From fluid migration to stable circular migration: A case study from Hungary

This article provides insight into long-term international migration flows to Hungary from 2006 to 2012. The article distinguishes territorial systems embedded in migration and circular inflows. It discusses the concept of international circular migration from an inward perspective. Second, it studies the spatial and temporal changes in the structure of first-time international migrants and circulators using unique tables. Finally, it maps circular migration around this new immigration country. The patterns are generated by the practice of international migrants in combination with the migration policies of the receiving governmental actors. It concludes that circulators lend a sort of stability to the immigration system. Based on an analysis of statistical tables, circular immigration flows remained relatively stable even from a spatial perspective. Exploring stability in the context of circular migration is one of the main innovative approaches of this article

Die Beziehungen zwischen USA und Ukraine - besser als erwartet: unter Präsident Trump ist eine Abkehr Washingtons von Kiew bislang ausgeblieben

Ein gutes Jahr nach dem Amtsantritt von Präsident Donald Trump sieht das Verhältnis zwischen den USA und den postsowjetischen Staaten anders aus als erwartet. Statt mit Präsident Wladimir Putin einen »deal« eingehen zu können, ist Trump gezwungen, sich in der Russland-Politik zurückzuhalten. Verantwortlich dafür sind die laufenden Ermittlungen zur Rolle Moskaus im vergangenen US-Wahlkampf. Das Heft des Handelns haben der Kongress sowie ein kleines Team von Ministern und Beamten übernommen. Diese Entwicklung hat wesentliche Folgen für die Ukraine. Washingtons heutige Politik gegenüber Kiew ähnelt jener, die unter Präsident Barack Obama betrieben wurde. In mancher Hinsicht verhalten sich die USA unter Trump sogar noch ukraine-freundlicher – vor allem was die Lieferung letaler Waffen an das Land betrifft. (Autorenreferat

Evaluation of transorbital sonography measures of optic nerve diameter in the context of global and regional brain volume in multiple sclerosis

Transorbital sonography (TOS) could be a swift and convenient method to detect the atrophy of the optic nerve, possibly providing a marker that might reflect other quantitative structural markers of multiple sclerosis (MS). Here we evaluate the utility of TOS as a complementary tool for assessing optic nerve atrophy, and investigate how TOS-derived measures correspond to volumetric brain markers in MS. We recruited 25 healthy controls (HC) and 45 patients with relapsing-remitting MS and performed B-mode ultrasonographic examination of the optic nerve. Patients additionally underwent MRI scans to obtain T1-weighted, FLAIR and STIR images. Optic nerve diameters (OND) were compared between HC, MS patients with and without history of optic neuritis (non-ON) using a mixed-effects ANOVA model. The relationship between within-subject-average OND and global and regional brain volumetric measures was investigated using FSL SIENAX, voxel-based morphometry and FSL FIRST. OND was significantly different between HC-MS (HC = 3.2 ± 0.4 mm, MS = 3 ± 0.4 mm; p < 0.019) and we found significant correlation between average OND and normalised whole brain (β = 0.42, p < 0.005), grey matter (β = 0.33, p < 0.035), white matter (β = 0.38, p < 0.012) and ventricular cerebrospinal fluid volume (β = - 0.36, p < 0.021) in the MS group. History of ON had no impact on the association between OND and volumetric data. In conclusion, OND is a promising surrogate marker in MS, that can be simply and reliably measured using TOS, and its derived measures correspond to brain volumetric measures. It should be further explored in larger and longitudinal studies

Connection between microstructural alterations detected by diffusion MRI and cognitive dysfunction in MS: A model-free analysis approach

Cognitive decline is a prominent symptom of MS. Clear connection between cognitive status and white matter microstructural changes has not been unequivocally observed to date.To characterise the relationship between white matter microstructure and cognitive performance a partial least squares (PLS) approach was used.53 RR MS patients' T1 and DTI images and BICAMS subtests were used in our analysis. Standard FSL pipeline was used to obtain diffusion parameters. A PLS approach was applied to reveal the diffusion parameter patterns responsible for the cognitive dysfunction.The first latent variable (LV) was mainly associated with demyelination, while the second and third explained axonal damage. While the first two LV represented mainly Brief Visuospatial Memory Test (BVMT) and Single Digit Modality Test (SDMT), the third LV depicted diffusion alterations mainly the verbal subtest. The first LVs spatial map showed demyelination in the corpus callosum. The second LVs spatial map showed the diffusion alterations in the thalamus. The third LV depicted diffusion alterations in the putative left superior longitudinal fascicle.Visual memory demanding tasks versus language functions depend on distinct patterns of diffusion parameters and the spatial organisation. Axial diffusivity alterations, a putative marker of irreversible axonal loss explained around 20% of variability in the cognitive functions

Modulation of cortical resting state functional connectivity during a visuospatial attention task in Parkinson's disease

Visual dysfunction is a recognized early symptom of Parkinson's disease (PD) that partly scales motor symptoms, yet its background is heterogeneous. With additional deficits in visuospatial attention, the two systems are hard to disentangle and it is not known whether impaired functional connectivity in the visual cortex is translative in nature or disrupted attentional modulation also contributes. In this study, we investigate functional connectivity modulation during a visuospatial attention task in patients with PD. In total, 15 PD and 16 age-matched healthy controls performed a visuospatial attention task while undergoing fMRI, in addition to a resting-state fMRI scan. Tensorial independent component analysis was used to investigate task-related network activity patterns. Independently, an atlas-based connectivity modulation analysis was performed using the task potency method. Spearman's rank correlation was calculated between task-related network expression, connectivity modulation, and clinical characteristics. Task-related networks including mostly visual, parietal, and prefrontal cortices were expressed to a significantly lesser degree in patients with PD (p < 0.027). Resting-state functional connectivity did not differ between the healthy and diseased cohorts. Connectivity between the precuneus and ventromedial prefrontal cortex was modulated to a higher degree in patients with PD (p < 0.004), while connections between the posterior parietal cortex and primary visual cortex, and also the superior frontal gyrus and opercular cortex were modulated to a lesser degree (p < 0.001 and p < 0.011). Task-related network expression and superior frontal gyrus-opercular cortex connectivity modulation were significantly associated with UPDRSIII motor scores and the Hoehn-Yahr stages (R = -0.72, p < 0.006 and R = -0.90, p < 0.001; R = -0.68, p < 0.01 and R = -0.71, p < 0.007). Task-related networks function differently in patients with PD in association with motor symptoms, whereas impaired modulation of visual and default-mode network connectivity was not correlated with motor function

A meszezés hatása a homoktalaj oldható szerves-szén- és szerves-nitrogén-tartalmára tenyészedény-kísérletben = Effect of Liming on the Dissolved Organic Carbon (DOC) and Dissolved Organic Nitrogen (DON) Contents of Sandy Soil in a Pot Experiment

Egy homok textúrájú barna erdőtalajjal beállított tenyészedény-kísérletben kétféle meszező anyag (mészkő és dolomit) hatását vizsgáltuk a talaj vízoldható szerves-C-(dissolved organic carbon, DOC) és szerves-N-(dissolved organic nitrogen, DON) tartalmára, zab (Avena sativa L.) jelzőnövény alkalmazásával. A tenyészidő alatt három alkalommal (a 6., 10. és a 15. héten) vettünk talajmintát. A kísérlet eredményei alapján az alábbi megállapításokat tehetjük: A DOC mennyisége statisztikailag igazolható módon növekedett a mészadagok növekedésével mindhárom mintavételi időpontban. Ennek oka a pH emelkedése, ill. a mikrobiális aktivitás fokozódása. A talaj pH-ja és a DOC közötti összefüggés legjobban az y = 0,3733e0,7893x, r = 0,903*** egyenlettel írható le. A DON esetében csak az 1. mintavételnél találtunk szignifikáns mészhatást, a tenyészidő további részében statisztikailag igazolhatóan nem növekedtek a DON-koncentrációk a mészadagokkal. Vizsgálataink arra utalnak, hogy a DOC és a DON biodegradációja eltérő sebességű az adott kísérlet körülményei között. A talaj vízoldható szerves-C-tartalma a 15 hetes tenyészidő alatt szignifikánsan nem változott, míg a DON-koncentráció szignifikáns csökkenést mutatott. A mészkőpor alkalmazásakor magasabb DOC-, ill. DON-koncentrációkat mértünk, mint a dolomitkezeléseknél, de ez statisztikailag nem volt igazolható. | The effect of two different liming materials (calcite and dolomite) on the dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) contents of the soil was investigated in a pot experiment on an acidic sandy soil (Arenosol) using oats (Avena sativa L.) as indicator plant. The major physical and chemical properties of the soil were as follows: pH(H2O): 4.38; pH(KCl): 3.42; y1: 12.6; Upper limit of plasticity according to Arany (KA): 31; T (cmol+/kg): 2.7; Humusz (%): 0.66 (very poor N supply); AL-P2O5 (mg/kg): 179 (good P supply); AL-K2O (mg/kg): 87 (poor K supply). The experiment was set up in a complete factorial design with 7 treatments in 9 replications. The treatments are listed in Table 1. The same NPK doses were applied in all the treatments: 1 g N, 1 g P2O5, 1 g K2O/pot. Samples were taken three times during the growing season (in the 6th, 10th and 15th weeks). The lime rates applied were 0, 11, 22 and 33 g/pot calcite and 10.1, 20.2 and 30.3 g/pot dolomite. The DOC concentration significantly increased with increasing lime doses at all three samplings owing to increased pH and microbial activity. An exponential relationship was found between soil pH and DOC concentration: y = 0.3733e0.7893x, r = 0.903***. There was only a significant lime effect on the DON concentration at the first sampling. During the rest of the growing period there was no significant increase in the DON concentration as the lime doses increased. This can be explained by the fact that the biodegradation of DOC and DON takes place at different rates under the given experimental conditions, resulting in a decrease in the N content of the dissolved organic matter, though this latter increased with increasing pH. There were no significant changes in the dissolved organic carbon content of the soil during the 15-week growing period, while the DON concentration significantly decreased. Higher DOC and DON concentrations were measured for calcite than for dolomite, but this was not confirmed statistically

Temporal instability of salience network activity in migraine with aura.

This study aims to investigate whether intra-network dynamic functional connectivity and causal interactions of the salience network is altered in the interictal term of migraine. 32 healthy controls, 37 migraineurs without aura and 20 migraineurs with aura were recruited. Participants underwent a T1-weighted scan and resting-state fMRI protocol inside a 1.5T MR scanner. We obtained average spatial maps of resting-state networks using group independent component analysis, which yielded subject-specific time series via a dual regression approach. Salience network ROIs (bilateral insulae and prefrontal cortices, dorsal anterior cingulate cortex) were obtained from the group average map via cluster-based thresholding. To describe intra-network connectivity, average and dynamic conditional correlation was calculated. Causal interactions between the default-mode, dorsal attention and salience network were characterised by spectral Granger's causality. Time-averaged correlation was lower between the right insula and prefrontal cortex in migraine without aura vs. with aura and healthy controls (p<0.038, p<0.037). Variance of dynamic conditional correlation was higher in migraine with aura vs. healthy controls and migraine with aura vs. without aura between the right insula and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (p<0.011, p<0.026), and in migraine with aura vs. healthy controls between the dorsal anterior cingulate and left prefrontal cortex (p<0.021). Causality was weaker in the <0.05 Hz frequency range between the salience and dorsal attention networks in migraine with aura (p<0.032). Overall, migraineurs with aura exhibit more fluctuating connections in the salience network, which also affect network interactions, and could be connected to altered cortical excitability and increased sensory gain

Emerging Biomarkers of Multiple Sclerosis in the Bloodand the CSF : A Focus on Neurofilamentsand Therapeutic Considerations

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is the most common immune-mediated chronic neurodegenerative disease of the central nervous system (CNS) affecting young people. This is due to the permanent disability, cognitive impairment, and the enormous detrimental impact MS can exert on a patient's health-related quality of life. It is of great importance to recognise it in time and commence adequate treatment at an early stage. The currently used disease-modifying therapies (DMT) aim to reduce disease activity and thus halt disability development, which in current clinical practice are monitored by clinical and imaging parameters but not by biomarkers found in blood and/or the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Both clinical and radiological measures routinely used to monitor disease activity lack information on the fundamental pathophysiological features and mechanisms of MS. Furthermore, they lag behind the disease process itself. By the time a clinical relapse becomes evident or a new lesion appears on the MRI scan, potentially irreversible damage has already occurred in the CNS. In recent years, several biomarkers that previously have been linked to other neurological and immunological diseases have received increased attention in MS. Additionally, other novel, potential biomarkers with prognostic and diagnostic properties have been detected in the CSF and blood of MS patients.In this review, we summarise the most up-to-date knowledge and research conducted on the already known and most promising new biomarker candidates found in the CSF and blood of MS patients.the current diagnostic criteria of MS relies on three pillars: MRI imaging, clinical events, and the presence of oligoclonal bands in the CSF (which was reinstated into the diagnostic criteria by the most recent revision). Even though the most recent McDonald criteria made the diagnosis of MS faster than the prior iteration, it is still not an infallible diagnostic toolset, especially at the very early stage of the clinically isolated syndrome. Together with the gold standard MRI and clinical measures, ancillary blood and CSF biomarkers may not just improve diagnostic accuracy and speed but very well may become agents to monitor therapeutic efficacy and make even more personalised treatment in MS a reality in the near future. The major disadvantage of these biomarkers in the past has been the need to obtain CSF to measure them. However, the recent advances in extremely sensitive immunoassays made their measurement possible from peripheral blood even when present only in minuscule concentrations. This should mark the beginning of a new biomarker research and utilisation era in MS