Amorphous forms are, by definition, non-crystalline materials which possess no long-range order. Their structure can be thought of as being similar to that of a frozen liquid with the thermal fluctuations present in a liquid frozen out, leaving only "static" structural disorder. The amorphous solids have always been an essential part of pharmaceutical research, but the current interest has been raised by two developments: a growing attention to pharmaceutical solids in general, especially polymorphs and solvates and a revived interest in the science of glasses and the glass transition. Amorphous substances may be formed both intentionally and unintentionally during normal pharmaceutical manufacturing operations. The properties of amorphous materials can be exploited to improve the performance of pharmaceutical dosage forms, but these properties can also give rise to unwanted effects that need to be understood and managed in order for the systems to perform as required.

There is no clear evidence about the influence of programmed physical activity (training) on growth hormone (GH) response to acute physical exercise. The aim of this study was to estimate the relationship between the level of physical activity and the serum growth hormone concentration in response to acute physical exercise. The study was performed on 20, healthy male subjects. Based on the level of their physical activities they were divided in two groups of equal size: group 1, trained, and group 2, untrained subjects. All subjects performed one boot of exercise on cycle ergometer, lasting 30 minutes. Work intensity was approx. 65% of VO2 max, and the rate of cycling was 60/min. Serum GH concentrations were measured by IRMA (immunoradiometric assays) method in blood samples obtained in the period of rest, during exercise and in the recovery period. There were marked differences in the dynamics of changes in the serum GH concentrations during exercise period between the groups of various level of physical activity despite the lack of the significant differences in basal level and maximal level of serum GH concentration at the end of exercise. Untrained subjects showed faster increase in serum GH concentration than trained subjects, but in trained subjects the restoration of the basal values in the recovery period was faster. These results indicate that the level of physical activities in young, healthy male subjects has no influence on GH response to acute physical exercise.

Endothelin is a recently discovered peptide composed of 21 amino acids. There are three endothelin isomers: endothelin-1 (ET-1), endothelin-2 (ET-2) and endothelin- 3 (ET-3). In humans and animals levels of ET-1, ET-2, ET-3 and big endothelin in blood range from 0,3 to 3 pg/ml. ET-1, ET-2 and ET-3 act by binding to receptors. Two main types of the receptors for endothelins exist and they are referred to as A and B type receptors. Different factors can stimulate or inhibit production of endothelin by endothelial cells. Mechanical stimulation of endothelium, thrombin, calcium ions, epinephrine, angiotensin II, vasopressin, dopamine, cytokines, growth factors stimulate the production of endothelin whereas nitric oxide, cyclic guanosine monophosphate, atrial natriuretic peptide, prostacyclin, bradykinin inhibit its production. Endothelins have different physiological roles in human body but at the same time their actions are involved in the pathogenesis of many diseases. The aim of this review was to present some of, so far, the best studied physiological roles of endothelin and to summarize evidence supporting the potential role of ET in the pathogenesis of certain diseases.

The aim of this study is to determine the type of skull as well as to examine its internal appearance and configuration of skull base. Special attention is given to the direction and position of the pyramid of the temporal bone, the volume and appearance of all the three cranial fossas, and the direction and appearance of crista alaris--all of those compared to the skull type. Considering the obtained results (specially for crista alaris and middle fossa) we can ascertain outstanding independence of sphenoid bone and its parts in the formation of cranial base. Located in the middle of the skull, in front of strong pyramids transversal axis and two vertical axis, frontal crest and internal occipital crest, it by itself with her lesser wing presents an important transversal axis of cranial base. Cases in which crista alaris with its position does not follow the type of skull (in 20 % cases crista alaris does not follow skull protuberances), may probably be explained by strong and independent development of this bone, which is placed among other bones of cranial base like a peg. It also, by itself dictates form and configuration of the middle part of skull. That is also confirmed by middle fossa which, according to its position in the middle of cranial base and relation with sphenoid bone, shows significant deviation with respect to posterior fossa (follows the type of skull in 47 % cases).

The objective of the present study was to determine median age at menarche and the influence of familial instability on maturation. The sample included 7047 girls between the ages of 9 and 17 years from Tuzla Canton. The girls were divided into two groups. Group A (N=5230) comprised girls who lived in families free of strong traumatic events. Group B (N=1817) included girls whose family dysfunction exposed them to prolonged distress. Probit analysis was performed to estimate mean menarcheal age using the Probit procedure of SAS package. The mean menarcheal age calculated by probit analysis for all the girls studied was 13.07 years. In girls from dysfunctional families a very clear shift toward earlier maturation was observed. The mean age at menarche for group B was 13.0 years, which was significantly lower that that for group A, 13.11 years (t=2.92, P<0.01). The results surveyed here lead to the conclusion that girls from dysfunctional families mature not later but even earlier than girls from normal families. This supports the hypothesis that stressful childhood life events accelerate maturation of girls.

The objectives of the study were to identify possible associated respiratory risk factors and to assess incidence of overall postoperative complications after the lung resection. We reviewed 110 patients who underwent lung resections due to malignant neoplasms or benign lung diseases. The risk of postoperative complications was evaluated using the univariate analysis. Results confirmed that low FEV1, postoperative high PaCO2, ASA-status and advanced age were factors associated with development of postoperative complications.

The great diffusion of the surgical techniques in jaws surgery and the progress of the radiological imagining procedures expressed many interest in clinical anatomy of the mental foramen (MF). The study goal was to determine the precise location of the MF and the surrounding anatomical landmarks. Measurements of the MF position relative to the surgical landmarks and related posterior teeth were made on 20 dry mandibles with complete dentition and intact alveolar bridge obtained from the Institute of Anatomy, School of Medicine, University in Sarajevo. The measurements were made by anthropometric methods on the booth sides of the mandible, and compared with measurement made on the orthopantomogram radiographs of the same mandibles. The most common position of the MF was in line with the longitudinal axis of the second premolar. In the vertical plane on the skulls the MF lays in the midpoint of the distance between the lower border of the mandible and the alveolar margin, however on the orthopantomogram MF appeared slightly bellow the midpoint. In the horizontal plane it lays approximately one third of the distance between the mandibular symphysis and the posterior border of the ramus of the mandible measurement from A-P projection and one quarter of that distance measurement from the profile projection. There were no significant differences between distances MF from posterior border of the ramus of the mandible measurement from A-P and profile projection and the one obtained on orthopantomogram and their ratio is constant value determine das 1,065. The MF was on average 25 mm lateral to the mandibular skeletal midline and symmetrical, and symmetry was preserved on the orthopantomogram. The measurement showed significant differences in distances of M from superior border mandible measurement on dry mandible and orthopantomogram radiographs while distance bellow the MF was not significantly different. The constant values of MF distance to the posterior border of the ramus of the mandible measured as 1,065 and the distance to the medial skeletal line of 2,11 made it possible to also determine average angle of 43 degrees stream of the cor-pus of the mandible behind MF. These values in combination with ratios of MF to the different anatomic landmarks designated as relative horizontal and relative vertical position, would be of importance not only from anatomical but also from practical point of view for estimation of alveolar bridge resorption and preoperative analysis in orthognat postresection or implant surgery in the mandible.

The aim of this paper is to establish by immunohistochemistry the expression of keratin 7 in inflammatory-regenerative flat bowel mucosa and in different grades of epithelial dysplasia regarding the sub-units expressed in normal and carcinomatous colonic mucosa. Biopsy specimens from 270 patients were examined: 74 were classified as inflammatory-regenerative changes and 196 as dysplastic lesions. There were 108 cases of mild dysplasia, 58 cases of moderate and 30 cases of severe dysplasia, respectively). Demonstration of location and intensity of cytokeratin 7 staining was performed by immunohistochemistry using monoclonal antibody (anti-cytokeratin 7). Findings of cytokeratin 7 in dysplastic lesions were compared with those in normal mucosa, inflammatory -regenerative mucosa and adenocarcinoma. Cytokeratin 7 is not found in normal colonic mucosa. In inflammatory-regenerative mucosa it was found in solitary cells in small number of cases. It is found in all cases of epithelial dysplasia and its expression showed no difference regarding moderate and severe dysplasia. In few cases of adenocarcinoma, cytokeratin 7 is found in traces and showed minimal staining intensity. Having in mind that cytokeratine 7 is primarily found in dysplastic lesions of the flat colonic mucosa it can be a valuable diagnostic tool in the histological interpretation of epithelial dysplasia.