Analysis of soot formation in a rapeseed oil-fueled diffusion flame: focusing on the importance of soot in Nara sumi.

Nara sumi is a traditional Japanese craft that has been handed down in Nara since ancient times, and now plays a major role as a regional resource. Soot is considered to be one of the most important materials for its quality. However, the making process has been supported solely by the rule of thumb for craftsmen for many years, and there is very little scientific understanding of that.

Continuous infusion of substance P inhibits acute, but not subacute, inflammatory pain induced by complete Freund's adjuvant.

Previous studies have reported that continuous infusion with substance P (SP) into rat dorsal striatum ameliorated both mechanical allodynia in both formalin-evoked transient inflammatory pain and neuropathic pain models. However, a role of striatal SP in persistent inflammatory pain has not been demonstrated. The current study examined the effect of continuous infusion of SP into the rat dorsal striatum by reverse microdialysis on persistent inflammatory pain induced by complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA).

Continuous infusion of substance P into rat striatum relieves mechanical hypersensitivity caused by a partial sciatic nerve ligation via activation of striatal muscarinic receptors.

Previous studies have demonstrated that continuous substance P (SP) infusion into the rat striatum attenuated hind paw formalin-induced nociceptive behaviors and mechanical hypersensitivity via a neurokinin-1 (NK1) receptor dependent mechanism. However, whether there is a role of striatal infusion of SP on chronic, neuropathic pain has yet to be demonstrated. The present study investigated the effect of continuous SP infusion into the rat striatum using a reverse microdialysis method is antinociceptive in a rat model of chronic, mononeuropathic pain.

Reaction of thymidine and ascorbic acid induced by UV in the presence of salicylic acid.

When a neutral solution of thymidine and ascorbic acid was irradiated with UV light of wavelength longer than 300 nm in the presence of salicylic acid as a photosensitizer, six product peaks appeared in an HPLC chromatogram in addition to small amounts of thymidine dimers. The six products were identified as three pairs of diastereomers of 5-(2-deoxy-2-l-ascorbyl)-5,6-dihydrothymidine, 5-(2-l-ascorbyl)-5,6-dihydrothymidine, and 5,6-dihydrothymidine. These results suggest that novel DNA damage may be generated by ascorbic acid with salicylic acid induced by sunlight.

Go-sha-jinki-Gan (GJG) ameliorates allodynia in chronic constriction injury-model mice via suppression of TNF-α expression in the spinal cord.

Background: Alternative medicine is noted for its clinical effect and minimal invasiveness in the treatment of neuropathic pain. Go-sha-jinki-Gan, a traditional Japanese herbal medicine, has been used for meralgia and numbness in elderly patients. However, the exact mechanism of GJG is unclear.

Go-sha-jinki-Gan (GJG), a traditional Japanese herbal medicine, protects against sarcopenia in senescence-accelerated mice.

Sarcopenia is characterized by age-associated skeletal muscle atrophy and reduced muscle strength; currently, no pharmaceutical treatment is available. Go-sha-jinki-Gan (GJG) is a traditional Japanese herbal medicine that is used to alleviate various age-related symptoms, especially motor disorders. Here, we investigated the effect of GJG on aging-associated skeletal muscle atrophy by using senescence-accelerated mice (SAMP8).

Efficacy of traditional Japanese herbal medicines-Keishikajutsubuto (TJ-18) and Bushi-matsu (TJ-3022)-against postherpetic neuralgia aggravated by self-reported cold stimulation: a case series.

Objectives: It has been reported that postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) in patients over 60 years of age is aggravated under cold stimulation and is often difficult to treat. Keishikajutsubuto (TJ-18) and Bushi-matsu (TJ-3022) are traditional Japanese herbal medicines and have long been used to treat neuralgia and arthralgia, which are aggravated following cold stimulation. This study was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of combined TJ-18 and TJ-3022 therapy in cases of PHN aggravated by self-reported cold stimulation.

Radio-sensitization of the murine osteosarcoma cell line LM8 with parthenolide, a natural inhibitor of NF-κB.

Nuclear factor (NF)-κB has been shown to be associated with cancer resistance to radiotherapy (RT), and is constitutively active in the murine osteosarcoma cell line, LM8. Parthenolide has been reported to show antitumor activity through inhibition of the NF-κB pathway. In this study, we investigated the radio-sensitizing activity of parthenolide.

Parthenolide, a natural inhibitor of Nuclear Factor-kappaB, inhibits lung colonization of murine osteosarcoma cells.

Purpose: The transcription factor nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) regulates the expression of several genes important for tumor metastasis and is constitutively active in the highly metastatic murine osteosarcoma cell line LM8. Parthenolide, a sesquiterpene lactone, was reported to inhibit the DNA binding of NF-kappaB. The purpose of this study is to investigate the usefulness of parthenolide as target for antimetastatic therapies.

Leptin regulates chondrocyte differentiation and matrix maturation during endochondral ossification.

Leptin has been suggested to mediate a variety of actions, including bone development, via its ubiquitously expressed receptor (Ob-Rb). In this study, we investigated the role of leptin in endochondral ossification at the growth plate. The growth plates of wild-type and ob/ob mice were analyzed.

Measurement of lesion area and volume by three-dimensional spoiled gradient-echo MR imaging in osteonecrosis of the femoral head.

The purpose of this investigation is to evaluate the diagnostic ability of three-dimensional spoiled gradient-echo (3D SPGR) magnetic resonance (MR) imaging in cases of osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH), and to determine the accuracy of 3D SPGR imaging in area and volume measurement of ONFH. T1-weighted spin-echo (SE) and 3D SPGR imaging were performed on 20 femoral heads obtained from patients with ONFH. After MR imaging, the femoral heads were cut parallel to the imaging plane and were evaluated histologically.

Scintigraphic image patterns in dysplastic coxarthrosis: evaluation with reference to radiographic findings in 210 hips.

Little is known about scintigraphic image patterns in the various stages of coxarthrosis. We assessed bone scintigraphy in 159 patients (210 hips) with dysplastic arthrosis of the hip. Scintigraphic images were divided into 5 types related to the radiographic stages of the disease.

Stem fracture of the cementless spongy metal Lübeck hip prosthesis.

We performed 204 cementless total hip arthroplasties using a fully porous stem made of a cast cobalt-chrome-molybdenum alloy. Five stems fractured at the middle part. Champagne-fluted canals (P<.