Protocol for isolation of human bone marrow stromal cells and characterization of cellular metabolism.

Bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) serve as a valuable reservoir of multipotent stem cells important in the regulation of bone homeostasis and energy metabolism. Here, we present a protocol for isolating human BMSCs (hBMSCs) and characterizing their cellular metabolism related to hBMSC functional properties. We describe steps for bioenergetics, cell senescence, and production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), together with description of the data analysis.

Exploring contrast-enhancing staining agents for studying adipose tissue through contrast-enhanced computed tomography.

Contrast-enhanced computed tomography offers a nondestructive approach to studying adipose tissue in 3D. Several contrast-enhancing staining agents (CESAs) have been explored, whereof osmium tetroxide (OsO) is the most popular nowadays. However, due to the toxicity and volatility of the conventional OsO, alternative CESAs with similar staining properties were desired.

Nutrition and Bone Marrow Adiposity in Relation to Bone Health.

Bone remodeling is energetically demanding process. Energy coming from nutrients present in the diet contributes to function of different cell type including osteoblasts, osteocytes and osteoclasts in bone marrow participating in bone homeostasis. With aging, obesity and osteoporosis the function of key building blocks, bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs), changes towards higher accumulation of bone marrow adipose tissue (BMAT) and decreased bone mass, which is affected by diet and sex dimorphism.

Young minds, deeper insights: a recap of the BMAS Summer School 2023, ranging from basic research to clinical implications of bone marrow adipose tissue.

Bone marrow adiposity (BMA) is a rapidly growing yet very young research field that is receiving worldwide attention based on its intimate relationship with skeletal and metabolic diseases, as well as hematology and cancer. Moreover, increasing numbers of young scientists and students are currently and actively working on BMA within their research projects. These developments led to the foundation of the International Bone Marrow Adiposity Society (BMAS), with the goal to promote BMA knowledge worldwide, and to train new generations of researchers interested in studying this field.

Human bone marrow stromal cells: the impact of anticoagulants on stem cell properties.

Bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) are the source of multipotent stem cells, which are important for regenerative medicine and diagnostic purposes. The isolation of human BMSCs from the bone marrow (BM) cavity using BM aspiration applies the method with collection into tubes containing anticoagulants. Interactions with anticoagulants may affect the characteristics and composition of isolated BMSCs in the culture.

Obesity-Induced Changes in Bone Marrow Homeostasis.

Obesity is characterized by low-grade inflammation, which is accompanied by increased accumulation of immune cells in peripheral tissues including adipose tissue (AT), skeletal muscle, liver and pancreas, thereby impairing their primary metabolic functions in the regulation of glucose homeostasis. Obesity has also shown to have a detrimental effect on bone homeostasis by altering bone marrow and hematopoietic stem cell differentiation and thus impairing bone integrity and immune cell properties. The origin of immune cells arises in the bone marrow, which has been shown to be affected with the obesogenic condition via increased cellularity and shifting differentiation and function of hematopoietic and bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells in favor of myeloid progenitors and increased bone marrow adiposity.

Human Escherichia coli isolates from hemocultures: Septicemia linked to urogenital tract infections is caused by isolates harboring more virulence genes than bacteraemia linked to other conditions.

Escherichia coli is the most common cause of bloodstream infections and community-acquired sepsis. The main aim of this study was to determine virulence characteristics of E. coli isolates from hemocultures of patients with a primary disease of urogenital tract, digestive system, a neoplastic blood disease, or other conditions.

Role of Homocysteine in the Ischemic Stroke and Development of Ischemic Tolerance.

Homocysteine (Hcy) is a toxic, sulfur-containing intermediate of methionine metabolism. Hyperhomocysteinemia (hHcy), as a consequence of impaired Hcy metabolism or defects in crucial co-factors that participate in its recycling, is assumed as an independent human stroke risk factor. Neural cells are sensitive to prolonged hHcy treatment, because Hcy cannot be metabolized either by the transsulfuration pathway or by the folate/vitamin B12 independent remethylation pathway.

[STORY of the Papilla - a Case Report].

Purpose: To present a case report with "unclear" and sudden decrease of left eye visual acuity and bilateral visual fields defects.

Methods: A case report.

Case Presentation: A 66-year-old woman was referred to our Center of Neuroophthalmology and Orbitology by a neurologist for a history of sudden decrease of visual acuity of her left eye 3 years ago.

[Cytomegalovirus retinitis in HIV negative patients - retrospective study].

Aim: To evaluate own experience with the diagnosis and treatment of cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis in HIV negative patients with immunodeficiency.

Methods: Retrospective study and case reports.

Results: In the Centre for diagnosis and treatment of Uveitis 1869 patients with uveitis we have examined from June 2003 to June 2012.

[Effect of fiberoptic bronchoscopy (FOB) with bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) on gas exgange in patients after cardiac surgery].

Unlabelled: Fiberoptic bronchoscopy (FOB) has become a commonplace procedure in ICUs in patients after operation. We studied the outcomes of 35 FOBs performed in 26 patients (18 male and 8 female) during their stay in the ICU of "St. Ekaterina" University Hospital in Sofia after cardiac surgery with Cardiopulmonary Bypass.

Theoretical study of mexiletine and its interaction with cationic and anionic receptor sites.

Theoretical methods are applied to study the antiarrhythmic (AA) mexiletine (1-(2,6-dimethylphenoxy)-2-aminopropane). The AM1 method is used to construct a three-centre binding model for this drug. This model consists of an amine nitrogen atom that is protonated to a higher degree at physiological pH, flat hydrophobic regions of aromatic rings and additional functional groups with lone electron pairs of oxygen.

[Isotope nephrography in patients with obesity].

131I-hippuran nephrography conducted in 80 patients aged 26-53 with I and II degree obesity has revealed changes in the excretory phase (36.9 per cent of the patients with I degree obesity) and secretory and excretory and some vascular and metabolic abnormalities were registered in 79.4 per cent of those with II degree obesity.

[Complex radioisotope diagnosis of thyroid gland diseases in vivo and in vitro].

A variety of in vivo and in vitro methods: radioactive iodine accumulation, thyroid suppression and stimulation test, a scintigraphic study and a radioimmunoassay to determine triiodothyronine-binding capacity (free T3), thyroxine (T4) concentration and the effective thyroxine ratio (ETR), was used for diagnostic specification and accurate planning of therapy of patients with thyroid diseases. The suppression test combined with the results of the in vitro analysis (free T3, T4 and ETR) was decisive for establishing diagnosis.