Digital seed morphometry for genotype identification — case study of seeds of excavated (15th century Hungary) and current vinegrape (Vitis v. vinifera) varieties

Abstract Digital seed image analysis of seed remains of three ancient vinegrape samples excavated from 15th-century sites of Hungary was conducted and compared to those of ten currently grown old grapevine varieties. Digital seed images were analysed by Fovea Pro 4.0 computer program, with the final aim to identify the ancient grapevine cultivars with a final genotype reconstruction. Discriminant analysis, XY plot and histogram analyses revealed that seeds of two archaeological samples (11–13) show the closest similarity to the currently grown old vinegrape Vitis v. vinifera cv. ‘Mézesfehér’ (sample 6). Histogram analysis of seed parameter Equiv.Diam. (cm) of the archaeological seed sample ‘Budai vár’ (sample 11) showed diverse multimodal distribution compared to the unimodal distribution of cv. ‘Mézesfehér’ (sample 6), which results indicated that cv. ‘Mézesfehér’ went through a selection through the last five centuries, which narrowed the morphological diversity of this seed character

Industry 4.0: Mining Physical Defects in Production of Surface-Mount Devices

With the advent of Industry 4.0, production processes have been endowed with intelligent cyber-physical systems generating massive amounts of streaming sensor data. Internet of Things technologies have enabled capturing, managing, and processing production data at a large scale in order to utilize this data as an asset for the optimization of production processes. In this work, we focus on the automatic detection of physical defects in the production of surfacemount devices. We show how to build a classification model based on random forests that efficiently detects defect products with a high degree of precision. In fact, the results of our preliminary experimental analysis indicate that our approach is able to correctly determine defects in a simulated production environment of surface-mount devices with a MCC score of 0.96. We investigate the feasibility of utilizing this approach in realistic settings. We believe that our approach will help to advance the production of surface-mount devices

CALIBRATION OF SIMS MEASUREMENTS BY ION IMPLANTATION

The paper reviews some joint results of the above institutions in quantitative SIMS (Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry) analysis of implanted dopants. Quantification of the SIMS was achieved by implanting marker ions as standards prior to analysis. Feasibility of this technique was first demonstrated by Giber et al. (1982). Further considerations will be presented

In vitro eradication of citrullinated protein specific B-lymphocytes of rheumatoid arthritis patients by targeted bifunctional nanoparticles

Background: Autoreactive B cells are crucial players in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Autoantibodies specific for citrullinated proteins (ACPA), present in the serum of approximately 60-70 % of patients, have a pathogenic role in the disease. B cell depleting therapies may result in a transient immunosuppression, increasing the risk of infections. Our aim was to develop a new therapeutic approach to selectively deplete the ACPA producing autoreactive B cells. Methods: To target B cells synthetic citrullinated peptide derived from the beta chain of fibrin, beta 60-74Cit(60,72,74) (beta 60-74Cit), the predominant epitope recognized by ACPA was used. Complement dependent cytotoxicity (CDC) was induced by a modified peptide derived from gp120 of HIV-1. To trigger CDC both the targeting peptide and the complement activating peptide were covalently coupled in multiple copies to the surface of poly (DL-lactic-co-glycolic acid) nanoparticles (NPs). Ex vivo antibody synthesis was examined by ELISA and ELISpot. CDC was tested after dead cell staining by flow cytometry. Results: The beta 60-74Cit peptide was selectively recognized by a small subset of B cells from RA patients having high level of peptide specific serum antibody, suggesting that the peptide can target diseased B cells. The modified gp120 peptide covalently coupled to NPs induced the formation of the complement membrane attack complex, C5b-9 in human serum. We show here for the first time that bifunctional NPs coupled to multiple copies of both the targeting peptide and the complement activating effector peptide on their surface significantly reduce beta 60-74Cit peptide specific ex vivo ACPA production, by inducing complement dependent lysis of the citrullinated peptide specific B cells of seropositive RA patients. Conclusions: Bifunctional NPs covalently coupled to autoantigen epitope peptide and to a lytic peptide activating complement may specifically target and deplete the peptide specific autoreactive B-cells

High Mobility Group Box 1 Protein Induction by Mycobacterium Bovis BCG

High mobility group box 1 protein (HMGB1), a nuclear protein, is a critical cytokine that mediates the response to infection, injury, and inflammation. The aim of our study was to elaborate a reliable in vitro model to investigate whether Mycobacterium bovis BCG is able to induce HMGB1 secretion from the monocytic U-937 cells. Western blot technique was applied for the detection of HMGB1 from supernatants of cells, following induction with Mycobacterium bovis BCG. Densitometric analysis revealed higher concentrations of HMGB1 in cell supernatants stimulated with BCG than in the supernatants of the control, nonstimulated cells. Further quantitation of the secreted HMGB1 was performed by ELISA. The BCG strain resulted in a higher amount of secreted HMGB1 (450 ± 44 ng/mL) than that of LPS (84 ± 12 ng/mL) or Staphylococcus aureus (150 ± 14 ng/mL). BCG and Phorbol −12-myristate −13 acetate (PMA), added together, resulted in the highest HMGB1 secretion (645 ± 125 ng/mL). The translocation of the HMGB1 towards the cytoplasm following infection of cells with BCG was demonstrated by immunofluorescence examinations. Conclusion: Our pilot experiments draw attention to the HMGB1 inducing ability of Mycobacterium bovis. Assesment of the pathophysiological role of this late cytokine in mycobacterial infections demands further in vitro and in vivo examinations

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