Forms of manganese as influenced by organic matter and iron oxide

Summary Organic matter has been found to be closely associated with the retention of manganese in an exchangeable form. The destruction of organic matter or its addition decrease or increase the exchangeable form of manganese respectively.The removal of iron and Fe₂O₃ addition greatly affect the retention of manganese. An increase in Fe₂O₃ addition increases the retained, reducible and fixed forms (R, r and F values) of manganese in soils.     

The fine structure of the sieve tubes of Salix caprea (L.) and its relation to the electroosmotic theory

Summary The sieve plate pores of Salix caprea in preparations fixed in glutaraldehyde are normally found to be occupied by slime fibrils showing periodic banding such as occur in a number of other species. Arguments are put forward to suggest that the occurence of fibrils in this position is natural and not an artefact of preparation. The sieve tubes further possess prominent and persistent nucleoli showing a radiating structure of tubules. The endoplasmic reticulum often occurs in parietal stacks reminiscent of other species.This evidence is discussed in relation to the electroosmotic theory of translocation.This work formed part of that submitted for the degree of Ph. D. of the University of London by U. Mishra.     

Relationship Between Amino Sugars and Meat Microbial Quality

The amino sugar content of spoiling beef increased with the microbial count and appeared to be responsible for the increased hydration capacity of spoiled meats.     

Area-sampling Technique for Quantitative Pharyngeal Cultures

An area-sampling device for obtaining quantitative samples of the oropharyngeal bacterial flora is described and illustrative data are presented.     

Effect of Culture Medium Composition and pH on the Production of M Protein and Proteinase by Group A Streptococci

The effects of pH, yeast extract, and neopeptone on the production of extracellular proteinase and M protein by group A streptococci were studied with a type 1 strain capable of producing both M protein and proteinase. The strain DS 2036-66 grew moderately well in a semisynthetic broth. M protein was produced without adding peptides to the medium. When added to a medium with 1% glucose, yeast extract (0.1%) was found to stimulate both growth and proteinase formation. Limiting the glucose to 0.25% prevented a drop in pH below 6.7 and prevented proteinase formation. Although less growth occurred with limited glucose, M protein of high specific activity was produced with an actual increase in acid-extractable M protein during the stationary phase of growth. When the medium was buffered at pH 7.85 with tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane buffer, 0.5% neopeptone prevented proteinase formation. This was true even in the presence of 1% glucose and 0.1% yeast extract, which resulted in a fall in pH to about 4.8 by 48 hr. Growth was greater than in Todd Hewitt broth, but the specific activity of M protein was considerably less than that found in the medium with glucose limited to 0.25%. Neopeptone was found to have little direct action on crude streptococcal proteinase. Instead, the evidence suggested that neopeptone somehow prevents proteinase elaboration. Yeast extract, on the other hand, appears to stimulate proteinase elaboration. To prevent proteinase formation, neopeptone must be added early, during the logarithmic phase of growth or at the start. In contrast, when yeast extract was added as late as 24 hr, it resulted in the elaboration of extracellular proteinase and in the decline of M protein. When 38 M nontypable strains from the diagnostic laboratory were tested for proteinase activity under conditions similar to those used in the diagnostic laboratory, only six produced much proteinase.     

Use of paraffin bait technique in the isolation of Nocardia asteroides from sputum

Summary The use of paraffin bait technique in the isolation ofNocardia asteroides has been tested in 241 samples of sputa obtained from 235 cases of respiratory diseases.N. asteroides was recovered on 6 occasions from sputum of a patient using the paraffin bait technique. On the other hand cultures of sputa from the same patient on routine agar media such as Sabouraud's agar and Lowenstein Jensen medium yielded only one isolated of the pathogen.This work forms a part of the Ph. D. thesis of P.V.K. submitted to the University of Delhi.