Croatian medical journal
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Croatian medical journal · Oct 2003
Malignant and non-malignant asbestos-related pleural and lung disease: 10-year follow-up study.
To examine the presence of radiologically visible lung and pleural changes in patients who were exposed to the asbestos dust, and to correlate the progression of these changes with the duration and intensity of exposure and smoking. We also evaluated possible correlation between non-malignant asbestos-related pleural abnormalities and the occurrence of malignant pleural mesothelioma. ⋯ The risk of developing lung asbestosis increased with the level of exposure to asbestos dust and smoking. The risk of developing pleural disease correlated with the intensity and duration of exposure, but not with smoking. The patients with progressive pleural and parenchymal changes are at particularly high risk of developing malignant pleural mesothelioma and must be under special surveillance.
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Croatian medical journal · Oct 2003
GuidelineTowards complete and accurate reporting of studies of diagnostic accuracy: the STARD initiative. The Standards for Reporting of Diagnostic Accuracy Group.
To improve the accuracy and completeness of reporting of studies of diagnostic accuracy in order to allow readers to assess the potential for bias in a study and to evaluate the generalizability of its results. ⋯ Evaluation of research depends on complete and accurate reporting. If medical journals adopt the checklist and the flow diagram, the quality of reporting of studies of diagnostic accuracy should improve to the advantage of clinicians, researchers, reviewers, journals, and the public.
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Croatian medical journal · Aug 2003
Comparative Studyc-erbB-2, p53, and nm23 proteins as prognostic factors in patients with epithelial ovarian carcinoma.
To demonstrate immunohistochemical expression of p53, c-erbB-2, and nm23 proteins in ovarian cancer and to establish their correlation with such predictive factors as clinical stage, grade, and vascular invasion. The effect of protein overexpression on patients' overall survival was also assessed. ⋯ The overexpression of p53, nm23, and c-erbB-2 proteins was associated with other parameters characteristic of aggressive tumors, such as advanced clinical stage, high grade, and/or presence of vascular invasion. However, this overexpression had no independent prognostic value either for overall survival or survival corrected by clinical stages.
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To analyze the development and occurrence of the idiopathic intracranial hypertension and consequent visual loss in a family affected with idiopathic intracranial hypertension. ⋯ It is very important to include idiopathic intracranial hypertension in differential diagnosis of papilledema and recognize it in early stages to prevent vision loss. Current successful therapeutic approaches and close follow-up of such patients require teamwork of neurologists, ophthalmologists, and neurosurgeons.
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Croatian medical journal · Jun 2003
Different dental tissues as source of DNA for human identification in forensic cases.
To evaluate different dental tissues (pulp, dentin, and cement) as sources of DNA for forensic analysis. ⋯ Cementoblasts and odontoblasts located within the cement and dentin are surrounded by the mineral matrix of the dental structure and thus protected from any environmental degradation forces, which makes them suitable sources for the DNA analysis.