Differential contributions of A- and C-nociceptors to primary and secondary inflammatory hypersensitivity in the rat

Primary hyperalgesia is characterized by increased responsiveness to both heat and mechanical stimulation in the area of injury. By contrast, secondary hyperalgesia is generally associated with increased responses to mechanical but not heat stimuli. We tested the hypothesis that sensitization in secondary hyperalgesia is dependent on the class of peripheral nociceptor (C- or A-nociceptor) rather than the modality of stimulation (mechanical vs heat). A- and C-nociceptors were selectively activated using contact heat ramps applied to the hind paw dorsum in animals with hind paw inflammation (primary hyperalgesia) and knee inflammatory arthritis (secondary hyperalgesia). Sensitization to A- and C-nociceptor activation in primary and secondary hyperalgesia was assessed by reflex withdrawal thresholds and by Fos immunocytochemistry in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord, as an index of neuronal activation. In primary hyperalgesia, only C-nociceptor-evoked withdrawal reflexes were sensitized. This was associated with increased spinal lamina I neuronal activation to both A- and C-nociceptor activation. Fos-like immunoreactivity (FLI) was unchanged in other dorsal horn laminae. In secondary hyperalgesia, only A-nociceptor-evoked withdrawal reflexes were sensitized, and FLI was increased in both superficial and deep dorsal laminae. Neurons in the superficial dorsal horn receive and process nociceptor inputs from the area of primary hyperalgesia, resulting in functional sensitization to C-nociceptive inputs. In inflammatory arthritis, secondary hyperalgesia is evoked by A-nociceptor thermal stimulation, suggesting that secondary hyperalgesia is A-nociceptor, rather than stimulus modality (mechanical vs thermal), dependent. Fos-like immunoreactivity evoked by A-nociceptor stimulation in secondary hyperalgesia suggests that the sensitization is underpinned by spinal neuronal sensitization in laminae I and IV/V

Effects of Trait Anxiety on Error Processing and Post-error Adjustments: An Event-Related Potential Study With Stop-Signal Task

The present study aimed to use event-related potentials with the stop-signal task to investigate the effects of trait anxiety on inhibitory control, error monitoring, and post-error adjustments. The stop-signal reaction time (SSRT) was used to evaluate the behavioral competence of inhibitory control. Electrophysiological signals of error-related negativity (ERN) and error positivity (Pe) were used to study error perception and error awareness, respectively. Post-error slowing (PES) was applied to examine the behavioral adjustments after making errors. The results showed that SSRT and PES did not differ significantly between individuals with high trait anxiety (HTA) and those with low trait anxiety (LTA). However, individuals with HTA demonstrated reduced ERN amplitudes and prolonged Pe latencies than those with LTA. Prolonged Pe latencies were also significantly associated with poorer post-error adjustments. In conclusion, HTA led to reduced cortical responses to error monitoring. Furthermore, inefficient conscious awareness of errors might lead to maladaptive post-error adjustments

Pendekatan Lean Manufacturing Untuk Meningkatkan Efisiensi Dalam Proses Produksi Dengan Menggunakan Value Stream Mapping Pada CV. Indospice

CV. INDOSPICE merupakan Perusahaan yang bergerak pada produksi pala, untuk terus mengoptimalkan kinerja produktifitasnya dan meningkatkatkan laba Perusahaan dengan berusaha menurunkan biaya, meningkatkan kualitas dan tepat waktu dalam pengiriman ke pelanggan. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui berbagai bentuk pemborosan (waste) apa saja yang sering terjadi sehingga dapat meningkatkan efisiensi produksi, karena itu diperlukan suatu pendekatan lean manufacturing. Lean Manufacturing merupakan sebuah pendekatan untuk meminimisasi pemborosan yang terjadi dalam proses produksi melalui value stream mapping untuk meningkatkan efisiensi. Metode yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah deskriptif yang dilakukan dengan meneliti analisa pekerjaan dan aktifitas pada suatu obyek. Hasil penelitian menunjukan bahwa dalam proses produksi yang terjadi masih terdapat bentuk pemborosan berupa proses yang berlebih dan penggunaan mesin yang belum optimal. Untuk itu perlu upaya untuk meningkatkan efisisen berupa penambahan mesin penggiling pala dan pengadaan teknologi modern agar pengerjaan menjadi lebih cepat

Lipopolysaccharide O1 Antigen Contributes to the Virulence in Klebsiella pneumoniae Causing Pyogenic Liver Abscess

Klebsiella pneumoniae is the common cause of a global emerging infectious disease, community-acquired pyogenic liver abscess (PLA). Capsular polysaccharide (CPS) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) are critical for this microorganism's ability to spread through the blood and to cause sepsis. While CPS type K1 is an important virulence factor in K. pneumoniae causing PLA, the role of LPS in PLA is not clear. Here, we characterize the role of LPS O antigen in the pathogenesis of K. pneumoniae causing PLA. NTUH-K2044 is a LPS O1 clinical strain; the presence of the O antigen was shown via the presence of 1,3-galactan in the LPS, and of sequences that align with the wb gene cluster, known to produce O-antigen. Serologic analysis of K. pneumoniae clinical isolates demonstrated that the O1 serotype was more prevalent in PLA strains than that in non-tissue-invasive strains (38/42 vs. 9/32, P<0.0001). O1 serotype isolates had a higher frequency of serum resistance, and mutation of the O1 antigen changed serum resistance in K. pneumoniae. A PLA-causing strain of CPS capsular type K2 and LPS serotype O1 (i.e., O1:K2 PLA strain) deleted for the O1 synthesizing genes was profoundly attenuated in virulence, as demonstrated in separate mouse models of septicemia and liver abscess. Immunization of mice with the K2044 magA-mutant (K1− O1) against LPS O1 provided protection against infection with an O1:K2 PLA strain, but not against infection with an O1:K1 PLA strain. Our findings indicate that the O1 antigen of PLA-associated K. pneumoniae contributes to virulence by conveying resistance to serum killing, promoting bacterial dissemination to and colonization of internal organs after the onset of bacteremia, and could be a useful vaccine candidate against infection by an O1:K2 PLA strain

The Role of Amygdala in the Acid Induced Chronic Muscle Pain

慢性肌肉疼痛和其引起之痛覺過敏是難以治療的。利用酸性的生食鹽水(ph=4)重複注射於Sprague-Dawley(SD) 大鼠和許多品系的鼠的腓腸肌會產生持續的機械性痛覺過敏和慢性肌肉疼痛。此實驗研究杏仁核的活化與杏仁核T 型態鈣離子通道對於這種長期痛覺敏之發展的必要性。我們利用ERK 免疫化學組織染色和正子斷層描 (PET) 來證實在酸誘導肌肉疼痛的動物中杏仁核受到活化。並經預埋大鼠雙側杏仁核的鋼管，注射兩種T型態鈣離子通道的阻斷mibefradil和ethosuximide，可以防止SD大鼠在重複的注射酸性生食鹽水之後，對機械性刺激反應閾值下降的情形。綜合以上結果顯，杏仁核對於長期肌肉疼痛的產生上扮演重要角色。Chronic muscle pain and hyperalgesia induced are disabling and difficult to treat.cidic Saline (pH=4.0) injected repeatedly into the gastrocnemius muscle produceersistent mechanical hyperalgesia and muscle pain in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats andany mice strains. The objective of the present project was to test the hypothesis thatctivation of amygdala and amygdala T-type calcium channel is necessary in theevelopment of this chronic hyperalgesia. We used the ERK immunochemistry stainnd positron emission tomography (PET) scanner to demonstrate that activation of themygdale in acid induced pain animals. Cannula was implanted bilaterally in bothide of the amygdala of SD rats and two kinds of T-type calcium channel blockers, namely, mibefradil and ethosuximide, were injected. SD rats showed decrease ofhreshold to mechanical stimulation after repeated injection of acidic saline, and this sensitization phenomenon was prevented by pre-treatment of T-type calcium channel blockers in amygdale. The preliminary results suggest that amygdala play an important role in the expression of chronic muscle pain.中文摘要................................................. 1文摘要................................................. 2一章 前言.............................................. 3.痛覺的傳遞路徑......................................... 3.酸誘導痛覺過敏現像..................................... 4.杏仁核與其傳輸路徑在痛覺傳遞上所扮演的角色............. 5.1.Spino-parabrachio-amygdaloid pain pathway............ 6.2.杏仁核中央區與痛覺之相關性........................... 7.T型鈣離子通道在疼痛中所扮演的角色...................... 8.研究目的............................................... 9二章 材料與方法....................................... 11.受試者................................................ 11.腦部手術.............................................. 11.藥品與藥物顱內注射.................................... 12.肌肉疼痛動物模式之誘導................................ 12.行為測試.............................................. 13.免疫組織化學染色...................................... 14.正子斷層造影.......................................... 15.統計分析.............................................. 16三章 實驗結果......................................... 17.重複注射酸性生理食鹽水於腓腸肌中導致雙側長期疼痛敏感化之現象.....................................................17.重複注射酸性生理食鹽水誘導杏仁核中ERK的活化........... 18. PET掃描影像顯示重複注射酸後杏仁核不對稱活化.......... 19.杏仁核內注射T型態鈣離子通道阻斷劑對於機械性痛覺敏感化之影響...................................................... 20.組織切片.............................................. 21四章 討論............................................. 22.酸誘導慢性肌肉疼痛大鼠動物模式之重建.................. 22.杏仁核中ERK活化與酸誘導之慢性肌肉疼痛之關係........... 23. PET 掃描影像重複證實杏仁核與酸誘導慢性肌肉疼痛之關係. 25.杏仁核T 型態鈣離子通道與酸誘導慢性肌肉疼痛之關係...... 27考文獻................................................ 29錄.................................................... 3

Purification and Properties of an Insecticidal Metalloprotease Produced by Photorhabdus luminescens Strain 0805-P5G, the Entomopathogenic Nematode Symbiont

A total of 13 Photorhabdus luminescens strains were screened for proteolytic activity. The P. luminescens strain 0805-P5G had the highest activity on both skim milk and gelatin plates. The protease was purified to electrophoretical homogeneity by using a two-step column chromatographic procedure. It had a molecular weight of 51.8 kDa, as determined by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. The optimum pH, temperature, as well as pH and thermal stabilities were 8, 60 °C, 5–10, and 14–60 °C, respectively. It was completely inhibited by EDTA and 1,10-phenanthroline. Bioassay of the purified protease against Galleria mellonella by injection showed high insecticidal activity. The protease also showed high oral toxicity to the diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella) of a Taiwan field-collected strain, but low toxicity to an American strain. To our knowledge, this is the first report to demonstrate that the purified protease of P. luminescens has direct toxicity to P. xylostella and biopesticide potentiality

Evidence of herding and positive feedback trading for mutual funds in emerging Asian countries

When analysing the behavior of investors, the emphasis is usually on positive feedback and herding behavior, and the existing literature abounds with studies on the domestic strategy of mutual funds or on their impact. Due to the advantages in terms of the data, many studies investigate US data. However, with the increased flows of capital into emerging markets, studying the behavior of international mutual funds in emerging markets has become more and more important. Nevertheless, studies involving emerging markets are relatively rare. This study examines whether the positive feedback effect and herding behavior exist in Asian markets based on mutual fund data covering the period from 1996 to 2004. The long period enables us to test the sensitivities under the following four conditions, namely the capital volatility (volatile vs. stable), the degree of suffering during the Asian crisis (more suffering vs. less suffering), and the timing of the Asian crisis (pre-, during, and post-crisis), using the exchange rate regime. It was found in this study that mutual fund inflows into the Asian market were attracted by positive stock returns and currency appreciation. Furthermore, it was found that the positive feedback effect and herding behavior did exist in the Asian markets. However, the extent of the above behavior is not the same under different conditions.Herding, Financial crisis, Mutual fund, Positive feedback effect, Behavioral effect,

Isolation of genes involved in biofilm formation of a Klebsiella pneumoniae strain causing pyogenic liver abscess.

BACKGROUND: Community-acquired pyogenic liver abscess (PLA) complicated with meningitis and endophthalmitis caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae is an emerging infectious disease. To investigate the mechanisms and effects of biofilm formation of K. pneumoniae causing PLA, microtiter plate assays were used to determine the levels of biofilm formed by K. pneumoniae clinical isolates and to screen for biofilm-altered mutants from a transposon mutant library of a K. pneumoniae PLA-associated strain. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: The biofilm formation of K. pneumoniae was examined by microtiter plate assay. Higher levels of biofilm formation were demonstrated by K. pneumoniae strains associated with PLA. A total of 23 biofilm-decreased mutants and 4 biofilm-increased mutants were identified. Among these mutants, a biofilm-decreased treC mutant displayed less mucoviscosity and produced less capsular polysaccharide (CPS), whereas a biofilm-increased sugE mutant displayed higher mucoviscosity and produced more CPS. The biofilm phenotypes of treC and sugE mutants also were confirmed by glass slide culture. Deletion of treC, which encodes trehalose-6-phosphate hydrolase, impaired bacterial trehalose utilization. Addition of glucose to the culture medium restored the capsule production and biofilm formation in the treC mutant. Transcriptional profile analysis suggested that the increase of CPS production in ΔsugE may reflect elevated cps gene expression (upregulated through rmpA) in combination with increased treC expression. In vivo competition assays demonstrated that the treC mutant strain was attenuated in competitiveness during intragastric infection in mice. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Genes important for biofilm formation by K. pneumoniae PLA strain were identified using an in vitro assay. Among the identified genes, treC and sugE affect biofilm formation by modulating CPS production. The importance of treC in gastrointestinal tract colonization suggests that biofilm formation contributes to the establishment and persistence of K. pneumoniae infection

Exploring the Risk Factors for Poor Survival in Lupus Pericarditis Patients: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) have a higher risk of pericarditis, which could be fatal. The goal of this study was to identify the prognostic factors for mortality in patients with lupus pericarditis. Patients with lupus pericarditis treated at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital were included in this observational cohort study. This study conducted univariate and multivariate COX regression, as well as Kaplan&ndash;Meier survival curve analysis, to investigate mortality risk in SLE patients. The average age at admission was 40.78 &plusmn; 15.92 years. A total of 113 (16.4%) of the 689 patients had lupus pericarditis. Patients with lupus pericarditis exhibited older age, shorter follow-up, higher disease activities, and higher incidence rates of comorbidities than patients without pericarditis. Cox regression adjusted analysis indicated that lupus pericarditis (hazard ratio = 1.963, 95% CI = 1.315, 2.963, p = 0.001), old age at admission (HR = 1.053, 95% CI = 1.040, 1.065, p &lt; 0.001), high SLEDAI score (HR = 1.079, 95% CI = 1.043, 1.116, p &lt; 0.001), and end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) (HR = 2.533, 95% CI = 1.620, 3.961, p &lt; 0.001) were all linked to increased mortality. Moreover, the Kaplan&ndash;Meier survival curve analysis revealed that patients with pericarditis compared to those without pericarditis had a higher mortality rate (log-rank test, p &lt; 0.001). A high proportion of SLE patients have manifestations of lupus pericarditis. Moreover, patients with lupus pericarditis have a greater risk of mortality even if they have no pericardial tamponade. Therefore, these patients need prompt diagnosis and treatment

Eustatic Sea-Level Change of 11 - 5 ka in Western Taiwan, Constrained by Radiocarbon Dates of Core Sediments

Twenty-nine cores and two outcrops in the Western Coastal Plain, each containing more than one radiocarbon date (5 - 20 ka; totally 74 dates), are used to determine the 11 - 5 ka eustatic sea level in Taiwan. All the dates are obtained from coastal sediments with deposition positions assumed Âą3 m of the sea level. These dates can be used to calculate rock uplift (subsidence) rates for given eustatic sea-level data. The sea level data derived from Penghu ( 11 ka) are applied, and the rock uplift of the study sites is assumed to be steady over time. The 11 - 5 ka sea level is constructed by repetition of changing its shape until the dates in the same cores yield consistent rock-uplift rates. Optimal sea-level curves are found to fit all but seven dates used. These sea-level curves are characterized by: (1) a rapid rise (> 13 m ky-1) around 11 - 10 ka; (2) a rise of 8 - 9 m ky-1 from ~10 ka to 6.5 - 6.6 ka when the sea level approached the modern level, and (3) a much slower rise after 6.5 - 6.6 ka