Kinetics of Radioiodinated Heptadecanoic Acid and Metabolites in the Normal and Ischaemic Canine Heart

This study was undertaken to elucidate if the myocardial elimination rate of the radioactivity after administration of radioiodinated heptadecanoic acid was related to beta-oxidation of the fatty acid or related to washout of free radioiodide. In samples of normal and ischaemic myocardium the distribution of the radioactivity over free radioiodide, heptadecanoic acid and lipids was determined. In normal myocardium the major component was free radioiodide, only a small percentage being heptadecanoic acid. In ischaemic myocardium more radiolabelled lipids were present and less free iodide when compared with normal myocardium. The percentage heptadecanoic acid was slightly increased. It is concluded that radioiodinated heptadecanoic acid behaves like the natural analogues regarding uptake and distribution. However, washout of free radioiodide determines the elimination rate as observed during a scintigraphic stud

Generating Computational Models for Serious Gaming

Westera, W. (2013, 25 October). Generating computational models for serious gaming. Presentation at the GALA Serious Gaming Conference, Paris, France.Many serious games include computational models that simulate dynamic systems. These models promote enhanced interaction and responsiveness. Under the social web paradigm more and more usable game authoring tools become available that enable prosumers to create their own games, but the inclusion of dynamic simulations remains a specialist’s job involving knowledge of mathematics, numerical modeling and programming. This presentation explains a methodology for specifying and running a specific subset of computational models without the need of bothering with mathematical equations. The methodology comprises a knowledge elicitation procedure for identifying and specifying the required model components, whereupon the mathematical model is automatically generated. The approach is based on the fact that many games focus on optimisation problems that are covered by a general class of linear programming models. The presentation thus sketches the principles of a creativity tool that removes barriers for harvesting the creative potential of teachers and students

Vaste krachtvoergiften aan melkvee

Bij het voeren van melkvee is het voor de hand liggend om rekening te houden met de melkproductie. Omdat het grootste deel van onze koeien in ligboxenstallen wordt gehouden kunnen we alleen voor wat betreft de krachtvoergift een differentiatie naar melkproductie aanbrengen. Het ruwvoer wordt immers als groepsvoedering aan het voerhek verstrekt. Omdat er hierdoor weinig zicht is op de individuele ruwvoeropname kan men zich afvragen of het wel zo zinvol is om de hoeveelheid krachtvoer per koe exact te berekenen

Chapter 5 Impacts and Environmental Risks of Oil Spills on Marine Invertebrates, Algae and Seagrass

Marine invertebrates and macrophytes are sensitive to the toxic effects of oil. Depending on the intensity, duration and circumstances of the exposure, they can suffer high levels of initial mortality together with prolonged sublethal effects that can act at individual, population and community levels. Under some circumstances, recovery from these impacts can take years to decades. However, effects are variable because some taxa are less sensitive than others, and many factors can mitigate the degree of exposure, meaning that impacts are moderate in many cases, and recovery occurs within a few years. Exposure is affected by a myriad of factors including: type and amount of oil, extent of weathering, persistence of exposure, application of dispersants or other clean-up measures, habitat type, temperature and depth, species present and their stage of development or maturity, and processes of recolonisation, particularly recruitment. Almost every oil spill is unique in terms of its impact because of differing levels of exposure and the type of habitats, communities and species assemblages in the receiving environment. Between 1970 and February 2017, there were 51 significant oil spills in Australia. Five occurred offshore with negligible likely or expected impacts. Of the others, only 24 of the spills were studied in detail, while 19 had only cursory or no assessment despite the potential for oil spills to impact the marine environment. The majority were limited to temperate waters, although 10 of the 14 spills since 2000 were in tropical coastal or offshore areas, seven were in north Queensland in areas close to the Great Barrier Reef. All four spills that have occurred from offshore petroleum industry infrastructure have occurred since 2009. In Australia, as elsewhere, a prespill need exists to assess the risk of a spill, establish environmental baselines, determine the likely exposure of the receiving environment, and test the toxicity of the oil against key animal and plant species in the area of potential impact. Subsequent to any spill, the baseline provides a reference for targeted impact monitoring

Pathways to Community Living Initiative – Final Evaluation Report

The Pathways to Community Living Initiative (PCLI) is a major mental health reform program led by the NSW Ministry of Health (‘the Ministry’) in collaboration with NSW Local Health Districts (LHDs). It is a key component of the whole- of-government enhancement of mental health care under the NSW Mental Health Reform 2014-2024. The PCLI represents a transformational change in the care of people with severe and persistent mental illness (SPMI) and complex needs who are, or are at risk of becoming, long-stay inpatients in NSW hospitals. This is PCLI Evaluation Report 7, the final report of the independent evaluation conducted by the Centre for Health Service Development, University of Wollongong, between January 2017 and October 2021. The report presents the summative findings of the mixed methods evaluation activities and formative information to guide continuing reform within mental health services

Circumstellar dust as a solution to the red supergiant supernova progenitor problem

We investigate the red supergiant problem: the apparent dearth of Type IIP supernova progenitors with masses between 16 and 30 M_sun. Although red supergiants with masses in this range have been observed, none have been identified as progenitors in pre-explosion images. We show that by failing to take into account the additional extinction resulting from the dust produced in the red supergiant winds, we risk underestimating the luminosity of the most massive red supergiants at the end of their lives. We estimate the initial masses of all Type IIP progenitors for which observations exist and analyse the resulting population. We find that the most likely maximum mass for a Type IIP progenitor is 21^{+2}_{-1} M_sun. This is in closer agreement with the limit predicted from single star evolution models.Comment: 10 pages, 6 figures and 4 tables. Accepted for publication in MNRA