SpinalP2X7R contributes to streptozotocin-induced mechanical allodynia in mice

Painful diabetic neuropathy(PDN)is a diabetes mellitus complication.Unfortunately,the mechanisms underlying PDN are still poorly understood.Adenosine triphosphate(ATP)-gated P2X7 receptor(P2X7R)plays a pivotal role in non-diabetic neuropathic pain,but little is known about its effects on streptozotocin(STZ)-induced peripheral neuropathy.Here,we explored whether spinal cord P2X7R was correlated with the generation of mechanical allodynia(MA)in STZ-induced type 1 diabetic neuropathy in mice.MA was assessed by measuring paw withdrawal thresholds and western blotting.Immunohistochemistry was applied to analyze the protein expression levels and localization of P2X7R.STZ-induced mice expressed increased P2X7R in the dorsal horn of the lumbar spinal cord during MA.Mice injected intrathecally with a selective antagonist of P2X7R and P2X7R knockout(KO)mice both presented attenuated progression of MA.Double-immunofluorescent labeling demonstrated that P2X7R-positive cells were mostly co-expressed with Iba1(a microglia marker).Our results suggest that P2X7R plays an important role in the development of MA and could be used as a cellular target for treating PDN.

CX3CR1 contributes to streptozotocin-induced mechanical allodynia in the mouse spinal cord

Patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy experience debilitating pain that significantly affects their quality of life(Abbott et al.,2011),by causing sleeping disorders,anxiety,and depression(Dermanovic Dobrota et al.,2014).The primary clinical manifestation of painful diabetic neuropathy(PDN)is mechanical hypersensitivity,also known as mechanical allodynia(MA)(Callaghan et al.,2012).MA’s underlying mechanism remains poorly understood,and so far,based on symptomatic treatment,it has no effective therapy(Moore et al.,2014).

Thermal conductivity prediction of MgAl2O4:a non-equilibrium molecular dynamics calculation

Magnesium aluminate spinel(MgAl2O4)is widely used in steel metallurgy industry.Thermal conductivity at high temperature signifcantly infuences the cooling process of blast furnace and the heat preservation of steel converter.The efect of external(temperature)and internal(antisite defect and grain boundary)factors on the thermal conductivity of MgAl2O4 was studied with non-equilibrium molecular dynamics.The main factors afecting the thermal conductivity of MgAl2O4 were summarized.In the temperature range of 100-2000 K,the results showed that the thermal conductivity of MgAl2O4 changed from 11.54 to 4.95 W/(m K)with the increase in temperature and was relatively stable at the temperature above 1000 K.The thermal conductivity of MgAl2O4 declined frst and then rose with the increase in the antisite defects,and the minimum value was 6.95 W/(m K)at the inversion parameter i=0.35.In addition,grain boundaries reduced the thermal conductivity of MgAl2O4 by 20%-30%at temperature below 1000 K comparing with the non-grain boundary system.The grain boundary rotation angle at temperature above 1000 K had less efect on the thermal conductivity than that below 1000 K.Present simulation scheme for thermal conductivity of MgAl2O4 can also be applied to the study of other nonmetallic ceramics.