Endocardial endothelium (EE) is essential in the embryonic development of the heart, the optimal contractility and rhythm as well as the remodeling of the heart. Endocardial endothelium affect the contractility of cardiomyocytes through paracrine signaling substances such as nitric oxide (NO), endothelin (ET-1), prostaglandins (PGI2, PGF2, PGE2) and angiotensin II (ANG II). Typical lesions of endocardial endothelium have been described in atrial fibrillation, ischemia/reperfusion injury, cardiac hypertrophy, heart failure, sepsis, myocardial infarction, inflammation and thrombosis. In patients with atrial fibrillation, there can be a systemic endothelial dysfunction that combines endocardial and vascular endothelial dysfunction and leads to increased hemodynamic load of the left atrium and increased synthesis and release of natriuretic peptides, angiotensin II, aldosterone and growth factors from the atrial myocardium. A dysfunction of endothelial cells in the local inflammatory status can lead to increased plaque vulnerability, which contributes to plaque rupture and favors the formation of thrombus. Preserving the endocardial-myocardial integrity plays a significant role in the prevention of a coronary artery disease. Endocardial endothelial dysfunction is, similarly to coronary endothelial dysfunction, an early event that leads to the progression of heart failure. Multimarker strategy, that would include a different set of biomarkers, could significantly help in the assessment of patients with cardiovascular diseases. The challenge lays in finding new therapeutic strategies that would, by preserving endothelial function, prevent the onset of cardiovascular diseases.
Introduction/ Goals:The aim of our study was to point out the importance of the risk factors associated with cervical cancer in an asymptomatic population.Methodology:The study included 860 patients in the period from January 2017 to January 2018, which covered more than 80% of the targeted population in this municipality over the one year study, according to the National Program for Cervical Cancer Prevention in Montenegro.Results:The incidence of PAP III results was statistically significantly higher in women between 40 and 45 years of age compared to other age groups (p< 0.001). PAP III was statistically significant high in subjects who had vaginal delivery (p<0.001), and was statistically significantly more frequent in women with more than two children (p = 0.011), while all the subjects with positive PAP results III had children. PAP III results were statistically significantly higher in subjects who had sexual intercourse before the age of 18 (p< 0.001), and were statistically significantly more frequent in subjects who were on oral contraceptives (p< 0.001). PAP III test results also show a significant difference related to cigarette consumption (p< 0.001). PAP III results were significantly more frequent in subjects with grade III vaginal cleanliness compared to grade II vaginal cleanliness (p<0.001).Conclusion:The number of patients with cervical cancer in Montenegro increased in the period from June 2016 to June 2017, compared to previous years, even though the National Program for Cervical Cancer Prevention that aimed to reduce the number of such patients has been in use in Montenegro since 2011.
This cross-sectional study investigated the characteristics and prevalence of orofacial pain, and its associations with sociodemographic characteristics, in 319 university students: 188 second-year students in the Medical Faculty and 131 students in the Faculty of Technical Sciences at the University of Kosovska Mitrovica. A specially designed questionnaire was used to assess the prevalence and characteristics of pain. Among the 319 students, 101 (32%) reported previous orofacial pain, and pain was more frequent among women (P < 0.05). Logistic regression revealed that gender was an important predictor of pain and that the risk for pain development among women was 1.8 times that among men. Place of residence and relationship status were not associated with frequency of orofacial pain. The regions with the highest pain prevalences were the temporal region (7%; 95% confidence interval, 4-10%) and the region around the eye (6%; 95% confidence interval, 4-9%). The first episode of orofacial pain was less than 3 months previously in 59% of the participants, and 39% of students had sought professional medical help. (J Oral Sci 58, 7-13, 2016)
Nitric oxide is produced by almost all cardiac cells, endothelial cells, cardiomyocytes and nerve fibers. It is synthesized by an enzyme, a nitric oxide synthase, which occurs in endothelial, neural and inducible form. The distribution of nitric oxide synthase in the heart is characterized by a pronounced non-uniformity. Nitric oxide exerts its effects in physiological and pathophysiological conditions. The physiological effects of low concentrations of nitric oxide, which is released in the normal conditions under the influence of constituent enzymes, occur via cyclic guanosine monophosphate. The synthesized nitric oxide exhibits its effect in the cells where it is produced, in an autocrine manner, or by diffusing into the neighboring cells, in a paracrine manner. Nitric oxide acts by regulating the coronary vessel tonus, affecting the contractility of cardiomyocytes, generating an inotropic effect in a dose-dependent manner and controlling the cellular respiration. Other effects of nitric oxide in the cardiovascular system include the hyperpolarization of the smooth muscle cells in blood vessels, the inhibition of the monocyte adhesion, the inhibition of platelet migration, adhesion and aggregation and the proliferation of smooth muscle cells and fibroblasts. The anti-atherosclerotic effects of nitric oxide are based on these effects. Nitric oxide is a weak free radical in gaseous state, and the cytotoxic and/or the cytoprotective effects of the higher concentrations of nitric oxide are related to the chemical structure of nitric oxide as a free radical. The excessive production of nitric oxide by the activation of inducible nitric oxide synthase can lead to major irregularities in the function of cardiomyocytes and cardiac insufficiency. Understanding the nitric oxide molecular mechanisms of signaling pathways in the heart can provide a new strategic approach to prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases.
Background/Aim. Tuberculosis in the second decade of the 21st century is an infectious disease with the highest mortality rate. In addition, in developed countries, pneumonia is the major couse of morbidity and mortality in adults. The aim of our study was to point out the differences and similarities between symptoms, laboratory parameters and clinical indicators in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) and patients with pneumonia in the general population and in people belonging to the high risk groups for developing tuberculosis. Methods. This prospective study included patients with PTB (n = 70) and pneumonia (n = 75) treated at the Pulmonology Department of Clinical Hospital Center in Kosovska Mitrovica. Results. PTB was more frequent in men, 30-39 years of age (OR; 6:08), mainly from rural areas (p = 0.001), and with lower levels of education (p = 0.031). Pneumonia was more frequent in women older than 60 years of age (p = 0.0012). Night sweats (p = 0.001) and weight loss (p = 0.062) were significantly more frequent in patients with PTB, while chest pain (p = 0.001) and high temperature (p = 0.036) were more common in patients with pneumonia. X-ray changes in patients with PTB were located in the upper fields (p = 0.001), or appeared to be bilateral (p = 0.004). The strongest predictor associated with an increased risk of night sweats was diagnosed PTB (OR = 30.0). The chest pain was a predictor of pneumonia, unilateral changes (OR = 4.65) in the lower lung fields (OR = 0.08). Conclusion. Night sweats, weight loss and chest X-ray abnormalities in upper fields were significant indicators of PTB. Chest pain, fever and chest X-ray abnormalities in lower fields were significant indicators of pneumonia.
Background/Aim. Neuroendocrine (NE) cells are one of the epithelial populations in the prostate. It is well-known that the focal neuroendocrine differentiation (FNED) in prostate cancer (PC) is an aggressive subtype that most commonly evolves from preexisting PC which does not respond to hormone therapy (androgen independed PC). The incidence and clinical importance of FNED in PC is not clearly understood because of conflicting results in the studies, and evaluation of FNED is not routinely performed in clinical practice. The aim of the present study is to determine the importance of FNED presence in the examined prostate changes with special reference to the relationship of FNED degree in PC with some parameters of predictive value [Gleason score, preoperative serum total prostata specific antigen (PSA) value, tumor volume and tumor stage]. Methods. The study included the biopsy material from 100 untreated consecutive prostate pathological changes: 70 PC, 20 prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN) and 10 benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). The patients with PIN and BPH were the control groups. A block containing part of
Pulmonary tuberculosis in the elderly shows a specific clinical presentation in relation to younger persons. The aim of this study was to examine the influence of age and possible risk factors on pulmonary tuberculosis, clinical features of disease and lung x-ray findings. The research included 151 patients who had been treated at the Pulmonary Department of the Health Centre in Kosovska Mitrovica in the period from 2005 to 2009. Younger patients often suffer from severe forms of tuberculosis with caverns (46.9%), a significantly higher number of their sputum is positive for bacillus Kohn and they show a greater tendency towards alcoholism. A common symptom in older patients is dyspnea and radiographic changes are the most intense in the lower lung fields. The number of younger people suffering from severe forms of cavernous tuberculosis is significantly higher. Sputum findings are often negative, the caverns are found less often and lower lung fields are affected more often in the elderly.
Background/Aim. Tuberculosis (TB) is a major cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide, affecting different countries disproportionally. Effective diagnosis and treatment of TB saved an estimated 43 million lives between 2000 and 2014. The aim of our study was to show sociodemographic influences, risk factors for the morbidity and clinical characteristics of tuberculosis among residents of northern Kosovo, Serbia, between two decades at the beginning of the 21st century. Methods. A prospective study was conducted at the Department for Pulmonology of the Clinical-health Centre, Kosovska Mitrovica, included all tuberculosis patients treated during two three-year periods, between 2000?2002 and 2012?2014. In total, 134 patients with tuberculosis were treated, 91 in the first observed period and 43 in the second period. Results. In both observed periods, male patients suffered from tuberculosis more frequently. In the first observed period, younger and middle age (18?49) persons suffered from tuberculosis more frequently (p = 0.014). In relation to the place of residence, in the first reporting period there were more patients from urban areas, while in the second, there were significantly more patients from rural areas (p = 0.008). In the second observed period, TB was significantly more associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (p = 0.001) and comorbidities with TB were significantly more frequent (p = 0.006). During the 2000?2002 period, there were more severe clinical forms, with severe radiological changes, bilateral parenchymal and cavernous forms (p = 0.08). Mild unilateral parenchymal lesions were more common in the last 3 years (p = 0.02). Conclusion. Social determinants, older age and comorbidities are the most important risk factors for the persistent number of patients, and therefore this target group needs attention during active approach in TB screening.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
334 Leonard St
Brooklyn, NY 11211
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.