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Gdańsk University of Technology

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  • Statistics with R A Handbook for Statistical Analysis with R and R-Studio
    • Karol Flisikowski
    2022

    If you are to perform any kind of data (statistical) analysis and use tools in the data science ecosystem, you may have seen a variety of tutorials, handbooks online (I’m not mentioning traditional bibles of statistics). Unfortunately most of them is written intentionally for specific purposes and/or target group of people and does not include many aspects, data types, difficult aspects, usually hiding them trying to solve theoretical problems of the matter. In this handbook I am not going to omit any of them. What is more, those, which are more problematic for data analyst will be underlined, explained in details, solved with the use of the newest libraries available at the time. Users who believe Python is the best tool for statistical analyses, probably might see some R advantages in the end of the study. We will start with preparing infrastructure for the analysis. Then, the quick tour through the R programming basics. Finally, two most important chapters of this book will walk you through the descriptive and inferential statistical data analysis. Online version is interactive: it means in many places reader will have the chance to go through tutorials, answer some questions, solve some tasks to go to the next page.

  • Stirling engines - the state of technology development and computational models
    • Mariusz Furmanek
    • Jacek Kropiwnicki
    2022 Full text Combustion Engines

    Stirling engines represent a technologically important solution in combined heat and power systems. Their use enables the achievement of over 90 percent efficiency in the management of the primary energy source with a very high durability of the device, mainly due to the lack of contact of the working gas with external factors and a very small number of mechanical components. The use of a Stirling engine may be equally important when applying renewable energy sources or waste heat from other processes. The first part of the work presents an overview of available commercial Stirling engine solutions. The second part of the work presents an overview of numerical models of Stirling engine operation, which enable the correct selection of the main geometrical features of the devices and the improvement of the structure in order to maximize efficiency or power.

  • Stock price reactions to an arrangement approval in restructuring proceedings – the case of Poland
    • Błażej Prusak
    • Marcin Potrykus
    2022 Full text International Journal of Management and Economics

    The study aims to empirically analyze the reaction of stock prices to the information about the conclusion and acceptance of a debtor–creditor arrangement under restructuring proceedings of companies listed on the stock exchange in Poland. The following main research hypothesis was verified: public disclosure of information about an arrangement conclusion and acceptance in restructuring proceedings results in above-average rates of return due to investments in the stocks of these entities in the short term. Three events were assessed: the public disclosure of information about the conclusion of a debtor–creditor arrangement (Event 1), its approval by a court (Event 2), and the decision becoming final (Event 3). The research method applied was the event study. Event 1 and Event 3 leads to an above-average and statistically significant increase in stock prices on the day of the event. In contrast, no statistically significant above-average rates of return accompanied Event 2.

  • Stocznia. Człowiek. Przemysł. Miasto
    • Krzysztof Wróblewski
    2022

    Pierwsza kompleksowa wystawa o historii państwowego przemysłu stoczniowego w Gdańsku, ponad 150 lat dziejów miasta – od połowy XIX wieku, kiedy powstała pierwsza stocznia państwa pruskiego w Gdańsku, poprzez historię dwóch wojen światowych, Stoczni Gdańskiej w czasach komunizmu do współczesności. Wystawa opowiada z perspektywy doświadczenia przemysłu stoczniowego w Gdańsku polityczną, społeczną i kulturową historię Polski i Europy. W centrum opowieści wystawy są losy ludzi, a nie statków. Eksponaty pochodzą od niemal 40 instytucji i osób prywatnych, z Polski i zagranicy. Korzystaliśmy m.in. ze zbiorów Archiwum Państwowego w Gdańsku, PAN Biblioteki Gdańskiej, Muzeum Gdańska, Muzeum Narodowego w Gdańsku, Muzeum Stutthof w Sztutowie, Muzeum Narodowego w Szczecinie, Muzeum Zamoyskich w Kozłówce. Ekspozycja będzie także pierwszą okazją do szerszego zaprezentowania związanych z tym tematem zbiorów ECS.

  • Stocznia i Westerplatte - szkic
    • Krzysztof Wróblewski
    2022

    Obraz odnosi się do dwóch miejsc historycznych w Gdańsku - Stoczni Gdańskiej oraz Westerplatte

  • Stosowanie wyłączników różnicowoprądowych w instalacjach fotowoltaicznych
    • Stanisław Czapp
    2022 INPE: Informacje o Normach i Przepisach Elektrycznych

    Przedstawiono postanowienia norm odnoszące się do doboru i instalowania wyłączników różnicowoprądowych w instalacjach fotowoltaicznych. Zwrócono uwagę, że w instalacjach takich nie ma obowiązku stosowania wyłączników różnicowoprądowych. Omówiono wpływ kształtu przebiegu prądu ziemnozwarciowego ze składową stałą na próg wyzwalania tych zabezpieczeń. Podano przykładowe wartości prądów upływowych w instalacjach fotowoltaicznych i zalecenia co do znamionowego prądu różnicowego zadziałania wyłączników różnicowoprądowych.

  • Straightened characteristics of McKendrick-von Foerster equation
    • Agnieszka Bartłomiejczyk
    • Henryk Leszczyński
    • Milena Matusik
    2022 JOURNAL OF DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS

    We study the McKendrick-von Foerster equation with renewal (that is the age-structured model, with total population dependent coefficient and nonlinearity). By using a change of variables, the model is then transformed to a standard age-structured model in which the total population dependent coefficient of the transport term reduces to a constant 1. We use this transformation to get existence, uniqueness of solutions of the problem in a semigroup setting. Since straight lines are more convenient in the exact and approximate solution of PDEs, we provide sufficient conditions of reducing more general equations. We give a difference scheme to find approximate solutions of the age-structured model. Finally, some numerical simulations are presented to demonstrate the convergence and stability of the difference scheme.

  • Strategie treningu neuronowego estymatora częstotliwości tonu krtaniowego z użyciem generatora syntetycznych samogłosek
    • Marek Blok
    • Jan Banaś
    • Mariusz Pietrołaj
    2022 Full text Przegląd Telekomunikacyjny + Wiadomości Telekomunikacyjne

    W wielu zastosowaniach telekomunikacyjnych pojawia się problem przetwarzania lub analizy sygnału mowy, w ramach którego, często w obszarze podstawowych algorytmów, stosuje się estymator częstotliwości tonu krtaniowego. Estymator rozpatrywany w tej pracy bazuje na neuronowym klasyfikatorze podejmującym decyzje na podstawie częstotliwości oraz mocy chwilowej wyznaczanych w podpasmach analizowanego sygnału mowy. W pracy rozważamy problematykę treningu tego estymatora, gdy trening odbywa się z użyciem sygnałów generowanych syntetycznie.

  • Stress analysis of suspended rail vehicle bogie
    • Mateusz Kuczyk
    • Piotr Jędrzejewski
    • Paweł Załuski
    2022 Full text Pojazdy Szynowe

    Niniejsza publikacja została poświęcona analizie wytrzymałościowej wybranych elementów wózka – osi zestawu kołowego i ramy. Obliczenia osi wykonano w oparciu o metodę analityczną przy rozpatrzeniu różnych materiałów jej wykonania. Do sprawdzenia wytrzymałości ramy wykorzystano metodę elementów skończonych, a obciążenie wyznaczono zgodnie z wytycznymi normy PN-EN 13749. Sam wózek jest częścią podwieszanego elektrycznego zespołu trakcyjnego zaprojektowanego w ramach pracy dyplomowej pt. „Koncepcja wagonu silnikowego kolei podwieszanej”, na wydziale Mechanicznym Politechniki Gdańskiej.

  • Stress Detection of Children With ASD Using Physiological Signals
    • Sevgi Nur Bilgin Aktas
    • Pinar Uluer
    • Buket Coskun
    • Elif Toprak
    • Duygun Erol Barkana
    • Hatice Kose
    • Tatjana Zorcec
    • Ben Robins
    • Agnieszka Landowska
    2022

    This paper proposes a physiological signal-based stress detection approach for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to be used in social and assistive robot inter- vention. Electrodermal activity (EDA) and blood volume pulse (BVP) signals are collected with an E4 smart wristband from children with ASD in different countries. The peak count and signal amplitude features are derived from EDA signal and used in order to detect the stress of children based on the previously provided reference baselines. Furthermore, a comparison has been made with the stress values determined using low frequency (LF) and high frequency (HF) values extracted from BVP signal.

  • Stress Detection of Children with Autism using Physiological Signals in Kaspar Robot-Based Intervention Studies
    • Buket Coskun
    • Pinar Uluer
    • Elif Toprak
    • Duygun Erol Barkana
    • Hatice Kose
    • Tatjana Zorcec
    • Ben Robins
    • Agnieszka Landowska
    2022

    This study aims to develop a stress detection system using the blood volume pulse (BVP) signals of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) during robot-based interven- tion. This study presents the heart rate variability (HRV) analysis method to detect the stress, where HRV features are extracted from raw BVP signals recorded from an E4 wristband during interaction studies with the social robot Kaspar. Low frequency power (LF) and high frequency power (HF) features are analyzed, and the results are verified with facial emotion analysis of the children with ASD. 21 children from 3 countries participated in the study. The results showed that physiological signals combined with affective state labels may predict the stress of children, and the children were not stressed overall their interaction with the Kaspar robot. In specific cases, the children started their session as stressed but their stress declined by the end of the session. These findings are also supported by the results of the vision- based affective state analysis

  • Stress–strain model of lower corroded steel plates of normal strength for fitness-for-purpose analyses
    • Krzysztof Wołoszyk
    • Yordan Garbatov
    • Paweł Kłosowski
    2022 Full text CONSTRUCTION AND BUILDING MATERIALS

    This study investigates the mechanical properties of specimens made of normal strength steel subjected to lower marine immersed corrosion degradation levels (below 25 %). The specimens were corroded in laboratory conditions, and only natural factors were controlled to raise the corrosion rate (reaching the level of 1 mm/year). Three different thicknesses of plates made of normal strength of shipbuilding steel are investigated (between 5 and 8 mm). The standard tensile tests are performed for estimating the stress–strain behaviour of corroded specimens. Non-corroded specimens were tested to establish the initial mechanical properties and uncertainty level as a reference. Further, the corroded specimens were tested too. Based on that, the changes in mechanical properties (i.e. yield stress, Young modulus, ultimate tensile stress and total elongation) were analysed. It was found, that for degradation level reaching 25%, approximately 10% reduction of yield stress was observed. A new parameter, defining the area reduction, was established as more closely related to the mechanical properties deterioration than the commonly used a mean degradation level. The bilinear stress–strain model of corroded steel plates was proposed for the fitness-for-purpose analyses in the structural integrity assessment.

  • Strong ellipticity within the Toupin–Mindlin first strain gradient elasticity theory
    • Victor Eremeev
    • Markus Lazar
    2022 Full text MECHANICS RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS

    We discuss the strong ellipticity (SE) condition within the Toupin–Mindlin first strain gradient elasticity theory. SE condition is closely related to certain material instabilities and describes mathematical properties of corresponding boundary-value problems. For isotropic solids, SE condition transforms into two inequalities in terms of five gradient-elastic moduli.

  • Structural and electrochemical heterogeneities of boron-doped diamond surfaces
    • Sandra Bogdanowicz
    • Jacek Ryl
    2022 Full text Current Opinion in Electrochemistry

    This brief review is focussed on the recent progress in studies of the heterogeneous electrochemical behaviour of various boron-doped materials extending from zero-dimensional particles through polycrystalline or nanostructured three-dimensional surfaces. A boron-doped diamond reveals large heterogeneities induced by numerous factors, inter alia multi-faceted crystallinity, inhomogeneous boron concentration, sp2/sp3-carbon ratio, surface terminations and grain size distribution. We also present single nanodiamond particles and a nanostructured diamond, which are fabricated by either a top-down or a bottom-up procedure. Nanoarchitectured surfaces allow high areas and large aspect ratios to be achieved, exhibiting highly heterogeneous charge-transfer performance for catalytic, sensing and energy applications. We have anticipated multi-factor-originated heterogeneities of various boron-doped diamond surfaces displaying the essential fabrication and diagnostic methodologies and critically reviewing their benefits and drawbacks.

  • Structural properties of mixed conductor Ba1−xGd1−yLax+yCo2O6−δ
    • Ragnar Strandbakke
    • David S. Wragg
    • Magnus Helgerud Sørby
    • Matylda N. Guzik
    • Anette E. Gunnæs
    • Iga Szpunar
    • Sebastian Wachowski
    • María Balaguer
    • Patricia A. Carvalho
    • Aleksandra Mielewczyk-Gryń
    • Jose M. Serra
    • Truls Norby
    2022 Full text DALTON TRANSACTIONS

    Ba1−xGd1−yLax+yCo2O6−δ (BGLC) compositions with large compositional ranges of Ba, Gd, and La have been characterised with respect to phase compositions, structure, and thermal and chemical expansion. The results show a system with large compositional flexibility, enabling tuning of functional properties and thermal and chemical expansion. We show anisotropic chemical expansion and detailed refinements of emerging phases as La is substituted for Ba and Gd. The dominating phase is the double perovskite structure Pmmm, which is A-site ordered along the c-axes and with O vacancy ordering along the b-axis in the Ln-layer. Phases emerging when substituting La for Ba are orthorhombic Ba-deficient Pbnm and cubic LaCoO3-based R[3 with combining macron]c. When La is almost completely substituted for Gd, the material can be stabilised in Pmmm, or cubic Pm[3 with combining macron]m, depending on thermal and atmospheric history. We list thermal expansion coefficients for x = 0–0.3, y = 0.2.

  • Structure and Stability Characterization of Natural Lake Pigments Made from Plant Extracts and Their Potential Application in Polymer Composites for Packaging Materials
    • Bolesław Szadkowski
    • Małgorzata Kuśmierek
    • Magdalena Śliwka-Kaszyńska
    • Anna Marzec
    2022 Full text Materials

    Natural dyes were extracted from various plant sources and converted into lake pigments based on aluminum and tin. Three different plants (weld, Persian berries, and Brazilwood) were chosen as representative sources of natural dyes. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and triple-quadrupole mass spectrometry (QqQ MS) were used to identify dyestuffs in the raw extracts. The natural dyes and lake pigments were further characterized by optical and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), UV-Vis spectrophotometry, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The stabilization of the studied plant extracts onto aluminum and tin salts led to the formation of natural lake pigments characterized by different color shades. The natural lake pigments showed improved thermal and chemical stability, which was confirmed by their higher degradation temperatures and lower solubility in chemical agents compared to natural dyes extracted from plants. This improvement can be attributed to electrostatic attraction due to the process of chelation. Ethylene- norbornene (EN) composites colored with the lake pigments exhibited uniform color and improved resistance to long-term UV exposure aging. After 300 h of UV exposure, the aging factor of the neat EN copolymer reduced to 0.3, indicating an advanced aging process of polymer compared to colored samples. Prolonged UV exposure deteriorated the mechanical properties of EN by approximately 57%, compared to about 43% with the application of BW/Al lake pigment. Natural lake pigments could be used as effective substitutes for commercial colorants in plastics for packaging applications.

  • Structure and the Biochemical Potential of the Bacterial Community in Wastewater Treatment Plant Effluent and in Receiving Waters: Northern Poland Case Study
    • Agnieszka Kalinowska
    • Mattia Pierpaoli
    • Krystyna Kozioł
    • Katarzyna Jankowska
    • Sylwia Fudala-Kaiążek
    • Anna Remiszewska-Skwarek
    • Aneta Łuczkiewicz
    2022

    Wastewater treatment processes are monitored mainly in terms of biogenic substance removal efficiency. Little is known about the treated wastewater microbiome and its influence on the recipient. In this study, a wide range of methods (cultivation, microscopic analysis, New Generation Sequencing and Real Time PCR) were employed to determine the bacterial community composition of the treated wastewater and its receiver. Preliminary results of the study show that the wastewater impact on the marine receiver is not clearly visible on the higher taxonomic level of the microbial community (phylum) or in microscopic observations. However, it can be noted in the results of cultivation methods (eg. E. coli presence) and in the lower taxonomic levels, eg. specific groups of human-related bacteria, including pathogens, as well as microorganisms involved in nutrient cycling.

  • Struktury oraz mapy przepływu R1233zd w okrągłym minikanale przy średnich i wysokich wartościach ciśnienia zredukowanego [w:] Postępy w badaniach wymiany ciepła i masy
    • Stanisław Głuch
    • Michał Pysz
    • Dariusz Mikielewicz
    2022 Full text

    W wiedzy dotyczącej struktur przepływu niskowrzących czynników roboczych w zakresie wysokich temperatur nasycenia (powyżej 120°C) oraz średnich i wysokich wartościach ciśnienia zredukowanego (0.5-0.9) występuje luka. W literaturze obecne są dane dotyczące podobnych wartości ciśnień zredukowanych, ale dla niższych wartości temperatury nasycenia (głównie z zakresu -20°C do 40°C). Wynika to z dotychczasowych zastosowań chłodniczych tych czynników. Stosuje się je oprócz chłodnictwa w energetyce. Przy wysokich wartościach ciśnienia zredukowanego gęstość fazy gazowej jest stosunkowo wysoka, a gęstość fazy ciekłej niska. Pomiędzy fazą ciekłą i gazową występuje niska różnica objętości właściwej. Faza ciekła ma niską wartość napięcia powierzchniowego. Faza gazowa charakteryzuje się stosunkowo wysoką lepkością, a faza ciekła ma obniżoną lepkość. Te zmiany parametrów czynników chłodniczych powoduje znaczne różnice w strukturach przepływu. Przy niskiej wartości ciśnienia zredukowanego, 0,2, zaobserwowano wystąpienie przepływu pierścieniowego już przy stopniu suchości 0,07 dla prędkości masowej G=355 [kg/(m^2*s)], natomiast dla ciśnienia zredukowanego o wartości 0,6 przepływ pierścieniowy występuje dużo później, przy stopniu suchości 0,4 dla tej samej prędkości masowej. Zaprezentowano mapy przepływu prędkości masowej w funkcji stopnia suchości dla stałych wartości ciśnienia zredukowano oraz mapy przepływu dla ciśnienia zredukowanego w funkcji stopnia suchości przy stałej prędkości masowej.

  • Students and Young Professionals of the IEEE IES in the Time of Information, Automation, and Energy Transformation [Students and Young Professionals News]
    • Wenbin Dai
    • Kim Fung Tsang
    • Lucia Lo Bello
    • Yousef Ibrahim
    • Frivaldsky Michal
    • Marek Turzyński
    • Ludwig S. Sahesch-Pur
    • Regina Roos
    • Auday Al-Dulaimy
    • Moris Behnam
    • Marek Jasinski
    2022 Full text IEEE Industrial Electronics Magazine

    Reports on IEEE IES Society student activities in year 2021.

  • Study of the anticancer potential of Cd complexes of selenazoyl-hydrazones and their sulfur isosters
    • Sanja B. Marković
    • Natalia Maciejewska
    • Mateusz Olszewski
    • Aleksandar Višnjevac
    • Adrián Puerta
    • José M. Padrón
    • Irena Novaković
    • Snežana Kojić
    • Henrique S. Fernandes
    • Sérgio F. Sousa
    • Sandra Ramotowska
    • Agnieszka Chylewska
    • Mariusz Makowski
    • Tamara R. Todorović
    • Nenad R. Filipovići
    2022 EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY

    The biological activity of Cd compounds has been investigated scarce since Cd has been recognized as a human carcinogen. However, the toxicity of cadmium is comparable to the toxicity of noble metals such as Pt and Pd. The paradigm of metal toxicity has been challenged suggesting that metal toxicity is not a constant property, yet it depends on many factors like the presence of appropriate ligands. Studies on anticancer activity of cadmium complexes showed that the complexation of various ligands resulted in complexes that showed better activities than approved drugs. In the present study, cadmium complexes with biologically potent thiazolyl/selenazoyl-hydrazone ligands have been prepared, and tested for their activity against different types of tumor cell models. The complexation of ligands with Cd(II) resulted in a synergistic effect. The antiproliferative activity study revealed that all complexes are more active compared to 5-fluorouracil and cisplatin. The mechanism of tumor cell growth inhibition reveal that selenium-based compounds induce cell death in T-47D (gland carcinoma) cells through apoptosis via caspase-3/7 activation. Additionally, their pro-apoptotic effect was stronger compared to etoposide and cisplatin. Nuclease activity, detected by gel electrophoresis, may be the possible mechanism of anticancer action of investigated complexes.

  • Study of the Effectiveness of Model Order Reduction Algorithms in the Finite Element Method Analysis of Multi-port Microwave Structures
    • Grzegorz Fotyga
    2022

    The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effectiveness of model order reduction algorithms in finite element method analysis of multi-port microwave structures. Consideration is given to state of the art algorithms, i.e. compact reduced-basis method (CRBM), second-order Arnoldi method for passive-order reduction (SAPOR), reduced-basis methods (RBM) and subspace-splitting moment-matching MOR (SSMM-MOR)

  • Study of the Layer-Type BST Thin Film with X-ray Diffraction and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy
    • Agata Lisińska-Czekaj
    • Dionizy Czekaj
    2022 Full text Materials

    In the present paper, results of X-ray photoelectron studies of electroceramic thin films of barium strontium titanate, Ba1xSrxTiO3 (BST), composition deposited on stainless-steel substrates are presented. The thin films were prepared by the sol-gel method. A spin-coating deposition of BST layers with different chemical compositions was utilized so the layer-type structure of (0-2) connectivity was formed. After the deposition, the thin-film samples were heated in air atmosphere at temperature T = 700 C for 1 h. The surfaces of BST thin films subjected to thermal treatment were studied by X-ray diffraction. X-ray diffraction measurements confirmed the perovskite-type phase for all grown thin-film samples. The oxidation states of the elements were examined by the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy method. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy survey spectra as well as high-resolution spectra (photo-peaks) of the main metallic elements, such as Ti, Ba, and Sr, were compared for the layer-type structures, differing in the deposition sequence of the barium strontium titanate layers constituting the BST thin film.

  • Study of the Resistance to Influence of Aggressive Liquids on Concrete with Lightweight Aggregate
    • Marzena Kurpińska
    • Elżbieta Haustein
    • Filip Kurpiński
    2022 Full text

    The corrosion of the structure of concrete caused by the aggressive external environment is one of the main problems that can reduce the durability of buildings. The paper analyzes the influence of the type of component on selected properties of lightweight concrete (LWC) exposed to aggressive liquids. When lightweight concrete containing porous aggregates is used, the influence of an aggressive environment may be of particular importance. The monograph presents the results of tests of four light concretes with different water-cement ratios and different compositions, which were exposed to aggressive liquids. The concrete mixes were prepared with a granulated expanded glass aggregate (GEGA) and granulated sintered ash aggregate (GAA) with a mineral additive silica fly ash. LWC specimens were curing in laboratory for one year and then subjected to aggressive liquids for 60 days. The types of environments were: strong acid—HCl, 1% and 2% concentration, weak acid—CH3COOH, 1% and 2% concentration, and an aqueous salt solution of Na2SO4, 1% and 2% concentration. Then, the structure was analyzed and the influence of aggressive liquids on the compressive strength of the LWC was examined. Moreover, the change in weight of lightweight concrete samples after corrosion was determined. The obtained test results indicate that the test method can be used for the accelerated estimation of the influence of aggressive liquids on the LWC. LWC with GEGA and GAA aggregates show high resistance to aggressive liquids. Moreover, the research results indicate that the most aggressive solution was HCl solution, while Na2SO4 turned out to be the least aggressive. The higher the concentration of the destructive factor, the faster the corrosion progressed. Concretes containing aggregates made of foamed glass and sintered fly ash are suitable for use both in traditional construction and in facilities exposed to an aggressive environment.

  • Study on AR Application Efficiency of Selected iOS and Android OS Mobile Devices
    • Monika Zamłyńska
    • Adrian Lasota
    • Grzegorz Debita
    • Przemysław Falkowski-Gilski
    2022

    Currently, the number of scenarios for using AR (Augmented Reality) tools grows every year. Yet, there are still some open performance issues associated with this technology, related with the efficiency of the mobile device itself, including build-in components or the operation system. The purpose of this study was to investigate available augmented reality engines for mobile platforms. First, a review of current graphics and AR engines was conducted, based on which measurement aspects were selected taking into consideration the device performance. Next, we have performed a series of research studies, including different 3-dimensional AR modes and scenarios, both with and without a tag. The research was carried out using 4 mobile devices, with 3 of them running Android OS and 1 powered by iOS (with 2 different AR libraries). The performed tests and obtained results can aid any interested individual when choosing the right mobile device, as well as configuring the AR environment, for various UX (User Experiences).

  • Study on some of the strength properties of soft clay stabilized with plastic waste strips
    • Worku Firomsa Kabeta
    2022 Full text Archives of Civil Engineering

    It is well known that if plastic wastes are not well managed, it has a negative impact on the environment as well as on human health. In this study, recycling plastic waste in form of strips for stabilizing weak subgrade soil is proposed. For this purpose, a weak clay soil sample was mixed with 0.2%, 0.3%, and 0.4% of plastic strips by weight of soil, and the experimental results were compared to the control soil sample with 0% plastic. Laboratory tests on the Standard compaction test, Unconfined compression test (UCS), and California bearing ratio (CBR) were conducted according to the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). The results of the study reveal that there are significant improvements in the strength of weak soil stabilized with plastic waste strips. Accordingly, the Standard Proctor test shows that there is a small increment in the maximum dry density of the soil when it is mixed with plastic strips. The result from the CBR test shows that there is a significant increment of CBR value with the plastic strip content. The unconfined compressive strength test also shows that increasing the percentage of plastic strips from 0 to 0.4% resulted in increased strength of soil by 138% with 2 cm length plastic strips. Therefore, this study recommends the application of plastic strips for improvement of the strength of soft clay for subgrade construction in civil engineering practice as an alternative weak soil stabilization method.

  • Study on the accuracy of axle load spectra used for pavement design
    • Dawid Ryś
    • Piotr Burnos
    2022 Full text International Journal of Pavement Engineering

    Weigh-in-Motion (WIM) systems are used in order to reduce the number of overloaded vehicles. Data collected from WIM provide characteristics of vehicle axle loads that are crucial for pavement design as well as for the development of pavement distress prediction models. The inaccuracy of WIM data lead to erroneous estimation of traffic loads and in consequence inaccurate prediction of pavement distress process. The objective of the paper is to present a new methodology of heavy traffic axle load spectra (ALS) correction due to weighing errors (systematic and random) that occur in WIM systems. The theoretical solution which is proposed in the paper was validated successfully. The method enables correction of erroneous data to make traffic load statistics used for pavement design more reliable and precise, with no necessity to remove high number of records, as it is used in other methods. The practical meaning of the newly developed method was emphasised by analysis of the effect of relative and random error of WIM data on pavement fatigue life estimation, as well as on the estimated percentage of overloaded vehicles. Mechanistic-empirical approach (M-EPDG) was used for this purpose.

  • Study on the Positioning Accuracy of the GNSS/INS System Supported by the RTK Receiver for Railway Measurements
    • Mariusz Specht
    • Cezary Specht
    • Andrzej Stateczny
    • Paweł Burdziakowski
    • Paweł Dąbrowski
    • Oktawia Lewicka
    2022 Full text ENERGIES

    Currently, the primary method for determining the object coordinates is positioning using Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) supported by Inertial Navigation Systems (INS). The main goal of this solution is to ensure high positioning availability, particularly when access to satellite signals is limited (in tunnels, areas with densely concentrated buildings and in forest areas). The aim of this article is to determine whether the GNSS/INS system supported by the RTK receiver is suitable for the implementation of selected geodetic and construction tasks in railway engineering, such as determining the place and extent of rail track deformations (1 cm (p = 0.95)), the process of a rapid stocktaking of existing rail tracks (3 cm (p = 0.95)) and for design and construction works (10 cm (p = 0.95)), as well as what the impact of various terrain obstacles have on the obtained positioning accuracy of the tested system. During the research, one INS was used, the Ekinox2-U by the SBG Systems, which was supported by the Real-Time Kinematic (RTK) receiver. GNSS/INS measurements were conducted on three representative sections varying in terms of terrain obstacles that limit the access to satellite signals during mobile railway measurements in Tricity (Poland). The acquired data allowed us to calculate the basic position accuracy measures that are commonly used in navigation and transport applications. On this basis, it was concluded that the Ekinox2-U system can satisfy the positioning accuracy requirements for rapid stocktaking of existing rail tracks (3 cm (p = 0.95)), as well as for design and construction works (10 cm (p = 0.95)). On the other hand, the system cannot be used to determine the place and extent of rail track deformations (1 cm (p = 0.95)).

  • Study on VR Application Efficiency of Selected Android OS Mobile Devices
    • Przemysław Falkowski-Gilski
    • Karol Fidurski
    2022

    Currently, the number of scenarios for using VR (Virtual Reality) technology grows every year. Yet, there are still issues associated with it, related with the performance of the mobile device itself. The aim of this work is to perform an analysis of the effectiveness of virtual reality applications in case of mobile platforms. We put the main emphasis on examining the performance and efficiency of four different hardware and software platforms, evaluated in a number of research scenarios, related with typical user activities. The performance of various consumer devices running Android OS was assessed using selected benchmark applications. Additionally, a custom-build environments was also created to facilitate further testing, including an enhanced HCI (Human-Computer Interface) linking the mobile device, head-mounted googles, and a powerful desktop PC. The performed tests and obtained results can aid any interested individual when choosing the right mobile device, as well as config uring the VR environment, for various UX (User Experience) purposes.

  • Subiektywny pomiar jakości programów radiowych strumieniowanych w sieci metodą crowdsourcingu
    • Przemysław Falkowski-Gilski
    2022 Przegląd Telekomunikacyjny + Wiadomości Telekomunikacyjne

    Obecnie słuchacze mają dostęp do swoich ulubionych programów i audycji radiowych za pośrednictwem naziemnego standardu analogowego FM (Frequency Modulation) oraz cyfrowego DAB+ (Digital Audio Broadcasting plus). Należy podkreślić, że ten sam materiał nadawany jest jednocześnie w kilku technikach (tzw. simulcast), a znaczna większość rozgłośni udostępnia swoje programy także online. Niniejsza praca przedstawia wyniki badań dotyczących jakości transmisji programów radiowych strumieniowanych w sieci. Kampanię pomiarową przeprowadzono metodą tzw. crowdsourcingu przy udziale 45 słuchaczy.

  • Successive cytotoxicity control by evolutionary surface decorated electronic push-pull green ZnCr-LDH nanostructures: Drug delivery enlargement for targeted breast cancer chemotherapy
    • Mahsa Kiani
    • Mojtaba Bagherzadeh
    • Yousef Fatahi
    • Hossein Daneshgar
    • Moein Safarkhani
    • Ghazal Salehi
    • Pooyan Makvandi
    • Mohammad Saeb
    • Eder C. Lima
    • Navid Rabiee
    2022 Full text OpenNano

    The reason for the increasing bioavailability and biocompatibility of the porous nanomaterials in the presence of different (bio)molecules is still unknown. The role of difference functional groups and their interactions with the potential bioavailability and biocompatibility is of great importance. To investigate the potential contribution of the electronic effects (especially on the surface of the porous nanomaterials) on their biomedical behavior, a series of surface-decorated green ZnCr-layered double hydroxide (LDH) porous nanocarriers is developed as a non-viral vector. Different conjugations investigated these porous LDHs for optimizing and minimizing the cytotoxicity for targeted breast cancer therapy. Quick low-temperature synthesized ZnCr-LDH nanocarriers method with enlarged drug delivery windows decorated with leaf extracts and benzamide-like molecules revealed a push-pull electronic synergistic effect on cytotoxicity and enhanced cell viability, biocompatibility, aggregations, and interactions with the cell membranes. The pre-defined model drug, doxorubicin (DOX), unraveled chemotherapy performance in response to MCF-7 cell lines, with ≈ 60% drug payload contributed from functional groups of leaf extracts. Moreover, electron-poor and electron-rich benzamide-like molecules attached to the ZnCr-LDH surface enhanced the relative cell viability up to 29% and 32%, respectively. The in vivo experiments on breast cancer of treated mice (H&E) revealed unaggregated cellular arrays and antibacterial activity against E. coli (gram-negative) and S. aureus (gram-positive) bacteria. Benzamide-like ZnCr-LDH nanocarriers showed a suitable zone of inhibition beyond 10 mm, compared to the standard. Cytotoxicity control achieved herein seems promising for the future ahead of nanomedicine.

  • SUICIDES FOR ECONOMIC REASONS AS A MEASURE OF THE STATE OF THE ECONOMY: THE CASE OF POLAND
    • Jarosław Ziętarski
    • Agnieszka Pobłocka
    2022 Full text Współpraca Europejska

    Suicides are a phenomenon observed in many countries. The causes of a decision so drastic as far as consequences are concerned include i.a. economic reasons. The question arises whether the changing number of suicides reflects the state of the economy. The direct link between the state of the economy and suicides has not been sufficiently studied so far. The authors of this article attempted to identify the links between selected economic indicators and the number of suicides using statistical and econometric methods. The end result is a description of the connection between indicators determining economic tendencies and suicides for economic reasons. Finding such a connection constitutes an alternative, much cheaper method of assessing the tendencies (climate) of the economy compared to the methods used currently by the Central Statistical Office in Poland or the Ipsos company. In addition, the results of the study allowed to propose an original linear regression model taking into account new variables, compared to the available studies of other authors. The authors' model is an expansion of rather modest scientific discourse on the impact of the economy on the number of suicides. More than 10 years have passed since the beginning of the global financial crisis. In the years 2008–2009, Poland was considered to be 'a green island', i.e. the only country in Europe that did not experience a decline in GDP. The image of this country from the perspective of the consumer looks very different. The increasing number of suicides for economic reasons prompts the analysis of the reasons for this kind of decision. There are relatively few available research papers that would illustrate the link between the state of the economy and the phenomenon of suicides. The authors of this publication, using statistical methods (statistical description and statistical inference), attempted to link the number of suicides for economic reasons to selected economic indicators. The result of the research was the indication of an alternative method for the measurement of selected economic tendency indices of the Polish Central Statistical Office and the Economic Climate Indicator published by Ipsos Polska Sp. z o.o. In addition, a single-equation linear regression model was proposed which not only explains the association of selected indicators describing the condition of an economy with the phenomenon of suicides but can also serve as an early-warning indicator of future suicides

  • Sulfonamides with hydroxyphenyl moiety: Synthesis, structure, physicochemical properties, and ability to form complexes with Rh(III) ion
    • Małgorzata Gawrońska
    • Mateusz Kowalik
    • Joanna Duch
    • Katarzyna Kazimierczuk
    • Mariusz Makowski
    2022 Full text POLYHEDRON

    Sulfonamides are the first successfully synthesized antimicrobial drugs. The mechanism of sulfonamides’ antimicrobial action involves competitive inhibition of folic acid synthesis and prevention of the growth and reproduction of bacteria. Even though they have been applied in therapy for more than 75 years, sulfonamides are still the drugs of choice for the treatment of various diseases. The aim of this work was to synthesize and characterize two new sulfonamides hydroxyphenyl moiety and investigate their ability to form complexes with Rh(III). The results of recent studies indicate an increased interest in the application of potential platinum-group metal ion complexes as an alternative, promising candidates for anticancer and antimicrobial drugs.

  • Super tough interpenetrating polymeric network of styrene butadiene rubber‐poly (methyl methacrylate) incorporated with general purpose carbon black ( N660 )
    • Jose James
    • George Vazhathara Thomas
    • Krishanagegham Sidharathan Sisanth
    • Hanna Joseph Maria
    • Didier Rouxel
    • Michał Strankowski
    • Nandakumar Kalarikkal
    • David Laroze
    • Oluwatobi Samuel Oluwafemi
    • Tatiana Volova
    • Sabu Thomas
    2022 JOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE

    A classic set of polymeric interpenetrating polymeric network (IPN) microcomposites has been fabricated using an elastomer—styrene butadiene rubber [SBR], a thermoplastic poly(methyl methacrylate)-PMMA and with carbon black (CB)-N660 as a filler and reinforcing agent. This synthesized IPN composite can be promisingly employed as a toughened plastic and vibrational damper in a wide service range with excellent thermal stability, optimum storage modulus, and co-continuous morphological pattern. transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and Raman imaging are successfully employed for the morphological characterization. Mechanical, thermal, viscoelastic, and damping features of IPN composites have been carefully studied in detail and compared with parent polymers, corresponding IPN, and composites. The double network formation of filler CB and plastic component PMMA form an intercalated morphological pattern in the SBR matrix with 20 times enhancement in toughness value compared with neat SBR. The fabrication and characterization adopted in this work can definitely act as a platform for the design of new toughened material with excellent performance and cost-effectiveness.

  • Superconductivity and appearance of negative magnetocaloric effect in Ba1–xKxBiO3 perovskites, doped by Y, La and Pr
    • Paweł Pęczkowski
    • Maciej Łuszczek
    • Elżbieta Szostak
    • Naveen Kumar Chogondahalli Muniraju
    • Anna Krztoń-Maziopa
    • Łukasz Gondek
    2022 Full text ACTA MATERIALIA

    Recently, substantial attention is given to the bismuth-based perovskites for variety of electronic applications. The perovskites are used for quantum dots displays (QLED), photovoltaic systems and superconducting (HTS) devices. In this paper comprehensive studies of Ba1–xKxBi1–yREyO3 bismuth perovskites (REBKBO, RE = Y , La or Pr) are reported. Apart from structural anomalous behavior at low temperatures, the electronic properties of the REBKBO can be easily tailored by doping. For instance, critical current den- sities differ by 3 orders of magnitude from 0.07 kA/cm2 (LaBKBO) to 65 kA/cm2 (BKBO). To explain the above behavior, microstructural, magnetic, calorimetric, spectroscopic (FT-IR) studies and ab-initio electronic structure calculations were carried out. The FT-IR shows that the biggest difference in the spectrum compared to the undoped sample was recorded for PrBKBO, due to magnetic contribution of the Pr3+ multiplet. Electronic structure calculations revealed that the BKBO compound shows the highest DOS(EF) compared to the other samples, however, the electronic structure of PrBKBO is very different. The negative magnetocaloric effect observed below 30 K is a highlight of the peculiar properties of that sample. These findings extend possible usage of bismuth-based perovskites towards new applications.

  • Superhydrophobic sponges based on green deep eutectic solvents for spill oil removal from water
    • Patrycja Makoś-Chełstowska
    • Edyta Słupek
    • Aleksandra Małachowska
    2022 Full text JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS

    The paper described a new method for crude oil-water separation by means of superhydrophobic melamine sponges impregnated by deep eutectic solvents (MS-DES). Due to the numerous potential of two-component DES formation, simple and quick screening of 156 non-ionic deep eutectic solvents using COSMO-RS (Conductor-like Screening Model for Real Solvents) computational model was used. DES which were characterized by high solubility of hydrocarbons and the lowest water solubility were synthesized and embedded on melamine sponges. The new sponges were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and goniometer. Several parameters affecting the crude oil-water separation (i.e. type and amount of DES, density and porosity of sponges, water contact eagle) were thoroughly studied. In order to studies of MS-DES affinity to the selected groups of crude oil i.e. Saturated, Aromatic, Resins, Asphaltenes (SARA) the thin layer liquid chromatography-flame ionization detection (TLC-FID) was used. The obtained results indicate that the melamine sponges impregnated by DES composed of eucalyptol and menthol in 1:5 molar ratio have high real crude oil absorption capacity in the range of 96.1 – 132.2 g/g and slightly depends on crude oil compositions, superhydrophobic properties (water contact angle 152°), low density of 9.23 mg/cm3, high porosity of 99.39%, and excellent reusability which was almost not changing even after 80 cycles. The outcomes indicate that new MS-DES materials could be excellent alternatives as absorbents for the cleanup of crude oil-polluted water.

  • Superstitions and customs in construction - a contribution to the discussion on the disappearance of this tradition
    • Maciej Niedostatkiewicz
    2022 Full text Modern Engineering

    Construction is one of the most important, but also the most extensive areas of the economy. That is why we encounter superstitions and customs related to this discipline of the economy quite often:we blew and repeat them, not even knowing what their origin is and what according to old beliefs resulted in their lack of application. This situation applies in practice to all buildings, including residential buildings implemented at different times of time, including today. The aim of the article is to indicate the genesis of selected exaggerations, describe the customs that arose on their basis and present the alleged effects of not cultivating them. Due to the criterion of time in relation to the period of construction of the building, the article discusses superstitions and customs specific to the following stages of the investment: preparatory works and designa, direct implementationand operation and operationand.

  • Supervised-learning-based development of multi-bit RCS-reduced coding metasurfaces
    • Muhammad Abdullah
    • Sławomir Kozieł
    2022 Full text IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON MICROWAVE THEORY AND TECHNIQUES

    Coding metasurfaces have been introduced as efficient tools allowing meticulous control over the electromagnetic (EM) scattering. One of their relevant application areas is radar cross section (RCS) reduction, which principally relies on the diffusion of impinging EM waves. Despite its significance, careful control of the scattering properties poses a serious challenge at the level of practical realization. This article is concerned with (global) design optimization of coding metasurfaces featuring broadband RCS reduction. We adopt a two-stage optimization procedure involving data-driven supervised-learning, sequential-search strategy, and direct EM-based design closure of the entire metasurface oriented toward maximizing the RCS reduction bandwidth. Our framework is then used to develop a two-bit coding metasurface. To handle the combinatorial explosion at the concurrent meta-atom optimization stage, a sequential-search strategy has been developed that enables global search capability at low computational cost. Finally, EM-based optimization is executed to maximize RCS reduction bandwidth at the level of entire metasurface. The properties of the coding metasurface are demonstrated using monostatic and bistatic RCS performance. The 10-dB RCS reduction can be obtained in the frequency range of 14.8 GHz to 37.2 GHz, in a monostatic configuration. Also, 15-dB RCS reduction can be maintained in the frequency range of 16.7 GHz to 37 GHz. Simulations are validated using physical measurements of the fabricated prototypes. Finally, the performance of the structure is benchmarked against recently reported designs.

  • Supramolecular deep eutectic solvents and their applications
    • Patrycja Janicka
    • Massoud Kaykhaii
    • Justyna Płotka-Wasylka
    • Jacek Gębicki
    2022 GREEN CHEMISTRY

    In recent years, the growing awareness of the harmfulness of chemicals to the environment has resulted in the development of green and sustainable technologies. The compromise between economy and environmental requirements is based on the development of new efficient and green solutions. Supramolecular deep eutectic solvents (SUPRADESs), a new deep eutectic solvent (DES) subclass characterized by inclusion properties, are a fresh discovery that could have a significant impact on the development of green chemistry. SUPRADESs known in the literature consist of green ingredients, their physicochemical properties are similar to those of conventional DESs, and their supramolecular nature allows for selective binding of numerous chemical compounds – for many applications SUPRADESs show much higher efficiency compared with DESs. Because of the inclusion of cyclodextrins in their structure, these solvents are able to bind to many compounds through the formation of hydrogen bonds (typical of DESs) and at the same time interact with them in a host–guest mechanism. The combination of the environmentally friendly properties of DESs with those of cyclodextrins could be a breakthrough in the context of green chemistry. This review paper summarizes the available knowledge about SUPRADESs – their composition, physicochemical properties, applications and perspectives. SUPRADESs described in the work are fully green, non-toxic, and biodegradable solvents which are capable of efficiently absorbing many substances. So far, few SUPRADESs are known, but some of them are classified as low melting mixtures (LMM). It is very important to systematize the data available on these green solvents and properly classify them. We hope that identifying their potential and green characteristics will support further promising discoveries.

  • Surface and Trapping Energies as Predictors for the Photocatalytic Degradation of Aromatic Organic Pollutants
    • Szymon Dudziak
    • Marta Kowalkińska
    • Jakub Karczewski
    • Marcin Pisarek
    • José D. Gouveia
    • José R. B. Gomes
    • Anna Zielińska-Jurek
    2022 Full text Journal of Physical Chemistry C

    In this study, anatase samples enclosed by the majority of three different crystal facets {0 0 1}, {1 0 0}, and {1 0 1} were successfully synthesized. These materials were further studied toward photocatalytic degradation of phenol and toluene as model organic pollutants in water and gas phases. The obtained results were analyzed concerning their surface structure, reaction type, and surface development. Moreover, the regression model was created to find the correlation between the possible predictors and the photodegradation rate constants (k). From the studied factors, the trapping energy of charge carriers at the surface was found to be the most significant one, exponentially affecting the observed k. This resulted in the overall per-surface activity between the samples being in the order {1 0 1} > {1 0 0} > {0 0 1}. Further introduction of the surface energy (Esurf) to the regression model and the number of possible trapping centers per number of pollutant’s molecules (ntrap·n–1) improved the model accuracy, simultaneously showing the dependence on the reaction type. In the case of phenol photocatalytic degradation, the best accuracy was observed for the model including Esurf ·(ntrap·n–1)1/2 relation, while for the toluene degradation, it included Esurf2 and the S·n–1 ratio, where S is the simple surface area. Concerning different surface features which influence photocatalytic performance and are commonly discussed in the literature, the results presented in this study suggest that trapping is of particular importance.

  • Surface engineering of graphene oxide membranes for selective separation of perfluorooctanoic acids
    • Hasan Khorramdel
    • Meysam Omidvar
    • Milad Tajaddini
    • Yang Huang
    • Mohammad Saeb
    • Farzad Seidi
    • Huining Xiao
    2022 JOURNAL OF MEMBRANE SCIENCE

    Perfluoroalkyl compounds (PFCs) are environmental toxicants and their widespread detection and accumulation in the environment can be detrimental to the ecosystem. In this study, surface charge of GO membranes was engineered to enhance selectivity of graphene oxide (GO) membranes and for the removal of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA ∼400 Da) in real concentration ranges in wastewater streams. The structure and physicochemical properties of the GO and modified GO nanosheets and their corresponding membranes were assessed using several characterization techniques. The modified GO membranes showed a water flux of 83.1 ± 1 L m−2 h−1 together with maximum rejection efficiency of 98.4% for 50 ppm PFOA at pressure of 0.45 MPa, which is the highest value reported to date. Compared to the GO membrane, the modified GO membrane exhibited higher water flux and PFOA rejection efficiency by 300% and 70%, respectively. The high surface charged and electron rich GO nanosheets reduce the interlayer spacing in the modified membrane and simultaneously enhance the surface hydrophilicity which leads to increased PFOA retention and enhanced water permeation. These results point to the potential of the modified GO membranes for wastewater treatment.

  • Susceptibility to Degradation in Soil of Branched Polyesterurethane Blends with Polylactide and Starch
    • Joanna Brzeska
    • Grzegorz Jasik
    • Wanda Sikorska
    • Barbara Mendrek
    • Jakub Karczewski
    • Marek Kowalczuk
    • Maria Rutkowska
    2022 Full text Polymers

    A very important method of reducing the amount of polymer waste in the environment is the introduction to the market of polymers susceptible to degradation under the influence of environmental factors. This paper presents the results of testing the susceptibility to degradation in soil of branched polyesterurethane (PUR) based on poly([R,S]-3-hydroxybutyrate) (R,S-PHB), modified with poly([D,L]-lactide) (PLA) and starch (St). Weight losses of samples and changes in surface morphology (SEM, OM and contact angle system) with simultaneously only slight changes in molecular weight (GPC), chemical structure (FTIR and 1HNMR) and thermal properties (DSC) indicate that these materials are subject to enzymatic degradation caused by the presence of microorganisms in the soil. Chemical modification of branched polyesterurethanes with R,S-PHB and their physical blending

  • Sustainability reporting in justice systems: a comparative research in two European countries
    • Floriana Fusco
    • Renato Civitillo
    • Paolo Ricci
    • Sylwia Morawska
    • Katarzyna Pustułka
    • Przemysław Banasik
    2022 Meditari Accountancy Research

    Purpose – That on accountability in public organizations is quite an old debate. Its introduction in judicial systems is, however, still viewed with some suspicion, due to its potential trade-off with independence and impartiality. Nevertheless, the need to respond to the demands for greater transparency and accountability has also pushed judicial organizations to establish a dialogue with a wide range of subjects. This study aims to explore the understanding and the current practices of sustainability reporting currently in place in judicial systems. Design/methodology/approach – The study adopts a comparative approach, conducting an online survey in two European countries (Italy and Poland). The survey was built around the research questions and literature and administered between February and March 2020. Specifically, 804 courts were involved, of which 430 are in Italy and 374 in Poland. Findings – Findings show that the current practices are still not widespread and there is still a lack of understanding of what sustainability reporting is, and therefore, of what its potential usefulness within the courts could be. Moreover, many differences between the two countries are pointed out, so it is possible to assume that the different cultural and institutional settings influence sustainability reporting practices. Finally, some interesting implications for policymakers are provided. Originality/value – Judicial organizations are still poorly investigated in the literature, despite being at the center of a wide public and political debate. Moreover, the international comparative perspective adopted constitutes a further aspect of novelty.

  • Sustainability reporting in the airline industry: Current literature and future research avenues
    • Małgorzata Zięba
    • Eljas Johansson
    2022 Full text TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH PART D-TRANSPORT AND ENVIRONMENT

    Sustainability reporting (SR) allows organisations to communicate their non-financial impacts to stakeholders. It has also become a widespread business practice in aviation, a transport sector that contributes significantly to global warming. Academia has begun to examine SR in the context of airlines surprisingly late, and no comprehensive reviews of its respective developments have been made so far. Consequently, a systematic literature review was performed with an exclusive focus on airline SR to synthesise its associated scholarly research and distinguish the common concerns and gaps that have emerged from it. The analysed publications indicate that the industry has lacked a unified policy and common understanding of how to define and measure sustainability, which has led to inconsistent SR practices. This causes ambiguity between the real actions and promotional communication through which airlines may legitimise their operations. Academia and various airline stakeholders would benefit from more in-depth studies examining the stakeholder views and quality of disclosures, helping the industry improve its SR.

  • Sustainable Knowledge Sharing Model for IT Agile Projects
    • Edward Szczerbicki
    • Rodrigo Oliveira de Castro
    • Cesar Sanin
    2022 Full text

    In order to overcome work environment challenges and remain competitive in the market, organisations must adapt. An organisation's competitiveness can be improved through knowledge sharing; however, improvement without responsibility can have a negative impact on the sociotechnical environment which people cannot fully comprehend. According to researchers, business involvement in sustainable development goals remains minimal [51]. As a result, a sustainable consciousness is crucial to improve the business. In the project profession, sustainability is a business approach that balances the environmental, social, economic, and political aspects of project-based work to fulfil the demands of stakeholders without jeopardising or overburdening the availability of natural resources for future generations [33]. This study goes a step further and proposes a theoretical design that aims to ensure sustainable development during conceptual knowledge transfer in Agile IT projects.

  • Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans: implementation process and indicators to evaluate effects on physical activity
    • Romanika Okraszewska
    • Noah Peters
    • Lucia Reisch
    • Marion Flechtner-Mors
    • Carlijn B.M. Kamphuis
    • Janine Wendt
    • Daniel Scheller
    • Karolina Konsur
    • Joanna Żukowska
    2022 Full text EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH

    Background: Active mobility and public transport increase physical activity (PA) levels. With varying intensity and effectiveness, European cities implement Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (SUMPs) to spur transport-related PA. Therefore, we aim to examine drivers and barriers to SUMP implementation and assess its influence on PA across European cities. Methods: We screened policy reports to gain insights into SUMP implementation in one Danish, two German and two Polish cities. Further, we conducted semi-structured interviews with SUMP stakeholders in these cities to explore their experiences with SUMP implementation. Thematic analysis of interview transcripts was applied to identify similarities and differences across cities. To assess the effect of SUMP implementation on PA, we searched for data on indicators of transport-related PA. Results: All investigated cities are committed to sustainable mobility. Nonetheless, complex institutional structures, the dominant role of motorized traffic as well as complex regional and local policy integration hamper SUMP implementation. Danish, German and Polish cities face different contexts in terms of financing, national guidelines and the prominence of sustainability as a policy objective. Each city adopts unique indicators for monitoring the effects of SUMPs on transport-related PA. The variety of indicators and limited data availability impede a comparative evaluation across cities. Constrained by this restriction, we identified motorization rate, modal split and public transport ridership as suitable indicators. Conclusions: Local idiosyncrasies need to be accounted for when assessing the implementation of SUMPs. Nonetheless, consistent indicators and data transparency are essential for comparing the effectiveness of SUMPs and their impact on PA.

  • Synchronizacja wiedzy w systemach agentowych
    • Mariusz Matuszek
    2022

    Agenty inteligentne są jednym z komponentów stosowanych w pro- jektowaniu rozproszonych inteligentnych systemów obliczeniowych. W rozdziale wskazano istotne aspekty systemów agentowych, a na- stępnie omówiono wybrane metody synchronizacji wiedzy między agentami będącymi częścią systemu agentowego. Omówiono podej- ście właściwe dla agentów zaufanych oraz jego modyfikację dla agen- tów, które mogą celowo próbować wprowadzać inne agenty w błąd.

  • Synergistic effects of hybrid advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) based on hydrodynamic cavitation phenomenon – A review
    • Kirill Fedorov
    • Kumaravel Dinesh
    • Xun Sun
    • Reza Darvishi
    • Zhaohui Wang
    • Shirish H. Sonawane
    • Grzegorz Boczkaj
    2022 Full text CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL

    High-performance water treatment systems based on cavitational processes have received an increasing interest of scientific community in the past few decades. Numerous studies indicated the advantageous application of hydrodynamic cavitation as an alternative, reagent-free treatment method of various pollutants in water. Both approaches were proved as an effective method to achieve mineralization of many organic contaminants as well as a disinfection method, which is able to eliminate pathogenic microorganisms. This makes cavitation-based methods a promising candidate implemented in a post-treatment stage of water treatment facilities. Nowadays, hybrid methods based on combination of cavitation with advanced oxidation processes (AOPs), possessing enhanced oxidation capacity were proposed. Compared to the individual utilization of cavitation and AOPs (e.g., O3, H2O2, Fenton’s process), hybrid processes are capable to degrade even highly persistent contaminants and shorten the operation time reducing the overall consumption of energy and oxidants. The improved performance of hybrid methods is attributed to the synergistic effect occurring between integrated technologies, which is expressed by the synergistic index. In this paper, recent reports focusing on coupling of cavitation and AOPs were reviewed to reveal major principles and mechanisms governing the synergistic effect. The review discusses the effect of process parameters (oxidant type, pH, hydraulic and ultrasonic properties, Kow) on the oxidation effectiveness. Comparative analysis was provided in order to highlight the advantages and limits laying behind the discussed methods. The analysis of the economic feasibility was performed to assess the potential applicability of hybrid techniques in large-scale wastewater treatment.

  • Synthesis and characterization of biopolyols through biomass liquefaction of wood shavings and their application in the preparation of polyurethane wood composites
    • Adam Olszewski
    • Paulina Kosmela
    • Łukasz Piszczyk
    2022 Full text European Journal of Wood and Wood Products (HOLZ ALS ROH-UND WERKSTOFF)

    The sustainability of production systems in wood processing, wood industry, and wooden waste disposal is an important issue for European industry and society. Proper development of products based on renewable wood resources gives an opportunity to provide materials with long-term environmental, social, and economic sustainability. This study aims to establish a new way of forestry and agricultural waste materials utilization by synthesis of bio-based polyols and manufacturing of polyurethane wood composites (PU-WC). The first part of this paper describes the liquefaction of wood shavings at a temperature of 150 °C for 6 h in three different solvents—glycerol, poly (ethylene glycol) and their mixture in a 1:1 ratio. The second part deals with the synthesis of polyurethane (PU) resins containing 90% of biopolyol. Eight sets of materials with different NCO:OH ratios were obtained in a one-step method using a hydraulic press. These materials were characterized, and the material with the most promising properties was selected for polyurethane wood composites production. Composites with 40%, 50%, 60%, and 70% of wood shavings were obtained. The addition of filler caused an increase in flexural strength, Young`s modulus, hardness, and impact strength. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed good adhesion between the polymer and the filler. The optimum filler content is between 50 and 60% by weight of the composite. The presented study provides a significant step toward a greener alternative for materials produced mainly from non-renewable resources.

  • Synthesis Attempt and Structural Studies of Novel A2CeWO6 Double Perovskites (A2+ = Ba, Ca) in and outside of Ambient Conditions
    • Damian Wlodarczyk
    • Mikolaj Amilusik
    • Katarzyna M. Kosyl
    • Maciej Chrunik
    • Krystyna Lawniczak-Jablonska
    • Michal Strankowski
    • Marcin Zajac
    • Volodymyr Tsiumra
    • Aneta Grochot
    • Anna Reszka
    • Andrzej Suchocki
    • Tomasz Giela
    • Przemyslaw Iwanowski
    • Michal Bockowski
    • Hanka Przybylinska
    2022 Full text ACS Omega

    Synthesis Attempt and Structural Studies of Novel A 2 CeWO 6 Double Perovskites (A 2+ = Ba, Ca) in and outside of Ambient Conditions Damian Wlodarczyk,* Mikolaj Amilusik, Katarzyna M. Kosyl, Maciej Chrunik, Krystyna Lawniczak-Jablonska, Michal Strankowski, Marcin Zajac, Volodymyr Tsiumra, Aneta Grochot, Anna Reszka, Andrzej Suchocki, Tomasz Giela, Przemyslaw Iwanowski, Michal Bockowski, and Hanka Przybylinska Cite This: ACS Omega 2022, 7, 18382−18408 Read Online ACCESS Metrics & More Article Recommendations *sı Supporting Information ABSTRACT: This comprehensive work showcases two novel, rock-salt-type minerals in the form of amphoteric cerium−tungstate double perovskite and ilmenite powders created via a high-temperature solid-state reaction in inert gases. The presented studies have fundamental meaning and will mainly focus on a detailed synthesis description of undoped structures, researching their possible polymorphism in various conditions and hinting at some nontrivial physicochemical properties like charge transfer for upcoming optical studies after eventual doping with selectively chosen rare-earth ions.

  • Synthesis, crystal structure and spectroscopic characterization of new anionic iridium(III) complexes and their interaction with biological targets
    • Joanna Masternak
    • Agnieszka Gilewska
    • Mateusz Kowalik
    • Katarzyna Kazimierczuk
    • Jerzy Sitkowski
    • Karol Okła
    • Joanna Wietrzyk
    • Barbara Barszcz
    2022 POLYHEDRON

    The synthesis and characterisation of new anionic iridium(II) complexes (NH4)2[IrCl4(κ2N,N’-H2biim)]2 · 5H2O (1) and ((CH3)2NH2)[IrCl4(κ2N,N’-PyBIm)] · H2O (2) are presented in this article. Spectroscopic methods (1H, 13C and 15N NMR, FTIR, UV-Vis) were used to characterize these new complexes. Solid-state structural analysis (SC-XRD) of complexes 1 and 2 shows a slightly distorted octahedral geometry of Ir(III) ions, which is constructed by one chelating κ2N,N’-2,2’-biimidazole (H2biim (1)) or 2-(2’-pyridyl)benzimidazole (PyBIm (2)) and four chloride ions. In the crystal structures, the presence of organic ligands containing NH groups favours the formation of strong hydrogen bonds (X-H···Cl (X = O, N, C)), which have significant impact on the crystal structure forming 2D (1) and 3D (2) systems during the self-assembly process. Additionally, preliminary studies of the biological activity of the obtained complexes were performed. Considering the above properties, the observed stronger binding affinity of complex 1 to DNA and HSA can be interpreted in terms of changes in the number of hydrogen bonds that are potentially formed with the target molecule. Furthermore, higher reactivity towards NADH and the lower reactivity towards GSH were observed for complex 2. Both complexes showed moderate cytotoxicity against selected cancer cell lines (LoVo, MV-4-11, MCF-7) and did not show toxicity towards normal cells (BALB/3T3). The cytotoxicity of 2 may be compromised by a weaker interaction with DNA, HSA or GSH and a stronger reactivity towards NADH.