Experimental results and clinical impact of using autologous rectus fascia sheath for vascular replacement

Vascular complications are major causes of graft failure in liver transplantation. The use of different vascular grafts is common but the results are controversial. The aim of this study was to create an 'ideal' arterial interponate for vascular replacements in the clinical field. An autologous, tubular graft prepared from the posterior rectus fascia sheath was used for iliac artery replacement in dogs for 1, 3, 6 and 12 months. Forty-one grafts were implanted and immunosuppression was used in separate groups. The patency rate was followed by Doppler ultrasound. Thirty-seven grafts remained patent, 2 cases with thrombosis and 2 cases with stenosis occurred. There was no evidence of necrosis or aneurysmatic formation. The histological analysis included conventional light microscopic and immunohistochemical examinations for CD34 and factor VIII. The explanted grafts showed signs of arterialisation, appearance of elastin fibres, and smooth muscle cells after 6 months. Electron microscopy showed intact mitochondrial structures without signs of hypoxia. In conclusion, the autologous graft presents acceptable long-term patency rate. It is easy to handle and the concept of beneficial presence of the anti-clot mesothelium until endothelialisation seems to work. The first clinical use was already reported by our group with more than 2 years survival.     

Distribution and genetic relatedness of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) isolated from healthy slaughtered chickens in Hungary from 2001 to 2004

The presence of the vanA gene was determined in enterococci from healthy poultry, originating from the Hungarian resistance monitoring system between 2001 and 2004. Enterococci (n = 562) were collected from intestinal samples of slaughtered broiler chickens. The presence of van genes was detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The vancomycin-resistant enterococcus (VRE) strains carried only the vanA gene. Genus- and species-level identification of the vanA gene carrier strains was carried out by PCR using specific primers. In 2001, 25 out of the 289 isolated strains (8.6%) were vanA carriers (1 Enterococcus mundtii, 13 E. durans and 11 E.faecium). In 2002 (n = 87), 20 (23%) strains were vanA positive (11 E. durans and 9 E. faecium). In 2003 and 2004, none of the strains (n = 95 and 91, respectively) were positive for the most common van genes. In 2003, there was only one strain for which higher minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of vancomycin (4 mg/L) and teicoplanin (8 mg/L) were found. In 2004 there were three strains for which the MIC of vancomycin was 8 mg/L, and 2 strains and 1 strain with teicoplanin MICs of 4 mg/L and 8 mg/L, respectively. The potential similarity of these strains was studied by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). The VRE strains were not closely related to one another. The annual data of vancomycin resistance indicate an association between the recovery of vancomycin-resistant enterococci and the use of avoparcin in animal feeds. This study indicates that with the reduced use of antibiotics in food animals, it is possible to decrease the rate of resistant bacteria. Although the use of avoparcin had been banned in 1998, the VRE strains disappeared only five years later.     

Influence of elevated CO2 and mild water stress on nonstructural carbohydrates in field-grown cotton tissues

Root, stem and leaf tissues, from cotton plants exposed to CO₂ at ambient (370 μmol mol⁻¹ (control)) or elevated (550 μmol mol⁻¹ (FACE; free-air carbon dioxide enrichment)) levels in the field during the 1990 and 1991 growing seasons, were analyzed for nonstructural carbohydrates (glucose, fructose, sucrose and starch). Besides the FACE treatment, these plants were also exposed to two irrigation levels: 100% and 67% replacement of evapotranspiration. FACE had a greater effect upon cotton plant nonstructural carbohydrates than did irrigation treatments. Leaf carbohydrate content was increased by FACE, but this increase was much more pronounced in the stems and roots. Starch and soluble sugars in leaves in FACE plots tended to be consistently greater than in control leaves, without much change in carbohydrate content during the growing season. In contrast, root and stem, starch and soluble sugar pools were strongly increased by FACE and fluctuated strongly during the growing season. In both seasons, stem and taproot nonstructural carbohydrate content passed through a minimum during periods of heavy boll set. The fluctuations in stem and root carbohydrate content were therefore probably caused by the varying metabolic demands of the developing plant. These results suggest that a significant effect of CO₂ enrichment on starch-accumulating plants is an increase of nonstructural carbohydrate, especially starch, in nonleaf storage pools. This buildup occurs somewhat independently of the water status of the plant, and these enlarged pools can be drawn upon by the growing plant to maintain growth during periods of high metabolic demand.     

The unexpected northward migration of some species of insects in Central Europe and the climatic changes

From 1974 to 1983 a stable and considerable northward expansion of range (200 to 700 km) of some southern insects was detected. One of the most important causes of this phenomenon appears to be that winters were mild for several years. These data on expansion, involving several groups of insects, illuminate studies on the effects of the warming-up of the climate. The expansion range observed caused considerable economic problems, requiring regional and international remedial actions.

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Zusammenfassung Zwischen 1974 und 1983 konnte bei einigen südlichen Insektenarten eine ständige und wesentliche Nordexpansion (200–700 km) festgestellt werden. Eine der wichtigsten Ursachen des Phänomens scheint die Milde der Winter der letzten Jahre zu sein. Die Beobachtungen bestätigen einige sich mit Klimaerwärmungen befassende Studien. Die Expansion führte zu beträchtlichen wirtschaftlichen Sorgen und löste Gegenmaßnahmen auf internationaler Ebene aus.

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With 6 figures and one table     

Ultraviolet-photoproduced organic solids synthesized under simulated jovian conditions: molecular analysis

In an earlier paper, Khare and Sagan reported the production of a brownish polymeric material from the near-ultraviolet irradiation of simulated jovian atmospheres with a low hydrogen abundance. Examination of this product indicates that hydrogen sulfide is the initial photon acceptor; the powder resulting after extraction with benzene is 84 percent sulfur, largely S(8). In results reported here, the remaining 16 percent was pyrolyzed and then examined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Pyrolysis at 450 degrees C yielded a series of alkanes, alkenes, C(3)-alkylbenzenes, aromatics, thiophenes, alkylthiophenes, alkylmercaptans, alkyldisulfides, together with the nitrogenous compounds hydrogen cyanide, methyl cyanide, alkylisothiocyanates, acrylonitrile, and allylisothiocyanates. Some of these compounds might be sought on Jupiter and Saturn and their satellites by remote infrared and ultraviolet spectroscopy and directly by entry probes.     

Incidence of grapevine trunk diseases is influenced by soil,topology and vineyard age,but not by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Diplodia seriata</Emphasis> infection rate in the Tokaj Wine Region,Hungary

Grapevine Trunk Diseases (GTD) are of great importance worldwide, including Hungary, a Center European country with long wine producing history. Several GTD pathogens have been described till now in Europe, but only a few from Hungary. The presence of a GTD pathogen in the vine does not necessarily result in the immediate appearance of disease symptoms, and information on the importance of environmental factors related to disease incidence are still limited. The aim of this research was to assess the occurrence of GTD in the Tokaj Wine Region, and to determine the biotic and abiotic factors influencing disease incidence. Five vineyards within 15 km radius – each with different topology, soil types, varieties and age – were studied for three consecutive years (2013 – 2015). The incidence of GTD-infection was determined every year for each vineyard. Diplodia seriata was isolated with incidence ranging from 50 to 100%, while Diaporthe spp. were the only other – minor – GTD pathogen found. Topology and soil type appeared to be major abiotic factors affecting incidence of GTD symptom. Disease incidence was also positively correlating with the age of the vineyards, and it was in fact found to be the definitive biotic factor regarding incidence. In contrast, D. seriata infection rate appeared unrelated to disease incidence or to any of the biotic or abiotic factors investigated.