Clinical Guideline Audit and Knowledge Elicitation Using the MDS Tool and Techniques

This paper outlines a study, utilising the MDS methodology and tool to create a knowledge model based on clinical experts’ interpreted knowledge of clinical guidelines. The study demonstrated the elicitation of tacit expert knowledge when the formalised processes of the MDS were applied to model a clinical expert’s interpretation of the knowledge content of a clinical guideline onto the specialised MDS architecture

An efficient virtual patient image model: interview training in pharmacy

This paper presents the development of a virtual patient simulation by a 3D talking head and its use by pharmacy students as a training aid for patient consultation. The paper concentrates on the virtual patient modeling, its synthesis with a speech engine and facial expression interaction. The virtual patient model is developed in three stages: building a personalized 3D face model; animation of the face model; and speech driven face synthesis. The model is used in conjunction with a training artificial intelligence module that creates several scenarios in which the student oral interview ability is assessed. The final evaluation phase is a randomized controlled trial at three partner universities: The University of Newcastle, Monash University and Charles Stuart University. It shows the potential to revolutionize the way pharmacy students’ training is conducted

Contribution of Benthic Processes to the Growth of Ooids on a Low-Energy Shore in Cat Island, The Bahamas

Ooids are typically found in frequently reworked coastal sediments, and are thought to accrete by inorganic chemical precipitation around moving grains. The high organic content and the presence of biosignatures, however, suggest that ooids interact with benthic microbial communities. Here, we investigate the role of benthic processes on ooid growth on a leeward shore of Cat Island, The Bahamas. Polished ooids are present in the surf zone, whereas dull ooids and grapestones are present in microbially colonized sediments seaward of the surf zone. Wave hydrodynamics and sediment transport modeling suggest that microbially colonized sediments are mobilized at monthly time scales. We propose a new conceptual model for both ooids and grapestone. Ooids rest and accrete in the area covered by microbial mats, but are periodically transported to the surf zone where wave abrasion polishes them within days. Ooids are then transported back to microbially colonized areas where the accretion cycle resumes. Ooids too large to be transported become trapped outside the surf zone, exit the “conveyor belt” and become grapestones. The benthic growth mechanism predicts petrographic characteristics that match observations: successive ooid laminae do not thin outward, laminae exhibit irregularities, and some ooids include multiple nuclei. Keywords: Pigeon Cay; grapestone; abrasion; carbonate precipitation; microbial matUnited States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Grant NNA13AA90A

Ensambles de arqueas y bacterias en la Zona de Mínimo Oxígeno del ecosistema de surgencia de Chile central determinados mediante biomarcadores orgánicos

Indexación: Web of Science; Scielo.Organic biomarkers were used to investigate the influence of seasonal changes in oxygenation and water chemistry on the distribution of archaea and bacteria in the water column and surface sediments of the continental shelf off central Chile (ca. 36°S), an area influenced by seasonal upwelling and the development of an oxygen minimum zone. We were interested in establishing if occurrence of archaea and bacteria responds to oxygenation and water chemistry for which we analyzed archaeal isoprenoid (i) and bacterial branched (br) glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (GDGTs). Our results combined with molecular data from a year round observational program at the same sampling site and depths indicatives the occurrence and dominance of the marine pelagic group Thaumarchaeota. Changes in the distribution of iGDGTs might be explained by (i) the presence of archaeal populations in sub-oxic waters, phylogenetically different from those in surface water, (ii) changes in the relative contribution of Euryarchaeota with depth, and (iii) a relationship between Thaumarchaeota and environmental factors other than temperature. Branched GDGTs were more abundant in the upper, oxic layer during the non-upwelling season, may be a result of higher river runoff, whereas their diversity was higher within sub-oxic waters. Our results indicate a vertical segregation of iGDGTs and brGDGTs, with predominance of archaeal biomarkers during the low productivity season.Se utilizaron biomarcadores orgánicos en para investigar la influencia de cambios estacionales en los niveles de oxigenación y la química del agua sobre la distribución de arqueas y bacterias en la columna de agua y los sedimentos superficiales de la plataforma continental frente a Chile central, un área influenciada por surgencia estacional asociada al desarrollo de una zona de mínimo oxígeno. Nuestro interés es establecer si la ocurrencia de arquea y bacteria responde a la oxigenación y química del agua para lo cual analizamos gliceroles dialquil gliceroles tetra-éteres (GDGTs) isoprenoides arqueanos (i) y ramificados bacterianos (r). Nuestros resultados, combinados con datos moleculares de observaciones durante un año en el mismo lugar y profundidades del sitio de estudio indican la presencia y dominancia del grupo arqueano marino- pelágico Thaumarchaeota. Los cambios observados en la distribución de iGDGTs podrían explicarse por (i) la presencia de poblaciones de arqueas marinas en la capa de agua sub-óxica, filogenéticamente diferentes a las de aguas superficiales, (ii) cambio en la contribución relativa de Euryarchaeota con profundidad, y (iii) una relación entre Thaumarchaeota y factores ambientales distintos a la temperatura. Los GDGTs ramificados fueron más abundantes en la capa óxica superior durante el periodo de no-surgencia, tal vez influenciado por la alta descarga de ríos, mientras que su diversidad fue más alta en el agua sub-óxica. Nuestros resultados indican una segregación vertical de los GDGTs isoprenoides y ramificados, con el predominio de biomarcadores arqueanos durante el periodo de baja productividad.http://ref.scielo.org/vq5y7

Hopanoids Play a Role in Membrane Integrity and pH Homeostasis in Rhodopseudomonas palustris TIE-1

Sedimentary hopanes are pentacyclic triterpenoids that serve as biomarker proxies for bacteria and certain bacterial metabolisms, such as oxygenic photosynthesis and aerobic methanotrophy. Their parent molecules, the bacteriohopanepolyols (BHPs), have been hypothesized to be the bacterial equivalent of sterols. However, the actual function of BHPs in bacterial cells is poorly understood. Here, we report the physiological study of a mutant in Rhodopseudomonas palustris TIE-1 that is unable to produce any hopanoids. The deletion of the gene encoding the squalene-hopene cyclase protein (Shc), which cyclizes squalene to the basic hopene structure, resulted in a strain that no longer produced any polycyclic triterpenoids. This strain was able to grow chemoheterotrophically, photoheterotrophically, and photoautotrophically, demonstrating that hopanoids are not required for growth under normal conditions. A severe growth defect, as well as significant morphological damage, was observed when cells were grown under acidic and alkaline conditions. Although minimal changes in shc transcript expression were observed under certain conditions of pH shock, the total amount of hopanoid production was unaffected; however, the abundance of methylated hopanoids significantly increased. This suggests that hopanoids may play an indirect role in pH homeostasis, with certain hopanoid derivatives being of particular importance

Biomarker and isotopic trends in a Permian-Triassic sedimentary section at Kap Stosch, Greenland

We report a geochemical study of a composite sedimentary section that captures the Permian-Triassic (PT) transition at Kap Stosch, East Greenland. The samples were from the original paleontological collection of early PT researchers. The rocks, which include samples from four proximal outcrop localities, were deposited during the Late Permian and Early Triassic at the margin of the Boreal Sea with a depositional hiatus and erosional event of unknown duration. Bulk geochemical measurements for most of the samples show good correlation between S2 and TOC% which, combined with low Tmax values, indicate that the organic matter (OM) that formed contemporaneously with sediment deposition is of relatively low maturity. Significant changes through the PT transition include a pronounced switch in the δ13C of TOC from high values near -24% to lower values averaging 32%, that is matched by a significant increase in the hydrogen index (HI) of the kerogen. The Permian samples containing 13C enriched OM also have low Rock-Eval HI values and anomalous pyrograms, indicating that the kerogen is heterogeneous in terms of source and maturity, as confirmed by microscopic analysis of the kerogen concentrates.Samples from the Permian section contain an abundance of black angular fragments of woody tissue in addition to gymnosperm pollen and spinose acritarchs of the Vittatina-Association (Balme, B., 1979. Palynology of Permian-Triassic boundary beds at Kap Stosch. Meddeleleser om Gronland 200, 1-36). In contrast, black woody tissue is rare in samples from the Early Triassic section with well preserved gymnosperm and lycopod pollen and spores of the Protohaploxypinus and Taeniaesporites associations. Biomarkers indicate moderate maturity for Permian samples, with the C27 sterane 20S/(20S + 20R), C31 homohopane 22S/(22S + 22R) ratio and Ts/(Ts + Tm) values all being higher than those for Triassic sediments. The marked switch in maturity indicators across the PT transition suggests an unconformity consistent with palynological observations. The pristane/phytane values are low and the homohopane index values high, indicating that anoxic conditions prevailed throughout deposition of the sediments.Additionally, markers of photic zone euxinia (i.e. isorenieratane, crocetane and 2,3,6-aryl isoprenoids) were present in all samples and all show maximum abundance closest to the PT transition. The C33 n-alkyl cyclohexane, a potential event marker for the onset of the biotic crisis in the Late Permian, was found in samples at, and immediately following, the paleontological PT transition. Despite the distinct change in lithology across the PT transition, the redox and Chlorobi-derived biomarkers indicate that photic zone euxinic conditions prevailed throughout the deposition of the Kap Stosch sedimentary sequence

The Neanderthal Meal: A New Perspective Using Faecal Biomarkers

Neanderthal dietary reconstructions have, to date, been based on indirect evidence and may underestimate the significance of plants as a food source. While zooarchaeological and stable isotope data have conveyed an image of Neanderthals as largely carnivorous, studies on dental calculus and scattered palaeobotanical evidence suggest some degree of contribution of plants to their diet. However, both views remain plausible and there is no categorical indication of an omnivorous diet. Here we present direct evidence of Neanderthal diet using faecal biomarkers, a valuable analytical tool for identifying dietary provenance. Our gas chromatography-mass spectrometry results from El Salt (Spain), a Middle Palaeolithic site dating to ca. 50,000 yr. BP, represents the oldest positive identification of human faecal matter. We show that Neanderthals, like anatomically modern humans, have a high rate of conversion of cholesterol to coprostanol related to the presence of required bacteria in their guts. Analysis of five sediment samples from different occupation floors suggests that Neanderthals predominantly consumed meat, as indicated by high coprostanol proportions, but also had significant plant intake, as shown by the presence of 5β-stigmastanol. This study highlights the applicability of the biomarker approach in Pleistocene contexts as a provider of direct palaeodietary information and supports the opportunity for further research into cholesterol metabolism throughout human evolution.NASA Astrobiology Institute (Grant NNA13AA90A

Phylogenetic Investigation of the Aliphatic, Non-hydrolyzable Biopolymer Algaenan, with a Focus on Green Algae

Algaenan, an aliphatic biopolymer found in various microalgae, has been implicated as the source of a sizable proportion of the aliphatic refractory organic matter in sedimentary rocks. Because of its recalcitrant nature, algaenan is thought to be preserved selectively in the formation of kerogen and microfossils. Its taxonomic distribution in organisms has not been studied in detail or in a phylogenetic context. Here, we evaluate the distribution and phylogenetic relationships of algaenan-producing organisms from a broad, eukaryote-wide perspective down to the level of genus and species. We focus on the kingdom Plantae, as most described algaenan producers belong to this superkingdom. The phylogenetic distribution of algaenan producers within the Plantae is actually quite limited and a detailed phylogenetic analysis of the two classes that include all green algal algaenan producers suggests that there is no finer-grained pattern of phylogenetic distribution to the production of this biopolymer. Our results suggest that the biopolymer is not widespread ecologically or phylogenetically, is not found abundantly in marine organisms and likely represents a functional description of molecular class, rather than a biomarker for green algae. This adds to a growing body of literature that questions the selective preservation hypothesis for insoluble organic matter and calls for a more detailed chemical and structural analysis of algaenan.Organismic and Evolutionary Biolog

What do Employers expect from Business Analysts and is it captured by the “Business Analysis Body of Knowledge” (BABOK)?

Emerging professions need to define their role and contributions to business and society. An important part of this is setting policies and definitions of what constitutes a professional and professional practice in their discipline. This information is increasingly being captured and codified using tools such as Bodies of Knowledge, Quality Frameworks and Codes of Practice. The International Institute for Business Analysis defined a Body of Knowledge for Business Analysis (BABOK). This paper reports on a longitudinal survey of 240 SEEK advertisements over a six year period investigating how closely the skills and knowledge required for Business Analysis positions matched those defined within BABOK. This exploratory and qualitative study used secondary sources, so generalizability of results has limitations. Nevertheless, interesting patterns were observed. There was strong evidence that the “Competencies” defined within BABOK are sought by employers. However, surprisingly little reference was made to many of the BABOK Knowledge Areas

Discovery of multiple Lorentzian components in the X-ray timing properties of the Narrow Line Seyfert 1 Ark 564

We present a power spectral analysis of a 100 ksec XMM-Newton observation of the narrow line Seyfert 1 galaxy Ark~564. When combined with earlier RXTE and ASCA observations, these data produce a power spectrum covering seven decades of frequency which is well described by a power law with two very clear breaks. This shape is unlike the power spectra of almost all other AGN observed so far, which have only one detected break, and resemble Galactic binary systems in a soft state. The power spectrum can also be well described by the sum of two Lorentzian-shaped components, the one at higher frequencies having a hard spectrum, similar to those seen in Galactic binary systems. Previously we have demonstrated that the lag of the hard band variations relative to the soft band in Ark 564 is dependent on variability time-scale, as seen in Galactic binary sources. Here we show that the time-scale dependence of the lags can be described well using the same two-Lorentzian model which describes the power spectrum, assuming that each Lorentzian component has a distinct time lag. Thus all X-ray timing evidence points strongly to two discrete, localised, regions as the origin of most of the variability. Similar behaviour is seen in Galactic X-ray binary systems in most states other than the soft state, i.e. in the low-hard and intermediate/very high states. Given the very high accretion rate of Ark 564 the closest analogy is with the very high (intermediate) state rather than the low-hard state. We therefore strengthen the comparison between AGN and Galactic binary sources beyond previous studies by extending it to the previously poorly studied very high accretion rate regime.Comment: 11 pages, 11 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA