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Abstract
Thin films prepared by vacuum evaporation of 57Fe and subsequent low energy ion implantation were investigated by conversion electron Mössbauer spectroscopy and AFM measurements. A sextet with Mössbauer parameters of δ = 0.1 mm/s and B = 26 T appearing in the CEM spectra was identified as amorphous iron. Passivation and phosphonation of the thin films revealed the high affinity of amorphous iron in chemical reactions.
Muscular dystrophies are a genetically heterogeneous group of degenerative muscle disorders. This article focuses on two severe forms of muscular dystrophies and provides genetic data for a large cohort of Hungarian patients diagnosed within the last few years by the authors.The Duchenne/Becker muscular dystrophy (DMD/BMD) is caused by mutations in the dystrophin gene, which is located on chromosome Xp21. The genetic analysis of dystrophin is usually performed by multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR), which detects approximately 95% of all deletions but does not distinguish between one and two copies of the exons investigated. The present work, therefore, concentrates on the improvement of the diagnostic panel for the analysis of DMD/BMD in Hungary. Radioactively labelled cDNA probes, encompassing the whole dystrophin gene detect all the deletions and the analysis is quantitative. In addition, the new multiple ligationdependent probe amplification (MLPA) technique was recently introduced that enabled more reliable and faster quantitative detection of the entire dystrophin gene. The genomic basis of facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) is associated with contraction of the D4Z4 repeat region in the subtelomere of chromosome 4q. In case of FSHD, molecular genetic criteria still have to be improved because of the complexity of the disorder.
Abstract
Purpose
Intensive exercise significantly lowers the pH of muscle and blood; beta-alanine supplementation can increase carnosine levels, the absence of which leads to an early acidosis and fatigue. The aim of our work is to investigate the effect of a single dose of beta-alanine supplementation on well-trained rowing athletes.
Materials/Methods
The spiroergometric parameters of the participants (n = 28) were examined a total of four times (T1,T2,T3,T4). After measurement (T3), participants received a beta-alanine supplementation at a dose of 50 mg/kg−1 body weight. We compared the results of the four measurements as well as the blood lactate values obtained from the fingertip before and after the tests.
Results
The different load physiological parameters and the lactate values measured after the tests did not show any significant difference. The mean lactate value prior to test (T4) was 1.8 (mmol*L−1), which is significantly higher than the mean-value of the two previous studies: T1 = 1.6 (mmol*L−1); (P = 0.00), T3 = 1.55 (mmol*L−1); (P = 0.04).
Conclusions
The higher lactate value measured before test (T4) was probably due to the longer time to return to the baseline values after the series load. In conclusion, a single dose of beta-alanine supplementation has no effect on performance. In order to elicit the ergogenic effect of beta-alanine, the use of short, intermittent diet therapy intervention is not recommended.
Organic polymers - carbon nanotubes nanocomposites are synthesized either by mechanical mixing of the two components or by covalently linking the nanotubes to the matrix. The various procedures will be overviewed and the determining factors will be identified for the best mechanical properties of the composites. On the other hand, it will be shown that for highest electrical conductivity much smaller amounts of carbon nanotubes are needed if the nanotubes can be aligned. The thermal conductivity of the nanocomposites will also be overviewed. Finally, together with nanoclay particles, nanotubes are inducing remarkable flame retardant properties in the nanocomposites materials.
Some recent results on the synthesis of coiled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are summarized. Several supported catalysts can lead to the formation of coiled CNTs. Interestingly, certain domains of the coil pitch and coil diameter are favoured, and two “stability islands”are found in the 3D representation of the number of coiled CNTs as a function of both coil pitch and coil diameter. It is emphasized that these nanotubes are formed either by introducing pairs of five-membered ring - seven-membered ring or by forming haeckelite structures. The coiled CNTs could be used in nanocomposite reinforcement as well as special sensors based on their remarkable mechanical and electrical properties.
The increasing consumer demand for less processed and more natural food products – while improving those products’ quality, safety, and shelf-life – has raised the necessity of chemical preservative replacement. Biopreservation refers to extended storage life and enhanced safety of foods using the natural microflora and (or) their antibacterial products. Chitinolytic enzymes are of biotechnological interest, since their substrate, chitin, is a major structural component of the cell wall of fungi, which are the main cause of the spoilage of food and raw plant material. Among the several organisms, many bacteria produce chitinolytic enzymes, however, this behaviour is not general. The chitinase activity of the lactic acid bacteria is scarcely known and studied.
The aim of the present study was to select Lactobacillus strains that have genes encoding chitinase, furthermore, to detect expressed enzymes and to characterise their chitinase activity. Taking into consideration the importance of chitin-bindig proteins (CBPs) in the chitinase activity, CBPs were also examined. Five Lactobacillus strains out of 43 strains from 12 different species were selected by their chitinase coding gene. The presence of the chitinase and chitin-biding protein production were confirmed, however, no chitinolytic activity has been identified.
The first version of the map of the Hungarian vegetation-based landscape regions were prepared at the scale of 1: 200,000 (1 km or higher resolution). The primary goal of the map was to provide an exact background for the presentation and evaluation of the data of the MÉTA database. Secondly, we intended to give an up-to-date and detailed vegetation-based division of Hungary with a comprehensive nomenclature of the regions. Regions were primarily defined on the basis of their present zonal vegetation, or their dominant extrazonal or edaphic vegetation. Where this was not possible, abiotic factors that influence the potential vegetation, the flora were taken into consideration, thus, political and economical factors were ignored. All region borders were defined by local expert botanists, mainly based on their field knowledge. The map differs in many features from the currently used, country-wide, flora-or geography-based divisions in many features. We consider our map to be temporary (i.e. a work map), and we plan to refine and improve it after 5 years of testing.
