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Gdańsk University of Technology

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  • Improvement of speech intelligibility in the presence of noise interference using the Lombard effect and an automatic noise interference profiling based on deep learning
    • Krzysztof Kąkol
    2023 Full text

    The Lombard effect is a phenomenon that results in speech intelligibility improvement when applied to noise. There are many distinctive features of Lombard speech that were recalled in this dissertation. This work proposes the creation of a system capable of improving speech quality and intelligibility in real-time measured by objective metrics and subjective tests. This system consists of three main components: speech type detection, noise profiling, and an adaptive strategy of selection the modification. The role of the first component is to detect the Lombard speech in the input signal to avoid unnecessary speech modifications when the speech is naturally Lombard in its character. The second module is noise profiling, as the type of noise strongly impacts the selection of the best modification. The last part of the system is the adaptive modification selection component. The selection is made based on the speech signal features, resulting in the most considerable speech quality improvement, measured with objective metrics. To solve the problem posed, machine learning was used in this dissertation – especially deep learning with convolutional neural networks and typical multilayer networks. It was proven that it is possible to create an adaptive system that would improve speech quality in the presence of noise in real-time or near real-time.

  • Improving carbon dioxide capture in aqueous ammonia solutions by fine SiO2 particles
    • Donata Konopacka-Łyskawa
    • Temesgen Amibo
    • Adam Dobrzyniewski
    • Marcin Łapiński
    2023 Full text Chemical and Process Engineering : New Frontiers

    Ammonia solutions are considered to be effective solvents for carbon dioxide absorption. Despite the numerous advantages of these solvents, their high volatility is a significant technical and economic problem. Therefore, in this work, silica particles were used as additives to improve CO2 absorption and inhibit NH3 desorption. SiO2 microparticles and colloidal SiO2 particles in the concentration range of 0-0.15 wt.% were used in this study. The most favorable mass transport for CO2 absorption was at the concentration of colloidal particles of 0.05 wt.%. Under these conditions, the enhancement in the number of moles of absorbed CO2 was above 30%. However, in solvents containing 0.01 wt.% SiO2 microparticles, the increase in CO2 absorption was about 20%. At the same time, the addition of SiO2 particles significantly reduced the escape of ammonia from the solution. The best improvement was obtained when colloidal SiO2 particles were added, and then NH3 escape was decreased by about 60%. This unfavorable phenomenon was also inhibited in ammonia solutions containing SiO2 microparticles at a concentration of 0.01 wt.%.

  • In situ transformation boosts the pseudocapacitance of CuNi-MOF via cooperative orientational and electronic governing
    • Xianyu Chu
    • Fanling Meng
    • Wei Zhang
    • Lihua Zhang
    • Sebastian Molin
    • Piotr Jasiński
    • Weitao Zheng
    2023 Full text Materials Research Letters

    The disordered arrangement and thereof inferior conductivity of 2D MOF sheets seriously hinder their practical application. Herein, we propose in situ transformation strategy to architect vertically oriented bimetallic CuNi-MOF as a self-supporting electrode, leading to a decuple high specific capacitance of 1262 C g-1 in comparison with the pristine Ni-MOF powder of 114 C g-1 at 2 A g-1. DFT calculations reveal that introduction of Cu can modulate the electronic structure of metal centers in the Ni-MOF sheets and optimize electrical conductivity. Our strategy is promising to maximize the utilization of MOF superiorities for optimizing their electrochemical performance.

  • In vitro and in silico assessment of anti-inflammatory activity of cocoa powders
    • Jelena S. Katanić Stanković
    • Vanja Todorović
    • Jelena Dorović Jovanović
    • Zoran Marković
    • Sanja Krstić
    • Nevena Dabetić
    • Sladana Sobajić
    • Agnieszka Bartoszek-Pączkowska
    • Zoran Maksimovic
    • Rudolf Bauer
    2023

    Plants are considered the major sources of biologically active compounds, which provide unlimited opportunities for their use either as medical treatments or as novel drug formulations. Cocoa powder is frequently used in nutrition and is known to have many benefits thanks to its wide range of biological activities. The presented study was focused on th evaluation of the anti-inflammatory potential of extracts obtained from cocoa powder. In vitro assays were employed to evaluate the level of inhibition of cyclooxygenases-1 and -2 activities (COX-1 and COX-2) by tested extracts. Molecular docking was used for in silico prediction of cyclooxygenase isoforms inhibition by selected cocoa powder constituents. The results showed that all tested extracts exerted much higher potential in inhibiting COX-2 activity and may be considered in use as selective inhibitors of COX-2 enzyme. On the other hand, in silico study shows quercetin and clovamide as the compounds with the highest potential to inhibit both COX-1 and COX-2.

  • In Vitro and In Vivo Imaging-Based Evaluation of Doxorubicin Anticancer Treatment in Combination with the Herbal Medicine Black Cohosh
    • Agata Płoska
    • Marcin Woźniak
    • Jamila Hedhli
    • Christian J. Konopka
    • Antonios Skondras
    • Sarah Matatov
    • Andrew Stawarz
    • Sarah Schuh
    • Andrzej Czerwinski
    • Lawrence W. Dobrucki
    • Leszek Kalinowski
    • Iwona T. Dobrucki
    2023 Full text INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES

    As a substitution for hormone replacement therapy, many breast cancer patients use black cohosh (BC) extracts in combination with doxorubicin (DOX)-based chemotherapy. In this study, we evaluated the viability and survival of BC- and DOX-treated MCF-7 cells. A preclinical model of MCF-7 xenografts was used to determine the influence of BC and DOX administration on tumor growth and metabolism. The number of apoptotic cells after incubation with both DOX and BC was significantly increased (~100%) compared to the control. Treatment with DOX altered the potential of MCF-7 cells to form colonies; however, coincubation with BC did not affect this process. In vivo, PET-CT imaging showed that combined treatment of DOX and BC induced a significant reduction in both metabolic activity (29%) and angiogenesis (32%). Both DOX and BC treatments inhibited tumor growth by 20% and 12%, respectively, and combined by 57%, vs. control. We successfully demonstrated that BC increases cytotoxic effects of DOX, resulting in a significant reduction in tumor size. Further studies regarding drug transport and tumor growth biomarkers are necessary to establish the underlying mechanism and potential clinical use of BC in breast cancer patients.

  • In vitro enzyme kinetics and NMR-based product elucidation for glutathione S-conjugation of the anticancer unsymmetrical bisacridine C-2028 in liver microsomes and cytosol: major role of glutathione S-transferase M1-1 isoenzyme
    • Agnieszka Potęga
    • Dominika Rafalska
    • Dawid Kazimierczyk
    • Michał Kosno
    • Aleksandra Pawłowicz
    • Witold Andrałojć
    • Ewa Paluszkiewicz
    • Tomasz Laskowski
    2023 Full text MOLECULES

    This work is the next step in studying the interplay between C-2028 (anticancer-active unsymmetrical bisacridine developed in our group) and the glutathione S-transferase/glutathione (GST/GSH) system. Here, we analyzed the concentration- and pH-dependent GSH conjugation of C-2028 in rat liver microsomes and cytosol. We also applied three recombinant human GST isoenzymes, which altered expression was found in various tumors. The formation of GSH S-conjugate of C-2028 in liver subfractions followed Michaelis-Menten kinetics. We found that C-2028 was conjugated with GSH preferentially by GSTM1-1, revealing a sigmoidal kinetic model. Using a colorimetric assay (MTT test), we initially assessed the cellular GST/GSH-dependent biotransformation of C-2028 in relation to cytotoxicity against Du-145 human prostate cancer cells in the presence or absence of the modulator of GSH biosynthesis. Pretreatment of cells with buthionine sulfoximine resulted in a cytotoxicity decrease, suggesting a possible GSH-mediated bioactivation process. Altogether, our results confirmed the importance of GSH conjugation in C-2028 metabolism, which humans must consider when planning a treatment strategy. Finally, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy elucidated the structure of the GSH-derived product of C-2028. Hence, synthesizing the compound standard necessary for further advanced biological and bioanalytical investigations will be achievable.

  • Incorporating installation effects into the probability analysis of controlled modulus columns
    • Jakub Konkol
    2023 Full text SOILS AND FOUNDATIONS

    This technical report presents the probabilistic analysis which integrates the Monte Carlo simulation (MCS) with random field theory to model the load–displacement behavior of Controlled Modulus Columns (CMCs) in overconsolidated Poznań clay. Presented study focuses on the practical aspects of statistical analysis of geotechnical data, numerical model development, and results evaluation. Variability and spatial distribution of geotechnical parameters are based directly on field and lab testing. The inherent variability of soil parameters obtained from geotechnical investigation at the site is similar to the values reported in worldwide datasets for clays. The extensive discussion about incorporation of installation effects into numerical modelling is made. It was found that proper incorporation of installation effects is governed by correct estimation of initial stress level and interface shear strength parameters. The Anisotropic Undrained Shear Strength (AUS) model which captures nonlinear behavior and anisotropy of soil (Krabbenhøft et al., 2019) is a good choice to model overconsolidated clay in intact and interface zones. The application of total stress approach, the AUS model, installation effects, and natural (inherent) variability of soil and interface parameters is sufficient to explain differences in CMC load – displacement behavior observed in the field.

  • Increasing the conductivity of V2O5-TeO2 glass by crystallization: structure and charge transfer studies
    • Piotr Okoczuk
    • Natalia Wójcik
    • Leon Murawski
    • Leszek Wicikowski
    • Marcin Łapiński
    • Piotr Winiarz
    • Barbara Kościelska
    2023 Full text JOURNAL OF MATERIALS SCIENCE

    In the present paper, V 2 O 5 -TeO 2 glass was prepared by the melt-quenching technique. Crystallization of glass with a vanadium content higher than 35%mol results in an increase in electrical conductivity by a few orders of magnitude and a decrease in activation energy from ~0.40 to ~0.12 eV. In this work, a critical review of existing charge transfer models was presented on the example of V 2 O 5 -TeO 2 glass and glass–ceramics. Schnakenberg’s and Friedman-Triberis’ charge transfer models were found to be applicable to both glass and glass–ceramics. Optical phonon frequencies obtained from Schnakenberg’s model are in agreement with FTIR studies. Values of activation energies obtained from the Schnakenberg model decrease after crystallization. Friedman-Triberis’ model shows an increase in the density of states near the Fermi level from 10 ¹⁹ eV ⁻¹ cm ⁻³ in glass, to 10 ²¹ eV ⁻¹ cm ⁻³ in glass ceramics. Structural studies show that the main crystallizing phase is Te 2 V 2 O 9 which occurs with the V 2 O 5 shell in glasses with compositions 50–50%mol and 45–55%mol. It is concluded that crystallization results in the reduction of vanadium ions in the remaining glass matrix which leads to an increase in the V ⁴⁺ /V ⁵⁺ ratio and therefore, an increase in electrical conductivity.

  • Increasing the Utilization of dc-link Voltage of a Five-Leg VSI Based on Rotor Angle Control of Dual Induction Motors
    • Dmytro Kondratenko
    • Arkadiusz Lewicki
    • Charles Odeh
    2023 Full text

    This paper introduces an increased utilization of the dc-link voltage of a five-leg voltage source inverter (VSI) based on the rotor flux angle control technique for dual induction motors, IM. The main purpose is to utilize additional abilities provided by a multi-motor drive system in limited operating conditions. Generally, a multi-motor drive system is widely used in electric vehicles (EVs), traction systems and in several industrial applications. A dual IM drive system is investigated in this paper, where field-oriented control (FOC) scheme and space vector pulse-width modulation (SVPWM) technique are used for the drives control. Therein, additional rotor angle control is implemented to increase the maximum modulation index. The proposed control technique allows the control of two independent three-phase IM. Under limited conditions, both motors can achieve high modulation index values and decreased losses as well. Simulation studies and results carried out in PLECS software package show the effectiveness and feasibility of the proposed control strategy. Experimental results presented proved the idea of the proposed solution.

  • Indole-Acrylonitrile Derivatives as Potential Antitumor and Antimicrobial Agents—Synthesis, In Vitro and In Silico Studies
    • Anita Kornicka
    • Karol Gzella
    • Katarzyna Garbacz
    • Małgorzata Jarosiewicz
    • Maria Gdaniec
    • Joanna Fedorowicz
    • Lukasz Balewski
    • Jakub Kokoszka
    • Anna Ordyszewska
    2023 Full text Pharmaceuticals

    A series of 2-(1H-indol-2-yl)-3-acrylonitrile derivatives, 2a–x, 3, 4a–b, 5a–d, 6a–b, and 7, were synthesized as potential antitumor and antimicrobial agents. The structures of the prepared compounds were evaluated based on elemental analysis, IR, 1H- and 13NMR, as well as MS spectra. X-ray crystal analysis of the representative 2-(1H-indol-2-yl)-3-acrylonitrile 2l showed that the acrylonitrile double bond was Z-configured. All compounds were screened at the National Cancer Institute (USA) for their activities against a panel of approximately 60 human tumor cell lines and the relationship between structure and in vitro antitumor activity is discussed. Compounds of interest 2l and 5a–d showed significant growth inhibition potency against various tumor cell lines with the mean midpoint GI50 values of all tests in the range of 0.38-7.91 mM. The prominent compound with remarkable activity (GI50 = 0.0244-5.06 mM) and high potency (TGI = 0.0866-0.938 mM) against some cell lines of leukemia (HL-60(TB)), non-small cell lung cancer (NCI-H522), colon cancer (COLO 205), CNS cancer (SF-539, SNB-75), ovarian cancer ((OVCAR-3), renal cancer (A498, RXF 393), and breast cancer (MDA-MB-468) was 3-[4-(dimethylamino)phenyl]-2-(1-methyl-1H-indol-2-yl)acrylonitrile (5c). Moreover, the selected 2-(1H-indol-2-yl)-3-acrylonitriles 2a–c and 2e–x were evaluated for their antibacterial and antifungal activities against Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogens as well as Candida albicans. Among them, 2-(1H-indol-2-yl)-3-(1H-pyrrol-2-yl)acrylonitrile (2x) showed the most potent antimicrobial activity and therefore it can be considered as a lead structure for further development of antimicrobial agents. Finally, molecular docking studies as well as drug-likeness and ADME profile prediction were carried out.

  • INDUSTRIAL HERITAGE IN “SACRIFICE ZONES”. THE POTENTIAL OF BOCAMINA I & II THERMOELECTRIC IN CORONEL, CHILE
    • Karolina Krośnicka
    • Miguel Angel Delso Páez
    2023 Full text Przestrzeń Ekonomia Społeczeństwo

    This work aims to present the recovery potential of the Chilean Sacrifice Zones, urban areas affected by high amounts of pollution caused by industrial activities. It centers in the case of “Bocamina I & II”, two Thermoelectric based in the city of Coronel, southern Chile. A settlement historically related to the mining processes. These plants operated for decades supplying the national energy grid and are seen as both symbols of progress and detriment. As part of the government Energy Transition Plan, they were recently closed for more sustainable energy sources and though the decision is seen as a national milestone, not much has been said regarding the buildings themselves. This research contextualizes the case of study, elaborates on how its future use and perception could help mitigate the negative impact on its surroundings and how the case can be extrapolated to similar cases internationally. For this, the work focuses on the plant’s infrastructure, their relation to the immediate context of Coronel and importance to Chilean industrial history on two approaches: Analyzing the alternative of their classification as National Monuments by the Chilean National Monuments Council, and by the Adaptive reuse approach, internationally seen as a sustainable strategy for abandoned buildings. Different arguments and examples are presented with the purpose of providing an understanding of the potential of Industrial Heritage reclamation, and how it could change the perception of the Sacrifice Zones through community involvement, urban planning, collaborative design and identity empowerment.

  • Industry-level analysis of COVID-19’s impact in emerging markets – evidence from Pakistan
    • Muhammad Mushafiq
    2023 International Journal of Emerging Markets

    Purpose – The main purpose of this study is to evaluate COVID-19’s impact on the emerging stock markets. Design/methodology/approach – To evaluate the influence of COVID-19, this study uses a novel method of event study methodology to measure the impact of COVID-19 on emerging stock markets. The research’s sample includes a total of 79 firms from 26 industries that are included in the KSE-100 Index from the Pakistan Stock Exchange. Three events were studied: (1) Announcement of the first case, (2) Start of lockdown and (3) End of lockdown. Findings – This study establishes the findings that industries in the Pakistan Stock Exchange were overall negatively affected by the COVID-19. Commercial banks, Insurance, Real Estate and Textile were badly affected by the COVID-19. However, the Pharmaceutical, Refinery and Food and Personal Care Products industries had shown a positive response. Practical implications – This study could bring in a new and useful insight into the literature on the impact of COVID-19 on the emerging stock markets. The results of this study provide insight to the investors in the emerging stock markets of the industries that are likely to show responses either negative or positive to news of regional or global outbreaks, lockdowns and end of lockdowns. Originality/value – The work on COVID-19 has been mostly limited to the developed markets and the emerging markets have been overlooked. This study is a potential gateway to future works regarding pandemics in emerging markets.

  • Indywidualna wystawa "Tylko ból jest mój" (1.12.2023 - 18.04.2024)
    • Edyta Urwanowicz
    2023

    Ekspozycja przygotowana przez kobiety – o kobietach. O tym, jak wyglądał ich Sybir i jak one go zapamiętały. Będzie pobudzać do refleksji nad pytaniami: Co znaczyło być kobietą na Sybirze? Jakie trudności spadały na kobiety, które znalazły się w sytuacji granicznej? Wreszcie – czy kobiecie doświadczonej przez przemoc pozostaje tylko ból?

  • Influence of Actual Curing Conditions on Mechanical Properties of Concrete in Bridge Superstructures
    • Jakub Krząkała
    • Piotr Łaziński
    • Michael Gerges
    • Łukasz Pyrzowski
    • Grzegorz Grządziela
    2023 Full text Materials

    This article presents the research on the mechanical characteristics of concrete in the construction of three concrete bridges. A system of recording the internal temperature of concrete and automatic control of laboratory ovens was used for specimen curing. This allowed the specimens to be cured under conditions similar to those occurring in the structure. Before the construction, reference blocks were used to define similar curing conditions. Maximum setting temperatures ranged from 47.6 _C to 62.0 _C and had a favorable effect on the properties of the concrete at an early age. For concretes with the use of CEM I cement, after 3 days of curing, the strength obtained was up to 8.2 MPa (23%) higher than that for specimens cured under standard conditions. The modulus of elasticity was higher up to 4.9 GPa (21%). For concrete with the use of CEM III cement, these differences were 26.9 MPa (174%) and 10.3 GPa (64%), respectively. After 7 days of curing, the results were close to each other and after 14, 28, and 56 days, higher values were obtained for specimens cured under standard conditions. The value of the modulus of elasticity of concrete was determined using the direct method according to Eurocode and the standard A method. A test load of the bridge was carried out to verify the modulus values obtained from laboratory tests. The highest consistency (99%) between the theoretical deflections and those measured in the test load was achieved when using the stabilized modulus values obtained on specimens cured under structure conditions in the FEM model. The research confirms the necessity of determining the mechanical characteristics of concrete with taking into account the curing conditions of concrete in the structure. A procedure for determining the mechanical properties of concrete for the correct construction of a bridge is proposed. These results can also be used in the development of a digital twin for bridge management.

  • Influence of Added Water Mass on Ship Structure Vibration Parameters in Virtual and Real Conditions
    • Do Van Doan
    • Lech Murawski
    • Adam Szeleziński
    • Tomasz Muchowski
    • Marcin Kluczyk
    • Adam Muc
    • Krzysztof Jasiński
    • Marek Chodnicki
    2023 Full text Scientific Journal of Gdynia Maritime University

    Modelling of ship structures in a virtual environment is now standard practice. Unfortunately, many engineers forget to consideri the influence of added water on the frequency values and the amplitude of natural vibrations. The article presents the effect of water damping on the frequency values of the individual natural vibration modes. The tests were carried out in two stages. First, the mentioned values were determined using FEM and then the values obtained in this way were compared with the parameters measured during laboratory tests. For the needs of laboratory measurements, structural elements made of ship steel in one of the Polish shipyards were used. All welds of the test objects have been verified in terms of their correctness. Irregularities in the execution of welded joints could result in a measurement error that is difficult to identify. As a result of the tests, the percentage differences in the frequency of occurrence of natural vibrations of individual modes were determined according to added water mass considerations. Importantly, the research concerned a real structural element of the hull, and the results obtained confirm the need to take into account the mass of accompanying water during the hull's FEM analysis. A number of more detailed research results were obtained, the most important of which is the fact that the finite element method is a valuable method for assessing the dynamics of wetted structures: the error in determining the vibration frequency did not exceed 5% for basic modes. The method of modelling the tested structures was almost equally important: the discrepancy of the results reached 4% depending on the modelling method. When designing marine SHM systems, it is essential to consider the effect of added water mass, since the frequency variations of a damaged structure, in relation to an undamaged one, are of the same order as the effect of added water.

  • Influence of algorithmic management practices on workplace well-being – evidence from European organisations
    • Hanna Kinowska
    • Łukasz Sienkiewicz
    2023 Full text Information Technology & People

    Purpose Existing literature on algorithmic management practices –defined as autonomous data-driven decision making in people's management by adoption of self-learning algorithms and artificial intelligence – suggests complex relationships with employees' well-being in the workplace. While the use of algorithms can have positive impacts on people-related decisions, they may also adversely influence job autonomy, perceived justice and – as a result – workplace well-being. Literature review revealed a significant gap in empirical research on the nature and direction of these relationships. Therefore the purpose of this paper is to analyse how algorithmic management practices directly influence workplace well-being, as well as investigating its relationships with job autonomy and total rewards practices. Design/methodology/approach Conceptual model of relationships between algorithmic management practices, job autonomy, total rewards and workplace well-being has been formulated on the basis of literature review. Proposed model has been empirically verified through confirmatory analysis by means of structural equation modelling (SEM CFA) on a sample of 21,869 European organisations, using data collected by Eurofound and Cedefop in 2019, with the focus of investigating the direct and indirect influence of algorithmic management practices on workplace well-being. Findings This research confirmed a moderate, direct impact of application of algorithmic management practices on workplace well-being. More importantly the authors found out that this approach has an indirect influence, through negative impact on job autonomy and total rewards practices. The authors observed significant variation in the level of influence depending on the size of the organisation, with the decreasing impacts of algorithmic management on well-being and job autonomy for larger entities.

  • Influence of CeO2 and TiO2 Particles on Physicochemical Properties of Composite Nickel Coatings Electrodeposited at Ambient Temperature
    • Iryna Makarava
    • Mohammadamin Esmaeili
    • Dmitry Kharitonov
    • Leonardo Pelcastre
    • Jacek Ryl
    • Mohammad Reza Bilestan
    • Esa Vuorinen
    • Eveliina Repo
    2023 Full text Materials

    The Ni-TiO2 and Ni-CeO2 composite coatings with varying hydrophilic/hydrophobic characteristics were fabricated by the electrodeposition method from a tartrate electrolyte at ambient temperature. To meet the requirements of tight regulation by the European Chemicals Agency classifying H3BO3 as a substance of very high concern, Rochelle salt was utilized as a buffer solution instead. The novelty of this study was to implement a simple one-step galvanostatic electrodeposition from the low-temperature electrolyte based on a greener buffer compared to traditionally used, aiming to obtain new types of soft-matrix Ni, Ni-CeO2, and Ni-TiO2 coatings onto steel or copper substrates. The surface characteristics of electrodeposited nickel composites were evaluated by SEM, EDS, surface contact angle measurements, and XPS. Physiochemical properties of pure Ni, Ni-CeO2, and Ni-TiO2 composites, namely, wear resistance, microhardness, microroughness, and photocatalytic activity, were studied. Potentiodynamic polarization, EIS, and ICP-MS analyses were employed to study the long-term corrosion behavior of coatings in a 0.5 M NaCl solution. Superior photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue, 96.2% after 6 h of illumination, was achieved in the case of Ni-TiO2 composite, while no substantial change in the photocatalytic behavior of the Ni-CeO2 compared to pure Ni was observed. Both composites demonstrated higher hardness and wear resistance than pure Ni. This study investigates the feasibility of utilizing TiO2 as a photocatalytic hydrophilicity promoter in the fabrication of composite coatings for various applications.

  • Influence of controlled crystallization and SrF2 content on the structure and properties of Eu3+ doped phosphate glasses
    • Michał Maciejewski
    • Karolina Milewska
    • Anna Synak
    • Wojciech Sadowski
    • Barbara Kościelska
    2023 JOURNAL OF NON-CRYSTALLINE SOLIDS

    New phosphate glasses and glass-ceramics P2O5–Bi2O3–K2O–Nb2O5-SrF2 doped with Eu were synthesized and studied in this work. The influence of the SrF2 content (0–15 mol%) and the parameters of the heat treatment on their structural and optical properties were investigated. For the above purpose, the structural characterization by FTIR spectroscopy and XRD measurements was carried out, which showed a significant effect of SrF2 on the obtained crystal phases and the structure of the glass matrix. The results of combined DSC/DTA techniques enabled the determination of thermal properties and complemented the investigated crystallization characteristics of the glasses. Based on the measurements of the luminescence properties and the decay curves, it was confirmed that the Eu3+ ions were partially incorporated into the crystallites embedded in the glass matrix, which resulted in a significant enhancement of the luminescence. The conducted research confirms that the presented materials are a promising candidate for resistant phosphors in visible LEDs.

  • Influence of cyclic frozen and defrost on mechanical properties of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)-coated woven fabrics
    • Andrzej Ambroziak
    • Paweł Kłosowski
    2023 Full text Archives of Civil Engineering

    This research aims to determine the influence of the cyclic process of freezing and defrosting on the mechanical properties of the chosen glass fibres and PTFE-coated woven fabrics. The specimens were subjected to freezing at about −20 °C for 4 h and thawing by full immersion into the water at about +20 °C for 4 h. The fabric samples after 25 and 50 frozen cycles were air-dried at room temperature for one week and then subjected to uniaxial tensile tests. The same tests have been performed on a reference group of specimens, which were not exposed to temperature change. The authors determined the tensile strength, and longitudinal stiffnesses resulting from performed tests. Although the investigated coated woven fabrics expressed a reduction in the tensile strength in water soaking conditions, the performed frozen cycles don't show a significant decrease in strength under uniaxial tensile tests.

  • Influence of dispersed phase content on the mechanical properties of electroless nanocomposite Ni-P/Si3N4 and hybrid Ni-P/Si3N4/graphite layers deposited on the AW-7075 alloy.
    • Kazimierz Czapczyk
    • Paweł Zawadzki
    • Natalia Wierzbicka
    2023 Full text Materials

    The article presents the results of mechanical testing of Ni-P/Si3N4 nanocomposite and hybrid Ni-P/Si3N4/graphite coatings deposited on AW-7075 aluminum alloy using the chemical reduction method. In terms of mechanical testing, microhardness was measured, and surface roughness and adhesion of the coatings to the aluminum substrate were determined using the “scratch test” method. The surface morphology of the deposited layers was also analyzed using light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Samples made of AW-7075 aluminum alloy with electroless deposited Ni-P/Si3N4 nanocomposite, Ni-P/graphite composite and hybrid Ni-P/Si3N4/graphite coatings with different content of dispersed phases were tested, and also, for comparison purposes,the Ni-P layer that constituted the matrix of the tested materials. Reinforcing phases in the form of silicon nitride nanoparticles and graphite particles were used in the layers. The purpose of the research was a thorough characterization of the coating materials used on aluminum alloys in terms of mechanical properties. Graphite is considered in this paper as it enables the reduction of the coefficient of friction through its lubricating properties. Unfortunately, graphite is difficult to use in selected layers as the only dispersion phase, because it has much lower hardness than the Ni-P coating. For this reason, a layer with a single dispersion phase in the form of graphite will be characterized by worse mechanical properties. It is necessary to add particles or nanoparticles with hardness higher than the base Ni-P coating, e.g., Si3N4, which improve the mechanical properties of the coating. The presented analyses of the results of the conducted research complement the previous studies on selected properties of nanocomposite layers with an amorphous structure and supplement the knowledge regarding their suitability for application to aluminum machine parts.

  • Influence of finishing colour on the efficiency of automated production line for wooden doors
    • Zdzisław Kwidziński
    • Marek Chodnicki
    • Łukasz Sankiewicz
    • Bartłomiej Knitowski
    • Tomasz Rogoziński
    2023

    Porta KMI Poland S.A. company has implemented a fully automated intelligent technological line TechnoPORTA for customized mass-production of technical door leaves. Each door leaf is provided with a unique QR code. It allows the line modules to individually adjust the machining parameters to the currently processed element according to the IT controlling system. Before en-tering the TechnoPorta line, the door leaves are not sorted, although the high capacity characteristic of mass production is required. Therefore, the aim of this short test was to verify the influence of leaf segregation by colour on the effi-ciency of the TechnoPorta line. Three groups of door leaves – white, black an-thracite and mixed – were tested. The test included measurements of the time interval between successive door leaves, which is the tact of the line. The test showed that each time the machining parameters are changed due to colour changes, the tact of the line is approximately twice as long. The colour segrega-tion of door leaves influences the efficiency of the production line. In the case of a single-color set, the tact of the line is half that of a mixed set. The less fre-quent the colour changes, the greater the production time savings.

  • Influence of friction stir welding technological parameters on the properties of the joints of selected aluminum alloys
    • Aleksandra Laska
    2023 Full text

    The purpose of this dissertation was to determine the effect of friction stir welding technological parameters on the properties of selected aluminum alloy joints, with consideration of the residual stresses and dislocation density in the joints. The goal of the present work was also to produce defect-free joints with high mechanical and electrochemical properties. In the dissertation, similar welds of AA6082 alloy and dissimilar welds of AA6082/AA6060 and AA5083/AA6060 alloys were produced. The parameters analyzed included tool geometry, tool traverse speed, tool rotational speed, and tool tilt angle. After visual inspection, the produced welds were studied for microstructure, tensile strength, hardness, and electrochemical resistance. In addition, the object of the study was to analyze the influence of residual stresses and the density and mobility of dislocations on the properties of the welds. The thesis concluded that the technological parameters of the process had a considerable effect on the residual stresses in the welds and the nature of the dislocations, which consequently affected the resulting mechanical and electrochemical properties of the joints.

  • Influence of geometrical and operational parameters on tooth wear in the working mechanism of a satellite motor
    • Paweł Śliwiński
    2023 Full text Scientific Reports

    This article describes the phenomena affecting the wear of the rotor of the working mechanism in a hydraulic satellite motor. The basic geometrical relationships that allow the calculation of the coordinates of the points of contact between the satellite and the rotor and the curvature are presented. A method for calculating the number of contacts of the satellite teeth with the rotor teeth and of the satellite teeth with the curvature teeth during one revolution of the rotor is proposed. A method of calculating the forces acting at the points of contact of the satellite with the rotor and the curvature is also proposed, as well as a method of calculating the stress in the tooth contact of the interacting components of the mechanism. The results of calculations of forces and stresses in tooth contact in a satellite mechanism consisting of a four-hump rotor and a six-hump curvature are presented. It is shown that the two chambers around the satellite are in the same phase in a certain range of the rotation angle of the rotor, i.e. in the emptying phase or in the filling phase. This results in the value of the force acting on the satellite resulting from the pressure difference being zero. It has also been shown that the most important parameters affecting tooth wear are the pressure difference in the working chambers of the satellite mechanism and the rotor speed.

  • Influence of Honing Parameters on the Quality of the Machined Parts and Innovations in Honing Processes
    • Piotr Sender
    • Irene Buj - Corral
    2023 Full text Metals

    The article presents a literature review dealing with the effect of the honing parameters on the quality of the machined parts, as well as with the recent innovations in honing processes. First, an overview about the honing and the plateau-honing processes is presented, considering the main parameters that can be varied during machining. Then, the influence of the honing parameters on surface finish, shape deviation and material removal rate is presented. Finally, some special and innovative applications of the honing process are described. For example, honing with variable kinematics allows obtaining oil grooves that are not rectilinear but curvilinear, in order to reduce the temperature of the part during machining and thus obtaining better surface finish and lower shape deviation. Automation of the honing machines is useful to improve both the production and the verification process. Another innovation consists of using 3D printed tools in honing processes, which will help to obtain abrasive tools with complex shapes, for example by means of powder bed fusion processes.

  • Influence of hydrochloric acid concentration and type of nitrogen source on the electrochemical performance of TiO2/N-MoS2 for energy storage applications
    • Zuzanna Zarach
    • Andrzej Nowak
    • Konrad Trzciński
    • Grzegorz Gajowiec
    • Grzegorz Trykowski
    • Sawczak Mirosław
    • Marcin Łapiński
    • Mariusz Szkoda
    2023 Full text APPLIED SURFACE SCIENCE

    In this work, nitrogen-doped molybdenum sulfide was directly deposited on titanium dioxide nanotubes substrate (TiO2/N-MoS2) during hydrothermal synthesis. The study focuses on the influence of hydrochloric acid concentration used for the synthesis, with the results indicating its essential role in thioacetamide hydrolysis and thus in the effectiveness of the N-MoS2 deposition. The electrode material itself is characterized by an initial capacitance of 320 mF cm−2 with 76 % capacitance retention after 10 000 cycles. Moreover, the effect of nitrogen source on the physical and capacitive properties is investigated, revealing that the simultaneous addition of aniline and ammonium persulfate contributes to the improvement of crystallinity and overall electrochemical performance of the electrode material. The analysis of charge storage mechanisms also indicates that the introduction of nitrogen atoms significantly affects the contribution of diffusion-controlled processes. In the construction of a symmetrical device, the specific capacitance of 76 F g−1 and areal capacitance of 70 mF cm−2 with the superior coulombic efficiency and 84 % of capacitance retention after 15,000 cycles is observed, with 11.1 W kg−1 and 5193.4 Wh kg−1 of energy and power density of the device, respectively.

  • Influence of hydrogen on a nanocrystalline high-entropy oxide with application potential in hydrogen technologies
    • Kamil Domaradzki
    • Marek Nowak
    • Maciej Sitarz
    • Marcin Łapiński
    • Tomasz Brylewski
    • Mieczysław Jurczyk
    2023 CERAMICS INTERNATIONAL

    The influence of hydrogen on a (Co0⋅2Cu0⋅2Mg0⋅2Ni0⋅2Zn0.2)O HEO with a rock salt structure was studied. Two forms of this HEO (nanopowder and sinter) were prepared via mechanochemical synthesis (MS) and additional heat treatment, respectively. The chemical stability of the synthesized samples in a pure hydrogen atmosphere was investigated using Sievert’s technique. High-pressure hydrogenation at 250 ◦C had no noticeable effect on the HEO sinter. The sintered sample was chemically, structurally, and morphologically stable, as confirmed via the XRD, Raman spectroscopy, SEM, and XPS techniques. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) showed the sinter to be stable in an argon gas mixture with 5 vol% of hydrogen and over the temperature range of up to 400 ◦C.

  • Influence of Phosphorus Speciation on Its Chemical Removal from Reject Water from Dewatering of Municipal Sewage Sludge
    • Eliza Kulbat
    • Krzysztof Czerwionka
    2023 Full text ENERGIES

    The aim of the presented research was the assessment of phosphorus speciation impact on the precipitation of phosphorus in reject water using Ca(OH)2. To achieve this, phosphorus speciation (organic and inorganic phosphorus in suspension and in dissolved form) in reject water that is produced during sludge dewatering, after methane digestion in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), was determined. This study covered the materials from four WWTPs with different compositions of feedstock for anaerobic digestion (AnD). In one, the AnD process of primary and secondary sludge was carried out without co-substrate, while in three others, co-substrate (waste from the agri-food industry and external waste-activated sludge and fats from industrial plants) was examined. The investigation was conducted in batch reactors using doses of Ca(OH)2 ranging from 2500 to 5500 mg Ca/dm3. The percentage of phosphorus forms determined in the raw reject water was similar, with the dominant form being soluble reactive phosphorus (SPR) (percentage from 87 to 96%). The small differences observed were dependent on the composition of the AnD feedstock. The results showed that, in all analysed wastewater, very high (exceeding 99.9%) phosphate phosphorus removal efficiencies were obtained using Ca(OH)2 for short reaction times (t = 1 h). The efficiency of phosphate removal depended on pH but not on the forms of phosphorus in the analysed reject water.

  • Influence of Soft Soil Samples Quality on the Compressibility and Undrained Shear Strength – Seven Lessons Learned From the Vistula Marshlands
    • Jakub Konkol
    2023 Full text Studia Geotechnica et Mechanica

    This technical article presents the influence of sample quality on the compressibility parameters and undrained shear strength ( c u ) of soft soils from the Vistula Marshlands. The analysis covers: (1) quality of soft soil according to three criteria: void ratio (Δ e / e 0 index), volumetric strain (Δ ɛ v ) and C r / C c ratio; (2) influence of storage time on quality; (3) influence of sample quality on undrained shear strength ( c u ), and (4) reliability of compression and undrained shear strength parameters estimation. The sample quality of three different soft soils (peat, organic clays, and organic silts) was investigated using dataset of geotechnical investigations from the Vistula Marshlands. The reliability of oedometer tests and compressibility parameters determination was shown. Different undrained shear strength estimates (from lab and field tests) were juxtaposed with sample quality. In situ estimates of undrained shear strength were compared with results of triaxial tests and direct simple shear test on reconstituted samples as well as SHANSEP estimates. The results of research are grouped in seven lessons. The most important outcomes are: (1) the quality of samples is at best moderate or poor and there is no significant influence of storage time on sample quality, (2) regardless of testing method, the undrained shear strength natural variability of the Vistula Marshlands soft soils is between 20% and 50% depending on deposit depth and soil type, (3) the most accurate estimation of undrained shear strength can be obtained from field vane test (FVT) while unconsolidated, undrained compression (UUC) triaxial tests should be avoided, (4) SHANSEP approach can be considered as a valuable estimate of c u (next to the FVTs), which additionally allows in relatively easy way to establish lower and upper bounds of c u .

  • Influence of soil anisotropic stiffness on the deformation induced by an open pit excavation.
    • Katarzyna Lisewska
    • Marcin Cudny
    2023 Full text Archives of Civil Engineering

    In this paper, the problem of deformation induced by an open pit excavation in anisotropic stiff soils is analysed by FE modelling. The presented research is focused on the influence of material model with anisotropic stiffness on the accuracy of deformation predictions as compared with the field measurements. A new hyperelastic-plastic model is applied to simulate anisotropic mechanical behaviour of stiff soils. It is capable to reproduce mixed variable stress-induced anisotropy and constant inherent cross-anisotropy of the small strain stiffness. The degradation of stiffness depending on strain is modelled with the Brick-type model. The model formulation and parameters are briefly presented. General deformation pattern obtained in the exemplary 2D boundary value problem of an open pit excavation is investigated considering different values of inherent cross-anisotropy coefficient of small strain stiffness. The numerical simulations are performed as a coupled deformation-flow analysis which allows to properly model the drainage conditions. The excavation phases are simulated by removal of soil layers according to the realistic time schedule. Finally, the monitored case of the trial open pit excavation in heavily overconsolidated Oxford Clay at Elstow, UK is simulated with proposed material model both in 2D and 3D conditions. The obtained calculation results are compared with displacement measurements and discussed.

  • Influence of Surface Laser Treatment on Mechanical Properties and Residual Stresses of Titanium and its Alloys
    • Magdalena Jażdżewska
    • Beata Majkowska-Marzec
    • Roman Ostrowski
    • Jean-marc Olive
    2023 Full text Advances in Science and Technology Research Journal

    Surface modification of the titanium and its alloys used in implantology with a long-pulse laser can change the surface topography, but it also leads to changes in the stress sign and magnitude in the resulting subsurface layer. The presented research was aimed at evaluating the state of stress after laser remelting with the Nd:YAG laser of pre-etched titanium alloys Ti6Al4V and Ti13Nb13Zr and pure titanium. The obtained surface layers were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), optical profilography, and nanoindentation studies. Based on the results obtained after the nanoindentation tests, the character of the stresses generated in the melted layers was calculated and determined. Laser processing resulted in surface layer thicknesses between 191-320 µm and surface roughness Ra between 2.89-5.40 µm. Laser processing caused increasing hardness, and its highest value was observed for the titanium alloy Ti13Nb13Zr - 5.18 GPa. The tensile stresses appeared following laser treatment and increased with elevating laser power up to the highest value for titanium.

  • Influence of Surface-Modified Montmorillonite Clays on the Properties of Elastomeric Thin Layer Nanocomposites
    • Adam Olszewski
    • Aleksandra Ławniczak
    • Paulina Kosmela
    • Marcin Strąkowski
    • Aleksandra Mielewczyk-Gryń
    • Aleksander Hejna
    • Łukasz Piszczyk
    2023 Full text Materials

    In recent years, polyurethane nanocomposites have attracted more attention due to the massive demand for materials with increasingly exceptional mechanical, optical, electrical, and thermal properties. As nanofillers have a high surface area, the interaction between the nanofiller and the polymer matrix is an essential issue for these materials. The main aim of this study is to validate the impact of the montmorillonite nanofiller (MMT) surface structure on the properties of polyurethane thin-film nanocomposites. Despite the interest in polyurethane–montmorillonite clay nanocomposites, only a few studies have explored the impact of montmorillonite surface modification on polyurethane’s material properties. For this reason, four types of polyurethane nanocomposites with up to 3% content of MMT were manufactured using the prepolymer method. The impact of montmorillonites on nanocomposites properties was tested by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), contact angle measurement, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and optical coherence tomography (OCT). The results showed that chemical and physical interactions between the polymer matrix and functional groups on the montmorillonite surface have a considerable impact on the final properties of the materials. It was noticed that the addition of MMT changed the thermal decomposition process, increased T2% by at least 14 °C, changed the hydrophilicity of the materials, and increased the glass transition temperature. These findings have underlined the importance of montmorillonite surface structure and interactions between nanocomposite phases for the final properties of nanocomposites.

  • Influence of temperature and anion type on thermophysical properties of aqueous solutions of morpholine based amino acid ionic liquids
    • Dorota Warmińska
    • Adam Kloskowski
    2023 Full text JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL THERMODYNAMICS

    Densities and sound velocities of aqueous solutions of N-butyl-N-methylmorpholine based amino acid ionic liquids (AAILs), including N-acetyl-L-alanine, N-acetyl-Lvalinate, N-acetyl-L-leucinate, and N-acetyl-L-izoleucinate anions were measured at a temperature from 293.15 to 313.15 K at 5 K intervals and atmospheric pressure. These data were used to calculate the apparent molar volumes and the apparent molar compressibilities in the concentration range of (0.02 to 0.3) mol.kg-1. Infinite dilution values for the volumetric and acoustic properties were evaluated by an extrapolation procedure based on Redlich – Meyer type equations. The limiting apparent molar expansibility coefficients were also obtained from the slopes of the apparent molar volume at infinite dilution versus temperature. Using the Passynski method, the hydration numbers for AAILs in an aqueous medium were calculated. The results indicate that in the studied solutions, the ion-solvent interactions are determined by the hydrophobic effect, which results in the decrease of the limiting apparent molar compressibilities and an increase of limiting apparent molar expansibility coefficients in the order: [Mor1,4][N-Ac-L-Ala], [Mor1,4][N-Ac-L-Val], [Mor1,4][N-Ac-L-Leu], [Mor1,4][N-Ac-L-Izoleu]. The empirical slopes in Redlich –Rosenfeld – Meyer equations show that the hydrophobicity of amino acid anions is also responsible for the ion-ion interactions.

  • Influence of temperature and nitrogen pressure on the test without active gases for high-temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cells
    • Wojciech Rosiński
    • Andrzej Wilk
    • Christophe Turpin
    2023 Full text Archives of Electrical Engineering

    High-Temperature Proton-Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (HT-PEMFCs) are a candidate for electrical energy supply devices in more and more applications. Most notably in the aeronautic industry. Before any use, an HT-PEMFC is preheated and after that supplied with its active gases. Only at this state, the diagnostics can be performed. A method of testing not requiring a complete start-up would be beneficial for many reasons. This article describes an extended version of the charging and discharging diagnostic method of HT-PEMFCs with no active gases. This extended approach is named “Test Without Active Gases” (TWAG). This paper presents original research on the influence of nitrogen temperature and pressure on the HT-PEMFC response to charging and discharging. A lumped-element model of an HT-PEMFC is also presented. A numerical result of using this model to recreate an experimentally obtained curve is also presented.

  • Influence of the Addition of Recycled Aggregates and Polymer Fibers on the Properties of Pervious Concrete
    • Oskar Mitrosz
    • Marzena Kurpińska
    • Mikołaj Miśkiewicz
    • Tadeusz Brzozowski
    • Hakim S. Abdelgader
    2023 Full text Materials

    The aim of the study was to check the possibility of reusing aggregate from recycled concrete waste and rubber granules from car tires as partial substitution of natural aggregate. The main objective was to investigate the effects of recycled waste aggregate modified with polymer fibers on the compressive and flexural strength, modulus of elasticity and permeability of pervious concrete. Fibers with a multifilament structure and length of 54 mm were deliberately used to strengthen the joints among grains (max size 31.5 mm). Eight batches of designed mixes were used in the production of pervious concrete at fixed water/binder ratio of 0.34 with cement content of 350 kg/m3. Results showed that the use of recycled concrete aggregate (8/31.5 mm) with replacement ratio of 50% (by weight of aggregate) improved the mechanical properties of pervious concrete in all analyzed cases. Whereas the replacement of 10% rubber waste aggregate (2/5 mm) by volume of aggregate reduced the compressive strength by a maximum of 11.4%. Addition of 2 kg/m3 of polymer fibers proved the strengthening effect of concrete structure, enhancing the compressive and tensile strengths by a maximum of 23.4% and 25.0%, respectively. The obtained test results demonstrate the possibility of using the recycled waste aggregates in decarbonization process of pervious concrete production, but further laboratory and field performance tests are needed.

  • Influence of water soaking on the ultimate tensile strength of polyester-based coated woven fabrics
    • Andrzej Ambroziak
    • Paweł Kłosowski
    2023 Full text Archives of Civil Engineering

    This research aims to determine the influence of water-soaking on polyester-based coated woven fabrics for ultimate tensile strength and elongation at break under uniaxial tensile tests. The paper begins with a short survey of literature concerning the investigation of the determination of coated woven fabric properties. The authors carried out the uniaxial tensile tests with an application of a flat grip to establish the values of the ultimate tensile strength of groups of specimens treated with different moisture conditions. SEM fractography is performed to determine the cross-section structures of coated woven fabrics. The change in the mechanical properties caused by the influence of water immersion has not been noticed in the performed investigations.

  • Influence of windsurfing fin stiffness distribution on the lift-drag characteristics
    • Hanna Pruszko
    • Maciej Reichel
    • Tomasz Mikulski
    2023 Full text

    This article addresses the problem of determining the hydromechanical loads generated by flexible hydrofoils. The research was done on the example of the composite windsurfing fin for the RS:X monotype class. Despite the assumption of fins identity, everyday practice showed that variations of mechanical properties occur and strongly affect their performance. Therefore, we decided to study the differences between the windsurfing fins' stiffness and quantify the resulting variations in performance. The study was done using mainly computational methods supported by the experimental investigation. The two-way Fluid-Structure Interaction (FSI) calculations were performed to investigate this problem. From a large population of measured fins, three fins were selected for calculations, each representing various stiffness properties – rigid, moderate and flexible. The FSI calculations were performed using Abaqus and Star-CCM+ explicit coupling. The substitute Finite Element Method (FEA) model was created since the composite stacking sequence was unknown. Each fin was divided into eight sections, and the material properties of each section were identified based on the experimental investigation results. The FSI calculations aimed to find lift and drag forces generated by the fins with various stiffness distributions and the quasi-static deformation of the structure. The calculations were performed for one speed and several angles of attack. Based on that, the lift and drag forces were evaluated. The calculations obtained for flexible fins were compared to a rigid hydrofoil. Significant differences between the performance of the fins were obtained, depending on the hydrofoil angle of attack.

  • Informal practices in urban planning and governance. Examples from Polish cities
    • Izabela Mironowicz
    • Michał Marek Ciesielski
    2023 Planning Practice and Research

    Planning has a formal, legally defined component and an informal component developed in response to deficiencies in the planning system. Informal practices can contribute to the development of tools that would improve urban governance, especially in areas related to space. This article presents an overview of informal practices that have taken place in Polish cities and towns in recent years and offers an assessment of their impact on the quality of urban governance.

  • Information Extraction from Polish Radiology Reports using Language Models
    • Aleksander Obuchowski
    • Barbara Klaudel
    • Patryk Jasik
    2023 Full text

    Radiology reports are vital elements of directing patient care. They are usually delivered in free text form, which makes them prone to errors, such as omission in reporting radiological findings and using difficult-to-comprehend mental shortcuts. Although structured reporting is the recommended method, its adoption continues to be limited. Radiologists find structured reports too limiting and burdensome. In this paper, we propose the model, which is meant to preserve the benefits of free text, while moving towards a structured report. The model automatically parametrizes Polish radiology reports based on language models. The models are trained on a large dataset of 1200 chest computed tomography (CT) reports annotated by multiple medical experts reports with 44 observation tags. Experimental analysis shows that models based on language models are able to achieve satisfactory results despite being pretrained on general domain corpora. Overall, the model achieves an F1 score of 81% and is able to successfully parametrize the most common radiological observations, allowing for potential adaptation in clinical practice. Our model is publicly available.

  • Initial Investigation of Wave Interactions During Simultaneous Valve Closures in Hydraulic Piping Systems
    • Kamil Urbanowicz
    • Igor Haluch
    • Anton Bergant
    • Adam Deptuła
    • Paweł Śliwiński
    2023 Full text WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT

    The effects of interference of pressure waves in simple piping systems were studied. A freeware computer code Allievi developed at the University of Valencia was used to simulate dynamic waveforms in simple and complex networks. The tests were carried out according to three scenarios. No pressure increases significantly exceeding the Joukowsky pressure in simple cases were noticed. When the effects of the simultaneous closing of three valves located at the three pressure reservoirs with pipes of the same diameter connected at "Y" junction were tested, it was shown that wave interference (between primary and reflected waves) is influenced strongly by the length of the analyzed pipes. Additionally, when a change of diameter was assumed at the "Y" junction, secondary waves appear, which are responsible for increased pressure in this type of the system (even when the lengths of the lines are identical). Water supply pipe systems are subject to cyclical loads and wave interference of similar types even during standard operations, that’s why the understanding of this issue is crucial to effectively protect the systems from the risk of possible cracks, bursts, and leaks.

  • Inline Waveguide Filter With Compact Frequency-Dependent Coupling Producing Two Additional Poles and Three Transmission Zeros
    • Umar A. Majeed
    • Muhammad Yameen Sandhu
    • Adam Lamęcki
    • Roberto Gómez-García
    • Michał Mrozowski
    2023

    This work reports a compact frequency-dependent coupling (FDC) structure introduced in a rectangular waveguide, which allows to generate two additional in-band transmission poles and three transmission zeros (TZs). This serves to increase the order/selectivity of the waveguide bandpass filter in a compact inline topology, thus without the need for any additional space/volume or cross coupling. The proposed FDC consists of a partial-height post and a T-shaped post (P&T) that are placed side by side along the width of the waveguide. An equivalent circuit of the P&T FDC is also provided for the filter synthesis process. The TZs can be flexibly placed at either passband side. Electromagnetic-(EM)-simulated results for a fourth-order inline generalized-Chebyshev bandpass filter shaped by two cavity resonators that are coupled through a P&T FDC are presented to validate the RF operational principle of the conceived FDC.

  • Inline Waveguide Filter With Transmission Zeros Using a Modified-T-Shaped-Post Coupling Inverter
    • Muhammad Yameen Sandhu
    • Maciej Jasiński
    • Adam Lamęcki
    • Roberto Gomez-Garcia
    • Michał Mrozowski
    2023 IEEE MICROWAVE AND WIRELESS COMPONENTS LETTERS

    This letter reports the design techniques for a class 2 of inline waveguide bandpass filters with sharp-rejection capabil3 ities at the lower stopband based on a novel nonlinear-frequency4 variant-coupling (NFVC) structure. The proposed NFVC consists 5 of a modified-T-shaped metallic post (MTP) that is placed at the 6 center of the waveguide broad wall with its open arms lying 7 along the waveguide width. The engineered NFVC structure 8 produces a first-order bandpass filtering transfer function with 9 a pair of transmission zeros (TZs) located below the passband 10 range. To demonstrate the usefulness of the proposed NFVC 11 inverter, a 9.9-GHz third-order inline waveguide bandpass filter 12 prototype with two TZs is developed and tested. It consists of 13 two half-wavelength cavity resonators coupled together via the 14 conceived MTP coupling structure. The measured results are in 15 close agreement with the electromagnetic (EM) simulated ones, 16 thus validating the devised waveguide filter design principle

  • Innovations in Wastewater Treatment: Harnessing Mathematical Modeling and Computer Simulations with Cutting-Edge Technologies and Advanced Control Systems
    • Jakub Drewnowski
    • Bartosz Szeląg
    • Fabrizio Sabba
    • Magdalena Piłat-Rożek
    • Adam Piotrowicz
    • Grzegorz Łagód
    2023 Full text Journal of Ecological Engineering

    The wastewater treatment landscape in Central Europe, particularly in Poland, has undergone a profound transformation due to European Union (EU) integration. Fueled by EU funding and rapid technological advancements, wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) have adopted cutting-edge control methods to adhere to EU Water Framework Directive mandates. WWTPs contend with complexities such as variable flow rates, temperature fluctuations, and evolving influent compositions, necessitating advanced control systems and precise sensors to ensure water quality, enhance energy efficiency, and reduce operational costs. Wastewater mathematical modeling provides operational flexibility, acting as a virtual testing ground for process enhancements and resource optimization. Real-time sensors play a crucial role in creating these models by continuously monitoring key parameters and supplying data to predictive models. These models empower real-time decision-making, resulting in minimized downtime and reduced expenses, thus promoting the sustainability and efficiency of WWTPs while aligning with resource recovery and environmental stewardship goals. The evolution of WWTPs in Central Europe is driven by a range of factors. To optimize WWTPs, a multi-criteria approach is presented, integrating simulation models with data mining methods, while taking into account parameter interactions. This approach strikes a balance between the volume of data collected and the complexity of statistical analysis, employing machine learning techniques to cut costs for process optimization. The future of WWTP control systems lies in “smart process control systems”, which revolve around simulation models driven by real-time data, ultimately leading to optimal biochemical processes. In conclusion, Central Europe’s wastewater treatment sector has wholeheartedly embraced advanced control methods and mathematical modeling to comply with EU regulations and advance sustainability objectives. Real-time monitoring and sophisticated modeling are instrumental in driving efficient, resource-conscious operations. Challenges remain in terms of data accessibility and cost-effective online monitoring, especially for smaller WWTPs.

  • Innovative Implantable Left Ventricular Assist Device—Performance under Various Resistances and Operating Frequency Conditions
    • Ryszard Jasiński
    • Krzysztof Tesch
    • Leszek Dąbrowski
    • Jan Rogowski
    2023 Full text Applied Sciences-Basel

    This paper presents the operation of an innovative left ventricular assist device under various resistances and operating frequencies. The operating principle of the device is based on pulsatile blood flow, which is forced by a suction–discharge device pumping helium into a set of intra-cardiac balloons. In this way, the ejection fraction of the left ventricle is increased, and the mitral valve is additionally occluded. What is more, the suction–discharge device is part of a portable pumping system that is synchronized with the heart cycle by monitoring the ECG signal. The device is implanted in a minimally invasive manner and is suitable for patients with stage D heart failure accompanied with residual mitral regurgitation. A model of the heart was built on the basis of a realistically reconstructed heart geometry and is part of an overall test stand that allows for realistic conditions in the heart of patients with end-stage heart failure to be reproduced. In the following sections, example measurements of the pressures in the heart chambers and balloons are shown, demonstrating that the device works correctly at least on a laboratory scale. The entire device, including the pumping system, is portable and powered by a set of lithium-ion batteries. From the measurements, it was observed, for example, that the flow rate varies with the frequency of the portable external balloon pumping system, up to 2.5 kg/min for 100 cycles/min at low flow resistance. As the flow resistance of the hydraulic system increases, the pressure in the heart chamber and aorta increases while the flow rate decreases.

  • Innovative Urban Blue Space Design in a Changing Climate: Transition Models in the Baltic Sea Region
    • Izabela Burda
    • Lucyna Nyka
    2023 Full text Water

    Waterfront areas in cities are subject to constant changes. The desire to integrate the transformed waterside areas with the urban fabric involves shaping high-quality public spaces related to water, which are often referred to as urban blue spaces (UBS). The aim of the research was to examine the transformation processes of urban waterfront areas in the Baltic Sea Region and identify emerging transition models and types of blue public spaces. The methodological framework of this study is based on qualitative analysis of urban form with respect to coastal and riverine waters. An introductory analysis of 50 cases of transformations was conducted, and 12 were selected for further investigation: Tallinn, Pärnu (Estonia), Copenhagen, Køge, Aarhus (Denmark), Helsinki, Turku (Finland), Stockholm, Malmö, Luleå, Sundsvall, and Ystad (Sweden). As the outcome of the study, the authors indicate that the existing hard land–water interfaces were transformed into soft transition zones where new types of blue public spaces were created with different relationships to water. Synergies were identified between public space design, flood protection measures, and climate adaptation schemes. Finally, the findings highlight the need to verify the existing planning regulations and make them more flexible and effective in guiding the sustainable waterfront design processes.

  • Insight into (Electro)magnetic Interactions within Facet-Engineered BaFe12O19/TiO2 Magnetic Photocatalysts
    • Szymon Dudziak
    • Cristina Gómez-Polo
    • Jakub Karczewski
    • Kostiantyn Nikiforow
    • Anna Zielińska-Jurek
    2023 Full text ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces

    A series of facet-engineered TiO2/BaFe12O19 composites were synthesized through hydrothermal growth of both phases and subsequent deposition of the different, faceted TiO2 nanoparticles onto BaFe12O19 microplates. The well-defined geometry of the composite and uniaxial magnetic anisotropy of the ferrite allowed alternate interfaces between both phases and fixed the orientation between the TiO2 crystal structure and the remanent magnetic field within BaFe12O19. The morphology and crystal structure of the composites were confirmed by a combination of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses together with the detailed study of BaFe12O19 electronic and magnetic properties. The photocatalytic activity and magnetic field effect were studied in the reaction of phenol degradation for TiO2/BaFe12O19 and composites of BaFe12O19 covered with a SiO2 protective layer and TiO2. The observed differences in phenol degradation are associated with electron transfer and the contribution of the magnetic field. All obtained magnetic composite materials can be easily separated in an external magnetic field, with efficiencies exceeding 95%, and recycled without significant loss of photocatalytic activity. The highest activity was observed for the composite of BaFe12O19 with TiO2 exposing {1 0 1} facets. However, to prevent electron transfer within the composite structure, this photocatalyst material was additionally coated with a protective SiO2 layer. Furthermore, TiO2 exposing {1 0 0} facets exhibited significant synergy with the BaFe12O19 magnetic field, leading to 2 times higher photocatalytic activity when ferrite was magnetized before the process. The photoluminescence emission study suggests that for this particular combination, the built-in magnetic field of the ferrite suppressed the recombination of the photogenerated charge carriers. Ultimately, possible effects of complex electro/magnetic interactions within the magnetic photocatalyst are shown and discussed for the first time, including the anisotropic properties of both phases

  • Insightful studies of AuCu nanostructures deposited on Ti platform: Effect of rapid thermal annealing on photoelectrochemical activity supported by synchrotron radiation studies
    • Wiktoria Lipińska
    • Zuzanna Bielan
    • Agnieszka Witkowska
    • Jakub Karczewski
    • Katarzyna Grochowska
    • Ewa Partyka-Jankowska
    • Tomasz Sobol
    • Magdalena Szczepanik
    • Katarzyna Siuzdak
    2023 APPLIED SURFACE SCIENCE

    In this work, we present the influence of annealing atmospheres during rapid thermal annealing (40◦C/s) on nanostructured Ti platforms modified by 10 nm layer of AuCu alloy obtained via magnetron sputtering. The AuCu/Ti platform annealed under hydrogen atmosphere exhibits the best photoelectrochemical activity under visible light, i.e. 27 times higher photocurrent than for pure Ti dimpled platform, and the lowest reflectance with minimum at ca. 750 nm. Synchrotron radiation studies allow for inspection in three zones, such as the upper (2-3 nm) and deeper (5-7 nm) surface layers as well as the bulk structure (12-15 nm). Taking into account hydrogenated AuCu/Ti platforms gold presence was confirmed in the upper and deeper surface layers as well as in bulk whereas AuxCuy nanoalloy only in the deeper layer. In the case of copper, Cu2O or Cu were distinguished in the upper and deeper surface layers, where Cu+1/Cutot ratio reaches 70 % in the upper layer and drops to about 40 % at a depth of 5–7 nm. Hydrogenation has a positive effect on photovoltaic performance by efficient acceptor–donor configuration of AuCu doping on/into TiO2 semiconductor showing its potential ability as photoanode in solar cells.

  • Insights into baby disposable diapers sustainable application
    • Justyna Płotka-Wasylka
    • Christina Vakh
    2023 SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT

    The sustainable use of baby disposable diapers is one of the issues currently being discussed to reduce the undesirable impact on the environment and improve the public's understanding of the proper use of diapers. This issue is a step toward promoting a cleaner, greener, and waste-less environment. In this article, the authors discuss options for a viable future for both people and the planet. We believe that it inspire others in the field of sustainable use of diapers as well as future education in this area. In addition, we believe that it will be a motivation for a researchers working in industry to be focused on the production of new, biodegradable baby diapers as well as on recycling baby diapers waste (for example as composite material for a structural and architectural component of the building).

  • Insights into oral microbiome and colorectal cancer – on the way of searching new perspectives
    • Anna Kudra
    • Damian Muszyński
    • Bartosz Kamil Sobocki
    • Alessandro Atzeni
    • Ludovico Carbone
    • Karolina Kaźmierczak-Siedlecka
    • Karol Polom
    • Leszek Kalinowski
    2023 Full text FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY

    Microbiome is a keystone polymicrobial community that coexist with human body in a beneficial relationship. These microorganisms enable the human body to maintain homeostasis and take part in mechanisms of defense against infection and in the absorption of nutrients. Even though microbiome is involved in physiologic processes that are beneficial to host health, it may also cause serious detrimental issues. Additionally, it has been proven that bacteria can migrate to other human body compartments and colonize them even although significant structural differences with the area of origin exist. Such migrations have been clearly observed when the causes of genesis and progression of colorectal cancer (CRC) have been investigated. It has been demonstrated that the oral microbiome is capable of penetrating into the large intestine and cause impairments leading to dysbiosis and stimulation of cancerogenic processes. The main actors of such events seem to be oral pathogenic bacteria belonging to the red and orange complex (regarding classification of bacteria in the context of periodontal diseases), such as Porphyromonas gingivalis and Fusobacterium nucleatum respectively, which are characterized by significant amount of cancerogenic virulence factors. Further examination of oral microbiome and its impact on CRC may be crucial on early detection of this disease and would allow its use as a precise non-invasive biomarker.

  • Insights into Seawater Biodegradation of Sustainable Mater-Bi/Poly(ε-caprolactone)-Based Biocomposites Filled with Diisocyanate-Modified Cellulose Particles
    • Aleksander Hejna
    • Paulina Kosmela
    • Olga Mysiukiewicz
    • Mateusz Barczewski
    2023 Full text Environments

    : Due to rapid economic growth, the use of plastics in almost all areas of human life has significantly increased over recent decades, leading to massive pollution. Therefore, works dealing with sustainable and biodegradable polymer materials are vital now. Herein, sustainable MaterBi/poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL)-based biocomposites, filled with diisocyanate-modified cellulose particles, were prepared and subjected to 12-week seawater degradation. Changes in the chemical structure and surface wettability pointed to the increasing hydrophilicity of materials over time, which was limited by diisocyanate modifications. Only minor changes in the thermal performance of analyzed materials have been observed, pointing to the limited biodegradation of the PCL phase. The most significant effects have been related to the composite yellowing due to the filler diisocyanate modifications and surface erosion increasing its roughness. Obtained results pointing to the low degradation rate bring into question the commonly-regarded biodegradable nature of PCL material.

  • Instance segmentation of stack composed of unknown objects
    • Michał Czubenko
    • Artur Chrzanowski
    • Rafał Okuński
    2023 Full text ENGINEERING APPLICATIONS OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

    The article reviews neural network architectures designed for the segmentation task. It focuses mainly on instance segmentation of stacked objects. The main assumption is that segmentation is based on a color image with an additional depth layer. The paper also introduces the Stacked Bricks Dataset based on three cameras: RealSense L515, ZED2, and a synthetic one. Selected architectures: DeepLab, Mask RCNN, DEtection TRansformer, Geometry-Aware Instance Segmentation, Shapemask, Synthetic Depth Mask RCNN, Synthetic Fusion Mask RCNN (SF-Mask), Unseen Object Instance Segmentation (UOIS), Unseen Object Clustering (UOC), and You Look Only At Coefficients, have been tested on various datasets. The results show that the best architectures for stacked elements segmentation are UOIS, SF-Mask, and UOC.