Role of knee ligaments in proprioception and regulation of muscle stiffness

Physiologic evidence for the sensory role of the knee joint ligaments are reviewed. The cruciate and collateral ligaments accomodate morphologically different sensory nerve endings with different capabilities of providing the central nervous system (CNS) with information not only about noxious and chemical stimuli but also about mechanical events, e.g., movement- and position-related stretches of the ligaments. Available data show that low-threshold joint/ligament receptor (i.e., mechanoreceptor) afferents evoke only weak and rare effects in skeletomotor neurons (α-motoneurons), whereas they frequently and powerfully influence fusimotor neurons (γ-motoneurons). The effects on the γ-muscle-spindle system in the muscles around the knee are so potent that even stretches of the cruciate ligaments at relatively moderate loads (not noxious) may induce major changes in responses of the muscle spindle afferents. As the activity in the primary muscle spindle afferents modifies stiffness in the muscles, the cruciate ligament receptors may, through the γ-muscle-spindle system, participate in regulation and preparatory adjustment of the stiffness of the muscles around the knee joint and thereby of knee joint stiffness. Thus, the sensory system of the cruciate ligaments is able to contribute significantly to the functional stability of the knee joint. The possible role of (ligamentous) joint receptors in genesis and spread of muscular tension in occupational muscle pain and in chronic musculoskeletal pain syndromes is also discussed.     

Effects of growth hormone-releasing hormone on somatotrophs in anterior pituitary gland allografts in hypophysectomized,orchidectomized hamsters

Summary We investigated the influences of growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) on the percentage, size, and shape of somatotrophs in ectopic anterior pituitary tissue. Entire pituitary glands removed from 7-week-old male hamsters were placed beneath the renal capsules of 12-week-old hamsters that had been hypophysectomized and castrated 3 weeks previously. Beginning 6 days after each host had received a single allograft, each was injected subcutaneously twice daily with 4 g GHRH in 100 l of vehicle or 100 l of vehicle for 16 days. Six hosts in each group were killed by decapitation on day 17, 16 h after the last injection. Nine normal male hamsters were also decapitated and their pituitary glands were removed. Sections of anterior pituitary tissue were stained for GH and with hematoxylin. The percentage of anterior pituitary cells that stained for growth hormone was similar in the 3 groups. In contrast, somatotrophs in grafts had a smaller mean cross-sectional area than those observed in glands in situ. This effect was reversed by GHRH. Analysis of the shape of somatotrophs in both groups of grafts disclosed that they were less circular in cross-section than those in glands in situ. The results suggest that GHRH may not play a role in maintaining the percentage of somatotrophs among anterior pituitary cells, but that it does play a role in maintaining their size.     

Selenium in the anterior pituitary of the rat after a single injection of75Se sodium selenite

In order to investigate the selenite metabolism in the anterior pituitary and compare it with other endocrine organs, rats were injected intraperitoneally with⁷⁵Se sodium selenite (5 mg/kg). The rats were whole body counted shortly after injection and recounted just before sacrifice, which was performed 2, 24, 48 h, and 4, 10, 20, 30, 40, 60, and 80 d after injection. Besides the anterior pituitary, the selenium content was also estimated in the thyroid gland, testis, adrenals, liver, kidney, and blood. The maximum selenium content was observed in all organs 2 h after injection, at which time the anterior pituitary contained 2.9 μg/g wet wt, compared to 13.5 μ/g wet wt in liver and .6 μg/mg wet wt in testis. The excretion of selenite from the anterior pituitary resembled that seen in most other organs investigated, i.e., an initial rapid excretion and a slower secondary phase resembling a first order reaction. Practically all selenium was excreted by 60 d after injection.     

The concentration of twelve elements in the anterior pituitary from human subjects and rats as measured by particle induced X-ray emission (PIXE)

The concentration of twelve elements—potassium, calcium, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc, arsenic, selenium, bromine, and rubidium—in anterior pituitaries from human subjects and rats was measured using Particle Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE). The human material included anterior pituitaries from 37 normal human subjects, 27 males and 10 females, all of whom died from traumatic lesions. Excluded from the investigations were persons with alcohol abuse, regular use of drugs, and babies younger than 1 year. For selenium, zinc, bromine, and to some extent copper, there was good correlation between the amounts found in anterior pituitaries from rats and human subjects. A significant difference between male and female rat pituitaries was observed for copper, iron, and rubidium, whereas for humans significant difference was only observed for manganese. Anterior pituitaries from human females contained generally more zinc than male glands, but the concentration of zinc in young males was higher than in females. The present study also indicates age related differences in the copper content in anterior pituitaries from human subjects, since pituitaries from humans between 15–45 years contained 25% more copper than those from younger or older persons. The opposite pattern was observed in males. For such elements as Cu, Fe, Mn, and Se, the content in the anterior pituitary from human subjects was 1.6–2 times that stated for other endocrine organs.     

一种游仆虫棘毛基部纤维的形态及其在形态发生过程中的演化

游仆虫皮层棘毛基部纤维包括纵纤维、前纵纤维和放射纤维:额腹棘毛基部后纵纤维一般长而粗大,前纵纤维次之,放射纤维较细小;横棘毛基部前纵纤维几乎纵贯额腹横棘毛区皮层,而放射纤维较为细小;尾棘毛基部仅与一类更为细小的放射纤维相联系。不同额腹棘毛基部的同种纤维大小、形态不尽一致,各种纤维由棘毛基部区向皮层细胞质多个方向伸展,表现出极性和不对称性。并且额腹横棘毛基部纤维相互交联在一起,导致这一皮层区域形成强大的棘毛基部纤维网络。 游仆虫形态发生中,横棘毛原基向皮层裂口上方伸出一束粗大的纤毛芽时,先后发生模棘毛原基前纵纤维芽、额腹棘毛原基后纵纤维芽,以及这些棘毛原基放射纤维芽。纤维芽的发育顺序是从左列棘毛原基开始,到右侧的棘毛原基。这种纤维物质生长的顺序性,与新棘毛原基的发生和分化是相一致的。并且额腹棘毛基部后纵纤维和横棘毛基部前纵纤维形成中显示出极性和方向性,纤维物质生长伸长的方向与相应的新棘毛迁移方向相反。 老棘毛基部纤维在游仆虫形态发生过程中必然要退化。我们推测,其瓦解过程与细胞分化中老棘毛逐渐失去功能是有联系的。     

Analysis of three-dimensional knee kinematics during stair descent two decades post-ACL rupture – Data revisited using statistical parametric mapping

Changes in movement patterns following knee injuries have generally used analyses of pre-defined discrete event-related variables, whereas Statistical Parametric Mapping (SPM) assesses continuous data over time. We applied SPM to test differences for knee trajectories during stair descent between participants with past anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture who underwent reconstruction or only physical therapy compared to healthy controls. Three-dimensional knee joint kinematics during stair descent were registered for 31 subjects with ACL reconstruction (ACL_R), 36 subjects with ACL rupture managed with physical therapy only (ACL_PT) (∼23 years post-injury), and 32 uninjured controls. SPM was used to assess differences between groups for the entire three-component knee trajectory. A significant difference between the three groups was found for the first ∼10% of stance phase. Post-hoc analyses showed between-group differences when comparing the ACL_PT to the control groups. Analyses of ACL_PT versus control groups for individual vector components suggested a combination of less flexion at initial foot contact, and less adduction during weight acceptance (∼40% of stance). Altered knee kinematics were confirmed during weight acceptance of stair descent for the ACL_PT group compared to controls, but not for ACL_R group. Further exploration of the use of SPM and agreement with clinical gait assessment is warranted.     

心脏血管三角的应用解剖学研究

目的:探讨心脏血管三角的形态学特点,为心脏手术提供形态学资料。方法:取正常成人心脏60例,10%甲醛溶液固定;取新鲜成人心脏10例,制作出心脏的血管铸型标本。定点解剖显示左冠状动脉及其分支的形态、位置、数目、直径及角度,心大静脉的形态、位置,进行观测。比较前室间支、左旋支与心大静脉围成的三角的特点。结果:左冠状动脉起始处与终末处的外径分别为4．18±1．36mm、4．79±1．53mm,主干长度8．99±1．26mm;左旋支、前室间支起始处的外径分别为3．30±1．02mm、3．31±1．03mm;左冠状动脉分别与前室间支、左旋支形成的夹角为173°±5．3°,117°±4．6°。对角支起于心血管三角的上角,有1-3支不等,其起始处的外径为1．78±0．32mm,长度为20．12±0．42mm。心大静脉与前室间动脉、左旋支呈深、浅相交,静脉行于动脉表面占56%、静脉行于动脉深面占44%。心大静脉、前室间支、左旋支两两相交形成心血管三角的三角与三边,其夹角分别为41．97°±11．9°, 65．05°±14．5°,70．17°±16．5°,前室间支的起始处与心大静脉相交处的距离23．04±5．36mm,旋支的起始处与心大静脉相交处的距离15．24±4．23mm,心大静脉横跨前室间支与左旋支的距离为26．28±6．31mm。结论:前室间支、左旋支与心大静脉在左心室前上部围成一闭合、开放、半闭合半开放、山峰四型血管三角。三血管以不同的角度两两相交,三角形的形状可分为A、B、C类。三角形内有数目不等的对角支及左心室前支,对角支分为Ⅰ、Ⅱ、Ⅲ型。左冠状动脉介入治疗,心二尖瓣,主动脉瓣置换应充分考虑心血管三角的形态特点,尽可能避免血管的损伤。     

双源CT测量前交叉韧带单束重建术后隧道位置的临床研究

目的:应用双源CT(Dual-source computer tomography,DSCT)测量前交叉韧带(Anterior cruciate ligament,ACL)单束重建术后胫骨、股骨隧道位置,并对隧道位置进行评价。方法:对2013年1月至2014年6月我科收治的92例(男64例,女28例,平均年龄31.2岁)ACL单束重建患者术后膝关节进行双源CT三维重建,应用Adobe Photoshop CS6软件圈画隧道中心并采用Lorenz法测量胫骨隧道中心点相对位置百分比(Tx,Ty),采用Bernard四格表法测量股骨隧道中心点相对位置百分比(Fx,Fy)。结果:Tx平均为(54.54±3.42)%,Ty平均为(39.58±6.72)%,Fx平均为(28.98±6.51)%,Fy平均为(28.04±8.70)%。男、女性及左、右膝之间Tx、Ty、Fx、Fy的差异均无统计学意义(P0.05)。结论:双源CT能够清晰,三维显示ACL术后隧道,可以用来评估隧道位置,为改进前交叉韧带损伤后的手术方式及个体化解剖重建提供帮助。     

前交叉韧带方位角变化的解剖学测量研究

目的:探讨前交叉韧带(anterior cruciate ligament,ACL)在膝关节不同屈曲角度时的方位角变化,为ACL损伤诊断和重建研究提供解剖学支持。方法:成人膝关节标本10具,解剖观察ACL形态,用Photoshop软件测量膝关节不同屈曲角度下ACL方位角变化。结果:0°、30°位膝关节中ACL胫骨角大于ACL股骨角,有显著性差异(P0.01);60°、90°位膝关节中的ACL胫骨角小于股骨角,有显著性差异(P0.01)。膝关节0°、30°、60°、90°ACL胫骨角由大渐小,各角度间均有显著性差异(均P0.01)。膝关节0°和30°的ACL股骨角比60°和90°时小,有显著性差异(均P0.01),0°与30°间无显著性差异(P0.05),60°小于90°,有显著性差异(P0.01)。结论:ACL于膝关节0°和30°位时,后外侧束(posterolateral bundle,PLB)发挥主要作用,ACL诊断或重建主要参考胫骨角;60°、90°时ACL前内侧束(anteromedial bundle,AMB)发挥主要作用,ACL诊断或重建主要参考股骨角。ACL方位角可作为ACL损伤诊断和手术重建的重要参考。     

Mutations in laminin alpha 1 result in complex, lens-independent ocular phenotypes in zebrafish

We report phenotypic and genetic analyses of a recessive, larval lethal zebrafish mutant, bal(a69), characterized by severe eye defects and shortened body axis. The bal(a69) mutation was mapped to chromosome 24 near the laminin alpha 1 (lama1) gene. We analyzed the lama1 gene sequence within bal(a69) embryos and two allelic mutants, bal(arl) and bal(uw1). Missense (bal(a69)), nonsense (bal(arl)), and frameshift (bal(uw1)) alterations in lama1 were found to underlie the phenotypes. Extended analysis of bal(a69) ocular features revealed disrupted lens development with subsequent lens degeneration, focal cornea dysplasia, and hyaloid vasculature defects. Within the neural retina, the ganglion cells showed axonal projection defects and ectopic photoreceptor cells were noted at inner retinal locations. To address whether ocular anomalies were secondary to defects in lens differentiation, bal(a69) mutants were compared to embryos in which the lens vesicle was surgically removed. Our analysis suggests that many of the anterior and posterior ocular defects in bal(a69) are independent of the lens degeneration. Analysis of components of focal adhesion signaling complexes suggests that reduced focal adhesion kinase activation underlies the anterior segment dysgenesis in lama1 mutants. To assess adult ocular phenotypes associated with lama1 mutations, genetic mosaics were generated by transplanting labeled bal cells into ocular-fated regions of wild-type blastulas. Adult chimeric eyes displayed a range of defects including anterior segment dysgenesis and cataracts. Our analysis provides mechanistic insights into the developmental defects and ocular pathogenesis caused by mutations in laminin subunits.