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278 I brocade ► Bronte
(1861) of the brain’s speech centre (convolution of Broca) was the first anatomical proof of localization of brain function.
brocade Woven fabric having a raised floral or figured design that is introduced during the weaving pro¬ cess. The design, appearing only on the fabric face, is usually made in a satin or twill weave (see weaving).
The background may be twill, satin, or plain weave. The rich, fairly heavy fabric is frequently used for evening dresses, draperies, and upholstery.
broccoli Plant (Brassica oleracea,
Botrytis group) closely related to cabbage in the mustard family. A fast¬ growing, upright, branched, annual plant, it bears dense green clusters of edible flower buds. Native to the eastern Mediterranean and Asia Minor, it was introduced to the U.S. probably in colonial times. Broccoli thrives in moderate to cool climates.
Its flavour resembles that of cabbage but is somewhat milder. It is one of the most broadly nutritious of all common vegetables.
Broch \'brok\, Hermann (b. Nov.
1, 1886, Vienna—d. May 30, 1951,
New Haven, Conn., U.S.) German writer. A student of physics, math¬ ematics, and philosophy, Broch pub¬ lished his first major work, The Sleepwalkers (1931-32), when he was in his 40s. A trilogy tracing the disintegration of European society between 1888 and 1918, it exempli¬ fies his innovative multidimensional novels in its use of many different narrative forms to present a wide range of experiences. His other novels include The Death of Virgil (1945), which presents the last 18 hours of Virgil’s life, and The Spell (1953), a portrayal of a Hitlerian stranger’s domination of a village. He also wrote essays, letters, and reviews.
Brocken Highest point in the Harz Mountains, central Germany. Its granite peak reaches 3,747 ft (1,142 m). When the sun is low, shadows from the peak become magnified, casting gigantic silhouettes on the upper surfaces of low-lying clouds or fog below the mountain. This effect, known as the Brocken bow or Brocken spectre, has mystical significance in the mountain’s folklore. Traditional rites enacted there on Walpurgis Night became connected with the legend of Faust.
Brodsky, Joseph orig. losip Aleksandrovich Brodsky (b. May
24, 1940, Leningrad, Russia, U.S.S.R.—d. Jan. 28, 1996, New York, N.Y., U.S.) Russian-born U.S. poet. In the Soviet Union his independent spirit and irregular work record led to a five-year sentence to hard labour. Exiled in 1972, he settled in New York. He was poet laureate of the U.S. from 1991 to 1992. His lyric and elegiac poems ponder the universal concerns of life, death, and the meaning of existence. Brodsky’s poetry collections include A Part of Speech (1980), History of the Twentieth Century (1986), and To Urania (1988). He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1987.
Broglie \'broi\ family French noble family, descended from a Pied¬ montese family of the 17 th century, that produced many high-ranking sol¬ diers, politicians, and diplomats. Prominent members included Frangois- Marie, 1st duke de Broglie (1671-1745), general and marshal of France; Victor-Frangois, 2nd duke de Broglie (1718-1814), a soldier and marshal of France; Victor, 3rd duke de Broglie (1785-1870), a prime minister who campaigned against reactionary forces; and Albert, 4th duke de Broglie (1821-1901), who served as premier in the early years of the French Third Republic. The family also included the physicist Louis-Victor, 7th duke de Broglie.
Broglie \'broi\, Louis-Victor (-Pierre-Raymond), duke de (b.
Aug. 15, 1892, Dieppe, France—d. March 19, 1987, Paris) French physi¬ cist. A descendant of the de Broglie family of diplomats and politicians, he was inspired to study atomic physics by the work of Max Planck and Albert Einstein. In his doctoral thesis he described his theory of electron waves,
then extended the wave-particle duality theory of light to matter. He is noted both for his discovery of the wave nature of electrons and for his research on quantum theory. Einstein built on de Broglie’s idea of “matter-waves”; based on this work, Erwin Schrodinger constructed the system of wave mechanics. De Broglie remained at the Sorbonne after 1924 and taught theoretical physics at the Henri Poincare Institute (1928-62). He was awarded a Nobel Prize for Physics in 1929 and UNESCO’s Kalinga Prize in 1952.
bromegrass Any of about 100 annual and perennial species of weeds and forage grasses that make up the genus Bromus, in the family Poaceae (Gramineae). Found in temperate and cool climates, bromegrasses have flat, thin leaves and open, spreading, erect or drooping flower clusters. More than 40 species are found in the U.S.; about half are native grasses. Rescue grass ( B. catharticus), a forage and pasture grass, and smooth brome ( B. inermis ), a forage plant and soil binder, are the economically important species. Downy brome or cheatgrass (B. tectorum), ripgut grass (B. diandrus ), and foxtail brome ( B . rubens) are dangerous to grazing ani¬ mals; their spines can puncture the animals’ eyes, mouths, and intestines, leading to infection and possible death.
bromeliad \br6-'me-le-,ad\ Any of the flowering plants of the order Bromeliales, containing a single family, Bromeliaceae, with almost 2,600 species. All but 1 species are native to the tropical New World and the West Indies. Bromeliad flowers have three parts, like lilies, but with con¬ trasting sepals and petals. Many bromeliads are short-stemmed epiphytes. Many species bear flowers in a long spike, with coloured bracts below or along the spike. Most have fleshy fruit, but some produce dry pods. Span¬ ish moss and the edible fruit of the pineapple are the major economic prod¬ ucts of the family. The leaves of some species contain fibres that are made into rope, fabric, and netting. The largest known bromeliad is the giant Puya raimondii of Peru and Bolivia, which may grow to more than 30 ft (9 m). Some species are cultivated indoors as ornamentals for their colour¬ ful flowers and foliage.
bromine Vbro- 1 men\ Nonmetallic chemical element, chemical symbol Br, atomic number 35. One of the halogens, it is a deep red, fuming liq¬ uid at ordinary temperatures (freezing point 19 °F [-7.2 °C]; boiling point 138 °F [59 °C]) that contains diatomic molecules (Br 2 ), and it does not occur free in nature. It is obtained from seawater and brines or salt beds. Extremely irritating and toxic, bromine is a strong oxidizing agent (see oxidation-reduction). Its compounds, in which it may have valence 1, 3, 5, or 7, have many uses, including as petroleum additives (ethylene dibro¬ mide), in photographic emulsions (silver bromide), as sedatives, and in flour (potassium bromate).
bronchiectasis V.braq-ke-'ek-to-sosV Abnormal expansion of bronchi in the lungs. It usually results when preexisting lung disease causes bron¬ chial inflammation and obstruction. Bronchial wall fibres degenerate, and bronchi become dilated or paralyzed, preventing removal of secretions, which stagnate. Infection spreads and intensifies. Evidence of the disease includes presence of infective agents, excess mucous secretions, and, in children, fatigue and growth retardation. Complications include recurrent pneumonia, lung abscesses, spitting up blood, and, in chronic cases, toe and finger clubbing. Treatment involves frequent, long-term drainage or (if the disease is on one side only) surgical removal of affected lung seg¬ ments and antibiotics.
bronchitis \braq-'kI-tos\ Inflammation in the bronchi of the lungs. Microbes and foreign matter that have entered the airways cause inflam¬ mation of the bronchi and stimulate excess secretion of mucus. Symp¬ toms include a productive cough and a sensation of chest congestion. Long-term repetitive injury, as from smoking, may lead to chronic bron¬ chitis, in which severe, irreversible damage leaves the lungs open to infec¬ tion and fibrosis. Smoking-related chronic bronchitis often occurs in association with emphysema (together called chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). Treatment includes drugs to dilate the bronchi and promote coughing, antibiotics, and lifestyle adaptations (e.g., quitting smoking).