Diabetes mellitus type 1 (T1D) is a complex disease resulting from the interplay of genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors. Recent progress in understanding the genetic basis of T1D has resulted in an increased recognition of childhood diabetes heterogeneity. After the initial success of family-based linkage analyses, which uncovered the strong linkage and association between HLA gene variants and T1D, genome-wide association studies performed with high-density single-nucleotide polymorphism genotyping platforms provided evidence for a number of novel loci, although fine mapping and characterization of these new regions remains to be performed. T1D is one of the most heritable common diseases, and among autoimmune diseases it has the largest range of concordance rates in monozygotic twins. This fact, coupled with evidence of various epigenetic modifications of gene expression, provides convincing proof of the complex interplay between genetic and environmental factors. In T1D, epigenetic phenomena, such as DNA methylation, histone modifications, and microRNA dysregulation, have been associated with altered gene expression. Increasing epidemiologic and experimental evidence supports the role of genetic and epigenetic alterations in the etiopathology of diabetes. We discuss recent results related to the role of genetic and epigenetic factors involved in development of T1D. Pediatrics

Intravitreal injections of anti-VEGF drugs have an effect on decreasing systemic VEGF values. Rhythm of changes in serum VEGF concentrations and lowest detected concentration on the seventh postinjection day are according to pharmacokinetics of Avastin in serum and vitreous, reported by similar studies. The small number of patients involved in this pilot study implicates the need for further studies.

The "humane killer" or captive-bolt gun, is the tool/weapon widely used in meat industry and private farmer households for slaughtering animal stock. Out of 17,250 autopsies performed at the Institute of Forensic Medicine in Novi Sad during the 15-year period (1991-2005), 29 cases of suicides and two homicides were committed by captive-bolt pistols. Wounds inflicted by captive-bolt guns have specific morphological features, distinctive from wounds made by other kinds of hand firearms. Selected features of the captive-bolt wounds (punched round entrance and a double pattern of smoke soiling) depend on distance and angle of instrument at the time of firing. Autopsy findings were compared with an experimental model consisting of 20 domestic pigs. Obtained results confirmed that the appearance of the entrance hole and soot deposits, along with differences in shape, location, extent, and density of soot blackening, could be useful in identification of weapon, direction of discharge, shooting distance, and angle of the muzzle to the frontal and sagittal planes of the head at the moment of fire.

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For identification of skeletal remains and solving missing persons cases, the forensic application of the latest DNA technology is of utmost importance. In our casework, most extraction attempts of skeletal remains from cases of criminal burning, with intention to destroy the body, were successful. This paper represents our approach and the results obtained during identification of burned skeletal remains. The body of the missing fifty-two-year-old taxi driver was found burned in the trunk of a car. The DNA was extracted from the powder bone using organic protocol and amplified by AmpF'STR 1 Identifiler 1 Plus (Applied Biosystems), AmpF'STR 1 NGM TM (Applied Biosystems) and AmpF'STR 1 Yfiler 1 (Applied Biosystems). Complete DNA profiles obtained using all three applied kits, were a match with the reference sample victim's son. In addition, we analyzed 5 DNA extracts, corresponding to 5 different burned body identification cases from 2009 using AmpF'STR 1 NGM TM kit. Concordant results were obtained for the STR loci between AmpF'STR 1 Identifiler 1 kit which was used back then and AmpF'STR 1 NGM TM which is on our disposal today, including 5 additional loci expanded ESS.

Unexpected rapid death after delivery due to HELLP syndrome (HS) may become the subject of a forensic expertise. Since this syndrome is rarely encountered in forensic pathology, our objective was to point to some specific findings which might present forensic aspects of HS. These include unexpectedness, suddenness and fulminant course of this syndrome, which may confuse physicians, and on the other hand these characteristics cast doubt on violent injury, diagnostic oversights or iatrogenic injuries. Absence of classical signs of preeclampsia and non-specific clinical symptoms cause considerable differential diagnostic problems leading to a diagnostic delay or initial wrong non-obstetric diagnosis. A definitive postmortem diagnosis of HS in questionable cases of maternal death and consecutive forensic expertise of suspected medical malpractice should be based on accepted laboratory criteria and characteristic histopathological alterations.

Suicides using hand grenades are very rare. The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the cases of nonterrorist suicides using hand grenades according to the number of cases per year, sex, age categories, season of the year, day of the week, ethanol blood level, type of hand grenade, pattern of injuries, risk factors, and suicide place over a 20-year period, from 1990 to 2009 in Vojvodina, Serbia. The total number of the cases in this period was 81, with the highest number of cases in 1997 and 2002. Twelwe victims were part of six double suicides, where one grenade was used to commit suicide to both victims. The results highlighted male predominance of the victims, sober state, the use of military hand grenades (M75 and M52 type), posttraumatic stress disorder due to participation in military clashes as the main risk factor, and countryside as the place of suicide.

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