New insights into the origin and the genetic status of the Balkan donkey from Serbia.

The Balkan donkey (Equus asinus L.) is commonly regarded as a large-sized, unselected, unstructured and traditionally managed donkey breed. We assessed the current genetic status of the three largest E. asinus populations in the central Balkans (Serbia) by analysing the variability of nuclear microsatellites and the mitochondrial (mtDNA) control region of 77 and 49 individuals respectively. We further analysed our mtDNA dataset along with 209 published mtDNA sequences of ancient and modern individuals from 19 European and African populations to provide new insights into the origin and the history of the Balkan donkey. Serbian donkey populations are highly genetically diverse at both the nuclear and mtDNA levels despite severe population decline. Traditional Balkan donkeys in Serbia are rather heterogeneous; we found two groups of individuals with similar phenotypic features, somewhat distinct nuclear backgrounds and different proportions of mtDNA haplotypes belonging to matrilineal Clades 1 and 2. Another group, characterized by larger body size, different coat colour, distinct nuclear gene pool and predominantly Clade 2 haplotypes, was delineated as the Banat donkey breed. The maternal landscape of the large Balkan donkey population is highly heterogeneous and more complex than previously thought. Given the two independent domestication events in donkeys, multiple waves of introductions into the Balkans from Greece are hypothesized. Clade 2 donkeys probably appeared in Greece prior to those belonging to Clade 1, whereas expansion and diversification of Clade 1 donkeys within the Balkans predated that of Clade 2 donkeys.

Staphylococcus sciuri as a part of skin, nasal and oral flora in healthy dogs.

The coagulase-negative species Staphylococcus sciuri is widespread in nature and is associated with a variety of domestic and wild animals. However, the occurrence of S. sciuri in dogs has received little attention so far. In the present study, we established the prevalence of S. sciuri in a large population of healthy dogs, and characterized isolated strains. Samples from two mucous membrane sites (anterior nares and mouth), and two hair-coated sites (head and withers) were taken from 122 dogs and inoculated into STS agar, a novel selective medium that was introduced and tested in the study. In total, 116 isolates of S. sciuri were obtained from 488 specimens. S. sciuri was isolated from 56 out of 122 (46%) dogs. The occurrence of S. sciuri in the anterior nares and mouth were significantly higher than those in withers and head. No significant association of S. sciuri occurrence in dogs and factors such as sex, age, and living environment (indoor/outdoor) was found. Out of 56 dogs, which tested positive for S. sciuri, 30 (54%) would have it as a resident flora. Thus, we showed that S. sciuri was frequently present as a part of skin, nasal and oral flora in healthy dogs both as a resident and transient carriage.

The case of the diverticular bladder tumor treated with diverticulectomy.

INTRODUCTION: The majority of diverticular bladder tumors (DBT) are urothelial. Due to the lack of the muscular layer in the diverticulum, the progression of these tumors is easier than in the bladder wall. CASE REPORT: The case of invasive DBT with painless hematuria is presented. The patient was treated with diverticulectomy. CONCLUSION: Unifocal Stage-T3 DBTs can be successfully treated with diverticulectomy.

Urinary PSA in monitoring of patients with prostate cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the value of urinary prostate specific antigen (uPSA) determination in the monitoring of prostate cancer (PCa) patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: From January 2001 to December 2011, uPSA was determined in 397 patients. There were 265 patients with benign prostate, 19 with prostatitis and 113 with prostate cancer. Radical retropubic prostatectomy (RRP) was performed at 65 patients, while 48 patients had PCa received antiandrogen therapy. RESULTS: Average uPSA value in the patients with benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) was 190.8 +/- 184.2 ng/mL. Average uPSA in the patients with PCa was 287.5 +/- 303.4 ng/ml and it was not significantly different from BPH group. The average uPSA in the prostatitis group was 113.1 +/- 148.5 ng/mL, and 16.4 +/- 36.7 ng/mL in the post RRP group. During antiandrogen therapy, uPSA and PSA correlated significantly (r = 0.49). CONCLUSION: The uPSA level reflects the response of normal prostatic and urethral secretory cells on total androgen activity. The uPSA level cannot distinguish the cases with BPH and cases with PCa. In addition, in the patients after RRP, uPSA reflects local urethral PSA production and has no role in the diagnosis of PCa recurrence. However, uPSA is better indicator of androgen suppression than testosterone (T), as it reflects the effect of suppression of all androgens, not only T.

Ground red hot pepper agar in the isolation and presumptive identification of Cryptococcus neoformans.

The study compared ground red hot pepper agar (GRHP) and Guizotia abyssinica creatinine agar (GACA), a medium routinely used for isolation of Cryptococcus neoformans. In order to confirm the capacity of GRHP to support the Cr. neoformans growth and pigment production, 15 strains were inoculated onto GRHP and GACA. No significant differences in the growth and pigmentation of the tested strains on the two media were noted. As heavily contaminated specimens, 50 samples of pigeon droppings were examined by plating on GRHP and GACA, which resulted in the isolation of 14 and nine Cr. neoformans strains, respectively. The results indicate that GRHP, as a result of its superior selectivity and significant reduction of contaminant growth, provides better conditions than GACA for isolation and presumptive identification of Cr. neoformans from heavily contaminated specimens.

[Human fetal pancreatic islet transplantation in insulin-dependent diabetics: possibilities of early detection of transplant destruction]. / Tranplantacija ostrvaca humanog fetalnog pankreasa u insulin-zavisnih dijabeticara: mogucnost rane detekcije destrukcije transplantata.

The factors determining the outcome of human fetal islet transplantation in patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) remain unclarified. In this study we analysed the ratio between immunoregulatory lymphocyte subpopulations in order to search for a possible marker of the immune destruction of transplanted islets. Human fetal islets were isolated by collagenase digestion, cultured for 14 days at 37 degrees C, 5% CO2, and implanted under fascia of m. rectus abdominis in 7 IDDM patients (5 pancreata per patient). After transplantation we evaluated simultaneously the level of metabolic control through HbA1c values determined by chromatography, the capacity of insulin secretion through the C-peptide levels (determined by radioimmunoassay) before and 6 minutes after 1 mg glucagon i.v. stimulation, and the ratio between CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocytes determined by immunofluorescence using monoclonal antibodies. We found that metabolic control after transplantation was improved together with the decrease of the insulin daily dose, and the improvement was simultaneous to the increase of both basal and glucagon-stimulated C-peptide levels. Four months after transplantation we detected a remarkable decrease in the secretion capacity, accompanied by the necessity for an increase in daily insulin dose to maintain optimal metabolic control. However, the loss of islet function was preceded by the increase in CD4+/CD8+ ratio, thus reflecting the presumable accumulation of CD4+ inducer T-lymphocytes. When the islet secretion capacity was destroyed, we found a decrease in CD4+/CD8+ ratio, reflecting the recruitment of CD8+ effector cells.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)