| 1. |
- Környei, Bálint S., et al.
(author)
-
Cerebral microbleeds may be less detectable by susceptibility weighted imaging MRI from 24 to 72 hours after traumatic brain injury
- 2021
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In: Frontiers in Neuroscience. - : Frontiers Media S.A.. - 1662-4548 .- 1662-453X. ; 15
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Purpose: A former rodent study showed that cerebral traumatic microbleeds (TMBs) may temporarily become invisible shortly after injury when detected by susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI). The present study aims to validate this phenomenon in human SWI.Methods: In this retrospective study, 46 traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients in various forms of severity were included and willingly complied with our strict selection criteria. Clinical parameters potentially affecting TMB count, Rotterdam and Marshall CT score, Mayo Clinic Classification, contusion number, and total volume were registered. The precise time between trauma and MRI [5 h 19 min to 141 h 54 min, including SWI and fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR)] was individually recorded; TMB and FLAIR lesion counts were assessed. Four groups were created based on elapsed time between the trauma and MRI: 0-24, 24-48, 48-72, and >72 h. Kruskal-Wallis, ANOVA, Chi-square, and Fisher's exact tests were used to reveal differences among the groups within clinical and imaging parameters; statistical power was calculated retrospectively for each comparison.Results: The Kruskal-Wallis ANOVA with Conover post hoc analysis showed significant (p = 0.01; 1-β > 0.9) median TMB number differences in the subacute period: 0-24 h = 4.00 (n = 11); 24-48 h = 1 (n = 14); 48-72 h = 1 (n = 11); and 72 h ≤ 7.5 (n = 10). Neither clinical parameters nor FLAIR lesions depicted significant differences among the groups.Conclusion: Our results demonstrate that TMBs on SWI MRI may temporarily become less detectable at 24-72 h following TBI.
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| 2. |
- Brandl, Matthias, et al.
(author)
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Digital Learning Environments to Support Autonomous Learning Processes of Mathematically Creative and Gifted Students
- 2024
-
In: Proceedings of the 26th International Conference on Interactive Collaborative Learning. - Madrid. ; , s. 198-205
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Analyses performed by the German Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs indicate that the educational system must address lifelong education in a context of digitalization, which is a major challenge of the transforming world of work and societal belonging. Representative studies characterise mathematically gifted pupils as independent, non-conformist and autonomous thinkers who are also displaying considerable levels of creativity. When focusing the mathematical content, gifted pupils enjoy working with challenging problems that offer diversified solutions and are explorative about a specific mathematical area. Accordingly, it is indicated that traditional classroom settings do have limited potential to address the needs of the gifted. Hence, the present paper discusses the possibilities to meet the developmental needs of mathematically gifted pupils via digital online learning environments, example here in the form of Digital Interactive Mathematical Maps (DIMM), a freely accessible digital tool developed at the University of Passau, Germany. The DIMM is based on a visualization of the historical development of different mathematical areas, such as geometry, algebra and stochastics. Last and importantly, the DIMM is deepened by tasks from mathematical competitions and fostering settings that are connected to mentioned timelines and that pupils can work with in respective contexts.
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| 3. |
- Brandl, Matthias, et al.
(author)
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Educating prospective teachers in the field of mathematical giftedness : Comparing experiences
- 2023
-
Reports (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This article focuses on how prospective teachers can be educated in the field of mathematical giftedness. Three independently developed concepts are compared to deduce cornerstones of appropriate seminar concepts. As one main result, it seems that a combination of theoretical and practical parts is particularly important for a sustainable education in the context of giftedness.
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| 4. |
- Brandl, Matthias, et al.
(author)
-
Overexcitability, iconoclasm and mathematical creativity & giftedness
- 2019
-
In: Including the Highly Gifted and Creative Students – Current Ideas and Future Directions. - Münster : WTM – Verlag für wissenschaftliche Texte und Medien. - 9783959871310 - 9783959871327 ; , s. 53-58
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- There are several theoretical psychological concepts in the realm of research on (mathematical) creativity and giftedness, e.g. originality, non-conformism, iconoclasm, overexcitability and high sensitivity. By connecting these aspects to one another we show some concept-immanent interdependencies and congruities. Applying those to the specific area of mathematics we identify a natural relation of the mentioned concepts to the character of performing and dealing with mathematics. Additionally, we derive some consequences for classroom teaching.
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| 5. |
- Delrez, Laetitia, et al.
(author)
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Transit detection of the long-period volatile-rich super-Earth nu(2) Lupi d with CHEOPS
- 2021
-
In: Nature Astronomy. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2397-3366. ; :5, s. 775-787
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Exoplanets transiting bright nearby stars are key objects for advancing our knowledge of planetary formation and evolution. The wealth of photons from the host star gives detailed access to the atmospheric, interior and orbital properties of the planetary companions. nu(2) Lupi (HD 136352) is a naked-eye (V = 5.78) Sun-like star that was discovered to host three low-mass planets with orbital periods of 11.6, 27.6 and 107.6 d via radial-velocity monitoring(1). The two inner planets (b and c) were recently found to transit(2), prompting a photometric follow-up by the brand new Characterising Exoplanets Satellite (CHEOPS). Here, we report that the outer planet d is also transiting, and measure its radius and mass to be 2.56 +/- 0.09 R-circle plus and 8.82 +/- 0.94 M-circle plus, respectively. With its bright Sun-like star, long period and mild irradiation (similar to 5.7 times the irradiation of Earth), nu(2) Lupi d unlocks a completely new region in the parameter space of exoplanets amenable to detailed characterization. We refine the properties of all three planets: planet b probably has a rocky mostly dry composition, while planets c and d seem to have retained small hydrogen-helium envelopes and a possibly large water fraction. This diversity of planetary compositions makes the nu(2) Lupi system an excellent laboratory for testing formation and evolution models of low-mass planets.
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| 6. |
- Fahlgren, Maria, 1966-, et al.
(author)
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Prospective teachers designing tasks for dynamic geometry environments
- 2022
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In: Proceedings of the Twelfth Congress of the European Society for Research in Mathematics Education (CERME 12). - Bozen-Bolzano : Free University of Bozen-Bolzano. - 9791221025378
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The paper examines the quality of digitized tasks designed by 10 (small) groups of prospective upper secondary school teachers as part of a geometry course assignment. The results indicate that a small instructional intervention, addressing the planning and implementation of tasks in digitized task environments as well as how to stimulate students to make mathematical generalizations, led to a relatively high proportion (8 out of 10) of high-quality tasks designed by the prospective teachers.
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| 7. |
- Fekete, Tünde, et al.
(author)
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Constraints for monocyte-derived dendritic cell functions under inflammatory conditions.
- 2012
-
In: European Journal of Immunology. - : Wiley. - 0014-2980 .- 1521-4141. ; 42:2, s. 458-69
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The activation of TLRs expressed by macrophages or DCs, in the long run, leads to persistently impaired functionality. TLR signals activate a wide range of negative feedback mechanisms; it is not known, however, which of these can lead to long-lasting tolerance for further stimulatory signals. In addition, it is not yet understood how the functionality of monocyte-derived DCs (MoDCs) is influenced in inflamed tissues by the continuous presence of stimulatory signals during their differentiation. Here we studied the role of a wide range of DC-inhibitory mechanisms in a simple and robust model of MoDC inactivation induced by early TLR signals during differentiation. We show that the activation-induced suppressor of cytokine signaling 1 (SOCS1), IL-10, STAT3, miR146a and CD150 (SLAM) molecules possessed short-term inhibitory effects on cytokine production but did not induce persistent DC inactivation. On the contrary, the LPS-induced IRAK-1 downregulation could alone lead to persistent MoDC inactivation. Studying cellular functions in line with the activation-induced negative feedback mechanisms, we show that early activation of developing MoDCs allowed only a transient cytokine production that was followed by the downregulation of effector functions and the preservation of a tissue-resident non-migratory phenotype.
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| 8. |
- Kai-Larsen, Ella, et al.
(author)
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Swedish students’ exploration of trigonometrical relationships : GeoGebra and protractors yield qualitatively different insights
- 2022
-
In: Proceedings of the Twelfth Congress of the European Society for Research in Mathematics Education (CERME12). - Bolzen-Bolzano, Italien : Free University of Bozen-Bolzano.
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Trigonometry, an important pre-requisite for many advanced topics of school mathematics, links geometric, algebraic and graphical reasoning, but remains a difficult topic to teach and learn. The dynamic nature of many trigonometric functions is amenable to dynamic geometry software, which, in the form of GeoGebra, is the focus of this paper. However, both generally and in respect of trigonometry, research on GeoGebra’s efficacy seems ambivalent. In this paper, we offer a case study of two groups of Swedish upper secondary students’ solutions to the same tasks. One group was instructed to use GeoGebra and the other a protractor to investigate the sine and cosine functions in in the interval 0° ≤ v ≤ 180°. Analyses yielded qualitatively different outcomes; students using the protractor typically identified a geometrical relationship based on symmetry around the protractor’s 90° line, while those using GeoGebra tended to identify only numerical relationships.
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| 9. |
- Leffler, Jonatan, et al.
(author)
-
Decreased Neutrophil Extracellular Trap Degradation in Shiga Toxin-Associated Haemolytic Uraemic Syndrome
- 2017
-
In: Journal of Innate Immunity. - : S. Karger AG. - 1662-811X .- 1662-8128. ; 9:1, s. 12-21
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) can stimulate thrombosis, and their degradation is decreased in several autoimmune disorders. It was recently reported that some patients with haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS) also fail to degrade NETs and that neutrophils from Shiga toxin-associated HUS are primed to form NETs. Method: We used a well-characterized cohort of 74 thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) patients, with a subset also providing follow-up samples, and 112 age-matched controls to investigate NET degradation and serum nuclease activity in TMA before, during and after treatment. Results: We identified that in the cohort of TMA patients, 50% of patients with Shiga toxin-associated HUS displayed a decreased ability to degrade NETs. NET degradation correlated with serum nuclease activity, but not with autoantibodies against double-stranded DNA, which has been previously observed in some autoimmune disorders. Further, NET degradation negatively correlated with serum creatinine levels, suggesting that kidney function was negatively impacted by the low NET degradation ability. Conclusions: We revealed that decreased NET degradation is a common feature of Shiga toxin-associated HUS and that it is associated with decreased kidney function in these patients. It remains to be clarified whether improving NET degradation would be beneficial for the patient.
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| 10. |
- Lichtenstein, Mia Beck, et al.
(author)
-
The Prevalence of Exercise Addiction Symptoms in a Sample of National Level Elite Athletes
- 2021
-
In: Frontiers in Sports and Active Living. - : Frontiers Media S.A.. - 2624-9367. ; 3
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Exaggerated exercise volumes, lack of control, withdrawal symptoms and conflicts with family and friends are core symptoms of exercise addiction. The condition can lead to health problems and social isolation because exercise is given the highest priority in any situation. The prevalence of the risk of exercise addiction has mostly been assessed in leisure time exercisers such as runners, fitness attendees and cyclists. The prevalence proportion ranges from 3 to 42% depending on the type of sport and the assessment tool. The proportion is greater among elite athletes, and increases with the level of competition. This study's primary aim was to assess the prevalence of exercise addiction among elite athletes competing at national level and its secondary aim was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Exercise Addition Inventory (EAI) in elite sports. Participants (n = 417) from 15 sports disciplines and with 51% women completed an online survey. Results showed that 7.6% were at risk of exercise addiction. This group was younger, exhibited tendency to exercise despite pain and injury, felt guilty if not exercising enough, and reported substantial eating disorder symptoms. The reliability and validity of the EAI was good suggesting that the scale is appropriate for measuring the risk of exercise addiction in elite athletes.
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| 11. |
- Marton, Janos, et al.
(author)
-
NMR Analysis of a Series of 6,14-Ethenomorphinan Derivatives as PET Precursors and Reference Substances**
- 2021
-
In: CHEMISTRYSELECT. - : Wiley. - 2365-6549. ; 6:24, s. 5994-6005
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The new semisynthetic oripavine derivative 3-O-trityl-6-O-desmethyl-dihydroetorphine was synthesized from the poppy alkaloid thebaine in a six-step procedure. This compound can be applied as precursor for the radiosynthesis of [6-O-methyl-C-11]-dihydroetorphine ([C-11]DHE). We present a detailed description of H-1 and C-13 NMR data of reference standards and precursors for [6-O-methyl-C-11]- and [6-O-(2-[F-18]fluoroethyl]orvinols. This includes the complete assignment for 19 oripavine derivatives examined in 1D and 2D NMR experiments. We also investigated the molecular basis for regioselectivity of fluoroalkylation of 3-O-trityl-6-O-desmethyl-phenethyl-orvinol (TDPEO) using computational methods.
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| 12. |
- Marton, Zsuzsanna, et al.
(author)
-
Contrasting response of microeukaryotic and bacterial communities to the interplay of seasonality and local stressors in shallow soda lakes
- 2023
-
In: FEMS Microbiology Ecology. - : Oxford University Press. - 0168-6496 .- 1574-6941. ; 99:9
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Seasonal environmental variation is a leading driver of microbial planktonic community assembly and interactions. However, departures from usual seasonal trends are often reported. To understand the role of local stressors in modifying seasonal succession, we sampled fortnightly, throughout three seasons, five nearby shallow soda lakes exposed to identical seasonal and meteorological changes. We characterised their microeukaryotic and bacterial communities by amplicon sequencing of the 16S and 18S rRNA gene, respectively. Biological interactions were inferred by analyses of synchronous and time-shifted interaction networks, and the keystone taxa of the communities were topologically identified. The lakes showed similar succession patterns during the study period with spring being characterised by the relevance of trophic interactions and a certain level of community stability followed by a more dynamic and variable summer-autumn period. Adaptation to general seasonal changes happened through shared core microbiome of the lakes. Stochastic events such as desiccation disrupted common network attributes and introduced shifts from the prevalent seasonal trajectory. Our results demonstrated that, despite being extreme and highly variable habitats, shallow soda lakes exhibit certain similarities in the seasonality of their planktonic communities, yet local stressors such as droughts instigate deviations from prevalent trends to a greater extent for microeukaryotic than for bacterial communities.
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| 13. |
- Mellroth, Elisabet, et al.
(author)
-
Talented upper secondary students’ perception of online mathematical challenges
- 2022
-
In: On the Road to Mathematical Expertise and Innovation. - Münster : WTM – Verlag für wissenschaftliche Texte und Medien. - 9783959872157 - 9783959872263 ; , s. 311-313
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Empirical studies on gifted and talented learners are generally rare in mathematics education and extremely unusual in the Swedish educational context, which is characterised by a strong egalitarian view that overlooks the needs of talented learners. The present poster is reporting on an exploratory case study which aims to investigate the benefits and disadvantages of an extra-curricular online-setting, in which mathematically talented upper-secondary students are solving challenging problems and receiving feedback from a teacher
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| 14. |
- Misfeldt, Morten, et al.
(author)
-
Surveying teachers' conception of programming as a mathematics topic following the implementation of a new mathematics curriculum
- 2019
-
In: Proceedings of the Eleventh Congress of the European Society for Research in Mathematics Education. - Utrecht : Freudenthal Group & Freudenthal Institute, Utrecht University and ERME. - 9789073346758 ; , s. 2713-2720
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In this paper, we investigate mathematics teachers’ conception of the relationship between mathematics and programming. The context of the investigation is a recent curriculum reform in Sweden that makes programming a compulsory element of the national mathematics standards. Following up on an in-service training initiative, we conducted a pilot survey (N = 133) exploring – among other things – the teachers’ conception of the relationship between mathematics and programming. The results suggest that the teachers, on average, feel that there is a strong, but not very strong, relationship between the two subjects. Furthermore, the results suggest that mathematics teachers are interested in working with programming but that they do not feel well prepared for taking on that task. These results are used to discuss the mathematical potential of the different ways in which compulsory programming can be introduced in schools.
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| 15. |
- Piovesan, Damiano, et al.
(author)
-
DisProt 7.0 : a major update of the database of disordered proteins
- 2017
-
In: Nucleic Acids Research. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0305-1048 .- 1362-4962. ; 45:D1, s. d219-D227
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The Database of Protein Disorder (DisProt, URL: www.disprot.org) has been significantly updated and upgraded since its last major renewal in 2007. The current release holds information on more than 800 entries of IDPs/IDRs, i.e. intrinsically disordered proteins or regions that exist and function without a well-defined three-dimensional structure. We have re-curated previous entries to purge DisProt from conflicting cases, and also upgraded the functional classification scheme to reflect continuous advance in the field in the past 10 years or so. We define IDPs as proteins that are disordered along their entire sequence, i.e. entirely lack structural elements, and IDRs as regions that are at least five consecutive residues without well-defined structure. We base our assessment of disorder strictly on experimental evidence, such as X-ray crystallography and nuclear magnetic resonance ( primary techniques) and a broad range of other experimental approaches (secondary techniques). Confident and ambiguous annotations are highlighted separately. DisProt 7.0 presents classified knowledge regarding the experimental characterization and functional annotations of IDPs/IDRs, and is intended to provide an invaluable resource for the research community for a better understanding structural disorder and for developing better computational tools for studying disordered proteins.
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| 16. |
- Pivarcsi, Andor, et al.
(author)
-
Differentiation-regulated expression of Toll-like receptors 2 and 4 in HaCaT keratinocytes.
- 2004
-
In: Archives of Dermatological Research. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0340-3696 .- 1432-069X. ; 296:3, s. 120-4
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Toll-like receptors (TLRs) play an important role in the recognition of pathogens in keratinocytes. In this study, we investigated whether the differentiation state of HaCaT keratinocytes correlates with the expression of TLR2 and TLR4 genes. The expression levels of TLR2 and TLR4 in a HaCaT differentiation model system were determined using quantitative real-time RT-PCR (Q-RT-PCR) and flow cytometry. The progression of keratinocyte differentiation was monitored by determining the level of involucrin gene expression using Q-RT-PCR. The expression levels of TLR2 and TLR4 increased with the stage of differentiation and there were strong correlations between the expression level of the involucrin gene and those of the TLR2 gene ( r=0.809, P<0.0001) and the TLR4 gene ( r=0.568, P<0.02). Increased cell surface expression of TLR2 and TLR4 was also found in differentiated HaCaT keratinocytes by flow cytometric analysis. Our findings suggest that upregulation of TLR expression during differentiation in keratinocytes could be a part of the differentiation process of keratinocytes and could have biological significance in protecting skin against microbes.
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| 17. |
- Pivarcsi, Andor, et al.
(author)
-
Expression and function of Toll-like receptors 2 and 4 in human keratinocytes.
- 2003
-
In: International Immunology. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0953-8178 .- 1460-2377. ; 15:6, s. 721-30
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Keratinocytes have the ability to kill pathogenic fungi and bacteria by producing antimicrobial substances. Recent studies suggest that microbial components use signaling molecules of the human Toll-like receptor (TLR) family to transduce signals in various cells. Here we provide evidence that keratinocytes express both TLR2 and TLR4 at the mRNA and protein levels, and show that TLR2 and TLR4 are present in the normal human epidermis in vivo and that their expression is regulated by microbial components. The expression of myeloid differentiation protein gene (MyD88), which is involved in the signaling pathway of many TLR, was also demonstrated in keratinocytes. LPS + IFN-gamma increased the expression of TLR2 and TLR4 50- and 5-fold respectively. Treatment of keratinocytes with Candida albicans, mannan, Mycobacterium tuberculosis or LPS with IFN-gamma resulted in the activation and nuclear translocation of NF-kappaB. Inhibition of NF-kappaB blocked the Candida-killing activity of keratinocytes, suggesting that the antimicrobial effect of keratinocytes requires NF-kappaB activation. LPS + IFN-gamma, C. albicans (4 Candida/KC), peptidoglycan (1 micro g/ml) or M. tuberculosis extract significantly increased IL-8 gene expression after 3 h of treatment (P < 0.05). The increases over the 0-h level were 15-, 8-, 10.8- and 7-fold, respectively. The microbial compound-induced increase in IL-8 gene expression could be inhibited by anti-TLR2 and anti-TLR4 neutralizing antibodies, suggesting that TLRs are involved in the pathogen-induced expression of this pro-inflammatory cytokine. Our findings stress the importance of the role of keratinocytes as a component of innate immunity.
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| 18. |
- Pivarcsi, Andor, et al.
(author)
-
Microbial compounds induce the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, chemokines and human beta-defensin-2 in vaginal epithelial cells.
- 2005
-
In: Microbes and infection. - : Elsevier BV. - 1286-4579 .- 1769-714X. ; 7:9-10, s. 1117-27
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Vaginal epithelium has a powerful innate immune system that protects the female reproductive organs from bacterial and fungal infections. In the present study, we aimed to explore whether the Toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling pathway and the induction of pro-inflammatory cytokines and antimicrobial peptides could contribute to the protection against pathogenic microorganisms in vaginal epithelia, using an immortalized vaginal epithelial cell line PK E6/E7 as a model. We found that TLR2 and TLR4 receptors are expressed in vivo in the vaginal epithelia and in vitro in PK E6/E7 vaginal epithelial cell line. The Gram-negative cell wall compound lipopolysaccharide (LPS), the Gram-positive compound peptidoglycan (PGN), heat-killed Candida albicans and zymosan significantly (P<0.05) induced the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines such as TNF-alpha and IL-8/CXCL8 in vaginal epithelial cells. Furthermore, the expression and production of human beta-defensin-2 (hBD2), an antimicrobial peptide with chemotactic functions, was also up-regulated in PK E6/E7 cells after treatment with LPS, PGN or C. albicans. Treatment of vaginal epithelial cells with microbial compounds induced the activation and nuclear translocation of NF-kappaB transcription factor, a key element of innate and adaptive immune responses. In our work, we provide evidence that microbial compounds induce the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, chemokines and antimicrobial peptides in vaginal epithelial cells. In vivo, vaginal epithelial cell-derived inflammatory mediators and antimicrobial peptides may play important roles in vaginal immune responses and in the elimination of pathogens from the female reproductive tract.
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| 19. |
- Sjöstrand, Tyge, 1972-, et al.
(author)
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Do linear equations act a gatekeeper to later mathematical learning? Evidence from a study of Swedish upper secondary students
- 2023
-
In: Proceedings of the Thirteenth Congress of the European Society for Research in Mathematics Education (CERME13). - Budapest. ; , s. 660-667
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In this paper, by means of a mixed methods approach to data collection and analysis, we examine the impact of linear-equations-related competence on Swedish upper secondary students’ later mathematics achievement. Quantitative data were 307 student solutions to an equations-related word problem posed at the start of their programme and the same students’ terminal grades to the first compulsory general mathematics course. Qualitative data were the written solutions to the word problem and interviews undertaken with purposively selected students. The results showed that students who solved the problem algebraically were not only confident in their solutions but significantly more successful on the terminal assessment than those who solved it by other means. Moreover, students who approached the word problem algebraically but solved it incorrectly, were no less successful than those who solved it successfully by other means.
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| 20. |
- Sonkoly, Eniko, et al.
(author)
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Identification and characterization of a novel, psoriasis susceptibility-related noncoding RNA gene, PRINS.
- 2005
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In: Journal of Biological Chemistry. - 0021-9258 .- 1083-351X. ; 280:25, s. 24159-67
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- To identify genetic factors contributing to psoriasis susceptibility, gene expression profiles of uninvolved epidermis from psoriatic patients and epidermis from healthy individuals were compared. Besides already characterized genes, we identified a cDNA with yet unknown functions, which we further characterized and named PRINS (Psoriasis susceptibility-related RNA Gene Induced by Stress). In silico structural and homology studies suggested that PRINS may function as a noncoding RNA. PRINS harbors two Alu elements, it is transcribed by RNA polymerase II, and it is expressed at different levels in various human tissues. Real time reverse transcription-PCR analysis showed that PRINS was expressed higher in the uninvolved epidermis of psoriatic patients compared with both psoriatic lesional and healthy epidermis, suggesting a role for PRINS in psoriasis susceptibility. PRINS is regulated by the proliferation and differentiation state of keratinocytes. Treatment with T-lymphokines, known to precipitate psoriatic symptoms, decreased PRINS expression in the uninvolved psoriatic but not in healthy epidermis. Real time reverse transcription-PCR analysis showed that stress signals such as ultraviolet-B irradiation, viral infection (herpes simplex virus), and translational inhibition increased the RNA level of PRINS. Gene-specific silencing of PRINS by RNA interference revealed that down-regulation of PRINS impairs cell viability after serum starvation but not under normal serum conditions. Our findings suggest that PRINS functions as a noncoding regulatory RNA, playing a protective role in cells exposed to stress. Furthermore, elevated PRINS expression in the epidermis may contribute to psoriasis susceptibility.
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| 21. |
- Szabad, Gábor, et al.
(author)
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Human adult epidermal melanocytes cultured without chemical mitogens express the EGF receptor and respond to EGF.
- 2007
-
In: Archives of Dermatological Research. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0340-3696 .- 1432-069X. ; 299:4, s. 191-200
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We describe a novel chemical mitogen-free in vitro culture technique for obtaining pure melanocyte cultures using normal human adult epidermis as a source. The culture medium consists equal parts of the commercially available Keratinocyte Basal and AIM-V media (both from Gibco), as basal medium, which is supplemented with fetal bovine serum, bovine pituitary extract and recombinant human epidermal growth factor (EGF). Melanocytes harvested from human adult skin proliferate extensively and can be passaged serially up to 10-15 times using this medium. We have verified the identity of the cultured cells by tyrosinase mRNA expression and TRP-1 protein staining. Moreover, we showed that autologous human serum alone, without additional supplements is able to provide sufficient growth support for the cultured cells in the basal medium, making this culture technique suitable for autologous melanocyte transplantation. In this culture system normal human adult melanocytes expressed both EGF receptor (EGFR) mRNA and protein and EGF showed a dose dependent mitogenic effect on the cells. EGF itself had no significant influence on EGFR mRNA expression.
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| 22. |
- Szabó, Attila
(author)
-
Characterization of bacterial biofilms developed on the biodegradable polylactide and polycaprolactone polymers containing birch tar in an aquatic environment
- 2024
-
In: Marine Pollution Bulletin. - 0025-326X .- 1879-3363. ; 199
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Birch tar was added to polylactide (PLA) and polycaprolactone (PCL) to create films with antimicrobial properties. After incubating the films for seven days in lake water, the diversity of bacterial communities developed on the surfaces of PCL and PLA with embedded birch tar (1 %, 5 %, and 10 %, w/w) was assessed with amplicon sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene on a MiSeq platform (Illumina). Notably, Aquabacterium and Caulobacter were more abundant at the surface of PCL compared to PLA (13.4 % vs 0.2 %, p < 0.001 and 9.5 % vs 0.2 %, p < 0.001, respectively) while Hydrogenophaga was significantly more abundant at the surface of PLA compared to PCL (6.1 % vs 1.8 %, p < 0.01). Overall, lower birch tar concentrations (1 % and 5 % on both polymers) stimulated bacterial diversity in biofilms compared to the control. The number of reeds assigned to Flavobacterium and Aquabacterium showed a rising trend with the increase of birch tar concentration on the surface of both polymers.
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| 23. |
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| 24. |
- Szabo, Attila, fil.dr. 1965-, et al.
(author)
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Displaying gifted students’ mathematical reasoning during problem solving : Challenges and possibilities
- 2024
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In: The Mathematics Enthusiast. - 1551-3440. ; 21:1-2, s. 179-202
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- When solving problems, mathematically gifted individuals tend to internalize intuitive ideas and approaches, and to shorten their reasoning. Consequently, for teachers it is difficult to observe gifted students’ mathematical reasoning in the context of problem solving. In this paper we investigate nine gifted Swedish 9th grade students’ mathematical reasoning during problem solving in small groups at vertical whiteboards. The data consists of 5 filmed group-activities, that were analysed according to a framework of collaborative problem-solving (Roschelle & Teasley, 1995). The analysis shows that every group solved proposed problems successfully within different socially negotiated Joint Problem Spaces (JPS) and, importantly, that students were able to verbalize and display their mathematical reasoning. Additionally, it is indicated that using vertical whiteboards facilitated considerably the exhibition of students’ mathematical reasoning.
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| 25. |
- Szabó, Attila
(author)
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Endosymbiotic Bacterial Diversity of Corn Leaf Aphid, Rhopalosiphum maidis Fitch (Hemiptera: Aphididae) Associated with Maize Management Systems
- 2022
-
In: Microorganisms. - : MDPI AG. - 2076-2607. ; 10
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In this study, different maize fields cultivated under different management systems were sampled to test corn leaf aphid, Rhopalosiphum maidis, populations in terms of total and endosymbiotic bacterial diversity. Corn leaf aphid natural populations were collected from traditionally managed maize fields grown under high agricultural and natural landscape diversity as well as conventionally treated high-input agricultural fields grown in monoculture and with fertilizers use, hence with low natural landscape diversity. Total bacterial community assessment by DNA sequencing was performed using the Illumina MiSeq platform. In total, 365 bacterial genera were identified and 6 endosymbiont taxa. A high abundance of the primary endosymbiont Buchnera and secondary symbionts Serratia and Wolbachia were detected in all maize crops. Their frequency was found to be correlated with the maize management system used, probably with fertilizer input. Three other facultative endosymbionts ("Candidatus Hamiltonella", an uncultured Rickettsiales genus, and Spiroplasma) were also recorded at different frequencies under the two management regimes. Principal components analyses revealed that the relative contribution of the obligate and dominant symbiont Buchnera to the aphid endosymbiotic bacterial community was 72%, whereas for the managed system this was only 16.3%. When facultative symbionts alone were considered, the effect of management system revealed a DNA diversity of 23.3%.
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