Behavior of a dust grain in the double layer of an electric probe in a gas-discharge plasma

Equations for the motion of an individual dust grain in the double layer of a negatively charged cylindrical probe in a glow discharge plasma are derived and solved numerically. The distribution of the electric potential near the probe is determined, and the grain charge is calculated as a function of the distance from the probe for different probe potentials. The trajectories of grains with different initial energies are traced. An analysis of the grain trajectories shows that, at a certain distance from the probe, high-energy grains may be recharged; i.e., the grain charge may change sign. The grains are found to have no direct effect on the probe current in a dusty plasma of a glow discharge.     

Two centuries of growth among Czech children and youth

The trend of increasing height can be interpreted as a reflection of the unfolding progress of civilization. Height changes among children and adolescents are good markers of this trend. We analyze the secular trend in the heights of children and adolescents in the Czech Republic on the basis of data from anthropological surveys. The earliest height data pertain to Czech youths who attended the Military Schools in Austria in 1800-1809. Data also exist for 1895 and continue in 1951 and at 10-year intervals thereafter. Growth curves were obtained for separate age groups by fitting mean values via third-order polynomial smoothing splines. Between 1951 and 2001, the mean heights of boys and girls aged 2.5 years increased by 2.7 and 3 cm, respectively. Since 1895, the mean height of 13-year-old boys has increased by 19.4 cm, and the mean height of girls has increased by 18.3 cm.     

EEG spatial organization during intense hyperventilation (cyclic breathing): II. EEG correlates of psychovisceral phenomena

EEG correlates of two main effects of long-term hyperventilation (cyclic breathing similar to rebirthing), namely, psychotic manifestations and sensations in internal organs, are considered. Standard EEGs of 44 subjects were recorded and subsequently treated by multiparametric methods. It was shown that, in the case of psychotic phenomena (hallucinations, visual and auditory images, different scenes, virtual travels, out-of-body experiences, etc.), the changes in the spatial organization of bioelectric potentials as compared with the baseline have different patterns than in the case of sensations in internal organs. The changes are observed in the frontal regions of the cortex: a decrease in spatial synchronization (linear processes) during an increase in spatial disarray (nonlinear processes) of bioelectric potentials and the intensifying of high-frequency β activity. If sensations in internal organs appear, a decrease in the above parameters was observed in the right hemisphere and in posterior cortical areas. The data are discussed from the viewpoint of qualitative specificity of changes in functional states during an altered state of consciousness with manifestations of different psychovisceral phenomena.     

Rare earth thiocyanate complexes with tripiperidinophosphine oxide: synthesis and characterization. Crystal structure of Pr(SCN)3(tpppO)3

The synthesis and characterization of rare-earth (La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu and Y) thiocyanate adducts with tripiperidinophosphine oxide (tpppO) with general formula (RE)(SCN)₃(tpppO)₃ are reported. Conductance measurements in acetonitrile indicate the non-electrolytic nature of the complexes. Infrared absorption spectra evidence that the SCN⁻ ion coordinates through the nitrogen atom (isothiocyanate form) and that tpppO coordinates through the phosphoryl oxygen. X-ray powder patterns suggest the existence of three different crystal forms: (1) La; (2) an isomorphous series including Ce, Nd and Pr; and (3) another isomorphous series, including Sm, Gd, Eu, Ho, Er, Tb, Lu and Y. The visible spectra of the Nd adduct and the calculated parameters β = 0.98, b^1/2 = 0.072 and δ = 1.06 indicate that the metal-ligand bonds are essentially electrostactic. The emission spectra of the Eu compound showed ⁵D₀ → ⁷F_J bands (J = 0, 1, 2), suggesting a C_3v symmetry for the coordination polyhedron. The lifetime of the ⁵D₀ state is 1.28 ms. The emission spectra of the Tb complex presented ⁵D₄ → ⁷F_J bands (J = 4, 5, 6) and the Dy complex showed the ⁴F_9/2 → ⁶H_13/2 band. The structure of the Pr complex showed that the coordination polyhedron is a trigonal antiprism, with the isothiocyanate anions in one base and three tpppO ligands in the other. Thermal analyses (TG-DTG) were carried out for the Ce, Nd and Gd adducts. Mass losses start between 250 and 334 °C. The final residues at 1300 °C are the corresponding phosphates.     

The Hemagglutinin of Bat-Associated Influenza Viruses Is Activated by TMPRSS2 for pH-Dependent Entry into Bat but Not Human Cells

New World bats have recently been discovered to harbor influenza A virus (FLUAV)-related viruses, termed bat-associated influenza A-like viruses (batFLUAV). The internal proteins of batFLUAV are functional in mammalian cells. In contrast, no biological functionality could be demonstrated for the surface proteins, hemagglutinin (HA)-like (HAL) and neuraminidase (NA)-like (NAL), and these proteins need to be replaced by their human counterparts to allow spread of batFLUAV in human cells. Here, we employed rhabdoviral vectors to study the role of HAL and NAL in viral entry. Vectors pseudotyped with batFLUAV-HAL and -NAL were able to enter bat cells but not cells from other mammalian species. Host cell entry was mediated by HAL and was dependent on prior proteolytic activation of HAL and endosomal low pH. In contrast, sialic acids were dispensable for HAL-driven entry. Finally, the type II transmembrane serine protease TMPRSS2 was able to activate HAL for cell entry indicating that batFLUAV can utilize human proteases for HAL activation. Collectively, these results identify viral and cellular factors governing host cell entry driven by batFLUAV surface proteins. They suggest that the absence of a functional receptor precludes entry of batFLUAV into human cells while other prerequisites for entry, HAL activation and protonation, are met in target cells of human origin.     

Dry Heat Inactivation of Bacillus subtilis var. niger Spores as a Function of Relative Humidity

Dry heat sterilization of Bacillus subtilis var. niger spores at 105 C is enhanced in the relative humidity range 0.03 to 0.2%. D-values of 115 and 125 C are predicted by a kinetic model with parameters set from 105 C data. These predictions are compared to observations.     

Testing for Validity and Reliability in Cross-Cultural Research

A set of procedures is offered for assessing interraler reliability and certain aspects of validity of codes in cross-cultural studies. The method assumes that at least two independent raters have coded more than one trait. Each trait coded by one rater is correlated with each trait coded by a second, and all the codings by a single rater are intercorrelated with each other. The results are presented in a multitrait-multi-rater matrix. From this matrix it is possible to determine the interrater reliability and discriminant validity of trails in addition to a higher order concept based on pairs of traits.