Reproductive immunology in viviparous mammals: evolutionary paradox of interactions among immune mechanisms and autologous or allogeneic gametes and semiallogeneic foetuses.

Literally, reproductive immunology was born in bovine on-farm reproduction where seminal experiments intended for developing methods for embryo transfer in cattle were performed. Actually, these experiments led to two of major concepts and fundamental principles of reproductive immunology using the bovine species as a model for biomedical research, namely the concept of acquired immunological tolerance and the paradox of the semiallogeneic bovine foetus whereby such organism can develop within an immunologically competent host. Peter Medawar, a scientist who together with Frank Macfarlande Burnet shared the 1960 Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine for discovery of acquired immunological tolerance, while studying dizygotic cattle twins, thereby giving birth to reproductive immunology.

Kidney transplantation from a living donor to a mentally disabled recipient with bilateral angiomyolipomas-A case report.

Introduction: Many centers do not perform transplantation in mentally disabled people. Our patient with progressive psychomotor developmental delay had bilateral angiomyolipomas.

Presentation Of The Case: Three years ago she underwent a right nephrectomy for massive spontaneous hemorrhage.

[ETIOLOGY OF PROSTATE CANCER].

Prostate cancer is now recognized as one of the most important medical problems in male population. Epigenetic regulation of gene expression by promoter methylation and histone acetylation, proinflammatory enzyme cyclooxygenase-2 and somatic mutations in a variety of genes with diverse biological functions has been implicated in prostate cancer development and progression.

Effect of mycophenolate mofetil on progression of interstitial fibrosis and tubular atrophy after kidney transplantation: a retrospective study.

Objectives: Chronic transplant dysfunction after kidney transplantation is a major reason of kidney graft loss and is caused by immunological and non-immunological factors. There is evidence that mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) may exert a positive effect on renal damage in addition to immunosuppression, by its direct antifibrotic properties. The aim of our study was to retrospectively investigate the role of MMF doses on progression of chronic allograft dysfunction and fibrosis and tubular atrophy (IF/TA).

Expression of secreted frizzled-related protein 1 and 3, T-cell factor 1 and lymphoid enhancer factor 1 in clear cell renal cell carcinoma.

Frequency and mortality of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) are increasing for decades. However, the molecular background of RCC tumorigenesis is still poorly understood. In current study we investigated the expression of TCF/LEF and SFRP family members (SFRP1 and SFRP3) to gain a better understanding of biological signaling pathways responsible for epidemiology and clinical parameters of clear cell RCC (cRCC).

[Effect of pretransplant dialysis modality on incidence of early posttransplant infections in kidney recipients].

Introduction: Infection is one of the main causes of patient death and graft failure early after kidney transplantation. Effect of pretransplant dialysis modality on incidence of infections after kidney transplantation still remains controversial. The aim of the present study was to determine the impact of pre-transplant dialysis modality on incidence urinary tract infections (UTI) and sepsis in early posttransplant period in kidney transplant recipients.

Treatment of bleeding after kidney biopsy with recombinant activated factor VII.

Recombinant activated factor VII (rFVIIa) is approved for prevention and treatment of bleeding in hemophilia patients with inhibitors to FVIII (hemophilia A) or IX (hemophilia B), patients with congenital and acquired hemophilia and in patients with FVII deficiency or Glantzmann thrombasthenia (last indication is approved only in Europe). Off-labeled, the drug has been prescribed for prevention, or treatment of bleeding in severe hepatic disease, neonatal coagulopathies, high-risk surgical procedures, trauma, thrombocytopenia and platelet function disorders, as well as for urgent reversal of oral anticoagulation. Here we report a case of a 53-year-old female patient with delayed graft function after kidney transplantation, who had kidney biopsy complicated with prolonged bleeding.

[Multifocal epithelioid hemangioendothelioma treated by liver transplantation--case report].

Multifocal epithelioid hemangioendothelioma of the liver is a rare primary tumor with a variable course of disease. A case is presented of a 27-year-old female patient with multiple hepatic lesions on ultrasonography, suspect of metastatic tumor of the liver. Serum tumor markers were not elevated, while clinical examination of the lungs, gastrointestinal and gynecologic systems did not confirm the presence of a primary tumor process.

[Hepatocellular carcinoma initially diagnosed by fine needle aspiration cytology of the pelvic bone metastasis].

Hepatocellular carcinoma mostly develops in patients with liver cirrhosis due to chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. A case is presented of a patient with hepatorenal syndrome as a sequel of liver cirrhosis due to HCV infection. Primary tumor of the liver was not diagnosed by routine procedures, but by fine needle aspiration cytology of the extensive osteolytic lesion of the pelvic bone, performed as part of the pre-transplantation workup.

[Flow cytometry and acute renal rejection confirmed by histopathologic analysis].

Transplantation of solid organs, tissues or hematopoietic cells is now standard in the treatment of patients with terminal stage disease in order to cure and improve the recipients' quality of life. The study included 54 patients having undergone single or multiple organ transplantation. All patients received a combination of immunosuppressant therapy consisting of corticosteroids, calcineurin inhibitor (cyclosporine; tacrolimus), anti-CD25 (daclizumab) and mycophenolate-mofetil.

[The purpose of clinical laboratory accreditation in transplantation medicine].

Although transplantation of solid organs has become a more standardized method of treatment, liver transplantation represents an exceptional multidisciplinary clinical procedure requiring understanding of specific pathophysiological changes that occur in the end stage of liver disease. Liver transplantation has been performed at Merkur University Hospital since 1998, with 360 transplantations performed to date. The most common indications are alcohol liver disease, cirrhosis caused by hepatitis B and C virus, hepatocellular carcinoma and cryptogenetic liver cirrhosis.

Polymorphisms in Toll-like receptor genes--implications for prostate cancer development.

Toll-like receptors are key players in initiation of innate immune response of the host. In addition to innate immunity they can also induce adaptive immune responses. The concept that inflammation can promote chronic prostatic diseases, such as benign prostatic hyperplasia or prostate carcinoma is supported by several new findings.

Dual kidney transplantation: case report.

Chronic shortage of kidney transplants worldwide has led to the use of organs from so called marginal or borderline donors, now termed "expanded-criteria donors". There has been an emerging practice of dual kidney transplantation (DKT) to compensate for sub optimal nephron mass of such kidneys. We performed DKT in "Merkur" University Hospital in August 2005.

Fine needle aspiration cytology of adrenocortical carcinoma--case report.

A 49-year-old woman presented for hirsutism, deep voice and hypertension. Ultrasonography (US) revealed a solitary tumor mass, eight cm in size, of the right adrenal gland. Laboratory tests showed it to be a hormonally active, androgen secreting tumor (elevated testosterone level), which was consistent with the clinical picture of the disease.

Polyomavirus associated nephropathy after kidney and pancreas transplantation: case report.

Polyomavirus virus associated nephropathy (PVAN) is an important cause of graft failure in the renal transplant population. The prevalence of PVAN has increased from 1% to 10% in the past decade, leading to loss of transplanted organ in 30% to 80% of cases. In the absence of specific antiviral drugs, early detection of disease and modification/reduction of immunosuppressive regimen is currently the cornerstone of therapy.

Accreditation of medical laboratories in Croatia--experiences of the Institute of Clinical Chemistry, University Hospital "Merkur", Zagreb.

Since 2003 when the international norm for implementation of quality management in medical laboratories (EN ISO 15189, Medical laboratories--Particular requirements for quality and competence) was established and accepted, accreditation has become practical, generally accepted method of quality management and confirmation of technical competence of medical laboratories in the whole world. This norm has been translated into Croatian and accepted by the Croatian Institute for Norms as Croatian norm. Accreditation is carried out on voluntary basis by the Croatian Accreditation Agency that has up to now accredited two clinical medical biochemical laboratories in the Republic of Croatia.

The value of urinary decoy cells finding in patients with kidney transplantation.

Childhood infection with polyomaviruses leads to a life-long latent infection of renal and urinary tract epithelia. Replication in the reno-urinary epithelium is associated with viral cytopathic changes such as nuclear inclusions and decoy cells. During the 2005-2009 period, cytological urine analysis was performed in 154 samples (94 male and 60 female) from patients with kidney transplantation (n = 19), simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplantation (SPKT) (n = 9) and simultaneous kidney and liver transplantation (n = 2).

Urine immunocytology as a noninvasive diagnostic tool for acute kidney rejection: a single center experience.

Renal biopsy is a gold standard for establishing diagnosis of acute rejection of the renal allograft. However, being invasive, renal biopsy has potential significant complications and contraindications. Therefore, possibility to noninvasively diagnose acute rejection would improve follow-up of kidney transplant patients.