Acupuncture Analgesia ; methods ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; methods ; Migraine Disorders ; etiology ; prevention & control ; therapy ; Models, Theoretical ; Neuropeptides ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Professional Practice

Neurogenesis can be observed in the adult nervous system of many mammals. It is a popular topic about the regulation and functional reconstruction of adult neurogenesis. As one of the most active areas where neurogenesis occurs, hippocampus is most sensitive to stressful stimulations. Moreover, hippocampus plays a critical role in emotion controlling and may be the basis of research of depression. In addition, many regulative factors of neurogenesis may be involved in the etiology and therapy of depression. At present, the relationship between adult brain neurogenesis and depression should be a new focus for the research of depression.

Objective To evaluate the clinical efficacy of periradicular compound betamethasone injections into the periganglionic space in the treatment of radicular pain.Methods Periganglionic compound betamethasone infiltrations were performed in 76 patients with lumbar radicular pain under MSCT guidance.All patients were divided into two groups including group 1(31 cases of lumbar disc herniation)and group 2(45 cases of lumbar degenerative disorders).The total and two groups scores of VAS were compared after the therapeutic procedure with evaluation of the efficacy.Results 88%(69/76)of patients showed significant pain reduction,with the score of VAS 6.5?2.0(before therapy)dropping to 3.4?1.8(after 1 week)and 3.8?1.9(after 3 month).Differences in improvements before and after the therapy were statistically significant.Differences between one-week and three-month follow-up were not statistically significant.Differences between the two groups demonstrated no statistical significance.Conclusion Periradicular compound betamethasone injection under CT guidance is safe and useful in the treatment of lumbar radicular pain.

Genotypic and environmental variation in Cd, Cr, As, Ni and Pb concentrations of grains, and the relationships between these heavy metals and Fe, Zn were investigated using 9 rice genotypes grown in 6 locations for two successive years. Significant genotypic variation was detected in the five heavy metal concentrations in grains, indicating the possibility to reduce the concentration of these heavy metals in grains through breeding approach. The environmental effect varied with metal, with Pb and Ni having greater variation than the other three metals. There was significant genotype-environment (location) interaction of the concentrations of all five heavy metals in grains, suggesting the importance of cultivar choice in producing rice with low heavy metal concentrations in grains for a given location. Correlation analysis showed that Cd and As, Cr and Ni, and As and Pb concentrations in rice grains were closely associated, and that Ni concentration in grains was negatively correlated with Zn concentration.
Arsenic ; analysis ; Cadmium ; analysis ; Chromium ; analysis ; Edible Grain ; chemistry ; genetics ; Environment ; Genetic Variation ; genetics ; Genotype ; Lead ; analysis ; Metals, Heavy ; analysis ; Nickel ; analysis ; Oryza ; chemistry ; genetics ; Soil Pollutants ; analysis

The present study was undertaken to observe the effect of exogenously administered melatonin on the intensity of β-endorphin (β-Ep) immunoreactivity of the neuron in the arcuate nucleus of rat hypothalamus with an aim to explore the possible mechanisms of the analgesic effect of melatonin. The experimental rats were divided into two groups, one injected intraperitoneally with melatonin (110 mg/kg) and the other with only a vehicle. One hour after injection, the brain was processed for coronal sections, which were stained with immunohistochemical ABC technique. The integral optical density (IOD) and mean optical density (OD) of the stained sections were measured with a computer-assisted image-processing and analytical system. β-Ep immunoreactivity was much decreased in the sections treated with melatonin and the IOD and OD were also decreased significantly (P<0.01; P<0.05). The above results suggest that melatonin may result in a decrease of β-Ep content in the arcuate nucleus, as a result of increased β-Ep release induced by administration of melatonin. It is likely that the analgesic effect of melatonin may be in part mediated by the release of β-endorphin from the arcuate nucleus.

The present study was to investigate the effects of intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injection of interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) on thermal nociception in SD rats. The rats were divided into control and drug-administration groups. The animals of control group were given vehicle solution via i.c.v. injection. The animals of drug-administered groups were given IL-1beta at different doses (5, 50 and 500 pg/kg b.w.) via i.c.v. injection. IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra, 50 ng/kg) was injected 20 min before injection of IL-1beta or vehicle solution. The nociceptive threshold, which was represented as paw withdrawal latency (PWL), to a noxious thermal stimulation was measured using an analgesiameter. I.c.v. injection of IL-1beta dose-dependently shortened the PWL. At the dose of 500 pg/kg, the shortening of the PWL occurred at 20 min, reaching a peak within 40 min, lasted 100 min after injection, then gradually returned to the baseline level. Pretreatment with IL-1ra completely blocked the effects of IL-1beta-induced shortening in PWL. The results obtained suggest that IL-1beta may induce hyperalgesia in rats through binding to IL-1 receptors in the brain.
Animals ; Hot Temperature ; Hyperalgesia ; drug therapy ; Injections, Intraventricular ; Interleukin 1 Receptor Antagonist Protein ; pharmacology ; Interleukin-1beta ; pharmacology ; Nociception ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, Interleukin-1 ; antagonists & inhibitors ; metabolism ; Touch

AIMTo study the chemical constituents of Marsdenia tenacissima (Roxb.) Wight et Arn.

METHODSTo separate compounds with various chromatography technology and to elucidate their structures by chemical and spectral analysis.

RESULTSTwo compounds were isolated from Marsdenia tenacissima and their stuctures were determined as tenacissosides J (I) and tenacissosides K (II).

CONCLUSIONCompounds I and II are new C21 steroidal glycosides.

Glycosides ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Marsdenia ; chemistry ; Molecular Conformation ; Molecular Structure ; Plant Stems ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Steroids ; chemistry ; isolation & purification

Computer Graphics ; Computer-Assisted Instruction ; Forensic Pathology ; Humans ; Imaging, Three-Dimensional ; Pathology ; education ; Pathology, Clinical ; Specimen Handling ; methods

To investigate the Fe2+ effects on root tips in rice plant, experiments were carried out using border cells in vitro. The border cells were pre-planted in aeroponic culture and detached from root tips. Most border cells have a long elliptical shape. The number and the viability of border cells in situ reached the maxima of 1600 and 97.5%, respectively, at 20-25 mm root length. This mortality was more pronounced at the first 1-12 h exposure to 250 mg/L Fe2+ than at the last 12-36 h. After 36 h, the cell viability exposed to 250 mg/L Fe2+ decreased to nought, whereas it was 46.5% at 0 mg/L Fe2+. Increased Fe2+ dosage stimulated the death of detached border cells from rice cultivars. After 4 h Fe2+ treatment, the cell viabilities were > or =80% at 0 and 50 mg/L Fe2+ treatment and were <62% at 150, 250 and 350 mg/L Fe2+ treatment; The viability of border cells decreased by 10% when the Fe2+ concentration increased by 100 mg/L. After 24 h Fe2+ treatment, the viabilities of border cells at all the Fe2+ levels were <65%; The viability of border cells decreased by 20% when the Fe2+ concentration increased by 100 mg/L. The decreased viabilities of border cells indicated that Fe2+ dosage and treatment time would cause deadly effect on the border cells. The increased cell death could protect the root tips from toxic harm. Therefore, it may protect root from the damage caused by harmful iron toxicity.
Iron ; toxicity ; Oryza ; cytology ; drug effects ; growth & development ; Plant Roots ; cytology ; drug effects ; growth & development ; Seedlings ; cytology ; drug effects ; growth & development

Acupuncture Analgesia ; trends ; China ; Drug Combinations ; Drug Synergism