Endothelin-1 (ET-1) has been reported to induce pulmonary vasoconstriction via either ET(A) or ET(B) receptors, and vasorelaxation after ET-1 injection has been observed. Our study investigated the effects of ET-1 in isolated rabbit lungs, which were studied at basal tone (part I) and after preconstriction (U-46619; part II). Pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP) and lung weight gain were monitored...

The activity concentrations of (226)Ra, (232)Th and (40)K in seven brands of Portland cement used in Nigeria have been determined using a gamma-ray spectrometer with a hyperpure germanium detector. A total of 22 samples were collected from suppliers. The mean activity concentrations varied between 19.2 and 85.1 Bq kg(-1), 12.9 and 31.7 Bq kg(-1), and 31.5 and 116 Bq kg(-1) for (226)Ra, (232)Th ...

Soil samples from three major towns and a holiday settlement in uranium-rich western Namibia have been analysed using a HPGe detector for radioactivity due to 238U, 232Th and 40K. The average activity concentrations of the radionuclides in the towns and settlement vary from a low of 18.6 ± 4.6 to a high of 69.6 ± 26.3 Bq kg−1 for 238U, 23.8 ± 8.4 to 91.1 ± 41.0 Bq kg−1 for 232Th and 460.3 ± 76....

The article presents the measurement results of the volumetric activity (VA) of artificial radionuclides 90Sr and 137Cs in the coastal waters of the Baltic Sea near the Curonian Peninsula in 2005-2009. The annual average values for this period of time were 12 Bq/m3 (90Sr) and 40 Bq/m3 (137Cs). Considerable variations in the VA of the radionuclide in individual measurements compared to the avera...

This study presents radon and thoron concentration measurements and the corresponding effective dose rates in mud dwellings located in the high background radiation area of Mrima Hill, Kenya. Discriminative technique was used for simultaneous measurement of radon and thoron. The effective dose was evaluated based on the concentration of the isotopes and the time spent indoors. Radon concentrati...

We define the commuting algebra determinant of a finite group action on a finite set, a notion dual to the group determinant of Dedekind. We show that the following combinatorial example is a commuting algebra determinant. Let Bq(n) denote the set of all subspaces of an n-dimensional vector space over Fq. The type of an ordered pair (U, V ) of subspaces, where U, V ∈ Bq(n), is the ordered tripl...

The Dimensional Assessment of Personality Pathology-Basic Questionnaire (DAPP-BQ) appears to be a good choice for the assessment of personality pathology. However, due to its length, administration of the instrument is rather time-consuming, hindering standard inclusion of the DABB-BQ in a battery of assessment instruments at intake. We developed the 136-item DAPP-SF (Short Form), and investiga...

Goddard J, Johnston NR, Cumming AD, Webb DJ. Fractional urinary excretion of endothelin-1 is reduced by acute ETB receptor blockade. Am J Physiol Renal Physiol 293: F1433–F1438, 2007. First published September 12, 2007; doi:10.1152/ajprenal.00101.2007.— Evidence suggests that urinary excretion of endothelin-1 (ET-1) reflects renal ET-1 production and is independent of systemic ET-1 activity. Th...