Selma Aličelebić

Predictive Analysis of Palmar Dermatoglyphics in Patients with Breast Cancer for Small Bosnian-Herzegovinian Population

Introduction: Malignant breast cancer is the most common malignancy in women between 40 and 55 years of age. Dermatoglyphs are polygenetically determined properties, whose appearance and number are determined by a specific gene. They represent the skin reefs that are created by epidermis on the fingers or toes, palms and soles. Palmar dermatoglyphs have been used to estimate the hereditary basis of many diseases. Aim: The aim of the paper is to determine whether there is a statistically significant difference between the observed qualitative and quantitative parameters of both palms between the experimental and the control group. Material and Methods: A survey of the qualitative and quantitative properties of the palmar complex was carried out on a total of 100 female respondents. The first group included 50 women with breast cancer. Comparative data were used for the analysis of palmar dermatoglyphs in the second group of respondents, or 50 phenotypic healthy female subjects. The imprints of the palmar complex were taken using the printake ribbons, analyzed, and the data was then statistically processed and displayed in charts. An analysis of the number of reefs between two digital triradius was performed, followed by the determination of the axially triad position, as well as the ATD angle measurement. Results: Quantitative analysis of ATD-angle showed statistically significant difference between the left and right palms of the analyzed groups. However, the analysis of the number of reefs between triradius A-B, B-C, C-D did not show statistically significant results for both the left and right hand between the analyzed groups. Conclusion: These results indicate that the quantitative palmar parameter, ATD-angle, can play a role in identifying women with increased risk of breast cancer.

Gender-related Histological Changes in the Thymus Gland After Pinealectomy and Short-term Melatonin Treatment in Rats

Objectives The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of pinealectomy and melatonin treatment on the rat thymus gland characteristics, taking into consideration possible gender differences. Materials and methods Thirty adult Wistar rats of both sexes were divided into three groups. Group C and group PX served as control groups and included sham-pinealectomized and pinealectomized animals that were treated with 10% ethanol solution (0,1ml/daily, subcutaneous). Animals from third group (group PXM) underwent pinealectomy and seven days after surgery started receiving melatonin dissolved in 10% ethanol solution (3mg/kg/daily, subcutaneous). All animals were treated for 4 weeks. Results Volume density of the thymus cortex showed statistically significant (p<0,05) decrease while the volume density of the thymus medulla was increased in the pinealectomized compared to the sham-pinealectomized female rats. Numerical density of macrophages as well as the distribution of blood vessels showed no gender differences. The numerical density of lymphocytes was statistically significantly decreased in female in comparison to the male pinealectomized rats. Melatonin treatment was proved to cause reverse effects in the sense that the results from the melatonin treated group corresponded to the results obtained from the control group of animals. Conclusion The results of this study suggest that the pinealectomy causes gender-related changes in the rat thymus. Short-term melatonin treatment showed reverse effect, equally in both sexes.