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Nature conservation–related citizen science (NCCS) has grown rapidly worldwide in previous years. In Hungary, a few citizen science (CS) projects have been operating for years and some have only recently launched. Our aim herein is to assess the performance of eight Hungarian NCCS projects in three dimensions: a) science, b) nature conservation, and c) participants’ development. An evaluation framework was developed for the assessment. Our results show that the Common Bird Monitoring Program performed the best overall. This is also the oldest NCCS project in the country. When comparing the performance per dimension, the majority of the projects tended to have good performances in the science dimension. Most of the projects ensure data quality using different strategies. However, the need for open data and processing the project results for generating scientific publications still needs to be tackled by some NCCS initiatives. Regarding the nature conservation dimension, data generated have been mostly used in monitoring species/ecosystems, whereas data is less commonly used for conservation policy-making. It was identified that the participants’ development dimension has not received sufficient attention, and neither learning outcomes nor behavioral and attitude change has been evaluated by any projects. Our results of evaluating Hungarian NCCS initiatives in a complex way may offer insights for project managers and coordinators to identify which dimension are performing well and which areas need improvement. Also, our framework serves as a model that can be applied to current and future NCCS initiatives.

Abstract The advent of intense terahertz (THz) sources opened a new era when the demonstration of the acceleration and manipulation of free electrons by THz pulses became within reach. THz-field-driven electron emission was predicted to be confined to a single burst due to the single-cycle waveform. Here we demonstrate the confinement of single-cycle THz-waveform-driven electron emission to one of the two half cycles from a solid surface emitter. Either the leading or the trailing half cycle was active, controlled by reversing the field polarity. THz-driven single-burst surface electron emission sources, which do not rely on field-enhancement structures, will impact the development of THz-powered electron acceleration and manipulation devices, all-THz compact electron sources, THz waveguides and telecommunication, THz-field-based measurement techniques and solid-state devices.

Abstract Temporary ponds are among the most sensitive aquatic habitats to climate change. Their microbial communities have crucial roles in food webs and biogeochemical cycling, yet how their communities are assembled along environmental gradients is still understudied. This study aimed to reveal the environmental drivers of diversity (OTU-based richness, evenness, and phylogenetic diversity) and community composition from a network of saline temporary ponds, soda pans, in two consecutive spring seasons characterized by contrasting weather conditions. We used DNA-based molecular methods to investigate microbial community composition. We tested the effect of environmental variables on the diversity of prokaryotic (Bacteria, Cyanobacteria) and microeukaryotic functional groups (ciliates, heterotrophic flagellates and nanoflagellates, fungi, phytoplankton) within and across the years. Conductivity and the concentration of total suspended solids and phosphorus were the most important environmental variables affecting diversity patterns in all functional groups. Environmental conditions were harsher and they also had a stronger impact on community composition in the dry spring. Our results imply that these conditions, which are becoming more frequent with climate change, have a negative effect on microbial diversity in temporary saline ponds. This eventually might translate into community-level shifts across trophic groups with changing local conditions with implications for ecosystem functioning.

Different virulence variants of A. pleuropneumoniae are involved in the etiology of porcine pleuropneumonia. The purpose of the present trial was examination of the virulence of the Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae A-85/14 strain, the type strain of serovar 16, in an animal challenge experiment. Thirty 12-week-old piglets seronegative for A. pleuropneumoniae were allocated into three trial groups each of 10 animals, and they were infected intranasally with 106, 107, or 108 colony forming units (cfu) of the strain, respectively. Clinical signs were recorded twice a day, and the animals were euthanized 6 days after the infection. Typical clinical signs and postmortem lesions of porcine pleuropneumonia were seen in the animals of each trial group; however, they were generally mild, and no significant differences could be seen between the three groups. Even 106 colony forming units of A. pleuropneumoniae A-85/14 strain could induce clinical signs and lesions. Based on these results, the type strain of serovar 16 of A. pleuropneumoniae must be regarded as a typical pathogenic strain of the species.

Cytochrome b561 proteins (CYB561s) are integral membrane proteins with six trans-membrane domains, two heme-b redox centers, one on each side of the host membrane. The major characteristics of these proteins are their ascorbate reducibility and trans-membrane electron transferring capability. More than one CYB561 can be found in a wide range of animal and plant phyla and they are localized in membranes different from the membranes participating in bioenergization. Two homologous proteins, both in humans and rodents, are thought to participate—via yet unidentified way—in cancer pathology. The recombinant forms of the human tumor suppressor 101F6 protein (Hs_CYB561D2) and its mouse ortholog (Mm_CYB561D2) have already been studied in some detail. However, nothing has yet been published about the physical-chemical properties of their homologues (Hs_CYB561D1 in humans and Mm_CYB561D1 in mice). In this paper we present optical, redox and structural properties of the recombinant Mm_CYB561D1, obtained based on various spectroscopic methods and homology modeling. The results are discussed in comparison to similar properties of the other members of the CYB561 protein family.

To evaluate the effects of hyperglycemia and insulin treatment on the proportion of serotonin-immunoreactive (5-HT-IR) myenteric neurons, samples were taken from the duodenum, ileum, and colon of diabetic, insulin-treated diabetic, and control rats 10 weeks after the onset of streptozotocin-induced hyperglycemia. Myenteric whole-mount preparations were immunostained with anti-5-HT and pan-neuronal anti-HuCD markers. In controls, the 5-HT-IR myenteric neurons represent a small proportion (~2.5%) of the total neuronal number in the investigated gut segments. The proportion of 5-HT-IR myenteric neurons was significantly higher in the duodenum (p < 0.01) and colon (p < 0.0001) of diabetic rats compared to the controls but exhibited a slight increase in the ileum. Immediate insulin treatment resulted in a significantly lower proportion of myenteric 5-HT-IR neurons in each segment (duodenum p < 0.0001; ileum p < 0.01; and colon p < 0.0001) compared to the untreated diabetics. Our study demonstrates that the proportion of 5-HT-IR myenteric neurons was enhanced in type 1 diabetes in a region-specific manner. Immediate insulin treatment prevents a higher hyperglycemia-induced amount of 5-HT-IR neurons and restores it to the control level in each investigated gut segment. Despite the low proportion of 5-HT-IR myenteric neurons, hyperglycemia-related changes of these neurons may play a crucial role in gastrointestinal symptoms in type 1 diabetes.

The effect of fungal entomopathogen M. anisopliae strain NCAIM 362 against M. melolontha larvae in sweet potato was tested under open field conditions when crop management included compost supply and soil cover (agro-foil or agro-textile). Additionally, the effect of M. anisopliae same strain against M. melolontha was compared with the effect of α-cypermethrin under greenhouse conditions. Soil microbial community using Illumina sequencing and soil biological activity were tested as possible parameter influencing M. anisopliae effect. According to the results, compost supply and textile cover may enhance the effectiveness of M. anisopliae under open field conditions, while no effect of fungal treatment was detected under greenhouse conditions. Even if soil parameters (chemical composition, bacterial, and biological activity) were identical, the effect of α-cypermethrin against M. melolontha larvae was significant: lower ratio of larval survival and less damaged tubers were detected after the chemical treatment. Our results suggest that M. anisopliae strain NCAIM 362 is not effective to control M. melolontha larvae, further pieces of research are needed to test other species of the Metarhizium genus to find an effective agent for sustainable pest control in sweet potato.

Besides slow food, slow city, slow fashion, education, and marketing - slow tourism is one of the several different slow movements. Several trends justify the importance and the reasons for the existence of slow tourism: the aging society, the growing power of women in making travel decisions. Slow tourism was born as a possibility for those, who would like to live their life in a different way even during their travels: giving respect to the environment and to the local people, too. In case of slow tourism local culture, traditions, gastronomy is in the center. Sustainability is also a priority, meanwhile, the well-being and interests of the inhabitants of the destination are also taken into account. Instead of mass tourism products authentic, not standardized experiences are in the supply. The research aimed to investigate the attitudes and perceptions of respondents towards different slow tourism elements. The study is based on quantitative data from an online survey conducted with 386 Hungarian respondents in the framework of omnibus research. To reveal the perceptions and attitude of the respondents towards slow elements multidimensional scaling model and principal component methods were applied. Based on the results it can be concluded, that the “local” elements of a journey are important for the respondents, meanwhile, the personalized services, the spirituality of the destination, and the sustainable approach do not matter. Only a small proportion of respondents avoids crowded destinations, so traveling to hidden places is not a favorite holiday option for the majority of Hungarians. However, the coronavirus epidemics can strengthen the demand for this tourism product, since expectedly there will be more tourists, who want to avoid crowded places during their holiday. Service providers can also benefit from the results of the research, and concentrate on the elements that proved to be important for Hungarian travelers.

As earlier people went on holidays for the relaxation and the feeling of escape from the ordinary weekdays, nowadays most of them cannot imagine to spend a few days without internet connection or their smartphones during travels. The benefits of using smart phones and social media cannot be questioned, however, the drawbacks have to be also considered. To reveal the cons and pros of the phenomenon, first a brief theoretical overview of the topic is introduced, and then the analysis of the results of the empirical research involving 386 people in Hungary are put into the focus of this paper. The online survey conducted in Autumn 2019 gave the opportunity to study the mobile phone and social media usage habits of the Hungarians during their holidays. Simple descriptive statistics and the method of multidimensional scaling (MDS) with ALSCAL procedure were applied to illustrate the perceptions and attitudes of the respondents, and to interpret the hidden relationships among the variables. The results show that the smart tools and social media are organic parts of the holidays: 90% of the respondents use social media platform like Facebook daily, and 48% said that they use their mobile phones less during holidays compared to the everyday. However, only 13.5% of them would be willing to mitigate the usage of smart devices totally, while in case of social media usage this proportionis higher, 37.9%.

In the era of consumer society, the depletion of the world’s natural resources brings conscious consumption in the spotlight. More and more people are said to be conscious consumers, who act responsibly with regard to the environment and society. Therefore, researches about conscious and responsible purchase behaviour draw the attention of economists and marketing specialists as well – thus being able to form their market actions. According to the stereotype about conscious consumers in our heads, the conscious consumer is young, well educated, and female. This paper aims to reveal the consumption habits of people and their attitude toward consciousness and responsibility, furthermore, to investigate them from the stereotype’s point of view that finds youngsters more conscious. An online survey was conducted with 652 consumers of a German supermarket chain in Hungary. The research concentrates on identifying the main differences between generations regarding their purchase habits. The research results show that the consciousness is rather manifested in the self-interest than in the responsibility. While other international survey data have proven development through generations and found younger consumers more conscious and responsible, this fact has not been statistically proven in Hungary. The real causes or drivers behind conscious behaviour are still questionable in the Hungarian market.

Spark discharge nanoparticle generation is a dynamically developing application of discharge plasmas. In the present study a spark plasma used for nanoparticle generation is characterized by means of spatially and temporally resolved optical emission spectroscopy (OES) supplemented by fast imaging. The data acquired during the generation of copper nanoparticles in argon ambient is used to describe the spatial and temporal evolution of the species in the spark gap and to derive plasma parameters such as excitation temperature and electron concentration on one hand, and the concentration of the Cu species eroded by a single spark on the other. It is shown that temporally and spatially resolved OES together with a simple equilibrium model are efficient tools to estimate the characteristics of the spark discharge plasma that typically exists in spark discharge nanoparticle generators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]