Fabrication of pyramidal probes with various periodic patterns and a single nanopore

The nanometer-scale patterned pyramidal probe with an electron beam-induced nanopore on the pyramid apex is an excellent candidate for an optical biosensor. The nanoapertures surrounded with various periodic groove patterns on the pyramid sides were fabricated using a focused ion beam technique, where the optical characteristics of the fabricated apertures with rectangular, circular, and elliptical groove patterns were investigated. The elliptical groove patterns on the pyramid were designed to maintain an identical distance between the grooves and the apex for the surface waves and, among the three patterns, the authors observed the highest optical transmission from the elliptically patterned pyramidal probe. A 103-fold increase of the transmitted optical intensity was observed after patterning with elliptical grooves, even without an aperture on the pyramid apex. The nanopore on the apex of the pyramid was fabricated using electron beam irradiation and was optically characterized

Influence of Blood Lead Concentration on the Nerve Conduction Velocity in Patients with End-Stage Renal Disease

Diseases of the peripheral nervous system are the most prevalent in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Although increased blood levels of lead in ESRD have been reported, the role of lead remains to be elucidated. The purpose of this study was to determine the connection of blood lead concentration with peripheral nerve conduction velocity. One hundred ninety-eight healthy subjects (control group) and 68 patients with ESRD undergoing hemodialysis (ESRD group) were enrolled. Nerve conduction was measured within two hours after hemodialysis. Orthodromic sensory nerve action potentials and compound muscle action potentials were recorded on the median, ulnar, and radial nerves. Hemoglobin-corrected blood lead was significantly higher in ESRD patients than in controls (9.1±2.8 µg/dL vs. 5.9±2.3 µg/dL, p<0.001). 32.4% of 68 ESRD patients with diabetes mellitus were significantly related to poorer motor and sensory nerve conduction velocity (p<0.001). However, blood lead was not a significant predictor of the nerve conduction velocity (p>0.05). Our result suggested that even though the blood lead levels were high in ESRD, they were not associated with the decline of peripheral nerve function. Diabetes mellitus is a primary independent risk of neuropathy in ESRD patients