A FR.E.S.H idea

This paper explores the possibility of including human factoring in a business process model. The importance of doing so is twofold: (1) The organization becomes transparent in its processes as all participants (human, activities and events) are identifiable. (2) Including human factoring allows organizations to hire accordingly to the process needs. (3) Human factoring alleviates the current work related stress that is being encountered. (4) Enable quicker transition for newer employees into job scope. This was made possible by including a human behaviour layer in between pools within a process to depict human behaviour and feeling. Future work includes having a human thought symbol and a human interaction symbol included into the Business Process Modelling Notation (BPMN).

Human seat modelling using inverse dynamic musculoskeletal models

In this work a biomechanical model is used for simulation of muscle forces necessary to maintain the posture in a car seat under different support conditions.

Age of blood and recipient factors determine the severity of transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI)

Introduction Critical care patients frequently receive blood transfusions. Some reports show an association between aged or stored blood and increased morbidity and mortality, including the development of transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI). However, the existence of conflicting data endorses the need for research to either reject this association, or to confirm it and elucidate the underlying mechanisms. Methods Twenty-eight sheep were randomised into two groups, receiving saline or lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Sheep were further randomised to also receive transfusion of pooled and heat-inactivated supernatant from fresh (Day 1) or stored (Day 42) non-leucoreduced human packed red blood cells (PRBC) or an infusion of saline. TRALI was defined by hypoxaemia during or within two hours of transfusion and histological evidence of pulmonary oedema. Regression modelling compared physiology between groups, and to a previous study, using stored platelet concentrates (PLT). Samples of the transfused blood products also underwent cytokine array and biochemical analyses, and their neutrophil priming ability was measured in vitro. Results TRALI did not develop in sheep that first received saline-infusion. In contrast, 80% of sheep that first received LPS-infusion developed TRALI following transfusion with "stored PRBC." The decreased mean arterial pressure and cardiac output as well as increased central venous pressure and body temperature were more severe for TRALI induced by "stored PRBC" than by "stored PLT." Storage-related accumulation of several factors was demonstrated in both "stored PRBC" and "stored PLT", and was associated with increased in vitro neutrophil priming. Concentrations of several factors were higher in the "stored PRBC" than in the "stored PLT," however, there was no difference to neutrophil priming in vitro. Conclusions In this in vivo ovine model, both recipient and blood product factors contributed to the development of TRALI. Sick (LPS infused) sheep rather than healthy (saline infused) sheep predominantly developed TRALI when transfused with supernatant from stored but not fresh PRBC. "Stored PRBC" induced a more severe injury than "stored PLT" and had a different storage lesion profile, suggesting that these outcomes may be associated with storage lesion factors unique to each blood product type. Therefore, the transfusion of fresh rather than stored PRBC may minimise the risk of TRALI.

Variability in odour reception in the peripheral sensory system of Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner) (Lepidoptera : Noctuidae)

Mixtures of single odours were used to explore the receptor response profile across individual antennae of Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Seven odours were tested including floral and green-leaf volatiles: phenyl acetaldehyde, benzaldehyde, β-caryophyllene, limonene, α-pinene, 1-hexanol, 3Z-hexenyl acetate. Electroantennograms of responses to paired mixtures of odours showed that there was considerable variation in receptor tuning across the receptor field between individuals. Data from some moth antennae showed no additivity, which indicated a restricted receptor profile. Results from other moth antennae to the same odour mixtures showed a range of partial additivity. This indicated that a wider array of receptor types was present in these moths, with a greater percentage of the receptors tuned exclusively to each odour. Peripheral receptor fields show variation in the spectrum of response within a population (of moths) when exposed to high doses of plant volatiles. This may be related to recorded variation in host choice within moth populations as reported by other authors.

Host location behaviour in the desert caterpillar, Heliothis punctifera

The host location behaviour of foraging caterpillars has received little attention, despite the wealth of theoretical and empirical studies that have been directed at this behavioural trait in adult Lepidoptera. Here, we study caterpillars of the moth Heliothis punctifera Walker (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), which inhabits the arid inland desert areas of Australia. Caterpillars of this species consume many flowerheads before completing development and can be observed moving across the sand in search of new hosts. Consequently, if host location behaviour favours attraction to certain plant species, it might be expected to influence the distribution and abundance of caterpillars in the field. We present field data showing that H. punctifera caterpillars are unevenly distributed throughout mixed patches of two of its host species, with a higher abundance on Senecio gregorii F. Muell., the annual yellow top, compared to Myriocephalus stuartii (F. Muell. & Sond.) Benth., the poached egg daisy (both Asteraceae). Using laboratory studies, we test whether this distribution may, in part, be due to host location behaviour of caterpillars. Our results show that caterpillars exhibit a preference for locating S. gregorii in their pre- and post-contact foraging behaviour. In addition, our results provide evidence that feeding history plays a role in host location behaviour in this insect. We propose that key features of the desert environment and the ecology of H. punctifera would favour adaptations to host location behaviour by immatures.

Bridging the biology of the ovine TRALI model – human inflammatory cell responses to TRALI inducing supernatants

Background Transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI) is a serious and potentially fatal consequence of transfusion. A two-event TRALI model demonstrated date-of-expiry - day (D) 5 platelet (PLT) and D42 packed red blood cell (PRBC) supernatants (SN) induced TRALI in LPS-treated sheep. We have adapted a whole blood transfusion culture model as an investigative bridge between the ovine TRALI model human responses to transfusion. Methods A whole blood transfusion model was adapted to replicate the ovine model - specifically +/- 0.23μg/mL LPS as the first event and 10% SN volume (transfusion) as the second event. Four pooled SN from blood products, previously used in the TRALI ovine model, were investigated: D1-PLT, D5-PLT, D1-PRBC, and D42-PRBC. Fresh human whole blood (recipient) was mixed with combinations of LPS and BP-SN stimuli and incubated in vitro for 6 hrs. Addition of golgi plug enabled measurement of monocyte cytokine production (IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12, TNF-α, IL-1α, CXCL-5, IP-10, MIP-1α, MCP-1) using multi-colour flow cytometry. Responses for 6 recipients were assessed. Results In the presence of LPS, D42-PRBC-SN significantly increased monocyte IL-6 (P=0.031), IL-8 (P=0.016) and IL-1α (P=0.008) production compared to D1-PRBC-SN. This response to D42-PRBC-SN was LPS-dependent, and was not evident in non-LPSstimulated controls. This response was also specific to D42-PRBC-SN, as similar changes were not evident for the D5-PLT-SN, compared to the D1-PLT-SN, regardless of the presence of LPS. D5-PLT-SN significantly increased IL-12 production (P=0.024) compared to D1-PLT-SN. This response was again LPS-dependent. Conclusions These data demonstrate a novel two-event mechanism of monocyte inflammatory response that was dependent upon both the presence of date-of-expiry blood product SN and LPS. Further, these results demonstrate different cytokines responses induced by date-of-expiry PLT-SN and PRBC-SN. These data are consistent with the evidence from the ovine TRALI model, and enhancing its relevance to transfusion related changes in humans.

Neutrophil oxidative burst is primed by supernatant from stored red cells : implications for Transfusion-Related Acute Lung Injury (TRALI)

Aim/Background: Transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI) is a potentially fatal adverse transfusion reaction. It is hypothesised to occur via a two-insult mechanism: the recipient’s underlying co-morbidity in addition to the transfusion of blood products activate neutrophils in the lung resulting in damaged endothelium and capillary leakage. Neutrophil activation may occur by antibody or non-antibody related mechanisms, with the length of storage of cellular blood products implicated in the latter. This study investigated non-antibody mediated priming and/or activation of neutrophil oxidative burst. Methods: A cytochrome C reduction assay was used to assess priming and activation of neutrophil oxidative burst by pooled supernatant (SN) from day 1 (D1; n=75) and day 42 (D42; n=113) packed red blood cells (PRBC). Pooled PRBC-SN were assessed in parallel with PAF (priming), fMLP (activating), PAF + fMLP (priming + activating) and buffer only (negative) controls. Cytochrome C reduction was measured over 30min at 37oC (inclusive of 10min priming). Neutrophil activation by PRBC-SN was assessed cf. buffer only and neutrophil priming by PRBC-SN was assessed by co-incubation with fMLP cf. fMLP alone. One-way ANOVA; Newman-Keuls post-test; p<0.05; n=10 independent assays. Results: Neither D1- nor D42- PRBC-SN alone activated neutrophil oxidative burst. In addition, D1-PRBC-SN did not prime fMLP-activated neutrophil oxidative burst. D42-PRBC-SN did, however, prime neutrophils for subsequent activation of oxidative burst by fMLP, the magnitude of response being similar to PAF (a known neutrophil priming agonist). Conclusion: These findings are consistent with the two-insult mechanism of TRALI. Factors released into the SN during PRBC storage contributed to neutrophil priming synergistically with other neutrophil stimulating agonists. This implicates PRBC storage duration as a key factor contributing to non-immune neutrophil activation in the development of TRALI in patients with pre-disposing inflammatory conditions.

Stored blood products augment inflammation in a two-event model of Transfusion Related Acute Lung Injury (TRALI)

Aim/Background TRALI is hypothesised to develop via a two-event mechanism involving both the patieint's underlying morbidity and blood product factors. The storage of cellular products has been implicated in cases of non-antibody mediated TRALI, however the pathophysiological mechanisms are undefined. We investigated blood product storage-related modulation of inflmmatory cells and medicators involved in TRALI. Methods In an in vitro mode, fresh human whole blood was mixed with culture media (control) or LPS as a 1st event and "transfused" with 10% (v/v) pooled supernatant (SN) from Day 1 (d1, n=75) or Day 42 (D42, n=113) packed red blood cells (PRBCs) as a 2nd event. Following 6hrs, culture SN was used to assess the overall inflammatory response (cytometric bead array) and a duplicate assay containing protein transport inhibitor was used to assess neutrophil- and monocyte-specific inflmamatory responses using multi-colour flow cytometry. Panels: IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12, IL-1, TNF, MCP-1, IP-10, MIP-1. One-way ANOVA 95% CI. Results In the absence of LPS, exposure to D1 or D42 PRBC-SN reduced monocyte expression of IL-6, IL-8 and Il-10. D42 PRBC-SN also reduced monocyte IP-10, and the overall IL-8 production was increased. In the presence of LPS, D1-PRBC SN only modified overall IP-10 levels which were reduced. However, cf LPS alone, the combination of LPS and D42 PRBC-SN resulted in increased neutrophil and monocyte productionof IL-1 and IL-8 as well as reduced monocyte TNF production. Additionally, LPS and D42 PRBC-SN resulted in overall inflmmatory changes: elevated IL-8,

Design Minds Tomorrow's Classroom Toolkit

The Design Minds Tomorrow’s Classroom Toolkit was one of six K7-12 secondary school design toolkits commissioned by the State Library of Queensland (SLQ) Asia Pacific Design Library (APDL), to facilitate the delivery of the Stage 1 launch of its Design Minds online platform (www.designminds.org.au) partnership initiative with Queensland Government Arts Queensland and the Smithsonian Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, on June 29, 2012. Design Minds toolkits are practical guides, underpinned by a combination of one to three of the Design Minds model phases of ‘Inquire’, ‘Ideate’ and ‘Implement’ (supported by at each stage with structured reflection), to enhance existing school curriculum and empower students with real life design exercises, within the classroom environment. Toolkits directly identify links to Naplan, National Curriculum, C2C and Professional Standards benchmarks, as well as the student capabilities of successful and creative 21st century citizens they seek to engender through design thinking. This toolkit explores, through four distinct exercises, different design tools and ways to approach the future design of environments (classrooms/schools) to facilitate the Reggio Emilia philosophy of learning, while addressing diverse and changing social, cultural, technological and environmental challenges. The Design Minds Tomorrow’s Classroom Toolkit encourages students to explore architecture and interior design, and to think about their (life-long) learning as a product of inspiring interactions with people and the environments around them, and that their potential role in contributing to both delightful and functional design solutions requires a deep understanding of the user experience. More generally, it aims to facilitate awareness in young people, of the role of design in society and the value of design thinking skills in generating strategies to solve basic to complex systemic challenges, as well as to inspire post-secondary pathways and idea generation for education. The toolkit encourages students and teachers to develop sketching, making, communication, presentation and collaboration skills to improve their design process, as well as explore further inquiry (background research) to enhance the ideation exercises. Exercise 1 focuses on the ‘Inquire’ and ‘Ideate’ phases, Exercise 2 on the ‘Inquire’, Exercise 3 builds on ideation skills, and Exercise 4 concentrates on the ‘Implement’ phase. Depending on the intensity of the focus, the unit of work could be developed over a 2-5 week program (approximately 4-10 x 60 minute lessons/workshops) or as smaller workshops treated as discrete learning experiences. The toolkit is available for public download from http://designminds.org.au/tomorrows-classroom/ on the Design Minds website. This toolkit inspired the authorship and facilitation of a 2-day design workshop entitled Learning Environment 2050 at John Paul College, Daisy Hill, Brisbane on the 15-16 August 2013. 120 Grade 7 students and their teachers, under the mentorship of two design academics, 3 QUT design students and a professional architect, as part of a QUT School of Design Project Week community engagement activity, explored the formulation of a participatory design brief for the redesign of the school’s Wesley Precinct (including classrooms, a sustainable farm and recreation areas).

Spontaneous large volume adipose tissue generation from a vascularized pedicled fat flap inside a chamber space

A novel method of spontaneous generation of new adipose tissue from an existing fat flap is described. A defined volume of fat flap based on the superficial inferior epigastric vascular pedicle in the rat was elevated and inset into a hollow plastic chamber implanted subcutaneously in the groin of the rat. The chamber walls were either perforated or solid and the chambers either contained poly(D,L-lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) sponge matrix or not. The contents were analyzed after being in situ for 6 weeks. The total volume of the flap tissue in all groups except the control groups, where the flap was not inserted into the chambers, increased significantly, especially in the perforated chambers (0.08 ± 0.007 mL baseline compared to 1.2 ± 0.08 mL in the intact ones). Volume analysis of individual component tissues within the flaps revealed that the adipocyte volume increased and was at a maximum in the chambers without PLGA, where it expanded from 0.04 ± 0.003 mL at insertion to 0.5 ± 0.08 mL (1250% increase) in the perforated chambers and to 0.16 ± 0.03 mL (400% increase) in the intact chambers. Addition of PLGA scaffolds resulted in less fat growth. Histomorphometric analysis rather than simple hypertrophy documented an increased number of adipocytes. The new tissue was highly vascularized and no fat necrosis or atypical changes were observed.

The continuing decline of science and mathematics enrolments in Australian high schools

Is there a crisis in Australian science and mathematics education? Declining enrolments in upper secondary Science and Mathematics courses have gained much attention from the media, politicians and high-profile scientists over the last few years, yet there is no consensus amongst stakeholders about either the nature or the magnitude of the changes. We have collected raw enrolment data from the education departments of each of the Australian states and territories from 1992 to 2012 and analysed the trends for Biology, Chemistry, Physics, two composite subject groups (Earth Sciences and Multidisciplinary Sciences), as well as entry, intermediate and advanced Mathematics. The results of these analyses are discussed in terms of participation rates, raw enrolments and gender balance. We have found that the total number of students in Year 12 increased by around 16% from 1992 to 2012 while the participation rates for most Science and Mathematics subjects, as a proportion of the total Year 12 cohort, fell (Biology (-10%), Chemistry (-5%), Physics (-7%), Multidisciplinary Science (-5%), intermediate Mathematics (-11%), advanced Mathematics (-7%) in the same period. There were increased participation rates in Earth Sciences (+0.3%) and entry Mathematics (+11%). In each case the greatest rates of change occurred prior to 2001 and have been slower and steadier since. We propose that the broadening of curriculum offerings, further driven by students' self-perception of ability and perceptions of subject difficulty and usefulness, are the most likely cause of the changes in participation. While these continuing declines may not amount to a crisis, there is undoubtedly serious cause for concern.

Understanding Heliothine (Lepidoptera: Heliothinae) pests: What is a host plant?

Heliothine moths (Lepidoptera: Heliothinae) include some of the world's most devastating pest species. Whereas the majority of nonpest heliothinae specialize on a single plant family, genus, or species, pest species are highly polyphagous, with populations often escalating in size as they move from one crop species to another. Here, we examine the current literature on heliothine host-selection behavior with the aim of providing a knowledge base for research scientists and pest managers. We review the host relations of pest heliothines, with a particular focus on Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner), the most economically damaging of all heliothine species. We then consider the important question of what constitutes a host plant in these moths, and some of the problems that arise when trying to determine host plant status from empirical studies on host use. The top six host plant families in the two main Australian pest species (H. armigera and Helicoverpa punctigera Wallengren) are the same and the top three (Asteraceae, Fabaceae, and Malvaceae) are ranked the same (in terms of the number of host species on which eggs or larvae have been identified), suggesting that these species may use similar cues to identify their hosts. In contrast, for the two key pest heliothines in the Americas, the Fabaceae contains approximate to 1/3 of hosts for both. For Helicoverpa zea (Boddie), the remaining hosts are more evenly distributed, with Solanaceae next, followed by Poaceae, Asteraceae, Malvaceae, and Rosaceae. For Heliothis virescens (F.), the next highest five families are Malvaceae, Asteraceae, Solanaceae, Convolvulaceae, and Scrophulariaceae. Again there is considerable overlap in host use at generic and even species level. H. armigera is the most widely distributed and recorded from 68 plant families worldwide, but only 14 families are recorded as a containing a host in all geographic areas. A few crop hosts are used throughout the range as expected, but in some cases there are anomalies, perhaps because host plant relation studies are not comparable. Studies on the attraction of heliothines to plant odors are examined in the context of our current understanding of insect olfaction, with the aim of better understanding the connection between odor perception and host choice. Finally, we discuss research into sustainable management of pest heliothines using knowledge of heliothine behavior and ecology. A coordinated international research effort is needed to advance our knowledge on host relations in widely distributed polyphagous species instead of the localized, piecemeal approaches to understanding these insects that has been the norm to date.