Introduction/Objective The aim of this paper was to verify the biocompatibility of the newly synthesized nanostructured material based on calcium aluminate after implantation into the subcutaneous tissue of rats. Methods The study included 18 rats aged 10-11 weeks, divided into two experimental groups (n = 9). In all animals, incision took place on the back and two pockets of 15 mm in depth were made, in which sterile polyethylene tubes with test materials [calcium aluminate cement (ALBO-CA), calcium silicate cement with the addition of hydroxyapatite (ALBO-CSHA), and mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) for the control group) were implanted. Six rats of each group were sacrificed in three observational periods (seven, 15, 30 days). Pathohistological analysis included inflammation, bleeding, fibrous capsule, and tissue integrity around the implanted material. Results After seven days of treatment, ALBO-CA and ALBO-CSHA showed better tissue response compared to MTA, with a statistically significant difference in inflammation intensity (p = 0.2781). The difference in vascular congestion and thickness of the fibrous capsule after implantation of ALBO-CA material compared to MTA was also statistically significant (p = 0.5567). At the end of the 30-day evaluation period, an identical inflammatory response of connective tissue at the site of implanting ALBO-CA, ALBO-CSHA, and MTA (score of 0.7) was recorded. The formation of thick or moderately thick fibrous capsule was found to be the thickest in ALBO-CA (grade 3.7). There were no statistically significant differences between the parameters analyzed after 30 days. Conclusion Newly synthesized ALBO-CA showed a satisfactory tissue response and confirmed biocompatibility after implantation in subcutaneous tissue of rats.

Background/Aim. Excessive consumption of acidic dietary substances, such as carbonated beverages, increased the chances of dental erosion. The aim of this study was to determine influence of carbonated beverages on enamel and dentin, during different intervals. Methods. Sixty samples were obtained from fifteen impacted third molars. Tooth crown was divided into four parts. One part was a control sample, immersed in destilled water and other three parts were the experimental samples, stored in the following tested beverages: carbonated water, Coca-Cola and Schweppes Bitter Lemon. For each beverage, pH was measured before immersion of the samples. The first group of twenty samples were analysed and photographed, using a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), after 60 minutes, the second group after 24 hours and the third group after 7 days of exposure to drinks. The enamel was analysed on the outer surface of the cusps and longitudinal section. Dentin was analysed on longitudinal section. An individually adopted scale was used for determination of the degree of erosive changes of these dental tissues. The data were analysed using the analysis of varance (ANOVA). Results. The pH levels of the tested beverages was bellow the critical pH for enamel demineralisation. The SEM images showed different intensity of erosive changes caused by the tested beverages. The analysis by ANOVA revealed a significant difference between all groups of the treated samples, after 60 minutes of exposure to beverages. The highest values of erosive changes showed the samples that were immersed in Schweppes Bitter Lemon. The analysis of the samples after 24 hours and 7 days showed that the samples immersed in Coca-Cola and Schweppes Bitter Lemon can be classified as one group that was statistically significantly different compared with the control samples and samples immersed in carbonated water. Conclusion. Prolonged exposure of dental tissue to carbonated beverages cause erosive changes and a loss of surface profile. Z, et al. Vojnosanit Pregl 2019; 76(4): 422-430. topljeni u Schweppes Bitter Lemon. Analiza uzoraka nakon 24 sata i sedam dana izloženosti delovanju napitaka pokazala je da uzorci potopljeni u Coca-Cola-u i Schweppes Bitter Lemon mogu biti svrstani u jednu grupu koja je statistički značajno različita u odnosu na kontrolne uzorke i uzorke potopljene u gaziranu vodu. Zaključak. Povećano izlaganje zubnih tkiva delovanju gaziranih napitaka uzrokuje erozivne promene i gubitak površinske strukture. Apstrakt Panić

Background/Aim. In prostate tumors, angiogenesis, measured as microvessel density, is associated with tumor stage and Gleason score. The aim of this study was determine neovascularization of prostatic adenocarcinomas in core biopsies and corresponding prostatectomies. Methods. The study population included 61 patients who underwent radical prostatectomy (RP) for localized prostate carcinoma patients and did not receive chemohormonal, or radiation therapy before surgery. Tumor blocks were immunostained using the endothelial-specific antibody CD31 and subsequently evaluated at  400 magnification in both biopsies and corresponding prostatectomies. Results. When comparing microvessel density in core biopsies and corresponding prostatectomies, no statistically significant difference was found (p > 0.1). A statistically significant positive correlation was found when determining correlation between microvessel density (as linear and categorical variable, i.e. with the cut-off value of 48) that was associated with the Gleason score (p < 0.05) and tumor stage (p < 0.0001). There was no correlation between microvessel density and preoperative values of serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) (p > 0.1). Conclusion. Microvessel density can be reliably applied to needle prostate biopsy specimens. Quantification of the microvascular density in biopsies is an accurate pre-operative predictor of tumor stage, discriminating between organ-confined and organ-extending neoplasms. ApstraktUvod/Cilj. U karcinomima prostate, angiogeneza određena merenjem gustine krvnih sudova, povezana je sa stadijumom tumora i Gleason skorom. Cilj ovog istraživanja bio je proučavanje neovaskularizacije adenokarcinoma prostate u uzorcima biopsije iglom i odgovarajućih prostatektomija. Metode. U naše istraživanje bio je uključen 61 bolesnik kojima je urađena radikalna prostatektomija (RP) na osnovu kliničke procene da se radi o lokalno ograničenom karcinomu prostate, koji preoperativno nisu primili nikakvu hemio-, hormonalnu ili zračnu terapiju. Tumorsko tkivo je analizirano primenom imunohistohemijskog markera, endotel-specifičnog antitela CD31, koje je zatim procenjivano na mikroskopskom uveličanju  400 u uzorcima biopsija iglom i tkiva dobijenih nakon RP. Rezultati. Prilikom poređenja vrednosti gustine krvnih sudova određenih na biopsijama prostate uzetih iglom sa gustinom krvnih sudova odgovarajućih RP nije nađena statistički značajna razlika (p  0,1). Statistički značajna pozitivna korelacija nađena je prilikom određivanja povezanosti gustine krvnih sudova (kao linearne i kategorijalne varijable sa ograničenom vrednošću 48) i Gleason skora (p < 0,05), kao i stadijuma bolesti (p < 0,0001). Statistički značajna povezanost nije utvrđena između gustine krvnih sudova i predoperativnih vrednosti serumskog prostatičnog specifičnog antigena (PSA) (p > 0,1). Zaključak. Određivanje gustine krvnih sudova može se pouzdano koristiti za uzorke prostate dobijene biopsijom iglom. Kvantifikacija gustine krvnih sudova u biopsijama iglom tačan je i nezavisan predop...

Background: The increased expression of MMPs in tumor cells is considered immportant for invasive tumor growth and metastatic potential. The aim of the study was to analyze the expression level of matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) in tumor cells, estimate the prognostic value of MMP-9 expression, and correlate the MMP-9 expression to histopathological characteristics of the tumor and the disease stage. Methods: In this study, 107 patients with operable lung adenocarcinoma were examined, including the information obtained in a five-year follow-up. The expression of MMP-9 was determined in paraffin-embedded tissue specimens by immunohistochemical analysis. Results: The research was performed in the patients who underwent a surgery for the removal of lung adenocarcinoma. The patients were divided into three groups based on the stage of the disease: stage I-diagnosed 54 (50.46%) stage II-30 (28.04%) and stage IIIA-23 (21.50%) patients. In the total sample, MMP-9 positivity was established in 61 (57.01%) patients, while 46 (42.99%) patients were negative or slightly positive. MMP-9 expression was registered in the disease stage I group, established as positive or negative MMP-9 expression in 27 (50.00%) patients, respectively. In stage II disease group, 17 (56.67%) patients had MMP-9 positive tumors and 13 (43.33%) had MMP-9 negative tumors. In 17 (73.91%) patients of the stage IIIA group, MMP-9 positivity was confirmed in the tumor tissue, while 6 (26.09%) had negative or low MMP-9 expression in tumor cells. The log rank analysis showed a significant correlation of a poor survival, higher disease stage (p=0.022), and high MMP-9 expression in tumor cells (p=0.002). Conclusion: The study showed that the positive expression of MMP-9 was present in a large number of patients with advanced disease stages. The patients with lung adenocarcinoma who expressed higher MMP-9 levels had shorter survival periods compared to the patients with low MMP-9 expression.

Introduction/Objective Activation of insulin-like growth factor receptor (IGF-1R) results in cell transition from growth phase to synthesis phase of cell cycle. Breast cancer is categorized into prognostic and therapeutic subtypes based upon hormone receptor, estrogen receptor (ER), and progesterone receptor (PR) expression and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2) expression. The objective of this study was to examine the expression of IGF-1R in а specific subtype invasive breast cancer and its correlation with basic histopathological and immunohistochemical prognostic parameters. Methods Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tumor samples were obtained from 129 female patients with invasive breast cancer (I-III disease stage) with the follow-up ranging 36-108 months (average 48 months). For immunohistochemical staining, we used monoclonal antibodies for ER, PR, IGF-1R, and polyclonal antibody for HER-2. Results IGF-1R inversely correlated with tumor stage (p = 0.017), tumor grade (p = 0.001), HER-2 (p = 0.003), whereas significant positive correlation was found with multifocality/multicentricity of breast cancer (p = 0.036), ER (p = 0.001) and PR (p = 0.0001) expression. Cox-regression analysis for relapse-free survival (RFS) showed that disease stage (p = 0.039) and HER-2 (p = 0.033) were independent prognostic factors. IGF-1R did not predict clinical outcome in patients with breast cancer (p = 0.488, Kaplan-Meier test for RFS). Conclusion Patients with low stage and grade hormone-dependent breast cancer had a significantly higher IGF-1R expression than patients with triple negative or HER-2 overexpressed cancer. The present findings also highlight that IGF-1R expression in multicentric/multifocal breast cancer supports the key roles in tumor initiation.