PURPOSE The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of sister chromatid exchanges (SCE), micronuclei (MN) and proliferation rate of harvested lymphocytes obtained from medical stuff professionally exposed to low-dose ionizing radiation. The influence of tobacco smoking status and working conditions as confounding factors were also investigated. PATIENTS AND METHODS Thirty subjects chronically exposed to low-dose ionizing radiation were examined (12 workers in the radiotherapy unit and 18 workers in the cardiology unit), and were compared to 15 unexposed healthy volunteers. There were 18 nonsmokers and 12 smokers among the exposed workers and 8 nonsmokers and 7 smokers among the control group. Standard cytokinesis-block MN assay, the SCE assay, and the proliferating index (PI) rate were analyzed. RESULTS An increased frequency of SCE and MN in occupationally exposed workers were found compared to unexposed individuals. The PI was significantly lower in occupationally exposed workers in comparison to the control group. In relation to the working conditions, a significantly higher number of MN in the group of workers in the radiology unit compared to the control was found (p=0.03). The frequency of SCE was increased in occupationally exposed smokers compared with nonsmoking workers (p=0.005). Smokers in the control and radiation exposed group had lower MN frequency contrary to nonsmokers in both groups. CONCLUSION The obtained results show higher incidence of SCE and MN in the exposed groups compared to the controls. Cigarette smoking and working conditions as confounding factors should be included into genetic monitoring studies assessing the risk associated with low-level radiation exposure.

Atomic force microscopy (AFM), a unique tool to investigate drug treatment of cancer cells, was used to analyze the anti-neoplastic activity of adriamycin by comparing DNA structures of non-treated and adriamycin-treated Ehrlich tumor cells. The non-treated cells exhibited a highly branched intact chromatin structure, related to the intensive DNA replication in cancer cells. Images from adriamycin-treated tumor cells showed that the DNAchains were broken and the chromatin structure had been destroyed. Possible explana- tions for these effects of adriamycin are considered: breakage of hydrogen bonding, oxida- tion and intercalation effects, as well as the poisoning of topoisomerase enzyme. DNA fractal and multifractal analyses, performed in order to evaluate the degree of bond scission, showed that the treated DNA had become more fractal compared to non-treated DNA.

PURPOSE To study in vitro the antioxidative effect of 6 Satureja montana L. extracts on free radicals and their antiproliferative effect on human tumor cell lines. MATERIALS AND METHODS The antioxidative effect of extracts on 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picryhydrazyl (DPPH) radical was investigated by electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy. Cell growth effect was measured by sulforhodamine B colorimetric assay on HeLa (human cervix epidermoid carcinoma), HT-29 (human colon adenocarcinoma), and MCF-7 (human breast adenocarcinoma) cell lines. IC(50) values were calculated from the concentration response curves following 48 h exposure time. RESULTS The antioxidative activity of extracts increased dose-dependently at mass concentrations ranging from 0.05 to 0.3 mg/ml, and decreased in the following order: n-butanol > methanol > water > ethyl acetate > petroleum ether. All extracts effected cell growth but in a different way, depending on the extract dose and cell line. Extracts exhibited antiproliferative effect on HeLa cell line with IC(50) values ranging from 0.41 to 0.84 mg/ml except petroleum ether (IC(50) >1 mg/ml). Petroleum ether and chloroform extracts stimulated proliferation of HeLa cells within a concentration range from 0.0625 to 0.125 mg/ml. No extract reduced MCF-7 cells growth by 50% even at the concentration of 1 mg/ml. Only petroleum ether and chloroform extracts induced significant growth inhibition of HT-29 cells (IC(50) was approximately 0.74 mg/ml for both extracts). Strong stimulation of HT-29 proliferation was observed within a concentration range from 0.0625 to 0.25 mg/ml for petroleum ether, n-butanol and chloroform extract, and from 0.0625 to 0.5 mg/ml for methanol and water extracts, respectively. CONCLUSION The obtained results indicated that Satureja montana L. extracts are strong antioxidants in vitro. ESR data demonstrated that n-butanol, methanol and water Satureja montana L. extracts possess high antioxidative activity. Chloroform extract did not show any antioxidative activity. Satureja montana L. extracts selectively inhibited the growth of human tumor cells.

Dark red monocrystals of title complex were prepared by the reaction of water solutions of Na3[Co(NO2)6] and L×2H2O in mole ratio 1:1. The Co(III) is sited in an octahedral environment. The equatorial plane is formed by a tridentate coordination of the ligand (L) and one NO2 molecule, while the other two NO2 molecules are in axial positions. The ligand is coordinated to the Co(III) atom through O3, N1 and O4 atoms, forming two fused chelate rings, one being five-membered and one a six-membered one. All atoms in the chelate and phenyl rings are approximately coplanar. The angle between the mean plan of the equatorial NO2 and the mean plane defined by the two chelate rings is 28.1(3)°. The Co-N bond lengths for the two axial NO2 are about 0.03 Å longer than that with the equatorial NO2. The two axial NO2 are coplanar. The complex molecule possesses eight oxygen atoms capable of acting as proton acceptors in the hydrogen bonds, but there are only two groups (one N-H and one O-H) able to participate as proton donors. As a consequence, six oxygen atoms from NO2 ligands form weak C-H...O hydrogen bonds with only one exception for O4 atom which participates in two strong O-H...O hydrogen bonds. Because of that the N-O4 bond is significantly longer than the rest of N-O bonds in the NO2 ligands. Data were collected on an Enraf-Nonius CAD-4 diffractometer using Mo K radiation ( = 0.71069 Å) and /2 scans in 1.41 to 25.47° range and were corrected for Lorentz and polarization effects. The structure was solved by direct methods and difference-Fourier methods, and refined by full matrix least-squares using SHELXL97 program to a final R = 0.0431 for 2938 reflections with I > 2 I. Crystallographic data: CoC13H22N7O10, Mr = 495.3, monoclinic, space group P 21/c, a = 14.936(3) Å, b = 7.773(3) Å, c = 17.463(3)Å, = 104.26(3) °, V = 1964.9(9) Å, Z = 4, Dc = 1.674 Mg/m , (MoK ) = 0.944 mm, Mo K radiation, = 0.71073 A, GooF = 1.055.

SUMMARY. Objective. The aim of this study is to appreciate the mode of delivery in the pregnant women with placenta praevia. Methods. Retrospective study. We analized 9010 deliveries (two years period, 2001 and 2002) performed at the University Clinical Center, Tuzla, Ob/Gyn Clinic. Control group were 16 pregnant women without placenta praevia. In statistical analysis t-test was used. Results. The incidence of placenta praevia was 0.17% (16 out of 9010 deliveries). Placenta praevia partialis was established in 8 (50%), placenta praevia centralis in 4 (25%) and placenta praevia marginalis in 4 (25%) pregnant women. All pregnant women with placenta praevia were secundiparas and multiparas. The caesarean section was previously performed in 8 (50%) pregnant women. In actual pregnancy in 14 (87.5%) of pregnant women with placenta praevia the mode of delivery was by caesarean section, in the control group in 3 (18.75%), the t-test is 5.72, p<0.05. Apgar score 8–10 was in 12 and 4–7 in 4 (25%) neonates; in the control group Apgar score 4–7 was only in one case (6.25%); the statistical difference is not significant. The gestational age at delivery in 8 cases was ≤37 weeks, in the control grup in 2; the difference is statistically significant (t=2.51, p<0.05). Conclusion. Placenta praevia is a serious complication of pregnancy. The method of choise in the delivery for pregnant women with placenta praevia is caesarean section.

INTRODUCTION The objective is to examine the efficiency of the application of prostaglandins (PgE2) in labours with the complications of premature rupture of membranes (PRM) for the purpose of their more frequent use. STUDY DESIGN Two groups of term labours with the complications of PRM were observed in Gynaecology and Obstetric Clinic in Tuzla, in 2002. In the examination group No=59 (46.82%), we used vaginal suppositories prostin E2 (3 mg) for stimulation of labour. In the second group of pregnant women, No=67 (53.17%) we used oxytocin for stimulation. The following was observed: the age of pregnant women, parity, Bishop score, latent period (time from application of the medicine until delivery), manner in which the labour was ended, birth weight, Apgar score after the first and the fifth minute, incidence of complications (infections and bleeding) in the period of confinement/puerperium). RESULTS PgE2 were applied in pregnancies in earlier gesational age (37.31 versus 39.13), more often in nulliparous women (86.46%), in the case of immature cervix (Bishop score 3.70 versus 5.95). There were 80.45% successful stimulation, the same incidence of Cesarean sections, with no difference in the condition of newborns at birth (average Apgar score in the group with Pg 8.63), without difference in the incidence of complications in the confinement puerperium. In the group with Pg, there was a small percentage of infections, although the latent period was in 5.67% pregnancies longer than 24 hours. CONCLUSION The application of PgE2 vaginal suppositories for maturing and stimulation of labour is a modern, efficient and easy to use method in obstetrics which is very acceptable.