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Found 5157 publications
Green and Renewable Energy Financial Literacy Affecting Economy, Society, and Governance (ESG) in Mexico
Publication Name: Data Driven Esg Strategy Implementation Through Business Intelligence
Publication Date: 2025-08-12
Volume: Unknown
Issue: Unknown
Page Range: 115-139
Description:
This research delves into the intricate relationship between green and renewable energy financial literacy and its impact on Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) practices in Mexico's changing economic landscape. The study attempts to investigate how financial literacy regarding sustainable energy investments influences the performance of ESG on economic, social, and governance factors in the Mexican context. Through a careful examination of available literature, policy guidelines, and empirical data, this research discovers that greater financial literacy in green and renewable energy sectors has a direct correlation with improved ESG performance, which results in sustainable economic development, social advancement, and governance culture in Mexico. The study concludes that strategic actions to increase financial literacy in renewable energy investments are required for Mexico's sustainable development trajectory and ESG leadership in the Latin American region.
Open Access: Yes
Development Process of TGDI SI Engine Combustion Simulation Model Using Ethanol–Gasoline Blends as Fuel
Publication Name: Applied Sciences Switzerland
Publication Date: 2025-08-01
Volume: 15
Issue: 15
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
The Fit for 55 package introduced by the European Union aims to achieve a 55% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. In parallel, increasingly stringent exhaust gas regulations have intensified research into alternative fuels. Ethanol presents a promising option due to its compatibility with gasoline, higher octane rating, and lower exhaust emissions compared to conventional gasoline. Additionally, ethanol can be derived from agricultural waste, further enhancing its sustainability. This study examines the impact of two ethanol–gasoline blends (E10, E20) on emissions and performance in a turbocharged gasoline direct injection (TGDI) spark-ignition (SI) engine. The investigation is conducted using three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (3D CFD) simulations to minimize development time and costs. This paper details the model development process and presents the initial results. The boundary conditions for the simulations are derived from one-dimensional (1D) simulations, which have been validated against experimental data. Subsequently, the simulated performance and emissions results are compared with experimental measurements. The E10 simulations correlated well with experimental measurements, with the largest deviation in cylinder pressure being an RMSE of 1.42. In terms of emissions, HC was underpredicted, while CO was overpredicted compared to the experimental data. For E20, the IMEP was slightly higher at some operating points; however, the deviations were negligible. Regarding emissions, HC and CO emissions were higher with E20, whereas NOx and CO2 emissions were lower.
Open Access: Yes
DOI: 10.3390/app15158677
Water Insecurity and Development Cooperation: Hungary’s Engagement in Africa
Publication Name: Grassroots Journal of Natural Resources
Publication Date: 2025-08-01
Volume: 8
Issue: 2
Page Range: 1-27
Description:
The Sustainable Development Report 2023 showed that 2.2 billion people lacked access to safely managed drinking water in 2022, with 703 million unable to access even basic services. In addition to this, the Afrobarometer’s 2024 survey indicated that Sub-Saharan Africa water supply was ranked among the top governance challenges in 39 surveyed countries. This study explores regional and urban–rural disparities in access to drinking water, while also assessing the scope and geography of Hungary’s water-related development cooperation on the continent. The methodology combines quantitative indicators from the UNICEF–WHO Joint Monitoring Programme with geospatial visualization techniques. The analysis reveals substantial inequalities in rural Eastern Africa, over 97 million people rely on surface water or unimproved sources, while Middle Africa reports more than 55 million in the same categories. In contrast, urban areas in Northern Africa show significantly better outcomes, with over 111 million having access to safely managed drinking water. These figures highlight persistent spatial divides and the critical need for targeted investment in rural service provision. Hungarian development engagement was examined through project records from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, alongside publicly available data from Hungarian NGOs and private sector actors. The study finds that Hungary has contributed to water-related initiatives in countries such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, and Uganda, but has had limited involvement in other severely affected countries, including Niger (31% unsafe access), Madagascar (42%), and the Central African Republic (37%). This study addresses a significant research gap since the intersection of Hungarian development cooperation and African water security has received minimal scholarly attention to date. By offering a comprehensive, data-driven analysis of both African water access and Hungary’s related foreign engagement, the research contributes to the understanding of potential synergies and future avenues for international collaboration in this field.
Open Access: Yes
Prediction model of performance–energy trade-off for CFD codes on AMD-based cluster
Publication Name: Future Generation Computer Systems
Publication Date: 2025-08-01
Volume: 169
Issue: Unknown
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
This work explores the importance of performance–energy correlation for CFD codes, highlighting the need for sustainable and efficient use of clusters. The prime goal includes the optimisation of selecting and predicting the optimal number of computational nodes to reduce energy consumption and/or improve calculation time. In this work, the utilisation cost of the cluster, measured in core-hours, is used as a crucial factor in energy consumption and selecting the optimal number of computational nodes. The work is conducted on the cluster with AMD EPYC Milan-based CPUs and OpenFOAM application using the Urban Air Pollution model. In order to investigate performance–energy correlation on the cluster, the CVOPTS (Core VOlume Points per TimeStep) metric is introduced, which allows a direct comparison of the parallel efficiency for applications in modern HPC architectures. This metric becomes essential for evaluating and balancing performance with energy consumption to achieve cost-effective hardware configuration. The results were confirmed by numerous tests on a 40-node cluster, considering representative grid sizes. Based on the empirical results, a prediction model was derived that takes into account both the computational and communication costs of the simulation. The research reveals the impact of the AMD EPYC architecture on superspeedup, where performance increases superlinearly with the addition of more computational resources. This phenomenon enables a priori the prediction of performance–energy trade-offs (computing-faster or energy-save setups) for a specific application scenario, through the utilisation of varying quantities of computing nodes.
Open Access: Yes
Regional Patterns in Weed Composition of Maize Fields in Eastern Hungary: The Balance of Environmental and Agricultural Factors
Publication Name: Agronomy
Publication Date: 2025-08-01
Volume: 15
Issue: 8
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
The primary aim of this study was to explore the influence of abiotic factors on weed development in maize fields, with the goal of informing more effective weed management practices. We focused on identifying key environmental, edaphic, and agricultural variables that contribute to weed infestations, particularly before the application of spring herbicide treatments. Field investigations were conducted from 2018 to 2021 across selected maize-growing regions in Hungary. Over the four-year period, a total of 51 weed species were recorded, with Echinochloa crus-galli, Chenopodium album, Portulaca oleracea, and Hibiscus trionum emerging as the most prevalent taxa. Collectively, these four species accounted for more than half (52%) of the total weed cover. Altogether, the 20 most dominant species contributed 95% of the overall weed coverage. The analysis revealed that weed cover, species richness, and weed diversity were significantly affected by soil properties, nutrient levels, geographic location, and tillage systems. The results confirm that the composition of weed species was influenced by several environmental and management-related factors, including soil parameters, geographical location, annual precipitation, tillage method, and fertilizer application. Environmental factors collectively explained a slightly higher proportion of the variance (13.37%) than farming factors (12.66%) at a 90% significance level. Seasonal dynamics and crop rotation history also played a notable role in species distribution. Nutrient inputs, particularly nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, influenced both species diversity and floristic composition. Deep tillage practices favored the proliferation of perennial species, whereas shallow cultivation tended to promote annual weeds. Overall, the composition of weed vegetation proved to be a valuable indicator of site-specific soil conditions and agricultural practices. These findings underscore the need to tailor weed management strategies to local environmental and soil contexts for sustainable crop production.
Open Access: Yes
Exploring Generation Z’s Acceptance of Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education: A TAM and UTAUT-Based PLS-SEM and Cluster Analysis
Publication Name: Education Sciences
Publication Date: 2025-08-01
Volume: 15
Issue: 8
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
In recent years, the rapid growth of artificial intelligence (AI) has significantly transformed higher education, particularly among Generation Z students who are more open to new technologies. Tools such as ChatGPT are increasingly being used for learning, yet empirical research on their acceptance, especially in Hungary, is limited. This study aims to explore the psychological, technological, and social factors that influence the acceptance of AI among Hungarian university students and to identify different user groups based on their attitudes. The methodological novelty lies in combining two approaches: partial least-squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) and cluster analysis. The survey, based on the TAM and UTAUT models, involved 302 Hungarian students and examined six dimensions of AI acceptance: perceived usefulness, ease of use, attitude, social influence, enjoyment and behavioural intention. The PLS-SEM results show that enjoyment (β = 0.605) is the strongest predictor of the intention to use AI, followed by usefulness (β = 0.167). All other factors also had significant effects. Cluster analysis revealed four groups: AI sceptics, moderately open users, positive acceptors, and AI innovators. The findings highlight that the acceptance of AI is shaped not only by functionality but also by user experience. Educational institutions should, therefore, provide enjoyable and user-friendly AI tools and tailor support to students’ attitude profiles.
Open Access: Yes
A Nonlinear Computational Framework for Optimizing Steel End-Plate Connections Using the Finite Element Method and Genetic Algorithms
Publication Name: Algorithms
Publication Date: 2025-08-01
Volume: 18
Issue: 8
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
The design of steel connections presents considerable complexity due to their inherently nonlinear behavior, cost constraints, and the necessity to comply with structural design codes. These factors highlight the need for advanced computational algorithms to identify optimal solutions. In this study, a comprehensive computational framework is presented in which the finite element method (FEM) is integrated with a genetic algorithm (GA) to optimize material usage in bolted steel end-plate joints, while structural safety is ensured based on multiple performance criteria. By incorporating both material and geometric nonlinearities, the mechanical response of the connections is accurately captured. The proposed approach is applied to a representative beam-to-column assembly, with numerical results verified against experimental data. By employing the framework, an optimized layout is obtained, yielding a (Formula presented.) improvement in the overall performance objective compared to the best-performing validated model and a (Formula presented.) reduction in material volume relative to the most efficient feasible alternative. Furthermore, a (Formula presented.) decrease in equivalent plastic strain is achieved compared to the configuration exhibiting the highest level of inelastic deformation. These findings demonstrate that the developed method is capable of enhancing design efficiency and precision, underscoring the potential of advanced computational tools in structural engineering applications.
Open Access: Yes
DOI: 10.3390/a18080460
Genetic Factors of Elite Wrestling Status: A Multi-Ethnic Comparative Study
Koichi Nakazato
Ildus I. Ahmetov
Seyrani Koncagul
Hirofumi Zempo
Mehmet A. Ergun
Andrey K. Larin
Naoki Kikuchi
Nikolay A. Kulemin
Hasan H. Kazan
Ryutaro Matsumoto
Ekaterina A. Semenova
Edward V. Generozov
Celal Bulgay
Mika Saito
Hiroki Homma
Ayumu Kozuma
Minoru Deguchi
Anıl Kasakolu
Shingo Matsumoto
Türker Bıyıklı
Giyasettin Baydaş
Takanobu Okamoto
Attila Szabo
Publication Name: Genes
Publication Date: 2025-08-01
Volume: 16
Issue: 8
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
Background: In recent years, comprehensive analyses using a genome-wide association study (GWAS) have been conducted to identify genetic factors related to athletic performance. In this study, we investigated the association between genetic variants and elite wrestling status across multiple ethnic groups using a genome-wide genotyping approach. Methods: This study included 168 elite wrestlers (64 Japanese, 67 Turkish, and 36 Russian), all of whom had competed in international tournaments, including the Olympic Games. Control groups consisted of 306 Japanese, 137 Turkish, and 173 Russian individuals without elite athletic backgrounds. We performed a GWAS comparing allele frequencies of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) between elite wrestlers and controls in each ethnic cohort. Cross-population analysis comprised (1) identifying SNPs with nominal significance (p < 0.05) in all three groups, then (2) meta-analyzing overlapped SNPs to assess effect consistency and combined significance. Finally, we investigated whether the most significant SNPs were associated with gene expression in skeletal muscle in 23 physically active men. Results: The GWAS identified 328,388 (Japanese), 23,932 (Turkish), and 30,385 (Russian) SNPs reaching nominal significance. Meta-analysis revealed that the ATP2A3 rs6502758 and UNC5C rs265061 polymorphisms were associated (p < 0.0001) with elite wrestling status across all three populations. Both variants are located in intronic regions and influence the expression of their respective genes in skeletal muscle. Conclusions: This is the first study to investigate gene polymorphisms associated with elite wrestling status in a multi-ethnic cohort. ATP2A3 rs6502758 and UNC5C rs265061 polymorphisms may represent important genetic factors associated with achieving an elite status in wrestling, irrespective of ethnicity.
Open Access: Yes
THEORIES OF CULTURE-LED URBAN DEVELOPMENT: INITIATIVES IN DUBLIN
Publication Name: Theoretical and Empirical Researches in Urban Management
Publication Date: 2025-08-01
Volume: 20
Issue: 3
Page Range: 41-58
Description:
This paper is exploratory research into the evolution of the theories and the practice of culture-led urban development. As cities and urban spaces have existed for centuries. Their purpose and functions constantly changing and evolving. With globalisation, numerous technological revolutions, and continuous innovations the demographical changes were often rapid to which swift adaptation was crucial. The ever changing and diversification of needs from the people inhabiting cities as well as global concerns led to new innovative approaches to urban development. One such approach is the idea of Creative Cities within which culture arose as a leading concern in the creation of urban development plans. This article will highlight some of the key areas and approaches on how culture can be utilised in urban development. The way in which creativity and culture is measured within the European Union. As well showcase the evolution of the culture led urban development approach of Dublin from the 1990s and finally examine the current urban development plans of Dublin and how they utilise culture in their plans.
Open Access: Yes
DOI: DOI not available
