Methylchoroisothiazolinone/methylisothiazolinone and methylisothiazolinone sensitivity in Hungary

Background. Due to allowing of methylisothiazolinone (MI) in cosmetics, cleaning products, and paints, an epidemic of MI-hypersensitivity emerged. Patch testing Kathon CG® (3:1 mixture of methylchloroisothiazolinone and methylisothiazolinone, MCI/MI) does not correctly detect MI contact allergy, due to the low concentration of MI in the test material. Methods. A retrospective survey was performed to estimate the prevalence of MCI/MI hypersensitivity in 14693 patients tested consecutively between 1993 and 2014. Moreover, currently 314 patients were prospectively tested with the allergens MCI/MI and with MI during one year. Results. MCI/MI hypersensitivity increased retrospectively from 0.5% to 6.0%. By current prospective testing we detected 25 patients (8%) with MCI/MI and/or MI positive reactions. Out of the 25 patients 10 were only MCI/MI positive, 9 were only MI positive, and 6 were MCI/MI and MI positive. If MI had not been tested separately, MI contact allergy would have missed in 36% of all detected cases and in 2.8% of the total 314 patients. Conclusions. The frequency of MCI/MI hypersensitivity is increasing also in Hungary. We confirm that, in order to detect MI contact allergy, it needs to be tested separately. A further increase of MI hypersensitivity might be expected in the future as products containing MI are still widely available

The background of local food-based economy development in the Eger wine region

This study reveals the background situation of local food-based economy in the Eger Wine Region. Local food economy is mostly in initial phase in the region because of small scale supply, barely known local food producers and their supply, weak connections between producers and representation of interests, or major labour issues. Despite all these there are advantageous economic environment for development local food-based economy in the area, because the critical mass of producers is still active in the region and consumer’s demand is significant. Tourism provides standing demand for local goods as well. A comprehensive development of market infrastructure would increase the existence of these unique economic entities

Investigation of carbon sequestration processes of reconstructed grasslands and wetlands to aid ecosystem service-based decision making

In this paper, we analysed the effect of habitat reconstructions on some parameters characterizing the carbon exchange processes of ecosystems. Besides extending our knowledge on the ecophysiological functioning of different plant communities, our work was motivated by international policy goals as well: a considerable amount of degraded ecosystems and their services was declared in the European Union to be reconstructed in the next few years. These kinds of projects need detailed impact analyses and a methodological grounding. We would like to contribute to these goals with the results of field measurements carried out in an extensive habitat reconstruction area in the Egyek-Pusztakócs habitat complex (Hortobágy National Park, Eastern Hungary). In this paper, we analysed the results of carbon and nitrogen contents of soils and biomass samples and the average net ecosystem exchange values of the investigated ecosystem types. Our results show that natural or near-natural, well-structured grasslands have an outstanding carbon sequestration and storing potential in the studied landscape type, the restored grasslands lag behind in every parameters. In the process of secondary succession, the carbon exchange characteristics of the restored grasslands seem to follow mainly the species composition, and the effects of land management can modify the effects of regeneration from the point of view of ecophysiological functioning

A glioxaláz rendszer vizsgálata krónikus veseelégtelenségben = The glyoxalase system in chronic renal insufficiency

A metilglioxál (MG) lényeges szerepet játszik urémiában a karbonil stressz kialakulásában, azonban a szervezetben történő felhalmozódásának oka nem ismert. Ezért a jelen vizsgálatok célja a MG metabolizmus vizsgálata volt hemodializált (HD) végstádiumú vesebetegeken. A vizsgálatokat nem-cukorbeteg, krónikus HD kezelésben részesülő betegeken és egészséges kontrol csoportban végeztük el. A MG méréséhez kifejlesztettünk egy új, tandem tömegspektrometriás mérési módszert. Meghatároztuk a vörösvértestek és plazma MG és D-laktát koncentrációit, a glioxaláz I és II aktivításokat, valamint.a teljes vér redukált glutation (GSH) koncentrációját. A vvt MG ÉS D-laktát képződését in vitro körülmények között is vizsgáltuk A vvt MG szint emelkedett (p<0,001) volt a HD betegekben. A vér GSH és glioxaláz I aktivitás hasonló volt a beteg és kontroll csoportban, azonban a glioxaláz II aktivitás szignifikánsan (p<0,005) magasabbnak bizonyult a HD betegekben. A normoglikémiás in vitro modellben az MG (p<0,001) és D-laktát (p<0,002) képződés is szignifikánsan magasabb volt a HD vvt-ben a kontrolhoz viszonyítva. A jelen vizsgálatok arra utalnak, hogy HD betegek vvt-ben fokozott az MG képződés. Bár a degradációs út is aktiválódik, nem képes a fokozott mennyiségben képződött MG lebontására. A metabolikus utak fenti változásai és egyensúlyuk zavara fontos szerepet játszhat az MG felhalmozódásában és a karbonil stressz kialakulásához HD betegekben. | Methylglyoxal (MG) contributes significantly to the carbonyl stress in uremia, however, the reason for its increased concentration is not clear. Thus, the present study was aimed to investigate the metabolism of MG in hemodialyzed (HD) patients with end-stage renal disease. For the assay of MG, a new electropspray tandem massspectrometric method was developed. Erythrocyte MG and D-lactate levels, glyoxalase activities and whole blood reduced glutathione (GSH) content were determined in non-diabetic patients on chronic HD. The data were compared with those on healthy controls. Erythrocyte MG and D-lactate production were also investigated under in vitro conditions. The erythrocyte MG level proved elevated (p<0.001) in the HD patients. The blood GSH content and glyoxalase I activity proved similar to the control levels, but the glyoxalase II activity was significantly (p<0.005) increased. In the normoglycemic in vitro model, both MG (p<0.001) and D-lactate (p<0.002) production were significantly enhanced in the HD erythrocytes relative to the controls. The present study demonstrated an increased formation of MG in the erythrocytes of HD patients. The degradation system of MG was also activated, still, it was not able to counteract the high rate of MG formation. The alterations and imbalance of these metabolic processes may contribute to the carbonyl overload and stress in the HD patients

A Los Angeles és Duarte galaktóz-1-foszfát-uridil-transzferáz-variánsok allélgyakorisága a magyar populációban

Classical galactosaemia is an autosomal recessively inherited disorder caused by deficient activity of the enzyme galactose-1-phosphate uridyltransferase (GALT), which can be detected by newborn screening. The p.N314D mutation defines two variant forms of the GALT enzyme, the Los Angeles and Duarte, depending on the presence of additional base changes. Aim: The aim of our study was to analyze a healthy Hungarian population for the frequencies of the Los Angeles and Duarte galactose-1-phosphate uridyltransferase variant alleles. Methods: DNA samples from 100 subjects were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction, followed by digestion with restriction endonucleases. Results: The frequencies of the p.N314D, the Los Angeles and the Duarte variants were 11.5%, 2.5% and 9%, respectively. Conclusions: The allele frequencies of the Los Angeles and Duarte variant alleles in the Hungarian population correlate well with the allele frequencies in other healthy Caucasian populations

Effect of cryogenic freezing on the textural and sensoric properties of donuts

Cryogenic freezing is a mild freezing technology due to the formation of small ice crystals. This preservation technology is well applicable for increasing the shelf life of bakery products. In our experiment, we made donut samples of matured dough, traditional dough with pork fat, and dough with increased fibre content made by adding flaxseed flour. They were fried in palm oil and also in high oleic sunflower oil. Donuts were frozen in liquid nitrogen for 60 seconds and they underwent a storage of 7 days at -18°C. Thawing at room temperature and thawing in oven were tested. We investigated how freezing, frozen storage and different thawing processes affect sample texture by penetration. The effect of freezing on water activity and sensory properties were also investigated. In our experiment we found that cryogenic freezing influenced the texture of prepared donuts, but sensory evaluation have shown that this does not lead to a decrease in popularity. In addition, a slight decrease in water activity was observed after freezing and thawing. Heating in oven proved to be the better method for the thawing process of donuts based on sensory properties of products. In addition, consumers preferred the increased fibre content of doughs