Several aspects of the growth and metabolism of Aquaspirillum gracile ATCC 19624 were investigated including its relationship to oxygen, ability to grow on defined media, and carbohydrate catabolism. Although previously reported to be microaerophilic, A. gracile was demonstrated to be aerobic by comparing growth responses in varying concentrations of oxygen. A defined medium for the growth of A. gracile ATCC 19624 was developed which contained mineral salts, succinate, glutamine, leucine, phenylalanine, aspartate, and biotin. Biotin appeared to be an essential growth requirement. A. gracile is one of the few spirilla that yield acid reactions from sugars, but its sugar catabolism has not been previously investigated. Only D-glucose, D-galactose, and L-arabinose are attacked. The soluble portion of extracts of glucose-grown cells was found by spectrophotometric methods to contain enzyme activities characteristic of the Entner-Doudoroff and the Embden-Meyerhof-Parnas pathways. Much lower specific activities occurred in succinate-grown cells. No activity for 6-P-gluconate dehydrogenase was detected. Inducible dehydrogenase activities for arabinose and galactose occurred in cells cultured on either sugar. Glucose-grown cells contained not only glucokinase and glucose-6- p dehydrogenase activities but also glucose dehydrogenase activity. Gluconate dehydrogenase activity was not detected but gluconate kinase activity was present, Paper chromatographic analysis of the spent culture supernatants from glucose-grmm cells indicated an accumulation of gluconic acid and this hypothesis was confirmed by a more specific enzymatic assay for gluconate. Preliminary evidence is presented for the accumulation of galactonic and L-arabonic acids in galactose and L-arabinose cultures, respectively. / Master of Science

Samples were collected monthly from July, 1972 through June 1973 using 1m² bottom sampler from a rifle in Sinking Creek in Giles County, Virginia to analyze the structure of the immature insect segment of the community. The following characteristics of the insect segment of the community were examined: life histories of the major species; total numbers; total biomass; species diversity; and energy distribution. Four types of insect life histories were observed which differed in the length of time required for development of individuals. The life histories of closely related species were found to be synchronized so that hatching times were staggered. Seasonal fluctuations in the insect segment of the community were illustrated by changes in the total number of individuals and total biomass. The fluctuation were attributed primarily to the life histories of the component species. Species diversity was calculated with numbers showed little difference than diversity calculated with biomass. Diversity calculated both ways reflected seasonal changes and indicated a rich insect fauna. There was not significant seasonal variation in energy distribution examine but this could possibly be due to calorimetry methods. Investigation of the above parameters enable one to assess the insect segment of the community as dynamic yet containing structures and functions, such as relationships between populations, which can be described. / Master of Science

A local energy conversion efficiency for a confined-discharge plasma generator is defined as the fraction of local power input which is transferred to the gas. The local efficiency is a maximum near the gas inlet and diminishes with axial distance. The thermal development length is the axial extent of that region in the plasma generator duct where the local efficiency is nonzero. This length varies with mass flow rate, current, and duct diameter. Nondimensionalization of the energy equation results in a dimensionless S parameter which determines the thermal development length. The S parameter is the product of mass flow rate, electrical conductivity, enthalpy, and duct diameter divided by the arc current squared. The thermal development length is the product of two times the S parameter and the duct diameter. Below-atmospheric static pressures occur when a calorimeter is installed at the generator plasma exit. These pressures result from deceleration of the plasma in the calorimeter. Empirical expressions for enthalpy and electrical conductivity as functions of current and mass flow rate are substituted into the S parameter, allowing the parameter to be evaluated directly from the mass flow rate and current. The S parameter is effective in evaluating redevelopment thermal lengths downstream of local radial fluid injection into the plasma. Also, the S parameter is found to be effective in evaluating thermal development lengths of independent data from a previous investigator. / Master of Science

A 15 mile portion of the New River was censused by canoe 33 times over a 1 year period. Species and number of waterfowl were recorded for each operation. A total of 16 species were observed, including 8 species of diving ducks, 7 species of dabbling ducks and 1 species of goose. Species diversity was highest in February and March and lowest in the summer months. Mallards were sighted more frequently than any other species, followed by the wood duck and the black duck. The most abundant diving ducks were scaup, bufflehead and common goldeneye. Peak numbers of waterfowl were sighted during December; the lowest numbers during the summer. Diving ducks reached their peak in terms of number of species and number of individuals during the winter period; buffleheads were the third most abundant species. Number of ducks and species diversity dropped during the spring period. Mallards and wood ducks were the only species present during the summer. Brood sightings consisted entirely of wood ducks with an observed production index of 2.9 young per river mile. The author believes 16.6 to be a more accurate estimate of this production index. Hunters responding to questionnaires bagged an average of 9.10 ducks per man during the season, considerably higher than the state average. Mallards comprised 38 percent of the total kill. The author concluded that western Virginia waterways are important to waterfowl as wintering habitat. Furthermore, wood duck breeding in Virginia makes a substantial contribution to the flyway population. / Master of Science

A multi-attribute quality control cost model is presented in this thesis. The mathematical model expresses the expected total cost of the quality system per lot as a function of the decision variables, nᵢ and cᵢ, i = 1, 2, . . . , m, where nᵢ is the sample size for the ith attribute. cᵢ is the acceptance number for the ith attribute. m is the number of attributes. The expected total cost is denoted by C_T and can be expressed as C_T = E (cost of sampling inspection). E (cost of accepting the lot). E (cost of rejecting and scrapping the lot). E (cost of rejecting and screening the lot). An optimal sampling plan can be obtained by determining the nᵢ and cᵢ, i = 1, 2, …, m, that minimizes C_T. The nᵢ and cᵢ are found by means of a search technique that has proved useful in attribute quality control systems. In addition to the model development and optimization, a sensitivity analysis is performed on the use of the gallllla distribution as an estimate of the true process distribution for single and triple attribute systems. Also, a model sensitivity analysis is performed on errors in the estimation of the Cₐᵢ, the cost of accepting a defective unit. / Master of Science

This thesis describes a method for designing an RF system for measuring rain-induced attenuation and depolarization at millimeter wavelengths. Path length, dynamic range, and polarization isolation are discussed with respect to their importance to RF system performance. Design considerations for the VPI&SU 17.65GHz,CW, RF system are presented. The path length is 1.43km, the receiver dynamic range is 71dB, and the orthogonal polarization isolation is greater than 60dB for the receiver and transmitter. The paper concludes with sample data taken with the VPI&SU system during several rain storms in 1972. / Master of Science

A small area within the Ashe Formation has been mapped at the scale 1:6000 and studied petrographically and chemically. The rocks have been metamorphosed into the lowermost amphibolite facies and folded. The gross structure is homoclinal, generally N 80° E, >50°SE. Amphibolites (39%), chlorite schists (8%), and quartzofeldspathic schists and gneisses (53%) are the major lithologies. Amphibolite assemblages are hornblende + clinozoisite and/or epidote + plagioclase + sphene ± quartz ± garnet. Amphibolites may be divided into four types on the basis of texture, sphene-content, and epidote-composition. Chlorite schists are ultrabasic rocks containing the assemblage Mg-chlorite + actinolite and/or cummingtonite + dolomite + ilmenite ± olivine. Metasediments generally contain biotite. The most distinctive metasediment is black sulfidic schist containing 15-20% amorphous carbon. The assemblage dolomite + quartz + muscovite + plagioclase + biotite occurs in the only carbonate outcrop. Anorthite content of plagioclase ranges between 18 and 40 mol % but depends on lithology. Amphibolite hornblendes have at least one A1^IV per formula unit. Epidote group minerals have compositions generally <Ps₅ or >Ps₁₀ and the concept of a single miscibility gap is not supported. Upper P-T limits will be defined by the reaction dolomite + quartz + muscovite -> plagioclase + biotite + calcite + vapor and probably limit the temperature to <550°C. The reaction zoisite + CO₂ -> anorthite + calcite + H₂O limits the CO₂ content of the metamorphic fluid over most of the area to low values, probably <0.1 mol fraction. The amphibolites probably represent basaltic flows, some amygdaloidal. Chlorite schists are interpreted to have been picritic sills. / M.S.

This study presents an initial attempt to develop a model of a decision-making process which lawyers could employ in seeking the most lenient sentence possible for their clients. Regression equations depicting the direct effect of a number of legal and nonlegal (social) factors on the length of prison sentence were constructed on the basis of data collected from the Division of Corrections and the Bureau. of Research and Reporting of the State of Virginia. Analysis of the data revealed that the type of crime one was convicted of, acted as a specifying variable; thus, the regression equations were developed in crime specific terms. Comparing the regression equations for the seven different types of crime sampled, it was found that no two of them were the same. Moreover, the ability of the regression equations to explain the variance in the length of prison sentence was found to fluctuate drastically. Nevertheless, it was felt that the advocated model could be of some utility to lawyers. / Master of Science

Twelve weanling male rats averaging 50 g were used in this study. One half of them were fed a vitamin E-deficient (E-def) diet and the remainder a vitamin E-sufficient (E-suff) diet. All animals were killed after a 4-week feeding period, and their liver mitochondria isolated. State 4 and state 3 oxidative metabolism of E-def and E-suff rat liver mitochondria using three substrate conditions: endogenous, pyruvate plus malate, and α-ketoglutarate, were measured by oxygen electrode analysis. Statistically significant differences were seen among state 4 respiration with α-ketoglutarate, state 4 respiration(combined data with endogenous, pyruvate plus malate and α-ketoglutarate), state 3 endogenous respiration, and state 3 respiration (combined data with endogenous, pyruvate plus malate, and α-ketoglutarate) of E-def and E-suff rat liver mitochondria. In vitro vitamin E addition studies were carried out to measure any toxic or beneficial effects of the vitamin on liver mitochondrial respiration from both groups. No significant effect of in vitro additions of vitamin E on liver mitochondrial respiration was found. Liver mitochondria from E-def rats generally had faster respiration rates than those from E-suff animals. It is possible that the effect of vitamin E deficiency on the membranes of the mitochondria accounted for these results. If so, then those mitochondria deficient in the vitamin could become swollen and broken allowing substrates to enter the mitochondria at a faster rate and thus be utilized faster. It is postulated that vitamin E may play an important role in the body by maintaining proper liver mitochondrial respiration through the vitamin's beneficial influence on mitochondrial membranes. / Master of Science

Field experiments were established on July 12, 1971, and April 12 and April 20, 1972, by transplanting various cultivars and genotypes of Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.). Objectives were to study effects of fertility level and cutting height on underground growth of various Kentucky bluegrasses during various seasons and develop a technique for measuring underground growth without disturbing the cultivars and genotypes. Most root growth occurred in late winter and spring, and cultivars and genotypes with high amounts of roots in late spring tend to have a better chance of survival with less maintenance during the summer. Fylking produced more roots in spring and survived under low cutting height better than other cultivars and genotypes. BA6124 produced more roots in summer than any other cultivar and genotype. No cultivar and genotype had the largest underground growth throughout all parameters studied; therefore, blending is recommended to create a desirable bluegrass turf. Techniques used in experiments were adequate. / Master of Science