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DECENT PHOTOCOPIES.
Exotic
A&M researchers find odd creatures in Gulf
University News Service
Exotic sea creatures have been
discovered thriving deep in the Gulf
of Mexico in a region polluted by oil
and gas seeping naturally from be
neath the ocean floor.
Reporting in Nature Magazine, a
six-man team of Texas A&M ocean
ographers said it found dense com
munities of clams, tube worms and
other animals at a depth of about
1,800 feet in an area 150 miles off
the Louisiana coast. The creatures
apparently feed on bacteria that ex
ist with no sunlight. Sunlight is re
quired for photosynthesis.
Rather than photosynthesis, the
scientists speculate the bacteria use a
process called chemosynthesis as an
energy source for growth. These
bacteria also appear to be feeding on
the hydrocarbons that seep from the
Gulf floor.
“This report significantly expands
the geographical area in which one
would expect to find such commu
nities in the deep ocean,” Dr. Mah-
lon Kennicutt II said. “It also sug
gests that oil and gas seeping to the
surface from deeper hydrocarbon
reservoirs can support, by chemo
synthesis, vent-type organisms in the
deep ocean.”
Hydrocarbon seepage occurs nat
urally in many ocean shelf and slope
regions, Kennicutt said, making it
probable that these sea creatures are
more widely distributed than pre
vious discoveries suggested.
The discoveries were made last
December and May when the re
search team — made of Kennicutt,
“This is an area of active
seepage. We saw oil rising
to the surface. Given what
we know about pollution,
one might not expect to
find biological commu
nities that are thriving.
But we did. ”
— A&M oceanographer
Dr. Mahlon Kennicut
James M. Brooks, Robert R. Bidi-
gare, Roger R. Fay, Terry L. Wade
and Thomas J. McDonald — trawled
through a region where they had
earlier discovered the occurrence of
gas hydrates, icelike formations of
methane and water that may have
potential as an unconventional en
ergy source.
Chemical analyses were per-
formed on the organisms to deter
mine their food source.
Like other exotic communities re
cently reported at hydrothermal
vents and a Florida Escarpment sa
line seep, the oil seeps contain hy
drogen sulfide which can be used as
an energy source by sulfur-oxidizing
bacteria that are then eaten by the
other animals. But, unlike other
finds, the Louisiana seeps also leak
hydrocarbons that appear to play a
part in the food chain too, explained
Kennicutt.
“This is an area of active seepage,”
he said. “We saw oil rising to the sur
face. Given what we know about pol
lution, one might not expect to find
biological communities that are
thriving. But we did.”
The researchers plan to return to
the site next year with the Johnson
Sealink I submersible to learn more
about where the animals actually
live. They also may perform studies
at the site aboard a Navy submarine.
Their findings include two new
species of tube worms and a slender
black tube worm that may represent
a new class.
“We want to learn how these ani
mals can live in such toxic com
pounds and what special mech
anisms make it possible,” Kennicutt
said.
Clue found to Alzheimer’s disease
Associated Press
DALLAS — Researchers have
identified a new kind of abnormality
in the brains of people with Alz
heimer’s disease that could be the
best clue yet to the cause of the debil
itating affliction.
The scientists found that the dis
ease produces unusual changes in
the fibers that serve as “skeletons”
inside brain cells to help the cells
hold their shape.
No one believes these fibers are
the cause of the disease, said Dr.
Daniel Selkoe of Harvard Medical
School Sunday. But, he said, they
are an important step closer to the
cause.
Scientists have known for a long
time that the brains of Alzheimer’s
disease patients contain microscopic
fibrous tangles and hardened depos
its called plaques, but where these
tangles and plaques came from was
not known.
Selkoe and other researchers have
now shown that the tangles and
plaques contain some of the same
proteins, or portions of the proteins,
that are contained in the cytoskeletal
fibers in normal brain cells, or neu-
nins.—
The finding adds to indications
that the cause of Alzheimer’s may lie
in the process controlling formation
of the cytoskeletal structures.
Further, it allows scientists for the
first time to begin using the power
ful techniques of gene-splicing to
fight Alzheimer’s. They can now use
that gene to track Alzheimer’s dis
ease in the unusual cases where it is
inherited in families, Selkoe said.
While in many cases family mem
bers of Alzheimer’s victims appear to
have an unexplained predisposition
to develop it, only rarely is the dis
ease passed on like classic hereditary
diseases, such as cystic fibrosis.
The reason for the variability
could be that several genes may con
trol the disease. These genes could
interact in different ways in differ
ent individuals.
At present, there is no cure for
Alzheimer’s, and nothing can be
done even to alleviate its symptoms
or to detect it early, before symp
toms appear.
About 20 percent of the U.S. pop
ulation will eventually get Alzheim
er’s, and the number of cases is in
creasing as the population ages, said
Dr. Clifford Saper of the University
of Chicago during the ne.urojscience
meeting. In about 35 years, one in
four Americans will be over age 65,
he said.
Care for Alzheimer’s victims now
costs $20 billion a year, Saper said.
The disease, which causes at least
100,000 deaths a year, was first de
scribed in 1907 by Alois Alzheimer,
a German psychiatrist. Alzheimer
noted the symptoms: a progressive
loss of memory and mental function
and eventual inability to speak or
perform routine tasks.
Alzheimer was the first to note the
tangles and plaques that occur in the
brains of those wuth the illness.
Men’s: All 100% cotton
washed herringbone mountain
shirt, Billy Goat canvas pant
and web belt.
RoyBi Robbins
With thirty years of
mountaineering experience,
Royal and Liz Robbins de
sign clothing with a simple
philosophy of products true
to their own Feelings for the
outdoor life. Royal Robbins
styles have the timeless
classic look of honest, reliable
comfortable clothing for all
seasons.
Women's: Crinkle canvas
shirt, Wallace Beery jersey,
washed drill pant and web belt
all 100% cotton. Ramie/cotton
cardigan for men and women.
Whole Earth Provision Co.
105 Boyett College Station 8^6-8794
1
«A. fL'./.w’ -C:« ; ■ CL ,1, -... • "^7
With purchase of one at regular price. Thru October 28,1985 X
TACO ‘BELL
Limit one coupon per person per visit: 11 am -11 pm. Not sood with any other offer. Valid only at Bryan/Collese Station TACO BELL® Restaurants. ^
T exas ASM
Flying Club
Monthly Meeting Tuesday, 7:30 p.m.,
Oct. 22 at the Airport Clubhouse.
For More Information Call Don Read, 696-9339
Radial Tire Sale
TlftER paw®
with ROYAL SEAL’
■ Automatic and permanently seafs most'
tread punctures 3/16” in diameter or less.
■ Free replacement road hazard warranty
during first 24 months or 30% of tread
depth, whichever comes first.
99
P185/80R-13
P185/75R-14
P195/75R-14
P205/75R-14
P205/75R-15
P215/75R-15
P225/75R-15
P235/75R-15
UNIROYAL
PRICI
$79.99
86.89
92.51
97.00
101.12
105.19
109.32
114.33
SIZE
PRICE
P185/80R-13
$48.88
P175/75R-14
51.76
P185/75R-14
53.06
P195/75R-14
55.94
P205/75R-14
59.26
P215/75R-14
62.36
P205/75R-15
62.07
P215/75R-15
64.26
P225/75R-15
67.34
P235/75R-15
69.84
LAREDO
RALLYE 280
155SR13
32
54
; — WZt
PRICE
155SR13
$32.54
165SR13
36.06
175SR14
42.21
185SR14
47.25
175/70SR13
40.40
185/70SR13
45.19
185/70SR14
48.56
S RALLYE 340
71 71
175/70HR13
BUY 3 & GET
4th TIRE FREE
JOL
175/70HR13
185/70HR13
185/70HR14
195/70HR14
205/70HR14
185/60HR14
195/60HR14
205/60HR15
2EI
71.71
76.39
78.85
87.31
93.39
98.07
109.53
125.07
'certain sizes in Rallye 340 may have to
• ^ L- ■
T 0* ^1
s LAREDO RV
BIAS
LUG
31x10,50-15
SIZE
m
PRKI
31x10.50-15-4 ply R/W/L $74.40
31x11.50-15-4 ply R/W/L $87.07
31x12.50-15-4 ply R/W/L $93.40
Armstrong
CORONET SX/A
STEEL BELTED RADIAL W/W
Armstrong
CORONET2 + 2
BIAS-BELTED W/W
SIZE
PRICE
/givW'W
P165/80R13
37.95
/ jp.. i
\\\\
if
P175/80R13
41.95
P185/80R13
43.95
.'f 1
l « Sr /
Of
P185/75R14
44.95
) V
P195/75R14
45.95
P205/75R14
47.95
\ \ tMmmivKmt'
P205/75R15
47.95
P215/75R15
49.95
P225/75R15
52.95
P235/75R15
57.95
SIZE
PRICE
P165/80B13
29.95
P185/80B13
32.95
P195/75B14
35.95
P205/75B14
37.95
P215/75B14
38.95
P215/75B15
39.95
P225/75B15
41.95
P235/75B15
43.95
SERVICE SPECIALS
Wheel Alignment
19 95
•Inspect ail tires .Correct air
pressure .Inspect steering and
suspension 'Set front wheel cam
ber. caster and toe to proper
alignment .Most cars.
2»
Most Cars- & Lt. Trucko-
Lube, Oil & Filter
Special
14
95
(Up to 5 qts. 10w40
Uniflo) (Most Cars
& Lt. Trucks)
V
$500 instant
credit to
qualified
applicants
PILGER’S
400 E. University Dr.
Mon.-Fri. 7:30-5:30 Sat. 9-1
TIRE & AUTO
CENTER
696-1729