Behavioral characteristics of old female Japanese monkeys in a free-ranging group

Fourteen female Japanese monkeys of the Arashiyama-B group ranging in age from 11 to 29 years were observed to elucidate the behavioral characteristics of aging monkeys. A positive significant correlation was found between the occurrences of rest and age, and a negative significant correlation between the occurrences of auto-grooming and age. Younger female monkeys tended to be in contact with or in proximity to group members, while older female monkeys tended to spend much more time alone. As for the grooming interactions, younger female monkeys more often groomed others than did older female monkeys. Also, the former engaged in grooming more frequently than in being groomed, while the latter spent more time in being groomed than in grooming. The old female monkeys showed no marked decline in rank, but some of them were surpassed by their adult daughters.     

The Schizosaccharomyces pombe cdc6 gene encodes the catalytic subunit of DNA polymerase δ

The cdc6 mutants of Schizosaccharomyces pombe have been classified as being defective in progression through the G2 phase of the cell cycle. We cloned an S. pombe gene that could complement the temperature-sensitive growth of the cdc6-23 mutant. Unexpectedly, the cloned gene was allelic to pol3, which encodes the catalytic subunit of DNA polymerase δ. Integration mapping confirmed that cdc6 and pol3 are identical. The cdc6-23 mutant carries one amino acid substitution in the conserved N3 region of Pol3. Received: 17 October 1996 / Accepted: 19 November 1996     

The Amusic Brain: Lost in Music,but Not in Space

Congenital amusia is a neurogenetic disorder of music processing that is currently ascribed to a deficit in pitch processing. A recent study challenges this view and claims the disorder might arise as a consequence of a general spatial-processing deficit. Here, we assessed spatial processing abilities in two independent samples of individuals with congenital amusia by using line bisection tasks (Experiment 1) and a mental rotation task (Experiment 2). Both amusics and controls showed the classical spatial effects on bisection performance and on mental rotation performance, and amusics and controls did not differ from each other. These results indicate that the neurocognitive impairment of congenital amusia does not affect the processing of space.     

Physiological evaluation of temperature effect on the growth processes of the mysid, Neomysis intermedia Czerniawsky

Ingestion, respiration, and molting loss rates were measuredover the 3 – 29°C range in Neomysis intermedia. Weightspecific rates of these physiological processes ranged from2 to 140% body C day^–1 for ingestion, from 2 to 15% bodyC day^–1 for respiration, and from 0.1 to 5% body C day^–1for molting loss. All weight-specific rates showed a logarithmicdecrease with a logarithmic increase in body weight, and a logarithmicincrease with a linear increase in temperature below 20 or 25°C.The effect of temperature, however, was different between thephysiological rates, with a large temperature dependency foringestion (Q₁₀ = 2.6 –3.9) and molting loss (Q¹⁰ = 2.9– 3.6) and a moderate temperature dependency for respiration(Q₁₀ = 1.9 – 2.1). Calculated assimilation efficiencychanged with body size, but was constant over the temperaturerange examined. Allocation of assimilated materials varied witha change in temperature, reflecting the different temperaturedependence between physiological processes. It was deduced thatthe strong temperature dependency of the growth rate in N. intermediaobserved in the previous studies resulted from the large temperatureeffect on ingestion and assimilation rates, superimposed bythe different allocation of assimilated materials. ¹Present address: Department of Botany, University of Tokyo,Hongo, Tokyo 113, Japan     

Influence of cadmium on the distribution of the essential trace elements zinc and copper in the liver and kidneys of rats

Cd induced changes of Zn and Cd distribution in the liver and kidneys were studied in relation to Cd metallothionein (MT) synthesis. Wistar male rats were given CdCl₂ by sc injection of .8, 1.5, and 3.0 mg Cd/kg three times a week for three weeks. Cd levels of liver and kidneys increased with the increment of Cd dosage and 80–90% of Cd was found in the cytosol. The MT fractions contained 80–89% cytosolic Cd in the liver and 55–75% Cd in the kidneys. Zn concentrations in the liver increased following Cd administration, But Zn in the kidneys showed only slight increase. There was a distinct decrease of Cu concentration in the liver of the 3.0 mg group. In contrast, Cu concentrations in the kidneys increased about three times in the .8 and 1.5 mg Cd groups, but Cu in the 3.0 mg group showed only 1.5 times increase. The changes of these metal concentrations were observed mainly in the cytosol. Non-MT-Cd in the kidneys was maximum in the 1.5 mg group, but the 3.0 mg group showed significant decrease. In parallel with this decrease of Cd, Cu and Zn in the kidneys showed similar decrease. When the kidneys are injured, Zn and Cu appear to leak from this organ.     

Cd-Binding Complexes from the Root Tissues of Various Higher Plants Cultivated in Cd2+-Containing Medium

Stone parsley, soybean, sunflower, sweet potato, potato, andadlay cultivated in a Cd²⁺-containing medium had Cd-bindingcomplexes with molecular weights of about 4,000 in the roottissues. The complexes were similar to the complex previouslyfound in water hyacinth roots in their absorption and CD spectraand their amino acid compositions. The results indicate thewidespread existence of complexes similar to fission yeast Cd-BPlin roots of various plants. (Received June 30, 1986; Accepted December 18, 1986)     

Involvement of phosphatidylinositol and insulin in the coordinate regulation of proteoheparan sulfate metabolism and hepatocyte growth

A rat hepatocyte cell line was cultured in Higuchi's medium with fetal calf serum and insulin and labeled with 35SO2/4-. The cells were treated with a number of ligands to displace the heparan 35SO4 proteoglycan (HSPG) from the pericellular matrix. Maximum release was obtained with D-mannose-6-PO4 (50 mM), D-glucose-6-PO4 (50 mM), myo-inositol-2-PO4 (2-5 mM), myo-inositol hexaphosphate (2-5 mM), and DL-myo-inositol-1-PO4 (1-2 mM). D-myo-Inositol-1,3,4-(PO4)3 (1 mM) and L-myo-inositol-1-PO4 (2 mM) were intermediate in their ability to release the cell surface HSPG, whereas heparin (2 mg/ml), yeast phosphomannan (4 mg/ml), D-xylose-1-PO4 (50 mM), D-glucose-6-SO4 (50 mM), and myo-inositol hexasulfate (5 mM) were ineffective. When 35SO2/4- was added to cell cultures, the total cell surface HSPG increased linearly, but the percentage of the total cell surface [35SO4]HSPG that was released by myo-inositol-PO4 increased with time during the labeling period, reaching a maximum of 65% after 5 h. When cells were labeled for 12 h without insulin in the medium, the maximum amount of cell surface HSPG that was released by myo-inositol-PO4 was reduced to 30%. However, when cells labeled in the absence of insulin were treated with phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C and then myo-inositol-PO4, the release of the cell surface [35SO4]HSPG was increased to 73%. When the [35SO4]HSPG that was released from the cell surface by treatment with myo-inositol-PO4 was added to cultures of unlabeled hepatocytes, it was taken up very rapidly and a portion of the internalized HSPG was converted to free heparan SO4 chains which appeared in the nucleus. Uptake was Ca2+- and Mg2+-independent. The amount of [35SO4]HSPG taken up was markedly reduced when the myo-inositol-PO4-releasable [35SO4]HSPG was pretreated with trypsin, thermolysin, alkaline borohydride, or alkaline phosphatase. When the cells were grown in inositol-deficient medium or in the presence of myo-inositol-PO4, the amount of heparan SO4 found in the nucleus was markedly reduced, and the cells no longer exhibited contact inhibition. These effects of myo-inositol deficiency on the growth and nuclear heparan SO4 were accentuated by addition of LiCl to the cultures to prevent phosphatidylinositol synthesis from the endogenous myo-inositol-PO4.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Resting spore formation ofLeptocylindrus danicus (Bacillariophyceae) during short time-scale upwelling and its significance as predicted by a simple model

Resting spore formation during short time-scale upwelling and its significance were investigated in the field and by a simple theoretical model. Field observations of spore formation ofLeptocylindrus danicus were made off Izu Peninsula, Japan. A rapid increase in ratio of resting spore to vegetative cell numbers indicated thatL. danicus formed resting spores quickly as a response to nutrient depletion in the upwelled water, although only a very low number of resting spores was found in the upwelling. A simple model was constructed to investigate the possible advantages of spore formation during short time-scale upwelling. This showed that there is a critical time-scale for resting spore formation to be advantageous. The nutrient depletion period of the upwelling off Izu was shorter than the critical time-scale determined by the model. Rapid-sinking of resting spores may increase further the critical time-scale, unless spores return with upwelling water. For short time-scale upwelling, the vegetative cell may be better suited than the resting spore for enduring a short period of nutrient depletion. Contribution from Shimoda Marine Research Center, University of Tsukuba, No. 475.     

Immobilization of cellulolytic and hemicellulolytic enzymes on inorganic supports

Commercial cellulase preparations from Trichoderma viride and Aspergillus niger were immobilized on porous silica glass and ceramics such as alumina and titania with titanium tetrachloride (TiCl(4)) and on their silanized derivatives with glutaraldehyde (GLUT). The amounts of the immobilized enzymes were in the range 10-50 mg/g carrier (dry) depending on the kind of carrier and immobilization method. Their activities toward carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), xylan, aryl-beta-glucoside, and aryl-beta-xyloside were 3-53% of those of the native enzymes. The optimum pH of the enzymes shifted to the acidic side in most cases, whereas the optimum temperatures were nearly the same as those of native ones. The activity of immobilized enzyme preparations towards CMC did not change significantly during continuous operation over a periods of 60 days. Finally, xylan was hydrolyzed with the immobilized enzymes, and the sugars formed were investigated.     

The different effects of recombinant human tumor necrosis factor on rat fibrosarcoma sublines

Summary The antitumor effect of recombinant human tumor necrosis factor (rH-TNF) on two clones of rat fibrosarcoma with different metastatic potential to lymph nodes was examined. The colony formation of clone A, which has high metastatic potential, was completely inhibited by continuous exposure to rH-TNF at 50 U/ml. In contrast, colony formation of clone G, which has low metastatic potential, was not inhibited by high concentrations of rH-TNF (10,000 U/ml). The inhibitory effect of rH-TNF on colony formation by clone A was also observed with a 1-h exposure to rH-TNF. This effect was time and concentration dependent, as determined by the colony assay, ³H-thymidine uptake assay, and ⁵¹Cr-release assay. ³H-thymidine and ³H-uridine uptake per cell of clone A exposed to rH-TNF was not decreased. This suggests that the mechanisms of the antitumor effect of rH-TNF were not due to inhibition of DNA and RNA synthesis of tumor cells. In vivo growth and lymph node metastases of clone A inoculated i.p. to Donryu strain rats were completely suppressed by 14 consecutive i.p. injections of 10⁵ or 10⁶ U/kg per day of rH-TNF. On the other hand the growth of clone G was not influenced by rH-TNF administration.