A delayed-coincidence timing spectrometer system was used to experimentally measure the lifetime of the 344-keV level of 152 64Gd by means of the self comparison technique. A major objective of the study was to determine the effectiveness of a NaI(Tl)-plastic detector assembly for energy spectrum reconstruction when measuring the lifetime of a level in a complex nuclear decay scheme. The experimentally measured mean life was 38 ± 5 psec. This result does not agree with two previously reported values of 76 psec. It was concluded that gamma-ray energy misidentification was primarily responsible for the disagreement. Correction factors would have to be applied to the experimental data is such a system is to be effective in a nuclear decay scheme study which involves many gamma rays.Ball State UniversityMuncie, IN 47306

The major work involved is the development of a practical and reliable radiocarbon dating laboratory at Ball State University. The method involved in determining the age of an organic sample, such as wood, peat, bone, or shell, is a carbon to benzene conversion procedure, followed by a liquid scintillation counting technique. The procedure involves producing; lithium carbide at 9000 C from our carbon sample, and then adding distilled water at room temperature to generate acetylene gas. Using a vanadium pentoxide on alumina catalyst, the acetylene is trimerized to benzene. The benzene is used in the liquid scintillation counter to determine the radiocarbon content. The age of a sample is then calculated from the ratio of carbon-14 to carbon-12, as found through the counting technique.Ball State UniversityMuncie, IN 47306

Fatty acid distributions in tissues from salamanders of the family Plethodontidae were compared to determine the feasibility of using such differences as a taxonomic tool. Intraspecific, generic, and interspecific variations in the fatty acid composition of one species of genus Desmognathus, two species of genus Eurycea, four species of genus Plethodon, and one species each of genus Gyrinophilus and genus Pseudotriton were compared.Intraspecific variation in fatty acid percentages were found when sex, size, season of collection, geographic locality, and altitude were compared on a variety of tissue extracts. Sex and geographic differences seemed to be of the least importance, while differences in the other three comparisons were distinct. Fatty acid compositions of salamanders of various sizes were compared and it was found that tissues of larger salamanders had smaller percentages of short chain fatty acids.Seasonal variation was apparent in that there was an increase in short chain fatty acid percentages of tissues of salamanders collected toward the fall, compared to those collected in the spring. Tissues of specimens from higher elevations were found to have more short chain fatty acids than those from lower elevations.A trend toward larger proportions of short chain fatty acids was found among salamanders of genus Eurycea, which has the greatest diversity in habitat. This trend graded toward lower percentages as the genera became more aquatic, as in genus Gyrinophilus and genus Pseudotriton, or more terrestrial, as in genus Desmognathus and genus Plethodon.Few interspecific variations were found which would allow consistent differentiation between species. One notable exception was the presence of fatty acid 17:2 in Eurycea multiplicata multiplicata, and not in the other species of Eurycea.This study suggests that the biochemical taxonomic differentiation of salamanders of family Plethodontidae using fatty acid distribution, may be possible in a more comprehensive investigation using larger sample sizes.Ball State UniversityMuncie, IN 47306

The effect of intravenous injection of epinephrine on blood volume, red cell volume, and hematocrit was studied. The effects of such a challenge on anesthetized intact, awake intact, and awake splenectomized rats were compared.The epinephrine challenge caused significant increases in the hematocrits of anesthetized animals and highly significant increases in the awake intact animals. No other statistically significant changes occurred in the parameters studied.The results indicate that the rat sequesters red blood cells in the spleen which are released with an appropriate challenge. This release response is attenuated by sodium pentobarbital anesthesia. It was not possible to detect an increase in blood volume or in red cell volume by using Cr51 tagged cells as tracers.Ball State UniversityMuncie, IN 47306

The thesis' primary function was the period determination of k Bootis, and S Scuti Variable, through long time-base UBV photoelectric photometry. Data was analyzed using Barning's method, a Fourier technique in searching for the primary and beat periods within the range 0.0486 to 0.0826 days and 13 to 19 days respectively. The study's secondary function was the identification of overtones and the acquisition of any other information concerning this star.Ambiguity resulting from the period determinations of Millis (1966) and Desikachary et al. (1971) was tentatively resolved; the most accurate determination from this investigation gives a period of 0.07361 days and a (m of 0.05 magnitude. A beat period of 13.32 days with a o m of 0.088 magnitude was found which widely differs from the 16-day beat suggested by the Desikachary group. Due to noise problems, secondary frequencies could not be soundly identified, though the Fourier "spectra" indicated their existence. However, this study when combined with that of Desikachary et al. supports the hypothesis that K Bootis might have an undiscovered very close companion in addition to its "wide" binary component. This close binary nature may be typical of one type of δ Scuti variable.Ball State UniversityMuncie, IN 47306

The quarry of Western Indiana Aggregates, Inc., south of Francesville, Indiana, was examined to determine the relation off its stratigraphy and paleontology to that of other Silurian (Niagaran) outcrops of northern Indiana. Lithologic analysis and paleoecologic interpretations of 25 genera of fossils found in the quarry were utilized in the investigation.Strata exposed at the Francesville locality belong to the Liston Creek Member of the Wabash Formation. The exposure reveals a reef core, reef-flank and back-reef platform which are identified by their attitude and fossil content. The coral Ealysites is interpreted as being a deep-water (low reef-flak dweller while the rugose coral, Strombodes is a rough water (reef core) form. Distribution of pentamerids and trilobites also yields evidence of selective zoning. The occurrence of a coquina of the pentamerid Kirkidium is significant. The bed is believed to have formed as the result of a storm lowering wave base sufficiently to expose the living Kirkidium colony and subjecting it to surf activity. Detailed examination of individual specimens within the unit reveal the storm approached the reef from the south-southwest. Normal (non-storm) current direction was also from the south-southwest, as demonstrated by the location of the back water reef platform north of the reef core.Ball State UniversityMuncie, IN 47306

Fish were collected at 1 and 5 m stations along three transects in Lake Michigan near Michigan City, Indiana. The five major species captured by trawling and/or seining between June and October, 1973 included: yellow perch, Perca flavescens; rainbow smelt, Osmerus mordax; alewife, Alosa pseudoharengus; spottail shiner, Notropis hudsonius; and trout-perch, Percopsis omiscomaycus.The alewife and spottail shiner were major species collected by seining, comprising 94.5% and 4.9% of the catch, respectively. The majority of individuals captured were young-of-the-year (yoy), especially alewives taken predominantly during the daytime.The bottom trawl captured a greater number of species than the seine. Catch-per-unit-effort (cpe) of most species was greatest in night trawling.The yellow perch comprised 16% of the total trawl catch. Spawning adults predominated in June and July with a deep water migration of this species beginning in August. The yoy first appeared in the catch in August.Rainbow smelt represented 24% of the total trawl catch. Adults were present in June catches and yoy were first captured in July. Off-shore movement was underway by October.Alewives comprised 13% of the total trawl catch. Spawning adults were taken in greatest numbers during June and July with a slight off-shore movement beginning in August. Young fish were first captured in the trawl in August.The most abundant species captured with the trawl was the spottail shiner comprising 27% of the total catch. Larger fish were well represented in the catch from June through August with a strong off-shore movement in October. Young fish were first captured in August.Trout-perch represented 16% of the total trawl catch. Catches were restricted to adults and no yoy were captured except in September at one sample site. Off-shore migration of trout-perch had begun by October.There were significant similarities in cpe and size distribution of fish captured at Dunes and Kintzele Ditch transects. In general, catches at the Michigan City transect were lower and size distribution was less consistent compared to the other transect catches.Ball State UniversityMuncie, IN 47306

Pollen mother cells from each of eleven Rhoeo specimen plants housed in the Ball State University greenhouse were analyzed for meiotic chromosome behavior and were found to display multiple reciprocal translocations characteristic of the species. Seven of the eleven plants are classified as Rhoeo soathacea var. variegata, while the remaining four plants are classified as Rhoeo spathacea var. concolor. Using the acetocarmine squash technique, 5362 pollen mother cells from the eleven Rhoeo specimen plants were examined and photomicrographs of representative pollen mother cells were used to document data reported. Among the types of aberrant chromosome behavior resulting from multiple reciprocal translocations in the twelve chromosomes of Rhoeo were ring and chain formation at diakinesis, alternate versus adjacent chromosome alignment at metaphase I, atypical segregation patterns at anaphase I and the presence of micronuclei or chromosomes excluded from the daughter nuclei at telophase I. Many prophase I/metaphase I chromosome configurations and a number of anaphase I segregation patterns not previously reported in the literature were observed in this study. As a consequence of aberrant chromosome behavior many of the pollen grains formed during meiosis were defective and non-viable.Ball State UniversityMuncie, IN 47306

Viruses may invade animals, plants, or bacteria, and are considered obligate parasites because they lack a complete enzyme system of their own. Reproduction occurs when the virus entity makes use of a cell's synthetic machinery to direct the synthesis of specialized particles, the virions, and transfers them to other cells. The purpose of this study was to investigate and develop methods to isolate viruses chicken embryos and bacteriophage.Viruses were concentrated from water sources following procedures outlined by Berg (1971) using standard Millipore filtering units. Virus suspensions were eluted with a beef extract solution and then inoculated into the three host systems. Growth was determined by the presence of cytopathic effects on the agar overlay or in the chicken on the chorioallantoic membrane.Cytopathic effects occurred in tissue cultures following inoculation with water samples from two sites on two consecutive sampling dates. Virus recovery in chicken embryos was 45.5% when cytopathic effects and death rates were analyses were combined. When bacteria were employed, viruses were recovered in 42.8% of samples tested.Ball State UniversityMuncie, IN 47306

Viral hepatitis is a disease caused by a virus, or a virus-like particle and is extremely infectious. Infection can occur when the virus is present in minute quanities. Outbreaks of this disease have been associated with water supplies contaminated with raw sewage. Detection of viral hepatitis in water samples, at present, consists of testing the serum of persons who have contracted the disease after consuming water suspected of containing hepatitis virus. Since this method of determination is time consuming and subjective, an alternative method of detecting the presence of hepatitis virus in water was explored in this research.Radioim munoassay (RIA), used for the detection of Australia antigen (HAA) in the serum of humans, utilizes a tagging system in which Australia antigen antibody is bound with iodine-125. This technique, a combination of chemistry and immunology, can detect less than one- billionth of a gram of HAA in serum and requires approximately four hours to complete the testing. RIA detection of HAA is presently limited to detection of HAA in serum samples.This research used RIA as a detection system to test water samples collected from local water sources. Control serum samples collected from a local hospital were tested for HAA. Fifteen water samples and two serum samples tested were positive upon initial testing for Australia antigen. HAA was also detected in water samples in control situations in which sera with a high titer to HAA were diluted in water and then tested using RIA.Ball State UniversityMuncie, IN 47306