Experimental studies of burns require the use of different animal models with the aim to imitate and reproduce pathophysiological conditions. The aim of this work was to establish experimental model of thermal injury. New Zealand rabbits, weighted from 1.8 kg to 2.3 kg, were utilised during our study. Another, also utilized, animal types were laboratory Rattus rats, species Wistar, albino type, females with body weight of about 232 g. All animals were from our own litter (Institute of Pharmacology, Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine in Sarajevo). During the experiment, animal were properly situated in adequate cages and rooms, at the controlled temperature (22 +/- 2 degrees C), and in the air with normal humidity level. All animals took food and water ad libitum. Rabbits received anesthesia--intravenous pentobarbital sodium in a dose of 60 mg/kg, and then, hair from the upper side of the each rabbit ear was removed and burns were caused by a metal seal in the same manner as in rats. Rats were primarily anesthesied by intraperitoneal pentobarbital sodium in a dose of 35 mg/kg, and then, their hair was removed from the scapula zone (5 cm x 5 cm). Burns were caused by contact with a round metal seal, heated at 80 degrees C in a water bath, during the period of 14 seconds together with contact thermometer control. Round metal seal (radius: 2.5 cm; weight: 100 g; surface: 5 cm2) was just placed on the rat skin without any additional pressure. In order to maintain the microcirculation in the burn wound and to reduce the conversion of partial-thickness skin burns to the burns of the full-thickness skin, all burn wounds were immediately sunk in the 4 degrees C water. Subsequent to that procedure, all animals were individually situated in the proper cages, and left to rest for 4 hours with a constant cautious monitoring of the wound development and animal general state.

Anaemia appears to play an important role in left ventricular (LV) enlargement in chronic kidney disease patients. The objective of this study was to evaluate LV echocardiography changes during anaemia correction with recombinant human erythropoietin (rHu-Epo) in chronic haemodialysis patients (HD pts) with signs of anaemia and LV hypertrophy (LVH). The study included 20 HD pts aged 39,6 +/- 5,3 yrs, with the same condition of HD treatment, anaemia and echocardiographically LVH verified. At the beginning of the rHu-Epo treatment haemoglobin (Hb) level was < 90 g/L and the target Hb level was 110 g/L. Echocardiography was performed at the beginning (baseline) and after six months of rHu-Epo treatment. LVH was defined as LV mass index >100 g/m2 in women and >131 g/m2 in men. We observed significant reduction of LV mass index (LVMI) (mean 26,4%, p=0.008), as well as LV volumen. There was a significant negative correlation between Hb level and LVMI with predictive LVMI reduction of 2,317 g/m2 for each 1g/L rising of mean Hb level. The results of the study confirm the importance of early anaemia correction in haemodialysis patients aimed to improve LV parameters.

Variations of the human coronary arteries have always attracted the attention of many researchers. A review of the literature shows that variations can cause ischemic heart disease or sudden cardiac death. The aim of the investigations was to examine the existence and clinical significance of variations of the human coronary arteries. Special attention has been focused on myocardial bridging of the coronary arteries and coronary arteriovenous fistula. Our investigations were carried out on the human hearts at the Department of Anatomy and on patients at the Cardiology Department of University Clinical Centre in Sarajevo. Using the method of dissection and coronary angiography we established the existence of variations of the coronary arteries (variations of origin, distribution) on the human hearts without macroscopic visible changes as well as on patients with ischemic changes (angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, congenital cardiovascular malformation etc.). We established the higher incidence of ischemic changes on patients with variations of coronary arteries.

Telemedicine (distance medicine) represents a field of medicine that has been in a tremendous expansion over the last couple of years thanks to the fast development of telecommunications and reduction of their costs. It enables a direct communication (visual) between the peripheral hospitals and referral facilities in the interior of the country as well as a connection of centres with referral centres abroad in the fields of diagnostics, consultations or education. The main objective is to encourage interest in telemedicine among physicians and other health care experts, initiate an exchange of opinions, and experience about the application of telecommunication technology in medicine, so to reach a common perception of its role in the context of future development of the health care system in Bosnia and Herzegovina. As a standard, current equipment consists of computers, which are equipped with frame grabbers and communication modem for communication through a public telecommunication system. Input data can all be visual data (X-Ray, CT, MRI, ultrasound, ECG, histological finding, cariogram, and of course photos of the patients, of operational/surgical field. The Institute of Pathology of the Sarajevo Medical Faculty has actively participated in the experimental project "SHARED" (1996-2000) together with the Radiology and Ophthalmology Clinic of the Sarajevo Clinical Centre. The past experience in using telemedicine has shown that the introduction of such a telemedicine system in B&H would be of great significance in the future in the context of providing better and more efficient health services to the patients. In practice, that means a more simple approach to some services and data for patients, a better and faster circulation of information and experience of medical experts and health care workers with cost control at the same time.

The ubiquitin-proteasome pathway is the principal pathway for intracellular protein degradation1,2 (Fig 1). This pathway selectively degrades an extensive number of short-lived regulatory proteins involved in the control of normal cellular processes. In order to be degraded, proteins targeted by the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway are covalently tagged by polyubiquitination, via a three-step enzymatic process, which ultimately leads to their recognition and degradation, by the 26S proteasome in a highly specific and regulated manner. This process is accomplished by the sequential action of three enzymes: an ATP-dependent ubiquitin-activating enzyme (E1), an ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme (E2) and an ubiquitin-pro-tein ligase (E3).3 This cascade covalently links the C terminus of ubiquitin to a free amino group on the target protein, usually the e-amino of a lysine residue.

In the QSAR (quantitative structure-activity relationship) and QSPR (quantitative structure-property-activity relationship) study physico-chemical property, lipophilicity is used, to predict bioactivity of the newly synthesized coumarin compounds. Lipophilicity is a property of a molecule which depends on and can be changed by modifications in molecular structure. The parameter of the lipophilicity, partition coefficient (log P), is commonly used in drug designing and it is a numeric characteristic of lipophilicity of the examined substance, potential drug. The synthesis of 4-arylaminocoumarins derivatives from 4-hydroxycoumarin, has been carried out. In this work we described the fragmental method of calculation of partition coefficient according to the Rekker's method, because the best correlation between calculated and experimental values log P was determined according to the Rekker model. 4-Arylaminocoumarin has negative value of log P, but substitution with alkyl or allyl groups on the position 3 increases lipofilicity. Introduction of methyl or ethyl group into position 3 increases lipofilicity, suggesting that by increasing the chain length the values of log P become higher. The influence of allyl substituent in position three increases lipophilicity similar to methyl group. The aryl supstitent decreases lipoflicity, but a general relationship among them could not be established. The results obtained in this study enable further synthesis of new coumarin derivatives and predict their biological activity and properties.