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Chronic high-thoracic and cervical spinal cord injury (SCI) results in a complex phenotype of cardiovascular consequences, including impaired left ventricular (LV) contractility. Here, we aim to determine whether such dysfunction manifests immediately post-injury, and if so, whether correcting impaired contractility can improve spinal cord oxygenation (SCO2), blood flow (SCBF) and metabolism. Using a porcine model of T2 SCI, we assess LV end-systolic elastance (contractility) via invasive pressure-volume catheterization, monitor intraparenchymal SCO2 and SCBF with fiberoptic oxygen sensors and laser-Doppler flowmetry, respectively, and quantify spinal cord metabolites with microdialysis. We demonstrate that high-thoracic SCI acutely impairs cardiac contractility and substantially reduces SCO2 and SCBF within the first hours post-injury. Utilizing the same model, we next show that augmenting LV contractility with the β-agonist dobutamine increases SCO2 and SCBF more effectively than vasopressor therapy, whilst also mitigating increased anaerobic metabolism and hemorrhage in the injured cord. Finally, in pigs with T2 SCI survived for 12 weeks post-injury, we confirm that acute hemodynamic management with dobutamine appears to preserve cardiac function and improve hemodynamic outcomes in the chronic setting. Our data support that cardio-centric hemodynamic management represents an advantageous alternative to the current clinical standard of vasopressor therapy for acute traumatic SCI., Clinical neuroprotective strategies for acute spinal cord injury (SCI) have largely overlooked the heart. Here the authors show cardiac contractility is immediately impaired in a porcine model of T2 SCI, and cardio-centric treatment with dobutamine optimizes cord oxygenation and mitigates haemorrhage.

Bioelectrical impedance is a non-invasive technique for the assessment of body composition; however, information on its accuracy in the very old (80+ years) is limited. We investigated whether the association between the impedance index and total body water (TBW) was modified by hydration status as assessed by haematocrit and serum osmolarity. This was a cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from the Newcastle 85+ Cohort Study. Anthropometric measurements [weight, height (Ht)] were taken and body mass index (BMI) calculated. Leg-to-leg bioimpedance was used to measure the impedance value (Z) and to estimate fat mass, fat free mass and TBW. The impedance index (Ht2/Z) was calculated. Blood haematocrit, haemoglobin, glucose, sodium, potassium, urea and creatinine concentrations were measured. Serum osmolarity was calculated using a validated prediction equation. 677 men and women aged 85 years were included. The average BMI of the population was 24.3±4.2kg/m2 and the prevalence of overweight and obesity was 32.6% and 9.5%, respectively. The impedance index was significantly associated with TBW in both men (n=274, r=0.76, p

Abstract The geographical position of the landlocked Caspian Sea presented a huge challenge for the marine installation of the ACG (Azeri, Chirag, Gunashli) development offshore Azerbaijan. Access to the Caspian is limited to two canals in the north which are frozen for up to six months of the year. There was limited reliable hydrographic and meteorological data and the Caspian had a history of relaxed marine discipline. The ACG Project had a pipe lay barge, heavy lift derrick barge, transportation barge and dive support vessel available for installation activities, all requiring major upgrades prior to utilization. The Project brought in a new supply vessel that was converted into a dedicated subsea construction vessel. This paper describes the technical challenges, schedule constraints/optimisation and innovative installation solutions from project start through to offshore installation. The marine installation was successful regardless of the limitations of the vessels and equipment available. Installation included;4 Drilling Templates with 12 well slots (circa 120 te each)Six Jacket Structures (circa 16000te) in water depths from 118m to 175m.Six Floatover Topside Facilities with an installed weight of up to 15800te.4 Brownfield Packages (water coalesor and injection equipment)1200km of Pipelines from 4 to 30 inch diameter.3 Subsea Remote Water Injection Manifolds10 Subsea Remote Water Injection Trees400km of Fibre Optic Cable for telecommunications, IT and integrated control systems.2 Power Cable systems 5.6km and 9.6km in length to provide interfield power.6 Wye Structures (circa 120te each) Numerous vessel upgrades were necessary to optimise the efficiency of the vessels available to the project. These were strategically planned to minimise impact on achieving key milestones. For the subsea system, facilities to receive, test and store were established. The contracting strategy with the main contractors proved successful in achieving project delivery targets. Major interfaces were managed with other delivery teams, Company Operations and third party assets. The ACG Project delivered a number of marine ‘firsts’ in the Caspian, including the floatover of 15800te topsides, wet towing of 600te jacket piles, pre-drilling templates, pin pile temporary jacket foundations and use of underwater hammers. This was achieved through creative design and installation execution strategy, integrated planning across many stakeholders and by significantly enhancing the existing marine fleet with the optimisation of vessel upgrades.

(1929). ART, TEXTILE DECORATION, AND COMMERCE. Journal of the Textile Institute Proceedings: Vol. 20, No. 1, pp. P6-P9.

This pest, presumably from New Zealand, was recognized by D. D. Jensen as Psylla uncatoides (Ferris and Klyver) and reported by Armitage (1955) as then fairly widespread in southern California on Acacia melanoxylon and Albizia julibrissin . Injury reported was browning of the young foliage by the psyllids and development of sooty mold resulting from the honeydew secretions. An additional host species, Albizia lophantha , was mentioned by Jensen (1957) for California. A letter, dated June 10, 1965, received from Louise M. Russell, Insect Identification and Parasite Introduction Research Division, USDA, states that “So far as known, P. uncatoides occurs only in California, and New Zealand from whence the species was described.”