Fiscal risks and the quality of fiscal adjustment in Hungary

The government of Hungary has contained the main fiscal risks of the transition to a market economy. It has paid off and resolved most problems in the banking and enterprise sectors. Since 1995 it has implemented fiscal adjustment with the objective of long-term fiscal stability rather than an immediate deficit target. The main result has been pension reform, which has raised temporary deficits but reduced the long-term public liability. Only the health sector awaits the reform needed for long-term fiscal stability. Levels of government spending, budget deficits, and public service remain high, but the government has made great progress toward rationalizing public spending and improving the management of budget and off-budget fiscal risks. In the transition, the government has taken on new fiscal risks--mainly state guarantees and growing programs of credit and guarantee agencies (operating on behalf of the government) organized after privatization to support, first, industries and, later, exporters. The government has dealt with these new programs of contingent government support prudently and transparently, with reasonable ceilings on (and reporting of) risks. Hungary is likely to face pressure for additional spending. Priorities in fiscal policy should include reforming health financing, establishing checks on hidden subsidies in guarantee programs, and determining the government's optimal exposure to risk. In terms of institutions, the government should aim to create a more flexible, responsive budget process and greater capacity to analyze medium-term fiscal risks, to build a more results-oriented budget management system, and to improve mechanisms for sharing risk between the public and private sectors under government programs.Insurance&Risk Mitigation,Banks&Banking Reform,International Terrorism&Counterterrorism,Payment Systems&Infrastructure,Financial Crisis Management&Restructuring,Banks&Banking Reform,National Governance,Insurance&Risk Mitigation,Municipal Financial Management,Financial Crisis Management&Restructuring

The effects of 3-nitropropionic acid on the behavior and cortical electrical activity of rats in acute administration

In this study, the acute effects of 3-nitropropionic acid was investigated on open field and startle behavior of rats, and on their cortical electrical activity. Spontaneous locomotor activity, acoustic startle response, and pre-pulse inhibition of acoustic startle were measured in male Wistar rats (10 weeks old, 180-200g body weight) after a single dose of 10 or 20 mg/kg i.p. 3-nitropropionic acid. After the behavioral tests, the rats were anaesthetized, and spontaneous cortical electrical activity was recorded. The vertical, horizontal and local open field performance showed dose-dependent deterioration in the rats treated with 3-nitropropionic acid. The number of “noise-positive” startle responses showed non-significant changes, but the inhibition by pre-pulse was significantly reduced in the high dose animals. High dose also increased the proportion of low-frequencies in the cortical activity. Three-nitropropionic acid, known primarily to act in repeated doses (e.g., in animal models of Huntington’s disease) had also some clear-cut acute effects on behavioral and electrophysiological parameters of the treated rats

Food safety in the public awareness – Survey among primary and high school students.

National and international surveys show that people still do not have appropriate knowledge of and attitude to food safety. Therefore more and more countries organize educational courses to improve skills and knowledge regarding food safety. In Hungary the National Curriculum 2012 contains the program for food safety education. The aim of our survey was investigation about knowledge and attitude of primary and secondary school students towards food safety. The questions, according to international surveys, fell into 5 categories: personal hygiene, keeping food at safe temperatures, adequate cooking, avoidance of cross-contamination, and safe source of foods. Statistical evaluation was done using SPSS 20 software. Significant differences were evaluated by logistic regression, Chi square test, and crossing table analysis. Results showed that there was no significant difference among primary school students regarding gender or residence (village or town) in knowledge of food safety. Their attitudes showed more significant divergence. Logistic regression investigation has showed that there was a good correlation between knowledge and attitude of personal and kitchen hygiene. In conclusion, our students have presented more or less the same results as the others from international questionnaires. Even though, we need to improve knowledge and skill in food safety

Altered open field behavior in rats induced by acute administration of 3-nitropropionic acid: possible glutamatergic and dopaminergic involvement

3-nitropropionic acid (3-NP), a substance used for modelling Huntington’s disease, was given to male Wistar rats once in 20 mg/kg b.w. dose, and the resulting behavioural alterations in spontaneous locomotor activity were measured after 30 minutes. To detect the involvement of neurotransmitter systems in this immediate effect, the NMDA antagonist MK-801 (0.8 mg/kg); as well as an agonist, quinpirole (QP, 5 mg/kg) and an antagonist, sulpiride (SP, 80 mg/kg) of the dopamine D2 receptors, were given before 3-NP to separate groups of rats. Controls were given saline. All substances were injected ip. 3-NP decreased the rats’ locomotor, especially vertical, activity, whereas local activity was increased. Based on the further changes of 3-NP effects in the combination groups it could be concluded that dopaminergic rather than glutamatergic mechanisms were possibly involved in the acute behavioural effect of 3-NP

Plant mediated synthesis method of copper oxide nanoparticles

As copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NP) due to their unique electric, thermal, mechanical, catalytic and magnetic properties, are widely used in various fields such as agricultural, environmental, industrial, and medical. Thus, their large-scale economical production needs to be developed. In the implementation of nanotechnological syntheses, the applications of energy-, time-, and cost-effective synthesis processes by recycling environmentally friendly plant waste material are playing an increasing role. These methods can be easily applied on an industrial scale and are also of great importance in waste recycling. In this regard, the aim of our research was the production of copper oxide nanoparticles using the extracts of several plants (for example green tea, Virginia creeper and coffee arabica). The properties of the obtained particles, such as size and crystal structure, were determined and compared to the chemically synthesized particles. The applicability of different plant extracts during the CuO nanoparticle synthesis were established

The acute effects of 3-nitropropionic acid on the behavior and spontaneous cortical electrical activity of rats

In this study, the acute effects of 3-nitropropionic acid was investigated on open field and startle behavior of rats, and on their cortical electrical activity. Spontaneous locomotor activity, acoustic startle response, and pre-pulse inhibition of acoustic startle were measured in male Wistar rats (10 weeks old, 180-200g body weight) after a single dose of 10 or 20 mg/kg i.p. 3-nitropropionic acid. After the behavioral tests, the rats were anaesthetized, and spontaneous cortical electrical activity was recorded. The vertical, horizontal and local open field performance showed dose-dependent deterioration in the rats treated with 3-nitropropionic acid. The number of “noise-positive” startle responses showed non-significant changes, but the inhibition by pre-pulse was significantly reduced in the high dose animals. High dose also increased the proportion of low-frequencies in the cortical activity. Three-nitropropionic acid, known primarily to act in repeated doses (e.g., in animal models of Huntington’s disease) had also some clear-cut acute effects on behavioral and electrophysiological parameters of the treated rats

Studies on the neurotoxicity of arsenic in rats in different exposure timing schemes

Arsenic has long been recognized as human poison and, more recently, as an essential micronutrient. Here, the effects of low-level arsenic exposure on the central and peripheral nervous system functions were studied in rats, in a 4-8-12-week subchronic exposure scheme, and in a 3-generation scheme involving treatment of the parents and the offspring. From the rats, spontaneous and evoked activity of the sensory cortical areas, and compound action potential from the tail nerve, was recorded in urethane anesthesia, then dissection with organ weight measurement was done. Body weight gain of the treated animals did not differ significantly from the control. There were, however, dose-dependent changes in the weight of the liver and other organs. Latency of the cortical-evoked potentials increased in the treated rats in both schemes. The change was significant after long exposure times and in the higher dose groups. A shift of the spontaneous cortical activity to higher frequencies was also observed, with similar dose- and time dependence. Low-level arsenic affected the behavioral and electrophysiological functions in the brain, indicating that long-lasting arsenic exposure can result in manifest alteration of the central and peripheral nervous system. Consequently, arsenic-exposed populations may have a higher risk of behavioral and functional neurotoxic effects and potentially be an additive to the neurotoxicity of other environmental xenobiotics. Š2006 Dustri-Verlag

A betegvezetés folyamata egy stroke beteg gondozása során - esetbemutatás

Counseling as a part of nursing competence has an important role in the nursing process. The procession of this illness is strongly influenced by the patient’s reaction to the loss of body functions, views and coping strategies. The key to fulfill holistic nursing is to react to those influences along with physical needs when shaping the nursing plan. This study presents the counseling process using a stroke patient’s actual case. Stroke is the third leading cause of mortality in Hungary, so caring for these patients should be emphasised in health care. The case study also shows the treatment path of a person who suffers from stroke. The counseling process started as early as it was possible, and lasted from University of Szeged’s Neurology Clinic’s Stroke Subintensive Ward to Neurorehabilitation

A betegvezetés folyamata egy stroke beteg gondozása során - esetbemutatás

Counseling as a part of nursing competence has an important role in the nursing process. The procession of this illness is strongly influenced by the patient’s reaction to the loss of body functions, views and coping strategies. The key to fulfill holistic nursing is to react to those influences along with physical needs when shaping the nursing plan. This study presents the counseling process using a stroke patient’s actual case. Stroke is the third leading cause of mortality in Hungary, so caring for these patients should be emphasised in health care. The case study also shows the treatment path of a person who suffers from stroke. The counseling process started as early as it was possible, and lasted from University of Szeged’s Neurology Clinic’s Stroke Subintensive Ward to Neurorehabilitation

A kiégés, mint valós veszély : adalékok a kiégés szindróma kutatásához

Összefoglalás : Bevezetés: A kiégés szindróma kutatása az 1970-es években az USA-ban (Freudenberger 1974. Maslach 1976.) kezdődött, azonban a hazai kutatások csak a 90-es években váltak figyelemfelkeltővé (Fekete, 1991. Hézser, 1996.). Maslach és Jackson 1981-ben készítette el vizsgálati eszközét, a Maslach Burnout Inventory-t (MBI), és az addig főleg leíró jellegű kutatások ezzel az objektív mérési eszközzel már lehetővé tették az egyes kiégési stádiumok feltárását az egészségügyi dolgozók körében. A jelen kutatásainkat a kiégés, mint valós veszély inspirálta és a változtatni akarás vezérelte. Célkitűzés: Hasonlóan a releváns szakirodalomhoz, a vizsgálatok célja az volt, hogy további összefüggéseket keressen az ápolói szakma és a kiégés szindróma között, különös tekintettel annak okaira, megjelenő tüneteire, illetve az egyes megküzdési technikák megismerésére. A vizsgálat kiterjedt a munkából eredő stresszhatásokra (beosztás, túlóra, pályaelhagyás) és az ezeket befolyásoló tényezőkre. Módszer: Vizsgálatainkat a Szegedi Tudományegyetem különböző klinikai osztályain dolgozó ápolók körében végeztük el 2002-ben, majd 2003-ban. Mindkét esetben az intenzív osztályon dolgozó ápolók eredményeit hasonlítottuk a nem intenzív (belgyógyászati és sebészeti jellegű osztályok, pszichiátria) osztályokon dolgozó ápolókéhoz. Az első vizsgálat (n = 103) önkitöltős, egyénileg összeállított kérdőíves módszerrel történt. A fő kérdéscsoportok a kiégés kialakulásával összefüggő tényezőket, illetve a kiégés tüneteinek meglétét vagy hiányát kívánták feltárni, továbbá a kutatás kiterjedt a különböző feszültségoldó módszerekre is. A második vizsgálatot a Maslach Burnout Inventory - önkitöltős kérdőívvel végeztük (n = 114). Az adatok feldolgozása az alapstatisztikai próbák segítségével történt, illetve a Mann-Whitney non paraméteres próbát alkalmaztuk a folyamatos változók megállapítására. Eredmények: Szignifikanciát lehetett kimutatni az emocionális kimerüléssel kapcsolatban az életkor (