Preparation and practice for the IGCSE.

Libro para estudiantes de enseñanza secundaria que estén preparando el examen Cambridge IGCSE (International General Certificate of Secondary Education) en el área de 'Inglés como segundo idioma'. Contiene textos reales para desarrollar las habilidades de lectura y escritura de los alumnos y ejercicios prácticos para identificar los distintos tipos de textos, comprensión lectora, transferencia de información, toma de notas, resumen y redacción. Incluye un anexo suelto con las soluciones de los ejercicios.

Geostatistics for constrained variables: positive data, compositions and probabilities. Applications to environmental hazard monitoring

Aquesta tesi estudia com estimar la distribució de les variables regionalitzades l'espai mostral i l'escala de les quals admeten una estructura d'espai Euclidià. Apliquem el principi del treball en coordenades: triem una base ortonormal, fem estadística sobre les coordenades de les dades, i apliquem els output a la base per tal de recuperar un resultat en el mateix espai original. Aplicant-ho a les variables regionalitzades, obtenim una aproximació única consistent, que generalitza les conegudes propietats de les tècniques de kriging a diversos espais mostrals: dades reals, positives o composicionals (vectors de components positives amb suma constant) són tractades com casos particulars. D'aquesta manera, es generalitza la geostadística lineal, i s'ofereix solucions a coneguts problemes de la no-lineal, tot adaptant la mesura i els criteris de representativitat (i.e., mitjanes) a les dades tractades. L'estimador per a dades positives coincideix amb una mitjana geomètrica ponderada, equivalent a l'estimació de la mediana, sense cap dels problemes del clàssic kriging lognormal. El cas composicional ofereix solucions equivalents, però a més permet estimar vectors de probabilitat multinomial. Amb una aproximació bayesiana preliminar, el kriging de composicions esdevé també una alternativa consistent al kriging indicador. Aquesta tècnica s'empra per estimar funcions de probabilitat de variables qualsevol, malgrat que sovint ofereix estimacions negatives, cosa que s'evita amb l'alternativa proposada. La utilitat d'aquest conjunt de tècniques es comprova estudiant la contaminació per amoníac a una estació de control automàtic de la qualitat de l'aigua de la conca de la Tordera, i es conclou que només fent servir les tècniques proposades hom pot detectar en quins instants l'amoni es transforma en amoníac en una concentració superior a la legalment permesa.

Review of theoretical models of electromagnetic NDT and their applications

There is an increasing interest in modelling electromagnetic methods of NDT - particularly eddy currents. A collaboration within the International Institute of Welding led to a survey intended to explain to non mathematicians the present scope of modelling. The present review commences with this survey and then points out some of the developments and some of the outstanding problems in transferring modelling into industry.

Preparation and properties of gallaborane, GaBH6: structure of the gaseous molecule H2Ga(μ-H)2BH2 as determined by vibrational, electron diffraction, and ab initio studies, and structure of the crystalline solid at 110 K as determined by x-ray diffraction``

Gallaborane (GaBH6, 1), synthesized by the metathesis of LiBH4 with [H2GaCl]n at ca. 250 K, has been characterized by chemical analysis and by its IR and 1H and 11B NMR spectra. The IR spectrum of the vapor at low pressure implies the presence of only one species, viz. H2Ga(μ-H)2BH2, with a diborane-like structure conforming to C2v symmetry. The structure of this molecule has been determined by gas-phase electron diffraction (GED) measurements afforced by the results of ab initio molecular orbital calculations. Hence the principal distances (rα in Å) and angles ( α in deg) are as follows: r(Ga•••B), 2.197(3); r(Ga−Ht), 1.555(6); r(Ga−Hb), 1.800(6); r(B−Ht), 1.189(7); r(B−Hb), 1.286(7); Hb−Ga−Hb, 71.6(4); and Hb−B−Hb, 110.0(5) (t = terminal, b = bridging). Aggregation of the molecules occurs in the condensed phases. X-ray crystallographic studies of a single crystal at 110 K reveal a polymeric network with helical chains made up of alternating pseudotetrahedral GaH4 and BH4 units linked through single hydrogen bridges; the average Ga•••B distance is now 2.473(7) Å. The compound decomposes in the condensed phases at temperatures exceeding ca. 240 K with the formation of elemental Ga and H2 and B2H6. The reactions with NH3, Me3N, and Me3P are also described.

Cyclopropylidenes, bicyclopropylidenes, and vinylcarbenes - some modes of formation and preparative applications

The routes of transformation of the simplest bicyclopropylidene into the derivatives of the second and third generations and synthesis of perspirocyclopropanated [3]rotane and linear spiral [4]- and [5]triangulanes are discussed.

Preparation and ring-opening reactions of N,O-bis(diphenylphosphinyl) hydroxymethylaziridine ('Di-Dpp')

N,O-bis(diphenylphosphinyl)-2-(hydroxymethyl)aziridine ('DiDpp', 1) is efficiently prepared from 2-aminoethane-1,3-diol: this activated aziridine undergoes two sequential reactions with copper(I)-modified Grignard reagents, yielding alpha-branched N-Dpp amines in good yield. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Modulation of the microbial ecology of the human colon by probiotics, prebiotics and synbiotics to enhance human health: an overview of enabling science and potential applications

The application of probiotics and prebiotics to the manipulation of the microbial ecology of the human colon has recently seen many scientific advances. The sequencing of probiotic genomes is providing a wealth of new information on the biology of these microorganisms. In addition, we are learning more about the interactions of probiotics with human cells and with pathogenic bacteria. An alternative means of modulating the colonic microbial community is by the use of prebiotic oligosaccharides. Increasing knowledge of the metabolism of prebiotics by probiotics is allowing us to consider specifically targeting such dietary intervention tools at specific populatiori groups and specific disease states. (c) 2005 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Noncompetitive plasma biokinetics of deuterium-labeled natural and synthetic alpha-tocopherol in healthy men with an apoE4 genotype

Previous studies comparing the biokinetics of deuterated natural (RRR) and synthetic (all-rac) α-tocopherol (vitamin E) used a simultaneous ingestion or competitive uptake approach and reported relative bioavailability ratios close to 2:1, higher than the accepted biopotency ratio of 1.36:1. The aim of the current study was to compare the biokinetics of deuterated natural and synthetic vitamin E using a noncompetitive uptake model both before and after vitamin E supplementation in a distinct population. Healthy men (n = 10) carrying the apolipoprotein (apo)E4 genotype completed a randomized crossover study, comprised of two 4-wk treatments with 400 mg/d (RRR-α-tocopheryl and all-rac-α-tocopheryl acetate) with a 12-wk washout period between treatments. Before and after each treatment period, the subjects consumed a capsule containing 150 mg deuterated α-tocopheryl acetate in either the PRR or all-rac form depending on their treatment regimen. Blood was obtained up to 48 h after ingestion, and tocopherols analyzed by LC/MS. After deuterated all-rac administration, plasma deuterated tocopherol maximum concentrations and area under the concentration vs. time curves (AUC) were lower than those following RRR administration. The RRR:all-rac ratios determined from the deuterated biokinetic profiles (maximum concentration; C-max) and AUCs were 1.35:1 &PLUSMN; 0.17 and 1.33:1 &PLUSMN; 0.18, respectively. The 4-wk supplementation with either PRR or all-rac significantly increased plasma a-tocopherol concentrations (P < 0.001), but decreased the plasma response to newly absorbed deuterated RRR or all-rac α-tocopherol. Using a noncompetitive uptake approach, the relative bioavailability of natural to synthetic vitamin E in apoE4 males was close to the currently accepted biopotency ratio of 1.36:1.