Search in Publications
Found 6674 publications
Forecasting Western Corn Rootworm (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte) Density and Non-Chemical Control of Larvae: A Practical Review
Publication Name: Agriculture Switzerland
Publication Date: 2024-11-01
Volume: 14
Issue: 11
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
The western corn rootworm (WCR) (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte; Chrysomelidae) is one of the most significant maize pests in Europe, with farmers spending a substantial amount (approximately 140 EUR) on its control. In the context of climate change, WCRs could pose an even greater threat to EU maize production, particularly as the European Union continues to withdraw an increasing number of effective yet environmentally harmful active agents. Biological control methods have now emerged to the forefront in creating sustainable agriculture. In this review, we carried out an extensive literature analysis on methods for forecasting WCRs and evaluated the practical applicability of the latest non-chemical control methods targeting its larvae. Effective forecasting is essential for successful pest management, enabling informed planning and the selection of the most suitable control methods. Several traditional predicting techniques remain in use today, but recent advancements have introduced modern electronic forecasting units combined with sensor-equipped pheromone and colour traps, as well as thermal sum calculations. Research has demonstrated that crop rotation is one of the most effective methods for controlling WCR larvae. Biological agents, such as entomopathogenic fungi (Beauveria bossiana and Mettarrhyzum anasoplia), entomopathogenic nematodes (Heterorhabditis bacteriophora), and botanical insecticides such as azadirachtin can significantly reduce larval populations and root damage, thereby maintaining infestation levels below the economic threshold. Genetically modified maize plants that produce specific toxins, along with conventional breeding efforts to increase root system regeneration, are also promising tools for the sustainable management of this pest. This review summarizes the solutions for prediction of western corn rootworm infestations and non-chemical control of its larvae. Accurate forecasting methods provide a clear picture of infestation levels in a given area, enabling precisely targeted control measures. In all cases, the control should be directed primarily against the larvae, thereby reducing root damage and reducing the size of the emerging imago population. This review demonstrates that biological control methods targeting larvae can be as effective as pesticides, supporting sustainable pest management.
Open Access: Yes
Exploring the Impact of Fiber Content on the Mechanical Performance of Steel Fiber Reinforced Concrete: Consistency and Compaction Time Analysis
Publication Name: Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems
Publication Date: 2025-01-01
Volume: 1258 LNNS
Issue: Unknown
Page Range: 162-174
Description:
The evolution of building materials and technologies is imperative in response to the growing demands for large-scale infrastructure. Steel fiber-reinforced concrete (SFRC) has gained widespread usage due to its notable benefits, such as enhanced crack-bridging capacity and increased shear strength, reducing the need for traditional reinforcement. This study investigates the effects of varying fiber content and compaction times on the mechanical properties of SFRC. Laboratory tests were conducted on 24 different concrete mix designs, producing a total of 216 specimens, including blocks, cubes, and beams. The findings indicate that the optimal fiber content and compaction time significantly influence the compressive, flexural, and tensile strengths of SFRC. A detailed mathematical and statistical analysis highlights the importance of these parameters, providing insights for optimizing SFRC performance in construction. Future research directions are suggested to enhance further the understanding and application of SFRC in the construction industry.
Open Access: Yes
Solution of a fuzzy resource allocation problem by various evolutionary approaches
Publication Name: Proceedings of the 2013 Joint Ifsa World Congress and NAFIPS Annual Meeting Ifsa NAFIPS 2013
Publication Date: 2013-10-31
Volume: Unknown
Issue: Unknown
Page Range: 807-812
Description:
In this paper we present a fuzzy resource allocation and assignment problem and propose two types of biologically inspired optimization methods to solve it. The resources in question are used for the maintenance of a network of nodes, each with its specific maintenance demands over time. Our goal is to assign sufficient capacities to storage locations and transport the appropriate amount of resources to the nodes at specific times during the simulation, so that the total cost of storage, transportation and malfunction is kept to a minimum. We use fuzzy numbers to describe the parameters of all the scenarios a solution has to fit, such as the maintenance demands of each node, the additional expenditure that malfunctions bring, and also the varying cost of transportation between nodes and storage locations. The optimization methods we used were the bacterial evolutionary algorithm and the particle swarm algorithm, both with a plain and a memetic variant complemented with gradient-based local search. All of them had a version where they only worked with crisp values, and one with fuzzy solutions. We tested the effectiveness of these four approaches on four examples with varying network sizes and durations. © 2013 IEEE.
Open Access: Yes
Influence of frequency resolution in case of frequency response function measurement in structural dynamics
Publication Name: Acta Technica Jaurinensis
Publication Date: 2021-11-24
Volume: 14
Issue: 4
Page Range: 508-520
Description:
Frequency resolution is an essential parameter in acoustical testing, even if we are using numerical or experimental method, for example when determining frequency response function (FRF) of a dynamic mechanical system, or executing modal analysis based on the FRFs. Finer resolution leads to more accurate results, at the expense of longer calculation/measurement process and larger data size. This parameter is generally set based on rules of thumb, prior practice or with big margin for safety. This results in waste time and data storage if the required frequency resolution is overestimated, or even significant errors in the results, if it is underestimated. Present paper offers a direct, method for the conscious determination of optimal frequency resolution. It is based fully on theoretical considerations, and investigates amplitude and phase distortion at resonances as target parameters. Beside defining the steps of the process, it is tested on a real structure, and the results are presented as well, proving the applicability and the appropriateness of the method. With this method, development engineers get a practical tool for adjusting the parameters of dynamic measurements and simulations.
Open Access: Yes
Processing FT-IR data for facilitated oil condition monitoring
Publication Name: 2022 IEEE 1st International Conference on Cognitive Mobility Cogmob 2022
Publication Date: 2022-01-01
Volume: Unknown
Issue: Unknown
Page Range: 47-50
Description:
The physical and chemical condition of a lubricant plays a vital role in the long-term operability of engineering systems. Hence, oil condition monitoring of high-value and heavy-duty equipment is a common practice across numerous industries. However, this practice is not utilized on a regular basis for passenger cars, and car fleets. For general automotive purposes, a simpler time and mileage-based approach is favored. This approach employs fixed oil change intervals, that are based on average usage, with more recently produced vehicles only slightly modifying these intervals by monitoring oil temperatures over time. With rising environmental concerns and increasing focus on systemic approaches, reducing waste production is gaining importance. Being aware of lubricant condition opens up the opportunity to optimized, condition-based oil changes, that can help reduce waste by elongating the service life of engine oils. This study presents a methodology of processing FT-IR data that allows for a simplified decision making regarding the prolonged applicability of used engine oil. The presented method can be implemented as a step of planned maintenance during scheduled service at a repair shop, as well as a regular investigation by fleet operators.
Open Access: Yes
Uncovering the themes and trends in crowdfunding research using Latent Dirichlet Allocation
Publication Name: Management Review Quarterly
Publication Date: 2025-09-01
Volume: 75
Issue: 3
Page Range: 2033-2066
Description:
Crowdfunding (CF) has become a significant force in the entrepreneurial landscape, offering an innovative alternative to traditional financing channels for startups and projects. As the field expands, it is crucial to systematically analyze the existing literature to identify key themes, patterns, and emerging areas of interest. To achieve this goal, this study investigates the CF literature using latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA)-based topic modeling based on 1,678 publications extracted from the Scopus database. The review reveals significant growth in CF research, with top journals spanning diverse disciplines. Eight main topics are identified, including CF campaign success and financing, donation-based CF, social effects of CF, entrepreneurial projects and rewards in CF, financial and fintech aspects of CF, CF project success and performance, P2P lending models and credit risk assessment, and equity CF and venture capital. Several research directions are suggested for each topic to advance the CF field. The theoretical and practical implications are also discussed. To the authors’ best knowledge, this study represents the first systematic analysis of the CF literature using the LDA approach, offering a comprehensive and up-to-date overview of this field and highlighting emerging areas of interest and potential research directions.
Open Access: Yes
Characterisation of Hungarian Cikta sheep based on the control region of mtDNA
Publication Name: Magyar Allatorvosok Lapja
Publication Date: 2020-07-01
Volume: 142
Issue: 7
Page Range: 421-428
Description:
Background: The consideration of the high genetic diversity is indispensable on the course of preservation of endangered animal breeds. Objectives: The authors evaluate the genetic background in the Hungarian native Cikta breed by use of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region (CR) sequence firstly. Their investigation was carried out in order to serve data for the maintenance of maternal lineages. Materials and Methods: The DNA samples were taken from the descendants of the eldest families by use of founder sampling method based on pedigree (n = 69) in 2015. The primers described by Hiendleder et al. (7) were used to amplify the region of interest (AF010406). Results and Discussion: The control region of mtDNA showed polymorphisms at 32 sites. However, the herds shared 24 polymorphic sites, so the maternal background of the Cikta appears to be genetically uniform. The total number of haplotypes were 13, furthermore, most of the samples belonged to the haplog-roup B of sheep. This fact proves the decisively European maternal origin of the Hungarian Cikta. The average number of pairwise differences (k) and the average nucleotide diversity (ro) were 6.863 and 5.95 × 10-3, respectively. The values of the Cikta population were not significant (p < 0.10) neither by the Tajima D-test (0.107) and by Fu's Fs statistics (2.533), meaning that the greatly reduced population size of the breed known from the breed history did not cause genetic drift, it is in genetic equilibrium regarding its ancient families. The genetic information confirmed the origin of the families/flocks known from the breed history. A more intense focusing on the maternal side is motivated also by the fact that the females are present at greater number than the males, respectively they remain in breeding for a longer period of time, so they can at larger extent be the depositaries of realization and maintenance of genetic diversity.
Open Access: Yes
DOI: DOI not available
Development of a Battery Diagnostic Method Based on CAN Data: Examining the Accuracy of Data Received via a Communication Network
Publication Name: Energies
Publication Date: 2024-11-01
Volume: 17
Issue: 22
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
In order to reduce the emissions caused by internal combustion engine vehicles, the industry is introducing more and more electric or hybrid vehicles to the market nowadays. The battery cells and modules of these vehicles require a lot of care, as improper or improperly maintained battery units can cause serious problems inside vehicles and can be extremely dangerous. The safest solution is to keep this unit of a vehicle under constant supervision so that it can be repaired immediately in case of an issue. Since all necessary data can be extracted from a vehicle’s communication network(s) through standard communication protocols, it is advisable to use them for continuous monitoring and diagnostics of units, while also considering cost-effectiveness and simplicity. The data received from here can also be used for measurement of electric powertrains and other parameters. However, since these data go through many conversions and computers (ECUs) before reaching us, their accuracy is questionable. In this study, we present our own custom battery diagnostic tool based on data extracted from a communication network. With the help of commercially available diagnostic tools, we also compare several measurements of the extent of the error limits of the data arriving at the communication network, how far they differ from the real values, and with the help of these, we analyze the accuracy of the device we have made. We present the commonly used Controller Area Network (CAN) communication protocol for passenger vehicles and briefly describe the construction of the high-voltage battery unit of the test vehicle.
Open Access: Yes
DOI: 10.3390/en17225808
Cultural metaphors and schemata in the representation of river in Hungarian folk songs Part 2
Publication Name: Magyar Nyelv
Publication Date: 2018-01-01
Volume: 114
Issue: 3
Page Range: 320-329
Description:
The aim of this paper is to disentangle the conceptual net lurking behind the appearance of rivers in the context of love in Hungarian folk songs. The theoretical framework of the paper is given by Cultural Linguistics, a branch of cognitive linguistics studying interrelationships of language, culture, and conceptualization. A corpus study of folk songs suggests that one of the main sources of the representation of human feelings is people’s experience of nature, implemented in metaphors concerning the natural environment. It can be stated on the basis of the folk songs studied here that metaphoric reference to rivers can be traced back to the conceptual metaphor eMotionS are watercourSeS appearing in a number of specific metaphors and image schemas deeply rooted in cultural experiences. The representational structure of folk songs is organised by an overall cultural schema, cHaStity, emerging from village dwellers’ strict moral norms. The study shows that natural scenes of folk songs are associated with conceptual metaphors, in particular, emotion-metaphors, but a genuine (and full) explanation can only be given in terms of the notion of love as entertained by traditional Hungarian communities and the related socio-cultural norms and moral principles of those communities.
Open Access: Yes
