A köles (Panicum miliaceum) SSR- és ISSR szekvencia-stabilitása a 4. és 15. századi régészeti leletektől a mai fajtákig

A középkori (Budai Vár, 15. századi feltárás) és 4. századi (Mongólia) régészeti leletekből feltárt köles (Panicum miliaceum; 2n=4×=36) magmintákból ősDNS-t izoláltunk. A teljes genom felszaporításával (WGA – whole genome amplification) nagy mennyiségű ősDNS-t állítottunk elő. Az ősDNS szakaszok szelektív felszaporításával (AFLP – amplified fragment length polymorphism) meghatároztuk az ősDNS degradációjának mértékét, a 4. századi mintában azonosított 2 (1.2%) AFLP (MseCAA–EcoAGT) fragmentum kimutatásával (98.8% degradáció), szemben a 15. századi 158 (40%) (60% degradáció), illetve a „Topáz” mai fajtában kimutatott 264 fragmentum azonosításával (100%). Az AFLP szelektív primer-párok közül az EcoAGT–Mse-CAA volt a leghatékonyabb. Nyolc AFLP fragmentum klónozásával és szekvenálásával 2529 nt ősDNS-t azonosítottunk. Az ismétlődő DNS szakaszok közötti DNS vizsgálata során (ISSR – inter simple sequence repeats) a kilenc primerből hét primer, valamint ezek kombinációival 22 ISSR szakaszon (lokuszon) összesen 341 ISSR allélt azonosítottunk a mai fajtákban és a középkori mintában. Az allélek szekvencia adatai teljes azonosságot mutattak a mai fajtákban és a középkori mintában. A felszaporított ősDNS minták restrikciós endonukleázzal történő emésztése (CAPs – cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence) során hat enzimet alkalmaztunk (TaqI, BsuRI, HinfI, MboI, AluI és RsaI) a mitokondrium (mtDNS) 1117 bp hosszúságú 5S-18S rDNS szakaszának elemzésére. Az ALF-SSR allélek szekvencia elemzésében négy génhez kapcsolt ismétlődő DNS szakaszt elemeztünk az sh1 (shrunken1); gln4 (glutamine synthetase4); rps15 (ribosomal proteinS15); rps 28 (rps28 ribosomal protein S28) génekben, összesen 810 nt szekvencia meghatározásával. Egyetlen nukleotid-változást (SNP – single nucleotide polymorphism) mutattunk ki a 15. századi mintában az rps28 DNS szakaszban. A morfológiai fajtarekonstrukcióban a középkori minta egy ősi típusú, terpedt bugájú fajtához (Omszkoje) mutatta a legközelebbi rokonságot. Eredményeink igazolják, az egyszikű köles genom rendkívüli stabilitását, összevetve az azonos korból feltárt kétszikű sárgadinnye genomban végbement nagymértékű mikroevolúciós változásokkal. | Seed remains of medieval millet, recovered from a 15th century layer (King’s Palace, Budapest, Hungary), showed reddish yellow grain color after rehydrating on tissue culture medium that was close to grain color of modern cultivar Omszkoje. aDNA of medieval c. millet was extracted successfully, analyzed and compared to modern common millets by ISSR, SSR, CAPS and mtDNA. Analyses of fragments and sequences revealed polymorphism at seven ISSR loci (22 alleles) and at the 5S-18S rDNA locus of mtDNA. CAPS analysis of the 5S-18S rDNA fragment revealed no SNPs in the restriction sites of six endonucleases TaqI, BsuRI, HinfI, MboI, AluI and RsaI. Sequence alignments of the restriction fragments RsaI also revealed consensus sequence in the medieval sample compared to a modern variety. Morphological characterization of twenty common millet (Panicum miliaceum L., 2n=4×=36) cultivars and landraces revealed four distinct clusters which were apparently consistent with the grain colors of black, black and brown, red, yellow, and white. In the comparative AFLP, SSR and mtDNA analysis modern millet cv. ‘Topáz’ was used. AFLP analysis revealed that extensive DNA degradation had occurred in the 4th CENT. ancient millet resulting in only 2 (1.2%) AFLP fragments (98.8% degradation), compared to the 15th CENT. medieval millet with 158 (40%) fragments (60% degradation) and modern millet cv. ‘Topáz’ with 264 fragments (100%). Eight AFLP fragments were sequenced after reamplification and cloning. Microsatellite (SSR) analysis at the nuclear gln4, sh1, rps28 and rps15 loci of the medieval DNA revealed one SNP (single nucleotide polymorphism) at the 29th position (A to G) of rps28 locus compared to modern millet. Mitochondrial (mtDNA) fragment (MboI) amplified at the 5S-18S-rDNA locus in the medieval millet showed no molecular changes compared to modern millet. The results underline the significance of survived aDNA extraction and analysis of excavated seeds for comparative analysis and molecular reconstruction of ancient and extinct plant genotypes. An attempted phenotype reconstruction indicated that medieval common millet showed the closest morphological similarity to modern millet cultivar Omszkoje

Morfológiai diverzitás sárgadinnyében (Cucumis melo); egy középkori típus fajtarekonstrukciója

47 mai sárgadinnye tájfajta illetve fajta morfológiai diverzitás vizsgálatát végeztük el 23 fenotípusos bélyeg alapján, egy középkori lelet (15. sz. eleje) rekonstrukciójához, valamint az eltet 600 év során végbement mikroevolúciós folyamatok nyomonkövetésére. A vizsgálatok során felvételezett 47 mai sárgadinnye fajta kivétel nélkül besorolható volt az Európában elterjedt három fő terméstípusú csoportba: a cikkelyesen barázdás Kantalup (cantalupensis), a hálózatos-recés terméshéjú Retikulatusz (reticulatus), és a simahéjú Inodorusz (inodorus) csoportba. A párhuzamosan végzett molekuláris vizsgálatok, valamint az itt közölt morfológiai diagramm segítségével a középkori minta fajta-típusa meghatározható volt, amely egy inodorusz típusú, sima héjú, zöld húsú sárgadinnye lehetett, átmeneti formával a „Hógolyó” és a „Kősárga” tájfajta között. | Morphological diversity of melon (Cucumis melo); phenotype reconstruction of a medieval sample. Morphological diversity among 47 melon (Cucumis melo) cultivars and landraces from Hungarian germplasm collection (ABI, Tápiószele) were analyzed with an ultimate aim to characterize morphologically cv. Hógolyó, which showed the closest genetic similarity to a medieval melon recovered from the 15th century. Cultivars based on fruit morphology were grouped into the three main types of melon as reticulatus, cantalupensis and inodorus. Cluster analysis (by SPSS-11) based on 23 morphological (quantitative and qualitative) traits recorded revealed an extreme diversity among accessions, nevertheless cultivars were clustered into main melon clusters with only two exceptions of inodorus type cv. Zimovka J. and Afghanistan. Cultivars Sweet ananas and Ezüst ananász; and two Hungarian landraces Kisteleki and Nagycserkeszi showed close similarity. Cultivars Hógolyó and Túrkeve of inodorus type were also grouped in one cluster, which provide insight into the morphological reconstruction of the medieval melon recovered from the 15th century. These results also indicate that old Hungarian landraces could be re-introduced into breeding programs for broadening genetic base of melon

The Gifted and Gifted Education in Hungary

The real challenge is to see value that is not yet in its true form. Becoming gifted is a process, during which characteristics of giftedness are present throughout, but not necessarily in a form perceptible or acceptable to the environment. Giftedness does not hide itself, only to the extent that the environment believes it hidden. Perception defines the pattern that manifests itself. The beginning of the 20th century is a success story of Hungarian gifted education. Outstanding teachers and their students have reached outstanding achievements through gifted education linked to everyday education. Their methods and ideas are durable, and are therefore worth recalling

New AMS 14C dates track the arrival and spread of broomcorn millet cultivation and agricultural change in prehistoric Europe

Broomcorn millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) is not one of the founder crops domesticated in Southwest Asia in the early Holocene, but was domesticated in northeast China by 6000 bc. In Europe, millet was reported in Early Neolithic contexts formed by 6000 bc, but recent radiocarbon dating of a dozen 'early' grains cast doubt on these claims. Archaeobotanical evidence reveals that millet was common in Europe from the 2nd millennium bc, when major societal and economic transformations took place in the Bronze Age. We conducted an extensive programme of AMS-dating of charred broomcorn millet grains from 75 prehistoric sites in Europe. Our Bayesian model reveals that millet cultivation began in Europe at the earliest during the sixteenth century bc, and spread rapidly during the fifteenth/fourteenth centuries bc. Broomcorn millet succeeds in exceptionally wide range of growing conditions and completes its lifecycle in less than three summer months. Offering an additional harvest and thus surplus food/fodder, it likely was a transformative innovation in European prehistoric agriculture previously based mainly on (winter) cropping of wheat and barley. We provide a new, high-resolution chronological framework for this key agricultural development that likely contributed to far-reaching changes in lifestyle in late 2nd millennium bc Europe

Evolution and environment of the eastern linear pottery culture: A case study in the site of Polgár-Piócási-Dűlő

A salvage excavation preceding a major investment project was conducted in 2006–2007, during which associated settlement features of a Middle Neolithic, Eastern Linear Pottery Culture (Alföld Linearbandkeramik – ALBK) were uncovered in an area called Piócási-dűlő on the eastern outskirts of Polgár. The features of the ALBK settlement date from two periods. The cluster of multi-functional pits yielding a rich assortment of finds, the handful of post-holes and an unusual ritual well found in the southern part of the investigated area formed one unit from the earliest phase of the Middle Neolithic (ALBK I). The settlement’s other occupation can be assigned to the late phase of the Middle Neolithic (ALBK IV). Five houseplans representing the remains of timber-framed buildings outlined a distinct area with three multi-functional pits. Associated with the above features were 8 burials. The preliminary archaeobotanical results from Polgár–Piócási-dűlő are based on the plant material found within the sediments of 11 archaeological structures, which mainly represent pits and a welI. It can be stated that the natural environment offered habitats in which oak trees dominated in the local vegetation, forming floodplain forests and wooded steppes. They also provided food in the form of fruits and formed an optimal habitat for domestic animals. Arable fields were probably also established in the vicinity of the settlements, suggested by findings of macroscopic plant remains that represented cultivated species. In both settlement phases lithic production activities are manifested both by the local on-site lithic production and – most importantly – by the presence of imported, mainly mesolocal, raw materials that point to contacts with deposit areas, or off-site preliminary working of obsidian and limnoquartzites. The kit of harvesting tools and a large number of grinding stones – especially in the younger phase – for the preparation of plant food suggest a major role of plant cultivation

Differences in Efficacy and Safety of Pharmaceutical Treatments between Men and Women: An Umbrella Review

Being male or female is an important determinant of risks for certain diseases, patterns of illness and life expectancy. Although differences in risks for and prognoses of several diseases have been well documented, sex-based differences in responses to pharmaceutical treatments and accompanying risks of adverse events are less clear. The objective of this umbrella review was to determine whether clinically relevant differences in efficacy and safety of commonly prescribed medications exist between men and women. We retrieved all available systematic reviews of the Oregon Drug Effectiveness Review Project published before January 2010. Two persons independently reviewed each report to identify relevant studies. We dually abstracted data from the original publications into standardized forms. We synthesized the available evidence for each drug class and rated its quality applying the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation) approach. Findings, based on 59 studies and data of more than 250,000 patients suggested that for the majority of drugs no substantial differences in efficacy and safety exist between men and women. Some clinically important exceptions, however, were apparent: women experienced substantially lower response rates with newer antiemetics than men (45% vs. 58%; relative risk 1.49, 95% confidence interval 1.35–1.64); men had higher rates of sexual dysfunction than women while on paroxetine for major depressive disorder; women discontinued lovastatin more frequently than men because of adverse events. Overall, for the majority of drugs sex does not appear to be a factor that has to be taken into consideration when choosing a drug treatment. The available body of evidence, however, was limited in quality and quantity, confining the range and certainty of our conclusions

Anaesthesia and PET of the Brain

Although drugs have been used to administer general anaesthesia for more than a century and a half, relatively little was known until recently about the molecular and cellular effects of the anaesthetic agents and the neurobiology of anaesthesia. Positron emission tomography (PET) and single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) studies have played a valuable role in improving this knowledge. PET studies using 11C-flumazenil binding have been used to demonstrate that the molecular action of some, but not all, of the current anaesthetic agents is mediated via the GABAA receptor. Using different tracers labelled with 18F, 11C and 15O, PET studies have shown the patterns of changes in cerebral metabolism and blood flow associated with different intravenous and volatile anaesthetic agents. Within classes of volatile agents, there are minor variations in patterns. More profound differences are found between classes of agents. Interestingly, all agents cause alterations in the blood flow and metabolism of the thalamus, providing strong support for the hypothesis that the anaesthetic agents interfere with consciousness by interfering with thalamocortical communication.</p