Hungarian Research Research Articles

CEREBROSPINAL FLUID LIPIDOMIC PROFILE IN ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE

Lipid dysregulation is suggested to participate in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, alterations in individual lipid species in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) have not been examined. CSF samples were obtained from 57 AD patients and 68 control, cognitively normal individuals. b-amyloid 1–42 (Ab1–42), phosphorylated tau (P-tau) and total tau (T-tau) proteins were determined by Enzyme-Linked Immunoassay (ELISA) method. Lipid identification and quantification were performed by multi-dimensional mass spectrometry-based Shotgun Lipidomic (MDMS-SL) technique. Levels of long chain sphingomyelin, sulfatide and alkyl phosphatidyl choline were significantly lower for AD than in case of controls, while the level of short chain ceramid, phosphatidyl ethanolamine and phosphatidyl serine were significantly increased in AD. Sphingomyelin and alkyl phosphatidyl choline negatively, while phosphatidyl etanolamine positively correlated with the P-tau level of CFS. These new AD related lipidomic results provide a better understanding of lipid perturbations in AD pathogenesis and may be utilized in the searching for CSF biomarkers. Acknowledgement: This work was supported by the Hungarian Research and Technology Innovation Fund through the Hungarian Brain Research Program (KTIA_13_NAP-A-II/16).

Ecological Anthropological Research in Hungary. Foreword

Ecological Anthropological Research in Hungary. Foreword

Personality, Attitude and Behavioural Components of Financial Literacy: A Comparative Analysis

Since the financial crisis in 2008 the investigation of financial literacy–especially its components (personality, attitudes, behaviour etc.) - is in the limelight. Modern economics have recognized that in order to effectively forecast financial and economic processes it is primordial to understand the attitudes of the members of society toward finances, as well as the characteristics of various social group sharing the same views and behaviours. In 2015 two relevant pieces of research were conducted in this topic in Hungary. One focuses on the financial personality types, while the other investigates Hungarians’ financial culture in general based on the research methodology of the OECD. Based on these two databases our comparative study highlights the main characteristics of financial personality types. The three clusters based on the OECD research cover the nine personality types from the results of the other Hungarian research. Our findings show that the cluster of “anxious unsatisfied” encapsulates the “economizers with little money”, the “price sensitive” and the “collector” personality types. Furthermore, the “satisfied conscious” covers the “order creates value”, the “diligent” and the “planner” personality types. Finally, the “moderately anxious unconsidered” involves the “ups and downs”, the “money-devouring” and the “cannot control finances” personality types. The clusters identified during the research show idiosyncratic financial and psychological vulnerability and/or protection.

Personality, Attitude and Behavioural Components of Financial Literacy: A Comparative Analysis

Since the financial crisis in 2008 the investigation of financial literacy–especially its components (personality, attitudes, behaviour etc.) - is in the limelight. Modern economics have recognized that in order to effectively forecast financial and economic processes it is primordial to understand the attitudes of the members of society toward finances, as well as the characteristics of various social group sharing the same views and behaviours. In 2015 two relevant pieces of research were conducted in this topic in Hungary. One focuses on the financial personality types, while the other investigates Hungarians’ financial culture in general based on the research methodology of the OECD. Based on these two databases our comparative study highlights the main characteristics of financial personality types. The three clusters based on the OECD research cover the nine personality types from the results of the other Hungarian research. Our findings show that the cluster of “anxious unsatisfied” encapsulates the “economizers with little money”, the “price sensitive” and the “collector” personality types. Furthermore, the “satisfied conscious” covers the “order creates value”, the “diligent” and the “planner” personality types. Finally, the “moderately anxious unconsidered” involves the “ups and downs”, the “money-devouring” and the “cannot control finances” personality types. The clusters identified during the research show idiosyncratic financial and psychological vulnerability and/or protection.

The Network Concept of Creativity and Deep Thinking: Applications to Social Opinion Formation and Talent Support

Our century has unprecedented new challenges, which need creative solutions and deep thinking. Contemplative, deep thinking became an “endangered species” in our rushing world of Tweets, elevator pitches, and fast decisions. Here, we describe how important aspects of both creativity and deep thinking can be understood as network phenomena of conceptual and social networks. “Creative nodes” occupy highly dynamic, boundary spanning positions in social networks. Creative thinking requires alternating plasticity-dominated and rigidity-dominated mind-sets, which can be helped by dynamically changing social network structures. In the closing section, we present three case studies which demonstrate the applications of the concept in the Hungarian research student movement, the Hungarian Templeton Program, and the Youth Platform of the European Talent Support Network. These examples show how talent support programs can mobilize the power of social networks to enhance creative, deliberative, deep thinking of talented young minds, influencing social opinion, leading to community action, and developing charismatic leadership skills.

Hungarian Turanism. From the Birth of the Ideology to Modernity – an Outline of the Problem

This article is an outline of Hungarian Turanism, Central European ideological phenomenon. The ideology was relatively important in Hungary during the first half of the 20 th century and is currently undergoing a revival in the country. Turanism is a very important part of the ideology promoted by the Jobbik party (Movement for a Better Hungary). The term “Turanism” is derived from Turan , a word most likely of Old-Persian origin, once used to describe the lands of Central Asia inhabited by nomadic tribes. According to the ideology of Turanism, Hungarians are related to Altaic peoples, such as Turks, Azeris, Tatars, Kazakhs, Mongols, and even Tibetans and Japanese. Many Hungarian researchers and explorers travelled to Central Asia in order to find peoples related to Hungarians. It is noteworthy to point out that modern Hungarian Turanism, particularly as it is represented by Jobbik, displays strong anti-Western attitudes. Jobbik is very critical of the international policy of the European Union and the United States, and considers Hungary to be a victim of the West. What is more, Jobbik strongly criticises globalism, liberalism and anti-traditionalism, which it considers to be features of modern Western societies. Because of this, Jobbik’s “Eastern Turn” appears to be a turn away from the West.

PENAVIN OLGA ÉS A CSŰRY-ISKOLA

Csűry Bálint az 1930-as években jelentős tudományos programot hirdetett meg a magyar népnyelvkutatás fellendítésére. A Debreceni Egyetem professzoraként e programhoz hallgatókat választott ki és készített fel a tudományos kutatómunkára. Létrehozta a Debreceni Népnyelvkutató Intézetet, megalapította a Magyar Népnyelv című tudományos folyóiratot. Csűry egy évtizedes egyetemi tanári működésének talán legjelentősebb tudományos eredménye a népnyelvkutató iskola létrehozása. Tanítványai különböző színtereken, többféle formában teljesítették ki mesterük programját. Penavin Olga sokszínű tudományos pályáján ugyancsak meghatározónak bizonyult ez a tudományos örökség. Életművének sokszínű tematikája, műfaji gazdagsága, interdiszciplináris jellege alapján őt tekinthetjük a Csűry-iskola legmarkánsabb képviselőjének.

Subcellular Spatial Control of Non-Muscle Myosin 2 Redistribution and Stress Fiber Strain by Molecular Tattoo

The cellular distribution of the motor protein non-muscle myosin 2 (NM2) leads to different forms of intracellular strain driving cell motility, cytokinesis and morphogenetic processes including axonal growth and retraction. However, it remains elusive how these cellular processes are governed by the dynamic changes in NM2 localization and supramolecular assembly. To address this problem, we determined the effect of different types of NM2 inhibition on the dynamics of load-bearing stress fibers and unloaded inner cytoplasmatic NM2 structures in live HeLa cells. We followed NM2 redistribution via FRAP, applied also in combination with our recently developed optopharmacological tool, Molecular Tattoo, which allows subcellular confinement of drug effects via 2-photon induced photocrosslinking to targets. We found that the Rho-kinase inhibitor, Y-27632, dramatically accelerates NM2 redistribution and induces stress fiber dissolution, due to NM2 filament disassembly resulting from myosin light chain dephosphorylation. When NM2 was inhibited by para-nitroblebbistatin (pNBleb) or locally by tattooed azidoblebbistatin, in the stress fibers a significant acceleration and suppression of NM2 redistribution was detected at moderate and high inhibitor concentrations, respectively. The observed effects were local and specific for load-bearing peripheral stress fibers, implying the role of mechanical load in NM2 redistribution. Furthermore, in these tests stress fibers remained intact, contrary to that seen upon Rho-kinase inhibition. These results highlight that variations in the localization and/or pharmacological mechanism of NM2 inhibition produce distinct effects on intracellular strain and cellular morphogenesis.Supported by Hungarian Research and Innovation Fund (VKSZ_14-1-2015-0052).

Military Science Research Across the Carpathian Basin

Military science has always been an important factor of scientific life, considering its relevance for current strategic stability and the possibly prosperous future of a country or a nation. The century long shaping of military technology and warfare was a process through which ancient military commanders’ strategic and tactical concepts were correspondingly reformed to adapt and exceed the rapidly changing characteristics and the continuously shaping environment. Strategic research is the basis for turning “unpredictable” and “world-shaking” into “understandable” and “prognostic”. This analysis aims to highlight the current institutional capacities of military science in the Carpathian-basin and present the guidelines and operational level of the ongoing strategic studies in the region, while demonstrating the importance of maintaining and supporting the relevant Hungarian military research purposes.

Features of Roma religiosity – is it only mimicry?

We often hear that Romanies are not religious, or if they appear to be religious, it is only a mask. However, many times, when we speak about this theme, we speak about something which is rarely researched. Up to recently we have not had proper data to take an appropriate position on Romany religiosity. However, recent studies have indicated that Romanies, as far back as the 1500’s, latched on to life in various Christian churches, and this connection was by intrinsic religiosity, and that intrinsic religiosity is probably unbroken. In this study we would like to present some previously unknown sources about early Romany religiosity, which make it obvious that the former academic viewpoint on Roma non-religiosity is not tenable. Next we would like to present some tables from a representative sociological research in Hungary, demonstrating that the expansive Romany Evangelical Movement produces very radical changes in the Roma’s lifestyle and thinking, which are also very religious.

Characteristic Features of Medieval Geopolitical Considerations: An Analysis of 12th-Century Hungarian-German Diplomatic Relations

The objective of this research project is to present a significant time period in the system of diplomatic relations between the Kingdom of Hungary and the Holy Roman Empire in the 12th century. My intention has been to focus on the effects of the rule of the Hohenstaufen dynasty on Hungarian foreign policy. I have examined this issue as embedded in a broad international system of relations, including Hungarian-Polish, Hungarian-Czech, German-Polish, German-Czech, and German-Hungarian connections. I have also investigated the Hungarian foreign policy relevance of the conflict between the Hohenstaufen and Welf dynasties. My purpose through this is to call the attention of experts in this field of study to the less often highlighted peculiarities of medieval diplomatic and geopolitical thinking. Beside a chronological presentation of the events in the diplomatic system of contacts, I regularly refer to the differences between Hungarian and German historiography, as regards the interpretations of the sources quoted. Through utilizing the most recent and not so recent findings in Hungarian and German historical research, the reinterpretation of the sources might be used for the proper handling of these anomalies, for finding a consensus between the oftentimes entirely contradictory viewpoints in historical scholarship and, consequently, for providing a more precise description of the events occurring in the diplomacy of the given historical time period.

From “Sirups” to Biocarbons: A 30 Year Research Cooperation for Better Biomass Utilization with Michael J. Antal, Jr

The results of a 30 year U.S.–Hungarian research cooperation are surveyed. The head of the cooperating U.S. laboratory, Michael J. Antal, Jr., died on Oct 21, 2015. He was a leading person in biomass research. The collaboration started with pyrolysis studies. In this phase of the work, the aim was to clarify the factors that enhance the formation of the valuable volatile products (“sirups”). For this purpose, the kinetics and mechanism of the biomass pyrolysis were studied with a particular emphasis on the behavior of the cellulose component. Later, the interest of the cooperation gradually shifted to the solid products of the pyrolysis: chars, charcoals, and biocarbons. Hence, the formation, properties, and uses of these products were studied. The present paper illustrates the 3 decades of the common work by selected results. Such examples are shown that (i) are thought to be useful in the planning of future studies on pyrolysis and combustion of biomass materials (ii) and/or may help in the interpretati...

Why ‘spiritism’?

Translations of summarySome of the early representatives of psychoanalysis had a lifelong interest in certain ‘occult’ phenomena. Although several theories were born for the purpose of understanding the interest of Sigmund Freud, Carl Gustav Jung or Sándor Ferenczi in spiritualism and related phenomena, interpreters usually ignore the changing cultural meaning and significance of modern occult practices like spiritualism. The aim of the present essay is to outline the cultural and historical aspects of spiritualism and spiritism in Hungary, and thus to shed new light on the involvement of Ferenczi – and other Hungarian psychoanalysts like Géza Róheim, István Hollós, and Mihály Bálint – in spiritualism and spiritism. The connections between spiritualism and the Budapest School of Psychoanalysis will be discussed, highlighting the cultural and scientific significance of Hungarian spiritualism and spiritism in the evolution of psychoanalysis. Taking into account the relative lack of the scientific research in the field of spiritism in Hungary, it can be pointed out that Ferenczi undertook a pioneering role in Hungarian psychical research.

Adult learning and comfort feeling

The empirical research presented in this study focuses on the effects of formal and non-formal learning on learners' comfort feeling in the context of adult education. Offering an interpretation framework for data analysis, comfort feeling was divided into two parts: general and learning comfort feeling. Both notions were structured around the following dimensions: existential and mental aspects, time structure and social contacts. Additionally, learning comfort feeling contained a fifth dimension: knowledge. The results of the research are presented from three points of view. Firstly, we present our findings and data in the light of other international and Hungarian research concerning general comfort feeling. Secondly, we focus on the positive and negative effects of adult learners' formal and non- formal learning comfort feeling. Thirdly, we provide a description of the relationship between adults' general and learning comfort feeling.

Hungarian experiences with the Beliefs About Attractiveness Scale

Sociocultural influences regarding bodily appearance and their psychological consequences play a considerable role in the development and maintenance of body image disturbance and eating disorders. The purpose of the study was to explore the psychometric properties of the Beliefs About Attractiveness Scale-Revised and its correlates among young adults in Hungary. In our cross-sectional online study, participants were 18-35 years old (N = 820, 40% male). self-reported anthropometric data, Beliefs About Attractiveness Scale-Revised, Eating Disorder Inventory, SCOFF questionnaire, Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Questionnaire-3, and Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale. The exploratory factor analysis showed that the fit indices of the three-factor solution are acceptable (χ²(₁₇₁)) = 5124.8, p < 0.001, CFI = 0.944, TLI = 0.918, RMSEA = 0.054, SRMR = 0.030). Along the original 'Importance of being thin' and the 'Importance of being fit' factors, a third factor emerged, namely the 'Life fulfilment aspect of attractiveness' factor. Internal consistency and construct validity of the scales were confirmed. Among those who were at risk of developing an eating disorder, all of the measured beliefs were significantly greater than among those who were not at risk (thin: Z = 6.501, p < 0.001, Cohen's d = 0.63, fit: t(₈₁₈) = -4.749, p < 0.001, Cohen's d = 0.41, and life fulfilment: t(₂₃₉) = -5.702, p < 0.001, Cohen's d = 0.53). The Hungarian version of the Beliefs About Attractiveness Scale-Revised is a reliable, valid measure and we suggest its introduction into Hungarian research. Relationships between beliefs about attractiveness and self- esteem, body image and eating disorders suggest intervention opportunities in with regards to prevention and treatment of eating disorders.

Horváth Gyula szakmai életútja

Regional science is a relatively young field not just in Hungary but also in a global sense. Its definition, classification, methods, institutions and main research topics evolved in the second part of the 20th century. In Hungary, this process started in the 1980s with the foundation of regional science research institutes, studies, university departments, and a journal. The contribution and network of Gyula Horvath, one of the first researchers of the topic in the country, substantially impacted the discipline’s birth in Hungary, the creation and development to which he devoted his whole professional career. His work was acknowledged not only by the Hungarian but also by foreign research institutes, organizations, and communities. He played an important role in developing relationships between international (especially European and Russian) and Hungarian regional science researchers and institutes. He was a regular participant in regional science conferences in the Carpathian Basin and supported Ph.D. students and researchers from the Hungarian minorities in Romania, Serbia, Croatia, Slovakia and Ukraine. Besides his scientific contribution, he also played an important role in the creation and dissemination of regional science courses, and in the development of bachelor and master programs at universities. Several Ph.D. dissertations were written and defended under his supervision. In this paper, I describe his multi-dimensional scientific career, its most significant milestones, publications, research projects and roles by dividing them into three periods. After a short introduction, I start with the summary of the 1970s and the 1980s, I follow with the review of the 1990s and, finally, I finish by outlining the years after 2000.

Egyetemi vállalkozás – Lehetőség az egyetemi karrier előmozdítására Közép-Európában?

In the strongly competitive and diversely funded research system of the US it is almost entirely natural that scientists exploit business opportunities stemming from their university research. The synergies between the enterprise and the university are significant not only from the business but also from the academic perspective: ensuring additional funds for the university laboratory, keeping talented students close to the university and demonstrating the inventions’ practical usability can all enhance the researcher’s academic career. In this study, we investigate whether becoming an academic entrepreneur led by the motivations Etzkowitz described is a real opportunity in other institutional settings beyond the US as well. Accordingly, the focus of our investigation was the Hungarian university system. We assumed that its dual (i.e. continental European and Soviet) scientific organizational roots provide an unfavorable environment for ‘classical’ academic entrepreneurship. As part of the research, we made interviews with the founders of companies spun off from large Hungarian research universities and originating from multiple locations including the capital and three university cities. We found that the ‘classical’ academic entrepreneur appears even within this environment, but specific factors induce alternative development paths as well. ‘Classical’ academic entrepreneurs are usually well-established and internationally recognized scientists with a broad professional network that also includes academic entrepreneurial role models. Firm formation is also supported by academic and business contacts and favorable departmental norms. On the other hand, the lack of supporting institutional environment or of adequate business knowledge, together with the scarcity of financial resources, results in the appearance of ‘impeded’ academic entrepreneurs whose business activity does not enrich the university’s scientific life. On the other hand, product-related specificities and the lack of academic entrepreneurial role models result in the evolution of ‘unbalanced’ academic entrepreneurs and firms with limited integration into the university research framework. Furthermore, business-academia synergies can also become limited when university policies enforce scientists to become business founders who then rather turn into so-called ‘externally motivated’ than ‘classical’ academic entrepreneurs.

Development of Korean History Research and Education in Hungary

The study describes the development of Korean history research in Hungary. The first Hungarian travellers arrived in Korea on board Austro-Hungarian steamers in the last years of the 19th century. Most of those travellers found similarities between the historical situation in Korea and Hungary. Both countries were situated among big powers, which had been the cause of historical traumas ever since. In the case of Hungary, the proximity of the Habsburg Empire, the Ottoman Empire and, after that, Tsarist Russia were essential factors, while in the case of Korea the closeness of China and Japan meant a constant source of danger.BR The study, written by the chairperson of the Korean Department of the ELTE University, Budapest, describes the first real interaction between Hungary and Korea, which belongs to the age of the Korean War. During the early 1950s, many articles and books about Korea and Korean history were published. However, it was difficult to establish a Korean Department at that time at the leading university in Budapest. It was finally established, after several years of preparation, in 2008. The study mentions the scholars and researchers whoBRplayed an important role in Korean history education in Hungary.BR The establishment of the Korean Department at the ELTE University corresponded with the start of the “hallyu” (the Korean wave) in Hungary. The first Korean historical dramas (The Jewel of the Palace, Queen Seongdeok, etc.) were broadcasted in Hungary, introducing Korean history and culture to tens of thousands of Hungarians. This aroused a new interest in Korean culture, inspiring dozens of young Hungarians to choose to major in Korean at the university. Finally, the study describes some of the difficulties in the field of Korean history education in Central Europe.

Intercropping experiments in Hungarian vineyards

Intensive mechanical soil cultivation and herbicide treatment was often the preferred technology in vineyards in the second half of the 20 th century. In the last decades we increasingly experienced the disadvantages of these suboptimal technologies: soil degradation, erosion and deflation damages. Alternative cultivation methods were sought for research and practice, especially in organic viticulture. The use of well-adapted cover-crop mixtures in the vine inter-rows poses a possible solution for weed control, soil conservation and biodiversity development. The technology has a special importance on steep slopes: it helps to prevent erosion damages and provides easier cultivation circumstances. In 2012 the Hungarian Research institute of Organic Agriculture in collaboration with other experts and growers began to study three different species-rich cover crop mixtures (Biocont-Ecovin, Legume mixture, Grass-herb mixture) in Hungarian vineyards. Each mixture was sown in three neighbouring inter-rows at each experimental site. After sowing (March 2012) we studied vegetation composition (June 2012, 2013 and 2014), pruning weight and diameter of the second bearing spur of the stocks, yield quality and quantity. Most of the sown species established successfully and in 2012 we found that Biocont-Ecovin and the mixture of legumes were the most effective in weed suppression. For 2013 we detected lower weed coverage in the inter-rows sown with the grass-herb and legume mixtures, while in control and Biocont-Ecovin inter-rows we detected increasing weed coverage. In the third year (2014) we found in every plot? that the grass-herb mixture-covered inter-rows were the least weedy. The most successful species in the inter-rows are: Coronilla varia, Lotus corniculatus, Medicago lupulina, Onobrychis viciifolia, Plantago lanceolata, Trifolium repens, Trifolium pratense. Viticultural measurements (2014) show a 10-13 % decrease of yield in case of covered inter-rows, and a 26 and 21 % reduction in pruning weight (Grof Degenfeld and Tokaj-Hetszőlő), especially apparent in young plantations. For Hungarian conditions it is therefore recommended to implement this technology in every second inter-row where erosion control is not required. Keywords: grapevine, cover crops, erosion, biodiversity, species rich mixtures

MILYEN FÁKON TEREMNEK MIKSZÁTH KÁLMÁN REGÉNYEI?

A dolgozat Mikszáth Kálmán regényeinek helyét keresi, de a szerző az ezredfordulós magyar kutatás posztmodern preferenciáit elutasítva külön utakat keres a kutatás számára. Az értekező a Mikszáth-regények színes vitális-komikus-humoros karakterét megértési alapként gondolja el, s a realizmuson inneni regényrétegeket, a természetes emberségen alapuló közösségek, védett mikrokozmoszok szféráit éppúgy bemutatja, a narráció spontán közvetlenségét épp annyira hangsúlyozza, mint az író mély szociálpszichológiai dezillúzióját, színház-szerkezetű világvízióját s a narrátori irónia, az „átképzeléses” beszédmód, nézőpontváltó technika fontosságát, karakteres egyediségét. A vizsgálódások tükrében az olvasónak „az elnéző értékelés közösségét” kínáló Mikszáth, bár nem posztmodernnek, de nagyon korszerűnek mutatkozik, s a magyar író európai társaihoz (Fieldinghez, Smolletthez, Dickenshez, Gogolhoz, a Bildungsromanhoz, a francia, német, angol realizmushoz) mérten is vitathatatlanul szuverén regényformát teremt, különlegesen variábilis narrációt alkalmaz.