theoretically, they are nearly two orders of magnitude higher In this report, the origin of micronuclei responsible for the onset than the degree of supersaturation that results in decompresof decompression sickness is investigated. The formation of cavision sickness, which is less than 3 atmospheres (3-5). It is ties by tribonucleation between hydrophobic and hydrophilic surknown that the nucleation of bubbles at a hydrophobic surfaces has been studied using a new force measuring device, LLIFE face is more favorable, but this alone cannot account for the (Light Lever Instrument for Force Evaluation). Using this instrudifference.
ment, the interaction force between silica surfaces in equilibrium
The difference is explained by the existence of preformed with the cationic surfactant cetylpyridinium chloride has been micronuclei in solution (6-8). It seems clear that if these measured above and below the critical micelle concentration. A long range hydrophobic attraction is evident between adsorbed nuclei are removed, by application of extremely high presmonolayers and a DLVO repulsion is apparent between adsorbed sure or by continued boiling or evacuation, nucleation is bilayers. It is shown that the formation of cavities on separation avoided (9). However, the origin of these micronuclei is occurs not only between hydrophobic monolayers but between hyyet to be adequately explained. Several suggestions exist in drophilic bilayers, should the bilayers be squeezed sufficiently to the literature (10-12). cause rupture. The demonstration that cavities may arise upon Evans and Walder (6) have demonstrated that shrimp separation between bilayers is new and leads to the postulate that which have been treated to remove micronuclei are more cavities are formed in vivo by the rupture of cell membrane biprone to bubble formation upon decompression if rapid muslayers, thereby providing the nucleation sites for bubble formation cular contractions have taken place. This suggests that musshould sufficient gas supersaturation occur.