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Found 6273 publications
Advantages of Corrosion-Resistant Overlay Welding on Steel S355J2N
Publication Name: Applied Sciences Switzerland
Publication Date: 2025-04-01
Volume: 15
Issue: 7
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
In this paper, the effects of overlay welding of S355J2N steel were studied. We examined how the technological advantages of overlay welding can be taken into account to improve the service lifetime and applicability of components made from traditional S355J2N structural steel during the planning step. Increasing the service life of structures exposed to environmental influences is essential, especially on surfaces exposed to abrasive and chemical corrosion. The direct aim of the investigation was to present a comprehensive picture of technological advantages of the corrosion-resistant overlay welding on steel S355J2N. We mainly analysed experiments with powder-coated wire electrodes which are based on protective gas and robot technology usage. With various mechanical tests, we searched for the minimum number of layers that provides sufficient protection against corrosion. The aim of this paper is to present achieved results during development of a welding technology of a reliably functioning product with increased corrosion resistance.
Open Access: Yes
DOI: 10.3390/app15073832
Evaluating the Risk-Return Profile of a Portfolio of ESG and Traditional Assets Using a Hybrid Optimisation Model
Publication Name: Virtual Economics
Publication Date: 2025-03-31
Volume: 8
Issue: 1
Page Range: 16-39
Description:
This article examines the risk-return dynamics of portfolios combining environmental, social, and governance (ESG) assets with traditional investment instruments. A hybrid optimisation framework is applied, uniting mean-variance principles with combinatorial selection and machine learning techniques. The study addresses two central questions: whether ESG funds provide diversification benefits, and whether they mitigate downside risk in periods of financial stress. The analysis draws on a dataset of five ESG and five non-ESG funds, spanning varied sectors and risk profiles, observed over a five-year horizon marked by diverse macroeconomic conditions. Portfolio performance is evaluated using the Sharpe ratio, with differential evolution and support vector machine algorithms employed to capture linear and non-linear aspects of risk-adjusted returns. The findings reveal a consistent positive association between ESG allocation and portfolio performance. Optimised portfolios frequently allocated 80-90 per cent of their weight to ESG assets, particularly GRID and ESGV. ESG holdings were shown to strengthen diversification, improve upside potential, and reduce downside exposure, especially during volatile market phases. Traditional assets contributed stability but played a weaker role in enhancing risk-adjusted returns. Statistical analysis confirmed both research hypotheses: portfolios integrating ESG investments achieved higher Sharpe ratios without excessive risk, and ESG funds demonstrated resilience under adverse conditions. Machine learning models further underscored the significance of non-linear patterns, which enhanced the explanatory power of ESG exposure in the optimisation process. In sum, the study contributes to growing evidence that ESG assets not only advance sustainability objectives but also deliver measurable financial benefits. The hybrid methodological approach illustrates the importance of balanced allocation constraints and robust optimisation in portfolio design. These results suggest that incorporating ESG assets can simultaneously reinforce financial stability and support long-term sustainable development.
Open Access: Yes
Assessing the Sustainability of Electric and Hybrid Buses: A Life Cycle Assessment Approach to Energy Consumption in Usage
Publication Name: Energies
Publication Date: 2025-03-01
Volume: 18
Issue: 6
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
The global adoption of battery electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) as a substitute for internal combustion engine cars (ICEs) in various nations offers a substantial opportunity to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2 ) emissions from land transportation. EVs are fitted with an energy conversion system that efficiently converts stored energy into propulsion, referred to as “tank-to-wheel (TTW) conversion”. Battery-electric vehicles have a significant advantage in that their exhaust system does not produce any pollutants. This hypothesis is equally relevant to public transport. Despite their higher upfront cost, electric buses contribute significantly to environmental sustainability during their operation. This study aimed to evaluate the environmental sustainability of electric buses during their operational phase by utilizing the life cycle assessment (LCA) technique. This paper used the MATLAB R2021b code to ascertain the mean load of the buses during their operation. The energy consumption of battery electric and hybrid electric buses was evaluated using the WLTP Class 2 standard, which refers to vehicles with a power-to-mass ratio between 22 and 34 W/kg, overing four speed phases (low, medium, high, extra high) with speeds up to 131.3 km/h. The code was used to calculate the energy consumption levels for the complete test cycle. The code adopts an idealized rectangular blind box model, disregarding the intricate design of contemporary buses to streamline the computational procedure. Simulating realistic test periods of 1800 s resulted in an average consumption of 1.451 kWh per km for electric buses and an average of 25.3 L per 100 km for hybrid buses. Finally, through an examination of the structure of the Hungarian power system utilization, it was demonstrated that electrification is a more appropriate method for achieving the emission reduction goals during the utilization phase.
Open Access: Yes
DOI: 10.3390/en18061545
Effects of Tourists' Perceived Crowding on Tourist Loyalty Based on Overcrowded Tourist Attraction in Bangladesh: The Mediating Role of Destination Attractiveness
Publication Name: International Journal of Tourism Research
Publication Date: 2025-03-01
Volume: 27
Issue: 2
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
For the study, the researchers proposed a multidimensional way to measure tourist-perceived crowding (TPC) and an integrated approach to tourist loyalty from a customer perspective based on the stimulus organism response model. A structural equation modeling was applied to examine the relationship among variables using the data collected from Bangladesh's crowded and popular tourist attractions. The study found that neutral crowding has significant negative effects and personal crowding has significant positive effects on destination attractiveness, but social crowding has no relationship with destination attractiveness. Moreover, social crowding directly affects tourist loyalty, but neutral and personal crowding indirectly affect tourist loyalty by mediating destination attractiveness. This study suggested a new result: TPC has both negative and positive impacts on destination attractiveness in overcrowded destinations. From the management perspective, the study suggested interesting insights for crowding and destination management, which ultimately affect tourist loyalty.
Open Access: Yes
DOI: 10.1002/jtr.2764
Towards Climate-Smart Agriculture: Strategies for Sustainable Agricultural Production, Food Security, and Greenhouse Gas Reduction
Publication Name: Agronomy
Publication Date: 2025-03-01
Volume: 15
Issue: 3
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
Without transformative adaptation strategies, the impact of climate change is projected to reduce global crop yields and increase food insecurity, while rising greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions further exacerbate the crisis. While agriculture is a major contributor to climate change through unsustainable practices, it also offers significant opportunities to mitigate these emissions through the adoption of sustainable practices. This review examines climate-smart agriculture (CSA) as a key strategy for enhancing crop productivity, building climate resilience, and reducing GHG emissions, while emphasizing the need for strategic interventions to accelerate its large-scale implementation for improved food security. The analysis revealed that while nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) has improved in developed countries, the global NUE remains at 55.47%, emphasizing the need for precision nutrient management and integrated soil fertility strategies to enhance productivity and minimize environmental impacts. With 40% of the world’s agricultural land already degraded, sustainability alone is insufficient, necessitating a shift toward regenerative agricultural practices to restore degraded soil and water by improving soil health, enhancing biodiversity, and increasing carbon sequestration, thus ensuring long-term agricultural resilience. CSA practices, including precision agriculture, regenerative agriculture, biochar application, and agroforestry, improve soil health, enhance food security, and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. However, result variability highlights the need for site-specific strategies to optimize benefits. Integrating multiple CSA practices enhances soil health and productivity more effectively than implementing a single practice alone. Widespread adoption faces socio-economic and technological barriers, requiring supportive policies, financial incentives, and capacity-building initiatives. By adopting climate-smart technologies, agriculture can transition toward sustainability, securing global food systems while addressing climate challenges.
Open Access: Yes
Quasi-Viral Technologies as the Drivers of the Economy Digital Transformation Towards sustainability
Publication Name: Hightech and Innovation Journal
Publication Date: 2025-03-01
Volume: 6
Issue: 1
Page Range: 183-200
Description:
The relevance of the article is related to the phenomenon of quasi-viral technologies, which are the drivers of the phase transition to sustainable development. The study is aimed at defining the category “quasi-viral emerging technology”, as well as the disclosure of their content and form, and the analysis of the features in the conditions of digital transformations. The research method is based on the analysis of transformational changes in the components of the trialectic mechanism of the reproduction of socio-economic systems, which occur under the influence of quasi-viral sustainable technologies. The article defines the quasi-viral process of spreading emerging technologies as a transformational process of the informational component replacement within the technological base by methods imitating the course of viral infection. The signs of quasi-viral processes are formulated on several levels: “infection” due to a change in the information algorithm; substantial user preferences; lack of sufficient barriers; significant potential to increase users; and disruptive efficiency. Signs of quasi-viral technologies have the following types of innovations: renewable energy, 3D printing, electric transport, energy storage, IT technologies, digital recording of information, cloud technologies, etc. The authors hypothesize the possibility of using entropy estimates as the only measure of approximating the results of the implementation of quasi-viral technologies to the state of sustainability in society and nature. The expected results of the spread of quasi-viral technologies can be significant dematerialization of industrial metabolism, provision of functions of self-organization and self-improvement of social systems, preservation of biodiversity and ecosystems of the planet, and formation of the foundations of sustainable development.
Open Access: Yes
Remanufacturing a Synchronous Reluctance Machine with Aluminum Winding: An Open Benchmark Problem for FEM Analysis
Publication Name: Electronics Switzerland
Publication Date: 2024-02-01
Volume: 13
Issue: 4
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
The European Union’s increasing focus on sustainable and eco-friendly product design has resulted in significant pressure on original equipment manufacturers to adopt more environmentally conscious practices. As a result, the remanufacturing of end-of-life electric machines is expected to become a promising industrial segment. Identifying the missing parameters of these types of machines will play an essential role in creating feasible and reliable redesigns and remanufacturing processes. A few case studies related to this problem have been published in the literature; however, some novel, openly accessible benchmark problems can facilitate the research and function as a basis for comparing and validating novel numerical methods. This paper presents the identification process of an experimental synchronous machine. It outlines methodologies for identifying material properties, winding schemes, and other critical parameters for the finite element analysis and modelling of electric machines with incomplete information. The machine in question is intended for remanufacturing, with the plan to replace its faulty winding with an aluminium-based alternative. It also serves as an open benchmark problem for researchers, designers, and practitioners.
Open Access: Yes
The Biopsychosocial Health Model Differentiates Long-Term Exercisers From Non-Exercisers: A Cross-Sectional Study
Publication Name: Health Science Reports
Publication Date: 2025-02-01
Volume: 8
Issue: 2
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
Background and Aims: The biopsychosocial (BPS) model considers that health and behavioral outcomes result from the interaction of biological, psychological, and social factors. Regular exercise is an essential component of modern-day healthy living. All three factors in the BPS model are related to long-term exercise. Therefore, this cross-sectional study aimed to compare adults exercising regularly for at least 3 years with their non-exercising counterparts on perceived health and stress (antagonistic, biopsychological), life satisfaction (psychological), and perceived income (psychosocial) while controlling for age, gender, and education level. Methods: Participants were 461 Hungarian volunteers (74.83% female) aged 18−73 years. There were 274 regular exercisers and 187 non-exercisers. They completed the study on the Qualtrics research platform. Results: A statistically significant (p < 0.001) multivariate analysis of covariance revealed that long-term exercisers scored lower on perceived stress and higher on perceived health, income, and life satisfaction than non-exercising adults. Consequently, the three factors of the BPS model differentiated the groups. Still, the effect sizes were relatively small. Finally, perceived stress was a statistically significant (p < 0.001) mediator of life satisfaction. Conclusion: These findings support the idea that long-term exercise behavior can be studied via the BPS model and the role of stress in life satisfaction. The results have practical implications for promoting a healthy and satisfactory life targeting multi-level development through exercise based on the BPS model.
Open Access: Yes
DOI: 10.1002/hsr2.70476
Particle Number Concentration and SEM-EDX Analyses of an Auxiliary Heating Device in Operation with Different Fossil and Renewable Fuel
Publication Name: Inventions
Publication Date: 2024-02-01
Volume: 9
Issue: 1
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
Pollution from road vehicles enters the air environment from many sources. One such source could be if the vehicle is equipped with an auxiliary heater. They can be classified according to whether they work with diesel or gasoline and whether they heat water or air. The subject of our research series is an additional heating system that heats the air, the original fuel is gasoline. This device has been built up in a modern engine test bench, where the environmental parameters can be controlled. The length of the test cycle was chosen to be 30 min. The tested fuels were E10, E30, E100 and B7. A 30-min operating period has been chosen in the NORMAL operating mode of the device as a test cycle. The focus of the tests was particle number concentration and soot composition. The results of the particle number concentration showed that renewable fuel content significantly reduces the number concentration of the emitted particles (9.56 × 108 #/cycle for E10 vs. 1.65 × 108 #/cycle for E100), while B7 causes a significantly higher number of emissions than E10 (3.92 × 1010 #/cycle for B7). Based on the elemental analysis, most deposits are elemental carbon, but non-organic compounds are also present. Carbon (92.18 m/m% for E10), oxygen (6.34 m/m% for E10), fluorine (0.64 m/m% for E10), and zinc (0.56 m/m% for E10) have been found in the largest quantity of deposits taken form the combustion chamber.
Open Access: Yes
