Endangered Uralic languages in the (Bermuda) triangle of documentation, theory, and application

The relationship between theory, documentation and application can be conceptualised as a triangle in which documentation feeds into theory and theory is realised in application (language education and language policies). In the other direction, theory influences the process of documentation and application produces feedback to theory. Moreover, documentation and application are interconnected: authentic language material, reflecting actual language use, should be used in language teaching and language planning, and language documentation today is inevitably influenced by language teaching and language policies – already because in our days, speakers of endangered languages are more and more often exposed to formal language education and institutional language use. In the case of the endangered Uralic minority languages, none of these interconnections work properly. In traditional Uralic studies, dominated by the historical-comparative paradigm and the traditions of relatively young national philologies, theory was built on idealisations and reconstructions rather than directly on documented language usages, involving variation and multilingualism. Language education in Uralic minority languages, in turn, has (for diverse political reasons) often been completely absent, or its connections to theoretical linguistics and/or language documentation have (until recently) been very poorly developed. The results and data of Uralic studies are often not accessible in a form which could be used in language education and language revitalisation. In this presentation, we will focus on some possible means of activating the connections within the triangle model. The relationship between documentation and theory will be illustrated with a brief analysis of the role of multilingualism in Uralic field linguistics. The relationship between theory and applications will be discussed in the light of some recent textbooks of Uralic minority languages and the often-neglected special problematics of teaching heritage languages. Finally, we will discuss the practical effects of language education and language policies on the documentation of language as well as the representation of language diversity in school curricula. The key question is how to promote awareness and information flow between institutions and individuals working at the “tips” of the triangle. The Uralic languages, covering the broadest possible range of endangerment, from almost extinct to relatively well-established minority languages, offer a wide array of examples of both successful and disastrous practices. Our empirical material comes partly from individual studies, partly from current or recent international research projects: the EU-FP7 projects ELDIA and INNET, and the ESF-EuroBABEL project “Ob-Ugric languages”

HiHi fMRI: a data-reordering method for measuring the hemodynamic response of the brain with high temporal resolution and high SNR

There is emerging evidence that sampling the blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) response with high temporal resolution opens up new avenues to study the in vivo functioning of the human brain with functional magnetic resonance imaging. Because the speed of sampling and the signal level are intrinsically connected in magnetic resonance imaging via the T1 relaxation time, optimization efforts usually must make a trade-off to increase the temporal sampling rate at the cost of the signal level. We present a method, which combines a sparse event-related stimulus paradigm with subsequent data reshuffling to achieve high temporal resolution while maintaining high signal levels (HiHi). The proof-of-principle is presented by separately measuring the single-voxel time course of the BOLD response in both the primary visual and primary motor cortices with 100-ms temporal resolution

Poli(etilén-tereftalát) bontása visszaforgatható organokatalizátorok segítségével: Depolymerization of poly(ethylene terephthalate) in the presence of recyclable organocatalysts

Recycling of plastic materials has an important role in the twenty-first century in reducing environmental pollution and saving petroleum resources. Poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) provides one of the best examples for this as it is a non-biodegradable polymer that is mainly used as raw material for a wide range of packaging applications, making degradation of PET a subject of great interest for researchers. In our work, post-consumer PET bottles were degraded with glycolysis into bis(2-hydroxyethyl) terephthalate (BHET) monomer using commercially available functionalized silica gels or 1,5,7-triazabicyclo[4.4.0]dec-5-ene (TBD) immobilized on silica gel. After the most stable and active catalyst was found to be triethyl amine functionalized silica gel, the optimization of reaction parameters was carried out. The silica gel as solid support helps in recycling the applied organic base making this process sustainable. Kivonat A műanyagok újrahasznosítása rendkívüli fontosságú a huszonegyedik században, mind a környezetszennyezés csökkentése, mind pedig a meg nem újuló energiaforrások megtakarítása miatt. A poli(etilén-tereftalát) (PET) az egyik legjobb példa erre, mivel ez egy biológiailag nem lebomló polimer, melyet főleg csomagoláshoz használnak fel széles körben, ezért ennek a műanyagnak a lebontása nagy érdeklődést váltott ki a kutatókból. Munkánk során használt PET-palackokat bontottunk le glikolízissel bisz(2-hidroxietil)-tereftalát (BHET) monomerré kereskedelmi forgalomban kapható funkcionalizált szilikagél, vagy szilikagélhez rögzített 1,5,7-triazabiciklo[4.4.0]dec-5-ént (TBD) katalizátorokat alkalmazva. Miután azt találtuk, hogy a legstabilabb és legaktívabb katalizátor a trietil-amin funkcionalizált szilikagél, optimalizáltuk a reakcióparamétereket. A szilikagél szilárd hordozóként lehetővé teszi az alkalmazott szerves bázis visszaforgatását, így fenntarthatóvá téve a folyamatot

Decreased peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor [gamma] level and signalling in sebaceous glands of patients with acne vulgaris

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Evidence for Spatial Separation of Galactic Dust Components

We present an implementation of a Bayesian mixture model using Hamiltonian Monte Carlo (HMC) techniques to search for spatial separation of Galactic dust components. Utilizing intensity measurements from \Planck High Frequency Instrument (HFI), we apply this model to high-latitude Galactic dust emission. Our analysis reveals a strong preference for a spatially-varying two-population dust model in intensity, with each population being well characterized by a single-component dust spectral-energy distribution (SED). While no spatial information is built into the likelihood, our investigation unveils spatially coherent structures with high significance, pointing to a physical origin for the observed spatial separation. These results are robust to our choice of likelihood and of input data. Furthermore, they are favored over a single-component dust model by Bayesian evidence calculations. Incorporating \IRAS 100\,$\mu m$ to constrain the Wein-side of the blackbody function, we find the dust populations differ at the $2.5\sigma$ level on the spectral index ($\beta_d$) vs. temperature $(T_d)$ plane. The presence of a multi-population dust has implications for component separation techniques frequently employed in the recovery of the Cosmic Microwave Background.Comment: 16 pages, 8 figures. Submitted to Ap

Knobbed acrosome defect is associated with a region containing the genes STK17b and HECW2 on porcine chromosome 15

BACKGROUND: Male infertility is an increasing problem in all domestic species including man. Localization and identification of genes involved in defects causing male infertility provide valuable information of specific events in sperm development. Correct condensation of the sperm head and development of the acrosome are required for fertile sperm. In the Finnish Yorkshire pig population a knobbed acrosome defect (KAD) has been reported which appears to be of genetic origin. In previous studies we have shown that a large number of affected spermatozoa have a cystic swelling anterior to the apical part of the acrosome. RESULTS: Characterization of the knobbed acrosome affected sperm revealed that both the acrosomal granules and chromatin are affected. This type of KAD appears to be a previously unknown and serious form of the defect. A genome wide scan with PorcineSNP60 Genotyping BeadChip defined the KAD associated region within 0.7 Mbp on porcine chromosome 15. Two genes, STK17b and HECW2, located within this region were sequenced. The expression of these genes appeared comparable in KA-affected and control boars. The known function of HECW2 in acrosome development highlighted this gene as a good candidate responsible for the KAD. One nonsynonymous SNP was identified within the HECW2 gene. However, as this mutation was found in homozygous state in individuals with normal sperm, this is not likely to be the causal mutation. CONCLUSIONS: In this study we identified two candidate genes for a severe defect affecting both the sperm acrosome and chromatin that causes infertility. One of these genes, HECW2, plays an important role in ubiquitination, a prerequisite for chromatin remodelling and acrosome formation, highlighting the involvement of this gene in the knobbed acrosome defect and male infertility.Peer reviewe

Cellulóz alapú szálasanyagok módosítása alkalmazási lehetőségeik bővítése céljából = Modification of cellulosic fibers for extension of their application

A cellulóz a természetben megújuló értékes nyersanyag, sokféle új hasznos termék kiindulásául szolgálhat. PAMUTCELLULÓZ DUZZASZTÁSA: A duzzasztás után oldószercserével szárított minták BET felülete 6 mol dm-3 NaOH, ill. 3 mol dm-3 tetrametil-ammónium-hidroxid alkalmazásakor közel azonos, a kiindulási cellulózénak kb. 12-szerese. A kvaterner ammónium hidroxidok intrakrisztallitos duzzasztásra alkalmas koncentrációja - a vártnak megfelelően - a molekulatömeg növekedésével csökken. PAMUTCELLULÓZ KÉMIAI MÓDOSÍTÁSA a) Alkilezés (karboxi-metilezés, DS < 0,1): A karboxi-metilezési eljárást az alkalmazott vegyszerkoncentráció és reakcióhőmérséklet csökkentésével továbbfejlesztettük. A kismértékű karboxi-metilezés csökkenti a cellulóz termikus stabilitását; kalcium- és cinksók jelenléte további stabilitáscsökkenést okoz. A módosított pamutszövet - savas jellegénél fogva - 3-5 nagyságrenddel csökkenti a mikroorganizmusok számát. b) Ojtás: Nagyenergiájú sugárzást előzetesen, ill. a monomer jelenlétében alkalmazva különböző monomerekkel többféle cellulóz kopolimert állítottunk elő A megnőtt hidrofilitás és adszorpciós kapacitás pl. szennyvíztisztításra, csökkent hidrofilitás és polaritás szálerősítésű kompozitoknál a kompatibilitás növelésében lehet előnyös. ROSTKENDER KÍMÉLETES FINOMÍTÁSA: Ultrahang alkalmazásával a kenderrost átlagos átmérője csökkent, a lené nem változott, a len porozitása csökkent, a kenderé nőtt. | Cellulose as a renewable raw material can be used to obtain new products. SWELLING OF COTTON CELLULOSE: Samples swollen in 6 mol dm-3 NaOH, and 3 mol dm-3 tetramethylammonium hydroxide, respectively, were dried after solvent exchange in vacuum. Their BET surfaces were nearly the same; this value is twelve times larger than that of the original cellulose. As expected, quaternary ammonium hydroxides' concentrations for intracrystalline swelling of cellulose are decreasing as function of molecular mass. CHEMICAL MODIFICATION OF COTTON CELLULOSE: a) Alkylation (carboxymethylation, DS<0,1): A new carboxymethylation technology was developed by decreasing reagent concentrations and temperature. Slight carboxymethylation decreases the thermal stability of cellulose; calcium and zinc salts cause a further decrease. The modified cellulose decreases the number of microbes by 3-5 orders of magnitude due to its acidic character. b) Grafting: Cellulose copolimer samples were manufactured by direct and by preirradiation grafting methods using various monomers. Samples of improved hydrophylicity and sorption capacity can be used e. g. for waste water cleaning, while less hydrophyl and less polar products can be useful in fibre reinforced polymer composites due to better compatibility. MILD REFINEMENT OF INDUSTRIAL HEMP - SONICATION: Average fibre diameter of hemp decreased, that of flax didn't change; porosity of flax decreased, while that of hemp increased

ACE Inhibitor and Angiotensin Receptor Blocker Use During Pregnancy:Data from the ESC Registry Of Pregnancy and Cardiac Disease (ROPAC)

Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE-Is) and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) are not recommended during the second and third trimester because of the significant risk of congenital anomalies associated with their use. However, data are scarce, especially regarding their use in the first trimester and about the impact of stopping just before pregnancy. Our study illustrates the profile of the women who used ACE-Is or ARBs during pregnancy and evaluates the impact on perinatal outcomes. The Registry of Pregnancy and Cardiac Disease is a prospective, global registry of pregnancies in women with structural heart disease. Outcomes were compared between women who used ACE-Is or ARBs and those who did not. Multivariable regression analysis was performed to assess the effect of ACE-I or ARB use on the occurrence of congenital anomalies. ACE-Is (n = 35) and/or ARBs (n = 8) were used in 42 (0.7%) of the 5,739 Registry of Pregnancy and Cardiac Disease pregnancies. Women who used ACE-Is or ARBs more often came from a low-or-middle-income country (57% vs 40%, p = 0.021), had chronic hypertension (31% vs 6%, p &lt;0.001), or a left ventricular ejection fraction &lt;40% (33% vs 4%, p &lt;0.001). In the multivariable analysis, ACE-I use during the first trimester was associated with an increased risk of congenital anomaly (odds ratio 3.2, 95% confidence interval 1.0 to 9.6). Therefore, ACE-Is should be avoided during pregnancy, also in the first trimester, because of a higher risk of congenital anomalies. However, there is no need to stop long before pregnancy. Preconception counseling is crucial to discuss the potential risks of these medications, to evaluate the clinical condition and, if possible, to change or stop the medication.</p