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In analgesic drug development, preclinical procedures are widely used to assess drug effects on pain-related behaviors. These procedures share two principal components: 1) a manipulation intended to produce a pain-like state in the experimental subject and 2) measurement of behaviors presumably indicative of that pain state. Drugs can then be evaluated for their ability to attenuate pain-related behaviors. In the simplest procedures, the pain state is produced by delivery of an acute noxious stimulus (e.g., a warm thermal stimulus), and the primary dependent measures focus on withdrawal responses or other nocifensive behaviors that increase in rate, frequency, or intensity in response to the noxious stimulus. This approach has been refined in two ways. First, new methods have been developed to induce more clinically relevant pain states. In particular, pain requiring clinical intervention is often associated with inflammation or neuropathy, and novel procedures have emerged to model these conditions and their ability to produce hypersensitive pain states, such as allodynia and hyperalgesia. Second, studies are incorporating a broader array of pain-related behaviors as dependent measures. For example, pain not only stimulates nocifensive behaviors but also suppresses many adaptive behaviors, such as feeding or locomotion. Measures of pain-suppressed behaviors can provide new insights into the behavioral consequences of pain and the effects of candidate analgesics. In addition, functional magnetic resonance imaging has emerged as a noninvasive tool for investigating changes in neural activity associated with pain and analgesia. Integration of these complementary approaches may improve the predictive validity of analgesic drug development.

The antinociceptive pharmacology of N-[[4-(4,5-dihydro-1H-imidazol-2-yl)phenyl]methyl]-2-[2-[[(4-methoxy-2,6-dimethylphenyl) sulfonyl]methylamino]ethoxy]-N-methylacetamide fumarate (LF22-0542), a novel nonpeptidic B(1) antagonist, was characterized. LF22-0542 showed high affinity for human and mouse B(1) receptors with virtually no affinity for the human B(2) receptor; a selectivity index of at least 4000 times was obtained when LF22-0542 was profiled throughout binding or cell biology assays on 64 other G-protein-coupled receptor, 10 ion channels, and seven enzymes. LF22-0542 was a competitive B(1) receptor antagonist and elicited significant antinociceptive actions in the mouse acetic acid-induced writhing assay, as well as in the second phases of formalin-induced nociception in mice and in both the first and second phases of the formalin response in rats. LF22-0542 was active after s.c. but not p.o. administration. In B(1) receptor knockout (KO) mice, acetic acid and formalin responses were significantly reduced and LF22-0542 had no additional effects in these animals. LF22-0542 alleviated thermal hypersensitivity in both acute (carrageenan) and persistent inflammatory (complete Freund's adjuvant) pain models in rats. LF22-0542 produced a full reversal of experimental neuropathic thermal hypersensitivity but was inactive in reversing nerve injury-induced tactile hypersensitivity in rats. In agreement with this observation, B(1) KO mice subjected to peripheral nerve injury did not show thermal hypersensitivity but developed nerve injury-induced tactile hypersensitivity normally. The data demonstrate the antihyperalgesic actions of a selective systemically administered B(1) receptor antagonist and suggest the utility of this class of agents for the treatment of inflammatory pain states and for some aspects of neuropathic pain.

Structural behavior and phase transitions in the A-cation deficient perovskite-like solid solutions (1 − x)LaMg0.5Ti0.5O3-xLa2/3TiO3 (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.5) were studied to reveal crystal-chemical factors associated with the marked variation of dielectric properties with x-value. Structures and phase transisitons were characterized using variable-temperature transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray powder diffraction combined with ambient temperature neutron powder diffraction measurements. The solid solutions feature a series of octahedral-tilting phase transitions and a B-site Mg/Ti order−disorder phase transition; the temperatures of these transitions decreased with increasing x. Additionally, short-range ordering of A-site vacancies was detected for x > 0.40 using high-resolution TEM. The reported compositional dependence of the dielectric response was found to correlate with changes in octahedral tilting, B-site ordering, and short-range ordering of A-site vacancies. A phase diagram summarizing ordering and displacive phase transitions was determined from variable-temperature diffraction and imaging experiments. Among the tilting transitions, a relatively uncommon first-order phase transition between structures exhibiting orthorhombic (a⁺b^-b^- and a⁰b^-c^-) and rhombohedral (a^-a^-a^-) tilt systems was observed; the rhombohedral tilt was stabilized at room temperature for x = 0.50. Raman spectra of the solid solutions revealed previously unreported anomalous asymmetric broadening of certain peaks associated with B-site ordering. This broadening, which occurred even for the samples exhibiting significant long-range Mg/Ti order and large anti-phase ordered domains, was attributed to a decreasing phonon correlation length caused by strong heterogeneity of the B-site order parameter within each anti-phase domain.

The Raman spectra of polycrystalline Cr3O8 and Cr2O5 powders were measured. The powders were prepared by thermal decomposition of CrO3 under flowing oxygen. Their composition was verified with x-ray diffraction. Raman spectra were excited with both 514.5 and 647.1 nm radiation. The spectral intensities were corrected for wavelength-dependent instrumental response. Tentative peak descriptions were made by comparison of the Cr3O8 and Cr2O5 spectra with reported spectra of crystalline chromium oxides. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Experimental X-ray powder diffraction patterns and refined unit cell parameters for two barium hollandite-type compounds, BaxFe2xTi8?2xO16, with x=1.143 and 1.333, are reported here. Compared to the tetragonal parent structure, both compounds exhibit monoclinic distortions that increase with Ba content [Ba1.333Fe2.666Ti5.334O16: a=10.2328(8), b=2.9777(4), c=9.899(1) ?, ?=91.04(1)?, V=301.58(5) ?3, Z=1, ?calc=4.64 g/cc; Ba1.143Fe2.286Ti5.714O16: a=10.1066(6), b=2.9690(3), c=10.064(2) ?, ?=90.077(6)?, V=301.98(4) ?3, Z=1, ?calc=4.48 g/cc]. The X-ray powder patterns for both phases contain a number of broad, weak superlattice peaks attributed to ordering of the Ba2+ions within the tunnels of the hollandite framework structure. According to the criteria developed by Cheary and Squadrito [Acta Crystallogr. B 45, 205 (1989)], the observed positions of the (0k1)/(1k0) superlattice peaks are consistent with the nominal x-values of both compounds, and the kvalues calculated from the corresponding d-spacings suggest that the Ba ordering within the tunnels is commensurate for x=1.333 and incommensurate for x=1.143. High-temperature X-ray diffraction data indicate that the x=1.333 compound undergoes a monoclinic?tetragonalphase transition between 310 and 360 ?C.

This study investigated the possible involvement of opioid delta receptors in the modulation of morphine antinociceptive potency produced by L365,260 a CCKB antagonist. Intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.), intratheoal (i.th.) or subcutaneous (s.c.) L365,260 alone did not produce any antinociceptive actions in the mouse warm-water tail-nick test. Treatment with L365,260 by any of these routes produced a leftward shift of the corresponding morphine dose-effect curve that was blocked by pretreatment with a receptor selective dose of s.c. naltrindole, an opioid delta receptor antagonist. Pretreatment with i.c.v. antisera to [Leu5]enkephalin also blocked the leftward displacement of the i.c.v. morphine dose-effect curve resulting from L365,260 but did not directly alter the i.c.v. morphine dose-effect curve; antisera to [Met5]enkephalin did not alter the effects of morphine or the modulation of morphine antinociception produced by L365,260. Repeated pretreatment with L365,260 resulted in a progressive decrease in the magnitude of the morphine modulatory action (i.e., L365,260 "tolerance"). In these "L365,260-tolerant" mice, the dose-effect curve for i.c.v. [D-Ala2, Glu4]deltrophin (a selective delta agonist) was displaced to the right by approximately 8.2-fold. The i.c.v. administration of [Leu5]enkephalin produced a leftward displacement of the i.c.v. morphine dose-effect curve that diminished after repeated administration (i.e., [Leu5]enkephalin "tolerance"). In "[Leu5]enkephalin-tolerant" mice, L365,260 failed to produce the leftward shift of the morphine dose-effect curve seen in control animals. That is, two-way antinociceptive cross-tolerance was observed between an opioid delta agonist and a CCKB receptor antagonist. Intracerebroventricular thiorphan, a peptidase inhibitor, did not elicit antinociception directly. Co-administration of thiorphan with L365,260 elicited significant antinociception that was blocked by naltrindole or antisera to [Leu5]enkephalin; antisera to [Met5]enkephalin had no effect. Repeated administration of i.c.v. [D-Ala2, Glu4]deltorphin resulted in a progressively decreasing antinociceptive effect (i.e., [D-Ala2, Glu4]deltorphin "tolerance"). In "[D-Ala2, Glu4]deltorphin-tolerant" mice, the thiorphan/L365,260 antinociceptive effect was inhibited. Collectively, these data suggest that CCK interacts at the CCKB receptor to inhibit tonically the release and/or availability of an endogenous substance acting at opioid delta receptors. The subsequent enhancement of morphine antinociceptive potency may reflect the well-known modulation of morphine antinociception produced by opioid delta receptor agonists. In this case, the latter may be [Leu5]enkephalin or a [Leu5]enkephalin-like substance.

The present study evaluated the effect of a brief exposure of mice to cold-water swim-stress (CWSS) on the antinociceptive potency of i.c.v. given morphine. No significant antinociceptive response could be demonstrated in the warm-water tail-flick test, 10 min after a 30-sec exposure of mice to water at 5 degrees C. However, the i.c.v. morphine dose-response curve in mice exposed to CWSS was displaced significantly to the left when compared to that obtained in control (i.e., non-CWSS-exposed) mice. Although coadministration of the delta antagonist, N,N-diallyl-Tyr-Aib-Aib-Phe-Leu-OH 1 (ICI 174,864), with i.c.v. morphine did not produce antagonism of the antinociceptive action of this mu opiate, the leftward displacement of the i.c.v. morphine dose-response curve seen in CWSS-exposed mice was blocked in ICI 174,864-treated mice suggesting involvement of opioid delta receptors in the modulatory effect. Pretreatment of mice with the delta-1 antagonist, [D-Ala2, Leu5, Cys6] enkephalin, did not antagonize the antinociception of morphine and further did not antagonize the leftward displacement produced by exposure to CWSS. Pretreatment of mice with the delta-2 antagonist, 5'-isothiocyanate, also did not antagonize the antinociceptive effects of morphine but blocked the leftward displacement in the morphine dose-response curve associated with CWSS, suggesting involvement of an opioid delta-2 receptor in this effect. Pretreatment of mice with the mu antagonist, beta-funaltrexamine, produced a significant antagonism of the morphine antinociceptive effect as seen by a rightward displacement of the morphine dose-effect curve.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

The present study has characterized the antinociceptive response to cold water swim-stress (CWSS) in mice using opioid-selective antagonists as well as tolerance and cross-tolerance approaches. Mice subjected to CWSS using water at 5 degrees C for 3 min showed a marked antinociceptive response in the tail-flick test, which reached approximately 90% after +10 min, and which persisted for 15 to 20 min. This antinociceptive response (at +10 min) was antagonized by naloxone or by the delta antagonist ICI 174,864. Additionally, the CWSS response was antagonized by the opioid delta 2 antagonist, naltrindole-5'-isothiocyanate, but not by the delta 1 antagonist, [D-Ala2,Leu5,Cys6]enkephalin, or by the mu antagonist, beta-funaltrexamine or by the kappa antagonist, norbinaltorphimine. Although the CWSS-induced antinociceptive effect was blocked by some delta antagonists and tolerance resulted from the CWSS-induced response, the decrease in body temperature after each CWSS exposure was not affected by the opioid antagonists and reliably occurred in CWSS-tolerant mice, suggesting that the observed antinociception was independent of changes in body temperature. In mice rendered tolerant to the antinociceptive actions of the mu agonist, [D-Ala2,NMPhe4,Gly-ol] enkephalin, or to [D-Pen2,D-Pen5]enkephalin (predominantly a delta 1 agonist), the CWSS-induced antinociceptive response was unaltered. In contrast, in mice tolerant to the delta 2 agonist, [D-Ala2,Glu4]deltorphin, the CWSS-induced antinociceptive response was markedly and significantly reduced.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

X-ray powder diffraction data and refined unit cell parameters for three compounds found during experimental determination of the BaO:Fe2O3:TiO2phase diagram are reported here. All three phases crystallize in space group C2/m(No. 12). Ba2Fe2Ti4O13(?2:1:4?) is isostructural with K2Ti6O13and Ba2ZnTi5O13: a=15.1939(9), b=3.8912(3), c=9.1244(5) ?, ?=98.456(5)?; Z=2, ?calc=4.890 g/cc. Ba3Fe10TiO20(?3:5:1?) is structurally analogous to its aluminum congener Ba3Al10TiO20: a=15.336(1), b=11.7986(9), c=5.1700(4) ?, ?=91.220(6)? (I2/msetting); Z=2, ?calc=4.750 g/cc. Ba4Fe2Ti10O27(?4:1:10?) is also isostructural with its aluminum analog Ba4Al2Ti10O27: a=19.799(1), b=11.4324(6), c=9.8936(6) ?, ?=109.146(4)? (C2/m); Z=4, ?calc=4.934 g/cc. The 2:1:4 and 3:5:1 compounds adopt open-framework type structures while the 4:1:10 phase exhibits an eight-layer close-packed arrangement.

X-ray powder diffraction data and refined unit cell parameters for SrTi3Nb4O17, SrTi5Nb4O21, SrTi7Nb4O25, SrTi9Nb4O29, SrTi11Nb4O33, SrTi13Nb4O37, and SrTi15Nb4O41are reported here. The powder patterns for these oxides suggest that they form a homologous series SrM2n+1O4n+5(M=Ti, Nb; n=3?9), which is isostructural with the orthorhombic ?chemically twinned rutile? series found previously in the K2O-TiO2-Ta2O5and BaO-TiO2-Nb2O5systems. The structures are built of corner-sharing slabs of the rutile structure; successive members are generated by adding 2TiO2to the slab thickness of the previous member. The series crystallizes in space group Cmcm(No. 63), with members exhibiting similar a-, b-dimensions (?6.6, ?8.9 ?; respectively), and c-dimensions that linearly increase (by ?4.4 ? per member) from 20.8 ? for n=3 to 47.1 ? for n=9.

Studies of the crystal chemistry of nonsuperconducting PrBa2Cu3O7 indicate that this compound is strictly isostructural with its superconducting RBa2Cu3O7 (R = Y, rare earth) analogs. Crystallographically, Pr is present in the trivalent state according to the structural trends exhibited by the RBa2Cu3O7 series as a function of R3+ ionic radius. The sole structural anomaly attributable to the presence of Pr3+ in the YBa2Cu3O7 structure is a next-next-nearest neighbor effect and consists of an unusually short axial Cu-O distance, i.e., a short bond length between the in-plane copper and the chain oxygen. The correlation of this anomaly with the nonmetallic/nonsuperconducting properties of PrBa2Cu3O7 supports a variety of literature reports, both theoretical and experimental, suggesting that the apical oxygen in the YBa2Cu3O7 structure plays a critical role in mediating the appearance of superconductivity. The mechanism by which the f-electrons in Pr3+ (f2) interact with the Cu-O manifold to produce the nonmetallic behavior of PrBa2Cu3O7 remains unknown; however, superconductivity is “turned back on” for Nd3+ (f3), immediately next to Pr and just slightly smaller. Careful comparative studies of superconducting NdBa2Cu3O7 and nonmetallic PrBa2Cu3O7 are needed to elucidate the critical difference in the behavior of the f-electrons and may shed light on the fundamental mechanism of high-temperature superconductivity in copper oxides.

This study explored the antinociceptive properties of (+-)-4-[(alpha- R*)-alpha-[(2S*,5R*)-4-allyl-2,5-dimethyl-1-piperazinol]-3-hydroxy benzyl] - N,N-diethyl-benzamide dihydrochloride (BW373U86) a nonpeptidic compound proposed to be a delta opioid agonist, using three models of nociception and four routes of administration in mice. BW373U86 produced dose- and time-dependent, naloxone-sensitive antinociception in both the tail-flick and tail-pinch assays when given intrathecally (i.t.). However, at doses up to 187 nmol/mouse, i.c.v. BW373U86 was inactive in the tail-flick or tail-pinch assays. Additionally, at doses up to 187 mumol/kg, BW373U86 was not active after i.p. or p.o. administration in these endpoints. Further, in the tail-flick test, i.c.v. BW373U86 did not antagonize the antinociceptive effects of i.c.v. [D-Pen2,D-Pen5]enkephalin or [D-Ala2,Glu4]deltorphin, but partially antagonized the effects of i.c.v. morphine. In the acetic-acid abdominal constriction assay, BW373U86 produced dose-dependent antinociceptive effects when given by the i.p., i.c.v. or i.t., but not by the p.o., routes. Intrathecal BW373U86 was 663-fold more potent in the abdominal constriction assay than when given by the same route in the tail-flick test. The effects of an A70 dose of i.p. or i.c.v. BW373U86 in the abdominal constriction assay were partially antagonized by i.c.v. naloxone, but not by i.c.v. N,N-diallyl-Tyr-Aib- Aib-Phe-Leu-OH, where Aib is alpha-aminoisobutyric acid (ICI-174,864) or naltrindole. In contrast, i.t. naloxone, ICI-174,864 or naltrindole antagonized the antinociceptive effect of i.p. or i.t. BW373U86 in the abdominal constriction assay.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

This study has investigated the development of antinociceptive tolerance to, and cross-tolerance between, two highly selective delta agonists, [D-Pen2,D-Pen5]enkephalin (DPDPE) and [D-Ala2] deltorphin II as well as to [D-Ala2,NMePhe4,Gly-ol5]enkephalin (DAMGO), a highly selective mu agonist, in mice. Intracerebroventricular administration of DPDPE, [D-Ala2]deltorphin II and DAMGO each produced an antinociceptive effect. Pretreatment with i.c.v. DPDPE twice daily for 3 days resulted in tolerance to DPDPE as shown by a 4.8-fold rightward shift in the dose-response curve. In contrast, in DPDPE pretreated mice, the dose-response lines for [D-Ala2]deltorphin II and DAMGO were not altered when compared to those obtained in naive animals. The development of tolerance was also shown by pretreating mice with i.c.v. [D-Ala2]deltorphin II; following this pretreatment, the [D-Ala2]deltorphin II dose-response line was displaced to the right by more than 37-fold. In contrast, in [D-Ala2]deltorphin II-pretreated mice, the dose-response lines for DPDPE and DAMGO were not altered compared to those obtained in naive animals. Finally, pretreatment with i.c.v. DAMGO produced a rightward displacement of the DAMGO dose-response line of 47-fold, indicating the development of antinociceptive tolerance. In DAMGO-pretreated mice, however, the dose-response lines for DPDPE and [D-Ala2]deltorphin II were not altered compared to those obtained in naive mice. Thus, the data indicate that antinociceptive tolerance develops to DPDPE, [D-Ala2]deltorphin II and DAMGO but that there is no cross-tolerance between these compounds.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

A human creatine transporter (hCRT-BS2M) cDNA clone was isolated from a human brainstem/spinal cord using a PCR and phage plaque hybridization based technique. This clone included an open reading frame of 1,905 base pairs(bp) within a 2,283bp cDNA. Northern blot hybridization detected the expression of corresponding mRNAs most prominently in the skeletal muscle, heart and kidney. Peptide sequence analysis of the hCRT-BS2M protein product revealed 12 putative transmembrane domains. The predicted protein sequence further demonstrates that the hCRT-BS2M has highly conserved amino acid identity with the other members of the sodium dependent plasma membrane transporter family. Transient expression of the hCRT-BS2M in COS-7 cells demonstrates sodium dependent [14C]creatine uptake with a KMvalue of 14.9 ± 3.0 μM (n=5) that is attenuated by creatine and selective structural analogues of creatine.

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract of an article which was published elsewhere, please select a “Full Text” option. The original article is trackable via the “References” option.

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract of an article which was published elsewhere, please select a “Full Text” option. The original article is trackable via the “References” option.

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract of an article which was published elsewhere, please select a “Full Text” option. The original article is trackable via the “References” option.

For Abstract see ChemInform Abstract in Full Text.

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Crystals of Ca3.3In6.5S13 ("Ca1In2S4", (I)), Ca1.2In1.9S4 (II), SrIn2S4(III), Sr0.9In2.1S4 (IV), and BaIn2S4(V) are grown from a MCl2/KCl (M: Ca, Sr, Ba) flux using prereacted (1050‐1100 °C) mixtures of In2S3and MS (M: Ca, Sr, Ba) as starting material.

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 100 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract of an article which was published elsewhere, please select a “Full Text” option. The original article is trackable via the “References” option.

It may be possible that all Cu in the high Tcsuperconductor YBa2Cu3O7‐x(0 ≦ x ≦ 0.5) is present as Cu2+and that some oxygen is present as peroxide according to the formula YBa2Cu3II(O2‐)6+x(O22‐)0.5‐x, which is indistinguishable from YBa2Cu2+2xIICu1‐2xIIIO7‐xby iodometric titration or by reaction with H2.