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Gdańsk University of Technology

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  • POMERANIAN LANDSCAPES OF MODERNIST ZASPA. CONCEPTS OF REVITALISATION OF THE HOUSING ESTATE
    • Agnieszka Kurkowska
    2024 Full text Journal of Geography, Politics and Society

    Zaspa is a neighbourhood in Gdansk with a long locational history and numerous build-ups. It is situated in a complex landscape between the coastal strip and moraine hills. The housing estates built here in the 1970s followed the postulates of modernist urbanism, ignoring the topographical and natural specifics and the regional heritage. The result was an ergonomic but anonymous space with many current strengths and still apparent deficiencies. As part of the student projects, the topic of revitalising a housing estate was undertaken, especially as it is a global problem. Thus, the working methods can be evaluated and the advantages of these methods adaptable to further case studies can be presented. The article reports on two cycles of a course conducted at the Faculty of Architecture, Gdansk University of Technology. The objectives of the work, the methods and the results are presented with reference to the scale of the global planetary crisis.

  • Pomiarowa weryfikacja efektywności pracy asynchronicznej metody jednoczesnej estymacji położenia i orientacji obiektu
    • Jarosław Sadowski
    • Olga Błaszkiewicz
    • Krzysztof Cwalina
    • Alicja Olejniczak
    • Piotr Rajchowski
    • Jacek Stefański
    2024 Przegląd Telekomunikacyjny + Wiadomości Telekomunikacyjne

    W referacie opisano wyniki pomiarowej weryfikacji efektywności pracy asynchronicznej metody lokalizowania obiektu na płaszczyźnie za pomocą sygnałów lokalizacyjnych wysyłanych jednocześnie z dwóch nadajników umieszczonych na tym obiekcie w znanej odległości od siebie.

  • Poprawa jakości klasyfikacji głębokich sieci neuronowych poprzez optymalizację ich struktury i dwuetapowy proces uczenia
    • Arkadiusz Kwasigroch
    2024 Full text

    W pracy doktorskiej podjęto problem realizacji algorytmów głębokiego uczenia w warunkach deficytu danych uczących. Głównym celem było opracowanie podejścia optymalizującego strukturę sieci neuronowej oraz zastosowanie uczeniu dwuetapowym, w celu uzyskania mniejszych struktur, zachowując przy tym dokładności. Proponowane rozwiązania poddano testom na zadaniu klasyfikacji znamion skórnych na znamiona złośliwe i łagodne. W pierwszym etapie badań dokonano analizy wpływu elementów architektury oraz metod uczenia na wyniki. Następnie, w oparciu o uzyskane wyniki, zaproponowano system automatycznego doboru struktury sieci neuronowej oparty o algorytmy ewolucyjne i modyfikacje sieci zachowujące funkcję. Zastosowanie algorytmu umożliwiło redukcję liczby parametrów o 98%, w porównaniu do popularnych sieci VGG. Kolejnym etapem badań była analiza metodami wstępnego uczenia. Przeprowadzono analizę zastosowania wstępnego uczenia w sposób samonadzorowany oraz w sposób nadzorowany. W badaniach wykazano, że połączenie tych metod przynosi lepsze wyniki niż zastosowanie tylko wstępnego uczenia w sposób nadzorowany. Ostatnim etapem badań była integracja metod doboru struktury z metodami wstępnego uczenia. Przeprowadzone badania potwierdziły, że odpowiedni dobór struktury i metody uczenia mają istotny wpływ na dokładność i efektywność modeli.

  • Porous Deep Eutectic Solvents–Unfulfilled Dream or the Next Breakthrough in Scientific Innovation?
    • Marcin Wysokowski
    • Patrycja Makoś-Chełstowska
    • Alina Brzęczek‐Szafran
    • Aleksandra Sikora
    • Adam Gorczyński
    • Teofil Jesionowski
    2024 Advanced Science

    Porous deep eutectic solvents (PDES) are capturing the imagination of scientists, promising a revolutionary leap in material science. These innovative materials, blending the versatility of deep eutectic solvents (DES) with the intricate architectures of porous structures, offer an exciting array of applications—from green chemistry and catalysis to energy storage and environmental remediation. However, the journey from laboratory curiosity to industrial application is fraught with challenges. This perspective article analyzes the realm of PDES, scrutinizing the cutting-edge advancements and the challenges that lie ahead. By exploring their synthesis, unique properties, and diverse application potential, the critical question is asked: are PDES an unfulfilled dream or the next big breakthrough in scientific innovation? A comprehensive analysis reveals a “landscape” ripe with opportunity, suggesting that with targeted research and development, PDES can indeed become a cornerstone technology, driving progress across multiple scientific domains.

  • Porównanie działania transformatora symetryzującego (zygzak) z aktywnym energoelektronicznym symetryzatorem prądów fazowych linii niskiego napięcia
    • Marek Adamowicz
    • Zbigniew Krzemiński
    2024 Full text Przegląd Elektrotechniczny

    Na potrzeby planowania sieci niskiego napięcia operatorzy systemów dystrybucyjnych (OSD) zakładają symetryczne warunki obciążenia linii. Z roku na rok, rośnie liczba rozproszonych systemów fotowoltaicznych (PV) zainstalowanych w sieciach niskiego napięcia, których większość to małe jednofazowe systemy dachowe. Dodatkowo, do niesymetrii obciążenia przyczyniają się instalowane masowo pompy ciepła i ładowane jednofazowo samochody elektryczne. Ze wzrostem liczby odbiorów jednofazowych i jednofazowej generacji rozproszonej rosną problemy OSD z zapewnieniem jakości napięcia. Symetryzacja obciążeń jest możliwa z wykorzystaniem dedykowanych urządzeń: transformatorów symetryzujących (zygzak) oraz aktywnych urządzeń energoelektronicznych. W artykule porównano działanie transformatora o uzwojeniach połączonych w zygzak oraz aktywnego symetryzatora energoelektronicznego dla różnych przypadków asymetrii obciążenia w linii nN.

  • Potencjał wdrożenia rozwiązania DSM dla gospodarstw domowych w Polsce
    • Wiktoria Stahl
    2024 Full text Przegląd Elektrotechniczny

    Poniższy artykuł prezentuje potencjał realizacji rozwiązania DSM dla odbiorców końcowych jakimi są gospodarstwa domowe. W ramach analizy przeprowadzono proces ankietyzacji oraz przygotowano model ekonometryczny, uwzględniający czynniki wpływające na ilość zaoszczędzonej energii przez gospodarstwa domowe w ramach realizacji rozwiązania DSM. Przeprowadzono także symulację Monte Carlo w celu zaprognozowania potencjalnych efektów realizacji DSM w analizowanym przypadku.

  • Potential of Explainable Artificial Intelligence in Advancing Renewable Energy: Challenges and Prospects
    • Van Nhanh Nguyen Nhanh Van
    • Wiesław Tarełko
    • Sharma Prabhakar
    • Ahmed Shabana El-Shafay
    • Wei-Hsin Chen
    • Phuoc Quy Phong Nguyen
    • Nguyen Xuan Phuong
    • Tuan Anh Nguyen
    2024 ENERGY & FUELS

    Modern machine learning (ML) techniques are making inroads in every aspect of renewable energy for optimizationand model prediction. The effective utilization of ML techniques for the development and scaling up of renewable energy systemsneeds a high degree of accountability. However, most of the ML approaches currently in use are termed black box since their work isdifficult to comprehend. Explainable artificial intelligence (XAI) is an attractive option to solve the issue of poor interoperability inblack-box methods. This review investigates the relationship between renewable energy (RE) and XAI. It emphasizes the potentialadvantages of XAI in improving the performance and efficacy of RE systems. It is realized that although the integration of XAI withRE has enormous potential to alter how energy is produced and consumed, possible hazards and barriers remain to be overcome,particularly concerning transparency, accountability, and fairness. Thus, extensive research is required to address the societal andethical implications of using XAI in RE and to create standardized data sets and evaluation metrics. In summary, this paper shows thepotential, perspectives, opportunities, and challenges of XAI application to RE system management and operation aiming to targetthe efficient energy-use goals for a more sustainable and trustworthy future.

  • Potyczki algorytmiczne, czyli Alicja i Bogdan w nowych sytuacjach
    • Marek Kubale
    • Joanna Raczek
    2024 Full text Pismo PG

    W kolejnym odcinku serii z Alicją i Bogdanem najpierw ilustrujemy problem dominowania w grafach (kratowych): klasyczny i rzymski. Następnie ilustrujemy znany fakt, że zachłanność nie zawsze się opłaca. Pokażemy mianowicie, że algorytmy zachłanne nie gwarantują uzyskania rozwiązania optymalnego, nawet wówczas gdy problem da się rozwiązać w czasie wielomianowym.

  • Power control system structure of doubly‐fed induction generator connected to current source converter
    • Marcin Morawiec
    • Krzysztof Blecharz
    • Roland Ryndzionek
    • Andrzej Jąderko
    • Deepak Vyas
    2024 IET Renewable Power Generation

    The power control system structures for a doubly-fed generator (DFIG) are proposed. The classical field oriented control and the feedback control with the multi-scalar variables were considered. The generator is working in the AC grid connection mode. The rotor side of the generator is connected to the current source converter (CSC); the stator is directly related to the AC grid. The static feedback linearization using the multi-scalar variables of DFIG is proposed to increase active and reactive power control accuracy. The proposed control structure allows to linearize the generator system, and decoupled between the control paths. The proposed approach can be called voltage control because one of the control variables is the voltage in the DC-link of the CSC. The simulation and experimental investigations in the 2 kW DFIG system consider the AC grid voltage dips, confirming that the proposed control system remains stable.

  • Powering the Future by Iron Sulfide Type Material (FexSy) Based Electrochemical Materials for Water Splitting and Energy Storage Applications: A Review
    • Ahmad Farhan
    • Wajeeha Qayyum
    • Urooj Fatima
    • Shahid Nawaz
    • Aldona Balčiūnaitė
    • Tak H. Kim
    • Varsha Srivastava
    • John Vakros
    • Zacharias Frontistis
    • Grzegorz Boczkaj
    2024 Full text SMALL

    Water electrolysis is among the recent alternatives for generating clean fuels (hydrogen). It is an efficient way to produce pure hydrogen at a rapid pace with no unwanted by-products. Effective and cheap water-splitting electrocatalysts with enhanced activity, specificity, and stability are currently widely studied. In this regard, noble metal-free transition metal-based catalysts are of high interest. Iron sulfide (FeS) is one of the essential electrocatalysts for water splitting because of its unique structural and electrochemical features. This article discusses the significance of FeS and its nanocomposites as efficient electrocatalysts for oxygen evolution reaction (OER), hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), and overall water splitting. FeS and its nanocomposites have been studied also for energy storage in the form of electrode materials in supercapacitors and lithium- (LIBs) and sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). The structural and electrochemical characteristics of FeS and its nanocomposites, as well as the synthesis processes, are discussed in this work. This discussion correlates these features with the requirements for electrocatalysts in overall water splitting and its associated reactions. As a result, this study provides a road map for researchers seeking economically viable, environmentally friendly, and efficient electrochemical materials in the fields of green energy production and storage.

  • Powłoki na osnowie pierwiastkowego węgla przeznaczone na implanty tytanowe
    • Dorota Rogala-Wielgus
    2024 Full text

    Rozprawa miała na celu modyfikację podłoża z tytanu II oraz stopu Ti13Nb13Zr poprzez osadzenie elektroforetyczne (EPD) powłok na bazie wielościennych nanorurek węglowych (MWCNTs) z dodatkami wielkości nanometrycznej, przeznaczonych na pokrycia trzpieni endoprotez stawu biodrowego. Przygotowano trzy rodzaje powłok MWCNTs: z dodatkiem nanomiedzi (MWCNTs/Cu), nanosrebra (MWCNTs/Ag) oraz tlenku tytanu (MWCNTs/TiO2), osadzone w procesie dwuetapowym, składającym się z I. EPD powłoki MWCNTs oraz II. EPD powłoki z dodatku. Zarówno MWCNTs, jak i zastosowane dodatki, charakteryzują się działaniem antybakteryjnym na bakterie najczęściej będące sprawcą zakażeń w obrębie endoprotez. Wytworzenie kompozytowej powłoki, składającej się z elastycznej matrycy w postaci nanorurek węglowych, o unikalnych właściwościach oraz wzmocnienia z twardych cząstek tlenku tytanu, miało nie tylko zapewniać właściwości antybakteryjne, ale również modyfikować właściwości podłoża, w kierunku zbliżenia do właściwości ludzkiej kości korowej. Aby ocenić właściwości otrzymanych powłok na bazie MWCNTs dla każdej wykonano SEM, EDS, AFM, spektroskopię Raman’a (na podłożu Ti13Nb13Zr), badanie nanoindentacji, test nanozarysowania (z ang. nano-scratch test), badanie zwilżalności (na podłożu Ti13Nb13Zr) oraz przeprowadzono testy korozyjne (na podłożu Ti13Nb13Zr). W przypadku powłoki MWCNTs/TiO2 osadzonej na podłożu ze stopu Ti13Nb13Zr dodatkowo dokonano oceny cytotoksyczności w teście MTT dla komórek ludzkich fibroblastów (HDF) oraz mysich prekursorów osteoblastów (MC3T3), które potwierdzono w teście dehydrogenazy mleczanowej (LDH).

  • Prace remontowe betonowych posadzek przemysłowych. Część I
    • Sylwia Świątek-Żołyńska
    • Maciej Niedostatkiewicz
    2024 Przegląd Budowlany

    Posadzki betonowe należą do elementów w obiektach budowlanych, których projektowanie wymaga doświadczenia inżynierskiego, wykonawstwo – zachowania reżimu technologicznego, natomiast podczas ich eksploatacji niezbędne jest prowadzenie remontów okresowych. Najczęściej wykorzystywane są jako przestrzeń robocza i komunikacyjna w obiektach przemysłowych. Niezależnie od miejsca wbudowania posadzki betonowe wymagają prowadzenia okresowych prac zabezpieczających, których zakres każdorazowo powinien być indywidualnie dostosowany do aktualnego bądź też planowanego do zmiany sposobu użytkowania obiektu. Niewłaściwy dobór technologii prac konserwacyjnych oraz niepoprawne stosowanie rozwiązań technologicznych związanych z renowacją posadzek mogą spowodować pogorszenie ich stanu technicznego, co może doprowadzić do konieczności ich wyłączenia z użytkowania, a to z kolei może skutkować koniecznością przerwy w użytkowaniu obiektu budowlanego, w tym obiektów produkcyjnych obiektów przemysłowych. W pracy przedstawiono zbiór praktycznych informacji związanych z prowadzeniem prac naprawczych betonowych posadzek przemysłowych. Artykuł ma charakter studium przypadku i odnosi się do konkretnych sytuacji związanych z utratą sprawności technicznej przez betonowe posadzki przemysłowe

  • Practical Trial for Low-Energy Effective Jamming on Private Networks With 5G-NR and NB-IoT Radio Interfaces
    • Paweł Skokowski
    • Krzysztof Malon
    • Michał Kryk
    • Krzysztof Maślanka
    • Jan M. Kelner
    • Piotr Rajchowski
    • Jarosław Magiera
    2024 IEEE Access

    Fourth-generation (4G) mobile networks are successively replaced by fifth-generation (5G) ones, based on the new releases of the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) standard. 5G generation is dedicated to civilian users and the conducted analytical work shows that it has numerous technological gaps that prevent its direct implementation in military communications systems. However, the recent armed world conflicts showed that closed or public mobile networks are willingly used by soldiers for both private and business communications, and to conduct defensive and offensive operations as well. From the military operation viewpoint, jamming both civil and military systems is one of the essential elements of electronic warfare. This paper focuses on the practical trial of low-energy and smart jamming on a 5G private network using narrowband signals, which facilitates the reduction of the available throughput, e.g. in the time division duplex - uplink (TDD-UL) by 99%, or by 82% in the frequency division duplex - downlink (FDD-DL). This type of jamming also allows for reaching up to 25 dB of energy gain comparing to barrage jamming. The authors moreover investigated jamming the Narrowband IoT radio interface using synchronized, selective jamming. The goal was to propose energy efficient methods that will allow the jammers to work longer and be mounted on a small unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that can operate near the gNB. The generation of low-power jamming signals in the gNB vicinity successfully hinders detecting the jammer by the enemy’s electronic reconnaissance systems. The proposed solutions are compared with the test results for other types of jamming methods.

  • Praktyka wykonywania pomiarów instalacji fotowoltaicznych prowadząca do określenia rzeczywistego stanu technicznego
    • Leszek Litzbarski
    • Marek Olesz
    • Konrad Seklecki
    2024 Full text Przegląd Elektrotechniczny

    Praca przedstawia zasady wykonywania pomiarów instalacji fotowoltaicznych wg normy PN-EN 62446-1. Proponowany w normie zakres podstawowy pozwala tylko na ocenę bezpieczeństwa pracy instalacji. Dopiero zakres dodatkowy umożliwia uzyskanie informacji o referencyjnych mocach zainstalowanej elektrowni, jej sprawności, a nawet jednorodności poszczególnych ogniw fotowoltaicznych. Załączone przykłady pomiarów czystych i zabrudzonych paneli wskazują na korzyści monitorowania stanu technicznego instalacji podczas ich eksploatacji.

  • Prediction of the fatigue lifetime of PUR structural elements using a combined experimental-numerical approach
    • Grzegorz Lesiuk
    • Krzysztof Junik
    • Szymon Duda
    • Tomasz Socha
    • Krzysztof Kula
    • Arkadiusz Denisiewicz
    • Daniel Medyński
    • Wojciech Macek
    • José A.F.O. Correia
    2024 Full text Structures

    This paper presents a method for estimating the fatigue life of polyurethane elastomeric components. A rubber replacement - polyurethane of hardness 80ShA commonly used in vibration damping systems, for example, in motor vehicle suspensions, was used for the study. A metal-rubber bushing component was selected for analysis, and numerical analysis was carried out along with a fatigue model proposal based on a modification of the WangBrown model. The results obtained indicate that the description of the durability process using the proposed relationship is also possible. A constitutive model based on Ogden’s hyperelastic model was identified and verified. The proposed methodology can be used in any part analysis based on the numerical model and fatigue data. The paper also evaluates the effectiveness of other models against the proposed relationship.

  • Preeclampsia Risk Prediction Using Machine Learning Methods Trained on Synthetic Data
    • Magdalena Mazur-Milecka
    • Natalia Kowalczyk
    • Kinga Jaguszewska
    • Dorota Zamkowska
    • Dariusz Wójcik
    • Krzysztof Preis
    • Henriette Skov
    • Stefan Rahr Wagner
    • Puk Sandager
    • Milena Sobotka
    • Jacek Rumiński
    2024

    This paper describes a research study that investigates the use of machine learning algorithms on synthetic data to classify the risk of developing preeclampsia by pregnant women. Synthetic datasets were generated based on parameter distributions from three real patient studies. Four models were compared: XGBoost, Support Vector Machine (SVM), Random Forest, and Explainable Boosting Machines (EBM). The study found that the XGBoost and EBM consistently outperform the other models. An analysis of patient subsets based on their pregnancy history was also conducted, revealing that the group of patients in their first pregnancy achieved the highest prediction accuracy. Additionally, the study explored the efficacy of risk prediction based on various parameters and found that the results vary depending on the models used and the degree of class balance in the database. Finally, an additional test was performed on the dataset annotated by physicians.

  • PRE-FAILURE CONDITION AND THE METHOD OF REPAIRING GLUED TIMBER ROOF BEARS
    • Maciej Niedostatkiewicz
    • Tomasz Majewski
    2024

    Design documentation of glued-laminated timber roof girders is in many cases very general, does not contain details and design solutions, and the contractors do not have experience in the implementation of this type of structure. Design and execution errors, including those related to glued laminated timber roof girders, not only affect the safety and durability of the structure of the facility in which they were built in, but also affect the safety of its use. The aim of the article is to present the impact of the design and execution errors which cumulated after a short period of operation of the sports hall led to its exclusion from use. The article also presents the implemented method of strengthening the roof girders in question.

  • Pre-oxidation of porous ferritic Fe22Cr alloys for lifespan extension at high-temperature
    • Damian Koszelow
    • Małgorzata Makowska
    • F. Marone
    • Grzegorz Cempura
    • Matthieu Tomas
    • Jan Froitzheim
    • Sebastian Molin
    2024 Full text CORROSION SCIENCE

    Pre-oxidation of porous ferritic Fe22Cr alloys was extensively studied in this paper. Weight gain measurements and SEM analysis revealed that pre-oxidation performed at 900◦C for 40 min increased the lifespan of the alloy. A Cr evaporation study did not disclose any significant influence of the pre-oxidation process on the Cr content in the alloy. For a more detailed assessment, TEM imaging and X-ray tomography measurements of pre-oxidized samples were performed. These analyses showed that alteration in the grain and grain boundary diffusion fluxes might be the key for explaining the corrosion prevention role of pre-oxidation.

  • Preparation and characterization of bis‐phosphonated polycarbohydrates
    • Kamila Sadowska
    • Marta Prześniak-Welenc
    • Marcin Łapiński
    2024 BIOPOLYMERS

    A simple, cost-effective, one-pot method was proposed to introduce bis-phosphonic groups onto alginic acid and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC). New derivatives were characterized by means of nuclear magnetic resonance, X-ray photoelectron, and attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. These analyses confirmed the successful transformation of carboxylic groups present in alginic acid and CMC into bis-phosphonic groups. Additionally, thermogravimetric analysis coupled with differential scanning calorimetry was employed to investigate the thermal properties of the bis-phosphonic derivatives of alginate and CMC. The results clearly demonstrate the char-forming ability of both studied bis-phosphonated polycarbohydrates, suggesting their potential as intumescent materials.

  • Preparation and properties of composite coatings, based on carbon nanotubes, for medical applications
    • Dorota Rogala-Wielgus
    • Andrzej Zieliński
    2024 Carbon Letters

    The coatings based on carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are increasingly developed for their applications, among others, in medicine, in particular for implants in implantology, cardiology, and neurology. The present review paper aims at a detailed demonstration of diferent preparation methods for such coatings, their performance, and relationships between deposition parameters and microstructure and material, mechanical, physical, chemical, and biological properties. The thermal and electrostatic spraying, electrophoretic and electrocathodic deposition, and laser methods are presented. Characterization of microstructure of coatings, topography, morphology, adhesion of CNTs to a substrate, mechanical behavior, corrosion resistance, wettability, cytotoxicity, bioactivity, and antibacterial protection are reviewed for diferent deposition methods and parameters. The state-of-the-art in the feld of carbon nanotubes shows a considerable number of research performed on CNTs coatings. The diferent forms of CNTs, deposition methods, parameters, and substrates were applied as process variables. The microstructures and surface homogeneity, chemical and phase compositions, mechanical properties at the micro- and nanoscale such as coating Young`s modulus and hardness, interface adhesion strength and delaminating force, open corrosion potential and corrosion current density, contact angle in wettability assessment, and bioactivity, cytotoxicity, and antibacterial efciency among biological properties were determined. The summary of so far achievements, strengths and weaknesses, and important future research necessary for clarifcation of some weak points, development of non-toxic, mechanically and chemically resistant, bioactive, and antibacterial multicomponent coatings based on functionalized CNTs are proposed.

  • Preparation of MnCo2O4 and Mn1.7CuFe0.3O4 single-layer, and novel MnCo2O4/ Mn1.7CuFe0.3O4 dual-layer spinel protective coatings on complex-shaped metallic interconnects by EPD method
    • Omid Ekhlasiosgouei
    • Maciej Bik
    • Sebastian Molin
    2024 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HYDROGEN ENERGY

    Ceramic protective coatings applied to metallic interconnects play a vital role in solid oxide cells (SOCs) preventing interconnect degradation. In this study, uniform, dense, and crack-free single-layer coatings of MnCo2O4, Mn1.7CuFe0.3O4, and dual-layer coatings of MnCo2O4/ Mn1.7CuFe0.3O4 spinel are deposited onto complex-shaped metallic interconnect using electrophoretic deposition (EPD) method. The porosity of sintered MnCo2O4 and Mn1.7CuFe0.3O4 coatings in reduction treatment (1000°C for 2h in H2), followed by subsequent oxidation treatment (900°C for 2h in air) is approximately 50% less than that of these coatings sintered in oxidation treatment (900°C for 4h in air). The results indicate that the thickness of the sintered MnCo2O4, Mn1.7CuFe0.3O4 single-layer, and MnCo2O4/ Mn1.7CuFe0.3O4 dual-layer coatings in reduction + oxidation treatments is 46.2%, 28.2%, and 23.1% denser, respectively, compared to sintered in oxidation treatment. Raman spectroscopy and Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) analysis showed that in sintered dual-layer coatings subjected to reduction treatment followed by a subsequent oxidation treatment, exhibit a much more efficient interdiffusion processes throughout the thickness of the coating yielding the formation of a mixed (Mn, Cu, Fe, Co)3O4 spinel, comparing to dual-layer coatings undergoing only oxidation treatment. The dual-layer spinel coatings of MnCo2O4/ Mn1.7CuFe0.3O4 present promising candidate for protective coatings on metallic interconnects.

  • Pre-treatment of bio fraction waste prior to fermentation processes
    • Karolina Kucharska
    • Patrycja Makoś-Chełstowska
    • Edyta Słupek
    • Jacek Gębicki
    2024 Full text Chemical and Process Engineering : New Frontiers

    Current efforts are taken to increase resource efficiency, close material loops, and improve sustainable waste and by-products management. Thus, networking agro-food by-products and converting them into valuable products completely exhausting the potential of the raw material becomes significant. Model lignocellulosic and starch based biomass were subjected to pre-treatment with the application of acidic compounds, i.e. sulphuric (SA) and acetic (AA) acids. The response, i.e. total sugar content and derivative content was investigated depending on variables changed during hydrolysis: concentration of acid, process duration, temperature and the size of biomass particles. After saccharification, the hydrolysates were analysed via HPLC. Total reducing sugar concentration was in the range of 0.1–15.53 g/L. Among the substances present in the hydrolysates, protein, peptides, hydroxybenzyl acid (HA), 5-HMF, furfural (FF), vanillin (V), vanillic acid (VA), formic acid (FA) and levulinic acid (LA) were found in the range of 0.44–9.05 g/L and determined as total derivative concentration. The aim of the study was to evaluate the measurable effects of the research and deliver information about the statistically important parameters for the process course and relations between the variables

  • Price bubbles and Co-bubbles in the green economy market
    • Marcin Potrykus
    • Imran Ramzan
    • Muhammad Mazhar
    • Elie Bouri
    2024 JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

    In light of growing concerns about climate change and environmental issues, investor interest has surged in the new green economy market. However, the existing literature is limited regarding potential price bubble and co-bubble within this new domain. This study examines price bubble and co-bubble in the new green economy market, covering 31 indexes classified into three groups: the green economy market and its components, geographical regions, and sectors. Using daily data from August 31, 2005, to May 31, 2024, a test procedure is first applied to detect periods of price bubble in the various indexes, then logistic regressions are employed to examine price co-bubble behaviours. The results show evidence of price bubble in the green economy market, particularly in solar and wind indexes, with peaks during the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia-Ukraine conflict, whereas the water index is the least prone to price bubble. Regarding geographical region, the USA market exhibits a higher tendency for price bubble than the Asian or European markets. Several sectors are resistant to price bubble. The co-bubble analysis reveals a strong reliance of wind index on price bubble in the solar and water indexes. Price bubble in Asia significantly influences price bubble in Europe and the USA. These findings have implications for investment portfolio management and risk management strategies in the new green economy market.

  • Prioritising national healthcare service issues from free text feedback – A computational text analysis & predictive modelling approach
    • Adegboyega Ojo
    • Nina Rizun
    • Grace Walsh
    • Mona Isazad Mashinchi
    • Maria Venosa
    • Manohar Narayana Rao
    2024 Full text DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEMS

    Patient experience surveys have become a key source of evidence for supporting decision-making and continuous quality improvement within healthcare services. To harness free-text feedback collected as part of these surveys for additional insights, text analytics methods are increasingly employed when the data collected is not amenable to traditional qualitative analysis due to volume. However, while text analytics techniques offer good predictive capabilities, they have limited explanatory features often required in formal decision-making contexts, such as programme monitoring or evaluation. To overcome these limitations, this study integrates computational text and predictive modelling as part of a Computational Grounded Theory method to determine the effect of quality gaps in care dimensions and their prioritisation from free-text feedback. The feedback was collected as part of a national survey to support decisions on continuous improvement in Maternity Services in Ireland. Our approach enables (1) operationalising the service quality lexicon in the context of maternity care to explain the effect of quality gaps in care dimensions on overall satisfaction from free-text comments; and (2) extending the service quality lexicon with two organisational and political decision-making concepts: “Salience” and “Valence”, for prioritising perceived quality gaps. These methodological affordances enable the extension of service quality theory to explicitly support the prioritisation of improvement decisions which before now required additional decision frameworks. Results show that tangibles-, process-, and reliability-related care issues have the highest importance in our study context. We also find that hospital contexts partly determine the relative importance of gaps in care dimensions.

  • Proaktywne podejście geotechniczne do zachowania dziedzictwa kulturowego i naturalnego: przypadek San Leo we Włoszech Proactive Geotechnical Approach to Preserve Cultural and Natural Heritage: The Case of the Town of San Leo in Italy
    • Jarosław Przewłócki
    • Lesław Zabuski
    2024 Full text Wiadomości Konserwatorskie

    Artykuł dotyczy miasta San Leo, znanego z atrakcyjnych zabytków historycznych, zwłaszcza twierdzy Rocca Fortezza stanowiącej architektoniczne arcydzieło. Jest ona położona na wysokiej skale, której zbocza od setek lat ulegały procesom osuwiskowym. Najpoważniejsze osuwisko miało miejsce w 2014. Aby uniknąć potencjalnej katastrofy i zapewnić bezpieczeństwo miastu, w pracy przeprowadzono analizę proaktywną, polegającą na przewidywaniu problemu i podejmowaniu działań w celu zminimalizowania możliwych trudności związanych ze statecznością obiektów. Parametry geomechaniczne określono metodą analizy wstecznej dla przekroju, w którym wystąpiło ostatnie rozległe osuwisko. Obliczenia numeryczne wykonano przy użyciu metody elementów oddzielnych (DEM). Dla wyznaczonych parametrów przeprowadzono analizę stateczności i deformacji w przekroju potencjalnie niekorzystnym. Ponadto przeanalizowano przekrój klifu znajdujący się bezpośrednio pod twierdzą, dla którego zaproponowano środki stabilizujące.

  • Probing Luminescence in the Collisions of Furan Molecules with Dihydrogen Cations Using Collision-Induced Emission Spectroscopy
    • Tomasz Wąsowicz
    2024 Full text Romanian Journal of Physics

    Optical spectroscopic studies of furan molecules (C4H4O) impinged by dihydrogen cations (H2 +) were for the first time performed employing collision induced emission spectroscopy at ions incident energy range of 25–1000 eV corresponding to the velocities from 49 to 311 km/s. The recorded spectra reveal strong luminescence of atomic hydrogen Balmer lines whose intensities weaken with rising principal quantum number n. The spectra also display emission bands of CH radicals excited to the first A2Δ and second B2Σ− electronic states. The emission yield curves of these excited products were additionally measured by recording resultant intensities at different projectile energies. Impact processes are unveiled based on these results.

  • Problematyka mycia elementów obrabianych po operacjach docierania jednotarczowego powierzchni płaskich
    • Adam Barylski
    2024 Dozór Techniczny

    W artykule omówiono wybrane zagadnienia mycia elementów po wykończeniowej obróbce ściernej luźnym ścierniwem. Przedstawiono technikę pooperacyjnego mycia ultradźwiękowego, czasochłonność oczyszczania drobnych elementów z ceramiki technicznej oraz skuteczność mycia ręcznego i ultradźwiękowego żeliwa sferoidalnego po docieraniu.

  • Problems of Measuring Gas Content in Oil in a Two-Phase Flow: A Review
    • Cezary Edling
    • Paweł Śliwiński
    2024 ENERGIES

    In view of the necessity of measuring the air content in oil in two-phase flows in the context of general industry, a review of the most popular methods of measuring the air content in oil was carried out. This review includes an assessment of their advantages and disadvantages and of whether they meet criteria such as the degree of filling, the size and number of bubbles, verification, the absence of additional pressure drops, simplicity, and repeatability. In the review, the following methods were examined: the classic trapping method, a modified trapping method, a trapping method using hydrostatic pressure loss, the pressure loss due to frictional flow resistance, the pressure loss with a rapid increase in diameter, the pressure drop in a Venturi tube, the pressure drop in an orifice, a method using the Coriolis effect, the electrical resistance method, the electrical conductivity method, the electromagnetic method, the electrical capacitance method, the thermal anemometry method, the liquid–solid contact electrification method, the photographic method, holography, light scattering, sound dispersion, the ultrasonic transit-time method, X-ray radiation, gamma radiation, neutron radiation, and fiber-optic methods.

  • Procedury diagnostyczne badania izolacji maszyn elektrycznych
    • Marek Olesz
    • Marcin Gulczyński
    • Marek Adamowicz
    2024 Full text Przegląd Elektrotechniczny

    Artykuł opisuje stosowane w praktyce procedury diagnostyki off-line dla silników elektrycznych niskiego i średniego napięcia. Poza pomiarem rezystancji izolacji do eksploatacji wprowadza się metody impulsowe z dodatkową rejestracją impulsów wyładowań niezupełnych. Analiza odpowiedzi izolacji na oscylacyjne przebiegi napięcia zasadniczo poprawia możliwość wykrywania wewnętrznych uszkodzeń - w tym między zwojowych – w układzie izolacyjnym, co przedstawiono dla omówionego przypadku silnika elektrycznego średniego napięcia.

  • Progress in ATRP-derived materials for biomedical applications
    • Mohsen Khodadadiyazdi
    • Payam Zarrintaj
    • Mohammad Saeb
    • Masoud Mozafari
    • Sidi A. Bencherif
    2024 PROGRESS IN MATERIALS SCIENCE

    The continuing wave of technological breakthroughs and advances is critical for engineering well- defined materials, particularly biomaterials, with tailored microstructure and properties. Over the last few decades, controlled radical polymerization (CRP) has become a very promising option for the synthesis of precise polymeric materials with an unprecedented degree of control over mo lecular architecture. Atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP), one of the most robust and efficient CRPs, has been at the forefront of the synthesis of well-defined polymers with controlled/ predetermined molecular weights, polydispersity, topology, composition, and site-specific func tionality. ATRP has been leveraged to prepare a wide range of polymers with properties tailored for a number of biomedical applications. Furthermore, ATRP can also be utilized to introduce stimuli-responsive properties into the chemical structure of polymers. Moreover, the degradation behavior of ATRP-derived polymers can be tailored by incorporating chemical bonds susceptible to hydrolysis or proteolysis. This strategy allows the design of degradable polymers for in vivo applications. This review summarizes the recent advances in ATRP for the design of functional materials and techniques implemented to advance the biomedical field, such as surface modifi cation and functionalization. Additionally, the latest applications and progress of ATRP-derived materials in various biomedical arenas such as drug delivery, tissue engineering, bioimaging, and biosensing are reported. Lastly, the current limitations and future perspectives of ATRP- derived biomaterials are carefully discussed to support further improvement of their properties and performance for translatability into the clinic. Moving forward, there is a need for further development of ATRP to align with green chemistry principles. This entails exploring the use of renewable monomers, environmentally friendly and nontoxic solvents, as well as metal-free and biocompatible catalysts. Additionally, researchers should thoroughly investigate the bioactivity, biodegradation behavior, and in vivo fate of ATRP-derived polymers and polymer conjugates before considering their translation into clinical applications

  • Progress in module design for membrane distillation
    • Aamer Ali
    • Mohammad Mahdi Agha Shirazi
    • Lebea Nthunya
    • Roberto Castro Munoz
    • Norafiqah Ismail
    • Naser Tavajohi
    • Guillermo Zaragoza
    • Cejna Anna Quist-Jensen
    2024 Full text DESALINATION

    There have been tremendous advances in membrane distillation (MD) since the concept was introduced in 1961: new membrane designs and process configurations have emerged, and its commercial viability has been evaluated in several pilot-scale studies. However, its high energy consumption has hindered its commercialization. One of the most promising ways to overcome this obstacle is to develop more energy-efficient membrane modules. The MD research community has therefore developed diverse new module configurations for hollow fiber and flat sheet membranes that increase the thermal energy efficiency of MD by minimizing thermal polarization, increasing mass transfer across the membrane, and improving heat recovery from the condensed vapor. This review summarizes the progress made in the design of hollow fiber and flat sheet membrane modules for MD applications. It begins with a brief introduction to MD and its configurations before describing developments in module fabrication and highlighting key areas where further research is needed.

  • Properties of some fruit wines
    • Kim Mo Young
    • Martyna Lubinska-Szczygeł
    • Martin Polovka
    • Bianka Tobolkova
    • Pitipong Thobunluepop
    • Yong Seo Park
    • Kyung Sik Ham
    • Yang Kyun Park
    • Seong Gook Kang
    • Dinorah Barasch
    • Alina Nemirovski
    • Shela Gorinstein
    2024 Full text EUROPEAN FOOD RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY

    Recently wereported about theconsumption of redwines fromgrapes, havingseveral health properties. Thereare different types of wines that originated fromgrapesand other fruits. In the present study fruit wines frompersimmon, kiwifruit and pomegranatewereinvestigated and compared for theirantioxidant ability, usingcupricion reducingantioxidant capacity (CUPRAC)and the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH)assays. To thefruit wines wereapplied thesamemethods of investigation as to thetraditional ones madefromgrapes. Theresults showed the highest antioxidant activity of pomegranate, followed by kiwifruit and persimmonwines. Fourier transforminfrared (FTIR)spectroscopy was used in order to correlatetheseresults. Theinteraction of wine bioactivecompounds with themain serumproteins in the humanmetabolism, such as human serumalbumin (HSA), globulin (GL),and fibrinogen (FB), showed that pomegranatewine possesses higher quenchingproperties than kiwifruit and persimmonwines. All determined fluorescenceindices havea direct correlationwith the bioactivity of polyphenolsand not with thecontent ofalcohol. We hypothesizethat theresults of theinteraction ofmain human serumproteins with bioactivecompounds of wines can beadditional predictors

  • Proposed concept for the development of residential floating facilities
    • Emilia Miszewska
    • Maciej Niedostatkiewicz
    • Radosław Wiśniewski
    2024 Full text Inżynieria Bezpieczeństwa Obiektów Antropogenicznych

    Currently, a dynamic growth of interest in residential buildings located on the water can be observed in Poland. However, the lack of legal regulations, the increase in society's affluence and overpopulation in city centers lead to reflection on the development strategy that should be implemented for maritime construction. The publication presents a proposal of four development strategy concepts: aggressive, conservative, competitive and defensive, developed for floating homes (FHs) based on the authors' own research. The strategy concept that, in the authors' opinion, should be implemented was indicated using the TOWS-SWOT analysis. A detailed analysis revealed that the strategy that obtained the highest result in the study was the aggressive strategy

  • Proteases immobilized on nanomaterials for biocatalytic, environmental and biomedical applications: Advantages and drawbacks
    • Muhammad Bilal
    • Sarmad Ahmad Qamar
    • Diego Carballares
    • Ángel Berenguer-Murcia
    • Roberto Fernandez-Lafuente
    2024 Full text BIOTECHNOLOGY ADVANCES

    Proteases have gained significant scientific and industrial interest due to their unique biocatalytic characteristics and broad-spectrum applications in different industries. The development of robust nanobiocatalytic systems by attaching proteases onto various nanostructured materials as fascinating and novel nanocarriers has demonstrated exceptional biocatalytic performance, substantial stability, and ease of recyclability over multiple reaction cycles under different chemical and physical conditions. Proteases immobilized on nanocarriers may be much more resistant to denaturation caused by extreme temperatures or pH values, detergents, organic solvents, and other protein denaturants than free enzymes. Immobilized proteases may present a lower inhibition. The use of non-porous materials in the immobilization prevents diffusion and steric hindrances during the binding of the substrate to the active sites of enzymes compared to immobilization onto porous materials; when using very large or solid substrates, orientation of the enzyme must always be adequate. The advantages and problems of the immobilization of proteases on nanoparticles are discussed in this review. The continuous and batch reactor operations of nanocarrier-immobilized proteases have been successfully investigated for a variety of applications in the leather, detergent, biomedical, food, and pharmaceutical industries. Information about immobilized proteases on various nanocarriers and nanomaterials has been systematically compiled here. Furthermore, different industrial applications of immobilized proteases have also been highlighted in this review.

  • Proyecto Valija
    • Dominika Krechowicz
    2024

    Projekt "Walizka", koncepcja: prof. dr hab. Zbigniew Szot Uniwersytet Artystyczny w Poznaniu, Wydział Malarstwa i Rysunku. W projekcie wzięło udział 46 artystów z Polski oraz z Czech, Niemiec, Gruzji, Japonii. Koncepcja projektu dotyczy szeroko pojętego tematu podróży. W obecnych czasach zagrożenia COVID-19 słowo „podróż” zaczyna nabierać zupełnie innego znaczenia. Żyjąc i tworząc w izolacji od wielu miesięcy, została stworzona wspólnie autonomiczna kolekcja prac, dedykowanych tylko tej walizce, która teraz jest wysyłana w podróż. Prace i walizka stanowią nierozłączną całość. Koncepcją projektu jest zaprezentowanie prac w wybranych miejscach oraz pozostawienie swojego znaku na wieku walizki. Wystawa została zaprezentowana w Palacio de Colomina, siedzibie Uniwersytetu CEU im. Kardynała Herrery w Walencji w Hiszpanii. Termin realizacji: 29.10.2024 do 28.11.2024.

  • PRZEBUDOWA MOSTU SKŁADANEGO MS 22-80 NA MOST Z PRZĘSŁEM ZWODZONYM
    • Andrzej Ambroziak
    • Maciej Malinowski
    • Mirosław Wałęga
    2024

    The structural analysis of a road foldable prefabricated steel Bailey-type bridge located over the Tuga River in Żelichowo, Poland is investigated in the paper. Interesting and untypical bridge redevelopment performed made a possibility to lift the middle foldable bridge span by 4.0 m concerning the existing state. This paper can provide engineers and designers basis for structural analysis in the field of foldable Bailey-type bridge constructions.

  • Przedawaryjny stan techniczny estakady suwnicy pomostowej o udźwigu 20 ton po wieloletnim okresie użytkowania
    • Tomasz Majewski
    • Maciej Niedostatkiewicz
    2024

    W artykule opisano stan przedawaryjny konstrukcji nośnej estakady suwnicy pomostowej, po 49 latach jej eksploatacji. Estakada suwnicy nie stwarzała bezpośredniego zagrożenia bezpieczeństwa konstrukcji oraz bezpieczeństwa użytkowania, jednak z uwagi na wieloletni okres eksploatacji, który w praktyce inżynierskiej przyjmowany jest domyślnie jako projektowany okres trwałości, konieczne było wykonanie kompleksowej i szczegółowej kontroli jej stanu technicznego suwnicy oraz szczegółowej oceny stanu technicznego wszystkich jej elementów konstrukcyjnych pod kątem dopuszczenia jej do dalszej eksploatacji. W artykule opisano zaproponowane i zrealizowane rozwiązania, których celem było doprowadzenia przedmiotowej estakady do właściwego stanu technicznego, umożliwiającego dalszą bezpieczną eksploatacje suwnicy pomostowej jako urządzenia.

  • Przegląd metod wyznaczania parcia mieszanki betonowej na deskowanie
    • Andrzej Ambroziak
    2024 Przegląd Budowlany

    W pracy poruszono tematykę wyznaczania parcia mieszanki betonowej na deskowanie. Zebrano i opisano wybrane cztery modele stosowane do wyznaczania rozkładu ciśnienia poziomego świeżej mieszanki betonowej oddziaływującej na deskowanie. Dokonano krótkiego przeglądu literatury z zakresu omawianej tematyki parcia mieszanki betonowej na deskowanie.

  • Przekształtnik DC-DC 24V/12kV z transformatorem macierzowym do ładowarek kondensatorów wysokonapięciowych HVCC
    • Marek Adamowicz
    • Jędrzej Pietryka
    • Zbigniew Krzemiński
    2024 Full text Przegląd Elektrotechniczny

    W artykule przedstawiono projekt i wykonanie kompaktowej, przenośnej wysokonapięciowej ładowarki kondensatorów 12kV, 1kJ/s, zasilanej z baterii akumulatorów 24V. Podstawowym wyzwaniem zaprojektowania przekształtnika o tak wysokiej przekładni transformatora jest minimalizacja indukcyjności rozproszenia transformatora, która wpływa na ograniczenie mocy przenoszonej przez transformator, a tym samym uniemożliwia regulację prądu i napięcia strony wtórnej przekształtnika. Przekształtnik DC-DC ładowarki wykorzystuje transformator macierzowy wysokiej częstotliwości o wspólnym uzwojeniu pierwotnym i 16 uzwojeniach wtórnych, z których 14 jest połączonych z mostkami prostowniczymi, a dwa stanowią uzwojenia pomocnicze. Szeregowo połączone wyjścia mostków prostowniczych tworzą wysokonapięciowe wyjście ładowarki.

  • Przestrzenne rozwinięcia chmur punktów. Podstawy teoretyczne oraz przykłady aplikacyjne
    • Paweł Dąbrowski
    2024

    Przedmiotem monografii są przestrzenne rozwinięcia chmur punktów obiektów symetrycznych. Przedstawienie geometrii obiektów w postaci chmur punktów następuje w wyniku przeprowadzenia pomiaru w technologii skaningu laserowego oraz odpowiedniego przetworzenia zapisanych obserwacji. Powstały zbiór danych przestrzennych stanowi szczegółową i dokładną numeryczną reprezentację pomierzonych powierzchni obiektu. W skład chmur wchodzą często miliony punktów, co powoduje występowanie trudności interpretacyjnych podczas ich wizualizacji. W szczególny sposób dotyczy to cechujących się regularnością kształtu obiektów symetrycznych. W trójwymiarowej przestrzeni pomierzone punkty przedstawiają odrębne części obiektu i występują wtedy na jednym kierunku. Celem pracy było stworzenie alternatywnej postaci chmury punktów, która zachowuje dotychczasową szczegółowość, pozwala na czytelniejszą jej prezentację i ułatwia wnioskowanie odnośnie geometrii obiektu symetrycznego. Przeprowadzenie przestrzennego rozwinięcia chmury punktów wymaga określenia regularnej matematycznej powierzchni podstawowej, aproksymującej kształt obiektu symetrycznego. Powierzchnią tą może być np. walec, sfera, elipsoida obrotowa lub hiperboloida. Stanowi ona powierzchnię odniesienia dla pomierzonych punktów w chmurze. Drugim niezbędnym elementem koniecznym do przeprowadzenia rozwinięcia jest zdefiniowanie elementu symetrii powierzchni podstawowej (punktu lub linii). Do wyznaczenia wartości parametrów geometrycznych określających zarówno powierzchnie, jak i elementy symetrii wykorzystano m.in. nieodporne i odporne metody estymacji. W oparciu o uzyskane parametry przeprowadzana jest parametryzacja wszystkich punktów z chmury, polegająca na przypisaniu im odpowiednich współrzędnych krzywoliniowych związanych z powierzchnią podstawową. Dodatkowo, wyznaczane są liniowe wartości separacji punktów od powierzchni pierwotnej (tzw. parametr głębokości przestrzennego rozwinięcia). W efekcie uzyskiwany jest nowy sposób prezentacji chmury punktów obiektu symetrycznego, opierający się na współrzędnych krzywoliniowych oraz parametrze głębokości.

  • Psychophysiological strategies for enhancing performance through imagery – skin conductance level analysis in guided vs. self-produced imagery
    • Dagmara Budnik-Przybylska
    • Paweł Syty
    • Maria Kaźmierczak
    • Jacek Przybylski
    • Łukasz Doliński
    • Marta Łabuda
    • Patryk Jasik
    • Adrian Kastrau
    • Selenia di Fronso
    • Maurizio Bertollo
    2024 Full text Scientific Reports

    Athletes need to achieve their optimal level of arousal for peak performance. Visualization or mental rehearsal (i.e., Imagery) often helps to obtain an appropriate level of activation, which can be detected by monitoring Skin Conductance Level (SCL). However, different types of imagery could elicit different amount of physiological arousal. Therefore, this study aims: (1) to investigate differences in SCL associated with two instructional modalities of imagery (guided vs. self-produced) and six different scripts; (2) to check if SCL could differentiate respondents according to their sport expertise. Thirty participants, aged between 14 and 42 years (M = 22.93; SD = 5.24), with different sport levels took part in the study. Participants listened to each previously recorded script and then were asked to imagine the scene for a minute. During the task, SCL was monitored. We analysed the mean value, variance, slope and number of fluctuations per minute of the electrodermal signal. Unsupervised machine learning models were used for measuring the resemblance of the signal. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used for distinguishing guided and self-produced imagery, and The Mann–Whitney U test was used for distinguishing results of different level athletes. We discovered that among others, self-produced imagery generates lower SCL, higher variance, and a higher number of fluctuations compared to guided imagery. Moreover, we found similarities of the SCL signal among the groups of athletes (i.e. expertise level). From a practical point of view, our findings suggest that different imagery instructional modalities can be implemented for specific purposes of mental preparation.

  • Public space as a place of rehabilitation for the elderly – a systematic literature review
    • Agnieszka Gębczyńska-Janowicz
    • Rafał Janowicz
    2024 Full text MEDYCYNA PRACY

    The phenomenon of the population’s gradual global ageing means that an increasing proportion of research is concerned with the space in which seniors function on a daily basis. They are primarily aimed at identifying elements of the built environment that need updating in the new social context. The purpose of the analyses presented in this article is to review the current scientific literature on various aspects of physical activity of people outdoors in an urbanized environment. The scope review was based on the resources of 3 scientific databases (Web of Science, Scopus and PubMed). The analyses concerned articles published in the last decade (2013–2023). The collected material was subjected to the PRISMA procedure (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analytics), and 29 articles were extracted for analysis. The conducted research indicated thematic scopes that are undertaken in contemporary research on physical activities of a rehabilitation nature undertaken in public space by older people (>65 years of age). The research topics described in the articles analysed dealt with elements defining the characteristics of public space that mobilise older people to be active, identified barriers preventing its use and factors popularising it. The studies analysed also identified the characteristics of public spaces according to the type of activity used by seniors for rehabilitation. The result of the review is the separation of the thematic scope of research on the activation of the elderly in the open air towards rehabilitation. The information provided may be useful for architects, urban planners and people managing urban spaces to determine design solutions that meet the needs of older people.

  • Public valuation of social impacts. The comparison between mega and non-mega sporting events
    • Krystian Zawadzki
    2024 Full text Journal of Policy Research in Tourism Leisure and Events

    The main aim of this study is to assign value to intangible effects,including social impacts, which appear when organising sportingevents of various scales in the city of Gdansk located in northernPoland. A survey was conducted to determine the city residents’willingness-to-pay (WTP) using the contingent valuation method(CVM). The average WTP values, which ranged between PLN 6.04and PLN 46.34, show that the scale of the sporting event may beimportant for the local community’s perception of such socialimpacts as well-being and urban regeneration. However,considering the costs of organising sporting events–includingthe preparation of sporting facilities–it turns out that it is easierto justify spending public funds for holding smaller events,among others, due to the possibility of organising such events inthe same place more frequently.

  • Pulse Transit Time - Fiducial Points Accuracy Determination as Examined by Means of Synthetic Signals
    • Artur Poliński
    • Adam Bujnowski
    • Tomasz Kocejko
    • Jerzy Wtorek
    2024

    There are many approaches to non-invasively deter-mine blood pressure. Among them there are methods based on utilizing pulse transit time measured by means of photoplethys-mography. The variability of the blood pressure drop between two measurement sensors placed along the artery and its dependence on the selected parameters describing the cardiovascular system is presented in the paper. This pressure drop modifies the pressure pulse propagation velocity, thus also value of PTT. The properties of four fiducial points on the radial and brachial arteries were analyzed. Publicly available simulation data were used for the analyses. The best results were achieved for the point defined by the maximum of the first derivative of the signal.

  • PVA-Based Films with Strontium Titanate Nanoparticles Dedicated to Wound Dressing Application
    • Beata Kaczmarek-Szczepańska
    • Lidia Zasada
    • Marcin Wekwejt
    • Maria Swiontek Brzezinska
    • Anna Michno
    • Anna Ronowska
    • Magdalena Ciesielska
    • Ganna Kovtun
    • M. Teresa Cuberes
    2024 Full text Polymers

    Bioactive materials may be applied in tissue regeneration, and an example of such materials are wound dressings, which are used to accelerate skin healing, especially after trauma. Here, we proposed a novel dressing enriched by a bioactive component. The aim of our study was to prepare and characterize poly(vinyl alcohol) films modified with strontium titanate nanoparticles. The physicochemical properties of films were studied, such as surface free energy and surface roughness, as well as the mechanical properties of materials. Moreover, different biological studies were carried out, like in vitro hemo- and cyto-compatibility, biocidal activity, and anti-biofilm formation. Also, the degradation of the materials’ utilization possibilities and enzymatic activity in compost were checked. The decrease of surface free energy, increase of roughness, and improvement of mechanical strength were found after the addition of nanoparticles. All developed films were cyto-compatible, and did not induce a hemolytic effect on the human erythrocytes. The PVA films containing the highest concentration of STO (20%) reduced the proliferation of Eschericha coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus significantly. Also, all films were characterized by surface anti-biofilm activity, as they significantly lowered the bacterial biofilm abundance and its dehydrogenase activity. The films were degraded by the compost microorganism. However, PVA with the addition of 20%STO was more difficult to degrade. Based on our results, for wound dressing application, we suggest using bioactive films based on PVA + 20%STO, as they were characterized by high antibacterial properties, favorable physicochemical characteristics, and good biocompatibility with human cells.

  • Quality control of cheese samples for the presence of natamycin preservative – A natural deep eutectic solvent (NADES) based extraction coupled with HPLC
    • Hameed Haq
    • Nail Altunay
    • Mustafa Tuzen
    • Grzegorz Boczkaj
    2024 JOURNAL OF FOOD COMPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

    A new protocol for the determination of natamycin – an antifungal agent used as a food preservative - in cheese samples – is described. This new method is based on a natural deep eutectic solvent (NADES) green extraction procedure. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used for detection and quantification. NADESs with different molar ratios were evaluated for efficient and selective extraction. NADES made of thymol and nonanoic acid (1:1) revealed to be the best extracting solvent. All significant analytical parameters - pH, temperature, NADES volume, time for sonication were optimized using Plackett-Burman (PB) and central composite design (CCD) - response surface methodology (RSM). Optimum conditions for extraction were pH 7, temperature 25°C, NADES volume 4.5 mL for 20 mL sample, and sonication time 10 mins. The developed method has a satisfactory linearity of 2–80.4 mg/kg, limits of detections (LOD), and limit of quantification (LOQ) of 0.45 and 1.45 mg/kg respectively. Under optimized conditions, the sample preparation procedure takes 12 mins. The method was found selective due to the unique and representative features of DESs. Furthermore, the extracts are analyzed by HPLC which provides a second very effective separation step, assuring the selectivity of the method. Validation of the method confirms the robustness and reproducibility of the NADES-based extraction coupled with the HPLC method demonstrating the effectiveness of NADES. The findings of this work contribute to the field of food safety and quality control, offering a novel and efficient approach to the detection of natamycin in cheese samples.

  • Quantifying inconsistencies in the Hamburg Sign Language Notation System
    • Maria Ferlin
    • Sylwia Majchrowska
    • Marta A. Plantykow
    • Alicja Kwaśniewska
    • Agnieszka Mikołajczyk-Bareła
    • Milena Olech
    • Jakub Nalepa
    2024 EXPERT SYSTEMS WITH APPLICATIONS

    The advent of machine learning (ML) has significantly advanced the recognition and translation of sign languages, bridging communication gaps for hearing-impaired communities. At the heart of these technologies is data labeling, crucial for training ML algorithms on a huge amount of consistently labeled data to achieve models that generalize well. The adoption of language-agnostic annotations is essential to connect different sign languages, as single-language databases often provide limited lexicon examples, insufficient for training robust ML algorithms. This study critically examines the Hamburg Sign Language Notation System (HamNoSys), which describes the signer’s initial position and body movements, in contrary to the meanings of glosses. Despite HamNoSys’s utility in standardizing transcriptions across various sign languages, our investigation uncovers inconsistencies within HamNoSys that may negatively impact the development of accurate and reliable ML models. By analyzing HamNoSys labels across five sign languages, we identified a lack of standardized annotation procedures and the complexities within HamNoSys that introduce biases and errors. Our findings underscore the urgent need for unified, standardized data annotation guidelines to enhance the accuracy and efficiency of sign language recognition technologies. This research highlights the importance of addressing annotation challenges and advocates for a comprehensive, diversified database to improve the generalization of ML models.

  • Quantitative loss analysis of opaque perovskite solar cells using transient and steady-state characterization
    • Katarzyna Cudo
    • Riccardo Ollearo
    • Gerwin H. Gelinck
    • Yulia Galagan
    • Damian Głowienka
    2024 Physical Review Applied

    Perovskite solar cells have emerged as a promising technology in the field of photovoltaics, owing to their notable advancements in power conversion efficiency. Recent investigations have revealed a crucial dependency of efficiency on the source of bromide within the perovskite absorption layer. To elucidate the underlying nature of traps within these solar cells, a comprehensive series of measurements was conducted under varying light intensities. Subsequently, employing an electrodynamic theoretical model, the intrinsic processes inherent to caesium and lead-based perovskite solar cells with different bromide sources were analyzed. The study reveals significant differences in transient photocurrent measurements and photocurrent-voltage characteristics among perovskites originating from different bromide sources, measured under different light intensities. Leveraging theoretical analyses on the picosecond scale, the recombination mechanism of crystal defects was meticulously described revealing the pronounced influence of capture rates on electron-hole recombination dynamics. Furthermore, the investigation substantiated the presence of a band-bending phenomenon at the interface between the hole transport layer (HTL) and perovskite, elucidating the observed transient photocurrent phenomena. The findings significantly advance the understanding of the mechanisms underlying perovskite solar cells, offering valuable insights into their performance and paving the way for enhanced efficiency and stability in future device design and optimization.

  • Quantum strategies for rendezvous and domination tasks on graphs with mobile agents
    • Giuseppe Viola
    • Piotr Mironowicz
    2024 Full text PHYSICAL REVIEW A

    This paper explores the application of quantum nonlocality, a renowned and unique phenomenon acknowledged as a valuable resource. Focusing on an alternative application, we demonstrate its quantum advantage for mobile agents engaged in specific distributed tasks without communication. The research addresses the significant challenge of rendezvous on graphs and introduces a distributed task for mobile agents grounded in the graph domination problem. Through an investigation across various graph scenarios, we showcase the quantum advantage. Additionally, we scrutinize deterministic strategies, highlighting their comparatively lower efficiency compared to quantum strategies. The paper concludes with a numerical analysis, providing further insights into our findings.

  • Quantum-assisted rendezvous on graphs: explicit algorithms and quantum computer simulations
    • Joshua Tucker
    • Paul Strange
    • Piotr Mironowicz
    • Jorge Quintanilla
    2024 NEW JOURNAL OF PHYSICS

    We study quantum advantage in one-step rendezvous games on simple graphs analytically, numerically, and using noisy intermediate-scale quantum (NISQ) processors. Our protocols realise the recently discovered (Mironowicz 2023 New J. Phys. 25 013023) optimal bounds for small cycle graphs and cubic graphs. In the case of cycle graphs, we generalise the protocols to arbitrary graph size. The NISQ processor experiments realise the expected quantum advantage with high accuracy for rendezvous on the complete graph K3. In contrast, for the graph , formed by two disconnected 4-vertex complete graphs, the performance of the NISQ hardware is sub-classical, consistent with the deeper circuit and known qubit decoherence and gate error rates.