József Szabó

IgA Content of Washed Red Blood Cell Concentrates

Saline-washed red blood cell (RBC) concentrates are largely depleted of leukocytes, microaggregates, and nearly of all plasma originally contained in the blood unit. Our aim was to determine the concentration of the eliminated IgA and total protein in the buffy coat and plasma removed RBC concentrate before and after a sequential dilution-centrifugation washing procedure. 75.3% protein, and 99% IgA were eliminated by the washing process used. The recovery of red blood cells was 87.2%. Our results have led to the conclusion that two sequential washings seem to guarantee an IgA level of less than 0.2 mg/unit to meet the recommendations of the Council of Europe. Additional advantages of washing include low levels of extracellular hemoglobin, metabolic waste products and debris in the supernatant.

Compilation of 1:50,000 scale digital soil maps for Hungary based on the digital Kreybig soil information system

After several years of digital processing of legacy soil data collected by the Kreybig soil survey, the nationwide development of the digital Kreybig soil information system (DKSIS) made possible the compilation of soil property and function maps for the territory of Hungary at a scale of approximately 1:25,000–1:50,000. The Kreybig legacy data are spatially most detailed nationwide dataset related to soils which covers the whole area of the country. It simultaneously contains two types of geometric datasets: approximately 100,000 soil mapping units (SMUs) and 250,000 sampling plots. SMUs are characterized by several complex soil physical and chemical categories and detailed soil properties which are provided for soil profiles whose description in the digital environment is supported by a specific relational database. Primary digital soil maps can be compiled based on the polygons-type entities, while suitable spatial inference of profile-related variables makes the composition of secondary, regionalized digital soil maps possible, too. In our paper, we present example for both types.

Elaboration and applications of spatial soil information systems and digital soil mapping at Research Institute for Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences

Hungary has long traditions in soil survey and mapping. Large amount of soil information is available in various dimensions and generally presented in maps, serving different purposes as to spatial and/or thematic aspects. Increasing the proportion of soil-related data has been digitally processed and organized into various spatial soil information systems (SSISs). The most current countrywide ones have been elaborated by and available at Research Institute for Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (RISSAC HAS). The existing maps, data and systems served the society for many years; however, the available data are no longer fully satisfactory for the recent needs of policy making. There were numerous initiatives for the digital processing, completion, improvement and integration of the existing soil datasets. In our paper, we briefly present the national SSISs developed and maintained by our institute and some examples are given regarding how their functionality was extended by digital soil mapping for the solution of specific soil-related demands.

Variations for the Implementation of SCORPAN’s “S”

Development of DSM can be notably attributed to frequent limitations in the availability of proper soil information; consequently, it has been typically used in cases featured by limited soil data. Since SCORPAN equation includes other or previously measured properties of soil, the usage of legacy soil data supports the applicability of DSM and improves the accuracy of DSM products as well. Nevertheless, the occurrent abundance of available soil information poses new demands on and at the same time opens new possibilities in the application of DSM methods. A great amount of soil information has been collected in Hungary in the frame of subsequent surveys and assessments. The majority of these legacy soil data were integrated in various spatial soil information systems. Our paper presents three approaches for the application of Hungary’s most extended legacy soil data source in goal-oriented digital soil mapping.

Compilation of Functional Soil Maps for the Support of Spatial Planning and Land Management in Hungary

The tasks of national spatial planning (i.e., delineation of areas with natural constraints or areas with excellent productivity; support of irrigation strategies; flood, drought, and climate change impact risk assessment) increasingly demand advanced or new kinds of spatial soil information, which cannot be fully satisfied by legacy soil maps or formerly elaborated databases. Due to the lack of recent, extended, nationwide mapping, the data of previous surveys should be exploited thoroughly. Digital soil mapping integrates geographic information systems (GIS), geostatistical, and data mining tools and makes possible the elaboration of target-specific soil maps with improved and/or specific thematic, spatial, and temporal accuracy as opposed to former, more general soil maps. For the satisfaction of the recent demands, soil conditions of Hungary have been digitally mapped based on various available recent and legacy soil datasets, and spatially exhaustive, environmental, and auxiliary information. The produced digital soil property maps have been miscellaneously utilized in various regional planning activities.

The potential wind erosion map of an area covered by sandy and loamy soils - based on wind tunnel measurements

Summary. Wind erosion causes an enormous problem in agriculture, and the stirred-up dust influences the air quality and is harmful for human health. In the cultivated agricultural areas of Hungary, soils with different textures often suffer from wind erosion, and due to the global climate change an ever increasing risk rate can be expected. In this study we examined in a wind tunnel the thresholds of wind velocity and erodibility of 80 different soil samples originated from an area covering of approximately 5,000 km 2 . Afterwards, based on the resulting data the soils with different texture types were categorized in erosion risk classes. Using the experimental results and the CORINE land cover database, we compiled a potential wind erosion map for the studied area.

Spatial distribution of selected soil features in Hajdú-Bihar county represented by digital soil maps

With the ongoing DOSoReMI.hu project we aimed to significantly extend the potential, how soil information requirements could be satisfied in Hungary. We started to compile digital soil maps, which fulfil optimally general as well as specific national and international demands from the aspect of thematic, spatial and temporal accuracy. In addition to relevant and available auxiliary, spatial data themes related to soil forming factors and/or to indicative environmental elements we heavily lean on the various national soil databases. The set of the applied digital soil mapping techniques is gradually broadened. In our paper we present some results in the form of brand new soil maps focusing on the territory of Hajdú-Bihar county.

Adjusting the flexibility of fabric reinforced composite laminates using experimental design

The objective of our work is to improve the mechanical stiffness of fiber reinforced laminates. The stiffness can be characterized by flexural and tensile moduli or their derivation. We applied design of experiments (DOE) to achieve our goals, because to solve the existing analytical and numerical models is complicated.We examined the effects of the following parameters: a) composition of reinforce materials (solely carbon, or carbon and glass combination), b) modulus of resin, c) mass ratio of resin-reinforcement, d) order of layers.The samples manufactured on the basis of DOE were investigated mechanically (flexural and tensile moduli measurements) and morphologically (scanning electron microscopy). We compared the measured modulus results to calculated values.