In the present study, we aimed to determine whether the shelf life of effervescent tablets may be assessed during storage using total directional hemispherical reflectance (THR). We also analyzed selected pharmacopeial parameters of the tablets and used X-ray microtomography to assess the internal structure of the tablets. Two types of effervescent tablets of one commercial product containing magnesium and vitamin B6 (expired and unexpired) were analyzed. In addition, randomly selected unexpired and expired tablets were dried in a vacuum oven for 24 h at 50 °C. The expired effervescent tablets disintegrated in a significantly shorter time than the unexpired tablets (68 s vs. 83 s, p = 0.016). The remaining pharmacopeial parameters did not differ between the two types of tablets. We observed that expired effervescent tablets showed lower mean values of THR in five spectral ranges, which indicates that a greater amount of radiation beam was transmitted into their inner structure than for unexpired tablets. The density of the inner structure assessed on the microtomographic scans differed significantly between all the analyzed tablets (p < 0.001). The highest mean density was observed in the case of the unexpired tablets dried in a vacuum oven (1.273 g/cm³), while the lowest density was observed in the case of the expired tablets (1.261 g/cm³). The expired tablets had a larger pore diameter compared to the unexpired tablets (0.095 mm vs. 0.074 mm, respectively; p = 0.007). Additionally, the percentage of porosity was higher in the expired tablets compared to the unexpired tablets (p < 0.001).

Background: Neoplasms are common across the animal kingdom and seem to be a feature plesiomorphic for metazoans, related with an increase in somatic complexity. The fossil record of cancer complements our knowledge of the origin of neoplasms and vulnerability of various vertebrate taxa. Here, we document the first undoubted record of primary malignant bone tumour in a Mesozoic non-amniote. The diagnosed osteosarcoma developed in the vertebral intercentrum of a temnospondyl amphibian, Metoposaurus krasiejowensis from the Krasiejów locality, southern Poland. Results: A wide array of data collected from gross anatomy, histology, and microstructure of the affected intercentrum reveals the tumour growth dynamics and pathophysiological aspects of the neoplasm formation on the histological level. The pathological process almost exclusively pertains to the periosteal part of the bone composed from a highly vascularised tissue with lamellar matrix. The unorganised arrangement of osteocyte lacunae observed in the tissue is characteristic for bone tissue types connected with static osteogenesis, and not for lamellar bone. The neoplastic bone mimics on the structural level the fast growing fibrolamellar bone, but on the histological level develops through a novel ossification type. The physiological process of bone remodelling inside the endochondral domain continued uninterrupted across the pathology of the periosteal part. Conclusions: Based on the results, we discuss our case study’s consistence with the Tissue Organization Field Theory of tumorigenesis, which locates the causes of neoplastic transformations in disorders of tissue architecture.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint condition leading to disability. The lack of effective treatment for OA creates a need for the development of new therapeutic approaches that may rely on stem cells including mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) and their derivatives such as extracellular vesicles (EVs). The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of MSCs derived from adipose tissue (AT-MSCs) and umbilical cord (UC-MSCs) and their EVs on cartilage-bone injury in vivo, to identify the specimen with the highest regenerative potential for further clinical applications in patients with OA. Humanized pigs underwent cartilage-bone injuries followed by intraarticular administration of products containing AT-MSCs, UC-MSCs, AT-MSC-EVs or UC-MSC-EVs mixed with hyaluronic acid (HA) or HA alone (for comparison). After 6-m follow-up, almost-fully-healed cartilage-bone defects were observed in the AT-MSC- and UC-MSC-treated pigs, and the defects were filled primarily with hyaline cartilage. In AT-MSC-EV- and UC-MSC-EV-treated pigs, a partial cartilage-bone tissue repair was observed, and the defects were filled primarily with fibrocartilage. The control pigs demonstrated limited regeneration capacity. The microcomputed tomography parameters of the subchondral bone indicated the ongoing progression of OA in controls, whereas in the MSC- and MSC-EV-treated pigs, the parameters indicated the cessation of OA progression. Moreover, no serious side effects were observed after the administration of products containing MSCs or MSC-EVs. The results indicate the safety and regenerative activity of MSCs on injured tissues, which favors not only the healing and improvement of bone structure but also the formation of hyaline cartilage. Superior tissue repair was observed after the administration of products containing AT-MSCs. The treatment of OA with MSC-EVs needs further standardization. Graphical Abstract