Objective:To anatomically and phenotypically characterize the insular cortex(IC)-nucleus tractus soli-tarii(NTS)neural pathway.Methods:Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into three experimental cohorts for neural circuit tracing.Anterograde labeling was achieved by injecting anterograde self-complementary adeno-associated viruses(scAAVs)into the IC.Retrograde tracing involved NTS injections of either retrograde scAAVs or FluoroGold(FG),combined with immunofluorescence histochemical staining to identify IC-originating projection neurons.For postsynaptic neurochemical phenotype characterization,IC was injected with AAV2/1-CaMKII-Cre,while a mixture of AAV2/9-Syn-DIO-mCherry and AAV2/9-VGAT1-EGFP was injected into the NTS.The rats were allowed to survive for one week following scAAVs or FG injection or four weeks after recombinase-dependent systems injection.Then the rats were sacrificed,and serial brain sections were prepared for immunofluorescence histochemical staining(brain section containing FG)and subsequent fluorescence/confocal microscopic analysis.Results:(1)Anterograde viral tracing re-vealed dense axonal terminals from the IC projecting to the medial subnucleus of the NTS,while retrograde tracing re-vealed that IC neurons projecting to the NTS were predominantly localized within the dysgranular layer;(2)IC-NTS projection neurons were exclusive glutamatergic(100%,n=3);(3)NTS neurons receiving IC inputs were mainly lo-calized in the medial subnucleus,and were predominantly GABAergic(79.8±3.2%,n=3).Conclusion:The pres-ent results indicate that a descending pathway from excitatory neurons of the IC terminates onto inhibitory neurons of the NTS,which might represent a potential neuromodulatory target for visceral pain disorders.

Objective:To anatomically and phenotypically characterize the insular cortex(IC)-nucleus tractus soli-tarii(NTS)neural pathway.Methods:Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into three experimental cohorts for neural circuit tracing.Anterograde labeling was achieved by injecting anterograde self-complementary adeno-associated viruses(scAAVs)into the IC.Retrograde tracing involved NTS injections of either retrograde scAAVs or FluoroGold(FG),combined with immunofluorescence histochemical staining to identify IC-originating projection neurons.For postsynaptic neurochemical phenotype characterization,IC was injected with AAV2/1-CaMKII-Cre,while a mixture of AAV2/9-Syn-DIO-mCherry and AAV2/9-VGAT1-EGFP was injected into the NTS.The rats were allowed to survive for one week following scAAVs or FG injection or four weeks after recombinase-dependent systems injection.Then the rats were sacrificed,and serial brain sections were prepared for immunofluorescence histochemical staining(brain section containing FG)and subsequent fluorescence/confocal microscopic analysis.Results:(1)Anterograde viral tracing re-vealed dense axonal terminals from the IC projecting to the medial subnucleus of the NTS,while retrograde tracing re-vealed that IC neurons projecting to the NTS were predominantly localized within the dysgranular layer;(2)IC-NTS projection neurons were exclusive glutamatergic(100%,n=3);(3)NTS neurons receiving IC inputs were mainly lo-calized in the medial subnucleus,and were predominantly GABAergic(79.8±3.2%,n=3).Conclusion:The pres-ent results indicate that a descending pathway from excitatory neurons of the IC terminates onto inhibitory neurons of the NTS,which might represent a potential neuromodulatory target for visceral pain disorders.

Objective To study the role of extra-anatomic arterial bypass grafting in the management of aorta-iliac occlusive disease. Methods Forty-one cases of aorta-iliac occlusive disease managed by extra-anatomic arterial bypass grafting were retrospectively analyzed. Clinical features included claudicafion 11, resting pain 12 and ulcer/gangrene 18 patients. Axillofemoral bypass was performed in 15 cases with aortic and bilateral iliac artery occlusion, femorofemoral bypass in 18 cases with unilateral iliac occlusion and femoro-cnntralateral popliteal bypass in 8 cases with iliac and ipsilateral femoral artery occlusion. Results Postoperatively, clinical features were reheved in 40 cases (97.6%). Ankle brachial index increased significandy from 0.41 ± 0.15 to 0.89 ± 0.21 perioperatively (P < 0.05 ).Thirty-five cases were followed up for 1 year to 5 years. The overall graft patency rates in this series were 93%, 86% and 80% in 1, 3 and 5 years, respectively. Conclusion Extra-anatomic arterial bypass has merits as less invasive and rapid postoperative recovery, and this is one of the effective methods for the treatment of aorta-iliac occlusive disease.

Objective To explore the scan technique and image quality of coronary artery imaging with dual-source CT without oral Betaloc preparation.Methods Plain and enhanced dual-source CT coronary artery imaging without oral Betaloc preparation was performed in 215 patients with clinically suspected coronary heart disease or early-stage coronary lesions.Calcium scoring with plain scan images and multi-planar reconstruction(MPR),maximum intensity projection(MIP)and volume rendering technique (VRT)reconstruction with enhanced scan images were made in all cases.The scan technique and post reconstruction experience was summarized.The image quality was classified as three grades,and coronary segments classified according to AHA standards were evaluated.Results The median of calcium score of the 215 cases was 82.2(2.3—1827.9).The average heart rate of the enhanced scan was(80.6?15.3) (57—139)bpm.The post reconstruction methods with which coronary segments could be shown as best as possible consisted of(1)multiphases screening methods,(2)bi-phase or multiple-phase complement method,and(3)premature beat removing or arrhythmia shifting method.Altogether 3026 coronary segments were evaluated,among them 97.5% were evaluated as grade 1 image quality,2.0% were evaluated as grade 2 and 0.5% were evaluated as grade 3.The coronary segments in 91 cases were completely normal, while 112 segments with