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Gdańsk University of Technology

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  • The Efficacious Benefit of 25-Hydroxy Vitamin D to Prevent COVID-19: An In-Silico Study Targeting SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein
    • Tomy Muringayil
    • Akshay M S
    • Debarshi Kar Mahapatra
    • Józef Haponiuk
    • Sabu Thomas
    2022 Full text Nutrients

    The environment has rapidly looked at proven specialist task forces in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic to build public health policies and measures to mitigate the effects of emerging coronaviruses. According to the researchers, taking 10 μg of 25-hydroxy vitamin D daily is recommended to keep us safe. There have been several studies recently indicating that there is a reduced risk of contracting Coronavirus by 25-hydroxy vitamin D consumption, even though there is no scientific data to prove that one would not affect the COVID-19 viral infection by 25-hydroxy vitamin D consumption. In this regard, the present study investigates the important literature and the role of 25-hydroxy vitamin D to prevent COVID-19 infection by conducting an in-silico study with SARS-CoV-2 spike protein as a target. Lopinavir, a previously reported drug candidate, served as a reference standard for the study. MD simulations were carried out to improve predictions of receptor-ligand complexes which offer novelty and strength to the current study. MD simulation protocols were explored and subjected to 25-hydroxy vitamin D and a known drug, Lopinavir. Comparison of ligands at refined models to the crystal structure led to promising results. Appropriate timescale simulations have been used to understand the activation mechanism, the role of water networks for receptor function, and the ligand binding process. Furthermore, MD simulations in combination with free energy calculations have also been carried out for lead optimization, evaluation of ligand binding modes, and assessment of ligand selectivity. From the results, 25-hydroxy vitamin D was discovered to have the vital interaction and highest potency in LBE, lower RMSD, and lower inhibition intensity similar to the standard. The findings from the current study suggested that 25-hydroxy vitamin D would be more effective in treating COVID-19. Compared with Lopinavir, 25-hydroxy vitamin D had the most potent interaction with the putative binding sites of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein of COVID-19.

  • The electrical, morphological and optical properties of heavily boron-doped diamond sheets as a function of methane concentration in the gas phase
    • Michał Rycewicz
    • Adrian Nosek
    • Mirosław Sawczak
    • Jacek Ryl
    • Robert Bogdanowicz
    2022 Proceedings of SPIE

    Boron-doped diamonds (BDD) are known for their excellent properties such as high thermal conductivity, high mobility, low absorption in visible light, and biocompatibility. In this work, we investigated the electrical, morphological and optical properties of heavily boron-doped diamond thin sheets as a function of methane concentration in the gas phase. Free-standing diamond sheets were fabricated using a microwave plasma-assisted chemical vapor deposition. The methane concentration was controlled by adding CH4 (up to 4%) to the gas phase, while the [B]/[C] ratio was 20,000 ppm. The samples grown with a higher methane concentration show more defects providing additional conduction paths. As a result, the lowest resistance was observed for the sample with a 4% methane concentration in the gas phase. Morphological studies suggest that a strong increase in the standard deviation of grain size and larger thickness of films is correlated with a higher sp2 phase. Moreover, an increase of disordered carbon content is accompanied by a lower transparency of the BDD sheets. This experiment could serve as a stepping stone in the future production of highly conductive large-area boron-doped diamond sheets.

  • The energy approach to fatigue crack growth of S355 steel welded specimens subjected to bending
    • Dariusz Rozumek
    • Janusz Lewandowski
    • Grzegorz Lesiuk
    • Zbigniew Marciniak
    • José A.F.O. Correia
    • Wojciech Macek
    2022 Full text THEORETICAL AND APPLIED FRACTURE MECHANICS

    The study presents the results of the research on the rate of fatigue crack growth subjected to bending in the ferritic-pearlitic structure. The studies were carried out at a constant amplitude of the moment and at various values ​​of the load ratios R and at the operating frequency of the machine of 28.4 Hz. Flat specimens made of S355 steel and with fillet welds and with double-sided blunt external notches as well as concave and convex welds were tested. The tests were performed on specimens without and after relief annealing. The study showed that the heat treatment had an influence on the dispersion of the test results described by the energy parameter. It was also observed that the effect of the applied treatment increased the rate of fatigue crack growth.

  • The Energy Potential of the Lower Vistula River in the Context of the Adaptation of Polish Inland Waterways to the Standards of Routes of International Importance
    • Krzysztof Woś
    • Krzystof Wrzosek
    • Tomasz Kolerski
    2022 Full text ENERGIES

    Based on new policies of the European Union, green technologies are to be mostly considered for power generation. Hydropower generation is one of the essential elements of sustainable energy production. Therefore, specific attention, both economically and technically, needs to be given to this sector of energy production. The Vistula River in Poland is considered an international waterway. The power production potential of the river has been taken into account over the years. However, further configurations are needed to obtain a more in-depth ecological knowledge-base and economic plans, which are socially approved. In an attempt to make the project environmentally friendly, specific attention was put into sustainable transport. Different methods of transport were researched to find the most renewable transport combination, mainly based on waterways. Having performed a cost–benefit analysis related to the economic aspects of the project, it was found that such an investment is highly profitable (B/C = 2.81).

  • The Environmental Benefits of Photovoltaic Systems: The Impact on the Environment in the Production of Photovoltaic Systems: With a Focus on Metal Recovery
    • Ewa Klugmann-Radziemska
    2022

    Greenhouse gases (GHGs) such as carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide and methane, trap heat and energy, thus preventing solar radiation from escaping back into space. As the quantity of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere increases so does the trapped heat and corresponding global temperature. As a result, storms become more violent, droughts more prevalent, glaciers melt, and sea levels rise, to name but a few effects of a rapidly changing climate. These unfavorable climate changes observed for many years have provided an incentive for the development of renewable energy sources, in particular those technologies, that serve the production of electricity. The use of photovoltaic modules to convert solar radiation into electricity results in a reduction of harmful GHGs, characteristic of traditional fossil fuel technologies, and furthermore, leads to economic benefits and independence of energy supplies. Analyzing the complete life cycle of photovoltaic modules: the process of production, operation, and the recycling of solar cell panels and ancillary components, one can demonstrate obvious environmental benefits, justifying not only the costs of photovoltaic technology development, but also government's actions in support of solar panels. Depending on the technology used, the production phase of photovoltaic modules does burden the environment to varying degrees, but overall there are incomparable gains to be made by exploiting photovoltaic systems for electricity production. Waste management and the re-use of valuable materials can also significantly improve the final environmental balance. As the photovoltaic market is still growing, it is important at this stage, to assess the long-term impact of PV technology on the natural environment. In this chapter, the impacts of using photovoltaic solar modules for energy production on the natural environment, are discussed.

  • The EU Tyre Noise Label: The problem with measuring the noise level of only a few of all tyre variants
    • Ulf Sandberg
    • Piotr Mioduszewski
    2022

    The STEER project, described in another Inter-Noise 2022 paper, has evaluated the performance of the noise label of the European tyre label. The major finding was that uncertainties of the tyre/road noise measurements were higher than should be accepted. One of the worst uncertainty sources was found to be the common practice to measure only some tyres of all sizes or variants within a tyre line, to save money. Generally, only the noisiest tyre(s) is/are measured individually and other tyres in that line get the same level, which means that many if not most tyres are labelled with too high noise levels. Then consumers cannot find the quietest tyres. STEER lacked resources to study this problem, but a Swedish project supported STEER in this respect, by making it possible to measure noise of 53 tyres selected from tyre lines of three major tyre manufacturers. The results showed that even though tyres in each line were labelled with the same noise level, in practice they differed up to 6 dB in noise emission. To avoid this very serious source of uncertainty, a special simplified test is suggested in order to be able to label tyres correctly without too much extra effort.

  • The Impact of a New Product’s Novelty and Meaningfulness on its Commercial Performance
    • Dariusz Dąbrowski
    2022 Full text IBIMA Business Review

    s new product development (NPD) process encompasses creative actions, so a new product is characterized by two essential dimensions used to describe any creative output – namely novelty and meaningfulness. Therefore, businesses are faced with the questions to what extent and under what market conditions to develop each of these dimensions in order to obtain high new product commercial performance. Based on gaps indentified in the new product literature and drawing on the resource-based view as well as signaling theory, this study addresses three following aims. The first one is to revisit the impact of a new product’s meaningfulness and novelty on its commercial performance; the second one is to compare the relative influence of these dimensions on this performance; and the third one is to examine the moderating effect of market turbulence on the relationship between the novelty and the new product’s commercial performance. These goals were achieved by analyzing data concerning 374 new products of Polish high- and medium-high-technology companies with the use of structural equation modeling. This study finds that a new product’s meaningfulness is positively related to its commercial performance, while novelty is not. Furthermore, meaningfulness affects this performance more strongly than product novelty. It is also found that market turbulence moderates the relation between the new product’s novelty and performance such that this association is stronger when market turbulence is high compared to when it is low. The paper concludes with theoretical and managerial implications about how firms can benefit and under what market conditions from creativity.

  • The impact of bankruptcy regimes on entrepreneurship and innovation. Is there any relationship?
    • Błażej Prusak
    • Sylwia Morawska
    • Przemysław Banasik
    • Michał Łukowski
    2022 Full text International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal

    The literature review indicates that bankruptcy law may play an important role in and be one of the factors infuencing the development of entrepreneurship, innovation, and thus economic growth, among other things. In previous studies, the analysis of the impact of bankruptcy law on individual variables has been conducted independently. Our aim was to conduct a holistic analysis, taking several factors into account simultaneously. Therefore, a descriptive model was proposed, based on which the following research hypothesis was formulated: In countries characterised by an efective legal system and at the same time debtor-friendly bankruptcy law, the level of risk acceptance among entrepreneurs is higher, which is refected in higher levels of entrepreneurship and innovation. Based on the selected variables, a cross-sectional analysis was conducted using linear models estimated on the basis of the least-squares method. Additionally, to strengthen the conclusions drawn, the models were assessed in such a way enabling the analysis of causality as defned by Granger based on the two-step process. The results obtained allowed us to confrm the research hypothesis: in countries characterised by an efcient legal system and at the same time debtor-friendly bankruptcy law, the level of risk acceptance among entrepreneurs is higher, which is refected in higher levels of entrepreneurship and innovation. The research results are particularly important from the point of view of legislators who are responsible for drafting amendments to bankruptcy law. Including certain debtor-friendly provisions may, in the long run, lead to increased entrepreneurship and innovation, and thus economic development.

  • The impact of cold plasma on the phenolic composition and biogenic amine content of red wine
    • Iwona Niedźwiedź
    • Justyna Płotka-Wasylka
    • Ireneusz Kapusta
    • Vasil Simeonov
    • Anna Stój
    • Adam Waśko
    • Joanna Pawłat
    • Magdalena Polak-Berecka
    2022 Full text FOOD CHEMISTRY

    The effect of cold plasma (CP) on phenolic compound (PC) and biogenic amine (BA) contents of red wine was investigated for the first time. The influence of CP was compared with the effects of a wine preservation using potassium metabisulfite and a combined method. The PC profile was determined by UPLC-PDA-MS/MS while BAs using DLLME-GC–MS. Chemometric analysis also was used. The content of PCs was 3.1% higher in the sample preserved by CP treatment (5 min, helium/nitrogen) compared to a sample preserved by the addition of potassium metabisulfite (100 mg/L). On a positive note, CP treatment reduced the concentration of BAs in the wine samples. The lowest BA contents were recorded after 10 min of cold plasma (helium/oxygen) treatment with the addition of potassium metabisulfite (1120.85 μg/L). The results may promote interest in CP as a potential alternative method for the preservation of wine and other alcoholic beverages

  • The impact of footing conditions of a vertical-axis floating-roof tank on structural shell deformation
    • Kamil Żyliński
    • Jarosław Górski
    2022 Full text

    Structural shells of fuel tanks are often subjected to geometric imperfections which may lead to exceeding the ultimate and serviceability limit states. One of the means triggering shell deformation is non-uniform settlement caused by incoherent soil conditions. Analysis carried out in the work concerns of vertical-axis, floating-roof cylindrical shell which volume is 50.000 m3, founded on a complex multi-layered soil. The sensitivity analysis was conducted of a tank settlement due to variation of material soil parameters and the strata layout. It reads that even in the case of extremely disadvantageous material data the structure is not bound to exceed the serviceability limit states.

  • The impact of institutions on innovation networks: empirical evidence from Poland
    • Przemysław Banasik
    • Sylwia Morawska
    • Małgorzata Godlewska
    2022 Full text Technological and Economic Development of Economy

    Innovation networks may accelerate and improve the innovation process, while institutional pathologies may hamper it. This study employs the Kruskal-Wallis H test and regression analysis to determine if the relationship between institutions and innovation networks does exist among the investigated variables. The purpose of the study was to find out whether cooperation with special local institutions influences the innovative behaviour of local governments manifested by participation in innovation networks or innovation networks based on formal institutions limit institutional pathologies better than informal ones. Current paper presents results of an empirical study conducted through survey among all local governments in Poland. The findings show that previous cooperation with special local institutions influences the innovation behaviour of local governments or innovation networks based on formal rules limit the institutional pathologies of innovation networks better than those based on sanctions, common values, codes of ethics, governance codes or culture. The investigated problem is significant, as properly functioning innovation networks may generate incremental innovations, which may help to solve the contemporary challenges. The practical implications for national regulatory bodies highlight the need for an enforcement mechanism which may support the formalisation of innovation networks.

  • The impact of interactions between polyphenolic antioxidants on the redox-related chemical and biological properties of their mixtures – the extension of food synergy concept.
    • Monika Baranowska
    2022

    The results of studies indicate that chemopreventive efficiency of isolated phytochemicals is lower than that of polyphenol-rich foods. This discrepancy has been ascribed to the food synergy concept that assumes additive or even synergistic influence of different food ingredients on human health. The results presented in the dissertation made it possible to propose an alternative and innovative explanation of these observations. The research carried out within the frame of PhD project has shown that properties of polyphenol mixtures are not just the combination of enhanced or weakened activities displayed by individual components. The study revealed the pronounced impact of interactions between polyphenols on redox-related biological activities. This was enabled owing to the wide range of methods used, including the assessment of cellular antioxidant activity, cytotoxicity, genotoxicity, epigenetic and nutrigenomic activity using a human colon adenocarcinoma cell line exposed to either pure compounds, model mixtures or natural extracts. These studies led to the formulation of the thesis that the activity of a mixture of polyphenols is dictated by interactions between the components, which creates a new substance displaying modified chemical and physicochemical properties resulting in unique biological effects.

  • The Impact of Isocyanate Index and Filler Functionalities on the Performance of Flexible Foamed Polyurethane/Ground Tire Rubber Composites
    • Adam Olszewski
    • Paulina Kosmela
    • Adam Piasecki
    • Mateusz Barczewski
    • Aleksander Hejna
    2022 Full text Polymers

    The structure and performance of polyurethane (PU) foams are strongly driven by the stoichiometry of the polyaddition reaction, quantitatively described by the isocyanate index. It determines the balance between isocyanate and hydroxyl groups in the reacting system and is affected by the introduction of additional functionalities originated, e.g., from applied fillers. Nevertheless, this issue is hardly taken into account in research works. Herein, the structure and performance of PU/ground tire rubber (GTR) composites differing in their isocyanate index (from 0.8 to 1.2) and prepared with and without considering the GTR functionalities in formulation development were investigated. Incorporating GTR into the PU matrix led to a reduction in average cell diameter (from 2 to 30% depending on the isocyanate index) compared to unfilled foams. However, formulation adjustments did not show a significant impact on cellular structure. The only decrease in open cell content was noted, from 10% for the 0.9 index to 40% for 1.2. Such changes were related to the increasing strength of the PU cellular structure able to maintain inside the increasing amount of carbon dioxide. On the other hand, considering hydroxyl values of GTR noticeably affected the thermomechanical performance of composites. The shift of glass transition temperature (Tg), even by 10 °C for 1.2 isocyanate index, enhanced the performance of materials, which was expressed in an 8–62% drop in the composite performance factor, pointing to the enhanced reinforcing effect resulting from filler incorporation. The stiffening of foams, related to the variations in PU segmental structure, also caused minor changes in the course of thermal degradation of PU/GTR composites due to the inferior thermal stability of hard segments. The obtained results provide important insights into the development of formulations of PU composites filled with materials containing reactive functional groups able to disrupt the stoichiometric balance of the polyaddition reaction.

  • The impact of knowledge risk management on sustainability
    • Małgorzata Zięba
    • Susanne Durst
    • Christoph Hinteregger
    2022 Full text Journal of Knowledge Management

    Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of knowledge risk management (KRM) on organizational sustainability and the role of innovativeness and agility in this relationship. Methodology The study presents the results of a quantitative survey performed among 179 professionals from knowledge-intensive organizations dealing with knowledge risks and their management in organizations. Data included in this study are from both private and public organizations located all over the world and were collected through an online survey. Findings The results have confirmed that innovativeness and agility positively impact the sustainability of organizations; agility also positively impacts organizational innovativeness. The partial influence of KRM on both innovativeness and agility of organizations has been confirmed as well. Implications The paper's findings contribute in different ways to the ongoing debates in the literature. First, they contribute to the general study of risk management by showing empirically its role in organizations, in the given case of organizational sustainability. Second, by emphasizing risks related to knowledge, this study contributes to emerging efforts highlighting the particular role of knowledge for sustained organizational development. Third, by linking KRM and organizational sustainability, this paper contributes empirically to building knowledge in this very recent field of study. This understanding is also useful for future development in the field of knowledge management (KM) as a whole. Originality The paper lays the ground for both a deeper and more nuanced understanding of knowledge risks in organizations in general and regarding sustainability in particular. As such, the paper offers new food for thought for researchers dealing with the topics of knowledge risks, KM, and organizational risk management in general.

  • The impact of mass-media campaigns on physical activity: a review of reviews through a policy lens
    • Nicole den Braver
    • Enrique García Bengoechea
    • Sven Messing
    • Liam Kelly
    • Jeanne Linda Schoonmade
    • Kevin Volf
    • Joanna Żukowska
    • Peter Gelius
    • Sarah Forberger
    • Catherine B Woods
    • Jeroen Lakerveld
    2022 Full text EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH

    Background This review of reviews aimed to: (1) summarize the evidence from published reviews on the effectiveness of mass-media campaigns to promote physical activity (PA) or PA-related determinants (intermediate psychological and proximal outcomes) and (2) to identify policy-relevant recommendations related to successful PA campaigns. Methods An extensive literature search was performed on 1 March 2021. Reviews that evaluated the impact of campaigns on distal (e.g. PA) and/or proximal outcomes of PA (awareness, knowledge, etc.) and that targeted the general population or subsets were included. Quality of reviews was assessed using the AMSTAR-2 tool. Policy-relevant recommendations were systematically derived and synthesized and formulated as good practice statements. A protocol was registered beforehand (ID: CRD42021249184). Results A total of 1915 studies were identified, of which 22 reviews were included. The most consistent evidence was found for the effectiveness of mass-media campaigns on proximal outcomes, while the evidence for distal outcomes was mixed. Good practice statements were derived: (1) to achieve behaviour change, mass-media is an important component of larger, multilevel and multicomponent strategies; (2) mass-media strategies should be coordinated and aligned at local- and national-level and be sustained, monitored and resourced at these levels and (3) media should be tailored to reduce socioeconomic inequalities. Conclusions Mass-media can play an important role in the promotion of PA. In general, evidence was more inconsistent for effectiveness on distal outcomes than for proximal outcomes. Policy-relevant recommendations include that mass-media strategies should be resourced, coordinated, aligned, sustained, monitored and evaluated on the local and national level.

  • The impact of natural fibers’ characteristics on mechanical properties of the cement composites
    • Marzena Kurpińska
    • Magdalena Pawelska-Mazur
    • Yining Gu
    • Filip Kurpiński
    2022 Full text Scientific Reports

    The paper reviews the properties of cement composites reinforced with short fibres. The effect of natural fibres was investigated: cotton, sisal, jute, ramie, bamboo, and synthetic fibres: polymer and polypropylene. It was noticed that the fibres change the consistency of the mixture up to 15%. In the composite flexural strength tests, a change in strength by +/− 8% was observed, depending on the type of fibres used. The research shows that the use of natural fibres had a positive effect on the compressive strength by 27%, while the use of synthetic fibres caused its decrease by 4%. Additionally, it was noticed that the chemical composition, the diameter and the total length of the fibres in the element have an impact on the composite shrinkage. The fibre-containing composites showed an 8% higher water absorption compared to the non-fibre samples. The exception is the ramie fibres, which reduce water absorption. In general, a positive effect of natural fibers on the properties of cement composites has been noticed, however, in case of natural fibres application, a thorough further properties investigation is recommended.

  • The impact of shipping 4.0 on controlling shipping accidents: A systematic literature review
    • Arash Sepehri
    • Hadi Rezaei Vandchali
    • Atiq W. Siddiqui
    • Jakub Montewka
    2022 Full text OCEAN ENGINEERING

    Maritime shipping, with a significant role in global trade, confronts various accidents leading to loss of lives, properties, and the environment. Shipping 4.0 technologies are scaling up to address this problem by employing real-time data-driven technologies, including cyber-physical systems, advanced tracking and tracing, intelligent systems, and big data analytics. Despite growing attention, there is a general lack of clarity on the level and direction of progress in this field. Accordingly, this study aims to identify critical shipping accident risks, analyze the role of relevant shipping 4.0 technologies in controlling these risks, and consolidate the findings into a conceptual guiding framework directing future developments. Accordingly, a systematic review is performed that reveals how shipping 4.0 approaches address critical accident risks and the gaps that still exist. Overall, we found that the collision is the most frequent accident referred to, while the most frequent technology to control the accidents is the Automatic Identification System. In contrast, we see an evident lack of cloud computing, internet-of-things, and big data analytics, which play crucial roles in current industry 4.0 developments.

  • The impact of surface slope and calculation resolution on the fractal dimension for fractures of steels after bending-torsion fatigue
    • Wojciech Macek
    2022 Full text Surface Topography-Metrology and Properties

    The article presents the results of the fractal dimension measurements on the fatigue fracture surfaces of 10HNAP and S355J2 steels specimens after combined bending-torsion fatigue. For smooth and ring-notched specimens, three loading conditions were analyzed: (1) bending; (2) bending-torsion; and (3) torsion fatigue. Post-failure surface topography measurements were carried out on the entire fracture surfaces using an optical profilometer. The fractal dimension was computed with general slope and after removing them by leveling operation, as well as with two different resolutions. The analysis of the fractal dimension delineated by the enclosing boxes method (EBM) allowed to formulate guidelines that, in terms of further estimation of the method of failure, the optimum is extra-fine resolution without leveling.

  • The impact of thermomechanical and chemical treatment of waste Brewers’ spent grain and soil biodegradation of sustainable Mater-Bi-Based biocomposites
    • Aleksander Hejna
    • Mateusz Barczewski
    • Paulina Kosmela
    • Olga Mysiukiewicz
    • Paweł Sulima
    • Andrzej Jerzy Przyborowski
    • Mohammad Saeb
    2022 Full text WASTE MANAGEMENT

    Due to the massive plastic pollution, development of sustainable and biodegradable polymer materials is crucial to reduce environmental burdens and support climate neutrality. Application of lignocellulosic wastes as fillers for polymer composites was broadly reported, but analysis of biodegradation behavior of resulting biocomposites was rarely examined. Herein, sustainable Mater-Bi-based biocomposites filled with thermomechanically- and chemically-modified brewers’ spent grain (BSG) were prepared and subjected to 12-week soil burial test simu- lating their biodegradation in natural environment. BSG stabilizing effect on polymer matrix affected by the content of melanoidins and antioxidant phytochemicals, along with the impact of diisocyanate applied to strengthen the interfacial adhesion. Biocomposites showed 25–35 wt% mass loss over 12 weeks resulting from swelling of BSG filler and sample microcracking, which increased surface roughness by 247–448 %. The degree of decomposition was partially reduced by BSG modifications pointing to the stabilizing effect of melanoidins and phytochemicals, and enhanced interfacial adhesion. Soil burial-induced structural changes enhanced bio- composites’ thermal stability determined by thermogravimetric analysis shifting decomposition onset by 14.4–32.0 ◦C due to the biodegradation of lower molecular weight starch macromolecules confirmed by dif- ferential scanning calorimetry. For unfilled Mater-Bi, it caused an average 32 % reduction in complex viscosity and storage modulus captured by oscillatory rheological measurements. Nonetheless, the inverse effect was noted for biocomposites where modulus increased even by one order of magnitude due to the swelling of BSG particles and amorphous phase decomposition. Presented results indicate that BSG promotes soil degradation of Mater-Bi and its rate can be engineered by biofiller treatment elaboration

  • The importance and availability of marine certified reference materials
    • Chintankumar Padariya
    • Małgorzata Rutkowska
    • Piotr Konieczka
    2022 CRITICAL REVIEWS IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

    Traceability and reliable results are the two pillars of analytical methods; certified reference materials (CRMs) meet this requirement. ISO 17034:2016 credentials provide brief information on general requirements for the competence of Reference Material Producers (RMPs). The different types of CRMs have been produced in recent years for chemical analysis in food, water, soil, and sediment matrices in recent years. This review provides a detailed overview of the development of CRMs in the field of marine environment, as matrix CRMs play an important role in the field of environmental monitoring. COMAR database, EVISA database: materials, LGC standards, and JRC catalogs are very helpful online resources to find various types of CRMs according to the application requirements.

  • The Importance of Demand and Environment for Defining and Establishing the Role of Data Stewards
    • Anna Wałek
    • Patrick Helling
    • Felix Rau
    • Monika Linne
    • Jens Dierkes
    • Mijke Jetten
    • Magdalena Szuflita-Żurawska
    2022 Full text

    Data stewardship is now a central part of FAIR research data management. Although various types of positions called data stewards have been created at academic institutions over the last years, no demand-oriented, formal model of data stewardship and the associated roles exist so far. This workshop report presents the outcomes of the panel discussion “The Importance of Demand and Environment for Defining Data Stewardship” held at the International FAIR Convergence Symposium 2020. It starts with the description of the situation at four structurally diverse research data management centers and their individual perspectives on the idea and role of data stewards. Despite efforts to define the profile of a data steward, the role is still new and the individual position profiles have not yet converged on a coherent job description, which is showing that local demand and environment are still more defining for specific positions than a generalized data steward role.

  • The Influence of Cooperation on the Operation of an MPC Controller Pair in a Nuclear Power Plant Turbine Generator Set
    • Paweł Sokólski
    • Tomasz Adam Rutkowski
    • Bartosz Ceran
    • Daria Złotecka
    • Dariusz Horla
    2022 Full text ENERGIES

    The paper discusses the problem of cooperation between multiple model predictive control (MPC) systems. This approach aims at improving the control quality in electrical energy generation and forms the next step in a series of publications by the authors focusing on the optimization and control of electric power systems. Cooperation and cooperative object concepts in relation to a multi MPC system are defined and a cooperative control solution for a nuclear power plant’s turbine generator set is proposed. The aim of enabling information exchange between the controllers is to improve the performance of power generation. Presented and discussed simulation tests include various variants of information exchange between the turbine and synchronous generator MPC controllers of the nuclear power plant.

  • The influence of ILs on TiO2 microspheres activity towards 5-FU removal under artificial sunlight irradiation
    • Patrycja Wilczewska
    • Anna Pancielejko
    • Justyna Łuczak
    • Malwina Kroczewska
    • Wojciech Lisowski
    • Ewa Siedlecka
    2022 APPLIED SURFACE SCIENCE

    In this work, the effect of various ionic liquids (ILs), namely, choline chloride [Chol][Cl], hexadecylpyridynium chloride [HDPy][Cl], and tributylmethylammonium chloride [TBMA][Cl], on the morphology, surface compo-sition in relation to photocatalytic oxidation of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and phenol in the presence of TiO2 pho-tocatalysts under artificial sunlight conditions was investigated. The highest photoactivity towards cytostatic drug removal was found when [TBMA][Cl] was used for the synthesis, for phenol removal photoactivity was not changed in all cases. Among the selected ionic liquids, only [TMBA][Cl] made it possible to form the Ti3+species, which was equivalent to the occurrence of oxygen vacancies and was beneficial for the photocatalytic activity. Moreover, the increase of ILs-TiO2 photoactivity was assigned to the presence of IL or IL’s organic residues on the photocatalyst surface responsible for better hole and electron separation. The mechanism of 5-FU degradation over the most photoactive photocatalyst was varied under different types of light irradiation, and •OHfree radicals were the major entities in the drug removal under UV light, while holes and •OH free radicals under solar light. These studies represent a promising approach to cytostatic drug removal in the presence of TiO2 microspheres prepared in the presence of others than imidazolium-based ILs.

  • The Influence of Low-Temperature Disintegration on the Co-Fermentation Process of Distillation Residue and Waste-Activated Sludge
    • Anna Remiszewska-Skwarek
    • Ryszard Wierzchnicki
    • Otton K. Roubinek
    • Archana Kasinath
    • Alicja Jeżewska
    • Magdalena Jasinska
    • Hubert Byliński
    • Andrzej G. Chmielewski
    • Krzysztof Czerwionka
    2022 Full text ENERGIES

    : Innovative low-temperature disintegration (process temperature 55 ◦C and oxygen concentration 0.2 mg/dm3 ) can be an economically rational technology to intensifying energy production from renewable sources. The proposed process can achieve a degree of disintegration—under optimal conditions—of about 50%, which is excellent when compared with other methods of feed pre-treatment. The low-temperature disintegration of distillation residue and waste-activated sludge before the co-fermentation process increased biogas production by 30% and methane production by 65% (over a 26 d duration). The obtained results confirm that the low-temperature disintegration method can be effectively used to pre-prepare this type of feed. At the same time, it was discovered that the Gompertz model can be used to mathematically describe the biogas accumulation curves in the methane co-fermentation processes of the tested feeds (the correlation coefficients were higher than 0.98).

  • The influence of Nigella sativa essential oil on proliferation, activation, and apoptosis of human T lymphocytes in vitro
    • Klaudia Ciesielska-Figlon
    • Agnieszka Daca
    • Adam Kokotkiewicz
    • Maria Łuczkiewicz
    • Bożena Zabiegała
    • Jacek M. Witkowski
    • Katarzyna A. Lisowska
    2022 Full text BIOMEDICINE & PHARMACOTHERAPY

    In previous work, we tested the immunomodulatory effect of Nigella sativa (NS) fatty oil. Our results demonstrated that unrefined, obtained by cold pressing black cumin seed oil inhibited lymphocytes’ proliferation and induced their apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner. In this study, we examined the immunomodulatory properties of essential oil (EO) obtained from the NS seeds by hydrodistillation and its two main constituents: thymoquinone (TQ) and p-cymene. We analyzed the proliferation, activation phenotype, and apoptosis rates of human T lymphocytes stimulated with an immobilized monoclonal anti-CD3 antibody in the presence of serial ethanol dilutions of tested oil or serial distilled water dilutions of tested compounds with flow cytometry. Our results showed that NSEO significantly inhibited the proliferation of CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes, induced cell death in a dose-dependent manner, and reduced the expression of CD28 and CD25 antigens essential for lymphocyte activation. TQ inhibited the proliferation of T lymphocytes and induced cell death, particularly in high concentrations. Meanwhile, p-cymene did not influence lymphocyte proliferation. However, its high concentration induced cell necrosis. These results show that the essential oil from Nigella sativa has powerful immunomodulatory properties, which, at least partially, are related to the TQ component.

  • The influence of pressure drop on the working volume of a hydraulic motor
    • Paweł Śliwiński
    2022 Full text Eksploatacja i Niezawodność - Maintenance and Reliability

    Reliability and maintenance analysis of hydraulic positive machines basicly focused on the processes of their wear and failure. But in order to correctly assess the mechanical and volumetric efficiency of a hydraulic motor, both at the stage of development research or at the stage of control tests during its exploitation, the working volume of this motor must be correctly determined. Therefore this paper proposes a new method of assessment of the size of the working volume of a hydraulic motor. It has been shown that the hydraulic motor absorbency per one revolution of this motor shaft is a non-linear function of pressure drop in working mechanism of the motor and non-linear function of motor rotational speed. Thus the relation between the working volume of a hydraulic motor and the pressure drop in the motor working mechanism is a non-linear function. This working volume as a function of pressure drop has been called the actual working volume. The correctness of the proposed method was confirmed experimentally.

  • The Influence of Storage on Human Milk Lipidome Stability for Lipidomic Studies
    • Dorota Garwolińska
    • Michał Młynarczyk
    • Agata Kot-Wasik
    • Weronika Hewelt-Belka
    2022 Full text JOURNAL OF PROTEOME RESEARCH

    Human milk (HM) lipidome stability during storage is crucial in lipidomic studies to avoid misinterpretations. Facing the lack of comprehensive work on the HM lipidome stability, we performed a study on a potential alteration in the lipid profiles of HM samples stored under different conditions. An untargeted LC-Q-TOF-MS-based approach was applied to study the influence of storage conditions as well as the interaction of the storage temperature and time on HM lipid profiles. The samples were stored for 4–84 days at temperatures in the range from 4 to −80 °C and also were exposed to up to three freeze–thaw cycles. The results showed that the storage at 4 °C for just 4 days as well as being subjected to three freeze–thaw cycles can lead to a change in the content of lipids. The observed differences in levels of some lipid species in samples stored at −20 °C in comparison to the concentration level of those lipids in samples stored at −80 °C were not statistically significant, and inter-individual variance regardless of sample storage condition was maintained. The storage of HM samples at −20 °C for up to 3 weeks and −80 °C for up to 12 weeks ensures sample lipidome stability.

  • The Influence of Thin Gold Electrodes on the High-Temperature Impedance of Oxide Glasses
    • Natalia Wójcik
    • Ryszard Barczyński
    2022 Full text Coatings

    The influence of thin gold electrodes on the electrical measurements of glasses at high temperatures was studied using impedance spectroscopy. The impedance was measured several times over a wide frequency range from 10 mHz to 1 MHz and the temperature ranged from 213 to 673 K under air and nitrogen atmospheres. The results showed a drop in the conductivity of more than an order of magnitude at a temperature around 603 K during heating. An additional relaxation process was found at the low-frequency region. The occurred process was correlated with the thermal disintegration of the gold nano-layer used as an improvement in the electrical contact. The possible ambiguous interpretation of high-temperature impedance spectra was presented as a consequence of performing the electrical measurements only during heating or cooling while using unstable thin gold electrodes. Moreover, a possible solution to this problem was proposed.

  • The innovative approach for using pavement as a fire prevention measure in tunnels
    • Mariusz Jaczewski
    • Marek Pszczoła
    • Dawid Ryś
    • Piotr Jaskuła
    2022 Full text

    The paper consists of two main parts: first presents study regarding the typically used pavement structures in tunnels and the second part: the first fire trials of the poroelastic SEPOR (Safe, Eco-friendly POroelastic Road Surface) mixture which was designed to be used among other uses in tunnels. In the first part of the paper different pavement materials, such as cement concrete, asphalt concrete, stone mastic asphalt and porous asphalt are analyzed from the point of view of fire resistance. The paper summarize the wide and comprehensive literature review (both technical reports, conference presentations and journal articles) and presents advantages and disadvantages of specific pavement types. In the paper also the perspective improvements and advantageous mechanisms are presented for asphalt pavements. The literature review helps the administration and technical staff to get to know the properties of each pavement and chose the best one for their application. The second part of the paper present the innovative poroelastic SEPOR pavement, which is designed to slow down the initiation of the fire. The mixture is designed using the mineral aggregate, rubber aggregate and highly SBS-polymer modified bitumen. The mixture is designed to contain at least of 15% of mass of rubber aggregate and with target of voids around 20%. Such composition allows to slow down the ignition of the fire and allow people to have more time for evacuation. The paper presents two fire trials which were conducted for the SEPOR pavement. First trial was designed to measure the temperature increase during fire on the level of the vehicle floor. The second trial was designed to measure both the temperature of the vehicle and the time of fire ignition and the development of fire. During second trial real vehicles were used in the test. The measurement were direct for the real fire conditions. The first trial showed that the SEPOR pavement shows lower trial of fire temperature development. The measured temperatures were lower and increase slower in comparison to the pavements typically used in tunnels, such as stone mastic asphalt (SMA) or cement concrete. Also the SEPOR pavement showed in some specimen the possibility to dampen the flames during the fire. The second trial showed that SEPOR pavement presents superior ability in comparison to classical asphalt pavements, such as SMA.

  • The Laboratory Stand for the Evaluation of Heat Dissipation from the Power Cable in a Casing Pipe
    • Romuald Masnicki
    • Janusz Mindykowski
    • Beata Palczynska
    2022

    The current carrying capacity of a power cable determines its efficiency, which depends on its capability to dissipate heat produced inside the cable, as a result of current flow, into the surrounding. The studies were conducted to determine how the characteristics of the medium around the cable affected its temperature and, as a result, its ability to transport electricity. The experimentation in the lab and real measurements of the temperature values at various locations in the casing pipe constitute the article's uniqueness. The article presents an innovative concept of a laboratory stand, designed to measure the dissipation of heat emitted by a cable in separated casing pipes with the content of various filling materials. The assessment of heat removal is made based on the recorded distribution of temperatures in individual casing pipes. The experimental setup was suitably compatible with the assumptions used for the research, according to the early findings of comparison investigations. It has been demonstrated for the instance under investigation that using the right fillers around the cable may reduce cable temperature, boost the cable's current carrying capability, and provide more efficient heat dissipation.

  • The Latest Advances in Wireless Communication in Aviation, Wind Turbines and Bridges
    • Romana Śliwa
    • Paweł Dymora
    • Mirosław Mazurek
    • Bartosz Kowal
    • Michał Jurek
    • Damian Kordos
    • Tomasz Rogalski
    • Pawel Flaszynski
    • Piotr Doerffer
    • Krzysztof Doerffer
    • Stephen Grigg
    • Runar Unnthorsson
    2022 Full text Inventions

    Present-day technologies used in SHM (Structural Health Monitoring) systems in many implementations are based on wireless sensor networks (WSN). In the context of the continuous development of these systems, the costs of the elements that form the monitoring system are decreasing. In this situation, the challenge is to select the optimal number of sensors and the network architecture, depending on the wireless system’s other parameters and requirements. It is a challenging task for WSN to provide scalability to cover a large area, fault tolerance, transmission reliability, and energy efficiency when no events are detected. In this article, fundamental issues concerning wireless communication in structural health monitoring systems (SHM) in the context of non-destructive testing sensors (NDT) were presented. Wireless technology developments in several crucial areas were also presented, and these include engineering facilities such as aviation and wind turbine systems as well as bridges and associated engineering facilities.

  • The Linear Array 2x1 of Slot Monopoles for 6-8.5 GHZ UWB Standard
    • Tomasz Leliwa
    • Włodzimierz Zieniutycz
    2022

    The results of numerical simulations and measurements of 2x1 linear array of slot monopoles are presented in the paper. At the begining a single slot monopole was designed. Next the 2x1 linear array of these monopoles was numerically tested for various configurations of the feeding network. The single monopole and the array were fabricated and the results of the measurements of the reflection coefficients and the radiationpatterns were compared to the results of the simulations.

  • The literature review on boundary conditions of use for non-residential buildings
    • Natalia Sokół
    • Julia Kurek
    • Justyna Martyniuk-Pęczek
    • Claudia Naves David Amorim
    • Natalia Giraldo Vasquez
    • Julia Resende Kanno
    • Sergio Sibilio
    • Barbara Matusiak
    2022

    This paper describes the results of qualitative and quantitative literature reviews on boundary conditions within educational buildings, emphasising the users' perspective. The reviews were performed before and during the COVID-19 pandemic using Scopus, Taylor& Francis, Web of Science databases. The boundary conditions understood as special characteristics for use and or precondition, determining specific features of buildings are investigated in the categories of energy, space use and user behaviour, and lighting. The reviews demonstrate that in the case of study investigations, a relation between different indicators helps define the boundary conditions. B/C are type of building/ user/ situation-pandemic / locations/ simulation inputs-values and methods- specific. The results of the papers published during the ongoing pandemic indicate that the perception of an indoor environment is changing along with its boundary conditions. This has consequences on the design, maintenance, and operation routines of educational buildings to limit the risk of transmission and contagion from airborne respiratory viruses.

  • The literature review on boundary conditions of use for non-residential buildings. Educational buildings.
    • Natalia Sokół
    • Julia Kurek
    • Justyna Martyniuk-Pęczek
    • Claudia Naves David Amorim
    • Natalia Giraldo Vasquez
    • Julia Kanno
    • Sergio Sibilio
    • Barbara Matusiak
    2022

    This paper describes the results of qualitative and quantitative literature reviews on boundary conditions within educational buildings, emphasising the users' perspective. The studies were performed before and during the COVID-19 pandemic using Scopus, Taylor& Francis, and Web of Science databases. The boundary conditions are understood as special characteristics for use and or precondition, determining specific features of buildings are investigated in energy, space use and user behaviour, and lighting. The reviews demonstrate that in the case of study investigations, a relation between different indicators helps define the boundary conditions. B/C are building/ user/ situation-pandemic / locations/ simulation inputs-values and methods-specific. The results of the papers published during the ongoing pandemic indicate that the perception of an indoor environment is changing along with its boundary conditions. This has consequences on educational buildings' design, maintenance, and operation routines to limit the risk of transmission and contagion from airborne respiratory viruses.

  • The Mechanism of a Retro-Diels–Alder Fragmentation of Luteolin: Theoretical Studies Supported by Electrospray Ionization Tandem Mass Spectrometry Results
    • Magdalena Śliwka-Kaszyńska
    • Iwona Anusiewicz
    • Piotr Skurski
    2022 Full text MOLECULES

    The mechanisms of retro-Diels–Alder fragmentation of luteolin are studied theoretically using the Density Functional Theory method (B3LYP hybrid functional) together with the 6-311++G(d,p) basis set and supported by electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) results. The reaction paths leading to the formation of 1,3A and 1,3B fragment ions observed as the main spectral features in the ESI-MS spectrum are described and discussed, including the structures of the transition states and intermediate products. The heights of the activation energy barriers which have to be overcome along the reaction paths corresponding to 1,3-retrocyclization cleavage of the ionized luteolin are predicted to span the 69–94 kcal/mol range (depending on the initial isomeric structure) for the concerted retrocyclization mechanism and the 60–89 kcal/mol (first barrier) and 24–52 kcal/mol (second barrier) barriers for the stepwise mechanism (also depending on the initial isomeric structure). It is also demonstrated that the final fragmentation products (1,3A and 1,3B) are in fact represented by various isomeric systems which are not experimentally distinguishable. In addition, the absence of the spectral feature corresponding to the [M-B] fragment ion formed by the rupture of the C-C bond connecting luteolin’s B and C rings (which does not occur during the ESI-MS experiment) is explained by much larger energy barriers predicted for such a process.

  • The methodology of design of satellite working mechanism of positive displacement machine
    • Paweł Śliwiński
    2022 Full text Scientific Reports

    In this paper is described a methodology of design of satellite mechanism consisting of two noncircular gears (externally toothed rotor and internally toothed curvature) and circular gears (satellites). In the presented methodology is assumed that the rotor pitch line is known, and the curvature pitch line is necessary to designate. The presented methodology applies to mechanisms for which the number of the curvature humps is at least one greater than the number of rotor humps. The selection of the number of gears and the number of teeth in gear and rotor and curvature is also presented. The methodology of calculating the position of the satellite center and the angle of its rotation in order to shape the teeth on the rotor and curvature is presented. The article is also showed different types of satellite mechanisms—satellite mechanisms with the different numbers of humps on the rotor and curvature. The technical parameters of the mechanism for the rotor pitch line described by the cosine function are also presented.

  • The Motion Analysis of Attacus Atlas Rigid Wing
    • Zuzanna Kunicka-kowalska
    • Michał Landowski
    • Krzysztof Sibilski
    2022 Full text International Review of Aerospace Engineering (IREASE)

    The remarkable aerodynamic efficiency of flapping insect wings has fascinated researchers for many years. Butterfly wings are distinguished by a much larger lifting surface, and thus, a different style of flapping flight. The considerations described in the article are an introduction to a fully flexible analysis of the wing in motion. The study of the rigid wing gives the basic knowledge necessary in the further process. The yaw, pitch and roll angles obtained from the footage have been used to analyze the rigid wing. The data has been adapted to CFD calculations in Ansys Fluent software along with the geometry of the joined wings (one surface on one side). The wing deformations have not been taken into account during the analysis. The obtained results make it possible to specify clearly the aerodynamic forces in three directions and the pressure distributions on the wing surface. For a rigid wing, there is positive drag and negative lift. The negative lift indicates the exceptional importance of wing deformation, which is the only guarantee of the insect's ability to fly. On the other hand, a positive drag is evidence of the influence of the shape of the bearing surface on the flow aerodynamics

  • The Occurrence and Role of Tetrasphaera in Enhanced Biological Phosphorus Removal Systems
    • Jeremiah Otieno
    • Przemysław Kowal
    • Jacek Mąkinia
    2022 Full text Water

    The application of enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) has commonly been utilized worldwide. However, the optimum efficiency has not been realized over the past decades, prompting many studies and publications. The limitations, especially comprehension of the abundance and actual potential of polyphosphate-accumulating organisms (PAOs), are not fully understood. Recently identified putative PAOs, Tetrasphaera, present a vast metabolic versatility compared to Candidatus Accumulibacter. The characterisation of Tetrasphaera unique abilities to utilize various carbon substrates, volatile fatty acids production and consistent high abundance, presents potential boosts towards the process efficiency improvement. This paper provides the existing knowledge on the physiology, morphology and genetic description of PAOs with a special attention to the current state of research on Tetrasphaera and its potential. In addition, process conditions and their influence on the microbial activities in EBPR systems are discussed.

  • The phenomenon of increasing capacitance induced by 1T/2H-MoS2 surface modification with Pt particles – Influence on composition and energy storage mechanism
    • Zuzanna Zarach
    • Mariusz Szkoda
    • Konrad Trzciński
    • Marcin Łapiński
    • Grzegorz Trykowski
    • Andrzej Nowak
    2022 Full text ELECTROCHIMICA ACTA

    In this paper, several approaches to the synthesis of molybdenum-based electrode materials for supercapacitors are presented, including anodization, hydrothermal process and annealing. For the material prepared via anodization of a molybdenum plate, followed by a hydrothermal process in thiourea aqueous solution, a thorough study of the Pt-surface modification through repetitive cycling in 1 M sulfuric acid with Pt acting as a counter electrode is performed, including X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis and energy storage mechanism contribution. Along with the increasing number of cycles, an increase of the capacitance value is observed up to 1.064 F cm−2 after 60 000 cycles, resulting in more than tenfold growth (by over 1 150%). The analysis reveals progressive changes in the electrode material's chemical composition and the increasing pseudocapacitance contribution in energy storage processes, which is strictly caused by the formation of mixed molybdenum oxides with oxygen vacancies. Thus, Pt-surface modification effectively improves the electrochemical performance of the electrode material with excellent coulombic efficiency and capacitance retention. In a symmetric two-electrode configuration with Pt-modified electrode materials, the areal capacitance of 140.5 mF cm−2 is obtained after 50 000 cycles (with capacitance retention of 123%) indicating that Pt-surface modification of MoS2 may provide a novel approach for electrode materials for high-performance supercapacitors.

  • The Physical Activity Environment Policy Index for monitoring government policies and actions to improve physical activity
    • Catherine B Woods
    • Liam Kelly
    • Kevin Volf
    • Peter Gelius
    • Sven Messing
    • Sarah Forberger
    • Jeroen Lakerveld
    • Nicolette R den Braver
    • Joanna Żukowska
    • Enrique García Bengoechea
    2022 Full text EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH

    Background A multifaceted response, including government action, is essential to improve population levels of physical activity (PA). This article describes the development process of the ‘Physical Activity Environment Policy Index’ (PA-EPI) monitoring framework, a tool to assess government policies and actions for creating a healthy PA environment. Methods An iterative process was undertaken. This involved a review of policy documents from authoritative organizations, a PA policy audit of four European countries, and a systematic review of scientific literature. This was followed by an online consultation with academic experts (N = 101; 20 countries, 72% response rate), and policymakers (N = 40, 4 EU countries). During this process, consensus workshops were conducted, where quantitative and qualitative data, alongside theoretical and pragmatic considerations, were used to inform PA-EPI development. Results The PA-EPI is conceptualized as a two-component ‘policy’ and ‘infrastructure support’ framework. The two-components comprise eight policy and seven infrastructure support domains. The policy domains are education, transport, urban design, healthcare, public education (including mass media), sport-for-all, workplaces and community. The infrastructure support domains are leadership, governance, monitoring and intelligence, funding and resources, platforms for interaction, workforce development and health-in-all-policies. Forty-five ‘good practice statements’ or indicators of ideal good practice within each domain conclude the PA-EPI. A potential eight-step process for conducting the PA-EPI is described. Conclusions Once pre-tested and piloted in several countries of various sizes and income levels, the PA-EPI good practice statements will evolve into benchmarks established by governments at the forefront of creating and implementing policies to address inactivity.

  • The possibility of application of the potentiometric sensor with all-solid-state electrodes containing lipid-polymer membranes for classification of tested black leaf teas in terms of their quality
    • Ewa Marjańska
    • Maria Szpakowska
    • Przemysław Dmowski
    2022 Full text Desalination and Water Treatment

    Potentiometric sensor with all-solid-state electrodes containing lipid-polymer membranes for a set of black leaf teas coming from four countries (China, India, Sri Lanka and Kenia) classification was applied. The tested tea samples were reassigned to quality classes marked with numbers I–V according to the information available. The sensor results of tea samples are presented in the form of radar charts. It was observed that, in the majority of cases samples with a similar radar chart shape belong to the same quality class. Based on principal component analysis and agglomerative hierarchical clustering analyses four groups of leaf tea samples and two separate items were distinguished. The first group was constituted by the highest quality Yunnan teas. The second group is made up of high-quality Indian teas and one tea sample of undeclared quality. The third group includes tea samples of unknown quality assigned to quality Class IV. The last group distinguished is constituted by the sample of Indian Madras and Ceylon tea, which are imported for retail trade for blends. This grouping largely corresponds to the quality classes of tested tea samples. The obtained results suggest that potentiometric sensor with all-solid-state electrodes containing lipid-polymer membranes might be used for discrimination of black leaf teas of different quality and also for determination of quality class of an unknown tea sample.

  • The potential interaction of environmental pollutants and circadian rhythm regulations that may cause leukemia
    • Francisco Alejandro Lagunas-Rangel
    • Błażej Kudłak
    • Wen Liu
    • Michael Williams
    • Helgi B. Schiöth
    2022 Full text CRITICAL REVIEWS IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

    Tumor suppressor genes are highly affected during the development of leukemia, including circadian clock genes. Circadian rhythms constitute an evolutionary molecular machinery involving many genes, such as BMAL1, CLOCK, CRY1, CRY2, PER1, PER2, REV-ERBa, and RORA, for tracking time and optimizing daily life during day-night cycles and seasonal changes. For circulating blood cells many of these genes coordinate their proliferation, output, and function, and therein lies their importance for the development of leukemia. Recent findings suggest that environmental pollutants may affect circadian rhythms and thus affect cancer development and treatment. Such environmental pollutants are often found in mixtures and include benzene, tobacco smoke, pesticides and microplastics. Our understanding of the molecular basis for the interaction mechanisms within complex mixtures is also growing, confirming the plausible occurrence of synergistic (superadditive effect) and antagonistic (cancellation effect) actions of pollutant cocktails. In this work, we discuss the relationship of environmental pollutants and the alteration of circadian rhythms that potentially may cause leukemia. We highlight the need of additional dimensions and perhaps a paradigm shift for future studies in relation to continuously growing magnitude of environmental pollution using multitude of disciplines such as development of high throughput reporter cell lines, other cell screening methods, contaminant measurements in leukemia patients, advanced pharmacology and toxicological measurement of mixtures and highly efficient computer analysis including artificial intelligence, among others.

  • The potential of computational methods for the categorization of architectural objects on the example of media architecture
    • Karolina Życzkowska
    • Marcin Życzkowski
    2022 Full text TASK Quarterly

    The paper presents an example of the categorization of architectural objects and assessment of the characteristics of urban space, based on the analysis of specific features of architectural objects and urban landscape. The conducted analysis refers to media architecture and is presented in the complex context of the development of media solutions. The field of influence of IT on architecture is also stressed, both on the architect’s work and the image of the city, including with regard to smart city strategies. Agradual simplification approach was proposed for atargeted analysis. Data on media architecture were collected and, on their basis, significant features of each architectural object and its surrounding space were identified. The qualification of representative categories of media solutions was made based on the function of the object and the role of the media archi-tecture object in the visual structure of the space, indicating the method of determining the degree of legibility of the space for agiven category. The proposed process of categorization is astarting point in the discussion about the need and opportunities to use computational methods and databases supporting the assessment of the architectural typologies and characteristics of space, in reference to urban development.

  • The Practice of Dyadic Interviewing: Strengths, Limitations and Key Decisions
    • Joanna Szulc
    • Nigel King
    2022 Full text Forum Qualitative Sozialforschung / Forum: Qualitative Social Research (FQS)

    Dyadic interviews, in which two participants are interviewed together, are becoming more popular in qualitative research, but are much less discussed in the methodological literature than individual and group forms. In this article, we consider the nature and value of dyadic interviews, recognizing them as active, relational encounters, shaped by what all parties bring to them, and infused with issues of power. Drawing on our research on altruistic motivation which involved 47 dyadic interviews conducted with 94 individuals and post-interview feedback from participants, we demonstrate the strengths and point out some of the potential pitfalls associated with the dyadic format, focusing on the practical and ethical issues in defining and recruiting dyads and the practice of conducting such interviews. We provide recommendations for researchers interested in using this method, and suggest research priorities for the further development of dyadic interviewing.

  • THE PROTECTIVE MEASURES AGAINST SARS-COV-2 INFECTION IN THE SEAFOOD COMPANY FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE EMPLOYEES
    • Piotr Grudowski
    • Tomasz Grybek
    • Małgorzata Wiśniewska
    2022 Full text Zeszyty Naukowe. Organizacja i Zarządzanie / Politechnika Śląska

    Purpose: To identify and discuss the protective measures implemented to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection among employees. Design/methodology/approach: The four-stage course of research. Case study and structured interviews with all employees, directly and indirectly, involved in food processing. Research questions: (R1) What measures have been taken to prevent the risk of infection among employees? (R2) What activities and responsibilities were the most difficult and easiest for employees to follow when implementing these measures? Findings: Administrative protective measures dominate in the organization. Wearing additional protective equipment, keeping distance, and following new hygienic procedures are the most difficult issues. Temperature self-measurement and signing of health declarations are not a problem for employees. It is a need to listen to employees about the protective measures. Research limitations/implications: The results refer to one unique case and should not be generalized. However, it is clear that protective measures and their implementation seem to make employees more aware of potential hazards. Therefore, the questions included in our interview can be recommended for use in other organizations, not only in food companies. Originality/value: The article fills in the research gap. According to the authors' knowledge, this is the first study in Poland that is based on the experience of a food company.

  • The role and scope of architectural and conservation research procedures in the process of restoring the splendour of an architectural monument created after 1945 on the example of the Suburban Railway Station in Gdynia
    • Anna Orchowska-Smolińska
    • Anna Kriegseisen
    2022 Full text Architectus

    Modern Movement buildings, despite their relatively recent construction, are sometimes affected by radical transformations of layout and form. The railway stations being one of the most important public buildings in the city are a special group of them. Due to long-term and intensive use they may bear the signs of exploitation of parts of its substance and have secondary transformations disharmony with the building. The subject of the article are architectural and conservation studies of the Suburban Railway Station in Gdynia, built in the mid-1950s. The authors of the article set themselves the goal of presenting the research procedures developed for it in the years 2016–2022, which are an introduction to revaluation process. The research methods used during the field work made it possible to identify the originally used techniques of execution and finishing methods and to determine the procedures for their reconstruction using conservation methods. The results of the conducted research became the basis for determining the scope of conservation protection of the station building, as well as the possibility of interfering with its partly “functionless” substance through adaptation and modernization activities.

  • The role of centrifugal partition chromatography in the removal of β-asarone from Acorus calamus essential oil
    • Paweł Szczeblewski
    • Mateusz Wróblewski
    • Julia Borzyszkowska-Bukowska
    • Tetiana Bairamova
    • Justyna Górska
    • Tomasz Laskowski
    • Anna Samulewicz
    • Michał Kosno
    • Łukasz Sobiech
    • Justyna Polit
    • Wirginia Kukula-Koch
    2022 Full text Scientific Reports

    Β-asarone is a phenylpropane derivative present in the rhizomes of Acorus calamus, that was proved to exhibit toxic effects in humans. Because of its presence the whole plant that is commonly used in traditional medicine for its sedative, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective and other properties has limited application nowadays. In the study, qualitative and quantitative analysis of a collection of nine essential oil (EO) samples of European and Asian origin was performed. The final content of β-asarone in the tested samples ranged between 0.265 and 1.885 mg/mL. Having in mind a possible application of the EO as a biopesticide, this research aimed at the development of CPC-based purification protocol that could help remove β-asarone from EO. It was proved that the biphasic solvent system composed of n-hexane/EtOAc/MeOH/water, 9:1:9:1 (v/v/v/v) was capable of the removal of the toxic constituent in the CPC chromatograph operated in the ascending elution mode with 2200 rpm and a flow rate of 5 mL/min. The chromatographic analysis that lasted only 144 min effectively separated β-asarone (purity of 95.5%) and α-asarone (purity of 93.7%) directly from the crude Acorus calamus rhizome EO.

  • The role of electrolysis and enzymatic hydrolysis treatment in the enhancement of the electrochemical properties of 3D-printed carbon black/poly(lactic acid) structures
    • Adrian Koterwa
    • Iwona Kaczmarzyk
    • Szymon Mania
    • Mateusz Cieślik
    • Robert Tylingo
    • Tadeusz Ossowski
    • Robert Bogdanowicz
    • Pawel Niedzialkowski
    • Jacek Ryl
    2022 Full text APPLIED SURFACE SCIENCE

    Additive manufacturing, also known as 3D printing, is beginning to play an unprecedented role in developing many applications for industrial or personalized products. The conductive composite structures require additional treatment to achieve an electroactive surface useful for electrochemical devices. In this paper, the surfaces of carbon black/poly(lactic acid) CB-PLA printouts were activated by electrolysis or enzymatic digestion with proteinase K, or a simultaneous combination of both. The proposed modification protocols allow the tailoring of electrochemically active surfaces and electron transfer kinetics determined by electrochemical techniques (CV, EIS) by [Fe(CN)6]4-/3- redox probe. X-ray photon spectroscopy and SEM imaging were applied to determine the delivered surface chemistry. CB-PLA hydrolysis under alkaline conditions and anodic polarization greatly impacted the charge transfer kinetics. The enzymatic hydrolysis of PLA with proteinase K led to highly efficient results, yet requires an unsatisfactory prolonged activation duration of 72 h, which can be efficiently reduced by electrolysis carried out in the presence of the enzyme. Our studies hint that the activation protocol originates from surface electropolymerization rather than a synergistic interaction between the electrolysis and enzymatic hydrolysis. The detailed mechanism of CB-PLA hydrolysis supported by electrolysis is a promising new route to achieve time-efficient and environmentally-friendly activation procedure.

  • The role of the One-Belt One-Road initiative in China's exports and global value chains
    • Joanna Wolszczak-Derlacz
    • Yuxin Lu
    2022 Full text EQUILIBRIUM Quarterly Journal of Economics and Economic Policy

    Research background: China is regarded as the “world factory” highly involved in international trade and plays an increasingly important role in the global value chains (GVC). Additionally, the “One-Belt One-Road” (OBOR) initiative was proposed by the Chinese government to further promote China in the international market. Purpose of the article: The article explores the role of the OBOR in China’s exports and global value chain. It aims at: 1) verifying how OBOR impacts the volume of China's export and valueadded export to its partners. 2) checking whether or not OBOR strengthens the industrial connection between China and its participants at the GVC level. 3) examining the different roles of corridors in China's exports and GVC. Methods: The empirical analysis is based on the augmented gravity model of international trade, which comprises China and its 197 partners in the period 2000–2018. The model is estimated for gross export as well GVC measured by domestic value added in export and the value contributed by a partner to China’s exports. Findings & value added: In general, there is a significant positive correlation between OBOR and the volumes of China’s export, domestic value-added trade and the value of partner’s contributed in China’s export. However, some of the results are blurred by OLS and FE methods. The author points out that FE-PPML estimation methods are more adequate. Among the six economic corridors, Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar (BCIM), China-Pakistan (CP) and China IndochinaPeninsula (CIP) were proven to play a prominent role in promoting China’s export, DVA and strengthening the links of global value chains. It is worth noting that the China-Mongolia-Russian Federation (CMRF) corridor harms China's export and DVA trade, and at the same time promotes countries in its region that benefit from trade with China

  • The Rule-Based Model of Negentropy for Increasing the Energy Efficiency of the City’s Digital Transformation Processes into a Smart City
    • Cezary Orłowski
    • Piotr Cofta
    • Aleksander Orłowski
    2022 Full text ENERGIES

    The aim of the article is to build a rule-based model (RMFDN) for increasing the energy efficiency of Smart Cities’ digital transformation processes. The problem that arises during the implementation of digital transformation processes concerns the measures that should be assigned to estimate the duration of the digital transformation. Previous studies of digital transformation have been based on the analysis of design processes based on key performance indicators (KPIs), their place and role in the digital transformation processes, and their monitoring with the use of information architecture. The analysis of the digital transformation processes of cities into Smart Cities shows that they seem inappropriate to the complexity and uncertainty of the digital transformation carried out. The new approach presented in the article is based on three key aspects: rule-based description of the state of digital transformation processes enabling their energy assessment, introducing energy maturity capsules to describe the state of these processes and application of measures based on project negentropy increments for maturity capsules.