Playful interaction: occupational therapy for all children on the school playground.

We examined the impact of an intervention on the playfulness of 5- to 7-year-old children who are developing typically. Materials that had no defined purpose were placed on a school playground for 11 weeks. The Test of Playfulness (ToP) was used to compare videotaped play segments pre- and postintervention.

Comparison of a Rapid Plate Count and MPN Methods for Enumeration of Fecal Coliforms and Escherichia coli in Soft-Shell Clams.

A direct elevated temperature plate count method utilizing modified fecal coliform agar with rosolic acid (ETPC/mFC) was compared to 5-tube and 3-tube most probable number (MPN) procedures for its accuracy in enumerating fecal coliforms and Escherichia coli in naturally and artificially contaminated soft-shell clams ( Mya arenaria ). The results indicated that the extent of overall recovery of fecal coliforms was similar in the two methods tested. Therefore, the ETPC/mFC method may be considered as a rapid procedure for fecal coliform screening during depuration of soft-shell clams.

Detection of Heated Bacterial Spores with Fluid Thioglycollate and Soybean Casein Digest Broths Containing Variable Concentrations of Solids.

Spore suspensions of Bacillus stearothermophilus (ATCC 7953, 10149, 12980), Bacillus subtilis (ATCC 6633), Bacillus subtilis var. niger (ATCC 9372), Bacillus pumilus (ATCC 27142, and a wild strain) and Bacillus cereus (ATCC 11778) were heated (20 min at 121°C for thermophiles, and 2.5-20 min at 100°C, 105°C, or 107°C for mesophiles) in 1 ml sealed ampoules.