Arsenic in Agricultural Soils of a Historically Mined and Industrial Region of Southern Serbia and Northern Kosovo: Bioavailability and Uptake by Plants Species Zea mays L. and Solanum tuberosum L.

This article reports the results of a study focused on the presence and bioavailability of arsenic in agricultural soil in the mining and industrial regions of northern Kosovo and southern Serbia, as well as uptake and bioaccumulation of arsenic in two commonly cultivated plant species (Zea mays L. and Solanum tuberosum L.). This area was one of the most important mining districts in Europe. The collected soil samples were subjected to a modified BCR three-step sequential extraction procedure in order to investigate the chemical partitioning of arsenic in the soils. The general distribution of arsenic in various fractions was: exchangeable < reducible < oxidizable fractions. Highest concentrations of total arsenic in soil were found close to industrial facilities and tailing ponds. In addition, fluvisols were significantly more enriched with arsenic than soils at a distance from the river flows. The edible parts of the plant specimen showed different As contents, suggesting that these plant species have different propensities for the uptake and bioaccumulation of arsenic from soil.     

Solid-phase treatment with the fungus Trametes versicolor substantially reduces pharmaceutical concentrations and toxicity from sewage sludge

For safe biosolid-land-applying, sludge should be contaminant-free. However, it may contain important amounts of micropollutants, not removed in the wastewater-treatment-processes. An alternative treatment with the fungus Trametes versicolor was applied in sterile solid-phase systems consisting of sludge and a lignocellulosic substrate. Fungal colonization and activity were demonstrated during the process, according to monitoring of ergosterol, laccase activity and the naproxen-degradation test (ND24). Fourteen out of 43 analyzed pharmaceuticals were found in the raw sludge. After treatment, phenazone, bezafibrate, fenofibrate, cimetidine, clarithromycin, sulfamethazine and atenolol were completely removed, while removals between 42% and 80% were obtained for the remaining pharmaceuticals. Toxicological analyses (Daphnia magna, Vibrio fischeri and seed germination) showed an important reduction in sludge toxicity after treatment. Results suggest that a solid-phase treatment with T. versicolor may reduce the ecotoxicological impact of micropollutants present in sewage sludge. This is the first report of a fungal-approach for elimination of emerging pollutants from biosolids.     

Kinetics and mechanism of the complex formation of [Pd(NNN)Cl] with pyridines in methanol: synthesis and crystal structure of [Pd(terpy)(py)](ClO4)2

The kinetics of the complex-formation reactions between monofunctional palladium(II) complexes [Pd(NNN)Cl]⁺, where NNN is 2,2^′:6^′,2″-terpyridine (terpy), diethylenetriamine (dien) or bis(2-pyridylmethyl)amine (bpma), with pyridine, 4-methylpyridine, 4-acetylpyridine, 4-cyanopyridine and 4-aminopyridine, have been studied in methanol at 25 °C using stopped-flow spectrophotometry. The highest reactivity was observed for the [Pd(terpy)Cl]⁺ complex, whereas 4-aminopyridine is the strongest nucleophile. The results, compared with those previously published on the [Pt(NNN)Cl]⁺ complexes, are discussed in terms of reactivity and discrimination ability of the reaction centre. The crystal structure of [Pd(terpy)(py)](ClO₄)₂ has been determined by X-ray diffraction. Crystals are triclinic, space group , and consist of distorted square planar [Pd(terpy)(py)]²⁺ cations and perchlorate anions. The Pd-N bond length to the central atom of terpy ligand is well below 2.0 Å and significantly shorter than any of the other M-N distances. The pyridine plane forms a dihedral angle of 61.9(2)° with the coordination N4 donors.     

Selective inhibition of brain Na,K-ATPase by drugs

The effect of drugs from the class of cardiac (methyldigoxin, verapamil, propranolol), antiepileptic (carbamazepine), sedative (diazepam) and antihistaminic (promethazine) drugs on Na,K-ATPase activity of plasma membranes was studied in rat brain synaptosomes. Methyldigoxin in a concentration of 0.1 mmol/l inhibits enzyme activity by 80 %. Verapamil, propranolol and promethazine in concentrations of 20, 20 and 2 mmol/l respectively, entirely inhibit the ATPase activity. Carbamazepine and diazepam in concentrations of 0.02-60 mmol/l have no effect on the activity of this enzyme. According to the drug concentrations that inhibit 50 % of enzyme activity (IC(50)), the potency can be listed in the following order: methyldigoxin promethazine verapamil ? propranolol. From the inhibition of commercially available purified Na,K-ATPase isolated from porcine cerebral cortex in the presence of chosen drugs, as well as from kinetic studies on synaptosomal plasma membranes, it may be concluded that the drugs inhibit enzyme activity, partly by acting directly on the enzyme proteins. Propranolol, verapamil and promethazine inhibitions acted in an uncompetitive manner. The results suggest that these three drugs may contribute to neurological dysfunctions and indicate the necessity to take into consideration the side effects of the investigated drugs during the treatment of various pathological conditions.     

Cerebrovascular insult hospital cases in the Clinical Hospital Mostar (Bosnia and Herzegovina) from 1999 to 2003--an example of an institutional register

The analysis of a cerebro-vascular insult hospitalized cases in the Clinical Hospital Mostar as a retrospective epidemiological study was done in the Clinical Hospital Mostar for the period from 1999 to 2003. The major source of data was medical documentation of this hospital (an institutional register), the only hospital for the treatments of 457,491 inhabitants who gravitate by a health insurance for the treatment in this hospital. The study included a total of 1,555 cerebro-vascular insult cases treated in the Clinical Hospital Mostar Among them 727 (46.8%) were male patients, while 828 (53.2%) cases were female. The majority of the cases were above 50 years of life. Majority of treated female patients were older than 61 (45.6% of all cases), as well as among male patients (31.3%). The least number of cases was under 41 years in both groups (1.2%). Prevalence of risk factors was 2,035 cases (74%). During the same period risk factors research for entire Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH) was performed on the sample of 2,750 national insurance holders, out of which 852 gravitate for treatment in CB Mostar. Out of them 1.7% was found to suffer of cerebro vascular insult.     

Inhibition of rat brain ecto-atpase activity by various drugs

The in vitro effect of digoxin, verapamil, propranolol, carbamazepine, diazepam and promethazine were investigated on the ecto-ATPase activity of synaptosomal plasma membranes from the rat brain. ATP hydrolyzing activities of the enzyme were not affected by digoxin while the use of all other drugs resulted in significant and dose-dependent ihibition in ATP hydrolysis. According to values of IC(50) and K(iapp), the order of inhibitory potency of the drugs applied was: diazepam > promethazine > verapamil > propranolol > carbamazepine. Kinetic analysis of the nature of the ATPase inhibition revealed that it resulted from a direct action of drugs on the enzyme protein. The aim of the present study was to determine the potential neuromodulatory side effects of the drugs investigated. The results achieved indicated that all investigated drugs, except digoxin, may modulate neuronal activities via the purinergic receptors P2 by increasing extracellular concentrations of ATP as a consequence of inhibition of the ecto-ATPase activity. Our findings indicate that it may be useful to take into consideration the possible side effects of the investigated drugs, when they are used in treatment of different pathologies, particularly in the treatment of epilepsy by carbamazepine and diazepam.     

Long-term functional outcomes after 10 years of bilateral cochlear implantat use

The aims were to determine the benefit of bilateral cochlear implantation in a 20 years old patient implanted in Croatia on hearing and speech development. The male patient, after 10 years of deafness, got cochlear implants Med-EL Combi 40+ on both sides in one-stage surgery. The etiology of his deafness was posttraumatic meningitis. Auditory capacity and speech recognition tests were performed for both ears separately and together Average hearing level on the right ear with right cochlear implant switched on started at 62 dB 1 month after the cochlear implantation and was on 55 dB after 10 years. Average hearing level on the left ear with left cochlear implant switched on started at 55 dB 1 month after the cochlear implantation and was on 32 dB after 10 years. Average hearing level on the both ears with 2 cochlear implants switched on started at 35 dB 1 month after the cochlear implantation and was on 27 dB after 10 years. Long-term functional outcomes with bilateral cochlear implantation provides advantages over unilateral implantation including improved hearing level, speech perception in noise and improved sound localization.