2020 - Repozytorium publikacji - Politechnika Gdańska

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Energy neutrality versus carbon footprint minimization in municipal wastewater treatment plants
- Mojtaba Maktabifard
- Ewa Zaborowska
- Jacek Mąkinia
2020 Pełny tekst BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
This work aimed to compare the carbon footprint (CF) of six full-scale wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). The CF was estimated in the range of 23–100 kg CO2e per population equivalent. In the total CF, the direct emissions held the highest share (62–74%) for the plants with energy recovery from biogas. In the plants depending entirely on the power grid, the indirect emissions due to energy consumption dominated the total CF (69–72%). The estimated CF was found highly sensitive towards the choice of N2O emission factors. A dual effect of external substrates co-digestion on the CF has been presented. After co-digestion, the overall CF decreased by 7% while increasing the biogas production by 17%. While applying the empirical model, the level of energy neutrality was strongly related to the ratio of the indirect to direct emissions.
Energy Yield Generated by a Small Building Integrated Photovoltaic Installation
- Ewa Klugmann-Radziemska
- Małgorzata Rudnicka
2020 Pełny tekst Ecological Chemistry and Engineering S - Chemia i Inżynieria Ekologiczna S
In the recent years photovoltaic (PV) industry has experienced a major growth, caused by the ever present annual decrease in module production prices and the expanding awareness of the general public in terms of renewable energy. There are numerous ways to implement PV modules as an additional energy source for a building, be it mounted on the rooftop, or building integrated (BIPV). An analysis of BIPV consisting of 8 modules with the power of 250 Wp each was carried out for the building of the Chemistry Faculty of Gdansk University of Technology (GUT). It included monthly irradiance and energy generation values and compared them to data obtained by the means of PV-GIS system, after inserting site specific coordinates. Additional research on the same type of a single module with the power of 270 Wp was conducted to provide more insight in this matter. A comprehensible analysis allows for defining a final conclusion for the decrease in energy yield for GUT BIPV installation. Data outputs are lower than expected based on PV-GIS values, as for the most time the facade mounted PV system experiences partial soft shading from t he nearby park. Furthermore, it is not located directly facing south, but rather south-east which does not prompt ideal working conditions.
Engendering responsibility in architecture students through real planning for a tram depot in Gdańsk
- Justyna Borucka
- Piotr Czyż
- Wojciech Targowski
2020 Pełny tekst World Transactions on Engineering and Technology Education
Apart from technical competencies, the profession of architect requires specific social competencies: understanding the user’s needs, ability to diagnose social problems, negotiating and understanding the impact of construction investments on society and the environment. The architect plays a significant role in the collective effort to create spatial order. This is why it is important to include these social competencies in the curricula of architectural studies. It should be required that students of architecture actively engage in real design processes to develop competencies underpinning professional responsibility and cooperation. Presented in this article is an experimental course. Enrolled in the course were students engaged in preparatory work on planning documents prepared for the city of Gdańsk. Participation in real activities, with real partners and problems, engenders the students’ sense of responsibility. Attaining that is crucial in the future work of an architect.
Enhanced Activity of P4503A4 and UGT1A10 Induced by Acridinone Derivatives C-1305 and C-1311 in MCF-7 and HCT116 Cancer Cells: Consequences for the Drugs’ Cytotoxicity, Metabolism and Cellular Response
- Monika Pawłowska
- Anna Kwaśniewska
- Zofia Mazerska
- Ewa Augustin
2020 Pełny tekst INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
Activity modulation of drug metabolism enzymes can change the biotransformation of chemotherapeutics and cellular responses induced by them. As a result, drug-drug interactions can be modified. Acridinone derivatives, represented here by C-1305 and C-1311, are potent anticancer drugs. Previous studies in non-cellular systems showed that they are mechanism-based inhibitors of cytochrome P4503A4 and undergo glucuronidation via UDP-glucuronosyltranspherase 1A10 isoenzyme (UGT1A10). Therefore, we investigated the potency of these compounds to modulate P4503A4 and UGT1A10 activity in breast MCF-7 and colon HCT116 cancer cells and their influence on cytotoxicity and cellular response in cells with dierent expression levels of studied isoenzymes. We show that C-1305 and C-1311 are inducers of not only P4503A4 but also UGT1A10 activity. MCF-7 and HCT116 cells with high P4503A4 activity are more sensitive to acridinone derivatives and undergo apoptosis/necrosis to a greater extent. UGT1A10 was demonstrated to be responsible for C-1305 and C-1311 glucuronidation in cancer cells and glucuronide products were excreted outside the cell very fast. Finally, we show that glucuronidation of C-1305 antitumor agent enhances its pro-apoptotic properties in HCT116 cells, while the cytotoxicity and cellular response induced by C-1311 did not change after drug glucuronidation in both cell lines.
Enhanced Charge Storage Mechanism And Long-Term Cycling Stability In Diamondized Titania Nanocomposite Supercapacitors Operating In Aqueous Electrolytes
- Robert Bogdanowicz
- Anna Dettlaff
- Franciszek Skiba
- Konrad Trzciński
- Mariusz Szkoda
- Michał Sobaszek
- Mateusz Ficek
- Bartłomiej Dec
- Łukasz Macewicz
- Dongsheng Geng
- Arkadiusz Ignaczak
- Jacek Ryl
2020 Pełny tekst Journal of Physical Chemistry C
The long cycle life stability jointly with high energy density are limiting broader feasible applications of supercapacitors. The novel diamondized titania nanocomposite supercapacitors deliver high power and energy densities along with high capacitance retention rates. Supercapacitor electrodes were fabricated utilizing a combination of Ti anodization followed by chemical vapor deposition resulting in simultaneous growth of complex BDD/TiC interface. The first-principles simulations along with extended molecular investigations conducted by BF-TEM and HR-SEM revealed that capacitive phenomena are delivered by nanoporous, multi-faceted, and substoichiometric TiC, forming clusters at the lateral surfaces of titania nanotubes. Next, TiC mechanical stability and effective charge transfer electrode-electrolyte are efficiently provided by highly conductive although discontinuous BDD overlayer. The assembled two-electrode supercapacitor devices exhibited capacitance 15 mF cm−2, which were stable at 0.1 V s−1 scan rate in various neutral aqueous electrolytes. The composite TiO2NT-BDD supercapacitors showed outstanding long-term cycling stability with capacitance retention of 93% after 100,000 chronopotentiometry cycles verified by post-aging cyclic voltammetry tests. In parallel, the energy and power density calculated at a current density of 3 A g-1 achieved levels as high as 14.74 Wh kg-1 and 24.68 kW kg-1, revealing the superior performance of the assembled devices compared to recently reported supercapacitors.
Enhanced interfacial and mechanical performance of styrene-butadiene rubber/silica composites compatibilized by soybean oil derived silanized plasticization
- Adeel Hassan
- Krzysztof Formela
- Shifeng Wang
2020 COMPOSITES SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Silanized plasticizer (SP) was chemically derived and synthesized from soybean oil (SBO) co-vulcanized with bis-(3-(triethoxysilyl)-propyl) tetrasulfide (TESPT) by using the sulfur-accelerated curing system. SP extended styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR)/silica composites have been studied for their improved filler dispersion through coupling interaction at the SBR/silica interface. The effect of SP on cross-link density, thermal, static and dynamic mechanical properties of SBR composites related to the tire performance, were investigated. The results revealed that SP enhanced tensile strength, modulus, and hardness of the composites due to an improved matrix-filler interaction together with an excellent control over oil migration. Further improvement was observed for SP with increasing TESPT content, what was related to the increase in cross-linking density, and bound rubber content of the composite materials. Morphology and reduced Payne effect confirmed the silica particles have an even dispersion throughout the SBR matrix. The dynamic curves indicated the highest efficacy for wet and dry traction performances of SP extended SBR composites comparing to unmodified reference sample. This research provided the effect of SP as a novel reactive bio-plasticizer to improve the performance of SBR/silica composites for green tire manufacture, while being eco-friendly.
Enhanced Mobility and Large Linear Nonsaturating Magnetoresistance in the Magnetically Ordered States of TmNiC2
- Kamil Kolincio
- Marta Roman
- Tomasz Klimczuk
2020 Pełny tekst PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS
We have studied the magnetic, magnetotransport, and galvanomagnetic properties of TmNiC2. We find that the antiferromagnetic and field induced metamagnetic and ferromagnetic orderings do not suppress the charge density wave. The persistence of Fermi surface pockets, open as a result of imperfect nesting accompanying the Peierls transition, results in an electronic carriers mobility of the order of 4 × 103 cm2 V−1 s−1 in ferromagnetic state, without any signatures for a significant deterioration of nesting properties. This is independently evidenced by high, nonsaturating linear magnetoresistance reaching 440% at T ¼ 2 K and an analysis of the Hall conductivity. We thus demonstrate that, the coexistence of charge density wave and magnetism provides an alternative route to maintain high electronic mobility in the magnetically ordered state.
Enhanced Photoelectrocatalytical Performance of Inorganic-Inorganic Hybrid Consisting BiVO4, V2O5, and Cobalt Hexacyanocobaltate as a Perspective Photoanode for Water Splitting
- Konrad Trzciński
- Mariusz Szkoda
- Sawczak Mirosław
- Anna Lisowska-Oleksiak
2020 Pełny tekst Electrocatalysis
Thin layers of BiVO4/V2O5 were prepared on FTO substrates using pulsed laser deposition technique. The method of cobalt hexacyanocobaltate (Cohcc) synthesis on the BiVO4/V2O5 photoanodes consists of cobalt deposition followed by electrochemical oxidation of metallic Co in K3[Co(CN)6] aqueous electrolyte. The modified electrodes were tested as photoanodes for water oxidation under simulated sunlight irradiation. Deposited films were characterized using UV-Vis spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. Since the V2O5 is characterized by a narrower energy bandgap than BiVO4, the presence of V2O5 shifts absorption edge (ΔE = ~0.25 eV) of modified films towards lower energies enabling the conversion of a wider range of solar radiation. The formation of heterojunction increases photocurrent of water oxidation measured at 1.2 V vs Ag/ AgCl (3 M KCl) to over 1 mA cm-2, while bare BiVO4 and V2O5 exhibit 0.37 and 0.08 mA cm-2, respectively. On the other hand, the modification of obtained layers with Cohcc shifts onset potential of photocurrent generation into a cathodic direction. As a result, the photocurrent enhancement at a wide range of applied potential was achieved.
Enhanced trap-assisted recombination in organic semiconductors
- Jędrzej Szmytkowski
2020 Pełny tekst SOLID STATE COMMUNICATIONS
An analytical model to describe the interaction of excitons and charge transfer states with deep traps is formulated for the case of molecular materials. Here, we have considered the influence of a trap-assisted recombination on this phenomenon. The final expression for the effective recombination rate has been derived from the Shockley–Read–Hall theory and kinetic equations which characterize different photophysical processes. The presented model can be applied in modeling of organic photovoltaic devices.
Enhanced Visible Light Active WO3 Thin Films Toward Air Purification: Effect of the Synthesis Conditions
- Anna Pancielejko
- Marta Rzepnikowska
- Adriana Zaleska-Medynska
- Justyna Łuczak
- Paweł Mazierski
2020 Pełny tekst Materials
Taking into consideration, our current environmental situation in the world people should face with growing problem of air and water pollution. Heterogeneous photocatalysis is highly promising tool to improve both, air and water quality through decomposition/mineralization of contaminations directly into harmless CO2 and H2O under ambient conditions. In this contribution we focused on the synthesis of self-assembly WO3 thin films via an electrochemical approach in the aqueous electrolyte containing fluoride ions towards air purifications. The effect of preparation conditions such as applied potential (10 – 50 V), anodization time (15 – 120 minutes), concentration of H2SO4 (0.5 – 1.5 M) and NaF (0.1 – 1.0 wt.%) on the morphology, photocurrent response and photocatalytic activity addressed to removal of air pollutant in the presence of as-prepared WO3 samples were thoroughly examined and presented. The results revealed the growth of nanoplatelets and their gradual transformation into flower-like structure. The oxide layers and platelets thickness of the WO3 samples were found to be proportionally related with the synthesis conditions. The photocatalytic ability towards air purification was evaluated by degradation of toluene from air mixture using low-powered LEDs as an irradiation source (λmax = 415 nm). The highest photoactivity was achieved in presence of the sample which possessed well-ordered, regular shape and repeatable distribution of flower buds (100% of degradation). The results have confirmed that the oxide layer thickness of the anodic WO3 significantly affected the photocatalytic activity, which increased with the increasing thickness of WO3 (to 1.05 μm) and then had a down trend. The photocurrent response evidenced that well-organized sample had the highest ability in photocurrent generation under UV-Vis and Vis irradiation. Finally, a possible growth mechanism of WO3 NFs was also discussed.
Enhanced-Performance Circularly Polarized MIMO Antenna with Polarization/Pattern Diversity
- Ubaid Ullah
- Ismail Mabrouk
- Sławomir Kozieł
2020 Pełny tekst IEEE Access
Design of a compact wideband circularly polarized (CP) multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) antenna with polarization diversity is proposed and characterized for off-body communication. The antenna is based on a simple coplanar waveguide (CPW)-fed monopole extension of the microstrip line. The orthogonal field components required by CP are induced using a simply modified right/left side ground plane. In particular, a stub extending from the ground plane along the length of the microstrip line generates the vertical component, whereas the current along the width of the ground plane contributes to the horizontal components. To obtain a unidirectional radiation pattern in the off-body direction and to reduce the sensitivity to the human body loading effects, a flat reflector printed on a high permittivity flexible substrate is applied. The simple topology of the antenna can be described by a few adjustable parameters, which facilitates its EM design closure. Prior to the experimental validation in the free space and on the body, the antenna is optimized at the full-wave level of description for all major performance figures. The overall footprint of the antenna radiator is only Ls × Ws = 0.24 λ0 × 0.64 λ0 = 0.15 λ02. The proposed MIMO antenna features |S11|≤ -10 dB, average isolation |S21|≤ -22 dB, and axial ratio (AR)and axial ratio 3 dB from 5.2 GHz to 6.3 GHz with 100% bandwidth overlap between the impedance and axial ratio bandwidths. The envelope correlation coefficient (ECC) is less than 0.004 with the maximum diversity gain (DG) of approximately 9.99 dB. Moreover, the antenna maintains a high efficiency of up to 90% when loaded on the body, and a low specific absorption rate (SAR).
Enhancement of the Magnetic Coupling in Exfoliated CrCl 3 Crystals Observed by Low‐Temperature Magnetic Force Microscopy and X‐ray Magnetic Circular Dichroism
- Michele Serri
- Giuseppe Cucinotta
- Lorenzo Poggini
- Giulia Serrano
- Philippe Sainctavit
- Judyta Strychalska-Nowak
- Antonio Politano
- Francesco Bonaccorso
- Andrea Caneschi
- Robert J. Cava
- Roberta Sessoli
- Luca Ottaviano
- Tomasz Klimczuk
- Vittorio Pellegrini
- Matteo Mannini
2020 ADVANCED MATERIALS
Magnetic crystals formed by 2D layers interacting by weak van der Waals forces are currently a hot research topic. When these crystals are thinned to nanometric size, they can manifest strikingly different magnetic behavior compared to the bulk form. This can be the result of, for example, quantum electronic confinement effects, the presence of defects, or pinning of the crystallographic structure in metastable phases induced by the exfoliation process. In this work, an investigation of the magnetism of micromechanically cleaved CrCl3 flakes with thickness >10 nm is performed. These flakes are characterized by superconducting quantum interference device magnetometry, surface-sensitive X-ray magnetic circular dichroism, and spatially resolved magnetic force microscopy. The results highlight an enhancement of the CrCl3 antiferromagnetic interlayer interaction that appears to be independent of the flake size when the thickness is tens of nanometers. The estimated exchange field is 9 kOe, representing an increase of ≈900% compared to the one of the bulk crystals. This effect can be attributed to the pinning of the high-temperature monoclinic structure, as recently suggested by polarized Raman spectroscopy investigations in thin (8–35 nm) CrCl3 flakes.
Enhancing Availability for Critical Services
- Teresa Gomes
- Lúcia Martins
- Rita Girão-Silva
- David Tipper
- Alija Pašić
- Balázs Vass
- Luís Garrote
- Urbano J. Nunes
- Martin Zachariasen
- Jacek Rak
2020
Traditional approaches to provide classes of resilient service take the physical network availability as an input and then deploy redundancy and restoration techniques at various layers, often without full knowledge of mappings between layers. This makes it hard (and often inefficient) to ensure the high availability required by critical services which are typically a small fraction of the total traffic. Here, the innovative technique of embedding a higher availability substructure, designated the spine, into the network at the physical layer, is explored. In the spine-based approach, it is considered that high availability must begin at the physical level and then must be reinforced in upper layers. A recent disaster-resilience framework, named Framework for Disaster Resilience, which incorporates reliable network design (i.e. using the spine), disaster failure modelling and protection routing to improve the availability of critical services is discussed. Next, a proposal to select network links for availability upgrade to ensure high availability is presented. This is followed by a study assuming that if disaster-prone areas are known, they can be represented as obstacles which should be avoided when deploying the physical backbone of a communications network. Hence, a heuristic for a minimum-cost Euclidean Steiner tree taking into account the presence of soft obstacles is presented.
Enhancing Product Manufacturing through Smart Virtual Product Development (SVPD) for Industry 4.0
- Muhammad Ahmed
- Cesar Sanin
- Edward Szczerbicki
2020 Pełny tekst CYBERNETICS AND SYSTEMS
ABSTRACT This paper proposes the Smart Virtual Product Development (SVPD) system, which enhances the industrial product manufacturing processes. The proposed system comprises of three main modules: design knowledge management (DKM), manufacturing capability analysis and process planning (MCAPP), and product inspection planning (PIP). Smart virtual product development system collects, stores, and uses experiential knowledge from formal decisional events in the form of set of experience (SOE). This research explains the working mechanism of MCAPP module, and shows how manufacturing knowledge of similar products having some common features and functions is used to enrich the manufacturing process. First, the basic description and principles of the approach are introduced, then the prototype version of the system is developed and tested for manufacturing capability and process planning (MCAPP) module for the case study, which verifies the feasibility of the proposed approach. The presented system successfully supports smart manufacturing, and can play a vital role in Industry 4.0.
Enhancing women’s engagement in economic activities through information and communication technology deployment: evidence from Central–Eastern European countries
- Ewa Lechman
- Magdalena Popowska
2020 Pełny tekst Gender, Technology and Development
This study takes a macro perspective to examine the associations between the economic deployment of information and communication technology (ICT), women’s labor market participation, and economic growth in Central–Eastern European countries between 1990 and 2017. We use data extracted from World Bank Development Indicators, World Development Reports, and the World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database. Our methodological framework combines time trends, graphical non-parametric analysis, and panel vector-autoregressive models. The findings reveal significant relationships between ICT and women’s economic activity. Panel vector-auto-regression model estimates and Granger causality tests indicate causal relationships between ICT, economic growth, and female youth employment but not between the remaining pairs of variables.
Enriched buckling for beam-lattice metamaterials
- Victor Eremeev
- Emilio Turco
2020 Pełny tekst MECHANICS RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS
We discuss two examples of beam-lattice metamaterials which show attractive mechanical properties concerning their enriched buckling. The first one considers pantographic beams and the nonlinear solution is traced out numerically on the base of a Hencky’s model and an algorithm based on Riks’ arc-length scheme. The second one concerns a beam-lattice with sliders and the nonlinear solution is discussed in analytic way and, finally, extended to the case of uniform in-plane tension. Some concluding remarks draw possible future developments and challenges.
Entrepreneurship nests in a polish edge city
- Justyna Martyniuk-Pęczek
- Olga Martyniuk
- Tomasz Parteka
2020
The last two decades in Poland have been a period of both a dynamic development of the small and medium-sized enterprise sector and a transformation of the city surrounding territories. This development began during the economy transformation after 1989. Population migration and movement of economic entities away from central cities resulted in development of territorial structures within some Polish suburban areas, defined as entrepreneurship nests. This may mean that economic activity of these inhabitants may be higher than that of the central-city residents. What is more, it seems to be a distinguishing feature of the Polish suburban areas, compared to the suburbanization areas of other Western European countries or the United States. The topic of the relationship between suburbanization processes and the development of small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) sector derives from the Authors’ work on a scientific project entitled Creation of entrepreneurship nests in the Tri-City Metropolitan Area. Analysis of the spatial and economic relations of the SME sector, financed by the National Science Center1 – contract number UMO-2013/09/B/HS4/01175.
Entrepreneurship Today: Selected Aspects
- Magdalena Byczkowska
- Zhanna Poplavska
- Sofiya Komarynets
- Yulia Stukalina
- Anna Majzel
- Krzysztof Zięba
2020 Pełny tekst
At its very beginning, entrepreneurship was a purely economic notion. However, this growing interest in entrepreneurship-related problems prompted other sciences to participate in explaining the entrepreneurship phenomenon. Nowadays, entrepreneurship is analyzed through multiple theoretical lenses of economics, management, psychology, sociology – just to name a few. Therefore, it would be difficult to find a notion that could be equally diverse, complex and multifaceted. As a result, any book on entrepreneurship is in some sense fragmentary, based on the same aspects, inclusive of some problems, but at the same time exclusive of others. This book presents just a few interesting features linked to entrepreneurship in the modern economy. The first chapter presents some general considerations on entrepreneurship, its definitions, ways to measure the level of entrepreneurial activities in a country, as well as the role of human resources and innovations. Some empirical data is presented there, positioning Poland within the broader European context. In the second chapter, the view on entrepreneurship is broadened by discussing the concept of nascent entrepreneurship, its birth and further development. Based on several theoretical and empirical papers, the main strands of research into nascent entrepreneurship are presented. The broadening of the scope is continued in the next chapter which emphasizes the transition from a managed economy to an entrepreneurial economy. This transition amplifies the importance of so-called entrepreneurialism, defined as a constant operation in an entrepreneurial mode. Entrepreneurialism at modern universities allows creating new models of support for education and research activities which are discussed in this chapter. In the fourth chapter, the focus moves more towards the characteristics of modern economies, where skills and knowledge become more and more vital for economic growth. One of the main ways of knowledge diffusion in our globalized world are Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs). Empirical data in this chapter comes from one of the Western regions of Poland. The last chapter analyses the impact of economic and institutional environment on the activity of enterprises in Poland and Ukraine. Those neighbouring countries share a lot of common history, but in terms of economic situation, they currently differ significantly. This is what makes a comparative analysis between those two countries interesting and instructive.
Equivalent Single Layer Models in Free Vibration Analysis of Laminated Multi-Layered Plates
- Ireneusz Kreja
- Agnieszka Sabik
2020 Pełny tekst International Journal of Structural Stability and Dynamics
The performance of selected equivalent single-layer (ESL) models is evaluated within several classical benchmark tests for small amplitude free vibration analysis of multi-layered plates. The authors elaborated their own Finite Element software based on the first-order shear deformation (FOSD) theory with some modifications incorporated including a correction of the transverse shear stiffness and an application of zigzag type functions. Seven different ESL models were considered in the study; beside the classical FOSD model, there were three FOSD models with various transverse shear corrections and three ESL models enhanced by the application of zigzag functions and based on Reissner’s Mixed Variational Theorem.
Escherichia coli Strains with Virulent Factors Typical for Uropathogens were Isolated from Sinuses from Patients with Chronic Rhinosinusitis—Case Report
- Beata Krawczyk
- Michał Michalik
- Magdalena Fordon
- Magdalena Wysocka
- Alfred Samet
- Bogdan Nowicki
2020 Pełny tekst Pathogens
Escherichia coli were isolated from three patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) by intraoperative sinus tissue biopsy. Taking into account the unusual replicative niche and previous treatment failures, it was decided to focus on the virulence and drug resistance of these bacteria. The strains turned out to be multi-sensitive, but the rich virulence factors profile of bacteria typical for phylogenetic group B2 deserved attention. Tests were carried out for the presence of 32 genes using the PCR method. Particularly noteworthy are the toxins Cnf-1, HlyA, Usp—an extensive iron uptake system (enterobactin, salmochelin, yersiniabactin and outer membrane hemin receptor ChuA)—SPATE autotransporters such as vat and pic, Ag43 autoaggregative protein—important for biofilm formation—and TosA/B which enhance the fitness of E.coli. All these virulence factors are identified predominantly in UPEC strains and provide a fitness advantage during colonization of the sinuses. Patients with CRS should be asked for past or present UTI. The specific virulence factors of E. coli that facilitate the colonization of the GI tract and urinary tract may also favor the colonization of a new ecological niche (sinuses) as a result of microbial imbalance or dysbiosis.