Verhalten und Neurobiologie von stimmbegabten Insekten

Crickets, tettigoniids (bush crickets or long-horned grasshoppers) and acridids (short-horned grasshoppers) are well-suited animals to study acoustically mediated behavior and to search for the underlying sensory, nervous, and effector mechanisms. Several behavioral tactics are described which improve reproductive success, serve to avoid predators such as bats, or have been developed for defence against parasitic insects. Phonotactic orientation of female crickets toward the calling male was chosen, since for this behavior the underlying sensory and nervous mechanisms have been intensively studied. Song recognition was found to be based on one critical parameter of the song, thesyllable period, and the females show abandpass behavior for which a correlate exists inlocal brain neurons. Sound orientation is based on apressure gradient mechanism in each ear, and it needs abinaural intensity comparison within the central nervous system. With intracellular recordings from auditory interneurons during phonotactic orientation and their manipulation, a cellular correlate could be found which obeys the rule “turn to the side most strongly stimulated”.     

Die organischen Verbindungen und Komplexe von Germanium,Zinn und Blei

This field is of special interest within the organometallic chemistry, which was and still is one of the most developing areas of chemistry for twenty years. The electronic structure around the atoms of germanium, tin, and lead favors both polar and radical reactions, and a plentiful coordination chemistry, too. Modern quantum chemistry arrived at these heavy atoms and allows better understanding also of low valent species, R₂M. Chiral compounds with asymmetric Sn atoms, an object aimed at since 1905, have been prepared now, and dynamic stereochemistry has been studied. Industrial use of organotins has grown quickly and includes stabilization of plastics and plant and material protection as well. Biomethylation and environmental problems open this field both to biochemists and ecologists.     

Ternäre Verbindungen von Cadmiumhalogeniden mit Arsen und Antimon

The Science of Nature -