I'm halfway through a PhD at the University of Western Australia, researching risk factors for DCS.

There is a scheme at my University to bring outstanding researchers to Western Australia for a month or two. Full details are at http://www.raine.uwa.edu.au/fellowships/raine-international-visiting-research-fellowship-scheme/

The value of each Fellowship consists of a return economy airfare up to AUD$3,000, plus a daily allowance. Nominees shall be of a high academic standing and shall normally be in the early stages of their postdoctoral research career. They shall have demonstrated original concepts, skills or techniques in their chosen research field and have a proven outstanding publication record as first author.

If that sounds like you then send me an e-mail. I'll pick you up at the airport, get you sorted with somewhere to stay and whatnot, and lend you a full set of dive gear while you're here. The best time of year is between December and March, with January and February like the Bahamas, (great viz and balmy evenings), but with fabulous vineyards, uniquely Australian wildlife and some of the best cave-diving in the world.

Peter Buzzacott
Western Australia
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vElzFVtbDzc

Puffer fish meal kills two in Malaysia

The Department of Defense has awarded Synthetic Blood International a number of grants totaling more than $5.3 million. The funding from these grants will be used to study clinical applications for Oxycyte®, the company’s perfluorocarbon therapeutic oxygen carrier.

The company describes Oxycyte as an oxygen-carrying intravenous emulsion that can carry five times more oxygen than hemoglobin, making it an effective means of transporting oxygen to tissues and carbon dioxide to the lungs for disposal. New applications of oxygen therapy include stroke, myocardial infarction, and certain malignant diseases.

In brief, the grants will be used for the following studies: $1.3 million will be used for the treatment and prevention of decompression sickness with Oxycyte; $1.6 million was made for support of research into Oxycyte’s ability to treat/prevent organ damage from arterial gas embolism over a period of three years; $1.2 million will be utilized in ongoing studies of perfluorocarbon emulsions in the treatment of severe decompression sickness over a period of 3 years; $300,000 was made to sponsor a post-doctoral candidate to work in the microcirculation laboratories of VCURES over a period of two years; $300,000 was awarded to develop pilot studies into the effectiveness of Oxycyte in treating TBI; and $600,000 from the United States Army will support the VCURES efforts in the human civilian brain injury trial.

In response to the grants, chairman & CEO Chris J. Stern stated, “The $5.3 million total represents only grants specifically dedicated to Oxycyte. It does not include grant funds in which Oxycyte was one among other drug studies. If we could include all the money spent from outside sources on Oxycyte research, the amount would be significantly greater. And we have indications that other researchers may be looking for funding for additional Oxycyte work that could speed up development of this promising product. This clearly underlines our intent to become a multi-product company with a strong portfolio of what could become a dozen or more indications in oxygen delivery to tissue.”

On a separate note, Synthetic Blood International will soon be changing its name to Oxygen Biotherapeutics, Inc. pending completion of a reincorporation as approved by a vote of shareholders on June 17, 2008. A new stock trading symbol will be announced when it is assigned.

=============================================================

Williams, Prior and Bryson report in the Wilderness and Environmental Medicine Journal direct evidence that one dive can cause dehydration, a problem long thought to increase the risk for decompression sickness.

Wilderness Environ Med. 2007 Spring;18(1):48-53.Links

              Diving Diseases Research Centre, Tamar Science Park, Research Way, Plymouth, UK. simon.williams@ddrc.org

OBJECTIVE: Direct evidence that dehydration results from scuba diving is scanty. Increased hematocrit (Ht) is a commonly used proxy measure for dehydration. This study sought evidence that an increase in Ht occurs over the course of a scuba dive in tropical conditions. As a secondary outcome, evidence was sought that the degree of Ht increase is correlated to pressure exposure. METHODS: Twenty male and 21 female scuba divers were recruited at a remote tropical dive site. Water temperature was 30 degrees C (+/- 1 degrees C). Each diver gave venous blood relating to 1 dive only. Mean maximum dive depth was 13.6 m (+/- 3.7 m [SD]) and mean duration 39.5 minutes (+/- 4.5 minutes [SD]) using air as the breathing gas. Blood was taken at a mean of 12.4 minutes (+/- 3.5 minutes [SD]) before diving and a mean of 16.2 minutes (+/- 3.7 minutes [SD]) after diving. After centrifugation of microcapillaries, Ht was estimated on a visual plate reader. RESULTS: A paired Wilcoxon test showed evidence (P < .001) for a change in Ht. The mean difference between predive and postdive measurements was 0.0073 (95% confidence interval: 0.0104-0.0042), equating to a mean relative Ht increase of 1.78%. Similar results were found for the sexes individually. A correlation between maximum depth of dive and Ht increase was statistically significant, although the correlation itself was weak (P = .049, Spearman's r = .326). CONCLUSIONS: There is evidence of a statistically significant increase in Ht over the course of a single warm-water scuba dive. This increase is small and is within the range of error associated with the techniques of Ht estimation employed in this study. Depth exposure was found to correlate with Ht increase. In view of the small magnitude of change in the Ht, there is no reason to amend protocols for fluid resuscitation of recreational scuba divers suspected to have experienced decompression injury in tropical locations.

============================================================

Aberdeen Diver with severe spinal bends
Divemaster - Stafford,Staffordshire,UK
Last night the unamed diver was being treated at the national Hyperbaric chamber in Aberdeen and her condition is reported to be seriously ill. ...
See all stories on this topic

Low helicopter flight saves severely injured scuba diving accident ...
CDNN - New Zealand
Hyperbaric oxygen treatment involves repressurising the victim to a "depth" where the bubbles in the blood are made smaller and redissolve into the body ...
See all stories on this topic

Jazz pianist Esbjörn Svensson killed in scuba accident
guardian.co.uk - UK
Esbjörn Svensson, the genre-defying Swedish jazz pianist and composer, has died in a scuba diving accident, his manager said yesterday. ...
See all stories on this topic

Scuba diver killed by ship's propeller blades in Sharjah
GulfNews - Dubai,United Arab Emirates
Sharjah: A scuba diver working on a ship at Hamriya Port was killed while checking the ship's engine. The engineer was unaware that the scuba diver was ...
See all stories on this topic

An Unconscious Diver at the Surface After a Recreational Dive
eMedicine. Wednesday 18th June 2008. An Unconscious Diver at the Surface After a Recreational Dive. Note free) registration required to view Medscape eMedicine content. More...

An anti-fire deluge system, fulfilling the requirements of the NFPA-99 standard, has been developed for the multiplace hyperbaric chamber in the Hyperbaric Medicine Center in Buenos Aires. The design of the system is original and unique and the property rights are registered to Hipercameras SA, which also offers consulting services for design and installation of similar systems.

The system consists of a water tank under 10 ATM of pressure that allows spray of water into the chamber that is already under several atmospheres of pressure, allowing the introduction of a large amount of water in a few seconds. It has an automatic cutoff to protect from increasing the pressure in the chamber with drainage of the tank, is activated by a glass protected button to avoid accidental discharge, and can be manually operated in case of a power failure.

Other details:
· The system has visual and auditory warnings.
· Both compartments are sprayed: chamber and lockout antechamber.
· The water is forced through sprayers of special design for use in hyperbaric chambers.
· The time between activation and sprinkling is at the most a second.
· The number and location of the heads provide spraying uniformity that it covers all the inner volume of the chamber.
· The density of the spraying concerning the floor is of 81.5 L/min/m2.
· The volume of water is sufficient to maintain the spraying for a full minute.
· The initial pressure is sufficient to continue spraying if there is a power loss.

Contact:

Dra. Nina Subbotina
Directora
Centro de Medicina Hiperbárica Buenos Aires (Hipercamaras S.A.)
Sánchez de Bustamante 1175
Ciudad Autónoma Buenos Aires C1173ABU
Argentina
samhas@pccp.com.ar
54-11-4963-0030
54-911-493-73901

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TO THE   VERY DEPTHS    A Memoir of Professor Peter B. Bennett, Ph.D., D.Sc      This is the remarkable story of Dr. Peter Bennett's career and private life.  Dr. Bennett is the founder of Divers Alert Network (DAN) and currently the Executive Director of the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society (UHMS).  He tells his story vividly and pulls no punches in describing the events and the people involved with him during his career - it is a first-hand perspective. You will get a sense of his remarkable confidence that exists in conjunction with his inspiring level of compassion and commitment to helping people, from scuba divers to students, scientists and medical professionals. This insight into his life, his career with DAN, the DAN lawsuit, years at Duke University, years in the scientific and research community, and many significant accomplishments make for a compelling read.   Well-written and touchingly sentimental, it is an inspiring story, one not to be missed.     "I encourage everyone with a passion for scuba diving to read this book." -Chris Bennett, Co-CEO, Health & Safety Institute, Inc.      Price:  $21.95, hard cover, 229 pages     IN STOCK AND AVAILABLE ORDER NOW AT   www.bestpub.com   Visit our website for additional books on recreational scuba diving, commercial diving, military diving, diving medicine, hyperbaric medicine, wound care and much more!

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MARA is a water-tight processor that fits on the diver’s mask near the ear. Upon entering the water, sensors on MARA detect the change in resistance and activate the unit. Once active, MARA calculates the depth based on water pressure. If the diver begins ascending too quickly, audible tones are sent from the unit to the diver’s ear.

MARA can inform the diver if they are ascending at 30, 40, 50, or 60 feet. The tool also signals a safety stop at 15 feet of water, as recommended by most dive training agencies around the world.

http://www.lookoutnewspaper.com/archive/20080602/2.shtml

In X-RAY MAG issue #23, Mark Webster takes on a tour through the fascinating underwater world off Cornwall, England.

We talk with Pascal Bernabé for insights into his achievements in deep diving.

Science editor, Michael Symes, investigates locomotion of sea creatures, and we look at Hammerhead sharks and their unique head shape.

Harald Apelt brings us to another pearl in the Mediterranean -- beautiful, historic Croatia.

Kurt Amsler discusses proper workflow in digital photography.

Rebreather pro, Cedric Verdier, gets us up to speed on physical fitness for divers and DIR for rebreather divers.

Girldiver Cindy Ross discusses sunscreen and gives us the skinny on sunrays and skin cancer.

We meet the Bubbling Reefs of Denmark, and a diverse portfolio of ocean art from artists around the world tops it all off.

Plus the news -- on marine ecology, discoveries, ship wrecks, conservation, equipment, travel, divers, record breakers, books and films, turtles, sharks, whales, jellyfish and more...

Download FREE now &gt;&gt;&gt; http://www.x-ray-mag.com/Latestissue

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