The existing evidence for treatment of atopic eczema (atopic dermatitis, AE) is evaluated using the national standard Appraisal of Guidelines Research and Evaluation. The consensus process consisted ...of a nominal group process and a DELPHI procedure. Management of AE must consider the individual symptomatic variability of the disease. Basic therapy is focused on hydrating topical treatment, and avoidance of specific and unspecific provocation factors. Anti‐inflammatory treatment based on topical glucocorticosteroids and topical calcineurin inhibitors (TCI) is used for exacerbation management and more recently for proactive therapy in selected cases. Topical corticosteroids remain the mainstay of therapy, but the TCI tacrolimus and pimecrolimus are preferred in certain locations. Systemic immune‐suppressive treatment is an option for severe refractory cases. Microbial colonization and superinfection may induce disease exacerbation and can justify additional antimicrobial treatment. Adjuvant therapy includes UV irradiation preferably with UVA1 wavelength or UVB 311 nm. Dietary recommendations should be specific and given only in diagnosed individual food allergy. Allergen‐specific immunotherapy to aeroallergens may be useful in selected cases. Stress‐induced exacerbations may make psychosomatic counselling recommendable. ‘Eczema school’ educational programs have been proven to be helpful. Pruritus is targeted with the majority of the recommended therapies, but some patients need additional antipruritic therapies.
The existing evidence for treatment of atopic eczema (atopic dermatitis, AE) is evaluated using the national standard Appraisal of Guidelines Research and Evaluation. The consensus process consisted ...of a nominal group process and a DELPHI procedure. Management of AE must consider the individual symptomatic variability of the disease. Basic therapy is focused on hydrating topical treatment, and avoidance of specific and unspecific provocation factors. Anti‐inflammatory treatment based on topical glucocorticosteroids and topical calcineurin inhibitors (TCI) is used for exacerbation management and more recently for proactive therapy in selected cases. Topical corticosteroids remain the mainstay of therapy, but the TCI tacrolimus and pimecrolimus are preferred in certain locations. Systemic immune‐suppressive treatment is an option for severe refractory cases. Microbial colonization and superinfection may induce disease exacerbation and can justify additional antimicrobial treatment. Adjuvant therapy includes UV irradiation preferably with UVA1 wavelength or UVB 311 nm. Dietary recommendations should be specific and given only in diagnosed individual food allergy. Allergen‐specific immunotherapy to aeroallergens may be useful in selected cases. Stress‐induced exacerbations may make psychosomatic counselling recommendable. ‘Eczema school’ educational programs have been proven to be helpful. Pruritus is targeted with the majority of the recommended therapies, but some patients need additional antipruritic therapies.
SUMMARY
While traditional geoelectric array configurations, such as the Wenner–Schlumberger or the dipole–dipole, can provide very good images of 1-D or robust 2-D structures, they are not ...sufficiently sensitive to those inhomogeneities that have a small effect on the surface electrical potential distribution. The detection and description of such inhomogeneities become possible by applying quasi-null arrays, which provide very small (close to zero) signals above a homogeneous half-space. The imaging properties of the members of an array series containing such arrays, the so-called γ11n arrays (n = 1–7), are demonstrated and compared to those of the most popular traditional arrays. Although the field applicability of the quasi-null arrays has been heavily questioned, it was demonstrated by our quasi-field analogue modelling experiments. The quasi-field tests also validated all of the numerical modelling results as follows: (1) many or all of the γ11n arrays were able to detect prisms and vertical sheets located at depths larger than those detectable by traditional geoelectric arrays, including the optimized Stummer configuration; (2) the horizontal resolution of the γ11n arrays proved to be better than the horizontal resolution of traditional arrays; (3) with n increasing, the γ11n arrays proved to be less sensitive to 1-D, but more sensitive to 2-D bodies. In case of high n values, the γ11n arrays may even be entirely insensitive to any 1-D structure. On the basis of the quasi-field experiments, γ11n arrays are expected to be very efficient to indicate bodies, or variations in time that only have a small impact on the surface electrical potential distribution (e.g. caves, mines, tunnels, tubes, cables, fractures, dykes), or small changes in the subsurface conditions (monitoring of dams or waste deposits). Data acquisition by both a traditional and a γ11n array, individual inversion of their data, and a joint interpretation of the results are recommended to obtain both a robust image and fine details of the subsurface.
Purpose. Justification of the feasibility of using new types of drainage materials, such as Concrete Canvas (CC), under the upper structure of the railway permanent way. Methodology. The tasks were ...solved by a complex research method, including analysis and generalization of literary and patent sources, analytical, experimental studies, using computer and mathematical modeling methods. Tests were conducted with and without the CC layer in a multi-level shear box. After the shear test, the specimens were also tested for load-bearing capacity (E2, according to the Hungarian standard) and particle breakage. The contact surface between the bottom of the ballast and the CC was measured using a precision 3D laser scanner (GOM ATOS) and visualized graphically using AutoCAD software. Findings. Experimental testing of the vertical load during connection and analysis compared with the test results of geocomposite/geogrid structures, internal shear resistance, and other parameters proved the structure’s higher load-bearing capacity with the CC layer. Based on the results, the Concrete Canvas structure provides higher reinforcement than the average geogrid type. Originality. The advantages of using new Concrete Canvas materials in the structure of a railway track have been demonstrated for the first time to provide greater internal shear resistance than the average for geogrids. Practical value. These results may provide primary data for using Concrete Canvas in railway tracks and superstructures in the future.
Purpose. To prove that the GCCM (geosynthetic cementitious composite mat) – type Concrete Canvas (CC) – is an adequate supplementary layer on the top of the subgrade. As its drainage function is ...known, this article tries to prove the reinforcement possibility. This layer is relatively thin; nevertheless, it can behave like the geogrids. It is the main path to finding out the opportunity of the interlocking effect and its impact on the railway ballast’s inner shear resistance. Methodology. The laboratory measurements were performed in a multi-level shear box, which allows simulating the multi-level shift of the ballast layer. The tests were planned with and without the CC layer. After shearing, the samples were also tested for load-bearing capacity (E2; according to the Hungarian Standard) and particle breakage. On the other hand, the contact surface between the lowest part of the ballast and CC was also measured by a sophisticated 3D laser scanner (GOM ATOS) and graphically by AutoCAD software. Findings. After the results of the laboratory experiments are analyzed, the following parameters are calculated and determined: 1) the reinforcement ratio as the tangent of the inner shear resistance curves in the 5–15 mm horizontal shearing interval as well as the area under graphs by integration in the 0–40 mm interval; 2) the change in load-bearing capacity of the layer-structure with and without CC; 3) the amount of the cement particles; 4) the amount of the broken particles; 5) contact surface between the lowest layer of ballast and CC; 6) flatness of CC sheets after shearing. Based on the results, the Concrete Canvas provides significant reinforcement to the railway ballast. Originality. Any other type of measurement with Concrete Canvas in a multi-level shear box is unknown. The topic is unique. Practical value. In the future, these results may provide baseline data to verify the suitability of the Concrete Canvas in the railway sub- or superstructure for various types of transport.
Investigation of small-size two-dimensional (2D) targets is a difficult task; it requires—among others—arrays with a high horizontal resolution. According to numerical calculations and quasi-field ...studies besides the Dipole, the γ
11n
arrays, a special group of quasi null arrays were expected to be appropriate for this aim. Test field measurements were carried out by these arrays and the Wenner array to study small-size targets, as trenches and leakages linked to pipes whose parameters are known. These are the first field measurements performed with γ11 arrays, or even with any quasi-null arrays. For the investigation of small objects using just one array, the γ
114
-, γ
112
-, and dipole arrays proved to be the best. The effect of three principal strategies and five of their possible combinations are also demonstrated. Each of them could improve the performance of the electrical resistivity tomography (ERT), e.g. by separating 2D and 3D effects or true anomalies and artefacts, and increasing the reliability of the results. The strategy which may provide the most accurate results, the economically most advantageous method and a profit/investment optimized array set to solve problems of small 2D targets are presented. Each strategy is also suitable using solely traditional arrays, but the results may be better when γ
11n
arrays are also involved. In the study site, each known small target could be detected. The presented strategies are recommended to apply when small 2D targets thus, e.g. pipes, trenches, tunnels, mining cuts, long straight caves, archaeological ruins (walls, basements), fractures, or dykes are studied.
The Carpathians and their rich biosphere are considered to be highly vulnerable to climate change. Drought is one of the major climate-related damaging natural phenomena and in Europe it has been ...occurring with increasing frequency, intensity, and duration in the last decades. Due to climate change, land cover changes, and intensive land use, the Carpathian Region is one of the areas at highest drought risk in Europe. In order to analyze the drought events over the last 50 yr in the area, we used a 1961–2010 daily gridded temperature and precipitation dataset. From this, monthly 0.1° × 0.1° grids of four drought indicators (Standardized Precipitation-Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI), Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI), Reconnaissance Drought Indicator (RDI), and Palfai Aridity/Drought Index (PADI)) have been calculated. SPI, SPEI, and RDI have been computed at different time scales (3, 6, and 12 months), whilst PADI has been computed on an annual basis. The dataset used in this paper has been constructed in the framework of the CARPATCLIM project, run by a consortium of institutions from 9 countries (Austria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, and Ukraine) with scientific support by the Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the European Commission. Temperature and precipitation station data have been collected, quality-checked, completed, homogenized, and interpolated on the 0.1° × 0.1° grid, and drought indicators have been consequently calculated on the grid itself. Monthly and annual series of the cited indicators are presented, together with high-resolution maps and statistical analysis of their correlation. A list of drought events between 1961 and 2010, based on the agreement of the indicators, is presented. We also discuss three case studies: drought in 1990, 2000, and 2003. The drought indicators have been compared both on spatial and temporal scales: it resulted that SPI, SPEI, and RDI are highly comparable, especially over a 12-month accumulation period. SPEI, which includes PET (Potential Evapo-Transpiration) as RDI does, proved to perform best if drought is caused by heat waves, whilst SPI performed best if drought is mainly driven by a rainfall deficit, because SPEI and RDI can be extreme in dry periods. According to PADI, the Carpathian Region has a sufficient natural water supply on average, with some spots that fall into the ''mild dry'' class, and this is also confirmed by the FAO-UNEP aridity index and the Köppen-Geiger climate classification.
We have studied a slowly moving loess landslide along the River Danube in South Hungary. In contrast with other efforts, we aimed to determine its fracture system. Due to the homogeneous composition ...of the loess, it seems to be the only possibility to get information about the landslide and its further evolution. Beside of the well-known Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) the so-called Pressure Probe (PreP) method was applied to characterise the supposedly dense fracture system. This method was developed to detect and characterise mechanically weak zones, which may not visible from the surface, and may occur e.g. due to landslides. Fracture zones had been especially well localised by the ERT, enabling the prediction of the positions of future rupture surfaces and thus also the delineation of the endangered zones. PreP was able to give a very detailed image about the surface projection of the fractures. Both methods proved to be good to characterise the fracture system of such a landslide area. Geophysical predictions have been verified also in reality: the mass movements occurred about 1½ years after the measurements. Therefore, to provide early risk warnings and to avoid damage to constructions or endangering human life, the application of the ERT and PreP methods is highly recommended.
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