Nonlinear Spectral Theories and Solvability of Nonlinear Hammerstein Equations

AMS Subj. Classification: 47J10, 47H30, 47H10

Comparison of Multivariate and Univariate Models for Genetic Evaluation of Milk Yield based on Test Day Data

2000 Mathematics Subject Classification: 62H12, 62P99

Potapov-Ginsburg Transformation and Functional Models of Non-Dissipative Operators

2000 Mathematics Subject Classification: Primary 47A20, 47A45; Secondary 47A48.

Társas kapcsolatok és interakció a szabadidősportban (Social relationships and interaction in the leisure sport)

A sporttermékek iránti kereslet kialakulására a sportszocializáció meghatározó befolyással bír. A sport kiemelkedő szerepet játszik a mai modern társadalomban. Jelentős gazdasági súlyt képvisel, továbbá lehetőséget ad a személyes fejlődésre és a társas kapcsolatok kialakítására, ápolására. Az egyéni személyes előnyök mellett a sportolás támogatása révén a társadalom egészségi állapotának költséghatékony megőrzése is biztosítható. Ezzel együtt hazánkban alacsony a szabadidősportban való részvétel, a lakosság egészségi állapota romlik, az ülő életmód egyre terjed. Az elvégzett kutatás célja az volt, hogy olyan ismeretekre tegyen szert, amelyek segítségével megérthető a sportolást befolyásoló legfőbb tényezők hatása, így az egyén szűk környezetének (család, barátok, iskola) jelentősége, a társas befolyás hazai jellegzetességei. Ezek az ismeretek elősegíthetik mind a profit, mind a non-profit szféra számára a lakosság sikeresebb megszólítását, hozzájárulva egy aktívabb társadalom megteremtéséhez. _______ Sport socialization has high relevance to generate demand for sport. Sport plays an important role in today’s modern societies. It has enormous economic significance and provides opportunity for personal development and for establishing new or keeping existing social relationships. Besides individual personal benefits, supporting sport also ensures the costefficient maintenance of good health on a social level. However sport participation and sport spectatorship are both low in Hungary. At the same time the health status of residents are worsening and the society is characterized by a sitting, sedentary lifestyle. The goal of the study is to gather information on the primary factors influencing sport participation, especially the significance of the close social environment of the individual (family, friends and education). Understanding why people participate in sports and how they can be motivated to do so is of primary importance to both the private and the state sector, explained by business interest and by the need to ensure the healthy operation of the society.

Hirschman meets Williamson: Relationship-specific investment and loyalty

In Albert Hirschman’s theory, loyalty plays a key role in the equilibrium between exit and voice. This article extends economic (rational choice) analysis to the emergence of loyalty, which Hirschman considers an exogenous factor. This is accomplished by linking Williamson’s theory of specific investment to Hirschman’s model. Three cases are distinguished: (1) loyalty is due to specific investment; (2) loyalty is due to (intermediate) factors influenced by specific investment; and, (3) loyalty is independent of specific investment. A simple model formalizes the first case. A paradoxical dynamic of loyalty is identified: a lower degree of specificity may lead to a weakening of loyalty in the short run but astrengthening of loyalty in the long run. An application to the process of European integration is sketched.

A posztmodern marketing elvei és gyakorlata a turizmus piacán - Mátrix és turizmus (Theories and practice of the post-modern marketing on tourism market – Matrix and tourism)

Jelen tanulmány a posztmodern kor fogyasztási tendenciáit és a posztmodern marketing sajátos fejlődését elemzi, elsősorban a turizmus példáján. A szerzők a hazai és a nemzetközi szakirodalom, illetve saját kutatásaik és megfigyeléseik alapján ütköztetik az ismert és elfogadott elveket, elméleteket a gyakorlattal, és felhívják a figyelmet a marketingtevékenység alkalmazkodásának hazai problémáira. A Vezetéstudomány című folyóirat 2008/9. számában rendkívül érdekes tanulmány jelent meg Mitev Ariel Zoltán és Horváth Dóra tollából „A posztmodern marketing rózsaszirmai” címmel. A tanulmány előremutató, érdekfeszítő és minden tekintetben konstruktív, újszerű. Jelen tanulmány szerzőire is nagy hatást gyakorolt a cikk, nagyrészt felsorolt erényei miatt, de egyes esetekben kiegészítést kívánva. Mindenképpen inspirálta a továbblépést, az újabb adalékok megfogalmazását, amire ezúton e tanulmány szerzői kísérletet tettek. A cikk egyben szerves gondolati folytatása a szerzőpáros korábbi közös publikációinak, elsősorban a Marketing & Menedzsment folyóiratban megjelent cikknek. _______ In this article the author will analyze consumption tendencies of post-modern age, mainly using tourism marketing examples. Their analysis has been based on results of their own researches and researches published in Hungarian and international marketing literature. In this article they try to confront different theories of post-modern marketing and they will analyze problems of applicability of these theories in Hungarian marketing problem solving. An extremely interesting article was published in Vezetéstudomány (2008/9), written by Zoltán Mitev Ariel and Dóra Horváth, and this article, by its interesting, innovative and constructive aspect has largely influenced authors of present article to continue the path proposed in the abovementioned article. The article, in the same time, is an organic continuation of the earlier common publications of the authors, e.g. the recent article in Marketing & Menedzsment journal.

The use of treatment theories and procedures for postural control in adult with hemiplegia: A national survey

This study investigated the use of treatment theories and procedures for postural control training used by Occupational Therapists (OTs) when working with hemiplegic adults who have had cerebrovascular accident (CVA) or traumatic brain injury (TBI). The method of data collection was a national survey of 400 randomly selected physical disability OTs with 127 usable surveys returned. Results showed that the most common used treatment theory was neurodevelopmental treatment (NDT), followed by motor relearning program (MRP), proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF), Brunnstrom's approach, and the approach of Rood. The most common treatment posture used was sitting, followed by standing, mat activity, equilibrium reaction training, and walking. The factors affecting the use of various treatment theories procedures were years certified, years of clinical experience, work situation and work status. Pearson correlation coefficient analyses found significant positive relationships between treatment theories and postures. There were significant high correlations between usage of all pairs of treatment procedures. ^

Reduced organic sulfur: Analysis and interaction with mercury in the aquatic environment

Reduced organic sulfur (ROS) compounds are environmentally ubiquitous and play an important role in sulfur cycling as well as in biogeochemical cycles of toxic metals, in particular mercury. Development of effective methods for analysis of ROS in environmental samples and investigations on the interactions of ROS with mercury are critical for understanding the role of ROS in mercury cycling, yet both of which are poorly studied. Covalent affinity chromatography-based methods were attempted for analysis of ROS in environmental water samples. A method was developed for analysis of environmental thiols, by preconcentration using affinity covalent chromatographic column or solid phase extraction, followed by releasing of thiols from the thiopropyl sepharose gel using TCEP and analysis using HPLC-UV or HPLC-FL. Under the optimized conditions, the detection limits of the method using HPLC-FL detection were 0.45 and 0.36 nM for Cys and GSH, respectively. Our results suggest that covalent affinity methods are efficient for thiol enrichment and interference elimination, demonstrating their promising applications in developing a sensitive, reliable, and useful technique for thiol analysis in environmental water samples. The dissolution of mercury sulfide (HgS) in the presence of ROS and dissolved organic matter (DOM) was investigated, by quantifying the effects of ROS on HgS dissolution and determining the speciation of the mercury released from ROS-induced HgS dissolution. It was observed that the presence of small ROS (e.g., Cys and GSH) and large molecule DOM, in particular at high concentrations, could significantly enhance the dissolution of HgS. The dissolved Hg during HgS dissolution determined using the conventional 0.22 μm cutoff method could include colloidal Hg (e.g., HgS colloids) and truly dissolved Hg (e.g., Hg-ROS complexes). A centrifugal filtration method (with 3 kDa MWCO) was employed to characterize the speciation and reactivity of the Hg released during ROS-enhanced HgS dissolution. The presence of small ROS could produce a considerable fraction (about 40% of total mercury in the solution) of truly dissolved mercury (< 3 kDa), probably due to the formation of Hg-Cys or Hg-GSH complexes. The truly dissolved Hg formed during GSH- or Cys-enhanced HgS dissolution was directly reducible (100% for GSH and 40% for Cys) by stannous chloride, demonstrating its potential role in Hg transformation and bioaccumulation.

The effects of student -centered and traditional models of teaching on reading skills

A pre-test, post-test, quasi-experimental design was used to examine the effects of student-centered and traditional models of reading instruction on outcomes of literal comprehension and critical thinking skills. The sample for this study consisted of 101 adult students enrolled in a high-level developmental reading course at a large, urban community college in the Southeastern United States. The experimental group consisted of 48 students, and the control group consisted of 53 students. Students in the experimental group were limited in the time spent reading a course text of basic skills, with instructors using supplemental materials such as poems, news articles, and novels. Discussions, the reading-writing connection, and student choice in material selection were also part of the student-centered curriculum. Students in the control group relied heavily on a course text and vocabulary text for reading material, with great focus placed on basic skills. Activities consisted primarily of multiple-choice questioning and quizzes. The instrument used to collect pre-test data was Descriptive Tests of Language Skills in Reading Comprehension; post-test data were taken from the Florida College Basic Skills Exit Test. A MANCOVA was used as the statistical method to determine if either model of instruction led to significantly higher gains in literal comprehension skills or critical thinking skills. A paired samples t-test was also used to compare pre-test and post-test means. The results of the MANCOVA indicated no significant difference between instructional models on scores of literal comprehension and critical thinking. Neither was there any significant difference in scores between subgroups of age (under 25 and 25 and older) and language background (native English speaker and second-language learner). The results of the t-test indicated, however, that students taught under both instructional models made significant gains in on both literal comprehension and critical thinking skills from pre-test to post-test.

Geochemistry and age models of sediments from the Celtic margin

The sedimentary sections of three cores from the Celtic margin provide high-resolution records of the terrigenous fluxes during the last glacial cycle. A total of 21 14C AMS dates allow us to define age models with a resolution better than 100 yr during critical periods such as Heinrich events 1 and 2. Maximum sedimentary fluxes occurred at the Meriadzek Terrace site during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). Detailed X-ray imagery of core MD95-2002 from the Meriadzek Terrace shows no sedimentary structures suggestive of either deposition from high-density turbidity currents or significant erosion. Two paroxysmal terrigenous flux episodes have been identified. The first occurred after the deposition of Heinrich event 2 Canadian ice-rafted debris (IRD) and includes IRD from European sources. We suggest that the second represents an episode of deposition from turbid plumes, which precedes IRD deposition associated with Heinrich event 1. At the end of marine isotopic stage 2 (MIS 2) and the beginning of MIS 1 the highest fluxes are recorded on the Whittard Ridge where they correspond to deposition from turbidity current overflows. Canadian icebergs have rafted debris at the Celtic margin during Heinrich events 1, 2, 4 and 5. The high-resolution records of Heinrich events 1 and 2 show that in both cases the arrival of the Canadian icebergs was preceded by a European ice rafting precursor event, which took place about 1-1.5 kyr before. Two rafting episodes of European IRD also occurred immediately after Heinrich event 2 and just before Heinrich event 1. The terrigenous fluxes recorded in core MD95-2002 during the LGM are the highest reported at hemipelagic sites from the northwestern European margin. The magnitude of the Canadian IRD fluxes at Meriadzek Terrace is similar to those from oceanic sites.

Colony-specific calcification and mortality under ocean acidification in the branching coral Montipora digitata

Ocean acidification (OA) threatens calcifying marine organisms including reef-building corals. In this study, we examined the OA responses of individual colonies of the branching scleractinian coral Montipora digitata. We exposed nubbins of unique colonies (n = 15) to ambient or elevated pCO2 under natural light and temperature regimes for 110 days. Although elevated pCO2 exposure on average reduced calcification, individual colonies showed unique responses ranging from declines in positive calcification to negative calcification (decalcification) to no change. Similarly, mortality was greater on average in elevated pCO2, but also showed colony-specific patterns. High variation in colony responses suggests the possibility that ongoing OA may lead to natural selection of OA-tolerant colonies within a coral population.

Accurate and precise quantification of Cu,Zn-SOD in human red blood cells using species-specific double and triple IDMS

Peer reviewed

Convergence-divergence of HRM in the Asia-Pacific:context-specific analysis and future research agenda

In this article, we highlight the significance and need for conducting context-specific human resource management (HRM) research, by focusing on four critical themes. First, we discuss the need to analyze the convergence-divergence debate on HRM in Asia-Pacific. Next, we present an integrated framework, which would be very useful for conducting cross-national HRM research designed to focus on the key determinants of the dominant national HRM systems in the region. Following this, we discuss the critical challenges facing the HRM function in Asia-Pacific. Finally, we present an agenda for future research by presenting a series of research themes.

Experimental and Theoretical Models to Probe Mechanisms of Biological Charge Flow

Nature is challenged to move charge efficiently over many length scales. From sub-nm to μm distances, electron-transfer proteins orchestrate energy conversion, storage, and release both inside and outside the cell. Uncovering the detailed mechanisms of biological electron-transfer reactions, which are often coupled to bond-breaking and bond-making events, is essential to designing durable, artificial energy conversion systems that mimic the specificity and efficiency of their natural counterparts. Here, we use theoretical modeling of long-distance charge hopping (Chapter 3), synthetic donor-bridge-acceptor molecules (Chapters 4, 5, and 6), and de novo protein design (Chapters 5 and 6) to investigate general principles that govern light-driven and electrochemically driven electron-transfer reactions in biology. We show that fast, μm-distance charge hopping along bacterial nanowires requires closely packed charge carriers with low reorganization energies (Chapter 3); singlet excited-state electronic polarization of supermolecular electron donors can attenuate intersystem crossing yields to lower-energy, oppositely polarized, donor triplet states (Chapter 4); the effective static dielectric constant of a small (~100 residue) de novo designed 4-helical protein bundle can change upon phototriggering an electron transfer event in the protein interior, providing a means to slow the charge-recombination reaction (Chapter 5); and a tightly-packed de novo designed 4-helix protein bundle can drastically alter charge-transfer driving forces of photo-induced amino acid radical formation in the bundle interior, effectively turning off a light-driven oxidation reaction that occurs in organic solvent (Chapter 6). This work leverages unique insights gleaned from proteins designed from scratch that bind synthetic donor-bridge-acceptor molecules that can also be studied in organic solvents, opening new avenues of exploration into the factors critical for protein control of charge flow in biology.

The adaptive response of humans to exercise: Impact of exercise intensity, fibre-type specific responses and molecular patterns of response

In an attempt to improve the current understanding of the adaptive response to exercise in humans, this dissertation performed a series of studies designed to examine the impact of training intensity and mode on aerobic capacity and performance, fibre-type specific adaptations to training, and individual patterns of response across molecular, morphological and genetic factors. Project #1 determined that training intensity, session dose, baseline VO2max and total training volume do not influence the magnitude of change in VO2max by performing a meta-regression, and meta-analysis of 28 different studies. The intensity of training had no effect on the magnitude of increase in maximal oxygen uptake in young healthy participants, but similar adaptations were achieved with lower training doses following high intensity training. Project # 2 determined the acute molecular response, and training-induced adaptations in aerobic performance, aerobic capacity and muscle phenotype following high-intensity interval training (HIT) or endurance exercise (END). The acute molecular response (fibre recruitment and signal activation) and training-induced adaptations in aerobic capacity, aerobic performance, and muscle phenotype were similar following HIT and END. Project # 3 examined the impact of baseline muscle morphology and molecular characteristics on the training response, and if muscle adaptations are coordinated. The muscle phenotype of individuals who experience the largest improvements (high responders) were lower before training for some muscle characteristics and molecular adaptations were coordinated within individual participants. Project # 4 examined the impact of 2 different intensities of HIT on the expression of nuclear and mitochondrial encoded genes targeted by PGC-1α. A systematic upregulation of nuclear and mitochondrial encoded genes was not present in the early recovery period following acute HIT, but the expression of mitochondrial genes were coordinated at an individual level. Collectively, results from the current dissertation contribute to our understanding of the molecular mechanisms influencing skeletal muscle and whole-body adaptive responses to acute exercise and training in humans.