Evidence for motility and pinocytosis in ramified microglia in tissue culture

Ramified microglial cells were investigated in primary cultures of dissociated cerebral cortical tissue from rats. The identification of these cells was confirmed through immunohistochemical staining with 7 monoclonal antibodies selective for microglia. While there was significant variation in staining intensity with different antibodies, all stained the identified ramified cells; the antibodies OX-42 and ED1 yielded the most intense immunoreactivity. Based on distinctive morphological features, the microglia could be identified in living cultures where they were monitored using time-lapse video recording. This technique revealed extremely dynamic features of cellular plasticity and motility. Ramified microglia exhibited constant and rapid alterations in the size and shape of their cell body with an associated extension and retraction of processes; concomitantly, the cells moved about in a circumscribed area. These features of plasticity and motility were unique to this cell type, and correlated with OX-42 immunostaining. The microglia also possessed a differentially high level of pinocytotic activity; this too was correlated with OX-42 staining. From the nature of their morphological plasticity and motility, high pinocytosis, and cellular distribution, it is hypothesized that the ramified microglia specifically function as a system of fluid cleansing in normal brain tissue.     

Mesh fixation with human fibrin glue (Tissucol) in open tension-free inguinal hernia repair: a preliminary report

Background: The Lichtenstein technique for inguinal hernia repair is easy to learn and associated with few complications. However, recent studies have suggested that this technique is inferior to some ‘sutureless’ repair systems in terms of perceived difficulty, operating time, surgeon satisfaction, etc. Methods: We employed a sutureless Lichtenstein technique in 80 consecutive patients with primary unilateral inguinal hernia, to assess patient and trainee surgeon outcomes. Human fibrin glue was used in place of conventional sutures. Results: The mean operating time was 36 min and all patients were discharged 5–6 h after the operation. On a 100-point visual analogue scale, the surgeons rated the difficulty of the operation as low (mean score, 31), and perceived satisfaction as high (mean score, 84). No complications were observed at 12-month follow-up. Conclusion: This study confirms the efficacy of mesh fixation with human fibrin glue, and supports the viability of a sutureless Lichtenstein procedure.     

神经化组织工程骨构建的初步观察

目的评估两种组织工程骨体内神经化重建方法的成骨效果,研究神经化与成骨的相互关系。方法26只新西兰大白兔,其中24只随机分成四组:组织工程骨组(A组),感觉神经束植入组(B组),运动神经束植入组(C组),血管束植入组(D组);另2只为空白对照组。每只动物均制备左侧股骨长1.5cm的段缺性骨与骨膜缺损,钢板固定后骨缺损处分别植入用四种方法制备的组织工程骨。植入的神经分别是隐神经和股神经肌支。术后4、8、12周摄股骨正位X线片,用放射影像学评分和X线阻射影分析比较骨缺损修复情况。结果在组织工程骨中植入感觉神经束后,比单纯组织工程骨和运动神经束植入的修复效果均有明显提高,而在组织工程骨中植入运动神经束与单纯组织工程骨修复骨缺损的效果相比较无明显差异,感觉神经束植入与血管束植入的成骨效果比较无明显差异,血管束植入组的成骨效果优于其它两组。结论利用感觉神经束植入的方法可以提高组织工程骨的成骨作用,而植入运动神经束却无此作用。     

Composite prostheses for the repair of abdominal wall defects: effect of the structure of the adhesion barrier component

The component of a composite prosthesis, which makes contact with the visceral peritoneum, can be reabsorbable or non-reabsorbable, and laminar or reticular. This study was designed to determine whether the composition of this second, barrier component could improve its behavior at this interface. Abdominal wall defects in rabbits were repaired using a polypropylene prosthesis (PP), or the composites Sepramesh (PP+h) or Vicryl (PP+v). Fourteen days after surgery, the implants were evaluated by light and scanning electron microscopy, and immunohistochemistry. Prosthetic areas occupied by adhesions (PP: 71.08±5.09, PP+h: 18.55±4.96, P+v: 69.69±16.81%), neoperitoneal thickness (PP: 256.17±21.68, PP+h: 83.11±19.63, PP+v:213.72±35.90 μm) and macrophage counts (PP: 8.73±1.16, PP+h: 27.33±4.13, PP+v: 31.24±3.08%) showed significant differences (P<0.05). The tested biomaterials induced an optimal recipient tissue infiltration. Least adhesion formation was observed on the PP+h implants. This suggests that the second component, although reabsorbable, should be smooth in structure.     

肌腱损伤98例早期修复疗效探讨

目的：报告不同类型的肌腱损伤的手术方法和效果，为临床工作提供参考依据。方法：2002年2月-2005年12月对98例不同类型的肌腱损伤进行显徼手术修复，平均随访17.5个月（6～24个月），根据术后功能恢复对术后效果进行评定。结果：优：58例（占59.2%）；良：32例（占32．7%）；差6例（占6．1％）；失败：2例（占2%）。优良率：92％。结论：对不同类型的肌腱损伤，早期及时明确诊断正确选择术式修复，正确选择修补材料，术后积极功能锻炼，是治疗成功的关键。     

种子细胞双相接种技术促进组织工程骨体外成熟的研究

目的 比较观察双相接种法和静置接种法构建组织工程骨对种子细胞增殖、分化和成骨表达的影响。方法 取健康志愿者骨髓，密度梯度离心法分离骨髓间充质干细胞并进行体外扩增、诱导分化，然后应用双相接种法和静置接种法与脱钙骨基质（DBM）复合构建组织工程骨，体外培养3周，用倒置显微镜、扫描电镜观察细胞密度、形态及基质分泌情况，并在不同时相点测定组织块中DNA含量、碱性磷酸酶（ALP）活性及钙含量变化。结果 倒置显微镜下双相接种法构建的组织块可见大量具有一定折光性的梭形细胞存在于胶原基质中。扫描电镜见双相接种法构建的组织块切面较平坦，孔隙较小，细胞包埋在胶原中，而静置接种法构建的组织块可见细胞、细胞外基质较少。在体外培养过程中，双相接种法组织块中细胞的DNA含量、ALP活性均高于静置接种法，钙含量在培养2周后高于静置接种法。结论 双相接种法是一种高效的组织工程骨构建方法，有利于提高接种效率和促进组织工程骨的体外成熟。     

Inguinal hernia repair in Hospital Authority hospitals: The role of laparoscopic hernioplasty

Objective: Two major changes have occurred in inguinal hernia repair during the last two decades: (i) the use of tension‐free mesh repair; and (ii) the application of laparoscopic technique for repair. The aims of the present study were to study: (i) how inguinal hernia repair was carried out; and (ii) the outcome of inguinal hernia repair in Hospital Authority (HA) hospitals. Methodology: This was a retrospective analysis on 8311 elective inguinal hernia repairs performed in 16 HA hospitals from January 2001 to December 2003. The mean age was 63.9 ± 14.2 years, and the male to female ratio was 22.0 : 1.0. Among these, 869 (10.5%) repairs were performed with the laparoscopic approach and 7442 (89.5%) repairs with the open approach. The proportion of laparoscopic hernia repair increased from 8.7% to 12.6%. Results: For open repair, 39% of cases were carried out with regional anaesthesia, 32% with general anaesthesia and 29% with local anaesthesia (LA). Furthermore, mesh repair was used in 88% of the patients. For laparosocpic repair, 98.4% of cases were carried out under general anaesthesia, and all patients had mesh repair using the totally extraperitoneal approach. A significantly higher proportion of bilateral repair and recurrent hernia repair was performed with the laparoscopic approach (P = 0.000). For primary unilateral repair, there was no significant difference in the postoperative length of stay (LOS) and the total LOS between the laparoscopic and the open surgery groups. No difference in LOS was found in recurrent hernia repair between the two groups. With respect to bilateral repair, both the preoperative LOS (P = 0.036) and total LOS (P = 0.039) were shorter in the laparoscopic group. Furthermore, a significantly higher proportion of day‐surgery patients was observed in the laparoscopic group than the open surgery group (21.3%vs 16.9%, P = 0.001). Nevertheless, when only the results of 2003 were analyzed, the postoperative LOS (P = 0.000) and total LOS (P = 0.000) were significantly shorter in the laparoscopic group than the open surgery group. The LOS parameters were significantly shorter in the open surgery LA subgroup compared with the non‐LA subgroup (P = 0.000), and they were not different from those in the laparoscopic group. Conclusions: The open mesh repair is the predominant approach for inguinal hernia repair in HA hospitals. The originally described local anaesthetic approach was under utilized, although it resulted in good outcome. The use of laparoscopic hernia repair is increasing and a learning curve was recently observed with improved outcome.     

Long Fibre Growth by Axons of Embryonic Mouse Hippocampal Neurons Microtransplanted into the Adult Rat Fimbria

We have described a method for the microtransplantation of a suspension of a few thousand cells from mid to late embryonic mouse hippocampi into the fimbria of immunosuppressed adult rat hosts. There was close graft-to-host contact, across a non-scarred interface. The transplanted cells included CA3 type pyramids, and were enclosed within the host myelinated fibre tract, whose glial framework was largely undisturbed. Immunohistochemistry of two species-specific markers (M6 and Thy-1.2) showed that the donor mouse neurons grew fine (<0.5 μm diameter) axons which extended singly or in fascicles through the rat host fimbria for a maximum distance of at least 10 mm. The donor axons were intimately integrated among and closely aligned to the host tract axons and to the interfascicular glial rows of the host tract. The axons travelled (i) laterally through the ipsilateral fimbria, (ii) medially across the midline in the ventral hippocampal commissure to reach the contralateral fimbria and alveus, and (iii) rostro-medially to the septum. On approaching the terminal fields appropriate to hippocampal CA3 pyramidal cell axons, the transplant axons gave rise to fine preterminal branches which were continuous with a reticular or amorphous immunoreactivity in the stratum oriens and stratum pyramidale of the ipsilateral hippocampus, and in the lateral and triangular septal nuclei. The donor axons extended along the host fimbria at a rate of ∼ 1 mm per day, reaching their terminal field destinations by ∼1–2 weeks. At 7 weeks the projections were maintained, but with little further extension. These observations indicate that the microenvironment of myelinated adult fibre tracts is permissive for an abundant and rapid growth of axons from transplanted embryonic cell suspensions. These axons can leave host tracts to invade appropriate terminal fields.     

一次手术法对自制两段式种植体种植效果的实验研究

本实验用自制纯钛两段式种植体,以一次手术法植入到狗的下颌前磨牙区,观察5个月,结果表明,观察期间内牙龈无炎症,种植体稳固,X线片显示种植体周围无透射区,镜下可见种植体表面与牙龈之间形成上皮附着样结构,与骨组织之间大多呈骨性愈合。提示了两段式种植体有两种设计和手术方式可供选择。骨内部分在开放的环境中也可达到骨性愈合。