Proteoglycans, the molecules of extracellular matrix, carry a highly negative charge due to their glycosaminoglycan (GAG) chains and large volumes. They were considered to play a secondary role in activities like cell division, adhesion, blood coagulation, etc. until the importance of their sugar chains in the fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signalling was discovered (Science 252 (1991) 1705; Ce...

BACKGROUND Relatively few data are available on the association between the use of specific antiretroviral drugs and the rate of viral rebound in those attaining a viral load (VL) <50 copies/mL while receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). METHODS Patients achieving a VL <50 copies/mL for the first time while receiving HAART were followed until viral rebound (2 consecutive VLs...

754 about the hips and by back extension; weight support is biased towards the forelimbs. This mechanism is characteristic of cursorial quadrupeds. It is associated with muscular hip retractors and with forelimbs that are dominated by bone, tendon and highly pennate muscles, which act almost like passive springs and are capable of opposing considerable weight-induced forces. This means that the...

BACKGROUND Flow cytometric analysis of leukemia-associated immunophenotypes and polymerase chain reaction-based amplification of antigen-receptor genes rearrangements are reliable methods for monitoring minimal residual disease. The aim of this study was to compare the performances of these two methodologies in the detection of minimal residual disease in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia....

BACKGROUND In this study we describe (1) the implementation of a novel web-based injury and illness surveillance system (WEB-IISS) for use by a team of physicians at multisport events and (2) the incidence and characteristics of injuries and illness in athletes during the London 2012 Paralympic Games. METHODS Overall, 3565 athletes from 160 of the 164 participating countries were followed dai...

BACKGROUND Ranolazine has been shown to reduce myocardial ischemia and symptom severity among selected patients with chronic angina. However, data regarding the effect of ranolazine on health status/quality of life (QOL) are limited. METHODS AND RESULTS We performed a prospective QOL analysis alongside the Metabolic Efficiency with Ranolazine for Less Ischemia in Non-ST-elevation acute corona...

Background—Ranolazine has been shown to reduce myocardial ischemia and symptom severity among selected patients with chronic angina. However, data regarding the effect of ranolazine on health status/quality of life (QOL) are limited. Methods and Results—We performed a prospective QOL analysis alongside the Metabolic Efficiency with Ranolazine for Less Ischemia in Non–ST-elevation acute coronary...

7th to the 48th postoperative month only a further 4.3% of the amputee population was re-amputated. It seems most probable that, by far, the majority of ipsilateral reamputations were due to postoperative complications that could not be controlled by conservative means. The greatest risk of death was encountered within 3 months following amputation, whereas the mortality rate 1 year after was 1...

OBJECTIVES To derive a tool to determine Urgent Care Center (UCC) crowding and investigate the association between different levels of UCC overcrowding and negative patient care outcomes. DESIGN Prospective pilot study. SETTING Single centre study in the USA. PARTICIPANTS 3565 patients who registered at UCC during the 21-day study period were included. Patients who had no overcrowding sta...

OBJECTIVES To evaluate the trend in Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) among hospitalized children in the United States and to evaluate the severity of and risk factors associated with these cases of CDI. DESIGN A retrospective cohort study using the triennial Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project Kids' Inpatient Database for the years 1997, 2000, 2003, and 2006. SETTING Hospitalized c...