THE VISIBILITY OF MONOCHROMATIC RADIATION AND THE ABSORPTION SPECTRUM OF VISUAL PURPLE

1. After a consideration of the existing data and of the sources of error involved, an arrangement of apparatus, free from these errors, is described for measuring the relative energy necessary in different portions of the spectrum in order to produce a colorless sensation in the eye. 2. Following certain reasoning, it is shown that the reciprocal of this relative energy at any wave-length is proportional to the absorption coefficient of a sensitive substance in the eye. The absorption spectrum of this substance is then mapped out. 3. The curve representing the visibility of the spectrum at very low intensities has exactly the same shape as that for the visibility at high intensities involving color vision. The only difference between them is their position in the spectrum, that at high intensities being 48 µµ farther toward the red. 4. The possibility is considered that the sensitive substances responsible for the two visibility curves are identical, and reasons are developed for the failure to demonstrate optically the presence of a colored substance in the cones. The shift of the high intensity visibility curve toward the red is explained in terms of Kundt''s rule for the progressive shift of the absorption maximum of a substance in solvents of increasing refractive index and density. 5. Assuming Kundt''s rule, it is deduced that the absorption spectrum of visual purple as measured directly in water solution should not coincide with its position in the rods, because of the greater density and refractive index of the rods. It is then shown that, measured by the position of the visibility curve at low intensities, this shift toward the red actually occurs, and is about 7 or 8 µµ in extent. Examination of the older data consistently confirms this difference of position between the curves representing visibility at low intensities and those representing the absorption spectrum of visual purple in water solution. 6. It is therefore held as a possible hypothesis, capable of direct, experimental verification, that the same substance—visual purple—whose absorption maximum in water solution is at 503 µµ, is dissolved in the rods where its absorption maximum is at 511 µµ, and in the cones where its maximum is at 554 µµ (or at 540 µµ, if macular absorption is taken into account, as indeed it must be).     

THE VISIBILITY OF SINGLE LINES AT VARIOUS ILLUMINATIONS AND THE RETINAL BASIS OF VISUAL RESOLUTION

The visual resolution of a single opaque line against an evenly illuminated background has been studied over a large range of background brightness. It was found that the visual angle occupied by the thickness of the line when it is just resolved varies from about 10 minutes at the lowest illuminations to 0.5 second at the highest illuminations, a range of 1200 to 1. The relation between background brightness and just resolvable visual angle shows two sections similar to those found in other visual functions; the data at low light intensities represent rod vision while those at the higher intensities represent cone vision. With violet light instead of white the two sections become even more clearly defined and separated. The retinal image produced by the finest perceptible line at the highest brightness is not a sharp narrow shadow, but a thin broad shadow whose density distribution is described in terms of diffraction optics. The line of foveal cones occupying the center of this shadow suffers a decrease in the light intensity by very nearly 1 per cent in comparison either with the general retinal illumination or with that on the row of cones to either side of the central row. Since this percentage difference is near the limit of intensity discrimination by the retina, its retinal recognition is probably the limiting factor in the visual resolution of the line. The resolution of a line at any light intensity may also be limited by the just recognizable intensity difference, because this percentage difference varies with the prevailing light intensity. As evidence for this it is found that the just resolvable visual angle varies with the light intensity in the same way that the power of intensity discrimination of the eye varies with light intensity. It is possible that visual resolution of test objects like hooks and broken circles is determined by the recognition of intensity differences in their diffracted images, since the way in which their resolution varies with the light intensity is similar to the relation between intensity discrimination and light intensity.     

DIFFERENCES IN THE OCCURRENCE AND DISTRIBUTION OF HYDROXYPROLINE-PROTEINS AMONG THE ALGAE

Fifty algae from seven phyla have been examined in order to determine whether they contain protein-bound hydroxyproline and whether this hydroxyproline is concentrated in the cell wall. Green algae, with the exception of Nitella, all contain hydroxyproline, and in most cases it is concentrated in the cell wall. Hydroxyproline is also present in low levels in the brown algae, but here it is concentrated in the soluble proteins. Red algae contain no hydroxyproline. The presence of hydroxyproline in blue-green algae is variable, but when present the levels are low. It appears, then, that the major algal phyla differ with respect to the distribution and occurrence of hydroxyproline-proteins.     

硫酸盐松节油除臭脱色试验研究

本文提出了以氧化法与精馏法相配合净化硫酸盐松节油的方法。该方法不仅工艺简单、投资少、处理成本较低,而且所得松节油质量好,同时也扩大了松节油的原料来源。     

免疫反应动力学的几个数学模型

免疫系统对抗原刺激的应答过程非常复杂,由抗原刺激导致抗体产生的现象,可借助数学模型的研究获得有意义的结果。本文讨论有关抗体产生与免疫反应的动力学的问题,介绍有关的数学模型,并根据近斯免疫学研究的进展分析了若干模型。     

INTRASEASONAL VARIATION IN SEED PRODUCTION AMONG FLOWERS AND PLANTS OF THALICTRUM THALICTROIDES (RANUNCULACEAE)

Intraseasonal variation in ovule and seed production per flower and per plant of the perennial herb Thalictrum thalictroides (L.) Eames and Boivin was documented at three sites during three spring flowering seasons. Shading and pollen-addition experiments were used to assess the impact of variation in pollination and light availability on seed production. Mean seed number and percent seed set were lower in flowers open late in the season than in those open earlier. The lower percent seed set occurs primarily in flowers that are positioned laterally on the inflorescence and which open later than center flowers. Plants flowering early in the season produce more flowers, ovules and seeds than those flowering later. Mean percent seed set per plant did not change, however, indicating that temporal differences in total seed output can be traced largely to variation in total ovule number. Seed production may be limited by lack of pollination during periods of inclement weather. At least late in the season, seed output may also be resource-limited: the decline in percent seed set among flowers coincided with the decline in light availability, and hand-pollination of late-opening flowers did not increase percent seed set to earlier levels. Artificial shading led to a significant reduction in percent seed set of lateral flowers, and decreased the probability of flowering again the following year. Thus, the relative selective roles of resource and pollination limitations may vary during the flowering season.     

小麦花粉无性系的建立及其胚状体的发生

本文报道的小麦花粉无性系,已继代培养了两年零一个月共27代,目前仍具有分化能力。继代分化固体培养基以:MS附加NAA0.6毫升/升+KT0.2毫克/升为最好。较好的恢复再生培养基为MS液体培养基附加2.4-D 0.6毫克/升+NAA0.2毫克/升+6-BA 2毫克/升+CH500毫克/升予处理三天后转入附加2.4—D0.6毫克/升+KT 2毫克/升+CH 500毫克/升的MS固体培养基,培养十八天后,丧失分化能力已达八个月之久的愈伤组织又恢复了再生能力,分化出植株。通过愈伤组织的细胞学观察,小麦花粉愈伤组织无性系,分化成小植株的途径有二:一是由特化的胚性细胞经多次分裂后发育成胚状体长成小植株;二是由特化的表层细胞经多次分裂后发育成芽苗。胚性细胞发生于愈伤组织的表皮层和表皮附近的细胞层,有的也可在内层已衰老的细胞中产生。胚状体与芽的区别特征是:胚状体具有两极性,两极间有维管组织相连接;芽具有单极性,芽端的维管组织与愈伤组织内维管组织相连接。     

THE PRODUCTION AND INHIBITION OF ACTION CURRENTS BY ALCOHOL

Suitable concentrations of ethyl alcohol (1 to 1.5 M) applied to a spot on a cell of Nitella lower the P.D. enough to cause action currents. The alcohol then suppresses action currents arriving from other parts of the cell and acts as a block. After the alcohol is removed the normal P.D. and irritability return. Similar experiments on the sciatic nerve and skin of the frog produced only a negative result.