Y-STR genetic diversity of Croatian (Bayash) Roma.

Seventeen Y-chromosomal short tandem repeats (STRs) (DYS19, DYS385, DYS389I, DYS398II, DYS390, DYS391, DYS392, DYS393, DYS437, DYS438, DYS439, DYS448, DYS456, DYS458, DYS635, GATA H4.1) were typed in DNA samples from 146 unrelated adult Romani Bayash men from eastern and northwestern Croatia. Analysed Croatian Bayash Romani population represents an example of genetically homogenous population characterised by low levels of haplotype diversity and unique haplotype ratio as well as sharing of the same most frequent (founding) haplotype and its close derivatives by more than one third of the analyzed men. Despite almost exclusive sharing of the same minimal haplotype and its closely related derivates on the background of the Indian Y SNP haplogroup H1, we observed considerable level of genetic differentiation of Romani populations across Europe that should not be neglected in forensic statistics.

Invasive squamous cell carcinoma of vulva: prognostic significance of clinicopathologic parameters.

AIM: To investigate the prognostic significance of several clinicopathologic parameters in patients with invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the vulva. METHODS: We retrospectively studied 43 patients with invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the vulva treated with radical vulvectomy at the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics at Zagreb University School of Medicine, Croatia, in the period from 1978-1996. At the time of analysis, follow-up information was obtained for all patients, 18 (41.9%) of whom have died and 25 (58.1%) who were alive at the time of the last contact. The mean follow-up time of surviving patients was 121 months (range, 6-216 months). Cox proportional hazard analysis was performed to examine the prognostic significance of age, menstrual status, clinical stage, diameter and localization of the tumor, histological grade, nuclear grade, depth of tumor invasion, presence of vascular space invasion, tumor growth pattern, presence of lymph node metastasis, DNA ploidy, proliferative activity, and mode of therapy. RESULTS: The overall 5-year survival for this group of patients was 62.3%. The results of univariate statistical analysis confirmed that statistically significant prognostic parameters included the age of patients (P=0.038), clinical stage (P=0.001), nuclear grade (P=0.002), the depth of tumor invasion (P<0.001), and presence of lymph node metastasis (P=0.001). On the other hand, the results of multivariate statistical analysis showed that only the depth of tumor invasion (P<0.001) can be considered independent, statistically significant prognostic parameter. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that the depth of tumor invasion represents the most important prognostic parameter in the group of patients with invasive squamous vulvar carcinoma. Clinical significance of DNA ploidy and proliferative activity was not found.

[Helicobacter pylori in biopsy specimen of gastric mucosa: frequency and correlation of rapid urease test with histology]. / Helicobacter pylori u biopsijskom uzorku zelucane sluznice: ucestalost i usporedba brzog testa ureaze s histoloskim pregledom.

Between December 1999 and May 2000, general, age and sex distribution of Helicobacter pylori and rapid urease test sensitivity and specificity in correlation with histology were performed on 125 patients after gastroscopy. The average patients' age was 54.98 +/- 15.74, range 20-86 years. There were 71 (57%) of females and 54 (43%) males. Seventy seven (62%) patients were Helicobacter pylori positive on histology, and differences between the sex and age were not statistically different (p = 0.58 and p = 0.07). Sensitivity of the rapid urease test after 30 minutes, 3 and 24 hours was 23, 57 and 81% respectively, specificity was 100, 98 and 94% respectively, positive predictive values were 100, 98 and 95% respectively, and negative predictive values were 45, 59 and 75% respectively. In conclusion, it can be recommended to do biopsy of two specimens, from the antrum and body of the stomach. Distribution of Helicobacter pylori positive is higher in older patients. Rapid urease test has low sensitivity and negative predictive value with high specificity and negative predictive value. The additional advantage can be if the test is positive after 30 minutes, because the therapy can be prescribed immediatelly after the endoscopy.