Hormonal Resuscitation And P38 MAP Kinase Inhibition To Enhance Quality Of Cadaveric Donor Organs For Transplantation
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$469,500.00
Summary
The transplantation of organs such as the heart, lung, liver, kidney and pancreas from brain-dead donors is limited primarily by the shortage of donor organs. It is now recognised that as many as 25% (one in four) potentially usuable donor organs are lost after brain death due to the rapid deterioration that occurs in organs after brain death. There is evidence that this deterioration is due to loss of the normal hormones that are essential to the normal functioning of these organs. In this proj ....The transplantation of organs such as the heart, lung, liver, kidney and pancreas from brain-dead donors is limited primarily by the shortage of donor organs. It is now recognised that as many as 25% (one in four) potentially usuable donor organs are lost after brain death due to the rapid deterioration that occurs in organs after brain death. There is evidence that this deterioration is due to loss of the normal hormones that are essential to the normal functioning of these organs. In this project, we will use a pig model of brain death that we have extablished in our laboratory to examine the effects of hormone replacement on the function of organs that are used for transplantation. We will also test a novel drug aimed at protecting donor organs during the period between removal of the organ and transplantation. If successful, these treatments have the potential to markedly increase the numbers of organ transplants and to improve the outcomes for recipients of these transplants. In the Australian and New Zealand setting, a 25% increase in the number of donor organs would results in approximately 220 more people per year receiving these life-saving operations.Read moreRead less
Global Data Mapping And Evaluation Of Needs, Capacities And Benchmarks In Organ Donation And Transplantation: Informing Effective Local And International Health Policy To Better Meet The Needs Of Patients
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$318,575.00
Summary
Global shortages of donor organs limit the provision of reliable and equitable access to solid organ transplantation. As a result, many are excluded from waiting lists, others deteriorate whilst awaiting transplantation, and some seek to purchase the needed organ. Countries have a responsibility to provide transplantation services sufficient to meet population need. This project evaluates international data for key interventions that may impact on waitlisting, donation and transplant practices.
The Origin Of Recruits To The East Coast Yellowfin Tuna Fishery And The Delineation Of The Structure Of Yellowfin Stocks In The Western Pacific
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$549,631.19
Summary
Objectives: 1. To develop the use of microsatellites for the genetic analysis of yellowfin tuna 2. To determine the genetic relationships of yellowfin tuna form the Coral Sea To those from the east coat of Australia and to those from other Western Pacific fisheries 3. To develop techniques for estimation of oxygen 18/16 isotopic ratios in otoliths using SIMS microprobe 4. Using analysis of otolith chemistry and isotopic ratios examine the hypothesis that all recruits to th ....Objectives: 1. To develop the use of microsatellites for the genetic analysis of yellowfin tuna 2. To determine the genetic relationships of yellowfin tuna form the Coral Sea To those from the east coat of Australia and to those from other Western Pacific fisheries 3. To develop techniques for estimation of oxygen 18/16 isotopic ratios in otoliths using SIMS microprobe 4. Using analysis of otolith chemistry and isotopic ratios examine the hypothesis that all recruits to the ECTUNA fishery are derived from spawning grounds in the Coral Sea 5. In the event of rejection of the null hypothesis that there is a single panmictic WP stock, use otolith chemical data collected from yellowfin collected throughout WP to estimate the proportion of immigrant recruits and determine their most likely origin Read moreRead less
Development Of An Artificial Neural Network For Automated Age Estimation
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$132,072.00
Summary
Current age determination methods, even when aided by image analysis software still depend on interpretation by an experienced "reader". The process of ageing is also laborious, time consuming and hence, relatively expensive. For production ageing, where there is an ongoing requirement for age estimates, there is a problem of consistency of interpretation. At present, when readers change, there is a substantial training and verification period needed to ensure that the new reader is interpretin ....Current age determination methods, even when aided by image analysis software still depend on interpretation by an experienced "reader". The process of ageing is also laborious, time consuming and hence, relatively expensive. For production ageing, where there is an ongoing requirement for age estimates, there is a problem of consistency of interpretation. At present, when readers change, there is a substantial training and verification period needed to ensure that the new reader is interpreting otolith structure in a consistent and correct manner. Automatic ageing would have the primary advantage of being a far more objective method than is possible with even the best training, reducing discrepancies both between readers and organisations. This factor will increase the precision of estimates and therefore provide greater confidence for the stock assessment process. Benefits associated with the development of this technique also include the reduced sample processing time which would increase the number of samples able to be processed and hence, reduce the cost.
The pilot project which has been completed has demonstrated the potential for artificial neural networks to objectively and consistently classify samples of some species. With refinements of the system, it should be applicable to any species for which production ageing is required. Objectives: 1. Compare the effect of different forms of data input on the performance of an ANN model for automatic ageing. 2. Compare the effect of different forms of ANN models on their performance. 3. Develop a protocol for the application of an ANN model to the process of automatic ageing. Read moreRead less
Age Determination And Growth Of Tiger Flathead [Platycephalus Richardsoni]
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Summary
Objectives: 1. Resolve uncertainty & develop a valid technique for age determination in tiger flatheads. Re-analyse existing samples of otoliths; obtain growth, total mortality & exploitation rate parameters from existing sample data for 1981-85 for eastern Bass Strait
Experimental Validation Of A Clinical Indicator Of Utricular Function.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$198,689.00
Summary
The vestibular system is responsible for our sense of balance, it is located in the inner ear and is responsible for maintaining posture and helping an organism to make appropriate eye movements when the head moves. Damage to the vestibular system by disease or accident is extremely debilitating for a patient. A chief goal of our research program is to develop simple tests of the vestibular system that can be used in the clinic to diagnose vestibular disorders. Most present clinical tests only t ....The vestibular system is responsible for our sense of balance, it is located in the inner ear and is responsible for maintaining posture and helping an organism to make appropriate eye movements when the head moves. Damage to the vestibular system by disease or accident is extremely debilitating for a patient. A chief goal of our research program is to develop simple tests of the vestibular system that can be used in the clinic to diagnose vestibular disorders. Most present clinical tests only test the part of the vestibular system that responds to angular rotations (the semicircular canals). There are few good tests that can reliably diagnose problems concerned with sensed position (the otoliths). Recent evidence from human studies has shown that by delivering small electrical currents (galvanic stimulation) via electrodes located on the surface of the skin behind the ears, a characteristic pattern of eye movement occurs. Our hypothesis is that the distinctive pattern of eye movement produced is a result of otolith stimulation. The aim of this project is to determine exactly how these small currents produce the eye movements and if these eye movements are in fact mediated by the otoliths. To determine the physiology that underlies these types of responses we are unable to conduct these experiments in humans. Our present program will therefore use both behavioural and physiological experiments on guinea pigs to test our hypotheses about galvanic stimulation and otolith function. The significance of this work lies in that it will lead to a new way of evaluating the function of the gravity sensing part of the human vestibular system which appear to be uniquely important for patients with balance problems.Read moreRead less
Coastal Stocks Of Fish: From Which Estuaries Are Most Adults Derived?
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$142,684.00
Summary
The origins of many stocks of fish are unknown. As juveniles, many fish are found in estuarine regions. After a period in these habitats they may leave estuaries for coastal reefs and shelf waters. Degradation of habitats within estuaries (from pollution, land reclamation, marinas etc) and death of fish as by-catch in commercial and recreational fishing may affect abundances of adults on coastal reefs. The contribution of each estuary to total stock size in coastal waters is unknown. It is ....The origins of many stocks of fish are unknown. As juveniles, many fish are found in estuarine regions. After a period in these habitats they may leave estuaries for coastal reefs and shelf waters. Degradation of habitats within estuaries (from pollution, land reclamation, marinas etc) and death of fish as by-catch in commercial and recreational fishing may affect abundances of adults on coastal reefs. The contribution of each estuary to total stock size in coastal waters is unknown. It is difficult to determine which estuary adult fish may have come from using conventional tagging methods, because of the small size of fish in estuaries. Alternative methods for determining the origins of adult fish are needed.
Molecular genetics provides one possibility, but these methods are in their infancy. An alternative method may utilise chemical elements in bones to show origins of fish. Chemical analyses have proven useful in distinguishing between periods of freshwater and marine residence within individual fish (e.g. Kalish 1990) and have also been used to distinguish stocks or sub-populations within marine species (e.g. Edmonds et al. 1989, 1991, 1992, 1995). Recently, we (Gillanders and Kingsford 1996) have used chemical analyses of ear bones to distinguish recruits that settled to seagrass from those that settled to reef habitats. We then analysed the centre region of adult ear bones to determine the origin (estuary or reef) of adult fish showing that this approach is possible.
Many studies have documented important estuarine "nursery" areas in terms of numbers of fish, but if few fishes from these areas reach coastal reefs, such habitats may be relatively unimportant to sustaining populations of adults. The research will focus on snapper (Pagrus auratus) because it is the most important species (in terms of production) that has individuals leaving estuaries for coastal reefs or shelf waters (Bell and Worthington 1993). Objectives: 1. To solve a pressing problem for the fishery by determining what proportion of the commercial catch is from different estuaries. 2. To use methods being developed on juvenile fish to establish a chemical "fingerprint" for each estuary so that in future years the proportion of adults from each estuary can be determined. Read moreRead less
Investigation Of The Potential For Automatic Ageing Using Image Analysis: A Pilot Study
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$43,294.00
Summary
Objectives: 1. Develop new methods for semi-automatic/automatic ageing of sectioned otoliths using image analysis software. 2. To validate automatic ageing using known age samples from species with clear otoliths. 3. To evaluate the potential of artificial neural networks for the process of objective age determination of fish.