Protein synthesis dependence of growth cone collapse induced by different Nogo-A-domains.

Background: The protein Nogo-A regulates axon growth in the developing and mature nervous system, and this is carried out by two distinct domains in the protein, Nogo-A-Δ20 and Nogo-66. The differences in the signalling pathways engaged in axon growth cones by these domains are not well characterized, and have been investigated in this study.

Methodology/principal Findings: We analyzed growth cone collapse induced by the Nogo-A domains Nogo-A-Δ20 and Nogo-66 using explanted chick dorsal root ganglion neurons growing on laminin/poly-lysine substratum.

Differing semaphorin 3A concentrations trigger distinct signaling mechanisms in growth cone collapse.

Semaphorin-3A (Sema3A) is a major guidance cue in the developing nervous system. Previous studies have revealed a dependence of responses to Sema3A on local protein synthesis (PS) in axonal growth cones, but a recent study has called this dependence into question. To understand the basis of this discrepancy we used the growth cone collapse assay on chick dorsal root ganglion neurons.

The radiological reporting of lumbar Scheuermann's disease: an unnecessary source of confusion amongst clinicians and patients.

Patients with mechanical lower back pain not uncommonly present to clinicians with anxiety following a diagnosis of "Scheuermann's disease" based on a report of a plain radiograph of the lumbar spine. In most instances, the radiographs show features of lumbar Scheuermann's, rather than the classical adolescent thoracic kyphosis described by Scheuermann in 1920. The purpose of this study was (i) to investigate how often the diagnosis of Scheuermann's disease was made at a District General Hospital in radiological reports sent to local general practitioners (GPs); (ii) to determine the type of "Scheuermann's disease" being described; and (iii) to assess what GPs understood by the term "Scheuermann's disease" in the context of a specific clinical presentation.