The presented study is a part of the long term ongoing project on the health risk assessment on animals and humans in the region. The collected data is intended to provide a base for the animal and human risk assessment as well as an estimate of the general pollution status of the environment in the region. Since some of the investigated elements are classified as important trace elements for livestock, the results could also be used to balance and improve the animal diet and thus, improve the growth and reproduction rate.

The aim of the research was to assess the effects of physical activity of various intensity on the degree of damage to certain organs resulting from increased free radical production, as well as the adaptability of the organism to physical exercise.Two groups of healthy 3-5-year-old full-blooded racehorses were assessed. The first one ran a 2400-meter gallop race, which is considered a short-lasting, intense physical activity; lipid status was assessed prior to, and 48 and 72 h after the race. The second group ran a forty-kilometer endurance ride, which is a long-lasting moderate physical activity; the lipid status was assessed immediately before, on finishing and 48, 72, 96, 120 and 144 h after the race. The total activity of LDH changed 72 h and 96 h following the gallop race (p>0.05), whilst the maximum activity was measured immediately after the endurance ride. By means of electrophoresis LDH in all the horses 5 isoforms were detected. The activity of LDH1 72 h after the gallop race significantly rose in comparison to the one before the race (p<0.05), whilst the activity of all other isoenzymes, LDH2-LDH5, did not change significantly (p>0.05). Following the endurance ride LDH1 activity rose at all sampling times, reaching the maximum at 96 h and 144 h in comparison to the values both before and on finishing the ride (p<0.01). The increase in the activity of LDH2 was significantly higher 48 h, 72 h, 96 h and 120 h (p<0.05) after the race in comparison to that before the race, and at 48 h, 72 h, 96 h, 120 h and 144 h (p<0.05) in comparison to the values on finishing the race. LDH3 activity significantly decreased and LDH5 rose immediately after the endurance ride (p<0.01), whilst LDH4 significantly rose at all times following the endurance ride (p<0.01). The CK activity pointed to high, medium and low degree of adaptation of horses to physical activity. 550The concentrations of total proteins, albumins and globulins remained within the physiological range at all sampling times, with the exception of 96 h after the endurance ride, when the fall in albumin concentration was significant (p<0.01).Long-lasting physical activity of low intensity leads to cellular damage in the myocardium, muscles, liver and to hypoalbuminaemia, which is a consequence of free radical production.

The aim of this research was to determine the effects of physical activity on the lipid status in racehorses in a gallop race and a fortykilometre endurance ride. Two groups of healthy 3-5-year-old full-blooded racehorses were assessed. The first one ran a 2 400-m gallop race, which is considered a short-lasting, intense physical activity; lipid status was assessed prior to, and 48 and 72 h after the race. The second group ran a fortykilometre endurance ride, which is a long-lasting moderate physical activity; the lipid status was assessed immediately before, soon after and 48, 72, 96, 120 and 144 h after finishing the race. In intense physical activity the parameters of lipid status (total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, free cholesterol and triglycerides) remained stable at all times assessed in comparison with basal concentrations (p>0.05). Following the long-lasting moderate physical activity a slight, although statistically insignificant (p>0.05), increase in the concentrations of total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, free cholesterol and LDL cholesterol was noticed immediately after the endurance ride in comparison to the values before the ride. By contrast, the concentration of LDL cholesterol increased immediately after the gallop race, which was followed by its significant decrease (p<0.05) 96, 120 and 144 h after the ride in comparison to the values both before and immediately after the ride. Unlike in the gallop race, immediately after the 40-km endurance ride there was a plummet in triglyceride concentration (p<0.01), but was followed by its statistically significant increase (p<0.05 and p<0.01) at all sampling times in comparison to the value on finishing the ride. In horses which ran the gallop race there was a high positive correlation between the concentrations of total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol and triglycerides before, 72 and 96 h after the race (r = 0.9278, p<0.001). In those which ran the endurance ride a high positive correlation between the concentrations of total cholesterol and HDL cholesterol was noticed on finishing the ride (r=0.7395 p<0.01), as well as at all sampling times which followed. In addition, there was a positive correlation between the concentrations of HDL cholesterol and LDL cholesterol 72 h (r=0.6843, p<0.01) after the ride. Aerobic exercise decreases the risk of cardiovascular diseases, partly because it is accompanied by the moderate increase in serum concentration of HDL cholesterol, decrease in total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, which all result in the improvement in lipid profile in horses which completed the endurance ride. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 173034

The paper presents results of the study on depleted uranium (DU) health effects on cows bred in areas exposed to DU ammunition, during NATO bombing of Serbia and Montenegro in 1999. The samples of animal blood, soils and feed were collected randomly in the region of Bujanovac, in 2003. Complete blood cells count was performed according to standard laboratory procedures. Concentration of red blood cells malondialdehyde (RBC MDA) and erythrocyte superoxid dismutase (SOD) activity were determined spectrophotometrically. The functional activity of leukocytes was investigated by NBT reduction and adhesion test. Activity of the radionuclides was determined by standard gamma spectrometry. The obtained results of complete red blood cells count indicate normocytic normochromic anaemia. Considerably increased RBC MDA concentration suggests a violent oxidative stress in cows bred in the exposed area although the activity of their RBC antioxidant enzyme SOD was in the range of values obtained in the control group. The total number of leukocytes and the differential leukocyte counts were within the physiological range. NBT reduction test revealed the absence of leukocyte oxidative burst, which pointed to the absence of inflammation. A significant decrease of granulocyte adhesiveness, pointed at partial impairment of granulocyte functional activity. The activity of 238U/235U in soils and feed was below the minimal detectable concentration (10-3 Bq/kg), while the content of natural (226Ra and 232Th) and anthropogenic 137Cs) radionuclides in soils were within the average values for the region, except for low levels of 40K - indicating soils impoverishment in potassium

The influence of zearalenone on blood serum protein status and the feasibility of utilizing a modified clinoptilolite and esterified glucomannan to alleviate its harmful effects was examined in two trials, 31 and 29 days long, conducted on a total of 64 pigs (32 each) 60 days old, divided into four groups, each containing 8 pigs. Control groups (K) received noncontaminated feed, while experimental groups received feed supplemented with 3.84 mg/kg in the first trial and 5.12 mg/kg of zearalenone in the second trial. Pigs in the first experimental groups (O-I) were given feed with toxin only. Modified clinoptilolite in the amount of 0.2% and esterified glucomannan in the amount of 0.1% were introduced in contaminated feed of the second (O-II) and the third experimental groups (O-III) of both trials. With the use of contaminated feed, a declining trend of the A/G ratio was observed: decrease of albumin content and increase of globulin content on account of the _ globulin fraction. A decrease of the _ globulin fraction was detected at the same time. Total protein concentration was also lower. The application of adsorbents successfully alleviated harmful effects of the F-2 toxin on the affected biochemical parameters in blood serum