Vegetation-based landscape regions of Hungary.

he first version of the map of the Hungarian vegetation-based landscape regions were prepared at the scale of 1 : 200,000 (1 km or higher resolution). The primary goal of the map was to provide an exact background for the presentation and evaluation of the data of theMÉTA database. Secondly, we intended to give an up-to-date and detailed vegetation-based division of Hungary with a comprehensive nomenclature of the regions. Regions were primarily defined on the basis of their present zonal vegetation, or their dominant extrazonal or edaphic vegetation. Where this was not possible, abiotic factors that influence the potential vegetation, the flora were taken into consideration, thus, political and economical factors were ignored. All region borders were defined by local expert botanists, mainly based on their field knowledge. The map differs in many features from the currently used, country- wide, flora- or geography-based divisions in many features. We consider our map to be temporary (i.e. a work map), and we plan to refine and improve it after 5 years of testing

Oxidative/Nitrative Stress and Inflammation Drive Progression of Doxorubicin-Induced Renal Fibrosis in Rats as Revealed by Comparing a Normal and a Fibrosis-Resistant Rat Strain

Chronic renal fibrosis is the final common pathway of end stage renal disease caused by glomerular or tubular pathologies. Genetic background has a strong influence on the progression of chronic renal fibrosis. We recently found that Rowett black hooded rats were resistant to renal fibrosis. We aimed to investigate the role of sustained inflammation and oxidative/nitrative stress in renal fibrosis progression using this new model. Our previous data suggested the involvement of podocytes, thus we investigated renal fibrosis initiated by doxorubicin-induced (5 mg/kg) podocyte damage. Doxorubicin induced progressive glomerular sclerosis followed by increasing proteinuria and reduced bodyweight gain in fibrosis-sensitive, Charles Dawley rats during an 8-week long observation period. In comparison, the fibrosis-resistant, Rowett black hooded rats had longer survival, milder proteinuria and reduced tubular damage as assessed by neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) excretion, reduced loss of the slit diaphragm protein, nephrin, less glomerulosclerosis, tubulointerstitial fibrosis and matrix deposition assessed by periodic acid-Schiff, Picro-Sirius-red staining and fibronectin immunostaining. Less fibrosis was associated with reduced profibrotic transforming growth factor-beta, (TGF-beta1) connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), and collagen type I alpha 1 (COL-1a1) mRNA levels. Milder inflammation demonstrated by histology was confirmed by less monocyte chemotactic protein 1 (MCP-1) mRNA. As a consequence of less inflammation, less oxidative and nitrative stress was obvious by less neutrophil cytosolic factor 1 (p47phox) and NADPH oxidase-2 (p91phox) mRNA. Reduced oxidative enzyme expression was accompanied by less lipid peroxidation as demonstrated by 4-hydroxynonenal (HNE) and less protein nitrosylation demonstrated by nitrotyrosine (NT) immunohistochemistry and quantified by Western blot. Our results demonstrate that mediators of fibrosis, inflammation and oxidative/nitrative stress were suppressed in doxorubicin nephropathy in fibrosis-resistant Rowett black hooded rats underlying the importance of these pathomechanisms in the progression of renal fibrosis initiated by glomerular podocyte damage

Review of the biology and vector capability of Thrips tabaci Lindeman (Thysanoptera: Thripidae)

The available data referring to the occurrence and geographical distribution of the females and males, the host range, the virus vector capability and the monitoring of Thrips tabaci Lindeman, as well as susceptibility and resistance of cultivars of some cultivated plant species are discussed

Investigation on the Colour Preference of Thrips tabaci Lindeman (Thysanoptera: Thripidae)

Yellow proved to be the most reliable colour for monitoring of Thrips tabaci. White and blue could be used with weak, but still reasonable effectiveness

The Composition of Thysanoptera Species on Stellaria media (L.) Vill. in Different Biotopes under Hungarian Climatic Conditions

Thysanoptera species were collected from Stellaria media in autumn, winter and spring in different biotopes, in Hungary. The total number of the sampled specimens was 5121. The most frequent species were (in order of frequency): Thrips tabaci, T. atratus, Frankliniella intonsa, Apti­no­­thrips rufus, T. minutissimus, T. nigropilosus and Anaphothrips ob­scu­rus. The number of species as well as the composition of the species occurr­ing on S. media depends on the characteristics of biotopes. The number of species considerably increased in spring from 15 to 43. Among them seven species occurred from autumn through winter till spring. S. media provides a suitable site for winter refuge, and an alternative food source for a few species, which hibernate under bark, fallen leaves and dry grass as well as in the soil, leaving their winter quarters move and accu­mulate temporarily on this plant. Specimens of T. tabaci capable of harbouring tomato spotted wilt virus occurred in every investigated biotopes

Thysanoptera larvae living on chickweed ( Stellaria media Linnaeus) under continental climatic conditions

By the sampling on chickweed ( Stellaria media ) carried out from autumn till the end of spring, the occurrence of the larvae of 12 Thysanoptera species has been established under climatic conditions in Hungary. Only the larvae of T. atratus and T. tabaci were present in this period in relatively high number. Since chickweed is frequently infested by Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) the continuous presence of the larvae of T. tabaci in the whole period is a notable circumstance. This relationship is one of the significant ways of the survival of tomato spotted wilt virus which might be a source of new epidemics

Host Range of the Arrhenotokous Populations of Thrips Tabaci (Thysanoptera: Thripidae)

Specimens of Thrips tabaci Lindeman were collected on numerous plant species in the Hungarian National Parks as well as on ruderal vegetations, but no males were found. At the same time both females and males occurred on the following cultivated plants: on tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum), potato (Solanum tuberosum) and onion (Allium cepa), as well as on weed plants as Galinsoga parviflora, Datura stramonium, Stellaria media. Only thelotokous populations were observed on cabbage occurring frequently in high individual number. The ratio between females and males continuously changed during the vegetation period. The occurrence and host range of the studied arrhenotokous populations do not confirm the existence of the subspecies Thrips tabaci tabaci (arrhenotokous) and T. tabaci communis (thelotokous), nor the correlation between the longitudinal occurrence of males and the physiological factors existing inside the Allium plants

Monitoring the population of vine thrips ( Drepanothrips reuteri Uzel) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) by using fluorescent yellow sticky traps

Among the blue, green, fluorescent yellow, red, white and yellow coloured sticky traps the fluorescent yellow caught greatest number of both females and males of the vine trips (Drepanothrips reuteri) followed by yellow. Other colours caught negligible numbers. Fluorescent yellow sticky traps proved to be suitable for the monitoring of the flight activity of the vine thrips during the vegetative season. Both females and males immigrated in high number to the vineyards throughout the vegetation period. Based on trends of catches of the males the species develops presumably threes or four overlapping generations in a year under the climatic conditions of Hungary. The fluorescent yellow sticky traps tested in the present study may offer an usable tool for detection and monitoring of this pest