MONTHLY STATUS AND PROGRESS REPORTThHs feegpent cons
Division of Biology and Medicine
MONTH OF AUGUST, 1953
No
ts of sO
|
pages
Copies, Series
LtRab?
.
.
yg.
Weapons Test Activities
Radiation Telemetering- OPERATION CASTLE.
- With the coming series. of test operation in the Pacific, partic3pation of
Division operating. personnel | has been requestedby Joint Task Farce 7 in
may be supplied safely and quickly.
Such data ae necessary aftér a
detonation in order to determine the earliest time of Safe entry for
recovery parties at the locations.
Research Activities
Effect of Toxic Substances on Cells.. (UNCLASSIFIED) Sin
effects of toxic materials on body tissue differ, it is necess
understand the mechanism of action of these poisons on the bod:
at the cellular level. A unique study, which has been under way
at the
University of Rochester Atomic Energy Project, is concerned with
the in-
timate dependence of the cell's metabolic activities on the spdrial prop-
‘
erties of the cell surface.
This work indicates, at least in
the systems
studied, that some of the cellts most essential bio-chemical
versions
take place without the entrance of the ingredients into the interior of
the cell.
Evidently, this is accomplishedby action of enzymeq which are
fixed at the cell surface so that they can act on outside substances
without leaving the cell and without the entry of the substancds
upon
Which they act.
Most of the work on this project has been with yeast ceil
their turnover of organic phosphates, compounds which are of pai
Significance in the metabolism of carbohydrates. Uranium ions
complex with certain groups (probably polyphosphates) on the s
the yeast cells, and do not pass through the surface. Yeast s
complexed
with uranium fails to carry out the initial steps in. sugar metdbolism.
Molybdate and tungstate in low.concentrations similarly inhibi} surface
phosphatases and prevent the splitting and utilization of sugaf phosphates
ENT OF ENERGY DECSor Ce Ly bw
ET
ateieneaietnnataneamnnnne
off
SIGLEKivie We A nciy
A
Gy
DoT PSARAT CH [CIRCLE NUMBER(S)]
LQLASaIC OTUIN: RETAINED
10:
2. CLASSIFICATION CHANGED
3. CONTAINS NO DOE ciassrieo TRF. 7
REVIEWER
:
.
CORDINATE WITH;
Tit CS
SUASSIFICATION CANCELLEDE:
NAME:
DATE:
CLASSIFIED INFO BRACKETE Get te De
;
7. OTHER (SPECIFY)!
2 ARCHIVES