in the posterior part of the pituitary gland. However, it proved very diffi cult to prepare. It is a "sticky" pro tein; most of it adheres to glassware and is lost in purification. Work with dynorphin thus was stalled until recently, when Caltech biologists Michael Hunkapiller and Leroy Hood, using 2 micrograms of material, were able to sequence the first 13 residues of dynorphin. "A tour de force," Goldstein calls their achievement. The first five of those residues turn out to be identical to leucine en kephalin, much as the first five resi dues of β -endorphin are identical to methionine enkephalin. "There's been something of a worldwide race to find large peptides containing leucine enkephalin," Goldstein says. On the other hand, dynorphin is some 700 times more potent than leucine enkephalin, he says. More over, Goldstein's group synthesized a peptide containing just the 13 known residues and found that the fragment is very nearly as potent as the whole molecule. The test measured the re sponse of a guinea pig intestinal muscle to electrical stimulation. A few nanograms of the dynorphin frag ment stopped the twitching. During the next year, the scientists at Addiction Research Foundation will be studying dynorphin in a number of ways, says Goldstein. First, they are already working on a radio immunoassay for dynorphin, so that it can be localized in the brain, glands, and spinal cord. Second, they hope to learn to stabilize dynorphin against breakdown. Third, they will try to learn the secret of dynorphin's po tency, chopping off one residue at a time to localize the active regions. Finally, they will survey mental dis orders to see if any are associated with a dynorphin imbalance. D
Twenty scientists win 1979 science medals Winners of the National Medal of Science for 1979 have been an nounced by the White House. Among the 20 recipients are two chemists, although the work of four other win ners was in chemistry. President Carter plans to present bronze medals to the winners at a time and place yet to be decided. The two chemists to receive the medal are Herman F. Mark, Poly technic Institute of Brooklyn, for work in polymer chemistry; and John M. Sinfelt, Exxon Corporate Re search Laboratories, Linden, N.J., for work on innovative catalytic sys tems.
National Medal of Science winners inclt
» chemists Herman Mark and John Sinfelt
The other recipients and the work gaining them recognition are: Eliza beth Brosby, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, for her research into comparative human neuroanatomy; Robert H. Burris, University of Wis consin, Madison, for his work on the biochemistry of nitrogen fixation; Joseph L. Doobs, University of Illi nois, Urbana, for his work on proba bility and mathematical statistics; Richard P. Feynman, California In stitute of Technology, for his expla nation of the behavior of subnuclear particles; Donald E. Knuth, Stanford University, for his design of efficient algorithms; Arthur Romberg, Stan ford University, for his research into the reproduction of DNA; Emmett Leith, University of Michigan, for his pioneering work in holography; Ray mond D. Mindlin, Columbia Univer sity, for his work in mechanical engi neering and theoretical mathematics and his research into piezoelectric oscillators; Robert N. Noyce, chair man of Intel Corp., Santa Clara, Calif., for his work on semiconduc tors; Severo Ochoa, Roche Institute of Molecular Biology, Nutley, N.J., for his research on the individual cell's citric acid cycle; Earl R. Parker, University of California, Berkeley, for advancing the understanding of how materials react under stress and pressure; Edward M. Purcell, Har vard University, for his research into atomic structure and interstellar magnetic fields; Simon Ramo, vice chairman of the board of TRW Inc., for his development of microwave electronics; Lyman Spitzer Jr., Princeton University, for his theory of star formation and for his research into using fusion energy; Earl R. Stadtman, chief of the biochemistry laboratory of the National Heart, Lung & Blood Institute, for explain-
ing the metabolism of anaerobic bacteria; George L. Stebbins Jr., University of California, Davis, for his theory of plant evolution; Paul A. Weiss, Rockefeller University, for his contributions to understanding the nervous system; and Victor F. Weisskopf, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, for his work in particle physics and on nuclear reactions. Although in theory the medal can be awarded every year, in practice it hasn't worked out that way. The last time the award was given was in 1976. A list of possible recipients for the 1979 awards was forwarded to Presi dent Carter by a special selection committee last spring. Since then the committee has solicited nominations for the 1980 medals, and sent a new list of nominees to the President. D
Battelle sets up publishing business Battelle Columbus Laboratories, Columbus, Ohio, has gone into the publishing business. When asked why, a spokesman for the independent research and devel opment organization answers, "Why not?" He notes that Battelle scien tists have been turning out several books a year for a good many years, using many different publishers. Battelle hopes that the do-it-itself approach will "provide additional recognition for our people" and add prestige to the organization. Battelle says its publications will encompass research findings and applications of value to engineers, scientists, managers, and academi cians. The first three volumes to ap pear under the new Battelle Press imprint are actually reprints of books Jan. 7, 1980C&EN
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