Genetic variability in proteoglycan biosynthetic genes reveals new facets of heparan sulfate diversity.

Heparan sulfate (HS) and chondroitin sulfate (CS) proteoglycans (PG) consist of a core protein to which the glycosaminoglycan (GAG) chains, HS or CS, are attached through a common linker tetrasaccharide. In the extracellular space, they are involved in the regulation of cell communication, assuring development and homeostasis. The HSPG biosynthetic pathway has documented 51 genes, with many diseases associated to defects in some of them.

Disparities in wheelchair procurement by payer among people with spinal cord injury.

Objective: To identify insurance provider-related disparities in the receipt of lightweight, customizable manual wheelchairs or power wheelchairs with programmable controls among community-dwelling people with spinal cord injury (SCI).

Setting: Six Spinal Cord Injury Model System centers.

Design: A multicenter cross-sectional study.

Asymmetric lower-limb bone loss after spinal cord injury: case report.

Osteoporosis is a significant secondary condition that occurs acutely after spinal cord injury (SCI). This article reports on a patient with motor incomplete SCI and asymmetric lower-limb bone loss as it correlates with lower-limb motor function and gait characteristics. A 32-year-old Caucasian male completed a comprehensive inpatient rehabilitation program, including 3 months of robotic body-weight-supported treadmill training three times a week.

The association of race, cultural factors, and health-related quality of life in persons with spinal cord injury.

Objective: To examine the association of race and cultural factors with quality-of-life factors (participation, life satisfaction, perceived health status) in people with spinal cord injury (SCI).

Design: Cross-sectional multisite study using structured questionnaires.

Setting: Six National SCI Model Systems centers.

Intensive electrical stimulation attenuates femoral bone loss in acute spinal cord injury.

Objective: To determine whether intensive electrical stimulation (ES) can reduce femoral bone mineral density (BMD) loss in acute spinal cord injury (SCI).

Design: Randomized controlled trial.

Setting: Inpatient rehabilitation hospital.

Automating activity-based interventions: the role of robotics.

We have seen a continued growth of robotic devices being tested in neurorehabilitation settings over the last decade, with the primary goal to improve upper- and lower-motor function in individuals following stroke, spinal cord injury, and other neurological conditions. Interestingly, few studies have investigated the use of these devices in improving the overall health and well-being of these individuals despite the capability of robotic devices to deliver intensive time-unlimited therapy. In this article, we discuss the use of robotic devices in delivering intense, activity-based therapies that may have significant exercise benefits.

The recognition sites of the integrins alpha1beta1 and alpha2beta1 within collagen IV are protected against gelatinase A attack in the native protein.

The susceptibility of three different solubilized forms of type IV collagen to gelatinase A cleavage and the concomitant effects on cell and integrin binding have been assessed. Dithiothreitol-solubilized Engelbreth-Holm Swarm (EHS) type IV collagen with disrupted intramolecular disulfide bonds in the CB3[IV] region was cleaved N-terminally to the CB3[IV] region into the two characteristic 100-300-nm fragments at 30 degrees C and was totally degraded at 37 degrees C. This was reflected in the partial or total loss of the alpha1beta1 and alpha2beta1 integrin binding sites within this region.

[Changes of urinary hydroxylysylpyridinoline in patients with rheumatic diseases and after operation of prostheses of the hip joint.].

Urinary hydroxylysylpyridinoline (MHP), an indicator of the catabolism of cartilage and bone was assessed in patients with various rheumatic diseases - rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and ankylosing spopndylitis (AS). It was also assessed in patients with coxarthrosis (OA) and AS who had an endopro-thesis of the hip joint and in patients with OA who had a re-operation of a loosened total endoprothesis of the hip joint. A group of healthy subjects served as controls.

The use of protein as a carrier of methotrexate for experimental cancer chemotherapy. V. Alternative method for preparation of serum albumin-methotrexate derivative.

An alternative method for the preparation of human serum albumin-methotrexate derivative (HSA-MTX) using N-hydroxysuccinimide ester of methotrexate (MTX) was compared with that using the water-soluble carbodiimide (WSC) assistance. The prepared derivative was tested to find the advantages and drawbacks of this method. The N-hydroxysuccinimide ester method is more laborious than that using WSC but some reasons speak in favor of this method.

Determination of radiolabelled proline and hydroxyproline in collagen hydrolysates by high-performance liquid chromatography with on-line radiometric detection.

Radiolabelled proline and hydroxyproline were separated on a C8 column (10 cm X 4.6 mm I.D.

Separation of type IX collagen from other cartilage collagens by hydrophobic interaction chromatography.

Collagen type IX was separated from other cartilage collagens (types II and XI) by hydrophobic interaction chromatography on a 25 cm X 8 mm I.D. stainless-steel column packed with Separon HEMA 1000 Bio.