Radijaciono higijenska kontrola mineralnih dodataka i smeša za ishranu svinja

Radiometric control of products involved in the food chain is an important part of ongoing quality control of products related to food and feed. Content of primordial and anthropogenic radionuclides in some products directly determines their quality and further methods of usage. The most common way of intake of radionuclides in the human body is ingestion (80 %) through contaminated food and water. The foods of animal origin are largely represented in the human diet. Therefore radiation control of animal feeds and animal products will contribute to producing food for human nutrition without or with low risk for health. This paper presents the results obtained by gamma spectrometric analysis of mineral additives and mixtures for pig nutrition, from imported and domestic production. In most samples examined, activity levels of natural and radionuclides made during production were in accordance with the regulations. A certain number of tested mineral supplement samples had increased levels of activity of 238U (640- 2100 Bq/kg), which was not in accordance with applicable regulations.Radiometrijska kontrola proizvoda uključenih u lanac ishrane je važan segment stalne provere kvaliteta proizvoda vezanih za ishranu ljudi i životinja. Sadržaj primordijalnih i antropogenih radionuklida u nekim proizvodima direktno određuje njegov kvalitet i dalji način upotrebe. Najčešći put unošenja radionuklida u ljudski organizam je ingestija (80%), putem kontaminirane hrane i vode. Kako su namirnice životinjskog porekla zastupljene u velikoj količini u ishrani ljudi, kontrola hrane za životinje i proizvoda animalnog porekla omogućila bi ishranu ljudima bez rizika. U radu su prikazani rezultati dobijeni gamaspektrometrijskom analizom mineralnih dodataka, pred smeša i gotovih smeša za ishranu svinja iz uvoza i domaće proizvodnje. U većini ispitivanih uzoraka nivo aktivnosti prirodnih i proizvedenih radionuklida je bio u skladu sa propisima. Jedan broj ispitanih uzoraka mineralnih dodataka iz uvoza i domaće proizvodnje imao je povećan nivo aktivnost 238U (640 - 2100 Bq/kg), što nije u skladu sa važećim propisima

Morphometric Parameters of Erythrocytes in Juvenile Mandarin Ducks Aix galerkulata

The morphometric parameters of erythrocytes in Mandarin ducks Aix galericulata have never been subjected to study even though this species is common in aviculture. The aim of this study is to investigate the morphometric parameters of erythrocytes in juvenile Mandarin ducks. A total of 1500 erythrocytes obtained from thirty Mandarin ducks were analysed. The smears of the peripheral blood were stained using Diff-Quik stain method, and the length and width of erythrocytes were measured using ImageJ program. The average length of the measured erythrocytes was 11.879 mu m. The maximal measured length of the erythrocytes was 10.O49 mu m, and the minimal measured length was 5.668 pm. The average width of the measured erythrocytes vvas 6.160 pm. The maximal measured width of the erythrocytes was 10.115 pm and the minimal measured width vvas 3.750 mu m. In conclusion, knowing morphometric parameters of Mandarin duck erythrocytes is the first step in evaluation process of erythrocytes functional state and health condition of an individual

Trait self-reflectiveness relates to time-varying dynamics of resting state functional connectivity and underlying structural connectomes:Role of the default mode network

BACKGROUND: Cognitive insight is defined as the ability to reflect upon oneself (i.e. self-reflectiveness), and to not be overly confident of one's own (incorrect) beliefs (i.e. self-certainty). These abilities are impaired in several disorders, while they are essential for the evaluation and regulation of one's behavior. We hypothesized that cognitive insight is a dynamic process, and therefore examined how it relates to temporal dynamics of resting state functional connectivity (FC) and underlying structural network characteristics in 58 healthy individuals. METHODS: Cognitive insight was measured with the Beck Cognitive Insight Scale. FC characteristics were calculated after obtaining four FC states with leading eigenvector dynamics analysis. Gray matter (GM) and DTI connectomes were based on GM similarity and probabilistic tractography. Structural graph characteristics, such as path length, clustering coefficient, and small-world coefficient, were calculated with the Brain Connectivity Toolbox. FC and structural graph characteristics were correlated with cognitive insight. RESULTS: Individuals with lower cognitive insight switched more and spent less time in a globally synchronized state. Additionally, individuals with lower self-reflectiveness spent more time in, had a higher probability of, and had a higher chance of switching to a state entailing default mode network (DMN) areas. With lower self-reflectiveness, DTI-connectomes were segregated less (i.e. lower global clustering coefficient) with lower embeddedness of the left angular gyrus specifically (i.e. lower local clustering coefficient). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest less stable functional and structural networks in individuals with poorer cognitive insight, specifically self-reflectiveness. An overly present DMN appears to play a key role in poorer self-reflectiveness

2D simulation and analysis of fluid flow between two sinusoidal parallel plates using lattice Bolzmann method

In order to obtain a better heat transfer, it is important to enhance fluid mixing in heat exchangers. Since there are negative effects when heat exchangers are operating in turbulent regime (like significant pressure drop, increased size of the pump) it is necessary to apply the techniques which would provide better fluid mixing when heat exchangers are operating in laminar regime. Investigations have shown that use of sinusoidal instead of flat plates results in this effect. This study is a result of two dimensional simulation of fluid flow between two parallel sinusoidal plates. Simulation was done with the use of modified Openlb code, based on lattice Boltzmann method. Reynolds number was varied from 200 to 1000, and space between the plates was varied from 3cm to 5 cm. Results showed that sinusoidal plates enhance fluid mixing, especially with greater values of Re and smaller space between the plates, which is in agreement with previous investigations

Blood lead levels in children living close to the antimony and lead mining-milling-smelting complex in Serbia

Objective of this cross-sectional study was to determine blood lead concentrations in children, living in the vicinity of the Zajača lead-antimony mining-milling-smelting complex. Other aims were to compare blood lead levels (BLLs) of exposed children to those of partially exposed and non-exposed, and correlate values of BLLs from two consecutive sampling series in 2012 and 2013. Performed laboratory method was atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). Statistical significance of comparisons was tested by univariate methods and non-parametric tests for the attributable variables: Hi-square test, proportion test. In the case of non-parametric variables, following tests were used: Kolmogorov-Smirnov Z test for testing distribution's normality; ANOVA for the normal distribution, while a Kruskal Wallis Test was used in cases without normal distribution. 142 participants were tested on lead in blood: exposed, partially exposed, and non-exposed). Mean BLLs in children living at less than 1 km from the smelter was 18.98 µg/dl , at first test series, and 12.21 µg/dl, in the second round. For those living further than 3 km mean BLLs at first series was 8.30, and at the second series it was 5.85). Blood lead concentrations in children from Zajača are highest

Seasonal forecasting of green water components and crop yield of summer crops in Serbia and Austria

A probabilistic crop forecast based on ensembles of crop model output estimates, presented here, offers an ensemble of possible realizations and probabilistic forecasts of green water components, crop yield and green water footprints (WFs) on seasonal scales for selected summer crops. The present paper presents results of an ongoing study related to the application of ensemble forecasting concepts in crop production. Seasonal forecasting of crop water use indicators (evapotranspiration (ET), water productivity, green WF) and yield of rainfed summer crops (maize, spring barley and sunflower), was performed using the AquaCrop model and ensemble weather forecast, provided by The European Centre for Medium-range Weather Forecast. The ensemble of estimates obtained was tested with observation-based simulations to assess the ability of seasonal weather forecasts to ensure that accuracy of the simulation results was the same as for those obtained using observed weather data. Best results are obtained for ensemble forecast for yield, ET, water productivity and green WF for sunflower in Novi Sad (Serbia) and maize in Gross-Enzersdorf (Austria) - average root mean square error (2006-2014) was lt 10% of observation-based values of selected variables. For variables yielding a probability distribution, capacity to reflect the distribution from which their outcomes will be drawn was tested using an Ignorance score. Average Ignorance score, for all locations, crops and variables varied from 1.49 (spring barley ET in Gross-Enzersdorf) to 3.35 (sunflower water productivity in Gross-Enzersdorf)

ESTIMATION OF GLOMERULAR FILTRATION RATE FROM SERUM CYSTATIN C AND CREATININE IN PATIENTS WITH THYROID DYSFUNCTION ODRE\IVANJE JA^INE GLOMERULSKE FILTRACIJE NA OSNOVU SERUMSKE KONCENTRACIJE CISTATINA C I KREATININA KOD BOLESNIKA SA POREME]AJEM FUNKCIJE [T

Summary: Given that thyroid function influences serum cystatin C and creatinine levels, the question arises as to whether it is possible to accurately estimate glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in patients with thyroid dysfunction. The objective of the study was to determine serum cystatin C and creatinine levels and estimate GFR in patients with thyroid dysfunction. The study included 32 cases with newly diagnosed hyperthyroidism and 27 cases with newly diagnosed hypothyroidism, as well as 20 healthy controls matched for sex and age with the cases. Serum concentrations of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), free triiodothyronine (fT3) and free thyroxine (fT4), creatinine and cystatin C were measured in all study subjects. GFR was estimated using the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD), the Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI) and cystatin C-based equations. Serum cystatin C levels were significantly higher in hyperthyroid subjects compared to controls (1.32±0.31 vs. 0.89±0.15; p<0.01). Serum creatinine levels were significantly lower in hyperthyroid subjects compared to controls (60.6±10.2 vs. 76.4±8.6; p<0.01), and significantly higher in hypothyroid subjects compared to controls (94.5±13.2 vs. 76.4±8.6; p<0.01). GFR estimated with the MDRD equations was significantly higher in hyperthyroid subjects compared to hypothyroid subjects (101.6±20.7 vs. 64.1±11.6 mL/min/1.73m 2 ; p<0.01). GFR estimated with the equation based on serum cystatin C was significantly lower in hyperthyroid subjects compared to hypothyroid subjects (59.2±22.1 vs. 92.1±16.0 mL/min/ 1.73m 2 ; p<0.01). Although serum cystatin C is regarded a reliable marker of GFR and more sensitive than serum creatinine, it has limitations in patients with thyroid dysfunction, due to significant changes in its serum concentrations Kratak sadr`aj: S obzirom na uticaj tireoidne funkcije na nivo cistatina C i kreatinina, postavlja se pitanje mogu}nosti pravilne procene (GFR) brzine glomerularne filtracije kod bolesnika sa tireoidnom disfunk ci jom. Cilj ove studije je evalu acija vrednosti cistatina C i kreati nina uz procenu (GFR) kod bolesnika sa poreme}ajem funk cije {titaste `lezde. U ispitivanje je uklju~eno 32 bolesnika sa novodijagnostikovanom hipertireozom i 27 bolesnika sa novo dijagnostikovanom hipotireozom. Kontrolnu grupu sa~injava 20 zdravih ispitanika koji odgovaraju ispitivanoj grupi prema starosti i polu. Svim ispitanicima je odre|ena koncentracija fT3, fT4, TSH, kreatinina i cistatina C. Pro cenjena je vrednost GFR jedna~inama na osnovu serumske koncentracije kreati nina, kao i jednainom baziranom na vrednosti cistatina C. Zna~ajno su vi{e vrednosti cistatina C u grupi hipertireoidnih bolesnika u odnosu na kontrolnu grupu (1,32±0,31 vs. 0,89±0,15; p<0,01). Vrednosti kreatinina statisti~ki su zna~ajno ni`e u grupi hipertireoidnih bolesnika u odnosu na kontrolnu grupu (60,6± 10,2 vs. 76,4±8,6; p<0,01), za razliku od zna~ajno vi{ih vrednosti kreatinina u grupi hipo tireoidnih bolesnika u odnosu na kontrolnu grupu (94,5± 13,2 vs. 76,4±8,6; p<0,01). GFR procenjena MDRD i CKD-EPI jedna~inama u grupi hipertireoidnih bolesnika zna~ajno je vi{a u odnosu na GFR u grupi hipotireoidnih bolesnika (101,6±20,7 vs. 64,1±11,6 mL/min/1,73m 2 ; p<0,01). GFR procenjena jedna~inom baziranom na serumskoj koncentraciji cistatina C u grupi hipertireoidnih ispitanika sta tisti~ki je zna ~ajno ni`a u odnosu na iste vrednosti u grupi hipotireoidnih subjekata (59,2± 22,1 vs. 92,1±16,0 mL/min/1,73m 2 ; p<0,01). Iako se smatra da je cistatin C pouzdan parametar u proceni GFR, senzitivniji od serumske koncentracije kreati ni na, njegova List of abbreviations: GFR -Glomerular filtration rate, MDRD -Modification of Diet in Renal Disease, CKD-EPI -Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration, TSH -thyroid stimulating hormone, fT3 -free triiodothyronine, fT4 -free thyroxine, PETIA -Particle-Enhanced Turbidimetric Immunoassay, CG -control group, HYPER -hyperthyroid subjects, HYPO -hypothyroid subjects, NS -non-significant

Industrial wastewater monitoring in the public health institutions in Serbia

Wastewater disposal is recognized by the public health sector for its potential negative environmental health impact. This paper is a cross-sectional study, for an observational period from 2015-2017, with an aim to present the scope of involvement of public health institutions in monitoring of industrial wastewaters. Wastewaters were sampled from industrial facilities of chemical, food-processing, mining-smelting and energy, transport, service, wood-processinga and textile production origin. As a study tool we used a data-base of the Institute of Public Health of Serbia, being filled-in with data from the local IPHs, analyzing wastewater quality on contract basis. In total, summing results from three consecutive years, 13392 wastewater samples were collected and analyzed, of which 44.79% (5999) did not comply to the adopted national standards. By observing wastewater treatment dynamics, generating from the legal entities whose samples were analyzed, it appears that it is insufficiently implemented. In all three monitoring years treatment persisted in less than 50% of facilities, which can be linked to the fact that parameters burdening samples at its most are: suspended and sediment matter, chemical oxygen demand, biological oxygen demand, ammonia, fats and oils, etc. The fact that most of the effluents are disposed of directly into natural watercourses indicates the constantly present risk for both environment and health

Insight and emotion regulation in schizophrenia:A brain activation and functional connectivity study

Background: Insight is impaired in the majority of schizophrenia patients. The exact neural correlates of impaired insight remain unclear. We assume that the ability to regulate emotions contributes to having good clinical insight, as patients should be able to regulate their emotional state in such a way that they can adapt adequately in order to cope with impaired functioning and negative stigma associated with a diagnosis of schizophrenia. Numerous studies have shown emotional dysregulation in schizophrenia. We investigated the association between insight and brain activation and connectivity during emotion regulation. Methods: Brain activation during emotion regulation was measured with functional MRI in 30 individuals with schizophrenia. Two emotion regulation strategies were examined: cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression. Clinical insight was measured with the Schedule for the Assessment of Insight - Expanded, and cognitive insight was measured with the Beck Cognitive Insight Scale. Whole brain random effects multiple regression analyses were conducted to assess the relation between brain activation during emotion regulation and insight. Generalized psychophysiological interaction (gPPI) was used to investigate the relation between task related connectivity and insight. Results: No significant associations were found between insight and neural correlates of cognitive reappraisal. For clinical insight and suppression, significant positive associations were found between symptom relabeling and activation in the left striatum, thalamus and insula, right insula and caudate, right pre-and postcentral gyrus, left superior occipital gyrus and cuneus and right middle and superior occipital gyrus and cuneus. Furthermore, reduced clinical insight was associated with more connectivity between midline medial frontal gyrus and right middle occipital gyrus. For cognitive insight and suppression, significant positive associations were found between self-reflectiveness and activation in pre-and postcentral gyrus and left middle cingulate gyrus. Conclusions: Our results suggest an association between the capacity to relabel symptoms and activation of brain systems involved in cognitive-emotional control and visual processing of negative stimuli. Furthermore, poorer self-reflectiveness may be associated with brain systems subserving control and execution

Industrially contaminated areas in Serbia as a potential public health threat to the exposed population

Mining and mineral processing is still a vital source of income in Serbia, due to mineral abundance in copper, lead, zinc, antimony. Copper mining and metal-processing are located in the east: Bor, Veliki Krivelj, Cerovo, Majdanpek. Abandoned sites from antimony mining and processing and secondary lead smelter are at the western border: Zajača, Krupanj, Stolice. Coal mining and power plants are surrounding Belgrade: Obrenovac (2 power plants), Grabovac (plant ash landfill), Kolubara and Kostolac. Main objective is to focus on potential public health hazards from industrial contamination in Serbia. Key public health issue is presence of As and Cd in ambient air PM10 close to industrially contaminated sites due to the fact that ores have high naturally occurring contents of heavy metals and metalloids. Data originate from Serbian Environmental Protection Agency, Mining and Metallurgy Institute Bor, Belgrade Institute of Public Health, as part of continuous measurement of air quality within State network of automatic stations. Concentration of As in PM10 are extremely above the limit value in Bor and Lazarevac, with Cd values slightly increased in Bor. Serbia lacks the legal framework for continuous and institutionalized follow-up of population groups vulnerable to hazardous environmental exposure, although measured concentration indicate urgent need for such activities