Expression of OCT-4 and SOX-2 in Bone Marrow-Derived Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells during Osteogenic Differentiation.

Aim: Determine the levels of expression of pluripotency genes OCT-4 and SOX-2 before and after osteogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs).

Methods: Human MSCs were derived from the bone marrow and differentiated into osteoblasts. The analyses were performed on days 0 and 14 of the cell culture.

Rates and predictors of hypoglycaemia in 27 585 people from 24 countries with insulin-treated type 1 and type 2 diabetes: the global HAT study.

Aims: To determine the global extent of hypoglycaemia experienced by patients with diabetes using insulin, as there is a lack of data on the prevalence of hypoglycaemia in developed and developing countries.

Methods: This non-interventional, multicentre, 6-month retrospective and 4-week prospective study using self-assessment questionnaire and patient diaries included 27 585 patients, aged ≥18 years, with type 1 diabetes (T1D; n = 8022) or type 2 diabetes (T2D; n = 19 563) treated with insulin for >12 months, at 2004 sites in 24 countries worldwide. The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients experiencing at least one hypoglycaemic event during the observational period.

Optimisation of breast cancer patients' follow-up - potential way to improve cancer care in transitional countries.

The aim of this analysis was to evaluate adherence of Croatian oncologists to follow-up criteria as suggested by the current national and international guidelines for women with breast cancer receiving adjuvant endocrine therapy. The use of clinical and diagnostic methods was documented in this prospective, non-interventional, multicenter study. A total of 438 post-menopausal patients receiving adjuvant endocrine treatment with non-steroidal aromatase inhibitors were included.

The knowledge and understanding of preanalytical phase among biomedicine students at the University of Zagreb.

Introduction: The educational program for health care personnel is important for reducing preanalytical errors and improving quality of laboratory test results. The aim of our study was to assess the level of knowledge on preanalytical phase in population of biomedicine students through a cross-sectional survey.

Materials And Methods: A survey was sent to students on penultimate and final year of Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry--study of medical biochemistry (FPB), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (FVM) and School of Medicine (SM), University of Zagreb, Croatia, using the web tool SurveyMonkey.

K2-EDTA and K3-EDTA Greiner Tubes for HbA1c Measurement.

Objective: To determine whether K2-ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and K3-EDTA Greiner tubes could be used interchangeably for glycosylated hemoglobin, type A1C (HbA1c) measurement via the Abbott Laboratories ARCHITECT chemiluminescent microparticle HbA1c assay on the ARCHITECT i2000SR immunoanalyzer at our university hospital.

Materials: We drew blood from a total of 45 outpatients into plastic Greiner Vacuette tubes, some of which were lined with K2-EDTA and others with K3-EDTA anticoagulant. Data are presented as median and interquartile range values.

The role of human kallikrein 6, clusterin and adiponectin as potential blood biomarkers of dementia.

Objectives: Progressive degenerative syndromes which affect brain, altering memory, behavior, cognition and emotion, are commonly defined as dementia. It was suggested that serum human kallikrein 6 (KLK6), clusterin (CLU) and adiponectin (ADPN) in combination with inflammation markers, neuroimaging and neuropsychological testing could assist in discriminating dementia patients from control individuals. Our aim was therefore to compare serum concentrations of KLK6, CLU and ADPN and inflammatory marker, interleukin-6 (IL-6), in patients suffering from Alzheimer's disease (AD), patients with vascular dementia (VAD), cognitively healthy participants (CHP) and those with mild cognitive impairment (MCI).

Intravenous Thrombolysis for Stroke Recurring Within 3 Months From the Previous Event.

Background And Purpose: According to the European license, alteplase can be given no sooner than 3 months after previous stroke. However, it is not known whether past history of stroke influences the effect of treatment. Our aim was to evaluate safety and functional outcome after intravenous thrombolysis administered in everyday practice to patients with previous stroke≤3 months compared with those with first-ever stroke.

Croatian survey on critical results reporting.

Introduction: Poor harmonization of critical results management is present in various laboratories and countries, including Croatia. We aimed to investigate procedures used in critical results reporting in Croatian medical biochemistry laboratories (MBLs).

Materials And Methods: An anonymous questionnaire, consisting of 24 questions/statements, related to critical results reporting procedures, was send to managers of MBLs in Croatia.

Serotonin transporter gene polymorphisms: Relation with platelet serotonin level in patients with primary Sjogren's syndrome.

Significantly lower platelet serotonin level (PSL) in patients with primary Sjogren's syndrome (pSS) than in healthy controls has been reported in our prior studies. In the present report, we demonstrated effect of functional polymorphisms in the serotonin transporter gene (5-HTT) on PSL. We describe a group of 61 pSS patients and 100 healthy individuals subjects, who received PSL measurement in our prior study.

Short-term and long-term storage stability of heparin plasma ammonia.

Aims: Ammonia is an extremely unstable analyte and requires special attention during sampling, transport and storage. The aim of this study was to evaluate the stability of ammonia in lithium-heparin plasma during short-term (at +4°C) and long-term (at -20°C) storage.

Methods: Twenty plasma samples were used for short-term stability assessment.

Serotonin transporter polymorphism (5-HTTLPR) in Croatian population.

Serotonin transporter polymorphism (5-HTTLPR) is a well-studied polymorphism in psychiatric research. The function of serotonin transporter is to control neural stimulation and maintain homeostasis of serotonin in other cells like platelets and enterochromaffin cells. Considering serotonin function in human behavior, and the role of serotonin transporter, 5-HTTLPR has been associated with depression related disorders, anxiety related personality traits, and adverse response to psychotherapy.

Seasonal variation in month of diagnosis in children with type 1 diabetes registered in 23 European centers during 1989-2008: little short-term influence of sunshine hours or average temperature.

Background: The month of diagnosis in childhood type 1 diabetes shows seasonal variation.

Objective: We describe the pattern and investigate if year-to-year irregularities are associated with meteorological factors using data from 50 000 children diagnosed under the age of 15 yr in 23 population-based European registries during 1989-2008.

Methods: Tests for seasonal variation in monthly counts aggregated over the 20 yr period were performed.

Incidence of type 1 diabetes mellitus in 0 to 14-yr-old children in Croatia--2004 to 2012 study.

Background: The incidence of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) among children and adolescents increased during the last 50 yr. The T1DM incidence in Croatia was 8.87/100.

The association of inflammatory markers with cerebral vasoreactivity and carotid atherosclerosis in transient ischaemic attack.

Objectives: Inflammatory mediators have an important role in the pathogenesis of stroke. Increased activity of inflammatory mediators initiates the development of atherosclerosis independently of other risk factors, thus compromising brain microcirculation and causing transient ischaemic attack (TIA). The aim of our study was to evaluate the relationship between serum level of cellular adhesion molecules (ICAM-1), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and C-reactive protein (CRP) with carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and breath-holding index (BHI) in subjects with transient ischaemic attack.

Institutional practices and policies in acid-base testing: a self reported Croatian survey study on behalf of the Croatian society of medical biochemistry and laboratory medicine Working Group for acid-base balance.

Introduction: The aim of this survey study was to assess the current practices and policies in use related to the various steps in the blood gas testing process, across hospital laboratories in Croatia.

Materials And Methods: First questionnaire was sent by email to all medical biochemistry laboratories (N = 104) within general, specialized and clinical hospitals and university hospital centres to identify laboratories which perform blood gas analysis. Second questionnaire with detailed questions about sample collection, analysis and quality control procedures, was sent only to 47 laboratories identified by the first survey.

Paraoxonase 1 activity and phenotype distribution in premenopausal and postmenopausal women.

Introduction: Postmenopausal women have higher risk of cardiovascular disease. One of the contributing factors could be reduced activity of anti-atherogenic enzyme paraoxonase 1 (PON1). The aim of this study was to examine differences in the lipid status, paraoxonase and arylesterase PON1 activities and PON1 phenotype in women with regular menstrual cycle and in postmenopausal women.

The evidence based practice for optimal sample quality for ammonia measurement.

Objectives: Pre-analytical factors are a major source of variability in laboratory results. Failure to identify these factors can lead to falsely increased or decreased results and to erroneous clinical decisions. We aimed to investigate several pre-analytical factors influencing ammonia measurement, and to quantify their effect on the apparent increase in ammonia concentration.

Pleural, peritoneal and pericardial effusions - a biochemical approach.

The pathological accumulation of serous fluids in the pleural, peritoneal and pericardial space occurs in a variety of conditions. Since patient management depends on right and timely diagnosis, biochemical analysis of extravascular body fluids is considered a valuable tool in the patient management process. The biochemical evaluation of serous fluids includes the determination of gross appearance, differentiation of transudative from exudative effusions and additional specific biochemical testing to assess the effusion etiology.

Lipemia: causes, interference mechanisms, detection and management.

In the clinical laboratory setting, interferences can be a significant source of laboratory errors with potential to cause serious harm for the patient. After hemolysis, lipemia is the most frequent endogenous interference that can influence results of various laboratory methods by several mechanisms. The most common preanalytical cause of lipemic samples is inadequate time of blood sampling after the meal or parenteral administration of synthetic lipid emulsions.

Plasma free serotonin as a marker for early detection of breast cancer recurrence.

Aim: To evaluate the significance of plasma free serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine) and Ca15.3 for the early detection of breast cancer recurrence.

Materials And Methods: Free serotonin and Ca15.

By estimating dominant force on femoral neck fracture's crevice reliability of the fracture's classification increases.

Aim: To ensure a more reliable classification system for the femur neck fractures by estimating pressure and tensile force on the fracture crevice.

Methods: The study compared the kappa coefficient for the inter and intraobserver agreement of the same five observers on the same radiographic sample of the femur neck fracture with a time gap of one year for the AO group and original proposal of estimated dominant pressure and tensile force on the femur neck fracture's crevice.

Results: The kappa coefficient for the AO group was 0.