The first colonization of Ibiza and Formentera (Balearic Islands, Spain): Some more islands out of the stream?

1995

Abstract The Balearic Islands, off the east coast of Spain, have provided a focus of interest in investigations of the earliest colonization of the Mediterranean islands, because of the relatively late date of their oldest sites. Mallorca was visited in the fifth millennium BC and inhabited by the third, and Menorca was colonized during the closing centuries of the third millennium; this therefore makes Ibiza and Formentera special cases of isolation, since they were evidently not occupied until about 2000 BC and moreover were essentially deserted between roughly the thirteenth and seventh centuries BC. The paper presents all the currently available data relevant to this question, particula…

Computing continuous numerical solutions of matrix differential equations

1995

Abstract In this paper, we construct analytical approximate solutions of initial value problems for the matrix differential equation X ′( t ) = A ( t ) X ( t ) + X ( t ) B ( t ) + L ( t ), with twice continuously differentiable functions A ( t ), B ( t ), and L ( t ), continuous. We determine, in terms of the data, the existence interval of the problem. Given an admissible error e, we construct an approximate solution whose error is smaller than e uniformly, in all the domain.

SPECTRAL COMPOSITION OF EATING SOUNDS GENERATED BY CRISPY, CRUNCHY AND CRACKLY FOODS

1995

Separate air and bone conducted food sounds generated by six subjects biting into eight foods were recorded and analysed by a fast Fourier transform (FFT) signal analyser. A panel of 60 subjects classified the 8 foods according to their texture: crispy, crunchy and crackly and these textural characteristics were described by spectral characteristics of biting sounds. Crispy foods (such as extruded flat breads) were found to generate high pitched sounds that show a high level of frequencies higher than 5 kHz, especially for air conduction. Crunchy foods (such as raw carrot) generate low pitched sounds with a characteristic peak on frequency range 1.25 to 2 kHz for air conduction. And crackly…

Systematic QRPA study of β− and decay transitions to excited states of 110–114Cd and 114–122Sn

1995

Abstract A systematic study of the β− and β + EC decay transitions of odd-odd nuclei into the ground state, first excited quadrupole state (21+) and the two-quadrupole-phonon triplet (02ph+, 22ph+ and 42ph+) of the final even-even nuclei 110–114Cd and 114–122Sn is performed. In these cases the states of the even-even nucleus are fed both by β− as well as β + EC decay transitions of the two adjacent double-odd nuclei. Such exceptional circumstances help to study the β− and β + EC Gamow-Teller decay on equal footing starting from the predictions of the combined QRPA and pn-QRPA theories. In addition, the differences between the QRPA and the QTDA predictions are discussed. The present approach…

Sesquiterpene lactones from Centaurea alba and C. conifera

1995

Abstract The aerial parts of Centaurea alba yielded five know germacranolides: salonitenolide, 11β, 13-dihydrosalonitenolide, salonitenolide 8- O -(4′-acetoxy-5′-hydroxy)-angelate, cnicin 4′-O-acetate and cnicin. The aerial parts of C. conifera yielded loliolide, 1β,6α-dihydroxy-4(15)-eudesmene, chlorojanerin, chlorohyssopifolin A (centaurepensin) and its C-17 epimer. The latter compound is described for the first time.

Structural Changes of Titanium Oxide Induced by Chromium Addition as Determined by an X-Ray Diffraction Study

1995

Abstract An X-ray diffraction study has been carried out on a series of polycrystalline TiO 2 (anatase) catalysts containing Cr(III) at different atomic concentrations (0.2-5.0 at. %), prepared by a co-precipitation method. Analysis of the variation of the unit cell parameters of chromium-doped anatase with respect to pure anatase has allowed us to estimate the solubility limit for the system at around 1.4 at. %. There is no evidence for the existence of a separate crystalline chromium oxide phase. Temperature effects on the cell parameter and on the anatase-rutile transformation rate were also analyzed. An increase in temperature produced release of the chromium from the solid solution. At…

Involvement of hydrogen and lipid peroxides in acute tobacco smoking-induced platelet hyperactivity

1995

Previous studies have established that cigarette smoking results in acute platelet hyperaggregability. We investigated whether changes in plasma oxidative properties could occur after smoking and whether such changes could be responsible for this enhanced platelet activity. In the present work, we report that platelets from nonsmokers become hyperactive after incubation with plasma prepared from blood of smokers obtained 10 min after smoking. This effect was not observed with presmoking plasma and could be inhibited in vitro by adding either catalase or reduced glutathione plus peroxidase to plasma or 2,6-di-tert-butyl-p-cresol (BHT) to platelets before incubation. Comparison of pre- and p…

Automated anaesthesia record systems, observations on future trends of development.

1995

The introduction of electronic anaesthesia documentation systems was attempted as early as in 1979, although their efficient application has become reality only in the past few years. Today, documentation technology is offered by most of the monitor manufacturers and new systems are being developed by various working groups. The advantages of the electronic protocol are apparent: Continuous high quality documentation, comparability of data due to the availability of a anaesthesia data bank, reduction of the workload of the anaesthesia staff and availability of new additional information. Disadvantages of the electronic protocol have also been discussed. Typically, by going through the proce…

Role of ΔpH in the mechanism of zeaxanthin-dependent amplification of qE

1995

Abstract The influence of zeaxanthin on the high-energy-state fluorescence quenching (qE) and the pH dependence of the maximum chlorophyll fluorescence yield (Fm) was examined in spinach thylakoids. High contents of zeaxanthin were achieved using different pretreatments. A pronounced, zeaxanthin-dependent amplification of non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) was exclusively found in thylakoids containing zeaxanthin, synthesized in the dark via the buildup of an artificial ΔpH. These thylakoids also showed a significant quenching of chlorophyll fluorescence in the range pH 5.5–6.3, where no or only slight quenching was visible in zeaxanthin-free thylakoids. Thylakoids containing high amounts of…

Prostaglandin E2 regulates inducible nitric oxide synthase in the murine macrophage cell line J774.

1995

We have evaluated the role of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) in the synthesis of nitric oxide (NO) by the activation of the inducible form of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) in the murine macrophage cell line, J774, stimulated with different doses of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The stimulation of the J774 line with suboptimal doses of LPS (0.1 microgram/mL) caused a production of endogenous PGE2 that was capable of stimulating NOS activity inducing an increase in the NO synthesis, as attested by the fact that cyclooxygenase enzyme inhibitor, indomethacin, significantly reduced NO secretion. On the contrary, a higher dose of LPS (1 microgram/mL) produced high levels of PGE2 that reduced the levels of NOS…

Surge instability in a distributed parameter radial compression system

1995

Turbocompressor surge in a line with a long suction duct and plenum chamber is analysed using a distributed parameter propagation model which accounts for dynamic damping. The results, though obtained with simplifying assumptions, show very good agreement with experimental data.

Protection by Almagate of Ethanol-induced Gastric Mucosal Damage in Rats

1995

Abstract The study was designed to analyse the protective effects of almagate on a model of gastric injury, ethanol-induced mucosal damage, in which acid plays little, if any, role. Pretreatment with almagate dose-dependently reduced the level of gastric damage induced by oral administration of 1mL 100% ethanol. Administration of 12 μmol kg−1 almagate 30 min before ethanol significantly reduced the area of mucosal damage by 65 ± 10%, and the maximum level of inhibition (74 ± 11%) was obtained with 150 μmol kg−1 almagate. Administration of higher doses of almagate (200–250 μmol kg−1) did not result in any further increase in the level of protection against ethanol-induced gastric damage. Adm…

Fractional master equations and fractal time random walks

1995

Fractional master equations containing fractional time derivatives of order 0\ensuremath{\le}1 are introduced on the basis of a recent classification of time generators in ergodic theory. It is shown that fractional master equations are contained as a special case within the traditional theory of continuous time random walks. The corresponding waiting time density \ensuremath{\psi}(t) is obtained exactly as \ensuremath{\psi}(t)=(${\mathit{t}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\omega}}\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}1}$/C)${\mathit{E}}_{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\omega}},\mathrm{\ensuremath{\omega}}}$(-${\mathit{t}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\omega}}}$/C), where ${\mathit{E}}_{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\omega}},\mathrm{\ensuremat…

Diagnosis of damage to Norway spruce (Picea abies) through biochemical criteria

1995

Bioindication can be carried out at different hierarchical levels, eg. cell, organism, and ecosystem. While the monitoring of damage by visible criteria (e.g. loss of needles) is connected with the organism as a whole, the monitoring of damage by biochemical indicators is above all connected with cell metabolism. The degree of vitality of a tree can be ascertained through the integration of a number of biochemical parameters. Furthermore, a differential diagnosis of a particular stress pattern can be carried out because of the feedback pattern of several biochemical indicators. In order to describe and interpret biochemical or physiological changes that have been caused by a number of facto…

Inheritance of resistance to aBacillus thuringiensistoxin in a field population of diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella)

1995

Inheritance of resistance to the Bacillus thuringiensis Berl. CryIA(b) crystal protein was studied in Plutella xylostella L. (diamondback moth). A field population 50-fold more resistant to CryIA(b) than a control susceptible strain was used. Dose-mortality curves of the resistant population, the susceptible strain and the F 1 from the two reciprocal crosses were compared. Resistance transmission to the F 1 was dependent on the sex of the resistant progenitor. Sex ratio of the survivors to high doses of CryIA(b) in the F 1 of the two reciprocal crosses did not corroborate the preliminary hypothesis of resistance being due to a recessive sex-linked allele. Since, in a previous work, the loss…

Statics and dynamics of dense polymer systems studied by monte carlo simulation

1995

Monte Carlo simulations of coarse–grained models of macromolecules offer a unique tool to study the interplay between coil conformations, thermodynamic properties, and chain configurational relaxation and diffusion. Two examples are discussed where the chain conformation strongly differs from a gaussian coil: (i) collapsed chains in a bad solvent, where anomalous diffusion occurs in the Rouse limit and the relaxation time increases at least with the third power of chain length. (ii) Expulsion of a chain from a semidilute polymer brush. The initially stretched chain contracts to a gaussian coil and the center of mass moves outward with constant velocity until it reaches the region of the “la…

Cortical stimulation and reflex excitability of spinal cord neurones in man.

1995

The H reflex technique was used to evaluate the influence exerted by cortical conditioning on the excitability of the alpha-motoneurone pool and on IA interneuronal activity (reciprocal inhibition). In ten subjects at absolute rest electrical and magnetic stimulation of the motor cortex was transcranially applied during flexor carpi radialis H reflex eliciting and in conditions of reciprocal inhibition induced by radial nerve stimulation. The time courses showed that at intensities below motor threshold, electrical brain conditioning induced an increase in the amplitude of the test reflex when the cortical shock was given 4 ms after the test H reflex. On the contrary, reciprocal inhibition …

Attraction of kestrels to vole scent marks visible in ultraviolet light

1995

IN northern Europe, broad four-year oscillations in small rodent and raptor populations are synchronous over hundreds of square kilometers1–6. Crashes in vole populations can induce wide emigration (> 1,000 km) of their predators7 –9, but almost nothing is known about how predators rapidly detect areas of vole abundance. Here we report on laboratory and field experiments on voles (Microtus agrestis) and kestrels (Falco tinnunculus). Voles mark their runaways with urine and faeces, which are visible in ultraviolet light. Wild kestrels brought into captivity were able to detect vole scent marks in ultraviolet light but not in visible light. In the field, kestrels hunted preferentially near ex…

Unusual pattern of gastric and hepatic infiltration in an infant with acute monocytic leukemia

1995

A 10-month-old girl with acute monocytic leukemia is presented. Ultrasound of the abdomen on admission showed an unusual distribution of leukemia infiltrates in the stomach and liver. The leukemic infiltrates in the wall of the stomach presented as intraluminal polyps, while the leukemic infiltration of the liver was strictly confined to the portal vessels.

Migraine headaches in adolescents: a student population-based study in Monreale.

1995

We assessed the prevalence of migraine headaches in an epidemiological survey of an 11 to 14-year-old student population. Migraine headaches were classified on the basis of questionnaires and neurological examination using the operational diagnostic criteria of the International Headache Society. Prevalence of migraine without aura (IHS code 1.1) was 2.35%; that of migraine with aura (IHS code 1.2) was 0.62%. Migraine without aura was equally distributed among males and females, whereas migraine with aura was preponderant in the female cohort. The prevalence of migraine headaches in males was constant through the ages studied, whereas the prevalence of migraine headaches in females reached…

Phospholipase activities associated with the tonoplast from Acer pseudoplatanus cells: identification of a phospholipase A1 activity

1995

In higher plants, the lipolytic enzymes and their physiological functions are not well characterized [1]. Most reports demonstrated that phospholipid catabolism in plants is achieved by the concerted actions of membrane-bound enzymes including phospholipase D, phosphatidate phosphatase, lipolytic acyl hydrolases and lipoxygenases [1,2]. With the exception of the phospholipase D, the literature on plant phospholipases is still very limited. We previously reported that tonoplast from Acer pseudoplatanus cells contains small amounts of phosphatidc acid and lysophospholipids, which were produced together with free fatty acids, particularly after addition of Ca2+[3]. These data suggested the pos…

Chernobyl-derived radiocaesium in fish as dependent on water quality and lake morphometry

1995

137Cs concentrations in perch Perca fluviatilis, pike Esox lucius and roach Rutilus rutilus obtained from lakes of different size and water quality in an area which received about 10–67 kBq m−2137Cs, were compared with environmental data. Radiocaesium concentrations were highest in pike, and were about two to three times higher in the pike and perch than in the roach. The largest perch had about four times more 137Cs than the smallest ones, but the activities in the pike and roach were independent of fish size. All of the water quality parameters examined correlated with 137Cs concentrations in the fish, but the concentrations of 137Cs in the bottom sediment did not. l37Cs fallout and water…

Soil evaporation monitoring : a possible synergism of microwave and infrared remote sensing

1995

Abstract Microwave remote sensing allows the measurement of the water content (θs) at the soil surface within a layer of a few centimetres. When combined with climatic data, θs is a relevant quantity to estimate the evaporation of bare soils. The implementation of a simple daily evaporation (Ed) model on bare soils based on a knowledge of θs is analysed. In order to cover a wide range of soil, soil moisture and climatic conditions, the analysis was carried out on a set of data simulated by a mechanistic model of heat and water flows in the soil. Propagation error analysis on the inputs (θs, daily potential evaporation and wind velocity) of the simple model shows that an accuracy of ± 1.5 mm…

SINGLE PHOTON DECAYS OF THE $Z^0$ AND SUSY WITH SPONTANEOUSLY BROKEN R-PARITY

1995

Spontaneous violation of R parity can induce rare single photon decays of the $Z^0$ involving the emission of (nearly) massless pseudoscalar Goldstone bosons, majorons, as well as massive CP even or CP odd spin zero bosons that arise in the electroweak breaking sector of these models. We show that the majoron emitting decays can have a sizeable branching ratio of $10^{-5}$ or so, without conflicting any experimental observation from neutrino physics or particle searches. These decays may lead to interesting structures for the single photon spectrum involving either mono chromatic photons as well as continuous spectra that grow with energy. They would easily account for an excess of single p…

Retroperitoneal endoscopic adrenalectomy

1995

Continuous-time portfolio optimization under terminal wealth constraints

1995

Typically portfolio analysis is based on the expected utility or the mean-variance approach. Although the expected utility approach is the more general one, practitioners still appreciate the mean-variance approach. We give a common framework including both types of selection criteria as special cases by considering portfolio problems with terminal wealth constraints. Moreover, we propose a solution method for such constrained problems.

Water Sorption on Mesoporous Aluminosilicate MCM-41

1995

Characterization of the interaction of water with the highly ordered mesoporous solid MCM-41 (pore diameter ∼2.5 nm) is undertaken with the aid of several techniques (adsorption gravimetry, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and controlled rate-evolved gas analysis). The relatively complex water-MCM-41 interactions are characterized by a type V isotherm indicating an initial repulsive character followed by a capillary condensation step of the adsorbate. This highlights both hydrophobic and hydrophilic properties of this potential model mesoporous adsorbent.

The Effect of Deposited Rare Earth Oxide Films on High Temperature Corrosion Behaviour of Different Metals and Alloys

1995

Chromosomal changes in renal oncocytomas Evidence that t(5;11)(q35;q13) may characterize a second subgroup of oncocytomas

1995

Many of the reported oncocytomas have different chromosome abnormalities, indicating that they comprise a cytogenetically heterogenous group of tumors consisting of potentially cytogenetic subgroups. We have performed cytogenetic studies on nine renal oncocytomas. Clonal abnormalities were present in eight tumors. The findings most observed were the loss of the Y chromosome, and abnormalities of chromosomes 1 and 22. We also observed telomeric associations (tas) in two tumors and structural aberrations of chromosomes 9p and 19q, as well as monosomy 10. In two cases we found a similar reciprocal t(5;11)(q35;q13) in two cases. Review of the literature disclosed one other oncocytoma with a t(5…

Attenuation of sucrose consumption in mice by chronic mild stress and its restoration by imipramine

1995

Chronic exposure to mild unpredictable stressors (CMS) has previously been found to reduce the consumption of palatable, sweet solutions in rats. In the present study, the utility of this procedure was assessed in mice. Male AP mice subjected to CMS showed reduced consumption of a 2% or 4% sucrose solution. This effect was reversed by chronic (3 weeks) treatment with the tricyclic antidepressant imipramine (20 mg/kg per day). These results extend previous reports of a generalized decrease in sensitivity to reward (anhedonia) in rats caused by CMS and the efficacy of antidepressant treatment in this paradigm. Chronic unpredictable mild stress in mice appears to provide a realistic animal mod…

Photochemical ligand rearrangement in dirhodium(II) compounds. Structure of Rh2(O2CCH3)2(η2-O2CCH3)[(C6H4)PPh2] (η2-PCCl)(PCClP-ClC6H4)Ph2

1995

Abstract The photochemical reaction of the adducts Rh2(O2CCH3)3[(C6H4)P(o-ClC6H4)Ph]· (P(p-XC6H4)3) (X=H, Me, Cl), yield the compounds Rh2(O2CCH3)2(η2-O2CCH3)[(p-XC6H3)P (p-XC6H4)2](η2-PCCl), (PCCl=P(o-ClC6H4)Ph2) in a ligand rearrangement reaction that involves activation of CH and RhC bonds. The factors that favour this process are studied by carrying out photochemical reactions with different phosphines. The structures of Rh2(O2CCH3)2(η2-O2CCH3) [(C6H4)PPh2](η2-PCCl) has been determined by X-ray diffraction. Mr=1321.1, orthorhombic, space group Pbcn, a=20.339(8), b=20.07(6), c=23.07(3) A , V=9413(3) A 3 , Z=8, D x =1.86 g cm −3 . Mo Kα radiation (graphite crystal monochromator, λ=0.071…

Performance of a Focused Cavity Aerosol Spectrometer for Measurements in the Stratosphere of Particle Size in the 0.06–2.0-µm-Diameter Range

1995

A focused cavity aerosol spectrometer aboard a NASA ER-2 high-altitude aircraft provided high-resolution measurements of the size of the stratospheric particles in the 0.06-2.0-micrometer-diameter range in flights following the eruption of Mount Pinatubo in 1991. Effects of anisokinetic sampling and evaporation in the sampling system were accounted for by means adapted and specifically developed for this instrument. Calibrations with monodisperse aerosol particles provided the instrument's response matrix, which upon inversion during data reduction yielded the particle size distributions. The resultant dataset is internally consistent and generally shows agreement to within a factor of 2 wi…

Gastric Banding for Treatment of Morbid Obesity: Preliminary Results.

1995

Background: gastric banding (GB) has been used for treatment of morbid obesity. Methods: a banding device, introduced by Broadbent and consisting of a self-blocking nylon strip covered with a silicone tube, was used in 13 patients who have completed 1-year follow-up. This device was used for its mechanical properties, biocompatibility, ease of insertion and low cost. Results: at 1 year, mean excess weight loss was 51.6%, with all but one patient losing more than 25% of excess weight. Associated illnesses resolved. There were two complications (15%): one patient required band removal for self-induced vomiting and one patient required repair of an incisional hernia. Conclusions: GB has had go…

Combined use of 13C chemical shift and 1H alpha-13C alpha heteronuclear NOE data in monitoring a protein NMR structure refinement.

1995

A large portion of the 13C resonance assignments for murine epidermal growth factor (mEGF) at pH 3.1 and 28 degrees C has been determined at natural isotope abundance. Sequence-specific 13C assignments are reported for 100% of the assignable C alpha, 96% of the C beta, 86% of the aromatic and 70% of the remaining peripheral aliphatic resonances of mEGF. A good correlation was observed between experimental and back-calculated C alpha chemical shifts for regions of regular beta-sheet structure. These assignments also provide the basis for interpreting 1H alpha-13C alpha heteronuclear NOE (HNOE) values in mEGF at natural isotope abundance. Some of the backbone polypeptide segments with high in…

Beta decay of 108Mo and of neighbouring even Mo-isotopes

1995

Abstract A combination of the proton-induced fission of 238 U and the on-line mass separation based on the ion-guide technique has been applied in the study of neutron-rich Mo-isotopes. The decays of 106,108 Mo have been studied by using gamma-, beta-, X-ray and conversion-electron spectroscopy. The decay scheme of 106 Mo has been revised and a beta-decay half-life of 8.73(12) s has been measured for this nucleus. A beta-decay half-life of 1.09(2) s and a decay energy of 5120(40) keV have been measured for 108 Mo. The decay scheme of 108 Mo has been constructed and altogether 29 new transitions have been placed in the decay scheme. The beta-decay strengths of 102,104,106,108 Mo have been de…

false

1995

Redoxactive liquid crystalline (LC) side group polymers were prepared by copolymerization of liquid crystalline acrylates and ferrocene-containing acrylates. The corresponding liquid crystalline ionomers were synthesized by a reversible redox reaction. The incorporation of tetra-alkylated ferrocene derivatives leads to LC polymers with reduced redox potential. These polymers can be oxidized under mild conditions to the corresponding ionomers, which are much more stable in solution than LC ionomers containing monoalkylated ferrocenium ions. Dynamic mechanical measurements and small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) perfomed on LC ionomers prove the existence of ionic superstructures (clusters) w…