Clinical value of metagenomic next-generation sequencing in complicated infectious diseases / 中国当代儿科杂志

Infectious diseases are commonly seen in clinical practice, and pathogen diagnosis is the key link in diagnosis and treatment; however, conventional pathogen detection methods cannot meet clinical needs due to time-consuming operation and low positive rate. As a new pathogen detection method, metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) has a wide detection range and can detect bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites, rare pathogens, and even unknown pathogens. The technique of mNGS is unbiased and can rapidly, efficiently, and accurately obtain all nucleic acid information in test samples, analyze pathogens, and guide clinical diagnosis and treatment, thereby playing an important role in complicated infectious diseases. This article reviews the diagnostic advantages and clinical value of mNGS in bacterial, fungal, viral, and parasitic infections.

Function of N-Methyl-D-Aspartic Acid Receptors in Cerebral Stroke / 中国药学杂志

Cerebral stroke is caused by the interrupt of blood supply either by the blockage or by the rupture of the brain blood vessels. After the activation of the ischemic cascades, a series of neurochemical reactions might occur which involves the excess release of the excitatory amino acids. The ionotropic glutamate receptor of N-methyl-D-aspartic acid subtype (NMDA receptor) has been proven to play dual roles in the ischemic insults. On one hand, NMDA receptor has been proven to initiate the ischemic impairment, leading to the neuronal death. On the other hand, NMDA receptor is involved in the endo-neurogenesis process after the ischemic onset. Herein, we summarized the recent studies about the structures and functions of NMDA receptor in ischemic stroke pathogenesis.