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Cytoplasm is a gel-like crowded environment composed of tens of thousands of macromolecules, organelles, cytoskeletal networks and cytosol. The structure of the cytoplasm is thought to be highly organized and heterogeneous due to the crowding of its constituents and their effective compartmentalization. In such an environment, the diffusive dynamics of the molecules is very restricted, an effect that is further amplified by clustering and anchoring of molecules. Despite the jammed nature of the cytoplasm at the microscopic scale, large-scale reorganization of cytoplasm is essential for important cellular functions, such as nuclear positioning and cell division. How such mesoscale reorganization of the cytoplasm is achieved, especially for very large cells such as oocytes or syncytial tissues that can span hundreds of micrometers in size, has only begun to be understood. In this thesis, I focus on the recent advances in elucidating the molecular, cellular and biophysical principles underlying cytoplasmic organization across different scales, structures and species. First, I outline which of these principles have been identified by reductionist approaches, such as in vitro reconstitution assays, where boundary conditions and components can be modulated at ease. I then describe how the theoretical and experimental framework established in these reduced systems have been applied to their more complex in vivo counterparts, in particular oocytes and embryonic syncytial structures, and discuss how such complex biological systems can initiate symmetry breaking and establish patterning. Specifically, I examine an example of large-scale reorganizations taking place in zebrafish embryos, where extensive cytoplasmic streaming leads to the segregation of cytoplasm from yolk granules along the animal-vegetal axis of the embryo. Using biophysical experimentation and theory, I investigate the forces underlying this process, to show that this process does not rely on cortical actin reorganization, as previously thought, but instead on a cell-cycle-dependent bulk actin polymerization wave traveling from the animal to the vegetal pole of the embryo. This wave functions in segregation by both pulling cytoplasm animally and pushing yolk granules vegetally. Cytoplasm pulling is mediated by bulk actin network flows exerting friction forces on the cytoplasm, while yolk granule pushing is achieved by a mechanism closely resembling actin comet formation on yolk granules. This study defines a novel role of bulk actin polymerization waves in embryo polarization via cytoplasmic segregation. Lastly, I describe the cytoplasmic reorganizations taking place during zebrafish oocyte maturation, where the initial segregation of the cytoplasm and yolk granules occurs. Here, I demonstrate a previously uncharacterized wave of microtubule aster formation, traveling the oocyte along the animal-vegetal axis. Further research is required to determine the role of such microtubule structures in cytoplasmic reorganizations therein. Collectively, these studies provide further evidence for the coupling between cell cytoskeleton and cell cycle machinery, which can underlie a core self-organizing mechanism for orchestrating large-scale reorganizations in a cell-cycle-tunable manner, where the modulations of the force-generating machinery and cytoplasmic mechanics can be harbored to fulfill cellular functions.

Aspects and methods for examining the connection between personal names and ethnicity It is a difficult task to determine the value of proper names in ethnic reconstruction. This can be considered a dubious area of onomastic/linguistic and historical research. Even the explanation of the basic concepts seems to be problematic; still, defining ethnicity and identifying the nature of the connection between ethnicity and language cannot be avoided. It is also important to define the value of the different types of personal names as sources: what can and cannot the research into the etymology of surnames be used for, what are the factors that have an impact on linguistic recon-struction, how can individual names help ethnic reconstruction, etc. After summarizing the back-ground research of name analysis in Hungary, the author presents a multi-level method of ethnic reconstruction based on personal names. The procedure tries to separate the determination of the name’s etymology from that of the ethnic affiliation, placing the examination objectives at separate levels. On the first level, the etymology of the surnames is determined and the linguistic background of the name is explored by considering linguistic aspects only, paying attention to the rules of ety-mological and onomastic research. The author separates two levels of the examination of ethnic reconstruction that are built upon each other. On the one hand, the linguistic features of the indi-vidual names are observed, and then other information on name sociology (e.g. social status, majority population), referring directly or indirectly to ethnic background, is taken into consideration.

Report on the 26th International Congress of Onomastic Sciences The 26th International Congress of Onomastic Sciences was held between 27th August and 1st September 2017 at the University of Debrecen, Hungary. The 230 participants arrived at the conference from 41 countries, representing 120 research centres. The central topic of the conference was Locality and globality in the world of names. Most papers were delivered in parallel sections; however, one day was devoted to topic-specific symposia of mostly invited speakers. Paper presentations were accompanied by several other kinds of professional events. Different bodies and working groups of ICOS arranged their meetings; an exhibition of onomastic publications and digital databases could also be viewed. The ICOS Congress displayed today’s onomastics as a vivid, diversified research field with international dimensions, in which Hungarian onomastics find its position and role well.

L’éditeur Singer et Wolfner et ses activités de publication de livres pour enfants au tournant du siècle 1888–1920 Dans mon étude, je me propose de contribuer à l’étude institutionelle de la littérature d’enfance et de jeunesse. Je m’intéresserai surtout au contexte socio-historique et aux annonces publicitaires présentées par l’éditeur Singer et Wolfner. La périodisation, proposée par Zoltán Hermann, pour la littérature d’enfance étant adoptée ici, la recherche que je présenterai étudie la période qui est celle de l’institutionnalisation de la sphère et du marché ouvert, c’est-à-dire les années 1888–1918. Au centre de la recherche: l’une des maisons d’édition majeures de l’époque, le Singer et Wolfner. La première grande unité de mon étude présente les ouvrages pour enfants publiés par l’éditeur en question. Quant à la deuxième partie, elle soumet à l’analyse les publicités que Singer et Wolfner ont fait paraître sur les pages d’Az Én Újságom [Mon journal á moi] aux années suivantes: 1888/1889., 1900, 1910, 1918, 1920. Il ressort de la recherche qu’au début Singer et Wolfner publièrent uniquement des ouvrages hongrois contemporains et des oeuvres de fiction, leur stratégie étant fondée sur une conception qui mettait en valeur la fonction didactique de la littérature d’enfance et de jeunesse. Des exemplaires étaient souvent offerts aux enfants en tant que cadeaux ou récompenses. Ce didactisme se manifeste dans les annonces publiées en Az Én Újságom. Les annonces en question – privilégiant les instruments verbaux au dépens des images – ciblent, assez efficacement, des groupes spécifiques. Magyar Könyvszemle, Évf. 134 szám 4 (2018): Magyar Könyvszemle

Validated in several languages, the Subjective Happiness Scale (SHS) is a popular and reliable instrument used in the assessment of perceived happiness. The aims of two current studies were to determine the psychometric properties of the Hungarian version in volunteer adults (N = 252) and non-volunteer university students (N = 142). Exploratory factor analysis of the data gathered from volunteers confirmed the unidimensional structure of the Hungarian SHS (SHS-HU). One component explained 53.69% of the variance. The internal reliability in this sample was .80. Confirmatory factor analyses on the non-volunteer university students’ data yielded excellent model fit (SRMR = .0208; NFI = . 990; GFI = .995; RMSEA < .001; CFI = 1.00) and acceptable internal reliability (.75). The one-week test-retest reliability of the SHS-HU was 0.83. In both studies, the SHS-HU revealed positive correlations with life satisfaction and optimism, while it was inversely related to pessimism (p < .001). The more optimistic individuals scored higher on SHS-HU in both studies (p < .001) which confirmed the scale's divergent validity. Further, when controlling for life satisfaction, optimism and pessimism, there were no gender differences in the SHS-HU scores. These results lend support for the adequate psychometric properties of SHS-HU. Therefore, preliminary evidence suggests that the SHS-HU is appropriate for the assessment of perceived happiness in the Hungarian population.

Selfie posting on social media is a modern-day phenomenon. There are over a thousand academic articles on selfies, but sport-selfies have not been examined to date, even though they might have a ‘p...

Background. Aikido is a philosophy and an Eastern martial-art which is conjectured to have many positive effects on mind and body. At this time there is limited, but growing research on this topic. The objective of the current work was to examine for the first time the hypothesis that aikido training, like many other western forms of organized physical activities, has acute psychological benefits as manifested via favourable changes in affect and the flow experience. Methods. Aikidokas (N = 53) took part in an in-situ investigation in which they completed the Positive Affect Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) on at least three different occasions before and after their practice. They also completed a flow questionnaire at least on three occasions after their practice. Results. The results indicated that positive affect increased, and negative affect decreased (p < .001) from pre- to post-practice. Aikidokas reported flow experience that on the average was not greater than that reported for other exercises; however it was greater than that reported after video-sport games. The reported flow was independent of the magnitude of change in positive and/or negative affect. The more experienced aikidokas experienced greater skill-challenge harmony, but not oneness with the experience, which are two constructs in flow, than less experienced practitioners. Conclusion. These findings reveal relatively clearly for the very first time in the literature that aikido practice has acute, or immediate, psychological benefits akin to other martial arts and exercises.

Contribution à l’étude de la bibliothèque de Balthasar (IIIe) Batthyány. Factures, acquéreurs et ouvrages récemment identifiés Balthasar Batthyány, l’un des aristocrates les plus cultivés de son époque, était un collectionneur passionné de livres. Béla Iványi fut le premier à étudier systématiquement l’activité de collectionneur de Batthyány et à établir la liste de ses livres. Dans leur Balthasar Batthyány und seine Bibliothek, paru en 2004, István Monok, Péter Ötvös et Edina Zvara ont reconstruit, sur la base de quelques lettres et factures conservées aux Archives Nationales (P 1314), la partie prépondérante de la bibliothèque. 670 volumes ont été identifiés jusqu’à aujourd’hui, mais la liste peut être élargie, en s’appuyant sur quelques nouvelles informations fournies par les lettres et les factures étudiées, en corrigeant quelques fautes de lecture héritées d’Iványi et enfin en se servant de quelques récentes bases de données informatiques. Au total, j’ai réussi á identifier 24 ouvrages supplémentaires de la collection. Il ressort des lettres étudiées que Batthyány avait recours à des méthodes très variées pour acquérir de nouveaux ouvrages et que dans ses efforts, il avait été assisté de nombreux humanistes, scientifiques et vassaux. Magyar Könyvszemle, Évf. 134 szám 3 (2018): Magyar Könyvszemle

Hierarchical networks are prevalent in nature and society, corresponding to groups of actors - animals, humans or even robots - organised according to a pyramidal structure with decision makers at the top and followers at the bottom. While this phenomenon is seemingly universal, the underlying governing principles are poorly understood. Here we study the emergence of hierarchies in groups of people playing a simple dot guessing game in controlled experiments, lasting for about 40 rounds, conducted over the Internet. During the games, the players had the possibility to look at the answer of a limited number of other players of their choice. This act of asking for advice defines a directed connection between the involved players, and according to our analysis, the initial random configuration of the emerging networks became more structured overt time, showing signs of hierarchy towards the end of the game. In addition, the achieved score of the players appeared to be correlated with their position in the hierarchy. These results indicate that under certain conditions imitation and limited knowledge about the performance of other actors is sufficient for the emergence of hierarchy in a social group.