Composite guidance scaffolds for neural tissue engineering

No abstract available

Increased GFAP immunoreactivity by astrocytes in response to contact with dorsal root ganglia cells in a 3D culture model

Failure of repair mechanisms in the injured CNS is widely attributed to the inhibitory environment of the lesion site, most notably the formation of the glial scar which forms a physical and physiological barrier to axon regeneration. We developed an in vitro 3D cell culture model to investigate the response of astrocytes to cells found at the inhibitory interfaces formed following damage to the spinal cord. CellTrackerTM labelled dissociated DRGs were seeded onto astrocyte-populated collagen gels and maintained in culture for 5 days. Astrocytes near the DRG interface showed marked GFAP up-regulation and adopted a reactive morphology which was observed up to 1mm away. Intensity of GFAP fluorescence at this interface was 3 fold higher than that seen away from the interface or in controls (astrocyte only gels). Furthermore, the presence of DRG conditioned medium was not capable alone of eliciting this response. In conclusion this model may provide a useful tool for understanding reactive astrogliosis in response to cells found at inhibitory interfaces following spinal cord or dorsal root injury. The contact between astrocytes and satellite cells may be enough to induce astrocyte reactivity and formation of the gliotic scar, or this contact may induce the secretion of a soluble factor which is not released from DRG cultures under physiological conditions

Abnormal attentions towards the British Royal Family. Factors associated with approach and escalation

Abnormal approach and escalation from communication to physical intrusion are central concerns in managing risk to prominent people. This study was a retrospective analysis of police files of those who have shown abnormal attentions toward the British Royal Family. Approach (n = 222), compared with communication only (n = 53), was significantly associated with specific factors, most notably serious mental illness and grandiosity. In a sample of those who engaged in abnormal communication (n = 132), those who approached (n = 79) were significantly more likely to evidence mental illness and grandiosity, to use multiple communications, to employ multiple means of communication, and to be driven by motivations that concerned a personal entitlement to the prominent individual. Logistic regression produced a model comprising grandiosity, multiple communications, and multiple means of communication, for which receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis gave an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.82. The implications of these findings are discussed in relation to those for other target groups

Aligned cellular and acellular collagen guidance substrates for peripheral nerve repair

There is a clinical demand to shorten the delay of reinnervation and improve functional recovery after peripheral nerve injury. A peripheral nerve repair device with the ability to direct and promote axon growth across a lesion would be a promising alternative to nerve autograft repair, the current gold standard treatment. The growth of axons across a lesion is most effective when supported by columns of aligned Schwann cells, as found in an autograft. Here we report the development of a robust aligned cellular collagen biomaterial that supports and directs neuronal growth. We also investigate the potential of these aligned cells to precondition the collagen biomaterial, before they are freeze-killed, leaving an acellular guidance matrix

Factors behind the convergence of economic performance across U.S. states

The rolling recessions of the 1970s and 1980s were characterized by industry and region specific shocks that led to large dispersions in the economic performance of regions across the U.S. The 1970s were primarily impacted by sharply rising energy prices that hit the manufacturing states hard while stimulating growth in the energy states.> ; The 1980s began with declines in the Farm Belt, followed by declines in the Energy Belt, the Rust (manufacturing) Belt, and finally, due to declines in defense spending, a decline in the Gun Belt. Simple measures of regional dispersion such as the population-weighted variance of job growth across states show that the economic dispersion was historically high during these two decades.> ; The 1990s saw a continuous decline in regional economic dispersion and the 2000s has seen historically low levels of dispersion. Perhaps the biggest surprise this decade has been the low levels of dispersion of economic performance over the past several years given the significant energy price shocks and the depth of the national economic recession. In this paper, we look at the likely causes of economic dispersion across regions and test for the major influences both in the rise of dispersion in the 1970s and 1980s and the subsequent fall in the 1990s and 2000s. Major factors that we test include state industrial structure, oil price shocks and bank integration.Regional economics ; Industries ; Economic development

Inhibitory effects of soluble fibronectin fractions on cultured neurones

No abstract available