Comparative investigations of immune response of calves at different intervals between primary and secondary immunization using inactivated bovine herpes virus 1 vaccine

Bovine herpesvirus 1 (BHV-1) is one of the most siginificant causes of infections of the respiratory tract of cattle and immunoprophylaxis has a key role in curbing this infection. The intensity of the immune response against BHV-1 following immunization using inactivated commercial vaccines varies depending on the type of vaccine, but it is generally believed that they provide good protection from the development of the clinical form of the infection, and that they are safe. The paper present the development of the humoral immune response in fattening calves that were immunized against bovine herpesvirus 1 (BHV-1) at different time intervals between the primary and the secondary immunization. Calves were administered a commercial vaccine, and then they were divided into two groups which were revaccinated on days 14 or 21. Over a course of the 120 days of the duration of the experiment, blood and nasal mucus were sampled 11 times. The blood serum samples were examined for antibodies to BHV-1 using the virus neutralization (VN) test, and the nasal mucus samples were analyzed using the VN test and the ELISA method. Following revaccination, it was established that there was an increase in the antibody titer in blood of all experimental animals, and it was maintained at a high level up until the very end of the experiment (day 120). In the blood serums, maximum mean values for the antibody titer were determined on day 30 in the group that was revaccinated on day 14, and on day 45 in the group of calves revaccinated on day 21. In nasal mucus, antibodies were established at the earliest, using the virus neutralization test, on day 14 following vaccination, and using the ELISA method only after revaccination. The highest antibody titer in nasal mucus was established on day 45 in the group revaccinated on day 21, and on day 120 in the group revaccinated on day 14. Based on the established antibody titer values, calves can be revaccinated using the inactivated BHV-1 vaccine already on day 14. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 31084

An overview of established provenance tests and conifer cultures of the Forest Research Institute Jastrebarsko

Pisani dokumenti o radovima na pošumljavanju i osnivanju prvih šumskih kultura zabilježeni su još početkom 19. stoljeća. Značajnija pošumljavanja u kontinentalnom dijelu Hrvatske započeta su oko 1960. godine planskim i organiziranim radom na povećanju udjela četinjača u šumskom fondu. Kako tada nije bilo stručnih i znanstvenih spoznaja o osnivanju i uzgajanju intenzivnih šumskih kultura i plantaža, osnovan je Institut za četinjače u Jastrebarskom s osnovnim ciljem kreiranja i objedinjavanja znanstveno-istraživačkih rezultata te problematike. Kontinuirana istraživanja od tada pa sve do danas provode se na stalnim terenskim pokusima koji su osnovani i raspore|eni u Hrvatskoj na različitim stanišnim uvjetima. Ukupno je osnovano oko 75.330 ha kultura četinjača, najvećim dijelom na bujadarama i vrištinama te napuštenim poljoprivrednim površinama i pašnjacima. U ovom radu prikazan je pregled osnovanih kultura četinjača i pokusa provenijencija Odjela za ekologiju i uzgajanje šuma po vrstama drveća, površini, dobnoj strukturi, lokalitetima i zastupljenosti po upravama šuma i podružnicama poduzeća Hrvatske šume d.o.o.Written documents dealing with afforestation activities and the establishment of the first forest cultures date from the early 19th century. Extensive afforestation operations in the continental part of Croatia began around 1960 with planned and organised work aimed at increasing the proportion of conifers in the forest fund. At that time specialist or scientific knowledge concerning the establishment and growth of intensive forest cultures and plantations was scarce. An institute was established in Jastrebarsko with the basic goal of creating and integrating scientific-research results of this issue. Continuing research has since been conducted in permanent field experiments established and distributed in different site conditions across Croatia. A total of about 75,330 ha of conifer cultures have mostly been established in bracken and heath areas and in abandoned agricultural areas and pastures. The paper presents an overview of conifer cultures and provenance tests established by the Department of Ecology and Silviculture in terms of tree species, area, age structure, localities and representation per Forest Branch Offices of the company "Hrvatske šume"

Comparison of experimental and calculation procedures for estimation of lipophilicity: new ida derivatives

The lipophilicity expressed as the partition coefficient of newly synthesized IDA derivatives (DIETHYLIODIDA and DIIODIDA) and commercial IDA derivatives as well as theirs corresponding complexes with 99mTc was calculated using two computer programs: PACO and ChemOffice Ultra 2003 and determinated experimentally by extraction method. The correlation between: log P calculated by two programs; ChemOffice program and experimental log P; and PACO program and experimental log P, is r=0.76, r=0.81 and r=0.91 respectively.Physical chemistry 2004 : 7th international conference on fundamental and applied aspects of physical chemistry; Belgrade (Serbia); 21-23 September 200

Chronic Kidney Disease and Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease—Is There a Link?

Research in recent years has led to the recognition of the importance of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and its relationship to the metabolic syndrome (MS). This has led to a growing interest in the potential prognostic value of NAFLD for adverse cardiovascular disease (CVD) outcome. On the other hand, searching for new risk factors for chronic kidney disease (CKD) development and progression is very important. Growing evidence suggests that the MS is an important factor in the pathogenesis of CKD. The best confirmation of this pathogenic link is hypertensive and diabetic nephropathy as the main causes of CKD. Furthermore, the possible link between NAFLD and CKD has also attracted research interest and recent data suggest an association between these two conditions. These findings have fuelled concerns that NAFLD may be a new and added risk factor for the development and progression of CKD. NAFLD and CKD share some important cardiometabolic risk factors and possible common pathophysiological mechanisms, and both are linked to an increased risk of incident CVD events. Therefore, common factors underlying the pathogenesis of NAFLD and CKD may be insulin resistance, oxidative stress, activation of rennin-angiotensin system, and inappropriate secretion of inflammatory cytokines by steatotic and inflamed liver

Some achievements in RBIM implementation according to RIMAP approach

Some results of RIMAP based RBIM implementation on the example of 21 000 components in refinery Pancevo are presented in this paper. It is proved to be a powerful tool for maintenance planning, for increasing industrial safety and decreasing inspection and maintenance costs by 25%. Changes in Serbian regulations for pressure vessels were adopted

Application of Nature-Based Solutions in Serbian Protected Area Management for the Attainment of Sustainable Development Goals

Healthy natural ecosystems, such as protected areas (PA), support and sustain biodiversity and human well-being by providing essential ecosystem services and health benefits. However, maintaining such ecosystems to provide these environmental benefits becomes a more and more challenging issue with climate changes, biodiversity loss, land degradation and the continued erosion of the natural capital, particularly in the developing world. The main objective of this research is to establish a methodology for achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 15 “Life on Land”. The methodology will include the determination of heavy metals in soil and needle samples, and questioners for different stakeholders: local people, local businesses, government, civil society organizations (CSO), and the academic community. Soils are integral components of protected area ecosystems. Soil health has been defined as “the capacity of soil to function as a vital living system, within an ecosystem and land-use boundaries, to sustain plant and animal productivity, maintain or enhance water and air quality, and promote plant and animal health” [1]. This definition speaks to the importance of managing soils, so they remain sustainable for future generations. On the other hand, the conifer needles are good bioindicators of ecosystem conditions. The questioner will allow obtaining data about the social and economic benefits of the PAs. The soil and needle samples from four protected areas in Serbia (Zlatibor, Golija, Tara, Đerdap) were analyzed using Inductively coupled plasma –optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) and X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF). Quantitative pollution indices were calculated (Enrichment factor (EF), Contamination factor (Cf), Geoaccumulation index (Igeo), Pollution load index (PLI), and Degree of contamination (Cd)), since they are effective tools for converting the raw environmental data into information relevant to support decision-making [2]. Results of this study provide a scientifically-based overview of the conditions of soil health and health of the forest ecosystem and help to propose nature-based solutions (NBS) for enhancing the sustainability of management, especially in the context of improving ecosystem services and climate change adaptation and mitigation. NBS provide affordable, sustainable, and feasible benefits that contribute to improving soil quality and support several ecosystem services relevant to support public health and social well-being [4]. Results of this study use the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 15 “Life on Land” as a global framework for establishing the partnership between PA managers, conservationists and local authorities that would enhance health and increase environmental, social and economic benefits of the PAs

Heavy Metals Distribution, Environmental and Health Risk, Sources, and Origin in Soil from European Beech Forests

Forests cover about 40% of Earth’s surface, while is 42% of the European Unions’ total land area is covered by forests and wooded land [1]. Forest ecosystems are open and dynamic systems that exchange matter with other systems such as the atmosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere [1]. Nowadays, in addition to the exchange of substances necessary for its functioning, there is also an exchange of polluting substances. Heavy metals in forest soil can originate from natural and anthropogenic processes and their high concentration can be toxic for ecosystems and humans [2]. The aim of this study is to determine: (i) heavy metal distribution in forest soil; (ii) environmental and health risk; (iii) the source of heavy metals; (iv) the origin of heavy metals; and (v) influence of the geological substrate on heavy metal contents. Soil samples were collected from European mountain beech forests in 11 countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Spain. Since European beech forests grow on a wide range of geological settings, during this research terrestrial ecosystems that lie on five major bedrock groups (andesite, carbonate, conglomerate, granite, and sandstone) were investigated. The average abundance order of heavy metal contents in forest soil samples is Cr > Zn > Ni > Pb > Cu > Co > Cd. According to geo-statistical analysis soil samples with the lowest heavy metal contents belong to cambisol soil type, on sandstone, and granite substrate, and with the highest contents belong luvisols and rendzina soil types on limestone and dolomite substrate. The concentration of most heavy metals doesn’t show a systematic pattern with depth. Considering enrichment factor (EF) Pb, Sb, Cd and As, have moderate enrichment, or moderately severe enrichment in the surface soil layer. Mercury has severe enrichment. The highest values of hazard quotient pathways are noticed for ingestion in the children population, especially in the case of Pb. The Pearson correlation coefficient revealed a positive correlation among most of the elements indicating one or more common sources of heavy metals. Based on the Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) V, Ni, Cu and Th were provided the highest percentage contribution for Factor 1, As, and Se for Factor 1 and Factor 3, Hg for Factor 4, and Cd for Factor 5. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) showed that Principle Component 1 (PC1) was mainly loaded with V, Ni, Cu, As, Se, and Th with similar high values, and Cd and Hg were strongly correlated in the Principle Component 2 (PC2). Taking into account all results it can be concluded that heavy metal concentrations in European beech forests soil are mainly determined by the geological substrate

Comparison of ICP-MS, ICP-OES, INAA, and WDXRF Techniques in Measuring Elements in Coniferous Needles Samples

The elemental composition of plant matrices has been conventionally determined by spectrometric techniques such as Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES), and Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) [1]. Wet mineralization (digestion) of samples requires time, equipment, and usage of aggressive and toxic chemicals which are the main drawbacks of those routinely used techniques [2]. The need for suitable analytical methods for direct and multi-elemental analysis of plant samples has been increased in recent years [3]. Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA) is one of the techniques for direct analysis which has been previously applied in environmental studies, nevertheless it is not a commonly used technique for plant samples. X-ray fluorescence (XRF) is another technique with the possibility of performing multi-element analysis directly on solid samples with numerous advantages. Although non-destructive techniques (INAA and XRF) are widely accepted in various fields of screening tests regarding the analytical approach, their performance needs to be evaluated in plant sample analysis. The main aim of this research was to assess how reliable non-destructive techniques are in detecting elements in conifer needles regarding routinely used spectrometric techniques. A total of 49 plant samples of four conifer species (Pinus nigra, Abies alba, Taxus baccata, and Larix decidua) were measured using two routinely used (ICPMS and ICP-OES) and two non-destructive instrumental techniques (WD-XRF and INAA). A quality control program included NIST pine needles certified reference material (1575a) analysis using all examined techniques. The techniques were compared by examination of relative ratio (element concentration measured using investigated analytical techniques divided by concentration determined by ICP-MS (figure 1)) and by correlation. Precision of all examined techniques was additionally investigated. This study confirmed that non-destructive spectroscopic techniques can be successfully applied on plant samples since sample preparation for these techniques is fast and in good accordance with the principles of green chemistry. Investigated standardless XRF method can also produce well-correlated results, compared to other techniques based on calibration standards. Obtained results suggest that the high accuracy of the analysis can be ensured by additional analytical and quality control steps (the use of internal standards, standard addition, etc.)

Effect of Sample Preparation on Portable X-Ray Fluorescence Spectrometry Analysis of Contaminated Soils

Toxic metals in soil are routinely determined by several analytical spectroscopic techniques (Atomic Absorption Spectrometry AAS, Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry ICP-OES,and Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry ICPMS)[1]. Those techniques measure metals from aqueous samples. Procedures of sample dissolution or extraction typically involve a lengthy process which requires the use of harsh conditions. Sample preparation procedures make these routinely used techniques generally time-consuming and too expensive [2]. On the other side, the need for reliable, economical, and environmental friendly technique for soil composition measuring has been growing in the environmental field, so has the demand for time and cost-efficient analytical methods for soil analysis [3]. X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF) is a multi-element analytical technique for direct, non-destructive analysis of various materials (including soils) with minimal sample preparation. The most attractive advantage of XRF is the wide dynamic range (from mg kg-1 to 100%). A portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometer (PXRF) is also capable of in-situ analysis in a short time (30–120 s) [4]. In situ PXRF analysis provides flexibility and allows rapid collection of data for a large number of samples, andproduces real-time data that can be used for rapid decision making. It is well-known that the physical characteristics of the sample play an important role in obtaining accurate results when it comes to XRF methods. Therefore it is important to determine how reliable in situ PXRF results are. Analytical accuracy and precision could be generally improved if adequate sample preparation procedure is applied compared to in situ measurements. The aim of this research was to determinate in what extent sample preparation procedure changes measured concentrations of elements and is that change the same for all investigated elements. Does soil sample homogenization or further pressing into the compact pellet systematically affect measured concentrations? Soil samples from 32 industrial, potentially contaminated sites were collected from a depth of 10 cm, 30 cm, and 50 cm. Such soils provide wide concentration range of different elements. Samples were first directly analyzed in the field, without any sample preparation using the Thermo Scientific™ Niton™ XL3t GOLDD+ PXRF Analyzer. The second PXRF analysis was performed in the laboratory on the dry,ground, and homogenized soil powder sample. One aliquot of soil powder was digested for AAS analysis, while another aliquot was pressed into a 32 mm diameter pellet and analyzed using PXRF. The quality control program involves comparison of the results with AAS reference technique. Additionally, certified reference materials of stream sediment (STSD-3) and soil (NCS DC 77301) are analyzed with different sample preparation procedures