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  • Empirical Relationship Describing Total Convective and Radiative Heat Loss in Buildings
    • Michał Ryms
    • Grzegorz J. Kwiatkowski
    • Witold Lewandowski
    2023 Pełny tekst International Journal of Heat and Technology

    On the basis of theoretical considerations of convective-radiative heat transfer, a relationship was developed enabling the total convective and radiative heat flux QC+R emitted from any object at tw and its surroundings at t∞ to be calculated from known values of the surface temperature of such an object, i.e., the known temperature difference Δt=tw - t∞ and average air temperature Tav. This relationship is applied to thermal imaging cameras with the aim of developing appropriate software to enhance their measurement capabilities. They can then be used not only for monitoring and measuring temperature, local overheating, heat losses through insulation materials, thermal bridges, constructional defects, moisture, etc., but also for measuring the heat losses from any object, such walls and buildings. This empirical relationship includes constants relating to the object itself, such as its characteristic dimension l, surface area A, emissivity ε and temperature parameters, which depend on tw, t∞, Δt and Tav and on the physical properties of air. Experimental validation of the proposed relationship, performed for two values of the surface emissivity ε, showing the discrepancies ΔQC+R=1.75% (for ε=0.884) and 4.85% (for ε=0.932), has confirmed its correctness and its practicability.

  • Employee Well-Being and its Potential Link With Human Knowledge Risks
    • Martyna Gonsiorowska
    • Małgorzata Zięba
    2023 Pełny tekst

    Employee well-being is an essential component of any organisation organisation. Conscious companies make every effort to create a healthy work environment. The well-being of employees and their overall emotional, physical and economic health is affected by various internal and external factors. When employees feel well, they tend to perform better. Therefore, the impact of employee well-being on the organisation is a fact and has been proven in many studies. People with a high level of well-being have greater self-confidence and self-esteem, which means that they are not afraid to look for new solutions and innovations. They are also generally more committed to their work and more dedicated to the organisationorganizational goals (Kim, 2021). Finally, they are more productive, which affects the whole performance of the company. Despite the high importance of employee well-being for the success of organisations organisations, little is known about how this well-being might influence human knowledge risks appearing in organisations. The article aims to present the potential link between employee well-being and human knowledge risks. The paper presents theoretical insights related to employee well-being, as well as human knowledge risks, organisations and organisations.This study has allowed us to identify the potential link between employee well-being and human knowledge risks, which brings several implications for organisations and organisations. showsThe ability to create conditions by managers to increase the well-being of their employees might be useful, in the trial of minimising human knowledge risks in organisations. The study is of theoretical character, and thus its findings should be further examined in practise research studies. The study provides useful information for managers and owners of organisations in need of dealing with various human knowledge risks threatening their organizations. The paper is enriched with a number of sample solutions that they may apply to increase the well-being of their employees and, therefore, mitigate those risks. The paper lays the ground for a better understanding of human knowledge risks and its relationship with employee well-being. As such, the paper offers food for thought for researchers dealing with the topic of human knowledge risks and human resource management, in general.

  • Employment of a Nonlinear Adaptive Control System for Improved Control of Dissolved Oxygen in Sequencing Batch Reactor
    • Michał Banach
    • Michał Kolankowski
    • Robert Piotrowski
    • Tomasz Ujazdowski
    2023

    A proper control in a complex system, such as Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) with each year is becoming increasingly important. High quality control can minimize an environmental impact as well as reduce operational costs of the WWTP. One of the core issues is providing adequate dissolved oxygen (DO) concetration for microorganisms used in a treatment process. An aeration process of the wastewater realised by an system consisting of blowers, pipelines and dif-fusers generates a large proportion of the costs. This paper presents an employ-ment of a nonlinear adaptive control algorithm Extremum Seeking Control for improved control of DO. For the control design process, models of the aeration system and the biological processes are implemented. The control results based on performed simulation tests are presented.

  • EMULACJA ŚRODOWISKA DLA ZASTOSOWANIA PROTOKOŁU IN-BAND NETWORK TELEMETRY
    • Sylwester Kaczmarek
    • Mateusz Krasoń
    2023 Przegląd Telekomunikacyjny + Wiadomości Telekomunikacyjne

    Określenie jakości obsługi strumieni pakietów w sieci przełączników wymaga odpowiedniego środowiska badawczego w którym prowadzi się doświadczenia i pomiary wybranych wielkości. Protokół In-band Network Telemetry jest jednym z narzędzi, które można wykorzystać do realizacji tych zadań. W pracy zaproponowano zwirtualizowane środowisko badawcze w którym można emulować sieć przełączników programowalnych w języku P4 wraz z implementacją tego protokołu. Przeprowadzone testy wykazały poprawność działania zaproponowanego rozwiązania.

  • Encouraging Pro-environmental Behaviour Through an Educational Mobile Application: Preliminary Insights from Early Adopters
    • Ewa Duda
    • Helena Anacka
    • Jolanta Kowal
    • Hanna Obracht-Prondzynska
    • Iwona Nowakowska
    • Hanne Cecilie
    • Kacper Radziszewski
    • Małgorzata Romanowska
    • Aleksandra Wyciszkiewicz
    • Jakub Zawieska
    2023 Pełny tekst International Journal of Pedagogy, Innovation and New Technologies

    This article aims to explore the extent to which the educational mobile application PULA supports and promotes pro-environmental behaviours, identify the most utilised functionalities by early adopters, and explore the least engaged functionalities. The study employs a quantitative approach based on data collected from the application. The analysis provides a comprehensive understanding of users' experiences and behaviours within the application, contributing valuable insights into its potential to foster pro-environmental attitudes and behaviours. The results suggested that the users, especially women, were generally interested in the learning activities. Pro-environmental transport-related activities were also frequently undertaken by the users. While women tended to split their time into various functionalities of the application, men focused mainly on the transport-related ones. This research contributes to the emerging field of using educational mobile applications for promoting pro-environmental behaviour. The study's focus on early adopters provides unique perspectives on the mechanisms behind behaviour change and offers implications for future interventions. The findings of this study can impact environmental conservation efforts. By encouraging pro-environmental behaviour through an accessible mobile application, a broader audience can be reached and motivated to adopt greener habits. The insights gained from this research can inform the design and development of future applications to foster sustainable practices, benefiting society and contributing to building a more sustainable future.

  • Endocrine disrupting compounds in the baby's world - A harmful environment to the health of babies
    • Justyna Płotka-Wasylka
    • Ewa Mulkiewicz
    • Hanna Lis
    • Klaudia Godlewska
    • Aleksandra Kurowska-Susdorf
    • Muhammad Sajid
    • Dimitra Lambropoulou
    • Natalia Jatkowska
    2023 SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT

    Globally, there has been a significant increase in awareness of the adverse effects of chemicals with known or suspected endocrine-acting properties on human health. Human exposure to endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) mainly occurs by ingestion and to some extent by inhalation and dermal uptake. Although it is difficult to assess the full impact of human exposure to EDCs, it is well known that timing of exposure is of importance and therefore infants are more vulnerable to EDCs and are at greater risk compared to adults. In this regard, infant safety and assessment of associations between prenatal exposure to EDCs and growth during infancy and childhood has been received considerable attention in the last years. Hence, the purpose of this review is to provide a current update on the evidence from biomonitoring studies on the exposure of infants to EDCs and a comprehensive view of the uptake, the mechanisms of action and biotransformation in baby/human body. Analytical methods used and concentration levels of EDCs in different biological matrices (e.g., placenta, cord plasma, amniotic fluid, breast milk, urine, and blood of pregnant women) are also discussed. Finally, key issues and recommendations were provided to avoid hazardous exposure to these chemicals, taking into account family and lifestyle factors related to this exposure.

  • Endothelial dysfunction due to eNOS uncoupling: molecular mechanisms as potential therapeutic targets
    • Anna Janaszak-Jasiecka
    • Agata Płoska
    • Joanna M. Wierońska
    • Lawrence W. Dobrucki
    • Leszek Kalinowski
    2023 Pełny tekst CELLULAR & MOLECULAR BIOLOGY LETTERS

    Nitric oxide (NO) is one of the most important molecules released by endothelial cells, and its antiatherogenic properties support cardiovascular homeostasis. Diminished NO bioavailability is a common hallmark of endothelial dysfunction underlying the patho‑ genesis of the cardiovascular disease. Vascular NO is synthesized by endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) from the substrate L‑arginine (L‑Arg), with tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) as an essential cofactor. Cardiovascular risk factors such as diabetes, dyslipidemia, hypertension, aging, or smoking increase vascular oxidative stress that strongly affects eNOS activity and leads to eNOS uncoupling. Uncoupled eNOS produces superoxide anion (O2−) instead of NO, thus becoming a source of harmful free radicals exacerbat‑ ing the oxidative stress further. eNOS uncoupling is thought to be one of the major underlying causes of endothelial dysfunction observed in the pathogenesis of vascular diseases. Here, we discuss the main mechanisms of eNOS uncoupling, including oxida‑ tive depletion of the critical eNOS cofactor BH4, deficiency of eNOS substrate L‑Arg, or accumulation of its analog asymmetrical dimethylarginine (ADMA), and eNOS S‑glu‑ tathionylation. Moreover, potential therapeutic approaches that prevent eNOS uncou‑ pling by improving cofactor availability, restoration of L‑Arg/ADMA ratio, or modulation of eNOS S‑glutathionylation are briefly outlined.

  • Energetics of formation and stability in high pressure steam of barium lanthanide cobaltite double perovskites
    • Aleksandra Mielewczyk-Gryń
    • Shuhao Yang
    • Maria Balaguer
    • Ragnar Strandbakke
    • Magnus H. Sørby
    • Iga Szpunar
    • Agnieszka Witkowska
    • Sebastian Wachowski
    • Jose M. Serra
    • Alexandra Navrotsky
    • Maria Gazda
    2023 Pełny tekst DALTON TRANSACTIONS

    This study concerns energetics of formation and the stability in high water partial pressure of BaLnCo2O6−δ, (Ln = La, Pr, Nd, and Gd) (BLnC) and BaGd1−xLaxCo2O6−δ, where x = 0.2, 0.5, and 0.7 (BGLC) double perovskite cobaltites. Those materials are extensively studied due to their potential applications as a positrode in electrochemical devices. Therefore, their stability under such conditions is a key issue. All investigated materials are thermodynamically stable relative to binary oxides and exhibit strongly exothermic enthalpies of formation. Moreover, BaGd0.3La0.7Co2O6−δ and BaGd0.8La0.2Co2O6−δ remain the main perovskite structure up to 3 bars of water vapor at 400 °C. At higher steam pressure, reaching 10 bar at 300 °C, the partial decomposition to constituent oxides and hydroxides was observed. The BGLC compounds exhibit higher negative formation enthalpies in comparison to single-Ln compositions, which does not translate into higher chemical stability under high steam pressures since the BLnC series retained the main perovskite structure at higher temperatures as well as in higher water vapor pressures.

  • Energy consumption optimization in wastewater treatment plants: Machine learning for monitoring incineration of sewage sludge
    • Behrouz Adibimanesh
    • Sylwia Polesek-Karczewska
    • Faramarz Bagherzadeh
    • Piotr Szczuko
    • Torkan Shafighfard
    2023 Sustainable Energy Technologies and Assessments

    Biomass management in terms of energy consumption optimization has become a recent challenge for developed countries. Nevertheless, the multiplicity of materials and operating parameters controlling energy consumption in wastewater treatment plants necessitates the need for sophisticated well-organized disciplines in order to minimize energy consumption and dissipation. Sewage sludge (SS) disposal management is the key stage of this process, such that incineration due to the high costs of drying remains a matter of concern. Thus, a combination of experimental investigations and data analysis is required for an efficient plant design. Herein, we propose an intelligent tool based on Machine Learning (ML) algorithms (A: Parallel, B: Artificial Neural Network (ANN), and C: Chained, ML models) by employing SciKit-Learn library in Python, followed by hyper-parameter tuning and the k-fold cross-validation implementation. The optimizer receives simulation data from ASPEN PLUS software, and imitates the behavior of system outputs (namely, Y_i : fluidized bed temperature, steam heat transfer rate, and dryer residence time in the SS) to yield optimal changing variables (namely, X_i: feed temperature, air temperature, fume temperature, steam flow rate, moisture content in the feedstock, and steam inlet temperature to dryer). The authenticity and precision of our intelligent optimizer was validated in terms of optimum heat transfer amount (the higher the better) and dryer residence time (the lower the better) by data collected from wastewater treatment plant in Gdynia (Poland), demonstrating excellent predictability of the algorithm. The R^2 values for A, B, and C ML models were 0.85, 0.94, and 0.91, respectively. The B model, though slightly revealed better prediction than the C model, estimated the outputs in much lower time than the former. Thus, C model was selected as the computational tool for the optimization purpose. Overall, we claim that the methodology developed herein takes the advantage of ca. 6% saving in the total amount of energy required for incineration unit of SS disposal plant, which is well justified considering the energy crisis raised by the geopolitical issues in the area and also the high cost of energy worldwide.

  • Energy conversion in systems-contained laser irradiated metallic nanoparticles - comparison of results from analytical solutions and numerical methods
    • Piotr Radomski
    • Paweł Ziółkowski
    • Dariusz Mikielewicz
    2023 Pełny tekst Acta Mechanica et Automatica

    This work introduces the theoretical method of metallic nanoparticles’ (NPs’) heat and mass transfer where the particles are coated on a surface (base), together with considering the case wherein nanoparticles move freely in a pipe. In order to simulate the heat transfer, energy and radiative transfer equations are adjusted to the considered issue. NPs’ properties are determined following the nanofluidic theories, whereas absorption and scattering coefficients are described using either Mie-Lorenz theory or Rayleigh-Drude approximation. Thermal boundary conditions are implemented based on the microscale heat transfer and Smoluchowski theory. Results are compared with the classical Fourier transport differential solutions that have been adjusted to laser irradiation.

  • Energy Efficiency and Economic Policy: Comprehensive Theoretical, Empirical, and Policy Review
    • Muhammad Mushafiq
    • Muzammil Muhammad Khan Arisar
    • Hanan Tariq
    • Stanisław Czapp
    2023 Pełny tekst ENERGIES

    In this paper, we analyze the role of economic policy in prompting energy efficiency. This study reviews three aspects, theoretical, empirical, and existing policies to evaluate the relationship of energy efficiency and economic policy. This study furthermore identifies the existing issues from a policy perspective in energy efficiency. Although not all public policies may be justified, it suggests that these types of financial incentives, particularly those based on economic instruments, can play a crucial role in advancing energy efficiency. Additionally, this study identifies existing issues in energy efficiency target achievement and proposes solutions based on the literature review. Finally, it provides possible future research pathways from the aspect of economic policy tools in energy efficiency.

  • Energy efficiency of electric multiple units in suburban operation
    • Aleksander Jakubowski
    2023 Pełny tekst

    This thesis presents approach to analysis of energy efficiency of a suburban rail network, using novel models developed on the Matlab/Simulink basis. Necessary features and requirements for such models were determined thru in-depth review of the source literature in all applicable fields: electrified transportation systems, electric multiple units construction, vehicle drivetrains and finally, existing simulation methods. Existing and applied methods for improvement energy efficiency of electrified transportation were identified. Original model of electrified transportation system was developed. It can be characterized by unique implementation of the data bus structure that allows for simulating complex transport systems in a straightforward way while retaining high computation performance. Because every part of the program is an independent sub-model, the only limitation to size and complexity of analyzed system is the available computing power. Parameters of the analyzed transport system were assumed using technical datasheets, catalogues, tender documentation and a large set of recorded run data. Energy efficiency analysis for suburban railway system of SKM Trójmiasto was carried out, limiting the scope to railway line no. 250 between stations Gdańsk Śródmieście and Gdynia Redłowo. Practical and easy to implement approach to velocity profile optimization for electric multiple unit was proposed. Presented method allows for energy savings of about 8% while retaining the same travel time, simultaneously reducing drivetrain losses. Possibilities of further energy consumption reduction were suggested. Conducted research demonstrated that implementing model structure inspired by industrial communication networks improves model scalability and versatility, as it was used for two different electrified urban transport systems, with different power supply layouts. Moreover, proposed approach to energy consumption optimization, based on trackside signs and manageable by human driver was shown to improve energy efficiency of the whole system. This work also includes implementation of passenger flow and variable velocity profiles, which allowed for improvement of calculation accuracy.

  • Energy efficient beam control for 5G antennas
    • Damian Duraj
    • Luiza Leszkowska
    • Weronika Kalista
    • Kamil Trzebiatowski
    • Łukasz Kulas
    • Krzysztof Nyka
    2023

    The rapid development of 5G and beyond systems demands improvement in communication speed, latency and safety to maintain the required quality of service. This paper presents an overview of different concepts of energy-efficient antenna systems, which offer beam-shaping and beam-steering functionalities, that enhance connectivity performance and can be used in 5G applications. Different designs for 5.9 GHz, 39 GHz and 60 GHz frequency bands are proposed to further improve the capabilities of 5G MIMO systems or reduce energy consumption, i.e. antennas with low-power CMOS switches, antenna arrays that can be integrated with 3D-printed lenses, patch antennas with lenses, antennas with planar reconfigurable superstrate to focus the beam and a multi-beam antenna based on a multiport patch array producing beams de ected by an integrated 3D-printed lens.

  • Energy-Aware Scheduling for High-Performance Computing Systems: A Survey
    • Bartłomiej Kocot
    • Paweł Czarnul
    • Jerzy Proficz
    2023 Pełny tekst ENERGIES

    High-performance computing (HPC), according to its name, is traditionally oriented toward performance, especially the execution time and scalability of the computations. However, due to the high cost and environmental issues, energy consumption has already become a very important factor that needs to be considered. The paper presents a survey of energy-aware scheduling methods used in a modern HPC environment, starting with the problem definition, tackling various goals set up for this challenge, including a bi-objective approach, power and energy constraints, and a pure energy solution, as well as metrics related to the subject. Then, considered types of HPC systems and related energy-saving mechanisms are described, from multicore-processors/graphical processing units (GPU) to more complex solutions, such as compute clusters supporting dynamic voltage and frequency scaling (DVFS), power capping, and other functionalities. The main section presents a collection of carefully selected algorithms, classified by the programming method, e.g., machine learning or fuzzy logic. Moreover, other surveys published on this subject are summarized and commented on, and finally, an overview of the current state-of-the-art with open problems and further research areas is presented.

  • Engineering boron and nitrogen codoped carbon nanoarchitectures to tailor molecularly imprinted polymers for PFOS determination
    • Mattia Pierpaoli
    • Małgorzata Szopińska
    • Adrian Olejnik
    • Jacek Ryl
    • Sylwia Fudala-Książek
    • Aneta Łuczkiewicz
    • Robert Bogdanowicz
    2023 Pełny tekst JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS

    Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have gained significant attention as emerging contaminants due to their persistence, abundance, and adverse health effects. Consequently, the urgent need for ubiquitous and effective sensors capable of detecting and quantifying PFAS in complex environmental samples has become a priority. In this study, we present the development of an ultrasensitive molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) electrochemical sensor tailored by chemically vapour-deposited boron and nitrogen codoped diamond-rich carbon nanoarchitectures for the selective determination of perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS). This approach allows for a multiscale reduction of MIP heterogeneities, leading to improved selectivity and sensitivity in PFOS detection. Interestingly, the peculiar carbon nanostructures induce a specific distribution of binding sites in the MIPs that exhibit a strong affinity for PFOS. The designed sensors demonstrated a low limit of detection (1.2 μg L-1) and exhibited satisfactory selectivity and stability. To gain further insights into the molecular interactions between diamond-rich carbon surfaces, electropolymerised MIP, and the PFOS analyte, a set of density functional theory (DFT) calculations was performed. Validation of the sensor’s performance was carried out by successfully determining PFOS concentrations in real complex samples, such as tap water and treated wastewater, with average recovery rates consistent with UHPLC-MS/MS results. These findings demonstrate the potential of MIP-supported diamond-rich carbon nanoarchitectures for water pollution monitoring, specifically targeting emerging contaminants. The proposed sensor design holds promise for the development of in situ PFOS monitoring devices operating under relevant environmental concentrations and conditions.

  • Engineering TADF, Mechanochromism, and Second Harmonic Up- conversion Properties in Regioisomeric Substitution Space
    • Subrahmanyam Sappati
    • Abhijit Chatterjee
    • Chatterjee Joy
    • Mazurka Lahiri
    • Mandal Pankaj
    • Partha Hazra
    2023 Pełny tekst Chemical Science

    This research article explores the distinct TADF efficiency of three donor-acceptor based regio-isomers: DPAOCN (ortho- isomer), DPAMCN (meta-isomer), and DPAPCN (para-isomer). DPAPCN exhibits maximum TADF efficiency in both solution and solid-state with an impressive reverse inter-system crossing (RISC) rate of ~ 106 s-1; the underlying cause being the minimum singlet-triplet splitting energy or ∆EST and maximum SOC (spin-orbit coupling) between the S1 & T1 states. Apart from TADF, differences in crystal packing of the regio-isomers result in intriguing bulk phase properties. DPAOCN, with its non-centrosymmetric P212121 space group and substantial crystal void volume, enchants with reversible tri-color mechanochromic luminescent behavior, while the meta and para isomers, due to their centrosymmetric packing and diminished crystal void volume, remain inert to mechanical pressure. Expanding the horizon of possibilities, the non- centrosymmetric nature of ortho-isomer further renders it an excellent SHG material, with the χ(2) value of 0.19 pm/V at 1220 nm and laser-induced damage threshold (LIDT) value of 13.27 GW/cm2. Overall, a comprehensive investigation into the regio-isomers has been carried out, encompassing their TADF, SHG, and mechanochromic luminescent properties.

  • Enhanced gas sensing by graphene-silicon Schottky diodes under UV irradiation
    • Katarzyna Drozdowska
    • Adil Rehman
    • Janusz Smulko
    • Sergey Rumyantsev
    • Bartlomiej Stonio
    • Aleksandra Krajewska
    • Mateusz Słowikowski
    • Maciej Filipiak
    • Pavlo Sai
    • Grzegorz Cywinski
    2023 SENSORS AND ACTUATORS B-CHEMICAL

    The effect of ultraviolet (UV) or blue irradiation on graphene/n-doped silicon Schottky junctions toward gas sensing was investigated. Schottky diodes were subjected to oxidizing nitrogen dioxide (NO2, 1–3 ppm) and reducing tetrahydrofuran (THF, 50–200 ppm), showing significantly different responses observed on the currentvoltage (I-V) characteristics, especially under UV light (275 nm). NO2 affected the resistive part of the forward region of the I-V curves, where graphene’s resistance dominates, and increased the junction current. A low detection limit of 75 ppb was obtained for NO2 detection at a 4 V voltage bias. THF influenced the reverse and forward regions, shifting the exponential parts of the characteristics, indicating the impact on the Schottky barrier height, and reducing the detection limit to 31 ppm. The adsorption of organic molecules increased the Schottky barrier height by up to tens of meV due to the dominating photogating effect. The width of the junction area may be crucial for optimizing graphene-silicon Schottky-based sensors and improving their performance, together with irradiation-induced modulation, to become one of the most advanced gas mixture sensors. The ease of fabrication of large-area graphene and forming stable graphene-silicon junctions determine a simple method for developing efficient gas sensing platforms.

  • Enhanced supercapacitor materials from pyrolyzed algae and graphene composites
    • Mariusz Szkoda
    • Malgorzata Skorupska
    • Jerzy P. Lukaszewicz
    • Anna Ilnicka
    2023 Pełny tekst Scientific Reports

    This study focuses on the synthesis and characterization of supercapacitor materials derived from pyrolyzed natural compounds. Four compounds were investigated: methylcellulose with lysine (ML), methylcellulose with lysine-graphene composite (MLG), algae (A), and algae-graphene composite (AG). The pyrolysis process was utilized to convert these natural compounds into carbon-based materials suitable for supercapacitor applications. The properties of the resulting materials were analyzed extensively to evaluate their potential as supercapacitor electrodes. The electrochemical performance, including specific capacitance, cyclic stability, and rate capability was measured using various characterization techniques. The effects of incorporating graphene into the lysine-methylcellulose and algae matrices were also studied to explore the enhancements in supercapacitor performance. In both cases, the addition of graphene resulted in a positive effect. Among all the materials investigated, the algae-graphene composite exhibited the most favorable properties, demonstrating a specific capacitance of 192 F g−1 after 10,000 galvanostatic charge–discharge cycles at a current of 5 A g−1 in K2SO4 electrolyte. This exceptional performance underscores the potential of the algae-graphene composite as a highly efficient and durable electrode material for supercapacitor applications.

  • Enhancement of photocatalytic-based processes by mono- and bimetallic (CuPd) rutile loaded nanoparticles for antibiotic resistance genes and facultative pathogenic bacteria removal
    • Marta Gmurek
    • Johannes Alexander
    • Paweł Mazierski
    • Magdalena Miodyńska
    • Maciej Fronczak
    • Tomasz Klimczuk
    • Adriana Zaleska-Medynska
    • Harald Horn
    • Thomas Schwartz
    2023 Pełny tekst CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL

    The aim of the study was the strong reduction of facultative pathogenic bacteria (FPB), and clinically relevant antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) from secondary effluent. To evaluate the ARGs removal efficiency comparative study of individual unit processes and combined AOPs has been performed. The present work investigated: i) removal of selected ARGs, namely blaTEM, ermB, qnrS, tetM, five FPB as well as 16S rDNA and the integrase gene intl1 involved in horizontal gene transfer; ii) bacterial regrowth potential after treatment; (iii) the removal of the total genomic DNA content, by mono- and bimetallic TiO2-CuPd rutile photocatalysts under visible light radiation in real secondary effluent. The nanoparticles were characterized by UV–vis, XRD, HRTEM, Raman and XPS. TiO2-CuPd/VIS inactivation gives the highest (more than 2 log units removal) efficiency for almost all targets (blaTEM, ermB, tetM, intl 1, and 16S rRNA) compared to monometallic catalysts. The highest efficiency toward blaTEM was achieved after ozonation and TiO2-CuPd/O3/VIS (3.22 and 3.23 LRV, respectively). It was found that despite similar FPB inactivation, lower DNA destruction was found after O3 compared to TiO2-CuPd/O3/VIS treatment. The blaTEM and enterococci were completely removed during TiO2-CuPd/O3/Vis and TiO2-Cu/O3/Vis. While, catalytic ozonation leads to only slightly blaTEM removal (0.64 and 0.44 LRV for TiO2-CuPd/O3 and TiO2- Cu/O3, respectively). Photocatalytic ozonation with the application of TiO2-CuPd leads to significant removal of FPB and ARGs due to synergistic effect between Pd and Cu, which leads to acceleration of ozone – catalysts reaction. Photocatalytic ozonation has the greatest potential giving promising possibilities for eliminating AMR.

  • Enhancement of the Magnetoresistance in the Mobility‐Engineered Compensated Metal Pt 5 P 2
    • Alex H. Mayo
    • Hidefumi Takahashi
    • Shintaro Ishiwata
    • Jan Jaroszynski
    • Robert J. Cava
    • Weiwei Xie
    • Tomasz Klimczuk
    • Karolina Górnicka
    • Michał Winiarski
    2023 Pełny tekst Advanced Electronic Materials

    The magnetoresistance (MR) in nonmagnetic materials continues to be a fertile research area in materials science. The search for giant, positive MR has been limited to a rather small window of materials such as high-mobility semimetals in single-crystalline form. Here, the observation of a very large positive MR in metallic Pt5P2 in polycrystalline form is reported. The observations reveal that improvement of the crystallinity results in a significant enhancement of the positive MR, exceeding 10 000% at 9 T, comparable to high-mobility semimetals. Based on first-principles calculations combined with magnetotransport and thermoelectric measurements, the Fermi surface of Pt5P2 is found to consist of a collection of multiple electron and hole pockets compensating one another, along with a characteristic pocket continuously connected to the adjacent Brillouin zone, together with possible topologically protected band crossings. This work extends the landscape of high MR candidate materials to polycrystalline metals, which demonstrates the importance of crystallinity and purity of the samples for the optimization of the MR.

  • Enhancing Economic Development Through ICT-Based Governance: Evidence for Developing Countries
    • Ewa Lechman
    2023

    his shows novel empirical evidence on how e-government solutions enhance the emergence of inclusive societies, increase institutional quality, and through that channels dynamize economic development in developing countries. With this aim we examine digital development inequalities adopting 2 core ICT indicators: mobile cellular telephony and Internet users; and gross per capita income and Human Development Index to show the level of economic development, and these indicators are then with e-governments developments. Adopted empirical strategy involves graphical identification of changes in digital and economic development as well as it aims to identify changes in e-governance development, using kernel densities functions, time trends analysis, and panel regression approach. Our empirical sample combines 40 developing economies, and the time span for the analysis is 1990–2019. Statistical data are entirely extracted from World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database 2020 and World Band Development Indicators 2021. Our major conclusions unveil that e-government solutions are positively associated with economic growth and development. We claim that these results are poorly robust and massive cross-country disparities exist in regard to the state of deployment of electronic government mainly due to uneven diffusion of digital technologies in developing economies.

  • Enhancing Renal Tumor Detection: Leveraging Artificial Neural Networks in Computed Tomography Analysis
    • Mateusz Glembin
    • Aleksander Obuchowski
    • Barbara Klaudel
    • Bartosz Rydziński
    • Roman Karski
    • Paweł Syty
    • Patryk Jasik
    • Wojciech Józef Narożański
    2023 Pełny tekst Medical Science Monitor

    Renal cell carcinoma is one of the most common cancers in Europe, with a total incidence rate of 18.4 cases per 100 000 population. There is currently significant overdiagnosis (11% to 30.9%) at times of planned surgery based on radiological studies. The purpose of this study was to create an artificial neural network (ANN) solution based on computed tomography (CT) images as an additional tool to improve the differentiation of malignant and benign renal tumors and to aid active surveillance. A retrospective study based on CT images was conducted. Axial CT images of 357 renal tumor cases were collected. There were 265 (74.2%) cases histologically proven to be malignant, while 34 (9.5%) cases were benign. Radiologists diagnosed 58 (16.3%) cases as angiomyolipoma (AML), based on characteristic appearance, not confirmed histopathologically. For ANN training, the arterial CT phase images were used. A total of 7207 arterial-phase images were collected, then cropped and added to the database with the associated diagnosis. For the test dataset (ANN validation), 38 cases (10 benign, 28 malignant) were chosen by subgroup randomization to correspond to statistical tumor type distribution. The VGG-16 ANN architecture was used in this study. Trained ANN correctly classified 23 out of 28 malignant tumors and 8 out of 10 benign tumors. Accuracy was 81.6% (95% confidence interval, 65.7-92.3%), sensitivity was 82.1% (63.1-93.9%), specificity was 80.0% (44.4-97.5%), and F1 score was 86.8% (74.7-94.5%). The created ANN achieved promising accuracy in differentiating benign vs malignant renal tumors.

  • Enhancing rheological muscle models with stochastic processes
    • Bartłomiej Zagrodny
    • Wiktoria Wojnicz
    • Michał Ludwicki
    • Robert Barański
    2023 Pełny tekst Acta of Bioengineering and Biomechanics

    Purpose: Biological musculoskeletal systems operate under variable conditions. Muscle stiffness, activation signals, and loads change during each movement. The presence of noise and different harmonic components in force production significantly influences the behaviour of the muscular system. Therefore, it is essential to consider these factors in numerical simulations. Methods: This study aims to develop a rheological mathematical model that accurately represents the behaviour of the actual muscular system, taking into account the phenomena described by the stochastic model in the form of stationary processes. Stochastic disturbances were applied to simulate variable conditions, in which musculo-skeletal system operates. Numerical simulations were conducted for two dynamic tasks, where we calculated the internal force generated by the system (task 1), and its displacement (task 2). These simulations were performed using two different datasets sourced from the literature. In the next step, simulation results were compared with our own experiment. Results: The considered mathematical model was successfully tuned and compared with both the literature data and our own experimental results. During the analysis of muscle model behavior, depending on the data source for model tuning, we observed distinct frequency characterized by a sine-type pattern and a higher frequencies marked by stochastic perturbations. Conclusions: The proposed model can be customized to simulate systems of varying sizes, levels of maximum voluntary contraction, and the effects of perturbations, closely resembling real-world data. The presented approach can be applied to simulate the behaviour of the musculoskeletal system as well as of individual muscles.

  • Enhancing seismic performance of buckling-restrained brace frames equipped with innovative bracing systems
    • Benyamin Mohebi
    • Mohammad Sartipi
    • Farzin Kazemi
    2023 Pełny tekst Archives of Civil and Mechanical Engineering

    Nowadays, to improve the performance of conventional bracing systems, in which, buckling in the pressure loads is the main disadvantage, the buckling-restrained brace (BRB) is introduced as a solution. In this study, the performance of the BRB system was improved with innovative lateral-resisting systems of double-stage yield buckling-restrained brace (DYB), and a combination of DYB improved with shape memory alloy (SMA) materials (DYBSMA). The proposed systems have been verified and implemented in the 2- to 12-story elevation steel buckling-restrained brace frames (BRBFs). To evaluate their effects on the seismic performance, two types of analysis including nonlinear dynamic analysis (NDA) and incremental dynamic analysis (IDA) were performed considering design-based earthquakes (DBE) and maximum considered earthquakes (MCE) levels for far-field ground motions. The results showed that the BRB system in all BRBFs had the highest values of residual drift ratio (RDRMed) demands, while implementing innovative DYBSMA can considerably reduce the values of RDRMed compared to other lateral-resisting systems. In addition, under MCE level, the BRB-DYBSMA system had lower values of the interstory drift ratio (IDRMed) and RDRMed demands (e.g., the IDRMed reduced by 79.67% and 18.5% compared to BRB and DYB systems, respectively), and can be introduced as the best lateral-resisting system. Therefore, the proposed BRB-DYBSMA system can effectively reduce the IDRMed and RDRMed demands, as result, higher performance levels can be achieved, as well as, the collapse probability occurrence over 1 and 50 years impressively decreased.

  • Enhancing seismic performance of rigid and semi-rigid connections equipped with SMA bolts incorporating nonlinear soil-structure interaction
    • Farzin Kazemi
    • Robert Jankowski
    2023 ENGINEERING STRUCTURES

    Nowadays, using smart connections can improve the performance of buildings with some recentering features that are from the superelastic behavior of Shape Memory Alloys (SMAs). It seems that there is different rigidity between the designed connection and the real one in Steel Moment-Resisting Frames (SMRFs), which can be considered as a problematic issue due to the importance of connections in seismic performance assessment. This paper aims to investigate the seismic limit-state capacities of rigid and semi-rigid connections implemented in the 3-Story, 5-Story, 7-Story, and 9-Story SMRFs considering the nonlinear Soil-Structure Interaction (SSI) effects. A Tcl programming code was developed to model semi-rigid connection and SSI effects using Opensees. Incremental Dynamic Analyses (IDAs) were employed to assess the seismic performance levels of SMRFs considering Near- Fault Pulse-Like (NF-PL) and Near-Fault No-Pulse (NF-NP) records suggested by FEMA-P695. The results showed that assuming semi-rigid connections with rigidity of 80%, 70%, and 60%, significantly decreased the median values of IDA curves compared to rigid connection. Considering the SSI effects can considerably decrease the Sa (T1) values of IDA curves and seismic collapse probability in all soil types; therefore, it is suggested to assume the real condition of the structure by modeling the connection rigidity and the SSI effects. It can be concluded that SMA bolts have the ability to improve the seismic performance of connection to compensate the lack of rigidity in semi-rigid connections of SMRFs; as well as, they can be used as a retrofitting strategy for existing buildings.

  • Enhancing Seismic Performance of Semi-rigid Connection Using Shape Memory Alloy Bolts Considering Nonlinear Soil–Structure Interaction
    • Benyamin Mohebi
    • Farzin Kazemi
    • Atefeh Yousefi
    2023

    Steel Moment-Resisting Frames (SMRFs) have their lateral resistance for their rigid connections, while real conditions have shown that the rigidity of a connection depends on the bolts and the end-plate thickness, which may not provide the assumed rigidity in design process. In this research, the main goal is to enhance the semi-rigid connections using shape memory alloy (SMA) bolts and explore their effects on the seismic limit-state capacities of the 3-Story, 5-Story, and 7-Story SMRFs considering the effects of nonlinear Soil–Structure Interaction (SSI). To model the 3-Story, 5-Story, and 7-Story SMRFs, ETABS software was used; then, 2D models were developed in Opensees and the SSI effects were added using Beam on Nonlinear Winkler Foundation (BNWF) model. To achieve the seismic limit-state capacities of SMRFs, Incremental Dynamic Analysis (IDA) was performed and three rigidities of 80%, 70%, and 60% were considered. In each model, the SMA bolts were used to find out the improvements of semi-rigid connections. The results showed that assuming different rigidities as well as the SSI effects could reduce the performance levels. In addition, the results confirmed that SMA bolts could increase the seismic limit-state capacities of SMRFs and this approach can be used for retrofitting of existing buildings.

  • Ensembling noisy segmentation masks of blurred sperm images
    • Emilia Lewandowska
    • Daniel Węsierski
    • Magdalena Mazur-Milecka
    • Joanna Liss
    • Anna Węsierska
    2023 Pełny tekst COMPUTERS IN BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE

    Background: Sperm tail morphology and motility have been demonstrated to be important factors in determining sperm quality for in vitro fertilization. However, many existing computer-aided sperm analysis systems leave the sperm tail out of the analysis, as detecting a few tail pixels is challenging. Moreover, some publicly available datasets for classifying morphological defects contain images limited only to the sperm head. This study focuses on the segmentation of full sperm, which consists of the head and tail parts, and appear alone and in groups. Methods: We re-purpose the Feature Pyramid Network to ensemble an input image with multiple masks from state-of-the-art segmentation algorithms using a scale-specific cross-attention module. We normalize homogeneous backgrounds for improved training. The low field depth of microscopes blurs the images, easily confusing human raters in discerning minuscule sperm from large backgrounds. We thus propose evaluation protocols for scoring segmentation models trained on imbalanced data and noisy ground truth. Results: The neural ensembling of noisy segmentation masks outperforms all single, state-of-the-art segmen- tation algorithms in full sperm segmentation. Human raters agree more on the head than tail masks. The algorithms also segment the head better than the tail. Conclusions: The extensive evaluation of state-of-the-art segmentation algorithms shows that full sperm segmentation is challenging. We release the SegSperm dataset of images from Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection procedures to spur further progress on full sperm segmentation with noisy and imbalanced ground truth. The dataset is publicly available at https://doi.org/10.34808/6wm7-1159

  • Entangled rendezvous: a possible application of Bell non-locality for mobile agents on networks
    • Piotr Mironowicz
    2023 Pełny tekst NEW JOURNAL OF PHYSICS

    Rendezvous is an old problem of assuring that two or more parties, initially separated, not knowing the position of each other, and not allowed to communicate, are striving to meet without pre-agreement on the meeting point. This problem has been extensively studied in classical computer science and has vivid importance to modern and future applications. Quantum non-locality, like Bell inequality violation, has shown that in many cases quantum entanglement allows for improved coordination of two, or more, separated parties compared to classical sources. The non-signaling correlations in many cases even strengthened such phenomena. In this work, we analyze, how Bell non-locality can be used by asymmetric location-aware agents trying to rendezvous on a finite network with a limited number of steps. We provide the optimal solution to this problem for both agents using quantum resources, and agents with only 'classical' computing power. Our results show that for cubic graphs and cycles it is possible to gain an advantage by allowing the agents to use the assistance of entangled quantum states.

  • ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT OF SOLAR CELL MATERIALS
    • Ewa Klugmann-Radziemska
    2023 Pełny tekst Ecological Chemistry and Engineering S - Chemia i Inżynieria Ekologiczna S

    In today’s world, fossil fuels, including coal, oil, and gas, are the primary energy sources from which electricity is obtained. As they are exhaustible and their exploitation has a negative impact on the natural environment, they should be, at least partially, replaced by renewable energy sources. One of these sources is solar energy. The use of solar energy releases no CO2, SO2, or NO2 gases, and does not contribute to global warming. Photovoltaics is one of the technologies that makes it possible to generate electricity in an environmentally friendly manner. By using the energy of solar radiation, a photovoltaic cell converts energy without emitting harmful substances to the atmosphere, noise, and waste. Photovoltaics is the cleanest technology among all the technologies that use renewable energy. Considering the shorter and shorter times needed to generate energy equal to that required by the module production process, during its lifetime it will produce much more electricity than was used to produce it. This results in a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. Although the technologies for the production of photovoltaic cells and modules entail a lower environmental burden compared to other sources of electricity, it is necessary to remember about the risks associated with the use of chemicals at the stage of module production, which threatens their release to groundwater or air, and the need to recycle modules after their disassembly. Also, the energy consumption in the production phase of PV systems significantly worsens the ecological balance. This article presents an analysis of the impact of the materials and technologies used on the result of the environmental analysis of PV installations. In the article a detailed energybalance analysis of the EPBT value has been carried out. The values of greenhouse gas emissions throughout the life cycle of the solar module were determined. Methods of limiting the impact of photovoltaic technologies on thenatural environment were indicated.

  • Environmental exposure to cadmium in breast cancer – association with the Warburg effect and sensitivity to tamoxifen
    • Kateryna Tarhonska
    • Beata Janasik
    • Joanna Roszak
    • Kornelia Kowalczyk
    • Monika Lesicka
    • Edyta Reszka
    • Edyta Wieczorek
    • Marcin Braun
    • Agnieszka Kolacinska-Wow
    • Jaroslaw Skokowski
    • Leszek Kalinowski
    • Ewa Jablonska
    2023 Pełny tekst BIOMEDICINE & PHARMACOTHERAPY

    The association between cadmium and breast cancer remains unexplained due to inconsistent epidemiological data and unknown underlying mechanisms. This study aimed to assess the relationship between environmental exposure to cadmium and the Warburg effect in breast cancer and, thus, its possible interference with breast cancer treatment. The observational study in two groups of breast cancer patients indicated a positive correlation between urinary cadmium concentration and tumor expression of HIF1A (a master regulator of the Warburg effect). Further explanatory research in MCF-7 cells showed no impact of cadmium exposure on molecular and biochemical markers of the Warburg effect. However, long-term exposure to a low and environmentally relevant concentration of cadmium led to the accumulation of the metal in MCF-7 cells and decreased their sensitivity to tamoxifen. To conclude, the association between cadmium and the Warburg effect was suggested in the observational study, although not confirmed in vitro. Nevertheless, cadmium seems to interfere with tamoxifen treatment which deserves further investigation in terms of its possible implication in intrinsic resistance to hormone therapy.

  • Environmentally acceptable lubricants (EAL) compared with a reference mineral oil as marine stern tube bearing lubricant – Experimental and theoretical investigations
    • Jacek Frost
    • Marcin Frycz
    • Jerzy Kowalski
    • Michał Wodtke
    • Wojciech Litwin
    2023 TRIBOLOGY INTERNATIONAL

    The purpose of this research is to indicate the potential differences in bearing characteristics resulting from the application of different lubricant types with the same viscosity grade. The effect of different environmentally acceptable lubricants (EALs) on hydrodynamic journal bearing properties is studied experimentally and compared to the properties obtained after lubrication with a reference mineral oil. The results of the studies proved that a bearing lubricated with EALs had practically the same properties as one lubricated with mineral oil. The calculations for the tested bearing system showed that the variations of selected lubricant parameters, such as specific heat or thermal conductivity, do not significantly affect the properties of the bearing, i.e. the minimum film thickness or power losses.

  • Enzyme-conjugated MXene nanocomposites for biosensing and biocatalysis acuities
    • Muhammad Bilal
    • Anil Kumar Singh
    • Hafiz M.N. Iqbal
    • Grzegorz Boczkaj
    2023 CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL

    Engineered two-dimensional (2-D) MXenes-based materials with tunable characteristics and multi-functionalities have brought up new paradigms in the biosensing and catalysis of chemical compounds. The profusion of electroactive functional moieties on the surface of few/multi-layer MXenes facilitates their ability to retain biomolecules such as enzymes resulting in unique dimensions for bioanalytical and biosensing applications. As a result, the biosensing phenomenon of enzyme-linked MXenes incorporates both counterparts' electro-catalytic potential behavior and characteristics. Enzyme-linked MXenes are equipped with several noteworthy and essential features, including a large and functional surface area, tunable surface chemistry, a high capacity for anchoring biomolecules, metallic conductivity, hydrophilicity, ion transport potential, accessible diffusion barrier, excellent fluorescent and optical properties rendered MXene as appealing candidate nanocomposites to deploy and detect a variety of organic and inorganic molecules of emerging concerns. The application of enzyme-linked nanocomposites based on MXenes in biosensing platforms is expected to effectively address the unresolved challenges encountered by conventional analytical and sensing techniques in various practical settings. Considering the above-mentioned critiques and potentialities, we reviewed enzyme-linked MXenes as a fascinating interface to design, develop and deploy a new generation of monitoring systems to aid bioanalytical applications. More precisely, various challenges and obstacles connected to the synthesis processes, surface functionalization, influencing properties (such as mechanical, electrical, magnetic, and optical), and enzyme immobilization chemistry of MXenes have been highlighted with relevant examples, emphasizing their significant role in bioanalytical sensing applications. In the end, concluding remarks and future expectations have been outlined to document modern expansions in this area.

  • Epitope Mapping of BmpA and BBK32 Borrelia burgdorferi Sensu Stricto Antigens for the Design of Chimeric Proteins with Potential Diagnostic Value
    • Weronika Grąźlewska
    • Lucyna Holec-Gąsior
    • Karolina Sołowińska
    • Tomasz Chmielewski
    • Beata Fiecek
    • Marinela Contreras Rojo
    2023 Pełny tekst ACS Infectious Diseases

    Lyme disease is a tick-borne zoonosis caused by Gramnegative bacteria belonging to the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.) group. In this study, IgM- and IgG-specific linear epitopes of two B. burgdorferi sensu stricto (s.s.) antigens BmpA and BBK32 were mapped using a polypeptide array. Subsequently, two chimeric proteins BmpABBK32-M and BmpA-BBK32-G were designed to validate the construction of chimeras using the identified epitopes for the detection of IgM and IgG, respectively, by ELISA. IgG-ELISA based on the BmpABBK32-G antigen showed 71% sensitivity and 95% specificity, whereas a slightly lower diagnostic utility was obtained for IgM-ELISA based on BmpA-BBK32-M, where the sensitivity was also 71% but the specificity decreased to 89%. The reactivity of chimeric proteins with nondedicated antibodies was much lower. These results suggest that the identified epitopes may be useful in the design of new forms of antigens to increase the effectiveness of Lyme disease serodiagnosis. It has also been proven that appropriate selection of epitopes enables the construction of chimeric proteins exhibiting reactivity with a specific antibody isotype.

  • Equivalence scales for continuous distributions of expenditure
    • Stanisław Maciej Kot
    2023 Pełny tekst EQUILIBRIUM Quarterly Journal of Economics and Economic Policy

    Research background: In the actual sizable populations of households, the standard microeconomic concept of equivalence scales is intractable since its necessary condition of equality of household welfare levels is unlikely to be fulfilled. Purpose of the article: This paper aims to develop a concept of an equivalence scale, which can be suitable for continuous distributions of expenditures in the population. Methods: Using household welfare intervals, we get the random equivalence scale (RES) as the ratio of expenditure distributions of the compared populations of households. Findings & value added: We derive the parametric distribution of RES for the lognormal distributions of expenditures. The truncated distribution of RES is applied to account for possible economies of scale in the household size. A society’s inequality aversion can be helpful when selecting a single equivalence scale. We estimate RES for Poland using microdata on expenditures and subjective assessments of household welfare intervals. The estimated equivalence scales turned out to be very flat and dependent on welfare.

  • ESG investing during the Covid-19 crisis. Evidence from Central European Stock Exchanges
    • Agnieszka Wałachowska
    2023

    As COVID-19 turned into a global pandemic, world markets gradually began to recover after initial dynamic declines. Restrictions, and their subsequent loosening, were, and are, not without significance for the financial markets. These particular circumstances provide a unique opportunity to contribute to the literature by focusing on the potential resilience of ESG (environmental, social and governance) investing in an era of crisis. This article analyses selected socially responsible investments from the Central Europe region during the two-year pandemic period. The purpose of this article is to evaluate the performance of the WIG-ESG, VÖNIX and CECE SRI indices by comparing their main risk and return characteristics with typical stock exchange benchmarks. A comparative analysis of the indices in a period of uncertainty that is a pandemic shows that Austrian ESG investments have an advantage in profitability and efficiency over the other indices of the region. The Polish WIG-ESG index, despite its growing popularity and positive returns, failed to conquer the market in the period under review.

  • Estimation of Screw Displacement Pile-Bearing Capacity Based on Drilling Resistances
    • Adam Krasiński
    2023 Pełny tekst Studia Geotechnica et Mechanica

    This article presents an engineering, empiricalmethod of estimating the bearing capacity and settlementcharacteristics Q-s of screw displacement piles andcolumns, based on soil resistance encountered during thedrilling to form piles/columns in the ground. The methodwas developed on the basis of correlation analyses of thetest results of 24 piles made during the “DPDT-Auger”research project (Krasiński et al., 2022a). In the proposedmethod, the load capacity of a screw displacement pile isestimated using two main parameters of auger screwingresistance: torque MT and the number of auger rotationsper depth unit nR. The method applies to piles andcolumns made with a standard screw displacement pile(SDP) auger and with the proprietary, prototype DPDT(displacement pile drilling tool) aguer, patented in Poland(2020). Based on the estimated ultimate capacities of thepile shaft and base, an approximate method of predictingthe pile settlement characteristics Q-s was also proposed,using the transfer function method. This article describesa correlation procedure of field test results togetherwith their statistical analysis and presents a method ofestimating the pile-bearing capacity based on correlationresults. A calculation example is also provided. Theconclusion looks at the useful practical applications thatcould be found for the proposed method.

  • Estimation of smokers' exposure to mercury from combustible tobacco products, based on the approach used in food consumers’ exposure estimation
    • Paweł Hać
    • Małgorzata Rutkowska
    • Bartłomiej Cieślik
    • Piotr Konieczka
    2023 Pełny tekst FOOD AND CHEMICAL TOXICOLOGY

    Smoking has been known to mankind for centuries, but it is only in recent decades that much attention has been paid to the harmfulness of this habit. Mercury inhalation is particularly dangerous in this respect and smoking creates extremely favorable conditions for the emission and targeted delivery of this element into the lungs. Despite this fact, a lack of a clear method for estimating the exposure of tobacco consumers to mercury was identified. This work shows justification to transfer the approach of estimating food product consumers' exposure to estimate the exposure of combustible tobacco product consumers to this element. In addition, it was noted that researchers' attention is mainly focused on cigarettes, while the tobacco market has a wide range of combustible products. Therefore, in this work, the mercury content of cigars (8.45 ± 0.18–41.02 ± 0.20 μg/kg), pipe tobaccos (8.03 ± 0.52–25.48 ± 0.50 μg/kg), bidis (14.93 ± 0.47–31.79 ± 0.26 μg/kg) and cigarette tobaccos (14.22 ± 0.71–34.5 ± 1.4 μg/kg) was analyzed. This study demonstrates that smoking can contribute significant total mercury exposure to consumers', although it is unlikely to cause mercury poisoning regardless of other exposure sources.

  • Estimation of Synchronous Generator and AVR Parameters Based on Gradient and Genetic Methods
    • Krzysztof Dobrzyński
    2023 Pełny tekst Przegląd Elektrotechniczny

    The author present a method for the estimation of selected synchronous generator model and AVR parameters using a gradient and a genetic algorithm. The paper shows an example of model parameter estimation for a turbogenerator, based on the generator voltage time responses obtained during an active and reactive power rejection test

  • Estimation of the Maximum Permissible PV Power to be Connected to the MV Grid
    • Agata Szultka
    • Seweryn Szultka
    • Stanisław Czapp
    • Kamil Makowski
    • Peter Sedlacek
    2023

    In recent decades, a significant increase in the share of renewable energy sources in power grids at various voltage levels has been observed. A number of articles have been published highlighting emerging problems in low-voltage grids with a large share of prosumers and in medium- and high-voltage grids to which photovoltaic (PV) plants are connected. The article analyzes the medium-voltage grid in terms of the possibility of connecting maximum PV power to it, while maintaining the criterion of the proper voltage level in the whole grid. The selection of suitable locations for PV power plants is analyzed, as well as the expected effect of the possible modernization of the grid – replacement of the main line with lines having a larger cross-section. As a result of the analysis, the percentage profits from both presented solutions (PV power plants optimal locations and main power line modernization) have been compared.

  • Estimation of the Regenerative Braking Process Efficiency in Electric Vehicles
    • Jacek Kropiwnicki
    • Tomasz Gawłas
    2023 Pełny tekst Acta Mechanica et Automatica

    In electric and hybrid vehicles, it is possible to recover energy from the braking process and reuse it to drive the vehicle using the batteries installed on-board. In the conditions of city traffic, the energy dissipated in the braking process constitutes a very large share of the total resistance to vehicle motion. Efficient use of the energy from the braking process enables a significant reduction of fuel and electricity consumption for hybrid and electric vehicles, respectively. This document presents an original method used to estimate the efficiency of the regenerative braking process for real traffic conditions. In the method, the potential amount of energy available in the braking process was determined on the basis of recorded real traffic conditions of the analysed vehicle. The balance of energy entering and leaving the battery was determined using the on-board electric energy flow recorder. Based on the adopted model of the drive system, the efficiency of the regenerative braking process was determined. The paper presents the results of road tests of three electric vehicles, operated in the same traffic conditions, for whom the regenerative braking efficiency was determined in accordance with the proposed model. During the identification of the operating conditions of the vehicles, a global positioning system (GPS) measuring system supported by the original method of phenomenological signal correction was used to reduce the error of the measured vehicle’s altitude. In the paper, the efficiency of the recuperation process was defined as the ratio of the accumulated energy to the energy available from the braking process and determined for the registered route of the tested vehicle. The obtained results allowed to determine the efficiency of the recuperation process for real traffic conditions. They show that the recuperation system efficiency achieves relatively low values for vehicle No. 1, just 21%, while the highest value was achieved for vehicle No. 3, 77%. Distribution of the results can be directly related to the power of electric motors and battery capacities of the analysed vehicles.

  • Estimation of the Ultimate Strength of FRP Strips-to-Masonry Substrates Bond
    • Reza Kamgar
    • Houman Ebrahimpour Komleh
    • Anna Jakubczyk-Gałczyńska
    • Robert Jankowski
    2023 Pełny tekst Applied Sciences-Basel

    Fiber-Reinforced Polymers (FRP) were developed as a new method over the past decades due to their many beneficial mechanical properties, and they are commonly applied to strengthen masonry structures. In this paper, the Artificial Neural Network (ANN), K-fold Cross-Validation (KFCV) technique, Multivariate Adaptive Regression Spline (MARS) method, and M5 Model Tree (M5MT) method were utilized to predict the ultimate strength of FRP strips applied on masonry substrates. The results obtained via ANN, KFCV, MARS, and M5MT were compared with the existing models. The results clearly indicate that the considered approaches have better efficiency and higher precision compared to the models available in the literature. The correlation coefficient values for the considered models (i.e., ANN, KFCV, MARS, and M5MT) are promising results, with up to 99% reliability.

  • Estimation of Vehicle Energy Consumption at Intersections Using Microscopic Traffic Models
    • Jacek Oskarbski
    • Konrad Biszko
    2023 Pełny tekst ENERGIES

    This paper addresses issues related to modeling energy consumption and emissions using microscopic traffic simulations. This paper develops a method in which a traffic model is used to calculate the energy needed to travel through selected types of intersections. This paper focuses on energy consumption and derived values of calculated energy, which can be, for example, carbon dioxide emissions. The authors present a review of the scientific literature on the study of factors affecting energy consumption and emissions and methods to estimate them in traffic. The authors implemented an energy consumption model into a microsimulation software module to estimate results as a function of varying traffic volumes at selected types of intersections and for selected traffic organization scenarios. The results of the study show the lowest energy consumption and the lowest emissions when road solutions are selected that contribute to reducing vehicle travel times on the urban street network at higher average vehicle speeds. In addition, the positive impact of the share of electric vehicles in the traffic flow on the reduction of energy consumption and emissivity was estimated.

  • Evaluating aerial laser scanning for seafloor mapping automation Shallow seabed mapping based on airborne Lidar bathymetry
    • Łukasz Janowski
    • Paweł Tysiąc
    • Agnieszka Kubowicz
    2023 GIM International-The Worldwide Magazine for Geomatics

    This article presents a novel methodological approach to understand and assess the suitability of ALB for the automatic classification and mapping of the seabed. ALB allows recording of the depth below the Secchi disk.

  • Evaluating Gelatin-Based Films with Graphene Nanoparticles for Wound Healing Applications
    • Piotr Kamedulski
    • Marcin Wekwejt
    • Lidia Zasada
    • Anna Ronowska
    • Anna Michno
    • Dorota Chmielniak
    • Paweł Binkowski
    • Jerzy P. Lukaszewicz
    • Beata Kaczmarek-Szczepańska
    2023 Pełny tekst Nanomaterials

    In this study, gelatin-based films containing graphene nanoparticles were obtained. Nanoparticles were taken from four chosen commercial graphene nanoplatelets with different surface areas, such as 150 m2/g, 300 m2/g, 500 m2/g, and 750 m2/g, obtained in different conditions. Their morphology was observed using SEM with STEM mode; porosity, Raman spectra and elemental analysis were checked; and biological properties, such as hemolysis and cytotoxicity, were evaluated. Then, the selected biocompatible nanoparticles were used as the gelatin film modification with 10% concentration. As a result of solvent evaporation, homogeneous thin films were obtained. The surface’s properties, mechanical strength, antioxidant activity, and water vapor permeation rate were examined to select the appropriate film for biomedical applications. We found that the addition of graphene nanoplatelets had a significant effect on the properties of materials, improving surface roughness, surface free energy, antioxidant activity, tensile strength, and Young’s modulus. For the most favorable candidate for wound dressing applications, we chose a gelatin film containing nanoparticles with a surface area of 500 m2/g.

  • Evaluating the risk of endometriosis based on patients’ self-assessment questionnaires
    • Krystian Zieliński
    • Dajana Drabczyk
    • Michał Kunicki
    • Damian Drzyzga
    • Anna Kloska
    • Jacek Rumiński
    2023 Pełny tekst Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology

    Background Endometriosis is a condition that significantly affects the quality of life of about 10 % of reproductive-aged women. It is characterized by the presence of tissue similar to the uterine lining (endometrium) outside the uterus, which can lead lead scarring, adhesions, pain, and fertility issues. While numerous factors associated with endometriosis are documented, a wide range of symptoms may still be undiscovered. Methods In this study, we employed machine learning algorithms to predict endometriosis based on the patient symptoms extracted from 13,933 questionnaires. We compared the results of feature selection obtained from various algorithms (i.e., Boruta algorithm, Recursive Feature Selection) with experts’ decisions. As a benchmark model architecture, we utilized a LightGBM algorithm, along with Multivariate Imputation by Chained Equations (MICE) and k-nearest neighbors (KNN), for missing data imputation. Our primary objective was to assess the model’s performance and feature importance compared to existing studies. Results We identified the top 20 predictors of endometriosis, uncovering previously overlooked features such as Cesarean section, ovarian cysts, and hernia. Notably, the model’s performance metrics were maximized when utilizing a combination of multiple feature selection methods. Specifically, the final model achieved an area under the receiver operator characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.85 on the training dataset and an AUC of 0.82 on the testing dataset. Conclusions The application of machine learning in diagnosing endometriosis has the potential to significantly impact clinical practice, streamlining the diagnostic process and enhancing efficiency. Our questionnaire-based prediction approach empowers individuals with endometriosis to proactively identify potential symptoms, facilitating informed discussions with healthcare professionals about diagnosis and treatment options.

  • Evaluation and cellular responses of modulators of TRF1/TRF2 protein’s function as potential anticancer drugs interfering with telomeric shelterin’s function
    • Wioletta Brankiewicz
    2023 Pełny tekst

    A number of proteins that interact with telomeres have been identified in human cells, indicating the high plasticity of human nucleoprotein complex organization. The most important complex is the "shelterin" complex, which consists of six proteins: TRF1, TRF2, TIN2, POT1, TPP1. The TRF1 and TRF2 directly bind to telomeric double-stranded DNA and the TIN2 protein. The TIN2 protein also binds to the TPP1 protein, stabilizing the structure of the entire "shelterin" complex. The PhD thesis presents the characterization of the effect of eleven small molecule compounds (B070, B087, B176, B280, B327, A822, A378, A670, A628, ST50, ST2S), which were designed in silico as potential inhibitors of interactions between TRF1-TIN2 and TRF2-TIN2 proteins. Human breast cancer cell lines were used for the studies: MDA-MB-231 (ER/PR-; HER2/Neu-), BT-20 (ER/PR-; HER2/Neu-), SK-BR-3 (ER/PR-; HER2/Neu+), BT-474 (ER/PR+; HER2/Neu+), MCF-7 (ER/PR+; HER2/Neu-) and T47D (ER/PR+; HER2/Neu), which represent the basic molecular subtypes of breast cancer. Experiments were also carried out on primary HMEC cells and material from patients (invasive ductal breast cancer, ER/PR+; HER2/Neu-). Based on the results obtained using molecular biology methods - starting from toxicity tests, through the advanced technique of fluorescent staining using confocal microscopy and SPR technique - two compounds (A822 and B327) were identified as promising, which were included in a patent application.

  • Evaluation and rationale of the performance of several elastomeric composites incorporating devulcanized EPDM
    • X. Colom
    • F. Carrillo-Navarrete
    • Mohammad Saeb
    • Marc Marín-Genescà
    • Krzysztof Formela
    • J Canavate
    2023 Pełny tekst POLYMER TESTING

    thylene Propylene Diene rubber (EPDM), is present in many applications. However, its crosslinked structure makes difficult its recycling. The use of devulcanized EPDM, (dEPDM) as a component of elastomeric composites, is a real possibility to reuse EPDM scraps. In this study, three matrices (natural rubber (NR), styrene butadiene rubber (SBR) and EPDM rubber) have been tested including devulcanized EPDM as a recycled component. The EPDM previously was devulcanized using a thermomechanical process followed by microwave irradiation. The resulting devulcanized EPDM was blended with the matrixes and then the new compound was vulcanized again. The samples showed a general increase of their mechanical properties and their thermal stability specially marked for NR and SBR. Compositions including about 40 phr dEPDM within the EPDM matrix exhibited a difference in their general behavior that it was manifested by a general decrease in properties compared with lower amounts of dEPDM. In order to further understand this behavior, the samples were analyzed in terms of cross-link density, swelling degree, and scanning electron microscopy. The study of the microstructure of the samples indicated that microagglomerates of dEPDM are formed inside the samples. In case of NR or SBR the agglomerates were very linked to the matrix through the covalent bonds established in the crosslinking process. In the case of the EPDM matrix, the agglomerates presented less interfacial cross-links. The cross-linking takes place preferentially within the dEPDM microdomains and this results in a relative decrease in mechanical properties and thermal stability when compared to NR and SBR.

  • Evaluation of adhesion strength, corrosion, and biological properties of the MWCNT/TiO2 coating intended for medical applications
    • Dorota Rogala-Wielgus
    • Beata Majkowska-Marzec
    • Andrzej Zieliński
    • Katarzyna Roszek
    • Malwina Liszewska
    2023 Pełny tekst RSC Advances

    Multi-wall carbon nanotube (MWCNT) coatings are gaining increasing interest because of their special properties used in many science fields. The titania coatings are known for their improvement of osteoblast adhesion, thus changing the surface architecture. Bi-layer coatings comprising 0.25 wt% of the MWCNTs and 0.30 wt% of titania (anatase structure) were synthesized in a two-stage procedure using the electrophoretic deposition method (EPD). The MWCNT and TiO2 coatings were deposited with voltage and time parameters, respectively, of 20 V and 0.5 min, and 50 V and 4 min. EDS, AFM, SEM, Raman spectroscopy, nano-scratch test, potentiodynamic corrosion tests, wettability studies, and cytotoxicity determined with MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) test on human dermal fibroblasts (HDF) and mouse osteoblast precursors (MC3T3), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity test were carried out on examined surfaces. The prepared MWCNT/TiO2 coating is uniformly distributed by MWCNTs and agglomerated by TiO2 particles of size ranging from 0.1 to 3 mm. Raman spectroscopy confirmed the anatase structure of the TiO2 addition and showed typical peaks of the MWCNTs. The MWCNT/TiO2 coating had higher roughness, higher adhesion strength, and improved corrosion resistance compared to the MWCNT basic coating. The results of biological tests proved that physicochemical properties of the surface, such as high porosity and wettability of MWCNT/TiO2-coated material, would support cell adhesion, but toxic species could be released to the culture medium, thus resulting in a decrease in proliferation.

  • Evaluation of ChatGPT Applicability to Learning Quantum Physics
    • Agata Stefańska
    • Tomasz Stefański
    • Michał Czubenko
    2023

    ChatGPT is an application that uses a large language model. Its purpose is to generate answers to various questions as well as provide information, help solve problems and participate in conversations on a wide range of topics. This application is also widely used by students for the purposes of learning or cheating (e.g., writing essays or programming codes). Therefore, in this contribution, we evaluate the ability of ChatGPT to answer questions in quantum physics. That is, we develop a benchmark consisting of ten questions, whose difficulty is measured on a ten-grade scale. Then ChatGPT answers are evaluated and discussed. In this way, we can measure how well quantum-physics information is processed by this application. Our results demonstrate that ChatGPT does not notice subtle differences between physical terms, and can provide wrong answers to quantum-physics-related questions. It can also provide false mathematical formulas, claim that they are correct and confirm its answers. Note that this AI application is not sure of its answers, and in seven cases it apologizes for the first answer when a user has negated it. To sum up, AI represented by ChatGPT is only able to support students in the process of learning quantum physics at the fundamental level. Moreover, during collective exams in the future, where cheating and the use of AI by students may occur, exam questions should not be descriptive, but should be focused on solving computational problems.

  • Evaluation of electrosynthesized reduced graphene oxide–Ni/Fe/Co-based (oxy)hydroxide catalysts towards the oxygen evolution reaction
    • Karolina Cysewska
    • Marcin Łapiński
    • Marcin Zając
    • Jakub Karczewski
    • Piotr Jasiński
    • Sebastian Molin
    2023 Pełny tekst Beilstein Journal of Nanotechnology

    In this work, the specific role of the addition of graphene oxide (GO) to state-of-the-art nickel–iron (NiFe) and cobalt–nickel–iron (CoNiFe) mixed oxides/hydroxides towards the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is investigated. Morphology, structure, and OER catalytic activity of the catalysts with and without GO were studied. The catalysts were fabricated via a two-step electrodeposition. The first step included the deposition of GO flakes, which, in the second step, were reduced during the simultaneous deposition of NiFe or CoNiFe. As a result, NiFe-GO and CoNiFe-GO were fabricated without any additives directly on the nickel foam substrate. A significant improvement of the OER activity was observed after combining NiFe with GO (OER overpotential η(10 mA·cm−2): 210 mV) compared to NiFe (η: 235 mV) and GO (η: 320 mV) alone. A different OER activity was observed for CoNiFe-GO. Here, the overall catalytic activity (η: 230 mV) increased compared to GO alone. However, it was reduced in comparison to CoNiFe (η: 224 mV). The latter was associated with the change in the morphology and structure of the catalysts. Further OER studies showed that each of the catalysts specifically influenced the process. The improvement in the OER by NiFe-GO results mainly from the structure of NiFe and the electroactive surface area of GO.