Intracerebral infection of rats with JHM coronavirus induces a chronic inflammatory demyelinating disease, which in many respects mimicks the pathology of multiple sclerosis. We investigated the patterns of demyelination and oligodendrocyte pathology in this model. In early stages of the disease infection of oligodendrocytes was associated with a downregulation of expression of mRNA for proteolipid protein in the absence of myelin destruction. When demyelinating lesions were formed infected oligodendrocytes were destroyed by necrosis, whereas oligodendrocytes that did not contain detectable virus antigen or RNA were in part dying by apoptosis. At this stage of the disease remyelination of the lesions was pronounced. At later stages after infection virus antigen was nearly completely cleared from the lesions. In spite of the lack of detectable virus, ongoing demyelination and unspecific tissue destruction occurred, and oligodendrocytes were mainly destroyed by apoptosis. These late lesions revealed only minimal central remyelination, but they were frequently repaired by Schwann cells. Our studies suggest that the mechanisms of myelin destruction in this model of virus‐induced demyelination are complex and that the patterns of tissue damage may change during the course of the disease. Glia 19:1–7, 1997 © 1997 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.

Background: According to data regarding number of physicians per 100 000 inhabitants, Croatia is below the European average. Under those circumstances, more attention needs to be devoted to Croatian medical schools and their applicants. Aims: This study sought to investigate admission trends of applicants to Croatian medical schools, analyse their demographics and motives for medical school enrollment. Methods: We collected admissions data of applicants to Croatian medical schools from 1979 to 2006. Motives for and against medical school enrollment were assessed in a survey of 1146 applicants (response rate 84%, 966/1146) and 98 final-year medical students (response rate 82%, 80/98) during July 2006. Results: The number of applicants to Croatian medical schools had been declining until 1995, it was lowest during the 1991-1995 war in Croatia and it has been rising from 1996 onwards. Majority of applicants in 2006/07 were women (69%). Most of the applicants attended general high schools. The applicants profess choosing a certain medical school for its quality and reputation, but we showed that they actually chose the closest school. The main motives for medical school enrollment were humanitarian and scientific, while main reasons against were perceived difficulty and financial burden. We showed that final-year medical students profess significantly lower interest in science and that they are less interested in altruistic aspects of medicine. Instead, great number of them would reconsider choosing medical studies again because of the corruption in medicine, fear of mistakes and uncertainty of employment. Conclusions: Following the admission trends in medical schools on a national level gives insight into the prospects of health care. Analysis of motives for and against medical school enrollment can provide guidelines for their improvement. Unless Croatia and other countries in transition devote more attention to recruitment, education and retention of physicians, the prospects of our healthcare are poor.

AimTo investigate whether the introduction of a vertical subject on research in biomedicine and founding of The Cochrane Collaboration branch at the University of Split School of Medicine influenced students’ knowledge and attitudes toward evidence-based medicine (EBM), including the use of research literature.MethodsWe used a 26-item questionnaire on EBM knowledge and attitudes to survey 1232 medical students of all study years in 3 medical schools in Croatia (Split, Rijeka, Osijek) and the Croatian-speaking medical school in Mostar (Bosnia and Herzegovina).ResultsStudents from the University of Split School of Medicine who had been exposed to the vertical subject on research in biomedicine and activities of The Cochrane Collaboration at the school had better knowledge and more positive attitudes toward EBM. In general, students rarely searched for evidence; 28% of students searched for evidence more than once a month and 96% of students used only textbooks in Croatian and teachers’ handouts, even though 74% of students agreed that articles from scholarly journals were an important supplement for textbooks.ConclusionBuilding up an environment that fosters EBM may be beneficial for students’ knowledge and attitudes toward EBM. Teachers should encourage and require using evidence during all the courses in medical school.

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Student opinion should be consulted when medical schools venture into the elective curriculum so that students can feel that they are really benefiting from these subjects. Students would welcome new and personally designed strands. Elective courses are a significant part of medical education and therefore their quality and purpose need to be assessed regularly in order to ensure that they meet students' needs.