions were then provided to undergraduates and qualified staff, a further three hundred and twenty-two prescriptions were audited (second audit cycle) and compared with the first cycle. Satisfactorily completed prescriptions increased from 28% to 43% following basic educational intervention. However, this percentage still signifies a poor level of completion and the need for improvement. Some aspects of the prescription were completed better than others, but overall the standard remained poor with a significant number failing to comply with guidelines set by the UK General Dental Council, the European Union's Medical Devices Directive and the British Society for Restorative Dentistry (BSRD). Further undergraduate and staff training on laboratory prescription writing will be necessary through staff training events and developments in the undergraduate curriculum. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Staff Development Program Evaluation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ashur, Nina E.; And Others

An evaluation of the staff development program at College of the Canyons (California) was conducted in 1991 to provide information applicable to program improvement. Questionnaires were distributed to all faculty, classified staff, and flexible calendar program committee and staff development advisory committee members, resulting in response rates…

Productivity of Veterans Health Administration laboratories: a College of American Pathologists Laboratory Management Index Program (LMIP) study.

PubMed

Valenstein, Paul N; Wang, Edward; O'Donohue, Tom

2003-12-01

The Veterans Health Administration (VA) operates the largest integrated laboratory network in the United States. To assess whether the unique characteristics of VA laboratories impact efficiency of operations, we compared the productivity of VA and non-VA facilities. Financial and activity data were prospectively collected from 124 VA and 131 non-VA laboratories enrolled in the College of American Pathologists Laboratory Management Index Program (LMIP) during 2002. In addition, secular trends in 5 productivity ratios were calculated for VA and non-VA laboratories enrolled in LMIP from 1997 through 2002. Veterans Health Administration and non-VA facilities did not differ significantly in size. Inpatients accounted for a lower percentage of testing at VA facilities than non-VA facilities (21.7% vs 37.3%; P <.001). Technical staff at the median VA facility were paid more than at non-VA facilities (28.11/h dollars vs 22.60/h dollars, salaries plus benefits; P <.001), VA laboratories employed a smaller percentage of nontechnical staff (30.0% vs 41.9%; P <.001), and workers at VA laboratories worked less time per hour paid (85.5% vs 88.5%; P <.001). However, labor productivity was significantly higher at VA than at non-VA facilities (30 448 test results/total full-time equivalent (FTE)/y vs 19 260 results/total FTE; P <.001), resulting in lower labor expense per on-site test at VA sites than at non-VA sites (1.79 dollars/result vs 2.08 dollars/result; P <.001). Veterans Health Administration laboratories paid less per test for consumables (P =.003), depreciation, and maintenance than their non-VA counterparts (all P <.001), resulting in lower overall cost per on-site test result (2.64 dollars vs 3.40 dollars; P <.001). Cost per referred (sent-out) test did not differ significantly between the 2 groups. Analysis of 6-year trends showed significant increases in both VA (P <.001) and non-VA (P =.02) labor productivity (on-site tests/total FTE). Expenses at VA laboratories

Lean management and medical laboratory: application in transfusionnal immuno-hematology.

PubMed

Thibert, Jean-Baptiste; Le Vacon, Françoise; Danic, Bruno

2017-10-01

Despite a common use in industrial applications, only a few studies describe the lean management methods in medical laboratory. These tools have been evaluated in analysis laboratory of blood donors, especially in immuno-hematology sector. The aim was to optimize the organization and maintain team cohesion and strong staff involvement in a restructuring context. The tools used and the results obtained are presented in this study.

Seroprevalence of measles, mumps, rubella and varicella among staff of a hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Abbas, Moustafa; Atwa, Mona; Emara, Amany

2007-01-01

This study aimed at screening immune status of Health Care Workers (HCWs) against measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella, and assessing the reliability of the history of previous illness due to these infections or vaccination against them as an indicator of the immune status, as checked by laboratory tests. Demographic data, history of previous illnesses and previous vaccinations were collected using a self-administered questionnaire. Also, serologic screening was done for these infections. Antibodies tested using ELISA. Among tested hospital staff, 71.8%, 60.3%, 47.9% and 68.4% reported history of infection or vaccination against measles, mumps, rubella and varicella respectively, while laboratory results proved that 4.5%, 10.8%, 12.9% and 11.3% were susceptible respectively. Susceptibility was most frequent among housekeeping staff against measles and varicella, while administrative staff were the most susceptibles to mumps, and nurses were the most susceptibles to rubella. Sensitivity of past history of illness as an indicator of the immune status, was found to be (85%, 83%, 66%, 86%); Specificity was (81%, 81%, 89%, 87%); Positive Predictive value (PV) was (99%, 98%, 98%, 98%) and Negative PV was (16%, 29%, 22%, 39%) for measles, mumps, rubella and varicella respectively. Screening for measles, mumps, rubella and varicella among hospital staff is mandatory to detect those who are susceptible for infections and should be vaccinated, and so preventing transmission of these infections to their colleagues or patients.

Bootstrapping Methods Applied for Simulating Laboratory Works

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Prodan, Augustin; Campean, Remus

2005-01-01

Purpose: The aim of this work is to implement bootstrapping methods into software tools, based on Java. Design/methodology/approach: This paper presents a category of software e-tools aimed at simulating laboratory works and experiments. Findings: Both students and teaching staff use traditional statistical methods to infer the truth from sample…

Managing laboratory automation in a changing pharmaceutical industry

PubMed Central

Rutherford, Michael L.

1995-01-01

The health care reform movement in the USA and increased requirements by regulatory agencies continue to have a major impact on the pharmaceutical industry and the laboratory. Laboratory management is expected to improve effciency by providing more analytical results at a lower cost, increasing customer service, reducing cycle time, while ensuring accurate results and more effective use of their staff. To achieve these expectations, many laboratories are using robotics and automated work stations. Establishing automated systems presents many challenges for laboratory management, including project and hardware selection, budget justification, implementation, validation, training, and support. To address these management challenges, the rationale for project selection and implementation, the obstacles encountered, project outcome, and learning points for several automated systems recently implemented in the Quality Control Laboratories at Eli Lilly are presented. PMID:18925014

The Impact of Staff Turnover and Staff Density on Treatment Quality in a Psychiatric Clinic

PubMed Central

Brandt, Wolfram A.; Bielitz, Christoph J.; Georgi, Alexander

2016-01-01

Intuition suggests that improving stability of the health workforce brings benefits to staff, the organization and, most importantly, the patients. Unfortunately, there is limited research available to support this, and how health workforce stability can contribute to reduced costs and better treatment outcomes. To help to rectify this situation, we investigated the effects of staff turnover and staff density (staff members per patient) on the treatment outcome of inpatients in a psychiatric clinic. Our data come from the standard assessment of 1429 patients who sought treatment in our clinic from January 2011 to August 2013. Correlation analysis shows no significant effect of raw staff turnover (the total number of psychiatrists, physicians and psychologists starting or quitting work per month) on treatment quality. However, we do find two significant beneficial effects: first, a higher staff consistency (time without staff turnover) and second, a higher staff density lead to an improvement of treatment quality. Our findings underline the dire need for an extended effort to achieve optimal staff retention, both to improve patient’s outcomes and to reduce health expenses. PMID:27065925

Summer Staff Salaries Studied.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henderson, Karla; And Others

1988-01-01

Reports 1987 camp staff salaries, based on survey of 500 randomly selected camps. Analyzes average weekly and seasonal salaries according to staff position and number of camps with position. Staff salaries are consistent nationally with private independent camps paying higher salaries for some positions than agency or church camps. (CS)

Improving laboratory data entry quality using Six Sigma.

PubMed

Elbireer, Ali; Le Chasseur, Julie; Jackson, Brooks

2013-01-01

The Uganda Makerere University provides clinical laboratory support to over 70 clients in Uganda. With increased volume, manual data entry errors have steadily increased, prompting laboratory managers to employ the Six Sigma method to evaluate and reduce their problems. The purpose of this paper is to describe how laboratory data entry quality was improved by using Six Sigma. The Six Sigma Quality Improvement (QI) project team followed a sequence of steps, starting with defining project goals, measuring data entry errors to assess current performance, analyzing data and determining data-entry error root causes. Finally the team implemented changes and control measures to address the root causes and to maintain improvements. Establishing the Six Sigma project required considerable resources and maintaining the gains requires additional personnel time and dedicated resources. After initiating the Six Sigma project, there was a 60.5 percent reduction in data entry errors from 423 errors a month (i.e. 4.34 Six Sigma) in the first month, down to an average 166 errors/month (i.e. 4.65 Six Sigma) over 12 months. The team estimated the average cost of identifying and fixing a data entry error to be $16.25 per error. Thus, reducing errors by an average of 257 errors per month over one year has saved the laboratory an estimated $50,115 a year. The Six Sigma QI project provides a replicable framework for Ugandan laboratory staff and other resource-limited organizations to promote quality environment. Laboratory staff can deliver excellent care at a lower cost, by applying QI principles. This innovative QI method of reducing data entry errors in medical laboratories may improve the clinical workflow processes and make cost savings across the health care continuum.

[AT THE CROSSROADS: THE ROLE OF LABORATORY MEDICINE IN THE PATIENT CARE PROCESS].

PubMed

Geffen, Yuval; Zaidise, Itzhak

2017-06-01

In recent decades, the laboratory medicine profession has undergone significant changes due to both technological developments and economic constraints. Technological innovations support automation, provide faster and more accurate equipment, and allow increased efficiency through the use of commercial test kits. These changes, combined with budgetary constraints, have led to mergers and centralization of medical laboratories to optimize work and cut costs. While this centralization may be a business necessity, it leads to a disconnection between the laboratory and the clinical context. In addition, laboratory tests are treated as a commodity, which places emphasis on price only, rather than quality. In this article, we review the developments and changes that medical laboratories and the laboratory medicine profession have undergone in recent decades. We focus on technological and structural challenges affecting the functioning of medical laboratories and the relations between laboratory workers and medical teams. We then introduce vocational education changes required for the laboratory medicine profession. We propose defining the role of medical laboratory directors in terms of their basic training as medical doctors or doctors of science. We suggest that laboratory employees should become a reliable source of information regarding selection of appropriate test methods, processing data and presenting the results to the medical staff. Laboratory workers must deepen their clinical knowledge and become an integral part of the patient care process, along with medical and nursing staff. Special training programs for medical laboratory workers and directors must be developed in order to match the complex activities currently being conducted in laboratories.

Staff Association Handbook, 1974-75.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Montgomery Coll. Staff Association, Takoma Park, MD.

This handbook provides a list of Staff Senate and Committee members of the Staff Association of Montgomery College, a copy of the bylaws of the association, and sections of the college's "Policies and Procedures Manual" that affect staff employees. These sections of the manual pertain to: Administrative and Staff Communication;…

Energy and technology review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, K. C.

1991-04-01

This issue of Energy and Technology Review discusses the various educational programs in which Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) participates or sponsors. LLNL has a long history of fostering educational programs for students from kindergarten through graduate school. A goal is to enhance the teaching of science, mathematics, and technology and thereby assist educational institutions to increase the pool of scientists, engineers, and technicians. LLNL programs described include: (1) contributions to the improvement of U.S. science education; (2) the LESSON program; (3) collaborations with Bay Area Science and Technology Education; (4) project HOPES; (5) lasers and fusion energy education; (6) a curriculum on global climate change; (7) computer and technology instruction at LLNL's Science Education Center; (8) the National Education Supercomputer Program; (9) project STAR; (10) the American Indian Program; (11) LLNL programs with historically Black colleges and Universities; (12) the Undergraduate Summer Institute on Contemporary Topics in Applied Science; (13) the National Physical Science Consortium: A Fellowship Program for Minorities and Women; (14) LLNL's participation with AWU; (15) the apprenticeship programs at LLNL; and (16) the future of LLNL's educational programs. An appendix lists all of LLNL's educational programs and activities. Contacts and their respective telephone numbers are given for all these programs and activities.

Remote Access Laboratories in Australia and Europe

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ku, H.; Ahfock, T.; Yusaf, T.

2011-01-01

Remote access laboratories (RALs) were first developed in 1994 in Australia and Switzerland. The main purposes of developing them are to enable students to do their experiments at their own pace, time and locations and to enable students and teaching staff to get access to facilities beyond their institutions. Currently, most of the experiments…

Factors Influencing Laboratory Information System Effectiveness Through Strategic Planning in Shiraz Teaching Hospitals.

PubMed

Bahador, Fateme; Sharifian, Roxana; Farhadi, Payam; Jafari, Abdosaleh; Nematolahi, Mohtram; Shokrpour, Nasrin

This study aimed to develop and test a research model that examined 7effective factors on the effectiveness of laboratory information system (LIS) through strategic planning. This research was carried out on total laboratory staff, information technology staff, and laboratory managers in Shiraz (a city in the south of Iran) teaching hospitals by structural equation modeling approach in 2015. The results revealed that there was no significant positive relationship between decisions based on cost-benefit analysis and LIS functionality with LIS effectiveness, but there was a significant positive relationship between other factors and LIS effectiveness. As expected, high levels of strategic information system planning result in increasing LIS effectiveness. The results also showed that the relationship between cost-benefit analysis, LIS functionality, end-user involvement, and information technology-business alignment with strategic information system planning was significant and positive.

Creating a sustainable culture of quality through the SLMTA programme in a district hospital laboratory in Kenya.

PubMed

Maruti, Phidelis M; Mulianga, Ekesa A; Wambani, Lorna N; Wafula, Melda N; Mambo, Fidelis A; Mutisya, Shadrack M; Wakaria, Eric N; Mbati, Erick M; Amayo, Angela A; Majani, Jonathan M; Nyary, Bryan; Songwe, Kilian A

2014-01-01

Bungoma District Hospital Laboratory (BDHL), which supports a 200-bed referral facility, began its Strengthening Laboratory Management Toward Accreditation (SLMTA) journey in 2011 together with eight other laboratories in the second round of SLMTA rollout in Kenya. To describe how the SLMTA programme and enhanced quality interventions changed the culture and management style at BDHL and instilled a quality system designed to sustain progress for years to come. SLMTA implementation followed the standard three-workshop series, mentorship site visits and audits. In order to build sustainability of progress, BDHL integrated quality improvement processes into its daily operations. The lab undertook a process of changing its internal culture to align all hospital stakeholders - including upper management, clinicians, laboratory staff and maintenance staff - to the mission of sustainable quality practices at BDHL. After 16 months in the SLMTA programme, BDHL improved from zero stars (38%) to four stars (89%). Over a period of two to three years, external quality assessment results improved from 47% to 87%; staff punctuality increased from 49% to 82%; clinician complaints decreased from 83% to 16; rejection rates decreased from 12% to 3%; and annual equipment repairs decreased from 40 to 15. Twelve months later the laboratory scored three stars (81%) in an external surveillance audit conducted by Kenya Accreditation Service (KENAS). Management buy-in, staff participation, use of progress-monitoring tools and feedback systems, as well as incorporation of improvement processes into routine daily activities, were vital in developing and sustaining a culture of quality improvement.

Research Staff | Wind | NREL

Science.gov Websites

Research Staff Research Staff Learn more about the expertise and technical skills of the wind power research team and staff at NREL. Name Position Email Phone Anstedt, Sheri Professional III-Writer/Editor /Web Content Sheri.Anstedt@nrel.gov 303-275-3255 Baker, Donald Research Technician V-Electrical

Staff Perceptions of External versus Internal Teaching and Staff Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clark, Rohan G.; And Others

1984-01-01

A survey of University of New England academic staff was conducted to determine their perceptions of external teaching as part of a larger study to ascertain staff attitudes toward their effectiveness as teachers. Responses related to demands, enjoyment, and benefits of external and internal teaching, and student characteristics are discussed.…

Analytical Chemistry Laboratory Progress Report for FY 1994

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Green, D.W.; Boparai, A.S.; Bowers, D.L.

The purpose of this report is to summarize the activities of the Analytical Chemistry Laboratory (ACL) at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) for Fiscal Year (FY) 1994 (October 1993 through September 1994). This annual report is the eleventh for the ACL and describes continuing effort on projects, work on new projects, and contributions of the ACL staff to various programs at ANL. The Analytical Chemistry Laboratory is a full-cost-recovery service center, with the primary mission of providing a broad range of analytical chemistry support services to the scientific and engineering programs at ANL. The ACL also has a research program inmore » analytical chemistry, conducts instrumental and methods development, and provides analytical services for governmental, educational, and industrial organizations. The ACL handles a wide range of analytical problems. Some routine or standard analyses are done, but it is common for the Argonne programs to generate unique problems that require significant development of methods and adaption of techniques to obtain useful analytical data. The ACL has four technical groups -- Chemical Analysis, Instrumental Analysis, Organic Analysis, and Environmental Analysis -- which together include about 45 technical staff members. Talents and interests of staff members cross the group lines, as do many projects within the ACL. The Chemical Analysis Group uses wet- chemical and instrumental methods for elemental, compositional, and isotopic determinations in solid, liquid, and gaseous samples and provides specialized analytical services. Major instruments in this group include an ion chromatograph (IC), an inductively coupled plasma/atomic emission spectrometer (ICP/AES), spectrophotometers, mass spectrometers (including gas-analysis and thermal-ionization mass spectrometers), emission spectrographs, autotitrators, sulfur and carbon determinators, and a kinetic phosphorescence uranium analyzer.« less

LLNL demonstration of liquid gun propellant destruction in a 0.1 gallon per minute scale reactor

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cena, R.J.; Thorsness, C.B.; Coburn, T.T.

1994-06-01

The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) has built and operated a pilot plant for processing oil shale using recirculating hot solids. This pilot plant, was adapted in 1993 to demonstrate the feasibility of decomposing a liquid gun propellant (LGP), LP XM46, a mixture of 76% HAN (NH{sub 3}OHNO{sub 3}) and 24% TEAN (HOCH{sub 2}CH{sub 2}){sub 3} NHNO{sub 3} diluted 1:3 in water. In the Livermore process, the LPG is thermally treated in a moving packed bed of ceramic spheres, where TEAN and HAN decompose, forming a suite of gases including: methane, carbon monoxide, oxygen, nitrogen oxides, ammonia and molecular nitrogen.more » The ceramic spheres are circulated and heated, providing the energy required for thermal decomposition. The authors performed an extended one day (8 hour) test of the solids recirculation system, with continuous injection of approximately 0.1 gal/min of LGP, diluted 1:3 in water, for a period of eight hours. The apparatus operated smoothly over the course of the eight hour run during which 144 kg of solution was processed, containing 36 kg of LGP. Continuous on-line gas analysis was invaluable in tracking the progress of the experiment and quantifying the decomposition products. The reactor was operated in two modes, a {open_quotes}Pyrolysis{close_quotes} mode, where decomposition products were removed from the moving bed reactor exit, passing through condensers to a flare, and in a {open_quotes}Combustion{close_quotes} mode, where the products were oxidized in air lift pipe prior to exiting the system. In the {open_quotes}Pyrolysis{close_quotes} mode, driver gases were recycled producing a small, concentrated stream of decomposition products. In the {open_quotes}Combustion mode{close_quotes}, the driver gases were not recycled, resulting in 40 times higher gas flow rates and correspondingly lower concentrations of nitrogen bearing gases.« less

The Pathology Laboratory Act 2007 explained.

PubMed

Looi, Lai-Meng

2008-06-01

The past century has seen tremendous changes in the scope and practice of pathology laboratories in tandem with the development of the medical services in Malaysia. Major progress was made in the areas of training and specialization of pathologists and laboratory technical staff. Today the pathology laboratory services have entered the International arena, and are propelled along the wave of globalization. Many new challenges have emerged as have new players in the field. Landmark developments over the past decade include the establishment of national quality assurance programmes, the mushrooming of private pathology laboratories, the establishment of a National Accreditation Standard for medical testing laboratories based on ISO 15189, and the passing of the Pathology Laboratory Act in Parliament in mid-2007. The Pathology Laboratory Act 2007 seeks to ensure that the pathology laboratory is accountable to the public, meets required standards of practice, participates in Quality Assurance programmes, is run by qualified staff, complies with safety requirements and is subject to continuous audit. The Act is applicable to all private laboratories (stand alone or hospital) and laboratories in statutory bodies (Universities, foundations). It is not applicable to public laboratories (established and operated by the government) and side-room laboratories established in clinics of registered medical or dental practitioners for their own patients (tests as in the First and Second Schedules respectively). Tests of the Third Schedule (home test blood glucose, urine glucose, urine pregnancy test) are also exempted. The Act has 13 Parts and provides for control of the pathology laboratory through approval (to establish and maintain) and licensing (to operate or provide). The approval or license may only be issued to a sole proprietor, partnership or body corporate, and then only if the entity includes a registered medical practitioner. Details of personnel qualifications and

Applying Science and Technology to Combat WMD Terrorism

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wuest, C R; Werne, R W; Colston, B W

2006-05-04

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) is developing and fielding advanced strategies that dramatically improve the nation's capabilities to prevent, prepare for, detect, and respond to terrorist use of chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive (CBRNE) weapons. The science, technology, and integrated systems we provide are informed by and developed with key partners and end users. LLNL's long-standing role as one of the two principle U.S. nuclear weapons design laboratories has led to significant resident expertise for health effects of exposure to radiation, radiation detection technologies, characterization of radioisotopes, and assessment and response capabilities for terrorist nuclear weapons use. This papermore » provides brief overviews of a number of technologies developed at LLNL that are being used to address national security needs to confront the growing threats of CBRNE terrorism.« less

Applying science and technology to combat WMD terrorism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wuest, Craig R.; Werne, Roger W.; Colston, Billy W.; Hartmann-Siantar, Christine L.

2006-05-01

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) is developing and fielding advanced strategies that dramatically improve the nation's capabilities to prevent, prepare for, detect, and respond to terrorist use of chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive (CBRNE) weapons. The science, technology, and integrated systems we provide are informed by and developed with key partners and end users. LLNL's long-standing role as one of the two principle U.S. nuclear weapons design laboratories has led to significant resident expertise for health effects of exposure to radiation, radiation detection technologies, characterization of radioisotopes, and assessment and response capabilities for terrorist nuclear weapons use. This paper provides brief overviews of a number of technologies developed at LLNL that are being used to address national security needs to confront the growing threats of CBRNE terrorism.

Site Safety Plan for Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory CERCLA investigations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bainer, R.; Duarte, J.

1993-07-01

The safety policy of LLNL is to take every reasonable precaution in the performance of work to protect the environment and the health and safety of employees and the public, and to prevent property damage. With respect to hazardous agents, this protection is provided by limiting human exposures, releases to the environment, and contamination of property to levels that are as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA). It is the intent of this Plan to supply the broad outline for completing environmental investigations within ALARA guidelines. It may not be possible to determine actual working conditions in advance of the work;more » therefore, planning must allow the opportunity to provide a range of protection based upon actual working conditions. Requirements will be the least restrictive possible for a given set of circumstances, such that work can be completed in an efficient and timely fashion. Due to the relatively large size of the LLNL Site and the different types of activities underway, site-specific Operational Safety Procedures (OSPs) will be prepared to supplement activities not covered by this Plan. These site-specific OSPs provide the detailed information for each specific activity and act as an addendum to this Plan, which provides the general plan for LLNL Main Site operation.« less

Gas Atomization Equipment Statement of Work and Specification for Engineering design, Fabrication, Testing, and Installation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Boutaleb, T.; Pluschkell, T. P.

The Gas Atomization Equipment will be used to fabricate metallic powder suitable for Powder Bed Fusion additive Manufacturing material to support Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) research and development. The project will modernize our capabilities to develop spherical reactive, refractory, and radioactive powders in the 10-75 μm diameter size range at LLNL.

Mozambique’s journey toward accreditation of the National Tuberculosis Reference Laboratory

PubMed Central

Madeira, Carla; Aguiar, Carmen; Dolores, Carolina; Mandlaze, Ana P.; Chongo, Patrina; Masamha, Jessina

2017-01-01

Background Internationally-accredited laboratories are recognised for their superior test reliability, operational performance, quality management and competence. In a bid to meet international quality standards, the Mozambique National Institute of Health enrolled the National Tuberculosis Reference Laboratory (NTRL) in a continuous quality improvement process towards ISO 15189 accreditation. Here, we describe the road map taken by the NTRL to achieve international accreditation. Methods The NTRL adopted the Strengthening Laboratory Management Toward Accreditation (SLMTA) programme as a strategy to implement a quality management system. After SLMTA, the Mozambique National Institute of Health committed to accelerate the NTRL’s process toward accreditation. An action plan was designed to streamline the process. Quality indicators were defined to benchmark progress. Staff were trained to improve performance. Mentorship from an experienced assessor was provided. Fulfilment of accreditation standards was assessed by the Portuguese Accreditation Board. Results Of the eight laboratories participating in SLMTA, the NTRL was the best-performing laboratory, achieving a 53.6% improvement over the SLMTA baseline conducted in February 2011 to the Stepwise Laboratory Quality Improvement Process Towards Accreditation (SLIPTA) assessment in June 2013. During the accreditation assessment in September 2014, 25 minor nonconformities were identified and addressed. In March 2015, the NTRL received Portuguese Accreditation Board recognition of technical competency for fluorescence smear microscopy, and solid and liquid culture. The NTRL is the first laboratory in Mozambique to achieve ISO 15189 accreditation. Conclusions From our experience, accreditation was made possible by institutional commitment, strong laboratory leadership, staff motivation, adequate infrastructure and a comprehensive action plan. PMID:28879162

A study of 6S workplace improvement in Ergonomic Laboratory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sari, AD; Suryoputro, MR; Rahmillah, FI

2017-12-01

This article discusses 6S implementation in Ergonomic Laboratory, Department of Industrial Engineering, Islamic University of Indonesia. This research is improvement project of 5S implementation in Ergonomic laboratory. Referring to the 5S implementation of the previous year, there have been improvements from environmental conditions or a more organized workplace however there is still a lack of safety aspects. There are several safeties problems such as equipment arrangement, potential hazards of room dividers that cause injury several times, placement of fire extinguisher, no evacuation path and assembly point in case of fire, as well as expired hydrant condition and lack of awareness of stakeholders related to safety. Therefore, this study aims to apply the 6S kaizen method to the Ergonomic laboratory to facilitate the work process, reduce waste, improve work safety and improve staff performance. Based on the score 6S assessment increased audit results by 32 points, before implementation is 75 point while after implementation is 107 point. This has implications for better use for mitigate people in laboratory area, save time when looking for tools and materials, safe workplace, as well as improving the culture and spirit of ‘6S’ on staff due to better and safetier working environment.

Infections in British clinical laboratories, 1986-87.

PubMed

Grist, N R; Emslie, J A

1989-07-01

During 1986-87 this continuing survey showed 15 specific infections in the staff of 235 laboratories, representing 28,524 person years of exposure. The community was the probable source of four of the five cases of tuberculosis and one of the five cases of salmonellosis. Occupational exposure was the probable cause of four infections by Shigella flexneri, three by Salmonella typhimurium, and one by S typhi, all affecting medical laboratory scientific officers (MLSOs) in microbiology. Occupational exposure was also the probable cause of one case of tuberculosis in a mortuary technician and one of probable non-A, non-B hepatitis in a medical laboratory scientific officer haematology worker. The overall incidence of reported infections was 52.6/100,000 person years (35/100,000 for infections of probable occupational origin). The highest rates of laboratory acquired infections related to MLSO microbiology workers and mortuary technicians. No additional infections were seen as a result of extending the survey to forensic laboratories.

Medical Center Staff Attitudes about Spanking

PubMed Central

Gershoff, Elizabeth T.; Font, Sarah A.; Taylor, Catherine A.; Foster, Rebecca H.; Garza, Ann Budzak; Olson-Dorff, Denyse; Terreros, Amy; Nielsen-Parker, Monica; Spector, Lisa

2016-01-01

Several medical professional organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, recommend that parents avoid hitting children for disciplinary purposes (e.g., spanking) and that medical professionals advise parents to use alternative methods. The extent to which medical professionals continue to endorse spanking is unknown. This study is the first to examine attitudes about spanking among staff throughout medical settings, including non-direct care staff. A total of 2,580 staff at a large general medical center and 733 staff at a children’s hospital completed an online survey; respondents were roughly divided between staff who provide direct care to patients (e.g., physicians, nurses) and staff who do not (e.g., receptionists, lab technicians). Less than half (44% and 46%) of staff at each medical center agreed that spanking is harmful to children, although almost all (85% and 88%) acknowledged that spanking can lead to injury. Men, staff who report being religious, and staff who held non-direct care positions at the medical center reported stronger endorsement of spanking and perceived their co-workers to be more strongly in favor of spanking. Non-direct care staff were more supportive of spanking compared with direct care staff on every item assessed. All staff underestimated the extent to which their co-workers held negative views of spanking. If medical centers and other medical settings are to lead the charge in informing the community about the harms of spanking, comprehensive staff education about spanking is indicated. PMID:27744218

75 FR 68364 - Guidance for Industry and Food and Drug Administration Staff; Class II Special Controls Guidance...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-05

... European Protocol for the Quality Control of the Physical and Technical Aspects of Mammography Screening... entitled ``Physical Laboratory Testing, Breast Compression System'' to follow the Mammography Quality...] Guidance for Industry and Food and Drug Administration Staff; Class II Special Controls Guidance Document...

Federal Labs and Research Centers Benefiting California: 2017 Impact Report for State Leaders.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Koning, Patricia Brady

Sandia National Laboratories is the largest of the Department of Energy national laboratories with more than 13,000 staff spread across its two main campuses in New Mexico and California. For more than 60 years, the Sandia National Laboratories campus in Livermore, California has delivered cutting-edge science and technology solutions to resolve the nation’s most challenging and complex problems. As a multidisciplinary laboratory, Sandia draws from virtually every science and engineering discipline to address challenges in energy, homeland security, cybersecurity, climate, and biosecurity. Today, collaboration is vital to ensuring that the Lab stays at the forefront of science and technology innovation.more » Partnerships with industry, state, and local governments, and California universities help drive innovation and economic growth in the region. Sandia contributed to California’s regional and statewide economy with more than $145 million in contracts to California companies, $92 million of which goes to California small businesses. In addition, Sandia engages the community directly by running robust STEM education programs for local schools and administering community giving programs. Meanwhile, investments like the Livermore Valley Open Campus (LVOC), an innovation hub supported by LLNL and Sandia, help catalyze the local economy.« less

Development of Plastic Substrate Technology for Active Matrix Liquid Crystal Displays Final Report CRADA No. TC-761-93

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Carey, P.; Kamath, H.

Raychem Corporation (RYC) and the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) conducted a development program with the goal to make rugged, low-cost., high-resolution flat panel displays based on RYC's proprietary Nematic Curvilinear Aligned Phase (NCAP) liquid crystal and LLNL's patented processes for the formation and doping of polycrystalline silicon on low-temperature, flexible, plastic substrates.

LINC Modeling of August 19, 2004 Queen City Barrel Company Fire In Cincinnati, OH

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dillon, M B; Nasstrom, J S; Baskett, R L

This report details the information received, assumptions made, actions taken, and products delivered by the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) during the August 19, 2004 fire at the Queen City Barrel Company (QCB) in Cincinnati, OH. During the course of the event, LLNL provided four sets of plume model products to various Cincinnati emergency response organizations.

The Next Linear Collider Program

Science.gov Websites

Navbar Other Address Books: Laboratory Phone/Email Web Directory SLAC SLAC Phonebook Entire SLAC Web FNAL Telephone Directory Fermilab Search LLNL Phone Book LLNL Web Servers LBNL Directory Services Web Search: A-Z Index KEK E-mail Database Research Projects NLC Website Search: Entire SLAC Web | Help

Conceptual design of new metrology laboratories for the National Physical Laboratory, United Kingdom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manning, Christopher J.

1994-10-01

The National Physical Laboratory is planning to house the Division of Mechanical and Optical Metrology and the Division of Material Metrology in a new purpose built laboratory building on its site at Teddington, London, England. The scientific staff were involved in identifying and agreeing the vibration performance requirements of the conceptual design. This was complemented by an extensive surgery of vibration levels within the existing facilities and ambient vibration studies at the proposed site. At one end of the site there is significant vibration input from road traffic. Some of the test equipment is also in itself a source of vibration input. These factors, together with normal occupancy inputs, footfalls and door slams, and a highly serviced building led to vibration being dominant in influencing the structural form. The resulting structural concept comprises three separate structural elements for vibration and geotechnical reasons. The laboratories most sensitive to disturbance by vibration are located at the end of the site farthest from local roads on a massive ground bearing slab. Less sensitive laboratories and those containing vibration sources are located on a massive slab in deep, piled foundations. A common central plant area is located alongside on its own massive slab. Medium sensitivity laboratories and offices are located at first floor level on a reinforced concrete suspended floor of maximum stiffness per unit mass. The whole design has been such as to permit upgrading of areas, eg office to laboratory; laboratory to `high sensitivity' laboratory, to cater for changes in future use of the building.

National Laboratory Planning: Developing Sustainable Biocontainment Laboratories in Limited Resource Areas.

PubMed

Yeh, Kenneth B; Adams, Martin; Stamper, Paul D; Dasgupta, Debanjana; Hewson, Roger; Buck, Charles D; Richards, Allen L; Hay, John

2016-01-01

Strategic laboratory planning in limited resource areas is essential for addressing global health security issues. Establishing a national reference laboratory, especially one with BSL-3 or -4 biocontainment facilities, requires a heavy investment of resources, a multisectoral approach, and commitments from multiple stakeholders. We make the case for donor organizations and recipient partners to develop a comprehensive laboratory operations roadmap that addresses factors such as mission and roles, engaging national and political support, securing financial support, defining stakeholder involvement, fostering partnerships, and building trust. Successful development occurred with projects in African countries and in Azerbaijan, where strong leadership and a clear management framework have been key to success. A clearly identified and agreed management framework facilitate identifying the responsibility for developing laboratory capabilities and support services, including biosafety and biosecurity, quality assurance, equipment maintenance, supply chain establishment, staff certification and training, retention of human resources, and sustainable operating revenue. These capabilities and support services pose rate-limiting yet necessary challenges. Laboratory capabilities depend on mission and role, as determined by all stakeholders, and demonstrate the need for relevant metrics to monitor the success of the laboratory, including support for internal and external audits. Our analysis concludes that alternative frameworks for success exist for developing and implementing capabilities at regional and national levels in limited resource areas. Thus, achieving a balance for standardizing practices between local procedures and accepted international standards is a prerequisite for integrating new facilities into a country's existing public health infrastructure and into the overall international scientific community.

National Laboratory Planning: Developing Sustainable Biocontainment Laboratories in Limited Resource Areas

PubMed Central

Adams, Martin; Stamper, Paul D.; Dasgupta, Debanjana; Hewson, Roger; Buck, Charles D.; Richards, Allen L.; Hay, John

2016-01-01

Strategic laboratory planning in limited resource areas is essential for addressing global health security issues. Establishing a national reference laboratory, especially one with BSL-3 or -4 biocontainment facilities, requires a heavy investment of resources, a multisectoral approach, and commitments from multiple stakeholders. We make the case for donor organizations and recipient partners to develop a comprehensive laboratory operations roadmap that addresses factors such as mission and roles, engaging national and political support, securing financial support, defining stakeholder involvement, fostering partnerships, and building trust. Successful development occurred with projects in African countries and in Azerbaijan, where strong leadership and a clear management framework have been key to success. A clearly identified and agreed management framework facilitate identifying the responsibility for developing laboratory capabilities and support services, including biosafety and biosecurity, quality assurance, equipment maintenance, supply chain establishment, staff certification and training, retention of human resources, and sustainable operating revenue. These capabilities and support services pose rate-limiting yet necessary challenges. Laboratory capabilities depend on mission and role, as determined by all stakeholders, and demonstrate the need for relevant metrics to monitor the success of the laboratory, including support for internal and external audits. Our analysis concludes that alternative frameworks for success exist for developing and implementing capabilities at regional and national levels in limited resource areas. Thus, achieving a balance for standardizing practices between local procedures and accepted international standards is a prerequisite for integrating new facilities into a country's existing public health infrastructure and into the overall international scientific community. PMID:27559843

View of Staff Officers' Quarters Area from Staff Circle. Building ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

View of Staff Officers' Quarters Area from Staff Circle. Building No. 403 is to the right, Building No. 404 is to the left, and Building No. 405 is in far left in background. Facing west - MacDill Air Force Base, Bounded by City of Tampa North, Tampa Bay South, Old Tampa Bay West, & Hillsborough Bay East, Tampa, Hillsborough County, FL

CERT TST December 2015 Visit Summary

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Little, Robert Currier; Bailey, Teresa S.; Gamblin, G. Todd

2016-01-25

The annual PSAAP II TST visit to Texas A&M’s CERT Center was held on December 1-3, 2015. The agenda for the visit is attached. Non-TAMU attendees were: TST Members – Teresa Bailey (LLNL), Todd Gamblin (LLNL), Bob Little (LANL) – Chair, Chad Olinger (LANL), Shawn Pautz (SNL), Alan Williams (SNL);Other Lab staff – Skip Kahler (LANL), Ana Kupresanin (LLNL), and Rob Lowrie (LANL); AST Members – Nelson Hoffman (LANL) and Bob Voigt (Leidos) The TST wishes to express our appreciation to all involved with CERT for the high-quality posters and presentations and for the attention to logistics that enabled amore » successful visit. We have broken our comments into four sections: (1) Kudos, (2) Recommendations, (3) Feedback on Priorities for April Review, and (4) Follow-Up Activities with Labs.« less

Medical center staff attitudes about spanking.

PubMed

Gershoff, Elizabeth T; Font, Sarah A; Taylor, Catherine A; Foster, Rebecca H; Garza, Ann Budzak; Olson-Dorff, Denyse; Terreros, Amy; Nielsen-Parker, Monica; Spector, Lisa

2016-11-01

Several medical professional organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, recommend that parents avoid hitting children for disciplinary purposes (e.g., spanking) and that medical professionals advise parents to use alternative methods. The extent to which medical professionals continue to endorse spanking is unknown. This study is the first to examine attitudes about spanking among staff throughout medical settings, including non-direct care staff. A total of 2580 staff at a large general medical center and 733 staff at a children's hospital completed an online survey; respondents were roughly divided between staff who provide direct care to patients (e.g., physicians, nurses) and staff who do not (e.g., receptionists, lab technicians). Less than half (44% and 46%) of staff at each medical center agreed that spanking is harmful to children, although almost all (85% and 88%) acknowledged that spanking can lead to injury. Men, staff who report being religious, and staff who held non-direct care positions at the medical center reported stronger endorsement of spanking and perceived their co-workers to be more strongly in favor of spanking. Non-direct care staff were more supportive of spanking compared with direct care staff on every item assessed. All staff underestimated the extent to which their co-workers held negative views of spanking. If medical centers and other medical settings are to lead the charge in informing the community about the harms of spanking, comprehensive staff education about spanking is indicated. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Providing Logistics Support to CDC-Deployed Staff for the Ebola Response in Liberia, Guinea, and Sierra Leone.

PubMed

Dopson, Stephanie A; Rodriguez, Rockie; Rouse, Edward N

2015-11-01

The first Ebola cases in West Africa were reported by the Guinea Ministry of Health on March 23, 2014, and by June it became the largest recorded Ebola outbreak. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention field teams were deployed to West Africa, including in-country logistics staff who were critical for ensuring the movement of staff, equipment, and supplies to locations where public health knowledge and experience were applied to meet mission-related requirements. The logistics role was critical to creating the support for epidemiologists, medical doctors, laboratory staff, and health communicators involved in health promotion activities to successfully respond to the epidemic, both in the capital cities and in remote villages. Logistics personnel worked to procure equipment, such as portable video projectors, and have health promotion materials printed. Logistics staff also coordinated delivery of communication and health promotion materials to the embassy and provided assistance with distribution to various partners. © 2015 Society for Public Health Education.

Study of laser-generated debris free x-ray sources produced in a high-density linear Ar, Kr, Xe, Kr/Ar and Xe/Kr/Ar mixtures gas jets by 2 ω, sub-ps LLNL Titan laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kantsyrev, V. L.; Schultz, K. A.; Shlyaptseva, V. V.; Safronova, A. S.; Cooper, M. C.; Shrestha, I. K.; Petkov, E. E.; Stafford, A.; Moschella, J. J.; Schmidt-Petersen, M. T.; Butcher, C. J.; Kemp, G. E.; Andrews, S. D.; Fournier, K. B.

2016-10-01

The study of laser-generated debris-free x-ray sources in an underdense plasma produced in a high-density linear gas-puff jet was carried out at the LLNL Titan laser (2 ω, 45 J, sub-ps) with an intensity in the 10 um focal spot of 7 x 1019 W/cm2. A linear nozzle with a fast valve was used for the generation of a clusters/gas jet. X-ray diagnostics for the spectral region of 0.7 - 9 keV include: two spectrometers and pinhole cameras, and 3 groups of fast filtered detectors. Electron beams were measured with the EPPS magnetic spectrometer (>1 MeV) and Faraday cups (>72 keV). Spectralon/spectrometer devices were also used to measure absorption of laser radiation in the jets. New results were obtained on: anisotropic generation of x-rays (laser to x-ray conversion coefficient was >1%) and characteristics of laser-generated electron beams; evolution of x-ray generation with the location of the laser focus in a cluster-gas jet, and observations of a strong x-ray flash in some focusing regimes. Non-LTE kinetic modeling was used to estimate plasma parameters. UNR work supported by the DTRA Basic Research Award # HDTRA1-13-1-0033. Work at LLNL was performed under the auspices of the U.S. DOE by LLNL under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344.

Frederick National Laboratory Celebrates 40 Years | Poster

Cancer.gov

By Ashley DeVine, Staff Writer Forty years ago, what we now call the Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research was born. Here are some highlights in the facility’s history. October 19, 1971 – President Richard Nixon announced that Fort Detrick would be converted from a biological warfare facility to a cancer research center (Covert, Norman M., Cutting Edge: A History

Building laboratory capacity to support HIV care in Nigeria: Harvard/APIN PEPFAR, 2004-2012.

PubMed

Hamel, Donald J; Sankalé, Jean-Louis; Samuels, Jay Osi; Sarr, Abdoulaye D; Chaplin, Beth; Ofuche, Eke; Meloni, Seema T; Okonkwo, Prosper; Kanki, Phyllis J

From 2004-2012, the Harvard/AIDS Prevention Initiative in Nigeria, funded through the US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief programme, scaled up HIV care and treatment services in Nigeria. We describe the methodologies and collaborative processes developed to improve laboratory capacity significantly in a resource-limited setting. These methods were implemented at 35 clinic and laboratory locations. Systems were established and modified to optimise numerous laboratory processes. These included strategies for clinic selection and management, equipment and reagent procurement, supply chains, laboratory renovations, equipment maintenance, electronic data management, quality development programmes and trainings. Over the eight-year programme, laboratories supported 160 000 patients receiving HIV care in Nigeria, delivering over 2.5 million test results, including regular viral load quantitation. External quality assurance systems were established for CD4+ cell count enumeration, blood chemistries and viral load monitoring. Laboratory equipment platforms were improved and standardised and use of point-of-care analysers was expanded. Laboratory training workshops supported laboratories toward increasing staff skills and improving overall quality. Participation in a World Health Organisation-led African laboratory quality improvement system resulted in significant gains in quality measures at five laboratories. Targeted implementation of laboratory development processes, during simultaneous scale-up of HIV treatment programmes in a resource-limited setting, can elicit meaningful gains in laboratory quality and capacity. Systems to improve the physical laboratory environment, develop laboratory staff, create improvements to reduce costs and increase quality are available for future health and laboratory strengthening programmes. We hope that the strategies employed may inform and encourage the development of other laboratories in resource-limited settings.

The impact of staff training on staff outcomes in dementia care: a systematic review.

PubMed

Spector, Aimee; Revolta, Catherine; Orrell, Martin

2016-11-01

Caring for people with dementia can be emotionally challenging and is often linked to low job satisfaction and burnout in care staff. Staff training within care settings is potentially valuable in improving well-being and quality of care. This review aimed to (i) establish the impact of training on staff outcomes; (ii) compare the impact of different training approaches; (iii) explore the influence of training intensity; and (iv) explore potential barriers to success. A database search of staff training interventions revealed 207 papers, 188 of which were excluded based on prespecified criteria. Nineteen studies were included and appraised using a quality rating tool. Overall, the studies were found to be of variable quality; however, 16 studies found a significant change following training in at least one staff domain, with knowledge improving most frequently. Approaches focusing on managing challenging behaviours appeared to be the most effective. Training staff can be an effective method of improving well-being, and programmes helping staff to manage challenging behaviour appear to be the most beneficial. There is no clear relationship between training intensity and outcome. Most studies point to the importance of addressing organisational factors as a barrier to change. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A Framework for Staff Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schiffer, Judith

1978-01-01

Outlines the failure of traditional staff development programs and theorizes that the crucial issue in staff development concerns the problem of educational authority: Who makes what decisions and how? Successful models for staff development programs should have personal, organizational, and political foci. (JMF)

Environmental Report 2007

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mathews, S; Gallegos, G; Berg, L L

2008-09-24

The purposes of the 'Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Environmental Report 2007' are to record Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's (LLNL's) compliance with environmental standards and requirements, describe LLNL's environmental protection and remediation programs, and present the results of environmental monitoring at the two LLNL sites--the Livermore site and Site 300. The report is prepared for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) by LLNL's Environmental Protection Department. Submittal of the report satisfies requirements under DOE Order 231.1A, Environmental Safety and Health Reporting, and DOE Order 5400.5, Radiation Protection of the Public and Environment. The report is distributed electronically and is available atmore » https://saer.lln.gov/, the website for the LLNL annual environmental report. Previous LLNL annual environmental reports beginning in 1994 are also on the website. Some references in the electronic report text are underlined, which indicates that they are clickable links. Clicking on one of these links will open the related document, data workbook, or website that it refers to. The report begins with an executive summary, which provides the purpose of the report and an overview of LLNL's compliance and monitoring results. The first three chapters provide background information: Chapter 1 is an overview of the location, meteorology, and hydrogeology of the two LLNL sites; Chapter 2 is a summary of LLNL's compliance with environmental regulations; and Chapter 3 is a description of LLNL's environmental programs with an emphasis on the Environmental Management System including pollution prevention. The majority of the report covers LLNL's environmental monitoring programs and monitoring data for 2007: effluent and ambient air (Chapter 4); waters, including wastewater, storm water runoff, surface water, rain, and groundwater (Chapter 5); and terrestrial, including soil, sediment, vegetation, foodstuff, ambient radiation, and special

Implications of staff 'churn' for nurse managers, staff, and patients.

PubMed

Duffield, Christine; Roche, Michael; O'Brien-Pallas, Linda; Catling-Paull, Christine

2009-01-01

In this article, the term "churn" is used not only because of the degree of change to staffing, but also because some of the reasons for staff movement are not classified as voluntary turnover. The difficulties for the nurse managing a unit with the degree of "churn" should not be under-estimated. Changes to skill mix and the proportions of full-time, agency, and temporary staff present challenges in providing clinical leadership, scheduling staff, performance management, and supervision. Perhaps more importantly, it is likely that there is an impact on the continuity of care provided in the absence of continuity of staffing. A greater understanding of the human and financial costs and consequences, and a willingness to change established practices at the institutional and ward level, are needed.

Library staff development course.

PubMed Central

Eaton, E K

1981-01-01

The Moody Medical Library at the University of Texas Medical Branch plans, presents, and evaluates regularly a staff development program for its employees, including librarians and clerical and technical staff. The program's purpose is to provide continuing education for the library staff while concurrently: (1) providing information concerning specific library services and programs; (2) illustrating the interrelationship of the departments and divisions within the library; (3) developing a sense of teamwork and loyalty; and (4) developing job pride. Staff member volunteers teach the various courses. An integral part of the program is an evaluation of the efficacy of its various components using a form developed specifically for this purpose. Participants give the majority of courses an effectiveness rating of 90% or above. PMID:7248595

Blood sample collection and patient identification demand improvement: a questionnaire study of preanalytical practices in hospital wards and laboratories.

PubMed

Wallin, Olof; Söderberg, Johan; Van Guelpen, Bethany; Stenlund, Hans; Grankvist, Kjell; Brulin, Christine

2010-09-01

Scand J Caring Sci; 2010; 24; 581-591 
 Blood sample collection and patient identification demand improvement: a questionnaire study of preanalytical practices in hospital wards and laboratories   Most errors in venous blood testing result from human mistakes occurring before the sample reach the laboratory.   To survey venous blood sampling (VBS) practices in hospital wards and to compare practices with hospital laboratories.   Staff in two hospitals (all wards) and two hospital laboratories (314 respondents, response rate 94%), completed a questionnaire addressing issues relevant to the collection of venous blood samples for clinical chemistry testing.   The findings suggest that instructions for patient identification and the collection of venous blood samples were not always followed. For example, 79% of the respondents reported the undesirable practice (UDP) of not always using wristbands for patient identification. Similarly, 87% of the respondents noted the UDP of removing venous stasis after the sampling is finished. Compared with the ward staff, a significantly higher proportion of the laboratory staff reported desirable practices regarding the collection of venous blood samples. Neither education nor the existence of established sampling routines was clearly associated with VBS practices among the ward staff.   The results of this study, the first of its kind, suggest that a clinically important risk of error is associated with VBS in the surveyed wards. Most important is the risk of misidentification of patients. Quality improvement of blood sample collection is clearly needed, particularly in hospital wards. © 2009 The Authors. Journal compilation © 2009 Nordic College of Caring Science.

Purple Computational Environment With Mappings to ACE Requirements for the General Availability User Environment Capabilities

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Barney, B; Shuler, J

2006-08-21

Purple is an Advanced Simulation and Computing (ASC) funded massively parallel supercomputer located at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). The Purple Computational Environment documents the capabilities and the environment provided for the FY06 LLNL Level 1 General Availability Milestone. This document describes specific capabilities, tools, and procedures to support both local and remote users. The model is focused on the needs of the ASC user working in the secure computing environments at Los Alamos National Laboratory, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, and Sandia National Laboratories, but also documents needs of the LLNL and Alliance users working in the unclassified environment. Additionally,more » the Purple Computational Environment maps the provided capabilities to the Trilab ASC Computing Environment (ACE) Version 8.0 requirements. The ACE requirements reflect the high performance computing requirements for the General Availability user environment capabilities of the ASC community. Appendix A lists these requirements and includes a description of ACE requirements met and those requirements that are not met for each section of this document. The Purple Computing Environment, along with the ACE mappings, has been issued and reviewed throughout the Tri-lab community.« less

Attenuation and Transport Mechanisms of Depleted Uranium in Groundwater at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Site 300

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Danny, K. R.; Taffet, M. J.; Brusseau, M. L. L.; Chorover, J.

2015-12-01

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) Site 300 was established in 1955 to support weapons research and development. Depleted uranium was used as a proxy for fissile uranium-235 (235U) in open-air explosives tests conducted at Building 812. As a result, oxidized depleted uranium was deposited on the ground, eventually migrating to the underlying sandstone aquifer. Uranium (U) groundwater concentrations exceed the California and Federal Maximum Contaminant Level of 20 pCi L-1 (30 ug L-1). However, the groundwater plume appears to attenuate within 60 m of the source, beyond which no depleted U is detected. This study will determine the relative contribution of physical (e.g. dilution), chemical (e.g. surface adsorption, mineral precipitation), and biological (e.g. biotransformation) processes that contribute to the apparent attenuation of U, which exists as uranyl (UO22+) complexes, at the site. Methods of investigation include evaluating 15 yr of hydrogeologic and chemical data, creating a site conceptual model, and applying equilibrium (e.g. aqueous species complexation, mineral saturation indices) and reactive transport models using Geochemist's WorkbenchTM. Reactive transport results are constrained by direct field observations, including U major ion, and dissolved O2 concentrations, pH, and others, under varying chemical and hydraulic conditions. Aqueous speciation calculations indicate that U primarily exists as anionic CaUO2(CO3)32- or neutral Ca2UO2(CO3)30 species. Additionally, nucleation and growth of Ca/Mg uranyl carbonate solids are predicted to affect attenuation. Initial reactive transport results suggest surface adsorption (e.g. ion exchange, surface complexation) to layer silicate clays is limited under the aqueous geochemical conditions of the site. Current and future work includes XRD analysis of aquifer solids to constrain iron and aluminum (oxy)hydroxides, and coupling advective-dispersive transport with the chemical and physical processes

National Guard Bureau Joint Staff

Science.gov Websites

, Publications Management, Administrative Services, Joint Staff Information Data Systems, Property Book -7 J-8 Personal Staff Inspector General Judge Advocate General Officer Management Public Affairs Executive Support Services Legislative Liaison Special Staff Directorate of Management Office of the Provost

Effluent Monitoring Procedures: Basic Laboratory Skills. Staff Guide for Conducting the Course.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Engel, William T.; And Others

This manual is designed for use by instructors who will have to teach others the basic laboratory skills needed to perform National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Analyses. It includes topics related to the presentation of training courses in which the NPDES analyses would be taught. These topics include: examples of course…

A method for developing outcome measures in the clinical laboratory.

PubMed

Jones, J

1996-01-01

Measuring and reporting outcomes in health care is becoming more important for quality assessment, utilization assessment, accreditation standards, and negotiating contracts in managed care. How does one develop an outcome measure for the laboratory to assess the value of the services? A method is described which outlines seven steps in developing outcome measures for a laboratory service or process. These steps include the following: 1. Identify the process or service to be monitored for performance and outcome assessment. 2. If necessary, form an multidisciplinary team of laboratory staff, other department staff, physicians, and pathologists. 3. State the purpose of the test or service including a review of published data for the clinical pathological correlation. 4. Prepare a process cause and effect diagram including steps critical to the outcome. 5. Identify key process variables that contribute to positive or negative outcomes. 6. Identify outcome measures that are not process measures. 7. Develop an operational definition, identify data sources, and collect data. Examples, including a process cause and effect diagram, process variables, and outcome measures, are given using the Therapeutic Drug Monitoring service (TDM). A summary of conclusions and precautions for outcome measurement is then provided.

Laboratory medicine in France. A jeopardized situation.

PubMed

Valdiguié, P M; de Graeve, J S; Guerre, J P

1997-11-06

The expenses for health care in France have risen considerably during the present decade, ranking third after USA and Canada in the Western world. In spite of the very low cost of laboratory medicine (2.4% of the total expenditure in 1995), clinical laboratories have undergone a severe squeeze, due to two limiting factors; a decrease in the ordering of laboratory tests from private physicians and a reduction in the total expenses for laboratory services from the Social Security. Consequently, there has been unemployment of technical and secretarial staff and severe restriction in investment for buying new equipment. However, hospital laboratories will manage to assume their challenge in developing robotics, automation, molecular pathology techniques and expert systems. Private laboratories, in spite of their efforts to follow the technological advances in automation, will survive thanks to consolidation of regional networks that operate in a cooperative rather than competitive mode. Therefore, the challenge will be not in the adaptation of clinical laboratories, but in the limitation of overspending at the national level and in modification of the behaviour of irresponsible citizens accustomed to spending freely on health care services.

LLNL: Science in the National Interest

ScienceCinema

George Miller

2017-12-09

This is Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. located in the Livermore Valley about 50 miles east of San Francisco, the Lab is where the nations topmost science, engineering and technology come together. National security, counter-terrorism, medical technologies, energy, climate change our researchers are working to develop solutions to these challenges. For more than 50 years, we have been keeping America strong.

Finite element analysis of constrained total Condylar Knee Prosthesis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1998-07-13

Exactech, Inc., is a prosthetic joint manufacturer based in Gainesville, FL. The company set the goal of developing a highly effective prosthetic articulation, based on scientific principles, not trial and error. They developed an evolutionary design for a total knee arthroplasty system that promised improved performance. They performed static load tests in the laboratory with similar previous designs, but dynamic laboratory testing was both difficult to perform and prohibitively expensive for a small business to undertake. Laboratory testing also cannot measure stress levels in the interior of the prosthesis where failures are known to initiate. To fully optimize their designsmore » for knee arthroplasty revisions, they needed range-of-motion stress/strain data at interior as well as exterior locations within the prosthesis. LLNL developed computer software (especially NIKE3D) specifically designed to perform stress/strain computations (finite element analysis) for complex geometries in large displacement/large deformation conditions. Additionally, LLNL had developed a high fidelity knee model for other analytical purposes. The analysis desired by Exactech could readily be performed using NIKE3D and a modified version of the high fidelity knee that contained the geometry of the condylar knee components. The LLNL high fidelity knee model was a finite element computer model which would not be transferred to Exactech during the course of this CRADA effort. The previously performed laboratory studies by Exactech were beneficial to LLNL in verifying the analytical capabilities of NIKE3D for human anatomical modeling. This, in turn, gave LLNL further entree to perform work-for-others in the prosthetics field. There were two purposes to the CRADA (1) To modify the LLNL High Fidelity Knee Model to accept the geometry of the Exactech Total Knee; and (2) To perform parametric studies of the possible design options in appropriate ranges of motion so that an optimum design

[Accreditation of medical laboratories].

PubMed

Horváth, Andrea Rita; Ring, Rózsa; Fehér, Miklós; Mikó, Tivadar

2003-07-27

In Hungary, the National Accreditation Body was established by government in 1995 as an independent, non-profit organization, and has exclusive rights to accredit, amongst others, medical laboratories. The National Accreditation Body has two Specialist Advisory Committees in the health care sector. One is the Health Care Specialist Advisory Committee that accredits certifying bodies, which deal with certification of hospitals. The other Specialist Advisory Committee for Medical Laboratories is directly involved in accrediting medical laboratory services of health care institutions. The Specialist Advisory Committee for Medical Laboratories is a multidisciplinary peer review group of experts from all disciplines of in vitro diagnostics, i.e. laboratory medicine, microbiology, histopathology and blood banking. At present, the only published International Standard applicable to laboratories is ISO/IEC 17025:1999. Work has been in progress on the official approval of the new ISO 15189 standard, specific to medical laboratories. Until the official approval of the International Standard ISO 15189, as accreditation standard, the Hungarian National Accreditation Body has decided to progress with accreditation by formulating explanatory notes to the ISO/IEC 17025:1999 document, using ISO/FDIS 15189:2000, the European EC4 criteria and CPA (UK) Ltd accreditation standards as guidelines. This harmonized guideline provides 'explanations' that facilitate the application of ISO/IEC 17025:1999 to medical laboratories, and can be used as a checklist for the verification of compliance during the onsite assessment of the laboratory. The harmonized guideline adapted the process model of ISO 9001:2000 to rearrange the main clauses of ISO/IEC 17025:1999. This rearrangement does not only make the guideline compliant with ISO 9001:2000 but also improves understanding for those working in medical laboratories, and facilitates the training and education of laboratory staff. With the

Determinants of Pediatric Echocardiography Laboratory Productivity: Analysis from the Second Survey of the American Society of Echocardiography Committee on Echocardiography Laboratory Productivity.

PubMed

Srivastava, Shubhika; Allada, Vivekanand; Younoszai, Adel; Lopez, Leo; Soriano, Brian D; Fleishman, Craig E; Van Hoever, Andrea M; Lai, Wyman W

2016-10-01

The American Society of Echocardiography Committee on Pediatric Echocardiography Laboratory Productivity aimed to study factors that could influence the clinical productivity of physicians and sonographers and assess longitudinal trends for the same. The first survey results indicated that productivity correlated with the total volume of echocardiograms. Survey questions were designed to assess productivity for (1) physician full-time equivalent (FTE) allocated to echocardiography reading (echocardiograms per physician FTE per day), (2) sonographer FTE (echocardiograms per sonographer FTE per year), and (3) machine utilization (echocardiograms per machine per year). Questions were also posed to assess work flow and workforce. For fiscal year 2013 or academic year 2012-2013, the mean number of total echocardiograms-including outreach, transthoracic, fetal, and transesophageal echocardiograms-per physician FTE per day was 14.3 ± 5.9, the mean number of echocardiograms per sonographer FTE per year was 1,056 ± 441, and the mean number of echocardiograms per machine per year was 778 ± 303. Both physician and sonographer productivity was higher at high-volume surgical centers and with echocardiography slots scheduled concordantly with clinic visits. Having an advanced imaging fellow and outpatient sedation correlated negatively with clinical laboratory productivity. Machine utilization was greater in laboratories with higher sonographer and physician productivity and lower for machines obtained before 2009. Measures of pediatric echocardiography laboratory staff productivity and machine utilization were shown to correlate positively with surgical volume, total echocardiography volumes, and concordant echocardiography scheduling; the same measures correlated negatively with having an advanced imaging fellow and outpatient sedation. There has been no significant change in staff productivity noted over two Committee on Pediatric Echocardiography Laboratory

"What Do You Think the Aims of Doing a Practical Chemistry Course Are?" A Comparison of the Views of Students and Teaching Staff across Three Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

George-Williams, Stephen R.; Ziebell, Angela L.; Kitson, Russell R. A.; Coppo, Paolo; Thompson, Christopher D.; Overton, Tina L.

2018-01-01

The aims of teaching laboratories is an important and ever-evolving topic of discussion amongst teaching staff at teaching institutions. It is often assumed that both teaching staff and students are implicitly aware of these aims, although this is rarely tested or measured. This assumption can lead to mismatched beliefs between students and…

28 CFR 551.32 - Staff supervision.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Staff supervision. 551.32 Section 551.32... Inmate Organizations § 551.32 Staff supervision. (a) The Warden shall appoint a staff member as the... the institution's inmate organizations and staff sponsors. (b) The Warden or designee shall assign to...

28 CFR 551.32 - Staff supervision.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Staff supervision. 551.32 Section 551.32... Inmate Organizations § 551.32 Staff supervision. (a) The Warden shall appoint a staff member as the... the institution's inmate organizations and staff sponsors. (b) The Warden or designee shall assign to...

22 CFR 902.3 - Board staff.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 22 Foreign Relations 2 2011-04-01 2009-04-01 true Board staff. 902.3 Section 902.3 Foreign Relations FOREIGN SERVICE GRIEVANCE BOARD ORGANIZATION § 902.3 Board staff. The chairperson shall select the Board's executive secretary and other staff provided for in the Act. The executive secretary and staff...

22 CFR 902.3 - Board staff.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 22 Foreign Relations 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 true Board staff. 902.3 Section 902.3 Foreign Relations FOREIGN SERVICE GRIEVANCE BOARD ORGANIZATION § 902.3 Board staff. The chairperson shall select the Board's executive secretary and other staff provided for in the Act. The executive secretary and staff...

22 CFR 902.3 - Board staff.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 22 Foreign Relations 2 2013-04-01 2009-04-01 true Board staff. 902.3 Section 902.3 Foreign Relations FOREIGN SERVICE GRIEVANCE BOARD ORGANIZATION § 902.3 Board staff. The chairperson shall select the Board's executive secretary and other staff provided for in the Act. The executive secretary and staff...

22 CFR 902.3 - Board staff.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 22 Foreign Relations 2 2012-04-01 2009-04-01 true Board staff. 902.3 Section 902.3 Foreign Relations FOREIGN SERVICE GRIEVANCE BOARD ORGANIZATION § 902.3 Board staff. The chairperson shall select the Board's executive secretary and other staff provided for in the Act. The executive secretary and staff...

28 CFR 551.32 - Staff supervision.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Staff supervision. 551.32 Section 551.32... Inmate Organizations § 551.32 Staff supervision. (a) The Warden shall appoint a staff member as the... the institution's inmate organizations and staff sponsors. (b) The Warden or designee shall assign to...

28 CFR 551.32 - Staff supervision.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Staff supervision. 551.32 Section 551.32... Inmate Organizations § 551.32 Staff supervision. (a) The Warden shall appoint a staff member as the... the institution's inmate organizations and staff sponsors. (b) The Warden or designee shall assign to...

22 CFR 902.3 - Board staff.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 22 Foreign Relations 2 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Board staff. 902.3 Section 902.3 Foreign Relations FOREIGN SERVICE GRIEVANCE BOARD ORGANIZATION § 902.3 Board staff. The chairperson shall select the Board's executive secretary and other staff provided for in the Act. The executive secretary and staff...

28 CFR 551.32 - Staff supervision.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Staff supervision. 551.32 Section 551.32... Inmate Organizations § 551.32 Staff supervision. (a) The Warden shall appoint a staff member as the... the institution's inmate organizations and staff sponsors. (b) The Warden or designee shall assign to...

13 CFR 500.105 - Staff.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 13 Business Credit and Assistance 1 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Staff. 500.105 Section 500.105... LOAN PROGRAM Board Procedures § 500.105 Staff. (a) Executive Director. The Executive Director of the... direction with respect to the administration of the Board's actions, directs the activities of the staff...

13 CFR 500.105 - Staff.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 13 Business Credit and Assistance 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Staff. 500.105 Section 500.105... LOAN PROGRAM Board Procedures § 500.105 Staff. (a) Executive Director. The Executive Director of the... direction with respect to the administration of the Board's actions, directs the activities of the staff...

13 CFR 500.105 - Staff.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 13 Business Credit and Assistance 1 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Staff. 500.105 Section 500.105... LOAN PROGRAM Board Procedures § 500.105 Staff. (a) Executive Director. The Executive Director of the... direction with respect to the administration of the Board's actions, directs the activities of the staff...

13 CFR 400.105 - Staff.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 13 Business Credit and Assistance 1 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Staff. 400.105 Section 400.105... Board Procedures § 400.105 Staff. (a) Executive Director. The Executive Director of the Board advises... with respect to the administration of the Board's actions, directs the activities of the staff, and...

13 CFR 400.105 - Staff.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 13 Business Credit and Assistance 1 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Staff. 400.105 Section 400.105... Board Procedures § 400.105 Staff. (a) Executive Director. The Executive Director of the Board advises... with respect to the administration of the Board's actions, directs the activities of the staff, and...

13 CFR 500.105 - Staff.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 13 Business Credit and Assistance 1 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Staff. 500.105 Section 500.105... LOAN PROGRAM Board Procedures § 500.105 Staff. (a) Executive Director. The Executive Director of the... direction with respect to the administration of the Board's actions, directs the activities of the staff...

13 CFR 400.105 - Staff.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 13 Business Credit and Assistance 1 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Staff. 400.105 Section 400.105... Board Procedures § 400.105 Staff. (a) Executive Director. The Executive Director of the Board advises... with respect to the administration of the Board's actions, directs the activities of the staff, and...

13 CFR 400.105 - Staff.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 13 Business Credit and Assistance 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Staff. 400.105 Section 400.105... Board Procedures § 400.105 Staff. (a) Executive Director. The Executive Director of the Board advises... with respect to the administration of the Board's actions, directs the activities of the staff, and...

13 CFR 500.105 - Staff.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 13 Business Credit and Assistance 1 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Staff. 500.105 Section 500.105... LOAN PROGRAM Board Procedures § 500.105 Staff. (a) Executive Director. The Executive Director of the... direction with respect to the administration of the Board's actions, directs the activities of the staff...

13 CFR 400.105 - Staff.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 13 Business Credit and Assistance 1 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Staff. 400.105 Section 400.105... Board Procedures § 400.105 Staff. (a) Executive Director. The Executive Director of the Board advises... with respect to the administration of the Board's actions, directs the activities of the staff, and...

17 CFR 8.05 - Enforcement staff.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 17 Commodity and Securities Exchanges 1 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Enforcement staff. 8.05... staff. (a) Each exchange shall establish an adequate enforcement staff which shall be authorized by the... staff shall consist of employees of the exchange and/or persons hired on a contract basis. It may not...

45 CFR 701.12 - Staff Director.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 45 Public Welfare 3 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Staff Director. 701.12 Section 701.12 Public... FUNCTIONS OF THE COMMISSION Organization Statement § 701.12 Staff Director. A Staff Director for the Commission is appointed by the President with the concurrence of a majority of the Commissioners. The Staff...

45 CFR 701.12 - Staff Director.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 45 Public Welfare 3 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Staff Director. 701.12 Section 701.12 Public... FUNCTIONS OF THE COMMISSION Organization Statement § 701.12 Staff Director. A Staff Director for the Commission is appointed by the President with the concurrence of a majority of the Commissioners. The Staff...

45 CFR 701.12 - Staff Director.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 45 Public Welfare 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Staff Director. 701.12 Section 701.12 Public... FUNCTIONS OF THE COMMISSION Organization Statement § 701.12 Staff Director. A Staff Director for the Commission is appointed by the President with the concurrence of a majority of the Commissioners. The Staff...

17 CFR 8.05 - Enforcement staff.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 17 Commodity and Securities Exchanges 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Enforcement staff. 8.05... staff. (a) Each exchange shall establish an adequate enforcement staff which shall be authorized by the... staff shall consist of employees of the exchange and/or persons hired on a contract basis. It may not...

46 CFR 11.803 - Staff departments.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 46 Shipping 1 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Staff departments. 11.803 Section 11.803 Shipping COAST... ENDORSEMENTS Registration of Staff Officers and Miscellaneous Endorsements § 11.803 Staff departments. (a) Title 46 U.S.C. 8302 contains the requirements for staff departments on U.S. flag vessels. (b) Title 46...

45 CFR 701.12 - Staff Director.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 45 Public Welfare 3 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Staff Director. 701.12 Section 701.12 Public... FUNCTIONS OF THE COMMISSION Organization Statement § 701.12 Staff Director. A Staff Director for the Commission is appointed by the President with the concurrence of a majority of the Commissioners. The Staff...

45 CFR 701.12 - Staff Director.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 45 Public Welfare 3 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Staff Director. 701.12 Section 701.12 Public... FUNCTIONS OF THE COMMISSION Organization Statement § 701.12 Staff Director. A Staff Director for the Commission is appointed by the President with the concurrence of a majority of the Commissioners. The Staff...

17 CFR 8.05 - Enforcement staff.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 17 Commodity and Securities Exchanges 1 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Enforcement staff. 8.05... staff. (a) Each exchange shall establish an adequate enforcement staff which shall be authorized by the... staff shall consist of employees of the exchange and/or persons hired on a contract basis. It may not...

[Staff certification for mobile blood collection units].

PubMed

Folléa, G; Bigey, F; Dréno, J; Vives, C; Cazenave, J P

1998-04-01

Training and official acknowledgment of the competence of each staff member are essential to the quality and safety of collected blood products prepared and delivered by a blood transfusion center. A procedure was created to indicate in detail the methods employed to implement such accreditation. Based on individual training according to activity, it defines for each type of activity (secretary, physician, collector, driver) the required theoretical and practical knowledge of his/her position. Accreditation, consisting of assessment of the degree of competence attained in these areas of responsibility, was applied to the members of mobile blood collection teams in 1995. No major deficiency was detected, and this certification was well accepted by the staff. In order to complete this initial accreditation, blood collection abnormalities (inadequate blood volumes, clots or defective welding of tubing) were assessed for each collector individually. Comparison of these abnormalities in qualified nurses and laboratory technicians with a blood collection diploma showed no differences. On the other hand, significantly higher numbers of abnormalities were found in intermittent as compared to regular collectors and in senior as compared to new collectors. The applied corrective measures led to obviation of differences and improvement in performance. In 1996, in the first individual evaluation of medical selection carried out by each physician, discrepancies of one to 20 donors (0.7-14.2%) were observed from one doctor to another in the frequency of elimination of candidates for blood donation after the medical interview. Regular meetings with physicians resulted in reducing these discrepancies to one to 3.1 donors (4.6-14.1%) in 1997. In conclusion, the association of an initial accreditation procedure with an individual follow-up of work quality allowed satisfactory assessment of the training and competence of staff members. This kind of method could be extended to those

University of Rochester, Laboratory for Laser Energetics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1987-01-01

In FY86 the Laboratory has produced a list of accomplishments in which it takes pride. LLE has met every laser-fusion program milestone to date in a program of research for direct-drive ultraviolet laser fusion originally formulated in 1981. LLE scientists authored or co-authored 135 scientific papers during 1985 to 1986. The collaborative experiments with NRL, LANL, and LLNL have led to a number of important ICF results. The cryogenic target system developed by KMS Fusion for LLE will be used in future high-density experiments on OMEGA to demonstrate the compression of thermonuclear fuel to 100 to 200 times that of solid (20 to 40 g/cm) in a test of the direct-drive concept, as noted in the National Academy of Sciences' report. The excellence of the advanced technology efforts at LLE is illustrated by the establishment of the Ultrafast Science Center by the Department of Defense through the Air Force Office of Scientific Research. Research in the Center will concentrate on bridging the gap between high-speed electronics and ultrafast optics by providing education, research, and development in areas critical to future communications and high-speed computer systems. The Laboratory for Laser Energetics continues its pioneering work on the interaction of intense radiation with matter. This includes inertial-fusion and advanced optical and optical electronics research; training people in the technology and applications of high-power, short-pulse lasers; and interacting with the scientific community, business, industry, and government to promote the growth of laser technology.

Building laboratory capacity to support HIV care in Nigeria: Harvard/APIN PEPFAR, 2004–2012

PubMed Central

Hamel, Donald J.; Sankalé, Jean-Louis; Samuels, Jay Osi; Sarr, Abdoulaye D.; Chaplin, Beth; Ofuche, Eke; Meloni, Seema T.; Okonkwo, Prosper; Kanki, Phyllis J.

2015-01-01

Introduction From 2004–2012, the Harvard/AIDS Prevention Initiative in Nigeria, funded through the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief programme, scaled up HIV care and treatment services in Nigeria. We describe the methodologies and collaborative processes developed to improve laboratory capacity significantly in a resource-limited setting. These methods were implemented at 35 clinic and laboratory locations. Methods Systems were established and modified to optimise numerous laboratory processes. These included strategies for clinic selection and management, equipment and reagent procurement, supply chains, laboratory renovations, equipment maintenance, electronic data management, quality development programmes and trainings. Results Over the eight-year programme, laboratories supported 160 000 patients receiving HIV care in Nigeria, delivering over 2.5 million test results, including regular viral load quantitation. External quality assurance systems were established for CD4+ cell count enumeration, blood chemistries and viral load monitoring. Laboratory equipment platforms were improved and standardised and use of point-of-care analysers was expanded. Laboratory training workshops supported laboratories toward increasing staff skills and improving overall quality. Participation in a World Health Organisation-led African laboratory quality improvement system resulted in significant gains in quality measures at five laboratories. Conclusions Targeted implementation of laboratory development processes, during simultaneous scale-up of HIV treatment programmes in a resource-limited setting, can elicit meaningful gains in laboratory quality and capacity. Systems to improve the physical laboratory environment, develop laboratory staff, create improvements to reduce costs and increase quality are available for future health and laboratory strengthening programmes. We hope that the strategies employed may inform and encourage the development of other

19 CFR 207.64 - Staff reports.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 19 Customs Duties 3 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Staff reports. 207.64 Section 207.64 Customs... EXPORTS TO THE UNITED STATES Five-Year Reviews § 207.64 Staff reports. (a) Prehearing staff report. The Director shall prepare and place in the record, prior to the hearing, a prehearing staff report containing...

19 CFR 207.64 - Staff reports.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 19 Customs Duties 3 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Staff reports. 207.64 Section 207.64 Customs... EXPORTS TO THE UNITED STATES Five-Year Reviews § 207.64 Staff reports. (a) Prehearing staff report. The Director shall prepare and place in the record, prior to the hearing, a prehearing staff report containing...

19 CFR 207.64 - Staff reports.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 19 Customs Duties 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Staff reports. 207.64 Section 207.64 Customs... EXPORTS TO THE UNITED STATES Five-Year Reviews § 207.64 Staff reports. (a) Prehearing staff report. The Director shall prepare and place in the record, prior to the hearing, a prehearing staff report containing...

19 CFR 207.64 - Staff reports.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 19 Customs Duties 3 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Staff reports. 207.64 Section 207.64 Customs... EXPORTS TO THE UNITED STATES Five-Year Reviews § 207.64 Staff reports. (a) Prehearing staff report. The Director shall prepare and place in the record, prior to the hearing, a prehearing staff report containing...

19 CFR 207.64 - Staff reports.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 19 Customs Duties 3 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Staff reports. 207.64 Section 207.64 Customs... EXPORTS TO THE UNITED STATES Five-Year Reviews § 207.64 Staff reports. (a) Prehearing staff report. The Director shall prepare and place in the record, prior to the hearing, a prehearing staff report containing...

Research Staff | Water Power | NREL

Science.gov Websites

Research Staff Research Staff Learn more about the expertise and technical skills of the water power research team and staff at NREL. Name Position Email Phone Anstedt, Sheri Professional III-Writer /Editor/Web Content Sheri.Anstedt@nrel.gov 303-275-3255 Baker, Donald Research Technician V-Electrical

14 CFR 1310.6 - Staff.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 5 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Staff. 1310.6 Section 1310.6 Aeronautics... GUARANTEED LOAN § 1310.6 Staff. (a) Executive Director. The Executive Director advises and assists the Board... administration of the Board's actions, directs the activities of the staff, and performs such other duties as the...

20 CFR 900.5 - Staff.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Staff. 900.5 Section 900.5 Employees' Benefits JOINT BOARD FOR THE ENROLLMENT OF ACTUARIES STATEMENT OF ORGANIZATION § 900.5 Staff. (a) The... the Act and performs such other functions as the Board may delegate to him. (b) Members of the staffs...

20 CFR 900.5 - Staff.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 4 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Staff. 900.5 Section 900.5 Employees' Benefits JOINT BOARD FOR THE ENROLLMENT OF ACTUARIES STATEMENT OF ORGANIZATION § 900.5 Staff. (a) The... the Act and performs such other functions as the Board may delegate to him. (b) Members of the staffs...

20 CFR 900.5 - Staff.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 4 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Staff. 900.5 Section 900.5 Employees' Benefits JOINT BOARD FOR THE ENROLLMENT OF ACTUARIES STATEMENT OF ORGANIZATION § 900.5 Staff. (a) The... the Act and performs such other functions as the Board may delegate to him. (b) Members of the staffs...

14 CFR 1310.6 - Staff.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 5 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Staff. 1310.6 Section 1310.6 Aeronautics... GUARANTEED LOAN § 1310.6 Staff. (a) Executive Director. The Executive Director advises and assists the Board... administration of the Board's actions, directs the activities of the staff, and performs such other duties as the...

20 CFR 900.5 - Staff.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 3 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Staff. 900.5 Section 900.5 Employees' Benefits JOINT BOARD FOR THE ENROLLMENT OF ACTUARIES STATEMENT OF ORGANIZATION § 900.5 Staff. (a) The... the Act and performs such other functions as the Board may delegate to him. (b) Members of the staffs...

14 CFR 1310.6 - Staff.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 5 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Staff. 1310.6 Section 1310.6 Aeronautics... GUARANTEED LOAN § 1310.6 Staff. (a) Executive Director. The Executive Director advises and assists the Board... administration of the Board's actions, directs the activities of the staff, and performs such other duties as the...

14 CFR 1310.6 - Staff.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 5 2011-01-01 2010-01-01 true Staff. 1310.6 Section 1310.6 Aeronautics and... GUARANTEED LOAN § 1310.6 Staff. (a) Executive Director. The Executive Director advises and assists the Board... administration of the Board's actions, directs the activities of the staff, and performs such other duties as the...

20 CFR 900.5 - Staff.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 4 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Staff. 900.5 Section 900.5 Employees' Benefits JOINT BOARD FOR THE ENROLLMENT OF ACTUARIES STATEMENT OF ORGANIZATION § 900.5 Staff. (a) The... the Act and performs such other functions as the Board may delegate to him. (b) Members of the staffs...

Quality assurance program for molecular medicine laboratories.

PubMed

Hajia, M; Safadel, N; Samiee, S Mirab; Dahim, P; Anjarani, S; Nafisi, N; Sohrabi, A; Rafiee, M; Sabzavi, F; Entekhabi, B

2013-01-01

Molecular diagnostic methods have played and continuing to have a critical role in clinical laboratories in recent years. Therefore, standardization is an evolutionary process that needs to be upgrade with increasing scientific knowledge, improvement of the instruments and techniques. The aim of this study was to design a quality assurance program in order to have similar conditions for all medical laboratories engaging with molecular tests. We had to design a plan for all four elements; required space conditions, equipments, training, and basic guidelines. Necessary guidelines was prepared and confirmed by the launched specific committee at the Health Reference Laboratory. Several workshops were also held for medical laboratories directors and staffs, quality control manager of molecular companies, directors and nominees from universities. Accreditation of equipments and molecular material was followed parallel with rest of program. Now we are going to accredit medical laboratories and to evaluate the success of the program. Accreditation of medical laboratory will be succeeding if its basic elements are provided in advance. Professional practice guidelines, holding training and performing accreditation the molecular materials and equipments ensured us that laboratories are aware of best practices, proper interpretation, limitations of techniques, and technical issues. Now, active external auditing can improve the applied laboratory conditions toward the defined standard level.

The effectiveness of staff training focused on increasing emotional intelligence and improving interaction between support staff and clients.

PubMed

Zijlmans, L J M; Embregts, P J C M; Gerits, L; Bosman, A M T; Derksen, J J L

2015-07-01

Recent research addressed the relationship between staff behaviour and challenging behaviour of individuals with an intellectual disability (ID). Consequently, research on interventions aimed at staff is warranted. The present study focused on the effectiveness of a staff training aimed at emotional intelligence and interactions between staff and clients. The effects of the training on emotional intelligence, coping style and emotions of support staff were investigated. Participants were 214 support staff working within residential settings for individuals with ID and challenging behaviour. The experimental group consisted of 76 staff members, 138 staff members participated in two different control groups. A pre-test, post-test, follow-up control group design was used. Effectiveness was assessed using questionnaires addressing emotional intelligence, coping and emotions. Emotional intelligence of the experimental group changed significantly more than that of the two control groups. The experimental group showed an increase in task-oriented coping, whereas one control group did not. The results with regard to emotions were mixed. Follow-up data revealed that effects within the experimental group were still present four months after the training ended. A staff training aimed at emotional intelligence and staff-client interactions is effective in improving emotional intelligence and coping styles of support staff. However, the need for more research aiming at the relationship between staff characteristics, organisational factors and their mediating role in the effectiveness of staff training is emphasised. © 2014 MENCAP and International Association of the Scientific Study of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

About the Joint Chiefs of Staff

Science.gov Websites

JCS: Search Home Media News Photos Videos Publications About The Joint Staff Chairman Vice Chairman J8 | Force Structure, Resources & Assessment Contact Joint Staff Structure Home : About About the Joint Chiefs of Staff Download the CJCS Historic Guide The Joint Chiefs of Staff consist of the Chairman

ALPHA SMP SYSTEM(S) Final Report CRADA No. TC-1404-97

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Seager, M.; Beaudet, T.

Within the scope of this subcontract, Digital Equipment Corporation (DIGITAL) and the University, through the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), engaged in joint research and development activities of mutual interest and benefit. The primary objectives of these activities were, for LLNL to improve its capability to perform its mission, and for DIGITAL to develop technical capability complimentary to this mission. The collaborative activities had direct manpower investments by DIGITAL and LLNL. The project was divided into four areas of concern, which were handled concurrently. These areas included Gang Scheduling, Numerical Methods, Applications Development and Code Development Tools.

Environmental Measurements Laboratory, annual report 1995

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Krey, P.W.; Heit, M.

1996-07-01

This report summarizes the activities of the Environmental Measurements Laboratory (EML) for the calendar year 1995 and serves as an annual report to the Director of the Office of Energy Research (ER), the Associate Director and staff of the Office of Health and Environmental Research (OHER), the Manager and staff of the Chicago Operations Office, and our colleagues. Emphasized are the progress and accomplishments of the year, rather than future plans or expectations. The technical summaries are grouped according to the following seven research program areas: (1) Environmental Radiation and Radioactivity; (2) Radiation Transport and Dosimetry; (3) Environmental Radon, Thoron,more » and Related Aerosols; (4) Atmospheric and Surface Pollutant Studies Related to Global Climate Change; (5) Atmospheric Chemistry; and (6) Metrology, Consultation, and Emergency Response Environmental Management The mission of EML is to address important scientific questions concerning human health and environmental impacts. Through its multidisciplinary staff, EML conducts experimental and theoretical research on radioactive and other energy-related pollutants and provides DOE and other federal agencies with the in-house capability to respond effectively and efficiently with regard to quality assurance activities, environmental issues, and related national security issues.« less

Environmental Measurements Laboratory 1994 annual report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chieco, N.A.; Krey, P.W.; Beck, H.L.

1995-08-01

This report summarizes the activities of the Environmental Measurements Laboratory (EML) for the calendar year 1994 and it serves as an annual report to the Director of the Office of Energy Research (ER), the Associate Director and staff of the Office of Health and Environmental Research (OHER), the manager and staff of the Chicago Field Office, and the authors colleagues. Emphasized are the progress and accomplishments of the year, rather than future plans or expectations. The technical summaries are grouped according to the following seven general program areas: environmental radiation and radioactivity; radiation transport and dosimetry; environmental radon, thoron, andmore » related aerosols; atmospheric and surface pollutant studies related to global climate change; atmospheric chemistry; metrology, consultation, and emergency response; environmental management. EML`s mission is to address important scientific questions concerning human health and environmental impacts. Through its multidisciplinary staff, EML conducts experimental and theoretical research on radioactive and other energy-related pollutants, and provides DOE and other federal agencies with the in-house capability to respond effectively and efficiently with regard to quality assurance activities, environmental issues and related national security issues.« less

[Safety management in pathology laboratory: from specimen handling to confirmation of reports].

PubMed

Minato, Hiroshi; Nojima, Takayuki; Nakano, Mariko; Yamazaki, Michiko

2011-03-01

Medical errors in pathological diagnosis give a huge amount of physical and psychological damage to patients as well as medical staffs. We discussed here how to avoid medical errors in surgical pathology laboratory through our experience. Handling of surgical specimens and diagnosing process requires intensive labor and involves many steps. Each hospital reports many kinds of accidents or incidents, however, many laboratories share common problems and each process has its specific risk for the certain error. We analyzed the problems in each process and concentrated on avoiding misaccessioning, mislabeling, and misreporting. We have made several changes in our system, such as barcode labels, digital images of all specimens, putting specimens in embedding cassettes directly on the endoscopic biopsied specimens, and using a multitissue control block as controls in immunohistochemistry. Some problems are still left behind, but we have reduced the errors by decreasing the number of artificial operation as much as possible. A pathological system recognizing the status of read or unread the pathological reports by clinician are now underconstruction. We also discussed about quality assurance of diagnosis, cooperation with clinicians and other comedical staffs, and organization and method. In order to operate riskless work, it is important for all the medical staffs to have common awareness of the problems, keeping careful observations, and sharing all the information in common. Incorporation of an organizational management tool such as ISO 15189 and utilizing PDCA cycle is also helpful for safety management and quality improvement of the laboratory.

Biosafety Practices and Emergency Response at the Idaho National Laboratory and Los Alamos National Laboratory

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Frank F. Roberto; Dina M. Matz

2008-03-01

Strict federal regulations govern the possession, use, and transfer of pathogens and toxins with potential to cause harm to the public, either through accidental or deliberate means. Laboratories registered through either the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture (USDA), or both, must prepare biosafety, security, and incident response plans, conduct drills or exercises on an annual basis, and update plans accordingly. At the Idaho National Laboratory (INL), biosafety, laboratory, and emergency management staff have been working together for 2 years to satisfy federal and DOE/NNSA requirements. This has been done through the establishment ofmore » plans, training, tabletop and walk-through exercises and drills, and coordination with local and regional emergency response personnel. Responding to the release of infectious agents or toxins is challenging, but through familiarization with the nature of the hazardous biological substances or organisms, and integration with laboratory-wide emergency response procedures, credible scenarios are being used to evaluate our ability to protect workers, the public, and the environment from agents we must work with to provide for national biodefense.« less

Hyperspectral Sensors Final Report CRADA No. TC02173.0

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Priest, R. E.; Sauvageau, J. E.

This was a collaborative effort between Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC as manager and operator of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), National Security Space Operations/SRBU, to develop longwave infrared (LWIR) hyperspectral imaging (HSI) sensors for airborne and potentially ground and space, platforms. LLNL has designed and developed LWIR HSI sensors since 1995. The current generation of these sensors has applications to users within the U.S. Department of Defense and the Intelligence Community. User needs are for multiple copies provided by commercial industry. To gain the most benefit from the U.S. Government’s prior investments inmore » LWIR HSI sensors developed at LLNL, transfer of technology and know-how from LLNL HSI experts to commercial industry was needed. The overarching purpose of the CRADA project was to facilitate the transfer of the necessary technology from LLNL to SAIC thereby allowing the U.S. Government to procure LWIR HSI sensors from this company.« less

Developing a lean culture in the laboratory.

PubMed

Napoles, Leyda; Quintana, Maria

2006-07-25

The Director of Pathology at Jackson Memorial Hospital was interested in improving the operational efficiencies of the department in order to enhance the department's level of service in conjunction with the expansion of the overall health system. The decision was made to implement proven Lean practices in the laboratory under the direction of a major consulting firm. This article details the scope of the initial project as well as the operating principles of Lean manufacturing practices as applied to the clinical laboratory. The goals of the project were to improve turnaround times of laboratory results, reduce inventory and supply costs, improve staff productivity, maximize workflow, and eliminate waste. Extensive data gathering and analysis guided the work process by highlighting the areas of highest opportunity. This systematic approach resulted in recommendations for the workflow and physical layout of the laboratory. It also included the introduction of "standard workflow" and "visual controls" as critical items that streamlined operational efficiencies. The authors provide actual photographs and schematics of the reorganization and improvements to the physical layout of the laboratory. In conclusion, this project resulted in decreased turnaround times and increased productivity, as well as significant savings in the overall laboratory operations.

Scientific Openness and National Security at the National Laboratories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McTague, John

2000-04-01

The possible loss to the People's Republic of China of important U.S. nuclear-weapons-related information has aroused concern about interactions of scientists employed by the national laboratories with foreign nationals. As a result, the National Academies assembled a committee to examine the roles of the national laboratories, the contribution of foreign interactions to the fulfillment of those roles, the risks and benefits of scientific openness in this context, and the merits and liabilities of the specific policies being implemented or proposed with respect to contacts with foreign nationals. The committee concluded that there are many aspects of the work at the laboratories that benefit from or even demand the opportunity for foreign interactions. The committee recommended five principles for guiding policy: (1) Maintain balance. Policy governing international dialogue by laboratory staff should seek to encourage international engagement in some areas, while tightly controlling it in others. (2) Educate staff. Security procedures should be clear, easy to follow, and serve an understandable purpose. (3) Streamline procedures. Good science is compatible with good security if there is intelligent line management both at the labs and in Washington, which applies effective tools for security in a sensible fashion. (4) Focus efforts. DOE should focus its efforts governing tightened security for information. The greatest attention should obviously be provided to the protection of classified information by appropriate physical and cybersecurity measures, and by personnel procedures and training. (5) Beware of prejudice against foreigners. Over the past half-century foreign-born individuals have contributed broadly and profoundly to national security through their work at the national laboratories.

Laboratory Automation and Intra-Laboratory Turnaround Time: Experience at the University Hospital Campus Bio-Medico of Rome.

PubMed

Angeletti, Silvia; De Cesaris, Marina; Hart, Jonathan George; Urbano, Michele; Vitali, Massimiliano Andrea; Fragliasso, Fulvio; Dicuonzo, Giordano

2015-12-01

Intra-laboratory turnaround time (TAT) is a key indicator of laboratory performance. Improving TAT is a complex task requiring staff education, equipment acquisition, and adequate TAT monitoring. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the intra-laboratory TAT after laboratory automation implementation (June 2013-June 2014) and to compare it to that in the preautomation period (July 2012-May 2013). Intra-laboratory TAT was evaluated both as the mean TAT registered and the percentage of outlier (OP) exams. The mean TAT was 36, 38, and 34 min during the study periods, respectively. These values respected the goal TAT established at 45 min. The OP, calculated at 45 min as well as at 60 min, decreased from 26 to 21 and from 11 to 5, respectively. From a focused analysis on blood count cell, troponin I, and prothrombin (PT) test, TAT improvement was more evident for tests requiring longer preanalytical process. The follow-up of TAT from June 2013 to June 2014 revealed the reduction of the mean TAT as well as of the OP exams after automation implementation and that automation more strongly affects the test in the preanalytical phase including centrifugation of the sample, such as troponin I and PT. © 2015 Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening.

Nursing staff-led behavioural group intervention in psychiatric in-patient care: Patient and staff experiences.

PubMed

Salberg, Johanna; Folke, Fredrik; Ekselius, Lisa; Öster, Caisa

2018-02-15

A promising intervention in mental health in-patient care is behavioural activation (BA). Interventions based on BA can be used by mental health nurses and other staff members. The aim of this study was to evaluate patients' and staff members' experiences of a nursing staff-led behavioural group intervention in mental health in-patient care. The intervention was implemented at three adult acute general mental health in-patient wards in a public hospital setting in Sweden. A self-administrated questionnaire, completed by 84 patients and 34 nurses and nurse assistants, was administered, and nonparametric data analysed using descriptive statistics. Our findings revealed that both patients and nursing staff ranked nursing care and care environment as important aspects in the recovery process. Patients and staff members reported overall positive experiences of the group sessions. Patients with higher frequencies of attendance and patients satisfied with overall care had a more positive attitude towards the intervention. A more positive experience of being a group leader was reported by staff members who had been leading groups more than ten times. The most common impeding factor during implementation, reported by staff members, was a negative attitude to change. Conducive factors were having support from a psychologist and the perception that patients were showing interest. These positive experiences reported by patients and nursing staff, combined with previous research in this field, are taking us one step further in evaluating group sessions based on BA as a meaningful nursing intervention in mental health in-patient care. © 2018 Australian College of Mental Health Nurses Inc.

Studies of Short Time Response Options for Potentially Hazardous Objects: Current and Forthcoming Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barbee, Brent W.; Greenaugh, Kevin C.; Seery, Bernard D.; Bambacus, Myra; Leung, Ronald Y.; Finewood, Lee; Dearborn, David S. P.; Miller, Paul L.; Weaver, Robert P.; Plesko, Catherine;

Putting the Staff in Staff Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oromaner, Mark

In spring 1993, Hudson County Community College (HCCC) in Jersey City, New Jersey, created a separate office to establish an ongoing staff development program for all employees. The program is designed to provide further education for employees, orientation to HCCC and its community, training, and recognition for superior performance for support…

Measuring hospital medical staff organizational structure.

PubMed Central

Shortell, S M; Getzen, T E

1979-01-01

Based on organization theory and the work of Roemer and Friedman, seven dimensions of hospital medical staff organization structure are proposed and examined. The data are based on a 1973 nationwide survey of hospital medical staffs conducted by the American Hospital Association. Factor analysis yielded six relatively independent dimensions supporting a multidimensional view of medical staff organization structure. The six dimensions include 1) Resource Capability, 2) Generalist Physician Contractual Orientation, 3) Communication/Control, 4) Local Staff Orientation, 5) Participation in Decision Making, and 6) Hospital-Based Physician Contractual Orientation. It is suggested that these dimensions can be used to develop an empirical typology of hospital medical staff organization structure and to investigate the relationship between medical staff organization and public policy issues related to cost containment and quality assurance. PMID:511580

Use of CHROMagar Candida for genital specimens in the diagnostic laboratory.

PubMed Central

Houang, E T; Chu, K C; Koehler, A P; Cheng, A F

1997-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate CHROMagar Candida (CA), a new yeast differential medium, for yeast isolation in a clinical laboratory for the routine examination of high vaginal swabs. METHODS: Results of high vaginal swab cultures processed in a standard manner on plates containing equal halves of Sabouraud dextrose agar (SDA) and CA were compared. Non-Candida albicans yeast isolates were further speciated with API 20C AUX or API 32C. To assess the ease of use of CA, laboratory staff lacking in experience of the medium were asked to identify 23 unlabelled yeast cultures on CA by referring to six labelled reference plates. RESULTS: Of the 1784 swab cultures processed, yeasts were isolated from 373 SDA and 368 CA. Of the 78 non-albicans isolates further speciated, CA identified correctly all cultures of C krusei and C tropicalis, and 82% of C glabrata. All the 38 inexperienced laboratory staff achieved 100% accuracy for C albicans and over 90% for C krusei and C tropicalis. CONCLUSIONS: CA is a satisfactory isolation medium for genital specimens, allowing immediate and correct identification of the commonly encountered yeasts and easy recognition of mixed cultures. Images PMID:9306935

Electron-Beam Vapor Deposition of Mold Inserts Final Report CRADA No. TSB-777-94

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shepp, T.; Feeley, T.

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and H.G.G. Laser Fare, Inc. studied the application of electron-beam vapor deposition technology to the production of mold inserts for use in an injection molding machine by Laser Fare. Laser Fare provided LLNL with the requirements of the mold inserts as well as sample inserts. LLNL replicated the mold insert(s) to Laser Fare for testing by Laser Fare.

It Takes a Village: Documenting the Contributions of Non-Scientific Staff to Scientific Research

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Higgins, Valerie

Documenting the Contributions of Non-Scientific Staff to Scientific Research Science, especially large-scale basic research, is a collaborative endeavor, often drawing on the skills of people from a wide variety of disciplines. These people include not just scientists, but also administrators, engineers, and many others. Fermilab, a Department of Energy National Laboratory and the United States’ premier particle physics laboratory, exemplifies this kind of research; many of its high-energy physics experiments involve hundreds of collaborators from all over the world. The Fermilab Archives seeks to document the history of the lab and the unique scientific research its staff and visitors perform.more » Adequately documenting the lab’s work often requires us to go far beyond things like the writings and correspondence of scientists to also capture the administrative and social histories of the experiments and the context in which they were performed. At Fermilab, we have sought to capture these elements of the lab’s activities through an oral history program that focuses on support staff as well as physicists and collection development choices that recognize the importance of records documenting the cultural life of the lab. These materials are not merely supplementary, but rather essential documentation of the many types of labor that go into the planning and execution of an experiment or the construction of an accelerator and the context in which this work is performed. Any picture of these experiments and accelerators that did not include this type of information would be incomplete. While the importance and richness of this material is especially pronounced at Fermilab due to the massive size of its experiments and accelerator facilities and its vibrant cultural life, the fruitfulness of these collecting efforts at Fermilab suggests that other archives documenting modern STEM research should also make sure the contributions of non-technical and non

Waste Isolation Pilot Plant Technical Assessment Team Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None, None

This report provides the results of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) technical assessment led by the Savannah River National Laboratory and conducted by a team of experts in pertinent disciplines from SRNL and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), and Sandia National Laboratories (SNL).

The "hospital central laboratory": automation, integration and clinical usefulness.

PubMed

Zaninotto, Martina; Plebani, Mario

2010-07-01

Recent technological developments in laboratory medicine have led to a major challenge, maintaining a close connection between the search of efficiency through automation and consolidation and the assurance of effectiveness. The adoption of systems that automate most of the manual tasks characterizing routine activities has significantly improved the quality of laboratory performance; total laboratory automation being the paradigm of the idea that "human-less" robotic laboratories may allow for better operation and insuring less human errors. Furthermore, even if ongoing technological developments have considerably improved the productivity of clinical laboratories as well as reducing the turnaround time of the entire process, the value of qualified personnel remains a significant issue. Recent evidence confirms that automation allows clinical laboratories to improve analytical performances only if trained staff operate in accordance with well-defined standard operative procedures, thus assuring continuous monitoring of the analytical quality. In addition, laboratory automation may improve the appropriateness of test requests through the use of algorithms and reflex testing. This should allow the adoption of clinical and biochemical guidelines. In conclusion, in laboratory medicine, technology represents a tool for improving clinical effectiveness and patient outcomes, but it has to be managed by qualified laboratory professionals.

Case study: improving efficiency in a large hospital laboratory.

PubMed

Bartel, Marilynn

2004-01-01

Saint Francis Health System (SFHS) consists of three hospitals and one clinic: Saint Francis Hospital (SFH); Broken Arrow Medical Center; Laureate Psychiatric Hospital; and Warren Clinic. SFHS has 670 physicians on staff and serves medical (oncology, orthopedic, neurology, and renal), surgical, cardiac, women and infant, pediatric, transplant, and trauma patients in Tulsa County, Oklahoma, which has a population of 660,000. SFH incorporates 706 staffed beds, including 126 pediatric beds and 119 critical care beds. Each year, the health system averages 38,000 admissions, 70,000 emergency department visits, 25,000 surgeries, and 3,500 births. Saint Francis Laboratory is located within the main hospital facility (SFH) and functions as a core lab for the health system. The lab also coordinates lab services with Saint Francis Heart Hospital, a physician-system joint venture. The Optimal Equipment Configuration (OEC) Project was designed by the Clinical Laboratory Services division of Premier, a group purchasing organization, with the goal of determining whether laboratories could improve efficiency and decrease unit cost by using a single-source vendor. Participants included seven business partners (Abbott, Bayer, Beckman/Coulter, Dade/Behring, J&J/ Ortho, Olympus, and Roche) and 21 laboratory sites (a small, mid-sized, and large site for each vendor). SFH laboratory staff embraced Premier's concept and viewed the OEC project as an opportunity to "energize" laboratory operations. SFH partnered with Abbott, their primary equipment vendor, for the project. Using resources and tools made available through the project, the laboratory was re-engineered to simplify workflow, increase productivity, and decrease costs by adding automation and changing to centralized specimen processing. Abbott and SFH shared a common vision for the project and enhanced their partnership through increased communication and problem solving. Abbott's area representatives provided for third

Advancing staff development and progression in nursing.

PubMed

Narayanasamy, Aru; Narayanasamy, Mani

Staff development in the NHS is integral to clinical governance and therefore important to health service providers. It is concerned with all the activities that advance knowledge, skills and attitudes of staff, embracing induction, mentorship, continuing professional development, learning beyond registration, performance appraisals, promotion, personal and professional development, and related activities. The recent contraction in nursing posts and services and competition for jobs means that only well-qualified staff with an impressive portfolio of staff development are likely to climb the career ladder. Nursing staff development and training needs in the NHS are huge and multifaceted. Healthcare providers need to invest in clear staff development strategies if they are to maintain their status as effective care delivery organizations in an increasingly competitive market-driven economy. This article examines the many features of staff development and highlights the benefits for both staff and organizations.

Laboratory Animal Workers' Attitudes and Perceptions Concerning Occupational Risk and Injury.

PubMed

Steelman, Eric D; Alexander, Jeffrey L

2016-01-01

Little is known regarding the risk perceptions and attitudes of laboratory animal care workers toward biologic safety. The purpose of this descriptive study was to assess the attitudes and perceptions of laboratory animal workers toward occupational and injury risk. Subscribers to the CompMed and TechLink listservs (n = 4808) were surveyed electronically, and 5.3% responded; data from 215 respondents were included in the final analysis. Primary variables of interest included AALAS certifications status, level of education, and responses to Likert-scale questions related to attitudes and perceptions of occupational risk and injury. Nonparametric (χ(2)) testing and measures of central tendency and dispersion were used to analyze and describe the data. According to 88.6% of respondents, biologic safety training is provided with information about zoonotic diseases of laboratory animals. Level of education was significantly related to perception of importance regarding wearing personal protective equipment. Participants indicated that appropriate support from coworkers and management staff is received, especially when performance and perception are hindered due to stress and fatigue. Laboratory animal staff are susceptible to injury and exposure to dangerous organisms and toxic substances. For this reason, to maximize safety, yearly biologic safety training should be provided, the importance of protective equipment adherence strengthened, and the culture of safety made a priority within the institution.

20 CFR 638.801 - Staff training.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 3 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Staff training. 638.801 Section 638.801... TITLE IV-B OF THE JOB TRAINING PARTNERSHIP ACT Administrative Provisions § 638.801 Staff training. The... office, and deliverer staff. ...

20 CFR 638.801 - Staff training.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 3 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Staff training. 638.801 Section 638.801... TITLE IV-B OF THE JOB TRAINING PARTNERSHIP ACT Administrative Provisions § 638.801 Staff training. The... office, and deliverer staff. ...

20 CFR 638.801 - Staff training.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Staff training. 638.801 Section 638.801... TITLE IV-B OF THE JOB TRAINING PARTNERSHIP ACT Administrative Provisions § 638.801 Staff training. The... office, and deliverer staff. ...

Tour of Research Laboratories at the Ford Company

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reitz, J. R.

1981-01-01

A brief description of the physics programs encountered on the tour of the Ford Motor Company Research Laboratories is provided. A visit to the Research Laboratories of the Ford Motor Company is part of the Conference on Physics in the Automotive Industry. The visit will show a cross-section of the programs in Research Staff which are clearly identified as physics research as well as other areas where physicists have established themselves as dominant or team members in what might traditionally be regarded as the province of engineering R&D. After a brief orientation, the Conference visitors will be divided into tour groups and will visit laboratories involved in combustion research, arc-discharge physics, various spectroscopic applications, metal gauging, energy management, optical display systems and solar energy research. Synopses of the specific tour visits follow.

Listening to Staff, 2002.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Owen, Jane; Davies, Peter

A 2002 staff satisfaction survey was administered to 100 sixth form colleges, general further education colleges, and beacon and specialist colleges in England. A questionnaire containing 38 positive statements concerning 6 broad areas one's own role; the staff of the college; style of senior management; communication; customers, including…

Outbreak of Coxsackie B4 arthritis among newborns and staff of a neonatal unit.

PubMed

Bhambhani, Vikas; Abraham, Jacob; Sahni, Mohit; Harit, A K; Khare, Shashi; Puliyel, Jacob M

2007-07-01

We investigated an outbreak of Coxsackie B4 arthritis in a neonatal unit involving 20 neonates and 12 staff members, over an eight-month period. Laboratory investigations, serology tests, indicate that the outbreak was caused by Coxsackie B4 virus. Contamination of one of the overhead water reservoirs, supplying the nursery, was responsible. After the water tanks were cleaned out, no new cases were reported over five years.

Hearing the Voices of General Staff: A Delphi Study of the Contributions of General Staff to Student Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Graham, Carroll

2010-01-01

A university's key resource is its staff, both academic and general. However, relatively little attention has been paid to the work of general staff. Yet general staff comprise more than half the workforce in Australian universities and a more rigorous understanding of the contribution of general staff towards the strategic goals of their…

Laboratory Workflow Analysis of Culture of Periprosthetic Tissues in Blood Culture Bottles.

PubMed

Peel, Trisha N; Sedarski, John A; Dylla, Brenda L; Shannon, Samantha K; Amirahmadi, Fazlollaah; Hughes, John G; Cheng, Allen C; Patel, Robin

2017-09-01

Culture of periprosthetic tissue specimens in blood culture bottles is more sensitive than conventional techniques, but the impact on laboratory workflow has yet to be addressed. Herein, we examined the impact of culture of periprosthetic tissues in blood culture bottles on laboratory workflow and cost. The workflow was process mapped, decision tree models were constructed using probabilities of positive and negative cultures drawn from our published study (T. N. Peel, B. L. Dylla, J. G. Hughes, D. T. Lynch, K. E. Greenwood-Quaintance, A. C. Cheng, J. N. Mandrekar, and R. Patel, mBio 7:e01776-15, 2016, https://doi.org/10.1128/mBio.01776-15), and the processing times and resource costs from the laboratory staff time viewpoint were used to compare periprosthetic tissues culture processes using conventional techniques with culture in blood culture bottles. Sensitivity analysis was performed using various rates of positive cultures. Annualized labor savings were estimated based on salary costs from the U.S. Labor Bureau for Laboratory staff. The model demonstrated a 60.1% reduction in mean total staff time with the adoption of tissue inoculation into blood culture bottles compared to conventional techniques (mean ± standard deviation, 30.7 ± 27.6 versus 77.0 ± 35.3 h per month, respectively; P < 0.001). The estimated annualized labor cost savings of culture using blood culture bottles was $10,876.83 (±$337.16). Sensitivity analysis was performed using various rates of culture positivity (5 to 50%). Culture in blood culture bottles was cost-effective, based on the estimated labor cost savings of $2,132.71 for each percent increase in test accuracy. In conclusion, culture of periprosthetic tissue in blood culture bottles is not only more accurate than but is also cost-saving compared to conventional culture methods. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Microbiology.

SmartStaff: A Support Concept for Staff Planning

DTIC Science & Technology

2000-11-01

facilitated time management and decreased the ambiguities of the plans presented. However, the quality of the final plan did not improve. Team decision making, Team Planning, Group Support Systems, Task Group Staff

Staff activities and behaviour are the source of many feelings: relatives' interactions and relationships with staff in nursing homes.

PubMed

Hertzberg, A; Ekman, S L; Axelsson, K

2001-05-01

Family members do not give up their involvement in the life of their older relatives when they move to an institution. Relatives feel that it is they who take the initiative to establish a working relationship with the staff at the nursing home. Relatives want more spontaneous information from staff, particularly about residents' daily lives, and there is a need for relatives to have opportunities to talk with staff under relaxed conditions. Staff behaviour and activities towards residents and relatives are a source of many feelings for relatives. Relatives' understandings of the challenges faced by staff are not communicated to staff, nor are positive or negative experiences explicitly passed on to staff.

Staff perceptions of challenging parent-staff interactions and beneficial strategies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

PubMed

Friedman, Joshua; Friedman, Susan Hatters; Collin, Marc; Martin, Richard J

2018-01-01

To characterise neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) staff perceptions regarding factors which may lead to more challenging staff-parent interactions, and beneficial strategies for working with families with whom such interactions occur. A survey of 168 physician and nursing staff at two NICUs in American teaching hospitals inquired about their perceptions of challenging parent-staff interactions and situations in which such interactions were likely to occur. From a medical perspective, staff perceptions of challenging interactions were noted when infants had recent decompensation, high medical complexity, malformations or long duration of stay in the NICU. From a psychological/social perspective, a high likelihood of challenging interactions was noted with parents who were suspicious, interfere with equipment, or parents who hover in the NICU, express paranoid or delusional thoughts, repeat questions, perceive the staff as inaccessible, are managing addictions, or who require child protective services involvement. Frequent family meetings, grieving opportunities, education of parents, social work referrals, clearly defined rules, partnering in daily care and support groups were perceived as the most beneficial strategies for improving difficult interactions. This study delineates what staff perceive as challenging interactions and provides support for an educational and interventional role that incorporates mental health professionals. ©2017 Foundation Acta Paediatrica. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

University staff experiences of students with mental health problems and their perceptions of staff training needs.

PubMed

Gulliver, Amelia; Farrer, Louise; Bennett, Kylie; Ali, Kathina; Hellsing, Annika; Katruss, Natasha; Griffiths, Kathleen M

2018-06-01

University students experience high levels of mental health problems; however, very few seek professional help. Teaching staff within the university are well placed to assist students to seek support. To investigate university teaching staff experiences of, and training needs around, assisting students with mental health problems. A total of 224 teaching staff at the Australian National University completed an anonymous online survey (16.4% response rate from n ∼ 1370). Data on mental health training needs, and experiences of assisting students with mental health problems were described using tabulation. Qualitative data were analysed using thematic analysis. Most teaching staff (70.1-82.2%) reported at least moderate confidence in their ability to provide emotional support for students. However, many staff (60.0%) felt under-equipped overall to deal with student mental health problems; almost half (49.6%) reported they did not have access to formal training. Specific actions described in assisting students included referrals, offering support, or consulting others for advice. Given the high rates of students who approach staff about mental health problems, there is a critical need to provide and promote both formal mental health response training and explicit guidelines for staff on when, how, and where to refer students for help.

Automated Scheduling of Personnel to Staff Operations for the Mars Science Laboratory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Knight, Russell; Mishkin, Andrew; Allbaugh, Alicia

2014-01-01

Leveraging previous work on scheduling personnel for space mission operations, we have adapted ASPEN (Activity Scheduling and Planning Environment) [1] to the domain of scheduling personnel for operations of the Mars Science Laboratory. Automated scheduling of personnel is not new. We compare our representations to a sampling of employee scheduling systems available with respect to desired features. We described the constraints required by MSL personnel schedulers and how each is handled by the scheduling algorithm.

Why Do Staff Return?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Magnuson, Connie

1992-01-01

Surveyed 211 returning staff from 25 camps and interviewed 19 returning staff to study factors that influence a counselor's decision to return to camp. Examined the following dimensions of motivation and hygiene factors: (1) stimulation or inspiration; (2) personal; (3) job-related experience; (4) living conditions and camp life; (5) camp…

Economic Impact of Pacific Northwest National Laboratory on the State of Washington in Fiscal Year 2014

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Scott, Michael J.; Niemeyer, Jackie M.

PNNL is a large economic entity with a total of 4,308 employees, $939 million (M) in total funding, and $1.02 billion (B) in total spending during FY 2014. The number of employees that live in Washington State is 4,026 or 93 percent of the Laboratory staff. he Laboratory directly and indirectly supported $1.45 billion in economic output, 6,832 jobs, and $517 million in Washington State wage income from current operations. The state also gained more than $1.19 billion in output, over 6,200 jobs, and $444 million in income through closely related economic activities such as visitors, health care spending, spendingmore » by resident retirees, and spinoff companies. PNNL affects Washington’s economy through commonly recognized economic channels, including spending on payrolls and other goods and services that support Laboratory operations. Less commonly recognized channels also have their own impacts and include company-supported spending on health care for its staff members and retirees, spending of its resident retirees, Laboratory visitor spending, and the economic activities in a growing constellation of “spinoff” companies founded on PNNL research, technology, and managerial expertise. PNNL also has a significant impact on science and technology education and community not-for-profit organizations. PNNL is an active participant in the future scientific enterprise in Washington with the state’s K-12 schools, colleges, and universities. The Laboratory sends staff members to the classroom and brings hundreds of students to the PNNL campus to help train the next generation of scientists, engineers, mathematicians, and technicians. This investment in human capital, though difficult to measure in terms of current dollars of economic output, is among the important lasting legacies of the Laboratory. Finally, PNNL contributes to the local community with millions of dollars’ worth of cash and in-kind corporate and staff contributions, all of which strengthen

NASA Glenn's Acoustical Testing Laboratory Awarded Accreditation by the National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Akers, James C.; Cooper, Beth A.

2004-01-01

NASA Glenn Research Center's Acoustical Testing Laboratory (ATL) provides a comprehensive array of acoustical testing services, including sound pressure level, sound intensity level, and sound-power-level testing per International Standards Organization (ISO)1 3744. Since its establishment in September 2000, the ATL has provided acoustic emission testing and noise control services for a variety of customers, particularly microgravity space flight hardware that must meet International Space Station acoustic emission requirements. The ATL consists of a 23- by 27- by 20-ft (height) convertible hemi/anechoic test chamber and a separate sound-attenuating test support enclosure. The ATL employs a personal-computer-based data acquisition system that provides up to 26 channels of simultaneous data acquisition with real-time analysis (ref. 4). Specialized diagnostic tools, including a scanning sound-intensity system, allow the ATL's technical staff to support its clients' aggressive low-noise design efforts to meet the space station's acoustic emission requirement. From its inception, the ATL has pursued the goal of developing a comprehensive ISO 17025-compliant quality program that would incorporate Glenn's existing ISO 9000 quality system policies as well as ATL-specific technical policies and procedures. In March 2003, the ATL quality program was awarded accreditation by the National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program (NVLAP) for sound-power-level testing in accordance with ISO 3744. The NVLAP program is administered by the National Institutes of Standards and Technology (NIST) of the U.S. Department of Commerce and provides third-party accreditation for testing and calibration laboratories. There are currently 24 NVLAP-accredited acoustical testing laboratories in the United States. NVLAP accreditation covering one or more specific testing procedures conducted in accordance with established test standards is awarded upon successful completion of an intensive

Quality Assurance Program for Molecular Medicine Laboratories

PubMed Central

Hajia, M; Safadel, N; Samiee, S Mirab; Dahim, P; Anjarani, S; Nafisi, N; Sohrabi, A; Rafiee, M; Sabzavi, F; Entekhabi, B

2013-01-01

Background: Molecular diagnostic methods have played and continuing to have a critical role in clinical laboratories in recent years. Therefore, standardization is an evolutionary process that needs to be upgrade with increasing scientific knowledge, improvement of the instruments and techniques. The aim of this study was to design a quality assurance program in order to have similar conditions for all medical laboratories engaging with molecular tests. Methods: We had to design a plan for all four elements; required space conditions, equipments, training, and basic guidelines. Necessary guidelines was prepared and confirmed by the launched specific committee at the Health Reference Laboratory. Results: Several workshops were also held for medical laboratories directors and staffs, quality control manager of molecular companies, directors and nominees from universities. Accreditation of equipments and molecular material was followed parallel with rest of program. Now we are going to accredit medical laboratories and to evaluate the success of the program. Conclusion: Accreditation of medical laboratory will be succeeding if its basic elements are provided in advance. Professional practice guidelines, holding training and performing accreditation the molecular materials and equipments ensured us that laboratories are aware of best practices, proper interpretation, limitations of techniques, and technical issues. Now, active external auditing can improve the applied laboratory conditions toward the defined standard level. PMID:23865028

Staff Acceptance of Tele-ICU Coverage

PubMed Central

Chan, Paul S.; Cram, Peter

2011-01-01

Background: Remote coverage of ICUs is increasing, but staff acceptance of this new technology is incompletely characterized. We conducted a systematic review to summarize existing research on acceptance of tele-ICU coverage among ICU staff. Methods: We searched for published articles pertaining to critical care telemedicine systems (aka, tele-ICU) between January 1950 and March 2010 using PubMed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Global Health, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library and abstracts and presentations delivered at national conferences. Studies were included if they provided original qualitative or quantitative data on staff perceptions of tele-ICU coverage. Studies were imported into content analysis software and coded by tele-ICU configuration, methodology, participants, and findings (eg, positive and negative staff evaluations). Results: Review of 3,086 citations yielded 23 eligible studies. Findings were grouped into four categories of staff evaluation: overall acceptance level of tele-ICU coverage (measured in 70% of studies), impact on patient care (measured in 96%), impact on staff (measured in 100%), and organizational impact (measured in 48%). Overall acceptance was high, despite initial ambivalence. Favorable impact on patient care was perceived by > 82% of participants. Staff impact referenced enhanced collaboration, autonomy, and training, although scrutiny, malfunctions, and contradictory advice were cited as potential barriers. Staff perceived the organizational impact to vary. An important limitation of available studies was a lack of rigorous methodology and validated survey instruments in many studies. Conclusions: Initial reports suggest high levels of staff acceptance of tele-ICU coverage, but more rigorous methodologic study is required. PMID:21051386

National survey on critical values reporting in a cohort of Italian laboratories.

PubMed

Lippi, Giuseppe; Giavarina, Davide; Montagnana, Martina; Luca Salvagno, Gian; Cappelletti, Piero; Plebani, Mario; Guidi, Gian Cesare

2007-01-01

Critical values' reporting is an essential requisite for clinical laboratories. Local policies were investigated within an indicative cohort of Italian laboratories to monitor the situation and establish a performance benchmark. A five-point questionnaire was administered to 150 laboratory specialists attending the SIMEL (Italian Society of Laboratory Medicine) National Meeting in June 2006. A total of 107 questionnaires (71.3%) were returned with a 100% individual question response rate. Only 55% of the participants acknowledge critical values reporting as an essential practice, 80% admit that a comprehensive list of critical values is unavailable in the laboratory and 4% do not promptly communicate critical values. The list of critical values is variable among laboratories, ranging from none to 20 analytes included. The requesting physician or his/her office staff receives the great majority (97%) of notifications by telephone for outpatients. Critical values for inpatients are notified directly by telephone (81%) and in a minority of cases by either fax or computer (19%). In the inpatient setting, the information is notified to physicians (77%), nurses (15%) or other healthcare staff in the clinic (8%). It was found that 49% of the participants adopt a standard (digital or written) policy for routine recording of notifications; in 32% of the cases the registration is left to individual attitudes, whereas in 20% of the cases the notification is not recorded. No laboratory has yet adopted a read-back verification of the complete test result by the person receiving the information. The importance of critical value reporting is still poorly recognized in Italy and uniform or internationally accredited practices for communication and recording are not currently implemented.

17 CFR 38.701 - Enforcement staff.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 17 Commodity and Securities Exchanges 1 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Enforcement staff. 38.701... MARKETS Disciplinary Procedures § 38.701 Enforcement staff. A designated contract market must establish and maintain sufficient enforcement staff and resources to effectively and promptly prosecute possible...

17 CFR 38.701 - Enforcement staff.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 17 Commodity and Securities Exchanges 1 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Enforcement staff. 38.701... MARKETS Disciplinary Procedures § 38.701 Enforcement staff. A designated contract market must establish and maintain sufficient enforcement staff and resources to effectively and promptly prosecute possible...

Noninstructional Staff Perceptions of the College Climate

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duggan, Molly H.

2008-01-01

This study explored staff perception of organizational climate, including the impact of gender on staff interactions with faculty and students and staff perceptions of workplace satisfaction within the community college. The overarching research question guiding this study was, What are noninstructional staff perceptions of the community college…

Frederick National Laboratory Celebrates 40 Years | Poster

Cancer.gov

By Ashley DeVine, Staff Writer Forty years ago, what we now call the Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research was born. Here are some highlights in the facility’s history. October 19, 1971 – President Richard Nixon announced that Fort Detrick would be converted from a biological warfare facility to a cancer research center (Covert, Norman M., Cutting Edge: A History of Fort Detrick, Maryland, 1943–1993, pp. 85–87).

Cerebrospinal fluid protein and glucose examinations and tuberculosis:
Will laboratory safety regulations force a change of practice?

PubMed

Tormey, William P; O'Hagan, Christopher

2015-01-01

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) protein and glucose examinations are usually performed in chemical pathology departments on autoanalysers. Tuberculosis (TB) is a group 3 biological agent under Directive 2000/54/EC of the European Parliament but in the biochemistry laboratory, no extra precautions are taken in its analysis in possible TB cases. The issue of laboratory practice and safety in the biochemical analyses of CSF specimens, when tuberculosis infection is in question is addressed in the context of ambiguity in the implementation of current national and international health and safety regulations. Additional protective measures for laboratory staff during the analysis of CSF TB samples should force a change in current laboratory practice and become a regulatory issue under ISO 15189. Annual Mantoux skin test or an interferon-γ release assay for TB should be mandatory for relevant staff. This manuscript addresses the issue of biochemistry laboratory practice and safety in the biochemical analyses of CSF specimens when tuberculosis infection is in question in the context of the ambiguity of statutory health and safety regulations.

An international study of how laboratories handle and evaluate patient samples after detecting an unexpected APTT prolongation.

PubMed

Ajzner, Éva; Rogic, Dunja; Meijer, Piet; Kristoffersen, Ann Helen; Carraro, Paolo; Sozmen, Eser; Faria, Ana Paula; Sandberg, Sverre

2015-09-01

An unexpectedly detected prolonged activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) can be a harmless laboratory finding, but can also reflect a thrombotic tendency or a bleeding disorder. The assistance of laboratory professionals in the interpretation of an unexpectedly detected prolonged APTT (uAPTT) is often required. The way in which uAPTTs are evaluated in laboratories was assessed in this international study with the aim of determining whether laboratory professionals are able to fulfill this need. Postanalytical practices after uAPTT were investigated and the mixing study methodology (if used) was studied by circulating a case report with a questionnaire to staff in the invited laboratories. In addition, the interpretations of those staff regarding the presence or absence of inhibitors in three APTT mixing study scenarios were examined. Large within- and between-country variations were detected in both postanalytical practices and mixing study methodologies among the 990 responding laboratories, 90% of which were in 13 countries. Shortcomings regarding the investigation of uAPTTs leading to potentially incorrect or delayed clinical diagnoses were found in 88% of the laboratories. Of the laboratories to which the interpretative questions were sent, 49% interpreted all mixing study scenarios correctly. uAPTTs were investigated appropriately and all mixing study scenarios interpreted correctly in parallel in only 9.6% of the participating laboratories. The clinical requirement for the assistance of laboratory professionals in the interpretation of uAPTTs cannot be met at most of the participating laboratories. Laboratory professionals should be trained in the evaluation of ordinary laboratory tests, such as that for uAPTTs.

Towards an evaluation framework for Laboratory Information Systems.

PubMed

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.

Laboratory Design for Microbiological Safety

PubMed Central

Phillips, G. Briggs; Runkle, Robert S.

1967-01-01

Of the large amount of funds spent each year in this country on construction and remodeling of biomedical research facilities, a significant portion is directed to laboratories handling infectious microorganisms. This paper is intended for the scientific administrators, architects, and engineers concerned with the design of new microbiological facilities. It develops and explains the concept of primary and secondary barriers for the containment of microorganisms. The basic objectives of a microbiological research laboratory, (i) protection of the experimenter and staff, (ii) protection of the surrounding community, and (iii) maintenance of experimental validity, are defined. In the design of a new infectious-disease research laboratory, early identification should be made of the five functional zones of the facility and their relation to each other. The following five zones and design criteria applicable to each are discussed: clean and transition, research area, animal holding and research area, laboratory support, engineering support. The magnitude of equipment and design criteria which are necessary to integrate these five zones into an efficient and safe facility are delineated. Images Fig. 1 Fig. 3 Fig. 4 Fig. 5 Fig. 6 Fig. 7 Fig. 8 Fig. 9 Fig. 10 Fig. 11 Fig. 12 Fig. 13 Fig. 14 Fig. 15 Fig. 16 Fig. 17 Fig. 18 Fig. 19 PMID:4961771

Emergency Response Capability Baseline Needs Assessment - Compliance Assessment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sharry, John A.

This document was prepared by John A. Sharry, LLNL Fire Marshal and Division Leader for Fire Protection and was reviewed by LLNL Emergency Management Department Head, James Colson. This document is the second of a two-part analysis on Emergency Response Capabilities of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. The first part, 2016 Baseline Needs Assessment Requirements Document established the minimum performance criteria necessary to meet mandatory requirements. This second part analyses the performance of Lawrence Livermore Laboratory Emergency Management Department to the contents of the Requirements Document. The document was prepared based on an extensive review of information contained in the 2016more » BNA, a review of Emergency Planning Hazards Assessments, a review of building construction, occupancy, fire protection features, dispatch records, LLNL alarm system records, fire department training records, and fire department policies and procedures. The 2013 BNA was approved by NNSA’s Livermore Field Office on January 22, 2014.« less

32 CFR 700.330 - The Staff Assistants.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 32 National Defense 5 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false The Staff Assistants. 700.330 Section 700.330 National Defense Department of Defense (Continued) DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY UNITED STATES NAVY REGULATIONS... Office of the Secretary of the Navy/the Staff Assistants § 700.330 The Staff Assistants. The Staff...

32 CFR 700.330 - The Staff Assistants.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 32 National Defense 5 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false The Staff Assistants. 700.330 Section 700.330 National Defense Department of Defense (Continued) DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY UNITED STATES NAVY REGULATIONS... Office of the Secretary of the Navy/the Staff Assistants § 700.330 The Staff Assistants. The Staff...

7 CFR 1700.27 - Chief of Staff.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 11 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Chief of Staff. 1700.27 Section 1700.27 Agriculture... GENERAL INFORMATION Agency Organization and Functions § 1700.27 Chief of Staff. The Chief of Staff aids and assists the Administrator and the Deputy Administrator. The Chief of Staff advises the...

32 CFR 700.330 - The Staff Assistants.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 32 National Defense 5 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false The Staff Assistants. 700.330 Section 700.330 National Defense Department of Defense (Continued) DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY UNITED STATES NAVY REGULATIONS... Office of the Secretary of the Navy/the Staff Assistants § 700.330 The Staff Assistants. The Staff...

32 CFR 700.330 - The Staff Assistants.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 32 National Defense 5 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false The Staff Assistants. 700.330 Section 700.330 National Defense Department of Defense (Continued) DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY UNITED STATES NAVY REGULATIONS... Office of the Secretary of the Navy/the Staff Assistants § 700.330 The Staff Assistants. The Staff...

32 CFR 700.330 - The Staff Assistants.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 32 National Defense 5 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false The Staff Assistants. 700.330 Section 700.330 National Defense Department of Defense (Continued) DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY UNITED STATES NAVY REGULATIONS... Office of the Secretary of the Navy/the Staff Assistants § 700.330 The Staff Assistants. The Staff...

7 CFR 1700.27 - Chief of Staff.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 11 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Chief of Staff. 1700.27 Section 1700.27 Agriculture... GENERAL INFORMATION Agency Organization and Functions § 1700.27 Chief of Staff. The Chief of Staff aids and assists the Administrator and the Deputy Administrator. The Chief of Staff advises the...

7 CFR 1700.27 - Chief of Staff.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 11 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Chief of Staff. 1700.27 Section 1700.27 Agriculture... GENERAL INFORMATION Agency Organization and Functions § 1700.27 Chief of Staff. The Chief of Staff aids and assists the Administrator and the Deputy Administrator. The Chief of Staff advises the...

7 CFR 1700.27 - Chief of Staff.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 11 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Chief of Staff. 1700.27 Section 1700.27 Agriculture... GENERAL INFORMATION Agency Organization and Functions § 1700.27 Chief of Staff. The Chief of Staff aids and assists the Administrator and the Deputy Administrator. The Chief of Staff advises the...

7 CFR 1700.27 - Chief of Staff.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 11 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Chief of Staff. 1700.27 Section 1700.27 Agriculture... GENERAL INFORMATION Agency Organization and Functions § 1700.27 Chief of Staff. The Chief of Staff aids and assists the Administrator and the Deputy Administrator. The Chief of Staff advises the...

Staff Training Best Practices: Targeting Attitude.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grayson, Randall

2001-01-01

Enhancing the attitude of camp staff involves hiring staff that already have good attitudes, training staff in small groups that then train the rest, using the power of story, removing structural barriers, helping people understand how their actions influence organizational outcomes, identifying "termites," and placing a weak counselor…

46 CFR 15.835 - Staff officers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 46 Shipping 1 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Staff officers. 15.835 Section 15.835 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY MERCHANT MARINE OFFICERS AND SEAMEN MANNING REQUIREMENTS Computations § 15.835 Staff officers. Staff officers, when carried, must be registered as specified in part 11...

46 CFR 15.835 - Staff officers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Staff officers. 15.835 Section 15.835 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY MERCHANT MARINE OFFICERS AND SEAMEN MANNING REQUIREMENTS Computations § 15.835 Staff officers. Staff officers, when carried, must be registered as specified in part 11...

1 CFR 15.3 - Staff assistance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 1 General Provisions 1 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Staff assistance. 15.3 Section 15.3 General Provisions ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE OF THE FEDERAL REGISTER PREPARATION, TRANSMITTAL, AND PROCESSING OF DOCUMENTS SERVICES TO FEDERAL AGENCIES General § 15.3 Staff assistance. The staff of the Office of the...

46 CFR 15.835 - Staff officers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 46 Shipping 1 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Staff officers. 15.835 Section 15.835 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY MERCHANT MARINE OFFICERS AND SEAMEN MANNING REQUIREMENTS Computations § 15.835 Staff officers. Staff officers, when carried, must be registered as specified in part 11...

1 CFR 15.3 - Staff assistance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 1 General Provisions 1 2013-01-01 2012-01-01 true Staff assistance. 15.3 Section 15.3 General Provisions ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE OF THE FEDERAL REGISTER PREPARATION, TRANSMITTAL, AND PROCESSING OF DOCUMENTS SERVICES TO FEDERAL AGENCIES General § 15.3 Staff assistance. The staff of the Office of the...

1 CFR 15.3 - Staff assistance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 1 General Provisions 1 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Staff assistance. 15.3 Section 15.3 General Provisions ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE OF THE FEDERAL REGISTER PREPARATION, TRANSMITTAL, AND PROCESSING OF DOCUMENTS SERVICES TO FEDERAL AGENCIES General § 15.3 Staff assistance. The staff of the Office of the...

46 CFR 15.835 - Staff officers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 46 Shipping 1 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Staff officers. 15.835 Section 15.835 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY MERCHANT MARINE OFFICERS AND SEAMEN MANNING REQUIREMENTS Computations § 15.835 Staff officers. Staff officers, when carried, must be registered as specified in part 11...

46 CFR 15.835 - Staff officers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 46 Shipping 1 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Staff officers. 15.835 Section 15.835 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY MERCHANT MARINE OFFICERS AND SEAMEN MANNING REQUIREMENTS Computations § 15.835 Staff officers. Staff officers, when carried, must be registered as specified in part 11...

1 CFR 15.3 - Staff assistance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 1 General Provisions 1 2014-01-01 2012-01-01 true Staff assistance. 15.3 Section 15.3 General Provisions ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE OF THE FEDERAL REGISTER PREPARATION, TRANSMITTAL, AND PROCESSING OF DOCUMENTS SERVICES TO FEDERAL AGENCIES General § 15.3 Staff assistance. The staff of the Office of the...

1 CFR 15.3 - Staff assistance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 1 General Provisions 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Staff assistance. 15.3 Section 15.3 General Provisions ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE OF THE FEDERAL REGISTER PREPARATION, TRANSMITTAL, AND PROCESSING OF DOCUMENTS SERVICES TO FEDERAL AGENCIES General § 15.3 Staff assistance. The staff of the Office of the...

Quality in the molecular microbiology laboratory.

PubMed

Wallace, Paul S; MacKay, William G

2013-01-01

In the clinical microbiology laboratory advances in nucleic acid detection, quantification, and sequence analysis have led to considerable improvements in the diagnosis, management, and monitoring of infectious diseases. Molecular diagnostic methods are routinely used to make clinical decisions based on when and how to treat a patient as well as monitor the effectiveness of a therapeutic regime and identify any potential drug resistant strains that may impact on the long term patient treatment program. Therefore, confidence in the reliability of the result provided by the laboratory service to the clinician is essential for patient treatment. Hence, suitable quality assurance and quality control measures are important to ensure that the laboratory methods and service meet the necessary regulatory requirements both at the national and international level. In essence, the modern clinical microbiology laboratory ensures the appropriateness of its services through a quality management system that monitors all aspects of the laboratory service pre- and post-analytical-from patient sample receipt to reporting of results, from checking and upholding staff competency within the laboratory to identifying areas for quality improvements within the service offered. For most European based clinical microbiology laboratories this means following the common International Standard Organization (ISO9001) framework and ISO15189 which sets out the quality management requirements for the medical laboratory (BS EN ISO 15189 (2003) Medical laboratories-particular requirements for quality and competence. British Standards Institute, Bristol, UK). In the United States clinical laboratories performing human diagnostic tests are regulated by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) following the requirements within the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments document 1988 (CLIA-88). This chapter focuses on the key quality assurance and quality control requirements within the

Challenges of a negative work load and implications on morale, productivity and quality of service delivered in NHS laboratories in England

PubMed Central

Osaro, Erhabor; Chima, Njemanze

2014-01-01

The National Health Service (NHS) is a term used to describe the publicly funded healthcare delivery system providing quality healthcare services in the United Kingdom. There are several challenges militating against the effective laboratory service delivery in the NHS in England. Biomedical scientists work in healthcare to diagnose disease and evaluate the effectiveness of treatment through the analysis of body fluids and tissue samples from patients. They provide the “engine room” of modern medicine with 70% of diagnosis based on the laboratory results generated by them. This review involved the search of literature for information on working condition of biomedical scientist in the NHS in England. Laboratory service delivery in the NHS in England faces numerous daunting challenges; staffing levels in the last few years have become dangerously low, less remunerated, relatively less experienced and predominantly band 5's, multidisciplinary rather than specialty based, associated with working more unsocial hours without adequate recovery time, de-banding of staff, high staff turnaround, profit and cost driven rather than quality. These factors has resulted in burn out, low morale, high sickness absences, increased error rate, poor team spirit, diminished productivity and suboptimal laboratory service delivery. There is the urgent need to retract our steps on unpopular policies to ensure that patient care is not compromised by ensuring adequate staffing level and mix, ensuring adequate remuneration of laboratory staff, implementing evidenced-based specialty oriented service, determining the root cause/s for the high staff turnover and implementing corrective action, identifying other potential sources of waste in the system rather than pruning the already dangerously low staffing levels and promoting a quality delivery side by side cost effectiveness. PMID:25182941

Challenges of a negative work load and implications on morale, productivity and quality of service delivered in NHS laboratories in England.

PubMed

Osaro, Erhabor; Chima, Njemanze

2014-06-01

The National Health Service (NHS) is a term used to describe the publicly funded healthcare delivery system providing quality healthcare services in the United Kingdom. There are several challenges militating against the effective laboratory service delivery in the NHS in England. Biomedical scientists work in healthcare to diagnose disease and evaluate the effectiveness of treatment through the analysis of body fluids and tissue samples from patients. They provide the "engine room" of modern medicine with 70% of diagnosis based on the laboratory results generated by them. This review involved the search of literature for information on working condition of biomedical scientist in the NHS in England. Laboratory service delivery in the NHS in England faces numerous daunting challenges; staffing levels in the last few years have become dangerously low, less remunerated, relatively less experienced and predominantly band 5's, multidisciplinary rather than specialty based, associated with working more unsocial hours without adequate recovery time, de-banding of staff, high staff turnaround, profit and cost driven rather than quality. These factors has resulted in burn out, low morale, high sickness absences, increased error rate, poor team spirit, diminished productivity and suboptimal laboratory service delivery. There is the urgent need to retract our steps on unpopular policies to ensure that patient care is not compromised by ensuring adequate staffing level and mix, ensuring adequate remuneration of laboratory staff, implementing evidenced-based specialty oriented service, determining the root cause/s for the high staff turnover and implementing corrective action, identifying other potential sources of waste in the system rather than pruning the already dangerously low staffing levels and promoting a quality delivery side by side cost effectiveness.

Closure development for high-level nuclear waste containers for the tuff repository; Phase 1, Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Robitz, E.S. Jr.; McAninch, M.D. Jr.; Edmonds, D.P.

1990-09-01

This report summarizes Phase 1 activities for closure development of the high-level nuclear waste package task for the tuff repository. Work was conducted under U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Contract 9172105, administered through the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), as part of the Yucca Mountain Project (YMP), funded through the DOE Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management (OCRWM). The goal of this phase was to select five closure processes for further evaluation in later phases of the program. A decision tree methodology was utilized to perform an objective evaluation of 15 potential closure processes. Information was gathered via a literaturemore » survey, industrial contacts, and discussions with project team members, other experts in the field, and the LLNL waste package task staff. The five processes selected were friction welding, electron beam welding, laser beam welding, gas tungsten arc welding, and plasma arc welding. These are felt to represent the best combination of weldment material properties and process performance in a remote, radioactive environment. Conceptual designs have been generated for these processes to illustrate how they would be implemented in practice. Homopolar resistance welding was included in the Phase 1 analysis, and developments in this process will be monitored via literature in Phases 2 and 3. Work was conducted in accordance with the YMP Quality Assurance Program. 223 refs., 20 figs., 9 tabs.« less

NICU consultants and support staff

MedlinePlus

Newborn intensive care unit - consultants and support staff; Neonatal intensive care unit - consultants and support staff ... test a baby's hearing and provide follow-up care to those with hearing problems. Most newborns have ...

Measurement of the ^235mU Production Cross Section Using a Critical Assembly*

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Macri, Robert; Authier, Nicolas; Becker, John; Belier, Gilbert; Bond, Evelyn; Bredeweg, Todd; Glover, S.; Meot, Vincent; Rundberg, Robert; Vieira, David; Wilhelmy, Jerry

2006-10-01

Measurements of the creation and destruction cross sections for actinide nuclei constitute an important experimental effort in support of Stockpile Stewardship. In this talk I will give a progress report on the effort to measure the production cross section of the ^235mU isomer integrated over a fission neutron spectrum. This ongoing experiment is fielded at CEA in Valduc, France, taking advantage of the CALIBAN critical assembly. This effort is performed in collaboration with LANL, LLNL, Bruyeres le Chatel, and Valduc staff. This experiment utilizes a technique to measure internal conversion electrons from the ^235mU isomer with the French BIII detector (Bruyeres le Chatel), and involves a substantial chemistry effort (LANL) to prepare targets for irradiation and counting, as well as to remove fission fragments after irradiation. Experimental techniques will be discussed and preliminary data presented. *Work performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by Los Alamos National Laboratory (W-7405-ENG-36) and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (W-7405-ENG-48), and CEA-DAM under CEA-DAM NNSA-DOE agreement.