On Carnap sentences

The influential proposal that the analytical component of a theory is captured by its ‘Carnap sentence’ is critically scrutinized. A counterexample which makes the suggestion problematic is presented

2-Iodo-imidazolium receptor binds oxoanions via charge-assisted halogen bonding.

A detailed (1)H-NMR study of the anion binding properties of the 2-iodo-imidazolium receptor 1 in DMSO allows to fully attribute the observed affinities to strong charge-assisted C-IX(-) halogen bonding (XB). Stronger binding was observed for oxoanions over halides. Phosphate, in particular, binds to 1 with an association constant of ca. 10(3) M(-1), which is particularly high for a single X-bond. A remarkably short C-IO(-) contact is observed in the structure of the salt 1·H(2)PO(4)(-)

Global warming will affect the maximum potential abundance of boreal plant species

Forecasting the impact of future global warming on biodiversity requires understanding how temperature limits the distribution of species. Here we rely on Liebig's Law of Minimum to estimate the effect of temperature on the maximum potential abundance that a species can attain at a certain location. We develop 95%‐quantile regressions to model the influence of effective temperature sum on the maximum potential abundance of 25 common understory plant species of Finland, along 868 nationwide plots sampled in 1985. Fifteen of these species showed a significant response to temperature sum that was consistent in temperature‐only models and in all‐predictors models, which also included cumulative precipitation, soil texture, soil fertility, tree species and stand maturity as predictors. For species with significant and consistent responses to temperature, we forecasted potential shifts in abundance for the period 2041–2070 under the IPCC A1B emission scenario using temperature‐only models. We predict major potential changes in abundance and average northward distribution shifts of 6–8 km yr−1. Our results emphasize inter‐specific differences in the impact of global warming on the understory layer of boreal forests. Species in all functional groups from dwarf shrubs, herbs and grasses to bryophytes and lichens showed significant responses to temperature, while temperature did not limit the abundance of 10 species. We discuss the interest of modelling the ‘maximum potential abundance’ to deal with the uncertainty in the predictions of realized abundances associated to the effect of environmental factors not accounted for and to dispersal limitations of species, among others. We believe this concept has a promising and unexplored potential to forecast the impact of specific drivers of global change under future scenarios.202

Theories of Reference: What Was the Question?

The new theory of reference has won popularity. However, a number of noted philosophers have also attempted to reply to the critical arguments of Kripke and others, and aimed to vindicate the description theory of reference. Such responses are often based on ingenious novel kinds of descriptions, such as rigidified descriptions, causal descriptions, and metalinguistic descriptions. This prolonged debate raises the doubt whether different parties really have any shared understanding of what the central question of the philosophical theory of reference is: what is the main question to which descriptivism and the causal-historical theory have presented competing answers. One aim of the paper is to clarify this issue. The most influential objections to the new theory of reference are critically reviewed. Special attention is also paid to certain important later advances in the new theory of reference, due to Devitt and others

Calypso Service Architecture for Broadband Networks

The Calypso project aims at developing an extremely flexible control and service architecture for ATM-based broadband networks. This architecture provides various alternatives to distribute the network and service control functions among clients, servers and different network nodes. This means that a control or service function can reside not only in a network node, but in the customer's workstation or in the service provider's dedicated server. Instead of the traditional ATM or IN signalling, the Calypso architecture uses the TCP/IP protocol suite for the management and control of the network and services. The management, control and user data is transferred by means of IP switching. In addition to IP switching, the architecture will support endto -end native ATM streams with guaranteed Quality of Service. In this paper we compare the Calypso architecture with the traditional B-ISDN and IN architectures. We focus on describing the Java-based Service Execution Environment that provides..

The development and application of a new tool to assess the adequacy of the content and timing of antenatal care

Abstract Background: Current measures of antenatal care use are limited to initiation of care and number of visits. This study aimed to describe the development and application of a tool to assess the adequacy of the content and timing of antenatal care. Methods: The Content and Timing of care in Pregnancy (CTP) tool was developed based on clinical relevance for ongoing antenatal care and recommendations in national and international guidelines. The tool reflects minimal care recommended in every pregnancy, regardless of parity or risk status. CTP measures timing of initiation of care, content of care (number of blood pressure readings, blood tests and ultrasound scans) and whether the interventions were received at an appropriate time. Antenatal care trajectories for 333 pregnant women were then described using a standard tool (the APNCU index), that measures the quantity of care only, and the new CTP tool. Both tools categorise care into 4 categories, from ‘Inadequate’ (both tools) to ‘Adequate plus’ (APNCU) or ‘Appropriate’ (CTP). Participants recorded the timing and content of their antenatal care prospectively using diaries. Analysis included an examination of similarities and differences in categorisation of care episodes between the tools. Results: According to the CTP tool, the care trajectory of 10,2% of the women was classified as inadequate, 8,4% as intermediate, 36% as sufficient and 45,3% as appropriate. The assessment of quality of care differed significantly between the two tools. Seventeen care trajectories classified as ‘Adequate’ or ‘Adequate plus’ by the APNCU were deemed ‘Inadequate’ by the CTP. This suggests that, despite a high number of visits, these women did not receive the minimal recommended content and timing of care. Conclusions: The CTP tool provides a more detailed assessment of the adequacy of antenatal care than the current standard index. However, guidelines for the content of antenatal care vary, and the tool does not at the moment grade over-use of interventions as ‘Inappropriate’. Further work needs to be done to refine the content items prior to larger scale testing of the impact of the new measure

Prediction of fatal or near-fatal cardiac arrhythmia events in patients with depressed left ventricular function after an acute myocardial infarction†

To determine whether risk stratification tests can predict serious arrhythmic events after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in patients with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF <= 0.40). A total of 5869 consecutive patients were screened in 10 European centres, and 312 patients (age 65 +/- 11 years) with a mean LVEF of 31 +/- 6% were included in the study. Heart rate variability/turbulence, ambient arrhythmias, signal-averaged electrocardiogram (SAECG), T-wave alternans, and programmed electrical stimulation (PES) were performed 6 weeks after AMI. The primary endpoint was ECG-documented ventricular fibrillation or symptomatic sustained ventricular tachycardia (VT). To document these arrhythmic events, the patients received an implantable ECG loop-recorder. There were 25 primary endpoints (8.0%) during the follow-up of 2 years. The strongest predictors of primary endpoint were measures of heart rate variability, e.g. hazard ratio (HR) for reduced very-low frequency component ( <5.7 ln ms(2)) adjusted for clinical variables was 7.0 (95% CI: 2.4-20.3, P <0.001). Induction of sustained monomorphic VT during PES (adjusted HR = 4.8, 95% CI, 1.7-13.4, P = 0.003) also predicted the primary endpoint. Fatal or near-fatal arrhythmias can be predicted by many risk stratification methods, especially by heart rate variability, in patients with reduced LVEF after AM

Mikrobilääkeresistenssi ja -jäämät nautatilalla - vaikutukset ympäristöön ja terveyteen (NAMI)

Tässä Ruokaviraston (ennen Elintarviketurvallisuusvirasto Evira), Luken ja SYKEn yhteisprojektissa tutkittiin mikrobilääkejäämien ja resistenttien suolistobakteerien kulkeutumista lääkityistä lypsylehmistä navettaympäristön kautta lantavarastoihin. Lisäksi arvioitiin niiden leviämistä lannan peltolevitysten välityksellä luonnon eliöihin sekä elintarviketuotantoketjussa. Projektissa tutkittiin myös anaerobisen mesofiilisen mädätyksen vaikutuksia lannassa oleviin mikrobilääkejäämiin ja resistentteihin suolistobakteereihin sekä toisaalta lannan mikrobilääkejäämien vaikutusta mädädysprosessin toimintaan. Lisäksi arvioitiin erilaisten lannan prosessointitapojen elinkaarisia ympäristövaikutuksia sekä vaikutuksia mikrobilääkejäämiin ja -resistenssiin. Resistentit ja moniresistentit suolistobakteerit kulkeutuivat lypsykarjatilalla lantavarastoihin, mutta ne eivät rikastuneet lantaketjussa. Lypsykarjan lietelannasta mitattiin hyvin pieniä pitoisuuksia mikrobilääkkeitä. Lääkittyjen eläinten sonnasta ja virtsasta taas mitattiin hoidon aikana hyvin korkeita pitoisuuksia mikrobilääkejäämiä, jolloin niistä muodostuvissa (kuivissa) lannoissa voi olla korkeita paikallisia pitoisuuksia mikrobilääkkeitä. Suomessa myös mikrobilääkkeillä lääkittyjen eläinten lannat levitetään pääosin käsittelemättöminä kasvinravinteiksi pelloille, jolloin lannan mukana voi levitä mikrobilääkejäämiä ja resistenttejä suolistobakteereita. Luonnon eliöt voivat altistua lannassa oleville mikrobilääkkeille ja resistenteille suolistobakteereille myös Suomen olosuhteissa. Lääkittyjen eläinten lantojen lannoitekäyttöä käsittelemättömänä tulisi arvioida kriittisesti. Mesofiilinen anaerobinen mädätys voi vähentää mikrobilääkejäämiä lannasta, mutta ei välttämättä hajota niitä. Se vähentää elävien suolistobakteerien määrää lannassa, mutta merkittävää vaikutusta resistenttien E. coli -bakteerien osuuteen ei havaittu. Erilaiset lannankäsittelytavat voivat kuitenkin soveltua – ravinteiden kierrätyksen ja energiantuoton lisäksi – mikrobilääkejäämien ja resistenssin torjumiseen, ja niitä tulisikin tässä tarkoituksessa tutkia tarkemmin Suomessa.I detta samprojekt mellan Livsmedelsverket (före detta Livsmedelssäkerhetsverket Evira), Luke och SYKE undersöktes spridningen av resthalter av antimikrobiella läkemedel och resistenta tarmbakterier från behandlade mjölkkor till gödsellager via ladugårdsmiljön. Därtill uppskattades spridningen till organismer i naturen via gödselspridning på åkrar samt i livsmedelskedjan. I projektet undersöktes även effekten av anaerob mesofil rötning på resthalter av antimikrobiella medel i gödsel och resistenta tarmbakterier samt även effekten av resthalter av antimikrobiella medel på rötningsprocessen. Dessutom analyserades livscykeln för miljöpåverkan av de olika gödselbearbetningsmetoderna samt effekterna på resthalter av antimikrobiella medel och resistens. Resistenta och multiresistenta tarmbakterier spreds på mjölkgården till gödsellagren, men anrikades inte i gödselkedjan. Mycket små halter av antimikrobiella medel uppmättes i mjölkkornas flytgödsel. Men mycket höga resthalter av antimikrobiella medel uppmättes i gödsel och urin medan djuren behandlades, och då kan det finnas höga lokala halter av antimikrobiella medel i deras (torr)gödsel. I Finland sprids gödsel även av antibiotikabehandlade djur till största delen obehandlad som växtnäring på åkrar, och då kan resthalter av antimikrobiella medel och resistenta tarmbakterier spridas med gödseln. Organismer i naturen kan utsättas för antimikrobiella medel i gödsel och resistenta tarmbakterier även i finländska förhållanden. Användningen av obehandlad gödsel från medicinerade djur borde utvärderas kritiskt. Mesofil anaerob rötning kan minska på mängden resthalter av antimikrobiella medel i gödseln, men bryter inte nödvändigtvis ned dem. Den minskar på mängden levande tarmbakterier i gödseln, men ingen betydande effekt på andelen resistenta E.coli-bakterier påvisades. Olika sätt att behandla gödsel kan ändå, utöver återvinning av näringsämnen och energiproduktion, lämpa sig för bekämpning av antimikrobiella resthalter och resistens, och de borde undersökas mera detaljerat i Finland i det syftet.This study was conducted by Finnish Food Authority (formerly Finnish Food Safety Authority Evira), Natural Resources Institute Finland Luke and Finnish Environment Institute SYKE in 2015–2018. The aims of the study were to examine how antimicrobial residues and antimicrobial-resistant E. coli bacteria spread via the manure chain from the dairy cows treated with antimicrobials to the farm environment and manure storages. Furthermore, the dissemination routes to the surrounding environment, ecosystems and back to the food chain in Finnish conditions were profiled. The effect of mesophilic anaerobic digestion process on the level of antimicrobial residues and antimicrobial-resistant E. coli was examined and, conversely, the effect of antimicrobial residues on the process as well. Finally, the life-cycle of different manure handling and processing methods, and their potential effects on nutrient recycling, energy production, antimicrobial residues and resistant bacteria were evaluated. Resistant and multi-resistant E. coli spread to the manure storages, although enrichment in their proportion over the manure chain was not detected. Only minor concentrations of antimicrobial residues were measured from the liquid manure. Instead, very high concentrations of antimicrobial residues were measured from the faeces, urine and milk of dairy cows medicated with antimicrobials, which may lead to high local concentrations in (dry) manures composed of them. In Finland, there is no withdrawal period for manure of medicated animals to be used as a fertilizer. Therefore, manures may contain antimicrobial residues, as well as resistant bacteria, which disseminate to the environment when applied to the fields. Animals and plants may be exposed to antimicrobial residues and resistant bacteria in agricultural and natural ecosystems in Finnish conditions as well. Therefore, fertilizer usage of faeces, urine and milk excreted by animals treated with antimicrobials should be subjected to critical assessment. Treating the manure with mesophilic anaerobic digestion may reduce the concentration of antimicrobial residues but does not necessarily destroy them. Furthermore, the process reduced the number of total E. coli bacteria, although it did not have an effect on the proportion of resistant E. coli. Along with energy production and nutrient recycling, different manure handling and processing methods may, however, be suitable for destroying and reducing antimicrobial residues and resistant bacteria from manure, and substantially reduce the emission of antimicrobial residues and resistant bacteria to the environment, as well as to the food chain. The aspect of tackling the spread of antimicrobial resistance is to be considered when manure processing methods are developed in Finland

Effect of the summer monsoon on aerosols at two measurement stations in Northern India – Part 2: Physical and optical properties

Aerosol physical and optical properties were measured at two locations in northern India. The first measurement station was a background site in Mukteshwar, about 350 km northeast of New Delhi, in the foothills of the Indian Himalayas, with data from 2006 to 2009. The second measurement site was located in Gual Pahari, about 25 km south of New Delhi, with data from 2008 to 2009. At both stations, the average aerosol concentrations during the monsoon were decreased by 40–75 % compared to the pre-monsoon average concentrations. The decrease varied with the total local rainfall. In Mukteshwar, the monsoon season removed particles from all size classes, due to a combination of rain scavenging and activation to cloud and mountain fog droplets. The scavenging by rain is least effective for the size range of the accumulation mode particles. In Gual Pahari, this was the only major wet removal mechanism and, as a result, the accumulation mode particles were less effectively removed. Aerosol concentrations during the early monsoon were found to be affected by mineral dust which in Gual Pahari was observed as an increased particle volume at a diameter around 3–4 μm. The single scattering albedo varied from 0.73 to 0.93 during the monsoon season, being slightly lower in Gual Pahari than in Mukteshwar. This is due to the fact that Gual Pahari resided closer to high anthropogenic black carbon emissions. As the absorbing particles are typically in the accumulation mode, they were not effectively removed by rain scavenging. The aerosol columnar properties, which were measured in Gual Pahari, showed a somewhat different seasonal behaviour compared to the surface measurements, with the aerosol optical depth increasing to an annual maximum in the early monsoon season