Alpha Analytical is a laboratory services company celebrating its 25th anniversary. It provides routine analytical services for VOAs, SVOCs, metals, and wet chemistry from its Westborough and Mansfield facilities. The company has over 50 servers supporting its LIMS system, instrument operations, and client interfaces. Developing electronic data deliverables requires advance planning including a detailed EDD specification, example data files, and allowing time for testing and revisions. Effective communication between the client and laboratory is essential for a successful EDD process.
This presentation gives some reasoning behind using ISN format, examples of format and ways to grade ISN notebooks. Used in middle school 6th, 7th and 8th grade science.
Convincing Execs: Using Eye-tracking Results in Understandable and Persuasive Ways
By Laura Faulkner, PhD, Strategist at FalconDay Consulting and Research Scientist at The University of Texas at Austin, USA
Abstract: If you have ever been on the hot seat of presenting results to executives, you know the challenging, sometimes frustrating, and sometimes puzzling questions they ask. Presenting eye-tracking results can be particularly powerful, but can also be misunderstood and misapplied. Dr. Faulkner presents the do's and don't's of executive communications, including 5 keys to packaging and presenting your results and conclusions to persuade and spark leadership to action.
This presentation gives some reasoning behind using ISN format, examples of format and ways to grade ISN notebooks. Used in middle school 6th, 7th and 8th grade science.
Convincing Execs: Using Eye-tracking Results in Understandable and Persuasive Ways
By Laura Faulkner, PhD, Strategist at FalconDay Consulting and Research Scientist at The University of Texas at Austin, USA
Abstract: If you have ever been on the hot seat of presenting results to executives, you know the challenging, sometimes frustrating, and sometimes puzzling questions they ask. Presenting eye-tracking results can be particularly powerful, but can also be misunderstood and misapplied. Dr. Faulkner presents the do's and don't's of executive communications, including 5 keys to packaging and presenting your results and conclusions to persuade and spark leadership to action.
ChemSpider – disseminating data and enabling an abundance of chemistry platformsKen Karapetyan
ChemSpider is one of the chemistry community’s primary public compound databases. Containing tens of millions of chemical compounds and its associated data ChemSpider serves data to many tens of websites and software applications at this point. This presentation will provide an overview of the expanding reach of the ChemSpider platform and the nature of solutions that it helps to enable. We will also discuss some of the future directions for the project that are envisaged and how we intend to continue expanding the impact for the platform.
Tracking progress through the laboratory pipeline, keeping all required products together, consistent data assessment, analysis-lab feedback loop, key elements of a data management database (LIMS)
This presentation is row of demos that introduce how to use Application Insights, how it works and how to build your own application telemetry on top of it. Two surprise demos show audience some case studies how to use Application Insights to plan hosting of global web site and how to support sales and logistics departments in real-time.
Managing Your Hyperion Environment – Performance Tuning, Problem Solving and ...eCapital Advisors
Casey Ratliff from eCapital Advisors provides recommendations on Oracle - Hyperion performance tuning at a Hyperion User Group meeting in Minnesota.
Diagnostics/Troubleshooting
- Where are all the logs
- Using Log Analysis Utility
- EPM System Registry
- Deployment Report
- EPM Diagnostic –Validation
- Zip to Logs
Changes that can improve performance
- Java Heap
- Data Connections
- Essbase/
Casey Ratliff, Lead System Architect
http://www.eCapitalAdvisors.com
At a time when the data explosion has simply been redefined as “Big”, the hurdles associated with building a subject-specific data repository for chemistry are daunting. Combining a multitude of non-standard data formats for chemicals, related properties, reactions, spectra etc., together with the confusion of licensing and embargoing, and providing for data exchange and integration with services and platforms external to the repository, the challenge is significant. This all at a time when semantic technologies are touted as the fundamental technology to enhance integration and discoverability. Funding agencies are demanding change, especially a change towards access to open data to parallel their expectations around Open Access publishing. The Royal Society of Chemistry has been funded by the Engineering and Physical Science Research of the UK to deliver a “chemical database service” for UK scientists. This presentation will provide an overview of the challenges associated with this project and our progress in delivering a chemistry repository capable of handling the complex data types associated with chemistry. The benefits of such a repository in terms of providing data to develop prediction models to further enable scientific discovery will be discussed and the potential impact on the future of scientific publishing will also be examined.
A Unified Approach for Modeling and Optimization of Energy, Makespan and Reli...Rafael Ferreira da Silva
Presentation held at MODSIM 2014 workshop - Seattle, USA
Abstract - Scientific workflows are a useful representation for managing the execution of large-scale computations on high performance computing (HPC) and high throughput computing (HTC) platforms. In scientific workflow applications, resource provisioning and utilization optimizations have been investigated to reduce energy consumption on Cloud infrastructures. However, existing research is largely limited to the measurement of energy usage according to resource utilization when running a program on an execution node. Furthermore, most existing optimization techniques for workflows are limited to single objectives (e.g. makespan), and some can deal with only two objectives. There does not exist an approach that deals with an arbitrary number of objectives and no scheduling technique explored tradeoffs among makespan, energy consumption, and reliability. In this work, we propose an energy consumption model for analyzing and profiling energy usage address real large-scale infrastructure conditions (e.g. heterogeneity, resource unavailability, external loads); the validation of the model in a fully instrumented platform able to measure the actual temperature and energy consumed by computing, networking, and storage systems; and a multi-objective optimization approach to explore tradeoffs among makespan, energy consumption, and reliability for multi-objective workflow scheduling.
More information: www.rafaelsilva.com
ChemSpider – disseminating data and enabling an abundance of chemistry platformsKen Karapetyan
ChemSpider is one of the chemistry community’s primary public compound databases. Containing tens of millions of chemical compounds and its associated data ChemSpider serves data to many tens of websites and software applications at this point. This presentation will provide an overview of the expanding reach of the ChemSpider platform and the nature of solutions that it helps to enable. We will also discuss some of the future directions for the project that are envisaged and how we intend to continue expanding the impact for the platform.
Tracking progress through the laboratory pipeline, keeping all required products together, consistent data assessment, analysis-lab feedback loop, key elements of a data management database (LIMS)
This presentation is row of demos that introduce how to use Application Insights, how it works and how to build your own application telemetry on top of it. Two surprise demos show audience some case studies how to use Application Insights to plan hosting of global web site and how to support sales and logistics departments in real-time.
Managing Your Hyperion Environment – Performance Tuning, Problem Solving and ...eCapital Advisors
Casey Ratliff from eCapital Advisors provides recommendations on Oracle - Hyperion performance tuning at a Hyperion User Group meeting in Minnesota.
Diagnostics/Troubleshooting
- Where are all the logs
- Using Log Analysis Utility
- EPM System Registry
- Deployment Report
- EPM Diagnostic –Validation
- Zip to Logs
Changes that can improve performance
- Java Heap
- Data Connections
- Essbase/
Casey Ratliff, Lead System Architect
http://www.eCapitalAdvisors.com
At a time when the data explosion has simply been redefined as “Big”, the hurdles associated with building a subject-specific data repository for chemistry are daunting. Combining a multitude of non-standard data formats for chemicals, related properties, reactions, spectra etc., together with the confusion of licensing and embargoing, and providing for data exchange and integration with services and platforms external to the repository, the challenge is significant. This all at a time when semantic technologies are touted as the fundamental technology to enhance integration and discoverability. Funding agencies are demanding change, especially a change towards access to open data to parallel their expectations around Open Access publishing. The Royal Society of Chemistry has been funded by the Engineering and Physical Science Research of the UK to deliver a “chemical database service” for UK scientists. This presentation will provide an overview of the challenges associated with this project and our progress in delivering a chemistry repository capable of handling the complex data types associated with chemistry. The benefits of such a repository in terms of providing data to develop prediction models to further enable scientific discovery will be discussed and the potential impact on the future of scientific publishing will also be examined.
A Unified Approach for Modeling and Optimization of Energy, Makespan and Reli...Rafael Ferreira da Silva
Presentation held at MODSIM 2014 workshop - Seattle, USA
Abstract - Scientific workflows are a useful representation for managing the execution of large-scale computations on high performance computing (HPC) and high throughput computing (HTC) platforms. In scientific workflow applications, resource provisioning and utilization optimizations have been investigated to reduce energy consumption on Cloud infrastructures. However, existing research is largely limited to the measurement of energy usage according to resource utilization when running a program on an execution node. Furthermore, most existing optimization techniques for workflows are limited to single objectives (e.g. makespan), and some can deal with only two objectives. There does not exist an approach that deals with an arbitrary number of objectives and no scheduling technique explored tradeoffs among makespan, energy consumption, and reliability. In this work, we propose an energy consumption model for analyzing and profiling energy usage address real large-scale infrastructure conditions (e.g. heterogeneity, resource unavailability, external loads); the validation of the model in a fully instrumented platform able to measure the actual temperature and energy consumed by computing, networking, and storage systems; and a multi-objective optimization approach to explore tradeoffs among makespan, energy consumption, and reliability for multi-objective workflow scheduling.
More information: www.rafaelsilva.com
1. Laboratory EDD Services
Mid-Atlantic EQuIS Users Group
Meeting Princeton, New Jersey
October 12, 2012
2. Alpha Analytical, Inc. Overview
• Celebrating 25th Anniversary
• Established in Ashland MA in 1985
• Acquisitions (1999-2006): CDM Lab, Matrix
Analytical, Woods Hole Lab, ENSR Air Lab
• Facilities: Westborough Lab Routine Services
and Mansfield Lab Sediment/Tissue/Forensics
• Accreditations: NELAP (w/ NJDEP primary),
plus Federal DOD-ELAP, plus state certs
• Serving: New England, Mid-Atlantic, Nationwide
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3. Laboratory Routine Services
• VOAs - Est. 4,500/month
• SVOCs - Est. 3,000/month
• Pest/PCB/Hydrocarbons - Est. 3,500/month
• Metals - Est. 4,000/month
• Wet Chem - Est. 14,000/month
• Air / TO-15 - Est. 1,000/month
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5. Laboratory IT Infrastructure
• Over 50 Servers support Company Operations
• Servers for Web Site hosting, Instrument
operations, Sample Data Processing functions
(EnviroQuant), Quality Assurance Tracking,
On-Line Data Access, Accounting and Invoicing
• LIMS System on one server (SEEDPAK)
• Oracle Data Base for LIMS Data Storage
• Windows User Environment
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6. Client User Interfaces
• Web Site - Overview of Analytical Services,
Webinar Notices, Events Listings, etc.
• Project Set-Up Tools - Web Portal for Bottle
Orders, Courier Requests, Chain of Custody
Forms, Certification Information, etc.
• ADEX - Secure Web-based Data Access for
static file downloads
• Data Merger - Secure Web-based Interactive
Data Tool with Regulatory Criteria
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7. LIMS Project Set-Up
• Client Account (Name, Address, etc.)
• Project Name / Location
• Test Codes / Methods
• Sample Matrices
• Data Deliverables (Report type / EDD type)
• Project Communication Form (scope details)
• Documents (RFP, Quote, QAPP, EDD Spec,
Project-Specific Compound List, , etc.)
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8. Project Sample Log-In
• Courier scans COC Form and sends web-mail to
Lab PM and Log-In Team for pre-log-in
• Samples received and logged into LIMS
• LIMS sends Sample Receipt Confirmation and
signed COC Form and Draft Invoice
• Sample Containers immediately Bar Coded for
Custody Tracking thru LIMS
• Samples Stored / Refrigerated
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9. Sample Preparation
• Samples moved to Prep Lab (containers)
• Samples tracked in LIMS (barcodes/scanner)
• Samples grouped with QC (batches)
• Samples Extracted / Digested / Prepped
• Data entered electronically into LIMS from
balances/instruments (some manually)
• Electronic Lab Notebook (ELN) connected to
LIMS (Analyst types into LIMS / not on paper)
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10. Instrument Analysis / Data Review
• Sample Extracts loaded onto Instruments
• Analytical Data acquired from Instruments
• EnviroQuant Data files processed and
transferred to LIMS
• Analysts conduct Data Review in LIMS
• Data 1st / 2nd / 3rd Level Reviewed for Release
as “Approved” status in LIMS
• Data 4th Review by Reporting Group
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11. LIMS Data Reporting
• Data Reports created in LIMS
• Reporting Group finalizes Reports
• Reports emailed from LIMS to Client
• Reports posted from LIMS to ADEx
(Static Downloads)
• Results posted from LIMS to Data Merger
(Interactive Reg Criteria comparisons)
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12. Electronic Data Deliverables
• Laboratory Library of over 100 EDDs
• Standard and Client-Specific EDD formats
• Federal Programs (ERPIMS / SEDD / ADR)
• EPA Region 2 EDD
• NJ-HAZSITE and other state-specific EDDs
(e.g., NY, ME, NH, MA, etc.)
• EQuIS (EZ and 4-file formats) (Est. 200/month)
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13. EQuIS EDD Development
• Client sends EDD Spec / Valid Values to Lab
• Lab Custom-Programs EDD to Client Spec
• Lab Runs Test EDD on live Data Set
• Client loads Test EDD into data base
• Client provides EDD Comments to Lab
• Lab addresses Client EDD Comments
• EDD Development Process should occur prior
to Sample Receipt (est. 2-3-week period)
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14. EQuIS EDD Generation
• Lab Approves Final Data Report (PDF file)
• Lab runs EQuIS EDD a few days after Final
Data Report issued
• EQuIS EDDs manually validated by Lab thru
EDP checker prior to final release to client
• Time delay results from manual validation
process conducted by Lab prior to EDD release
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15. Keys to Success
• Advance Project Planning
• Detailed EDD Spec
• Valid Values Files
• Special Rules / Exceptions
• Example Data Files
• Lab Runs Test EDD / Client loads Test EDD
• Plan for 2-3 week Process
• Communication is Key
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16. Working with Labs
• Client Preferred File Formats
• Client Interpretation of Data Fields
• Lab-specific Instrument set-ups
• Lab-specific LIMS Data Calculations
• Standard vs. Lab-specific Data Outputs
• Client-Specific File Formats (EDD spec,
reference values, etc.) vs. Default Values
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17. EXAMPLE
• Client-specific interpretation of MDL Field in
EQuIS EDD Data Results File
• Sample-Specific Aliquot entered into LIMS
• Soil % Moisture Data entered in LIMS
• Sample-Specific RL / MDL calculated by LIMS
• Pre-set basis for RL / MDL in LIMS
• “Finished” RL / MDL reported from LIMS
• MDL defined: 40 CFR Part 136, Appendix B, Rev 1.11;
NELAC Standard 2009; DOD QSM 4.2
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18. EXAMPLE
• Population of “Quantitation Limit” field
• Lab default: Sample-specific, analyte-
specific, matrix-specific value calculated
by the LIMS
• Some clients do not use this field
• Some clients interpret and/or define this
field differently
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19. In Summary
• Provide a Detailed EDD Spec to the Laboratory
• Clearly Communicate Project / Program Requirements
• Provide a Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) stating
project and program Data Quality Objectives (DQOs)
• Allow Time for EDD Development Process
• Consider Database Purpose when Writing EDD Spec:
– Sample Tracking / Relating Data to GIS Features
– Creating Data Tables for Data Evaluation / Reports
– Conducting Data Validation
– All of the Above
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20. Questions
Thank you
Alpha Analytical, Inc.
Eileen Snyder
Mobile: 610-585-3420
Email: esnyder@alphalab.com
www.alphalab.com
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