Amyloid plaques, one of the main hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease (AD), are classified into diffuse (associated with cognitive impairment) and dense-core types (a common finding in brains of people without Alzheimer's disease (non-AD) and without impaired cognitive function) based on their morphology. We tried to determine the usability of gray-level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM) texture parameters of homogeneity and heterogeneity for the differentiation of amyloid plaque images obtained from AD and non-AD individuals. Images of amyloid-β (Aβ) immunostained brain tissue samples were obtained from the Aging, Dementia and Traumatic Brain Injury Project. A total of 1,039 plaques were isolated from different brain regions of 69 AD and non-AD individuals and used for further GLCM analysis. Images of Aβ stained plaques show higher values of heterogeneity parameters and lower values of homogeneity parameters in AD patients, and vice versa in non-AD patients. Additionally, GLCM analysis shows differences in Aβ plaque texture between different brain regions in non-AD patients and correlates with variables that characterize patient's dementia status. The present study shows that GLCM texture analysis is an efficient method to discriminate between different types of amyloid plaques based on their morphology and thus can prove as a valuable tool in the neuropathological investigation of dementia.

Inflammation plays an important role in all stages of atherosclerosis — from endothelial dysfunction, to formation of fatty streaks and atherosclerotic plaque, and its progression to serious complications, such as atherosclerotic plaque rupture. Although dyslipidemia is a key driver of atherosclerosis, pathogenesis of atherosclerosis is now considered interplay between cholesterol and inflammation, with the significant role of the immune system and immune cells. Despite modern therapeutic approaches in primary and secondary cardiovascular prevention, cardiovascular diseases remain the leading cause of mortality worldwide. In order to reduce residual cardiovascular risk, despite the guidelines-guided optimal medical therapy, novel therapeutic strategies are needed for prevention and management of coronary artery disease. One of the innovative and promising approaches in atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease might be inflammation-targeted therapy. Numerous experimental and clinical studies are seeking into metabolic pathways underlying atherosclerosis, in order to find the most suitable pathway and inflammatory marker/s that should be the target for anti-inflammatory therapy. Many anti-inflammatory drugs have been tested, from the well-known broad range anti-inflammatory agents, such as colchicine, allopurinol and methotrexate, to targeted monoclonal antibodies specifically inhibiting a molecule included in inflammatory pathway, such as canakinumab and tocilizumab. To date, there are no approved anti-inflammatory agents specifically indicated for silencing inflammation in patients with coronary artery disease. The most promising results came from the studies which tested colchicine, and studies where the inflammatory-target was NOD-, LRR- and pyrin domain-containing protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome/interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β)/interleukin-6 (IL-6)/C-reactive protein (CRP) pathway. A growing body of evidence, along with the ongoing clinical studies, suggest that the anti-inflammatory therapy might become an additional strategy in treating atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Herein we present an overview of the role of inflammation in atherosclerosis, the most important inflammatory markers chosen as targets of anti-inflammatory therapy, along with the critical review of the major clinical trials which tested non-targeted and targeted anti-inflammatory drugs in patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

The athlete's heart is a set of morphological and functional characteristics that develop over time due to sports training. These adaptive changes result in increase in cardiac work efficiency and economy. They are manidested as cardiac muscle hypertrophy and dilation, with accompanying angiogenesis and slower heart rate, that are influenced by variable regulatory systems and genetic predisposition. The problem of sudden cardiac death in athletes, which persists despite numerous activities aimed at prevention, creates the need for a better definition of the athlete's heart, especially in terms of its differentiation from certain pathological conditions. This is of particular importance in the context of cardiac electrical activity. Right heart adaptations, hormonal regulatory mechanisms and the effects of nonphysiological adaptations during training, that may lead to pathologic alterations direction, are all relevant in the investigation of adverse cardiac events in athletes. In order to prevent sudden cardiac death in athletes, it is necessary to examine competitive athletes as well as apparently health individuals who recreationally exercise at a high volume. There are guidelines for mass screening and individual examinations, for all age groups and both genders, as well as for public service staff who require intense physical activity during their occupation. Both American and European recommendations require a detailed anamnesis and physical examination, whereas European, apart from that, require initial electrocardiography. The implementation of additional tests is necessary if the existence of any underlying pathophysiologic process is suspected. Checks should be performed before engaging in sports activities, as well as during training and competition periods.

The PCSK9 (Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin/Kexin type 9) enzyme interferes with the metabolism of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. Inhibition of PCSK9 results in lower LDL cholesterol levels, which can be achieved by different molecular pathways. Monoclonal antibodies targeting circulating PCSK9 have shown strong and persistent effects on lowering the LDL cholesterol level, while reducing the risk of future cardiovascular events. However, this therapy requires once- or twice-monthly administration in the form of subcutaneous injection. This dosing regimen might impact the therapy adherence in cardiovascular patients who often require multiple drugs with different dosing intervals. Small interfering ribonucleic acid (siRNA) represents a promising therapy approach for patients with elevated LDL cholesterol level despite optimized background statin therapy. Inclisiran is a synthesized siRNA which inhibits PCSK9 synthesis in the liver and provides sustained and durable lowering of LDL cholesterol with twice-yearly application and a good tolerability profile. Herein, we present an overview of the current available data and critical review of the major clinical trials which assessed safety and efficacy of inclisiran in different groups of patients with elevated LDL cholesterol level.

Background: Doctoral programmes are an important pillar of medical education, and although many universities award the best theses, the criteria for selection of awardees and the topics of their doctoral theses are seldom analysed. Objectives: To analyse the landscape of doctoral research through assessing the temporal trends in the criteria related to recognising the best theses. Methods: A total of 55 award-winning doctoral theses, from those submitted to the Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, over 7 years (2016–2022), were examined, focusing on the number of awardees, publications based on the theses, research subfields, and keywords. Results: The awardees comprised 36 women (65%) and 19 men (35%). The number of award-winning theses per year in clinical medicine and public health increased over the years (P < .05 for both the fields). The awardees had published a total of 134 articles based on their theses before the thesis defence, and half of these were published in open-access journals. The journals that each published at least 4 of these articles were PLOS One, Experimental and Molecular Pathology, and Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity. The cumulative impact factor of these publications showed no significant increase (P > .05). The subfields that accounted for at least 5 of the publi-cations were molecular medicine (13 publications) among the basic or translational fields, cardiology (5) among clinical medicine, and epidemiology (7) among public health. Mapping the co-occurrence of keywords from all the dissertations identified some research hotspots, which included cancer, oxidative stress, Parkinsonism, risk factors, genetic polymorphisms, and biomarkers. Conclusion: The increasing number of award-winning theses reflects the rising quality of doctoral research and the growing motivation of candidates to choose indexed journals as outlets for papers based on the theses. This approach can serve as a basis for strategic evaluation of the practices for evaluating PhD theses and for identifying strong and weak spots in the research landscape of medical schools to guide future doctoral research and the competitiveness of doctoral programmes.

Peer-assisted learning (PAL) is a form of teaching method where students facilitate the transfer of knowledge to other students and at the same time learn themselves. Department of Histology and Embryology at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Serbia has a longstanding tradition of PAL, which involves the use of undergraduate teaching assistants (UTAs) in practical microscopy classes. This research aimed to evaluate the attitudes and opinions towards UTAs work during Histology and Embryology course from the perspective of 1st year students. Data from this study were collected from 512 undergraduate medical students enrolled in the 1st study year using an anonymous semi-structured questionnaire. The analysis of the students' responses has shown that almost all of our students asked for the help of UTAs during Histology and Embryology course. Additionally, 65% of students said that they felt more comfortable asking UTAs for help during their labs than faculty teachers. Most students believe that UTAs devoted sufficient time to them during the practical classes. Nearly 90% of students agreed that UTAs gave them good advice and answers and more than 80% of students perceived that they had never received inaccurate information from UTAs. More than 40% of students can see themselves in the role of UTAs in future. These results indicate that UTAs have a significant place in the Histology and Embryology curriculum and that their role in everyday teaching represents one of the most important aspects of PAL.