Contribution of capsaicin-sensitive primary afferents to mechanical hyperalgesia induced by ventral root transection in rats: the possible role of BDNF.

Objective: A recent study showed that brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) may play a role in the development of the neuropathic pain resulting from injury to motor efferent fibres, such as that in the ventral root transection (VRT) model. Capsaicin stimulation of afferent fibres was also shown to result in the release of BDNF into the spinal cord. Here, the effects of ablation of capsaicin-sensitive primary afferents (CSPAs) by local application of capsaicin on the sciatic nerve on VRT-induced mechanical hyperalgesia were observed.

Contribution of brain-derived neurotrophic factor to mechanical hyperalgesia induced by ventral root transection in rats.

It is generally believed that the development of neuropathic pain primarily results from injuries to sensory afferent fibers. Recent studies found that injuries to the motor efferent fibers (e.g.

Contribution of the spinal microglia to bee venom-induced inflammatory pain in conscious rats.

It is well known that spinal glia plays a key role in the pathogenesis of pain. The present study was designed to determine the roles of spinal microglia in bee venom-induced persistent spontaneous nociception (PSN), mechanical hyperalgesia and inflammation. We determined the effects of microglia inhibitor minocycline on BV-induced PSN, mechanical hyperalgesia and inflammatory swelling.

Contribution of the spinal P2X7 receptors to bee venom-induced nociception and inflammation in conscious rats.

Recently, P2X7 receptor (P2X7R) has been found to contribute to the development of inflammatory pain, however, the role of spinal P2X7R is not clear. The present study was designed to determine the roles of spinal P2X7R in the bee venom (BV) model, characterized by multiple pain-related behaviors and obvious inflammatory edema. We determined the effects of P2X7R antagonist A438790 on BV-induced PSN, mechanical allodynia and inflammatory swelling.

Nuclear and chloroplast SSR markers in Paeonia delavayi (Paeoniaceae) and cross-species amplification in P. ludlowii.

Premise Of The Study: Microsatellite primers were developed for Paeonia delavayi and P. ludlowii (Paeoniaceae) to study their population genetics and phytogeography.

Methods And Results: Nine polymorphic nuclear microsatellite loci were isolated from an enriched library of P.

Ischemia induces endoplasmic reticulum stress and cell apoptosis in human brain.

In animal models, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and apoptosis take place around cerebral infarction areas during ischemia, which presumably protect tissues from necroses-induced injury as well as promote cells toward death. We examined whether these pathological changes, especially temporal occurrence, were present in patients who suffered from cerebral ischemia. The studies by immunohistochemistry show that ER chaperone glucose-regulated protein (GRP78) and caspase-9 elevate around infarction areas.

DNA barcoding: species delimitation in tree peonies.

Delimitations of species are crucial for correct and precise identification of taxa. Unfortunately "species" is more a subjective than an objective concept in taxonomic practice due to difficulties in revealing patterns of infra- or inter-specific variations. Molecular phylogenetic studies at the population level solve this problem and lay a sound foundation for DNA barcoding.

[Determination of the cysteine residues in the surface-confined biomolecules by using electrochemical desorption and fluorescence detection].

To develop a method for the detection of surface-confined peptides containing cysteine residues or oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs) whose 3' ends modified with thiol groups, and a thiol-specific fluorescent cross-linker, N-(9-acridinyl) maleimide (NAM) was used. The peptides studied herein include both the oxidized and reduced forms of glutathione, and a hexapeptide (FT). Peptides are first attached onto the activated 11-mercaptoundecanoic acid (MUA)-terminated alkanethiol self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) and then derivatized with NAM.

[Fingerprinting of Fuzhisan by high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet and evaporative light scattering detector].

Objective: To establish a method for fingerprinting of Fuzhisan (FZS, a traditional Chinese medicinal preparation) using high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet and evaporative light scattering detector (HPLC-UV/ELSD) to allow simultaneous determination of 5 major constituents in the preparation.

Methods: HPLC-UV/ELSD analysis was performed on water AlltechC18 column (5 microm, 4.6 mm x 250 mm) with a mixture of acetonitrile (A) and 0.