1. A study was made of the pH changes occurring when 0.1-4 mumol of glutamate, phosphate and certain phosphate esters was added at about pH 4.8 to washed cell preparations (50 mg dry wt.) of strains of Saccharomyces. The system also contained deoxyglucose and antimycin to inhibit energy metabolism and so prevent proton ejection from the yeast. 2. A strain of Sacc. carlsbergensis was grown in a chemostat with a limiting supply of phosphate in order to enhance the subsequent rate of phosphate transfer into the yeast. These preparations absorbed 0.2 mumol of phosphate with about 3 equiv. of protons/mol of phosphate. The charge balance was maintained by the efflux of 2 equiv. of K-+ from the yeast. 3. Larger amounts of phosphate were absorbed with fewer proton equivalents. 4. Arsenate and phosphate caused similar pH changes. 5. Glucose 6-phosphate, ATP and certain order phosphate esters each initiated a rise in pH, possibly because hydrolytic extracellular enzymes released phosphate that was subsequently absorbed. 6. Four strains of yeast were grown with glutamate as principal source of nitrogen. Each absorbed extra protons in the presence of L-glutamate. 7. One of them, a strain of Sacc. cerevisiae, absorbed 0.2 mumol of glutamate with 3equiv. of protons/mol of glutamate, and in these circumstances 1-2 equiv. of K-+ left the yeast cells. 8. The role of ionic gradients in the transport of these anions is discussed.

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PurposeTo explore how motivational interviewing (MI) training might benefit the practice of COVID-19 contact tracers.Design/methodology/approachFollowing co-production of a MI training package, with a United Kingdom (UK) track and trace organisation, training was delivered virtually to 101 volunteer participants involved in contact tracing. Data were captured via an online survey, incorporating questions from recognised measures of occupational self-efficacy and workplace wellbeing, prior to the training. Open data fields were used to gather feedback about participants' reasons for attending, and views about the training afterwards.FindingsAlthough the contact tracers reported high occupational self-efficacy and workplace wellbeing, both quantitative and qualitative data suggested participants saw practitioner value and utility in MI.Research limitations/implicationsThe sample was self-selecting and typically involved contact tracers from UK local authorities. The study did not measure impact on compliance with self-isolation guidance and/or providing details of contacts, and larger-scale research would be needed to establish this. This was not a pre-post-test evaluation study, and measures of occupational self-efficacy and workplace wellbeing were gathered to give insight into the sample and to test the feasibility of using this survey for a future large-scale study. The research was conducted during the height of the pandemic. While UK COVID-19 contact tracing services have since been reduced, there are potential implications for infection control more generally.Practical implicationsMI is potentially a useful approach for enhancing contact tracing practice. However, implementation factors should be carefully considered, to ensure effective and sustainable practice.Social implicationsImproved practice in contact tracing could have potential benefits in infection control, through improving compliance with central guidance, although this requires more widespread investigation.Originality/valueThis is the first empirical study to investigate how MI training could benefit COVID-19 contact tracing practice.