Systemic insulin resistance has been well known. Recently, an important question has been raised regarding whether islet cells are resistant to insulin (insulin resistance of ?, ? and ? cells) due to the discovery of insulin receptor and its downstream insulin signaling pathways in islet cells. As a new study field of insulin resistance, the elucidation to this issue is crucial for the new insight into the mechanisms of insulin resistance per se and type 2 diabetes.

Objective To observe the regulation of ?-7 neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors(?-7-nAChRs) by nicotine in the ventral tegmental area(VTA),the substantia nigra(SN) and the cortex of the rat. Methods Nicotine exposed animal models were established.The changes of ?-7-nAChRs proteins and mRNA were observed by immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization in VTA,SN and cortex,and the expression of ?-7-nAChRs proteins by Western blotting in PC12 cells. Results The expression of ?-7-nAChRs proteins in cortex and mRNA in VTA and SN were upregulated by nicotine.The expressions of ?-7-nAChRs in PC12 cells were in proportion to and dependent on the time for nicotine to function and the dose.Conclusion Both ?-7-nAChRs mRNA in VTA and SN in transcriptional mechanism and ?-7-nAChRs protein in the cortex at the translation level were upregulated.

BACKGROUND: Ribavirin is easily diluted by lacrimal fluid and has low bioavailability. In situ ophthalmic gel changes from liquid drug to gel phase upon exposure to physiological conditions, resulting in an increase in the precorneal residence time of drugs. OBJECTIVE: To prepare ribavirin in situ ophthalmic gel and valuate its theological feature. DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING: In vitro controlled observation, performed at the Engineering Research Center of Modem Chinese Medicine Discovery and Preparation Technique, Ministry of Education, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine between September and October 2006. MATERIALS: Sodium alginate, Carbopol, and ribavirin. METHODS: Sodium alginate (1% and 2%) and Carbopol (0.3%, 0.6%, and 2%) were combined at different proportions to prepare in sire ophthalmic gel, then in which ribavirin was added. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Viscosity determinations of prepared different concentrations of formulations were determined using a cone and plate viscometer. RESULTS: Ribavirin in situ ophthalmic gel prepared with 1% sodium alginate and 0.6% Carbopol had the largest viscosity. The viscosity change was not influenced by the addition of ribavirin. The in situ ophthalmic gel prepared with sodium alginate and Carbopol changed to the gel phase upon exposure to lacrimal fluid. CONCLUSION: 1% sodium alginate and 0.6% Carbopol produced the best rheological feature and could prolonge the precorneal residence time of drug than that of conventional ophthalmic solution.

Objective To evaluate the effect of adenosine triphosphate postconditioning on myocardial ischemia reperfusion injury in rabbits by ultrasound speckle tracking imaging(STI).Methods Forty-two healthy rabbits were randomly divided into three groups averagely:ischemia-reperfusion (IR ) group, ischemia postconditioning(IPost)group,ATP-pharmacological postconditioning(PPost)group.The model of myocardial ischemia reperfusion was established.Echocardiography examinations were conducted before the coronary artery ligatured,after 45 min later and at the end of reperfusion.Pathological examinations were applied to detect the change of which two rabbits randomly selected from each group after the coronary artery ligatured 45 minutes later and the rests after reperfusion of 120 min.Results ①Ischemic and infarct changes could find in the six rabbits which were sacrificed after the coronary artery ligatured 45 minutes later.The same changes also could be found in the three groups after reperfusion,and the damage in IR group was the most significant.②After block of coronary artery,left ventricular ej ection fraction(LVEF) decreased in all groups (P <0.05)and STI index decreased in all groups (P <0.01).③After reperfusion of 1 20 min later,global longitudinal systolic strain rate (GLSrsys ),global longitudinal systolic strain (GLSsys)increased in IPost group and GLSrsys increased in ATP-PPost group,and longitudinal systolic strain rate(SrLsys),longitudinal diastolic strain rate(SrLd),longitudinal systolic strain(SLsys)increased both in IPost group and ATP-PPost group(P <0.05 or P <0.01).Compared in groups,GLSsys,SrLsys, SLsys in IPost group and ATP-PPost group all higher than those in IR group (P <0.05).Conclusions STI can evaluate exactly the global and regional myocardial function of rabbit myocardial infarct-reperfusion model and local index is better than overall index.STI can also detect correctly the protect effects on myocardial reperfusion inj ury of ATP.

Objective To investigate the effect of vascular tortuosity and bending radius on the new type knitting stents (LVIS stent ) releasing on the cavernous sinus segment of internal carotid artery. Methods From December 2015 to January 2016,31 consecutive patients with wide-neckedaneurysm treated with LVIS stents and the proximal end of the stent released in the cavernous segment at the Department of Neurosurgery,Changhai Hospital,the Second Military Medical University were enrolled. According to whether the stents completely adhered to the walls or not after the first release,they were divided into two groups:a satisfactorily release group (n =23 )or an unsatisfactorily release group (n =8 ). The differences of vascular tortuosity and bending radius of the 2 groups were compared.Results Thevascular tortuosities of the satisfactorily release group and the unsatisfactorily release group were 118° ± 23° and 147° ± 19° respectively. There was significant difference (P=0. 028). The vascular bending radii were 3. 4 ± 0. 7 mm and 2. 8 ± 0. 7 mm respectively. There was significant difference (P=0. 042). The mean vascular tortuosity was larger and the mean vascular bending radius was smaller in the unsatisfactorily release group. Conclusions The greater the vascular tortuosity,the smaller the vascular bending radius may be connected with the unsatisfactorily release in the LVIS stent. The evaluation of vascular tortuosity is conductive to the guidance of the stent release technique before stent implantation.

Objective To discuss the application value of shear wave elastography (SWE) and superb microvascular imaging (SMI) in pathological grading of breast invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC).MethodsSixty patients with breast tumor were selected,which were totally 64 lesions.Before operation,SWE and SMI pattern were started to detect the lesions.And images in SWE and SMI pattern were saved.All lesions were proved to be IDC and pathological gradings were got according to the pathological result.The mean of Young′s modulus(AveT1) and maximum of Young′s modulus(AveT2) were recorded in SWE pattern,and degree of blood was recorded in SMI pattern followed Adler′s grading standard.Then differences of AveT1,AveT2 and degree of blood in different pathological grading of invasive ductal carcinoma were evaluated.Results ①In pathological grading 1 group,the average of AveT1 was (62.1±10.4)kPa,and the average of AveT2 was (93.0±20.1)kPa.In pathological grading 2 group,the average of AveT1 was (79.8±8.6)kPa,and the average of AveT2 was (120.6±18.7)kPa.In pathological grading 3 group,the average of AveT1 was (92.6±12.1)kPa,and the average of AveT2 was (137.3±21.5)kPa.The AveT1 and AveT2 were gradually growing with higher pathological grading of breast invasive ductal carcinoma,which were statistically significant (P<0.05).②In pathological grading 1 group,there were 7 cases in the degree of blood 0-Ⅰ and 14 in the degree of blood Ⅱ-Ⅲ.In pathological grading 2 group,there were 3 cases in the degree of blood 0-Ⅰ and 18 cases in the degree of blood Ⅱ-Ⅲ.In pathological grading 3 group,there were only 1 case in the degree of blood 0-Ⅰ and 21 cases in the degree of blood Ⅱ-Ⅲ.There were more lesions of rich blood with higher pathological grading of breast invasive ductal carcinoma,which was statistically significant (P<0.05).Conclusions There are differences of elastography and degree of blood in different pathological grading of breast invasive ductal carcinoma,SWE and SMI can prompt pathological grading and provide important clinical reference value.

Objective To investigate the value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in evaluation of the protective effect of edaravone injection in rabbit skeletal muscle ischemia-reperfusion injury.Methods Thirty healthy New Zealand white rabbits were established a model of skeletal muscle ischemia-reperfusion injury in left hind limb and randomly divided into the experimental group and control group.Edaravone was injected with the dose of 1.5 mg/kg at the time of 30 minutes before reperfusion in the experimental group,the control group were given an equal volume of physiological saline.Blood samples were collected respectively at the times of pre-ischemia,post-ischemia and 24 hours after reperfusion for detecting creatine kinase(CK),lactic dehydrogenase(LDH),and CEUS parameters such as peak intensity(PI),time to peak (TTP) and area under the curve(AUC) were measured at the same time.Pathological examination was carried out after the rabbits were sacrificed.Results ①Serological tests:compared to before the blocking of blood supply,the content of CK and LDH after the blocking were significantly increased (P ＜ 0.01);compared to before or after the blocking,the content of CK and LDH at the time of 24 hours after reperfusion in the two groups were increased,and was lower in the experimental group than the control group.(②CEUS:compared to before the blocking,PI,TTP and AUC in each group were significantly increased after the blocking and at the time of 24 hours after reperfusion(P ＜0.01);compared to those in the control group,PI and AUC in the experimental group were decreased at the time of 24 hours after reperfusion,but there was no significant difference in TTP(P ＞0.05).③Correlation analysis:there was a good correlation between PI,AUC and CK,LDH (r =0.87,0.81,0.86,and 0.80,respectively).④Pathological analysis:muscle fibers were swelling with no stripes,partial fractures and interstitial edema and a large amount of inflammatory cells were infiltrated in the control group,while muscle fibers were almost normal with a small amount of inflammatory cells infiltrated in the experimental group.Conclusions Edaravone injection before reperfusion can obviously improve rabbit skeletal muscle ischemia-reperfusion injury,and CEUS can be used to observe these changes directly and effectively.

Objective To explore the application value of quantitative analysis of tissue diffusion by ultrasound elastography in evaluating the evolution of achilles tendinopathy and indirectly reflecting the feature of tendon biomechanics.Methods Rabbits underwent 0.1 ml (group M) or 0.3 ml (group S)collagenase or 0.2 ml saline (group C) injection.The percentage of area displaying blue (％AREA) in the area of interest was measured by the diffusion quantitative technique of ultrasound elastography at baseline and 1,3,7 and 14 days after model.The achilles tendon was obtained for pathological examination to observe the changes of collagen fibers and tested to measure the maximum tensile load by the universal testing machine.Results (1) The ％AREAs in group M and S at 1,3,7 and 14 days after model were smaller than those in group C (P ＜0.05),and reached its lowest value at 3 days after model.％ AREA in groupSwas significant lower than that in group M at 3 or 7 days after model (P ＜0.05).(2) The maximum tensile loads in group M at 1,3 and 7 days after model were smaller than those in group C (P ＜0.05),but there was no significant difference between group M and C at 14 days after model (P ＞0.05).The maximum tensile load in group S was significant lower than those in group M and C after model (P ＜0.05),and arrived its lowest point at 3 days after model.(3) The ％AREA was positively associated with the maximum tensile load of achilles tendon (r =0.87,P ＜0.001).Conclusions Ultrasound elastography can dynamically monitor the evolution of achilles tendinopathy and reflect the biomechanical state of achilles tendon.

AIM: To verify and localize the expression of nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT) in pancreas of streptozotocin(STZ)-induced diabetic monkeys and understand its important role in ?-cell destruction in the pathogenesis of diabetes. METHODS: Through an olig-microarray gene chip, NNMT was identified as the most obviously up-regulated genes in pancreas of STZ-induced diabetic monkeys versus controls. Semiquantitative RT-PCR and Western blotting were performed to verify the differential expression at mRNA and protein level respectively. Then the cellular localization of NNMT expression within pancreas was identified by immunohistochemical(IHC) staining.RESULTS: An obvious high expression of NNMT at both mRNA and protein levels was shown in pancreas of STZ-induced diabetic monkeys compared to that of controls. Further localization of the protein by IHC staining in pancreas specimens showed that its altered expression was restricted to central islets, most of which were ? cells.CONCLUSION: Expression of NNMT is increased in islets of STZ- induced diabetic monkeys, which infers that NNMT might participate in the process of ? cell damage in diabetes probably through the mechanism of energy metabolism disturbance.

BACKGROUND: Nanotechnology has widely used in tissue engineered reconstruction in recent years. Most reports are concerning carbon nanomaterials in bone reparation, but the study of peripheral nerve regeneration is poorly understood.OBJECTIVE: To improve the physical, chemical and biological properties of chitosan/collagen composite nerve conduit with functionalized carbon nanotubes, in addition, to investigate the therapeutic effect of this novel material.DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING: The same body controlled experiment of animals was performed at the Tissue Engineering Laboratory and The Key Laboratory of Thin Film and Microfabrication Technology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University from February 2005 to November 2006.MATERIALS: The carbon nanotubes were mixed with 2% chitosan solution, coated on the die to prepare chitosan/collagen composite nerve conduit with functionalized carbon nanotubes. The chitosan/collagen tubes were served as controls.METHODS: A total of 80 male adult-rats were prepared a 4 mm accessory nerve defects models, and repaired by nerve conduit in the experimental material and control material groups. In the auto nerve grafts group, the removed nerve was connected to the broken end. In the blank control group, there was no other treatment except removing 2 mm nerves. The left sides were served as experimental sides and the right sides as within-subject controls.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The repairing outcomes were measured by electrophysiological, myophysiological, and histological measurements.RESULTS: The accessory nerve defects were repaired in a rat model using carbon nanotubes in chitosan/collagen-based composite nerve conduit. As time passed after the surgery, good results of the electrophysiological, myophysiological and histological measurements were achieved, which were similar or superior to those of the nerve autografts.CONCLUSION: The carbon nanotubes in chitosan/collagen-based composite can be an ideal candidate for peripheral nerve regeneration.