Complex and multiphonic voice signals of vocal improvisors are analyzed within the framework of nonlinear dynamics. Evidence is given that nonlinear phenomena are extensively used by performers associated with contemporary music. Narrow-band spectrograms of complex vocalizations are used to visualize the appearance of nonlinear phenomena (spectral bifurcation diagrams). Possible production mechani

We analyzed seasonal flu vaccination rates among the Italian population suffering from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) in order to identify socio-demographic and clinical determinants for vaccination. We used data from the survey "Health and health care use in Italy", which interviewed 5,935 persons (age 15 - 102 years) suffering from COPD in the period 2004-2005. For each respondent,

Anthropogenic land-cover change (ALCC) is one of the few climate forcings for which the net direction of the climate response over the last two centuries is still not known. The uncertainty is due to the often counteracting temperature responses to the many biogeophysical effects and to the biogeochemical versus biogeophysical effects. Palaeoecological studies show that the major transformation of

The theoretical debate on the nature of narrative has been mainly concerned with literary narratives, whereas forms of non-literary and especially pictorial narrativity have been somewhat neglected. In this paper, however, I shall discuss narrativity specifically with regard to pictorial objects in order to clarify how pictorial storytelling may be based on the activation of mentally stored action

The influence of reaction temperature on synthesis activity, product yield and nucleophile specificity for α-chymotrypsin and subtilisin Carlsberg were studied. The enzymes were immobilized on Celite and used in acetonitrile with a water content of 10%. Acyl-transfer reactions with Ac-PheOEt as acyl donor and 11 different amino acid amides and 3 dipeptides as nucleophiles were studied. The decreas

α‐Chymotrypsin was adsorbed on solid support materials and the catalytic activity of the preparations in organic solvents was studied. The activity was highly dependent on the nature of the support material and on the amount of water present in the reaction mixture. There appears to be competition for the water in the system between the enzyme, the support material and the solvent. The support mat

Oxygen supply is a critical point in technical processes when aerobic cells are used in immobilized preparations. This report concerns the use of hemoglobin or emulsions of perfluorochemicals (completely fluorinated organic compounds) to carry oxygen to immobilized cells. Both methods work well and do not seem to harm the cells. The perfluorochemical method of improving oxygen supply showed a high

The stability of biocatalysis in systems containing organic solvents is reviewed. Among the examples presented are homogeneous mixtures of water and water-miscible organic solvents, aqueous/organic two-phase systems, solid biocatalysts suspended in organic solvents, enzymes in reverse micelles and modified enzymes soluble in water immiscible solvents. The stability of biocatalysts in organic solve

Objective: To validate a 7-day estimated dietary record routine with standardized portion sizes and household measuring in a clinical setting with the doubly labelled water (DLW) method as the reference method. Design: Energy expenditure was measured with deuterium (2H) and oxygen-18 (18O), and water loss was estimated by 2H dilution as part of the DLW measurements. Energy and water intake was mea

With laser iridotomy it may often be difficult to achieve total penetration of the iris, particularly in very light or very dark irides. It may be impossible to determine with the slit-lamp whether a small laser iridotomy is functionally penetrating. We describe a straightforward method to test iridotomies for aqueous flow patency. Transcorneally introduced fluorescein is used to delineate any aqu

Gluconobacter oxydans cells were immobilized in calcium alginate and the preparation was used for the oxidation of glycerol to dihydroxyacetone. The characterization was done according to the guidelines given by the Working Party on Immobilized Biocatalysts of the European Federation of Biotechnology. The pH optimum of the preparation was found to be 5.0 and the temperature optimum was 40°C. Howev