Intensity correlation function of a laser beam near threshold

The form and the decay time of the intensity correlation function of the light from a single-mode He:Ne laser have been measured in the neighborhood of threshold. The experiments were performed at several predetermined values of the pump parametera, ranging froma = -1toa = 4. By combination of the experimental results with the theoretically predicted eigenvalues appearing in the expansion of the correlation function, it was possible also to determine the amplitudes of the first two terms in the expansion over the same range. The experimental results are found to be substantially in agreement with the nonlinear oscillator theory of the laser, without adjustment of any arbitrary scaling parameters.     

Human thyroid adenyl cyclase-stimulating activity in immunoglobulin G of patients with Graves' disease

We have studied the characteristics of the stimulation of adenyl cyclase (AC) activity in human thyroid plasma membranes by thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and by immunoglobulin G (IgG) from the sera of patients with Graves' disease. AC activity was measured as adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) generated by membranes in a 10 minute incubation. IgG from two patients with Graves' disease possessed particularly potent human thyroid AC-stimulating activity; the dose-response curves with these IgGs were essentially parallel to those obtained with TSH. As little as 30 mug of the IgG of one patient with Graves' disease or 8 muU of TSH caused significant AC stimulation. A Lineweaver-Burk plot of the data suggested similarity in the site of action of both TSH and human thyroid adenyl cyclase stimulator (HTACS) in Graves' IgG. Submaximal doses of HTACS and TSH had additive effects on AC stimulation, but a large dose of a Graves' IgG with potent AC stimulating activity did not enhance AC stimulation by a maximal dose of TSH. The effect of HTACS on AC was slower in onset and longer in duration than an equipotent dose of TSH. HTACS was detectable in IgGs of 9 of 15 untreated hyperthyroid Graves' disease patients; its concentration, however, did not correlate significantly with tests of thyroid function, nor with long-acting thyroid stimulator (LATS) activity. In another 11 treated patients with Graves' disease, selected for the presence of LATS, HTACS and LATS were significantly correlated. We observed no inhibition of LATS activity in a Graves' IgG chosen for such testing because of its high titer of HTACS and no detectable LATS. However, an inhibitor of HTACS was detected in 2 of 4 IgGs; one of these two IgGs also inhibited AC stimulation by TSH. Conclusions: 1) Some Graves' disease IgGs contain a human thyroid AC stimulator (HTACS), probably different from LATS. 2) HTACS may act via a common pathway with TSH; it differs from TSH, however, in having a slower onset and a greater effect during more prolonged incubation with plasma membranes. 3) There is also an inhibitor of HTACS activity in some Graves' disease IgGs.     

Electronic properties of Pb1−xHgxSSi heterojunctions

Two types of heterojunctions have been prepared by electroless deposition of Pb_1?xHg_xS (x = 0–0.33) films with α′ and β′ structures on n-type silicon single crystal substrates. Functional behaviour of the forward characteristics is explained on the basis of band to band tunnelling coupled with the recombination processes. The energy band diagram is given for both types of Pb_1?xHg_xS/Si heterojunctions in agreement with the experimental results.     

Inhibition and reversal by beta-retinoic acid of hyperplasia induced in cultured mouse prostate tissue by 3-methylcholanthrene or N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine

The effect of beta-retinoic acid (RA) on carcinogen-induced hyperplasia was studied in organ cultures of mouse prostate gland. 3-Methylcholanthrene (MCA), requiring metabolic activation, or N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG), not requiring activation, were used to induce hyperplastic changes. Treatment of cultures with MCA or MNNG stimulated cell proliferation and caused the alveolar epithelium to become hyperplastic. The development of this hyperplasia was inhibited when RA was added simultaneously with MCA or MNNG. However, RA had no significant effect on cell proliferation in untreated control cultures. Elimination of carcinogen from the hyperplastic cultures after 8 days of treatment did not reverse hyperplasia of the alveolar epithelium. When the withdrawal of MCA or MNNG was followed by treatment of the cultures with RA, hyperplasia was markedly reversed within 96 hours. Thus RA actively inhibited and reversed the effect of MCA and MNNG, two carcinogens that may have different mechanisms of action.     

Nework topology for maximizing the terminal reliability in a Computer Communication Network

In the design of a Computer Communication Network (CCN), the reliability between any pair of nodes and the maximum permissible installation cost are of great importance. These characteristics are largely dependant upon the topological layout of the links, their costs and reliabilities. Having the knowledge of the topological layout of the various computer centres (nodes) and maximum permissible cost of installing the various links at their pre-assigned positions; in this paper an algorithm for obtaining an optimal network topology which gives the maximum s?t reliability is presented. The developed method is general and is computerized. The proposed method has an additional advantage that the system is not to be redesigned, if at a later stage the permissible cost is enhanced by budgetary provisions. An example illustrates the algorithm.     

Risk factors associated with chronic hepatitis C virus infection: limited frequency of an unidentified source of transmission

Acute hypoxaemia is a life-threatening emergency. Diagnosis of the exact aetiology maybe complicated by the presence of pre-existing lung conditions. A case report is presented of a non-intubated patient with a pre-existing lung tumour who developed sudden profound hypoxaemia 3 days after emergency abdominal surgery. Definitive aetiological diagnosis was delayed due to chest X-ray features suggestive of compression and erosion of tumour tissue into the airway. Emergency computerised tomography (CT) imaging however revealed mucous plugging leading to massive atelectasis as the main aetiology.     

Photoinduced changes in optical properties of obliquely deposited As2S3, As2Se3 and As-Se-Ge films

Photoinduced changes in the absorption edge and refractive index of 0° and 80° angle-of-incidence deposited As₂S₃, As₂Se₃ and As-Se-Ge films have been investigated in the vicinity of the absorption edge. No appreciable effect of oblique deposition has been observed in As₂X₃ (X = S, Se). There are large irreversible changes, however, on exposure of As-Se-Ge films deposited at 80° incidence. The enhancement of photo-effects on addition of Ge in obliquely deposited films is primarily due to the large photoinduced volume changes.