Intra-inflorescence variations in floral morphological and reproductive traits of Iris sibirica L

Within inflorescences both temporal and spatial variations can be found in aspect of either attractive traits or reproductive organs. Morphological parameters of a flower depend on several factors like intra-plant position of the flower, other extrinsic and intrinsic factors, resulting in altered intra-inflorescence flower sizes or numbers, fruit set or seed set. In our study the sexual reproductive characteristics of Siberian Iris (Iris sibirica L.) were investigated, with special emphasis on how the floral morphological and reproductive traits vary spatially and temporally. We found that stalks typically had 2 levels and 5 flowers, and significant differences were found among individual flowers within the inflorescences. Flower diameter, sepaloid and petaloid tepal length and length of the filament significantly decreased with blooming order but none of the parameters showed significant correlation with the number of flowers per inflorescence. Pollen viability was above 90%, and did not dicrease with flowering order, which suggests that pollen production is independent of flower position. Parameters of female reproductive success such as ovule number and seed set per fruit also declined with flowering order, which was probably due to resource limitation within stalks or plants. Values of sex allocation (P/O ratios) refer to the type of breeding system of Iris sibirica

Studies on oxidative stress caused by Cu and Zn excess in germinating seeds of Indian mustard (Brassica juncea L.)

Seeds of Indian mustard were germinated at 0, 50, 100, 200 mg/L Cu and Zn concentrations, in dark for 12, 24, 48 and 96 h, at 24p1oC. The real metal content in seeds was determined by AAS. For biochemical measurements fresh material were homogenized and the supernatant was used for all assays. The following parameters were evaluated: FRAP (ferric reducing ability of plasma), lipid peroxidation (LP), glutathione (GSH), total protein content, GST (glutathione-S-transferase), GPOX (guaiacol peroxidase) and CAT (catalase)

Total antioxidant power in some species of Labiatae : adaptation of FRAP method

Medicinal plants have a lot of type antioxidants, mostly polyphenols, flavonoids which exhibit high antioxidant activity (Rice-Evans et al. 1995). The intake of antioxidants present in food is an important health-protecting factor. Herbal compounds known by ancient medicine are of growing interest in the domain of prevention of diseases. The FRAP assay (ferric reducing ability of plasma), a simple test of the total antioxidant power have been chosen to assess the presumable effects of some kind of tea and medicinal plant. The aim of our work was to get answer for the question: is this method applicable for investigation of fresh plant samples and herbs? FRAP assay depends upon the ferric tripyridyltriazine (Fe(III)-TPTZ) complex to the ferrous tripyridyltriazine (Fe(II)-TPTZ) by a reductant at low pH. Fe(II)-TPTZ has an intensive blue colour and can be monitored at 593 nm. (Benzie and Strain 1996). Several species of medicinal plants were involved in our investigations: from Labiatae family Melissa officinalis, Mentha piperita, Ocimum basilicum, Salvia officinalis, Satureja hortensis and Majoranna hortensis. Our results show that FRAP method is sensitive in the measurement of total antioxidant power of fresh biological fluids, such as plant homogenates and pharmacological plant products. Antioxidant activity of our samples were confirmed with in vitro model system

Studies on established Acorus calamus (L.) populations

The aim of this study was to investigate the sustainability, stress tolerance and growth parameters of an ex situAcorus calamus population as well as the availability of the rhizome segments (ramets) for propagation. The main stress factors for semi aquatic plants, like A. calamus are the competition from dicot weeds and the severe dry conditions. We compared two experimental plots of different competition levels: low competition (moderate weeding) and high competition: without weeding. We noticed that there were differences between the competition levels only in terms of the life span of the leaves and the length of the shoots (aboveground parts). For the propagation we compared the ramets derived from the apical and lateral parts of the rhizomes as vegetative propagules. Plants derived from both types of rhizome parts showed dynamic development. We detected significantly higher leaf numbers in plants grown from lateral rhizome segments. The newly propagated plant population was kept free from weeds. However, its experimental plot was surrounded by a weedy lane. We found that the leaf number is correlated with the spatial arrangement of the individuals, namely the proximity of weeds decreased the leaf number of the plants in the periphery of the plot

Szív-és érrendszeri megbetegedések közösségre irányuló prevenciója: fókuszban a stroke

Az elvégzett kutatás arra irányult, hogy felmérjük az egészségügyi centrumoktól távol eső, Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg megye Újdombrád község lakóinak betegség specifikus tudását, jelen esetben a stroke-kal kapcsolatban. Ezen túlmenően megvizsgáltuk, mennyire hatékonyak a prevenciós előadások, a lakosság mennyire tartja ezeket hasznosnak, és hogy tartanak-e igényt további, más betegségekről szóló előadásoknak is. COMMUNITY-BASED PREVENTION OF CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE: FOCUS ON STROKE The aim of the study was to assess the disease-specific knowledge of the inhabitants of the municipality of Újdombrád in Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg County in this case in relation to strokes. In addition, we examined how effective the health education was, and how useful the population finds them, lastly if they want more additional lectures about other diseases

Fiatalok szexuális magatartásának vizsgálata gimnáziumban tanuló fiatalok körében – egy vizsgálat kezdeti eredményei

Jelen kutatás célja gimnáziumi tanulók szexuális magatartásának feltérképezése és annak vizsgálata, hogy mennyire hatékony a kiválasztott intézményben a szexuális nevelés. A vizsgálatban összesen 300 fő vett részt. A tanulók átlagéletkora 17,51 év (szórás: 1,38) volt. A kapott eredményeink alapján elmondható, hogy a tanulók közel fele 15 évesen, vagy annál fiatalabb életkorban kezd nemi életet élni. Ugyan a leggyakrabban alkalmazott fogamzásgátló módszer a kondom volt körükben a legutóbbi aktus során, igen magas azok aránya, akik egyáltalán nem védekeztek. A STUDY OF YOUNG PEOPLE’S SEXUAL BEHAVIOUR AMONG HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS – A STUDY WITH INITIAL RESULTS The aim of the present study is to measure the sexual behaviour of high school students and to examine the effectiveness of sex education in the selected institution. A total of 300 people participated in the study. The mean age of the students was 17.51 years (standard deviation: 1.38). Nearly half of the students start having sex at the age of 15 or younger. Although the most commonly used method of contraception was the condom among them during the last act, the proportion of those who did not defend themselves at all was very high

Trace element distribution mapping in pharmaceutical and biological samples using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) has numerous advantages like determination of ppb-ppm level concentrations, microdestructivity, the ability of making high resolution laterally (µm) or depth-resolved (100 nm) analysis, sensitive measurement of heavy and light elements and direct analysis of solid samples with minimal sample preparation. The aim of the present work was to demonstrate that LIBS is a suitable analytical technique to assess the trace element distribution of pharmaceutical and biological samples. As test samples, we used specimens of chickpea milkvetch (Astragalus cicer), a perennial plant with excellent nutritional value and a commercially available dietary supplement pill (Supradyn)