all of which were significantly influenced by asymmetry. Onset pressure, a measure of vocal effort, increased with asymmetry Particle image velocimetry (PIV) analysis showed significantly greater skewing of the glottal jet in the direction of the stiffer vocal fold model. Potential applications to various clinical conditions are mentioned, and suggestions for future related studies are presented (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.”
“Inflammation is a pivotal pathological progress in the development of ischemic stroke. Modulating inflammatory

cytokines MEK162 MAPK inhibitor released by microglia is thought to be a potential strategy for the treatment of ischemic stroke. Hydroxy-safflor yellow A (HSYA), a chemical component of the safflower yellow pigments, was reported to protect against brain injury in experimental stroke through anti-inflammation. However, the direct effect of HSYA on microglia following CP-868596 purchase ischemia is unknown. This study confirmed whether HSYA could suppress inflammatory responses of BV2 microglia after oxygen glucose deprivation (OGD). BV2 microglia viability after OGD with or without HSYA was measured by MTT assay, PI/Annexin staining and LDH assay. Pro-inflammatory cytokines including IL-1 beta, TNF-alpha, iNOS, COX-2, MCP-1 were determined by RT-PCR and western blotting. Activity of NF-kappa B and MAPK pathway

were detected by western blotting. The results demonstrated that HSYA improved the viability of BV2 cells 12 h after OGD with the profound dosage at 100 mg/L by MTT assay. This observation was also confirmed by PI/Annexin staining and LDH assay. HSYA decreased the mRNA level of IL-beta,

TNF-alpha, iNOS, COX-2, MCP-1 and protein level of iNOS, COX-2 in BV2 microglia 12 h after OGD. OGD enhanced the phosphorylation of p38 and nuclear translocation of p65 in BV2 microglia, which was partially reserved by HSYA. Our results suggested that HSYA suppressed inflammatory responses in BV2 microglia induced by OGD, which is probably associated with the inhibition of the NF-kappa B signaling pathway and phosphorylation of p38. Crown Copyright (C) 2013 Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.”
“Mitochondrial click here DNA may undergo large-scale rearrangements, thus leading to diseases. The mechanisms of these rearrangements are still the matter of debates. Several lines of evidence indicate that breakpoints are characterized by direct repeats (DR), one of them being eliminated from the normal genome. Analysis of DR showed their skewed nucleotide content compatible with the formation of known triple helices. Here, I propose a novel mechanism involving the formation of triplex structures that result from the dissociation of the [synthesized repeat-DNA polymerase] complex.

The innate immune response may be further overwhelmed by other factors. The mucosal barrier in Crohn’s patients is disrupted, with abnormal ultrastructure as well as antibacterial defensin deficiency. Specific bacterial agents may contribute and one promising candidate, adherent-invasive Escherichia

coli, has recently been described. check details An interaction between Nod2 and the autophagy system has been elucidated, with direct consequences for bacterial clearance, and the most recent genome-wide association study meta-analysis has extended the number of Crohn’s disease susceptibility loci to 71. The spectrum of congenital immunodeficiency disorders recognized to develop Crohn’s-like inflammatory bowel disease is also expanding. Conversely, no specific immunodeficiency has so far been observed in ulcerative colitis, in which the defect appears to be failure of inflammation termination and resolution.\n\nSummary\n\nRecent advances continue to highlight defects in innate immunity in Crohn’s patients. Similar abnormalities may extend to other granulomatous disorders, but not diseases such as ulcerative colitis.”
“The influence of carriers on the piezoelectric potential in a bent ZnO nanorod is investigated using finite difference method. The distributions

of carriers and the electrical potential in the nanorod are obtained. The results shows that the positive piezoelectric Protease Inhibitor Library in vivo potential in stretched side of the bent nanorod is significantly screened by the carriers and the negative potential in compressed side is well preserved when considering a moderate carrier concentration of 1 x 10(17) cm(-3). The calculation results agree with the experimental results that only negative pulses are observed in the nanogenerator experiment using the as-grown ZnO nanorods. Further see more investigation shows that when the carrier concentration is 1 x 10(18)

cm(-3), the piezoelectric potential in the nanorod is almost completely screened by the redistributed carriers. (C) 2010 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3517828]“
“Objectives To evaluate the thymicthoracic ratio (TT-ratio) method in assessment of the fetal thymus in normal fetuses and in those with cardiac abnormalities, in the presence or absence of 22q11.2 deletion. Method Database records were reviewed for cases of conotruncal and arch abnormalities found on fetal echocardiography between January 2007 and September 2011. The 22q11.2 deletion status was retrieved and cases in which this was not known were excluded from the analysis, as were fetuses with aneuploidy or other genetic disorders. An additional 55 normal fetuses were analyzed as a control group. The TT-ratio was measured retrospectively using stored spatiotemporal image correlation (STIC) volume datasets. Results Sixty-nine fetuses with relevant cardiac diagnoses were identified and, of these, 18 (26%) had 22q11.2 deletion.

Tet-regulated overexpression of alpha 9-nAChR in MCF-10A-Nic (DOX) xenografted Compound C mouse BALB/c-nu/nu mice resulted in a significant induction of cyclin D3. In contrast, cyclin D3 expression was down-regulated in alpha 9-nAChR knock-down (siRNA) MDA-MB-231-xenografted tumors in NOD.CB17-PRKDC(SCID)/J(NOD-SCID) mice. Furthermore, we found that Nic-induced human breast cancer (MDA-MB-231) cell proliferation was inhibited by 1 mu M of garcinol (Gar),

isolated from the edible fruit Garcinia indica, through down-regulation of alpha 9-nAChR and cyclin D3 expression. These results suggest that alpha 9-nAChR-mediated cyclin D3 overexpression is important for nicotine-induced transformation of normal human breast epithelial cells. The homeostatic check details regulation of cyclin D3 has the potential to be a molecular target for antitumor chemotherapeutic or chemopreventive purposes in clinical breast cancer patients.”
“In this study, the dynamics of powder flow upon griseofulvin-self-emulsified drug delivery system(SEDDS) addition to silica and silicates and the effect of these adsorbents on drug release were investigated. SEDDS was adsorbed at SEDDS/adsorbent

ratios from 0.25:1 to 3:1 on magnesium aluminum silicate [5 and 80 mu m], calcium silicate [25 mu m], and silicon dioxide [3.6, 20, and 300 mu m]. Powder flow was evaluated using the powder rheometer and compared to angle of repose. Release of drug from a 1: 1 SEDDS/adsorbent powder was determined by dissolution using USP Type 2 apparatus. Powder rheometer profiles indicated that effect of DMH1 purchase SEDDS on the flow behavior of the adsorbents could be correlated to stepwise or continuous growing behavior as observed in wet granulation process. However, due to their Porous nature, adsorbents exhibited an initial lag phase during which no change in flow was observed. Dissolution

of drug from adsorbed-SEDDS was found to be dependent on pore length and nucleation at the lipid/adsorbent interface. Increase in dissolution rate was observed with an increase in surface area and was independent of the chemical nature of the adsorbents. Therefore, in order to manufacture free flowing powder containing liquid SEDDS, special attention should be given to particle size, specific surface area, type and amount of adsorbent. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.”
“A series of propeller-shaped pi-conjugated molecules based on 2,4,6-tris(thiophene-2-yl)-1,3,5-triazines has been designed and synthesized to obtain ambipolar charge-transporting liquid-crystalline materials. The 3-fold electron-donating aromatic units are attached to the electron-accepting triazine core, which forms electro-functional octupolar pi-conjugated structures.

However, the anti-inflammatory potential of hispidin still remains uncharacterized. RESULTSIn this study, the effects of hispidin on activation Citarinostat cost of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-B) and the subsequent production of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) were determined in the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced macrophage RAW 264.7 cells. Our data indicated that hispidin inhibits transcriptional activity of NF-B

in a dose-dependent manner. Hispidin also attenuated LPS-induced NF-B nuclear translocation and associated inhibitor of kappa B (IB-) degradation. Furthermore, hispidin deceased iNOS protein expression and the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the LPS-induced cells, but did not affect phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinases. CONCLUSIONThese findings suggest that hispidin exhibits anti-inflammatory activity through suppressing ROS mediated NF-B pathway in mouse macrophage cells. (c) 2014 Society of Chemical Industry”
“Background: Adenomectomy is the treatment of choice for ACTH-secreting

adenomas. Although the development of ACTH deficiency immediately after adenomectomy suggests surgical success, disease recurrence was reported in patients who developed hypocortisolism postoperatively. In the current study, we examined the value of measuring perioperative plasma ACTH and cortisol levels in predicting disease recurrence of patients with ACTH-secreting adenomas.\n\nMethods: Consecutive patients (n = 55; 41 AZD8055 research buy females, 14 males) with clinical, biochemical, Stattic purchase and histological documentation of ACTH-secreting adenomas were investigated after pituitary adenomectomy. All patients were followed with clinical monitoring and frequent measurements of plasma ACTH and serum cortisol levels, and none received glucocorticoids

unless or until they developed symptoms of adrenal insufficiency or when their serum cortisol levels were <= 3 mu g/dL.\n\nResults: Postoperative serum cortisol levels reached <= 3 mu g/dL in 46 of 55 and were >= 4 mu g/dL in the remaining 9. Simultaneously measured plasma ACTH levels in the latter 9 patients were >40 ng/L when the serum cortisol reached its nadir. In contrast, among the 46 patients who had serum cortisol levels of <= 3 mu g/dL, plasma ACTH levels measured simultaneously were <= 20 ng/L in 38 of 46 and >20 ng/L in the remaining 8. During a mean follow-up period of nearly 7 years, patients who had a nadir plasma ACTH of >20 ng/L developed recurrences even though their postoperative serum cortisol levels were <= 3 mu g/dL.\n\nConclusions: Despite profound hypocortisolemia after adenomectomy, a simultaneously measured plasma ACTH level of >20 ng/L in the perioperative period is highly predictive of future recurrence of ACTH-secreting adenomas.

No significant correlation between PAL and recovery of muscle function was found in MS patients. Conclusions: Recovery of upper limb muscle function following exercise is normal in MS patients. MS patients are less physically active than healthy inactive controls. PAL and recovery of upper limb muscle function appear unrelated in MS patients. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.”
“Differences between the sexes may arise because of differences in reproductive strategy, with females investing more in traits related to reproductive output and males investing more in traits related to resource holding capacity and territory defence. Sexual dimorphism is widespread in

lizards and in many species males and females also differ in head selleck kinase inhibitor shape. Males typically have bigger heads than females resulting in intersexual differences in bite force. Whereas most studies documenting differences in head dimensions between sexes use linear dimensions, the use of geometric morphometrics has been advocated as more appropriate to characterize such differences. This method may allow the characterization of local shape differences that may have functional consequences, and provides AC220 manufacturer unbiased indicators of shape. Here, we explore whether the two approaches

provide similar results in an analyses of head shape in Tupinambis merianae. The Argentine black and white tegu differs dramatically in body size, head size, and bite force between the

sexes. However, whether the intersexual differences in bite force are simply the result of differences in head size or whether more subtle modifications (e.g., in muscle insertion areas) are involved remains currently unknown. Based on the crania and mandibles of 19 lizards with known bite force, we show intersexual differences in the shape of the cranium and mandible using both linear and geometric morphometric GSK1838705A chemical structure approaches. Although both types of analyses showed generally similar results for the mandible, this was not the case for the cranium. Geometric morphometric approaches provided better insights into the underlying functional relationships between the cranium and the jaw musculature, as illustrated by shape differences in muscle insertion areas not detected using linear morphometric data. J. Morphol. 275:1016-1026, 2014. (c) 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.”
“GPBAR1 is a bile acid-activated receptor (BAR) for secondary bile acids, lithocholic (LCA) and deoxycholic acid (DCA), expressed in the enterohepatic tissues and in the vasculature by endothelial and smooth muscle cells. Despite that bile acids cause vasodilation, it is unclear why these effects involve GPBAR1, and the vascular phenotype of GPBAR1 deficient mice remains poorly defined. Previous studies have suggested a role for nitric oxide (NO) in regulatory activity exerted by GPBAR1 in liver endothelial cells.

The etiology of inflammatory bowel disease has not been elucidated, but is thought to be multifactorial with both environmental and genetic influences. A large body of research has been conducted to elucidate the etiology of inflammatory bowel disease. This article reviews this literature, emphasizing the studies of breastfeeding and the studies of genetic factors, particularly NOD2 polymorphisms. (C) 2009 The WJG Press and Baishideng. All rights reserved.”
“Objective\n\nPrevention of postpartum

haemorrhage is essential in the pursuit of improved health care for women. However, limited literature is available for comparing the use of oxytocin agonist carbetocin with syntometrine in women undergoing vaginal deliveries. We aimed to compare intramuscular carbetocin A-1210477 in vitro with intramuscular syntometrine for the routine prevention of postpartum haemorrhage in women who deliver vaginally.\n\nDesign\n\nProspective double-blind randomised controlled trial.\n\nSetting\n\nTertiary referral centre.\n\nPopulation\n\nPregnant

women with no contraindication for vaginal delivery recruited from January 2005 to April 2008.\n\nMethods\n\nParticipants were randomised to receive either syntometrine or carbetocin during the third stage of labour.\n\nMain outcome measures\n\nPrimary outcome measure was postpartum haemorrhage requiring additional uterotonics. this website Secondary outcome measures were the incidence of postpartum haemorrhage (>= 500 ml), severe postpartum haemorrhage (>= 1000 ml) and adverse effects profile.\n\nResults\n\nWomen in the carbetocin group (13.5%) and in the syntometrine group (16.8%) had postpartum haemorrhage requiring additional Prexasertib nmr uterotonics (P = 0.384). 1.6% of women in each group had postpartum haemorrhage (P = 1.0) and the estimated blood loss during the third stage of labour was similar between the two groups (P = 0.294). Women who had syntometrine were four times more likely

to experience nausea (RR = 4.2; 95% CI 2.2-7.8) and vomiting (RR = 4.3; 95% CI 1.9-9.5) compared with women who had carbetocin. Tremor, sweating, retching and uterine pain were also more likely in the syntometrine group compared with the carbetocin group (P < 0.05).\n\nConclusions\n\nCarbetocin has an efficacy similar to syntometrine for prevention of postpartum haemorrhage, but is associated with less adverse effects.”
“Indoor hockey is a highly competitive international sport, yet no research to date has investigated the key actions within this sport. As with outdoor field hockey, penalty corners represent one of the most likely situations in which goals can be scored. All 36 matches of the round-robin phase of the 20102011 England Hockey League Women’s Premier Division Super Sixes’ competition were analysed with the purpose of establishing which factors can predict the scoring of a goal using binary logistic regression analysis. Seventy-two (22.

In vitro cell proliferation, xenograft, wound healing, quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), Western blotting, and immunohistochemistry analysis were conducted using PDAC cells in which SMAD4 was either overexpressed or knocked down.\n\nResults: Here, we report that re-expression of SMAD4 in SMAD4-null PDAC cells does not affect tumor cell growth in vitro or in vivo, but significantly Staurosporine price enhances cells migration in vitro. SMAD4 restoration transcriptionally activates the TGF-beta 1/Nestin pathway and induces expression of several transcriptional

factors. In contrast, SMAD4 loss in PDAC leads to increased expression of E-cadherin, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and CD133. Furthermore, SMAD4 loss causes alterations to multiple kinase pathways (particularly the phosphorylated ERK/p38/Akt pathways), and increases chemoresistance in vitro. Finally, PDAC cells with intact LOXO-101 manufacturer SMAD4 are more sensitive to TGF-beta 1 inhibitor treatment to reduced cell migration; PDAC cells lacking SMAD4 showed decreased cell motility in response to EGFR inhibitor treatment.\n\nConclusions: This study revealed the

molecular basis for SMAD4-dependent differences in PDAC with the aim of identifying the subset of patients likely to respond to therapies targeting the TGF-beta or EGFR signaling pathways and of identifying potential therapeutic interventions

for PDAC patients with SMAD4 defects.”
“Diabet. Med. 29, e180e183 (2012) Abstract Aims To compare the prevalence of diabetes in pregnancy, pregnancy care and adverse pregnancy outcomes in on-reserve First Nations women vs. non-First Nations women in Ontario, Canada. Methods A retrospective population-based cohort study was performed. All 487 368 live singleton hospital deliveries between 1 April 2002 and 31 March 2010 were identified. Outcomes were defined by linking mothers and infants to provincial healthcare administrative databases. Results Diabetes in pregnancy was more prevalent in First Nations women (10.3 vs. 6.0%). They received less pregnancy care and had higher rates LOXO-101 of adverse outcomes than non-First Nations women with diabetes. Conclusions First Nations women are at a higher risk of diabetes in pregnancy and adverse outcomes. This highlights the need for increased care for pregnant First Nations women.”
“Some data exist on information and decision-making preferences of elderly prostate cancer patients but little is known about whether communication needs are being met in urological practice. Therefore, it was the aim of this study to examine the information and shared decision-making experiences of prostate cancer patients over 75 years old.

Whey proteins were first hydrolyzed by chimotrypsin, followed by the action of carboxypeptidase A (CPA), immobilized on agarose gel particles, which were retained inside the reactor using a filter. The liquid medium passes through hollow fiber ultrafiltration unit (1 kDa cut-off), and the retentate is recycled to the reactor. The innovation here is that the

membrane is not used to retain the enzyme neither physically nor as an immobilization support. The EMIR provided a higher performance than the classical, sequential approach: batch reaction followed by ultra filtration. It was confirmed Salubrinal inhibitor that the removal of products promoted by the EMR enhances reaction rates, due to the reduction of inhibition effects. A mathematical model of the EMIR is also presented and validated. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.”
“Background: Total or red meat intake has been shown to be associated with a higher risk of mortality in Western populations, but little is known of the risks in Asian populations.\n\nObjective: We examined temporal trends in meat consumption and associations between meat intake and all-cause and cause-specific mortality in Asia.\n\nDesign: We used ecological data

from the United Nations to compare country-specific meat consumption. learn more Separately, 8 Asian prospective cohort studies in Bangladesh, China, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan consisting of 112,310 men and 184,411 women were followed for 6.6 to 15.6 y with 24,283 all-cause, 9558 cancer, and 6373 cardiovascular disease (CVD) deaths. We estimated the study-specific HRs and 95% CIs by using a Cox regression model and pooled them by using a random-effects model.\n\nResults: Red meat consumption was substantially lower in the Asian countries than in the United States. Fish and seafood consumption

was higher in Japan and Korea than in the United States. Our pooled analysis found no association between intake of total meat (red meat, poultry, and fish/seafood) and risks of all-cause, CVD, or cancer mortality among men and women; HRs (95% CIs) for all-cause mortality from a comparison of the highest with the lowest quartile were 1.02 (0.91, 1.15) in men and 0.93 (0.86, see more 1.01) in women.\n\nConclusions: Ecological data indicate an increase in meat intake in Asian countries; however, our pooled analysis did not provide evidence of a higher risk of mortality for total meat intake and provided evidence of an inverse association with red meat, poultry, and fish/seafood. Red meat intake was inversely associated with CVD mortality in men and with cancer mortality in women in Asian countries.”
“Background: Cardiovascular risk factors (CVRF) present a high prevalence and have an impact on the morbimortality of the elderly; however, this question is still unknown by the elderly treated in the Brazilian Public Health System (SUS).

\n\nDiscussion and conclusion: These results highlight how daily social interactions can influence unhealthy eating practices in adolescent girls and boys, and suggest that weight-related issues of parents and peers can be transmitted to adolescents.

(C) 2012 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.”
“The 4-nitrophenol (PNP) in diesel exhaust particles (DEP) has been identified as a vasodilator and is a known degradation product of the insecticide parathion. In this study, the protective Luminespib inhibitor effect of quercetin, a potent oxygen free radical scavenger and metal chelator, against the oxidative damage of PNP on cultured testicular cells was studied in male embryonic chickens. Testicular cells from Day 18 embryos were cultured in serum-free McCoy’s 5A medium and challenged with quercetin (1.0 mu g/ml) alone or in combinations with PNP (10(-7)-10(-5) M) for 48 h. The oxidative damage was estimated by measuring cell viability, content of malondialdehyde (MDA), activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidation (GSH-Px) activity. The results showed PD0332991 concentration that

exposure to PNP (10(-5) M) induced condensed nuclei, vacuolated cytoplasm and a decrease in testicular cell viability and spermatogonial cell number. Exposure to PNP induced lipid peroxidation by elevation of the content of MDA. Exposure to PNP also decreased GSH-Px activity and SOD activity. However, simultaneous supplementation with quercetin restored these parameters to the same levels as the control. Consequently, PNP induced oxidative stress in spermatogonial cells, and dietary quercetin may attenuate the reproductive toxicity of PNP to restore the intracellular

antioxidant system in the testicular cells of embryonic chickens.”
“Peritoneal Dialysis (PD) has shown good result for the patients’ survival and quality of life, but there is no development SB202190 concentration of PD in France. Many reasons can explain this situation, but we wilt focus here on financial restraint. PD has a tow reimbursement rate, tower than the real cost of the technique. Furthermore, it is very difficult to find a place for PD patients when they need an hospitalization or lose their autonomy. The Pilot Committee for Kidney Disease is about to propose some solutions, but the effects may be limited as long as the difference in the reimbursement rate between PD and in center dialysis will persist. (C) 2009 Elsevier Masson SAS et Association Societe de Nephrologie. All rights reserved.”
“BACKGROUND: Abdominoperineal resection is a procedure associated with high rates of perineal surgical site infections, causing distress to the patient, costs to the hospital system, and delays in further treatment. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the role of incisional negative pressure wound therapy in decreasing the rates of perineal surgical site infection.

\n\nConclusions CAH may be suitable for further investigation as a potent agent for treating H. pylori infections.”
“Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) is one of the most reliable methods Cell Cycle inhibitor for typing of Escherichia coli, including extended-spectrum-beta-lactamase-producing E. coli (ESBL-EC). We investigated the performance of a new typing method, SpectraCell RA (River Diagnostics, Madison, WI), in comparison on MLST on a well-defined collection of ESBL-EC isolates obtained from chicken meat and humans. Ninety-two

ESBL-EC isolates obtained from meat and 59 ESBL-EC isolates obtained from human rectal swabs and clinical blood cultures were typed using MLST and SpectraCell RA. The sensitivity and specificity of SpectraCell RA were calculated, using MLST as a reference method. Subsequently, the results of SpectraCell RA were used to determine the relatedness of ESBL-EC isolates from chicken and humans. Using MLST as the gold standard, the performance of SpectraCell RA was evaluated for 3 different cutoff values: 0.99975, 0.99955, and 0.99935. Depending on the cutoff value, the sensitivity was mediocre to unacceptably low, with values of 9.4%, 43.9%, and 66.7%, respectively. When

sensitivity increased, the specificity decreased rapidly, from 95.6% to 69.8% and 34.4%, respectively. Also, the number of clusters Saracatinib inhibitor containing both human and meat samples varied from 0 (0.0%) to 14 (38.9%). Our study shows that SpectraCell RA is not a suitable typing method for ESBL-EC when evaluating relationships of ESBL-EC at the population level.”
“Caffeic acid is a natural compound that inhibits 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX). In mice, caffeic acid produces antidepressant-like effects and attenuates the decrease in cortical brain-derived

neurotrophic factor (BDNF) mRNA induced by forced swimming. We used wild-type and 5-LOX-deficient mice and found that swimming reduced the cortical content of BDNF exon IV but not exon I mRNA. The BDNF transcript IV decrease was attenuated by caffeic acid in wild-type but not in 5-LOX-deficient mice, suggesting a role for 5-LOX in BDNF regulation.”
“Ocular enucleation produces significant morphological and physiological changes in central visual areas. However, our knowledge of Dihydrotestosterone cost the molecular events resulting from eye enucleation in visual brain areas remains elusive. We characterized here the transcription nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-kappa B) activation induced by ocular enucleation in the rat superior colliculus (SC). We also tested the effectiveness of the synthetic glucocorticoid dexamethasone in inhibiting its activation. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays to detect NF-kappa B indicated that this transcription factor is activated in the SC from 1 h to day 15 postlesion. The expression of p65 and p50 proteins in the nuclear extracts was also increased. Dexamethasone treatment was able to significantly inhibit NF-kappa B activation.