Factors Affecting Catalase Activity in Staphylococcus aureus MF-31

Selected conditions were examined for their possible roles in the regulation of catalase activity in Staphylococcus aureus MF-31. The addition of the heme precursor 5-aminolevulinic acid resulted in increased catalase activity whereas the addition of exogenous hydrogen peroxide did not. Catalase activity decreased when S. aureus MF-31 cells were grown in media containing glucose. Cells grown in media with succinate or citrate substituted for glucose exhibited increased catalase activity. Cells grown in tryptic soy broth (0.5% NaCl) supplemented with NaCl showed increased catalase activity at salt concentrations up to 3%.     

CHANGES IN ADAPTIVE BEHAVIOR IN INSTITUTIONALIZED RETARDATES IN RESPONSE TO ENVIRONMENTAL ENRICHMENT OR DEPRIVATION.

2 GROUPS OF RETARDATES WERE MATCHED FOR INTELLECTUAL FUNCTIONING AND CA UPON INSTITUTIONALIZATION, DIAGNOSIS, AND SEX. 1 GROUP (I) WAS ENROLLED IN SPECIAL EDUCATION CLASSES; THE OTHER GROUP (II) WAS NOT. AFTER 4 YR. OF THESE RESPECTIVE TREATMENTS. GROUP I EVIDENCED SUPERIORITY OVER GROUP II IN ACQUISITION OF PERSONAL SKILLS (BEHAVIORS REFLECTING ABILITY TO ASSUME IN PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR ONE'S SELF AND ONE'S POSSESSIONS), BUT NO SUPERIORITY IN ACQUISITION OF SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL BEHAVIORS (ABILITY TO RELATE TO OTHERS AS INDIVIDUALS AND IN GROUPS). IN EACH GROUP, MA RELATED TO THE ACQUISITION OF PERSONAL SKILLS, BUT NOT TO SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL BEHAVIORS. THESE RESULTS ARE FELT TO HAVE IMPLICATIONS FOR THE ASSESSMENT AND TRAINING OF RETARDATES. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Differential Thermal Analysis Investigation of the High-Low Cristobalite Inversion Under Hydrostatic Pressure to 7 Kbar

The high-low inversion in polycrystalline cristobalite, synthesized from quartz at 1500°C, was investigated by differential thermal analysis to 7 kbar in hydrostatic apparatus. A region of anomalous curvature ( d²T/dp² >0) exists to ∼1 kbar; at higher pressure, the low→high and high→low transition temperatures vary linearly with pressure, with slopes of ∼51.₁ and 53. ₆ deg kbar⁻¹, respectively. Extrapolated 1-bar intercepts are ∼232° and ∼209°C, respectively. It is concluded that high cristobalite is less compressible than low cristobalite near the inversion. The hysteresis between the high→low and low→high transition temperatures decreases with increasing pressure.     

Atomistic Simulation of Defect Structures and Ion Transport in α-Fe2O3 and α-Cr2O3

Computer-modelling techniques are applied to the calculation of defect formation and migration energies in α-Fe₂O₃ and α-Cr₂O₃: both electronic and lattice defects are considered. The results are used to predict Arrhenius energies for cation and anion migration in different composition and temperature regimes and show reasonable agreement with experimental data where these are available.     

Thermal Decomposition Kinetics of Boehmite

The decomposition of boehmite, or alpha alumina monohydrate, was studied in water vapor and nitrogen atmospheres between 430° and 500°C. Powder samples used consisted of agglomerates of very small boehmite crystallites. The rate of decomposition was determined with a transducer which measured the loss of sample weight due to the liberation of gaseous water. A linear rate law is obeyed by the decomposition of boehmite and, because of the characteristics of the fractional weight loss-time curve, an interface model was suggested as the mechanism of decomposition. The activation energy was 70 kcal/mole. The effect of water vapor on the rate of decomposition was investigated. A simple forward-back reaction mechanism did not satisfactorily explain the data. Two models, either of which could be valid, were proposed to describe the relation between decomposition rate and water vapor pressure: (1) An adsorption-desorption process of water on the boehmite was assumed, and (2) an intermediate species of Al₂O₃ entering into the decomposition reaction was assumed.     

MICROFLORA OF FRESH PORK SAUSAGE CASINGS. 2. Natural Casings

SUMMARY– Aerobic total plate counts on TGE Agar at 28°C varied from a level greater than 30,000 to 59,000,000 microorganisms per gram in salt-packed natural casings and from 180,000 to 23,000,000 organisms per gram in wet-packed natural casings. Both salt-packed and wet-packed casings supported similar growth patterns in selective media. 38 isolates were identified from the salt-packed casings and 53 from the wet-packed. Of the salt-packed isolates, 60.5% were of the genus Bacillus, 7.9% Pseudomonas, 15.8% Clostridium, 1.6% Micrococcus and 5.3% Gaffkya Those isolates obtained from the wet-packed casings included 62.3% Bacillus, 7.5% Pseudomonas, 7.5% Clostridium, 7.5% Micrococcus, 5.6% Proteus, 1.9% Lactobacillus and 5.7% unidentified.     

EXOELECTRON MEASUREMENTS OF THE RATE OF DEVELOPMENT OF FATIGUE

Abstract— The development of fatigue damage in metals can be detected and assessed by means of exoelectron emission. The surface of the fatigue specimen is scanned by a focused u.v. laser beam, and the distribution of exoelectron emission identifies the localized regions where fatigue damage has accumulated. The onset of damage is detected after only 1% of the fatigue life, and the intensity of exoelectron emission is a measure of the severity of the damage and can be used to predict the fatigue life.