Proteomics science & society : the role of knowledge translation in moving towards clinical applications

Background: Outside the mass-spectrometer, proteomics research does not take place in a vacuum. It is affected by policies on funding and research infrastructure. Proteomics research both impacts and is impacted by potential clinical applications. It provides new techniques & clinically relevant findings, but the possibilities for such innovations (and thus the perception of the potential for the field by funders) are also impacted by regulatory practices and the readiness of the health sector to incorporate proteomics-related tools & findings. Key to this process is how knowledge is translated. Methods: We present preliminary results from a multi-year social science project, funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, on the processes and motivations for knowledge translation in the health sciences. The proteomics case within this wider study uses qualitative methods to examine the interplay between proteomics science and regulatory and policy makers regarding clinical applications of proteomics. Results: Adopting an interactive format to encourage conference attendees’ feedback, our poster focuses on deficits in effective knowledge translation strategies from the laboratory to policy, clinical, & regulatory arenas. An analysis of the interviews conducted to date suggests five significant choke points: the changing priorities of funding agencies; the complexity of proteomics research; the organisation of proteomics research; the relationship of proteomics to genomics and other omics sciences; and conflict over the appropriate role of standardisation. Conclusion: We suggest that engagement with aspects of knowledge translation, such as those mentioned above, is crucially important for the eventual clinical application ofproteomics science on any meaningful scale.

Performance analysis of PTP components for IEC 61850 process bus applications

New substation automation applications, such as sampled value process buses and synchrophasors, require sampling accuracy of 1 µs or better. The Precision Time Protocol (PTP), IEEE Std 1588, achieves this level of performance and integrates well into Ethernet based substation networks. This paper takes a systematic approach to the performance evaluation of commercially available PTP devices (grandmaster, slave, transparent and boundary clocks) from a variety of manufacturers. The ``error budget'' is set by the performance requirements of each application. The ``expenditure'' of this error budget by each component is valuable information for a system designer. The component information is used to design a synchronization system that meets the overall functional requirements. The quantitative performance data presented shows that this testing is effective and informative. Results from testing PTP performance in the presence of sampled value process bus traffic demonstrate the benefit of a ``bottom up'' component testing approach combined with ``top down'' system verification tests. A test method that uses a precision Ethernet capture card, rather than dedicated PTP test sets, to determine the Correction Field Error of transparent clocks is presented. This test is particularly relevant for highly loaded Ethernet networks with stringent timing requirements. The methods presented can be used for development purposes by manufacturers, or by system integrators for acceptance testing. A sampled value process bus was used as the test application for the systematic approach described in this paper. The test approach was applied, components were selected, and the system performance verified to meet the application's requirements. Systematic testing, as presented in this paper, is applicable to a range of industries that use, rather than develop, PTP for time transfer.

Gartner Surface Process Modelling movie

AR process modelling movie presented at Gartner BPM Summit in Sydney, August, 2011. Video showing us using the MS Surface at QUT to perform collaborative process modelling.

The entrepreneurial process

This chapter revolves around research-based insights into the entrepreneurial process. By is meant the process of setting up a new business activity resulting in a new market offer. This new offer may be made by a new or an existing firm, although the main focus here is on the start-up of new, independent firms. Further, the new offer may be innovative, bringing to the market something that was not offered before or imita­tive i.e., a new competitor enters the market with products or services very similar to what other firms are already offering. Although the lsatter type of process may be less complex and also have less market impact, it still entails most of the steps that typically have to be taken in order to get a business up and running. If successful, it also shares, at least to some degree, the consequences that signify entrepreneurial processes: - it gives consumers new choice alternatives - it gives incumbent firms reason to shape up - it attracts additional followers to enter the market, further reinforcing the first two effects (Davidsson, 2004). Besides, imitatlve starr-ups outnumber by far innovative ones (Reynolds et al., 2003; Samuelsson and Davidsson, 2009).

Improvisation, process drama and dramatic art

This paper re-conceptualises the notion of improvisation as it has developed in schools since the 1960s. It outlines the theoretical case for naming the distinctive improvisational practice that has emerged in schools - namely Process Drama. The paper sketches seven characteristics of Process Drama and then outlines the case for seeing it as an emerging but robust form of dramatic art. It concludes by arguing that drama teachers, in developing process drama, have created a new form of both education and art.

Incorporating international environmental legal principles into future climate change instruments

The article explores the role of international environmental legal principles and their role in future climate change instruments. The five international environmental legal principles explored in this context are: inter and intergenerational equity, the precautionary principle, common but differentiated responsibility, the polluter pays and principle and the principles of responsibility and prevention. Principles are used within regulatory frameworks to guide the interpretation and implementation of the obligations specified within the instrument. It is found that these principles provide a useful basis for the development of international adaptation and mitigation measures that are equitable and ethical in nature. This article argues that these principles must be drafted more strategically into international climate change instruments allowing them to serve as a foundational basis upon which more stringent and equitable binding duties and rights can be derived from. This article makes some recommendations as to the type of obligations that these principles could be used to inform in future climate instruments.

Improving remote collaborative process modelling using embodiment in 3D virtual environments

Identifying, modelling and documenting business processes usually require the collaboration of many stakeholders that may be spread across companies in inter-organizational settings. While modern process modelling technologies are beginning to provide a number of features to support remote, they lack support for visual cues used in co-located collaboration. In this paper, we examine the importance of visual cues for collaboration tasks in collaborative process modelling. Based on this analysis, we present a prototype 3D virtual world process modelling tool that supports a number of visual cues to facilitate remote collaborative process model creation and validation. We then report on a preliminary analysis of the technology. In conclusion, we proceed to describe the future direction of our research with regards to the theoretical contributions expected from the evaluation of the tool.

Enabling access to and re-use of publicly funded research data as Open Educational Resources : a strategy for overcoming the legal barriers to data access and re-use

Open Educational Resources (OER) are teaching, learning and research materials that have been released under an open licence that permits online access and re-use by others. The 2012 Paris OER Declaration encourages the open licensing of educational materials produced with public funds. Digital data and data sets produced as a result of scientific and non-scientific research are an increasingly important category of educational materials. This paper discusses the legal challenges presented when publicly funded research data is made available as OER, arising from intellectual property rights, confidentiality and information privacy laws, and the lack of a legal duty to ensure data quality. If these legal challenges are not understood, addressed and effectively managed, they may impede and restrict access to and re-use of research data. This paper identifies some of the legal challenges that need to be addressed and describes 10 proposed best practices which are recommended for adoption to so that publicly funded research data can be made available for access and re-use as OER.

Data mining traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) lessons learnt from mining in law and allopathic medicine

Key decisions at the collection, pre-processing, transformation, mining and interpretation phase of any knowledge discovery from database (KDD) process depend heavily on assumptions and theorectical perspectives relating to the type of task to be performed and characteristics of data sourced. In this article, we compare and contrast theoretical perspectives and assumptions taken in data mining exercises in the legal domain with those adopted in data mining in TCM and allopathic medicine. The juxtaposition results in insights for the application of KDD for Traditional Chinese Medicine.

A framework for cost-aware process management : generation of accurate and timely management accounting cost reports

Organisations are constantly seeking efficiency improvements for their business processes in terms of time and cost. Management accounting enables reporting of detailed cost of operations for decision making purpose, although significant effort is required to gather accurate operational data. Business process management is concerned with systematically documenting, managing, automating, and optimising processes. Process mining gives valuable insight into processes through analysis of events recorded by an IT system in the form of an event log with the focus on efficient utilisation of time and resources, although its primary focus is not on cost implications. In this paper, we propose a framework to support management accounting decisions on cost control by automatically incorporating cost data with historical data from event logs for monitoring, predicting and reporting process-related costs. We also illustrate how accurate, relevant and timely management accounting style cost reports can be produced on demand by extending open-source process mining framework ProM.

Modeling resource management in the building design process by information constraint Petri nets

The effect of resource management on the building design process directly influences the development cycle time and success of construction projects. This paper presents the information constraint net (ICN) to represent the complex information constraint relations among design activities involved in the building design process. An algorithm is developed to transform the information constraints throughout the ICN into a Petri net model. A resource management model is developed using the ICN to simulate and optimize resource allocation in the design process. An example is provided to justify the proposed model through a simulation analysis of the CPN Tools platform in the detailed structural design. The result demonstrates that the proposed approach can obtain the resource management and optimization needed for shortening the development cycle and optimal allocation of resources.

A sustainable Murray-Darling Basin : the legal challenges

The range of legal instruments informing how the Murray-Darling Basin (MDB)is managed is extensive. Some provide guidance; a number indicate strategies and policies; some assume the form of protectable rights and enforceable duties.What has emerged is a complicated and sophisticated web of interacting normative arrangements. These include: several international agreements including those concerning wetlands,biodiversity and climate change; the Constitution of the Commonwealth; the Water Act 2007 of the Commonwealth; the Murray-Darling Basin Agreement scheduled to the Act; State water entitlements stated in the Agreement; Commonwealth environmental water holdings under the Act; the Murray-Darling Basin Plan; water-resource plans under the Act or State or Territorial water legislation; State and Territorial water legislation; and water entitlements and water rights under State or Territorial water legislation.

Preliminary insights from a multiple case study on process modelling impact

Process modelling – the design and use of graphical documentations of an organisation’s business processes – is a key method to document and use information about business processes in organisational projects. Still, despite current interest in process modelling, this area of study still faces essential challenges. One of the key unanswered questions concerns the impact of process modelling in organisational practice. Process modelling initiatives call for tangible results in the form of returns on the substantial investments that organisations undertake to achieve improved processes. This study explores the impact of process model use on end-users and its contribution to organisational success. We posit that the use of conceptual models creates impact in organisational process teams. We also report on a set of case studies in which we explore tentative evidence for the development of impact of process model use. The results of this work provide a better understanding of process modelling impact from information practices and also lead to insights into how organisations should conduct process modelling initiatives in order to achieve an optimum return on their investment.

A new legal avenue for pricing GHG emissions? To trade or to tax?

In a September 2010 media release the Prime Minister of Australia presented the terms of reference for the newly established Multi-Party Climate Change Committee. Although the Committee is charged with considering climate change mitigation measures in general, specifically the Committee must consider an appropriate mechanism for the establishment of a carbon price. The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of the mechanisms to be considered by the Climate Change Committee, including the use of emissions trading and carbon levies in other jurisdictions. This article argues that for any effective investigation of a carbon price for Australia to occur, a thorough knowledge of other jurisdictions’ methods for carbon pricing is essential.

Detecting approximate clones in process model repositories with Apromore

Approximate clone detection is the process of identifying similar process fragments in business process model collections. The tool presented in this paper can efficiently cluster approximate clones in large process model repositories. Once a repository is clustered, users can filter and browse the clusters using different filtering parameters. Our tool can also visualize clusters in the 2D space, allowing a better understanding of clusters and their member fragments. This demonstration will be useful for researchers and practitioners working on large process model repositories, where process standardization is a critical task for increasing the consistency and reducing the complexity of the repository.