Academia's Role to Drive Change in the Orthotics and Prosthetics profession.

This position paper outlines the important role of academia in shaping the orthotics and prosthetics (O&P) profession and preparing for its future. In the United States, most healthcare professions including O&P are under intense pressure to provide cost effective treatments and quantifiable health outcomes. Pivotal changes are needed in the way O&P services are provided to remain competitive. This will require the integration of new technologies and data driven processes that have the potential to streamline workflows, reduce errors and inform new methods of clinical care and device manufacturing. Academia can lead this change, starting with a restructuring in academic program curricula that will enable the next generation of professionals to cope with multiple demands such as the provision of services for an increasing number of patients by a relatively small workforce of certified practitioners delivering these services at a reduced cost, with the expectation of significant, meaningful, and measurable value. Key curricular changes will require replacing traditional labor-intensive and inefficient fabrication methods with the integration of newer technologies (i.e., digital shape capture, digital modeling/rectification and additive manufacturing). Improving manufacturing efficiencies will allow greater curricular emphasis on clinical training and education - an area that has traditionally been underemphasized. Providing more curricular emphasis on holistic patient care approaches that utilize systematic and evidence-based methods in patient assessment, treatment planning, dosage of O&P technology use, and measurement of patient outcomes is imminent. Strengthening O&P professionals' clinical decision-making skills and decreasing labor-intensive technical fabrication aspects of the curriculum will be critical in moving toward a digital and technology-centric practice model that will enable future practitioners to adapt and survive.

MHC class II deficiency cured by unrelated mismatched umbilical cord blood transplantation: case report and review of 68 cases in the literature.

MHC class II deficiency is a rare and fatal form of primary combined immunodeficiency caused by a lack of T-cell-dependent humoral and cellular immune response to foreign antigens, which can only be cured by allogenic stem cell transplantation. In the literature search, we identified 68 cases of HSCT in MHC class II deficiency in the last 14 yr. Pre- and post-transplant MHC class II deficiency is complicated by overwhelming viral infections, a high incidence of GvHD, and graft failure with a poor overall survival rate below 50%. We report an eight-month-old boy presenting with severe respiratory infections and chronic diarrhea, whose sister died at the age of four yr from septicemia. MHC II deficiency was caused by an RFXANK-mutation and treated successfully by 4/6 mismatched unrelated CBT after a myeloablative conditioning regimen based on anti-thymocyte globulin, busulfane, fludarabine, and cyclophosphamide. At present, our patient is well with full immune reconstitution 3(4/12) yr after CBT. CB may represent an alternative source of stem cells for children with MHC class II deficiency without a suitable donor.

Future of cord blood for non-oncology uses.

For the last 5 years cord blood (CB) has been under intense experimental investigation in in vitro differentiation models and in preclinical animal models ranging from bone to muscle regeneration, cardiovascular diseases including myocardial and peripheral arterial disease, stroke and Parkinson's disease. On the basis of its biological advantages, CB can be an ideal source for tissue regeneration. However, in the hype of the so-called 'plasticity', many cell types have been characterized either on cell surface Ag expression alone or by RNA expression only, and without detailed characterization of genetic pathways; frequently, cells are defined without analysis of cellular function in vitro and in vivo, and the definition of the lineage of origin and cells have not been defined in preclinical studies. Here, we explore not only the most consistent data with regard to differentiation of CB cells in vitro and in vivo, but also show technical limitations, such as why in contrast to cell populations isolated from fresh CB, cryopreserved CB is not the ideal source for tissue regeneration. By taking advantage of numerous CB units discarded due to lack of sufficient hematopoietic cells for clinical transplantation, new concepts to produce off-the-shelf products are presented as well.

KIR-ligand incompatibility in the graft-versus-host direction improves outcomes after umbilical cord blood transplantation for acute leukemia.

Donor killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptor (KIR)-ligand incompatibility is associated with decreased relapse incidence (RI) and improved leukemia-free survival (LFS) after haploidentical and HLA-mismatched unrelated hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. We assessed outcomes of 218 patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML n=94) or acute lymphoblastic leukemia (n=124) in complete remission (CR) who had received a single-unit unrelated cord blood transplant (UCBT) from a KIR-ligand-compatible or -incompatible donor. Grafts were HLA-A, -B or -DRB1 matched (n=21) or mismatched (n=197). Patients and donors were categorized according to their degree of KIR-ligand compatibility in the graft-versus-host direction by determining whether or not they expressed HLA-C group 1 or 2, HLA-Bw4 or HLA-A3/-A11. Both HLA-C/-B KIR-ligand- and HLA-A-A3/-A11 KIR-ligand-incompatible UCBT showed a trend to improved LFS (P=0.09 and P=0.13, respectively). Sixty-nine donor-patient pairs were HLA-A, -B or -C KIR-ligand incompatible and 149 compatible. KIR-ligand-incompatible UCBT showed improved LFS (hazards ratio=2.05, P=0.0016) and overall survival (OS) (hazards ratio=2.0, P=0.004) and decreased RI (hazards ratio=0.53, P=0.05). These results were more evident for AML transplant recipients (2-year LFS and RI with or without KIR-ligand incompatibility 73 versus 38% (P=0.012), and 5 versus 36% (P=0.005), respectively). UCBT for acute leukemia in CR from KIR-ligand-incompatible donors is associated with decreased RI and improved LFS and OS.

Transplanted human cord blood-derived unrestricted somatic stem cells improve left-ventricular function and prevent left-ventricular dilation and scar formation after acute myocardial infarction.

OBJECTIVE: Functional improvement after acute myocardial ischaemia (MI) has been achieved by transplantation of different adult stem and progenitor cell types. It is controversial whether these cell types are able to form novel functional myocardium. Alternatively, graft-related or immune-related paracrine mechanisms may preserve existing myocardium, improve neovascularisation, affect tissue remodelling or induce endogenous de novo formation of functional myocardium. We have applied an alternative somatic cell type, human cord-blood-derived unrestricted somatic stem cells (USSCs) in a porcine model of acute MI. METHODS: USSCs were transplanted into the acutely ischaemic lateral wall of the left ventricle (LV). LV dimension and function were assessed by transoesophageal echocardiography (TEE) pre-MI, immediately post-MI, 48 hours and 8 weeks after USSC injection. Additionally, apoptosis, mitosis and recruitment of macrophages were examined 48 hours post-engraftment. RESULTS: Gender-specific and species-specific FISH/immunostaining failed to detect engrafted donor cells 8 weeks post-MI. Nevertheless, cell treatment effectively preserved natural myocardial architecture. Global left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) before MI was 60% (7%). Post-MI, LVEF decreased to 34% (8%). After 8 weeks, LVEF had further decreased to 27% (6%) in the control group and recovered to 52% (2%) in the USSC group (p<0.01). Left-ventricular end-diastolic volume (LVEDV) before MI was 28 (2) ml. 8 weeks post-MI, LVEDV had increased to 77 (4) ml in the control group. No LV dilation was detected in the USSC group (LVEDV: 26 (2) ml, p<0.01). Neither apoptosis nor recruitment of macrophages and mitosis were different in either groups. CONCLUSIONS: Transplantation of USSCs significantly improved LV function and prevented scar formation as well as LV dilation. Since differentiation, apoptosis and macrophage mobilisation at infarct site were excluded as underlying mechanisms, paracrine effects are most likely to account for the observed effects of USSC treatment.

Separation of adult bone marrow mononuclear cells using the automated closed separation system Sepax.

BACKGROUND: The Düsseldorf-based cardiologist Professor Strauer was the first to present a therapeutic concept for the repair of acute infarcted myocardium in 2001: the autologous intracoronary transplantation of unfractionated human bone marrow (BM) mononuclear cells (MNC). The Division of Cardiology, Pneumology and Angiology, University of Duesseldorf Medical School, Duesseldorf, Germany, was also able to show the regenerative potential of BM stem cell transplantation in patients with chronic heart disease (CHD) and peripheral arterial disease (PAD). In the mean time, several clinical trials have been set up worldwide, predominantly by using MNC isolated manually from BM aspirates via density-gradient centrifugation; 374 patients have been treated here with unselected BM MNC since 2001. Altogether 217 BM aspirates have been processed manually. In order to maintain the high standards required for cellular therapeutics, the Sepax cell-separation system was implemented into routine BM processing in 2006. The closed Sepax system provides a reproducible MNC isolation method, and 157 BM samples have been processed with the Sepax device. The results of manual MNC isolation were compared with the Sepax-mediated MNC isolation. METHODS: The manual Ficoll separation method was compared with the Sepax density gradient-based separation (DGBS) protocol using Ficoll with the kit CS-900 and the Sepax S-100 main processing unit from Biosafe. RESULTS: Nucleated cell and MNC recovery were significantly higher after Sepax processing (P<0.0001) whereas no significance was found for red blood cell depletion. DISCUSSION: The Sepax cell-separation system is a time-saving method providing clinical-grade MNC isolated automatically from human BM by Ficoll density centrifugation.

Transplantation of autologous mononuclear bone marrow stem cells in patients with peripheral arterial disease (the TAM-PAD study).

OBJECTIVES: For patients with severe, chronic limb ischemia in many cases interventional or surgical treatment is not possible anymore. In the past, both intramuscular and intraarterial transplantation of autologous BMCs had been proved therapeutically beneficial. The TAM-PAD study is the first one to analyze combined intraarterial and intramuscular BMC transplantation in its acute and long-term effects. METHODS: 13 patients with chronically ischemic limbs due to peripheral arterial disease (Fontaine stage IIb) were recruited and underwent follow-up examinations after 2 and 13 months. Mononuclear cells from bone marrow were injected intramuscular and intraarterial into the ischemic limb. RESULTS: In contrast to the control group, after 2 months the pain-free walking distance of the transplanted patients significantly increased (from 147 +/- 90 to 500 +/- 614 m, p = 0.001). Furthermore the ankle-brachial index was significantly improved (at rest from 0.66+/-0.18 to 0.80+/-0.15, p = 0.003, after stress from 0.64 +/- 0.19 to 0.76 +/- 0.16, p = 0.006). Similar improvement was documented in capillary-venous oxygen-saturation (thigh from 59 +/- 9 to 66 +/- 5, p = 0.005, lower leg from 56 +/- 14 to 63 +/- 5, p = 0.021) and venous occlusion plethysmography (rest from 2.1 +/- 0.7 to 2.5 +/- 0.7, p = 0.009, mean reactive hyperemia from 5.3 +/- 1.8 to 7.2 +/- 1.8, p = 0.003, and peak flow from 7.2 +/- 3.2 to 10.8 +/- 2.8, p = 0.002). After 13 months these positive effects persisted at their improved level. No side effects or complications were monitored. CONCLUSIONS: Combined intraarterial and intramuscular transplantation of autologous mononuclear bone marrow stem cells is a clinically feasible and minimally invasive therapeutic option for patients with severe chronic peripheral occlusive arterial disease.

In vitro differentiation of human cord blood-derived unrestricted somatic stem cells towards an endodermal pathway.

BACKGROUND: Pluripotent unrestricted somatic stem cells (USSC) from UC blood can differentiate into hepatic cells in the in utero sheep model, resulting in 20% human albumin-producing parenchymal hepatic cells without cell fusion or tumor-formation events. Additionally, we have shown in vitro differentiation of USSC by hepatocyte growth factor and oncostatin M induction, causing changes in the gene expression towards the endodermal lineage. Positive glycogen synthase expression and a positive periodic acid-schiff reaction demonstrated a functional production of polysaccharides in the cells. METHODS: We describe the in vitro differentiation of USSC towards an endodermal pathway using different matrices, growth factors and organic substances. Also, co-cultures of USSC with primary cells of endodermal tissue were prepared to mimic the biologic niche. We investigated the effect of direct co-culture of USSC with primary rat hepatocytes or with sheep tissue of endodermal origin. Direct co-cultures were set up to ensure cell-cell contacts. For co-cultures without cell-cell contacts, transwell inlays with 1-microm membranes were used to separate the cells. Furthermore, the effect of endodermally conditioned medium was investigated. Changes in the gene expression patterns were analyzed by RT-PCR. RESULTS: We have shown that USSC can differentiate in vitro into an endodermal-like cell with a phenotype similar to hepatic cells. Differentiation of USSC with growth factors, retinoic acid, matrigel matrix and different co-cultures led to an increased expression of albumin and also to the detection of GSC, SOX 17, Cyp2B6, Cyp3A4, Gys2, HNF4a, ISL-1 and Nkx6.1. In addition, functional albumin secretion was observed. DISCUSSION: Although the differentiation assays demonstrated here produce only an immature hepatocyte-like cell, endodermaly differentiated USSC might be a useful alternative for cell replacement in the future.

[Intra-arterial and intramuscular transplantation of adult, autologous bone marrow stem cells. Novel treatment for therapy-refractory peripheral arterial occlusive disease]. / Intraarterielle und intramuskuläre Transplantation adulter, autologer Knochenmarkstammzellen -- Neue Therapie bei therapierefraktärer peripherer arterieller Verschlusskrankheit.

HISTORY AND CLINICAL FINDINGS: A 62-year-old man had limb ischemia in stage IIb (Fontaine's classification). After surgical and interventional measures the right superficial femoral artery had remained occluded for more than one year. The patient's walking distance was only 100 meters. It was therefore decided to do a combined intraarterial and intramuscular transplantation of stem cells into the right limb. INVESTIGATIONS: Before and 10 weeks after the transplantation noninvasive tests, namely walking distance, ankle-brachial index at rest and during exercise, occlusion plethysmography and capillary venous oxygen saturation were measured. The patient was also asked to fill in a questionnaire of his symptoms. THERAPY AND RESULTS: After harvesting the patient's bone marrow the mononuclear cell fraction was separated (109.8 x 10(6)). Afterwards 10 ml of the cell suspension were injected into the right superficial femoral artery and 5 ml each of the suspension was injected into 5 different locations of the quadriceps femoris and the gastrocnemius muscles. After 10 weeks" follow-up a seven-fold improvement of walking distance and an increase of tissue oxygen saturation of more then 50% were recorded. The ankle-brachial index at rest remained unchanged, but on exercise it increased by 24%. CONCLUSION: The combined intraarterial and intramuscular transplantation of human autologous bone marrow stem cells may be a novel and clinically feasible treatment for patients with severe chronic limb ischemia. The success of this approach may be the result of increased neo-angiogenesis, especially of the small muscle-supplying vessels.

High-resolution HLA typing by sequencing for HLA-A, -B, -C, -DR, -DQ in 122 unrelated cord blood/patient pair transplants hardly improves long-term clinical outcome.

To determine the impact of high-resolution (HR) HLA typing with outcomes after UCBT, DNAs of 122 pairs were analysed for HLA class I and class II mismatches (MM) based on HR typing. For HLA-A, -B on low-resolution typing and -DRB1 on HR typing, the following MM situation resulted: no MM (13%), one MM (40%), two MM (36%), three MM (8%), four MM (3%). For A, B, C, DR and DQ based on HR typing the following MM occurred: No MM (4%), one MM (10%), two MM (15%), three MM (22%), four MM (25%), five MM (12%), six MM (6%), seven MM (3%), eight MM (2%). There was no significant association between number of MM (HR) for both HLA-A, -B and -DRB1 and HLA-A, -B, -C, -DRB1 and DQB1 and aGvHD grade II-IV. There was a trend that MM in class I HR were associated with neutrophil recovery; HLA-A locus typing analysed in HvG direction was associated with reduced cumulative incidence of engraftment (P=0.04), the same for C-KIR in HvG direction (P=0.01). No significant correlation was found between numbers of HLA-MM on the HR level with 2-year survival. The analysis shows that the degree of mismatching in UCBT is even higher than expected.

[In vivo and in vitro bone regeneration from cord blood derived mesenchymal stem cells]. / In-vitro- und In-vivo-Knochenregenerierung durch mesenchymale Stammzellen aus dem Nabelschnurblut.

BACKGROUND: Mesenchymal stem cells with an osteoblastic differentiating potency are investigated in regard of probable tissue engineering for further clinical application. The following report describes the use of cord blood derived stem cells as an alternative to other stem cell populations for bone regenerating tissue engineering. METHODS: To demonstrate the multipotency of cord blood derived mesenchymal stem cells, unrestringated somatic stem cells (USSC) were isolated from cord blood and underwent an osteo-, chondro- and adipoblastic in vitro stimulation. To evaluate the osteoinductive potency of a porcine collagen I/III cell carrier USSC were incubated on this matrix. To investigate the in vivo effects of human USSC an athymic rat model was developed. These cells were transplanted into a femoral defect. RESULTS: Cord blood derived mesenchymal stem cells (USSC) have an in vitro multipotency and show adipo-, chondro- and osteogenic differentiation. The porcine collagen I/III carrier promoted an osteoblastic differentiation. USSC survived after xenotransplantation in an athymic rat and differentiated into osteoblasts filling the bony defect zone. CONCLUSION: Human USSC are a mesenchymal multipotent stem cell population that shows osteoblastic differentiation onto a collagen I/III carrier in vitro as well as in an athymic rat in vivo.

Transplantation of haematopoietic stem cells derived from cord blood, bone marrow or peripheral blood: a single centre matched-pair analysis in a heterogeneous risk population.

BACKGROUND: Beside the transplantation of haematopoietic stem cells derived from bone marrow (BMT) and peripheral blood (PBSCT) in the absence of a well-matched donor, transplantation of cord blood (CBT) has been shown to be a valid alternative. To validate the efficacy of CBT in comparison to BMT and PBSCT we performed a single-centre based matched-pair analysis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between 1996 and 2003, 15 paediatric patients with non-malignant and malignant diseases of heterogenous risk underwent CBT. 198 paediatric patients undergoing BMT or PBSCT during the same time and at the same centre were available for selection as appropriate controls for matched-pair analysis. Matching criteria in descending hierarchy were disease, risk status, type of donor, age at HSCT, gender and year of transplantation. 47 % of CB grafts were < or = 4/6 HLA-matched whereas close to 90 % of grafts in the BMT and PBSCT cohorts were completely matched. RESULTS: Neutrophil engraftment was comparable in CB and BM recipients (p = 0.529) while engraftment following PBSCT occurs significantly earlier (p < 0.01). Median time to neutrophil recovery was 20 (range: 13-36), 19 (14-28) and 14 (9-24) days for the CBT, BMT and PBSCT cohort respectively. Of note contrary to the expectation, with regard to a reduced risk of Graft-versus-Host-Disease (GvHD) there was no clear advantage in the CBT cohort with a similar overall GvHD rate in all 3 groups. This observation can be attributed to the fact that in the CBT cohort the proportion of patients with an HLA-mismatched donor was higher than in the other cohorts. Rate of death of complications (DOC) was high in CB recipients (40 %), but not statistically different from BM (27 %) and PBSC recipients (13 %). In contrast to the CBT and BMT cohort with only 1 patient dead of disease (DOD), 4 PBSC recipients (31 %) died suffering from a relapse. 2-year event-free survival (EFS) in patients with malignant disease was 38.5 %, 69.2 % and 33.0 % for the CBT, BMT and PBSCT cohort respectively. 5-year overall survival (OS) was 53.3 % in the CBT, 66.4 % in the BMT and 50.9 % in the PBSCT cohort. There was no statistical difference between the cohorts transplanted with CB and BM or PBSC regarding EFS and OS (EFS: p = 0.24 and p = 0.72; OS: p = 0.53 and p = 0.64). CONCLUSIONS: Transplantation of < or = 4/6 HLA-matched CB grafts seems to be associated with a higher risk of GvHD, graft rejection and lethal opportunistic infection. With an overall survival of 53 % in our 15 patients this analysis documents that even in high risk patients, CB may be a valid alternate HSC source in children who lack a well-matched donor. This is especially true, if a > 4/6 HLA-matched CB with > 2.0 x 10 (7) total nucleated cells/kg bodyweight is available. Thus, parallel to the search for a BM or PBSC donor, searching for an adequate CB unit should be initiated.

Improvement of graft prognosis in penetrating normal-risk keratoplasty by HLA class I and II matching.

BACKGROUND: Owing to contradictory results, HLA matching in penetrating keratoplasty still is equivocal. Different surgical techniques in multicentre studies, missing risk differentiation in high-risk situations, and faulty HLA typing can be identified as main reasons for these contradictory results. In this monocentre study, the value of HLA class I and II matching (A, B, DR loci) was examined in a homogeneous group of 418 normal-risk keratoplasty patients using serological typing techniques for HLA class I and immunogenetic typing techniques for class II. METHODS: Penetrating normal-risk keratoplasty was performed in two groups of patients (group I with 0-2, group II with 3-6 mismatches in the A/B/DR loci). All surgery was carried out by three experienced surgeons according to a standardized scheme. Furthermore, postoperative therapy and controls were standardized. There were no statistically significant differences between the two study groups with regard to the number of ABO or H-Y compatibilities, patient age, patient gender, ratio of previous intraocular surgery, ratio of triple procedures, indication for surgery, follow-up period, donor age, donor gender, post-mortem time of the graft, and endothelial cell density of the graft at the end of organ culture. All HLA typing was performed in a quality-controlled laboratory, serologically for HLA class I (A and B loci) and immunogenetically for HLA class II (DR locus). RESULTS: At 4 years postoperatively, the ratio of clear and rejection-free graft survival was 92% in group I and 66% in group II (Kaplan-Meier estimation, log rank test, P=0.03). Monovariate analysis in the Cox model gave no influence of solitary HLA class I or II matching, but only an influence of combined HLA class I and II matching (P=0.03). CONCLUSIONS: In this monocentre study with proper typing techniques, the beneficial effect of HLA class I plus II matching on clear and rejection-free graft survival could be demonstrated in a homogeneous group of normal-risk keratoplasty patients.

Phenotypic and functional comparison of monocytes from cord blood and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor-mobilized apheresis products.

OBJECTIVE: It is well established that T cells are effector cells in graft-vs-host disease (GVHD), yet the contribution of graft monocytes is less well characterized. Therefore, monocytes in cord blood (CB) and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor-mobilized apheresis products (G-AP), two stem cell grafts associated with reduction of acute and chronic GVHD and relative reduction of acute GVHD, respectively, were compared phenotypically and functionally. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The frequencies, phenotypes, and pinocytosis activities of monocytes from CB and G-AP were determined by flow cytometry and their allostimulatory potential in a primary mixed leukocyte reaction. RESULTS: G-AP contained significantly more monocytes than CB (24.9% +/- 7.1% vs 8.8% +/- 1.5% CD14+ and 62.4 +/- 27.5 x 10(6) vs 0.9 +/- 0.2 x 10(6) CD14+ cells/mL). Monocytes from both sources revealed similar phenotypes. They expressed CD4, CD11a, CD11b, CD11c, CD18, CD32, CD33, CD45R0, CD48, CD50, CD54, CD58, CD64, CD86, CD102, CD116, CD123, and HLA-DR; showed no expression of CD1a and CD83; and weak expression of CD16, CD45RA, and CD80. The levels of CD80 and CD86 expression were comparable; however, in contrast to G-AP monocytes, CB monocytes lacked CD40. There was no difference in pinocytosis activity and allostimulatory capacity of CB and G-AP monocytes. CONCLUSIONS: Monocytes in CB and G-AP are phenotypically and functionally comparable. The only difference observed is the lack of CD40 on CB monocytes.

[Intracoronary, human autologous stem cell transplantation for myocardial regeneration following myocardial infarction]. / Intrakoronare, humane autologe Stammzelltransplantation zur Myokardregeneration nach Herzinfarkt.

OBJECTIVE: The regenerative potential of human autologous adult stem cells on myocardial regeneration and neovascularisation after myocardial infarction may contribute to healing of the infarction area. But no clinical application has previously been reported. We here describe for the first time the results of this method applied in a patient who had sustained an acute myocardial infarction. HISTORY AND CLINICAL FINDINGS: 14 hours after the onset of left precordial pain a 46-year-old man was admitted to our hospital for interventional diagnosis and treatment. Coronary angiography demonstrated occlusion of the anterior descending branch of the left coronary artery with transmural infarction. This was treated by percutaneous transluminal catheter angioplasty and stent placement. THERAPY AND RESULTS: Mononuclear bone marrow cells of the patient were prepared and 6 days after infaction 1,2 infinity 107 cells were transplanted at low pressure via a percutaneous transluminal catheter placed in the infarct-related artery. Before and 10 weeks after this procedure left ventricular function, infarct size, ventricular geometry and myocardial perfusion were measured by (201)thallium SPECT both at rest and on exercise, together with bull's-eye analysis, dobutamine stress echocardiography, right heart catheterisation and radionuclide ventriculography. At 10 weeks after the stem cell transplantation the transmural infarct area had been reduced from 24.6 % to 15.7 % of left ventricular circumference, while ejection fraction, cardiac index and stroke volume had increased by 20-30 %. On exercise the end diastolic volume had decreased by 30 % and there was a comparable fall in left ventricular filling pressure (mean pulmonary capillary pressure). CONCLUSION: These results for the first time demonstrate that selective intracoronary transplantation of human autologous adult stem cells is possible under clinical conditions and that it can lead to regeneration of the myocardial scar after transmural infarction. The therapeutic effects may be ascribed to stem cell-associated myocardial regeneration and neovascularisation.

The effect of heel elevation on strain within the plantar aponeurosis: in vitro study.

Mild, temporary reduction of symptoms from plantar fasciitis have been reported with the use of high heeled shoes (i.e. cowboy boots, ladies pumps). However, little is known on how heel elevation may contribute to a decrease in the pain and inflammation. The aim of this study was to quantify strain in the plantar aponeurosis in cadaveric feet with the use of various heel elevation configurations. An in vitro method that simulated "static" stance was used to determine the loading characteristics of the plantar aponeurosis (n = 12). Heel elevation was evaluated with blocks placed beneath the heel and with a contoured platform that simulated the arch profile of a shoe at three different heel heights (2.0, 4.0, 6.0 cm) with a level plane serving as the control. Strain in the plantar aponeurosis decreased with elevations of the heel that simulated the arch profile of a shoe at load levels (337, 450 N) (P < 0.05). Elevations of the heel with blocks did not significantly affect strain in the plantar aponeurosis (P < 0.05). Contrasting results of some specimen limbs compared with the overall means suggests that the influence of heel elevation on loading of the plantar aponeurosis may be dependent on individual variation and foot structure differences. Therefore, clinicians should be cautious in recommending heel elevation as a treatment for plantar fasciitis since some subjects may not achieve the desired decrease in plantar aponeurosis strain.

Clonal culture of fetal cells from maternal blood.

Successful isolation and genetic testing of fetal cells obtained from maternal blood could eliminate the risks associated with invasive prenatal testing. We used clonal in-vitro expansion of fetal haemopoietic cells and micromanipulation and fluorescent PCR of single colonies to obtain pure fetal colonies from peripheral blood of 12 healthy pregnant women. Of 2966 randomly selected colonies, 42 contained fetal and other cells and, for four women, two to four colonies each contained purely fetal cells. Detection of fetal cells has been hampered by rarity in maternal blood, but with our approach many cells are available for analysis.