Diffractive triangulation of radiative point sources

We describe a general method to determine the location of a point source of waves relative to a twodimensional single-crystalline active pixel detector. Based on the inherent structural sensitivity of crystalline sensor materials, characteristic detector diffraction patterns can be used to triangulate the location of a wave emitter. The principle described here can be applied to various types of waves, provided that the detector elements are suitably structured. As a prototypical practical application of the general detection principle, a digital hybrid pixel detector is used to localize a source of electrons for Kikuchi diffraction pattern measurements in the scanning electron microscope. This approach provides a promising alternative method to calibrate Kikuchi patterns for accurate measurements of microstructural crystal orientations, strains, and phase distributions

The battle for truth: control and non-voting preference shares

If a financial institution (A) advances funding to another company (B) in return for non-voting preference shares in company B at par value, does that constitute a merger for the purposes of s 12 of the Competition Act, 89 of 1998 (the Act), if those preference shares comprise more than 50 per cent of the issued shares (ordinary and preference) of company B? And what if company B’s articles of association provide that the holder of the preference shares may obtain a right to vote at shareholders’ meetings if any preference dividend is not paid timeously, or if the preference shares are not redeemed within the agreed time? Would a provision to that effect play any role in an assessment as to whether the initial transaction constituted a merger and/or requires a further merger notification upon the triggering of company A’s right to vote? These were the interesting questions which the Competition Tribunal (the Tribunal) had to address in Cape Empowerment Trust Ltd v Sanlam Life Insurance Ltd and another1 (CET v Sanlam). (The losing party, Cape Empowerment Trust Ltd (CET), took the matter on appeal, but the parties settled after the case had been argued in the Competition Appeal Court (CAC), but before judgment had been delivered). To contextualise the issues discussed in this paper, we begin by briefly outlining the facts of that case, the main submissions of the parties, and the findings of the Tribunal. We will then analyse the main issues arising for consideration in relation to the scenario sketched in the opening paragraph of this paper, again with reference to the parties’ submissions and the Tribunal’s determination in CET v Sanlam. By way of comparison, we will also refer to foreign law, particularly United States anti-trust law

Increased cerebral (R)-[11C]PK11195 uptake and glutamate release in a rat model of traumatic brain injury: a longitudinal pilot study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The aim of the present study was to investigate microglia activation over time following traumatic brain injury (TBI) and to relate these findings to glutamate release.</p> <p>Procedures</p> <p>Sequential dynamic <it>(R)</it>-[¹¹C]PK11195 PET scans were performed in rats 24 hours before (baseline), and one and ten days after TBI using controlled cortical impact, or a sham procedure. Extracellular fluid (ECF) glutamate concentrations were measured using cerebral microdialysis. Brains were processed for histopathology and (immuno)-histochemistry.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Ten days after TBI, <it>(R)</it>-[¹¹C]PK11195 binding was significantly increased in TBI rats compared with both baseline values and sham controls (p < 0.05). ECF glutamate values were increased immediately after TBI (27.6 ± 14.0 μmol·L^-1) as compared with the sham procedure (6.4 ± 3.6 μmol·L^-1). Significant differences were found between TBI and sham for ED-1, OX-6, GFAP, Perl's, and Fluoro-Jade B.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Increased cerebral uptake of <it>(R)</it>-[¹¹C]PK11195 ten days after TBI points to prolonged and ongoing activation of microglia. This activation followed a significant acute posttraumatic increase in ECF glutamate levels.</p

Prediction of one repetition maximum using reference minimum velocity threshold values in young and middle-aged resistance-trained males

Background: This study determined the accuracy of different velocity-based methods when predicting one-repetition maximum (1RM) in young and middle-aged resistance-trained males. Methods: Two days after maximal strength testing, 20 young (age 21.0 ± 1.6 years) and 20 middle-aged (age 42.6 ± 6.7 years) resistance-trained males completed three repetitions of bench press, back squat, and bent-over-row at loads corresponding to 20–80% 1RM. Using reference minimum velocity threshold (MVT) values, the 1RM was estimated from the load-velocity relationships through multiple (20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, and 80% 1RM), two-point (20 and 80% 1RM), high-load (60 and 80% 1RM) and low-load (20 and 40% 1RM) methods for each group. Results: Despite most prediction methods demonstrating acceptable correlations (r = 0.55 to 0.96), the absolute errors for young and middle-aged groups were generally moderate to high for bench press (absolute errors = 8.2 to 14.2% and 8.6 to 20.4%, respectively) and bent-over-row (absolute error = 14.9 to 19.9% and 8.6 to 18.2%, respectively). For squats, the absolute errors were lower in the young group (5.7 to 13.4%) than the middle-aged group (13.2 to 17.0%) but still unacceptable. Conclusion: These findings suggest that reference MVTs cannot accurately predict the 1RM in these populations. Therefore, practitioners need to directly assess 1RM

Inflammation and Atrophy Precede Prostate Neoplasia in PhIP Induced Rat Model

2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo(4,5-b)pyridine (PhIP) has been implicated as a major mutagenic heterocyclic amine in the human diet and is carcinogenic in the rat prostate. In order to validate PhIP induced rat prostate neoplasia as a model of human prostate cancer progression, we sought to study the earliest histologic and morphologic changes in the prostate and to follow the progressive changes over time. We fed 67 male Fischer F344 5 week old rats with PhIP (400 PPM) or control diets for 20 weeks, and then sacrificed animals for histomorphologic examination at age 25 weeks, 45 weeks, and 65 weeks. Animals treated with PhIP showed significantly more inflammation (P=.002 (25wk), &gt;.001(45wk), .016(65wk)) and atrophy (P=.003(25wk), &gt;.001(45wk), .006 (65wk)) in their prostate glands relative to controls. Prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN) occurred only in PhIP treated rats. PIN lesions arose in areas of glandular atrophy, most often in the ventral prostate. Atypical cells in areas of atrophy show loss of glutathione S-transferase pi immunostaining preceding development of PIN. None of the animals in this study developed invasive carcinomas differing from previous reports. Overall, these findings suggest that the pathogenesis of prostatic neoplasia in the PhIP treated rat prostate proceeds from inflammation to post-inflammatory proliferative atrophy to PIN

A compact tritium AMS system

Tritium ({sup 3}H) is a radioisotope that is extensively utilized in biological and environmental research. For biological research, {sup 3}H is generally quantified by liquid scintillation counting requiring gram-sized samples and counting times of several hours. For environmental research, {sup 3}H is usually quantified by {sup 3}He in-growth which requires gram-sized samples and in-growth times of several months. In contrast, provisional studies at LLNL's Center for Accelerator Mass Spectrometry have demonstrated that Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) can be used to quantify {sup 3}H in milligram-sized biological samples with a 100 to 1000-fold improvement in detection limits when compared to scintillation counting. This increased sensitivity is expected to have great impact in the biological and environmental research community. However in order to make the {sup 3}H AMS technique more broadly accessible, smaller, simpler, and less expensive AMS instrumentation must be developed. To meet this need, a compact, relatively low cost prototype {sup 3}H AMS system has been designed and built based on a LLNL ion source/sample changer and an AccSys Technology, Inc. Radio Frequency Quadrupole (RFQ) linac. With the prototype system, {sup 3}/{sup 1}H ratios ranging from 1 x 10{sup -10} to 1 x 10{sup -13} have to be measured from milligram sized samples. With improvements in system operation and sample preparation methodology, the sensitivity limit of the system is expected to increase to approximately 1 x 10{sup -15}

Perspectives on the chemical etiology of breast cancer.

Multiple factors, known and unknown, contribute to human breast cancer. Hereditary, hormonal, and reproductive factors are associated with risk of breast cancer. Environmental agents, including chemical carcinogens, are modifiable risk factors to which over 70% of breast cancers have been attributed. Polymorphisms of drug-metabolizing enzymes may influence risk of breast cancer from environmental chemicals, dietary agents, and endogenous steroids. The environmental factors discussed in this review include pollutants, occupational exposures, tobacco smoke, alcohol, and diet. Aromatic amines are discussed as potential mammary carcinogens, with a focus on heterocyclic amine food pyrolysis products. These compounds are excreted into the urine after consumption of meals containing cooked meats and have recently been detected in the breast milk of lactating women

How puzzles are shaping our understanding of biodiversity: A call for more research into biodiversity representation in educational games

Games as a didactic tool (e. g., puzzles) are gaining recognition in environmental education to promote skill development, but also to develop a specific understanding of the natural world. However, a children’s puzzle containing representations of nature may unwillingly lead to “misconceptions” of biodiversity themes and processes, and an over-simplification of the relationship between people and nature. To solve this problem, positive connotations of biodiversity may prompt a conceptual change to a more nuanced, multifaceted conception of biodiversity