3. Part vu ‘ a Biology and Medicine .. RESEARCH ACTIVITIES (UNCLASSIFIED) Carbon 14 Tracer Studies. . The assimilation of carbon ‘and the biosynthesis of rubber in1 rubber trees aree being ing. t vestigated at Argonne National Laboratory in cooperationwith the U. S. Department of Agr: . culture and the Quartermaster Corps,.U..‘8. Army. Most, important:findings are: . _ . 2, Radioactive carbon assimilated in rubber trees appearsto be formed initially into molecular-weight rather than low-molecular-weight rubber. s_ - igh- bale 3, Starved rubber plants may metabolize at least a fraction of the rubber formed, The carbon 14-labeled rubber formed in these experiments will be used: 1. By the Quartermaster Corpsto study the breakdownor degradation of rubber unde various environmental conditions; 2, By the New South Wales University of Technology in an attempt|to isolate and iden fy the inositols present in the rubber plant tissues. Inositols are sugar-like compounds whic may, when labeled, provide useful information in plant and animal studies. INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES Conference on the Soil- Plant-Animal Cycle AEC representatives participated with United Kingdomand Canadian personnel in spn classified conference at Harwell during July on the soil-plant-animal cycle of fission pra ucts from fallout. Particular attention was given to radioactive strontium as a fallout hazard Jn agricultural areas. Information exchanged will assist technical personnel in ali three countries in studies of this problem. Conference on Genetics The status of research on genetics was discussed in an unclassified conference at well in September. The exchange of ideas and the outlining of areas for future study will facilfitate research on the possible genetic effects of atomic energy activities. UNCLASSIFIED ‘ a a. ‘ ' . 4 1. Radioactive carbon was found first in ‘leaf rubber and only later in. stem rubber. finding conflicts with the earlier theorythat rubber formation occurs only in the bark, el. ‘ E ar) soos . . — UNCLASSIFI ae eneens . . a SRL aed Pde Bad PLAT art eee ee ae Pmt wit