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The involvement of inwardly rectifying potassium channel 4.1 (Kir4.1) in neuropathic pain has been established. However, there is limited understanding of the downstream mechanism through which Kir4.1 contributes to orofacial neuropathic pain. The objective of this study was to examine the regulation of Kir4.1 on the expression of pannexin 3 (Panx3) in the trigeminal ganglion (TG) and the underlying mechanism in the context of orofacial neuropathic pain caused by chronic constriction injury of the infraorbital nerve (CCI‐ION). The study observed a significant increase in Panx3 expression in the TG of mice with CCI‐ION. Inhibition of Panx3 in the TG of CCI‐ION mice resulted in alleviation of orofacial mechanical allodynia. Furthermore, conditional knockdown (CKD) of Kir4.1 in the TG of both male and female mice led to mechanical allodynia and upregulation of Panx3 expression. Conversely, overexpression of Kir4.1 decreased Panx3 levels in the TG and relieved mechanical allodynia in CCI‐ION mice. In addition, silencing Kir4.1 in satellite glial cells (SGCs) decreased Panx3 expression and increased the phosphorylation of P38 MAPK. Moreover, silencing Kir4.1 in SGCs increased the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The elevated phosphorylation of P38 MAPK resulting from Kir4.1 silencing was inhibited by using a superoxide scavenger known as the tempol. Silencing Panx3 in the TG in vivo attenuated the mechanical allodynia caused by Kir4.1 CKD. In conclusion, these findings suggest that the reduction of Kir4.1 promotes the expression of Panx3 by activating the ROS‐P38 MAPK signalling pathway, thus contributing to the development of orofacial neuropathic pain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND Rare earth resources are essential for a wide range of advanced technologies, which have received considerable attention in the world. Bayan Obo is the largest rare earth mine in the world. The study on the distribution characteristics of rare earth elements (REEs) and heavy metal elements in the environmental media such as soil and plants in the Bayan Obo mining area can provide basic data for the investigation of the environmental status of the mining area and provide reference for its environmental restoration. OBJECTIVES To investigate the distribution characteristics of REEs and heavy metal elements in various environmental media at different areas in the Bayan Obo mine. METHODS Nine plant samples, six soil samples, one rock sample and one cow manure sample were collected from the Bayan Obo rare earth mine and surrounding areas. The contents of 15 rare earth elements and 8 heavy metal elements of these samples were determined by ICP-MS, which were used to study the behavior of elements and the variation rules in space. RESULTS The results showed that the distribution patterns of REEs in rocks, soil, plants, and cow manure samples were similar: obvious enrichment of light-REEs and depletion of high-REEs. The richest rare earth element in soil and plant was Ce, reaching 49.95% and 48.55%, respectively. The spatial variation law of the total content of rare earth element in Limonium bicolor (Bag.) Kuntze was consistent with the mineralization change of the three ore bodies: the main ore>the east ore>Dongjielegele ore. This indicated that the rare earth content of this plant was basically controlled by the minerality of the ore body, and it was more accurate to indicate the enrichment degree of rare earth in the growth environment. In addition, there was accumulation of Zn (465-778mg/kg), Cd (1.35-2.23mg/kg), Pb (181-431mg/kg) in the soil of the mining area. Some points of Cd and Pb were beyond the risk control value. CONCLUSIONS The ore, soil, and plant samples in Bayan Obo all show the characteristics of Ce enrichment. Moreover, the rare earth content of plants is highly correlated with the ore body where it grows. The REE content characteristics among the three media show obvious inheritance and consistency. Special attention should be paid to the mining and agricultural activities in the main mining area in Bayan Obo because of the accumulation of Zn, Cd, and Pb in these mining areas.

Extensive investigations have been conducted regarding the potential correlation between blood type and the immune system, as well as cancer risk in the Southern Chinese population. However, the prognostic value of the blood group and its genetic determinants in the context of immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) treatment remains unclear. Therefore, the associations between the ABO blood group and its single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were examined in relation to ICI treatment outcomes in 370 eligible patients with cancer. This approach allowed us to derive the blood group from the SNPs responsible for blood group determination. In the discovery cohort (N = 168), antigen A carriers (blood types A and AB) exhibited an extended progression‐free survival (PFS; hazard ratio (HR) = 0.58, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.34–0.98). The association results from the SNP‐derived blood were consistent with those from the measured blood group. In the validation cohort (N = 202), Cox regression analysis revealed that the antigen A carriers (rs507666 AA+GA genotype carriers) experienced significantly extended PFS compared with the non‐antigen A carriers (HR = 0.61, 95% CI = 0.40–0.93). Therefore, a longer PFS was observed in antigen A carriers (P value = 0.003, HR = 0.60, 95% CI = 0.44–0.84). Furthermore, haplotype 2 carriers (rs507666 GA and rs659104 GG) demonstrated both extended PFS and improved overall survival. Notably, the presence of antigen A was not associated with the occurrence of overall immune‐related adverse events (irAEs) or organ‐specific toxicity. In summary, our findings revealed that antigen A carriers did not experience a higher incidence of irAEs while exhibiting better immunotherapy efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Wuning tungsten deposits in northwestern Jiangxi are located in the Middle-Lower Yangtze River metallogenic belt of SE China. This article decodes the large tungsten-mineralized ore field by analysing three typical deposits: Shimensi, Dahutang, and Shiwendong. The Shimensi deposit shows three mineralization styles, and the associated hydrothermal alteration mainly includes K-feldspathization, greisenization, chloritization, silicification, and carbonatization. The sulphur isotopic compositions of sulphides in the Dahutang deposit indicate that the sulphur source was homogeneous and closely related to magmatic sulphur. The lead isotopic compositions of sulphides suggest multiple sources that were also closely related to magmatism. The carbon isotopic compositions of calcite indicate that hydrothermal fluids were derived from the granitic magma. Hydrogen and oxygen isotopic compositions of quartz veins indicate that the ore-forming fluids had a magmatic-hydrothermal origin, but mixed with meteoric water. Fluid inclusions from the Shiweidong deposit are low density, indicating medium-high T and low-medium salinity, further suggesting that it was a shallow magmatic-hydrothermal deposit, and the metallogenic hydrotherm mingled with the surface water late in the evolution of the system. Mineralization was related to Early Cretaceous magmatism in eastern China. The subduction of the palaeo-Pacific plate and the subsequent lithospheric delamination reflected transition from a compressional to extensional tectonic regime. The upwelling of the hot asthenosphere triggered partial melting of the Neoproterozoic Shuangqiaoshan Group, with high W background concentrations. The ascent of the magma resulted in the exsolution of the ore-bearing magmatic hydrothermal fluid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we analyze the theory of the Julia set (J set) of Newton's method, construct the Julia sets of Newton's method of function $F(z)=ze^{z^{w}}$ ( w∈ℂ) through iteration method, and analyze the attracting region of the two fixed points 0 and ∞ when w are different values. Consequently, we draw the following conclusions: (1) When the judge conditions for the iterative algorithm are changed to | N( z)− z|≤ EOF, the properties of the figures in our experiments are contrary to the conclusions in (Wegner and Peterson, Fractal Creations, pp. 168-231, ); (2) The attracting regions of the fixed points 0 and ∞ for w=2 n ( n=0,±2,±4,...) are symmetrical about x-axis and y-axis; select the main argument to be in [−π,π), for arbitrary w= α ( α∈ℂ), the attracting regions of the fixed points 0 and ∞ are symmetrical about the x-axis; (3) The attracting regions of the two fixed points 0 and ∞ of J set for w=± η have rotational symmetry of η times; (4) If w=−4.7, k=0.8, then the attracting regions of different magnifications display a startling similarity, J set holds infinite self-similar structures; (5) When w is a complex number, because the selection of main argument θ in the negative x-axis is not continuous, the fault and rupture of the attracting regions of the two fixed points 0 and ∞ appear only in the negative x-axis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inward-rectifying K + channel 4.1 (Kir4.1), which regulates the electrophysiological properties of neurons and glia by affecting K + homeostasis, plays a critical role in neuropathic pain. Metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5) regulates the expression of Kir4.1 in retinal Müller cells. However, the role of Kir4.1 and its expressional regulatory mechanisms underlying orofacial ectopic allodynia remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the biological roles of Kir4.1 and mGluR5 in the trigeminal ganglion (TG) in orofacial ectopic mechanical allodynia and the role of mGluR5 in Kir4.1 regulation. An animal model of nerve injury was established via inferior alveolar nerve transection (IANX) in male C57BL/6J mice. Behavioral tests indicated that mechanical allodynia in the ipsilateral whisker pad lasted at least 14 days after IANX surgery and was alleviated by the overexpression of Kir4.1 in the TG, as well as intraganglionic injection of an mGluR5 antagonist (MPEP hydrochloride) or a protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor (chelerythrine chloride); Conditional knockdown of the Kir4.1 gene downregulated mechanical thresholds in the whisker pad. Double immunostaining revealed that Kir4.1 and mGluR5 were co-expressed in satellite glial cells in the TG. IANX downregulated Kir4.1 and upregulated mGluR5 and phosphorylated PKC (p-PKC) in the TG; Inhibition of mGluR5 reversed the changes in Kir4.1 and p-PKC that were induced by IANX; Inhibition of PKC activation reversed the downregulation of Kir4.1 expression caused by IANX (p < .05). In conclusion, activation of mGluR5 in the TG after IANX contributed to orofacial ectopic mechanical allodynia by suppressing Kir4.1 via the PKC signaling pathway., (© 2023 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

The biological drug of the calf-blood dialysate has various pharmacological effects. It can promote the oxygen and glucose uptake for the hypoxia cells, and has beneficial effects on the malfunction of the blood circulation and trophic disturbances in the brain, and the impairment of peripheral blood circulation. Furthermore, it is favorable to wound healing and can regulate the central nervous system. Adenosine monophosphate (AMP) is a main active ingredient of the biological drug. In this report, a fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) sensor has been developed with β-CD-capped ZnS QDs as energy donor and 3-hydroxyflavone (3-HF) as energy acceptor. The results showed that AMP can lead to the fluorescence quenching of the FRET sensor at 526 nm, and the Stern-Volmer curve between the fluorescence quenching and the concentrations of AMP present a satisfactory linearity with the correlation coefficient of 0.996. The developed sensor has successfully applied for determination of the AMP in the biological drug.

The morphological changes that occur in the taste buds after denervation are not well understood in rats, especially in the contralateral tongue epithelium. In this study, we investigated the time course of morphological changes in the taste buds following unilateral nerve transection. The role of the trigeminal component of the lingual nerve in maintaining the structural integrity of the taste buds was also examined. Twenty-four Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups: control, unilateral chorda tympani nerve transection and unilateral chorda tympani nerve transection + lingual nerve transection. Rats were allowed up to 42 days of recovery before being euthanized. The taste buds were visualized using a cytokeratin 8 antibody. Taste bud counts, volumes and taste receptor cell numbers were quantified and compared among groups. No significant difference was detected between the chorda tympani nerve transection and chorda tympani nerve transection + lingual nerve transection groups. Taste bud counts, volumes and taste receptor cell numbers on the ipsilateral side all decreased significantly compared with control. On the contralateral side, the number of taste buds remained unchanged over time, but they were larger, and taste receptor cells were more numerous postoperatively. There was no evidence for a role of the trigeminal branch of the lingual nerve in maintaining the structural integrity of the anterior taste buds.