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Papers by tj ferguson

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 1983

A thermophilic methanogen was isolated from enrichment cultures originally inoculated with sludge... more A thermophilic methanogen was isolated from enrichment cultures originally inoculated with sludge from an anaerobic kelp digester (55°C). This isolate exhibited a temperature optimum of 55 to 60°C and a maximum near 70°C. Growth occurred throughout the pH range of 5.5 to 9.0, with optimal growth near pH 7.2. Although 4% salt was present in the isolation medium, salt was not required for optimal growth. The thermophile utilized formate or H 2 -CO 2 but not acetate, methanol, or methylamines for growth and methanogenesis. Growth in complex medium was very rapid, and a minimum doubling time of 1.8 h was recorded in media supplemented with rumen fluid. Growth in defined media required the addition of acetate and an unknown factor(s) from digester supernatant, rumen fluid, or Trypticase. Cells in liquid culture were oval to coccoid, 0.7 to 1.8 μm in diameter, often occurring in pairs. The cells were easily lysed upon exposure to oxygen or 0.08 mg of sodium dodecyl sulfate per ml. The iso...

International Journal of Systematic Bacteriology, 1985

Tilerniobacteroides proteolyticus sp. nov. was isolated from a methanogenic enrichment culture in... more Tilerniobacteroides proteolyticus sp. nov. was isolated from a methanogenic enrichment culture inocutated from a thermophilic digestor (55°C) that was fermenting tannery wastes and cattle manure. The cells were anaerobic, grani-negative, nonsporeforming, nonmotile rods that were 0.5 Fin wide and 1 to 6 W m long. At the end of logarithniic growth, they were pleomorphic, with some filamentous cells. The deoxyribonucleic acid base composition was 35 mol% guanine plus cytosine. The temperature optimum was 63°C (growth range 35, to 75°C); the pM optimum was 7.5 (growth range, pH 5.0 to 8.5). The growth substrates used included yeast extract, peptone, caseili, gelatin, arid Trypticase peptone. Fructose, glucose, maltose, sucrose, and mannose were weakly used as growth substrates; however, addition of yeast extract and either rumen Huid or Trypticase peptone stimulated utilization of these carbohydrates. Acetate, H2, and CO2 were the major products of growth in medium containing gelatin or glucose. The cells were resistant to kanamycin. The type strain is strain BT (= ATCC 35242). W e report the isolation and characterization of a new thermophilic anaerobic species obtained from a methanogenic enrichment inoculated from a thermophilic digestor that was operated on tannery wastes and cattle manure. This organism stains grani negative: it is a nonsporulating bacterium which uses proteins and .sugars as substrates. We propose the nilme Tlierr,iobucreroidrJ proteolyticirs sp. nov. for this organism. Inoculum and enrichment. Tannery wastes and cattle * Corresponding author. NHQ, 0.4 g of KZHP04 . 3H20,O.l g of MgCl2 6H20,0.5 g of L-cysteine hydrochloride, 1.0 g of yeast extract (Difco Laboratories, Detroit, Mich.), 0.001 g ofresazurin, 25 ml of a mineral solution (I), 5 ml of a trace mineral solution (I), and 1,000 ml of Milli-Q-deionizcd water (conductivity, 5.9 R. Sleat, 1. Mathrani. and Y. Liu for helpfut discussions. This study was supportcd by grants 5080-323-0423 and IFAS-GKI-FIA-MCS 2171 (rom the Gas Kesearch Lnstitute and by rrbaarch grant DE-AT03-80EK106X4 from the U.S. Department of Energy.

Journal of Applied Psychology, 1979

Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science / Revue canadienne des sciences du comportement, 1992

Dissonance theorists have speculated that people who have misattributed dissonance arousal to an ... more Dissonance theorists have speculated that people who have misattributed dissonance arousal to an external .source may come to question the appropriateness of this attribution. Moreover, they may then be motivated to alter their attitudes. The current study tested this latter notion by having an experimenter discredit the plausibility of an external source after misattribution had presumably occurred. Sixty-four female undergraduates were given a pill described as having either unpleasant side effects or no side effects. Subjects (Ss) then were committed to write counter-attitudinal essays under high-choice conditions. Some Ss were then told that a mistake had been made, and that they had actually been given the other form of the pill. As predicted, Ss who had initially been led to believe that the pill had aversive side effects but were later told that it did not, manifested behaviour-consistent attitude change. Resume Les tenants de la theorie de la dissonance supposent que si Ton associe a tort une cognition dissonante a une source externe, on peut en venir a s'interroger sur la pertinence de l'association. De plus, on peut etre motive par la suite a modifier ses attitudes. On a verifie s'il en etait ainsi avec l'aide d'un experimentateur qui devait nier la plausibilite d'une source externe une fois que l'association erronee aurait ete etablie. On a donne a 64 etudiantes du premier cycle une pilule qui devait occasionner des effets secondaires desagreables ou n'en occasionner aucun. Les etudiantes devaient ensuite rediger des essais dont 1'orientation £tait contraire a leurs attitudes, mais a l'egard desquels elles avaient vraiment l'impression d'exercer leur libre arbitre. On a ensuite avis£ certaines d'entre elles qu'une erreur avait ete conimise et qu'elles avaient en fait re<;u l'autre type de pilule. Comme predit, les etudiantes a qui on avait d'abord laiss£ croire aux effets desagreables pour ensuite les informer du contraire ont manifeste un changement d'attitude conforme au comportement. Research stimulated by Festinger's (1957) cognitive dissonance theory has demonstrated that people who behave in a counter-attitudinal manner

The Western journal of medicine, 1989

American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, 1996

Ricefarmers are occupationally exposed to agents that may affect respiratory health, including in... more Ricefarmers are occupationally exposed to agents that may affect respiratory health, including inorganic dusts and smoke from burning of agricultural waste. To assess respiratory health of this occupational group, we conducted a cross-sectional study, including a self-administered health and work questionnaire, spirometry, and chest radiography among 464 male California rice farmers. Mean age ± SO was 48.3 ± 15.2 yr; mean duration of rice farming was 25.7 ± 14.3 yr. Prevalences for respiratory symptoms were: chronic bronchitis (6.3%), physician-diagnosed asthma (7.1%), and persistent wheeze (8.8%). Chronic cough was reported by 7.1% of respondents and was associated with reported hours per year burning rice stubble. Mean FEV1 and FVC were at expected values. FEV1 was inversely associated with years working in rice storage and use of heated rice dryers. Mean FEF25-75 was 93% of expected and was inversely associated with rice storage activities involving unheated rice driers. ILO profusion scores~1/0 for small irregular opacities were seen in 18 (10.1%) of 178 chest radiographs. Study findings suggest increased asthma prevalence among California rice farmers. Radiologic findings consistent with dust or fiber exposure were increased compared with those of the general population, although no associations with specific farming activities were identified. McCurdy SA, Ferguson TJ, Goldsmith DF, Parker JE, Schenker MB. Respiratory health of California rice farmers.

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 1983

A thermophilic methanogen was isolated from enrichment cultures originally inoculated with sludge... more A thermophilic methanogen was isolated from enrichment cultures originally inoculated with sludge from an anaerobic kelp digester (55°C). This isolate exhibited a temperature optimum of 55 to 60°C and a maximum near 70°C. Growth occurred throughout the pH range of 5.5 to 9.0, with optimal growth near pH 7.2. Although 4% salt was present in the isolation medium, salt was not required for optimal growth. The thermophile utilized formate or H 2 -CO 2 but not acetate, methanol, or methylamines for growth and methanogenesis. Growth in complex medium was very rapid, and a minimum doubling time of 1.8 h was recorded in media supplemented with rumen fluid. Growth in defined media required the addition of acetate and an unknown factor(s) from digester supernatant, rumen fluid, or Trypticase. Cells in liquid culture were oval to coccoid, 0.7 to 1.8 μm in diameter, often occurring in pairs. The cells were easily lysed upon exposure to oxygen or 0.08 mg of sodium dodecyl sulfate per ml. The iso...

International Journal of Systematic Bacteriology, 1985

Tilerniobacteroides proteolyticus sp. nov. was isolated from a methanogenic enrichment culture in... more Tilerniobacteroides proteolyticus sp. nov. was isolated from a methanogenic enrichment culture inocutated from a thermophilic digestor (55°C) that was fermenting tannery wastes and cattle manure. The cells were anaerobic, grani-negative, nonsporeforming, nonmotile rods that were 0.5 Fin wide and 1 to 6 W m long. At the end of logarithniic growth, they were pleomorphic, with some filamentous cells. The deoxyribonucleic acid base composition was 35 mol% guanine plus cytosine. The temperature optimum was 63°C (growth range 35, to 75°C); the pM optimum was 7.5 (growth range, pH 5.0 to 8.5). The growth substrates used included yeast extract, peptone, caseili, gelatin, arid Trypticase peptone. Fructose, glucose, maltose, sucrose, and mannose were weakly used as growth substrates; however, addition of yeast extract and either rumen Huid or Trypticase peptone stimulated utilization of these carbohydrates. Acetate, H2, and CO2 were the major products of growth in medium containing gelatin or glucose. The cells were resistant to kanamycin. The type strain is strain BT (= ATCC 35242). W e report the isolation and characterization of a new thermophilic anaerobic species obtained from a methanogenic enrichment inoculated from a thermophilic digestor that was operated on tannery wastes and cattle manure. This organism stains grani negative: it is a nonsporulating bacterium which uses proteins and .sugars as substrates. We propose the nilme Tlierr,iobucreroidrJ proteolyticirs sp. nov. for this organism. Inoculum and enrichment. Tannery wastes and cattle * Corresponding author. NHQ, 0.4 g of KZHP04 . 3H20,O.l g of MgCl2 6H20,0.5 g of L-cysteine hydrochloride, 1.0 g of yeast extract (Difco Laboratories, Detroit, Mich.), 0.001 g ofresazurin, 25 ml of a mineral solution (I), 5 ml of a trace mineral solution (I), and 1,000 ml of Milli-Q-deionizcd water (conductivity, 5.9 R. Sleat, 1. Mathrani. and Y. Liu for helpfut discussions. This study was supportcd by grants 5080-323-0423 and IFAS-GKI-FIA-MCS 2171 (rom the Gas Kesearch Lnstitute and by rrbaarch grant DE-AT03-80EK106X4 from the U.S. Department of Energy.

Journal of Applied Psychology, 1979

Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science / Revue canadienne des sciences du comportement, 1992

Dissonance theorists have speculated that people who have misattributed dissonance arousal to an ... more Dissonance theorists have speculated that people who have misattributed dissonance arousal to an external .source may come to question the appropriateness of this attribution. Moreover, they may then be motivated to alter their attitudes. The current study tested this latter notion by having an experimenter discredit the plausibility of an external source after misattribution had presumably occurred. Sixty-four female undergraduates were given a pill described as having either unpleasant side effects or no side effects. Subjects (Ss) then were committed to write counter-attitudinal essays under high-choice conditions. Some Ss were then told that a mistake had been made, and that they had actually been given the other form of the pill. As predicted, Ss who had initially been led to believe that the pill had aversive side effects but were later told that it did not, manifested behaviour-consistent attitude change. Resume Les tenants de la theorie de la dissonance supposent que si Ton associe a tort une cognition dissonante a une source externe, on peut en venir a s'interroger sur la pertinence de l'association. De plus, on peut etre motive par la suite a modifier ses attitudes. On a verifie s'il en etait ainsi avec l'aide d'un experimentateur qui devait nier la plausibilite d'une source externe une fois que l'association erronee aurait ete etablie. On a donne a 64 etudiantes du premier cycle une pilule qui devait occasionner des effets secondaires desagreables ou n'en occasionner aucun. Les etudiantes devaient ensuite rediger des essais dont 1'orientation £tait contraire a leurs attitudes, mais a l'egard desquels elles avaient vraiment l'impression d'exercer leur libre arbitre. On a ensuite avis£ certaines d'entre elles qu'une erreur avait ete conimise et qu'elles avaient en fait re<;u l'autre type de pilule. Comme predit, les etudiantes a qui on avait d'abord laiss£ croire aux effets desagreables pour ensuite les informer du contraire ont manifeste un changement d'attitude conforme au comportement. Research stimulated by Festinger's (1957) cognitive dissonance theory has demonstrated that people who behave in a counter-attitudinal manner

The Western journal of medicine, 1989

American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, 1996

Ricefarmers are occupationally exposed to agents that may affect respiratory health, including in... more Ricefarmers are occupationally exposed to agents that may affect respiratory health, including inorganic dusts and smoke from burning of agricultural waste. To assess respiratory health of this occupational group, we conducted a cross-sectional study, including a self-administered health and work questionnaire, spirometry, and chest radiography among 464 male California rice farmers. Mean age ± SO was 48.3 ± 15.2 yr; mean duration of rice farming was 25.7 ± 14.3 yr. Prevalences for respiratory symptoms were: chronic bronchitis (6.3%), physician-diagnosed asthma (7.1%), and persistent wheeze (8.8%). Chronic cough was reported by 7.1% of respondents and was associated with reported hours per year burning rice stubble. Mean FEV1 and FVC were at expected values. FEV1 was inversely associated with years working in rice storage and use of heated rice dryers. Mean FEF25-75 was 93% of expected and was inversely associated with rice storage activities involving unheated rice driers. ILO profusion scores~1/0 for small irregular opacities were seen in 18 (10.1%) of 178 chest radiographs. Study findings suggest increased asthma prevalence among California rice farmers. Radiologic findings consistent with dust or fiber exposure were increased compared with those of the general population, although no associations with specific farming activities were identified. McCurdy SA, Ferguson TJ, Goldsmith DF, Parker JE, Schenker MB. Respiratory health of California rice farmers.