Solar Plasma Experiment

A preliminary summary of the data received from the Mariner II solar plasma experiment for the period 29 August through 31 October 1962 is presented. During this period there was always a measurable flow of plasma from the direction of the sun. The velocity of this ion motion was generally in the range 400 to 700 km/sec. Time variations, plasma density, and ion temperatures are also discussed.

Ulysses Solar Wind Plasma Observations at High Southerly Latitudes

Solar wind plasma observations made by the Ulysses spacecraft through -80.2 degrees solar latitude and continuing equatorward to -40.1 degrees are summarized. Recurrent high-speed streams and corotating interaction regions dominated at middle latitudes. The speed of the solar wind was typically 700 to 800 kilometers per second poleward of -35 degrees . Corotating reverse shocks persisted farther south than did forward shocks because of the tilt of the heliomagnetic streamer belt. Sporadic coronal mass ejections were seen as far south as -60.5 degrees . Proton temperature was higher and the electron strahl was broader at higher latitudes. The high-latitude wind contained compressional, pressure-balanced, and Alfvénic structures.

Jupiter's Magnetosphere: Plasma Description from the Ulysses Flyby

Plasma observations at Jupiter show that the outer regions of the Jovian magnetosphere are remarkably similar to those of Earth. Bow-shock precursor electrons and ions were detected in the upstream solar wind, as at Earth. Plasma changes across the bow shock and properties of the magnetosheath electrons were much like those at Earth, indicating that similar processes are operating. A boundary layer populated by a varying mixture of solar wind and magnetospheric plasmas was found inside the magnetopause, again as at Earth. In the middle magnetosphere, large electron density excursions were detected with a 10-hour periodicity as planetary rotation carried the tilted plasma sheet past Ulysses. Deep in the magnetosphere, Ulysses crossed a region, tentatively described as magnetically connected to the Jovian polar cap on one end and to the interplanetary magnetic field on the other. In the inner magnetosphere and lo torus, where corotation plays a dominant role, measurements could not be made because of extreme background rates from penetrating radiation belt particles.

Gene of X-chromosomal congenital stationary night blindness is closely linked to DXS7 on Xp

Congenital stationary night blindness is characterized disturbed or absent night vision that is always present at or shortly after birth and nonprogressive. The X-linked form of the disease (CSNBX; McKusick catalog no. 31050) differs from the autosomal types in that the former is frequently associated with myopia. X-chromosome-specific polymorphic DNA markers were used to carry out linkage analysis in three European families segregating for CSNBX. Close linkage without recombination was found between the disease locus and the anonymous locus DXS7, mapped to Xp11.3, assigning the mutation to the proximal short arm of the X chromosome. Linkage data obtained with markers flanking DXS7 provided further support for this localization of the gene locus. Thus, in addition to retinitis pigmentosa and Norrie disease, CSNBX represents the third well-known hereditary eye disease the locus of which is mapped on the proximal Xp and closely linked to DXS7.

Susceptibility of Staphylococcus aureus and group A, B, C, and G streptococci to free fatty acids

The susceptibility of 242 strains of Staphylococcus aureus and 117 strains of streptococci of groups A, B, C, and G to decanoic, dodecanoic, octadeca-9,12-dienoic, and octadeca-9,12,15-trienoic acids was estimated by determination of minimal inhibitory concentrations. S. aureus strains appeared to be generally less susceptible to all four fatty acids than streptococcal strains of all groups. Dodecanoic acid was the most inhibitory fatty acid against both staphylococci and streptococci. Both saturated fatty acids used were more active than the unsaturated acids. Among the unsaturated acids, octadeca-9,12,15-trienoic acid appeared to be more inhibitory for Staphylococcus and Streptococcus strains than octadeca-9,12-dienoic acid. No differences in susceptibility to fatty acids among staphylococcal and streptococcal strains isolated from skin, throat, or other sites were found.

Two different genes for X-linked retinitis pigmentosa

Linkage analysis was carried out in three large multigenerational kindreds with X-linked retinitis pigmentosa using DNA markers on Xp. About 10% recombination has been found between the retinitis pigmentosa locus (RP2) and the marker locus DXS7, assigned to band Xp11.3, which was reported earlier to be closely linked to RP2 in several independent families. In the kindreds described in this paper, however, RP2 shows close linkage and no recombination with the marker loci OTC and DXS148, both assigned to Xp21, indicating that, contrary to previous linkage studies, there is evidence of an RP locus distal to DXS7. This suggests that X-linked retinitis pigmentosa is genetically heterogeneous, i.e., caused by mutations at different loci.