The aim of this work was to investigate the optically-stimulated luminescence (OSL) properties of potassium chloride (KCl) and its potential use in radiation dosimetry. The optimal condition for OSL readout with blue light stimulation were designated using a commercially available Risø TL/OSL reader. KCl was studied in three sample forms: crystals, powder and pellets. The following OSL characteris

In the recovery phase after a radioactive release incident, it is important to be able to focus decontamination operations on the areas that contribute most to the radiation dose. Monte Carlo simulations were applied to determine the shielding effect of a building against radiation from various directions, also giving information on the dose contributions at various locations inside the building f

The most common sound insulation problem for lightweight timber structures is impact sounds from people walking. This is especially apparent in the low frequency range, due to differences in weight, stiffness, density and repartitioning as compared to more traditional materials. As lightweight timber structures increase their market share, the understanding of their behaviour and the ability to pr

Common marmoset monkeys (Callithrix jacchus) are increasingly used in models of neurodegenerative diseases. Serial measurements of gadolinium excretion were performed using the dual flip angle method to map R1 on three animals in the wrist coil of a 3T whole-body system. R1 values were analyzed in a ROI in the straight sinus and fitted with a single compartment model. Slow injection of 0.3 mmol Ga

The fields of tropical biology and conservation face significant transformations due to rapid technological developments in remote sensing. Other fields (e.g. Archeology) are experiencing this momentous change even more rapidly. In this article, we review some of the challenges that the fields of tropical biology and conservation face during the first quarter of the twenty-first century from the p

The tropical dry forest (TDF) is one the most threatened ecosystems in South America, existing on a landscape with different levels of ecological succession. Among satellites dedicated to Earth observation and monitoring ecosystem succession, CHRIS/PROBA is the only satellite that presents quasi-simultaneous multi-angular pointing and hyperspectral imaging. These two characteristics permit the stu

Ground removal during the mineral extraction in mine galleries provokes permanent changes in ground compacting during mine exploitation and after mine closure. In extreme cases, the loss of cohesion in ground layer over mines causes surface subsidence and eventually the emergence of flooded areas on the surface. Mining companies are obligated to the surveillance and mending of damages caused by th

The present research is developed in the frame of the R&D project GMES4Mining, which aims to support particular tasks within the different phases of a mining life cycle [1]. During the exploitation and after the closure of the mine, environmental and civil impacts may happen, due to changes in the compacting properties of the soil related to mining activities. In this paper, we focus in the em

The tropical dry forest is the largest and most threatened ecosystem in Latin America. Remote sensing can effectively contribute to the surveillance of conservation measurements and laws through the monitoring of natural protected areas, at the required temporal and spatial scales. CHRIS/PROBA is the only satellite that presents quasi-simultaneous multi-angular pointing and hyperspectral spectrosc

Acetylcholine (ACh) induces an Nω–nitro–L–arginine (L–NOARG)–resistant relaxation and hyperpolarization in the rat isolated hepatic artery. The possibility that carbon monoxide (CO) produced by haem oxygenase (HO) is an endogenous mediator of this response was investigated. Exogenously applied CO evoked a concentration–dependent relaxation, and the CO ‘scavenger’ oxyhaemoglobin (10μM) reduced the

The rat hepatic artery responds to acetylcholine (ACh) with an endothelium‐dependent relaxation, which is unaffected by nitric oxide (NO) synthase and cyclooxygenase inhibition. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the NO‐independent relaxation is caused by hyperpolarization of the smooth muscle cells. In vessels with endothelium ACh induced a hyperpolarization in the presence of 0

The effects of ω‐conotoxin GVIA (an inhibitor of N‐type voltage‐operated calcium channels; VOCCs) were compared on adrenergic, cholinergic and non‐adrenergic, non‐cholinergic (NANC) responses induced by electrical field stimulation (EFS) in the rabbit urethra and detrusor. EFS induced a relaxation in urethral smooth muscle and lamina propria precontracted by arginine vasopressin (AVP). The relaxat

The calcium antagonistic properties of (+)‐T‐cadinol, some of its stereoisomers and related terpenes were investigated in both functional and radioligand binding studies, and the effects were compared with those of the dihydropyridine calcium antagonist (±)‐nimodipine. In the isolated rat aorta, the terpenes relaxed contractions induced by 60 mM K+ more potently than those induced by phenylephrine

Abstract: (+)‐T‐Cadinol is a sesquiterpene with smooth muscle relaxing properties. In the isolated rat aorta, T‐cadinol relaxed contractions induced by 60 mM K+ in a concentration‐dependent fashion. The dihydropyridine calcium antagonist nimodipine was approximately 4,000 times more potent than T‐cadinol. While both drugs nearly abolished the K+‐induced contractions, they only partially relaxed co