This study was performed in order to investigate possible role of brain beta-endorphins as markers of antidepressive drugs therapy monitoring. Experiment was done using amitriptyline and trazodone as antidepressants. For quantification of brain beta-endorphins we used RIA technique. Our results showed significant decrease of brain beta-endorphins concentration in drug-pretreated animals, vs. those in of control group treated with 0,95% NaCl. The lower values were obtained in trazodone pre-treated animals. This study shows that use of psychoactive drugs have influence on brain beta-endorphins concentration. beta-endorphins could be of great importance, used as markers for evaluation of patient treatment.

The aim of our study was to establish the influence of antidepressive drugs on serum and brain beta-endorphins in experimental animals. Experiment was performed on albino Wistar rats. Antidepressant amitryptiline was used, and for quantification of sera and brain beta-endorphins RIA technique. Our results showed difference between sera and brain beta-endorphins concentration in amitryptiline pretreated animals, vs. those in serum and brain of control group treated with 0.95% NaCl. This study shows that use of psychoactive drugs have influence on sera and brain beta-endorphins concentration. Beta-endorphins could be of great importance, used as markers for evaluation of antidepressant drug effects.

We have studied the consequences of two homoplasmic, pathogenic point mutations (T7512C and G7497A) in the tRNASer(UCN) gene of mitochondrial (mt) DNA using osteosarcoma cybrids. We identified a severe reduction of tRNASer(UCN) to levels below 10% of controls for both mutations, resulting in a 40% reduction in mitochondrial protein synthesis rate and in a respiratory chain deficiency resembling that in the patients muscle. Aminoacylation was apparently unaffected. On non-denaturating northern blots we detected an altered electrophoretic mobility for G7497A containing tRNA molecules suggesting a structural impact of this mutation, which was confirmed by structural probing. By comparing in vitro transcribed molecules with native RNA in such gels, we also identified tRNASer(UCN) being present in two isoforms in vivo, probably corresponding to the nascent, unmodified transcripts co-migrating with the in vitro transcripts and a second, faster moving isoform corresponding to the mature tRNA. In cybrids containing either mutations the unmodified isoforms were severely reduced. We hypothesize that both mutations lead to an impairment of post-transcriptional modification processes, ultimately leading to a preponderance of degradation by nucleases over maturation by modifying enzymes, resulting in severely reduced tRNASer(UCN) steady state levels. We infer that an increased degradation rate, caused by disturbance of tRNA maturation and, in the case of the G7497A mutant, alteration of tRNA structure, is a new pathogenic mechanism of mt tRNA point mutations.

Long term stress exposure results in somatisation symptoms appearance. Cardiovascular, respiratory, gastrointestinal and muscle-bone symptoms arise because of intensified activity of autonomic nervous system caused by chronic stress. The aim of the study was to examine the relationship between long term war stress exposure and appearance of somatisation. 40 students of health-care faculties in Sarajevo, of both sexes, were included in investigation and divided in two groups-somatisation and control. Somatisation group subjects (N=20) lived in B&H under war conditions, from 1992-1995. Control subjects (N=20) spent the same period outside B&H. For evaluation of somatisation symptoms we used SCL-90-R test. The obtained data were statistically evaluated using Student's t-test and chi2 test. Confidence level was set at p < 0.05. Our results showed statistically significant difference in somatisation level between somatisation and control subjects group. Different intensity of appearance of certain symptoms in male and female was established. The score of somatisation dimension between somatisation and control group showed statistically significant level (p < 0.0001). Study results confirmed correlation of chronic stress exposure (living in war environment) and somatisation symptom appearance. Individual organic systems had various level of symptom expression. The influence of sex on intensity of individual symptoms of somatisation is possible.

Some 25 years ago it was found that parts of CNS could produce strong analgesic response on little morphine quantities. Later studies proved the existence for dozen of morphine-like substances, called opioids, which are normally produced in the brain. The most important are endorphins, met- and leu-encephalin and dinorphin produced both in hypothalamus and pituitary gland. The aim of our study was to found whether and how strong produce of beta-endorphins is to be expected when psychotropic drugs are used. Trazodon as antidepressant was used, and RIA technique for quantification of sera beta-endorphins. The results showed significant difference in rat sera beta-endorphins between certain days of drug application. These studies showed that beta-endorphins could be of great importance, used as markers for evaluation of patient treatment and eventual abuse of psychotropic drugs.

Cardiovascular diseases are leading cause of morbidity in the world. Measurement of the level of biochemical markers in the serum is one of World Health Organisation (WHO) criteria in diagnosing acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Non-specific clinical state of patients and insufficiently sensitive electrocardiographic (ECG) diagnostics, at patient's hospital admission time, point out the importance of biochemical markers in acute myocardial infarction diagnosis. Technology development and new diagnostic methods lead to the invention of highly sensitive and specific marker as myocardial damage evidence. Cardiac Troponin I (cTnI) is specific marker for myocardial damage1. Its elevation in the serum within myocardial ischemia symptomatology is important in diagnosis of myocardial infarction.

Polytrauma with significant lesion of peripheral nerves is a specific war injury. It is also one of the most delicate problems in rehabilitation treatment because it requires a close cooperation with surgeon and timely surgical interventions. Based on our experience, the best results in the treatment of injured persons with lesion of peripheral nerves have been accomplished after the surgical treatment. Results in the neurolysis were better than those accomplished in neurorrhaphy. Total of 436 patients with lesion of peripheral nerves were recorded and 56 patients with plexus lesion. Out of this number, 78 patients (about 15%) had surgical treatment (41 neurorrhaphy and 37 neurolysis). Due to lack of adequate ENMG diagnostics, the objective valorisation of treatment outcome was not possible.

Research on the parameters of full blood count and differential white blood count is included in the program of all medical laboratories of primary, secondary and tertiary health care levels. Today, all haematological tests are exclusively performed on the haematology analyzers. Automation of haematology laboratories is a result of the huge requires for haematological test performing, timely issuing of the haematological findings, and possibility of the usage of modern techniques. This work is an evaluation of laser haematology analyzer Cell-Dyn 3700 SL. It investigates the reliability of test results throughout the following parameters: precision, accuracy, sensitivity and specificity of determination methods. It also explores the influence of sample transferring and correlation with haematology analyzer MAXM Retti. Haematology parameters that have been investigated are: white blood cell (WBC), neutrophils (NEU), lymphocytes (LXM), monocytes (MONO), eosinophils (EOS), basophils (BASO), red blood cells (RBC), haemoglobin (HGB), haematocrit (HCT), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCHC) red cell distribution width (RDW), platelet (PLT), mean platelet volume (MPV), plateletocrit (PCT), and platelet distribution width (PDW). The results confirms that precision of analyzer fulfils the reproducibility of testing parameters: WBC, RBC, HGB, MCV, MCH, MCHC, and PLT. Correlation coefficient values (r) gained throughout the statistical analysis, that is linear regression results obtained throughout the comparison of two analyzers are adequate except for MCHC (r = 0.64), what is in accordance with literature data. Accuracy is tested by haematology analyzer method and microscopic differentiating method. Correlation coefficient results for granulocytes, lymphocytes and monocytes point the accuracy of methods. Sensitivity and specificity parameters fulfil the analytical criteria. It is confirmed that haematology analyzer Cell-Dyn 3700 SL is reliable for the determination of full blood count in everyday work. Analyzer and its program for differential white blood count can be used for the research and separation of normal and pathological blood counts with addition of microscopic methods confirming distribution or morphologic changes of leukocytes.