Comparative life cycle assessment of system solution scenarios for residual municipal solid waste management in NSW, Australia.

Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a promising tool to evaluate the environmental impacts of different technologies for sustainable waste management. This study employs LCA to assess environmental impacts of alternative scenarios for residual municipal solid waste (MSW) management in New South Wales (NSW) based on current conditions and policies. Six different scenarios including a baseline scenario (landfilling) were applied for NSW waste management for energy production and their impacts on environment.

Effect of magnetic field on haemodynamic perturbations in atherosclerotic coronary arteries.

Haemodynamic perturbations including elevated blood viscosity, low and oscillatory shear stress are understood to be important pathogenic mediators in atherosclerosis. These haemodynamic abnormalities are influenced by the presence of a magnetic field. This study conducted computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis in 4 coronary artery models, derived from authentic human coronaries, with mild and moderate and severe stenosis severity.

Generation of sclerosant foams by mechanical methods increases the foam temperature.

Objective To investigate the effect of agitation on foam temperature. Methods Sodium tetradecyl sulphate and polidocanol were used. Prior to foam generation, the sclerosant and all constituent equipment were cooled to 4-25℃ and compared with cooling the sclerosant only.

Haemodynamic assessment of human coronary arteries is affected by degree of freedom of artery movement.

Unlabelled: Abnormal haemodynamic parameters are associated with atheroma plaque progression and instability in coronary arteries. Flow recirculation, shear stress and pressure gradient are understood to be important pathogenic mediators in coronary disease. The effect of freedom of coronary artery movement on these parameters is still unknown.

A new approach to blood flow simulation in vascular networks.

A proper analysis of blood flow is contingent upon accurate modelling of the branching pattern and vascular geometry of the network of interest. It is challenging to reconstruct the entire vascular network of any organ experimentally, in particular the pulmonary vasculature, because of its very high number of vessels, complexity of the branching pattern and poor accessibility in vivo. The objective of our research is to develop an innovative approach for the reconstruction of the full pulmonary vascular tree from available morphometric data.

Basic physiochemical and rheological properties of detergent sclerosants.

Objectives: To determine the basic physiochemical properties and rheological activity of detergent sclerosants.

Methods: Sodium tetradecyl sulphate and polidocanol liquid and foam sclerosants were investigated in a range of concentrations (0.1-3%), liquid-plus-air fractions (1+2 to 1+8) and dilutions in water (stock solutions) or in normal saline.

Correlation of Stroke Volume Measurement between Sonosite Portable Echocardiogram and Edwards Flotrac Sensor-Vigileo Monitor in an Intensive Care Unit.

Purpose: Stroke volume (SV) is a parameter that is being recognized as an endpoint in fluid resuscitation algorithms. Its role is now being realized as an important variable in hemodynamic assessment in various clinical scenarios such as septic and cardiogenic shocks. Direct measurement of stroke volume (SV) and its novel corollary, stroke volume variation (SVV) derived by proprietary software, are preferred over mean cardiac output (CO) measurements because they render a more accurate reflection of hemodynamic status independent of heart rate.

Correlation between Reynolds number and eccentricity effect in stenosed artery models.

Background: Flow recirculation and shear strain are physiological processes within coronary arteries which are associated with pathogenic biological pathways. Distinct Quite apart from coronary stenosis severity, lesion eccentricity can cause flow recirculation and affect shear strain levels within human coronary arteries.

Objective: The aim of this study is to analyse the effect of lesion eccentricity on the transient flow behaviour in a model of a coronary artery and also to investigate the correlation between Reynolds number (Re) and the eccentricity effect on flow behaviour.

Flow recirculation zone length and shear rate are differentially affected by stenosis severity in human coronary arteries.

Flow recirculation zones and shear rate are associated with distinct pathogenic biological pathways relevant to thrombosis and atherogenesis. The interaction between stenosis severity and lesion eccentricity in determining the length of flow recirculation zones and peak shear rate in human coronary arteries in vivo is unclear. Computational fluid dynamic simulations were performed under resting and hyperemic conditions on computer-generated models and three-dimensional (3-D) reconstructions of coronary arteriograms of 25 patients.

Intracoronary upregulation of platelet extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer (CD147) in coronary disease.

Background: CD147, also known as extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer, is present on circulating platelets and leukocytes in patients with coronary disease and is implicated in atherogenesis, and plaque rupture. We investigated whether CD147 (platelet, leukocyte and soluble) is upregulated within the coronary circulation in patients with stable coronary disease, and whether CD147 levels are associated with coronary shear stress levels.

Methods: A total of 25 patients undergoing intervention of a single coronary lesion had blood sampled within the coronary (n=15) and peripheral circulation (n=10).

Intracoronary shear-related up-regulation of platelet P-selectin and platelet-monocyte aggregation despite the use of aspirin and clopidogrel.

Recent in vitro studies have shown that shear stress can cause platelet activation by agonist-independent pathways. However, no studies have assessed the extent of shear-induced platelet activation within human coronary arteries. We sampled blood from the coronary arteries proximal and distal to coronary lesions and from the coronary sinus in humans with stable coronary disease who were taking both aspirin and clopidogrel.

Using postgraduate students' evaluations of research experience to benchmark departments and faculties: issues and challenges.

Background: The introduction of the Australian Research Training Scheme has been a strong reason for assuring the quality of the research higher degree (RHD) experience; if students experience poor supervision, an unsupportive climate, and inadequate infrastructure, prior research suggests RHD students will be less likely to complete their degree, with negative consequences for the student, the university, and society at large.

Aims: The present study examines the psychometric properties of a survey instrument, the Student Research Experience Questionnaire (SREQ), for measuring the RHD experience of currently enrolled students. The core scales of the SREQ focus on student experiences of Supervision; Infrastructure; Intellectual and Social Climate; and Generic Skills Development.