Aliens Among Us: Sensitivity of the Invasive Alien Fish Black Bullhead as a Bioindicator of Pollution and Its Safety for Human Consumption.

This study aims to evaluate the black bullhead , an invasive alien fish (IAF) in Serbia, as a bioindicator organism and assess the safety of natural and aquaculture specimens for human consumption. A set of biomarkers was analysed to assess the bioindicator potential at a site exposed to agricultural activities. The genotoxic response was determined by an alkaline comet assay and micronucleus assay in fish erythrocytes, and the metal pollution index (MPI) was calculated to assess the toxic element burden on fish.

Effects of mining activities and municipal wastewaters on element accumulation and integrated biomarker responses of the European chub (Squalius cephalus).

This study aimed to determine concentrations of 29 elements in the gills and liver as well as biomarker response in gills, liver, and blood of European chub from Pek River (exposed to long-term mining activities), and to compare these findings with individuals from Ibar River (influenced by emission of treated municipal wastewater) and Kruščica reservoir (source of drinking water) using inductively-coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). The metal pollution index (MPI) was also calculated. Supporting analyses for the detection of the municipal wastewater presence at investigated localities included analyses of microbiological indicators (total coliforms and Escherichia coli) of faecal pollution.

Depression in the Perinatal Period: Course and Outcome of Depression in the Period from the Last Trimester of Pregnancy to One Year after Delivery in Primiparous Mothers.

: One of the most significant psychiatric problems in women is depression related to the perinatal period. Our study aims to determine the frequency and course of depressive symptomatology in the perinatal period with particular reference to objective rate and outcome of postpartum depression. : One hundred and eighty-eight pregnant/postnatal women were included in a prospective, longitudinal, observational study during which the depressive symptomatology was estimated at the third trimester of pregnancy, and the first, sixth, and twelfth month' postpartum.

Speech Sounds Production, Narrative Skills, and Verbal Memory of Children with 22q11.2 Microdeletion.

22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11.2DS), the most frequent microdeletion syndrome in humans, is related to a high risk of developing neurodevelopmental disorders.

Neuroimaging Modalities Used for Ischemic Stroke Diagnosis and Monitoring.

Strokes are one of the global leading causes of physical or mental impairment and fatality, classified into hemorrhagic and ischemic strokes. Ischemic strokes happen when a thrombus blocks or plugs an artery and interrupts or reduces blood supply to the brain tissue. Deciding on the imaging modality which will be used for stroke detection depends on the expertise and availability of staff and the infrastructure of hospitals.

Risk Factors and Predictive Value of Depression and Anxiety in Cervical Cancer Patients.

: Women with cervical cancer may experience depression or anxiety, influencing their quality of life and even their adherence to cancer treatments. This study aimed to explore and measure the levels of anxiety and depression in patients suffering from cervical cancer and to identify the possible predictors among known risk factors such as age, cancer stage, smoking status, number of partners, use of contraceptives, and annual gynecological visits. : In total, 59 patients with cervical cancer were included.

Intolerance of uncertainty and distress in women with delayed IVF treatment due to the COVID-19 pandemic: The mediating role of situation appraisal and coping strategies.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused delays of numerous medical procedures, including IVF. This study investigates the relationship between Intolerance of Uncertainty (IU), situation appraisal-the perceived threat that COVID-19 poses for infertility treatment, coping strategies, and general distress among women with a delayed IVF procedure. SEM showed that situation appraisal is a partial mediator of the relationship between IU and avoidance, as well as the relationship between IU and general distress.

Pilomyxoid astrocytoma of the thoracic spinal cord: Extremely rare case report of over 70-year-old patient.

The Pilomyxoid is rare tumor in elderly population, in addition to the occurrence of an isolated lesion in spinal cord is extremely rare in non-pediatric population. Taking biopsy and subtotal resection is the starting point in essential approach for the treatment. After defining the histopathological nature of the tumor and specified that is Pilomyxoid, the next step is the combination of reoperation and adjuvant therapy.

Perceived stress among university students in south-east Serbia during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has brought into focus the mental health of the student population. The study aimed to analyze the psychological response to the COVID-19 outbreak in terms of perceived stress and its related factors among university students in south-east Serbia. The study was conducted during the increased incidence of COVID-19 in Serbia.

Long-lasting undetected neurocysticercosis.

Neurocysticercosis is the most common parasitic disease of the nervous system, nevertheless, it can remain undetected for a long period of time, especially if it occurs in non endemic areas and regions with low-endemicity. Inadequate diagnostic procedures and lack of clinician's dedication towards this health issue can lead to a missed diagnose. Herein, we present a case of a 51-year-old male, with a missed diagnosis of neurocysticercosis for more than two decades.

Evaluation of genotoxic potential of avarol, avarone, and its methoxy and methylamino derivatives in prokaryotic and eukaryotic test models.

In this study, mutagenic and genotoxic potential of anti-tumor compounds avarol, avarone, and its derivatives 3'-methoxyavarone, 4'-(methylamino)avarone and 3'-(methylamino)avarone was evaluated and compared to cytostatics commonly used in chemotherapy (5-fluorouracil, etoposid, and cisplatin). Mutagenic potential of selected hydroquinone and quinones was assessed in prokaryotic model by the SOS/umuC assay in Salmonella typhimurium TA1535/pSK1002. Genotoxic potential was also assessed in eukaryotic models using comet assay in human fetal lung cell line (MRC-5), human adenocarcinoma epithelial cell line (A549), and in human peripheral blood cells (HPBC).

Evaluation of genotoxic potential in the Velika Morava River Basin in vitro and in situ.

The Velika Morava River is the greatest national Serbian river and the significant tributary of the Danube River. The major problems in the Velika Morava River Basin (VMRB) represent untreated industrial and municipal wastewaters. In this study, the level of genotoxic potential at the sites along the VMRB was evaluated by parallel in vitro and in situ approach.

The impact of multiple stressors on the biomarkers response in gills and liver of freshwater breams during different seasons.

Biomarkers attract increasing attention in environmental studies, as a tool for detection of exposure and effects of pollution, from both natural and anthropogenic sources. This study aims to assess the impact of multiple stressors during distinctive seasons, covering also extreme hydrological events (extensive flooding in the mid May 2014), on different levels of biological organization in the liver and gills of three closely related freshwater breams. Our previous study on DNA damage in blood cells of these specimens showed increased DNA damage in June 2014, one month after the flooding event.

Usefulness of NT-proBNP in the Follow-Up of Patients after Myocardial Infarction.

Background: Since serial analyses of NT-proBNP in patients with acute coronary syndromes have shown that levels measured during a chronic, later phase are a better predictor of prognosis and indicator of left ventricular function than the levels measured during an acute phase, we sought to assess the association of NT-proBNP, measured 6 months after acute myocardial infarction (AMI), with traditional risk factors, characteristics of in-hospital and early postinfarction course, as well as its prognostic value and optimal cut-points in the ensuing 1-year follow-up.

Methods: Fasting venous blood samples were drawn from 100 ambulatory patients and NT-proBNP concentrations in lithium-heparin plasma were determined using a one-step enzyme immunoassay based on the »sandwich« principle on a Dimension RxL clinical chemistry system (DADE Behring-Siemens). Patients were followed-up for the next 1 year, for the occurrence of new cardiac events.

Highly Efficient Neural Conversion of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells in Adherent and Animal-Free Conditions.

Neural differentiation of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) and induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) can produce a valuable and robust source of human neural cell subtypes, holding great promise for the study of neurogenesis and development, and for treating neurological diseases. However, current hESCs and hiPSCs neural differentiation protocols require either animal factors or embryoid body formation, which decreases efficiency and yield, and strongly limits medical applications. Here we develop a simple, animal-free protocol for neural conversion of both hESCs and hiPSCs in adherent culture conditions.

Comparative assessment of cardiac activity and DNA damage in haemocytes of the Mediterranean mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis in exposure to tributyltin chloride.

This study gives an insight in sensitivity of heart rate (Hr) of Mytilus galloprovincialis as a physiological biomarker. Impact of tributyltin chloride (TBT-Cl) on Hr was studied in parallel with evaluation of mutagenic, genotoxic and cytotoxic potential of TBT-Cl (10, 100 and 1000μg/L) within 96h treatment in static conditions. Mutagenic potential was assessed by SOS/umuC assay while genotoxicity was assessed in haemocytes of M.

Evaluation of Genotoxic Pressure along the Sava River.

In this study we have performed a comprehensive genotoxicological survey along the 900 rkm of the Sava River. In total, 12 sites were chosen in compliance with the goals of GLOBAQUA project dealing with the effects of multiple stressors on biodiversity and functioning of aquatic ecosystems. The genotoxic potential was assessed using a complex battery of bioassays performed in prokaryotes and aquatic eukaryotes (freshwater fish).

Determination of the sources of nitrate and the microbiological sources of pollution in the Sava River Basin.

Coupled measurements of nitrate (NO), nitrogen (N), and oxygen (O) isotopic composition (δN and δO) were used to investigate the sources and processes of N cycling, while the microbial source tracking (MST) method was used to identify microbiological pollution in the surface water of the Sava River Basin (SRB) in autumn in 2014 and 2015 during high and low water discharge. Atmospheric nitrate deposition or nitrate-containing fertilizers were found not to be significant sources of riverine nitrate in the SRB. The ranges of isotope values suggest that NO in the SRB derives from soil nitrification, sewage, and/or manure, which were further supported by MST analysis.

Longitudinal profile of the genotoxic potential of the River Danube on erythrocytes of wild common bleak (Alburnus alburnus) assessed using the comet and micronucleus assay.

The Joint Danube Survey 3 (JDS3; the biggest river expedition in 2013) had offered the unique opportunity for a large-scale monitoring approach for biomarker response in feral fish collected along a Danube stretch from Kehlheim (DE) to Sulina (RO). The advantage of genotoxicity as a marker for pollution exposure in fish is the early detection of possible long-term effects such as cancer. Therefore, genotoxicity was in the focus of the biomarker investigations in fish during the expedition.

Genotoxicity assessment of the Danube River using tissues of freshwater bream (Abramis brama).

This study examines the use of freshwater bream (Abramis brama) as a sentinel organism for genotoxicity assessment of the Danube River using the comet assay. Sampling of bream was performed during February, April, August, and November in 2014 to assess seasonal variation of DNA damage level as a response to genotoxicity in annual cycle. Additionally, concentrations of fecal coliforms and enterococci were analyzed and they indicated a critical to strong level of fecal pollution on investigated locality during annual cycle.