THE EFFECT OF PHOSPHATES ON RESPIRATION

Phosphate accelerates both aerobic and anaerobic respiration. The acceleration almost disappears when the plant dies (in phosphate solution) but subsequently becomes greater than in life.     

THE EFFECT OF SWELLING ON THE RESPIRATION OF ERYTHROCYTES

1. Oxygen consumption measurements made while a chicken erythrocyte swells show no increase over the control value. 2. There is no change in the rate of anaerobic glycolysis in beef erythrocytes when they swell. 3. The above statements are true whether the cells swell from a shrunken condition back to the normal volume, or swell from the normal to the hemolytic volume. 4. These data add a further test of the hypothesis that a relationship exists between the cell membrane and its respiratory activity.     

COMPARATIVE STUDIES ON RESPIRATION : IV. THE EFFECT OF ETHER ON THE RESPIRATION OF WHEAT.

These experiments show that 7.3 and 3.65 per cent ether solutions cause an increase in respiration followed by a decrease. The results agree with those of Haas on Laminaria, of Gustafson on higher fungi, and of Mrs. Brooks on bacteria. They do not agree with the theory of Verworn that anesthesia is a kind of asphyxia and that it decreases respiration.     

THE EFFECT OF CERTAIN RESPIRATORY INHIBITORS ON THE RESPIRATION OF CHLORELLA

Chlorella, when made heterotrophic by means of certain sugars, respires like other heterotrophic cells when subjected to the respiratory inhibitors, hydrocyanic acid, hydrogen sulfide, and carbon monoxide. Whether the case of Chlorella is typical for green cells in general remains to be seen. Experiments with various other green organisms are being carried out, in hope of settling this point.     

THE EFFECT OF HEMOLYTIC SUBSTANCES ON WHITE CELL RESPIRATION

Substances such as saponin, the bile salts, etc., which produce lysis of red cells also produce cytolysis of white cells from rabbit peritoneal exudates, the arbitrary criterion of their cytolytic effect being their ability to depress the O₂ consumption of the leucocytes. The amount of cytolysis increases regularly as the amount of the added lysin is increased, and sufficiently large quantities of saponin, sodium taurocholate, sodium glycocholate, or sodium oleate are capable of virtually abolishing the O₂ consumption altogether. At the same time, it can be shown that a lysin such as saponin is used up in combining with the white cells in much the same way as it is used up in combining with red cells, and the reduction in oxygen consumption appears to be roughly proportional to the amount so combined. The action of these lytic substances on white cells, in fact, is very similar to their action on red cells, due allowance being made for the fact that the cytolysis of the white cell is probably not an all-or-none process like hemolysis. White cell respiration is also depressed in hypotonic solutions, the respiration being virtually linear with the tonicity.     

EFFECT OF FLUORIDE ON THE RESPIRATION OF LEAVES FROM HIGHER PLANTS

The effect of fluoride on the respiration of leaves from Chenopodiummurale and soybean [Glycine max, Merr., Hawkeye variety) wasstudied. Fluoride treatment included both excised leaves culturedin nutrient solutions and leaves from plants fumigated withHP atmosphere. Tissues treated with low fluoride concentrationswhich initially showed increased oxygen uptake eventually showeddecreased oxygen consumption. Tissues treated with a high concentrationof fluoride showed an increased oxygen uptake if analyzed soonafter treatment initiation. Increase in respiration generallytook place before visible damage was manifested. Decrease inrespiration was correlated with pronounced injury of tissues.Besides concentration of fluoride and the time lapse of treatment,the pH of the culture solution in which fluoride was supplemented,tissue age, and plant species, were important factors affectingrespiration. The effect of 2, 4-dinitrophenol (DNP) on respirationwas very similar to that of fluoride in that the effect differedwith pH, concentrations, time of treatment, leaf age, and plantspecies. The respiration of fluoride treated leaves was stimulatedless by DNP than that of control leaves. (Received July 18, 1967; )     

COMPARATIVE STUDIES ON RESPIRATION : XI. THE EFFECT OF HYDROGEN ION CONCENTRATION ON THE RESPIRATION OF PENICILLIUM CHRYSOGENUM.

1. Variations in pH value between 4 and 8 produce practically no effect on the normal rate of respiration (the rate at neutrality is called normal). 2. Increasing the pH value to 8.80 causes respiration to fall to 60 per cent of the normal, after which it remains stationary for the duration of the experiment. 3. Decreasing the pH value to 2.65 causes a gradual rise and a gradual return to normal; at pH 1.10 to 1.95 the preliminary rise amounts to 20 per cent and is followed by a fall to below the normal. 4. The decrease in respiration brought about by solutions of a pH value of 1.95 or less are irreversible, while a similar decrease which occurs at pH 8.80 is reversible, the rate coming back to practically normal after the material is replaced in a neutral solution. 5. Determinations by means of Winkler''s method showed an increase in the consumption of oxygen in acid solutions and a decrease in alkaline solutions.     

COMPARATIVE STUDIES ON RESPIRATION : III. THE EFFECT OF ETHER ON THE RESPIRATION AND GROWTH OF BACILLUS SUBTILIS.

1. In all the concentrations of ether studied (from 0.037 to 7.3 per cent) there is an increase in the rate of respiration of Bacillus subtilis followed by a decrease. 2. In 7.3 per cent ether in tap water there is an extraordinary increase in the output of CO₂ (amounting to 50 times the normal). This does not occur when 0.85 per cent NaCl is added, which indicates antagonism between ether and NaCl. 3. Ether is toxic in low concentrations (0.037 to 1.1 per cent) and high concentrations (3.65 to 7.3 per cent) but in intermediate concentrations (1.1 to 3.65 per cent) stimulates growth.     

THE EFFECT OF REPEATED SPRAYING OF INSECTS ON THEIR RESISTANCE TO INSECTICIDES

The administration of carbon dioxide in sublethal concentrations or for sublethal periods of time gave rise to an increased resistance to its effect in a strain of Drosophila melanogaster susceptible to the toxic effects of this gas. The effect did not appear to be permanent.
The successive administration by spraying of sublethal concentrations of DDT and BHC did not increase the resistance of a strain of D. melunoguster to their effects, either in the insects sprayed or their progeny. Only when the dosages were such as to give a high death-rate did a significant increase of resistance of the progeny of the treated insects take place; the tendency was if anything to increase susceptibility, although the indications were not in favour of DDT acting as acumulative poison.
In a preliminan series of tests the topical application of D D T in sublethal doses to the adult insects resulted in a reduction in the amount or in the rate of egg laying.