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Acute hemorrhagic edema of infancy (AHEI) is a rare vasculitis of small dermal vessels with characteristic presentation in infants aged up to 24 months. It manifests as a sudden occurrence of palpable purpuric skin lesions, swellings in hands, feet, face and auricles, and mild fever. The children affected with AHEI are almost always in good general health and with normal laboratory parameters. Approximately 400 cases have been described in the literature so far. However, the etiology is still unknown. Most evidence suggests infections or vaccination as the principal triggers. Extra cutaneous manifestations are recorded in only about 10% of AHEI patients. The majority of the affected children undergoes recovery spontaneously and without any complications within 1-3 weeks, with or without any treatment. AHEI is usually diagnosed on the clinical grounds only and the diagnostic procedure rarely requires a skin biopsy. The current literature indicates the use of corticosteroids and/or antihistamines as a therapy, but there is still a lot of controversy about these therapeutic measures. This paper presents the case of AHEI with its typical clinical manifestations that resolved in a rapid spontaneous recovery without the use of any treatment within a week. AHEI is a rare syndrome that pediatricians should be well familiar with in order to differentiate it from other potentially severe diseases that have similar cutaneous manifestations, but also to avoid unnecessary investigations and therapy.

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Background Acute hemorrhagic edema of infancy (AHEI) is a rare vasculitis, which presents dramatically as palpable purpuric skin lesions on the limb, face and auricles, with swelling of these parts and low-grade fever, in children up to 2 years of age. To date, approximately 400 cases have been described in the literature. The etiology remains mostly unknown. With or without treatment, AHEI goes to spontaneous recovery within 1-3 weeks, usually without any complications. To our knowledge, compartment syndrome as complication of AHEI has only been reported in one case. We present an unusual case of AHEI with serious complications due to compartment syndrome of the right-hand fingers. Case A 16-month-old male child presented with fever and sudden appearance and rapid spread of palpable, painless, non-itching ecchymotic hematomas on the thigh, cheeks, earlobes, forearms, dorsum of hands and feet, with mild edema of these regions. Complete systemic examination and all vital parameters were normal for age. There was no history of bleeding disorders in the family. Except low hemoglobin on complete blood count and increased D-dimer values, all other laboratory investigations were in the normal range. Changes on the right forearm and hand expanded on almost the entire dorsal side and all surfaces of the fingers, with pronounced swelling and formation of bullous lesions, which were spreading and cracking. Skin biopsy confirmed nonspecific small-vessel vasculitis. That required the use of Methylprednisolone, low-molecularweight heparin, antibiotics and debridement of necrotic eschar, with necrectomy of the affected fingers. Conclusions Early recognition of AHEI is important to avoid unnecessary investigation and therapy. On the other hand, our reported case warns that unexpected complications may occur.

Diamond coatings were deposited onto different cylindrical substrates (Cu, SiC, W and Mo) by the hot filament chemical vapor deposition, (CVD) method. Continuous, adhered and well-faceted crystalline coatings of diamond were obtained on Cu-wire using a special pretreatment with a mixture of diamond and metal powders as well as carefully controlled deposition at lower power. Diamond deposition on SiC-fiber gave continuous and uniform coatings when only the filament power was properly selected. Uniform, homogeneous, euchedral diamond coatings on W- and Mo-wires, attained at a higher filament power, confirmed once more the convenience of refractory metals as substrates for diamond deposition by the CVD technique. Characterization of the obtained coatings was realized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The obtained results are compared with the literature data. Differences are discussed with regard to the chemical nature of the substrates as well as their thermophysical characteristics.

Background. Amyloidosis represents a group of different diseases characterized by extracellular accumulation of pathologic fibrillar proteins in various tissues and organs. Severe amyloid deposition in the liver parenchyma has extrahepatic involvement predominantly in the kidney or heart. We evaluated the effect of ursodeoxycholic acid, in four patients with severe hepatic amyloidosis of different etiologies, who presented with increased alkaline phosphatase and ?-glutamyl transferase. Case report. The study included four patients who presented with amyloidosis-associated intrahepatic cholestasis. Three of them had renal amyloidosis which developed 1-3 years before cholestasis occurred, the remaining one having intrahepatic cholestasis as the primary sign of the disease. Amyloidosis was identified from liver biopsies in all patients by its specific binding to Congo red and green birefringence in polarized light. The biochemical nature and the class of amyloid deposits were identified immunohistochemically. In addition to their regular treatment, the patients received 750 mg ursodeoxycholic acid per day. After 2-4 weeks all patients had a significant decrease of serum alkaline phosphatase and ?-glutamyl transferase, and their general status significantly improved. Conclusion. Treatment with ursodeoxycholic acid may be beneficial in patients with hepatic amyloidosis, and do extend indications for the use of ursodeoxycholic acid in amyloidotic cholestatic liver disease.

This study examines the relationship between erythrocyte phospholipid FA composition and insulin sensitiv­ity in obese patients on a typical Serbian diet. In 30 patients, two insulin sensitivity groups were formed and their FAs analyzed. The shares of 22:5n-3, 22:6n-3, and total n-3 PUFAs, as well as a measure of Δ5 desaturase activity (the 20:4n-6/20:3n-6 ratio) were lower in the insulin resistance group compared to the normal glucose tolerance group. The fasting insulin level and HOMA value were inversely related to the percentage of 22:5n-3, 22:6n-3, and total n-3 PUFAs. Our data indicate that the percentage of n-3 PUFAs in erythrocyte phospholipids is linked with insulin sensitivity parameters in obese patients. Masnokiselinski sastav membrana, koji se bar delimično može modifikovati dijetarnim unosom masnih kiselina, igra važnu ulogu u senzitivnosti na insulin. Cilj ove studije bio je ispitivanje veze između senzitivnosti na insulin i masnokiselinskog sastava fosfolipida eritrocita kod gojaznih osoba. Trideset umereno gojaznih/gojaznih nedijabetičara sa hiperlipoproteinemijama (ukupni holesterol gt 5.2 mmol/l, LDL-holesterol gt 3.4 mmol/l) podeljeni su u dve grupe, koristeći HOMA vrednost kao parametar senzitivnosti na insulin: grupu sa normalnom tolerancom na glukozu (NTG) i grupu sa rezistencijom na insulin (IR). Ukupni lipidi eritrocita su estrahovani i fosfolipidi izolovani tankoslojnom hromatografijom. Posle metilovanja masne kiseline analizirane su gasno-tečnom hromatografijom. Zastupljenost 22:5n-3 (p lt 0.01), 22:6n-3 (p lt 0.01), ukupnih n-3 polinezasićenih masnih kiselina (p lt 0.001) i odnos zastupljenosti 20:4n-6/20:3n-6 (pokazatelja aktivnosti delta-5 desaturaze) (p lt 0.05) su sniženi u IR grupi u poređenju sa NGT grupom. Nivo insulina natašte i HOMA vrednost inverntno su povezani sa zastupljenošću 22:5n-3 (p lt 0.05), 22:6n-3 (p lt 0.01) i ukupnim n-3 polinezasićenim kiselinama (p lt 0.01). Naši rezultati pokazuju da je nivo n-3 masnih kiselina u fosfolipidima eritrocita povezan sa senzitivnošću na insulin kod gojaznih osoba na ishrani tipičnoj za podneblje Srbije.

Introduction. In the last two decades, an increase in obesity along with a number of co-morbidities has been recorded among children and adolescents. Objective. The aim was to investigate if there was a difference in nutritional status between adolescents who were active sportsmen and those who did not engage in sport activities other than regular physical activities at school and if active training could be an independent factor in the prevention of obesity. Methods. There were 117 male adolescents on average aged 15.4?1.8 years. The subjects were divided into two groups; 32 active sportsmen engaged in regular training in football and a control group consisting of 85 adolescents engaged in no physical activity except for that at school (two hours per week). In all subjects Body Mass Index (BMI) was determined. The percentage of the total body fat was estimated from the sum of values of skin fold thickness measured at four sites (according to Durnin and Womersley). Lean Body Mass (LBM) was estimated by deducting the triceps skin fold from the upper arm circumference and comparing it to the norms. All collected data were analyzed by descriptive and analytical statistical methods: ?2-test, t-test. Results. Adolescent sportsmen showed a statistically significantly lower BMI and percentage of total body fat than the adolescents in the control group (p

Background. Arterial hypertension is a multicausal chronic disease often accompanied by obesity. The aim of this investigation was to examine the effect of diet therapy in the treatment of obese hypertensives with and without antihypertensive therapy. Methods. The investigation was conducted at the Department of Nutrition on a sample of 110 obese hypertensive patients on diet therapy. Subjects were divided into two groups: the group on diet therapy with antihypertensive drugs E1 (n=78), and the group on diet therapy without pharmacotherapy E2 (n=32). Nourishment state i.e., obesity level was assessed by body mass index (BMI). All the patients belonged to the obese group - BMI > 30 kg/m2. Besides blood pressure values, the following parameters were monitored: serum cholesterol, trygliceride levels and BMI. Results. The obtained results in the group with diet therapy combined with antihypertensive therapy showed highly significant decrease of anthropometrical parameters: body weight (99.14 kg vs. 90.16 kg) (p

Reduced insulin sensitivity is present in patients with end-stage renal failure (ERF). It has been established in general population that insulin resistance is a cardiovascular risk factor. The present study examines the potential effect of insulin action and secretion on over-all and cardiovascular mortality in non-diabetic haemodialysis (HD) patients. Sixty two patents (age 52.5 ? 10.3 year) on maintenance haemodialysis (5.4 ? 3.1 year) were recruited in June, 1994 and were followed-up over a 5-year period. At the end of the study we had two those who survived and those who died: survivals and deaths. All basic clinical indicators (age, gender, duration of dialysis prior to entry into the study, blood pressure, serum proteins, albumins, lipids and lipoproteins, urea, creatinine, dialysis dose defined by Kt/V, protein catabolic rate-nPCR, glucose, insulin, C peptide, IR-HOMA and % b- HOMA) were screened for a significant relation to outcome by univariante logistic regression models. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate potentional independent predictors of death. Patients of both groups, survivals (n=42) and deaths (n=20), had a comparable duration of HD before the study, and as to blood pressure, serum proteins, albumines, lipids and lipoproteins A and B 100, lipoprotein (a), glucose, glycosylated haemoglobin, and Kt/V there were no significant differences. Patients who died were significantly older, and they had lower values of urea, creatinine, insulin, C-peptide and nPCR. Multiple logistic regression analysis indicated that only insulin and nPCR were significantly and independently associated with all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality, and age was an important confounding factor. These results suggest that we need an early procedure to preserve beta-cell function, besides positive nitrogen balance, to reduce cardiovascular and over-all mortality in haemodialysis patients.

Introduction Hyperlipoproteinemia is a key factor in development of atherosclerosis, whereas regression of atherosclerosis mostly depends on decreasing the plasma level of total and LDL-cholesterol. Many studies have reported the hypocholesterolemic effect of linolenic acid. Types of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) Linoleic and ?-linolenic acids are essential fatty acids. The main sources of linoleic acid are vegetable seeds and of ?-linolenic acid - green parts of plants. ?-linolenic acid is converted to eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acid. Linoleic acid is converted into arachidonic acid competing with eicosapentaenoic acid in the starting point for synthesis of eicosanoids, which are strong regulators of cell functions and as such, very important in physiology and pathophysiology of cardiovascular system. Eicosanoids derived from eicosapentaenoic acid have different biological properties in regard to those derived from arachidonic acid, i.e. their global effects result in decreased vasoconstriction platelet aggregation and leukocyte toxicity. Role and significant of PUFA The n-6 to n-3 ratio of polyunsaturated fatty acids in the food is very important, and an optimal ratio 4 to 1 in diet is a major issue. Traditional western diets present absolute or relative deficiency of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, and a ratio 15-20 to 1. In our diet fish and fish oil are sources of eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acid. Refined and processed vegetable oils change the nature of polyunsaturated fatty acids and obtained derivates have atherogenic properties.

The objective of this work is to investigate the influence of combined application of prostaglandin and oxytocin on the duration of farrowing in sows, number of newborn piglets and interval between two expulsions of piglets. The experiment was carried out on 133 pregnant sows of Danish Landrace-Yorkshire Large white breed, which were divided into three groups depending on the day of the induction of partus (112th, 113th and 114th day of pregnancy). Within each group, the sows were divided into three subgroups, and they were given synthetic prostaglandin PGF2-alfa (dinoprost-DINOLYTIC) analogue in dosage of 10 mg (eq. 2ml of preparation)/animal (I subgroup) single or combined with one (after having fifth piglet) (II subgroup), or two (after having fifth and tenth piglet) (III subgroup) application of oxytocin (OXYTOKEL) in dosage of 20 i.j. + 15 i.j. (eq. 2 ml + 1,5 ml preparation/animal), (two applications). Obtained results show that in the sows treated only with prostaglandin, the longest farrowing (6,41±2,20 h) was in those which obtained the drug on the 112th day of pregnancy, and the shortest (4,56±1,30 h) in the ones treated on the 114th day of pregnancy. In the the sows in which (beside prostaglandin) oxytocin was administered once, the longest farrowing (6,38±1,30) was in those treated on the 113th day of pregnancy, and the shortest (6,38±1,30) in those treated on the 114th day of pregnancy. In the sows treated (beside prostaglandin) with oxytocin twice, the longest farrowing (7,17±2,30) was in the group treated on the 112th day of pregnancy, and the shortest (5,10±1,20) in the ones treated on the 113th day of pregnancy. Generally speaking, the longest duration of farrowing (7,17±2,30) was in the animals which (beside prostaglandin) obtained oxytocin twice, and the shortest duration (4,56±1,30) was in the ones which (beside prostaglandin) were treated only with prostaglandin. The greatest number of newborn piglets (358) was in sows which obtained prostaglandin on the 114th day of pregnancy combined with one application of oxytocin, and the smallest number (250) in sows which obtained perostaglandin on the 112th day of pregnancy combined with two application of oxytocin. The longest interval (0,22 ± 0,06) between two expulsions of piglets was in sows in which partus was induced on the 112th day of pregnancy in combination with two applications of oxytocin, and the shortest interval (0,11±0,03) in which partus was induced on the 114th day of pregnancy, witout oxytocin application. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 46009 i br. 173034]

The present study investigated the quantitative effect of dietary fats and ingestion of alcohol on serum and liver lipids, fatty acid bound to phospholipids and their class distribution of male Wistar rats. The rats in C (control) and A (alcohol) groups were fed a standard laboratory diet, HFC (high fat-control) and HFA (high fat-alcohol) groups were fed a high fat diet (standard diet supplemented with 20 g%w/w, sunflower oil: lard mixture 1: 1) for 6 wk. Alcohol-treated rats consumed alcohol at the rate of 9 g/kgbw/d (15-20% energy). Liver phospholipid (PL) content was decreased, and phospholipid/cholesterol liver molar ratio increased in the alcohol treated rats. The proportion of serum sphingophospholipid (Sph) was significantly lower and proportion of phosphatidylcholin (PC) significantly higher in serum PL in alcohol-treated rats. Phospholipid class distribution was unaffected by alcohol feeding in liver. Significantly lower levels of 16:1n-7 and higher levels of 20:5n-3 and 22:4n-6 in the serum PL were observed in the alcohol-treated rats. The groups on the HF diet increased levels of 20:4n-6, 22:4n-6 and total n-6, polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) and decreased levels of 18:1n-9 and total monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA)in both liver and serum PL, but n-3 fatty acid increased in serum PL and decreased in liver PL compared to groups on the standard diet. Alcohol fat interaction was evident in MUFA and PUFA/SFA in serum PL and n-6, MUFA, PUFA and polyunsaturated/saturated fatty acid ratios (PUFA/SFA) in liver PL. This study showed that the high fat intake in alcohol-treated rats increased levels of 20:4n-6, 22:4n-6 and 20:4/18:2 ratio, and decreased level of 18:1n-9 in liver and serum phospholipids.

Figurate or gyrate erythemas are group of skin conditions that present as annular or figurate erythematous papules and plaques with peripheral spreading. Several diseases are included in this group but only two of them are associated with underlying malignancy, erythema annulare centrifugum and erythema gyratum repens. We present a 58-year-old woman with simultaneous presentation of gyrate erythema and skin metastasis from a gastrointestinal tumor that was diagnosed by histopathology and immunohistochemistry as a leiomyogenic gastrointestinal stromal tumor.

Nevus of Ota is a dermal melanocytosis, clinically localized on skin that is innervated by the first and second branches of the trigeminal nerve. It occurs almost entirely in Asian people. This manifestation is rarely described in light-skinned non-Asian persons. We present a case of bilateral Ota nevus in a 47-year-old light-skinned non-Asian woman.