Jonah M. Otto, Peter M. Frinchaboy, Natalie R. Myers
et al.
The Open Cluster Chemical Abundances and Mapping (OCCAM) survey seeks to curate a large, comprehensive, uniform dataset of open clusters and member stars to constrain key Galactic parameters. This eighth entry from the OCCAM survey, based on the newly released Sloan Digital Sky Survey V/Milky Way Mapper Data Release 19 (DR19), has established a sample of 158 quality open clusters that are used to constrain the radial and azimuthal gradients of the Milky Way. The DR19 cluster sample [Fe/H] abundances are largely consistent with measurements from other large-scale spectroscopic surveys. However, the gradients we calculate deviate considerably for some elements. We find an overall linear Galactic radial [Fe/H] gradient of −0.079 ± 0.006 dex kpc ^−1 using the cluster’s current Galactocentric radius and a gradient of −0.071 ± 0.005 dex kpc ^−1 with respect to the cluster’s guiding center radius. We do not find strong evidence for significant evolution of the differential element gradients ([X/Fe]) investigated here (O, Mg, Si, S, Ca, Ti, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Na, Al, K, Ce, Nd), and instead show indications that the radial [Fe/H] gradient does not change significantly with stellar population age. For the first time, using the OCCAM sample, we have sufficient numbers of clusters to investigate Galactic azimuthal variations. In this work, we find evidence of azimuthal variations in the measured radial abundance gradient in the Galactic disk using our open cluster sample.
Eremić-Đođić Jelica, Đurđević Diona, Kolta Dóra
et al.
Purpose: The problems of the Roma population play a very important role for the Government of Serbia. An anonymous questionnaire was used to conduct the empirical research, which was distributed online to all local self-government units and Roma non-governmental organizations in the Republic of Serbia. Methodology: In order to check the dimensionality of the scales, exploratory factor (EFA) analysis was used. During factor extraction, the principal components analysis method was applied, with the Promax solution selected in rotation. Findings: According to the results of the CFA, the indicators of the five-factor structure of the social inclusion of the Roma national community were achieved at an acceptable level because they confirm the five-factor segment of the social inclusion of the Roma national community. The measurement model was evaluated based on reliability, convergent validity and discriminant validity. Originality/value: Based on the presented results, the existence of a five-factor structure of social inclusion of the Roma national community can be confirmed. Practical implications - The coefficients of the path for the quality of life of Roma varied between five segments of social inclusion, of which employment, as one of the segments of social inclusion, has the greatest statistical significance - the impact on the quality of life of Roma. Limitations: The limitations of the study how to increase the employability of Roma men and women in public institutions.
Tan Ba Tran, Éva Sipos, Attila Csaba Bényei
et al.
Heterobimetallic complexes of an ambidentate deferiprone derivative, 3-hydroxy-2-methyl-1-(3-((pyridin-2-ylmethyl)amino)propyl)pyridin-4(1H)-one (PyPropHpH), incorporating an octahedral [Co(4N)]3+ (4N = tris(2-aminoethyl)amine (tren) or tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine (tpa)) and a half-sandwich type [(η6-p-cym)Ru]2+ (p-cym = p-cymene) entity have been synthesized and characterized by various analytical techniques. The reaction between PyPropHpH and [Co(4N)Cl]Cl2 resulted in the exclusive (O,O) coordination of the ligand to Co(III) yielding [Co(tren)PyPropHp](PF6)2 (1) and [Co(tpa)PyPropHp](PF6)2 (2). This binding mode was further supported by the molecular structure of [Co(tpa)PyPropHp]2(ClO4)3(OH)·6H2O (5) and [Co(tren)PyPropHpH]Cl(PF6)2·2H2O·C2H5OH (6), respectively, obtained via the slow evaporation of the appropriate reaction mixtures and analyzed using X-ray crystallography. Subsequent treatment of 1 or 2 with [Ru(η6-p-cym)Cl2]2 in a one-pot reaction afforded the corresponding heterobimetallic complexes, [Co(tren)PyPropHp(η6-p-cym)RuCl](PF6)3 (3) and [Co(tpa)PyPropHp(η6-p-cym)RuCl](PF6)3 (4), in which the piano-stool Ru core is coordinated by the (N,N) chelating set of the ligand. Cyclic voltammetric measurements revealed that the tpa complexes can be reduced at less negative potentials, suggesting their capability to be bioreductively activated under hypoxia (1% O2). Hypoxia activation of 2 and 4 was demonstrated by cytotoxicity studies on the MCF-7 human breast cancer cell line. PyPropHpH was shown to be a typical iron-chelating anticancer agent, raising the mRNA levels of TfR1, Ndrg1 and p21. Further qRT-PCR studies provided unambiguous evidence for the bioreduction of 2 after 72 h incubation under hypoxia, in which the characteristic gene induction profile caused by the liberated iron-sequestering PyPropHpH was observed.
The significance of V2X (Vehicle-to-Everything) technology in the context of highly automated and autonomous vehicles can hardly be overestimated. While V2X is not considered a standalone technology for achieving high automation, it is recognized as a safety-redundant component in automated driving systems. This article aims to systematically assess the requirements towards V2X input data to highly automated and autonomous systems that can individually, or in combination with other sensors, enable certain levels of autonomy. It addresses the assessment of V2X input data requirements for different levels of autonomy defined by SAE International, regulatory challenges, scalability issues in hybrid environments, and the potential impact of Internet of Things (IoT)-based information in non-automotive technical fields. A method is proposed for assessing the applicability of V2X at various levels of automation based on system complexity. The findings provide valuable insights for the development, deployment and regulation of V2X-enabled automated systems, ultimately contributing to enhanced road safety and efficient mobility.
Krisztián Enisz, Ernő Horváth, Norbert Markó
et al.
There are several global and local position estimation and refinement techniques based on the GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) and environmental monitoring (e.g., LIDAR, Light Detection and Ranging). These are usually based on a combination of multiple sensors using some form of sensor fusion, together with a filtering or observation technique. The behavior of these algorithms may vary depending on the applied sensor signals and on their accuracy under different environmental conditions and for different vehicle types. In the case of systems that also use GNSS signals, different procedures must also be prepared for signal dropouts and, in the worst case, drastic fluctuations in accuracy. The aim of this research is to present and compare the performance of different estimation procedures for different vehicles and environmental conditions.
The aim of this paper is to measure whether the regions lagging behind in the European knowledge field could get closer to the core of the Framework Programmes’ (FP) R&D network.
Regional economics. Space in economics, Economics as a science
In Hungary, in the period before the political transition, in 1989 and in the first years afterwards, a relatively small number of medical compensation lawsuits were initiated. However, the enactment of the Health Act in 1997 has gradually changed this and made the patient from the previous vulnerable position to an equal partner with the healers. As a consequence, we can observe the conscious consumer behaviour of citizens in relation to healthcare services, so recently the quality of health services is more often being questioned.
In the previous judicial practice, the rate of patients winning lawsuits was completely different compared to the current situation, the majority of cases ended with the dismissal of their claims. The reason for this lies in the vulnerable position of the patient which already exists during healthcare and lawsuits as well. Neither the judicial practice nor the legal environment attempted to counterbalance this vulnerability at that time.
However, this has gradually changed, and nowadays we can witness a particularly strict judicial practice, the establishment of liability for damages of healthcare institutions is frequent.
The purpose of the article is to demonstrate how the judicial practice of the medical compensation cases has evolved over the past 15-20 years in Hungary, and as a result, what currently observable trends have emerged. To achieve this, it is essential to examine extensively two preconditions of civil law liability for damages, namely causation and fault, as jurisdiction has changed the most in this aspect. Many factors of uncertainty arise in connection with healthcare services due to the uniqueness of the human body. The outcome of lawsuits is significantly influenced by how the court assesses uncertainty factors and which party bears the burden of uncertainty.
Steffen Schneider, Alexei Baevski, R. Collobert
et al.
Currently, the research group has investigated deep neural network-based acoustic modeling technologies within the framework of the "Telemedicine" TÁMOP-4.2.2.A project. The group's researchers were among the first who analyzed the applicability of rectifier deep neural networks in speech recognition, and they obtained a new record of recognition accuracy on the widely studied TIMIT database using a special neural network that has a convolutional architecture. The various types of deep neural network algorithms were also evaluated and compared on Hungarian speech recognition tasks. The team's researchers won the "Emotion Sub-Challenge" of the "Computational Paralinguistic Challenge" of the Interspeech conference by making use of the AdaBoost algorithm.
Biocomposites were prepared from poly(lactic acid) and two natural reinforcements, a native starch and sugarcane bagasse fibers. The strength of interfacial adhesion was estimated by model calculations, and local deformation processes were followed by acoustic emission testing. The results showed that the two additives influence properties differently. The strength of interfacial adhesion and thus the extent of reinforcement are similar because of similarities in chemical structure, the large number of OH groups in both reinforcements. Relatively strong interfacial adhesion develops between the components, which renders coupling inefficient. Dissimilar particle characteristics influence local deformation processes considerably. The smaller particle size of starch results in larger debonding stress and thus larger composite strength. The fracture of the bagasse fibers leads to larger energy consumption and to increased impact resistance. Although the environmental benefit of the prepared biocomposites is similar, the overall performance of the bagasse fiber reinforced PLA composites is better than that offered by the PLA/starch composites.
Prostate cancer is one of the most frequent cancer types among men. Several biomarkers and risk assessment methods are already available; however, enhancing their selectivity and sensitivity is still necessary. For improving therapeutic decisions, both basic and clinical research studies are still ongoing for a better understanding of the underlying molecular mechanisms. The enzymatic digests of heparan sulfate (HS) and chondroitin sulfate (CS) chains were investigated in tissue samples taken from patients with prostate cancer (PCa) and benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) with the HPLC–MS methodology. None of the HS species analyzed showed correlating alterations with currently used markers such as clinical stage, Gleason score, or prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level. The total quantity and sulfation motifs of CS were both significantly different among BPH and different risk groups of PCa. Furthermore, the cancer-specific survival of patients can be predicted based on the levels of non-sulfated and doubly sulfated CS disaccharides as well as the total HS content and the doubly and triply sulfated HS disaccharide ratios. These disaccharide ratios proved to be independent markers from clinical parameters. Further investigations of glycosaminoglycan motifs were proposed for the validation of the results on independent patient cohorts as well.
Claudio Luparello, Rossella Branni, Giulia Abruscato
et al.
Echinoderms are an acknowledged source of bioactive compounds exerting various beneficial effects on human health. Here, we examined the potential in vitro anti-hepatocarcinoma effects of aqueous extracts of the cell-free coelomic fluid obtained from the sea urchin <i>Arbacia lixula</i> using the HepG2 cell line as a model system. This was accomplished by employing a combination of colorimetric, microscopic and flow cytometric assays to determine cell viability, cell cycle distribution, the possible onset of apoptosis, the accumulation rate of acidic vesicular organelles, mitochondrial polarization, cell redox state and cell locomotory ability. The obtained data show that exposed HepG2 cells underwent inhibition of cell viability with impairment of cell cycle progress coupled to the onset of apoptotic death, the induction of mitochondrial depolarization, the inhibition of reactive oxygen species production and acidic vesicular organelle accumulation, and the block of cell motile attitude. We also performed a proteomic analysis of the coelomic fluid extract identifying a number of proteins that are plausibly responsible for anti-cancer effects. Therefore, the anti-hepatocarcinoma potentiality of <i>A. lixula</i>’s preparation can be taken into consideration for further studies aimed at the characterization of the molecular mechanism of cytotoxicity and the development of novel prevention and/or treatment agents.
Nguyễn Ngọc Quyến, Getachew Worku Alebachew, Balázs Kucska
et al.
In this study, the inseminated sperm method (sperm injection into the ovarian lobe in externally fertilised fish species) combined with hormonal induction was conducted as a novel method to produce hybrid catfish by induced/tank spawning. In the treated group, four Clarias gariepinus ♀ were inseminated equally with Heterobranchus longifilis sperm in the ovaries at a dosage of 1 mL/fish and then introduced into four spawning cages together with four C. gariepinus ♂. Ovulation was induced by extracted carp pituitary (CPE) hormonal administration (♀; 5 mg CPE/BW kg). The hybridization rate was determined on the basis of morphological markers to distinguish between pure African catfish and hybrid in juvenile stage. A control experiment was also designed to determine this and to explore possible interactions between the two genotypes. In the control group, in vitro fertilisation (IVF) was used to produce pure progeny of C. gariepinus and the hybrid progeny between C. gariepinus ♀ × H. longifilis ♂. Exogenously fed larvae from each treatment were raised and compared after 28 days in four replications; the mixed group contained 50 C. gariepinus and 50 hybrids from IVF grown together, while every 100 larvae from each cage spawning pair were grown separately. The hybridisation rate determined based on morphological traits was 98.11 ± 1.59 (mean ± S.D.) for 28-day-old reared offspring. There were no significant differences (P > 0.05) in survival rate (%) between C. gariepinus (45.79 ± 6.82 %) and the hybrid (54.21 ± 6.82 %) in the control treatment; therefore, neither genotype had a negative effect on the other during the rearing period. From this result, we supposed that the hybridisation rate was also over 95 % at the moment of fertilisation. This approach could be an alternative method for producing hybrid catfish or other fish species without in vitro fertilisation.
Following a research project working with the concept of mountains in the age of the Anthropocene, this article takes on an experimental exercise in sonic thinking applied in the phenomenology of space. Instead of providing a reader with a concrete set of answers or methods, it presents processoriented insight into an emergence of a possible perspective on spatial research represented by the persona of liminaut. The liminaut strives to narrow down the epistemological gap between the subject and the studied space by thinking through media, and approaching space not as a disjointed object of inquiry but as an organic plane, which 1 has a potential to co-form the researcher. The article at hand might be read both as a theoretical and practical adventure, as well as a foray into the deserts of the real, testing the limits of representation. As with any experimental approach, there may be more questions than answers ensuing—yet, following the relevant acoustic metaphor, the paper shall be read as a moment of acoustic inception, a sequence of noise from which a new kind of thinking emerges and spreads onwards.
In this study, we consider the application of the Hungarian algorithm for allocating positions in robotic formations. Two modifications of the Hungarian algorithm are compared. The time dependence for determining bipartite matching for different number of agents was investigated..
Although 21 pancreatic cancer susceptibility loci have been identified in individuals of European ancestry through genome-wide association studies (GWASs), much of the heritability of pancreatic cancer risk remains unidentified. A recessive genetic model could be a powerful tool for identifying additional risk variants. To discover recessively inherited pancreatic cancer risk loci, we performed a re-analysis of the largest pancreatic cancer GWAS, the Pancreatic Cancer Cohort Consortium (PanScan) and the Pancreatic Cancer Case-Control Consortium (PanC4), including 8,769 cases and 7,055 controls of European ancestry. Six single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) showed associations with pancreatic cancer risk according to a recessive model of inheritance. We replicated these variants in 3,212 cases and 3,470 controls collected from the PANcreatic Disease ReseArch (PANDoRA) consortium. The results of the meta-analyses confirmed that rs4626538 (7q32.2), rs7008921 (8p23.2) and rs147904962 (17q21.31) showed specific recessive effects (p<10−5) compared with the additive effects (p>10−3), although none of the six SNPs reached the conventional threshold for genome-wide significance (p < 5×10−8). Additional bioinformatic analysis explored the functional annotations of the SNPs and indicated a possible relationship between rs36018702 and expression of the BCL2L11 and BUB1 genes, which are known to be involved in pancreatic biology. Our findings, while not conclusive, indicate the importance of considering non-additive genetic models when performing GWAS analysis. The SNPs associated with pancreatic cancer in this study could be used for further meta-analysis for recessive association of SNPs and pancreatic cancer risk and might be a useful addiction to improve the performance of polygenic risk scores.
Neoplasms. Tumors. Oncology. Including cancer and carcinogens