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Additional file 1: Figure S1. Additional controls used in this study. Panel A shows the expression of AmilCP under the control of the uspA (Universal Stress Protein) promoter sequence. As an activating agent, H2O2 was used and mitomycin C as a negative control (MC). Panel B shows the effect of varying concentrations of SDS on the activation of the recA reporter strain. Panel C shows the activation of varying concentrations of ethanol. Panel D shows the viability and activation of the reporter strain during a 30 min. heat shock. The clear area on each experiment indicates cell death. The purple halos indicate reporter strain activation. Panel E, representative examples of 35 mm petri dish assays using MC at different concentrations and the plot of halo diameter against MC concentration, an average of three independent experiments, to show that below 1 ��g of MC the signal is barely detectable. Figure S2. Evaluation of lower concentrations of the chromium contaminated lixiviates from a chromite processing facility. Panel A shows the activation of the reporter strain at lower concentrations of the Cr(VI) containing lixiviates. In Panel B, control lixiviates are shown from the mountainside of the contaminated soil known to be clear of Cr(VI). The clear area on each experiment indicates cell death. The purple halos indicate reporter strain activation.

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.

A polymerase chain reaction able to amplify Mycobacterium tuberculosis DNA from clinical samples of extra-pulmonary origin is described. The PCR amplified a 294 base pair DNA fragment spanning positions 5′-782 to 3′-1075 of the 65 kDa M. tuberculosis antigen gene. The procedure enables amplification of target DNA at quantities as low as 1 pg of purified material and less than 1000 mycobacteria present in clinical samples. The reaction amplifies M. tuberculosis DNA as well as Mycobacterium bovis BCG DNA. In 34 extra-pulmonary clinical samples studied, 18 rendered positive results and two false-negative results; compared to classical diagnostic procedures, the sensitivity was 90% and specificity 100%. The PCR approach to diagnosis of tuberculosis of extra-pulmonary origin is a valid diagnostic alternative to classical procedures

The conditions to store sweet cherry pollen of six cultivars ("Brooks", "Cristobalina", "Marvin", "New Star", "Ruby" and "Somerset") for a long period of time were studied. Pollen samples were stored at 4 deg C or -20 deg C and were taken at 7, 15, 30, 60, 90, 180, 270, 365 or 540 days of storage for all cultivars (with the exception of "Somerset" at 30 days). "Cristobalina" showed the highest pollen germination (over 60%). For the rest of cultivars, maximum pollen germination ranged from 36% to 44%. Pollen viability was completely lost for most cultivars after only 60 days of storage at 4 drg C. However, percentages of germinated pollen in all cultivars were not different from the control after one year of storage at -20 deg C, with the exception of "New Star" and "Marvin" that showed a reduction in pollen germination. Storage for periods longer than one year at -20 deg C produced a decrease in pollen viability with the exception of "Cristobalina" and "Somerset" pollen that maintained similar viability at all times. Results indicate that pollen viability could be maintained at reasonably high percentages after storage at -20 deg C during one year for all cultivars studied., Se han estudiado las condiciones de conservación del polen de seis variedades de cerezo ("Brooks", "Cristobalina", "Marvin", "New Star", "Ruby" y "Somerset") durante un largo período de almacenamiento. El polen se conservó a 4 grados C y -20 grados C y se tomaron muestras a los 7, 15, 30, 60, 90, 180, 270, 365 y 540 días de almacenamiento de todas las variedades, con la excepción de "Somerset" a los 30 días. "Cristobalina" mostró los porcentajes de germinación mayores (por encima de 60%). Los valores alcanzados por el resto de las variedades oscilaron entre el 36% y el 44%. La mayoría de las variedades perdieron completamente la viabilidad del polen tan solo a los 60 días de conservación a 4 grados C. Sin embargo, los porcentajes de germinación del polen conservado a -20 grados C no variaron después de un año, excepto en las variedades "New Star" y "Marvin", que mostraron una reducción en su germinación. La conservación del polen a -20 grados C durante un periodo superior al año disminuyó la viabilidad del polen, excepto en el caso de "Cristobalina" y "Somerset", donde la viabilidad fue similar durante todo el tiempo. De los resultados de este trabajo se puede concluir que la viabilidad del polen de cerezo se puede mantener en porcentajes razonablemente elevados durante un año a -20 grados C en todas las variedades estudiadas.