Complex Mathematics Education: An Integrated and Inquiry-Based Mathematics Teaching Method

Little is available in mathematics education research about what the teacher can anticipate from the students when applying inquiry-based learning (IBL). Even less is known about how to recognize and exploit on the spot when a mathematical domain, other than the one in focus, is activated in the students’ minds. Yet, in tests, in everyday life, and the labour market, it is common to face problems that require interrelated mathematical thinking. Although one of the unique advantages of complex mathematics education (CME) is the coherence between different domains and CME has been practiced for over half a century in Hungary, the Hungarian line of IBL has only recently joined the international methodological mainstream. In this paper, I summarize a segment of IBL correspondent to CME and integrated mathematics education, and I illustrate the possible divergence of solutions during implementation with an example that emerged about a probability game in a fifth-grade class

Ocadaic acid treatment alters the intracellular localization of caveolin-1 and caveolin-2 in HepG2 cells

In this paper we provide evidences that protein phosphatases could regulate the intracellular localization of caveolin isoforms in a hepatoma cell line (HepG2). Ocadaic acid (OA) - a serine/threonine phosphatase inhibitor – was used in various concentrations (4nM and 100nM) to study the localization of caveolin-1 and caveolin-2 in HepG2 cells. Using fluorescent and confocal immunocytochemistry we have found that OA in both concentrations has significantly altered the intracellular localization and distribution of the caveolin-1 and caveolin-2 as well. In control (-OA treatment) the caveolin-1 was present in discrete punctate structures in the cytoplasm and also on the cell membrane. Caveolin-2 has partly overlapped with caveolin-1, but a significant amount caveolin-2 was detected around the nucleus. After OA (4 and 100 nM) treatment caveolin-1 has disappeared from the cell membrane, it was present mainly in the cytoplasm in larger vesicle or vacuole-like structures that were arranged along the cables of the cytoskeleton. In many cases caveolin-2 was found to colocalize with caveolin-1, but there was always a significant amount of caveolin-2 present around the nucleus. Immunoprecipitation and Western blot analysis revealed that in OA-treated cells a ~24 kDa protein identified as caveolin-2 was strongly phosphorylated on tyrosine residues. The effect of OA was not reversible, since the removal of OA has not resulted in the dephosphorylation of caveolin-2 and the perinuclear localization of caveolin-2 remained. Our data indicate that phophorylation of caveolin-2 can alter not only the intracellular localization of caveolin isoforms but also the distribution of caveolae. The cytoskeleton seems to play an important role in the normal and altered distribution of caveolae, and the tyrosine phosphorylation or the absence of dephosphorylation of caveolin-2 isoform can inhibit the recycling of caveolae

POLITIKAI NAGYGYŰLÉSEK, MINT INTERAKCIÓS RITUÁLÉK

"A tanulmánynak két célja van. Az első az, hogy új módon írjunk le politikai nagygyűléseket, ahol az újdonságot negatíve az ideológia- és manipulációkritikai szempont hiánya adja, pozitíve pedig az, hogy felmutatjuk a politikai nagygyűlésnek a politikai közösségek létrehozásában és megerősítésében játszott szerepét. Ennek érdekében három rendezvényt vizsgáltunk: a Békemenet, a Szabadság összeköt és a Kormánykárosultak nagygyűlését. Mindhárom rendezvény 2013. október 23-án zajlott. A másik cél ennél jóval specifikusabb. A 2013. október 23-án a Műegyetem előtt lezajlott politikai nagygyűlésen a tömeg egy része hangos „Összefogást!” kiáltásokkal megzavarta Mesterházy Attilának, az MSZP elnökének a beszédét. A pártelnök és még számosan ezt az egyik résztvevő párt, a Demokratikus Koalíció szervezett akciójának minősítették, és elítélték. Tanulmányunk állítása szerint a megzavarás a tömegrendezvény spontán reakciójaként is megmagyarázható, tehát bekövetkezhetett attól függetlenül is, hogy valamely politikai erő kifejezetten szervezte volna. A kutatás teoretikus és konceptuális keretét Randall Collins interakciós rituálé elmélete adja. Az adatfelvétel résztvevő megfigyeléssel történt.

Chia seeds as a novel food

One of today’s popular products is the seed of Salvia hispanica, more commonly known as chia seeds. Its popularity stems from its high nutrient content, and also from the beneficial health effects associated with its consumption. Salvia hispanica was one of the staple crops of the Aztec and Mayan civilizations and, in addition to being consumed as a food, it was also used in medicine because of its special nutrient content. These days chia seed consumption is experiencing a renaissance again, for example, in the USA, Canada and Australia, it has been used for more than eight years as a food ingredient, because of its potentially beneficial health effects. The protein, essential fatty acid and fiber contents of chia seed are outstanding, and it is an excellent natural source of antioxidants. Chia seeds are classified as a “novel food” in the European Union, so there are strict conditions for its marketing and use for business purposes. The use of chia seeds as a food ingredient was approved by the Directorate-General For Health and Food Safety (DG SANTE) in 2009, the conditions of which were modified in 2013, 2014 and 2015. However, consumption of more than 15 grams a day can cause gastrointestinal malfunctions, therefore, in the European Union, consumers have to be warned about this. In addition, its potential allergizing effect also has to be taken into consideration when consuming it. Today, the positive effects of chia seed consumption have not yet been proved, and further research is needed regarding its future role played in the food industry