Biology and Medicine Portion of Oak Ridge National Laboratory Research and Development Program for Fiscal Year 1959

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w#\= Centrai Files Number OAK RIDGE NATIONAL LABORATORY FOR FISCAL YEAR 1959 OAK RIDGE NATIONAL LABORATORY UNION CARBIDE NUCLEAR COMPANY A Division of Union Carbide and Carbon Corporation POST OFFICE BOX XOAK RIDGE, TENNESSEE Human Studies Project UNCLASSIFIED

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BIOLOGY AND MEDI@Jh3F OR TION OF OAK RIDGE NATIOK4L LABORATORY RESEARCH AND DFJELOPMXNT PROC-BAM FOR Office of Research and Wdi - .he United States Atomi: Ena ~ g yCommi~sioc Oak Ridge, Tennessee

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TABU OF CONTENTS Genetic and Developmental Effects of Radiation on Mice ...........ea..e Tracer Studies i n Intermediary Metabolism .............................Biochemistry: Nucleoproteins, Enzymes, Polysaccharides ................General Physiology .........................~.~.....~......o.......a..~ Enzymology and Photosynthesis .....................................~...Pathology and Physiology ....,......................e.~......o...o...m~ Radiation Dosimetry .........................~....~~.~~.........~Radiation Protection, Living Cells ..............................O....o..... Mammalian Radiation Recovery ............................~o.......oa..~ AEC Research Subsidy ....................................~.............C. Applied Radiobiology - Internal Dosimetry .....................~..=....Applied Radiobiology - Ecological Research Evaluation of S o i l Disposal for Intermediate Level Liquid Radioactive Medical Nuclear Instrumentation ..................................*.~~,.*.Education and Training i n Health Physics ............................~.

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1. CONTRACTOR - LABORATORY 4. WORKING LOCATION PROPOSAL AND AUTHORIZATION FOR RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 6- BUDGET ACTIVITY 7. BUDGET ITEM The long-term genetic effects of radiation in mice continues to be the central focus for the mmmalian genetics and developlent studies, on the second floor of the manmalian genetics building has been finished and long-term investigation of chronic radiation has been initiated. genetic aspect of radiation damage on living cells continues to be one of our central points of investigation. This work has been expanded to inelu.&e studies u s i n g Drosophila and Neurospora. In the biochemistry group, the plant biochemists have continued the study of radiation effects on living cells with the idea of getting some picture of the influence of radiation on the synthetic activity of living plants. Our basic studies on ribonucleic acid and synthetic activities of phage idection on bacteria have been by a new group which is studying the synthesis of protein by cell and cell and cell constituents. Of considerable promise is the investigation be- carried on New methods have been developed for the separation of e e l 1 8. SECURITY CLASS 9. METHOD O F REPORTING PROGRESS Unclassified Bimonthly and Semiamual Reports 10. PERSON I N CHARGE (CONTRACTOR'S STAFF) 11. STATUS (INCLUDING STARTING DATE) Close cooperation was maintained w i t h different Atcunic Energy Commission laboratories as well as the groups working at Hz rv ard University, Chester Beatty Resew& Institute, Cambridge Radiological Laboratory, Mt. Vernon Hospital, etc. Also OUT cooperation with different agencies such as t h e National Bureau of Standards, National Cancer Institute, etc. has developed further. Certain universities continue to be our main cooperative con+acts, and we have lent personnel to teach i n these schools and to assist in establishing new departments or courses in the field of rzdiation biology. The work with the U.S. A i r Force has been continued and expanded. A new cooperative setup has been developed in connection with the AET and bone cooperation with Emory Universfty and the National Cancer Institute. xnaxrow investigation is being developed in its practical implications through cooperation w i t h the Imogene Bassett Hospital in Cooperstom; AFT is now being tested on ptients through Bone NOTE: Financial information should be set fOKh on revccse s i d e of this form. CAUTION. This documenc must be classified accordins to the infotmation contained herein.

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.3. RBLATED PROJECTS Continued Harvard Medical School; Yale University; Jefferson Medical School of Philadelphia; The University of Tennessee Medical School; and Parke, Davis & Cap any .connection with a contract with AMI. Parke, Davis & Ccmrpa.ny is working on t h e project in L4. AC COMP LI ~ SLAST YEAR One of the major accomplishments during the last year was the development of A I E as a cnmpound of practical significance in radiation protection. It appears that it has relatively low toxicity in monkeys. Cooperative studies on its possible application to aan h v e been initiated with cooperative institutions. The bone marrow studies which were initiated only about one and one-half y e a r s ago have great practical significance in that indications are that it may be possible to preserve the lives of individuals who have been exposed to 500-1200r. Neny detsikd asgects cf this problem have to be worked out, especially from an immunological point of view and considerable expansion of our activities in this field were the activities in this field and a number of investigators meet here every three months to discuss the status of the problem and to determine -,&ere and how the work could be speeded up. As a matter of fact, Oak Ridge has become kind of a focus for The microbiological studies, which form the background for other radiation studies, have been continued with emphasis on efforts to analyze t h e mechanism of the very high protection one gets in microorganisms by using AGT which is considerably higher than one gets in mamnals with the san;e The manrmalian genetics group continued to absorb about 25 per cent of all our budget and has now expanded its work to inclde studies of ct;ro;;ic irradiation aad mutation production. that offspring of male mice that have been irradiated by neutrons show the same shortening of life span as their fathers.,..a rather surprising finding which m y be of considerable practical bprtance. The work on sensitivity of spermatogonia to X rays has continued and it has also been found that there is a great difference in sensitivity durkg certain stages of development of the egg. It has been found out by this group Studies of the effects of protective agents and agents which favor recovery in regard to chrcrmosome breakage i n bean nuts has continued. It has now been possible to modify the rate of mutation production in Paramecium by deferring cell division with streptomycin so that the cell has an opportunity to repair some of the radiation damage before it divides. Similar results.havebeen obtained in regard to chromosome breakage in that the recovery of the broken chromosane can be favored by supplying an enera source after exposure. The Drosophils group has expanded its work considerably and is now attacking some very basic problems in regard to mutation production as modified by

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4. ACCOMPLISHMEXL'S LAST YEAR Continued analyzing pre- and post-treatment of tile biological materials after Drosophila continues t o be very good material fcr Work was continued on the use of 14 mev neutrons, alpha particles, and X raya t o study their campaxative effectiveness. The nucleic acid investigations have been continued with ribos7icleir, acid where attempts are being made to isolate cer+ain minor constituexb3 in an effort to see how importa.nt they are for the function of the nucleic acid. The enzyme and photosynthesis group has continued t o work on the aya5hetic activities of the cell. parts in protein production. plastids can behave in a manner very similar t o semi-conductors, rather a It has been foucd that The plant biochemistry group is continuing its interesting investigation on the synthetic activities of plant material especially in regard t o phosphorous The general physiology group has developed same very interesting operatima to isolate ceU. constituents by gradient centrifugation. This method turned out t o be exceedingly promising f o r the separation of speci2ic cells of bone marrow which are responsible fort raz spl act atl cr. !the biophysics group continues t o be a very ceo tr al focus for fnvestigatioli of f a s t neutrcn application at the 14 mev level. Studies of chronic e f f e c t s of neutron, cobalt and gammas have be,cane more and more important. The first results of the longevity studies i)91 nice which have been irradiated in the presence of AET and treated with bore ;narrow afterward have brought out that protection against shortening 09 the l i f e span is possible the same way that protection against the immediate effects of radiation is achieved. because it had been thought previously that shortening of l i f e span due t o radiation could not be modified by treatment. The proceedings, Biocolloids, of the Ninth Annual Biology Reseax-ch Conference have been submitted t o the publisher; the proceedings of %he Eighth Annual Biology Research Conference, Structure of Enzymes and Proteins, "have been published. This is an imporbaa% fact In 1956, the Biology Division published 97 full-length papers, 1 symgosiuui, 2 semiannual reports ( O m ) , and 50 abstracts and book reviews. This laboratory w i l l continue t o put considerable emphasis on $ 3 ~ - bone marrow transplantation and its implications f o r radiation recovery and its possibilities as a practical tool for control of blood diseases.

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5. EXPECTED RESULTS TEXS “YEAR Continued Attempts will be made t o expand this Gork if‘ sufficient funds become availprotective ability asd 1 ~ wtoxicity, on AET can be made Further work will be done t o find caqouxids which have good There is some promise that inprmneslt The mammalian genetics group will get its first results on chronic irradiation in its bnplications f ~ rrnuta%ionp rd m tion. attempts will be made t o use another an all art i ml for cmgara%ive studies on mutation production i n mammale. The ehroaLc irradiation studies will be ex-c,eDded t 2 include protective campounds as well a s bone mamow transplantation and their ability to modify the in&ucfion of leukenia emd other &ignancies. It is hoped that t h e biochemistry grotlp -will W e over sane of the possible aspects of bone marrow transplantation. study the imnmolagical aspects $2 raiEatiDz efZects. this gsoup ssd the Drosophila gmup w i l l zmperate ia studyix the genetical A am group has been set up t o The cytogenetics studies which have been somewhat of a central focus ia this Division wtll continue t o develop very interesting lines. Woyk will be continued in an effort to elucidate the repair which can be encouraged by treatment after ragiistian a ~ da lso t cl determine vhether +hi? will affect the sy thesis of nucleic acids. developed by the general physiology group appear t o be of great prdse i n protein synthesis pitudies as well as 13 bone marrow transplantatis&. As a mather of fact the irt eg rat fon and cm per a tim of differ eat aectihns i n this Division has been most satisfactory, with iz r be rest ix resdts, ZLZ? New methods which have beer This Division looks fo mato enter iq a ~ e wf ield of genetiaswhich will pull together the work on tissue tr asap lactation with the work on baaie little of this work is going on in labor stories anywhere. fnf‘ormation we aren mab t afn iw from bone mrrm transplantation and which is becaning available from skin trans pd + & tion studies can form a new basis for zammalian genetics work9 which i n the long run may have the greatest implications t o human welfare, especially i n regard t o tissue transplantation f o r possible control of malignancies. problems which star% out with the appearanzce of being applied t u r n out t o be very basic problems, and the stimulation f o r the applied work often comes fram the basic studies; but also the reverse is possible, ioeo, many basic questions which posed formidable problems a r e aow approachable because of new tools for specific uses rather than %he conducting of studies in a somewhat random manner. This is a field of great promise a d great acbpe since very We believe the It is also foreseen that some of the

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17. NORMAL PROGRAM COSTS 2,304,000 $ 3,096,000 TYPE & NAME OF SUBCONTRACTOR LARGE AND/OR UNUSUAL COSTS: 1. Mouse boxes aqp tops ) 3. Is bra tory chow 1 35,mo TOTAL UNUSUAL COSTS $ 35,000 TOTAL PROGRAM COST 16 2,339,000 LOANEES: PARENT ORGANIZATION 2. and Air Force ) 6.0 8.0 4.0 TOTAL DIRECT MANPOWER log. 6 140.3 144.3

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FOR RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 5. BUDGET ACTIVITY 7. BUDGET ITEM 8. SECURITY CLASS NO. 6000 NO. Unclaesif ied 9. METHOD OF REPORTING PROGRESS In order t o provide this support more effectively, the Health Physics research effort is organized into four general programs: radiation dosimetry, applied radiobiology, soil disposal for intermediate level liquid radioactive wastes, and education and training. their associated objectives w e outUJled below. These programs with 11, STATUS (INCLUDING STARTING DATE) This program i s concerned with experimental and theoretical investigations into the fundamental interaction of radiation andmatter. varies i n scope from basic investigations t o the developent of instruments for use i n radiobiology and applied health physics. The results of radiation dosimetry, radiobiology, and reactor technology hazazds studies are applied and integrated in this program t o provide practical data t o determine maximum permissible exposure levels. experimental ecology will provlde valuable data linking waste disposal practice and MPC values f o r air and water. C. Evaluation of Soil Disposal for Intermediate Level Licpid Radioactive Wastes The purpose is t o evaluate the potential hazards of the present methods of disposal of low and intermediate level liquid radioactive wastes from the ORmL (X-10) Area and to e stab ll sh criteria of permissible dispersion of waste constituents from the seepage p i t s in Melton Valley. includes definitive studies of geologic andhydrologic factors in the waste p i t area, a chemical and radiochemical budget obtained by composite sampling and analysis of the wastes, detailed study of the volume of waste input and of rainfall t o the p i t s and of losses by evaporation and seepage, and estimates of the dispersion based on radiologging and saar p ling of test NOTE: Financial informtion should bo sot forth on rovorso sido of this f a m . CAUTION: This document must bo clarrifiod aceadin9 to tho information containod horoin.

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wells and analysis of surface drainage below the waste pit area. results w i l l be exmined in the light of 0-RNL operations, gaging measurements and sampling data on White O a k Creek and Clinch River, and accepted values for the maximum permissible concentrations in the Clinch River. The expansion in the atomic energy program requires a progran for the training of health physicists to be employed in AEC facilities, industry, universities, hospitals, military services, and other governmental and B. Weapons Testing Program E. ORNL Biology Division F. Primate Laboratory, University of Texas G. Health Physics Mvision, Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory H. Subcommittee on Internal Dose of the National Committee on Radiation Protection and the International Commission on Radiological Protection M. Tennessee Valley Authority N. Engineer Research and Development Laboratories, U. S. Corps of Engineers 0. AEC Fellowship Program in Radiological Physics, Vanderbilt University; University of Rochester, Brookhaven National Laboratory; University of Washington, Hanford Works; University of Kansas, Hanford Works P. Armed Forces Special Weapons Projecz Q. Atdo Ebmb Casualty Commission

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A program of basic …