X-Message-Number: 27655
Date: Sun, 26 Feb 2006 19:36:59 -0800 (PST)
From: Doug Skrecky <>
Subject: 217'th update on fly longevity experiments

     This is the 217'th update of my fly longevity experiments. Average
 temperature was 23.6 C during this run. Estimated maximal longevity using
 the formula (363 - T*11.2) is 99 days.
     There has been some talk about the toxicity of various artificial
 sweeteners. This run takes a break from trying to make flies live longer,
 and instead just tests three common sweeteners for toxicity. Although low
 doses of the sweeteners did appear to be slightly toxic, very high doses
 were paradoxically beneficial. This was an unexpected, and hard to
 explain result. The three sweeteners are all chemically quite distinct,
 so a common pharmacological effect would appear to be unlikely. A working
 hypothesis is that there may have been a mild stimulatory effect of
 intense sweetness itself on maximum fly longevity.

 Run #217                    Percent Survival on Day
 supplement            5 12 20 28 40 49 60 71 81 91 99 107
 _________________________________________________________
 control one         100 81 69 69 41 34 16  9  0  -  -   -
 control two         100 81 77 65 52 32 26  0  -  -  -   -
 aspartame 1/4 tab   100 79 63 33 21 21  4  4  0  -  -   -
   "       1 tab      95 65 60 60 25 15  0  -  -  -  -   -
   "       4 tabs    100 84 84 53 37 37 11  5  5  5  5   0
 cyclamate 1/16 tsp  100 65 65 40 20 10  0  -  -  -  -   -
   "       1/4 tsp    96 64 60 48 24 16  8  4  4  0  -   -
   "       1 tsp     100 89 70 52 44 33 26 22 11  4  4   0
 saccharin 1/4 tab    95 79 53 32 11  5  0  -  -  -  -   -
   "       1 tab     100 79 67 54 33 21 17  8  0  -  -   -
   "       4 tabs     96 77 42 35 31 19 15  8  8  0  -   -

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