Regional differences in the pineal gland of the cotton rat, Sigmodon hispidus: light microscopic, electron microscopic, and immunohistochemical observations

Light microscopic, electron microscopic and immunohistochemical observations of the various portions of the pineal gland of the cotton rat (Sigmodon hispidus) were made. The volume of the proximal half occupied about 30% of the whole organ, and pinealocytes were slightly smaller in size in the proximal portion than elsewhere. The distal and intermediate portions contained few interstitial cells and numerous astrocytes, but the proximal portion lacked interstitial cells and had more abundant astrocytes than elsewhere. Astrocytes, which were immunoreactive for glial fibrillary acidic protein, mainly lined the pericapillary spaces in the distal and intermediate portions, but in the proximal portion these cells often surrounded isolated or groups of pinealocytes. In the distal and intermediate portions, abundant sympathetic fibers and less numerous non-sympathetic, peptidergic fibers were mainly localized in the pericapillary spaces; these fibers were sparsely distributed in the parenchyma close to interstitial cells or astrocytes. In the proximal portion, non-sympathetic fibers were scarce and sympathetic fibers were distributed abundantly and almost exclusively in the parenchyma. Most of the sympathetic fibers were adjacent to astrocytes and, occasionally, made specialized contact with them. Fenestrae in the capillary endothelium were numerous in the distal portion but absent in the proximal portion. Thus, marked differences in structure existed between the distal and proximal portions of the pineal gland of the cotton rat suggesting that both portions are functionally dissimilar. In addition, the present study indicates that the proximal portion of the cotton rat was well developed and showed morphological features similar to the deeply situated pineal glands of other mammals.     

Preparation and magnetic properties of barium ferrite fineparticles by the coprecipitation salt-catalysis method

The authors describe catalytic action by NaCl in the reaction between α-Fe₂O₃ and BaCO₃ and the development of a new process for manufacturing barium ferrite fine particles. Pure α-FeOOH and reagent-grade BaCO₃ are mixed and heated at temperatures from 300 to 800°C with and without NaCl. The BaCO₃ and α-Fe₂O₃ powders which are formed during heating react and change to barium ferrite at temperatures 100°C lower than NaCl than without it. A hematite defect structure is maintained up to a relatively high temperature due to the presence of the salt, which promotes the formation of barium ferrite. The manufacturing process involves mixing an aqueous solution of metallic chlorides with a mixture of NaOH and Na ₂CO₃. This alkaline coprecipitate slurry is then neutralized by HCl solution, filtered, and dried. The dried powder, containing salts produced by the reaction, is heated at 840°C. After the salts are dissolved in water, barium ferrite fine particles are obtained     

Microlens tipped on a single-mode fibre end for InGaAsP laser coupling improvement

A new fabrication method for a hemispherical microlens on optical fibre ends is proposed, to achieve high coupling efficiency between an InGaAsP laser with a buried heterostructure geometry and a single-mode fibre. The microlens is fabricated by attaching silica glass to the fibre end, which is then heated to form the desired shape by electric discharge. The lowest coupling loss of 2.9 dB has been achieved by selecting the optimum lens radius at 8.5 ?m. Effects of misalignment are also reported.     

Maintenance of surge arrester by a portable arrester leakagecurrent detector

An instrument is described that detects leakage current without disconnecting the arrester ground wire. Better means were developed for detecting deterioration of a surge arrester than the existing appearance inspection, insulation resistance measurement, and leakage current measurement. The device measures only the in component of the current, which is proportional to the power loss. The change of the latter is the recognized measure of deterioration     

Intracerebroventricular administration of angiotensin type 1 (AT1) receptor antisense oligonucleotides attenuate thirst in the rat

Chinese hamster ovary cells were pulse-labeled with 125I-iododeoxyuridine during early S phase, and cell samples were harvested 30 min or 5 h after labeling. The samples were frozen (with or without 25 mM cysteamine) and stored at -196 degrees C for accumulation of 125I decays. X-ray control experiments were performed at 37 degrees C and -196 degrees C. Aliquots of cells were plated for evaluating micronucleus formation and cell survival. The results demonstrated a striking shift in micronucleus formation and cell death with time after labeling. Cells frozen 30 min after labeling exhibited effects typical of low-LET radiation, but cells frozen 5 h after labeling showed a response characteristic of high-LET radiation. Cysteamine provided protection against the effects of 125I during the initial phase of effects characteristic of low-LET radiation, but no protection was seen during the phase characteristic of high-LET radiation. When cell survival was evaluated as a function of micronucleus frequency rather than dose in decays/cell, the survival curves for all treatment groups became superimposed. Previous work using the same experimental system had failed to show a direct link between 125I-induced DNA double-strand breaks and cell death. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that DNA damage may not be the sole mechanism for cell killing and that damage to higher-order structures in the cell nucleus may contribute to (or modify) radiation-induced cell death.