A comprehensive morphometric analysis of the internal thoracic artery with emphasis on age, gender and left-to-right specific differences.

Aims Of The Study: The aim of this analysis was the morphometric description of the internal thoracic artery (ITA) with an emphasis on age, gender and left-to-right specific differences, as well as on age and atherosclerosis related changes of the elastic skeleton.

Methods: Forty eight arteries were obtained during forensic autopsies from 32 persons who had died of non-vascular causes. The following morphometric parameters were analyzed: thickness of the intima, the medial layer and the wall, the intima-to media-ratio and the elastic skeleton parameters.

Effect of low temperature cultivation on insulin secretory of human pancreatic islets.

The experiment compared the physiological function (insulin secretory capacity) and membrane integrity of human adult pancreatic islets incubated in culture at 37°C and 24°C. Pancreatic tissue was digested with Collagenase XI, using a non-automated method. Cultures were incubated at 37°C and 24°C.

A novel Notch3 Gly89Cys mutation in a Serbian CADASIL family.

Cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL) is the most common heritable cause of stroke and vascular dementia in adults. We present a family from Serbia presenting with stroke and depression in the lack of vascular risk factors, with brain MRI indicating CADASIL. A novel NOTCH3 Gly89Cys mutation was located in exon 3.

Skin and sural nerve biopsies: ultrastructural findings in the first genetically confirmed cases of CADASIL in Serbia.

Cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL) is an inherited vascular disorder caused by Notch3 gene mutations. The main histopathological hallmark is granular osmiophilic material (GOM) deposited in the close vicinity of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). The authors report the first 7 ultrastructurally and genetically confirmed cases of CADASIL in Serbia.

[Mitochondrial myopathy, encephalopathy, lactate acidosis with stroke-like episodes syndrome (MELAS): a case report].

Introduction: Mitochondrial encephalopathy, lactacidosis and stroke-like episodes (MELAS) represent a multisystemic dysfunction due to various mutations in mitochondrial DNA. Here we report a patient with genetically confirmed MELAS.

Case Outline: A patient is presented whose clinical features involved short stature, easy tendency to fatigue, recurrent seizures, progressive cognitive decline, myopathy, sensorineural deafness, diabetes mellitus as well as stroke-like episodes.

Micro- and nanostructures of iridescent wing scales in purple emperor butterflies (Lepidoptera: Apatura ilia and A. iris).

Apatura ilia (Denis and Schiffermüller, 1775) and A. iris (Linnaeus, 1758) are fascinating butterflies found in the Palaearctic ecozone (excepting the north of Africa). The wings of these insects are covered with a great number of two types of scales positioned like roof tiles.

Cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy.

Introduction: Fast and precise diagnostics of the disease from the large group of adult leukoencephalopathy is difficult but responsible job, because the outcome of the disease is very often determined by its name. Cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL) is caused by the mutation of Notch 3 gene on chromosome locus 19p13. Beside the brain arterioles being the main disease targets, extracerebral small blood vessels are affected by the pathological process.

The internal thoracic artery as a transitional type of artery: a morphological and morphometric study.

Coronary artery by-pass grafting (CABG) with arterial grafts is widely accepted as the procedure of choice in the treatment of coronary ischemic disease. It brings back focus on morphological studies of arteries used as conduits in this procedure. One of the most frequently used CABG grafts is the internal thoracic artery with an excellent graft prognosis and patency rate.

Use of recombinant factor VIIa in the treatment of massive retroperitoneal bleeding due to severe necrotizing pancreatitis.

Background: Recently, a growing number of case reports and case series have suggested that the use of recombinant activated factor VII (rFVIIa) may be effective in treatment of patients with non-hemophilic acquired coagulopathy not responding to conventional treatment such as major surgery, major trauma, sepsis, necrotizing pancreatitis and bleeding due to cerebral arteriovenous malformations.

Case Report: We presented a septic patient with massive, life-threatening bleeding caused by retroperitoneal necrosis, due to severe acute necrotizing pancreatitis. As conservative treatment (blood, plasma, cryoprecipitates and platelet transfusions) failed to induce cessation of bleeding, the patient was urgently operated on.

Endothelial keratoplasty without descemet's membrane stripping: histologic and ultrastructural findings.

Aim: To report histologic and ultrastructural findings of endothelial keratoplasty (EK) performed without Descemet's membrane stripping.

Methods: Clinical techniques, histology, and transmission electron microscopy.

Results: A 55-year-old woman was referred to us, after 2 unsuccessful penetrating keratoplasties (PKs), for pseudophakic bullous keratopathy.

[Evaluation of pulmonary and metabolic function in classic and laparoscopic cholecystectomy in patients with ASA I and ASA II scores].

This is a prospective study of patients treated at the Center for Urgent Surgery, Clinical Center of Serbia. The patients were divided into two groups; i.e.

Invasive mole--case report of massive uterine destruction.

Patient with malignant Gestational Trophoblastic Neoplasm (GTN) was treated by mean of MTX-FA, MAC, EMA-CO and EMA-EP. Changes in serum human chorionic gonadotropine (beta hCG) levels and changes in ultrasonographic findings were checked weekly. Finally transabdominal hysterectomy with ovaries conservation was done and polychemotherapy administrated after the operation until three consecutive serum chorionic gonadotropine values were negative.

The origin and differentiation potential of smooth muscle cells in coronary atherosclerosis.

Objectives: To determine the phenotypical state of smooth muscle cells during the pathogenesis of an atherosclerotic lesion, and to determine the morphological state of the endothelium and the origin of foam cells.

Methods: Twenty-one samples of atherosclerotically changed right coronary arteries, which were divided into six subgroups based on the stage of atherosclerosis, were analyzed. The tissues were fixed in formalin and embedded in paraffin.

[Cardiac myxoma -- the influence of preoperative clinical presentation and surgical technique on late outcome].

Introduction: Cardiac myxomas are the most frequent primary tumours of the heart in adults, and they can be found in each of four cardiac chambers. Although biologically benign, due to their unfavourable localization, myxomas are considered "functionally malignant" tumours. Diagnosis of cardiac myxoma necessitates surgical treatment.

The helical ventricular myocardial band of Torrent-Guasp.

We live in an era of substantial progress in understanding myocardial structure and function at genetic, molecular, and microscopic levels. Yet, ventricular myocardium has proven remarkably resistant to macroscopic analyses of functional anatomy. Pronounced and practically indefinite global and local structural anisotropy of its fibers and other ventricular wall constituents produces electrical and mechanical properties that are nonlinear, anisotropic, time varying, and spatially inhomogeneous.

[Cytohistological and immunohistochemical characteristics of vascular remodelling in diseases of the blood vessels].

Introduction: Vascular remodelling is an adaptive process involving the adjustment of the structure and function of blood vessels to long-term changes in haemodynamic conditions. This process leads to structural alterations within vessel walls in different cardiovascular diseases, such as hypertension, atherosclerosis, and coarctation of the aorta.

Objective: We investigated the histochemical and immunocytochemical characteristics of morphological lesions in coronary atherosclerosis and coarctation of the aorta.

[Case report of ultrasonographic findings in developing choriocarcinoma].

Introduction: Gestational Trophoblastic Neoplasm (GTN) develops from fetal tissue with risk of malignancy after complete hydatidiform mole of 20%.

Material And Methods: This is a case report of progressive destruction of uterine tissue in 43 years old patient caused with developing Choriocarcinoma three months after legal abortion. Severe changes in uterine structure as multiple anechogenic foci of destruction were found during transvaginal Doppler ultrasound examination.

The helical ventricular myocardial band: global, three-dimensional, functional architecture of the ventricular myocardium.

We are currently witnessing the advent of new diagnostic tools and therapies for heart diseases, but, without serious scientific consensus on fundamental questions about normal and diseased heart structure and function. During the last decade, three successive, international, multidisciplinary symposia were organized in order to setup fundamental research principles, which would allow us to make a significant step forward in understanding heart structure and function. Helical ventricular myocardial band of Torrent-Guasp is the revolutionary new concept in understanding global, three-dimensional, functional architecture of the ventricular myocardium.