One purpose of this investigation is to determine the fatty acid and lipid content of typical Vibrio cholerae cells. The comparison of cholera lipid constituents with those of closely-related bacteria might be of taxonomic value. Furthermore, chemical characterization of the cholera vibrio could provide useful criteria for identification of these disease-producing microorganisms.

Rates and energies of consumption (C), egestion (F), assimilation (A), respiration (R), growth (Pg), production of exuviae (Pev), and production of egg masses (Pr) and associated efficiencies, and the effects of seasonal temperature, weight and metamorphic stage upon these factors were examined for a typical individual and cohort of Corydalus cornutus (L.) from a stream in North-Central Texas (330 23'N, 97*5'W). Dobson flies are apparently univoltine in the study area, with 11 larval instars. Emergence, oviposition and hatching occur from late May to August. The typical dobson fly hatches in mid-June, grows rapidly until November, and resumes rapid growth in March, reaching full adult size prior to leaving the stream to pupate in early June. Adult females must feed to provide energy to yolk eggs, produce egg-mass coverings and continue somatic maintenance during their week of reproductive endeavors. Metabolic compensation enables larval dobson flies to maintain preferred and fairly constant rates of R during winter (201-451 pl g-1 h~1; 5-15 C) and summer (985-1173 pl g- h1; 20-30 C); with a seasonal acclimatization change point between 15-20 C. Reduction of rates of R through undercompensation during the winter when food is scarce and through partial compensation at high temperatures during …

In order to clarify the taxonomic problems which exist among the group azotobacter by serological method, 24 cultures of Azotobacter including 9 species were tested as antigens in Ouchterlony plates against 3 different antisera obtained from rabbits immunized with A. chroococcum ACl6, A. macrocytogenes St.M. and A. vinelandii 12837, respectively. The results showed more cross reactivity in intraspecies reactions than in interspecies ones and indicated the presence of a common immunogenic determinant. This work presents the results which suggest the effecient classification of Azotobacter by Ouchterlony comparisons of corresponding antigens in different species.

Rates and energy equivalents of consumption (C), egestion+ excretion (FU) , assimilation (A), respiration (R) and production (P) were measured in two groups of Sceloporus olivaceus: 1) a laboratory group acclimated at four seasonally encountered temperatures (15, 20, 25 and 30°C) ; and 2) four acclimatization groups collected at different seasons when ambient temperatures corresponded to 15, 20, 25 and 30°C.

The life history of Isonychia sicca (Walsh) was elucidated from samples collected at Clear Creek from Oct. 1976-Jun. 1978, and Elm Fork of the Trinity River from Sept. 1977-Jun. 1978, Denton County, Texas. Adaptations for existence in an intermittent stream were of primary concern. Eggs are capable of diapausing through hot, dry summers and cold, wet or dry winters. Diapause is broken in the fall after rehydration and/or in the spring. I. sicca is usually bivoltine during a Sept.-Jul. wet period. Observations from Elm Fork indicate that emergence continues to Oct. if the stream remains permanent. Considerable overlap occurs between overwintering, spring, and summer populations.

A resonant frequency cavity was used to determine the dielectric properties of various preparations of Azotobacter vinelandii ATTC 12837. It was found that the bacteria investigated did interact with microwave radiation in the absence of free water. The data presented here indicate that bacteria demonstrate frequency specific dielectric properties. The techniques employed in these experiments may also be used to determine microwave spectra of other species of bacteria in different physiological stages.

This study concerned the effects of short-term exposures to continuous (10 kv/meter) and pulsed 20 volts at 640 cps/100 msecs) electrostatic fields on the EEG recorded from external electrodes and hypothalamic activity recorded from implanted electrodes in rats. Each experiment lasted at least 90 minutes. The total energies of the waveforms recorded were integrated and printed out for plotting and analysis. Besides the brain activity, the ECG, respiration, and temperature of the animals were also monitored before, during,and after exposure to the electrostatic fields.

This study concerned the effect of ethanol on cardiac activity and brain respiration in chick embryos. Ethanol dosages tested ranged from 1.0 mg to 4.0 mg/g weight. Each experiment lasted at least 150 minutes. Cardiac activity in terms of total waveform energies was integrated and printed out for plotting and analysis. The embryonic heart rates were simultaneously determined from physical graph tracings. The embryonic brain respiration was measured using a differential microrespirometer. The effect of ethanol on cardiac activity was one of slight (10 to 13), but statistically significant (p<.05) rate depression. The brain slices exhibited a marked, immediate, and irreversible decrease (39 to 89%) in oxygen consumption at both ethanol dosages. The data indicated that chick embryonic brain tissues were more susceptible to alcohol effects than cardiac tissue. Therefore, the mental abnormalities seen in the offspring of alcoholic mothers may be more cerebral in nature than cardiovascular.

Quantification of stream macrobenthos populations has remained a perplexing problem in rivbrine ecology, despite numerous attempts at improvement. This is in part due to well documented variations in chemical and physical parameters locally and geographically, and resultant adapted macrobenthos populations. Southwood (1968) and Hynes (1970a) have reviewed the various sampling techniques developed'for the census of lotic macrobenthos populations. Needham and Usinger (1956), Chutter (1969), and others have pointed out the difficulty in obtaining adequate numbers of samples which will yield population estimates with desired statistical confidence, and still maintain some degree of sampling economy. Needham and Usinger (1956) and Gaufin et al. (1956) mentioned the "patchy" distribution of aquatic insect populations as the primary source of this difficulty. The concept of patchy distribution in insect populations was originally discussed by Andrewartha (1961). Attempts to improve confidence through improved sampling devices and techniques have led to development of numerous types of samplers. Cummins (1962) indicated that there were almost as many samplers as there were researchers.

The purpose of this investigation was (1) to isolate and purify glyoxalase I from the livers of normal DBA/lJ mice and the livers from mice bearing a lymphosarcoma tumor; and (2) to determine, at least with respect to glyoxalase I, if the tumor has an effect on the chemical properties or structure of macromolecules in an organ removed from tumor locale and not histologically affected by its presence.

The coefficient of body temperature change (K) ranged from -0.53 to -0.072 for bass weighing 73-1440 g. The double log regression of K on weight was similar to that reported for other poikilotherms (slope = -0.57; R = 0.93). Fingerling bass were eurythermal, being capable of surviving instantaneous temperature changes over a 20 C range at acclimation temperatures of 15, 25 and 30 C and over a 15 C range at acclimation temperatures of 20 and 35 C. Preferred temperatures for adult bass measured in the laboratory ranged from 27-32 C with no relationship to day or night. The overall mean preferred temperature was 29 C. The laboratory determined preferred temperatures were supported by limited field determined body temperatures taken in a vertical temperature gradient near the discharge of a power plant effluent. Routine metabolic rates of bass from a heated reservoir and a nearby hatchery were similar from 10-30 C in summer and winter. The weight exponent (0.77) and Q^gS (1*6-2.9) were similar to those published for more northern bass populations; however, the Texas bass had lower metabolic rates than those published for the northern populations. Bass exposed to rapid temperature increase (0.2 C/min) from 25-30 C increased their …

Production dynamics in the phytoplankton community of a mesotrophic Texas reservoir were measured weekly over a four month period using 14C incubation and ATP assay methodologies. Assimilation values of 14C ranged from 0.2 to 45 ug C 1 hr1 - . Significant positive and occasionally negative changes in biomass (i.e. viable organic carbon) were observed in short term (4 hr) in situ incubations juxtapo-sitioned with the 14C experiments; viable organic carbon production, estimated with the ATP assay, ranged from -25 to +50 ug C 1l1hr1. Carbon assimilation and biomass changes did not correlate in either short term (4-5 hr.) or over the study period (6 months). However, weekly biomass trends were predicted by relative positive or negative biomass changes in the short term incubations. Biomass measurements gave a more sensitive insight into production dynamics in the phytoplankton community than did carbon assimilation measurements.

Very little work has been done on bacteria capable of significantly inhibiting algal growth. This thesis reports the research on mixed cultures of a high-temperature strain of algae, Chlorella pyrenoidosa TX71105, and an organism isolated from the air and tentatively identified as a variant strain of Bacillus megaterium.