Heating causes non-linear microwave absorption anomaly in single wall carbon nanotubes

Microwave impedance measurements indicate a non-linear absorption anomaly in single wall carbon nanotubes at low temperatures (below $20$ K). We investigate the nature of the anomaly using a time resolved microwave impedance measurement technique. It proves that the anomaly has an extremely slow, a few hundred second long dynamics. This strongly suggests that the anomaly is not caused by an intrinsic electronic effect and that it is rather due to a slow heat exchange between the sample and the environment

Origin and geodynamic relationships of the Late Miocene to Quaternary alkaline basalt volcanism in the Pannonian Basin, eastern-central Europe

Alkaline basaltic volcanism has been taking place in the Carpathian-Pannonian Region since 11 Ma and the last eruptions occurred only at 100-500 ka. It resulted in scattered low-magma volume volcanic fields located mostly at the margins of the Pannonian basin. Many of the basalts have compositions close to those of the primitve magmas and therefore can be used to constrain the conditions of the magma generation. Low degree (2-3%) melting could occur in the convective asthenosphere within the garnet-spinel transition zone. Melting started at about 100 km depth and continued usually up to the base of the lithosphere. Thus, the final melting pressure could indicate the ambient lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary. The asthenospheric mantle source regions of the basalts were heterogeneous, presumably in small scale, and included either some water or pyroxenite/eclogite lithology in addition to the fertile to slightly depleted peridotite. Based on the prevailing estimated mantle potential temperature (1300-1400oC) along with number of further observations we exclude the existence of mantle plume or plume fingers beneath this region. Instead, we propose that plate tectonic processes controlled the magma generation. The Pannonian basin acted as a thin-spot after the 20-12 Ma syn-rift phase and provided suction in the sublithospheric mantle, generating asthenospheric flow from below the adjoining thick lithospheric domains. A near vertical upwelling along the steep lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary beneath the western and northern margin of the Pannonian basin could result in decompressional melting producing low-volume melts. The youngest basalt volcanic field (Perşani) in the region is inferred to have been formed due to the dragging effect of the descending lithospheric slab beneath the Vrancea zone that could result in narrow rupture at the base of the lithosphere. Continuation of the basaltic volcanism cannot be excluded as inferred from the still fusible condition of the asthenospheric mantle. This is reinforced by the detected low-velocity seismic anomalies in the upper mantle beneath the volcanic fields

Hőmérséklet szerepének vizsgálata a gabonafélék virágzásában = Evaluating the role of ambient temperature in determining flowering in cereals

Az árpa egyedfejlődését és így a földrajzi adaptációs képességét elsődlegesen a vernalizációs igény, valamint a nappalhossz érzékenység mértéke szabja meg. E két komponens alapján kialakított árpa csoportokon belül azonban nagy variabilitás mutatkozik a fajták egyedfejlődési mintázatában és virágzási idejében. Kísérleteinkkel célunk volt e variabilitást kiváltó környezeti tényezők egyedfejlődésre gyakorolt hatásának részletes elemzése, valamint ezekre a környezeti tényezőre adott válaszreakciók genetikai szabályozásában közreműködő komponensek azonosítása. Vizsgáltuk a környezeti hőmérséklet szerepét a vernalizációs folyamatokat és a hőstresszt kiváltó hőmérsékletek közti intervallumban, az állandó és a napi fluktuáló tényezők (fény, hőmérséklet) egymáshoz viszonyított hatását, valamint a fény minőségének a szerepét. Meghatároztuk e környezeti tényezőkre adott válaszreakciók természetes variabilitásának mértékét a termesztett árpafajták körében, kontrasztos reakciójú fajtákat azonosítottunk a további kísérletek céljaira. Kétszülős árpa populációkra alapozott QTL elemzéssel, és nagy fajtakört magába foglaló gyűjteményre alapozott teljes genomra kiterjedő fenotípus – genotípus asszociációs elemzésekkel azonosítottuk a szabályozásban szerepet játszó főbb genetikai komponenseket. Nyomon követtük a főbb egyedfejlődési gének génexpressziós mintázatainak változását mesterséges (kontrollált klímakamra) és természetes (szántóföldi vegetációs periódus) környezetben, több vetésidőben. | In cereals, plant development and thus the ecological adaptation is basically determined by the vernalization requirement and photoperiod sensitivity. Large variation in flowering time exists however between the cultivars within the various groups of these two factors. Our major aims were to identify the additional environmental cues responsible for this variation, to characterise their effects on plant developmental patterns and to evaluate the genetic determinants participating in the regulation pathways of these environmental cues. Thus we studied the effects of ambient temperature on plant development in the range between its function as a vernalising agent and being an abiotic stress factor, the effects of daily fluctuating factors (light and temperature) compared to constant environment, and the effects of the quality of light. We characterised the natural variation present in cultivated barley for these environmental factors and identified contrasting types for further studies. The evaluation of the genetic components involved was carried out partly by QTL studies in bi-parental mapping populations and partly by genome wide association mapping in a multi-parental barley collection. Changes in the expression levels of the major plant developmental genes were also followed both in controlled environmental tests and under field conditions during the vegetation period with the application of different sowing time

Terápiás megfontolások IgA-nephropathiában a legutolsó vizsgálatok (STOP-IgAN, TESTING, NEFIGAN) eredményei alapján | Considerations on the treatment of IgA nephropathy on the basis of the results of the latest studies (STOP-IgAN, TESTING, NEFIGAN)

Absztrakt: Az IgA-nephropathia immunológiai eredetű krónikus glomerulonephritis, amelyet a klinikai kép és a kimenetel nagy változatossága jellemez. A betegség végstádiumú veseelégtelenségig progrediálhat a betegek 25%-ában. Ezért fontos, hogy a progresszióra hajlamos betegeket korán felismerjük. A legfontosabb progressziós rizikófaktorok a perzisztáló proteinuria, hypertonia, csökkent vesefunkció és bizonyos szövettani elváltozások. A jelenleg ajánlott kezelést a 2012-es KDIGO Clinical Practice Guideline foglalja össze. A meglevő rizikófaktorok alapján minden betegnek speciális vesevédő terápiát javasolnak (elsősorban renin-angiotenzin rendszert blokkolókat). A guideline-ban a szteroid/immunszuppresszív kezelés javaslata alacsony szintű evidenciákra alapozott. Újabban három vizsgálatot szerveztek a speciális vesevédő kezelésekkel együtt adott szteroid/immunszuppresszív kezelés előnyével és rizikójával kapcsolatban. A STOP-IgAN vizsgálatban a szisztémás szteroid/immunszuppresszív kezelés szignifikánsan csökkentette a proteinuriát, de nem állította meg az IgA-nephropathia progresszióját. A TESTING vizsgálatban a szisztémás szteroidterápia szignifikánsan csökkentette a proteinuriát és a progressziót is. Azonban a vizsgálatot idő előtt le kellett állítani a számos súlyos mellékhatás miatt. A budesonidkezelést a NEFIGAN vizsgálatban a bélnyálkahártya immunrendszerének az IgA-nephropathia patogenezisében felvetett szerepe sugallta. A budesonid elsősorban a distalis vékonybélben és a colonban felszabaduló szteroid, amely csökkentette a proteinurát, miközben a vesefunkció változatlan maradt. A számos mellékhatás miatt esetenként leállított kezelés a budesonid szisztémás hatását is felveti. További vizsgálatok szükségesek arra vonatkozóan, hogy mely betegeket kezeljünk szteroid/immunszuppresszív szerekkel a specifikus vesevédő kezelés után és mellett. Orv Hetil. 2017; 158(49): 1946–1952. | Abstract: IgA nephropathy is an immune-mediated chronic glomerulonephritis with a great variability in clinical presentation and outcome. The disease can progress to end-stage renal failure in 25% of patients. For this reason we should identify patients with potential to progress. Most important risk factors for progression are persistent proteinuria, hypertension, decreased renal function and some histological lesions. The actually suggested treatment is summarized in KDIGO Clinical Practice Guideline from 2012. They suggest to give firstly non-specific supportive treatment (especially renin-angiotensin system blocking agents). Recommendation about steroid/immunosuppression treatment is based on low level of evidence. Recently three studies were organised concerning benefits and risk of steroid/immunosuppressive treatment added together with specific supportive treatment. In the STOP-IgAN study, systemic steroid/immunosuppressive treatment significantly decreased proteinuria but did not stop progression. In the TESTING study, systemic steroid treatment significantly decreased proteinuria and progression. However, the study was recently discontinued due to several severe side effects of steroid treatment. Involvement of intestinal mucosal immunity in the pathogenesis of IgA nephropathy suggested the NEFIGAN study with budesonide treatment. Budesonide releases corticosteroid in distal small intestine and colon. Proteinuria was significantly decreased and renal function remained stabile. High number of withdrawals owing to adverse effects is a major concern implying a substantial systemic effect of budesonide. We need further information on the characteristics of patients who most likely benefit from steroid/immunosuppressive treatment given after or together with specific supportive treatment. Orv Hetil. 2017; 158(49): 1946–1952

Halmazelmélet; Partíció kalkulus, Végtelen gráfok elmélete = Set Theory; Partition Calculus , Theory of Infinite Graphs

Előzetes tervünknek megfelelően a halmazelmélet alábbi területein végeztünk kutatást és értünk el számos eredményt: I. Kombinatorika II. A valósak számsosságinvariánsai és ideálelmélet III. Halmazelméleti topológia Ezek mellett Sági Gábor kiterjedt kutatást végzett a modellelmélet területén , amely eredmények kapcsolódnak a kombinatorikához is. Eredményeinket 38 közleményben publikáltuk, amelyek majdnem mind az adott terület vezető nemzetközi lapjaiban jelentel meg (5 cikket csak benyújtottunk). Számos nemzetközi konferencián is résztvettünk, és hárman közűlünk (Juhász, Sádi, Soukup) plenáris/meghívott előadók voltak számos alkalommal. | Following our research plan, we have mainly done research -- and established a number of significant results -- in several areas of set theory: I. Combinatorics II. Cardinal invariants of the continuum and ideal theory III. Set-theoretic topology In addition to these, G. Sági has done extended research in model theory that had ramifications to combinatorics. We presented our results in 38 publications, almost all of which appeared or will appear in the leading international journals of these fields (5 of these papers have been submitted but not accepted as yet). We also participated at a number of international conferences, three of us (Juhász, Sági, Soukup) as plenary and/or invited speakers at many of these

Pro- and anti-inflammatory factors, vascular stiffness and outcomes in chronic hemodialysis patients

In this observational study we addressed accelerated arteriosclerosis (AS) in patients with chronic renal failure (CRF) on hemodialysis (HD) by measuring vascular stiffness (VS) parameters and attempted to relate them to pro-inflammatory and protective factors.96 consecutive patients receiving regular HD were included. 20 adult patients without major renal, cardiovascular or metabolic morbidities served as controls.AS parameters (carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity - PWV, aortic augmentation index - Aix) were measured by using applanation tonometry (SphygmoCor, AtCor Medical, Sidney). In addition to routine laboratory tests 25(OH) vitamin D3 (vitamin D3) and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) were quantified by immunometric assay; whereas fetuin-A, α-Klotho, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) were determined by ELISA.Pro-inflammatory biomarkers (hsCRP, TNF-α and TGF-β1) were markedly elevated (P < 0.01), while anti-inflammatory factors (fetuin-A: P < 0.05, α-Klotho: P < 0.01, vitamin D3: P < 0.01) significantly depressed in HD patients when compared to controls. PWV was significantly affected only by total cholesterol, fetuin-A and dialysis time. Multiple linear regression analyses revealed that several clinical and laboratory parameters were associated with pro- and anti-inflammatory biomarkers rather than VS. The impact of baseline clinical and biochemical variables on outcome measures were also analyzed after three-year follow-up, and it was demonstrated that low levels of vitamin D, α-Klotho protein and fetuin-A were related to adverse cardiovascular outcomes, whereas all-cause mortality was associated with elevated hsCRP and depressed vitamin D.Our results provide additional information on the pathomechanism of accelerated AS in patients with CRF, and documented direct influence of pro- and anti-inflammatory biomarkers on major outcome measures

A világ természetvédelmének története 1986 és 1990 között (védett területek alapítása)

Az előző elemzett időszak (1981–1985) óta 5776 védett terület alapítása történt a világon. A cikkben közölt adatok az IUCN kategóriarendszerébe sorolt védett területekre vonatkoznak. A jelenleg vizsgált időszakban az alapított területek 47,5%-a a IV. IUCN kategóriába tartozik (védett táj). Az IUCN adatbázisa szerint a legtöbb területet 1986 és 1990 között Németország alapította (846 területet). 1990-ig az idő előrehaladtával a védett területek száma nem nőtt, de a nemzeti kategóriák egyre többfélék lettek. Az előző időszakhoz képest a nemzeti kategóriák száma 278 lett 1986 és 1990 között. A területnagyságok eloszlása az előző időszakhoz hasonlóan alakult; többségük (47,7%) 0 és 99 ha közötti méretű, bár az összes védett terület kiterjedésének ez 0,036%-a. Magyarországról 37 védett természeti terület került fel az IUCN listájára. Ekkor alakult a Gödöllői dombság tájvédelmi körzet, ezen kívül még 8 tájvédelmi körzet és 28 természetvédelmi terület. Megállapíthatjuk, hogy az előző öt évhez képest 1986 és 1990 között csökkent az alapított védett területek száma: 6174-ről 4412-re. Ebben az időszakban a természetvédelem történelmi eseményei közül kiemelkedik a latin-amerikai La Amistad Nemzeti Park és a madagaszkári Mantadia Nemzeti Park, melyek ma a világörökség részei, a srí-lankai Somawathiya Nemzeti Park, ahol állítólag Buddha egyik fogát őrzik, az amerikai Great Basin Nemzeti Park a több mint 5000 éves fenyőfáival, az algériai Tassili n'Ajjer Nemzeti Park az ősi sziklarajzaival, az ausztráliai Karácsony Sziget Nemzeti Park az endemikus fajaival

Olivine major and trace element compositions coupled with spinel chemistry to unravel the magmatic systems feeding monogenetic basaltic volcanoes

Monogenetic basaltic volcanic systems, despite their considerable smaller size and shorter lifetime compared to polygenetic volcanoes, can have complex pre-eruptive histories and composite volcanic facies architectures. Their source-to-surface investigation is essential for our better understanding of monogenetic volcanism and requires high-resolution mineral-scale analyses. In this study, we focus on diversely zoned olivine crystals and their spinel inclusions from alkaline basaltic volcanics that are the result of mixing of numerous magmas, crystals and fragments of various origins. The Fekete-hegy volcanic complex is one of the largest and most composite eruptive centers in the intracontinental monogenetic Bakony–Balaton Highland Volcanic Field (western Pannonian Basin, Eastern Central Europe). It is a compound multi-vent system built up by multiple eruption episodes: initial maar-forming phreatomagmatic eruptions were followed by massive lava flows and magmatic explosive activity. We performed stratigraphically controlled sampling in order to reveal the history of the successively erupted magma batches represented by the distinct eruptive units, as well as to discover the petrogenetic processes that controlled the evolution of the magmatic system. The juvenile pyroclasts of the phreatomagmatic eruption products (unit 1) contain a remarkably diverse mineral assemblage including five different olivine types and three distinct spinel groups. In addition, they comprise various xenoliths. Based on detailed textural investigations combined with in situ electron microprobe analyses, high-resolution laser ablation ICP-MS trace element mapping and single spot measurements on the variably zoned olivines of unit 1 samples, eight distinct environments are inferred to have been involved in their formation. Four of these environments account for the significant compositional variation of the olivine-hosted spinel inclusions. A complex set of open- and closed-system petrogenetic processes operated during the evolution of the magmatic system: magma stalling, accumulation, storage, fractionation, mixing, replenishments, cumulate remobilization, incorporation of foreign fragments and crystals from the wall rocks. All these diverse environments and processes resulted in the mixed character of the erupted magmas during the initial phreatomagmatic eruptive phase. In contrast, the uniform petrological features and the small variations shown by the olivines and spinels from unit 2‐–3 indicate that the later magmatic explosive – effusive phase was preceded by a considerable change in the magmatic system; it experienced a simple evolution through olivine + spinel fractional crystallization without any of the complexities seen during the initial phase. The present study emphasizes the importance of high-resolution mineral-scale textural and chemical investigations to unravel the complexity of the sub-volcanic magmatic systems feeding monogenetic basaltic volcanoes. Compared to the application of whole-rock geochemistry alone, this approach enables a direct and more detailed insight into the architecture and evolution of these systems

Iron uptake machinery of chloroplasts tends to utilise stoichiometric ferric-citrate complexes in Brassica napus

In plant shoots, the majority of iron is found in the chloroplasts, incorporated into the photosynthetic, sulphur assimilatory and Fe-S cluster biogenesis apparatuses. Although some members of their Fe transport machinery related to both reduction-based and nicotianamine-complex uptake systems have already been identified, the in vivo substrate preference of the system remained unknown. To clarify the mechanism of action and the substrate preference of the uptake system, intact chloroplasts of oilseed rape (Brassica napus) were subjected to Fe uptake assays using natural and artificial Fe complexes and chelates: Fe(III)-citrate 1:1.1 and 1:10, Fe(III)-malate 1:1.1, Fe(II)- and Fe(III)-nicotianamine 1:1.2, Fe(III)-EDTA 1:1 and Fe(III)-o,o’EDDHA 1:1. Iron complexes were typified by the chemical microenvironment of Fe in the compounds by Mössbauer spectroscopy. Iron uptake by chloroplasts was assessed by determining chloroplast iron content spectrophotometrically. Putative homologue genes of major, Fe uptake related, chloroplast envelope membrane proteins were identified in Brassica napus using the Brassica Database and NCBI. The expression of BnFro7 (Bra037953), BnMar1 (Bra020559), BnNico (Bra037287), BnPic1 (Bra036409), and BnYsl4 (XM_009141995.2) was studied using ß-tubulin (XM_009125342.1) and 18S rRNA (KT225373) as for reference genes in leaves subjected to chloroplast Fe uptake assays. Chloroplast inner envelope ferric chelate reductase activity of the isolated chloroplasts were also monitored using Fe(III)-EDTA. Chloroplasts preferred stoichiometric Fe(III)-citrate compared to Fe(III)-citrate 1:10 and Fe(III)-malate complexes. Moreover, uptake from Fe(III)-NA and Fe(II)-NA but also from Fe(III)-EDTA and Fe(III)-o,o’EDDHA sources were negligible (with significantly higher KM) compared to Fe(III)-citrate complexes. For these latter complexes, the light-inducible component was also missing. Regarding the components of the chloroplast Fe uptake system, genes of the reduction-based Fe uptake system showed high expression only. Nevertheless, the Fe-nicotianamine transport related chloroplast transporter BnYsl4 was mainly expressed in generative tissues. In conclusion, chloroplasts in leaves can only effectively utilize stoichiometric Fe(III)-citrate complexes in their Fe uptake. This work was supported by the grant financed by the National Research, Development and Innovation Office, Hungary (NKFIH K-124159). Á.Solti was also supported by the Bolyai János Research Scholarship of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (BO/00207/15/4)

Origin and ascent history of unusually crystal-rich alkaline basaltic magmas from the western Pannonian Basin

The last eruptions of the monogenetic Bakony-Balaton Highland Volcanic Field (western Pannonian Basin, Hungary) produced unusually crystal- and xenolith-rich alkaline basalts which are unique among the alkaline basalts of the Carpathian- Pannonian Region. Similar alkaline basalts are only rarely known in other volcanic fields of the world. These special basaltic magmas fed the eruptions of two closely located volcanic centres: the Bondoró-hegy and the Füzes-tó scoria cone. Their uncommon enrichment in diverse crystals produced unique rock textures and modified original magma compositions (13.1-14.2 wt.% MgO, 459-657 ppm Cr, 455-564 ppm Ni contents). Detailed mineral-scale textural and chemical analyses revealed that the Bondoró-hegy and Füzes-tó alkaline basaltic magmas have a complex ascent history, and that most of their minerals (~30 vol.% of the rocks) represent foreign crystals derived from different levels of the underlying lithosphere. The most abundant xenocrysts, olivine, orthopyroxene, clinopyroxene and spinel, were incorporated from different regions and rock types of the subcontinental lithospheric mantle. Megacrysts of clinopyroxene and spinel could have originated from pegmatitic veins / sills which probably represent magmas crystallized near the crust-mantle boundary. Green clinopyroxene xenocrysts could have been derived from lower crustal mafic granulites. Minerals that crystallized in situ from the alkaline basaltic melts (olivine with Cr-spinel inclusions, clinopyroxene, plagioclase, Fe-Ti oxides) are only represented by microphenocrysts and overgrowths on the foreign crystals. The vast amount of peridotitic (most common) and mafic granulitic materials indicates a highly effective interaction between the ascending magmas and wall rocks at lithospheric mantle and lower crustal levels. However, fragments from the middle and upper crust are absent from the studied basalts, suggesting a change in the style (and possibly rate) of magma ascent in the crust. These xenocryst- and xenolith-rich basalts yield divers tools for estimating magma ascent rate that is important for hazard forecasting in monogenetic volcanic fields. According to the estimated ascent rates, the Bondoró-hegy and Füzes-tó alkaline basaltic magmas could have reached the surface within hours to few days, similarly to the estimates for other eruptive centres in the Pannonian Basin which were fed by "normal" (crystal- and xenolith-poor) alkaline basalts