Clinical Efficacy of Radiofrequency Cervical Zygapophyseal Neurotomy in Patients with Chronic Cervicogenic Headache

The purpose of the present study was to assess the clinical efficacy of radiofrequency (RF) cervical zygapophyseal joint neurotomy in patients with cervicogenic headache. A total of thirty consecutive patients suffering from chronic cervicogenic headaches for longer than 6 months and showing a pain relief by greater than 50% from diagnostic/prognostic blocks were included in the study. These patients were treated with RF neurotomy of the cervical zygapophyseal joints and were subsequently assessed at 1 week, 1 month, 6 months, and at 12 months following the treatment. The results of this study showed that RF neurotomy of the cervical zygapophyseal joints significantly reduced the headache severity in 22 patients (73.3%) at 12 months after the treatment. In conclusion, RF cervical zygapophyseal joint neurotomy has shown to provide substantial pain relief in patients with chronic cervicogenic headache when carefully selected

Endoplasmic Reticulum– and Golgi-Localized Phospholipase A2 Plays Critical Roles in Arabidopsis Pollen Development and Germination[W][OA]

This study shows that Arabidopsis PLA2-γ and -δ, which are specifically expressed in pollen, localize to the endoplasmic reticulum and/or Golgi and that the suppression of PLA2s disrupts the endomembrane and induces pollen collapse. The PLA2 product, 18-1:LPE, was found to be required for pollen tube germination

Axon-First Neuritogenesis on Vertical Nanowires

In this work, we report that high-density, vertically grown silicon nanowires (vg-SiNWs) direct a new in vitro developmental pathway of primary hippocampal neurons. Neurons on vg-SiNWs formed a single, extremely elongated major neurite earlier than minor neurites, which led to accelerated polarization. Additionally, the development of lamellipodia, which generally occurs on 2D culture coverslips, was absent on vg-SiNWs. The results indicate that surface topography is an important factor that influences neuronal development and also provide implications for the role of topography in neuronal development in vivo.1115sciescopu

Axon-First Neuritogenesis on Vertical Nanowires

In this work, we report that high-density, vertically grown silicon nanowires (<i>vg</i>-SiNWs) direct a new <i>in vitro</i> developmental pathway of primary hippocampal neurons. Neurons on <i>vg</i>-SiNWs formed a single, extremely elongated major neurite earlier than minor neurites, which led to accelerated polarization. Additionally, the development of lamellipodia, which generally occurs on 2D culture coverslips, was absent on <i>vg</i>-SiNWs. The results indicate that surface topography is an important factor that influences neuronal development and also provide implications for the role of topography in neuronal development <i>in vivo</i>

Soil carbon changes upon secondary succession in Imperata grasslands (East Kalimantan, Indonesia)

Soil carbon changes upon secondary succession in Imperata grasslands are important both for their effect on potential production and for possible implications of forest degradation and regeneration on global climate change. We studied the effect of forest regeneration after fire in Imperata (speargrass) grasslands of East Kalimantan on soil properties, using 47 plots that last burned in 2004, 94 plots that last burned in 2003, 126 plots last burned before 2003, 43 plots of secondary forest, and 28 plots of primary forest. Although soil carbon stocks increase upon natural regeneration from grassland to secondary forest, highest carbon stocks are found in the later regeneration phases and lowest under primary forest. This is contrary to the situation in other forest systems. Low C stocks under primary forests may be due to extremely low fertility, combined with shallow soils and low root mass in the topsoil. Root density¿as observed in the field¿is much higher under the grass vegetation. The effects of regeneration on soil are strongest in the A-horizon, where soil carbon content increases with 14%, from 14.5 g kg¿ 1 in Imperata grassland to 16.5 g kg¿ 1 in secondary forest, while carbon stocks in the A-horizon increase from 16.51 ton C ha¿ 1 to 18.70 ton C ha¿ 1. This is accompanied by a decrease in pH and an increase in bulk density. The total soil carbon stocks in Kalimantan (fixed mass, approximate depth section 40 cm) are 36.19 ton ha¿ 1 in Imperata grassland, 38.98 ton ha¿ 1 in secondary forest and 33.19 ton ha¿ 1 in primary forest, which is considerably lower than in Sumatra. Above-ground C/below-ground C ratios are higher in Kalimantan primary forest but lower in Kalimantan secondary forest than in Sumatra. Soil carbon stocks in Imperata grassland could be lower than previously thought. This has important consequences for carbon sequestration projects in East Kalimantan, because carbon storage potentials could be highe