To assess in a longitudinal study whether subjective cognitive decline (SCD) and brain β-amyloid (Aβ) contribute unique information to cognitive decline.
One hundred thirty-six healthy elderly from ...the Berkeley Aging Cohort Study were followed up for a mean of 4 years. SCD and affective measures were generated from the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) with factor analysis on data from a larger set of 347 healthy, nondepressed (GDS <11) elderly individuals. Cognition was summarized with previously validated factor scores. Pittsburgh compound B (PiB)-PET scans were acquired to determine the presence (PiB+) or absence (PiB-) of Aβ pathology. Mixed models were used to assess the independent and interactive effects of SCD, affective features, PiB status, and time on cognition, with adjustment for demographic variables.
SCD score demonstrated good construct validity compared to an existing measure of subjective memory and was partially explained by several lower-order measurements. Mixed models revealed that SCD interacted with PiB status to predict change in episodic memory and global cognition over time, with adjustment for affective features. PiB+ individuals with more severe SCD demonstrated the steepest cognitive decline. Worse SCD predicted faster decline in working memory independently of PiB status. No such effects were seen for affective scores when adjusted for SCD.
PiB+ individuals with SCD are at greatest risk of cognitive decline. Evidence for amyloid alone is not sufficient to indicate risk of rapid cognitive decline in healthy elderly. Effects of GDS on cognitive decline in nondepressed cohorts may be driven by SCD rather than subsyndromal depression.
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•Unified modeling of complex agricultural and aquacultural processes.•Generation of process models from two meta-prototypes.•Transition-based representation of complex process ...structures.•Locally executable, program-containing prototype elements.•Combined execution of balance- and rule-based sub-models.
This research paper defines the theoretical foundations and computational implementation of a non-conventional modeling and simulation methodology, inspired by the needs of problem solving for biological, agricultural, aquacultural and environmental systems. The challenging practical problem is to develop a framework for automatic generation of causally right and balance-based, unified models that can also be applied for the effective coupling amongst the various (sophisticated field-specific, sensor data processing-based, upper level optimization-driven, etc.) models. The scientific problem addressed in this innovation is to develop Programmable Process Structures (PPS) by combining functional basis of systems theory, structural approach of net theory and computational principles of agent based modeling. PPS offers a novel framework for the automatic generation of easily extensible and connectible, unified models for the underlying complex systems. PPS models can be generated from one state and one transition meta-prototypes and from the transition oriented description of process structure. The models consist of unified state and transition elements. The local program containing prototype elements, derived also from the meta-prototypes, are responsible for the case-specific calculations. The integrity and consistency of PPS architecture are based on the meta-prototypes, prepared to distinguish between the conservation-laws-based measures and the signals. The simulation is based on data flows amongst the state and transition elements, as well as on the unification based data transfer between these elements and their calculating prototypes. This architecture and its AI language-based (Prolog) implementation support the integration of various field- and task-specific models, conveniently. The better understanding is helped by a simple example. The capabilities of the recently consolidated general methodology are discussed on the basis of some preliminary applications, focusing on the recently studied agricultural and aquacultural cases.
The aim of this study was to analyse the clinical characteristics of acute pancreatitis (AP) in a prospectively collected, large, multicentre cohort and to validate the major recommendations in the ...IAP/APA evidence-based guidelines for the management of AP.
Eighty-six different clinical parameters were collected using an electronic clinical research form designed by the Hungarian Pancreatic Study Group.
600 adult patients diagnosed with AP were prospectively enrolled from 17 Hungarian centres over a two-year period from 1 January 2013.
With respect to aetiology, biliary and alcoholic pancreatitis represented the two most common forms of AP. The prevalence of biliary AP was higher in women, whereas alcoholic AP was more common in men. Hyperlipidaemia was a risk factor for severity, lack of serum enzyme elevation posed a risk for severe AP, and lack of abdominal pain at admission demonstrated a risk for mortality. Abdominal tenderness developed in all the patients with severe AP, while lack of abdominal tenderness was a favourable sign for mortality. Importantly, lung injury at admission was associated with mortality. With regard to laboratory parameters, white blood cell count and CRP were the two most sensitive indicators for severe AP. The most common local complication was peripancreatic fluid, whereas the most common distant organ failure in severe AP was lung injury. Deviation from the recommendations in the IAP/APA evidence-based guidelines on fluid replacement, enteral nutrition and timing of interventions increased severity and mortality.
Analysis of a large, nationwide, prospective cohort of AP cases allowed for the identification of important determinants of severity and mortality. Evidence-based guidelines should be observed rigorously to improve outcomes in AP.
Testing Fusarium resistance to ear rots in maize requires a well-supported methodology and tests for toxin responses. In this study, commercial hybrids were tested for resistance to Fusarium ...graminearum, Fusarium culmorum, and Fusarium verticillioides (kernel and silk channel), as well as their toxin response. One third of the hybrids tested showed a similar resistance or susceptibility to the three pathogens and their toxin response, but there is no proof for their genetic background being the same or different. The performance of the remaining hybrids was highly variable and supports the idea of different genetic regulation. The mean ear rot severity of the kernel resistance was doubled compared with the silk channel resistance data. The ear rot and toxin tests displayed significant positive correlations, verifying the decisive role of resistance in toxin regulation. Several hybrids, termed toxigenic hybrids, showed significant extra toxin production, indicating an additional food safety risk. The toothpick method gave more reliable results and a better differentiation of genotypes. The resistance to different Fusarium spp. in a specific growing region should be analyzed separately in independent resistance tests. Through this, the food safety risks could be better identified. Susceptible hybrids should not be used for commercial production.
Hungarian solidarity action was organised in the second half of the 1980s to build an agricultural vocational school in Nicaragua. Even though Hungary and Nicaragua had special relations after the ...1979 Sandinista revolution, the time of the construction calls the attention because it formed part of a period characterised by general disenchantment in solidarity actions towards the Third World as well as economic problems and the final years of socialism in Hungary. The motives and the evolution of the construction will be analysed providing an in-depth picture, with the aim of contributing to Cold War studies and investigations on knowledge exchange. The article principally relies on archival and press sources.
In previous research, conidium concentrations varying between 10,000 and 1,000,000/mL have not been related to any aggressiveness test. Therefore, two Fusarium graminearum and two Fusarium culmorum ...isolates were tested in the field on seven genotypes highly differing in resistance at no dilution, and 1:1, 1:2, 1:4, 1:8, and 1:16 dilutions in two years (2013 and 2014). The isolates showed different aggressiveness, which changed significantly at different dilution rates for disease index (DI), Fusarium-damaged kernels (FDK), and deoxynivalenol (DON). The traits also had diverging responses to the infection. The effect of the dilution could not be forecasted. The genotype ranks also varied. Dilution seldomly increased aggressiveness, but often lower aggressiveness occurred at high variation. The maximum and minimum values varied between 15% and 40% for traits and dilutions. The reductions between the non-diluted and diluted values (total means) for DI ranged from 6% and 33%, for FDK 8.3–37.7%, and for DON 5.8–44.8%. The most sensitive and most important trait was DON. The introduction of the aggressiveness test provides improved regulation compared to the uncontrolled manipulation of the conidium concentration. The use of more isolates significantly increases the credibility of phenotyping in genetic and cultivar registration studies.
Flowering is the most favorable host stage for
infection in wheat, which is called the susceptibility window (SW). It is not known how long it takes, how it changes in different resistance classes, ...nor how stable is the plant reaction in the SW. We have no information, how the traits disease index (DI),
-damaged kernel rate (FDK), and deoxynivalenol (DON) respond within the 16 days period. Seven winter wheat genotypes differing in resistance were tested (2013-2014). Four
isolates were used for inoculation at mid-anthesis, and 4, 8, 11, 13, and 16 days thereafter. The DI was not suitable to determine the length of the SW. In the
-damaged kernels (FDK), a sharp 50% decrease was found after the 8th day. The largest reduction (above 60%) was recorded for DON at each resistance level between the 8th and 11th day. This trait showed the SW most precisely. The SW is reasonably stable in the first 8-9 days. This fits for all resistance classes. The use of four isolates significantly improved the reliability and credit of the testing. The stable eight-day long SW helps to reduce the number of inoculations. The most important trait to determine the SW is the DON reaction and not the visual symptoms.
In resistance tests to Fusarium head blight (FHB), the mixing of inocula before inoculation is normal, but no information about the background of mixing was given. Therefore, four experiments ...(2013–2015) were made with four independent isolates, their all-possible (11) mixtures and a control. Four cultivars with differing FHB resistance were used. Disease index (DI), Fusarium damaged kernels (FDK) and deoxynivalenol (DON) were evaluated. The isolates used were not stable in aggressiveness. Their mixtures did not also give a stable aggressiveness; it depended on the composition of mix. The three traits diverged in their responses. After the mixing, the aggressiveness was always less than that of the most pathogenic component was. However, in most cases it was significantly higher than the arithmetical mean of the participating isolates. A mixture was not better than a single isolate was. The prediction of the aggressiveness level is problematic even if the aggressiveness of the components was tested. Resistance expression is different in the mixing variants and in the three traits tested. Of them, DON is the most sensitive. More reliable resistance and toxin data can be received when instead of one more independent isolates are used. This is important when highly correct data are needed (genetic research or cultivar registration).
Commercial maize hybrids are exposed to different degrees of ear infection by toxigenic fungal species and toxin contamination. Their resistance to different fungi and toxin relationships are largely ...unknown. Without this knowledge, screening and breeding are not possible for these pathogens. Seven- to tenfold differences were found in resistance to
spp., and there was a five-fold difference in ear coverage (%) in response to
. Three hybrids of the twenty entries had lower infection severity compared with the general means for toxigenic species. Three were highly susceptible to each, and 14 hybrids reacted differently to the different fungi. Differences were also observed in the toxin content. Again, three hybrids had lower toxin content in response to all toxigenic species, one had higher values for all, and 16 had variable resistance levels. Correlations between infection severity and deoxynivalenol (DON) content were 0.95 and 0.82 (
= 0.001) for
and
respectively. For fumonisin and
ear rot, the Pearson correlation coefficient (
) was 0.45 (
= 0.05). Two independent isolates with different aggressiveness were used, and their mean X values better described the resistance levels. This increased the reliability of the data. With the introduction of this methodological concept (testing the resistance levels separately for different fungi and with two isolates independently), highly significant resistance differences were found. The resistance to different fungal species correlated only in certain cases; thus, each should be tested separately. This is very useful in registration tests and post-registration screening and breeding. This would allow a rapid increase in food and feed safety.
Changes of water-soluble carbohydrate (WSC) content such as fructose, glucose, sucrose, maltose, nystose, raffinose, stachyose and fructan were analyzed in wheat kernels in Fusarium epidemic and ...non-epidemic seasons. In both season types, eight commercial fungicides were applied and three wheat varieties with differing Fusarium resistance were tested. In the epidemic year, the average total amount of WSC was above 1.6% which was 2 times higher than in the non-epidemic year (0.7%). Sucrose, maltose, raffinose and fructan components determined the increased WSC value, but the most substantial change was observed in maltose content where its average amount was 28 times higher in the epidemic year. Fungicide application also significantly increased all the carbohydrate components except maltose, where significant reduction was observed. WSC components had strong correlation with several farinograph or extensograph parameters, but only the maltose content showed positive strong correlation (r = 0.9) with deoxynivalenol (DON) toxin that was highly affected by the applied fungicide. The changes of WSC indicate altered carbohydrate synthesis along with abnormal degradation processes and thus have impaction on the baking features. It seems that the sugar metabolism interacts with DON synthesis and the results give important additional information to the altered metabolism of the attacked plant.
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