THE MEASUREMENT OF GALVANOTROPIC EXCITATION

The expression of galvanotropic excitation in energy units is obtained by the measurement of the current densities required to balance phototropic excitation (or reciprocally). With the triclad Leptoplana preliminary measurements show that the current is proportional to the logarithm of the light intensity.     

RESPONSES AND CORRELATED RESPONSES TO ARTIFICIAL SELECTION ON THORAX LENGTH IN DROSOPHILA MELANOGASTER

Two sets of four replicate lines of Drosophila melanogaster were selected for large and small thorax with controls. F, progeny of crosses between the selected lines within each size category showed (a) a reduction in preadult viability in large lines relative to control and small lines when they were cultured at medium or high density in competition with a standard mutant marked competitor stock, and (b) an increase in larval development time in large lines relative to control and small lines. Natural selection for increased body size in adults may therefore be opposed by adverse effects on larval viability. The results are discussed in terms of the developmental mechanisms probably responsible for the change in body size. The preadult survival of the large and control lines was measured at three different temperatures, and there was no evidence for a significant interaction between size and temperature. The observed evolutionary increase in body size in response to reduced temperature in Drosophila must therefore involve either different genes from those subject to selection for size at a single temperature, or a fitness component other than preadult survival. There was no significant asymmetry in response to selection, and thorax length showed heterosis in crosses between the selected lines.     

REPETITIVE ACTION POTENTIALS IN NITELLA INTERNODES

Typical spontaneous action potentials can be elicited in 10–100mM NaCl or LiCl solution. The period of repetition is 0.5–2seconds and the action potential generally consists of a rapidspike alone. Similar spontaneous action potentials are alsodemonstrated by adding either 1 mM EDTA (pH 6.6) or 2 mM ATP(pH 6.6) to the artificial pond water. In these cases, however,the period of repetition is much longer and the action potentialis of a normal shape, a rapid spike being followed by a slowtransient depolarization. The period of repetition and the sizeof the action potential decrease with the elevation of the vacuolarpotential level. The cause of the spontaneous firing is supposedto be the removal of Ca⁺⁺ from the outer surface of the Nitellamembrane. (Received May 18, 1966; )     

有关猫听觉脑干电反应（ABR）两耳干涉作用的研究

用不同声强稳态白噪声和短声同时分别刺激两耳,观察白噪声负荷侧耳蜗破坏前后另一侧ＡＢＲ的改变,探讨两耳干涉作用及其可能的机制。结果显示,对侧耳蜗破坏前,４０ｄＢ和７５ｄＢ白噪声对０ｄＢ、４５ｄＢ、７０ｄＢ和７５ｄＢＳＰＬ的短声诱发的ＡＢＲ各波振幅均有明显影响（Ｐ＜０．０５０．０１）。耳蜗破坏后,同样条件下记录的ＡＢＲ振幅基本无明显变化（Ｐ＞０．０５）。提示白噪声对短声有一定的干涉作用。短声为７０ｄＢＳＰＬ时ＡＢＲＰ１波振幅的减小可能与中枢离中控制相关。     

THE ACTION OF COPPER IN ANTIFOULING PAINTS

Experiments on the number of barnacle cyprids found on plane surfaces and on the surface of small pits coated with compositions containing different amounts of cuprous oxide show that the presence of copper does not deter the cyprids from attempting to settle. Copper-oxide paints do not inhibit settlement appreciably; their efficiency as antifouling agents is caused by the toxic action of copper on cyprids and young spat after initial attachment.
The cementing of the shell to the substratum in young barnacles which have survived metamorphosis appears to be hindered by the presence of copper paints so that they are easily dislodged.