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NEWS ARCHIVES

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News Index

The International Campaign for Cures of Spinal Cord Injury (ICCP) has awarded its inaugural Outstanding Young Investigator Award to Elizabeth Coulson, Ph.D., from the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute in Australia.  Dr. Coulson was awarded the $3500 prize for her project, "Development of p75-inhibitor TAT peptide for in vivo CNS delivery."  The ICCP award is intended to recognize recent contributions of a promising young scientist and in so doing encourage and facilitate his/her lifelong commitment to the field of spinal cord repair and regeneration. Dr. Coulson's research focus is on understanding how nerve cells undergo developmental death and determining whether this death program is reactivated after injury and disease. (10/25/00)

Scientists from the University of California--Los Angeles and the University of Cambridge, United Kingdom, have reported on a method called "axonal transport" that they have used to deliver pain medication to the spinal ganglia and spinal cord in animals, using nerves as a conduit.  This advance in pain medicine may allow painkillers to be delivered directly to the affected area of the body, in smaller doses and with fewer side effects.

Organogel Canada Ltée is the developer of NeuroGel™, an innovative biomedical hydrogel for use in the surgical treatment of lesions of the human spinal cord and brain. NeuroGel™ is a Neurologic Therapeutic Medical Device which acts as a guidance matrix for the directed growth of nerve fibres, thus promoting their connectivity. The company's mission is to validate and commercialize NeuroGel™ on a world-wide basis, as a cure for paraplegia and quadriplegia. Information on this product can be found at their Website.  Articles on this research may also be found at What's New in Spinal Cord Injury Treatment and Cure Research

Immortal Skin Cells: A research team has found a line of skin cells that continues to grow without showing any signs of slowing down. This new UW-Madison spin-off company called Stratatech, housed at University Research Park in Madison, is actively pursuing a number of markets for its patented "immortal human skin." Possible applications include treating wounds and burns, using the cells to test consumer products without the need for animal testing, and using the cells to test the effects of drugs on such cells.

Three new articles on Spinal Cord Injury Regeneration Research have just been posted for free access at:  http://www.thomasland.com/_nonsearch/TSCIRissues.htm Click the "SCI Regeneration Research" link on the left of the page.  You will need a current Acrobat reader for these files.

Dr. Norman Saunders (http://www.healthsci.utas.edu.au/physiol/staff_pages/NRS/NRS.html) at the University of Tasmania is working on spinal cord regeneration and recovery of function following injury in the immature central nervous system.
Spinal repair in immature animals: a novel approach using the South American opossum Monodelphis domestica. Fry EJ, Saunders NR. Department of Anatomy and Physiology, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia. Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology and Physiology  2000 Jul;27(7):542-7. Elizabeth.Fry@utas.edu.au
1. The adult mammalian central nervous system (CNS) is unable to regenerate following injury and repair has only been seen when implants of peripheral nervous tissue, fetal tissue or Schwann cells are used, or antibodies or trophic molecules applied. However, the immature mammalian CNS has revealed a capacity to repair without extrinsic influence. 2. The marsupial mammal provides a unique opportunity to access the immature CNS without invasive in utero surgery. In particular, the South American opossum Monodelphis domestica is an ideal animal for spinal cord injury studies examining the ability of the immature CNS to repair after injury. 3. The Monodelphis spinal cord may be examined for its response to injury either as an in vitro or in vivo system and, therefore, is a flexible model, allowing many different questions to be addressed by the most suitable approach. 4. The immature Monodelphis CNS was able to support fibre growth that reappeared 4 days after a crush at P3-P8 in vitro. Conduction was also restored at this time, accompanied by synaptic connections. 5. A cut lesion performed in vivo on Monodelphis spinal cords at P7 took longer to repair, with fibres reappearing across the injury site 2 weeks after the lesion; greater disruption to structure was noted
 both during early stages of repair and in adulthood. 6. Neural pathway tracing with dextran amine from the lumbar cord to the brain in adult Monodelphis, which received spinal lesions at P7, revealed a similar distribution of labelled cells in brainstem and mid-brain nuclei to that of control animals. 7. Studies of the locomotor behaviour of adult Monodelphis that had received either a cut or crush lesion at P7-P8 showed remarkably similar abilities to control animals when performing complex tasks. 8. The results of spinal cord injury studies with the immature Monodelphis CNS may help in the development of treatments for spinal injury patients.

Universal Design:  An article on universal design for houses can be found at: Universal design' blends style with easy access for disabled.  If you are interested in this topic, contact us for our Information Sheet #13 Home Accessibility (designing and modifying private homes for accessibility) which lists journal articles, books, organizations, videos, and Web resources on this topic.

Marc Tessier-Lavigne of the University of California, San Francisco is performing work on axon development in the spinal cord.  Read about his research at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute Website http://www.hhmi.org/research/investigators/tessierlavigne.html and at his homepage http://www.ucsf.edu/pibs/faculty/tessier_lavigne.html

The Philadelphia Shriners Hospital is participating in a pre-clinical trial for an implantable FES system for patients with spinal cord injuries (9/00). See http://www.shrinershq.org/shc/philadelphia/fesclinical9-00.html

The National Institute on Neurological Disorders & Stroke  (NINDS) is the nation's leading supporter of biomedical research on disorders of the brain and nervous system.  A recent reorganization at NINDS divided the Institute into seven "clusters," including a repair and plasticity program.  This program plans and directs research into restoring function to the damaged brain and spinal cord.  NINDS has recently initiated a series of small, focused, multidisciplinary workshops to review recent research advances, explore new mechanisms, and develop novel strategies for the treatment of different aspects of acute and chronic SCI. These include: Mini-Series on Spinal Cord Injury: Clinical applications - Development of improved outcome measures; Imaging changes in the CNS following spinal cord injury (December 2001)
Mini-Series on Spinal Cord Injury: Cell therapy and gene therapy in the damaged spinal cord (April 2001)
Mini-Series on Spinal Cord Injury: Synapse formation and plasticity in regenerating systems (December 2000)
Read more about these workshops and NINDS research in their Implementation Plan (March 2000).

Olfactory Ensheathing Cells and Axon Regneration: Research conducted in recent years has investigated the potential of olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs) to treat CNS disorders such as SCI. Rat OECs, when transplanted into rat spinal cords, are able to support regeneration of damaged axons.  A recent article in the journal Brain describes research in which the researchers have identified a human olfactory ensheathing cell which are capable of remyelinating CNS axons following transplantation into lesions in the spinal cord of rats.  The citation for this article is: Identification of a human olfactory ensheathing cell that can effect transplant-mediated remyelination of demyelinated CNS axons.  Brain, Vol. 123, No. 8, 1543-1544, August 2000. Susan C. Barnett1, Claire L. Alexander1, Yasushi Iwashita4, Jennifer M. Gilson4, John Crowther3, Louise Clark3, Laurence T. Dunn2, Vakis Papanastassiou2, Peter G. E. Kennedy2 and Robin J. M. Franklin4  1 Department of Neurology, University of Glasgow, 2 Institute of Neurological Sciences, Southern General Hospital, 3 Victoria Infirmary, Glasgow and 4 Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK Correspondence to: Dr Susan C. Barnett, CRC Laboratories, Garscube Estate, Switchback Road, Glasgow, G61 1BD and Dr Robin J. M. Franklin, Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0ES, UK E-mail: gpma37@udcf.gla.ac.uk and rjf1000@cam.ac.uk

Other recent articles on this topic include:
    Barnett SC, Alexander CL, Iwashita Y, Gilson JM, Crowther J, Clark L, et al. Identification of a human olfactory ensheathing cell that can effect transplant-mediated remyelination of demyelinated CNS axons. Brain 2000; 123: 1581-8.
    Cheng HR, Almstrvm S, Giminez-Llort L Chang R, Ove Ogren S, Hoffer B, et al. Gait analysis of adult paraplegic rats after spinal cord repair. Expt Neurol  1997; 148: 544-57.
    Fawcett JW.  Spinal cord repair: from experimental models to human application. Department Physiology and MRC, Cambridge Centre for Brain Repair, Cambridge University, UK. Spinal Cord 1998 Dec;36(12):811-7
    Imaizumi T, Lankford KL, Kocsis JD. Transplantation of olfactory ensheathing cells or Schwann cells restores rapid and secure conduction across the transected spinal cord.  Department of Neurology and PVA/EPVA Neuroscience Research Center, VA Medical Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA. Brain Res 2000 Jan 31;854(1-2):70-8.
    Imaizumi T, Lankford KL, Waxman SG, Greer CA, Kocsis JD. Transplanted olfactory ensheathing cells remyelinate and enhance axonal  conduction in the demyelinated dorsal columns of the rat spinal cord. Department of Neurology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06510, USA. J Neurosci 1998 Aug 15;18(16):6176-85
     Ramsn-Cueto A, Plant GW, Avila J, Bunge MB. Long-distance axonal regeneration in the transected adult rat spinal cord is promoted by olfactory ensheathing glia transplants. J Neurosci 1998; 18: 3803-15.
    Ramsn-Cueto A, Cordero MI, Santos-Benito FF, Avila J. Functional recovery of paraplegic rats and motor axon regeneration in their spinal cords by olfactory ensheathing glia. Neuron 2000; 25: 425-35.
    Xu XM, Zhang SX, Li H, Aebischer P, Bunge MB. Regrowth of axons into the distal spinal cord through a Schwann-cell-seeded mini-channel implanted into hemisected adult rat spinal cord. Eur J Neurosci 1999; 11:1723-40.

Other sources of information on OEC research include:  Spinal Research: Dr. Wigley    PVA/EPVA Center for Neuroscience and Regeneration Research  and  Rebuilding the Spine

Nerve Cell Growth on Scaffolding Material: Researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, New York University, and Affymetrix Inc. have been investigating the use of scaffolding material from peptides (tiny bits of protein) to grow nerve cells.  The possibility being studied is whether this scaffolding might be used to repair damaged spinal cords.  You can read about this research at the MIT Website
Here's the citation and abstract information for their article on this research from the National Library of Medicine's MEDLINE database:
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA 2000 Jun 6;97(12):6728-33. Extensive neurite outgrowth and active synapse formation on self-assembling peptide scaffolds.  Holmes TC, de Lacalle S, Su X, Liu G, Rich A, Zhang S. Center for Biomedical Engineering 56-341, Department of Biology, Center for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139-4307, USA.  A new type of self-assembling peptide (sapeptide) scaffolds that serve as substrates for neurite outgrowth and synapse formation is described. These peptide-based scaffolds are amenable to molecular design by using chemical or biotechnological syntheses. They can be tailored to a variety of applications. The sapeptide scaffolds are formed through the spontaneous assembly of ionic self-complementary beta-sheet oligopeptides under physiological conditions, producing a hydrogel material. The scaffolds can support neuronal cell attachment and differentiation as well as extensive neurite outgrowth. Furthermore, they are permissive substrates for functional synapse formation between the attached neurons. That primary rat neurons form active synapses on such scaffold surfaces in situ suggests these scaffolds could be useful for tissue engineering applications. The buoyant sapeptide scaffolds with attached cells in culture can be transported readily from one environment to another. Furthermore, these peptides did not elicit a measurable immune response or tissue inflammation when introduced into animals. These biological materials created through molecular design and self assembly may be developed as a biologically compatible scaffold for tissue repair and tissue engineering.

Researchers at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia have induced adult human stem cells taken from bone marrow to develop into a wide range of normal tissues, including bone, cartilage, fat, tendon and muscle, when transplanted into fetal sheep. These transplanted cells have persisted for over a year without rejection.  These results suggest that these cells may be used in repair
of damaged or degenerating tissues or for generation of new tissues in the future. The article describing this research is in Nature Medicine 2000 Nov;6(11):1282-1286.  Human mesenchymal stem cells engraft and demonstrate site-specific differentiation after in utero transplantation in sheep. Liechty KW, MacKenzie TC, Shaaban AF, Radu A, Moseley AB, Deans R, Marshak DR, Flake AW.

Scientists at Johns Hopkins have introduced neural stem cells into the spinal fluid of mice and rats paralyzed by an animal virus which attacks motor neurons. These animals would normally lose the ability to move their limbs but 50% of the treated rodents recovered the ability to place the soles of one or both of their hind feet on the ground.  This research may lead to improved treatments for individuals with ALS and spinal motor atrophy (SMA). ScienceDaily magazine has an article on this topic.

Howard Hughes Medical Institute Research: Driving the Differentiation of Human Embryonic Stem Cells:  Researchers at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute are studying how growth factors affect the differentiation of human embryonic stem cells into specialized cell types. This research was published in the October 10, 2000, issue of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Also, HHMI researchers have discovered a set of regulatory cells that governs the behavior of stem cells in the fruit fly Drosophila. This research published in the October 13, 2000, issue of the journal Science; the full story can be found at:
http://www.hhmi.org/news/spradling.html

The article The cells that can be whatever you want describe work done by Australian researchers in growing stem cells using adult DNA.
 

http://www.vanderbilt.edu/News/news/apr00/nr26.html
http://www.vanderbilt.edu/News/register/May1_00/story6.html
The article from this research is available in the April 25 issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of
Science (PNAS).

Federal Stem Cell Research Hearings: Christopher Reeve testified on April 26 to the National Institutes of Health regarding stem cell research.  To view his testimony and letters of support for his position, visit the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation news. You may also view the NIH draft Stem Cell Guidelines for federally funded researchers who want to conduct research on stem cell lines at this stie.

Embryonic Stem Cell Transplants:  Researchers from the Washington University School of Medicine, led by Dr. J.W. McDonald, have transplanted mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells into a rat spinal cord nine days after traumatic spinal injury. These researchers found that activity in the rats was enhanced by the stem cell transplantation.   An article on this research is available at the AANS Website at http://www.neurosurgery.org/health/news/detail.asp?PressID=73 Here is the citation information and article abstract derived from the National Library of Medicine's MedLine database:

Nature Medicine 1999 Dec;5(12):1410-1412. Transplanted embryonic stem cells survive, differentiate and promote recovery in injured rat spinal cord. McDonald JW, Liu XZ, Qu Y, Liu S, Mickey SK, Turetsky D, Gottlieb DI, Choi DW. Center for the Study of Nervous System Injury, the Restorative Treatment and Research Center and Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, Box 8111, 660 S. Euclid Ave., St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA.  [Record supplied by publisher]
Transplantation approaches using cellular bridges, fetal central nervous system cells, fibroblasts expressing neurotrophin-3 (ref. 6), hybridoma cells expressing inhibitory protein-blocking antibodies, or olfactory nerves ensheathing glial cells transplanted into the acutely injured spinal cord have produced axonal regrowth or functional benefits. Transplants of rat or cat fetal spinal cord tissue into the chronically injured cord survive and integrate with the host cord, and may be associated with some functional improvements. In addition, rats transplanted with fetal spinal cord cells have shown improvements in some gait parameters, and the delayed transplantation of fetal raphe cells can enhance reflexes. We transplanted neural differentiated mouse embryonic stem cells into a rat spinal cord 9 days after traumatic injury. Histological analysis 2-5 weeks later showed that transplant-derived cells survived and differentiated into astrocytes, oligodendrocytes and neurons, and migrated as far as 8 mm away from the lesion edge. Furthermore, gait analysis demonstrated that transplanted rats showed hindlimb weight support and partial hindlimb coordination not found in 'sham-operated' controls or control rats transplanted with adult mouse neocortical cells.

Restoration of Myelin.  Myelin, a nerve tissue that is usually damaged in spinal injuries, has been restored in laboratory animals using embryonic stem cells.  This research may eventually lead to a new treatment for SCI individuals since the loss of function from SCI is often because of damaged or eroded myelin. Researchers at the Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, led by Dr. John W. McDonald, showed in mouse and rat studies that embryonic stem cells can be used in adult animals to regrow myelin which covers and insulates nerve fibers.

Regeneration of Nerve Fibers Research: The October 1999 issue of Neurosurgery (1999;45:849-858; check with your local library to obtain the full article) contains an article on the regeneration of nerve fibers in spinal-cord-injured animals following the transplantation of central nervous system cells from embryos. The researchers are Dr. Yasunobu Itoh from the Akita University School of Medicine, Akita, Japan, and colleagues from there and from the Allegheny University of the Health Sciences, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. There was a significant regrowth of new nerve fibers in animals receiving embryonic spinal cord tissue to the point where nerve fibers crossed the severed spinal cord and formed connections with existing nervous tissue. You may wish to check out MCP Hahnemann's (formerly the Allegheny University of the Health Sciences) SCI research at http://www.mcphu.edu/

Human Stem Cell Research: The National Bioethics Advisory Commission, commissioned by President Clinton, has released a report recommending taxpayer dollars be spent on controversial research using human stem cells from fertilized eggs produced for in-vitro fertilization.  Doctors hope that research in this area will one day, among other possibilities, repair injuries to the spinal cord.

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders & Stroke, part of the federal government's National Institutes of Health, conducts and funds research into stem cell therapy and spinal cord injury.

DENMARK
Nerve Implants to Help Gripping of Hand: Scientists from the Center for Sensory-Motor Interaction at Aalborg University, Denmark, have developed a new device implanted in the palm of the hand which monitors bundles of nerves in the index finger and controls the grip of patients using artificial limbs. This new technology can also assist paralyzed individiauls with their hand gripping.

Liquid Cement to Treat Osteoporosis :  Researchers at the University of Maryland Medical Center, led by Dr. Gregg Zoarski, have tested a minimally invasive procedure called percutaneous vertebroplasty where sterile liquid cement, with the consistency of toothpaste, is injected into the fractured vertebral bodies of the spine. The cement fills the tiny holes and crevasses and strengthens the collapsed vertebrae, relieving pressure and pain.

NASA's cool suit technology: NASA researchers have found that by using cooling systems to lower the body temperature of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), spinal cord injuries, and other neurological disorders, their symptoms could be temporarily alleviated. A collaborative program initiated between the Multiple Sclerosis Association of America (MSAA) and NASA Ames promotes the use of cooling systems technology by MS patients and others with neurological disorders.  Read more about this technology at: Liquid Cooling Garment Technologies 

Manipulation of Immune Response May Preserve Spinal Cord After Injury : Researchers at Ohio State University in Columbus have conducted research on preserving the spinal cord after injury by manipulating the immune response and blocking the action of growth factors (tumor necrosis factor and nerve growth factor (NGF)) that promote neural death. Other research suggests that reducing monocytes, which are responsible for inflammatory damage to the spinal cord after injury, results in "robust activation" in axon growth into the injury site.
Read about the researchers at OSU's Website: Dr. Philip Popovich; Jacqueline C. Bresnahan;  Michael S. Beattie;  D. Michele Basso

UC--Irvine researchers discover new technique for analyzing crucial cell activity in limb regeneration: Drs.  Susan V. Bryant, David M. Gardiner and Stéphane Roy of UCI's Dept of Developmental and Cell Biology have developed an effective method of studying the function of the specific genes necessary for limb regeneration in salamanders, a finding that may ultimately provide key information leading to new approaches for the treatment of such ailments as spinal cord injury. For more information, please contact the UCI Communications Office, (949) 824-6922 or Contact Tom Vasich,  (949) 824-6455, tmvasich@uci.edu

Clinical Trials

Company News

Here's an article on this research:  J Neurotrauma 1998 Oct;15(10):837-49. Randomized double-blind crossover trial of fampridine-SR (sustained release 4-aminopyridine) in patients with incomplete spinal cord injury. Potter PJ, Hayes KC, Segal JL, Hsieh JT, Brunnemann SR, Delaney GA, Tierney DS, Mason D. Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Parkwood Hospital, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada.
A randomized double-blind dose-titration crossover trial of the safety and efficacy of oral fampridine-SR (sustained release 4-aminopyridine) was conducted on spinal cord injured (SCI) patients at two centers. Twenty-six patients (n = 26) with incomplete lesions completed the trial. These patients all had chronic (>2 years) and stable neurological deficits. They received fampridine-SR 12.5 and 17.5  mg b.i.d. over a 2-week treatment period, followed by a 1-week washout and 2 weeks of placebo, or vice versa. Patients reported significant benefit of fampridine-SR over placebo on patient satisfaction (McNemar's test, p2 < 0.05) and quality of life scores (p2 < 0.01). Sensory scores (p1 < 0.01), including both pin prick (p1 = 0.059) and light touch (p1 = 0.058), and motor scores (adjusted to  reflect only paretic segments) (p1 < 0.01) all yielded evidence of benefit of fampridine-SR over placebo. The Ashworth scale of spasticity was significantly (p2 < 0.05) reduced when patients received fampridine-SR. There were no statistically significant benefits of the drug on measures of pain or bowel, bladder and sexual function, or functional independence. Side effects of lightheadedness and nausea were transient and trivial relative to efficacy, and approximately 30% of patients reported a  wish to continue to use fampridine-SR. The clinical benefits most likely derive from the K+ channel  blocking action of the drug. Potassium channel blockade enhances axonal conduction across  demyelinated internodes and enhances neuroneuronal and neuromuscular transmission in preserved  axons. These results provide the first evidence of therapeutic benefit of fampridine-SR in SCI patients.

Neurolab Launches Website: Neurolab (Paris, France), is an independent contract research organization dedicated to preclinical trials and developing technologies and therapeutic products in neurological diseases including SCI. Read about their research at their new Website at http://www.neurolab.fr/company.htm

NeoTherapeutics Holds Research Conference On Neotrofin(TM) (AIT-082): NeoTherapeutics, Inc. held the First Annual AIT-082 Conference on February 4th and 5th at its Corporate and R&D headquarters in Irvine. The Company gathered together scientists in the fields of learning and memory, neuroanatomy, neurotrophic factors and neurodegenerative diseases from nine universities in three countries, along with its Scientific Advisory Board, NeoTherapeutics' internal scientists and scientists from its subsidiary, NeoGene Technologies. NEOTROFIN(TM) is being developed for nerve repair and regeneration, with Alzheimer's disease as its first clinical indication. Pre-clinical studies have demonstrated that NEOTROFIN(TM) causes the production of multiple natural nerve growth (neurotrophic) factors and restores function in animal models of cognitive decline, aging, neurodegeneration, and spinal cord injury.

Hans Keirstead to join Reeve-Irvine Research Center: Hans Keirstead, a leading spinal cord researcher, is leaving the University of British Columbia to take up an assistant professorship with the Reeve-Irvine Research Center at the University of  California. Some of the remarkable research -- a patented technique for regenerating damaged spinal cords -- has Mr. Keirstead's name on it, developed and refined with colleagues at UBC. Mr. Keirstead has developed his technique over a decade. It works on chickens and rats. In about two years -- pending Canadian and U.S. government approval --it will be tested on people with spinal injuries.

Model Systems of Care: The November 1999 issue of the Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (Volume 80, No. 11) is devoted entirely to articles from the Model Spinal Cord Injury Care System Program.  Please contact your local library if you wish to obtain  these articles. The Model SCI Care Systems Website provides information on these programs as well as links to individual Model System Websites.

Nogo gene: Scientists have identified a gene, dubbed "Nogo" that prevents the brain and spinal cord from rewiring themselves after an injury. This gene produces a protein that prevents nerve-cell connections in the central nervous system from regenerating after they are cut. Rat experiments showed that when the protein is blocked, the spinal cord can repair itself. Much of this research has been done by Martin Schwab of the Brain Research Institute of the University of Zurich in Switzerland.
Here's the citation and an abstract for a recent article on this subject, derived from the National Library of Medicine's MedLine database: Nature 2000 Jan 27;403(6768):439-44 Identification of the Nogo inhibitor of axon regeneration as a Reticulon protein. GrandPre T, Nakamura F, Vartanian T, Strittmatter SM. Department of Neurology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.
Adult mammalian axon regeneration is generally successful in the peripheral nervous system (PNS)  but is dismally poor in the central nervous system (CNS). However, many classes of CNS axons can  extend for long distances in peripheral nerve grafts. A comparison of myelin from the CNS and the  PNS has revealed that CNS white matter is selectively inhibitory for axonal outgrowth. Several  components of CNS white matter, NI35, NI250(Nogo) and MAG, that have inhibitory activity for axon  extension have been described. The IN-1 antibody, which recognizes NI35 and NI250(Nogo), allows  moderate degrees of axonal regeneration and functional recovery after spinal cord injury. Here we  identify Nogo as a member of the Reticulon family, Reticulon 4-A. Nogo is expressed by  oligodendrocytes but not by Schwann cells, and associates primarily with the endoplasmic reticulum.  A 66-residue lumenal/extracellular domain inhibits axonal extension and collapses dorsal root  ganglion growth cones. In contrast to Nogo, Reticulon 1 and 3 are not expressed by oligodendrocytes,  and the 66-residue lumenal/extracellular domains from Reticulon 1, 2 and 3 do not inhibit axonal  regeneration. These data provide a molecular basis to assess the contribution of Nogo to the failure of axonal regeneration in the adult CNS.

Sygen: BackwordsOnline Newsletter: Backwords is an online newsletter from the Model Spinal Cord Injury Center at The Medical College of Wisconsin.  An article updating the Sygen study is available at the Backwords newsletter Website.

New Consumer Guide on Depression Following Spinal Cord Injury:  The Paralyzed Veterans of America have made available a new consumer guide on depression and SCI.  Depression: What You Should Know: A Consumer Guide for People with Spinal Cord Injury is available at http://www.pva.org/prof/9811cpgs/ 

Spinal Cord Research on Cell Death: The  KU Medical Center and the Veterans Administration are testing drugs that might prevent spinal cord cell death.  The research is led by Neurosurgeon Paul Arnold.  They are administering various medications to rats with SCI to test which drugs might stop the chemical reaction which causes cells to keep on dying days after injury. Some of the rats have shown small improvements with medication and one even regained some ability to walk. The Spinal Cord Injury Program at KUMC is described at  http://www2.kumc.edu/publications/inthecenter/072299.htm

Product to Treat Chronic Sores and Incontinence: A material derived from the small intestine submucosa (SIS) of a pig is being used to cure chronic sores, treat incontinence in women and repair internal organs and hernias. Read about this product at http://news.uns.purdue.edu/html4ever/0002.Badylak.SIS.html The product has been developed for patient care by Cook Biotech Inc., located at the Purdue Research Park in West Lafayette. Check out Cook Biotech, Inc. at http://www.cookgroup.com/cook_biotech

Reconnecting Damaged Sensory Nerves: The January 20, 2000 issue of Nature includes an article on research into reconnecting damaged sensory nerves by Matt Ramer, Ph.D., postdoctoral fellow, Neuroscience Research Center, Guy's, King's and St. Thomas's School of Biomedical Sciences and Queen Mary and Westfield College, London. The researchers have been able to regrow sensory nerve cells in rats and reconnect them to the spinal cord, allowing the rats to feel heat and pressure.
Neuroscientist Martin Schwab, the head of the Brain Research Institute at the University of Zurich in Zurich, Switzerland is the author of an accompanying commentary. Dr. Martin Schwab studies the morphological, behavioural and electrophysiological studies of nerve fiber regeneration and plasticity after spinal cord and brain injury. http://www.neurozh.ch/e/groups/schwab00.htm
http://www.unizh.ch/hifo/morphol.htm

Interleukin-10: Drs. Bethea and Dietrich, among others, of the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis have been conducting research on the neuroproective effects of the antiinflammatory interleukin-10 (IL-10) following SCI.  They have also conducted studies combining IL-10 with hypothermia.  Citations for some of their articles are listed below (abstracts can be found in the National Library of Medicine's Medline database. Check out the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis Website to read an article on their research: "Interleukin-10 Protects the Spinal Cord y Reducing Inflammation", Winter 1999 Science Update, Project to Cure Paralysis, Vol. XII, No. 3 (click on "Research" in the left-hand column then click on "Science Update" in the right-hand column; this article will be first in the listing of articles).
    Bethea JR, Nagashima H, Acosta MC, Briceno C, Gomez F, Marcillo AE, Loor K, Green J, Dietrich WD. J Neurotrauma 1999 Oct;16(10):851-63. Systemically administered interleukin-10 reduces tumor necrosis factor-alpha production and significantly improves functional recovery following traumatic spinal cord injury in rats. The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis and the Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Miami School of Medicine, Florida, USA. jbethea@miamiproj.med.miami.edu
    Brewer KL, Bethea JR, Yezierski RP. Exp Neurol 1999 Oct;159(2):484-93.Neuroprotective effects of interleukin-10 following excitotoxic spinal cord injury.  Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, East Carolina University, 27858, USA.
    Dietrich WD, Busto R, Bethea JR. Exp Neurol 1999 Aug;158(2):444-50. Postischemic hypothermia and IL-10 treatment provide long-lasting neuroprotection of CA1 hippocampus following transient global ischemia in rats. Department of Neurology, The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, Miami, Florida, 33101, USA. dietric@miamiproj.med.miami.edu

Bladder Cancer and Indwelling Catheters in SCI individuals: Subramonian K, et al. Re: Bladder histological changes associated with chronic indwelling urinary catheter. J Urol. 1999 Dec;162(6):2105-6. UI: 20034881 and J Urol 1999 Apr;161(4):1106-8; discussion 1108-9.
Bladder histological changes associated with chronic indwelling urinary catheter. Delnay KM, Stonehill WH, Goldman H, Jukkola AF, Dmochowski RR. Department of Urology, University of Tennessee and Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Memphis, USA. PURPOSE: Chronic urinary catheters induce histological changes in the bladder with time. The exact etiology of these changes is postulated to arise from inflammation and local tissue response. We elucidate the incidence of nonmalignant histological change in bladder biopsies of patients with chronic indwelling urinary catheters. MATERIALS AND METHODS: During 7 years 208 spinal cord injured patients underwent bladder biopsies as part of a surveillance program for vesical malignancy. All patients had chronic (more than 8.5 years) indwelling urethral or suprapubic catheters as definitive management for neurogenic voiding dysfunction. Biopsies were obtained from 4 to 6 sites within the bladder, including areas that were visually abnormal. All samples were routinely fixed with hematoxylin and eosin staining, and interpreted by an experienced pathologist. RESULTS: A total of 17 patients were identified with malignancy, including 10 with squamous cell carcinoma, 5 with transitional cell carcinoma and 2 with adenocarcinoma. Nonmalignant changes occurred in 48 patients (23%) with keratinizing squamous metaplasia or cystitis glandularis, each of which is considered a premalignant lesion. CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge our study represents the largest group of spinal cord injured patients to undergo biopsy evaluation after chronic catheter use. A spectrum of inflammatory and proliferative pathological conditions were identified, which were predominantly inflammatory and squamous. The need to survey ongoing transitional mucosal changes in this population is underscored by the spectrum of histological abnormalities and the significant occurrence of malignant pathologies in our patients.
Urology 1999 Feb;53(2):292-7. Role of chronic catheterization in the development of bladder cancer in
patients with spinal cord injury. West DA, Cummings JM, Longo WE, Virgo KS, Johnson FE, Parra RO
Department of Surgery, St. Louis University School of Medicine, and the John Cochran Veterans
Affairs Medical Center, Missouri, USA.
OBJECTIVES: Patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) and chronic indwelling catheters are known to be at increased risk of bladder malignancy. "Decatheterization" by clean intermittent catheterization, external condom catheterization, or spontaneous voiding is thought to reduce the risk by decreasing the chronic mucosal irritation and rate of infection. We examined two Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) data bases to test this theory. METHODS: A population-based retrospective analysis of invasive treatments for carcinoma of the bladder in all DVA hospitals was conducted using computerized inpatient files from fiscal years 1988 to 1992. RESULTS: One hundred thirty patients with bladder malignancy were identified from a pool of 33,565 patients with SCI (0.39%). All 130 patients underwent either radical cystectomy (n = 63, 48%) or transurethral resection of bladder tumor (n = 67, 52%). The 30-day perioperative mortality and overall 5-year survival rates were 2 (1.5%) and 49 (38%) of 130, respectively. Of the 130 patients analyzed, 42 (32%) had adequate data available regarding tumor pathologic findings and method of bladder management for analysis. The average age at diagnosis was 57.3 years. The histologic finding was transitional cell carcinoma in 23 (55%), squamous cell carcinoma in 14 (33%), and adenocarcinoma in 4 (10%) of 42. Bladder management was an indwelling urethral catheter in 18 (43%), suprapubic catheter in 8 (19%), clean intermittent catheterization in 8 (19%), and condom catheter in 6 (14%) of 42 patients. Squamous cell carcinoma was more common in patients with indwelling urethral catheters and suprapubic tubes (11 of 26, 42%) than in those using clean intermittent catheterization, condom catheterization, or spontaneous voiding (3 of 16, 19%). CONCLUSIONS: Bladder cancer was diagnosed in approximately 0.39% of this large SCI population during a 5-year period. Most cancers (55%) were transitional cell carcinomas. Squamous cell carcinoma was more common in patients with SCI and indwelling catheters than those without chronic catheterization. These data continue to suggest that avoidance of indwelling catheters, when feasible, is the preferred method of bladder management in patients with SCI.

New Target Identified for Chronic Pain Therapy: Scientists funded by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) may soon be able to reduce sensitivity to stimuli that are associated with chronic neuropathic and inflammatory pain by disabling certain nerve cells that send pain signals to the brain.  Combining substance P with the ribosome-activating protein saporin was found to inhibit pain associated with nerve injury when administered before or after the development of neuropathic pain.  Read the entire press release at NINDS: New Target Identified for Chronic Pain Therapy
The research was reported in the November 19, 1999 issue of Science.  Here's the article information (derived from the National Library of Medicine's Medline database):
Science 1999 Nov 19;286(5444):1558-1561. Transmission of Chronic Nociception by Spinal Neurons Expressing the  Substance P Receptor. Nichols ML, Allen BJ, Rogers SD, Ghilardi JR, Honore P, Luger NM, Finke MP, Li J, Lappi DA,  Simone DA, Mantyh PW.  Departments of Preventive Sciences, Psychiatry, and Neuroscience and Cancer Center, University of  Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA. Molecular Neurobiology Lab (151), Veterans Affairs  Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN 55417, USA. Advanced Targeting Systems, 11175-A Flintkote  Avenue, San Diego, CA 92121, USA.

The Society for Neuroscience had its annual meeting October 23-28 in Miami Beach, Florida.

Check out the research being supported by the U.K.-based International Spinal Research Trust at: http://www.spinal-research.org/res.htm

Boston Life Sciences Inc. (BLSI) and Inosine and AF-1 Research: Scientists at Children's Hospital, Boston, have reported that a growth-promoting molecule known as Inosine stimulated axon collateral growth to an extent never previously shown in an animal model that has many features in common with spinal cord injury in humans. Here's the article (derived from the National Library of Medicine's Medline database) Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 1999 Nov 9;96(23):13486-90. Inosine stimulates extensive axon collateral growth in the rat corticospinal tract after injury.   Benowitz LI, Goldberg DE, Madsen JR, Soni D, Irwin N.  Department of Neurosurgery, Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA. The purine nucleoside inosine has been shown to induce axon outgrowth from primary neurons in culture through a direct intracellular mechanism. For this study, we investigated the effects of inosine in vivo by examining whether it would stimulate axon growth after a unilateral transection of the corticospinal tract. Inosine applied with a minipump to the rat sensorimotor cortex stimulated intact pyramidal cells to undergo extensive sprouting of their axons into the denervated spinal cord white matter and adjacent neuropil. Axon growth was visualized by anterograde tracing with biotinylated  dextran amine and by immunohistochemistry with antibodies to GAP-43. Thus, inosine, a naturally occurring metabolite without known side effects, might help to restore essential circuitry after injury to the central nervous system.  Dr. Laryy Benowitz has received a two-year grant to expand his spinal cord regeneration research in collaboration with BLSI from the Christopher Reeve Foundation.http://www.bostonlifesciences.com/news19.htm CONTACT: Children's Hospital, Public Affairs Office, Barbra Watson, 617/355-6420;  Boston Life Sciences, Inc.,  Marc Lanser, 617/425-0200, http://www.bostonlifesciences.com/Boston Life Sciences, Inc. is developing novel treatments for cancer, autoimmune disease, and central nervous system disorders. In preclinical development by BLSI include AF-1 for the potential treatment of SCI. http://www.bostonlifesciences.com/  and http://www.bostonlifesciences.com/news22.htm Jesup & Lamont Securities, a New York-based brokerage and investment banking firm, has initiated research  coverage of the Company with a strong buy rating. Jesup & Lamont is a full service brokerage and investment banking firm providing institutional sales and trading services, equity research, asset  management for select clientele, and financial advisory services in connection with mergers and acquisitions, capital market transactions, restructurings and other corporate finance matters. In a February 1 press release, BLSI  http://www.bostonlifesciences.com/news29.htm  has announced that their collaborating scientists have isolated the molecular target of the Company's Central Nervous System (CNS) growth factors, AF-1 and Inosine. This target appears to be an enzyme within CNS neurons that specifically controls axon growth of all CNS nerve cells whether in the brain or in the spinal cord. Activation of this enzyme by Inosine and AF-1 is apparently sufficient to overwhelm the natural inhibitory factor(s) such as Nogo that ordinarily prevent nerve regeneration in the CNS. Such regeneration had not been achieved to any substantial degree until AF-1 and Inosine were demonstrated as capable of stimulating significant axonal regrowth in the corticospinal tract.

November 2000 Update:  These researchers have found that inosine can act as a kind of master switch to turn on genes involved in the growth of nerve cells.  This protein is key to helping injured nerve cells regenerate, and the researchers believe it might be used to develop new treatments for spinal cord injuries and stroke damage.

University of Florida Brain Institute Magnet for SCI research: The University of Florida Brain Institute has acquired an imaging magnet weighing 24 tons that will be used for brain and spinal injury research. Boasting a magnetic field strength 234,000 times stronger than the Earth's natural magnetic force, the magnet will be used to visualize animal and human tissues with an unprecedented level of clarity and detail. The system will aid scientists in studying brain and spine-related diseases and injuries.

Impotence Research: Because of recent breakthroughs in genetic research, it may be possible within 25 years to artificially grow penises and vaginas that can be implanted as functioning organs in humans according to the Impotence World Association.

Phrenic Nerve Graft Helps Quadriplegics Breathe: Abbott J. Krieger, MD, a neurosurgeon in private practice in Livingston, New Jersey, has been working for more than 20 years to repair the phrenic nerve, re-animate the diaphragm muscles and free quadriplegics confined for life to ventilators. Dr. Krieger presented the results of his research to more than 2,500 neurosurgeons and allied health professionals at the Congress of Neurological Surgeons 49th Annual Meeting, October 30 -November 4, 1999 in Boston, Massachusetts.  The procedure, which has been successfully performed in six patients with dead or damaged phrenic nerves, works by grafting a living, intercostal nerve into the phrenic nerve. After approximately six months, nerve regeneration occurs and takes over the electrical functions of the phrenic nerve. A pacemaker is inserted to help the fused nerve send the correct "breathe" signal to the brain.

Salbutamol & Mucle Strength:  Archives of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation 1999 Oct;80(10):1264-7. Salbutamol effect in spinal cord injured individuals undergoing functional electrical stimulation training. Murphy RJ, Hartkopp A, Gardiner PF, Kjaer M, Beliveau L. Departement de Kinesiologie, Universite de Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
OBJECTIVE: Preliminary study to investigate possible changes in skeletal muscle morphology and function, as well as hormonal and metabolic effects, after treatment with a selective beta2-adrenergic receptor agonist. DESIGN: Double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. PARTICIPANTS: Three individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI). INTERVENTION: Two-week treatment with salbutamol (2mg) or placebo (ascorbic acid, 50mg) twice a day. Program of functional electronic stimulation (FES) cycling for 30 minutes twice a week. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Body weight, three measures of leg circumference (gluteal furrow, one third of subischial height up from tibial-femoral joint space, and minimum circumference above the knee), muscle fiber area, and total work output per session.
RESULTS: There were increases in body weight (2.30 +/- .70kg), leg circumferences (gluteal furrow 1.70 +/- .27cm, one third subischial height 1.53 +/- 1.65cm, minimum circumference above the knee .43 +/- .04cm), and muscle (vastus lateralis) cross-sectional area (1,374 +/- 493 to 2,446 +/- 1,177microm2) after salbutamol treatment, whereas quadriceps muscle contractile function was not modified. Total work output during FES cycling sessions was increased more during salbutamol treatment (64%) compared with training alone (27%). Salbutamol treatment was associated with a large decrease in skeletal muscle beta-adrenergic receptor density. CONCLUSION: Although some side effects were noted, these results suggest that a short treatment with the beta2-adrenergic receptor agonist salbutamol during a training program with FES cycling could be beneficial in patients with SCI.

ISRAEL
Weizmann Institute Research: Autologous Macrophage Therapy for Neuron Regeneration:  Valentin Fulga, MD, Director of Regulatory & Clinical Affairs of Proneuron Biotechnologies reported on the results of this novel treatment in preclinical animal studies at the 49th Annual Meeting of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons, on Monday, November 1, 1999. (see also the next news item about Proneuron's research/trials in this area.) This new spinal cord cell therapy, which has shown encouraging results in recent animal studies, was recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for a Phase I trial in humans. The trial, which will begin in November, will involve 6-10 new spinal cord injury patients at two medical centers in Israel. Initial signs of recovery are expected about nine to twelve months after receiving the therapy. The principal investigators in the trial are Zvi Harry Rappaport, MD, Head of the Department of  Neurosurgery at Rabin Medical Center, Moshe Hadani, MD, Chairman of the Neurosurgery Department at Sheba Medical Center and Nachshon Knoller, MD, Senior Neurosurgeon at Sheba Medical Center. The procedure works by taking white blood cells, known as macrophages, and processing them in a laboratory for approximately one day. The cells are then injected into the spinal cord at the site of injury. There is information on Michal Schwartz  and her research at Weizmann Institute.

Weizmann Institute scientists devise an approach for 'recruiting' an immune system response to partial spinal cord injuries. The researchers are working on by adding additional immune cells, known as T-cells, to the damage-control battalion aimed at blocking the spread of spinal cord damage. This is in addition to the macrophage  therapy they are also investigating. The press release on this research is located at http://www.weizmann.ac.il/
Here's the abstract from the Lancet journal article on this research derived from the National Library of Medicine's MedLine database:
Lancet 2000 Jan 22;355(9200):286-7. Autoimmune T cells as potential neuroprotective therapy for spinal cord injury. Hauben E, Nevo U, Yoles E, Moalem G, Agranov E, Mor F, Akselrod S, Neeman M, Cohen IR,  Schwartz M.
Autoimmune T cells against central nervous system myelin associated peptide reduce the spread of damage and promote recovery in injured rat spinal cord, findings that might lead to neuroprotective cell therapy without risk of autoimmune disease.

The Food and Drug Administration has approved a Phase 1 Clinical Trial for Proneuron Biotechnologies, Inc.'s SCI cell therapy for newly-injured patients. According to Proneuron's press release: "Proneuron's novel spinal cord cell therapy has shown encouraging results in animal studies reported in the July 1998 edition of Nature Medicine. The procedure will consist of taking white blood cells known as macrophages from the injured patient's own blood and processing them in a laboratory for a short period. The activated cells are then administered to the patient's spinal cord. Macrophages promote wound healing in most body tissues, but are normally unable to enter the spinal cord in large numbers. However, once activated and administered directly, they promote the healing process in spinal cord tissue as well. Proneuron's spinal cord cell therapy must be started within a few days of the injury. For this reason, the treatment cannot be applied to chronically-paralyzed patients who sustained injuries in the past."   September, 2000:  FDA-approved clinical trials of Autologous Macrophage Therapy for Acute Complete Spinal Cord Injury are being conducted at the Sheba and Rabin Medical Centers in Israel. The trial is recruiting patients worldwide and all costs for patients participating will be covered by the sponsor. The announcement is available on-line from the Proneuron web site at http://www.proneuron.com/

Journal of Neurotrauma SCI articles: The September issue of the Journal of Neurotrauma has several very interesting articles on SCI.  Contact your local library in you're interested in obtaining this journal or the articles in it (it's a technical journal and not found in most libraries except for academic medical libraries).

Mayo Clinic Procedure for Compression Fractures: The Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota is offering a procedure to individuals who have prolonged and debilitating pain associated with compression fractures in their spinal vertebrae related to osteoporosis. The procedure, known as vertebroplasty (ver-TEE-bro-plasty), involves injecting bone cement into the vertebrae where a compression fracture exists, stabilizing the fracture and relieving the pain. The news release is available at http://www.mayo.edu/comm/mcs/news/news_1213.htmll

PEG used to reconnect spinal cords: Researchers at the Center for Paralysis Research at Purdue University, which studies SCI in animals, are studying the use of polymer polyethylene glycol (PEG) to reconnect membranes of damaged nerve cells.  Check out their Website for information on their research.  Also, here are some articles on their research (derived from the National Library of Medicine's MedLine database):

J Neurotrauma 1999 Aug;16(8):727-38. Functional reconnection of severed mammalian spinal cord axons with polyethylene glycol. Shi R, Borgens RB, Blight AR. Center for Paralysis Research, Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA.
We describe a technique using the water-soluble polymer polyethylene glycol (PEG) to reconnect the two segments of completely transected mammalian spinal axons within minutes. This was  accomplished by fusing completely severed strips of isolated guinea pig thoracic white matter maintained in vitro in a double sucrose gap recording chamber. The faces of the severed segments were pressed together, and PEG (MW 1,400-3,500 d; approximately 50% by weight in distilled water)  was applied directly to this region through a micropipette and removed by aspiration within 2 min.   Successful fusion was documented by the immediate restored conduction of compound action potentials through the original transection and by the variable numbers of fused axons in which  anatomical continuity was shown to be restored by high-resolution light microscopy and by the diffusion of intracellular fluorescent dyes through fused axons. These data support the conclusion that  some severed and subsequently PEG-fused spinal axons both demonstrate restored anatomical continuity and also are physiologically competent to conduct action potentials. This work adds to our  previous demonstration that PEG application can immediately repair severely crushed, rather than cut, spinal cord white matter, and may lead to novel treatments for acute trauma to the central and  peripheral nervous systems.

FASEB J 2000 Jan;14(1):27-35.  Immediate recovery from spinal cord injury through molecular repair of nerve membranes with polyethylene glycol. Borgens RB, Shi R.  Center for Paralysis Research, Department of Basic Medical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, USA.
A brief application of the hydrophilic polymer polyethylene glycol (PEG) swiftly repairs nerve membrane damage associated with severe spinal cord injury in adult guinea pigs. A 2 min application of PEG to a standardized compression injury to the cord immediately reversed the loss of nerve impulse conduction through the injury in all treated animals while nerve impulse conduction remained absent in all sham-treated guinea pigs. Physiological recovery was associated with a significant recovery of a quantifiable spinal cord dependent behavior in only PEG-treated animals. The application of PEG could be delayed for approximately 8 h without adversely affecting physiological and behavioral recovery which continued to improve for up to 1 month after PEG treatment

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST
HHS Secretary Donna E. Shalala has released the nation's first-ever standards for protecting the privacy of Americans' personal
health records. This new regulation will protect medical records and other personal health information maintained by health care
providers, hospitals, health plans and health insurers, and health care clearinghouses.

SCI Health Education Multimedia Series - The University of Alabama at Birmingham RRTC has a series of slideshows offered FREE on computer CD and at http://www.spinalcord.uab.edu/show.asp?durki=28921. These slideshows provide information for professionals and consumers on topics of interest to the SCI community.  Current topics include Functional Goals following SCI and Preventing Pressure Sores through Skin Care. Three more topics are coming in 2001. Call 205-934-3283 or email mailto:scirtc@sun.rehabm.uab.edufor more information.

The Board of Directors of The Paralyzed Veterans Of America (PVA) did not renew funding for their civilian membership initiative, Paralysis Society of America (PSA), at their 54th Annual Convention, August 5, 2000. Effective September 30, 2000, PSA will cease all activities in connection with its civilian membership initiative, including their web site at http://www.psa.org.

The National Resource Center on Supportive Housing and Home Modification, is operated by the Andrus Gerontology Center of the University of Southern California. Its mission is to help educate contractors and older & disabled individuals about available home modification resources, assistive technology and community programs.

The National Accessible Apartment Clearinghouse (NAAC) is a free service that assists people with disabilities with locating accessible apartments.  Prospective tenants can call NAAC's toll free message center at (800) 421-1221 or email     at:clearinghouse@naahq.com The request should include what special features are needed, city and state desired, name, phone and email address. The Staff will then search the accessible apartment  database of over 46,000 specially designed apartments. The listings include the accessible  features of each apartment community and individual apartment home.

The US Department of Transportation's Office of  Inspector General is conducting a review of airline customer service for disabled and special needs passengers. The Inspector General is seeking input from passengers with disabilities to share their air travel experiences, and will use this information as part of its final report to Congress. Electronic forms are now available on the Inspector General Website. Hard copies may be obtained by fax or mail by calling 1-800-424-9071.

After sixteen years of dedicated service to the SCI community, the National SCI Hotline has ceased operations, effective September 1, 2000. Their toll-free number is no longer operational and referrals will not be accepted.  But, the Spinal Cord Injury Network International is still here.  We offer information and referral services and have a library of books, clippings, videos, and magazines to answer your questions.  Please call us at our toll-free phone number 1-800-548-2673 or contact us at: 3911 Princeton Drive, Santa Rosa, CA 95405-7013;  Phone: 1-707-577-8796; FAX: 1-707-577-0605; spinal@sonic.net
Our business hours are: Monday-Thursday, 9:00 a.m-4:00 p.m.

(This information is from DisabledPerson.com) DisabledPerson.Com was made aware of the dialogue from the September 5th show of Politically Incorrect. In the course of the show, the host brought up an article written about Prince Edward of England who is championing sexual surrogacy for the disabled. His remarks (below) were not only distasteful but were demeaning to the disabled community. E-mails can be sent to webmaster@abc.com.
I read this in the paper last week about Prince Edward of England is championing sexual surrogacy for the disabled, which really means prostitution for the disabled, who are very often the most frustrated people in the world who cannot, in any way, find sexual intimacy. It's almost like being married. [ Laughter ] I kid, of course

Access Board Issues Summary on ADA Guidelines for Recreation Facilities: On July 21, 2000, the Access Board issued a summary on upcoming final guidelines regarding access to various recreation facilities subject to the ADA. The Board will accept comments on the summary for 60 days and has scheduled informational meetings in Washington, D.C. and San Francisco, California during this comment period.  Further information on these meetings and instructions for submitting comments electronically or by mail are available at the Board's website.  Or call the Board at (800) 872-2253 (voice) or (800) 993-2822 (TTY).

Access Board New Web Site: The Access Board has redesigned and upgraded its web site at http://www.access-board.gov/. Sections on the page include: Information on the Board; Accessibility Guidelines and Standards; Technical Assistance, Training, and Research (guidance material and information on the Board's training and research programs); Enforcement (file a complaint; find information on access issues); Board publications; Links; News Archives; Rules and Notices; Status of Rules; Reports of advisory committees and research.

The Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation has a new online tutorial about how the brain and spinal cord work. The list of tutorial topics are: Background on the Central Nervous System; Cells of the Central Nervous System and How They Communicate; How the Nervous System Senses the World and Controls Movement; The Major Challenges Facing Spinal Cord Research; and What are Some Intervention Strategies to Repair the Damaged Spinal Cord? The tutorial is available at Spinal Cord Tutorial

SCI in Taiwan: Republic of China First Lady Wu Shu-chen recently attended the opening ceremony for a new activity center in Taipei for people who have suffered spinal cord injuries or problems.  Also present at the ceremony was Cheng Hung-chih, a neurosurgeon at the Taipei Veterans General Hospital (VGH) who specializes in the study of "central nerve injury repair strategies" with the aim of helping spinal cord patients.

Personal Care Assistant Manual: The Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) has published a consumer guide (order number 2900-143) on recruiting, training, keeping, and firing personal assistants as well as funding sources and taxes. It includes forms to guide you through the process of managing personal assistants.  You may call the PVA Distribution Center at (888) 860-7244 or visit their website.  PVA has many other publications of value to SCI individuals including those on depression, accessible design, sexuality, wheelchairs and sports.

Delta Air Lines Forms Advisory Board For Passengers With Special Needs.  Delta Air Lines has formed a Customer Advisory Board to provide guidance on its programs for passengers with disabilities.  Members of the Board include representatives from the Paralysis Society of America, The Seeing Eye Inc., Self Help for Hard of Hearing People and AARP.  Additionally, many Delta employees volunteer with "Wings of Angels," a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing travel support for people with disabilities or passengers with extraordinary in-flight needs due to medical conditions. The organization, which was created by Delta employees, is exploring ways include employees from other airlines so that the needs of customers with special circumstances are met wherever or with whomever they may choose to travel. Here are some of their on-line documents on traveling for individuals with disabilities:
FAQ on traveling for Passengers with Special Needs
Special Concerns
Disability Reservation Requirements
Airport Assistance
Aircraft Accessibility
Airport Accessibility

Spinal Concepts, Inc., Awarded Patent for InFix Device for Interbody Fusion.  Spinal Concepts, Inc., a leading innovator of spine implant technology, has been awarded a patent for its InFix Device which is currently in an FDA-approved randomized prospective multi-center IDE clinical trial at leading spine centers across the United States. A modular system built within the disc space, the InFix is a stand-alone lumbar fusion device that is inserted through an anterior approach. Height, width and lordotic angle can be independently adjusted during implantation to match individual patient anatomy without sacrificing good healthy vertebral endplate.

National Disability Policy Fellowship Program: In an effort to identify and develop new leaders with disabilities and to enhance NCD's policy capacity, NCD has established this annual fellowship program in Washington, D.C.  The focus of the Fellowship Program is to provide experience, training, and contacts to qualified individuals with disabilities. An application is posted on NCD's Web site (http://www.ncd.gov). Additional copies of the application form can be obtained by contacting Stacey  Brown (sbrown@ncd.gov) at 202-272-2004 (voice), 202-272-2074 (TTY), or 202-272-2022 (fax).

National Clearinghouse of Rehabilitation Training Materials: You can read the NCRTM News at http://www.nchrtm.okstate.edu/  The newsletter is also available from NCRTM in alternative formats. Here are some of their publications (this is only a sample!):

Research Update: Rehospitalization Costs of Individuals with Spinal Cord Injury By Rehabilitation Research and Training Center in Secondary Complications in Spinal Cord Injury. (1998). 4 p.  This study was designed to identify the most frequent causes of rehospitalization, to determine the average charge for each cause of rehospitalization, and to examine how causes and charges differ for various patient characteristics and locations of the hospital. University of Alabama at Birmingham Spine Rehabilitation Center; 1717  6th Ave. South,  Room 506, Birmingham, AL 35233-7330; 205/934-3283.

Research Update: Ultrasound for Urinary Tract Surveillance of Persons with Spinal Cord Injury By Kenney, Phillip J.; L. Keith Lloyd; Michael C. Lambert. (1997). 4 p. This research update discusses the need to use ultrasound for long-term surveillance in detecting and treating urinary tract abnormalities in individuals with spinal cord injuries. University of Alabama at Birmingham Spine Rehabilitation Center; 1717 6th Ave. South, Room 506, Birmingham, AL 35233-7330; 205/934-3283.

Americans with Disabilities Act: Manual for Counselors, Employers, and Consumers
Basics of Career Development
Guide for Rehabilitation Counselors
Introduction to the Casework Process for New Counselors
New Counselor Follow-Up Training
Growing the Elephant: Affirming the Role of Employment Consultants in Business and Organizational Settings
Independent Living: Report to the California Legislature on State Services Which Foster the Ability of People to Live Independently
Peer Mentor Volunteers: Empowering People for Change
Readings in Independent Living: People with Disabilities and Abuse: Implications for Centers for Independent Living
Readings in Independent Living: Demand Response Transportation Through a Rural Independent Living Center
Readings in Independent Living: DiverseAbilities: An Outcome of Organizational Collaboration and Operational Integration
Psychological and Vocational Assessment of Native Americans
Strategies on Successful Independent Living Services for American Indians with Disabilities: A Research-Dissemination Final Report
Developing Rehabilitation Researchers in the American Indian Community
Overview of the Public Vocational Rehabilitation Program and Overview of the Workforce Investment Act (video)
DISCOVER IDEA CD '99 (CD provides information on the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1997 to educators, related service providers, parents, advocates, administrators and policymakers  who strive for quality education for all children)
Medical and Psychosocial Aspects of Chronic Illness and Disability - Second Edition By Falvo, Donna R. (1999).
Survey of Community-Based Rehabilitation Programs: Goals, Outcomes, Consumers, Finances, and Changes By Bottersbusch, Karl; John W. Miller. (1999).
Think Ability: President's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities Educational Kit 1999
ILRU Directory of Independent Living Centers, SILCs, and Related Organizations
Personal Assistance Services Guide: A Guide for Hiring, Management, and Conflict Resolution
Chartbook on Women and Disability in the United States By Jans, Lita; Susan Stoddard. (1999).

E-Mail Discussion Group Targeted to African Americans with Disabilities:  The On a Roll Radio Show is launching a new e-mail discussion group targeted to African Americans with Disabilities. "The objective of this group is to give African Americans with disabilities a forum to discuss unique issues we face," says On A Roll Host Greg Smith.   "I want to do what I can to facilitate more involvement of blacks with disabilities in the disability movement.  I hope the group can work on promoting an understanding of disability culture the African American community, and make connections with black leaders and the black media." To subscribe to the group, send e-mail to  BlackDisabled-subscribe@onelist.com

Rehabilitation Learning Center and Pachelbel (TM) Computer Program to Provide At-Home Rehabilitation Assistance: The Rehabilitation Learning Center is a new online learning environment for SCI individuals at the Washington University School of Medicine (WSUM) in St. Louis, Missouri and is the idea of Dr. Anthony Margherita.  A new computer program, called Pachelbel (TM), is being tested there to provide rehabilitation materials to patients from a personal computer. Go to inquiry@pnl.gov for more information. See also Washington University School of Medicine's SCI Restorative Treatment & Research Center

Travis Roy: The Associated Press has reported that Travis Roy, the Boston University hockey player paralyzed in a 1995 game, will be the subject of a screenplay by James Redford.  Mark Campbell Productions is raising money for the filming of "Eleven Seconds'' and hopes to put the movie into production next summer. On 10/30, Boston University retired the number worn by Travis Roy.

John Gilpatrick Regains Ability to Walk:  John Gilpatrick, injured in a hockey accident at Suffolk University in 1996, has been undergoing rehabilitation at Shepherd Center in Atlanta, GA and has regained the use of his legs.  Read about John's recovery at Shepherd Center's Spinal Column.

Indy Race driver Sam Schmidt suffered paralysis after a crash on Thursday, January 6.  On January 7, he underwent spinal surgery at Orlando Regional Medical Center. On January 18, he was  transferred   to Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis for rehabilitation under Dr. John McDonald.

NIDRR Research Centers: Over the next five years, NIDRR will grant approximately $8.3 million in 3 new Rehabilitation Engineering Research Centers.   The University of Wisconsin at Madison and Gallaudet University will focus on telecommunications access; the State University of New York (SUNY) at Buffalo and North Carolina State University (NCSU) in Raleigh will focus on universal design and the built environment.

VA Spinal Cord Injury Units: PVA Concurs with GAO Report Demonstrating VA's Failure to Comply with Capacity Requirements of Services in VA SCI Centers    VA to Improve Spinal Cord Injury Program After Repeated Concerns Voiced by PVA

Cost of Spinal Cord Injury Treatment:  According to the U.S. Agency for Health Care Policy and Research, the five most expensive conditions to treat in hospitalized patients include SCI.  See the AHCPR statistics at  http://www.ahcpr.gov/news/press/pr1999/barchtpr.htm

Test Track Ride at Epcot Accessible to Wheelchair Users: General Motors and Disney have made Test Track, one of the thrill rides at Epcot Center, accessible to wheelchair users. There is both a separate practice area and a special loading area for people with cheelchairs. The ride, which includes 5,246 feet of track, is modeled after General Motors' Proving  Ground where vehicles are tested and validated.

Accessibility Society Action Project (ASAP): ASAP is  fullfilling its goal to present disability issues and research to the nation's mainstream media. The project's website offers story ideas, sources and issues of the day for journalists and researchers across the nation. Cyndi Jones and Bills Stothers, are ASAP coordinators. Cyndi Jones is the former publisher of "Mainstream" magazine. 

U.S. Disabled Ski Team (USDST), The USDST, the world's most successful disabled competitive sports organization, have been ousted from the United States Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) and are battling to be reinstated. USSA has issued an edict to force the USDST to form a "separate but parallel" organization by May 1, 2000.

Resource Center for Women With Disabilities: As part of its Natl Women's Health Information Ctr, the Dept of Health & Human Services has established a new resource center for women with disabilities. The website is http://www.4woman.gov/  There is also a hotline that operates from 9 AM to 6 PM. Call 1-800-994-9662 (voice) or 1-888-220-5446 (TTY)

Access Currents is the Access Board's free newsletter, which is issued every other month by mail and e-mail.   It contains a wealth of information on accessibility, products, standards, ADA, etc.  You may subscribe at the Access Board's Website at http://www.access-board.gov/

Injured Jockeys Fund Donation to International Spinal Research Trust: The Injured Jockeys Fund will make a 750,000 (British pounds) contribution over a three-year period to the International Spinal Research Trust in the hope of ending the permanence of paralysis caused by spinal cord injury.

Invacare Corp. Acquisitions: Invacare Corporation, the world's leading manufacturer of health care products for the non-acute care market, has announced  that the company has acquired two small private companies, Adaptive Switch Laboratories, Inc., and Dynamic Systems, Inc., both of which design and manufacture adaptive devices allowing individuals with disabilities (including those with SCI) to achieve independent mobility, environmental control, communication and computer access. Contact: Invacare Corporation Susan A. Elder, 440/329-6549 http://www.invacare.com/

Spinal Surgery Coblation (TM) Tools & ArthroCare Corp.: ArthroCare Corporation has begun a product launch of Coblation(TM)-based surgical tools for spinal surgery in Europe. Coblation(TM), a new method for removing soft tissue, enables rapid and precise tissue removal with little or no damage to surrounding tissue. Contact: Christine Hanni, ArthroCare Corporation, 595 North Pastoria Avenue, Sunnyvale, CA 94086, USA, Tel: (408) 736-0224, Toll Free: (800) 797-6520, Fax (408) 736-0226.  http://www.arthrocare.com/

Medicare Compare Database from HCFA:  The Health Care Financing Administration is now the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services>.

VOCARE Bladder System: The U.S.  Food and Drug Administration has granted marketing approval to NeuroControl Corporation for their VOCARE Bladder System for SCI individuals with bladder function control problems.  See the "News" section of NeuroControl's homepage for their press release on this topic.

The University of California at Irvine has a new  Health Assessment Program for Seniors, a news source for advanced and innovative treatment programs to meet the healthcare needs of seniors.  With more individuals with SCI living longer lives, they're experiencing the added effects of normal aging and common diseases, such as diabetes or arthritis, on top of the disabling condition.  Additionally, their caretakers are often aging as well, creating new burdens and challenges.

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