Investigation of the Biomass and Nutrient Content of Green Manuring Plants as Second Crops in Hungary

The growth, and the development and trends of the nutrient content parameters of three different plant species (Phacelia tanacecifolia,Sinapis alba, Raphanus sativus) grown as secondary crops for green manure, as a function of two different fertiliser doses (0 kg/ha N; 50kg/ha N), was studied under unfavourable site conditions at the Crop Production and Biomass Utilisation Demonstration Centre of theSzent István University, Gödöllő, Hungary. The application of the small, 50 kg/ha dose of nitrogen increased the biomass yield in eachcase, to 2.78-3.11 times that of the control field. The dry matter content of the produce increased only by 2.11-2.66 times, as the watercontent of the green manure plants also increased as a result of the nitrogen supplement. The increased amount of nitrogen boosted theavailability of all of the other macro elements for the plants. In view of the present findings it can be recommend the application of somenitrogen fertiliser in the given site before growing some crop for use as green manure in all cases but where the straw after cereals is left onthe soil surface nitrogen should be applied to alleviate the pentosan effect and to increase the uptake of macro elements

Investigation of the Antihypertrophic and Antifibrotic Effects of Losartan in a Rat Model of Radiation-Induced Heart Disease

Radiation-induced heart disease (RIHD) is a potential late side-effect of thoracic radiotherapy resulting in left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and fibrosis due to a complex pathomechanism leading to heart failure. Angiotensin-II receptor blockers (ARBs), including losartan, are frequently used to control heart failure of various etiologies. Preclinical evidence is lacking on the anti-remodeling effects of ARBs in RIHD, while the results of clinical studies are controversial. We aimed at investigating the effects of losartan in a rat model of RIHD. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were studied in three groups: (1) control, (2) radiotherapy (RT) only, (3) RT treated with losartan (per os 10 mg/kg/day), and were followed for 1, 3, or 15 weeks. At 15 weeks post-irradiation, losartan alleviated the echocardiographic and histological signs of LVH and fibrosis and reduced the overexpression of chymase, connective tissue growth factor, and transforming growth factor-beta in the myocardium measured by qPCR; likewise, the level of the SMAD2/3 protein determined by Western blot decreased. In both RT groups, the pro-survival phospho-AKT/AKT and the phospho-ERK1,2/ERK1,2 ratios were increased at week 15. The antiremodeling effects of losartan seem to be associated with the repression of chymase and several elements of the TGF-beta/SMAD signaling pathway in our RIHD model.Peer reviewe

Investigation of the Antiremodeling Effects of Losartan, Mirabegron and Their Combination on the Development of Doxorubicin-Induced Chronic Cardiotoxicity in a Rat Model

Despite the effectiveness of doxorubicin (DOXO) as a chemotherapeutic agent, dose-dependent development of chronic cardiotoxicity limits its application. The angiotensin-II receptor blocker losartan is commonly used to treat cardiac remodeling of various etiologies. The beta-3 adrenergic receptor agonist mirabegron was reported to improve chronic heart failure. Here we investigated the effects of losartan, mirabegron and their combination on the development of DOXO-induced chronic cardiotoxicity. Male Wistar rats were divided into five groups: (i) control; (ii) DOXO-only; (iii) losartan-treated DOXO; (iv) mirabegron-treated DOXO; (v) losartan plus mirabegron-treated DOXO groups. The treatments started 5 weeks after DOXO administration. At week 8, echocardiography was performed. At week 9, left ventricles were prepared for histology, qRT-PCR, and Western blot measurements. Losartan improved diastolic but not systolic dysfunction and ameliorated SERCA2a repression in our DOXO-induced cardiotoxicity model. The DOXO-induced overexpression of Il1 and Il6 was markedly decreased by losartan and mirabegron. Mirabegron and the combination treatment improved systolic and diastolic dysfunction and significantly decreased overexpression of Smad2 and Smad3 in our DOXO-induced cardiotoxicity model. Only mirabegron reduced DOXO-induced cardiac fibrosis significantly. Mirabegron and its combination with losartan seem to be promising therapeutic tools against DOXO-induced chronic cardiotoxicity.Peer reviewe

Comparison of the antiremodeling effects of losartan and mirabegron in a rat model of uremic cardiomyopathy

Uremic cardiomyopathy is characterized by diastolic dysfunction (DD), left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), and fibrosis. Angiotensin-II plays a major role in the development of uremic cardiomyopathy via nitro-oxidative and inflammatory mechanisms. In heart failure, the beta-3 adrenergic receptor (beta 3-AR) is up-regulated and coupled to endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS)-mediated pathways, exerting antiremodeling effects. We aimed to compare the antiremodeling effects of the angiotensin-II receptor blocker losartan and the beta 3-AR agonist mirabegron in uremic cardiomyopathy. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) was induced by 5/6th nephrectomy in male Wistar rats. Five weeks later, rats were randomized into four groups: (1) sham-operated, (2) CKD, (3) losartan-treated (10 mg/kg/day) CKD, and (4) mirabegron-treated (10 mg/kg/day) CKD groups. At week 13, echocardiographic, histologic, laboratory, qRT-PCR, and Western blot measurements proved the development of uremic cardiomyopathy with DD, LVH, fibrosis, inflammation, and reduced eNOS levels, which were significantly ameliorated by losartan. However, mirabegron showed a tendency to decrease DD and fibrosis; but eNOS expression remained reduced. In uremic cardiomyopathy, beta 3-AR, sarcoplasmic reticulum ATPase (SERCA), and phospholamban levels did not change irrespective of treatments. Mirabegron reduced the angiotensin-II receptor 1 expression in uremic cardiomyopathy that might explain its mild antiremodeling effects despite the unchanged expression of the beta 3-AR.Peer reviewe

Weight Status of 7-Year-Old Hungarian Children between 2010 and 2016 Using Different Classifications (COSI Hungary)

Aims: To describe the prevalence of thinness, overweight, and obesity in Hungarian children (age 7.0-7.9 years) according to different classifications, to assess the progress between 2010 and 2016, and to investigate whether tendencies differ according to gender. Methods: A national representative sample was generated by two-stage cluster sampling, and a total of 2,651 children (50.9% boys; age 7.49 ± 0.3 years) were measured (weight and height) in October 2016. Population estimates were calculated using the WHO, IOTF, and national cut-offs. Results: Prevalence of thinness (including grade 1 and 2) was 12.6% based on the IOTF criteria and 15.6% based on the WHO definition. 22.5% of children were identified as overweight or obese according to the IOTF classification, compared with 28.4% according to the WHO definition. Between 2010 and 2016, each classification indicated possible stability in overweight and obesity prevalence. In contrast, the prevalence of thinness grade 2 almost doubled in 6 years according to all definitions (p Conclusion: Overweight and obesity appeared to be stable over 6 years, but we detected growing thinness rates. Routine collection of high-quality data that are based on standardized and comparable methods is essential to monitor the childhood obesity problem

Comparison of excess radiological risk of building materials and industrial by-products

“The project leading to this application has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant agreement No 701932