PHYTO-INDICATORS IN DETECTION OF LINDANE RESIDUES IN WATER.

Intensive use of pesticides, especially insecticides, in agriculture during the past several decades has already led to contamination of surface and underground waters and sediments in some regions, thus presents a serious problem for the environment. Lindane was one of frequently applied insecticides for soil treatment. In Serbia, it has been in use since 1944, but in the period 2001-2007 its use was restricted only to timber treatments. In 2009 an international ban on the use of lindane in agriculture was implemented under the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants. However, due to a long-term use and persistence, its residues can be present in underground water and sediment, thus present a potential risk for incorporation in food chains. According to Directive 2008/105/EC it is listed as one of the priority water pollutants, whose presence is mainly detected by chemical methods. However, biological tests are gaining in importance in the last few years and since some plant species are highly sensitive to certain pollutants. This work aimed to assess potential of white mustard (Sinapis alba L.), cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) and barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) as phyto-indicators of water contamination with lindane. The effect of lindane (rates 0.1 µg a.i./L--maximal allowable concentration (MAC) in water; 0.2; 0.5; 1 and 2 µg a.i./L) was assessed on physiological (germination energy and germination- %) and morphological parameters (root and shoot lengths, fresh and dry weights) of tested species. Assay was carried out using slightly modified filter paper method recommended by ISTA Regulations book (2011). The experiment was set in four replicates. Data were processed using Duncan's multiple range test for determining the differences between treatments for confidence interval 95%. Results of bioassay indicate that germination energy (70.75%) and germination (79.00%) of white mustard were significantly inhibited by lindane applied at MAC rate compared to the control (79.75, 82.00%, respectively). Physiological parameters of other test species were not affected by this insecticide. Lindane inhibited root elongation of barley seedlings at 2 µg a.i./L (20-fold MAC) and of cucumber at 0.5 µg a.i./L (5-fold MAC). Only fresh root weight of barley was inhibited by lindane at MAC quantities. Based on presented results, valid and reliable indicators of lindane presence in water can be considered germination energy and germination of white mustard and fresh root weight of barley seedlings.

Evidence for immunomodulatory properties of prolactin in selected in vitro and in vivo situations.

The relationship between neuroendocrine regulation and the immune system has recently become the subject of intense investigations. The pituitary secretes both immunostimulatory (growth hormone and prolactin) and immunosuppressive (ACTH) hormones, and is thus involved in the control of immune functions. The present work was aimed at the study of the immunoregulatory properties of prolactin in selected in vitro and in vivo model situations. Prolactin was found to enhance recovery of the receptor for sheep red blood cells (in vitro). Compared with control cells, incubation with prolactin and/or prolactin containing sera significantly enhanced the capacity of trypsin treated lymphocytes from the peripheral blood of healthy volunteers to form E-rosettes. Chlorpromazine stimulated prolactin release in males, and lactation stimulated prolactin release in females raised the number of large granular lymphocytes in peripheral circulation. Sera containing elevated prolactin levels stimulated the metabolic activity of peripheral neutrophilic leukocytes. These results suggest that prolactin may stimulate selective functions of cellular immunity, and that it is involved in interactions between the nervous, the hormonal and the immune systems.

[Benign lactic acidosis in 2 female diabetics treated with insulin]. / Benigne prebiehajúca mliecna acidóza u dvoch diabeticiek liecených inzulínom.

In two young female diabetics treated with insulin lactic acidosis developed. After normalization of the low pH of blood by NaHCO3 infusion the subjective complaints disappeared and eventually the blood lactate level reached normal values.

Effect of growth hormone on the metabolic activity of phagocytes of peripheral blood in pituitary dwarfs and acromegaly.

The increase of metabolic activity pf phagocytes estimated by nitrozolium reductase activity is often employed to distinguish between bacterial and non-bacterial febrile disorders. However, false responses has been also observed. The possible role of serum growth hormone in the activation of tetrazolium reductase activity in patients with pituitary nanism or acromegaly was studied. In isolated peripheral granulocytes of pituitary dwarfs the reductase activity was low at resting conditions as well as after starch stimulation of phagocytosis. Two hours after i. m. administration of human growth hormone the resting and stimulated tetrazolium reductase activity was significantly increased (P less than 0.05, and P less than 0.01, resp.). The increase of both activities was found also in patients with active acromegaly. A moderate increase of tetrazolium reductase activity was observed after adding of growth hormone to isolated granulocytes in vitro (P less than 0.01). These results suggest the stimulatory role of growth hormone in regulation of respiratory burst activity of peripheral granulocytes.