Influences of Heat Stress on Glutamate Transmission-Dependent Expression Levels of IL-1ß and IL-18 in BV-2 Microglial Cells.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the impact of heat stress (HS) on glutamate transmission-dependent expression levels of interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß) and IL-18 in BV-2 microglial cells. METHODS: BV-2 microglial cells were cultured in vitro, with cells maintained at 37 °C serving as the control. The HS group experienced incubation at 40 °C for 1 h, followed by further culturing at 37 °C for 6 or 12 h. The experimental group was pre-incubated with glutamate, the glutamate antagonist riluzole, or the mGluR5 agonist, 2-Chloro-5-hydroxyphenylglycine (CHPG), before HS. Glutamate content in BV-2 culture supernatant was assessed using colorimetric assay. Moreover, mRNA expression levels of EAAT3 and/or mGluR5 in BV-2 cells were determined via quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Interleukins (IL-1ß and IL-18) in cell culture supernatant were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Western blot analysis was employed to assess protein levels of IL-1ß and IL-18 in BV-2 cells. RESULTS: HS induced a significant release of glutamate and increased the expression levels of mGluR5 and EAAT3 in BV-2 cells. It also triggered the expression levels and release of pro-inflammatory factors, such as IL-1ß and IL-18, synergizing with the effects of glutamate treatment. Preincubation with both riluzole and CHPG significantly reduced HS-induced glutamate release and mitigated the increased expression levels and release of IL-1ß and IL-18 induced by HS. CONCLUSION: The findings confirmed that microglia could be involved in HS primarily through glutamate metabolisms, influencing the expression levels and release of IL-1ß and IL-18.

Quetiapine-related acute lung injury: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Quetiapine, known as a non-classical antipsychotic drug, is frequently used for the treatment of mental diseases, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depressive disorder. Acute lung injury, a rarely reported side effect of quetiapine, is described in this case report. CASE SUMMARY: Due to terminal delirium, a 66-year-old man took a large dose of quetiapine and then developed severe pulmonary disease. His symptoms were not resolved after routine treatment, such as antibiotics, diuretic, and supportive therapies. Quetiapine-related acute lung injury was therefore suspected and hormonal therapy was initiated. Subsequently, his symptoms were alleviated and the radiological results improved dramatically. CONCLUSION: Our findings in the present report highlight a potential adverse effect of quetiapine, drug-related acute lung injury, which deserves awareness in clinical practice.

Pooled analysis of Xpert Bladder Cancer based on the 5 mRNAs for rapid diagnosis of bladder carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Xpert Bladder Cancer is a detection method developed in recent years, designed with the functions of integrating sample automatically, nucleic acid amplification, and target sequence detection. It is a urine assay targeting five mRNAs (CRH, IGF2, UPK1B, ANXA10, and ABL1). The purpose of this article is to review the accuracy of Xpert Bladder Cancer in the follow-up diagnosis of bladder cancer and evaluate the role of Xpert Bladder Cancer in detecting the recurrence of non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer in the round. METHODS: In the database of Embase, PubMed, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library, the articles published up to October 13, 2020, were searched and screened based on the exclusion and inclusion criteria, and data were extracted from the included studies. The sensitivity, specificity, negative likelihood ratio, positive likelihood ratio summary of receiver operating characteristic curves, and diagnostic odds ratio were combined by the Meta-DiSc 1.4 software. The Stata 12.0 software was used to obtain the assessment of publication bias. RESULTS: A total of 8 articles involving eight fourfold tables were finally identified. The pooled sensitivity and specificity of Xpert Bladder Cancer in the diagnosis of bladder cancer were 0.71 and 0.81, respectively. The positive likelihood ratio and negative likelihood ratio were 3.74 and 0.34, respectively. The area under the curve was 0.8407. The diagnostic odds ratio was 11.99. Deeks' funnel plot asymmetry test manifested no publication bias. CONCLUSIONS: In summary, Xpert Bladder Cancer presents high accuracy and specificity in monitoring bladder cancer compared with cystoscopy. More researches are still required to further confirm this conclusion.

Rat bite fever caused by Streptobacillus moniliformis infection in a Chinese patient.

BACKGROUND: Rat bite fever (RBF), a severe infectious disease, can result from transmission of the pathogen Streptobacillus moniliformis (S. moniliformis) by rat bite. RBF diagnosis can be overlooked. CASE PRESENTATION: We present a case of RBF in a Chinese patient who was infected with S. moniliformis in mainland China. Meta-next generation sequencing (mNGS) was used to identify potential pathogens and detected S. moniliformis genome sequences in the pustular sample in less than 72 h. Then the diagnosis was validated by polymerase chain reaction analysis. Despite having severe RBF with complications, this 54-year-old male patient was successfully cured with penicillin as a result of timely pathogen-based diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: Physicians should inquire about recent rat exposure and consider the possibility of RBF when a patient develops unexplained fever and rashes. mNGS is a new diagnostic technology and may identify RBF pathogens even when blood culture results are negative.

[An experimental study on acute poisoning by fipronil in mice and its pharmaceutical therapy].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the toxicity of fipronil in mice and the therapeutic effects of diazepam and phenobarbital sodium. METHODS: Mice were administered by gastric tube with fipronil at six doses and their behavioral changes, pathological changes in their major viscera under light and electron microscopy and deaths were observed after acute poisoning. Distribution and quantity of nerve cells positive in glutamic acid (Glu) or gamma-aminobutyric acid (gamma-GABA) in the brain of mice were detected by immunohistochemical methods and micro-image analysis. The time of death time and survival rate were observed and compared between the varied groups of mice injected intraperitoneally with diazepam and phenobarbital sodium, respectively, 0.5 h after poisoning by fipronil at dose of 90 mg/kg. RESULTS: All the mice acutely poisoned by fipronil at varied doses showed some exciting symptoms in the central nervous system (CNS), including convulsion. Nuclear membrane space slightly expanded, neuroglia cells vacuolized and nerve fiber demyelinated under electron microscopy. The number and area of cells positive in Glu in the cerebral cortex of mice acutely poisoned by fipronil increased significantly, as compared to those in control mice. There was no significant difference in the number and area of cells positive in gamma-GABA in the hippocampal CA(1) region between poisoned and normal control groups. Survival rate of mice treated with diazepam or phenobarbital sodium was 58 percent. CONCLUSION: Mice with acute poisoning by fipronil appeared exciting symptoms in CNS, leading to damage in its nerve cells. Immunohistochemical techniques showed the damage could be related with the over-expression of glutamate transmitter in CNS. Early use of diazepam or phenobarbital sodium in treatment for acutely poisoned mice by fipronil could get better therapeutic efficacy.