Isolation and partial sequence of recombinant plasmids containing human alpha-, beta- and gamma-globin cDNA fragments.

Human globin cDNA-derived recombinants with plasmid pCR1 have been prepared for use as specific hybridisation probes and for the partial sequencing of alpha-, beta- and gamma-globin genes.     

Beneficial action of naloxone in splanchnic artery occlusion shock

Summary The effects of naloxone on mean arterial blood pressure, myocardial depressant factor (MDF) activity and survival, after splanchnic artery occlusion were studied in cats. Naloxone significantly improved survival in splanchnic artery occlusion shock and prevented the accumulation of MDF in the plasma.Supported in part by a research grant from the W. W. Smith Foundation.Acknowledgments. We gratefully acknowledge the expert technical assistance of Maureen Messenger.     

A map of the day-night contrast of the extrasolar planet HD 189733b

'Hot Jupiter' extrasolar planets are expected to be tidally locked because they are close (<0.05 astronomical units, where 1 au is the average Sun-Earth distance) to their parent stars, resulting in permanent daysides and nightsides. By observing systems where the planet and star periodically eclipse each other, several groups have been able to estimate the temperatures of the daysides of these planets. A key question is whether the atmosphere is able to transport the energy incident upon the dayside to the nightside, which will determine the temperature at different points on the planet's surface. Here we report observations of HD 189733, the closest of these eclipsing planetary systems, over half an orbital period, from which we can construct a 'map' of the distribution of temperatures. We detected the increase in brightness as the dayside of the planet rotated into view. We estimate a minimum brightness temperature of 973 +/- 33 K and a maximum brightness temperature of 1,212 +/- 11 K at a wavelength of 8 mum, indicating that energy from the irradiated dayside is efficiently redistributed throughout the atmosphere, in contrast to a recent claim for another hot Jupiter. Our data indicate that the peak hemisphere-integrated brightness occurs 16 +/- 6 degrees before opposition, corresponding to a hotspot shifted east of the substellar point. The secondary eclipse (when the planet moves behind the star) occurs 120 +/- 24 s later than predicted, which may indicate a slightly eccentric orbit.     

Disturbance of lekking Lesser Prairie-Chickens ( Tympanuchus pallidicinctus ) by Ring-necked Pheasants ( Phasianus colchicus )

Lesser Prairie-Chicken ( Tympanuchus pallidicinctus ) populations have experienced dramatic rangewide declines (up to 92%) since settlement of the Great Plains. This decline has been attributed to changes in land-use practices, such as conversion of native rangelands to intensive agriculture and increased grazing pressure. These changes may increase the impact of interspecific competition on populations. We documented disturbance of lekking Lesser Prairie-Chickens by Ring-necked Pheasants ( Phasianus colchicus ). Future management and research should take into account possible impacts to Lesser Prairie-Chickens during the breeding season.     

H-2 restriction of contact inhibition of epithelial cells.

Medawar has suggested that the major histocompatibility gene complex (MHC) might be involved in the contact inhibition of movement shown by fibroblasts and epithelia. Contact inhibition of movement is that reaction of cells which stops the movement of one cell over another and thus leads to monolayering and other features of morphology typical of cells in culture and in vivo. By confronting epithelial outgrowths we have compared contact inhibition between syngeneic cells with that between allogeneic cells. Contact inhibition was more marked between allogeneic combinations than syngeneic combinations, when the genetic mismatch lay in certain parts of the MHC complex.