Control of Listeria monocytogenes growth in a ready-to-eat poultry product using a bacteriophage.

A bacteriophage (phage) that infected strains of the species Listeria monocytogenes as well as Listeria ivanovii and Listeria welshimeri, but not Listeria grayi or Listeria innocua, was isolated from sheep faeces. The phage had a contractile tail and an icosohedral head indicating that it was a myovirus, and was morphologically similar to phage A511. At 30 °C, phages added at 5.2 × 107 PFU ml⁻¹ prevented the growth in broth of L. monocytogenes present at approximately twice this concentration for 7 h, but re-growth occurred such that the concentration after 24 h incubation was similar in both control and phage-treated cultures. At the same temperature, but on the surface of vacuum-packed ready-to-eat chicken breast roll, there was an immediate 2.5 log10 CFU cm⁻² reduction in pathogen concentration following addition of phages and then re-growth. However, at a temperature reflecting that at which a chilled food might be held (5 °C), this re-growth was prevented over 21 days incubation. The data suggest a dose-dependent rapid reduction in pathogen concentration followed by no continued phage-mediated effect. These results, alongside other published data, indicate that a high concentration of phages per unit area is required to ensure significant inactivation of target pathogens on food surfaces.

Anisotropic fluxes and nonlocal interactions in magnetohydrodynamic turbulence.

We investigate the locality or nonlocality of the energy transfer and the spectral interactions involved in the cascade for decaying magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) flows in the presence of a uniform magnetic field B at various intensities. The results are based on a detailed analysis of three-dimensional numerical flows at moderate Reynolds numbers. The energy transfer functions, as well as the global and partial fluxes, are examined by means of different geometrical wave number shells. On the one hand, the transfer functions of the two conserved Elsässer energies E+ and E- are found local in both the directions parallel (k|| direction) and perpendicular (kperpendicular direction) to the magnetic guide field, whatever the B strength. On the other hand, from the flux analysis, the interactions between the two counterpropagating Elsässer waves become nonlocal. Indeed, as the B intensity is increased, local interactions are strongly decreased and the interactions with small k|| modes dominate the cascade. Most of the energy flux in the kperpendicular direction is due to modes in the plane at k||=0, while the weaker cascade in the k|| direction is due to the modes with k||=1. The stronger magnetized flows tend thus to get closer to the weak turbulence limit, where three-wave resonant interactions are dominant. Hence, the transition from the strong to the weak turbulence regime occurs by reducing the number of effective modes in the energy cascade.

Experience with an up-flow biological aerated filter (BAF) for tertiary treatment: from pilot trials to full scale implementation.

Biofilters can be added to existing non-nitrifying activated sludge plants for tertiary ammonia removal and effluent polishing. It is a convenient, efficient, and cost effective way of meeting more stringent consents. In order to prove this technology, a biofilter pilot plant was installed in a large activated sludge plant with challenging conditions, since almost half of the load is industrial effluent and the water temperature can be as low as 7 degrees C. Trials were conducted over a two year period, providing the following information: low water temperature does not affect the process; the optimum rise rate at nominal flow is 8.5 m/h for this wastewater; the consent can be achieved for ammonia loads up to 0.94 kgNH4N/M3 media/day; about 50% of the post-secondary TSS and BOD can be removed in the BAF; a large proportion of industrial effluent has not had any noticeable effect on the beads after two years. A full scale plant with a nominal flow of 8257 l/s was then built and commissioned in summer 1998. Seeding was completed within three weeks of starting the filters. Two months later, a 28 day takeover was started. Results obtained on full scale plant during and after this test confirm the results obtained on the pilot.

Halogen-Bridged Mixed-Valence Linear-Chain Complexes: Molecular Orbital Model of Electron Localization.

A simple tight-binding model is used to study electronic distributions and Peierls distortions in a series of mixed-valence linear-chain complexes [M(II)(LL)(2)][M(IV)(LL)(2)X(2)] (M = Ni, Pd, Pt; X = Cl, Br, I; LL = 1,2-diaminoethane, 1,3-diaminopropane). The calculated values of Peierls distortions for complexes with known structure are in good agreement with the experimental data. For the whole series, the model is employed as a qualitative tool to analyze structural and electronic properties. It is shown that charge disproportionation occurs in the related dimers. Thus, our quantum chemical calculations as well as previous phenomenological approaches indicate that, in metal-halogen chains, one deals with the interplay of local and cooperative effects.