Hot plate, plantar, Fer-1 Randall-Selitto and von Frey hair tests were performed to assess the degree of thermal and mechanical hyperalgesia and mechanical allodynia, respectively, at different time intervals,

viz., 0, 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18 and 21 days. Tissue myeloperoxidase, superoxide anion and total calcium levels were determined after day 21to assess biochemical alterations. Histopathological evaluations were also performed. Hydroalcoholic extract of Acorus calamus (HAE-AC, 100 and 200 mg/kg, p.o.) and pregabalin (10 mg/kg, p.o.) were administered for 14 consecutive days. Vincristine significantly induced peripheral neuropathic pain, manifested in thermal and mechanical hyperalgesia and mechanical allodynia, along with rises in the levels of superoxide anion, total calcium and myeloperoxidase activity. Moreover, significant histological changes were also observed. HAE-AC attenuated vincristine-induced development of painful behavioural, biochemical and

histological changes in a dose-dependent manner comparable to that of pregabalin, serving as positive control. Acorus calamus prevented vincristine-induced neuropathic pain, which may be attributed to its anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective and calcium inhibitory actions, among others.”
“Multilocus sequence typing was carried out on 95 invasive pneumococcal isolates belonging to the most common 7 serotypes currently MLN2238 nmr circulating in Taiwan. The study confirmed continued prevalence in Taiwan of a few global clones and sequence types (STs) since the mid-1990s and identified the recent emergence of ST320 (19A) and ST902 (6A). Antimicrobial nonsusceptibility was common in the predominant STs of serotypes 14, 19A, 19F, and 23F.”
“We propose a pure thermoelectric spin

generator based on a Rashba quantum dot molecular junction by using the temperature difference instead of the usual voltage bias difference. A magnetic flux penetrating selleck kinase inhibitor through the device is also considered. The spin Seebeck coefficient S-S and the spin figure of merit Z(S)T of the molecular junction are calculated in terms of the Green’s function formalism and the equation of motion (EOM) technique. It is found that a pure spin-up (spin-down) Seebeck coefficient can be generated by the coaction of the magnetic flux and the Rashba spin-orbit (RSO) interaction. (C) 2011 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3560772]“
“Camalexin, a major indole phytoalexin of Arabidopsis thaliana, accumulates in various cruciferous plants in response to environmental stress and reportedly displays antimicrobial activities against various plant pathogens. However, its cytotoxicity against eukaryotic cells and potential as a prospective drug for human diseases has been examined only in a limited context.