MORGAM Manual

Data transfer format: Total amount of DNA available in MPC Form: 37 Version: 1 Date: 2008-02-29

© National Institute for Health and Welfare and the MORGAM Project investigators Last updated: 29 September 2009 For more information, please contact Ari Haukijärvi (firstname.lastname@thl.fi) or Kari Kuulasmaa (firstname.lastname@thl.fi)

The purpose of this transfer format is to provide an exact and common format for the MORGAM Participating Centres (MPCs)  or the MORGAM Central Laboratory (MCL) to transfer information on the total amount of DNA available in the MPC to the MORGAM Data Centre (MDC). This information will be used by the MDC in selection of duplicate samples for MORGAM DNA quality control.

When DNA aliquots are to be transferred, the use of this form is initiated by the MDC, which identifies the persons on whom the information is requested (i.e. item KEY1), and sends the form to the MPC for completion. The MPC then fills in the availability and the amount of DNA for these persons. The MDC will then select the duplicate samples among the individuals who have the highest amount of DNA. After selecting the duplicates, the MDC will send to the MPC the request for the actual  DNA aliquots using Form 40.

When the MPC will transfer stock DNA or whole blood, this form will be completed by the MCL after extraction of the DNA.

Contents

• Format specification
• Specific instructions for each item
• Data transfer instructions and example

Format specification

Columns of the format specification

ITEM NAME

name used for the item in the MDC.

SPECIFICATION AND CODES

specification and values of the variable. More details can be found in the section "Specific instructions for each item" below, or by following the hyperlink in column ITEM NAME.

FORMAT OR VALUE

specifies the format in which the value should be presented in the transfer data set. In the cases where the value of the variable is fixed, the value is also given in this column.
 

FORMAT	Type	Format	Example(s)	Comments
C	Character	C8	20071025	Used for dates, leading zeroes are obligatory.
I	Integer	I4	148 54 2	Leading zeroes are not used.

Please contact the MDC for instructions if you cannot provide information as specified in this document or if you have any problems with the interpretation of the coding for any specific items.

Specific instructions for each item

The definitions of each variable and instructions for their use are given below.

Data transfer Instructions and example

1. In the first phase the MDC prepares a form with requested KEY1s in the excel format and sends this file to an MPC to be completed with data on the availability and amount of DNA.
2. In the second phase the MPC fills in data on the availability and amount of DNA for the requested individuals and sends the excel form back to the MDC.

To simplify the tracing of data transfers between the MPC and the MDC, the files will be named as follows:

F37_MPCXX_YYYYMMDD_N.XLS, where:

• F37 - identifies the data are from Form 37
• MPCXX - where XX is the MPC code (e.g. MPC34 for Belfast PRIME)
• YYYYMMDD - the year, month and date when this file was created (e.g. 20071025)
• N - sequence number of the transfer from the MPC. The number is generated by the MPC, and should also be used for logging the data transfers locally.

An example of Form 37 excel data file (the columns to be filled in the MPC are expressed below with the blue background):

The data should be sent to the MDC as an attachment to an email message. Please make sure to save a copy of the transferred files in the sending MPC or laboratory. When the data are received in the MDC, an acknowledgement will be sent to the sender.