Search in Publications
Found 5164 publications
The effects of environmental factors on the embryonic and late postembryonic life through epigenetic mechanisms
Publication Name: Orvosi Hetilap
Publication Date: 2025-05-25
Volume: 166
Issue: 21
Page Range: 799-807
Description:
It has long been known that, in addition to genetic factors, epigenetic effects fundamentally influence the functioning of the living organism. Although the genome of individual cells of the human body is almost identical, the access, transcription and expression of genetic information are influenced by epigenetic effects. The eukaryotic nuclear DNA is wrapped around histone octamers to form the nucleosome, the basic unit of the chromatin structure. The covalent modifications of the histone proteins cause epigenetic changes. Human conception, followed by the division and implantation of the fertilized egg into the maternal decidua, is a complex process that requires the coordinated functioning of embryological, immunological processes and anatomical structures. The steps of these processes are genetically determined and the coarse- and fine-tuning of these effects occurs at the epigenetic level by external effects such as hormones, toxins, changes in diet, infections, or cell differentiation. The most significant rearrangements occur in the embryonic period after the fertilization of the egg. In our paper, we review the literature to present the effects that influence the fine-tuning of genome function at the epigenetic level. Disturbances of these mechanisms are the basis of several pathologies that threaten conception, implantation and successful pregnancy, such as recurrent miscarriage, preeclampsia, fetal growth restriction or premature birth. In addition, epigenetic alterations acting during the period of plasticity of individual development can cause diseases that appear in the young, adult and even old age of the offspring, which can even be inherited through generations.
Open Access: Yes
Contribution to knowledge of the oribatid mite genus Achipterina (Acari, Oribatida, Ceratokalummidae)
Publication Name: International Journal of Acarology
Publication Date: 2025-05-19
Volume: 51
Issue: 4
Page Range: 251-257
Description:
Achipterina (Oribatida, Ceratokalummidae) currently comprises four species, collectively distributed in the tropical and subtropical areas. We describe a new species—A. mangrovicasp. nov.—based on adults collected from litter of a mangrove forest in the Can Gio Biosphere Reserve, southern Vietnam. It is the first representative of the family discovered in the Vietnamese fauna. The new species is characterized in having a bidentate rostrum, setiform rostral and lamellar setae, long inner tooth of lamellar cusp, unilaterally fusiform bothridial seta, long interlamellar seta, dentate anterior part of pteromorph, oval and oblique notogastral porose area Aa. The morphology of the gnathosoma, ovipositor, and legs are presented for the first time for Achipterina. An identification key and summary of distribution and habitats of the known species of Achipterina are provided. http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:906EA4DE-A0A3-475C-B273-F8327F44832F.
Open Access: Yes
Comparison of some economic traits by genetic cluster of Aberdeen Angus cattle
Publication Name: Archives Animal Breeding
Publication Date: 2025-05-12
Volume: 68
Issue: 2
Page Range: 279-286
Description:
The Angus cattle population of Hungary was categorized into four groups using 12 microsatellite markers exhibiting notable genetic variations. Moreover, some traits influencing the profitability and sustainability of beef cattle farming were compared between groups. Data were obtained from 5075 cows (born between 1990-2020) and 19 142 calves (born between 1997-2023), including 10 629 bull calves and 8513 heifer calves of different genetic backgrounds. Genetic groups were distinguished by origin, color, size, and type: blue group (BG), red group (RG), green group (GG), and yellow group (YG). The six investigated traits were age at first calving (AFC), productive lifespan (PL), number of calves born (NCB), culling age (AGE), birth weight (BW), and the 205 d adjusted weaning weight (WW). The averages of the six tested traits were as follows: AFC - 2.35 ± 0.54 years; NCB - 5.89 ± 3.69 heads; PL - 6.85 ± 4.13 years; AGE - 9.2 ± 4.26 years; BW - 29.4 ± 4.28 kg; and WW - 176.9 ± 44.07 kg. YG excelled in terms of NCB, PL, AGE, and WW traits, while RG performed best in terms of AFC and BW. BG displayed the lowest performance across NCB, PL, AGE, BW, and WW. The heavier Red Angus individuals were largely behind the performance of the traditional-type, smaller British-type Black and Red Angus individuals in the tested traits affecting sustainability and profitability. Significant reproduction and longevity trait differences exist among different genetic groups of Angus beef cattle genotyped by DNA microsatellite information. The results indicated significant differences in terms of the performance of different Angus types with regard to the tested traits. These findings could be useful in developing breeding concepts and making selection decisions, contributing to more efficient and sustainable breeding strategies.
Open Access: Yes
Genetic factors underlying the susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection and severe COVID-19
Publication Name: Orvosi Hetilap
Publication Date: 2025-05-04
Volume: 166
Issue: 18
Page Range: 679-696
Description:
The clinical manifestations of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) are highly variable, ranging from asymptomatic cases to life-threatening complications and death. Severe disease progression is more common in older individuals and males, as well as in the presence of various comorbidities. Beyond these risk factors, the intrinsic characteristics of the virus and the host genetic factors also contribute to the heterogeneous clinical course of COVID-19. Genetic research is fundamental in understanding the biological mechanisms underlying congenital diseases, identifying the genes and proteins responsible for the susceptibility to various inherited conditions, recognizing therapeutically relevant targets, suggesting drug repurposing, and clarifying causal relationships for modifiable environmental risk factors. Although these studies typically take a long time to conduct, especially to translate their findings into clinical practice, the scientific community has swiftly uncovered genetic signals underlying the diverse COVID-19 phenotypes. In this review, in addition to a concise summary of SARS-CoV-2 recognition and the initial steps of the immune responses, we aim to provide an overview of the literature concerning the genetic factors associated with susceptibility to the disease and its severe progression. We also review the pioneering research in identifying the affected genes and the most significant genome-wide association studies, covering both common and rare genetic variants, which have greatly contributed to understand the etiology of the disease and have guided effective COVID-19 treatment during the most challenging times.
Open Access: Yes
Evaluating Fiscal and Monetary Policy Coordination Using a Nash Equilibrium: A Case Study of Hungary
Publication Name: Mathematics
Publication Date: 2025-05-01
Volume: 13
Issue: 9
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
Effective coordination between fiscal and monetary policy is crucial for macroeconomic stability, yet achieving it presents significant challenges due to differing objectives and institutional setups. This study evaluates the strategic interaction between fiscal and monetary authorities in Hungary from 2013 to 2023, employing the Nash equilibrium framework under the assumption of non-cooperative behavior. By modeling the authorities as independent players optimizing distinct payoff functions based on key economic indicators (interest rates, government spending, inflation, output gap, fiscal deficit, and public debt), the analysis estimates the best response strategies and computes the resulting Nash equilibrium. The key findings reveal persistent deviations between actual policies and the computed equilibrium strategies. Specifically, actual fiscal policy was consistently more expansionary (average actual deficit −2.6% to 7.6% GDP vs. equilibrium recommendations ranging from 8.5% surplus to −3.0% deficit) than the Nash equilibrium indicated, particularly during periods of economic growth. Monetary policy often lagged in equilibrium recommendations, maintaining low interest rates (e.g., 0.9% actual vs. 11.5% equilibrium in 2019) before implementing sharp increases (13% actual vs. approx. 3.5–3.8% equilibrium in 2022–2023) that significantly overshot the equilibrium. These misalignments underscore potential suboptimal outcomes arising from independent policymaking, contributing to increased public debt and heightened inflationary pressures in the Hungarian context. This study highlights the potential benefits of aligning policies closer to mutually consistent strategies, suggesting that improved coordination frameworks could enhance macroeconomic stability, offering insights relevant to Hungary and similar economies.
Open Access: Yes
DOI: 10.3390/math13091427
A hybrid CRITIC-MAIRCA framework for optimal phase change material selection in solar distillation systems
Publication Name: International Journal of Thermofluids
Publication Date: 2025-05-01
Volume: 27
Issue: Unknown
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
Phase change materials (PCMs) serve as an efficient thermal energy storage mediums across a range of thermal systems, including solar distillations. The selection of an appropriate PCM candidate is a vital integration aspect that affects solar distillation performance. Therefore, the present research introduces a multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) framework for identifying suitable PCM candidates for application in solar distillation systems. Evaluation indices include eighteen PCM alternatives and seven criteria, which were established from the literature. Criteria importance through intercriteria correlation (CRITIC) method was used to assign objective weights to the criteria, followed by the MAIRCA (multi-attributive ideal-real comparative analysis) approach to rank PCM alternatives. The proposed MCDM model suggests the suitability of paraffin wax followed by soy wax and beeswax PCMs for solar distillation applications, respectively. The comparative analysis, sensitivity analysis, and Kendall rank correlation effectively validated the rankings, demonstrating a robust positive correlation among the results. This study can serve as a preliminary step for experimental and simulation-based investigations aimed at optimizing the selection of PCM in the early stage, thereby reducing the time and costs associated with further analysis.
Open Access: Yes
Nutritional and functional aspects of European cereal-based fermented foods and beverages
Publication Name: Food Research International
Publication Date: 2025-05-01
Volume: 209
Issue: Unknown
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
European cereal-based fermented foods (ECBFFs) and alcoholic beverages have been fundamental components of regional diets for centuries, providing unique flavor profiles, essential nutrients, and a diverse array of health benefits. These foods, which encompass breads, beverages, and porridges, derive their functional and culinary properties from the activity of lactic acid bacteria and yeasts. This review examines the nutritional and functional characteristics of ECBFFs, with a focus on their microbial composition and fermentation processes. It highlights various ECBFFs and alcoholic beverages, including conventional and sourdough breads, tarhana, boza, kvass, and beers examining their health-promoting properties and potential for commercial expansion. Key findings from the literature show that certain ECBFFs are abundant in prebiotics and probiotics, primarily due to the fermentation processes involving lactic acid bacteria and yeasts. These microorganisms generate bioactive compounds such as organic acids, bacteriocins, and phenolic compounds, which exhibit antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities. ECBFFs can also enhance digestibility, improve mineral bioavailability, and support gut health, thereby promoting overall well-being. From a commercial perspective, products like Yosa and Proviva demonstrate the feasibility of developing innovative ECBFFs that align with contemporary dietary preferences. The future of ECBFFs is promising, offering extensive opportunities for research, innovation, and large-scale commercialization to meet the increasing consumer demand for functional, plant-based foods.
Open Access: Yes
Driver Distraction Detection in Extreme Conditions Using Kolmogorov–Arnold Networks
Publication Name: Computers
Publication Date: 2025-05-01
Volume: 14
Issue: 5
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
Driver distraction can have severe safety consequences, particularly in public transportation. This paper presents a novel approach for detecting bus driver actions, such as mobile phone usage and interactions with passengers, using Kolmogorov–Arnold networks (KANs). The adversarial FGSM attack method was applied to assess the robustness of KANs in extreme driving conditions, like adverse weather, high-traffic situations, and bad visibility conditions. In this research, a custom dataset was used in collaboration with a partner company in the field of public transportation. This allows the efficiency of Kolmogorov–Arnold network solutions to be verified using real data. The results suggest that KANs can enhance driver distraction detection under challenging conditions, with improved resilience against adversarial attacks, particularly in low-complexity networks.
Open Access: Yes
Analysis and Prediction of Traffic Conditions Using Machine Learning Models on Ikorodu Road in Lagos State, Nigeria
Publication Name: Infrastructures
Publication Date: 2025-05-01
Volume: 10
Issue: 5
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
Traffic counts are essential for assessing road capacity to provide efficient, effective, and safe mobility. However, current methods for generating models for traffic count studies are often limited in their accuracy and applicability, which can lead to incorrect or imprecise estimates of traffic volume. This study focused on analyzing and predicting traffic conditions on Ikorodu Road in Lagos State. The analysis involved an examination of historical traffic data, specifically focusing on daily and hourly traffic volumes. The prediction involved the use of machine learning models, including decision trees, gradient boosting, and random forest classifiers. The results of this study revealed significant variations in traffic volume across different days of the week and times of the day, indicating peak and off-peak periods. The study also highlighted the need for a more comprehensive approach that includes additional factors, such as weather conditions, road work, and special events, which could significantly impact traffic volume.
Open Access: Yes
