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Found 5164 publications

Return-to-Play Timeline and Recovery Predictors After COVID-19 Infection in Elite Football Players

Zsolt Szelid Zsuzsanna Kives Ágnes Sziva

Publication Name: Sports

Publication Date: 2025-05-01

Volume: 13

Issue: 5

Page Range: Unknown

Description:

The pandemic period significantly impacted professional football, leading to mandatory SARS-CoV-2 testing and quarantine. Our study aimed to examine the factors influencing time of recovery after a positive test, including return-to-training (RTT) and return-to-first-match (RTFM) of male football players in a first-division Hungarian team between 8 May 2020 and 30 June 2022. Infection was determined using mandatory RT-PCR testing 3 times per week, which later decreased to 1 to 2 times per week, in 55 elite players. A self-administered questionnaire was utilized based on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services symptom list and modified with relevant factors of return-to-play in football. The incidence of SARS-CoV-2-positive players in the three consecutive years was 5.26; 21.43 and 45.71%. Mild symptoms were present in test-positive players, completing the questionnaire (n = 31), predominantly loss of smell and dry cough. Post-infection fatigue levels correlated with the perceived performance decline. In players with precisely documented dates (n = 18), the average RTT was 18.7 days, while the RTFM was 67.3 days. Older players returned to training faster than their younger counterparts and the RT-PCR Ct number had a weak negative correlation with RTFM. Mental support was provided by family and friends in 68% of the players. This study highlights the variability in return-to-play timelines and the role of age, symptom severity and mental help in recovery and emphasizes the need for individualized rehabilitation in elite football.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.3390/sports13050147

Systematic literature review of user acceptance factors of advanced driver assistance systems across different social groups

Boglárka Eisingerné Balassa Réka Koteczki

Publication Name: Transportation Research Interdisciplinary Perspectives

Publication Date: 2025-05-01

Volume: 31

Issue: Unknown

Page Range: Unknown

Description:

This study presents a systematic review of empirical research on the acceptance of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). The review focusses on the varying attitudes of user groups, the theoretical models underpinning acceptance, and the key sociocognitive factors involved. Using the PRISMA methodology, 35 relevant studies were identified. The analysis revealed several critical acceptance factors, including trust, technological awareness, perceived usefulness, and the importance of education. Most of the reviewed studies applied the TPB, TAM, or UTAUT models. The investigations concentrated on five major user groups: (1) general drivers, (2) professional drivers, (3) older adults, (4) young technology-orientated users, and (5) non-driving transport users such as pedestrians and cyclists. The findings indicate that acceptance is not a homogeneous process. It is shaped by the characteristics of each group of users, previous knowledge of the system, the degree of trust, and the specific context of system use. A considerable proportion of users do not receive sufficient training or information regarding ADAS features. This lack of knowledge limits both proper usage and the safety benefits of the technology. The study provides targeted recommendations for expanding user education, enhancing regulatory frameworks, and applying communication strategies tailored to specific user groups. The interdisciplinary approach contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of public acceptance of automated vehicle technologies. It also supports the broader adoption of equitable and sustainable mobility solutions through trust-building and educational interventions.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.1016/j.trip.2025.101486

Review Paper on the Field Measurement of Parcel Packaging Drop for Testing Purposes

Péter Böröcz Zsófia Németh

Publication Name: Packaging Technology and Science

Publication Date: 2025-05-01

Volume: 38

Issue: 5

Page Range: 345-357

Description:

The parcel delivery shipping industry has developed rapidly all over the world in the last 10–15 years. These parcel packages are generally small and have a high risk of damage due to the numerous handling events during delivery services. Inefficient packaging solutions can lead to significant costs and increase the occurrence of product damage. This problem is widely known, and packaging engineers have tried to simulate field physical events in the laboratory to optimize the protective packaging system. Drop events during parcel delivery are one of the primary causes of damage for small individual shipments and need to be precisely simulated to achieve optimized product protection. Over the past 50 years, drop tests have become common practice as a pre-shipment test for parcel packages, and many devices have been developed to measure and observe these physical events during package transit. Due to the nature of packages and their variations, different field measurements and observations have been presented across continents and countries and have been implemented in general practices. A review of drop event observations is required to summarize and critically evaluate recent results. This review begins with an overview of the drop observation methods [real drop height (RDH) and effective drop height (EDH)], then discusses methods proposed by standards organizations, followed by a focus on the setup and materials of measuring systems used by researchers to record the events. Finally, a summary of previous results is presented, which can serve as a guide for further research on the topic.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.1002/pts.2875

Laboratory Evaluation and Finite Element Modeling of SBS and Basalt Fiber Modified Mixtures

Mohammad Fahad Nagy Richard

Publication Name: Applied Sciences Switzerland

Publication Date: 2025-05-01

Volume: 15

Issue: 9

Page Range: Unknown

Description:

The incorporation of basalt fiber into asphalt mixtures offers potential improvements in their viscoelastic properties. This study explores the addition of basalt fiber to Styrene Butadiene Styrene (SBS)-modified asphalt mixtures with varying SBS contents. Specifically, 0.3% basalt fiber was added to an asphalt mixture containing 3% SBS, and its performance, measured in terms of dynamic stability and flexural strength, was compared with a mixture with 7% SBS content. Additionally, finite element analysis using the Modified Burger’s Logit model was conducted to assess rutting and fatigue behavior. Given the high cost associated with increasing the SBS content, basalt fiber presents a cost-effective alternative without sacrificing performance. Laboratory tests, including the Marshall stability test, dynamic stability, flexural strength, and fatigue tests, were conducted to evaluate both mixtures. Results indicate that the mixture with 0.3% basalt fiber and 3% SBS outperforms the 7% SBS mixture, showing a 47% improvement in dynamic stability and rutting resistance and a 16% increase in flexural strength.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.3390/app15094965

Ion-Implanted Diamond Blade Diced Ridge Waveguides in Pr:YLF—Optical Characterization and Small-Signal Gain Measurement

Sergiy Suntsov Christian Kränkel Romana Mikšová Kore Hasse Hiroki Tanaka István Bányász Omer Altaher István Bányász Detlef Kip

Publication Name: Applied Sciences Switzerland

Publication Date: 2025-05-01

Volume: 15

Issue: 9

Page Range: Unknown

Description:

Planar optical waveguides were fabricated in Pr:YLF crystals by ion implantation. In a further step, ridge waveguides were fabricated using precision diamond dicing. These enable strong light confinement and have propagation losses as low as 0.4 dB/cm. To study the influence of ion implantation on the spectroscopic properties, fluorescence and lifetime measurements were conducted in the ridge waveguides. Under blue pumping, small-signal optical gains of 6.5 dB/cm and 5 dB/cm were demonstrated at wavelengths of 607 nm and 639 nm, respectively. These results make ion-implanted ridge waveguides in Pr:YLF promising candidates for compact integrated lasers in the visible spectral region with high output powers in the watt range.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.3390/app15094956

Driver Distraction Detection in Extreme Conditions Using Kolmogorov–Arnold Networks

Szabolcs Fischer János Hollósi Mykola Sysyn Gábor Kovács Dmytro Kurhan Viktor Nagy

Publication Name: Computers

Publication Date: 2025-05-01

Volume: 14

Issue: 5

Page Range: Unknown

Description:

Driver distraction can have severe safety consequences, particularly in public transportation. This paper presents a novel approach for detecting bus driver actions, such as mobile phone usage and interactions with passengers, using Kolmogorov–Arnold networks (KANs). The adversarial FGSM attack method was applied to assess the robustness of KANs in extreme driving conditions, like adverse weather, high-traffic situations, and bad visibility conditions. In this research, a custom dataset was used in collaboration with a partner company in the field of public transportation. This allows the efficiency of Kolmogorov–Arnold network solutions to be verified using real data. The results suggest that KANs can enhance driver distraction detection under challenging conditions, with improved resilience against adversarial attacks, particularly in low-complexity networks.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.3390/computers14050184

Optimizing Parameter Sets for Laser-Textured Piston Rings Using Design of Experiments and Multibody Dynamics Calculations

András Lajos Nagy Gabor Laki Dominika Pintér László Boros

Publication Name: Coatings

Publication Date: 2025-05-01

Volume: 15

Issue: 5

Page Range: Unknown

Description:

Friction and wear reduction in internal combustion engines are crucial for improving efficiency and durability. This study investigates the effect of microtextured surfaces on friction power loss in an engine’s piston ring-cylinder system. A numerical analysis was conducted on piston rings equipped with dimple-shaped microtextures using AVL Excite Piston & Rings, modelling a hard chromium-coated piston ring and a cast iron cylinder. The goal was to determine the optimal surface texture parameters that minimize friction power loss under typical urban driving conditions with SAE 0W-30 oil. A two-step Design of Experiments (DoE) approach was employed, where the first step involved mapping the effects of texture parameters, i.e., dimple depth (A = 0.5, 1, 1.5 µm), dimple distance (B = 120, 160, 240 µm), and dimple diameter (C = 50, 60, 70 µm), to identify influential factors. The second step aimed at locating a parameter configuration with minimal friction power loss. The results demonstrated that the optimized texture parameters can significantly reduce friction power loss. The lowest friction power loss of 8.96 W was achieved with a dimple depth of 2 µm, distance of 80 µm, and diameter of 60 µm, which contributed to an 8.3% improvement over the reference surface. The model built to describe the investigated texturing approach exhibited a strong correlation with an R2 value of 0.93, and the deviation between predicted and measured values was below 1%. Future work will involve tribometer tests to experimentally validate the optimized parameters and confirm the simulation results.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.3390/coatings15050528

Evaluating Fiscal and Monetary Policy Coordination Using a Nash Equilibrium: A Case Study of Hungary

Eszter Kazinczy Mehran Amini Sara Salimi Tatay Tibor

Publication Name: Mathematics

Publication Date: 2025-05-01

Volume: 13

Issue: 9

Page Range: Unknown

Description:

Effective coordination between fiscal and monetary policy is crucial for macroeconomic stability, yet achieving it presents significant challenges due to differing objectives and institutional setups. This study evaluates the strategic interaction between fiscal and monetary authorities in Hungary from 2013 to 2023, employing the Nash equilibrium framework under the assumption of non-cooperative behavior. By modeling the authorities as independent players optimizing distinct payoff functions based on key economic indicators (interest rates, government spending, inflation, output gap, fiscal deficit, and public debt), the analysis estimates the best response strategies and computes the resulting Nash equilibrium. The key findings reveal persistent deviations between actual policies and the computed equilibrium strategies. Specifically, actual fiscal policy was consistently more expansionary (average actual deficit −2.6% to 7.6% GDP vs. equilibrium recommendations ranging from 8.5% surplus to −3.0% deficit) than the Nash equilibrium indicated, particularly during periods of economic growth. Monetary policy often lagged in equilibrium recommendations, maintaining low interest rates (e.g., 0.9% actual vs. 11.5% equilibrium in 2019) before implementing sharp increases (13% actual vs. approx. 3.5–3.8% equilibrium in 2022–2023) that significantly overshot the equilibrium. These misalignments underscore potential suboptimal outcomes arising from independent policymaking, contributing to increased public debt and heightened inflationary pressures in the Hungarian context. This study highlights the potential benefits of aligning policies closer to mutually consistent strategies, suggesting that improved coordination frameworks could enhance macroeconomic stability, offering insights relevant to Hungary and similar economies.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.3390/math13091427

Automotive Application of Chemically Foamed rPET

András Kovács V. A. Szabó Sándor K. Jakab Tamara Zsuzsanna Böcz G. Dogossy

Publication Name: Polymers

Publication Date: 2025-05-01

Volume: 17

Issue: 9

Page Range: Unknown

Description:

This study investigated the automotive applicability of parts produced from a newly developed foamed recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET). The injection molded part contained a combination of both endothermic and exothermic foaming agents and phosphorus (Exolit OP 1240) (OP)- and melamine polyphosphate (MPP)-based flame retardant agents. The parts were produced using a breathing mold technique to achieve a suitable level of foaming. The aim was to produce lighter parts made of recycled material that also complied with the fire safety automotive industry standards. Computer tomographic scans revealed the foam structure formed successfully, which contributed to an improved strength-to-weight ratio. The scans further showcased that larger cells tended to form in the thicker areas within the part, while smaller cells generally formed in the thinner areas. Finite element simulations showed that the large cell formation in the thicker parts had no effect on the part’s load bearing property, and there were not stress concentration points after the boundary conditions were defined. The sample produced from the material was determined to be a possible replacement of small-sized automotive components.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.3390/polym17091251