Comment on ``A quantum-classical bracket that satisfies the Jacobi identity'' [J. Chem. Phys. 124, 201104 (2006)]

It shown that the quantum-classical dynamical bracket recently proposed in J. Chem. Phys. 124, 201104 (2006) fails to satisfy the Jacobi identity.Comment: 2 pages, no figure

Phase space localization of antisymmetric functions

Upper and lower bounds are written down for the minimum information entropy in phase space of an antisymmetric wave function in any number of dimensions. Similar bounds are given when the wave function is restricted to belong to any of the proper subspaces of the Fourier transform operator.Comment: 5 pages, REVTEX, no figure

Chiral Lagrangian at finite temperature from the Polyakov-Chiral Quark Model

We analyze the consequences of the inclusion of the gluonic Polyakov loop in chiral quark models at finite temperature. Specifically, the low-energy effective chiral Lagrangian from two such quark models is computed. The tree level vacuum energy density, quark condensate, pion decay constant and Gasser-Leutwyler coefficients are found to acquire a temperature dependence. This dependence is, however, exponentially small for temperatures below the mass gap in the full unquenched calculation. The introduction of the Polyakov loop and its quantum fluctuations is essential to achieve this result and also the correct large $N_c$ counting for the thermal corrections. We find that new coefficients are introduced at ${\cal O}(p^4)$ to account for the Lorentz breaking at finite temperature. As a byproduct, we obtain the effective Lagrangian which describes the coupling of the Polyakov loop to the Goldstone bosons.Comment: 16 pages, no figure

Two new species of Hydnum with ovoid basidiospores: H. ovoideisporum and H. vesterholtii

Two new species of Hydnum, characterized by slender Hydnum rufescens-like basidiomes and ovoid to broadly ellipsoid basidiospores, are described from the Iberian Peninsula based on morphological and ITS molecular data. Hydnum ovoideisporum is distinguished by pilei with deep orange tones and strong preference for calcareous soil. It is widespread in the Iberian-Mediterranean area. Hydnum vesterholtii is characterized by its ocher to light ocher pileus, and nearly all the collections were made in the Pyrenees. Both ovoid-spored species are monophyletic well supported groups in the maximum parsimony and Bayesian ITS phylogenies, while the remainder of the samples assigned to H. rufescens s.l. and having globose basidiospores split into six well supported clades. The need to typify the name Hydnum rufescens is discussed, and a provisional key is given for the European taxa of Hydnum.Peer Reviewe

Component-resolved diagnosis of pollen allergy based on skin testing with profilin, polcalcin and lipid transfer protein pan-allergens

BACKGROUND Allergy diagnosis needs to be improved in patients suffering from pollen polysensitization due to the existence of possible confounding factors in this type of patients. OBJECTIVE To evaluate new diagnostic strategies by comparing skin responses to pan-allergens and conventional allergenic extracts with specific IgE (sIgE) to purified allergen molecules. METHODS One thousand three hundred and twenty-nine pollen-allergic patients were diagnosed by a combination of an in vitro method with a panel of 13 purified allergens, including major allergens and pan-allergens, using a high-capacity screening technology (ADVIA-Centaur®) and skin prick test (SPT) to pan-allergens and conventional extracts. RESULTS There was a high concordance (κ index) between in vitro (sIgE to major allergens) and in vivo (SPT to conventional extracts) methods in patients who were not sensitized to pan-allergens, but SPT with conventional extracts failed to diagnose patients with sensitization to pan-allergens. In patients who were simultaneously sensitized to polcalcins and profilins, there was a duplication both in the number of sensitizations to major allergens and in the years of disease evolution. There was a statistical association between sensitization to profilins and/or lipid transfer proteins and food allergy (P<0.0001). CONCLUSION The novel diagnostic strategy has proven to be a valuable tool in daily clinical practice. Introduction of routine SPT to pan-allergens is a simple and feasible way of improving diagnostic efficacy. Patients sensitized to pan-allergens should be tested by an adequate panel of allergenic molecules in order to identify the allergens that are responsible for the allergic disease

Effects of Urbanization and Other Factors on Synthetic Unit Hydrographs

Paper by Albert H. Halff, Jose I. Novoa, and Louis M. Salced

Stereum illudens Berk., nueva cita para la micoflora de la Península Ibérica

En este trabajo se describe e iconografia Stereum illudens Berk., una especie de origen austral que, desde 1999, está fructificando en madera de Eucalyptus en la parte occidental de Bizkaia (País Vasco) y, cuya aportación , representa la primera cita para la Península Ibérica.The species Stereum illudens Berk., known from the Southem Hemisphere, is described and illustrated. This has been seen fruiting on Eucalyptus wood in the west of the province of Biscay (Basque Country) since 1999. This report is the first for the Iberian Peninsula

Assessment of nutrient returns in a tropical dry forest after clear-cut without burning.

Tropical dry forests (TDFs) are being deforested at unprecedented rates. The slash/burn/ agriculture/fallow-extensive livestock sequence causes significant nutrient losses and soil degradation. Our aim is to assess nutrient inputs and outputs in a TDF area under an alternative management system, for exclusive wood production. The study involved clear-cutting a preserved caatinga TDF site without burning, quantifying nutrients exported in firewood/ timber and nutrients returned to the soil from the litter layer plus the slash debris, left to decompose unburned on the soil surface. Before clear-cut, the litter layer on the forest floor contained 6.1 t ha of dry matter (DM). After clear-cut, the aboveground biomass was 61.9 t DM ha-1 (consisting of 21.5 t DM ha-1 of commercial wood and 40.4 t DM ha-1 of clear-cut debris that did not include the underlying litter layer). The litter layer was composed of fine and coarse litter, with turnovers of 0.86 and 0.31 year-1, respectively, separately measured in uncut control plots during two rainy seasons (Dec-2007/June-2008 and Dec-2008/ June-2009). In a single season, its decomposition returned to the soil 48.4, 1.16 and 12.3 kg ha-1 of N, P and K. The clear-cut debris was mainly composed of branches, 33.4 t ha-1, bromeliads, 5.63 t ha-1 and green leaves, 1.32 t ha-1. In-situ decomposition rates for branches and bromeliads were 0.24 and 1.47 year-1, respectively. After two rainy seasons the clear-cut debris released 206, 6.5 and 106 kg ha-1 of N, P and K respectively. This input plus that of the underlying litter layer exceeded exports in the commercial wood, and replenished a soil nutrient stock (0?30 cm) of approximately the same magnitude

Component-Resolved in Vitro Diagnosis in Peach-Allergic Patients

BACKGROUND: The in vitro diagnosis of pollen-related food allergy presents low specifi city and reproducibility with many conventional extracts. This can be improved using natural purifi ed allergens, recombinant purifi ed allergens, or both. OBJECTIVE: We compared specifi c immunoglobulin (Ig) E determination (sIgE), the basophil activation test (BAT), the histamine release test (HRT), and the cellular allergen stimulation test (CAST) using natural and recombinant allergens in the diagnosis of peach allergy. METHODS: Thirty-two peach allergic patients were studied. Skin prick tests were performed with commercial peach and extract with Mal d 1, nPru p 3, and profi lin (nPho d 2). sIgE, BAT, CAST, and HRT were determined using rPru p 3, rMal d 3, rBet v 1, rMal d 1, and rMal d 4. RESULTS: Agreement between the techniques was good with all the allergens, except HRT with rMal d 1 and rMal d 4. With rPru p 3, sIgE, CAST, BAT, and HRT showed sensitivity values of 88%, 81%, 72%, and 69% and specifi city values of 100%, 93%, 97%, and 83%, respectively. In patients with systemic symptoms or contact urticaria, the values were 100%, 85%, 81%, and 81%. In patients with oral allergy syndrome, sensitivity to profi lins or homologues of Bet v 1 was detected in 100% of the cases by all the techniques, except by HRT with rMal d 1, which detected 66% of the cases. CONCLUSIONS: The use of single allergens in the in vitro diagnosis of peach allergy by specifi c IgE determination, BAT, and CAST offers high specifi city and sensitivity, with better results than the HRT

Impediments to mixing classical and quantum dynamics

The dynamics of systems composed of a classical sector plus a quantum sector is studied. We show that, even in the simplest cases, (i) the existence of a consistent canonical description for such mixed systems is incompatible with very basic requirements related to the time evolution of the two sectors when they are decoupled. (ii) The classical sector cannot inherit quantum fluctuations from the quantum sector. And, (iii) a coupling among the two sectors is incompatible with the requirement of physical positivity of the theory, i.e., there would be positive observables with a non positive expectation value.Comment: RevTex, 21 pages. Title slightly modified and summary section adde