POLARITY OF TRACHEARY REGENERATION IN YOUNG INTERNODES OF COLEUS (LABIATAE)

After Jacobs’ recent discovery of almost absolute basipetal polarity of IAA-¹⁴C movement through young internodes of Coleus, tracheary regeneration around a wound in the stem was re-investigated to see if it showed parallel changes from the less strict polarity of IAA-¹⁴C described decades ago. As determined from either counts of “complete regenerated strands” or from finer details of regeneration, tracheary regeneration was very strongly polar. If leaves were present only below the wound, no regenerated strands developed unless there was a sizeable length of leafless stem remaining above the wound. If there were leaves below the wound as well as above it the amount of regeneration was usually reduced. The short strands of acropetally regenerating tracheary cells, previously interpreted as resulting from acropetal IAA movement, were observed in plants with leaves above but not below the wound, and were not seen in plants with leaves only below the wound. Hence, they are more likely to result from basipetally moving IAA. Isolated patches of tracheary regeneration were observed under several conditions. The wound interfered with development of the leaf directly above the wound.     

POLARITY OF INDUCTION AND PATTERN OF PRIMARY PHLOEM FIBER DIFFERENTIATION IN COLEUS

The differentiation of primary phloem fibers was studied in Coleus blumei on a quantitative basis. The pattern of fiber differentiation in intact, untreated plants was found to be in the acropetal direction (from a mature internode to a young one). The youngest internodes to differentiate primary phloem fibers were those with cambial activity. In plants grown in the winter, fibers started to differentiate in internodes closer to leaf #2 than in spring-grown plants. A wound changes the pattern of fiber differentiation surrounding it. A wound in which the tissues above and below it were separated with parafilm, prevented fiber differentiation in the tissues directly below the wound, and caused more fiber differentiation in the tissues above and lateral to it. Under wounds with no parafilm separation, few or many fibers differentiated depending on the angle of the wound. The number of fibers under diagonal wounds was five to nine times more than under a horizontal wound. By excision experiments it was found that mature leaves were the source of induction of fiber differentiation. Leaves that produced induction caused fiber differentiation in the internode below them but did not cause fiber differentiation in the internode above. The induction, which can flow through a wound and cause fiber differentiation in at least two internodes below the source, is a polar induction in the basipetal direction (i.e., in the direction from the leaves to the root). Phloem fibers differentiated only in the vascular strands and not from the parenchyma cells between the strands. Therefore, they follow the new regenerative sieve and vessel elements in the pre-existing vascular strands, but do not follow them in their regeneration between the longitudinal strands.     

ANATOMY OF NODES VS. INTERNODES IN COLEUS: THE NODAL CAMBIUM

Secondary growth begins in the nodal regions before the internodal regions in Coleus, so that longitudinally discontinuous vascular cambia are formed in the 6th through the 9th or 10th nodes, where the internodal cambium becomes continuous between nodal cambia. The nodal cambia are identifiable by radial seriation in interfascicular regions, typical cytology of fusiform initials, and the presence of a ray system. Anatomical features distinct from the primary plant body are shared by the nodal and internodal cambia. Branching of primary vascular strands, restricted to procambium and phloem, is virtually confined to nodal regions. In secondary growth, vascular branching of xylem and phloem occurs in both nodes and internodes. Xylem strand branches are formed only from derivatives of vascular cambia. It is proposed that the cambium provides the secondary plant body an efficient channel for lateral auxin transport, by which branching across interfascicular regions is facilitated.     

FINE STRUCTURE OF PHLOEM CELLS IN RELATION TO TRANSLOCATION IN THE COTTON SEEDLING

When special precautions were taken to permit killing and fixation of sieve elements before they were cut, sieve pores were found to be open. Companion cells were shown to be highly resistant to freezing injury and less plasmolyzable than phloem parenchyma. Plasmodesmata connected parenchyma to parenchyma, parenchyma to companion cells, and companion cells to sieve elements. Their general absence between parenchyma cells and sieve elements points to a specific role of companion cells in sieve tube functioning. EM studies of these cells revealed an ER system which connects the central core of the plasmodesma to the sieve tube. This system may be responsible for active sucrose transport. Callose was always present on sieve plates of mature functioning sieve elements even with the most rapid killing and fixing possible. Extra callose promoted by heating (45 C) an intact stem segment was found to constrict the sieve pores almost completely. Constriction of plasmodesmata in lateral sieve areas also was evident. Fine structure analysis of the blocking mechanism is in accord with evidence obtained by tracer studies.     

DETERMINATION OF THE RESISTANCE OF LOCUSTS TO DNC IN RELATION TO THEIR WEIGHT, AGE AND SEX

Experiments have shown that the resistance of adults of the desert locust ( Schistocerca gregaria ) and the African migratory locust ( Locusta migratoria migratorioides ) to DNC applied as a contact poison to the ventral surface of the abdomen is directly related to their body weight, irrespective of age or sex.
Varying the site of application of the insecticide had little effect on the susceptibility of the insects except when the dose was applied to the wings or femur, these being less effective sites of entry for the poison.
Increasing the post-treatment temperature from 25 to 36°C. had no noticeable effect on mortality, but the speed of action of the insecticide was much increased.     

水松的次生韧皮部解剖及其系统位置的讨论

在光学显微镜和扫描电子显微镜下观察,水松茎次生韧皮部的主要特征为：韧皮部由轴向系统和径向系统组成。轴向系统由筛胞、韧皮薄壁组织细胞、蛋白细胞和韧皮纤维组成,径向系统由韧皮射线组成。在横切面上,轴向系统的各组成分子以单层切向带交替有规律的排列,其排列顺序为：筛胞－韧皮薄壁组织细胞－韧皮纤维-筛胞。筛胞的径向壁上嵌埋有草酸钙结晶,韧皮纤维仅一种类型,韧皮射线同型、单列。根据水松茎次生韧皮部的解剖研究,并与杉科其它各属的有关资料进行比较,我们认为：水松属与水杉属和落羽杉属有较近的亲缘关系。     

RELATION OF OXYGEN TENSION AND TEMPERATURE TO THE TIME OF REDUCTION OF CYTOCHROME

The time for the appearance of the cytochrome C absorption band after shaking a suspension of bakers'' yeast with various O₂-N₂ mixtures was determined at each of six temperatures. At each temperature a linear relation between this interval—called the reduction time—and O₂ tension was found. It was shown: 1. That under our experimental conditions, absorption bands of cytochrome were seen when the O₂ tension of the suspension was reduced to, or below, a certain pressure which was found to be specific for each temperature (this pressure is provisionally considered to be identical with or very near to the "critical O₂ tension" usually found in Q _OO2-O₂-tension relationships); 2. That the x-axis intercept obtained from the reduction time - O₂-tension plot gives the value of the "critical" O₂ pressure at each temperature; 3. That the O₂ tension within the suspension is reduced by the respiratory activity of the yeast cells. An equation describing these observations is given and is used in calculating rates of O₂ consumption from measurements of reduction time of cytochrome. The average difference between the calculated values and the manometric measurements of Q _OO2 was found to be 6.6 per cent. A rapid optical method of measuring rates of O₂ consumption based on the findings of these experiments is proposed for use with cytochrome-containing microorganisms.     

ULTRASTRUCTURE AND TIME COURSE OF MITOSIS IN THE FUNGUS FUSARIUM OXYSPORUM

Mitosis in Fusarium oxysporum Schlect. was studied by light and electron microscopy. The average times required for the stages of mitosis, as determined from measurements made on living nuclei, were as follows: prophase, 70 sec; metaphase, 120 sec; anaphase, 13 sec; and telophase, 125 sec, for a total of 5.5 min. New postfixation procedures were developed specifically to preserve the fine-structure of the mitotic apparatus. Electron microscopy of mitotic nuclei revealed a fibrillo-granular, extranuclear Spindle Pole Body (SPB) at each pole of the intranuclear, microtubular spindles. Metaphase chromosomes were attached to spindle microtubules via kinetochores, which were found near the spindle poles at telophase. The still-intact, original nuclear envelope constricted around the incipient daughter nuclei during telophase.     

THE STRUCTURE OF FISH GILLS IN RELATION TO THEIR RESPIRATORY FUNCTION

1. The general structure of the gills of different fishes is compared and it is concluded that, though essentially the same, there are certain differences by which they can be recognized. Possible ways in which they may have evolved from one another are considered. 2. A detailed account is given of the structure of the secondary lamellae, where gaseous exchange takes place, and it is shown that two epithelial sheets are separated by a vascular axis mainly composed of pillar cells overlain by a basement membrane on each side. Blood pathways through the gills are discussed in relation to their respiratory function. 3. The embryonic development of gills is described and evidence regarding homo-logies of different structures, particularly the pillar cells, is reviewed. 4. The gills of fish having different modes of life show variations in (a) the number of arches, (b) the number and length of the gill filaments, and (c) the size and frequency of the secondary lamellae. Ways in which measurements of gill area may be carried out and some of the complications involved are reviewed and a summary given of measurements made for a wide variety of species. Measurements of the thickness of the water-blood barrier are also discussed; the more active fish generally have thinner water-blood barriers and larger gill areas. 5. The different mechanisms of gill ventilation are summarized and characteristics of gill resistance in elasmobranchs and teleosts are compared. Gas exchange is discussed in relation to available techniques and the current terminology and symbols, and to indicate the value of analogies between gill exchangers and systems studied by engineers. 6. It is outlined how studies of the functioning of gills during coughing, parasitic infection, and in polluted waters add to knowledge of their role in respiration.     

蔷薇属38个野生种果实的维生素含量及其与分组的关系

对蔷薇属 (Rosa) 38个野生种果实 (以下简称蔷薇果 )的经济性状进行了分析 ,并测定了 VC、VE 和胡萝卜素等重要维生素的含量。蔷薇果 VC 含量在该属种间差异很大 ,以秦岭蔷薇 (R.tsinglingensis)的含量为最高 (2 576mg/ 1 0 0 g) ,德钦蔷薇 (R.deqenensis)的含量为最低 (49mg/ 1 0 0 g)。胡萝卜素含量种间差异明显 ,以软条七蔷薇 (R.henryi)的含量为最高 (1 9.2 4 mg / 1 0 0 g) ,黄刺玫 (R.xanthina)的含量为最低 (0 .0 6 mg/ 1 0 0 g)。 VE 含量种间差异较小 ,在 1 .34 mg/ 1 0 0 g(黄刺玫 )至 3.86 mg/ 1 0 0 g(硕苞蔷薇R.bracteata)之间。对蔷薇亚属 54种野生种果实重要维生素含量的统计分析表明 ,维生素含量与分组具有一定相关性 ,尤以 VC 含量与分组的相关性最为明显 ,桂味组和小叶组 Vc含量很高 (均值都高于 1 80 0mg/ 1 0 0 g) ;合柱组、月季组、木香组和硕苞组含量很低 (均值都在 30 0 mg/ 1 0 0 g以下 ) ,芹叶组除宽刺蔷薇 (R.platyacantha) VC含量很高外 ,其余种类含量都很低 (均值为 1 90 mg/ 1 0 0 g)。胡萝卜素含量与分组也具有一定相关性 ,桂味组、芹叶组、合柱组和硕苞组的胡萝卜素含量较高 ,均值在 6 mg/ 1 0 0 g以上 ;月季组、小叶组和木香组含量较低 ,均值在 0 .4mg/ 1 0 0 g以下。V     

THE EXPERIMENTAL PRODUCTION OF DOUBLE PEAKS IN CHARA ACTION CURVES AND THEIR RELATION TO THE MOVEMENT OF POTASSIUM

The action curve in Chara seems to depend (as in Nitella) on the outward movement of K⁺ from the sap. Presumably the increase in permeability in the inner protoplasmic surface and the outward movement of K⁺ destroy the concentration gradient of K⁺ across the inner protoplasmic surface. Hence the outwardly directed P.D. disappears, causing the rise (spike) of the action curve. The outer protoplasmic surface is normally insensitive to K⁺. But when it is made sensitive to K⁺ by treatment with guanidine the outwardly moving K⁺ sets up a positive P.D. on reaching the outer surface and this causes the action curve to fall, producing a peak. Then the curve has 2 peaks, the second being due to the process of recovery. The action curve thus comes to resemble that of Nitella in which the outer protoplasmic surface is normally sensitive to K⁺.