BackgroundIn addition to caudal subnucleus caudalis (Vc) of the spinal trigeminal complex, recent studies indicate that the subnuclei interpolaris/caudalis (Vi/Vc) transition zone plays a unique role in processing deep orofacial nociceptive input. Studies also suggest that glia and inflammatory cytokines contribute to the development of persistent pain. By systematically comparing the effects of microinjection of the antiinflammatory cytokine interleukin (IL)-10 and two glial inhibitors, fluorocitrate and minocycline, we tested the hypothesis that there was a differential involvement of Vi/Vc and caudal Vc structures in deep and cutaneous orofacial pain.ResultsDeep or cutaneous inflammatory hyperalgesia, assessed with von Frey filaments, was induced in rats by injecting complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) into the masseter muscle or skin overlying the masseter, respectively. A unilateral injection of CFA into the masseter or skin induced ipsilateral hyperalgesia that started at 30 min, peaked at 1 d and lasted for 1-2 weeks. Secondary hyperalgesia on the contralateral site also developed in masseter-, but not skin-inflamed rats. Focal microinjection of IL-10 (0.006-1 ng), fluorocitrate (1 μg), and minocycline (0.1-1 μg) into the ventral Vi/Vc significantly attenuated masseter hyperalgesia bilaterally but without an effect on hyperalgesia after cutaneous inflammation. Injection of the same doses of these agents into the caudal Vc attenuated ipsilateral hyperalgesia after masseter and skin inflammation, but had no effect on contralateral hyperalgesia after masseter inflammation. Injection of CFA into the masseter produced significant increases in N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor NR1 serine 896 phosphorylation and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) levels, a marker of reactive astrocytes, in Vi/Vc and caudal Vc. In contrast, cutaneous inflammation only produced similar increases in the Vc.ConclusionThese results support the hypothesis that the Vi/Vc transition zone is involved in deep orofacial injury and suggest that glial inhibition and interruption of the cytokine cascade after inflammation may provide pain relief.

We report Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) based assembly of vanadium dioxide (VO(2)) nanowires. VO(2) nanowires were functionalized with stearic acid (SA) and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and then spread on the surface in an aqueous phase in a LB trough. Surface pressure-area (pi-A) isotherms were recorded on the LB trough and show hysteretic behavior. Scanning electron microscopy investigations of morphology and alignment of the VO(2) nanowire films transferred at different points on the pi-A curve demonstrate that with increasing surface pressure there is a transition from well-separated domains of nanowires to compact and locally ordered nanowire monolayers, while aggregates of raftlike nanowire structures remain after expansion. Interestingly, X-ray diffraction studies show that VO(2) nanowire LB films exhibit (00l) crystal plane orientation, which is attributed to preferential coordination of SA and CTAB-SA complex to (001) surface of VO(2) nanowires thereby driving this orientation.

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There is still no animal model available that can mimic all the cognitive, behavioral, biochemical, and histopathological abnormalities observed in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). We undertook to consider the interaction between genetic factors, including amyloid precursor protein (APP) and presenllin-I (PSI), and environmental factors, such as Aluminum (AI) in determining susceptibility outcomes when studying the pathogenesis of AD. In this article, we provide an AD model in APP/ PSI transgenic mice triggered by AI. The animal model was established via intracerebral ventricular microinjection of aluminum chloride once a day for 5 days in APP/PSI transgenic mice. Twenty wild type (WT) mice and 20 APP/PSI transgenic (TG) mice were separately divided into 2 groups (control and Al group), and a stainless steel injector with stopper was used for microinjection into the left-lateral cerebral ventricle of each mouse. The Morris water maze task was used to evaluate behavioral function of learning and memory ability on the 20th day after the last injection. This AD model's brain was analyzed by: (1) amyloid p immunohistochemical staining; (2) Tunnel staining; (3) apoptotic rates; (l:a) caspase-3 gene expression. Here, decrease of cognitive ability and neural cells loss were shown in APP/ PSI transgenic mice exposed to AI, which were more extensive than those in APP/PSI TG alone and WT mice exposed to Al alone. These findings indicate that there is a close relationship between overexpression of APP and PSI genes and Al overload. It is also suggested that APP/PSI TG mice exposed to Al have potential value for improving AD models.Development of adequate animal models mimicking all stages of Alzheimer's disease (AD) progression and merging convergent pathways of pathogenesis represents a need for research on AD. Amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles are the two most widely recognized hallmarks of AD, the molecular events pertaining to their formation have been under intensive study for over a decade. A number of AD models rely on information gathered from inherited familial forms including various human pedigrees of gene mutations in amyloid precursor protein (APP), presenilin-I (PSI) and presenilin-2 (PS2) (l, 2). Despite their undoubted value, transgenic AD mice show a number ofpitfalls (3). That is, they fail to model the progressive stages of the disease or to show significant neuron loss.Environmental toxins as risk factors may contribute to the development ofAD (3). Aluminum

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There is an explosive interest in rodlike vanadium oxide nanomaterials. This review discusses the current research activities on vanadium oxide nanorods in our group. We begin this paper with a variety of chemical and physical methods that have been used to synthesize vanadium oxide nanorods. There follows a discussion of techniques for adjusting vanadium oxide nanorods by doping, ordered constructing, Langmuir−Blodgett assembly, etc. At the end of this paper, we discuss a wide range of interesting properties, such as electrochemical, electrical, optical, magnetic, and field-emission properties, associated with vanadium oxide nanorods, as well as various intriguing applications. We conclude with personal remarks on the outlook for research on vanadium oxide nanorods.

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