Evaled expression of ICAM-1 and its ligands in the rat spinal cord following lipopolysaccharide intraspinal injection.

The early stage of inflammation involves the adhesion and transmigration of leukocytes across the blood-brain barrier (BBB) to the normally sequestered central nervous system (CNS). This process is regulated by the expression of a series of adhesion molecules. One of the most well-known components is intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1).

Phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1/2 predominantly enhanced in the microglia of the rat spinal cord following lipopolysaccharide injection.

The present study was initiated to investigate the role of extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK) 1/2 signaling pathway in the early response of spinal cord to systemic inflammation by using Western blotting and immunohistochemical techniques in a rat model intraperitoneally injected with 10 mg/kg of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The results showed that there was a considerable amount of phosphorylated ERK 1/2 protein in the spinal cord of inflamed animals killed under pentobarbital anesthesia. The result of Western blotting showed that the phosphorylation level of ERK 1/2 in the spinal cord was increased at one hour; then 12 and 24 h after LPS injection the level decreased, while the total ERK 1/2 level seemed unchanged.

Lipopolysaccharide-induced upregulation of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and TNF receptors in rat sciatic nerve.

The proinflammatory and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-inducible cytokine tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) has been shown to enhance primary sensory nociceptive signaling. However, the precise cellular sites of TNF-alpha and TNF receptors synthesis are still a matter of controversy. Therefore, we focused our study on TNF-alpha, TNFR1, and TNFR2 protein synthesis and expression patterns in sciatic nerve of controls and rats under systemic challenge with LPS.

[Study on knowledge discovery in traditional Chinese medical case records].

Traditional Chinese medical case records in the previous dynasties are vital to the development of traditional Chinese medical theory, but the tremendous amount of data are far beyond a person's ability for comprehension. According to information science, traditional Chinese medical case record data are complicated and intricate experiential data. New technology and methods are needed to solve this difficulty.

Expression of NAC1 up-stream regulatory region and its relationship to the lateral root initiation induced by gibberellins and auxins.

A 1050 bp up-stream regulatory fragment of the transcription factor gene NAC1 in Arabidopsis thaliana was isolated using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) based techniques. The fragment was used to substitute the 35S promoter of the pBI121 plasmid to construct a beta-glucuronidase gene (GUS) expression system. The construct was introduced into tobacco (Nicotiana tabaccum) plants by the Agrobacterium-mediated transferring method.

Biomechanical and clinical study on screw hook fixation after direct repair of lumbar spondylolysis.

Objective: To evaluate the biomechanical effect and clinical results of hook screw fixation after direct repair of lumbar spondylous defects in the pars interarticularis.

Methods: L(2)-L(6) spines of 8 fresh-frozen and thawed calf cadavers were used for mechanical testing. Bilateral spondylous defects were created in the L(4)vertebra.