Microencapsulation technology by nature: Cell derived extracellular vesicles with therapeutic potential

Cell derived extracellular vesicles are submicron structures surrounded by phospholipid bilayer and released by both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. The sizes of these vesicles roughly fall into the size ranges of microbes, and they represent efficient delivery platforms targeting complex molecular information to professional antigen presenting cells. Critical roles of these naturally formulated units of information have been described in many physiological and pathological processes. Extracellular vesicles are not only potential biomarkers and possible pathogenic factors in numerous diseases, but they are also considered as emerging therapeutic targets and therapeutic vehicles. Strikingly, current drug delivery systems, designed to convey therapeutic proteins and peptides (such as liposomes), show many similarities to extracellular vesicles. Here we review some aspects of therapeutic implementation of natural, cell-derived extracellular vesicles in human diseases. Exploration of molecular and functional details of extracellular vesicle release and action may provide important lessons for the design of future drug delivery systems

Of Cats And Men: Origins of Primate Color Vision Pathways

color visionneurophysiologylateral geniculate nucleusMost non primate mammals are known to possess dichromatic color vision based on short-wavelength-sensitive (S) and medium/long-wavelength-sensitive (ML) cone photoreceptors. However, the neural pathways carrying signals underlying the primitive “blue–yellow” axis of color vision are largely unexplored in these animals. We have recently characterized a population of color opponent blue- ON cells in electrophysiological single-cell recordings from the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) of anaesthetized cats. We found remarkable similarities to previous descriptions of primate blue-ON cells in terms of receptive field size and structure and the relative weight of functional inputs from the opponent cone classes. Moreover, cat blue- ON cells were found in the same layers as W-cells, which are thought to be homologous to the primate koniocellular system. The temporal frequency optimum of cat blue-ON cells was around 3 Hz, about one-third of that found in achromatic cells. Based on these data, we suggest that cat blue-ON cells are part of a "blue-yellow" color opponent system that is the evolutionary homologue of the blue-ON division of the koniocellular pathway in primates

A fruktóz és a fruktózintolerancia | Fructose and fructose intolerance

Absztrakt A fruktóz gyümölcsökben és zöldségekben természetesen előforduló monoszacharid. Az utóbbi évtizedekben világszerte jelentősen megnövekedett a fruktóz bevitele, elsősorban az üdítőitalokban használt magas fruktóztartalmú kukoricakeményítő szirup által. Fogyasztásában Magyarország az Egyesült Államok után az „előkelő” 2. helyen áll. A fruktóz a 2-es és 5-ös glükóztranszporter fehérje révén szívódik fel a bélből és jut a vérből a májba, ahol előbb fruktóz-1-foszfáttá, majd fruktóz-1,5-difoszfáttá alakul, amely gliceraldehidre és dihidroaceton-foszfátra bomlik, amik bekapcsolódnak a glikolízisbe, triglicerid- és húgysavképződésbe. A fruktózintolerancia prevalenciája világszerte széles keretek között ingadozik. A fruktózérzékenység tünetei hasonlóak a tejcukor-érzékenységhez. A fruktózmalabszorpciót hidrogénkilégzési teszttel vizsgálják. A fructosaemia meghatározása költséges és körülményes. A fruktózmalabszorpció fokozza az intestinalis motilitást és szenzitivitást, elősegíti a bakteriális biofilm képződését, prebiotikumként szolgál a bélflóra számára, részt vesz a gastrooesophagealis reflux és irritábilis bél kialakulásában. A fruktózfogyasztás elősegíti a fogszuvasodást, a nem alkoholos zsírmáj képződését, és feltételezik szerepét a daganatképződésben is. A fruktózintolerancia kezelésében a fruktózfogyasztás egyénre szabott csökkentése és a FODMAP diéta ad kedvező választ. A xilóz-izomeráz enzim tünetileg hatásos. Orv. Hetil., 2016, 157(43), 1708–1716. | Abstract Although fructose was discovered in 1794, it was realised in recent decades only that its malabsorption can lead to intestinal symptoms while its excessive consumption induces metabolic disturbances. Fructose is a monosaccharide found naturally in most fruits and vegetables. Dietary intake of fructose has gradually increased in the past decades, especially because of the consumption of high fructose corn syrup. With its 16.4 kg/year consumption, Hungary ranks secondly after the United States. Fructose is absorbed in the small intestine by facilitated transport mediated by glucose transporter proteins-2 and -5, and arrives in the liver cells. Here it is transformed enzymatically into fructose-1-phosphate and then, fructose-1,5-diphosphate, which splits further into glyceraldehyde and dihydroxyacetone-phosphate, entering the process of glycolysis, triglyceride and uric acid production. The prevalence of fructose intolerance varies strongly, depending on the method used. The leading symptoms of fructose intolerance are similar, but less severe than those of lactose intolerance. Multiple secondary symptoms can also occur. A symptom-based diagnosis of fructose intolerance is possible, but the gold standard is the H2 breath test, though this is less accurate than in lactose testing. Measuring fructosaemia is costly, cumbersome and not widely used. Fructose intolerance increases intestinal motility and sensitivity, promotes biofilm formation and contributes to the development of gastrooesophageal reflux. Long-term use of fructose fosters the development of dental caries and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. Its role in carcinogenesis is presently investigated. The cornerstone of dietary management for fructose intolerance is the individual reduction of fructose intake and the FODMAP diet, led by a trained dietetician. The newly introduced xylose-isomerase is efficient in reducing the symptoms of fructose intolerance. Orv. Hetil., 2016, 157(43), 1708–1716

Quality of life in patients with functional dyspepsia: Short- and long-term effect of Helicobacter pylori eradication with pantoprazole, amoxicillin, and clarithromycin or cisapride therapy: A prospective, parallel-group study

AbstractBackground:Quality of life (QOL) is impaired in functional dyspepsia (FD). Little is known about the effects of different therapies on the QOL profile in patients with this condition.Objectives:The aims of this study were to measure baseline QOL in patients with FD and to assess changes in QOL over time associated with Helicobacter pylori eradication and prokinetic treatment. The primary and secondary end points were the improvement in QOL 6 weeks and 1 year after successful eradication of the infection or prokinetic therapy.Methods:This 1-year, single-center, prospective, open-label, controlled, parallel-group trial was conducted at the Department of Gastroenterology, Ferencvdros Health Centre, Budapest, Hungary. The Functional Digestive Disorder Quality of Life (FDDQoL) Questionnaire (MAPI Research Institute, Lyon, France) was translated and validated previously in Hungarian. Male and female subjects aged 20 to 60 years were enrolled and classified as H pylori positive (HP+), H pylori negative (HP-) with FD, or healthy (control group). The HP+ patients received pantoprazole 40 mg BID + amoxicillin 1000 mg BID + clarithromycin 500 mg BID for 7 days, followed by on-demand ranitidine (150–300 mg/d) for 1 year. The HP- patients received the prokinetic cisapride 10 mg TID for 1 month, followed by on-demand cisapride (10–20 mg/d) for 1 year. The FDDQoL questionnaire was completed by all 3 groups on enrollment, at 6 weeks, and 1 year.Results:A total of 101 HP+ patients, 98 HP- patients, and 123 healthy controls were included in the study (185 women, 137 men; mean age, 39.0 ears). The mean (SD) baseline QOL scores were significantly lower in the HP+ group (53.3 [9.6]; 95% CI, 54.4-58.2) and the HP- groups (50.0 [9.8]; 95% CI, 58.0–62.0) compared with that in healthy controls (76.2 [8.7]; 95% CI, 74.6–77.8) (both, P < 0.001). Analysis of the short-term domain scores found that the HP+ group had significantly decreased scores in 6 of 8 domains: daily activities (P = 0.005), anxiety level (P = 0.02), diet (P = 0.008), sleep (P < 0.001), discomfort (P = 0.004), and disease control (P = 0.02); the HP- group had significantly decreased scores in 5 of 8 domains: daily activities (P < 0.001), diet (P = 0.004), sleep (P = 0.005), discomfort (P < 0.001), and disease control (P = 0.02). Eradication of the infection was successful in 77/101 (76.2%) of the patients on intent-to-treat analysis and 77/94 (81.9%) on per-protocol analysis. Eradication was associated with an increase in mean (SD) QOL score to 70.8 (10.7) at 6 weeks (95% CI, 63.3–73.2; P < 0.001 vs baseline) and to 75.3 (9.3) at 1 year (95% CI, 73.2–77.5; P= 0.05 vs 6 weeks). In the HP- group, the QOL score increased to 73.3 (9.7) (95% CI, 71.3–75.4; P < 0.001 vs baseline) at 6 weeks of cisapride treatment and to 76.5 (8.5) at 1 year (95% CI, 74.5–78.4; P = 0.06 vs 6 weeks). Most of the impaired domain scores improved significantly after both treatments. The short-term effect size was 1.48 in HP+ and 1.35 in HP− patients. Adverse events (AEs) occurred in 22 (21.8%) patients in the HP+ group (nausea, 8 [7.9%] patients; diarrhea, 5 [5.0%]; loss of appetite, 5 [5.0%]; stomatitis, 5 [5.0%]; abdominal pain, 4 [4.0%]; bloating, 4 [4.0%]; headache, 4 [4.0%]; vomiting, 4 [4.0%]; constipation, 3 [3.0%]; and vaginitis, 3 [3.0%]). In HP− cases, AEs occurred in 9 (9.2%) patients (abdominal cramps, 7 [7.1%]; diarrhea, 4 [4.1%]; and nausea, 3 [3.1%]).Conclusion:In this study in patients with FD and healthy controls, eradication of H pylori infection in infected patients and cisapride treatment in uninfected patients reversed low QOL scores during the 1-year follow-up period

The Role of Cultural Heritage in 21st-Century Music Education

Cultural heritage is an integral part of Hungarian music education. Folk traditions and folk songs are taught in every school, from the capital city to the smallest villages. Thousands of songs were collected by Zoltán Kodály and Béla Bartók, who adopted them in their classical compositions. With this they earned fame for Hungarian folk music and traditions. Zoltán Kodály also composed a series of music reading materials, mainly based on folk songs, which is currently used on all levels of Hungarian music education. Not only the Kodály concept, but the Táncház-method was also selected in the Register of Good Safeguarding Practices of UNESCO Cultural Heritage. In our digital age, the net-generation, unlike the previous student populations, can have different habits, which is the reason why students’ music skills were tested with technology-based methods and tools. They are surrounded by popular media; however, the value that folk tradition offers should be inevitable in their education. The findings of our research provides input for the educational system about Hungarian students’s music literacy, and their familiarity with its various elements, especially with certain components of their cultural heritage

Zeneművészeti szakközépiskolás tanulók kottaolvasási készségének vizsgálata szemmozgást követő módszerrel

A gregorián énekek lapról énekelhetőségéről és tanításukról közel ezer évvel ezelőtt, 1026 körül született meg az első tanulmány Arezzói Guido itáliai bencés szerzetestől (Draskóczy, 2001). A Guido által megalkotott zenei notáció, illetve a szolmizációs szótagok mára az egész világon elterjedtek, és jelen vannak a zenepedagógiában. A magyarországi zeneoktatás elsősorban Kodály Zoltán koncepciójára épül, aki számos művet komponált a kottaolvasás gyakoroltatására. Habár a zeneoktatás szerves részét képezi a kottaolvasás tanítása, átfogó vizsgálat erről a kérdésről idáig nem történt Magyarországon. Kutatásunkban zeneművészeti szakközépiskolás tanulók kottaolvasási készségét vizsgáltuk szemmozgás követő műszer segítségével. Kutatási célunk feltárni a jó kottaolvasás-stratégia használóinak jellemzőit, a különböző kottaolvasási stratégiák tanításának lehetőségeit

A 2012-es regensburgi EARLI JURE Konferencia

„A tanulás Odüsszeiája: Új horizontok felfedezése a tanulás és tanítás területein” (A Learning Odyssey: Exploring new Horizons in Learning and Instruction) – ezt a központi témát választotta a 2012. július 23. és 27. között megrendezett nemzetközi konferencia, az EARLI JURE (The Junior Researchers of EARLI), amelyen a világ 29 országából vettek részt a neveléstudománnyal foglalkozó doktoranduszok. A konferenciának Németország Duna-parti nagyvárosa, Regensburg adott otthont, melynek egyetemén a szakmai előadások mellett 17 magas színvonalú műhelyfoglalkozás is várta a fiatal kutatókat

The Role of Cultural Heritage in 21st-Century Music Education

Cul­tural her­it­age is an in­teg­ral part of Hun­garian music edu­ca­tion. Folk tra­di­tions and folk songs are taught in every school, from the cap­ital city to the smal­lest vil­lages. Thou­sands of songs were col­lec­ted by Zoltán Kodály and Béla Bartók, who ad­op­ted them in their clas­sical com­pos­i­tions. With this they earned fame for Hun­garian folk music and tra­di­tions. Zoltán Kodály also com­posed a series of music read­ing ma­ter­i­als, mainly based on folk songs, which is cur­rently used on all levels of Hun­garian music edu­ca­tion. Not only the Kodály concept, but the Táncház-method was also se­lec­ted in the Re­gister of Good Safe­guard­ing Prac­tices of UN­ESCO Cul­tural Her­it­age. In our di­gital age, the net-gen­er­a­tion, un­like the pre­vi­ous stu­dent pop­u­la­tions, can have dif­fer­ent habits, which is the reason why stu­dents’ music skills were tested with tech­no­logy-based meth­ods and tools. They are sur­roun­ded by pop­u­lar media; however, the value that folk tra­di­tion of­fers should be in­ev­it­able in their edu­ca­tion. The find­ings of our re­search provides input for the edu­ca­tional sys­tem about Hun­garian stu­dents’s music lit­er­acy, and their fa­mili­ar­ity with its vari­ous ele­ments, es­pe­cially with cer­tain com­pon­ents of their cul­tural her­it­age

A technológia transzfer intézményi megújulása a tudásgazdaságban = Technology transfer in the knowledge-based economy: organizational changes

Munkánk során áttekintettük, hogy a technológia transzfer hagyományos eszköztára hogyan változott meg az elmúlt évtizedben, és a tudásalapú társadalom kiépítése milyen változásokat hozott mind a nemzeti rendszerek, mind pedig az intézmények szintjén. Részletesen foglalkoztunk a hazai innovációs rendszer kialakulóban lévő elemeivel, az innovációs törvénykezés hatásaival. Áttekintettük az egyetemek feladatait és körvonalaztuk a technológia transzfer kapacitás megteremtéséhez szükséges belső intézményeket. Részletesen vizsgáltuk a tudásalapú vállalkozások alapítását gátló tényezőket, és egy többlépcsős modellt állítottunk fel az akadályok szemléltetésére. A gazdasági szereplők viszonylatában foglalkoztunk a szervezeti tanulás technológia transzferben betöltött szerepével, a bilaterális kockázatok fajtáival és kezelési lehetőségeikkel, valamint a vállalkozások együttműködésében megvalósuló közös szabadalom-hasznosítási platformok létjogosultságával. | During our work we surveyed how the traditional tools of technology transfer altered in the last decade, and what changes were indicated by establishing the knowledge based society on both levels of national systems and institutions. We fully dealt the evolving elements of domestic innovation systems, the effects of innovation jurisdiction. We surveyed the roles of universities and outlined the required internal institutes to build technology transfer capacity. We examined thoroughly the obstructive agents of knowledge based enterprises, and we set up a several-step model to demonstrate the obstructions. In the relation of economic performers we dealt with the role of organizational learning in technology transfer, the types of bilateral risks, their managing opportunities and the justification of common patent-exploitation platforms for the co-operation of enterprises