DNA sequences from the quagga, an extinct member of the horse family

To determine whether DNA survives and can be recovered from the remains of extinct creatures, we have examined dried muscle from a museum specimen of the quagga, a zebra-like species (Equus quagga) that became extinct in 1883 (ref. 1). We report that DNA was extracted from this tissue in amounts approaching 1% of that expected from fresh muscle, and that the DNA was of relatively low molecular weight. Among the many clones obtained from the quagga DNA, two containing pieces of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) were sequenced. These sequences, comprising 229 nucleotide pairs, differ by 12 base substitutions from the corresponding sequences of mtDNA from a mountain zebra, an extant member of the genus Equus. The number, nature and locations of the substitutions imply that there has been little or no postmortem modification of the quagga DNA sequences, and that the two species had a common ancestor 3-4 Myr ago, consistent with fossil evidence concerning the age of the genus Equus.     

两种工业用Al_2O_3吸附剂的结构和性质的研究

对用于净化对苯二甲酸生产中循环氮气的氧化铝吸附剂G(德国制)和W(国产),进行了结构和性质的研究。根据经不同温度熔烧的样品的X光衍射图,确定G的主要物相为η-Al_2O_3,混有少量薄水铝石;W的主要物相为薄水铝石,混有少量拟薄水铝石。这一结论又通过再水合后样品的X光衍射图得到肯定。这两种氧化铝吸附剂在孔结构,表面性质和吸附性能上都显示出明显的差别。故在应用时不宜轻易互换替代。     

Running activity and gastric ulcers in the rat

Zusammenfassung Nachweis von Magenulzerationen und Magenerosionen bei Albinoratten nach bestimmter Fütterung und nachherigem Laufkäfig-Aufenthalt. Problem der Stressulzeration und die Rolle der Diät werden erörtert.

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The authors appreciate the excellent technical assistance of Messrs.J. Krebs andJ. Tomlinson     

On the renal inner medullary concentration of sodium

The principles of 'central volume' is applied to the sodium and water contents of the inner medullar of the mammalian kidney. The analysis raises questions about the possibility of concentrating sodium ions in the inner medulla by a mechanism that postulates, in the same tissue segment, water withdrawal from the descending thin limb of the loop of Henle and sodium entry from the ascending thin limb.