Stationary and mobile particulate matter concentration measurement in Miskolc

A stationary and mobile device based on a low-cost dust sensor (Plantower PMS7003) was used to study particulate matter (PM) concentration in Miskolc. The stationary device was placed at the automatic monitoring station of the National Air Quality Measurement Network (OLM) in Martintelep, Miskolc. The mobile device was used to walk 4 streets along a square route with a total length of 800 m. Measurements were made on two days (September 9 and 11) between 7am and 9am, which according to preliminary experience coincided with the morning rush hour. The access route includes the OLM monitoring station, a busy road, two bypasses, a parking lot, and a smaller roadway blocked by traffic. The measured PM1, PM2.5, PM10 concentrations of the mobile device were interpolated on a circuit-by-circuit basis in ArcGIS, and conclusions were drawn for the area. The concentration of stationary and mobile devices was compared

What have we learned from two-pore potassium channels? Their molecular configuration and function in the human heart

Two-pore domain potassium channels (K2P) control excitability, stabilize the resting membrane potential below firing threshold, and accelerate repolarisation in different cells. Until now, fifteen different genes for the six K2P channel subfamily were cloned. The pore-forming part is translated from two genes and they are built up from a dimer of two two-unit transmembrane domains functioning with a wide spectrum of physiological profiles. K2P ion channels were discovered in the last two decades and gave novel opportunity to recognize the complex molecular mechanism of the potassium ion flux, and may lead to the design of individual drug targeting in the future. In this review, we summarise the structure, function, channelopathies and pharmacological silhouette of the two-pore potassium channels in the human tissues. In addition, we present the computer model of the partially reconstructed wild type K2P1/TWIK1 lacking the intracellular C and N terminal loop

A szél- és napnapenergia, valamint az energetikai célú biomassza hasznosításának éghajlati és társadalmi-gazdasági kérdései a Hernád-völgyben = Climatic conditions and social-economic issues of the utilization of wind, solar and biomass energy in the Hernád-valley, North Hungary

A kutatás során a Hernád-völgy társadalmi-gazdasági és éghajlati adottságait vizsgáltuk azzal a céllal, hogy megállapítsuk: ezek milyen mértékig segítik elő vagy gátolják a szél- és napenergia, valamint a biomassza energetikai célú hasznosítását Statisztikai források alapján feltártuk a Hernád-völgy hátrányos helyzetű településeinek legfontosabb gazdasági-társadalmi adatait, valamint az erdészeti biomasszára vonatkozó adatokat. A megyei, régiós és országos átlagadatokkal összehasonlítva többek között megállapítottuk, hogy a víz-, csatorna- és föld-gázvezetékek kiépítése jóval kedvezőtlenebb. Utóbbi kettő indokolttá teheti az energetikai fejlesztéseket. A kistáj bioenergetikai lehetőségeinél elmondható, hogy az erdészeti faapríték potenciálja feltétlenül figyelembe veendő. Statisztikai adatfeldolgozás és a térinformatikai módszerek egybekapcsolásával elvégzett vizsgálataink azt mutatják, hogy a nagy időbeli fluktuáció ellenére hatékony lehet a terület szélenergiájának felhasználása, elsősorban az alacsony indítási sebességű szélerőművek vagy a szélerőgépek esetében. A Hernád-völgy napenergia potenciáljának feltárásához a fenti két módszerrel elvégeztük a térségbe jutó, a helyi, elsősorban a domborzati körülmények által jelentősen befolyásolt globálsugárzás időbeli és térbeli eloszlásának elemzését. A felszínre érkező globálsugárzási adatok kiértékelése elengedhetetlen információkat nyújt a Hernád-völgyben tervezett napenergia beruházások tervezésénél, gazdasági elemzésénél. | Role of socio-economic and climatic endowments of the Hernád-valley in energetic solar, wind and biomass utilization have been examined in our research program. Most important socio-economic characteristics of settlements and parameters of biomass production in the Hernád-valley have been determined on the base of statistical data. Compared to county, region, or national averages water, gas and drainage systems are rather underdeveloped in the Hernád-valley. These facts support renewable energetic developments. The micro region has a good potential in chopped wood biomass. Despite its strong temporal fluctuations wind energy utilization can be effective especially in the case of low critical velocity wind turbines and windmills according to our results gained using statistical data analyses combined with geoinformatic methods. However, small windmills and wind generators with capacities of several hundred watts or kilowatts could be more effective solutions, since they can be operated in island mode, what means that their establishment requires much less permissions. The before mentioned two methods have been used for examination of solar energy potential of the Hernád-valley as well. Spatial and temporal patterns of solar irradiance strongly influenced by the relief have been determined. Amount of solar irradiance can be measured on the surface provides important information for the planning and economic analyses of solar energy utilization projects in the Hernád-valley

Intensification of Ex Situ Bioremediation of Soils Polluted with Used Lubricant Oils

Used lubricant oils (ULOs) strongly bind to soil particles and cause persistent pollution. In this study, soil microcosm experiments were conducted to model the ex situ bioremediation of a long term ULO-polluted area. Biostimulation and various inoculation levels of bioaugmentation were applied to determine the efficacy of total petrol hydrocarbon (TPH) removal. ULO-contaminated soil microcosms were monitored for microbial respiration, colony-forming units (CFUs) and TPH bioconversion. Biostimulation with inorganic nutrients was responsible for 22% of ULO removal after 40 days. Bioaugmentation using two hydrocarbon-degrader strains: Rhodococcus quingshengii KAG C and Rhodococcus erythropolis PR4 at a small inoculum size (107 CFUs g−1 soil), reduced initial TPH concentration by 24% and 29%, respectively; the application of a higher inoculum size (109 CFUs g−1 soil) led to 41% and 32% bioconversion, respectively. After 20 days, all augmented CFUs decreased to the same level as measured in the biostimulated cases, substantiating the challenge for the newly introduced hydrocarbon-degrading strains to cope with environmental stressors. Our results not only highlight that an increased number of degrader cells does not always correlate with enhanced TPH bioconversion, but they also indicate that biostimulation might be an economical solution to promote ULO biodegradation in long term contaminated soils

The establishment and significance of district/regional roof cadastres in the utilization of solar energy

Abstract: After its establishment, the roof cadastre -solar cadastre I wish to introduce in this article will form a database, with the help of which we will be able to analyse solar radiation factors on the local level (street, house), and a map display will also be available. Through the implementation of the appropriate methods, we can establish roof/solar cadastres on the settlement/district/regional level and these can help to increase the rate of utilization of renewable energy sources

The establishment and significance of district/regional roof cadastres in the utilization of solar energy

After its establishment, the roof cadastre - solar cadastre I wish to introduce in this article will form a database, with the help of which we will be able to analyse solar radiation factors on the local level (street, house), and a map display will also be available. Through the implementation of the appropriate methods, we can establish roof/solar cadastres on the settlement/district/regional level and these can help to increase the rate of utilization of renewable energy sources

A new cross-border research possibility in four countries (Hungary, Slovakia, Ukraine, Romania)

The creation of the cross-border regional innovation strategy has been expected to play an important role in enhancement of the interregional and international cooperation and competitiveness. The creation of the common cross-border network represented a rather exceptional opportunity to test and overcome the border barriers, to strengthen transnational and regional co-operation in the field of SMEs, tourism and to exploit the existing capacities in a more efficient, integrated way. We (The University of Miskolc/Department of Geography and UNI-FLEXYS) want to create that cross border network in that new way. This study focuses on introducing our plans and how we want to carry out idea

Genetic and Environmental Effects on the Development of White Matter Hyperintensities in a Middle Age Twin Population

Introduction: White matter hyperintensities (WMH) indicate white matter brain lesions in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which can be used as a marker for brain aging and cerebrovascular and neurodegenerative disorders. Twin studies revealed substantial but not uniform WMH heritability in elderly twins. The objective of our study was to investigate the genetic and environmental components of WMH, as well as their importance in a healthy twin population, utilizing 3T MRI scanners in a middle-aged twin population. Methods: Brain MRI was performed on 120 healthy adult twins from the Hungarian Twin Registry on a 3T scanner (86 monozygotic, MZ and 34 dizygotic, DZ twins; median age 50 ± 26.5 years, 72.5% female and 27.5% male). The count of WMH on FLAIR images was calculated using an automated volumetry pipeline (volBrain) and human processing. The age- and sex-adjusted MZ and DZ intra-pair correlations were determined and the total variance was decomposed into genetic, shared and unique environmental components using structural equation modeling. Results: Age and sex-adjusted MZ intrapair correlations were higher than DZ correlations, indicating moderate genetic influence in each lesion (rMZ = 0.466, rDZ = −0.025 for total count; rMZ = 0.482, rDZ = 0.093 for deep white matter count; rMZ = 0.739, rDZ = 0.39 for infratentorial count; rMZ = 0.573, rDZ = 0.372 for cerebellar count and rMZ = 0.473, rDZ = 0.19 for periventricular count), indicating a moderate heritability (A = 40.3%, A = 45%, A = 72.7% and A = 55.5%and 47.2%, respectively). The rest of the variance was influenced by unique environmental effects (E between 27.3% and 59.7%, respectively). Conclusions: The number of WMH lesions is moderately influenced by genetic effects, particularly in the infratentorial region in middle-aged twins. These results suggest that the distribution of WMH in various brain regions is heterogeneous