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Background We aimed to provide data on the normal blood pressure of haemodynamically stable neonates. Our study uses retrospective, real-life oscillometric blood pressure measurement values to determine the expected blood pressure in different gestational age, chronological age and birth weight groups. We also investigated the effect of antenatal steroid on neonatal blood pressure. Methods Our retrospective study (2019-2021) was carried out in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of the University of Szeged, Hungary. We involved 629 haemodynamically stable patients and analysed 134,938 blood pressure values. Data were collected from electronic hospital records of IntelliSpace Critical Care Anesthesia by Phillips. We used the PDAnalyser program for data handling and the IBM SPSS program for statistical analysis. Results We found a significant difference between the blood pressure of each gestational age group in the first 14 days of life. The systolic, diastolic and mean blood pressure rise are steeper in the preterm group than in the term group in the first 3 days of life. No significant blood pressure differences were found between the group with a complete antenatal steroid course and those who received incomplete steroid prophylaxis or did not receive antenatal steroids. Conclusion We determined the average blood pressure of stable neonates and obtained normative data by percentiles. Our study provides additional data on how blood pressure varies with gestational age and birth weight. Graphical abstract, Author(s): Judit Klara Kiss [sup.1] , Anna Gajda [sup.1] , Judit Mari [sup.1] , Judit Nemeth [sup.1] , Csaba Bereczki [sup.1] Author Affiliations: (1) grid.9008.1, 0000 0001 1016 9625, Department [...]

Water scarcity represents a significant challenge in Jordan, exacerbated by increasing domestic, industrial, and agricultural water demands amidst the backdrop of limited available water resources. The current study utilized water consumption per capita per day (PCD) as a productivity measure that aligns with the goals of water utilities to provide safe and enough water to customers. It identified and explained the critical performance indicators (PIs) affecting PCD. The study was conducted based on the time series secondary data of the applied PIs collected from Jordan Water Company (Miyahuna) between 2009 and 2018. To identify the PIs most strongly associated with the PCD variable, a correlation analysis was performed using IBM SPSS Statistics software. Indicators showing significant correlation with the PCD underwent further analysis as potential independent variables. Non-revenue water and water resources use per capita indicators showed pivotal and significant effects on PCD, exhibiting negative and positive impacts, respectively. In pursuit of improved indicators' performance, this research advocates for the implementation of Active Leakage Control methods, the adoption of innovative techniques to desalinate brackish water, the promotion of water harvesting initiatives, enhanced employee training, and the enforcement of more stringent policies to tackle water theft. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kenya is one of the leading SHC importers in Africa. The aborted import substitution industrialisation, the liberalisation of the economy, and the failure of the domestic textile industry led to the SHC trade surge, which is the direct product of the global (ultra)fast fashion linear business model. SHC industry is beneficial for the economy and the people of Kenya due to job creation, income and revenue generation, and the provision of affordable clothing. However, it has detrimental impact on the environment and the local textile/fashion industry. To maintain the benefits and reduce the negative effects, it is important not to completely eliminate it. In the short run, quantity should be decreased, and the quality should be improved to reduce waste. In the long run, there should be a gradual decrease and eventually elimination of second-hand clothing imports, depending on the revitalization of domestic garment industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a significant source of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions and plays a crucial role in climate change and global warming. This study aims to explain the effects of primary and renewable energy supplies and environmental taxation and to analyse how taxation can alter their direct effects on carbon intensity. The research was conducted using a generalized method of moments model that uses instrumental variables with two-stage (2SGMM) estimators to calculate the direct and moderating effects of environmental taxes on carbon intensity. This study confirms the EKC theorem, and results have shown that primary energy supply and environmental-related taxation positively contribute to carbon intensity. The second finding indicates that a major increase in the proportion of renewable energy will greatly slow the rate of carbon dioxide emissions. The study provides additional evidence concerning the moderating role of taxation in amplifying the impacts of primary and renewable energy supply. The empirical findings suggest that the taxation impact is more fiscal than an incentive. In addition to the current energy and economic crisis, considerable funding and fiscal policies are needed to achieve more sustainable development paths towards carbon neutrality and energy security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to the human capital theory, education can be seen as an investment into individual human capital. The profitability of human capital investment is partly determined by the individuals’ work-related earnings. The study examines how work-related earnings and the gap between gross earnings at different educational level changed in Hungary, between 2004 and 2013. An indicator is defined and presented to measure the change in gross earnings and net earnings caused by the education as the human capital investment. Moreover, we examine the change in earnings surplus by educational level, look for the answer to the question whether the gap between earnings for individuals with different educational attainment increased or decreased in Hungary from 2004 to 2013.

The economic role of knowledge, education and research as investments in individuals‘ human capital has become a real focus of attention among researchers and policy makers in Europe over the last few decades. Individuals‘ high level skills and the versatile knowledge acquired in a formal or informal educational context have become extremely important factors in evolving knowledge-based economies. In this article we primarily analyze fiscal expenditures on education, and on research and development among OECD countries, and examine the change over time of state expenditures on education.

Energy efficiency measures and increasing use of renewable energy can contribute to the sustainable development at global level, to increase of the energy saving in any economy, and to decrease of energy dependence at global and macro level. In this paper we aim to investigate the amount of electricity produced and the development of price of electricity sold and purchased by the different actors in the Hungarian electricity market between 2008 and 2013. Moreover we analyse the rate of renewable energy sources in the production of electricity, look for the answer to the question whether the rate of renewable energy sources in electricity production increased or decreased in Hungary.

Introduction The liver is the major body iron storage site and the endocrine organ responsible for the regulation of systemic iron homeostasis. The homeostatic system controls plasma iron availability in [...], Systemic iron homeostasis is mainly controlled by the liver through synthesis of the peptide hormone hepcidin (encoded by Hamp), the key regulator of duodenal iron absorption and macrophage iron release. Here we show that the liver-specific microRNA miR-122 is important for regulating Hamp mRNA expression and tissue iron levels. Efficient and specific depletion of miR-122 by injection of a locked-nucleic-acid-modified (LNA-modified) anti-miR into WT mice caused systemic iron deficiency, characterized by reduced plasma and liver iron levels, mildly impaired hematopoiesis, and increased extramedullary erythropoiesis in the spleen. Moreover, miR-122 inhibition increased the amount of mRNA transcribed by genes that control systemic iron levels, such as hemochromatosis (Hfe), hemojuvelin (Hjv), bone morphogenetic protein receptor type 1A (Bmpr1a), and Hamp. Importantly, miR-122 directly targeted the 3' untranslated region of 2 mRNAs that encode activators of hepcidin expression, Hfe and Hjv. These data help to explain the increased Hamp mRNA levels and subsequent iron deficiency in mice with reduced miR-122 levels and establish a direct mechanistic link between miR-122 and the regulation of systemic iron metabolism.

Hereditary hemochromatosis and transfusional iron overload are frequent clinical conditions associated with progressive iron accumulation in parenchymal tissues, leading to eventual organ failure. We have discovered a new mechanism to reverse iron overload--pharmacological modulation of the divalent metal transporter-1 (DMT-1). DMT-1 mediates intracellular iron transport during the transferrin cycle and apical iron absorption in the duodenum. Its additional functions in iron handling in the kidney and liver are less well understood. We show that the L-type calcium channel blocker nifedipine increases DMT-1-mediated cellular iron transport 10- to 100-fold at concentrations between 1 and 100 [mu]M. Mechanistically, nifedipine causes this effect by prolonging the iron-transporting activity of DMT-1. We show that nifedipine mobilizes iron from the liver of mice with primary and secondary iron overload and enhances urinary iron excretion. Modulation of DMT-1 function by L-type calcium channel blockers emerges as a new pharmacological therapy for the treatment of iron overload disorders., Author(s): Susanne Ludwiczek [1]; Igor Theurl [1]; Martina U Muckenthaler [2]; Martin Jakab [3, 4]; Sabine M Mair [1]; Milan Theurl [1]; Judit Kiss [2]; Markus Paulmichl [3, 5]; Matthias [...]

In contrast to the highly developed countries and some developing regions, Africa highly depends on external resources of financing development. According to the saving-investment gap concept, there is a significant gap between savings and investment rates. As domestic resources are limited and their mobilization is slow, the region should rely on external sources of finance (i.e., aid, export revenues, FDI, loans, and remittances) in order to close the finance gap. Despite the massive inflow of external resources, the 200 billion USD yearly financing gap still prevails. The outflow of financial resources from Africa in the form of profit repatriations, debt service, tax dodging, capital flight and illicit financial flow exceeds the inflow, suggesting that Africa is a bottomless barrel. The long-standing concept about the saving-investment gap does not provide a full explanation for the prevailing financing gap. The main research questions are as follows: (a) Why is there a permanent financing gap in Africa? b) Why does the outflow of financial resources exceed the inflow? c) What should be done to close the financing gap and solve the problem of financing development? The paper is structured as follows: Section 1 is based on the saving-investmentgap concept and explores the validity of this theory in Sub-Saharan Africa. The conclusion of Section 1 is that there is a permanent finance gap in SSA, consequently, the region should rely on external sources of finance. Section 2 introduces the main external sources of finance (aid, FDI and remittances) and reveals the major trends and characteristics of these flows. As the saving-investment gap is smaller than the amount of external financial inflow, two questions arise: Where does the money go? Is Africa suffering from a financial haemorrhage? Section 3 tries to identify those “leaks” which drain Africa’s accumulated domestic and external resources by analysing the main channels of financial outflows such as capital flight and illicit financial flows. In the conclusion we present the financing situation of Africa and answer the question “Who finances whom?” and make recommendations for enhancing development finance. The final conclusion is that not the external world finances Africa, but Africa finances the world. The issue of financing Africa’s development cannot be solved without (a) mobilizing domestic resources (including domestic savings), (b) attracting external resources as well as improving the use and avoiding the misuse of inflowing financial resources, and (c) curbing capital flight and tackling illicit financial outflow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fight against climate change has brought new technical solutions in the energy industry and transport. Carbon‐neutral solutions, the use of renewable energies have become preferred. Recently, the spread of electromobility in road transport has been increasing worldwide. This situation means new challenges for the energy industry and transport infrastructure. The direction of the development of the society, the energy industry, and the transport is influenced by the governments too. The article studies the governmental and international regulations, guidelines, and plans from the point of view on how these affect the development of transport in Hungary. The authors model the expected spread of electromobility in Hungary. In addition, the authors examine the expected structural transformation of electricity generation, the change expected in the energy mix. Finally, the government's plans are assessed, and it is discussed how Hungary can meet its commitments on renewable energy sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current business environment proposes great pressure and challenges on organizations to sustain and prosper. Performance measurement systems (PMSs) are considered one of the most accepted and widely used tools that organizations adopt to help them implementing their strategies, monitoring their performance towards achieving their strategic goals, and gathering important and useful information to improve their performance frequently. Previous literature has theoretically suggested that using PMSs will affect the organizational performance; nevertheless, the empirical studies found different results regarding these effects, some of these results supported the suggested benefits, while some did not. In this paper, recent empirical pieces of evidence studying the effects of using these systems on organizational performance have been collected and reviewed, covering a wide variety of industries in different regions. All reviewed articles were published in peer-reviewed journals in the period between 2014 and 2020. Almost all of the reviewed articles support the theoretical claims of having different positive impacts on organizational performance. However, the effects of these systems were not always direct, they vary between being direct, indirect, mediating, or moderating. PMSs affect various aspects of organizations; for example, they affect the overall organizational performance, financial and non-financial performance, employees' behavior, and many other aspects of organizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION Tobacco tax policies have been proven to be effective in reducing tobacco consumption, but their impact can be mitigated through price-minimizing behaviours among smokers. This study explored the purchase sources of tobacco products and the price paid for tobacco products in six EU member states. METHODS Data from Wave 1 of the EUREST-PLUS ITC Europe Survey collected from nationally representative samples of adult smokers in Germany, Greece, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Spain (ITC 6E Survey) were used. The ITC 6E Survey sample, conducted in 2016, randomly sampled 6011 adult cigarette smokers aged 18 years or older. Information on purchase sources of tobacco was examined by country. The difference in reported purchase price by purchase location (store vs non-store/other) was analysed using linear regression for each country. RESULTS Tobacco purchasing patterns and sources varied widely between countries. Non-store/other purchases were very rare in Hungary (0.1%) while these types of purchases were more common in Germany (5.1%) and Poland (8.6%). Reported prices of one standard pack of 20 cigarettes were highest in Germany (4.80€) and lowest in Hungary (2.45€). While nonstore purchases were only made by a minority of smokers (>10% in all countries), the price differential was considerable between store and non-store/other sources, up to 2€ per pack in Greece and in Germany. CONCLUSIONS The results suggest a huge variation of purchasing sources and price differentials between store and non-store purchasing sources across the six EU member states examined. While the cross-sectional data precludes any causal inference, supply chain control through licensing as introduced in Hungary and the lack of such measures in the other countries might nevertheless be a plausible explanation for the large differences in the frequency of non-store purchases observed in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

5‐Hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) is produced from 5‐methylcytosine (5mC) by Ten‐eleven translocation (TET) dioxygenases. The epigenetic modification 5hmC has crucial roles in both cellular development and differentiation. The 5hmC level is particularly high in the brain. While 5mC is generally associated with gene silencing/reduced expression, 5hmC is a more permissive epigenetic mark. To understand its physiological function, an easy and accurate quantification method is required. Here, we have developed a novel LC‐MS/MS‐based approach to quantify both genomic 5mC and 5hmC contents. The method is based on the liberation of nucleobases by formic acid. Applying this method, we characterized the levels of DNA methylation and hydroxymethylation in mouse brain and liver, primary hepatocytes, and various cell lines. Using this approach, we confirm that the treatment of different cell lines with the DNA methyltransferase inhibitor 5‐aza‐2′‐deoxycytidine leads to a decrease in 5mC content. This decrease was accompanied by an increase in 5hmC levels in cell lines of hematopoietic origin. Finally, we showed that ascorbate elevates the levels of 5hmC and augments the effect of 5‐aza‐2′‐deoxycytidine without significantly influencing 5mC levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The economic role of knowledge, education and research as investments in individuals' human capital has become a real focus of attention among researchers and policy makers in Europe over the last few decades. Individuals' high level skills and the versatile knowledge acquired in a formal or informal educational context have become extremely important factors in evolving knowledge-based economies. In this article we primarily analyze fiscal expenditures on education, and on research and development among OECD countries, and examine the change over time of state expenditures on education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 alpha (HNF4α) nuclear receptor is a master regulator of hepatocyte development, nutrient transport and metabolism. HNF4α is regulated both at the transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels by different mechanisms. Several kinases (PKA, PKC, AMPK) were shown to phosphorylate and decrease the activity of HNF4α. Activation of the ERK1/2 signalling pathway, inducing proliferation and survival, inhibits the expression of HNF4α. However, based on our previous results we hypothesized that HNF4α is also regulated at the post-transcriptional level by ERK1/2. Here we show that ERK1/2 is capable of directly phosphorylating HNF4α in vitro at several phosphorylation sites including residues previously shown to be targeted by other kinases, as well. Furthermore, we also demonstrate that phosphorylation of HNF4α leads to a reduced trans-activational capacity of the nuclear receptor in luciferase reporter gene assay. We confirm the functional relevance of these findings by demonstrating with ChIP-qPCR experiments that 30-minute activation of ERK1/2 leads to reduced chromatin binding of HNF4α. Accordingly, we have observed decreasing but not disappearing binding of HNF4α to the target genes. In addition, 24-hour activation of the pathway further decreased HNF4α chromatin binding to specific loci in ChIP-qPCR experiments, which confirms the previous reports on the decreased expression of the HNF4a gene due to ERK1/2 activation. Our data suggest that the ERK1/2 pathway plays an important role in the regulation of HNF4α-dependent hepatic gene expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]