Periodica Polytechnica (Budapest University of Technology and Economics)
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A megerősített ifjúsági garancia terén elért eredmények
No full textNegative trends resulting from the interconnection of different social, economic, environmental and political problems (climate change, geopolitical tensions, epidemics and economic challenges) have a greater combined economic impact on younger generations than on older groups. While youth employment rates have recovered by 2023, the rising cost of living, rising housing costs and supply constraints, and the frustrations of often having their plans postponed during the pandemic, continue to cause difficulties for young Europeans. The situation has been further exacerbated by economic conditions that have made renting or buying a home less affordable. In addition, the pandemic has eliminated certain educational or employment opportunities. Overall, it has become more apparent that the 'blueprint' is shaped not only by the individual's ideas but also by the political and socio-economic context in which they live. Moreover, there are not only national but also regional inequalities. Accordingly, the implementation of a strengthened Youth Guarantee also requires the development of different good practices. The Eurofound 2024 report, in addition to providing a general critique of the difficulties and general criticisms of the implementation of the programme, also reviews the practices of some Member States.A különböző társadalmi, gazdasági, környezeti és politikai problémák (a klímaváltozás, a geopolitikai feszültségek, járványok és a gazdasági kihívások) összefonódásából eredő negatív tendenciák együttesen nagyobb gazdasági hatást gyakorolnak a fiatalabb generációkra, mint az idősebb csoportokra. A fiatalok foglalkoztatási rátája 2023-ra ugyan visszaállt, a megélhetési költségek növekedése, az emelkedő lakhatási költségek és kínálati korlátok, valamint az abból eredő frusztrációk, hogy a világjárvány idején terveik sokszor elhalasztódtak, továbbra is nehézségeket okoznak az európai fiatalok számára. A helyzetet tovább nehezítették a gazdasági körülmények, amelyek kevésbé megfizethetővé tették a lakásbérlést vagy -vásárlást. Emellett a világjárvány megszüntetett bizonyos oktatási vagy foglalkoztatási lehetőségeket. Összességében jobban láthatóvá vált, hogy a "tervet" nemcsak az egyén elképzelései alakítják, hanem az a politikai és társadalmi-gazdasági környezet is, amelyben élnek. Ráadásul nem pusztán nemzeti, hanem regionális egyenlőtlenségekkel kell számolni. Ennek megfelelően a megerősített ifjúsági garancia megvalósítása során is különböző jó gyakorlatok kialakítása szükséges. Az Eurofound 2024-es jelentése[1] a program-megvalósítás nehézségeinek, általános kritikájának megfogalmazása mellett áttekinti néhány tagország gyakorlatát is.
[1] Eurofound (2024), Becoming adults: Young people in a post-pandemic world, az Európai Unió Kiadóhivatala, Luxembourg
Reducing Higher Education Drop-Out Rates in a Disadvantaged Region
No full textThere are many universities in Hungary in existence crisis due to the drastic decline in student number. It can partly be attributed to demographic reasons but there are other ones that could be interpreted only in socio-economic context. It is not enough that fewer people are enrolling in higher education each year, but the drop-out rate is also very high. Adding these two factors together, the weight loss is even stronger concerning the graduates. Locally organized professor-based mentoring programs may be the solution to this problem at higher education level. This paper examines this kind of mentor role, the experience and its efficiency from the perspective of students at risk
Impact of Randomly Methylated Cyclodextrins on Candida albicans: Biofilm Formation, Morphogenesis and Oxidative Stress
Get PDFThe challenges related to biofilm-associated infections and diseases have prompted scientists to identify the factors responsible for the formation of biofilms and to develop strategies aimed at decreasing biofilm-formation capacity. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of randomly methylated cyclodextrin derivatives, at concentrations ranging from 32 nM to 12.5 mM, on the capacity of Candida albicans to form biofilms at 37 °C over a period of 24 h. This study provides novel insights into how randomly methylated α-cyclodextrin (RAMEA), randomly methylated β-cyclodextrin (RAMEB), and randomly methylated γ-cyclodextrin (RAMEG) can modulate C. albicans biofilm formation. Using the crystal violet assay and the XTT reduction assay, we consistently demonstrated that RAMEA and RAMEG have a clear, concentration-dependent inhibitory effect on both the total biofilm biomass and the metabolic activity of the cells associated with these biofilms. RAMEB exhibited a biphasic effect: low to moderate concentrations significantly reduced biofilm formation, while higher doses unexpectedly resulted in increased biofilm formation. Microscopic analysis revealed that elevated cyclodextrin concentrations induced hyphal formation. Optical density measurements and a membrane permeability assay indicated that none of the cyclodextrins had a notable cytotoxic effect or damaged the cell membrane. Moreover, elevated intracellular ROS levels were detected, suggesting a potential stress-inducing effect. These findings enhance our understanding of the complex interactions between cyclodextrin derivatives and fungal cells, underscoring their potential as biofilm-modulating agents
Oxalic Acid-assisted Sol–gel Synthesis of High-purity Amorphous Silica from Geothermal Waste
Get PDFThis study focuses on the synthesis of amorphous silica from geothermal waste using the sol-gel method with oxalic acid, exploring the impact of pH variation (8 to 13) and the role of microwave heating. Optimal conditions were achieved at pH 8, yielding the highest silica purity of 96.275% and a recovery of 51.16%. Fourier transform infrared analysis confirmed the silica structure, while XRD results verified its amorphous nature with minimal crystalline impurities. Microwave heating significantly enhanced process efficiency by reducing typical carbon residues from gelation. Consistent with previous research, this microwave-assisted approach provides a quantitative improvement, being 30–48 times faster and using 4–50 times fewer reagents while producing nanoparticles as pure, stable, and monodisperse as conventional methods. Field-emission scanning electron microscopy analysis revealed uniform spherical particles under optimal pH, with an average size below 70 nm, whereas extreme pH levels resulted in irregular morphologies. This research contributes to the sustainable utilization of geothermal waste and provides valuable insights for optimizing silica synthesis in various industrial applications