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Search results for: lens-less microscopy
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The congruence of mental models in entrepreneurial teams – implications for performance and satisfaction in teams operating in an emerging economy
PublicationPurpose – The paper aims to explore the relationship between the congruence of mental models held by the members of entrepreneurial teams operating in an emerging economy (Poland) and entrepreneurial outcomes (performance and satisfaction). Design/methodology/approach – The data obtained from 18 nascent and 20 established entrepreneurial teams was analysed to answer hypotheses. The research was quantitative and was conducted using...
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Optimised five-hour multiplex PCR test for the detection of Tinea ungium: performance in a routine PCR laboratory
PublicationWe recently published the development of a 5-hour multiplex PCR test for the detection of dermatophyte nail infection. We have optimized this test by inclusion of an inhibition control and evaluated the test in a routine laboratory when compared to the conventional microscopy and culture. A total of 109 clinical samples received at the mycology reference lab at Statens Serum Institute were included. The samples were divided equally...
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Deterministic rendezvous of asynchronous bounded-memory agents in polygonal terrains
PublicationWe consider two versions of the rendezvous problem: exact RV, when the points representing agents have to coincide at some time, and e-RV, when these points have to get at distance less than e in the terrain. In any terrain, each agent chooses its trajectory, but the movements of the agent on this trajectory are controlled by an adversary that may, e.g. speed up or slow down the agent.
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Observations of presumable groundwater seepage occurrence in Puck Bay (the Baltic Sea)
PublicationWe report the results of recent field measurements of seawater thermohaline structure and transparency carried out in early summer 2014 in Puck Bay. Near-bottom, less saline waters occurred almost in the entire study area. Their occurrence in the shallow part of Puck Bay was accompanied by an increase in the seawater transparency. The most likely explanation of these observations is a submarine fresh groundwater discharge.
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How to stop salami science: promotion of healthy trends in publishing behavior
PublicationThe career of scientists often depends on the number of their published works. This fact leads to the overproduction of low quality papers burying the important articles and making the knowledge less accessible. One of the methods to counteract these negative aspects might lie in the promotion of healthy trends in publishing behavior. In the present work, the theoretical analysis of a new bibliometric measure is presented, and...
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Structural and physico-mechanical properties of natural rubber/GTR composites devulcanized by microwaves: Influence of GTR source and irradiation time
PublicationGround tire rubber from car and truck was modified using microwave irradiation at variable time. The irradiated ground tire rubber was used as filler in composites based on natural rubber. The composites, with high content of ground tire rubber, were prepared using an internal batch mixer and subsequently cross-linked at 160℃. The influence of the ground tire rubber source (car/truck) and irradiation time on structure, physico-mechanical...
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Microscopic and Spectroscopic Imaging and Thermal Analysis of Acrylates, Silicones and Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients in Adhesive Transdermal Patches
PublicationDermal or transdermal patches are increasingly becoming a noteworthy alternative ascarriers for active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), which makes their detailed physicochemical evaluation essential for pharmaceutical development. This paper demonstrates mid-infrared (FTIR) and Raman spectroscopy with complementary microscopic methods (SEM, optical and confocal Raman microscopy) and differential scanning calorimetry...
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Compatibility of Sustainable Mater-Bi/poly(ε-caprolactone)/cellulose Biocomposites as a Function of Filler Modification
PublicationDespite their popularity and multiplicity of applications, wood–polymer composites (WPCs) still have to overcome particular issues related to their processing and properties. The main aspect is the compatibility with plant-based materials which affects the overall performance of the material. It can be enhanced by strengthening the interfacial adhesion resulting from physical and/or chemical interactions between the matrix and...
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Suspension and process parameters selection for electrophoretic deposition of Mn–Co spinel coating on steel interconnects
PublicationMetallic interconnect coatings, consisting of MnCo2O4 spinel, were effectively applied to Crofer 22 APU using the electrophoretic deposition (EPD) method in both H2O: ethanol and pure ethanol solvents. The primary goal of this method was to prevent chromium migration, minimize evaporation, and control the oxidation rate. The study aimed to assess the quality, adhesion, and thickness of the Mn–Co coating, with the objective of...
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SnO2 nanoparticles embedded onto MoS2 nanoflakes - An efficient catalyst for photodegradation of methylene blue and photoreduction of hexavalent chromium
PublicationIn this work, a molybdenum disulfide/tin oxide (MoS2/SnO2) composite was successfully prepared via a hydrothermal method. The MoS2/SnO2 composite was used as a photocatalyst for photoreduction of hexavalent chromium and photodecomposition of methylene blue. It exhibited higher photocatalytic performance under simulated solar light irradiation than MoS2 itself. The obtained material was characterized by several spectroscopic and...
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Epoxy Composites Filled with Natural Calcium Carbonate. 1. Epoxy Composites Obtained in the Presence of Monoperoxy Derivative of Epidian-6 Epoxy Resin
PublicationPhysico-mechanical properties of the products based on filled epoxy-oligomeric mixtures composed of Epidian-5 epoxy resin, oligoesteracrylate TGM-3 and monoperoxide derivative of Epidian-6 epoxy resin (PO) have been investigated. CaCO3 was used as a filler and polyethylene polyamine was a curing agent. The effect of PO and CaCO3 on the gel-fraction content and physico-mechanical properties was examined. Using a scanning electron...
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Formation of intermetallic compounds in the solid-liquid composites of the Ga-Ni system
PublicationThe processes of formation of intermetallic compounds in the composite system of liquid gallium-nickel powder by the methods of x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and differential thermal analysis have been studied. A change in the phase composition was discovered and the influence of thermal treatment of the composites under investigation on the phase formation processes was analyzed. The mechanism of gallium enriched...
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The silver layers in fiber-optic sensors
PublicationIn this paper a method of application of the silver layers on the surface of an optical fiber was proposed. The optical properties and surface quality of the silver layer was examined by optical microscopy. The reflection and transmission of the sample were investigated. To evaluate the silver mirror it was placed in a fiber optic Fabry-Perot interferometer and the quality of the spectra was analyzed. The commercial mirror was...
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STABILITY OF THE INNER SLOPE OF THE POLISH DREDGDIKES RESEARCH DIKE AT STATIONARY FLOW
PublicationFor long duration of the flood the water table can appear on the slope with a problem of out-wash in the case of sand type dike. If the dike corps is covered with less permeable layer some additional push-off forces and shearing can rise in the cover. In both cases the micro stability of the inner slope should be considered at normative high water for homogeneous sand type dike or sand type dike with less permeable covers. The...
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Non-monotone graph searching models
PublicationGraph searching encompasses a variety of different models, many of which share a property that in optimal strategies fugitive can never access once searched regions. Monotonicity, as it is called, is vital in many established results in the field however its absence significantly impedes the analysis of a given problem. This survey attempts to gather non-monotone models, that are less researched in effort of summarizing the results...
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Various types of semiconductor photocatalysts modified by CdTe QDs and Pt NPs for toluene photooxidation in the gas phase under visible light
PublicationA novel synthesis process was used to prepare TiO2 microspheres, TiO2 P-25, SrTiO3 and KTaO3 decorated by CdTe QDs and/or Pt NPs. The effect of semiconductor matrix, presence of CdTe QDs and/or Pt NPs on the semiconductor surface as well as deposition technique of Pt NPs (photodeposition or radiolysis) on the photocatalytic activity were investigated. The as-prepared samples were characterized by X-ray powder diffractometry (XRD),...
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The effects of bifunctional linker and reflux time on the surface properties and photocatalytic activity of CdTe quantum dots decorated KTaO3 composite photocatalysts
PublicationNovel CdTe-KTaO3composite photocatalysts were successfully synthesized by using thioglycolic acid(TGA) or 3-mercaptopropionic acid (MPA) as linker molecules which facilitated attachment of CdTequantum dots to the surface of KTaO3nanocubes. The as-prepared photocatalysts were characterizedby UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy(SEM), transmission electron microscopy...
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Comparison of Properties of the Hybrid and Bilayer MWCNTs—Hydroxyapatite Coatings on Ti Alloy
PublicationCarbon nanotubes are proposed for reinforcement of the hydroxyapatite coatings to improve their adhesion, resistance to mechanical loads, biocompatibility, bioactivity, corrosion resistance, and antibacterial protection. So far, research has shown that all these properties are highly susceptible to the composition and microstructure of coatings. The present research is aimed at studies of multi-wall carbon nanotubes in three different...
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The Influence of the Electrodeposition Parameters on the Properties of Mn-Co-Based Nanofilms as Anode Materials for Alkaline Electrolysers
PublicationIn this work, the influence of the synthesis conditions on the structure, morphology, and electrocatalytic performance for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) of Mn-Co-based films is studied. For this purpose, Mn-Co nanofilm is electrochemically synthesised in a one-step process on nickel foam in the presence of metal nitrates without any additives. The possible mechanism of the synthesis is proposed. The morphology and structure...
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Polyurethane Composite Scaffolds Modified with the Mixture of Gelatin and Hydroxyapatite Characterized by Improved Calcium Deposition
PublicationThe skeleton is a crucial element of the motion system in the human body, whose main function is to support and protect the soft tissues. Furthermore, the elements of the skeleton act as a storage place for minerals and participate in the production of red blood cells. The bone tissue includes the craniomaxillofacial bones, ribs, and spine. There are abundant reports in the literature indicating that the amount of treatments related...
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Shape memory thin films of Polyurethane: Does graphene content affect the recovery behavior of Polyurethane nanocomposites?
PublicationThin nanocomposite films of polyurethane have received remarkable attention due to their shape memory properties. As most of the reports focus on the beneficial aspects of the presence of nanofillers such as graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) introduced into shape memory polymers, some research results reveal the opposite trend. The polyether/polyester-based polyurethane was synthesized through a condensation polymerization and the...
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Trace Elements in Aquatic Environments
PublicationA trace element is defined as a chemical element whose the average concentration is less than 100 ppm (mg/kg, mg/L – in the case of a water matrix). In aquatic environments the concentrations of trace elements are usually at the level of picomoles per liter and lower. This causes extreme analytical problems, especially in situations where low content is in the range of background levels. Taking into account the role of trace elements...
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RNS/TCS CONVERTER DESIGN USING HIGH-LEVEL SYNTHESIS IN FPGA
PublicationAn experimental high-level synthesis (HLS) of the residue number system (RNS) to two’s-complement system (TCS) converter in the Vivado Xilinx FPGA environment is shown. The assumed approach makes use of the Chinese Remainder Theorem I (CRT I). The HLS simplifies and accelerates the design and implementation process, moreover the HLS synthesized architecture requires less hardware by about 20% but the operational frequency is smaller...
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Interactions between components of SrTi0.98 Nb0.02O3-δ-YSZ and SrTi0.98 Nb0.02O3-δ -CeO2 composites
PublicationComposites consisting of SrTiO3-based perovskite and either yttria-stabilized zirconia or ceria were investigated. The mechanical compatibility and possible inter-diffusion between phases were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. A gradual disappearance of Ce-containing phases with an increase in the temperature of reduction in hydrogen was noticed. Moreover,...
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Electrical conductivity and relaxation processes in V2O5 nanorods prepared by sol–gel method
PublicationProperties of high purity V2O5 nanorods prepared by a sol – gel method are presented. The studied materials were characterized by: X-ray diffractometry (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The electrical impedance was measured as a function of temperature and frequency. The obtained results show that the electrical conductivity increases with increasing temperature. The d.c. conductivity...
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Instantaneous impedance monitoring of AA 7075 aluminum alloy corrosion in borate buffer with admixed chloride ions
PublicationThe study presents a research capabilities of Dynamic Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (DEIS) as a tool used for instantaneous on-line monitoring of corrosion processes on the example of AA 7075 aluminum alloy. A borate buffer with admixed chloride ions in a quantity ranging from 0.05 to 25 mM was used to represent different types of corrosion attack. The surface of samples specimens was evaluated before and after the tests...
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A Method and Device for 3D Recognition of Cutting Edge Micro Geometry
PublicationA very useful method was successfully applied in the investigation of tools for machining wood and wood based composites. It allows scanning of the cutting edge micro geometry in three dimensions and reproducing it in a virtual space as a 3D surface. The application of the method opens new possibilities of studying tool wear by scanning, including the calculation of volume loss and other analysis of tool wedge geometry along and...
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Investigation of corrosion behavior of 6060 and 6082 aluminum alloys under simulated acid rain conditions
PublicationInstantaneous impedance changes of 6060 and 6082 type aluminum alloys in pure water, and simulated acid rain poured into the pure water was investigated by dynamic electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (DEIS). In this way, the influence of aluminum content on the corrosion behavior of 6060 and 6082 type aluminum alloys immersed in simulated acid rain was determined. The corrosion rate of the alloy decreased with increasing Al...
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Wpływ wybranych parametrów środowiska na przebieg degradacji rur okładzinowych ze stali P110
PublicationMateriały używane na orurowanie odwiertów w poszukiwaniu i wydobyciu ropy i gazu poddawane są niekorzystnym warunkom eksploatacji takich jak: podwyższona temperatura, wysokie ciśnienie, turbulentny przepływ korozyjnych cieczy z zawieszonymi cząstkami stałymi. Jednym z gatunków stali używanych do produkcji rur okładzinowych jest stal P110 (za normą API 5CT) będąca stalą średnio-węglową, niskostopową o wysokiej wytrzymałości. Celem...
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Snapshot of micro-animals and associated biotic and abiotic environmental variables on the edge of the south-west Greenland ice sheet
PublicationMicroinvertebrates play a role as top consumers on glaciers. In this study we tested what kind of cryoconite material the animals inhabit (mud vs granules) on the edge of the Greenland ice sheet (GrIS) in the south-west. We also tested the links between the densities of micro-fauna in cryoconite material and selected biotic (algae, cyanobacteria, bacterial abundances) and abiotic (water depth, pH, ion content, radionuclides) factors....
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Bending Moment Control and Weight Optimization in Space Structures by Adding Extra Members in the Optimal Locations
PublicationThis paper investigates the reduction of bending moment in critical members by adding some extra members in the optimum location. Instead of enlarging the size of members to resist the moment, eight additional members are added in the optimum location to reduce the bending moment in the critical members. The total weight of the proposed structure with extra members is less than that of the original structure that resists the induced...
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PERS - QUIET ROAD SURFACE FOR URBAN AREAS
PublicationTraffic noise is one of the most important environmental problems in densely populated urban areas. At low speeds the tyre/road interaction dominates all other sources. It is anticipated that when electric and hybrid vehicles gain dominance in city traffic, the importance of tyre/road noise will still increase as electric engines are much less noisy than combustion engines. On the other hand, electric and hybrid urban vehicles...
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A New Approach to the PWM Modulation for the Multiphase Matrix Converters Supplying Loads with Open-End Winding.
PublicationThis article presents three variants of the Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) for the Double Square Multiphase type Conventional Matrix Converters (DSM-CMC) supplying loads with the open-end winding. The first variant of PWM offers the ability to obtain zero value of the common-mode voltage at the load's terminals and applies only six switches within the modulation period. The second proposal archives for less Total Harmonic Distortion...
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Female entrepreneurship in Kazakhstan
PublicationWomen constitute the majority of the Kazakh population and, even though they live almost 10 years longer than men on average, they are far less economically active. Less than half of the female population take up employment. Women’s wages are often as much as 30% lower than men’s. The subjective reasons for undertaking economic activity as mentioned by women included: independence from the husband, low earnings of the husband and...
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Heterogeneous oxidation of highly boron-doped diamond electrodes and its influence on the surface distribution of electrochemical activity
PublicationThe electrochemical active surface area (EASA) of polycrystalline boron-doped diamond (BDD) electrodes is heterogeneous and can be affected by numerous factors. There is a strong need for proper consideration of BDD heterogeneity in order to improve this material's range of application in electrochemistry. Localized changes in surface termination due to the influence of oxidation agent result in increased surface resistance. The...
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Microstructure and corrosion behaviour of carbon steel and ferritic and austenitic stainless steels in NaCl solutions and the effect of p-nitrophenyl phosphate disodium salt
PublicationThe microstructure and corrosion behavior of carbon steel (CSA516) and ferritic (SS410) and austenitic (SS304L) stainless steels were studied and compared. Corrosion tests were carried out in 0.5 M NaCl solutions. Rates of corrosion were monitored based on weight loss, Tafel extrapolation and linear polarization resistance (LPR) methods. Rates of corrosion were ranked following the order: CSA516 >> SS410 > SS304L. The impact of...
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Perovskite-type KTaO3–reduced graphene oxide hybrid with improved visible light photocatalytic activity
PublicationNovel rGO–KTaO3 composites with various graphene content were successfully synthesized using a facile solvothermal method which allowed both the reduction of graphene oxide and loading of KTaO3 nanocubes on the graphene sheets. The as-prepared photocatalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), Fourier...
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The influence of small intestinal mucus structure on particle transport ex vivo
PublicationMucus provides a barrier to bacteria and toxins while allowing nutrient absorption and waste transport. Unlike colonic mucus, small intestinal mucus structure is poorly understood. This study aimed to provide evidence for a continuous, structured mucus layer and assess the diffusion of different sized particles through it. Mucus structure was assessed by histology and immunohistochemistry. Ultra-structure was assessed by scanning...
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Sustainable Chemically Modified Mater-Bi/Poly(ε-caprolactone)/Cellulose Biocomposites: Looking at the Bulk through the Surface
PublicationSustainable polymer composites are progressively under development in a technological paradigm shift from "just use more and more" to "convert into value-added products". The bio-based blends based on Mater-Bi bio-plastic (A) and poly(ε-caprolactone) (B), at a weight ratio of 70:30 (A:B) were developed, followed by the addition of UFC100 cellulose (C) filler to yield 70/30 (w/w) (A:B)/C sustainable biocomposites. The effects of...
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Effect of processing parameters on the cyclic behaviour of aluminium friction stir welded to spark plasma sintered aluminium matrix composites with bimodal micro-and nano-sized reinforcing alumina particles
PublicationUnderstanding the cyclic behaviour of Alumina reinforced Aluminium composites (Al-A2O3) was of critical importance, for their further application in the different industrial sectors. The present study is focussing on the cyclic behaviour of the Al-Alumina nanocomposite produced through the combination of spark plasma sintering (SPS) method and friction stir welding (FSW). The added Alumina with total content of 10% is the combination...
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Chemical-Assisted Mechanical Lapping of Thin Boron-Doped Diamond Films: A Fast Route Toward High Electrochemical Performance for Sensing Devices
PublicationThere is an urgent need for an effective and economically viable increase in electrochemical performance of boron-doped diamond (BDD) electrodes that are used in sensing and electrocatalytic applications. Specifically, one must take into consideration the electrode heterogeneity due to nonhomogenous boron-dopant distribution and the removal of sp2 carbon impurities saturating the electrode, without interference in material integrity....
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GTR/Thermoplastics Blends: How Do Interfacial Interactions Govern Processing and Physico-Mechanical Properties?
PublicationIn this work, GTR/thermoplastics blends (in ratio 50/50 and 75/25 wt.%) were prepared by melt-compounding in an internal mixer. During research, trans-polyoctenamer rubber (TOR), ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA), ethylene-octene copolymer (EOC), and linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE), were used in their thermoplastic phase. Microstructure and processing-performance property interrelationships of the studied materials...
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Locally sculptured modification of the electrochemical response of conductive poly(lactic acid) 3D prints by femtosecond laser processing
PublicationThis manuscript presents an approach to sculpture high electrochemical activity of the 3D printed electrodes with poly(lactic acid) (PLA) matrix and carbon black (CB) filler by femtosecond laser (FSL) ablation. CB-PLA utility for electrochemical applications depends on a surface modification aiming to remove the PLA and uncover the conductive CB. We have discussed how laser pulse energy is critical for such an activation process....
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Magnetic field gradient as the most useful signal for detection of flaws using MFL technique
PublicationThe magnetic flux leakage (MFL) technique is extensively used for detection of flaws as well as for evaluation of their dimensions in ferromagnetic materials. However, proper analysis of the MFL signal is hindered by the MFL sensor velocity causing distortions of this signal. Traditionally measured components of the MFL signal are particularly sensitive to the scanning velocity. In this paper, an another signal – the gradient of...
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Periodic Points for Sphere Maps Preserving MonopoleFoliations
PublicationLet S^2 be a two-dimensional sphere. We consider two types of its foliations with one singularity and maps f:S^2→S^2 preserving these foliations, more and less regular. We prove that in both cases f has at least |deg(f)| fixed points, where deg(f) is a topological degree of f. In particular, the lower growth rate of the number of fixed points of the iterations of f is at least log|deg(f)|. This confirms the Shub’s conjecture in...
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A navigation device utilizing body communication channel for mobile wearable systems
PublicationA novel touch sensor utilizing a body communication technology is presented in the paper. The proposed device accepts orders (gestures) only from a person wearing it. Moreover, when comparing it to a similar, however an optical one, it appears as a less power consumable. Preliminary results of its properties examination are presented and discussed. Additionally, the developed sensor allows to measure a human body the electrical...
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The properties of reduced Ge-Sb-O glasses for thermoelectric devices
PublicationThe structural and electrical properties of germanium-antimonate glasses after heat treatment in hydrogen have been determined. In the case of 50GeO2-50Sb2O3 glass reduced at 340°C even for less than 1 hour a continuous layer of antimony granules is formed and its electrical properties determine the surface conductivity of the reduced sample. The bulk electrical conductivity at 100°C of this sample was determined as 1000 Scm-1...
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Proposal of a method for effective tasks distribution in the execution of compolex problems
PublicationAn access to a great number of various services allows for decomposition of complex problems into smaller and less complex tasks. Those tasks can be presented in a form of a dependency graph. This paper shows an idea of executing such a problem using cooperating autonomous agents. Main focus of this work is cooperation covering effective tasks distribution among executors. This paper presents an algorithm for dynamic executor selection...
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Influence of preprocessing techniques on pulse pressure velocity determination
PublicationPulse Wave Velocity (PWV) is measured and utilized in many clinical applications. Recently, a wide research has been led to develop a cuff-less and continuous blood pressure method basing on PWV. However, in this application a decision on choosing an appropriate fiducial point of pulse wave (PW) waveform is necessary and substantial. It would allow to measure time parameters necessary to determine PWV. An influence of sampling...
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Assessment of copper surface coverage with corrosion inhibitor using AFM-based local electrical measurements
PublicationThe paper presents a new method of assessment of metal surface coverage with corrosion inhibitor and thus of inhibitor protective performance. It is based on the atomic force microscopy measurement performed in a contact mode. Apart from topography images the proposed approach allows acquisition of local DC maps and local electrical impedance spectra via application of DC bias voltage or AC perturbation signal between the conductive...