The art of science at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory: The rhetoric of aesthetics and humanism in the national laboratory system in the late 1960s

Background: In 2010, a National Laboratory Strategic Plan was set forth in Ethiopia to strengthen laboratory quality systems and set the stage for laboratory accreditation. As a result, the Strengthening Laboratory Management Toward Accreditation (SLMTA) programme was initiated in 45 Ethiopian laboratories.Objectives: This article discusses the implementation of the programme, the findings from the evaluation process and key challenges.Methods: The 45 laboratories were divided into two consecutive cohorts and staff from each laboratory participated in SLMTA training and improvement projects. The average amount of supportive supervision conducted in the laboratories was 68 hours for cohort I and two hoursfor cohort II. Baseline and exit audits were conducted in 44 of the laboratories and percent compliance was determined using a checklist with scores divided into zero- to five-star ratinglevels.Results: Improvements, ranging from < 1 to 51 percentage points, were noted in 42 laboratories, whilst decreases were recorded in two. The average scores at the baseline and exit audits were 40% and 58% for cohort I (p < 0.01); and 42% and 53% for cohort II (p < 0.01),respectively. The p-value for difference between cohorts was 0.07. At the exit audit, 61% ofthe first and 48% of the second cohort laboratories achieved an increase in star rating. Poor awareness, lack of harmonisation with other facility activities and the absence of a quality manual were challenges identified.Conclusion: Improvements resulting from SLMTA implementation are encouraging. Continuous advocacy at all levels of the health system is needed to ensure involvement of stakeholders and integration with other improvement initiatives and routine activities.

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The Joint External Evaluation process in Cameroon: Assessing the country’s capacity for health security

10.21203/rs.2.15807/v1 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Viviane FOSSOUO NDOUNGUE ◽

Mohamed Moctar Mouiche Molium ◽

Christie Tiwoda ◽

Oumarou Gnigninanjouena ◽

Serge Alain Sadeuh-Mba ◽

...

Keyword(s):

National Laboratory ◽

Evaluation Process ◽

Average Score ◽

Laboratory System ◽

Self Assessment ◽

Health Security ◽

Point Of Entry ◽

Chemical Events ◽

Joint External Evaluation ◽

Medical Countermeasures

Abstract Objectives The objective of this study was to present the JEE process in Cameroon as well as Cameroon’s capacities to manage public health threats in accordance with the IHR 2005. Cameroon JEE process and data for the 48 indicators within the 19 technical areas was examined.Results Cameroon's overall score was 1.98 ± 0.93 and 48/34 indicators (70.38%) had scores less than 2 on a 1 to 5 scale. In the “Detect” category the average score was 2.7. Technical areas with the lowest average scores were Reporting and National laboratory system. The weakest indicators in the “Prevent” category were antimicrobial resistance, biosafety and biosecurity, and National legislation, policy and financing. Emergency Response Operations, Preparedness, Medical Countermeasures and Personnel Deployment have the lowest scores in the “Respond” category. Chemical Events and Points of Entry have the lowest score in “Other IHR-related hazards and Point of Entry”. Scores attributed during the country self-assessment were 73% similar to those of the JEE process.

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Sodium laser guide star system at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory: system description and experimental results

10.1117/12.176067 ◽

1994 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Kenneth Avicola ◽

James M. Brase ◽

James R. Morris ◽

Horst D. Bissinger ◽

Herbert W. Friedman ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory ◽

National Laboratory ◽

Experimental Results ◽

Laboratory System ◽

Star System ◽

Laser Guide Star ◽

System Description ◽

Guide Star ◽

Laser Guide ◽

Sodium Laser

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The COVID-19 era: the view from Nigeria

QJM ◽

10.1093/qjmed/hcaa297 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

O O Oleribe ◽

P Oskouipour ◽

O Nwanyanwu ◽

S D Taylor-Robinson

Keyword(s):

Control Strategies ◽

National Laboratory ◽

International Health ◽

Laboratory System ◽

Health Crisis ◽

Health Authorities ◽

The World ◽

Public Health Authorities ◽

Level 3 ◽

Antiviral Medications

Abstract If we were told that one day the entire world would take its guidance for managing a health crisis from empirical thought, nobody would have believed it. However, with the December 2019 arrival of COVID-19 in China, the world subsequently went into a frenzied state that resulted in the widespread adoption of untested strategies or potential cures; circumstantial evidence provided without randomized control trials (RCTs) was published rapidly and widely considered the gold standard in medical research and therapeutics. Nigeria and much of the rest of the world blindly adopted treatments like chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine and various prevention strategies, often without monitoring the efficacy of these treatment and social control strategies. COVID-19 provided Nigeria a critical opportunity to create or strengthen its national laboratory system by building up its Level 3 laboratories in all parts of the country with the capability to perform PCR tests and viral isolation. There was also an opportunity to establish hospitals in every region of a sufficient standard to reduce the numbers of Nigerians travelling abroad to seek medical treatment; to invest in building capacity to develop antiviral medications and vaccines in Nigeria, and to ensure better international health policies. Rather, Nigerian leaders, government and health managers decided (like most other nations of the world) to shut down the society using isolationist policies that were not necessarily tailored to local needs. Despite adopting these methods, COVID-19 cases continued to skyrocket in Nigeria. In the future, before adopting such broad sweeping policies, there should be local tailoring to assess their effectiveness in different communities. Given that the country has much experience in controlling Lassa and Marburg Fever outbreaks, Nigeria should lead by developing new strategies, new protocols and new local guidelines, based on validated and reproducible studies to ensure that the public health authorities are not caught unaware by any new outbreaks of emerging or remerging diseases.

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The Path to Implementation of A Clinical Laboratory System in A Developing Country

10.21203/rs.3.rs-151754/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Mentor Ali Ber Lucien ◽

Jean Sakandé ◽

Chloé Masetti ◽

Micheline Cicéron ◽

Paul Adrien ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Health Care ◽

Developing Countries ◽

Clinical Laboratory ◽

National Laboratory ◽

Laboratory System ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Quality Control Program ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Epidemiologic Surveillance

Abstract Background An effective laboratory system is an essential component of a public health system caring for patients with communicable and non-communicable diseases. Unfortunately, in developing countries this system is often sub-optimal, which negatively impacts health care. This paper describes the current situation of the clinical laboratory sector in Haiti and highlights challenges that exist in Haiti and other developing countries as they try to establish a clinical laboratory system. Method A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 30 laboratories across Haiti from January 19 to February 4, 2016. The laboratories surveyed were public or mixed public-private sector facilities belonging to different levels of the healthcare hierarchy. Labs were visited and directors of the health care institutions, lab managers, and members of their teams were interviewed and National Public Health Laboratory documents and information about the legal framework of the laboratory system was reviewed. Results The National Laboratory of Public Health is the reference lab for the national lab network and plays a key role in epidemiologic surveillance. Investigators felt that that the general conditions in the nation’s labs (83%) are good, but numerous deficiencies are identified. Electricity is often limited and 86% of facilities have mixed energy system. Bacterial cultures and susceptibilities are not performed. Most of the lab technologists (88.2%) have received only 2 two-year training certificates, while only the remainder (11.8%) had completed three-year programs training. Few continuing education opportunities are available. Equipment repair is available in more facilities (83%) than routine maintenance (63%) and is complicated by the diversity of brands employed. A total of 93% of the labs participate in the quality control program run by the National Lab. Conclusion The establishment of an effective national laboratory system requires coordination and input from many areas, including regulation of the sector, training of the technicians, sound infrastructure (including a stable supply of electricity) and dependable communications. Achieving this in developing countries will only be possible if different actors, national and international, coordinate their efforts.

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The Joint External Evaluation process in Cameroon: Assessing the country’s capacity for health security

10.21203/rs.2.24301/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Viviane Ndoungue Viviane Fossouo ◽

Mohamed Moctar Mouliom Mouiche ◽

Christie Tiwoda ◽

Oumarou Gnigninanjouena ◽

Serge alain Sadeuh-Mba ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Action Plan ◽

National Laboratory ◽

International Health ◽

Evaluation Process ◽

Laboratory System ◽

Median Score ◽

External Evaluation ◽

Health Security ◽

Point Of Entry ◽

Joint External Evaluation

Abstract Objectives: The objective of this study was to present the JEE process in Cameroon’s as well as the country capacities to prevent, detect and respond to public health threats in accordance with the IHR (2005). Data for the 48 indicators within the 19 technical areas of the Joint External Evaluation (JEE) tool was examined. Results: Cameroon's overall median score was 2 (Min =1, Max=4) and 34/48 indicators (71%) had scores less than 2 on a 1 to 5 scale. The weakest technical areas in the “Prevent” category were antimicrobial resistance, biosafety and biosecurity, and National legislation, policy and financing. In the “Detect” category, the median score was 2. Technical areas with the lowest median scores were Reporting and National Laboratory System. Emergency Response Operations, Preparedness, Medical Countermeasures and Personnel Deployment had the lowest scores in the “Respond” category. Chemical Events and Points of Entry had the lowest score in “Other IHR-related hazards and Point of Entry” category. Recommendations from the JEE to address the gaps will be aligned in a costed National Action Plan for Health Security (NAPHS) and implemented using national resources, external donors and multilateral agencies. Key words: International Health Regulation, Joint External Evaluation, Health security, Cameroon.

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How to Build a Supercomputer: U.S. Research Infrastructure and the Documents That Mitigate the Uncertainties of Big Science

Written Communication ◽

10.1177/0741088320939541 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 37 (4) ◽

pp. 536-571

Author(s):

Sarah Read

Keyword(s):

Complex Systems ◽

National Laboratory ◽

Field Research ◽

Research Infrastructure ◽

Laboratory System ◽

Big Science ◽

Federally Funded ◽

Central Question ◽

Organizational Life ◽

The U.S

In this article, I argue that technical reporting and documentation processes function to mitigate uncertainty and enable complex systems in the endeavor of big science. The argument draws on two years of field research investigating technical reporting and documentation processes at a federally funded supercomputing center dedicated to scientific research. A central question the study sought to answer was, “How does one build a new supercomputer?” One of the answers that emerged is that supercomputers are built by the genre assemblages of documents that mitigate financial, political, and technological uncertainties, and their attendant risks, that are inherent to technoscientific cutting-edge enterprises. Given their centrality, these genre assemblages function as essential infrastructure for the U.S. national laboratory system and for big science endeavors in general. In conclusion, this article argues that documentation that mitigates uncertainty serves an important infrastructural function for organizational life more generally.

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