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Data analysis
Data analysis add-ons offer a wide range of capabilities, ranging from analytical methods over comprehensive analysis to statistical process control. PLA 3.0 also provides a set of add-ons that support and supplement data analysis add-ons.
Microbial Assays for Antibiotics Package
The Microbial Assays for Antibiotics Package for PLA 3.0 is your software for assessing the potency of antibiotics. This add-on supports various methods, that is, cylinder-plate, turbidimetric, and combination of microbial assays. It enables you to closely follow the guidelines laid out in the United States Pharmacopeia (USP <81>) and the Japanese Pharmacopoeia (JP 4.02).
Combination of microbial assays
Use Combination of microbial assays documents to aggregate data of samples contained in any number of microbial assay documents, apply confidence limits, check for outliers, perform combination of assays calculations, and define statistical tests.
Combination calculation
Combination calculations closely follow the guidelines laid out in USP <81>. You can adjust calculations to your needs by performing an optional outlier test, setting the confidence level, and selecting the logarithm base.

Get started
Explore PLA 3.0, its key features and ongoing enhancements. Learn how it fits into your environment, and how to log in and register.
User interface
PLA 3.0 supports you in your daily work by providing a set of graphical and textual user interface elements. Learn about the different elements and how to use them efficiently.
Key concepts
Details on documents and templates, the data editors and the Content editor of PLA 3.0.
Data analysis
Data analysis add-ons offer a wide range of capabilities, ranging from analytical methods over comprehensive analysis to statistical process control. PLA 3.0 also provides a set of add-ons that support and supplement data analysis add-ons.
- Biological Assay Package
  Use the Biological Assay Package for potency analysis of biological assays. The add-on comes equipped with a highly flexible test system to qualify your assay. You can perform combination calculations to obtain a reportable value from independent assay runs and use historic assay data to develop equivalence margins.
- Biological Assays Simulation Package
  Use the Biological Assays Simulation Package to create simulations of quantitative response assays (QRAs) and use the Quantitative response assay document type of PLA 3.0 to store the simulated data.
- bioMérieux Endotoxin Detection Assay Package
  Use the bioMérieux Endotoxin Detection Assay Package add-on to perform endotoxin testing based on recombinant factor C (rFC), a synthetic alternative to naturally sourced reagents derived from horseshoe crabs, as offered by the bioMérieux company.
- Control Chart Package
  The Control Chart Package allows sophisticated statistical process control (for example, by plotting Shewhart I-Charts as recommended in the USP <1010>). It provides visualization options for intervals, subcharts and sidecharts, and allows you to define colors by a secondary characteristic. You can also define rules based on events and time frames.
- Dichotomous Assay Package
  Use the Dichotomous Assay Package to analyze biological assays based on quantal (binary) responses by fitting probit or logit models to estimate the potency of your samples.
- Dose-Response Analysis Package
  The Dose-Response Analysis Package provides various biostatistical methods for immunoassays, ELISA, and more. It supports you in investigating equivalence for calibration curves, provides enhanced data processing, and options for subgroup analysis.
- Generic Document Types Package
  Use the Generic Document Types Package add-on to document general information.
- Integration Report Package
  Use the Integration Report Package for creating reports in additional file formats that are not covered by the standard PLA 3.0 reporting functionality. These reports can be used for example for automated processing in third-party software.
- Measurement Documentation Package
  The Measurement Documentation Package add-on is a universal add-on for documenting different aspects of a measurement. Its documents can be referenced by other document types, for example, Quantitative response assays.
- Microbial Assays for Antibiotics Package
  The Microbial Assays for Antibiotics Package for PLA 3.0 is your software for assessing the potency of antibiotics. This add-on supports various methods, that is, cylinder-plate, turbidimetric, and combination of microbial assays. It enables you to closely follow the guidelines laid out in the United States Pharmacopeia (USP <81>) and the Japanese Pharmacopoeia (JP 4.02).
  - Installation
    Find details on the system requirements for the Microbial Assays for Antibiotics Package add-on and the steps to install the add-on in your environment.
  - Cylinder plate assays (USP <81>)
    Use Cylinder plate assay (USP <81>) documents to determine the potency of antibiotics according to the cylinder-plate method described in USP <81>. PLA 3.0 uses a linear regression model to fit the standard curve. This method allows you to correct for plate-to-plate variation.
  - Cylinder plate assays (JP 4.02)
    Use Cylinder plate assay (JP 4.02) documents to determine the potency of antibiotics according to the cylinder-plate method described in JP 4.02. PLA 3.0 compares the response values of the test sample at high and low concentration to the response of the standard at high and low concentration.
  - Turbidimetric assays (USP <81>/JP 4.02)
    Use Turbidimetric assay (USP <81>/JP 4.02) documents to determine the potency of antibiotics according to the turbidimetric methods described in USP <81> and JP 4.02. PLA 3.0 uses a linear regression model to fit the standard curve.
  - Combination of microbial assays
    Use Combination of microbial assays documents to aggregate data of samples contained in any number of microbial assay documents, apply confidence limits, check for outliers, perform combination of assays calculations, and define statistical tests.
    - Combination calculation
      Combination calculations closely follow the guidelines laid out in USP <81>. You can adjust calculations to your needs by performing an optional outlier test, setting the confidence level, and selecting the logarithm base.
    - Test system
      The test system of advanced analysis documents lets you set up sophisticated tests to validate your advanced analysis. The Microbial Assays for Antibiotics Package provides a range of tests for the Combination of microbial assays.
    - Set up Combination of microbial assays
      Find examples on how to set up and work with the Combination of microbial assays document type of the Microbial Assays for Antibiotics Package.
  - Literature
    The methods and procedures provided by the Microbial Assays for Antibiotics Package are based on use cases and requirements from literature.
  - Reference information
    Find reference information on the document types of the Microbial Assays for Antibiotics Package add-on.
- Split Assay Package
  Use the Split Assay Package to split a Quantitative response assay with several Test and Control samples into individual assays, each with the Standard and one Test or Control sample.
- Toolkit for Biological Assay Package
  Use the Toolkit for Biological Assay Package to modify the analytical settings of larger sets of Quantitative response assays or split Quantitative response assays with more than one test or control sample into individual assays.
Data import
Use data acquisition and data import add-ons to import external response values and observation data into PLA 3.0 for further processing and evaluation.
Installation
Details on the deployment and installation of licensed PLA 3.0 versions.
Licensing
Details on the licensing solution of PLA 3.0, the available licensing options, and the activation and management of licenses.
Administration
Details on system administration tasks such as setup and maintenance of databases and add-ons, user accounts, access rights, and migration and update procedures.
Regulatory compliance
PLA 3.0 supports you in achieving compliance with regulations such as ISPE GAMP^® 5 and 21 CFR Part 11. It also provides options to validate PLA 3.0 in your environment.
PDF downloads
Download PDF guides of current and previous framework and add-on versions.
Sample lab
Meet the team of Stegmann Labs Inc. and use our sample laboratory to explore core features and functions of PLA 3.0.
Glossary
Find definitions of terms.

Combination calculation

Combination calculations closely follow the guidelines laid out in USP <81>. You can adjust calculations to your needs by performing an optional outlier test, setting the confidence level, and selecting the logarithm base.

Note: You can run combination calculations once you have referenced assay documents. The results of combination calculations are added to and saved with the Combination of microbial assays document.

Combination calculation sequence

Figure 1. Basic calculation steps performed for the Combination of microbial assays document type

Tip: The Combination of microbial assays document type provides standard reports that let you output results in print and electronic form.

Basic combination calculation settings


Setting	Navigation
Perform outlier test (optional)	Content editor > Analysis > Perform outlier test	Lets you check for outliers among the potencies that the Combination of microbial assays document draws from your assay documents. If you activate this option, PLA 3.0 performs the outlier test prior to combination calculations. Note: The outlier test is only performed for combination groups that contain three or more valid samples. The outlier test closely follows the guidelines laid out in Appendix 2 of USP <81>. Tip: The test is only run once and can therefore detect no more than one outlier.
Confidence level (%)	Content editor > Analysis > Confidence level (%)	Lets you set the confidence level to be used to determine the confidence interval that is calculated from the mean of the potencies from your assays and their standard deviation.
Logarithm base	Content editor > Analysis > Logarithm base	PLA 3.0 performs combination calculations with logarithmized values. This option lets you select the logarithm base to be used.