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Anthropogenic Waste Pollution of the Danube Shoreline between Komárom and Neszmély, with Special Emphasis on Mesoplastics

K. Kozma Eszter Kókai Boglárka Liszkai

Publication Name: Chemical Engineering Transactions

Publication Date: 2025-01-01

Volume: 121

Issue: Unknown

Page Range: 31-36

Description:

Research into microplastics is increasingly important, as these particles are widespread and their long-term effects remain unclear. Plastic waste enters rivers and breaks down into smaller fragments, prompting our focus on mesoplastics in rivers—an under-researched area. Based on litter collection efforts along the Danube, we selected sampling sites near Komárom, Almásfüzitő, Dunaalmás, and Neszmély. Data from these “clean-up” actions were used to assess anthropogenic inputs and to conduct both quantitative and qualitative analyses. During the river sampling methods, where the goal was to develop a method suitable for domestic conditions, custom-made nets were applied based on descriptions found in the literature. The size, quantity, and polymer type of the particles were determined through visual inspection and FTIR spectroscopy. According to our test results so far, most of the particles were identified as originating from packaging waste, mainly polyethylene and polypropylene. The highest contamination was measured 20 m from the shore of Almásfüzitő, close to the drift line, concentrated in the upper 20–50 cm layer of the river water, which correlates with the results found in the literature regarding water depth. Based on these findings, it can be concluded that our measurement method, which is still under development, is progressing in the right direction, but further measurements will be required to confirm this with greater certainty.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.3303/CET25121006

Gifted Education in the Age of Mass Higher Education

Áron Fábián Márton Matyasovszky-Németh

Publication Name: Palgrave Critical University Studies

Publication Date: 2025-01-01

Volume: Part F4967

Issue: Unknown

Page Range: 85-103

Description:

In this chapter the authors discuss the impact of mass higher education’s expansion on soliciting talents and gifted students. Coining the term “gifted” education, they highlight the challenge of maintaining educational quality and inclusivity amid the rise of institutions with corporate orientations. The chapter argues for the importance of exclusive (elite) institutions designed for gifted education as a means to combat educational inequalities and enhance social mobility. Through a case study of Bibó István College in Budapest, Hungary, the authors demonstrate how such institutions can reconcile the need for academic excellence with democratic participation and social responsibility.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-93130-7_5

The revenue diversification of top-tier higher education institutions

Zsolt Kohus Eszter Lukács Bálint Filep Sarolta Horváthné Szabó

Publication Name: Journal of International Studies

Publication Date: 2025-01-01

Volume: 18

Issue: 4

Page Range: 86-106

Description:

This study examines the revenue diversification of the Top 30 higher education institutions (HEIs) as identified in the 2025 Times Higher Education and QS World University Rankings. Faced with declining government appropriations, HEIs are strategically diversifying revenue streams. Our analysis of financial reports reveals substantial variability in revenue sources, with some institutions primarily relying on research grants, tuition, and government funding. In contrast, others prioritize income from endowments, services, or medical activities. While funding optimization strategies may prioritize single revenue sources for short-term convenience, our findings suggest they risk institutional fragility, highlighting the need for sustainable financial models that balance research productivity, teaching quality, and public service over the long term. This article emphasizes the vital importance of financial autonomy, which enables institutions to invest strategically in recruiting top academic and research staff, upgrading research infrastructure, and enhancing an institution’s overall performance. While strategic autonomy empowers institutions to achieve excellence and adapt flexibly to evolving societal needs, they must remain true to their core mission of public service as they diversify and optimize revenue sources.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.14254/2071-8330.2025/18-4/5

Linking financial technology, innovation, and green finance to drive sustainable performance of SMEs of Pakistan

Anil Kumar Md Billal Hossain Faisal Ejaz Sarmad Ejaz Belal Mahmoud AlWadi Sana Rashid

Publication Name: International Journal of Business Innovation and Research

Publication Date: 2025-01-01

Volume: 38

Issue: 6

Page Range: 30-54

Description:

Sustainability has become a strategic imperative for manufacturing SMEs amid increasing environmental regulations and stakeholder expectations. However, existing research offers limited insights into how digital financial innovations, particularly FinTech, contribute to sustainability performance in resource-constrained SMEs contexts. Addressing this gap, the present study investigates the impact of FinTech adoption (FA) on the sustainability performance (SP) of manufacturing SMEs, while exploring the mediating roles of organisational innovation (OI) and green finance (GF). Grounded in the resource-based view (RBV), the study develops a conceptual framework linking digital capabilities with sustainable outcomes. A quantitative research design was employed, and survey data were collected from 340 manufacturing SMEs in Pakistan. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to test hypothesised relationships. The results demonstrate that FA significantly improves sustainable performance both directly and indirectly through OI and GF. Furthermore, FA also mediates the relationship between GF and SP, emphasising its role in operationalising sustainable financial flows. This study provides empirical evidence that FA, when strategically integrated with innovation and financial mechanisms, acts as a transformative enabler of sustainability in SMEs. It contributes to theory by extending the RBV to include digital and green financial resources as dynamic capabilities for achieving environmental goals.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.1504/IJBIR.2025.149938

Sensitivity Parameters of Transport Networks and Vulnerability Assessment of Critical Network Elements

Balázs Horváth Anett Gosztola

Publication Name: Periodica Polytechnica Transportation Engineering

Publication Date: 2025-01-01

Volume: 53

Issue: 3

Page Range: 292-300

Description:

Network sensitivity has recently become an important topic, with an increasing number of articles appearing on the subject. Identification of critical sections within transport networks is also essential for transport modelling. A well-developed methodology can help to improve the network to minimize the impact on road users in the event of future emergency cases (accidents or attacks). For this purpose, existing articles were assessed to determine what progress has been made in network sensitivity and what parameters and approaches have been used so far. After reviewing the articles, it became clear that a significant number of methods have been used to identify critical sections, and it became visible which areas are worth further work. Among the methodologies used, simplified networks have been the main focus, but there is a need for a more detailed analysis based on industry demand and available data.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.3311/PPtr.39859

MODFLOW-Based Simulation of Groundwater Response to Rainfall in the Coastal Plain of Al-Hsain Coastal Basin, Syria

Katalin Bene Mahmoud Ahmad

Publication Name: Chemical Engineering Transactions

Publication Date: 2025-01-01

Volume: 121

Issue: Unknown

Page Range: 25-30

Description:

Groundwater is an important factor in sustaining water supply in semi-arid coastal basins, where surface water resources are limited and climatic variability greatly affects availability. Rainfall events translated to groundwater recharge are of paramount importance for planning as well as for sustainable resource management in the Mediterranean catchment. The interaction between rainfall and groundwater level is particularly complex within areas of geological heterogeneity and seasonal climatic regimes. As valuable as this relationship is, it continues to be poorly understood in the most vulnerable areas, including western Syria. This research examines the dynamic interaction between rainfall and groundwater levels in the Al-Hsain Basin, a semi-arid coastal area in western Syria. A transient groundwater flow model was built with MODFLOW and calibrated against 4 y (2020–2024) of monthly data from 35 observation wells and local precipitation measurements. The model effectively replicated seasonal groundwater variations controlled largely by rain, and spatial variations related to geological heterogeneity. A (0–1) month time lag between rainfall maxima and groundwater response suggests delayed infiltration in the unsaturated zone. Model performance was tested with statistical and hydrograph analyses, illustrating excellent agreement against over 95 % of observed data. The results confirmed the model as it gave a hydraulic head distribution very similar to the monitoring wells data (variations of less than 0.10–0.25 m). Spatial maps and water balance overviews under wet and dry conditions proved the model's robustness under hydrological conditions. Despite some data limitations, this study offers helpful data on groundwater recharge processes and practical recommendations for improving water resource management in similar Mediterranean coastal settings.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.3303/CET25121005

Curvature-Constrained Motion Planning and Control for Traffic Cone Manipulation Robot

Áron Ballagi Rudolf Krecht

Publication Name: Proceedings of the International Conference on Informatics in Control Automation and Robotics

Publication Date: 2025-01-01

Volume: 2

Issue: Unknown

Page Range: 317-324

Description:

This paper presents an integrated system for traffic cone manipulation using a heavy-duty mobile robot equipped with GNSS-RTK localization, a custom remote supervision and mission control interface, and a curvature-constrained motion controller. Designed for use in semi-structured outdoor environments, the robot receives waypoint and speed commands via a tailored extension of Foxglove Studio, which enables intuitive map-based interaction and real-time trajectory editing. Owning to its high payload capacity, the platform prioritizes stability over maneuverability, thus, it cannot change orientation without longitudinal movement. To address this, we propose a smooth, curvature-based controller that enforces a minimum turning radius while following pose and heading goals. The system architecture is built on Robot Operating System 2 (ROS 2), leveraging modular nodes for map visualization, path planning, motion execution, and action triggering. Our experiments demonstrate the system’s ability to navigate complex waypoint paths and pause precisely at mission-dictated locations, more specifically cone placement locations. Our results show that even under turning constraints, the robot reliably executes full cone manipulation routines with high spatial accuracy and operational safety. The system highlights the feasibility of pairing high-level operator interfaces with low-level kinematic-aware planning for constrained robotic platforms.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.5220/0013720700003982

Urgency or waste of time?

Gábor Xantus Csaba Varga Kornél Ádám Márta Borsos Adrienn Belső Krisztina Hegyi

Publication Name: Orvosi Hetilap

Publication Date: 2025-01-01

Volume: 166

Issue: 50

Page Range: 1975-1982

Description:

Introduction: Evaluation and management of markedly elevated blood pressure in the emergency department vary widely. Guidelines recommend repeated measurements in a calm setting and structured follow-up, discouraging acute interventions in asymptomatic patients without end-organ damage. Objective: We retrospectively assessed blood pressure changes and laboratory parameters in older hypertensive patients during emergency care. The primary objective was to compare triage and discharge blood pressure and evaluate differences between discharge and prior renal function and electrolyte values. Secondary objectives included describing intravenous cannulation and length of stay. Method: This single-center retrospective study included 158 patients treated in 2024 for primary hypertension in a county hospital emergency department. Triage and discharge blood pressures were compared using paired tests, discharge serum creatinine, estimated glomerular filtration rate, and potassium were compared to values from the previous 6 months. Results: Systolic blood pressure decreased from a median of 190 to 150 mmHg (p<0.001), diastolic from 92 to 80 mmHg (p<0.001). Estimated glomerular filtration rate (63.5 vs. 61.0 mL/min/1.73 m²) and creatinine (81 vs. 83 µmol/L) showed no significant change. Serum potassium declined slightly (−0.15 mmol/L; p = 0.003) without clinical relevance. Intravenous cannula was inserted in 97.5% of patients, median stay was 6.0 hours. Discussion: The observed decline likely reflects proper measurement and observation effects, in the absence of end‑organ damage a non‑invasive, outpatient‑oriented approach appears appropriate. Conclusion: Most older adults presenting with hypertension did not have a true hypertensive emergency. Blood pressure dropped in many cases just by monitoring and without acute organ damage. The emphasis of the treatment should be on the correct measurement of blood pressure, managing the reversible causes, starting oral antihypertensive therapy, and making an outpatient follow-up appointment. Routine invasive interventions are generally not warranted in asymptomatic cases. Orv Hetil. 2025; 166(50): 1975–1982.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.1556/650.2025.33443

Determination of Natural Frequencies with Acoustic Methods and their Relation to Residual Stress

Zoltán Weltsch Alexandra Kiri

Publication Name: Advances in Science and Technology

Publication Date: 2025-01-01

Volume: 165 AST

Issue: Unknown

Page Range: 199-204

Description:

There are number of different methods and procedures in vibration analysis, where the natural frequencies of the specimen or the system are one of the key parameters. It is known that these frequencies can change under load, for example in response to pre-stressing, but the effect of residual stresses is less known. By developing a suitable method, natural frequencies can be used to predetermine residual stress, therefore this method can be used for example predicting whether it will cause deformation during machining of a part, whether it requires increased attention or how to set the parameters well for vibratory stress relief. The results can be significant cost and time savings, as well as the improvements of the quality. Natural frequency is the frequency of free vibration of an undamped linear vibration system, or in other words at which a system left alone will vibrate after excited by an external force [1]. Metal castings or welded structures may have several natural frequencies which appear as frequency bands or ranges on the measurement images. Based on these, to determine the natural frequency of a component or system, we need to excite a frequency as close as possible to the natural frequency for the resonance to occur. When the resonance is reached, the amplitude of the system is at its maximum, and the natural frequencies of the workpiece can be measured. Traditionally, sensors, usually accelerometers are used to measure the natural frequency. The continuous development of information technology has made it possible to replace these sensors with an acoustic diagnostic system. During this research, we have developed an acoustic diagnostic system and procedure, which can generate the acoustic measurement images. We have evaluated the measurement images in many ways, and many different types of components and materials (mostly iron alloys) were analyzed. In addition, the changes of natural frequencies show a similar pattern in the case of parts before treating with vibratory stress relief as for load tests.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.4028/p-e4cRIL