linguistics: Harris’s grammar: …kernel of the grammar) and nonkernel sentences. The difference between these two subsets lies in nonkernel sentences being derived from kernel sentences by means of transformational rules. For example, “The workers rejected the ultimatum” is a kernel sentence that may be transformed into the nonkernel sentences “The ultimatum was rejected…

Sir James Lighthill: …1956 with his introduction of nonlinear acoustics, which is concerned with the travel of sound through a medium that is not static but is changing through processes such as convection.

mathematics: Linear algebra: …have been tackled successfully, while nonlinear equations continue to be difficult. Indeed, in many linear problems there can be found a finite family of solutions with the property that any solution is a sum of them (suitably multiplied by arbitrary constants). Obtaining such a family, called a basis, and putting…

Nicolaas Bloembergen: …him in turn to formulate nonlinear optics, a new theoretical approach to the analysis of how electromagnetic radiation interacts with matter. Bloembergen’s research in nonlinear optics helped procure him a share of the Nobel Prize.

optimization: Nonlinear programming: Although the linear programming model works fine for many situations, some problems cannot be modeled accurately without including nonlinear components. One example would be the isoperimetric problem: determine the shape of the closed plane curve having a given length and enclosing the…

telecommunication: Quantization: This technique is known as nonlinear quantization. Nonlinear quantization can also be accomplished by passing the signal through a compressor circuit, which amplifies the signal’s weak components and attenuates its strong components. The compressed signal, now occupying a narrower dynamic range, can be quantized with a uniform, or linear, spacing…

creation myth: Nature and significance: …expression in archaic or “primitive” societies, often related to ritual presentation, is modelled on the structure of the cosmogonic myth. The masks, dances, and gestures are, in one way or another, aspects of the structure of the cosmogonic myth. This meaning may also extend to the tools that people…

nonliterate society, a people or culture without a written language. The term nonliterate is distinguished from “illiterate,” which indicates a member of a literate society who has not learned to read or write. Although the term is not entirely satisfactory because it distinguishes by the sole

philosophy of physics: Nonlocality: In a famous paper published in 1935, Einstein, Boris Podolsky (1896–1966), and Nathan Rosen (1909–95) argued that, if the predictions of quantum mechanics about the outcomes of experiments are correct, then the quantum mechanical description of the world is necessarily incomplete.

dark matter, a component of the universe whose presence is discerned from its gravitational attraction rather than its luminosity. Dark matter makes up 30.1 percent of the matter-energy composition of the universe; the rest is dark energy (69.4 percent) and “ordinary” visible matter (0.5 percent).

bioethics: The four-principles approach: The third principle, nonmaleficence, requires that they should do no harm. Finally, the fourth principle, justice, holds that they should act fairly when the interests of different individuals or groups are in competition—e.g., by promoting the fair allocation of health care resources.

skin cancer: Nonmelanomas are cancers of surface tissues (carcinomas). There are two forms of nonmelanoma, both of which can usually be cured with minor surgery. Squamous cell carcinomas develop from a layer of flat cells close to the skin’s surface and account for about one-fourth of nonmelanoma…

shadow docket, the body of decisions, usually in the form of orders issued by a single justice of the United States Supreme Court (acting in his or her capacity as a circuit justice for a particular United States Court of Appeals) or by the Supreme Court as a whole, that are independent of the

nonmetal, in physics, a substance having a finite activation energy (band gap) for electron conduction. This means that nonmetals display low (insulators) to moderate (semiconductors) bulk electrical conductivities, which increase with increasing temperature, and are subject to dielectric breakdown

mineral: Lustre: …types of lustre, metallic and nonmetallic, are distinguished easily by the human eye after some practice, but the difference between them cannot be quantified and is rather difficult to describe. Metallic refers to the lustre of an untarnished metallic surface such as gold, silver, copper, or steel. These materials are…

applied logic: Nonmonotonic reasoning: It is possible to treat ampliative reasoning as a process of deductive inference rather than as a process of question and answer. However, such deductive approaches must differ from ordinary deductive reasoning in one important respect. Ordinary deductive reasoning is “monotonic” in the…

intuitionism, In metaethics, a form of cognitivism that holds that moral statements can be known to be true or false immediately through a kind of rational intuition. In the 17th and 18th centuries, intuitionism was defended by Ralph Cudworth, Henry More (1614–87), Samuel Clarke (1675–1729), and

Siebengebirge: …feet); Lohrberg (1,427 feet); and Nonnenstromberg (1,101 feet). Quarries yield basalt for paving and for building (e.g., the Cologne and Limburg an der Lahn cathedrals). On the lower slopes behind Königswinter (King’s Vineyards) are some of the northernmost vineyards in Europe.

cystinosis: By comparison, nonnephropathic cystinosis is much less severe, being characterized mainly by the accumulation of cystine crystals in the cornea, which can result in photophobia (abnormal visual sensitivity to bright light). Intermediate cystinosis is similar to the nephropathic form but has a later onset, typically in adolescence,…

Nen River, river in northeastern China. The Nen River is the principal tributary of the Sungari (Songhua) River, which is itself a tributary of the Amur River. The Nen rises in the area where the Da Hinggan and Xiao Hinggan ranges come together in northern Heilongjiang province and the Inner

nunlet, any of certain puffbird species. See

Nonnus was the most notable Greek epic poet of the Roman period. His chief work is the Dionysiaca, a hexameter poem in 48 books; its main subject, submerged in a chaos of by-episodes, is the expedition of the god Dionysus to India. Nonnus’ fertile inventiveness and felicitous descriptive fantasy,

sweetener: …the 19th century to produce nonnutritive sweeteners that are not subject to metabolism and contain little or no caloric value. Nonnutritive sweeteners, which may be either artificial (synthetic) or derived from plants, include such compounds as saccharin, aspartame, cyclamates, and thaumatin. The popular nonnutritive sweetener stevia contains a number of

Luigi Nono was a leading Italian composer of electronic, aleatory, and serial music. Nono began his musical studies in 1941 at the Venice Conservatory. He then studied law at the University of Padua, receiving a doctorate there, while at the same time studying with the prominent avant-garde

abstract art, painting, sculpture, or graphic art in which the portrayal of things from the visible world plays little or no part. All art consists largely of elements that can be called abstract—elements of form, colour, line, tone, and texture. Prior to the 20th century these abstract elements

Ninsei was a Japanese potter active in Kyōto during the Edo period between the Meireki (1655–57) and the Genroku (1688–1703) eras. He learned the art of ceramics by working at the Awata-guchi kiln in Kyōto and the Seto kiln in Mino. His patron, the prince of the Ninna Temple at Omuro Katamachi,

statistics: Nonparametric methods: The statistical methods discussed above generally focus on the parameters of populations or probability distributions and are referred to as parametric methods. Nonparametric methods are statistical methods that require fewer assumptions about a population or probability distribution and are applicable in a wider…

Nonpartisan League, in U.S. history, alliance of farmers to secure state control of marketing facilities by endorsing a pledged supporter from either major party. It was founded in North Dakota by a Socialist, Arthur C. Townley, in 1915, at the height of the Progressive movement in the Northwest.

migration: In Europe: Among nonpasserines—i.e., nonperching birds—one of the best-known migrants is the stork (Ciconia ciconia), which migrates to tropical Africa along two well-defined flyways. The stork population nesting west of a line that follows the Weser River in Germany flies southwestward through France and Spain, past the Strait…

heredity: Epistatic genes: …a condition referred to as nonpenetrance. The individual in whom such a nonpenetrant mutant gene exists will be phenotypically normal but still capable of passing the deleterious gene on to offspring, who may exhibit the full-blown disease.

covalent bond, in chemistry, the interatomic linkage that results from the sharing of an electron pair between two atoms. The binding arises from the electrostatic attraction of their nuclei for the same electrons. A covalent bond forms when the bonded atoms have a lower total energy than that of

liquid: Nonpolar molecules: A nonpolar molecule is one whose charge distribution is spherically symmetric when averaged over time; since the charges oscillate, a temporary dipole moment exists at any given instant in a so-called nonpolar molecule. These temporary dipole moments fluctuate rapidly in magnitude and direction,…

Maximus The Greek: This was between the Nonpossessors (or Transvolgans), who believed that monasteries should not own property and who had liberal political views, and the Possessors (or Josephites), who held opposite opinions on monastic property and strongly supported the monarchy, including its autocratic aspects. The Nonpossessors came to be led by…

patent troll, pejorative term for a company, found most often in the American information technology industry, that uses a portfolio of patents not to produce products but solely to collect licensing fees or settlements on patent infringement from other companies. The term patent troll arose in the

climate: Cloud formation: These droplets constitute a nonprecipitating cloud.

arithmetic: Fundamental theory: …1, then c is called composite. A positive integer neither 1 nor composite is called a prime number. Thus, 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17, 19, … are prime numbers. The ancient Greek mathematician Euclid proved in his Elements (c. 300 bc) that there are infinitely many prime numbers.

sampling: …alternative to probability sampling is judgment sampling, in which selection is based on the judgment of the researcher and there is an unknown probability of inclusion in the sample for any given case. Probability methods are usually preferred because they avoid selection bias and make it possible to estimate sampling…

computer programming language: Declarative languages: Declarative languages, also called nonprocedural or very high level, are programming languages in which (ideally) a program specifies what is to be done rather than how to do it. In such languages there is less difference between the specification of a program and…

patent troll, pejorative term for a company, found most often in the American information technology industry, that uses a portfolio of patents not to produce products but solely to collect licensing fees or settlements on patent infringement from other companies. The term patent troll arose in the

nonprofit organization, an organization, typically dedicated to pursuing mission-oriented goals through the collective actions of citizens, that is not formed and organized so as to generate a profit. In the United States a nonprofit organization is legally delineated from firms in the for-profit

acid–base reaction: Alternative definitions: …the experimental fact that these nonprotonic acids often exhibit the properties regarded as typical of acids, such as neutralization of bases, action on indicators, and catalysis. Such substances often are electron acceptors, but this is not always the case; carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrogen pentoxide (N2O5), for example, contain completed…

heredity: Nonrandom mating: Many species engage in alternatives to random mating as normal parts of their cycle of sexual reproduction. An important exception is sexual selection, in which an individual chooses a mate on the basis of some aspect of the mate’s phenotype. The selection can…

industrial glass: From the gaseous state: In one process, known as nonreactive vapour-phase glassmaking, elements such as silicon, germanium, and selenium or their alloys are vacuum-evaporated or sputtered and then condensed onto a cool substrate. In another process, known as reactive vapour-phase glassmaking, the desired glass is formed by a chemical reaction. Chemical vapour deposition, or…

coronal mass ejection: Properties: Nonrecurrent storms occur sporadically throughout the solar rotation but are primarily driven by CMEs. Corotating interaction regions are most commonly observed during the declining phase of the solar cycle (the few years after solar maximum) into solar minimum, whereas CMEs are seen most often during…

formal logic: Classification of dyadic relations: …ϕ is said to be nonreflexive (example: “admires”).

turbine: Reheat and nonreheat turbines: If high-pressure, high-temperature steam is partially expanded through a turbine, the efficiency can be increased by returning the steam to the steam generator and reheating it to approximately its original temperature before feeding it back to the turbine. Single reheat turbines are common…

market failure: Public goods: …reject using the good (nonrejectability). When a good has these attributes, no single individuals will pay for the good unless they gain so much utility from it that they can pay for the entire cost of producing it. This is because individuals can enjoy the good without paying for…

dark matter: …dark matter is relatively “cold,” or “nonrelativisitic,” meaning that the backbones of galaxies and clusters of galaxies are made of heavy, slow-moving particles. The absence of light from these particles also indicates that they are electromagnetically neutral. These properties give rise to the particles’ common name, weakly interacting massive…

abstract art, painting, sculpture, or graphic art in which the portrayal of things from the visible world plays little or no part. All art consists largely of elements that can be called abstract—elements of form, colour, line, tone, and texture. Prior to the 20th century these abstract elements

refrigeration: …a compressor; a condenser; an expansion device, which can be a valve, a capillary tube, an engine, or a turbine; and an evaporator. The gas coolant is first compressed, usually by a piston, and then pushed through a tube into the condenser. In the condenser, the winding tube containing the…

boomerang: The nonreturning boomerang is longer, straighter, and heavier than the returning variety. With it animals were maimed and killed, while in warfare it caused serious injuries and death. One type has a picklike hook at one end. Boomerang-shaped, nonreturning weapons were used by the ancient Egyptians,…

textile: Multiple plain weave: Nonreversible cloth with two or more sets of warp and sometimes of weft can also be produced. These cloths have an intricately patterned face, and all warps and wefts that do not appear on the face are carried along and bound into the web on…

blimp, nonrigid or semirigid airship dependent on internal gas pressure to maintain its form. The origin of the name blimp is uncertain, but the most common explanation is that it derives from “British Class B airship” plus “limp”—i.e., nonrigid. Blimps were used by navies during World War I in

market failure: Public goods: …another from using it (nonrivalry). The final attribute is that no person can reject using the good (nonrejectability). When a good has these attributes, no single individuals will pay for the good unless they gain so much utility from it that they can pay for the entire cost of…

meat processing: Fat: …animals with simple stomachs, called nonruminants (e.g., pigs), diet can significantly alter the fatty acid composition of meat. If nonruminants are fed diets high in unsaturated fats, the fat they deposit in their muscles will have elevated levels of unsaturated fatty acids. In animals with multichambered stomachs, called ruminants (e.g.,…

history of Latin America: Types of Western Hemisphere societies: …established is that of the nonsedentary peoples, who had little or no agriculture and moved annually in small bands over a large territory, hunting and gathering. They were located primarily in areas that under the then-existing technologies were not propitious for agriculture, especially plains and dense tropical forests.

suprasegmental, in phonetics, a speech feature such as stress, tone, or word juncture that accompanies or is added over consonants and vowels; these features are not limited to single sounds but often extend over syllables, words, or phrases. In Spanish the stress accent is often used to

testicular cancer: Types of testicular cancer: …broadly classified as seminomas or nonseminomas on the basis of their appearance and other characteristics. About 40 to 60 percent of testicular germ cell tumours are seminomas. These cancers tend to be slow-growing and respond well to treatment. Seminomas are derived from immature germ cells in the tissues of the…

heredity: Mechanisms of mutation: …base substitution, called a “nonsense” mutation, results in a stop codon in a position where there was not one before, which causes the premature termination of protein synthesis and, more than likely, a complete loss of function in the finished protein.

Stephen Leacock: …of Literary Lapses (1910) and Nonsense Novels (1911). Leacock’s humour is typically based on a comic perception of social foibles and the incongruity between appearance and reality in human conduct, and his work is characterized by the invention of lively comic situations. Most renowned are his Sunshine Sketches of a…

nonsense verse, humorous or whimsical verse that differs from other comic verse in its resistance to any rational or allegorical interpretation. Though it often makes use of coined, meaningless words, it is unlike the ritualistic gibberish of children’s counting-out rhymes in that it makes these

algae: Reproduction and life histories: …female gametes (sex cells), by asexual reproduction, or by both ways.

brown adipose tissue: …heat through a process called nonshivering thermogenesis.

cement: Expanding and nonshrinking cements: Expanding and nonshrinking cements expand slightly on hydration, thus offsetting the small contraction that occurs when fresh concrete dries for the first time. Expanding cements were first produced in France about 1945. The American type is a mixture of portland cement and an…

invertible matrix, a square matrix such that the product of the matrix and its inverse generates the identity matrix. That is, a matrix M, a general n × n matrix, is invertible if, and only if, M ∙ M−1 = In, where M−1 is the inverse of M and In is the n × n identity matrix. Often, an invertible

connective tissue disease: Necrotizing vasculitides: Takayasu arteritis, with variants called pulseless disease, branchial arteritis, and giant-cell arteritis of the aorta, involves principally the thoracic aorta (chest portion) and the adjacent segments of its large branches. Symptoms, including diminished or absent pulses in the arms, are related to narrowing and obstruction of these vessels. Takayasu arteritis…

placebo effect, psychological or psychophysiological improvement attributed to therapy with an inert substance or a simulated (sham) procedure. There is no clear explanation for why some persons experience measurable improvement when given an inert substance for treatment. Research has indicated

immune system: Nonspecific, innate immunity: Most microorganisms encountered in daily life are repelled before they cause detectable signs and symptoms of disease. These potential pathogens, which include viruses, bacteria, fungi, protozoans, and worms, are quite diverse, and therefore a nonspecific defense system that

immune system: Nonspecific, innate immunity: Most microorganisms encountered in daily life are repelled before they cause detectable signs and symptoms of disease. These potential pathogens, which include viruses, bacteria, fungi, protozoans, and worms, are quite diverse, and therefore a nonspecific defense system that

dog: Non-Sporting dogs: The Non-Sporting group is a catchall category for those breeds that do not strictly fit into any other group. (Arguments could be made for assigning some of these breeds to other groups. The Dalmatian, for instance, could be a Working dog, as it…

metalogic: Elementary logic: …what is known as “nonstandard analysis” that yields an unambiguous interpretation of the classical concept of infinitesimals—the division into units as small as one pleases. They have also been applied by two mathematicians, James Ax and Simon B. Kochen, to problems in the field of algebra (on p-adic fields).

Canada: Indigenous peoples: …of European ancestry are called nonstatus Indians. (Beginning in 1985, Canadian law has allowed those who lost their status through intermarriage to reclaim it, and marriage no longer triggers an automatic loss of status.) Through treaties with the Canadian government, more than 600 status Indian bands occupy more than 2,250…

NSAID, drug that reduces inflammation and is effective against pain (see analgesic) and fever. Most NSAIDs are available without prescription and are usually used for short periods for mild pain. NSAIDs work by inhibiting the synthesis of molecules known as prostaglandins, which are important

polytetrafluoroethylene: DuPont released its trademarked Teflon-coated nonstick cookware in 1960.

nonstoichiometric compound, any solid chemical compound in which the numbers of atoms of the elements present cannot be expressed as a ratio of small whole numbers; sometimes called berthollide compounds in distinction from daltonides (in which the atomic ratios are those of small integers),

marketing: Nonstore retailers: Some retailers do not operate stores, and these nonstore businesses have grown much faster than store retailers. The major types of nonstore retailing are direct selling, direct marketing, and automatic vending.

motion-picture technology: Film: In what is called the nonsubstantive subsequent process, the dye couplers are introduced in a second development. Each colour layer is treated separately. Uniform red light is applied (from the bottom up) to expose the undeveloped silver halide in the red layer. It has no effect on the other layers…

Spanish Armada: Background to the invasion: The Treaty of Nonsuch (1585) by which England undertook to support the Dutch rebels against Spanish rule, along with damaging raids by Sir Francis Drake against Spanish commerce in the Caribbean in 1585–86, finally convinced Philip that a direct invasion of England was necessary. He decided…

therapeutics: Radiation and other nonsurgical therapies: Ionizing radiation is the transmission of energy by electromagnetic waves (e.g., X-rays) or by particles such as electrons, neutrons, or protons. Interaction with

formal logic: Classification of dyadic relations: …asymmetrical is said to be nonsymmetrical. Thus, ϕ is nonsymmetrical if (∃x)(∃y)(ϕxy · ϕyx) · (∃x)(∃y)(ϕxy · ∼ϕyx) (example: “loves”).

metabolomics: Targeted and nontargeted approaches: Targeted metabolomics are focused, such that the analyst queries defined panels of similar biochemicals. Targeted assays can be highly sensitive and specific and reproducibly quantitative, especially when heavy isotopes are used to label substances and instrumental methods are narrowly focused.

philosophy of mind: The need for nontendentious evidence: One might be tempted to dismiss at least a blanket eliminativist view that denies the reality of any mental phenomenon by asking how any such theory could explain one’s own present conscious thoughts and experiences. But here it is crucial to keep in…

Nonthaburi, city, south-central Thailand, just north of Bangkok. The city, a northern, fast-growing suburb of Bangkok, lies on the east (left) bank of the Chao Phraya River and is linked to the metropolis by riverboats and major roads. Nonthaburi has a lively market near the river and is the site

documentary film, motion picture that shapes and interprets factual material for purposes of education or entertainment. Documentaries have been made in one form or another in nearly every country and have contributed significantly to the development of realism in films. John Grierson, a Scottish

synchrotron radiation, electromagnetic energy emitted by charged particles (e.g., electrons and ions) that are moving at speeds close to that of light when their paths are altered, as by a magnetic field. It is so called because particles moving at such speeds in a variety of particle accelerator

chemical weapon: Banning chemical weapons: …cover fourth-generation chemical weapons, so-called nontraditional agents (NTAs), such as some of the binary nerve agents known as “novichoks.” There is evidence that Russia inherited NTAs from the former Soviet arsenals. In March 2018 Sergei Skripal, a former Russian intelligence officer who had acted as a double agent for Britain,…

formal logic: Classification of dyadic relations: …intransitive is said to be nontransitive. Thus, ϕ is nontransitive if (∃x)(∃y)(∃z)(ϕxy · ϕyz · ϕxz) · (∃x)(∃y)(∃z)(ϕxy · ϕyz · ∼ϕxz) (example: “is a first cousin of”).

celiac disease, an inherited autoimmune digestive disorder in which affected individuals cannot tolerate gluten, a protein constituent of wheat, barley, malt, and rye flours. General symptoms of the disease include the passage of foul pale-coloured stools (steatorrhea), progressive malnutrition,

tuberculosis: Other mycobacterial infections: …nontuberculosis mycobacteria, atypical mycobacteria, and mycobacteria other than tuberculosis (MOTT). This group includes such Mycobacterium species as M. avium (or M. avium-intracellulare), M. kansasii, M. marinum, and M. ulcerans. These bacilli have long been known to infect animals and

multiple birth: Other multiple births: The first recorded set of nonuplets was born June 13, 1971, when an Australian woman gave birth to five boys and four girls (two boys were stillborn). The remaining seven infants died within a week.

primitive culture, in the lexicon of early anthropologists, any of numerous societies characterized by features that may include lack of a written language, relative isolation, small population, relatively simple social institutions and technology, and a generally slow rate of sociocultural change.

primitive culture, in the lexicon of early anthropologists, any of numerous societies characterized by features that may include lack of a written language, relative isolation, small population, relatively simple social institutions and technology, and a generally slow rate of sociocultural change.

syphilis: …of infections, collectively known as treponematosis or nonvenereal syphilis, is not spread by sexual contact and is localized in warm parts of the world where crowded conditions and poor health care favour its development.

nonverbal communication, transfer of information from one person to another without the use of words or spoken language. Nonverbal communication can occur in a variety of ways, including through facial expressions, gestures, and body posture or position. Studies on nonverbal communication became

major industrial polymers: Heterochain polymers: A wide variety of heterochain polymers—that is, polymers in which the backbone contains elements such as oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, or silicon in addition to carbon—are in commercial use. Many of these compounds are complex in structure. In this section the major heterochain polymer…

Mahatma Gandhi: …esteemed for his doctrine of nonviolent protest (satyagraha) to achieve political and social progress.

computer memory: Semiconductor memory: Nonvolatile semiconductor memories, unlike SRAM and DRAM, do not lose their contents when power is turned off. Some nonvolatile memories, such as read-only memory (ROM), are not rewritable once manufactured or written. Each memory cell of a ROM chip has either a transistor for a…

oil, any greasy substance that is liquid at room temperature and insoluble in water. There are many types, such as essential oil; orris oil; mineral oil (see petroleum); whale oil; pine oil; linseed oil; perilla oil; fish oil; tall oil; citronella oil. There is also cooking oil, such as olive,

fringe benefit, any nonwage payment or benefit (e.g., pension plans, profit-sharing programs, vacation pay, and company-paid life, health, and unemployment insurance programs) granted to employees by employers. It may be required by law, granted unilaterally by employers, or obtained through

nutritional yeast, inactive dried yeast used as a condiment and food product. It is most often made from the Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast strain, and it is commonly sold packaged as flakes or powder. The golden yellow flakes are often used in vegan and dairy-free cooking. Nutritional yeast was