These results are particularly important considering the potential introduction of the Mn-containing gas additive, methyl cyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl (MMT), in various countries around the world. In order to model this potentially

vulnerable population, we fed female rats fed either control (35 mg Fe/kg chow; 10 mg Mn/kg chow) or low iron/high-manganese (IDMn; 3.5 mg Fe/kg chow; 100 mg Mn/kg chow) diet, and examined whether these changes had any long-term behavioral effects on the animals’ spatial abilities, as tested by the Morris water maze (MWM). We also analyzed behavioral performance on auditory sensorimotor gating utilizing prepulse inhibition (PPI), which may be related to overall cognitive performance. Furthermore, brain and blood metal levels were assessed, as well as regional brain isoprostane production. We found that treated animals were slightly ID, with statistically PI3K inhibitors ic50 significant increases selleck inhibitor in both iron (Fe) and Mn in the hippocampus, but statistically significantly less Fe in the cerebellum. Additionally, isoprostane levels, markers of oxidative stress, were increased in the brain stem of IDMn animals. Although treated animals were indistinguishable from controls in the PPI experiments, they performed less well than controls in the MWM. Taken together, our data suggest that vulnerable ID populations

exposed to high levels of Mn may indeed be at risk of potentially dangerous alterations in brain metal levels which could also lead to behavioral deficits.”
“In this paper, we numerically investigate the highly directional beaming effect when a transverse magnetic plane wave passes through a metallic slit-bumps nanostructure by using the finite difference time domain method. We find that

the narrow bump with width w similar to 0.1 lambda(spp) can serve as a good light emitter and two arrays of narrow bumps with suitable separation can diffract the surface plasmons into highly directional collimated beams. The number and the direction of the beams can be controlled by adjusting the geometry parameters of selleck chemical the nanostructure. The structure with optimized parameters has practical applications as directional surface plasmon polaritons couplers in integrated photonic devices. (c) 2009 American Institute of Physics. [DOI: 10.1063/1.3139295]“
“Background: Implementation of guidance on assessment and management of psychosocial and supportive-care problems or needs will be successful only if consideration is given to existing skills, experience and expectations of staff and patients. This study examines the roles and responsibilities of staff, patients and families in relation to management of social difficulties and proposes a pathway for response.

Methods: A qualitative study was performed using staff and patient interviews. Seventeen doctors and 16 nurses were interviewed using patient scenarios and a support service questionnaire.