Efficient myoblast expansion for regenerative medicine use

Cellular therapy using expanded autologous myoblasts is a treatment modality for a variety of diseases. In the present study, we compared the commercial skeletal muscle cell growth medium-2 (SKGM-2) with a medium designed by our group for the expansion of skeletal myoblasts. The use of an in-house medium [DMEM/F12 medium supplemented with EGF, bFGF, HGF, insulin and dexamethasone (DFEFH)] resulted in a greater number of myoblast colonies (>50%) and a 3-, 4- and 9-fold higher proliferation rate, eventually resulting in a 3-, 7- and 87-fold greater number of cells at the 1st, 2nd and 3rd passage, respectively, compared with the cells grown in SKGM-2 medium. The average CD56 expression level was higher in the myoblasts cultured in DFEFH than in those culturd in SKGM-2 medium. At the 3rd passage, lower expression levels of myostatin and considerably higher expression levels of myogenin were observed in the cells that were grown in DFEFH medium. The results of our study indicated that myoblasts cultured in both medium types displayed fusogenic potential at the 3rd passage. Furthermore, it was shown that cells cultured in DFEFH medium created myotubes with a considerably higher number of nuclei. Additionally, we observed that the fusion potential of the cells markedly decreased with the subsequent passages and that the morphology of the myoblasts differed between the 2 cultured media. Our data demonstrate that culture in the DFEFH medium leads to an approximately 90-fold greater number of myoblasts, with improved morphology and greater fusion potential, compared with culture in the commercial SKGM-2 medium

Bariery w podejmowaniu leczenia przez kobiety z nietrzymaniem moczu

Objective: The aim of the study was to identify barriers in help seeking behaviors among women with urinary incontinence UI. Materials and methods: The study was performed using the method of diagnostic enquiry by means of questionnaireand interview among two groups of patients. The first group of women aged 47-79 years consisted of 80 members of the Association of People with Urinary Incontinence „Uroconti”. The second group included 61 females aged 26-81 years admitted to the Urodynamic Laboratory of Gynecology and Oncology Clinic at the University Hospital in Krakow. Results: Patients with stress urinary incontinence (SUI) reported to the doctor on average after 4 years, patients with urgency urinary incontinence (UUI), after 3 years, patients with a mixed form of urinary incontinence (MUI), after 6 years, and with overflow incontinence, after 10 years from the appearance of first symptoms. Anxiety, shame, the conviction that symptoms of UI are a normal age related state, as well as the conviction that the symptoms are temporary, significantly affected the delay in seeking medical consultation. Most of the surveyed women made the decision to undertake treatment themselves, and their main motive was the escalation of symptoms. The majority (89.4%) of women surveyed alleviated the symptoms of urinary incontinence without the help of a doctor, sometimes using methods detrimental to their health. Conclusion: The identification of help seeking barriers and reaching out to risk groups is essential for early diagnose and effective treatment of women with urinary incontinence.Cel: Celem pracy była identyfikacja barier w szukaniu pomocy przez kobiety z nietrzymaniem moczu (NM). Materiał i metody: Badania przeprowadzono metodą sondażu diagnostycznego, techniką ankiety i wywiadu wśród dwóch grup pacjentek. Pierwszą (gr. I) stanowiło 80 kobiet w wieku 47-79 lat, należących do Stowarzyszenia Osób z Nietrzymaniem Moczu “Uroconti”. Druga grupa (gr. II) obejmowała 61 pacjentek w wieku 26-81 lat, które zgłosiły się do Pracowni Urodynamicznej Kliniki Ginekologii i Onkologii Szpitala Uniwersyteckiego w Krakowie. Wyniki: Pacjentki z wysiłkowym nietrzymaniem moczu (WNM) zgłaszały się do lekarza średnio po 4 latach, z naglącym nietrzymaniem moczu (NNM) po 3 latach, z mieszaną postacią nietrzymania moczu (MNM) po 6 latach, a z nietrzymaniem moczu z przepełnienia po 10 latach od wystąpienia pierwszych objawów. Lęk, wstyd, przekonanie, że objawy NM są stanem normalnym związanym z wiekiem, a także uznanie go za sytuację przejściową miały znaczący wpływ na długość czasu, jaki upłynął od wystąpienia objawów do zgłoszenia się do lekarza. Najczęściej badane kobiety podejmowały decyzję o leczeniu samodzielnie, a głównym motywem było nasilenie objawów. Większość (89,4%) ankietowanych kobiet łagodziła objawy nietrzymania moczu bez pomocy lekarza, niekiedy stosując metody niekorzystne dla zdrowia. Wnioski: Pacjentki z NM zgłaszały się późno do lekarza z powodu braku wiedzy i błędnych przekonań na temat choroby. Konieczne jest opracowanie metod wczesnego dotarcia do grup ryzyka i systemu pomocy dla kobiet z tym problemem