Particle Formation during Water-Vapor Photolysis

Micrometer-sized particles have been produced by the photolysis of water vapor at wavelengths between 1500 and 1700 angstroms. Although the composition of the particles was not determined, the rate of particle production is consistent with the efficient conversion of water photolysis products to particulate matter. Such a process may be of importance in planetary atmospheres.     

Dealkylation and loss of capacity for reactivation of cholinesterase inhibited by sarin

Inhibition of rat brain acetylcholinesterase by (32)P-sarin in vivo results initially in (32)P-isopropylmethylphosphonylated enzyme. The percentage of inhibited enzyme that could not be reactivated by pyridinium aldoxime methochloride (aged enzyme) approximated the amount of radioactivity identified as (32)P-methylphosphonate. The (32)P-isopropyl methylphosphonate not released fromthe inhibited enzyme by the oxime accounted for 51 +/- 10 percent ( standard deviation) of the radioactivity fixed to brain tissue. It showed no correlation with aging and was probably bound to sites other than acetylcholinesterase.     

A theropod dinosaur embryo and the affinities of the flaming cliffs dinosaur eggs

An embryonic skeleton of a nonavian theropod dinosaur was found preserved in an egg from Upper Cretaceous rocks in the Gobi Desert of Mongolia. Cranial features identify the embryo as a member of Oviraptoridae. Two embryo-sized skulls of dromaeosaurids, similar to that of Velociraptor, were also recovered in the nest. The eggshell microstructure is similar to that of ratite birds and is of a type common in the Djadokhta Formation at the Flaming Cliffs (Bayn Dzak). Discovery of a nest of such eggs at the Flaming Cliffs in 1923, beneath the Oviraptor philoceratops holotype, suggests that this dinosaur may have been a brooding adult.     

Frequency discrimination following the selective destruction of cochlear inner and outer hair cells

Frequency discrimination was measured behaviorally before and after drug-induced lesions of cochlear hair cells in the cat. Discrimination was unaffected by complete loss of outer hair cells provided that at least 50% of inner hair cells were intact. Thus, inner hair cells are important for frequency discrimination, and they can function normally in this regard without the influence of outer hair cells.     

Reputational ratings of doctoral programs

Peer ratings of the quality of doctoral program faculties were obtained in a 1975 national survey of chemistry, history, and psychology programs. The ratings were then compared to those obtained 6 and 11 years earlier by the American Council on Education. In general, the rankings obtained from the ratings proved to be highly stable over the 11-year period, particularly in chemistry and history. Some ratings were also obtained for subspecialties within the three disciplines. Though it is clear that variations in quality among subspecialty faculties do exist and are important for individual program evaluations, it is unlikely that such subspecialty ratings would be feasible or useful in national surveys of the reputations of doctoral programs. The ratings were found to be highly related to a number of research-oriented variables of departments (such as size, productivity, percentage of alumni holding academic positions at Ph.D.-granting universities), but unrelated or very weakly related to such features as the student-reported quality of teaching and degree of faculty concern for students, or faculty-reported degree of departmental effort toward the career development of junior members of the faculty.