Matematikai kompetencia- és attitűdvizsgálat mérnökhallgatók körében = Study on Mathematical Competence and Attitude of Engineering Students

Efficiency of the learning process is in the focus of studies dealing with the Hungarian higher education, including engineering education. The efficiency can be evaluated if the required competences are declared and systematically controlled. In this paper the results of a graduate student survey is presented. Students taking part in the survey have got a bachelor's degree in engineering and are first semester students presently in different engineering master programs. Mathematical thinking ability and creativity, as important competences in studying mathematics were measured with the questionnaire, rather than formulas and complicated calculation methods. Students’ experience in studying and applying Mathematics were asked in the first part of the questionnaire.A tanulási folyamat hatékonyságáról manapság egyre több szó esik a felsőoktatásban, ezen belül a műszaki felsőoktatásban is. A hatékonyság mérése az elvárt kompetenciák rendszerének célszerű kialakításával és a kompetenciák megszerzésének ellenőrzésével lehetséges. Ebben a cikkben egy olyan felmérést mutatunk be, melyet mérnöki alapdiplomával (főiskolai, BSc) rendelkező hallgatók körében készült, akik mesterképzésen folytatják tanulmányaikat. Arra voltunk kíváncsiak, hogy egyes problémakörökhöz kapcsolódó gondolati sémák megmaradtak-e, képesek-e megfelelően reagálni a kérdésfelvetésekre, rendelkeznek-e a matematika tanulása során megszerezhető kompetenciákkal. A lexikális tudás felmérése nem volt cél, a feladatok nehézségi szintje nem érte el az alapképzések számonkéréseinek átlagos szintjét. A kérdőív első része a korábbi tanulmányokra, valamint a matematika tanulásához kapcsolódó emlékekre, tapasztalatokra, illetve az ismeretek alkalmazhatóságára kérdez rá

Genetic Diversity of Serine Protease Inhibitors in Myxozoan (Cnidaria, Myxozoa) Fish Parasites

We studied the genetic variability of serine protease inhibitors (serpins) of Myxozoa, microscopic endoparasites of fish. Myxozoans affect the health of both farmed and wild fish populations, causing diseases and mortalities. Despite their global impact, no effective protection exists against these parasites. Serpins were reported as important factors for host invasion and immune evasion, and as promising targets for the development of antiparasitic therapies. For the first time, we identified and aligned serpin sequences from high throughput sequencing datasets of ten myxozoan species, and analyzed 146 serpins from this parasite group together with those of other taxa phylogenetically, to explore their relationship and origins. High intra- and interspecific variability was detected among the examined serpins. The average sequence identity was 25-30% only. The conserved domains (i.e. motif and signature) showed taxon-level differences. Serpins clustered according to taxonomy rather than to serpin types, and myxozoan serpins seemed to be highly divergent from that of other taxa. None of them clustered with their closest relative free-living cnidarians. The genetic distinction of myxozoan serpins further strengthens the idea of an independent origin of Myxozoa, and may indicate novel protein functions potentially related to parasitism in this animal group

Eye-tracking tests in consumer perception of food

Summary Eye-tracking analyses provide an opportunity to record the eye movements of the participants, and then to evaluate the data obtained. The application of eye-tracking cameras is not yet typical in the food industry in Hungary, as opposed to the practice in Western Europe, where this technology is an important and commonly used tool of product development and marketing support. To the best of our knowledge, no eyetracking analyses related to beets have been published so far in the domestic and international literature. During the research, eye-tracking analyses were carried out in the Sensory Analysis Laboratory of the Faculty of Food Science of Szent István University, using a Tobii X2- 60 eye-tracker and the Tobii Studio (version 3.0.5, Tobii Technology AB, Sweden) data processing software. The results draw attention to the fact that the decisions of the consumers interviewed were only slightly influenced by their knowledge of the treatment of the beets analyzed. On the other hand, extra information regarding the antioxidant content changed their decision regarding the selection. Eye-tracking analysis results showed that consumer decision can be monitored much more accurately than using traditional market research methods. The reason for this is that eye movement is very hard to control consciously, and so objective information can be obtained about consumer decision mechanisms which is practically impossible to get using subjective questionnaire methods based on self-declaration or focus group testing

The Dissonances of Asbestos Exposure and the Concept of Sustainable Settlements in the Light of the European Union's 2023 Asbestos Neutrality Objective

Until now, the majority of asbestos-related research has focused on the health challenges of asbestos and the waste management challenges caused by asbestos cement products. The limitation of the research is that there is no uniform indicator or index formation method available for asbestos exposure and involvement on a national scale. Given the neglect of the topic, there are no uniform risk assessment and situation assessment procedures available, neither, as a result, indicators or public databases. The aim of this paper is that, in parallel with the European Union's 2023 asbestos neutrality objectives, asbestos exposure is examined as a kind of indicator to assess the actual level of development of those member states that are progressing along the sustainable development goals. The focus of the paper is an analysis of the situation rather than the discovery of new scientific results. Using an integrated index formation method, the relationship between the indicators of sustainable development and the volume of asbestos consumption in the countries in the focus group is examined. It was established that the average value of the sustainable development index corrected for asbestos exposure in relation to the EU-27 is 0.428, which means a medium level of involvement. A comparison of the two indexes shows that there are significant differences. The average correction rate is -47.4 %. Based on the results and according to previous literature sources, asbestos exposure is an unexamined segment of efforts for sustainable development, which can also result in significant dissonances

Examining the Integrity of Climate Protection Goals and Climate Change Policy Objectives in the Policies of the European Union

Nowadays, the effects and consequences of climate change can be directly felt. As a result, the mitigation of climate change and the fight against its effects are of high priority both from the point of view of the European Union and the world, for which strategies and guidelines define an effective climate policy as an essential tool. At the same time, the vast majority of research related to climate change has so far focused on the greenhouse gas emissions of individual countries, their sectoral distribution and mitigation options, as well as the situation and difficulties in meeting their objectives in this direction. The aim of this study is to examine the integration of the policy objectives related to climate change of the individual European Union member states, as well as to explore the path these states are taking in achieving the emission targets for greenhouse gases planned for 2050. In our study, we examine to what extent the evaluations aimed at achieving the sustainable development goals of individual countries take into account the extent to which the projected climate protection trajectory of the same member states is fulfilled. Based on our results, it can be concluded that there are significant differences in the level of development of each country from a sustainable development point of view, the amount of greenhouse gas emissions of the given member countries, and the degree of consideration and adaptation of individual climate protection goals. Based on our findings, it can be said that the global climate policy plays a significant role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but the regulation and target system at the member state level is even more pronounced. Achieving the 2050 climate neutrality goals requires a fundamental transformation of some regulations, and if the limitations arising from the dissonance of these specialized sectors with decarbonization are resolved or managed to an adequate extent, and the actual integrity of the individual goals is achieved, then net zero carbon dioxide emissions can be achieved

Distinctive site preference of the fish parasite Myxobolus cerebralis (Cnidaria, Myxozoa) during host invasion

Here, we experimentally studied the site preference of Myxobolus cerebralis, one of the most pathogenic myxozoan (Cnidaria, Myxozoa) fish parasites, which causes whirling disease in salmonids. Parasite invasion was examined in three fish species with various susceptibility levels: the type host brown trout, the highly susceptible rainbow trout, and the non-susceptible gibel carp, in which parasite spores do not develop. We investigated the first two hours of fish invasion, and measured the site preference of triactinomyxons (TAMs) during attachment and penetration of fish in three body parts (gills, fins, skin). Infection prevalence and intensity were estimated using a species-specific nested PCR, optimised in the present study. The highest infection prevalence was detected in the most susceptible fish species, rainbow trout. Interestingly, higher prevalence was observed in gibel carp than in the type host, brown trout (95.2% vs. 85.7%). Considering body locations, remarkable differences were detected in infection intensities. The highest intensity was observed in fins, whereas skin was the least infected body part in every fish species examined. Infection prevalence and intensity did not differ significantly among fish species. Thus, we confirmed that M. cerebralis TAMs cannot discern fish species. Furthermore, we proved experimentally that fish fin is significantly more attractive to fish-invading parasite TAMs than gills or skin

Farm-level environmental performance assessment in Hungary using the Green-point system

Faced with society’s increasing expectations, the European Union’s Common Agricultural Policy uses environmental management as an increasingly critical criterion in the allocation of farm subsidies, with a shift in focus from production and area-based subsidies to payments for supplying public goods. There is an increasing demand to assess the ecological and environmental performance of farms as public money spent on provision of environmental services requires justification. The objective of this research is to strengthen the basis of the concept of farm- level environmental performance assessment. Firstly we give an overview of indicator-based sustainability assessment tools. Even though there are several different tools developed globally, and the themes and indicators for the assessment of environmental performance are very similar, there are significant differences in terms of data survey among them. Secondly we describe the development and field testing of the ‘Green-point system’ developed in Hungary. This system is able to measure the environmental performance of farms and their value/ capability of providing public goods and sustaining ecosystem services through a framework of farm enterprise calculations and assessments. The Green-point system fits well into the stream of yet scarce approaches and efforts, which in several European countries aim to introduce and strengthen the so-called result-based agri-environmental schemes alongside the currently rather dominant management-based approaches. Keywords: agroecosystems, diagnosis, environmental impact assessment, evaluation methods, indicators, sustainabilit

Cryopreservation of three Saprolegnia species (Oomycota): Preliminary evidence for the long-term archiving of water mould species

Saprolegnia spp. water moulds are opportunistic pathogens that can cause economic losses to aquaculture. The diseases caused by them are difficult to control since use of the effective drug, malachite greenoxalate, is no longer permitted in several regions (including the European Union and USA). To develop an effective control strategy, Saprolegnia isolates must be maintained in the laboratory. Cryopreservation is a useful solution for long-term maintenance; however, at present, there is no developed protocol for the cryopreservation of Saprolegniaspp. Here, we isolated and identified three Saprolegniaspecies, S. parasitica, S. australis and S. ferax, and developed a deep-freezing protocol that enables the long-term archiving of these species. The survival and growth rates of isolates kept at -80°C for 3, 6, 9 and 12 months, were tested and compared among the species examined. Although the growth rates of frozen isolates were significantly lower than those of the control (i.e. non-frozen) isolates, the overall survival rate (>90%) indicated the effectiveness of the technique developed. Thus, the protocol developed appears to be a promising method for the long-term preservation of Saprolegnia isolates and may facilitate the creation of stock collections