Early Induction of Oxidative Stress in Mouse Model of Alzheimer Disease with Reduced Mitochondrial Superoxide Dismutase Activity

While oxidative stress has been linked to Alzheimer's disease, the underlying pathophysiological relationship is unclear. To examine this relationship, we induced oxidative stress through the genetic ablation of one copy of mitochondrial antioxidant superoxide dismutase 2 (Sod2) allele in mutant human amyloid precursor protein (hAPP) transgenic mice. The brains of young (5–7 months of age) and old (25–30 months of age) mice with the four genotypes, wild-type (Sod2+/+), hemizygous Sod2 (Sod2+/−), hAPP/wild-type (Sod2+/+), and hAPP/hemizygous (Sod2+/−) were examined to assess levels of oxidative stress markers 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal and heme oxygenase-1. Sod2 reduction in young hAPP mice resulted in significantly increased oxidative stress in the pyramidal neurons of the hippocampus. Interestingly, while differences resulting from hAPP expression or Sod2 reduction were not apparent in the neurons in old mice, oxidative stress was increased in astrocytes in old, but not young hAPP mice with either Sod2+/+ or Sod2+/−. Our study shows the specific changes in oxidative stress and the causal relationship with the pathological progression of these mice. These results suggest that the early neuronal susceptibility to oxidative stress in the hAPP/Sod2+/− mice may contribute to the pathological and behavioral changes seen in this animal model

Dispersing carbon nanotubes with graphene oxide in water and synergistic effects between graphene derivatives

Synergistic graphenes: The chemical and electrical synergies between graphene derivatives enable a simple, cost-effective and environmentally friendly strategy for solution-phase processing of graphene oxide (GO) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The new nanohybrid exhibits high performance when used as electrodes for supercapacitors (see figure; ER=electrochemically reduced, CCG=chemically converted graphene)

Structural Design and Analysis for a Double-Band Cold Mass Support of the MICE Coupling Magnet

The cooling channel of Muon Ionization Cooling Experiment (MICE) consists of eighteen superconducting solenoid coils, which are magnetically hooked together. A pair ofcoupling magnets operating at 4 K is applied to produce up to .6 T magnetic field on the magnet centerline to keep muon beam within the RF cavity windows. The peak magnetic force on the coupling magnet from other magnets in the MICE channel is up to 500 kN inlongitudinal direction, and the requirements for magnet center and axis azimuthal angle at 4 K are stringent. A self-centered double-band cold mass support system with intermediatethermal interruption is applied for the coupling magnet. The physical center of the magnet does not change as it is cooled down from 300 K to 4.2 K with this support system. In this paper the design parameters of the support system are discussed. The integral analysis of the support system using FEA method was carried out to etermine the tension forces in bands when various loads are applied. The magnet centre displacement and concentricity deviation form the axis of the warm bore are obtained, and the peak tension in support bands is also determined according to the simulation results

Lessons Learned for the MICE Coupling Solenoid from the MICE Spectrometer Solenoids

Tests of the spectrometer solenoids have taught us some important lessons. The spectrometer magnet lessons learned fall into two broad categories that involve the two stages of the coolers that are used to cool the magnets. On the first spectrometer magnet, the problems were centered on the connection of the cooler 2nd-stage to the magnet cold mass. On the first test of the second spectrometer magnet, the problems were centered on the cooler 1st-stage temperature and its effect on the operation of the HTS leads. The second time the second spectrometer magnet was tested; the cooling to the cold mass was still not adequate. The cryogenic designs of the MICE and MuCOOL coupling magnets are quite different, but the lessons learned from the tests of the spectrometer magnets have affected the design of the coupling magnets

Progress on Superconducting Magnets for the MICE Cooling Channel

The muon ionization cooling experiment (MICE) consists of a target, a beam line, a pion decay channel, the MICE cooling channel. Superconducting magnets are used in the pion decay channel and the MICE cooling channel. This report describes the MICE cooling channel magnets and the progress in the design and fabrication of these magnets. The MICE cooling channel consists of three types of superconducting solenoids; the spectrometer solenoids, the coupling solenoids and the focusing solenoids. The three types of magnets are being fabricated in he United States, China, and the United Kingdom respectively. The spectrometer magnets are used to analyze the muon beam before and after muon cooling. The coupling magnets couple the focusing sections and keep the muon beam contained within the iris of the RF cavities that re used to recover the muon momentum lost during ionization cooling. The focusing magnets focus the muon beam in the center of a liquid hydrogen absorber. The first of the cooling channel magnets will be operational in MICE in the spring of 2010