Organic acids, sugars, vitamin C content and some pomological characteristics of eleven hawthorn species (Crataegus spp.) from Turkey

BACKGROUND: The Hawthorn (Crateagus sp.) mostly occurs around the temperate region of the world with a high number of species, producing a fruit with numerous beneficial effects for human health. The aim of the study was to determine organic acid and sugar contents in the fruit of a number of hawthorn species grown in Erzincan province of Turkey. RESULTS: Citric acid was the predominant organic acid in all hawthorn species and C. pseudoheterophylla had the highest citric acid content (23.688 g/100 g). There were not statistically significant differences among hawthorn species (except C. atrosanguinea Pojark) in terms of fumaric acid content. C. pontica C.Koch had a higher content of vitamin C (9.418 mg/100 g) compared to other species. Fructose was the predominant sugar component in all species and C. monogyna subsp. monogyna Joiq had the highest fructose content (18.378 g/100 g). CONCLUSIONS: The high fruit quality of the studied species indicates the importance of this fruit in human nutrition as a natural source. The study revealed that there were differences in terms of fruit characteristics among hawthorn species and thus better quality hawthorn genotypes can be selected within the species. Hence, this study is considered to be a valuable reference for forthcoming studies. The high fruit quality of the studied species indicates the importance of this fruit in human nutrition as a natural source

Dynamic Modelling and Process Control System Development of a H2S Scrubber Used in a Coke Oven Gas Purification Technology

Coke oven gas is a by-product of coke production. Cleaned coke oven gas can be a valuable energy source, ideal as a substitute for natural gas. However, to meet increasingly stringent environmental regulations and to protect combustion equipment, the high efficiency of the coke oven gas purification process must be ensured continuously, even for existing, less up-to-date plants. Process simulators built to support technologies can be a great help in this task. At the same time, they can be used to assist operations, understand general and specific process behaviour features, and examine development suggestions. The H2S scrubber of an existing coke oven gas purification plant was investigated in this study. Previously, the steady-state model of the purification process was studied, and the impact of operating parameters was investigated. Then the dynamic model of the purification process was created in Aspen Hysys simulator software. Finally, the model was validated against laboratory analyses and daily operational plant data. Subsequently, the control structure of the purification process was studied. It was concluded that the control system used in the coke oven gas purification plant is rather elementary and is primarily designed to ensure the safe operation of the technology. However, a more complex advanced control structure is needed to continuously provide a constant gas composition, in which the dynamic model of the technology is a great support. In this study, two examples for improving the control structure of the process were presented using the dynamic model of the H2S scrubber

Bogyósgyümölcsök antioxidáns anyagainak vizsgálata, összefüggésben a fajtahasználattal, termőhelyi adottságokkal és a nitrogénellátottsággal = Studying antioxidants in small fruits in relation to cultivars, locations and nitrogen status

Magyarországon termesztett 6 bogyós gyümölcsfaj 17 jelentősebb fajtája gyümölcseinek antioxidáns kapacitását, és az azzal összefüggésbe hozható beltartalmi értékeit elemeztük a kutatási időszak alatt. A kutatási eredmények bizonyították, hogy a Kárpát medence ökológiai adottságai között termesztett bogyósgyümölcsök gazdag beltartalmi értékekkel és jelentős antioxidáns kapacitással rendelkeznek. A vizsgált szamóca, málna, szeder, piros és fekete ribiszke fajták gyümölcseiben a táplálkozásbiológiailag fontos összetevők mennyisége és azok aránya számottevő eltérést mutat. A bogyósgyümölcsök beltartalmi értékeit és antioxidáns anyagait döntő mértékben a fajták genetikai adottságai határozzák meg, azokat a termőhelyi körülmények csak kisebb mértékben befolyásolják. A vizsgált bogyósgyümölcsök antioxidáns kapacitása a fajták átlagos értékei alapján csökkenő sorrendben a következőképpen alakul: fekete bodza, fekete ribiszke, szeder, piros ribiszke, málna és szamóca. A feketebodza antioxidáns anyagainak mennyisége és azok összetétele alapján a legmagasabb táplálkozás-biológiai értékekkel rendelkező bogyósgyümölcsnek tekinthető. A vizsgált bogyósgyümölcsök táplálkozási értékét nagy makro és mikroelemtartalmuk és kedvező tápelem-arányaik növelik. Meghatároztuk a fitoterápiás kezelésekben felhasznált feketebodza levelekből és virágzatokból készült teák antioxidáns összetevőit, s az azokat befolyásoló főbb tényezőket. | During the research period 17 different varieties of 6 berry fruit species were tested, in reference to anti-oxidant capacity, and inner content Results have proved that berries produced within the excellent ecological capability of the Carpathian basin, showed both higher fruit quality and antioxidant capacity. In the tested varieties the important nutrition components differed significantly in quantity and ratio. Inner content and antioxidant matter of berry fruits are more likely influenced by genetic attributes than site conditions. Antioxidant capacity of the examined fruits in descending order is the following: elderberry, black currant, blackberry, red currant, raspberry and strawberry. Elderberry can be consider as the berry-fruit with the highest nutrition content, according to consistent and amount of antioxidant in the fruits. Favorable nutrition elements, high macro- and micro-element content of the examined berry-fruits increase their nutrition value. We have defined the antioxidant content of leaf and flower tea of elderberry, after phytotherapeuthic treatment, and also all the main influential factors of it

Combined Release of Antiseptic and Antibiotic Drugs from Visible Light Polymerized Biodegradable Nanocomposite Hydrogels for Periodontitis Treatment.

The in situ application of the combination of different types of drugs revolutionized the area of periodontal therapy. The purpose of this study was to develop nanocomposite hydrogel (NCHG) as a pH-sensitive drug delivery system. To achieve local applicability of the NCHG in dental practice, routinely used blue-light photopolymerization was chosen for preparation. The setting time was 60 s, which resulted in stable hydrogel structures. Universal Britton-Robinson buffer solutions were used to investigate the effect of pH in the range 4-12 on the release of drugs that can be used in the periodontal pocket. Metronidazole was released from the NCHGs within 12 h, but chlorhexidine showed a much longer elution time with strong pH dependence, which lasted more than 7 days as it was corroborated by the bactericidal effect. The biocompatibility of the NCHGs was proven by Alamar-blue test and the effectiveness of drug release in the acidic medium was also demonstrated. This fast photo-polymerizable NCHG can help to establish a locally applicable combined drug delivery system which can be loaded with the required amount of medicines and can reduce the side effects of the systemic use of drugs that have to be used in high doses to reach an ideal concentration locally

Crustal Architecture of the Inverted Central Lapland Rift Along the HUKKA 2007 Profile

Peer reviewe

Levosimendan: a cardiovascular drug to prevent liver ischemia-reperfusion injury?

INTRODUCTION: Temporary occlusion of the hepatoduodenal ligament leads to an ischemic-reperfusion (IR) injury in the liver. Levosimendan is a new positive inotropic drug, which induces preconditioning-like adaptive mechanisms due to opening of mitochondrial KATP channels. The aim of this study was to examine possible protective effects of levosimendan in a rat model of hepatic IR injury. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Levosimendan was administered to male Wistar rats 1 hour (early pretreatment) or 24 hours (late pretreatment) before induction of 60-minute segmental liver ischemia. Microcirculation of the liver was monitored by laser Doppler flowmeter. After 24 hours of reperfusion, liver and blood samples were taken for histology, immuno- and enzyme-histochemistry (TUNEL; PARP; NADH-TR) as well as for laboratory tests. Furthermore, liver antioxidant status was assessed and HSP72 expression was measured. RESULTS: In both groups pretreated with levosimendan, significantly better hepatic microcirculation was observed compared to respective IR control groups. Similarly, histological damage was also reduced after levosimendan administration. This observation was supported by significantly lower activities of serum ALT (pearly = 0.02; plate = 0.005), AST (pearly = 0.02; plate = 0.004) and less DNA damage by TUNEL test (pearly = 0.05; plate = 0.034) and PAR positivity (pearly = 0.02; plate = 0.04). Levosimendan pretreatment resulted in significant improvement of liver redox homeostasis. Further, significantly better mitochondrial function was detected in animals receiving late pretreatment. Finally, HSP72 expression was increased by IR injury, but it was not affected by levosimendan pretreatment. CONCLUSION: Levosimendan pretreatment can be hepatoprotective and it could be useful before extensive liver resection