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"The Quality Control department is integral to companies successfully meeting regulatory requirements. However QC departments need far greater numbers of analysts when they rely on paper-based data entry systems. Reliance on paper-based and manual entry systems also has huge inherent potential for typographical errors that significantly impact business costs. Links between the Laboratory Information Management System and the ERP / MRP systems are a must in order to meet the ever-growing demands for in-depth analysis, faster turnaround times and faster out of specification warnings."
With every mission-critical application there is usually a support team assembled to keep the application on-line and running as smoothly as possible. The problem is that usually this support team is not formed until late in the development project, if not after deployment. In my experience, the proper time to assemble and train the support team is during System Acceptance Testing.
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Approximately 99% of all human DNA is the same. In the one percent that differs, sequences of repeating nucleotides exist called Short Tandem Repeats (STRs). STR regions are highly polymorphic, meaning that they are very different between any number of people. The FBI has marked 13 locations (or loci) on the DNA for forensic testing and identification.
In this article, I will review the benefits of using Java Stored Procedures in a LIMS environment. When Oracle 8i was released (yes, the rigors of validation dictate that many modern LIMS systems still use Oracle 8), one of its significant new features it offered over previous versions was the ability to embed and execute Java in the database. This gave the LIMS developer opportunities to write object-oriented code that provided both reusability and performance increases.
Today, I was browsing the web and some print magazines looking for interesting news on LIMS and it just dawned on me...
I was listening to National Public Radio going into work the other day and I heard a story about how Blogs were and continue to be, so useful to those affected by Hurricane Katrina.
As of 2005, there are around 650 public and commercial biological databases [1]. These databases contain information about nucleotide sequences of genes or amino acid sequences of proteins. Furthermore information about function, structure, localisation on chromosome, clinical effects of mutations as well as similarities of biological sequences can be found. The terms "database development" and "biological informatics activities" describe a range of activities, from formative, theoretical development of new algorithms, data structures and tools specific to the management of biological information to the development and utilization of established resources needed by whole communities of biological researchers.
The National Institute for Biological Standards and Control (NIBSC) has for several years been involved in moving the recording of sample information from traditional paper-based and individual electronic systems, to a single cohesive and accessible electronic system. The aim is to access all information on all stored samples easily from anywhere within the Institute. We discussed with Pam Pipkin, Scientific Support Manager at NIBSC, how they have implemented this throughout the Institute.
Controlling custom code in a validated environment is a tricky endeavor. Between technical developers and managers and difficult software, it's often easier to overlook the problem than deal with it directly.
LIMS work as the core unit for the distribution and analysis of data generated in lab by any source and work as interface between different systems and tools used in laboratories from instrument to ERP with respect to there geographical location and technical differences. It streamlines data flow within an organization, and centralizes the information into one primary database. This information is further sorted and organized into various report formats based upon the type of report required. A full-featured LIMS will manage the various lab data from sample login to reporting the results.
The ways of the world of commerce and trade are mysterious and rather humorous. That is if you are just an observer looking for entertainment. It's a little less funny if you are a participant. There can be serious winners and losers.
Laboratories that support water treatment plants have long discovered the benefits of Laboratory Information Management Systems - LIMS. Today many laboratories are looking to replace their earlier systems with ones that are easier to support, more friendly to use and that can be connected easily with other plant computer systems. These laboratories as well as new facilities being commissioned can benefit the most by installing a new configuration of the very successful Matrix LIMS product, called ‘Neptune’.
A fellow consultant recently turned me on to the book Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, which is a fascinating look into the philosophy of quality. While the premise of the book (at least I think it is the premise) is that science and art are not entirely inseparable, one of the effects the book had on me was that it made me revisit the "scientific method".
Eventually in the lifecycle of every project someone will look at a piece of custom software and think to themselves, "Is this the right version, or did I put the new version on my other computer?" While it seems silly for a company that likely spent thousands of dollars on analyzing, developing and validating that particular piece of software, this still happens in even with the best companies. Let's look at some ways a company can re-identify a piece of custom code that is textual – meaning that the code is stored in a human entered, and human readable format.
Automation and Mechanisation are key requirements in high throughput environments such as analytical laboratories. A recent project completed at Westwards Microbiology Laboratory by Kiestra Lab Automation (The Netherlands) and Autoscribe UK Ltd demonstrates how such projects, can lead to increased productivity, reduced human errors and improved tracking and traceability.
