Nidogen Plays a Role in the Regenerative Axon Growth of Adult Sensory Neurons Through Schwann Cells

We previously reported that nidogen is an extracellular matrix protein regulating Schwann cell proliferation and migration. Since Schwann cells play a critical role in peripheral nerve regeneration, nidogen may play a role in it via regulation of Schwann cells. Here, we demonstrate direct evidence that nidogen induces elongation of regenerative axon growth of adult sensory neurons, and that the effect is Schwann cell dependent. Continuous infusion of recombinant ectodomain of tumor endothelial marker 7, which specifically blocks nidogen function in Schwann cells, suppressed regenerative neurite growth in a sciatic nerve axotomy model. Taken together, it is likely that nidogen is required for proper regeneration of peripheral nerves after injury

Cardiac Dysrhythmias, Cardiomyopathy and Muscular Dystrophy in Patients with Emery-Dreifuss Muscular Dystrophy and Limb-Girdle Muscular Dystrophy Type 1B

Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy (EDMD) and limb-girdle muscular dystrophy type 1B (LGMD1B) are characterized by cardiac dysrhythmias, late-onset cardiomyopathy, slowly progressive skeletal myopathy and contractures of the neck, elbows and ankles. The causative mutation is either in the emerin gene (X-linked recessive EDMD) or lamin A/C gene (autosomal dominant EDMD2 or LGMD1B). We report three cases of EDMD, EDMD2 and LGMD1B. A 14-yr-old boy showed limitation of cervical flexion and contractures of both elbows and ankles. Sinus arrest with junctional escape beats was noted. He was diagnosed as X-linked recessive EDMD (MIM 310300). A 28-yr-old female showed severe wasting and weakness of humeroperoneal muscles. Marked limitation of cervical flexion and contractures of both elbows and ankles were noted. Varying degrees of AV block were noted. She was diagnosed as autosomal dominant EDMD2 (MIM 181350). A 41-yr-old female had contractures of both ankles and limb-girdle type muscular dystrophy. ECG revealed atrial tachycardia with high grade AV block. She was diagnosed as autosomal dominant LGMD1B (MIM 159001). Cardiac dysrhythmias in EDMD and LGMD1B include AV block, bradycardia, atrial tachycardia, atrial fibrillation, and atrial standstill, causing sudden death necessitating pacemaker implantation. Cardiologists should know about these unusual genetic diseases with conduction defects, especially in young adults

Effect of Molybdenum and Chromium on Hardenability of Low-carbon Boron-added Steels

The hardenability of low-carbon boron-added steels containing molybdenum or chromium was studied using dilatometry, thermodynamic calculations, and secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS). The combined addition of boron and molybdenum was found to be more effective than that of boron and chromium in enhancing the hardenability of boron-added steels. In particular, the addition of 0.5 wt.% molybdenum to the boron-added steel almost completely suppressed the formation of polygonal ferrite even at a slow cooling rate of 0.5 degrees C/s. The synergistic effect of the combined addition of molybdenum and boron is thought to be due to both the suppression of M-23(C,B)(6) precipitation resulting from the deterioration of phase stability and the reduction of carbon diffusivity by the molybdenum addition.X1125sciescopuskc

ZnO nano-tree growth study for high efficiency solar cell

Increased surface area is the key to high efficiency solar cell. Nature inspired "nano-forest" of high density, long branched "treelike" multi generation hierarchical ZnO nanowire photoanodes grown via a simple selective hierarchical growth approach was proven to boost the dye sensitized solar cell efficiency. The efficiency increase is due to greatly enhanced surface area for higher dye loading and light harvesting, and also due to reduced charge recombination by providing direct conduction pathways along the crystalline ZnO "nano-tree" multi generation branches. We performed parametric study how hierarchical ZnO nanowire structure can be effectively grown to yield optimum hierarchical ZnO nanowire photoanode through the combination of length-wise growth and branched growth. (C) 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Selection and/or peer-review under responsibility of the organizing committee of 2nd International Conference on Advances in Energy Engineering (ICAEE).Y