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Gdańsk University of Technology

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  • Simulation-Based Approach to a More Efficient Handling Strategy for a Container Terminal Storage Yard: Case Study of the Baltic Hub Container Terminal
    • Karol Moszyk
    • Olga Janowczyk
    • Mariusz Deja
    2024 Full text Polish Maritime Research

    The primary objective of this research was to implement a more efficient handling strategy in the container terminal storage yard at the Baltic Hub Container Terminal (BHCT). Following an analysis of the current logistics system associated with starboard-side mooring, an attempt was made to shift the mooring to the port side. Two routing strategies corresponding to the analysed mooring operations were tested using a developed model. Simulations were conducted to enable a comparison of various handling strategies that were suitable for the mooring arrangements and equipment under investigation. This analysis was based on reliable information obtained from a real process. Evaluative criteria for examining the impact of changing the handling strategy of internal movement vehicles (IMVs) in the terminal storage yard in terms of process efficiency included the total time and distance of container transportation and the truck utilisation level. A new route for IMVs was developed to accommodate the changed mooring operation. This adjustment aimed to enhance the discharge process and to reduce the distance travelled, resulting in a reduction in fuel consumption. The shorter travel distance also positively impacted productivity, and contributed to a reduction in operating costs. The changes to the mooring arrangement directly resulted in a 10% increase in the quay crane gross productivity, measured in moves per hour (mph). Given that many ports do not pay attention to how ships are moored, the case study and analysis presented here can help staff quickly improve their handling strategy and productivity, thus increasing the port’s competitiveness.

  • Simulations of the Behavior of Granular Bodies Using the Discrete Element Approach
    • Jan Kozicki
    • Andrzej Tejchman-Konarzewski
    2024

    Zachowanie niespójnych ciał ziarnistych opisano metodą elementów dyskretnych (DEM) w warunkach quasi-statycznych dwu- i trójwymiarowych. Do symulacji nieregularnego kształtu granulatu wykorzystano kule z momentami kontaktowymi lub skupiska sztywnych kul. Początkowo badano dwa różne problemy dla zagęszczonego materiału ziarnistego: pasywne przemieszczanie ściany oporowej i ściskanie w płaskim stanie odkształceń pod stałym ciśnieniem bocznym. Skupiono się na lokalizacji ścinania, która jest podstawowym zjawiskiem w ciałach ziarnistych. Lokalizację ścinania zidentyfikowano w DEM na podstawie rotacji ziaren i rosnącego współczynnika pustych przestrzeni. Aby uzyskać lepszy wgląd w początek powstawania lokalizacji ścinania, wyznaczono struktury wirowe za pomocą rozkładu Helmholtza-Hodge'a (HHD) pola wektorowego przemieszczeń uzyskanego za pomocą DEM. Rozkład pola wektorowego przemieszczeń pozwolił na wydzielenie trzech jednoznacznie zdefiniowanych części składowych: wolnej od wirów (związanej ze zmianą objętości), wolnej od dywergencji (związanej z wirami i czystym ścinaniem) i harmonicznej (związanej z czystą translacją). Stwierdzono bezpośrednią korelację pomiędzy lokalizacjami ścinania a strukturami wirowymi. Wiry lokalizowały się wcześniej w miejscach, w których ostatecznie rozwinęły się strefy ścinania.

  • Single Cell Expression Systems for the Production of Recombinant Proteins for Immunodiagnosis and Immunoprophylaxis of Toxoplasmosis
    • Karolina Sołowińska
    • Lucyna Holec-Gąsior
    2024 Microorganisms

    Toxoplasmosis represents a significant public health and veterinary concern due to its widespread distribution, zoonotic transmission, and potential for severe health impacts in susceptible individuals and animal populations. The ability to design and produce recombinant proteins with precise antigenic properties is fundamental, as they serve as tools for accurate disease detection and effective immunization strategies, contributing to improved healthcare outcomes and disease control. Most commonly, a prokaryotic expression system is employed for the production of both single antigens and multi-epitope chimeric proteins; however, the cloning strategies, bacterial strain, vector, and expression conditions vary. Moreover, literature reports show the use of alternative microbial systems such as yeast or Leishmania tarentolae. This review provides an overview of the methods and strategies employed for the production of recombinant Toxoplasma gondii antigenic proteins for the serological detection of T. gondii infection and vaccine development.

  • Single-Phase 15-Level Switched-Capacitor Boost Multilevel Inverter Topology for Renewable Energy Applications
    • Ahmed Awadelseed
    • Arkadiusz Lewicki
    • Atif Iqbal
    2024 Full text IEEE Access

    Galvanic isolation is a vital part of a grid-connected solar PV system. With the growth of multilevel inverters for grid-connected applications, the multilevel inverters having isolation are not sufficiently discussed in the literature. In this paper, a 15-level isolated multilevel inverter topology requiring only thirteen switches is proposed. The envisaged configuration includes two cells, designated as upper and lower cells. The upper cell includes a standard H-bridge, and the lower cell is a switched capacitor-based 5level inverter. The outputs of the lower and upper cells are supplied to the load through single-phase isolation transformers. The proposed single-phase isolated inverter requires reduced switches to generate 15-level AC output voltage with a voltage gain of 7. In comparison to the MLIs mentioned in the literature, the switches connected in the proposed inverter experienced less voltage stress. The proposed inverter construction is contrasted with state-of-the-art MLIs described in the literature. PLECS software is used to simulate the inverter under various working environments, the proposed MLI able to maintain capacitor voltage balance and generate good power quality even at low values of modulation index. The experimental results achieved on a low-power laboratory prototype are utilized to validate the proposed inverter’s performance. The claimed efficiency of the inverter calculated using simulation results is found to be 97.1%. However, the efficiency calculated using experimental results is 96.4% at 700W.

  • Single-Phase Dual Ground 7L Inverter Topology with Reduced Component Count and Stress
    • Atif Iqbal
    • Jagabar Sathik M
    • Gopinath Np
    • Jarosław Guziński
    2024

    In this article, an improved single-phase dual-ground transformerless inverter topology is proposed. The proposed inverter topology is able to generate a 7L output voltage waveform with a boosting factor of 1.5. The increased voltage gain of the proposed topology does not result in increased voltage stress on the components. The proposed structure requires 8 IGBTs, one diode, and three switched capacitors (SCs) with self-voltage balancing. To further reduce leakage current, the proposed topology employs a dual ground configuration between the source's negative terminal and the grid's neutral. A comparison with recent seven-level inverter topologies is included to emphasize the proposed topology's benefits. After confirming the viability of the proposed topology through simulation using the Simulink platform, an experimental validation using 1 kW is carried out using a prototype setup, and the results are measured.

  • Singlet and triplet excited states of a series of BODIPY dyes as calculated by TDDFT and DLPNO-STEOM-CCSD methods
    • Aoussaj Sbai
    • Julien Guthmuller
    2024 PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY CHEMICAL PHYSICS

    The singlet and triplet excited states of three iodine substituted BODIPY dyes differing by their substituent (-phenyl, -phenylOH and -phenylNO2) at the meso position of the BODIPY core (BOD) are investigated by (TDA)-TDDFT and DLPNO-STEOM-CCSD calculations. An assessment of hybrid (B3LYP and MN15) and double hybrid (SOS-PBE-QIDH and SOS-ωPBEPP86) exchange-correlation functionals is performed with respect to the DLPNO-STEOM-CCSD method for four types of transitions, namely πBOD → πBOD*, πPhenyl → πBOD*, πBOD → πPhenyl* and πBOD → σIodine*. It is found that MN15 and SOS-PBE-QIDH provide a balanced description of the excited states energies when compared to the DLPNO-STEOM-CCSD results. An investigation of the effects of solvent (dichloromethane), of the substituent and of geometrical relaxation in the excited states is then performed. In particular, the study discusses the possibility of populating charge transfer states (πPhenyl → πBOD* and πBOD → πPhenyl*) following photoexcitation in the first and second absorption bands in these systems.

  • Singlet oxygen-dominated peroxymonosulfate activation by layered crednerite for organic pollutants degradation in high salinity wastewater
    • Chengji Sui
    • Zixuan Nie
    • Huan Liu
    • Grzegorz Boczkaj
    • Weizhen Liu
    • Lingshuai Kong
    • Jinhua Zhan
    2024 JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES-CHINA

    Advanced oxidation processes have been widely studied for organic pollutants treatment in water, but the degradation performance of radical-dominated pathway was severely inhibited by the side reactions between the anions and radicals, especially in high salinity conditions. Here, a singlet oxygen (1O2)-dominated non-radical process was developed for organic pollutants degradation in high salinity wastewater, with layered crednerite (CuMnO2) as catalysts and peroxymonosulfate (PMS) as oxidant. Based on the experiments and density functional theory calculations, 1O2 was the dominating reactive species and the constructed Cu-O-Mn with electron-deficient Mn captured electron from PMS promoting the generation of 1O2. The rapid degradation of bisphenol A (BPA) was achieved by CuMnO2/PMS system, which was 5-fold and 21-fold higher than that in Mn2O3/PMS system and Cu2O/PMS system. The CuMnO2/PMS system shown prominent BPA removal performance under high salinity conditions, prominent PMS utilization efficiency, outstanding total organic carbon removal rate, wide range of applicable pH and good stability. This work unveiled that the 1O2-dominated non-radical process of CuMnO2/PMS system overcame the inhibitory effect of anions in high salinity conditions, which provided a promising technique to remove organic pollutants from high saline wastewater.

  • Sintering Parameter Investigation for Bimetallic Stainless Steel 316L/Inconel 718 Composite Printed by Dual-Nozzle Fused Deposition Modeling
    • Cho-pei Jiang
    • Masrurotin Masrurotin
    • Maziar Ramezani
    • Alvian Toto Wibisono
    • Ehsan Toyserkani
    • Wojciech Macek
    2024 Full text RAPID PROTOTYPING JOURNAL

    Fused deposition modeling (FDM) nowadays offers promising future applications for fabricating not only thermoplastic-based polymers but also composite PLA/Metal alloy materials, this capability bridges the need for metallic components in complex manufacturing processes. The research is to explore the manufacturability of multi-metal parts by printing green bodies of PLA/multi-metal objects, carrying these objects to the debinding process, and varying the sintering parameters. Three different sample types of SS316L part, Inconel 718 part, and bimetallic composite of SS316L/IN718 were effectively printed. After the debinding process, the printed parts (green bodies), were isothermally sintered in non-vacuum chamber to investigate the fusion behavior at four different temperatures in the range of 1270°C -1530°C for 12 hours and slowly cooled in the furnace. All samples was assessed including geometrical assessment to measure the shrinkage, characterization (XRD) to identify the crystallinity of the compound, and microstructural evolution (Optical microscopy and SEM) to explore the porosity and morphology on the surface. The hardness of each sample types was measured and compared. The sintering parameter was optimized according to the microstructural evaluation on the interface of SS316L/IN718 composite. The investigation indicated that the de-binding of all the samples was effectively succeeded through less weight until 16% when the PLA of green bodies was successfully evaporated. The morphology result shows evidence of an effective sintering process to have the grain boundaries in all samples, while multi-metal parts clearly displayed the interface. Furthermore, the result of XRD shows the tendency of lower crystallinity in SS316L parts, whilst IN718 has a high crystallinity. The optimal sintering temperature for SS316L/IN718 parts is 1500 ⁰C. The hardness test concludes that the higher sintering temperature gives a higher hardness result. This study highlights the successful sintering of a bimetallic stainless steel 316L/Inconel 718 composite, fabricated via dual-nozzle fused deposition modeling, in a non-vacuum environment at 1500°C. The resulting material displayed maximum hardness values of 872 HV for SS316L and 755.5 HV for IN718, with both materials exhibiting excellent fusion without any cracks.

  • Sleep alterations in treatment-resistant depression patients undergoing ketamine treatment
    • Aleksander Kwaśny
    • Wiesław Jerzy Cubała
    • Adam Włodarczyk
    • Krzysztof Pastuszak
    2024 Pharmacological Reports

    Background This study examines self-reported sleep alterations in treatment-resistant depression (TRD) inpatients following intravenous ketamine administration. Methods This is a post-hoc analysis of a naturalistic observational study, which enrolled 28 inpatients with treatment-resistant major depressive disorder and analyzed self-reported sleep changes (items 1–4; ‘insomnia’, ‘nighttime restlessness’, ‘early morning waking’, ‘hypersomnia’) in Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology 30-item (IDS SR-30) in responders and non-responders stratified per Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) during short-term ketamine treatment. Results Responders, as well as non-responders, did not experience significant changes in IDS SR-30 sleep items (‘insomnia’, ‘nighttime restlessness’, ‘early morning waking’, ‘hypersomnia’) (p’s > 0.05) at 7-day follow-up after eight intravenous ketamine infusions as compared to baseline. Conclusion Neither responders, nor non-responders reported any significant alterations in sleep patterns during ketamine infusions. These findings are not in line with current literature, as so far modest improvements in sleep during ketamine treatment have been reported. Results should be interpreted with caution, primarily due to the small sample size.

  • Smart Karyotyping Image Selection Based on Commonsense Knowledge Reasoning
    • Yufeng Xu
    • Lei Shi
    • Juan Wang
    • Haoxi Zhang
    • Edward Szczerbicki
    2024 Full text CYBERNETICS AND SYSTEMS

    Karyotyping requires chromosome instances to be segmented and classified from the metaphase images. One of the difficulties in chromosome segmentation is that the chromosomes are randomly positioned in the image, and there is a great chance for chromosomes to be touched or overlap with others. It is always much easier for operators and automatic programs to tackle images without overlapping chromosomes than ones with largely overlapped chromosomes. In order to reduce the processing difficulty, adding a smart image selection procedure ahead of segmentation is practical and necessary. In this paper, we introduce the Smart Karyotyping Image Selection (SKIS) based on Commonsense Knowledge Reasoning. The initial experiment demonstrates that the proposed approach can select the expected images based on reasoning and benefit following karyotyping processes.

  • Smartphone-Assisted and Optical Quantification of Copper and Glucose Using Palm Wine-Tailored Carbon Dots and Their Multiple Logic Gate Application
    • Anisha Mandal
    • Subrahmanyam Sappati
    • Ankita Karmakar
    • Supratim Pradhan
    • Iwona Gabriel
    • Swambabu Varanasi
    2024 ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering

    In this work, potassium, sulfur, nitrogen, and chlorine self-doped carbon dots (CDs) were hydrothermally synthesized using palm wine as a carbon source. The palm wine-derived CDs (PW-CDs) are amorphous in nature and displayed an average particle size of 4.19 ± 0.89 nm. The as-synthesized CDs are used to fabricate a photoluminescent sensing probe to simultaneously detect Cu2+ and glucose via the “Turn ON−OFF−ON” mechanism. The PL quenching mechanism of PW-CDs enables the selective and sensitive detection of Cu2+ ions with a detection limit (LOD) of 0.8 ppb (4.7 nM). The sensing probe quantified Cu2+ in tap water, drinking water, and e-waste samples to prove its viability. Using CDs to quantify copper in e-waste leachate samples is a novel approach as no prior instances of such application have been reported. The system’s performance is considered to be highly reproducible due to the relative standard deviation being <6.64%, along with excellent recoveries within the range of 3.24−109.86%. The quenched PL can be recovered by introducing glucose into the PW-CD + Cu2+ system; this strategy is employed to quantify glucose with a LOD of 0.11 ppm (0.61 μM). The feasibility of this sensor was confirmed by the determination of glucose in actual human plasma specimens of diabetic patients. It is to be noted that these samples were neither diluted nor spiked with glucose. The developed PW-CD + Cu2+ sensing system yields satisfactory recoveries of 93.45−107.37%. This probe was also incorporated into a smartphone-based sensing platform to detect Cu2+ and glucose with desirable recoveries. The proposed smartphone-based sensing platform is flexible, reliable, and accurate, making it suitable for resource-constrained areas. Furthermore, based on the effect of Cu2+ ions and glucose on the PL response and absorbance spectra of PW-CDs, four logic gates (YES, IMPLICATION, NOT, and OR) were designed, and PW-CDs were also used for cell imaging applications.

  • Smartphone-based digital image colorimetry for the determination of total capsaicinoid content in chili pepper extracts
    • Khrystyna Vakh
    • Zarina Mallabaeva
    • Marek Tobiszewski
    2024 SPECTROCHIMICA ACTA PART A-MOLECULAR AND BIOMOLECULAR SPECTROSCOPY

    A simple smartphone-based digital image colorimetry was proposed for the determination of total capsaicinoid content and the assessment of chili pepper pungency. The biobased solvent D-limonene was used for the first time to isolate analytes. Capsaicinoids were efficiently separated from chili pepper by solid-liquid extraction with D-limonene followed by partitioning of the analytes into the ammonium hydroxide solution to eliminate the matrix interference effect. For colorimetric detection of total capsaicinoid content, a selective chromogenic reaction was performed using Gibbs reagent (2,6-dichloroquinone-4-chloroimide). Measurements were performed using a smartphone-based setup and included image analysis with the program ImageJ. The limit of detection of the proposed procedure was 0.15 mg g-1. The intra-day repeatability did not exceed 10.0%. The inter-day repeatability was less than 16.5 %. The comparison of the smartphone-based procedure with high-performance liquid chromatography showed satisfactory results.

  • Smooth least absolute deviation estimators for outlier-proof identification
    • Janusz Kozłowski
    • Zdzisław Kowalczuk
    2024 Full text MECHANICAL SYSTEMS AND SIGNAL PROCESSING

    The paper proposes to identify the parameters of linear dynamic models based on the original implementation of least absolute deviation estimators. It is known that the object estimation procedures synthesized in the sense of the least sum of absolute prediction errors are particularly resistant to occasional outliers and gaps in the analyzed system data series, while the classical least squares procedure unfortunately becomes of little use for reliably identifying systems in the presence of destructive measurement errors. Bearing in mind that the classic task of minimizing the quality functional of absolute deviations encounters fundamental analytical problems, it is proposed to use a dedicated iterative estimator for off-line evaluation of the parameters of the analyzed process. In addition, a simplified recursive version of the absolute deviation estimation procedure was developed, which allows for practical on-line tracking of the evolution of variable parameters of non-stationary systems. Importantly, a novel refinement of the discussed absolute deviation estimators was proposed to effectively overcome some inconvenient numerical effects. We also present an interesting comparison of the improved (by non-linear modification) iterative absolute-deviation estimator with the classical Gauss-Newton gradient algorithm, which leads to constructive conclusions. Finally, using computer simulations, the operation of the developed iterative and recursive estimators minimizing the absolute deviation is illustrated. The work ends with an indication of directions for further research.

  • Social Media in the Fashion Industry. Fundamentals, Strategy and Research Methods
    • SanMiguel Patricia
    • Harley Tekila Nobile
    • Cristina Sánchez-Blanco
    • Nadzeya Sabatini
    2024

    This book introduces social network fundamentals in the fashion domain. It addresses the creation of social media marketing plans, highlighting strategic approaches that allow fashion brands to differentiate themselves in the ephemeral and challenging fashion context. Through a variety of academic and professional sources and by sharing the results of their own research, the authors present research methodologies, including netnography, visual, sentiment, and argumentation analysis, for developing rigorous studies to gain social media insights that can be useful for decision-making and value creation. The book also discusses future trends regarding social media management in the fashion domain via interviews with senior fashion experts. This cutting-edge book that combines theory and practice will appeal to undergraduate and master students across a broad range of fields including fashion studies, marketing, digital marketing, and communication and to young professionals who are starting to work in social media. In addition, this book is also developed for young researchers and PhD students employing social media analysis in their studies.

  • Society 4.0: Issues, Challenges, Approaches, and Enabling Technologies
    • Edward Szczerbicki
    • Ngoc Thanh Nguyen
    2024 Full text CYBERNETICS AND SYSTEMS

    This guest edition of Cybernetics and Systems is a broadening continuation of our last year edition titled “Intelligence Augmentation and Amplification: Approaches, Tools, and Case Studies”. This time we cover research perspective extending towards what is known as Society 4.0. Bob de Vit brought the concept of Society 4.0 to life in his book “Society 4.0 – resolving eight key issues to build a citizens society”. From the Systems Science point of view, one of this concept’s enabling technologies mechanisms would be Semantic Web driven by Artificial Intelligence, Augmented Intelligence, Digital Twin, Platform Economies, Internet of Things, Smart Social Networks, Machine Learning/Deep Learning, and Cyber Physical Systems. With the help and progress in these research themes and technologies, business, commerce, production etc. would become increasingly smarter, and machines talking to machines would handle most of our daily activities, including decision-making, sustainability, wellbeing, and security. The aim of this Guest Edition of Cybernetics and Systems is to address some aspects in this global transformation path of our society

  • Soft Tissue Retraction Maneuver in Cone Beam Computed Tomography Prior to Crown-Lengthening Procedure—A Technical Note
    • Paulina Adamska
    • Marcin Stasiak
    • Wojciech Dąbrowski
    • Dorota Pylińska-Dąbrowska
    • Łukasz Adamski
    • Adam Zedler
    • Ewa Kozłowska
    • Michal Studniarek
    2024 Full text Journal of Clinical Medicine

    Background: An accurate determination of the biological width and the relationship of the cemento-enamel junction with the border of the alveolar bone is crucial during a clinical crown-lengthening (CCL) procedure. The aim of this study was to present a technical note about the retraction techniques in cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) prior to CCL, highlighting the significant enhancement in procedural accuracy and predictability that these techniques offer. Methods: Clinical and radiological examinations should be performed before a CCL procedure. It is necessary to determine the length of the tooth crowns, the periodontal pockets’ depth, and the phenotype of the gingiva. The ideal CBCT examination should be performed with soft tissue retraction. This can be achieved using retractors or cotton rolls. Results: Retraction of the lips, cheeks, and tongue allows one to assess the marginal gingiva, the cemento-enamel junction, and the alveolar bone. A detailed plan of the CCL procedure, which involves retraction, ensures both the aesthetic appeal and the achievement of a newly defined gingival zenith, enhancing the overall visual harmony. Conclusions: Compared with conventional radiographic imaging, the soft tissue retraction maneuver in CBCT prior to CCL surgery offers an effective approach to the evaluation and diagnosis of soft and hard tissue. This is because of the detailed planning of the aesthetic CCL procedure. Such an approach leads to superior aesthetic outcomes in dentistry, contributing to the advancement of aesthetic dentistry through a harmonious blend of art and science.

  • Soil burial degradation of chemically compatibilized poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate)/thermoplastic starch/poly(ε-caprolactone)/cellulose biocomposites
    • Aleksander Hejna
    • Mateusz Barczewski
    • Paulina Kosmela
    • Mohammad Saeb
    2024 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL MACROMOLECULES

    Developing bio-blends and biocomposites has become a widespread strategy to combat plastic pollution in line with sustainability principles and decarbonization necessities. Although chemically modified ternary and quaternary biocomposites are developing rapidly because of their broader processing and performance windows than single matrix and binary counterparts, a few have been reported about their biodegradation. Herein, diisocyanates-based chemically modified ternary biocomposites based on poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate), thermoplastic starch (TPS), poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL), and cellulose (Mater-Bi/PCL/cellulose) are prepared and undergone soil burial biodegradation providing a broader perspective on biodegradation of complicated systems. The mass gain of sunflower sprouts, weight retention, and the appearance of biocomposites are studied and discussed in the course of biodegradation. The unfilled Mater-Bi/PCL bio-blends presented moderate mass loss over 12 weeks, attributed to the presence of TPS in the Mater-Bi phase. The PCL addition hindered TPS decomposition and featured a noticeably lower degradation rate compared to previous reports. A significant increase in the b* parameter (position on the blue-yellow axis in the CIELAB color space), along with the yellowness and whiteness indices, was observed. Prior to soil burial, roughness differences were negligible. Still, they significantly increased over time due to the higher hydrophilicity of unfilled Mater-Bi/PCL and biocomposite containing unmodified filler.

  • Solid and liquid fractionation of sugarcane and Agave bagasse during ozonolysis and enzymatic hydrolysis: Impact on biohydrogen and biogas production
    • Jacobo Pérez-Barragán
    • Octavio García-Depraect
    • Rafael Maya-Yescas
    • Ramiro Vallejo-Rodríguez
    • Hasbleidy Palacios-Hinestroza
    • Mónica Coca
    • Roberto Castro Munoz
    • Elizabeth León-Becerril
    2024 INDUSTRIAL CROPS AND PRODUCTS

    Sustainable and cost-efficient lignocellulosic biomass-to-energy bioprocesses require assessing the main components released during biomass fractionation. This study assessed the mesophilic biochemical potential of biohydrogen (BHP) and methane production (BMP) from sugarcane bagasse (SCB) and cooked (CAB) and uncooked (UAB) Agave bagasse. A systematic comparative analysis was performed for the liquid and solid fractions derived from classical enzymatic hydrolysis and ozonolysis-assisted enzymatic hydrolysis. Ozonolysis partially delignified the materials tested while preserving most fermentable sugars and avoiding the generation of inhibitors. During hydrolysis, ozonolysis also led to higher sugar yields and organic matter solubilization regardless of the bagasse type. Hydrolysates with ozonated material showed the highest BHP of 135, 94 and 105 NmL-H2/g-VSfed and BMP of 250, 269 and 247 NmL-CH4/g-VSfed, for SCB, CAB, and UAB, respectively. The total amount of energy harvested was dependent on the material tested and the biomass conversion process applied. Compared with raw material, ozonolysis, followed by enzymatic hydrolysis, increased both the BHP and BMP by 153–371% and 5–53%, respectively.

  • Solubility enhancement of metronidazole using natural deep eutectic solvents: Physicochemical and thermodynamic studies
    • Adrian Szewczyk
    • Dorota Warmińska
    • Jakub Ruszkowski
    • Michał Szymankiewicz
    • Magdalena Prokopowicz
    2024 JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR LIQUIDS

    This research aimed to explore the utility of natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES) as the co-solvents for slightly water-soluble metronidazole (MNZ). After testing 70 wt% (percentage by weight) aqueous mixtures of seven NADESs, it was found that MNZ had the highest solubility in water solutions of NADES composed of choline chloride (ChCl) and citric acid (CA). The solubility of MNZ (expressed as 103 mol fraction) increased with the concentration of ChCl:CA NADES (from 6.7743 to 26.8518 at 298.5 K, for 30 and 70 wt% NADES-water mixtures, respectively), and it was more effective when compared to aqueous solutions of individual NADES components with wt% corresponding to these in the NADES-water mixtures. The study also found a preferable mixing of MNZ with aqueous solutions of NADES reflected by negative values of standard molar enthalpy change of mixing (approx. − 4.2 kJ·mol−1), compared with positive values in the case of MNZ mixing with water or ChCl aqueous solutions (approx. 7.3 kJ·mol−1). Comparative research conducted on the volume and acoustics of MNZ in water and aqueous solutions of ChCl, CA, and ChCl:CA NADES also confirmed stronger interactions between the drug and NADES and CA. The dominant interactions between MNZ and co-solvent were hydrophilic-hydrophobic and hydrophobic-hydrophobic. This effect increased in the following strength order: ChCl < NADES < CA. In conclusion, the obtained NADES seems to be a promising co-solvent which provides solid grounds for further research to evaluate the full potential in pharmaceutical design of MNZ liquid formulations.

  • Solvation phenomena in ternary system tetramethylurea-methylacetamide-water: Insights from volumetric, compressibility and FTIR analysis
    • Jarosław Wawer
    • Emilia Kaczkowska
    • Magdalena Tyczyńska
    • Małgorzata Jóźwiak
    • Joanna Krakowiak
    2024 JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR LIQUIDS

    The properties of the ternary systems N,N,N’,N’-tetramethylurea - N-methylacetamide - water were investigated using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), volumetric and compression measurements. Densities and sound velocities were determined in order to obtain the apparent molar volumes (VΦ) and apparent molar isentropic compressions (ΚS,Φ). These values were then extrapolated to infinite dilution. Additionally, interaction parameters were calculated from the McMillan-Mayer theory. The studies were conducted at 288.15, 298.15, and 308.15 K, at atmospheric pressure (0.1 MPa). The concentration ranges of N-methylacetamide were 2, 4, 6, and 8 moles per kilogram of pure water, and for N,N,N’,N’-tetramethylurea from 0 to around 0.35 moles per kilogram of solvent. Discrete changes in isentropic compression were observed. This is the result of the alignment of plots of ΚS,Φ 0 as a function of NMA concentration. The results for N,N,N’,N’-tetramethylurea were compared with analogous data for the system containing n-butylurea, which is an isomeric compound but exhibits different hydration behaviour. Additionally, large volumetric interaction coefficients were observed, indicating strong interactions between urea derivatives and NMA. This suggests the possibility of strong interactions between protein destabilizers and the protein backbone, differing from those observed for protein structure stabilizers. The observation contributes to understanding the mechanism of osmolyte action and their influence on protein stability.

  • Sonocatalytic degradation of Bisphenol A from aquatic matrices over Pd/CeO2 nanoparticles: Kinetics study, transformation products, and toxicity
    • Alexandra A. Ioannidi
    • Georgios Bampos
    • Maria Antonopoulou
    • Paula Oulego
    • Grzegorz Boczkaj
    • Dionisios Mantzavinos
    • Zacharias Frontistis
    2024 SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT

    In this work, different ratios of palladium – cerium oxide (Pd/CeO2) catalyst were synthesized and characterized, while their sonocatalytic activity was evaluated for the degradation of the xenobiotic Bisphenol A (BPA) from aqueous solutions. Sonocatalytic activity expressed as BPA decomposition exhibited a volcano-type behavior in relation to the Pd loading, and the 0.25Pd/CeO2 catalyst characterized by the maximum Pd dispersion and lower crystallite size demonstrated the higher activity. Using 500 mg/L of 0.25 % Pd/CeO2 increased the kinetic constant for BPA destruction by more than two times compared to sonolysis alone (20 kHz at 71 W/L). Meanwhile, the simultaneous use of ultrasound and a catalyst enhanced the efficiency by 50.1 % compared to the sum of the individual processes, resulting in 95 % BPA degradation in 60 min. The sonocatalytic degradation of BPA followed pseudo-first-order kinetics, and the apparent kinetic constant was increased with ultrasound power and catalyst loading, while the efficiency was decreased in bottled water and secondary effluent. From the experiments that were conducted using appropriate scavengers, it was revealed that the degradation mainly occurred on the bubble/liquid interface of the formed cavities, while the reactive species produced from the thermal or light excitation of the prepared semiconductor also participated in the reaction. Five first-stage and four late-stage transformation products were identified using UHPLC/TOF-MS, and a pathway for the sonocatalytic degradation of BPA was proposed. According to ECOSAR software prediction, most transformation by-products (TBPs) present lower ecotoxicity than the parent compound, although some remain toxic to the indicators chosen.

  • Sonochemical Based Processes for Treatment of Water and Wastewater
    • Kirill Fedorov
    • Manoj P Rayaroth
    • Xun Sun
    • Reza Darvishi
    • Shirish H. Sonawane
    • Noor S. Shah
    • Varsha Srivastava
    • Zhaohui Wang
    • Grzegorz Boczkaj
    2024

    Sonochemical Based Processes for Treatment of Water and Wastewater - Opportunities and Challenges – A Future Perspective.

  • Sorbents modified by deep eutectic solvents in microextraction techniques
    • Patrycja Makoś-Chełstowska
    • Jacek Gębicki
    2024 TRAC-TRENDS IN ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY

    In recent years, considerable attention has been directed towards the employment of green solvents, specifically deep eutectic solvents (DES), in liquid phase microextraction techniques. However, comprehensive and organized knowledge regarding the modification of sorbent surface structures with DES remains limited. Therefore, this paper reviews the application of DES in modifying and improving the properties of sorbents for microextraction techniques. The review begins by explaining the criteria for selecting DES as surface modifiers and the types of sorbents. Subsequently, it delves into the diverse techniques employed to modify sorbents using DES, including dip coating, sol-gel coating, polymer monolith coatings, molecular imprinting, electrochemical deposition, and simultaneous DES formation and sorbent impregnation. The impact of these modifications on sorbent selectivity, and durability, extraction efficiency, and environmental sustainability is critically evaluated. Additionally, this paper discusses the applications of DES-modified sorbents in various types of solid-phase extraction and solid-phase microextraction techniques. The review concludes with a discussion of current challenges and future perspectives in the field, including potential avenues for further research.

  • Sounding Mechanism of a Flue Organ Pipe—A Multi-Sensor Measurement Approach
    • Paolo Bordoni
    • Piotr Odya
    • Józef Kotus
    • Bożena Kostek
    2024 Full text SENSORS

    This work presents an approach that integrates the results of measuring, analyzing, and modeling air flow phenomena driven by pressurized air in a flue organ pipe. The investigation concerns a Bourdon organ pipe. Measurements are performed in an anechoic chamber using the Cartesian robot equipped with a 3D acoustic vector sensor (AVS) that acquires both acoustic pressure and air particle velocity. Also, a high-speed camera is employed to observe the jet coming out from the windway. For that purpose, the steam resulting from dry ice and hot water is used. A numerical simulation of the sounding mechanism of a pipe of the same geometry is based on measuring the pressure signal and the intensity field around the mouth employing an intensity probe and visualizing and observing the motion of the air jet, which represents the excitation mechanism of the system. The ParaVIEW software serves for the simulation and visualization of the air jet. Then, the results obtained from measurements and simulations are compared and discussed. Also, some future directions discussing the application of a machine-learning approach to the area of pipe organ air flow investigation are contained in the Conclusions section.

  • sp2-rich dendrite-like carbon nanowalls as effective electrode for environmental monitoring of explosive nitroaromatic
    • Anna Dettlaff
    • Małgorzata Szopińska
    • Daniel Houghton
    • Piotr Prasuła
    • Yisong Han
    • Marc Walker
    • Geoff West
    • Agata Kamieńska-Duda
    • Sylwia Fudala-Książek
    • Michał Sobaszek
    2024 Full text CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL

    Nitroaromatic compounds are commonly used explosive materials that pose a risk to human health and ecosystems due to their acute toxicity and carcinogenicity. Nitroaromatics have numerous pathways into the environment via discarded munitions (e.g. into the Baltic Sea after World War II), after use in mining operations, and in industrial run-off from factories producing these compounds (which are produced across the world to date). The current detection method relies on chromatography and mass spectrometry methods, which are time-consuming, expensive, and require specialist equipment and training. Carbon-based electrochemical sensors offer a low-cost, fast, and easy on-site method for the detection of a variety of compounds. This study demonstrates an efficient approach for rapid electrochemical sensing of Tetryl (N-methyl-N-2,4,6-tetranitroaniline) through the use of boron-doped sp2-rich carbon structures. These structures, known as dendrite-like carbon nanowalls (D:CNW), were fabricated in one-step deposition and extensively characterized to understand the structure and surface chemistry. Electrodes were used to detect a range of nitroaromatic compounds, most notably tetryl in both laboratory and real environmental samples, with an excellent sensitivity of 153.0 µA cm−2 ppm−1 and a detection limit of 17 ppb. The analytical and electrochemical capabilities of D:CNW electrodes indicate their suitability for extensive environmental monitoring.

  • SpamVis: A Visual Interactive System for Spam Review Detection
    • Nguyen Thanh Thao Lam
    • Nu Uyen Phuong Le
    • Md Rafiqul Islam
    • Cesar Sanin
    • Edward Szczerbicki
    2024 Full text

    In recent times, the number of spam reviews through various online platforms has emerged as a prime challenge, profoundly impacting businesses and consumers. These fake reviews not only distort clients’ perceptions of products and services but also erode trust within the digital ecosystem. Despite the advent of machine learning (ML) techniques for identifying spam reviews, comparing text, and pinpointing groups of spammers, there remain notable gaps in both accuracy and the combination of interactive visualization for real-time decision-making. This paper presents SpamVis, a visual interactive system that leverages deep learning (DL) and ML blended with advanced visualization techniques for spam review detection, enabling analysts to conduct complicated analytical queries. The system allows users to input via click-on or touch to generate interactive charts and plots tailored for spam review analysis. The findings of the baseline test carried out on 67,395 review texts demonstrate that Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers (BERT) carried out the best accuracy (86%) compared to other models. Our outcomes suggest that SpamVis can alleviate the gaps concerning accuracy and visualization needs in contemporary techniques, guiding analysts to make informed decisions for mitigating spam reviews and enhancing consumer trust. Furthermore, SpamVis empowers users to seamlessly discover the online reviews of various social media platforms in real-time, such as Facebook, Youtube, etc., giving them practical insights to navigate the online marketplace effectively

  • SPATIAL AND BEHAVIOURAL COGNITION OF WAYFINDING SYSTEM IN HOSPITAL BUILDINGS IN TERMS OF ONCOLOGY PATIENTS' COMFORT
    • Weronika Mazurkiewicz
    • Michał Sitek
    2024 Architecture Civil Engineering Environment

    This paper discusses the results of a study of the quality of space in hospital buildings in the context of solutions facilitat- ing the orientation of patients in the space of the Outpatient Clinic, in the clinic building complex of the National Institute of Oncology in Gliwice (NIO). By combining qualitative research methods with a syntactic description of the space, the aim was to record the experiences of users and define objective design guidelines for the new visual identity system. Completed research walks testing selected patient routes in the clinic space made it possible to identify decision points as nodal spaces in the wayfinding system. On the other hand, the use of the Space Syntax method allowed the identification of key areas for signage visibility and orientation in space. The proposed method can be adapted for various types of public buildings, pro- viding a flexible framework for pre-design research and analysis. Furthermore, the results show the potential of linking qualitative research methods with simulation-based user participation and digital tools for in-depth pre-design analyses.

  • Spatial variability of the hydrochemistry of shallow groundwaters and surface waters of the Rensdyrbekken: A case study of a permafrost catchment in Bellsund (SW Spitsbergen, Svalbard)
    • Sara Lehmann-konera
    • Piotr Zagorski
    • Kamil Nowinski
    • Krzysztof Raczynski
    • Marcin Frankowski
    • Łukasz Franczak
    • Mateusz Dobek
    • Danuta Szumińska
    • Ruman Marek
    • Ramia Bakain Al
    • Żaneta Polkowska
    2024 Full text LAND DEGRADATION & DEVELOPMENT

    Progressive climate change may have unpredictable consequences for the Arctic environment. Permafrost catchments off the west coast of Svalbard, described as “thin” and “warm,” are particularly sensitive to climate change. The interdisciplinary research on the hydrochemical response of surface and underground water functioning within a small permafrost catchment area focused on the determination of the impact of meteorological conditions (temperature (T), precipitation (P)) on the mean daily discharge (Q), and the lowering of the groundwater table (H). We determined physical and chemical properties (pH and SEC) and concentrations of major elements (Ca, Mg, Na, K) and 23 trace elements (i.a. Cd, Cu, Hg, Pb, Zn) in 280 water samples. The results of the correlation matrix showed that an increase in the average air temperature in the summer of 2021 had a significant impact on the hydrochemistry of both types of waters operating in the catchment. In response to increase in T, the lowering of the H (0.52 < r < 0.66) and a decrease in Q (0.66 < r < 0.68) were observed what in consequence also leads to changes in water chemistry. The principal component analysis (CA) indicates that chemical weathering and binding of elements to DOC are processes influencing water chemistry. Results of statistical analysis showed that the resultant of the hydrometeorological conditions that prevailed in that season and the type of geological formations on which they were located had a significant impact on the water chemistry at individual measurement points. Significant differences in the concentrations of elements between points on the same geological formations were also found.

  • Specification-Oriented Automatic Design of Topologically Agnostic Antenna Structure
    • Adrian Bekasiewicz
    • Mariusz Dzwonkowski
    • Tom Dhaene
    • Ivo Couckuyt
    2024

    Design of antennas for modern applications is a challenging task that combines cognition-driven development of topology intertwined with tuning of its parameters using rigorous numerical optimization. However, the process can be streamlined by neglecting the engineering insight in favor of automatic de-termination of structure geometry. In this work, a specification-oriented design of topologically agnostic antenna is considered. The radiator is developed using a bi-stage algorithm that involves min-max classification of randomly-generated topologies followed by local tuning of the promising designs using a trust-region optimization applied to a feature-based representation of the structure frequency response. The automatically generated antenna is characterized by –10 dB reflection for over 600 MHz around the center frequency of 6.5 GHz and a dual-lobe radiation pattern. The obtained performance figures make the radiator of use for in-door positioning applications. The design method has been favorably compared against the frequency-based trust-region optimization.

  • Spectroscopic studies on physicochemical properties of selected unsymmetrical bisacridine derivatives and NMR analysis of their interactions with the model sequence Pu22 aided by molecular dynamics
    • Michał Kosno
    2024 Full text

    In recent years, new promising acridine derivatives have appeared, belonging to the unsymmetrical bisacridines (UAs) family with high anticancer activity. Both their physicochemical properties and their mechanism of action at the molecular level have not been thoroughly analyzed so far. Four derivatives were selected for the study, termed as: C-2028, C-2041, C-2045 and C-2053. The first aim of this work was to determine the protonation forms in which the studied compounds exist at different pH. The second aim was the analysis of aggregation process at different conditions. Methods such as UV-Vis and NMR spectroscopy were used for this purpose. The obtained spectral data were subjected to a thorough chemometric analysis, using techniques such as principal components analysis, multiple regression and numerical optimization. Previous studies have shown that a potential molecular target for unsymmetrical bisacridines may be the promoter sequence of the C-Myc proto-oncogene, known as Pu22. Next goal of the presented work was to determine the interactions of the studied compounds with the above mentioned sequence using advanced NMR spectroscopy and molecular dynamics methods. These studies were narrowed down to the two most promising derivatives: C-2045 and C-2053. In order to determine the exact molecular structure of the obtained complexes, a series of one- and two-dimensional NMR spectra of both investigated compounds and their monomeric derivatives (C-1311 and C-1748) were recorded, which allowed to build the initial structures of the studied complexes. In the next step, they were subjected to an equilibrium MD simulation. In the final stage of the research, the nature and strength of the interactions between the studied compounds and the selected G-quadruplex were estimated using the umbrella sampling method, which allowed the determination of the free energy profiles of the obtained complexes. The results obtained allowed to determine the way in which the unsymmetrical bisacridines interact with the C-Myc promoter sequence - their potential molecular target. In addition, their basic physicochemical properties have been determined, which will allow further research on the compounds described above. In this work, a simple and reliable method for the determination of physicochemical constants has been developed and presented, which yields well credible results, even in the case of compounds with a complex structure having many sites capable of protonation.

  • Sport as a Tool for the Development of Healthy and Sustainable Cities: A Strategic Documentation Review
    • Aleksander Orłowski
    • Narek Parsamyan
    2024

    The rapidly changing cities and their environment are causing new challenges for which actions and solutions must be sought. Most of all, a major challenges facing cities are adverse environmental changes and issues related to public health and citizens well-being. Sport is present in the lives of most of us and is an essential component of urban infrastructure, while in relation to this, to what extent is it being used to support health and sustainable goals, shaping cities of tomorrow. The area of relevance of sport for healthy and sustainable cities has not been explored in depth so far. The study aims to examine the sport dimensions and sport factors that contribute to healthy and sustainable city frameworks, through a literature review and analysis of international institutions' policy documents and metrics. The study will contribute to broader understanding of the role of sport within the framework of healthy and sustainable cities and creates the paradigm of future considerations of the relevance of sport from the perspective of city management and policy maker. The novelty of this study is the use of primary sources (strategic documents) for analysis, being a relevant step for the further process of identifying the sport role towards healthy and sustainable cities.

  • Sport-related concussion alters cerebral hemodynamic activity during controlled respiration
    • Cody A. Ellingson
    • Jyotpal Singh
    • Chase J. Ellingson
    • M. Abdullah Shafiq
    • Luke W. Sirant
    • Kim D. Dorsch
    • Marcin Gruszecki
    • Gregory Kratzig
    • J Neary
    2024 JOURNAL OF NEUROPHYSIOLOGY

    This study investigated cerebral hemodynamic activity following sport-related concussion. Prefrontal cortex oxygenation was assessed by near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) during a controlled breathing protocol. Wavelet transformation of the NIRS signals showed significant decreases in HbO2 and HbD amplitude at the respiratory frequency interval (0.10–0.6 HZ) from preseason baseline to acute concussion. These results suggest a decreased respiratory contribution to cerebral hemodynamic activity following acute concussion.

  • Standardy dostępności do Zintegrowanych Węzłów Przesiadkowych
    • Kazimierz Jamroz
    • Marek Wysocki
    • Jacek Szmagliński
    • Romanika Okraszewska
    • Łukasz Jeliński
    • Anna Gobis
    2024

    Wiele z istniejących węzłów wymaga integracji pomiędzy poszczególnymi rodzajami transportu pasażerskiego i dostosowania do wymagań osób ze szczególnymi potrzebami, co jest związane z opracowaniem jednolitych standardów dostępności, jednolitej procedury i narzędzi przeprowadzenia oceny dostępności tych węzłów dla OzSP i zaproponowania skutecznych i efektywnych usprawnień. Problemy z samodzielnym i bezproblemowym przemieszczaniem się uwidaczniają się w zależności od klasy i wielkości węzła przesiadkowego (międzynarodowy, krajowy, regionalny, lokalny), jego dostępności, jakości infrastruktury i systemu obsługi. Różnice między przyjętymi rozwiązaniami i stosowanymi udogodnieniami występować mogą nie tylko między węzłami, ale również w obszarze jednego węzła, w zależności od obszaru lub elementu węzła. Sytuacja ta wynika z braku spójnych zasad projektowania obszarów węzłów transportowych traktowanych jako całość, niezależnie od rodzaju podsystemu i odpowiedzialnej jednostki. Nawet w sytuacji stosowania rozwiązań uwzględniających potrzeby poszczególnych grup OzSP, w przypadku braku spójnego podejścia dla niektórych grup – jak np. osoby niewidome – wielość rozwiązań i brak standaryzacji może również stanowić barierę. Dlatego w ramach projektu „Przesiadka bez Barier” podjęto wyzwanie zwiększenia dostępności węzłów przesiadkowych poprzez opracowanie spójnych zasad dla wszystkich elementów Zintegrowanego Węzła Przesiadkowego (budynków, ciągów pieszych, przystanków). Zasady te zebrano i przedstawiono w dokumencie zatytułowanym „Zintegrowane Węzły Przesiadkowe. Standardy Dostępności” (dalej zwanym Standardami Dostępności). Opracowany dokument z jednej strony integruje już istniejące standardy, a dodatkowo rozszerza je o zasady dla miejsc styku infrastruktury poszczególnych rodzajów transportu. Holistyczne podejście, zestawienie zbioru zasad i wytycznych odnoszących się do całego obszaru i wszystkich elementów węzła są podstawą spójnej w skali kraju oceny dostępności ZWP.

  • Static and dynamic concrete calculations: Breakable aggregates in DEM model
    • Michał Nitka
    2024 Journal of Building Engineering

    The paper deals with the calculations of a 3-point bending beam under static and dynamic loads. The real microstructure was obtained from laboratory tests using micro-tomography images. The quasi-static results were compared directly with experimental data at both macro and micro levels. Subsequently, higher strain rates were applied to investigate dynamic effects. The study focused on the influence of dynamic loading on the macroscopic stress-strain curve, crack propagation, the number of broken contacts, and the distribution of forces and stresses. Special attention was given to micro-fracture and cracking. The calculations were performed using the discrete element method (DEM) and were limited to a 2D problem. The proposed model introduced the consideration of aggregate breakages, which is a novel aspect compared to our previous computations. Fragmentation of the aggregate is particularly important in dynamic tests due to the release of higher energy. Finally, a beam with weak aggregate was used to validate the effectiveness of the model.

  • Statistical Data Pre-Processing and Time Series Incorporation for High-Efficacy Calibration of Low-Cost NO2 Sensor Using Machine Learning
    • Sławomir Kozieł
    • Anna Pietrenko-Dąbrowska
    • Marek Wójcikowski
    • Bogdan Pankiewicz
    2024 Full text Scientific Reports

    Air pollution stands as a significant modern-day challenge impacting life quality, the environment, and the economy. It comprises various pollutants like gases, particulate matter, biological molecules, and more, stemming from sources such as vehicle emissions, industrial operations, agriculture, and natural events. Nitrogen dioxide (NO2), among these harmful gases, is notably prevalent in densely populated urban regions. Given its adverse effects on health and the environment, accurate monitoring of NO2 levels becomes imperative for devising effective risk mitigation strategies. However, the precise measurement of NO2 poses challenges as it traditionally relies on costly and bulky equipment. This has prompted the development of more affordable alternatives, although their reliability is often questionable. The aim of this article is to introduce a groundbreaking method for precisely calibrating cost-effective NO2 sensors. This technique involves statistical preprocessing of low-cost sensor readings, aligning their distribution with reference data. Central to this calibration is an artificial neural network (ANN) surrogate designed to predict sensor correction coefficients. It utilizes environmental variables (temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure), cross-references auxiliary NO2 sensors, and incorporates short time series of previous readings from the primary sensor. These methods are complemented by global data scaling. Demonstrated using a custom-designed cost-effective monitoring platform and high-precision public reference station data collected over five months, every component of our calibration framework proves crucial, contributing to its exceptional accuracy (with a correlation coefficient near 0.95 concerning the reference data and an RMSE below 2.4 µg/m3). This level of performance positions the calibrated sensor as a viable, cost-effective alternative to traditional monitoring approaches.

  • Statistical Method for Analysis of Interactions Between Chosen Protein and Chondroitin Sulfate in an Aqueous Environment
    • Piotr Weber
    • Piotr Bełdowski
    • Adam Gadomski
    • Krzysztof Domino
    • Piotr Sionkowski
    • Damian Ledziński
    2024

    We present the statistical method to study the interaction between a chosen protein and another molecule (e.g., both being components of lubricin found in synovial fluid) in a water environment. The research is performed on the example of univariate time series of chosen features of the dynamics of mucin, which interact with chondroitin sulfate (4 and 6) in four different saline solutions. Our statistical approach is based on recurrence methods to analyze chosen features of molecular dynamics. Such recurrence methods are usually applied to reconstruct the evolution of a molecular system in its reduced phase space, where the most important variables in the process are taken into account. In detail, the analyzed time-series are spitted onto sub-series of records that are expected to carry meaningful information about the system of molecules. Elements of sub-series are splinted by the constant delay-time lag (that is the parameter determined by statistical testing in our case), and the length of sub-series is the embedded dimension parameter (using the Cao method). We use the recurrent plots approach combined with the Shannon entropy approach to analyze the robustness of the sub-series determination. We hypothesize that the robustness of the sub-series determines some specifics of the dynamics of the system of molecules. We analyze rather highly noised features to demonstrate that such features lead to recurrence plots that graphically look similar. From the recurrence plots, the Shannon entropy has been computed. We have, however, demonstrated that the Shannon entropy value is highly dependent on the delay time value for analyzed features. Hence, elaboration of a more precise method of the recurrence plot analysis is required. For this reason, we suggest the random walk method that can be applied to analyze the recurrence plots automatically.

  • Sterowanie napięciem pracy kabli eksportowych morskich farm wiatrowych
    • Jacek Klucznik
    2024 Full text Przegląd Elektrotechniczny

    Referat przestawia problematykę doboru napięcia pracy kabli eksportowych morskich farm wiatrowych. Wskazano, że praca przy napięciu odbiegającym od napięcia znamionowego kabli może skutecznie ograniczyć straty energii jakie występują w sieci farmy. Zaproponowano uzależnienie napięcia pracy kabla od generowanej przez farmę mocy czynnej, na wzór stosowanych w przeszłości w regulatorach napięcia transformatorów układów kompensacji prądowej. Dla przykładowej farmy morskiej o mocy zainstalowanej 510 MW uzyskano zmniejszenie rocznych strat energii o około 3%.

  • Stiffness assessment of the laminate recovered from end-of-life wind turbine blade
    • Łukasz Pyrzowski
    • Agnieszka Sabik
    • Jacek Kluska
    • Jakub Zembrzuski
    2024 COMPOSITE STRUCTURES

    In the paper the stiffness parameters of the laminate recovered from an aerodynamic shell of a decommissioned wind turbine blade are evaluated. The aim of the work is to assess selected methods for identifying material data, as well as to estimate the level of stiffness degradation during turbine operation. Several practical identification methods are presented and compared. Two concepts of a single laminate layer are considered, global and local. The global concept assumes that the equivalent layer of the laminate is a system of three physical layers of a single triaxial fabric. The local concept takes into account all physical layers of the laminate. The material parameters of the global layer are identified and validated in experimental tests. Data for individual physical layers are determined by inverse analysis and the rule of mixtures. The compliance of the results obtained allows one to conclude that the stiffness of the material did not degrade significantly during the operation period. The stiffness parameters of the laminate have shown that the tested material is still very attractive for structural purposes.

  • Storage of High-Strength Steel Flux-Cored Welding Wires in Urbanized Areas
    • Adrian Wolski
    • Aleksandra Świerczyńska
    • Grzegorz Lentka
    • Dariusz Fydrych
    2024 Full text International Journal of Precision Engineering and Manufacturing-Green Technology

    The condition of the consumables is a key factor determining the waste reduction in the welding processes and the quality of the welded joint. The paper presents the results of tests of four types of fux-cored wires dedicated for welding high-strength steels, stored for 1 month and 6 months in Poland in two urbanized areas: in a large seaside city (Gdańsk) and in Warsaw, located in the center of the country. The wires were subjected to macroscopic and microscopic (stereoscopic, SEM) observations, EDS analysis, technological tests assessing elastic properties and targetability. The degree of degradation of the wires was also tested using resistance measurements. In order to assess the efect of storing wires on the weldability of steel, the difusible hydrogen content in deposited metal was determined by high-temperature extraction. It was found that the storage caused changes in the surface condition of the wires, afected their elasticity and electrical properties, which afects the behavior of the wires during welding. A signifcant infuence of storage conditions on the hydrogenation of deposited metal was found: in the case of three types of wires, the level of low hydrogen processes was exceeded and the maximum result was 15.18 ml/100 g of deposited metal. It was also found that copper-plated wire showed a signifcantly increased resistance to storage conditions compared to non-copper-plated wires.

  • Strain energy density and entire fracture surface parameters relationship for LCF life prediction of additively manufactured 18Ni300 steel
    • Wojciech Macek
    • Ricardo Branco
    • Joel de Jesus
    • José Domingos Costa
    • Shun-Peng Zhu
    • Reza Masoudi Nejad
    • Andrew Gryguć
    2024 Full text INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DAMAGE MECHANICS

    In this study, the connection between total strain energy density and fracture surface topography is investigated in additively manufactured maraging steel exposed to low-cycle fatigue loading. The specimens were fabricated using laser beam powder bed fusion (LB-PBF) and examined under fully-reversed strain-controlled setup at strain amplitudes scale from 0.3% to 1.0%. The post-mortem fracture surfaces were explored using a non-contact 3D surface topography measuring system and the entire fracture surface method. The focus is on the relationship between fatigue characteristics, expressed by the total strain energy density, and the fracture surface topography features, represented by areal, volume, and fractal dimension factors. A fatigue life prediction model based on total strain energy density and fracture surface topography parameters is proposed. The presented model shows good accordance with fatigue test results and outperforms other existing models based on the strain energy density. This model can be useful for post-failure analysis of engineering elements under low-cycle fatigue, especially for materials produced by additive manufacturing (AM).

  • Strain-dependent behaviour of cold recycled material mixtures in cyclic compression tests
    • Mariusz Jaczewski
    • Andrea Graziani
    2024 Full text MATERIALS AND STRUCTURES

    The purpose of the study is to evaluate strain-dependent behaviour of Cold Recycled Material (CRM) mixtures using three frameworks typically applied for Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA): linear viscoelastic (LVE) limits; non-linearity directions; changes in rheological model parameters. To this aim, the complex modulus of three CRM mixtures with different bitumen-to-cement ratio (0.2, 0.6 and 1.8) was measured in cyclic compression mode, at increasing level of axial deformation (from 35 to 195 μstrain) and at three temperatures (4, 20 and 40 °C). CRM mixtures showed strong strain dependent behaviour, which does not fully comply with the LVE hypothesis. LVE limit framework is applicable, but strain limits for CRM are different from HMA. Linearity direction framework does not give unique trend, hence it is not applicable in the same way as it was developed for HMA. The most promising framework for further analysis is the change in rheological model parameters, but it requires high number of performed tests.

  • Stress Assessment of a Steel Bullet LPG Tank Under Differential Settlement Based on Geodetic Measurements and Sensitivity Analysis
    • Tomasz Ferenc
    • Rafał Gierasimczyk
    • Tomasz Mikulski
    2024 Full text Polish Maritime Research

    This paper presents an analysis of a steel bullet LPG tank in operation at a base in Poland. The structure was set on a sand-gravel pillow and rigid concrete slab, and its settlement was periodically measured at five measuring points along the structure. After a few years, differential settlement was observed. Based on geodetic data, we attempt to assess the current stress level in the structure. The proposed methodology uses a sensitivity analysis apparatus. A numerical model of the structure and sand-gravel pillow is analysed using the finite element method, and the impact of variation in the stiffness of the sand-gravel pillow on the vertical displacement of the tank is determined. The algorithm involves six iterations of calculations, and after each iteration, the stiffness modified sand-gravel pillow is determined. After the sixth iteration, the vertical displacement in the FEM model is found to be similar to the measured values in the real structure. The results obtained after the last iteration are used to assess the stress state in the bullet tank’s shell structure.

  • Structural phase transitions in multicomponent La0.2Nd0.2Sm0.2Gd0.2RE50.2NbO4 (RE5 = Ho, Y, Tb, Eu, Pr) oxides
    • Arkadiusz Dawczak
    • Aleksandra Mielewczyk-Gryń
    • Maria Gazda
    2024 Full text JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CERAMIC SOCIETY

    In this work, the influence of compositional complexity on the structural and thermal properties of multicomponent rare-earth ortho-niobates from the La0.2Nd0.2Sm0.2Gd0.2RE50.2NbO4 (RE5 = Ho, Y, Tb, Eu, Pr) series have been investigated. Based on X-ray powder diffraction studies using synchrotron radiation, it was found that all tested materials were pure single-phase compositions and showed stability in the monoclinic I2/c crystal structure at room temperature. High-temperature X-ray powder diffraction studies and dilatometry studies confirmed the presence of a structural phase transition between low- (I2/c ) and high-temperature (I41/a) polymorphs. The structural phase transition temperatures are between 676 °C and 701 °C. Interestingly, despite their compositional complexity, the structural phase transition temperature behaves similarly to conventional ortho-niobates, i.e. it depends on the radius of the A-cation, that is, as the ionic radius increases, the phase transition temperature decreases. The transition has been categorized as a second-order phase transition based on the observed relationship between the Landau order parameter and spontaneous strain. The coexistence of the tetragonal and monoclinic phases has been seen in all compositions around the temperature of the structural phase transition. The presence of two orientation states in the monoclinic structure leads to the so-called spontaneous strain, which consists of longitudinal (u) and shear (v) strain components. The values of these strains at 300 °C range between 2.42 – 2.58·10-2 for longitudinal, 2.98 – 3.04·10-2 for shear, and 5.46 – 5.57·10-2 for scalar spontaneous strain. It was found that the spontaneous strain in each of the materials under test was very little impacted by the variation in the complexity of the A sublattice's composition. In addition, thermal expansion coefficients of both polymorphs were determined, which range from 12.7·10-6 1/K to 13.2·10-6 1/K for the monoclinic structure and 9.7·10-6 1/K to 9.9·10-6 1/K for the tetragonal one.

  • Structure versus hydrolytic and thermal stability of bio-based thermoplastic polyurethane elastomers composed of hard and soft building blocks with high content of green carbon
    • Ewa Głowińska
    • Joanna Smorawska
    • Joanna Niesiobędzka
    • Janusz Datta
    2024 Full text JOURNAL OF THERMAL ANALYSIS AND CALORIMETRY

    Nowadays, sustainability plays a key role in the design and synthesis of new materials. One of the methods for the preparation of green materials is incorporation into their structure the monomers with a high content of green carbon. Therefore, the aim of this work was to investigate the influence of the type and molecular mass of two bio-based polyester polyols and bio-glycol on the properties of aliphatic partially bio-based thermoplastic polyurethane elastomers (bio-TPU). Two series of bio-TPUs materials composed of hard and soft building blocks with high green carbon content were prepared via the two-step method (prepolymer method). Two amorphous bio-based polyester polyols with the molecular mass ~ 2000 (P1) and ~ 3000 (P2) were used. Bio-TPUs were prepared at three different molar ratio of [NCO]/[OH]: 0.9, 0.95, and 1.0. In order to determine the influence of bio-based polyols and the content of hard segments on the properties of bio-TPU, relevant test methods were used. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and thermogravimetry (TG) revealed hydrolytic and thermal stability of bio-TPUs. Viscoelastic behavior, mechanical and physical properties were examined in terms of dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA), tensile test, hardness, and density. Analysis of the measurement results confirmed the significant influence of the molecular mass of the bio-based polyols and the molar ratio of [NCO]/[OH] on the bio-TPUs properties. Due to good mechanical properties, low density, and thermal stability up to 300 °C, the obtained materials can find many useful applications. This issue is essential in terms of sustainable development and reduction in the CO 2 emissions to the atmosphere.

  • Studies of the Interaction Dynamics in Albumin-Chondroitin Sulfate Systems by Recurrence Method
    • Piotr Bełdowski
    • Piotr Weber
    • Adam Gadomski
    • Piotr Sionkowski
    • Natalia Kruszewska
    • Krzysztof Domino
    2024

    The physicochemical basis of lubrication of articular cartilage is still not fully understood. However, the synergy between components of the synovial fluid can be a crucial factor that could explain this phenomenon. This work presents a nonlinear data analysis technique named the recurrence method, applied to the system involving two components of synovial fluid: albumin and chondroitin sulfate (CS) immersed in a water environment. This analysis is performed in order to obtain the ”statistical fingerprint” of the dynamics of the interaction between the molecules and to answer whether the variables are more deterministic or more random. The system simulation has been prepared by molecular docking method followed by molecular dynamics simulations. The already mentioned recurrence method has been applied to the time series of the energy of binding, and the time series of the number of intermolecular hydrogen bonds, as these features describe well binding between the two molecules. In detail, the time delay approach and embedded dimension approach have been applied to extract meaningful records from time series. Then, by means of recurrence plots and entropy approach, we discuss the similarities and differences between the molecular systems consisting of CS-4 and CS-6 molecules. Our main finding is a higher affinity of chondroitin sulfate IV to albumin as compared with chondroitin sulfate VI.

  • Study of Nanohydroxyapatite Coatings Prepared by the Electrophoretic Deposition Method at Various Voltage and Time Parameters
    • Klaudia Malisz
    • Beata Świeczko-Żurek
    • Jean Marc Olive
    • Grzegorz Gajowiec
    • Gilles Pecastaings
    • Aleksandra Laska
    • Alina Sionkowska
    2024 Full text Materials

    The aim of the work is to compare the properties of nanohydroxyapatite coatings obtained using the electrophoretic deposition method (EDP) at 10 V, 20 V, and 30 V, and with deposit times of 2 and 5 min. The primary sedimentation was used to minimize the risk of the formation of particle agglomerates on the sample surface. Evaluation of the coating was performed by using a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Energy-Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), optical profilometer, drop shape analyzer, and a nanoscratch tester. All of the coatings are homogeneous without any agglomerates. When low voltage (10 V) was used, the coatings were uniform and continuous regardless of the deposition time. The increase in voltage resulted in the formation of cracks in the coatings. The wettability test shows the hydrophilic behavior of the coatings and the mean contact angle values are in the range of 20–37° . The coatings showed excellent adhesion to the substrate. The application of a maximum force of 400 mN did not cause delamination in most coatings. It is concluded that the optimal coating for orthopedic implants (such as hip joint implants, knee joint implants or facial elements) is obtained at 10 V and 5 min because of its homogeneity, and a contact angle that promotes osseointegration and great adhesion to the substrate.

  • Study of the optical rotatory of potassium titanyl phosphate using the advanced dual-wavelength polarimetric method
    • Mykola Shopa
    • Nazar Ftomyn
    • Yaroslav Shopa
    2024 OPTO-ELECTRONICS REVIEW

    A dual-wavelength high-accuracy universal polarimeter was applied to the circular birefringence and optical activity measurement in potassium titanyl phosphate (KTP) nonlinear crystal. The experimental setup used two single-mode He-Ne lasers with close wavelengths of 594 and 633 nm as light sources. Measurement has been carried out for two crystal settings in directions of a 45-degree relative angle to the [100] and [010] crystallographic axes. Multiple light reflections inside the crystal sample were considered when processing the results of the polarimetric measurements. The results have been analysed using the optical transmission function for the polariser-sample-analyser system, and 2D intensity contour maps made it possible to determine the phase parameters, systematic errors, and eigenwaves ellipticity. It was found that the gyration tensor component of the KTP crystal is equal to g12 = 1.4 ⋅10−5 which in terms of optical rotatory power corresponds to the very small magnitude of the rotation value of 2.3 deg/mm

  • Study on extraction and characterization of anchote (Coccinia abyssinica) starch and reinforced enset (Ensete ventricosum) fiber for the production of reinforced bioplastic film
    • Samuel Latebo Majamo
    • Temesgen Amibo
    2024 Full text Heliyon

    Population expansion is causing an increase in dependence on plastic materials. The worst aspects of conventional plastics were their inability to biodegrade, their poor capacity to transmit water vapor, and their production of greenhouse gases. Usages of bioplastics are necessary for the advancement of a green economy and environment in order to eradicate these drawbacks of traditional plastics. In this study, reinforced bioplastic film was produced from anchote (Coccinia Abyssinica) starch and enset (Ensete Ventricosum) fiber. Starch from anchote was extracted and its properties were characterized via adequate techniques. The maximum carbohydrate content (86.26 ± 0.25%w/w) of anchote starch indicates that it is suitable feedstock for plastic film production. In addition, extracted starch was characterized by SEM, FTIR, TGA and XRD. The reinforcing material enset fiber was extracted and characterized by FTIR and XRD. The results of both feedstock materials exhibited the good characteristics and viability for bioplastic film pro- duction. Enset fiber loadings used were 0 %, 4 %, 8 %, 12 % and 16 % w/w in starch basis. Tensile strength, elongation, thickness, moisture content, transparency, solubility and density of pro- duced bioplastic were determined. Tensile force grew and elongation reduced as fiber loading rose up to 8 %. The tensile strength gradually declined with increasing fiber loading. Additionally, the created bioplastic film’s groups of functions and chemical bonds were examined. In com- parison to unreinforced plastic film, the results showed that the reinforced bioplastic film used in this study was an excellent and effective product.

  • Study on the wear characteristics of a 3D printed tool in flat lapping of Al2O3 ceramic materials
    • Mariusz Deja
    • Dawid Zieliński
    • Sisay Workineh Agebo
    2024 Full text WEAR

    Widespread and popular use of ceramic products in various industry sectors necessitates the search for methods of their efficient processing. Lapping technology, which enables obtaining high dimensional and shape accuracy and high surface flatness, is one of the basic methods of finishing hard and brittle technical ceramics with a porous structure. This study analyzed the characteristics and wear value of an SLS-printed abrasive tool intended for single-sided lapping of Al2O3 technical ceramics. As earlier research demonstrated, introduction of a 3D printed lapping plate by selective laser sintering (SLS), leads to a significant development in the field of precision machining technology. This method showed not only efficient machining performance on oxide technical materials, but was also characterized by relatively low abrasive wear. Straightness errors were evaluated with the use of a least-squares method (LSQ) and minimum zone method based on control line rotation scheme (CLRS). The proposed model proved the experimental results by identifying a similar location of a higher contact density on the lapping tool, where this location is expected to be the one for bigger wear. Surface topography of the lapping tool depends on the tool wear intensity and as a consequence on its shape error. An SLS-printed lapping plate, by obtaining good technological effects, revealed its potential ability in machining hard and brittle technical ceramics.

  • Study the impact of design method preference on the usefulness of concrete and on CO2 emissions
    • Salem Abdelgader
    • Marzena Kurpińska
    • Hakim S. Abdelgader
    • Farzam Omidi Moaf
    • Mugahed Amran
    2024 International Journal of Building Pathology and Adaptation

    Purpose – The research investigates the impact of concrete design methods on performance, emphasizing environmental sustainability. The study compares the modified Bolomey method and Abrams’ law in designing concretes. Significant differences in cement consumption and subsequent CO2 emissions are revealed. The research advocates for a comprehensive life cycle assessment, considering factors like compressive strength, carbonation resistance, CO2 emissions, and cost. The analysis underscores the importance of evaluating concrete not solely based on strength but also environmental impact. The study concludes that a multicriteria approach, considering the entire life cycle, is essential for sustainable concrete design, addressing durability, environmental concerns, and economic factors. Design/methodology/approach – The study employed a comprehensive design and methodology approach, involving the formulation and testing of 20 mixed concretes with strengths ranging from 25 MPa to 45 MPa. Two distinct design methods, the modified Bolomey method (three equations method) and Abrams’ law, were utilized to calculate concrete compositions. Laboratory experiments were conducted to validate the computational models, and subsequent analyses focused on assessing differences in cement consumption, compressive strength, CO2 emissions, and concrete resistance to carbonation. The research adopted a multidisciplinary perspective, integrating theoretical analysis, laboratory testing, and life cycle assessment to evaluate concrete performance and sustainability.