Degradation of pyrene by Mycobacterium flavescens.

A strain of Mycobacterium flavescens was isolated from polluted sediments. It was capable of utilizing pyrene as a sole source of carbon and energy. When pyrene was supplied as a suspension at 50 micrograms/ml, the generation time was 9.

Perseverative errors and reversal of a visual discrimination following basal forebrain lesions in the rat.

Rats with electrolytic lesions of the nucleus basalis magnocellularis were compared to sham-lesioned rats in the retention of a continuously reinforced lever-pressing response and in the acquisition and reversal of a visual discrimination task. The muscarinic agonist pilocarpine, in conjunction with the peripheral muscarinic antagonist methyl-scopolamine, was administered in three doses to subsets of each group during acquisition. The lesion interfered with retention of the lever-pressing response.

Pregnancy-associated, lymphocyte-derived suppressor factor inhibits protein kinase C activity.

For successful allogenic pregnancy to occur, suppression of maternal defense responses toward the fetus are vital. Suppressor factors elaborated by decidual cells or immune cells may facilitate this suppression. In order for appropriate cellular responses to occur an intact signal transduction/second messenger system must be present.