Background: Nutritional expectations have been shown to influence exercise performance via placebo and nocebo effects. The present study aimed to evaluate performance-enhancement expectations for coffee and energy drinks using the Stanford Expectations of Treatment Scale. Methods: A total of 402 participants (48.5% male) with an average exercise history of 4.53 years, engaging in average physical activity 3.91 times per week, were included in the study. Data collection was conducted through the Qualtrics platform. Results: Participants exhibited significantly higher positive expectations for coffee compared to energy drinks (p = 0.002), whereas negative expectations were more pronounced for energy drinks than for coffee (p < 0.001). Males and individuals engaging in anaerobic exercise expressed more positive expectations for energy drinks than females and those participating in aerobic or mixed exercise regimens. Additionally, high-frequency exercisers (≥4 sessions per week) reported greater positive expectations for both beverages and fewer negative expectations for coffee than low-frequency exercisers (≤3 sessions per week). Correlational analyses revealed weak but significant associations between expectations and variables such as exercise history, frequency, intensity, and age. Conclusions: The findings suggest that coffee is perceived as a more effective performance enhancer and exhibits greater placebo-inducing potential than energy drinks, which may elicit stronger nocebo effects. These group-specific perceptions should be considered by trainers, coaches, and researchers when addressing placebo–nocebo mechanisms in the context of sports and exercise.

The aim of our study is to review the new vehicle diagnostic requirements that support economical and environmentally friendly operation. Vehicle technology is undergoing continuous and significant changes. At the same time, it is not enough to develop energy-efficient and environmentally friendly technologies; they must be operated in proper technical conditions and with proper driving techniques. Accordingly, new, innovative procedures are constantly needed for the economical and environmentally friendly operation of vehicles, and it is important to emphasize that vehicle diagnostics must also follow these changes! The practical applications of our publication and our research focus on several areas. This research is particularly important in the case of public transport vehicles and transport fleets. An important practical aspect is that large transport companies also achieve significant cost savings and, at the same time, contribute to environmentally friendly transport. The publication represents a new direction in vehicle diagnostics and research and development; this is the ECO-Diagnostics discussed in the material. ECO-Diagnostics is a procedure that takes into account both ecological and economic factors during vehicle diagnostic tests. Vehicle diagnostics, as an independent, professional, and scientific field, began to develop in the 1970s. This field of research experiences a paradigm shift, on average, every 20 years. Today, an epochal shift is taking place, with the development and spread of alternative propulsion systems (e.g., electric, hydrogen, or gas) and autonomous vehicles being the main areas of focus. The changes in vehicle technology must be followed by vehicle diagnostics too. Some of the already-known diagnostic methods (e.g., for internal combustion engines) can be included in this category, but new methods are also needed to enable the economical and environmentally friendly operation of vehicles. These facts make it important and urgent to define and research this area. Research in this area is particularly important for public transport vehicles and transport fleets. It is not enough to develop energy-efficient and environmentally friendly technologies: they must be operated in the right technical condition and with the right driving techniques for the intended purpose. This will help large transport companies to achieve significant cost savings and contribute to the environmentally friendly transport of passengers and goods. A major new area in vehicle diagnostics needs to be introduced and expanded. ECO-Diagnostics is a new category that has not been used before, and it also marks a new area of research and development. The article presents the basics of categorization and supports them with its own research results and application examples. As an introduction, a systematic overview of vehicle diagnostics as a whole is also provided. This is important (and novel) as no such systematic overview is available in the technical and scientific literature. The new category should also be included in this scheme. In parallel with the development of vehicles and diagnostic procedures, the methods and their context covered by the umbrella term ECO-Diagnostics (in ecological and economic terms) should, of course, be constantly expanded. Artificial intelligence can play an important role in this process. In the future, there will be a strong demand for the development of procedures in the field of ECO-Diagnostics. For both economic and environmental reasons, it is urgent and important to research and develop procedures in this category. This fact will also influence the work of researchers in the future.

Biomechanical asymmetries between children’s left and right feet can affect stability and coordination, especially during dynamic movements. This study aimed to examine plantar pressure distribution, foot balance, and center of pressure (COP) trajectories in children during walking, running, and turning activities to understand how different movements influence these asymmetries. Fifteen children participated in the study, using a FootScan plantar pressure plate to capture detailed pressure and balance data. The parameters, including time-varying forces, COP, and Foot Balance Index (FBI), were analyzed through a one-dimensional Statistical Parametric Mapping (SPM1d) package. Results showed that asymmetries in COP and FBI became more pronounced, particularly during the tasks of running and directional turns. Regional plantar pressure analysis also revealed a more significant load on specific foot areas during these dynamic movements, indicating an increased reliance on one foot for stability and control. These findings suggest that early identification of asymmetrical loading patterns may be vital in promoting a balanced gait and preventing potential foot health issues in children. This study contributes to understanding pediatric foot biomechanics and provides insights for developing targeted interventions to support healthy physical development in children.

A high-order discontinuous Galerkin (DG) method is presented for nonequilibrium multi-material ((Formula presented.)) flow with sharp interfaces. Material interfaces are reconstructed using the algebraic THINC approach, resulting in a sharp interface resolution. The system assumes stiff velocity relaxation and pressure nonequilibrium. The presented DG method uses Dubiner's orthogonal basis functions on tetrahedral elements. This results in a unique combination of sharp multimaterial interfaces and high-order accurate solutions in smooth single-material regions. A novel shock indicator based on the interface conservation condition is introduced to mark regions with discontinuities. Slope limiting techniques are applied only in these regions so that nonphysical oscillations are eliminated while maintaining high-order accuracy in smooth regions. A local projection is applied on the limited solution to ensure discrete closure law preservation. The effectiveness of this novel limiting strategy is demonstrated for complex three-dimensional multi-material problems, where robustness of the method is critical. The presented numerical problems demonstrate that more accurate and efficient multi-material solutions can be obtained by the DG method, as compared to second-order finite volume methods.

The study aimed to produce, analyse, and evaluate the consumer acceptance of a functional peppermint-, and spearmint-enriched (0.5,1,2 %) sorbet, which contains only natural substances in its composition, to meet today's popular health-conscious consumer trends. Regarding acid composition, the sorbets contained malic acid, succinic acid, and citric acid. Sorbets regarded of water-soluble sugars, contained sucrose in the lowest concentration, followed by glucose, and the amount of fructose, which is typical for fruits, was the highest. The sorbets' TPC and TAC contents were determined to be between 510.72 and 743.77 mg GAE/kg, and 906.64 and 1137.67 mg AAE/kg respectively. The average melting rate of the desserts was 0.16–0.22 g/min, and based on consumer acceptance, the control and the samples added with 0.5 % spearmint and peppermint mint were the most favorable. The sorbets containing 1 % and 2 % mint had too intense menthol flavor, thus the enjoyment value of the products was reduced based on consumer feedback.

This study investigates the evolving landscape of green universities by analyzing and comparing rankings from 2018 to 2022. It expands beyond the single score offered by the UI GreenMetric, employing Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) techniques to evaluate universities from diverse perspectives. Focusing on the top 50 universities from 2022, the study assesses their performance across six key criteria: setting and infrastructure, energy and climate change, waste, water, transportation, and education and research. Various MCDM methods (LOPCOW MEREC, CoCoSo, CRADIS, EDAS, MABAC, MAIRCA, and MARCOS) are implemented, revealing how they prioritize different aspects of sustainability. Furthermore, the study examines the correlation between rankings and employs the COPELAND aggregation approach to derive a unified ranking. This investigation not only contrasts MCDM outcomes with the UI GreenMetric’s total score-based rankings but also illuminates the relative significance of each criterion and its variation across weighting techniques. Additionally, the study delves into the temporal dynamics of university rankings, offering insights into institutional performance across different years.

Hydrogen as an energy carrier will play an important role in the future in achieving sustainable development goals in the energy and mobility sectors as well as to reach decarbonization goals. Currently adopted hydrogen strategies foresee a significant increase in the amount of hydrogen used in the future. To meet this increased volume in the most sustainable way, a careful analysis of potential hydrogen production technologies is necessary, considering real environmental impacts. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of different non-renewable and renewable hydrogen production technologies and evaluates their environmental effects based on global warming potential (GWP). Environmental footprint data discussed in this paper are based on published life-cycle assessment (LCA) results. As direct comparison of LCA results is difficult due to different LCA scenarios, selected system boundaries, various material components and manufacturing techniques, a novel multidimensional comparison approach was developed to understand LCA results better and to give a more comprehensive picture of environmental footprint components. In addition to methodological issues, the key influencing factors of the carbon footprint of different hydrogen production technologies were also identified. It is not possible to identify one stand-alone technology that would be the most environmentally friendly in all circumstances, it is essential to investigate all the technologies in the given context of use. Regarding water-splitting, it is outstandingly crucial to examine the source of the electricity because it strongly influences the GWP of this H2 production technology. If the GWP of the electricity is high, this technology could be more harmful to the environment than the steam methane reforming (SMR).

Purpose: The paper investigates the relationship between research funding and its impact on co-authorship and journal selection in the social sciences, specifically in communication, political science, and sociology. It examines whether funded research projects are associated with more co-authors and higher journal prestige, revealing that funded papers generally involve larger teams, and are published in more prestigious journals, with some exceptions in sociology. Design/methodology/approach: The study employs a quantitative content analysis research design, examining 1,091 articles across the fields of communication, political science, and sociology. It employs statistical techniques, including a Mann-Whitney U test, chi-square goodness-of-fit test, and chi-square test of independence, to assess the relationship between research funding, the number of co-authors, and journal quartile rankings. Findings: The main findings reveal that funded papers typically have more co-authors and are more likely to be published in prestigious journals, especially in communication and political science. However, sociology shows no significant link between funding and journal prestige. Across all disciplines, non-funded papers are more common, reflecting the general underfunding of social sciences. Practical implications: The results suggest that research funding can significantly enhance collaboration and increase the likelihood of publication in prestigious journals, emphasizing the need for more targeted funding in social sciences to boost research quality and visibility. Policymakers and funding agencies should consider these dynamics when allocating resources to ensure that underfunded disciplines, like sociology, receive adequate support to enhance their academic and societal impact. Additionally, researchers may benefit from seeking funding opportunities that facilitate larger, more diverse collaborations. Social implications: The study's findings highlight the broader social implications of unequal research funding, which can exacerbate disparities in knowledge production and dissemination. The overrepresentation of funded research in prestigious journals may reinforce existing power structures, limiting the visibility of non-funded but potentially impactful research. Addressing these imbalances could lead to a more diverse and equitable academic landscape, fostering innovation and inclusive knowledge that better reflects a wider range of societal needs and perspectives. Originality/value: The primary value of this study lies in its empirical evidence, which has the potential to enhance future social science research practices. Additionally, it highlights how targeted financial support can promote more diverse, impactful, and socially responsible research.

Urban development driven by population growth and technological advancements has intensified urban heat islands (UHIs), contributing to environmental damage and health risks. This study explores the potential of cool pavements as a critical strategy for mitigating UHIs, focusing on reflective, evaporative, and energy-storing technologies. Over 400 reputable scientific articles were reviewed to analyze UHI causes; measurement methods, including remote sensing and laboratory techniques; and the effectiveness of various pavement solutions. Reflective pavements demonstrated a capacity to lower surface temperatures by 5–20 °C depending on reflectivity changes, while evaporative pavements reduced temperatures by 5–35 °C based on type and design. Advanced energy-storing pavements not only achieved a 3–5 °C temperature reduction but also generated renewable energy. This research provides a comprehensive classification of pavement cooling systems and evaluates their quantitative and qualitative benefits, emphasizing the transformative role of cool pavements in enhancing urban sustainability and reducing UHI effects.