Search

Due to the medical importance of dibenzoylmethane, one of the aims of the study was to find an appropriate packing material and a biologically friendly co-solvent to help its introduction into living systems. Accordingly, redox properties of dibenzoylmethane were investigated on glassy carbon electrodes in acetonitrile and in 1-propanol with cyclic voltammetry, and showed a diffusion-controlled process. In the anodic window, an oxidation peak appeared at around 1.9 V in both solvents. Cycling repeatedly between 0 and 2 V, the reproducibility of this peak was acceptable, but when extending the window to higher potentials, the electrode deactivated, obviously due to electrode material. The addition of the investigated tetrakis(3,5-dicarboxyphenoxy) cavitand did not significantly change the voltammograms. Further electrochemical experiments showed that the coexistence of water in acetonitrile and 1-propanol drastically reduces the solubility of dibenzoylmethane. Moreover, very rapid electrode deactivation occurred and this fact made the use of electrochemical methods complicated. Considering that both the cavitand and dibenzoylmethane are soluble in dimethyl sulfoxide, the interaction of these species was investigated and formation of stable complexes was detected. This observation was verified with fluorescence quenching studies. The mixture of water and dimethyl sulphoxide also dramatically improved the solubility of the cavitand–dibenzoylmethane complex at high excess of water. The addition of cavitand improved the solubility of dibenzoylmethane, a property which supports the application of dibenzoylmethane in therapy.

Objectives, setting and participants In July 2011, the EU adopted the Falsified Medicines Directive (FMD) primarily aiming to prevent the infiltration of falsified medicines into the legitimate supply chain. Our aim was to measure the cost elements of FMD implementation and operation using an internationally adaptable tool among Hungarian hospital pharmacies.Design A 41-item questionnaire was developed to evaluate the implementation process and associated cost consequences leading up to February 2019, and the stabilisation period.Results Our representative data are supported by the high response rate, as 44.8% of the Hungarian hospital pharmacies have completed the survey. Human resource requirements related to decommissioning activities were measured as working hours and were expressed in full time equivalent (FTE). We have found an increased workload with extra 0.25 pharmacist and 0.75 technician FTE/institution at the end of the stabilisation period. The entire infrastructural and IT implementation costs were determined as €2173, on average (SD: €3366) and the median was €1506 (range: €0–€20 723). The total IT investment cost per institution was valued at €1410 (SD: €335). We identified a positive correlation (R=0.663) in consideration of the costs, the number of beds and the number of hospital locations with a multivariate linear regression model. At the time of our survey, 76.7% of the respondents experienced drug shortages, 58.1% reported suspected increase in drug costs regarding serialised medications, and 53.5% noticed an increase in packaging size.Conclusions Notably, our research is the first complex study depicting FMD cost implications in the hospital pharmacy sector in Central Europe, indicating decommissioning significantly impacted workflow referencing human resources and IT.

The circular economy strategy is closely linked to the EU's efforts to achieve a radical reduction in the amount of waste going to landfills. It is wrong to think, that packaging waste should be used within the packaging industry, as many have suggested in the strict sense of producer responsibility. Schumpeter saw creative destruction as one of the preconditions for development. The circular economy should be offensive. The economy must be transformed from a stock economy to a flow economy to achieve significant improvements in productivity and material efficiency. The public discourse on the state of the environment is very diverse. I would like to show, through a short empirical study with the help of Q methodology, how PhD students have very different views on issues related to sustainable development and the circular economy. KEYWORDS: circular economy, Hungarian waste management policy, disruptive innovation

In Aspergillus nidulans a regulon including 11 hxn genes (hxnS, T, R, P, Y, Z, X, W, V, M and N) is inducible by a nicotinate metabolic derivative, repressible by ammonium and under stringent control of the nitrogen-state-sensitive GATA factor AreA and the specific transcription factor HxnR. This is the first report in a eukaryote of the genomic organization of a possibly complete pathway of nicotinate utilization. In A. nidulans the regulon is organized in three distinct clusters, this organization is variable in the Ascomycota. In some Pezizomycotina species all 11 genes map in a single cluster; in others they map in two clusters. This variable organization sheds light on cluster evolution. Instances of gene duplication followed by or simultaneous with integration in the cluster, partial or total cluster loss, and horizontal gene transfer of several genes (including an example of whole cluster re-acquisition in Aspergillus of section Flavi) were detected, together with the incorporation in some clusters of genes not found in the A. nidulans co-regulated regulon, which underlie both the plasticity and the reticulate character of metabolic cluster evolution. This study provides a comprehensive phylogeny of six members of the cluster across representatives of all Ascomycota classes.

Glycosylidene-spiro-morpholin(on)es are scarcely described skeletons in the literature. In this work, we have systematically explored the synthetic routes towards such morpholinones based on the reactions of O-peracylated hept-2-ulopyranosonamide derivatives of D-gluco and D-galacto configuration. Koenigs–Knorr type glycosylation of 2-chloroethanol, allylic and propargylic alcohols by (glyculosylbromide)onamides furnished the expected glycosides. The 2-chloroethyl glycosides were ring closed to the corresponding spiro-morpholinones by treatment with K2CO3. The (allyl glyculosid)onamides gave diastereomeric mixtures of spiro-5-hydroxymorpholinones by ozonolysis and 5-iodomethylmorpholinones under iodonium ion mediated conditions. The ozonolytic method has not yet been known for the construction of morpholine rings, therefore, it was also extended to O-allyl mandelamide. The 5-hydroxymorpholinones were subjected to oxidation and acid catalyzed elimination reactions to give the corresponding morpholine-3,5-dions and 5,6-didehydro-morpholin-3-ones, respectively. Base induced elimination of the 5-iodomethylmorpholinones gave 5-methyl-2H-1,4-oxazin-3(4H)-ones. O-Acyl protecting groups of all of the above compounds were removed under Zemplén conditions. Some of the D-gluco configured unprotected compounds were tested as inhibitors of glycogen phosphorylase, but showed no significant effect.

In this article, the performance of brass electrode was investigated in a Zn-air (charcoal-based cathode) rechargeable battery. The construction of the battery was carried out with biodegradable materials, namely a cotton cloth diaphragm and carboxymethyl cellulose sodium salt (CMC-Na) viscosity modifier, while the battery skeleton was printed by 3D printing technology. The brass acted as a collector and a preferable surface for the metallic Zn deposition on the brass anode surface. The electrochemical behavior of the brass anode was investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV). Cyclic performance tests were carried out, which showed stable cell operation even in the presence or absence of additives up to more than 100 cycles. Furthermore, high energy (Eeff) and Coulomb (Ceff) efficiencies, 80% (Eeff), 95% (Ceff), 75% (Eeff), and 95% (Ceff) were obtained, respectively. The Shepherd model was applied to describe the discharging processes of the Zn-air battery containing brass as anode in the presence of additive-free electrolyte or electrolyte with CMC-Na salt additive. It was found that the Shepherd equation described only approximately the resulting discharge curves. In order to attain a more precise mathematical description, stretched exponential function was implemented into the last term of the Shepherd equation. The need for such a correction shows the complexity of the electrochemical processes occurring in these systems. In addition, the surface of the brass anode was also investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and the composition of the brass alloys was determined by X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF). Importantly, the formation of dendritic deposition was successfully suppressed and a smooth and uniform surface was obtained after the cycling tests.

The mechanical and rheological characterizations of flexible investment casting patterns capable of 3D printing are reported. The wax pattern was composed of microcrystalline hydrocarbon wax (DMW7478), Piccotex 75 (a copolymer of α–methyl–styrene and vinyl toluene with a 75/25 molar ratio, respectively) and Escorene (a copolymer of ethylene and vinyl acetate with a 72/28 mass ratio, respectively). It was found that in order to obtain a wax pattern with appreciable mechanical properties, the content of the microcrystalline hydrocarbon wax in these blends should not exceed 30% (m/m). Thus, a series of patterns with 28% (m/m) wax and varying Piccotex and Escorene contents spanning from 0 to 72% (m/m) was prepared. The dependence of the dynamic viscosities of the wax patterns on the composition was described using a stretched exponential model, whereas their variations with the temperature were interpreted in terms of the Arrhenius–Guzman equation. Furthermore, the slopes of the lines fitted to the viscosity versus temperature curves at the pour point decreased linearly with the Piccotex content. Non-Newtonian changes in the shear stress with the shear rate and shear stress crystallization were observed at temperatures near the pour points. The mechanical properties were evaluated using the uniaxial tensile mode and by three-point bending experiments. It was found that the stress (σ) versus the relative elongation (ε) curves can effectively be rendered by means of the standard linear solid (SLS) viscoelastic model. In addition, it was also established that the Young’s modulus varied according to a sigmoid-type curve with the piccotex content, while the yield stress decreased linearly with the concentration of Piccotex. In addition, based on the spooling suitability and printability, the patterns were rated and it was found that the most appropriate wax pattern compositions for 3D printing were those which contained 30% (m/m) and 35% (m/m) Piccotex.

Successful energy transitions, also referred to as leapfrog development, present enormous prospects for EU nations to become carbon neutral by shifting from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources. Along with climate change, EU countries must address energy security and dependency issues, exacerbated by factors such as the COVID-19 pandemic, rising energy costs, conflicts between Russia and Ukraine, and political instability. Diversifying energy sources, generating renewable energy, increasing energy efficiency, preventing energy waste, and educating the public about environmental issues are proposed as several strategies. The study draws the conclusion that central European countries may transition to a clean energy economy and become carbon neutral on economic and strategic levels by locating alternative clean energy supply sources, reducing energy use, and producing renewable energy. According to the study, the EU energy industry can be decarbonised and attain energy security using three basic strategies, such as supply diversification, energy savings, and quicker adoption of renewable energy to replace fossil fuels. The energy transformation industry still needs to improve energy efficiency, incorporate a circular and sustainable bioeconomy, and support renewable energies, including solar, wind, hydropower, nuclear, and hydrogen.

The presence of viruses is less explored in Mucoromycota as compared to other fungal groups such as Ascomycota and Basidiomycota. Recently, more and more mycoviruses are identified from the early-diverging lineages of fungi. We have determined the genome of 11 novel dsRNA viruses in seven different Umbelopsis strains with next-generation sequencing (NGS). The identified viruses were named Umbelopsis ramanniana virus 5 (UrV5), 6a (UrV6a); 6b (UrV6b); 7 (UrV7); 8a (UrV8a); 8b (UrV8b); Umbelopsis gibberispora virus 1 (UgV1); 2 (UgV2) and Umbelopsis dimorpha virus 1a (UdV1a), 1b (UdV1b) and 2 (UdV2). All the newly identified viruses contain two open reading frames (ORFs), which putatively encode the coat protein (CP) and the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), respectively. Based on the phylogeny inferred from the RdRp sequences, eight viruses (UrV7, UrV8a, UrV8b, UgV1, UgV2, UdV1a, UdV1b and UdV2) belong to the genus Totivirus, while UrV5, UrV6a and UrV6b are placed into a yet unclassified but well-defined Totiviridae-related group. In UrV5, UgV1, UgV2, UrV8b, UdV1a, UdV2 and UdV1b, ORF2 is predicted to be translated as a fusion protein via a rare +1 (or −2) ribosomal frameshift, which is not characteristic to most members of the Totivirus genus. Virus particles 31 to 32 nm in diameter could be detected in the examined fungal strains by transmission electron microscopy. Through the identification and characterization of new viruses of Mucoromycota fungi, we can gain insight into the diversity of mycoviruses, as well as into their phylogeny and genome organization.

Viable airborne pathogenic fungi represent a potential health hazard when exposing vulnerable persons in quantities exceeding their resilience. In this study, 284 indoor fungal isolates from a strain collection of indoor fungi were screened for pathogenic potential through the ability to grow in neutral pH at 37 °C and 30 °C. The isolates were collected from 20 locations including 14 problematic and 6 non-problematic ordinary buildings. Out of the screened isolates, 170 isolates were unable to grow at 37 °C, whereas 67 isolates growing at pH 7.2 at 37 °C were considered as potential opportunistic pathogens. Forty-seven isolates growing at 30 °C but not at 37 °C were considered as less likely pathogens. Out of these categories, 33 and 33 strains, respectively, were identified to the species level. The problematic buildings included known opportunistic pathogens: Aspergillus calidoustus, Trichoderma longibrachiatum, Rhizopus arrhizus and Paecilomyces variotii, as well as less likely pathogens: Aspergillus versicolor, Chaetomium cochliodes, Chaetomium globosum and Chaetomium rectangulare. Opportunistic pathogens such as Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus tubingensis and less likely pathogens such as Aspergillus westerdijkiae, Chaetomium globosum and Dichotomopilus finlandicus were isolated both from ordinary and from problematic buildings. Aspergillus was the dominant, most diverse genus found during screening for potentially pathogenic isolates in the indoor strain collection. Studies on Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus calidodoustus revealed that tolerance to cleaning chemicals may contribute to the adaptation of Aspergillus species to indoor environments.

As the recent outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has shown, viral infections are prone to secondary complications like invasive aspergillosis with a high mortality rate, and therefore the development of novel, effective antifungals is of paramount importance. We have previously demonstrated that 1-amino-5-isocyanonaphthalene (ICAN) derivatives are promising original drug candidates against Candida strains (Patent pending), even against fluconazole resistant C. albicans. Consequently, in this study ICANs were tested on Aspergillus fumigatus, an opportunistic pathogen, which is the leading cause of invasive and systematic pulmonary aspergillosis in immunosuppressed, transplanted and cancer- or COVID-19 treated patients. We have tested several N-alkylated ICANs, a well as 1,5-naphthalene-diisocyanide (DIN) with the microdilution method against Aspergillus fumigatus strains. The results revealed that the diisocyanide (DIN) was the most effective with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) value as low as 0.6 µg mL−1 (3.4 µM); however, its practical applicability is limited by its poor water solubility, which needs to be overcome by proper formulation. The other alkylated derivatives also have in vitro and in vivo anti-Aspergillus fumigatus effects. For animal experiments the second most effective derivative 1-N, N-dimethylamino-5-isocyanonaphthalene (DIMICAN, MIC: 7–8 µg mL−1, 36–41 µM) was selected, toxicity tests were made with mice, and then the antifungal effect of DIMICAN was tested in a neutropenic aspergillosis murine model. Compared to amphotericin B (AMB), a well-known antifungal, the antifungal effect of DIMICAN in vivo turned out to be much better (40% vs. 90% survival after eight days), indicating its potential as a clinical drug candidate.

The successful production of maize is fundamentally determined by a good choice of tillage type. Options include conventional tillage based on soil rotation, as well as a more recent conservation approach. Our aims were to determine the stress physiological effects of the plant remains left behind by different tillage procedures on the juvenile maize plants, combined with the effects of fungicide treatment on the seeds. These effects were followed and investigated by means of biophoton emission measurement, an in vivo and non-invasive imaging technique, along with chlorophyll content estimation, as well as microbial- and polymerase chain reaction-based identification of fungi presence. Our results confirmed the response reactions of maize triggered by a soil covering plant remains on the initial development and physiological involvement of maize. The positive effects of seed treatment on initial development are manifested only at the final stage of the experiment. The fungal microbiological analysis confirmed the dominant presence of necrotrophic parasites on plant residues, the stress-inducing properties of which were possible to monitor by biophoton emission. Furthermore, the presence of Fusarium spp. was confirmed by PCR analysis from samples treated with plant residues.

Silymarin is a mixture of flavonolignans isolated from the fruit of milk thistle (Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertner). Milk thistle extract is the active ingredient of several medications and dietary supplements to treat liver injury/diseases. After the oral administration, flavonolignans are extensively biotransformed, resulting in the formation of sulfate and/or glucuronide metabolites. Previous studies demonstrated that silymarin components form stable complexes with serum albumin and can inhibit certain cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes. Nevertheless, in most of these investigations, silybin was tested; while no or only limited information is available regarding other silymarin components and metabolites. In this study, the interactions of five silymarin components (silybin A, silybin B, isosilybin A, silychristin, and 2,3-dehydrosilychristin) and their sulfate metabolites were examined with human serum albumin and CYP (2C9, 2C19, 2D6, and 3A4) enzymes. Our results demonstrate that each compound tested forms stable complexes with albumin, and certain silymarin components/metabolites can inhibit CYP enzymes. Most of the sulfate conjugates were less potent inhibitors of CYP enzymes, but 2,3-dehydrosilychristin-19-O-sulfate showed the strongest inhibitory effect on CYP3A4. Based on these observations, the simultaneous administration of high dose silymarin with medications should be carefully considered, because milk thistle flavonolignans and/or their sulfate metabolites may interfere with drug therapy.

A gazdasági válságnak olyan mély hatása volt az egyetemi mellékdíjak rendszerére, hogy a Vallás- és Közoktatásügyi Minisztérium arra kényszerült, hogy az 1931/32. tanév I. félévétől új mellékdíjat vezessen be. Ezt a fenntartási járulékot minden egyetemi hallgató a féléves beiratkozások alkalmával kellett fizesse. A magyar állami költségvetés olyan kritikus helyzetbe került, hogy három évvel később létre kellett hozni egy újabb mellékdíjat, a fenntartási pótdíjat, amelynek összegét az elnyert tandíjkedvezmény mértéke alapján állapították meg. Az 1934/35. tanév I. félévétől minden hallgató a tandíja arányában kellett fizesse ezt a díjat. Ezek a fenntartási díjak a magyar felsőoktatás és a debreceni Tisza István Tudományegyetem mellékdíj rendszerének a részét képezték egészen az 1940/41. tanév I. félévének a végéig.

Macroeconomic modelling emerged at the end of the 20th century and by the first decade of the 21st century it had been widely accepted. However, the financial crisis of 2007 followed by the real economy crisis exposed the weaknesses of dynamic stochastic general equilibrium models (DSGE) and agent-based models became favoured. Agent-based models – better reflecting reality– assume that individuals are capable of learning from past experiences. In economics, aggregation is considered to be fundamental in the analysis of macroeconomic processes, leading to question such as: How can processes describing macroeconomics and related indicators be obtained from results generated from decisions made at a microeconomic level? Is the applied method appropriate? Are synergy possibilities considered? This study attempts to provide answers to these questions.

Hyphae are a major innovation in fungi associated with transitions to multicellularity. Here, Kiss and colleagues use comparative genomic analyses to reconstruct the evolutionary origins of hyphae and the molecular evolution of hypha morphogenesis genes.

Abstract Green lacewings (Chrysopidae) are important predators of many soft-bodied pest insects, for instance aphids. Previous studies reported attraction of Chrysoperla carnea species-complex to a ternary floral bait. The larvae of these lacewings are important generalist predators in agroecosystems, however adults are non-predatory, they feed on pollen, nectar or honeydew. Squalene, a plant originated compound was previously reported to be attractive to the nearctic Chrysopa nigricornis. In the current study squalene was tested alone and in combination with the ternary bait in field experiments in Hungary. In our experiments, traps baited with squalene attracted predatory males of Chrysopa formosa. Traps baited with squalene and the ternary floral bait attracted adults of both C. formosa and C. carnea complex lacewings. To our knowledge this is the first report of a bait combination attractive to both Chrysoperla and Chrysopa species. This finding is of special interest considering the remarkably different feeding habits of the adults of these lacewings. Potential perspectives in biological control are discussed.

The aim of the research is to determine the metallographical and mechanical properties (residual stresses, hardness, phases and texture) of carburized surfaces using finite element method and study the failure of surface during relative motion, and the possibilities of the test methods, which can give us information about the behaviour of these surfaces. This work focuses on contact fatigue tests and properties. Nowadays it can be established that application of finite element method is a reliable way to simulate carburization. It is possible to determine exact approximation for the hardness and carbon content values near the surface after carburization and quenching, but take into account that the simulation of tempering is still an issue, if the material contains retained austenit, the hardness values of the test will be higher near the surface, because of the retained austenit-bainit transformation, so the simulations had to be validated by carburized cylindrical (disc-like) specimens, made of low alloy case hardening steel (16MnCr5). These specimens were tested with glow discharge optical emission spectroscopy, to measure the chemical composition of the surface layer. It is important to know what kind of residual stresses can be observed in the surface after carburization, therefore it was extensively studied during the simulation. Furthermore the values of the hardness in the surface of the specimens have been determined. Having compared the simulation and experiments, good agreement has been found between the results, so the finite element method was validated successfully. For high cycle rolling fatigue test rollers were manufactured. Two disc fatigue tests were carried out on five rollers. Four tests were stopped due to trigger sign by surface damage, while one of those was stopped due to break of the shaft after one millions of rotation. Microstructural investigations have been started on the rollers.

The examination of the failure of electric connectors of electric powered vehicles is at the forefront of current vehicle developments, because the connector’s operating time increases significantly in comparison with internal combustion engine vehicles. It was observed that the low amplitude fretting corrosion plays the most important role in failure, so the lifetime of the failure process is decisive in the life span of the connector. Typically, the failure of an electrical connector in terms of product is an increase in electrical resistance that can even cause malfunction of the drive within the product expected lifetime because of the generated Joule heat that causes temperature rise. The aim of our work is to study the fretting corrosion process in a given geometry and material quality of electrical connection by experiment and numerical model. In the experimental test, an experimental construction was set which simulated contact properties of the built-in connectors. Tests for failure-life were performed as a function of the clamping force of the mating members and the amplitude of the relative displacement of the contact surfaces, of which magnitude can be typically for fretting. The change in resistance at the contact surface was measured and examined when this value reached the limit value for failure, thus determining the life span for fretting corrosion. The experimental set-up was then modelled by finite element method. The purely elastic FE model made it possible to model the gradual removal of the material for given force-amplitude-frequency values by using the Archard’s theory. The valid wear coefficient was searched that creates the same wear crater in the calculation as in the measurements. Then, using the measured data, the FE analysis revealed the mechanical stress conditions, the electrical current flow conditions, and the resulting thermal conditions during the wear process both on and below the contact surface, which provides additional information on the details of the fretting corrosion process.

Dichrorampha carpatalpina sp. n., is described from the Southern Carpathians (Romania). It is closely related to D. inconspiqua (Danilevsky, 1948) and D. podoliensis (Toll, 1942). Adults, male and female genitalia, the habitat of the new species are described and figured and some details of the biology are given. The larva and its host-plant, Achillea oxyloba schurii (Sch. Bip.) Heimerl, are illustrated. The species inhabits the north-facing slopes of the highest regions of the Carpathians. During their flight period from the beginning of July to the beginning of August the moths are on wing in the morning and only in sunny weather.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between platelet (PLT) count and mean platelet volume (MPV) and venous thromboembolism (VTE). Thus, this study reviewed and performed a quantitative synthesis on data from the literature. This meta-analysis was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. 18 studies were included in this paper. A random-effect meta-analysis was conducted for the assessment of heterogeneity using thrombosis place, type of analyzer, type of anticoagulant and incubation time of samples as covariates. A mixed-effect meta-regression was performed based on the subgroup for the whole samples using thrombosis place and method of measurement as moderators for MPV and PLT, respectively. The cumulative estimates and 95% confidence interval (95%CI) of specificity, sensitivity, area under the receiver operator characteristic curve (AUC) and diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) for MPV were calculated using a random effect model. The quality assessments were evaluated according to the quality assessment and diagnostic accuracy tool-2 (QUADAS-2). The primary outcome was the occurrence of VTE. Secondary outcomes included PLT and MPV. Patient with deep vein thrombosis is likely to have a higher value of MPV than control group (P

Inulin and fish oil rich in omega-3 fatty acid were applied to yoghurt, kefir, and smearcase made from goat and sheep milk, and their impact on fatty acid composition was investigated at 8°C throughout 40 days. The number of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) was significantly diminished within 16 days, and by the end of the storage period the population size was decreased by 3 orders of magnitude in fish oil fortified samples. In inulin-fortified samples, a significant decrease in LAB number (by 2.5–3 orders of magnitude) was observed just by the end of the storage time, while the amount of unsaturated free fatty acids was increased. The extent of lipolysis and the resulted amount of free fatty acids exhibited varying feature depending on the composition of the product. Goat and sheep milk products exhibit analogous trends in terms of change in fatty acid composition with one exception: the ratio of free C16:0 was increased by 10% for goat milk products, while for the sheep milk products only by 3%. Ratio of C16:0 did not change during storage of sheep yoghurt as a result of inulin fortification. In contrast, 13% increase of this parameter was observed in case of the product variant prepared with fish oil addition. It might be stated that fortification with prebiotics can be regarded as a better way to improve the biological value of dairy products than that with fish oil.

Soil salinization is one of the main threats to soils worldwide, which has serious impacts on soil functions. Our objective was to map and assess salt-affectedness on arable land (0.85 km2) in Hungary, with high spatial resolution, using a combination of ensemble machine learning and multivariate geostatistics on three salt-affected soil indicators (i.e., alkalinity, electrical conductivity, and sodium adsorption ratio (n = 85 soil samples)). Ensemble modelling with five base learners (i.e., random forest, extreme gradient boosting, support vector machine, neural network, and generalized linear model) was carried out and the results showed that ensemble modelling outperformed the base learners for alkalinity and sodium adsorption ratio with R2 values of 0.43 and 0.96, respectively, while only the random forest prediction was acceptable for electrical conductivity. Multivariate geostatistics was conducted on the stochastic residuals derived from machine learning modelling, as we could reasonably assume that there is spatial interdependence between the selected salt-affected soil indicators. We used 10-fold cross-validation to check the performance of the spatial predictions and uncertainty quantifications, which provided acceptable results for each selected salt-affected soil indicator (for pH value, electrical conductivity, and sodium adsorption ratio, the root mean square error values were 0.11, 0.86, and 0.22, respectively). Our results showed that the methodology applied in this study is efficient in mapping and assessing salt-affectedness on arable lands with high spatial resolution. A probability map for sodium adsorption ratio represents sodic soils exceeding a threshold value of 13, where they are more likely to have soil structure deterioration and water infiltration problems. This map can help the land user to select the appropriate agrotechnical operation for improving soil quality and yield.

Lead oxide (PbO) photoconductors are proposed as X-ray-to-charge transducers for the next generation of direct conversion digital X-ray detectors. Optimized PbO-based detectors have potential for utilization in high-energy and dynamic applications of medical X-ray imaging. Two polymorphs of PbO have been considered so far for imaging applications: polycrystalline lead oxide (poly-PbO) and amorphous lead oxide (a-PbO). Here, we provide the comparative analysis of two PbO-based single-pixel X-ray detector prototypes: one prototype employs only a layer of a-PbO as the photoconductor while the other has a combination of a-PbO and poly-PbO, forming a photoconductive bilayer structure of the same overall thickness as in the first prototype. We characterize the performance of these prototypes in terms of electron–hole creation energy (W±) and signal lag—major properties that define a material’s suitability for low-dose real-time imaging. The results demonstrate that both X-ray photoconductive structures have an adequate temporal response suitable for real-time X-ray imaging, combined with high intrinsic sensitivity. These results are discussed in the context of structural and morphological properties of PbO to better understand the preparation–fabrication–property relationships of this material.

The electropolymerization of three phenylphenol isomers was studied in methyl isobutyl ketone and mesityl oxide, and the remarkable differences highlighted the importance of the carbon–carbon double bond in mesityl oxide. In the case of each substrate, a brownish deposit formed during the electrooxidation. The obvious difference between the polymers formed from the two solvents was recognized via voltammetric signal enhancement of 4-methoxyphenol and 4-chlorophenol, and it was only observed in the case of mesityl oxide. The experiments highlighted that incorporation of a cavitand with biphenyl groups on the upper rim of the polymers of phenylphenols improved the results to a small extent. The cavitand was, itself, electroactive without any fouling effect. As 2-phenylphenol is by far the cheapest of the three isomers, a cavitand was incorporated into its polymer, which was exploited to solve analytical problems while mesityl oxide was used as solvent. Useful quantifications were achieved in organic solvents; however, it failed under aqueous conditions due to the high hydrophobicity of the deposit. Application of differential pulse voltammetry for 4-methoxyphenol and 4-chlorophenol gave detection limits of 9.28 and 50.8 μM in acetonitrile, respectively. This procedure resulted in the immobilization of cavitand derivatives onto the electrode’s surface, and the layer formed offered selective sensing of phenols by electrochemical methods.

Qualitative and quantitative parameters of tomatoes are impaired by Halyomorpha halys Stål (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), which cause severe economic losses worldwide. Our aims were to assess H. halys-induced tissue damage in tomatoes via computer tomography and to confirm the results of imaging obtained by analytical methods. Our examination confirmed the intensification of the change in the inner structure of damaged tomatoes as a function of time. The tendency of this destruction triggered by bug saliva grew exponentially from the exocarp layer to the inner placenta. The destruction of the plant tissue was aggravated by an increase in the number of bugs, as it was unequivocally evinced by the shell thickness assays. The results of the assessment of the antioxidant capacity of tomato mesocarp showed a distinct decrease in the antioxidant capacity of the samples obtained from H. halys-infested tomatoes. This indicates that the ferric-reducing antioxidant power value was related to the degradation processes of the mesocarp tissue in tomato fruit caused by the watery saliva released by H. halys. The presented experimental method can be suitable for the qualitative control of the vegetable items intended for trade, which can help for the isolation of tomatoes damaged by bugs immediately after harvest.

In this paper, the synthesis, characterization, and properties of crosslinked poly(ε-caprolactone)-based polyurethanes as potential tissue replacement materials are reported. The polyurethane prepolymers were prepared from poly(ε-caprolactone)diol (PCD), polyethylene glycol (PEG)/polylactic acid diol (PLAD), and 1,6-hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI). In these segmented polyurethanes, the role of PEG/PLAD was to tune the hydrophobic/hydrophilic character of the resulting polymer while sucrose served as a crosslinking agent. PLAD was synthesized by the polycondensation reaction of D,L-lactic acid and investigated by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR). The crosslinked polyurethane samples (SUPURs) obtained were characterized by attenuated total reflectance Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (AT-FT-IR), swelling, and mechanical (uniaxial tensile tests) experiments. The thermo and thermomechanical behavior were studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and dynamical mechanical analysis (DMA). The viability of dental pulp stem cells was investigated in the case of polyurethanes composed of fully biocompatible elements. In our studies, none of our polymers showed toxicity to stem cells (DPSCs).

The century-old, well-known odd–even effect phenomenon is still a very attractive and intriguing topic in supramolecular and nano-scale organic chemistry. As a part of our continuous efforts in the study of supramolecular chemistry, we have prepared three novel aromatic alcohols (1,2-bis[2-(hydroxymethyl)phenoxy]butylene (Do4OH), 1,2-bis[2-(hydroxymethyl)phenoxy]pentylene (Do5OH) and 1,2-bis[2-(hydroxymethyl)phenoxy]hexylene (Do6OH)) and determined their crystal and molecular structures by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. In all compounds, two benzyl alcohol groups are linked by an aliphatic chain of different lengths (CH2)n; n = 4, 5 and 6. The major differences in the molecular structures were found in the overall planarity of the molecules and the conformation of the aliphatic chain. Molecules with an even number of CH2 groups tend to be planar with an all-trans conformation of the aliphatic chain, while the odd-numbered molecule is non-planar, with partial gauche conformation. A direct consequence of these structural differences is visible in the melting points—odd-numbered compounds of a particular series display systematically lower melting points. Crystal and molecular structures were additionally studied by the theoretical calculations and the melting points were correlated with packing density and the number of CH2 groups. The results have shown that the generally accepted rule, higher density = higher stability = higher melting point, could not be applied to these compounds. It was found that the denser packaging causes an increase in the percentage of repulsive H‧‧‧H interactions, thereby reducing the stability of the crystal, and consequently, the melting points. Another interesting consequence of different molecular structures is their electrochemical and antioxidative properties—a non-planar structure displays the highest oxidation peak of hydroxyl groups and moderate antioxidant activity.

Fluorescent probes that exhibit solvatochromic or excited-state proton-transfer (ESPT) properties are essential tools for the study of complex biological or chemical systems. Herein, the synthesis and characterization of a novel fluorophore that reveals both features, 5-isocyanonaphthalene-1-ol (ICOL), are reported. Various solvatochromic methods, such as Lippert–Mataga and Bilot–Kawski, together with time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) and time-resolved emission spectroscopy (TRES), were applied to gain insights into its excited-state behavior. To make comparisons, the octyloxy derivative of ICOL, 5-isocyano-1-(octyloxy)naphthalene (ICON), was also prepared. We found that internal charge transfer (ICT) takes place between the isocyano and –OH groups of ICOL, and we determined the values of the dipole moments for the ground and excited states of both ICOL and ICON. Furthermore, in the emission spectra of ICOL, a second band at higher wavelengths (green emission) in solvents of higher polarities (dual emission), in addition to the band present at lower wavelengths (blue emission), were observed. The extent of this dual emission increases in the order of 2-propanol < methanol < N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) < dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). The presence of the dual fluorescence of ICOL in these solvents can be ascribed to ESPT. For ICOL, we also determined ground- and excited-state pKa values of 8.4 ± 0.3 and 0.9 ± 0.7, respectively, which indicates a considerable increase in acidity upon excitation. The TRES experiments showed that the excited-state lifetimes of the ICOL and ICON spanned from 10.1 ns to 5.0 ns and from 5.7 ns to 3.8 ns, respectively. In addition, we demonstrated that ICOL can be used as an effective indicator of not only the critical micelle concentration (cmc) of ionic (sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS)) and nonionic surfactants (Tween 80), but also other micellar parameters, such as partition coefficients, as well as to map the microenvironments in the cavities of biomacromolecules (e.g., BSA). It is also pointed out that fluorescence quenching by pyridine can effectively be utilized for the determination of the fractions of ICOL molecules that reside at the water–micelle interface and in the interior spaces of micelles.

Polyethylene glycol 400 (PEG 400) was used as a permeability probe to examine the gastrointestinal tract which can be involved in the pathogenesis of some inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. A novel methodology was developed and validated for the quantitation of PEG 400 excreted in human urine after oral administration using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS). The excretion ratios were determined for the most intense ions corresponding to nine PEG 400 oligomers. The relative error of accuracy was between –6.0% and 8.5%, and the relative standard deviation (RSD) of the precision was below 15%. Our method was successfully applied in a large-scale experimental study involving nearly two hundred volunteers. Due to the large number of measurements, detailed and reliable statistical analysis was performed. No significant difference was found between the male and female group of volunteers at 0.05 significance level, except the two largest PEG oligomers. However, the average excretion ratios of the male volunteers are greater than that of the women for all the nine PEG oligomers, suggesting a difference in the intestinal permeability between men and women.

Mucormycosis is a life-threatening opportunistic infection caused by certain members of the fungal order Mucorales. This infection is associated with high mortality rate, which can reach nearly 100% depending on the underlying condition of the patient. Treatment of mucormycosis is challenging because these fungi are intrinsically resistant to most of the routinely used antifungal agents, such as most of the azoles. One possible mechanism of azole resistance is the drug efflux catalyzed by members of the ATP binding cassette (ABC) transporter superfamily. The pleiotropic drug resistance (PDR) transporter subfamily of ABC transporters is the most closely associated to drug resistance. The genome of Mucor circinelloides encodes eight putative PDR-type transporters. In this study, transcription of the eight pdr genes has been analyzed after azole treatment. Only the pdr1 showed increased transcript level in response to all tested azoles. Deletion of this gene caused increased susceptibility to posaconazole, ravuconazole and isavuconazole and altered growth ability of the mutant. In the pdr1 deletion mutant, transcript level of pdr2 and pdr6 significantly increased. Deletion of pdr2 and pdr6 was also done to create single and double knock out mutants for the three genes. After deletion of pdr2 and pdr6, growth ability of the mutant strains decreased, while deletion of pdr2 resulted in increased sensitivity against posaconazole, ravuconazole and isavuconazole. Our result suggests that the regulation of the eight pdr genes is interconnected and pdr1 and pdr2 participates in the resistance of the fungus to posaconazole, ravuconazole and isavuconazole.

Munkánk a Budapesti Corvinus Egyetem és a Budapesti Kereskedelmi és Iparkamara közötti kutatási együttműködés eredménye. A dolgozatban a budapesti számviteli szakma oktatási és munkaerőpiaci helyzetét fogjuk vizsgálni. Csapatunk tagjai, Balogh Attila, Kozák Sándor és Turi Márk a Budapesti Gazdasági Szakképzési Centrum iskoláiban és két fővárosi könyvelőnél folytatták kutatásaikat. A jelenlegi dolgozat ennek eredménye.

Atomic layer deposition (ALD) on polymer substrates often requires a modification of the polymer surface properties. Plasma-enhanced ALD (PE-ALD) process is capable of establishing improved coating/substrate adhesion and layer properties by a plasma pre-treatment prior to the layer deposition. Low density polyethylene (LDPE) films were plasma treated using different gases (N2, O2, and N2+O2 mixture) for various exposure times. A novel method was proposed to reveal the chemical changes in the surface region of LDPE films with attenuated total reflectance Fourier-transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy combined with multivariate analysis. The loading plots of principal component analysis (PCA) revealed the formation of polar functional groups on the surface of LDPE films, as a result of plasma pre-treatment. PCA was also able to explore the differences and similarities in the chemical modifications of LDPE originated from different plasma gas and exposure time.

In Hungary, the last few years were witness to an increasing appropriation of Nordic Noir aesthetics. Books, films and a television series were written and produced under a ‘Scandinavian’ crime label on this small-scale market, adapting, relatively late, the bestselling genre of the last two decades. Our aim is to situate this tendency in the context of Hungarian creative industries by underlining the most important discursive elements involved in the remediation of Hungarian crime stories within a “network of similarities” (García-Mainar 2020) with Nordic Noir. An investigation of the paratexts of these cultural products sheds light on the main idea behind the creation of those different mediatic appropriations: in Hungary, a market where the crime genre has had, and still has, a difficult and discontinuous affirmation, adopting the label of a globally successful (sub)genre may help crime fiction through its process of cultural institutionalization.

A tanulmány bemutatja a rendvédelmi szerveknél 2016-tól bevezetett Becsületbíróság feladatkörét, rendszerét, valamint a szerzők – személyes szakmai tapasztalataik alapján – értékelik a jogintézmény első időszakának működését.

Objectives: Methodological challenges in the evaluation of medical devices (MDs) may be different for early and late technology adopter countries, as well as the potential health technology assessment (HTA) solutions to tackle them. This study aims to provide guidance to Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries on how to address key challenges of HTA for MDs with special focus on the transferability of scientific evidence.Methods: As part of the COMED Horizon 2020 project, a comprehensive list of issues related to MD HTA were identified based on a targeted literature review. Health technology assessment issues which pose a greater challenge or require different solutions in late technology adopter countries were selected. Draught recommendations to address these issues were developed and discussed in a focus group. The recommendations were then validated with a wider group of experts, including HTA and reimbursement decision makers from CEE countries in May and June 2020.Results: A consolidated list of 11 recommendations were developed in 3 major areas: (1) clinical value assessment, focusing on the use of joint EU work, relying on real-world evidence, use of coverage with evidence development schemes, transferring evidence from foreign countries and addressing the challenges of learning curve and centre effect; (2) economic value assessment, covering cost calculation of complex medical devices and transferability of economic evaluations of MDs; (3) HTA processes, related to the frequent product modifications and various indications of MDs.Conclusions: Central and Eastern European countries with limited resources for conducting HTA, can benefit from HTA methods and evidence generated in early technology adopter countries. Considering the appropriate reuse of international HTA materials, late technology adopter countries can still implement HTA, even for MDs, which have a more limited evidence base compared with pharmaceuticals.

Banded Ca-carbonate veins in travertine deposits are efficient recorders of the compositional fluctuations of geothermal fluids flowing (or flowed) from deep reservoirs up to the surface, within fault zones. In this view, these veins represent key tools for decoding those factors that influenced the geochemical variations. We have analyzed veins developed in fractures channeling geothermal fluids forming travertine deposits. The studied veins cut a fossil travertine fissure ridge, near the Larderello geothermal area (Iano area, southern Tuscany) where geothermal fluid circulation is favored by NE-trending strike-to-oblique-slip faults and their intersections with NW-trending normal ones. U-Th dating indicates that fluid circulation occurred from (at least) 172 ka to 21 ka. In this time span, the geothermal fluid changed in composition, and the banded Ca-carbonate veins recorded these variations in terms of mineralogical and stable isotope composition and temperature (T) of deposition. We also documented for the first time the occurrence of Mn-rich black tree-shaped structures within the veins. Mineralogy coupled with stable and clumped isotope measurements allows the reconstruction of some features (i.e., crystal texture, temperature, and CO2 origin) and the inference of the processes (i.e., pH, T, and pCO2 variations) that have controlled the fluid evolution through time. Multiple-stage and one-stage deposition processes have played an important role in modifying the stable isotope composition of banded Ca-carbonate veins; temperature coupled with pCO2 also influenced their mineralogical composition. Interpreted in the context of the tectonic setting, the data show that the NW-trending faults have mainly controlled travertine deposition. Their intersection with NE-trending faults, interpreted as transfer faults, highlights the important role of transfer zones in channeling the geothermal fluids.

The “profane” meaning of conformism is first provided by American philosopher and liberal thinker William Penn, in his work dated from around 1700. According to Penn, conformity is a civil virtue whose price is the loss of freedom. The description of conformity as deprivation of freedom becomes stronger in 20th century philosophy from Heidegger through Fromm up to Fischer’s definition as “the sinking of the Self into the Anyone is conformism.” Education and pedagogy have serious debts as to the recognition of and solutions to the problem of conformity. In the community relations of the students, the principle of the structural regularity of increasing conformity, and in our schools, the easily adapting and more so conforming student have become the ideal. And where is the place, the value of conformity and non-conformity in society? And first of all: what can education do against the deceptive contrast of conformity – non-conformity. That is a matter of great importance.

Gene therapy orphan medicinal products constitute a unique group of new drugs which in case of hereditary diseases are usually administered only once at an early age, in the hope to provide sufficient gene product to last for the entire life of the patients. The combination of an exceptionally large single payment and the life-long clinical follow-up needed for understanding the long-term benefits and safety of gene therapy, represent new types of scientific, financial, social and ethical challenges for the pharmaceutical industry, regulators and society. With special consideration of the uniqueness and importance of gene therapy, the authors propose a three points plan for a close cooperation between the pharmaceutical industry and society to develop orphan gene therapy. (1) In fully transparent health technology negotiations a close and long-lasting, contractually fixed cooperation should be established between the manufacturers and local health-care stakeholders for sharing the medical and scientific benefits, the financial risks as well as the burdens of the post-authorization clinical and regulatory development. (2) The parties should agree on a fair, locally affordable drug price without the usually very high premium price calculated to compensate for the low number of patients. In case of high manufacturing costs, the companies should offer prolonged, 15–20 years long payment by installment with risk-sharing, especially considering that the late outcome of the treatment is unknown. Society should assist scientifically and financially organizing a specific patient registry, treatment in specialized hospitals and adequate long-term follow-up of patients, the coordinated management of financial transactions related to the risk sharing program. (3) The post-authorization treatment and prolonged observation of additional new cases coordinated by society should provide real world data needed for the modern complex regulatory evaluation of gene therapy products by the competent authorities. We assume that fair sharing of the benefits and risks as well as a well-organized cooperation of society with the industry in collecting real world evidence might result in better drug evaluation and improved accessibility due to lower prices. The outlined concept might support gene therapy more efficiently than the presently requested outstandingly high prices.