The phylosophy and applicability of ecoremediations for the protection of water ecosystems

The problem of accelerated eutrophication of the water ecosystems has not been appreciated proportionally to the development of human society today. Accelerated or fast eutrophication is detected destiny in majority of ecosystems today, mainly due to adverse human impact. This paper aims to introduce ERM methods in treating the problems arising from increased total capacity and saprobity and also accelerated eutrophication. In this way the broadness and importance of ERM as an ecosystem service for the water protection should be emphasized. The basic characteristics of ERM are its high buffer and self-protective capacities, and preservation of natural habitats and biological diversity. ERM represents the ‘returning to nature’ approach aiming to preserve or re-establish the natural balance of the ecosystems, but also a human endeavor that enables new jobs and by-side activities important for economic and social development of the human society

Freshwater Cyanobacterial blooms and Cyanotoxin production in Serbia in the past 25 years

Since 1980 cyanobacterial blooms occurred in a large number of reservoirs lakes and water flows (rivers and channels) in Serbia. Among 83 water ecosystems examined, 58 were found in blooming condition almost every year during last 2 decades. All natural lakes, accumulations, rivers and canals in Vojvodina province (agricultural part) proved to be sites with frequent cyanobacterial proliferation. During the summer 2005-spring 2006 microcystin-LR survey in Vojvodina, the toxin was permanently present in all examined ecosystems and the highest value of 362.68 μgL-1 was detected in Ludoš Lake. The part of Central Serbia is very problematic for ground water supply. For that reason more than 20 reservoirs serve as drinking water suppliers. Significant and persistent cyanobacterial blooms have been recognized in 9 of them. Samples for cyanotoxin analyses were taken during and after blooms in Ćelije Reservoir and in drinking water in Kruševac town 2 days later. Concentration of microcystin-LR was 650 μgL-1 in the reservoir while the tap water contained 2.5μgL-1

Observations of the genus muelleria (bacillariophyceae) from the Republic of north Macedonia

Background and aims – An increased interest in the diatom flora from subaerial habitats in the Republic of North Macedonia has revealed the presence of a large number of interesting and often unknown, species. During a recent biodiversity survey, seven Muelleria species were recorded, several of which could not be identified based on the available literature. Methods – Using both Light Microscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy techniques, the morphology of several Muelleria species has been analysed. The morphology of all taxa is described, illustrated and compared with other possible similar Muelleria taxa, known worldwide. Key results – Four already documented Muelleria species, M. gibbula, M. islandica, M. terrestris and M. undulata (= Navicula gibbula f. undulata) were identified, while two distinct species are described as new. These new species belong to the M. gibbula complex, and can be differentiated by valve size, stria density, shape of the proximal raphe ends and the shape of external areola foramina. The identity of one taxon remains uncertain due to a low number of observed specimens in the samples. As their ultrastructure is almost entirely unknown, they are briefly discussed. Conclusions – The diversity of Muelleria in Europe and the North Hemisphere is most likely underestimated and some of the previous records of M. gibbula belong to other species. Observations of diatoms from “extreme” habitats such as intermittent ponds, wet mosses and soils can reveal the existence of interesting and new species

Dominance of Microcystis spp. in Lake Dojran – a consequence of 30 years of accelerated eutrophication

In the past 30 years, Lake Dojran (Macedonia) has experienced extreme periods of droughts and water removal for irrigation purposes that have resulted in an accelerated process of eutrophication leading to hypertrophy. In the present paper, we document successive changes of the microflora in plankton communities as a result of the prolonged eutrophication impact over this period. The original well established phytoplankton community in the lake, which was rich in species (especially coccoid green forms belonging to the genera Pediastrum, Scenedesmus, Staurastrum and Tetraedon) and which followed the natural annual succession in the form of diatoms > green algae > cyanobacteria, has been greatly modified over the years. Two episodes of intensive ‘water blooms’ have been recorded, one involving Gloeotrichia natans (in 1993/94) and the other the dinoflagellates Ceratium hirudinella and C. monoceros (1996/97), events that indicated drastic changes of the ecological conditions. Dominance of Dolichospermum aff. flosaquae was recorded in 2008. Finally, the phytoplankton in Lake Dojran completed a turnover towards the overall dominance of Microcystis spp., with a total of nine co-existing species. The first documented record of Microcystis protocystis outside pan- and neotropical regions is here presented. The described successions in phytoplankton species composition and dominance are attributed to gradual and constant changes in the nutrient status of the lake in the direction of hypertrophy, the basic nutritive parameters, total P and N content, having increased more than 40- and eight-fold, respectively, over the years. Measurements of cyanobacterial toxicity have been few, and they were sporadically performed. Nonetheless, the presence of microcystins in the water has been documented, with indications of significant concentration peaks. The paper is intended to be a tribute to all scientific workers who, like Professors Jelena and Živojin Blaženčić, have devoted their expertise and time to the task of revealing forced changes in the lake’s biota in the hope of creating a favourable atmosphere for immediate human intervention to save this once very rich and diverse ecosystem

Freshwater cyanobacterial blooms and primary liver cancer epidemiological studies in Serbia

A large part of Central Serbia experiences continual shortage of sufficient ground water resources. For that reason, more than 20 reservoirs serve as drinking water suppliers. Significant and persistent cyanobacterial "blooms" have been recognized in nine of them. Samples for cyanotoxin analyses were taken during and after "blooms" in Celije Reservoir and from Krusevac town-supplied tap water from that reservoir two days later. Concentration of microcystin-LR was 650 μgL-1 in the reservoir, while the tap water contained 2.5 μgL-1. In the two investigated periods, the high primary liver cancer (PLC) mortality of 11.6 from 1980-1990 and extremely high PLC incidence of 34.7 from 2000-2002 were observed in the regions affected by heavy cyanobacterial "blooms." In contrast, PLC mortality and incidence rates were substantially lower in the regions not affected by cyanobacterial blooms: in 1980-1990 the rate of PLC mortality amounted to 2.7 in Kosovo, 7.6 in Vojvodina, and 8.3 in the non-affected regions of Central Serbia; while in 2000-2002 PLC incidence amounted to 4.1 in Kosovo, 5.2 in Vojvodina, and 13.6 in the non- or less-affected regions of Central Serbia. Keeping in mind that the most affected PLC regions in Central Serbia (Toplicki, Niski, and Sumadijski regions) have the water supply systems based on six reservoirs found regularly in bloom during summer months and that some of the regions are also connected with two boundary "blooming" reservoirs, representing a total of eight of nine blooming reservoirs, it is easy to presume that the PLC incidence could be related to drinking water quality. The uneven geographic distribution of liver cancer in Serbia is conspicuous and hot spots could be related to drinking water supply. It is very clear that the high-risk regions for PLC occurrence correspond with drinking water reservoirs continually found with cyanobacterial blooms, and the low risk regions correspond with water supplies not affected by cyanobacteria. Copyrigh

PRIMARY MANTLE CELL LYMPHOMA OF GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT- A CASE REPORT

Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) represents a relatively rare type of mature B cell neoplasm, which arrises from the CD5+ cells of the mantle zone of lymph follicles. It often has the extranodal or leukemic presentation. It is characterized by the relative insensitivity to applied chemotherapy and high relapse rate after treatment. Median survival is about 3-4 years, and highly aggressive protocols may shift the median up to 5 years. Our patient was a typical example of the natural biological course of MCL. A male patient, 57 years old, was admitted to the Clinic for Oncology CC Nis, after he was diagnozed with primary mantle cell lymphoma of the digestive tract in the form of multiple lymphomatouos polyposis (MLP) of the colon and small intestine. After the colonoscopic biopsies, he was diagnosed with MCL. This case was regarded as advanced stage of lymphoma, with low MIPI index. He received 8 cycles of immunochemotherapy CHOP+Rituximab with excellent clinical response determined as complete remission (CR). After disease-free interval of two years, a relapse occurred in the stomach, which was histopathologically verified. MCL is still a disease with poor prognosis. Therapeutic approach, given the poor prognosis and resistance to conventional immunochemiotherapy and even high dose therapy followed by the autologuos stem cell transplantation, still remains insufficiently defined. Newer therapeutic agents which are found in a large number of clinical trials provide relatively encouraging results