The distribution ofPapio hamadryas in Saudi Arabia: Ecological correlates and human influence

We describe the distribution ofPapio hamadryas in Saudi Arabia in relation to ecological constraints and recent changes in human activities and land use. Baboons are present only in the Sarawat and southern Hijaz mountains, which border the Red Sea in the southwestern region of the country. Our distribution data confirms that their range, described as of 1981, should be extended 200 km northward, from 21°40N (Taif) to 23°20N (Al Akhal). This new limit of range is not due to recent deployment of the baboons, but instead corrects inaccurate surveys by previous reporters. Ecological factors that affect baboon distribution include low annual rainfall (less than 100 mm per yr), which limits baboon range in the north and east, and the absence of suitable sleeping cliffs in the coastal plain, which limits their range in the west. Relative abundance is discussed in relation to vegetation and predator distribution. Human influence is also significant: commensal troops persist near urban centers, while agricultural development reduces baboon numbers in some regions. Habitat characteristics are discussed in comparison with similar data on the range of hamadryas in Ethiopia.     

In vitro evaluation of sugarcane resistance to gumming disease and of Xanthomonas campestris pv. vasculorum aggressiveness

Sugarcane plantlets were sectioned halfway between the base and the youngest ligule and then inoculated by soaking the wound in a suspension of Xanthomonas campestris pv. vasculorum. The infection caused rapid necrosis of the inoculated leaves, chlorosis of uninoculated leaves, or death of the inoculated plantlet. New tillers sometimes showed chlorosis or white streaks. The effects of the inoculum concentration, the cultivar, and the bacterial strain on symptom severity were determined. The ranking of cultivars depended on the inoculum concentration, and strains were found to differ with regard to aggressiveness. However, cultivars and strains were more effectively classified in greenhouse trials. The poor expression of leaf resistance appeared to limit the use of the in vitro test.     

Disruption of imprinting by memory inhibitors

Several amnestic drugs were administered intracranially to day-old chicks at selected times around a 10-min exposure to an imprinting stimulus. The drugs used were monosodium glutamate, ouabain, cycloheximide and amino-iso-butyrate. The chicks were tested for 10 min in the same apparatus two days later, and the time spent following the stimulu was recorded., The index of memory retention was the difference between the time spent following on test and the time spent following on the initial exposure. When compared with saline-injected control, glutamate administered 5 min before the beginning of the initial exposure was effective in producing a reduction in following times and hence amnesia. Ouabian was effective when injeced before the beginning and immediately after the end of the initial exposure; while cycloheximide was effective when administered as late as 5 min after the initial exposure. The effective times of administration for the drugs to produce a reduction in following times were similar to that observed for amnesia in passive avoidance memory tasks. The increase in following shown by the control chicks was not a developmental effect due to the increae in age on test. Experiments involving a choice of stimuli on test support the invovement of a memoryrelated phenomenon in these experiments.     

Effect of lectins on the interactions between human peripheral blood lymphocytes and monocytes

Interactions between normal human peripheral blood T lymphocytes and monocytes were investigated by measuring the in vitro cellular adherence of these cells in the presence and in the absence of mitogens. Concanavalin A (Con A), lentil lectin (Lc), and phytohemagglutinin (PHA) in mitogenic doses increased 15 to 20 times the binding of T lymphocytes to monocytes. The lectin-induced binding was similar to that produced by neuraminidase-gal-actose-oxidase treatment. A good correlation was found between the early cellular adherence induced by these lectins and by neuraminidase-galactose-oxidase and the blastogenesis of the T lymphocytes measured after 3 days of culture by [³H]thymidine uptake. However, wheat germ agglutinin (WGA), a nonmitogenic lectin, also increased the binding of T lymphocytes to monocytes. Addition of specific carbohydrates completely inhibited the cellular interactions induced by lectins. Peanut agglutinin (PNA) induced adherence of lymphocytes only after treatment of these cells with neuraminidase. Striking differences were not found between the lectin-induced adherence observed with autologous and heterologous cells. Killing of monocytes abolished entirely the lectin-induced adherence of lymphocytes, however killed T lymphocytes were still able to interact weakly with live monocytes. Dexamethasone was found to be a potent inhibitor of mitogen-induced cellular interactions.     

Na movements and their oscillations during fertilization and the cell cycle in sea urchin eggs

We have analysed in detail the Na⁺ content and Na⁺ influx during fertilization and first divisions of the sea urchin egg (Paracentrotus lividus) using a filtration technique devised to eliminate rapidly contamination by the Na⁺ of external sea water. In the first 5 min following fertilization the egg fills up with Na⁺ (+ 30%). Thereafter Na⁺ is extruded and the Na⁺ content stabilizes at about 60% of the unfertilized egg level by the second cleavage (2 h). The initial increase in Na⁺ content is due to a large increase in Na⁺ influx already detected at 20 sec. The Na⁺ influx reaches its maximum at 1 min and its minimum at 5 min. H⁺ excretion follows the same kinetics. A second increase in Na⁺ influx is noted 5–10 min after fertilization; it reaches its maximum at prophase metaphase (30 min) and its minimum during cleavage (60 min). These oscillations in Na⁺ influx were observed for the first three divisions. Fertilization also immediately stimulates the Na⁺ efflux which remains elevated throughout the cell cycle and is responsible for the depletion of the Na⁺ content of the embryos. Activation of the eggs by weak amine bases (5 mM NH₄Cl) which bypasses the early cortical reaction produces only a depletion in the Na⁺ content of the egg similar to that produced by fertilization. NH₄Cl also increases the Na⁺ influx soon after fertilization, although no transient variations are noted.