The present study was designed to establish whether plasma pregnancy-associated glycoprotein-1 (PAG-1) measurements during the early fetal period can be associated with early fetal loss. Blood samples were obtained and ultrasound controls performed on days 35, 42, 49, 56, and 63 of gestation or until pregnancy loss from 98 lactating dairy cows. Radioimmunoassay systems were used to determine PA...

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the periaqueductal gray (PAG) is used in the treatment of severe refractory neuropathic pain. We tested the hypothesis that DBS releases endogenous opioids to exert its analgesic effect using [11C]diprenorphine (DPN) positron emission tomography (PET). Patients with de-afferentation pain (phantom limb pain or Anaesthesia Dolorosa (n=5)) who obtained long-lasting ...

Fourteen patients with rheumatoid arthritis were studied during pregnancy and clinical disease activity and serum concentrations of pregnancy associated alpha 2-glycoprotein (PAG) measured at monthly intervals until parturition. Disease activity diminished during pregnancy in 10 patients (group 1) and increased or remained unchanged in four (group 2). The mean PAG concentration produced by grou...

Traditionally, Corydalis tuber has been used for the control of pain including headache, stomach ache, and neuralgia. In the present study, modulation of the Corydalis tuber on glycine-activated ion current in the acutely dissociated periaqueductal gray (PAG) neurons was studied by a nystatin-perforated patch-clamp technique. High concentrations of Corydalis tuber elicited ion current, which wa...

Selective retrograde labelling was used as an autoradiographic method to identify possible excitatory amino acid afferents to nucleus raphe magnus (NRM). Injections of 25-50 nl 10(-2) or 10(-3) M D-[3H]aspartate into the NRM resulted in prominent labelling of cells in ventrolateral mesencephalic periaqueductal gray (PAG). Electrophysiologically, stimulation in ventrolateral PAG excited cells in...

Immunofluorescent investigation of the periaqueductal gray (PAG) was made in the rat receiving electroacupuncture (EA) delivered to the acupoint (AP) called Zusanli (ST36) on the hindlimb. The EA led to strong expression of c-Fosand gamma aminobutylic acid (GABA)immunoreactivity (IR) mainly in the ventrolateral to lateral subdivision of the PAG. The double immunofluorescent experiments showed G...

The effect on bladder function and arterial blood pressure of adenosine-5'-triphosphate (ATP) and its synthetic analogue, alpha,beta-methylene ATP (alpha,beta-meATP) applied by microinjection to brainstem areas was assessed in the anaesthetised, paralysed and artificially ventilated female rat. Recordings of bladder pressure, changes in the pelvic nerve activity, arterial blood pressure and hea...

Inclusion of Bos indicus genetics improves production traits of cattle maintained in hot climates. Limited information exists detailing pregnancy-specific events as influenced by variable amounts of Bos indicus genetics. Three experiments were completed to examine the effect of Bos taurus and Bos indicus genotypes on fetal size and plasma pregnancy-associated glycoprotein (PAG) concentrations. ...

The interactions between predator and prey represent some of the most dramatic events in nature and constitute a matter of life and death for both sides. The hypothalamus has been implicated in driving predation and evasion; however, the exact hypothalamic neural circuits underlying these behaviors remain poorly defined. Here, we demonstrate that inhibitory and excitatory projections from the m...

Effects of intravenous administration of picrotoxin (PTX), a GABA(A) receptor antagonist, upon activities of wide dynamic range (WDR) neurons in the lumbar spinal cord were studied in urethane-chloralose anesthetized cats. Intravenous PTX augmented tactile evoked responses of WDR neurons, but reduced nociceptive responses dose-dependently. Spinal transection reversed the suppression of nocicept...