From EU-SoilHydroGrids to HU-SoilHydroGrids: A leap forward in soil hydraulic mapping

Spatially explicit, quantitative information on soil hydraulic properties is required in various modelling schemes. At European scale, EU-SoilHydroGrids proved its applicability in a number of studies, in ecological predictions, geological and hydrological hazard assessment, agri-environmental models, among others. Inspired by its continental antecedent, an analogous, but larger scale, national, 3D soil hydraulic database was elaborated for the territory of Hungary (HU-SoilHydroGrids) supported by various improvements (i-iv) in the computation process. Pedotransfer functions (PTFs) were built in the form of i) advanced machine learning methods and ensemble models, and trained on the ii) national soil hydrophysical dataset. The set of predictors used in PTFs was supplemented by iii) additional environmental auxiliary variables. Spatial layers of the soil hydraulic parameters were generated using iv) 100 m resolution information on primary soil properties, namely DOSoReMI.hu. HU-SoilHydroGrids provides information on the most frequently required soil hydraulic properties (water content at saturation, field capacity and wilting point, saturated hydraulic conductivity and van Genuchten parameters for the description of the moisture retention curve) with national coverage at 100 m spatial resolution down to 2 m depth for six GSM standard depth layers. The HU-SoilHydroGrids has significantly lower squared error in the case of describing the moisture retention curve and hydraulic conductivity than the EU-SoilHydroGrids. The derived 3D soil hydraulic database (ver1.0) is presently available in National Laboratory for Water Science and Water Safety for project partners in order to test its functional performance in describing hydrological and ecological processes.

Internetfüggőség: a 21. század orvosi kihívása?

A digitalizáció és az egyre szélesebb körben elérhető, megfizethető árú internet következtében a 21. századra a problémás internethasználat előfordulása és aránya is nő, mely döntően a fiatalkorúakat érinti, és a jövőben feltehetően egyre nagyobb kihívást fog jelenteni az egészségügyi ellátórendszerek számára. Az internetfüggőség kialakulásának legfontosabb rizikófaktorai az életkor (minél korábbi életkorban használ az illető digitális eszközt), a férfinem, valamint a nem megfelelő társas és családi kapcsolatok. Egyes belső tulajdonságok, mint a neurózis, a túlzott visszahúzódás is szerepet játszhatnak létrejöttében. Szövődhet pszichés problémákkal (depresszió, szorongás), mentális és szomatikus betegségekkel, továbbá gyakran társul egyéb függőségekkel. Funkcionális képalkotó vizsgálatok eredményei alapján bizonyos agyterületek kóros változásai mutathatók ki az érintett egyéneknél, ezek között azonban jelentős heterogenitás figyelhető meg. Más függőségekhez hasonlóan az extenzív internethasználat az élet valamennyi területére kedvezőtlen hatással bír. Kezelésére egyelőre nem rendelkezünk magas szintű evidenciákkal, úgy tűnik azonban, hogy egyéb (klasszikus) függőségek kezelésében használt terápiák hatékonyak lehetnek. Orv Hetil. 2022; 163(38): 1506–1513.

[Chronic orofacial pain]

Orofacial pain is the common name of a variety of disorders from inflammatory diseases to neuropathic pain syndromes. This condition is quite common, it may involve 7% of the whole population. Patients (and doctors) are not aware of the origin of their complaints, therefore initial management falls among the variety of healthcare professionals. The aim of our review was to summarize the current evidence of chronic orofacial pain including diagnosis, management and pitfalls. Orv Hetil. 2019; 160(27): 1047-1056.

The Relationship between Body Fat Percentage and Some Anthropometric and Physical Fitness Characteristics in Pre- and Peripubertal Boys

The main aim of this study was to compare anthropometric and physical fitness indicators of boys of the same chronical age but with different fat percentages. Subjects were Hungarian boys aged 9⁻13 years (N = 6919). Anthropometry was measured according the guidelines of the International Biological Program. Relative body fat was estimated by Drinkwater⁻Ross's method (1980); Conrad's growth type of physique was also estimated (1963). Physical fitness was tested with 30 m dash (s), standing long jump (cm), fistball throw (m), and 1200 m run (s). Subjects of each cohort were grouped into seven subgroups with fat percentage ranges of 4%. Differences between subgroups were tested by one-way ANOVA. In the case of a significant F-test, Tukey's post-hoc tests were used. The level of effective random error was set at 5% in all significance tests (p < 0.05). Except for the three groups with low fat percentages, values of body weight, stature, body mass index, and plastic and metric indexes were significantly higher; results of 30 m, 1200 m running, and standing long jump were worse in all groups with higher fat percentages. An interesting finding of the current study is that body fat percentage also influenced the physical fitness of non-overweight and obese children as well when using merely the 4% ranges in grouping by fatness. The lower the fat the better the physical fitness was in this sample of pre- and peripubertal boys.

Acetyl-L-carnitine and oxaloacetate in post-treatment against LTP impairment in a rat ischemia model. An in vitro electrophysiological study

A high proportion of research relating to cerebral ischemia focuses on neuroprotection. The application of compounds normally present in the organism is popular, because they do not greatly influence the synaptic activity by receptor modulation, and can be administered without serious side effects. Oxaloacetate (OxAc) and acetyl-L-carnitine (ALC) are such favorable endogenous molecules. ALC can exert a protective effect by improving the energy state of the neurons under ischemic conditions. A promising neuroprotective strategy is glutamate scavenging, which can be achieved by the intravenous administration of OxAc. This study involved the possible protective effects of ALC and OxAc in different post-treatment protocols against long-term potentiation (LTP) impairment. Ischemia was induced in rats by 2-vessel occlusion, which led to a decreased LTP relative to the control group. High-dose (200 mg/kg) ALC or OxAc post-treatment resulted in a higher potentiation relative to the 2VO group, but it did not reach the control level, whereas low-dose ALC (100 mg/kg) in combination with OxAc completely restored the LTP function. Many previous studies have concluded that ALC can be protective only as pretreatment. The strategy described here reveals that ALC can also be neuroprotective when utilized as post-treatment against ischemia.

From farm to fork follow-up of thermotolerant campylobacters throughout the broiler production chain and in human cases in a Hungarian county during a ten-months period

A study tracking thermotolerant campylobacters from the setting of the broilers throughout the whole rearing period, slaughter and sale of chicken products in five consecutive broiler rotations of the same henhouse as well as in two different other farms was conducted in a well-defined geographic area (Hajdú-Bihar county, Hungary) between March 2006 and Feb 2007. All notified cases of human campylobacteriosis in this area during the study period were also included. One hundred and one, 44, 23 and 282 Campylobacter jejuni and 13, 15, 20 and 60C. coli were isolated from broiler houses, slaughterhouses, retail shops and human samples, respectively. Sixty-two isolates collected from broilers or their environment selected from different flocks (57C. jejuni, 5C. coli), 92 isolates collected from abattoirs and retail shops (72C. jejuni, 20C. coli), as well as 85 randomly selected human isolates (74C. jejuni, 11C. coli) were subjected to PFGE analysis using restriction enzymes KpnI and SmaI. Sixty-six of the isolates produced unique Sma-Kpn profiles; the majority (46) of these were of human origin. The remaining isolates formed PFGE clusters of between 2-25 isolates with 14 (12C. jejuni and 2C. coli) main clusters comprised of five or more isolates with identical KpnI-SmaI patterns. Two genetic clones of C. jejuni (clone A, n=25; clone B, n=20) included 18% of isolates from different sources. Generally, isolates from one cluster were found in 1-3 different flocks, notably, clone B was present in three rotations including those from the two independent farms. Six of the seven investigated flocks had one or two characteristic prevalent clones. Transmission of clones between consecutive flocks was frequently seen. Spread of both C. jejuni and C. coli was traced multiple times along the food chain; eight C. jejuni, but no C. coli clones were detected both in broilers and humans. These data suggest that broilers were the major source for C. jejuni but not for C. coli in the studied area and period. For C. jejuni the carryover of strains between consecutive flocks may be a common event, but the strain is eventually replaced by another and consecutive carryover events seem to be infrequent. The majority of the human disease was due to nonepidemic strains; some clones were transmitted from more than one broiler flocks (including epidemiologically unrelated flocks) to humans multiple times.

Physical and physiological performances in 10-year-old obese boys

Fatness generally has a negative influence on the performance of a variety of motor and cardiorespiratory fitness tests. The aim of this comparison was to analyse the effects of three grades of obesity on somatic growth, physical performance and oxygen consumption during exercise. Volunteer boys with definitely different grades of obesity were recruited for the comparison. In the group of mildly obese children (G1; n=23) BMI ranged between 24 kg.m -2 and 26 kg.m -2 ; and individual percent body fat was between 33% and 33.5%. In the case of moderate obesity (G2; n=23) BMI ranged between 26.5 kg.m -2 and 28.5 kg.m -2 ; and percent body fat was between 35% and 36%. In the extremely obese group (G3; n=20) BMI was greater than 31 kg.m -2 ; percent body fat was greater than 37.5%. Oxygen consumption during the 1,200 m run-test was measured by VIMEX-ST-type (USA) telemetric equipment.The greatest absolute aerobic power referred to the G3 boys, and the lowest oxygen consumption was characteristic of the mildly obese group. The very high differences between the body mass means resulted in a more marked inter-group variability in mean relative oxygen uptake.The predicted relative fat and high body fat content observed on the trunk, and the elevated level of resting blood pressure may indicate serious risks for the development of cardio-respiratory and metabolic disease. The very low oxygen consumption relative to body mass and poor physical performance are expected consequences of physiologic and environmental influences on the obese population.

Longitudinal differences in running endurance and body mass index--a 25-year comparison

Long-range repeated-measure sample differences in body dimensions, body composition and physical performance help to describe the changes in a population's lifestyle. The aim of our study was to analyse such changes in longitudinal studies repeated after a 25-year interval. Data collections repeated every six months for the periods 1977-1981 (n=152) and 2002-2006 (n=158) were carried out in nonathletic boys aged between 6.51 and 11.50 years from the same districts of Budapest. Means for height, body mass, BMI, body fat percentage, and distance covered during a running endurance test, as well as the slopes of the changes were compared. The children of the second series of studies were significantly taller and heavier, had more depot fat and showed poorer cardio-respiratory endurance than their peers 25 years before. The increases with age in weight, BMI and depot fat were steeper in the second series. The significant differences that developed in anthropometric traits and physical performance during these 25 years are regarded as indirect evidence for how severely the average physical condition had declined, as well as how health risks of the schoolchildren had increased.

Longitudinal differences and trends in body fat and running endurance in Hungarian primary schoolboys

Long-range repeated-measure sample differences in body dimensions, body composition and physical performance are considered accurately describing the changes in a population's life standards and lifestyle. The aim of our study was to analyse such changes in longitudinal studies repeated after a 15-year interval. Two six-monthly repeated data collections (1987-1991 and 2002-2006, respectively; n = 136 and n = 147, respectively) were carried out in non-athletic boys aged between 6.51 and 11.00 decimal years in the same schools of the city of Gyor, Hungary. The means of height, body mass, body mass index (BMI), body fat percentage and running distance in the Cooper-Test were compared as well as the slopes of the changes. The children of the second series of studies were significantly taller and heavier, had more depot fat and showed poorer cardio-respiratory endurance than their peers 15 years before. The increases with age in weight, BMI and depot fat were steeper in the second series. The significant differences that developed in body weight, fat content and physical performance between the two samples during these 15 years are regarded as an indirect evidence for how severely the average physical condition had declined, respectively how the health risks of the schoolchildren of the respective middle socio-economic strata had increased. Recent adverse changes in lifestyle are too strong, so that the presently obligatory physical education classes at school (four times in 10 days, 45 minutes per class) cannot be expected to provide any solution. Daily 90 minutes blocks of exercise only may promise some improvement.

Prevalence and characterization of Salmonella infantis isolates originating from different points of the broiler chicken-human food chain in Hungary

During the 10-month study period Salmonella contamination of broiler houses and the flocks reared in three farms (A, B and C), the slaughter houses where the flocks were slaughtered, as well as the carcass and retail raw meat products originating from them was investigated. In the broiler farm A five consecutive flocks, in the B and C farms one flock was sampled. Environmental samples were taken prior to the introductions. Environmental, drinking water, feed and faecal samples were collected regularly using standard methods. Before and during processing of the flocks, environmental and carcass samples were taken at the abattoirs. Salmonella contamination of the carcass, retail meat, as well as stool samples of farm and abattoir workers and from human illnesses registered in the same period and region were also examined. Isolation, sero-, phage- and antibiotic resistance typing, class 1 integron and plasmid profiling of the strains were performed; their genetic relationship was assessed by PFGE. Although the broiler house and the faecal samples of the 5 flocks of the farm A were negative for Salmonella, S. infantis was isolated from 20-100% of the abattoir carcass samples. The retail raw meat samples were 0-100% S. infantis positive. The environmental samples of farm B were Salmonella negative, but the examined flock was contaminated: S. infantis was identified from 43% of the faecal samples. This serotype was identified in 100% of the carcass and retail raw meat samples. From environmental samples taken before the arrival of the 1-day-old chicks in the broiler house C, S. infantis was cultured. S. infantis prevalence in the faecal samples was 35% and all the carcass and retail raw meat samples were S. infantis contaminated. Altogether 164 S. infantis strains were isolated out of which 145 were further characterized. The vast majority (142/145) of the strains belonged to phage types 217 and 213. All but one were characterized by the nalidixic acid-streptomycin-sulphonamide-tetracycline resistances, had an 885 bp class 1 integron and a large plasmid of > 168 kb in size. The strains showed > or = 88.7% genetic similarity. The results obtained shows that the same multi-drug resistant S. infantis clone was spread from the examined broiler farms contaminating the slaughter and the retail meat and appeared in the human illnesses of the examined region that was earlier detected as the dominant clone characteristic of the broiler and human population of the whole country.

Lifestyle, body composition, and physical fitness changes in Hungarian school boys (1975-2005)

General socioeconomic conditions as well as the physical environment have undergone remarkable changes in Hungary during the past 30 years. Unfortunately, these positive processes have resulted in a reduction of habitual physical activity along with unfavorable changes in dietary habits. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to compare some selected morphological and functional parameters of 7-14-year-old Hungarian schoolboys living in the middle of the 1970s and at the beginning of the new millennium. It was hypothesized that there would be significant differences in morphological and functional characteristics of the Hungarian schoolboy populations, because they were assessed 30 years apart. Means of height, body mass, body mass index (BMI), the sum of five skinfold tests, percentage of body fat, and two running performance times (400 m and 1,200 m) of the boys (N = 3,672) studied in 1975 were compared to those of the boys (N = 3,758) in 2005. Data were analyzed using two-tailed independent samples t tests (p < .05). We observed significant secular changes in body mass and height. In addition, boys in 2005 had significantly more subcutaneous fat compared to 1975. The running times for the two distances were significantly poorer at the time of the second investigation. The remarkable and unfavorable changes in body composition and cardiorespiratory performance were attributed to the continuously decreasing intensity of habitual physical exercise and a lifestyle that had become more sedentary (watching TV playing computer games, etc.). Radical interventions are necessary to reduce these risks associated with the high prevalence of cardiovascular disease in Hungary, and the challenge to resolve the problem requires combined efforts at the educational, societal, corporate, and governmental levels.

Effects of 3 hours a week of physical activity on body fat and cardio-respiratory parameters in obese boys

The prevalence of overweight or fat children and adolescents has markedly increased in Hungary during the past three decades. Among the possible factors insufficient physical activity and a relative or absolute excess of calorie intake associated to it can be regarded as the most important ones. The aim of the study was to analyse the effects of a 20-week aerobic exercise on body composition and on the exercise tested cardio-respiratory functions in 10-year-old obese boys. Obesity was defined by a BMI greater than the cut-off value reported by Cole and co-workers (5) and a relative body fat content above 30% (13). Of the study group 21 volunteer children completed the program; the contrast group contained 28 obese boys. Mean calendar age was 10.03 +/- 0.26 in the study group (S) and 9.88 +/- 0.29 in the control group (C). The members of group S had two curricular physical education (PE) classes a week and three extracurricular aerobic physical activity sessions of 60 min net time in the afternoon, on Mondays (swimming and water games), Wednesdays (folk dance) and Fridays (soccer). Group C had only 2 PE classes a week. Anthropometric and spiroergometric data were collected in the middle of January and June of 2004. Relative body fat content and BMI did not increase during the observation period in contrast to the significant increase of both in the control group. Peak minute ventilation, aerobic power, oxygen pulse, and running distance (performed on a treadmill) increased in group S, and did not change in group C. The program was considered successful despite that the changes in the observed physiological and physical indicators appeared to be slight. However, the 5-month elevated level of physical activity brought about such development in the physical status of the obese subjects that might be an appropriate basis for regular training. Fortunately, the cardio-respiratory functions of the investigated boys were not affected yet by obesity, consequently the really dramatic change in their further lifestyle exclusively depends on their decision.

Overweight and obesity in 7 to 10-year-old Hungarian boys. Short communication

Increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity is a serious social and health problem both in the economically developed and developing countries. Despite this fact the nation-wide growth studies completed in Hungary during the past 30 years had not categorised the children either by body fat content or nutritional status. The aim of the study was to estimate the prevalence of overweight and obese boys in the country at the beginning of the new millennium. Height, body mass and four skinfold thicknesses were measured in 7173 volunteer boys aged between 7 and 10 and living in various urban and rural settlements of Hungary between 2003 and 2005. Nutritional status was qualified by the BMI and relative body fat content. The significantly increasing prevalence with age of overweight and obesity ranged between 10.3 and 23.4%. The results showed the joint effects of a secular trend of growth and of a remarkably changed lifestyle. Of these the consequences of the lifestyle are the more important ones. The high and possibly further increasing prevalence of child-age overweight and obesity reminds one of the observations of Kopp and associates (5), namely that of the increased prevalence of chronic childhood diseases during the past 15 years. More intense habitual physical activity and dramatic changes in dietary habits still promise some solution. No one should reckon, however, with the efficiency of physical education at the schools with its very few classes.

Vasotab, a vasoactive peptide from horse fly Hybomitra bimaculata (Diptera, Tabanidae) salivary glands

Horse flies feed from superficial haematomas and probably rely heavily on the pharmacological properties of their saliva to find blood. Here we describe the first evidence of vasodilators in horse fly Hybomitra bimaculata (Diptera, Tabanidae) salivary gland extract and clone and express one of the active peptides (termed vasotab). Physiological tests using crude salivary gland extracts and reverse-phase HPLC fractions demonstrated positive inotropism in isolated rat hearts, vasodilatation of coronary and peripheral vessels, and Na, K-ATPase inhibition. One of the vasoactive fractions was analysed by N-terminal Edman degradation and a 47-amino-acid sequence obtained. A full-length cDNA encoding the peptide was cloned from a phage library using degenerate primer PCR and the peptide expressed in insect cells. A 20-amino-acid signal sequence precedes the mature 56-amino-acid vasotab peptide, which is a member of the Kazal-type protease inhibitor family. The peptide has a unique 7-amino-acid insertion between the third and fourth cysteine residues. The recombinant peptide prolonged the action potential and caused positive inotropism of isolated rat heart myocytes, and may be an ion channel modulator.

Delayed vaccine virus replication in chickens vaccinated subcutaneously with an immune complex infectious bursal disease vaccine: quantification of vaccine virus by real-time polymerase chain reaction

The distribution of the immune complex vaccine virus for infectious bursal disease (IBD) in tissue was examined and the viral loads of the organs were quantitatively compared. One-day-old specific pathogen free (SPF) and maternally immune broiler chickens were injected subcutaneously with the vaccine. Lymphoid and non-lymphoid tissues were collected at various time intervals during the experiment to test for infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV)-RNA by using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Only the bursa of Fabricius was found to be positive with unusually long viral persistence in the broiler group. The positive bursa samples were further investigated by using real-time PCR coupled with a TaqMan probe. The highest amounts of the virus were detected at its first appearance in the bursa: on day 14 post vaccination (PV) in the SPF chickens and on day 17 and day 21 PV in the maternally immune broiler group. The virus then gradually cleared, most likely due to the arallel appearance of the active immune response indicated by seroconversion.

Direct and indirect interrelations between anthropometric and physiological variables in athletic and non-athletic adolescent girls: a path-analytic study

Our previous analysis of anthropometric and exercise test data of 62 athletic and 56 non-athletic girls (age range 10.5-15.5 years) showed that the intensity of habitual exercise failed to discriminate between the group means of the studied variables. However, the patterns of intervariable correlations differed between the subgroups categorized by physical activity. The present paper studies the problem of this difference further by using exploratory multivariate regression of aerobic power (VO2max) on 10 anthropometric variables and age. The VO2(max) regression was significant (Y(nonathletic) = 0.0194x(1) + 0.004x(2) - 0.371x(3) + 0.045x(4) - 0.177x(5) + 0.070x(6) - 0.271x(7) - 0.170x(8) + 0.015x(9) - 0.0005x(10) + 0.185x(11), SEE = 0.37, R2 = 0.71, F(11.44) = 9.63; Y(athletic) = 0.029x(1) + 0.063x(2) + 0.277x(3) - 0.030x(4) - 0.069x(5) + 0.151x(6) - 0.148x(7) + 0.001x(8) + 0.018x(9) - 0.019x(10) - 0.065x(11), SEE = 0.32, R2 = 0.71, F(11.50) = 11.30), but none or only one of the independent variables had a significant partial regression coefficient. The individual VO2(max) estimates were studied in both groups by using the other group's regression formula to rule out sample dependence. Both formulae gave good approximations of the observed values in spite of the dissimilar regression coefficients. The path analysis of the respective criterion-predictor correlation coefficients confirmed that the relationship of the predictor variables with VO2(max) involved quantitatively direct and indirect effects in the non-athletic and athletic groups.

Body composition and peak aerobic power in male international level Hungarian athletes

Body size, physique, body composition and physiological performance of elite athletes are independent aspects, have aroused the interest of exercise scientists, but studies that combine these aspects in elite athletes are scarcely available. The aim of the present study was to describe the selected anthropometric and exercise physiological characteristics of some Hungarian top athletes. The investigated subjects were qualified Hungarian water polo players (n=25), paddlers (n=24) and modem pentathlonists (n=20), all of whom had been medalists at several continental and intercontinental competitions. The athletes' body composition was estimated by the Drinkwater-Ross (45) body mass fractionation technique. Peak physiological performance was estimated by graded exhausting spiroergometric treadmill exercise. Intergroup differences in mean height, body mass and body composition characteristics were significant at the 5% level of random error. By the results of spiroergometry, all the three groups compared could be qualified as physically excellently trained. The greatest oxygen uptake relative to body mass was found in the modern pentathlonists (73.22 ml x kg(-1) x min(-1)) and the lowest one (59.79) in the water polo players. The authors do not disregard the favourable effects of regular and adequate trainings in the development of the studied characteristics, but in their opinion the process of proper selection has been the most important factor that explains the observed significant intergroup differences.

Book reviews

Karl-Heinz Waldmann and Michael Wendt (editors), Klaus Bickhardt, Karl Heinritzi, Karl Heinz Lahrmann, Hans Plonait†, Karl-Heinz Waldman, Michael Wendt and Werner Zimmermann (co-authors):Lehrbuch der Schweinekrankheiten (Textbook of Swine Diseases). Parey Buchverlag, Berlin, 2001. 3rd revised edition. 626 pages with 318 figures and 63 tables. Format 17 × 24 cm. ISBN 3-8263-3373-X. Price: € 89.95.  Roy Mack, Bettina Mikhail and Michel Mikhail:Dictionary of Veterinary Medicine and Biosciences / Wörterbuch der Veterinärmedizin und Biowissenschaften / Dictionnaire de médecine vétérinaire et des sciences biologiques (English-German-French). 3rd, revised and expanded edition, 2002. Parey Buchverlag, Berlin. 1692 pages. 17 × 24 cm. ISBN 3-8263-3405-1. Price: € 94.95.  Környezet- és Természetvédelmi Lexikon (Encyclopaedia of Environmental Protection and Nature Conservation) (in Hungarian language). 2nd, revised and expanded edition. Akadémiai Kiadó, Budapest, 2002. Hardcover, two volumes (664 and 588 pages).

Mechanisms underlying delayed afterdepolarizations in hypertrophied left ventricular myocytes of rats

Cardiac hypertrophy was induced in rats by daily injection of isoproterenol (5 mg/kg ip) for 7 days. Membrane voltage and currents were recorded using the whole cell patch-clamp technique in left ventricular myocytes from control and hypertrophied hearts. Ryanodine-sensitive delayed afterdepolarizations (DADs) and transient inward current (I(ti)) appeared in hypertrophied cells more often and were of larger amplitude than in control cells. DADs and I(ti) are carried principally by Na/Ca exchange with smaller contributions from a nonselective cation channel and from a Cl- channel. The latter is expressed only in hypertrophied myocytes. In hypertrophy, the density of caffeine-induced Na/Ca exchange current (I(Na/Ca)) was increased by 26%, sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca2+ content as assessed from the integral of I(Na/Ca) was increased by 30%, the density of Na-pump current (I(pump)) was reduced by 40%, and the intracellular Na+ content, measured by Na+-selective microelectrodes was increased by 55%. The results indicate that DADs and I(ti) are generated by spontaneous Ca2+ release from an overloaded SR caused by a downregulated Na pump and an upregulated Na/Ca exchange. These findings may explain the propensity for arrhythmias seen in this model of hypertrophy.

Pathological and immunological study of an in ovo complex vaccine against infectious bursal disease

The appearance of very virulent strains of infectious bursal disease (IBD) virus at the end of the 1980s made it necessary to develop more effective immunization procedures. To facilitate this, the immunogenicity and the immunosuppressive effect of a mild (G-87), an intermediate (LIBD) and an intermediate-plus (IBDV 2512) IBDV strain were tested after the in ovo inoculation of 18-day-old SPF and broiler chicken embryos. It was established that no noteworthy difference existed between the immunized and the control embryos in hatching rate and hatching weight. The higher the virulence of the vaccine virus strain, the more severe damage it caused to the lymphocytes of the bursa of Fabricius. In SPF chickens, the haemagglutination inhibition (HI) titres induced by a Newcastle disease (ND) vaccine administered at day old decreased in inverse ratio to the virulence of the IBD vaccine strain, while in broiler chickens this was not observed. Despite the decrease of the HI titre, the level of protection did not decline, or did so only after the use of the 'hot' strain. SPF chickens immunized in ovo with a complex vaccine prepared from strain IBDV 2512 and IBD antibody showed the same protection against Newcastle disease as the broilers. In broiler chicken embryos immunized in ovo, only strain IBDV 2512 induced antibody production, and such chickens were protected against IBD at 3 weeks of age. The complex vaccine administered in ovo has been used successfully at farm hatcheries as well.

Functional restoration of the bursa of Fabricius following in ovo infectious bursal disease vaccination

The primary role of the avian bursa of Fabricius is to provide an essential microenvironment for B-lymphocytes to diversify their immunoglobulin genes by gene hyperconversion. Infectious bursal disease (IBD) vaccination using intermediate plus vaccine strains can temporarily deplete the bursal follicles and interrupt the normal B-cell development, which is generally followed by B-cell repopulation and histological regeneration. To find evidence that functional restoration of the bursa of Fabricius occurs in addition to the histological regeneration, we have analysed the chB1 gene expression, which indicates active bursal B-lymphocytes, and also the surface expression of a carbohydrate structure Lewis(x), a marker which identifies those bursal B-lymphocytes that are undergoing gene hyperconversion. In ovo vaccination with an immune complex vaccine (IBDV-BDA) caused transient bursal destruction in both the SPF and the maternally protected broiler groups with differences evident in the starting time, the severity and the duration of the effect. After the depletion phase, signs of histological regeneration appeared together with chB1- and Lewis(x) expression indicating that B-lymphocytes were functionally active and the bursa of Fabricius was serving again as an efficient primary lymphoid organ providing an appropriate microenvironment for B-cell development.

[Detection of antibodies against pancreatic islet cells in clinical practice]

Development of diabetes mellitus caused by pancreatic beta-cell destruction of autoimmune origin is the result of a long lasting process. The most easily examinable feature of this stage is the occurrence of the islet cell antibodies. The sera which are positive for islet cell cytoplasmic antibodies (ICA), examined by indirect immunofluorescence, contain a mixture of antibodies. The glutamic acid decarbocylase (GAD), the tyrosin phosphatase (IA2), the insulin, and the GM2-1 glycolipid can be the targets of these antibodies. One can routinely examine the ICA, the GADA, the IA2 antibodies. The detection of antibodies against insulin (IAA) and GM-2-1 glycolipid is not invented in the routine laboratory work. The aim of the authors was the evaluation of clinical significance of occurrence of islet cell antibodies: one hundred and eighteen nondiabetic children an adult human being without known diabetic first degree relatives and 366 type 1 diabetic children and adult patients served as controls. The authors evaluated the predictive value of the different islet cell antibodies to the development of type 1 diabetes mellitus in 596 nondiabetic children with type 1 diabetic first degree relatives. The authors looked for markers of beta-cell destruction among sera of 320 diabetics manifested after 30 years of age with at least half a year of non-insulin-dependency and in the sera of 68 females suffered from gestational diabetes after 0-14 years of the index pregnancy. Finally the authors report 7 cases in which the examination of islet cell antibodies helped the diagnosis and classification of diabetes mellitus. Indirect immunofluorescence method was used for the detection of ICA, radioimmunoassay for that of GADA and IA2 antibodies. There was no positive reaction for ICA and GADA in the nondiabetic population without diabetic first degree relatives. Among the freshly diagnosed type 1 diabetic children 39% were positive for only ICA, 44% for only GADA and 80% for any antibodies. Among the freshly manifested type 1 diabetic adults ICA positivity only was observed in 21%, GADA positivity only in 7.1% and 93% for any antibodies. From the 595 nondiabetic children with type 1 diabetic first degree relatives 23 were positive for ICA, from whom 5 became diabetic during a two years observation period. These diabetic children had multiplex autoantibodies besides ICA. One child from this group, who was negative for ICA became diabetic, too. Among type 2 diabetic patients 13% were positive for ICA alone, 17% were positive for GADA alone and 27% were positive for any antibodies. The insulin dependency manifested in a short time was associated with antibody positivity. Among the gestational diabetics 10 were found positive for ICA. From them, 7 were type 1 diabetics, and 3 were type 2 diabetics at the time of the detection of antibodies. The authors suggest the need of determination of islet cell antibodies in the group of nondiabetic first degree relatives of type 1 diabetic patients (ICA, GADA, IA2 and IAA), in the group of non-insulin-dependent diabetics (ICA and GADA) as a screening for later insulin dependency, and in gestational diabetes after delivery (ICA) as screening for type 1 diabetes mellitus.

[Susceptibility to selected chemotherapeutics of Staphylococcus aureus strains resistant to methycyline isolated from clinical materials in the years 1991-1992 and 1997]

The susceptibility to selected chemotherapeutic agents was determined in 100 strains of Staphylococcus aureus methicillin-resistant (MRSA) isolated from clinical materials in 1991-1992 (50 strains) and in 1997 (50 strains). Two methods were used for the determination: disc method and antibiotic dilution in agar. The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined for vancomycin, teicoplanin, furazolidone, nitrofurantoin, ofloxacin, gentamicin, netilmicin and trimethoprim. The concentrations of the chemotherapeutics in the substrate ranged from 0.125 to 512 mg/l. The obtained results served for drawing of the following conclusions: all studied MRSA strains isolated in 1991-1992 and in 1997 were sensitive to glycopeptide antibiotics: vancomycin and teicoplanin, to nitrofurans: nitrofurantoin and furazolidone, and to fusidic acid. MRSA strains isolated in 1991-1992 were sensitive to ofloxacin, but in 1997 about 80% of the strains were resistant to that antibiotic, and this resistance was noted in S. aureus strains with homogeneous resistance to methicillin. Increasing frequency of resistance to mupirocin was found, in 1991-1992 4% of the strains were resistant, and in 1997 the resistance of MRSA to that antibiotic was found in 12%. No changes occurred in the sensitivity of staphylococci to trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (cotrimoxazole). About 94% of strains in 1991-1992 and 1997 were sensitive to that drug. The sensitivity to cotrimoxazole is connected with one of its components (trimethoprim), with 94% of MRSA strains sensitive to it.

L-type calcium current in catecholamine-induced cardiac hypertrophy in the rat

This study investigates whether an increase in L-type calcium current (ICa) could explain the prolongation of the action potential associated with the cardiac hypertrophy produced by repeated administration of isoprenaline. Hypertrophy was induced by daily injection of isoprenaline (5 mg/kg i.p.) for 7 days in male Wistar rats. Under whole-cell voltage-clamp conditions, ICa was evoked in Na(+)- and K(+)-free solution, by step depolarizations from a holding potential of -45 mV in single left ventricular myocytes isolated from control and hypertrophied rat hearts. In the test group, heart weight to body weight ratio and cell membrane capacitance were increased by 30 and 34%, respectively. Peak ICa was increased by 26% (control, -1.46 +/- 0.06 nA, n = 17; hypertrophy, -1.85 +/- 0.13 nA, n = 19; P < 0.02). However, when normalized for cell capacitance, there was no significant difference in peak current density (control, -12.1 +/- 0.5 pA/pF; hypertrophy, -11.5 +/- 0.6 pA/pF). The voltage dependence of ICa was similar in both cell types. No change was observed either in the steady-state activation or inactivation kinetics, or in the time course of inactivation. The recovery from inactivation of ICa, when fitted with monoexponential function with time constant tau rec, was not changed significantly by hypertrophy (control, tau rec = 115 +/- 23 ms, n = 9; hypertrophy, tau rec = 120 +/- 12 ms, n = 15). The increased calcium current occurs in parallel with the increase in cell size. The prolonged action potential duration seen in this model must be explained by changes in currents other than L-type calcium current.

Transient outward current in catecholamine-induced cardiac hypertrophy in the rat

We have demonstrated that a daily injection of isoproterenol (5 mg/kg ip) for 7 days induces a 30% increment in heart weight-to-body weight ratio and prolongs the action potential duration (APD) in male Wistar rats. The underlying mechanism of the prolonged APD was investigated in this model of hypertrophy by measuring the transient outward potassium current (Ito) in left ventricular myocytes of the rat with whole cell voltage-clamp techniques. Cell membrane capacitance was increased by 39%: 122 +/- 3 (n = 23) and 171 +/- 5 (SE) pF (n = 20) in control and hypertrophy, respectively (P < 0.001). Ito was evoked in sodium-free solutions containing 0.5 mM Ca2+ and 2 mM Co2+ by step depolarizations from a holding potential of -80 mV. The amplitude of the 4-aminopyridine-sensitive Ito (at 70 mV) was reduced by 28% in hypertrophy: 3.2 +/- 0.3 (n = 23) and 2.3 +/- 0.4 (SE) nA (n = 20) in control and hypertrophy, respectively (P < 0.05). When normalized for cell capacitance, the reduction was much larger: 26.4 +/- 2.5 and 13.1 +/- 1.8 pA/pF in control and hypertrophy, respectively (P < 0.001). The voltage dependence of Ito was similar in both cell types. No change was observed in the steady-state activation and inactivation kinetics in the two groups, nor was there a change in the time dependence of inactivation. The recovery from inactivation of Ito when fitted with a monoexponential function was not changed significantly in hypertrophy: time constants = 8.2 +/- 0.4 (n = 13) and 8.3 +/- 0.3 ms (n = 12) in control and hypertrophy, respectively. These results show that Ito density is decreased in catecholamine-induced cardiac hypertrophy, but current kinetics are not affected. The reduced Ito density may underlie the prolongation of APD in this model of hypertrophy.

[Intrauterine management of Rh-alloimmunization]

The authors report the strategy of invasive management of Rh alloimmunisation in pregnancy. From the 34 pregnancies 6 were monitored by amniocenteses, 11 by fetal blood sampling, and 4 with combination of the two above mentioned diagnostic procedures. In 13 cases the fetuses were treated with intrauterine intravascular blood transfusions. All the procedures were ultrasound guided. The fetal blood sampling and the transfusions were carried out by puncturing the umbilical vein or artery. For transfusions, maternal blood was used in case of identical blood type, otherwise adult Rh negative, filtered, washed, irradiated blood was transfused. They report the complications as well, giving the cause of their fetal losses in details. There were no maternal complications observed. Out of the 34 pregnant women 25 had healthy newborns, which number is acceptable in this disease with a very high mortality rate. The authors underline that the technique of fetal blood sampling and intrauterine transfusion if needed is necessary in the management of Rh alloimmunised pregnancies.

Blood pressure and heart rate reactivity to mental strain in adolescent judo athletes

This exploratory investigation examined the association between maximal aerobic power (VO2max) and blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) reactivity to mental challenge. Adolescent male judo athletes (n = 20) performed a 2-min mental arithmetic. Heart rate was recorded before, during, and after the arithmetic, and BP was recorded before and after the mental challenge. Blood pressure in the immediate stress-recovery period was not related to VO2max, but subjects having a higher maximal aerobic power showed faster HR recovery from mental stress than those having a lower VO2max. Subjects who showed earlier peak HR responses, during the stress episode, demonstrated lower average HR reactivity than subjects who attained the maximal HR response later in the stress period. The relationship between the interval to reach peak HR and the magnitude of reactivity deserves further attention. However, at present these findings should be viewed as tentative because of the uniqueness and size of the sample.

[Surgical treatment of bacterial endocarditis of the tricuspid valve]

We present a rare case of bacterial endocarditis of tricuspid valve caused by temporary intracardiac pacing. The 48-year old male patient developed complete a-v block during the 1st day of acute inferior myocardial infarction. Intracardiac electrode was inserted for temporary pacing. After 4 days signs of bacterial endocarditis developed. Patient was markedly febrile, moderate tachycardia with gallop rhythm and systolic murmur of tricuspid valve insufficiency were present. Dullness to percussion was audible at the base of right lung. Hepato- and splenomegaly appeared during the second month of hospitalization. Laboratory tests revealed: elevated ESR, leukocytosis with a shift to the left, several blood cultures were positive to Staphylococcus aureus. On repeated chest X-ray patchy infiltrates with thin-walled translucent pools were visible. Transthoracic and transoesophageal++ echocardiography provided more precise informations. Bacterial vegetations were visualised on the tricuspid valve. Coronary angiography revealed proximal occlusion of the right coronary artery and 75-80% stenosis of the left circumflex artery. Antibacterial treatment guided by blood cultures was begun: vancomycin combined with netilmycin, then tienamycin and diflucan--after 10 weeks treatment was decided to be unsuccessful and the decision about surgical treatment was made. In extracorporeal circulation posterior left leaflet together with granular bacterial growths was excised. Septal and anterior leaflets were found normal. Cultures made of excised tissue were positive for Staphylococcus aureus and subsequent treatment with fluoroquinolones gave satisfactory result. Postoperative echocardiography revealed only small tricuspid valve insufficiency. Coronary by-pass surgery was performed later because of the high risk of simultaneous operation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Developmental changes in long-opening behavior of L-type Ca2+ channels in embryonic chick heart cells

In the early (3-day) stage of development, long-lasting openings of the L-type Ca2+ channels (mode 2) occur in embryonic chick heart cells. Since mode-2 behavior is infrequently observed in adult heart cells of other species, in the present study, developmental change in behavior of the Ca2+ channel was examined in young (3-day) and old (17-day) embryonic chick heart cells. In the whole-cell voltage clamp, the L-type Ca2+ current carried by Ca2+ ions was smaller in amplitude and had a faster inactivation in 17-day cells than in 3-day cells. The peak current density was 8.1 +/- 0.2 microA/cm2 (mean +/- SEM, n = 5) and 5.1 +/- 0.3 microA/cm2 (n = 5) in 3-day and 17-day cells, respectively. When the charge carrier was Ba2+, the L-type Ca2+ channel current density was also smaller in 17-day cells (22.7 +/- 1.8 microA/cm2) than in 3-day cells (28.3 +/- 2.1 microA/cm2). In single-channel recordings, the mode-2 behavior was infrequent in 17-day cells compared with 3-day cells. High-open probability sweeps (with an open probability of greater than 0.25), reflecting mode-2 behavior, accounted for 20.2% and 3.7% in 3-day and 17-day cells, respectively. The ensemble-averaged currents in 17-day cells was 37% of that current in 3-day cells. In addition, decay of the averaged current appeared to be faster in 17-day cells than in 3-day cells. All data from the single-channel analysis agreed with the data from the whole-cell voltage clamp.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Sodium-pump injury and arrhythmogenic transient depolarizations in catecholamine-induced cardiac hypertrophy

The pathogenesis of arrhythmogenic transient depolarizations (TDs) was studied by means of electrophysiological and cytochemical methods in normal and hypertrophied left ventricular myocardium of the rat. In hypertrophy induced by administration of 5 mg/kg isoprenaline once daily for 7 days, the myocardial membrane was depolarized, the action potential duration was prolonged and the Vmax was decreased, as compared with those of age-matched normal controls. TDs induced by a train of action potentials could be observed in hypertrophied myocardium, but not in normal control myocardium. Ryanodine completely abolished TDs, but the beta-adrenoceptor agonist noradrenaline and the adenylate cyclase activator forskolin were without effect. In cytochemical studies, the Na+,K(+)-ATPase activity was localized in the sarcolemma, and three times as much reaction product, which appeared on the inner side of the cell membrane, was found in the normal myocardium than in the hypertrophied myocardium. The results suggest that catecholamine-induced cardiac hypertrophy damages the membrane-bound Na+,K(+)-ATPase and causes a cAMP-independent intracellular Ca overload and TDs, thereby permitting abnormal impulse formation, which predisposes the diseased myocardium to develop arrhythmias.

Catecholamine-induced cardiac hypertrophy uncouples beta-adrenoceptors from slow calcium channels

Changes in the parameters of Ca(2+)-dependent slow action potentials (APs) and in their sensitivity to noradrenaline, forskolin, dibutyryl-cAMP and extracellular Ca2+ concentration were studied and compared in left ventricular trabeculae from normal control rats and rats with cardiac hypertrophy. Cytochemical studies were also carried out to determine changes in the activity of membrane-bound adenylate cyclase. Hypertrophy was induced by administration of 5 mg/kg isoproterenol once daily for 7 days. In hypertrophied cardiac muscle, the overshoot of the slow APs was increased by 75%, the maximum rate of rise (Vmax) increased by 76% and the AP duration at 50% repolarization (APD50) prolonged by 56%. The Vmax, an indicator of the slow inward Ca2+ current, increased, in a dose-dependent manner, in response to the beta-adrenoceptor agonist noradrenaline, the adenylate cyclase activator forskolin, the protein kinase activator cAMP and elevated Ca2+ concentration in normal control preparations, whereas in hypertrophied myocardium, the beta-agonist noradrenaline and the adenylate cyclase activator forskolin had no effect. In cytochemical studies with ATP as substrate, adenylate cyclase activity was localized in the sarcolemma, and significantly fewer reaction products appeared on the outer side of the cell membrane in hypertrophied myocytes than in control myocytes. The results suggest that catecholamine-induced cardiac hypertrophy damages the catalytic subunit of membrane-bound adenylate cyclase, thus uncoupling beta-adrenoceptors from slow Ca2+ channels in the transmembrane signalling process.

The synthesis and pharmacological activity of two new derivatives of benzazocine

Two new derivatives of benzazocine of anticipated analgesic action were synthesized. Pharmacological investigations were carried out to confirm their analgesic activity, affinity to the opiate receptor and potential antagonistic properties.

[Use of isolated myocytes and the patch clamp technic in pharmacological studies]

Effects of palmitylcarnitine, a toxic metabolite of ischaemia, on the electrophysiological properties of single ventricular myocytes of guinea pig were studied by means of patch clamp technique. Cells were enzymatically isolated by perfusing the heart with Ca-free Tyrode solution containing collagenase enzyme. Before experimentation, cells were allowed to recover in a regenerating solution for at least one hour at room temperature. An aliquot of the cell suspension was placed in a small (0.5 ml volume) chamber mounted on the stage of an inverted microscope. After a settling period of 10 minutes, the cells were superfused with Tyrode solution at a rate of 2 to 4 ml/min. Bath temperature was maintained at 35 degrees C. Patch electrodes were fabricated from glass capillary tubes. The electrodes having resistances of 2 to 4 M were connected to a LIST EPC-7 voltage clamp amplifier. The passive parameters (membrane resistance, time constant, capacitance), and resting and action potentials of the cells were recorded in current clamp mode, while the ionic currents (inward calcium, outward potassium) were recorded in voltage clamp mode. Palmitylcarnitine at 10(-6) M concentration increased the membrane resistance, time constant, and depolarized the cell membrane which was accompanied by a marked prolongation of the action potential duration. Under the effect of the drug, the outward potassium current responsible for the repolarization was decreased, while the inward calcium current responsible for the plateau phase was significantly increased mainly at positive membrane potentials. The steady-state activation and inactivation curves were shifted to less negative potentials. The results indicate that the changes in the membrane electrical properties play an important role in the development of the well-known arrhythmogenic effect of palmitylcarnitine.

Early prediction of fetal macrosomia in diabetes mellitus

We studied 374 pregnant diabetic women to determine the value of various ultrasound parameters in the prediction of fetal macrosomia. The correlation between ultrasonographic signs and maternal glycaemia in the development of fetal macrosomia was also studied. Significant correlation was observed between the accurence of hydramnios and future macrosomia during the second-trimester (p less than 0.001). Serum fructosamine levels as an index of maternal glycaemia in patients of macrosomic fetuses were significantly higher throughout the pregnancy as compared with mothers of infants with normal birth weight (p less than 0.001). These data suggest: 1. The presence of hydramnios in the second trimester is a useful predictor of macrosomia in diabetic patients (specificity: 86%, negative predictive value: 88%). 2. Maternal diabetic control during pregnancy has a significant influence on fetal growth and contributes to the development of fetal macrosomia. 3. The lack of correlation between the frequency of hydramnios and fructosamine levels suggests that a mechanism other than carbohydrate metabolism also plays an important role in the development of fetal macrosomia.