Australian Soil and Plant Analysis Council soil and plant quality assurance programs and the impact of variability of test results on clients

1998 ◽  
Vol 38 (7) ◽  
pp. 777 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. E. Rayment ◽  
K. I. Peverill ◽  
B. C. Shelley

Summary. In relatively few years, the Australian Soil and Plant Analysis Council Inc. (ASPAC) has conducted 2 inter-laboratory proficiency programs on plant material and 3 inter-laboratory proficiency programs on soils. The purpose of these performance-based programs is to enhance the quality of soil and plant analysis in Australasia, with guidance where necessary from the soil and plant expertise of ASPAC members. ASPAC’s inaugural ‘Accreditation Committee’ reviewed published standards and existing laboratory accreditation/proficiency programs in Australia and internationally before developing what is now in full operation. This historical perspective and the 12 principles that guide operations of ASPAC’s soil and plant proficiency programs are described, as are the numeric procedures used to determine satisfactory performance. Certificates are issued to successful laboratories on completion of each program. Moreover, these remain current until signed certificates from the next equivalent program are released. Wide variations in some data sets suggest there is considerable scope to improve laboratory accuracy, particularly for soil chemical tests. Some of these differences are sufficient to markedly affect the assessment of fertiliser requirements. The present ‘Accreditation Committee’, in addition to State Representatives, serve as ‘points-of-contact’ for laboratories that require assistance to overcome problems with analytical accuracy and precision. ASPAC encourages its member laboratories to seek and maintain NATA (National Association of Testing Authorities, Australia) accreditation, in addition to participating regularly in the performance-based proficiency programs run by ASPAC.

1998 ◽  
Vol 38 (7) ◽  
pp. I
Author(s):  
Leigh Sparrow

Summary. In relatively few years, the Australian Soil and Plant Analysis Council Inc. (ASPAC) has conducted 2 inter-laboratory proficiency programs on plant material and 3 inter-laboratory proficiency programs on soils. The purpose of these performance-based programs is to enhance the quality of soil and plant analysis in Australasia, with guidance where necessary from the soil and plant expertise of ASPAC members. ASPAC’s inaugural ‘Accreditation Committee’ reviewed published standards and existing laboratory accreditation/proficiency programs in Australia and internationally before developing what is now in full operation. This historical perspective and the 12 principles that guide operations of ASPAC’s soil and plant proficiency programs are described, as are the numeric procedures used to determine satisfactory performance. Certificates are issued to successful laboratories on completion of each program. Moreover, these remain current until signed certificates from the next equivalent program are released. Wide variations in some data sets suggest there is considerable scope to improve laboratory accuracy, particularly for soil chemical tests. Some of these differences are sufficient to markedly affect the assessment of fertiliser requirements. The present ‘Accreditation Committee’, in addition to State Representatives, serve as ‘points-of-contact’ for laboratories that require assistance to overcome problems with analytical accuracy and precision. ASPAC encourages its member laboratories to seek and maintain NATA (National Association of Testing Authorities, Australia) accreditation, in addition to participating regularly in the performance-based proficiency programs run by ASPAC.


Radiocarbon ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 54 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 449-474 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sturt W Manning ◽  
Bernd Kromer

The debate over the dating of the Santorini (Thera) volcanic eruption has seen sustained efforts to criticize or challenge the radiocarbon dating of this time horizon. We consider some of the relevant areas of possible movement in the14C dating—and, in particular, any plausible mechanisms to support as late (most recent) a date as possible. First, we report and analyze data investigating the scale of apparent possible14C offsets (growing season related) in the Aegean-Anatolia-east Mediterranean region (excluding the southern Levant and especially pre-modern, pre-dam Egypt, which is a distinct case), and find no evidence for more than very small possible offsets from several cases. This topic is thus not an explanation for current differences in dating in the Aegean and at best provides only a few years of latitude. Second, we consider some aspects of the accuracy and precision of14C dating with respect to the Santorini case. While the existing data appear robust, we nonetheless speculate that examination of the frequency distribution of the14C data on short-lived samples from the volcanic destruction level at Akrotiri on Santorini (Thera) may indicate that the average value of the overall data sets is not necessarily the most appropriate14C age to use for dating this time horizon. We note the recent paper of Soter (2011), which suggests that in such a volcanic context some (small) age increment may be possible from diffuse CO2emissions (the effect is hypothetical at this stage and hasnotbeen observed in the field), and that "if short-lived samples from the same stratigraphic horizon yield a wide range of14C ages, the lower values may be the least altered by old CO2." In this context, it might be argued that a substantive “low” grouping of14C ages observable within the overall14C data sets on short-lived samples from the Thera volcanic destruction level centered about 3326–3328 BP is perhaps more representative of the contemporary atmospheric14C age (without any volcanic CO2contamination). This is a subjective argument (since, in statistical terms, the existing studies using the weighted average remain valid) that looks to support as late a date as reasonable from the14C data. The impact of employing this revised14C age is discussed. In general, a late 17th century BC date range is found (to remain) to be most likelyeven ifsuch a late-dating strategy is followed—a late 17th century BC date range is thus a robust finding from the14C evidence even allowing for various possible variation factors. However, the possibility of a mid-16th century BC date (within ∼1593–1530 cal BC) is increased when compared against previous analyses if the Santorini data are considered in isolation.


2016 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 995-1001
Author(s):  
Arzal Bili ◽  
Syafriandi Syafriandi ◽  
Mustaqimah Mustaqimah

Tebu kepras adalah menumbuhkan kembali bekas tebu yang telah ditebang. Keprasan tebu bertujuan untuk memperbaiki pertumbuhan tebu supaya tunas yang keluar tidak mengambang diatas permukaan tanah. Tujuan dari penelitian ini untuk mengetahui pengaruh kedalaman keprasan tebu dengan menggunakan mesin kepras traktor roda dua terhadap kualitas keprasan dan pertumbuhan tunas. Hasil uji F analisis sidik ragam menyatakan kedalaman keprasan tebu tidak memiliki pengaruh nyata terhadap kualitas keprasan, namun berpengaruh terhadap pertumbuhan yaitu berpengaruh terhadap diameter batang umur 21 HSK dan umur 28 HSK. Potongan utuh yang paling banyak dijumpai pada kedalaman keprasan 6-9 cm, dan potongan pecah banyak dijumpai pada kedalaman 0-3 cm, sedangkan tunggul yang terbongkar banyak dijumpai pada kedalaman 3-6 cm.The cutting of sugarcane is regrow trace sugar cane that has been cut down. The cutting of sugarcane aim to process  growth of sugarcane  which shoots out of floating off the ground. The purpose of this study to determine the influence of the depth cutting of  sugar cane using a tractor engine two wheels on the quality of cutting and growth buds. The test results were famous analysis of fingerprint range of express the depth of cuts in sugar cane has no noticeable effect on the quality of cutting, but the effect on the growth of the impact on the diameter of the age of 21 HSK and the age of 28 HSK. The cutting intact the most prevalent at a depth of cutting 6-9 cm, and broke out lots of found at a depth of 0- 3 cm, while the uncovered a lot of found at a depth of 3-6 cm.


2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 71 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudio Parente ◽  
Massimiliano Pepe

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of weights in pan-sharpening methods applied to satellite images. Indeed, different data sets of weights have been considered and compared in the IHS and Brovey methods. The first dataset contains the same weight for each band while the second takes in account the weighs obtained by spectral radiance response; these two data sets are most common in pan-sharpening application. The third data set is resulting by a new method. It consists to compute the inertial moment of first order of each band taking in account the spectral response. For testing the impact of the weights of the different data sets, WorlView-3 satellite images have been considered. In particular, two different scenes (the first in urban landscape, the latter in rural landscape) have been investigated. The quality of pan-sharpened images has been analysed by three different quality indexes: Root mean square error (RMSE), Relative average spectral error (RASE) and Erreur Relative Global Adimensionnelle de Synthèse (ERGAS).


2005 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-26 ◽  
Author(s):  
MARY ARENDS-KUENNING ◽  
FLORA L. KESSY

The low contraceptive prevalence rate and the existence of unmet demand for family planning services present a challenge for parties involved in family planning research in Tanzania. The observed situation has been explained by the demand-side variables such as socioeconomic characteristics and cultural values that maintain the demand for large families. A small, but growing body of research is examining the effect of supply-side factors such as quality of care of family planning services on the demand for contraceptives. This paper analyses the demand and supply factors determining contraceptive use in Tanzania using the Tanzania Service Availability Survey (1996) and the Tanzania Demographic and Health Survey (1996) data sets. The results show that access to family planning services and quality of care of services are important determinants of contraceptive use in Tanzania even after controlling for demand-side factors.


Author(s):  
Lukas P. Staub ◽  
Suzanne Dyer ◽  
Sarah J. Lord ◽  
R. John Simes

Objectives: The aim of this study is to review how health technology assessments (HTA) of medical tests incorporate intermediate outcomes in conclusions about the effectiveness of tests on improving health outcomes.Methods: Systematic review of English-language test assessments in the HTA database from January 2005 to February 2010, supplemented by a search of the Web sites of International Network of Agencies for Health Technology Assessment (INAHTA) members.Results: A total of 149 HTAs from eight countries were assessed. Half evaluated tests for screening or diagnosis, a third for disease classification (including staging, prognosis, monitoring), and a fifth for multiple purposes. In seventy-one HTAs (48 percent) only diagnostic accuracy was reported, while in seventeen (11 percent) evidence of health outcomes was reported in addition to accuracy. Intermediate outcomes, mainly the impact of test results on patient management, were considered in sixty-one HTAs (41 percent). Of these, forty-seven identified randomized trials or observational studies reporting intermediate outcomes. The validity of these intermediate outcomes as a surrogate for health outcomes was not consistently discussed; nor was the quality appraisal of this evidence. Clear conclusions about whether the test was effective were included in approximately 60 percent of HTAs.Conclusions: Intermediate outcomes are frequently assessed in medical test HTAs, but interpretation of this evidence is inconsistently reported. We recommend that reviewers explain the rationale for using intermediate outcomes, identify the assumptions required to link intermediate outcomes and patient benefits and harms, and assess the quality of included studies.


2016 ◽  
Vol 37 (4) ◽  
pp. 3-18
Author(s):  
Tadeusz Bohdal ◽  
Henryk Charun ◽  
Małgorzata Sikora

AbstractAnalysis of the state of-the-art in research of refrigerant condensation in miniature heat exchangers, so-called multiports, was made. Results of refrigerant R407C condensation in a mini condenser made in the form of two bundles of tubular minichannels from stainless steel with an inside diameter 0.64 mm and length 100 mm have been presented. Two exchangers consisted of four minichannels and 8 minichannels have been investigated. The values of average heat transfer coefficient and frictional pressure drops throughout the condensation process were designated. The impact of the vapor quality of refrigerant and the mass flux density on the intensity of heat transfer and flow resistance were illustrated. A comparative analysis of test results for various refrigerants in both mini heat exchangers were made.


2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 15
Author(s):  
Triyani Triyani ◽  
Lovy Herayanti ◽  
Syifaul Gummah

The role of education is to improve the quality of education, especially in producing high-quality students. High-quality students are those who are able to think critically, creatively, logically and take initiatives in responding to issues in society caused by the impact of the development of science and technology. This study aims to determine the effect of a scientific approach to students' critical thinking skills. This study is an experimental research with one group pretest-posttest design. The sample of this study consisted of one class (28 students), which was treated using a scientific approach. Critical thinking skills are measured using a test instrument and then analyzed statistically (t test). Hypothesis test results indicate that there is an effect of using a scientific approach toward students' critical thinking skills.


2021 ◽  
Vol 71 (S1) ◽  
pp. 187-203

Abstract This paper examines the factors which determine the impact of network communication and network connections on the likelihood of contracting the new coronavirus in the European and Latin American countries. The author presents several data sets to prove the following suggestions: 1) The generalized indicators of economic development and society’s globalization are not indicators of how vulnerable a country’s population may be in a pandemic; 2) Not the economy as such, but the conventional way of life of people, their daily behaviour and habits have a decisive influence on the disease spread; 3) Factors of prevention of illness and health promotion such as the habit of exercise, distance, and network communications use modern online services to become protective factors against the risk of infection only at a certain level of development of the country; 4) In the developed countries, a much broader set of factors than in the developing countries determine protection against disease risk; 5) The evolution of a networked society opens up significant opportunities for the developing countries to improve the quality of life, and the emergence of new, progressive traditions.


2020 ◽  
pp. 81-93
Author(s):  
D. V. Shalyapin ◽  
D. L. Bakirov ◽  
M. M. Fattakhov ◽  
A. D. Shalyapina ◽  
A. V. Melekhov ◽  
...  

The article is devoted to the quality of well casing at the Pyakyakhinskoye oil and gas condensate field. The issue of improving the quality of well casing is associated with many problems, for example, a large amount of work on finding the relationship between laboratory studies and actual data from the field; the difficulty of finding logically determined relationships between the parameters and the final quality of well casing. The text gives valuable information on a new approach to assessing the impact of various parameters, based on a mathematical apparatus that excludes subjective expert assessments, which in the future will allow applying this method to deposits with different rock and geological conditions. We propose using the principles of mathematical processing of large data sets applying neural networks trained to predict the characteristics of the quality of well casing (continuity of contact of cement with the rock and with the casing). Taking into account the previously identified factors, we developed solutions to improve the tightness of the well casing and the adhesion of cement to the limiting surfaces.


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