Activation of synaptic N-methyl-D-aspartic acid receptor and its intracellular downstream signals in dorsal horn neurons of spinal cord contribute to central sensitization, a mechanism that underlies the development and maintenance of pain hypersensitivity in persistent pain. However, the molecular process of this event is not understood completely. Recently, new studies suggest that peripheral...

A Caenorhabditis elegans gene (asp-1) and cDNA that encode a homologue of cathepsin D aspartic protease were cloned and characterized. The asp-1 mRNA is transcribed from a single exon, and it begins with the SL1 trans-splice leader sequence. The protein (ASP-1) is expressed as a 396-amino acid, 42.7-kDa pre-pro-peptide that is post-translationally processed into a approximately 40-kDa lysosomal...

Long-term potentiation (LTP) is a biological process of learning and memory after a high-frequency train of electrical stimulations. By binding of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) to Tropomyosin receptor kinase B (TrKB) receptors in postsynaptic neurons, tyrosine kinase Fyn is bound to these receptors and hereby plays a mediating role to binding and activation of N-methyl-D-aspartic aci...

synthesis and characterization of two functionalized gold nanoparticles by using of two poly functional amino acids (l-arginine and l-aspartic acid) are reported. the gold nanoparticles were reduced by sodium citrate and functionalized with l-arginine at the ph of 7 and 11 and l-aspartic acid at the ph of 7. transmission electron microscopy, uv-vis spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, zeta p...

PURPOSE Gelatinous drop-like corneal dystrophy (GDLD), also known as familial subepithelial corneal amyloidosis, is an autosomal recessive disorder that causes progressive corneal opacity due to accumulation of amyloid fibrils in the corneal stroma. Genetic analyses have revealed that a mutation in membrane component chromosome 1 surface marker 1 gene is responsible for GDLD. However, the mecha...

Previous studies have shown that basal forebrain lesions using different excitotoxins produce similar decreases in cortical choline acetyltransferase, but differential effects on memory. However, basal forebrain cholinergic neurons send efferents to the amygdala and cortex. The present studies compared the effects of several excitotoxins on choline acetyltransferase levels in both of these stru...

New antibiotic pumilacidins A, B, C, D, E, F and G were isolated from the culture broth of a strain of Bacillus pumilus. They are cyclic acylheptapeptide composed of a beta-hydroxy fatty acid, two L-leucine, two D-leucine, L-glutamic acid, L-aspartic acid and L-isoleucine (or L-valine). Pumilacidin components were inhibitory to herpes simplex virus type 1 and H+, K(+)-ATPase and demonstrated an...