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HIGH-THROUGHPUT DATA COLLECTION AT SYNCHROTRONS 185

Figure 12.5 SGX-CAT crystal status display. The webpage summarizes the status of up to 380 crystals using information extracted from the SGX
LIMS. Each row represents a carousel of 19 crystals, each square in the row corresponding to a specific sample. Every square provides both an
overlay and a dynamic link to further information on each crystal, including the screening images. The web page is updated every 15 min.

Arrival: Samples arrive at SGX-CAT in dry ship- the outside of the vial and the 2D barcode from the
ping dewars, which are filled with liquid nitro- base with sample information already resident in
gen upon delivery. Descriptions of the crystals our LIMS. Validation is performed on the barcodes
have been entered into the SGX LIMS prior to verify that sample properties are indeed present
to arrival. in the database. After validation, records describ-
Loading of crystals: Crystal samples are arranged into ingtheloadrepresentedbythisparticularcarousel
carousel loads that are tracked in the database. are created within the database. Each load has a
Each load can have up to 19 samples, the capac- unique identification number. The database also
ity of the MAR sample changer. Samples from tracks the identity of the physical carousel in
different sources can be grouped together on a use. Finally, the carousel is placed in a liquid
single carousel, because the LIMS, rather than nitrogen dewar for storage until screening or data
physical proximity, tracks related crystals. The collection.
crystals comprising each load are placed in a Screening: The carousel containing the crystals to
carousel. Loading at the beamline, rather than be screened is removed from the storage dewar
at the home laboratory, ensures identification of and placed into the dewar of the MarCSC sample-
defective samples early in the process. A beam- changing robot. A protocol file that contains the
line staff member uses the barcode reading station screening parameters for each crystal is gener-
(Fig. 12.3) to associate the 1D barcode located on ated automatically by extracting the necessary