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Agreement has always posed a puzzle to both linguists and psycholinguists because, both cross-linguistically and intra-linguistically, grammatical biases and processing biases exhibit a seemingly capricious mixture of form regulation and semantic interference. English in particular is famous for the latter. This work explores the thesis that agreement in production is sensitive to the size of the morphological component of every language. To be precise, the idea is that the richer the morphology of a language, the greater the formal encapsulation of its agreement operations is likely to be. Conversely, the poorer the morphology the more semantic interference (agreement ad sensum ) will be attested. Four completion studies carried out with two dialectal versions of Spanish and two dialectal versions of Portuguese support this thesis. Both versions of both languages differ in morphological strength: thus, whereas the Spanish spoken in the south of Spain is characterized by acute morphological erosion, the one spoken in the north preserves an intact morphology. The difference is even greater between European Portuguese and Brazilian Portuguese, whose profound morphological erosion is well-known. The tests show robust effects of the morphology in the predicted direction, with the two varieties with intact morphologies showing statistically less probability of semantic interfacing. These results provide important evidence to bear on the nature of agreement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is an attempt to tackle the idea of opportunism in language processing seriously – and its implications for language theory if one is to avoid what Poeppel and Embick (2005) call “interdisciplinary cross-sterilization”, that is the failure of linguistics and psycholinguistics to communicate with each other. It is also an attempt to force a deeper reflection on 1) the shape of a viable and useful theory of language, and 2) the relation between (and respective place of) linguistics and experimental psycholinguistics in the study of language. Towards that, I review a number of psycholinguistic findings with a view to showing how routinely parsers opt for opportunistic (as opposed to ‘elegant’) wayouts from processing dilemmas. Most of the evidence reviewed involves research of a cross-linguistic type, the common thread being that different languages resort to different solutions to the same processing problems, even when a unitary solution to at least many of these problems would be computationally within easy reach. The main purpose of this review is to provide a quantitatively suggestive account of how massively opportunism works in setting processing biases. Based on it, I go on to suggest that grammars can only be psychologically viable if they incorporate a fairly large number of interacting constraints, a default ability to generate pieces of structure without a commitment to satisfy large-scale well-formedness conditions, and no strict, fixed ordering of operations. These observations are compatible with a view of language as a complex, dynamical system of co-adapted traits, a system containing a fairly large number of possible initial states and a fairly large number of functionally optimal (opportunistic) continuations of those states. This work assumes the merits of espousing psychological adequacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Agreement attraction occurs in comprehension in Spanish (eye tracking). [•] Rich morphology accounts for lack of semantic effects. [•] Comprehension dilutes semantic effects more. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Despite the abundant corpus-based research on full-inversion constructions in which the subject follows the entire verb phrase in a declarative clause, the analysis of this construction in the spoken mode has traditionally been neglected since it has been suggested that natural speech is not a good source of inversions. The article shows that speech, too, can be a good source of data for full inversion and that the spoken and the written modes do not differ in the overall distribution of the construction but rather in the types of inversion used and in the pragmatic functions these inversions serve in discourse. The article also casts light on the lack of consensus regarding the distribution of full inversion in written fictional and non-fictional texts, and in the pragmatic function the construction serves in both genres. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A literary criticism of the book "The English Noun Phrase: The Nature of Linguistic Categorization," by Evelien Keizer is presented. It explore the specific aspects of the structure of the noun phrase discussed in the two-part book, which often receive little attention in grammars and specialised journals. An overview of the introduction to both parts, in which the author clarifies both the nature and goals of her research, as well as the relationship between two parts is presented.

Abstract: To design the oscillators based on high stability classical configurations used in quartz crystal microbalance sensor systems (QCM), the simulation is essential due to the high complexity of the mathematical algorithms to be implemented. The nonlinear behaviour of the circuit oscillator, together with the mathematical models that describe the behaviour of the quartz-media resonant system, as well as the complexity of the design algorithms when optimizing the oscillator so that the oscillation remains in damping media, make the simulation a mandatory phase in the QCM system design task. In this paper, a simulation environment to aid designers in the development of quartz crystal microbalance sensors for damping media is presented. It helps to adapt the design to the application environment, so that the oscillation remains inspite of the large reduction of the quality factor that the quartz experiences in those media. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The use of quartz crystal oscillators as high sensitivity microbalance sensors is limited by the frequency noise present in the circuit. To characterise the behaviour of the sensors, it is not enough to determine their experimental sensitivity, but rather it is essential to study the frequency fluctuations in order to establish the sensor resolution. This is fundamental in the case of oscillators for damping media, because the level of noise rises due to the strong decline of the quality factor of the resonator.In this paper, a comparative study of noise and resolution is presented with respect to the frequency and the quality factor. The study has been made using four oscillators designed to be used in quartz crystal microbalance sensors in damping media. The four circuits have been designed at increasing frequencies in order to improve the sensitivity. Also, the current resolution limit of a microbalance oscillator is determined using an AT resonator, since this does not depend on the frequency. However, when working in liquid, the damping of the resonator makes the resolution diminish due to a worsening the quality factor. The relationship between the resolution limit and the frequency and characteristics of the liquid medium has been determined. The resolution worsens when the density and viscosity of the liquid is increased. However, in this case, the increase in frequency implies a small increase in the resolution. Therefore, when working below the maximum quality factor, for similar values, the resolution can be improved by elevating the work frequency. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

j.i. fariña, o.e. molina and l.i.c. figueroa. 2003. Different cultural conditions for forming and reverting protoplasts were systematically studied to establish a rapid and efficient protocol for Sclerotium rolfsii ATCC 201126. Osmotic stabilizer, lytic enzymes and mycelial age were the main factors influencing protoplast yields. An optimized protocol involving 1-h hydrolysis of 45-h-old mycelium with Trichoderma harzianum enzymes in a 1 : 1 (w/w) biomass : enzyme ratio and 0·6 mol l−1 MgSO4 as osmotic stabilizer was designed to produce approx. 2 × 109 protoplasts per gram biomass dry weight, with 99% viability. Differences on the lytic activity between batches of commercial enzymes were clearly evidenced. Protoplast release was highly efficient showing no remaining cell wall material as witnessed by fluorescent brightener 28. Up to 26% of purified protoplasts developed into the typical filamentous form after 50 h of incubation on 0·6 mol l−1 sucrose agar media. The methodology herein proposed allowed a rapid, inexpensive and efficient protoplast production. Optimum yields were higher or in the order of that elsewhere reported for other S. rolfsii strains and the required lytic time was significantly shorter. Purified protoplasts successfully reverted to the filamentous morphology. The present research reports the former protocol for the isolation and reversion of protoplasts in S. rolfsii ATCC 201126 providing key factors to ensure optimum results. In addition, the described procedure constitutes a starting point for downstream genetic manipulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary 1. The movement of materials and organisms between ecosystems is a common process in nature. 2. In the present study we investigate the hypothesis that the transport of nutrients by low-mobility species and their effect on terrestrial ecosystems depends on habitat topography. Specifically, we hypothesized that the influence of a marine organism with low mobility on terrestrial environments would be spatially restricted. 3. To address this hypothesis we analysed the distribution (both geographical and local scales) of Galapagos sea lion colonies, and quantified the spatial extent of their influence on terrestrial ecosystems (soil and plants). 4. Our results showed that the influence of Z. wollebaecki on Galapagos terrestrial habitats is restricted to shorelines with low elevations, but that it is it is geographically ubiquitous across the Archipelago. 5. Our study demonstrated that Z. wollebaecki is an effective vector for the transport of marine nutrients to terrestrial ecosystems. Transported nutrients occur in high concentrations in the soils and are used by shoreline plants. These effects are spatially restricted to the areas where seals occur and the most parsimonious explanatory variable for these patterns is the islands’ topography (or elevation). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simple oscillator circuit for high resolution quartz crystal microbalance sensors is proposed for fluid media. It can solve the working problems of standard crystal controlled oscillators in damping media. The design is adapted to the conditions of strong damping that the quartz experiences, so that the oscillation stays in spite of the reduction of the resonator quality factor. The conditions for obtaining a stable frequency according to the resonator damping and the static capacity are studied. Experimental results confirming the success ot the circuit are reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work presents the design and characterization of a 9MHz active bridge oscillator circuit for use as a high resolution quartz crystal microbalance sensor for liquid applications. During the design process, several simulations were run with a general-purpose circuit simulation program (PSpice) in order to predict the behavior of the sensor in different operating conditions such as mass film deposition on the quartz electrode or immersion of the sensor in a Newtonian liquid. Sensitivity coefficients of the oscillation frequency to mass changes on the surface of the resonator and changes in the density and viscosity of the liquid are obtained from the Pspice simulations and compared with the experimental ones obtained from calibration trials. To complete its characterization, the frequency stability in the time domain is determined and the resolution of the sensor is obtained. Finally, the performance of the oscillator is compared with that of a 9MHz Miller oscillator sensor, a topology previously studied by this group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This work presents thermal characterization and compensation of a quartz crystal microbalance sensor for the determination of the state-of-charge of lead acid batteries. The concentration of sulfuric acid in the electrolyte changes significantly with the battery state-of-charge. However, changes in the temperature of the electrolyte take place during the operation of the battery, to which the resonant frequency of the quartz is very sensitive. Likewise, density and viscosity are greatly dependent on temperature. The compensation described here takes into account not only the thermal variations of density and viscosity but also the thermal behavior of the quartz resonator. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Water ingress into a cataphoretic coating employed in the car industry was studied using real-time mass and capacitance measurements. The results showed the presence of three well-differentiated time constants associated with the process. The corresponding time scales were 2–3min, 1 and 10h. The first time constant (fastest process) was assumed to be associated with the filling of surface pores by water. This process involved about 50% of the total water uptake. The second time constant was assumed to be due to the water occupancy of pores in the bulk of the coating. Finally, the slowest process was assumed to be due to water diffusion through the bulk coating. This process presented capacitive effects only if fillers were present in the coating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this paper, a stable quartz crystal oscillator sensor for measuring the water uptake in organic coatings is presented. The phase noise performance of the oscillator is investigated in order to characterize the oscillator''s resolution during the water uptake process. The result is a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) sensor able to determine the rate and amount of water absorbed into anti-corrosion cataphoretic coatings with a resolution of 360pg/cm2 for 1s sampling interval. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background Influenza vaccination has been suggested to be a trigger for bullous pemphigoid (BP). In our area most new patients with BP are admitted to hospital. Objectives To detect a difference in the rate of admissions to hospital for BP during population influenza vaccination programmes, which are mainly targeted at individuals aged 65 years or older, start in the last week of September and last for 2 months. Methods An ecological study in Galicia, north-west Spain (1997–2005), restricted to people aged 65 years or older. Using Poisson regression, results were controlled for mean age of admission and percentage of the population vaccinated each year. Results There were 29 admissions registered during ‘vaccination periods’ (i.e. approximately 10 weeks per year, including the period of vaccination and two further weeks), and 158 during nonvaccination periods (the rest of the year). The incidence rate ratio of admissions for BP in vaccination vs. nonvaccination periods was 0·85 (95% confidence interval 0·57–1·27, P = 0·43). Conclusions Our data do not support the hypothesis of influenza vaccination being an important trigger for severe BP on a population level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background : Knowledge of the levels of inbreeding in the human population is interesting because it is one of the characteristics that conditions its genetic structure and has important genetic-medical repercussions in the descendants of marriages between close relatives. Galicia (north-west Spain) is a region with very special geographic, historic and social characteristics that makes it particularly interesting for consanguinity studies. Primary objective : The object of this investigation is the study of the levels of inbreeding and the structure of consanguinity in rural area of the Dioceses of Ourense (Galicia) during the period 1900-1979. Subjects and methods : In the study, data corresponding to 437 parishes, integrated in 80 municipalities of the rural area of the Dioceses of Ourense were analysed. In the period studied, of a total of 110 128 marriages, 9010 took place between biologically related individuals up to the level of second cousins. The rate of consanguinity and the average coefficient of inbreeding of the population, as well as the percentage of the different types of consanguineous marriages, were calculated. Main outcomes and results : The rate of consanguinity for the period 1900-1979 is 8.18% and the average coefficient of inbreeding is 3.0662 × 10 -3 . The most frequent type of consanguineous marriage is between second cousins (4.00% of all marriages). There is a notably high frequency of marriages of multiple relationships (0.52%) and the frequency of uncle-niece or aunt-nephew marriages is 0.16%. The average value of the M22/M33 ratio is 0.66 and during the 80 years studied, with regard to the temporal variation of the average coefficient of inbreeding, the annual values followed a polynomial curve with an inflection point in 1921. Conclusions : The highest values of consanguinity detected in Galicia, for the same period, were registered in the Dioceses of Ourense and the high rate of uncle-niece or aunt-nephew marriages habitual in this region was confirmed. The latter is explained by the important incidence in the Galician population of the migration to America at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century. However, when the relative frequency of this type of marriage with respect to the total number of consanguineous marriages is calculated, it has relatively low values due to the high proportion of marriages between second cousins and marriages of multiple relationships, the highest in Galicia for an equal period of time. The rate of marriages between first cousins is also the highest in Galicia, confirming a phenomenon that appears to be common in the rural areas of the northern area of the Iberian Peninsula. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The levels of consanguinity in human populations are known to be influenced by demographic and geographical factors, and by socio-cultural customs that govern spouse choice. Within the general model applicable to the populations of Western Europe, Galicia (north-west Spain) is a region that is especially interesting, due to its geographical and historical peculiarities that could have conditioned its behaviour pattern with respect to consanguinity. Primary objective: The object of this paper is to analyse the evolution of the consanguinity structure levels in the rural population of the Bishopric of Lugo (Galicia) during the period 1900-1979. Subjects and methods: The study covers a total of 752 parishes included in 52 municipalities of the rural area of the Bishopric of Lugo. Of a total of 117 583 marriages in the period studied, 6701 were between biologically related individuals up to the level of second cousins. The percentage of the different types of consanguineous marriages, the consanguinity rates, and the average coefficient of inbreeding of the population was calculated. Also, for the analysis of the temporal variation of consanguinity, version 3.01 of Jandel Scientific's Table Curve program was used. Main outcomes and results: The consanguinity rate for the whole of the period is 5.70% and the average coefficient of inbreeding is 2.2477 × 10-3, values which fall within the observed range for Spanish populations. As for the consanguinity structure, the most frequent types of consanguineous marriages are between second cousins (2.65% of all marriages), but the high proportion of marriages between uncles/nieces or aunts/nephews (0.16%) and first cousins (2.12%) with regard to the total number of marriages should be emphasized. The average value of the M22/M33 ratio is 0.80, and throughout the study period it was above the 0.25 expected in conditions of panmixia. Regarding the evolution of the average coefficient of inbreeding, its annual values fit a polynomial regression curve with one ascending and one descending branch and an inflection point in the year 1919. Conclusions: As in other rural areas of Galicia, the structure of consanguinity in the Bishopric of Lugo is characterized by the high proportion of marriages between uncles/nieces or aunts/nephews and first cousins, a phenomenon which appears to be generalized in the rural populations of northern Spain. It is suggested that the high proportion of uncle/niece marriages that have been found in the population studied are very probably due to the important migratory phenomenon which took place in this region at the end of the 19th century and in the first third of the 20th century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• One-port S-parameter reflection passive method for QCM in high viscosity liquid media. • QCM circuit parameters with minimum frequency sweeps and optimized measurement speed. • Calibration with increasing viscosities from 0 % to approaching 99 % glycerol in water. • Experimental sensitivity of series resonance frequency and motional resistance. • Results of passive QCM measurement compared with obtained by other authors. The objective of this work is to perform and verify a method for the characterization of QCM sensors in passive mode using a network analyzer. The system allows the measurement of the series resonance frequency and the motional resistance of QCM resonators in highly viscous media in which the oscillators (QCM sensors in active mode) present operating problems. A calibration of the sensor system was carried out, finding sensitivities very close to the theoretical ones. The obtained results are compared with those of other authors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Aims: Isolate and characterize a laccase‐encoding gene (lac I) of Phlebia brevispora BAFC 633, as well as cloning and expressing cDNA of lac I in Pichia pastoris. And to obtain a purified and characterized recombinant laccase to analyse the biotechnological application potential. Methods and Results: Lac I was cloned and sequenced, it contains 2447 pb obtained by PCR and long‐distance inverse PCR. Upstream of the structural region of the laccase gene, response elements such as metals, antioxidants, copper, nitrogen and heat shock were found. The coding region consisted of a 1563‐pb ORF encoding 521 amino acids. Lac I was functionally expressed in P. pastoris and it was shown that the gene cloned using the α‐factor signal peptide was more efficient than the native signal sequence, in directing the secretion of the recombinant protein. Km and highest kcat/Km values towards ABTS, followed by 2,6‐dimethylphenol, were similar to other laccases. Lac I showed tolerance to NaCl and solvents, and nine synthetic dyes could be degraded to different degrees. Conclusions: Lac I‐encoding gene could be successfully sequenced having cis‐acting elements located at the regulatory region. It was found that lac I cDNA expressed in P. pastoris using the α‐factor signal peptide was more efficient than the native signal sequence. The purified Lac I exhibited high tolerance towards NaCl and various solvents and degraded some recalcitrant synthetic dyes. Significance and Impact of the Study: The cis‐acting elements may be involved in the transcriptional regulation of laccase gene expression. These results may provide a further insight into potential ways of optimizing fermentation process and also open new frontiers for engineering strong promoters for laccase production. The Lac I stability in chloride and solvents and broad decolorization of synthetic dyes are important for its use in organic synthesis work and degradation of dyes from textile effluents respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we prove that the generalized (in the sense of Caffarelli and Calder'on) maximal operators associated with heat semigroups for Bessel and Laguerre operators are weak type (1, 1). Our results include other known ones, and our proofs are simpler than the ones for the known special cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the dependence of the rheological properties of PLA-PEG and PLGA dispersions and films on the polymer structural properties, in order to obtain useful information to predict and explain the performance of polyester films as drug-delivery systems. In this study, one PLA-PEG and three PLGA polymers of different molecular mass were synthesized and characterized by NMR, GPC, DSC and TGA–FT-IR. To characterize the viscoelastic behaviour of concentrated solutions in dichloromethane and of the films obtained by a solvent-casting technique, oscillatory shear rheometry was used. The polymer dispersions showed a characteristic Newtonian viscous behaviour, but with different consistency index depending on the nature of the polymer. Freshly prepared, PLGA and PLA-PEG films had elastic modulus (G′) greater than viscous modulus (G″). The decrease in both moduli caused by an increase in temperature from 25 to 37°C was especially marked for the polymers with Tg below or around 25°C (PLGA 27 kDa and PLA-PEG 27 kDa). After being immersed in pH 7.4 aqueous solution for one week, PLGA films showed a significant increase in both G′ and G″, due to the promotion of polymer–polymer interactions in a non-solvent medium. In contrast, the PLA-PEG film became softer and more hydrated, due to the amphiphilic character of the polymer. The water taken up by the film acted as a plasticizer and induced the softening of the system. These results suggest that the presence of PEG chains exerts a strong influence on the mechanical properties of polyesters films and, possibly, the performance as coating or matrices of drug-delivery systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Women under 35 years of age comprise a small proportion of patients with breast cancer, but determining their prognosis can be difficult. This prospective, multivariate study looked at several factors with the aim of obtaining a useful index to evaluate the prognosis of these women. Methods: In total, 108 patients below 35 years of age affected by invasive ductal carcinoma without distant metastasis were studied. The mean duration of the follow up period was six years. Histopathological (tumour size, histological grade, and lymph node stage) and immunohistochemical (c-erbB-2, p53, oestrogen receptor, and progesterone receptor) factors were measured in all patients, and the Nottingham prognostic index (NPI) was then calculated. An immunohistochemical prognostic index (IHPI) was created using the arithmetic sum of the four individual immunohistochemical factors. Results: In univariate assessment of survival, all the studied factors yielded a significant association with either overall survival or disease free survival, except for c-erbB-2 and p53 with disease free survival. In univariate calculation of risk, all the factors gave significant results; however, in multivariate analysis only tumour size, histological grade, and progesterone receptor were significant. Both NPI and IHPI correlated significantly with prognosis. In multivariate regression analysis, IHPI correlated with tumour size and there was a significant interaction between both variables. Conclusion: IHPI is very useful in determining the prognosis of tumours ⩽ 2 cm and of moderate use for tumours > 2, although it has no use in tumours > 5 cm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A QCM sensor system based on a phase detector circuit is implemented. • The system is characterized to measure the properties of a liquid. • Calibration with solutions of increasing viscosities is carried out. • Sensitivity equation and resolution are obtained. • Results are compared with those obtained using oscillators and a network analyzer. [Display omitted] In this work, a quartz resonator or QCM sensor system based on a phase detector circuit is implemented. Until now, the phase detection method in QCM sensors has been used for mass measurement applications. In this work, the system is characterized for its use in applications to measure the properties of a liquid (density and viscosity). In a first part, the implementation of the system is described. Once implemented, it is calibrated with solutions of increasing viscosities, obtaining the sensitivity equation and the resolution of the output voltage to changes over the square root of the density-viscosity product. Finally, the results are compared with those obtained by the authors in previous works using oscillator circuits and a network analyzer as electronic measurement interfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]