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Razvoj završnoga l općenito, a u okviru toga razvoj završnoga l u muškom rodu jednine glagolskoga pridjeva radnoga, jedna je u nizu fonoloških pojava čije izoglose presijecaju područje hrvatskoga jezika. Kuda te izoglose prolaze? Podudaraju li se one s tradicionalnom podjelom hrvatskoga jezika na narječja i njihove dijalekte? Nakon napravljenih analiza za štokavsko i čakavsko narječje, navedena se problematika analizira za područje kajkavskoga narječja, na temelju građe za jezične atlase (HJA, OLA), građe prikupljene u drugim istraživanjima te one objavljene u dijelu literature. Problematika se obrađuje geolingvističkom metodologijom, a rezultati analize prikazuju se na jezičnoj karti.

U radu se na temelju građe iz upitnika Hrvatskoga jezičnoga atlasa donose rezultati istraživanja fonološkog sustava govora Murtera, inventar, realizacija, distribucija i podrijetlo vokala, nevokala i prozodema.

Promatra se mogućnost geolingvističkog pristupa dijalektnoj frazeologiji. Kао glavni problem ističe se neujednačena istraženost. Da bi se izradile pouzdane i potpunije frazeološke karte, trebalo bi timskim radom ciljano istraživati na terenu da neka područja ne ostanu potpuno nepokrivena. Uz označavanje potvrđenosti na terenu, na kartama se pokazuje i diferenciranost frazema u hrvatskim govorima na različitim jezičnim razinama. Razmatra se što bi bilo dobro uzeti u obzir da bi se što zornije prikazale frazemske inačice.

U prvom dijelu članka prikazuje se način kartografiranja u Općeslavenskom lingvističkom atlasu. U drugom dijelu na temelju građe pitanja L 1775 ‘ребенок’ i 1776 SlFPM ‘dtę’ /и произв/ OLA donose se četiri jezične karte.

U radu će se prikazati karte s punktovima hrvatskoga jezika u kojima je proveden progresivni pomak starih praslavenskih cirkumfleksa. Na kartama su integrirani dosad razmjerno nepovezani podatci iz literature s građom iz novijih terenskih istraživanja. Rezultati istraživanja pokazuju kako je progresivni pomak starih praslavenskih cirkumfleksa jedna od bitnih karakteristika zapada hrvatskoga jezika.

Po gradivu za Slovanski lingvistični atlas, Slovenski lingvistični atlas in Hrvaški jezikovni atlas ter na osnovi drugega tiskanega gradiva in dostopnih terenskih raziskav so kartografirani trije jezikovni pojavi v hrvaških in slovenskih organskih govorih. Rezultati so analizirani in komentirani, pri tem pa je pokazano, kaj proučevane sisteme povezuje, kaj jih deli in kod potekajo izoglose.

U trenutku kad hrvatski jezik još nema svoj atlas, ali se već godinama obavljaju pripremni poslovi za njegovu izradu, hrvatski se jezični prostor, pa tako i čakavsko narječje kao njegov dio, može promatrati u okviru atlasâ koji obuhvaćaju šire područje. To su Općeslavenski jezični atlas i Europski jezični atlas. U radu je prikazana uključenost čakavskih punktova u tim atlasima. Na građi za Općeslavenski lingvistički atlas i Hrvatski jezični atlas istražen je razvoj prednjeg nazala *ę iza palatalnih suglasnika j, č, ž u vokal tipa a ili e i izrađene su tri karte.

The Collection of Maps and Atlases of the National and University Library in Zagreb has been enriched in 2011, along with other valuable cartographic items by purchasing the Nouvelle carte de l'État de l'Église by the authors Ruđer Josip Bošković and Italian cartographer and publisher Paolo Santini.

Kajkavian phrasemes in their composition and structure do not differ fundamentally from the phrasemes in the Croatian standard language. Phonetical, phonological, morphological, syntactic and other variants can be found in the phraseology of particular Kajkavian speeches, along with a rich phraseological synonymy, antonymy, homonymy and polysemy. The dialectal Kajkavian is a phraseology of open type, renewing itself with units from different sources, among others by borrowing. On one hand it preserves the old state – being conservative as phraseology in general tends to be – while on the other hand it is susceptible to change. In this phraseology new idioms appear easily, while at the same time old ones undergo different innovations.

U stotinjak hrvatskih govora istražuju se i promatraju frazemi s toponimom kao sastavnicom. Pronalaze se najšire potvrđeni frazemi, oni manje potvrđeni i frazemi lokalizmi. Promatraju se inovacije u pojedinim sustavima koji zahvaćaju toponim. 0. Sa studentima Kroatistike istraživala sam frazeme u više od stotinu hrvatskih govora. Najviše je ispitanika bilo s kajkavskoga, nešto manje sa štokavskoga, a najmanje s čakavskoga područja, što odgovara strukturi studentske populacije Filozofskoga fakulteta u Zagrebu. Studenti druge godine na samom početku bavljenja dijalektologijom ispunjavali su ankete, popunjavali ih sami, kao izvorni govornici, ili kao ispitivači bliskih osoba u svom kraju. Neki su i poslije nastavili prikupljati frazeme u svom govoru, a njihova su istraživanja rezultirala seminarskim i diplomskim radovima. Iz tog velikog materijala hrvatskih dijalektih frazema izdvojila sam za ovu priliku frazeme s toponimom kao sastavnicom. Primjeri su iz svih proučavanih govora, dakle čakavskih, kajkavskih i štokavskih.

Usporedbom dvaju većih i dvaju manjih radova o pitavskom govoru u rasponu od šezdesetak godina pokušava se utvrditi što se u tom razdoblju promijenilo, što se sačuvalo, kao i to što takvo, dijalektološki relativno kratko, razdoblje znači za jedan organski govor.

As a great challenge in communications, social media are widely accepted among the general population. Being very flexible and adaptable, they offer an opportunity of active participation to users, thus representing a public forum. This study presents the resultsof social media acceptance in the business world on a sample of the Inc. 500 companies in the US. The research found that familiarity, the value placed on social media and the use of different forms of social media are all related. These companies know that engaging social media requires education and a change of the management effort. They use them to gather critical strategic information by listening to what is being said about themselves and their competitors in the social media world. The Inc. 500 companies accept social media as a medium. They recognize that the marketplace is movingtheir conversations online and the business world needs to join in. These fast-growing, innovative companies offer us a glimpse of the business future because where they lead, others will certainly follow.

Analiza je izrađena na korpusu rečenica u kojima su potvrđeni frazemi. Opisano je samo ono što je potvrđeno. Ciljanim istraživanjem pojedinih problema dobili bismo o njima više podataka. Međutim i na ovakvom, frazeologijom ograničenom, korpusu mogu se donositi zaključci, mogu se zapaziti smjerovi razvoja proučavanih govora. Rad je temeljen na najnovijim istraživanjima na terenu – frazemi su prikupljani od 2000. godine do danas pa se u nekim aspektima razlikuje od rezultata dijalektoloških istraživanja provedenih tijekom prošloga stoljeća.

The paper covers the phonological system (vocalism) in Lovreć’s speech based on field work and existing bibliography. The authors give vowel and prosodic inventories describing features of distribution in it. They complete the existing description and illustrate the changes which may have occurred in the last four decades.

U moliškohrvatskom govoru Mundimitra rabe se mnogi talijanizmi. Proučavanjem njihove adaptacije na morfološkom, tvorbenom i akcenatskom planu nastojat će se zaključiti kako se u mundimitarskom govoru talijanizmi adaptiraju na svim jezičnim razinama i je li zbog toga sustav toga govora ugrožen. Pronaći će se pravila po kojima su se riječi u najvećem broju slučajeva primale u prošlosti, a primaju se i danas.

U stotinjak hrvatskih govora istražuju se i promatraju frazemi s antroponimom kao sastavnicom. Pronalaze se najšire potvrđeni frazemi, oni manje potvrđeni i frazemi lokalizmi. Promatraju se inovacije u pojedinim sustavima koji zahvaćaju antroponim.

Uz pomoć studenata Kroatistike Filozofskoga fakulteta u Zagrebu prikupljeni su u stotinjak hrvatskih govora frazemi od kojih su za ovaj rad izdvojeni i obrađeni oni koji kao sastavnicu imaju zoonim, naziv kukca.

prikaz OPĆESLAVENSKI LINGVISTIČKI ATLAS, Refleksi jora i jera. Zagreb, HAZU, 2006 (2007)

Dr. Drago Novak (1933–2011) was a prominent doctor of medicine and scientist, world traveller and global citizen, kind host and always a welcome guest, particularly known as a collector, admirer and connoisseur of old maps of Croatia. In addition, he was an admirer of fine art, a passionate seeker of books on cartography, history, art and a wide range of other scientific and popular areas. According to his will, his rich collection of maps, atlases and books in the field of cartography, also known as The Novak Collection, became a part of The Collection of Maps and Atlases of The National and University Library in Zagreb. The main part of The Novak Collection was given to the library at the end of 2012 and the smaller part was purchased in 2013.

The author makes an analysis of the stress in verbal forms in the Čakavian dialect, and the relation between the stress in infinitive, present, and imperative. There are many differences in imperative stress in various speeches in the Čakavian dialect, but the author finds relations between them. The material shows the main stresses, and those that developed from the main, due to the stress rules in each speech.

Proučavat će se nadimci koji su na neki način strani sredini u kojoj nastaju, njihova motivacija kao i odnos sredine prema stranim oblicima imena ili prezimena. Prisutnost drugog sustava promatrat će se na leksičkom, fonološkom, morfološkom i tvorbenom planu.

U organizaciji HAZU, njezinog Razreda za filološke znanosti, Zavoda za lingvistička istraživanja, Odbora za dijalektologiju i Instituta za hrvatski jezik i jezikoslovlje u Zagrebu, u palači HAZU, Zrinski trg 11, održao se od 18. do 20. listopada 2012. dvanaesti po redu znanstveni skup o hrvatskim dijalektima.

The exhibition The Star Seeker took place from November 4 to 14, 2010 at the National and University Library in Zagreb. The exhibition was organised in collaboration with the Croatian State Archives and the Hungarian State Archives, and it was organised on the occasion of the 250th anniversary of birth of Croatian astronomer, mathematician and geodesist Danijel Mirko Bogdanić and the 200th anniversary of completion of the Lipszky map of Hungary, one of its authors being Danijel Mirko Bogdanić.

The exhibition Poland on Historic and Modern Maps could be seen at the National and University Library in Zagreb from 4th May to 17th May 2010.

Low Back Pain (LBP) is a major medical and socio-economical problem in the industrialized countries. Exercise therapy is the keystone of conservative treatment for chronic low back pain (CLBP). Numerous randomized trials and clinical practice guidelines have supported that exercise diminishes disability and pain severity while improving fitness and occupational status in patients with CLBP, as well as decrease its recurrence rate. However, there is no significant evidence that one particular type of exercise is clearly more effective than others. Here we present a descriptive review of different types of exercise for therapeutic or prevention purposes in patients with CLBP. Studies suggest that individually tailored, supervised exercise programs are associated with the best outcomes. High quality clinical trials are needed to determine the effectiveness of specific interventions (type, time, intensity and other characteristics) aimed at individuals and/or specific target groups.

Pemphigus vulgaris is a rare, chronic, autoimmune blistering skin disease of adulthood. In 50 percent of patients, mucous membrane erosions of the oral cavity are the presenting sign. Typically, patients develop flaccid blisters and erosions on the normal appearing skin and mucous membranes. Mucous membranes in other areas may also be involved. The disease is caused by IgG autoantibodies to the desmosomes inducing the loss of cell adhesion between keratinocytes, and subsequent intraepidermal blister formation. Antigens are desmoglein 3 (Dsg3) and desmoglein 1 (Dsg1) transmembrane glycoproteins. Desmoglein 3 is expressed in the lower portion of the epidermis. Alone, it is sufficient to keep mucosal surfaces intact. Desmoglein 1 is expressed more intensely in the superficial layers. Pemphigus vulgaris can be divided into two subgroups, the mucosal type and mucocutaneous type. The characteristic histologic finding is intraepidermal blister. Acantholytic keratinocytes as well as clusters of epidermal cells are seen in the blister cavity. Direct immunofluorescence examination (DIF) of perilesional skin shows a deposit of IgG, rarely IgA, and complement components (C3, C1q,C4) between the epidermal cells. The titers of circulating antibodies measured with indirect immunofluorescence examination (IIF) often correlate with the disease course. There are sporadic cases of pemphigus vulgaris associated with the use of drugs, in particular D-penicillamine and captopril. Pemphigus vulgaris has rarely evolved into pemphigus foliaceus, and vice versa. Very uncommon, pemphigus vulgaris or pemphigus foliaceus has been associated with bullous pemphigoid in the same patient. We present an unusual case of pemphigus vulgaris in an adult female patient.

Use of medical preparations having no specific pharmacological activity or dummy procedures administered to patients is known as placebo. Such maneuvers are important in the pain treatment and clinical studies investigating pain mechanisms. Several recent studies have shown that placebo treatment produces measurable psychophysiological effects, characterized by changes in specific brain functions and decreased subjective pain perception. This article reviews changes observed in placebo analgesia, its intensity as compared to active compounds, and principal problems observed during the placebo treatment and in clinical trials.

Aim: Smoking is the most harmful social habit and is the origin of many diseases including direct damaging of arterial walls. The aim of this study was to assess the possible differences in vascular age of smokers versus never smokers, measured in common carotid artery (CCA)., Methods: The study included healthy volunteers with age and sex risk factors for cerebrovascular disease development. Measurements in CCA were performed in M mode on an Aloka 5500 Prosound ultrasound platform bilaterally. Carotid intima-media thickness (IMT), carotid interadventitial diameter (CID) and carotid interadventitial diameter change (CIDc) were recorded, and carotid interadventitial strain (CIS) was calculated. Median age subanalysis was performed for IMT, CIDc and CIS. Mann-Whitney statistics was used to determine group differences., Results: There were 121 subjects, 80 women and 41 men, mean age 47.43 +/- 14.15 years. There were 23 (19%) current smokers, 17 (14%) occasional smokers, 11 (9%) past smokers, and 70 (58%) non-smokers. A statistical increase in IMT was found in the group of previous smokers (the eldest) in the left CCA (P < 0.05). CIDc and CIS were statistically higher in the right CCA in the group of current smokers (P < 0.05 both). Older subjects had an increase in IMT values in both CCA and decrease in CIDc and CIS in the right CCA., Conclusions: The results indicated cigarette smoking to primarily cause an increase in CIDc, whereas CIS remained preserved. Smoking influences vascular age. Additional studies are necessary to address the issue in a greater number of smokers.

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the leading cause of death in developed countries, and it also has fastest growing death rates in developing countries. Patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) are divided into two groups - those with and those without ST segment elevation. ACS without ST segment elevation also includes unstable angina pectoris (UA) any non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI). It is important to note that UA is defined as ischemic chest pain at rest without a rise in serum cardiac biomarkers, while the establishment of NSTEMI diagnosis requires a rise in serum cardiac biomarkers. ACS with ST segment elevation is STEMI, and it includes both ST segment elevation and a rise in serum cardiac biomarkers. Connection of UA, NSTEMI and STEMI is based on the fact that these are closely connected conditions with similar pathogenesis and clinical presentation, but they do differ by the level of severity. The main difference lies in the fact whether or not the ischemia is serious enough to cause myocardial damage of such an extent that will cause the release of a sufficient amount of serum cardiac biomarkers so that these can be discovered and measured in serum (for example, cardiac troponin). The key role in ACS is played by atherosclerosis, atherosclerotic plaque and plaque rupture, in combination with thrombosis as an event of paramount importance--thrombosis.

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of mortality in Croatia. In concordance with this epidemiologic situation, a new organization of emergency medicine and a network of invasive cardiac laboratories have been introduced throughout Croatia. Main goal of this structuring is to improve the care of patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). The aim of this paper is to open discussion on the optimal way of treatment in patients with ACS in our country today, in the era of interventional cardiology of the 21st century. The pathophysiology of ACS encompasses a complex atheroinflammatory and atherothrombotic process with dynamic and progressive mechanical obstruction of coronary arteries and subsequently oxygen supply-demand mismatch. Conversely, the best way to treat such patients is reperfusion therapy, a goal nowadays achieved by either antithrombotic medical therapy or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The weight of evidence does support the use of primary PCI as a standard and supreme reperfusion therapy, especially in myocardial infarction with ST elevation. The logistic complexities such as triage, transportation, the development of capable interventional center working 24-hours, even in developed countries, may be a major problem to use such a practice in the whole community. In ACS with non ST elevation, problems are even broader and include the importance of using optimal revascularization procedure (even cardiac surgery), timing and concomitant medical therapy, with certain stratification of every individual. Finally, especially for our country, medical and economic resources should be used optimally in order to achieve an optimal system to treat patients with ACS.

Allergic reactions to plant foodstuffs comprise a whole spectrum of clinical manifestations, from very mild ones, localized to oral mucosa, to the most severe including life-threatening anaphylactic shock. The reason is the presence of a few structurally and functionally different allergens in each foodstuff. On the other hand, the similarity between particular allergens in different foodstuffs and the presence of their homologues in other sources (pollens, insect venoms) give a lot of possibilities for cross-reactions during allergic sensitization. Apple has a significant place in human nutrition. However, it is also a fruit that most frequently causes allergic reactions. Apple allergens are well known and appropriately characterized, and their homologues are present in other vegetable foodstuffs. Thus, apple represents a good model of plant food hypersensitivity. The aim of this paper is to review the mechanisms of allergic sensitization, the types of clinical manifestations, the influence of allergen content variability, and the diagnostic and therapeutic issues connected with plant food allergy, using apple as a model.

Background: Chronic post-traumatic headache (CPH) is a complex clinical entity. The clinical features of CPH are variable and may resemble those of primary headaches (migraine, tension-type headache or cluster headache), as well as of cervicogenic headache. Therefore, the treatment must be individualized according to the headache type. There were few studies addressing the effectiveness of pharmacological treatment in patients with CPH., Aim: The aim of the present study was to analyze the efficiency of pharmacological treatment with analgesic drugs and concomitant psychotropic drugs in outpatients with CPH., Methods: We studied 59 outpatients with CPH (39 males and 20 females, mean age 36+/-13 years) who were taking analgetic monotherapy for their headache (simple analgesics, NSAIDs, atypic analgesics and triptans in subjects with migraine) and in case of comorbid psychic disorders some of them were taking psychotropic drugs. The efficiency of drug therapy was evaluated by the outcome scale based on the patients' headache diaries (outcome graded as improved, unchanged or worsened)., Results: Most of the study patients reported that their CPH was unchanged. The improvement was greater in the subgroup of cervico-occipital headache sufferers, but it was not statistically significant when compared to other subgroups. Post-traumatic migraine was the type of headache most refractory to drug therapy. The patients who took analgesics without psychotropic drugs had a reliably (p<0.05) better improvement of their headache., Conclusion: Analgesic drug monotherapy did not produce favorable therapeutic response in patients with CPH. Appropriate psychopharmacotherapy should be prescribed to CPH patients with psychiatric comorbidity.

There is little data on the spectrum of renal diseases in children in Croatia. The Croatian Society for Pediatric Nephrology has established the Registry of Biopsy-Proven Renal Diseases in an attempt to address this issue nationwide. Here we report preliminary results of a retrospective analysis of clinical and histopathological data of 565 children aged < or =17 years presenting to 9 hospitals in Croatia from 1991 to 2004, in whom kidney biopsy was performed. The most common indication for renal biopsy was nephrotic syndrome (39.1%), followed by asymptomatic proteinuria/hematuria (22.0%) and acute nephritic syndrome (17.0%). All biopsies were analysed by light-, immunofluorescent and electron microscopy. The majority of children, 552 out of 565 (92.4%), had glomerulonephritis (GN). Tubulointerstitial nephritis was found in 16 (2.8%), congenital renal parenchyma anomalies in 14 (2.5%) and vascular disease in 11 (1.9%) cases. One (0.2%) child had sarcoidosis with nephrocalcinosis. The sample was non-diagnostic in 1 (0.2%) case. Among children with GN, primary GN accounted for 70.9%, secondary GN for 16.1% and hereditary GN for 13.0% cases. The most frequent primary GN forms were focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) (24.6%), mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis (MEPGN) (19.2%) and IgA nephropathy (18.1%). Acute GN in resolution was found in 11.1% and minimal changes GN in 6.8% of cases. Most children with secondary GN had nephritis of Henoch-Schönlein purpura (HSP) (54.7%) and nephritis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) (40.5%), while among hereditary GN Alport syndrome was most common (80.9%). In the group of children with primary GN who presented with nephrotic syndrome, most common forms were FSGS (38.5%) and MEPGN (24.0%). Minimal changes GN accounted for only 10.9% of cases. IgA nephropathy, primary or related to HSP (20.0%), FSGS (16.1%), MEPGN (12.6%) and Alport syndrome (9.7%) were the most common biopsy-proven renal diseases in Croatian children. The analysis provided data on the frequency of histological renal lesions in children in Croatia. The higher frequency of FSGS and MEPGN among Croatian children in comparison with other countries deserves further evaluation.

Background and Purpose: A door-to-door survey was carried out in Bizovac area, Osijek-Baranya County in east Croatia. A cluster sample of 1899 inhabitants were screened to determine the prevalence of acute cerebrovascular disease (CVD): transient ischemic attacks (TIA) and stroke in this population., Methods: We used a modified version of the World Health Organization screening instrument. A door-to-door survey of stroke was conducted in five Osijek suburbs, east Croatia. The data obtained were compared with data in personal records of the study subjects., Results: On March 31, 2005, the prevalence of acute CVD was 3370/100.000 (stroke 1948/100,000 and TIA 1422/100,000), of CVD in males 3047/100,000 (stroke 1959/100,000 and TIA 1088/100,000); of CVD in females 3673/100,000 (stroke 1939/100,000 and TIA 1735/100,000); and the prevalence of acute CVD progressively increased with age: in 45-54 age group 1290/00,000 (stroke 942/100,000, TIA 348/100,000); in 55-64 age group 7895/100,000 (stroke 5623/100,000, TIA 2272/100,000); in 65-74 age group 11386/100,000 (stroke 7393/100,000, TIA 3993/100,000); and in 75-84 age group 14035/100,000 (stroke 10001/100,000, TIA 4034/100,000) as the highest figure., Conclusion: The study revealed a very high prevalence of acute CVD in the study area and confirmed CVD as one of the leading medical and public health issues in Bizovac area, Osijek-Baranya County, east Croatia.

In summer 1996, a 31-year-old woman developed arthralgia, subfebrility, and papular efflorescences on the skin, clinically and histologically suspect of vasculitis, to be followed by severe lung edema and anuria, with serum creatinine up to 1182 mol/L in the autumn 1996. The administration of high dose corticosteroids, plasmapheresis and hemodialysis resulted in regression of the clinical symptoms and considerable improvement of the kidney function. Kidney biopsy revealed sclerosing extracapsular glomerulonephritis with extensive fibrocellular crescents. Thereafter, the patient felt well, however, renal insufficiency showed gradual progression, so the patient was continuously treated with hemodialysis from January 1998. Two more episodes of severe lung edema occurred at the beginning of 1998 and in the autumn 1998, with rapid symptom regression upon the administration of high dose corticosteroids. In April 1998, during the episode of staphylococcal sepsis, multiple nodose shadows of the lungs were detected, to persist asymptomatically for the next six months. Toward the end of November, nodal enlargement and disruption, with the formation of cavitations occurred. The patient's general condition deteriorated gradually, and she died from respiratory arrest in February 1999. The patient received corticosteroids during most of the disease course, and cyclophosphamide only once, during the first episode of lung edema. On autopsy, a number of cavitations were observed in the lungs, with necrotic areas of a varying size and numerous cicatrices in the rest of pulmonary parenchyma. Besides fibrosis and areas of necrosis, histology showed palisading granulomas, with erythrocytes, macrophages and siderophages within the alveoles. Apart from candidal colonization of the airways, which developed in the terminal stage of the disease, all tests for fungi, Staphylococcus aureus and Mycobacterium tuberculosis were repeatedly negative. ANCA and other immunoassays were also negative on several occasions. Differential diagnosis of multiple nodose lesions of the lungs is discussed. The authors believe the patient suffered from Wegener's granulomatosis.

Glucocorticoids are the most frequent cause of secondary osteoporosis. They are responsible for both inadequate quantitative and qualitative effects on bone, primarily on osteoblasts (decreased activity and apoptosis). Studies have shown that patients taking glucocorticoids have decreased bone mineral density and increased risk for fractures, especially for postmenopausal women. Prevention of glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis includes use of the lowest effective glucocorticoid dose possible, calcium and vitamin D supplementation, hormone replacement therapy and adequate physical activity. Prevention of fractures also includes all those factors that can influence the balance (e.g. muscle strenghtening, walking aids, architectonic barriers). Antiresorptive drugs should be started in all the patients with increased risk for osteoporosis, and among them bisphosphonates are the first drugs of choice.

The use of a hand-held gamma probe during the operation allows a direct approach to the parathyroid adenoma, which is more active than the thyroid. This procedure is significantly less morbid and can be performed in shorter time than standard neck exploration. Hand-held gamma probe already existed at the Department of Oncology and Nuclear Medicine. As a result of a very good cooperation with Department of Internal medicine and Department of Othorhinolaryngology, for the first time in our country minimally invasive radioguided parathyroidectomy was performed on April 16th, 2002. Until now, 15 patients with primary hyperparathyroidism underwent this type of operation. 700 MBq 99m-Tc-SESTAMIBI was injected two hours before the planned operative procedure. Preoperative scintigraphy was performed 10 and 80 minutes after the administration of radiopharmaceutical. This study deals with our first experience of intra-operative localization of parathyroid adenomas using a hand-held gamma probe, as well as our observations concerning the selection of the patients.

The purpose of this work was to show the importance of myocardial bioptate analysis using different methods in the diagram of diagnostic flow in primary cardiomyopathies in children. According to the guidelines of the Task Force on Cardiomyopathies of the WHO/ISFC, we identified 121 children (50 f and 71 m) as having cardiomyopathy, giving an average occurrence for all cardiomyopathies of 38.81 for each 10,000 pts examined in our outpatient clinics for paediatric cardiology. The dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) was identified in 52 pts (42.9%), hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) in 43 pts (35.5%) and restrictive cardiomyopathy (RCM) in 6 pts (4.8%). We placed 11 pts (9.0%) in the group of specific cardiomyopathies. In nine pts (7.4%), it was impossible to classify the cardiomyopathy. Most of those with DCM had been diagnosed prior to the age of 3 years (RR 1.9, 95% CI 1.4-2.47). There were no statistically significant differences in the incidences of DCM as compared to HCM (Z 0.923, p < 0.1779), but we encountered a significantly lower occurrence of RCM (Z 6.044, p < 0.001). The biopsy of endocardium and myocardium was done to confirm the etiology of primary cardiomyopathy in 22 pts, 12 m and 10 f, age 1 to 17 (average age 9.5y). The bioptates were analysed by light microscope (Dallas criteria) in all pts, 13 bioptates by direct immunofluorescence, 8 by immunohystochemical method (two hystochemically by the method of coloring with Kongo red, one by the microscopy in polarised light), 7 by electron microscope, and 5 by PCR method where DNA and RNA of cardiotrophic viruses was used. Out of 10 pts with DCM, in 4 myonecrosis as a consequence of acute myocarditis and in 6 signs of late inflammatory processes, as a consequence of chronic immunologic myocarditis, were found. In 4 of them rebiopsy proved complete healing. In 5 pts with HCM the diagnosis was confirmed hystologically. One bioptate was analysed by electron microscope to rule out mitochondriopathy. Out of 4 pts with RCM due to inflammation, in 3 pathohistological findings proved diagnosis and in one showed primary amyloidosis. In one patient pathohystological finding showed fibroelastosis. In one patient heart tumor (fibroma) has been found.

During the past decade, it has become evident that dopamine acts not only as a classical neurotransmitter in the central and peripheral nervous system but also as an autocrine, paracrine and/or endocrine substance in peripheral, non-neuronal tissues. This work is aimed to review some of the recent aspects related to the physiological features and effects of renal origin dopamine. Renal dopamine is synthesized in the proximal tubule epithelial cells. Newly formed dopamine leaves the cellular compartment by crossing the apical cell border and the basolateral membrane side. Dopamine exerts its intrarenal action via specific cell surface receptors, differentially expressed along the nephron and other structural components of renal tissue. These receptors have been classified into five types. D1 and D5 receptors are linked to stimulation, while D2, D3 and D4 receptors are linked to inhibition of adenylyl cyclase. Renal dopamine affects electrolyte and fluid balance by regulation of renal excretion of electrolytes and water through actions on renal hemodynamics and tubular, epithelial transport. The importance of intrarenally produced dopamine as a natriuretic hormone is reflected by its capacity to inhibit the majority of sodium transporters (Na+K+ATPase, Na+/H+-exchanger) in the entire nephron. Numerous clinical and animal, experimental observations suggest that dopamine coordinates the effects of antinatriuretic and natriuretic factors and indicate that the intact renal dopamine system is of major importance for maintenence of sodium homeostasis and systemic blood pressure. Sodium retention leads to an increase in renal dopamine tonus. This function is, due to deficient renal dopamine production and/or a D1 receptor G-protein coupling defect, lost in human essential hypertension and in some animal models of genetic hypertension. A better knowledge of molecular bases of these changes may contribute to the development of specific diagnostic and therapeutic approaches in essential as well as secondary forms of hypertension.