Antidromic inhibition of presumed fusimotor neurones by repetitive stimulation of the ventral root in the decerebrate cat

Résumé On a enregistré des décharges de 17 fibres fusimotrices dont on suppose l'existence dans les filaments de racines ventrales des chats décérébrés. 8 fibres ont été inhibées par stimulation répétée de la portion centrale isolée du reste de la racine ventrale. Ces résultats montrent qu'il existe une inhibition antidromique dans les neurones fusimoteurs.     

CO-binding pigment (P-450) and other electron transport components in hepatoma bearing rats

Zusammenfassung Basierend auf früheren Eiweissuntersuchungen bezüglich einer endoplasmatisch-retikulären Elektronenstromkette ergibt sich: NADPH-Oxydase und Zytochrom-c-Reduktase sind in der normalen Rattenleber wie in der Hepatoma (Typ 7777) tragenden gleich, während die Ferricyanid-Reduktase und P-450 in der Leber der letzteren herabgesetzt waren.     

lambda Repressor and cro--components of an efficient molecular switch

In a lysogen, most genes of phage lambda are repressed; in response to a transient induction signal, they are efficiently switched on. The switch, which consists in part of a tripartite operator to which two regulatory proteins bind, depends not only on DNA--protein interactions, but also on effects transmitted from one DNA-bound protein to another. lambda Exemplifies a strategy that facilitates efficient switching between two physiological states in response to a transient signal.     

The avian nature of the brain and inner ear of Archaeopteryx

Archaeopteryx, the earliest known flying bird (avialan) from the Late Jurassic period, exhibits many shared primitive characters with more basal coelurosaurian dinosaurs (the clade including all theropods more bird-like than Allosaurus), such as teeth, a long bony tail and pinnate feathers. However, Archaeopteryx possessed asymmetrical flight feathers on its wings and tail, together with a wing feather arrangement shared with modern birds. This suggests some degree of powered flight capability but, until now, little was understood about the extent to which its brain and special senses were adapted for flight. We investigated this problem by computed tomography scanning and three-dimensional reconstruction of the braincase of the London specimen of Archaeopteryx. Here we show the reconstruction of the braincase from which we derived endocasts of the brain and inner ear. These suggest that Archaeopteryx closely resembled modern birds in the dominance of the sense of vision and in the possession of expanded auditory and spatial sensory perception in the ear. We conclude that Archaeopteryx had acquired the derived neurological and structural adaptations necessary for flight. An enlarged forebrain suggests that it had also developed enhanced somatosensory integration with these special senses demanded by a lifestyle involving flying ability.