Anti-Toxoplasma gondii effect of tylosin in vitro and in vivo.

BACKGROUND: Toxoplasma gondii is an important protozoan pathogen with medical and veterinary importance worldwide. Drugs currently used for treatment of toxoplasmosis are less effective and sometimes cause serious side effects. There is an urgent need for the development of more effective drugs with relatively low toxicity. METHODS: The effect of tylosin on the viability of host cells was measured using CCK8 assays. To assess the inhibition of tylosin on T. gondii proliferation, a real-time PCR targeting the B1 gene was developed for T. gondii detection and quantification. Total RNA was extracted from parasites treated with tylosin and then subjected to transcriptome analysis by RNA sequencing (RNA-seq). Finally, murine infection models of toxoplasmosis were used to evaluate the protective efficacy of tylosin against T. gondii virulent RH strain or avirulent ME49 strain. RESULTS: We found that tylosin displayed low host toxicity, and its 50% inhibitory concentration was 175.3 µM. Tylsoin also inhibited intracellular T. gondii tachyzoite proliferation, with a 50% effective concentration of 9.759 µM. Transcriptome analysis showed that tylosin remarkably perturbed the gene expression of T. gondii, and genes involved in "ribosome biogenesis (GO:0042254)" and "ribosome (GO:0005840)" were significantly dys-regulated. In a murine model, tylosin treatment alone (100 mg/kg, i.p.) or in combination with sulfadiazine sodium (200 mg/kg, i.g.) significantly prolonged the survival time and raised the survival rate of animals infected with T. gondii virulent RH or avirulent ME49 strain. Meanwhile, treatment with tylosin significantly decreased the parasite burdens in multiple organs and decreased the spleen index of mice with acute toxoplasmosis. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that tylosin exhibited potency against T. gondii both in vitro and in vivo, which offers promise for treatment of human toxoplasmosis.

Contralateral C7 nerve transfer in the treatment of upper-extremity paralysis: a review of anatomical basis, surgical approaches, and neurobiological mechanisms.

The previous three decades have witnessed a prosperity of contralateral C7 nerve (CC7) transfer in the treatment of upper-extremity paralysis induced by both brachial plexus avulsion injury and central hemiplegia. From the initial subcutaneous route to the pre-spinal route and the newly-established post-spinal route, this surgical operation underwent a series of innovations and refinements, with the aim of shortening the regeneration distance and even achieving direct neurorrhaphy. Apart from surgical efforts for better peripheral nerve regeneration, brain involvement in functional improvements after CC7 transfer also stimulated scientific interest. This review summarizes recent advances of CC7 transfer in the treatment of upper-extremity paralysis of both peripheral and central causes, which covers the neuroanatomical basis, the evolution of surgical approach, and central mechanisms. In addition, motor cortex stimulation is discussed as a viable rehabilitation treatment in boosting functional recovery after CC7 transfer. This knowledge will be beneficial towards improving clinical effects of CC7 transfer.

Clinical experience of individual surgical therapy in hypertensive basal ganglia hemorrhage.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this article is to summarize the clinical experience stemming from the administration of different surgical therapies in hypertensive basal ganglia hemorrhage (HBGH) patients. METHODS: A series of 87 patients with HBGH who had received surgical therapy individually were enrolled in this study. The surgical therapies were stereotactic aspiration (SA), stereotactic aspiration plus fibrinolytic therapy (SA+F) and microsurgery with small bone window (MS), respectively. The outcomes of the patients were evaluated by evolution of hematoma evacuation, activities of daily living (ADL) scale, mortality and complications. RESULTS: We found that there was no significant difference in the 24-hour evacuation rate, mortality and complication rate among treated groups (P>0.05). Though patients in level III and level IV of ADL scores were significantly different among the three groups, the overall ADL scale result demonstrated a similar ADL result. CONCLUSIONS: HBGH patients should be treated with an individualized surgical approach based on their condition and on the CT morphology of the hematoma.

Emergency microsurgery for aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage coexisting with brain hernia.

AIM: This work aims to summarize the experience in emergency microsurgery for patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) that coexisted with brain hernia. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 26 patients with aneurysmal SAH complicated by brain hernia were subjected to emergency aneurysm clamping + decompressive craniectomy. 10 patients were diagnosed with aneurysmal SAH coexisted with brain hernia before operation. RESULTS: Four patients had a carotid aneurysm, 15 had a middle artery aneurysm, and 7 had an anterior communicating aneurysm. The surgical procedure was performed smoothly for all patients. The patients were followed up for 3 months to 6 months. According to Glasgow outcome scaling, five patients recovered well, six suffered from moderate disability, five were subjected to severe disability, five were in plant survival, and 5 died. CONCLUSION: Emergency surgical exploration is an effective treatment method for patients.