Tanshinone IIA Alleviates Early Brain Injury after Subarachnoid Hemorrhage in Rats by Inhibiting the Activation of NF-κB/NLRP3 Inflammasome.

The abnormal activation of the nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB)/nod-like receptor family-pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) signaling pathway is closely related to early brain injury after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Targeting the NLRP3-inflammasome has been considered an efficient therapy for the local inflammatory response after SAH. Tanshinone IIA (Tan IIA), a major component extracted from Salvia miltiorrhiza, has been reported to have anti-inflammatory effects. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect and mechanism of Tan IIA on early brain injury after SAH. In vivo SAH injury was established by endovascular perforation technique in Sprague-Dawley rats. Limb-placement test and corner turning test were used to measure the behavior. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick-end labeling (TUNEL) staining, hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) staining, and immunofluorescence were used to evaluate the nerve damage. Real-time RT quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) was used to quantify the levels of inflammatory factors. Western blot was performed for the activation of the NF-κB/NLRP3 pathway. An in vitro SAH model was used to validate the conclusion. We found that the neurobehavioral impairment and cerebral edema in SAH model rats given Tan IIA were alleviated. Further study demonstrated that Tan IIA could inhibit SAH-secondary neuronal apoptosis around hematoma and alleviate brain injury. Tan IIA down-regulated the expression of interleukin-6 (IL)-6, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and inhibited the activation of NF-κB. And the overexpression of pro-inflammatory factors NLRP3, IL-1ß, and IL-18 induced after SAH was also reversed by Tan IIA. In conclusions, Tan IIA could inhibit the NF-κB/NLRP3 inflammasome activation to protect and ameliorate SAH-followed early brain injury, and may be a preventive and therapeutic strategy against SAH.

Right Sinus of Valsalva Aneurysm and Dissection into the Interventricular Septum: A Case Report.

Sinus of Valsalva aneurysm (SVA) is considered to be an uncommon cardiac anomaly, carrying a very high rate of mortality. After treatment, the prognosis is excellent. Thus, it is important to make a timely diagnosis and clarify the anatomical details of the SVA. Here, we report a right SVA with dissection into the interventricular septum, with bulging and incomplete rupture into the left outflow tract. The SVA was evaluated using echocardiography (transoesophageal, transthoracic, and three-dimensional echocardiography) and cardiac computed tomography (CT), especially three-dimensional reconstruction, to help us plan the surgical approach. After surgery, the patient's recovery was favorable.

[Advances in Diagnosis and Treatment of Differentiated Thyroid Cancer in Patients Showing Thyroglobulin Elevative and Iodine Scintigraphy Negative].

Thyroglobulin (Tg) and radioiodine whole body scan (WBS) have been commonly used in follow-up of patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC). Tg is associated with radioiodine uptake in local or distant metastases. In minority of patients, the follow-up scan shows no functioning thyroid tissue, but the serum thyroglobulin is still elevated. Therefore, we review recent developments of diagnosis and treatment of those patients with differentiated thyroid cancer and with thyroglobulin elevation but negative iodine scintigraphy.