Parametrizing Complex Hadamard Matrices

The purpose of this paper is to introduce new parametric families of complex Hadamard matrices in two different ways. First, we prove that every real Hadamard matrix of order N>=4 admits an affine orbit. This settles a recent open problem of Tadej and Zyczkowski, who asked whether a real Hadamard matrix can be isolated among complex ones. In particular, we apply our construction to the only (up to equivalence) real Hadamard matrix of order 12 and show that the arising affine family is different from all previously known examples. Second, we recall a well-known construction related to real conference matrices, and show how to introduce an affine parameter in the arising complex Hadamard matrices. This leads to new parametric families of orders 10 and 14. An interesting feature of both of our constructions is that the arising families cannot be obtained via Dita's general method. Our results extend the recent catalogue of complex Hadamard matrices, and may lead to direct applications in quantum-information theory.Comment: 16 pages; Final version. Submitted to: European Journal of Combinatoric

A mélyfagyasztás hatásainak vizsgálata az emberi ivarsejtekre morfológiai és funkcionális paraméterek alapján = Investigation of the effects of cryopreservation on morphological and functional parameters of human gametes

-35 normozoospermiás, 27 oligozoospermiás és 42 asthenozoospermiás férfi ondómintájához pentoxyphyllin-t adtunk, emelkedő koncentrációban. Meghatároztunk azt az ideális pentoxyphyllin koncentrációt, amely leginkább javította a minta motilitását a kiindulási értékhez képest. - A komputervezérelt fagyasztóberendezés programozásának beállításával meghatároztuk az ideális fagyasztási algoritmust. - A komputervezérelt fagyasztóberendezéssel végzett ondófagyasztást követő felolvasztás után pentoxyphyllin hozzáadásával vizsgáltuk a motilitást. Az optimális motilitásnövelő hatást 0,75 mmol/l pentoxphyllin-koncentráció esetén kaptuk. -74 donormintát fagyasztottunk le. Összesen 197 asszonyt kezeltünk a fagyasztott mintákkal, amely összesen 280 intrauterin inszeminációs ciklust jelentett. Randomizáltan 71 ciklusban használtunk pentoxyphyllin-nel kezelt mintát. A többi ciklus kontrollként szolgált. A kumulatív terhességi arány a három ciklusra vonatkoztatva 38,2% vs. 38,0%. A különbség nem szignifikáns. -Mivel petefészek fagyasztás igénye a vizsgálati időszakban összesen két alkalommal merült fel, amelyek közül csak egy alkalommal sikerült fagyasztható mintát nyerni a petefészek-szövetből, ezért az ezzel kapcsolatos vizsgálatokat nem tudtuk elvégezni. - Eddigi eredményeinket tudományos közlemények és előadások formájában ismertettük hazai és nemzetközi folyóiratokban és fórumokon. Egy PhD disszertáció készült a fenti anyag felhasználásával. | A total of 35 normozoospermic, 27 oligozoospermic and 42 asthenozoopermic semen samples were supplemented with pentoxyphyllin in increasing concentration to define the optimal pentoxyphyllin concentration, that most effective for improving the motility of the semen sample comparing to the original value. We determined the ideal freezing algorithm with the help of an automatic computerized freezer. Motility was assessed after pentoxyphyllin supplementation of the post-thaw samples. The maximal motility increase was found at 0.75 mmol/l pentoxyphyllin concentration. A total of 74 donor semen sample was frozen, and 197 women were treated with the frozen samples in 280 intrauterine insemination cycles. Randomly, pentoxyphyllin supplemented samples were used in 71 cycles, and the cycles without using pentoxyphyllin treated samples were served as control. Cumulative pregnancy rates for the three cycles were 38.2% vs. 38.0%. The difference was not significant. As demand and endorsement of ovarium tissue cryopreservation were only two times during the study period, and in one case of them the extraction of freezable sample from the ovary was unsuccessful, hence we were not able to complete this part of the study. The reached results were presented as articles in national and international journals and presentations on national and international congresses. With the use of the above mentioned results one PhD thesis has been submitted

Heterogén katalitikus enantioszelektív hidrogénezés mechanizmusa. = Mechanism of enantioselective heterogeneous catalysed hydrogenation.

Piroszőlősav etilészter enantioszelektív hidrogénezését vizsgáltuk Pt-alfa- és béta-izocinkonin katalizátorral. Ecetsavban az alfa-izocinkonin esetén 93-94 %, béta-izocinkonin esetén 70-72 % ee-t értünk el. Toluolban a béta-izocinkonin esetén az enantioszeletivitás iránya megfordult. Vizsgálatuk aril-trifluormetil ketonok és trifluormetil-ciklohexil keton enantioszelektív hidrogénezését Pt-cinkonidin katalizátorral. Trifluorecetsav adalék jelenlétében az enantioszelektivitás megnő. Az oldószertől függően az enantioszelekció iránya változott. Elsőként sikerült enol észtert (2-acetoxiakrilsav etil észtert) 50-60 % enantioszelektivitással hidrogénezni. Alfa-ketoészter funkciót tartalmazó szteroid (3-acetoxi-23-ketolitokolsav metilészter) ketocsoportját 78 %-os enantioszelektivitással sikerült hidrogénezni. Fenilglioxilsav észterek enantioszelektív hidrogénezését vizsgáltuk. Pt-cinkonidin esetén jó enantioszelektivitást találtunk, míg Pt-béta-izocinkonin esetén az enantioszelekció inverzióját észleltük toluolban. Vizsgálatokat végeztünk a vinil oldalláncon átalakított cinkonidinokkal.. Az új vegyületek a piroszőlősav etil észter enantioszelektív hidrogénezésében a cinkonidinhez hasonló eredményeket adtak. Vizsgáltuk Pt-C9-O-szubsztituált cinkona alkaloid (éterek és észterek) katalizátor hatását piroszőlősav etilészter enantioszelektív hidrogénezésében. Az enantioszelektivitás viszonylag alacsony értékű nagy térkitöltésű C9-O-szubsztituens esetén és iránya sokszor eltérő a várttól. | The enantioselective hydrogenation of ethyl pyruvate was studied on Pt-alumina catalysts modified by alfa- and beta-isocinchonine. In the case of beta-isocinchonine an inversion of enantioselectivity was observed. The enantioselective hydrogenation of aryl-trifluoromethyl ketones and trifluoro-methylcyclohexyl ketone on Pt-cinchonidine catalyst has been investigated. The achieved ee was 67-85% and 48%.Depending on solvents the inversion of enantioselectivity was observed. We used the Pt- and Pd-cinchonidine systems succesfully for the asymmetric hydrogenation of an enol esters. The oxo function of methyl 3alfa-acetoxy-23-oxo-5beta-cholan-24-oate was hydrogenated with 78% enantioselection over Pt-cinchonidine catalyst . Enantioselective hydrogenation of phenylglyoxylic acid esters was investigated.The formation of R-mandelic acid esters was 79-94% with Pt-cinchonidine. On Pt-beta-isocinchonine catalyst inversion of enantioselectivity occured. The enantioselective hydrogenation of ethyl pyruvate was studied on Pt catalysts modified by C3-modified cinchonidine. The achieved ee was similar to that of parent cinchonidine (79-91%). The effect of the structure of C9-O-substituted cinchona alkaloids (ethers and esters) on the enantioselectivity of the Pt-alumina-catalyzed hydrogenation of ethyl pyruvate was investigated.The ee values observed were still low and even opposite to that expected. The inversion of enantioselectivity can explain by tilted adsorption of chiral modifiers

Genetikai és környezeti hatások kölcsönhatása a csecsemőkori kötődés alakulásában = Interaction of genetic and environmental influences in the development of infant attachment

Vizsgáltuk a genetikai és a környezeti tényezők hatásait, valamint a gén-környezet kölcsönhatást a korai kötődés jellemzőire. Fontosabb eredményeink: 1. A családi genotípusok és az öröklésmenet vizsgálatával megerősítettük az elsőszülött csecsemők DRD4 genotípusának és anyához való kötődésének asszociációját. A kötődés és a szülői DRD4 genotípusok között nincs összefüggés (Gervai et al., 2005). 2. Kimutattuk, hogy a BCsV elsőszülött csecsemők szülőkhöz való kötődése között szignifikáns egyezés van, és az apához való kötődés biztonsága összefügg a csecsemő DRD4 genotípusával (Tóth et al., előkészületben). 3. Kimutattuk, hogy a szerotonin transzporter gén 5-HTTLPR genotípusa nem függ össze a kötődéssel, de a DRD4 genotípussal együtt hat az idegenfélelem mértékére (Lakatos et al., 2003). 4. Kidolgoztuk a magyar kisgyermekes családokban a jelentős életesemények súlyozásának módját (Danis et al., elfogadva). Becsültük a környezeti stressz mértékét a csecsemők első életévére (Danis et al., előkészületben). 5. Kimutattuk a dezorganizált kötődés és az atipikus anyai viselkedés kapcsolatát és felfedeztük a csecsemők DRD4 genotípusának módosító hatását. A DRD4 gén 7-ismétlésű változatának hiányában az anyai atipikus viselkedés összefügg a dezorganizált kötődéssel, a 7-ismétlésű változatot hordozó csecsemők azonban érzéketlenek az anyai viselkedés atipikusságára. Az eredményeket közlő cikket meghívták a Social Neuroscience különszámába (Gervai et al., közlésre benyújtva). | The research concerned genetic and environmental effects on infant attachment, and gene-environment interactions. 1. We confirmed the association of firstborn infants? DRD4 genotype and attachment to the mother by examining family genotypes and the pattern of allele transmissions. Parental DRD4 genotypes were not associated with infant attachment (Gervai et al., 2005). 2. We found a significant association between infant attachment to the parents. Further, security of attachment to the father was associated with the infant?s DRD4 genotype (Tóth et al., in prep). 3. The 5-HTTLPR repeat polymorphism of the serotonin transporter promoter region was not associated with infant attachment, but together with the DRD4 genotype it affected the degree of stranger fear (Lakatos et al., 2003). 4. We obtained Hungarian weights for significant life events in families with young children (Danis et al., accepted). Using these, we estimated life-stress for the first year of infants? life (Danis et al., in prep). 5. We found an association between disorganized attachment and atypical maternal behavior, which was moderated by infant genotype. In the absence of the DRD4 7-repeat allele, atypical maternal behavior was strongly related to infant disorganization, but infants with the 7-repeat allele were insensitive to maternal atypical behavior. The paper describing the results was invited for publication in Social Neuroscience (Gervai et al., submitted)

State tomography for two qubits using reduced densities

The optimal state determination (or tomography) is studied for a composite system of two qubits when measurements can be performed on one of the qubits and interactions of the two qubits can be implemented. The goal is to minimize the number of interactions to be used. The algebraic method applied in the paper leads to an extension of the concept of mutually unbiased measurements.Comment: 8 pages LATE

Vírusok és molekuláris genetikai alterációk szerepe conjunctivalis, colorectalis, és anogenitalis elváltozások carcinogenezisében = The role of viruses and molecular genetic alterations in conjunctival, colorectal and anogenital carcinogenesis

Colorectalis daganatok miatt eltávolított biopszia mintákból Magyarországon először nukleinsav hybridizációs próbával mutattuk ki a human papillomavirusokat (HPV). 802 cervix mintából 432 esetben mutattunk ki nukleinsav hybridizációs próbával HPV-t. Randomszerűen 105 mintát választottunk ki consensus PCR és "short" fragmenteket amplifikáló módszerrel a HPV-k kimutatására. Összesen 41 mintából mutattunk ki HPV-t. RFLP módszert alkalmaztunk a HPV típus meghatározására. Mindkét módszert adaptáltuk real-time PCR (RT-PCR) módszerhez. 191 tünetmentes páciens cervix mintáiból consensus HPV PCR amplifikáció után kiválasztottuk a pozitív mintákat, melyeket az ún. "short" fragmenteket amplifikáló PCR módszerrel (az eredeti mintákat felhasználva) amplikonokat állítottunk elő. Linear array módszerrel meghatároztuk a HPV típusokat. A HPV-k kimutatására és egyidejűleg történő vírustípus kimutatására microchip módszert terveztünk. | Biopsy samples from operated colorectal carcinomas were used for the detection of human papillomaviruses (HPVs) by the nucleic acid hybridization probe, for the first time in Hungary. 432 of 802 cervix samples were positive by the nucleic acid hybridization probe. Randomly, 105 of the 432 samples were determined by both consensus and short fragment PCR methods. HPVs were detected in 41 samples. The HPV types were determined by the RFLP method. Both methods were adapted to the real-time PCR (RT-PCR) method. Cervix samples from asymptomatic patients (N = 191) were amplified with the consensus PCR method. In the event of positivity, the short fragment PCR method was performed to determine the HPV types by the linear array method. Simultaneously, a microchip method was designed for the detection of HPVs and determination of the HPV types

Investigating the distance limit of a metal nanoparticle based spectroscopic ruler

Conventional Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) processes involving a pair of fluorophore and organic quencher are restricted to an upper distance limit of ~10 nm. The application of a metal nanoparticle as a quencher can overcome the distance barrier of the traditional FRET technique. However, no standard distance dependence of this resonance energy transfer (RET) process has been firmly established. We have investigated the nonradiative energy transfer process between an organic donor (fluorescein) and gold nanoparticle quencher connected by double stranded (ds) DNA. The quenching efficiency of the gold nanoparticle as a function of distance between the donor and acceptor was determined by time-resolved lifetime analyses of the donor. Our results showed a 1/d4 distance dependence for the RET process for longer distances (>10 nm) and 1/d6 distance dependence for shorter distances (<10 nm). Our results clearly indicate the applicability of metal nanoparticle based quenchers for studying systems that exceed the 10 nm FRET barrier

Zombi: A phylogenetic simulator of trees, genomes and sequences that accounts for dead lineages

International audienceHere we present Zombi, a tool to simulate the evolution of species, genomes and sequences in silico, that considers for the first time the evolution of genomes in extinct lineages. It also incorporates various features that have not to date been combined in a single simulator, such as the possibility of generating species trees with a pre-defined variation of speciation and extinction rates through time, simulating explicitly intergenic sequences of variable length and outputting gene tree - species tree reconciliations

Prioritization of fish communities with a view to conservation and restoration on a large scale European basin, the Loire (France)

The hierarchical organization of important sites for the conservation or the restoration of fish communities is a great challenge for managers, especially because of financial or time constraints. In this perspective, we developed a methodology, which is easy to implement in different locations. Based on the fish assemblage characteristics of the Loire basin (France), we created a synthetic conservation value index including the rarity, the conservation status and the species origin. The relationship between this new synthetic index and the Fish-Based Index allowed us to establish a classification protocol of the sites along the Loire including fish assemblages to be restored or conserved. Sites presenting disturbed fish assemblages, a low rarity index, few threatened species, and a high proportion of non-native species were considered as important for the restoration of fish biodiversity. These sites were found mainly in areas where the assemblages are typical of the bream zone, e.g. with a higher number of eurytopic and limnophilic species. On the contrary, important sites for conservation were defined as having an important conservation potential (high RI, a lot of threatened species, and few nonnatives fish species) and an undisturbed fish assemblage similar to the expected community if habitats are undisturbed. Important sites for conservation were found in the Loire basin’s medium reaches which host assemblages typical for the grayling and the barbell zones, e.g. with a higher number of rheophilic species. The synthetic conservation value index could be adapted and completed with other criteria according to management priorities and capacities

Megaphylogeny resolves global patterns of mushroom evolution

Mushroom-forming fungi (Agaricomycetes) have the greatest morphological diversity and complexity of any group of fungi. They have radiated into most niches and fulfil diverse roles in the ecosystem, including wood decomposers, pathogens or mycorrhizal mutualists. Despite the importance of mushroom-forming fungi, large-scale patterns of their evolutionary history are poorly known, in part due to the lack of a comprehensive and dated molecular phylogeny. Here, using multigene and genome-based data, we assemble a 5,284-species phylogenetic tree and infer ages and broad patterns of speciation/extinction and morphological innovation in mushroom-forming fungi. Agaricomycetes started a rapid class-wide radiation in the Jurassic, coinciding with the spread of (sub)tropical coniferous forests and a warming climate. A possible mass extinction, several clade-specific adaptive radiations and morphological diversification of fruiting bodies followed during the Cretaceous and the Paleogene, convergently giving rise to the classic toadstool morphology, with a cap, stalk and gills (pileate-stipitate morphology). This morphology is associated with increased rates of lineage diversification, suggesting it represents a key innovation in the evolution of mushroom-forming fungi. The increase in mushroom diversity started during the Mesozoic-Cenozoic radiation event, an era of humid climate when terrestrial communities dominated by gymnosperms and reptiles were also expanding.Fil: Varga, Torda. Hungarian Academy Of Sciences; HungríaFil: Krizsán, Krisztina. Hungarian Academy Of Sciences; HungríaFil: Földi, Csenge. Hungarian Academy Of Sciences; HungríaFil: Dima, Bálint. Eötvös Loránd University; HungríaFil: Sánchez-García, Marisol. Clark University; Estados UnidosFil: Lechner, Bernardo Ernesto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Micología y Botánica. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Micología y Botánica; ArgentinaFil: Sánchez-Ramírez, Santiago. University of Toronto; CanadáFil: Szöllosi, Gergely J.. Eötvös Loránd University; HungríaFil: Szarkándi, János G.. University Of Szeged; HungríaFil: Papp, Viktor. Szent István University; HungríaFil: Albert, László. Hungarian Mycological Society; HungríaFil: Andreopoulos, William. United States Department Of Energy. Joint Genome Institute; Estados UnidosFil: Angelini, Claudio. Jardin Botanico Nacional Ma. Moscoso; República DominicanaFil: Antonín, Vladimír. Moravian Museum; República ChecaFil: Barry, Kerrie W.. United States Department Of Energy. Joint Genome Institute; Estados UnidosFil: Bougher, Neale L.. Western Australian Herbarium; AustraliaFil: Buchanan, Peter. Manaaki Whenua-landcare Research; Nueva ZelandaFil: Buyck, Bart. Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle; FranciaFil: Bense, Viktória. Hungarian Academy Of Sciences; HungríaFil: Catcheside, Pam. State Herbarium Of South Australia; AustraliaFil: Chovatia, Mansi. United States Department Of Energy. Joint Genome Institute; Estados UnidosFil: Cooper, Jerry. Manaaki Whenua-landcare Research; Nueva ZelandaFil: Dämon, Wolfgang. Oberfeldstrasse 9; AustriaFil: Desjardin, Dennis. San Francisco State University; Estados UnidosFil: Finy, Péter. Zsombolyai U. 56.; HungríaFil: Geml, József. Naturalis Biodiversity Center; Países BajosFil: Haridas, Sajeet. United States Department Of Energy. Joint Genome Institute; Estados UnidosFil: Hughes, Karen. University of Tennessee; Estados UnidosFil: Justo, Alfredo. Clark University; Estados UnidosFil: Karasinski, Dariusz. Polish Academy of Sciences; Poloni