A lesão medular traumática é uma patologia incapacitante, ainda sem tratamento eficaz. As terapias celulares representam uma nova estratégia para o tratamento destas lesões. As células-tronco adultas são fontes potenciais para o transplante celular com o objetivo de minimizar a lesão e promover a recuperação de tecidos lesados, como a medula espinhal. O objetivo desta tese foi avaliar a eficácia do transplante de células-tronco adultas na recuperação funcional e regeneração da lesão medular traumática em modelo experimental de lesão medular contusa em ratas fêmeas Wistar. Os principais objetivos foram: a) comparar os efeitos do transplante da fração mononuclear de sangue de cordão umbilical humano e de células-tronco mesenquimais dos vasos da parede do cordão umbilical humano; b) determinar a janela terapêutica deste tipo de intervenção, comparando os implantes de células- tronco realizados 1 hora, 24 horas e 9 dias após a lesão; c) demonstrar a possível diferenciação das células-tronco implantadas, bem como sua integração no tecido lesado. Os resultados obtidos demonstraram que o transplante de células foi mais eficaz para a recuperação funcional da lesão medular em ratas Wistar quando realizado pela via de administração local 1h após a lesão, quando comparado com a administração na cisterna magna e a aplicação 9 dias a lesão. O tratamento com a fração de células mononucleares ou com as células-tronco mesenquimais do sangue do cordão umbilical 24h após a lesão, não apresentou resultado funcional significativo.Observou-se a neuroproteção do tecido medular quando foi realizado o transplante de células-tronco mesenquimais 1h após a lesão medular. As células humanas transplantadas migraram e sobreviveram no local da lesão quando administradas na cisterna magna ou quando administradas diretamente no local da lesão, porém não se diferenciaram em células gliais ou neurônios. Concluímos que o transplante de células-tronco adultas promoveu a recuperação funcional após a lesão medular contusa, principalmente quando realizado 1h após a lesão diretamente no local da lesão. Apesar das células transplantadas sobreviverem na área da lesão, não foi evidenciada diferenciação celular. / Spinal cord injury is a debilitating disease and yet no effective treatment is available. In this framework cell therapy represents a new strategy to treat this condition. Adult stem cells are potential sources for cell transplantation in order to minimize injury and promote the recovery of damaged tissues, such as the spinal cord. The purpose of this Thesis was to evaluate the action of adult stem cells in the regeneration and functional recovery of spinal cord injury in experimental contusion spinal cord injury in female Wistar rats. Main goals were: a) to compare the effects of transplantation of the mononuclear cells of human umbilical cord blood and mesenchymal stem cells of the vessel wall of human umbilical cord; b) to determine the therapeutic window of this type of intervention, comparing the stem cell implants performed 1 hour, 24 hours and 9 days after injury; c) to demonstrate the possible differentiation of cells implanted, as well as their integration into the damaged tissue. Results reported demonstrate that the transplantation of stem cells was more effective for functional recovery of spinal cord injury when performed into the site of the lesion 1 h after injury, as compared with administration in the cisterna magna 9 days after injury. Treatment with mononuclear cells and mesenchymal cells from umbilical cord blood 24 hours after injury, not showed functional outcome. Neuroprotection was observed when mesenchymal stem cells were transplanted 1 hour after spinal cord injury. The transplanted human cells survived and migrated to the site of injury either when administered in the cisterna magna or directly onto the injury site, but did not differentiated into glial cells or neurons. It is suggested that the transplantation of adult stem cells promotes functional recovery after spinal cord injury when performed 1 hour after injury directly at the injury site, however differentiation of transplanted cells was not detected.

A lesão medular pode prejudicar a marcha de um indivíduo. Para estes casos, uma técnica de reabilitação que tem se tornado mais popular é a Estimulação Elétrica Neuro Muscular (EENM). Na marcha assistida por EENM tradicional, o controle da estimulação é realizado utilizando-se acionamento manual, um fato que ajuda a torná-la distante da marcha saudável. Este trabalho propõe um sistema que monitora variáveis da marcha - ângulos da articulação do joelho, e forças de reação do solo (retropé e antepé) - e as utiliza como entradas para uma rede neural artificial (RNA), a fim de poder controlar automaticamente a EENM na marcha. Os transdutores utilizados para medir ângulos foram eletrogoniômetros, montados nos membros inferiores do indivíduo utilizando tiras de velcro. Para medição das forças, os transdutores utilizados foram células de carga construídas com strain gages, montadas em sandálias instrumentadas. Os métodos para construção do hardware de aquisição de dados (transdutores e interface) e do software estão descritos, bem como os métodos de calibração dos transdutores. Todos os transdutores apresentaram comportamento linear. Testes iniciais foram realizados, utilizando primeiramente um indivíduo saudável, e depois dois pacientes que normalmente realizam treinamento de marcha com suspensão de peso (assistida por EENM ou não). Os resultados mostraram que o módulo de monitoramento permite gravar os dados coletados, e realizar comparações entre padrões de marcha de diferentes indivíduos, bem como diferentes estágios de reabilitação para um mesmo indivíduo. O treinamento da RNA para o indivíduo saudável apresentou uma taxa de acerto próxima de 90%, e para os pacientes lesados medulares a taxa foi de cerca de 80%. O módulo de controle apresentou resultados promissores nos testes práticos realizados, com respostas rápidas e corretas para o indivíduo saudável. Sugestões para trabalhos futuros foram dadas, para que testes práticos de controle possam ser realizados utilizando pacientes lesados medulares. / Spinal cord injury (SCI) may impair an individual\'s gait. For these cases, a rehabilitation technique that has become more popular is functional electrical stimulation (FES). On traditional FES-assisted gait, the stimulation control is performed with manual triggering, a fact that helps make it distant from healthy gait. This work proposes a system that monitors gait variables - knee joint angles, and ground reaction forces (rearfoot and forefoot) - and uses them as inputs for an Artificial Neural Network (ANN), in order to be able to automatically control gait FES. The transducers used for angle measurement were electrogoniometers, mounted on the individuals lower limbs using Velcro straps. For force measurement, the transducers used were load cells built with strain gages, mounted on instrumented sandals. The methods for building the data acquisition hardware (transducers and interface) and software are described, along with the transducer calibration methods. All transducers presented linear behavior. Initial tests were performed, using first a healthy individual, and then a couple of patients that normally undergo suspended gait raining (FES-assisted or not). The results showed that the monitoring module allows recording the data collected, and making comparison between different individuals\' gait patterns, as well as different rehabilitation stages for the same individual. The ANN training for the healthy individual presented an accuracy rate close to 90%, and for the SCI patients the rate was about 80%. The control module showed promising results on practical tests performed, with quick and accurate responses for the healthy individual. Suggestions for future works were given, so that practical control tests can be performed using SCI patients.

Pacientes lesados medulares frequentemente mencionam dores nos ombros, devido à elevada demanda dos membros superiores. Estes pacientes se submetem a diferentes tipos de reabilitação, no entanto é importante avaliar os métodos utilizados em tais programas para evitar possíveis prejuízos. O objetivo deste trabalho é avaliar o esforço e a atividade muscular dos ombros em pacientes paraplégicos caminhando com Estimulação Elétrica Neuro Muscular (EENM) e um andador em seções de reabilitação e comparar com duas atividades diárias executadas por estes indivíduos: propulsão da cadeira de rodas e elevação para alívio da pressão. Quinze homens adultos com paraplegia foram avaliados. Os movimentos em 3 dimensões foram obtidos com um sistema de 6 câmeras de infravermelho, e a atividade mioelétrica de 6 músculos dos ombros foi obtida bilateralmente por eletrodos de superfície ativos. Um andador instrumentalizado capturou a força durante a marcha, e a força nas outras duas atividades foi obtida por dinâmica inversa utilizando os dados cinemáticos e antropométricos. Os dados cinéticos e da atividade muscular foram avaliados estatisticamente utilizando análise de variância (ANOVA) e o teste das diferenças menos significativas de Tukey com nível de significância p<0,05. Foram obtidos picos de força quatro vezes maiores durante a marcha comparando-se à propulsão da cadeira de rodas. O esforço do ombro durante a marcha e a elevação foi equivalente, porém o lado direito durante a marcha apresentou maiores valores. O músculo mais ativo durante a marcha foi o tríceps, seguido pelo peitoral maior, deltóide anterior e trapézio inferior. A ação geral dos músculos durante a marcha também foi maior comparada aos outros exercícios executados. A marcha com EENM e andador, realizada por lesados medulares durante as seções de reabilitação, requer esforços significativos dos membros superiores, podendo gerar complicações nas articulações do ombro. Lesados medulares submetidos a seções de reabilitação que executam esforços significativos devem ser frequentemente monitorados, por métodos de ultra-som ou ressonância magnética, para evitar o comprometimento dos membros superiores e a consequente perda das funções de independência remanescentes / Spinal Cord Injured subjects often refer pain in their shoulders, due to the increased demand of the upper limbs. These subjects usually go through different rehabilitation strategies. Therefore, it becomes rather important to assess those methods in order to avoid further injuries to the patients. The goal of this work was to evaluate the shoulder effort and muscular activity in paraplegic subjects during gait with Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation (NMES) with the aid of a walker and to compare it with two daily activities: wheelchair start up and weight relief raise. Fifteen adult male paraplegics were part of this study. The three-dimensional motions were acquired with six infrared cameras, and surface-active electrodes recorded the electromyography activity of 6 shoulder muscles, bilaterally. The vertical reaction force during walking was measured with a strain gauge instrumented walker, and the horizontal (wheelchair start-up) and vertical (weight relief raise) forces were obtained by inverse dynamics from kinematics and anthropometric data. The statistics of kinetic and electromyography data were done by analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the Tukey least significant differences post hoc test with significance level of p<0,05. Results have shown NMES gait force peaks being about four times higher than the values obtained for wheelchair start-up. The shoulder effort (force and torque) during walking and weight relief was similar, although the right side during NMES gait presented greater values. The triceps was the most active muscle during NMES walking, followed by pectoralis major, anterior deltoid and lower trapezius. The overall muscular activity during NMES walking was again higher than the other tasks executed. The NMES walking, when performed by spinal cord injured subjects can lead to injuries to the shoulder girdle. Due to the results obtained, continuous supervision of paraplegic upper limb effort should therefore be part of any rehabilitation center and for that ultrasound or magnetic resonance imaging may be recommended

Previous studies have reported that combination of electroacupuncture (EA) and mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSC) promoted survival, differentiation and functional recovery in spinal cord-transected rats. In this study, it was examined the therapeutic effects of stem cells from canine exfoliated dental pulp (SCED) combined with EA treatment in dogs with chronic naturally occurred spinal cord injury due to intervertebral disc herniation (IVDH). Dogs were randomly assigned to four experimental groups (n=4 for each group; total of 16 animals): SCED, EA, SCED + EA) and control. Mild increase in the neurological scoring was found in one animal from SCED group (1/4; 2 points gained), one from EA group (1/4; 8 points gained), three from SCED+EA group (3/4; 16 points gained) and one from control group (1/4; 2 points gained). Functional outcome improvements were observed two animals from SCED group (2/4; 3 points gained), two from EA group (2/4; 4 points gained), one from SCED+EA group (1/4; 1 point gained) and two were from control group (2/4; 6 points gained). However no statistical differences were observed. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings did not suggest improvement comparing pre- and post-treatment within groups, excepted from one animal from SCED group (1/4), and 10 animals from all groups (10/16) presented signs of injury progression in the SCI in post-treatment exam, which could not be associated to the procedures from study, but could be related to the natural evolution of the disease. Limitation such as number of transplanted stem cells, delivery route, injury chronicity and intrinsic variation among naturally spinal cord injured dogs could have influence outcomes negatively. Moreover, canine deciduous exfoliated teeth were easily obtained and SCED were simply isolated, and no mortality followed up 7 month from procedure were observed. / Estudos anteriores demonstraram que a associação da eletroacupuntura e células-tronco mesenquimais/estromais (CTMs) pode promover a sobrevivência e diferenciação das CTMs, assim como recuperação funcional em ratos com transecção da medula espinal. Neste estudo, foram avaliados os efeitos terapêuticos da associação de células-tronco derivadas de polpa de dente decíduo esfoliado de cães (CPDEc) e eletroacupuntura (EAP) em cães com lesão de medula espinhal crônica causada de forma natural por herniação do disco interververtebral. Os cães foram divididos aleatoriamente em quatro grupos experimentais (n=4 para cada grupo; total de 16 animais): CPDEc, EAP, CPDEc+EAP e grupo controle. Foram encontradas pequenas melhoras na pontuação do exame neurológico em um animal do grupo CPDEc (1/4; 2 pontos ganhos), um do grupo EAP (1/4; 8 pontos ganhos), três do grupo CPDEc+EAP (3/4; 16 pontos ganhos) e um do grupo controle (1/4; 2 pontos ganhos). Na avaliação funcional, pequenas melhoras também foram observadas em dois animais do grupo CPDEc (2/4; 3 pontos ganhos), dois do grupo EAP (2/3; 4 pontos ganhos), um do grupo CPDEc+EAP (1/4; 1 ponto ganho) e dois do grupo controle (2/4; 6 pontos ganhos). No entanto, não foram encontradas diferenças estatísticas entre os grupos. Os achados ressonância magnética não sugeriram melhoras comparando os exames pré e pós tratamento entre os grupos, com exceção de um animal do grupo CPDEc (1/4), e 10 animais dentre todos os grupos (10/16) apresentaram sinais de progressão na lesão da medula espinhal, que não puderam ser associados com os procedimentos do estudo, mas podem estar relacionados à progressão natural da doença. Além disso, os dentes decíduos esfoliados foram obtidos facilmente e as CPDEc foram isoladas de forma simples, ademais, não foi observada nenhuma mortalidade foi observada até 7 meses após o procedimento.

L'érythropoiétine (Epo) est une protéine ubiquitaire dans les tissus de l'organisme. Elle est dotée d'une fonction endocrine, autocrine et paracrine. Elle favorise les activités anti-apoptotiques des tissus soumis à un stress hypoxique. Dans de nombreux modèles animaux de traumatisme ou d'agression du système nerveux central et quelques études cliniques, l'Epo recombinante humaine (Epo-rh) a révélé des propriétés neuroprotectrices. L'objectif principal de ce travail est d'améliorer les connaissances sur l'Epo afin de favoriser l'inclusion de l'Epo-rh dans l'arsenal thérapeutique chez l'homme après traumatisme du système nerveux central. Deux axes de travail ont été explorés : dans un première partie, pour expliquer l'échec de la mise en oeuvre d'une étude de la tolérance et d'efficacité biologioque de l'Epo-rh dans le Traumatisme Médullaire Déficitaire (TMD) chez l'homme, nous avons étudié l'épidémiologie des TMD sur la période 1997-2006, à partir du Registre des accidents du Rhône. Ensuite nous avons étudié l'évolution de cette incidence entre 2 périodes de 6 ans : 1995-2001 et 2003-2008. Parallèlement, compte tenu d'une incidence de traumatisme crânien (TC) 20 fois plus élevée que celle du TMD chez l'homme, nous avons entrepris de caractériser les effets d'un TC expérimental par percussion fluide latérale (LFPI) chez le rat afin de mieux comprendre la pharmacologie et les mécanismes d'action moléculaires, en particulier anti-inflammatoires et neuroprotecteurs, de l'Epo-rh / Erythropoietin (Epo) is an ubiquitous cytokine. It has endocrine, paracrin and autocrin functions. It improves antiapoptotic mechanisms on all tissues subjected to hypoxic stress. In many animal models of brain trauma but also in other brain injury models, and some human clinical studies, recombinant Human Epo (Epo-rh) has proven neuro-protective properties. The main goal of this work was to improve and incorporate Epo-rh in the pharmacological arsenal of treatment in brain and spinal cord traumatic injuries in human. In a first part, to explore the reasons of failure of inclusion in a Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) study to test the thrombo-embolic tolerance and efficacy of Epo-rh, we studied the epidemiology of SCI using the road crash Rhône registry in the period 1997-2006. Then we compared the epidemiological trends of the SCI incidence, associated trauma, mortality and fatality rates in two periods of 6 years: 1995-2001 and 2003-2008. In a second part, due to the 20-fold higher incidence of traumatic brian injury (TBI) in comparison to SCI, we characterized the effects of a moderate (1.6-1.8 atm) lateral fluid percussion injury (LFPI) in order to understand and characterize the pharmacological, anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective mechanisms of action of Epo-rh in such a brain injury

La spasticité est l’une des nombreuses complications motrices qui peuvent apparaître après une lésion de la moelle épinière. Elle est présente dans 75 % des patients médullo-lésés et se caractérise par une hypertonie musculaire en réponse à un réflexe d’étirement. Les traitements actuels, qui ciblent les symptômes et non les causes de la spasticité, sont peu efficaces. Bien que les mécanismes neurologiques qui sous-tendent la spasticité soient complexes et restent en grande partie méconnus, un certain consensus se dégage sur le fait qu’elle est associée à une hyperexcitabilité intrinsèque des motoneurones et à une levée de l’inhibition des réflexes spinaux. L’hyperexcitabilité motoneuronale se manifeste par une décharge soutenue de potentiels de plateau et résulte en partie d’une augmentation des courants entrants persistants sodiques (INaP). La désinhibition découle, en partie, d’une baisse de l’expression des cotransporteurs potassium-chlorure de type 2 (KCC2) à la membrane des motoneurones, modifiant ainsi le gradient électrochimique des ions Cl- et donnant un caractère excitateur aux deux principaux neurotransmetteurs inhibiteurs que sont le GABA et la glycine. Néanmoins, les mécanismes à l’origine des dérégulations du courant INaP et des co-transporteurs KCC2 ne sont toujours pas élucidés. / Spasticity is commonly caused by several pathologies and specifically after a spinal cord injury (SCI). Spasticity is usually associated with hypertonia, clonus, muscle spasm and pain. The present thesis aims to identify the upstream mechanism in the pathophysiology of spasticity Calpain, a calcium-activated cysteine protease, has been shown to participate in the development of the inflammatory processes after SCI. Of special interest, some determinants governing the inactivation of sodium (Na+) channels are sensitive to proteases and their proteolytic cleavage prevents inactivation of Na+ channels. As a result, INaP is strongly increased. It is worth mentioning that the C-terminal domain of KCC2 is also sensitive to proteases which alter KCC2 ability to extrude Cl- ions. Among the different proteases, calpains are able to truncate both Na+ channels and KCC2 transporters. This led us to consider the exciting possibility that a proteolytic cleavage of both Na+ channels and KCC2 by calpains could compose an upstream inflammatory mechanism contributing to the development of spasticity after SCI. My thesis demonstrates that the cleavage of Na+ channels and KCC2 by calpain after SCI, is responsible for the upregulation of INaP and disinhibition of motoneurons, that both act synergistically to generate spasticity. Calpain inhibition by MDL28170 reduced the cleavage of both Na+channels and KCC2 associated with a respective downregulation of INaP, hyperpolarizing shift of the EIPSP, and an alleviation of spasticity. The thesis represents a significant breakthrough by opening novel perspectives to develop therapies.

The capacity of the olfactory neuraxis to undergo neuronal replacement and axon targeting following injury, has led to scrutiny concerning the molecular and physical determinants of this growth capacity. This is because injury to the central nervous system, in contrast, leads to permanent disconnection of neurons with targets. Olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs), a specialized glial cell, may contribute to olfactory repair, and have been used to promote recovery from spinal cord injury. However, there mechanisms underlying OEC-induced regeneration are poorly appreciated. To understand these mechanisms, OECs from the lamina propria (LP OECs) or olfactory bulb (OB OECs) were transplanted into a lesion of the dorsolateral funiculus. While both cells demonstrated reparative capacities, LP and OB OECs differentially promoted spinal fibre growth; large-diameter neurofilament-positive, CGRP-positive, and serotonergic fibres sprouted in response to both LP and OB OEC transplantation, whereas substance-P and tyrosine hydroxylase-positive neurons grew more extensively following OB or LP OEC transplantation, respectively. To further understand the growth of spinal cord neurons in response to OECs, a proteomic analysis of OEC secreted factors was performed, identifying secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteines (SPARC) as a mediator of OEC-induced outgrowth in vitro. To test the contributions of SPARC to spinal cord repair after OEC transplantation, cultures of LP OECs from SPARC null and wildtype (WT) mice were transplanted into a crush of the dorsolateral funiculus. Substance P and tyrosine hydroxylase positive axon sprouting was significantly reduced in SPARC null OEC-treated animals, suggesting that individual factors may contribute to OEC-promoted regeneration. To investigate the effect of OECs on corticospinal (CST) neurons, an in vitro assay was developed using postnatal day 8 CST neurons. Coculture of CST neurons with OB OECs produced extensive axon elongation. Application of OB OEC secreted factors increased CST neurite branching, but did not increase axon elongation. In contrast, plating of CST neurons on OB OEC plasma membrane resulted in extensive axon elongation. Furthermore, the OB OEC plasma membrane could overcome CST neurite outgrowth inhibition induced by an outgrowth inhibitor. Together these findings provide insight into OEC mechanisms of neurite outgrowth and axon regeneration. / Medicine, Faculty of / Graduate

Les personnes vivant avec une lésion de la moelle épinière (LMÉ) subissent une réduction drastique de leurs capacités sensori-motrices en dessous du niveau de la lésion. Cette pathologie influence négativement leur contrôle postural, vu comme le résultat de contributions actives, passives et neuronales. Une approche par modèle est choisie afin de représenter ces différentes contributions et mieux comprendre le contrôle postural en position assise. Deux problèmes apparaissent. Tout d’abord les modèles existants de la position assise sont très rares et inapplicables à l’étude des personnes vivant avec une LMÉ qui, dans l’absence de contrôle musculaire au niveau du tronc, vont utiliser leurs membres supérieurs pour s’équilibrer. De plus, les équations non linéaires sous forme descripteur des modèles biomécaniques existant sont linéarisées dans la majorité des cas afin de simplifier les équations obtenues ce qui n’est plus valable dans le cas de mouvements de grande amplitude. Or des travaux récents fournissent des outils pour analyser ces modèles en utilisant le formalisme de Takagi-Sugeno issu de la logique floue. Ce travail est focalisé sur l’étude du contrôle postural des personnes vivant avec une LMÉ par des outils de l’automatique non linéaire, trois objectifs sont définis : 1. Proposer des modèles biomécaniques non linéaires de la stabilité en position assise pour les personnes vivant avec une LMÉ. 2. Utiliser des méthodes d’écriture de modèle du domaine de l’automatique non linéaire afin de créer les outils nécessaires à l’estimation des variables internes (non mesurées) au modèle. 3. Améliorer la connaissance de la stabilité chez les personnes vivant avec une LMÉ par l’estimation expérimentale d’efforts internes en fonction de paramètres personnels et des conditions expérimentales. Les modèles créés dans ce manuscrit sont, à notre connaissance, les premiers à représenter la stabilité assise en considérant le déplacement des membres supérieurs. Il s’agit également des premiers modèles biomécaniques à utiliser les avancées récentes de l’automatique non linéaire pour l’estimation d’efforts internes non mesurables. / The ability to maintain stability in an unsupported sitting position often becomes challenging after an individuals is affected by a spinal cord injury (SCI). In order to better understand sitting postural control as a combination of active, passive and neuronal contribution, a modelling approach is chosen. Two problems arise; first of all, existing models of sitting control are very scarse and inapplicable to people living with a SCI who will use their upper in a compensatory strategy to balance their trunk. Moreover, the majority of biomechanical models nonlinear equations are linearized with small angle hypothesis for an easier processing which is not acceptable when movements become large. Recent advances in nonlinear control theory provide the theoretical tools for the creation of nonlinear observers using the Takagi-Sugeno fuzzy formalism. This work aims at the study of postural control for people living with a SCI by use of nonlinear tools from control theory; three main goals are formulated: 1. Creating new nonlinear biomechanical models aiming at the study of sitting stability of people living with SCI. 2. Using tools coming from nonlinear control theory to estimate model unmeasured variable 3. Improve the current knowledge on stability for people living with a SCI by estimating internal efforts depending on personal parameters in experimental conditions. The models created in this manuscript are, to the best of our knowledge, the first to consider the upper limbs displacement for the control of sitting stability and the first biomechanical models to use the recent advances in nonlinear control theory for the estimation of unmeasured variables.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is complicated injury with serious socioeconomic consequences for the patient and his whole family. Big difficulty cause also extremely high living expenses for the patient with this type of injury. That's why there is a need for therapeutic methods which would help patients after SCI to recover the lost functions and be able at least partially to return to their normal life. Different therapeutic methods are being used for SCI treatment. In this study we used four various types of stem cells: human bone marrow stem cells (hBM-MSCs), human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUC-MSCs), neural precursors derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS-NPs) and neural stem cell line derived from human fetal spinal cord tissue (SPC-01). These cells have been transplanted intrathecally or intraspinally 7 days after induction of the experimental model of SCI in the rat. We studied expressions of genes related to neurogenesis, growth factors and inflammation 10 and 28 days after SCI. Our analysis showed significant changes in gene expression 10 days after SCI. Significant up-regulation in expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (Vegf), ciliary neurotrophic factor (Cntf) and interferon regulatory factor 5 (Irf5) were found after transplantation of hBM-MSCs and hUC-...

Title: The evaluation of functional sitting stability of paraplegics Objectives: The aim of this work is to evaluate the functional stability of paraplegics sitting through tests. Another objective is to determine what is the effect of fourteen days rehabilitation intervention on the sitting patients. Methods: Designed experiment was processed by the form of quantitative research. There were 10 pacients with spinal cord injuries, especially paraplegics included - 5 men and 5 women. The history was detected with the main emphasis on assessment ASIA score. Measurement of unsupported upright sitting was done thanks to the Plantograf V09. It records the current pressure distribution and movement of the center of pressure (COP). Functional T - shirt test was evaluated by using a stopwatch. Probands responded two questions about their current condition after rehabilitation after the output measuring. The therapist rating was included in the results. All data were further processed in Microsoft Office Excel 2007. Results: Measurements confirmed the reliability of both used tests. The t-shirt test can be used as an objective method of assessing functional stability of sitting. Test of unsupported upright sitting measured by Plantografu is also usable. It would be appropriate to set the measuring apparatus...