Objective To investigate the effects of different concentrations of dexmedetomidine on the expression of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) mRNA in rat peripheral blood monocytes exposed to lipopolysaccharide ( LPS ). Methods Peripheral blood monocytes isolated from male Wistar rats were seeded in 24-well plate in RPMI 1640 liquid culture medium in CO2 incubator at 37 ℃ and 5% CO2 for 2 h, and were randomly divided into 5 groups ( n = 8 each): group A negative control; group B was exposed to LPS 1 μg/ml and C, D and E groups were exposed to LPS 1 μg/ml + dexmetomidine 0.5, 5.0 and 50.0 ng/ml respectively. The monocytes were then incubated for 24 h. The concentrations of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 in the supernatant of the cultured monocytes were detected by ELISA. The expression of TLR4 mRNA in the monocytes was detected by RT-PCR.Results Exposure to LPS significantly increased the expression of TLR4 mRNA and the concentrations of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL -6 in group B as compared with group A ( P ＜ 0.01 ). Dexmedetomidine attenuated the LPS-induced increase in the expression of TLR 4 mRNA and the concentrations of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 in a dose-dependent manner ( P ＜0.05or 0.01 ). Conclusion Dexmedetomidine can inhibit the synthesis of TLR4 and inhibit the secretion and dilivery of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 by down-regulating the gene expression of TLR4 in rat peripheral blood monocytes exposed to LPS.

Objective To compare the effects of exogenous enzymes on the degradation of adhesive-dentin interface.Methods Forty molars were sectioned to expose the middle-coronal dentin surface and randomly divided into two adhesive systems:an etch-and-rinse adhesive Adper Single Bond 2 and a self-etching adhesive G-Bond.After composite building up,the specimens were then randomly assigned to four groups(n=5 for each group) as follows:group 1,24 h of water storage(the control group);group 2,six months of water storage;group 3,twelve weeks storage in artificial saliva containing clostridium histolyticum collagenase;group 4,twelve weeks storage in artificial saliva containing cholesterolesterase.The microtensile bond strengths(MTBS) were then tested.The failure modes and nanoleakage were analyzed.Results After aging treatments,the three aging groups showed significantly lower MTBS compared with the control group in both adhesive systems(P＜0.05).For etch-and-rinse adhesive Adper Single Bond 2,the MTBS of group 3([19.6±3.5] MPa) was lower than that of group 2([23.4±4.2] MPa) and group 4([24.2±4.2] MPa) (P＜0.05).For self-etching adhesive G-Bond,there was no difference on MTBS among different aging groups (P＞0.05).SEM observation showed that,compared with the control group,water storage(group 2) and the exogenous enzymes(group 3 and 4) increased the nanoleakage expression(silver deposition) of both adhesive systems.Adhesive failure was the predominant fracture modes in all groups.Conclusions Storage in artificial saliva containing clostridium histolyticum collagenase or cholesterol esterase could be used to accelerate the degradation process of adhesive-dentine interface.

Objective To investigate the clinical features,polysomnography,imaging examination,genetic analysis and laboratory examination of eight patients with familial fatal insomnia (FFI).Methods The clinical data,neuropsychological examination,results of cerebrospinal fluid analysis,imaging examination and polysomnography of eight patients with FFI in Xuanwu Hospital,Capital Medical University from 2009 to 2018 were retrospectively analyzed and summarized.Results Among the eight FFI patients,there were 3 males and 5 females,the onset age being (49.8+14.3) years (19 to 64 years) and the course of disease being eight to 18 months.D178N mutation in the PRNP gene of chromosome 20 and 129 amino acid polymorphisms of M/M were found in genetic examination in all the eight patients,of which five patients had family history.All the patients had sleep disorders,sleep-related involuntary movement,sleep-related dyspnea,laryngeal stridor.All the patients showed rapid progressive dementia with or without symptoms or signs of psychosis,ataxia,pyramidal and extrapyramidal.All the eight patients had progressive sympathetic symptoms,including hypertension,sweating,tachycardia,irregular breathing,and dysarthria.Cerebrospinal fluid 14-3-3 protein was found positive in one patient,and negative in seven patients.Electroencephalograph showed diffuse slow wave and non periodic synchronous discharge.Single-photon emission computed tomography or 18F fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography showed decreased thalamic glucose metabolism in three patients.Seven patients showed decreased total sleep time,sleep awakening cycle disorder,especially the reduction or loss of rapid eye movement,laryngeal stridor and involuntary movement in polysomnography.Conclusions FFI is characterized by sleep disorder,sleep-related involuntary movement,dyspnea,laryngosis,rapid progressive dementia and sympathetic symptoms.The family history,polysomnography and positron emission tomography are helpful for the diagnosis of FFI.PRNP gene detection can confirm the diagnosis of FFI.

Objective: To improve the clinician′s recognition of Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker syndrome (GSS). Methods: The detailed clinical information, neuropsychological examination, cerebrospinal fluid examination, imaging characteristics, electroencephalogram examination and gene detection were analyzed in a case of GSS similar to Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) in symptomatology. The differences between the two different prion diseases were compared in combination with the literature review. Results: The patient is a 62-year-old woman, with cerebellar ataxia as the first symptom, followed by rapid dementia, accompanied by pyramidal and extrapyramidal signs. Magnetic resonance imaging showed hyper-intense signal in diffusion weighted imaging in caudatum and cortical ribboning, and protein 14-3-3 was negative. PRNP gene analysis showed P102L gene mutation. Conclusions The typical clinical manifestation of GSS is hereditary ataxia followed by cognitive decline of varying severity. Detection of PRNP plays an important role in the diagnosis of GSS.

In the past ten years, the research and application of microbiome has continued to increase. The microbiome has gradually become the research focus in the fields of life science, environmental science, and medicine. Meanwhile, many countries and organizations around the world are launching their own microbiome projects and conducting a multi-faceted layout, striving to gain a strategic position in this promising field. In addition, whether it is scientific research or industrial applications, there has been a climax of research and a wave of investment and financing, accordingly, products and services related to the microbiome are constantly emerging. However, due to the rapid development of microbiome sequencing and analysis related technologies and methods, the research and application from various countries have not yet unified on the standards of technology, programs, and data. Domestic industry participants also have insufficient understanding of the microbiome. New methods, technologies, and theories have not yet been fully accepted and used. In addition, some of the existing standards and guidelines are too general with poor practicality. This not only causes obstacles in the integration of scientific research data and waste of resources, but also gives related companies unfair competition opportunity. More importantly, China still lacks national standards related to the microbiome, and the national microbiome project is still in the process of preparation. In this context, the experts and practitioners of the microbiome worked together and developed the consensus of experts. It can not only guide domestic scientific research and industrial institutions to regulate the production, learning and research of the microbiome, the application can also provide reference technical basis for the relevant national functional departments, protect the scale and standardized corporate company's interests, strengthen industry self-discipline, avoid unregulated enterprises from disrupting the market, and ultimately promote the benign development of microbiome-related industries.
China ; Consensus ; Humans ; Industry ; Microbiota