Identification of Cohesive Ends and Genes Encoding the Terminase of Phage 16-3

Cohesive ends of 16-3, a temperate phage of Rhizobium meliloti 41, have been identified as 10-base-long, 3′-protruding complementary G/C-rich sequences. terS and terL encode the two subunits of 16-3 terminase. Significant homologies were detected among the terminase subunits of phage 16-3 and other phages from various ecosystems

Calpastatin Subdomains A And C Are Activators of Calpain

The inhibitory domains of calpastatin contain three highly conserved regions, A, B, and C, of which A and C bind calpain in a strictly Ca2+-dependent manner but have no inhibitory activity whereas region B inhibits calpain on its own. We synthesized the 19-mer oligopeptides corresponding to regions A and C of human calpastatin domain I and tested their effect on human erythrocyte mu-calpain and rat m-calpain. The two peptides significantly activate both calpains: the Ca2+ concentration required for half-maximal activity is lowered from 4.3 to 2.4 mum for mu-calpain and from 250 to 140 mum for m-calpain. The EC50 concentration of the peptides is 7.5 mum for mu-calpain and 25 mum for m-calpain. It is noteworthy that at low Ca2+ concentrations (1-2 mum for mu-calpain and 70-110 mum for m-calpain) both enzymes are activated about 10-fold by the peptides. Based on these findings, it is suggested that calpastatin fragments may have a role in calpain activation in vivo. Furthermore, these activators open new avenues to cell biological studies of calpain function and eventually may alleviate pathological states caused by calpain malfunction

Comparison of Different Maize Hybrids Cultivated and Fermented With or Without Sorghum

In Hungary our key forage crop is silage maize, however, the joint growing of maize and sorghum is increasingly important in arid regions. The reason is, that sorghum varieties tolerate well the various ecological stresses (drought). The joint growing of maize and sorghum varieties has several advantages and disadvantageous in respect of yields, safety of production, fermentability of the crop and nutrient content of the silage. The basis of realising the complementary qualities of the two crops and of the successful joint growing and preservation is the suitable pairing of hybrid varieties

Guided inquiry-based learning in secondary-school chemistry classes: a case study

Guided inquiry-based learning has been shown to be a promising method for science education; however, despite its advantages it is rarely used in chemistry teaching in Hungary. One of the reasons for this is the lack of tried-and-tested inquiry-based teaching materials with detailed guides that teachers can readily use in their classrooms. As part of a four-year research project, new teaching materials were designed to foster scientific reasoning and scientific process skills in chemistry education in Hungary. From these materials, in this study, a guided inquiry-based chemistry task was tested with 9th-grade students ( N = 88) who had no previous experience with the method. Before the activity, the students’ mid-term grades were collected, and the Lawson Classroom Test of Scientific Reasoning (LCTSR) was administered to describe the sample. During the activity, students worked in groups ( n = 21). Data were collected through content analysis of the student worksheets, classroom observations using a rubric, and student questionnaires to explore the learning paths and identify possible obstacles. Our findings support that guided inquiry learning is suitable for students who are new to the method if appropriate scaffolding is given. The data showed the phases of the inquiry cycle in which more guidance is necessary. Formulating hypotheses, recording observations, and evaluating the hypotheses based on the evidence were found to be the most critical steps in the learning process. More than half of the groups disregarded the collected evidence and accepted their original hypotheses, despite their unproven validity, suggesting that they did not understand the true nature of the scientific inquiry. Chemistry grades and the LCTSR scores could not predict reliably the students’ success in solving the inquiry task. The results of the student questionnaire showed that the students enjoyed the inquiry session. They mostly found their work successful, but they overestimated the level of their inquiry skills in some cases

The development of the Problematic Pornography Consumption Scale (PPCS)

Background: To date, no short scale exists with strong psychometric properties that can assess problematic pornography consumption based on an overarching theoretical background. Objectives: The goal of the present study was to develop a brief scale (Problematic Pornography Consumption Scale; PPCS) on the basis of Griffiths` (2005) six-component addiction model that can distinguish between non-problematic and problematic pornography use. Methods: The PPCS was developed using an online sample of 772 respondents (390 females, 382 males; Mage = 22.56, SD = 4.98 years). Items creation was based on previous problematic pornography use instruments and on the definitions of the factors of Griffiths’ model. Results: A confirmatory factor analysis was carried out—as the scale is based on a well-established theoretical model—leading to an 18-item second-order factor structure. The reliability of the PPCS was excellent and measurement invariance was established. In the current sample, 3.6% of the users belonged to the at-risk group. Based on the sensitivity and specificity analyses we identified an optimal cut-off to distinguish between problematic and non-problematic pornography users. Conclusion: The PPCS is a multidimensional scale of problematic pornography use with strong theoretical basis that also has strong psychometric properties in terms of factor structure and reliability

Psychoactive substance use and problematic Internet use as predictors of bullying and cyberbullying victimization

Research exploring the relationship between addictions and experiences of bullying suggests that problem behaviors may generally be associated with an increased risk of victimization. The aim of the present study was to examine the role of psychoactive substance use, excessive Internet use, and social support in both traditional offline bullying and online Bcyberbullying^ victimization in a nationally representative sample of adolescents (N = 6237; 51% male; Mage = 16.62 years, SD = 0.95). Results demonstrated that traditional bullying victimization was associated with cyberbullying victimization. Furthermore, psychoactive substance use and problematic Internet use predicted both traditional bullying and cyberbullying victimization. Finally, perceived social support was found to be an important protective factor against both traditional and cyberbullying victimization. However, psychoactive substance use and problematic Internet use accounted for only a small proportion of variance in victimization