Az élet keletkezésének és jelenkori modellorganizmusok evolúciójának számítógépes vizsgálata = Computational study of evolution in early life and extant model organisms

Pályázatunk súlyponti témája az élet keletkezésének és korai evolúciójának vizsgálata volt, szimulációs és matematikai modellezés segítségével. Megvizsgáltuk a sejtes szerveződést megelőző felszíni anyagcsere, illetve az RNS-gének megjelenése előtti prebiotikus rendszerek evolúciójának lehetőségeit és korlátait. Tovább finomítottuk a legegyszerűbb sejtes rendszerek absztrakt dinamikájának (chemoton modell) leírását, és foglalkoztunk az RNS-replikátorok másolásának nehézségeivel. Újabb ismeretekkel szolgáltunk a genetikai kód (transzláció) és a komplex anyagcsere evolúciójának lehetséges történetéről és mechanizmusairól. További projektekben foglalkoztunk a replikátorok általános elméletével, a kooperáció, a nyelvkészség és a virulencia evolúciójával, valamint az agyban zajló evolúciós/szelekciós folyamatokkal. | Our research centred on the origin and early evolution of life, with the tools of simulation and mathematical modelling. We studied the potential and limitations of surface metabolism (preceding cellular organisation) and of the evolution of prebiotic systems (preceding RNA genes). We investigated further aspects of the abstract dynamics of the simplest cellular living organisms (chemoton model), and analyzed the difficulties associated with the copying of RNA replicators. We gleaned new insight into the possible evolutionary history and mechanisms of the genetic code (translation) and of complex metabolism. In further projects, we studied the general theory of replicators, the evolution of cooperation, language and virulence, and the evolutionary/selective processes that occur in the brain

The repeatability of inspiration performance through different inhalers in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and control volunteers

Background: Inhalation therapy is a cornerstone of treating patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Inhaler types and through-device inhalation parameters influence airway drug delivery. We aimed to measure the repeatability of inhalation performance through four different commercially available inhalers. Methods: We recruited control subjects (n = 22) and patients with stable COPD (S-COPD, n = 16) and during an acute exacerbation (AE-COPD, n = 15). Standard spirometry was followed by through-device inhalation maneuvers using Ellipta(®), Evohaler(®), Respimat(®), and Genuair(®). Through-device inspiratory vital capacity (IVC(d)) and peak inspiratory flow (PIF(d)), as well as inhalation time (t(in)) and breath hold time (t(bh)), were recorded and all measurements were repeated in a random manner. Results: There was no difference in forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV(1)) between patients (S-COPD: 39 ± 5 vs. AE-COPD: 32% ± 5% predicted, p > 0.05). In controls, the IVC(d) was significantly reduced by all four devices in comparison with the slight reduction seen in COPD patients. In all subjects, PIF was lowered when inhaling through the devices in order of decreasing magnitude in PIF(d): Evohaler, Respimat, Ellipta, and Genuair. The Bland-Altman analysis showed a highly variable coefficient of repeatability for IVC(d) and PIF(d) through the different inhalers for all COPD patients. Based on the intermeasurement differences in patients, Respimat and Genuair showed the highest repeatability for IVC(d), while Genuair and Ellipta performed superior with regard to PIF(d). Conclusions: Our study is the first to compare repeatability of inhalation performances through different inhalers in COPD patients, showing great individual differences for parameters influencing lung deposition of inhaled medication from a given device. Our data provide new insight into the characterization of inhaler use by patients with COPD, and might aid the selection of the most appropriate devices to ensure the adequate and consistent delivery of inhaled drugs

A szél hatása a késő-neogén–negyedidőszaki üledékképződésre és a domborzat alakulására a Magyar-középhegységben és előterében = The effect of the wind on the late Neogene and Quaternary sedimentation and morphological evolution of the Hungarian Central Range and of its foreland

Legfontosabb kutatási eredményeink: az eolikus üledékek és felszínek elterjedésének és korának meghatározása, megayardangok és plató helyzetű eolikus képződmények leírása, valamint a defláció meghatározó szerepének kimutatása a Dunántúl mai domborzatának, így a zalai és somogyi ún. meridionális völgyrendszer kialakításában is. A szélmarta kőzetfelszínek kozmogén 10Be izotópos korát a mélységprofilok menti mintavételezési módszer alkalmazásával sikerült meghatároznunk. Ezt a módszert korábban szélcsiszolta kőzetfelszíneken még nem alkalmazták; elsőként sikerült 1,5 millió éves szélcsiszolta sziklafelszínt datálnunk Európában. A Tapolcai- és Káli-medencék negyedidőszaki deflációs alacsonyodási rátája 40-75 m/My volt, ugyanakkor a kipreparálódó kvarcittömbök csupán 2-4 m-t pusztulnak évmilliónként. A különböző korú szélmarta felszíneken mért szélkarc irányok megfeleltek a mai ÉNy-ias széliránynak. Ezzel igazoltuk az állandónak tekinthető uralkodó szélirányt a negyedidőszak során. Az OSL kormeghatározással 8-80 ezer éves üledékeket sikerült datálnunk a Vértes környezetében. Az üledékanyag szemcséit a betemetődés előtt nem érte elegendő fény ahhoz, hogy a lumineszcens szignál teljesen lenullázódjon. Ezt valószínűleg a rövid szállítási távolság okozhatta. Ezzel magyarázható, hogy a vizsgált üledékek esetében a geomorfológia és a korábbi koradatok tükrében többnyire a centrális OSL kor adja meg a betemetődés korát. | Our most important results are: determination of the distribution and age of aeolian landforms and sediments and description of megayardangs and aeolian formations in plateau position. We demonstrated that deflation played a definitive role in the formation of the topography of Transdanubia and in the development of the radial valley system of Zala and Somogy countries. Age and denudation rate of the wind-abraded rock surfaces was determined using in situ produced 10Be depth profiles. This was the first application of this method on wind-polished rock surfaces, and the first time when a 1.5 million years old wind-abraded surface was dated in Europe. Quaternary deflational surface lowering of the Tapolca and Kál Basins was 40-75 m/My, while denudation rate of the cemented quartzite rock surfaces was only 2-4 m/My. We proved long term stability of north-westerly winds by the measurement of the direction of wind striations rock surfaces of different age. OSL ages of aeolian sediments in the Vértes foreland were 8-80 ky old. The sediments were not exposed to sunlight for enough time to anneal completely the luminescence signal, most probably because of the short distance of transportation. This is the reason why the central OSL ages provide the age of sedimentation, considering the geomorphology and previous age data as well

Pulmonary vascular remodeling and right ventricular adaptation in precapillary pulmonary hypertension

Background: In precapillary pulmonary hypertension (PH) as pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), chronic thromboembolic PH (CTPEH) and PH due to hypoxia and lung disease (HPH) the different pathomechanisms of vascular remodeling result in different right ventricular (RV) adaptation. Routine clinical factors which could predict vascular remodeling are lacking. Purpose: Our aim was to investigate the differences in parameters of pulmonary vascular remodeling and RV adaptation in subgroups of precapillary PH and to correlate the severity of PH with these parameters. Methods: Fifty-one patients (age 57±15 years) with precapillary PH (PAH N=18, CTEPH N=15, HPH N=18;) underwent right heart catheterization (RHC) and results of RHC, echocardiography and laboratory tests were analyzed retrospectively. Results: The majority of parameters did not show difference among PH groups, but diastolic PAP was higher in PAH than in CTEPH and HPH (p<0.05) and RV outflow tract velocity time integral (RVOT VTI) and RV stroke work index were increased in PAH compared to HPH (p<0.05). Pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) showed a significant relation to pulmonary arterial compliance (PAC) in the total cohort (p<0.05, r=–0.661) and in all subgroups (PAH p<0.05, r=–0.70; CTEPH p<0.05, r=–0.525; HPH p<0.05, r=–0.793). In PAH, all parameters including RVOT VTI and acceleration time (AT), tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion, RV diameter and right atrial area showed correlations with PVR. In the HPH group, only RVOT AT had a correlation with PVR, but no parameters in the CTEPH group showed a relationship to other factors. Conclusion: In precapillary PH the different degree of RV adaptation in the subgroups is shown by RVSWI as an invasive parameter. The severity of PH is related to PAC in precapillary PH. Some parameters can better characterize the severity of vascular and cardiac changes in PAH than in CTEPH or HPH

Isolated Recovery of Adductor Muscle Function Following Bilateral Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve Injuries

The aim of this study was to analyze the phoniatric and respiratory outcomes of a subset of bilateral vocal cord paralysis (BVCP) patients who were all treated with unilateral endoscopic arytenoid abduction lateropexy (EAAL). EAAL is a nondestructive, minimally invasive glottis widening operation, which does not damage either the surgically treated or the contralateral vocal cord. Therefore, it does not impair the regeneration potential of the recurrent laryngeal nerve.Case series.Ten out of 21 BVCP patients who were treated with EAAL showed signs of isolated adduction recovery at 1 year and were chosen for this study. Functional results (objective and subjective voice analysis, spirometric measurement) and vocal cord movements were assessed preoperatively, 1 week and 1 year after EAAL. Laryngeal electromyography was performed on the 12th postoperative month.The volitional adductor movement seen on laryngoscopy was corroborated by laryngeal electromyography evaluation. Peak inspiratory flow increased significantly after EAAL. Quality-of-life scores also showed high patient satisfaction. Shimmer showed consistent improvement along with harmonic-to-noise ratio and average maximal phonation time in parallel with the improving vocal cord movement. Complex voice analysis and subjective self-evaluation tests also demonstrated significant improvement.EAAL, as a minimally invasive, nondestructive airway widening technique, does not interfere with the potential regeneration process that can still occur after BVCP, allowing for laryngeal functional recovery. It is a safe and effective treatment for BVCP that allows a simple solution with good phonatory, swallowing, and respiratory benefits by unilateral passive and reversible vocal cord lateralization.4. Laryngoscope, 2018

Herschel observations of interstellar chloronium

Using the Herschel Space Observatory's Heterodyne Instrument for the Far-Infrared (HIFI), we have observed para-chloronium (H2Cl+) toward six sources in the Galaxy. We detected interstellar chloronium absorption in foreground molecular clouds along the sight-lines to the bright submillimeter continuum sources Sgr A (+50 km/s cloud) and W31C. Both the para-H2-35Cl+ and para-H2-37Cl+ isotopologues were detected, through observations of their 1(11)-0(00) transitions at rest frequencies of 485.42 and 484.23 GHz, respectively. For an assumed ortho-to-para ratio of 3, the observed optical depths imply that chloronium accounts for ~ 4 - 12% of chlorine nuclei in the gas phase. We detected interstellar chloronium emission from two sources in the Orion Molecular Cloud 1: the Orion Bar photodissociation region and the Orion South condensation. For an assumed ortho-to-para ratio of 3 for chloronium, the observed emission line fluxes imply total beam-averaged column densities of ~ 2.0E+13 cm-2 and ~ 1.2E+13 cm-2, respectively, for chloronium in these two sources. We obtained upper limits on the para-H2-35Cl+ line strengths toward H2 Peak 1 in the Orion Molecular cloud and toward the massive young star AFGL 2591. The chloronium abundances inferred in this study are typically at least a factor ~10 larger than the predictions of steady-state theoretical models for the chemistry of interstellar molecules containing chlorine. Several explanations for this discrepancy were investigated, but none has proven satisfactory, and thus the large observed abundances of chloronium remain puzzling.Comment: Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journa