Immunohistochemical expression of RECK protein in placental membranes of the preterm delivery with and without chorioamnionitis.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the immunohistochemical expression of RECK protein in placental membranes of late preterm delivery in women with and without histologically proven chorioamnionitis. STUDY DESIGN: Fetal membranes were collected from women who had late preterm delivery with (n=8) and without (n=9) histologic chorioamnionitis. Immunohistochemistry for RECK protein was performed on formalin fixed and paraffin-embedded sections. The two groups were matched for age, body mass index and parity. SPSS Version 13.0 was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: There was weaker immunohistochemical expression of RECK protein in placental membranes of women with histologic chorioamnionitis compared to control subjects (P=0.0498). CONCLUSIONS: Chorioamnionitis has an impact on immunohistochemical expression of RECK protein in placental membranes in late preterm delivery.

Near-diploid hyperploidy in early breast cancer (T1a,b) is associated with higher risk of lymph node involvement.

Due to the worldwide implementation of the mammographic screening program early breast cancer (T1a,b) has become more prevalent form of breast cancer. Although T1a,b breast cancers are generally associated with excellent prognosis, some of them, particularly those with lymph node involvement, has unfavourable outcome. Searching for additional prognostic factors, we investigated DNA content of 163 T1a,b cancers measured by DNA flow cytometry, and correlated it with regional lymph node status. T1a,b cancers were divided into four ploidy classes based on their DNA index (DI): hypodiploid (DI < 0.95), diploid (DI 0.95-1.05), low-hyperploid (DI 1.06-1.3), and high-hyperploid (DI > 1.3). Diploid T1a,b cancers were associated with negative lymph node status (p = 0.003). Among aneuploid cancers only low-hyperploid tumors were associated with positive lymph node status (p = 0.03). The histopathological features of low-hyperploid group of T1a,b cancers did not differ from the other three ploidy groups of cancers, except for lower S-phase fraction of tumor cells in low-hyperploid group compared to high-hyperploid group (p = 0.01). Our data showed that near-diploid hyperploid T1a,b cancers are associated with higher risk of lymph node involvement despite similar clinicopathological features shared with other ploidy classes of T1a,b tumors.

Attitudes towards science and alternative medicine of medical, economics and business, and electrical engineering students in Split, Croatia.

AIM: To assess attitudes of students at the Split University Schools of Medicine, Economics and Business, and Electrical Engineering towards science and alternative medicine. METHODS: There were 275 respondents surveyed for their opinion on science and different aspects of alternative medicine. The respondents were grouped into three major groups: medical students (83 or 30%), economics and business students (95 or 35%), and electrical engineering students (97 or 35%). Each group was composed of two subgroups: first and final year students. We used a specially designed questionnaire composed of four parts to collect students' demographic data and investigate their scientific experience and attitudes towards science and alternative medicine. ANOVA was used to test the differences among the three major groups of students and between first and final year students within each group. RESULTS: There was no significant difference among the first year students at three different schools in their scores on attitude towards science (ANOVA; F=0.001, p=0.99) and the attitude towards alternative medicine (F=2.61, p=0.08). However, there was a significant difference among the final year students at the three schools, with medical students being the most positive in their score on the attitude towards science (F=7.30, p=0.001) and least positive in their score on the attitude towards alternative medicine (F=30.7, p<0.001). There was a negative correlation between attitudes towards science and alternative medicine (r=-0.37, p<0.001) for all schools. CONCLUSION: Medical students showed the most positive attitude towards science and least positive attitude towards alternative medicine, compared with the students of economics and business or electrical engineering. The curriculum of the Medical School, unlike the curricula of other two schools, could have an impact on students' attitudes towards science.