Effects of induced maternal hypothyroidism on the ovarian development of offspring rats

The effects of propylthyouracil (PTU) induced hypothyroidism of rats during pregnancy and lactation on offspring ovarian development and maturation were studied. Thyroid hormones and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) concentrations were determined using the radioimmunoassay method in order to verify the hypothyroid status of treated mothers and their two months old pups. The ovaries of the offspring were processed for light microscopy analysis on the day of the first estrus after the 60th day of age. Histological analysis including follicle count was performed on serial sections stained with haematoxyline/eosin and on semithin sections stained with methylene blue. A significant increase of serum TSH and decrease in T3 and T4 levels was observed in treated mothers compared to controls. The levels of measured hormones in the control and PTU-treated two months old rats were not significantly different. Ten percent of 60-dayold treated females did not reach estrus and they were sacrificed in diestrus. The secondary interstitial cells were the dominant structures in the ovaries. The number of healthy growing and early antral follicles was markedly decreased. Ovaries of treated rats contained relatively few antral follicles, significantly more atretic antral follicles and a decreased number of corpora lutea, compared to controls. These results indicate that lack of thyroid hormones during prenatal and early postnatal development impair ovarian development in rats. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 175061

Home away from Home: Research Report

The Home away from Home ERASMUS+ project has been developed within a context of increasing levels of migration in Europe. Some of this migration is occurring into areas with a long experience of migration, whereas in other areas it is a new phenomenon. Though this tends to mean that there are different perspectives on the issue in different contexts, generally speaking migration is the subject of debate and political and social concern across the European Union. Nevertheless, there is considerably lack of knowledge and awareness about the topic. As the Special Eurobarometer report showed in 2018 (Survey 469 related to the integration of immigrants)1 , most European citizens are not aware of the actual facts and figures on migration, with only 37% being well informed about immigration and integration. At the same time, according to this report, negative perceptions of the impact immigrants have on society are more likely amongst those who do not feel well informed about immigration and integration issues and also amongst those who have little interaction with immigrants (p.82). This is the context, in which the Home away from Home project was designed with the aim of supporting the integration of refugees, asylum seekers and migrants. Though the construct of integration is a contested one, for Home away from Home it relates to the successful co-existence of two or more cultures within one society, which requires change and re-education for all in order to address negative attitudes towards increasing diversity, rather than responsibility for integration residing completely in the migrant communities, which suggests a more assimilationist process. This necessity to consider carefully and critically the language and discourse that surrounds issues of migration is a thread, which has run throughout the project and will be seen in this report on the research undertaken as part of the project. However, the diversity of background experiences, histories, and languages brought together by this project has proven to be a rich source of learning and reflection, enhanced by the opportunities grasped to see the world through different sets of eyes

Neanderthal settlement of the Central Balkans during MIS 5: Evidence from Pešturina Cave, Serbia

Recent research in the southern Central Balkans has resulted in the discovery of the first Middle Paleolithic sites in this region. Systematic excavations of Velika and Mala Balanica, and Pešturina (southern Serbia) revealed assemblages of Middle Paleolithic artifacts associated with hominin fossils and animal bones. This paper focuses on Pešturina Layer 4, radiometrically and biostratigraphically dated to Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 5, which yielded traces of temporary hunting camps. The remains of large ungulate prey are associated with predominantly Quina-type artifacts made of quartz. Artifacts from Pešturina Cave have no parallels at Mousterian sites in the Balkans but are rather similar to the Central European Charentian, which demonstrates that this cultural unit was widespread during MIS 5, not only in the southern Pannonian Basin but also in the Central Balkans. The position of the site – on the outskirts of the known spread of the Quina model of techno-economic behavior during MIS 5 – raises several questions related to population movements, residential mobility, and technological variability in the early Middle Paleolithic of Central and Southeast Europe