The hottest planet

Of the over 200 known extrasolar planets, just 14 pass in front of and behind their parent stars as seen from Earth. This fortuitous geometry allows direct determination of many planetary properties. Previous reports of planetary thermal emission give fluxes that are roughly consistent with predictions based on thermal equilibrium with the planets' received radiation, assuming a Bond albedo of approximately 0.3. Here we report direct detection of thermal emission from the smallest known transiting planet, HD 149026b, that indicates a brightness temperature (an expression of flux) of 2,300 +/- 200 K at 8 microm. The planet's predicted temperature for uniform, spherical, blackbody emission and zero albedo (unprecedented for planets) is 1,741 K. As models with non-zero albedo are cooler, this essentially eliminates uniform blackbody models, and may also require an albedo lower than any measured for a planet, very strong 8 microm emission, strong temporal variability, or a heat source other than stellar radiation. On the other hand, an instantaneous re-emission blackbody model, in which each patch of surface area instantly re-emits all received light, matches the data. This planet is known to be enriched in heavy elements, which may give rise to novel atmospheric properties yet to be investigated.     

Structure and mechanism of copper, zinc superoxide dismutase

Copper, zinc superoxide dismutase (SOD) catalyses the very rapid two-step dismutation of the toxic superoxide radical (O-2) to molecular oxygen and hydrogen peroxide through the alternate reduction and oxidation of the active-site copper. We report here that after refitting and further refinement of the previous 2 A structure of SOD2, analysis of the new model and its calculated molecular surface shows an extensive surface topography of sequence-conserved residues stabilized by underlying tight packing and H-bonding. There is a single, highly complementary position for O-2 to bind to both the Cu(II) and activity-important Arg 141 with correct geometry; two water molecules form a ghost of the superoxide in this position. The geometry and molecular surface of the active site, together with biochemical data, suggest a specific model for the enzyme mechanism.     

A technique for improving salivary chromosome preparations

Zusammenfassung Es wird eine verbesserte Methode zur Herstellung von Quetschpräparaten von Speicheldrüsenchromosomen beschrieben. Die Methode gibt scharfe Bilder der feinsten Chromosomenbänder auf klarem Hintergrund.

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Research supported by U.S. Public Health Service Research Grants No. GM-11609 and GM-19616 from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences.     

The effect of pyridoxine and pyridoxal on the circulatory response of rats to microwave irradiation

Résumé L'administration intraveineuse de pyridoxine et pyridoxal (10 mg/kg) à des rats anesthésiés inhibe l'augmentation du rendement du cocur. En même temps, une hyperthermie est provoquée par l'irradiation du corps entier avec des ondes de longueur minime (2,450 Mc. c.w. 0.08/w/cm²). Cet effet peut être attribué à l'interaction de ces composés d'amines vasoactifs libérés pendant l'irradiation.     

Disposition of intra-articularly injected hydrocortisone acetate,hydrocortisone free alcohol and cortisone acetate in arthritis

Riassunto In pazienti affetti da artrite reumatoide viene iniettato cortisone acetato, idrocortisone acetato, o idrocortisone, nel cavo sinoviale artritico.La durata del riassorbimento di questi 17-idrossicorticoidi; la loro distribuzione nelle cellule e nel fluido articolare e nelle cellule del rivestimento sinoviale; le andamento del processo idrolitico dei composti acetati, studiati con mezzi chimici e cromatografici, si prestano a commenti utili ad interpretare la maggiore efficacia locale dell'idrocortisone.

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Supported by a grant from the Helen Augusta Parkhill Foundation.—Communication at the 8^th International Congress of Rheumatic Diseases, Geneva, August 1953.