Hungary: The Janus-faced Success Story

This paper offers a broad overview of the Hungarian development strategy over the past two decades. Combining historical and functional analysis, some major strengths and weaknesses are identified, with special emphasis on the country.s open-door policies and the role played by the European Union. The paper investigates why the impetus of institutional and financial integration was lost by about 2004 when policy drifting took over the role of strategies. Some ideas on how to remedy the situation are being offered. Paradoxically, the Hungarian success and failure both testify to the relevance of a neo-institutionalist/political economy approach to sustainable development. It also examines the limitations of external anchoring by the EU as well as of the spontaneous bottom-up evolution of institutions when policy drifting continues.structural reform, sustainability, EU accession, regulation, FDI, trust

New extractive configuration separating azeotropic mixture in semi-batch way

A new variant of batch extractive distillation, the so-called inverse-fed batch extractive distillation is presented. The total amount of the entrainer is pre-loaded to the boiler, and the mixture charge to be separated is continuously fed to the column in this novel configuration. The feasibility study of conventional extractive distillation was extended and a thorough study was performed to separate a maximum boiling azeotrope with intermediate boiling entrainer. The new configuration was found more efficient than the conventional one. The results of the feasibility study was validated and completed with a sensitivity analysis performed with commercial simulator software

Feasibility of extractive distillation process variants in batch rectifier column

A systematic comparison is presented about the separation tasks of azeotropic and close-boiling mixtures applying batch extractive distillation (BED) in rectifier. All the eight possible mixture types with at most a single azeotrope (minimum and maximum boiling azeotropes with heavy, light, and intermediate boiling entrainers; and close boiling mixtures with heavy and light entrainers) are compared. The main results of the feasibility studies on the hitherto unpublished cases are presented. All the cases are feasible in batch rectifier, applying BED. The operation steps are determined by the relative position of the azeotropic composition and entrainer in bubble point ranking. The main limiting parameters (F/V, N, Epremix) are also determined by the mentioned relative position; only the existence of maximum number of stages in the rectifying section is determined by the type of the azeotrope. Use of residue curves maps (RCMs) for predicting feasibility is not generally satisfactory, but profiles maps can be used instead. Studying only the total reflux case can be misleading, and should be treated with great care. The theoretical results of separation variants applying intermediate boiling entrainer were proved experimentally

Investigation of the Biomass and Nutrient Content of Green Manuring Plants as Second Crops in Hungary

The growth, and the development and trends of the nutrient content parameters of three different plant species (Phacelia tanacecifolia,Sinapis alba, Raphanus sativus) grown as secondary crops for green manure, as a function of two different fertiliser doses (0 kg/ha N; 50kg/ha N), was studied under unfavourable site conditions at the Crop Production and Biomass Utilisation Demonstration Centre of theSzent István University, Gödöllő, Hungary. The application of the small, 50 kg/ha dose of nitrogen increased the biomass yield in eachcase, to 2.78-3.11 times that of the control field. The dry matter content of the produce increased only by 2.11-2.66 times, as the watercontent of the green manure plants also increased as a result of the nitrogen supplement. The increased amount of nitrogen boosted theavailability of all of the other macro elements for the plants. In view of the present findings it can be recommend the application of somenitrogen fertiliser in the given site before growing some crop for use as green manure in all cases but where the straw after cereals is left onthe soil surface nitrogen should be applied to alleviate the pentosan effect and to increase the uptake of macro elements

Utjecaj prvog spolnog odnosa i rizičnog zdravstvenog ponašanja na uspjeh rumunjskih adolescenata na maturi

Relationship between sexual and health risk behaviours and school success is rarely investigated in Central-East European countries. The present project studies their impact on the results of the compulsory graduation examination, called Baccalaureate, in Romania. In this follow-up analysis 401 graduate high school students were surveyed. We measured scholastic achievement by means of the indicators of promotion and performance in standardized testing. The self-administered School Success Profile questionnaire included items on health-related (smoking, binge drinking, and illicit drug use) and sexual debut behaviours. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression were conducted. Results show that students from rural and deprived communities, those obtaining failing grades in the last semester and involved in an unstable relationship at the sexual debut had significantly increased odds of failure and lower average grades in the final examination, when adjusted for age, sex, religious practice and health status. Within the framework of health education, school educators should not neglect the education for the reproductive health, and health education should accompany the adolescent throughout his/her life.Međuodnos spolnog i rizičnog zdravstvenog ponašanja i školskog uspjeha rijetko se istražuje u zemljama središnje i istočne Europe. Ovim se projektom istražuje njihov učinak na rezultate obveznog maturalnog ispita (engl. Baccalaureate) u Rumunjskoj. U ovoj popratnoj analizi obrađeni su odgovori 401 maturanta. Izmjerili smo školski uspjeh s pomoću indikatora napretka i uspjeha u standardiziranim testovima. Upitnikom za samostalno popunjavanje o profilu školskoga uspjeha obuhvaćena su pitanja o rizičnom zdravstvenom ponašanju dolescenata (pušenje, neumjereno opijanje i ilegalna zloupotreba droga) i njihovim prvim spolnim odnosima. U analizi su upotrijebljene metode eskriptivne statistike i logističke regresije. Rezultati su pokazali da su učenici iz ruralnih krajeva, zahvaćenih oskudicom, koji su u posljednjem semestru ocijenjeni negativnim ocjenama i koji su bili u nestabilnim vezama u trenutku prvog spolnog odnosa imali velike predispozicije da padnu razred i dobiju niže prosječne ocjene na završnom ispitu, s korekcijom za dob, spol, vjeru i zdravstveno stanje. U okviru zdravstvenog odgoja nastavnici ne bi trebali zanemarivati edukaciju o reproduktivnom zdravlju, a znanje stečeno tijekom obrazovanja trebalo bi adolescente služiti tijekom cijelog njihova života

Design and Performance of the Data Acquisition System for the NA61/SHINE Experiment at CERN

This paper describes the hardware, firmware and software systems used in data acquisition for the NA61/SHINE experiment at the CERN SPS accelerator. Special emphasis is given to the design parameters of the readout electronics for the 40m^3 volume Time Projection Chamber detectors, as these give the largest contribution to event data among all the subdetectors: events consisting of 8bit ADC values from 256 timeslices of 200k electronic channels are to be read out with ~100Hz rate. The data acquisition system is organized in "push-data mode", i.e. local systems transmit data asynchronously. Techniques of solving subevent synchronization are also discussed.Comment: 14 pages, 13 figure

Efficiency of different marker systems for genotype fingerprinting and for genetic diversity studies in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.)

AbstractGenetic relationships between 38 barley genotypes were determined with the aid of 36 RAPD, 54 STS and 26 SSR markers. The dendrogram groups showed high coincidence with growth habit and ear type. There were significant correlations between the Jaccard coefficients obtained using the matrices of each single marker type and their combined matrix. When the varieties were grouped using markers with above-average Polymorphic Information Content (PIC) values, the same groups were obtained as when using all markers, outlining their usefulness for estimating diversity between the varieties. Three RAPD or four SSR primers were sufficient to distinguish all the barley varieties from each other. The applicability of the various types of primers differed. The STS markers could best be used for estimating relationships between the varieties and the SSR markers for distinguishing genotypes from each other, while RAPD markers could be employed both for estimating the relationships between varieties and for variety identification

Debt dynamics among European municipalities and their organizations : comparative analysis with focus on Hungary

Purpose: This paper analyzed the debt of municipal subsystems of public finances and the organizations they own compared to EU member countries' GDP during the 2013-2018 period. Our study's essence is to characterize the EU member states based upon the two areas of investigation. We also analyzed the relationships between the liabilities of the entities, and, through the use of statistical methods, we compared the respective values and examined the effect on debt from both local government system models and geopolitical location. Design/Methodology/Approach: Three hypotheses were formulated, and we conducted our research with statistical methods (regression, cluster and variance analyses, LGCEshare variables). We utilized a case study on Hungary to explore the development of the two areas over time and examined how debt value was affected by the regulatory environment. Findings: Between the two areas of the local system's economic management, a statistical connection can be identified. The liabilities as a percentage of the GDP of local government-owned businesses are considering it has been established. This is especially true in Germany and Scandinavian countries. However, it must be noted that the results of the statistical analyses and the theoretical division are different from each other. Another unique element of this study is considering the debt dynamics of municipalities and their corporations following the comprehensive fiscal reforms post-2010. Practical Implications: The research results can be used to assess the related financial positions of local governments and their economic organizations, to which the European Union is also paying increasing attention. Originality/Value: We examined the relationship between the liabilities of local governments and their economic organizations, and we showed a relationship between the two areas by using statistical methods. We found that the effect of the local government system model and geopolitical location on the debt stock is fundamentally determinant, but not in every case.peer-reviewe

Role of the cystathionine beta-synthase / H2S pathway in the development of cellular metabolic dysfunction and pseudohypoxia in down syndrome

Background: Overexpression of the transsulfuration enzyme cystathionine-beta-synthase (CBS), and overproduction of its product, hydrogen sulfide (H2S) are recognized as potential pathogenetic factors in Down syndrome (DS). The purpose of the study was to determine how the mitochondrial function and core metabolic pathways are affected by DS and how pharmacological inhibition of CBS affects these parameters. Methods: 8 human control and 8 human DS fibroblast cell lines have been subjected to bioenergetic and fluxomic and proteomic analysis with and without treatment with a pharmacological inhibitor of CBS. Results: DS cells exhibited a significantly higher CBS expression than control cells, and produced more H2S. They also exhibited suppressed mitochondrial electron transport and oxygen consumption and suppressed Complex IV activity, impaired cell proliferation and increased ROS generation. Inhibition of H2S biosynthesis with aminooxyacetic acid reduced cellular H2S, improved cellular bioenergetics, attenuated ROS and improved proliferation. C-13 glucose fluxomic analysis revealed that DS cells exhibit a suppression of the Krebs cycle activity with a compensatory increase in glycolysis. CBS inhibition restored the flux from glycolysis to the Krebs cycle and reactivated oxidative phosphorylation. Proteomic analysis revealed no CBS-dependent alterations in the expression level of the enzymes involved in glycolysis, oxidative phosphorylation and the pentose phosphate pathway. DS was associated with the dysregulation of several components of the autophagy network; CBS inhibition normalized several of these parameters. Conclusions: Increased H2S generation in DS promotes pseudohypoxia and contributes to cellular metabolic dysfunction by causing a shift from oxidative phosphorylation to glycolysis.Peer reviewe

The basal forebrain cholinergic system in aging and dementia:Rescuing cholinergic neurons from neurotoxic amyloid-beta 42 with memantine

The dysfunction and loss of basal forebrain cholinergic neurons and their cortical projections are among the earliest pathological events in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The evidence pointing to cholinergic impairments come from studies that report a decline in the activity of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) and acetylcholine esterase (AChE), acetylcholine (ACh) release and the levels of nicotinic and muscarinic receptors, and loss of cholinergic basal forebrain neurons in the AD brain. Alzheimer's disease pathology is characterized by an extensive loss of synapses and neuritic branchings which are the dominant scenario as compared to the loss of the neuronal cell bodies themselves. The appearance of cholinergic neuritic dystrophy, i.e. aberrant fibers and fiber swelling are more and more pronounced during brain aging and widely common in AD. When taking amyloid-beta (A beta) deposition as the ultimate causal factor of Alzheimer's disease the role of A beta in cholinergic dysfunction should be considered. In that respect it has been stated that ACh release and synthesis are depressed, axonal transport is inhibited, and that ACh degradation is affected in the presence of A beta peptides. beta-Amyloid peptide 1-42, the principal constituent of the neuritic plagues seen in AD patients, is known to trigger excess amount of glutamate in the synaptic cleft by inhibiting the astroglial glutamate transporter and to increase the intracellular Ca(2+) level. Based on the glutamatergic overexcitation theory of AD progression, the function of NMDA receptors and treatment with NMDA antagonists underlie some recent therapeutic applications. Memantine, a moderate affinity uncompetitive NMDA receptor antagonist interacts with its target only during states of pathological activation but does not interfere with the physiological receptor functions. In this study the neuroprotective effect of memantine on the forebrain cholinergic neurons against A beta 42 oligomers-induced toxicity was studied in an in vivo rat dementia model. We found that memantine rescued the neocortical cholinergic fibers originating from the basal forebrain cholinergic neurons, attenuated microglial activation around the intracerebral lesion sides, and improved attention and memory of A beta 42-injected rats exhibiting impaired learning and loss of cholinergic innervation of neocortex. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved