A portable system for collecting anatomical joint angles during stair ascent: a comparison with an optical tracking device

Background

Assessments of stair climbing in real-life situations using an optical tracking system are lacking, as it is difficult to adapt the system for use in and around full flights of stairs. Alternatively, a portable system that consists of inertial measurement units (IMUs) can be used to collect anatomical joint angles during stair ascent. The purpose of this study was to compare the anatomical joint angles obtained by IMUs to those calculated from position data of an optical tracking device.

Methods

Anatomical joint angles of the thigh, knee and ankle, obtained using IMUs and an optical tracking device, were compared for fourteen healthy subjects. Joint kinematics obtained with the two measurement devices were evaluated by calculating the root mean square error (RMSE) and by calculating a two-tailed Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient (r) between the two signals.

Results

Strong mean correlations (range 0.93 to 0.99) were found for the angles between the two measurement devices, as well as an average root mean square error (RMSE) of 4 degrees over all the joint angles, showing that the IMUs are a satisfactory system for measuring anatomical joint angles.

Conclusion

These highly portable body-worn inertial sensors can be used by clinicians and researchers alike, to accurately collect data during stair climbing in complex real-life situations.

     

CD134 as target for specific drug delivery to auto-aggressive CD4<Superscript>+</Superscript>T cells in adjuvant arthritis

T cells have an important role during the development of autoimmune diseases. In adjuvant arthritis, a model for rheumatoid arthritis, we found that the percentage of CD4⁺ T cells expressing the activation marker CD134 (OX40 antigen) was elevated before disease onset. Moreover, these CD134⁺ T cells showed a specific proliferative response to the disease-associated epitope of mycobacterial heat shock protein 60, indicating that this subset contains auto-aggressive T cells. We studied the usefulness of CD134 as a molecular target for immune intervention in arthritis by using liposomes coated with a CD134-directed monoclonal antibody as a drug targeting system. Injection of anti-CD134 liposomes subcutaneously in the hind paws of pre-arthritic rats resulted in targeting of the majority of CD4⁺CD134⁺ T cells in the popliteal lymph nodes. Furthermore, we showed that anti-CD134 liposomes bound to activated T cells were not internalized. However, drug delivery by these liposomes could be established by loading anti-CD134 liposomes with the dipalmitate-derivatized cytostatic agent 5'-fluorodeoxyuridine. These liposomes specifically inhibited the proliferation of activated CD134⁺ T cells in vitro, and treatment with anti-CD134 liposomes containing 5'-fluorodeoxyuridine resulted in the amelioration of adjuvant arthritis. Thus, CD134 can be used as a marker for auto-aggressive CD4⁺ T cells early in arthritis, and specific liposomal targeting of drugs to these cells via CD134 can be employed to downregulate disease development.     

Genbank accession #: AF139098

Plant Molecular Biology -     

Simultaneous quantification of emtricitabine and tenofovir nucleotides in peripheral blood mononuclear cells using weak anion-exchange liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry

Emtricitabine (FTC) and tenofovir (TFV) are widely used antiviral agents that require intracellular phosphorylation to become active. This article describes the development and validation of an assay for the simultaneous quantification of FTC mono-, di- and triphosphate (FTC-MP, -DP and -TP), TFV and TFV mono- and diphosphate (TFV-MP and -DP) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Reference compounds and internal standards were obtained by thermal degradation of FTC-TP, TFV-DP, stable isotope-labeled TFV-DP and stable isotope-labeled cytosine triphosphate. Cells were lysed in methanol:water (70:30, v/v) and the extracted nucleotides were analyzed using weak anion-exchange chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. Calibration ranges in PBMC lysate from 0.727 to 36.4, 1.33 to 66.4 and 1.29 to 64.6 nM for FTC-MP, FTC-DP and FTC-TP and from 1.51 to 75.6, 1.54 to 77.2 and 2.54 to 127 nM for TFV, TFV-MP and TFV-DP, respectively, were validated. Accuracies were within ?10.3 and 16.7% deviation at the lower limit of quantification at which the coefficients of variation were less than 18.2%. At the other tested levels accuracies were within ?14.3 and 9.81% deviation and the coefficients of variation lower than 14.7%. The stability of the compounds was assessed under various analytically relevant conditions. The method was successfully applied to clinical samples.