Doctor of Philosophy

dissertationDigital image processing has wide ranging applications in combustion research. The analysis of digital images is used in practically every scale of studying combustion phenomena from the scale of individual atoms to diagnosing and controlling large-scale combustors. Digital image processing is one of the fastest-growing scientific areas in the world today. From being able to reconstruct low-resolution grayscale images from transmitted signals, the capabilities have grown to enabling machines carrying out tasks that would normally require human vision, perception, and reasoning. Certain applications in combustion science benefit greatly from recent advances in image processing. Unfortunately, since the two fields - combustion and image processing research - stand relatively far from each other, the most recent results are often not known well enough in the areas where they may be applied with great benefits. This work aims to improve the accuracy and reliability of certain measurements in combustion science by selecting, adapting, and implementing the appropriate techniques originally developed in the image processing area. A number of specific applications were chosen that cover a wide range of physical scales of combustion phenomena, and specific image processing methodologies were proposed to improve or enable measurements in studying such phenomena. The selected applications include the description and quantification of combustion-derived carbon nanostructure, the three-dimensional optical diagnostics of combusting pulverized-coal particles and the optical flow velocimetry and quantitative radiation imaging of a pilot-scale oxy-coal flame. In the field of the structural analysis of soot, new structural parameters were derived and the extraction and fidelity of existing ones were improved. In the field of pulverized-coal combustion, the developed methodologies allow for studying the detailed mechanisms of particle combustion in three dimensions. At larger scales, the simultaneous measurement of flame velocity, spectral radiation, and pyrometric properties were realized

How to use the Reductionist approach for evaluating subsystems to research the elements of the development

Reductionist approach for evaluating subsystemssystem, sub-system, interactions, components general spider map theory, local community, network entropy, social physics, Agribusiness, Community/Rural/Urban Development,

The potential of on-line optical flow measurement in the control and monitoring of pilot-scale oxy-coal flames

pre-printDigital image processing techniques oer a wide array of tools capable of extracting apparent displacement or velocity information from sequences of images of moving objects. Optical flow algorithms have been widely used in areas such as traffic monitoring and surveillance. The knowledge of instantaneous apparent flame velocities (however they are defined) may prove to be valuable during the operation and control of industrial-scale burners. Optical diagnostics techniques, coupled with on-line image processing have been applied in the optimization of coal-red power plants; however, regardless of the available technology, the current methods do not apply optical flow measurement. Some optical flow algorithms have the potential of real-time applicability and are thus possible candidates for on-line apparent flame velocity extraction. In this paper, the potential of optical ow measurement in on-line flame monitoring and control is explored

A magyarországi máktermelésrÅ‘l

Hazánkban az utóbbi években egyre nagyobb területeken folyik alkaloida és étkezési mák termelése. Megállapítható, hogy nem igazolódtak be azok a várakozások, melyek az uniós csatlakozástól a máktermelés csökkenését várták, annak ellenére, hogy az unió korlátozta egyes hazai, magasabb alkaloidatartalmú fajták termelését. Vizsgálataink alapján megállapítható, hogy a máktermelés magas hektáronkénti termelési költsége ellenére jövedelmezÅ‘. Ha a hazai máktermelést az 1960-as évek szintjére emelnék, akkor az hozzájárulhatna a napjainkban fennmaradásukért és mindennapi megélhetésükért küzdÅ‘ – elsÅ‘sorban a szegényebb kelet-magyarországi régiókban – gazdálkodók megélhetéséhez. ------------------------------------- The area used for growing poppy seed for human consumption or alkaloid production in Hungary has been growing in recent years. We can conclude that the fears that Hunga ry’s accession to the European Union would reduce poppy seed growing did not come true even though the Community limited the growing of certain Hungarian varieties with a higher alkaloid concentration. Our research shows that despite its high per-hectare cost, poppy seed growing is a profitable activity. If we could increase poppy seed growing in Hungary to the level where it was in the 1960-ies, it could contribute to the livelihood of farmers - especially in the poorer areas of Eastern Hungary – who are currently fighting to make ends meet and survive.mák, alkaloida, étkezési mák, eredményesség, poppy seed, alkaloid, poppy seed for human consumption, efficiency, Production Economics, Productivity Analysis,

Differentiation of acute and four-week old myocardial infarct with Gd(ABE-DTTA)-enhanced CMR

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Standard extracellular cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) contrast agents (CA) do not provide differentiation between acute and older myocardial infarcts (MI). The purpose of this study was to develop a method for differentiation between acute and older myocardial infarct using myocardial late-enhancement (LE) CMR by a new, low molecular weight contrast agent.</p> <p>Dogs (n = 6) were studied in a closed-chest, reperfused, double myocardial infarct model. Myocardial infarcts were generated by occluding the Left Anterior Descending (LAD) coronary artery with an angioplasty balloon for 180 min, and four weeks later occluding the Left Circumflex (LCx) coronary artery for 180 min. LE images were obtained on day 3 and day 4 after second myocardial infarct, using Gd(DTPA) (standard extracellular contrast agent) and Gd(ABE-DTTA) (new, low molecular weight contrast agent), respectively. Triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) histomorphometry validated existence and location of infarcts. Hematoxylin-eosin and Masson's trichrome staining provided histologic evaluation of infarcts.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Gd(ABE-DTTA) or Gd(DTPA) highlighted the acute infarct, whereas the four-week old infarct was visualized by Gd(DTPA), but not by Gd(ABE-DTTA). With Gd(ABE-DTTA), the mean ± SD signal intensity enhancement (SIE) was 366 ± 166% and 24 ± 59% in the acute infarct and the four-week old infarct, respectively (P < 0.05). The latter did not differ significantly from signal intensity in healthy myocardium (P = NS). Gd(DTPA) produced signal intensity enhancements which were similar in acute (431 ± 124%) and four-week old infarcts (400 ± 124%, P = NS), and not statistically different from the Gd(ABE-DTTA)-induced SIE in acute infarct. The existence and localization of both infarcts were confirmed by triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC). Histologic evaluation demonstrated coagulation necrosis, inflammation, and multiple foci of calcification in the four day old infarct, while the late subacute infarct showed granulation tissue and early collagen deposition.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Late enhancement CMR with separate administrations of standard extracellular contrast agent, Gd(DTPA), and the new low molecular weight contrast agent, Gd(ABE-DTTA), differentiates between acute and late subacute infarct in a reperfused, double infarct, canine model.</p

Abiotic stress response of near-isogenic spring durum wheat lines under different sowing densities

A detailed study was made of changes in the plant development, morphology, physiology and yield biology of near-isogenic lines of spring durum wheat sown in the field with different plant densities in two consecutive years (2013–2014). An analysis was made of the drought tolerance of isogenic lines selected for yield QTLs (QYld.idw-2B and QYld.idw-3B), and the presence of QTL effects was examined in spring sowings. Comparisons were made of the traits of the isogenic pairs QYld.idw-3B++ and QYld.idw-3B−− both within and between the pairs. Changes in the polyamine content, antioxidant enzyme activity, chlorophyll content of the flag leaf and the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) of the plot were monitored in response to drought stress, and the relationship between these components and the yield was analyzed. In the case of moderate stress, differences between the NIL++ and NIL−− pairs appeared in the early dough stage, indicating that the QYld.idw-3B++ QTL region was able to maintain photosynthetic activity for a longer period, resulting in greater grain number and grain weight at the end of the growing period. The chlorophyll content of the flag leaf in phenophases Z77 and Z83 was significantly correlated with the grain number and grain weight of the main spike. The grain yield was greatly influenced by the treatment, while the genotype had a significant effect on the thousand-kernel weight and on the grain number and grain weight of the main spike. When the lines were compared in the non-irrigated treatment, significantly more grains and significantly higher grain weight were observed in the main spike in NIL++ lines, confirming the theory that the higher yields of the QYld.idw-3B++ lines when sown in spring and exposed to drought stress could be attributed to the positive effect of the “Kofa” QTL on chromosome 3B

A guideline-based computerised decision support system (CDSS) to influence general practitioners management of chronic heart failure

Objectives To explore the influence of a guidelinebased computerised decision support system (CDSS) on general practitioners' (GPs') management of patient cases of chronic heart failure in a pragmatic clinical situation. We assessed changes in the GPs' confidence in the diagnosis, their considerations about investigations and medications and the support they perceived from using the CDSS. Study design Five GPs assessed the medical records of 48 of their own authentic patient cases using a guideline-based CDSS accessible on the internet for the diagnosis and treatment of chronic heart failure, and completed a questionnaire for each case. Outcome measures Number of cases where the GP reported a change in confidence in the diagnosis, where the GP considered further investigations or changes in medication and the perceived support marked on a visual analogue scale. Results The GPs' confidence in the diagnosis changed in 25% of the cases, with equal numbers of increases and decreases in confidence. The GPs considered further investigations in 31% of the cases and medication changes in 19%. Fourteen of the 31 considered investigations and four of the ten considered changes in medications which were in agreement with the CDSS's suggestions. The GPs tended to consider further investigations more often in cases when the CDSS found the diagnosis uncertain. There was a wide range in the values for perceived support, but it could be described as substantial in 35% of the cases. Conclusion Using a guideline-based CDSS for the GPs' own patient cases had an impact on the GPs' confidence in the diagnosis of chronic heart failure and their considerations about investigations and medications: they also perceived substantial support in every third case. Applying a CDSS developed using evidence-based guidelines for chronic heart failure in primary care could have a significant influence on GPs' disease management

Optical, magnetic and dielectric properties of non-liquid crystalline elastomers doped with magnetic colloids

Magnetic nanoparticles from magnetic colloidal suspensions were incorporated in the urethane/urea elastomer (PU/PBDO) by swelling fully crosslinked elastomer samples with a toluene and ferro ‡uid mixture. It is shown that ferro ‡uid grains can be e¢ ciently incorporated into the matrix of elastomers. The dependence of the birefringence of both the pure and ferro ‡uid-doped elastomer samples on strain is linear. The ratio of birefringence to strain of the ferro ‡uid-doped samples is greater than that of the pure elastomer samples, indicating that ferro ‡uid grains are oriented by the strained polymer network. We propose that this is strain-induced orientation is due to the shape anisotropy of the nanoparticles