Using both high field MRI tracking and general surveillance in 227 patients, no neoplastic complications were detected at any stem cell re-implantation site. These findings are consistent with other reports that also show no evidence of malignant transformation in vivo, following implantation of MSCs that were expanded in vitro for limited periods.

A study was undertaken to evaluate the limitations of abdominal sonography in a group of predominantly elderly patients. In the majority of patients (98%) sonography, using 3.5 MHz and 5 MHz array transducers permitted visualization of the major abdominal organs with image quality sufficient for definitive diagnosis, but improved image quality would be desirable in 78% of this sample. Obesity and immobilization were associated with poor sonographic image quality. In 31 of the 45 (69%) poor image quality studies, no near-field artifacts (less than 3 cm depth) were observed. Obstacles in the acoustic path were noted in 77% of the poor image quality studies.

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The validity of wave equations employed as system models in acoustical diffraction tomography is investigated using simulations and measurements of the scattering of plane ultrasound waves by cylinders. It is demonstrated by simulation and experiment that it can be appropriate to neglect density fluctuations and shear waves, implying that the commonly used form of the wave equation suitably describes scattering by fluctuations of acoustic speed and absorption. Diffraction tomographic reconstructions of simulated data reveal the importance of absorption, the behavior of the real and imaginary parts of the reconstructed refractive index, and the relative advantages and limitations of the Born and Rytov approximate transformations.

IntroductionPreviously, secretory phospholipase A2 (sPLA2) inhibition has been used as an adjunct to conventional rheumatoid arthritis therapy in human clinical trials without significant improvement of arthritic pathology. In this study, we compared the efficacy of a potent and orally active group IIa secretory phospholipase A2 inhibitor (sPLA2I) to conventional anti-arthritic agents; infliximab, leflunomide and prednisolone, in a rat model of antigen-induced arthritis.MethodsInitially, to establish efficacy and dose-response, rats were orally dosed with the sPLA2I (1 and 5 mg/kg) two days prior to arthritis induction, and then daily throughout the 14-day study period. In the second trial, rats were orally dosed with the sPLA2I (5 and 10 mg/kg/day) beginning two days after the induction of arthritis, at the peak of joint swelling. Separate groups of rats were also dosed with the tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) inhibitor infliximab (single 3 mg/kg i.v. injection), leflunomide (10 mg/kg/day, oral) or prednisolone (1 mg/kg/day, oral) at this same time point and used as comparative treatments.ResultsIn the pathology prevention trial, both 1 and 5 mg/kg dose groups of sPLA2I demonstrated a significant reduction in joint swelling and gait disturbances; however, only the higher 5 mg/kg dose resulted in significantly reduced histopathology scores. In the post-induction trial, rats dosed with sPLA2I showed a significant improvement in joint swelling and gait scoring, whereas none of the conventional therapeutics achieved a significant decrease in both of these two disease markers. Histopathological scoring at the end-point of the study demonstrated significantly reduced median scores in rats treated with 10 mg/kg sPLA2I and leflunomide.ConclusionsThe results from this study suggest a pathogenic role for sPLA2 enzymes in this model of arthritis in rats, and the potential clinical utility of sPLA2 inhibition as a safer, and more effective, alternative to conventional anti-arthritic therapeutics.