Research activities contributing to evidence-based practice implementation in Japanese rehabilitation professionals.

[Purpose] This study aimed to determine whether certain research activities improve the attitude of rehabilitation professionals towards evidence-based practice and its implementation in Japan. [Participants and Methods] We included physical, occupational, and speech therapists currently working in clinical settings. We employed hierarchical multiple regression analyses to assess the attitude of rehabilitation professionals towards evidence-based practice and research activities. Scores of the five dimensions of the Health Sciences-Evidence Based Practice questionnaire were considered the dependent variables. The five dimensions were as follows: Dimension 1, attitude towards evidence-based practice; Dimensions 2-4, evidence-based practice implementation; and Dimension 5, work environment related to evidence-based practice barriers-facilitators. The four sociodemographic variables (gender, academic degree, clinical experience, and the number of therapists at work) were initially included, following which self-reported research achievements were supplemented as independent variables (the number of case studies, literature reviews, cross-sectional studies, and longitudinal studies). [Results] We analyzed data from 167 participants. In addition to sociodemographic variables, the research achievements that statistically increased F-values of the modeling were case study achievements in Dimensions 2-3, cross-sectional study achievements in Dimensions 2 and 4, and longitudinal study achievements in Dimension 5. [Conclusion] Case studies and cross-sectional studies could improve evidence-based practice implementation among rehabilitation professionals in Japan.

Isolation and characterization of monoclonal antibodies specific for chondroitin sulfate E.

Chondroitin sulfate E (CSE) is a polysaccharide containing mainly disaccharide units of D-glucuronic acid (GlcA) and 4,6-O-disulfated N-acetyl-D-galactosamine (GalNAc) residues (E-unit) in the amount of ∼ 60%. CSE is involved in many biological and pathological processes. In this study, we established new monoclonal antibodies, termed E-12C and E-18H, by using CSE that contained more than 70% of E-units as an immunogen. These antibodies recognized CSE but not other CSs isomers or dermatan sulfate (DS). We evaluated the reactivities of the antibodies to 6-O-sulfated CSA (6S-CSA) and DS (6S-DS) that possessed ∼ 60% of GalNAc (4S, 6S) moieties in their structures. Neither of the antibodies reacted with 6S-DS. The antibodies strictly distinguished the structural difference of GlcA and L-iduronic acid in the polysaccharide. Binding affinities of the antibodies were determined by a surface plasmon resonance assay using CSE and 6S-CSA. The binding affinities were strongly associated with the molecular weight of CSE and the E-unit content of 6S-CSA. Moreover, we demonstrated that the antibodies are applicable to histochemical analysis. In conclusion, the new anti-CSE monoclonal antibodies specifically recognize the E-unit of CSE. The antibodies will become useful tools for the investigation of the biological and pathological significance of CSE.