Nail lacquers represent new drug form specifically designed to treat infected nail plate. They are complex organic solutions with specific assaying problems due to the high content of the polymer and plasticizer. Furthermore, there is a lack of assaying methods of active substances from this type of formulations in scientific literature. We developed derivative UV-spectrophotometric method for determination of fluconazole content in antifungal nail lacquer formulations. The method was validated for specificity, linearity, precision (repeatability), intermediate precision and accuracy (recovery). The method is specific, linear in the range of 99.53 - 497.65 μg/ml, precise and showed good recovery (98.79% - 101.77% from all six developed formulations). Besides, it is inexpensive, simple and nontoxic, i.e. ecologically acceptable. This method can be used for assaying fluconazole from this type of formulations.

Motion Control Systems is concerned with design methods that support never-ending requirements for faster and more accurate control of mechanical motion. The book presents material that is fundamental, yet at the same time discusses the solution of complex problems in motion control. Methods presented in the book are based on the authors' original research results. Mathematical complexities are kept to a required minimum so that practicing engineers as well as students with a limited background in control may use the book.

Cigarette smoking affects all phases of atherosclerosis from endothelial dysfunction to acute occlusive clinical events. The problem is, whether the length of the period of cigarette smoking has a more reflection to the status of lipids and illnesses of cardiovascular system or the bigger number of smoked cigarettes in a shorter time-period? The observed sample has constituted of two groups of smokers, both gender, age 25-64 years old. The first group consisted of 210 examinees divided in 7 subgroups according to a number of years they have been smoking. The second group consisted of 150 examinees, which was divided in 5 subgroups, according to average number of cigarettes smoked daily. The average values of serum cholesterol (6.98 vs. 6.13 mmol/L), triglycerides (3.15 vs. 3.13 mmol/L) and LDL-cholesterol (3.80 vs. 3.64 mmol/L) were always higher in a group of smokers according to a number of daily smoked cigarettes. Average value of smoking consumption period was higher in a group of smokers according to the length of smoking consumption period than in a group of smokers according to a number of cigarettes smoked daily (20.34 y vs. 13.55 y.). Hypertension (72% vs. 30.9%), angina pectoris (44.6% vs. 20.4%), CHD (30.6% vs. 22.8%) and myocardial infarction (16% vs. 11.4%) appeared much more in the group of smokers according to a number of cigarettes smoked daily. More reflection to the status of lipids and illnesses of cardiovascular system has the bigger number of smoked cigarettes daily than the length of the period of cigarette smoking.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system (CNS). It is characterized by loss of myelin, the fatty tissue that surrounds and protects nerve fibres allowing them to conduct electrical impulses. Recent data indicate that oxidative stress (OS) plays a major role in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS). The aim of this study was to estimate level of serum total antioxidative capacity in patients with multiple sclerosis. Our cross-sectional study included 33 patients with MS and 24 age and sex matched control subjects. All our patients had a Poser criteria for definite diagnostic categories of multiple sclerosis. Serum total antioxidant capacity (TAC) was measured by quantitative colorimetric determination, using Total antioxidant Capacity-QuantiCromAntioxidant Assay Kit (BioAssay systems, USA; DTAC-100). Mean serum TAC in multiple sclerosis group of patients was 119.2 mM Trolox equivalents and was significantly lower (p<0.001) compared to the control group of subjects (167.1 mM Trolox equivalents). Our results showed that oxidative stress plays an important role in pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis. This finding, also, suggests the importance of antioxidants in diet and therapy of MS patients.

The opinion regarding sexual and vaginal function of patients with advanced cervical cancer treated primarily by chemoradiotherapy has still not been formed, mainly due to inappropriate methodology as the control group was comprised of healthy women. The aim of this study is to, by means of interview, evaluate vaginal and sexual function of patients with advanced cervical cancer before and after chemoradiotherapy and compare the results. A number of 35 patients were irradiated by teleradiotherapy dose of 45 Gy in 25 fractions over 5 weeks to the pelvis and additional 20-24 Gy in 4-6 fractions were given by intracavitary HDR brachytherapy. Patients received 40 mg/m(2) of cisplatin once a week, which is a total of 4-6 cycles of cisplatin. Patients answered the questions in a form of a questionnaire specifically created for cervical cancer (EORTC-QLQ-Cx 24), for the period immediately before diagnosed cervical cancer (thus being a control group). They also answered the same questions for the period starting 12 months after the completion of concomitant chemoradiotherapy, and were an experimental group at the time. For the testing of statistical significance of differences among the examined groups parameter and non-parameter tests were used (the Wilcoxon signed ranks test and Student's t-test). The difference p<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Vaginal problems of patients after chemoradiotherapy were statistically reduced (44 versus 0; p<0.0001). There is no statistical significance in the vaginal function among the analyzed groups but weaker pain during intercourse was registered after chemoradiotherapy (p=0.009). After chemoradiotherapy, patients' vaginal function is extremely improved whereas there is no difference in the sexual function. Pain during intercourse is statistically reduced after chemoradiotherapy.

In this paper we would like to briefly introduce readers to the situation in the field of laboratory medicine in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a focus on training in the field of medical biochemistry. As in some of neighboring countries, term Medical biochemist is the usual name for the Clinical biochemist or Clinical chemist in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Despite the difficult period through which the profession had passed in the last two decades, laboratory work, particularly clinical biochemistry, has managed to retain the necessary quality and keep pace with the developed world. In post war period, Society of Medical Biochemists of Bosnia and Herzegovina held regular meetings each year as a part of "life long learning" process, where both scientific and vocational lecturers presented their work. A single law on the state level would provide us with more defined and precise answers, such as: who can get a specialization, how long should last the training for medical biochemistry specialists (duration in years). This law should be in consent with the program described in EC4 or other documents given by the EFCC (European Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine) and IFCC (International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine).