Geraniin, a polyphenol derived from the fruit peel of Nephelium lappaceum L., has been shown to possess anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties in the cardiovascular system. The present study explored whether geraniin could protect against an isoproterenol (ISO)-induced cardiac hypertrophy model. Mice in the ISO group received an intraperitoneal injection of ISO (5 mg/kg) once daily for 9 days, and the administration group were injected with ISO after 5 days of treatment with geraniin or spironolactone. Potential therapeutic effects and related mechanisms analysed by anatomical coefficients, histopathology, blood biochemical indices, reverse transcription-PCR and immunoblotting. Geraniin decreased the cardiac pathologic remodeling and myocardial fibrosis induced by ISO, as evidenced by the modifications to anatomical coefficients, as well as the reduction in collagen I/III á1mRNA and protein expression and cross-sectional area in hypertrophic cardiac tissue. In addition, geraniin treatment reduced ISO-induced increase in the mRNA and protein expression levels of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β and tumor necrosis factor-α, whereas ISO-induced IL-10 showed the opposite behaviour in hypertrophic cardiac tissue.Further analysis showed that geraniin partially reversed the ISO-induced increase in malondialdehyde and nitric oxide, and the ISO-induced decrease in glutathione, superoxide dismutase and glutathione. Furthermore, it suppressed the ISO-induced cellular apoptosis of hypertrophic cardiac tissue, as evidenced by the decrease in Bcell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2)-associated X/caspase-3/caspase-9 expression, increase in Bcl-2 expression, and decrease in TdT-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling-positive cells.These findings suggest that geraniin can attenuate ISO-induced cardiac hypertrophy by inhibiting inflammation, oxidative stress and cellular apoptosis.

Geraniin, a polyphenol derived from the fruit peel of Nephelium lappaceum L., has been shown to possess anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties in the cardiovascular system. The present study explored whether geraniin could protect against an isoproterenol (ISO)-induced cardiac hypertrophy model. Mice in the ISO group received an intraperitoneal injection of ISO (5 mg/kg) once daily for 9 days, and the administration group were injected with ISO after 5 days of treatment with geraniin or spironolactone. Potential therapeutic effects and related mechanisms analysed by anatomical coefficients, histopathology, blood biochemical indices, reverse transcription-PCR and immunoblotting. Geraniin decreased the cardiac pathologic remodeling and myocardial fibrosis induced by ISO, as evidenced by the modifications to anatomical coefficients, as well as the reduction in collagen I/III á1mRNA and protein expression and cross-sectional area in hypertrophic cardiac tissue. In addition, geraniin treatment reduced ISO-induced increase in the mRNA and protein expression levels of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β and tumor necrosis factor-α, whereas ISO-induced IL-10 showed the opposite behaviour in hypertrophic cardiac tissue.Further analysis showed that geraniin partially reversed the ISO-induced increase in malondialdehyde and nitric oxide, and the ISO-induced decrease in glutathione, superoxide dismutase and glutathione. Furthermore, it suppressed the ISO-induced cellular apoptosis of hypertrophic cardiac tissue, as evidenced by the decrease in Bcell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2)-associated X/caspase-3/caspase-9 expression, increase in Bcl-2 expression, and decrease in TdT-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling-positive cells.These findings suggest that geraniin can attenuate ISO-induced cardiac hypertrophy by inhibiting inflammation, oxidative stress and cellular apoptosis.

Geraniin, a polyphenol derived from the fruit peel of Nephelium lappaceum L., has been shown to possess anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties in the cardiovascular system. The present study explored whether geraniin could protect against an isoproterenol (ISO)-induced cardiac hypertrophy model. Mice in the ISO group received an intraperitoneal injection of ISO (5 mg/kg) once daily for 9 days, and the administration group were injected with ISO after 5 days of treatment with geraniin or spironolactone. Potential therapeutic effects and related mechanisms analysed by anatomical coefficients, histopathology, blood biochemical indices, reverse transcription-PCR and immunoblotting. Geraniin decreased the cardiac pathologic remodeling and myocardial fibrosis induced by ISO, as evidenced by the modifications to anatomical coefficients, as well as the reduction in collagen I/III á1mRNA and protein expression and cross-sectional area in hypertrophic cardiac tissue. In addition, geraniin treatment reduced ISO-induced increase in the mRNA and protein expression levels of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β and tumor necrosis factor-α, whereas ISO-induced IL-10 showed the opposite behaviour in hypertrophic cardiac tissue.Further analysis showed that geraniin partially reversed the ISO-induced increase in malondialdehyde and nitric oxide, and the ISO-induced decrease in glutathione, superoxide dismutase and glutathione. Furthermore, it suppressed the ISO-induced cellular apoptosis of hypertrophic cardiac tissue, as evidenced by the decrease in Bcell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2)-associated X/caspase-3/caspase-9 expression, increase in Bcl-2 expression, and decrease in TdT-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling-positive cells.These findings suggest that geraniin can attenuate ISO-induced cardiac hypertrophy by inhibiting inflammation, oxidative stress and cellular apoptosis.

Geraniin, a polyphenol derived from the fruit peel of Nephelium lappaceum L., has been shown to possess anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties in the cardiovascular system. The present study explored whether geraniin could protect against an isoproterenol (ISO)-induced cardiac hypertrophy model. Mice in the ISO group received an intraperitoneal injection of ISO (5 mg/kg) once daily for 9 days, and the administration group were injected with ISO after 5 days of treatment with geraniin or spironolactone. Potential therapeutic effects and related mechanisms analysed by anatomical coefficients, histopathology, blood biochemical indices, reverse transcription-PCR and immunoblotting. Geraniin decreased the cardiac pathologic remodeling and myocardial fibrosis induced by ISO, as evidenced by the modifications to anatomical coefficients, as well as the reduction in collagen I/III á1mRNA and protein expression and cross-sectional area in hypertrophic cardiac tissue. In addition, geraniin treatment reduced ISO-induced increase in the mRNA and protein expression levels of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β and tumor necrosis factor-α, whereas ISO-induced IL-10 showed the opposite behaviour in hypertrophic cardiac tissue.Further analysis showed that geraniin partially reversed the ISO-induced increase in malondialdehyde and nitric oxide, and the ISO-induced decrease in glutathione, superoxide dismutase and glutathione. Furthermore, it suppressed the ISO-induced cellular apoptosis of hypertrophic cardiac tissue, as evidenced by the decrease in Bcell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2)-associated X/caspase-3/caspase-9 expression, increase in Bcl-2 expression, and decrease in TdT-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling-positive cells.These findings suggest that geraniin can attenuate ISO-induced cardiac hypertrophy by inhibiting inflammation, oxidative stress and cellular apoptosis.

Geraniin, a polyphenol derived from the fruit peel of Nephelium lappaceum L., has been shown to possess anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties in the cardiovascular system. The present study explored whether geraniin could protect against an isoproterenol (ISO)-induced cardiac hypertrophy model. Mice in the ISO group received an intraperitoneal injection of ISO (5 mg/kg) once daily for 9 days, and the administration group were injected with ISO after 5 days of treatment with geraniin or spironolactone. Potential therapeutic effects and related mechanisms analysed by anatomical coefficients, histopathology, blood biochemical indices, reverse transcription-PCR and immunoblotting. Geraniin decreased the cardiac pathologic remodeling and myocardial fibrosis induced by ISO, as evidenced by the modifications to anatomical coefficients, as well as the reduction in collagen I/III á1mRNA and protein expression and cross-sectional area in hypertrophic cardiac tissue. In addition, geraniin treatment reduced ISO-induced increase in the mRNA and protein expression levels of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β and tumor necrosis factor-α, whereas ISO-induced IL-10 showed the opposite behaviour in hypertrophic cardiac tissue.Further analysis showed that geraniin partially reversed the ISO-induced increase in malondialdehyde and nitric oxide, and the ISO-induced decrease in glutathione, superoxide dismutase and glutathione. Furthermore, it suppressed the ISO-induced cellular apoptosis of hypertrophic cardiac tissue, as evidenced by the decrease in Bcell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2)-associated X/caspase-3/caspase-9 expression, increase in Bcl-2 expression, and decrease in TdT-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling-positive cells.These findings suggest that geraniin can attenuate ISO-induced cardiac hypertrophy by inhibiting inflammation, oxidative stress and cellular apoptosis.

The global trends of nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) infection and disease are both rising. Nontuberculous mycobacterial disease(NTMD) is a worldwide health burden associated with increasing morbidity, mortality, and economic costs. Antibiotic therapy is the mainstay of treatment for NTMD.Mycobacterial pathogens are intrinsically resistant to many available antibiotics, making treatment extremely challenging, especially in immunocompromised individuals and patients with underlying chronic lung conditions. Even with lengthy therapy and the use of a combination of antibiotics, only less than half NTMD patients can achieve clinical treatment success, so it is urgent to develop novel anti-NTM antibiotics. This article reviews the research progress on the medication of nontuberculous mycobacterial diseases.

Objective:To compare the clinical efficacy between modified open wedge high tibial osteotomy (MOWHTO) versus traditional open wedge high tibial osteotomy (TOWHTO) for varus knee osteoarthritis (KOA).Methods:A retrospective study was conducted to analyze the 50 patients (60 knees) with varus KOA who had received high tibial osteotomy at Department of Sports Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University between September 2019 and December 2020. The patients were divided into 2 groups according to different ways of osteotomy: a traditional group and a modified group. In the traditional group subjected to TOWHTO, there were 25 cases (30 knees); in the modified group subjected to MOWHTO, there were 25 cases (30 knees). In MOWHTO, the bone block attached to the medial collateral ligament (MCL) of the knee was first chiseled at the MCL insertion before osteotomy to reduce excessive stripping of the MCL in the osteotomy area, and then the bone fragment attached to the MCL was filled into the osteotomy area to increase bone filling and bone coverage after the alignment of the lower limb was corrected. The hip-knee-ankle angle (HKAA), medioproximal tibial angle (MPTA), and joint line convergence angle (JLCA) were measured preoperatively and at 18 months postoperatively in both groups to evaluate correction of the alignment of the lower limb. Fracture healing time, bone loss in the osteotomy area, Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) knee score and visual analogue scale (VAS) were recorded to evaluate the postoperative efficacy.Results:There was no statistically significant difference between the TOWHTO and MOWHTO groups in the general clinical data before operation, showing comparability ( P>0.05). At 18 months after operation, HKAA was (179.1° ± 1.1°) in the TOWHTO group and (179.3° ± 0.7°) in the MOWHTO group while MPTA was (91.9° ± 0.4°) in the TOWHTO group and (91.9° ± 0.4°) in the MOWHTO group, showing no statistically significant difference between the 2 groups ( P>0.05) but a significant difference between preoperation and postoperation in each group ( P<0.05). At 18 months after operation, JLCA was (1.8° ± 0.4°) in the TOWHTO group, significantly larger than that in the MOWHTO group (1.5° ± 0.4°), HSS score was 81.5 (79.5, 83.0) points in the TOWHTO group, significantly lower than that in the MOWHTO group [85.0 (82.5, 87.5) points], and VAS was 1.8 (1.6, 2.0) points in the TOWHTO group, significantly higher than that in the MOWHTO group [1.5 (1.5, 2.0) points] (all P<0.05). At 18 months after operation, the preoperative JLCA was significantly improved in both groups ( P<0.05). The time required for a fracture healing score higher than 4 points was (3.3 ± 0.6) months in the TOWHTO group and (4.5 ± 0.9) months in the MOWHTO group, and the rate of bone loss in the osteotomy area was 20% in the TOWHTO group (6/30) and 0 (0/30) in the MOWHTO group, both showing a significant difference between the 2 groups ( P<0.05). Conclusions:Both TOWHTO and MOWHTO can effectively treat varus KOA. MOWHTO is more effective in promoting bone healing in the osteotomy area, reducing bone defects in the osteotomy area and improving knee function.

Objective:With the development of digital technology, network technology and mobile technology, new media aided-teaching has become a hot topic in medical teaching. However, the studies about the application of new media aided-teaching in training for professional postgraduates of neurosurgery are still less studied.Methods:In this study, 24 Batch 2015-2016 professional postgraduates of neurosurgery from Neurosurgery Department of Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University were divided into the test group and control group, with 12 students in each group. From September 2016 to August 2018, students in the test group were taught with conventional teaching and various new media such as WeChat official accounts, professional video sharing websites and so on. The control group adopted conventional teaching methods. Students' theoretical knowledge, operation ability and clinical research ability were assessed between the two groups. SPSS 22.0 software was used for t test and descriptive statistics on the data.Results:The results of t test analysis showed that the scores of theoretical knowledge and general ability in test group were higher than those in control group, with significant differences ( P < 0.05). Meanwhile, the scores of teaching satisfaction, professional interest, teaching participation, knowledge mastery and scientific research ability in the test group were higher than those in the control group, with significant differences ( P<0.05). Conclusion:Conventional teaching combined with new media aided-teaching is a good new training model for professional postgraduates of neurosurgery, which has improved students' participation and motivation of study and contributed to the training of medical students' comprehensive abilities.

Objective:To investigate the effect and mechanism of exosomes derived from human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUC-MSC) in repair of tendon injury in rats.Methods:The hUC-MSC were cultured and the surface markers were identified by flow cytometry. The cells were induced to differentiate into osteoblasts, chondroblasts and adipocytes using a specific media. Meanwhile, the exosomes were isolated from the cell supernatant using exosome separation columns, and were identified by transmission electron microscopy, PKH67 staining and Western blot. A total of 40 Wistar rats were used to establish the Achilles tendon injury model by surgical resection. The rats were divided into hUC-MSC group (Group A) (with 100 μg exosome injected at the injured site) and control group (Group B) (with 250 μl normal saline injected at the injured site) according to the random number table, with 20 rats per group. The expressions of transforming growth factor β (TGF-β), bone morphogenetic protein (BMP-2), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), fibroblast growth factor (FGF-2), interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in the tendon tissues of both groups were detected using q-PCR, Western blot and immunofluorescence assay at 4 weeks following injection. The expression of collagen III in the injured tissues of both groups was detected by immunohiestochemistry.Results:The isolated and cultured hUC-MSC presented fusiform under an inverted microscope. After osteogenic differentiation, the cells exhibited a cube nodular structure, and the Alizarin red staining was positive. After adipogenic differentiation, the fat was observed inside the cells, which was red by oil red O staining. After chondroblast differentiation, the cells secreted a large amount of glycosaminoglycans, and a strong positive was revealed by Alisin blue staining. The hUC-MSC-derived exosomes showed round disc shape with a depressed internal structure under a transmission electron microscope, which was verified via PKH67 staining. The Western blot analysis showed high expressions of motility-related protein-1 (CD9) and lysosomal associated membrane protein 3 (CD63). The q-PCR test revealed that the mRNA expressions of TGF-β (4.887±0.767), BMP-2 (3.079±0.150), VEGF (3.108±0.508) and FGF-2 (4.211±0.522) in Group A were markedly higher than those in Group B (1.000±0.062, 0.918±0.129, 1.004±0.103, 1.010±0.169, respectively) ( P<0.01), and that the mRNA expression of IL-1β (0.697±0.037) and TNF-α (0.793±0.021) in Group A was markedly lower than those in Group B (1.004±0.089 and 1.006±0.015, respectively) ( P<0.01). The Western blot analysis revealed that the protein expressions of TGF-β (1.434±0.041), BMP-2 (1.798±0.177), VEGF (1.552±0.113) and FGF-2 (1.357±0.039) in Group A were markedly higher than those in Group B (1.002±0.032, 0.992±0.068, 1.007±0.070, 0.994±0.051) ( P<0.01), and that the protein expressions of IL-1β (0.705±0.016) and TNF-α (0.840±0.045) in Group A was markedly lower than those in Group B (1.000±0.016, 1.003±0.040) ( P<0.01). The immunofluorescence revealed that the positive expression rates of TGF-β and VEGF in Group A were not significantly different from those in Group B ( P>0.05). However, the positive expression rates of BMP-2 (2.278±0.208) and FGF-2 (4.656±0.106) in Group A were markedly higher than those in Group B (0.315±0.101, 1.661±0.110) ( P<0.05 or 0.01), and the positive expression rates of IL-1β (1.677±0.947) and TNF-α (1.520±0.088) in Group A were greatly lower than those in Group B (4.296±0.291, 2.373±0.273, respectively) ( P<0.01). In Group A, the tendon collagen fibers were arranged regularly and tightly, with relatively significant expression of collagen III; while the tendon collagen fibers in Group B were distributed loosely, accompanying broken scarlike healing. Conclusion:The hUC-MSC-derived exosomes can prompt the repair of the injured tendon tissues, which may be associated with the function in up-regulating the expressions of growth factors including TGF-β, BMP-2, VEGF and FGF-2, enhancing the expression of collagen III and inhibiting the expression of the inflammatory cytokines including IL-1β and TNF-α.

Tuberculous meningitis is the most common and serious type of central nervous system tuberculosis, with high mortality and disability rate, which has attracted extensive attention of global public health. The high mortality rate and disability rate of tuberculosis meningitis may be related to its lack of specific clinical and imaging characteristics, insufficient attention from clinicians, lack of early sensitive and specific diagnostic testing techniques, delay in treatment, and restricted penetration of anti-TB drugs into the blood-brain barrier or/and MDR-TB, etc. This article reviews the disease burden of TBM, chemotherapy drugs and regimens, anti-inflammatory agents, aspirin, interventional and surgical treatment to provide reference for clinical management of this disease.