Functional Cooperativity between ABCG4 and ABCG1 Isoforms

ABCG4 belongs to the ABCG subfamily, the members of which are half transporters composed of a single transmembrane and a single nucleotide-binding domain. ABCG proteins have a reverse domain topology as compared to other mammalian ABC transporters, and have to form functional dimers, since the catalytic sites for ATP binding and hydrolysis, as well as the transmembrane domains are composed of distinct parts of the monomers. Here we demonstrate that ABCG4 can form homodimers, but also heterodimers with its closest relative, ABCG1. Both the full-length and the short isoforms of ABCG1 can dimerize with ABCG4, whereas the ABCG2 multidrug transporter is unable to form a heterodimer with ABCG4. We also show that contrary to that reported in some previous studies, ABCG4 is predominantly localized to the plasma membrane. While both ABCG1 and ABCG4 have been suggested to be involved in lipid transport or regulation, in accordance with our previous results regarding the long version of ABCG1, here we document that the expression of both the short isoform of ABCG1 as well as ABCG4 induce apoptosis in various cell types. This apoptotic effect, as a functional read-out, allowed us to demonstrate that the dimerization between these half transporters is not only a physical interaction but functional cooperativity. Given that ABCG4 is predominantly expressed in microglial-like cells and endothelial cells in the brain, our finding of ABCG4-induced apoptosis may implicate a new role for this protein in the clearance mechanisms within the central nervous system

TQM and Organizational Development

Today, there is only one certain thing in the life of organizations and corporations, being challenged by continuous change. It is much better to participate in these changes with awareness than just suffer them passively. One of the possible answers to the changes is TQM that is rather a management than a quality philosophy. The main issue of this article is that implementing TQM entails a major organizational change and if we do not consider it, it will lead to failure. Leaders, organizational culture, empowerment and their development play an especially important role to achieve the objectives we set. The hundred-year-old practice of management (organizing and leadership) has justified that there are no present general organization-transformational principles and this view has gained greater attention in the literature since the 50s. `Basic truth´ is usually trivial or they express general principles that do not really help in solving real problems. It does not necessarily mean that this theory is useless in sciences but it does not fit the applications of management. There are no general `recipes´ for applying change processes, they have to be established and carried out `then and there´ by leadership and management

The Adaptation of International Education Valuation Methods in Hungary

`Traditional´ principles and methods of quality management systems without any alteration cannot be adopted when evaluating the quality of education. In the article we describe the evaluation systems used in western countries, then after a short review of the domestic legal regulations we show how the adaptation of foreign quality evaluation systems succeeded in Hungary. In the last part of the article we present a particular example of a course level quality evaluation system in connection with the MBA post-graduate course at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics, highlighting the possible problems and the options for improvement

Investigation of the Relationship Between Soil Erosion, Land Cover and Hemeroby Level in Cserépfalu by Analysing Soil Profiles

We can measure the effects of anthropogenic processes to the nature in case of hilly agricultural areas with the rate of soil (water) erosion. There is actual question what kind of connection could be shown between the rate of soil erosion, land cover categories and hemeroby levels? How can the intensity of antropogenic effects influence the rate of soil erosion? We did some research work in the North Hungarian Region, in Cserépfalu in 2014. In Cserépfalu, the northern areas are under nature conservation and belong to the Southern Bükk Mountains while the southern dissected pediment is the extensive agricultural territory. We described the soil types in the southern areas using the soil description method of FAO. We collected data about the rate of soil erosion, the land cover types, slope angle, slope forms, slope aspect and data for the relief conditions too. We could point out the sheet erosion around the 15 investigated soil profiles and we could found 3 strongly eroded, 8 medium eroded and 4 accumulated soil profiles. The land cover categories were given based on FAO category system and topographic map from 1990. Our results showed that land cover categories were changed in time and it caused the change of hemeroby levels as well. The intensity of land cultivation in investigated areas was changed. We could point out in some cases that the stronger soil erosion rate was caused by former land cover system. In summary, some former agricultural areas were changed and became as an abandoned areas so that the antropogenic effects were decreased in extensive agricultural areas in Cserépfalu. Our results can be compared with another pediments dissected by valleys where extensive agricultural areas are characteristic in Hungary

Szülői hormonkoncentráció és szülői ráfordítás, élethossz reproduktív teljesítmény és ivadékminőség az éjszakai ragadozó madarak szaporodásában. = Parental hormone concentration and parental investment, life-span reproductive perfomance and offspring quality in nocturnal raptors.

Teljesített kutatási programunk négy altémára különül el. 1) Szülői tesztoszteron és ösztrogén koncentráció a költési és a költésen kívüli időszak függvényében. 2) Rögzített, vagy az utódok igényétől függő szülői ráfordítás? Egy teória kísérleti elemzése. 3) A reproduktív képesség emelkedő és süllyedő szakasza, az öregedés. 4) Mennyiség versus minőség, az utódok minőségét meghatározó tényezők. 1) Kimutattuk, hogy a tesztoszteron (T) koncentráció a territóriumszerző tevékenységben tükrözi a hímek eltérő minőségét, és fiókagondozáskor a magasabb T szintűek intenzívebb táplálékhordással magasabb reproduktív sikert érnek el. 2) Terepkísérletekkel igazoltuk, hogy az éjszakai ragadozó madarak a fiókák szükségletétől függetlenül rögzített szülői befektetéssel nevelik fel utódaikat. 3) Feltártuk, hogy a szülői T és ösztrogén koncentráció korrellál az életkorfüggő költési sikerrel, - hogy idős fészkelő pároknak csökken a predációs kockázata - hogy elszenvedett predáció növeli a szülők predátorelhárító tevékenységét – és kimutattuk, hogy az idős hímeket a középkorosztály kiszorítja a jó minőségű élőhelyekről, és ezzel csökken reproduktív teljesítményük. 4) Összefüggést mutattunk ki a kelés utáni fióka T koncentráció és az ivadékok kirepülési kondíciója között, valamint hogy kevés utódot produkáló fészekaljakból több ivadék marad reproduktív tevékenységre a helyi populációban, mint a sokfiókájú fészekaljakból. (Cikkek: Acta Ornith. 2, Ornis Fenn. 2, Ardea 1, J. Ornith. 1, Folia Zool. 2) | The project was divided into four parts. 1) Annual cycle of testosterone and estradiol concentration in male and female tawny owls. 2) Fixed schedule or demand-dependent investment in parental care. An experimental test. 3) Increase and decline in the reproduction, the scenescence. 4) Quantity versus quality: factors determining offspring quality. 1) We have shown that different testosterone cencentrations (T) in males reflect different abilities to acquire territory and males with high T levels feed their nestlings more intensively and achieve higher breeding success. 2) We tested the ’Fixed schedule theory’ using brood size manipulation: male Tawny Owls regulate their feeding effort independently of the offspring’ needs. 3) We have found that parental T and estradiol levels correlate with age-dependent breeding success.- The predation risk for owl parents decreases as they acquire breeding experience.- Field experiment showed that after the owl parents have suffered brood predation they enhance their antipredator activity.- Old males are forced by males of middle age to vacate their high quality territories, hence their breeding performance declines. 4) A relationship was found between the post-hatching T concentration and the fledging condition of those offspring.- Moreover parents raise a greater proportion of high quality recruits from low fledgling production, than from high fledgling production. Articles: Acta Ornith. 2, Ornis Fenn. 2, Ardea 1, J. Ornith. 1, Folia Zool.

Fészekaljszabályzás és utód-szexarány, szülői minőség és párhűség az éjszakai ragadozó madarak szaporodásában = Brood size control and offspring sex-ratio, parental quality and mate fidelity in the breeding of nocturnal raptors

A teljesített kutatási program négy altémára különült el: 1) Szülőktől irányított hormonális fészekaljszabályzás. 2) Ivari preferencia az utódgondozásban. 3) Parazitafertőzöttség és az ösztrogén illetve tesztoszteron-koncentráció összefüggése, hatásuk a reproduktív teljesítményre és a párkötöttségre. 4) A fészekaljakat ért predáció mértéke és következménye. 1) és 2) altéma. - Kimutattuk a szülői életkor és az időjárás hatását az ivadékok tesztoszteron koncentrációjára és túlélésére, kísérlettel megerősítettük az anyai befolyást az utódok tesztoszteron koncentrációjára, megállapítottuk, hogy a szülők képesek az utódok ivararányát az uralkodó környezeti feltételekhez és a demográfiai igényekhez igazítani. Publikációk: Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2004, 56:306-303; Condor 2005, 107:323-328; Ethology 2006, 112: 1-7, közlésre leadva: J Avian Biol 3) altéma. - Vizsgálataink a szülői minőségen feltárták a tesztoszteron és az esztradiol koncentráció pozitív korrelációját a szülői életkorral és a reproduktív teljesítménnyel. Publikáció: J Raptor Res 2005, 39:26-35; publikálásra leadva: J Field Ornithol. 4) altéma. - Kimutattuk , hogy a fészekaljpredációt szenvedett szülők nagyobb arányban váltak el és változtattak fészkelő helyet, mint a fészekaljat sikeresen felnevelők, és többen váltak illetve változtattak fészket, ha idősebb fiókákat vesztettek el, mintha fiatalabbakat. Publikálásra leadva: Acta Oecol | Project was distinguished into four points. 1) Brood size control by parental hormones. 2) Offspring sex favour in parental care. - Relationships between the sex of offspring, hatching order, testosterone concentration and survival. 3) Relationships between the parasite infection, estrogene and testosterone concentration of the parents and their effects on reproductive performance and mate fidelity. 4) Brood predation and its consequence. Points 1) and 2) We have shown the effect of parental age and weather on testosterone concentration and nestling survival, confirmed the maternal influence on offspring testosterone concentration by experiments and found broods being male biased during adverse conditions but female biased during mild conditions. Publications: Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2004, 56:306-303; Condor 2005, 107:323-328; Ethology 2006, 112: 1-7, submission to J Avian Biol Point 3) Examinations on parental quality have revealed the positive relationships between the estradiol and testosterone concentration and parental age and breeding success. Publication: J Raptor Res 2005, 39:26-35; submission to J Field Ornithol Point 4) More parents whose broods were depredated changed mate and nest site than parents whose broods were raised. Increased divorces and shifts of nest sites, as a consequences of brood predation suffered in late breeding season, support the age investment hypothesis for temporal changes in brood defence. Submitted to Acta Oeco

Pancreatic Ductal Bicarbonate Secretion: Challenge of the Acinar Acid Load

Acinar and ductal cells of the exocrine pancreas form a close functional unit. Although most studies contain data either on acinar or ductal cells, an increasing number of evidence highlights the importance of the pancreatic acinar-ductal functional unit. One of the best examples for this functional unit is the regulation of luminal pH by both cell types. Protons co-released during exocytosis from acini cause significant acidosis, whereas, bicarbonate secreted by ductal cells cause alkalization in the lumen. This suggests that the first and probably one of the most important role of bicarbonate secretion by pancreatic ductal cells is not only to neutralize the acid chyme entering into the duodenum from the stomach, but to neutralize acidic content secreted by acinar cells. To accomplish this role, it is more than likely that ductal cells have physiological sensing mechanisms which would allow them to regulate luminal pH. To date, four different classes of acid-sensing ion channels have been identified in the gastrointestinal tract (transient receptor potential ion channels, two-pore domain potassium channel, ionotropic purinoceptor and acid-sensing ion channel), however, none of these have been studied in pancreatic ductal cells. In this mini-review, we summarize our current knowledge of these channels and urge scientists to characterize ductal acid-sensing mechanisms and also to investigate the challenge of the acinar acid load on ductal cells

Intracelluláris védekező mechanizmusok akut pancreatitisben: kísérletes és klinikai vizsgálatok = Intracellular protective mechanisms in acute pancreatitis: experimental and clinical investigations

● Arginin (Arg)-indukálta kísérletes pancreatitis során az Arg specifikus és dózis-függő NF-kB aktivációt okoz. ● Pyrrolidin dithiocarbamáttal és steroidokkal végzett előkezelés blokkolja az NF-kB aktivációt, és csökkenti a pancreatitis intenzitását. A steroid receptor antagonista RU-38486 fokozta a pancreatitis indukálta gyulladásos jeleket. ● Szintetikus NF-kB gátló peptidet (PN50) ill. azt a sejtbe transzportáló penetratin analógot állítottunk elő, melyek alkalmazásával az elő- és utókezelés egyaránt jelentősen csökkentette a cholecystokinin (CCK)-indukálta kísérletes pancreatitis súlyosságát. ● A szintetikus proteoszóma inhibitor MG132 tripeptid jelentősen gátolta az IkB degradációt és a következményes NF-kB aktivációt. Ez a magyarázata annak, hogy az MG132-vel végzett elő- és utókezelés egyaránt jelentősen csökkentette a CCK-indukálta kísérletes pancreatitis súlyosságát. ● Ischemia-reperfúzióval kiváltott nekrotizáló pancreatitis kialakulásában igazoltuk a gyulladásos cytokinek, és a nitrogén monoxid szerepét, és azt, hogy az apoptosis fokozásával mérsékelhető a necrosis mértéke. ● Genetikai eredményeink arra utalnak, hogy a humán acut pancreatitis súlyosságát a CD14 LPS receptor polymorfizmusa nem befolyásolja. A HSP70-2G és a TNF-?-308 allélek előfordulása azonban jelentősen gyakoribb volt a súlyos nekrotizáló formákban. | ● Arginine (Arg) induces a dose-dependent activation of NF-kB in Arg-induced pancreatitis. ● Both pyrrolidin dithiocarbamate (PDTC) and steroid pretreatment blocked the activation of NF-kB with simultaneous decrease in the intensity of the inflammation. The steroid receptor antagonist RU-38486 had an opposite effect. ● Both the synthetic inhibitory peptide (PN50) of NF-kB and the cell transporter penetratin significantly decreased the severity of CCK-induced experimental pancreatitis. As sign of cyto-protection, PN50 increased the proportion of apoptosis versus necrosis of acinar cells. ● The synthetic proteasome inhibitor MG132 tripeptide (Z-Leu-Leu-Leu-aldehyd) significantly inhibited the degradation of IkB and the activation of NF-kB. ● Melatonin and resveratrol diminished severity and mortality of pancreatitis. ● In human studies we have demonstrated that high frequencies of the HSP70-2 G and the TNF-?-308 alleles were associated with risk of severe acute pancreatitis. Genotype assessments with determination of the polymorphisms of these genes may be important prognostic tools to predict disease severity and the course of acute pancreatitis. ● Pancreatic ductal epithelium derived from guinea pig was infected with genetically modified (non-virulent) pseudorabies virus. These results may open the possibility for gene transfer and gene therapy of the pancreas

The Idol Moloch in the Church. The Interconnection of Calvinist Identity and the Memory of Reformation in the South-Eastern Part of the Hungarian Kingdom in the 18th Century

"In Vadász, Arad County, in the second third of the 18th century, the statue of Moloch in the village church caused a conflict, as the local Reformed minister had had it destroyed around 1769. At first glance, the situation seems simple since it is not customary in Reformed churches to have the decoration typical of Catholic churches, so it is not surprising that the minister removed it. Yet the situation is not clear-cut because we do not know why it had not bothered anyone in the two hundred years since the Reformation began. In our study, we describe – through the example of the statue destruction in Vadász – what Reformed identity was like in the Kingdom of Hungary in the 18th century. In our analysis, we find that the development of Reformed conscience was delayed compared to the western half of Europe. The same is demonstrated in the 18th-century Reformed Church history writings, as the events of the Reformation had not been put on paper in most congregations up until then. Most congregational histories are based on oral traditions, with little historical literature being used to support them. Keywords: collective memory, Reformed church, oral tradition, historiography, Calvinist identity, history of reading, idol demolition, history of Reformation, Hungarian Kingdom

Investigation of the Relationship Between Soil Erosion, Land Cover and Hemeroby Level in Cserépfalu by Analysing Soil Profiles

We can measure the effects of anthropogenic processes to the nature in case of hilly agricultural areas with the rate of soil (water) erosion. There is actual question what kind of connection could be shown between the rate of soil erosion, land cover categories and hemeroby levels? How can the intensity of antropogenic effects influence the rate of soil erosion? We did some research work in the North Hungarian Region, in Cserépfalu in 2014. In Cserépfalu, the northern areas are under nature conservation and belong to the Southern Bükk Mountains while the southern dissected pediment is the extensive agricultural territory. We described the soil types in the southern areas using the soil description method of FAO. We collected data about the rate of soil erosion, the land cover types, slope angle, slope forms, slope aspect and data for the relief conditions too. We could point out the sheet erosion around the 15 investigated soil profiles and we could found 3 strongly eroded, 8 medium eroded and 4 accumulated soil profiles. The land cover categories were given based on FAO category system and topographic map from 1990. Our results showed that land cover categories were changed in time and it caused the change of hemeroby levels as well. The intensity of land cultivation in investigated areas was changed. We could point out in some cases that the stronger soil erosion rate was caused by former land cover system. In summary, some former agricultural areas were changed and became as an abandoned areas so that the antropogenic effects were decreased in extensive agricultural areas in Cserépfalu. Our results can be compared with another pediments dissected by valleys where extensive agricultural areas are characteristic in Hungary