Beam profiles measured with thermoluminescent dosimeters

Beam profilometer, using thermoluminescent dosimeters, gives a quantitative and qualitative representation of the focus of an external protron beam of a synchrotron. The total number of particles in the beam, particle distribution, and the shape of the beam are determined

Feral donkeys : an assessment of control in the Kimberley

Feral donkeys are one of the major limitations to increased pastoral production in many parts of the Kimberley area of Western Australia, where they compete with cattle for food. In addition donkeys are aggressive animals, driving cattle from watering points and better grazing areas. They eliminate perenial plants by overgrazing and therefore reduce the carrying capacity of the range. Originally introduced as draught animals, donkeys were released when cars arrived; since then they have bred up to large numbers in many areas. For several years the Agricultural Protection Board has undertaken a programme of donkey shooting from helicopters. Since this is an expensive control method it is essential to assess its effectiveness. For this reason two aerial surveys of donkey numbers have been conducted in the East Kimberley. Further surveys are planned as the programme continues

How rabbit poisoning methods work

While the rabbit plauges of the past are a distant memory for most farmers, rabbit numbers must still be controlled in many parts of Western Australia. Rabit control techniques rely heavily on poisoning, which given the right conditions can kill a high percentage of rabbits at risk. Recent research by the Agricultural Protection Board has been aimed at determining how different poisons, baits and poisoning methods work. By knowing in detail how each method works and what influences its results, we can choose the best control method for a particular place and time, avoid costly failures, and increase the effectiveness of rabbit control

The existence of time

Of those gauge theories of gravity known to be equivalent to general relativity, only the biconformal gauging introduces new structures - the quotient of the conformal group of any pseudo-Euclidean space by its Weyl subgroup always has natural symplectic and metric structures. Using this metric and symplectic form, we show that there exist canonically conjugate, orthogonal, metric submanifolds if and only if the original gauged space is Euclidean or signature 0. In the Euclidean cases, the resultant configuration space must be Lorentzian. Therefore, in this context, time may be viewed as a derived property of general relativity.Comment: 21 pages (Reduced to clarify and focus on central argument; some calculations condensed; typos corrected

Endothelial HO-1 induction by model TG-rich lipoproteins is regulated through a NOX4-Nrf2 pathway

Circulating levels of chylomicron remnants (CMRs) increase postprandially and their composition directly reflects dietary lipid intake. These TG-rich lipoproteins likely contribute to the development of endothelial dysfunction, albeit via unknown mechanisms. Here, we investigated how the FA composition of CMRs influences their actions on human aortic endothelial cells (HAECs) by comparing the effects of model CMRs—artificial TG-rich CMR-like particles (A-CRLPs)—containing TGs extracted from fish, DHA-rich algal, corn, or palm oils. HAECs responded with distinct transcriptional programs according to A-CRLP TG content and oxidation status, with genes involved in antioxidant defense and cytoprotection most prominently affected by n-3 PUFA-containing A-CRLPs. These particles were significantly more efficacious inducers of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) than n-6 PUFA corn or saturated FA-rich palm CRLPs. Mechanistically, HO-1 induction by all CRLPs requires NADPH oxidase 4, with PUFA-containing particles additionally dependent upon mitochondrial reactive oxygen species. Activation of both p38 MAPK and PPARβ/δ culminates in increased nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) expression/nuclear translocation and HO-1 induction. These studies define new molecular pathways coupling endothelial cell activation by model CMRs with adaptive regulation of Nrf2-dependent HO-1 expression and may represent key mechanisms through which dietary FAs differentially impact progression of endothelial dysfunction

Myxomatosis in Western Australia

Since myxomatosis was introduced to Western Australia in the early 1950s rabbit plagues have ceased. However, myxomatosis has not proven to be the whole answer to the rabit problem. Rabits continue to damage crops and pastures in many areas and resurgences of rabbit populations are reported from time to time. Drs D.R. King and S. H. Wheeler of the Agricultural Protection Board\u27s research section have been studying the way myxomatosis epidemics occur and spread in rabbit populations in a range of Western Australian environments. This research will provide data for planning effective control strategies intergrating the various control options available to farmers in the State

Development of a selective bait for rabbits

It has long been recognised that a means of killing rabbits selectively in the presence of stock would be a major advance in rabbit control. It would enable a whole farm to be treated for rabbit control at one time, saving operational costs and cutting down reinfestation of rabbits into treated areas from untreated areas. A literature search and some pilot trials indicated that indandione derivatives were more toxic to rabbits than to ruminants. Pindone (2- pivalyl-l,3-indandione) was selected for evaluation

Renal fibrosis in feline chronic kidney disease: known mediators and mechanisms of injury

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a common medical condition of ageing cats. In most cases the underlying aetiology is unknown, but the most frequently reported pathological diagnosis is renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis. Renal fibrosis, characterised by extensive accumulation of extra-cellular matrix within the interstitium, is thought to be the final common pathway for all kidney diseases and is the pathological lesion best correlated with function in both humans and cats. As a convergent pathway, renal fibrosis provides an ideal target for the treatment of CKD and knowledge of the underlying fibrotic process is essential for the future development of novel therapies. There are many mediators and mechanisms of renal fibrosis reported in the literature, of which only a few have been investigated in the cat. This article reviews the process of renal fibrosis and discusses the most commonly cited mediators and mechanisms of progressive renal injury, with particular focus on the potential significance to feline CKD

High-fat meals rich in EPA plus DHA compared with DHA only have differential effects on postprandial lipemia and plasma 8-isoprostane F-2 alpha concentrations relative to a control high-oleic acid meal: a randomized controlled trial

Background: Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) plus docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) supplementation has beneficial cardiovascular effects, but postprandial influences of these individual fatty acids are unclear. Objectives: The primary objective was to determine the vascular effects of EPA + DHA compared with DHA only during postprandial lipemia relative to control high–oleic acid meals; the secondary objective was to characterize the effects of linoleic acid–enriched high-fat meals relative to the control meal. Design: We conducted a randomized, controlled, double-blind crossover trial of 4 high-fat (75-g) meals containing 1) high–oleic acid sunflower oil (HOS; control), 2) HOS + fish oil (FO; 5 g EPA and DHA), 3) HOS + algal oil (AO; 5 g DHA), and 4) high–linoleic acid sunflower oil (HLS) in 16 healthy men (aged 35–70 y) with higher than optimal fasting triacylglycerol concentrations (mean ± SD triacylglycerol, 1.9 ± 0.5 mmol/L). Results: Elevations in triacylglycerol concentration relative to baseline were slightly reduced after FO and HLS compared with the HOS control (P < 0.05). The characteristic decrease from baseline in plasma nonesterified fatty acids after a mixed meal was inhibited after AO (Δ 0–3 h, P < 0.05). HLS increased the augmentation index compared with the other test meals (P < 0.05), although the digital volume pulse–reflection index was not significantly different. Plasma 8-isoprostane F(2α) analysis revealed opposing effects of FO (increased) and AO (reduced) compared with the control (P < 0.05). No differences in nitric oxide metabolites were observed. Conclusions: These data show differential postprandial 8-isoprostane F(2α) responses to high-fat meals containing EPA + DHA–rich fish oil compared with DHA-rich AO, but these differences were not associated with consistent effects on postprandial vascular function or lipemia. More detailed analyses of polyunsaturated fatty acid–derived lipid mediators are required to determine possible divergent functional effects of single meals rich in either DHA or EPA. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01618071