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Found 6341 publications

Tourist Attitudes toward Heritage of a County in Western Hungary

Publication Name: Sustainability Switzerland

Publication Date: 2024-07-01

Volume: 16

Issue: 13

Page Range: Unknown

Description:

Preserving and passing on folk traditions and gastronomic culture to the next generation has always been an important task of elderly people in every single historic period. The main goal of this study is to provide a clear picture of travelers’ attitudes toward gastronomy and cultural values in a western Hungarian county. The presence of the Szigetköz Nature Park and some World Heritage sites (like Fertő-Hanság National Park and Abbey of Pannonhalma) requires responsible tourism planning that is environmentally, socially, and economically sustainable. When conducting quantitative research (survey based on questionnaires), special attention was paid to tourists’ knowledge of gastronomy values and architectural, cultural, and natural attractions. Four hypotheses were formulated in this study. The data collection took place between 1 September 2023 and 30, October 2023 (N = 666). The sample is not representative since the respondents were randomly selected. As opposed to previous studies, the most important novelty of this research is that tourists’ visits to different destinations were assessed while previous studies mainly focused on the interests of tourists.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.3390/su16135739

Changing the High Strength Steel Surface Properties with Femtosecond Laser Beam

Publication Name: Optics and Laser Technology

Publication Date: 2024-07-01

Volume: 174

Issue: Unknown

Page Range: Unknown

Description:

Today, the automotive industry is undergoing rapid change. While manufacturers are constantly switching to fully or semi-electric hybrid models, the weight of the vehicles also increases significantly due to the extra weight of the batteries. Since the weight of vehicles has the most significant influence on their consumption and, with it, harmful emissions (even indirectly far from the place of use), manufacturers strive to keep weight under control with continuous improvements. One of the main directions of the developments is the use of new light but at the same time heavy-duty materials with a wide variety of material combinations. These new material pairings pose challenges to knitting technology solutions, which need to be developed similarly. In the course of our research, we are investigating how the surface properties can be optimized in the case of steel with increased strength for the automotive industry, without additional added material and changes visible to the naked eye. We subject the examined DP600 material to a short-pulse laser beam treatment, and we manage to change the surface structure so that the interface properties measured by wetting are significantly improved. The results are confirmed by electron microscopic examinations.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.1016/j.optlastec.2024.110556

Safety of cyclists interacting with autonomous vehicles: A combined microscopic simulation and SSAM analysis

Publication Name: Travel Behaviour and Society

Publication Date: 2024-07-01

Volume: 36

Issue: Unknown

Page Range: Unknown

Description:

The aim of this paper is to investigate the safety of cyclists while interacting with autonomous vehicles (AVs) in an uncontrolled T-intersection using PTV Vissim microsimulation combined with the Surrogate Safety Assessment Model (SSAM). For the microsimulation, three cycling behaviours were constructed (cautious, normal, and aggressive), and two AV behaviours (cautious and normal) were adopted. 87 h of microsimulation resulted in 230 conflicts. The type and nature of these conflicts, as well as two temporal indicators and four speed-related indicators were analysed. Nearly 96% of the conflicts were rear-end collisions, and almost 70% were conflicts where the cyclist was the first to arrive at the conflict point. Interestingly, the least involved cycling behaviour in conflicts was aggressive and the most involved was cautious. A significant relationship was found between severity clusters of temporal indicators and cycling behaviour. It is also concluded that an important future research direction would be the construction of a two-dimensional conflict diagram with severity thresholds specifically for bicycle-vehicle interactions.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.1016/j.tbs.2024.100805

Comparison of Barrier Surveillance Algorithms for Directional Sensors and UAVs

Publication Name: Sensors

Publication Date: 2024-07-01

Volume: 24

Issue: 14

Page Range: Unknown

Description:

Border surveillance and the monitoring of critical infrastructure are essential components of regional and industrial security. In this paper, our purpose is to study the intricate nature of surveillance methods used by hybrid monitoring systems utilizing Pan–Tilt–Zoom (PTZ) cameras, modeled as directional sensors, and UAVs. We aim to accomplish three occasionally conflicting goals. Firstly, at any given moment we want to detect as many intruders as possible with special attention to newly arriving trespassers. Secondly, we consider it equally important to observe the temporal movement and behavior of each intruder group as accurately as possible. Furthermore, in addition to these objectives, we also seek to minimize the cost of sensor usage associated with surveillance. During the research, we developed and analyzed several interrelated, increasingly complex algorithms. By leveraging RL methods we also gave the system the chance to find the optimal solution on its own. As a result we have gained valuable insights into how various components of these algorithms are interconnected and coordinate. Building upon these observations, we managed to develop an efficient algorithm that takes into account all three criteria mentioned above.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.3390/s24144490

An Investigation of Historic Transportation Infrastructure Preservation and Improvement through Historic Building Information Modeling

Publication Name: Infrastructures

Publication Date: 2024-07-01

Volume: 9

Issue: 7

Page Range: Unknown

Description:

Historical transportation infrastructures (HTIs) like railways and bridges are essential to our cultural heritage. However, the preservation and enhancement of these structures pose significant challenges due to their complex nature and the need for modern upgrades. Historic building information modeling (HBIM) has emerged as a solution, facilitating the documentation, restoration, and maintenance of historic transportation assets. The purpose of the proposed work is to provide a systematic review of research findings on the application of HBIM in historic transportation infrastructure, highlighting its role in capturing intricate architectural details and supporting decision making for preservation efforts. A series of case studies in which HBIM has been instrumental in preserving historic transportation infrastructure are investigated and analyzed using a comprehensive literature review method. Furthermore, future directions in HBIM research are proposed, identifying potential applications and recommending areas for further investigation. Additionally, this paper suggests HBIM’s potential to balance modernization demands with the conservation needs of historic transportation infrastructure, providing policymakers and stakeholders with insightful strategies for sustainable heritage management.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.3390/infrastructures9070114

The structure–activity relationship of marine peptides: a review

Publication Name: International Journal of Food Science and Technology

Publication Date: 2024-07-01

Volume: 59

Issue: 7

Page Range: 4437-4445

Description:

Oceans cover over 70% of the Earth's surface and provide home to structurally diverse marine organisms. These creatures contribute to more than half of the biodiversity of the world and produce several bioactive molecules, including peptides. In the past years, scientific research has been focused on the compositions, sequences and structural features of marine-derived peptides. Based on their amino acid sequences, they have demonstrated a wide range of biological functions, including antithrombotic, antihypertensive, anticancer, antioxidant, antimicrobial, antiageing, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory and other multifunctional activities that are based on their structure, hydrophobicity, binding affinity, charge and other factors. This review focuses on novel techniques used to produce marine peptides and explores the structure–function relationships of these peptides derived from representative phyla, namely Cnidaria, Annelida, Mollusca, Arthropoda, Chordata, Echinodermata and Porifera. Furthermore, notable considerations regarding the structure–function basis of marine peptide applications are discussed.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.1111/ijfs.17248

Digital divide and digitalization in Europe: A bibliometric analysis

Publication Name: Equilibrium Quarterly Journal of Economics and Economic Policy

Publication Date: 2024-06-30

Volume: 19

Issue: 2

Page Range: 463-520

Description:

Research background:Digitalization and the associated digital divide are crucial issues impacting socio-economic development globally. Extensive research has examined digitalization and the digital divide in EU countries, but there is a lack of understanding regarding comparisons with studies conducted in Western Balkan countries. This study investigates digitalization trends in research from the past five years in both regions, focusing on efforts and factors contributing to the digital gap. Purpose of the article: The study analyzes research on digitalization from 2018 to 2023 in the EU and Western Balkans. It explores factors causing the digital divide and efforts in digitalization, aiming to guide future research and policy for digital inclusion and sustainable development. Methods: The study employs a meticulous data selection process, choosing Scopus as the database for its extensive coverage of diverse journals. A total of 1119 articles from EU countries and 277 from Western Balkan countries are selected for bibliometric analysis, adhering to PRISMA guidelines. Findings & value added: The research reveals a growing interest in digitalization-related issues, demonstrating the multidisciplinary nature of ongoing research. It points out the distribution of publications on digitalization in the EU and Western Balkans countries. The EU focuses on digital technologies, economic growth, and sustainability, while Western Balkan countries focus on COVID-19 impact and digitalization in education and business. The research compares digitalization efforts in the EU and Western Balkan countries presented in the literature, pointing to new dimensions of the digital divide studies. It discusses how socio-economic contexts affect digital transformation and stresses the need for tailored policy approaches for digital inclusivity. These insights are of great importance for policymakers, researchers, and practitioners working towards global digital development and bridging the digital divide. The study lays the groundwork for future research and policy considerations, considering limitations like potential bias in databases and search criteria.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.24136/eq.2899

Evaluation of finger imprint persistence as a practical method for measuring the severity of mammary oedema in dairy cows

Publication Name: Journal of Central European Agriculture

Publication Date: 2024-06-28

Volume: 25

Issue: 2

Page Range: 292-304

Description:

The study aims to assess the severity of udder oedema around the calving using a traditional scoring (0-3 point scale) and the firstly applied fingerprint test to measure skin firmness. Furthermore, it was investigated how the degree of udder oedema is influenced by the effects taken into account in the processing. The study was carried out on 62 animals diagnosed with udder oedema before calving at a typical large-scale dairy operation in Hungary. It was found that with more severe udder oedema, the first udder teats are thicker (P = 0.038) and the udder skin surface is cooler (P = 0.007), and the duration of the fingerprint is significantly longer (P < 0.001). There is a strong positive correlation between oedema severity and fingerprint persistence (r = 0.66, P < 0.05). This suggests that the persistence of finger imprint is a reliable indicator of the severity of udder oedema.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.5513/JCEA01/25.2.4039

EXAMINING THE CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS FOR THE EFFICIENCY OF GREEN ENERGY PROJECTS

Publication Name: Polish Journal of Management Studies

Publication Date: 2024-06-24

Volume: 29

Issue: 2

Page Range: 328-345

Description:

In recent times, there has been a remarkable exponential interest in green energy projects, driven by their potential to significantly decrease greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and reduce reliance on fossil fuels. However, such high-tech projects' complexity, expensiveness, and high uncertainty level necessitate new ways of increasing efficiency. Therefore, this study, with its clear aim to evaluate the efficiency of green energy projects and identify the critical success factors that can enhance efficiency, remains a compelling and relevant research endeavour. The study employed a rigorous methodology, using multilinear regression analysis to survey 123 project managers from Kazakhstan. This allowed for a comprehensive comparison of the efficiency level of green energy projects and low-tech projects. Research results show that green energy projects exhibit the highest percentage of schedule overrun at 23.9% and cost overrun at 32.7%, indicating substantial delays in project completion and extra expenses in budget compared with low-tech projects. Moreover, green energy projects show the least favourable results (7.3) regarding technological performance. The study reveals the following critical success processes enhancing project efficiency: project planning, scope and cost management, communication, and team management. Based on the processes of the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBoK) Guide, an algorithm for managing green energy projects was developed. This tool equips project managers with a process-based map, enabling them to run their projects effectively and enhance their efficiency.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.17512/pjms.2024.29.2.17