Skandinávia a geopolitika térképén

The next study examines the position of Northern European countries in the international arena and the geopolitical factors that determine the opportunities and geostrategies of the region. During the analysis I applied a multidisciplinary approach, considering results and aspects of geopolitics, international relations, history and geoeconomics. According to the findings of the research, the position of the Northern European states is controversial in many ways. Geographically they lie on the edge of Europe. At the same time, they were able to take advantage of this position with pragmatic politics. During their history, Denmark and Sweden have become major powers at regional and many times European level. Nowadays, the small Nordic welfare states have established an exemplary economic model, and their foreign policy is also successful, especially in the field of soft power. From Hungary’s point of view, they are often consider as example of economic structure, competitiveness, neutral and active foreign policy, and the products of Nordic culture are becoming widespread. For these reasons, it is important to know more detailed the position of the region in the international system; and the development model

Molecular cytogenetic characterisation of Salix viminalis L. using repetitive DNA sequences

Abstract Salix viminalis L. (2n=38) is a diploid dicot species belonging to the Salix genus of the Salicaceae family. This short-rotation woody crop is one of the most important renewable bioenergy resources worldwide. In breeding for high biomass productivity, limited knowledge is available on the molecular cytogenetics of willow, which could be combined with genetic linkage mapping. The present paper describes the adaptation of a fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) protocol as a new approach to analyse the genomic constitution of Salix viminalis using the heterologous DNA clones pSc119.2, pTa71, pTa794, pAs1, Afafamily, pAl1, HT100.3, ZCF1 and the GAA microsatellite marker. Three of the nine probes showed unambiguous signals on the metaphase chromosomes. FISH analysis with the pTa71 probe detected one major 18S-5.8S-26S rDNA locus on the short arm of one chromosome pair; however, the pTa794 rDNA site was not visible. One chromosome pair showed a distinct signal around the centromeric region after FISH with the telomere-specific DNA clone HT100.3. Two chromosome pairs were found to have pAs1 FISH signals, which represent a D-genome-specific insert from Aegilops tauschii. Based on the FISH study, a set of chromosomes with characteristic patterns is presented, which could be used to establish the karyotype of willow species

Az Európai Unió Arktisz-politikájának pillérei

Az Arktisz térsége az elmúlt évtizedekben a nemzetközi politikai érdeklődés homlokterébe került, aminek két legfőbb oka van: a helyi klímaváltozás által felvetett problémák és az újonnan kibontakozó gazdasági lehetőségek. Az Európai Unió (EU) több szállal kötődik a térséghez, aminek földrajzi, történelmi és gazdasági gyökerei egyaránt vannak. Emellett Európa szerepet kíván vállalni az újonnan kialakuló regionális rendben. Jelen tanulmány fő célja, hogy megvizsgálja az EU szerepvállalását az Arktisszal kapcsolatos ügyekben. A dolgozat abból a megközelítésből indul ki, hogy az EU érdekérvényesítését a térségben ambivalencia jellemzi. Az EU egyszerre a régión belüli és azon kívül álló nemzetközi szereplő. Jelenléte tagadhatatlan, de számos kihívással és korláttal néz szembe

Detection of Dobrava-Belgrade Hantaviruses among Apodemus Mice Using Molecular and Serological Methods

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Skandinávia a geopolitika térképén

The next study examines the position of Northern European countries in the international arena and the geopolitical factors that determine the opportunities and geostrategies of the region. During the analysis I applied a multidisciplinary approach, considering results and aspects of geopolitics, international relations, history and geoeconomics. According to the findings of the research, the position of the Northern European states is controversial in many ways. Geographically they lie on the edge of Europe. At the same time, they were able to take advantage of this position with pragmatic politics. During their history, Denmark and Sweden have become major powers at regional and many times European level. Nowadays, the small Nordic welfare states have established an exemplary economic model, and their foreign policy is also successful, especially in the field of soft power. From Hungary’s point of view, they are often consider as example of economic structure, competitiveness, neutral and active foreign policy, and the products of Nordic culture are becoming widespread. For these reasons, it is important to know more detailed the position of the region in the international system; and the development model

Városok a geopolitikában : Rovaniemi az Arktisz geopolitikájában

The next study examines the international political role of cities through the example of the city of Rovaniemi, Finland. In the past decades, Rovaniemi has sought to become an inevitable actor in its Arctic affairs. It has not become only a venue for international political negotiations, but it has been able to provide permanent participation in the negotiation of Arctic affairs. The city’s university and its scientific research centre became a main tool in its international activity. The Arctic Environmental Protection Strategy (AEPS, the so-called Finnish Initiative)1 was signed in Rovaniemi. The creation of international network of universities and research centres in the Arctic has been initiated by the local university. The town has also become a prominent destination for Arctic tourism. Its name is closely intertwined with the Arctic, as the gateway to the region. In my research, I have used several disciplines’ approach, including geopolitics, international relations and local history. Thanks to the Tempus Public Foundation’s Campus Mundi scholarship, I was able to conduct research at the University of Lapland, in Rovaniemi. The activity of Rovaniemi is an example, how a city can associate its name with a highlighted affair in international politics. This status increased the importance of the place at international level and contributed to the economic growth of the city

Lead isotope composition and host phases in airborne particulate matter from Budapest, Hungary

Lead is a frequent potentially toxic pollutant of the urban environment. Its risk assessment in the airborne particulate matter requires data both on its speciation and potential sources. In this paper we present results on detailed mineralogical (XRD and TEM) and geochemical (selective chemical extractions and lead isotope ratio analyses) study of total suspended particulate (TSP) matter samples from Budapest, Hungary to fulfil this requirements. Total lead concentrations showed significant enrichment in the studied TSP samples as compared to its geochemical background value. It could be associated to several host phases. The potentially mobile fraction of lead, which could be also harmful to human, can be as high as 16% of the total lead. This is represented by Pb sorbed on the surface of clay minerals and in form of carbonates (and sulphates). Contrarily, between 20 and 30% of total lead of TSP materials is hosted by magnetite, a highly resistant mineral. However, its fast oxidation during combustion processes to hematite and/or weathering in the acidifying urban environment to ferrihydrite may result in the enhanced mobilization of lead. Lead isotope composition of the TSP samples suggests the mixing of several sources for this metal with slight variation among the sampling sites. Despite the phasing out of leaded gasoline, its contribution to the Pb content of the TSP was observed. Our data also supported that the presence of lead of gasoline origin decreases in the airborne TSP in the last decade in Budapest. Another important source for lead is found to be the coal combustion due to domestic and industrial heating. Lead isotope ratio data suggest additional source(s) for this metal at least in certain localities, but further investigations are necessary to specify them