these processes will be.extended to the study of celluldr. phenomena inother micro-organisms and ‘in such organs of higher animd@is as the diaphragm and the intestine. le a , Mechanisms of virus infection. The mechanisms off virus infection are being investigated by a research group at the Univemsity of Colorado. The virus under study is the bacteriophage which destroys the common colon bacillus. Although the bacteriophage is a rather specidlized type of virus fwiruses, it is unwhose behavior is not necessarily characteristic of all usually convenient for laboratory study, since the infedtive processes can readily be followed in test-tube mixtures of the virus d the host bacterié In such mixtures, the virus rapidly penetrates tlle bacteria cells and reproduces itself at the. expense of the host cell materials. The bacterial cell finally ruptures and releases large numbdrs of bacteriophage to infect other bacteria, and this process continues as fiong as thebacteria supply lasts. The results of these experiments usi radiation as a tool to alter the virus and its physiological effects hdve been making considerable contributions to the understanding of the sic physical mechanism of this infective process, as regards (1) the attachmentof the virus to the bacterial surface; (2) the local breakdown of thd surface and penetration of the virus into the interior; and (3) the badis for the different specific immunities of the several strains of bactezfia to the several strains of bacteriophage. Radiation effects in animals. Experiments at Oalf Ridge National Laboratory are in progress to determine the biological d@ffects.of neutrons | as compared with X rays in mice, guinea pigs, and rats. Cyclotron-produced neutrons and 250 KVP X rays were used to irradiate the Wespective groups. The preliminary LD-50 (at 30 days) studies are near completion and will give data on cataract induction and bone-marrow activity, as indicated by entative neutron Fe 59 uptake in red blood cells and white cell counts. X ray ratios obtained for acute lethality are: mice, 1 wep (roentgen equivalent physical) neutrons, or 3.4 rep X rays; rats, 1 reg neutrons, or 3.0 rep X rays; and guinea pigs, 1 rep neutrons, Detection of radiation injury. or 2.3 rep rays. Investigators stiJdying the effects of radiation in rats and enzyme activity at the Univers§ty of Rochester Medical School have found a factor which may prove to bd reliable as an indicator of the severity of radiation exposure. This fYossible indicator present in body fluids is the enzyme, desoxyribonucleasd@, which occurs in a neutral and in an acid form. During recent experimen§s, rats were exposed to 7CO roentgens of whole-body radiation and obseyved within eu hours. The acid "DN-ase" in the urine of rats showed affivefold increase after irradiation. Under the same conditions, neutral "PN-ase" also in- creased and remained elevated. These findings imply thq@t a significant method mey be available to detect immediately levels of Jsublethal radia~- tion exposure, and the extent of its biological damage mals. Finally, jm humans or ani- since one of the two enzymes presumably|comes from the pancreas, the determination of urinery enzyme levels may assist in the early diagnosis. of pancreatic malignancy, hitherto diffgcult to determine. 16 TON ARCHIVES -