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Soft skills among academics: Five theoretically informed lessons for current times
- Joanna Szulc
- Magdalena Toporek
- Michał Tomczak
- Małgorzata Gawrycka
2023 Pełny tekst Horyzonty Polityki
RESEARCH OBJECTIVE: The aim of this article is to provide a comprehensive examination of the role of soft skills among academics in the context of the evolving higher-education landscape. THE RESEARCH PROBLEM AND METHODS: We use a scoping review of existing literature to discuss the importance of soft skills in academia. Through critical analysis and synthesis, we identify patterns and gaps in current knowledge and develop five theoretically informed lessons to improve practice and theory. THE PROCESS OF ARGUMENTATION: A unique theoretical blending of five theories (resource-based, dynamic capabilities, cultural learning, implicit leadership, and human capital) forms the conceptual framework we used to arrive at our conclusions. RESEARCH RESULTS: Our first conclusion emphasizes that soft skills are essential for a competitive advantage in the performative culture of neoliberal academies. Second, we emphasize that updating soft skills is crucial in order to respond to the changing higher-education environment. Third, going beyond the universal view of academia as a sharply hierarchical industry, we demonstrate how building relationships with stakeholders is necessary for academic skill development. Our fourth lesson explores the implications of different evaluators’ perceptions of soft skills, highlighting the need for recognition of their value. The ultimate lesson highlights the need to invest in the skills of academics. CONCLUSIONS, INNOVATIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS: We consolidate existing theoretical approaches and overcome theoretical fragmentation to arrive at a comprehensive and theoretically grounded set of lessons for those interested in developing and utilizing soft skills among academics in the unique context of the ever-changing higher-education environment. We challenge the norms of neoliberal academia and call for the development of realistic policies and procedures that promote a respectful, collaborative, and sustainable higher-education environment.
Solar light driven degradation of textile dye contaminants for wastewater treatment – studies of novel polycationic selenide photocatalyst and process optimization by response surface methodology desirability factor
- Arif Nawaz
- Muhammad Atif
- Adnan Khan
- Mohsin Siddique
- Nisar Ali
- Falak Naz
- Muhammad Bilal
- Tak H. Kim
- Malwina Momotko
- Hameed Haq
- Grzegorz Boczkaj
2023 CHEMOSPHERE
The unplanned anthropogenic activities and raced industrial revolution detrimentally causes serious threat to terrestrial and aquatic life. A high discharge of wastewater from industries using dyes affects living organisms and the environment. This paper presents studies on polycationic selenides (PCS) synthesized by hydrothermal methods for photocatalytic degradation of dyes. The synthesized PCS were confirmed by various characterization techniques such as FTIR, SEM, EDX, UV/Vis, and XRD. The FTIR spectra revealed characteristic band at 843, 548 cm−1, and 417 cm−1 due to the M − Se stretching and intrinsic stretching vibrations, respectively. The optical bandgap of polycationic selenide lies in the visible light region (2.36 eV). The SEM images showed that PCS has a spherical shape with an average crystallite size of 29.23 nm calculated from XRD data using Scherer's equation. The PCS has a point of zero charge (PZC) at pH 7. The efficiency of synthesized PCS photocatalyst was confirmed in terms of its activity towards Eosin (EY) and Crystal violet (CV) dyes mineralization. The photocatalytic degradation for EY and CV dyes at optimum conditions was 99.47% and 99.31% and followed second order reactions kinetics with 1.4314 and 0.551 rate constant, respectively. The polynomial quadratic model is the best-fitted response surface methodology (RSM) model having a maximum desirability factors value and significant terms, with R2 (0.9994) and adj R2 values (1.0).
Solubility of carbon dioxide in water: Some useful results for hydrate nucleation
- Jesús Algaba
- Iván M. Zerón
- José Manuel Míguez
- Joanna Grabowska
- Samuel Blazquez
- Eduardo Sanz
- Carlos Vega
- Felipe J. Blas
2023 Pełny tekst JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL PHYSICS
In this paper, the solubility of carbon dioxide (CO2) in water along the isobar of 400 bar is determined by computer simulations using the well-known TIP4P/Ice force field for water and the TraPPE model for CO2. In particular, the solubility of CO2 in water when in contact with the CO2 liquid phase and the solubility of CO2 in water when in contact with the hydrate have been determined. The solubility of CO2 in a liquid–liquid system decreases as the temperature increases. The solubility of CO2 in a hydrate–liquid system increases with temperature. The two curves intersect at a certain temperature that determines the dissociation temperature of the hydrate at 400 bar (T3). We compare the predictions with T3 obtained using the direct coexistence technique in a previous work. The results of both methods agree, and we suggest 290(2) K as the value of T3 for this system using the same cutoff distance for dispersive interactions. We also propose a novel and alternative route to evaluate the change in chemical potential for the formation of hydrates along the isobar. The new approach is based on the use of the solubility curve of CO2 when the aqueous solution is in contact with the hydrate phase. It considers rigorously the non-ideality of the aqueous solution of CO2, providing reliable values for the driving force for nucleation of hydrates in good agreement with other thermodynamic routes used. It is shown that the driving force for hydrate nucleation at 400 bar is larger for the methane hydrate than for the carbon dioxide hydrate when compared at the same supercooling. We have also analyzed and discussed the effect of the cutoff distance of dispersive interactions and the occupancy of CO2 on the driving force for nucleation of the hydrate.
Solvent influence on the crystal structures of new cadmium tri-tert -butoxysilanethiolate complexes with 1,4-bis(3-aminopropyl)piperazine: luminescence and antifungal activity
- Daria Kowalkowska-Zedler
- Piotr Bruździak
- Zbigniew Hnatejko
- Renata Łyszczek
- Anna Brillowska-Dąbrowska
- Łukasz Ponikiewski
- Bartosz Cieśla
- Agnieszka Pladzyk
2023 Pełny tekst Acta Crystallographica Section C-Structural Chemistry
Monocrystals of dinuclear 1,4-bis(3-aminopropyl)piperazine-�4N1,N10:N4,N40-bis[bis(tri-tert-butoxysilanethiolato-�S)cadmium(II)], [Cd2(C12H27O3SSi)4(C10-H24N4)] or [Cd2{SSi(OtBu)3}4(�-BAPP)], 1, and polynuclear catena-poly[[bis- (tri-tert-butoxysilanethiolato-�S)cadmium(II)]-�-1,4-bis(3-aminopropyl)piperazine-�2N10:N40], [Cd(C12H27O3SSi)2(C10H24N4)]n or [Cd{SSi(OtBu)3}2(�-BAPP)]n, 2, with 1,4-bis(3-aminopropyl)piperazine (BAPP) and tri-tert-butoxysilane-thiolate ligands, were obtained from the same ratio of reactants, but with different solvents used for the crystallization processes. The structures and properties of both complexes were characterized using elemental analysis, X-ray diffraction and FT–IR, 1H NMR and luminescence spectroscopy. Applied density functional theory (DFT) computational methods and noncovalent interaction (NCI) analysis were used for geometry optimization and visualiza- tion of the interactions between the metallic centres and their surroundings. The X-ray analysis revealed four-coordinate CdII centres bound to two S atoms of the silanethiolate groups and two N atoms of the BAPP ligand; however, it chelates to tertiary and primary N atoms in 1, whilst in 2 it does not chelate and bonds only to RNH2. The photoluminescence properties of complexes 1 and 2 result from free-ligand emission and differ significantly from each other with respect to emission intensity. Additionally, antifungal activity was investigated against 18 isolates of fungi. Compound 1 strongly inhibited the growth of three dermatophytes: Epidermophyton floccosum, Microsporum canis and Trichophyton rubrum.
Sources of contamination in sediments of retention tanks and the influence of precipitation type on the size of pollution load
- Karolina Matej-Łukowicz
- Ewa Wojciechowska
- Tomasz Kolerski
- Nicole Nawrot
- Karol Kuliński
- Aleksandra Winogradow
2023 Pełny tekst Scientific Reports
Densification of cities and urban population contributes to increased runoff and suspended solids and alteration of the urban water cycle. Nowadays, Blue-Green Infrastructure is promoted to increase a city’s resilience to floods; however, stormwater drainage systems, supported with retention tanks are still important in protecting urban areas against floods. Sediment accumulation in stormwater infrastructure relates to an issue of pollutants such as heavy metals, nutrients etc. Research on the origin of the pollutants associated with the suspension and ultimately sediment accumulated in sewage can bring new insights about processes in urban catchment areas. This is the first study, which is focused on the analysis of stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes in bottom sediments collected from municipal retention tanks to verify the origin of the deposited pollutants immediately after pluvial floods. The research was additionally extended with water quality analyzes immediately after three types of weather: a dry period, typical precipitation (< 30 mm) and torrential rainfalls (2 events with daily precipitation over 30 mm which caused pluvial flooding of the city area). Analyses of sediments indicated that the main source of carbon and nitrogen in the bottom of the retention tanks had been brought with stormwater runoff from the city area. Organic nitrogen fertilizers appeared to be the main source of nitrogen, while the sources of organic carbon were mixed: C3 land plants, wood, and oil. Additionally, it was found that torrential rainfall caused a 23-fold increase of N-NO3 concentration, a sevenfold increase of P-PO4 concentration, and an over fivefold increase of concentration of organic matter, in comparison to typical precipitation.
Space Vector Pulsewidth Modulation Strategy for Multilevel Cascaded H-Bridge Inverter With DC-Link Voltage Balancing Ability
- Arkadiusz Lewicki
- Charles Odeh
- Marcin Morawiec
2023 Pełny tekst IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON INDUSTRIAL ELECTRONICS
Space vector pulsewidth modulation (SVPWM) algorithms for cascaded H-bridge multilevel (CHB ML) inverter usually provide the possibility of using several combinations of active voltage vectors to generate the same output voltage vector. For preselected H-bridges, some of them may generate output voltages opposite to the assumed direction. This results in the change of the dc-link voltages of these H-bridges in the opposite direction to the assumed direction in the ordering algorithm. Consequently, these algorithms are characterized by undue constraints and narrow possibilities of dc-link voltage balancing. In the proposed control algorithm, CHB ML inverter is treated as groups of successively activated three-level inverters; depending on the length of the reference voltage vector. These three-level inverters consist of three H-bridges selected from each phase. The proposed extended selection method enables firm-grip control of the dc-link voltages. For a given direction of phase currents, the possibility of using H-bridges with lowest and highest dc-link voltages is simultaneously analyzed. Additionally, each of the three-level inverters is controlled by one of three proposed alternative modulation methods for which both the attainable output voltage vectors and unbalanced dc-link voltages are predicted. Simulation and experimental results confirm the correctness of the algorithm execution.
Spatial aspects of urban air quality management: Estimating the impact of micro-scale urban form on pollution dispersion
- Joanna Badach
- Wojciech Wojnowski
- Jacek Gębicki
2023 Pełny tekst COMPUTERS ENVIRONMENT AND URBAN SYSTEMS
Urban planning and design solutions affect urban ventilation conditions, thus mitigating the effects of atmospheric pollution. However, these findings are not being implemented in the planning practice to a sufficient extent, partly due to the lack of specific guidelines. Moreover, many urban air quality monitoring (AQM) sites have low represnentativeness and thus do not provide comprehensive data for effective urban air pollution control with respect to the urban spatial policy. An integrated assessment method based on modelling, simulation, and geospatial data processing tools was used to investigate the impact of micro-scale urban form on the local ventilation conditions and pollution dispersion. The proposed approach combined computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and geographic information system (GIS) tools, and particularly the newly developed Residence Time Index (RTI) - a single CFD-derived parameter quantifying the capabilities of the micro-scale built environment to retain PM10 pollution. Urban segments around monitoring sites in three Polish cities (Gda´nsk, Warsaw, and Pozna´n), characterised by relatively low density and varied urban form typologies, were investigated. The results indicate that in these conditions the following features of the urban form have the strongest correlation with the RTI: plan area density (λP), gross floor area ratio (λGFA), and occlusivity (Oc), making them useful indicators for urban air quality management. On the other hand, PM10 data from the AQM sites are rather poorly linked with urban form indicators, which suggests that in complex urban scenarios a higher spatial resolution of air quality data is required for shaping the spatial policy. The implications from this analysis are useful for the urban planning practice. The developed approach may be also a valuable decision support tool for the assessment of the spatial representativeness of AQM sites.
Spatial Distribution of Eucalyptus Plantation and its Impact on the Depletion of Groundwater Resources of Tehsil Swat Ranizai, District Malakand
- Muhammad Jamal Nasir
- Waqar Akhtar
- Vipin Kumar Oad
2023 Pełny tekst Arabian Journal of Geosciences
Native to the continent of Australia, eucalyptus is a tall, evergreen tree belonging to the Myrtaceae family. Malakand district has the largest eucalyptus plantation in the province, covering an area of 22,071.29 ha. The present study aims to evaluate its impact on the groundwater table (GWT) in three selected union councils (UCs) of the study area, i.e., Agra, Totakan, and Kot. Both primary and secondary data support the study. The data regarding eucalyptus plantations were collected from the Malakand Forest Division. GPS was used to mark the wells’ locations. The current GWT was measured in the field. Rainfall data of the study area and surrounding was acquired from the Regional Meteorological Office Peshawar. A questionnaire survey was conducted to determine the respondents’ opinion of the impact of eucalyptus plantations. The study reveals that though the GWT dropped from 2000 to 2019 in the study area, the decline is more significant in the vicinity of the plantation. The GWT near the plantation in the Agra UC dropped from 39 to 60 ft., 25 to 45 ft. in Totakan, and from 20 to 60 ft. in Kot UC during the study period. The study reveals no significant impact of rainfall on GWT depletion. The respondents appear to be aware of the negative effects of eucalyptus plantations on the GWT, agriculture, and biodiversity. The study concludes that, while considering community interests, there is a critical need for research to investigate and quantify the site-specific effects of eucalyptus on the ecosystem. The study concludes that, while considering community interests, there is a critical need for research to investigate and quantify the site-specific effects of eucalyptus on the ecosystem. The Eucalyptus will be able to continue fending off the rising deforestation and demand for fuel until then.
Spatial Visualization Based on Geodata Fusion Using an Autonomous Unmanned Vessel
- Marta Wlodarczyk-Sielicka
- Dawid Połap
- Katarzyna Prokop
- Karolina Połap
- Andrzej Stateczny
2023 Pełny tekst Remote Sensing
The visualization of riverbeds and surface facilities on the banks is crucial for systems that analyze conditions, safety, and changes in this environment. Hence, in this paper, we propose collecting, and processing data from a variety of sensors—sonar, LiDAR, multibeam echosounder (MBES), and camera—to create a visualization for further analysis. For this purpose, we took measurements from sensors installed on an autonomous, unmanned hydrographic vessel, and then proposed a data fusion mechanism, to create a visualization using modules under and above the water. A fusion contains key-point analysis on classic images and sonars, augmentation/reduction of point clouds, fitting data and mesh creation. Then, we also propose an analysis module that can be used to compare and extract information from created visualizations. The analysis module is based on artificial intelligence tools for the classification tasks, which helps in further comparison to archival data. Such a model was tested using various techniques to achieve the fastest and most accurate visualizations possible in simulation and real case studies.
Spatio-Temporal Validation of GNSS-Derived Global Ionosphere Maps Using 16 Years of Jason Satellites Observations
- Mateusz Poniatowski
- Grzegorz Nykiel
- Claudia Borries
- Jędrzej Szmytkowski
2023 Pełny tekst Remote Sensing
Existing ionospheric models perform very well in mapping the calm state of the ionosphere. However, the problem is accurately determining the total electron content (TEC) for disturbed days. Knowledge of the exact electron density is essential for single−frequency receivers, which cannot eliminate the ionospheric delay. This study aims to investigate temporal and spatial variability in the distribution of TEC based on differences between maps of individual Ionospheric Associated Analysis Centers (IAACs) of the International GNSS Service (IGS) and aligned altimetry−TEC from 2005–2021. Based on the temporal distribution, we have observed a significant effect of solar activity on the mean and standard deviation behavior of the differences between global ionospheric maps (GIMs) and Jason−derived TEC. We determined the biases for the entire calculation period, through which it can be concluded that the upcg-Jason and igsg-Jason differences have the lowest standard deviation (±1.81 TECU). In addition, the temporal analysis made it possible to detect annual, semi−annual, and 117-day oscillations occurring in the Jason−TEC data, as well as 121-day oscillations in the GIMs. It also allowed us to analyze the potential sources of these cyclicities, solar and geomagnetic activity, in the case of the annual and semi−annual periodicities. When considering spatial variations, we have observed that the most significant average differences are in the intertropical areas. In contrast, the smallest differences were recorded in the southern hemisphere, below the Tropic of Capricorn (23.5°S). However, the slightest variations were noted for the northern hemisphere above the Tropic of Cancer (23.5°N). Our research presented in this paper allows a better understanding of how different methods of GNSS TEC approximation affect the model’s accuracy.
Spawalność ferrytyczno-austenitycznej stali odpornej na korozję typu dupleks 2205 w warunkach podwodnych
- Karolina Prokop-Strzelczyńska
2023 Pełny tekst
Praca dotyczy problemów spawalności stali odpornej na korozję typu dupleks w warunkach spawania mokrego elektrodami otulonymi i lokalną komorą suchą. Całość rozprawy składa się z dwóch części. Część pierwsza to przegląd literatury, w którym omówiono główne problemy wynikające z przeniesienia procesu spawania pod wodę oraz sposoby minimalizowania negatywnego wpływu środowiska. Część druga jest częścią doświadczalną, zawiera tezę i cele rozprawy, a także charakterystykę badanych materiałów, opis metodyki badań oraz wyniki wraz z ich omówieniem. Do badań zastosowano stal dupleks 1.4462, którą poddano badaniom spawalności metodą Tekken oraz zmiennej sztywności w warunkach podwodnych jak i na powietrzu. Próby wykonano w oparciu o dwie metody, tj. elektrodami otulonymi (MMA), metodą Lokalnej Komory Suchej w warunkach podwodnych i na powietrzu. Wykonano pomiary zawartości wodoru dyfundującego w stopiwie oraz badania struktur każdej próbki. Złącza poddano badaniom wizualnym i penetracyjnym oraz badaniom metalograficznym makro- i mikroskopowym. Próbki o zmieniającej się sztywności poddano badaniom fraktograficznym przełomów. Wykazano, że spawalność stali dupleks w warunkach podwodnych elektrodami otulonymi jest ograniczona z uwagi na utrudnioną spawalność technologiczną. Stwierdzono również, że zastosowanie metody LKS skutecznie ułatwia uzyskanie złączy, spełniających odpowiednie wymagania norm przedmiotowych.
Special Issue on “Advanced Liquid Waste and Gas Waste Treatment Processes”
- Piotr Rybarczyk
2023 Pełny tekst Processes
The editorial contains a short review of the content of the Special Issue on waste gas and liquid streams treatment strategies.
Spectrum Sensing Based on Hybrid Spectrum Handoff in Cognitive Radio Networks
- Lakshminarayanan Vaduganathan
- Shubhangi Neware
- Przemysław Falkowski-Gilski
- Parameshachari Bidare Divakarachari
2023 Pełny tekst ENTROPY
The rapid advancement of wireless communication combined with insufficient spectrum exploitation opens the door for the expansion of novel wireless services. Cognitive radio network (CRN) technology makes it possible to periodically access the open spectrum bands, which in turn improves the effectiveness of CRNs. Spectrum sensing (SS), which allows unauthorized users to locate open spectrum bands, plays a fundamental part in CRNs. A precise approximation of the power spectrum is essential to accomplish this. On the assumption that each SU’s parameter vector contains some globally and partially shared parameters, spectrum sensing is viewed as a parameter estimation issue. Distributed and cooperative spectrum sensing (CSS) is a key component of this concept. This work introduces a new component-specific cooperative spectrum sensing model (CSCSSM) in CRNs considering the amplitude and phase components of the input signal including Component Specific Adaptive Estimation (CSAE) for mean squared deviation (MSD) formulation. The proposed concept ensures minimum information loss compared to the traditional methods that consider error calculation among the direct signal vectors. The experimental results and performance analysis prove the robustness and efficiency of the proposed work over the traditional methods.
Speed estimation of a car at impact with a W-beam guardrail using numerical simulations and machine learning
- Dawid Bruski
- Łukasz Pachocki
- Adam Ścięgaj
- Wojciech Witkowski
2023 Pełny tekst ADVANCES IN ENGINEERING SOFTWARE
This paper aimed at developing a new method of estimating the impact speed of a passenger car at the moment of a crash into a W-beam road safety barrier. The determination of such a speed based on the accident outcomes is demanding, because often there is no access to full accident data. However, accurate determination of the impact speed is one of the key elements in the reconstruction of road accidents. A machine learning algorithm was used to create the speed estimation model. The model was based on regression trees algorithms, with base regressors forming a final voting ensemble. The model was trained, validated, and tested using a database containing results from full-scale crash tests and numerical simulations. The developed machine learning model had a mean absolute error of 6.76 km/h with a standard deviation of 1.01 km/h on the cross-validation set, and a coefficient of determination, R2, of 0.85. This model was used to estimate the impact speed of the vehicle in three real road accidents with the W-beam barrier, and then the determined speeds were used in additional simulations to verify the results. A good quantitative and qualitative agreement between the simulation and accident outcomes was achieved, and this confirmed that the proposed method and the developed ML models combined with numerical simulations and full-scale crash tests can be effective tools for estimating the speed of the vehicle at impact with a roadside barrier.
Spike patterns and chaos in a map-based neuron model
- Piotr Bartłomiejczyk
- Frank Llovera Trujillo
- Justyna Signerska-Rynkowska
2023 Pełny tekst International Journal of Applied Mathematics and Computer Science
The work studies the well-known map-based model of neuronal dynamics introduced in 2007 by Courbage, Nekorkin and Vdovin, important due to various medical applications. We also review and extend some of the existing results concerning β-transformations and (expanding) Lorenz mappings. Then we apply them for deducing important properties of spike-trains generated by the CNV model and explain their implications for neuron behaviour. In particular, using recent theorems of rotation theory for Lorenz-like maps, we provide a classification of periodic spiking patterns in this model.
Spin-Resolved Band Structure of Hoffman Clathrate [Fe(pz)2Pt(CN)4] as an Essential Tool to Predict Optical Spectra of Metal–Organic Frameworks
- Adrian Olejnik
- Wioletta Kopeć
- Dominik Maskowicz
- Mirosław Sawczak
2023 ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces
Paramount spin-crossover properties of the 3D-Hoffman metalorganic framework (MOF) [Fe(pz)2Pt(CN)4] are generally described on the basis of the ligand field theory, which provides adequate insight into theoretical and simulation analysis of spintronic complexes. However, the ligand field approximation does not take into account the 3D periodicity of the actual complex lattice and surface effects and therefore cannot predict a full-scale periodic structure without utilizing more advanced methods. Therefore, in this paper, the electronic properties of the exemplar MOF were analyzed from the band structure perspective in low-spin (LS) and high-spin (HS) states. The density-of-states spectra determined for both spin-up and spin-down electrons of Fe d6 orbitals indicate spin–orbital splitting and delocalization for HS due to spin polarization in the iron atom ligand field. Presence of the surface states in the real crystal causes a red shift of the metal–metal charge transfer (MMCT) and metal–ligand charge transfer (MLCT) peaks for both HS and LS states. The addition of residual water molecules and disorder among the pyrazine rings reveal additional influences on the positions of the pyrazine band and, therefore, on the absorption spectra of the crystal. The results show a magnification of the peak correlated with the MLCT in the HS state and a significant red shift of the LS characteristic absorption band. The presented approach involving band structure analysis delivers a more complete image of the electronic properties of the [Fe(pz)2Pt(CN)4] crystalline network and can be a landmark for insightful studies of other MOFs
Splice variants of mitofusin 2 shape the endoplasmic reticulum and tether it to mitochondria
- Déborah Naón
- María Isabel Hernández-Alvarez
- Satoko Shinjo
- Miłosz Wieczór
- Saska Ivanova
- Olga Martins de Brito
- Albert Quintana
- Juan Hidalgo
- Manuel Palacín
- Pilar Aparicio
- Juan Castellanos
- Luis Lores
- David Sebastián
- Sonia Fernández-Veledo
- Joan Vendrell
- Jorge Joven
- Modesto Orozco
- Antonio Zorzano
- Luca Scorrano
2023 SCIENCE
In eukaryotic cells, different organelles interact at membrane contact sites stabilized by tethers. Mitochondrial mitofusin 2 (MFN2) acts as a membrane tether that interacts with an unknown partner on the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). In this work, we identified the MFN2 splice variant ERMIT2 as the ER tethering partner of MFN2. Splicing of MFN2 produced ERMIT2 and ERMIN2, two ER-specific variants. ERMIN2 regulated ER morphology, whereas ERMIT2 localized at the ER-mitochondria interface and interacted with mitochondrial mitofusins to tether ER and mitochondria. This tethering allowed efficient mitochondrial calcium ion uptake and phospholipid transfer. Expression of ERMIT2 ameliorated the ER stress, inflammation, and fibrosis typical of liver-specific Mfn2 knockout mice. Thus, ER-specific MFN2 variants display entirely extramitochondrial MFN2 functions involved in interorganellar tethering and liver metabolic activities.
Społeczny wymiar adaptacji do zmian klimatu w środowisku miejskim na przykładzie Gdańska
- Małgorzata Dymnicka
- Paweł Starosta
- Jarosław Załęcki
2023 Pełny tekst PRZEGLĄD SOCJOLOGICZNY
Kwestie zmian klimatycznych przestały być przedmiotem zainteresowania jedynie wąskich grup specjalistów, a stały się problemem społecznym angażującym szerszą opinię publiczną. Wobec wzrastającego znaczenia problemów środowiskowych w społeczeństwach, głównie na przełomie XX i XXI wieku, władze centralne we współpracy z samorządami miejskimi zaczęły podejmować działania na rzecz wsparcia tzw. środowiskowej (zielonej) polityki. Artykuł poświęcony jest charakterystyce stanu świadomości ekologicznej mieszkańców Gdańska. Autorzy przedstawiają wnioski ze zrealizowanych badań na temat wybranych zagadnień związanych ze zmianami klimatycznymi. W pierwszej części tekstu przywołują opracowania dotyczące kwestii klimatycznej i jej obecności w dyskursie ekologicznym, który w ostatnich dwóch dekadach angażuje coraz więcej podmiotów podejmujących działania na rzecz ochrony środowiska przyrodniczego. W drugiej części skupiają uwagę na analizie empirycznej zachowań proekologicznych i ich uwarunkowań społecznych.
Spray-Based Method for Protecting and Restoring Historic Adobe Walls Using Nanomontmorillonite Clay
- Mona Khasar
- Hamed Niroumand
- Maryam Afsharpour
- Lech Bałachowski
2023 Pełny tekst ACS NANO
Restoringandprotectinghistoricbuildingsworldwideareimportant becauseheritagebuildingsarerecordsofthecivilizationsofvariouscountries.Herein, nanotechnologywasusedtorestorehistoricadobewalls.AccordingtotheIranPatent andTrademarkOffice(IRPATENT)102665,nanomontmorilloniteclayhasbeen selectedasanaturalandcompatiblematerialwithadobe.Furthermore,ithasbeenused asnanospraytobeaminimallyinvasivemethodtofillcavitiesandcracksintheadobe surface.Variouspercentagesofnanomontmorilloniteclay(1−4%)intheethanolsolvent andthefrequencyofsprayingonthewallsurfacewereevaluated.Scanningelectron microscopyandatomicforcemicroscopyimages,porositytests,watercapillary absorption,andcompressivestrengthtestswereusedtoevaluatetheefficiencyofthe method,analyzecavityfilling,anddetecttheoptimalpercentageofnanomontmorillonite clay.Resultsindicatethatthedoubleuseofthe1%nanomontmorilloniteclaysolution exhibitedthebestresults,filledthecavities,andreducedtheporesonthesurfaceofthe adobe,increasingcompressivestrengthandreducingwaterabsorptionandhydraulic conductivity.Theuseofamoredilutesolutioncausesthenanomontmorilloniteclaytopenetratedeeplyintothewall.This innovativemethodcanhelpmitigatetheexistingdisadvantagesofhistoricadobewalls.
Stability Enhancement of Grid-Connected Wind Power Generation System Using PSS, SFCL and STATCOM
- Muhammad Sarwar
- Muhammad Arshed
- Babar Hussain
- Muhammad Rasheed
- Hanan Tariq
- Stanisław Czapp
- Sarmad Tariq
- Intisar Ali Sajjad
2023 Pełny tekst IEEE Access
The stability related issues may occur in a power system due to disturbances in generating or loading conditions, especially in the presence of distributed generation (DG) based on renewable energy resources (RERs). This paper proposes a novel strategy for the stability enhancement of a wind power generation system (WPGS) by using a combination of three devices, namely, a power system stabilizer (PSS), resistive superconductor fault current limiter (R-SFCL) and static synchronous compensator (STATCOM). The small signal (SS) stability of the test system is enhanced by selecting the best PSS type from the different types of PSS. An R-SFCL is used for improving the rotor angle and the frequency stability of the test system. Two indices, namely, transient stability index and sum of maximum deviations (SMD) index are introduced for determining the optimal locations of different sized R-SFCLs for increasing the rotor angle stability. The sensitivity index (SI) based on the power change between areas is applied for determining the optimal locations of different sized R-SFCLs for enhancing the frequency stability. Along with rotor angle and frequency stability, LVRT capability improvement of the wind farm using STATCOM is also considered. Finally, the combined effect of R-SFCL and STATCOM on the rotor angle and the frequency stability, for different fault locations, is also investigated for determining the optimal location of an R-SFCL in the presence of STATCOM. The results presented in the paper show that STATCOM affects both the number of feasible locations and the optimal locations that can be selected for different sized R-SFCLs for augmenting the rotor angle and the frequency stability of the system during faults. Moreover, it is pointed out that an optimal combination between the different sizes and the locations of R-SFCLs and STATCOM exists to enhance the overall stability of the test system under fault conditions.