Evidence for Octupole Correlations in Multiple Chiral Doublet Bands.

Two pairs of positive-and negative-parity doublet bands together with eight strong electric dipole transitions linking their yrast positive- and negative-parity bands have been identified in ^{78}Br. They are interpreted as multiple chiral doublet bands with octupole correlations, which is supported by the microscopic multidimensionally-constrained covariant density functional theory and triaxial particle rotor model calculations. This observation reports the first example of chiral geometry in octupole soft nuclei.

An improved method for the histochemical localization of glucose-6-phoshate dehydrogenase in animal and plant tissues.

An improved procedure is reported for the histochemical localization of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase in fresh-frozen sections of animal and plant tissues. Used in this procedure are an incubation medium and an inert high-molecular-weight polyvinyl alcohol as a stabilizer to check enzyme diffusion. The incubation medium consists of 10 mg each of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate and nitroblue tetrazolium chloride and 60 mg of glucose-6-phosphate per 20 ml of 22% polyvinyl alcohol solution in 0.2 M Tris-maleate buffer, pH 7.2. Use of this medium has given consistent results with the tissues tested. Because the use of an electron-transfer agent in the incubation medium often resulted in enzyme diffusion, its use in glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase localization is considered undersirable. Incubation time of 15 to 30 min for animal tissue and 20 to 45 min for plant tissue of 37degreesC was found to be optimal for producing the characteristic blue formazan at the reaction sites.

Preparation and characterization of poly(styrene) microcapsules containing corrosion inhibitors.

A technique has been developed to view cross-sections of microcapsules prepared by a multiple emulsion method. Poly(styrene) microcapsules were prepared by emulsifying an aqueous solution containing sodium dichromate, a corrosion inhibitor, into an organic solution containing dissolved poly(styrene). This water-in-oil emulsion was added to an aqueous solution with stirring to form a water-in-oil-in-water emulsion. The organic solvent was removed under reduced pressure resulting in polystyrene walled microcapsules containing aqueous sodium dichromate. The microcapsules were embedded in an agarose gel and sliced for examination by transmission electron microscopy. The cross-sections clearly identified a core surrounded by a sponge-like polymeric wall. The microcapsules were also examined by scanning electron microscopy. These photomicrographs showed a smooth, continuous external wall structure.

Rapid OTAN method for localizing unsaturated lipids in lung tissue sections.

The OTAN treatment, which is the only histochemical method available at present for the simultaneous localization of hydrophobic and hydrophilic unsaturated lipids in tissue sections, requires unduly long exposure to OsO4 and use of free-floating sections, which makes handling the sections difficult and often results in their loss or damage. Simple modifications using OsO4 treatment at 37 C and slide-mounted sections eliminate the practical drawbacks of the existing method and provide as good or better localization in less than one-eight of the time. The modified method is applicable to fixed as well as fresh frozen tissues.

Cytologic responses of postnatal rat lungs to O3 or NO2 exposure.

At the level of exposure employed (approximately 14.0 ppm NO2 or 0.85 ppm O3) epithelial cells at the juncture of the terminal airways and proximal alveoli have previously been shown to be seriously injured or destroyed in maturing (35 days of age or older) and adult lungs. Subsequent repair results in the formation of a tissue nodule at this location. In contrast, postnatal rats between birth and weaning have been shown to be highly resistant to the cytotoxic effects of both NO2 and O3. Prior to wearning, exposure to O3 resulted in little or no injury when examined with either the light or electron microscope, and only minor injury and loss of cilia from epithelial cells lining the terminal airways was noted after NO2 exposure. Subsequent to weaning at 20 days of age, however, there was a progressive increase in the cellular response in both the terminal airways and proximal alveoli after exposure to either oxidant gas. A plateau in the response is reached at approximately 35 days of age and continues until the animals are approximately 1 year old. The data are discussed in terms of current theories on endogenous antioxidant mechanisms.

Vitamin E distribution in ocular tissues following long-term dietary depletion and supplementation as determined by microdissection and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

Vitamin E is thought to be important for protection of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) from oxidative damage. A microbiochemical procedure using microdissection and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was developed to determine vitamin E distribution in ocular tissues in a rodent model, with the eventual goal of using it in a study of phototoxic degeneration of the retina, where PUFA oxidation is potentially the causal mechanism. Sample preparation was achieved by freeze-drying the retina followed by micro-dissection to obtain the desired structures for analysis. A deuterated alpha-tocopherol internal standard is added to the tissue sample before extraction and derivatization which are achieved in a single step. The data presented show the vitamin-E content in various structures of the retina, particularly the outer segments and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE); however, the vitamin E content of other ocular tissues is also included. Data were obtained from albino and pigmented rats receiving vitamin E-depleted, supplemented, and regular chow diets, and from rabbits and cats receiving regular chow diets formulated for each species. Within all dietary groups the highest concentration of vitamin E was located in the RPE followed by the outer segments of the photoreceptor cells. Other ocular tissues consistently contained lower amounts of vitamin E. Different tissues were depleted of vitamin E at different rates and this points out the importance of determining vitamin E levels in tissues of interest in studies on the consequences of dietary depletion.