Committee on science and the arts

In contradiction to results previously reported, it has been found that DNA prepared by a method which utilizes strong NaOH is acted on by the specific nuclease, although at a rate only 20 per cent. of that of DNA prepared by a milder method. The nature of the changes responsible for the low rate of hydrolysis of the alkali-treated DNA are not known.     

Some effects of variable excitation on synchronous motor oscillation

In this paper are presented the results of a study of synchronous motor oscillations resulting from sudden application of mechanical load. By means of the Differential Analyzer at the Moore School of Electrical Engineering of the University of Pennsylvania, theoretical synchronous machine equations were solved for conditions of suddenly applied load, and the effect on the resulting oscillations of variations in field excitation was determined for the most practical cases. The analyzer results were checked by a number of experimental observations, and it was found that the magnitude and duration of the oscillations could be greatly decreased by using the proper type of excitation variation.     

Electron diffusion,electron attachment,and the aging of negative ions in commercial nitrogen at atmospheric pressure

A criticism by Loeb and Bradbury of my interpretation of the experimental results of that part of a previous paper which dealt with the aging of negative ions in commercial nitrogen is shown to be invalidated by a mistake in their analysis and by assumptions which do not represent facts with sufficient accuracy. A more extended analysis of the previous work and new evidence which is given confirm the correctness of the former contention that the negative ions in question changed in size with age. The lateral spread, owing to diffusion, of a stream of electrons in this nitrogen at atmospheric pressure, when moving in an electric field of about 100 volts/cm., was found to be very nearly the same as that for positive ions under like conditions. The average energy losses of the electrons at collision with the molecules must therefore have nearly balanced the gains from the electric field and hence were greater than would result from purely elastic collisions. The experimental results indicate that in fields down to at least 20 volts/cm. nearly all of the attachment of electrons to molecules in the gas used occurred close to the place of their liberation.