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.

No abstract

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 toluene exposure on some biochemical and hematological parameters was investigated in adult female Wistar rats. The animals were subjected to intraperitoneal administration of toluene diluted in propylene glycol and the diluent alone for 3, 7 and 11 consecutive days at the same time intervals. The effects of toluene and propylene glycol were evaluated biochemically by determining the plasma concentrations of total proteins albumin and ceruloplasmin (Cp) together with erythrocyte malondialdehyde (MDA), and hematological indices from peripheral blood and bone marrow. The biochemical acute phase response was manifested by an elevated Cp concentration in all experimental animals. The markedly enhanced MDA concentration and statistically significant decrease in albumin level in toluene treated rats, indicated damage, to blood vessel endothelia. Alterations of leukocytes of peripheral blood and bone marrow (BM) granulocytic-monocytic progenitor cells were typical of an inflammatory response, with stimulation of granulo-monocytopoiesis. Therefore, it can be assumed that both toluene and propylene glycol mediated sterile peritonitis and oxidative stress injury, with changes intensified by toluene action

Serum iron concentration and iron saturation of transferrin (Trf) are measures of body iron stores after administration of iron supplements. In clinical and experimental research, the complex determination of Trf was replaced by the simple determination of total iron binding capacity (TIBC). The objective of this work was to define if TIBC could be an adequate measure for Trf in neonatal piglets after i.m. iron administration. Treated piglets received 150 mg of iron-dextran i.m. the first day of life, and were compared to the untreated control group. Prior to iron administration, as well as on days 2, 8 and 12 after iron administration, serum iron and TIBC concentration were analyzed by an automatized chemical analyzer and Trf was determined by densitometry of electrophoretic strips. Our results show that regardless of iron treatment, TIBC is not a measure of Trf concentration in neonatal piglets two days after birth. At day 8 of their life a high correlation coefficient of these two parameters was established in non-treated animals, while in iron-treated piglets the same correlation was established 12 days after iron treatment. Thus, we suggest that in neonatal piglets, TIBC could be used as a measure of Trf concentration only 12 days after i.m. iron treatment

The paper presents the results of several health status parameters of sheep bred in the area exposed to depleted uranium (DU) ammunition during NATO bombing of Serbia and Montenegro in 1999. The blood samples of sheep were collected randomly in the region of Bujanovac, in 2004. Complete blood count was performed according to standard laboratory procedures. Concentration of red blood cells malondialdehyde (RBC MDA) and activity of erythrocyte superoxid dismutase (SOD) were determined spectrophotometrically, while the functional activity of leukocytes was investigated by NBT reduction and adhesion test. The results of complete red blood cells count indicated normocytic hypochromic anaemia. The total number of leukocytes and the differential leukocytes count were within the physiological range. Although the leukocytes adhesiveness was not changed in DU exposed animals, their increased NBT reduction revealed stimulated leukocytes' oxidative burst. This finding, together with significantly increased RBC MDA concentrations, as well as the activity of RBC antioxidant SOD, point to the existence of oxidative stress. Although the results indicated that animals were under oxidative stress, still there are no conclusive data that it was due to the exposure of DU that entered the environment during military operations

The aim of this study was to investigate whether prepartal leukogram in cows with retained placenta could indicate the presence of subclinical systemic inflammatory response before the onset of disease. After calving, sixteen highly pregnant Holstein cows, aged 3 to 9 years, without clinical signs of the disease prior to calving were divided into two groups: the first group (n=9) were animals without retained placenta, or any visible inflammation after birth; the second group (n=7) were cows with retained placenta. Blood was sampled three times before parturition, at intervals of one week, and once 24 hours after birth. The number of total leukocytes, segmented and non segmented neutrophilic granulocytes (NG), lymphocytes and monocytes were determined by standard laboratory techniques. The results have shown that in the group of cows with retained placenta the number of mature neutrophils was slightly elevated in the third, second and last week before calving, and equal number of non segmented neutrophils in regard to the group with no retention. The results have also shown that, in both groups of cows, 24 hours after calving, the number of total leukocytes and the number of segmented neutrophils decreased, but the number of the non segmented neutrophils increased. Based on this, we can conclude that cows with retained placenta had no systemic inflammatory response during three weeks prepartal period, but 24 hours after calving, systemic inflammatory response was documented in all the cows. Moreover, the intensity of inflammatory response in cows with retained placenta was not more pronounced in comparison to cows without retained placenta. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 175061]

There is ever increasing data indicating the vmast contribution of oxidative stress to the pathogenesis of numerous diseases (atherosclerosis, hypertension, heart failure, diabetes mellitus, stroke, rheumatoid arthritis, and others). Thus, in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis the primary role is held by reactive oxygen species that are synthetized by endothelial cells of arterial blood vessels, leukocytes and macrophages. Furthermore, native particles of lipoproteins of small density become atherogenic through oxidation caused by reactive oxygen species. The oxidation of small-density lipoproteins stimulates the inflammatory process, and it in turn steps up adhesion and the inflow of monocytes and affects the synthesis and release of numerous proinflammatory cytokines involved in the further course of the process. One of the reasons for the development of arterial hypertension is the simultaneous activation of NAD(P)H oxidase and 12/15-lipoxygenase, since it results in the stepped up production of reactive oxygen species. These stimulate the production of matrix metalloproteinase 2, which lead to vascular remodelling and to increased apoptosis of heart muscle cells. Stepped up apoptosis is linked with myocardial infarction, cardiomyopathies and the development of heart failure. The sensitivity of β-cells of the endocrine part of the pancreas to reactive oxygen species favor the naturally low concentrations of the collectors of free radicals in them, as well as an increase in the concentration of proinflammatory cytokines, glucosis and lipids that induce a reduction in the mass and function of β-cells. Hyperglycemia in diabetes mellitus causes tissue damage through non-enzyme glycosylation of intracellular and extracellular proteins, which results in: reduced enzyme activity, damaged nucleic acid, disrupted natural decomposition of proteins, and activation of cytotoxic pathways. These processes are the basis of the pathogenesis of numerous complications of diabetes mellitus. Since inducible nitrogen-oxide synthesis launches processes that stimulate apoptosis of cerebral endothelial cells, and superoxide-anion radicals, hypochloric acid and hydrogen peroxide damage the parenchyma of an ischemic brain and biomacromolecules (causing lipid peroxidation, oxidation of proteins and deoxyribonucleic acid), brain damage occurs during cerebral ischemia and reperfusion. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 173034, br. 175061 i br. 31085