Search

Cholinergic cells have been proposed to innervate simultaneously those cortical areas that are mutually interconnected with each other. To test this hypothesis, we investigated the cholinergic innervation of functionally linked amygdala and prefrontal cortical regions. First, using tracing experiments, we determined that cholinergic cells located in distinct basal forebrain (BF) areas projected to the different nuclei of the basolateral amygdala (BLA). Specifically, cholinergic cells in the ventral pallidum/substantia innominata (VP/SI) innervated the basal nucleus (BA), while the horizontal limb of the diagonal band of Broca (HDB) projected to its basomedial nucleus (BMA). In addition, cholinergic neurons in these two BF areas gave rise to overlapping innervation in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), yet their axons segregated in the dorsal and ventral regions of the PFC. Using retrograde-anterograde viral tracing, we demonstrated that a portion of mPFC-projecting cholinergic neurons also innervated the BLA, especially the BA. By injecting retrograde tracers into the mPFC and BA, we found that 28% of retrogradely labeled cholinergic cells were double labeled, which typically located in the VP/SI. In addition, we found that vesicular glutamate transporter type 3 (VGLUT3)-expressing neurons within the VP/SI were also cholinergic and projected to the mPFC and BA, implicating that a part of the cholinergic afferents may release glutamate. In contrast, we uncovered that GABA is unlikely to be a co-transmitter molecule in HDB and VP/SI cholinergic neurons in adult mice. The dual innervation strategy, i.e., the existence of cholinergic cell populations with single as well as simultaneous projections to the BLA and mPFC, provides the possibility for both synchronous and independent control of the operation in these cortical areas, a structural arrangement that may maximize computational support for functionally linked regions. The presence of VGLUT3 in a portion of cholinergic afferents suggests more complex functional effects of cholinergic system in cortical structures.

Restoration ecology commonly seeks to re-establish species of interest in degraded habitats. Despite a rich understanding of how succession influences re-establishment, there are several outstanding questions that remain unaddressed: are short-term abundances sufficient to determine long-term re-establishment success, and what factors contribute to unpredictable restorations outcomes? In other words, when restoration fails, is it because the restored habitat is substandard, because of strong competition with invasive species, or alternatively due to changing environmental conditions that would equally impact established populations? Here, we re-purpose tools developed from modern coexistence theory to address these questions, and apply them to an effort to restore the endangered Contra Costa goldfields (Lasthenia conjugens) in constructed (restored) California vernal pools. Using 16 years of data, we construct a population model of L. conjugens, a species of conservation concern due primarily to habitat loss and invasion of exotic grasses. We show that initial, short-term appearances of restoration success from population abundances is misleading, as year-to-year fluctuations cause long-term population growth rates to fall below zero. The failure of constructed pools is driven by lower maximum growth rates compared with reference (natural) pools, coupled with a stronger negative sensitivity to annual fluctuations in abiotic conditions that yield decreased maximum growth rates. Nonetheless, our modeling shows that fluctuations in competition (mainly with exotic grasses) benefit L. conjugens through periods of competitive release, especially in constructed pools of intermediate pool depth. We therefore show how reductions in invasives and seed addition in pools of particular depths could change the outcome of restoration for L. conjugens. By applying a largely theoretical framework to the urgent goal of ecological restoration, our study provides a blueprint for predicting restoration success, and identifies future actions to reverse species loss.

Modelling species interactions in diverse communities traditionally requires a prohibitively large number of species-interaction coefficients, especially when considering environmental dependence of parameters. We implemented Bayesian variable selection via sparsity-inducing priors on non-linear species abundance models to determine which species interactions should be retained and which can be represented as an average heterospecific interaction term, reducing the number of model parameters. We evaluated model performance using simulated communities, computing out-of-sample predictive accuracy and parameter recovery across different input sample sizes. We applied our method to a diverse empirical community, allowing us to disentangle the direct role of environmental gradients on species intrinsic growth rates from indirect effects via competitive interactions. We also identified a few neighbouring species from the diverse community that had non-generic interactions with our focal species. This sparse modelling approach facilitates exploration of species interactions in diverse communities while maintaining a manageable number of parameters.

Dark patterns are design techniques that aim to manipulate people’s behaviour by influencing their decisions, increasing the amount of time they use apps and the number of purchases they make in the future. Dark patterns often exploit users’ weaknesses without their attention or awareness. They raise serious ethical and legal issues, so it is important for designers and developers to understand how they affect people. The aim of this study is to identify dark patterns, measure their impact, and examine ethical issues. The results of this research can help designers and developers to create user-friendly and ethical applications. According to the interdisciplinary approach, there is a close connection between advertising law and dark patterns. The use of dark patterns often raises ethical and legal issues, which are regulated by the Advertising Act. The legal framework of advertising determines how content advertising can be made and how people’s behaviour can be influenced. The use of dark patterns is often against ethical and legal regulations, so it is important that the legal framework of advertising properly regulates the use of dark patterns.

Hypertension is a highly prevalent population-level disease that represents an important risk factor for several cardiovascular complications and occupies a leading position in mortality statistics. Antihypertensive therapy includes a wide variety of drugs. Additionally, the potential antihypertensive and cardioprotective effects of several phytotherapy products have been evaluated, as these could also be a valuable therapeutic option for the prevention, improvement or treatment of hypertension and its complications. The present review includes an evaluation of the cardioprotective and antihypertensive effects of garlic, Aloe vera, green tea, Ginkgo biloba, berberine, ginseng, Nigella sativa, Apium graveolens, thyme, cinnamon and ginger, and their possible interactions with antihypertensive drugs. A literature search was undertaken via the PubMed, Google Scholar, Embase and Cochrane databases. Research articles, systematic reviews and meta-analyses published between 2010 and 2023, in the English, Hungarian, and Romanian languages were selected.

The treatment of early stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has improved enormously in the last two decades. Although surgery is not the only choice, lobectomy is still the gold standard treatment type for operable patients. For inoperable patients stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) should be offered, reaching very high local control and overall survival rates. With SBRT we can precisely irradiate small, well-defined lesions with high doses. To select the appropriate fractionation schedule it is important to determine the size, localization and extent of the lung tumor. The introduction of novel and further developed planning (contouring guidelines, diagnostic image application, planning systems) and delivery techniques (motion management, image guided radiotherapy) led to lower rates of side effects and more conformal target volume coverage. The purpose of this study is to summarize the current developments, randomised studies, guidelines about lung SBRT, with emphasis on the possibility of increasing local control and overall rates in “fit,” operable patients as well, so SBRT would be eligible in place of surgery.

Aim: This single institute prospective study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of LINAC-based stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) in treating patients with early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSLSC). We focused on the survival data with the local and distant control profiles and the cancer- and non-cancer-specific survival. Treatment-related side effects were also collected and analyzed.Methods: Patients with early-stage NSCLC between January 2018 and October 2021 were included in our prospective study; a total of 77 patients receiving LINAC-based SBRT were analyzed. All patients had pretreatment multidisciplinary tumor board decisions on SBRT. The average patient age was 68.8 years (median: 70 years, range: 52–82); 70 patients were in ECOG 0 status (91%), while seven patients were in ECOG 1-2 status (9%). 52% of the patients (40) had histologically verified NSCLC, and the other 48% were verified based on PETCT results. We applied the SBRT scheme 8 x 7.5 Gy for central tumors (74%) or 4 x 12 Gy for peripheral tumors (26%).Results: The mean follow-up time was 25.4 months (median 23, range 18–50). The Kaplan-Meier estimation for overall survival in patients receiving LINAC-based SBRT was 41.67 months. Of the 77 patients treated by SBRT, death was reported for 17 patients (9 cases cancer-specific, 8 cases non-cancer specific reason). The mean local tumor control was 34.25 months (range 8.4–41), and the mean systemic control was 24.24 months (range 7–25). During the treatments, no Grade I-II were reported; in 30 cases, Grade I non-symptomatic treatment-related lung fibrosis and two asymptomatic rib fractures were reported.Conclusion: In the treatment of early-stage NSCLC, LINAC-based SBRT can be a feasible alternative to surgery. Although we reported worse OS data in our patient cohort compared to the literature, the higher older average age and the initial worse general condition (ECOG1-2) in our patient cohort appear to be the reason for this difference. With the comparable local control and survival data and the favorable side effect profile, SBRT might be preferable over surgery in selected cases.

Dogs have previously been shown to synchronise their behaviour with their owner and the aim of this study was to test the effect of immediate interactions, breed, and the effects of domestication. The behavioural synchronisation test was conducted in outdoor enclosures and consisted of 30 s where the owner/handler was walking and 30 s of standing still. Three studies were conducted to explore the effect of immediate interaction (study A), the effect of breed group (study B), and the effect of domestication (study C). In study A, a group of twenty companion dogs of various breeds were tested after three different human interaction treatments: Ignore, Pet, and Play. The results showed that dogs adjusted their movement pattern to align with their owner's actions regardless of treatment. Furthermore, exploration, eye contact, and movement were all influenced by the owners moving pattern, and exploration also decreased after the Play treatment. In study B, the synchronisation test was performed after the Ignore treatment on three groups: 24 dogs of ancient dog breeds, 17 solitary hunting dogs, and 20 companion dogs (data from study A). Irrespective of the group, all dogs synchronised their moving behaviour with their owner. In addition, human walking positively influenced eye contact behaviour while simultaneously decreasing exploration behaviour. In study C, a group of six socialised pack-living wolves and six similarly socialised pack-living dogs were tested after the Ignore treatment. Interestingly, these animals did not alter their moving behaviour in response to their handler. In conclusion, dogs living together with humans synchronise with their owner's moving behaviour, while wolves and dogs living in packs do not. Hence, the degree of interspecies behavioural synchronisation may be influenced by the extent to which the dogs are immersed in everyday life with humans.

Abstract Background Accumulating evidence suggests that glial signalling is activated by different brain functions. However, knowledge regarding molecular mechanisms of activation or their relation to neuronal activity is limited. The purpose of the present study is to identify the characteristics of ATP-evoked glial signalling in the brain reward area, the nucleus accumbens (NAc), and thereby to explore the action of citric acid cycle intermediate succinate (SUC). Results We described the burst-like propagation of Ca2+ transients evoked by ATP in acute NAc slices from rat brain. Co-localization of the ATP-evoked Ca2+ signalling with immunoreactivities of the astroglia-specific gap junction forming channel protein connexin43 (Cx43) and the glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) indicated that the responsive cells were a subpopulation of Cx43 and GFAP immunoreactive astrocytes. The ATP-evoked Ca2+ transients were present under the blockade of neuronal activity, but were inhibited by Ca2+ store depletion and antagonism of the G protein coupled purinergic P2Y1 receptor subtype-specific antagonist MRS2179. Similarly, Ca2+ transients evoked by the P2Y1 receptor subtype-specific agonist 2-(Methylthio)adenosine 5'-diphosphate were also blocked by MRS2179. These characteristics implied that intercellular Ca2+ signalling originated from the release of Ca2+ from internal stores, triggered by the activation of P2Y1 receptors. Inhibition by the gap junction blockers carbenoxolone and flufenamic acid and by an antibody raised against the gating-associated segment of Cx43 suggested that intercellular Ca2+ signalling proceeded through gap junctions. We demonstrated for the first time that extracellular SUC also evoked Ca2+ transients (EC50 = 50-60 μM) in about 15% of the ATP-responsive NAc astrocytes. By contrast to glial cells, electrophysiologically identified NAc neurons surrounded by ATP-responsive astrocytes were not activated simultaneously. Conclusions We concluded, therefore, that ATP- and SUC-sensitive Ca2+ transients appear to represent a signalling layer independent of NAc neurons. This previously unrecognised glial action of SUC, a major cellular energy metabolite, may play a role in linking metabolism to Ca2+ signalling in astrocytic networks under physiological and pathological conditions such as exercise and metabolic diseases.

11C methionine (11C-MET) is increasingly being used in addition to contrast-enhanced MRI to plan for radiotherapy of patients with glioblastomas. This study aimed to assess the recurrence pattern quantitatively. Glioblastoma patients undergoing 11C-MET PET examination before primary radiotherapy from 2018 to 2023 were included in the analysis. A clinical target volume was manually created and fused with MRI-based gross tumor volumes and MET PET-based biological target volume. The recurrence was noted as an area of contrast enhancement on the first MRI scan, which showed progression. The recurrent tumor was identified on the radiological MR images in terms of recurrent tumor volume, and recurrences were classified as central, in-field, marginal, or ex-field tumors. We then compared the MET-PET-defined biological target volume with the MRI-defined recurrent tumor volume regarding spatial overlap (the Dice coefficient) and the Hausdorff distance. Most recurrences occurred locally within the primary tumor area (64.8%). The mean Hausdorff distance was 39.4 mm (SD 32.25), and the mean Dice coefficient was 0.30 (SD 0.22). In patients with glioblastoma, the analysis of the recurrence pattern has been mainly based on FET-PET. Our study confirms that the recurrence pattern after gross tumor volume-based treatment contoured by MET-PET is consistent with the FET-PET-based treatment described in the literature.

Cél: Jelen kutatásban három országban (Magyarország, Finnország és az Egyesült Államok) vizsgálták a szerzők a kiberbűncselekmények elkövetéseinek és az áldozattá válásnak a mintázatait. Módszertan: A kutatói team által kidolgozott online kérdőív 2020 áprilisában került felvételre a három országban, a Qualtrics kérdőívező rendszer segítségével, reprezentatív mintán. Az adatok elemzése SPSS programcsomaggal történt. A gyakoriságok elemzéséhez khi-négyzet próbát és Fisher-próbát, a középértékek összehasonlításához Mann–Whitney-próbát alkalmaztak. Az egyes áldozattá válási módokra regressziós modellek kerültek felállításra (Bináris Logisztikus Regresszió). Megállapítások: A kutatás eredményei azt mutatják, hogy a technikai eszközök használatának elterjedtségében jóval előrébb tartó Egyesült Államok esetében az online bűncselekmények és az áldozatok száma is szignifikánsan magasabb, mint a két európai országban. A férfiak mindhárom országban nagyobb mértékű online aktivitásról és gyakoribb áldozattá válásról számoltak be a nőkhöz képest. Hazánkban számos deliktum esetében a legalacsonyabb mutatók találhatóak, hasonló tendenciákat mutatva a finn eredményekkel. Szignifikáns eltérés találtatott országok szerint az áldozattá válás gyakoriságában is. A magyar mintában az online áldozattá válás nagyobb gyakorisága figyelhető meg az offline cselekményekhez képest. A tanulmány vizsgálja az egyes hagyományos magyarázóelméletek helytállóságát, amelyek között a kontrollelméletek, valamint a rutintevékenység-elmélet kínál magyarázatot ezen a speciálisnak tekinthető, új bűnözési felületen. Érték: A kutatás egy új, eddig kevéssé feltárt területen zajló egyes bűnözési formák sajátosságait vizsgálja és hasonlítja össze a hasonló jellegű offline jogsértésekkel, magyarázatot keresve és ezzel lehetőséget kínálva az új típusú bűncselekmények megelőzési stratégiájának kidolgozásához.

Abstract Syntrophic cooperation among prokaryotes is ubiquitous and diverse. It relies on unilateral or mutual aid that may be both catalytic and metabolic in nature. Hypotheses of eukaryotic origins claim that mitochondrial endosymbiosis emerged from mutually beneficial syntrophy of archaeal and bacterial partners. However, there are no other examples of prokaryotic syntrophy leading to endosymbiosis. One potential reason is that when externalized products become public goods, they incite social conflict due to selfish mutants that may undermine any mutualistic interactions. To rigorously evaluate these arguments, here we construct a general mathematical framework of the ecology and evolution of different types of syntrophic partnerships. We do so both in a general microbial and in a eukaryogenetic context. Studying the case where partners cross-feed on each other’s self-inhibiting waste, we show that cooperative partnerships will eventually dominate over selfish mutants. By contrast, systems where producers actively secrete enzymes that cross-facilitate their partners’ resource consumption are not robust against cheaters over evolutionary time. We conclude that cross-facilitation is unlikely to provide an adequate syntrophic origin for endosymbiosis, but that cross-feeding mutualisms may indeed have played that role.

Background: End-stage heart failure (ESHF) leads to hypoperfusion and edema formation throughout the body and is accompanied by neurohormonal and immunological alterations. Orthotopic heart transplantation (HTX) has been used as a beneficial option for ESHF. Due to the shortage of donor hearts, the ideal matching and timing of donors and recipients has become more important. Purpose: In this study, our aim was to explore the relationship between the clinical outcomes of HTX and the cytokine and apolipoprotein profiles of the recipient pericardial fluid obtained at heart transplantation after opening the pericardial sac. Materials and methods: The clinical data and the interleukin, adipokine, and lipoprotein levels in the pericardial fluid of twenty HTX recipients were investigated. Outcome variables included primer graft dysfunction (PGD), the need for post-transplantation mechanical cardiac support (MCS), International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation grade ≥2R rejection, and mortality. Recipient risk scores were also investigated. Results: Leptin levels were significantly lower in patients with PGD than in those without PGD (median: 6.36 (IQR: 5.55–6.62) versus 7.54 (IQR = 6.71–10.44); p = 0.029). Higher ApoCII levels (median: 14.91 (IQR: 11.55–21.30) versus 10.31 (IQR = 10.02–13.07); p = 0.042) and ApoCIII levels (median: 60.32 (IQR: 43.00–81.66) versus 22.84 (IQR = 15.84–33.39); p = 0.005) were found in patients (n = 5) who died in the first 5 years after HTX. In patients who exhibited rejection (n = 4) in the first month after transplantation, the levels of adiponectin (median: 74.48 (IQR: 35.51–131.70) versus 29.96 (IQR: 19.86–42.28); p = 0.039), ApoCII (median: 20.11 (IQR: 13.06–23.54) versus 10.32 (IQR: 10.02–12.84); p = 0.007), and ApoCIII (median: 70.97 (IQR: 34.72–82.22) versus 26.33 (IQR: 17.18–40.17); p = 0.029) were higher than in the nonrejection group. Moreover, the pericardial thyroxine (T4) levels (median: 3.96 (IQR: 3.49–4.46) versus 4.69 (IQR: 4.23–5.77); p = 0.022) were lower in patients with rejection than in patients who did not develop rejection. Conclusion: Our results indicate that apolipoproteins can facilitate the monitoring of rejection and could be a useful tool in the forecasting of early and late complications.

The positive relationship between species diversity and functional diversity has been shown to vary. Here, the authors use theoretical models and data from Galápagos land snail communities to show how eco-evolutionary processes can force species to evolve narrower trait breadths in more species-rich communities to avoid competition, creating a negative relationship.

Az 1953-ban útjára indult, immáron hetvenéves Belügyi Szemle tudományos folyóirat jubileumi „70 év, 70 gondolat” című kiadványában megjelent tanulmány olvasható a felkért szerzőktől.

Cél: A tanulmány célja, hogy a bűnügyi tudományok oktatásának területén megfogalmazza azokat a sarokpontokat, amelyek elősegítik a hallgatók elméleti tudásra alapozott gyakorlati kompetenciáinak fejlesztését, mely a Rendészettudományi Kar képzési feladatainak speciális jellegéből fakad, és a rendészeti munka gyakorlati szemléletén alapul. Tanulmányunkban a büntetőjog, a büntető eljárásjog és a kriminológia szempontjából vizsgáljuk, hogy a jövőben milyen digitális oktatási módszerek segíthetik az oktatást és a hallgatók tudásának elmélyítését a bűnügyi tudományok által gondozott tudományterületeken, amelynek során a járványhelyzetben történt digitális oktatás tapasztalatai is feldolgozásra kerülnek. Módszertan: A kutatás módszere a hazai felsőoktatási intézetekben kialakított „jó gyakorlatok” áttekintésének összevetése az NKE RTK-n a bűnügyi tudományok oktatásának módszereivel, különös tekintettel a digitális eszköz és módszerrendszerekkel. Megállapítások: A tanulmány felvázolja, milyen új, komplex – így az összefüggő tudományterületeket egyesítő – oktatási módszertant, tantárgyi tematikákat alakítsunk ki az alapképzésben, amely az elméleti tudásanyagra alapozva annak gyakorlati alkalmazhatóságára helyezi a hangsúlyt. A tanulmány az oktatás digitalizálásának lehetőségeivel kapcsolatban áttekinti a bűnügyi tudományok terén az online oktatás során alkalmazható képzési modellek előnyeit és hátrányait mind az oktatók, mind a hallgatók szempontjára tekintettel. Érték: A tanulmány a jelenleg fennálló oktatás számára fogalmaz meg hasznosítható javaslatokat, annak jövőbeni továbbfejlesztését, hatékonyságának növelését célozva.

Observations of women and clinicians indicated that the prevalence of menstrual cycle problems has escalated during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, it was not clear whether the observed menstrual cycle changes were related to vaccination, the disease itself or the COVID-19 pandemic-induced psychological alterations. To systematically analyze this question, we conducted a human online survey in women aged between 18 and 65 in Hungary. The menstrual cycle of 1563 individuals were analyzed in our study in relation to the COVID-19 vaccination, the COVID-19 infection, the pandemic itself and the mental health. We found no association between the COVID-19 vaccination, the vaccine types or the COVID-19 infection and the menstrual cycle changes. We also evaluated the menstrual cycle alterations focusing on three parameters of the menstrual cycle including the cycle length, the menses length and the cycle regularity in three pandemic phases: the pre-peak, the peak and the post-peak period in Hungary. Our finding was that the length of the menstrual cycle did not change in any of the periods. However, the menses length increased, while the regularity of the menstrual cycle decreased significantly during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic when comparing to the pre- and post-peak periods. In addition, we exhibited that the length and the regularity of the menstrual cycle both correlated with the severity of depression during the post-peak period, therefore we concluded that the reported menstrual cycle abnormalities during the peak of COVID-19 in Hungary might be the result of elevated depressive symptoms.

The hypothalamic gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH)–kisspeptin neuronal network regulates fertility in all mammals. Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) is a neuropeptide isolated from the hypothalamus that is involved in the regulation of several releasing hormones and trop hormones. It is well-known that PACAP influences fertility at central and peripheral levels. However, the effects of PACAP on GnRH and kisspeptin neurons are not well understood. The present study investigated the integrity of the estrous cycle in PACAP-knockout (KO) mice. The number and immunoreactivity of GnRH (GnRH-ir) neurons in wild-type (WT) and PACAP KO female mice were determined using immunohistochemistry. In addition, the number of kisspeptin neurons was measured by counting kisspeptin mRNA-positive cells in the rostral periventricular region of the third ventricle (RP3V) and arcuate nucleus (ARC) using the RNAscope technique. Finally, the mRNA and protein expression of estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) was also examined. Our data showed that the number of complete cycles decreased, and the length of each cycle was longer in PACAP KO mice. Furthermore, the PACAP KO mice experienced longer periods of diestrus and spent significantly less time in estrus. There was no difference in GnRH-ir or number of GnRH neurons. In contrast, the number of kisspeptin neurons was decreased in the ARC, but not in the R3PV, in PACAP KO mice compared to WT littermates. Furthermore, ERα mRNA and protein expression was decreased in the ARC, whereas in the R3PV region, ERα mRNA levels were elevated. Our results demonstrate that embryonic deletion of PACAP significantly changes the structure and presumably the function of the GnRH–kisspeptin neuronal network, influencing fertility.

Electrospun mats of PLA and PLA/Hap nanofibers produced by electrospinning were loaded with doxycycline (Doxy) through physical adsorption from a solution with initial concentrations of 3 g/L, 7 g/L, and 12 g/L, respectively. The morphological characterization of the produced material was performed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The release profiles of Doxy were studied in situ using the differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) electrochemical method on a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) and validated through UV-VIS spectrophotometric measurements. The DPV method has been shown to be a simple, rapid, and advantageous analytical technique for real-time measurements, allowing accurate kinetics to be established. The kinetics of the release profiles were compared using model-dependent and model-independent analyses. The diffusion-controlled mechanism of Doxy release from both types of fibers was confirmed by a good fit to the Korsmeyer–Peppas model.

Understanding the dynamics of species interactions can help predict community responses to climate change. A spatially explicit model finds that species interactions and competition mitigate the harmful impacts of climate change, and that temperature-dependent competition makes communities more variable and responsive to changing climates.

Zirconia-based bioceramics, one of the most important materials used for dental applications, have been intensively studied in recent years due to their excellent mechanical resistance and chemical inertness in the mouth. In this work, the structural, morphological and dissolution properties of the Zr1−xMgxO2 (x = 0.05, 0.1, 0.15, 0.2, 0.25, and 0.3) system, prepared by the conventional ceramic method, were evaluated before and after immersion in saliva substitute gel (Xerostom®, Biocosmetics Laboratories, Madrid, Spain), one of the most common topical dry mouth products used in dentistry. The X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy/energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDS) techniques were employed to investigate the phase transformations and morphology of the ceramics during the degradation process in Xerostom®. In vitro analyses showed overall good stability in the Xerostom® environment, except for the x = 0.05 composition, where significant t- to m-ZrO2 transformation occurred. In addition, the strong interconnection of the grains was maintained after immersion, which could allow a high mechanical strength of the ceramics to be obtained.

Our paper discusses the methodological implications of an ethnographic linguistic research project in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020. Starting from pertinent definitions of linguistic ethnography and interpretations of the field, we offer a demonstration of the process in which this particular participatory research project was faced with the fact that the field became unavailable and inaccessible for the non-local participants. We argue that moving the research online in this case does not mean a shift to “virtual ethnography” (Hine) or “digital ethnography” (Varis), but provides an example for the research site as an emerging construct which adds to the complexities of ethnographic research.

The Use of Politically Correct Language in Hungarian and Transylvanian Online Journalism Political correctness means that one should not offend the members of groups living in minority. Since language is one of the most basic ways to take a stand, to transmit values, the ideology of political correctness first tries to eliminate the use of pejorative elements from language. Although print media is slowly moving to the online sphere, the authors of articles are still journalists, who through their work can shape society. Consequently, language use in online journalism can motivate readers to be politically correct. In my paper, I first examined situations in which the use of politically correct language is reasonable in Hungarian-speaking areas, and what conditions these imply. Thereafter, I examined two Hungarian and two Transylvanian news-portals, in which I analyzed the proper use of politically correct terms. Furthermore, I was curious to see how often these topics occur because that also reflects the transmitted attitude.

Gender and Linguistic Behaviour in the New Media The issue of gender roles is a major topic in Hungarian traditional and online media, especially due to the fact that it was a leading subject in public life over the course of 2015. Several well-known personalities (politicians, and a defining figure of the cultural life) made statements and expressed their opinions about women’s place in society and family, triggering extreme reactions. Facebook was one of the spaces where the debate was the most aggressive, where people shared their views with their names and faces, without being moderated or censored. Our aim is to analyze the Facebook pages of the most followed Hungarian online press products from a gender linguistic point of view, more exactly the comments under the posts about the topic in question. Particular emphasis is placed on the linguistic and non-linguistic strategies that lead to constructing the classical and non-classical gender roles and stereotypes in Facebook communication.

In Search of an Imagined Otherness: Nationalism and Anti-Genderism The history of gender studies is less than half a century old, nevertheless, it has resulted in a significant ideological shift in the field of social studies and humanities. The new theoretical foundations introduced by gender studies were soon taken up by the public discourse, and the concept of gender, and consequently gender studies became fertile soil for the articulation of illiberal and conservative ideas. The anti-gender discourse and movement have been conceptualized in the literature as operating against all the liberal notions that are understood by the public opinion to belong under the umbrella term of gender. Several international higher education institutions provide gender studies programs. In February 2017 the press in Hungary published news regarding a new (Hungarian language) Gender Studies MA program at the Eötvös Loránd University. This resulted in heated press coverage: the reports of ideologically different media outlets reflected the radical attitudes present in the Hungarian society regarding the topic. Moreover, soon after the news story was published, the Hungarian government announced the starting of a “counter-program”, a family studies MA. Our presentation wishes to outline the interpretations and linguistic representations of the notion of gender in the traditional press and in the new media, on the basis of which s we can state that such radical responses are determined by an imagined otherness.

The socio-economical background of the family influences the school efficiency, but beside this, many other factors have outstanding effect on pupils’ results. Most of these factors can be found outside of the educational institutions. The studies which focus on the performance of schooling highlight the idea that extracurricular activities have enormous benefits on the school performance as well as on the overcoming of school failure and abandonment. Our research is focusing on the extracurricular and extraschool activities as well as their effect on the development of competencies. We would like to find out how the extracurricular/ extraschool activities influence the results of competence measurements. We created our background questionnaires, that analyse the effects of influencing factors, since there aren’t such questionnaires in the national assesments in Romania. Our study is based on the analysis of the KOV-ET-OM-2017 database (N = 1054), which contains the results of the competency assesment of the 4th grade students belonging of the Hungarian minority from Covasna county and information related to contextual factors from the background questionnaires. The outcome of the research highlights the fact that the extracurricular activities have beneficial effect on the development of the school competences. Among the activities organized by the schools, the camps and the activities supporting the prodigies seem to be the most effective.

Cél: A cikkben a szerző a prostitúció veszélyeire felhívó színdarab bemutatására vállalkozik, amelyet szerte az országban bemutattak. Módszertan: Az előadás és a hozzá kapcsolódó feldolgozó program elsősorban a prostituálttá válás és az emberkereskedelem veszélyének kitett fiatalok lehetőségeit, és az áldozattá válás folyamatát vizsgálja. Megállapítások: Két, nevelőintézetből megszökött tinédzser lány, Kitty és Sunny történetét dolgozza fel, akik Szabolcs megyéből indulnak Hollandiába dolgozni, ahol prostitúcióra kényszerítik őket. Érték: A tanulmány rávilágít arra, hogy a vonatkozó színdarab hogyan segíti és támogatja a gyermekotthonok lakóit a bűnmegelőzés elősegítése érdekében.

Tramadol is a widely used opioid analgesic frequently prescribed for treatment of moderate to severe, acute and chronic pain. It has a complex mechanism of action, acting both as a central opiate agonist and as a norepinephrine and serotonin reuptake inhibitor. It is a chiral substance, having two chiral centers in its structure and it is used in therapy as a racemic mixture of two of its enantiomers, (S,S)-tramadol and (R,R)-tramadol. In the last 25 years, several analytical procedures have been published in the literature for the achiral and chiral determination of tramadol from pharmaceutical formulations and biological matrices. Among these methods, capillary electrophoresis techniques have proved to be an efficient, reliable and cost-effective solution. The purpose of the present review is to provide a systematic survey to present and discuss the electrodriven methods available in the literature for the achiral and chiral analysis of tramadol.

Gonadal steroid 17β-estradiol (E2) exerts rapid, non-genomic effects on neurons and strictly regulates learning and memory through altering glutamatergic neurotransmission and synaptic plasticity. However, its non-genomic effects on AMPARs are not well understood. Here, we analyzed the rapid effect of E2 on AMPARs using single-molecule tracking and super-resolution imaging techniques. We found that E2 rapidly decreased the surface movement of AMPAR via membrane G protein-coupled estrogen receptor 1 (GPER1) in neurites in a dose-dependent manner. The cortical actin network played a pivotal role in the GPER1 mediated effects of E2 on the surface mobility of AMPAR. E2 also decreased the surface movement of AMPAR both in synaptic and extrasynaptic regions on neurites and increased the synaptic dwell time of AMPARs. Our results provide evidence for understanding E2 action on neuronal plasticity and glutamatergic neurotransmission at the molecular level.

The development of semisolid formulations, gels in particular, has raised the attention of scientists more and more over the last decades. Because of their biocompatibility, hydrophilic nature, and capacity of absorbing large quantities of water, hydrogels are still one of the most promising pharmaceutical formulations in the pharmaceutical industry. The purpose of this study is to develop an optimal formulation capable of incorporating a water-poorly soluble active ingredient such as miconazole used in the treatment of fungal infections with Candida albicans and Candida parapsilosis. A D-optimal design was applied to study the relationship between the formulation parameter and the gel characteristics. The independent parameters used in this study were the Carbopol 940 concentration (the polymer used to obtain the gel matrix), the sodium hydroxide amount, and the presence/absence of miconazole. Ten different dependent parameters (Y1–Y10) were evaluated (penetrometry, spreadability, viscosity, and tangential tension at 1 and 11 levels of speed whilst destructuring and during the reorganization of the gel matrix). The consistency of the gels ranged from 23.2 mm (GO2) to 29.6 mm (GM5). The least spreadable gel was GO7 (1384 mm2), whilst the gel that presented the best spreadability was GO1 (3525 mm2). The viscosity and the tangential stress at the selected levels (1 and 11) varied due to the different compositions of the proposed gels. The gels were also tested for drug content and antifungal activity. All determinations had satisfying results; the drug content was within limits accepted by Ph. Eur. 10 and all formulations containing miconazole exhibited antifungal activity. An optimal formulation with miconazole was attained, consisting of 0.84% Carbopol 940 and 0.32% sodium hydroxide.

The present study aimed to assess the in vitro antimicrobial effects of a novel biomaterial containing polylactic acid (PLA), nano-hydroxyapatite (nano-HAP) and Doxycycline (Doxy) obtained by electrospinning and designed for the non-surgical periodontal treatment. The antimicrobial activity of two samples (test sample, PLA-HAP-Doxy7: 5% PLA, nano-HAP, 7% Doxy and control sample, PLA-HAP: 5% PLA, nano-HAP) against two periodontal pathogens—Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans and Porphyromonas gingivalis—was assessed using the Kirby–Bauer Disk Diffusion Susceptibility Test and compared with the effect of four antibiotics used as adjuvants in periodontal therapy: Amoxicillin, Ampicillin, Doxy and Metronidazole. The test sample (embedded with Doxy) showed higher inhibitory effects than commonly used antibiotics used in the treatment of periodontitis, while the control sample showed no inhibitory effects. Moreover, significant differences were observed between the inhibition zones of the two samples (p < 0.05). The Doxy-loaded PLA nanofibres had an antimicrobial effect against the periodontal pathogens. Based on these results, the novel biomaterial could be a promising candidate as adjuvant for the non-surgical local treatment in periodontitis.

The mesoporous silica particles were prepared by the sol–gel method in one-step synthesis, in acidic conditions, from tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) and methyltriethoxysilane (MTES), varying the mole ratio of the silica precursors. Nitric acid was used as catalyst at room temperature and hexadecyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) as structure directing agent. Optical properties, porosity and microstructure of the materials in function of the MTES/TEOS ratio were evaluated using infrared spectroscopy, nitrogen adsorption and small angle X-ray scattering. All materials showed the ordered pore structure and the high specific surfaces, making them suitable as the drug delivery systems. Drug loading and release tests using ketoprofen were performed to assess their performance for drug delivery applications. The amount of the methylated precursor used in the synthesis had little effect on the drug loading capacity, but had a strong influence on the initial rate of the drug release.