290 results match your criteria: "University Hospital "St. Ivan Rilski"[Affiliation]"

The absence of anatomical landmarks in the whole body scan makes it challenging to precisely localize 131I uptake, which is used to treat patients with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC). Recently, SPECT/CT studies have been utilized to increase the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a progressive condition that affects more than 10% of the population worldwide, accounting for more than 843 million (M) individuals. The prevalence of CKD (844 M patients) is higher than that of diabetes mellitus (422 M patients), cancer (42 M patients), and HIV (37 M patients), but people are often less aware of it. Global expert groups predict reductions in the nephrology workforce in the next decade, with a declining interest in nephrology careers.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Two cases of giant mucinous cystadenomas in postmenopausal women.

J Surg Case Rep

January 2025

Faculty of Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical University of Sofia, Sofia, Bulgaria.

Article Synopsis
  • Mucinous ovarian cystadenomas are rare, benign tumors that can grow large and are usually found incidentally during ultrasounds.
  • Two cases are highlighted where these tumors caused abdominal swelling.
  • Complicated cases can mimic serious conditions needing emergency surgery, so early diagnosis and treatment are crucial to avoid complications and cancer development.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a complex autoimmune disease with a number of immunological aberrations in the mechanisms of innate and adaptive immune responses. Spontaneous and induced mouse models of the disease have contributed significantly to the advancement in lupus treatments. The involvement of humanized models, engrafted with lupus patients' immune cells, represented the possibility to study the development of SLE.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objective: This study aims to assess and compare two state-of-the-art deep learning approaches for segmenting four thoracic organs at risk (OAR)-the esophagus, trachea, heart, and aorta-in CT images in the context of radiotherapy planning.

Materials And Methods: We compare a multi-organ segmentation approach and the fusion of multiple single-organ models, each dedicated to one OAR. All were trained using nnU-Net with the default parameters and the full-resolution configuration.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Boerhaave's syndrome is a rare critical condition manifesting as transmural esophageal rupture. It is usually associated with forceful emesis and increased intraesophageal pressure. Immediate aggressive surgical intervention is imperative in such cases.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

CAR T Cell Nanosymbionts: Revealing the Boundless Potential of a New Dyad.

Int J Mol Sci

December 2024

Department of Chemistry and Materials Science, National Institute of Technology, Gunma College, Maebashi 371-8530, Japan.

Cancer treatment has traditionally focused on eliminating tumor cells but faces challenges such as resistance and toxicity. A promising direction involves targeting the tumor microenvironment using CAR T cell immunotherapy, which has shown potential for treating relapsed and refractory cancers but is limited by high costs, resistance, and toxicity, especially in solid tumors. The integration of nanotechnology into ICAM cell therapy, a concept we have named "CAR T nanosymbiosis", offers new opportunities to overcome these challenges.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic neurodegenerative disorder involving demyelination. The cuprizone model is commonly used to study MS by inducing oligodendrocyte stress and demyelination. The subventricular zone (SVZ) plays a key role in neurogenesis, while the neuronal/glial antigen 2 (NG2) is a marker for immature glial cells, involved in oligodendrocyte differentiation.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cell Secretome: A Potential Regulator of B Cells in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.

Int J Mol Sci

November 2024

University Hospital St. Ivan Rilski, Laboratory of Clinical Immunology, Department of Clinical Immunology, Medical Faculty, Medical University of Sofia, 15 Akademik Iv. E. Geshov Blvd., 1431 Sofia, Bulgaria.

Autoimmune diseases represent a severe personal and healthcare problem that seeks novel therapeutic solutions. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are multipotent cells with interesting cell biology and promising therapeutic potential. The immunoregulatory effects of secretory factors produced by umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (UC-MSCs) were assessed on B lymphocytes from 17 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), as defined by the 2019 European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology (EULAR)/American College of Rheumatology (ACR) classification criteria for SLE, and 10 healthy volunteers (HVs).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is considered the most common metabolic disorder of the pregnancy period. It is characterized by pancreatic beta-cell dysfunction in the setting of chronic insulin resistance. Zinc is a nutrient involved in numerous metabolic processes and shows a relationship with glycometabolic disorders and GDM.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Retrosternal goiters (RGs) are thyroid enlargements that extend into the mediastinum, representing 1%-20% of all goiters. While typically benign, their anatomical location can lead to significant clinical symptoms due to the compression of surrounding structures such as the trachea, esophagus, and major vessels. Surgical resection is the preferred treatment, particularly in symptomatic cases or when malignancy is suspected.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Probiotics have shown promise in preventing antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD), but clear guidelines were lacking, leading to a trial evaluating a specific probiotic mix called Sinquanon in adults on antibiotics.
  • The study involved over 550 participants in a double-blind trial comparing the effects of the probiotic mix versus a placebo, with findings showing a significant reduction in AAD incidence (9.2% for probiotics vs 25.3% for placebo).
  • Results indicated not only fewer cases of AAD but also improved gastrointestinal quality of life, with no major adverse effects noted between the two groups, suggesting that Sinquanon can effectively help those on antibiotics.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Coronary artery disease (CAD) presents a significant risk for patients with systemic vasculitides, a group of disorders characterized by the inflammation of blood vessels. In this review, we focus on the pathophysiological mechanisms, complications, and management strategies for CAD in systemic vasculitides. We highlight how the inflammatory processes inherent in vasculitis contribute to accelerated atherosclerosis and myocardial ischemia.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Metastases to the liver from gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors are varied in their presentation and echogenicity on ultrasound. We present a case of adenocarcinoma of the pancreas with sporadic neuroendocrine differentiation and metastasis to the liver, referred for inclusion in a clinical study. Standard ultrasound showed two hypoechoic focal liver lesions.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Pityriasis lichenoides is a rare inflammatory skin condition characterized by red-brown papules and crusty lesions as they evolve over time.
  • A 60-year-old woman developed the chronic form of this condition ten days after suffering from streptococcal pharyngitis, starting with purple spots on her legs and later developing red, scaly patches on other parts of her body.
  • After treatment with methylprednisolone and hydroxychloroquine, her skin lesions improved significantly and did not return.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Extensively drug-resistant (XDR-PA) has been highlighted as a serious public health threat. The present study aimed to explore the genomic characteristics of two Vietnamese extended-spectrum β-lactamase-9 (VEB-9)-producing XDR-PA isolates from Bulgaria in comparison to all -positive strains with available genomes. The isolates designated Pae51 and Pae52 were obtained from tracheobronchial aspirates of intensive care unit (ICU) patients.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Sarcoglycanopathies are among the most frequent and severe forms of autosomal recessive forms of limb-girdle muscular dystrophies (LGMDs) with childhood onset. Four subtypes are known: LGMDR3, LGMDR4, LGMDR5 and LGMDR6, which are caused, respectively, by mutations in the , SGCB, and genes. We present the clinical variability of LGMD 2C/R5 among a genetically homogeneous group of 57 patients, belonging to 35 pedigrees.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • The study focused on the importance of monitoring transcranial motor-evoked potentials (MEPs) during surgeries for extramedullary tumors in the cervical spine and how it relates to postoperative outcomes.
  • Fourteen patients were treated, with a mix of schwannomas and meningiomas, and the follow-up for neurological assessment lasted six months.
  • Results indicated that a significant drop in intraoperative MEPs often predicted postoperative motor deficits, while improvements in MEPs after tumor removal suggested potential recovery for patients with pre-existing motor issues.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Wide-necked bifurcation aneurysms (WNBA) of the middle cerebral artery (MCA) present significant therapeutic challenges. Flow-diverter stents have been increasingly adopted for their management, though they may give rise to adverse outcomes such as in-stent stenosis (ISS). This study explores the association between stent oversizing and the incidence of ISS following flow-diverter stent placement in MCA bifurcation aneurysms.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • The study investigates how comorbidities impact the quality of life in patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs) compared to other autoimmune diseases and healthy individuals, utilizing self-reported data from the COVAD-2 survey.
  • Results show IIM patients have significantly higher rates of comorbidities, basic multitasking, complex multitasking, and mental health disorders.
  • The presence of these conditions correlates with lower overall physical and mental health scores, suggesting the need for targeted management strategies for IIM patients based on identified clinical clusters.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Intractable stricture of the esophagogastric anastomosis after Ivor-Lewis esophagectomy for esophageal corrosive burn is an extremely rare complication. We present the case of a 28-year-old man with complaints of dysphagia and two attempts for bougie dilation without effect. Retrosternal colonic bypass and distal Roux-en-Y neoesophagojejunal reconstruction, as well as double enterostomy with Braun anastomosis, were performed.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

This study presents a detailed methodology for integrating three-dimensional (3D) printing technology into preoperative planning in neurosurgery. The increasing capabilities of 3D printing over the last decade have made it a valuable tool in medical fields such as orthopedics and dental practices. Neurosurgery can similarly benefit from these advancements, though the creation of accurate 3D models poses a significant challenge due to the technical expertise required and the cost of specialized software.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Focused extracorporeal shockwave therapy for the treatment of low back pain: a systematic review.

Front Med (Lausanne)

August 2024

Department of Neurosurgery, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University - Sofia, Sofia, Bulgaria.

Introduction: Low back pain (LBP) is a common condition affecting up to 84% of people in their lifetime, with a prevalence of 11.9% and a high recurrence rate within the first year. Furthermore, chronic low back pain syndrome has been described in up to 7%, making it a significant health and socioeconomic problem.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF