Search results for: EFFICIENCY DECREASE
-
A New Rehabilitation Device for Balance Impaired Individuals
PublicationIn the paper authors present a device designed to improve the rehabilitation process of people with balance impairment. The discussed device (JStep) utilizes a commercially available static standing frame (stander) modified in order to fit force sensing units under the feet and in the pillows around the hips of a patient. While executing rehabilitation tasks, the patient may compensate his balance deficiency by leaning on the pillows...
-
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....
-
Mechanism of Reduced Sintering Temperature of Al2O3–ZrO2 Nanocomposites Obtained by Microwave Hydrothermal Synthesis
PublicationA novel method to obtain Al2O3–ZrO2 nanocomposites is presented. It consists of the co-precipitation step of boehmite (AlO(OH)) and ZrO2, followed by microwave hydrothermal treatment at 270 ◦ C and 60 MPa, and by calcination at 600 ◦ C. Using this method, we obtained two nanocomposites: Al2O3–20 wt % ZrO2 and Al2O3–40 wt % ZrO2. Nanocomposites were characterized by Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy,...
-
Controlling the size and morphology of precipitated calcite particles by the selection of solvent composition
PublicationCalcium carbonate particles were obtained in the reaction of calcium hydroxide with carbon dioxide at 65°C. Initial Ca(OH)2 suspensions were prepared in pure water and aqueous solutions of ethylene glycol or glycerol of the concentration range up to 20% (vol.). The course of reaction was monitored by conductivity measurements. Precipitated solids were analyzed by FTIR, XRD, SEM and the particles size distribution was determined...
-
Automotive fleet repair facility wastewater treatment using air/ZVI and air/ZVI/H2 O2 processes
PublicationAdvanced automotive fl eet repair facility wastewater treatment was investigated with Zero-Valent Iron/Hydrogen Peroxide (Air/ZVI/H2 O2 ) process for different process parameters: ZVI and H2 O2 doses, time, pH. The highest Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) removal effi ciency, 76%, was achieved for ZVI/H2 O2 doses 4000/1900 mg/L, 120 min process time, pH 3.0. COD decreased from 933 to 227 mg/L. In optimal process conditions odor and...
-
Medially positioned plate in first metatarsophalangeal joint arthrodesis
PublicationObjective The purpose of this study was to biomechanically compare the stability of first metatarsophalangeal (MTP1) joint arthrodesis with dorsally and medially positioned plates. Methods A physical model of the MTP1 joint consists of printed synthetic bones, a titanium locking plate and screws. In the experiments, samples with dorsally and medially positioned plates were subjected to loading of ground load character in a universal...
-
Worm Gear Drives with Improved Kinematic Accuracy
PublicationThis paper presents the fundamentals of the design and applications of new worm gear drive solutions, which enable the minimisation of backlash and are characterised by higher kinematic accuracy. Different types of worm surfaces are briefly outlined. Technological problems concerning the principles of achieving a high degree of precision in machining are also described. Special attention is paid to the shaping of conical helical...
-
Recent progress in ultra-low formaldehyde emitting adhesive systems and formaldehyde scavengers in wood-based panels: a review
PublicationTraditional wood-based panels are produced with synthetic, formaldehyde-based adhesives, commonly made from fossil-derived constituents, such as urea, phenol, melamine, etc. Along with their numerous advantages, such as chemical versatility, high reactivity and excellent adhesive performance, these adhesives are characterized by certain problems, connected with the hazardous volatile organic compounds (VOCs), mostly free formaldehyde...
-
Reliability of Corroded Stiffened Plate Subjected to Uniaxial Compressive Loading
PublicationThe work is focused on the reliability of corroded stiffened plates subjected to compressive uniaxial load based on the progressive collapse approach as stipulated by the Common Structural Rules for Bulk Carriers and Oil Tankers, employing the limit state design. Two different cases have been investigated. In the first model, the corrosion degradation led to uniform thickness loss, whereas the mechanical properties were unchanged,...
-
Standard and modified falling mass impact tests on preplaced aggregatefibrous concrete and slurry infiltrated fibrous concrete
PublicationAlthough several studies have been conducted to evaluate the impact response of concrete using theAmerican Concrete Institute (ACI) 544-2R falling mass impact test, the variations in test results are themain drawback of this testing method. This study aims to reduce the variations in experimental impacttest results by introducing two simple test setup modifications; (1) using coarse or fine aggregate bed-ding as an alternative...
-
Can Web Search Queries Predict Prices Change on the Real Estate Market?
PublicationThis study aims to explore whether the intensity of internet searches, according to the Google Trends search volume index (SVI), is a predictor of changes in real estate prices. The motivation of this study is the possibility to extend the understanding of the extra predictive power of Google search engine query volume of future housing price change (shift direction) by (i) the introduction of a research approach that combines...
-
Enhancing seismic performance of rigid and semi-rigid connections equipped with SMA bolts incorporating nonlinear soil-structure interaction
PublicationNowadays, 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...
-
DIAGNOSTIC INFORMATION ANALYSIS OF QUICKLY CHANGING TEMPERATURE OF EXHAUST GAS FROM MARINE DIESEL ENGINE PART I SINGLE FACTOR ANALYSIS
PublicationIn this paper, attention was paid to the problem of low controllability of marine medium- and high-speed engines during operation, which significantly limits the parametric diagnosis. The measurement of quickly changing temperature of engine exhaust gas was proposed, the courses of which can be a source of diagnostic information. The F statistic of the Fisher-Snedecor distribution was chosen as a statistical tool. Laboratory tests...
-
Intelligent microbearing project with memory of stress-strain history
PublicationTaking into account the increasing need of intelligent micro-bearing with memory, this paper presents the optimization, simulation and practical application of operating parameters(load carrying capacity, friction forces, friction coefficient, wear), simulation for hydrodynamic HDD micro-bearing with curvilinear nano-grooved journal profile. One of the reason of such journal profile is that this journal profile contributes to the...
-
Effects of interfacial sliding on anti-plane waves in an elastic plate imperfectly attached to an elastic half-space
PublicationWe study the anti-plane shear waves in a domain consisting of an elastic layer (plate) with a coating attached to an elastic half-space (substrate). We assume an imperfect contact between the layer and the half-space, allowing some sliding. We also assume some elastic bonds between the layer and the substrate. On the free top surface we apply the compatibility conditions within the Gurtin–Murdoch surface elasticity. We found two...
-
A case study on the rotomolding behavior of black tea waste and bio-based high-density polyethylene composites: Do active compounds in the filler degrade during processing?
PublicationThis study verified the possibility of using waste material from the food industry (black tea) as functional filler of rotomolded biobased high-density polyethylene-based composites. As part of the experimental work, the influence of the materials preparation, i.e., dry blending versus twin-screw extrusion, on the effectiveness of the stabilizing antioxidant effect of the black tea was analyzed. The aim of the work was to verify...
-
Comparative analysis of seismic response reduction in multi-storey buildings equipped with base isolation and passive/active friction-tuned mass dampers
PublicationThis study presents an innovative approach to mitigating seismic responses in multi-storey buildings equipped with a base-isolation (BI) system and passive friction-tuned mass dampers (PFTMDs). The key innovation lies in the combined use of a BI system and a PFTMD system, as well as the activation of this mechanical system by controllers. Additionally, the research design optimizes the parameters of these devices specifically for...
-
Evaluation of adhesion strength, corrosion, and biological properties of the MWCNT/TiO2 coating intended for medical applications
PublicationMulti-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...
-
Tree rings as an indicator of atmospheric pollutant deposition to subalpine spruce forests in the Sudetes (Southern Poland)
PublicationIn spite of their moderate altitude (1000–1600m a.s.l.), the Western SudetyMountains belong to areas with the most efficient fog precipitation in Europe. Intense industrial activity in the area of windward western foothills caused an exceptional intensification of atmospheric pollutant deposition via precipitation and fog to take place since the 1950s. In the second half of the 1970s a massive spruce forest dieback began affecting...
-
Properties and applications of thermostable proteases sourced from Deinococcus geothermalis.
PublicationThe growing interest of extremophiles results from the fact that their enzymes arestable and active under harsh environment conditions. These type of biocatalysts are attractivedue to the fact that can be used in industrial processes that were previously regarded asincompatible with biological materials. Among extremozymes the largest group constitutethermozymes. Currently it is estimated that approximately 40% of enzymes used...
-
Optical and photocatalytic properties of rare earth metal-modified ZnO quantum dots
PublicationA series of novel ZnO quantum dots modified with rare earth metals was successfully prepared by a simple sol-gel approach. The effects of types (Eu, Er, Tb, Yb, Ho, La) and amounts (from 0.09 to 0.45 mmol) of lanthanides on the optical properties, structural characterization and photocatalytic activity of ZnO/RE QDs were systematically investigated. The X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier transform...
-
Invasive Assessment of the Myocardial Microcirculation during Beating Heart Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting
PublicationCoronary artery bypass grafting may be associated with several cardiac complications, including ischemia, acute myocardial infarction, arrhythmias, or hemodynamic instability. Accumulating evidence suggests that well-developed coronary collateral circulation may protect against adverse effects, including myocardial ischemia. Assessment of myocardial microvascular perfusion is, therefore, of great clinical interest in beating heart...
-
Phospholipids as potential prevention factor in carcinogenesis
PublicationPhospholipids are a group of complex lipids, which can be used in cancer chemoprevention. Glicerophospholipids are composed of fatty acids esterified to a glycerol backbone, a phosphate group and a hydrophilic residue such as: cho- line, ethanoloamine, serine or inositol. In the sn-2 position of glicerophospholipid usually there are unsaturated fatty acids, i.e. linolenic acid, while in the sn-1 position more typi- cal are saturated...
-
Enhanced photoelectrochemical and photocatalytic performance of iodine-doped titania nanotube arrays
PublicationThe paper discusses the synthesis and performance of iodine doped titania nanotube arrays exhibited under irradiation. The doping procedure was performed as an additional, electrochemical process carried out after formation of nanotube arrays via anodization of Ti substrate. The optical and structural properties were characterized using Raman, UV-vis, photoluminescence and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The surface morphology...
-
The role of the sawage treatment plant in the removal of genotoxic compounds from the environment
PublicationOne reason for increased incidence of various types of cancer are environmental pollutants particularly of anthropogenic origin. All human activities may pollute the environment, but some have significant impact, just to mention energy industry, mining, transportation, chemical and petrochemical industries and housing. Environmental pollutants are a large group of compounds in terms of their physicochemical properties, some of...
-
Electroactive polymer/graphene oxide nanostructured composites; evidence for direct chemical interactions between PEDOT and GOx
PublicationThis work concerns electrochemical synthesis of nanocomposites consisting of conducting polymer and reduced graphene oxide (rGOx) as electrode materials for supercapacitors. The electrosynthesis was performed in an aqueous solution of the 3,4-ethylenedioxytiophene (EDOT) monomer and graphene oxide (GOx) without supporting electrolyte. The amount of GOx was optimized to obtain the best electrochemical performance of the nanocomposite...
-
Bi-GRU-APSO: Bi-Directional Gated Recurrent Unit with Adaptive Particle Swarm Optimization Algorithm for Sales Forecasting in Multi-Channel Retail
PublicationIn the present scenario, retail sales forecasting has a great significance in E-commerce companies. The precise retail sales forecasting enhances the business decision making, storage management, and product sales. Inaccurate retail sales forecasting can decrease customer satisfaction, inventory shortages, product backlog, and unsatisfied customer demands. In order to obtain a better retail sales forecasting, deep learning models...
-
Spatial variability of the hydrochemistry of shallow groundwaters and surface waters of the Rensdyrbekken: A case study of a permafrost catchment in Bellsund (SW Spitsbergen, Svalbard)
PublicationProgressive climate change may have unpredictable consequences for the Arctic environment. Permafrost catchments off the west coast of Svalbard, described as “thin” and “warm,” are particularly sensitive to climate change. The interdisciplinary research on the hydrochemical response of surface and underground water functioning within a small permafrost catchment area focused on the determination of the impact of meteorological...
-
Influence of iron content on water uptake and charge transport in BaCe0.6Zr0.2Y0.2−xFexO3−δ triple-conducting oxides
PublicationIn this work, we studied the BaCe0.6Zr0.2Y0.2−xFexO3−δ system which belongs to the triple-conducting oxides (TCOs) group. The electrochemical properties of BaCe0.6Zr0.2Y0.2−xFexO3−δ were investigated using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and the water uptake was analyzed using thermogravimetry (TG). All investigated materials exhibited water uptake, with proton concentration increasing with decreasing iron content....
-
Nondestructive global corrosion measurement using guided wavefield data
PublicationMetallic structures often face degradation, and corrosion ranks among the most prevalent forms of deterioration. Accurate quantification of corrosion is crucial, especially for structures exposed to harsh environmental conditions, such as marine vessels and offshore installations. Because the traditional measurement methods based on scanning by ultrasonic gauge are time-consuming and provide only rough information on the thickness...
-
Experimental study and numerical simulation on porosity dependent direct reducibility of high-grade iron oxide pellets in hydrogen
PublicationThe transition to more environmentally friendly steel production methods has intensified research into hydrogen-based direct reduction (HyDR) of iron oxide pellets. The aim of this study is to systematically investigate the kinetics of the reduction process, the evolution of porosity and the resulting microstructural changes on the reduction behavior of high-quality pellets during HyDR of iron ore at different temperatures. A modified...
-
Multidirectional Characterization of Phytochemical Profile and Health-Promoting Effects of Ziziphora bungeana Juz. Extracts
PublicationZiziphora species (Lamiaceae) have been used in traditional medicine as sedatives, anti-septics, carminatives, or expectorants. Despite their common applications in phytotherapy, there is still lack of evidence about the composition of their extracts and its impact on biological properties of the plants. The aim of this study was to evaluate the content of Ziziphora bungeana, a less studied species growing in Kazakhstan, using...
-
Narratives on cutting down trees on private land. A comparison of urban and rural municipalities in Poland using the Q-deliberation method
PublicationIncreased development in rural and urban areas leads to a decrease in tree cover and reduces the ecosystem services that trees provide. Municipal authorities must consider managing trees on private land to ensure that residents have access to trees and green spaces. In doing so, they must frequently confront conflicting stakeholder views, which are driven by diverse public and private interests and impacted by the type of landscape...
-
Overcoming carboxylic acid inhibition by granular consortia in high-load liquefied food waste fermentation for efficient lactate accumulation
PublicationGranular sludge, a self-aggregating spherical biofilm, possesses better stability compared to flocculent sludge under extreme conditions. This study compared the ability of anaerobic granular sludge (AnGS) and flocculent waste activated sludge (WAS) to convert food waste (FW) into highly-valuable optically active lactic acid (LA), a central and versatile intermediate platform molecule. Different loadings (30–60 g volatile suspended...
-
Comprehensive Enhancement of Prepolymer-Based Flexible Polyurethane Foams’ Performance by Introduction of Cost-Effective Waste-Based Ground Tire Rubber Particles
PublicationMaterial innovations in polyurethane (PU) foams should ideally combine performance enhancement, environmental impact limitation, and cost reduction. These goals can be achieved by applying recycled or waste-based materials without broader industrial applications, implicating their low price. Herein, from 5 to 20 parts by weight of ground tire rubber (GTR) particles originated from the recycling of postconsumer car tires were incorporated...
-
PVA-Based Films with Strontium Titanate Nanoparticles Dedicated to Wound Dressing Application
PublicationBioactive materials may be applied in tissue regeneration, and an example of such materials are wound dressings, which are used to accelerate skin healing, especially after trauma. Here, we proposed a novel dressing enriched by a bioactive component. The aim of our study was to prepare and characterize poly(vinyl alcohol) films modified with strontium titanate nanoparticles. The physicochemical properties of films were studied,...
-
Evolution of charge density wave order in continuous solid solutions Lu(Ni1-xCox)C2
PublicationPseudo-ternary solid solutions, Lu(Ni1-xCox)C2 (0 ≤ x ≤ 1), were studied by means of powder X-ray diffraction, differential thermal analysis as well as electrical resistivity and heat capacity measurements. The crystal structure of the Lu(Ni1-xCox)C2 series, as investigated by means of X-ray powder diffraction, is of structure type CeNiC2, space group Amm2, Pearson symbol oS8. The structural analysis reveals a non-monotonous evolution,...
-
Large‐Scale Traveling Ionospheric Disturbances Over the European Sector During the Geomagnetic Storm on March 23–24, 2023: Energy Deposition in the Source Regions and the Propagation Characteristics
PublicationMultiple Large-Scale Traveling Ionospheric Disturbances (LSTIDs) are observed in the European sector in both day-time and night-time during the magnetic storm on March 23–24, 2023. The Total Electron Content (TEC) observation from a network of GNSS receivers shows the propagation of LSTIDs with amplitudes between around 0.5 and 1 TECU originating from auroral and polar cusp regions down to southern Europe (35°N) with velocities...
-
Melanoma skin cancer detection using mask-RCNN with modified GRU model
PublicationIntroduction: Melanoma Skin Cancer (MSC) is a type of cancer in the human body; therefore, early disease diagnosis is essential for reducing the mortality rate. However, dermoscopic image analysis poses challenges due to factors such as color illumination, light reflections, and the varying sizes and shapes of lesions. To overcome these challenges, an automated framework is proposed in this manuscript. Methods: Initially, dermoscopic...
-
Influence of the Spectral Quality of Light on Daytime Alertness Levels in Humans
PublicationExposure to light is very important for human health. However, the characteristics of the light stimulus and the appropriate timing of such exposure are essential. Studies that have used monochromatic light exposure have shown no systematic patterns for the effects of blue light compared to longer wavelengths. Previous studies have shown that red light exposure increases objective and subjective measures of alertness at night without...
-
Visible light photocatalysis employing TiO2/SrTiO3-BiOI composites: Surface properties and photoexcitation mechanism
PublicationA series of binary TiO2/SrTiO3 and ternary TiO2/SrTiO3_BiOI composites have been synthesized using multistep preparation method. Characterization of the obtained photocatalysts covered complex analysis including morphology + y (SEM), BET specific surface area, porosity, optical properties (DRS), chemical composition of surface (XPS), crystal structure and crystal size (XRD). UV–vis and Vis ligh induced photocatalytic activity was...
-
Evaluation of the stiffness modulus and phase angle of cold in-place recycled mix-tures for long curing periods
PublicationArticle presents the changes inbehaviour of cold-in place recycling mixtures made using cement and bituminous emulsion (CIR mixtures) after anelongated time of curing. Most of the available literatureregarding change instiffness modulus and phase angle presents resultsfor a maximum of several dozen days,which makesit difficult to predict the behaviour over the whole life of the compacted layer. The article...
-
Review and evaluation of cold recycling with bitumen emulsion and cement for rehabilitation of old pavements
PublicationThe article presents Polish experience with cold recycling of asphalt pavements with theusage of bituminous emulsion and cement. In the 1990s numerous roads in Polandrequired immediate reinforcement due to their significant degradation. Implementation ofthe cold recycling technology was one of the solutions to this problem. Cold recycledmixtures containebeside the recycled asphalt pavement and aggregateetwo differenttypes of binding...
-
Miniaturized solid phase microextratcion
PublicationWithout any doubt analytical laboratories have an essential role in environmental protection due to the fact that they takes an active part in the monitoring pollutants present in air, water or soil. From the other side, the analytical activity is involved in the generation of toxic waste what is associated with the use of not eco-friendly reagents and solvents. For these reasons, green analytical chemistry (GAC) was introduced...
-
The influence of crude glycerol and castor oil-based polyol on the structure and performance of rigid polyurethane-polyisocyanurate foams
PublicationIn this work, biopolyol obtained from two types of industrial crops’ processing products: crude glycerol and castor oil was used for preparation or rigid polyurethane-polyisocyanurate foams. Bio-based polyol was obtained via crude glycerol polymerization and further condensation of resulting polyglycerol with castor oil. Rigid polyurethane-polyisocyanurate foams were prepared at partial substitution (0–70 wt.%) of petrochemical...
-
Deposition of phosphate coatings on titanium within scaffold structure
PublicationPurpose: Existing knowledge about the appearance, thickness, and chemical composition of phosphate coatings on titanium inside porous structures is insufficient. Such knowledge is important for the design and fabrication of porous implants. Methods: Metallic scaffolds were fabricated by selective laser melting of 316L stainless steel powder. Phosphate coatings were deposited on Ti sensors placed either outside the scaffolds or...
-
Analysis of Residual Stresses and Dislocation Density of AA6082 Butt Welds Produced by Friction Sir Welding
PublicationThe Friction Stir Welding (FSW) method was employed to join AA6082 sheets. The welds were produced with different tool traverse speed (200 and 250 mm/min), rotational speed (1000 and 1250 RPM) and tool tilt angle (0 and 2 deg). Based on the analysis of XRD patterns, the total precipitation volume fractions in the nugget zones and the base material were calculated. The FSW process resulted in a reduction in the fraction of precipitates...
-
Experimental Study of the Resistance to Influence of Aggressive Liquids on Lightweight Concrete
PublicationIn light of the scientific research, the corrosion of concrete structures is one of the main problems that may reduce their durability due to the negative impact of the natural environment. The paper analyzes the influence of the type of component on the selected properties of lightweight concrete subjected to the influence of aggressive liquids. Four concrete mixes were prepared with a granular aggregate made of foamed glass (GEGA)...
-
Identification of defected sensors in an array of amperometric gas sensors
PublicationPurpose Amperometric gas sensors are commonly used in air quality monitoring in long-term measurements. Baseline shift of sensor responses and power failure may occur over time, which is an obstacle for reliable operation of the entire system. The purpose of this study is to check the possibility of using PCA method to detect defected samples, identify faulty sensor and correct the responses of the sensor identified as faulty. Design/methodology/approach In...
-
A Comparative Study of Fuzzy SMC with Adaptive Fuzzy PID for Sensorless Speed Control of Six-Phase Induction Motor
PublicationMulti-phase motors have recently replaced three-phase induction motors in a variety of applications due to the numerous benefits they provide, and the absence of speed sensors promotes induction motors with variable speed drives. Sensorless speed control minimizes unnecessary speed encoder cost, reduces maintenance, and improves the motor drive’s reliability. The performance comparison of the fuzzy sliding mode controller (FSMC)...