All-Electrical Readout of Coherently Controlled Spins in Silicon Carbide.

Spin defects in silicon carbide are promising candidates for quantum sensing applications as they exhibit long coherence times even at room temperature. However, spin readout methods that rely on fluorescence detection can be challenging due to poor photon collection efficiency. Here, we demonstrate coherent spin control and all-electrical readout of a small ensemble of spins in a SiC junction diode using pulsed electrically detected magnetic resonance. A lock-in detection scheme based on a three stage modulation cycle is implemented, significantly enhancing the signal-to-noise ratio. This technique enabled observation of coherent spin dynamics, specifically Rabi spin nutation, spin dephasing, and spin decoherence. The use of these protocols for magnetometry applications is evaluated.

Microscopic Imaging of the Stress Tensor in Diamond Using in Situ Quantum Sensors.

The precise measurement of mechanical stress at the nanoscale is of fundamental and technological importance. In principle, all six independent variables of the stress tensor, which describe the direction and magnitude of compression/tension and shear stress in a solid, can be exploited to tune or enhance the properties of materials and devices. However, existing techniques to probe the local stress are generally incapable of measuring the entire stress tensor. Here, we make use of an ensemble of atomic-sized in situ strain sensors in diamond (nitrogen-vacancy defects) to achieve spatial mapping of the full stress tensor, with a submicrometer spatial resolution and a sensitivity of the order of 1 MPa (10 MPa) for the shear (axial) stress components. To illustrate the effectiveness and versatility of the technique, we apply it to a broad range of experimental situations, including mapping the stress induced by localized implantation damage, nanoindents, and scratches. In addition, we observe surprisingly large stress contributions from functional electronic devices fabricated on the diamond and also demonstrate sensitivity to deformations of materials in contact with the diamond. Our technique could enable in situ measurements of the mechanical response of diamond nanostructures under various stimuli, with potential applications in strain engineering for diamond-based quantum technologies and in nanomechanical sensing for on-chip mass spectroscopy.

Genetic and cytological analyses reveal the recombination landscape of a partially differentiated plant sex chromosome in kiwifruit.

BACKGROUND: Angiosperm sex chromosomes, where present, are generally recently evolved. The key step in initiating the development of sex chromosomes from autosomes is the establishment of a sex-determining locus within a region of non-recombination. To better understand early sex chromosome evolution, it is important to determine the process by which recombination is suppressed around the sex determining genes. We have used the dioecious angiosperm kiwifruit Actinidia chinensis var. chinensis, which has an active-Y sex chromosome system, to study recombination rates around the sex locus, to better understand key events in the development of sex chromosomes. RESULTS: We have confirmed the sex-determining region (SDR) in A. chinensis var. chinensis, using a combination of high density genetic mapping and fluorescent in situ hybridisation (FISH) of Bacterial Artificial Chromosomes (BACs) linked to the sex markers onto pachytene chromosomes. The SDR is a subtelomeric non-recombining region adjacent to the nucleolar organiser region (NOR). A region of restricted recombination of around 6 Mbp in size in both male and female maps spans the SDR and covers around a third of chromosome 25. CONCLUSIONS: As recombination is suppressed over a similar region between X chromosomes and between and X and Y chromosomes, we propose that recombination is suppressed in this region because of the proximity of the NOR and the centromere, with both the NOR and centromere suppressing recombination, and this predates suppressed recombination due to differences between X and Y chromosomes. Such regions of suppressed recombination in the genome provide an opportunity for the evolution of sex chromosomes, if a sex-determining locus develops there or translocates into this region.

Formation of an r8-Dominant Si Material.

The rhombohedral phase of Si (r8-Si), a promising semiconducting material, is formed by indentation together with the body-centered cubic phase (bc8-Si). Using a novel sample preparation method, x-ray diffraction is used to determine the relative volume of these phases in indented Si and allow observation of a distorted unit cell along the direction of indentation loading. Theoretical calculations together with these observations suggest the indent contains an intrinsic compression of ∼4 GPa that stabilizes the r8 phase.

Fibular Strut Graft for Posterior Pelvic Ring Nonunion - a Case Report.

Posttraumatic pelvic nonunions in combination with malposition are uncommon in the present-day era of modern pelvic surgery. The case describes a new surgical technique for treatment of the nonunion localized to iliosacral joint. A 42-year-old polytraumatized male presented with a pelvic fracture (type 61-C2.3) associated with a complex acetabular fracture. The patient was treated and the pelvis stabilized according to damage control principles (external fixation and pelvic C-clamp) and subsequently definitively treated according to principles of current pelvic surgery. The posterior pelvis was stabilized by bilateral S1 iliosacral screws, however the posterior pelvic ring injury on the left side was not well reduced. The result was a nonunion formation in the left sacroiliacal joit with screw loosening. Two attemps at bone grafting and repeat stabilization were done, but the nonunion did not heal. The end result was a nonunion through left sacroiliacal joint with destruction of the lateral part of sacral bone. The nonunion was treated with nonvascularised autologous fibular strut graft in combination with allogenic corticocancellous grafting. The fibular graft was placed into the bone void after the removal of the iliosacral screw. Radiographically the nonunion healed completely six months after the fibular grafting and the patient had improved clinical outcome. The described technique solves both instability and bone defect in posterior pelvic ring even in the case with low contact areas. The nonvascularised autologous fibular grafting is an effective technique for sacroiliac joint nonunion treatment even in case with large bone defect. Key words: pelvis; nonunion; fibular graft.

A review on single photon sources in silicon carbide.

This paper summarizes key findings in single-photon generation from deep level defects in silicon carbide (SiC) and highlights the significance of these individually addressable centers for emerging quantum applications. Single photon emission from various defect centers in both bulk and nanostructured SiC are discussed as well as their formation and possible integration into optical and electrical devices. The related measurement protocols, the building blocks of quantum communication and computation network architectures in solid state systems, are also summarized. This includes experimental methodologies developed for spin control of different paramagnetic defects, including the measurement of spin coherence times. Well established doping, and micro- and nanofabrication procedures for SiC may allow the quantum properties of paramagnetic defects to be electrically and mechanically controlled efficiently. The integration of single defects into SiC devices is crucial for applications in quantum technologies and we will review progress in this direction.

The AUSTRAL VLBI observing program.

The AUSTRAL observing program was started in 2011, performing geodetic and astrometric very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) sessions using the new Australian AuScope VLBI antennas at Hobart, Katherine, and Yarragadee, with contribution from the Warkworth (New Zealand) 12 m and Hartebeesthoek (South Africa) 15 m antennas to make a southern hemisphere array of telescopes with similar design and capability. Designed in the style of the next-generation VLBI system, these small and fast antennas allow for a new way of observing, comprising higher data rates and more observations than the standard observing sessions coordinated by the International VLBI Service for Geodesy and Astrometry (IVS). In this contribution, the continuous development of the AUSTRAL sessions is described, leading to an improvement of the results in terms of baseline length repeatabilities by a factor of two since the start of this program. The focus is on the scheduling strategy and increased number of observations, aspects of automated operation, and data logistics, as well as results of the 151 AUSTRAL sessions performed so far. The high number of the AUSTRAL sessions makes them an important contributor to VLBI end-products, such as the terrestrial and celestial reference frames and Earth orientation parameters. We compare AUSTRAL results with other IVS sessions and discuss their suitability for the determination of baselines, station coordinates, source coordinates, and Earth orientation parameters.

Single-photon emitting diode in silicon carbide.

Electrically driven single-photon emitting devices have immediate applications in quantum cryptography, quantum computation and single-photon metrology. Mature device fabrication protocols and the recent observations of single defect systems with quantum functionalities make silicon carbide an ideal material to build such devices. Here, we demonstrate the fabrication of bright single-photon emitting diodes. The electrically driven emitters display fully polarized output, superior photon statistics (with a count rate of >300 kHz) and stability in both continuous and pulsed modes, all at room temperature. The atomic origin of the single-photon source is proposed. These results provide a foundation for the large scale integration of single-photon sources into a broad range of applications, such as quantum cryptography or linear optics quantum computing.

Single atom devices by ion implantation.

To expand the capabilities of semiconductor devices for new functions exploiting the quantum states of single donors or other impurity atoms requires a deterministic fabrication method. Ion implantation is a standard tool of the semiconductor industry and we have developed pathways to deterministic ion implantation to address this challenge. Although ion straggling limits the precision with which atoms can be positioned, for single atom devices it is possible to use post-implantation techniques to locate favourably placed atoms in devices for control and readout. However, large-scale devices will require improved precision. We examine here how the method of ion beam induced charge, already demonstrated for the deterministic ion implantation of 14 keV P donor atoms in silicon, can be used to implant a non-Poisson distribution of ions in silicon. Further, we demonstrate the method can be developed to higher precision by the incorporation of new deterministic ion implantation strategies that employ on-chip detectors with internal charge gain. In a silicon device we show a pulse height spectrum for 14 keV P ion impact that shows an internal gain of 3 that has the potential of allowing deterministic implantation of sub-14 keV P ions with reduced straggling.

Quantifying the quantum gate fidelity of single-atom spin qubits in silicon by randomized benchmarking.

Building upon the demonstration of coherent control and single-shot readout of the electron and nuclear spins of individual (31)P atoms in silicon, we present here a systematic experimental estimate of quantum gate fidelities using randomized benchmarking of 1-qubit gates in the Clifford group. We apply this analysis to the electron and the ionized (31)P nucleus of a single P donor in isotopically purified (28)Si. We find average gate fidelities of 99.95% for the electron and 99.99% for the nuclear spin. These values are above certain error correction thresholds and demonstrate the potential of donor-based quantum computing in silicon. By studying the influence of the shape and power of the control pulses, we find evidence that the present limitation to the gate fidelity is mostly related to the external hardware and not the intrinsic behaviour of the qubit.

Controlled deterministic implantation by nanostencil lithography at the limit of ion-aperture straggling.

Solid state electronic devices fabricated in silicon employ many ion implantation steps in their fabrication. In nanoscale devices deterministic implants of dopant atoms with high spatial precision will be needed to overcome problems with statistical variations in device characteristics and to open new functionalities based on controlled quantum states of single atoms. However, to deterministically place a dopant atom with the required precision is a significant technological challenge. Here we address this challenge with a strategy based on stepped nanostencil lithography for the construction of arrays of single implanted atoms. We address the limit on spatial precision imposed by ion straggling in the nanostencil-fabricated with the readily available focused ion beam milling technique followed by Pt deposition. Two nanostencils have been fabricated; a 60 nm wide aperture in a 3 µm thick Si cantilever and a 30 nm wide aperture in a 200 nm thick Si3N4 membrane. The 30 nm wide aperture demonstrates the fabricating process for sub-50 nm apertures while the 60 nm aperture was characterized with 500 keV He(+) ion forward scattering to measure the effect of ion straggling in the collimator and deduce a model for its internal structure using the GEANT4 ion transport code. This model is then applied to simulate collimation of a 14 keV P(+) ion beam in a 200 nm thick Si3N4 membrane nanostencil suitable for the implantation of donors in silicon. We simulate collimating apertures with widths in the range of 10-50 nm because we expect the onset of J-coupling in a device with 30 nm donor spacing. We find that straggling in the nanostencil produces mis-located implanted ions with a probability between 0.001 and 0.08 depending on the internal collimator profile and the alignment with the beam direction. This result is favourable for the rapid prototyping of a proof-of-principle device containing multiple deterministically implanted dopants.

Breastfeeding after anaesthesia: a review of the pharmacological impact on children.

Post-anaesthetic advice imparted to breastfeeding mothers can vary. This is due in part to the differing information from published data, product information sheets and inevitably from the unhindered flow of opinions available on the internet. This literature review examined the evidence relating to drugs commonly used in the modern anaesthetic setting and their impact on breastfed children. It suggests that special precautions are rarely warranted in the post-anaesthetic care of breastfeeding patients.

Strain differences in cortical electroencephalogram associated with isoflurane-induced loss of consciousness.

INTRODUCTION: Previously observed increased sensitivity to noxious stimulation in the Dahl salt-sensitive rat strain (SS/JrHsdMcwi, abbreviated as SS) compared to Brown Norway rats (BN/NhsdMcwi abbreviated as BN) is mediated by genes on a single chromosome. The current study used behavioral and electrocortical data to determine if differences also exist between SS and BN rats in loss of consciousness. METHODS: Behavioral responses, including loss of righting, (a putative index of consciousness) and concurrent electroencephalogram recordings, in 12 SS and BN rats were measured during isoflurane at inhaled concentrations of 0, 0.3, 0.6, 0.8, 1.0 and 1.2%. RESULTS: In SS compared to BN rats, the mean ± SEM EC50 for righting was significantly less (0.65 ± 0.01% vs. 0.74 ± 0.02% inhaled isoflurane) and delta fraction in parietal electroencephalogram was enhanced 50-100% at all isoflurane levels during emergence. The frequency decay constant of an exponential fit of the parietal electroencephalogram spectrum graphed as a function of isoflurane level was three times less steep (mean ± SEM slope -57 ± 13 vs. -191 ± 38) and lower at each level of isoflurane in SS versus BN rats (i.e., shifted toward low frequency activity). Electroencephalogram differences between strains were larger during emergence than induction. CONCLUSIONS: Sensitivity is higher in SS compared to BN rats leading to unconsciousness at lower levels of isoflurane. This supports using additional strains in this animal model to study the genetic basis for differences in anesthetic action on mechanisms of consciousness. Moreover, induction and emergence appear to involve distinct pathways.

Ca²âº-dependent regulation of Ca²âº currents in rat primary afferent neurons: role of CaMKII and the effect of injury.

Currents through voltage-gated Ca²âº channels (I(Ca)) may be regulated by cytoplasmic Ca²âº levels ([Ca²âº](c)), producing Ca²âº-dependent inactivation (CDI) or facilitation (CDF). Since I(Ca) regulates sensory neuron excitability, altered CDI or CDF could contribute to pain generation after peripheral nerve injury. We explored this by manipulating [Ca²âº](c) while recording I(Ca) in rat sensory neurons. In uninjured neurons, elevating [Ca²âº](c) with a conditioning prepulse (-15 mV, 2 s) inactivated I(Ca) measured during subsequent test pulses (-15 mV, 5 ms). This inactivation was Ca²âº-dependent (CDI), since it was decreased with elimination of Ca²âº influx by depolarization to above the I(Ca) reversal potential, with high intracellular Ca²âº buffering (EGTA 10 mm or BAPTA 20 mm), and with substitution of Ba²âº for extracellular Ca²âº, revealing a residual voltage-dependent inactivation. At longer latencies after conditioning (>6 s), I(Ca) recovered beyond baseline. This facilitation also proved to be Ca²âº-dependent (CDF) using the protocols limiting cytoplasmic Ca²âº elevation. Ca²âº/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) blockers applied by bath (KN-93, myristoyl-AIP) or expressed selectively in the sensory neurons (AIP) reduced CDF, unlike their inactive analogues. Protein kinase C inhibition (chelerythrine) had no effect. Selective blockade of N-type Ca²âº channels eliminated CDF, whereas L-type channel blockade had no effect. Following nerve injury, CDI was unaffected, but CDF was eliminated in axotomized neurons. Excitability of sensory neurons in intact ganglia from control animals was diminished after a similar conditioning pulse, but this regulation was eliminated by injury. These findings indicate that I(Ca) in sensory neurons is subject to both CDI and CDF, and that hyperexcitability following injury-induced loss of CDF may result from diminished CaMKII activity.

Quantification of gene expression after painful nerve injury: validation of optimal reference genes.

Stably expressed housekeeping genes (HKGs) are necessary for standardization of transcript measurement by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Peripheral nerve injury disrupts expression of numerous genes in sensory neurons, but the stability of conventional HKGs has not been tested in this context. We examined the stability of candidate HKGs during nerve injury, including the commonly used 18S ribosomal RNA, ß-tubulin I and ß-tubulin III, actin, glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) and hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase 1 (HPRT1), and mitogen-activated protein kinase 6 (MAPK6). Total RNA for cDNA synthesis was isolated from dorsal root ganglia of rats at 3, 7, and 21 days following either skin incision alone or spinal nerve ligation, after which the axotomized and adjacent ganglia were analyzed separately. Relative stability of HKGs was determined using statistical algorithms geNorm and NormFinder. Both analyses identified MAPK6 and GAPDH as the two most stable HKGs for normalizing gene expression for qRT-PCR analysis in the context of peripheral nerve injury. Our findings indicate that a prior analysis of HKG expression levels is important for accurate normalization of gene expression in models of nerve injury.

Norepinephrine infusion into nucleus basalis elicits microarousal in desflurane-anesthetized rats.

BACKGROUND: The nucleus basalis of Meynert of the basal forebrain has been implicated in the regulation of the state of consciousness across normal sleep-wake cycles. Its role in the modulation of general anesthesia was investigated. METHODS: Rats were chronically implanted with bilateral infusion cannulae in the nucleus basalis of Meynert and epidural electrodes to record the electroencephalogram in frontal and visual cortices. Animals were anesthetized with desflurane at a concentration required for the loss of righting reflex (4.6 ± 0.5%). Norepinephrine (17.8 nmol) or artificial cerebrospinal fluid was infused at 0.2 µl/min (1 µl total). Behavioral response to infusion was measured by scoring the orofacial, limb, and head movements, and postural changes. RESULTS: Behavioral responses were higher after norepinephrine (2.1 ± 1) than artificial cerebrospinal fluid (0.63 ± 0.8) infusion (P < 0.01, Student t test). Responses were brief (1-2 min), repetitive, and more frequent after norepinephrine infusion (P < 0.0001, chi-square test). Electroencephalogram delta power decreased after norepinephrine in frontal (70 ± 7%) but not in visual cortex (P < 0.05, Student t test). Simultaneously, electroencephalogram cross-approximate entropy between frontal and visual cortices increased from 3.17 ± 0.56 to 3.85 ± 0.29 after norepinephrine infusion (P < 0.01, Student t test). Behavioral activation was predictable by the decrease in frontal delta power (logistic regression, P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Norepinephrine infusion into the nucleus basalis of Meynert can modulate anesthetic depth presumably by ascending activation of the cortex. The transient nature of the responses suggests a similarity with microarousals normally observed during natural sleep, and may imply a mechanism for transient awareness under light anesthesia.

Subtype-specific reduction of voltage-gated calcium current in medium-sized dorsal root ganglion neurons after painful peripheral nerve injury.

Sensory neurons express a variety of voltage-gated Ca2+ channel subtypes, but reports differ on their proportionate representation, and the effects of painful nerve injury on each subtype are not established. We compared levels of high-voltage activated currents in medium-sized (30-40 µm) dorsal root ganglion neurons dissociated from control animals and those subjected to spinal nerve ligation, using sequential application of semiselective channel blockers (nisoldipine for L-type, SNX-111 or ω-conotoxin GVIA for N-type, agatoxin IVA or ω-conotoxin MVIIC for P/Q-type, and SNX-482 for a component of R-type) during either square wave depolarizations or action potential waveform voltage commands. Using sequential administration of multiple blockers, proportions of total Ca2+ current attributable to different subtypes and the effect of injury depended on the sequence of blocker administration and type of depolarization command. Overall, however, N-type and L-type currents comprised the dominant components of ICa in sensory neurons under control conditions, and these subtypes showed the greatest loss of current following injury (L-type 26-71% loss, N-type 0-51% loss). Further exploration of N-type current identified by its sensitivity to ω-conotoxin GVIA applied alone showed that injury reduced the peak N-type current during step depolarization by 68% and decreased the total charge entry during action potential waveform stimulation by 44%. Isolation of N-type current by blockade of all other subtypes demonstrated a 50% loss with injury, and also revealed an injury-related rightward shift in the activation curve. Non-stationary noise analyses of N-type current in injured neurons revealed unitary channel current and number of channels that were not different from control, which indicates that injury-induced loss of current is due to a decrease in channel open probability. Our findings suggest that diminished Ca2+ influx through N-type and L-type channels may contribute to sensory neuron dysfunction and pain after nerve injury.

Predictors of long-term mortality in the elderly: the Dubbo Study.

BACKGROUND: This study examines the predictors of long-term all-causes mortality (ACM) in Australian senior citizens. METHODS: We have analysed ACM in a cohort of 2805 citizens, 1233 men and 1572 women aged ≥60 years, first examined in 1988 and followed for 20 years. Hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals for ACM were obtained from Cox models employing conventional predictors. RESULTS: Over 20 years 66% of men (815/1233) and 53% of women (833/1572) died. Constant proportional hazard over the 20 years was demonstrated for all predictors, indicating similar relative hazard of ACM during long-term or short-term follow up. There was significant prediction of ACM by current smoking (hazard ratio 1.96, 95% confidence interval 1.57-2.43 in men; 1.67, 1.32-2.10 in women), high blood pressure (1.37, 1.03-1.81; 1.41, 1.07-1.86), diabetes (1.46, 1.17-1.82; 1.83, 1.43-2.34), impaired peak expiratory flow (1.39, 1.15-1.69; 1.80, 1.47-2.21), coronary heart disease at study entry in men (1.33, 1.13-1.57), physical disability (1.38, 1.13-1.68; 1.45, 1.17-1.79) and alcohol intake (0.82, 0.69-0.97; 0.77, 0.66-0.89 respectively). ACM was not significantly predicted by standard lipid parameters. Over the 20-year period smoking was associated with reduced survival of 41 months in men and 25 months in women, hypertension with reduced survival of 20 and 17 months, and diabetes with reduced survival of 24 and 30 months respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The findings confirm the contribution of cigarette smoking, hypertension and diabetes to ACM in senior citizens, conditions that are potentially amenable to intervention.

The diversity and abundance of small arthropods in onion, Allium cepa, seed crops, and their potential role in pollination.

Onion, Allium cepa L. (Asparagales: Amaryllidaceae), crop fields grown for seed production require arthropod pollination for adequate seed yield. Although many arthropod species visit A. cepa flowers, for most there is little information on their role as pollinators. Small flower visiting arthropods (body width < 3 mm) in particular are rarely assessed. A survey of eight flowering commercial A. cepa seed fields in the North and South Islands of New Zealand using window traps revealed that small arthropods were highly abundant among all except one field. Insects belonging to the orders Diptera and Thysanoptera were the most abundant and Hymenoptera, Collembola, Psocoptera, Hemiptera, and Coleoptera were also present. To test whether small arthropods might contribute to pollination, seed sets from umbels caged within 3 mm diameter mesh cages were compared with similarly caged, hand-pollinated umbels and uncaged umbels. Caged umbels that were not hand-pollinated set significantly fewer seeds (average eight seeds/umbel, n = 10) than caged hand-pollinated umbels (average 146 seeds/umbel) and uncaged umbels (average 481 seeds/umbel). Moreover, sticky traps placed on umbels within cages captured similar numbers of small arthropods as sticky traps placed on uncaged umbels, suggesting cages did not inhibit the movement of small arthropods to umbels. Therefore, despite the high abundance of small arthropods within fields, evidence to support their role as significant pollinators of commercial A. cepa seed crops was not found.

ATP-sensitive potassium currents in rat primary afferent neurons: biophysical, pharmacological properties, and alterations by painful nerve injury.

ATP-sensitive potassium (K(ATP)) channels may be linked to mechanisms of pain after nerve injury, but remain under-investigated in primary afferents so far. We therefore characterized these channels in dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons, and tested whether they contribute to hyperalgesia after spinal nerve ligation (SNL). We compared K(ATP) channel properties between DRG somata classified by diameter into small or large, and by injury status into neurons from rats that either did or did not become hyperalgesic after SNL, or neurons from control animals. In cell-attached patches, we recorded basal K(ATP) channel opening in all neuronal subpopulations. However, higher open probabilities and longer open times were observed in large compared to small neurons. Following SNL, this channel activity was suppressed only in large neurons from hyperalgesic rats, but not from animals that did not develop hyperalgesia. In contrast, no alterations of channel activity developed in small neurons after axotomy. On the other hand, cell-free recordings showed similar ATP sensitivity, inward rectification and unitary conductance (70-80 pS) between neurons classified by size or injury status. Likewise, pharmacological sensitivity to the K(ATP) channel opener diazoxide, and to the selective blockers glibenclamide and tolbutamide, did not differ between groups. In large neurons, selective inhibition of whole-cell ATP-sensitive potassium channel current (I(K(ATP))) by glibenclamide depolarized resting membrane potential (RMP). The contribution of this current to RMP was also attenuated after painful axotomy. Using specific antibodies, we identified SUR1, SUR2, and Kir6.2 but not Kir6.1 subunits in DRGs. These findings indicate that functional K(ATP) channels are present in normal DRG neurons, wherein they regulate RMP. Alterations of these channels may be involved in the pathogenesis of neuropathic pain following peripheral nerve injury. Their biophysical and pharmacological properties are preserved even after axotomy, suggesting that K(ATP) channels in primary afferents remain available for therapeutic targeting against established neuropathic pain.