Development of a Multicomponent Microbiological Soil Inoculant and Its Performance in Sweet Potato Cultivation.

The cultivation and consumption of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) are increasing globally. As the usage of chemical fertilizers and pest control agents during its cultivation may lead to soil, water and air pollution, there is an emerging need for environment-friendly, biological solutions enabling increased amounts of healthy crop and efficient disease management. Microbiological agents for agricultural purposes gained increasing importance in the past few decades. Our goal was to develop an agricultural soil inoculant from multiple microorganisms and test its application potential in sweet potato cultivation. Two Trichoderma strains were selected: Trichoderma ghanense strain SZMC 25217 based on its extracellular enzyme activities for the biodegradation of plant residues, and Trichoderma afroharzianum strain SZMC 25231 for biocontrol purposes against fungal plant pathogens. The Bacillus velezensis strain SZMC 24986 proved to be the best growth inhibitor of most of the nine tested strains of fungal species known as plant pathogens, therefore it was also selected for biocontrol purposes against fungal plant pathogens. Arthrobacter globiformis strain SZMC 25081, showing the fastest growth on nitrogen-free medium, was selected as a component with possible nitrogen-fixing potential. A Pseudomonas resinovorans strain, SZMC 25872, was selected for its ability to produce indole-3-acetic acid, which is among the important traits of potential plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR). A series of experiments were performed to test the selected strains for their tolerance to abiotic stress factors such as pH, temperature, water activity and fungicides, influencing the survivability in agricultural environments. The selected strains were used to treat sweet potato in two separate field experiments. Yield increase was observed for the plants treated with the selected microbial consortium (synthetic community) in comparison with the control group in both cases. Our results suggest that the developed microbial inoculant has the potential to be used in sweet potato plantations. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report about the successful application of a fungal-bacterial consortium in sweet potato cultivation.

[Malignant transformation of a branchial cleft cyst]. / Rosszindulatúan elfajult nyaki branchiogen cysta.

Branchial cleft cyst is the most common birth defect involving the neck. Malignant transformation is known, however, differentiating from a neck metastasis of a squamous cell carcinoma of unknown primary is challenging. Even though there are strict criterias, the diagnosis of this entity remains controversial. We present the case of a 69-year-old woman, who presented with a swelling under the left side of the mandible. After diagnostic workup, fine-needle aspiration biopsy raised the suspicion of a cystic squamous cell carcinoma metastasis, therefore we performed panendoscopy and modified radical neck dissection. The pathological examination confirmed branchial cleft cyst carcinoma. After surgery, the patient received adjuvant radiation and chemotherapy. During the case workup, we present the difficulties of the diagnostic process, differential diagnostic problems, and the review of the international literature. In the case of a solitary, cystic mass on the neck without a primary tumor, we should consider the possibility of a branchiogenic carcinoma. Orv Hetil. 2023; 164(10): 388-392.

Transorbito-maxillary percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy. / Transorbitomaxillaris percutan endoszkópos gastrostomia.

Összefoglaló. Fej-nyaki daganattal diagnosztizált és kezelt betegeknél a szájon keresztüli táplálás gyakran nem lehetséges vagy nehezítetté válik a kezelés valamelyik fázisában. A beteg enteralis táplálásának biztosítására tartós és hatékony megoldást kell nyújtanunk, erre megfelelo választás lehet a percutan endoszkópos gastrostomia. A fej-nyaki régióban a daganat elhelyezkedése, kiterjedtsége és a mutétek miatt megváltozott anatómiai viszonyok sokszor gátat szabnak a gasztroszkóp hagyományos, szájon át történo sikeres levezetésének, és így különleges megoldásokra lehet szükség. Közleményünkben egy, a szakirodalomban is ritkán alkalmazott percutan endoszkópos gastrostomakészítésrol számolunk be. A bemutatott esetben egy kiterjedt, rosszindulatú fej-nyaki daganat miatt totális maxillectomián és orbitaexenteratión átesett betegben a mutét következtében kialakult arcdefektuson át történt a gastroscopia és a tápszonda levezetése, ugyanis komplett szájzár következtében a beteg a táplálkozásra képtelen volt. A fent említett módszerrel sikerült a beteg hosszú távú enteralis táplálását megoldani minimálinvazív módon. Az összetett kóros esetek gyakran állítják kihívások elé a gyakorló klinikust. Esetbemutatásunkkal szeretnénk felhívni a figyelmet a hagyományos, megszokott módszerek helyett sokszor nagyobb sikerrel alkalmazható, személyre szabott terápiás lehetoségekre. Orv Hetil. 2022; 163(3): 116-119. Summary. Peroral, enteral feeding is often impossible in patients with head and neck cancer. Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy is a well-established, quick, minimally invasive, and safe procedure for providing long-term enteral feeding. Space-occupying tumour mass and altered anatomy due to surgery inhibit the gastroscope's peroral introduction and the feeding tube's placement in some instances. Various access routes and modified insertion techniques are recommended to overcome the feeding tube insertion challenges. We present a rare case of a 64-year-old head and neck cancer patient who was unable to eat orally due to trismus and had a facial soft tissue defect following total maxillectomy and orbital exenteration. A complete oesophago-gastro-duodenoscopy and feeding tube insertion were performed transfacially. Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy was successful and uneventful via the maxillary and orbital soft tissue facial defect. No complication was noted, and long-term enteral feeding of the patient was provided in a minimally invasive way. Surgeons often face challenging cases when treating patients with head and neck cancer. The modification of standard procedures is sometimes required to adapt surgical techniques to the patient's specific case. Orv Hetil. 2022; 163(3): 116-119.

[Temporal bone cholesterol granuloma penetrating into the middle cranial fossa]. / Középso skálába terjedo, temporalis csontból kiinduló koleszteringranuloma.

The authors present a case report of a patient who was treated conservatively for a non-specific headache for more than a decade, while an arachnoidal cyst in the middle cranial fossa, over the temporal bone tegmen was diagnosed, but ruled out as the cause of the headache. The patient was referred to our ENT department with left, purulent ear discharge. Besides a chronic purulent otitis media, a cholesterol granuloma occupying the antrum, eroding the tegmen of the pyramid bone and penetrating into the middle cranial fossa was diagnosed. Case presentation of a patient with cholesterol granuloma, surgical options, differential diagnostic problems, and a literature review are presented. Tympanoplasty with cortical mastoidectomy was carried out to treat the chronic purulent otitis media, and the cholesterol granuloma was removed during transmastoid craniotomy. The iatrogenic temporal meningo-encephalic tissue herniation was repaired and the bone defect of the tegmen was reconstructed with septal cartilage. The patient's headache diminished immediately after the surgery. The chronic ear discharge stopped, the cholesterol granuloma was excised completely and the cerebral herniation was repaired successfully. Neither CSF leak, nor further herniation or meningitis were noticed. Two years after the operation the patient is asymptomatic. A large cholesterol granuloma, eroding into the middle cranial fossa can cause serious complications, and needs a high level of attention besides individualized surgical treatment based on the surgeon's abilities and skills. Orv Hetil. 2019; 160(52): 2067-2072.

Solubility determination as an alternative to migration measurements.

Solubility values for six UV stabilisers (Cyasorb UV-1164, Tinuvin P, Tinuvin 234, Tinuvin 326, Tinuvin 327 and Tinuvin 1577) and five antioxidants (Irgafos 168, Irganox 1010, Irganox 3114, Irganox 3790 and Irganox 565) were determined in all the liquid food simulants (3% (m/V) acetic acid-water mixture, 10% (V/V), 20% (V/V), 50% (V/V) ethanol-water mixture and vegetable oil) proposed in European Union Regulation No. 10/2011/EC, as well as in fruit juice and cola drink. The applied method was obtained by modification of the method for the determination of water solubility as described in OECD guideline Test No. 105. By using ultrasonication and shorter equilibration time, the time demand of the solubility determinations were decreased notably. Solubility values proved to be lower than the specific migration limits (as specified in 10/2011/EC) at 25 °C for almost all target compounds in food simulants A, B, C and D1 as well as in fruit juice and cola drink. The exceptions were Tinuvin P and Irganox 3790 in simulant D1. The solubility in food simulant D2 was higher than 1000 µg ml(-1) for all target compounds. These results show that the solubility of some additives in food simulants can be so low that it makes migration studies for certain additive-food simulant pairs dispensable.

A potential role of aminoglycoside resistance in endemic occurrence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains in lower airways of mechanically ventilated patients.

Altogether, 98 Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates from a 5-bed intensive care unit were fingerprinted with pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and tested for aminoglycoside resistance genes aac(6')-Ib, aac(3″)-IIa, ant(2″)-Ia, armA, rmtA, and rmtB and integrons and virulence genes/operons phzI, phzII, phzM, phzS, apr, lasB, plcH, plcN, pilA, algD, toxA, exoS, exoT, exoY, and exoU. Two major clusters were identified (49 and 19 isolates), harbouring aac(6')-Ib, blaPSE-1, and ant(3″)-Ia genes or ant(2″)-Ia gene, respectively, on a class I integron. Most virulence genes except for exoU and pilA were found. Only 1 isolate of the minor cluster (8 isolates) and 1 of the 22 sporadic isolates carried integrons (without gene cassettes); virulence profile was highly variable. Comparing the resistance and virulence patterns of endemic and sporadic isolates suggests that integron-borne aminoglycoside resistance is more closely associated with the frequency than virulence. Consequently, aminoglycoside usage may have played a role in maintenance of the endemic clones.

MRI driven magnetic microswimmers.

Capsule endoscopy is a promising technique for diagnosing diseases in the digestive system. Here we design and characterize a miniature swimming mechanism that uses the magnetic fields of the MRI for both propulsion and wireless powering of the capsule. Our method uses both the static and the radio frequency (RF) magnetic fields inherently available in MRI to generate a propulsive force. Our study focuses on the evaluation of the propulsive force for different swimming tails and experimental estimation of the parameters that influence its magnitude. We have found that an approximately 20 mm long, 5 mm wide swimming tail is capable of producing 0.21 mN propulsive force in water when driven by a 20 Hz signal providing 0.85 mW power and the tail located within the homogeneous field of a 3 T MRI scanner. We also analyze the parallel operation of the swimming mechanism and the scanner imaging. We characterize the size of artifacts caused by the propulsion system. We show that while the magnetic micro swimmer is propelling the capsule endoscope, the operator can locate the capsule on the image of an interventional scene without being obscured by significant artifacts. Although this swimming method does not scale down favorably, the high magnetic field of the MRI allows self propulsion speed on the order of several millimeter per second and can propel an endoscopic capsule in the stomach.