Central events precipitating shock following severe blood loss

In humans and conscious animals progressive blood loss triggers a biphasic haemodynamic response. Initially, during moderate blood loss (up to 15% total blood volume), arterial pressure (AP) is maintained within a normal physiological range by a selective increase in sympathetic vasomotor tone in specific vascular beds (sympatho— excitation). This initial phase has been termed compensation. As blood loss progresses and becomes severe (i.e., loss of 30% total blood volume), a second decompensatory phase is triggered. Decompensation is characterised by a profound, life—threatening fall in AP driven by a rapid onset, centrally-mediated sympathoinhibition. Surprisingly, the neural circuitry underlying decompensation is yet to be identified. The aim of the research described in this thesis was to identify the central afferent and efferent pathway(s) responsible for triggering decompensation. The ventrolateral column of the midbrain periaqueductal gray has recently been recognised as being a neural structure that integrates both the behavioural and cardiovascular components of the response to injury. Past findings have shown that the ventrolateral column of the PAG co— ordinates quiescence, hyporeactivity, hypotension and bradycardia in response to deep pain and haemorrhage, in addition to other inescapable stressors. This response has been classified as a passive coping strategy to injury and is an adaptive response essential for the survival of the individual. In addition, it has also been shown that: (i) hypotensive haemorrhage selectively evokes Fos-expression in the ventrolateral PAG; and (ii) haemorrhage-evoked decompensation is significantly attenuated following bilateral microinjection of the local anaesthetic lignocaine or cobalt chloride (an inhibitor of synaptic transmission). Taken together, these data strongly suggest that the ventrolateral PAG mediates the decompensatory phase of haemorrhage. This region was therefore used as an entry point to begin to define the central circuits which mediate decompensation

Alfred Rolfe: Forgotten Pioneer Australian Film Director

Alfred Rolfe was arguably the most prolific silent era Australian director, responsible for more than 25 feature films encompassing the bushranger genres, early Australian war cinema, and various melodramas. Many of his films were both critical and commercial successes. The only surviving footage are scenes from two of his 1915 war films. This important director has been overshadowed by his contemporaries, particularly Raymond Longford. This paper argues that Rolfe’s contribution to early Australian cinema was significant not just in volume, but in artistic terms, in subject matter, and in popular appeal. The centenary of Anzac is also the centenary of Australia’s first Gallipoli movie, Rolfe’s The Hero of the Dardanelles (1915), which was one of the most successful films at the box office for its time

EduCube: The 1U Educational CubeSat

The 2nd Symposium on Space Educational Activities (SSEA), Budapest, Hungary, 11-13 April 2018EduCube is a 1U Cubesat developed specifically for educational purposes. It is used in a hands-on training laboratory for Masters students to allow them to gain familiarity with the satellite subsystems found in a Cubesat. The students work in groups, following a set of exercises and also devising their own experiments. EduCube was designed and built in-house and is largely compliant with the Cal Poly standard.Irish Research CouncilParameter Spac

EduCube: The 1U Educational CubeSat

The 2nd Symposium on Space Educational Activities (SSEA), Budapest, Hungary, 11-13 April 2018EduCube is a 1U Cubesat developed specifically for educational purposes. It is used in a hands-on training laboratory for Masters students to allow them to gain familiarity with the satellite subsystems found in a Cubesat. The students work in groups, following a set of exercises and also devising their own experiments. EduCube was designed and built in-house and is largely compliant with the Cal Poly standard.Irish Research CouncilParameter Spac

Incidence and risk factors for anastomotic bile leakage in hepatic resection with bilioenteric reconstruction:A international multicenter study

Background: Anastomotic leak (AL) after bilioenteric reconstruction (BR) is a feared complication after bile duct resection, especially in combination with liver resection. Literature on surgical outcome is sparse. This study aimed to determine the incidence and risk factors for AL after combined liver and bile duct resection with a focus on operative or endoscopic reinterventions. Methods: Data from consecutive patients who underwent liver resection and BR between 2004 and 2018 in 11 academic institutions in Europe were collected from prospectively maintained databases. Results: Within 921 patients, AL rate was 5.4% with a 30d mortality of 9.6%. Pringle maneuver (p<0.001),postoperative external biliary (p=0.007) and abdominal drainage (p<0.001) were risk factors for clinically relevant AL. Preoperative biliary drainage (p<0.001) was not associated with a higher rate of AL. AL was more frequent in stented patients (76.5%) compared to PTCD (17.6%) or PTCD+stent (5.9%,p=0.017). AL correlated with increased incidence of postoperative liver failure (p=0.036), cholangitis, hemorrhage and sepsis (all p<0.001). Conclusion: This multicenter data provides the largest series to date of LR with BR and could help in the management of these patients which are often challenging and hampering the patients’ postoperative course negatively