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Birdsfoot trefoil is a perennial legume for the production of highquality forage. Improving the production and quality of forage is one of the strategic objectives of breeding programs. The genotypes for this trial were selected from promising offspring collected from local populations in Bosnia and Herzegovina. A trial with eight genotypes (7 promising lines and 1 variety) was designed in a randomized block system with four replicates. In the first growth, 11 components of yield and quality of biomass were analyzed, and in the second growth, four additional parameters for seed production. In the first growth, highly significant correlations were found between plant height and the proportion of leaves (0.85**) and the yield of green matter and dry matter (0.81**), while a high negative correlation was found between the nitrogen-free extract (NFE) and the crude protein content (-0.79**). In the regrowth, statistically highly significant (p˂0.01) positive correlations were found between the content of NFE and ash (0.77**). Statistically significant (p˂0.05) positive relationships were found between green matter yield and dry matter yield (0.81**), green matter yield and stem diameter (0.79*), seed yield and number of pods (0.83*), and cellulose content and plant height (0.73*). The identification of positive correlations for certain productive and nutritional traits will be used in breeding programs for the creation of new varieties with improved forage quality.

Laser photoresist removal in gaseous media is based on different parameters or factors like energy of laser pulse, frequency of pulse repetition and flow rate of gas. A statistical soft computing approach was applied in this article in order to determine which parameters have the most influence on the photoresist removal process by laser. As the statistical approach adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) was used since the methodology can handle strongly nonlinear data. By selected the most important factors one can adjust the photoresist removal process in order to produce the best final product. For the selecting process three input parameters are used: laser energy, rate of pulse repetition of laser and flow rate of hydrogen gas. These parameters are selected for the analysing since these are independent variables. Pulse of laser repetition is selected as the most important factor for the photoresist removal process. Predictive models were created based on ANFIS network and corresponding results are compared with standard conventional approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microorganisms used as probiotics should meet elementary safety aspects (non-toxicity, absence of antibiotic resistance genes and translocation) and functional/technological aspects (resistance and survival in the acid gastric environment, adhesiveness, stability, and cell viability). Probiotics with the health claim of being a dietary product or a pharmabiotic (drug category) should be clinically tested, validated, documented, and continuously controlled for quality. Important quality parameters include the identification of declared probiotic strains, the number of viable microorganisms (probiotic bacteria and/or fungi), and microbiological purity (absence of specified pathogenic/opportunistic pathogenic bacteria and fungi, and limitation of total unspecified contaminants such as aerobic bacteria, yeasts, and molds). Due to numerous reports of low-quality commercial probiotics marketed for human use, this review discusses the methods used to test the probiotic microorganism content, safety for the intended use, and proven health benefits of those probiotics whose microbiological quality deviates from the manufacturer's stated content, as well as the maintenance of cell viability, i.e., stability of the probiotic during the shelf life. In addition, the adverse effects of probiotics and the potential hazards to the health of the user are addressed.

This paper presents modalities and instruments of financing social enterpreneurship which solve problems in the business of social enterprises and at the same time influence and contribute to the development of society. The survival, growth and development of these enterprises is their primary characteristic and the problem mostly determined by sources of their financing, their price and other conditions of use. Grants, micro credits, social bonds, hybrid financing, mezzanine financing, crowfunding are just some of the instruments available to social enterprises in the countries of the region, and the biggest support for their application comes from the European Union funds.

We assess the influence of a radius and a relative permittivity of an isotropic dielectric sphere on electric field homogeneity. The homogenous electric field is generated using two thin toroidal electrodes, charged by equal charges of opposite signs. The Poisson equation is solved by a method of separation of variables. Increase in a relative permittivity of the sphere and in its radius, produces more distortions of the electric field homogeneity.

Wine is a very rich source of polyphenols and essential elements which have multiple biological activities. This study evaluates the total phenolic content (TPC), antioxidant activity (AA) of sixteen wine samples made from different grape varieties in the territory of Kosovo and Metohija, mostly from the area of Orahovac and Velika Hoča. The obtained results, determined by using the Folin-Ciocalteu assay, showed that wines from territory of Kosovo and Metohija are rich in polyphenols, with TPC ranges from 276±16 to 371±46 (white wines) and 1467±32 to 2823±43 mg gallic acid equivalents GAE/L (red wines). The total antioxidant activities, determined by ABTS method, range from 8.7±0.4 to 22.8±0.7 mmol trolox equivalents TE/L for red wines and from 1.3±0.1 to 3.8±0.3 mmol TE/L for white wines. Elemental content of studied wines showed certain difference between wines from nearby regions.

The paper presents an experimental study where the distinctness of grey and white matter of an in situ postmortem porcine brain by impedance measurements is investigated. Experimental conditions that would allow to conduct the same experiment on in vivo human brain tissue are replicated.

A detailed analysis of the anesthetic-induced modulation of intracerebellar electrical activity is an important step to understand the functional brain responses to anesthesia. We examined the electrical activity recorded from different cortical layers: molecular layer (ML), Purkinje cell layer (PCL), granular layer (GL) and the white matter (WM) in the vermian part of rat cerebellar lobule V during Nembutal anesthesia using spectral and fractal analysis. Spectral analysis revealed a difference in the mean relative power of delta (0.1-4.0 Hz) and theta (4.1-8.0 Hz) frequencies through the cerebellar layers. Compared to the ML, delta activity increased significantly in the GL, while theta activity decreased in the GL and the WM. Fractal analysis revealed that the mean value of Higuchi’s fractal dimension (HFD) increased, starting from the ML to the WM. Theta activity exhibited a negative correlation with the HFD value in the ML. In contrast, the gamma activity showed a positive correlation with the HFD value in the ML and the GL. The combined use of spectral and fractal analyses revealed that Nembutal displays different effects on rat cerebellar electrical activity, which largely depends on the neurochemical and electrophysiological organization of the cerebellar layers.

The thymus is the primary lymphoid organ involved in the regulation of the immune and endocrine systems. It is particularly sensitive to various types of stress, which induce its atrophy. This study deals with the effect of repeated restraint stress on the weight, proliferation and apoptosis of the thymus in mice. During restraint, the animals were placed in 50-mL conical plastic tubes for 2 h every day for either 10 or 20 consecutive days. A significant reduction in thymus weight along with decreased cellularity and pronounced atrophy of the cortical part of the thymus was observed in animals exposed to repeated tube-restraint stress for 10 and 20 consecutive days. The observed changes in the thymus were the same, regardless of the number of days of exposure to stress. These findings provide a more comprehensive view of repeated tube-restraint, with special emphasis on its duration on stress-induced thymus atrophy. The presented findings could serve as a basis for further studies aimed at identifying the mechanisms responsible for the adaptive response of the thymus after repeated exposure to stress. [Project of the Serbian Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Grant no. 175006]

Economic development could be presented by gross domestic product to show how different factors affect the development. Gross domestic product could be affected by different nonlinear factors in positive or negative way. Hence it is suitable to apply artificial intelligence techniques in order to track the gross domestic product variation in depend on the factors. AI techniques require only input and output data pairs in order to catch the output variations based on the input factors. Therefore in this study adaptive neuro fuzzy inference system was applied in order to select the most relevant factors for gross domestic product growth rate. These factors are whole sale price index, consumer price index in urban areas, consumer price index in rural areas, state per capita income, exports, import and industry income. Results shown that the whole sale price index has the highest relevance on the gross domestic product growth rate.

The most sensitive period in brain development is during prenatal life. The use of antibiotics in pregnancy is still controversial. Recent studies revealed the high neurotoxic potential of the antibiotic and antiprotozoal medication, metronidazole. However, there are insufficient data from animal studies about prenatal treatment effects. We investigated the effect of prenatal treatment with metronidazole on cerebellar development in guinea pigs. Treatment with metronidazole was performed from the 42nd to the 49th day of gestation. On the 50th day of pregnancy, all dams were killed, and the cerebella of the fetuses were analyzed. Gross cerebellar changes characterized by malposition of the folia with partial atrophy were found in 12 of 19 fetuses in the experimental group, but in none of 20 control fetuses that received saline. The most affected were folia VII with depletion of the areal fraction of the external granular layer, molecular layer and the internal granular layer. Purkinje cells displayed cell distortion with loss of normal dendritic polarity. The investigation revealed cell depletion, with a disturbance of the cytoarchitectonic of the cerebellar cortex and folia alteration.

This review paper shows the progress made in the last five years in electrochemical methods applied for the purpose of detection and quantification of pesticides - nowadays the most serious pollutants of the environment. Most pesticides can be successfully analyzed by chromatographic techniques, but because of high prices and immobility of the apparatus, the complexity of the method and the necessary special preparation of the sample s, electrochemical methods have been recognized as an excellent alternative solution due to their advantages in speed, economy, simplicity and no exhaustive sample preparation. As the main limitation for use of this methods is electrochemical inactivity of many pesticides, this paper gives the essence of all elctroanalytical methods for pesticide quantification applied in last period, with an overview of the electrode materials and modifiers applied in a purpose to enhance analytical procedures application and characteristics of electrochemical sensors.

Clinically-related basic studies on the behavioral effects of ribavirin treatment are still lacking despite its wide use as an antiviral medication. This paper considers the effects of low ribavirin doses (10, 20 and 30 mg/kg/day) on psychomotor activity (novelty-induced exploratory behavior, d-amphetamine (AMPH, 1.5 mg/kg, intraperitoneal)-induced motor activity), and body weight gain in socially undisturbed adult male Wistar rats 24 h after the first, seventh and fourteenth once-a-day injection. Low doses of ribavirin were tested in an attempt to avoid the recognized systemic side effects related to high-dose usage. None of the singly applied ribavirin doses affected exploratory/spontaneous and AMPH-induced motor behavior (locomotion, stereotypy-like and vertical activity), however, body weight gain was significantly lower after treatment with 30 mg/kg of ribavirin. The 7- and 14-day treatments with 10 and 30 mg/kg/day of ribavirin significantly suppressed novelty-induced locomotion and body weight gain; the 14-day treatment with ribavirin at a dose of 30 mg/kg/ day decreased AMPH-induced stereotypy. These findings indicate that repeated application (up to 14 days) of low ribavirin doses results in low novelty-induced locomotion along with reduced weight gain, accentuating the existence of a U-shaped dose-response relationship with a prolonged duration of ribavirin treatment. [Projects of the Serbian Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Grant no. 173027 and Grant no. 173056]

The iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe2O3 NPs) were synthesized from two different iron salts by solid-state synthesis method. The synthesized powder of Fe2O3 NPs is soluble in water, and the colloidal dispersion was characterized by TEM, FTIR, UV-Vis spectroscopy and zeta potential measurements. Obtained NPs are spherical in shape with narrow particle size distribution and an average diameter of 3 nm. Further, the possible application of Fe2O3 NPs was proposed, due to significant electroanalytical signal amplification in the determination of herbicide bentazone in natural river water.

The present work describes a rapid and sensitive method for the determination of ultra micro amounts of tungsten (VI) based on its inhibitory effect on the oxidation of 4-hidroxycoumarine by potassium permanganate in the presence of hydrochloric acid. The sensitivity of the method is 20 ng/cm3. The probable relative error is -4.8-13 % for the W(VI) concentration range 250 to 20 ng/cm3, respectively. Kinetic equations for the investigated process which determine the order of the reactions regarding to each reaction parameter under certain experimental conditions were proposed, and they allowed quantification of the unknown concentrations W(VI) in solution. The detection and quantification limit of the method are 4.5 and 15.1 ng/cm3. The effects of certain foreign ions upon the reaction rate were determined for the assessing the selectivity of the method.

Microbial contamination of food and alimentary toxoinfection/intoxication in humans are commonly caused by bacteria such as Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli , Yersinia spp., Campylobacter spp., Listeria monocytogenes , and fungi ( Aspergillus , Fusarium ). The addition of probiotic cultures (bacterial strains Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium and the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae var. boulardii ) to food contributes primarily to food enrichment and obtaining a functional product, but also to food preservation. Reducing the number of viable pathogenic microorganisms and eliminating or neutralizing their toxins in food is achieved by probiotic-produced antimicrobial substances such as organic acids (lactic acid, acetic acid, propionic acid, phenylacetic acid, and phenyllactic acid), fatty acids (linoleic acid, butyric acid, caproic acid, and caprylic acid), aromatic compounds (diacetyl, acetaldehyde, reuterin), hydrogen peroxide, cyclic dipeptides, bacteriocins, and salivabactin. This review summarizes the basic facts on microbial contamination and preservation of food and the potential of different probiotic strains and their metabolites (postbiotics), including the mechanisms of their antimicrobial action against various foodborne pathogens. Literature data on this topic over the last three decades was searched in the PubMed , Scopus , and Google Scholar databases, systematically presented, and critically discussed, with particular attention to the advantages and disadvantages of using probiotics and postbiotics as food biopreservatives.

The mealworm Tenebrio molitor L. (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) feeds on wheat bran and is considered both a pest and an edible insect. Its larvae contain proteins and essential amino acids, fats, and minerals, making them suitable for animal and human consumption. Zearalenone (ZEA) is the mycotoxin most commonly associated with Fusarium spp. It is found in cereals and cereal products, so their consumption is a major risk for mycotoxin contamination. One of the most important effects of ZEA is the induction of oxidative stress, which leads to physiological and behavioral changes. This study deals with the effects of high doses of ZEA (10 and 20 mg/kg) on survival, molting, growth, weight gain, activity of antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione S-transferase (GST), and locomotion of mealworm larvae. Both doses of ZEA were found to (i) have no effect on survival, (ii) increase molting frequency, SOD, and GST activity, and (iii) decrease body weight and locomotion, with more pronounced changes at 20 mg/kg. These results indicated the susceptibility of T. molitor larvae to high doses of ZEA in feed., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America.)

Clinical findings show that the use of valproic acid (VPA) during pregnancy increases the risk of birth defects and autism spectrum disorder in offspring. Although there is a consensus that monitoring of potential long-term outcomes of VPA exposure is needed, especially in undiagnosed individuals, preclinical studies addressing this issue are rare. The present study examined the effects of continuous intrauterine exposure to a wide dose range of VPA (50, 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg/day) on the physical and behavioral response in peripubertal mice as a rodent model of adolescence. Body weight and the hot plate test [on postnatal days (PND) 25 and 32], the elevated plus-maze test (on PND35), and the open field test (on PND40) served to examine physical growth, the supraspinal reflex response to a painful thermal stimulus and conditional learning, anxiety-like/risk-assessment behavior, as well as novelty-induced psychomotor activity, respectively. VPA exposure produced the following responses: (i) a negative effect on body weight, except for the dose of 100 mg/kg/day in both sexes; (ii) an increase in the percentage of animals that responded to the thermal stimulus above the defined cut-off time interval and the response latency in both sexes; (iii) dose-specific changes within sexes in behavior provoked by a novel anxiogenic environment, i.e., in females less anxiety-like/risk-assessment behavior in response to the lowest exposure dose, and in males more pronounced anxiety-like/risk-assessment behavior after exposure to the highest dose and 100 mg/kg/day; (iv) dose-specific changes within sexes in novelty-induced psychomotor activity, i.e., in females a decrease in stereotypy-like activity along with an increase in rearing, and in males a decrease in stereotypy-like activity only. These findings show that continuous intrauterine exposure to VPA produces maladaptive functioning in different behavioral domains in adolescence and that the consequences are delicate to assess as they are dose-related within sexes., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Podgorac, Sekulić, Petković, Stojadinović, Martać and Pešić.)

Polyhydramnios is a condition related to an excessive accumulation of amniotic fluid in the third trimester of pregnancy and it can be acute and chronic depending on the duration. Published data suggest that during muscle development, in the stage of late histochemical differentiation decreased mechanical loading cause decreased expression of myosin heavy chain (MHC) type 1 leading to slow-to-fast transition. In the case of chronic polyhydramnios, histochemical muscle differentiation could be affected as a consequence of permanent decreased physical loading. Most affected would be muscles which are the most active i.e., spine extensor muscles and muscles of legs. Long-lasting decreased mechanical loading on muscle should cause decreased expression of MHC type 1 leading to slow-to-fast transition, decreased number of muscle fiber type I especially in extensor muscles of spine and legs. Additionally, because MHC type 1 is present in all skeletal muscles it could lead to various degrees of hypotrophy depending on constituting a percentage of MHC type 1 in affected muscles. These changes in the case of preexisting muscle disorders have the potential to deteriorate the muscle condition additionally. Given these facts, idiopathic chronic polyhydramnios is a rare opportunity to study the influence of reduced physical loading on muscle development in the human fetus. Also, it could be a medical entity to examine the influence of micro- and hypogravity conditions on the development of the fetal muscular system during the last trimester of gestation., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Sekulić, Jakovljević, Korovljev, Simić, Čapo, Podgorac, Martać, Kesić, Rakić and Petković.)

Purpose: This study deals with a comparative analysis of the effects of chronic exposure to a static magnetic field (SMF) and an extremely low frequency magnetic field (ELF MF) in Blaptica dubia nymphs. The outcome of such treatment on insect and fat body mass, glycogen and total lipid content in the fat body and locomotion, as an energy demanding process, were examined. Materials and methods: One-month-old nymphs of B. dubia were exposed to an SMF (110 mT) or ELF MF (50 Hz, 10 mT) for 5 months. Their locomotion was monitored in the 'open-field' test for 10 min and expressed as travel distance, time in movement and average speed while in motion. After that, fat body mass and content of its main components (glycogen and total lipids) were determined. Nymph body mass was also estimated after 1 and 5 months of MF treatment. Results: Chronic exposure to the SMF and ELF MF decreased nymph body mass and glycogen content in the fat body but increased all examined parameters of locomotion. In addition, chronic SMF treatment elevated total lipid content in the fat body, while chronic ELF MF treatment reduced fat body mass and total lipid content. Conclusions: These findings indicate that B. dubia nymphs are sensitive to the applied MFs and possess different strategies for fuel usage in response to the SMF and ELF MF in order to satisfy increased energy demands and to overcome stressful conditions.

Prenatal glucocorticoid overexposure could largely influence pituitary-adrenal activity and anxiety-like behavior in offspring. Our aim was to study the possible potentiating effect of moderate dose of fructose - common ingredient of today's diet - on prenatal glucocorticoid treatment-induced hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis changes. Pregnant female rats were treated with multiple dexamethasone (Dx) doses (3 x 0.5 mg/kg/b.m. Dx; 16th-18th gestational day). Half of female offspring from control and Dx treated dams were supplemented with 10% fructose solution, from weaning till adulthood. Immunohistochemistry, unbiased stereological evaluation and hormonal analysis are used to provide the morpho-functional state of pituitary and adrenal gland. Anxiety-like behavior was assessed using the light/dark box test and the elevated plus maze test. Prenatally Dx exposed females, with or without fructose consumption, had markedly reduced adrenocortical volume (p < 0.05) comparing to controls. Increased basal plasma ACTH level in these females (p < 0.05) maintained corticosterone concentration at control level produced by smaller adrenal glands. In parallel, anxiety-like behavior was shown by both tests used. In conclusion, prenatal Dx exposure cause negative psychophysiological outcome reflected in increased HPA axis activity and anxiety behavior in female offspring, while moderately increased fructose consumption failed to evoke any alteration or to potentiate effects of prenatal Dx exposure., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The neuroendocrine system can be modulated by a magnetic field and cerebral ischemia as external and internal stressors, respectively. This study deals with the separate or combined effects of an extremely low frequency (ELF) magnetic field (50 Hz, average magnetic field of 0.5 mT) for 7 days and global cerebral ischemia for 10 min on the morpho-functional features of pituitary adrenocorticotrophic (ACTH) and thyrotrophic (TSH) cells in 3-month-old gerbils. To determine the immediate and delayed effects of the applied stressors, measurements were made on the 7th and 14th days after the onset of the experiment. The ELF magnetic field and 10-min global cerebral ischemia, separately and particularly in combination, decreased (P < 0.05) the volume density of ACTH cells, while only in combination were intracellular ACTH content and plasma ACTH concentration increased (P < 0.05) on day 7. The ELF magnetic field elevated serum TSH concentration on day 7 and intracellular TSHβ content on day 14 (P < 0.05). Also, 10-min global cerebral ischemia alone increased serum TSH concentration (P < 0.05), while in combination with the ELF magnetic field it elevated (P < 0.05) intracellular TSHβ content on day 14. In conclusion, an ELF magnetic field and/or 10-min global cerebral ischemia can induce immediate and delayed stimulation of ACTH and TSH synthesis and secretion. Bioelectromagnetics. 2020;41:91-103. © 2019 Bioelectromagnetics Society., (© 2019 Bioelectromagnetics Society.)

Background: Psychotic states related to psychostimulant misuse in patients with hepatitis C virus infection may complicate acceptance and reaction to antiviral treatment. This observation equally applies to the widely used ribavirin therapy., Objective: We examined psychomotor and body weight gain responses to low ribavirin doses after cessation of intermittent amphetamine treatment in adult rats to assess its role in neurobehavioral outcome during psychostimulant withdrawal., Method: The model of amphetamine-induced (1.5 mg/kg/day, i.p., 7 consecutive days) motor sensitization and affected body weight gain was established in adult male Wistar rats. Then, additional cohort of amphetaminesensitized rats was subjected to saline (0.9% NaCl; 1 mL/kg/day; i.p.) or ribavirin (10, 20 and 30 mg/kg/day, i.p.) treatment for 7 consecutive days. Animals' motor activity in a novel environment was monitored after the 1st and the 7th saline/ribavirin injection. Body weight gain was calculated as appropriate. Determination and quantification of ribavirin in the brain tissue were performed also., Results: The 1st application of ribavirin to amphetamine-sensitized rats affected/decreased their novelty-induced motor activity only at a dose of 30 mg/kg. After the 7th application, ribavirin 30 mg/kg/day still decreased, while 10 and 20 mg/kg/day increased novelty-induced motor activity. These behavioral effects coincided with the time required to reach maximum ribavirin concentration in the brain. Body weight gain during withdrawal was not influenced by any of the doses tested., Conclusion: Ribavirin displays central effects that in repeated treatment, depending on the applied dose, could significantly influence psychomotor response but not body weight gain during psychostimulant/amphetamine withdrawal., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

Substance-use disorder represents a frequently hidden non-communicable chronic disease. Patients with intravenous drug addiction are at high risk of direct exposure to a variety of viral infections and are considered to be the largest subpopulation infected with the hepatitis C virus. Ribavirin is a synthetic nucleoside analog that has been used as an integral component of hepatitis C therapy. However, ribavirin medication is quite often associated with pronounced psychiatric adverse effects. It is not well understood to what extent ribavirin per se contributes to changes in drug-related neurobehavioral disturbances, especially in the case of psychostimulant drugs, such as amphetamine. It is now well-known that repeated amphetamine usage produces psychosis in humans and behavioral sensitization in animals. On the other hand, ribavirin has an affinity for adenosine A1 receptors that antagonistically modulate the activity of dopamine D1 receptors, which play a critical role in the development of behavioral sensitization. This review will focus on the current knowledge of neurochemical/ neurobiological changes that exist in the psychostimulant drug-addicted brain itself and the antipsychotic-like efficiency of adenosine agonists. Particular attention will be paid to the potential side effects of ribavirin therapy, and the opportunities and challenges related to its application in already existing psychostimulant-use disorder., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

Insects brain as a part of nervous system is the first-line of fast stress response that integrate stress signals to regulate all aspects of insect physiology and behaviour. The cadmium (Cd) bioaccumulation factor (BF), activity of the neurotoxicity biomarker acetylcholinesterase (AChE), dopamine content, expression and amount of Hsp70 in the brain and locomotor activity were evaluated in the 4th instar of Lymantria dispar L. caterpillars fed a Cd supplemented diet and reared in an optimal temperature regime (23 °C) and/or exposed to high temperature (28 °C). The insects originated from two forests, one close to "Nikola Tesla" thermoelectric power plant, Obrenovac (polluted population), and the other Kosmaj mountain (less-polluted population, far from any industrial region). The Cd BF was higher in the less-polluted than in the polluted population especially at the high ambient temperature. AChE activity and dopamine content were changed in the brains of L. dispar from both populations in the same manner. Hsp70 concentration in caterpillar brains showed opposite trends, a decrease in the less-polluted and an increase in the polluted population. Locomotor activity was modified in both Lymantria dispar populations, but the pattern of changes depended on the stressors and their combined effect. ACh activity and dopamine content are sensitive parameters to Cd exposure, regardless of pollutant experience, and might be promising biomarkers in monitoring forest ecosystems., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: Extremely low frequency (ELF) magnetic fields as essential ecological factors may induce specific responses in genetically different lines. The object of this study was to investigate the impact of the ELF magnetic field on fitness components and locomotor activity of five Drosophila subobscura isofemale (IF) lines., Materials and Methods: Each D. subobscura IF line, arbitrarily named: B16/1, B24/4, B39/1, B57/2 and B69/5, was maintained in five full-sib inbreeding generations. Their genetic structures were defined based on the mitochondrial DNA variability. Egg-first instar larvae and 1-day-old flies were exposed to an ELF magnetic field (50 Hz, 0.5 mT, 48 h) and thereafter, fitness components and locomotor activity of males and females in an open field test were observed for each selected IF line, respectively., Results: Exposure of egg-first instar larvae to an ELF magnetic field shortened developmental time, and did not affect the viability and sex ratio of D. subobscura IF lines. Exposure of 1-day-old males and females IF lines B16/1 and B24/4 to an ELF magnetic field significantly decreased their locomotor activity and this effect lasted longer in females than males., Conclusions: These results indicate various responses of D. subobscura IF lines to the applied ELF magnetic field depending on their genetic background.

Magnetocardiography (MCG) non-invasively provides functional information about the heart. New room-temperature magnetic field sensors, specifically magnetoresistive and optically pumped magnetometers, have reached sensitivities in the ultra-low range of cardiac fields while allowing for free placement around the human torso. Our aim is to optimize positions and orientations of such magnetic sensors in a vest-like arrangement for robust reconstruction of the electric current distributions in the heart. We optimized a set of 32 sensors on the surface of a torso model with respect to a 13-dipole cardiac source model under noise-free conditions. The reconstruction robustness was estimated by the condition of the lead field matrix. Optimization improved the condition of the lead field matrix by approximately two orders of magnitude compared to a regular array at the front of the torso. Optimized setups exhibited distributions of sensors over the whole torso with denser sampling above the heart at the front and back of the torso. Sensors close to the heart were arranged predominantly tangential to the body surface. The optimized sensor setup could facilitate the definition of a standard for sensor placement in MCG and the development of a wearable MCG vest for clinical diagnostics.

The aim of the present study was to determine does extremely low frequency magnetic field (ELF-MF, 50 Hz, 0.5 mT) affect pituitary adrenocorticotroph (ACTH) cells in adult animals. We performed two series of experiments: (1) short-term exposure of 3-month-old rats to ELF-MF for 1 and 7 days, and (2) long-term exposure of rats to ELF-MF from their conception to 3 months of age. Stereological study was performed on immunolabeled pituitary ACTH cells. The total number and volume of ACTH cells, the volume of their nuclei and pituitary volume were measured. ELF-MF exposure for 1 day significantly decreased total number and volume of ACTH cells, the volume of their nuclei, as well as pituitary volume. ELF-MF exposure for 7 days significantly reduced only the volume of ACTH cells. Life-long exposure to ELF-MF induced decrease in the volume of ACTH cells and pituitary volume. We can conclude that the applied ELF-MF has a strong influence on morphometrical parameters of the pituitary ACTH cells and could be considered as a stressogenic factor., (© 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Purpose: External magnetic fields (MF) interact with organisms at all levels, including the nervous system. Bioelectrical activity of antennal lobe neurons of adult Morimus funereus was analyzed under the influence of extremely low frequency MF (ELF MF, 50 Hz, 2 mT) of different characteristics (exposure duration and waveform)., Material and Methods: Neuronal activity (background/neuronal population and those nearest to the recording electrode) in adult longhorn beetles was registered through several phases of exposure to the sine wave and square wave MF for 5, 10 and 15 min., Results: The sine wave MF, regardless of the exposure duration, did not change the reversibility factor of antennal lobe neuronal activity in adult M. funereus. In contrast, reversibility factors of the nearest neurons were significantly changed after the exposure to square wave MF for 10 and 15 min., Conclusion: M. funereus individuals are sensitive to both sine wave and square wave ELF MF (50 Hz, 2 mT) of different duration, whereby their reactions depend on the characteristics of the applied MF and specificity of each individual.

As an ecological factor, a magnetic field can affect insects causing a wide range of responses. The main purpose of this study was to analyze the fitness components (postembryonic development and viability of individuals) and the antioxidant defense (superoxide dismutase, catalase, and total glutathione) in laboratory strains of Drosophila subobscura, originating from oak and beech forests after exposure to the strong static magnet (2.4 T, VINCY Cyclotron magnet). The first instar larvae were placed near the north pole (N group) or the south pole (S group) of the magnet for 2 h. Oak and beech populations of D. subobscura had longer development time and lower viability in N and S groups compared to controls. These differences were significant only in S group of oak population and in N group of beech population. Total glutathione content was significantly decreased in both exposed groups of oak population, while catalase activity was significantly increased in both exposed groups of beech population. Being significantly decreased in both exposed groups of oak population and significantly increased in S group of beech population in comparison to controls, superoxide dismutase activity was observed in different values. According to the results, it can be stated that applied static magnetic field could be considered a potential stressor influencing the fitness components and antioxidant defense in Drosophila flies.