Cytogenetic findings in Serbian patients with Turner's syndrome stigmata.

Cytogenetic findings are reported for 31 female patients with Turner's syndrome. Chromosome studies were made from lymphocyte cultures. Non-mosaicism 45,X was demonstrated in 15 of these patients, whereas only three were apparently mosaic. Eight patients showed non-mosaic and four patients showed mosaic structural aberrations of the X-chromosome. One non-mosaic case displayed a karyotype containing a small marker chromosome. Conventional cytogenetics was supplemented by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) with an X-specific probe to identify the chromosomal origin of the ring and a 1q12-specific DNA probe to identify de novo balanced translocation (1;9) in one patient. To our knowledge, this is the first finding of karyotype 45,X,t(1;9)(cen;cen)/46,X,r(X),t(1;9)(cen;cen) in Turner's syndrome. The same X-specific probe was also used to identify a derivative chromosome in one patient.

Influence of mating experience on mating latency and copulation duration in Drosophila melanogaster females.

Two important components of mating behavior, mating latency and duration of copulation, were examined during first and second mating in D. melanogaster females. Our results confirm the published findings of lower receptivity of previously mated D. melanogaster females, since fertilized females present significantly longer mating latencies. Duration of copulation also depends on female mating experience, as naive females copulated significantly longer than those previously mated. An important role of female D. melanogaster in the control of both examined components of mating behavior is displayed in the course of second mating, as part of behavioral and physiological changes induced by the first mating.

Radiation exposure to nuclear medicine staff involved in PET/CT practice in Serbia.

The purpose of this work is to evaluate the radiation exposure to nuclear medicine (NM) staff in the two positron emission tomography-computed tomography centres in Serbia and to investigate the possibilities for dose reduction. Dose levels in terms of Hp(10) for whole body and Hp(0.07) for hands of NM staff were assessed using thermoluminescence and electronic personal dosemeters. The assessed doses per procedure in terms of Hp(10) were 4.2-7 and 5-6 µSv, in two centres, respectively, whereas the extremity doses in terms of Hp(0.07) in one of the centres was 34-126 µSv procedure(-1). The whole-body doses per unit activity were 17-19 and 21-26 µSv GBq(-1) in two centres, respectively, and the normalised finger dose in one centre was 170-680 µSv GBq(-1). The maximal estimated annual whole-body doses in two centres were 3.4 and 2.0 mSv, while the corresponding extremity dose in the later one was 45 mSv. Improvements as introduction of automatic dispensing system and injection and optimisation of working practice resulted in dose reduction ranging from 12 up to 67 %.

[Newer techniques in diagnostic imaging of colorectal carcinoma].

A wide spectrum of nowadays availible radiological and imaging methods in the diagnostic evaluation of patients with colorectal cancer enabled not only the improvement of primary colorectal malignancy detection, precise staging, regional involvement and metastatic spread assessment, but also the posttherapeutical estimation and follow-up. Having in mind that the exact diagnostic assessment of colorectal carcinoma by use of different imaging modalities still raises a lots of contradictories, in this report we have tried to present the possibilities of newer imaging techniques in the diagnostic evaluation of the patients with colorectal cancer.

[Positron emission tomography/computed tomography in patients with cancer of unknown primary origin].

UNLABELLED: Cancer of unknown primary origin is not an uncommon clinical state, usually accounting for 2%-7% of all cancer patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Positron emission tomography and computed tomography (PET/CT) was performed in 17 patients with histologically proven metastatic tumors of unknown primary and negative or inconclusive conventional diagnostic procedures. RESULTS: The study included 17 patients (8 male and 9 female) age from 42 to 76 years. PET / CT has pointed out the probable localization of primary tumors in 10 patients. According histological diagnosis of carcinoma of unknown origin, most common is adenocarcinoma (64.71%). Origin of the primary cancer was found in 72.73% patients with adenocarcinoma 66.67% of respondents with squamocelular carcinoma and 50% of respondents with low differentiated carcinoma. Location of primary cancer was not found in 41.18% of the respondents, including patients with mucinous adenocarcinoma and patients with melanoma. CONCLUSION: FDG PET/CT demonstrates very good whole-body imaging method in evaluation of patients with unknown primary carcinoma.

[Foundation of pharmaceutical policy in the Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina]. / Osnovi farmaceutske politike u Federaciji BiH.

Pharmaceuticals are inevitable domain of disease prevention, diagnostics and treatment. The basic objective of pharmaceutical sector reform is to meet the needs of the majority of the population with the essential pharmaceuticals, which are proven as effective, evaluated quality and affordable prices. That objective could be achieved by undertaking a range of measures within the national pharmaceutical policy as an integral part of the overall health, policy in the country. Key elements of that policy should be: pharmaceutical management at the level of the Federal Ministry of Health and cantonal ministrie of health, pharmaceutical legislative documents, rationalization of pharmaceutical therapy (choices of essential pharmaceuticals, choices of pharmaceuticals covered by the resources of health insurance funds, list of hospital pharmaceuticals, selections during pharmaceuticals registration, educational measures, surveillance of measures), spreading information on pharmaceuticals by the pharmaceutical information centre, pharmaceutical supply (local pharmaceutical production, pharmaceuticals import, humanitarian assistance), funding of pharmaceuticals costs (cantonal and hospital lists of pharmaceuticals,) other reform strategies (quality control of pharmaceuticals, surveillance of side-effects, role of pharmacists in health system, environment protection) and strengthening of inspector surveillance.

[Pharmacokinetic testing of patients with bronchial asthma]. / Farmakodinamsko testiranje bolesnika s bronhalnom astmom.

The study represents the investigation on pharmacodynamic lung function testing in 40 patients (21 with extrinsic asthma and 19 with intrinsic asthma). Skin prick tests on common inhalation allergens, IgE antibodies, spirometry, flow-volume curve, body plethysmography and pharmacodynamic testing with salbutamol spray were performed in each person. The greatest changes after beta 2 agonist were established by plethysmographic parameters SGaw (mean increase 117%) and Raw (mean decrease 45%), than by the expiratory flow rates from flow-volume curve: FEF25%-75% and FEF50% (mean increase 26%), than the FEV1 (+ 15%), the PEF (also + 15%), the RV (mean decrease 17%) and the FVC (mean increase 8%). The aim of this study was to represent the necessity of the complex analysis and interpretation of the results of pharmacodynamic testings because of many factors that might change the values of the tests.

[Correlation of the size of the residual volume measured by whole body plethysmography and the single breath helium dilution method]. / Korelacija velicina rezidualnih volumena mjerenih pletizmografijom cijelog tijela i dilucijom helija metodom jednog udaha.

The value of residual volume, intrathoracic gas volume, functional residual capacity and total lung capacity obtained by the method of body plethysmography and helium dilution method was correlated by single-breath diffusing capacity. These parameters were correlated in 22 patients who had had complete functional diagnostics of the lung: spirometry, flow volume curve, body plethysmography and single-breath diffusing capacity. All findings were within normal limits, which was a condition for selection of patients for our group. Statistically significant differences (p = 0.01) of t-test were established between residual volumes by the plethysmographic and helium dilution method of single-breath diffusing capacity. The residual volume obtained by body plethysmography showed higher values for 526 ml, or 30%. The intrathoracic gas volume showed higher values for 682 ml, or 17%. Inspite of the fact that values of RV obtained by two methods had statistically significant differences, they were still within normal limits, if presented as percent of the predicted value.